AS IT IS TO AL OTHER creatures, by the power of God brought forth into this world, naturally giuen by his goodnes to desyre their ende and perfection, the which they be ordeyned vnto, so it is to the nature of man, who of al other here in erthe is moste noble, and of dignitie moste ex­cellent, as he that is with reasone indewed, the moste heuenly thinge, wherof bodily creatures and erthly, may be parttakers, by the whiche as by the chiefe instrument, he may seke and inser­che al conueniēt meanes, wherby he may attayn the better to suche ende and perfection, as by the goodnesse of god to hym is appoynted: and all though this desyre be to all mankynde common, and euer hath bene of what religion so euer they be, yet we mooste, christen people, whiche be of Christes flocke, and lyghted with the spirite of god, make ꝓfession of his name, aboue al other ought to be therof moste desirous, as they which haue by the singuler benefite of god, a more sure knowlege, & a more sure groūd, to leane vnto, thē any other people in erth, for we haue the expresse & manyfest doctrine of god, by the whiche we ar taught and instruct the streyght and sure waye, [Page] to the attaynynge of our felicitie, the whiche stā ­deth nother in worldly honour, plesure, nor high dignitie, no nor yet in any secrete knowledge of subtyll philosophie. For than it shulde not be cō ­mon but to fewe, [...] and the multitude of christen people shuld be excluded from it: But according to the hole course of the doctrine of our moste lo­uynge master Christe, it resteth only in faythfull loue and charitable vnitie. [...]. This testifieth our master him selfe, in his gospel by his own worde, commaundynge vs aboue al other thing in thisAct. 4. charitable vnitie, to be coupled and knytte togi­ther, none otherwyse than he is with the eternall father in diuinitie. To the which agreeth all the processe of the doctrine of Paule, [...]ala [...]. 3. the trew inter­pretour of the mynde of Christe, who euer exhor­teth vs, as we be membres of one body coupled to our heed Christe, [...] 1. so with faythful loue of him to lyue to gether in this charitable vnitie, which is the ende as he faith of al preceptes and lawes, as the tynge wherin standeth the perfection of a christen mynde: from the whiche no manne of what state or degree so euer he be, at any tyme is excluded. For this pathe is open to all men that wyll it seke, whether they be pore or ryche, yong or olde, sycke or hole, this way they maye entre. And by this way to their perfectiō & felicite they maye attayne: of the whiche dere frendes you may highly reioyse, gyuing thankes to the goodnes of god, who by our mayster Christe hath so [Page 13] declared this way, & so indifferently opened it to vs al without exception of any person,Rom. 3. or prefer­ment of any certayn kynde of lyfe or degree, that no man there is, but he may be parttaker of this perfection and felicitie. For as dere is he to god, that is a plowman or labourer of the erthe, as is the moste royall kynge or prince in his high ma­iestie, if he loue his master Christe with no lesse affecte than doth he.Ep [...]e. 6. As dere is he to Christ who is a cobblar, as is the greattest philosopher, if he with his simplicite, haue no lesse trust in the pro­mysses of god, than hath he with his hyghe phi­losophie. AS dere is he to god,Coloss. 3. who is a marchāt abrode in the worlde trauaylynge for his lyfe, as is the monke in his cloyster mooste religious, yf to the worde of god he gyue no lesse truste in his tranaylle and busynesse, thanne dothe he in his trauquillitie and quietnes. And in conclusion of what sorte, crafte, or condicion so euer man be, though in this polityke life and worldly, there be great diuersitie, yet before god, who loketh into the harte, there considerynge the sure fayth and truste in his promysse and worde, there is no re­garde of person nor degree:Rom▪ 12. but to all proportio­nably accordynge to their faytfull loue and cha­ritie, he gyueth his hygh rewarde and eternalle felicitie. This is a sure and stable ground of our trewe religion: this is the comforte of all faith­full hartes, of this reioyse you, most christen peo­ple, in this fyxe your hope: & you shal fynd therin [Page] great and inestimable quietnesse. Leane to this anchor, and you shall easyly passe the stormes of this worlde: stable this in your hartes, and in the myserable and wretchyd state of this lyfe, short and transytorie all aduersitie you shal bere with equall mynde and righte paciently. For to him that hath vnfaynedly Christe printed in his harte, and is armed with the fayth and sure loue of him, who gouerneth al by his high prouidēce, all worldly aduersite, which cometh not to him by his owne negligence and faut, is to hym tor­ned into ioye comforte and playne felicitie: [...], 12. and this is the greattest benefyte that mans mynde may receyue here in the erthe, of the doctrine of Christe, of the whiche benefyte euery man desy­reth to be partaker: for euery man desyreth qui­etnes of mynde, euery man iugeth therin to rest all felicitie, there is no mā so madde and so with out sence, that aboue all thinge in his harte de­syreth not to inioye and imbrace this quietnesse and tranquillitie. Wherfore dere frendes this appereth to me a thynge moste meruaylous and wonderfull, to see vs all, soo desyrous hereof, and soo fewe to take the streyghte waye to the attaynynge of the same, but ledde by bypathes, somme by vayne pleasure, somme by ambition, and somme by curious knowledge, and cloked superstition we runne to our owne ruyne, plaine myserye, and destruction.

In so moche that sommetyme whan I do con­syder [Page 14] with my selfe the nature of manne, and his excellent dignitie, he appereth to myne eye, of all other creatures moste wretched and mysera­ble, who by the goodnesse of god beinge ordey­ned to so hye felicitie, by his blynde folye falleth to soo manyfeste miserye. For the whiche cause, thoughe I haue many tymes with my selfe in a maner lamented the state and condicion of man, who so lyghtly slyppeth frome his dignitie, yet neuer more than nowe of late I haue bene con­strayned to the same, by the reasone of a greatte blyndenes raygnynge amonge vs, here in our countreye, wherby this charitable vnitie, in the whiche restethe our felycitie, and quietnesse of mynde, is greattely broken and dissolued, by the whiche blyndenesse this spirytualle bodye, this churche of Christe, wherof we be all membres, yf by trewe and faythfull loue we be knytte to our spirituall hedde,Ephe▪ [...]. is disseuered and in sondrye partes deuyded and rent. For what vnitie maye there be iudged to reste amonge theym, where as that one estemeth an nother to be an heretike, or at the leeste a scysmatyke? What christen con­corde and vnitie maye in those hartes reygne, where as one iudgeth an nother to be a foolyshe Pharisee, or a superstitious papyste? one to be of the newe fashyon, and hym to be frantycke: and an other of the olde, and hym to be foolyshe blynde and diabolike. Howe may these myndes [Page] with such iugementes one of an other in loue be knitte to gether, [...]. 1. and be of one sentence in Christ, the which aboue all thyng Paule dothe require: Howe may such myndes be as it were mēbres of one body? how may they receyue the lyght of the spirite, whiche be in spirite so diuided? vndoub­tedly by no mene: for there Christ doth not reigne no more than light in darknes doth shyne, where as is nother concorde peace nor vnitie, wherin is grounded al christen policie: [...] For vpō this faith­fulle vnitie and loue in Christe, and vppon this charitable fayth in him is buylded Christis churche, and this is the stone, whervpon it was first founded: This is the rocke, wherby it is sustey­ned: this is the key, whiche shal make open to vs heuen gatis, against the which nothing may pre­uayle. Wherfore frendes considerynge that this vnitie is the principalle grounde of all Christen life, which semeth in som part by our own blind­nes lately to be broken here amonge vs, to the entent we may somewhat the better amonge our selfes, by the grace and fauour of the holy spirite of god, of whom cometh all vnitie, both restore and conserue the same with quietnes and tran­quillitie, I shall nowe at this tyme fyrste gether certayn causes of the dissolutiō and brake of this vnitie, and so afterwarde adioyne certayn mea­nes, whiche by the goodnes of hym that gouer­neth al, may in some part helpe to the restitution of the same, that so consequētly we as membres [Page 15] of one body, by spirituall loue coupled to gether and knytte to one heed, may at the last somwhat the better attayne to our felicitie. This processe I wyll vse.

Howe be hit in the fyrste begynnynge this you shall vnderstande, that I canne not by wordes most christen people, declare vnto you the sorowe of mynd, which lately I haue conceyued by a cō ­mon blyndnes, here reignyng among vs, which taketh fro me in a maner al swetenes of lyfe, the grefe wherof is greatter than I can expresse, and the cause why brefely I shal by your paciēce, first in some parte touche, bycause hit is somewhat to my purpose: I haue all my lyfe hitherto, for the moste part, gyuen my self to the study of letters, occupienge my selfe in dyuers kyndes therof, both in secular studies and in holy scripture, but euer referrynge all my labour and peynes to the knowlege of Christe, as to the ende, of righte to be proposed to all christen myndes: hauyng this hope & comfort euer before myn eies, at the last to employ my labours take [...] in the same, here in my natyfe countrey, to some vse and profyte therof. This was the thynge that made all my labours euer to seme lyght: and this hope was euer the chiefe comforte of my mynde: for borne we be al, and brought forth of nature, not only to lyue as brute beastes do, seruynge the bodye, but suche gyftes of mynde, as god of his mere goodnesse hath gyuen vnto vs,Galat, 6. to employe echeone to the [Page] profyte of other, and so to lyue in perfyte ciuili­tie. This ende I euer loked vnto: This was the chiefe comforte I hadde in this worlde, and as me seemeth no smalle comforte to anye honeste mynde. But nowe frendes sythen I am lately out of Italy, where as I haue bene many yeres in studies, hyther retourned into my countreye, and haue taken somme experience of your ma­ners here at home, I am almost, playnly to say, depriued of this comforte, I am almoste putte out of this hope. For suche blyndenes I haue obserued to reigne amonge you, suche diuision, suche discorde of myndes, that foly hit were for me, amonge suche troubled hartes to conceyue opinion to inioye this, moste desyred of all men, that is, quietnes and tranquillitie: in so moche that if it were not for the greatte goodnesse and hygh wysedome of our moste noble prince, who nothynge more tendereth in erthe, than the con­seruation of this vnitie, ye and if it were not for the greatte opinion, whiche I haue euer hadde of you moste christen people, whom I haue ob­serued always religious, and desyrous of truth, I shulde vtterly be putte in dispayre, and shuld more gladdely flee from my countrey, and from your conuersation, than here to tary among you without hope and comforte of quietnes in suche tribulation, and in suche prepetuall myserie, as vndoubtedly we shalbe wrapped in, by our owne blyndenes, excepte in tyme we resiste the same. [Page 16] For this blyndenes hathe so corrupte our iudge­mentes, that to the corruption therof, of necessi­tie, by the ordynaunce of god,Ep [...]e. 4. muste folowe con­fusyon, and of all quyetnesse and of swete chry­sten lyuynge playne destruction. For the why­che cause, whatte sorowe I haue inwardly con­ceyued, I can not now outwardly by wordes ex­presse: in soo moche that if I hadde not somme hoope to tempre this sorowe, my harte coulde not supporte the vehemencye therof, but the goodnes of our prince greattely dothe comforte me, whome I thynke by the high prouidence of god, to be gyuen to vs in this tyme to remedye this common, and pernicious blyndenes, reyg­nynge in vs. For daye nor nyghte nothynge his grace hath more in mynde, than the maner and meane, to take away this blyndenes frome our hartis: and mooste lyke a chrystian prynce, no thynge he more studyeth, thanne to conserue a­monge vs, this spirituall and christen concorde and vnitie, no thynge he more takethe cure of, than to remoue al suche thynges, as to his high wysedome dothe appere, to be impedymentes, or in any parte lettes or hyndraunces to the set­tynge forwarde of the same, by the whiche yet somewhat I am styrred and moued to conceyue myne olde hope ageyne, to the whiche also mo­che moued I am by the goodnesse of your na­ture, mooste christen people, whome I perceyue to be as dilygente and studyous of the truthe, [Page] and as desirous to haue knowlege of the syncere and pure religion of Christ, as any nation vpon erthe, and in no men I se to be more prompte re­dy [...]cs to receyue the same, than euer I haue ob­serued in you. Wherfore in this parte also great hope I haue, that whan you be instruct playnly and clerely of suche blyndnes, as reigneth amōg you, right gladdely you wyll flye from the same, auoydynge with all diligence the causes therof, & promptly admitting the remedies of the same: the whiche purpose yf you ones conceyue and stable in your hartes, it is not to be vouted, but the goodnes of god shal set it forward, [...] and bring you out of this daungerous blyndenes, whiche nowe so reygneth in your stomakes, mortified & colde for lacke of charitie.

But nowe to the purpose, after that I haue in somme parte declared the affecte of myne owne mynde, I shall breuely touche and declare this common blyndnes, whiche reygneth among vs, and so recite certayn chiefe and principal causes, wherof the same blynd [...]es hath taken his foun­dation and grounde, to thentent that somewhat the better, suche remedies as by the goodnes of god, and prouidence of our prince, shall hereaf­ [...]r be applyed to the same, may take effecte, and [...]rynge forthe their frute, to the cōmon comforte of all christen hartes: the whiche whyle I do, I shal beseche you paciētly most christen people, to here me, and with indifferent iudgement, by no [Page 17] affection corrupt, to wey such thynges as I shal set before your eies. But here som of you perauē ture shal greatly meruayle most christē people of this my purpose & enterprise, so boldly to affirme & to take vpon me, to declare suche blyndenes to reigne amonge vs, specially in this tyme, wher­in by the iugement of many wyse men, the truth is declared and opened to our eies, after suche maner, that we playnly condempne all our fore­fathers of ignorancye, gyuynge thankes to all mighty god, for so manifest declaration of truth nowe in this age by his goodnes to vs opened: To whom this I wyll fyrste in the begynnynge say, that all be it some thynges by the goodnes of god, and diligent prudence of wyse and poli­tyke men, are brought to lyghte, whiche before tyme from our forefathers were couert and hyd, yet of suche moment and weyght they be not in dede, wherfore we oughte to condempne all the antiquitie: and all our forefathers for the igno­rance therof, vtterly to caste into the depe pytte of helle: nor yet of suche sorte they be not, that by the inuention of them, we may iustely so glorie, as by them to be delyuered from al blyndnes and ignorancye, for yet blynde we be, and excepte we take diligent cure, in this blyndnesBlyndeness [...] we shal dye. For that blyndenes is almoste incurable, to the which is ioyned prowde arrogācy, so that of this doubte there is none, that al though in this our age many thinges are brought out of darkenes [Page] to lyghte: yet of suche nature they are not to be iudged, that we shulde therby be constrayned to cōfesse, of truth to haue the clere sight. This be­nefyte is to great for our age to beare, wherin as it appereth to me, by discorde, diuersitie of iuge­mentes, and contrary sentence, truthe is almost ouerthrowen, and dryuen away, which is of this nature, [...]phe. 4. that she neuer wyll appere, but onely in suche hartes, whiche withoute corrupte affecti­on be pure and syncere: therfore to pronounce blyndnes to reigne in vs I wyll not feare, and nowe procede to declare the same: wherin fyrste most christen people, this you shal vnderstande, that of all kyndes and sortes of ignoraunce and blyndnes, whiche occupieth our myndes, I wyl not nowe speke. For that matter were ouer large to entreate, and not conuenient to your eares to here: For as moche as ignorance and blyndnes, after the sentence of the auncient lerned men, to whose mynde I do therin agree, is the fountayn and mother of all vicious affectes and myserie. For man dothe nothyng that is yuel,Pl [...]in Ti­ [...] A [...]. Eth. 7. but he hath som pretext and colour of good, wherby he is in­duced to the execution of his dede. For this is a sure grounde, no man wyttyngly and wyllyngly wyll do hym selfe hurt, nor no suche thyng whi­che is to hym yuell, except to hsi iugement it ap­pered good: so that euer by som fals perswasion reason is corrupt, & blinded with affectiō. But this blindnes in ordryng the natural affectes & desy­res [Page 18] to naturall reason, which euer hath ben cō ­mon to mankynde, and euer shalbe duryng this worlde, I wyll sette a parte, euen lyke as I wyl also, the ignorance and blindnes of the nature of thignes, whiche cometh by lacke of knowlege of letters, and hygh philosophie, wherof our natiō is somwhat rude, and moche more I fere shortly wyl be, by a contempte of letters, whiche dayely growethe in amonge vs. Of these. ii. kyndes of blyndenes I saye nowe at this tyme, I wyll not speake, but I wyl touche. ii. other kyndes of this blyndnes, concernyng pure religion, and trewe honour of god, whiche are more pernicious to al ciuyle order and polycie, than the other be, of the whiche the one bryngeth in, the disobedience to cōmon lawe stablyshed by cōmon authoritie, the other the contempt of religion, which is the foū ­dation & groūd of al good & true policy. The first I may call a superstitious blindnes, the whiche by longe processe of time, is roted in our stoma­kes vnder the pretence of religion: The seconde me semeth may wel be called an arrogant blynd nes, whiche lately is growen in here among vs, by lyghtnes of iugement, contrary to all religi­ous opinyon, and Christen ciuylitie: the whiche both so manifestly reigne in our hartis, that this thynge to declare by longe processe & many wor­des may playnly appere superfluous. For as tou chinge the superstitious blyndnes of many, we haue had lately amonge vs lamētable experiēce, [Page] to al honest hartes greuous and sorowful, of the whiche many wordes nowe to speake, I can not without great sorowe: for a sorowfull case it ap­pered to me to see suche men, so notable, bothe of vertue and lernynge, as by common fame, some of them were reported to be, whiche lately haue suffred, so sturdely to stycke in a manyfest super­stition, that rather they shulde chose to lose theyr lyues, than to be remoued frome their opinion, wherin they stode so styffely, vnder the perswa­sion of true religion: For it appered to them to pertayne to the religion of Christe, by necessitie the byshop of Rome amonge al christen nations, to haue suche superioritie, as of many yeres he hathe, abusynge their pacience, vsurped vppon them: In the defence wherof, as it had ben an article of the fayth, they boldly, with more paci­ence than wysedome, suffred their deth, the whi­che thinge in dede as hereafter shall appere, is a playne and manyfest superstition, and spryngeth out of superstitious blyndnes, bryngynge forth pernicious and sturdy obstinacy, with disobedi­ence to princely authoritie, and to lawes autho­rysed by common counselle and good policie, to the obedience wherof, we are bounden by the la­wes of god and of nature, so long as they stande in full strength and power, with no repugnancy vnto the same. The blyndnes of these persons I am sure all you moste christen people, of harte do lament, and specially of somme of theym, whose [Page 19] fame of lernynge and vertue, throughout Chri­stendome was spredde, but as you ernestly la­ment and sorowe the blyndenes of the same per­sones, soo I truste you wylle with all harte and mynde, auoyde suche superstition and blynd ob­stinacye, and suffre it not to take any roote and grounde amonge you, wherof myghte succede ruine bothe to vs and our posterite, of this thing in many of you, whiche conceyue the matter as it is in dede, with dewe obedience in hart admit­tynge the same, I doubt nothynge at all, but certayne I am, that their example shall be to you of small moment and weyght: in so moche that to speake any worde of that matter to some of you, after law stablyshed thervpon, & lerned iugemēt declarid therin, semith to me almost superfluous and labour in vayn. But yet for as moch, as som other there be among you of lesse knowlege, and weaker conscience, of this thinge hereafter in his place I shal somwhat say and open to you at large my sentence therin, But nowe I wylle re­turne agayn, ferther to descrybe and declare vn­to you this superstitious blyndenes and blynde superstition.

And fyrste to thentent ye may better perceyue the reste of my communication I shall shortely touche, as moche as shalbe expedient to my pur­pose, the difference betwyxt true and perfyte re­ligion, & fals and vayn superstition, for the whi­che brefely to say without longe disputation,

[Page] True religion is this, [...] with syncere and pure spi­rite to honour god, and with most reuerent loue and ardent affection of harte and mynde to wor­shyppe the diuine nature, by Christ in our dayes to mankynde declared, as author of al thinges, fountayne of all goodnes, and gouernour of al. This teacheth vs our mayster Christe, the very true doctour of all trewe relygion, in his gospel, instructynge the woman of Cananee, [...] feruently desyrynge the knowledge therof, where he saith vnto her, that the very true worshyppers of god be suche as in spirite and truthe worshyppe him in harte. For lyke as he is of nature spirituall, & nothinge but truthe, so he delyteth in suche ho­nour and worshyppe, as in truthe of spirite co­meth out of the harte, and spiritualle power of man, and not onely out of his lyppes, or by any other exterior signes declared: It is the honor of harte that he doth require, who only loketh into the hart of mā, with him there is no place of dis­simulatiō. wherfore aboue al thing as the course of his lyfe and doctrine openly declareth, [...] 2 [...]. Hypo­crisye hym moste hyghly displeasyth: for as god is syncere and pure truthe, so accordyngely with fals fayned hypocrisye, he is moste offended: soo that trewe religion is with the inwarde affect of harte, the trewe honour of god, though it be set out also, to the face of the worlde, by outwarde token and ceremonie. And this we lerne of our master Christ: The which thyng also his apostel [Page 20] Iames playnly confyrmeth, where as he sayth,Iacob. 1. that pure and clene religion stondeth in brother­ly loue, and euery one to his power helpyng eche other, to commune the gyftes of god, to our cō ­mon comforte, and so liftyng vp our hartes from all worldly affection, to put our hole confidence and truste in his goodnes, liuing in him and not in our selfes, there settynge all our comfort and ioye, louynge hym with harte aboue all thynge, and all thinges for him. In this christen people, shortly to conclude, stondeth the puritie of trewe religion, in so moch that he of what state & cōdi­cion so euer he be, y^t thus loueth god, as maker & gouernour of al, with reuerēt drede of brekynge his precept & cōmandmēt, euer beryng to him lo uyng fere & fearful loue, with hart obediēt to the same, This mā I say is a pfyte religious man, though he be nother couered with sainct Benets cote, nor yet with saynt Francys: ye & though he be at ploughe and the carte, and labourynge the grounde, yet may he be as perfite in religion as the moste perfyte monke lyuynge in his cloyster. But here frendes I wolde not ye shulde of me take occasion, to condemne all these monastical sortes & kindes of religion, which for the conser­uation & setting forward of this pure and perfyt religion of Christ by holy & reuerēt fathers haue ben inuēted & cōstitute, lōge & many yeres by cō ­mon authorite amōg vs receiued: for this opiniō I wold not haue you to cōceiue, which abhorrith [Page] from christen ciuilitie. But by this meane I shal induce you, to perceyue somwhat the better this blynde superstition, whiche is a playne contrary to pure religion, the whiche as you haue harde requyreth ardent loue of god, myngled also with some reuerent feare: for euery christen hart must feare to breake and transgresse the commaunde­mēt of god. Wherfore we must bere towarde god both fearefull loue and louynge feare, the which thynge as you shall nowe here, [...]. hathe minystred the grounde to all superstition, whiche brefely to saye is nothynge elles, [...] but a scrupulous and a seruyle maner of the honourynge of god, con­ceyued in the harte of man, by ouermoche feare of the transgression of the commaundement of god, whiche bringeth in corrupte iugement, ma­kynge vs to iudge that thynge, to pertayne to his honour and trewe religion, whiche dothe nat in dede, but hangeth onely of mannes constitu­tion. As by example, some of vs are so supersti­tious, that if they here not .iii. masses euery day in the honour of the Trinitie, though they haue busynes of great necessitie: yet greuousely they iudge them selfes to offende the maiestie of god. And some if they crosse not them selfes at sainct Iohn̄s gospell, or kysse nat the paxe in the masse tyme, thynke in that day scante to spede well, su­che is the superstitious fere in many mens myndes, whiche hath gyuen occasion to so many sor­tes and kyndes of monasticalle lyues, and soli­tarie [Page 21] religion. For many men consideringe the dangers abrode in the worlde, ministred to them by manyfolde occasion, and weyinge with them selfes their owne fraylnes and imbecillitie, wherby they perceyued they coulde not resist the com­mon pleasures and vanities of the worlde, and so fearyng to be trapped therby, fledde into wyl­dernes & solitarie places, auoydyng the worldly companye, there lyuynge at the firste, in greatte quietnes of mynde: by whose example many o­ther moued, by lyttel and lyttel, grew to a great company, and made in wyldernes as hit were a lyttell polycie, amonge whom at the begynnyng bothe vertue and lernynge, came to great perfe­ction, in soo moche that other obseruynge theyr constaunce and austeritie of lyfe, lyuinge abrode amonge the common pleasures, begynnynge to distruste to their kynde of lyues, fearyng the di­spleasure of god, with ouermoch drede of liuing abrode, iudged superstitiousely the pcrfection of Christis religion, in that solitarie kynde of lyfe onely to remayne, by the reason wherof that nō ­bre nowe in our days is ouermoch growen, whi­che so haue fylled monasteries, that many cities almoste be lefte voyde, to the great ruine of com­mon ciuilitie. But of this hereafter, and to re­tourne to the pourpose, nowe after that by these few wordes, somwhat I thinke you do perceiue, what is true religiō, and what superstition, and wherin they differre. For as true religion is the [Page] honour of god, with reuerent fere of disobeying of his preceptes, so superstition is a scrupulous honour myngled with ouermoche and seruyle feare, with meruaylous disquieting of the weke conscience & blynde, the whiche by corrupt iuge­ment taketh suche thynge to pertayne of necessi­tie to the honour of god, which in dede nothyng so doth, but hangeth onely vpon mans consent: so that by this I saye nowe you shall be induced playnly to confesse, moch blynde superstition to reigne in your hartes, as I shall nowe partely note. For all sortes and kyndes of superstition, here to prosecute, shuld be ouerlonge, & nothinge necessarie to my purpose: sufficient it shalbe som to descrybe, the reste leauyng to your owne exa­mination.

