the Iewes that when they herd of the facts and doiÌ„gs of Ptolome Lathure that killed twentie thousand of their country meÌ„ and caused those that he toke captiue to eare the fleashe of their owne deade fathers and brothers yet rebelled thei not but knewe it was for their sin and therfore exorted one y â— other to penauÌ„ce amendmeÌ„t of life the same selfe doctrine teacheth oure sauioure Christ in his holy Euangeliste Luke Thus I thoughte good to put in my Crede for the declaracion of my faith towardes ciuil magistrates orders lawes to opeÌ„ the differeÌ„ce betwene thorders the person such troubles as be annexed vnto thorder lest any maÌ„ shold for troble confusions sake daÌ„ne order regimeÌ„t it self or els by the meanes ther of to detract forsake to take paines iÌ„ suh vocacion as the Epycures dyd wher as in dede rule regimeÌ„t theÌ„selues be the greate benefites of god And ther fore row in the later time more to be preâ—hed taught to the people for diuers coÌ„sideracioÌ„s theÌ„ euer hertofore Specially because coÌ„teÌ„pt of honesti lawes labors godlye exercises rain more theÌ„ euer they did For at the begining men so obeied reasoÌ„ were ruled therby that they brought them selues into order pollicie And for the maintenance therof sought out craftes and artes necessary for the preseruacion of pollicie and order and so were glad rather to be ruled by â—eson theÌ„ by force and violeÌ„ce This time beyng expired resoÌ„ corrupt aspâ—riÌ„g farther theÌ„ reasoÌ„ by nature wold partly for tomuch loue of her self partly to tame kepein subieccioÌ„ such as disordred al good order rule descended froÌ„ y e regiment of reasoÌ„ vnto the force of war marcial lawes The same semiÌ„g good vnto almighty god to tame reclame maÌ„ by force that wolde not be ruled by reson But now are we falleÌ„ into the last time end of the world wherifor reson ruleth lust for iust battail ruleth immoderate coÌ„cupiscence for scarce is there one of a. C. that loue to seke for wysdoÌ„ knolege of resoÌ„ of artes that other meÌ„ fouÌ„d out left vnto vs. And as for the paines trauayls of war let â—uery maÌ„iudge coÌ„sider him self whether our weak nature caÌ„ suffer as much as Dauid Archilles Cyrus AlexaÌ„der Hanybal Marcellus Scipio C Cesar other did theÌ„ shal we perceiue that nature now in man consumed effeminated worne out is a thynge most vnable to do that fore age hath done Therfore haue these later daies more nede of much tcachyng in cyuyle causes then the old age before vs why che better and more modestlye gouerned them selfes by onlye reasoÌ„ then now we do by goddes worde and reason And this is not knowen onely by the holye scriptures but also by prophane writers that declare wyth the age of the world to encrease miquytye And oure experience maye be a comentary in this behalfe to gods laws maÌ„nes lawes for where as saynte Paule declareth the ciuill Magistrates not only to be ordeined but also preserued by god that al meÌ„ shuld accept accoÌ„pt hym to be the trewe Magistrate that God had appoynted and not suche a one as y â— people subiects appoiÌ„t their selues And eueÌ„ as wyse Cicero perceyued at the begynnynge of the mortall dissencion and debate betwene Pompeius and Iulius Cesar gaue counsell accordinge to the wil of God declared vnto him by the suffrages and voices of the Romaynes that Cesar shoulde haue bene cheyfe Ruler of the people nowe for lacke and coÌ„tempte of knowledge both sayâ—te Paule and Cicero be neglected For either the people wil haue no magistrate at al or elles sucâ— a one as it pleaseth them selues and not hym that God hathe appoynted If thys aduenture take no place they wyll chaunge if they can the state of the common wealth that wheras one raigneth a Monarche or kynge they wolde chaunge it into the regimente of manye And whereas many raigne as meÌ„ neuer contented with the state that God hathe appoynted turne the regymente of manye into the gouernaunce of few Whose nature Orace wel declareth Lib. Epist. ☞ Optat Ephippia bot pâ—ger Optat arare Caballus Against whose preposterous iudgement and fickil myndes sainte Paule vehemeÌ„tly writeth The powers saith he that be ar ordeined of God and not the powers that subiectes shal chouse make at their pleasures For no man of what degre state or autoritie soeuer he be being a priuate maÌ„ as al men be in a monarchy wheras one ruleth in respect of the kyng that ruleth shuld medle with the state of a realme For it is god that ordayned it and he that dissolueth it Neither shold this fond opinion take any place in a christian maÌ„s heade that any offices appointed by god shold cause the officers to be euell before god For the lord giueth theÌ„ tytles and names of great honoure and loue as gods and suche as serue and please hiÌ„ also the nurses of the churche as the examples of AdaÌ„ Henoch Noe with other who were in those dayes veri godly rulers to maintaine vertue and punish vice This sawe not onelye the Patriarkes