ff / r fyf v *v£l : ^ ** * *l. > .,-*** -"V ~*p v-** DUKE UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY FRANK BAKER COLLECTION OF WESLEYANA AND BRITISH METHODISM THE Inftitution of Chriftian Religion, written in Latine by ^/f.fohn Caluine^nd tran- slated into Englifh according to the Authors laft edition,with fondly Tables tofindc theprincipall matters entreatcdof in this booke, and alfo the declara- tion of places of Scripture therein expounded, B Y THOMAS NORTON. Whereunto there are newly added in the margent of thebooke^notes conteining in briefe the fubftance of the matter handled in each Seftioh. Printed at London by Arnold Hatfield, for TSonharn J\(orton. 1599 s T.N. THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER. g^r^i: Ood Reader,here is now offered you the fourth time printed |/7§i£il in Enghm M, Cabinet booke of the inftitution of Chriifran §V^^^ Religion, a booke of great labour to the author,and of great J%sr-Ps j profit to the Church of God. CM.Caluine firft wrote it when le was a yong man,a booke of final volume,and fince that feafon he hath at fundry times publilhed it with new encreafes, ftill protecting at euery edition himfelfe to be one of thofe qui fcribendo proficianty c^rprofxienda fcrtbmt, which with their writing doe growe in profiting, and with their profiting doe proceede in writing. At length hauing in many his other works trauelled about exposition of fundry bcokes of the Scriptures,and in the fame finding occafionto difcourfe of fundiy common places and matters of dech'ine, which being handled according totheoccafionsof the text that were offered him and not in any other Methode, were not fo ready for the readers vie, he therefore entred into this purpofe to en- large this booke of Inftitutions, and therein to treat of all thofe titles and common places largely, with this intent, that whenfoeuer any occafion fell in his other bookes to treate of any fuch caufe, he would not newly amplifie his bookes of commentaries and expositions therewith, but re- ferre his reader wholy to tins llorehoufe & treaiure of that fort of diuine learning. As age and weaknefle grew vpon him/o he haftened his labor, and according to his petition to God, he in maner ended his life withhis worke,for he liued not long after. So great a iewel was meete to be made moil b eneficiaUjthat is to fay,applied to moil common vfe. Therefore in the very beginning of the Queenes Maiefties moft blefTed rcigne,I tran- slated it on: of Latin e into Engliih, for the commoditie of the Church of Chnit,at the fpeciall requeit of my deere friends of w orthy memorie %e- gins.ld Wolfe and Sdward Whitchurch, the one her Maiefties Printer for the Hebrew ,Greeke,and Latin toongs, the otlier her Highncs Printer of the bookes of common praier.I performed my worke in the houfe of my faid friend Ediwd Whitchurch, a man well know en of vpright hail" and deahng, ari ancient zealous Gofpelier, as plaine and true a friend as euer I knew huing, and as defirous to do any thing to common good/pecia'Iy by the aduauncement of true religion. Atmyfaide firft edition of this booke, I confidcrcd how the author thereof had of long time purpofely labored to write die fame moft exactly, and to pack great plenty of mat- A 3 ter, THE PREFACE, ter in fmall roome of words, yea and thofe fo circumfpecMy and precifely ordred,to auoid the cauillations of fuch,as for enmitie to the truth there- in conteined, would gladly fceke & abufe all aduantages which might be found by any ouerfight in penning of it,that the fentences were thereby become fo full as nothing might well be added without idle fuperrluitie, and againefo niely pared that nothing could be minilhed without ta- king away fome ncceflarie fubitance of matter therein exprefied. This maner of writing, befide the peculiar termes of artes and figures,andthe difficultie of the matters themlelues, being throughout interlaced with the School emens controuerfies, made a great hardnefle in the authors owne booke, inthattoong wherein otherwifehe is both plentifull and eafie,inlbmuch that it fufhceth not to reade him once, vnlefle you can be content to reade in vaine. This confideration encombred me with great doubtfulnefle for the whole order and frame of my tranllation.If I lliould follow the words, I fawe that of necefsitie the hardnefle in the tranllaticn muftneedes be greater than was inthetoong wherein it was originally written. If I mould leaue the courfe of words,and grant my felfe hbertie after the naturail maner of my owne toong, to