I proue by their owne manifest woordes, that they in déede affirme that we in England are not yet come to the outwarde face of a Church agreable to Gods worde, all whiche proofes you omit and let passe cauilling onely at this woorde (scarce,) which is a ma∣nifest* 1.1 argument of a wrangler. And yet is not this manner of speaking. Quod vix sit, non sit, so straunge Philosophie, as you would gladly haue it, for this woorde (vix) ey∣ther signifieth with violence, & great difficultie to do a thing: or else it is referred to the time: or else it signifieth (non) as in Ouide vix Priamus tanti, that is, non tanti Pria∣mus, as Donatus doth expoūd it. I thinke you will not haue it to be taken in the first significatiō, by the Authors of ye Admonitiō, for then there is no sense in their wordes: if it be taken in either of the latter significations (as it must of necessitie be) then the Philosophie is not secrete▪ but open and knowne to euery yong Grammarian.
In our English phrase, it is commonly taken for non, as when we say a thing is* 1.2 scarce done, we signifie that is not yet done. Likewise when a man sayth that he is scarce well, he meaneth that he is not well. He hath scarce made an end of his sermon▪ yt is, he hath not made an end of his sermon. It is scarce. ix. of ye clocke, that is, it is not yet ix. of the clocke. Euen so we are scarce come to the outward forme of a church rightly refor∣med. &c. that is, we are not yet come. &c. Euery child yt cā speake knoweth this to be so.
When the scripture saith, that a iust man shall scarce be saued: this woorde (vix) is taken in ye first significatiō, that is, with great difficultie, & in this signification it is oftētimes taken in the scripture: but so can it not be in their manner of speach.