Sum of the Christian Faith, Preface
❧ Theodore de Beze. to the Church of the Lord, grace and peace in him.
AMong the errours whiche raigne at thys daye in the worlde about faith and Chriſtiā religion, there be two which me thinketh bee as the ſprings & fountaines of al the others. The firſt is, that all which is done of a good intent is well done. The ſecond is, that thoſe which liue onelyonly vponupon the trafick or marchaundiſe of other mens ſoules, hauehave perſuaded the ſimple people that they neede not read y• ſcriptures, nor particularly enquire of eueryevery poinct of that which they are bound to beleeue for to be ſaued. But that it is ſufficient to beléeue confuſedly and in a generalitie as the church of Rome beléeueth, and the reſt to cōmit to the Diuines or to the conſcience of his curate. Touching the firſt, it is néedfull to defyne what intent is good & what euill. But to ſpeak after their owne maner, for as much as they beleue that all thoſe which think they do well hauehave a good entent▪ if it ſo were what woulde hauehave let ſainct P…ule to hauehave bene ſaued in his phariſaicall …i…ing, ſeyng that he was an earneſt folower of the law of god giuen by Moiſes? And as for that he perſecuted the members of Ieſus chriſt, it was of ignoraunce, ſuppoſing to hauehave done god good ſeruice, as hee himſelfe wytneſſeth. Yet this notwithſtāding he ſaith he was a perſecutour and a Blaſphemer, ſo that God ſaued him of his ſingular grace and mercy. The lyke caſe was of many of thoſe which crucified Chriſt and ſtoned ſainct Steuen, thinkinge they did verye good ſeruice, bicauſe they eſtemed thē to be falſe prophets & enimies to God. Neuertheles did their good meaning kepe them that they wer not horible murderers? But if God gaue forgiuen them, then it foloweth that they ſinned. And who ſhal aſſure thoſe of the lyke mercye which do as they did? I omitte the manifeſt textes, where ſuch good ententes or meaninges be curſed of god, conſydering where no fayth is, ther is nought but ſinne, and where there is no word of God, there is no fayth, but a lyinge and deceyuable opinion. I would fai… knowe whether there be any Creditour that would be content and ſatiſfied for his full payment, that his dett…ur ſhoulde alledge, that he had dreamed that hee had payed him. Or if a Mayſter had geuen by writinge hys whole mynde and wyll to one of hys ſeruauntes, and had gyuen hym in charge and commaundement, neither to ad to it, nor to diminiſh it: whether hee woulde bee content with his ſeruaunt that woulde not voucheſafe to read his remembraunce, but truſting in his owne witte woulde doe al thinges after his owne will and mynde. And neuertheleſſe, Chriſtendome is thus led that to reade the Scriptures for to know the will of their Maiſter, is hereſye at this daye. And if they aledge further that the common people hauehave no iudgemēt for to vnderſtand y• they do read, howe happeneth it then that they teach not the Scriptures to the people to remedy that? For the ſelf ſame inconueniences hauehave bene in all ages▪ And neuertheles the prophetes. Ieſu Chriſt, nor the Apoſtles, neither ſpake nor writ but in the commō vulgar tonge, which was then vnderſtanded of all the people where they vſed. And when wee ſaye that hee is not a Chriſtian which knoweth not what he beleueth, nor why and wherfore he beleueth it: doo we ſaye that he muſte read the ſcriptures without hearinge them ſyncerelye expounded of thoſe whiche hauehave the charge & office to doe it? No, but contrariwiſe, we ſaye and alſo practyſe it, that the Paſtours are bounde to feede theyr flockes with the worde of lyfe, and that the flocke on their parte muſte vnderſtande and learne that whiche they teache them to be edified and comforted ther by. Alſo they muſt take heede and beware of the falſe Prophets and wolfs. And certeinly if this Lampe hadd alwayes burned cleare in the Churche of God, they whiche at theſe dayes feare nothinge more then this lighte, and whiche woulde take it from the common people to leade them ſtill in their blindnes, had not ſo muche preuailed as they hauehave. For the kingdom of God is not a kyngedome of ignorance, but of fayth, and conſequently of knowledge: conſyderynge that a man cannot beléeue that whiche hée knoweth not.
Briefelye, for as muche as all Chriſtians bee expreſſelye warned of Sainct Peter, to bée in a readyneſſe to make aunſwere to all thoſe whyche demaunde a reaſon of theyr hope: So it appeareth by this, that the duetye of a true Chryſtian, is to hauehave ready, and with him ſome briefe reſolution and ſumme of the principall pointes of hys Religion, and alſo ſome principall reaſons, whereby hee maye on the one parte confyrme and ſtrengthen himſelfe therein, and on the other parte, repell accordinge to his callinge, the enemies of the truth, and be ready to communicate his ſpirituall ryches with all men.
