Commentary on Acts, Dedication 2
To the moſt renowmed Prince the L. Nicolas Radziwill, duke in Olika, Countie Palatine of Vilna, chiefe Marſhall and head Chauncellar of the great Dukedome Lethuania, &c. his Lord highly to be reuerenced, Iohn Caluin.
WHeras I hauehave made mention of the names of thoſe kings vntounto whom I had dedicated theſe my Commentaries: leaſt the change incurre the crime of lightneſſe among certaine vnskilfull men, I muſt brieflie render ſome reaſon thereof. For although both the remembrance of the father who is dead, doth retaine that reuerence with mee which it deſerueth; and I doe alſo as becommeth mee reuerence the ſonne: yet the importunatenes of certaine did inforce me to put out their names in this ſecond edition, who being incenſed againſt me with a furious hatred and feare, leaſt the maieſtie of kings doe purchaſe ſome fauor to my writings, do boaſt abroad that they did conceiue ſore diſpleaſure, that their name was mixed with the doctrine of the ſacraments which they them ſelues diſalow. I leaue it indifferent whether that be true or no, neither doe I paſſe: foraſmuch as I did neither hunt after anie priuate gaine, ne yet ſeeke to win fauor. But becauſe it ſeemed to me an vndecent and filthie thing, to enforce thoſe bookes vponupon men which are vnwilling to entertaine them, which doe find willing readers inough, it was worth the declaring now, that I neuer did think any thing leſſe: but that I did hope for more courteſie than I found. In that trulie there can be no offence, if withdrawing my ſelfe from the contempt of thoſe who loath my dutifulneſſe, I ſuffer them to enioy thoſe delights of theirs which they deſire, and wherein they delight. Of you (moſt famous prince) hauehave I made choiſe not without good cauſe, whom I might put in the place of two: both becauſe I thinke you moſt worthie, to hauehave your name appeare in the ſpirituall building of Chriſtes temple: neither doe I feare but that my booke ſhall finde the ſame friendſhip at your handes, which you did vouchſafe to declare towardes mee in your moſt gentle letters. But omitting at this time the reſpect of priuate good will, I will ſtay in another thing. Moreouer I may full well applie vntounto you that ſpeech which I had before with another. Neither am I determined in this place to commend thoſe moſt excellent vertues wherwith you hauehave purchaſed great authoritie & ſingular fauor with the king of Polonia: I am rather bent vntounto an exhortation, the ſumme wherof ſhall be this, that with the like readines & ioifulnes wherwith you hauehave at the beginning receiued the pure doctrine of the Goſpell, that with the like ſtoutnes of courage wherwith you hauehave hitherto indeuored to maintain the true worſhip of God, you do with the ſame cōſtancie proſecute this courſe vntounto the end. It was ſurely a point of rare vertue, that wheras you did know that many did ha…e nothing more then, than the frank profeſſion and free ſtudie of godlines, yet ſo ſoone as the truth of the Goſpell of Chriſte did once ſhine and appeare vntounto you, you did not feare by giuing your name to prouoke their hatred againſt you. Neither doe thoſe offices and good turnes deſerue ſmall prayſe, which you did not ceaſe to beſtow vponupon the cheriſhing and increaſing of the firſt beginnings of the Church: although this your diligence did purchaſe vntounto you great enuie amongeſt manie noble men, which did not allowe the ſame. But becauſe you hauehave no leſſe harde ſtraites to paſſe through, you muſt oftentimes ſtirre vp and encourage your ſelfe to ouercome them all, vntill you hauehave finiſhed the laſt act: And ſo much the more carefully, becauſe manie princes, although they ſee the eſtate of the Church filthily corrupt, yet dare they attempt no remedie: becauſe that daunger which they feare will proceede from innouation, when euilles muſt bee driuen out of their olde and quiet poſſeſſion, doth hinder and keepe them back from doing their dutie. Other ſome thinke it to be an abſurde and fooliſh thing, to touch or ſet hande to diſeaſes which are vncurable. Other ſome (I cannot tell through what frowardneſſe) doe flie