A17696:46
Sermon of Master John Calvin, on the history of Melchizedek Wherein is also handled,…Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled,…
Sermon of Master John Calvin, on the history of Melchizedek Wherein is also handled, Abraham's courage in rescuing his nephew Lot: and his Godliness in paying tithes to Melchizedek. Also, Abraham's faith, in believing God: comprehending four sermons. And, Abraham's obedience, in offering his son Isaac; in three sermons. Translated out of French, by Thomas Stocker, Gent.Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled, Abrahams courage in rescuing his nephew Lot: and his Godliness in paying tithes to Melchisedech. Also, Abrahams faith, in belieuing God: comprehending foure sermons. And, Abrahams obedience, in offering his sonne Isaack; in three sermons. Translated out of French, by Thomas Stocker, Gent.
London: printed by John Windet, 1592London: printed by Iohn Windet, 1592
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 this error was not begun by the Papists, let us not lay more upon them then in deed is due unto them: for they have blasphemies enough amongst them, to condemn them selves an hundred times. ⟨p. 44⟩But it is great pity, that the devil hath so ruled and reigned amongst them, as that he hath for these fourteen hundred years so blinded those that name themselves Christians, as that they are gone so far as to devise a bewitching fantasy, that Jesus Christ was figured in the person of Melchizedek, & that his body is the heavenly bread, & his blood the wine to nourish souls, and that he offered both the one and the other. Now at the first sight, this Allegory will please such as have itching ears: how Jesus Christ calleth his body, bread, and his blood, wine. And therefore this seemeth very well to agree, that Melchizedek offered bread and wine, because the body of Jesus Christ ought to have this power in it self to feed us, and his blood also to quicken our souls: howbeit, here is no speaking of any oblation made unto God. But Moses saith, that Melchizedek king of Salem, offered bread and wine, that is to say, that he presented it unto Abram. It should here fall out that Abram was God, because the oblation was delivered up unto his own person: and yet it was not to himself alone, but for his whole company also. So here the kingly liberality of Melchizedek, after he had once friendly received him. Now to refer this unto God, were to pervert the whole substance of the matter, ⟨p. 45⟩as may be seen. And besides, our Lord Jesus Christ, offered his body and blood, not that they were before bread & wine: but because they were offered, they are called bred & wine: that is to say, they are of the power & nature of bread & wine unto us. For, how is it that our souls are sustained by the body & blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, & our lives preserved by them? Forsooth it is, because that the sacrifice that was once offered, is the sum and perfection of all goodness. And therefore if Jesus Christ had not been before offered up, his body had not been at this day, meat, neither yet his blood, drink. And mark, why Saint Paul saith in the first epistle to the Corinths,1 That Jesus Christ our Passover, was offered up for us: let us therefore now eat. And this is the order that we must hold: