one also among the reste For it is manifeste and verye apparant that by them there haue bin diuers spies and searchers sent abroade to apprehend vs and that there haue béene no small summes of money spent about the same And yet notwithstanding God hathe so blinded them that neither they knew ne being present among them nor wist not well either what to doe or speake for the which cause the Lordes name be praised for euer For neyther haue I hidde my selfe in corners in thys tyme of my absence nor lurked in obscure places but God hath giuen me such spirite and such boldenesse of courage that neither in Italy Germany Fraunce Sauoy nor presently being in your Maiesties lowe Countrey of Flaunders I haue eyther disguised selfe or dissembled my religion Naye I haue openly fréely and boldely preachâ—â— the Gospell in the moste famous Cities where I haue trauailed and in a greate and wonderfull audience yea before the moste noble Princes and moste honourable personages of all Europe wyth the liking and commendation of many and with good opinion and credit for my conuersation Albeit I acknowledge right well mine owne weakensse and confesse my selfe to be subiecte to manye infirmities and guiltie thereof in the sighte of God knowing that I am defeÌ„ded of that most corrupt and cursed roote of the old Adam and that al my déedes of theÌ„selues bée vile and naughtye abhominable before God accursed vnlesse they bée shadowed and couered wyth righteousnesse and innocencie of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe Notwithstandyng moste mighty prince my coÌ„science pricketh me not for any thing that I oughte to bée ashamed to shew my face among men nor any cause I thanke God to make me hide myselfe and kéepe in corners And when I was in Spaine I thanke God I did not only lyue there blamelesse but also voide of al suspitioÌ„ of crime Although I must â—éeds confesse that fearfulnesse of my fleshe and natural frailty was some let hinderaunce vnto me that I did not openly preache professe the truth of Gods gospell at the first after it was reuealed vnto me In so much that the Inquisitours theÌ„selues could not bée perswaded of sixe moneths after my departure that I had changed my Country for religions sake thinkyng me veryly both to haue a good opinion of their procéedings and to bée a perfect Catholike after their Romish sect NotwithstaÌ„ding these pursiuants searchers made such ernest pursute after me and that by expresse commaundement from the Kyngs mouth as they moste falsely pretended as they wold or should haue done agaynste the greatest thiefe and cutte-throate or counterfayter of the Kyngs coigne or the rankest traitour to youre Maiesty that could be whereas I god be thanked was frée from these and all other suche lyke offences as I reporte my selfe to the Inquisitours themselues and to their own promoters or of anye of these matters thought I knowe them otherwise and in other to specte to bée my deadly foes and aduersaries And why is that I beséeche you Forsoothe I wyll not beléeue the Popâ— and hys Chapleines And that is suche 〈◊〉 sore matter in my fansie that I thinke I coulde not aske a greater bowne at Gods handes than that it might bée mâ— chaunce to testifie and to seale vppe mâ— faith wyth the sheadyng of my bloud Iâ— is causelesse therefore an myne opinion that these furious raging mad brayns doe thirst after my bloude so hotly althoughe they knowe assuredlye that my beliefe and persuasion bée quite contrary to their superstitious deuises and Idolatries Moreouer the power and authoritie of Rulers and Magistrates séemeth to haue certain bounds and limits within the whyche it is contayned so that it reacheth not so far as the minde and conscience of man beyonde the rule of Gods lawe as appeareth more plainely by the expresse rule and commaundement of Christe where hée sayth Giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto God that which is his And therefore kings and princes can require no more at their Subiectes handes than that of righte is their duty to wit obedience of their subiectes towardes them and their lawes the due payment of taxe and tribute and in their behalfe to spare neither body nor goods Mary the heart and conscience and religion that resteth therein is an other manner of matter and is in the hands of God alone who guideth and gouerneth the mind of man with his holy word and scriptures teaching them both what opinion we muste haue of him and what kinde of worship and honour we oughte to yéelde him Wherefore in most humble maner I pray and beséech your Maiesty moste mercifull Prince not to accompte that to be a faulte that is so farre from offence howsoeuer your false informers will beare you in hand the contrary And this sense and féeling of a pure and vpright conscience hath comforted and confirmed me from time to time and hathe brought me in case that neyther I feared any indifferent Iudges nor doubted to goe into other of youre Maiesties dominions to the ende that to my power I might doe good both to your Maiesty and to my fellowe subiectes Specially calling to my minde and considering the greate tumultes and vproares and the cruell warres that this chaunge and reformation of religion had caused both in Germany Scotlande and Fraunce The which I thinke hath fallen vpon vs partly for our sinnes and partely the rashe boldenesse of some that were in hope belike to bring their purposes to passe by contention and strife and being hot and egre soughte to plant religion and building vp of the Churche of Christe with force and strength of armes imagining that the same were the means of the gouernement and administration of a ciuile common wealth and the buildyng and maintaining of Christian religion which being spirituall and heauenly néedeth not these contentions and tumultes for planting defence therof And therefore after my firste commyng into youre Maiesties lowe Country being perhaps not altogither ignorant in these affaires I did bende the whole force of my witte in my sermons to calme and pacifie the common people and to bring them to an vnitie and attonement togyther exhorting them to giue themselues to peace and brotherly charitie to beare one with another and to forget all quarrels till it might please God so to worke in your Maiesties hearte that eyther in youre owne presence or béefore some discrete and indifferent Iudges deputed by your Maiestye or in some generall assemblye of the states in Parliament youre Maiesty woulde permitte your poore and miserable subiectes to complaine themselues of the tyrannye that is practised againste them and that heauye yoke of bondage with the whiche they are oppressed by the Bishoppe of Rome And truely so farre as I can gather bothe by the talke and behauiour of youre Maiesties Subiectes of the lowe countreis they had rather choose to haue frée accesse to make theyr supplications and complaints to youre
the Lorde our creator whose mercy and goodnesse are so plentiful that he maketh his Sunne shine both vpon the good and the euill Let vs not vse regarde that this man hath suche an ignoraunce nor that man will receiue any article of oure confession Let vs loue all helpe all embrace all and support the ignorances and infirmities of all For better were it that we failed in this point if it be a fault at all than to make vs iudges of the conscience of an other and giue out sentence of condemnation against those that agree not with vs. For ende deare brethren I beséeche you take in good parte this my Epistle or Letter mouing no otherwise than of an affectioned hart towards you wherof the Lorde is my witnesse and I assure it in myne owne conscience and let it not I praye you be an occasion to you to write Bookes nor Pamphlets â—eing I haue no meaning to enter into defiance or warre with the pen neither doth the tyme serue for it but rather of néede to vs all to apply our selues to better things and lette vs labour to encrease our knowledge in that which we want to be doctors of the Gospel for the acknowledging of our ignorance oughte rather to incense vs to a will to learn than to make our selues inquisitours and censors of the Faythe of others with employing the tyme to fill bookes and papers wyth questions altogither impertinent to edification I humbly beséech the soueraine maiestie of our good God and heauenly father that it will please hym to furnishe youre iudgements and vnderstaÌ„dings wyth the knowledge of hys holy worâ—â— to the end that by the meane of youre preachings youre audience may learne a true faithe an