To the most mighty and noble Prince and Lord, Friderike Countie Palatine by the Rhene, Duke of either Bauaria, Elector of the sacred Romane Empire, his most gratious Prince and Lorde, Gasper Oleuian Treuir, wisheth from his heart, grace and peace from our Lorde Iesus Christ

There are two special causes (most noble Prince Elector, and my verie good Lorde) which haue moued me to the publishing of this little booke. One, that I might profite the studious youth by this easie & plaine doctrine, to wit, to the end that by the taste thereof, they may be stirred vp and prouoked to the ministerie of the worde of God. For verily, they chiefly serue the Church of Christ, who allured by the sweetnes of the heauenly doctrine (because they haue tasted how good the Lorde is) and being stirred vp with a care of promoting his glory, offer vp to the faithful people, yea rather to Christ himselfe, their diligence, yea and in a sorte themselues also. And truely it is a great matter, euē frō the tender yeres to haue deeply tasted Christ in his heauēly doctrine: for frō thence doth necessarily flow (as Peter calleth it) that same desire of the syncere milke of his worde,¹ and that same feruent desire of communicating of it vnto others. Many good and learned men here, know that this was the best and principal cause of the publishing hereof, vnto whō I cōmunicated (some yeares past) those things which now I set forth, and also declared the purpose of the publishing therof: But hitherto, I haue deferred the same, because I feared least this simplicitie of teaching, and writing not so filed and laboured, should not satisfie many, wherwith I endeuoured not so much to feede their eares as their mindes. An other cause was, that it might be a testimonie of doctrine, against that same tempest which in many places is stirred vp against this Church. Against this, I would set this bulwarke of sande, if peraduenture God who is mightie in the weake, would vouchsafe to appease the same in the mindes of certaine more moderate than the rest, & also asswage it a litle in others. For I haue thought of that same greate power of God, whereby he hath set vnto the sea her boūds: which whē it woulde seeme with his hugenes, to ouerwhelme the whole earth, by the commaundement of God, all his force is broken against the softe sand: I haue trusted therefore that through this simple and plaine declaration, of the groundes of our religion, which hitherto we haue vsed, that the Lord would bring some good thinge to passe, for the appeasing of certaine mens mindes, vnto whom peraduenture our innocencie, hithervnto hath beene lesse knowne. Many keepe a great stirre, as though horrible doctrine sounded in the congregation of this Church, and such rumors are scattered abrode farre and wide. Some may say that euen a sea of sclaunderous reproches, is vomited out against vs, wherewith we might be drowned. But whie rage you, ô good sirs? (for let it be free for me, by your highnes leaue, euen to compell them) consider all the articles of our Christian faith, will you finde in any one any such matter of raging? Be not all thinges exacted to the rule of God his word, and are they not directed to edification in true and sound godlines? If you your selues doe not feele that same consolation in your consciences of this doctrine, I will freely graunt, that iustlie you rise vp against vs: But take heed I beseech you, that you rise not vp against your owne conscience, against God himselfe, who in the conscience hath erected his high seate. For certeinly nothing hath bin done of vs in corners. We haue manie, yea innumerable witnesses of the exposition of this christan doctrine, yea your highnes it selfe, who shal reade the selfesame thinges here, which publiquely you heaue now hard these fiften yeres past, in which it hath pleased the Lord that I should deliuer here vnto his Church these principall grounds of the christian faith. You haue now (most noble prince Elector) the causes of the publishing hereof, which as I know to be true, so I doubted not to lay them open to your highnes.

Now as touching that, which may priuately concerne your highnes, this shorte treatise lately drawne out of those catechising sermons of the former yeares, shalbe at the least wise some signification of a thankefull minde, for a speciall benifite, for that, your highnes hath giuen enterteinment to that same heauenly doctrine, the vndoubted word of the prophets and Apostles reueiled vnto men; and also hath procured to many of the children of God, (being gathered together vnder the winges of your highnes, with more than a fatherly clemencie) the pure doctrine of saluation, administred altogether with an heroical and principall spirite, and altogether through the grace of God, with a chearfull minde. Now if againe, in this your highnes age, (which the Lord vouchsafe to renue, as the age of the Egle) your highnes by the reading of the doctrine of God his prouidence, of the power of Christ his resurrection, of the euerlasting righteousnes now brought into light, and of the glorious gouernment of all thinges, of Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father, in the heauens, and especially of his Church, of which he is the head: if youre highnes (I say) by his mercifull acceptation an elect and noble member of his, do conceiue any spirituall gladnes in the middest of these miseries of the Church, whereby God doth alwaies exercise your highnes faith, this certainly shalbe my greatest desire, and the matter of all our ioy. The Lord Iesus continue your highnes, (who haue by so many meanes so fauorablie comforted me in this sicknes, and chiefly with that same excellent gifte of God, I meane with that cleare well water) to inrich the same againe with all kinde of blessinges, together with all your posteritie, to the aduancement of his glorie, and the consolation of Gods children. Amen: vntil that same eternal sonne of God fill vs with ioye, gathered together vnto himselfe into heauē, with that same sweete and euerlasting sighte of himselfe: your highnes (I say,) with all that call vppon his name, & lead vs to those foūtaines of euerlasting waters. Amen. Faithfull is he that hath promised & he wil bring it to passe. Giuen at Heydelberge the 19. day of March Anno D. 1576.

Your excellent highnes his most boūden. Gasper Oleuian, minister of Gods worde.

Footnotes

1. 1. Pet. 2.2.
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