The Whole Sum of Christian Religion, Title page – Dedication
¶ The vvhole Summe of Chriſtian Religion, giuen forth by two ſeuerall Methodes or Formes: the one higher, for the better learned, the other applyed to the capacitie of the common multitude, and meete for all: yet both of them ſuch, as in ſome reſpect do knit them ſelues together in one.
By EDMVND BVNNY Bacheler of Diuinitie.
It is God that commaunded the light to ſhine out of darkenes. who alſo hath ſhined in our heartes, to giuegive forth the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Ieſus Chriſt.
See thou (therfore) that thou hauehave a pattern of ſound doctrine: that thou maiſt alwayes be ready, to giuegive an anſwere to eueryevery man, that aſketh thee a reaſon of the hope that is in thee.
2. Cor. 4. a. 6. 2. Tim. 1. c. 13. 1. Pet. 3. c. 15.
¶ Jmprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote, for Lucas Hariſon and George Biſhop, dwelling in Paules Churchyarde. 1576.
¶ TO THE MOST Reuerende Father in God, his very good Lorde and Maſter, Edmunde, by the prouidence of God Archbiſhop of Caunterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane.
SInce the tyme THAT IT HATH PLEAſed the goodneſſe of God, that in our dayes Religion or the Faith of Chriſte ſhoulde be deliuered from the chaines of darkenes, and come forth againe with her wonted glorie, many of the learned & godly diſpoſed hauehave done their endeuour, to make ſo plaine a way as they could, to bring the ſame to the knowledge of others. whoſe endeuour and godly purpoſe althoughe I gladly graunt to be ſuch, as is to be of all men not only receaued, but alſo with all duetifull reuerence imbraced: yet for the truthes ſake muſte I needes adde thus much thervnto, that although diuers of thē hauehave done very well, yet none hath ſo abſolutely performed the ſame in all reſpectets; but that others alſo may thinke of helping it forwarde; & put to their hād to do what they can. Not that hereby I charge any of thē with error in ſome points of their doctrine: but only that I finde not in then ſo good a Methode or maner of teaching, as on the behalfe of all beginners were generally of vsus all to be vviſhed. And although I may ſeeme, in the iudgement of ſome, to make this complaint without any cauſe: yet hauehave I the warrant of myne owne cōſcience, both that there is cauſe vrgēt inough; & that the cōplaint ought rather to be made on the behalfe of the truth, thē to be ſuppreſſed in ſome priuate reſpect. Of this am I ſure, that ſo lōg as we tye our ſelues to the very ſteps or footings of others, neither can we vſe the fredome of our owne pace, neyther do we admit the benefit of a better way.
VponUpon which occaſion, as I hauehave bene a while ſince perſwaded, that I coulde not better beſtow my labour, to the vſe of thoſe that wold gladly hauehave a groūd of religiō, then if I ſhould both contract & interprete the inſtitutiōs of M. Caluine (who in my minde hath come nereſt to his purpoſe: ſauing only that he is partly to long, but eſpecially to hard for a beginner); & thervpō ſet in hande with the worke, & accōpliſhed the ſame ſo well as I coulde: ſo hauehave I ſince that time, vponupon further aduice of that matter, me ſelfe cōtriued the Summe of all religiō (ſo far as it hath pleaſed God to proſper the ſame in my handes) much ſhorter, & playner in my opiniō, thē the other by any meanes might hauehave bene brought vntounto, following the order that he hath left vsus. and becauſe the methods or formes of compacting religion together that yet are forth, are not (as I take it) come to that perfectiō that were to be wished: therfore hauehave I ſtreightly followed none that yet is extant; but coaſted ouer to the aūciēt high way, ſo nere as I could aeſteming religiō ſo precious a thing, that no mā cā beſtow his labor better, thē by adorning it ſo much as he can; and by making it plaine vntounto others: whether he ſhall doo it by the leuell of thoſe that hauehave written before him, or by ſome other way of his owne; ſo long as in ſubſtaunce he neuer ſwarueth from the auncient truth.
