The Christian Disputations, Frontispiece – Encomium
PETRVS VIRETVS.
THE Chriſtian diſputations, BY MASTER PETER VIRET.
Deuided into three partes, Dialogue wiſe: Set out with ſuch grace, that it cannot be, but that a man ſhall take greate pleaſure in the reading thereoff.
Tranſlated out of French into English, by Iohn Brooke of Aſhe.
Math. vij. d. 21.
Not eueryevery one that ſaith vntounto me Lorde, Lorde, ſhall enter into the kingdome of Heauen: but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen.
MIEVLX VAVLT MOVRIR Ē VERTV QVE VIVRE EN HONCTE
¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Eaſt. 1579.
To the moſt Reuerent Father in God EDMVND by the permiſsion of God Archbiſhop of Caunterbury, Primate and Metrapolitan of England: Iohn Brooke wiſheth in this life proſperitie, and eternall felicitie in Chriſt our Sauiour.
REading for mine owne priuate exerciſe and ſtudies, the worthie worke of Maſter Peter Viret, entituled, The Chriſtian diſputations (right Reuerent Father) the ſweete entrie into the ſame, with ſuch pleaſant allurementes of comfortable matter, ſo drewe and tolled me forwade, as vnnethes I coulde ceaſe, vntill I had cleane diſcourſed and gone thorowe the whole worke. Which hauing once accompliſhed, and due conſideration therevppon had, according to my ſlender capacitie, I thought I coulde not beſtowe my time in any thing more worthy gratefull acceptaunce, then in publyſhing and ſetting foorth the ſame, that others might bee made pertakers of my comfortable delights, and delightfull comforts takē in reading hereoff. Not meaning like a chorle, alone to deuoure ſuch a rich banket, furniſhed with ſo greate a number of Iunkets and delicate diſhes, but to inuite thervnto (according to the intent of mine Author, a company worthy ſuch a feaſt, which being firſt prepared and dreſſed very cunningly after the French faſhion, I hauehave, for the great good will and zeale …owe vntounto my natiue Countrie, and for their better taſte, tranſlated and ſet foorth the ſame, after the Engliſh manner: wherein my ſmall vnlearned ſkill deſirous of ſure ſupportacion and good defence, craueth your grace as chiefe to giuegive me credite and countenaunce, againſt the byting ſting of Zoilous perſons & hereticall Papiſts, whoſe ſtomacks may in no wiſe digeſt or abide the good & wholeſome dyet in this feaſt prepared, whoſe vnſauorie taſtes, as I ſeeke not to content, ſo I feare not to offende. Truſting your grace will accept this my bolde enterpriſe as proceeding of heartie good will towards you, and earneſt louelove borne vntounto my countrie, preferring my zealous intent, and the Godlineſſe of the matter vntounto the vnworthineſſe and ſlender skill ſhewed in the tranſlation. As I ſhall dayly pray vntounto Almightie God, to gouerne and direct your grace, in all your affaires, by his holy ſpirite, remayning euer.
Your graces bounden during life: Iohn Brooke.
Iohn Caluyn vntounto the Readers.
THE louelove of God our Father, and the grace of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, be giuen to you, and multiplyed from day to day, thorowe the communion of the holy Ghoſt. There is an auncient Poet which ſaith, that he which delyteth and profiteth altogether in his writings, hath gained the price and fauour towardes all men. The ſame is ſpoken bicauſe of the diuerſitie of natures. It is very true, that the onelyonly doctrine, wherein we knowe it to be good and profitable, ought to ſuffice vsus, for to incitate and prouoke vsus to reade willingly a booke, to giuegive and beſtowe thereon all our ſtudie, to louelove and ſet by it, and finally to take pleaſure in it. But there are a great many, and well neere the moſt parte, which will be a greate deale better pleaſed, that one ſhould teach thē after a gentle & pleaſant faſhion, then otherwiſe: In ſuch ſort, that as in recreating themſelues, they may profite & receiue inſtruction, liuen then as thoſe which occupie themſelues to make bookes of paſtime, vaine and friuolous, & which cauſe the world to reade them, are to bee vituperated and deſpiſed although they hauehave no corruption in them: So on the other ſide, thoſe which hauehave the grace, ſo to teach that they doe both delight and profite the Readers thorowe their pleaſant ſtile, are double to be prayſed. And in very deede that is a vertue & a gift which is not in al men. Yea, often times the wiſeſt cannot atteine vntounto it. And which is more do make themſelues to be laughed at in deſning that which is not giuen vntounto them. For a man which deſireth to vſe mery conceits and ieſts, ought to beware of two vices. The one is, that he do nothing of compulſion, or laugh ouer much, as there are a great many which hauehave cold laughters, the which do ſeeme as though they were pulled out of their throat by force. The other is, not to vſe baudy & ſilthy talk, the which is called in Latine ſcurrilitas, in our language pleaſant ieſtes.
