Philemon. What gentleness I found for my Godly travails at the hands of some men in these parties, ye know right well. Therefore when neither by speaking, nor by writing I could do good, I thought it best not rashly to throw my self into the ravening paws of these greedy wolves, but for a certain space to absent my self from their tyranny according 1to the doctrine of the Gospel.
For as there is a time to speak, so is there a time to keep silence 2When the poor are oppressed and trodden under the foot, then shall the wise man, saith the prophet, 3hold his peace, for the ⟨image 5⟩time is evil. And we have a manifest commandment of our saviour Christ, that we should 4not give that which is holy unto dogs, nor caste pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and they turn again and all to rent us. For there be some kind of men so greatly infected with the nature of Suffenus, and encumbered with the properties of Menius, two foolish & vain glorious Poets, that they think nothing well spoken, nothing truly written, except they them selves be the authors & doers thereof, they are those same very hypocrites, 5which find fault at a little mote in an other mans eye, but they can not perceive a great •eame in their own eyes. They are those same Pharisees, which spar up 6the kingdom of heaven before ⟨image 6⟩men. They are those same sawiers 7which take away the key of know ledge, that them selves enter not in, nether suffer they other that would to enter in. They are those same Babilonical backslideds, & •yng children, which will not hear the law of the Lord, but daily cry, 8Loquimini nobis placentia Tel us pleasant things, provide us of errors, care not for the right way, but away with the holy one of Israel from our face, they are those same false christians, of 9whom saint Paul prophesied, which should be lovers of them selves, covetous, high minded, proud, evil speakers, disobedient to their elders, unthankful ungodly, unkind, false of their promise, false accusers, rioters fierce, despisers of them that are good, traitors, heady, standing in their own conceit, lovers rather of pleasures, then lovers of ⟨image 6⟩God, having an outward appearance of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Like as Jannes & Jambres withstood Moses, even so do they also resist the trueth.
Philemon. What gentilnes I found for my Godly trauailes at the hāds of some menne in these parties, ye know ryght well. Therfore when neyther by speaking, nor by writing I coulde do good, I thoughte it best not rashly to throwe my self into the raueneynge pawes of these greadye wolues, but for a certaine space to absent my selfe from theyr tyrannye accordynge 1to the doctrine of the Gospell.
For as there is a time to speake, so is ther a time to kepe scilence 2When the poore are oppressed and troden vnder the fote, then shal the wyse man, sayth the prophete, 3holde hys peace, for the ⟨image 5⟩time is euyl. And we haue a manifeste commaundement of oure sauiour Christe, that we shoulde 4not geue that whych is holy vnto dogs, nor caste pearles before swyne, leste they treade them vn der theyr feete, and they turne againe and al to rent vs. For ther be some kynde of men so greatly infected wt the nature of Suffenus, and accombred wyth the properties of Menius, two foleish & vayne gloriouse Poetes, that they thynke nothynge well spoken, nothynge truly wrytten, excepte they theym selues be the authours & doers thereof, they are those same very hypocrites, 5whych find fault at a little mote in an other mannes eie, but they cā not perceiue a great •eame in theyr own eyes. They are those same Pharises, which sparre vp 6the kingedome of heauen before ⟨image 6⟩mē. They are those same sawiers 7which take awai the key of know ledge, thet thē selues enter not in, nether suffer they other yt wolde to enter in. They are those same Babilonical backslideds, & •yng childrē, which wyll not heare the lawe of the Lorde, but daily cry, 8Loquimini nobis placentia Tel vs pleasaunt things, prouide vs of errours, care not for the ryghte way, but away wt the holi one of Israell from oure face, they are those same faulse christians, of
- 1Matthew, […].Mathew, 〈…〉.
- 2Ecclesi. i•,
- 3[…], […].〈…〉, 〈…〉.
- 4Matthew, vii.Mathew, vii.
- 5Matthew. vii.Mathew. vii.
- 6Mathe. xxiii.
- 7Luke, xi.
- 8Isaiah. xxx.Esai. xxx.
- 9[…]. […]. iii.〈…〉. 〈…〉. iii.