The miſliking that I hauehave of thoſe other Methodes that yet are geuen forth, is not ſo abſolute as ſome may take it: and, in effecte, is no more but this. Of Methodes we hauehave two principall ſorts. The firſt is the ſame vvhichwhich goeth by the order of the Cathechiſme: the other, that which the learned do (for the moſt part) follow, in their Inſtitutions or cō mon places of Chriſtian religion. That kinde of Method that followeth the order of the Cathechiſme, doth in deede diſcloſe vntounto all, after their maner, what is ment by the ten Commaundementes by the articles of the Fayth, and by the Lordes prayer: and by occaſion therof, doth alſo diſcourſe of all Religion, in ſuche ſorte as occaſion there is offered. But ſeeing that the matter of theſe doth very muche mingle together, the treatiſe that ſhal go by their leuell, muſt nedes come short of a perfect Method. Neuertheleſſe, they doo very well geeue foorth the true ſenſe of the chiefeſt points: and becauſe theſe three thinges before recited are in a maner the onelyonly bookes of the common people, they are no doubt in that reſpect to ſingular vſe, for that they open thoſe thinges vntounto them. That which the learned do commonly follow in their Inſtitutions and common places, doth come much nerer to the nature of a iuſt method; but yet doth not fully attaine thervnto, ſo farre as I am able to iudge: many of thē diſcourſing but of particulars, not ſufficiently tyed together; and the others following ſo much the receiued order, that they alſo do not aptly ynough ſort eueryevery mēbre to his propre place. examples vvherof I could geue ynovv, but that ſo doing I might be tedious. my concluſiō therfore shalbe this, that although both theſe ſorts are to very good purpoſe, & doo very vvell diſcloſe vntounto vsus the very ſubſtaūce of Religiō: yet for the Method or maner of deliuering the ſame; they hauehave yet ſo farre miſſed the marke that they shot at, that there is row me for others to ſticke betwixt them & the marke, who ſoeuer cā hit it. & although it be an eaſier matter to find that there is winning, thē to ſhed thoſe that are gone before: yet what should let, but that eueryevery one may do his deuour, howſoeuer it shall fall out in the ende.
As for me ſelf, although I know my skil & iudgmēt to be but meane; yet me think I hauehave eſpied a couple of wayes, whereby religiō might be geuen forth ſome what more orderly thē yet it is. And becauſe it hath pleaſed god to bring the ſame to my knowledge, I thought it my duty to impart the ſame vntounto others, not onelyonly that I be not foūd, to hauehave hiddē my talēt: but alſo to thende, that ſuch as God shall better furnish, may put to their handes and helpe it forwarde.
The former of thoſe is ſomwhat higher, & ſuch as doth not eaſily come vnderunder the capacitie of the common ſort: for that throughout the whole diſcours, it doth euer ſet by mā, & gathereth all, whatſoeuer is done, & the glory thereof only to God. which kinde of teaching, though to vsus it be harder, yet is it (in reſpect of the cauſe it ſelfe) a great deale more naturall, and hath his vvarrant in the vvorde of God.
The other is of an eaſier kind, & paſſeth after the ſame maner, that the holy ghoſt we ſee doth vſe, when he ſubmitteth his ſpeach vntounto vsus, & applieth his talk to our capacitie: euer directing the talke vntounto man, & making him as it were an agent in all thoſe matters that belong thervnto. which kind of teaching the common ſort do accompt more meete for them.
Howbeit in my mind it is much better to hauehave both together, thē to hauehave either apart by it ſelfe. Firſt becauſe the nature of the cauſe is ſuch, as that either of them doth oftē giuegive a very good ſupply to the other: & ech of thē ſo linketh with other, that they cannot wel be parted a ſunder. Then alſo, becauſe al men are not always beginners, but many preſsing on to further perfection. ſome coueting no more but to crepe below: others deſiring to get ſomwhat higher. ſome hauing ſo weake a ſight, that the ſunne beſt liketh thē, when clouds intercept the brightnes therof: others lōging to hauehave thoſe clouds break, and to enioy al the whole brightnes, that the ſūne is able to yeld thē. which two no doubt were the very cauſes, that the holy Ghoſt hath ſo tempered his ſpeach, that ech of theſe may euer hauehave whereon to feede.
