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Page 2
Christ, being knitte and coupled fast together in mynde
and iudgement, preachyng God with one mouth and also with
one assent euer promotyng his gloryous testament. O the
good happe and grace of that king or prynce emongist whose
subiectes there is such an hole consent and iudgement in the
woord of God, for that most assuredly byndeth & adiuigneth
ye hartes of al subiectes too their kyng. The strength of
the Gospell is euen suche in this puincte, || that there was
neuer man, which did humily receaue it, that would murmour
ageynst his Prince. It teacheth how wyllyngly all men shulde
obey their kyng. It sheweth verye lyuely and most apertly
vnto euery man his ful dutie. It euer prouoketh vs from all
wicked, cursed, and most obstinate disobedience. It euer
instructeth men too shewe them selues most lowly, humile,
and obesaunt toward their Prynce. Whosoeuer hath tasted
fully therof, will declare hym selfe in al thynges, too
bee a faithful subiect. Furthermore, it is clearer then the
light (most vertuous prince) that it woulde make muche for
the weale of this noble realme, yf all m� with heart and
mynde, would nowe as well expulse the pernitious and
deuelyshe doctryne af that Romishe bishop, as his name is
blotted � bookes. There is none so ignoraunt, but he knoweth
that, thorough hym we were brought into a w�derful blindnes,
thorough hym we did sauer of nothyng, but of stynkyng
Ydolatry, through hym we were deceiued with || false
Ypocrisie. Now let euery blind stiffe hearted, and obstinate
creature compare his abhomination with the gospell, and
if he be not shameles, he will abashe to smell of his
papistrie, and to walow still in ignoraunce, vn lest he bee
priuely confederate and in heart consent with the detestable
felowship of al wicked papistes. Now would God all suche men
would reduce ageyn their heartes vnto ye gospell of Christ,
would god they would bee prouoked by some meane to desire
knowledge. O that god woulde yeoue them a couragious mynde
too reade the gospel, there they shal sone fynde all the
venoume of the romishe sort most playnely detected. Forsoth
wee see dayly, that lacke of knowledge of the gospel maketh
some busserdes runne hedlong on all rockes, daungers, &
extreme perilles: yea, and beside that, olde popysh doctryne
whiche lyeth folded vp & locked faste in their heartes,
doeth so sore blynd th� that they haue neither fauour ne
affecti� too printe in their myndes, the expressed co�cels,
admonitions, and || preceptes of the holy scripture, but
too slepe stil in their owne conceites, dreames, & fonde
phansies. Wherfore let your dignitie note well this, that
all those whiche bee not wyllyng that gods woord should bee
knowen, and that blyndenes should be clean expulsed from
all men, whiche be baptised in ye blessed bludde of Christ,
bewray themselues playne papistes: for in very deede that
most deceatful wolfe and graund maister papist with his
totiens quotiens, and a pena et culpa blesseth all suche
as will bee blynde stil, maintaine his p�pe, drinke of
his cuppe of fornication, trust in his pardounes, liue
in popery, ypocrisie, and d�nable ydolatrie, shut vp the
kingdome of heauen, & neuer regarde the gospel. C�trarie too
this, christ bi his holy Prophete calleth al those blessed
that seke for his testimonies, al those his elect & chos�
childr�, which turne fr� synne, ypocrisie, & ydolatrie, all
those goddes that heare his word, yea, & breuely, al those
which set it forward honorable m�. & in this puincte your
grace shoulde euer beare in mynde, || that noble and
vertuous kyng Hezekiah, whiche shewed hymselfe very
honorable in sett�g forward ye woord of God, and therby
gotte hym glory and fame immortall, so that nowe he is most
highly praysed amongtst all men. Ageyn his subiectes dyd
obey his commaundement feynedly with Ypocrisie, but in their
heartes they abhorred gods woord. O the miserie that dyd
afterwarde sodeinly ensue vpon them, O the wonderfull
wrath of God that was poured vpon them, O their great and
obstinate blindnes whiche caused them most greuously too
be scourged: Their plage was no lesse then too bee vtterly
spoyled of their enemies, Their plage was no lesse then to
eate one an other: Yea, their plage was no lesse then to
eate their owne sonnes and doughters. This calamitie and
sorow (most noble prynce) happened them because they dyd
not regarde the lawes of God, but tourned too their olde
abhominable Ydolatrie, and lightelye estemed gods holy
woord. Wherfore euen now whosoeuer is an enemie ||B.i.|| to
the holy Bible, that is, neither studiyng it himselfe, nor
willyng that other men shulde knowe it, he can in no wyse be
