The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion, Title page – Dedication
THE TREASVRE of Trueth, touching the grounde worke of man his saluation, and chiefest pointes of Christian Religion: with a briefe summe of the comfortable doctrine of God his prouidence, comprised in. 38. short Aphorismes.
VVritten in Latin by Theodore Beza, and nevvlie turned into English by Iohn Stockvvood.
¶VVherevnto are added, these Godly Treatyses.
One of the learned and godlie Father. Maister I. Foxe. In the which the chiefest poyntes of the doctrine of God his Election, are so plainely set foorth, as the verie simplest may easily vnderstande it, and reape great profite thereby.
¶The other of Maister Anthonie Gylbie, wherein the doctrine of God his Election and Reprobation, is both Godly and learnedlie handled.
Seene and alovved, according to the order appoynted.
To the ryght worshipfull …yr Iohn Pelham Knight, Iohn Stockwood wysheth in this lyfe prosperitie, and euerlasting felicitie in Christ our Sauiour.
AFter that I had turned into Englishe, this godlie, learned, and comfortable Treatise of Maister … Beza, of God his eternal Electiō and Pre…ination: there came to my handes another …e of the same, Englished by that learned … godlie Father, Maister VVhytting… and printed at Geneua in the daies of …ne Marie. Herevppon I determined … my selfe to hauehave staied the setting foorth …is my Translation, as a thing both neede… and also not without suspition of great …, and ouerwell lyking of my selfe, to vn…ke the translation of that worke, which …lreadie so learnedlie translated, by so … and learned a Father. But as on the …e vntounto mee, which (as God knoweth) neuer saw it, it was as it had not at all been trā slated: So since the first Englishing of it, by Maister VVh… it hath beene enlarged by the Authour: and also deuided into abetter order of Chapters: euerie one of them consisting of briefe sentences, and as it were articles: wherof euerie seuerall member, is prooued with plaine and plentifull testimonies of the worde of God… set downe directlie after the ende of euerie sentence: the benefite that I am perswaded maie come vntounto the Godlie Reader by my trauaile, hath caused mee to suffer this my translation also to come abroade, and that the rather, because it hath passed the censure aud iudgement of the godlie and learned, who hauehave thought that the publishing of it maie be much profitable and comfortable vntounto God his children. This my simple labour, such as it is I offer vntounto you (right VVorshipfull) as a small token of a thankefull minde towards your VV… for your manifolde friendship and curtesies, sundrie waies declared towards mee: desiring you to accept it as a gifte that proceedeth from such a one, who hartelie wisheth you well, and would also if abilitie serued, presēt you with … better. Thus crauing both pardon for my boldnesse, and also requesting your fauourable ac…epting of my simple trauaile: I cease from fur…her troubling your VV. with my rudenesse. …aying God to enriche you with the plentifull …crease of the giftes of his spirite, and to con…inue you in health and welfare, both of soule …nd bodie, to his honour and glorie, to your owne ioye and comfort, and to the benefite and commoditie of your natiue Countreie for Christes sake.
From Tunbridge this last of Iune… 1576. ¶Your VV. much bounden, and wholy in the Lorde to bee commaunded. Iohn Stockwood.