Questions of Religion, Preface – Table of contents
To the right reuerend Father in God, Iohn Iuel Bishop of Sarisburie: Iosias Simlerus vvisheth health.
I HaueHave heard oftentimes many godly men greatly desire some wryting, in the which ther might bréefely be confuted all the chéefe argumentes of the Popishe prelates. For (saide they) there is muche written very copiously and learnedly against them, but all mē hauehave not leisure to reade ouer so great and large woorkes: And furthermore, to those which trauell, and by crueltie of the persecuters of oure religion, are forced to read them priuily, these great volumes are to them very incommodious: bicause they cannot easily be caried about with them, nor thrust or hidde in their bosome. And remembring that a fewe yéeres agone, the reuerend father in God Iohn Parkhurst, did often times desire me, that like as D. Bullinger my father in lawe (whome for reuerence sake I name) had bréefely set foorthe the chéefe poyntes of our religion, and confirmed the same by testimonie of holy scripture, intituling it the Summe of Christian Religion, so I in like maner shuld gather togither al the arguments which the papists are wōt to bring out of ye scriptures against vsus & our doctrin. And he encoraged me héerunto, saying: that this labor wold not be so tedious & harde vntounto me, as profitable and grateful vntounto many good men. And it would be the lesse laboure for that many of oure countrymen hadde wrytten very largely in the same matter, so as there remained nothing else vntounto me, but to bring them into some bréefe order. And as touching the profite héereof, he sayde it mighte well be perceiued, for that héeretofore there was sette foorthe an Enchiridion of common places by Iohn Eckius, a very stoute champion on the Popes behalfe, which being studiously and earnestly read of many Papistes, confirmed them in their erroures: and therefore he had no doubte, but if some like booke were set foorthe by vsus, many would willingly reade the same, and thereby also take greate profite: which thing he sayd mighte well be gathered, bicause that little Bookes, of all those chéefe poyntes mighte very easily be spredde abrode by the Printers, and so be studiously read of all men. Wherefore, these & many other things which he was wonte moste grauely and learnedly, according to his custome, to rehearse vntounto me, did easily persuade me that suche a booke would be very profitable and acceptable to many, but that I shoulde attempte or enterprise to begin such a worke I cannot yet persuade my self, not for that there wanteth good will bothe to gratifie my friend priuely as also openly to pleasure others, but bicause I stoode in doubt how to finishe the same. But when the yere last past, there was put into Printe a little boke by the Reuerende father Doctor Henrie Bullinger, in whiche he Aunswereth to certaine Articles or Questions wherewith the Inquisitors of B…ria, as they say, examine those whiche are suspected in Religion, I thought with my selfe, that the same would not only satisfie the minds of diuers godly men, but also the speciall requeste of our… Parkhurst, and therefore hauehave I turned the same into Latine, that all menne might reade it. For in this booke are all the chéefe argumentes of the Papistes (and especially those with whome they are wont to pose and trouble the minds of the simple and vnlearned) bréefely confuted and answered. And whereas Phillip Melancthon of moste woorthy memorie, father of all the learned men that hither vntounto hauehave liued in Germanie, wrote a Boke answering these Articles of Bauaria, as ye title of his boke doth testifie: yet of. 61. questions he only answered but. 18. peraduenture supposing that by the Answeres made vntounto those, the rest also might easily be confuted. But D. Bullinger hauing regarde to profite the simple and vnlearned, maketh answere orderly, to eche one of these questions: and therfore though he tooke this matter in hand after that great learned man D. Melancthon, yet is it profitable: bicause not only Melancthon did not answer to them all, but also bicause in that his aunswere are some suche things which are not altogither alowed of the godly, and chéefely those things which are written in the 22. Article touching Free vvill: Of the which matter I wil nowe say nothing, but he that readeth both the bookes, and wayeth the argumentes, may easily iudge.
This Booke doe I sende vntounto thée, most learned Jewel, first bicause of the great friendship betwéene thée and oure Parkhurst, that so by you I may satisfie his desire and request: or else that at the least he may héerewith contente hym selfe, vntil some better learned than I, may take this his desired work in hād. Furthermore my desire was, that by this a publicke testimonie might be extant, not onelyonly of my duetie towardes you, but also of your louelove towardes me, which I not onelyonly perceiued when we were togither, but also do perfectly vnderstand by your letters since sent vntounto me. And although the Popishe doctrine be throughe Goddes great mercy quite chased away from youre Countrey of Englande, (for the which all godly doe greatly reioyce) yet I truste this my work shal not be vnprofitable, to wéede out of the minds of the simple the dregs of that Doctrine, so as thereby the pure doctrine of Christe, may be the faster and better engrafted. And in the exercise héereof, you hauehave not onelyonly many helpers to me vnknown, but also those whome I right well know, men of excellent learning and vertue, true Bishops in Christ, D. Iohn Parkhurst, D. Eduin Sandes, D. Robert Horne, The reuerend father Iohn Bale, D. Iohn Pilkinton, D. Thomas Leuer, D. Iohn Fox, and D. Laurence Humfrey, all whome I beséeche Christ to preserue.
