The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Part 3
¶The order that the churche and cōgregacion of Christe in Denmarke, and in many places, coūtreis and cities in Germany doth vse, not onelye at the holy supper of the Lorde, but also at the ministration of the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme and holy Wedlocke.
TO all that hunger and thyrst the glorye of God & wealth of theyr neyghbours, be grace mercye and peace from the same euerlastyng God our moste deare father in heauen thorow our Lorde and onelyonly Sauiour Iesus Christe. It were to me a singuler comfort (my ryght deare and intierly beloued brethren, and systers in Iesu Christe) yf I myghte be wyth you my selfe continuallye, & comunicate vntounto you some part of that litle talēt, which I hauehave receiued of the Lorde my God for your sakes, and all the lawefull wayes that I coulde deuyse, I hauehave sought thys greate whyle, to opteyne licēce of the hygher powers for the same purpose. But it wyl not be. Wherfore though I be hyndred and kepte from you by all the meanes that Sathan & his membres can imagen, yet shall ye hauehave my poore herte, yet wyll I not ceasse to wyshe you good, yet wyll I do the beste for you that I can, although it be but wyth my pen. In token wherof, I hauehave set forth vntounto you the order and maner that many whiche hauehave receyued Goddes worde vnfaynedly, do vse not onelyonly at the mooste h…lye supper of our Lorde, but also at the ministracion of the blessed Sacramente of Baptisme, and when anye couple of persones are ioyned into holy wedlocke. And thys hauehave I done, to the intent, that when ye hauehave spyed and do se, that thys order is agreable vntounto Gods worde not varying frō the moste wholsome doctrine therof. Ye maye wyshe in your hertes to hauehave Goddes truth prospere lykewyse amonge you in the realme of Englande: And praye vnfaynedly wyth me and all other synners, that the father of mercy and God of all comforte wyll …o lyghten and illuminate the hertes of oure rulers, that they maye folowe the earnest monicion of the seconde Psalme, and be no more wythout vnderstādyng, but be wyse by times and embrace the sonne of God, whyle he offreth him selfe vntounto them And not only to suffre the worde of God to hauehave the vpper hande aboue all other doctrines, but also them selues to laye to theyr handes in abolishyng the blasphemous and dampnable abuses that are here (as yet▪ suffred about the forsayed thre principles of Christes religion, wherfore deare brethren, whē ye compare this order vnderunder wrytten (whiche is the doctrine of Goddes worde, and practise of the primatyue churche) to the vayne ceremonyes vsed here yet (after the churche of Rome) lyfte vp your hertes to almightye God and beseche hym, that for Christes …ake … wyll once graunte, that these thre (his holy Supper, holy Baptisme, holy wed…ocke) maye be truelye and sincerelye ministred and practised also amonge vsus. To the glory of his blessed name …nd encrease of his kyngdom for euer. Amen.
¶The order taken for the due ministration of the holy Supper of the Lorde.
FOr thy better instruction thou shalte fyrste vnderstande, that the blessed Sacrament of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde (the worthy memoriall of oure redempcion) is at no tyme denyed to any christen man (where gods worde is truely preached) yf he lawfully require it. And as none dothe minister it saue the priest which is the officer appointed therto. So is it not ministred, but whē there be other present to receyue it as well as the pryeste.
Now bicause that where gods worde is truely preached, mē do se the fruite of the sayd holy Sacrament, therfore resort they the oftener to the same holy supper of the lorde and delyte the more therin. But specially to se what a nū bre come to it on the sōdaye, & how reuerently, it woulde do ones hert good. And bicause they may the more fruitfully be partakers thereof, therfore on the saterday whē the preachyng is done (eueryevery daye they hauehave a sermon) all suche as are appoynted in them selues to be partakers of the Lordes supper come (one after an other) to the priest: of whō they learne, not onelyonly what the Sacrament is & the right vse therof, but also they beynge repentaunt and sorye for theyr synnes, & professing amendement, receyue there gods promises for theyr absolucion, to the singulare comforte of theyr conscience: & are exhorted by the priest, to do agaynste the morow, as the holy Apostle Paule biddeth them: that is euen to trye, examen, and proue them selues, whether they cā be cōtent vnfaynedlye in theyr hertes, to take better holde on the kyngdome of God, then they hauehave done in tymes paste, to be more stedfaste in fayth and hope towarde god & hys promyses, to bemore feruent in prayer and louelove towarde God, and for hys sake to shewe vnfayned soue towarde eueryevery man, to forgeue hertely as they wolde be forgeuen, to mortyfie theyr fleshe dalie more and more by reasonable abstynence and godly exercises of the spirite and vertuous occupacion of the bodye, to bee glad in distrybutynge the workes of mercy to the poore &c.
And whē the pryest, preacher, or curate for al is on thynge) hathe geuen euerye one, thys or suche a lyke exortation, and enioyued ech one hys penaūce accordyng to his estate as subiectes to be true & obediēt to their rule…s seruātes to be faithful and diligent in waytyng on their masters conmaundement, children to honour and ob…ie their parentes▪ and to lerne vertue whyle they be yonge, housholders to kepe their houses in the feare of God, & so forth) whē the priest (I saye) hath enioyned them thus to lyue and to increase in the same wel doynge, he commytteth them to God and to the worde of hys grace, And so they departe.