from and abhorre all manner of reformation. But to intreate of thoſe lets wherewith you are enuironned on euerie ſide, it were ſuperfluous, eſpeciallie ſeeing you knowe them well enough: Yet howſoeuer Sathan doeth aſſault you, and with what combats ſoeuer he doth exerciſe you, you can not without great wickedneſſe bee wearie of this holy warfare, which you hauehave profeſſed vnderunder Chriſte his banner. Furthermore, although you bee forwarde enough of your ſelfe: yet I hope it will neither bee troubleſome, neither yet vnprofitable for you to hauehave your proſperous courſe of your earneſt ſtudie, holpen and furthered with this help which God doeth offer vntounto your handes by mee. So often as wee ſee thinges toſſed to and fro, and as it were turned topſie turuie in the world, there can no more fit and ſure proppe bee found to eſtabliſhe and ſtay our weake conſciences, than when as ſetting before our eyes the kingdome of Chriſte, as it doth nowe appeare, wee conſider what hath been the eſtate and condition of the ſame from the beginning. When we ſpeake of the kingdome of Chriſt, wee muſt reſpect two thinges: the doctrine of the Goſpell, wherby Chriſt doth gather vntounto himſelfe a church, and whereby he gouerneth the ſame, beeing gathered together: Secondly, the ſocietie of the godly, who beeing coupled togeather by the ſincere faith of the goſpel, are truly accounted the people of God. Both which things howe liuely they are expreſſed by Luke in the Actes of the Apoſtles, it is better to knowe by the reading of the whole book, than to beleeue either my commendation or the commendation of anie man els. For although the ſonne of GOD hath alwayes reigned, euen from the firſt beginning of the worlde: yet after that beeing reuealed in the fleſhe, hee publiſhed his Goſpell, hee beganne then to erect a more famous Tribunall ſeate than before, whence hee doeth now appeare moſt plainely and to be alſo moſt glorious. If we turne our eies hither, they ſhalbe fedde, not with a vaine picture (as Virgil ſaith of his Aeneas) but with the ſound knowledge of thoſe things from which we muſt fetch life. And to the end I may returne vntounto that whereof I determined to ſpeak; this is the beſt refuge for the conſcience of men, where they may quietly reſt amidſt theſe troubleſome tempeſts, wherewith the world is ſhaken. Finally, this meditation alone ſhall bring to paſſe, that that ſhall neuer befall vsus, which too too many experiments do proue to hauehave ben truely ſpoken by Ennius in times paſt of the more part of men, that wiſedome is driuen away ſo often as the matter is handled by violence. For if in the greateſt and moſt vehement heat of combats, the ſweete harmonie of inſtruments was of ſuch force amongſt the Lacedemonians, that it did aſwage that furiouſnes and fearcenes which was ingendred in that warlike people, and did temper that violence, which doth then out of meaſure rage in thoſe natures, which are otherwiſe vnpatient: how much more ſhall the kingdome of Chriſt do this, by the heauenlie pleaſant tune of the holy Ghoſt, which doth not onelyonly tame moſt cruel beaſtes, but maketh alſo Lambes of Wolues, Lyons, and Beares; which turneth ſpeares into hookes, and ſwords into ploughſhares? Therefore ſeeing that (moſt noble Prince) I offer vntounto you ſuch kinde of temperature as the neceſſitie of times requireth, I hope that this duetie of mine ſhall not be vnwelcome to your highnes: ſo that indeede you ſhall perceiue this kind of confirmation to be very profitable & fit, to looke into the beginning of the Church, as it is deſcribed of Luke, wherein appeareth both wonderfull power of God vnderunder the reproch of the croſſe, and alſo moſt valiant patience of the ſeruants of God, vnderunder the huge burden of troubles, and the ſucceſſe it ſelfe vncredible to the iudgement of the worlde, bringeth forth moſt plentifull fruite of both. But that I may omit other things which you had better ſet out by reading of Luke himſelfe, I will touch one thing which is proper to earthly princes, and the chiefe gouernours of kingdomes and countries: To wit, that ſeeing that (the power of the whole world