Gods Effectual Calling, Dedication 2
TO THE RIGHT GODLY, LEARNED, AND HIS REVERENT GOOD FRIEND Maiſter Iohn Iohnſton.
I May ſeeme ſlow in aunſwering your letters (good Maister Iohnſton) for that they were long in comming to my hands; I vnderſtoode by them, to my great ioy, that you are ſafely arriued in your owne countrie: and hauehave found your Churches there in ableſſcd and peaceable ſtate, wherein, I deſire in heart, they may long continue. And why may I not confidently hope that this my deſire ſhall be fulfilled? ſpecially ſeeing they were from the beginning The bleſsing of God on the Churches of Scotland.ſo happily, ſoundly, and excellently founded by thoſe faithfull and worthie ſeruants of God, thoſe skilfull maiſter-builders which begun the worke: and they whoſeconded them, brought no ſtubble or hay, but ſiluer, gold, and precious ſtones to the building: Nay which is more, the Lord himſelfe hauing ſo clearely and apparantly fauoured, and furthered their holy labours, that whoſoeuer hauehave ſtumbled at this building, hauehave not onelyonly miſſed and failed of their purpoſe, but hauehave been (as it were) by the ſtrong, and powerfull hande of God, ſcattered and throne out into vtter darkenes. To theſe we may adde that ſingular, and moſt precious gift of God, which the ſame good God hath beſtowed vponupon you, I meane your worthie King, Maiſter Bezas iudgement, and commendation of the Kings Maieſtie in the happie gouernment of the Churches of Scotland.whom he hath likewiſe miraculouſly preſerued from many and great perils, who hath ioyned to his ſingular, and admirable care, and watchfulnes, in defending the Goſpell, and preſeruing the puritie, and vnſpotted ſinceritie of this Church, ſo great and exact knowledge of Chriſtian religion from the very grounds and principles thereof, that the Lord it ſeemes hath made his Maieſtie both a Prince and preacher to his people: ſo that your Our bleſſed King may in veritie, be well accounted a ſecond Salomon, who was both King and preacher.Realme of Scotland is now become of all other moſt happie, and may iustly hope for increaſe of tranquillitie and felicitie, if onelyonly (as we are perſwaded ſhe will) ſhe can diſcerne, and thankfully acknowledge the great bleſsing ſhe inioyeth; and as ſhe hath begun, ſo continue to direct them all, to the right ſcope and end, which is to his glorie, who is the father and fountaine of all goodnes.
And I aſſure you, I reioyce from my heart, that occaſion was giuen me to congratulate by theſe my letters your happie condition with the reſt of my reuerend brethren, both by your countrie man Maister Dauid Droman, a man both godly, and well learned, whoſe preſence though but for a few dayes, was moſt acceptable to vsus here, who is now vponupon his returne to you with theſe letters; as likewiſe in that I chaunced of late to meete with a great treaſure, which I know not by what miſhap being frequent in other mens hands, hath hitherto miſſed my fingers. For why ſhould not I eſteeme as a treaſure, and that moſt precious, the commentaries of my honorable brother Maiſter Rollocke, vponupon the epistle to the Romans and Epheſians, Maiſter Beza commendeth Maiſter Rollockes workes.both of them being of ſpeciall note among the writings Apostolicall? for ſo I iudge of them, and I pray you take it to be ſpoken without all flatterie or partialitie, that I neuer read, or met with any thing in this kinde of interpretation more pithilie, elegantly, and iudiciouſly written: ſo as I could not containe my ſelfe, but muſt needes giuegive thankes, as I ought, vntounto God, for this ſo neceſſarie, and ſo profitable a worke, and reioyce that both you and the whole Church enioy ſo great a benefit; deſiring the Lord to increaſe with new gifts, and preſerue in ſaftie this excellent inſtrument, eſpecially in theſe times wherein thorow the ſcarcitie of skilfull workemen which labour in the Lords vineyard, and by the deceaſe of thoſe well exerciſed and experienced ſouldiers, and worthie Christians, Sathan and his companions begin againe to triumph ouer the truth.
Concerning the eſtate of our Church and ſchoole, we yet continue, and proceede in our courſe, by the mightie hand of our God and Sauiour, protecting vsus, which is admirable to our very enemies, being deliuered from the iawe of death. But in truth, for ought we ſee, it is like to laſt but one yeare, our eſtate depending on thoſe acts which ſhall bee concluded in the *Or meeting at Roane. Or the Prince our neighbour.diet of Roane betweene the French King, and our neighbour Duke, either concerning peace or warre, wherein we hope to be comprehended vponupon equall condition. In this fraile, and vncertaine eſtate that is our principall conſolation, that we are ſure this ſlender and twined threed, whereupon we reſt, is ſustained by the hand of our good God, who will not ſuffer that to be falſified which we hauehave learned of the Apostle, that all things worke together for the Rom. 8.good of thoſe that louelove him. In the meane while I beſeech you brethren continue your remembrance of vsus in your daily prayers. I for my part, for ſome moneths, though I be not much pained with any Feuer, Gout, Stone, or any of thoſe ſharpe diſeaſes which be the vſuall companions of old age, yet I feele my ſelfe ſo infeebled and weakned, that I am constrained in a manner to giuegive ouer both my publike duties, to keepe houſe and home, looking eueryevery day for that ioyfull and happie diſſolution whereunto age it ſelfe calleth me, being now ſeuentie eight yeares old. And herein I deſire your prayer with the reſt of my brethren, by name of my reuerend brother Maister Meluin, and Maister Peter Iunius, whom (vnleſſe memorie faile me) Maister Scringer of bleſſed memorie, was wont to call his coſen: vntounto whom, remembring withall my hartie commendations, I deſire you to communicate this my letter, deſiring the Lord (my deare, and louing brother) to preſerue your whole Church there with his mightie, and bleſſed hand, againſt all both forren, and domesticall dangers. Fare ye well from Geneua the Calends of Nouemb. after our olde computation. CIC. IC. XCVI.
Yours wholy THEODOR BEZA.