¶On the sondaye in the mornyng (at .vi. of the clocke in Sōmer, and at .vii. in winter) the bell ryngeth, and the people, prepare them selues to the churche, so that sone after the bel hath ronge the seco…de tyme, the churche is almost full of men, women and chyldren, Then a lytle a fore the houre is expired, they rynge y• bell the thirde tyme, whiche ceasseth not tyl the houre stryke: And at the quere dore besyde the table of the Lorde, stande two good sober synginge men, whyche (commenly a quarter of an houre a fore the sermon) beginne a psalme and all the people bothe olde and yonge wyth one voyce do synge wyth them, after such a fashiō that eueryevery note answereth to a syllabe, and eueryevery sillabe to one note commenly and no mo: so that a man maye wel vnderstand what the… synge. But fyrst for the moste parte they syng the Pater noster in theyr mother tonge, & then the Psalmes, some tyme mo, some tyme fewer accordyng as the tyme requireth, but al in ther owne language. Now whan the clocke smyteth (which is comēly .vii. in Sōmer. but .viii. in wynter) the superattendaūt or chiefe curate commeth in to the pulpyt, and fryste of all, he wysheth vntounto his audience and to hym selfe▪ grace merye and peace from God the father through his blessed sone Iesus Christe oure sauiour: And to the intent that theyr hertes maye be opened to the true vnderstandynge of the gospel, which he is aboute to preach vntounto them, he exhorteth them to call for helpe to the holye Goost. So after that the two foresayde men (or at the least one of them) hath orderly begonne, all the thurch folowethe, and synge with one voyce vntounto the holy Gost this songe, Ueni sancte spiritus &c. or suche an other lyke it, in thyr mother tonge.
¶Thē the preacher taketh the gospell of that presente sondaye (or some other place of the scripture, that he is appoynted to declare) and expoundethe it clearely by the other manifeste places of the byble, noetynge in it suche lessones, such consolacions, and such ensamples as are for the edyfienge of his audience.
¶Comenlye at the latter ende of the sermon, he maketh a prery shorte rehearsal of it by the way of exhortacyon to the people, or prayer towarde God. And then requireth he them to confesse and knowledge theyr sinnes vntounto God wyth him, eueryevery man in hys owne conscience, and to saye suche or lyke wordes in hys herte, as I hauehave plurallye expressed in the generall confession, that I humblye offered to the Kynges mooste honorable counsayll for the edyfyenge. Anno. M. D. xxxix. Whan the prieste hathe prayed for all estates, and made this or suche a lyke confession in their name, he prayeth God to be mercifull to them, to blesse them to shewe the lyghte of hys countenaunce ouer them, and to hauehave mercye on them.
¶Then gyueth he them thys or soche a lyke absolucion, and sayeth.
TO all them that repent and are sory for theyr synnes, detestinge and abhorring theyr olde wycked lyfe. Yf they be hongry and thirste for Gods mercye in Christe, beleuynge surelye to hauehave forgyuenesse onelye by hym, purposinge to for sake all abhomynacyon of lyuynge, and from hense forthe to lyue in the feare of God and vnfaynedly to kepe his commaundementes: To all suche (by the vertue of Goddes worde and commission of the same) I pronounce and warraunt fre remyssion and cleane forgeuenes of all theyr synnes. To the other that wyll not repente▪ but styll harden theyr hertes agaynst Goddes trueth, continually abydynge in the blyndnesse of false doctrine & fylthynes of wi…ked lyuyng, hauing no purpose nor mynde to come to r…pentaūce: To all suche (by the vertue of the same worde and commission therof) do I pornounce damnacyon and the terrible wrath of god, vntyll they amende.
¶So after that he hath wyshed the peace of God vntounto hys audyence, he commeth downe Then all the congregacyon and church in maner afore sayde, do synge the Crede or beleue in theyr owne mother tonge. And whan that is done, the curate or els his coadiutour, standeth vp afore the table of the lorde, and requyreth all such as are appoynted then to be partakers therof, to be well ware what they do, and to make a iuste accompt with them selues after what maner they hauehave proued and tried theyr owne consciences, whether it be done vnfaynedly & in an earnest maner & whether they be at one with al men, and so forth. Yf it be so in dede, he geueth God thākes for it. Yf no, he praieth thē right gētly, yt they wyll thinke no shame to absēt thē selues frō this holy supper tyl ye recōciliacion be made, lest they come to it vnworthely. And thē geueth he thē this exhortacion, or els another such lyke:
¶An Exhortation at the supper of the Lorde.
DEare frendes, we are all baptised into the death of oure Lorde Iesu Christe: wherfore after holy Baptysme: we muste all the dayes of our lyfe, fyght and stryue in continuall battayle & warre agaynst synne, death and the deuyl, & so beare about with vsus in our bodies the passion and death of our Lorde Iesu, and we proue by experience, that the enemies whom we hauehave to do withal, are neyther weake, nor feable, but mighty and valiant, to whose power mē are naturally subdued so yt vpō earth there is none so mighty, as to resist thys power of darkenesse throughe hys owne strength, so feable and weake is all oure abilitie in comparison thereof. For the whyche cause God the father through Christ his deare sonne hath ordeined another power and kingdome, in the whiche is ryghtuousnes and lyfe: and through his death and bloude hath he delyuered vsus and brought vsus frō synne to ryghtuousnes, from death to lyfe, from the deuyll to God, & hath included the kyngdome of hys grace in the preaching, beleuyng and folowing of his worde: which beinge begonne in the holy christentie, shal go forth vntyll the last daye: that we whiche receyue, beleue, and do after the same worde (by the merites of Christe our reconciler and Sauiour) shoulde be and continew for euer his deare chyldrē, & heyres of the kingdom of grace, that is to say, of euerlasting saluaciō, for as much as we through such faith do eate cōtinually his flesh & drinke his bloud, that is to saye, abyde in hym, and he in vsus.
