multi Doo your endeuer to haue peace and quietnes with al folkes and to haue puritie and clenlynes of lyuynnge without the whiche no man shall se god neyther nowe by feyth nor hereafter by fruition do I saye your endeuer consyderynge not onely for your selfes but also for other that they falle not from grace And take hede leste any yll rote of infidelitie springe vp wherby other may be corrupte And thus sainct Paule was euer wont to preache knowinge righte well that al though diuers and many thinges perteyne to the lyfe of a christian yet nothyng more then peace and vnite our sauiour Christe sayeng Ioan. xiij In hoc cognoscent omnes quia mei estis discipuli si dilectionem habueritis adinuicem By this cognisaunce all the worlde shall know you for my disciples if ye haue vnite amoÌ„g you vnitie I say of feith and spirite fixed and sette stedfastly in god and not in any mortall creature as many haue thought necessarie that if a maÌ„ shuld be of the churche of Christe he must be of the holy church of Rome take the holy father therof for the supreme heed and for the vicare of Christ yea for Christ hym selfe and to be diuyded frome hym were euen to be diuided frome Christe Suche daÌ„pnable techynges haue there beÌ„ which haue caused meÌ„ to leaue the coÌ„mandementes of god vndone for the humayne traditions but what so euer hath ben done by ignorance let vs reforme it and not be ashamed to professe truthe whiche is that nexte vnto god the prince ought to be honoured and that the bishop of Rome hath no more power by the lawes of god in this realme than any other foreyn byshoppe and this wyll I playnely proue and all though I can not do it eloquentely yet I shall do it feythfully and that for truthessake And for that I wyll not be tedious in rehersyng the kynges in the lawe of nature and lawes written tyll the commyng of Christe I shall speake that the gospelle the very worde of god prouoketh me to ¶ Fyrst the act of saynct IohnÌ„ Baptist moche moueth me â—uc 3. which being the elect and chosen prophet of god sent from hym to whom no other creature borne after the common course of nature myghte be compared lyuynge in suche greate integritie and innocencye preachynge veritie and maynteynynge the same to deathe demaunded of the moste notable offenders in Iury what they shuld do commanded them reuerently to obserue the ordinaunces and lawes of their emperour whiche he wolde not haue done if that obedience had not ben due by the lawes of god He dyd not counsayle theym to ronne into a solitude and leaue their dueties vudone nor he dyd bydde them to laye aparte their armours but that accordingly as god wylled serue their emperour doing no violence to any person nor falsely accuse any man but to be contente with suche wages as theyr emperour gaue them to resyst his enmyes and to preserue the common welthe And Christe hym selfe not onely with other dydde write his name knowledginge his obedience but he also payde the heed peny as a token of the same perswadinge the iewes whiche had coniured to rebell ageinst their emperour that without inurmour or grudge they shulde doo their duetie and conforme them selfes to their princis pleasure sayeng Gyue to Cesar 〈…〉 that is dewe to Cesar and gyue to god that is dewe to god 〈◊〉 5. And euen so whanne the Iewes wolde haue forsaken theyr prince haue chosen Christe to their kynge he withdrewe hym selfe and that to auoyde occasyon of rebellion and disobediency Also teaching his disciples humilitie and not to be ambitious whan they stryued whiche of theym shulde be taken for the better 〈…〉 he sayde who so estemeth hym selfe better let hym vse hym selfe as an inferiour menyng that the gretter gracis that a man or woman receyueth of god the more shall they humble them selfes in disposyng the same and not to desyre no hyghe estate nor to be the more statelye or proude for them but euermore to reken them selfes moste vnworthy And for a token herof before his passion in all his .v. examynations he neuer grudged at Cesars lawes nor at the commaundementes of his coÌ„missioners ¶ Now good ChristiaÌ„s if there were no other scriptures to teche vs to do our dueties to our soueraigne yet it semeth to me that these fewe examples shulde sufficieÌ„tly moue vs if we dyd loue and drede god For if saynct IohnÌ„ and Christ shewe suche obedience to princis being infidels and tirantis howe moche more shal we be bounde to do the same to our christen prince And if they neuer wente about to diminish the royaltie of their Emperour what good christian can with good conscience attempt the coÌ„trarie Saynct Peter whiche neuer challenged so high honour or dignitie as many haue gyuen to hym all proude prelacy set aparte writeth not to one countrey or citie but vniuersally on this wyse 〈…〉 Humble your selfes vnto all maner ordinance of man for goddis sake whether it be to the king as most excelleÌ„t or to his coÌ„missaries sent from hym for the punyshmeÌ„t of iuel doers the laude of them that do wel Marke here that the