assured hope in Iesus Christe and a carefull mortification of the olde Adam and that the same Lorde so renue youre harts and enflame your wills in the affectioÌ„ of charitie towards your neighbors that from henceforth wée béeing ioyned with you and you with vs in we liue in peace and tranquilitie of body and spirit in the assembly of our Lorde Iesus soueraine pastor of our soules who hauyng bought vs by the inestimable price of his obedieÌ„ce and bloud most precious it may also please him to garde vs agaynste all dissentions make vs liue in the vnitie of himselfe vntill that being spoyled of this corruption we maye perfectly reioyce in the coniunction of him and the eternal glorie promised vs by his meane of the which in his own person the rather to make vs inheritors therof he hath alredy taken possession sitting on the right hande of God with all power in heauen and earth To whome be all glorie and empire for euer Amen In the tovvne of Antvverpe .ij. of Ianuarie 1567. Your affectioned brother in Iesus Christ and humble companion in the vvorke of God Anthonie de Corro of Siuill ¶ To the Church of Antwerpe THis onely deare brethren was inteÌ„ded by this Epistle to imparte it by conference with the Preachers of the Church naming themselues of the confession of Auspurge withoute meaning to communicate it by publication albeit bicause diuers written copies are coÌ„men into the hands of sundry and seueral persons I thought it to better purpose to spread abrode and deliuer it in print thaÌ„ to suffer it to be argued in secrete least the same mighte moue cause of sinister iudgement against the simple and sincere integritie of my meaning wherein as the labour was peculiar in my selfe without the enterviewe or counsell of any so if it include any matter to edifie or confirme your consciences it may please you to be thaÌ„kfull to the Lord as author of all goodnesse And for the errors I beséech you let them he layde wholye vpon me as vpon a man who liuing yet in the peregrination to our heauenly country where we shal haue perfect knowledge may erre and faile in many things For we knowe that we are trauailers iorneymen in this body we are absent from the Lord and walke by faith and not by vewe For ende I wipe my hands afore God you all of any intent eyther to redarguate or confute the articles preseÌ„ted by those that call theÌ„selues of the Confession of Auspurge but rather to let theÌ„ sée vpon what smal causes they haue formed great quarrels maintaining dissention for a thing of small importance and forbeare to deale in matters more necessarie Seing also good brethren that vpoÌ„ the impression there remained certaine leaues voyd vnfurnished of matter I thought it not out of purpose to fil them with certaine places of holy Scripture persuading the faithfull to actes of Charitie with brotherly vnitie one to another yea not to forbeare to loue our proper enimies and such as pursue vs with persecutioÌ„ a vertue at this day most important and necessary the rather for that Sathan employeth a wonderfull diligeÌ„ce to sowe séedes of dissention and quarrels with speciall endeuor straunge meanes to corrupt the league of charitie left vnto vs by Christ of such commendation and all this vnder a pretence of diuersitie in religion wherein as we ought to stande vpon our gard against the subtilties and policies of the diuel so assuredly God hath not left vs either licence or libertie once to thinke that it is lawfull for vs to hate any man in respect to maintaine our religion séeing we are expresly enioyned by the words of the same to loue such as despise vs and pray for those that persecute our bodies and doings But alas we are slipt into a time so miserable and infected with such corruption blindnesse that in the maintaining of the integritie of oure faith we become preiudicial to the league of charitie with a negligent care of the vertue of the same For my part I allow iustly such diligence as is vsed in the purgation of abuses errors to the ende our holy fayth and Religion maye the rather be purified and remayne without spot albeit I wishe a precise obseruation of Christian charitie least in making war against the heretikes of our faith we become not heretikes against charitie For whiche cause and to the ende that euerye one be priuie to the bonde and obligation which God in this purpose demaundes at our handes I haue here collected out of the diuine word certaine speciall texts importing our charitable dueties office vnto our neighbour desiring you deare brethren to construe in the best my intent tending simply and altogither to refute those Fables dreames and errors whiche I sée sundrye with no small diligence labor to support and maintaine in the Church of Christ wishing they participated rather with a spirite of humilitie and myldenesse in the correction of the opinions of others than to striue to become inquisitors of other mens faith and much lesse to enter into senteÌ„ce of iudgement against such as refuse their interpretations vntill they be assured by the spirit of god that such opinioÌ„s are directly against the
the causes that enforced me to departe out of your most flourishing realme of Spayne For I am not ignorant that the time of my departing is very well knowen and much noted of many men aswell for the number of vs that fled at the same tyme as for the colour that was made to our Countrymen of our necessarie departure but yet without allegation of any cause certayne Many had good cause to meruayle most of all at meâ— that I among the reste so voluntarily departed into exile considering there was not onely no apparaunt cause of feare for mée of any open accusation for Religion to be had agaynst mée but not so muche as any suspition at all yea rather beyng in so good credite with diuers personages bothe Worshipfull and Honorable as fewe menne of my cote and callyng were so that this my necessarie departure is not to bée termed a constraynt or enforcement beyng not dryuen therevnto by any Officer or Inquisitour who liked of my presence and company very wel and gaue me friendly entertaynemeÌ„t but it was my conscieÌ„ce that vrged me therevnto which by the beyng lightned by Gods spirite did séeme to be in continuall torment and felte as it were a hell in it selfe to be miserably ouerlayed with so huge a Masse of superstition and idolatrie as long time and much labour would not suffise to declare Wherefore of many things I will shewe to your Maiestie a few in excuse of my selfe for mine owne purgation moste humbly beséeching the same to encline your gracious eares with patience to heare this my declaration to the ende that your grace may of your selfe the better iudge of my cause and descerne whether this my departure out of your graces Realme of Spayne deserue blame and condemnation and not rather pardon and coÌ„mendation Secondarily that I might shew some proofe of my Faith doctrine to your highnesse I will briefly declare vnto you certaine articles of our religion and for the residue will at all times at â—ur Maiesties commaundement be â—ost ready to do the like And first to â—ppe vp vnto your grace all thinges â—â—om the very beginning I will shew you how miraculously and after how â—â—range a maner the Lorde did open â—he eyes of my soule and made me to â—ée the truth What time the Empeâ—our your Maiesties Father of famous memory had nominated D. Aeâ—idio the chiefe chanon preacher in the Cathedrall churche in Ciuil to bée Bishop of Tortose the Monkes of Civil beganne so greatly to enuy it or rather so furiously to rage thereat that whereas they were not in any wise able to hinder him of that preferment wherevnto the Emperours maiestie had aduaunced him they conspired togither in what sorte they might beste accuse him for a sower of heretical doctrine after he had obtayned the Bishopricke For vntill that time D. Aegidio for his preaching was thought to be an Apostle and for his godly coÌ„uersation and life iudged of his very enimies to bée a paterne for all othâ—â— Preachers to folow direct theÌ„seluâ—â— by After this conspiracie was put 〈◊〉 practise whole thrée yéeres were speâ—â— in quarrelling entring billes of coâ—playnts against him during al which 〈◊〉 time good maÌ„ he lay in pryson pacieÌ„â—ly and manfully abyding all kinde oâ— affliction and miseries that were layd vpon him At what time for mine owne parte whensoeuer I either behold his estate or heard it spoken of I thought in my conscience that he was well and worthily serued and I also meruellously abhorred to heare him yea but once