¶To the intent now that this so great goodnesse declared by the worde of God, myghte dayly amonge vsus be practised, distributed and exhibited, therfore hath the gracious and merciful Lorde Iesus Christ instituted and ordeined a remembraunce of thys his wonderfull worke, and cōmaunded, that we at his supper in the Sacrament, shoulde eate his very body and drynke his very bloude. Wherby the hertes of al suche are faythful beleuers and feare God, myghte be assured of thys same grace of God, and euerlastyng saluacion: And also that in the holy cōgregacion and churche his glorious remembraunce myghte … kepte, that is to say, to giuegive him thākes & prai…e, to sing, …peake preache, & reade therof, to exhorte & cōforte one another among them selues. And finally wyth all faythfulnesse one to shewe towarde another suche louelove and fauour, as we oure selues hauehave receiued of our deare lorde Iesus Christ. ¶And for as muche as we nowe are hapened in these later dayes, in the whyche thys so precious treasure is vnhalowed and wyckedlye abused. Thys holy Sacrament shall (for the necessarye causes nowe rehersed) be to vsus also a testimonye of thys presente tyme before god and the worlde, that we do vtterly both in worde and dede, refuse and forsake all the dis…eatfulnesse of the papistrie, and that we fayth fully wyth all our hertes submitte oure selues vnderunder the gospel of Iesus Christe.
¶Wherfore ye dearely beloued in the Lorde, for as muche as thys matter is so wayghtye, euen Gods owne institution and ordinaunce, yea, and his cōmaūdemēt also that we shoulde do it. And lykewyse seynge the necessite which shoulde cause vsus to accomplishe the same, is so great, specially on our behalfe towardes God (to whom we owe a longe Deo gratias and thankes) we ought in no wyse to refrayne our selues from it, neyther suffer oure selues to be kepte backe there frō: but oftymes wyth repētant hertes to seke this our soules medicine & cōfort of our cōsciēce: beleuinge what Christ sayth to vsus herin, & doing as …e cōmaūdeth vsus
¶And as for those that seke no suche repentant hertes fayth and comfort herein, but lyue in open blasphemy, continuynge in synne and wycked lyfe. They shall knowe, that they are vnworthy of thys holy supper, and shal be excomunicate, tyll they amende.
¶But to the intent that the vnrepētant may thorow the grace of god be lightened, and that we our selues may frutefully enioye this supper to the amēdmēt of our liues, & also that all Chrystendome generally maye be the beter and be edified. Therfore let vsus hertelye make our prayer to god the father of al mercye: beleuyng assuredly, that he wyl graciously here vsus thorow our Lord Iesus Christ, who cōmaunded vsus to praye, and promised vsus, saynge: Aske and ye shall hauehave: seke, & ye shall fynd: knocke▪ and it shalbe opened to you.
¶Wherfore in consideracion of the same conmaundement and promes, lyft vp your hertes and saye thus wyth me in youre prayer.
O Lord god our father in heauē we thy miserable childrē vponupon earth beseche the that thou wyll mercifully loke on vsus & lend vsus thy grace ¶That thy holy name maye be sanctifyed among vsus and in all the world thorow the pure and syncere teachynge of thy worde, & through ernest charite in our daylye lyuynge, and oure conuersacion. Se…lude thou graciously al fals doctrine and euell lyuinge, wherby thy worthi name myght be blasphemed and slaundred.
¶O let thy kyngdome come and be greate. All synfull, blynd people and suche as are holden captyue of the deuell in hys kyngdome▪ those bryng thou to the knowledge of the true fayth in Iesus Christe thy sonne.
¶Strength vsus Lorde wyth thy spiryte to do and to suffre thy wil both in life and death in well and woo, that our wyll maye all waye be broken, offred vp and mortified.
¶And geue vsus oure dayly bread: Preserue vsus from couetous desire and carefulnes of the bealy, that of the we may be assured to hauehave abundaunce of al good thynges.
¶Forgeue vsus oure trespace, as we forgeue them whyche offende vsus: that oure hert maye hauehave a sure and glad conscience, and that wee neuer feare nor be afrayed for any synne.
¶Leade vsus not into tentacyon but helpe vsus through thy spirite to subdue the flesh, to despise the worlde with his vanities, and to ouercome the deuel wyth all hys craftie assaultes. And finally delyuer thou vsus frō all euell, both bodely and gostly, temporal & eternall. Amen.
¶They that ernestly, desyre al thys, let them say: Amē beleuyng without any doubte, y• it is graūted & hearde in heauē according as Christ ꝓmised vsus, saying, whē ye pray, beleue assuredly y• ye shal hauehave it & it shal come to passe. Amē.
¶Then reherseth he the wordes of the holye supper out of thre Euāgelistes, Mathewe, Marke and Luke, and also out of S. Paule Cor. xi. saying.