gaineſaying, and al men which were then in authoritie being armed to oppreſſe the Goſpel) a few men, obſcure, vnarmed and contemptible, truſting onelyonly to the aid of the truth & the ſpirit, did labor ſo ſtoutly in ſpreading abroad the faith of Chriſt, did refuſe no paines nor danger, did ſtand ſtoutly againſt all aſſaults, vntill at length they gat the victorie: there remaineth no excuſe for Chriſtian nobles, who are of any dignitie, ſeeing God hath furniſhed them with the ſword to defend the kingdome of his ſonne, vnleſſe they bee at leaſt as conſtant and bold to take vponupon them ſuch an honorable office. Furthermore, it is not my part to declare how faithfully and vprightlie I hauehave behaued my ſelfe in interpreting this hiſtorie. I hope ſurely my labour ſhall be fruitfull to all men. And as for you (moſt worthie prince) I muſt againe requeſt and beſeech you, that you doe both priuately addict your ſelfe wholy vntounto Chriſt his gouernement, as you hauehave of late happily begun: and that you woulde alſo become not onelyonly a faithfull helper, but alſo a moſt ſtout & valiant ſtanderdbearer in furthering the kingdome of Chriſt, vntounto ſo manie noble men, whom not onelyonly the renowme of their ſtocke and linage, but alſo the excellencie of their vertues doth commend. God hath vouchſafed to beſtowe vponupon the realme of Polonia a ſingular priuiledge of honor, that the better part of the nobility bidding adue to wicked ſuperſtitions, which are as many corruptions and pollutions of the worſhip of God, ſhould deſire with one conſent a true forme of godlines, and a well framed and reformed order of the Church. It is well knowne that theſe men were not a little aided by your authoritie. But there remaine more cumbats both for you, and alſo for them, than that like ouerworne ſouldiers, you ſhould giuegive your ſelues to idleneſſe and reſt. Firſt, although no forraine enimy trouble you, you ſhal hauehave buſines inough to withſtande thoſe euils which are at home with you. You hauehave ſufficiently tried with how many ſleights Sathan is furniſhed, that he may worke ſome pollicie to ouerthrow that holy concorde amongſt brethren, wherein conſiſteth the ſafetie of the Church. That befalleth you which is common euerie where, for troubleſome men to thruſt in themſelues when things are out of order: who whileſt they ſee a few, and thoſe weaklings troubled by a great multitude, and that they do with much adoe defend the trueth, which is couered with the thicke clouds of falſe accuſations, they doe more eaſilie come vponupon them vnawares. And by this ſubtiltie doeth that chiefe worker of all diſceite and guile, ſeeke the ruine of the Church, not onelyonly by cutting, mangling, and pulling in pieces the vnitie of the faith, but by burdening the name of Chriſt with falſe enuie: becauſe the companies of the godly amongſt whom theſe wicked knaues mixe themſelues, ſeeme to bee certaine receptacles and ſinkes of all filthineſſe. So whileſt that Stancharus, a man of a troubleſome nature, doth through that ambition wherewith hee is wholelie ſet on fire, ſpread abroad amongſt you his dotings, hereupon brake out that contention which threatneth ſome ſcattering abroade: and you were laide open vntounto the ſlaunders of many, becauſe it was thought that his ſect did ſpreade it ſelfe farther. Beholde on the other ſide a certaine Phiſition called George Brandata worſe than Stancarus, becauſe his errour is more deteſtable, and becauſe hee hath in his minde more ſecrete poiſon. For which cauſe theſe alſo are the more worthie to be reprooued, at whoſe hands the vngodlineſſe of Seruetus hath found ſuch fauour of ſuch a ſuddaine. For although I am perſwaded, that they are farre from thoſe peruerſe and ſacriligious opinions: yet they ſhould hauehave taken better heede and not hauehave ſuffered this foxe craftilie to creepe into their companie, becauſe ſuch plagues wil neuer be wanting; neither will Sathan euer ceaſe to bring abroad into the forefront ſuch champions as hauehave giuen ouer themſelues to ſerue him, that hee may trouble the beginninges of the Goſpel, it is for you to bee continually in a