named as one commoÌ„ly reported to be a sower of Luthers heresies and a sworne enimie agaynst the Pope In this opinion or error rather I remayned a long time till one of the Inquisitours to whom his cause was specially recommended by priuate letters sente from the Emperour began to make his complaint to me of the iniurious dealings wicked demeanour of certeÌ„ of his felowes that were ioyned togither with him in commission aswel concerning other matters whiche pertayned to their ofâ—â—ce as especially in their procéeding agaynst D. Aegidio who as he sayde was both a good man and a true christian better learned by a great deale than his aduersaries for all their glorious tithes of Doctorship declaring moreouer that he vnderstoode right well out of what forge these quarrels and false accusatioÌ„s were coyned and that the MoÌ„kes durst neuer haue bene so bolde as to attempt so to set themselues against him but that they were bolstered vpholden by a certen Bishop Beside this he made report vnto me particularly in how many things the holy InquisitioÌ„ as they call it had dealt very cruelly with suche as were accused The whiche things it were requisite and necessarie for your Maiestie most rightuous prince throughly to vnderstande that your Grace might knowe the common Prouerbe in your tong to be true No es todo orâ— lo que reluze It is not al gold that glistereth and that this highe consistory and holy house of Inquisition as the terme it is most wicked and voyde 〈◊〉 all holinesse For whiche consideratioÌ„ he tolde me further that he had both dispatched himselfe out of the chargâ— of that office and refused the fée therof to the end that he might haue his frée election to be present onely in special matters at his pleasure beyng now farre stroken in age he might not be compelled to deale in all affayres And yet to the end that he might be an ayde and succour to some whom otherwise his companions would with tiranny haue oppressed he was content to be named in commission and reteyne the authoritie still For suche was their madnesse and furor sayde he ioyned with frowardnesse of minde that they would procéede to condemnation of meÌ„ innocent guiltlesse without hearing and debating their cause Whereof he sayd there was euidence sufficient in the cause of D. Aegidio wherein forasmuch as they were ignorant theÌ„selues and vnderstoode not what was right what was wrong what was in religioÌ„ true and what false they did therefore all the Monkes to counsell that they â—ight weigh the causes and by preiuâ—ice giue their verdites whiche they â—ommonly call the Qualifications beâ—ng knowen to be moste enuious enimies against that good man to beare hote malice towardes him stil boyling in their brestes And as for D. Aegidio truely sayd he if he be an heretike as his aduersaries do reporte him I confesse that I am an Heretike also For I am fully persuaded in my conscieÌ„ce that he teacheth no other doctrine than the very woorde of God in the whiche opinion his good life and conuersation agréeing with his doctrine doth the rather coÌ„firme me neither thinke I any Preacher of them all within the whole Citie that doth more euidently both in woorde and déede expresse true pietie godlinesse than he doth For whiche of all the Canons in the whole Colledge bestoweth his yéerely pention more
mid day to go on pilgremageâ—sing Masses such execrable workes of superstitioÌ„ Of which things this saying of Esai may wel and aptly be verified against them that vse theÌ„ Who hath required these things at your hands that not without a cause for this kind of seruice is so far from being acceptable vnto him that they are most odious hatefull vnto him as may appeare by the many fold plagues punishmeÌ„ts which he layeth daily vpon vs that most worthily Therfore if our aduersaries finde fault â—ith vs bicause we teach not the people 〈◊〉 do such works we are very wel conâ—nt to sustein that accusation of theirs â—or let theÌ„ denounce against vs coÌ„demâ—tion neuer so great nor so oft our god â—ne doubt not will absolue vs let them â—rsecute vs neuer so extremely he will 〈◊〉 our defence and buckler let them put 〈◊〉 to most cruel deaths almightie God â—il restore vs vnto life again thorough â—hriste Iesus who is our only life Fiâ—ally though they burne vs to ashes he â—hat raysed Iesus Christe from death â—ill likewise rayse vp again oure bodies â—ute of duste and ashes for the spirites â—ake that dwelleth in vs Rom. 8. Of the good woorkes of a man that is iustifyed FIrste we protest and affirme that our aduersaries do most falsly slander vs where they say of vs that we coÌ„temne the doing of good works and that we persuade the people that they ar made holy and righteous in Christe and thâ— it skilleth not how they liue For we prâ—teste the contrary that that doctrine 〈◊〉 neyther the doctrine of the Gospell 〈◊〉 our doctrine forasmuche as it appeareth manifestlye in scripture that a good tâ—â— muste bring forth good fruite whereby 〈◊〉 may appere that the roote therof is god â–ª And the Apostle doth plainely teache 〈◊〉 the cause why Christe hathe deliuereâ— vs from the tiranny of sinne and by hâ—â— righteousnesse made vs righteous wheâ— he saith on this wise For wee also somâ— time were madde stubberne wandering out of the waye seruing diuers lusts anâ— vanities liuing in malice enuie hatefull one at deadly hatred wyth anotherâ— but after that the goodnesse and abundanâ— loue of oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe was manifested towardes men he saued vs not for the good workes that we our selues had done but of hys owâ— frée grace and mercie by the fountain of regeneration and by the renouation of the holy Spirite the whiche he poured vpon vs abundaÌ„tly by his sonne Christ that being iustified through his grace we shoulde bée made heyres of euerlastyng life according to hope Also in an other place he saith that the grace of Almightie God our sauiour was declared that men laying aparte all worldly pleasures shuld wholy bende themselues to true and perfecte goodlinesse righteousnesse and sobernesse looking for the happy hope and the glorious comming of our lorde god If these things then be true as we beléeue them to be moste true what impudencie were it to affirme that a man shuld liue idelly in the houshold of God truely wée affirme that a man not indued wyth the spirit of regeneration or berefte of that grace is altogither vnable to do or speak any thing that can please God yea so muche as to acknowledge Iesus Christe in his hearte vnlesse hée haue in hym Gods holy spirite and therfore we déeme those things that haue béene declared by vs as touching merits of congruence and of condignitie and suche other lyke fonde and foolishe distinctions to be méere deuises of mans vaine heade to make sinners become hipocrites and counterfaiters of holinesse whiles they vnderstand not the darke mistes of their ignorance and bée senselesse as touching their owne misery and destructioÌ„ which they cannot escape neither by these works preparatorie nor by any diligence or worldly wisedome but by the onely goodnesse and mercye of God whiles hée moueth oure mindes with forcible motions and openeth oure eies that wée should sée the most miserable estate and condition we be in wade out of this moste filthy puddell and sinke of all sinne where we are almost drewned and be washed with the moste precious bloud of the immaculate lambe that we may our selues be new creatures the whiche thing we call properly regeneration and newe birth or sanctification rather if ye liste so to terme it And after wée bée iustified and thus renued wée are so vnited and knitte in Christ with the band of his holy spirit that our works that we do afterwards ought to be accoÌ„pted Christes works in that respect are most acceptable in the sight of God but least any should fondly vainely imagine and dreame hereof with himselfe when he heareth vs speake of thys coniunction felowship with Christe we do not hereby mean any kind of transformation or transsubstantiation of the bodye of Christe into oure bodies as if it were néedful that the true humilitie of Christ shoulde be laide aside and vanish awaye God forbid But for the true and right vnderstanding of thys misterye wée requyre a spirituall man suche one as hathe bene instructed by the holy spirite to discerne and iudge of things rightely and as they ought to be in due place and order so that he maye be able to conceiue and comprehend in the vnderstanding of his mind Iesus Christ our redemer the son of god very God