A17659:11
A faithful and most godly treatise concerning the most sacred Sacrament of the blessed…A faythfull and moost godlye treatyse concernyng the most sacred Sacrament of the blessed…
A faithful and most godly treatise concerning the most sacred Sacrament of the blessed body and blood of our saviour Christ, co[m]piled by John Calvin, a man of no less learning and literature then godly study, and example of living. And translated into Latin by Lacius a man of like excellency. And now last of all, translated into English by a faithful brother, no less desirous to profit the weak brothers then to exercise the talent of the Lord to his honour and glory. In declaration whereof, he hath set before this little book an epistle to the reader much more effectuous then in the first edition. Whereunto the order that the church and congregation of Christ in Denmark doth use at the receiving of baptism, the Supper of the Lord, and wedlock: is added. Myles CoverdaleA faythfull and moost godlye treatyse concernyng the most sacred Sacrament of the blessed body and bloude of our sauioure Chryst, co[m]piled by Iohn Caluyne, a man of no lesse lernyng and lytterature then godly studye, and example of liuyng. And translated into Latin by Lacius a man of lyke excellencie. And nowe last of all, translated into Englyshe by a faythfull brother, no lesse desirous to profyt the weake brotheres then to exercise the talent of the Lorde to his honoure and glorye. In declaration whereof, he hath set before this lytle booke an epistle to the reader much more effectuous then in the fyrst edicion. Whereunto the order that the churche and congregation of Christ in Denmarke doth vse at the receyuying of baptisme, the Supper of ye Lorde, and wedlocke: is added. Myles Couerdale
London: printed by John Day for William Seres?, 1548
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
And have through this persuasion, returned to their old leaven again, thinking them to be the true teachers of gods doctrine which offend in the contrary, making it so divine a thing that it should be of no less importance then the whole Trinity, the father the son and holy ghost, for so they affirm saying, that for as much as it is the body of Christ, and that Christ is in all places at ones with his father, and his father with him and ⟨image 4⟩the holy ghost: it must needs follow that in it is the whole trinity, the father, the son and the holy ghost. For these are not, nor can not be separated.
And haue throughe thys persuasion, retourned to theyr olde leuen agayne, thynkyng them to be the trew teachers of gods doctrine whiche offende in the contrarye, makinge it so diuine a thynge that it shoulde be of no lesse importaūce then the whole Trinitie, the father the sōne and holy gost, for so they affirme sayinge, that for as muche as it is the bodye of Christe, and that Christ is in al places at ones with his father, and his father wyth hym and ⟨image 4⟩the holy goste: it muste neades folowe that in it is the whole trinitie, the father, the sonne and the holy goste. For these are not, nor can not be seperated.
I will say for these men that they have the zeal of god, but it is not according to knowledge. For as the Jews (were from time to time,1 taught and believed that God dwelled in the temple that Solomon builded) could not abide to hear that God should not dwell in a temple made with mans hand, nothing considering that he is immensus and can not be contained (for heaven is his seat, and the earth his foot stole) even so these men through a fond persuasion of the essential presence of Christ in the Sacrament: can not abide to hear that the whole trinity should not be really contained under a piece of bread, yea under every little crumb thereof. I speak not this as one putting no difference between that sacramental bread and our common bread, but that I may thereby declare and open the great blindness of them that knowing and confessing the immensurable nature of God, would have him really and naturally contained in so small a thing.