fay that in Enghlh which I conceaued to be his meaning in Latine, I plainly perceiued how hardly I might cfcape errour, and on the other fide in this matter of faith and religion, how perilous it was to erre. Fori durft not prefume to warrant my felfe tohaue his meaning without his wordes. And they that wote what it is to tranflate well and faithfully, fpecially in matters of religion, doe know that not the onely grammaticall conltru&ion of wordes fuffi- eeth, but the very building and order to obferue all aduantages of vehe- mence or grace, by placing or accent of words, maketh much to the true fetting foorth of a writers minde. In the end, I refted vpon this determi- nation, to follow the wordes fo neerc as the phrafe of the Englifli toong would iufFer me. Which purpofe I fo perfourmed, that if the Englifli booke were printed in fuch paper and letter as the Latine is, ltfhoulde not exceede the Latine in quantitie. Whereby ,befide all other commo- dities that a faithfull tranllation of fo good a worke may bring, this one benefiteis moreouer prouided for fuch as are defirousto attainefome knowledge of the Latine toong (which is at this time to be wifhed in ma- ny of thole men for. whole profefsion this booke molt fitly ferueth) that theylhall notfindeany more Englifli thanfhall fufricetoconllruethc Latme withall, except in fuch few places, where the great difference of the phrafes of the languages enforced me : fothat comparing the one with the other, they ihall botli profit in good matter, and furmih them- felucs with vnderftan Jing of that fpeech, wherein the greateft treafures of knowledge are difelofed. In the doing hcreof,I did not only trdt mine owne wit or abilitic, but examined my whole doing from fentence to ientence throughout the whole booke with conference and ouerlooking of THE PREFACE. of fuch learned men,as my tranllation being allowed by their iudgement, I did both fatisfie mine owne confcience that I had done truly, and their approouing of it might be a good warrant to the reader, that nothing mould herein be dehuered him but found, vnmingled, and vncorrupted doctrine, euen in fuch fort as the author himfelfe had firft framed it. All that I wrote, the graue, learned, and vertuous man M. Datdd whitehead (whome I name with honorable remembrance) did among other, com- pare with the Latin e, examining euery fentence throughout the whole booke JBefide all this,I pnuately required many & generally al men with whom I euer had any talke of this matter,that if they found any thing ei- ther not truly tranllated, or not plainly Englifhed, they would enforme me thereof,promifing either to fatisfie them or to amend it. Since which time I hauenotbeene aduertifed by any man of anything which they would require to be altered. Neither had I my felte,by reafon of my pro- fusion being otherwife occupied any leafure to perufe it. And that is the caufe, why not onely at the fecond and third time but alfo at this impref- fion, you haue no change at all in the worke, but altogether as it was be- fore. Indeedelperceiued many men well minded and ftudious of this booke,to require a table for their eafe and furtherance. Their honeit de- fire I haue fulfilled in the fecend edition, and haue added thereto a plen- tiful! table, which is alio here inferted which I haue tranllated out of the Latine,wherein the principal matters difcourfed in this booke arc named by their due titles in order of Alp habet,and vnder euery title is fetfoorth a briefe fumme of the whole doctrine taught in this booke concerning the matter belonging to that title or common place : and thervvith is ad- ded the Booke, Chapter, and Section or diuifion of the Chapter, where the fame doctrine is more largely exprefled andprooued. And for the readier finding thereof, I haue caufed the number of the Chapters to be fet vpon euery leafe in the booke, and quoted the Sections alfo by their due numbers with the vfoall figures of Algorifme. And now at this laft publishing, my friendes by whole charge it is now newly imprinted in a Romane letter and fmaller volume,with diuers other Tables,which fince my fecond edition were gathered by M.LM*r/orate,zo be tranllated and here added for your benefite. Moreouer, whereas in the firll edition the euill maner of my fcribhng hand,the enterlining of my Copie,and fome other caufes well knowen among workemen of thatfacultie, made very many faultes topafle the Printer, I haue in the fecond imprelsion caufed the booke to be compofed by the printed copie, and corrected by