and very man glorified and sitting at the right hand of his heauenly father hauyng all power committed vnto hym bothe in heauen and in earth the whiche throughe faith hath hys continuall abode and dwelling in the heartes of hys elect chosen people And who so is iustified on this sorte occupy not themselues in buildyng of Chappell 's in saying of Masses in wandering on pilgrimage nor spende their whole life in such like superstitious exercises but referre all their actions and enterprises and cogitations to that seruice whiche they knowe God requireth at our handes speciallye they endeuour themselues firmly to retaine in their myndes the perpetuall and continuall meditation of the wonderfull coniunction they haue with Christe whose spirite witnesseth vnto our spirit that we are the children of God brethren and heires annexed with Christe the whych testimony is a strong assurance and most certaine earneste and seale of oure election and of Gods gratious goodnes as Esaias doth teache vs of the couenaunte which God hath entred with vs Neither is there anye other meanes to retaine this affiance and adoption than the continuall calling vppon the name of God ioyned with the reading and meditation of holy scriptures and the mortifying of our olde Adam and extending charitable almes towardes our neighboure And to the intent we may orderly learne whiche be the good workes of him that is regenerate and borne againe in Christ they may be referred to these thrée principall pointes the encrease of faith the desire of mortification of the fleshe and the societie of man consisting
answere that there is henceforth 〈◊〉 cause of triall by disputation for asmuch as our religion hath ben long ago â—â—ndemned by many generall Councels and by all vniuersities namely and principally at the councell of Constance at which tyme by the sentence and awaâ— of that Councell Iohn Husse and Hieroâ— of Prage were burned for maynteynâ— that error which Luther of late renâ— likewise at the counsell of Trent was â—â—thers heresy condemned so that there â—â—maineth nothing but present deathe 〈◊〉 them that shal shewe themselues disoâ—dient to the decrées and determinatioâ— of councels forasmuche as they are â—â—come rebells and haue fallen from tâ— faith of their holye mother Churche the whiche it is not vnknowen how thâ— all this their tiranny they shew to warâ— vs hathe taken hys originall and begâ—ning whiche if a man woulde enter mâ— narrowly into the consideration of aâ— diligently weighe the words thereof tâ— shoulde easily perceiue there is no sucâ— matter of importance why princes shuâ— not be forwarde and willing to defenâ— their subiectes from those lyons mouth which beare themselues so bolde boaâ— of the name of the Churche touchinâ— the preiudice of the Vniuersities whicâ— accompte oure doctrine hereticall and so condemne it They do al know rigâ—t wel and their consciences maye beare them sufficient record that they speak not what they thinke but for feare of punishment or losse of their prefermentes and dignities or confiscation of goods or for shame or losse of lyfe are enforced agaynste their conscience as might appeare most manifestlye in the condemnation of that moste learned and godlye Doctour Iohn Egidio of Arragon chiefe Cannon preacher in the Cathedrall Churche in Siuil where certaine that were iudges and arbritratours in the matter whom the Inquisitours do call Qualifiers of the cause repenting themselues of the iniurie offered to that good and godly man did afterwardes make protestation accordyng to the truth whiche was also the cause that a certayne diuine called Maestro Blanco was burned and Doctour Constantino de la Fuente after he had bin long time tossed to and fro and vexed by the inquisitours and caught a great sicknesse by reason of the continuall filth and stench of hys prison at the lengthe tooke hys death of the same And for the selfe same cause lykewise were Ieronymo de Caro and Luys de Metina bothe Monkes of the order of Sainct Dominick executed wyth dyuers other learned and godlye persons whose names youre Maiestie is right well acquainted withall It may therfore please youre highenesse to consider thus muche that if these men hadde indifferent iustice ministred vnto them and frée pardon of spéeche to speake frankclye what they thoughte they woulde haue spoken most notably in defence of the truth For the diuines and clergie of Spaine had sufficient trial aswell of their excellent learning as of their singuler vertue And here I omitte to speake of the great residue who agréeing in the same profession of faith whiche the Protestantes of Germany doe professe dydde with greate constancye of hearte and stoutnesse of courage ende their miserable life by a far more ioyfull and glorious deathe amiddes the flames of fire And among these diuines there and vniuersitie you shall perhaps fynd some good men and yet some so simple and rude â—diots God wot that they thinke it againste Gods forbod to bée but one dram wiser than their maysters whyche like shepe that followe the belwether depend wholly either of the Deane or rector as they call him of the Vniuiuersitie or of â—he Abbot or prior of the couent or some famous and notable doctour or graduat And who knoweth not that these bée the Popes owne tender dearlings which besturre them on al sides to kepe the coales of Purgatorye alwayes alyue What iudgement then can they gyue on the other side for the other partie whiche acknowledgeth no other Purgatorie than the bloude of Iesus Christe by the whiche all men of all tymes and ages were purged from the filthe of theyr synnes and delyuered from eternall deathe and damnation Concerning the councell of ConstaÌ„ce all the world knoweth of what dispositioÌ„ Pope Iohn was and what earnest suters Antipopes against hym for the popedome and what decrées and constitutions were made at the same assembly as also how all they that were at the same counsell wer affected in religion it is euident to all the worlde in that they condeÌ„ned those men to be burned who laboured earnestly to haue enormities of the churche reformed and came not thither nother of themselues wythout sendyng for but vnder promise of their safeconducte safely to returne again In somuch that that counsell is termed of many men in theyr writings a petie counsell declaring therby that it was not an asseÌ„bly of the pastors and ministers of the Gospell for the reformation and amendemente of the decayed estate of the Churche but rather of furious and diuellishe persons to ouerthrowe the poore remanent of the church forasmuche as at the same most troublesome time thrée Popes were at greate variaÌ„ce and dissention among theÌ„ selues proclaymed open warre one agaynste an other were all of them remoued and in their places was Martine the fifte substituted Pope But to speake somewhat in a generalitie concerning counsels it is a playne matter that he that is guiltie will neuer giue sentence against himselfe And therfore the Counsell of Trent whyche was purposely summoned asseÌ„bled agaynst them that impugne the authoritie of the Pope maye aptely be resembled to a confederacie of theues and murderers whiche assemble themselues togither in wods and deserte places and there condemne also the inhabitantes bothe of the Town and Countrey aboute them for that they lye in waite for them and séeke to bring them before the Magistrate to examination For what other thing do the Popes in all theyr counsells they call Fyrste and formoste they appoint some strong Citie for the purpose they prouide garrisons of Souldiours to guarde and to defende them from forraine force they banishe al out of that assemblye that would any wayes disagrée from them or if they admitte them it goeth néere to cost them their liues And when they bée met togither and mounted into their seats thence they sende their threates and curses lyke shunder boltes thicke and thréefolde to the greate disturbaunce and anoy of all the world threatning excommunication warre destruction banishemeÌ„t murder and lastly fire and fagots But to whom I beséeche you do they send these their fiery dartes Forsooth euen vnto suche aâ— with hartie sorrowe and griefe doe complaine againste them and accuse them oâ— moste horrible sacrilege whereby they haue berefte the poore Christian people of their onely health and comforte Christ Iesus for their own commoditie and aduantage that they might with more securitie satisfye theyr filthie mindes with riote ambition and all kinde of abhominable luste Wherefore I referre the matter to your most gracious consideration and iudgement whether anye suchâ— councells
