Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same: and aunswered by M. H. Bullinger of Zurick: reduced into .17. common places. Translated into Englishe by Iohn Coxe. 1572

To the right reuerend Father in God, Iohn Iuel Bishop of Sarisburie: Iosias Simlerus vvisheth health.

I Haue heard oftentimes many godly men great∣ly desire some wryting, in the which ther might bréefely be confuted all the chéefe argumentes of the Popishe prelates. For (saide they) there is muche written very copiously and learnedly against them, but all mē haue not leisure to reade ouer so great and large woorkes: And furthermore, to those which trauell, and by crueltie of the persecuters of oure religion, are forced to read them priuily, these great volumes are to them very incommodi∣ous: bicause they cannot easily be caried about with them, nor thrust or hidde in their bosome. And remembring that a fewe yéeres agone, the reuerend father in God Iohn Parkhurst, did often times desire me, that like as D. Bullinger my father in lawe (whome for reuerence sake I name) had bréefely set foorthe the

chéefe poyntes of our religion, and con∣firmed the same by testimonie of holy scripture, intituling it the Summe of Christian Religion, so I in like maner shuld gather togither al the arguments which the papists are wōt to bring out of y^e scriptures against vs & our doctrin. And he encoraged me héerunto, saying: that this labor wold not be so tedious & harde vnto me, as profitable and grate∣ful vnto many good men. And it would be the lesse laboure for that many of oure countrymen hadde wrytten very largely in the same matter, so as there remained nothing else vnto me, but to bring them into some bréefe order. And as touching the profite héereof, he sayde it mighte well be perceiued, for that héeretofore there was sette foorthe an Enchiridion of common places by Iohn Eckius, a very stoute champion on the Popes behalfe, which being studiously and earnestly read of many Papistes, confirmed them in their erroures: and therefore he had no doubte, but if some like booke were set foorthe by vs, many would willingly reade the same, and

thereby also take greate profite: which thing he sayd mighte well be gathered, bicause that little Bookes, of all those chéefe poyntes mighte very easily be spredde abrode by the Printers, and so be studiously read of all men. Where∣fore, these & many other things which he was wonte moste grauely and lear∣nedly, according to his custome, to re∣hearse vnto me, did easily persuade me that suche a booke would be very profi∣table and acceptable to many, but that I shoulde attempte or enterprise to be∣gin such a worke I cannot yet persuade my self, not for that there wanteth good will bothe to gratifie my friend priuely as also openly to pleasure others, but bicause I stoode in doubt how to finishe the same. But when the yere last past, there was put into Printe a little boke by the Reuerende father Doctor Hen∣rie Bullinger, in whiche he Aunswe∣reth to certaine Articles or Questions wherewith the Inquisitors of B••••••ria, as they say, examine those whiche are suspected in Religion, I thought with my selfe, that the same would not only

satisfie the minds of diuers godly men, but also the speciall requeste of our•• Parkhurst, and therefore haue I turned the same into Latine, that all menne might reade it. For in this booke are all the chéefe argumentes of the Papistes (and especially those with whome they are wont to pose and trouble the minds of the simple and vnlearned) bréefely confuted and answered. And whereas Phillip Melancthon of moste woorthy memorie, father of all the learned men that hither vnto haue liued in Germa∣nie, wrote a Boke answering these Ar∣ticles of Bauaria, as y^e title of his boke doth testifie: yet of. 61. questions he only answered but. 18. peraduenture suppo∣sing that by the Answeres made vnto those, the rest also might easily be con∣futed. But D. Bullinger hauing regarde to profite the simple and vnlearned, maketh answere orderly, to eche one of these questions: and therfore though he tooke this matter in hand after that great learned man D. Melancthon, yet is it profitable: bicause not only Melan∣cthon did not answer to them all, but

also bicause in that his aunswere are some suche things which are not altogi∣ther alowed of the godly, and chéefely those things which are written in the 22. Article touching Free vvill: Of the which matter I wil nowe say nothing, but he that readeth both the bookes, and wayeth the argumentes, may easily iudge.

This Booke doe I sende vnto thée, most learned Jewel, first bicause of the great friendship betwéene thée and oure Parkhurst, that so by you I may satisfie his desire and request: or else that at the least he may héerewith contente hym selfe, vntil some better learned than I, may take this his desired work in hād. Furthermore my desire was, that by this a publicke testimonie might be ex∣tant, not onely of my duetie towardes you, but also of your loue towardes me, which I not onely perceiued when we were togither, but also do perfectly vn∣derstand by your letters since sent vnto me. And although the Popishe doctrine be throughe Goddes great mercy quite chased away from youre Countrey of

Englande, (for the which all godly doe greatly reioyce) yet I truste this my work shal not be vnprofitable, to wéede out of the minds of the simple the dregs of that Doctrine, so as thereby the pure doctrine of Christe, may be the faster and better engrafted. And in the exer∣cise héereof, you haue not onely many helpers to me vnknown, but also those whome I right well know, men of ex∣cellent learning and vertue, true Bi∣shops in Christ, D. Iohn Parkhurst, D. Eduin Sandes, D. Robert Horne, The reuerend father Iohn Bale, D. Iohn Pil∣kinton, D. Thomas Leuer, D. Iohn Fox, and D. Laurence Humfrey, all whome I beséeche Christ to preserue.

From Zurich Idib. August. 1560.