MY lord, although god hath geuen vnto you syngu­ler prudēce, mag­nanimitye, and other vertues re­quisite to the place wherein he hath ordeyned you, and in thaffayres that he hath put in your hādes: Yet neuertheles, forasmuche as ye dooe esteme me for a seruante of his sonne (whome aboue al ye desyre to obeye,) I am certen that for the loue of him, you wil gent­ly receyue that, which I write vnto you in hys name: as in dede I pretende no other end, but y^t in folowyng that, that you haue begonne, you might more and more aduaunce his [Page] honoure, vnto the tyme that you shal haue established his reigne in suche perfeccion, as it may be knowen in y^e world. And also you shal know, that withoute aduauncyng anye thing of myne owne fantasy, al that I write shalbe drawen oute of hys pure doctryne. If I considered not other causes then the dignitie and greate­nes where ye be: there wer no meane for a man of my quali­tye to wryte vnto you. But forasmuche as you refuse not to be taught of the master, the whiche I serue: but that ra­ther you preferre to al the rest the grace that he hath geuen vnto you, to be one of his dis­ciples: I thynke that I haue [Page] no nede to make vnto you a­ny long excuse or preface, be­cause I fynd you sufficiently dysposed to receyue all that shall proceede of hym. We haue all to render thankes vnto our Lorde GOD and father, in that he will be ser­ued of you in so excellente a woorke, as in settyng foorthe agayne (by youre meanes,) the pure and true rule of hys seruyce in Englande: and in causing the doctrine of health to haue place, and to be there faythefullye publysshed, for all them that will heare the same. And for that as he hath geuen vnto you suche vertue and constancye to pursue it vnto this time against so ma­ny [Page] temptacions and difficul­ties: And for that also that he hathe strēghtned you in bles­synge all youre deuyses and laboures, for the prosperyng of them, they be thynges that styrreth all true faythefull menne to magnify his name. But in the meane tyme, bee­cause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all wayes, newe combates,There is nothynge more hard then to cause the woorde of god peaceablye to rewle e­mong the people. and that it is a thynge of it selfe so hard as there canne bee nothynge more harde then to cause the woorde of GOD peaceablye to rewle emonges the people (the whiche of theyr nature are geuen to lyes:) And for­asmuche as there be so many cyrcumstances which in these [Page] dayes empeache the course of the same, and aboue all, that the supersticions of the ante­christe hauyng taken roote of so long tyme, may not easely bee taken awaye from theyr heartes: Me thynketh you haue great nede to be confyr­med by holye exhortacyons. And I doubt not, but that ex­perience teacheth you to feele the same, whiche shall bee the cause to make me to procede the more frankelye, beecause y^t my purpose (as I belieue) shalbe conformable to youre desyre. And albeit that my ex­hortacions shall bee superflu­ous: yet I am sure that you wil beare with the good zeale and affeccion, that stirreth me [Page] to doe it. Wherfore according to reason, I belieue that the necessitie which ye feele, shall cause that the same shalbee a greate deale the better recey­ued: Howesoeuer it shalbee, I beseche you my lorde, that it may please you to geue me the hearynge in some aduertise­mentes which I entend brief­lye to declare vnto you, ho­pyng that when ye shall haue hearde it, at the least you shal fynde some sauor for to bee re­conforted, and to take a great deale the better courage to continue the holye and noble enterprise, in the whiche god hath appointed you to be em­ployed vnto this present.

I doubte not but the greate [Page] troubles whyche happened vnto you not long agoe, haue beene vnto you verye harde and annoyouse: and moste of all for that manye myghte haue taken occasion of slaun­dre, for asmuche as they were moued (in some parte) vn­der the shadowe of chaun­gyng the Religyon. Where­fore it cannot bee but that it hathe beene vnto you a verye harde assaulte, aswell for the cares, whiche myghte come vnto you, as also for y^e mute­nies of the malygners and Ignorauntes, and also for the feare and trouble of the good. Truelye the brute that I haue heard a farre of, hath caused me to haue great grief [Page] in my hearte, vnto suche time that I dyd knowe that God had begonne to put some re­medy. Neuertheles, for that, that they be not yet al pacify­ed, and that the deuill may re­newe them agayne: you shall call to remembraunce that, that the holy story recyteth of the good king Ezechias: that is to saye, at suche tyme as he hadde abolyshed the Super­sticyons in Iewerye,Ezechias at his fir [...] reforinyng of the church was fore op­pressed of enemies and re­formed the state of the church according to the law of god, y^t thē he was so oppressed of his enemies, y^t