wise maÌ„â—ste wisely Moreouer if your maiesties â—ubiectes of the lowe Countries either â—r weakenesse of minde or frailtie of boâ—ye fearing the extremitie of torments â—hall rather fall from the knowne truthe â—nd renounce Christe and hys religion â—han patientlye and manfullye to suffer â—eath your grace shall encrease the facte â—nfinitely in greatnesse of mischiefe forasmuche as your grace thereby shall not onely destroy their bodies but also theyr soules to euerlasting death and damnation In whiche respect a farre more perillous iudgement dependeth ouer youre heade by the hande of God who hath spoken by his son Christ in this wise Looke with what measure yée measure vnto other by the lyke it shal also bée measured vnto you O moste terrible and feareful iudgement if that moste seuere aâ— iuste Iudge doe purpose to execute thâ— same vpon our bodies and soules anâ— in his wrath drawe oute his sworde 〈◊〉 shew vengeance vppon vs Besides this who séeth not howe greate a blotte anâ— stayne it is to the name of a christian tâ— practise so great tyranny which maketâ— forreyne nations as the Turks Iewes and Indians to abhorre christianitie aâ— the cause of so greate troubles warres and persecutions What shall I néedâ— here to reherse that heÌ„ce as out of a heaâ— and spring infinite quarrels dissentions and mortall enmities haue issued anâ— procéeded Forasmuch as no continuancâ— of tyme can be able hereafter to wearâ— out of the memorie of the posteritie thâ— horrible crueltie and tyrannie that hath bene practised by confiscation of goodes landes rasing of houses to the ground destroying of families and lastly in burnyng their corses after long and lothsome imprisonment Lykewyse who wold not deme those Princes to bée moste vnhappie whome their subiects haue in hatred and disdayn â—â—se persons although they be strongly â—arded can not for al that be quiet in their â—nd For the most sure and safest defeÌ„ce 〈◊〉 Prince consisteth in the loue good 〈◊〉 of the people and they ar thought to 〈◊〉 strengthned accordignly as they bée â—nded And to haue so many souldiors defend them as they haue trusty freÌ„ds â—illing subiects to obeye serue them â—st of al whereas all the professours of 〈◊〉 Gospell are not all alyke taught and â—structed in true pietie and godlynesse 〈◊〉 so muche that manye are withoute â—at Christian pacience whiche GOD 〈◊〉 earnestely requireth in tymes of adâ—ersitie and persecution in commanding 〈◊〉 rather to praye for oure ennimyes 〈◊〉 persecutoures than to reuenge inâ—rie wyth doyng the lyke againe they 〈◊〉 saye eyther for impacience of mynd 〈◊〉 for the hatred they beare vnto suche â—fences doe putte on theyr Armoure â—gaynste theyr owne fellowes and comâ—anyons and dare presume to committe â—he tryall of the quarrell to the sworde Albeit in my opinion this is a thing faâ— vnsitting the godly zeale mildenesse pâ—ence and forbearyng that shoulde be iâ— Christian man But yet forasmuche it doeth come to passe many times I séech your Maiestie moste gracious soâ— raine to weigh and consider how maâ— greate mischiefs and inconueniences ensue of this ciuill dissention and discoâ— robbing spoiling and murdering wiâ— out measure honest matrons are corrâ—ted chaste virgins defloured mens gooâ— and substauece taken perforce all kinâ— of murther and manquelling put in prâ—ctise and exercise some by the sword some by fire euen in their owne house some shall be slaine with the sworde soâ— burned with their houses ouer their headâ— sowe drowned in the riuers whereby tâ— aire infected with the filthy corruption 〈◊〉 the dead carcasses bredeth a plague whâ—che is alwayes incident vnto warres anâ— commonlye accompanyed wyth great dearth bycause where tumultes and vâ— rores be raised there can be no tillage husbandry maintained And what then when the countrye and common wealâ—â—ath bene so sore shaken and wasted it is â—ot possible within twentie yeres or mo 〈◊〉 recouer the losse and to be in as perfect lighte againe as it was before for afâ—er that weapons haue putte lawes to siâ—ence and men acquaynted themselues with spoile and rapine and the sheding â—f bloude it is a verye harde matter to â—ring the people to order and agréemeÌ„t â—nd vtterly to breake them of their olde â—aunte that they learned in war. Moreoâ—er what shold it auaile either your maâ—estie or vs youre subiects or what estimation would Christ haue of it if men shoulde by violence and by tyrannye bée brought to allowe of the Popish doctrine admitting it to be true For whosoeuer professe anye religion against theyr own consciences as we sée by daily experieÌ„ce do neuer embrace the same sincerely and from their heartes but contrariwise become more frowarde and waiward or to what purpose is it to ouercome a man by extremitie of tormentes and by feare of deathe and to make him recant and saye that the Romishe religion is consonante wyth the Gospell of Christe or rather to be the very Gospell it selfe if the partye notwithstanding be contrarily affected in his hâ—arte and thinke with hymselfe secretely and in his owne conscience that he is to be detested as the very and vndoubted Antichriste and that all hys adherents which séeke to driue simple men to their moste filthy doctrine by terrors by tormentes bée the Popes féed hangmen and executors As for example your maiestie knoweth full well and can testifye that those whiche haue continued in youre maiesties realme of Spaine to this day both Iewes and Turkes could neuer be brought by compulsion or by anye violence to allowe of oure religion And albeit they were baptised that is to saye outwardely washed wyth the element yet notwithstandyng they neuer forsooke their olde heresies but embrace them tooth and naile in so muche that the Inquisitours haue worke inough wyth theÌ„ and are plentifully enriched with the eschetes that growe vnto them by thâ— Iewes and Turkes and therfore it is a playne matter that there is no true religioÌ„ except it be freely sincerely receiued and beléeued For the outward shew and behauior of the body be it neuer so Saintlyke in appearaunce is altogyther both vnprofitable to the partie and displeasaÌ„t and odious vnto god except the sincere affection of the heart conscience of man bée ioyned with that outward professioÌ„ that which we cannot attaine vnto but only by leniâ—ie grace mercie geÌ„tlenesse by frendly confereÌ„ce persuasioÌ„ by the imitatioÌ„ of honesty and integritie of life by pouring out praiers vnto god without ceassing the 〈◊〉 wold please him of his infinite goodnes mercy to encline mollifie their harde heartes to the study of true religioÌ„ to take awaye al threates of tormeÌ„ts al feare of â—ire and murdering one of another And I dare auowe it to youre Maiestye moste gracious soueraigne that they whyche goe aboute so to moue you vnto â—rueltie bearyng you in hande that to â—ée the onely waye to make peace in youre lowe countrie those I saye I dare auowe and doe openly proteste do gyâ—
you suche councell as is muche againstâ— the weale of youre Countrey and most derogatorye to youre honour and princely Maiestie séeking onely to enriche anâ— aduaunce themselues by your incommodities and to sette other men togither bâ— the eares that they maye in the meanâ— while fall a rifling and scambling and obtaine a greate praye And why can we not learne to beware by other mens examples hathe not experience proued iâ— true euen in our nexte neighbours adioyning that wheras some proude and ambitious counsellers that soughte theiâ— owne priuate lucre vnder pretence of religion did moste cruellye entreate manâ— good and godly persons they themselueâ— haue séene that the mo they persecuteâ— and putte to deathe the mo did arise anâ— spring vp againe daily as it were of thâ— ashes of the other For it is moste true that was sometime saide of a wise and godly person that the bloude of the martyres is the séede of the Gospell Wherâ— Stephen was stoned to death the blindâ— Pharisies thought that the Church was â—tterlye destroyed notwithstanding it came otherwise to passe that it encreased wonderfully thereby as testifyeth saint Luke in his booke that hée wrote of the â—ctes of the Apostles Wherevppon that perverse and wicked councell beganne to â—e condemned as a thing that had done muche harme and no good at all not onlye to the Churche but to the common weale And therefore after that Princes had graunted libertie to euery one fréely to say their opinion of religion and that was