And fyrst thinke not you, that like as there hath bene some to the great sorowe of honest myndes, which lately blynded by superstition, haue iuged the vnitie of Christis churche, vtterly to be bro­ken, by pluckynge frome the pope, his vsurped power ouer vs and superioritie? so there be some other of no lesse blyndnes, whych if the organes shoulde be plucked oute of the churche, and the curyous syngynge tempered and broughte to a conuenyente meane, ye or yf the prayers com­monly sayde amonge vs in temples in a strange tongue, of the people not vnderstonde, shoulde openly be rehersed in the mother tongue, to the entente that the affecte of the harte myght ther­by [Page 22] rather be styrred, to the trewe honour of god, whiche I say wolde lykewyse iuge with no lesse superstition, Christes relygion vtterly to be o­uer tourned. And further if to priestes the my­nisters of goddis worde, libertye were graunted by common authoritie, to marye and take wy­ues for the auoydynge of Fornycation, wolde they not thynke, that christian purytie were vt­terly than extincte? ye and if the holy dayes and masses also celebrat vpō the same, were brought to lesse nombre, than wolde they say, Christ were vtterly driuen awaye. And yet ferther yf mona­steryes shoulde be mynisshed, and of theym the foundations altered, ye thoughe it were to the hygh settynge forwarde of vertue and lernynge, yet wolde many of you thinke, Christis relygion vtterly therby to peryshe. Suche is our blynd­nes, suche is our foly. And what trow you cōcer­nyng the sacramentes, that many of vs haue not also of them very folyshe & superstitious opiniō, lokynge onely to the outwarde sygne and cere­mony, nothynge consyderynge the inwarde and heuenly mysterie? Be there not som amonge vs thynke you, that wold iuge their childrē not to be wel baptised and christened, if they were not dip­ped in the fount quite ouer the heed, wherby the childe oft tymes cōceyueth his deth? & yet this is but a rite & a custome, diuersely vsed amonge di­uers natiōs, & nothing ꝑteining to y^• substance of the sacrament. Be there not som also, the whiche [Page] yf their frende were sycke, and in daungier of lyfe, and so at the laste taken by dethe, before the priest coulde aryue to minister to him, the hoste, and extreme vnction, wolde playnly thinke and iudge that he shuld die a damned sowle, and sore lament therfore, the departure of their frende, as though in suche a case, the wyl and purpose were not sufficient. Be there not also some, the which in confession, if for lacke of memorie or a lyttell negligence, they dydde not recyte all their dedes with the circumstance of the same, wold plainly iudge, voyde the absolution? Yes vndoubtedly. Of this sort among vs there be dyuers and ma­ny, whiche by manyfolde superstition, haue their iudgementes so corrupte, that al be it that by the power of princis and cōmon authorite, the abuse of suche thinges, wherto they haue ben long ac­customed, shuld be reformed & brought to better frame, yet in their hartes and myndes they wold not wel beare it, but styl against suche alteration and refourmyng to true religion, wold murmur and grudge, moued by their blynd superstiiton: suche is their madnesse & grosse opinion, they do not well ponder and wey, the nature of politike thinges and indifferent, whiche be of this sorte, that in processe of tyme by littell and littell euer grow to iniuste extremitie, in so moch that of ne­cessitie they require prudent reformation: ayenst the which they sturdely armed with superstition, euer repugne, bicause they lack right iugement, [Page 23] to discerne betwixt thynges worldly & politike, and thinges whiche hange of the necessite of na­ture, and of the scripture and gospell of god, the whiche thinges contrary to the other, whiche by nature be indifferent, neuer admyt chaunge nor innouation, no nor yet tempering by dispēsatiō, as hereafter in his place more playnly I shal de­clare. But nowe I thinke dere frendes, in some part, by this whiche I haue said, our blyndnesse and vayne superstition, whiche thus reygnethe in our hartis, is open vnto vs, in so moche that hereby you may perauenture be styrred, to fynde by diligent examination of your owne conscien­ces, manye other sortes of this superstition, the whiche all to correcke and amende, lette vs not cesse continually to pray to him, who is only au­thor of all trewe religion. And this nowe conse­quently I shal procede, in lyke maner, brefely to touche, the other kynde of blyndnes, whiche rei­gneth in vs no lesse thanne dothe this, and with more hyndrance to all good order and ciuilitie. For yet better it is, blynded with superstition, to admyt suche thinges to be of the law of god, whiche be not in dede, than by arrogant blyndnes, to derogate the authoritie therof, and so bringe in the contempt of religion, whiche is the common gate of all myserie and myschiefe bothe priuate and publyke. For in that mynde or in that com­mon weale,Roman. 1. where as is no respect of god & good religion, there al thynges muste nedes runne to [Page] ruyne and confusion.

And firste to declare what I meane by this ar­rogant blyndenes, [...] this you shall vnderstonde, that lyke as superstition is scrupulous and ser­uile honour of god, coupled with ouermoch fere, so contrary this blyndnes in religiō, is by a fay­ned & dissimuled honour of god vtterly seperate from all fere and drede of his punyshment: in so moche that suche menne, in whose myndes reig­neth this arrogancie, if hit were not for feare of mannes lawe, wolde brynge to ruyne all order and policye, they wolde haue all thynges why­che nature hathe broughte forth to the common comforte of manne, to be in common, iudgynge this inequalitie in possession of thynges, where as somme haue to lyttell, and some ouer moche, to be playne ageynste Nature, and manyfeste in­iurye, they wolde in all thinges serue their owne fantasye, they wolde in harte be subiecte to no ceremonie, lawe, nor mannes tradition: for that they saye agreethe not to the libertie of a Chry­stian manne, who is free frome all bondage of lawe, and subiecte to no ceremonye, the whi­che they say be only snares and stayes vnto weke myndes, nothynge agreing vnto theyr dignitie.

Thus with greatte wordes many of vs booste and blowe, euen as though we were equall with sayncte Poule, for bycause that we canne re­herse certayne of his wordes perteynynge vnto the same lybertie, but the meane tyme we serue [Page 24] our affectes, and to them in al this libertie be vt­terly subiecte more than any slaue vnto his ma­ster: for whether so euer they drawe vs, thyther heedlonge we runne, & them wilfully we folowe, makinge no resistence therto: wherin dere fren­des what arrogant blyndenesse this is,Trewe ly­bertie. Galat. 4. manife­stly I trowe you see: this to bragge in wordes of christen lybertie, beinge so subiecte to vayne affectes and all myserye, frome whiche a harte that inioyith that libertie, is nete and pure, in no poynt seruynge therto, but by spirituall comfort so is confirmed, that all such affectes he treadeth vnder foote: wherin stondeth this libertie, whi­che maketh a man obedient with a gladde harte to all ceremonies and lawes, wherof by this arrogant blindnes a great sorte of vs be manifest despisers, as you daily not without sorowe, who so wyll aduerte, may by experience both here and see. For somme there be amonge vs, whiche of their owne foolishe fantasie, generally all tradi­tions do condempne, though that they be neuer soo good and conueniente to the conseruation of the spirituall policie, as vndoubtedly many of them be: All ceremonies they haue in derisi­on, and calle them plaine hypocrisie, thoughe they were neuer so well of holy fathers ordeined and institute, to stire the deuotion of simple min­des to christen puritie: all ecclesiasticall lawes they vtterly abrogate, though they be yet amōge vs receiued and authorised by cōmon authorite, [Page] all counselles they vtterly condemne, as thinges gouerned and ruled by playne and manyfest ty­ranny, and as for pilgremage and veneration of sainctes they haue for playne idolatrie, and soo lykewise purgatory and praying for them which be deed they repute folyshe simplicitie: fastynge also they in no case wyll admyt, though it hathe ben approued of al antiquitie: Holy dayes they wyll admitte none, fearynge peraduenture the occasion of the remembraunce of god, whome though in worde they besily confesse, yet by their dedes they vtterly hym denye, and out of theyr hartes playnly him caste, [...] accordynge to the na­ture of this blynde arrogancy, which vnder the pretence of religion despyseth the same as vayne superstition: lyke as also vnder the pretext of iu­styce and good policie, it couertly subuerteth all good order and ciuilite. And as for the sacramē ­tes, thynk you to thē, some of this sort haue any reuerence, the whiche they iudge to be onely as doome sygnes? truly none at al: in so moche that and yf it were not for the goodnes of our prince, whome they se stedfastly stande in the defence of the same, they wold sure before it were longe, as ryghtes ecclesiasticalle and ceremonies, vtterly condemne them also, and put them quite out of memorie. For such is their pestilent persuasion, that all thinge they wolde as it semeth bringe to confusion, nothinge admittynge at all, but that whiche is in scripture expressely conteyned, whi­che [Page 25] they also wyll vuderstonde after their owne fantasie, to the contrarienge wherof yf you bring the sentence of any auncient doctour, as of Ie­rome, Austyne, Gregorie, or Ambrose, their au­thoritie by and by they trede vnder fote, sayinge they were men, to whose iudgement they be no­thinge bounden at al: And if you begyn to reson with them to conuince thēof this their blynd ar­rogancy, streight waye your reson they shake of, saying it is drawē out of sophisticall philosophy: & so after this maner many of vs our arrogant blyndenes, blyndely defende, from the which by no meane we wyl be deliuered, but sturdely stāde in the defence of the same: whiche thynges fren­des is soore to be lamented. For these men vnder the presence of libertie, couertly purpose to di­stroye all christen policie, and soo in conclusion bringe al to manyfest ruine and vtter confusion. For what can you loke other of them, whiche so arrogantly dispise all ceremonies, rytes, and ec­clesiastical lawes, al holsome customes and tra­ditions, but at the last also the certayne ruyne & destruction of all christen puritie, and true reli­giō? And if it were not that by the high wisedom and policie of our prince, I haue greatte hoope and sure truste some remedies shortly to be pro­uided, wherby our hartes shalbe purged of such blindnes cōcernyng religiō,Galat. 3. I might me semeth make a sure conclusion, that shortly we shulde▪ se brought in here in our coūtrey by this our owne [Page] blyndnes, our owne confusion, the whiche nowe as one of the effectes consequent, and of necessi­tie annexed to the same, amonge other I wylle brefely shew. For frendes of this be you assured, this blyndenes of religion reigninge in our har­tes, as I haue declared, partely by superstition, and partly by arrogant opinion, [...]. [...]. 4. can not longe contynue without dyuellishe effectes, of the whi­che some we se all redy, to our great sorowe put before our eies, and some I wyll touche, whiche all men do not obserue, though some of them be all redy put in effecte, and some by all coniecture are lyke to succede, excepte by his prouydence chiefly, who gouerneth all, they may be from vs aduerted and vtterly turned away.

What meruailous effectes, howe diuers and straunge this dyuellyshe blyndenes worketh in mannes mynde, I wyll not, no nor if I wold I can not all expresse.2. [...]. 4. For euen as god hym selfe is nothynge but truthe and wysedome, so the dyuel is nothynge but blyndnes and foly: and as god by wysedom, [...] of Bly [...]denesse. as by the chief instrument worketh all that is good both in heuen and erthe, soo the dyuell by blyndnes worketh all that is euyl, here in mannes lyfe: and with that as with the chefe instrument, impugneth euer be [...]yly the workes of goddis wysedome and prouydence, as by ex­ample, by the blyndnes comynge of the lacke of knowledge of thynges he maketh mans mynde rude and ignorant, lettynge hym therby frome [Page 26] the admyration and contemplation of Nature, and of all power therof, wherby elles he myghte be styrred to consyder the bountyfulle goodnesse of god, of whome nature taketh all her vertue and power. By this blyndenes also he bringeth man to the obedience of his vayne and beastely affectes, by the reason wherof he neuer tastethe of the swetenes of vertue, and into that gardein he neuer doth entre, ye or yet if he doo, there he can not tary at all, but streyght way is caste out agayne, to that Eue beynge ouer obedient.Genesis. 3. This I coulde confyrme by many places of scripture, But I wylle not nowe tarye thervppon, nor be about to expresse vnto you the hole course of this dyuellyshe blyndnes, nor the romblyng effectis, whiche the dyuell by this instrumente bringeth forth here in the myserable and wretched lyfe of manne, to the common distruction of all vertue order and ciuilitie, wherof he is by his corrupte nature ennemy: but I wyl somwhat touche only certayn effectis, and them somwhat open to you, the whiche this blyndnes in religion, whiche I haue shewed, ye or rather we in our lyfe dayely & playnly do shewe, to reigne in our hartes, partly by vayne superstition, and partly by arrogant & light opinion, hath and dothe daily bringe forth here in our countrey. And fyrst as touchinge the effectes of blind supstition, what it hath done all redy it is to you al, more manifest thā nedeth de­claratiō. For what disobediēce to cōmon lawes, [Page] good and expedient to the welth of this realme,Ro [...] [...]3. and what disobedience to the princely authorite, to the whiche by goddis lawe straytely all trewe subiectes are bounden, hath lately bene shewed, and hath succeded as an effecte of this blynd su­perstition, we dere frendes to the great sorow of suche myndes, as of harte desyre the cōmon qui­etnes, these days paste haue sene in them, whiche nothinge fearynge the crueltie of peyne, haue to the worlde testified by their deathe their disobe­dience, moued by vayne and fals superstition, whiche grewe in their hartes, and there was sta­blyshed vnder pretexrte of trewe religion: by the whiche perswasion they more boldly than wyse­ly, by the iudgement of wyse men, suffered their deth. So that in this playnly moste christen peo­ple here you may se, the moste dyuellyshe effecte of this superstition, whiche induced men of such lernynge, of suche wytte, and of suche perfectnes of religion, as some of them which suffred, were noted to be, so to be disobediente to common au­thorite, & so wilfully to repugne ageinst the same that more gladly in their superstitious opinion they ranne vnto deathe, and with more pacience sufferynge the same, semed it to desyre, then ma­ny of vs desyre the swetenes of this lyfe or plea­sure therof. Suche was their blyndnes, whiche so blynded their hartes, that contrary to al cours and lawe of nature, they gladly that thinge suf­fred, that man naturally euer doth abhorre. But [Page 27] as I sayde herein you may se the great strength and power of sturdy superstition, whiche so hath ouerrūne y^• wyttes of witty ꝑsons, coloured with the spice of religiō, that al power of nature they vtterly ouercame: but of this effect I wyl speke no more, trusting that the example of these shall gyue vnto you all sufficient warnynge and mo­nition, to auoyde all suche blynde superstition, & yet hereafter in his place I shall not pretermytte somewhat to say concernyng the instruction of your weake conscience and knowlege in this be­half. For what disquietnes reigneth in these hartes, whiche by superstition are corruptly infecte, by the reason wherof they be as it were into dy­uers partes rent, I wyll not be about here to ex­presse, but leue it to the iugement of them, which fele thē selfes vexed therwith. For here was my purpose, only to touche this effect of superstitiō, to the declaration whereof, these fewe wordes as I think haue ben sufficient. wherfore consequēt­ly I wyll nowe procede to other, whiche nedeth longer declaration, for as moche as all men do not them obserue, for priuely they be cropen into our bosomes, and dayely dothe more and more there increase, the thynges be suche, that I wold you myght them iustely deny, but of your owne hartes I shall haue testimonie, your owne con­science shall wytnesse with me.

