Christis religion For though in euery ê‘ticular church prouiÌ„ce it be conuenieÌ„t 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 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 iudgemeÌ„t 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 maÌ„ 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 iudgemeÌ„tes as we both by olde story to whose gouernance he coÌ„mytted his church as to his very vicar in dede euer faythefullye haue trusted vpon him with sure fayth and confideÌ„ce 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 maynteyne and some hit reiecte without offence of anye groundes of Scripture necessarye to mannes saluation and withoute anye breche of the christian vnitie by schysme or heresie to the whiche shoulde insue euerlastynge dampnation For heresye and schysme are not iustely to be ascrybed to anye nation 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 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 reformatioÌ„ of al suche thingis as perteine to religioÌ„ and to the purgynge of vayne suê‘sticion I dout not but that the redresse of all ceremonies in the church customs rites ecclesiastical ye wil gladly we ought rather to gyue obedience in such thinges to princely authoritie here in our nation thaÌ„ to suche thinges as be propouned by general assemble and congregation where as is no power of commaundement in thinges indifferente but only instructioÌ„ 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 maÌ„ 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 natioÌ„s 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 thought conuenient be of no strengthe power nor laufull authoritie and oblygatorie vntylle they be of euery nation receyued by coÌ„mon assâ—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
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 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 to 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 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 circuncision 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 cōmon 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 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 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 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 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 that 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 wold 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 as it were a leage a confederacyon and a socyetie 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
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 sayeng He cam not into this world to reigne nor to rule but to minister vnto vs heuenly doctrine and to 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 the which to redresse is not my purpose to him that presēted before him a pece of money with the image of themperour 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 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 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 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 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 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 and soo gaue theym hygher authoritie 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 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 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
scripture storye nor good reason dryueth vs to confesse this superioritie 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 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 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 woÌ„derfull 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 incompreheÌ„sible 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 grouÌ„d al good vertuouse policy is thend to y â— 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 to the whiche as to the chiefe ende onely euer loked they whiche without the lyghte of Christe haue in any couÌ„treys 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 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 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 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 conteÌ„pte vsinge them onely in this lyfe as in a pylgremage where as we haue as saynte Paule sayth no dwellyng place This spirituall vnitie was stablyd in his flocke by our maister Christe 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 conuenieÌ„t to the coÌ„seruation 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 couÌ„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 conuenieÌ„t to christen ciuilitie specially if he ioyn to this the authorite by ê‘dons abused plucking soules out of purgatory with the reseruyng of causes to his own power definitioÌ„ of causes by apellatioÌ„ referrid to his popely authorite These thiÌ„ges who so coÌ„siderith he shal shortly ê‘ceiue what incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces among al christeÌ„ nations doth rise of this heedy authorite and what blynd superstition is therby grouÌ„ded in all
bycause of the loÌ„ge 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 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 prouideÌ„ce 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 conscieÌ„ce formed with lyght and knowlege you â—udgement which is the true preacher of Christe and religious from hym that is the preacher of the worlde arrogant and seditious For chariâ—ie as hit is the sure marke of all the chrystian â—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 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 maÌ„ 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 â— goodnes of god spredeth her self the true precher euer wheÌ„ he therin beholdeth somwhat he piketh wherby he moued declareth goddes honour and glory of his name lykewyse out of the ceremonies vsed in Christis churche the whiche withoute good teachynge are but dumbe sygnes he euer gadreth sommewhat 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 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