THe lorde Iesus the same night wherin he was betrayed toke bread, & gyuynge thākes brake it & sayed: Take ye & eate, this is my body, whiche shall be gyuen for you. Thys do in the remembraunce of me. In lyke maner when supper was done, he toke the cuppe also saying. This cup is the new testamēt in my bloud. As of…e as ye drinke this do it in remembraūc… of me. This done, the whole churche in maner aboue sayd, do syng a psalme or two of thākes gyuing for this blessed Sacramēt. And in the meane saeson, they y• are appoynted thē to suppe with the Lorde, and come soberly and wyth greate reuerence one after another) the men fyrste and then the women) to the table of the Lorde: where they knelynge (one I saye after another) receyue at the hande of one of the priest…s, the Sacramente in fourme of breade. And then goeth he wyth lyke reuerence to the other ende of the table, and at the hande of an other of the priestes (which stādeth there ready for the same purpose) he kn…leth downe and receyueth it also in the fourme of wyne, and all the other folowe reuerently, and do the same. Yf one of the priestes or both be disposed lykewise as thē to suppe with the lorde, he kneleth downe, & his companion …erueth hym. And euen so doth he also to his felowe in lyke maner and reuerence.
¶Yf the cōmunicantes and they that receyue then the Sacramente be many, they synge the moe Psalmes of thankes gyuyng: elles synge they the fewer.
¶When thys holy supper is done, & the partakers therof y• were appointed therto serued, one of the ministers stādeth vp, & exhorteth the people to gyue earnest thankes to God, wyth thys or suche a lyke prayer.
¶O almyghty God, moste mercifull father, thou that openest thy gracious hande, wherby al thinges lyuyng hauehave theyr foode in due season, we gyue honoure, prayse and thankes vntounto the for all thy benefites both gostly and bodely, which thou hast rychely poured vponupon vsus wythout any of our deseruynge: but specially we thanke the for thys worthy memoriall of our redemption wherin thou haste nouryshed and fedde our soules with the body and bloud of thy deare sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ blessed for euer. Amen.
¶An other.
O Lorde Iesu Christe oure redeme…, honour and prayse be all waye geuen vntounto the for feady…g our soules wt this spiritual and heauenly foode. And we besech the for thy tender mertye, that as thou hast geuē it vsus for a sacramente of continuall thankfulnesse, of daylye remembraūce and of charitable vnyte. Euēso most merciful sauiour, lend vsus al way thy grace, to be thankful vntounto the for it, and not onelyonly by it to be continually (myndeful of our redēption purchaced thorow thy death & bludsheding) but also in cōsideraciō therof to increace in louelove towarde the, and al mankynd for thy sake.
An other.
O Lorde God allmyghtye, we thanke the wyth all oure hertes that thou hast fed our soules wyth the bodye and bloude of thy moste deare sonne. And we besech the vnfay nedly, so to illuminate our mindes wyth thy holye spirite, that we maye dailye increace in strenght of faythe to the, in assurednesse of hope in thy promyses, and feruentnesse of louelove towarde the and our neyghbours, to the glory and prayse of thy holy name. Amen.
¶Thus the priest concludeth and endeth the office of this present misterie, and blesseth the peopell rehearsyng these wordes of scripture. Numer… .vi.
¶The Lord blesse you and preserue you: the Lorde shewe his face to you and hauehave mercye on you: the Lorde turne his contenaunce vntounto you▪ & geue you peace. Amen.
And so they departe
¶The order taken for the due ministracion of the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme.
ON the sondaye at one of the clocke after none, they hauehave a sermon of an houre longe, wyth lyke ryngyng and singynge of Psalmes afore in theyr mother tonge, as they had in the mornynge, to the whiche preachynge the people come as thycke, as they dyd then. And as they signe a Psalme for grace to the holy goost in the mornyng, so do they here also and at euerye sermon, where or when so euer it be made. And lyke as in the mornynge when the sermon is done, the preacher exhorteth them to cōfesse theyr synnes wyth hym in theyr hertes, and there vponupon doth absolue thē by the power of Goddes… worde: so dothe he here also in lyke maner, and in eueryevery sermon. Then synge they a lyke songe of thankesgyuynge as they dyd in the mornyng, and as they …e accustomed to do after eueryevery preachynge.
¶In the meane season whyle thys psalme of thankes gyuyng is songe (or …ls afore) the font is prepared, the mydwyfe is the… present with the childe: or no mydwifes, yf there be no chyldrē to be christened (as there be comonly) wyth a fayre company of honest sobre women. And when the psalme is songe out, the ministre beynge theyr ready at the font, readeth a lecture of the Bible: And when he hath declared it cō pendiously to the edifiynge of the congregacion, he exhorteth them, that for asmuche as all men are cōceyued and borne in synne, and that seynge it is vnpossible for a man to come into the kyngdome of God, excepte he be borne a newe and regenerate: they wyll shewe and declare theyr Godly …oue, and call vponupon God the father thorow Iesus Christ and in his name, that he wyll mercifullye baptyse that chylde, (or those chyldren) wyth the holy goste, and receyue hym (or them) to grace.
¶Upō the same exhortacion, they make their hertye prayer besechynge God to hauehave mercye on the chylde, and then addeth he thys or suche a lyke peticion in theyr name, sayinge.
¶O almyghty God whiche in cōmaundynge vsus to praye, hast assured vsus, that we beleuyng stedfastly in thy pro…es, shall hauehave all that we desyre, specially concernynge the soule, wherin we seke thy glory & wealth of out neyghbours Our humble peticion to the (O most deare father) is, that for asmuche as this chylde is not wythout originall synne, thou wylt consyder thyne owne mercy, and (accordyng to thy promes) sende thys chylde thy good spirite, that in thy syght it be not cōpted amonge the chyldren of wrath but of lyght, & grace, & become a membre of the vndefiled churche spoused to Christ thy deare sonne in fayth and louelove, vnfayned, by the meanes of y• same Iesus Chirst our Lorde. Amen.
