Harmony of the Gospels, Dedication 1
¶TO THE RIGHT HOnorable, Fraunces Earle of Bedford, of the noble order of the Garter Knight, one of the Lordes of her▪ Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel, grace and peace from God, with the encrease of that true honour which is from God and lasteth for euer.
THe choice (right honorable) whiche Luke the Euangelist made, in dedicating this historie of the gospel, which he wrote to that noble mā Theophilus, & which that man of worthie memory. M. Iohn Caluine tooke in dedicating these his labours to the lords of Frankeford, driueth mee to dedicate this my small labour of translating this booke into the English tongue, and though it is but little that I hauehave done, in comparison of the labors of the other two, and not woorth the offering to men of great estate: yet least that I should seeme singuler in dissenting from these two singuler instruments in the Churche of God, & that in one and the self same booke, I hauehave presumed to make bolde of your Lordships name, hoping that your H. will not mislike to hauehave it witten in the forehead of this boke with noble Theophilus & the Lords of Frankeford, specially sith that I doe it, in testimonie of my dutifull louelove to you, for the manifolde graces of God in you, and benefites which I hauehave receiued from you. Men doe commonly in their Epistles write either in the commendation of the worke or in the prayse of their patrone, or in discharging of themselues of the discredite which their enemies woulde lay vppon them: but I craue pardon of your honour, if in studying to bee short, I omit these thinges. For first the verye name of the gospell of Iesu Christe, and then the names of Matthew, Marke, and Luke the Euangelists, and of M. Caluine the gatherer of the Harmonie, & the writer of the Commentarie, do yeeld more credite and commendation to the matter, then all that I can say of it all the dayes of my life. Only this I say of M. Caluines labours here, that in my simple iudgement it is one of the profitablest workes for the church that euer he did write. Next for your praises, as you like not to heare them, so I will not offend you in setting thē down, nor giuegive others occasiō to cōdemne me of flatterie. They which hauehave best knowen you, say, that you began a good course in your youth, that you witnessed a good confession in the late time of persecution, that your constancie hath beene testified by your troubles at home, and trauels in forraine countries: you hauehave continued your profession in the midst of your dignitie, Lordships, and liuing left by your parents, and in the seat of gouernment, wherein our Soueraigne & most gracious Queene hath placed you, not falling a sleepe in securitie in this so peaceable a time. My good L. continue to the end, so shall you bee safe. I speake not this as if it were your owne strength that hath holden you vp all this while. But meditate somtimes, I pray you, vponupon the 71. Psalme, and pray that Lorde as Dauid did, who kept you in your youth, that he will keepe you in your old age, now that your head is hoare and hayres gray. And I beseech the mighty Lord to thrust them forward which are drawen back by their youthly affections, and to raise vp them that fell away for feare of troubles, & to waken those which in this quiet and calme time do sleepe in securitie, or waxe wanton with the wealth of the worlde, that we may meete the Lord with true humilitie and earnest repentaunce, to see if hee will bee intreated to continue his mercies towards vsus, least he turn his correcting rod, which he hath so ofte shaken ouer vsus, into a deuouring swoord to consume vsus. Of my selfe I will say nothing, the mouthes of the wicked cānot be stopt, their false tongues I hope shall teach me to Walke warilie, & I hauehave learned, I thanke my God, to passe through good report and through euill and to commit my selfe and my cause to him that iudgeth right. The Lord of Lords preserue your honour in safetie, and multiply all spirituall blessings vponupon you and yours:
From Kiltehampton in Cornewall, this 28. of Ianuarie. 1584. The Lords most vnworthie minister, lame Eusebius Paget.