A14463:2066
A14463:2066
A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the principal points of the Christian faith and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certain dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Province. Translated by I.S. Seen and allowed according to the Queens Majesties injunctions.A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by Henry Bynneman? for Abraham Veale, 1573
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
P. How doest thou then understand it?
P. How doest thou then vnderstand it?
M. That even as a garment or a cloak do serve to cover the body, even so do the innocency, justice and holiness of Jesus Christ serve us to cover our sins at the judgement of God, to the end that there appear no one spot of them in his sight.
M. That euen as a garmente or a cloke do serue to couer the body, euen so do the innocencie, iustice and holynesse of Iesus Christe serue vs to couer our sinnes at the iudgemente of God, to the ende that there appere no one spotte of them in his sighte.
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.
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.
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?
P. Seeing that Jesus Christ hath a very true natural body in every respect like unto ours, as touching the corporal substance, sin except, it is certain and true, that he is not bodily and naturally not only in the heaven, and in the earth at one time, but also neither in infinite places. For he hath not a body which filleth the heaven and the earth as doth his divinity, but hath a body which can not be a true and very body, if he be not in some certain place agreeable to his nature, to his glory and celestial majesty.
P. Séeing that Iesus Christ hath a very true naturall bodie in euery respecte lyke vnto oures, as touchyng the corporall substaunce, sinne excepte, it is certaine and true, that hée is not bodily and naturally not only in the heauen, and in the earthe at one tyme, but also neyther in infinite places. For he hathe not a bodie whiche filleth the heauen and the earth as dothe his diuinitie, but hathe a bodie whyche can not be a true and verie bodie, if hée be not in some certayne place agreeable to his nature, to his glorie and celestiall maiestie.