The Clear Proof of the True Church of God

To the Reader.

...Treatise may be profitable to the soul and not, through your own fault, harmful; let us take heed that we do not despise, condemn, or reject—much less slander—that which we do not understand. For another may easily have a higher spiritual experience bevindinge: A central concept in Dutch Reformed spirituality referring to the "experimental" or "experiential" internal knowledge of God's grace, as opposed to purely intellectual belief. than we do. Let us take care not to sin and provoke the wrath of God—who wishes to bring forth His praise out of the mouths of babes A reference to Psalm 8:2 and Matthew 21:16: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise."—lest we later regret it and have to testify against ourselves: We fools accounted these people insane, and see how they are now numbered among the Children of God, etc. Quoting the apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon 5:4-5, which describes the wicked realizing after death that the people they mocked were actually the righteous. This serves, then, as a brief warning for everyone’s own good.

Therefore, O Man, acknowledge your lowly state; for whereas our ancestors, in their simple wisdom, had but one snare of death set before them, we now, in our manifold wisdom, also have manifold