¶An other.
O Almyghty eternall God, & moste merciful father. For asmuche as the iuste lyueth by fayth, & vnpossible it is any man wtout beliefe to please the, we beseche the y• thou wyl… graūt to this childe the gyfte of fayth, wherin thou wylt seale and assure his hert in the holy gost, according to the promes of thy sōne, that the inward regeneracion of the spirite may be truely represented by the outwarde baptysme: and that the childe may be buried with hym in death, and be raysed vp by hym frome deathe againe. To the prayse of thy glory and edifyinge of hys neghboure. Amen.
¶Somtyme also the priest readeth this parcell of the .x. Chapter of S. Markes gospel, saieng:
ANd they brought lytle chyldren to hym that he should touch thē, And his disciples rebuked those that broughte them. But whan Iesus saw it, he was displeased, & sayed vntounto them: Suffer litle chyldren to come to me and forbidde them not, for of suche is the kingdome of god. Uerely I saye vntounto you: who so euer receaueth not the kyngdome of God as a chyld, shal not entre therin. And he toke thē vp in his armes, & put his handes vponupon them, and blessed them.
¶Then the godfather yf it be a manchilde (or the godmother yf it be a womāchilde) holding the chylde in his armes, commeth and standeth by the prieste, who asketh hym on the childes behalfe, yf he forsake the deuel & al his workes he saith yea, and vponupon the priestes interrogaciō he cōfesseth his fayth in the face of the church. So the priest taketh the childe in his left hāde and wt his righthande he poureth water on his head, calling him by his name (as he did afore) and baptisynge him in the name of the father, and of the sonne, a…d of the holy gooste
¶Fynally, the ministre committeth the chyldren to the prayers of the congregaciō, & exhorteth the godfathers and godmothers most ernestly, to se that the children be brought vp and instruct in Christen knowledge & vertue, to the glory of God & edifieng of the comen wealth.
¶Then synge they a psalme eyther that concerneth some thankes geuynge to God for his worde or els some necessary peticion.
And so they depart.
¶Now in lyke maner as thou seist thys blessed sacrament ministred on the sonday, euē so wyth lyke reuerence do they vse it at the same houre on those wyke dayes, that the congregaciō (wt the authoritie of their head rulers hath appointed to that vse: And yf the children in ye meane time be in any daūger, thē ye mydwifes baptise thē. And as the congregacion and multytude of people is greate at the ministracion of holy baptysme on the sōday, so is it also on the other appoynted dayes, though they be worke dayes. Wherby it is to be noted, that ye instituciō and ordinaunce of God is in greate reputaciō amonge them: for as it is ministred reuerently, so is it heard with greate deuocion and feruentnes: And though there be alwaye some vnthankefull lyuers ye… the flocke of Christe be euer bringinge forth good fruites, & folowe the worde of lyfe in theyr cōuersacion:
¶The ordre taken for the due ministracyon of holy wedloke.
AS toutching Gods holy institucion of mariage, thou shalte vnderstande, that preuye cōtractes are auoyded asmuche as may be: And yonge folkes are so well broughte vp in the feare of God and instructe in the knowledge of his worde, that they wel not lightly be entyced to rūne on heade, and mary without y• honest consent of theyr parentes and tutours. Agayne, the fathers and mothers whych hauehave yong folkes apte to mariage, are circumspecte not suffringe theyr sonnes and daughters to, go longe beyonde theyr tyme vnmaryed: but both for the auoydynge of vncleanly cōuersacyon in theyr children, & also for theyr owne discharge, they prouyde them honeste mariages mete for them. Which thynge to do, they are not only in the dayly sermons that they heare, but also by the olde Godly practises of suche holy men as was Abraham Isaac &c. N…ther do the two yong persones come together after a lyght or vndy…cret maner, but euen at theyr handfastynge (whan the knot of holy wedolke is fyrst …yt) ther are present the father and mother of the partyes or els (yf they be dead or absen…) theyr nyest kynsfolkes and tutours, and so is also some honest discrete preacher or curate of theirs: who to the edifienge of them, maketh a Godly collacion out of Gods worde for thyr en…āple, lerninge & cōfort in holy wedlocke. So whan the time approcheth that they shalbe maried openly in the face of the church, the curate in the presence of the whole congregacion geueth warninge certeyne dayes afore, and requyreth that yf anye man knowe some lauful impediment to hindre the sayd mariage he wyll notifie it at his monicion. Yf no hinderaunce be made, then at the day appointed, the brydgrome hauynge a company of honest men with him, and lyke wy…e the bride hauinge an hones… company of women wyth her, come to the sermon in the mornyng (whych as I sayd afore, is eueryevery deye at .vii. of the clocke in Sō mer, and at .viii. in wynter) and after that the preaching is done & the sacrament ministred in maner afore saide, they come both before the preacher: and in the meane tyme, the whole churche in their mother tōge, do sing the, Cvi. psalme. Beati omnes qui timent dominū. &c.
