Epistle to the Faithful, Title page – Dedication
¶ An Epiſtle to the Faithfull, neceſſary for all the children of God: eſpecially in theſe dangerous dayes.
Written by Maiſter Peter Viret in French, and engliſhed by F. H. Eſquier.
❧ Imprinted at London for Tobie Smith, dwelling in Paules Churchyard, at the ſigne of the Crane. 1582.
The Epistle Dedicatory.
HAuing long ſince peruſed a Treatiſe, written in French by M. Peter Vyret, whiche was dedicated by him, to the faythfull: and hauing for my priuate exerciſe trā ſlated the ſame, I little thought to hauehave ſent it abroade, but ſhewing it to ſome godly, whoſe iudgements I craued, both of the matter, & trāſlatiō, they doubted not to giuegive great commendation of the one, and it pleaſed them to ſet downe their allowance of the other, and withall perſwaded me, the matter to be very profitable, for theſe our times, & that by many reaſons: whereupon I became ſo encouraged, as (conſidering the argument to be ſo apt and fit for this age) I would not keepe back this ſo fruitfull a treatiſe from the viewe of my countrie men, but hauehave aduentured to publiſh the ſame in engliſh, how rudely ſoeuer it be tranſlated. And nowe (Madam) hauing beene long debtor to your Ladyſhippe, for your manye honourable fauours extended towardes me, and hauing long deſired to yeeld ſome token of thankfulneſſe; ſith I can no way deſerue or recompence the leaſt part of your goodnes, I am bold to preſent vntounto your honour theſe firſt fruites of my labours, which is the tranſlation of this little treatie; and therefore humbly do pray you it may paſſe vnderunder your protection: the authour wherof, was wel known to ſome godly learned yet liuing amongeſt vsus, to be a godly, zealous, and learned preacher in Fraunce, and many wayes a man of rare giftes. The matter is a chriſtian counſell and direction, how the profeſſours of the Goſpel ſhould behaue and keepe theſelues from being ſtained, or defiled with the ſuperſtitions of Poperye, bee they neuer ſo conuerſant amongeſt ſuche as profeſſe the ſame: So that I cannot doubte, but that this little treatyſe wyll hauehave good acceptance with all the Godlye, and well diſpoſed, both in reſpecte of the Authour, and the matter. But for my ſelfe, who hauehave taken vppon mee to bee the tranſlatour▪ I maye iuſtlye doubte it can hardelye deſerue allowance, both becauſe my ſkyll is ſhorte to tranſlate with iudegement, and my ſtyle too baſe to hauehave the handling of ſo good a woorke: yet beeing emboldened by the allowance of ſome, that hauehave already ſeene it, and hoping to bee fauourablye iudged of by all, that hereafter ſhal peruſe it, and truſting of your honours well accepting of this my labour, bee it neuer ſo ſimplye perfourmed; I doubte not to put it to the printe, and preſume to dedicate the ſame to your Ladiſhippe. Accept it (good Madam) in liewe of a better preſente: And licence mee, in this preface (onelyonly purpoſed to your ſelfe) to ſpeake ſomewhat in a geueralitie to others. I finde by experience that Sathans ſhiftes encreaſe dayly, eyther to make vsus flatte enemies to religion, or colde friends: for euen amongeſt thoſe, whiche bragge greatly of the Goſpel, and will defie him, that ſhall call him Papiſt, and will ioyne with Gods people in hearing of the worde, and receiuing the Sacramentes, euen amongeſt theſe there bee ſome, (I ſaye) which are ſo farre ſhorte from true feeling of religion, that they reſerue to them ſelues a religion for all companies, and can eaſily make ſhift to liue in all ages: and theſe men woulde fayne perſwade them ſelues, that there is ſuch a conueniencie betweene religion and ſuperſtition, betweene the Goſpell and Popery, that they may holde both: they woulde fayne make themſelues to beleeue, that the diſſent betweene papiſtes and vsus, which doe profeſſe the Goſpel of Chriſt, is only about certaine ceremonies, the vanity of which opinion, is ſo largely confuted by ſundry well learned: that I neede not to ſtand therevpon. But to you, whome the Lord hath ſeaſoned by a better ſpirit, then to profeſſe for faſhions ſake, let me ſpeake boldly without offence. If you hauehave well weighed and conſidered what thraldome your ſelues, or your brethren were in, when Papiſtes did beare ſtroke: and had the guiding of this common wealth at their will; you cannot but tell your ſelues how little fauour the zealous profeſſour found, whoſe ſhare it was