A68845:246
The world possessed with devils containing three dialogues. 1. Of the Devil let loose.…The vvorlde possessed with deuils conteinyng three dialogues. 1. Of the Deuill let loose.…
The world possessed with devils containing three dialogues. 1. Of the Devil let loose. 2. Of black devils. 3. Of white devils. And of the coming of Jesus Christ to judgement, a very necessary and comfortable discourse for these miserable and dangerous days.The vvorlde possessed with deuils conteinyng three dialogues. 1. Of the Deuill let loose. 2. Of blacke deuils. 3. Of white deuils. And of the commyng of Iesus Christe to iudgement, a verie necessarie and comfortable discourse for these miserable and daungerous daies.
London: printed by John Kingston for John Perin, 1583London: printed by John Kingston for Ihon Perin, 1583
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.
Theo. It is Julian the Apostate. When this Julian became Emperor, and had renounced the Christian Religion, which he before professed, he went about with all his might, wholly to abolish it, and to establish ⟨image 46⟩that Heathen religion, which he followed. And because he knew by experience, that the tyrants before him, profited nothing with their persecutions against the Christians, but rather increased that Religion, which they sought to abolish, then diminished it, he took a contrary way to them much more dangerous then theirs. Wherein we may rightly say, that the black devils of his predecessors tyrants,1 converted themselves into a white devil, in the person of this Apostate, for he went not about to pursue the christians, & with cruel persecution, torment and death, to make them renounce their faith, and to embrace his Paganism, but rather to win them by flattery, worldly honour, riches, gifts and presents. And therefore at the first, he entreated them very courteously,2 and commanded that none should torment or trouble them, or constrain them to do Sacrifice to their Gods, but suffer them quietly to live with their own Religion.
Theo. It is Iulian the Apostata. Whē this Iulian became Emperour, and had renounced the Christian Religion, which he before professed, he went about with all his might, wholy to abolishe it, and to establish ⟨image 46⟩that Heathen religiō, whiche he followed. And because he knewe by experience, that the tyrantes before hym, profited nothyng with their persecutions against the Christians, but rather increased that Religion, whiche thei sought to abolishe, then diminished it, he tooke a contrary waie to them muche more dāgerous then theirs. Wherin we maie rightly saie, that the blacke deuils of his predecessors tyrantes,1 cōuerted themselues into a white deuill, in the persone of this Apostata, for he went not about to pursue the christians, & with cruell persecution, torment and death, to make them renounce their faithe, and to embrace his Paganisme, but rather to win them by flattery, worldly honour, riches, giftes and presentes. And therefore at the first, he entreated them very courteously,