Wherevppon, I bein… already of that mynde, and beſyde the ſ…me beinge required to render a reaſon of my faythe, by a perſonage to whome nexte vntounto God I am moſte bounde to obey: I hauehave of late compoſed and made this Treatyſe which I hauehave intytuled A confeſſion of the faith, wherin I hauehave comprehended after the beſt order I coulde, thoſe thinges whych I hauehave learned in the Chriſtian Religion by the reading of ye Byble, with the conference of the moſte faythefull Expoſitours.
At the firſt I made this but for mine own vſe, and to ſatiſfie him who required of me. But ſince partly by the aduyſe of certayne good and learned mē, and alſo being moued with certayne reaſons whiche mee thought were of importance, I was eaſely perſuaded to hauehave it ſet abroade.
For fyrſte, I knowe, that among thoſe whiche perſecute the Goſpell of God in his members, there be many that offende thorough ignoraunce whom it is very hard to make vnderſtand how muche they be deceyued, except before they be put to the reading of the textes of the ſcripture, they hauehave ſome brief inſtruction which may opē the matter playn vntounto them, and accuſtome them with the maner of ſpeach of the holy ghoſt for to gather oute the true ſence and meaning, & referre the whole to the right vſe and end. Moreouer, euen amonge thoſe whiche hauehave ſome vnderſtandinge of gods truth, I knowe that there be many verye negligent and ſlow to read the ſcriptures, becauſe they knowe not the treaſures which therin be contained. And many alſo, although they read the ſcripturs diligently, as al chriſtians ough… principally to doe, and can after a ſort diſcerne …e true expoſition from ye falſe, yet neuertheles hauehave not ſo ready iudgment and ſuch capacitie, that they can aptly ſet & agree together thoſe textes which they fynde diſperſed in diuerſe places of one mater for to comprehend them w…ll, to their edifyinge and inſtruction. And this is the cauſe why in the church of Chriſt ſo long as it was well gouerned, ther was euermore an inſtruction called a Cathechiſme, for thoſe that were lately comme to the knowledge of the eternall god. But this very woorde Cathechiſme declareth that thys Inſtruction was rather by worde of mouth then otherwyſe▪ And I thinke that from thence dyd procéede the ſymbole of the Apoſtles as we call it, the expoſition wherof was declared by mouth in y• church. After this when it pleaſed god to erect …p againe the banner of his Church, …hich had bene long tyme ouerthro…en: this cuſtome not one ye moſte …audable, but alſo moſte neceſſarye …as erected vp agayne, yea to more e…ification then euer it was, as me thin…eth, and as in verye deede experience and time muſt needes teache the …yſeſt ſorte of men ſome thinge. For …hey hauehave not onelyonly ſette forth the an…ient maner to cathechiſe, that is to …ay, to inſtruct by mouth thoſe that are …ately entred into the church of god, y• …rncipall poinctes of Chriſtian rely…ion orderly and briefely, but alſo too …uoyde many inconueniences, thoſe Cathechiſmes were ſette foorth and writtten for a ſingular profyte, bothe … greate and ſmall. And although …n theſe beginninges of the reſto…inge and repayringe of the decayes …f the Churche, the ſynceritie of doc…rine and familiar manner of tea…hinge was not in all pointes ſuche as was to bée wyſhed, yet no… withſtandinge theſe maners and form…s teachinge bée verye meete for to remedy and helpe thoſe inconueniences which I hauehave ſpokē of heretofore. And this I dare well ſay that ther ſhal not … found eyther in times paſt or to come any ſuche worke publiſhed and ſette abroade wherby to hauehave a briefe and perfecte knowledge of the wholle Chriſtian religion as is the Cathechiſme of this Church of Geneua▪ god bee prayſed therefore, and his faithful ſer…antes labour acknowledged, which hath ſo happely and profitablye trauayled in this worke Although ther be I knowe dogges both farre of and neare whiche barke after him, and except for barking they woulde bee as domme, as domme Fyſ…hes: but when as they meete with beaſts of their own kinde then they be at libertie to prate and bable withoute knowledge. But to returne to my purpoſe, I confeſſe that it was not greatly néedefull to ſet for the this confeſſion after that Cathechiſme wherof I hauehave ſpoken. Neuertheles becauſe men are geuen in heauenlye foode euen lyke as they be in bodelye meats to weete that one and