to receiue al ſharpnes and ſeueritie, that could be deuiſed: and then how can you forget to be thankfull vntounto God for this our preſent tranquilitie, and peaceable profeſſion of his Goſpell, and for our Soueraigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth, his eſpeciall and principall inſtrument thereof: by whom as the chief meanes, we hauehave been deliuered frō ſuperſtition & Popery, & hauehave been brought to taſt how ſweete the Lord Ieſus is, in the voyce of his goſpel, a bleſſing vnſpeakeable, and ſuch as fewe of our neighbours hauehave attained vntounto in like meaſure, for what nation can be named, that euer ſo long together enioyed ſuch quietneſſe as Englande? which ſheweth Gods bleſſing to hauehave followed vsus moſt gratiouſly in our gouernment: and what country or nation in the world can be ſhewed to hauehave the doctrine of the Goſpell, taught generally and by authoritie, with more ſoundnes and ſinceritie, then in England: which argueth the great mercy, and fauour of God towords vsus, in dayly teaching his prophets to ſpeake, that his truth may ſound in the eares of al that wil willingly heare it. But hauehave we this by deſert: or can we chalenge it before other nations: no, no: but if we learne not to vſe our peace whileſt we hauehave it, and to take profite by this doctrine of ſaluation whileſt we enioy it, & ſhew our ſelues dayly and hourely thankefull for the ſame, our peace ſhall bee taken from vsus when we leaſt looke for it; and this Goſpell will bee giuen vntounto a nation that ſhall bring foorth the fruites thereof. Let vsus therfore looke about vsus in time, leſt we learne to late. Our well ſetled peace in theſe dayes of our godly Prince Edward the ſixt, with the ioyfull libertie of profeſſing Chriſte his Goſpel, which vnderunder him, we then enioyed, adding hereunto the ſodayne and lamentable alteration, which ſucceeded his happye gouernment by his vnlooked for cutting of; might ſufficiently warne vsus. We can hauehave no colour to chalenge this our peace and preaching of the Goſpell in anye certayntie, which both wee enioye onelyonly by the mercifull goodnes of our good God, who in his fauour and louelove hath allotted both vntounto vsus for our good, if with thankefulneſſe wee receiue them; and can learne to vſe them, to our profite: If otherwiſe wee abuſe them, he can and will in his diſpleaſure for our ſinnes take them from vsus, turning peace into warre, and the light of his Goſpell into the darkenes of ſuperſtition and poperye. If we will but enter into conſideration with our ſelues, and weigh the ſtate of our neighboures and bretheren in Flaunders, and Fraunce; whome the Lorde, hath long kept vnderunder the croſſe of affliction and perfecution, and withall indifferently compare our offences with theirs; wee ſhall eaſily ſee the zeale of England and to religion farre colder, the obedience to the Goſpel farre ſhorter, al ſinn generally much more abounading. Why then ſhould we looke for the continuance of theſe bleſſinges without amēdmēt. If we wil enter into our owne conſciences & truly examine our ſelues, whether wee hauehave beene rightly pinched and grieued at the miſery of our brother Ioſeph: whether wee hauehave ſighed and mourned before the Lord for Iſraels calamitie: we ſhal finde that ſelfe louelove hath borne ſo great a ſwaye in eueryevery of vsus all; that we hauehave been little, or nothing touched with the churches miſerie. Howe then can we looke to eſcape the iuſt iudgement of God, for ſo horrible faultes & defectes: Laſtly, if wee conſider throughlye, howe mercifullye the Lorde hath dealte with vsus in this time of our peace: wherein the Goſpel of our God hath had his free paſſage, and the preaching thereof in many places (by Gods mercies) beene moſt plentifully perfourmed, and weyghe with al, how thankefully we hauehave receiued the ſame, and what profite wee hauehave reaped therby: we ſhall the moſt of vsus (I feare me) finde our ſelues ſo farre ſhort in eyther, that rather we may feele in our ſelues iuſt cauſe to accuſe our ſelues, for neglecting, contemning, and miſuſing the graces of God, offered vntounto vsus in this his holy Goſpell. For that we hauehave neither learned diligently, nor beleeued ſoundly, nor embraced thankfully, nor worſhipped religiouſly, nor confeſſed freely and conſtātly, nor obeyed ſincerely, nor aduāced zealouſly the will and truth of our God, reuealed