第32章

And now I would ask a strange question: who is the most diligentest bishop and prelate in all England, that passeth all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know him who it is; I know him well.But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him.There is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in all England.And will ye know who it is? I will tell you: it is the devil.He is the most diligent preacher of all other; he is never out of his diocess; he is never from his cure; ye shall never find him unoccupied; he is ever in his parish; he keepeth residence at all times; ye shall never find him out of the way, call for him when you will he is ever at home; the diligentest preacher in all the realm; he is ever at his plough: no lording nor loitering can hinder him; he is ever applying his business, ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you.And his office is to hinder religion, to maintain superstition, to set up idolatry, to teach all kind of popery.He is ready as he can be wished for to set forth his plough; to devise as many ways as can be to deface and obscure God's glory.Where the devil is resident, and hath his plough going, there away with books, and up with candles; away with bibles, and up with beads; away with the light of the gospel, and up with the light of candles, yea, at noon-days.Where the devil is resident, that he may prevail, up with all superstition and idolatry; censing, painting of images, candles, palms, ashes, holy water, and new service of men's inventing; as though man could invent a better way to honour God with than God himself hath appointed.Down with Christ's cross, up with purgatory pickpurse, up with him, the popish purgatory, I mean.Away with clothing the naked, the poor and impotent; up with decking of images, and gay garnishing of stocks and stones: up withman's traditions and his laws, down with God's traditions and his most holy word.Down with the old honour due to God, and up with the new god's honour.Let all things be done in Latin: there must be nothing but Latin, not so much as Memento, homo, quod cinis es, et in cinerem reverteris: "Remember, man, that thou art ashes, and into ashes thou shalt return:" which be the words that the minister speaketh unto the ignorant people, when he giveth them ashes upon Ash-Wednesday; but it must be spoken in Latin: God's word may in no wise be translated into English.