Although these six and twenty years wholly I have not unwillingly wanted that our native country, whose beauty doth entice so many strangers from far to come unto it, because I had no delight nor desire to dwell in that land whence Gods truth, pure Religion, and the doctrine of eternal salvation was banished, forth of the which Christs kingdom was violently driven, neither yet at this day do I greatly desire the same: yet to forget the people and nation of whom I was borne, it were neither any point of humanity, neither lawful so to do. And I do suppose that I have with plain proofs declared how carefully and earnestly I have desired to profit our countrymen: unto whom it may be that mine absence hath been profitable whiles that by my study and travail they have received more fruit. The consideration of the which commodity hath not only wiped away all grief, but hath made mine exile sweet and comfortable. Wherefore seeing all this long time I have laboured publicly to profit my countrymen of France, and have not ceased privately also to stir up the slothful, to prick forward the sluggish, to encourage the fearful, to exhort the doubtful weaklings unto perseverance: I thought it now my duty in this dangerous time, not to slake my diligence towards them, especially God giving me so good occasion to do it. For when my Lectures wherein I did interpret Daniels Prophecies should come abroad, nothing could have come to hand more aptly, then hereby to show unto you dear brethren in this glass, how that God willing to prove the faith of his at this time with diverse exercises, hath provided by his marvellous wisdom, to confirm and establish their minds with old examples, lest they ⟨image 4⟩should at any time faint, being shaken with most grievous storms and tempests, or at least if they should at sometime come into any doubtful distress, that they should not fall away in the end. For though there be appointed to the servants of God a course or race beset with many dangers and impediments: yet who soever shall diligently read and consider this book, he shall find therein contained, what so ever is apt and meet to direct and guide him that is not slothful but forward, from the beginning to the end of his race: and the good and stout champions shall know by experience that they are sufficiently armed to the combat.
ALthough these sixe and twēty yeares wholly I haue not vnwillyngly wāted that our natiue countrey, whose beauty doth entice so many straūgers from farre to come vnto it, because I had no delite nor desire to dwell in that land whence Gods truth, pure Religion, and the doctrine of eternall saluatiō was banished, forth of the which Christs kyngdome was violently driuen, neither yet at this day do I greatly desyre the same: yet to forget the people and nation of whom I was borne, it were neither any poynt of humanity, neither lawful so to do. And I do suppose that I haue with playne proofes declared how carefully and earnestly I haue desired to profit our countreymen: vnto whom it may be that myne absence hath bene profitable whiles that by my study and trauayle they haue receiued more fruite. The cōsideration of the which commodity hath not onely wyped away all grief, but hath made myne exile swete and comfortable. Wherefore seyng all this long tyme I haue laboured publikely to profite my coū treymē of Fraunce, and haue not ceassed priuatly also to styrre vp the slouthful, to pricke forward the sluggish, to encourage the fearefull, to exhorte the doubtfull weakelynges vnto perseueraunce: I thought it now my duety in this daungerous tyme, not to slake my diligence towardes thē, especially God geuing me so good occasion to do it. For when my Lectures wherin I dyd interpretate Daniels Prophecies should come abroad, nothyng could haue come to hand more aptly, then hereby to shew vnto you deare brethren in this glasse, how yt God willing to proue ye fayth of his at this time with diuerse exercises, hath prouided by his maruelous wisedome, to confirme and establish their myndes with old examples, lest they ⟨image 4⟩should at any tyme faynt, beyng shaken with most greuous stormes and tempestes, or at least if they should at sometyme come into any doubtfull distresse, that they should not fall away in the ende. For though there be appoynted to the seruauntes of God a course or race beset with many daungers and impedimentes: yet who soeuer shall diligently read and consider this booke, he shall finde therin conteyned, what so euer is apte and meete to direct and guyde hym that is not slouthfull but forward, from the begynnyng to the end of hys race: and the good and stoute champions shall know by experience that they are sufficiently armed to the combate.
