A17659:26
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 in this miserable estate hath it continued even these .vi. hundred years, poisoning the souls of them that should have been fed thereby. But here must I beware that our enemy do not poison these words of mine also, causing men to understand me as one that would deny it to be possible for any man to tarry in Christ or to have Christ tarrying in him unless he receive these visible sacraments or signs bread and wine. No doubt (christian reader) the belief & trust in Christ, is the mea•e whereby Christ tarrieth in us and we in him. But this belief and trust are established and confirmed by the use of these visible signs. As this belief and trust therefore, ⟨image 10⟩are necessary to the abiding in Christ: so is the use of these holy Sacraments also, for that it is the establishment and confirming of the said believe and trust. To all them therefore to whom this believe and trust are necessary: are these sacred Sacraments also necessary. Where upon I conclude that all Christians which are of age and discretion to discern the faith in Christ: ought also to use these most holy Sacraments to establish and confirm this faith withal. And Christ knowing the weakness of man, and how hard it was to beat into his head the understanding of the high mystery of the participation and communion that all faithful should have in his merits: used these visible signs, that we might in them (even with our senses) perceive this wonderful distribution of the body and blood of Christ among his faithful, which our gross nature could no more compass without these visible signs, then the carnal and fleshly Jews could when Christ told them of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood by believing in him. To help our weakness therefore, it pleased the almighty wisdom of the Lord, to declare unto us by our senses, the thing that the same senses caused the Jews to abhor. The manner I say of our participation and communion in Christ and all that ever he deserved for us. For even as we see that we being many are partakers of one loaf of bread, by eating thereof, and of one cup of wine by drinking thereof: so are we certified by that participation, that we (being many) believing in Christ:
And in thys miserable estate hath it continued euen these .vi. hundreth yeres, poysonynge the soules of them that shoulde haue bene fedde therby. But here must I beware that our enemye do not poysone these wordes of myne also, causeynge men to vnderstande me as one that woulde deny it to be possible for any man to tarye in Christe or to haue Christe taryinge in hym vnlesse he receyue these visible sacramentes or signes breade and wyne. No doubte (christian reader) the belefe & truste in Christe, is the meae wherby Christ taryeth in vs and we in hym. But thys beliefe and trust are established and confirmed by the vse of these visile signes. As thys beliefe and truste therfore,