the written : whereby it mult needes be that it was much more truly done than the other was, as I my lelfe doe knowe aboue three hundred faultes amended. And now at this laft Printing, the compofing after a printed copie bringeth fome eafe, and the diligence vfed about the correction, liauing beene right faithfully looked vnto, it cannot be but much more A 4 truly THE PREFACE, truly let foorth. This alio is performed, that the volume being fmaller, with a letter faire and legible, iris of more ealie price, that it may be of more common vie, and fo to more large communicating of fo great a treafuretothofethat de fire Chriftian knowledge for tnftruclionof their faith,and guiding of their dubes.Thus on the Printers behalfe and mine, youreafe and coinnaodkie (good Readers) is prouidedfor. Now refteth yor.r owne diligence for your owne profit in ftudyingit. To {paid many w ords in commending theworke inelfe,wereneedelefle: yet tlnis much I thinke I may both not vntruly and not vainly fay, chat though many great learned men haue written bookes of common places of our reli- gion, as CMeUnchton, Sarcerius, and other, whole works are very good fitablet» the Church of God : yetbydieconfentingiudgement ofthoie that ynderftande the lame, there 15 none to be compared to this v.orkeof Calnine, both for his fubftantiall iufLciencie of doctrine, the found declaration of truth in articles of our religion, the large and lear- ned confirmation of the fame, and the moll deepe and ftrong confuta- tion of all olde and new herefies : fo that (the holy Scriptures excepted) this is one of the molt profitable bookes for all ftudents of Chnltian di- uinitie. Wherein (good Readers)as I am glad for the glorie of God,and for your benefice, that you may haue this profite of my trauell, fo I bc- feceii you let me haue this vie of your gentlenelVe, that my doings may beccniirued to fuchgoodendeas I haue meant them : and that if any thing millike vou by rcafbnof hardncflc, or any other caufe that may feeme to be my default, you will not foorchwith condemne the worke, but reade it ofter : in which doing you will finde(as many haue confelVed to me that they haue founde by experience) thatthofe things which at the firilreading fhall difpleafc you for hardnelfe, fhall be found io eafie asfoharde matter would e fuffer, and for the moll part more ealie than ibmc other phrafe which fhoulde with greater loofenefTe andfmoother Hiding away deceiue your vnderftanding. Iconfefle indeede it is not finely and plcalandy written, nor carieth with it inch delightfull grace of fpeech as fome great wife men haue beltowed vppon fome foolifher thing;, yet it conteineth found truth fet foorth withfaithfullplainncfle without wrong done to the authors meaning : and fo if you accept and vie it, you mall not faile to haue great profite thereby, and 1 fhali thinke my labour very well irnployed, Thomas 2{orton, TO THE MOST MIGHTY AND NOBLE PRINCE, FRANCISCE THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING THE French King his foueraigne Lordj lohn Cal- uine wilncth peace and ial- * uation in Chrift, ■uit I did first fettnybande tothisworlf, J thought nothing Itjj'e (rnofi noble King ) than to write any thing that afterward fhould be prefentcdtoyourmaiefiie. Ontly mymindewa* to teach certaiite introductions , whereby tiny that are touched With fume leale of religion might be insl railed to truegodlines. jlnd tills trauaile 1 tooly: principally for my countreymen the Frenchmen, ofwhumlvr.detstocde very many to hunger and thirTifor Chrilijmt if aw yerie few that had rightly receiued fo much as any little knowledge of him. And that this was my meaningjhe book* itfelft declaretb, being famed after afim- ple and plaine maner of teaching. But when I pencilled, that the furious rage offomt wicked men hath fo far re preu ailed inyottr HralmCjtbat in it there i> no roomc for fcunde doftrine ; I tliounht Ijhouid do a thing woorth my trauaile, all in one worka both togirte an inJlruftionfor them,and to declare a confeffion to you : whereby yet may learne what manerof doctrine that is,avainft which tbofe furious mat burne info great rage, who at this day trouble your realme With fword and fire. Fori will not feare to confejfe,that 1 bauein this worl^e comprehended in matter tbefumme of that felfe fame doctrine agaiuft which they crie out, that it ought to bepu- wfhed with prifonment, bant fliment, condemnation without judgement, and with fire, that it ottfbt to be chafed away by land and fea. 1 know indeed t with hew haimus