A07942:263
The temporiser (that is to sayThe temporysour (that is to saye
The temporiser (that is to say: the observer of time, or he that changeth with the time.) Compiled in Latin by the excellent clerk Wolfangus Musculus, and tra[n]slated into French by M. Vallerain Pullain. And out of French into English by R.P. 1555.The temporysour (that is to saye: the obseruer of tyme, or he that chaungeth with the tyme.) Compyled in Latyn by the excellent clarke Wolfangus Musculus, and tra[n]slated into Frenche by M. Vallerain Pullain. And out of Frenche into Inglishe by R.P. 1555.
printed by H. Singleton?, 1555
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
☞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 papisie again: so that by thine example the cost of their faith is hindered: perceivest thou these things?