The Institution of Christian Religion

BY the things aforesaid it may now appear evidently, that §1all the men whom from the beginning of the world God adopted into the estate of his people, were with the same law, & with the bond of the same doctrine, which now remaineth in force among us, bound in covenant to him. But because it is of no small importance that this point be well established, I will adjoin unto it for an addition, sith the fathers were partakers of all one inheritance with us, & hoped for all one salvation by the grace of all one mediator, how far their estate differed from ours in this fellowship. But although the testimonies that we have gathered out of the law and the Prophets for proof thereof, do make it plain that there was never any other rule of religion and godliness in the people of God: yet because in writers there are oftentimes many things spoken of the difference of the old and new Testament, that may make the reader that is not of very sharp judgement to be in doubt: therefore we shall rightfully appoint one peculiar place for the better and more exact discussing of this matter: Yea & that thing also, which otherwise should have ben very profitable for us, is now made necessary by that monstrous losel Seruettus, & by diverse other mad men of the sect of Anabaptists, which have no other opinion of the people of Israel, than as of a heard or swine: which they fondly feign to have ben fatted up by the Lord here in this earth, without any hope of heavenly immortality. Therefore that we may keep away this pestilent error from godly minds, and also to pluck out of them all doubts which are wont by and by to arise upon hearing mention of the diversity between the old and new Testament: let us by the way look, what they have in them like, and what unlike one to the other: what covenant the Lord made with the Israelites in the old time before the coming of Christ, and what covenant he hath now made with us sins Christ hath ben openly showed.

BY the thinges aforesaide it may now appere euidētly, that §1all the men whom from the beginning of the world God adopted into the estate of his people, were with the same law, & with the bond of the same doctrine, which now remaineth in force among vs, bound in couenāt to him. But bicause it is of no smal importance that this point be wel established, I will adioyne vnto it for an addition, sithe the fathers were partakers of al one inheritance with vs, & hoped for all one saluatiō by the grace of al one mediatour, how farre their estate differed from oures in this felowship. But although the testimonies that we haue gathered out of the law and the Prophetes for profe therof, do make it playne that there was neuer any other rule of religion and godlinesse in the people of God: yet bicause in writers there are oftentimes many thinges spokē of the difference of the old and new Testament, that may make the reder yt is not of very sharp iudgement to be in doubte: therefore we shall rightfully apoint one peculiar place for the better and more exact discussyng of this matter: Yea & that thing also, which otherwise shuld haue bē very profitable for vs, is now made necessarie by that mōstruous losel Seruettus, & by diuerse other mad mē of the sect of Anabaptistes, which haue no other opinion of the people of Israel, thā as of a heard or swine: which thei fondly faine to haue bē fatted vp by the Lord here in this earth, without any hope of heauenly immortalitie. Therfore that we maye kepe away this pestilent errour from godly mindes, and also to plucke out of them all doubtes whiche are wont by and by to arise vpon hearyng mention of the diuersitie betwene the old and new Testament: let vs by the way loke, what they haue in them like, and what vnlike one to the other: what couenant the Lord made with the Israelites in the olde time before the comyng of Christ, and what couenant he hath now made with vs sins Christ hath ben openly shewed.