Christ Jesus Triumphant, Title page – Dedication
CHRIST IESVS Triumphant.
A fruitefull Treatise, wherin is described the most glorious Triumph, and Conquest of Christ Jesus our Sauiour, ouer Sinne, Death, the Law, the strength and Pride of Sathan, and the World, withall other enemyes whatsoeuer agaynst the poore Soule of Man:
¶ Made too be read for spirituall comfort, by John Foxe, and from Latin translated intoo English by the Printer.
1. Cor. 15.
¶ Death where is thy styng? Hell where is thy victory? The styng of Death is Sinne, and the strength of Sinne is the Law. But thankes be vntounto God who hath geuen vsus victory through our Lord Iesus Christ.
AT LONDON, Printed by Iohn Daye, and Richard his Sonne, dwelling at Aldersgate. 1579.
Cum gratia & Privilegio, Regiae Majestatis.
CHRIST TRIUMPHANT.
Psal. 91.
Thou shalt goe vponupon the Lion and Adder: the young Lion, and the Dragon shalt thou treade vnderunder thy feete.
To the worshipfull M. William Kyllegrewe Gentleman of her Maiesties priuie Chamber, Grace, and Peace in Christ Jesus.
WOrship full Sir, whē I gladly remember, and with no small comfort report your great goodnes, and vnfained fauour toward me, but a straunger vntoo you, and a cold seely suter in the Court: I cā not but be ashamed of my selfe, that habilitie doth not affourde my hand somuch too requite, as my hart willeth my toung too vtter, how deepe indetted I am vntoo you. But you did it of a good deede, not for a good meed: and at the request of a Godly-man, in sute of an honest cause.
Wherefore, consideryng that your due; and full reward is layed vp vntil an other day, in an other place, by an other man, of all fulnes, and habilitie, Christ Jesus, the high steward, and pay-master of all, I am to request your worship till that time come, whiche I trust shall not be long, too accept my good hart, whiche in all honest possible dutie is and shalbe yours bounden too commaunde. A small regard for such a desert, I confesse, yet as kinde and dutifull a myte as the greatest valure of a farther summe. And sith that the most precious iewell in this world whiche Man can shew or geue too Man is vnfayned LoueLove, then truly the LoueLove that creepeth when it can not goe is aswell too be accounted of, and esteemed as LoueLove, nay perhaps the rather, then when it caryeth a higher looke, and a loftyer countenaunce. For, to say the truth Benefites whiche are liberall for the gift, and gratefull for the repay, are in that respect sayd too be great or litle, as the affection of the hart is great or litle.
This consideration therefore, as also your zeale in Religion, your louelove of learnyng, your place vnderunder the Prince, and the occasion ministred by these worthy, yet but worldly, Triumphes for the Princely entertaynment of most Noble Casimirus, that famous souldier of Christ his Churche, moue mee too offer vntoo you, and in you, too all Godly harted Courtiers what soeuer CHRIST JESUS Triumphant: whose superexcellent workes ouerreach all hand, hart, and thought. What his entertaynement shalbe I leaue vntoo him-selfe who must geue the grace too entertaine hym. What he hath deserued at our handes, he presenteth him-selfe in this litle Booke too declare. What enemies, whose enemyes, of what power they be whom he hath vtterly subdued, and in whose cause, or too what end, and for whose benefite he ventered the pykes so farre too shead his precious hart bloud, albeit wee hauehave often heard, and therefore should well know, yet sith wee as often forget, and therefore are still too learne, hee commeth now intoo the Court too shew, beyng the supreme defender, and most mightie Champion of the Churche, with greater maiestie, and cause of Triumph, than any Monarch or Potentate whatsoeuer. But how shall hee be receaued? What Royall preparation shallbe made for his ioyfull wellcome. Runne a good race for sooth, not with armed horse, but with a prepared hart: and whether? Non ad Pacis Aram, sed ad Pacis Anchoram, & Authorem, that is, not too the altar of Peace, (as they dyd) but too the Author, and Anker of perfect Peace, Christ Jesus, him-selfe: and let vsus fight a good fight, not with a reached out arme but with the strong hand of Fayth: herehence shall wee purchase more glory in his sight, and be farther in his remembraunce, when wee come intoo his kingdome, than if wee had atchiued ten thousand feates of armes.
But so it falleth out, that wee rather regarde this outward shewe and glorious world, than the spirituall, and inuisible creature: and all of vsus, especially Courtyers (with all modestie be it spoken, without all offence, and affection) rather hunt or hauke after the fauour of the Prince, than after the louelove of God: thereby like foolish builders plantyng our Tabernacles on the sand, neglectyng too follow our buildynges on the stedfast rocke. Herein as I would gladly auoyde all teastie, and froward misinterpretors, so am I openly, and faythfully too protest that all Obedience, Honor, Triumph and Majestie, is secondly too be geuen too our PRINCE, (whom GOD preserue) but especially too Jesus Christ our full redeemer. Hereof this litle Treatise made by that excellent instrument of GODS Churche in England M. Foxe doth put your worshyp and all other Christian Courtyers in mynde, and remembraunce: whiche when I had Translated, and Imprinted, no one came so readely too my mynde (my Gracious Prince, and right honorable Lord excepted) too whome I might dedicate, and offer these my first fruites, as too your worships fauour: which if it shall accept of my good meanyng, my meanyng is too be as seruiceable, as all honest dutie shall require. Thus fare your worshyp well in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Your worshyps too commaunde, Richard Daye.