Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Title page – Argument
THE INSTITVTIONS OF CHRIſtian Religion, written by that reuerend Father, M. Iohn Calum, compendiouſly abridged By Edmond Bunnie Bachellour of diuinitie; And tranſlated into Engliſh by Edward May.
Imprinted at London, at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree, by Thomas Dawſon, for William Norton. 1580.
To the reuerend Father in Chriſt, John, by the permiſſion of Almightie God, Biſhop of London, Edward May wiſheth the true felicitie of this life, and the eternall happineſſe by the comming of Ieſus Chriſt.
PEruſing (Right reuerend Father) the worthie ſoundnes of godly doctrine and inſtruction, conteined in this ſhort, fruitfull, and learned Compendium, drawne out of Caluins Inſtitutions: I ſuppoſed with my ſelfe that my labour ſhould not only be not euill beſtowed, but alſo fruitfully imploied in the engliſhing of the ſame, aſwell for that the doing thereof might be a meanes, at thoſe voide times which I found out, to tranſlate this worke, to expel idleneſſe, wherein homines male agere diſcunt, Men practiſe to doe euill, and alſo to exerciſe and encreaſe with the good ſeruants, the ſmall talent of knowledge that God in mercy hath geuen me; as alſo the ſame being doone, that thoſe godly diſpoſed brethren that are not of abilitie to buie the whole Inſtitutions, hauing this (wherevnto I hauehave added the expoſitiō of thoſe places which the enimies of all trueth hauehave falſly corrupted, to mainteine their errours (not of my ſelf, but verbatim as it lieth in Caluin) may enioy & obteine ſome profite thereof. And although we hauehave much to praiſe God our heauenly Father for his great bleſſings beſtowed vpō vsus, by the worthy trauel of godly learned men, in ſetting foorth and tranſlating diuerſe and learned bookes into our vulgar tongue, to the encreaſing of the knowledge of almightie God in them, that hauehave not the knowledge of tongues, to theyr great profite, and ſingular comfort of al godly men, which rather wiſh their knowledge in Gods worde, to their ſaluation, than their continuall ignoraunce to their eternall damnation: yet I think that this Epitomie aſwel for the breuitie therof, as the pithines of the ſame, will doe good vntounto as many as thirſt after the true knowledge of Gods ſacred word. And albeit, all places of ſcripture are not there expounded, yet ſuch places are there opened, as may ſatisfie any Chriſtian man to cōfirme his faith by, & ſuch light in thē ſhewed, as may eaſily ſhew the way to the true meaning of many other places, not there contained. Wherfore right Honourable and Reuerende Father in Chriſte, my humble ſute is, that after this booke be examined & wel liked, you wold accept this rude tranſlation, as the naked growthes of a barreine ſoile, and firſt fruits of ſuch an enterpriſe, and paſſe it vnderunder the warrant of your Honours good protection, whoſe only name may priuiledge my cauſe. Thus ſurceaſing to moleſt your Honor with my groſſe & tedious ſtile, I pray God to direct and lead you in your godly courſe while life laſteth, to Gods honour and glorie, who euer preſerue you to your latter end, and ſend you felicitie in Chriſte, for euer to endure.
From London the 9. of Auguſt. 1579. Your Honours humble and obedient, Edward May.
Of the knowledge of God the Creator.
The Argument.
GOing about to ſpeak of the knowledge of God, becauſe in the creation of man the ſame chiefly doth appeare, for that cauſe alſo doeth he treate of man in this Booke: and ſo the ſpeciall places which he handleth herein, are onelyonly two: the firſt whereof is the knowledge of God, the 2. the knowledge of man. In the firſt Chapter he ſpeaketh of them both: and after particularly of either: yet ſo that in the meane tyme hee toucheth certaine other ſmall thinges, all which notwithſtanding may be referred to either of theſe: he treateth alſo of the ſcripture, of Images, to the knowledge of God: the other three of the making of the world, of Angels, and Deuils, to the knowledge of man. The laſt of all, of the meanes whereby God gouerneth the worlde, perteineth to both. As touching the knowledge of God, he ſheweth firſt what knowledge it is that he requireth. Cap. 2. Secondly where it is to be ſought for, from the 3. to the 9. truely not in man, becauſe (although naturally it be ſetled in mans mynde, yet partly of ignorance, partly of malice, it is choked, the 3. & the 4. nor in the making of the world, becauſe, although therein moſt clearely it appeare, yet we are ſo blockiſh, that ſuch teſtimonies being neuer ſo cleare, doe alwayes flote away frō vsus without profit. 5. but in the ſcripture, 6. and ſo being caried to the Scriptures, hee proſecuteth his treatiſe. 7. 8. 9. thirdly, what God is. 10. fourthly, how wicked it is to attribute to God a viſible fourme: where alſo he ſpeaketh of Images, of the adoration of them and their beginnings. 11. fiftly, he endeuoureth to proue that it is meet that God only be wholly worſhipped. 12. Laſt of all, he ſpeaketh of the vnitie of God, and the diſtinction of perſons. Cap. 13. As concerning the other, that is, the knowledge of man: firſt he ſpeaketh of the creatiō of the world, of Angels, of Deuils, that all theſe were created for mans ſake. 14. then cōming to man him ſelf, he examineth his nature & ſtrength 15. but that both, that is to ſay, the knowledge of God and of our ſelues, may better appeare, he deſcendeth againſt fortune and deſteny, to the gouernment of all humane actions: and of the whole worlde. 16. 18.