¶Then the preacher speaketh to them both by name, and asketh them sayinge: N and N, are ye mynded to lyue togyther in holye wedlocke, and to testify and cōfirme the same purpose here in the presence of the cōgregagicion? They answer, yea, then (sayth he) I take you all here that stande by, to wyines, requirynge you to recorde the same, and to remēbre it, and sayeth moreouer: Yf there be any mā here that knoweth lawfull impediment by Gods worde that these two persones may not procede togither in maryage, let hym speke nowe. So yf there be none to make impedimente, then the preacher sayth: For asmuch as here appeareth no hynderaunce to the contrarye, but that ye maye go forth togyther in holye wedlocke, I praye God establyshe the thynge that he hath wrought in you. Seynge also that both your consentes are knyt in holy wedloke, and ye cō fesse the same here openlye before God and the world. I declare and pronounce you to be maryed togither. In y• name of the father & of the sonne, & of the holy goste. And in so sayinge he ioyneth their hādes togither, & addeth moreouer: let no man therfore seperate thē a sundrr, whō god hath coupled togither. This done, he erhorteth thē to remēbre, how y• god hath ioythe… in holy mariage, & according to ye cōmaūdement of god, to louelove one an other, & so to kepe their houshold, & to bring vp their childrē whē God sendeth thē, in the feare of god that theyr whole liuing may redounde to the glory of his holy name, and edifiyng of the com…n wealth.
¶Then rehearseth he this (or suche another) prayer in the name of the whole churche and congreg…cion.
O Almighty God, father of heauen: for as muche as it hath pleased the to call these new maryed folkes vntounto holy wedlocke, lyke as at the begynnynge thou sawest it not good for a mā to be alone, for the which cause thou m…deste hym an helper lyke to hym selfe, and so ordeynedest that they two should be as one persone: we beseche the, y• vntounto these newe maryed folkes thou wylt graunt thy holy spirite, whereby they lyuynge in holye wedlocke, maye styll truste in thy goodnes, ouercome all temptation, & leade an honest godly lyfe to the edifying of eueryevery mā. Blesse them also tha… in the fruite of theyr bodye they maye prayse the and so brynge vp the same, y• it maye be to thy glory and profyt of the comon wealth. Amen.
Then the churche syngeth a Psalme of thākes gyuyng, and so departeth.
¶The conclusion of this lytle boke.
THou seest nowe what order is kepte in the ministracion and vse of the forsayd thre holy ordinaunces of God: cōcernynge the whyche, I wrytte here nothyng of had I wist nor of vncertentie, but euen as I knowe, & as I hauehave not onelyonly sene with myne eyes & heard wyth myne eares, but bene present also longe and many a day at the execution, practise & experience therof, whiche thinge as I wryte to gyue al good hertes occasion of feruent prayer to God, that he wyll graūt his worde to grow lykwyse amonge vsus: euen so in the vertue of Gods holy name, and for that precious bloud sake of his most deare sonne, I admonish and exhorte al subiectes to be pacient to auoyed all kynde of sedicion, to cōmitte the refourmation of all errours, supersticions, ceremonies, vayne tradicions, wicked lawes & vniuste statutes of men. Euen vntounto God the authour of peace, & to the workynge of his spirite in those princes and rules, whome he hath called to office for the same purpose: lette no mā be slacke in his duetie, but gyue god that, whiche is his, and to the king the thing y• belōgeth vntounto hym acordynge as Christe cōmaundeth Math .xxii. as saynt Paule exhorteth. Roma .xii.
¶This I saye, to stoppe the mouthes, and the blasphemous tonges of suche as wyll not ceasse to rayle on me and to slaunder me (yea euen to the kynges maiestie) as though I were a peruerter of comon order, or toke vpō me to chaunge the lawes: and to make new statutes. Naye ye vngodly hypocrites, not so, but as I am sure that there is heauy dampnacion layed vp for al such subiectes as rebel or make sedicion against theyr Prince, or disobeye the least cōmaūdement of god in theyr soueraygne, euē so I am assured, that there is no lesse dampnacion prepared for those rulers or heades, that make vniuste lawes & cruell statutes to maynteyne theyr owne lustes and opresse the poore. I reporte me to the .x. chapiter of Esaye the .ii. and .iii. of Micheas, and to the later ende of the .v. chapter of the prophet Hieremy. Let all rulers threfore beware, that they make no actes of parliament nor statutes agaynste gods worde, and let al subiectes learne of S. Pete… (i. Pe .ii. to be obedient. &c. And not onelyonly that but yf they be cōmaunded any thynge, then let them learne of the same S. Peter (Act .iiii.) to obeye god more then mē. In the meane time tyll gods blessed worde onelyonly be ruler amonge vsus, & tyl all wicked inuentions of men be abolished, let those y• feare god vnfaynedly be feruent in theyr prayers, & increace in all thākfulnesse & veriuous lyuyng towarde God & men. Let no mā, womā, nor chylde of god be flacke in his deutie: but let fayth increace in strength let hope be euermore and more assured of gods promises, let charitie alway louelove God and her neighbour, and leaue no good worke vndone, that may be to gods glory & mans profyt. And thē shal we be knowen, not onelyonly readers and hearers of the truth, but true disciples of the same. And though we can not atteyne to the perfec…nesse of that comon wealth whiche I spake of afore (where Gods ordinaunces are so reuerētly ministred, the poore so richely pro uided for & youth so vertuous…y broughte vp) neuertheles we doinge our best, and begginge strēgth of god to do more then we cā do of our selues, shall not onelye be alowed & accepted in his sight, but also hauehave the cōtinuall assistence of his holy spirite: wherby we sufficinetly harnessed and armed agaynste all temptacions of synne, hel, the deuyl, & our owne fleshe, shall, as wel hauehave the vpper hande of them, as we hauehave (thorow the onelye power of God) ouercome many sturdy wyndes and tempestes of aduersitie in tyme paste, and as we hope to escape these present troubles by the helpe of Iesus Christ, whose name be blessed for euer. Amen.