redineſſe: and to the ende you may preuent greater euils, you muſt ſet downe a right and godly manner of gouernment, which is the faithfull keeping of holie peace. For as it is manifeſt that puritie of doctrine is the ſoule of the Church: ſo wee may full well compare Diſcipline vntounto the Sinowes, wherewith the bodie being bounde and knitte togither doth maintaine his ſtrength. Now on the otherſide the vngodlineſſe of other enimies ought to ſharpen your ſtuddie and earneſtneſſe, I meane the preachers of Antichriſt of Rome, who to the end they may diſceiue the ignorant doe continually with ſhrill voice ſounde out the name of the Church. There is no controuerſie amongſt vsus about the Church, but all graunt that the authoritie thereof ought to bee reuerenced of all the children of God: ſaue onelyonly that they vnderunder falſe colour of honor do make the ſhadowiſh name of the Churche, ſubiect to their luſtes: we do ſo reuerence the Church from our heart, that we account it great wickedneſſe to prophane the ſacred name thereof. That I may omitte other godlie miniſters of pure and ſound doctrine, I my ſelfe hauehave againe and againe heretofore in manie places handled this queſtion: when mention is made of the Church, whoſe heade is the ſonne of God: and which he, who is the fountaine of life eternall, doth alwayes quicken by his ſpirite: how ridiculous a thing it is to bring forth a bodie without an heade, and ſecondly a deade carkaſſe. The hireling flatterers of the Pope, doe crie out that they hauehave the Church. But we can knowe by no meanes better, whither this be true or no, than when wee looke vntounto the heade. As for that, it is manifeſt, that it is cut off by their ſacrilegious violence. For how ſhall Chriſt retaine the place of the heade, being diſpoiled of all his power, throwne downe from his gouernment, depriued of his dignitie? Vppon this condition hath the heauenlie father made him the heade of the Church, that he may gouerne all men from the greateſt to the leaſt, by the doctrine of his Goſpel: that hee may bee the onelyonly prieſt, to reconcile the father continuallie, as hee hath once appeaſed his wrath by the ſacrifice of his death: that his death may continuallie purge our ſinnes: that his blood may be the only waſhing: that his obedience may be a perfect ſatisfaction: that hee may be a continuall and ſole interceſſour, through whoſe meanes our prayers may be hearde: that hee may be a faithfull defendour and tutour, that hee may by his aide defende vsus: that (the vices of our fleſhe beeing tamed) hee may refourme vsus vntounto righteouſneſſe and holineſſe: that hee alone may beginne and finiſh in vsus a bleſſed life. If the Papiſtes hauehave left him any of theſe thinges, let them hauehave the Church on their ſide. But if the Pope oppreſſing mens conſciences with his fearce and more than cruell tyrannie, hauehave diſanulled and taken awaie Chriſt his gouernement: if hee hauehave brought in a forme of gouernement, altogither contrarie to the doctrine of the Goſpel: if hee hauehave inuented a newe and ſtraunge prieſthood, that hee may thruſt in himſelfe being but a mortall man, to bee the mediatour betweene GOD and the worlde: if hee hauehave forged daylie Sacrifices, that hee maie put them in Chriſtes place: if hee hauehave inuented a thouſande ſatisfactions for ſinnes: if hee hauehave brought fained waſhings from the lake of hell, to make drie the bloode of the ſonne of God: if hee hauehave put in his place infinite patrons: if he hauehave torne in a thouſande peeces that righteouſneſſe which muſt bee ſet whollie from him: if in ſteed of the holie Ghoſt he hauehave erected mans freewill: it is without all queſtion that the true Chriſt is baniſhed farre from papiſtrie. For this cauſe hauehave I ſaide that the Papiſtes make boaſt of a deade carkaſſe in ſteed of the liuelie bodie of Chriſt, becauſe though they hauehave extinguiſhed the Doctrine of the Goſpel (which is the true ſoule of the Church, & which duly doth quicken the ſame) yet they do greatly boaſt of a ſhadowiſh & trifling kind of church. Wee make it full well knowne howe corrupt the puritie of doctrine is