But to keepe the meane, that is to know how to ſpeak effectually and with a good grace, ſo for to recreate that there be nothing ſpoken fooliſhly, at all aduentures, or vncomely, which is no common vertue. I doe ſpeake this by reaſon of theſe preſent Dialogues, out of which a man may ſo gather good inſtruction, and yet notwithſtanding he ſhall hauehave occaſion to laugh. For the matter of it ſelfe is very pleaſant: And is ſet out with ſuch grace, that it cannot be but that a man ſhall take greate pleaſure in the reading thereoff. Our brother and companion in the worke of the Lord Ieſus, Peter Viret, who is the Author, hath by nature the vertue which I ſaide to be requiſite in that man which will medle himſelfe therein. It is vertue true that as in all other workes he giueth himſelfe, vntounto a better ſtudie and of greater waight: So in theſe Dialogues his principall intent is not to delight the eares. And in verie deede, that ſhoulde be but a ſmall labour, and a paine euill be ſtowed of a man of ſuch witte and knowledge. Furthermore, beſides the giftes that he hath of God, he is called vntounto a more higher calling. But foraſmuch as the matter that he hath taken in hand to entreate off, ſheweth that he teacheth by order of paſtime and merrie ieſtes, he pretendeth notwithſtanding the right doctrine, as the true marke to ſhoote at, mingling with the ſame, ſome merrie conceites as a companion therewith all. Yea in ſuch ſort that this booke is a ſuffient witnes, that be hath a ſinguler dextentie to doe it, yea euen as much as he will himſelfe: that is to ſay, as much as is needefull or conuenient. I doe knowe that it is a daungerous thing and that no man ought at the firſt ſight to allowe a booke.
But I feare not to hauehave any rebuke of good men, & of ſuch as are of ſounde Iudgement, to hauehave commended the reading of that booke, as a booke in which the time ſhalbe wel beſtowed. I neede not to bring witnes, nor to ſpeake among thoſe which know the man, This onelyonly knowledge will ſuffice for to aſ…ure them that they cannot ſay…e to ſtay themſelues vponupon it. But bicauſe that it may bee that ſome for want of aduertiſement, will make none accompt, to proue what it is: I hauehave partly teſtified what it is, for to giuegive encouragement vntounto thoſe which wil beleeue me, & to ſtir them forwarde to ſee them, vntill ſuch time as they may Iudge of themſelues. Not that I doe preſume ſo much as to attribute vntounto my ſelfe the Iudgement aboue the workes of others, for to pronounce them as for authoritie: or to bring all the Readers vntounto mine opinion or aduiſe. Yet neuertheleſſe bicauſe that I thinke and am altogether perſwaded, that many will not refuſe to ſtaye and content themſelues to that, that I affirme vntounto them: I am conſtrayned for the profite of them to ſpeake my minde. Although it is not now needeful to ſet foorth at large all the profite that may be gathered, and the pleaſure that may bee taken therein. This onelyonly I can certifie, that all thoſe which ſhall hauehave the patience to continewe the reading ouer it, will not repent themſelues to be ſo well occupied.
There is one onelyonly point, which I knowe, which might diminiſh the grace of the booke towards ſome men: That is, that it ſhoulde ſeeme good that the matters of the Chriſtia…tie ought to be intreated off with a grauitie correſpondent to their dignitie and worthineſſe.
