A68845:248
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. Thou mayest be sure that he wan many by that practise. For the ambitious, ⟨image 46⟩glorious, and covetous, which desired honours, riches, and offices in the court, and to be heaved up into high dignity, sought to please him, perceiving that they were most made of that most favoured his religion, and were farthest from the Christian religion, which this Apostate hated to the death. But notwithstanding all these practises, he could not win so many by this means as he desired: for, by reason that there were many Christian Emperors before him, since Constantine the great, the number of the Christians was greatly increased, in so much that Julians Court was full, and the greatest part of his officers & servants were Christians. For this cause he used a more subtle craft and dangerous sleight,1 to deceive the most virtuous, & those which most feared God, and his religion. For he knew that good life and holy conversation would much move the people. And because y• Pastors, and Ministers of the Christians, were then of very upright life and holy conversation, and that by their example they stirred and drew men to their religion, and to fellow their doctrine, and also confirmed those more which had already received their religion, ⟨image 47⟩he went about to reform the state and lives of the Priests and religious men of the Paynims,2 and their Gods & Idols, after the example of the Pastors and Ministers of the Christians. And this he did, to the end that the Christians should cast the Gentiles in teeth, with the wicked life of their Priests and Ministers, neither that the Gentiles being offended therewith, should be moved to forsake their heathnish religion, and become Christians. For they that have any spark of the fear of God, yea the very superstitious and Idolaters, mislike their Pastors and Ministers of what religion so ever they be, when they perceive their wicked and vicious life. For even the wicked them selves,3 look for better life then their own at their hands whom they esteem to be their guides, & to have administration of things which they think holy. And therefore they require of such persons a straighter and uprighter life than their own or any other. For they think they have more liberty then they that ought to be the example & rule of their life.