Sum of the Christian Faith, Title page – Dedication
A briefe and piththie ſumme of the Chriſtian faith, made in forme of a confeſsion, vvith a confutation of all ſuch ſuperſtitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza▪ Tranſlated out of Frenche by R. F.
AFTER DARKNESS LIGHT.
POST TENEBRAS LUX
PRINTED AT LONDON by Richard Serll, dwelling in Flete lane, at the ſygne of the halfe Eagle and the Key.
The principall poynctes treated in thys confeſſion.
The firſte poincte of the vnitye and trinitie of God.
ii. Of the Father.
iii. Of the Sonne.
iiii. Of the holy ghoſt.
v. Of the Church.
vi. Of the laſt Iudgement.
vii. A compariſon betweene the doctrine of the papiſtes and theſe of the holy catholicke Church.
To the ryght honorable and vertuous Lord, the Lord Haſtinges, Earle of Huntington. &c. Robert Fyll, vvysheth long lyfe with increaſe of honour in the feare of God. Amen. (⸫)
HAuinge reade ouer this worke (right honorable) printed in the Frenche tongue, and alſo knowing the aucthor, and being ſomewhat acquaynted with him, who for his ſingular godly learning, knowledge, and conuerſation, …s eſtéemed of thoſe y• be godly, for a pre…ious pearle ſent amongſt vsus from God … this our troubleſome age: I thought …t my duety to put it forth into the Eng…yſh tongue, that thoſe my natiue coun…rymen, which doo not vnderſtande the French: might be partakers of the fruit of ſo godly a worke in Engliſhe. And alſo hauehave as it were a weapon in hande, to defend themſelues againſt the miniſters of Sathan, who be euer ready to cauyll againſt the trueth, more ready to putte men in doubt, then to eſtabliſhe them in the true Chriſtian faith. The true vnderſtāding of our beléefe is the pure gyft of God, and among his gifts the chiefeſt Beleefe with knowledge of Gods word, ordereth the minde, gouerneth the body, dyrecteth all our workes and affayres, teachinge what wée ought to doo, and what to leaue vndone, without whiche neither can King, Lord nor ſubiect, well order them ſelues, nor thoſe things that bée committed to theyr charge. Nowe if we eſteeme other things to be of valewe and can prayſe them: your honour knoweth that the knowledge of true beléefe grounded vponupon Gods word, doth ſo farre excell all other things, as heauenly treaſures excell the commodityes of the earth. And this is moſte profitable to kinges, Dukes, Earles, and Lords, (as appeareth in the 2. Pſalme, Deutero. 17 chap. and Eſay 46. chap. where they be named the nurces of religion) and vntounto all other degrées ſpyrituall or temporal. And vaine are all men which know not this truely. And S. Paule ſayde becauſe it ſéemed not good to them to hauehave the knowledge of Gods word, he gaue them vp into a lewd mind, & to all vncleanes, For if God be the lyght, ſuche as knowe him not ſtumble in darknes. If he be the only way, the ignoraunt go ſtray. If he be the trueth, they that knowe him not be deceyued. If he be onelyonly good, all good thinges muſt be borrowed and craued of him alone. If all knowledge & learning be his, wée muſt be Gods ſcholars. If he be life, not to knowe him his eternall death. For it is written, this is eternall lyfe, to know Ieſus Chriſt whome thou haſt ſent to be very god. But this knowledge muſte wée hauehave and learne in the ſcriptures, as S. Paule ſayth, the ſcripture is profytable to teach, to controll, to amende, and to inſtruct in all ryghteouſneſſe that the offyce of ſaluation is lyttle regarded: But this myngle mangle of ſpirituall and temporall regiment, is vſurped by them, as if no Chriſtian Magiſtrat ordained of God, ſufficed to redreſſe ſuch abuſes. What maruell if mans ordynaunces be broken, where the ordynaunce of God is playnlye reſyſted. Alſo in the country where moſt nede of preaching and inſtruction is, there bée ydell chaplaynes, which poſſeſſe and withhold the Preachers liuings, and moſt ſpeciallye in the Cathedrall Churches: many of the which bée but onelyonly a very refuge and denne of ydell, ignoraunt, and vnpreaching lubbers. Is not the ordinance of God, and good meaninges of noble founders broken here? Is not his proclamation diſobeyed, who proclaymed by the mouth of ſaint Paul, hée who laboureth not, ought not to eate? Among the Iewes temporall men, and thoſe that …erued not the Altar, were not ſuffered to liue of the altar, as they now do vnderunder the goſpel. Behold y• Apoſtles, Timothe Tite, and many others. If we do alowe the order of the primatiue & holy apoſtolike church, let vsus folow their examples. Beholde the fathers, as Origine, Ciprian, Ambroſe, Iherom, Auguſtine, Chriſoſtome, and others, who ſpent the greateſt part of their lyues in preaching and teachinge the people, as appeareth by their workes, which be for the moſt part Sermons, Leſſons, Homelies, diſputations, and confutations of hereſies in their tymes. They preached on the