prince is called most excellent whiche if he so be than none in his realme shall excell hym And he sayth also Feare god and honour the kynge Se here howe that he putteth no meane person betwixte god and the prince but immediatly after god the kyng must be honoured 〈…〉 Thus taught sayncte Paule the Romayns that euery maÌ„ and woman shulde be obedient vnto the auctoritie of the hygher power for there is no power but of god the powers that are ar ordeyned of god who so euer therfore resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of god And they that resiste shal receyue to them selfes damnation For rulers are not to be feared for good workes but for iuell wyll you be without fere of the power do wel than and so shal thou be praysed of the same For he is the ministre of god for thy welthe But and if thou do yuell thaÌ„ feare for he beareth not the swerde for naughte but is the ministre of god to take veÌ„geance of them that do euyll Wherfore you muste nedes obeye not for feare of vengeance only but also bicause of coÌ„science And euen for this cause paye you tribute for they are goddis mynisters seruynge for the same pourpose O good lorde what maiestie is in these wordes howe ernestly shulde euery christen man and woman haue this in mynde For if suche power be of god as in dede it is and the resister therof resisteth the ordinance of god if god haue giuen the sworde to punisshe and slaye the deniers herof if eternall damnation remayneth for theym that disobeye this godly ordinance what damnation are they in which contempnyng trewth shall studye to procure theyr owne dethe and so cause other to fal in lyke damnable
errour with them I can not nor dare iudge them but the worde of god iudgeth them whiche oppugnen verite God of his infinite mercy pardon the ignoraÌ„t not of this realme onely but of all christen realmes and graunt them light to se his truthe and open theyr hartes with pure conscience to receyue the same ¶ Howe erneste this holy apostolle was for this veritie it maye ryghte well appere in his epostol sent to his disciple Titus whom he had assigned to be byshop of Crete gyuynge hym amonge all other thinges in coÌ„maundemente to warne the people in his sermons that they submytte them selfes to princis and powers redily to obey their commaundemeÌ„tes as he hym selfe in all thinges obeyed them made refuge to them as whaÌ„ he apeled to Cesar in a cause of heresie gyuing example of his obedience Whan I redde this fyrste I meruayled moche that Paule in a mattier concernynge the helthe of his soule wolde appele to Cesar and not to Peter if Peter hadde ben the chiefe prelate ordeyned of god But full well he knewe that good Peter neyther had nor wold haue any high estate or imperiall power although Christ had vsed hym familiarly Nor good Paule him self challenged any more authoritie all thoughe Christe called hym his electe and chosen vessell Emperour what good christian can with good conscience attempt the coÌ„trarie Saynct Peter whiche neuer challenged so high honour or dignitie as many haue gyuen to hym all proude prelacy set aparte writeth not to one countrey or citie but vniuersally on this wyse Humble your selfes vnto all maner ordinance of man for goddis sake whether it be to the king as most excelleÌ„t or to his coÌ„missaries sent from hym for the punyshmeÌ„t of iuel doers the laude of them that do wel Marke here that the prince is called most excellent which if he so be than none in his realme shall excell hym And he sayth also Feare god and honour the kynge Se here howe that he putteth no meane person betwixte god and the prince but immediatly after god the kyng must be honoured Thus taught sayncte Paule the Romayns that euery maÌ„ and woman shulde be obedient vnto the auctoritie of the hygher power for there is no power but of god the powers that are ar ordeyned of god who so euer therfore resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of god And they that resiste shal receyue to them selfes damnation For rulers are not to be feared for good workes but for iuell wyll you be without fere of the power do wel than and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is the ministre of god for thy welthe But and if thou do yuell thaÌ„ feare for he beareth not the swerde for naughte but is the ministre of god to take veÌ„geance of them that do euyll Wherfore you muste nedes obeye not for feare of vengeance only but also bicause of coÌ„science And euen for this cause paye you tribute for they are goodis mynisters seruynge for the same pourpose O good lorde what maiestie is in these wordes howe ernestly shulde euery christen man and woman haue this in mynde For if suche power be of god as in dede it is and the resister therof resisteth the ordinance of god if god haue giuen the sworde to punisshe and slaye the deniers herof if eternall damnation remayneth for theym that disobeye this godly ordinance what damnation are they in which contempnyng trewth shall studye to procure theyr owne dethe