The Catechisme in meter for the easier learnyng, and better remembryng of those prinples [sic] of our faithe, whiche wee ought moste familiarly to be acquainted withall
T. R.
Page [unnumbered]
The fourth parte.
OF this my faith by preachyng bredd
by preachyng still I haue
Encrease,* and by the Sacraments,
whiche Christ as earnest gaue
Vnto his Churche, whereby he bindes
hymself to raunsome me:
And I by takyng binde my self,
his seruaunt for to be.
These are but twoo: in Baptisme first
the water is our signe:*
And in the Supper of the Lorde,
we haue the bread aud wine:
The water serues to teache that as,*
it washeth cleane our skinne:
So Christ his death doeth cleanse my soule,
from guilt, and plague of sinne.
So I and all are Baptizde, whiche
with Christ to sinne are dead:
And rais d with hym in righteousnesse,
a better life to lead.
The bread and wine doe teache,* that as
without the naturall food
Our thirst and hunger none can swage:
so* nought but Christ his blood,
And suffryngs can refre she the settle,
with sinne opprest and pinde:
Page [unnumbered]Whiche still doeth runne into dispaire,
till Christ doe come to minde.
But when with liuely stedfast faithe,*
my Christ on crosse I see:
And all his hellishe wofull paines,
that he endured for mee:
Then is his fleshe my meate in deede,*
his blood then doe I drinke:
If that my soule refreshed be,
when on his death I thinke.
What thyng can then this foode of soule,
more liuely represent,
Then foode of body bread and wine:
and so a Sacrament
It is in deede, in nature not
transformde, but vse alone:
Not fleshe of Christ, but signifiyng,
that fleshe we feede vpon:
For if the bread be turnd to Christ,
in Godhead, fleshe, and bone,
By force of consecratyng wordes,
then Christ, whiche is but* one.
Shalbe so many Christes,(c) as crummes
were euer consecrated:
And of the substaunce of the bread,
Christes Godhead is created.
Page [unnumbered]His manhood subiect to no* sense,
no fleshe, or bone shalbee:
So bothe his natures ouerthrowen,
by this wee plainly see.
To eate this foode I must prepare,
my soule by greef for sume:
And true desire in holinesse,
a newe life to be ginne.
Next, faithe must teache me that my sinns,
in Christ haue full release:
And I with all men, euen my foes,
in harte must be at peace.