And brefely to say, this it is, as wel by the blindnesse of this dyuellyshe superstition, as by this [Page] pestilent and arrogant opiniō, there is growing in among vs here a corrupt iugemēt one of an o­ther, by the reson wherof, eche one in hart iugeth other to be, eyther pharisee or heretyke, papist or sch [...]smatike, to the whiche iugemēt consequently is annexed diuision, & so to the same is succeded of the very true and spirituall vnitie, a manifest dissolution and an open bracke therof by dissen­tion. That this is true I shall in as few wordes as I can manyfestly declare. For if I shuld par­ticularly and at length prosecute this thinge, I shulde be ouerlonge and tedious to you. Wher­fore I wyll touche onely as it were certayn com­mon places and generall groundes, wherby we are slypped into this pestilent and dyuellishe di­uision of spirite, by the reason wherof, somme of you may perauenture be moued to consider the corruption of your own iugementes herin. [...] And fyrste in the begynnyng this you must take for a manyfest truthe, that all suche which ouermoche gyuinge to traditions, ceremonies, and ecclesia­sticall rytes, and customes, stycke to them as to thinges stable by nature vnuariable, and of ne­cessitie to the saluation of manne required, with­out the whiche the groundes of Christis religi­on may not be conserued, [...] all suche I say lening to a false perswasion, erre, and haue conceyued therby a great grounde of a corrupt iudgement. For this is sure, that rites, ceremonies, and cu­stomes of the churche, accordyng to tyme, place, [Page 28] and nature of the people may be varied, as thin­ges of them selfe nother sure nor stable, ye and necessite it doth require. For euen as al dyet to al men for bodily helth, is not agreable nor conue­nient, so all ceremonies to all nations for good religion be nother mete nor expedient. Wherfore the sturdy defence of them in priuate persons cō ­trary to common authoritie, commeth vndoub­tedly of a folyshe and corrupt iugement, and ro­teth superstition: Lyke as contrary this is of no lesse truthe, that all suche persons, whiche tradi­tions of fathers, rytes, & customes vtterly con­demne and despise, bycause they fynde them not in holy scripture playnly expressed, and so ther­fore affirme them to be pernicious to all christen ciuilitie, and as burdeynes of conscience,Matt▪ 23. iudge them of their owne heedes vtterly to be caste a­waye: All suche I saye of the other syde be in no lesse errour, and haue by this grounde and opi­nion foūded a more corrupt iugement, thā haue yet the other, therby runnynge into a contempt [...] of religion. For to this iugement is annexed the ruine of al christen pollicie, whiche is conserued and moche maynteyned by rytes & customes ec­clesiastical, ye the groūdis of scripture & the very doctrine of Christ without these brefly wold gretly decaye, and I thinke by littell and lyttell vt­terly vanyshe away. For as moche as the weake vulgare myndes of the people euer haue benne after this sorte, that withoute somme exterior [Page] and outwarde sygnes and ceremonies, their simplicitie coulde neuer be lad to true religion, nor of god to conceyue the diuinitie. Wherfore of this grounde as I sayd, ryseth a corrupte and a pestilent iudgement and mother of all impietie: and out of lyke perswasion it springeth, that ma­ny men say, that these rytes and customes eccle­siasticall, are maynteined onely by them, whiche take profyte and lucre therby, and of suche they were fyrste constitute, ordeyned, and stabled for that pourpose and none other, whiche is also a manifest and fals opinion. For many of these ri­tes and customes were inuented of theym, who were bothe in doctryne and lyfe, dispisers of all worldly gayne, [...]hell. 2. profyte, and pleasure, and loked only to the preferrement and encrease of vertue and of true religion, and after also were stably­shed by common lawe and generall counsell in euery congregation. This can not be denyed of any man, whiche with indifferency, and syncere mynde, nothinge blynded with affection, weyeth thinges as they be in their owne nature. But somme of vs blinded with suche perswasion, yet procede ferther, and plainly do affirme, that pre­stis to haue possession, is vtterly ageinst Christis doctrine, and his true religion, litell considering howe that to receiue the gift and benefite of any man, giuen with charitie, nothinge repugneth to Christis doctrine, nor to his simplicitie: and howe that al suche donation & gift was brought [Page 29] in, and stablyshed, by men of perfyte charitie, to this purpose that byshoppes, pristes, and al re­ligious, shuld holly being intent to the preching of goddis worde, therby be maynteined in quiet­nes and tranquillite. This they consider not, but lokynge to the abuse, wherof doubtles is greate nede of reformation, & therwith blynded, blindly do rūne to the cōdemnation of the thing without reason and iugement. For this is a certain truth and sure, that the perfection of Christis religion resteth not so moch in the refuse of all possession, and wylfull pouertie, as it dothe in the streight vse of these worldly thynges, with perfyte cha­ritie. Ye and though in the begynnynge the pre­chers of Christis worde, were poore and had no­thynge, whiche was conueniente to that tyme, whan mankynd was vtterly drowned in world­ly vanitie, yet now in this age, after the stablyng of Christis religion so longe and many yeres, I see no cause why, suche pouertie shoulde be soo necessary, and that possession shulde be soo con­trary to christen perfection. Wherfore this per­swasion bredeth in our hartes a corrupt iugemēt and a pestilent diuision, by the whiche somme of vs are slypped to a more corrupt and pernicious grounde, whiche is to flee the order of generalle coūsel, and of al interpretation of scripture there cōmonly receiued. For to this succedeth in a ma­ner the ruine of scripture it selfe, the authoritie wherof declared to man comonly, hangeth moch [Page] vpon generall counsell. For though the truth of goddis worde dependethe nothynge vppon the iugement of man, yet the declaration therof, to the face of the worlde, hangeth moche theron: in so moche that these whiche we haue and take to be the true gospelles, and to conteyne the veray doctrine of Christ, we knowe not surely so to do, but onely by feyth and confidence that we gyue to the definition of generall counsell and consēt of the same: In so moche that if dyuers nations shulde dissente in the groundes of scripture, [...] 15. and in the interpretation therof, refuge shoulde we haue none conuenient to chrystian policie, and mete to conserue the polyticall vnitie, yf frome generalle counsayle we shoulde take awaye all order and direction, and to that gyue no obedi­ence at all. This therfore to iudge is playne ar­rogancye, and the streyghte waye and certayne to brynge all to vncertayntie: so that boldely I dare affyrme, that this perswasyon, hathe sette in many of vs, of many thynges corrupte opi­nyon. And thus, whatte by superstition, and what by arrogant opinion, many of our iudge­mentes dere frendes, are fowle and pernicious­ly corrupte, by the whiche we are nowe induced by false and blynde perswasion, to conceyue eche one of other an odious and a corrupt opinyon: by the reasone whereof, somme of vs are called of the newe fashyon, and somme of the olde, somme phariseys, and some schismatykes, and [Page 30] some also playne heretikes: As by example this somwhat to declare such as repugne ageynst the pride of Rome, gladly shakyng of the yocke therof, and wyllyng to receyue some newe doctrine, to the comforte of their myndes: suche, as newe fangled persones, be noted of other to be of the newe facion, ye and suche as besye them selfes in redynge of newe bokes, and scripture, freely condempnynge manye of the olde customes, by processe of tyme growen to great abuse, though their purpose be neuer soo good, yet shall not they scape the note of an heretyke, or els of more gentylnesse, they shall be called but a schisma­tike: wherin I dout not to pronounce, that they be euyll iudged, and that they whiche so iudge, haue conceyued of them a corrupte iudgement. For the moste parte I dare saye of them, whiche be called of the newe facion, lyke trewe and obe­dient personnes bothe to god and their prince, wolde gladly with common quietnesse, the alteration of certayne ceremonies and customes of the churche, to the encrease of all vertue and of true religion: and yet contrary they are iuged, e­uen lyke as many other, whiche are noted to be of the olde facion, bycause they not gladly sette forwarde this newe mutation, but sommewhat styffely stycke in the olde ceremonies, and rytes of the Churche, wherein they haue benne of youthe broughte vppe, and taken of their fa­thers the same customes, not condempnynge [Page] lyghtly the constitutions ecclesiasticall: these I say, are iudged of other to be superstitious and pharisaicall, folyshe and papisticall: the whiche also I dare with no lesse boldnes affirme, than I dyd of the other, that they ar mysiudged: For of them the moste parte vndoubtedly, though they some thynge stycke in the olde customes, as thinges of longe tyme receyued for good order and polycie, yet whan so euer it shal appere by cōmon counsell here in our countrey, them to chaunge and vtterly to abrogate, substitutinge other by common assent, they wyll euer be gladde as true and loyall subiectes, to all suche to be obedient, but in the meane tyme, though lyke quiet modest and obedient persones, they stande in the olde, they are not to be blamed as pharisees, but ra­ther deserue prayse, therin declaring their duetie & obedience, from the whiche lyghtly they ar not moued, accordinge to Poules counsayle with e­uery newe inuention, by lyght braynes brought in, [...] 15. contrary to good order and al ciuile constitu­tion. wherfore without fayle many of those of the olde facion, are of the newe lykewise mysiudged and wrongefully taken, as they be of the other: and so, though some of the olde facion be perad­uenture yet playne superstitious, for superstitiō so shortly wil not be pluckid vtterly out of mind, ye and though somme of the newe, be in harte of true religion vtter dispisers, as if it were not for feare of deathe, I thinke playnely they wolde to [Page 31] the worlde declare: yet I doubt not but the most part both of the newe facion and also of the olde, of the truthe be ryght studious, and of true reli­gion moche desirous, and dayly doo praye vnto him, who is the onely fountayne of all vertue & truthe, that it maye please him, so to light their hartes and conscience, that by his grace delyue­red from blyndenes, they may at the last se some sparkle of his lyght and truthe: of the whiche nowe one iudgeth an other to be no parttaker at all, but echeone blyndely iudgethe other to be blynde, eche one iudgeth other to erre, and to be slypped from the trewe and catholike faithe, the which some by newe facion pretende to bring in:Diuisyon. and some by the olde study to defende, so that by this contention, whyle euery man besily endeuo­reth him selfe, to maynteyne among vs this true and catholike faythe of Christe, the meane tyme is vnder growing secretly in our hartes this la­mentable diuision, the very bracke of the groūde of Christis religion, whiche is founded & groun­ded vppon vnitie, wherof here is amonge vs a playn and manifest dissolution. For he that thinketh that in those hartes resteth christen vnitie, where as one in harte iudgeth an other to be an heretike, he is playne frantike, and lacketh the common sense: he is eyther blynde, or playnely wyll not see, the whiche thynketh, that with su­che contrary and corrupte iudgementes may be conserued this spirituall vnitie, which requireth [Page] our hartes as in a common bande, to be knytte and coupled to gether in charite: wherof betwixt the newe facion and the olde our hartes are soo voyde and soo colde, that I thinke many of vs there be, whiche withoute grefe wolde see, their christen brother to hange vpon a galowes tree. Suche enuye & malice of one to an other is gro­wyng in amonge vs, that I can not se howe we may iustely be called membres of this spirituall body of Christe: in the whiche as by charitie all partis do flouryshe and growe in vnitie, recey­uynge grace and spirituall comforte of that he­uenly heed, soo by malyce and rancour, the same falle in diuisyon, and for lacke of that spiryte receyued of that heed, runne into manifest ruine and destruction. The experience whereof here amonge our self dayly we se, where as you may perceyue, one nothing gladde to helpe an other, though he be in extreme necessitie: one nothynge prompte to gyue succour to other, thoughe for lacke therof he shulde incontinent dye, one not redy to instruct an other, though he iuge hym to be in greatte errour and folye: one not redy to beare the weakenes of an other, though he be of greatte simplicitie: but contrarye one denyethe helpe and succour to other, euery one fleethe the instruction of other, no man gladdely nor wyl­lyngly admonyssheth his christian brother, but suffereth hym to erre, and hath him in derision. For suche is the diuision growyng in by folyshe [Page 32] simplicitie and arrogant opinion, that one of vs in no meane may abyde of the other any brother­ly admonition, but euer one hathe an other sus­pecte, that with some corrupt and newe opinion, he wyll infecte his iudgement, and bringe hym into some pernicious errour, contrarye to Chri­stis catholyke faithe and religion: Thus in spi­rite and harte we be deuyded, and of this spiri­tuall vnitie is growen a playn bracke and disso­lution, which is an effect consequently folowing the cōmon corruption of our iugementes, which we conceyue one of an other: the whiche thynge is open vnto all theym that delyte not in their owne blyndenes, and wyll not lyft vp their eies, this for to see. For al suche, whiche with christen hartes be desyrous of the cōmon quyetnes, and of the restitution of this vnitie, wherin with charitie all Christis membres oughte to be knytte, therby inioyinge theyr sure and certayne felici­tie, this canne not denye. And sorowfulle I am, that the thing of it selfe is so open to euery man­nes eye: in soo moche that many men of greatte wisedome and prudence, greatly do feare, that to this breache of this spirituall vnitie, growynge in by lacke of knowledge & charitie, shall succede the ruyne of good order, and of the iuste cōmon policye: to the coniecture wherof, by this maner perauenture, whiche I shall brefely touche, they maye be moued. For as moche as all good poly­cye is euer grounded vppon concorde and vnite, [Page] vpon the whiche as vpon the sure and onely du­rable foundation, all politike order is edified, al ciuile constitutions be ordeyned and stablyshed: Therfore where as that ground fayleth, hauyng therin any bracke, all the reste by reason and ne­cessitie, must fall to ruyne and miserye. For as al storyes the very glasse and true image of the lyfe of man, playnly testifie, there was neuer comon weale, whiche longe dyd endure, whiche layde not of this grounde a sure foundation, And to the conseruation hereof, euer put not moste di­ligent cure. But what shulde we seke confyrma­tion of this by story, seinge our mayster Christe of his owne mouthe this hath pronounced, [...], 12. that no comminaltie, where as reygneth this disso­lution of vnitie in harte, may long endure with­out ruine and destruction: wherof we haue sene in our owne dayes sorowful example and lamentable experience, here of our neyghbours in the countrey of Germany, where as for lacke of prudente respecte to the conseruation of this vnitie, manyfestly hath succeded ruine of the common polycie and wonderfull confusion: in so moche that amonge them selfes within the space of .vi. monethes there was slayne aboue an hundrede thousand mē. This to all the worlde is open, no man can it denye, and nowe they be so deuyded by sectes and heresies, that scant the shadowe of true religion remayneth in that confusion. And all this hath succeded by the iudgement of men [Page 33] of wytte and polycie, bycause there was not in tyme respecte to the bracke of this spiritual vni­tie, whose errour I doubte not, shall be to our example: by them we shal be instructe in tyme to prouyde for the breache of this vnitie. For the thynge is not yet soo depely roted here amonge vs, but that by the fauoure and helpe of hym, who is the verye hedde of all vnitie, by the hye wysedome and prouydence of our prynce, who as the chyefe offycer and mynyster here vnder Christe, nothynge more studieth thenne the con­seruation therof, ye and by the goodnes of your owne nature mooste christen people, who I am sure to the restitution of this grounde, wyll be mooste pliable, and with all diligence endeuour your selfe therto. This breche is not yet so great I saye, but that by all these meanes shortly and surely stopped it maye be, by the whiche we all as it were in one course knitte togyther as mem­bres of one body, may runne to gether with this vnitie, wherby we shall surely at the last attayne to that ende and felicitie, the whiche the hye pro­uydence of god, of his mere goodnes, hath to vs ordeyned and appoynted.

And to the entent we may somewhat the better attayne to the same, puttynge awaye this oure blyndenesse reygnynge amongest vs, bothe by false and vayne superstytion, and also by arro­gant and lyghte opinyon, with all the pestylent and dyuellysshe effectes annexed to the same: [Page] I shall nowe consequently of this our blyndnes gether certayne causes, wherby our iugementes are thus corrupted by such fals groundes as we haue conceyued: that so at the laste, auoydynge the same with cōmon quietnes, we may the bet­ter both restore and conserue among vs this he­uenly vnitie.

And here moste christen people, this you shall vnderstande, that lyke as of all blyndnes rey­gnynge in vs I haue not before spoken, so now in this parte of all causes therof, [...] of [...]. I wylle not make mention, for suche kynde of philosophye is not accordyng to your capacitie. For nothing there is here in this worlde, whiche is broughte forthe and made of onely one cause, but lyke as the thinges be of nature dyuers and varyable, so of many and dyuers causes they take their creation, many causes runne to gether in certayne course and order, to the bringynge forthe of all thinge here in this worlde, subiecte to all corru­ption: and so the dyuers effectes bothe in mans body and also in mynde, sprynge oute of dyuers occasions, as to our purpose nowe at this tyme, this blyndnes which I haue declared to reigne in our myndes, cometh not of one occasion, but of many and dyuers: of the whiche certayne af­ter my iugement moste conuenient before you to be opened, I wyll nowe touche, as brefely as I can, gyuynge you some occasyon therby perad­uenture, to the inuētion of other, and auoyding [Page 34] of the same. And fyrste one greatte cause of this blyndenes reignynge amonge vs, I note to be vnwyse maysters,2. Pet. 2. Preacner [...]. foolysshe teachers of rely­gion, vndiscrete preachers of the gospell of god, whiche by their madnes and frantyke folye, ye and by their lacke of iugement and discretion, haue broughte you oute of all good facion, they haue ben a great occasion of this cōmon blynd­nes, whiche shulde bringe you to the truthe, and shew you the lyght, they haue ledde you into mi­serable darknes, and almost put out your sight: It is they that of manye yeres haue grafted in your hartes and stabled superstition, it is they which of longe season by their fonne doctrine or rather fonne foly, haue moch corrupt your iuge­mentes. For the people in euery cōmon weale be rude and ignorant, hauyng of them selfe smalle lyght of iudgement, but euer in simplicitie, as shepe folowe the herde, so folowe they their ma­sters, euer treadynge in their steppes, whether so euer they go indifferētly: For the which cause the auncient wyse men and olde philosophers,Plato rep. 5. were wont euer to saye, that loke of what sorte, what nature so euer they be, which are maisters, teachers, rulers, and heedes in any citie or po­lycie: of the same sorte and nature of necessitie, must be all the rest of the comminaltie. For their lyfes, doctrine, and dedes, be to the people chefe example and rules: their doctrine is their bokis, their lyfes he their common glasses, wherin they [Page] with diligence euer be tootynge and lokyng, and to their example as moch as they may, they euer forme and facion them selfes in all thinges and in all kynd of lyfe, but specially in forme and fa­cion of religion: for therof, of all other thing, the people of them self haue leest iudgement, and be of the same moste ignorant, as a thinge whiche mooste hyghly passeth the common capacitie of man. For the whiche cause al the antiquitie euer referred the institution therof, to heuenly power & to goddis diuinitie, as we most christen people surely do of ours, the whiche our master Christ receyuynge of the hygh wysedome of the heuen­ly father, hath most plainly and clerely & in fewe wordes described vnto vs, and by his apostels instructe vs therwith, no man excludynge from the misteries therof, they whiche be common to all mens capacitie. For the gospell is a doctrine of simplicitie, [...] gospel. Galat. 5. and nothinge but faythfull chari­tie, a doctrine so manifeste and playne, that if it were as easye to fulfyll and put in effect, as it is to conceyue and to vnderstāde, I thynke there is no manne so rude, nor no manne by nature so ig­noraunt, but he myghte attayne to the hyghest mysteries, and to the hyghest knowledge neces­sarye to the saluation of manne conteyned ther­in. For suche was the pourpose of our mayster Christe,Matt. 13. Corin. 1. to prescribe a doctrine to all men kynde, open and common. Wherfore he made rude fy­shers, and ignorant persones, the fyrste prechers [Page 35] teachers and doctours thereof. But nowe dere frendes, though this doctrine be neuer so playne and full of simplicite, neuer so clere and many­fest of it self, yet it is by the curiositie of our ma­sters and teachers therof, nowe of late yeres so obscured and hydde, so cloked with subtyl inter­pretation, so mangled by contrarye exposition, that many of vs nowe be in greatte perplexitie, moche dowbtynge of the truthe therof, vtterly ignorant of the grounde and foundation of the same. For where as the chiefe maisters and tea­chers haue preched and write, contrary one to an other, howe shuld ignorant and simple myndes conceiue any grounde and sure stey, wherto they myghte leane for succour and comforte? Howe shoulde they fynde any certayne truthe therin? where they here their masters in such controuer­sie, whyle somme of them sette vp the authoritie of olde tradition, rytes and customes, as thyn­ges necessarye for the conseruation of good po­lycie, where other vtterly do them abrogate and damne, as thinges pernicious to all perfyte and true religion: and some purgatorie and praying for them whiche be deed, playnely do condemne, and som openly admyt, some pilgremage & veneratiō of imagis, as thingis of idolatry manifest­ly deny, other them preache & sette in full autho­ritie. But what shuld I here be about to recyte al such thinges, wherin our masters be īcōtrouersy seing that to al mē I trow they be surely knowē? [Page] in so moche that many of the people commonly say, that they wyll no more here prechynges, tyll the preachers amonge them selfes better agree: they wyll no more gyue their eares to such ma­sters, whiche brynge them into so manyfest per­plexitie, and som of them haue induced into this fals superstition, and some to the contempte of true religion, so that a great parte of our blynd­nes and corrupt iugement, we may most iustely dere frendes attribute vnto the vndiscrete prea­chers, and of Christis doctrine blynde maysters and techers: who haue not ben cōtent with their tongues onely their blyndnes to cōmune abrode and testifie, but also with their penne wrytynge the same they haue descriued, and so the iugemē ­tes of them which haue ben a lyttel lettered, with their foly by writing declared, they haue most ꝑ­niciously infected: som by their eloquence, mans lawe, ceremonies & rytes, customes & traditions, so haue exalted, so sette a height, that many sim­ple myndes therby are perswaded, the somme of Christis religion in them to remayne, or at the lest so by them to be maynteyned, y^t to their ruine or alteration, shall succede of trewe religion the playn decay or innouation: Some other cōtra­ry by their bokes haue them so depressed, and vt­terly condempned, that they boldely affirme the mayntenance of them to bringe in, of all syncere and pure christianite the vtter destruction, by the whiche Christis glory so hath ben of longe tyme [Page 36] obscured and hyd, that the worlde (as they say) hathe gyuen more to the outwarde workes and mans tradition, than to lyuely faith and trust in Christis passion: so that after this maner, as wel by foolysshe bokes as by fonne preachynge, you good people ar brought in a great mammering, your symplicitie semeth to be moche blynded by their curiositie.

Howe be it frendes this you muste nowe conse­quently take, that all be it great causes of your blyndnes, be these vndiscrete prechers, these cu­rious and arrogant teachers, yet you maye not al attribute to them, you be not your selfes clene without faut: If you your selfes some of you I say, had not sturdy hartes, and ful of obstinacy,Obstinacye. by this superstition folyshely conceyued, though of many yeres it hath growen in your stomakes, yet it shulde not so there be roted, and so styffely of you be defended, that to common authoritie you shuld gyue no place: This declareth in ma­ny of vs to be great and manifest obstinacie: like as in some other of vs, easy it is also to see, great lightnes of mynde, and of iugement instabilitie,Lyghtnesse. whiche with euery blast of newe doctrine of our newe masters, be ouerthrowen and ledde, and to euery lyght perswasion lyghtly gyue place, lea­uynge by and by al olde custome and ceremonie, whiche is no lesse faute than in superstition to be sturdy. Wherfore to excuse your selfes most chri­sten people holly by your maysters, as many of [Page] you do, iustly you may not. For though in them be great faute,1 Corin. 3. and perauenture more damnable than is in you, yet you your selfes be not cleane withoute blame. For these vnwyse doctours of religion, neyther with their proude arrogancye, nor yet with their superstitious symplicitie, if they found not in your hartes a prompt redynes to receyue their opinion, neuer shuld haue place to fasten in you their folyshe doctrine, they shuld not lyghtly stable in you any poynt of vayne su­perstition, nor yet in your hartis any contempte of good and trewe religion. For lyke as the sede caste in the grounde neuer bryngeth forth frute, excepte by nature the grounde be apte and mete there vnto, soo the doctryne of preachers dothe neuer neyther edyfye nor dystroye,Matt. 13. excepte in the hartes of them, to whome it is communed, there be founde to the receyuynge therof somme promptnes and conueniency. The faute wherof is to our selfes holly to be imputed, for thoughe as I sayde before, the vulgare people be moche ignorant, and of iugement very bare, yet they be not of nature so naked sette forthe here into the worlde, but that certaine sedes in their hartes they haue planted, certayne sparcles of know­ledge there they haue grafted, which if with any meane diligence they wyll sette forth & tyll, some iugement they shall haue betwixt good and euil, some discretion they shal attayne, to discerne the good preacher from the vayne, some knowlege [Page 37] they shall haue to perceyue hym that preacheth wel vertue and honestie, from him that precheth his owne folyshe fantasie, by some token & signe they shall discerne him: that is arrogant and se­dicious, from him that is meke & vertuous. And of this ꝑauenture here after in his place, bicause I iudge it moche to you at this tyme expedient and necessary, I shall somwhat say, concernyng the difference betwyxt the good preacher and the euyll, and howe you shall knowe one frome the other, whiche shall be no small helpe to delyuer vs from this blyndnes that we nowe be in wrap­ped, mysiudgyng one an other, wherof nowe in some parte the causes you see, whiche is in dede nothynge harde to perceyue, and I wold to god it were no lesse harde to fynd and apply remedy: but euen as it is in the body of man to fynde the disese, and the cause therof, [...] though it be not easy nor lyght, nor to euery man open and playne, yet it is not soo harde, as it appereth to me, as with prudent experiēce to apply remedyes to the same in tyme and place conuenient. And so here lyke­wyse in this our purpose nowe to note these cau­ses of our blyndnes, as prechers obstinacie, and leuitie of mynde, was no greatte difficultie, but open to euery mans eye: but to fynde out reme­dies conuenient now to the same, applying them to the restitution of this desyred vnitie, this is not lyght, this is not in my power, this is not of my wytte nor capacitie. Wherfore a great parte [Page] of this thinge commyttinge to the prouidence of god, whose order and gouernaunce to lacke I trust yet our synnes haue not deserued, & a great parte to the hye policie of our most noble prince, whose cares, studyes, and thoughtes lye holly therin. I shall nowe in the reste moue, exhorte, & instruct you, most christē people, with certayn thinges, the which for the most parte lye in your owne diligēce, & be put in your own power, wher by you may yf you wyll, endeuour your selfe, as I doubt not but ye wyll, greatly sette forwarde bothe the restorynge, and the quiete conseruing of this so moche of all men desired and praysed vnitie. For though it be so that out warde reme­dyes by foreyn causes adhihyte, may to this purpose gyue moch preferment, greatly promoting and settynge forwarde the same, yet this can not be douted, [...]. 3. but that in your selfes stōdeth a great parte of the hole matter, as in whom the groūde and foundation therof holly doth lye, none other wyse than it dothe in them, whiche labour in bo­dily disease, in whom you see, that all be it phisi­tions by medicines and other out ward remedies moche do conferre to the helth of their pacientes by good experience ministrynge the same, yet a great parte of their restitution lyeth in them sel­fes by good diet, quiet order, and other good go­uernaunce temperynge their affectes, without the whiche all crafte of phisyke lyttell dothe a­uayle. And yet here in this purpose dere frendes [Page 37] we are in moche better case than they be, whiche are vexed and labour of bodyly disease: for as moche as we haue the presence of our phisition, the heuenly spirite and diuyne power euer attehande,Matt. 28. more redy at all tymes to minister vs re­medies, than we by our owne blyndnes and ne­gligent foly lette, be therof desyrous. Wherfore as I sayd, moche lyeth in our selues bothe to re­store and conserue this heuenly vnite, we muste dispose our selfes with hart & wyl vtterly to cast away this blynde superstition and arrogāt foly, and with diligent indeuour and cure forme our iudgementes with ryght knowlege and conue­nient obedience, that we maye therby the better, auoydynge the dissolution of the vnitie spiritu­al, without al confusion of policie annexed ther­to, as membres of one body knytte to one heed, here in this lyfe inioye common quietues, and hereafter eternal felicite, wherof you al most christen people by nature are feruently desyrous, the whiche desyre I trust in you shal neuer be foūde vayne, but bringe forthe at the last suche fruite and perfection, as to suche ardent desire & noble affecte is due and conuenient. For of this be you certayne and sure, that the infinite goodnes of the diuine power neuer leueth such hartes desert1. Pet. 2. without succour and helpe, whiche with feruent desyre and sure affiaunce, faithe, and truste an­nexed therto, diligently seke and inserche therby to haue the knowledge of truthe and honestie. [Page] And lette this be a sure grounde stabled in your hartes, of the which you shal neuer be deceyued: for god neuer suffreth them by any meanes to be deluded,Psal. 30. whiche put their affiance and truste in hym, as I doubte not but you doo. Wherfore I wyll nowe procede vnto my purpose.