and godly men of the scripture but also naturall wyse men that saw and reuerenced order and pollicye as Plato writeth sayinge As the Oxe is not ruled bi y e Oxe nor the goat bi the goate but bi a more pure nature to saye by man so the nature of man is more infyrme then can rule it selfe Therfore god appointed not onely meÌ„ to rule but also such men as excelled in wyt and wisdoÌ„ adioined with the special singuler grace of God so saieth Plato de legibus vbi non deus sed mortalis aliquis dominatur ib◠〈◊〉 dorum uel erumnaruÌ„ nullum esse effugiuÌ„ wheras any mortall manne beareth dominion and not god there can be none escape of calamities miseries Of the same opinion is Homer the poet who saieth that the gods appoynteth their shieldes to defeÌ„d princes as Pallas defeÌ„ded Achiâ—les That doth Iosophat the kynge in the plate afore rehersed woÌ„derfully declare And whosoeuer wil consider the execucion dew paines to wardes euel doers shal rightwel perceiue that god himself is iÌ„ the magistrate For Christ sayeth he that stryketh wyth the swearde shal perishe with the sweard And of the oppressoures it is spoken wo be vnto the that spoyleste for thou shalt be spâ—iled So that we se god to defend ciuil iustice vpon the earth AbrahaÌ„ Ieremye saynt Paule declareth that the ciuill pollicie is the ordinance of God by suche prayer as they commaunded the people to praye for it and thys praier for the maiestrates declareth what diuersitye is betwene a magistrat christened a Heathen Wherin Cicero dyffereth from Esay kyng Dauid froÌ„ Iulius Cesar. Cicero gaue couÌ„sel after reason experience to
haue built no aulters of ydolatry if they be in doubt of me in any thyng not to kyll by hearesay nether before they haue heard me speake Thus I pray God both thei and I may serch alwaies to liue in his feare to obeie oure Kinge and to be profitable and true members of this Realme of Englande So be it The .xx. day of December in the yere of our Lorde God a. M. D. fiftie To the Reader Assone as I perused this confession and protestation of my faythe after the prynt I perceyued wordes and sillables euil placed And in y t letter G. the sixt face and syxte lyne both agaynst my copye and the state and argumante of my matter ther is printed Saynt Paule confesseth for s. Paule confuteth an affirmatiue for a negatiue as thou mayst vnderstande by the place howe the worde prynted semeth to affirme that the place denieth But suche faultes escapeth some times contrary aswel to the Printers as the authours mynde Thus the Lorde be wyth the pardon al our faultes for the death of Christ. At London the. xxvi Decem. An. M. D. l. The Confession and protestacioÌ„ of Iohn hoopers Fayeth I Beleue accordyng to the holy Scripture to bee thynges wythout time and before time Also to bee thynges wyth tyme and made in tyme. The thynge wythout and before tyme is God only and soly iii. in diuersitie of persoÌ„s and one in essence and equalitie of the godhead The father the sonne and tholygost Not. iii. Gods but one God Thinges wyth tyme and in tyme be al thynges that euer was now is or euer shal be created in heauen or in yerth vntly the day of the last generall iudgement when as both body soule shal begyn together for the soule euer lyueth immortalitie and ioyes wythout tyme of such as be ordayned by God to eternal saluation and of such as be appointed and haue deserued it to eternal damnacion to begyn eternal paynes and so to endure without tyme. I beleue the sprites both good and bad and lykewyse the soules of men and women created by God to be immortal and from their creacioÌ„ to lyue for euer and neuer to dye I beleue al thiÌ„ges created by God as concernyng their creacioÌ„ to be perfect and good wythout hatred displesure grudge coÌ„tumacie rebellioÌ„ disobedieÌ„ce or pryde against their maker I beleue that thynges created by God part of them by grace and gods fauour hath euer shal perseuer and coÌ„tinue in the perfeccioÌ„ and excellencie of their creacion as the spirites or angelles that neuer fel nor hereafter shalfal through the meanes of Christ. I beleue that parte of these creatures whyche God made in theyr perfeccion nowe to be subiecte parte of theym to immortall paynes parte to mortall paynes parte vnto bothe as the deuyl and manne that fel into thys ruin and perdicion of theym selues althoughe diuers wayes To say the deuyl by pryde and Arrogancye whyles he would be lyke vnto God Man by ignoraunce and by crafte of the deuyll deceyued and not by anye imperfeccion of goddes partie in theyr creacion not by any force compulsion or violence of goddes parte that compelled them to euel For I beleue God to be the author of lyfe and saluacion and the wyll of the deuyl and of man to be the occacion of both theyr losse I beleue al the people of the world to be eyther the people of GOD eyther the people of the Deuyl The people of God be those that wyth hearte and mynd knowe worshippe honour prayse and