a right christian man: although he fast, pray, doo almes,
& all the good workes vnder heauen. And he that hath suche a
mynde, is ye most cursed and cruel enemie too god, a playne
sower of sedition, and a deuelishe disquieter of all godly
men. For truly those that reade the gospel of Christ, and
labour dilig�tly therin: doo fynde wonderfull rest &
quietnes, from all woofull miserie, perturbati�, and
vanities of this world. And surely none but ypocrites or els
deuilles would go about too stoppe or allure men from suche
a treasure and godly study. And it were conuenient, that all
they whiche wyll remayne styll necligent, styffe, & blind:
shuld set before their faces the feare of paynes infernall,
and if thei haue any grace at all, their spirites ought to
be moued: too note the great plages that haue happened the
slouthful in gods woord, & those that haue been stubburne
ageynst the settyng || out of it. There bee a thousand
recordes and examples in the holy Bible agaynst such as be
farre wyde from knowledge, and lye now walteryng styl in
ignoraunce and will not looke vpon the bible. It woulde
seme, they hope for a thyng, but their hope is in vaine:
For saint Paule plainely writeth the hope of suche ypocrites
shall coo[~m] too nought. And too conclude (most honorable
Prince) seeyng wee haue suche knowledge opened vnto vs, as
neuer had englishe m�, and are clearly deliuered from the
snares and deceiptes of al false and wicked doctrine, if we
shuld not now th�kefully receaue the gospell, and shewe our
selues naturally enclyned to set it forwarde, yea, and pray
daye and night vnto God, for the preseruati� and health of
the kynges highnes, your graces deare, and most entierly
beloued father, we were neither true subiectes nor ryght
christen men. Forsoth, through the absolute wisedome, and
the most godly and politike prudencie of his grace, the
swete sounde of gods woorde is gone ||B.ii.|| thorough out
all this realme, the holye Bible and blessed testament of
oure sauiour Christ are coo[~m]ne to lighte, and thousandes
haue faithfully receiued those pleasaunt, ioyfull, and most
comfortable promises of God. Surely this thyng before all
other, is acceptable too god. This thyng especially swageth
ye ire of god. This thyng in all holi scriptures god most
chiefly requireth of his elect & faithfull serua�tes, euen
too haue his lytell flocke knowe his blessed woorde, whiche
woulde bee muche better know� & more thankefulli receaued,
yf al agees and degrees of men with one mynd, wyll, & voice,
would nowe drawe after one lyne, leauyng their owne priuate
affections, and shewe theim selues euer vigilant, prompt,
& ready helpers & workers with God, (accordynge to
the councell of sainct Paule) & especially priestes,
scolemaisters & par�tes, which accordyng too ye Prophete
Dauid are blessed, if they gladly requite ye lawe of God.
They shuld therfore reade ye bible & purdge theyr mindes of
al papistry: for theyr || necligence, in dooyng their duties
& slugishnes toward ye blessed woord of god, dooeth too
muche appere. Through them forsoth the gospel of Christ
shuld bee most strongely warded and defended, for almost
all the Prophetes, and a great parte of the scripture beside
teache them their duties, and shew playnely what maner of
men they shulde bee: Yea, and how greuously the holy
Prophetes crie out vpon false and ignoraunt priestes, the
thyng is very euident. But through the helppe of God all
those that be ignoraunt, or els learned (as they take them
selues) wyll leaue of, and repent them of their wicked and
obstinate blyndnes, and bowe them selues with all
oportunitie too draw mens heartes too the holy testament
of God: consideryng, that in the terrible day of iudgement,
euery m� shall yeoue accompte of his Beliwicke, where
neither ignora�ce shall excuse vs, ne yet any worldly p�pe
may def�d vs. Most happye th� shall they bee, whiche haue
walked iustely in the sight of the Lorde, and ||B.iii.||
that haue syncerely preached his testament and lyuely woord
withoute flattery or iuggelyng: Yea, and in that fearful
day, all they (as writeth S. Augustine) shal fynde mercie
at the handes of god, whiche haue entised and allured other
vnto goodnes and vertue. Weiyng this with my self, (most
excellent, and vnto all kynd of vertues most pr�pt & prest�t
Prince) I thought it good too translate this Dialoge, called
the Epicure, for your grace: whiche semed too me, too bee
very familiar, & one of ye godliest Dialoges that any m�
hath writt� in ye latin tong. Now therfore I most humili
praie, that this my rude & simple tr�slation may bee
acceptable vnto your grace, trustyng also that your most
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