¶A litle complaynte with a short exhortacion made vntounto all them, that are no dissemblers wt gods worde, but vnfaynedly lyue there after.
LYke as God (accordyng… to his moste blessed nature) euer louyng, gracious, mercyfull & true, both alwaye sende …is worde afore he pl…ge the worlde, and gyue…h vsus warnyng afore the destruction come, wyllynge vsus to cōuerte vntounto him to forsake our owne euyll wayes, & to lay hande on eternal lyfe. Euen so cōtrary wise the deuyl, the father of falsheade and lyes, en…ying mans saluaciō, casteth euer one bone or other in the way, to hindre the glory of God, to stoppe his worde, to kepe backe his truth, least thorow the stedfast beleauinge & folowing therof, his owne kyngdom shoulde be minished, gods amplified & encreased▪ Somtime to hynder the gospell of the glorye of the great god, he steareth vp tirāny & cruelnes, and mo…eth some rulers or great mē of the worlde to take part agaynst it, to persecute it, to trouble & vere thē whō god hath called vntounto it. Ensāple wherof ye se in Pharao, in king Achab, in Antiochus, in Herode, & in those greate prelates that shewed their hote charitie vponupon our Sauiour Christ, & his Apostles. The deuyl also to set vp his kyngdome the better, getteth him chaplens for his owne …oeth, such as were Baals prophetes .iii. Regū .xxii. that they may euer eyther in confessions or otherwise, moue kynges & princes to take parte agaynste theyr owne saluacion, & to trouble such as tel thē no dreames, nor fātasies, but euen the very word of god. As the prophete Mych…as dyd. Somtime, I saye, least the truth shoulde be beleued, the deuyll as he is the father of all lyes: so getteth he false wytnesses to testify euen agaynst Christ, & against poore Steuē & Paule his seruaūtes, yea & to preache, that theyr doctrine is naught, sedicious, newe learning, and heresy, Mat .xxvii. Mat .i. Aetu .vii .xxi▪ ii. y• they wyll destroy good workes. Ro .iii. y• they wyll kepe no holy daye. Mat .xii. Iohn .v. that they wyll not fast. Mat .ix. Mar .ii. Luc .v. Thus (I say) is the deuyl euer about to ouerthrow Christes kyngdome, & to set vp his owne. And bycause his lyinge chaplens shoulde the better fyght agaynste Christ, he teacheth them to go crattely to worke, to lye & spare not, to cal the disciples of Christ newe felwes, to saye, that they care neyther for fasting nor praying, for almes dede nor for good worke, yea make the worlde beleue (sayth the deuyll) y• they care neyther, for one cerimonye nor other, for one sacramēt nor other. Such lying lessons doth the deuyl teach his scholers, & not onelyonly this, but also to wrest and wrynge the scripture frō the manifest vnderstanding of it, of the which iuglyng cast he hath gyuen thē an ensāple in the .iiii. of Mat and .iiii. of Luke. Who now cōsidering this greate decaye of godlynes, that the deuyl hath brought into the worlde (partly thorow the tyrāny that he hath steared vp in great mē, partly thorowe the false wytnes bearyng of hypocrites and lyinge teachers) hathe no cause to mourne in this behalfe? Who wyl not be sory to se Gods holy worde thus persecuted, thus exiled, thus cruelly reported, thus belyed?
Neuerthelesse al thys euyll doth not the deuyll thynke sufficient, he can not here withall be cōtent, but he entreth in also amonge them that professe the name of Christe, y• are called brethren & disciples, that pretende to louelove and fauour his truth: And amonge them, loke who is mete for his purpose, moste inconstant, and leas… regardeth Christes worde in his herte, of hym he maketh eyther an whoremonger, and disceyuer of his neyghbour, or a folower of other vyces of his owne carnal lustes, robbyng him vtterly of that moste holy, moste stedfaste and lyuynge fayth that Chryst taught, & also of those worthy fruites of y• spirite of god repētance & workes of light, whiche y• scripture speaketh of. By the meanes wherof, & because he bareth the name of a Chrysten brother, ther fore euen as he behaueth hym selfe nowe, and as he lyueth, so must we be reputed of the vngodly and such lyuers must we be called. Yf he be a breaker of peace, a maker of sediciō, a drō karde, a false byer and seller, a folower of fylthy lustes, a brynger vp of s…ctes (as God euer suffrethe them to be disceaued that wyl not abyde the ordre of hys worde) Then muste we also be called breakers of comē ordre, raylers. makers of insurrectiō, droūkardes, false dealers wyth oure neyghboures, Heretikes, folowers of a fleshlye and carnall lyberte: Yea though all oure teachynge, wrytynge, talking and lyuing be to the cōtrary. Yet beare we the blame, so blynd is thys wyckede world in iudgement, & so vnthankfull in theyr lyuynge are a great nombre of them that are called Chrysten men (as I vnderstand) on the other syde.
