☞Eusebius. First of all, put the case, that I were one of those rude ignorant people, that nether understood the cause that is in disputation, nether ye• thy mind in that behalf. Tell me (I pray thee) in the name of the living God, when I shall see thee at the Temple of Idols, at the altar, at their sacrifices, at their masses, in assisting the with thy presence at all those, in putting of thy cap, making reverence, & kneeling down with them, what ⟨image 37⟩other thing then can I think & judge of thee, but that thou doest likewise reverence & worship those services, as I do? And what other thing doth this thine example work in me, but only a confirmation in mine error, in wtdrawingine thereby from the trueth of the gospel? For I shall think this with my self: what, behold yonder the Temporiser, who hath so many years favoured this new opinion, that is now suppressed & overthrown it cannot be chosen but that he knoweth all the secretes thereof, & yet see now he changeth his opinion & converteth unto us, that which truly he would not do, if he wer• not thoroughly persuaded, that he was seduced & abused by the new gospel which he lately professed, & now knoweth certainly that we have the true gospel, & that we are the true church: god defend that ever I should forsake this church and religion: yea, we shall well perceive shortly that all those that are seduced will come home again to their mother holy church from that which they have so long strayed. Consider here, Temporiser, what great occasion of evil thou givest by this thine example unto the simple & ignorant people, who have the zeal of god, but not according to knowledge. For to what other end tendeth these words of Jesus Christ; but •o thy condemnation,1 whereas he saith: who soever doth offend or cause to stumble one of these little ones ye believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, & so to be cast into the midst of the sea. For this thine example doth not only confirm the blind papists in their error, in hindering them thereby to come to the ⟨image 38⟩knowledge of the trueth, but also that worst i• it doeth hinder and trouble the faith of those little […], who have only begun to believe in Christ, in putting them in danger to return to the papisi•e again: so that by thine example the co••st of their faith is hindered: perceivest thou these things?
☞Eusebius. Firste of al, put the case, that I were one of those rude ignoraūt people, that nether vnderstode the cause that is in disputaciō, nether ye• thy mynd in that behalf. Tel me (I pray the) in the name of the liuing God, whē I shal se thee at the Tēple of Idols, at the •ultar, at their sacrifices, at their masses, in assistinge the wt thy presence at althose, in puttinge of thy cap, making reuerēce, & kneling downe with thē, what ⟨image 37⟩other thing thē can I thinke & iudge of the, but that yu doest likewyse reuerēce & worship those seruices, as I do? And what other thing doth this thine exāple worke in me, but only a cōfirmaciō in myne errour, in wtdrawingine therby frō the trueth of the gospel? For I shall thinke this wt my self: what, behold yonder the Tēporisour, who hath so many yeres fauoured thys new opiniō, yt is now suppressed & ouerthrowē it cannot be chosen but yt he knoweth al ye secretes therof, & yet se now he chaūgeth his opiniō & cōuerteth vnto vs, yt which truely he woulde not do, yf he wer• not thorowly perswaded, yt he was seduced & abused by ye new gospel whiche he lately professed, & now knoweth certainly yt we haue ye trew gospel, & yt we are the trew church: god defēde yt euer I should forsake this church and religion: yea, we shal wel perceyue shortly yt al those yt are seduced wil come home agayn to their mother holy church frō yt which thei haue so lōge straied. Cōsidre here, Tēporsour, what great occasiō of euil thou geuest by this thine exāple vnto the simple & ignoran••te people, who haue ye zeale of god, but not according to knowledge. For to what other end tendeth these wordes of Iesus Christe; but •o thy cōdemnatiō,1 wheras he saith: who soeuer doth offēd or cause to stūble one of these litle ones ye beleue in me, it were better for him that a mylstone were hanged aboute his necke, & so to be cast into ye middes of ye sea. For this thine example doth not only cōfirme the blind papistes in their errour, in hindring thē therby to come to ye ⟨image 38⟩knowledge of the trueth, but also that worst i• it doeth hinder and trouble the feyth of those little 〈…〉, who haue onely begon to beleue in Christ, in putting them in daunger to retourne to the papisi•e agayne: so that by thyne example the cost of theyr fayth is hindered: perceyuest thou these thinges?
- 1Nota. Math. 18
