A68658:21
A brief declaration of the Lords Supper, writtenA brief declaracion of the Lordes Supper, written
A brief declaration of the Lords Supper, written by the singular learned man, and most constant martyr of Jesus Christ, Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London prisoner in Oxford, a little before he suffered death for the true testimony of ChristA brief declaracion of the Lordes Supper, written by the syngular learned man, and most constaunt martir of Iesus Christ, Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London prisoner in Oxforde, a litel before he suffred deathe for the true testimonie of Christ
Emden: printed by E. van der Erve, 1555
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 again, this is true, that truth neither needeth nor will be maintained with lies. It is also a true proverb, that it is even sin, to lye upon the devil:1 for though by thy lye thou doest sin never so much to speak against the devil, yet in that thou lyest, ⟨image 7⟩in deed thou workest the devils work: thou doest him service,2 and takest the devils part. Now whether than they do godly and charitably, which either by their pen in writing, or by their words in preaching, do bear the simple people in hand, that those which thus do teach & believe, do goo about to make the holy Sacrament (ordained by Christ him self) a thing no better than a piece of common bread: or that do say, that such do make the holy Sacrament of the blessed body and blood of Christ nothing else, but a bare sign or a figure, to represent Christ non otherwise, than the Ivy bush doth represent the wine in a tavern, or as a vile person gorgeously apparelled▪ may represent a king or a prince in a play. Alas let men leave lying, and speak the truth every one, not only to his neighbour, but also of his neighbour: for we are members one of an other, sayeth saint Paul. The controversy (no doubt) which at this day troubleth the church (wherein any mean learned man, either old or new, doth stand in) is not, whether the holy Sacrament of the body ⟨image 8⟩and blood of Christ, is no better than a piece of common bread or no: or whether the Lords table is no more to be regarded, than the table of any earthy man or no: or whether it is but a bare sign or figure of Christ and nothing else or no. For all do grant, that S. Pauls words do require, that the bread which we break, is the partaking of the body of Christ, and also do grant him that eateth of that bread, or drinketh of the cup unworthily, to be guilty of the Lords death, and to eat and drink his own damnation, because he esteemeth not the Lords body. All do grant, that these words of S. Paul (when he sayeth: If we eat, it advantageth us nothing: or if we eat not we want nothing thereby) are not spoken of the Lords table, but of other common meats.