To the reader

 

IF thou doest rede thys whole

worke, beholde rather the matter

and excuse the speeche, consydering

it is the worke of a woman wiche

hath in her neyther science or know-

ledge, but a desyre that eche one

might se what they gifte of god doth

when it pleaseth hym to justifie the

harte of a man. For what thinge is

a man (as for hys owne strenght)

before that he hath receyved the gifte

of fayth wherby onely hath the know-

ledge of the goodnes, wisedom and

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power of god, and as soone as he

knowethe the truthe, than is his hart

full of love, and charitie. So that by

the ferventenes therof he doth exclu-

de all vayne feare, and stedfastely

doth hope upon god unfaynedly.

Even so the gifte the wich oure crea-

toure giveth at the beginninge doth

never reste tyll he hath made hym

godly, wich putteth hys trust in god.

O the hapy gifte wich causeth a ma[n]

to be like unto god and to possesse

hys so desyred dwellinge. Alas no

man coulde never understande it, on-

les by this gifte god hathe gyven

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hym it and he hath great cause to

doubte of it, onles god hath made hym

fele it into hys harte. Therfore reader,

with a godly mynde: i beseche

the to take it pacientely to peruse this

worke, wich is but lytell, and taste

nothinge but the frutte of it: praieng

to god, full of all goodnes, that in

your harte he will plante

the lively fayth.

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