and so cause other to fal in lyke damnable errour with them I can not nor dare iudge them but the worde of god iudgeth them whiche oppugnen verite God of his infinite mercy pardon the ignoraÌ„t not of this realme onely but of all christen realmes and graunt them light to se his truthe and open theyr hartes with pure conscience to receyue the same ¶ Howe erneste this holy apostolle was for this veritie it maye ryghte well appere in his epostol sent to his disciple Titus whom he had assigned to be by shop of Crete gyuynge hym amonge all other thinges in coÌ„maundemente to warne the people in his sermons that they submytte them selfes to princis and powers redily to obey their commaundemeÌ„tes as he hym selfe in all thinges obedience Whan I redde this fyrste I meruayled moche that Paule in a mattier conceruynge the helthe of his soule wolde appele to Cesar and not to Peter if Peter hadde ben the chiefe prelate ordeyned of god But full well he knewe that good Peter neyther had nor wold haue any high estate or imperiall power although Christ had vsed hym familiarly Nor good Paule him self challenged any more authoritie all thoughe Christe called hym his electe and chosen vesselle And I dare boldely saye that none of the apostols what partis so euer they preched in desired euer any iurisdiction but onely desyred the high powers to vse their authorities in seruyng god as before tymes they had in seruinge the worlde consideringe that it is two thynges to be a prince and a christen prynce â—â—â—ce of â—â—ace whose office is to procure peace for his people to se the liberties of his common welth maynteined to se that the pore people famishe not for lacke of sustenaunce some hauyng to moche and excessiuely expending the same and other some hauynge nothinge at all to se who be called to offices to be of his counseylours to se the sedicious and other malefactours punished remembringe that god hath not giuen him his sword for naught And therfore sayncte Augustyne saythe that al though he were ones of this opinion that malefactours as heretykes shoulde onely be resysted with scriptures yet he perceyuynge many incommodities to ryse thervpon chaunged his mynde and thoughte the argumentis of scripture not sufficient onelesse the temporall power wolde assiste and gyue aide to them And he saith that these wordes of the prophete Et nunc reges intelligite erudimini qui iudicatis terram Psalâ— Seruite domino in timore were spoken sometyme in prophecy nowe to be put in effect of euery christeÌ„ prince that they shall nowe lerne to knowe god of whome they haue their kyngdomes and meking them selfes vnder the mighty hande of god shall lerne true and holsome doctrine to iudge the people serue god with due fere and reuerence diuisinge lawes to represse errours other vices repugnaunt to the pleasure and wyll of god and that their subiectes may lerne to preferre truth to mans inuentions and imaginations And therfore he preyseth the lawes made by emperours against the pagans sayeng Quis eniÌ„ nostruÌ„ quis uestruÌ„ noÌ„ laudat leges ab imperatoribus datas ad uersus sacrificia paganoruÌ„ And in the same epistol he sayth that such sharpe and penalle lawes haue caused many to leue their errours afterward haue gyuen moste harty thankes to theyr princes which by such meanes haue called them from their errours For lyke as a man beinge in a phrenesye may not be
to pray for the soules departed saying that he thought his prayer shuld nothynge auayle them yet I wyll desyre you to praye for them trustynge that you haue in remembrance howe in times paste I haue proued by auctorities of Hierome Augustin Ambrose and Chrysostome and also by scriptures as saynt Augustine vnderstandeth them that we shulde so do for they ar in such case that they maye be reliued by our prayer c. ¶ All thoughe in consyderynge the sensible creatures of god many tymes I am constrayned greattely to meruaylle at the diuyne power yet nothynge so greatly moueth me as when I remembre all the regions of Christendome whiche before the comynge of Christe were spiritually deade and nowe by his mercye haue lyfe gyuen to them so knyt and ioyned to hym as one principall heed by vnitie of feythe that nowe they are one misticall body hauynge dyuers membres deputed to dyuers offices and euery one ministrynge for other in Christe And this is well worthye to be meruayled at if we wyll consider the great multitude of the people and the diuersitie of the same whiche settynge all customes apart all humayn lawes all lernynge all pleasures al vices wherin they had al their lyfe tymes accustomed them selfes before most humbly receyued the feythe of Christ from the whiche neyther losse of goodes nor imprysonement nor dethe coulde euer disswade them ¶ And surely great meruaylle it is howe that so many noble men so many princis so many kynges so many emperours ye of so great power and stomake wolde gyue credence to suche symple vnknowen abiecte and vile persones as the Apostols were after the worldly