Four Sermons Upon the Seven Chief Virtues, Title page – To the reader
¶ Foure Sermons vponupon the ſeuen chiefe vertues or principall effectes of faith, and the doctrine of election: wherein euerie man may learne, whether he be Gods childe or no.
Preached at Malden in Eſſex by Maſter George Gifford, penned from his mouth, and cor rected and giuen to the Counteſſe of Suſſex, for a Newyeeres gift.
Iames 2. 18.
Shewe mee thy faith by thy workes.
Jmprinted at London for Tobie Cooke at the Tigers head in Paules Churchyard. 1582.
¶ To the right honorable and my very good Lady, the Lady Frauncis, Counteſſe of Suſſex, R. I. her moſt humble and faithfull ſeruant in Chriſt, wiſheth all health and godlineſſe, long to continue with increaſe of vertue and zeale in religion.
I HaueHave long time wiſhed (Right Honorable) that I might in ſome ſort be able, if not to recōpence which in deed I ſhal neuer, yet at the leaſt to ſhewe ſome token of a grateful minde, for all the ancient kindnes, & louing fauour, which I hauehave found at your hands: this hath cauſed mee to foreſlip no occaſiō, wherby I might hauehave ſomwhat to preſent you withall, which might tend to your ſoules health: for concerning the thinges which pertaine to the body, as honours, dignities and riches, the high Lorde of Lords hath giuenyou ſo much, that though I woulde neuer ſo faine, yet I cannot benefite you in them: hauing therefore of late a kinſman at home with me, who being, ſomewhat of a readie hande, hath taken from the mouth of our Preacher, certaine of the Sermons which hee hath preached, whiche beeing againe ouerſeene and corrected, I thought it my dutie, to offer them vntounto your honor, as a taſte of thoſe fruites wherewith the Lorde doth feede vsus in the Countrie. Beeing a great deale the more bold to doe it, becauſe I know they bee ſuch as ye hauehave long time ſhewed a louelove to taſte of: & I truſt theſe ſhal alſo come vntounto you as ripe and timely fruites of pleaſant and delightſome taſte, although they be ſet before you in no golden or ſiluer plate, but as it were in a woodden platter: for the holie Apoſtle Saint Paule ſaieth, that this treaſure is brought in earthen veſſels. I beſeech your honour therefore to accept of my poore good will, and to take this my ſmall gifte in good part: which nothing doubting of, I pray God to multiplie his bleſſings and gracesvpon you, to his glorie, and your euerlaſting comfort.
Amen.
Your honours in Chriſt, Richard Ioſua Senior.
To the godly Reader.
COnſidering that for a Chriſtian, being ſicke in ſoule, and deſiring to bee made ſounde, ſorrowfull in ſpirit, & crauing comfort, vnquiet in minde, and ſeeking to be at reſt, wounded in conſcience, and woulde bee in ſafetie, tormented in thought, and longeth for releife, hauing offended God, and therefore is puniſhed, viſited with affliction, and faine would be deliuered, there is no other ſalue but the worde of God: And knowing alſo, that it is the dutie of eueryevery good chriſtian in his calling to ſeeke, and thirſt after the aduancement, and increaſe of the kingdome of Chriſt, & the ouerthrowe & vtter confuſion of blindneſſe, errour, popery, ſuperſtition, and to bee ſhort, of all the power of Antichriſt: I hauehave thought it my dutie the rather (Gentle Reader) to requeſt here vntounto, by ſundrie godly men my friends, the Preacher hereof to publiſh this booke containing ſundrie points of doctrine tending to the comfort of the godly, & the aſſurance of their ſaluation: as alſo diuers confutations of ſects and hereſies, which to him that readeth it with a well diſpoſed minde, ſhall be no leſſe profitable, then it is briefe. Maruel not at the ſhortneſſe of it: the cauſe thereof is this, that the repetition in the beginning of eueryevery ſermon, to auoid tediouſneſſe, is omitted. Looke not for (I pray thee) fineſſe of ſpeeche, or eloquence in the reading hereof: but way the matter deepely, and applie it to thy ſelfe effectually, that thou mayeſt reape profite hereout, to thy ſoules health, and comfort, the which God graunt thee, for his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake.
Amen.
Thine in Chriſt, Richard Ioſua Iunior.