The Institution of Christian Religion

WE have already said, that the mark whereunto regeneration tendeth, is that in the life of the faithful there should appear an agreement and consent between the righteousness of God and their obedience: and that so they should confirm the adoption, whereby they are received to be children. But although his law contain in it self that newness, whereby the image of God is restored in us, yet because our dullness hath need both of many prickings forward & helps, therefore it shall be profitable to gather out of diverse places of the Scripture an order of framing of life, that they that have a desirous mind of amendment, may not wander out of the way in their endeavour. Now when I take upon me the framing of a Christian mans life, I am not ignorant that I enter into a manifold and plenteous argument, & such as may with the greatness thereof fill a long volume, if I would absolutely entreat of it in all points. For we see into what great length are stretched the exhortatory orations of old writers, made only every one of one several virtue. And it is not done with to much idle babbling. For what so ever virtue a man purpose to set out in oration, the stile runneth of it self into such largeness with plenty of matter, that a man can not seem to have discoursed well of it, unless he have spoken much. But my mind is not to stretch so far the institution of life, which I promise to teach, as peculiarly to go through every special virtue, & wander abroad into exhortations. Let such things be fetched out of other mens writings, & specially out of the Homilies of the old fathers. It shall be enough for me to show an orderly trade, whereby a godly man may be guided to a right mark of framing his life, and shortly to appoint out a certain universal rule, by which he may well try what be his duties. There shall peradventure at some other season be a fit time to make declamations, ⟨p. 158⟩or I will leave that to other, which I my self am not mete to do. I do naturally lo•e shortness, and peradventure if I would speak more at large, it would not frame well with me. And if a longer manner of teaching were never so much pleasing, yet I would scarce have mind to put it in proof. But the course of this present work requireth to knit up a simple doctrine with as great shortness as I may.

WE haue already sayd, that the marke whereunto regeneration tendeth, is that in the life of the faithful there shold appeare an agrement and consent betwene the righteousnesse of God and their obedience: and that so they shoulde confirme the adoption, whereby they are receiued to bee children. But although his lawe cōteine in it selfe that newnesse, wherby the image of God is restored in vs, yet because our dulnesse hathe nede both of many prickinges forwarde & helpes, therfore it shalbe profitable to gather out of diuerse places of the Scripture an order of framing of life, that they that haue a desirous mynde of amendemēt, may not wander out of the way in their endeuour. Now when I take vpon me the framing of a Christian mans life, I am not ignorant that I entre into a manifold and plentuous argument, & suche as may with the greatnesse therof fill a long volume, if I wold absolutely entreate of it in all pointes. For we se into what great lēgth are stretched the exhortatorie orations of olde writers, made only euery one of one seueral vertue. And yt is not done with to muche idle babbling. For what so euer vertue a man purpose to set out in oration, the stile rūneth of it self into such largenes with plentie of matter, yt a man can not seme to haue discoursed well of it, vnlesse he haue spoken muche. But my mind is not to stretche so far the institution of life, which I promise to teache, as peculiarly to go through euery speciall vertue, & wander abrode into exhortations. Let suche thinges be fetched out of other mens writinges, & specially out of the Homelies of the olde fathers. It shalbe enough for me to shewe an orderly trade, wherby a godly man may be guided to a right marke of framing his life, and shortly to apoint out a certain vniuersall rule, by whiche he may well trie what be his duties. There shal paraduenture at some other season be a fit tyme to make declamatiōs,