determined and resolued vpon that was moste consonant vnto the worde of God peace was foorthwyth restored again and had continued if it had not turned all thinges topsie turuie agayne by vnruly Popes But forasmuche as I knowe myne owne weakenesse and my poore estate I can hardely hope that my aduice can haue anye credite with your Maiestie howbeit I moste humbly beséeche you to vouchesafe in this one pointe to followe the example of them that be sicke and diseased who perceiuing by proofe that the prescrâ—ptions of the experte Physitions doetâ— them no good will sometyme vse the aduice also of the empirikes as they calâ— them and those that be merely Practicâ—oners bycause it happeneth sometymâ— that chaunce is better than cunning anâ— that these shal doe more good by theyr experience than the other by methode anâ— booke learning As did lykewise Pharao iâ— my opinion who when he could not lernâ— the interpretation of his dreame at thâ— handes of his witches soothsayers waâ— not ashamed to aske counsell of poore Ioseph that was in prison and bandes bâ— whose diuine wisedome and foretellyng he prouided for the dearth that was tâ— come in Egypt Wherfore consideryng my poore estate being brought almost to penurie in these moste miserable dayes and that I am not greately fauourous with your highenesse I doubte not but those that be of your maiesties counsell will deride my trauaile bestowed herein disdain therat that I shuld be so bold as to presume to perswade your maiestie to things cleane contrary to the aduise is giueÌ„ you by them but time I trust shal declare which of the two is the better counsell For whereto goe they aboute to perswade you forsoothe that youre Maiestie would establish a law wherby your subiects of the low countries whoÌ„ they falsly charge with the crime of heresie shoulde be most cruelly entreated put to death but I to the contrarye rather and that you should rather giue eare vnto Christ who willeth you and all men to vse mercie gentlenesse compassion euen towardes those that shal erre out of the waye Besids your maiesty ought to consider that this crowne scepter is not giuen you to the intent you shold kill destroy your subiects but to defend preserue theÌ„ so that both pure religion ciuile gouernement may be maintained amoÌ„g your subiects neither is there any thing that I more earnestly desire pray for than that your Maiestie according to your honorable inclinatioÌ„ to gentlenesse mercy engrafted in you by nature and the duty of a christiaÌ„ magistrate shuld be a mean to pacifie al these ciuile warres and cruel persecutioÌ„s in youre lowe countries till you might in your owne person make final ende of all controuersies and determine all matters of religion by some lawfull parliament of youre Princes and estates By whiche pacification as it were by a kind of truce there shal not only nothing happen derogatory to youre highnesse but al they that dissent from vs and from oure holsome aduise and councell shall easilye see and perceiue that they will not onely vndoe the common wealth but also cary many soules with them into vtter destruction and then shall the sequele of the matter plainly declare whiche of vs hath giuen youre Maiestye more honeste and profitable aduice Albeit wée oughte to praye vnto God moste hartilye that hée suffer not their moste pestilent and pernicious councell to take that effecte that they meane and séeke for But to draw towardes an end moste excellent Prince I beséeche youre Maiestie for oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christes sake the redemer of mankinde that you woulde in so weightie a cause as this call vppon God for the aide and assistance of his holy spirite who I trust will not faile you if you committe your selfe wholy vnto him in all your dooings and enterprises and do not followe the rude multitude nor the importunate exclamatioÌ„s of these doctors be they neuer so many in number that can cry nothing but crucifige crucifige war warre fire fire euen as it is reported of Achab who rather folowing the iudgemeÌ„t of .400 prophets than the will of God rashely and vnaduisedly entring into battell perished in the fielde Wheras if hée had rather leaned vnto the councel of poore Micheas albeit in the eies of the world simple and abiecte it had bene far better with him For God oftentimes reueleth his secrets and hidden misteries to base and obscure persons and hideth them from the wise and noble in this worlde neither oughte we to iudge of councell by the wisedome or multitude or nobilitie of men but by the onely feare of God who communicateth his secrete misteries to them that feare and reuerence him that saying of an olde writer is very true that those whiche will well guide gouerne the commoÌ„ wealth must not so much haue regard to the multitude of voices as to examine and try them by the waighte truth whether they leane therto or be grounded of couetousnesse hatred and ambition And vndoubtedly if there be anye nation country vnder your maiesties dominions that deserueth to haue your fauour clemencie extended towardes it it is this youre maiesties country of Flaunders whyche hath brought vp the most famous noble Emperor your maiesties father nourished your maiestie almost froÌ„ your tender infancie and borne so faithful allegeaunce towardes you that she may worthily think hirselfe to be preferred
â—ne iudgement and opinion may rememâ—er that we are called to be members of â—ne body wherof Lord we acknowledge hée to be the chief and supreme head and so detesting in ciuill partialities we maâ— be of one opinion agrée in one mind anâ— vse one mutuall and charitable directioâ— touching the matter of our religion Thou hast left vnto vs O Lord the celâ—bration of thy holy supper as a memoraâ—â— of oure communion and spirituall vnitiâ— with thée and also to instructe vs in sucâ— lawes of charitie as ought to be of famâ—liar conuersation amongst vs all And ye we such is the nature of our fragilitie 〈◊〉 condition of our vnworthinesse as we abuse the excelleÌ„t benefit of that most higâ— fauour séeing that in place to tye and coÌ„ioyne our selues with thée we doe more estrange vs from thée and that by reasoÌ„ oâ— our quarrells and questions of contentioÌ„ In place to coÌ„sider that we are one body one church and one bread made of sundry graines we shewe our selues proud and giue sundry proues of our ambitioÌ„ in séeking to establishe a speciall estimation oâ— our peculiar priuate opinions in handling very often thy presence in thy holye supper by subtill disputation we become farre from thy true and liuely presence in contending whether the sinners and vnâ—â—ithfull may coÌ„municate thy bodye we â—ake our selues sinners incapable to â—eceyue and enioy thy benefites lastly â—nd in effecte oh Lorde our zeale is so â—â—discrete that in stryuing to entertaine â—he puritie of the doctrine of fayth we â—reake the league law of charitie yea â—nd in persecuting with rebuke such as â—e accouÌ„t to be heretikes in the doctrine â—f fayth our malice with want of disâ—retioÌ„ makes vs séeme transnatured into heretikes of charitie corrupting the meaâ—es of coÌ„munication brotherly vnitie I beséech thée therfore oh son of God â—et thy gracious pitie fal vpon vs and so opeÌ„ the eies of our vnderstanding as we may discerne the true fruite of thy holy inâ—titution ordinance take from amoÌ„gst vs all sectes varieties of opinions and reduce vs at last to the obedieÌ„ce of thy holy only worde reueale vnto vs thy holy spirite with this priuiledge of grace that by his vertue he may drawe vs all into one corporation and bodie whereof thou O Lord mayst be heade and lette him breath into vs streÌ„gth and power to perseuer in workes of true Iustice innocencie and holynesse during our course iâ— this tragicall and miserable pilgrimage and in the ende let we beséeche thée thâ— same holy spirite translate vs into the eternall life purchased to our vses by thâ— sacrifice and oblation of thy most precious death wherein thou raignest now gloriously with the father and holye Ghost and there shalt remaine infinitely Amen To my most dearely beloued in our Lord Iesus Christ the onely redéemer and aduocate of men towardes the heauenlye Father my brother Ministers and Pastours in the Churche of â—ntvvarpe naming themselues of the Church of Auâ—urge Grace and peace from God and hys sonne Iesu Christe to the ende that by the bonde of his holy spirite vve may all be knit in the vnitie and Confession of the Gospell of Christ AT my first comming to this towne of Antwarpe