Certain Points of Religion, Title page – Dedication
A Briefe diſcourſe of certaine points of the religion, which is among the commō ſort of Chriſtians, which may bee termed the Countrie Diuinitie.
With a manifeſt confutation of the ſame, after the order of a Dialogue.
Compiled by George Gifforde.
Imprinted at London for Toby Cook, dwelling at the Tigres head in Paules churchyard and are there to bee ſolde. 1582.
To the Right honourable his very good Lord, Ambroſe Earle of Warwick, Maiſter of her Maieſties Ordinance, Knight of the noble order of the Garter, and one of her highneſſe moſt honourable priuie Councel, George Gifford wiſheth increaſe of al true happines & honour, with the continuall comfert of a good conſcience.
I Nothing doubt (right honourable) but that it will ſeeme great raſhnes vntounto ſome, and no ſmal folly, to offer and preſent ſo ſimple and ſlender a booke as this is, vntounto your Lordſhip: for what doth it ſeeme to bring with it worthie the perſon of a Noble man? There is no pompe in the manner of ſpeech, for it is rude and country like: the matter it ſelfe is not handled as a diſputation betweene deepe diuines, but after the manner of plough men and cartars: a great abſurditie therefore appeareth in this, that an honourable perſon of great dignitie ſhould be called for, as it were to ſtand by and hear ſuch ſpeak. Good cauſe there is therfore that I ſhold render ſom reaſon of this my boldenes, which I will willingly doe, to vſe that which the heathen Poet ſaith:
Si canimus ſyluas, ſyluae ſunt conſule dignae.
Will not ſuffice: for although reſpecting the things which I handle, becauſe they belong to the trees that are planted in the Lords Orchard, they doe as farre excel the woods and groues, as the vine doth the bramble buſh, yet neuertheleſſe he hath ſo richly decked his baſe & beggerly matter, hee hath ſo clothed it in ſilkes from top to toe, and hath hanged ſo many iewels vponupon it: that it ſhal finde entertainement, and be thought meete for the courts of princes, where as mine being very porely clad, wil be reiected. I wil expreſſe therefore a better reaſon of my doing, which is this. As thoſe which hauehave corne fieldes, think it not a thing vnmecte to be told by their ſeruāts of thiſtles & weedes, which would hinder & mar the corn, if they prouide not to hauehave them plucked vp: euē ſo I know that it is not an vnworthy thing to ſhew vntounto thoſe which are of highe calling, the hurtful & dangerous weedes which would ouergrow and choke the heauē ly ſeed of the goſpel, ſowen in the Lords field. When as our church therefore & common wealth, being the Lords huſbandrie, is ouergrowne with weedes & almoſt laide waſte, I ſee no cauſe wherefore I may iuſtly be blamed, for giuing notice thereof in ſōe part vntounto your honour. Seeing their principall cauſes and ſountaines frō whēce corruptiōs flow are to be taken away and dryed vp by thoſe whō God hath placed in the higheſt roomes. Among which the want of a ſincere miniſterie of the woorde is the greateſt through abſence of which, there is a flood of ignorance and darknes, ouerflowing the moſt part of the land: the feare of God is baniſhed from the greateſt parte: the woonderfull heapes and piles of ſinne, which ſhould bee waſhed and cleanſed away by the word, do vndoubtedly with one voice cry alowd in the eares of the Lord, for vengeance vponupon the whole realme. The papiſtes cannot be conuerted, but hardened & turned out of the way, there is ſo foule diſorder, and ſo many ſtumbling blockes caſt in the way. The Diuell hath elbowe roome to ſpread abroad, to plant & water all kinde of errours, ſo fewe there be to withſtand him. But to come to that particular which I hādle in this treatiſe: there are the moſt in number, who hauing Poperie taken from them and not taught throughly and ſufficiently in the Goſpel, doe ſtand as men indifferent, ſo that they may quietly inioye the world, they care not what religion come: they are like naked men fitte and readie for any coate almoſt that may bee put vponupon them. The life of theſe is exceeding prophane they hauehave hardened thēſelues in their ſinnes, by reaſon which they gather partly out of their owne braine, & partly out of ſome ſayings in the word, by which they cloke & defēd their own corrupt wayes. I hauehave therefore gathered the moſt commō principles of their faith and religion, by which they arme themſelues, againſt true repentance, and right vnderſtanding: I hauehave not noted all, neither hauehave I medled with thoſe ſeuerall groſſe abſurdities, whiche eache hath proper to himſelf, for that ſhould be infinite. I truſt your Lordeſhip will rightly conſtrue my good meaning, and take in good worth this ſimple treatiſe: pitying the caſe of the poore church of Chriſt, which is ſo ful of greeuous ſickneſſes and ſores, that vnleſſe ſhe be releeued and cured, ſhe wil ſcarce be able to continue life. She cannot but moſt humbly craue his dutie at the hands of thoſe which are neere about her deare Nurſe: From whom ſhe hath nowe long time receiued wonderfull protection and defence againſt aduerſaries: that they make knowne her ſtate, and labour the recovery & retaining of her health. Becauſe it doth ſtand not only with their eternal glorye in the worlde to come, but alſo with their honourable eſtate in this life. Which cannot be eſtabliſhed to floriſh in continuance, vnleſſe the Lorde God hauehave his thrōe ſo erected in the middeſt of her that ſhe may floriſhe. For where he is diſhonored and diſpiſed of thoſe whom ſhee nouriſheth in her boſome, her caſe is daungerous, for it is againſt al wiſe pollicie to make him an aduerſarie, who hath all power, & of himſelfe is able to roote out and deſtroy mighty kingdomes: ſo that if ſhe keep in fauour & league with him, there is no feare of any other.
This Lord of Lordes, and moſt mighty king increaſe abundātly in yee al heauenly & ſpirituall graces, with increaſe of honour in this world, to his glory &c your eternal comforte Amen.
Your honours moſt humble to commaund George Gifford.