BUT
WHETHER IT DO OR NOT, YET DARE WE NOT CEASE TO BLOW AS GOD
WILL GIVE STRENGTH. FOR WE ARE DEBTORS TO MORE THAN TO
PRINCES, TO WIT, TO THE GREAT MULTITUDE OF OUR BRETHREN, of
whom, no doubt, a great number have heretofore offended by
error and ignorance."
It is for the multitude, then, he writes; he does not greatly
hope that his trumpet will be audible in palaces, or that
crowned women will submissively discrown themselves at his
appeal; what he does hope, in plain English, is to encourage
and justify rebellion; and we shall see, before we have done,
that he can put his purpose into words as roundly as I can
put it for him. This he sees to be a matter of much hazard;
he is not "altogether so brutish and insensible, but that he
has laid his account what the finishing of the work may
cost." He knows that he will find many adversaries, since
"to the most part of men, lawful and godly appeareth
whatsoever antiquity hath received." He looks for
opposition, "not only of the ignorant multitude, but of the
wise, politic, and quiet spirits of the earth." He will be
called foolish, curious, despiteful, and a sower of sedition;
and one day, perhaps, for all he is now nameless, he may be
attainted of treason. Yet he has "determined to obey God,
notwithstanding that the world shall rage thereat." Finally,
he makes some excuse for the anonymous appearance of this
first instalment: it is his purpose thrice to blow the
trumpet in this matter, if God so permit; twice he intends to
do it without name; but at the last blast to take the odium
upon himself, that all others may be purged.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338