All though it be so mooste christen people, that som of vs by blyndnes as I haue shewed before, haue our iugementes corrupte, the which thing dayely also openly to the worlde we testifie, yet excepte affection to wyn owne countrey vtterly blynd me also, this I thinke I may boldly & tru­ly affirme, that for the mooste parte vniuersally, there is amonge vs as true christen simplicitie & good religion, as there is in any other christian nation: or at the least, this I may saye, that to haue the same stabled amonge vs, in wylle and desyre we gyue place to none other: And of this we haue euer had the fame, syth Christis doctrin was fyrst amonge vs preched and taugth. wher­fore at the leest this wyll as presupposed, I take to be in vs, and take it also as no small grounde to the rest,Plato. whiche I shall say. for as wyse men write, he hath nowe halfe atteyned vertue & ho­nestie, that of him selfe bryngeth good wyll and desyre, to the attaynynge therof. And our master Christ also this euer as chiefe ground, [...]han. 15. requireth in vs, the reste by his spirite in our hartes euer fourmyng: Therfore nowe this presupposynge I shal procede to prescribe and declare vnto you [Page 39] certayne generall groundes, wherby you maye concernyng some such thinges as nowe in these dayes be in great contention, and so of the brack of this spirituall vnitie a great occasion, so form your iugementes with conuentēt knowlege and obedience, that you may be in some parte better delyuered, both from vayne and fals superstitiō, and also from lyght and arrogāt opinion, wher­in suche iugement as by longe redynge of scrip­ture it hath pleased god to giue vnto me, and su­che as I thinke al christen hartes to be fourmed with all, bothe by conuenience and necessitie, su­che iudgement I say I shall as it were in a lytel table brefely to you propose, besechinge you all with the same hartes therin to loke, and with the same affectes, the same to rede that I write hit withal, the whiche I testifie god, who only seeth the harte and priuie thought of man, is the very same, wherwith I haue instruct myn own mynd and consciēce: Requiryng you also that if I shal appere vnto any of you in any parte to erre, and corruptly to iudge, that it wylle please you with the same mynde to admonyshe me therof, that I wryte to you with all. For euer I wyl be to hyer iugement conformable. And for bycause I write not to them, which be of great lernyng, to whose wysedome the thinges are better knowen than they be vnto me, I wyl vse no longe processe nor clerkely disputation, but to you mooste christen people, whiche be not greatly lettered, I wyl di­recte [Page] my cōmunication, gatheringe in fewe wor­des the somme and pithe of suche thinges, as I shall iudge conuenient, to your knowlege and capacitie.

And fyrste to the intent you may see of christen lyfe the excellent dignitie, and what ende chiefly a christen harte ought euer to loke vnto, and so fyrste surely to lay this grounde and foundation whervnto euer we must moche of the rest of our communication, resolue and referre, as to the chiefe ende and principall of all, you must a lytle lyfte vppe your eies, and as it were out of hyer place, diligently behold the lyfe of man, and ther in with som iugement loke, where you shall find that in man here in erthe, by the prouydence of god, set to passe a short and transitorie lyfe, there be as it were .ii. polytees .ii. dyuers maners of li­uynge .ii. dyuers ways and fashiones of passing this pilgremage, of the whiche the one is heuen­ly spirituall and godly, the other ciuile, [...] Corin. 3. natural, and worldely: what I meane by these .ii. lyues, I wylle brefely to you declare. This ciuile and worldly lyfe, [...] politike [...]. is to man naturall, and by nature to hym conuenient, wherin he hathe by the one­ly and mere benefyte of nature, suche sedes and plantes of truthe and honestie in his harte ro­ted and planted, the whiche, yf by his owne ne­gligent folye, he suffred not by affection to be ouer runne, but with dylygence wolde folowe and nourysshe the same, they whyche I saye [Page 39] shulde vndoubtedly brynge hym to suche digni­tie, as to the excellencye of his nature by nature is dewe and conuenient, but bycause man is no aungell, but hath a body frayle and corruptible, subiecte to affectes and all corruption, therfore law ciuile and politike rule entred into this lyfe, & therin of necessite toke place,The necessi­te of lawes. which is drawen out & stabled vpon the groūdes of nature, by her benefite in mans hart plāted & layd, to the which groūdes, ciuile lawes & ordynāces by wyse & prudent policie, stabled in mans lyfe, so long as mā is conformable, so longe as man is by them go­uerned and ledde, folowynge theym with obedi­ence, other for feare and drede of punyshemente ensuynge their transgression, or for hope & truste of perfyte pleasure or any other worldly thynge annexed to their diligent obseruation, so long I say mā lyueth lyke a ciuile polytike and worldly man, and suche maner of lyuynge brefely to lay,The spiritu­all lyfe. I iudge to be this cyuile naturall and worldely lyfe, wherof nowe we speke. An other lyfe there is, whiche I called heuenly spiritual and godly, whiche is aboue the comon course of nature, not receiuing her groūdes of nature, nor of the comō reson of mā, but of very reason it self, of the very certayn & true reson of god, which is the very son of god,Iohan. 1. by our mayster Christe ioyned to the na­ture of man, and by him to the worlde opened. This reason is the very worde of god, and god hym selfe by Chryste to manne kynde shewed, [Page] whose doctrine his disciples by mouthe taught, and by writynge haue lefte to our instruction. Howe be it here you muste vnderstande, that to the knowledge of this reasone, by mans reason man him self can not attayn, [...] Corin. 1. to this he is blynd, nature is not sufficient, but to the attaynyng of this reson, reson subdued, faith must be therin to him as it were a gyde, fayth must gyue hym iu­gement and sight, & be as it were his eye, faithe must shew vnto hym al the secrete misteries ther in: [...]ebre. 11. and shortly to say fayth must lay al groundis in this lyfe, as nature dyd in the other. And lyke as in the ciuile and politike lyfe feare and hope euer ledde the politike man and worldly, to the obseruation of his lawes: so in this very heuēly and spiritual life, faith and loue, lede man made spiritual, makynge him by loue to lawes obedi­ent: in so moche that at the last by faithfull loue and charitable faith, man is brought to sure fe­licitie,Galat. 5. [...] liberte. and stablyshed in true libertie, that is to say, he is therby deliuered from all corrupte and worldly affection, he is then free from synne and dethe, them vtterly tredynge vnder foote, he is then delyuered from all daunger and feare ther­of, than he in this mortall lyfe passing the state & condicion of man,Philipp. 3. lyeth lyke no mortall man, but liueth like a Christe, like a god in erthe, and like reasone it selfe, neuer giuinge place to any affection, than he inioyeth suche spirituall com­forte and pleasure in harte, as is moche easyer [Page 40] for them to cōceyue, which haue had gust & expe­riēce therof, thā for any mā by wordes to expresse this thinge, we whiche commonly gyue place to worldly affection, and with the burdeyn of this body suffre our selfes to be oppressed, as it were a farre of, onely doo se. And euen lyke as we be­holde the heuenly bodyes, the sonne, the mone, with the other sterres, and planettes, hauynge no sure iudgement of the nature of them, nor yet of their quantite: so of this spiritual and heuen­ly lyfe, we se as it were in a clowde and afarre of the hye perfection and excellency, but the trewe iugement therof we do not conceyue, being blin­ded with bodily affectiō,2. Timoth. 1. and holly intent to ihis worldly polycie, by the besynes wherof and va­nitie, we vtterly forgette this our high perfecti­on and dignitie, the fulle declaration whereof I wyll not here attent, nor it is not my pourpose: onely this I wolde by these fewe wordes leade you vnto the consyderation with your selfe, of pure christianitie, the which after this rude and brefe description of these .ii. lyues, which I haue gathered out of the doctrine of Poule, shall not be moche harde for you to conceyue: for thoughe these .ii. lyues of their owne nature be distincte and dyuers, for as moche as the one is common to all mankynde, for whether they be Iewes,Matth. 5. sa­rasynes, Turkes, or Mores, in som polycie they must agree, withoute the whiche is no ciuilitie: though I say in them selfe, they be dyuers, yet in [Page] vs christen men, they in one must perfitly agree, they must consent, and in the perfyte couplynge therof resteth the conseruation of this spirituall vnitie, the whiche of necessitie dothe require in common policie a certayn consent and sure agre­ment. For this is a sure truthe, that worldly po­licie qualifyed with charitie,Christen ci­uyly [...] ▪ is therby conuerted into christen ciuilitie, in our lyfe, whiche be chri­sten men, one of theym is the waye to the other, one of them to the other is so knytte and ioyned, that the one without the other can not longe en­dure, the one without the other shortly wyll de­cay. For euen like as the ciuile lyfe politike & se­perate from peace and vnite, longe by no meane maye be maynteined without destruction:Tit. 3. so the spirituall lyfe and heuenly withoute respecte of common polycie, shortly by necessitie shall falle to confusion. Wherfore this must be taken as a sure and common grounde, that in al christen ci­uilitie of greatte and hygh necessitie to all suche thinges, as by common authoritie are stablished and foūded, without repugnance to the spiritu­all vnitie and manifeste doctrine of Christe, the people must euer be obedient, to all suche thyn­ges with gladde harte they must euer agree and consent. For of this we haue in Christis doctrine in many places manifest commandement, [...]ebr. 13. bothe of Peter and of Poule in their holy epistles, ye and Christe him selfe sayd, he came not to breake such thinges, as by cōmon lawe were receyued, [Page 41] but rather to stably she, confirme, and make per­fite the same,Matth. 5. as bothe his lyfe and his doctrine manifestly declare.Roman. 13. For where as before christen men obserued lawes onely by feare of punyshe­ment, Christ wold haue his flocke to be obedient and fulfyll the same only by loue, & by none other outwarde respecte. And therfore his doctrine is as a corner stone, agreinge to al polycie, and de­termyneth therin no certayne kynde at al, but as wel may the ꝑfection of Christis doctrine be ful­filled in that state, where as be many heedes and dyuers polyticall, as there as is but one chiefe & principal: So long as policie and lawes therby stablyshed and set, breke not the groundes of spi­rituall vnitie, there is no repugnāce to be made of those which be humble subiectes,1. Pet. 2. meke & obe­dient to such thinges as be receiued by cōmon assent. This thing dere frendes I oft inculke and reherse, bicause if it be wel and throughly percei­ued, and in our hartes surely grounded, it shall minister vnto vs a great grounde & occasion, to pluck vp by the rotis this fals superstition, whi­che in these days disquieteth so many mens feble & weke consciences without reason: And special­ly if to this we ioyne an other grounde, wherby you shall be brought moste christen people some­what to conceyue a diuersite and plain differēce, betwixt such thinges as be of playne necessitie, & of them self by nature good, and such as be only of a certain cōueniency, & by nature be indifferēt. [Page] The lacke of the iugement and discretion wher­of, hath gyuen great occasion to stable in many mens hartes this vayn superstition, and is also no small cause of proude arrogant opinion. For the conceyuynge wherof, this dere frendes you must vnderstonde, that lyke as I sayde before in the lyfe mere polytike & worldly, there be certain groundes, whiche of necessitie, must euer be conserued, and neuer suffre dispensation: and other thinges there be, whiche as tyme and place doth require, euer by lawe ciuile and polycie maye be altered and suffre abrogation: so in the godly life and spirituall, there be also certayne groundes, wherin is founded this spirituall vnitie, whiche by no mans policye maye be chaunged, but euer must stand stable and firme without innouatiō. And other thynges also there be, whiche by com­mon authoritie maye be remoued, abrogate, and vtterly put awaye, and sto [...]de onely by conueni­ency, and haue their power onely of the consent of the hole congregation: as by exaumple, this thing to declare somewhat more at large, [...] groū ­des these be of the polytyke lyfe, honour to be done to the diuine nature, whiche gouerneth all, reuerence to be had to our parentes, which haue laboured to bringe vs into the lyght, cure to be had of those whiche come of vs by naturall pro­creation, to be beneficiall to them, whiche be in necessitie, and to repell from our selfes all iniu­rie. And in conclusion all suche thinges whiche [Page 42] of lawe ciuile stablyshed, taketh not full power, but haue their strength of the true iugement of naturall reason, pure and not corrupte by affec­tion, all suche be groundes in natural law: thin­ges resting in policie and ciuile constitution, be­inge of nature indifferent, be infinite, and for the tyme and place euer variable, as somme tymes thynges of marchandyse to command to bringe in, and sometyme the same to prohibite, somety­mes money of the people by taxe to be gathered, and some tyme the same contrary to restore, is to good policie righte conuenient. Lyke as in some places, the eldest sonne to succede in the hole in­heritance for the maynteynyng of the familie, is of some iudged good policie: and in some other places it is playn iniury, so that al such thing as time & place with other circūstance doth require, so euer they be by the iudgement of wyse men & politike, to be chaunged of conueniencye, whan to them is gyuen full authorite to alter & change theym with free lybertie. And lyke maner in the lyfe spiritual certayn groundes as I sayd, there be, whiche must euer be taken as fyrme and sta­ble,Roman. 5. as Christ to descende from the bosome of his father, to be made man for mannes redemption, the fayth and truste in hym and in his promysesGala. 5. to be sufficient for mannes saluation, the workis of man ciuile without faythe, not to be of power to serue to mans iustifycation,Tit. 3. the mysteries of Christe by his sacramentes to faythfull myndes [Page] to be cōmuned. And brefly to say, al such thinges as in Christis gospel by expresse cōmandmēt, ey­ther of our master Christe, or of his holy apostles & disciples be to vs giuen & taught, all such be of mere necessitie, & not indifferēt, & by no power in [...]eth suffre abrogatiō: but cōtrary al other thiges ꝑteining to this spirituall polycie, whiche be not cōteyned in y^• gospel expressely,Matt. 15. or deduced of the same surely, as rites customes and traditions of fathers, hauing no groūd but only by p̄scription of time, al such may be alterid by good order & policie, whā it shal appere to thē which haue authorite so conueniēt, as the forbiddig of scripture to be red ī y^• mother tonge, & in the churches so to be rehersid, somtime was not without consideratiō, where as now to many it may otherwise appere, as it doth of pristes mariage, foundyng of chan­tries, [...] buylding of monasteries, popes pardons, institution of holy dayes, which al with many o­ther of y^• same sorte & nature, to wyse mē nowe a dais apere plainly to be growē to an iniust extre­mite. wherfore to alter thē it is thought not with out gret cause highly expedient, & to the institu­tion of Christis true doctrine very ꝓfitable & cō ­uenient, the whiche by mans constitution & cere­mony is vndoutedly moch obscured, & the purite therof almost put out of memorie: in so moche y^e many men being in that behalf somwhat super­stitious, iuge in these cōstitutions & ceremonies to stand moche of Christis religion, to the which [Page 43] perswasion brought they are for lacke of this di­scretion betwixt thinges of necessite, & such as be but only profitble and cōueniently for the time institute, to the conseruation of the other whiche be groundes necessary, of the which sort without faile be al rites & constitutions ecclesiastical: and yet I do not thynk y^t by & by they be vtterly to be cōdemned, as many do with arrogāt opinion, bi­cause they be not of this necessitie & in scripture expressed. For our master Christ, of whom I take this groūd, where as he in diuers places puttith difference betwixt his cōmandment & mans tra­dition,Matth. 23. he I say him selfe cōmandeth vs cōtrary, byddyng vs to fulfyl his cōmandment, & yet not to leue & vtterly pretermyt the tradition, for such thinges which of long custom haue ben receiued are not so without order to be plucked away, but they require good consideration and pondering of some manifest detriment & hurte,Ephe. 4. to very true religion, before they be vtterly put awaye, & not after the iugement of euery lyght braine so to be condēned, as thinges ꝑnicious to al christen ciuilite. For al though som of thē be very vn ꝓfitable & to true religiō an open īpedimēt, yet som other there be which be as good & conueniēt menes, to induce rude & simple mi [...]des to cōceyue the miste­ries of Christ, & to kepe as by signes the memory of the same. Notwithstāding, this again is true, vpō the other side y^e none of thē be of such necessi te, y^t the altering of thē shuld bring in vtterly the [Page] ruine of religion. Wherfore with suche supersti­tion and sturdy obstinacye, they ought not to be defended, as many men thynke, for lacke of the sure conceyuynge of this grounde, whiche nowe you haue harde in few wordes touched, the whi­che grounde if it had ben stabled in the hartes of some of them, whiche for their disobedience by superstytyon conceyued, lately haue suffered, they wolde not peraduenture so heedlynge haue runne to their dethe, the whiche they so gladly suffered, induced by corrupt opinion: for perswa­ded they were, that the vnitie of Christis church coulde not by any case maynteyned be, withoute this longe vsurped superioritie, whiche the by­shoppe of Rome hath of many yeres by the sim­plicitie of christen people be magnified in, and that such a heed shuld be stablyshed by the word and doctrine of Christe, here in his churche of necessytie, and not to be a thynge of nature in­different: & that he shuld also be the vicar of god and vniuersall iudge of all christianitie. This was their perswasion, whiche is the chiefe key of all superstition, this is as it were the fountayne and grounde of all other lyke abusion. wherfore all be it that this ground by the hye prouydence of out most noble prince, and by common authoritie here in our nation, be soo vtterly abrogate and pluckid away, that among you most christen people there is none I thynke so ferre from wit and iudgement, that wyll theragaynst repugne, [Page 44] but as true subiectes be therto obedient: yet for the instruction of some weake consciences, whi­che by some fals perswasion, perauenture maye yet be troubled with some scrupulosite therof, I haue thought conuenient nowe in this place, as I promysed before, somwhat to say touching the chiefe poyntes, wherby I haue fourmed myne owne iudgement with knowlege and due obedi­ence, to the intent that you also mooste christian people, conceying the nature of the thynge as it is in dede, indifferent, may with harte and cō ­science be therto gladlyer obedient, and not only by feare of common punyshment. Wherfore the nature of the thinge as it is in it selfe plainly, as farre as my wyt and lernynge wyl serue, in fewe wordes I shall open vnto you indifferently.