From Zurich Idib. August. 1560.
Henrie Bullinger to the Christian Reader.
THere are almost eueryevery where throughe Germanie scattred abrode certayne Questions, written or Printed, and that to the ende the professoures of the gospel, and especially such as amongst thē are vnlerned, might by them be troubled, broughte into doute, and as it were quite driuen from the gospel, as from a newe, doubtfull, false and corrupt doctrine. For some of these Questions are so coloured with scriptures, that at the first sight they seme to hauehave some shew of truth. But they all shute to this marke, that they may thruste in and plant, not the true church of Christ and his doctrine, but the churche of Rome, her doctrine, manners, statutes, and other abuses. Whereby it comes to passe by the infirmitie of man, and by reason of persecutions, that many cōceiue an euil opinion and lothsomnesse of the gospel, and that chiefely when they see there is no man to instructe them, strengthen and comforte them. Wherfore when by some I was requested to make some breefe and plaine answere to the said Questions, and somewhat to open the matter, that bothe they might perceiue how to vnderstande those places of scriptures, as also see that oure relion grounded on the Gospell, is not suche as they slaunder it to be, I toke that matter in hande: And applied my diligence to defend the true religion (as indede it is the duetie of euerye good Christian) to comfort the godly and suche as were afflicted, and according to the talent giuen me of God (for without his helpe all mans doing is but vayne) I answered the .lxi. questions, for so many came vntounto my hands, & therfore whether there be more or lesse in other places I know not. Wherfore I beseeche thee good Christian Reader to take this my trauell in good parte, and follow the Counsell of S. Paule, who byddeth thee to proue all thinges, and to keepe that which is good. And thus much more I say for their sakes that shall eyther reade or heare this Treatise, that if they bee weeried wyth the contentions and strifes in Religion, and the sharpe tauntes that oftentimes fall out in that cause, I hauehave in this Booke cheefelye laboured to teache the matter moste briefly and playnly, and that without all heate of contention, to Gods glory, and the profitable …difying of the godly. The Artycles or Common places which are touched in these lxj. Articles, I hauehave here breefly set, folowing in order.
The Common places which are handled in these Questions.
1 OF the holy Trinitie. Fol. 1.
2 Of the holy Christian Church, and of the Churche of Rome. eodem.
3 Of Counsels and decrees of the church. Fol. 30.
4 Of Free will. Fol. 43.
5 Of fayth and good workes. Fol. 46.
6 Of the intercession, inuocation, and worshipping of Saincts. Fol. 58.
7 Of Relikes, Images, and suche lyke. Fol. 70.
8 Of purgatory, and prayers for the dead. Fol. 75
9 Of Sacraments. Fol. 83.
10 Of Baptisme of children, and of the Anabaptistes. Fol. 85.
11 Of the Lords supper and receyuing thereof. Fol. 88.
12 Of the sacrifice of the Masse. Fol. 103.
13 Of repentaunce and Confession. Fol. 108.
14 Of the authoritie of Priestes. Fol. 116.
15 Of Mariage, vowes and Chastitie. Fol. 120.
16 Of Enoyling. Fol. 139.
17 Of the Magistrate and lawefull obedience. Fol. 141.
The fyrst Common place. Of the holy Trinitie.
The first question.
What they doe thinke of the holy Trinitie.
The Answere.
TOuching the holyHowe & what we ought to beleue of the holye Trinitie. Trinitie, I doe beléeue all that which the true and sacred woorde of God dothe teache to acknoweledge & beléeue. To witte, that there is one only true and liuing God in Trinitie: one (I say) vndeuided in substāce, and thrée distinct parsons: God the father, God the sonne, and God the ho y ghost: being of like power, and equally to be worshipped. So are we taught Deut. 6. Exod. 20. Matth. 18. Luke. 1. Iohn. 1. 3. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 14. 15. 16. and 17. Rom. 1. and. 9. 1. Corinth. 8. 1. Iohn. 5. Likewise we confesse the true faithe of the Trinitie, contained in the twelue Articles of our Christian faithe: where we say: I beleeue in God the father, in his only begotten sonne, and in the holy ghoste. And therefore, what so euer in times past hath bene written or taught againste this Doctrine by Praxeas, Arius, Macedoni… and suche like: yea and whatsoeuer the Jewes, Turkes, Michael Seruetus that Spaniard with their adherentes hauehave written, we abhorre and detest, assenting only to the olde holy Apostolike Church.