Aphorismes of Christian religion: or, a verie compendious abridgement of M. I. Calvins Institutions set forth in short sentences methodically by M. I. Piscator: and now Englished according to the authors third and last edition, by H. Holland.

THE AVTHORS PRE∣face to Maister Beza.

I Suppose you can re∣member (right reue∣rend) what moued our friend Caspar O∣leuian, a man of bles∣sed memorie to pub∣lish his abridgement of that great worke, of that right worthie man of God Maister Caluin, I meane his Institutions: to wit, partly to helpe the Ministers of the Go∣spell through Germanie to teach Christ soundly: for he thought the prolixitie of that volume debarred a great number frō reading it:* 1.1 partly also and principallie for the benefit of our schoole he gaue a sum∣marie exposition thereof, handling eue∣ry three monethes or quarter, one booke

or part of the whole, so that he finished & perfected yearely the Summe of Chri∣stian Religiō.* 1.2 And I trust the Lord gaue a blessing vnto that his worke, & that many haue profited thereby, which vouchsafed the reading of the same, & as for my scho∣lers, which haue heard his readings, I am wel assured they haue profited much ther∣by. But when as he was takē by death from vs in the midst of his labours and transla∣ted to the celestiall schoole; the necessi∣••ie of this place so requiring & dutie bin∣ding me, & as the brethrē (which thē were to prouide for this schoole) desired: I did succeed Oleuian in this worke: & so anon after his death I began to expounde the a∣bridgement of Caluins Institution vnto ••ine auditorie, and in one halfe yeare ••ace (for sooner I could not well do it) I ••inished the same.

And when my Scholers desired for their furtherāce in Diuinitie, that I would take the paines to appoint thē some Lo∣gicall disputations: I soone granted their request: and therfore to proceede in some lawfull and good course, for their more

speedie and better profite I did reduce e∣uery point of Christian doctrine, so soone as I finished any place in the Institution, into some few Aphorismes, and the same I propounded vnto them for disputation. And this was the first cause of writing these Aphorismes: In collecting them I haue vsed Christian libertie, I haue not followed the very wordes of the authour (for that could not well be done, the au∣thors stile being full and large, and Apho∣rismes requiring breuitie) and I added some thing in the sentences, which is not in that abridgment: yet the worke agreeth wel, as I thinke, and as the brethren iudge, with the authors doctrine, and specially with the holy Scriptures.

* 1.3Again, I rather call these sentences, A∣phorismes, then (as they be called vsually) theames, or questions, for the word thesis carieth some signe of doubtfulnesse with it, as may be seene with Aristotle in his Topickes, where disputers are said aliquid 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to set downe some thing, which they do not auouch to be true: for the Lo∣gitian, saith Aristotle in those bookes,

must not affirme any thing as truth, but this belongeth to him onely which can bring proofe by demonstratiue conclusi∣ons: but such as dispute Logically, are ready to defend their position as true, or at least wise as probable. And some time the word thesis with Aristotle signifieth some absurde opinion: caried about vn∣der the name of some famous Philoso∣pher. But these sentences contained in these Aphorismes are neither absurde (but to such wits as be not inlightned and sanctified by Gods spirite) nor such as any Christian may lawfully doubt off. Here some man will aske; wherefore then are they propounded to be disputed vpon, ••d so to be called in question? I answer, ••beit we dispute of them, yet we doubt not of the truth of them: for that is not the ••nd wherefore we propose them in dispu∣tation: but that our auditorie may the bet∣ter see and know the truth of them, and to ••e more assured of the same, by hearing ••ll obiections of heretickes, and all scru∣••les that may sticke in their mindes an∣••wered and resolued by the word of God:

