A97377:21
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, &…A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, &…
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherein, as in a mirror or glass ye shall see [the] excellence and worthiness of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due unto public rulers of all th[os]e [that] profess Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in extern & outward things, to their utter damnation, do otherwise then well: translated out of Latin into English, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherin, as in a mirrour or glasse ye shal se [the] excellencte and worthynesse of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due vnto publique rulers of all th[os]e [that] professe Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in externe & outward thinges, to their vtter dampnatyon, do otherwyse then well: translated out of Latyn into Englishe, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.
Worcester : Imprinted the third day of April. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worcester in the high street, by John Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551Worcester : Imprynted the third daye of Aprill. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worceter in ye hygh strete, by Ihon Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551
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.
A digression Hear, must I somewhat digress from my purpose, and declare what kind of people they be that make this busyness and stir up contention in this Realm and common weal.1 There be a sort of men which now at this present hour that the evangely call doctrine, is purely and sincerely preached, do seek nothing else in the scriptures and gospel, but a carnal and fleshly liberty, going about with their crafty and subtle reasons and texts of the scriptures, half alleged, to persuade the ignorant people that they are not bound to obey temporal ⟨image 25⟩rulers & magistrates. These men sitting upon there ale benches, wheresoever they dare utter their poison conveniently, do inculcate and beat into mens heads,2 that no christian can lawfully execute the office of a magistrate. Which office of a magistrate, say they, is neither profitable, nor yet necessary to a christian common weal Wherefore, away with these tyrants, kill them, rote them out of the earth, ye contrary to Christs word & doctrine, do most presumptuously take upon them, to be rulers, or rather tyrants over the people of Christ, to whom he did, so dearly, with the shedding of his most precious blood, purchase a perpetual freedom and liberty. This is done commonly in those places where the pure seed of the gospel,3 hath been diligently sown. For there the devil whiles men are a sleep, is most busy to sow in his cockle & darnel. Which would god, it were diligently weeded out by the magistrates and rulers, that these most pestiferous Anabaptists & Libertines, might ones both feel and know, that they do not bear the sword, delivered unto them of of god, in vain. In other places where they do yet for the most part, sit in darkness ⟨image 25⟩of ignorance and shadow of death the popes darlings are the stirrers up of all mischief. For they, by there hypocrisy blandiloquence and flattery, are so far sunk in to mens stomachs, that they can easily persuade them, that both the king and all his honourable council, are ungodly, yea & stark heretics. Have they not (will ye shavelings say to the poor simple folks of their country) taken away & broken our godly images? Have they not abolished our holidays, put down our ceremonies, and disannulled the holy & blessed Mass? Look how unreverentlye they do use the blessed sacrament of the Altar.