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

We call our selves all Christians, and do confess that there is but one foundation and one head, Jesus Christ, But although that in that behalf we do all agree, yet nevertheless when they come to build upon that ⟨p. 266⟩foundation, all shall not be found good Masons. For many will be Masters, before they have been good scholars and apprentices: and will not follow the rule and the instruction of the master Masons, well expert and cunning in their mystery and occupation, but thinking to make some fairer thing, do build after their own fantasy. They do preach or hear the Gospel, and will serve god after their affection, and as they think good: And thinking to make some fair piece of work they mar it altogether. But they do not know it by and by, until such time as the fire of the Gospel and of the spirit of God, which is the true Judge, and the truth revealed unto men destroyeth all the goodly outward appearance, and maketh it to be seen such as it is, and not such as it appeareth outward: As we see by experience, in the Monkish sects, and in many other ceremonies, superstitions, Idolatries, and works invented of men, in which we do glory and boast our selves, and think that we have done mough for to merit four Paradises, and for to make God to be in our debt. But when the Gospel is purely preached which beateth down all error, all vain superstition and mans trust, then we shall know our fault, and be ashamed of that of which we think to be much esteemed. Or when God sendeth unto us some great affliction temptation and adversity, that his judgement presseth us, that he examineth and proveth our works, as the fire proveth and trieth the gold in the furnace. Then we shall know our hypocrisy, folly, vanity, and false religion, the which we do not think but to be pure godliness and righteousness: And as the holy Apostle, esteeming as dung all that which before we esteemed as gold. But forasmuch as we have ¹not renounced and forsaken Jesus Christ, nor the faith which we have in him, we are not altogether lost, through the fault that we have committed, but it happened unto us, even so as unto him which hath escaped the fire. ⟨image 276⟩But he hath yet nevertheless lost his house, and all that which was in it, because that it was not builded with good stuff: and could save but his body all naked his life.