and so both the ignorant receiue better instruction, and the weaker confirmation in the heauenly truth. But some will say; what neede was there these Aphorismes shuld be published, seeing they were writ∣ten for the special and proper vse of thine auditorie? I haue herein also followed M. Oleuian that most faithfull Minister and seruaunt of Christ: for his desire was that his abridgments might not only benefite such as heard him here, but straungers al∣so of other countreys. If he thought his abridgement should please many because of breuitie, much more may I expect the like fauour, for that I am herein more compendious then he. For these short Aphorismes containe the chiefe points of Christiā Religion barely propounded,* 1.4 much like a withered body, or certaine iointes and bones without skinne, flesh or synewes, such as Anatomistes reserue for demonstration sake. So here we haue ta∣ken away the fulnes and glory of that stile, as the skinne and flesh therof: but the sen∣tences, which appertaine to any one place of Christian doctrine, (as things which

most concerne the perfection of a body) ••e like bare and naked bones knit and ••inted one with an other. But some will 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that this is but dry and bare stuffe in ••ede, without any sap or grace in it. I an∣••r and graunt these bones be but bare, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are they bones, that is, firme and solid ••ngs indeede, which neither want good ••ewes, nor iuice and marow of heauen∣•• doctrine in them. Such as desire a more ••pious stile, let them either reade that a∣••dgement, or the authours great worke ••selfe. For my drift was not in this la∣bour, to withdraw any man from the au∣••urs worke: but rather to giue an easie ••roduction therunto, and to winne, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 excite such as fauour holy Religion, the ••re to embrace that worke. For I trust, ••at he which vnderstandeth the chiefe ••ounds of Gods truth, set forth and con∣••ned in these Aphorismes (if he be ca∣••ed with a true zeale to learne and re∣••iue the knowledge of Gods heauenly ••eritie) shall the rather desire to see these ••oints in the author himselfe, where they ••re more fully disputed and handled.

Now it remaineth most worthy and re∣uerend Beza, that I shew what moued me to commende and dedicate these Apho∣rismes vnto you. First this haue I done to gaine this little worke the more grace & fauour among men, as being approued by a man which hath, and yet doth best merite of the Church of our age & time. And herin also I thought it best to follow M. Oleuian, who in like manner sought protection and grace for his worke vnder your name. Wherefore hauing thus both one drift and scope, to instruct soundly (such youth as desire the knowledge of holy Scriptures,) in the principles of Christiā Religion, as shortly as may be, it was my desire also to send vnto you, & so to cōmende vnto the Church of God this little worke, vnder your most worthie name so much commended (as Oleuian speaketh) and so much accounted among all the faithfull.

Next, my good will was to giue some publique testimony of my dutifulnesse to∣wardes you, and so to confirme my Scho∣lers by my example, in that reuerend opi∣nion

which they haue already conceiued of your selfe, and of your writings, and to ••et their loue & zeale to know the same. ••or albeit your name be long since verie ••etious & great, and for good cause, with them which fauour the truth in most syn∣••tie, so as here my commendation is ••edlesse: yet this I trust shal ad some con∣••matiō of that reuerend opinion which ••ese haue conceiued of you.

And lastly I desired also hereby to re∣••ite your loue testified towardes me by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 many approued testimonies as you haue written louing letters vnto me: for ••t reuerend mention of me in your last ••itings, but specially in your most paine∣•• and learned annotations vpon the new ••estament: for albeit I thinke not my selfe ••erefore happy, for that any mortall man ••inks so reuerently of me, commending ••y poore labors to the Church of Christ: ••or I haue learned of the Apostle, that ••rayse to be founde and true, which shal∣••e giuen of God to euery man in the last ••ay: yet it can not be but comfortable to ••ny good man, to haue the commenda∣tion,

of any one who is well knowen and most highly and worthily commended for wisedome and pietie. Now I pray the Lord God, and Father of our Iesus Christ blesse our labours and godly desires: that all students in the Scriptures, may by such helpes dayly profite in the knowledge of the heauenly truth: that whatsoeuer they haue well and rightly learned, they may also profitably and soundly teach the peo∣ple of God, to the glory of Gods name and their owne euerlasting sal∣uation in Christ Iesu. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S••lo•• H••rbo∣ne••sis.
• * 1.2

  Oleuians E∣pitome.
• * 1.3

  Theses.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.