A godly Confession and Protestacion of the christian fayth made and set furth by Ihon Hooper wherin is declared what a christiaÌ„ manne is bound to beleue of God hys King his neibour and hymselfe The herte beleueth to iustice confession by the mouth is to saluation Roma .x. To the Most vertuous and myghtie Prynce Edward the sixt our mooste redoubted soueraygne Lorde Kynge of England Fraunce and Ierland defendour of the fayth and in yearth nexte and immediately vnder God the supreme heade of the churches of Englande and Ierland And also vnto the most wyse godly and honourable Lordes of his hyghnes priuye Counsell and vnto the rest of the most wyse godly and lerned assembled of all the honourables and other appoynted to be of hys Maiesties most hygh and godlye Court of ParliameÌ„t Iohn Hooper hys most humble louing and obedient Subiect wysheth all grace and peace froÌ„ God wyth long godly and most prosperous raygne ouer vs in al godly knowledge honour helth and perpetual felicitie THe wyse manne Cicero most gracious and myghtie Prynce sayth that he doth not onely wronge y t by violeÌ„ce oppresseth wroÌ„gfully an other maÌ„ but also he that defendeth not if it lye in his power the wronges offered is in no lesse faultye then though he hadde forsaken parentes fryndes or countrye The same doctrine practised he in the defence and propulsyng the iniuries and wronges at tempted wroÌ„gfully against Milo by the fryndes of Clodius as it appeareth by hys eloquente and â—acundious oration made for that purpose in the senate of Rome The same kynde of iniuries other godly men in the scryptures of God haue alwayes accordyng to the lawe eschued for it is wrytten if a manne se hys neyghbours Asse fal vnder hyr but then or hys Oxe to go astraye hys neighboure is bounde to helpe them bothe The Asse from burthen and the Oxe from hys straying The same practised Abraham when he perceiued hys neuewe Loth oppressed with the warres of the Infidelles propulsed and reuenged the iniuries and set hys neuewe at large and lybertie Euen so bee there two sortes of people that two sundry wayes do iniuries and wronges vnto the soule and conscience of men The one of theÌ„ by force or subtiltie defraudeth theÌ„ from the truth and perfection of Goddes worde as hereticall and supersticious mynisters The other at such tyme as they should wyth prayer diligence and preachynge defende the people of GOD from such iniuries and wronges are negligent or duÌ„me The whyche kynde of iniury doubtles the Lorde God almyghtie wyll at length greuously reuenge Therefore against this kynde of iniurye he spake vnto the Prophete Ezechyel It I purpose to sende a Plague vppon the people and thou gyue theym not warnynge thereof I wyll requyre theyr bloâ—de at thy hande The same sayde he vnto Saynt Peter Feede my lambes fedemy sheepe And vnto all the Apostles he sayde make ye all Gentyles my disciples And saynt Paule fearyng to fall in the daunger of the second kynde of doyng wrouge in sauing the wronges of false religion from the churche of Christ layde woo be vnto me if I preach not Vpon the consideration of these premisses seyng al thiÌ„ge be writteÌ„ for our doctrin haue thought it good to wryte and set furth this Confession and protestation of my fayth submyttyng my selfe and my fayth also mooste humbly to be iudged by your Maiestie your most honourable Counsel with the godly assemblaunce of your maiesties most hyghe Court of ParliameÌ„t according to the word of god That by this meanes I may auoyde the payn and daunger dewe vnto all them that neglect or omyt the iniuries and wroÌ„ges that may happen chauÌ„ce by sinister report and false slaunder of Gods word to the conscience of any of your maiesties subiectes For I am credibly infourmed that many false and erronious opinioÌ„s is entred into their hedes of me god forgeue theÌ„ that hath bene y â— occasioÌ„ therof If any way these iniuries and daungerous slaunders may be holpe I thynke this to be the waye to offer mooste humbly my selfe and my faith to be knowne and iudged bi your maiestie after the worde of god I protest before god and your maiestie I wryt not this coÌ„fession for any Apollogie or defence to contend or striue with any man in any matter nor for any priuate affeccion or displeasure I beare vnto any man liuyng or for any inordinate or percial loue vnto my self but for the cause to the same ende before rehersed Lykewyse for three other great causes