A Comfortable Sermon of Faith in Temptations, Title page – Dedication
A comfortable Sermon of Faith, in temptations and afflictions. Preached at S. Botulphes wythout Aldersgate in London, the. xv. of Februarye. 1573. By Maister VVilliam Fulke, Doctor of Diuinitie.
1. IOHN. 5. 4. ¶ All that is borne of God, ouercommeth the world: and this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world, euen our fayth.
Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley, dwellyng in little Brittaine streete without Aldersgate. 1574.
¶ To the right worshipfull and godly Gentlewoman Maistres Mary Harrys Wyddow.
I HaueHave alwaies liked well (as you know) the plaine dealing of our friend Maister Fulke wyth the Scriptures of God, which is so much the more commendable in him, as he is berter able to make a shew in the perswasible wordes of mans wisedome, if he were disposed, For although he be ignorant of no kynde of learning, by which a man might set forth him selfe vntounto the world, and vnderstandeth more straunge languages then a great number of our brethren: yet when he sheweth the testimony of God, he taketh not vponupon hym to know any thing as saint Paule sayrh, but Iesus Christ, and him crucified. For by this foolishnes of preachyng the wysedome, power, and goodnes of God appeareth greatest, and woorketh most essectually in them that are the children of God. And therefore I maruail not, if you which hauehave heard hym and others that vse the same simplicitie in teaching, do couet ro heare them still, where as many are more desirous of variety to delight their itching eares, then carefull of sound doctrine, to conuert their synfull hartes. But where as you wer not onelyonly content to hauehave heard this Sermon preached once at Saynt Botulphes without Aldersgate in London, but that you did instantly desire to hauehave the copy thereof, that you might reade it often: As it was godly for you to require it, so it was hard for me to obtayne it. For our friende wyll sooner be intreated to preach ten Sermons, then to wryte one. Neuerthelesse at the length by many perswasions hee was ouercome to put it in writing, so that I got the copy out of hys handes, which now I send vntounto you, not doubting but you wyll vse it, both to the renuing of your own remembraunce, and to the profit of many others.
I neede not to adde any commendation of the matter, especially to you which knoweth it, and as to any others, I wysh them first to reade it, and then to iudge of it as they shal finde it. Thus I commit you to God.
Yours to commaund in the Lord. I. Y.