he was very lyke­lye to be a loste and desperate manne. It is not withoute cause that the holye Spi­ryte notablye expresseth that [Page] suche afflyccyons happened vnto hym immediatelye after he had established the true re­ligion in hys persit ordre. For it was verye lykelye,Whoso go­eth aboute to set furth the glorye of GOD, shall haue persecuciō that as soone as he went about to set foorthe the glorye of God, he shoulde not haue hys realme peaceable. So all faythefull Princes and Gouernours of Countreyes be aduertised by thys exaumple, that the more they shall employe theyr la­bour to put out all Idolatrye and procure that god be true­ly wurshypped (as he ought) the more theyr fayth shall bee proued,Why God suffereth godly Princes to bee tempted. by dyuers temptaci­ons. God suffereth it, and so will haue it, to declare the constancie of hys, and to exer­cyse [Page] them, that they shoulde haue regarde to an hygher thyng, then thys worlde.The deuil laboureth priuely to destroy al godly doc­trine. In the meane tyme the deuil also doth hys offyce, entending by al couert and hidden meanes to destroye the good doctrine, because he cannot openlye at­tayne to hys desyre. But folo­wing the admonicion of saint Iames (who sayeth vnto vs: that in consideryng the paci­ence of Iob, we muste take hede to thende,) we must also caste oure eyes vpon the end, whiche was geuen to the sayde good kynge.The good ende that GOD ge­ueth to the godly. As god succoured hym in all hys ad­uersities, so in thende he re­mayned victorious. Conside­ryng that, and for asmuch as [Page] hys hād is not now any shor­ter than it was than, and that he hath at this day in so gret recommendacion the defence of his people, truth and veri­tie, as euer he had: Doubte ye not, but that he wil helpe you, and not onelye for one tyme, but in as many temptacions as he shall send vnto you. If the moste parte of the worlde resiste the Gospell, and lyke­wyse enforceth themselues, with all rage and violence, to empeache and hyndre the set­tyng furth therof:The ingratytude of men doeth euer more resist God approchīg vnto them We ought not to thynke it straunge. For it is the vnthankefulnesse of menne, which euer haue bene and shalbe, to recoyle when GOD approcheth to them, [Page] and also to stumble agaynste hym, when he will charge them with hys yoke. More­ouer, for that of theyr nature they bee geuen to hipocrisie, they maye not endure to bee brought to y^e light of y^e woord of GOD, whiche discouereth their infamye and shame, nor to be drawen out of the super­sticiōs which serueth vnto thē as hyding places, for to geue them shadowe. It is then no new thing, if there bee greate contradiccion, whē one goeth aboute to brynge them to the pure obedyence of GOD.Iesus bri­geth the swerd with the gospel And also we haue aduertise­mente of oure Lorde Iesus, the whiche sayeth to vs, that he hathe brought the sweorde [Page] with his euangelye. But this muste not astonyshe vs, nor make vs wurse willynge or fearefull: for in thende when men shall haue well mutined and put furth all theyr mali­ces, they shalbe confounded in a momente, and shal ouer­throw themselues, with theyr owne violences. It is true (as it is sayde in the seconde psalme) that god shall not but laughe at theyr styrrynges,Howe god laugheth at the ma­licious stirring of persecutours. that is to say, that in dissimu­lyng he shall leaue them tor­mented, as the thyng touched hym not. But for all that, in thende they shalbe alwayes drieuen backe by hys power, of the whiche if we be armed, we haue a good perfite and [Page] inuincible municion againste all conspiracies, whatsoeuer the Deuilles maye procure a­gaynst vs. And in thende we shall knowe by experyence,The Gos­pell that maketh a reconcilia­cion be­twene god and vs, can also a pease men y^t as the gospel is the messen­ger of peace, & of y^e reconcili­acyon betwene God and vs: So can he aswel for vs paci­fye men. And by thys meane, we shall feele that Esai hath not sayd in vayne, that when Iesu Christe shall reygne e­monges vs by hys doctrine, the sweordes shall be conuer­ted into plough shares, and the speares into Sythes. In the meane tyme, albeit that the malice and Rebellion of men are the occasion of sedici­on and mewtenies, which ry­seth [Page] agaynste the Gospell: Yet neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to take hede to our selues,God some time chas­teneth vs by the euil persoues. and to knowe that god chas­teneth oure faultes by them, which otherwise cannot serue but to Sathan. It hath bene an auncient complaynte, that the Ghospell was the cause of all euilles and calamities,Some lay the faulte of sedicion to the gos­pell. whiche happened vnto men. In deede we see by the his­tories that not longe after the christianitie was spredde in all places, there was not almost a corner in the worlde whiche was not horriblye af­flycted. The mocyon of the warres was as an vniuersal fyer lyghtened in all coun­treyes. The floudes in thone [Page] syde, the Pestilence and fa­myne in the other, an hor­rible confusyon of ordre and pollicye, in manner that it was lykelye that the worlde shoulde bee clearelye ouer­turned. We haue also seene in oure tyme, sythe the gospel hathe begonne to be abroade, manye myseryes: So that euerye manne complayneth that we bee in an vnhappye worlde, and there is verye fewe that feeleth not the wayghte of the burden.