lawde GOD after the Doctryne of the Prophetes and Apostels The people of the Deuyl be those that thynke they worshyp honour reuereÌ„ce feare laude or prayse God anye other wayes besydes or contrary to the doctryne of the Prophetes and Apostles I beleue that this people of God which be the very true churche of God to haue a certaine doctryne that neuer was is or hereafter shalbe violated by time or any mannes authoritie Thys doctrine onely and soly is comprehended in the sacred and holye Byble And I beleue this doctryne of the Patryarckes Prophetes to be sufficient and absolutely perfect to enstructe me and al tholy churche of our duties toward God toward our neibours Of God it teacheth that he is but one almightie maker of all thinges merciful iust al thynges that good is And seyng we knowe nothinge of God nor can iudge nothing of God as touching our saluation but after his worde we must iudge of hym as we be taughte therin as well of hys diuine nature as of the diuision of the persons in the deuyne esseÌ„ce so that we be compelled by thaucthoritie of gods worde to coÌ„fesse the pluralitie of persoÌ„s the Father the SoÌ„ne and the holy ghost in the vnitye of one deuine godhead and essence I beleue as touchyng the father of heauen as much as holy scripture teacheth vs to beleue is set furth by partes in the .iii. Credes the Crede commoÌ„ly called the Apostles Crede where as we saye I beleue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and of yearth and so furth wyth al suche thynges as the crede of Nece beleueth after the faith Crede of Athanasius in this behalfe I beleue the second person in Trinitie to be one God with the Father in godhead and diuers in persoÌ„ I beleue hym to be the very substaunce image and figure of God wythout begynning or ending with al other properties and conditions that the hollye scripture of God or the decree or doctryne of any of the thre former creades affyrme I beleue that the mercy of the father the sonne and the holye ghost pitied had compassion vpon Adam the loste man and was prouoked to ordeine the sonne of god second person in Trinitie to debase and humble him self vnto the nature of man and also to become man to redeme and saue the loste man For euen as he was by externall malyce and craft of the deuell broughte to confusion to sinne and so to death both of bodye and soule nothynge hauynge in himself as touching his fyrst creacion that prouoked styrred intysed or allured hym to euell Euen so after his fal was there nothynge in hym or euer after coulde be in his posteritie that myghte or maye allewer or prouoke hym or anye of hys posteritye to the meanes or helpe of his or theyr saluacion But euen as he was loste by malyce and deceyte of the Deuyll so is he and so shall all hys posteritye be saued by the mercye and merites of Chryste The Deuil and Adams wyl wrought synne and death goddes mercye and Christe hys merites wroughte grace and lyfe The wyll of Eaue and Adam strayinge and wanderynge abrode vpon the fruyte an obiecte and matter forbydden of God that they sholde not eate of brought them into death Iesus Christe the seade of the womâ—â—e applying both bodye and soule to the obedience of God deserued lyfe
rule the common wealth but manye tymes it toke not good effecte for lacke of the wysdom of God Esay the rest of the prophets gaue couÌ„sel not of them selus but froÌ„ god what prynce soeuer obeyed theyr couÌ„cel he prospered alwayes had good succes The same maie you se in the fashyons and maner of theyr warres Alexander thoughte hym selfe stronge inough by natural strengthe to conquer his enemies Kynge Dauyd added to hys sâ—yage stones the prayer and helpe of goddes name Therfore if heath in magâ—strates should be obeied muche more chrystian magystrates And in case the kynges mayestye of Englande maye fynde no lesse obedyence â—n his subiectes then Scipâ—o Alexander and other fouÌ„d amongs theirs England shalbe to strong with gods helpe for all the worlde But Englysh men I speake it with sorow and griefe of herte haue learned of Cleon a man that Aristophanes wryteth of that had one footein the senate and the other in the fielde so haue Englyshmen one hand at the plough and the other against y â— magistrates The ministers of the churche persons vicares one haÌ„d vpon the portesse and the other to strike at the kinges crowne They do followe the Ape that Harmogenes fable speaketh of that wold haue had other Apes to haue builded houses tounes cities to haue defeÌ„ded them selfs from the dominion of their Lord and ruler man and thought it not meete to liue in the state that God had appoynted them euen so subiects nowe a dayes God amende it wolde make them selues defences cities castels townes tentes pauilions to defend them against their king lord and magistrate and wil not be contente to liue in the state that god apointed theÌ„ vnto But it shal happeÌ„ vnto them as it did vnto the Apes their counsel and