amongſt them, yea with what monſtrous errors it is polluted. They doe not onelyonly couer all their corruptions vnderunder the ſhadow of the Church: but alſo complaine that we doe great iniurie to the Church, becauſe we ſay that the ſame doeth erre. But they ſhoulde firſt hauehave examined the doctrine, that the Church might thereby be knowne. Theſe iuſt and honeſt iudges wil hauehave the feigned title of doctrine to hauehave ſufficient force of preiudice to couer and ſuppreſſe the difference, and that not to diſceiue men. For with what ſleights and leigerdemaine would they aſſaie to bleare euen daſeling eies in ſo great light? But becauſe they accompt this libertie of lying a part of their tyrannie, they thinke they reigne not as they woulde, vnleſſe they reprochfully mocke miſerable ſoules. That wee may fet an example no farther, wee hauehave ſeene in our times, ſometime the Tridentine Fathers, ſometimes the Fathers of Bononia, who although they were euen at daggers drawing among themſelues, yet did they fome out their vaine Canons on both ſides. And ſurely if men aſſent to their principles, the triumph ſhall be prepared on both ſides. There ſit there I cannot tell how manie Biſhops, and Abbats peraduenture an hundred horned beaſtes. If the moſt fine flower of all the nation ſhould ſhine there, yet ſhould it be nothing elſe but a wicked conſpiracie againſt God. And nowe after that the Pope hath gathered togither the branne and chips of his vncleane and filthy rotten flocke, ſhall the repreſentatiue Church ſuddainly appeare there? And are they not yet aſhamed to cal that, an holy, general, and lawful Councel which doth not deſerue ſo much, as to be called a vaine and Comicall viſure of a Councel? But as for vsus to whom the promiſe is made, that Antichriſt, who ſitteth in the temple of God, ſhall be deſtroyed with the breath of the Lords mouth: let not vsus (I ſay) ceaſe to refute this filthie and whoriſh impudencie, with that moſt ſacred worde, which they ſo boldlie mocke: that al men may ſee what difference there is betweene the chaſt ſpouſe of Chriſt, and the ſtinking whore of Beliall: betweene the ſanctuarie of God, and the Brothelhouſe of Satan: betweene the ſpirituall houſe of the godly, and the ſtie of hogges: and finallie betweene the true Church, and the court of Rome. There can no more certaine or plaine demonſtration be brought concerning this matter either by Euclide, either yet by Archimedes, then if the Church, as Luke deſcribeth it, be compared with the popiſh Synagogue. Neither am I ſo ſtreit, that I would hauehave that confuſed lumpe, being altogither repugnant vntounto the order of nature, and manner of humanitie, to be agreeable in al points to the rule of the Apoſtles, which is Angelicall and heauenlie. If they can ſhew any thing wherein they are like vntounto them, they may triumph for me. But for as much as all things are contrarie, & althogh the more part of men become blind willingly: (at leaſtwiſe ſeeing the whole heauens doe allow vsus) we may not onelyonly contemne their braine ſicke pride without any feare, but alſo freely ſpeake euill of the ſame. In the meane ſeaſon we hauehave no ſmall conſolation to ſupport vsus: that howſoeuer the Papiſts doe ſet againſt vsus with ſterne countenance, the name and title of the Church, yet we know that we fight onelyonly againſt the profeſſed enimies of Chriſt. We ought aboue all thinges to deſire, that the moſt renowmed king, who according to his wiſedome hath long agoe ſpied out the ſubtile ſleights of the Romiſh court, commanding thoſe vain Buls to auoide, wherein the Councel boaſteth a farr off, may at length more freelie applie his minde vntounto the earneſt and perfect reſtoring of the Church. Yet ought no lingering to keepe you back, but eueryevery one of you muſt with might and maine indeuour to enlarge and ſpreade abroade thoſe beginnings which are begun to ariſe ſo happilie.
Farewell moſt excellent Lord, and right renowmed Prince: The Lord alwaies gouerne you with his ſpirite, amplifie by all meanes your dignitie: and bleſſe your godlie enterpriſes euen vntounto the ende.
At Geneua, the firſt of Auguſt, 1560.