Nowe in feelynge suche blo­wes, wee oughte to regarde the hande of hym that stry­keth vs, and we oughte also to thinke wherfore.The cause why we fele gods scourge. The cause whiche moueth hym to make [Page] vs so to feele hys scourge, is not very darke or hard to vn­derstande. We know that his woorde, by the which he will kepe vs in health, is an inesti­mable treasure, and in what maner of recompence is it re­ceaued of vs. Wherfore then, seeyng we esteme not muche that, whiche is so precious to speake of: it is reason that he take vengeance of our ingra­titude. We also heare that Iesus Christe sayde, that the seruaunte knowyng the will of hys maister and dooyng it not, is worthy of double chas­tisemente, for because that we bee so slothfull to obey the wil of oure God, whiche hath bene declared vnto vs, more [Page] than an hundred tymes here­tofore, we ought not to think it straūge, if he be more sharp­ly angrye with vs, seing that we be more inexcusable. Whē we cause not the good seede to increase and profite: it is reason that the thystles and thornes of Sathan groweth to prycke and tormēt vs. Be­cause that we geue not to our creatour the obedience that is due vnto hym: it is no mer­uayle that men aryse agaynst vs. As I vnderstād (my lord) you haue had two kyndes of mutenies, whiche bee risen a­gainst the king & the state of y^e Realme.Two kin­des of mu­tenies at once. Thone be fantasti­call men, which vnder the co­lour of the gospell, would put [Page] all to confusyon. The other bee obstynate people in the Supersticyons of the Anti­christe of Rome. Altogether deserueth wel to be punyshed by the sweorde, that is com­mytted vnto you. Seeynge that they quarell, not onelye agaynste the kynge, but also agaynste God, whiche hathe placed hym in the seate Roy­all, and hath committed vnto you, the proteccion, aswell of hys person, as of hys maies­tie, and regall estate.How gods word must be receued But the principal meane is, to doe as much as is possible, to cause that they which sauor the doc­trine of the gospel (to thintent to stycke and cleaue vnto it) shoulde receyue it with suche [Page] humblenesse and feare, that they may forsake themselues for the seruice of god. For they ought to thinke that god wil reuele all, to thentente y^t they shall profit more (without fe [...] ­ning in his woorde) then they haue done before. These mad folkes that would the worlde should returne into a confuse & disordinate libertie, be sub­orned by Sathan for to slaū ­dre the gospel: As y^t it should not engendre, but rebellion a gaynste prynces, and all dys­ordre emonges the people. Wherfore al faythfull ought to be sorowful. The Papistes willīg to maintain y^e filthy ab­hominaciōs of their Romain Idole, shew themselues open [Page] enemyes of the grace of Ie­sus Christe and of all hys or­dynaunces, the same also ought to greeue the heartes of al them, whiche haue good zeale, wherfore they ought to thynke altogether that these be scourges of god, which he sendeth to them: And where­fore? But onely because that they make none accoumpte of the doctrine of healthe as they ought to doe.The prin­cipall re­medie to appeace sedicion. Wherfore the principall remedye for to appeace such sediciōs is, that they which professeth the gos­pell, doe truely repayre to the Image of God, for to shewe that our christianitie causeth not dissipacion in the humain lyfe, and geue good proofe & [Page] tryall by theyr sobrenes, and temperaunce, that we gouer­ned by the woord of God, bee not mē vnruled and without a brydle. And by theyr good & holy lyfe, stop the mouthes of all euyll speakers. For by thys meanes god (beeing ap­peaced) shal retiere hys hand, and in the place that thys day he punisheth the slaunderers, for y^e contemning of his word, he shall blesse theyr obedience in all prosperitie.Lawe es & Iustices oughte to bee vncor­rupt. Lykewyse that al the nobilitie and law­iers gouerne them selues ryghtlye, and in all humili­tie to thobediēce of this great kyng Iesus Christ: Makyng holy homage vnto him (with­out feining) of soule and body [Page] and all that they haue. To thintente, that he correct and abate that to gancie and folly of them, that woulde tyse a­gaynst them. Loe, thys is the meane howe Princes of the earth ought to reygne in ser­uing Iesus Christ, to thende that he may haue Soueraine auctoritie emonges all, bothe