A17659:72
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.
It is our duty, to admonish them that live viciously: and if they will not here us to make relation to the shepherd: that he may finish the matter by the authority of y• congregation. But we may not so withdraw our selves1 from the company and assemble of the wicked that we forsake the communion of the congregation. Besides these things, it shall oft times chance, that the crimes be not so manifest, that it may be lawful to proceed to excommunication. For, although the shepherd shall in his mind judge any man to be unworthy: yet may he not pronounce him to be such a one or prohibit him the supper: unless he have convicted him by the judgment of the congregation, which thing when it chanceth, there remaineth none other remedy, but that we desire god that he will deliver his church from all offences: in this mean time whilst we look for the day of judgment, wherein the chaff shall be severed from the good grain. The third, have no kind at all of the likeliness of the truth. For this spiritual bread is not given unto us, to the intent we should be glutted ⟨image 24⟩incontinent, but rather, that tasting the sweetness thereof,2 we should hunger the more after it, and use it as often as it should be proffered unto us. This is the thing that I have expound dead before: that Jesus Christ is never so communicate unto us (so long as we be in this mortal life) that our souls may be satiate with him, but that he may be an accustomed nourishment unto them.
It is our dutie, to admonish them that lyue viciouslye: and if they wyll not here vs to make relacion to the shepeherde: that he maye finishe the matter by the authoritie of y• congregaciō. But we maye not so wythdrawe oure selues1 frome the cōpanie and assemble of the wycked that we forsake the communion of the congregacion. Bysydes these thynges, it shall ofte tymes chaunce, that the crimes be not so magnifest, that it maye beleaful to procede to excō municacion. For, although the shepeherde shal in his mynde iudge any man to be vnworthy: yet may he not pronounce him to be such a one or prohibite hym the supper: vnlesse he haue cō uicted hym by the iugemente of the congregacion, whyche thynge whan it chaunceth, there remayneth none other remedie, but that we desyre god that he wyll delyuer his church from al offences: in this meane tyme whylse we loke for the daye of indgement, wherin the chaffe shall be seuered from the good grayne. The thyrde, haue no kynde at all of the lyklinesse of the truthe. For this spirituall bread is not gyuen vnto vs, to the intēt we should be glutted