The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion, To the reader
To the godly Reader.
I HaueHave taken paines for thy profit and comfort (godlye and gentle Reader) to turne into thyne owne Mother tounge, a singular and notable treatise, of God his Election and Predestination. There are adioyned hereunto shorte, easye, profitable and fruitefull writinges of other godlye and learned Fathers of our owne countrie, of the same contents and argument, to the end that thou mayst hauehave in one little hand booke, easye to be carried about with thee, a full and plaine discourse agreable to God his worde, vponupon this bothe needfull and comfortable point of Christian religion. These trauailes of God his ministers, as on thy parte I doubt not but they shall be both thanckfully and also profitablelie to thy soules comfort receiued, so I am likewise assured that there bee others whiche are vtter enemies vntounto this doctrine, and do (thinke all writinges hereof more meete for the fire, then for …e reading of God his children. The ar…ments which they vse against it, looke … we manie they be (as they be in deede …nie, and by manie godlye and learned …n many wayes Godly and learnedlye …futed) so manie euident bewrainges be …y of their Autors follies and wilfull set…ge them selues to barke againste the …dom of God, who so plentifullie in his …de hath opened this doctrine to the …forte of his children, and confutation …is aduersaries. And trulie in my sim… iudgement it is ouertwharte curiositie… folish nisenesse in men to thinke that …neete to bee vttered whiche God in his …tures hath reuealed? yea it sauoreth …verie stronglie of great arrogancie, as …gh they tooke vppon them to bee … wiser then God, who if he had known … doctrine daungerous of vnmeete for …eople, woulde neuer hauehave so plainlie …ared and set it for th… his worde. It … be needeles for me to spende time in …er confuting the obiections of the ad…ries againste this doctrine, or in stan… to shewe the commodities that do by this doctrine arise to the church of God, for as much as in these Treatises they are both plenti…ullie perfourmed. Onlie this I am to put thee in minde of, namelie, that thou talke soberlie and in the feare of God, of this misterie, and no further then he hath declared in his word, auoiding all curious and needlesse questions, considering that herein, whosoeuer wandreth farther then he hath the worde of God for his warrant, the farther he wadeth, the farther he wrappeth and entangleth himselfe. Farewell, and pray vntounto God that as this paines was taken to do thee good, so thou by reading it, mayst receaue profite, instruction and comfort.
From my studie at Tunbrige this laste of Iune. 1576. Thy poore and louing Brother in Christ. Iohn Stockwood.