TO THE ENGLISH READER.
great sadnes, and sorow of hart; not so much for our owne affliction, for that is comfortable, but for you our brethren, and kinsemen in flesh and bloud. Wishing with our owne temporal damage whatsoeuer, your saluation. Now is the acceptable time, now are the dayes of saluation, the time of Grace by Christ, whose dayes manie Kinges & Prophetes desired to see: they saw them (in spirite) and reioyced. But we are made partakers of Christ, and his Mysteries; so that our selues neglect not his heauenly riches: if we receiue & kepe the beginning of his substance, firme vnto the end; that is, the true Catholique faith; building theron good workes by his grace; without which we can not thinke a good thought, by which we can do al thinges necessarie to saluation. But if we hold not fast this ground, al the building fayleth. Or if confessing to know God in wordes, we denie him in deedes, committing workes of darknes; or omitting workes of mercie, when we may doe them to our distressed neighbours; brifly if we haue not charitie, the forme and perfection of al vertues, al is lost, and nothing worth. But if we builde vpon firme grounde, gold, siluer, and precious stones, such building shal abide, and make our vocation sure by good workes. as S. Peter speaketh. These (saith S. Paul) are the heyres of God, coheyres of Christ. Neither is the number of Christs blessed children coūted, as of the Iewes, an hundred fourtie foure thousand, of euerie tribe of Israel twelue thousand signed; but a most great multitude of Catholique Christians, which no man can number, of al nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne of the lambe, clothed in white robes, and palmes (of triumph) in their handes: hauing ouercome tentations in the vertuous race of good life. Much more those which also indure persecution for the truthes sake, shal receiue most copious great rewardes in heauen. For albeit the passions of this time (in themselues) are not condigne, to the glorie to come, that shal be reue-
