Here I have to tell you, what I heard of late by the relation of a credible person, and a worshipful man, of a town in this realm of England,1 that hath above .v.C. heretics of this erroneous opinion in it as he said. Oh so busy the Devil is now to hinder the word coming out, and to slander the Gospel. A sure argument and an evident demonstration, that the light of Gods ⟨image 75⟩word is a board, and that this is a true doctrine that we are taught now,2 else he would not tore and stir about as he doeth when he hath the upper hand. He will keep his possession quietly as he did in the popish days, when he bare a rule of supremacy in peaceable possession. If he reigned now in open religion, in open doctrine as he did than, he would not stir up erroneous opinions, he would have kept us without contention, without dissension. There is no such diversity of opinions among the Turks, nor among the Jews And why? For there he reigneth peaceably in the hole religion, Christ sayth. Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium: et cet. When the ⟨image 75⟩strong armed man keepeth his house, those things that he hath in possession, are in a quietness, he doeth enjoy them peaceably. Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit. But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, when the light of God's word is ones revealed, than he is busy, then he roars then he fisks abroad, and stirreth up erroneous opinions, to slander gods word. And this is an argument that we have the true doctrine. I beseech God continue us and keep us in it. The devil declareth the same, and therefore he roars thus and goeth about to stir up these wanton heads and busy brains. And will you know where this town is? I will not tell you directly. I will ⟨image 76⟩put you to muse a little. I will utter the matter by a circumlocution. Where is it? Where the bishop of the diocese is an unpreaching prelate. Who is that? If there be but one such in all England, it is easy to guess. And if there were no mo but one, yet it were to many by one. And if there be moe, they have the more to answer for, that they suffer in this Realm an unpreaching prelacy unreformed I remember well what. S. Paul sayeth to a bishop. And though he spake it to Timothy being a bishop, yet I may say it now to the magistrates for all is one •ase, all is one matter. Non cō municabis peccatis alienis.
Here I haue to tell you, what I hearde of late by the relation of a credible person, and a worshypful man, of a towne in thys realme of Englande,1 that hathe aboue .v.C. herytykes of thys erroniouse opinion in it as he sayed. Oh so busy the Deuyll is nowe to hynder the woorde commynge oute, and to sclaunder the Gospell. A sure argumente and an euydent demonstration, that the lyght of Gods ⟨image 75⟩worde is a borde, and that thys is a true doctryne that we are taught now,2 else he woulde not tore and styrre aboute as he doeth whan he hathe the vpper hande. He wyl kepe hys possession quyetly as he dyd in the popyshe dayes, whan he bare a rule of supremacye in peaceable possession. If he reigned now in open relygion, in open doctryne as he dyd than, he woulde not styrre vppe erroniouse opynyons, he woulde haue kepte vs wythout contencyon, wythoute dyssencion. There is no suche dyuersytie of opynions amonge the Turkes, nor amōg ye Iewes And why? For ther he raigneth peaceably in the hole relygyon, Christ sayth. Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium: et cet. Whan the ⟨image 75⟩stronge armid man kepeth hys house, those thinges that he hath in possessyon, are in a quyetnes, he doeth enioye them peaceably. Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit. But whan a stronger than he commeth vpon hym, whan the light of goddes word is ones reueled, thā he is busi, thē he rores then he fyskes abrode, and styrreth vp erronius opinions, to sclaūder godds word. And this is an argumente that we haue the true doctryne. I beseche God continewe vs and kepe vs in it. The deuyll declareth the same, and therfor he rores thus and goeth about to stir vp these wanton headdes and busye braynes. And wyll you knowe where thys towne is? I wyll not tell you dyrectlye. I wyll ⟨image 76⟩put you to muse a lyttle. I wyl vtter the matter by a cyrcumloqution. Wher is it? Wher the byshop of the dioces is an vnpreachynge prelate. Who is that? If there be but one suche in al England, it is easi to gesse. And if ther were no mo but one, yet it were to many by one. And yf there be moe, they haue the more to aunswere for, that they suffer in this Realme an vnpreachyng prealeatye vnrefourmed I remember wel what. S. Paule sayeth to a byshop. And thoughe he spake it to Timothe beynge a byshop, yet I may say it now to the magistrates for al is one •ase, al is one matter. Non cō municabis peccatis alienis.
- 1How busy ye Devil is to hinder ye word & slander ye Gospel.How busye ye Deuyll is to hinder ye word & sclaunder ye Gospel.
- 2The devil is busy stirring, is an evident argument that this doctrine is true.The deuyl is busi sturring, is an euidente argument that this doctryne is true.