And therefore it is not meete to mingle them with matters of myrth, conſidering that there is daunger, that in ſo doing wee ſhoulde turne them into laughing. Chiefely at this preſent time, in whiche impyetie ouerfloweth more then euer ſithence the beginning of the Chriſtian Church: Or at the leaſt wiſe, it is more openly vncouered. To the ende that none for being preuented with that reaſon, bee not out of taſt with the reading. It is to be noted, that one may diſpute of the matters of the Chriſtianitie two wayes: Firſt in rebuking the fooliſh ſuperſticions, which are riſen among the Chriſtians vnderunder colour of Religion, the which notwithſtanding are not but corruptions of the ſame, for to deſtroy and ouerthrowe it. Secondly, in declaring the ſimple and pure veritie according as it is reuealed vntounto vsus of GOD by his holy worde. As touching the ſeconde kinde, it is moſt certeine that aſſoone as wee hauehave opened our mouthes for to ſpeake of GOD, no merrie conceite or ieſt ought to enter in our matter: But wee ought in all that we ſay and ſpeake, declare what reuerence we doe beare vntounto his Maieſtie, not pronouncing one worde but in feare and humilytie. But in diſiphering and diſcloſing the ſuperſtitions & follyes with which the poore worlde hath beene blinded in before time, he could not choſe in ſpeaking of matters ſo ridiculous but to laugh with open mouth. It is moſt true that there is alſo good occaſion to weepe and lament: Foraſmuch as it is not a ſport or ieſt that the glory of GOD, and his eternall veritie, hauing beene ſo darkened, the which ought to bee had in vsus in a ſinguler recommendation, hath beene ſo aboliſhed thorow infinit lyes: that ſo many poore ſoules hauehave beene ledde of Sathan into ruyne and dampnation.
But the one muſt not let the other, that … and taking ſuch ſorrowe as we ought to hauehave, to bring vsus againe in remembrance, how God hath beene ſo blaſphemed: hauing alſo pitie and compaſsion of the calamitie wherein the worlde hath beene ſo long time, and is yet at this preſent. Yet neuertheles in reherſing of ſuch fooliſh dreames and fonde bables, we vſe ſuch mocketies as they doe merite and deſerue. When we doe ſo, it ſhalbe after the example of the Prophets: who interpreting of the pure veritie of God, doe ſpeake with a maieſtie, which ought to make all the worlde to tremble: But in blaming the dreams of the Idolaters do make it no doubt to vſe ſcoffings and laughings, for to declare howe ridiculous they are. Although the Prophets are one & we an other. For aſmuch as we ſpeake not in the name of God as they, to the end that all that which we pronounce ſhoulde be receiued as a reuelation come from Heauen: It is lawefull for vsus to vſe a baſer ſtile. But I hauehave alleaged this compariſon onelyonly for to declare, that it is not to giuegive any occaſion vntounto the Luci aniſts and Epicures and other contemners of God, to ſpeake euill of the Chriſtian religion, or to hauehave it in diſdaine, when they ſhal mocke of the corruptions of the ſame.
Thomas Singleton to the Reader.
OVR Author (gentle Reader) here,
of franke and free good heart:
A Cheſt of treaſures hath vnlockt,
whereoff thou maiſt take part.
With trauaile great he hath it brought,
from farre and forraine ſoyle:
Which thou, and many may enioye,
at home with eaſie toyle.
Stand backe, hard harted Heriticke,
here is for thee no ware:
Eake ſtubborne Papiſt, go thou by,
thou haſt herein no ſhare.
Whom blinde erronious fancies leade,
the truth that thou deſpiſe:
Whom wilfull and groſe ignorance,
hath cloſed vp thine eyes.
Theſe rich and precious Ornaments,
and Iewels high of price:
For Godly, Zealous, Vertuous, beene,
that hate both ſinne and vice.
A milde and gentle friendly Brooke,
hath brought the ſame to ſhore,
Then (Reader) take it thankefully,
he craues of thee no more.
FINIS.