A17659:7
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.
¶To all them that profess the christian name, the translator wisheth mercy from God the father through our only advocate & mediator Jesus Christ, whose spirit (the giver of all goodness) lead you in to all ghostly knowledge. Amen. *
¶To all them that professe the christian name, the translatour wysheth mercy from God the father through our onelye aduocate & mediatour Iesu Christe, whose spirite (the gyuer of all godnesse) leade you in to all gostlye knowledge. Amen. *
AS the author of this little book moved with the desire to profit as well the rude and unlearned as the lettered and professors of knowledge, wrote it in his vulgar tongue: even so I (most dearly beloved brethren) moved also with the desire to brofyte my natural countrymen so much as shall lye in my little power have thought it my bounden duty to employ my diligence to the translating thereof.
AS the authoure of thys lytle boke moued wyth the desyre to profyte as wel the rude and vnlearned as the lettered and professers of knowlege, wrote it in his vulgare tongue: euen so I (moste dearelye beloued bretherne) moued also wyth the desyre to brofyte my naturall countremen so much as shal lye in my litle power haue thought it my bounden deuty to employe my diligence to the translatyng therof.
And because it hath pleased the lord to give me more knowledge in the latin tongue then in the French (wherein this book was first written) I have translated it after the Latin copy, putting the faithful reader out of doubt that I have not in any point gone from the true meaning of the author, but have thoroughly observed the phrases of both tongues, avoiding in all that I might the dark manner of translating after the latin phrases, to the intent the English reader might have the full understanding hereof without any knowledge of the latin tongue And that the Godly minds of the studious readers may be the more steated to read the matter with