informations they hauc filled your minde and eares,to make our caufe moTt hatefull vntoyou ; but this cfyotir cle- mencie ought you to weiglif, that there Jhall be no mnocencie, neither in words nor deedes , if it may be enough to accufe. Tritely if any, to bring the fame in hatred /hall alledge that tbis.doc- trine whereof I now ira about to ye:. a account vntoyou, hath bcene lon maruell that a common hatred is kindled airainslit t where fuch rnofi wrong fu Uaccufations .we be'.ceued ? Lo, thx vs the cauf: that all decrees arret andconJJ>:re to the condemning ofys and our doctrine. They that fit to iudge , being raUijhed with The Preface ■with this affection pronounce for fentences their foreconceiued determinations which they brought from bime with them : and thinly that they have well enough difcharged their dutiesjf they command no man to bedrawento execution, but fitch at are founde guiltie either by their, owne confefjion or by Efficient witneffe. But of what fault ? of that condemned doctrine, fate they.But by what law condemned ? Herein frjoulde haue ftand the fuccour of defence forthem y not to denie the doctrine itfelfejbttt to maintainc it for true. But heere is all libertie once to mut- ter, vtterly cut off from vs. ffi/erefore 1 do not vniuFtly require,moft victorious King,that it may pleafe you to takf in- to your owne hand the whole hearing of the caufe which hitherto hath been troublefmly handled or rather cartlefly tojfed withtut all order of 'lawe , more by outrafious heat e than iudicialgra- uitie. 2{either yet thihkf, that I heere go about to make mine owne priuate defence, whereby 1 may procure to myfelfeafafe returne into my natiue countries to which although J beare Juih affection ofnaturall hue as becommeth me : yet as the cafe nowe is. I not mif ontentedly want it. But I take vpon me the common caufe of all the godly, yea and the caufe of Christ himfelfe^ which at this day hauing beene by all meanes tome and troden downe tnyour kingdome, lieth as it were in difpaired cafe, and that indeede rather by the tyrannie of certaine Thanfes than by your owne knowledge. But howe that commeth to pajfe,it is not heere needfull to tell : tritely it lieth ingreat difires. For thus farre haue the vngodly preuailed,that the truth ofchrift , if it benot destroyed beingchafed away and fcattered abroad, yet it liethhiddena> buried and vn~ regarded : asforthefdliepoore Churcb y it is either wafied with cruelljlaughters, and fo driuen away With banifhments, or difmaied with threatens and terrors, that it dare not one e open her mouth. And yet ft l ill they continue with fuch rage and fercenes as they are woont , tbrufling firongly againfi the wall already bending and the ruine which themfelues haue made. Jn the meane time no man fleppeth foorth,to fet himfelfe in defence again]} fuch furies. And they, if there be any fuch, that will mofi of all feeme to fauour the truth, fay nomorebutthat it were good to pardon the error and vnskjlfulneffe of ignorant men. For thus the good natured men forfooth dofpeakf, calling that error and vnsh^lfulneffe which they kp^wto be the mofi certaine truth of God: calling them ignorant men, whofe wit they fee that Christ hath not fo dcjjnfed but that he hath vouch faued to communicate to them the myjleries , of his hcauenly wifedome. So much are all afhamed of the Gojpell. Jtfliall be your office(mo?i noble king) not to turne away your earesnor your mindefrom fo iustadefence :fpecially whenfo great a matter is in que- flion : namely how the glorie of God may be maintained fafeinearth, how the truthof God may keepe htrbonor } how Christ may haue his kingdome preferued whole among vs. This is a flatter woorthie for your ear es,woorthie for your iud{eithe r doth he no w vfe a kingdome but a robberie,which reigneth not to this end that he mayferue the glory of God. And he is decerned that looJ^thfor a long profperitie of that kingdome y which is not ruled by thefcepter of God, that is, by bis holt* Word :forafmuch as theheauenly Oracle cannot proouevaine , whereby it is proclaimed, that _ - the people/hall be fcattered abroad where prcphecie faileth. "Neither ought the contempt of our bafenejfe to withdrawe you from this purpofe. PVe verily k>iowe right well, how poore and ab~ iectfillte men we bee, namely inthefinjit of Gcd miferable finners, tn the fight of men most de- fpifed perfonSy yea and (if you WilT) certaine excrements and outcast es of the worlde, or what- foeuer viler thing may be named: fo that there remaineth