great and small. Wherefore my Lorde, in asmuche as you haue the regall estate of the king your Nephieu deare vn­to you, and in greate recom­mendacion (as you shewe ve­ry wel) I pray you in y^e name of god, to employe your prin­cipall care & vigilancye, that the doctrine of God may bee preached with strengthe, and [Page] vertue, for to brynge furthe hys fruite, and not to leaue for any respecte to pursue a ful and an entiere reformaci­on of the Churche. And the better to declare vnto you my mynde and intencion, I will deuyde the whole into three poyntes. The fyrst shalbe the meane to instructe the people well.The remedies a­gainste all sedicion in a common weale. The seconde shalbe the taking away of the abuse that hath bene of longe tyme. The third with diligēce to correct vyces, and to kepe so good or­dre that the slaundres & disor­dres may not haue such place as y^e the name of God shoulde bee blasphemed. As to the fyrste I mynde not to de­clare vnto you what doctrine [Page] ought to haue place. But ra­ther I geue thankes to al­mighty god, that besides that he hathe geuen vnto you the light of his pure knowledge, he hath also geuen vnto you, good counsell and discrecion, to cause hys pure veritie to be preached. So that God be thanked, you be not to teache what is the true faith of chris­ten mē, and the doctrine that they ought to receiue. Seing that by youre meane, the true puretie of the faythe is resto­red. That is, that we belieue and take God for the onelye gouerner of oure soules: that we kepe hys lawe for the one­ly rule, and spiritual gouern­mente of oure conscience, and [Page] not to serue him after y^e foolish inuencyon of man. Also, that accordyng to hys nature, he wilbe serued in spirite, and in puritie of heart. Of the other parte, knowyng that there is not but al euil in vs, and that we bee corrupted in all oure knowledge and affeccyons, on that sorte, that our soules being despayred in our selfes be lyke a bottomles pytte, or worlde of iniquitie. And ha­uing taken away al presump­cion of our wisedome, dygni­tie, or power to dooe well: we may haue recourse to the foū ­tayne of al goodnes, which is Iesus Christ, receiuyng that which he geueth vs: that is to saye, the merite of hys deathe [Page] and passion. To thintout that by that meane we may bee re­conciled to God, that beeyng washed with hys bloude, we shoulde not feare that oure faultes shoulde empeache or hyndre vs, to fynde grace before hys celestiall throne. That beyng certain that ou [...] synnes be frely pardoned vs, by vertue of hys sacrifice, we shal put therin our trust & assu­rance, for to be asserteyned of our healthe, and that we bee sanctifyed by his sprite, in ge­uinge our selues to the obedi­ence of the iustice of GOD, that beeynge fortifyed by hys grace, we shalbe vanquishers of Sathan, the worlde, and the fleshe. Finally, that being [Page] membres of hys bodye, we feare it not, but GOD will take vs for hys children, and that wee maye haue confy­dence to call vnto hym as oure father. That we be ad­uertysed to brynge to thys ende, al that is sayd and done in the church, it is, that beyng retiered from the worlde, wee maye bee lyfte vp to heauen, with our head and Sauior. Wherefore seeyng than that god hath geuē you the grace to restore the knowledge of hys doctrine, whiche hathe beene so longe buryed by the Antichriste, I leaue to kepe you with longer purpose.

And that whiche I haue towched of the manner of [Page] teaching, is onely for that the people maye bee ryghtlye in­structed, and for to feele that which thapostle sayd:The word of God is a two ed­ged sword that is, that the woorde of God is a sweorde, cutting with two ed­ges, pearsyng the thoughtes and affeccions vnto the mary of the bone.Few god­lye prea­chinges in the realm I saye thys (my Lord) for that I thynke there is veraye fewe lyuelye prea­chynges within the realme. But that the most parte recy­teth, as by lecture, I well per­ceyue the necessytye that con­strayneth you thereunto. For fyrste you haue not (as I think) your pastours so good and apt, as you desire & wishe, wherfore it is nedeful for you to supply that lack. Second­ly [Page] there myght chaunce to bee manye lighte spirites, whiche woulde peraduenture leape beyond theyr bondes, sowing some foolyshe fantasyes, as many tymes they doe in newe thynges. But all these consi­deracyons empeacheth not,The ordi­naunce of Iesus Christo oughte in al causes to haue course. but that thordinaunce of Ie­sus Christe ought to haue his course as in preachynge the gospel. Nowe ths preachyng oughte not to bee dead but a­lyue,Prechyng oughte to be liuely. for to teache exhorte and reprehende (as Saint Paule sayth to Timoth:) yea in such sorte as if an infidele entre, he may bee wounded ouercome, and taken (as the same Paul sayeth in another place,) for to geue glory vnto god. You [Page] knowe also, my Lorde, howe as