After the tyme that I had exercysed a parte of my youthe in secular studies and in philosophy, and therby formed my iugemēt with som know­lege of nature, and of thinges perteynyng to the maners of man in the ciuile and polytike lyfe, I toke streight forth holy scripture in hande, ther­by to instructe my mynde with the lyghte of the doctrine of Christe, the onely comforte of true & faithful hartes, to the which ende al my labours and studies in other kynde of letters I euer re­ferred & directed, as to the thing, which all Chri­stis scholers oughte euer to loke vnto. But as sone as I hadde exercysed my selfe a fewe yeres therin, and some lyght of iugement by the com­fort [Page] of Christis spirit gathered in the same, wherby I myght the better discerne thinges, whiche stonde in worldly polycie, from the groundes of scripture and pure christianitie: and as soone as I hadde conceyued with my selfe the perfection therof, the sincere simplicitie conteyned therin, and the quietnes of faythefull hartes and pure consciences, whiche to the stablysshynge therof, was surely adioyned, I began with my selfe sore to lament, to se and consider the state of y^• worlde cōmonly, howe far it was slypped from that he­uenly perfection, and celestial conuersation, and both with my selfe diuers and sondry tymes, and with other with whom in studies I was cōuer­sant, of the causes therof I beganne to consider and reasone? in the enserchynge wherof, all be it many and dyuers causes I founde, whiche now to reherse were ouer longe, & not to my purpose: Yet this I wyl say dere frendes nowe vnto you, that fewe other I se of gretter efficacy, than this vsurped long and many yeres superioritie of the pope, whyche for the maynteynynge of his au­thorite vnder the cloke of religion, hath brought in amonge christen nations moche fals supersti­tion, and for the mayntenance of his hye pride & cloked tiranny, hath amonge christē princis ma­ny tymes to the greatte ruine of common quiet­nes, sette greatte diuision. For who is he that of storye hath any consideration, whiche playnely bothe not see, how fewe christen princis there be, [Page 45] whiche for the set tynge vppe of this arrogancy, hath not ones one agayne an other drawen their swerdes, to the great effusion of christen blode, and ruine of all good ciuilytie, ye and yet which is worste of all, they haue ben perswaded therby to sette vp Christis honour and religion; O lord what a blyndnes was this reignynge in princis hartes, and what a superstition one christen man to kyll an other vnder the pretext of Christis re­ligion? And as for the abuses of that authoritie as well in pardons and dispensations as in inter dytes and excommunication, I thynke there is no man so blynd, no nor yet nation so farre from iudgemente, nor so farre from the commonsense and trewe consyderation, the whyche that dothe not see, and obserue. For amonge christen men no nation there is, whiche beynge obedyente to that authoritie, hath not felte by pyllynge and pollynge, and tyrannycalle exaction, euer coue­red with the pretexte of religion, of these abu­ses the playne and manyfeste experyence. This thynge I haue obserued dere frendes longe and many a daye, not withoute greatte sorrowe and dolour of mynde, and yet somme hope euer I haue hadde ones to see, of these thynges a iuste and a true reformation, as welle in other coun­treys and nations as here at home in our owne nation. This hope I hadde, wherwith I very moche eased my sorowe and doloure, lyuynge in great desyre to see the thynge putte in effecte. [Page] Wherfore dere frendes now of late, at such time as I retourned oute of Italye, hyther home to myn owne countrey, here to finyshe in quietnesse the reste of my lyfe, seruyng our prince, if I were in any poynt able, to the whiche ende of youthe I appoynted all my studies: whan I retourned I say, and sawe this thinge partly put in effect, whiche I soo longe desyred, the whiche desyre I testifie god was to his honour, what ioye, what gladnes in my hart and mynde, I therof concei­ued, I wyll not nowe be about to you by wordes largely to expresse. But this I wil say vnto you, the gladnesse that I conceyued of pluckynge a­waye this superioritie, was not so moche for the stopping of the profites, which to the imparyng of this realme, was no small thing, wherin the moste parte of mens eyes are chiefly fyxed, as it was for the hope I had of the reformynge of cō ­mon religion, and of the purgynge of vayne su­perstition, wherwith many symple myndes here in our nation, haue ben greatly infect: the chiefe cause wherof hath bene this superioritie of the see of Rome: in so moche that this I thinke tru­ly I may say, that euen as Rome by mekenes & charitie, was the fyrst occasion of communynge and propagation, ye and stablyng also long and many yeres of Christis doctrine and true religi­on here in our nation, so nowe the same by pride and arrogancy, by processe of tyme hath ben the chiefe and principall occasion, of ouermoche ex­tollyng [Page 46] mans tradition, and the very open gate of all superstition, so that nowe by the stopping of this gate, great hope I haue ones yet to see, Christis doctrine restored agayn to the pure and natiue simplicitie, and to the olde simple purite. And to the conceyuynge of this hope moche mo­ued I am by the hye vertues of our moste noble prince, whose highnes boldly I dare affirme, no thing more desyreth, than the restitution of Chri­stis true doctrine here in our nation, and that to see flourishe in the hartis of his subiectes, decla­ringe in lyfe the frute of the same. To this ten­deth all the cures, thoughtes, actes, and dedes of his royall maiestie. Wherfore me semeth not without a cause my hope is conceyued, if this be true that all antiquitie hath approued, suche as be princis, suche be their subiectes, whose trace euer foloweth all the comminaltie. Seing ther­fore oure prince to be of this pourpose and de­syre, and of suche iudgemente and policie, that beste he knowethe the meane of the restitution hereof, why shulde not I conceyue this gladde­nes, and stable hit in my harte? why shoulde not I reioyse, or rather why shuld not all we be glad and reioyse most christē people? Truly we ought to gyue thankes to almyghty god, by whose prouidence, we haue this noble prince now reigning in our tyme. And surely I doubte not, but that the goodnes of god, who hath inspired his harte with lyght and iugement to conceyue the groūd [Page] of this popes superioritie, and to his honour to plucke hit downe, shall also gyue hym the same lyght and grace to fynde out all conuenient me­nes to the mayntenance of the same, that it may procede with a common quietnesse bothe to the comforte of our present age and of the posterite, and that so therby hereafter may succede the re­stitution of the pure doctrine of Christe and syn­cere religion, with the pourgynge of all fals and vayn superstition: This is my hope and this is my truste, of the whiche as I sayd at my retorne here into my countrey, great gladnes I concey­ued, the whiche contynually I nouryshe in my harte, with sure hope dayly the same to increase, howe be it herin I fynde the nature of mannes affecte, and that to be trewe whiche of the wyse and auncyent Socrates, ofte was rehersed, that in mannes affecte, plesure and peyn, sorowe and ioye, were neuer seperate, but as the partes of a rynge euer coupled togyther, and euer knyt one to the other, as it were by a common chayne. For thoughe it be soo that of this acte of pluckynge downe this popyshe authoritie, moste iustely as me semeth I haue conceyued this gladnesse, yet it is not perfyte and syncere, there is in my harte a certayne sorowe myngled with the same, whi­che hath moche defaced my gladdenes and ioye. For sory I am & of the very hart, to se that thing whiche you all moste christen people, I am sure with no lesse sorowe lately haue sene, that is to [Page 47] say, to see so noble an acte, so good and so profy­table, so open a gate to the restoringe and stably­shynge here amonge vs a very true and cōmon weale, whiche coulde neuer lyghtly haue hadde place, standynge this outwarde and tyrannicall authoritie. For euer it shuld to y^e prince haue ben a lette and an obstacle, at suche tyme as he shuld attempte any refourmynge of true religion, to see I say ageynst so noble an acte, suche men re­pugne, suche men to be disobedient, whose ver­tues I euer trusted shoulde haue benne to oure prince, to wchynge the restitution of his true cō ­mon weale a chiefe instrumente. For what ver­tues were in somme of them, superstitious sym­plicitie set a syde, all the worlde knoweth. Wherfore suche vertues so to be corrupt with supersti­tion, that therby they shuld be induced to be diso­bedient to their prince, and to suche holsome la­wes, I can not but of hart sore to lament, I can not but be sorowfull, that suche blyndnes shulde be ioyned to such knowlege, & such vertue shuld be blurrid with such vice, & such an acte so wisely cōceyued shulde be blotted with disobedience so folyshly declared. This maketh me sory & sore in hart to lament, and truly to saye not so moche for their causes, who for theyr disobedience, accor­dynge to the course of lawe, iustely haue suffe­red, as for yours mooste christian people, whose symple and weake consciences, not able perad­uenture well to conceyue the nature of thynges, [Page] as they be in dede, by their disobediēce and stur­dy obstinacie, may in some part perauenture be moued to conceyue of this acte some scrupulo­sitie, by the reason whereof in you may succede, disquietnes of mynd, diuersly drawen by diuers obedience. Wherfore partly to the auoydynge of myn owne sorow conceyued by suspicion of your simplicitie, and partly to do my duetie in setting forthe of so manyfest a truthe, I shall as brefely and clerely as I can set before your eies, the na­ture of y^e thing, vsinge therin no longe scholasti­call disputation, and this processe obserue. Fyrst I wyll shewe vnto you, that this superioritie is not of the law of god, prescribed vnto vs for the necessitie of our saluation, but y^t it is a thyng in­different, the disobediēce wherof, bringeth not to our sowles damnation. Secondly I wyll shewe you, howe it fyrst grewe in, as a thinge conueni­ent, and to the conseruation of the vnitie of Chri­stis churche expedient. Thirdely I shall declare howe that as it hath bene many yeres vsurped, it is to the very spirituall vnitie, nother necessa­rye nor yet conuenient: and so I truste somme­what the better your consciences shall be delyue­red, from suche scrupulositie, as may take from your myndes christen quietnes and vnite.

And fyrst most christen people this is of you al as most open and manifest, to be taken as a sure truthe, that all be it the olde testamente, wherin god to the people of Israel declared his first wil, [Page 48] be called the scripture of god, and his very lawe: yet for as moche as Paule testifieth,1. Corin. 10. all thinges to them as in a shadowe grossely there to be she­wed, accordyng to their rude capacite, the which to vs after clerely were opened by our mayster Christe, to whose glorye all the lawe tended.Ephe. 1. we therfore may say all the lawe of god in Christe to be as in a somme conteyned,Coloss. 1. who is the perfecti­on and ende of all lawe, it is he only that in the olde lawe was figured, and now in the newe law of the gospell openly is to vs declared: in so mo­che that this boldely we maye affyrme, goddis lawe holly and perfitely in the gospell to be con­teyned, for as moche as Christ, in whom all law of god is fully as in a sōme gathered, is there to vs clerely taught,Roman. 8. & nothīg to be necessary to our saluatiō, wherof in y^e gospel we haue not expresse mention, or at the leste oute of that deduced by some certayne reason, and open demonstration. For as touching the traditiōs of faders, though they be moche expedient to the increse and main­tenance of Christis gospell and truthe, yet of su­che strength and power they be not,Marc. 7. that to their obseruation, we be of necessytie bounden, vn­der peyne of vtter damnation, nor yet they be not of any suche necessitie, that to the alteration of them, ye or vtter abrogation, ensueth by and by the ruyne and destruction of all christen ciuilitie and religion. Wherfore though it were soo, as it is not in dede, that this superioritie of the pope, [Page] were to vs by tradition descended & gyuen, yet it is not of this nature and necessitie, that with­out hit we can not attayne to our saluation. For by suche bonde no christen nation, at anye tyme receyued any mans tradition. This therfore we may affirme now dere frendes, as sure and true, that if we can not fynde this superioritie clerely vnto vs in the gospell expressed, nor of the same manifestly deduced by clere interpretation, it is not to our saluation of hye necessitie: the whiche thinge to seke, and out of the gospell to pyke, I thynke is lyke, as to seke and to pyke darkenesse out of the lyght.Ageynst the popes authorytie. For to my iugement all thynge there indifferently weyinge, all appereth playne contrary: in so moche that to me considering the sōme and hole cours of Christis doctrine, he se­med nothinge lesse to go about, than to stablyshe amonge his disciples, and amonge theym that wold make profession of his name, any such su­perioritie: but leuyng all suche thynges to prin­ces worldly polycie, purposed to drawe the har­tes of his scholers from all suche ambicious and vayne desyre, and turne them to the sight and cō templation of suche thynges, as be celestial, and of nature pure and euerlasting, seperate from al this worldly vanitie, euer wylling them to hang vpon the desyre of suche thynges,Ma [...]. 23. as bretherne to gether knytte in a certayn equalite, vtterly ex­cludyng al cōtention for any maner superiorite: he euer taught his disciples as membres of one [Page 49] body, coupled together in perfyt loue and vnite, to hang vpon him only,Ioan. 17. as vpon the true heed & fountayn of al suche thynges, as they shuld euer desyre, leauyng the order of al worldly thinges, as I saide, to suche as by office haue cure of the same: for as moch as that perteyneth to world­ly policie, wherof he wolde haue his disciples to haue in a maner cōtempt, & to be in the world as out of the worlde, & rather to refuse al suche besy policie & careful study of transitorie thinges, thā therby to be let from the office of pure christiani­tie, which chiefly doth rest & stonde in this with despisynge of all such thinges, with feruent hart and affection euer to desyre thinges,Matth. 19. euerlastyng and eternall. To this rūneth the course of al Christis doctrine, which by his mouth he taught, & by his disciples to vs in writing hath left, in so mo­che that of his doctrine to gether, that amōg his disciples, he shuld stable any suche superiorite, & so therby to deriue it to the bishoppe of Rome, is manifestly to turne al thing vp so down, & to the cleane cōtrary: the which thinge Christ him selfe in dyuers places of his gospel particularly doth teache & expresse. For where as his disciples not yet perfyte nor lyghted with his spirite, but ha­uynge a lyttel of the spirite of the worlde, stroue amonge theym selfe for superyoritie of place, he made aunswere, instructinge them this, Princis of the worlde, and other,Marc. 10. whyche haue not as yet the heuenly guste, stryue for suche thynges, [Page] as they whiche haue theyr hartes fyxed therin. But you whom I wolde haue to conceyue other desires, shal not do so, for as moche as all suche contention cometh of playne arrogancye, frome the whiche I wolde haue you vtterly to abhorre, and stablynge in your hartes by humilitie, the contempte of all suche thynges, contende alway to the desyre of the heuenly and celestiall, to the whiche if you wyll attayne, euen as this chylde here stondynge amonge you, [...]. 19. liueth in simplycite vtterly without care of worldly vanitie, so must you leauynge asyde all contention for all world­ly thinge, and all superioritie, beare hartes pure without affection, euer lokynge vp to the heuen­ly conuersation, therin settynge all your comfort and ioye, after this sentence Christe answered to his disciples, stryuynge amonge them selfes for superioritie, moued by ambition: wherin he ma­nifestly declareth, that if he had purposed to sta­bly she amonge them any order of superioritie or degree, he wolde then moued therof haue made some mention, commandynge the reste to gyue obedience, to suche heed and order: but in all the course of his doctrine, you shall neuer fynde any mention or memory of suche institution and po­lycie. For this is a sure thynge of you all to be taken as moste true,Th [...] [...]nde of Christis do­ctry [...] ▪ that the chief poynt of Christis doctryne stondethe in this, to perswade all those, whiche wolde be his true disciples, this to conceiue, as a chiefe grounde with obedience to [Page 50] al worldly policie, not beinge contrary to y^e glory of god,1. Corin. 7. to vse these worldly thīges as passingers & pylgrims, nothyng restinge thervpō, & to be in the worlde, as out of the worlde, and to vse this lyfe as a meane to lyfe, wherof this is but a sha­dowe, puttynge no affiance nor truste therin, but holly to hange vpon hym, who is the onely foū ­tayne of all goodnesse and truthe,Matth. 10. and with the desyre therof to haue their hartes euer inflamed, with vtter contempte of all suche thynges, whi­che therto do put any obstacle and impedimente. This vndoutedly is as it were the marke, which our master Christ hath before our eies set, wher­at he wolde haue vs euer continually to shoote: this is as it were the hauē, to the which he wolde haue vs to direct our course, saylyng in the troublous stormes of this lyfe: and this to stablyshe in our hartes was his chiefe purpose, and so to institute in vs the spiritual lyfe and godly, wherof before I haue made mention: And as for the worldely lyfe and polytike, he came not nowe to stable nor institute, whiche by the benefyte of na­ture he hadde before sufficiently founded, but he came to bringe vs to an hygher perfection, and to make vs playne spirituall, treadynge vnder foote all thynges temporal. And this is not my fantasy and dreame, Christe by his owne worde manyfestly dyd expresse it many tymes,Iohan. 17. Luc. 22. sayeng, He cam not into this world to reigne nor to rule, but to minister vnto vs heuenly doctrine, and to [Page] [...] [Page 50] [...] [Page] exhorte vs to contemne those thynges, whiche so blynd cōmonly mans hart, he sayd oft, his kyng­dome was not of this world: whiche is most ma­nyfest in this, that he neuer taught one poynt of worldely policie, but euer refused the institution and direction therof, as to him he made answer, whiche required the diuision of his inheritāce by his iugemēt, sayeng, who hath made me a iudge in suche matters, [...]uc. 12. the which to redresse is not my purpose? & to him that presēted before him a pece of money with the image of themperour, [...]. 22. he bad render that to hym, for therwith I haue nothing to do, but to god gyue thy harte and affection of pure mynde, whose image is there prynted and sette, as of hym, who is onely lorde therof. This euer he refused the cure of suche thynges, as per­tayne and belonge vnto the cyuile and polytyke lyfe, and yet to them he was euer obedient, as the hole course of his lyfe manyfestly doth declare. He was circūcysed and purified, [...]. 3. he kept the sab­bot daye, and was baptysed, he payde tribute to the prince, ye and to the hole lawe was so obedi­ent, that accordynge to the course therof he suf­fred his deathe, the whiche all he dyd for our in­struction, teachynge vs neuer to dispyse,M [...]h. 27. nor to be disobediente to suche thynge as by common authoritie is commonly receyued, but euer with humble and meke obedience, therto contende, and desyre to attayne the fruition of suche thin­ges as neuer shall fayle nor decaye. Wherfore [Page 51] dere frendes, seinge that the doctrine of our ma­ster Christe is of this sorte, euer drawynge vs frome the loue of this worlde to hygher consyde­ration, forbyddynge vs vtterlye all contention for any superioritie of order and degree, leauing all suche thynges to ciuile and worldly polycie, the instytution whereof he euer refused, as a thynge base and vyle compared to that doctrine whiche he euer taughte. All this consyderynge I saye, and well ponderynge in mynde indiffe­rentely, to affyrme, that Christe stablysshed a­monge his disciples any suche superioritie, ma­kynge therby Peter chiefe heed, and also conse­quently the byshoppe of Rome, that he therby vppon all christendome shoulde be a chiefe iuge, and vppon all princis and lawes to haue autho­ritie with interdites and dispensation, theym to tempre and reule at pleasure, ye and vppon the worde of god alone to haue power of interpreta­tion: this to my iudgement, whan I weye the thinge with my selfe, appereh to me, more than madnes and extreme foly. For this passethe all pryde and arrogancy, this is aboue all tyranny, Christen nations were neuer so madde, by any o­pen decree or consent in counsell generalle, euer to gyue to any one manne, suche authoritie: but vndoubtedly by the symplicitie of christen peo­ple, and by the pacience of good princis, ye and by the arrogancye and pride of those, the why­che haue vsed and occupyed the See of Rome, [Page] it is growē by litle & litle into this intollerable tirāny: the which after this sort as it is vsed, to af­firme to be of the lawe of god, and of necessite, is playn cōtrary to the law of god, and moch to the obscurynge of his glory. But yf you wyl se dere frendes the authoritie of Peter, whiche to all o­ther apostels was equally gyuen, withoute any superioritie, shortly I shal declare it vnto you.

Lyke as the lyfe whiche Christe came to insti­tute, and stablyshe in the hartes of them, whiche wolde folowe him, was of an other sorte and de­gree, of a hyer puritie and excellency, than was the lyfe of them, whiche loked no ferther than to thynges present, drowned in all worldly & vaine affection, and folowed only the course of the lyfe politike, wherof I spake at large before: so is the power and authoritie, that he gaue vnto theym, whiche with sure faythe and truste in his worde, folowed hym and his doctrine, of an other sorte and greatter excellency, than euer before Christe was gyuen to man in this worlde, or stablyshed by any policie, there was neuer before him suche thinge gyuen to mortall man. For to whom was hit euer sayde, what soo euer thou byndeste or loosest in erthe, the same in heuen shall lykewyse be loosed and bounde? And yet to Peter this po­wer was gyuen, and to all the apostelles with equalite. There was neuer before Christe empe­rour in Rome, nor sens Christ prince out of chri­stendome, whether he were gret turke or sowdan [Page 49] or amonge the mores any kinge most myghty of power, that euer had any suche dignitie, to none of them all was euer gyuen suche power. For their power and authoritie, resteth onely in the lordshyppe and dominion, gouernance and rule of those thynges worldly vnstable and transito­rye, the which al as vyle by nature and of small dignitie, Christis doctrine techeth to treade vn­der foote, and to a hyper degree he lyfted the har­tes of his disciples,Ioan. 10. and soo gaue theym hygher authoritie,Matth. 15. as to lose manne from all myserie of synne, though the synne were neuer so great, and to sette hym in sure state of felicitie: and who so euer he were and of what nation,The antho­rite of Peter. cōdicion, state, or degree, all indifferently to lose from synne, yf they wyll with perfyte faythe and sure truste in Christe professe his doctrine folowynge euer the perfection of the same. To this fayth and truste being in Peter and in the other apostels our ma­ster gaue this diuine power, and this is the very key of the gate of heuē, which as you se openeth to all men the gate indifferently, there is no man excluded from entrynge therin,Galat. 3. but all, puttynge their holle affiance in Christe folowynge his do­ctrine, shall be admytted withoute difficultie.