the ſame meate, ſhal pleaſe ſome in one kind of dreſſing, and other in an other kynde or waye: I hauehave enforced my ſelfe ſomthyng more to dilate and declare matters at large: as one that wold not ſo much teache the auditors which are alreadye bente and willyng to heare and learne in the church of God▪ as alſo to aunſwere thoſe which do with ſtand the truthe of GOD, or at the leaſte thoſe whyche bée in dowte in whyche ſyde to turne themſelues. I hope wyth the grace of hym whoſe honoure I hauehave regarded in this little worcke, that my laboure ſhall not bée wythoute profite, neyther for thoſe whiche ſuffer theym ſelues to be par…wa…ed in anye thynge that maye …ee inuented agaynſte vsus eyther in …yfe or doctryne, nor for thoſe whyche hauehave alreadye ſome taſte and féeling to encorage and ſturre them vp to the viligent Reading of the ſeripturs, and to reſorte and draw water as it were out of ye very head ſpring or fountayn from whence theſe brokes do run, not yet to eſtabliſh and reſolue thē whiche hauehave néede therof. True it is ye among other faults I confeſſe that I hauehave not bene ſo briefe as were requiſit in ſuch an argument wherein men ought only to declare and open the determination of matters without diſputing, yet I hope at the length, conſidering y• property of the enemies with whome we hauehave to do, it ſhall not be ſo troublous but it ſhall ſerue to ſome purpoſe, bycauſe I hauehave endeuored my ſelfe to ſpeake of nothing but that which belongeth to the very pith of the matter, and which is neceſſary to reſolue him which ſhould come read this treatiſe with ſome preiudiſe to the contrary.
And this was my entent and mynde not to preſcibe to anye man lyuynge a forme of confeſſion of his fayth, but fyrſt to declare myne owne to al thoſe whiche are mynded to vnderſtande it to the glory of my God. And then alſo to helpe according to my … power thoſe that a…e leaſte of the Churche of God. I hope alſo that at the leaſt I ſhal geue occaſion to thoſe which without compariſon hauehave wherew…th better then I to furniſhe and ſet out ſo profitable a worke in Chriſtendome: to compile and make ſom more abſolute and perfect worke, whoſe iudgements I am ſo farre …m refuſinge, that on the contrarye I deſyre that all thoſe which ſhall ſee this confeſſion wil conferre it diligently with the Scripturs whiche are the onelyonly true toucheſtone to proue true doctrine by. But i… there be any thinge herein which is worthy of reprehenſion, which I hope ſhall not befounde in the ſubſtaunce of the doctrine, I am one whiche deſyreth with all my hart to vnderſtande it, to amende the fault thereof. If one the other ſyde, there founde anye goo… thyng in it, as I would be ſory if the… were not, his be the praiſe which hath reueled to mée his holye trueth, and ſhall reuele it yet more fully when wée ſhall hauehave the accompliſhement of that which we looke for.
God be prayſed.
Of the trinitie. The firſt point.
The firſt Article of the vnitie of God.
WE beleue that there is one onelyonly dyuyne ſubſtaunce whych we call God, and that not only becauſe the contemplation of naturall things teacheth vsus the ſame, but much rather… Rom. 1. … bicauſe the holy ſcripture witneſſeth and declareth it vntounto vsus.bDeu. 4. …. Ephe. 4. …
2. Of the Trinitie of perſones diſtinct in one vnitie of ſubſtaunce.
THe word of god teacheth vsus plainlye that this dyuine ſubſtaunce is dyſtinct Really and truely from … uerlaſting into thre perſōs, that aMat. 28. d 1. Ioh. 5. bis to ſay, the father, the ſonne, and the holy ghoſt, which be one onelyonly god, onelyonly bAct. 17. f Deu. 4. beternall, infinite and wholly perfect in himſelfe. And theſe three perſonnes be of one ſubſtaunce together cōſubſtaū ciall and coeternal, without confuſion of property and relation, and without any inequalities as the church hath decidid by the holy ſcripture againſt Sabellius, Samolatenus, Arrius, Neſtorius, Marcion, Eutiches, and al other heretikes.
3. Of the eternall prouidence of God.
NOthing is done at auenture or by chaunce, or without the moſt iuſt ordinaunce and appointment of God, aEphe. 1. b Mat. 20. c Pro. 16. aalthough god be in no wiſe authour nor culpable of any euyl which is committed. For his goodnes & mighty power is ſuch and ſo incomprehenſible, that namely he ordaineth bAct. 2 d &. 4. e. Rom. 9. d& doth wel and iuſtly, euen that which the deuill and man doth euill and vniuſtly.