he speaketh of the lyueli­nes that oughte to bee in the mouthes of them, which will approue them selues good and faythfull ministers of the gospell, that they ought not to haue or vse woordes of re­thorike, entending thereby to be in greater estimacyon: but that the spirite of God ought to sounde in theyr voyces, for to woorke in dertue. All the daungers that are to bee fea­red, ought not to impeache the spirite of God to haue hys li­bertie, and his course, in them in the which he hath distribu­ted of hys grace, for to edifye the churche. It is true that in the meane time it is good and [Page] expedient to stop the lightnes of fantastical spirites, that ta­keth to muche lycence. Also to shut the gate of al curiosities and newe fangled doctrines. But the best and most conue­nient meanes, suche as God hath shewed vnto vs, is,There ought to be a reso­lute sūme of doctrin that should bee preached. that first there bee a sūme resolute of y^e doctrine that al ought to preache, the which al prelates and curates should sweare to folowe: And that none bee re­ceyued to anye ecclesiasticall charge,All prea­chers oughte to preache v­niformly. but he promyse to ob­serue the same concorde and vnpon.cathechis­mes for the youth oughte to be had in a christen realme. After that to haue a formall and commen instruc­cyon for to enstructe the younge chyldren and igno­raunte people, whyche should [Page] make them acquaynted with the true doctrine, in such wyse that they may discerne it from lyes and corrupcions, whiche elles myght be broughte in. To the contrarye, belieue my lorde, that the churche of god shal neuer be conserued with­out Cathechisme: for it is as the seede, to bee kept, that the good grayne peryshe not, but that it may encrease from age to age. Wherfore if you desire to builde a worke of continu­aunce to endure long, & which shoulde not shortly fall in de­cay, cause that the children in theyr yong age, be enstructed with a good Cathechisme, that may learne them briefly, and according to theyr small [Page] capacities, to knowe wherein consysteth the true christiani­tie. The profitablenesse of a good cathechis­me. Thys▪ Cathechisme shall serue for two purposes, that is to say, for an introduccyon to al the people, for to profite wel in that which shalbe prea­ched vnto them, and also to discerne in case any presump­tuously would attempt to set furth straunge doctrines. In the meane time I say not,It is necessarye to bynde the Pastour [...] to a cer­tain forme of doctrine written. and also ne­cessary to bynde and restrayn the pastoures and Curates to a certain forme written, for to supplye the ignorauncies and symplenes of some of thē, and also the better to shewe the conformitie and concorde of all churches. Thyrdelye, [Page] for to brydle all curiosityes and newe inuencions, suche as desyres nothynge, but to runne ryot, the sayde Cathe­chisme, (as I haue before re­hearsed) shall serue and bees good brydle for suche folkes: And also in such sorte ordre is to be geuen, in the ministring of the Sacramentes, and in the publike prayers. But in y^e meane tyme,The ver­tue of prechinge the Ghospell may not be destroyed you must take heede that suche pollicie des­troy not the strength and ver­tue that oughte to be in prea­ching of the gospel. And that you employe youre labour [...] asmuche as ye possiblye can, that there bee good trumpets whiche maye enter into the depenes of y^e hertes, for ther [...] [Page] is daunger that ye shall not see greate profite of suche re­form [...]cion,Good pre­chīg must be ioyned with a re­formacion how good and ho­lye soeuer it bee, vnlesse that euen at once with it, the po­wer and vertue of good prea­ching, bee desplayed and sette foorthe togethers. It is not without [...] cause that it is sayd that Iesus Christ shall strike the year [...]he by the Sceptre of hys mouthe, and shall des­troye the euyll by the Spi­rite of hys lyppes. It is the meane by the whiche he will ouercome vs, in destroyinge all that, whiche is agaynste hym.The gos­pel is in scripture called the kingdome of God▪ And for that cause the gospel is also called the king­dome of GOD. Also, albeit that thordinances & statutes [Page] of princes bee good helpes to aduaunce and mayntaine the state of christianitie: So like­wyse god will declare hys so­uereygne vertue in the spiri­tuall sweorde of hys woorde with it, setting furth thesame by his pastours. And to thin­tent I woulde not long trou­ble you (my Lord) I wil come to the seconde poynt which I haue purposed to shewe vnto you.Abuses muste bee cleane ta­ken away It is to abolyshe, and clearely to take away, the ab­uses & corrupcions that Sa­than hath mingled heretofore with the ordinaunces of god. We knowe y^t vnder the pope there is a bastard christianitie whiche god shall dysalowe in the laste daye:Vnder [...] papacie is a bastarde christiani­tie. forasmuche as [Page] at