A17659:169
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.
¶Wherefore to you dearly beloved in God, elect and chosen to an high vocation in Jesus Christ (even to be flesh of his flesh & bone of his bones, to be citizens with the saints and of the household of God) to you I make this my mo•e afore rehearsed, trusting, that though nether the world, nor those false brethren (which because they were not of us, are gone from among us .i. Ihoā .ii. & are fallen in love with this world after the ensample of Demas .ii. Ti .ii though nether of them both (I say) will hearken to y• voice of God, while it is called. To day ⟨image 48⟩but still harden their hearts against Gods trueth My trust is (as I said afore) that ye will hold your hand still on the plough, that ye will walk honestly now while the mercy of God lendeth you day light. Ye know that our Lord said The night shall come, in the which no man shall be able to work. Ye see how our adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour Ye see what a number of great men on the one side, have girded their sw•rdes about them and stand even in complete harness, to fight against the manifest word of God: Yea what swearing, what blaspheming of gods name, what pride, what excess, what filthiness of body and idleness, is used, practised & daily maintained in their houses: Ye see, how they can not abide the hearing of gods word, but blast and blow against it, persecute it, as much as in them lieth. On the other side, ye see what a number of hypocrites, Antichrists, false prophets and flattering chaplains are not only about great. men, but every where, in manner, roar and cry and stamp against our Lords doctrine keep the people still in blindness and fed them with draff & dregs in stead of Gods word. Thirdly, ye see what a number here be in the world, which pretending to love Gods word, by their outward hearing reading, and talking of it, live clean contrary against it, bring not forth the worthy fruits of repentance, are as great swea•ers as filthy, as idle, as covetous, as deceitful in bargaining, as unapt to all good works, as they were afore they knew the trueth: And by this means is it come to pass y• through such ⟨image 48⟩unchristen living, the good word of god is more supperest than other through y cruelty of tyrant tes, or flattering lies of hypocrites.