This is a meruaylous power to man gyuen, to plucke man so myserable and wretched out of al myserie, and to putte him in the state of felicite: And with this power our master Christ sēt forth his disciples, instructe with his spirite, to all the [Page] worlde, by the prechynge of his doctrine to turne them out of their wretched trade and misery, and to wake them out of their dreame: for drowned mankynde was with worldly affection, and fy­nally to put them in remembraunce of the bene­fytes of god and of their dignitie, and that so by his doctrine they at the last inspired and styrred vppe, myght attayne to their felicite. This was the chief authorite & power, to thapostels by our master gyuen, to the puttyng in vse wherof he institute certayn mistical sacramētes, wherby man shuld be styrred to receyue grace & fauour of al­myghty god,The sacra­mentes. and so com oft to the memory of the great benefytes of the goodnes of him, which he by his grace hathe aboue all other to vs of his flocke specially opened and communed. To this tende all the sacramentes of Christe institute, to brynge vs I say to the remembrance of suche be­nefyte, as he to all theym, whiche by sure saythe hang vpon him, hath surely promysed, as I shal more playnly herafter declare. So that dere frendes in fewe wordes to conclude, this high power and greattest that euer to mankinde was gyuen in erth, to the apostels of Christ gyuen was this. Fyrst, of al myserie of [...]ynne man to release, not as of them selfe, but as of the ministers of god, so to all other to be deriued, [...]. [...]. who so euer in Christ wold put sure confidence & truste, as in the foun­tain of al saluation:Ma [...] 6. and then so this doctrine to preche to al mankynd indifferently, as to the cre­atures [Page 52] of god, only to his image formed & made. by the hering wherof, they at the last considering their owne dignite, myght be brought out of all misery: and so thirdly by the cōmunynge of the misticall sacramentes therof, myght therby inspired with grace & the heuenly spirite,Luc. 22. be styrred to the memorye of his infinite benefyte and good­nes; which to vs not deseruyng he hath commu­ned, by the reason wherof consequently, we de­liuered out of this misery & wretchidnes, might attayne vndoubtedly to suche felycitie and qui­etnes, as he of his mere goodnes hathe to vs by his worde and promise appointed and determy­ned. This is the authoritie & power in these fewe wordes described, whiche Christe in his gospelle to his apostels hath communed, and so cōmunid that indifferentely to all without inequalitie, he stablyshed it in them, ye and in all other whiche with like faith and confidence in him beleue, and succede in their place, leauynge al worldly vani­ties aside, & tredyng them vnder fote, hang only vpon him, as he that hath aboue al other y^e true superioritie, and is of all churches the very true heed. And that this is a certayne and sure truth, of the gospell in many places we haue most ma­nyfest testimony, where as Christ instructing his apostelles to the preachynge of his worde, sayth vnto them all without exception of any,Matt. 18▪ what so euer ye loose in erthe, the same in heuen shall be losed: and also what so euer you do there bynde, [Page] the same in heuen shall be bounden also, that is to saye, who so euer he be, to whom you preache my worde, of what countreye or nation, secte or religion, if he by your preachynge tourne to the confession of my name, trustynge therby fayth­fully to haue saluation, to him you shal haue po­wer to declare, that he is therby delyuered from bondage of all synne, and loosed frome it by my vertue and power, to him communed and decla­red openly by you, whome I make the ambassa­dours of my wyll: [...]. Corin. 5. And lyke wise whom so euer you see to denye me in erthe, despisynge my doc­trine by you preached, and refuse the confession of my name, all suche by this same power, you shall vtterly condempne here in erthe, and to the same my wyll in heuen shall be agreable, and the same shall confyrme. After this maner our mai­ster spake to his disciples, gyuynge them power to the prechinge of his worde. To the which sen­tence also in an other place his wordes do agree, whiche he spake after his resurrection, whan he sent forth his apostels, to preache to al the world, inspirynge them with his holy spirite, after this maner saying, Howe at your going forth vpon this heuenly embassage you shall receyue the he­uenly spirite,Ioan. [...]0. by whose grace you shal haue with al this power, that whose so euer synnes ye lose, the same shall by and by be released to them, and whose so euer you bynde and iudge not to be re­lesed, they shal with the bonde remayne, as moch [Page 51] to saye, as what synne so euer it be, or what sorte or condition be the synner of, so that he with so­rowfull hart confesse the same, trustynge by the goodnesse of me onely to be delyuered frome his myserie of synne, if you by the spirite, whyche I haue nowe gyuen vnto you, iudge hym to be re­leased in erthe, your iugement shalbe confyrmed in heuen, and if by the same spirit, which I haue to you gyuen, you iuge him contrary to be wor­thy of condempnation, to that my wyll in heuen shall agree, and with this power nowe I sende you forthe. These wordes declare moste christen people manyfestly, that this hygh authoritie, by Christe was vndoutedly gyuen to his heuenlye messangers & apostels, whan he sent them forth to preache his heuenly doctrine, by the benefyte wherof man shulde be quyte delyuered frome al kynde of synne and myserie: but that this same was to all them gyuen equally, this is not to all men so manifest & playn, this many men denye, affirmyng y^• to Peter it was giuen with a prero­gatiue of excellēcy, and so therby to the bishop of Rome, in whose place he only dothe by their sen­tence succede, they attribute a superioritie. This they say & only they say, but as for sure grounde of scripture, their sentence to confirme, playnly there is none. For as touchynge this, whiche is of al other, most chief,Matth. 18. that to Peter Christ spake particularly, gyuynge to hym this power, that was vndoutedly, bicause he beinge of faith more [Page] feruent, and as it appereth of greatter stomake, ye and as it shulde seeme also by many signes, of better vtterance and eloquence. For the whiche cause he of the olde interpretours of scripture is euer called the mouthe of the apostels: he I saye hauyng these giftes, spake before the rest, and so to him particularly Christe sayd, he wolde gyue the keyes of the kyngedome of heuen, but he sayde not, that vnto hym alone he wolde gyue them. For after whan he gaue theym in dede, he spake to all indifferentely. And ferther yet this same power whiche he said he wold gyue to Pe­ter, was not of any other sorte, then that, whiche he gaue to al other, as it appereth by the wordis, but euen all one, and runnyng to the same effect, as to release and bynd sinne with like authorite, and therby to make opē the gates of heuē. Therfore to affirme suche prerogatiue, onely bycause he spake to Peter particularly, semeth a weake and a sklender grounde, seing that he dydde not say that to him alone, he wolde gyue such autho­ritie, and besyde that whan he gaue it in dede, he than gaue it equally. And yet more ouer, he that indifferently weyith the same place, with the cir­cumstance therof, shal fynde playnly, that spea­kynge to Peter he spake also to all, as he for all answered. For euen as the question was not as­ked of Peter alone, but of al equally, so necessa­ryly the promysse of power to al was at the same tyme indifferentely opened, thoughe Peter as [Page 50] spokes man to the rest, onely made answere: but Peter alone had not that fayth, the whiche is the foundation and sure stoone, whervppon Christe buylded his churche, to the which was made the promyse of this power, but of that feythe they were all indifferently, though Peter with more feruent affect out wardly it declared, & the faithe it was that Christe founde in them, whiche mo­ued hym to make the promyse of that hyghe po­wer, the whiche he after gaue indifferently to all other, whiche with lyke faith are sent forthe and appoynted by his churche and faythefulle con­gregation, to preache the fruite of his heuenly doctrine abrode to the people,Luc. 22. to their comforte & saluation. Of this place therfore to gether any prerogatiue of power to be gyuē to Peter, is but a weke cōiecture, & a feble groūd, & like to y^e same which is gatherid of an other place, where Christ sayd to Peter he had prayde for him, y^t his faithe shuld not fail, & that after his cōuersion he shuld confirm his brethern, the which wordes he spake to the comfort of Peter, forseinge by his proui­dence the wekenes of his faithe and imbecillitie, whiche he shewed aboue the rest of his apostels. Wherfore beside the cōmon cōfort, which he gaue to them al, y^t they shulde syt with him in his ma­iestie, at the extreme iugement of al, to take oute of Peters harte, the dispayre therof, whome he knewe shulde after denye hym, and thryse deny hym, he promysed his faithe shoulde not fayle, [Page] and that by the occasion therof he shuld confirm his brethern, to put faith in him, whose goodnes was not soo offended with suche infidelitie, but that by sorowfull harte and repentance he short­ly recouered his fauour agayne. Wherof al chri­sten hartes may take a notable example and syn­gular comforte, to the auoydynge of al despera­tion: but as for any superiorite of power hereby to be gyuen to Peter, to all them whiche indiffe­rently weye the circumstaūce of this place, it can not but appere a weyke groūde & feble cōiecture: and yet weyker is this, whiche of an other place of the gospell as most principall is taken, where as Christe demaunded of Peter, whether he lo­ued him more than the other of his apostels, [...]n. 21. the whiche he affirmed, to whom Christe then sayde and commaunded, that he shulde than fede his flock, and that he rehersed thrise to gyther, wherof is thought manifest al the hole matter. But in this leauynge other answeres of many wyse mē made, I wyl shewe you my sentence & iugement, that Christe there intended no suche thing at all, nor to stablyshe in Peter any superiorite therby, was nothinge his purpose, as it semeth manifest for as moche as he sayd onely fede my flocke, not addyng or puttyng to any argument or token of any higher power and authorite, but only thrise rehersed that thinge, whiche is the common of­fice of all his apostels, and of al other, which be appoynted to be preachers of his worde, the whi­che [Page 53] thing as it semed by inculcation he wold fa­sten in Peters harte, ye and soo consequently in the hartes of all them, whiche of his name wyll make profession. That thing I say he wold fa­sten in hart, which is of al his doctrine the chefe ground and foundation, that is to say, that who so euer by mouthe and outwarde confession, pro­fesse to loue Christe, and to be a sheparde of his flocke: thenne must he in dede, and by outwarde demonstration openly declare, when occasion re­quyreth, the inwarde affect, to the entent that the worde and dede may in effecte agree. For he that by mouthe sayth he loueth Christe, and by dedes dothe hym deny,Tit. 1. he is no mete disciple of the do­ctrine of Christe, nor mete apostle, nor sheparde for his flocke, for his confession doth not profite nor edifie the inwarde affecte of all christen har­tes, may not onely in wordes,Matth. 23. but in dede be de­clared: without the whiche thou shewest thy selfe to be an hypocrite,Hypocrisye, and a dissemblyng professour of Christis doctrine, the which hypocrisie aboue all thinge Christe doth abhorre, and hath as en­nemy. Wherfore as I thinke, Christe asked Pe­ter thrise of his inward affecte, and was not con­tent onely with the outwarde confession of loue by mouthe, whiche may by dissimulation be co­uered and cloked, but gaue him cōmandment to fede his flocke, with that faith & with his heuen­ly doctrine: and so in effecte to declare his loue, the whiche though Christ without dede outward [Page] who lokith into mēs hartis, right wel doth know yet to the comforte of other, and to their instruc­tion, we muste euer as occasion requireth: so de­clare our inwarde affecte, with loue and charitie by outward workes to the profyt of other. This doctrine maye well be taken of this inculcation and ofte rehersall of these wordes to Peter, but as for any superioritie of power, therby to attri­bute vnto hym, playnly to me semeth a dreame, where as of power is made no mention. Wher­fore of the groundes of scripture, and of Chri­stis gospelle dere frendes no man can take sure argumente of this prerogatiue, as by these pla­ces ye maye see, whiche are amonge other of all moste chiefe and principall. For of the rest be ta­ken yet more feble coniectures, the whiche haue many yeres troubled all the worlde, and blynded these popes with arrogancy, and in all other sta­bled moche superstition, to the greatte ruyne of Christis pure doctrine and of all good religion. Wherfore frendes seinge that the manifeste doc­trine of our master, so playnly sowneth to equa­lytie of power, in all the apostelles indifferent­ly, and onely by lyghte coniectures menne maye be ladde to the contrarye, I wotte not why we shulde so styffely defende this authoritie, so febly founded, and so wekely, as you partly haue hard by scripture grounded.

And moste specially seinge that the practyse of the same authoritie in the tyme of the apostelles, [Page 54] whiche moueth me aboue all other argumentes, out of the gospell drawen, and wordes of Christ wrytten, is vtterly contrarye, ye and many yeres so continued in the begynnyng of Christis chur­che, the whiche I shall nowe breuely to you also declare, wherby you maye better be instructed, thanne by argument oute of scrypture drawen, wherin lyeth moche controuersie. For this is to be thoughte as a certayne truthe and sure, that the apostelles so inspired with the spirite of god wolde neuer put in practise thynge contrarye to the doctrine of their maister Christe, which they had so newly receyued, and so stablyshed in their hartes. Wherfore though Peter lyke as he euer dydde in the presence of his mayster, shewe hym selfe moost prompte and redy with faithfull hart and loue to serue hym in all thynge, so after his Ascension vppe to his father, shewed hym selfe mooste studiouse in the preachynge, and in the fyrste stablynge of his newe and godly doctrine, euer redye to preache and common the same, to the foundynge of his churche and faythfull con­gregation. Yet this ye shall fynde in obseruyng his actes and practyse of his lyfe, and of all o­ther Christis apostelles, that he nother of hym self preched this doctrin, any prerogatyue of po­wer, aboue other vsynge therin, nor yet they any suche thinge gaue vnto hym, in settynge forthe the same. As of the fyrste acte, whiche the Apo­stelles dydde, hit is verye euydente and playne, [Page] when they shoulde supply the roume of Iudas, [...] Peter onely dyd purpose the thing, whiche after they perfourmed, by election and cōmon autho­ritie, gyuyng to hym no prerogatiue at al of any hygher power, sauinge only that he as most elo­quent & bolde proposed the matter, whyche they fynyshed by their common assent. And after the same maner in the creation of Diacons, this or­der was obserued, whan certayne were appoin­ted to minister in lower office to the hole congre­gation, while the apostels occupied them selfe in prechynge of Christis doctrine: [...] this thyng was not done by the authoritie of Peter alone, but by the common agreement of all the rest, whiche at the begynnynge of the churche, were in that lyt­tell congregation. And at such tyme as the gen­tyles beganne to receyue the doctrine of Christe Peter dydde not by his authoritie commande or appoynt, whiche of the apostelles shulde god toAct. 8. preache vnto theym, to the increase of Christis churche, but he hym selfe with Iohn were sente forth of the other this office to do: whiche argu­eth, that aboue the reste he had no authoritie, for than he myght of him selfe haue done that thing whiche he dyd not, but with the authoritie of the hole congregation was sent forthe with Iohn̄, & with equall authoritie together they preached, to the cōmon edification of Christis churche, in no poynt shewyng any prerogatiue therin. But this thynge is yet moche more euident, by the entrea­tynge [Page 55] of a controuersie, which at the begynning rose in that lytel church, the order wherof yf you obserue with diligence, you shall most manifest­ly see, that to Peter was gyuen no prerogatiue of authoritie: The controuersie rose by the reson of some whiche preched to the gentyles, that cir­cuncisionAct. 15▪ was necessary to their saluation: this thinge beinge in great controuersie, was not de­fyned by Peters authorite, but referred to Ieru­salem to the counsell of the apostels, wherin this order was obserued. Peter fyrst declared his sen­tence and mynd, how that this circuncision was but a ceremony, and to the saluation of the gen­tyles nothīg necessary: after whom spake Poule & Barnabas to the same sentēce, but after them all, Iames gaue iudgemente of the thynge, de­clarynge of them all the common sentence, and sent it forthe by writinge, not as a thynge deter­mined by any prerogatiue of Peters authoritie, but by the assent of all together, agreinge in v­nitie. Wherby ye may se dere frēdes, that Peter, as it were giuing place to Iames at Ierusalem, in that tyme shewed no argumente of any hyer authoritie, but rather contrarye of that place hit shulde seme, that Iames shoulde be of greatter authoritie, for as moch as he pronounced the cō ­mon sentence and iudgemente of all. But after myn opinion, nother Iames was heed, nor yet Peter, but all with equall authoritie and one as­sent, laboured mooste besily, to common abrode [Page] this heuenly doctrine, to the saluation of man in euery countrey, this of their actes is most mani­feste and clere.

But aboue all other yet to me of the dedes and doctrine of Paule this doth most manifestly ap­pere: And fyrste that he in Arabia, Syria, and [...]ala. [...]. other places, as he hym selfe testifieth manifest­ly, this I say sheweth mooste surely, that Peter was then no suche heed of the churche, as many men dreme, that of hym as vicar of Christ, al po­wer shulde be deriued to other. For then Poule without his institution, wold neuer haue attēp­ted to preache, not hauynge of hym his authori­tie, the whiche is iudged to be of suche necessite, that the denienge of his superioritie, shuld bring in euerlastinge damnation. And besyde this loke what he dyd at Antyoche, where as Peter vsing a lyttell mannes policy, gaue place to the weke­nes of the Iewes, withdrawynge hym self from the company of the gentyls & their facion of lyfe, was boldly of Paule reproued, [...]ala. [...]. as one that shuld with suche ceremony and dissimulation, offende the libertie of Christis gospelle, whiche indiffe­rently to the maners of all nations shulde be ac­commodate and applyed, without respecte of ce­remony: this he dyd manifestly, which I thinke he wolde neuer haue doone, if he hadde iudged in Peter to be any suche hyghe authoritie, but rather he wolde haue confourmed hym selfe to the doctryne of his heed, hauynge suche supe­rioritie, [Page 56] beinge the onely liefetenaunt and vicar of his maister: but playnely he iudged no suche thing, he neuer conceyued no suche power aboue other in Peter to rest. The which is also of an o­ther of his dedes more yet manifest, he saith thatGalat. [...]. after he had longe tyme preached the gospelle of Christe amonge the gentyle nation: He ascended to Ierusalem, there to conferre with Peter, and other there beinge the pyllers of the churche, not bycause he doubted of his owne doctrine, wher­of he was so sure, that if Peter had preched con­trary, ye or any aungel of heuen, therof he woldGala. [...]. haue had lyttell regarde, he had his doctrine of so sure a grounde: but he ascended onely gyuing place to the wekenes of them to whome he prea­ched, whom he thought rather to wynne, hauing his doctrine to Peters, and other there being of great fame agreable, the whiche he dyd in dede. For of them he saythe, thoughe they were neuer so greatte, by suche collation to hym self he had no profytte, no thynge he there lerned, that by the goodnesse of their common mayster Christe he hadde not lerned before. Wherfore he saythe, he departed frome Ierusalem, not as one that toke Peter for any hedde or gouernoure of the churche of Christe, but as one of equall autho­rytie, hauynge his doctryne and power of the verye same grounde, that Peter hadde made with hym, there with Iames and Iohn̄,Galatas 2. as it were a leage, a confederacyon, and a socyetie, [Page] ye and as a companyon with hym nothynge in­feriour in power, agreed togyther, that euen lyke as they chiefly shuld enterprise their office, to ex­ercise amonge the iewes, inducynge them to the truthe of the gospell, so wolde he and Barnabas his companyon go to the gentyles, theym by all menes to allure to this heuenly doctryne of their mayster, and so as it were the hole worlde deuy­dynge amonge them with courage, pourposed it to subdue, and bringe mankynde from the study and cure of these vayne thinges frayle and tran­sitorie, to the desyre of suche thynges, whiche by nature be euerlastynge stable and sure. This ye se dere frendes by Poules actes and dedes, how in Peter he neuer knewe no such superioritie nor prerogatiue of power, nor in no place nor tyme dydde submytte him selfe therto: the whiche also by his doctrine, he clerely dydde confyrme, as in few wordis I shal now to you declare. The sōme of Poules doctrine and the chiefe poynt therof, [...] whiche he receyued of his mayster, stondeth in this, to perswade vs despisyng al thinges world­ly and transitorie, [...] vsynge them as we had them not at al, euer to loke vp to them whiche be eter­nall, and in them to haue our eies surely fyxed, and distrustinge oure owne power, workes, and dedes,Tit. 3. as thinges by the whiche we can not euer lastynge lyfe deserue, put our hole truste and af­fyance in Christe, by whose onely goodnesse we may attayne our saluation, [...] hangyng vpon him [Page 57] faithfully, as vpon the onely heed and fountayn of all good,2. Corin. 5. of hym onely lokynge to take lyght and grace,Roman. 12. wherby we may in this lyfe walkyng as in a pylgremage, knytte to gyther all by cha­ritie, as by a common bande, and lyke membres of one body coupled in spirituall vnitie, by the mere benefyte of our heed, and his infinite good­nes, at the laste attayne to our perfyte ende and felicitie,1. Corin. 2. there inioyinge such celestiall comfort & heuenly pleasure, as nother tongue can expresse, nor harte of man thinke. This is in fewe wordis as hit were the somme of the doctrine of Paule, wherin ye see the chiefe grounde to be,Ephe. 4. the faithe and sure truste, that we muste conceyue of this heed our mayster Christe, by whose mercyfulle goodnes we shall be saued, and not by our owne workes, nother by circuncision, sabbotte day,Ephe. 2. Galatas. 5. Colo [...]t. 2. nor ceremonye, but onely by the faithefull loue, that we muste beare to that heed, euer obedyente to walke in outwarde workes, accordynge to his commaundement, whiche with loue we must do, one euer therby helpynge an other, to the intente that we all togyther maye so at the laste be cow­pled in dede to this heed, of whome nowe here we hange, whiche is oure onely comforte. Of this heed I say Poule makethe ofte and moche mention, as of the thynge whiche is mooste ne­cessarye to our saluation, but of any other heed here to be chiefe in his churche,Ephe. 1. Colos [...]. 1. as his vycar in erthe, to whose iudgement as to his owne al the [Page] worlde shulde be obediente and conformable of hygh necessitie, he neuer speaketh worde, he ne­uer gyuethe to vs any sygnification: whiche I thinke he wolde haue done, if it had ben so neces­sary to our saluation, and to the vnitie of Chri­stis church so strōge confirmation. And though to somme peraduenture this argumente appere weyke, bycause it semeth not wel to folow, Poule maketh no mention therof, therfore it is not so: Yet to me consyderinge the thinge as it is, with the circumstaunce therof, it appereth almoste a sure demonstration, seinge that Poule makyng soo moche mention of the heed of the churche of Christe, inculkynge it so ofte as a thinge mooste necessary, if he had thought, that Peter had bene an vnder heed of Christe hym selfe, as some saye nowe in his churche stablyd, as necessarye to the conseruation of the vnitie therof, I thynke I say in some place he wold haue made mention ther­of, or elles plainly his doctrine had ben insuffici­ente, lackynge the declaration of that thynge, whiche to the stablynge of Christis doctrine, is of soo hyghe necessitie. But this Paule neuer dydde, but the contrarye playne. For he neuer toke Peter for hedde of his Churche: whyche thing also I am sure Peter, if it hadde ben putte to hym, wolde haue vtterly and cleane forsaken it, specially after that sorte to be of suche necessi­tie. [...] Paule toke him as his compaignion equall with hym in power and dignitie spirituall, both [Page 58] two despisers of dignitie temporall. I am sure, if Peter were alyue, that he wold thinke nothing more contrary to the doctrine of his master, than to affyrme of suche power anye superioritie, as nowe is to him against his wyll ascribed to be of suche necessitie, that withoute it the doctrine of Christe shoulde runne to ruyne and decaye. And that man without the confession of suche power, shuld fall to sure perdition. This I am sure Pe­ter wolde abhorre and Paule also, This theyEphe. 4. wolde thinke to be plaine contrary to the simpli­citie of Christis doctrine and vnitie. Wherfore frendes seing that nother the places of scripture indifferently weyed, nor the practyse of the same in the tyme of the apostels to the world declared, serue to the ascribynge of any prerogatiue of po­wer to Peter, or aboue the reste any superioritie, and seynge also that bothe the dedes and doctrin of the mooste diuyne Interpretour of Christis gospelle Paule, sound to the contrary, as I haue manyfestly shewed, I see no cause why we shuld of suche necessytie, attrybute to the bysshoppe of Rome suche superioritie, that the defection from the same, shuld blotte any nation, with the crime of heresie or of scisme, and so consequently induce any scrupulous suspiciō of euerlastyng damna­tion. But playnly to say, the assertion of such su­piorite, after this sort appereth a great madnes, extreme foly, & playn suꝑstition: the whiche thing thoughe of scripture it selfe as I haue towched, [Page] be manyfest and playne, yet the same I wylle in as fewe wordes as I can, fearynge leest I shall be tediouse therin, bothe by storye and proba­ble Argumente declare vnto you, and so it shall be manyfeste, that this thynge is not of suche greatte necessitie, to the conseruation of the vni­on of Christis churche, as many menne blyndly do iudge.

