1What shall we say? thee names of them are noisome and hurtful. Which thing we do see now a days to be most true. I know some, which if they were a little otherwise handled, or some what more straitly look upon, but even half so much, as they did look upon us, when they bare rule and were in high authority, having those laws in their hands, which (no man, of what degree soever he was bearing open his mouth against them) they had made them selves. We should see, & that shortly, all those shires, that have not yet received the word, to come merely, & with a lusty courage, and joyful hart, unto thee trueth and gospel, which are no only letted and stopped, by the glorious names and titles, of such high renowned persons.2 Well, it was not for nought (as I have often said, and now I say it again) that those godly kings, which in times past did put down all idolatry, & superstition, setting up again, withal godly study & diligence,3 the true worshipping of the living god, did slay & kill up all Baal's priests, & false prophets of groves, & hill altars. Which thing truly they did, because that ⟨image 6⟩they should not bring the people again into error. Nor let any man think here, that it was cruelly done, no more, than when a rotten remember is cut of, from the body, lest that it should infect all the whole. Is it not (I pray you) much more expedient, that .viii hundred and .L. false prophets, should be killed up, by some Elijah, than that all the whole Israel should perish. Judge ye all, that have any wit in your heads. Howe be it, it is not my will,4 that any man should be murdered or put to death, onelesse it be with the sword of the spirit, & as the lord speaketh him self by the prophet, saying: I will smite the earth with the rode of my mouth, & with the breath of my lips,5 will I slay the ungodly, I would wish, that all such persons should be allured & won, by charitable means, that they might perceive & see, that much more gentleness is showed unto them, then they have afore times showed unto us, & again that the magistrates, do seek only for their amendment, and salvation of their souls, and not for their chests and coffers.
1What shall we saye? thee names of them are noisome and hurtful. Which thing we do se now a daies to be most true. I know some, which yf they were a lyttel otherwyse handeled, or some what more strayghtly loke vpon, but euē halfe so moch, as they dyd loke vppon vs, when they bare rule and were in high auctoritie, hauing those lawes in their hādes, which (no man, of what degre soeuer he was bearing open hys mouth against thē) they had made thē selues. We shuld se, & that shortlye, al those shyres, that haue not yet receiued the worde, to come merelye, & wythe a lusty corage, and ioyful hart, vnto thee trueth and gospel, which are noe only letted and stopped, by ye glorious names and titles, of soch high renowned persōs.2 Wel, it was not for nought (as I haue often sayd, and now I say it againe) that those godly kinges, which in times past dyd put down al ydolatry, & superstitiō, setting vp again, wtal godly studye & dylygēce,3 the true worshipping of the liuing god, did slaye & kyl vp al Baalles priestes, & false prophetes of groues, & hille altars. Whyche thing truly they did, because that ⟨image 6⟩they shoulde not brynge the people agayne into errour. Nor let anye man thynke here, that it was cruelly done, no more, than when a rottē remember is cutte of, from the bodye, leste that it shoulde infecte al the whole. Is it not (I praye you) moch more expedyente, that .viii hundrethe and .L. false prophetes, shoulde bee kylled vppe, by some Helyas, thā that al the whole Israell shoulde perysshe. Iudge ye all, that haue anye wytte in youre heads. Howe be it, it is not my wyll,4 that anye man shoulde be murthered or put to death, onelesse it be wt the sworde of the spyrite, & as the lorde speaketh him self by the prophet, saying: I wyl smyte the earth wt the rode of my mouth, & wt the breath of my lippes,5 wyl I slaye the vngodly, I wold wishe, yt all suche persōs shuld be allured & won, by charitable meanes, yt they myght perceiue & se, yt moch more gētylnes is shewed vnto thē, then they haue afore times shewed vnto vs, & agayn that ye magystrates, doo seeke onelye for theyr amendemente, and saluacyon of theyr soules, and not for theyr chestes and coffers.
- 1The names of the high learned Papists, whose learning consisteth only, in philosophy & profane disciplines ar hurtfulThe names of the hygh learned Papistes, whose learninge consysteth onli, in philosophye & prophane disciplines ar hurtfull
- 2Read my book that I made against the libertines & rebelies.Reade my boke that I made agaynst the lybertins & rebelies.
- 3iii. Regu. xviii. iiii. Reg. x iiii. Regū. xxiii,iii. Regu. xviii. iiii. Reg. x iiii. Regū. xxiii,
- 4What moderation must be used in rooting out of the papistsWhat moderation must be vsed in rooting out of ye papistes
- 5Isaiah. xiEsaye. xi
