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

then let them be bishops then let me be thought to do injury unto them. First Paul writeth unto Tite, that he should constitute and ordain presbyte ros in every town. ¹Here I suppose that no man can deny that ⟨image 87⟩all one thing is signified by this word bresbyter, and by this word Episcopus in saint Pauls writings, for as much as he doth bid Tite that he should in every city constitute presbyteros. And because a bishop ought to be unreprovable, therefore he calleth him presbyterum. It is evident therefore what Paul doth signify & mean by this word Episcopus: ²bishop, that is to say a man excellently good & virtuous, of ripe age, which also hath a chaste wife, and children obedient in the fear of the lord. And the Apostle will that he should have the oversight and governance of the congregation, in the ministry of the word and the administration of the sacraments. Wherefore it is necessary also, that he be learned, ⟨image 87⟩and well exercised in the scriptures, and also as touching his life, unreprovable. I beseech thee, is there any man here so much a stone, that he can either deny these words of the apostle, or else wrest them to any other sense, if he do consider and way well the words that goo before, and that follow after? Besides this it pleaseth me here to ask one question, whether the word of saint Paul be the word of god? whether the ordination of the Apostle be the ordinance of god? For I am assured, that neither the pope, neither the devil him self (although both of them do busily strive & labour all that ever they can to extinct & destroy the word of god) dare deny this ye ⟨image 88⟩Pauls word is God's word, ³and that Pauls ordination is the institution and ordinance of the spirit of god. For albeit that the word of god doth greatly grieve the devil: yet he dare not deny it, but only he useth these subtleties, and devilish crafts that under the colour and cloak of the word of god, and under hypocrisy, he may do & enterprise all things contrary to the word, if then it be the word of god and the ordination of the holy ghost, what soever Paul doth say or ordain: it followeth that what soever thing is done contrary to his word and ordination, the same is done against god, and contrary to the ordinance of the holy ghost. Now if it be against god and his spirit: undoubtedly it is of the devil.