A17659:116
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.
Dear friends, we are all baptised into the death of our Lord Jesus Christ: wherefore after holy Baptism: we must all the days of our life, fight and strive in continual battle & war against sin, death and the devil, & so bear about with us in our bodies the passion and death of our Lord Jesus, and we prove by experience, that the enemies whom we have to do withal, are neither weak, nor feeble, but mighty and valiant, to whose power men are naturally subdued so that upon earth there is none so mighty, as to resist ⟨image 39⟩this power of darkness through his own strength, so feeble and weak is all our ability in comparison thereof. For the which cause God the father through Christ his dear son hath ordained another power and kingdom, in the which is righteousness and life: and through his death and blood hath he delivered us and brought us from sin to righteousness, from death to life, from the devil to God, & hath included the kingdom of his grace in the preaching, believing and following of his word: which being begun in the holy christianity, shall go forth until the last day: that we which receive, believe, and do after the same word (by the merits of Christ our reconciler and Saviour) should be and continue for ever his dear children, & heirs of the kingdom of grace, that is to say, of everlasting salvation, for as much as we through such faith do eat continually his flesh & drink his blood, that is to say, abide in him, and he in us.
DEare frendes, we are all baptised into the death of oure Lorde Iesu Christe: wherfore after holy Baptysme: we muste all the dayes of our lyfe, fyght and stryue in continuall battayle & warre agaynst synne, death and the deuyl, & so beare about with vs in our bodies the passion and death of our Lorde Iesu, and we proue by experience, that the enemies whom we haue to do withal, are neyther weake, nor feable, but mighty and valiant, to whose power mē are naturally subdued so yt vpō earth there is none so mighty, as to resist ⟨image 39⟩thys power of darkenesse throughe hys owne strength, so feable and weake is all oure abilitie in comparison thereof. For the whyche cause God the father through Christ his deare sonne hath ordeined another power and kingdome, in the whiche is ryghtuousnes and lyfe: and through his death and bloude hath he delyuered vs and brought vs frō synne to ryghtuousnes, from death to lyfe, from the deuyll to God, & hath included the kyngdome of hys grace in the preaching, beleuyng and folowing of his worde: which beinge begonne in the holy christentie, shal go forth vntyll the last daye: that we whiche receyue, beleue, and do after the same worde (by the merites of Christe our reconciler and Sauiour) shoulde be and continew for euer his deare chyldrē, & heyres of the kingdom of grace, that is to say, of euerlasting saluaciō, for as much as we through such faith do eate cōtinually his flesh & drinke his bloud, that is to saye, abyde in hym, and he in vs.