ſondayes and expoūded the ſcriptures. And on the wéeke dayes they procured theyr Sermons and expoſitions to be written. There were no pluralities of liuings in thoſe dayes, neither diſpenſations, Totquottes, nor Reſidences, qualifications, nor improperations. Chyldrē and boyes enioyed no Benefices in thoſe dayes by no manner of means, or conſiderations to come. God graunt vsus ſhortly to ſée a redreſſe of ſpirituall abuſes, and temporall diſorders, in ſpyrituall gouernours without reſpect of priuate gaine. And y• we maye ſay with the Prophet Dauid the word of God is my counſeler. Exce… ſuch thinges be amended, neyther Engliſhe ſeruice▪ Homelies, Ceremonies, no… ſacraments, do make vsus chriſtians. W… differ from the Turks but in outward rites & ceremonies, and outward profeſiō of our faith in words. But not in th… true ſigne of Chriſtian integrity, whic… is vpryghte conuerſation and good ly… Thus héere in Englande many idle v… learned Chappelaines and Prieſtes b… founde of the coſtes and charges of poor Pariſhes, ſo that for lacke of preaching many poore Soules be defrauded of th… ſwéete mylke of Gods woorde▪ and lac… teachers to declare to them their duty… towards God and their Prince. This … a reioyſing to the enemie, and pleaſau… newes to thoſe whiche gape and loo… that the ende of theſe abuſes, & diſorde… wyll be the deſtruction and ruine of th… floriſhinge Realme. And ſo is to be ferred that it wyll, except the inſatiable c… uetouſneſſe, and carnall lybertie …e w… …d out. And that wicked Idolatrous murderers of Gods people, and diſobedient to his word and lawes, may be cut off, that Gods wrathe and indignation maye bee pacifyed by amendemente, accordynge to Goddes expreſſe woorde, Deuteromie thyrtéene Chapter: Thine eye ſhall not pyttye ſuche one, nor ſhewe mercye to him, but hee ſhall bée ſlayne. And ſo ſhalte thou take the euyll awaye foorth of the myddes of thee, ſayeth the Lorde God. (Reade the whole Chapter.) Alſo Saint Paule to the Hebrewes the tenth Chapter. If he that deſpiſeth Moiſes Lawe, ought to dye without merciemercy, howe muche more puniſhment deſerueth hee that treadeth vnderunder foote the ſonne of God, and coūteth the blood of the newe Teſtament an vnholie thing? But ſome hauehave not onelyonly troden vnderunder foote, but alſo mocked, deſpiſed and moſt cruelly brent the Teſtament and woorde of the eternall God, and alſo tormented and ſhamefully murdered his true and faythfull ſeruauntes, and preachers the deere members of Ieſus Chriſt his ſonne. And moſt blaſphe▪ mouſly contemning the holy ſacraments truely myniſtred, and all godly eccleſiaſticall orders and diſcipline. To redreſſe of theſe enormities muſt come by y• magiſtrates, for they are powers ordayned and exalted of God, for the ſame entent▪ If they be not redreſſed, and that ſhort▪ lie, in ſtéede of the comfortable promiſes of God, wée ſhalbe oppreſſed with the terryble plagues whiche hée threatneth to the breakers of his lawe. As dearth, warre, peſtilence, and other his ſcourges, as wée be threatened now of late by the punyſhmente of our neyghbours in Fraunce. Happy are thoſe that can bée admonyſhed by the fall of others, and amend. I would thinke my labour well beſtowed, if I mought obtayne of your honor, and other that be of a godly meaninge, to reade this ouer with good delyberation, and Iudgement: And alſo ſuche as be in doubte whiche is the true religion. And thoſe that thinke we be in an errour, I would to God they woulde voucheſafe to reade and conferre it with the ſcriptures, and doctours, as is noted in the margine. And in reading, to put a ſyde diſdayne, contempte, and all ſingular and pryuate affections. And then I doubte not but God wyll open vntounto them further knowledge, and mooue them to be more ſtudious in Gods word and alſo hauehave a better opinion of the true religion.
I hauehave for my Countryes ſake tranſlated this godly and neceſſarye woorke, wherevnto I hauehave added nothyng of myne owne, but ſymple, and playnelye, according to my ſmall vnderſtanding, I hauehave kepte the wordes and meanyng of the authoritie, as neare as our Engliſh wyl ſuffer mée, rather ſhewing mee ſelfe homelye and playne, then by ouer muche fyneneſſe to diſſent from the mynde of hym, who in the feare of God, and for his Bretherns ſake ſet it foorth.
Humblye beſéechynge youre honour, and all godlye Readers, to take this my ſmall labour in good parte, and accept my good meaning, which tendeth to the profite of my Country men, and eſpeciallye to the glorie of God, and aduauncement of his kingdome. Who proſpere and maintaine your honour in his feare, long to continue, enrytching you with all good bleſſinges, and gouerninge you and yours by his holye ſpirite, vntyll he ſhall call you to come vntounto him ſelfe, there to continue in his glorious kingdom, for euer and euer.
Amen.