that shal folow The one toucheth God the other your maiestie the thyrd your louyng subiects As coÌ„cerning God seing both his maiestie myne own conscience my audytory knowe that I haue nether in doctryne nether in maners taught no other thynge then I receyued of the Patryarches Prophetes the Apostles it were not onely synne but also the very parte of a myscreant to deny or betraye the innocencye of that doctrine or to be ashamed to stande to the defence therof seing all godly men haue estemed more the true worde of God then theyr owne mortall liues The seconde cause that toucheth youre Magestie and your mooste honorable Counsell is because vpon credyte and good opinion and partly by experience that your maiestie had both of my true fayth and godly zeale appoynted me amoÌ„g other of your preachers though moost vnworthy to teache your subiectes their dutie to God and man What true subiect can hear and vnderstaÌ„d such vntrue bruites of those that a Kynges maiestie shall appoynte to preach and would not be glad both for Gods sake and his kyngs to remoue such vngodly bruites yf he can for the peace and quietnes of their subiects As for the cause y e toucheth the people it is no lesse worthy then eternal daÌ„nation In case he be worthy of iudgement in daunger of hel fyre y t is angry w t his brother calleth him fole how much more if he cal hys brother heriticke â–ª a denyer of God If the fyrst â—e worthy hel fyre much more the last â–ª Therefore least my brother shoulde dye and then receyue condigne reward dew for a slaunderer what it lieth in me I do by this ProtestatioÌ„ of my fayth cal him to repentaunce And incase any man stand in doubt of myne opinion and meanyng in religion Let hym not damne me before time but vse the meanes with me that the .x. Tribes of Israel vsed wyth the Tribe of Ruben Gad halfe the tribe of Manasses that buy it at their returne to their possessions an aulter vpon the borders of Iordane the whych fact was lyke to haue ingendered great warres But it was stayed by the meanes of consultation and communication had with those that buylded it and theyr myndes knowne the dissention was ended and appeased Euen so I wold desyre my christe couÌ„tremeÌ„ to vse me for I
shuld perish by like plage Euen so when I beholde the euâ—l pestiferous affected mindes of english men and perpend and waâ— the fruâ—ts of such corrupte myndes contempte hatred grudge malice against their King magistrates laws orders pollicies dâ—â—tles I can 〈◊〉 other think but these men as much as is in theÌ„ coÌ„spire work the distruccion of thys realme For it caÌ„noâ— other wise be but as coÌ„tempt of godlye lawes sedicion amonge the people â–ª and subiectes of what 〈…〉 they be haue wroughte the destiâ—icyon of other realmes so must it and can no otherwise do vnto thys realme 〈◊〉 what realme or kingdom 〈◊〉 auoyde these eulls 〈◊〉 prouide the word of God to be trulye and diâ—igently preached taught vnto the subiects and members thereof The lacke of 〈◊〉 is the chiefe cause of sedition and 〈◊〉 as Salomon sayth Wher 〈◊〉 â—â—phecye wanteth the people are dyscyâ—pated wherfore 〈◊〉 not a litle woÌ„der at the opinion and doctrine of suâ—ly as saye a Sermon 〈◊〉 in a weke in a moneth or in a quarter of a yere is sufficieÌ„t for y e people Truly it is iniuriously 〈…〉 agaiÌ„st y t glory of god saluacioÌ„ of the people But seing they wil not be in the whol as good vnto god as before thei haue ben vnto the diuil neither so glad to remoue false doctryne froÌ„ the people and to coÌ„tinue them in the true â–ª wher as thei did before occupi the most parte of the forâ—â—oâ—e the most part of the after none yea and a great part of the night to kepe the estimatioÌ„ continuance of daungerous vayne supersticious were it much now to occupy one hour in the morning and another hour towardes nyght to occupye the people with true and ernest prayer vnto GOD in Christe his bloud and in preaching the true doctrine of Christ that they myghte knowe and continue in the â—ewe relygyon and faythfull confydence of Christ Iesu. Exercyse and dylygence bryngeth â–ª credit vnto religion whether it be true or false For it neuer taketh place nor coole in the people without diligence as it is to be perceiued bi the acts and iestes done in theâ— me of Ieroâ—oaÌ„ and Roboam the kynge of Israel and Iuda What brought the Masse and al other Idolatry into estimacion but dailye preachyng and saying therof with such laud