conspiracie shal neuer take place Let vs therfore remeÌ„ber s. Paul that saith the powers that be be of God and not suche as we wolde make and let vs be contented with them and obeye them for conscience sake for suche as disobey and rebel againste superioure powers rebel agaynst god so god punisheth it with eternal damnacion This is ynoughe to kepe euerye good man and trew subiect in obedience to theyr hyer powers If the reader of the scripture of god note the first the secoÌ„de chap. of Gen. he shuld perceyue rule policie or euer man wist what sinne menre for the Lord gaue the superioritie dominioÌ„ to AdaÌ„ ouer al beasts Of whoÌ„ now we may right wel lerne obedieÌ„ce yf we wer not worse theÌ„ bestes Now a word or two of the magistrates duty Aristotle calleth the Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A keper of the law Let hym vse it therfore indifferentlye wythout respect of persons in punishynge suche as trouble by inordinate meanes the common wealthe and also suche as blaspheme the liuing God as godly kinges Rulars haue done Dauyd Iosias Nabucodonozor ConstaÌ„tine and other For although a Eyuyl Law and punishment can not chaunge the Herisies of the minde neyther the desire that men haue to do euell yet when they breake forth agaynst the honoure of GOD and trouble the common welthe they shoulde be punished For the maiestrat is as one that hath the two testaments tyed at hys necke and should defend them as hys owne life and therefore saynte Paule calleth him not only the reuenger of euyll but the mayntener of good and Esay the Prophet sayth the same Nowe I wyl declare my fayth concerning the external visible churche of Christ of the ministers thereof I call thys visible churche a visible congregation of meÌ„ and womeÌ„ that heare the gospell of Christ and vse his sacramentes as he hath instituted them In the whyche congregatyon the spyryte of God worketh the saluacion of al beleuers as saynte Paule sayeth The gospel is the power of God to the saluaryon of the beleuer As thoughe he hadde sayed the gospel of Christ wher it is hearde and beleued the mynde is chauÌ„ged by the vertue of the holy gost from the loue of synne vnto the loue of vertue The wyl is wrought to consente and the consente so assisted by the holye ghooste that saythe obteyneth the remission of fyâ—ne and the beginning of euerlastyng life And these two markes the true preachiÌ„g of gods word right vse of the sacrameÌ„tes declare what wher the true church is â–ª Vnto the which churche I woulde all Christian men shoulde assosiate them selues although there may happen to be some things desired in maners and discipline For no church as touchyng thys parte can be absolutely perfecte But where as the doctryne is sounde and no Idolatry defeÌ„ded that church is of God as farre as mortal man can iudge And wher as this doctrine and right vse of Sacramentes be not ther is no church of Christ though it seme neuer so holi For in the blessed virgins time the Pharisies and bishops wer accompted to be the true church yet by reason their doctrine was corrupt the true Church rested not in them but in Simeon zacharye Elisabeth the shepherdes other The same doth saynte Paule teach vs that whatsoeuer he be that preacheth other doctryne then the worde of God is not to be credited though he were an Angel of heauen Neither wyl 〈◊〉 as knowe God harken vnto theÌ„ but wyl heare Christ the Prophetes and Apostles and no other The other marke is the right vse of sacramentes wherof were two in noumber wyth the fathers in the ministerye of the church and so many yet be wyth vs in the ministerie of the churche and haue annexed vnto them the promyse of eternal saluation and also of eternall damnacion if they be contemned and may be lawfully hadde In the lawe of Moses was Circumcision and the Pascall Lambe in theyr places we haue Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord dyuers in externall elementes and Ceremonies but one ineffect misterie and thing it selfe sauing that theyr Sacramentes shewed the graces of God to be geuen vnto men in Christ to come and ours declare y â— graces of God to be geueÌ„ in Christe that is alredye come so that the Sacramentes be not chaunged but rather the Elementes of the SacrameÌ„tes And euerye of these Sacramentes haue theyr peculier proper promyses vnto the which they hange annexed as a seale vnto the writynge And there fore be called after Saynte Paule the confirmations or seales of goddes promises Thei haue peculier Elementes by the whych thei signifie the heauenly misteries that sacrameÌ„tallâ— thei coÌ„tain be the thynge in dede They are called Sacramentes That is to saye visible sygnes of inuisible grace They haue their proper ceremonies that testifie vnto vs the obsignation and confirmation of Goddes heauenly gyftes The haue also their proper commaundement because we shuld not chauÌ„ge adde nor take from them anything at our pleasures Thus in general