A06507:26
A faithful admonition of a certain true pastor and prophet sent unto the Germans…A faithful admonition of a certeyne true pastor and prophete sent vnto the Germanes…
A faithful admonition of a certain true pastor and prophet sent unto the Germans at such a time as certain great princes went about to bring aliens into Germany, [and] to restore the papacy; the kingdom of Antichrist. [Et]c Now tra[n]slated into English for a like admonition unto all true English harts; whereby they may learn and know how to consider [and] receive the proceedings of the English magistrates and bishops. With a preface of M. Philip Melanchthon. ...A faithful admonition of a certeyne true pastor and prophete sent vnto the Germanes at such a time as certain great princes went about to bryng alienes into Germany, [and] to restore the papacy; the kingdom of Antichrist. [Et]c Now tra[n]slated into English for a like admonicion vnto all true Englyshe harts; wherby they may learn and know how to consider [and] receiue the procedinges of the English magistrates and bishops. With a preface of M. Philip Melancthon. ...
Greenwich: printed by Con, 1554Grenewych: printed by Con, 1554
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For if the Spaniards do once enter into our country,1 and may be suffered to nestle them selves there, they will not only at length crepe into the chief Dukedoms, Earldoms and lordships, and deal the same among them selves, but also will establish the Idol of Rome, and the whole cursed Papacy again: which all our country shall repent and rue for ever.2 And yet that is the chief thing, that the spiritual prelates (in giving their aid and counsel thereunto) do seek. They care not what become of this whole noble nation, nor what villainy be use• therein (as the Spaniards are most vile and beastly people given to vice and brutishness) so that they may uphold and maintain their kingdom of Idolatry and superstition, and may reign again. The Lord of heaven disappoint ⟨image 11⟩and subvert their enterprises▪ For whatsoever they can allege, or pretend, to charge those with, which have embraced, and set forth the true religion, as many as have any indifferent knowledge and understanding (if they will not speak against their own conscience) must needs acknowledge and confess, that divers high points, and necessary articles of christen religion, have been sincerely and purely taught, and declared by them. And divers notable errors have by them been disclosed, which before were taught, and preached openly in Pulpits, whereby the people were pitifully seduced. And now such as have truly and faithfully laboured,3 and travelled, to set forth the truth to abandon such Idolatry, and superstition, as the people hath been extremely blinded with, to plant true, necessary and wholesome doctrine, & to root out all falsehood & hypocrisy, they are rewarded for their labour with imprisonment, deprivation of their livings and goods, & with such like rewards. Other causes ⟨image 12⟩may well be pretended of the persecutors, and common cutthroats, as we may hear, but these are the very causes in deed. How long God (which is just in all his works) will suffer & use them as his scourges (as David saith the wicked man is a scourge of the Lord) that let them look unto. For where they pretend, that much disorder, dissension, negligence, security, and offence did reign among the professors of the true religion, without redress or reformation, &c. It cannot be denied, nor they them selves will not deny but that all this is true in deed.