The Institution of Christian Religion

¶To the most mighty and noble Prince, Francisce the most Christian king the French king his sovereign Lord, John Calvin wisheth peace and salvation in Christ.

¶To the moste mightie and noble Prince, Francisce the most Christian kyng the French kyng his soueraigne Lorde, Iohn Caluine wisheth peace and saluation in Christ.

When I did firlie set my hand to this work, I thought nothing less (most noble King) than to write any thing that afterward should be presented to your majesty. Only my mind was to teach certain introductions whereby they that are touched with some zeal of religion might be instructed to true godliness. And this travail I took principally for my countrymen the Frenchmen, of whom I understood very many to hunger and thirst for Christ, but I saw very few that had rightly received so much as any little knowledge of him. And that this was my meaning, the book it self declareth, being framed after a simple and plain manner of teaching. But when I perceived, that the furious rage of some wicked men hath so far prevailed in your realm, that in it there is no room for sound doctrine: I thought I should do a thing worth my travail, all in one work both to give an instruction for them, and to declare a confession to you: whereby ye may learn what manner of doctrine that is, against which those furious men burn in so great rage, who at this day trouble your realm with sword and fire. For I will not fear to confess, that I have in this work comprehended in manner the sum of that self same doctrine, against which they cry out, that it ought to be punished with prisonment, banishment, condemnation without judgement, and with fire, that it ought to be chased away by land and sea. I know in deed with how heinous informations they have filled your mind and ears, to make our cause most hateful unto you: but this of your clemency ought you to weigh, that there shall be no innocence, neither in words nor deeds, if it may be enough to accuse. Truly if any, to bring the same in hatred, shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yield account unto you, hath ben long ago condemned by consent of all degrees, and attainted by many judgments already given in judicial courts: all that he saith shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently thrown down by the anding and power of the adversaries thereof, and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lies and subtle practises and slanders. Herein is violence showed, that without hearing the cause bloody sentences are pronounced against it: here in is Fraud, that it is without deserving accused of sedition and evil doing.