A08483:22
An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles
An exposition of the Symbol of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chief points of the everlasting and free covenant between God and the faithful is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Trevir, and now translated out of the Latin tongue into the English for the benefit of Christ his Church. By John Field.An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.
London: printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To the most mighty and noble Prince and Lord, Frederick County Palatine by the Rhene, Duke of either Bavaria, Elector of the sacred Roman Empire, his most gracious Prince and Lord, Gasper Olevian Trevir, wisheth from his heart, grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.
To the most mighty and noble Prince and Lord, Friderike Countie Palatine by the Rhene, Duke of either Bauaria, Elector of the sacred Romane Empire, his most gratious Prince and Lorde, Gasper Oleuian Treuir, wisheth from his heart, grace and peace from our Lorde Iesus Christ.
There are two special cause• (most noble Prince Elector, and my very good Lord) which have moved me to the publishing of this little book. One, that I might profit the studious youth by this easy & plain doctrine, to wit, to the end that by the taste thereof, they may be stirred up and provoked to the ministry of the word of God. For verily, they chiefly serve the Church of Christ, who allured by the sweetness of the heavenly doctrine (because they have tasted how good the Lord is) and being stirred up with a care of promoting his glory, offer up to the faithful people, yea rather to Christ himself, their diligence, ⟨p. 31⟩yea and in a sort themselves also. And truly it is a great matter, even from the tender years to have deeply tasted Christ in his heavenly doctrine: for from thence doth necessarily flow (as Peter calleth it) that same desire of the sincere milk of his word,1 and that same fervent desire of communicating of it unto others. Many good and learned men here, know that this was the best and principal cause of the publishing hereof, unto whom I communicated (some years past) those things which now I set forth, and also declared the purpose of the publishing thereof: But hitherto, I have deferred the same, because I feared least this simplicity of teaching, and writing not so filed and laboured, should not satisfy many, wherewith I endeavoured not so much to feed their ears as their minds. An other cause was, that it might be a testimony of doctrine, against that same tempest which in many places is stirred up against this Church. Against this, I would set this bulwark of sand, if peradventure God who is mighty in the weak, would vouchsafe to appease the same in the minds of certain more moderate than the rest, & also assuage it a little in others. For I have thought of