" "A deputy," quoth he! I looked for that
word all this while. And what a deputy must he be, trow ye? Even one
like himself: he must be a canonist; that is to say, one that is brought
up in the study of the pope's laws and decrees; one that will set forth
papistry as well as himself will do; and one that will maintain all
superstition and idolatry; and one that will nothing at all, or else very
weakly, resist the devil's plough: yea, happy it is if he take no part
with the devil; and where he should be an enemy to him, it is well if he
take not the devil's part against Christ.
But in the meantime the prelates take their pleasures. They are lords,
and no labourers: but the devil is diligent at his plough. He is no
unpreaching prelate: he is no lordly loiterer from his cure, but a busy
ploughman; so that among all the prelates, and among all the pack of them
that have cure, the devil shall go for my money, for he still applieth
his business. Therefore, ye unpreaching prelates, learn of the devil: to
be diligent in doing of your office, learn of the devil: and if you will
not learn of God, nor good men, for shame learn of the devil; _ad
erubescentiam vestrum dico_, "I speak it for your shame:" if you will not
learn of God, nor good men, to be diligent in your office, learn of the
devil.
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