vntounto vsus in the preaching of the Goſpell. But as I accuſe not all, ſo as an aduiſe to all, I ſay with the Apoſtle. Let him that thinketh he doth stand, take heede he fall not. And becauſe we hauehave no inheritance, or ſuch aſſurance of this our peace, but that it is to be turned into warre and perſecution, when the Lord our God thinketh good: let vsus not followe the beaſtly rule of the pampered Epicures, who ſay to themſelues, Ede, bibe, lude, poſt mortem nulla voluptas. But let vsus hearken vntounto the wholeſome counſel of the Apoſtle Peter. Let vsus hence forward learne to liue, as much time as remaineth in the fleſhe, not 1. Pet. 4.after the luſts of men, but after the will of God. For it is ſufficient. &c. For ſurely in folowing the lewde fancies of fleſhe and blood, we doe tread the path to death, and walke the readie way to deſtruction. But if we ſtriue to mortifye the luſts, and deedes of the fleſhe, we are led by a right line, dyrecting vsus to the true life: that neuer ſhall hauehave end. Therefore whileſt we enioy the benefite of this our peace, let vsus apply our ſelues to the practiſing of that in ſhew we profeſſe, and let vsus labour to grow in knowledge, that we may be able to diſcerne the ſpirits and to giuegive a reaſon of our faith with iudgement & vnderſtanding: So ſhall our peace be greatly profitable vntounto vsus, and we therby better prepared to abide with patience, what the Lord by perſecution ſhall lay vponupon vsus. It was not allowed for a good Plea, that the Scribes and phariſees ſhould chalenge themſelues to be the children of Abraham: for that (as our Sauiour Chriſt chargeth them) they did not the workes of their father Abraham, but of their father the Diuell. No more can it be accepted at our hands to chalenge the title of chriſtianitie, to ſay wee profeſſe Chriſt his Goſpell, vnleſſe we bring foorth fruites anſwerable to ſo high a calling. For as Chryſoſtome ſayth. Non Christi nomen ſolum chriſtianum facit, ſed Chriſti veritas, quia in nomine Chriſti multi ambulant in veritate au, tem eius pauci. And there is no man truely tearmed a chriſtian, but he that ſtriueth to go as neare to Chriſt in his life & conuerſation, as he cā. Our wel ſelted peace, muſt needs auayle vsus much, if we vſe it, and our ſelues in it to the glorifying of our God: for to this end only is our peace preſerued to vsus. But if in this time of our peace, we will liue deliciouſly, walke wantonly, ſleepe in ſinne, and wallow in all manner of ſenſualitie, we ſhall ſurely become falſe prophets to our ſelues, & whileſt we perſwade our ſelues of a pleaſ at peace, beholde preſent deſtruction. The Iſraelites groned long vnderunder the burden of cruell Pharaoh, who ſeeing them multiplye and encreaſe dayly in number of perſons, and wealth of ſubſtance, he endeuoured and put in practiſe, both by tiranny and cruel ſlaverye to oppreſſe them. But the Lord loking mercifully vponupon his people, deliuered them out of the tyrantes handes, and plagued their enemies in moſt ſundry & ſtrange ſorts, and in the end moſt miraculouſly made one ſelf ſāe place a paſſage for the deliuery of his children, & pitte of deſtruction to their enemies purſuing them. Yet ſee the ingratitude of mans heart, they were no ſooner deliuered, but they immediately forget ſo great a benefite, and fell to murmuring, grudging, and repining againſt their GOD, who ſo gratiouſly had wrought their deliuerance. I will not apply this, but leaue eueryevery man to his owne conſcience to conſider in himſelfe, whether he hath beene ſufficiently thankefull, for our mercifull and miraculous deliuerance out of that popiſhe perſecution, practiſed againſt Gods people, in the time of Queene Marye. Or rather, whether that (Gods great bleſſing and benefite therein beeing forgotten) wee hauehave not throughe ambition, conetouſnes, or carnall ſecuritie, beene ſo drowned in worldly cares, that we hauehave murmured, grudged, and repined againſt GOD and his miniſters, as the Iſraelites did: which being true (as it can hardly be denied) we muſt looke to be trayned vp with the Iſraelites in a newe ſchoole. For when proſperitie and peace could not make them to knowe him, in yeelding due reuerence & obediēce to him, He viſited thē with ſharpe roddes and plagues, that by his correction hee might drawe them to ſeeke to him for remedie againſt his ſcourges, and earneſtly to repent them for their rebellion