A pistle to the Christen reader The revelation of Antichrist. Antithesis

¹The fourth of these faces / is their vesture clothing and garments. By the which this wicked abomination doth chiefly of all defend him self / for who is he / that this read cape this .ij. horned mitre / and purple hat / do not make proud / holy / and worshipful? how say you to their mules trapped in gold / their gowns set and adorned with gems / and all precious things? And their variety in all points with which they have separate them self from the secular and common clothing of ⟨p. xxvij⟩the christen as from a profane and unclean thing? And it is the greatest offence that can be to touch their shaven head / & their hands which are consecrated with that blessed oil / of their own hallowing / happy is he that is found worthy to be admitted to kiss them. And as for the habits of the religious though they do stablish this face greatly / yet they them self do in a manner abhor them. Here mayest thou see / if one offend in these habits and vestures what great sins spring of it / what scrupulosity of con science / and what cases reserved. What fornication thinkest thou may be compared to this transgression / if one of their shavelings go not to the barber / in a hole month? what murder / if he minister at the altar / with out a stole / with out a phannen / or want any piece of the garment deputed to his office? O this is a worthy religion / and a mete honour / to such saints. Here laws / statutes manners and customs / dispensations / irregularities / and such other abominations (which would cause a man to cast his gorge in remembering them) have their full rule and impery / here in / consisteth the godliness of the christen. These be the holy and pure church of god. Among them the sprite continueth we must believe that these can not err / & for no nother cause but that they are shaven / and so clothed / and carried about on mules and ⟨image 28⟩chariots / all though thy be never so wicked never so ignorant in scripture / ye though they lack their common senses / and be more rude than asses of Arcadia. This face doth so bolden them that they dare presume to do all things.

¹The fourth of these faces / is their vesture clothing and garmētes. By the which this weked abomination doth chefly of all defēd him silfe / for who is he / that this redde cape this .ij. horned myter / and purpull hatte / do not make proude / holy / ād worshupfull? how say yow to their mules trapped ī gold / theyr gownes sett and adorned with gēmes / and all precious thīges? And their variete in all pointes with which they have seperate thē self from the seculare and comen clothing of