A Discourse of Peter Martyr Vermigli Concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

A discourse or traictise of Petur Martyr Uermilla Flore^tine, the publyque reader of diuinitee in the Uniuersitee of Oxford wherein he openly declared his whole and determinate judgment concerning the Sacrament of the Lords supper in the said Uniuersitee. The Right Honble Charles Viscount Bruce of Ampthill (Son and Heir Apparent of Thomas Earl of Ailesbury) and Baron Bruce of Whorleton 1712 To the right honorable Sir Wylliam Parre knight, Lord Parre, Earl of Essex, Marquess of Northampton, Lord great Chamberlain of England, and Knight of the most noble order of y^^ Garter, Nicolas Udall wishes grace and peace in Christ, with health honor and long prosperitee. PErusyng of late right honorable and my synguler good Lord, a certain discourse of the right excellent Clerk Petur Martyr written in Latin concerning the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, which is of the Gr^kes called Eucha^istia, because it pertayneth to the remembrance of his most tender goodness in redemyng the world, and to rendreyng of perpetual thanks unto him therefore: I confess I was with the said treatise woondrefully ravished. For first and foremost whereas by reason of innumerable abuses, detestable erroures and foul abominacions through the crafty conueighau^ce of the purpurate whore of Babylon by litel and litell conueyghed into the Church, there is no poynet concerning our religion, so far entrieked or darkened as the mist^rie of this ^acrament: this writer through his singular gift of grace, his right profounde learning, and his high judgment as well in the scriptures, as also in the doctors, and in the general council wadeth so depein searchyng and boultyng out the truth of this mat^er, that he makes it so clear so plain and so eu^dent to all men's y^es which either can or will see that neither there can now be any ferther doubtyng of the veritee, and truth of this sacrament. What it is nor any more be said for the right institucion and order thereof how it should be used. Wherefore me thought I could not better employ or bestow my trauaill then in translatynge this tractise into the English tongue, to thentente that so profitable a thing might not be hiddden from the people, which having both an earnest zele to enbrace the truth: and a ready will to follow the kings maiestees most godly procedynges, are much hindered, and kept back from their desire, partelye through ignorance because they are not duly enstructed and taught th^rin, and partly through the malice of the most perverse Papistycall leaueners of Chystes doctrine which to mainteyne their own luc^e and glory, cease not as Antechrystes own trusty knights to weorke as much as in them lies, that the simple people may still continue in blyndenesse and error. But all praise, all thanks, all laud and glory be unto our most loving heavenly father and to his only begotten son Jesus Christ our lord, with the holy ghost proceeding from them both, who have i^ these our days so opened the yies of the world, that not only the iugleyng sleyghtes of the Romysh Babylon be so thoroughly espied that they can no longer deceive: and her most cruel tyranny so vanquyshed, that she may now no longer reygne in Christen peoples consciences as she has by gods sufferaunce for our sinfulness many long years dooen. Neither is it possible that the exceeding mercy and favor of god toward this royalme of England may more evidently appear, then it is by these two tokens folowinge declared, the one that it has pleased him by his most puissaunt and mightefull arm to deliver us out of the bondage of this Romish Egipte, far passinge the yoke and servitude which the children of Isarel suffered under Pharao, and the other, that of his espiciall grace he has vouchesalued to open the yies of our hertes that we may see the truth, and to give unto this royalme the right knowelege concerning this most holy sacrament which the subtille and crafty illusyon of Satan by the instrumente of the said purpurate whore of Babylon had made of a most pure fountain of water springinge up into everlasting life, a foul stynking puddle of idolatry and supersticyon to endelesse damnacyon: of a most precious and heaven jewel, a most vile and deyulyshe abominacyon: of a most comfortable medycyne, a most deadly, and present poison. Blissed therefore be the name of the lord our god for ever and ever, who of his infynite mercy and botomlesse goodness has cast his most favorable yie upon this royalme of England, illumining the hertes of the same most gladly and cherefully to enbrace his gospel, and giving us to ou^e King such a Godly Iosyas as in his tender years of childehoode neither forgeateth ne ceasseth with the most feythfull advise and trusty assistence of his most noble and sapient Counsaylours to travail as well that the word of God may be syncerely and purelye set forth and taught unto all his most derely beloved subjects, as also that this sacrament of the Lords body and blood may be reduced to the right use according to the first institucion thereof in the primative Church. And forasmuch as the whole process of this discourse is both consonaunt unto the word of God that it cannot be doubted of, but that it is true, and also so justly agreynge with the kings Maiestees most godly procedinges that the people may by readyng or hearing hereof be thoroughly satisfied and persuaded universally to enbrace and follow the other. …