¶And fyrste herein to me it apperethe a thynge moche meruaylous, by what meane this thynge to be of so great necessitie, shulde enter in to mēs fantasies and myndes, specially of lernyng and iudgement, consideringe that frome the tyme of Peter vntyll the tyme of Syluester byshoppe of Rome, in the reigne of Constantyne, aboute the space of .iiii. hundrethe yeres, of this heed with such superioritie was no mention at all. For this by certayne storye is knowen, that all that tyme the byshoppes in euerye place chiefe and princy­palle, as Ierusalem, Antioche, and Alexandria, were bothe chosen and institute of the hole con­gregation, or els by the priestes, to whome was gyuen of the multitude suche authoritie, and no mention is had all that space, that they ranne to the bysshoppe of Rome, as theyr common heed and superiour, whyche at the same tyme was ra­ther, as by probable coniecture we maye gather, longe and many a daye, inferiour vnto the chur­che of Ierusalem, & Alexandria, I meane not in power & authorite, for therin was sure equalitie, [Page 59] but in vertue and knowledge of Christis doc­trine, whyche in Alexandria and in Antyoche, as nere to Ierusalem, toke fyrst greater ground, than it dyd in the citie of Rome, whose pryde & worldely polycye many a daye, moche resysted to the truthe of the gospel, and that heuenly humi­litie therin to vs taught, the which nothing was agreable to the imperial pryde, in the emperours then reygnynge. Wherfore christen men there se­cretly in corners made their assembly, and priuy profession of Christes name, auoydyng the per­secution of the wycked emperours, whose arro­gancy was clene contrary to Christis simplicite. And thus at Rome it cōtinued without great en­crease of Christis doctrine longe & many yeres, where as at Alexandria and Antioche was at the begynnyng moche more open profession of Chri­stis name and doctryne, the whiche may well be gathered of the multitude of lerned men and re­ligyouse, wherof at the begynnynge of Christis churche was in Alexandria and Egypte, in An­tioche, and in the parties of Grece, as story ma­keth mention, far greatter nombre, than there was at Rome, or here in the weste parties of the worlde, where as Christis relygyon toke more slowe encrese, than it dyd in the easte, where it be­ganne. For at Rome vntyll the tyme of Constā ­tyne it neuer toke so notable encrease, his vertue goodnes and authoritie, moche altered the poli­cy of Rome: for his fame and example greattely [Page] styrred y^• hartis of the cōmon peple, whose iuge­mentes euer moche folowe theyrs, whiche be in authoritie, by theyr example moche they fourme their myndes, theyr trade of lyfe they studye to expresse: so that vntil this good emperours time, thoughe before at Rome it had a good grounde, yet it was not so stablished by authorite of prince it did not so florishe in the face of the worlde, but christen men liued there in moche subiection, and specially at the begynnynge, when for their rely­gion, they suffred moche miserie, & persecution. But nowe to the purpose, al this space of thre or foure hūdreth yeres, nother the byshop of Ieru­salē, nor of Antioche, no nor yet Alexādria, neuer shewed argument of any superioritie of power dewe to the byshoppe of Rome by the doctrine of Christe, they neuer gaue to hym of necessitie, and of the gospell dewe any poynt of obedyēce, they were not institute, nor made by his authoritie, they neuer cam to his iugemēt for sentence, as to the vicar of Christ: but often tymes by collation, they toke one of another the trewth of scripture, and therof the trewe interpretation therby they founde oute, to that euer gyuynge dewe obedi­ence, but of that hyghe superiorite, all that tyme was no mention, no worde, nor by story and lytel sygnyfication? whiche is also mooste manifeste by the celebration of the fyrste counselles gene­ralle, whiche were congregate by the princelye [Page 60] authoritie, without mention of any suche supe­riorytye, gyuen to the byshoppe of Rome, the whiche thynge to proue is more open thanne nowe nedeth any declaration. Wherfore hit can not be thoughte, to be of suthe necessytie, specy­ally seynge all that tyme at the begynnynge of Christis churche, whenne the doctryne of oure mayster was mooste pure, and not corrupte by mannes inuentyon, but as hit came from the fountayne, syncere and clere, was entred and stabled in the hartes of them, which therof made professyon, there is noo storye made oone tytle of mention, of anye suche superyoritye to the bysshoppe of Rome to be gyuen, no nor yet to none other, speciallye that it shoulde be of su­che hygh necessitie, that without it Christis do­ctrine coulde not stande, the whiche to all menne that haue eyes, and consider the storye of the be­gynnyng of the churche, stode than in greatter puritie, than euer hit dydde, sens the tyme that we haue had this one hed, stablisshed with suche authorytie and power, the whiche thynge is so manyfeste and playne, that no manne consyde­rynge the antiquitie, and comparynge it with the posteritie, maye denye this. For this to the worlde is open, in so moche that this thynge to be of necessyte to the saluation of man, as many men dreme, now also to confyrme with moch ar­gumēt and reson, appereth vtterly superfluous. [Page] Howe be it this I wyll saye, a great lykelyhode that this shoulde not be necessary is this. Fyrste, that all the aunciente and good Interpretours of Christis Gospell amonge the grekes, whome I iudge to haue more lyghte in the holye scrip­ture, as they had in al other letters and lerning, than any other nation, that euer yet receyued the trewthe of Christis religion, the whiche without profe here of me, is open by theyr workes to all men, that with diligence them wyl rede. Al these I say with one consente, kepe sylence of this au­thoritie to be gyuen to the byshoppe of Rome of suche necessitie, in theyr workes therof ye shall neuer fynde mention, the whiche is not like, they wolde haue done, if they had iudged it to be soo necessary a thynge, and a gospell truth of Christ institute, and stabled: besyde this if this ground were trewe, then shulde al the Indians all these thousand yeres haue runne heedlyng to damna­tion, which neuer toke the byshop of Rome heed of Christis churche and his vicar in erthe, nor of hym neuer toke tradition, and yet they haue ben, ye and yet be nowe in our dayes, vnder Preter Iohn̄, their kynge and heed, of Christis doctrine deuout & true professours, and with vs in al the groūdes of scripture vtterly agre, in ceremonies and rytes ecclesiasticalle, there is moche diuersi­tie, as it is necessary, accordyng to the nature of the contrey and people. The same thynge myght be sayde of them in Armeny, whiche neuer wold [Page 61] be obedient to the byshoppe of Rome, but hadde amonge them their heed, whom they called their catholyke, as he that was a trewe professour and maynteyner of the catholyke faythe. The same also myght be sayd of the Greke nation, whiche neuer wolde confesse the obedience to the church of Rome, to be necessary to the saluation of mā. Wherfore chiefely by the byshops of Rome, they were most vniustly noted, not to be as membres of Christes vniuersall and catholyke body. But now al these nations, Indians, Armenians, and Grekes vtterly to condemne, and seperate them from the benefit of Christis passion, wherin they haue had euer their chiefe comforte and trust, on­ly for bycause they wold not, nor were not to this heed, as to the vycar of Christe obedyente: All these I say to condemne and caste theym into the depe pytte of hell, semeth playne madnesse, and moste blynde arrogancye: and I pray god, that they whiche so blyndly do iudge, be not for their owne iudgement rather to be condempned. For this iugement hath no grounde neyther of scrip­ture, nor yet of reasone, but is a playne blynde superstition. For as I haue shewed you before, that thynge to attribute to god of necessitie, vn­der pretense of religion, whiche in dede is not so, but hangeth only vpon mās cōstitution, is moste playn and manifest superstition. Wherfore dere frendes, seinge that neyther scripture, storye, nor good reason dryueth vs to confesse this superio­ritie [Page] that tyme taken as of Scripture necessarye, for than his decree hadde bene ryghte foolysshe, by lawe to stablyshe that, whiche of the gospelle do­ctrine shuld be so necessary. But to the purpose, he thenne was made heed, but not by authoritie of the generall counselle, but onely of the empe­rour, who by his prudence and policie, thoughte it expedient to stablysshe one heed, to order suche thinges and putte in effecte at all tymes, whiche were by generall counsell conceyued and decreed concernynge the interpretation of scripture, the controuersie wherof at the fyrst begynnyng was onely there intreated, and no other thynge per­teynynge to polycye: Suche thynges were euer lefte to the iudgement of Princis, and of euery commynaltie: and there the dyuersitie of opiny­ons in scripture were euer brought to a certayne vnitie and concorde. This Authoritie only had the bysshoppe of Rome at the fyrste begynnyng of his superioritie, as it apperethe by generalle counsaylles, and with this he contynued manye yeres, neuer attentynge farther, vntylle at the laste by longe warres and moche greatte dyui­sion amonge princys, the Empyre of Rome fell in moche ruyne and decaye, the whyche gaue the fyrste occasyon to this greatte heddy power and authoritie of Rome. For as the Emperour de­cayed by prowde dyuysyon, so the pope increased by symple superstytion. For to that authorytie whiche firste he had of Constantyne, his succes­sours [Page 63] in the empire added moche more, gyuynge theym priuiledge and possession, with moche worldely authoritie and iurysdyction, thynking therby moch to honour god, whose vicar in erth he soone after beganne to call hym selfe. For as soone as this authoritie, by emperours was sta­blyshed, than he of hym selfe beganne to call ge­nerall counsayle, and there many other thynges to decree besyde scripture, whiche were iudged partely to be good for the conseruation of Chri­stis doctryne, as dyuers decrees, and ecclesiasti­calle lawes, and partely for the mayntenance of this vnitie of heed, which then appered for the a­uoyding of schisme and diuision, to the world al­most necessary, and specially after that purgato­rie after a newe facion was inuented, and surely iudged to be: for therby chiefelye beganne his reygne, thenne came in pardones and reserua­tion to his owne see, than crope in the difiniti­on of thynges by his hye authoritie, than entred excommunication and interdytes vpon all prin­cis and christen nations: for after that the empe­rours by symple superstition came to that poynt, that to the popes they iudged theym selfes to be subiectes, and not to be in full authoritie, tyll be­fore his presence they were intronised and crow­ned, what other prince coulde there be, whiche shuld not iuge him selfe inferior to the power of him, which by him selfe was almost able to make an emperour? So that brefely to say, & not ouer [Page] For there is one vnite spiritual and an other po­liticalle, vppon the whiche as vppon the chiefe groundes, [...] is stablyshed al polycy, bothe spiritu­ally and worldly, wherof you shulde nothynge meruayle at all, if ye coulde conceiue the wōder­full nature of this vnitie, whervppon is founde the hole ingyn of this sensible worlde, as in the whiche all the partes therof both in the heuenlye bodyes and in the erthely creatures, are as in a chayne coupled and knytte: and yet ferther the very nature of goddes diuinite, as ferre as man may therof any thynge affirme, as grounded in the same. For god is no thyng but vnitie, & vnite is god, ye and this incomprehēsible nature of the mooste meruailous trinitie, in vnite is founded. but this as a thynge passynge our capacite, we wyll sette a syde, and meruayll no thynge at all, that in this vnitie, wherof not without cause so moche mention we make, resteth as in the groūd al good & vertuouse policy, & is thend to y^• which al good lawes and ordynaunces euer must loke: And as in the spiritual lyfe, we must euer moste regarde this vnitie spirituall, so in the worldlye muste be had respecte of the polyticall, [...] the which brefely to deseribe is nothing els but a concorde, agrement and a consent of all them whiche be in one polyce, to the receyuynge and puttynge in vse suche lawes, [...] constitutions, and ordynances, as by polityke wyttes are deuysed to the conser­uation of the worldly quietnes and tranquillyte [Page 65] to the whiche as to the chiefe ende, onely euer lo­ked they, whiche without the lyghte of Christe, haue in any coūtreys stablyshed any polycie. For to this ende loked Plato, where as in his deuy­sed common weale, with the communitie of thin­ges, he pourposed aboue all thynge to grounde therin this vnitie. To this ende loked the aunci­ente Grekes, and the wyse Romaynes, with all theyr ciuyle constitutions, stablyshyng good or­der in their cities and townes. The other vnitie spirituall is of an other sorte,Spirytuall vnytie. and bringeth man to an higher consyderation, whiche is this, all o­bedience presupposed and taken to all ciuile and polytike rule, a certayne consente of spirite and mynde,Ephe. 4. and as it were with one harte a heuenlye conspiracye, to the attaynynge of heuenly thyn­ges, whiche by god are to manne, puttynge his onely truste by fayth in him promysed & appoyn­ted, by the hope wherof he treadynge vnder fote all worldly vanities,2. Corin. 4. euer lyueth in desyre of he­uenly thynges and celestiall, the sure trust wher­of gyueth to mans harte inestymable quietnes, and maketh him to be obedient to al worldly po­licye, and thoughe hit be not good, yet paciently it to beare, this hope and trust giueth man suche courage, that all worldly thynges he easily hath in contēpte, vsinge them onely in this lyfe as in a pylgremage,Hebre. 13. where as we haue as saynte Paule sayth, no dwellyng place. This spirituall vnitie was stablyd in his flocke by our maister Christe,2. Corin. 5. [Page] good polycie. Howe be it this in fewe wordes I shall declare, that this heed with suche power as hath of many yeres ben therto attribute, is in no poynt conueniēt to the cōseruation of this vnite, but rather a great occasion of the breche of good christyan ciuylitie. This remayneth in the laste place now to be declared, wherin I shal not nede long to stond. For who so euer consydereth with hym selfe the vsurped authoritie, in dispensynge with the good and catholyke groundes and ca­nonyke, propowned by generall counselles, and the sellynge of the same, the interditynge of coū ­treys and nations vpon worldly causes, with ex­communications chiefely sente out for the same, vpon the good christen flocke, I thynke he shall fynd & shortly se, that this superioritie, as it hath ben vsed, is lyttell conueniēt to christen ciuilitie: specially if he ioyn to this the authorite by ꝑdons abused, & plucking soules out of purgatory, with the reseruyng of causes to his own power, & defi­nitiō of causes by apellatiō referrid to his popely authorite. These thīges who so cōsiderith, he shal shortly ꝑceiue, what incōueniēces among al chri­stē nations doth rise of this heedy authorite, and what blynd superstition is therby groūded in all Christis religion: For though in euery ꝑticular church & prouīce it be conueniēt to haue one heed to gouerne, for the auoyding of confusion, wher­fore byshops were institute aboue all priestes in euery church cathedral, as testifieth al antiquite, [Page 67] yet by lyke example therof to induce, the same to be so conuenient in the hole body, as it is in euery parte, is playne foly, and not without manifeste lacke of iudgemēt. For where as in the hole body of Christis churche be so many sondry nations, and therin besyde the diuersities of tongues and maners, so diuers polycies and ordynaunces of lawes, that one mā therof to haue knowlege and experience, which is required to the ryght iudge­ment of causes, it semeth impossible. How shuld it be thought conuenient in suche a body to con­stitute one heed with suche authoritie, to whose iudgement in all causes to hym deuolued and brought, all the reste of christian nations shulde stonde and be obedient? For thoughe he were a man of mooste hye perfection, and of wysedome mooste polytyke, seynge that the administration of Iustice and equitie standeth a greate parte in the knowledge of the particular circumstaunces of causes, howe shuld he to so many nations, of whom he hath no knowlege nor experience, giue iustice with truth & equitie? For it can none other wyse be, but that one man and one hede, so igno­raunt of thynges, not hauyng particuler instru­ction therof, shal be impotent and lacke power, be he neuer so good, to satisfie all suche persons and causes, whiche by appellation out of diuers countreis and nations, shuld thither be referred: by the reason wherof shuld succede many iniust & wronge iudgemētes, as we both by olde story, [Page] to whose gouernance he cōmytted his church, as to his very vicar in dede, euer faythefullye haue trusted vpon him, with sure fayth and confidēce. Wherfore frendes if we with louinge harte one to an other, hange vppon hym as vppon the hed and onely fountayne of all good, & passing this lyfe in the vse of these thynges traunsitorye and vayne, as in a pylgremage, euer desyrynge to come to our home, there to enioye thynges stable and sure: doubte ye not but we then gouerned by his spirite, his onely vicar in erthe, thoughe we neuer knewe pope nor cardinall, shall kepe his trewe vnitie, whiche is conserued, as by the chief grounde, by faithful loue in hym and louing charitie one to an other, euery one gladde to succour other, euery one gladde to instructe other as his christian brother. This we maye doo withoute mention of the bysshoppe of Rome and know­lege of that heed, and so conseruynge the groun­des of scripture and of the gospell of god, which are but fewe in nombre, easye to be kepte in me­mory, wherby liuynge in christen ciuilytie with obedience to our prince, and to all suche thynges as be stablyshed by comon authoritie here in our nation, we may at the laste attayne to our felici­tie, though we neuer here worde of this superio­ritie, whiche is a thyng of nature indifferent, by the reson wherof it taketh his power & strength, of the common consente of man and agrement, and so som christian nations may it receyue and [Page 69] maynteyne, and some hit reiecte without offence of anye groundes of Scripture necessarye to mannes saluation, and withoute anye breche of the christian vnitie,Schysme & heresye. by schysme or heresie: to the whiche shoulde insue euerlastynge damp­nation. For heresye and schysme are not iustely to be ascrybed to anye nation,1. Corin. 1. excepte they slyppe from the manyfeste groundes of scripture in the gospel expressed, or in generall counsayle recei­ued by interpretation, where as of the wordes of scripture was gathered diuerse sentence and va­riable, concernynge suche thinges as of necessite perteyne to mans saluation, of the whiche sorte this superioritie of the byshoppe of Rome, which he hath by the pacience of christen prynces longe abused, is none, as I thynke now is open clerely to you all. Wherfore dere frendes I doute not nowe at all,Obedience. but that ye consyderynge the nature of this thynge, as hit is in it selfe, whiche is not of necessitie to mans saluation, but a thynge in­different, whiche may be receyued, and maye be reiecte by common consent, I doubte not I say, but that ye wyll without scrupule of conscyence, of harte therto be obedient, ye & to al other thing, which by common authorite here in our contrey hereafter shalbe decreed, concernynge the refor­matiō of al suche thingis as perteine to religiō, and to the purgynge of vayne suꝑsticion: I dout not but that the redresse of all ceremonies in the church, customs & rites ecclesiastical ye wil glad­ly [Page] we ought rather to gyue obedience in such thin­ges to princely authoritie here in our nation, thā to suche thinges as be propouned by general as­semble and congregation, [...] where as is no power of commaundement in thinges indifferente, but only instructiō and brotherly exhortation, wher­of Christis doctrine taketh all his grounde and foundation, without any ciuile punyshement or compulsion. For Christ requireth the hart, to his worde frankely and frely gyuinge obedience, ye and the ende and perfection of his doctrine and commandment, is to induce man by loue to ver­tue, causynge alway his disciples, that thyng to do by loue onely moued, which other obserue for feare of punyshement. For the which cause as I thynke, suche thinges as were propowned in the fyrste counsels longe & many a day, were not cal­led lawes, byndynge mā with authorite, but only canons and certayne rules, wherwith man frely customing him self, might be gentilly induced to folow the trade of vertue & honestie. And this to be true, [...] declareth a lawe made of the emperour Iustinian, wherby to suche rytes and customes ecclesiastical, as from the see of Rome and gene­ral assemble, were deriued to many other natiōs, he gyueth power and strength of lawes, settyng them in ful authoritie, the whiche before bounde no man, but were receyued at libertie. Wherfore it appereth, that suche thinges, as by generalle counsell are propowned, and to christen polycye [Page 71] thought conuenient, be of no strengthe, power, nor laufull authoritie and oblygatorie, vntylle they be of euery nation receyued by cōmon ass [...]t, by the vertue wherof they may ageyn be dissol­ued and vtterly abrogate, as tyme and place pru­dently considered, the same shall requyre. This you muste thinke, and this you muste doo, with mekenes and obedience, moste christen people, if you wyll be of the christian flocke. And soo after this maner frendes, formyng your iugementes, and fleing from al superstition, you shall among your selfe, moche sette forwarde the truthe of the gospell and of all good religion, and soo conse­quently lyuing to gether in brotherly loue, euery man in his offyce doinge his duetie, we shall at laste by concorde and vnitie attayne to our ende and perfyte felicite.

¶And thus I truste moste christen people, that you nowe after this consideration had with your selfes, as well of the spirituall lyfe, with the po­wer therin of Christe gyuen to all them, whiche by perfyt faith trust in hym only, as of the world­ly and cyuile, with mans constitutions deuysed by policye: and also that you nowe after ye haue herde somewhat the difference betwixte thynges of necessitie to be receyued for mannes saluation, and thinges, whiche be but onely of mē deuysed, for the conseruation of the same, I truste I saye, nowe this consideration hadde, that you se som­what the meane, howe that ye shal instructe your [Page] worldely punyshement, to none you wolde then be obedient, but all whiche is contrarye to your appetites in your hartes you wolde despise, and soo the verye lawes of Christe, ye and Christe him selfe, shortely you wolde lyttell esteme: for this contempt of all tradition, shal induce in ma­ny suche arrogancy, that all they shall iudge to stande in mans opinion, & so neyther Christe, nor his gospell they shall willyngly defende, but ra­ther flye frome the confession of his name, then therfore to suffre death and worldely shame. For suche is the nature and malyce of mans harte, that if you take ones frome hym relygious obe­dience, and feare of relygion conceiued by longe custome and processe of tyme, he shall by lyttell and lytell, by arrogant opinion, fall in to the vt­ter contempte, and inwarde dispysynge, of all trewe relygion, and so lyue without any inward feare in harte of god, or hereafter of any punysh­ment: to the which what wyl folow, al the world dothe see, for then nedes must ensue the ruyne of all ciuile order, and of all good worldly polycye, wherof good and trewe religion is the mooste stable and sure foundation. Wherfore frendes for the instruction of your iudgementes in this behalfe also, and for the auoydynge of this euyl, whiche is yet worse than the other, for better it is to man, and more agreable to lawes of god, and nature, to suffre vaine supersticion, than to bring in corrupte contempt of religion: somewat I wil [Page 73] herin nowe to you say.