and wickednes agaynſt him. And this did the Lorde of louelove to his choſen children, that they might not ſtyll wallow with wicked worldlinges in all licentiouſnes of euill. There be ſome of that vayne and wicked opinion, who when they cannot couple the Goſpell of Chriſte, and Poperye togeather in the couples of their conceite, as they would do, then they fal to another bare & bad ſ…ift, perſwading themſelues that they may worſhip God according to the maner of the countries, that they are in, and yet be good Goſpellers ſtill, not remembring that confeſſion of Chriſt, and outward acknowledgement of his truth (a ſpeciall part of his worſhip & our ſeruice du to him) is required of vsus. For they are the wordes of our Sauiour Chriſt, that we muſt confeſſe him before mē: And who knoweth not, that men cannot ſee into our hearts, therefore with our mouthes we muſt confeſſe him. Notable alſo is that, which the ſpirit of God ſetteth downe by Paule to the Corinthians. Our bodies (ſayth 1. Cor. 6.he) are the temples of the holy Ghoſt, and wee are not our owne, for wee are dearelye bought, therefore wee muſt glorifie God in our bodies, & in our ſpirits, for they are gods. Wherby it appeareth, that the Lorde hath ſuch and intereſt & right in vsus, & ouer vsus; that no half ſeruice cā pleſe him, but he muſt hauehave vsus whole, and he will be wholy ſerued by vsus. Therefore they, that in any reſpect refuſe to confeſſe Chriſt before men, do bewray them ſelues to be eyther faithleſſe, or very fainte in faith: and let them vrge neuer ſo much, that with their inward mā they ſerue god, & cary a louelove to Chriſt his truth, they ſhal finde it is no good plea in diuinitie, neither will it prooue good before God at the generall day of account: when all fleſhe muſt appeare before the iuſt iudge, to giuegive a reckoning of their ſtewardeſhip. As for thoſe to whom the name of God ſeemeth ſtrange, and are loth to heare of any religion, they are not vnlike to Epicures, of whom it is written: that when he ſaw great contentions amongeſt the philoſophers touching God, he did take (as hee thought) a ſhorter way, & flatly denied God. Of which kind of men I wiſhe withall my heart, there were not ouer many amōgeſt vsus. It is a dangerous thing, when men become deriders and mockers of the worde, and wil ſcoffe and taunt at ſuch as in reuerent regard therof, ſeeke to walke according to the preſcript rule, ſet downe by the ſame: for frō them, by little and little, all ſence and taſt of truth is taken, and they goe on in degrees of vngodlines ſo farre, vntill they ſhewe themſelues to be ſuch, as doe hate the truth, and then are they giuen ouer to fulfyll their luſts, making their bellye their GOD, beſtowing their whole life in their owne fylthie & fleſhly pleaſure: for they liue to ſerue no other God indeede, and ſo at length there is with thē no truth, no religion, no God, but they make a mocke of all religion & truth, and are giuen vp to belieue lyes, and to folowe vanities, and nothing elſe. And thus in fine they becōe ſo bold, that they deny God, yea they be ſo cūning in the diuels crafe, that they do reaſon againſt God, and openly profeſſe that Chriſt his truth is but a fable, as this day giueth feareful examples of too many: The Lord our God refourm thē, and ſhew them the light of hys countenance, and bee mercifull vntounto them. And ſo with griefe to thinke that there ſhould be any ſuch, I leaue them. As for you, whō the Lord hath ſo ſeaſoned by his ſpirit, that you hauehave learned to bee a law to your ſelues, & do endeuourithat one and the ſelfe ſame woorde, might both teach and rule you, although they giuegive you bynames for ſo doing: be not difmayed, but hold on your courſe, & be it ſo farre frō you, to thinke your ſelues pure, & learne to hauehave ſuch a liuely ſenſe, and feeling of this feſtering fore of ſinne, eating vsus to eternal deſtruction, if our Phiſition Chriſt, put not to his helpe to heale the ſame by the blood of his paſſion, as that you acknowledge with the Prophet, all your righteouſnes to be like a ſtayned cloth, and to this end labour in your ſelues, & perſwade it in others to go on ſtill, and to be climing vp from ſtep to ſtep, towards the mark of perfectiō ſet before vsus: not thinking it ſufficient to begin well, and there to ſtay, nor to goe and grow forward for a time, and thē to ſtand ſtill, but we muſt know that perſeuerāce hath the