Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Title page – Dedication
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE INSTITVTION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION written by M. Ihon Caluin.
VVHEREIN BRIEFE AND ſound aunſvveres to the obiections of the aduerſaries are ſet dovvne.
By VVilliam Lawne miniſter of the word of God.
Faithfullie tranſlated out of Latine into Engliſh by Chriſtopher Fetherſtone Miniſter of the word of God.
ANCHORA SPEI
1. PET. 3.15
Be alwayes readie to aunſwere euerie one that demandeth a reaſon of the hope which is in you, with lenitie and reuerence.
Imprinted at Edinburgh by Thomas Vautrollier. 1585.
CVM PRIVILEGIO REGALI.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
CHriſtian reader, it is a common prouerbe that manie handes make light vvorke. But I hauehave had experience in this vvorke, that many hands hauehave made long vvorke, or rather no vvorke. This booke at the firſt publishing thereof, for more expedition vvas deliuered to foure to be tranſlated. In vvhoſe hands it hath lyen diſperſed, partly done, partly vndone, for the ſpace almoſt of theſe three yeares. VVherby the publishing therof hath ben hindred. At length I vvas requeſted to take in hand the trāſlating of the vvhole vvorke, vvhichwhich through Gods mercifull aſſiſtance I hauehave accomplished, going in truth through the vvhole vvorke, except that vvhichwhich I my ſelfe before had done. vvhichwhich I make knovvne (gentle Reader) not as hunting after praiſe, but to let thee vnderſtād that I hauehave not published other mens doinges vnderunder mine ovvne name, but mine ovvne labours, as touching the tranſlation. And for thy more eaſe in reading this vvorke, and for the better vnderſtanding thereof, I thought good to note thus much, that vvhere in reading thou shalt find this marke (*) it directeth thee vntounto the margēt, shevving vvhere thou maiſt read that more largely, vvhichwhich is there brieflie noted. Againe vvhere thou shalt find, Obiect. it ſignifieth an obiection, vvhereby the matter in hande is contraried by the aduerſarie, vvhere An. it ſignifieth an anſvver to the ſame obiection. VVhichWhich thinges I thought good to note for thy greater eaſe. And thus beſeeching God to bleſſe thee in reading theſe my labours, I conclude.
Thy brother in Chriſt Chriſtopher Fetherſtone.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL M. RICHARD MARTIN MAISTER OF HER Maieſties mints, and Alderman of the moſt famous citie of London, grace and peace.
THE inſtitution of Chriſtian religiō written by Iohn Caluin ſeemeth to me to chalenge to it ſelfe by good right (right worſhipfull) that which being vttered by men moſt wiſe and of ſingular experience, is common almoſt in eueryevery mans mouth, that good things muſt be repeated againe and againe. For ſeing that in things neceſſarie and profitable the ſame things are ſpoken againe & againe: or things ten times repeated do pleaſe, neither is that ſpoken & repeated too oft, which is neuer ſufficientlie learned, vndoubtly all thoſe which are ſtudious of ſound diuinitie, doe acknowledge long ago that the commodities of this writing are diuerſe & manifold, not onlie to learne but alſo to teach: & not only to the ſowing, watering & new digging, but alſo to gather in the fruit of the fild of the Church. And for theſe cauſes, when at ſuch times as the harueſt began to waxe white in France in times paſt, I was called backe from the courſe of phiſicke which I had alredie ended, addreſſing my ſelf to the practiſe thereof, vntounto the entrance of diuinity, and to take vponupon me the miniſterie, I made choice of that worke eſpecialy, next to the holy Bible, to be read & remembred by me. And as thoſe which go into a garden bedect with infinit varietie of floures, are wont to make a noſegay of all thoſe which either their ſight or ſmell ſhall moſt allowe, that it may reſemble and repreſent vntounto thē the garden after they become out of it. So I feeling in that pleaſant garden of diuinitie, wōderfull ſmels of heauenlie thinges, gathering out of eueryevery ſection of the chapters, as from the knottes and borders of paradiſe ſuch things as did beſt like me, hauehave framed this Abridgement, that it might neuer ſuffer ſo great pleaſure to depart from mine eyes, minde, and remēbrance. And ſeing there be alwayes ſlaues of Sathan readie, whereby he goeth about to corrupt the trueth with falſhood, and ſo conſequentlie to thruſt her out of her place, & in her ſeat to ſet lying whoſe Father he is, I hauehave ſet downe moſt ſhort anſweres, which are ſet againſt the obiections of the aduerſarie, wherby the Chriſtian champion may know that the dartes which the enemies of chriſtians do ſhake & bend againſt the moſt ſtrōg fortreſſe of the truth it ſelfe are but blunt and britle: and that he may proceede not only out of this treaſure howſe garniſhed with moſt precious gemmes, being more wealthy, to enrich thoſe which are deſirous of heauenly pearls, or out of this ſtorehowſe being better furniſhed to feede the flocke of Chriſt: but alſo as out of an Armorie, being better armed to diſcomfite all the enemies of the trueth with whome he ſhall meete, and to beate downe the Monſters of hereſies. And ſeing that this my labour ſuch as it is, ſeemed in the iudgment of ſome godly paſtours neither to be miſliked, ne yet to be vnprofitable, or vnworthy of the light, but that it might come abroad for common profit, I thought good not to be againſt it: eſpeciallie ſeing fruites not to be repented of, may be hoped from thence without anie mans hinderance. But if anie man think that this litle gardē is caſt in leſſer knots and ſtrayter alleyes then is meet, I let him not but that he may freelie, when he will, walk in the broad field at his pleaſure. And wheras (Right worſhipfull) I hauehave platted a garlād of the dignitie of your name for the head of this litle booke, that it might allure the readers to vewe and peruſe the whole worke, theſe reaſons did eſpecially moue me: Firſt becauſe, I would hauehave this ſimple teſtimonie of my thankfull minde to be extant for that your vnwearied ſtudie in beſtowing benefites, which I hauehave often tryed. Againe ſeing that you will hauehave your gorgeous howſe to ſtande open to all the godlie as a common Inne, ſeing that you make that authoritie which you hauehave gotten by vertue, more firme, by brideling the euill, by releeuing the oppreſſed, by exercyſing iuſtice: & ſeing that your moſt louing wife, a moſt excellent woman, whoſe bountifulneſſe manie do trie, of whoſe curteſie manie mo do ſpeake, at whoſe godlineſſe all do wonder, is readie as it were at your elbowe happelie to attempt ſo great thinges: finallie ſeing that your whole family doth breath out a ſmel of Chriſtianitie: I ſay ſeing theſe thinges are ſo, if I ſeeke to this your Inne as to a refuge for my labours I ſeeme to aſcribe that to my ſelf, which is moſt proper to the thinge it ſelfe. Accept therefore I beſeech you (Right worſhipfull) this moſt aſſured pledge & token of a thankefull minde. God in rich with his moſt liberall hand both you and all yours with his gifts, and preſerue you long in ſafety to the Church and common wealth. At London the 18 of Februarie. 1583.
Your worſhips moſt bounden WILLIAM LAWNE.