The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

John Calvin unto the Readers.

Iohn Caluyn vnto the Readers.

THE love of God our Father, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be given to you, and multiplied from day to day, through the communion of the holy Ghost. There is an ancient Poet which saith, that he which delighteth and profiteth altogether in his writings, hath gained the price and favour towards all men. The same is spoken because of the diversity of natures. It is very true, that the only doctrine, wherein we know it to be good and profitable, ought to suffice us, for to incitate and provoke us to read willingly a book, to give and bestow thereon all our study, to love and set by it, and finally to take pleasure in it. But there are a great many, and well near the most part, which will be a great deal better pleased, that one should teach them after a gentle & pleasant fashion, then otherwise: In such sort, that as in recreating themselves, they may profit & receive instruction, liven then as those which occupy themselves to make books of pastime, vain and frivolous, & which cause the world to read them, are to be vituperated and despised although they have no corruption in them: So on the other side, those which have the grace, so to teach that they do both delight and profit the Readers through their pleasant stile, are double to be praised. And in very deed that is a virtue & a gift which is not in all men. ⟨image 4⟩Yea, often times the wisest cannot attain unto it. And which is more do make themselves to be laughed at in desiring that which is not given unto them. For a man which desireth to use merry conceits and jests, ought to beware of two vices. The one is, that he do nothing of compulsion, or laugh over much, as there are a great many which have cold laughters, the which do seem as though they were pulled out of their throat by force. The other is, not to use bawdy & filthy talk, the which is called in Latin scurrilitas, in our language pleasant jests.

THE loue 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 onely doctrine, wherein we knowe it to be good and profitable, ought to suffice vs, for to incitate and prouoke vs to reade willingly a booke, to giue and bestowe thereon all our studie, to loue 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 haue no corruption in them: So on the other side, those which haue 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.