Woe to the World Because of Offenses, Title page – To the reader
The mynd and expoſition of that excellente learned man Martyn Bucer / vppon theſe wordes of S. Mathew: Woo be to the wordle bycauſe of offences. Math. xviij. Faythfully tranſlated in to Engliſhe, by a faythfull brother, with certayne obiections & anſweres to the ſame.
Mathew. 15. Euerye plante that my heauenly Father hathe not planted, ſhall be pluckt vp by the rotes.
¶ Printed at Emden. 1566.
¶ To the godlie Reader.
VNderſtandinge (dearly beloued in the Lord Ieſus) by a faithfull brother, of the contention that nowe is in my natiue countrie, concerninge popiſh apparrell and ceremonies, to the greate greife & ſorowe of the godlie, and to the reioyſinge of the enemies, (whiche hopeth dayly for the reſt of theyr father dregges) I thought it mete (as one wyſhing good to my countrie) to tranſlate the worke of that excellent inſtrumente of the Lordes vinyarde Martyn Bucer, entreatinge vponupon the wordes of our Sauyour, wrytten by S. Mathew in the .xviij chap. ſayenge: Woo be vntounto the wordle bycauſe of offences: wherin he declareth not only what an offence is, & how it is taken, but alſo as occaſione dothe ſerue cōcerning rites and ceremonies of the churche, to the great comfort of the godlye. Wylling and requyring that ye ſtand faſt in the lybertie, wherwith Chriſt Ieſus hath made you free and wrappe not your ſelues in the yoke of bondage. For it is not nowe tyme to ſlippe backe from the lybertie of the Goſpell, but manfully to abyde therin, yea euen, though it be wt lyfe to confirme ye ſame as worthie ſouldiars in Chriſtes church, alwaies lokinge for the comyng of our Sauyour Ieſus
Thus fare ye well.