¶Wherfore to you dearlye beloued in God, electe and chosen to an hye vocacion in Iesus Christ (euē to be flesh of his flesh & bone of his bones, to be citezens wyth the sayntes and of the housholde of God) to you I make this my mo…e afore rehearced, trusting, that though nether the world, nor those false brethren (which because they were not of vsus, are gone frome among vsus .i. Ihoā .ii. & are fallen in louelove wyth this world after the ēsāple of Demas .ii. Ti .ii though nether of them both (I saie) wyll harkē to y• voyce of God, whyle it is called. To daye but styll harden theyr hertes agaynste Godds trueth My trust is (as I sayd afore) that ye wyl hold your hand styl on the plough, that ye wyll walke honestly now whyle the mercy of God lendeth you day light. Ye know that our Lord sayd The night shal come, in the whych no man shalbe able to worke. Ye se howe oure aduersarye the deuel goeth aboute lyke a roaryng Lyon, sekyng whom he may deuoure Ye se what a nōbre of great men on the one syde, hauehave gyrded theyr sw…rdes aboute them and stande euen in complete harnesse, to fyght agaynst the manifest worde of God: Yea what swering, what blasphemyng of gods name, what pryde, what excesse, what fylthynes of bodye and ydylnesse, is vsed, practised & daylye maynteined in theyr houses: Ye se, howe they can not abide the hearing of gods worde, but blast and blowe agaynste it, persecute it, as much as in them lyeth. On the other side, ye se what a nōbre of hypocrites, Antichristes, false prophetes and flatterrynge chaplens are not onelyonly aboute greate. men, but eueryevery where, in maner, roare and crye and stampe agaynst our Lordes doctrine kepe the peoble stil in blynesse and fedde them wyth draffe & dregges in stead of Gods word. Thyrdly, ye se what a nomber here be in the worlde, whyche pretendynge to louelove Gods worde, by theyr outwarde hearyng readyng, and talkynge of it, lyue cleane contrary agaynste it, brynge not forth the worthye frutes of repentaunce, are as greate swea…ers as fylthy, as ydle, as couetous, as disceatfull in bargaining, as vnapt to al good workes, as they were afore they knew the trueth: And by this meanes is it come to passe y• thorow such vnchristē lyuing, the good word of god is more supprest thē other thorow y• crueltye of tyraū tes, or flattering lyes of hipocrites. All whiche thresortes of enem…es, bicause they are not of vsus, but wtout, therfore wyll I hauehave the lesse to do wt the. But of you (dearely beloued) I wyll be bolde to exhorte you, for the tēder mercy of god, y• (in cōsidera…ion of the premesses) ye wyl walke godly & worthely in this wicked worlde cōtinuing (as I truste ye do) in stead fastnes of the christē fayth, in feruētnes of louelove towarde god, & toward your very enemies for his sake, in lokyng assuredly for his promises, beyng pacient & ioyful in trouble, earnest in prayer at al times, ready into true obediēce, to kepe al good ordre, to be e…ercised in al good workes, euerye mā according to the state y• god hath called him vntounto. As many of you as are called to office & comō au…horitie, to beare rule, or to giuegive iudgemēt in causes of the comō wealth, be diligent in your office. Romit. xii punish the euyl & maynteyne the good .i. Pet .ii. Roma .xiii. Actepte no persone in iudg…ment, alowe no false accusa…n, shedde no innocent bloude, Exod .xxiii. and heare the small as wel as the great. D…utr… .i.
¶As manye of you as are called to the office of preaching, folow the apostles coūsayle: take hede vntounto your selues, & to all the f…ocke, in the which the holy goste hath appointed you to be ouersears, to feade the cōgregacion of god &c. Act .xx. Fead Christes flocke which is amonge you, and take the ouersyghte of them, not as though ye were cōpelled, but willyngly not for the desyre of fylthy lucre but of a god mynde: not as Lordes ouer the paryshes, but to be an ensample vntounto the flocke .i. P…tri .V. To caste alway vngodly & olde wyuysh fables, to be vntounto them y• beleue, an ensāple, in theyr worde, in cōuersaciō, in louelove, in spirite, in fayth, in purenesse: To gyue attēdaūce vntounto readynge to exhortacion, to doctrine .i. Timo .iiii. Studye to shew your selues to god, laudable workemen, which neade not to be ashamed .ii. Timo .ii. All other estates amonge you I hertely exhort & require, eueryevery one to do theyr duty. As subiectes to be obediēt & true to theyr princes and higher powers. Ro .xiii. i Pet .ii. Tit .iii. Men to louelove theyr wiues hertely, as they are taught .i. Pet. iii. i. Thessal .iiii. Ephe .v. wyues so to behaue thē selues, as it becōmeth womē that professe godlynes thorow good workes .i. Tim .ii. that theyr chaist cōuersaciō may wynne the wicked i. Pet.iii. Men to deale gently wyth theyr seruauntes. Ephe .vi. Colo .iii. to brynge vp theyr childrē in the nurtoure & doctrine of the Lorde. Ephe .vi. Deut .iiii. Seruaūtes to be faithful, true & obediē … to theyr maisters. Ephe .vi. Col .iii. i. Pet .ii. that they may do worshyppe to the worde of God in all thinges .i. Tim .vi. Tit .ii.
¶And yf we thus behaue oure selues, euerye one in his calling, thē shal it come to passe, that euē they which now blaspheme vsus as euyl doers, shal at last be ashamed of theyr parte, & cō uert from theyr owne euyl wayes, to the true fayth & lyuing, which is taught in the word of god. To whō for his infinite grace and gyftes therof, be honour & prayse nowe & euer. Amen.
FINIS.
Set forth by Myles Couerdale.
Non possums que audiuimus, et vidimu… non loqui.
Act… .iii▪
End of the text · John Calvin, The Sacrament of the Lords Supper (1548)