right honourable in Christ and that at the request of certain the Faythfull there I founde cause of singular comforte in the vewe of the wonderfull worke raysed vppe by the Lorde by meane of his seruauntes and that in so shorte tyme as sauing to such as haue assisted it it maye séeme no lesse impossible than incredible For if wée wonder in certayne Trées and Fruits who somtimes yéeld encrease aboue custome or against the coÌ„mon course of Nature when as the Lorde were of purpose to releue and restore some couâ—trie afflicted with hunger what may wâ— say of these spirituall plantes which thâ— father of mercy so sodenly and agaynâ— all hope of man hath set and planted 〈◊〉 these Low countries speciallye in thâ— citie of Antwerpe Truly we are bounâ— to acknowledge it as a worke of strangâ— maruell of our God and to say with tâ— prophet this incredible increase hath bâ— made by the Lord whoÌ„ we find worthâ— of admiration in our eyes it is the rigâ— hande of God which hath reuealed hâ— vertue it is the right hand of God thâ— hath exalted vs it is the right hande 〈◊〉 God that hath manifested his power 〈◊〉 shall not die at all but we shall liue 〈◊〉 declare the doings of the Lorde whereas as I entred more déepely into the vieâ— and consideration of these things so 〈◊〉 thought it also an office and dutie in 〈◊〉 to crie with the sayd Prophet Confirâ— Lord and aduaunce the worke thou hâ— begon in vs build vp again the wall of thy holy temple restore the ruines thy heauenly Ierusalem to the ende thâ— the Kings and Princes of the earth may come to doe thée homage and offer presentes gather togither againe O God the dispersed of Israel This was the cause wherein I reioyâ—ed for certayne dayes with glad contiâ—uance till vpon further viewe of the matters of estate within the Citie I â—ounde occasion to mixe some sorrowe with this my ioye as séeing on euerye â—ide with what diligence Satan labouâ—ed to hynder the aduauncement of this Church not onely by meanes of open â—nimies but also by the indiscretion and â—ant of regarde in such as name themselues maister Masons in the house of God for such as feared God and wished a publication of his glorie cryed oute and exclamed that the chaire of truth was become the chaire of dissention serâ—ing no more as a Pulpit to preach Ieâ—us Christ the appeaser of troubled coÌ„sciences to pronouÌ„ce an vnity a brotherly charity nor the mortificatioÌ„ of the old Adam with the wicked motioÌ„s of coÌ„cupiscence but rather it was vsed as a place of inuectiues iniuries with wordes of malice tending to a mutual hate of one towards another dissention of doctrine wherein vpon inquirie of such fault with the circumstance authors of the same I finde your side not least guiltye as being such amongest you who in open assemblye with words and libels of malice are not ashamed to call the other Ministers of the Gospel Heretikes Sacramentaries rebels against the state and people vnworthie of place in the common wealth with other wordes improper and vnfitte for the maiestie of such a place which is consecrated purposely to teach the word and will of our God. Nowe brethren if such or such lyke matter of reproche should be pronounced in the Pulpit of certain Monks or monstrous Friers the very organs of the Romane Antichriste sent of their suppostes to trouble the Church of Christ to darkeÌ„ his glory and resist the aduancement of his kingdome we woulde endure them with pacience as knowing well inough that such sorte of Prophetes be the disciples of Balaam who sell their toungs to curse the people of God yea somtimes against
of the same otherwise to what vse w◠serue vs our subtill interpretations an◠particular declarations which we brin◠forth In the ende the worlde is not s◠blynd but they can and will vnderstan◠and finde that we are rather ledde by 〈◊〉 spirite of stomacke than of the true zeal◠of Gods glory in the end euery one wil◠sée that those preachers searche no othe◠thing than to maintaine themselues i◠the friendship of the worlde But nowe to returne to the confirmation of the interpretation that wé◠haue giuen to this place of the holy supper let vs consider that if in all thing◠that Christ our Lorde hath propounde◠to manifest the necessitie that we hau◠to be in him be in vs we should searc◠a presence corporall and fleshly it shoul◠be as who say neuer to come to ende 〈◊〉 for in the olde Testament Christe hat◠bin propoūded to vs in diuers creatures as a lambe Manna Water Stone Table meate bread feasts other things as may be séene by such as reade the holye Scripture He himselfe in his preachings doth cal him a way a doore bread of children a vyne with other like thinges Now if in place where Christ said I am the doore who entreth not by mée shal not be saued he had said this I am he shewing with his finger a doore shall we say for al that the Christ hath transformed or transubstantiate himself into the matter of a doore if our redemer in place where he saide I am the vine you are the brāches had said this am I shewing the vine and that are you handling the branches could we say for all that that Iesus Christ would cōmunicate his substance into a grape that the Apostles should be transnatured into braunches sure who were of such opiniō discouered sufficiently his ignorance infirmitie Notwithstanding you others my brethren make your principal piller vppon such maner of speakings and all to make the poore ignorant people beléeue that Christe hath made promise to giue himselfe with the bread bicause that hauing taken bread and breaking it he said this is my body which wordes simplye vnderstanded are as much as to say my body which is broken offered deliuered and sacrificed for you is bread or like to this breade which you breake eate and digest for the nouriture of your body In like sort I being the heuenly bread shal be broken for you to the ende you maye haue spirituall and eternall life therefore doe and celebrate this that is to say this breaking and receyte of bread in remembrance of me To make conclusion of this matter I vnderstande that our redéemer Iesus is the fruite of lyfe who hauing put himself on the trée of the Crosse hath defaced the sinne and transgression which the fruite of the trée forbidden brought to vs And euen as Adam hauing eaten of suche a fruite did make himself enimie of God in contrarie manner when we participate with Iesus Christ crucified we are receiued into the good fauour and loue of oure heauenlye Father and that by the onely bountie merite and intercession of the self hée who on the trée of the crosse did constitute himselfe the fruite of lyfe for vs being assured that the participation of that precious Fruite is not done either by water wyne breade or any other creature whatsoeuer but by the vnspeakeable worke and operation of the holye spirite who hauing called the chosen and predestinate of God dothe teach them their sinnes and abhominable transgressions by meane of the presentation of the holy Lawe he sheweth vnto them their damnation and sentence of eternall death the whiche they féele so in their heartes that by experience they may well assure themselues that the ire and wrathe of God hath bene so manifested to them that they haue swallowed pangs of death and haue séene before their eyes the throte of hel confound and deuour them there they finde the fruite of the trée of knowledge of good and euil they sorowe and wéepe with a penaunce most bitter the miserable bankets or repastes whiche they haue taken of such a meate and fruite not only in the person of their father Adam but also with their proper mouth After that by such meanes the holye spirit hath abased the arogancie of man his pryde and presumption and shewed him by experience the definitiue sentēce arest irreuocable of the eternal against sinners he beginneth to comfort giue him good hope shewing him as a far off the Trée of life and the viuifying fruite hanging vpon it the which by little and little degrée and degrée fayth and fayth and vertue and vertue makes him eate swallow and digest the heauenly breade Iesus Christ yea with such experience féeling that no meat in the world of how great nouriture soeuer it be is so sēsible in the bodye as the fruite of life Iesus Christ is in the soules of the faythfull with such manifestation by good workes outwardly that others may sée knowe with what meate they be fed For when wée eate of euerye other meate the bodie of him that eateth proueth only the presence of the meate But in suche as eate Christ the true fruite of the trée of life is discerned