thys daye, he hath condem­ned the same, by hys woorde. If wee desyre to retiere the worlde from suche perdicion, there is nothyng better, then to folow the exaumple of. S. Paule, who willynge to cor­recte the euyll that the Corin­thians had ioyned to the sup­per of our Lorde, sayde vnto them: I haue receyued of the Lord, that whiche I haue ge­uen vnto you.We mu [...] returne to the ryght commaundement of GOD. Of that we must gather one generall in­struccion to returne to y^e right and natural commaundemēt of God: if we wil haue a good and an approued reformacion of hym. For so manye myng­lynges as men haue set vp of theyr owne inuencions, there [Page] be so many infecctons, which turne vs from the holy vsage of that, that God hath geuen vs, for our healthe. So to [...] of halfe the braunches of such abuses,It is not enough to cut of sum of the brā ches of ab­uses. it cannot bring again the thynges in perfecte and pure state, beecause that wee then shall haue alwayes a Christianitie counterfette. I say thys for that, that some vnder the coulour of modera­cion, bee of opinion to suffre many abuses, without taking them awaye, and they thynke that it is inough to haue takē out the roote of the principal. But contrary wise, we se how muche the seede of lyes is fer­tile,The seede of lyes is fertile. and that one grayne of that is sufficiente, for to fyll [Page] all the worlde within three dayes, as menne bee enclined and geuen vnto. Our Lorde teacheth vs otherwyse, for whē Dauid speaketh of idols he sayeth that their name shal not passe by hys mouthe: to thentente to declare vnto vs what horror and detestacion wee oughte to haue them in. And if we considre well how much we haue offended God in the time of our ignoraunce, we ought to be dowbly remē ­bred for to eschew the inuenci­ons of Sathan,The craft of Sathā. who hathe prouoked vs to doe such euil thinges, vsing thē as allure­mentes whiche serueth not, but to seduce y^e poore & simple folkes. On the other syde we [Page] see that albeit menne be suffi­ciētly warned of their faultes, and errours, and be aduerti­sed of them asmuch as is pos­sible: Yet neuertheles, they be so hardened, that no man can attayne to the perfecte ende. Thā if there shalbe left vnto thē some dregges to remaine, it shalbe a nouryshemente of muche more and greater ob­stinacye, and a couerture to hyde all doctrine that may be propouned vnto them. I con­fesse that it is conueniente to obserue some moderacyon,Moderacion is necessarye, and some ceremonies may be v­sed. and that to great extremitie is neither good ne profitable. Lykewyse it is conuenient to vse the ceremonies according to the grosenes of the people: [Page] but it maye not bee that that whiche is of Sathan, and of the Antichriste, shoulde passe vnder that coloure. It is for that cause that holye scripture praising the kinges which did destroy the idolatries,The kyn­ges that destroyed Idolatrie. not ha­uīg plucked away altogether: neuertheles gaue vnto them a marke for that they had not destroyed the chappelles and places of foolyshe deuocion. Wherfore my lord, seing that god hath brought you so farre foorth, I praye you continue without any excepcion, to the intente that he maye approue you the setter foorthe of hys temple: in suche wyse as the tyme of the kynge youre Ne­phieu maye bee compared to [Page] the time of Iosias: and that you maye sette al thynges in suche state as there shall reste nothyng to hym, but to main­tayne the good ordre whiche god shal haue prepared vnto hym by your meane. I wil al­lege vnto you an exaumple of suche dregges, whiche perad­uenture may rest to bee a litle leuen: the which in thend, will make the paste sowre.Agaynste prayinge for the dead at re­ceiuing of the cōmu­nion. They dooe in your countreye some kynde of prayer for the dead, when the communion is re­ceyued. I know wel it is not for to aduowe the purgatory of the Pope. I know also that it maye be alleged by aunci­ente custome to dooe some re­membraunce for the dead, to [Page] the intente to ioyne together all the membres of the bodye. But there is a peremptorye argumente to the contrarye, that y^e supper of Iesus Christ is so holye a thynge, that it ought not to bee defyled with no inuencions of men. More­ouer, that in praying vnto god, we ought not lette slippe the brydle of our fantasticall deuocion, but to kepe the rule that Saincte Paule did geue vnto vs: that is, that we take our foundacion of the woord of god. Wherfore such remē ­braunce of recommendacion is not conuenient to the ordre of the good and due prayer, and it is an euyll addicyon to the holy supper of our Lorde. [Page] There is other thynges, whiche peraduenture should be lesse blamed, whiche neuer­theles, is not to bee excused: As y^e ceremony of y^e Chreame and vnccion.The cere­monie of chreame & vnccion. The chreame hath bene inuented of a foo­lyshe fantasye