promiſe, for he that perſeuereth to the end, he ſhalbe ſaued. This then being the ſetled perſwaſion of all that truely feare the Lord, let not their courſe be hindered, neyther in their courſe let them be diſcouraged, but carrying in thēſelues the teſtimony of a good conſcience, that they hauehave in thē ſelues a deſire to encreaſe daily from fayth to faith, from knowledge to knowledge, from godlineſſe to godlineſſe, vntill they become perfect men in Chriſt Ieſus: let them knowe it is their glory to beare reproch for good dealing. See that none of you (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſuffer as a murtherer, as a theefe, as an euill doer, or as a buſie bodie in other mens matters, but if anye man ſuffer as a Chriſtian &c. 1. Pet. 4.This is the portion of Gods people, to ſuffer for wel doing; and of this we ought not to be aſhamed, but for this we muſt glorifie God: neither is this the vttermoſt of our triall, to be euil ſpoken of, but we are like to taſte the ſmart of a more ſharpe ſchoole: Our ſinnes prouoke it, Gods iuſtice doth threaten it, and I ſee not how we ſhould auoyd it. Let vsus learn therefore to be wel prouided againſt the day of tryal. And ſurely if we profeſſe, as we ſeem, or carry that ſincere zeale, as we ought, wee hauehave caſt our reckoning, we know the pryce, and therefore will endeuour to prouide for paiment. Crux comes Euangely: is an old rule, and he is a very delicate, or rather faintehearted ſouldiour, that loketh to ouer come with out fighting: or to winne victory without contending: and how can he fight, that is vnprepared to the battell? or contend for victory, that is vnprouided? And to be armed at all poyntes, This leſſon well learned, wyll teach vsus that, Tota vita Chriſtiani hominss, ſi ſecundum Euangelium uiuat, eſt crux at que martyrium. Let not your heartes be troubled therefore, neither feare, and let your patient mynds be knowen vntounto all men, for the Lord is at hand. It is notably ſaid of a learned Father, that tribulation and trouble is to a iuſt man, as the file to the yrō, the fornace to the gold, the bridle to the horſe, and the whippe to the Aſſe. The fyle, as it is commonly ſeene, maketh yron the brighter, the fyery fornace maketh gold the more glorious, the bridle withholdeth the headdy horſe, that hee goe not whither him liſteth, the whippe keepeth the dul Aſſe in ſuch awe, that he dare not but goe on. And this doth affliction to eueryevery true Chriſtian. Let vsus not be diſmayed therefore, though our peace be taken from vsus, and perſecution come in place: For to vsus that hauehave a ſure teſtimonie ſealed vp in our conſciences, that we are Gods children, it ſhall turne to great good, beyng ſure that our heauenly father wil lay no more vponupon vsus, thē he wil make vsus well able to beare. We ſee by experience, that where the Prince or chiefe Magiſtrate fauoureth the profeſſion of the Goſpel, the moſt part wilbe Goſpellers. But like experience hath taught vsus, when times of tryall hauehave come vponupon them, what time ſeruers ſome hauehave ſhewed themſelues. But to ſuche, our god cōmeth not as a correcting father, but as a deſtroying iudge. For obedience to the Lorde God, and the profeſſion of his truth, is not tyed to the pleaſure of Princes. He that confeſſeth me before men, I will confeſſe him before my father in heauen. But he that denyeth me. &c. And we muſt learne to ſay with the Apoſtle Paule. If I ſeeke to pleaſe men, I am not the ſeruant of Chriſt. It is an olde ſaying and a true. All is not Gold that gliſtereth, but the fiery fornace wil ſoon try it. EueryEvery piece of yron that wee ſee, is not perfect and ſound yron, for ſometimes it is eaten through with the canker; and this, when the file commeth vponupon it, is eaſily knowne. Wheate and chaffe lye mingled together in one barne, til a gale of wind come, and blowe them in ſunder, and then they appeare both plainely what they are: let vsus acquaint our ſelues with our good GOD by continuall and heartie prayer, that by his goodnes wee may bee prepared againſt the day of his viſitation, to abide what in mercy he ſhall think good to lay vponupon vsus. The fearefulnes of fleſhe and blood is ſuch, and the delight therof in worldly proſperity ſo great, that aduerſitie is not eaſily borne. Impriſonment is accounted painefull, but it is more painefull to enioy libertie vponupon euill conditions. The priſons