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I HAVE sent you the English of that excellent fragment of Sir John Cheke concerning Superstition, which in Latin has that elegance and masculine force of style and judgment, that is worthy of its author. The habit it now visits you in, is what the donor in his present circumstances could fit it with, not such as it deserves. But you intimated a willingness to take it for better for worse, and must not be worse than your word, though some late avocations would not permit him to be better than his. As to the original discourse, it appears to have been a Dedication of the author to his Sovereign Lord King Henry the Eighth, before that little tract of Plutarch concerning Superstition, which he had most elegantly translated out of the Greek. But the Dedication would have itself contained a more complete treatise on that subject, had the favourers of the Popish cause been able to answer the force of those arguments, with which it so strongly shook their metropolis, and which no doubt would have been insuperable, had they been allowed to have remained hitherto upon record. But such is the nature of that set of men, that what is wanting to them in reason, is made up by that diligence which they use, to uphold so weak a cause, as could never have been able to subsist so long, without an unwearied caution, that omits nothing that can any way yield to its support.

It is much to be suspected, that for this cause the

reader will have occasion to lament the loss of some sheets in the following treatise, which the Romanists, not caring they should look them in the face, have despatched with their usual sleight of hand. For you know they are famed for legerdemain, and are noted for a clean conveyance. This might be done upon the first revolt to Popery in Queen Mary's days; but more probably in that of later date: when their celebrated champion Ob. got this MS. into his power. And it is no wonder, if he who had so good a knack at concealing, as to hide his religion for so many years, should afterwards manifest an equal dexterity in suppressing arguments against it.

The design of the Dedication in the original is congratulatory to his then Majesty, King Henry the Eighth, upon his reformation of religion, and the victories, glories, and blessings that ensued thereon, agreeable to what he had observed to have happened in the like case to the several pious kings in holy Scripture. And were it not somewhat out of countenance in this change of habit, it might with much better grace address itself to her sacred Majesty that now is, who is a most undoubted friend to the reformed religion. Yet one who seeks not reformation by distracting the revenue of the Church; but that delights in doing true and real honour to God, by providing for the true welfare of his Ministers. It is this that fills our hearts with so much joy, and our tongues with praise to Almighty God, for successes obtained by our most religious Queen, greater than those of her predecessors: whose steady example in religion, and judicious deportment in all the parts and offices of it, will, we hope, have that blessed influence, as to shame all manner of superstition from future converse amongst us, equally discourag

ing that kind of it, which pretends to be afraid of doing too much, and that which fears to do too little. I mean the superstitious pageantry of Rome, and the sordid superstitious meanness of the several sects. Which could not, through the grace of God, fall short of having that happy effect, which is so much her Majesty's earnest desire, and should be the endeavour of us all, our being united at home, nor of putting an end to those divisions, from which alone the Queen's enemies and those of our religion can have any hopes. Such, as if her Majesty's royal pattern and advice can sway any thing with us, we shall think ourselves concerned not to countenance in the least. And surely no man of reason will reject her pious admonition and example, who has either any value for his own and the public good, any loyalty to his Queen, or any honour for the name of God, who is most highly dishonoured by every kind of superstition. Now that all would think of thus behaving themselves, and be admonished by such discourses, was no doubt a very good reason for your desiring in this manner to publish this treatise, and of his complying with that desire, who is

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Your assured friend,

and obliged humble servant,

W. E.

To the most illustrious and most potent Henry the Eighth of England, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and supreme Head upon earth of the Churches of England and Ireland. John Cheke wisheth much health.

dom to dis

It is the effect of great ingenuity and judgment, (and Great wisperhaps proceeds not merely from human nature, but from tinguish divine grace,) to be able accurately to separate truth from things. falsehood, and to distinguish between things decent and dishonest for so great a resemblance is there between the most distant things, and such a seeming agreement between those things that are of natures really differing one from another, that unless the best and most excellent disposition shall be enlightened by learning and supernatural grace, and be cultivated as it were by continual exercise, it will be impossible for things so much entangled and confused to be parted and discerned by it. Craftiness imitates prudence; severity is often taken for justice; boldness has a semblance of valour; stupidity is not easily distinguished from temperance; pride draws to itself the commendation of magnificence; and not only the pretence of holiness, but what is even almost a mere old wives superstition, puts itself off for religion, and for the true worship of God.

with ap

And as it usually comes to pass, that swollen bodies, Are not to and such as are coloured by art, do exceed the solid bulk be cheated and natural colour of bodies; and as those things that pearances. have been tinctured with bull's gall are not far from having a kind of golden lustre; even so, such things as are in their own nature vicious, and have nothing excellent in them, have nevertheless the figure and appearance of things the most illustrious and magnificent. Concerning which there is a diligent caution to be had: and we should labour with our utmost study, that the one be not taken for the

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