by them that contented not thēselues with the administracion of Iesus Christe, and that they would counterfet the holy spirite by a new doctrine, as though the water were not sufficiente e­nough for that. And y^e whiche is called the extreme vnccion, hath bene retayned by a foo­lyshe affeccyon of them, that haue will to folow the Apos­tles, hauing not the same gift that they hadde. For when the [Page] Apostles dyd vse the oyle vp­on the syck,The oile vsed vpon the sycke by the A­postles. it was for to heale them by miracle: when the mi­racle ceassed, the figure ought no more to be vsed.Superflu­ous cerem [...] nies are to be pared of agayne. Wherfore it should be a great deale bet­ter that the thynges shoulde be so pared of agayn, as they may be most agreeing to the pure woorde of God, and may serue to the edifyinge of the church.Howe wee oughte to beare with the weake. It is true y^t we ought to beare with the weake, but that is for to strengthen and bryng them to greater perfec­cion, that is not to say that in the meane tyme we ought to please fooles whiche desyre now this & now that, & know not wherefore. I knowe the consideracyon wherefore ma­ny [Page] are troubled: it is that they feare that to much alteracion cannot bee borne with, princi­pallye when one will haue re­garde of hys neyghboures, with whome he desyreth to nourishe frendship and ami­tie. A man would gladly gra­tifye them in dyssymulynge many thynges. Thys oughte to bee borne with, in worldly affayres, where it is lawefull to yelde one to an other, and to geue some of our ryghte to bye peace: but it is not al one of the spirituall gouernaunce of the Churche,As tou­chīg gods woord, we maye not yelde to menne for fauout. the whiche oughte to bee ordred accor­dynge to the woorde of God. In that it is not in oure ly­bertye to yelde in anye thyng [Page] to menne, in respecte of theyr fauoure. Lykewyse there is nothynge that dyspleaseth GOD more, then when we will by oure humayne pru­dence, moderate or temper, or refourme, or sette foorthe, or drawe backe, anye thynge a­gaynste hys wyll. Where­fore if wee will not dysplease hym, wee muste close oure eyes in respecte of menne. As to the daungers that maye happen, wee oughte to es­chewe them as muche as we maye: but not in declynynge from the trewe and ryghte waye, for wee haue hys pro­myse,God by his promise will assiste vs in wal­kinge the right way. that he wyll assyste vs in walking the right way. [Page] So that it resteth not in vs, but to doe our office in recom­mendynge to hym that,Why the wyse of this world are manye tymes vo­yd of their hope. that shall folowe. And for that oc­casion the wyse of thys world be many tymes voyde of their hope, for that, that god is not with them, when they truste not in hym, and in hys helpe in serching bymeanes, which he condemneth. If then wee wil haue the vertue & strēgth of god on oure syde, let vs fo­lowe symplye, that he sayeth vnto vs, and aboue all, wee oughte to kepe thys generall rule:The refor­macyon of the church is the wor­ke of gods owne hand that the reformacion of hys churche is the woorke of hys hande. Wherfore it is ne­cessarye, that in thys matter, men suffre themselues to bee [Page] gouerned by hym, the whiche whether it bee in restoryng or in kepynge hys churche, will most commonly procede by a merueylouse and straunge meanes and wayes, vnkno­wen to menne. Wherefore to restrayne thys reformacyon that ought to bee diuyne, by the measure of our witte, and to make that whiche is celes­tiall subiecte to the earth and the world, is agaynst al good reason. By that I exclude not the wisedome whiche is very requisite to obserue all pro­pice and good meanes, and not to excede eyther on thone syde or thother, in any extre­mitie, for the wynnyng of all the worlde to god, if it should [Page] be possible.It is re­quisite that the wisedome of the spi­rite rule, and not of the fleshe. But it is nedefull that the wisedome of the spi­rite shoulde rule, and not of the fleshe. And that hauyng examined the mouthe of the Lorde, wee require of hym, that he will be our guyde and conducter, soner thē to folowe oure owne wittes: and when we shal require it in that sort, it shalbee easye for vs to ex­clude many temptacions, that maye staye vs in the middes of the waye. Wherefore my Lorde, as you haue begonne to reduce Christianitie vnto hys perfect state in England, and not in trustyng of youre selfe, but to bee mayntayned by the hande of GOD: as vnto thys daye ye haue felte [Page] hys myghtye hande, doubte ye not, but that he wil helpe you vnto the ende. For if god mayntayneth kyngedomes and Lordeshyppes of infy­dels that bee hys enemyes,If GOD maintaine the kyng­domes of Infidele [...], much m [...] he will of the fayth­full, by muche more reason, he will take into hys garde, them that bee obedyent vnto hym, and dooe take hym for theyr Superyoure. I come now