And firste this you shall vnderstande dere fren­des, as a cōmon groūde, that al be it rytes, custo­mes of the churche, & traditions, ecclesiastical la­wes and decrees, & brefely al thynges besyde the gospel and doctrine of god receiued among chri­sten nations, be of this sorte and nature, that they be not of necessite to be receyuyd, and as the gospell necessary to our saluation, nor to them of necessitie we are euer bounden, vnder peyne of damnation, but as tyme and place requyreth by common authorytie, in euery countrey and dy­uers polycie, they maye suffre abrogation, and maye be altered and moued by the pleasure and common consent of the holle, in euery churche & nation, where they be receyued: yet you may not with the contempt of this popes authoritie, and vnder the pretence of the same, all theym by and by, of your owne hedes vtterly condēne, without exception, as thynges ꝑnitious to Christis rely­gion, but tary ye must a whyle, temperyng your tonges, and be not to hasty of your iugementes, vntyll the tyme they be abrogate by common au­thoritie, and other in their place substitute by cō ­mon assent. For this is a certayn and sure truth, that ceremonies we muste haue,Rytes & cu­stoms eccle­siastical. rytes and custo­mes, all maye not be lefte, the whiche be so con­uenient menes to induce rude & symple myndes, to memory, & to the conceyuyng of the mysteries of oure relygion, that if they were vtterly wyped [Page] we call relygyous, argueth and declareth many­festly other moche lacke of reason in them that so do, or lyttell regarde of Christis relygion, of the which who so euer with right iugement consider the begynnynge, shall playnely see, that Christis religiō was moch lyke vnto this monastical pro­fession, & vnder princis and rulers of the worlde toke the fyrst ground, and fyrste begynnyng, af­ter the maner of this solytarye lyfe, wherin lyue these which [...]e good religious men. For howe sayncte Ihon Baptyst, [...] who was the fyrst prepa­rer and messanger of this heuenly lyfe, lyued in myldernes and solytarie, all the world knoweth: and howe our master Christe with his apostelles lyuyd moch after the same rate, and euer taught the same, I do not saye as our fatte monkes doo nowe,Ma [...] 19. but as in a monastycal lyfe with the dispi­synge of all worldly thynges and transitory, all they that rede the gospell lykewyse do se: And of the actes of the apostles it is mooste manyfeste, howe all that professyd Christis name lyued, [...] ha­uynge al thynges in common, as many do yet in these monasteryes, and long after in Egypt and in Arabye, in Spry, and in Grece, al those which were most notable masters of Christis doctrin, & in life professed the same, liuid in wyldernes & so­litary, dispisyng of the world, al vayn plesures & trāsitorie, not only in wordis, but in lyfe & dedes, to y^• whiche of suche thynge was euer most iustly gyuen more credite: and afterwarde in Rome it [Page 75] grewe in by suche a maner of secrete profession. For longe it was vsed amonge them there, that all suche as wolde folowe the doctrine of Christe lefte all worldly comforte, and fledde to this so­litary lyfe, there lernynge in prayer and pouer­tie this, as the chiefe ground of our religiō, with the hope & cōfort spiritual receiued of our master & his doctrine, to dispise this life & thynges trā ­sitory, euer lokynge to an other, & there to inioye thynges stable & sure. And this by lytell & lyttell vnder greate princis and rulers of the world our relygion so grewe in, by the prouidence of god, vntyll at the last it was spred ouer all, and occu­pyed a greate parte of the worlde, as to all men it is open and playne. But yet this is also sure and ce [...]tayne, that amonge all nations, after it was stabled, some there were euer from the fyrst begynnynge, whiche made profession of this so­litary lyfe and monasticall relygion, some euer iudged therby to drawe nere to the steppes of their mayster, and somewhat nere to folowe the fyrste institution, of the doctrine of Christe, then they doo, whiche lyue abroode amonge the plea­saunt troubles and paynefulle pleasures, here in the common life: of the whiche sentence & minde haue ben always many auncient wise and holy menne, perfyte bothe in vertue and lernynge, as Ierome, Austyne, Gregorye, and Basylle, with many other, whose names to reherse were super­fluous. wherfore dere frendes this hole kind of [Page] the whiche bicause you can not fynd in scripture mencioned, [...] you thynk of christē myndes it shuld not be affirmed, and that it is but a popysshe in­uention. Wherin frendes vndoutedly moch you erre, and ouer boldly iuge, for thoughe the pope therin hathe his power mysvsyd to the maynte­naunce of his owne glorye, as he hathe done in many other thynges beside, wherby he hath long illudyd symple myndes, yet the thynge in it selfe was of no pope inuentyd, wherof is mention with the famouse and notable doctours of oure religion, bothe latynes and grekes, before suche tyme as the pope had amonge al byshoppes any superiorite, and moche before it grewe to this in­tollerable tyrannye: these auncient maysters of Christis doctrine, as moche as they maye of a tradition, say & affirme such a place to be, wher­in mans sowle shall be purged from alle spottes of worldly affection, printed therin by the immo­derate loue and pleasure had in worldly conuer­sation, before the tyme it may attayn the eternal fruition of euerlastynge thinges, and with aun­gelles to inioye the heuenlye meditation. But of this sorte to be as in our dayes it is of many fo­lyshely affyrmed, amonge the olde authors there is no mention, none of them iudge it to be suche a place, out of the whiche any popes power may delyuer mans sowle at his pleasure. This thyng semethe to be an inuention of man of late yeres, & of the olde fathers no tradition. wherfore after [Page 77] that maner it to deny I thinke were none errour at all, but the thynge vtterly to take awaye, se­meth to come of moche arrogancy, and greatte lacke of iudgement and reasone: for that thynge to deny constantly, wherof there is noo certayne grounde nor sure, is playne foly and lacke of dis­cretion. For as to affirm purgatorie to be, there is no grounde of suretye, so it to denye hath mo­che lesse certaynte, for scripture giueth sure argument to nother of them both. wherfore as to af­firme hit to be, as an artycle of the faythe, and to the saluation of man to be of necessite, I think it great folye: so to deny it to be a holsome tradi­tion to the conseruation of the christian lyfe mo­che conuenient, I iuge it to be playn arrogancy, specially considerynge that to the assercion ther­of we haue the consent of many auncient greatte lerned holy and vertuous men, whose example and iugement, I wold rather moue you to leane vnto moste christian people, and to their sentence rather to be conformable, than to certayn lyght wyttes, nother fourmed with lernyng nor iuge­ment, and whiche is chiefe of all, voyde of ver­tue, to assente, and to them to be plyable, whose lyghtnes both in this and many other thynges hath benne a great occasion to the corruption of some of your iugementes, and hereafter excepte you be ware shall be moche more. For vnder the colour of bryngynge in lyberte from bondage of tradition they wolde induce you to admitte only [Page] fete, the whyche of somme of his disciples was nothynge approued, he taughte vs a greatte grounde for the admission of all suche inwarde and aboundant deuotion, though the outwarde deede appere to the worlde a superfluouse ope­ration.

And as for prayinge to saintis is a thinge, whi­che hath ben long and many yeres receiued both of the greke churche and latyne, [...] not as a thyng to the whiche we are bounden by the expresse cō ­maundement of god, but as a thyng consequent therto, [...] for in scripture exaumple we haue one, to desyre an other to praye for hym, whiche sayncte Poule dyd ofte and many tymes, [...]. wherof is ga­thered consequently to be a thyng lykewyse con­uenyent, to desyre theym, whose vertues are of Christe approuyd, to praye for vs, that we al to­gether as membres of one bodye, maye receyue grace of our heuenly heed. And thus to praye to saynctes in no parte dothe derogate the honoure of god. For the praying thus to them is to praye to god, and is nothynge differente in effecte, but to praye to them as of whom we shulde truste as of authors and gyuers of that thynge, whiche we by prayer demaunde and desyre to gette and obtayne. This were by the honour of theym, to plucke downe the honour of god, [...] and playne y­dolatrie, and this is forbyd in holy scripture, as the other maner is, as a thynge agreable therto, conueniently receyued, though it be not of high [Page 79] necessite. And so brefely to conclude in this mat­ter, to haue in honour images of saintes, as thinges, wherby you may be put in mynde and stired to the folowynge of their vertues, bothe in lyfe and maners to expresse the same, is no poynte of idolatrye, but amonge christen men a thynge of great conueniency to be receyued, lyke as pilgre­mage and prayenge to them also is not to be con­demnyd, but as a thynge wherby we hyghly ho­nour god, to be admyttyd: therby declarynge to hym our humble and meke hartes ful of charite, where euery membre requiring the helpe of eche other, hangeth vpon that comon heed and foun­tayne of all goodnes. After this maner prayeng to sayntes, hath euer ben receyued of all the anti­quitie, from whose steppes christen people, let vs not in euery thinge lyghtly slyppe, but rather fo­lowe them in suche thynges as be good and con­uenient, than without iugement to reiect al thin­ges whiche be of nature indifferent, approuyng onely them whiche be of hye necessitie: and by the expresse word of god to vs in his doctrin taught, as many of vs doo, whiche is as I haue often sayde, as a common fountayne of the corruption of our iugementes, to the takynge awaye of ma­ny suche thynges, which haue ben of many good men and wyse, stablyshed to the settynge forth of Christis doctrine with charytable vnytie. For of this ground it spryngeth also that some men for­bydde vtterly to praye for theym,Prayer for the deade. the whiche be [Page] deed, bycause it is not in scripture conteyned ex­pressely, and bycause whan they departe they go incontinent eyther to heuen or to helle, howe be hit of that they be not sure, nor to the denyinge of purgatorie, as I said before of scripture, there is noo certayne grounde: but to scripture after the sentence of holye fathers, the contrarye is rather agreable. But lette it be, that there were noo purgatorye at all: Thynke not you deere frendes, that it is a conueniente thynge, and to charitie conformable, that euery man shulde de­syre after deathe good to his frende, and by pra­yer to god, to open his louynge mynde, that he boothe in lyfe and also after his deathe con­stantlye euer beareth toward his brother? There was neuer nation so rude and barbarous, that wolde forbydde one to wysshe good to an other bothe a lyue & deed. Wherfore amonge vs chri­sten menne, whiche are sure that our frendes af­ter deathe shall remayne other to peyne, or plea­sure, amonge vs I saye to raygne any suche opi­nyon, that we shoulde not praye for theym, and wyshe theym to be partetakers of the good, and not of the euylle, apperethe extreme madde­nesse and mooste rude vnkyndenesse: specyal­ly seynge that we haue no certaynetye, whether hit pleasethe god to take theym other to payne, or to pleasure. And thoughe that this be trewe, that to the one certaynly, they are by the prouy­dence of god determyned and appoynted, yet [Page 78] we therof beynge vncertayne, in desyrynge and wyshynge to them the best, can not doo but wel, in as moch as we declare therby to god the cha­ritie of our hartes: ye and ferther I shall saye to you, thoughe the prayer that we make for theym that be deede, shoulde not be to theym profytable at all, for as moche as they be other in state of grace or damnation, yet in our prayer I thynke neuer the lesse our mayster dothe delyte, and ta­kethe to his honour our aboundante deuotyon and feruent charytie, as he dyd the oyntment of Mary, whiche was to no man profitable. Ther­fore seynge that beside the consent of many of the auncyent doctours, oure maysters of our rely­gion, the thynge in it selfe appereth so conueni­ent to reason, to humanyte, and aboue al to chri­stian charite, I se no cause why we shuld it so re­iecte as a thyng to the doctrine of Christ nothing conformable, to the whiche vndoubtedly, and to very christian charytie, it is moche agreeable, the which frendes if you also iudge & in harte think, you shall increase amonge your selfes brotherlye loue and vnitie, and moche more if some of you wold after the same maner tempre your iudge­mentes in many other thynges of the same sorte, which ouer lyghtly ye condēne, bicause they ap­pere to take their groundes of this popyshe au­thorite, of the which though many thynges euyl haue issued & sprōg, yet this cā not be denied, but moch good was also to vs deriued fro the same, [Page] them as in goddis commandment. For if a man had dere frendes, [...] al the faith which is in al men, and as saynt Poule sheweth most manyfestly, of that sorte that he myghte therby remoue moun­taynes out of their places, yet if he had not ioy­ned therto a charytable harte and mynde, euer prompte and redy to shewe the same in effect and outward dede, as occasiō is ministred, that faith nothyng shuld to him auayle at all: [...] lyke as con­trary, if one man worked all the outwarde wor­kes in the worlde, if they were not in fayth roted and grounded, to him they shulde nothynge pro­fyt nor helpe, so that nother dedes alone, nor yet naked faythe without charyte, be not sufficiente meanes to brynge man to his saluation, but cha­rytable faythe and faythefull charyte, [...]. be requy­red of hye necessitie: this is the grounde, this is the ende, and in this stondeth the hole perfection of all christian religion. Wherfore auoydynge dere frendes the great blonderyng now [...] a daies made of faythe and workes, in fewe wordes this I shall to you say: If you wyl be of the flocke of Christ, and of the nombre of them which be true professours of his name, you muste not onely by mouthe and in worde your faythe testifie, [...]. but in dede the same also to the face of the worlde de­clare to his honour and glorye, not iudgynge your owne dedes to deserue your saluation, but that euer referryng to his onely goodnes & mer­cy. This Christ teacheth vs by his owne mouth, [Page 81] where as he sayeth in his gospell, that suche as by mouthe onely calle vnto him, confessynge his name, shall not by and by entre to the kyngdome of heuen, but all suche as in effecte and in dede fulfyl the wyl of his father, there shal haue place. So that frendes of this you may be assured, that it is not inoughe for vs to saye, I beleue well, & thē care not what ye doo. A more pestilent opini­on, & more pernicious to Christis doctrine was neuer I trowe amonge menne then this, to saye that faythe alone, without charitable workes, is sufficient to mans saluation. For this I wyl say to you of the doctrine of sayncte Paule, that it is nother our fayth, be it neuer so great, nor yet our workes, be they neuer soo many,Tit. 3. that can de­serue our saluation, it is the mere goodnes and mercy of god, which shalbe our saluatiō, the whi­ch he of his only goodnes hath promised to giue vs, if we beleue faythfully in hym, and truste in his promysse with faythefull harte, and in out­warde dede obey his cōmaundement, and walke in the same: soo that as moche are we bounden to worke as to beleue, & yet nother of them both, no nor yet bothe of them to gether, be able to de­serue our saluation, but this onely lyeth in the goodnes of god, to whom it hath plesed to make vs this promysse, that yf we truste in hym with faythefulle harte vnfaynydly, and in outwarde dede folowe his commaundemente without hy­pocrysye, we shall haue euerlastynge lyfe: vnto [Page] des of our heuenly doctrine, but euer in all suche thynges, whiche by nature are indifferent, and be not of the expresse commaundemente of god: we must conceyue this iudgement, that when so so euer it shall appere to them, whiche be in au­thorytie prudente and polytike, any suche thyn­ges to alter and chaunge, as tyme and place re­quire for good polycie, therto euer to be obedient with mekenes and humilite, as sone as they be chaunged by common authoritie. In the whiche thynges also we muste vse in our iudgementes this temperaunce, theym neuer to condempne lyghtly, and with arrogant opinion iudge vtter­ly to be caste away, thoughe they haue ben in vse neuer so longe, vntyll the tyme that by common counsayle they be abrogate and iudged to chri­stian pollicy to be nothynge expediente, by them whiche haue of suche thynges perfyte iugement: the whiche if we do mooste christian people with prudence obserue, we shalle by this meane soo fourme our affectes, and in some partes soo cor­recke our iudgementes, that as of the one syde we shall auoyde al blynde supersticion, so we shal of the other syde eschewe all arrogaunt opinion, and so consequētly some what remedy this com­mon blindenes, [...] which therby is chiefely growen amonge vs, to the great ruine of Christis heuē ­ly doctrine, and his spirituall vnite. This meane we muste folowe and ensewe, if we wyl attayne to our felycyte, of the whiche dere frendes mar­uayle [Page 83] you nothyng at al. For by a certain meane the armonie of this hole worlde is conteyned in this natural order & beautie: by a meane al ciuile order and polycye is mayntayned in cities and townes with good ciuilitie: by a meane mannes mynde with all kynde of vertue garnysshed, is broughte to his naturall perfection and lyght: And by a meane all trewe religion without im­pyetye or superstytion, is stablysshed and sette forthe to goddis honour and glorye in all chry­stian natyons and countreyes: ye and soo by a meane we shall, mooste christyan people, chiefely auoyde this daungerous diuisyon growen in a­monge vs, by the reason wherof, somme are iudged to be of the newe fashyon, and somme of the olde. For whan [...]e that one seeth an no­ther, euer to suche thynge gladdely conforma­ble, as by common counsaylle is determyned, made, and decreed, neuer repug [...]ynge in harte therto, nor yet condempnynge arrogantly all so­che thynges as haue benne receyued longe and many yeres withoute discrecyon, but euer aby­dynge the sentence of common authorytie, the meane tyme frely therto beinge obedient: when euery one I saye this seeth in eche other, I can not tell howe any diuision shoulde growe in a­mong vs, I can not telle why one shoulde calle an other pharisee or yet heretike: If we wold af­ter this maner and meane agree in iudgement, [Page] the supreme hede here of our churche, [...]. whiche ap­perethe to many of you straunge and newe, by­cause of the lōge custome of many yeres. If you consyder with your selfe the nature of the thing, as hit is indede, there is in hit nothynge nother strange nor new. For what strangenes is this, a hole congregacyon and perfyte, as this is of our nation, to electe and chose theym a heed polytike with free libertye, whiche may with his hyghe wysedome directe and redresse all suche thynges as pertayne vnto christian polycye? This hathe benne euer common and in vse, sythe the fyrste institution of Christis churche. And thoughe that christen pryncis and nations haue longe stonde in this polycye and obedience to Rome, yet to that they be not bounden, that the defecti­on frome it and disobedience shulde induce sus­pition of heresye or schisme, whyche are thenne onely to be imputed, whan any pryuate manne or holle nation slyppethe frome suche groundes of scripture, as he of necessitie requyred to man­nes saluation: of the whiche sorte the defectyon frome the popyshe authoryte is not to be iudged nor thought. And this thynge moste manyfest­ly prouethe a lawe made of the mooste Christian emperour Iustinyan, [...]. wherin he gyuynge pryui­ledge to Constantynople, openly decreeth, that churche no more to hange of the see of Rome, as it seemed to doo frome the tyme of Constan­tyne: but that the archeby shoppe there shulde be [Page 84] chosen of his owne churche, hauynge authoritie also to create & institute other byshops vnder the same see, without runnynge to Rome for autho­rite. wherby you maye moste clerely se, both that this superioritie of Rome, was not at that tyme iudged to be of suche necessite, and of the lawe of god, as nowe many thynke: and that the empe­rour also was hede of that churche, hauynge ful authorite to order all suche thynges as pertey­ned to christian polycy, as by many other lawes whiche he made, it is moste manyfest. Wherfore frendes our prince here, who is of no lesse authoryte in this our churche of Englande, than was the Emperour Iustynian at Constantynople, this authoritie of Rome so to brynge to order, and as supreme heed in the polycie of our chur­che, this thynge to stable, nede not to you appere nother straunge nor newe, seynge the lyke hathe ben done of christen emperours before this longe and many yeres. Feare ye not therfore mooste christian people, to this acte to our nation soo good and profytable, of harte to gyue obedience, the whiche doubt ye not, but god shal so gouerne by his prouidēce, that it shal go forth to his glo­rye, comforte & profyt both of the present age & of al the posterite. And euer haue you this in mind, that to all such thynge as is decreed by common counsell and authoritie here in our nation, you that be vnlerned and ignorant, not hauyng your consciēce formed with lyght and knowlege, you [Page] [...]udgement, which is the true preacher of Christe and religious, from hym that is the preacher of the worlde arrogant and seditious. [...]. 15. For chari­ [...]ie, as hit is the sure marke of all the chrystian [...]locke, so it is moch more the sure note and signe of him that shulde trewely preache Christis do­ctrine. For yf his lyfe fyrste, whiche is chyefe of all, and also his worde to that do not sownde, if to that it do not agree, you maye boldely con­clude bothe hym and his doctrine of all christian hartes to be eschewed, [...] 2. and to be auoyded none otherwyse than heresye. And yet ferther if you perceyue hym, ceremonies traditions and rytes of the church so to maynteyn as thinges necessa­ry to the saluation of mā, ye or contrary them vt­terly to damne, as thynges pernycious and con­trary to Christis religion: than make you a sure conclusion, [...] that he lacketh moch discretion, and is other folyshely superstitious, or els arrogant­ly sedicious, and no mete precher of Christis doc­trine. who euer with charite precheth such thyn­ges as perteyne to goddis glory, euer most studi­ousely settynge forth the same, & out of the wor­kes of nature, wherin y^• goodnes of god spredeth her self, the true precher euer whē he therin beholdeth, somwhat he piketh, wherby he moued, de­clareth goddes honour and glory of his name: [...]. 3. & lykewyse out of the ceremonies, vsed in Christis churche, the whiche withoute good teachynge are but dumbe sygnes, he euer gadreth somme­what, [Page 84] wherby he induceth manne to the memo­rie of goddis benefyte and mercy. But aboue al the trewe preacher euer besyly endeuoreth hym selfe aboute the groundes of scripture, and su­che as be of necessytie necessarye vnto mannes saluation, theym to stable in all chrystian har­tes, and of theym to make sure ground and fun­dation: And as for all other thynges, whyche stonde in mannes polycye: he euer therin indu­ceth and teacheth obedience to common autho­ritie, nothynge agaynste the same superstitious­ly nor arrogantly defendynge, nor yet all thyng besyde the same arrogantely condempnynge: but euer in all his preachynges and teachynges he settethe before his eyes, as chyefe ende, con­corde and vnitie, vnto the whiche he euer direc­teth hym selfe, and his oracyon with prudente symplicitie, auoydynge all diuisyon, whiche is the mother of all confusion: and so atte the laste inducynge the contempte of these worldly thyn­ges vayne and traunsitorie, he perswadeth the feruent loue and desyre of thynges euerlasting, the whiche are stedfast, sure, and stable, and also are to vs promysed, of the mere goodnes of god, if that we wylle with sure faythe and truste of the obteynynge therof be euer to his commaun­dement conformable and obediente. This tea­cheth he chiefly, whiche is the trewe and perfyte preacher of Christis doctrine, whom to discerne and iudge, shall be nothynge harde to you dere [Page] comforte and ioye, wherof this is but as a sha­dowe, and an image: the whiche yf you doo moste christian people, this I dare say and bold­ly to you affirme, that all be it we neuer hereaf­ter knowe nother pope nor cardynall, no nor yet here of counsel generall of all christian nations, yet may we, liuynge togyther in faythfull loue & charitable vnite, lighted by the spirit of god and his heuenly doctrine, hangynge onely vpon his benefyte, passe this lyfe in mooste pure and per­fyte christianitie. This we haue expressed by the mouthe of our mayster Christe in his gospelle, who surely promyseth this to euerye multitude gathered togyther in his name, [...] & to euery faith­full congregation, that whan so euer they assem­ble to gyther for his glory, with perfite faith and truste in hym, with charitie demaundynge lyght of truthe to passe this lyfe withal to his pleasure and honour, they shall neuer lacke knowledge of suche thynge, which shalbe necessary to their saluation, they shall neuer lacke grace to defend them from all suche thynge as shall lede them to euerlastyng damnation. Wherfore most christi­an people, seinge that the benefyt of god is so o­pen vnto vs, and the lyght of his holy spirite so common, that no man is excluded from it, but he onely that so wyll: let vs not drownyd in vayne pleasure, by our owne neglygence suffre our selfe to be depryued of this goodnes: let vs not being corrupt with worldly affection suffre our selfe to [Page 88] fall from the dignite of our nature, and runne to our owne distruction: let vs not suffre our selfe by any pestilent & diuellyshe dyuision lose the in­finite benefite of Christis passion: but let vs with one fayth in hym in perfyt concorde & vnitie with sure truste and hope hange vppon him as vppon the only hede of al christianitie: let vs euery one supportyng & bearyng the imbecillite and weke­nes of other, echeone be glad to admonyshe his christian brother, let vs euerye one be gladde to helpe and succour eche other with charitie and pure affecte: and than vndoutedly we shall bothe in this life haue quietnes of minde and tranquillytie, & here after haue the fruition of suche ioye and comforte as god by his prouydence hath or­deyned to the nature of man in immortalytie, the whiche I beseche him, of whom cometh al light, so to lyghte vs in this lyfe, that we maye all as membres of one bodye, hereafter knytte to our heuenly heed, enioy comonly.