are thought lothſome & vnſauery, but yet not more lothſome, then the ſweeteſt houſes, where the feare of God is wanting. It is grieuous to man to be ſolitary and alone, yet better is it to be ſo, then in companie with the wicked. It toucheth vsus very neare to looſe liuing and goodes, but it ſhal be found to touch nearer to looſe the fauour and grace of God. We vſe it as a common ſpeech, that life is ſweete, but moſt ſweete and pleaſant is it to looſe this life, full of mortall miſeries, to finde and enioye the life full of eternall ioyes. We are loth to leaue our friendes, wife, and children, but we muſt beware, that in abiding with them wee ſtay not in the diſpleaſure of our God. Theſe trials muſt needes come vponupon vsus, and whoſoeuer liueth to it, is like to taſt of thē. But be of good cheare, Whom the Lord loueth, hee chaſtiſeth, euen to this ende, that hee might call them to remember their ſinnes, and ſo runne by repentance to him and aſke mercy: and then he might pardon and forgiue them, in reſpect wherof we are not to lamēt, but to prayſe the Lorde, not to be diſmaide, but to be cōforted, that our God wil vouchſafe to offer vsus his croſſe: whereby he ſeeketh to traine vsus vp to the place of endleſſe ioye and comfort. It is an aſſurance laide vp vntounto vsus, that if we ſuffer, we ſhall raigne. If we confeſſe him before men in earth, hee will confeſſe vsus beefore his father in heauen. If wee bee not aſhamed of his Goſpell heere, he will not be aſhamed of vsus at the laſt daye. Remember the words of our ſauiour Chriſt in the. 5. of Mathew. Bleſſed are they that ſuffer perſecution for righteouſnes ſake, for theires is the kyngdome of heauen. Call to mynde that which Paule ſaith in the 8. to the Romaines. The afflictions of this life, are not to be compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you. Wherefore ſeeing that euen in the croſſe we beholde and ſee the merciemercy of our God, which is more ſweete, and to be ſet by then any mucke or pelfe of this world, yea much more then is life it ſelfe. Let vsus keepe on our courſe, Let vsus walke before our God in ſimplicitie of heart, knowing this, that not a heyre of heade can periſh without the wil of our heauenly father, neither can any man, or diuel be able to attēpt any thing, much leſſe to do any thing to vsus, without the ſufferance of the Almightie: And when leaue is graunted, they ſhall goe no further then he will. Wherefore caſting all our care vppon the Lord, who careth ſufficiently for vsus: Let vsus lay aſide all feare, and onelyonly ſtudie, whileſt we liue heare, to pleaſe him, and to keepe our conſciences cleane from the pollutions of this preſent age, that both our minde and tongue, our life and beliefe may be anſwerable to eche other, and that for euer the word of truth may be a light to lighten our ſteps in the path of true holines. The Lorde in the riches of his mercy impart vntounto vsus all, ſuch portion of his holy ſpirit, that when the time of our tryall ſhall come, and that the winde of perſecution ſhall blow vponupon vsus, we may be founde pure golde, made clearer by the fornace, & perfect yron, bryghtened by the fyle, and good Wheate, ſeuered from the light chaffe, and ſo conſtantly continue Chriſt his faythfull ſouldiers, and ſeruantes to our liues end. And thus (Madam) hauehave I dedicated to your ſelfe particulerly a tranſlated treatiſe, as a pledge of my reuerend louelove I beare you: and to others, generally a long and rude Epiſtle with it. Your ſelfe I truſt will accept my ſimple trauaile therin, & take it in good part: and others, I hope, to whoſe handes this Epiſtle and treatiſe ſhall come, will make fauourable conſtruction thereof, and will beare with all defectes therein, whatſoeuer. My deſire was to warne & encourage, which how weakely ſoeuer it be perfourmed, I truſt it ſhall no whit hinder, but rather further to ſo neceſſary a meditation, that obtained, I hauehave my deſire: beſeeching God to open our eyes, that we may ſee our deſerts, & thereby know our perils, and knowing the ſame, may labour to meete the Lord by repentance, before he come: whether it bee for a time to ſcourge vsus in iuſtice, or to performe the laſt time of his comming in iudgement, to eueryevery one, the portion allotted vntounto him for his hire, from the beginning: which time of his comming, the Lorde haſten to performe and fulfill for his electes ſake.
Amen.