and praise as euery old wife knew what a masse was worth Fyftene Masses in a churche dayelye were not to many for the priests of Baal and shuld one sermoÌ„ euery day be to muche for a godly Bishoppe and Euangelical preacher I wonder how it maye be to muche opened and declared vnto the people If any man saye labour is left and mennes busynes lyeth vndon by that menes Suerly it is vngodly spokeÌ„ for those that here the people in hande of such a thyng knoweth ryghte well that there was nether laboures cares nedes necessity nor any thynges elles that heretofore could kepe theÌ„ froÌ„ hearing of Masse though it had bene sayd at .iiii. a clocke in the mornynge Therfore as far as Ise people wer content to lose more labour and spent more time then to go to the Deuyl theÌ„ nowe to come to God but my faith is that both Master seruant shal find vauntage gaine therby at the yeres end though they heare morning Sermon and mornyng prayers euery daye of the weake For by this meanes thei should learne not only to know God but also theyr magestrates to put difference betwene the office the person that is in office betwene the offyce and the troubles necessarilie annexed vnto the office which bringeth not onely knowledge of office officer but also honour reuerence vnto theÌ„ both as S. Paule that leued the policy laws order and wisdom of the Romaynes yet dislyked verye muche the vice naughtines of Niro vnto whoÌ„ he submitted and willyngly broâ—ght into seruitude both his body and hys goddes and rebelled not thoughe Nero was a noughtâ— Emperoure for his office sake which was the 〈…〉 of God So dyd Elias loue the state honour and dignitie of the kynges fo Israel yet detested and fell foule oute with y â— fauts of Hachab The same doctrine teacheth saint Peter vnto al seruauntes commaunding them to obey their maister thoughe they be euil hauyng a respect to the place they be in which is thorder of god not vnto the vice abuse of the persoÌ„ in gods order Truly be the ruler of him self neuer so euel yet the lawes iudgementes punyshmeÌ„tes and statutes made for the punishment of euyl and the defence of the good be the very worke of god for the magistrates be the kepers of discipline and peace Therfore as y e motion of the heueÌ„s the fertilite of the earth be the works of god preserued by him euen so be the gouernours and rulers of the earth as Dauid saith he geueth healthe to Prynces as it was shewed in hym selfe Salomon Iosophat others The regimente policy of king Dauid was troublous and ful of miseries thereygne of king SalomoÌ„ his sonne peaceable and quiet the reâ—ygne of Iosua victorious and prosperous The raygn of the iudges that folowed so troublous vnquyet as a more reÌ„t and torne common wealth I haue not redde of yet was the order of God all one aswel in the one as in thother and requyred as much loue assistence and obedyence of the people to theyr kyng and magistrates in theyr trouble as in theyr quietnes peace So doth Daniel y â— prophet most godli wysely teache by hys ymage that he sawe made of fower â—undry mettals but he concludeth whether the regiment and regeÌ„twer gold syluer copper or Iron the people alwayes obeied The same teacheth also the doctryne and example of Iohn Baptyste Chryste Saynte Stephen and saynte Iames Iohns brother For althoughe the regymente were neyther so godlye nor so quiet in Herodes times and Pontius Pilatus as it was in Salomons time yet gaue they alwayes lyke reuerence honoure and obedience vnto them for theyr orders sake as thoughe they had ben the verteousest princes of the world as their doctrine tribute and bloude recordeth For they gaue vnto Cesar the thinges dewe vnto Cesar as theyr boyes aâ—d their goods but their soules they owed to none but vnto God And when diuersitye of relygyon doctryn shuld be discussed and determined by their lawes they declyned froÌ„ theyr iudgemeÌ„t and appealed vnto the word of god to haue al controuersyes ended thereby When that toke place they gaue thankes to god when it dyd not they were content paciently to beare whatsoeuer goddes hand wold permyt the magystrates to say vpoÌ„ theÌ„ Wer these exaÌ„pels knoweÌ„ and kept before mens eies people wold not for a faut or two that shuld happen in the regyment iritate and prouoke the regentes and Prynces wyth contumacy and rebellion as it is sene commonlye at thys daye but rather folow the exaÌ„ple of
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