A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…

P. When I tell thee that the baptism declareth unto us how that Jesus Christ is set forth unto us in baptism, for a robe of innocency, Justice, & holiness, and that we cloth our self with him by mean of the same, I do not think thee to be of so gross an understanding, to think, that the faithful do put on Jesus Christ naturally and corporally, as a man putteth on a garment or a cloak.

P. WHen I tell thée that the baptisme declareth vnto vs howe that Iesus Christe is set foorthe vnto vs in baptisme, for a robe of innocencie, Iustice, & holynes, and that we cloth our selfe with him by meane of ye same, I do not thinke thée to be of so grosse an vnderstanding, to thinke, that the faithfull do put on Iesus Christ naturally and corporally, as a man putteth on a garment or a cloke.

M. I should be very gross if I so understood it.

M. I should be very grosse if I so vnderstoode it.

P. How doest thou then understand it?

P. How doest thou then vnderstand it?

P. And touching the blood of Jesus Christ, doest thou think that our souls and consciences be washed and made clean in Baptism, as one would with water wash a body in a bath or river, ⟨p. 327⟩or else sheets in a buck?

P. And touching the bloude of Iesus Christe, doest thou thinke that oure soules and consciences be washed and made cleane in Baptisme, as one would with water wash a body in a bath or ryuer, ⟨p. 327⟩or else shéetes in a bucke?

Matthew. Thou makest here with me goodly discourses: I think there is none so beastly, which doth not well know that the blood of Jesus Christ is called the washing of souls, and of consciences, not as though they must be washed and dipped in the blood of Jesus Christ, as one would wash and dip a body, that he would wash and make clean, or some other such like thing, but that the holy Ghost speaketh so, to give us to understand that which thou hast said, to wit, what the water of baptism signifieth, concerning the washing and purification of our souls and consciences in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Mathevv. Thou makest here with me goodly discourses: I thinke there is none so beastly, whiche doth not well knowe that the bloud of Iesus Christe is called the washing of soules, and of consciences, not as though they must be washed and dipped in the bloud of Iesus Christe, as one woulde wash and dippe a body, that he woulde washe and make cleane, or some other suche like thing, but that the holy Ghost speaketh so, to giue vs to vnderstande that whiche thou hast sayde, to witte, what the water of baptisme signifieth, concerning the washing and purification of our soules and consciences in the bloud of Iesus Christ.

What greater reason there is to communicate corporally of the body and of the blood of Jesus Christ in the Supper, than in Baptism.

VVhat greater reason there is to communicate corporally of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper, than in Baptisme.

P. Thou doest answer me very well, but if thou find it strange that a man should say, that they which are baptised ⟨p. 328⟩have put on Jesus Christ bodily as a garment, and are washed with his blood as with a material bath, why shouldest thou not find it as strange or more strange, that a man should say that the body and the blood of Jesus Christ are naturally and bodily eaten and drunken in the Supper, as are the bread & the wine which are the signs?

P. THow doest aunswere me verye well, but if thou find it strange that a man shuld say, that they which are baptised ⟨p. 328⟩haue put on Iesus Christ bodily as a garmente, and are washed with hys bloud as with a materiall bath, why shouldest thou not finde it as straunge or more straunge, that a man should say that the body and the bloud of Iesus Christe are naturally and bodily eaten and drunken in the Supper, as are the bread & the wine which are the signes?

M. Thou makest me to consider somewhat more deeply of this matter, than heretofore I did.

M. Thou makest me to consider somewhat more déepely of this matter, than heretofore I did.

P. It is a matter well to be thought on. For if that in Baptism we have no carnal communication with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but only a spiritual, I see not what greater reason there is, to have rather in the Supper a carnal communication with him, than in Baptism, considering that the supper dependeth of baptism, and that it is as a more ample confirmation of the possession of the benefits of Jesus Christ, into the which we begin to enter by Baptism, and do continue by the Supper.

P. It is a matter well to be thoughte on. For if that in Baptisme we haue no carnall communication with the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, but only a spiritual, I sée not what greter reason there is, to haue rather in the Supper a carnal communication with him, than in Baptisme, considering that the supper dependeth of baptisme, and that it is as a more ample confirmation of the possession of the benefites of Iesus Christe, into the whiche wée beginne to enter by Baptisme, and doe continue by the Supper.

M. I find thy reasons very good.

M. I finde thy reasons very good.

P. Thou shalt find them yet better, if thou do consider how much that gross ⟨p. 329⟩and carnal opinion doth disagree as well with the nature of the body & of the blood of Jesus Christ, as with the faith that we ought to have in his ascension into heaven, and of his seat at the right hand of God, and of his spiritual and divine presence and virtue, by the which he is ever present in his church, and doth guide and govern it eternally.

P. Thou shalte finde them yet better, if thou do consider how muche that grosse ⟨p. 329⟩and carnall opinion doth disagrée as wel with the nature of the body & of the bloud of Iesus Chryste, as wyth the faith that we oughte to haue in his ascention into heauen, and of his seate at the right hand of God, and of his spirituall and diuine presence and vertue, by the whiche he is euer present in his church, and doth guide and gouerne it eternally.

Howe the corporal and carnal presence of the body and of the blood of Jesus Christ in the Supper greeth not with the true nature of them.

Hovve the corporall and carnall presence of the bodie and of the bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper greeth not with the true nature of them.

M. Expound this same unto me somewhat more at large.

M. EXpounde this same vnto me somewhat more at large.

P. For the first, to what purpose is it to think, that the body of Jesus Christ is chewed and eaten and sent into the stomach, and from thence down into the belly, as is the bread which signifieth it in the Supper: and that his blood is also drunken as is the wine which is the sign? For be it that thou understand that the bread and the wine be converted into the substance of the body and blood, or else that the body ⟨p. 330⟩be eaten with the bread, and the blood drunken with the wine, yet is there still great absurdity, clean contrary to the nature of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

P. For the first, to what purpose is it to thinke, that the bodie of Iesus Chryst is chewed and eaten and sent into the stomacke, and frō thence downe into the bellie, as is the bread whiche signifieth it in the Supper: and that his bloud is also drunken as is the wyne which is the signe? For bée it that thou vnderstand that the breade and the wyne be conuerted into the substance of the bodie and bloud, or else that the bodie ⟨p. 330⟩be eaten with the bread, and the bloud drunken with the wine, yet is there still greate absurditie, cleane contrary to the nature of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Chryste.

M. What contrariety findest thou therein?

M. What contrarietie fyndest thou therin?