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

Therefore he taketh no taught. Nether needeth he to be mighty through his own power / let him but speak a thing in his sleep / and by and by / we have an article of the faith confirmed through the hole church / by other mens diligence. And there are such abominable words / of his own motion and science / and of the fullness of his power and authority / that we wretched christen are almost compelled to worship for Christs Gospel / & fart of this ⟨image 52⟩monsters belly.. So doth this power strengthen and confirm the might and authority of this coward / and slothful idol. Thou mayest nether read nor hear any thing of his doing with judgement but all with honour and obedience. And this persuasion with out doubt is the work of the devil / with occupieth and abuseth our rude minds that he might stablish thorowos (by his subtlety) the power of his idol. For if they should be read with judgment / as sometime men have proved / they should not continue one hour / sith in many places they are clean with out learning / ungodly / & wicked / which never can be able to sustain the judgement and light. This is the point that Satan laboured for in these most holy decrees / to bring it to pass that no man should judge on the Popes acts. And that it should only pertain unto him to interpret the scripture / and declare the faith / lest that his wickedness & abomination should be revelated / if another begin to expound the faith and scripture.

Therfore he taketh no tought. Nether nedeth he to be mightye thorow his awne power / let him but speake a thinge in his slepe / and by and by / we have an article of the faith confirmed thorow the hole chirch / by other mennes diligence. And there are soch abominable wordes / of his awne motion and science / and of the fulnes of his power and authorite / that we wretched christen are almost compelled to worshupe for Christes Gospell / & farte of this ⟨image 52⟩monstres bely.. So doth this power strēgthen and confirme the might and authorite of this coward / and sleuthfull idolle. Thow maist nether read nor heare any thīg of his doinge with iudgement but all with honour and obedience. And this persuasion with out doute is the worke of the devill / wich occupieth ād abvseth oure rude mindes that he might stablish thorowos (by his souteltye) the power of his idolle. For if they shuld be reade with iudgmēt / as somtime men have proved / they shuld not cōtinew one houre / sith in many places they are clene with out learninge / vngodly / & weked / which neuer can be able to sustayne the iudgemēt and lighte. This is the pointe that Sathan labored for in these most holye decrees / to bringe it to passe that no man shuld iudge on the Popes actes. And that it shuld only pertayne vn to him to enterprete the scripture / and declare the faith / lest that his wickednes & abomination shuld be revelated / if a nother begine to expound the faith and scripture.