Moreover y• Priests,1 which should be overseers of y• people, are all blind as the Prophet saith, they are all with out knowledge, they are dumb dogs, not able once to bark, they have a pleasure to look upon vain things, they give them selves to sluggishness, they lie snorting all day, yea they are unshamefaced dogs, that have never enough. The shepherds themselves are with out all knowledge. All follow their own ways, every one of them •s given into covetousness,2 even from the highest to the lowest. God saith, Cry, cease not. But they turn ca•te in the pan & say, Cease, cry not. God ⟨image 5⟩saith, Lift up thy voice as a tromp. But they say, whist, not a word unless we be suspect to be fellows of the new learning. God saith, show unto the people their wickednesses, and rebuke their sinful living. Na by saint Mary say they, all thing save that. It is good sleeping in an who•e skin. He is not wise that will cast himself into trouble, when he may live in rest. O Lord have mercy upon us. By this means is it come to pass, that virtue is so little regarded, & vice so universally used. Woe be to those priests, which neglect their office, flatter the people & suffer them to live in all wickedness. For they are the Authors of all evil. They are the occasion that so many souls perish. They cause y• so much mischief & abomination reigneth now a days. Their negligence, there silence, their dissolute living ⟨p. iiii⟩cause, y• Gods word is so evil regarded among many, and y• so great wickedness suppresseth y• honour of the christen religion. Is it any marvel? We see that y• body withereth away, perisheth and decayeth, if it wanteth corporal sustenance. Is it than to be thought y• the soul can be in salve estate, if it wanteth her meat, I mean y• word of God?3 Christ saith, Man shall not live with bread alone, but with every word,4 that cometh forth from the mouth of God. Solomon also saith.5 When y• preaching of Gods word faileth, than perish the people & come to nought. We find this true every day more & more. For the longer we live, the more wickedness do we see reign.
Morouer y• Prestes,1 which shuld be ouersears of y• people, are al blind as the Prophet sayth, they are all wt out knowlege, they are dumme dogges, not able once to barke, they haue a pleasure to looke vpon vayne thynges, they gyue them selues to sluggyshenes, they lyghe snortynge all daye, yea they are vnshamefaced dogges, that haue neuer ynoughe. The sheppardes themselues are wt out all knowledge. All follow theyr owne wayes, euery one of thē •s giuē into couetousnes,2 euen from the hyghest to the lowest. God sayth, Crye, cease not. But they turne ca•te in ye panne & saye, Cease, crye not. God ⟨image 5⟩sayth, Lyfte vp thy voyce as a trō pe. But they saye, whyst, not a word vnles we be suspecte to be fellowes of the new lerning. God sayth, show vnto the people theyr wyckednesses, and rebuke theyr synneful lyuynge. Na by saynt Mary say they, al thīg saue that. It is good sleapyng in an who•e skynne. He is not wyse yt wyll cast hymselfe into trouble, whan he maye lyue in reste. O Lorde haue marcy vpon vs. By thys meanes is it come to passe, that vertue is so lytyll regarded, & vice so vniuersallye vsed. Wo be to those prestes, whiche neglecte theyr office, flatter the people & suffer them to lyue in al wyckednes. For they are the Authors of all euell. They are the occasion that so many soules perysh. They cause y• so much myschyfe & abhominacion reygneth now a dayes. Theyr negligence, ther silēce, theyr dissolute lyuing ⟨p. iiii⟩cause, y• Gods worde is so euyll regarded among many, and y• so great wyckednes suppresseth y• honour of the christen religion. Is it ony maruell? We se that y• bodye wythereth awaye, perysheth and decayeth, if it wanteth corporal sustenaunce. Is it thā to be thought y• the soule cā be in salue estate, if it wāteth her meat, I mene y• word of God?3
- 1Isaiah. lvi.Esay. lvi.
- 2Esa. lviii.
- 3Matth. iiii.
- 4Deut. viii.
- 5P•o. xxix.
