A17659:165
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.
¶A little complaint with a short exhortation made unto all them, that are no dissemblers with gods word, but unfeignedly live there after.
¶A litle complaynte with a short exhortacion made vnto all them, that are no dissemblers wt gods worde, but vnfaynedly lyue there after.
Like as God (according to his most blessed nature) ever loving, gracious, merciful & true, both alway send •is word afore he plague the world, and giveth us warning ⟨image 46⟩afore the destruction come, willing us to convert unto him to forsake our own evil ways, & to lay hand on eternal life. Even so contrary wise the devil, the father of falsehood and lies, envying mans salvation, casteth ever one bone or other in the way, to hinder the glory of God, to stop his word, to keep back his truth, least through the steadfast believing & following thereof, his own kingdom should be minished, gods amplified & increased▪ Sometime to hinder the gospel of the glory of the great god, he stirreth up tyranny & cruelness, and mo•eth some rulers or great men of the world to take part against it, to persecute it, to trouble & vex them whom god hath called unto it. Ensample whereof ye see in Pharaoh, in king Ahab, in Antiochus, in Herod, & in those great prelates that showed their hot charity upon our Saviour Christ, & his Apostles. The devil also to set up his kingdom the better, getteth him chaplains for his own •oeth, such as were Baals prophets .iii. Regū .xxii. that they may ever either in confessions or otherwise, move kings & princes to take part against their own salvation, & to trouble such as tell them no dreams, nor fantasies, but even the very word of god. As the prophet Mych•as did. Sometime, I say, least the truth should be believed, the devil as he is the father of all lies: so getteth he false witnesses to testify even against Christ, & against poor Steven & Paul his servants, yea & to preach, that their doctrine is naught, seditious, new learning, and heresy,