WHEN I HAD finished the translation of this Book, (right Reverend father) and being persuaded by some of my godly friends, to publish the same in Print, for that it was a Book not only containing the whole sum of our Christian Religion, but also answers to all the objections which our adversaries the Papists may or can object against us, bearing any similitude or likelihood of truth: and again also considering with my ⟨image 3⟩self, that in these our days, being the last, and therefore the most perilous and dangerous days, for so our saviour Christ him self teacheth us, wherein we have great need to be furnished against the assaults of the enemies of true Religion: and weighing with my self the godly mind of the author, D. Henry Bullinger, who wrote the same in his own natural tongue, for the profit of his Countrymen, as more largely appeareth in his own preface, where he declareth why he took this matter in hand, a man of most singular learning and virtuous living, for whom all christendom is bound to magnify the majesty of god, declaring his love towards us, in sending such an excellent member to his Church, who painfully travelled, not only in Lectures and Sermons, even in his old and feeble age, but also wrote many Books, so that it can not well be discerned, in which of these two exercises he did most exceed in labour: thought I could do God no better service, and no greater pleasure to my Countrymen, than to make them partakers of such a ⟨image 3⟩precious pearl as this. For that it is a sure shield and strong furnished fortress against the carping tongs and clapping clacks of Mo••• his race. For such is the great frowardness & obstinacy of some men, that although God of his mercy and clemency hath repressed and beaten down the frozen, frosty, and dark mountains of Popish Cimmeria, whereby the clearness of his Gospel was kept from us, and hath caused the most comfortable bright beams of his Gospel to shine forth over us, yet they most wickedly blindfold them selves with the thick and foggy mists of mans imaginations, and so rebelling against God their Creator, chose rather stubbornly to abide in their old horrible darkness, than willingly to embrace the comfortable light of so merciful a God. Wherefore I mused with my self, to whom chiefly I might dedicate this treatise:
WHEN I HAD finished the translation of thys Booke, (right Reuerende father) and being persvvaded by some of my godly freends, to publishe the same in Printe, for that it vvas a Booke not onely conteyning the vvhole summe of our Christian Religion, but also ansvveres to all the obiections vvhich our aduersaries the Papistes may or can obiecte agaynst vs, bearing any similitude or likelyhode of truthe: and agayne also considering vvith my ⟨image 3⟩selfe, that in these our dayes, beeing the laste, and therefore the moste perillous and daungerous dayes, for so our sauiour Christ him selfe teacheth vs, vvherin vve haue great neede to be furnished against the assaultes of the enimies of true Religion: and vvaying vvith my selfe the godly minde of the author, D. Henry Bullinger, vvho vvrote the same in hys ovvne naturall tongue, for the profite of his Countreymen, as more largely appeareth in his ovvne preface, vvhere he declareth vvhy he tooke this matter in hande, a man of moste singular learning and vertuous liuing, for vvhom all christendome is bound to magnifie the maiestie of god, declaring his loue tovvards vs, in sending such an excellent member to his Church, vvho paynfully traueled, not only in Lectures and Sermons, euen in his olde and feble age, but also vvrote many Bookes, so that it can not vvell be discerned, in vvhich of these tvvo exercises he did most excede in labor: thought I could do God no better seruice, and no greater pleasure to my Countreymen, than to make them partakers of suche a ⟨image 3⟩precious perle as this. For that it is a sure shield and strong furnished fortresse agaynst the carping tongs and clapping clacks of Mo••• his race. For such is the gret frovvardnesse & obstinacie of some men, that althoughe God of his mercy and clemencie hath repressed and beatē dovvne the frosen, frostie, and darke mountayns of Popish Cimmeria, vvherby the clearenesse of his Gospell vvas kepte from vs, and hath caused the most comfortable bright beames of his Gospell to shyne foorthe ouer vs, yet they most vvickedly blyndfield them selues vvyth the thicke and foggie mystes of mans imaginations, and so rebelling agaynst God their Creator, chose rather stubbornely to abyde in their olde horrible darkenesse, than vvillingly to embrace the comfortable lyghte of so mercyfull a God. VVherefore I mused vvith my selfe, to vvhome cheefly I might dedicate this treatise:
