A17659:167
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.
Such lying lessons doth the devil teach his scholars, & not only this, but also to wrest and wring the scripture from the manifest understanding of it, of the which juggling cast he hath given them an ensample in the .iiii. of Mat and .iiii. of Luke. Who now considering this great decay of godliness, that the devil hath brought into the world (partly through the tyranny that he hath steered up in great men, partly through the false witness bearing of hypocrites and lying teachers) hath no cause to mourn in this behalf? Who will not be sorry to see Gods holy word thus persecuted, thus exiled, thus cruelly reported, thus belied?
Such lying lessons doth the deuyl teach his scholers, & not onely this, but also to wrest and wrynge the scripture frō the manifest vnderstanding of it, of the which iuglyng cast he hath gyuen thē an ensāple in the .iiii. of Mat and .iiii. of Luke. Who now cōsidering this greate decaye of godlynes, that the deuyl hath brought into the worlde (partly thorow the tyrāny that he hath steared vp in great mē, partly thorowe the false wytnes bearyng of hypocrites and lyinge teachers) hathe no cause to mourne in this behalfe? Who wyl not be sory to se Gods holy worde thus persecuted, thus exiled, thus cruelly reported, thus belyed?
Nevertheless all this evil doth not the devil think sufficient, he can not here withal be content, but he entereth in also among them that profess the name of Christ, y• are called brethren & disciples, that pretend to love and favour his truth: And among them, look who is mete for his purpose, most inconstant, and leas• regardeth Christs word in his heart, of him he maketh either an whoremonger, and deceiver of his neighbour, or a follower of other vices of his own carnal lusts, robbing ⟨image 47⟩him utterly of that most holy, most steadfast and living faith that Christ taught, & also of those worthy fruits of y• spirit of god repentance & works of light, which y• scripture speaketh of. By the means whereof, & because he bareth the name of a Christen brother, there fore even as he behaveth him self now, and as he liveth, so must we be reputed of the ungodly and such livers must we be called. If he be a breaker of peace, a maker of sedition, a drunkard, a false buyer and seller, a follower of filthy lusts, a bringer up of sects (as God ever suffereth them to be deceived that will not abide the order of his word) Then must we also be called breakers of common order, railers. makers of insurrection, drunkards, false dealers with our neighbours, Heretics, followers of a fleshly and carnal liberty: Yea though all our teaching, writing, talking and living be to the contrary. Yet bear we the blame, so blind is this wicked world in judgement, & so unthankful in their living are a great number of them that are called Christen men (as I understand) on the other side.