such an example in their persons such ioy and paciēce in afflictions such care to mortify the old Adam such a renunciation of the things of the world with affection to the life eternal that their neighbours and frends accompanying them maye sée that they eate other meate than the deuourers of ceremonies doe When they haue truely essentiallye and really participated of the bodye and bloude of Christ by fayth as is sayde of Iesus Christ all entier true God and true man they assure themselues of such a coniunction with him that they haue no néede to go to searche him eyther in the armorie of Priestes or betwene the hands of mē to receiue him eyther with the breade or with the water as being fully assured that Iesus Christ dwelleth in them and that they be fleshe of his flesh and bones of his bones And yet for all this they forbeare not to approche the holy table of the Lorde to celebrate the holye supper with their brethren and children of the same heauenly father Neyther go they thither to receyue Christe of newe in breade or in wyne neither his fauour or merite but their firste cause of going thither is to certifie to all the Church that they are of the number of those that receyue Iesus Christ for their onely redéemer and sauiour for their eternall sacrificator their Captaine their King Lord Soueraigne Prophet and Doctor to teach them in all truth Secondly they take the holye supper as a gage and assurance of the good will of the heauenly father towards them the same being so constant and firme that it will neuer chaunge For euen as GOD hath promised by othe that the sacrificator shall be eternall
¶ A Supplication exhibited to the moste Mightie Prince Philip king of Spain c. VVherin is contained the summe of our Christian Religion for the profession whereof the Protestants in the lowe Countries of Flaunders c. doe suffer persecution vvyth the meanes to acquiet and appease the troubles in those partes THERE IS ANNEXED AN Epistle written to the Ministers of Antwerpe which are called of the Confession of Auspurge concerning the Supper of our Sauiour Iesus Christ VVRITTEN IN FRENCH AND Latine by Anthonie Corranus of Siuill professor of Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted at London by Francis Coldocke and Henrie Bynneman ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the Christian and vnaffectionate Reader THE Author was determined to prefixe before these treatises an Apology wherin he declareth and defendeth certaine places specially chalenged in theÌ„ which his defence for certaine respectes he hath reserued to be imprinted with the Latine Copie which by Gods grace shall shortlye come forth and in the mean time referreth this as it is to the iudgement of the learned and vnpartiall Reader To the most mightie and most victorious Philip King of Spayne HAuing had certayne intelligence aswel by coÌ„mon report as the speciall letters of diuers Citizens of Antwerpe most migâ—tie Prince and my most dread soueraigne how miraculously farre beyond the exspectatioÌ„ of man God had made a way for the frée passage preaching of his holy Gospell in your Maiesties lowe countreys I determined with my selfe at the earnest persuasion of my friends setting all my other businesse aside to take my iourney thither both that I might be partaker with many others seruing God there sincerely and truely of that great ioy and coÌ„solation which â—hey receiued and enioyed through the â—xcéeding mercie and goodnesse of almighty God powred vpoÌ„ your graces subiects withall to my simple power further as much as in me lay this spiritual buylding of Gods house coÌ„sidering that God had appointed me to this vocatioÌ„ For since my departure out of Spaine which is now .xij. yéeres past I protest vnto your highnesse truely sincerely that there was nothing in the whole world that I more earnestly desired prayed for than that which at this present I behold sée before mine eies trusting that this singular grace benefit of God shal not alwayes be conteyned in this so smal a couÌ„trie but froÌ„ thence in processe of time shall be deriued into your M. whole realme of Spayne so that the true sincere knowledge of Iesu Christe may there likewise shine be manifested therwith al superstition all blinde false worshipping of God banished exiled which by the wilfull ignorance of men for wante of the knowledge of Gods worde were crept into our religion and like wéedes had quite ouergrowen it Finally I haue good hope that this chaunge alteratioÌ„ of the world shal stir vp your Maiestie to heare the pitiful coÌ„playnts lamentatioÌ„s of your faithful obedient subiects to haue compassion of the calamities of so many miserable soules as being your most faithful and obedient subiects are notwithstanding oppressed with diuers kindes of tormeÌ„ts persecutions banishment confiscation of goods landes that more is to be lameÌ„ted are before their cause lawfully heard against right reason coÌ„deÌ„ned executed most horribly by the moste extreme cruell kindes of death that caÌ„ be deuised As for the iudges which sitte in this coÌ„mission of life and death in this wise condemne the poore innocents they beare your grace in haÌ„d that the determinations of these causes dothe not appertaine to Kings or Princes notwithstanding that the holy Scriptures teach the contrary and shewe that it is the office and duetie of Kings Princes and all other rulers and Magistrates chiefly and before all other things to sette foorth good true doctrine accordyng to the lawes conteyned in the first table and the same so set forth to authorise and cause to be published and consequently to gouerne their subiectes with Iustice and with equitie to defend them The whiche thing it is vnpossible for any euer to performe without the true knowledge of Gods diuine Maiestie as the very HeatheÌ„s theÌ„selues iudge which were only learned instructed after the law of nature Justitia sayth Tully nec in regno nec in Repub retineri aut conseruari potest nisi iactis ante verae pietatis fundamentis Vnneth can iustice be kept or maintayned either in kingdome or coÌ„moÌ„wealth but where true religion is first of all planted and rooted And truly this is the very same true doctrine seruice of God which I sée preached in your Maiesties low countreys which causeth me assuredly to hope that all other thinges will haue like happie successe that your Maiestie by this occasion will vnderstande and determine this cause and purge Christian religioÌ„ in banishing and rooting out all the abuses and errours which haue crepte in by little litle and corrupted al Christendome Wherefore most noble Prince vpon my comming to Antwerpe many meÌ„ did greatly meruayle thinking it a thing scarse credible that one of the Spanish nation borne bredde there shoulde embrace the Gospell so desirously and so earnestly maintayne it that he boldly durst professe himselfe a publicke Preacher of the same And forasmuch as the bruite of this strange noueltie was so common that it came to your Maiesties eares as I coniecture and perhaps many a false slaunder and misreporte added therewith all I thought it not amisse for me to take occasion of this my comming to Antwerpe to breake this long silence whiche I haue kepte these whole .xij. yéeres to the entent to purge my selfe vnto your Maiestie and to iustifie the doctrine which I professe and that by writing Wherefore in most humble maner I beséeche your highnesse my gracious soueraigne to take in good parte this writing of mine your most humble and faithfull subiect wherin I haue declared the causes aswell that moued me to departe out of Spayne as to resort hither into your countrey of FlauÌ„ders For I take God to witnesse my comming to your Maiesties citie of Antwerpe was not for any desire of newfanglenesse or to disquiet the state but by the preaching of the Gospell to pacifie them that were offended to make a quiet end of quarels and controuersies that were risen among them to my power to caulme appease the hurlyburly whiche was nowe begon to cause vnitie peace where was discorde and dissention and to discharge the duetie whiche I ought bothe to God and to your Maiestie as I doubt not but your highnesse shal in tyme right well perceiue But chiefly my desire was in very déede to professe openly and to preach the doctrine of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe accordyng to the measure of his grace the knowledge that he had giuen me therin And now concerning the first point that I haue purposed to entreate of I wil â—eclarâ— vnto your Maiestie