¶Eusebius. Because that they are pleasant unto the sinful flesh, therefore do ye greedily embrace ⟨image 44⟩them, and desire more that they might be firm and strong, then that ye think them so in deed. For either I am greatly abused, or else ye do wittingly deceive your selves. But now let us come to your arguments, and to begin withal, I do admonish you of one thing: that is, that all those that use to allege these arguments for their excuse, are not in one like state and condition, although they do acknowledge the same trueth that we do. With the heart ye love the gospel of God, but outwardly ye communicate with the papists: hitherto ye agree together, but on the other side there is a difference, for some of you have publicly renounced the papism, and have these certain years freely approved the doctrine of the Gospel, as I, and other have done. But now temptation being come, they leave the evangelic churches and return to the papism and papistry, to the end they may live the more without danger in this world: and thou art Temporiser, one of this company. The other sort, although in their hart they acknowledge the trueth,1 yet did they never publicly confess the same nor maintain it, neither yet renounced the exterior communication with the papists, but still persevere in the same hitherto, of which sort there is in the world no small number: & namely in this land of Almany. Who is he that doeth not now perceive the great difference that is betwixt these two sorts of people, and that to no purpose, they do both allege for them selves the examples of Nicodemus, Joseph, ⟨image 45⟩and Naaman the Syrian? And first, as touching thee, Temporiser, and those that are like unto thee: who have presently forsaken the true religion,2 the which ye have publicly maintained, and are now revolted & turned backward into the same mire and puddle, from the which sometime ye were issued out, & delivered. Truly these examples of Nicodemus & of the other two, do nothing serve for your excuse, nether do ye in any respect imitate their doings. For if these examples might serve for the defence of any dissimulation, yet should it not serve for your side: but rather for them of the other party. Who, as they did never publicly profess the gospel, so can they not be accused of any revolting or renouncing in that behalf.
¶Eusebius. Because that they are pleasaunte vnto the sy••efull fleshe, therefore do ye gredelye imbrace ⟨image 44⟩them, and desire more that they might be fyrme and stronge, then that ye thinke them so in dede. For eyther I am greatly abused, or els ye do wittingly deceyue your selues. But now let vs come to youre argumentes, and to begin withall, I do admonishe you of one thing: that is, that all those that vse to alledge these argumētes for theyr excuse, are not in one lyke state and condicion, although they do acknowledge thesame trueth that we doe. With the harte ye loue the gospel of God, but outwardly ye communicate with the papistes: hytherto ye agree together, but on the other side there is a difference, for some of you haue publykely renounced the papisme, and haue these certaine yeres freely approued the doctryne of the Gospel, as I, and other haue done. But nowe temptacion beyng come, they leaue the euāgelike churches and retourne to the papisme and papistrye, to thende they may lyue the more without daunger in this world: and thou arte Temporisour, one of this company. The other sort, although in theyr hart they acknowledge the trueth,1 yet dyd they neuer publykely confesse the same nor maynteyne it, neyther yet renounced the exteriour communication with the papistes, but styll perseuer in thesame hytherto, of whiche sorte there is in the world no small noumbre: & namely in this lād of Almany. Who is he that doeth not now perceyue the great difference yt is betwixt these two sortes of people, and that to no purpose, they doe both alledge for them selues the examples of Nycodemus, Ioseph, ⟨image 45⟩and Naaman the Syrian? And fyrste, as touchinge thee, Temporisour, and those that are lyke vnto thee: who haue presently forsakē the trew religiō,2 ye which ye haue publikely mayntayned, and are now reuoulted & tourned backwarde into thesame myre and puddle, frō the which sometyme ye were yssewed out, & delyuered. Truelye these exāples of Nicodemus & of the other two, do nothing serue for your excuse, nether do ye in any respecte imitate theyr doynges. For yf these exāples might serue for the defence of any dissimulacion, yet should it not serue for your syde: but rather for thē of ye other party. Who, as they did neuer publikely professe the gospell, so can they not be accused of any reuoulting or renoūcing in that behalf.
- 1England cannot pleat this excuse.Inglande cannot pleat this excuse.
- 2The true Image of England.The trew Image of Ingland.
