Answer to Epistle by Renat Benedict, Title page – Preface
Ane answer to ane Epistle written by Renat Benedict, the Frenche Doctor, professor of Gods worde (as the translater of this Epistle calleth him) to John Knox and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling.
Psalme. 8.
Out of the mouth of babis and sucklinges haste thou ordeyned strength, because of thine enimies, that thou mightest still the enimie and the auenger.
Imprinted at Edinburgh, by Robert Lekpreuik.
Cum priuilegio. 1563.
The Prenter to the Reader.
AS that it wes long after this Epistle wes written and tranflated, before it came to his handes that answered it. So wes it long after it wes answered before it came to my handes to prent, when therefore (good Reader) thou shal se so much tyme pas ouer betuix the trāslating and answering, and betuix the answering and prenting: impute it nether to his negligence that gladely wold hauehave answered it soner if it had comen to his handes, or yet to myne, that als gladely wold hauehave prented it, but rather take in good worth bothe our laboures, taken to thy confort, whosoeuer thou be that readeth it, to purge thy hart from error, imbraice the treuth and beleue it to the glorie of God and thy Saluation, in Christe Iesus, to whose protectiō I cōmit the, now and euer.
The Preface.
Dauid Feargussone vntounto the Reader wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ with yt spirit of righteous iudgement.
I HaueHave not interprised (beloued brethrē in Christ Iesus) to answer this Epistle as one more able so to do, then the rest of my fellowes in office: but rather driuen thereunto by the vncessant requeist of some zealous and godlie persones, who broght it to my hādes for that purpose, after that it had bene caried as a matter of great importance from one place to an other: & so at length translated by an certane Freir out of latine into Inglish in fauor of suche perso…es What mo… ued me to… wryt.as he thereby wold gratifie) it wes …reatlie bosted of: partlie therefore to sa…ffie the reasonable requeist of the afore…aid persones, and also to stop the mouth of the aduersarie frome further braging but chiefly for the discharge of my conscience in the office whereunto God hath called me. I hauehave occupyed my pen in answering as after followeth. And althogh this pithles Epistle hauehave lytle or no strength to deceaue any that hauehave but meanly teasted of the treuth, yet because it may be a peice of help to hold them stil in error that are as yet within it (in my iudgement it wold not be past ouer in silence) nether do I know whither any man hath vntounto this hour answered it or not. For asmuch as I se it a thing which all learned men will not onelyonly laugh at, and so contempe it, as not worthy of answer but also iudge it suche a mater as they will spend no tyme vponupon, seinge that they may be better occupyed nor to āswer a foole accordig to his folie: but list … …c. 26he est came him self wise in his owne cō ceite. I hauehave thoght good to write sumwhat in this mater: vntounto the which writing I hauehave added my name, nor for vain Why I hauehave expressit my na…e.…lorie God knowes, but to this end one li…, that when the Reader shal find the reules of Rethorick transgressed, and ornate Eloquence omitted (no man be blamed but I allone (moreouer if it shal hap pen that I be sumwhates longer then ye wold wishe, werie not yet I beseche you to reid it to the end, for certanely as I suppose no man is able fully to answer this ordorles confused Chaos without many wordes. To the end therefor that ye may the better vnderstande the mater (because this mans letter kepeth no certane ordor) so far as the confusione of it will suffer. I hauehave deuided it, and that in four Sectionis: first writing his wordes faithfully as they are translated, and thereafter my answer. Fair well deare brethren in Christe Iesus our onelyonly confort, and iudge with equitie.