The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.

¶ Of mockers vvhich loue not the Gospell, and yet make the courte vnto it, and make a shevv as though they had great deuotion to it.

[unspec 45] D. FOr a full resolution, it seemeth to me that these kynde of men of whom we doe nowe speake, do not farre o∣therwyse differ from those men of whom we laste spake, thē the two brethren of whom our Lorde Iesus Christ speaketh in a parable, differed the one from the other. The father cō∣maunded * 1.1 the one to goe into the vineyarde, he aunswered plainely that he would not: notwithstanding this churlishe aunswere, he dyd afterward acknowledge his fault, repen∣ted him, and went thither. The like commaundement was geuen to the other, who aunswered franckly, he woulde do it, but in dede dyd it not, vpō this same Iesus Christ asked, who was the better of them both, and who did best obserue the commaundement of the father. T. I woulde thinke the first did it: for although he aunswered fiercely in wordes, he yet declared that his harte was better then his wordes dyd expresse. And contrarilye, y^e other declared himself to be but

an hipocrite, geuing his father fayre wordes, wherwith to abuse him. D. It f••roth in maner so with these men, they sh••we as thoughe they dyd better vnderstande, and had a greater zeale to the worde of God, then those whiche resiste it more openlye: and yet oftentymes they beare lesse good will to it. There is no difference but in this, that these men are greater traytors to God, and greater mockers of hys worde, in so much as they doe it more couertlye, and more craftelye. And therefore we see oftentymes come to passe in them, that which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath sayde, the firste shall be the laste, and the last the fyrst. It is often sene * 1.2 that those which in the beginning did most resiste the word of God, in the end haue beene the best and moste constant, after that God hath geuen them to know theyr faultes and ignoraunces, and hath illuminated them. And on the contrarye, manye after that they haue made a goodlye shewe and countenaunce a longe time to the Gospell, they reuolt, and being geuen into a reprobate sense, doe per∣secute it, being reiected of God as mockers, whiche haue abused hys knowledge. T. That is a punyshment moste to be feared.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. xxi.
• * 1.2

  Math. xx.