to the laste Article, that is, to punyshe vyce, and to reproue slaunders. I doubte not but there is good lawes, and law­full statutes, wythin the Realme of Englande,People muste by good law­es be kept in ā honest discipline for to keepe the people in ho­neste lyfe. But the greate dysordres and enormytyes that I see in the worlde, [Page] constraineth me to desyre you to take also the care that the people be kepte in good and honest disciplyne: and aboue all that ye haue the honour of God in good reputacyon, to the intente to punyshe suche crymes,Crymes must be pu­nyshed. of the whiche menne accustomablye make none ac­coumpte. I saye it for that, that somtymes, theftes, Rob­beryes, fyghtynges, and ex­torcyons shall bee sharpelye punished, for that in those mē be offended: and in the meane time whordomes, adulteries, dronkenes, and blasphemies of the name of god, be suffred almoste as thynges lawfull and of small importaunce. Contrariwyse we see in what [Page] estimacyon and detestacyon god hathe them in. For he de­clareth vnto vs, howe muche his name is precyouse, and in what estimacion we ought to haue it: and yet it is by vs, as it were torne in pieces, and troden vnder our fete. Wher­fore out of doubte, he wil not leaue vnpunished suche iniu­ries and dyshonour. Yea, and moreouer the Scripture she­weth vs that by blasphemies a whole realme is infected.By blas­phemies a whol real­me is in­fected. As touching adultries, it is a­great shame vnto vs whiche professe the name of Christe, that the Pagans haue obser­ued greater rygour in puni­shyng therof then we dooe: of the whiche we manye tymes [Page] make but a laughing game. When the holy mariage that ought to bee a lyuelye ymage of the holye vnyon that wee haue with the sonne of God,Holy ma­riage. is defyled, and that the ally­aunce whiche oughte to bee most stable and indyssoluble, is vniustlye broken: If wee take not those thynges to hearte, it is a sygne that wee haue no greate care nor loue of GOD. Touching whore­dome, it may well suffyce vs that Sayncte Paule doothe compare it to Sacrilege,S. Paule cōpareth whoredom to sacri­lege. for asmuche as by the same the temples of GOD, which is our bodyes, bee prophaned and defyled. Item that the whoremongers and dron­kardes [Page] bee banyshed from the kyngdome of GOD, in such wyse that it is defended vnto vs to keepe companye with them. Wherefore it foloweth that they oughte not to bee suffered in the Churche.Whormō ­gers and drūkardes ought not to be suffered in the Churche. And thys is the cause that so ma­nye tribulacyons bee thys daye vpon the yearthe. For insomuche as menne pardo­neth suche enormities, it must folowe that GOD must take vengeaunce. Wherefore my lord, to thintēt to preuent his wrath, I pray you to hold the brydle shorte, & cause that they whiche heareth the doctrine of the Ghospell, proue themselues to bee christen menne, by the holynesse of theyr lyfe. [Page] For as the doctrine is the soule of the church, for to geue it lyfe: so the disciplyne and correccion of vices bee as the Senowes for to mayntayne the body in his force & strēgth.Correcciō of vyces. It is the office of Busshops and Curates to take good hede to the same,The office of bishops & curates. to the intent that the supper of oure Lorde bee not polluted by folkes of slaunderous and dyshonest [...] life. But considering the auc­toritie whiche God hath com­mitted vnto you, y^e principall charge retourneth vnto you, for to set others in the ryght waye, to thintent that euerye one dyscharge themselues of theyr duetie, and cause that the ordre which is established [Page] be duely obserued. Nowe my Lorde folowing the protesta­cyon that I haue made here beefore, I will not excuse my self no lōger, neither of y^e pro­lixitie of my letters, nor of that, that I haue liberally de­clared that I had in my hert. For I trust that myne affecci­on i [...] knowen vnto you, ac­cording to your wisdom. And as ye be exercised in the holye scripture, you see of what foū ­tayne I haue drawen all that whiche is herein conteyned. Wherefore I dooe not feare that I haue bene tedious and importune in declaryng vnto you, to the best of my power, the good desyre that I haue, that the name of god may be [Page] daylye by you more largelye gloryfyed, for the whyche I pray to hym daylye. Praying that it maye please hym to augment his grace vnto you, confyrmyng you by hys holye spirite in a perfect and inuin­cible constancie, maintaining you against your enemies, hauing you with all your hous­holde in his holy proteccion, and doing that you adminis­ter happelye the charge that is committed to you. So that the kyng may haue occasion to geue thankes to hys Lord God, for that he hathe hadde suche a Gouernoure in hys younge age, aswell of hys person as also of hys realme. So I make an ende my lord, [Page] hauynge me moste humblye recommended vnto your good Grace: