The images of a very Christen bishop, and of a counterfeit bishopThe images of a verye Chrysten bysshop, and of a couterfayte bysshop

The preface to the reader.

I Do not think good christen reader any reasonable or indifferent person living of so undyscrete and gross judgement, nor yet so malicious or froward to think this wholesome & profitable doctrine of Christ, his apostles & prophets in this little volume hereafter ensuing, worthy either of check, condemn pnacyon, or slander, for the vehemency therein now and then comprised / if at the least there be any such vehemency at all to the sight of any, but of them which feel them selves sensibly touched, and their vices plainly rebuked in the same. Truth it is, that there can be nothing ⟨image 2⟩so wisely warily or sincerely either pronounced or indited, which the blasphemous tongues of false detractors & enemies unto the truth can not craftily pervert to the worst Examples thereof be not so care, but yea thou mayest abundantly find of them in every place enow. Go to christ and his apostles, and see whether the bishops, the scribes, & the pharisees, did not falsely impeach and accuse them of sedition, and to prove their false and most untrue suggestion by them made in that behalf to the high powers, note & mark well I beseech the in reading of the scripture, how devilishly they do calumniate, pervert, writhe, and wrest their deeds and doctrine. And yet if they had ben any thing so malicious as some ⟨image 2⟩such their successors be now a days, how many times more might they have accused them of the same / As for an example, ¹when the apostles were commanded no more to preach in the name of Ihesu / yea & the not only by the bishops and priests, but also by the authority of the temporal power, and were for the in fringing and breaking of the said commandment brought again before the higher power aforesaid, and had made their answer,