In which reſpect, thus much I hauehave to deſire of both, that eyther of thē taking what is their owne, or prepared for them, they cōtent them ſelues that others alſo may hauehave their portion. Thoſe that are ſtronger, and able to walke the harder way, may ſo beſtow thē ſelues if they liſt. But yet in the midſte of their ſtrength, let them remember, that ſome others are vveake: and ſo not be greeued, that the vveake alſo hauehave to ſerue their turne. So on the other ſide, the vveake muſt know, that others are ſtrong. yf them ſelues may hauehave vvhat is meete for them, they may not repine, that others hauehave a leſſon beyonde them. Let eueryevery one take his owne to him ſelfe: the reſt let him gladly leaue vntounto others. Let God be good and gracious to all: let him prouide aſvvell for the one, as for the other, let him ſoiourne on the earth, vvith thoſe that are not able yet to riſe higher: and let him take vp thoſe vvith him, whom his vviſdome hath framed meete therevnto.
Theſe cauſes therefore mouing, I hauehave thought good to couple theſe two methodes together, to ſet them abroade, and to preſent your Grace therevvith. and, if it pleaſe you, the one for your fare-well from the See of Yorke: the other, I ſay not, ſo muche to the welcome vntounto the other (let thoſe doo that, that hauehave gayned thereby) as that, although your Grace be nowe remoued from vsus of this your former prouince of Yorke, not only in perſon, but alſo from the peculiar charge therof: yet that your Grace vvould euer be ready (as vve nothing doubt but you wil) to doo vsus good as occaſion ſhall ſerue. Hovv good oportunities your Grace hath to do good vntounto many, as others do very gladly behold them; ſo your ſelfe alſo may ſo farre vnfolde them before your eyes, as beſt may encourage you euer to take the aduauntage of them. Firſt hovv much God hath done for you, and vvhat good giftes he hath layde vp in you, to the vſe of his Churche heere with vsus, it is a thing better knowne, then that it needeth any reporte of me. But this may I ſay, that her Maieſtie that occupieth the place of God next vnderunder him in theſe her dominions, hath not bene behinde in clothing with honour theſe good and commendable graces of God: aduauncing you to ſo high eſtate, that vſing the oportunitie therof, your Grace may doo very much good, not only wher your proper charge lyeth, but alſo throughout the vvhole Realme. The fauour of the people (generally of the better ſorte) ſo embraceth the ſame, that whence your G. departure is made, thence do we heare cōplaynts of loſſe: whither the aduauntage is fallen, there do we ſee tokens of ioy, & a countenaunce of a gayne obteined. Theſe are no ſmall helpes of dooing much good. when wiſdome & zeale are both at home to order and gouerne all things aright; whom the authoritie and fauour of the Prince doth ſo vvell accompanie & commende vntounto others; to whom the people are ſo well affected, that they gladly like of, and imbrace his dooings: that man may doo much; and is well incouraged, not to ſpare for any paynes to be doing good. and as on the one ſide it would be offenſiue to the iuſtice of god, and therevvithall prouoke ouer greuous a vengeaunce, to ouerſlip ſuche oportunities, when as the Church ſo much doth neede, that they ſhould be taken: ſo on the otherſide, it is a thing ſo welcome vntounto him, to ſee al his talents put to ſuch vſe, eſpecially when the caſe doth more ſpecially ſo require, that he crowneth the ſame with euerlaſting peace.
God be thanked, that we hauehave the Goſpell among vsus, ſo well as we hauehave it: and I pray God we may long enioy it. Neuertheleſſe, whoſoeuer examineth the matter more narrowly, me think, he may finde, that the Scepter of Chriſtes kingdome, is not ſo aduaunced among vsus as vvere expedient: but rather in ſome …hinges cauſed to ſtoupe, and reſtray…ed more, then is ſeemely for the ma…eſtie of it. Religion vvith vsus (I feare) may be in caſe of that plante, that for a …hile hauing harboured Ionas, was ſtro…ē to the ha…t with ſo naughtie a worme, …hat quickly it withered, & left him again to the heate of the ſunne. Sure I am, that there is vvorke ynough to be done, to occupie all. Let thoſe therefore that ſi… at the ſterne, take heede leaſt if novve vvhyle they dravve to the Rockes, they correct not their courſe, it be ere long to late for them to wiſh they had done it
God continue and increaſe his grace towards you: geue you eyes, euer to ſe… what is to be done; ſtrength, and readines, to performe the ſame: now to repayre the ruines of Zion, and at length to reſt in heauenly Ieruſalem.
Your Graces most humble ſeruaunt in Christe Edmunde Bunny.