Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in these last
dayes and perillous tymes, hath styrred up in all countreys, witnesses
unto his Sonne, to testifye the truth unto the unfaythfull, to save at
the least some from the snares of Antichrist, which leade to perdition,
as ye may here perceave by that excellent and well learned young man
PATRIKE HAMELTON, borne in Scotland of a noble progeny; who to testifie
the truth, sought all meanes, and tooke upon him Priesthode, (even as
Paule circumcised Timothy, to wynne the weake Jewes,) that he might be
admitted to preache the pure word of God. Notwithstandyng, as soone as
the Chamberleyne [Chancellor[61]] and other Byshops of Scotland had
perceaved that the light began to shyne, which disclosed their falsehode
that they conveyed in darkenes, they layde handes on hym, and because he
wold not deny his Saviour Christ at their instance, they burnt him to
ashes. Nevertheles, God of his bounteous mercy (to publishe to the whole
world what a man these monsters have murthered) hath reserved a little
Treatise, made by this Patrike,[62] which, if ye lyst, ye may call
PATRIK'S PLACES: For it treateth exactly of certaine Common Places,
which knowen, ye have the pith of all Divinitie. This Treatise have I
turned into the English toung, to the profite of my natioun; to whom I
besech God to geve lyght, that they may espye the deceitfull pathes of
perdition, and returne to the right way which leadeth to lyfe
everlastyng.[63] Amen.]
[THE DOCTRINE] OF THE LAW.
The Law is a doctrine that biddeth good, and forbiddeth evill, as the
Commandimentis heir contenit do specifie: