But here the faithful do tremble, who are as it were privy to their own imperfection and infirmity; for they do not find these things to be so perfect in their minds, as otherwise they know a just perfection requireth. Satan cometh, and he casteth in many and great stays, to the intent he may draw us back from the celebration of the supper. Therefore we say, if any man suppose that none is to be admitted to the supper but he that is purged from all sin and infirmity, surely he shall drive away and exclude all men, how many soever live in this world; nay, he shall altogether deprive them of the Lords supper, as not to be any longer for sinful men but for angels. We must remember, that this examination resteth within his own bounds, and that God here also, as everywhere else, doth use this clemency and mercy {owards us. He knoweth our weakness and corruption, and with us can bear our infirmities. The Israelites under king Ezechias, being not fully cleansed, took part of the paschal lamb; but the king prayed, and said: “The Lord, who is good, will have mercy upon all men that with all their heart seek after the God of the fathers, and will not impute it unto them that they are not sanctified.” And hereunto is added in the holy history, in 2 Chron. xxx. chap.: “And the Lord heard Ezechias, and he was pleased with the people.” The worthiness, which is inquired for by exact examination, is no absolute perfection, but a will and mind instructed by God, which humbly acknowledgeth its own unworthiness, and therefore humbly prayeth for increase of faith and charity, and? all perfection in Christ only. At that first supper the apostles were Christ’s guests,
[2 Rather, although in humbleness, &c. yet with gladness.] [3 An error in all the editions for his: sua, Lat.]]
[J [4 requirit, Lat. omitted: seeks.]]
and among these was Judas; but because he lacked faith and was a traitor, yea, a murderer, he was made guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. The other apostles were also sinners themselves, but not wicked; they believed in Christ; they loved Christ, and one of them loved another like brethren: therefore they did not eat of the Lord’s supper unworthily, as Judas did; although in the meantime at the same table they shewed tokens of great imperfection. For Peter, Matt. xxvi. ποῦ without great contempt and reproach of his brethren, preferreth himself before them all. Moreover, they contend among themselves for honour, which of them should seem to be greater than another. I will not now recite, that, straightway after they arose from the table, they shamefully forsook their master and ran away, and many ways behaved themselves unworthily: but all these things were easily washed away, for that faith had taken very deep root within them.
Neither will I here stick to recite word for word the comfort of Master John Calvin, a godly and learned man, who with great commendation teacheth in the church at this day, my fellow-minister and most well-beloved and dear brother, which he hath set down for the afilicted in this case. Let us call to remembrance,” saith he, “that this holy banquet is a medicine for the sick, a comfort for the sinful, a largess to the poor; which to the whole, righteous, and rich, if there could any such be found, would bring small vantage. For seeing that in this banquet Christ is given unto us to be eaten, we understand that without him we faint, fail, and are forsaken. Moreover, seeing he is given to us to be our life, we understand that without him we are but dead. Wherefore this is the greatest and only worthiness which we can give unto God, if we lay before him our own vileness and unworthiness, that through his mercy he may make us worthy of himself; if we despair in ourselves, that we may be comforted in him; if we humble ourselves, that we may be lifted up by him; if we accuse ourselves, that we may be justified by him. Moreover, if we attain unto that unity which he commendeth unto us in the supper; and, like as he maketh us all to dwell in him, so that we may wish likewise that there were one soul, one heart, and one tongue in us all; if we well weigh and meditate these things, then shall these thoughts never trouble us: We that are naked and destitute of all goodness, we that
are stained with spots of sin, we that are half dead, how should we worthily eat the Lord’s body? Let us rather think, that we being poor do come to a plentiful giver, we that are sick come to a physician, we that are sinful come to a Saviour; that the worthiness, which is commanded by God, consisteth in faith chiefly, which reposeth all in God and nothing in ourselves: secondly, in charity; and such charity, as it is sufficient if we offer it unto God unperfect, that he may increase it to the better, seeing we cannot perform it absolute as it ought to bel.” Thus far he.
Thus much have I said hitherto of the most holy supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, the most excellent and wholesome sacrament of Christians; for which even from the very beginning, and while the apostles were yet living, Satan, the most deadly enemy to our salvation, lying in wait, hath gone about to overthrow by many corruptions and defilings; from which being now for a time faithfully cleansed, yet doth he not so leave it, but intermingles and throws an heap of contentions into it, being made unto the church the token of a covenant
[1 Meminerimus has sacras epulas segrotis esse pharmacum, pecea-]
[toribus solatium, pauperibus largitionem: que sanis, justis, et diviti-]
[bus, si qui reperiri possent, nullum afferrent operse pretium. Nam]
[cum in illis Christus nobis in cibum detur, intelligimus nos sine ipso]
[tabescere, liqui, deficere. Deinde cum in vitam detur, intelligimus nos]
[sine ipso in nobis plane mortuos esse. Quare ea est dignitas, quam]
[unam et optimam afferre Deo possumus, si nostram ei vilitatem et (ut]
[ita loquar) indignitatem offeramus, ut sua misericordia nos se dignos]
[faciat; si animos in nobis despondeamus, ut nos in ipso consolemur;]
[si nos humiliemus, ut ab ipso erigamur; si nos accusemus, ut ab ipso]
[justificemur. Praeterea, si ad eam, quam in sua cena nobis commendat,]
[unitatem adspiremus; et quemadmodum nos omnes unum in seipso]
[esse facit, ita unam omnium animam, cor unum, linguam unam nobis]
[omnibus optemus; hee si perpensa et meditata habuerimus, nunquam]
[nos ille cogitationes perturbabunt: Nos bonorum omnium egeni et]
[nudi, nos peccatorum sordibus inquinati, nos semimortui, quomodo]
[corpus Domini digne manducaremus? Magis cogitabimus, nos pau-]
[peres venire ad benignum largitorem; sgros, ad medicum; peccatores,]
[ad salvatorem: dignitatem illam, que a Deo mandatur, fide pree-]
[cipue constare; quae omnia in Deo, nihil in nobis reponit; deinde]
[caritate, et ea quidem ipsa, quam Deo imperfectam offerre satis est,]
[ut ipsam in melius augeat, quando prestari solida non potest.—]
[Calvin. Instit. Christ. Rel. cap. ΧΙ. p. 341. Argent. 1539. Second]
[Edition.]
never to be broken!. Whereupon the thing itself and our salvation requireth, that we be circumspect, and give no place to the tempter; but agreeing altogether in Christ, and being joined into one body by faithful celebrating of the supper, we may love one another, and give everlasting thanks to our Redeemer and Lord Christ; to whom be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen. Amen. 41 OF CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. OF SCHOOLS. OF ECCLESIASTICAL GOODS, AND THE USE AND ABUSE OF THE SAME. OF CHURCHES AND HOLY INSTRUMENTS OF CHRISTIANS. OF THE ADMONITION AND CORRECTION OF THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH, AND OF THE WHOLE CHURCH. OF MATRIMONY. OF
Widows. of Virgins. Of Monks. What
The Church of Christ Determineth Concerning the Sick; and of Funerals and Burials. The Tenth Sermon
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