A06507:54
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.
Now come thy way, such manifest thieves and robbers shalt thou defend and maintain with thy obedience, that they may not only continue and go forward in their wickedness without repentance or reformation, but also that they be strengthened and encouraged to continue therein. See now, what danger thou shalt cast thy self into by such obedience. For of ⟨image 35⟩all this robbery and theft shalt thou be guilty of, and a partaker before God, if thou doest obey these proceedings, which tend to the setting up and restoring again (as all men may easily perceive) of the popes authority and jurisdiction.1 And so besides all this also, thou shalt charge thy self with all the innocent blood that the pope hath hitherto or shall hereafter shed through his practises, and also with all the sorrow & heaviness▪ that he hath wrought or shall hereafter work in this nation to maintain his kingdom. Howe many thousands have been murdered by his tyranny, and are like hereafter to be murdered, if he may obtain his usurped jurisdiction, which doubtless the godless Spaniards, will labour to restore out of hand? Alas how wil• thou be able to bear upon thy neck so much innocent blood (whereof thou shalt make thy self partaker by thy obedience) seeing it is an intolerable thing, to be guilty of one mans blood I will not here rehearse other abominations of the papists, what poison, ⟨image 35⟩treason, malice and spite they use and practise daily. I think no tong upon earth can rehearse all the abominations of the papistry, but by these points now rehearsed and by the daily ensamples that they practise, we may easily gather the rest.2 And if it were not that the Pope must needs be the very Antichrist & his adherents Antichrists imps, which in all things must evermore be contrary to Christ, men might marvel and wonder how they could so continually use so much abomination. But seeing it is so,3 & can no notherwyse be, it must needs consequently follow, that like as Christ did lead and teach a most pure, sincere excellent, chaste, sober, holy, and godly life: Even so contrary wise must this Antichrist the pope and his adherents, lead, teach & maintain, a most shameful, blasphemous, filthy, cursed, beastly abominable, hellish life: how could he else in all points declare himself to be the enemy of Christ and the very right Antichrist?