The Printer to the Reader

VVHereas there is promised thee about the latter end of the booke a Treatise of seruice and scripture in the vulgar tongue: know thou that by reason of the continuall warres in this Countrey and the manifolde difficulties which all those that liue here-about doe feele: I haue bene constrained to finish this worke, without ful accomplishment of my promise and purpose. But thou in the meane time enioy this my present which I make thee: & if I shall perceiue that this my labour is grateful vnto thee: then shalt thou in the next edition receiue a perfect recompence for this my defaulte. I haue also set down a Catalogue of the Fathers and Doctours wc are in this Booke alleaged, that thou maiest see how auncient defendours we haue of the Catholike truth: which in deede neither could be Catholicke if it had not antiquitie with it: neither can want antiquitie if it be Catholicke. So that in my iudgement two principall thinges thou shalt finde in this Booke, of themselues sufficient to confirme thy owne Faith, and to confound the negatiue Religion of al aduersaries. The first is the very naked & sincere truth very plainly & expresly set downe. The second is the multitude of witnesses of her sinceritie. For the innocency of truth is such, that it presently commendeth it selfe vnto the beholder and discouereth all malicious slaunders; which when they growe vnto most intollerable impudency, cannot yet abide the force and maiesty of so vnspotted testimonies, against which there cannot be taken any exception. This whereas I my selfe haue founde in the perusing of this worke, I could not but imparte vnto thee my minde and iudgemente. Fare-well.