A09907:39
A discourse writtenA discourse wrytten
A discourse written by M. Theodore de Beza, conteyning in brief the history of the life and death of Master John Calvin with the testament and last will of the said Calvin, and the catalogue of his books that he hath made. Turned out of French into English, by I.S. In the year of our Lord. M.D.LXIIII. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Queens Majesties injunctions.A discourse wrytten by M. Theodore de Beza, conteyning in briefe the historie of the life and death of Maister Iohn Caluin with the testament and laste will of the saide Caluin, and the catalogue of his bookes that he hath made. Turned out of Frenche into Englishe, by I.S. In the yeare of our Lorde. M.D.LXIIII. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed in the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by Henry Denham for Lucas Harrison, 1564
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
IN the name of God, I John Calvin Minister of the word of God, in the Church of God of Geneva, (feeling my self greatly oppressed with sundry diseases, that I can not otherwise think, but that God will shortly take me out of this world) have determined to make and put in writing my Testament and declaration of my last will, in form following: which is, first of all, that I give thanks to God, for ⟨image 29⟩that he hath not only had pity on me his pore creature, to take me from out of the bottomless pit of Idolatry, (wherein I was plunged,) to draw me to the light of his Gospel, and to make me partaker of the doctrine of salvation, whereof I was to much unworthy: and that continuing his mercy, he hath spared me in so many vices and wickedness, which did well deserve that I should be caste of from him, an hundred thousand times: yea and that which more is, he hath stretched his mercy towards me so far, as to be served by me and my labour, to bear and to show forth the truth of his Gospel, protesting that I will live and die in that Faith which he hath given me, having no other hope nor refuge but only to his free adoption, wherein my whole salvation is laid, embracing the grace that he hath given me in our Lord Jesus Christ, accepting the merit of his death and passion, to the end that thereby all my sins may be buried, and beseeching him so to wash and purge me with the blood of this great redeemer, which was poured out for all pore sinners, that I may appear before his face, as bearing his Image. I protest also that I have endeavoured me, (according to the measure of the grace that he hath given me) to teach purely his word, as well in Sermons as in writing, and to expound the holy Scriptures faithfully. And likewise in all the disputations that I have had with the enemies of the truth, I never used cautel nor Sophistry, but have proceeded plainly in the maintenance of his quarrel. But alas, the ⟨image 30⟩will that I have had, and the zeal, if I mought so call it, hath been so cold and slack, that I find me greatly indebted in all, and through all: and were not his infinite goodness, all the affection that I have had, were nothing else but smoke: yea those graces which he hath bestowed upon me, would yield me more faulty: so that my recourse is, to that that he being father of mercy, will be, and show him self father of so pore a sinner.
IN the name of God, I Iohn Caluin Minister of the word of God, in the Church of God of Geneua, (feeling my self greatly oppressed with sundry diseases, that I can not otherwise thinke, but that God wil shortly take me out of this world) haue determined to make and put in wryting my Testament and declaration of my laste will, in forme folowing: which is, first of all, that I giue thankes to God, for