estimation whiche preched thinges incredible as Christ god and man to be borne of a virgin whiche crucified and put to deth rise agayne the thirde daye by his owne power from dethe to lyfe and soone after ascended to heuen Whiche preched for delicacie of lyuynge abstinency for voluptuousnes chastitie for daliance lamentation and continuall moonynge for riches pouertie the spirite of god so workynge that many nations vnlike in condicions vnlyke in langage and being in great distance dyd agree and yet do agree in professinge Christ Iesus and his religion one spirit workyng and gyuyng vital operation to them all For as in the naturall body of man the soule gyueth lyfe and mouynge to euery ioynt so that no man can moue any parte of his body but by the spirite vitalle extended to the same no more can any manne moue hym selfe to any poynt of vertue and goodnes but by the vertue of the holy gooste excitinge mouyng him to the same And as the bodye is one and hath many membres and yet al the membres make one bodi though they be many in theym selfes so is Christe with all christians one For al we are christened in one spirite for that we shulde be one body in Christ This body was sometyme in Christ and his apostols and disciples and by them it was nouryshed and increced some trauaylynge into one couÌ„trey and some into an other and as they dyd ê“fyt in them so did they become ê‘tis of Christis misticall body that is to sey of the churche so that the diuersitie of regions and countreys maketh not the diuersite of churches but the vnitie of feyth maketh all regions one churche all thoughe the same regions were vnknowen to vs and we to them As if saynt Andrew Philip Thomas and other of the apostols preached in straunge countreys and conuerted them spekinge nothynge of eche other nor of Peter but onely of Christe and his benefytis yet for their feyth shulde they be of the same churche that Peter was of al though they neuer harde of Peter nor Peter of theym As sayncte Paule after his conuersion vnknoweÌ„ to Peter and other apostols preched in Arabie and Damasco .iii. yeres Iesus that he is the son of god and many by his preachynge receyued the feyth whiche neyther knewe Peter nor other of the apostols but Iesus Christ and the same crucified for our redemption and yet for this feythe were they made one in Christ and of his churche So that it was of no necessytie for them to knowe Peter as many haue rekened in the byshoppe of Rome that excepte we knewe hym and his holy college we coulde not be of Christis churche But I am ryghte sure that manye thousandes are saued whiche neuer harde of Peter nor yet of the bishop of Rome so that the vnitie of Christis church coÌ„sisteth not in the knowlege of any erthely creature but in the knowlege of Christe and true beleue in hym And for this laboured the apostolles and yet labour theyr trewe successours whose continuall study must be to maynteyn the same takynge example of sayncte Paule whiche regardynge moche this vnitie sayth in the .xiiii. chapiter to the Romaynes Quae pacis sunt sectemur et quae aedifiâ—â—tionis sunt inuicem custodiamus Where he reprouynge vnfruitefull disputations wyllethe vs to folowe those thinges that maye make for vnitie for the edifienge of our brothern and vs. And in lykewise in the fyrst chapitre to the Corinthians in the firste epistle he saythe Obsecro uos fratres per nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi vt idipsum dicatis omnes et non sint in vobis schismata sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu et in eadem sententia I instauntly desyre you sayth he to the Corinthians in the name of our lorde Iesu Christe that you agree both in word mynd in one and lette there be no schisme nor diuision among you And in the xiiii chapitre I rede of hym Non est dissensionis deus sed pacis sicut et in omnibus ecclesiis sanctoruÌ„ do ceo where the holye apostoll wylleth that if any man reken hym selfe to haue the spiryte of god he shall the rather regarde vnitie for that the spirite of god is author of vnitie and not of discorde Euen so writinge to the Ephesians he saythe Soliciti seruare unitatem spiritus Eph â–ª 4. wyllyng al hautenes to be set apart and euery man with gentylnes to do his diligente endeuer to maynteyne vnitie And saincte Paule rekeneth that he shall sone opteyne his desire for that they haue one body and one spirite and one trust and hope of the enheritance of heuen that is promised them by their vocation Furthermore they had one lorde one feythe one baptime whiche by the meritis of the passion of Christe was of lyke effect to them all Also they haue one god whiche is father of them all hath the moste high regency gouernynge all thinge and by his diuine spirite is present in vs al. And in his epistle ad Hebreos in the .xii. chapitre he sayth Pacem sequim ini cum omnibus et sanctimoniam fine qua nemo deum uidebit contemplantes ne quis desit gratiae dei ne qua radix amaritudinis sursum germinans impediat et per illam inquinentur