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

And for because that I my self have been long enough sick in that same bed, and have experimented and proved how dangerous that evil is, and what dolour and torment it bringeth unto the man that feareth God, and which is afraid to offend him, for that cause am I the more moved to aid and succour those which are yet holden fast in the same, and which cannot in the end find remedy. Not that I dare of […] self to promise any great thing, sith that I am nothings but forasmuch as the common proverb giveth unto ¹me boldness, which saith: The fool counselleth the wise. To promise remedy unto a disease so hard and incurable, I dare not of my self, and I will not do as the ²venturous and hardy Empirics do, which promise help unto all diseases, how incurable so ever they he: and those which are most ignorant, do most assure it. But I dare promise to declare, that the disease is not so hard to be cured as it is dangerous, if one provide not remedy in time, and without delaying the means whilst it is possible: And that the difficultnesse that is in it do not proceed but of us, which have the remedy in our hands, if we know how to use it. And although that I nor no man that is in the world, cannot, of himself remedy it, yet nevertheless I trust through the help and aide of him which hath it in his power, and which doth comfort those whom it pleaseth him, that I will declare and show unto those which have need, some redress to attain unto it. For although that ⟨p. 3⟩I know not very much, and have not seen much, yet nevertheless I can not deny but that the Lord, who through his grace and mercy hath drawn me from those troubles and anguishes, and from darkness, unto the knowledge of the truth, hath also made me prone many things, of which I may help my poor brethren, whom I can not despise without doing unto them injury and wrong, and to show that I have forgotten the estate in which I have been, and that I am unthankful towards Gods liberality and goodness, who immediately from my youth, being yet at the schools, hath drawn me from that labyrinth of error, before that I was to much plunged in that Babilonical Antichrist, and received the mark of the beast.

And for bicause that I my selfe haue bene longe ynough sicke in that same bedde, and haue experimented and proued howe daungerous that euilt is, and what dolour and torment it bringeth vnto the man that feareth God, and which is afraide to offend hym, for that cause am I the more moued to ayde and succour those which are yet holden fast in the same, and which cannot in the ende finde remedy. Not that I dare of selfe to promise any great thing, sith that I am nothinge but forasmuch as the common prouerbe gyueth vnto