Over & besides this the ministers of the word of god are ⟨image 13⟩principally bounden here unto, 1that they shall more sharply rebuke the bishops and the primates of the Church, then the worldly princes and rulers, and that for many causes. First because that ecclesiastical highness and dignity, as it is now, is not of god. For god doth not a knowledge neither elect this disguised and painted deceitful people, and these childish, and in a manner counterfeit, & Nicolaicall bishops, for as much as they do neither teach, neither yet do execute any point belonging to the office of a bishop. Secondarily these shadows of bishops have not ben constituted by men, but they have exalted their own selves, & they have catched unto them selves empire, dominion, & lordships against both god ⟨image 13⟩and men, against reason, common sense or judgement, 2after the nature and property of tyrants, which do rule only by the wrath and great indignation of god / The temporal or worldly governors and officers are constituted by the gracious favour and merciful ordinance of god, 3to the chastisement and punishment of evil men, and to the protection defence and maintenance of good men. 4Besides this the worldly governors, although they do injury and wrong never so much, and do unjustly & wickedly: yet for all that they do but only hurt the temporal good des and the body. But these great estates and prelates of the church, if they be not good and virtuous, and do promote and set forwards the course of the word ⟨image 14⟩of god unfeignedly and with their hearts: they are mere wolves. and most cruel murderers of souls. And it is much like in evil & wicked bishops, as if Satan him self having a mitre on his head, and rings on his fingers, did sit in a chair and did rule the people. Wherefore even the bishops also, which do not teach the pure word of god, are no less to be eschewed then the devil him self. For wheresoever the word of god is not, 5there without doubt is nothing else but humane error, mere doctrine of devils, and butchery and slaughter of souls, For the consciences or souls, without the word of god can neither live, neither be delivered ⟨image 14⟩from the devil.
OVer & besydes this ye myny sters of the worde of god ar pryn ⟨image 13⟩cypally bounden here vnto, 1that they shall more sharply rebuke ye bysshops and ye prymates of the Churche, then the worldly prynces and rulers, and that for many causes. Fyrste because that ecclesiastycall hyghnes and dignytie, as it is nowe, is not of god. For god dothe not a knowledge neyther electe this dysgysed and paynted deceytefull people, and thyse childysshe, and in a maner counterfayte, & Nicolaicall bysshops, for as moche as they doo neyther teache, neyther yet do execute any poynte belongynge to the offyce of a bysshop. Secūdaryly these shadowes of bysshops haue not ben cōstytuted by men, but they haue exalted theyr own selues, & they haue catched vnto them selues empyre, domynyon, & lordshyps agaynst bothe god ⟨image 13⟩and men, agaynst reason, cōmensence or iudgement, 2after the nature and propretie of tyrauntes, whiche do rule onely by ye wrath and great indygnacyon of god / The temporal or worldly gouer nours and offycers are constytuted by the gracyous fauour and mercyfull ordynaunce of god, 3to the chastysement and punysshement of euyl men, and to the proteccyon defence and mayntenaū ce of good men. 4Besydes this ye worldly gouernours, althoughe they do iniurye and wronge neuer so moche, and do vniustlye & wyckedly: yet for all that they do but onely hurte ye temporal good des and ye body. But these great estates and prelates of the churche, yf they be not good and vertuous, and do promote and sette forwardes the course of the worde ⟨image 14⟩of god vnfaynedly and with theyr hertes: they are mere wolues. and moste cruell murderers of soules. And it is moche lyke in euyll & wycked bysshops, as yf Sathan hym selfe hauynge a mytre on his hed, and rynges on his fingers, dyd sytte in a chayre and dyd rule the people. Wherfore euen the bysshops also, whiche do not teache the pure worde of god, ar no lesse to be eschewed then ye deuyll hym self. For whersoeuer the worde of god is not, 5there without doubte is nothynge elles but humayne erroure, mere doctryne of deuylles, and butcherye and slaughter of soules, For ye conscyences or soules, withoute the worde of god can neyther lyue, neyther be delyuered
- 1The preachers ought much rather to rebuke the spyrytuallheddes, then the temporal, for diverse just causes. Nicolaicass bishops, I ween he mean ye bishops made of children at saint Nicholas time.The preachers oughte moche rather to rebuke the spyrytuallheddes, then the tēporal, for dyuerse iust causes. Nicolaicass bysshops, I wene he meane ye bysshops made of chyldren at saynte Nicholas tyme.
- 2Tyrants.Tyrauntes.
- 3Temperas princes & governors.Temꝑas pryncꝭ & gouernours.
- 4No. 13.
- 5The word of god.The worde of god.