nothing for vs to glorie vpon be- fore God, but buonely mercie whereby we are without any our deferumgreceiued into the hope ofeternall faluation : and before men, nothing but our weakeneffe, which among them it is ta- kenforamoTt irreat fljame toconfeffe fo much as in countenance. But our doctrine mutt be ad- uaunced hieaboue all glorie of the world, muftfiand vnuanquifhable aboue all power : becaufe ititnotours, butthe doftrine of the litiingGod and of hit thrift, whomethe Father hathap- £f • " pointed king to beare rule euen fromfea tofea, and from the nuers euen to the ends of the earth : Pfal.x,?. andfo to beare rulejhat ftrilyng the whole earth with the onely rod of his mouth,he may breake it with all the iron and brafen ftrength, with all the galdenand fitter gliTleringthereof as it were to the French king. Werepjtters yeffels : as the prophctes propbecie of the roialtie of ha k[ngdomc. Our aduerfaries in de'ede doe crie out to the contrarie, and fay that wefalfiie pretende the word ofCvd, whereof we be mosi wicked corrupters. But how this isnotonely a malicious fclaunder, but afioano- table/hamelefneffe, youyourfelfe by reading our confejfion, may accord ingto your wifidome iud%e. Yethere itisalfogoodtofayfomewhat,eithertomooueyouto willingnejje and heedeful- neffe.or at the leas! to prepare you a vraie to the reading of it. Paul,*/;"* he willed all propbe- cie to be framed to the agreeable neffe of faith J bath fit a moslfure rule whereby the expounding R om . j a .*, of Scripture ought to be tried. lS[ow if our doilrine be examined by this rule offaitbjhe yiclo- rie is aireadie in our hands. Tor what doth better or morefitlie agree with faith fhan to ackno w- ledge our [elites nal^d ofal yertue,that of God we may be clothed 1 ! emptie ofalgood,that of him we may be filed ? the bondferuants offinnejthat of him we may be made free} blinde,that of him we may be enlightened ? lame, that of him we may be made fir eight ? feeble, that of him wee maybeypholdenf to take fiom our fe lues all matter of glorying, that he alone may be glorious o?>elie, and in him we may glorie f whenwe fay thefe and fitch like things , they interrupt rs and crie out , that by tins meane is ouerthrowen 1 wote not what blinde light of nature, fained preparations, freewill, workes meritorious ofeternallfalualion, togither with their fu- pererogations : bicaafe they cannot abide that the whole praife and glorie ofaUgoodnes,yertue t righteoufnes, and wifidome fhould remaine in Cod. But wee read not that they were blamed j erem I§ , -> that haue drawen too much out of the fount aine of lilting water : on the contrary fide they are fi.arpely rebuked which haue digged to themfelues pittes,lrokenpittes,which arc not able to hold Water, jigaine , what is more agreeable with faith , than to promife to tliemfelucs that Cod Will bee to them afauourable Father, where ChrSt is acknowledged to bee a brother and procurer of fauour ? than affuredlie to lookeforallthinges ioyfull and profperow ath'ti Rom.?.?*. hande , whofe ynfpeal^able hue towarde y< hath proceeded fo farre , that hee bath not /pa- red his cnely bevottenfonne, but that he nave him for ys ? than to refi infurelookingforfalua- tion and eternall life , where wee thinke ypon Chrifi giuen of the Father, inwhemfuch trea- fures are hidden ? Here theyfiep in againfl ys, and crie out that this certaintie of affiance is not without arrogancie and preemption. But as nothing ofourfelues,fo all things ought we to pre- fi.meofCod : and we are for nme other reafon Jboiled of yaine glorie, but that wee Jhoulde learne to glorie in the Lorde. What is there more ? Confider (mofi might ie T? rince)all the partes ofourcaufe, and thinke that we are woorfe than any ktndeof wicked men, ynlcjjeyouplainely frnde that we are in trouble and railed at, becaufe wee put ourtrufi in the liuing God: becaufe we beleeue that this is the etcmall life, toknowe one true God^ and himwhvme bee hathfent i.Tim.^.iei Jefus Christ. For this hope, fome ofys are bound in irons, fome are whipped, fome are carried ' l 7- h about in mockage, fome are condemned without judgement , fome are most cruelly tormented , fome efcape away by flight : but ad are dtTrrejJed with trouble, all are mofi temblie accurfid s tome with fianders, and handled in mofi hainous wife. ?fyw look? yfwn our aduerfaries(jfi>eak^ of the degree of priefles , at whofe becke and will the other exercife emmities againfl W) and confider with me a little while, with what T^ale they be carried, ^fsfor the true reli