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
As it is in the scriptures and in the seconde part of the common crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his onelye sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holy ghoste borne of the vyrgyn Marye suffred vnder Poncâ—us Pylate he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hel and the third day he arose agayn froÌ„ death vnto life and ascended into heauen and there sitteth on the ryght hand of God the Father almyghtie And froÌ„ thence he shal come to iudge both the quick the dead I beleue that by this meanes and no other the sinnes of al beleuers to be forgeuen without the merites and deseruiÌ„ges of Adams posteritie By AdaÌ„ sinne came into the world and bi sinne deathe Euen so wythoute all merites respectes and worthynes of Adam either of anye of his posteritie by Iesus Chryste came remission of synne and lyfe euerlastyng And euen as I beleue stedfastli sinne death bi this meanes to be ouercome and destroyed and euer lastyng lyfe to follow it so beleue I the sonne of God to be perfect God maÌ„ accordyng to the scriptures and do condemne the heresies of Arian and Marâ—ian with their complices adhereÌ„tes that wyckedly beleued the contrarye And as I confesse and beleue the measies of our saluation to be onely Christ so I condemne the Pelagian and all such other as beleued and taught that thei culd by their own powers streÌ„gth and wyll worke theyr own saluation which false opinion coÌ„culcateth frustrateth slandereth condemneth and blasphemeth all the deseruynges of Christ. Therfore the Pelagian is called worthyly the ennemy of grace Farther I beâ—eeue that the grace of God deserued by the passion of Christ dothe not onely freely and without all merites of man begyn teache and prouoke manne to beleue the promyses of God and so to begyn to worke the wyl of God but also all the woorkes merites deseruynges dooynges and obedience of man towardes God althoughe they bee done by the spirite of god in the grace of god yet being thus done be of no validitee worthynes nor merite before God except God by mercy and grace accompte theym worthy for the worthynes and merites of Iesus Christ that dyed vnder Poncius Pilatus So that I beleue grace not oneli to be the begynner of al good workes but that all good workes done by man in the greattest perfeccion haue neede and wanteth grace to pardon their imperfeccion I beleue in the holye ghoste equalle god with the father and the soÌ„ne and procedynge from them both by whose vertue streÌ„gth and operacion the Catholyke churche is preserued from all 〈◊〉 and false doctrines and teacheth the coÌ„munioÌ„â—f saincts in al truth and verity the whych holy spirit shal neuer forsake the holy church which is Christ his mystical bodye I beleue that this holye spirit worketh the remission of synne the resurreccion of the fleshe and euerlastynge lyfe accordyng to the holy scripture Thys is my fayth and doctryne concirnyng the Godhed and diuersitie of persons in the holy Trinitie and also of the two natures in Chryst hys godhed and manhed Abhorring and detestiÌ„g the heresies of Samosaâ—enes Arian Nestor Eutiches who wer condemned by godly couÌ„cels Nece CoÌ„staÌ„tinople Ephesin Calchedom other I detest and abhor the Martian Manâ—che that faineth to be two gods and both eternal one good the other euil alwaies at debate among them selus I detest abor y e monsterous doctrine of the Valentines so generally of all those that haue denied to be ani god or wold haue many gods Also al those I detest that haue erred and in aintaine theyr erroure in any thyng concerning the essence of god ordeined the plurality of persons as of the father the soÌ„ne and the holye goost This is the faith of gods spiryte in my conscience whiche I haue lerned in hys word haue fayethfullye and râ—lygyouslye preathed and taughte the same in all my sermons as I wyll be iudged by onne audytory Also the same doctryne I haue furthred set forth in al mi boks 〈◊〉 writings though sum CaluÌ„niators and sclaunderers wulde gladly make pore the people beleue the coÌ„trary But I do decline and appeale from such vncharitable spretes vnto the charitable reader and louyng herte of all theym that be indued with gods holy sprete for they wyll not constrayne nor force letter sillable word or senteÌ„ce coÌ„trary to the mynde of the speaker writer but wyll Iudge and serche for iudgement in the processes and circumstances of the writer content themselues with the writers mynde rather than to brynge theyr affection and corrupte myndes to make their own imaginations and fantasies an other mans doctrine as the Arrian Pelagiane Anabaptist Papist and other do and haue doone bryngynge corrupte myndes to the lesson and readyng of Christes testament and wold that their fals heresies and vntrue imaginations should be Christe his doctrine Seeyng bothe goddes lawes and mans lawes suffereth and geueth libertee to euery man in a cause of religion to be interpretater of his owne wordes it were contrarye to iustice to put any man from it For if the auctor may not be the interpreter of his owne mynde what wold not malyce enuy spite and disdayne gather of works most truly and faith fully mente and wrytten And seyng charitee and the lawes of this realme as it appereth in an act of parliament made in y â— first yere of the reigne of our Soueraine Lorde Kyng Edward the syxte geueth lybertee and lycence to hym that shalbe accused for a matter of Religion vpon malice euyll wil hatred disdayn or bee made and suborned recordes to repell and conuicte all suche false recordes and theyr accusers by other faithfull and indifferent Recordes The whiche acte of parliament God forbydde should be denied to any of the kyngs Maiesties preachers for yf the testimonye of theyr audientes shal not quitte theym from the spyte calumniacion of malicious vncharitable meÌ„ they shal not long preache the truth For ether the papistes wyll accuse theÌ„ bycause thei wishe theÌ„ pope al monumentes of papistry to be taken out of the way Ether the carnall gospellar that cannot abyde to heare his faultes carnal life rebuked And I thinke if the Kinges magestie his most honorable couÌ„sel prepare not the soner a brydle correction for synne the true preacher of God hereafter shal be more persicuted for reprehendynge of synne and vngodly lyfe then euer yet hyther vnto he hath bene persecuted by the papistes Thus I haue declared my fayth and belefe towardes God accordyng to the Scriptures in the which I trust to coÌ„tiune vntil deth end this myserable and wâ—fihed life Nowe I wyll declare also the same towardes the churche of Christe what I beleâ—e of the magistrates the mynisters of the woâ—de and the people I dwel wyth al. And of these thynges I wyl speake accordyng
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
I thiÌ„k of all gods Sacramentes in the ministery of the churche And of Baptisme because it is a marke of our Christian church this I iudge after the doctryne of Saint Paul that it is a seale and coÌ„firmacion of iustice either of our accepcion into the grace of God for Chryst for his innocencye and iustice by fayth is ours and our sinnes and iniustice bi his obedience ar his wherof baptisme is the signe seale and coÌ„firmatioÌ„ For although frely by the grace of god our synnes be forgeuen yet the same is declared by the Gospel receiued by faith and sealed by y e sacramentes whyche be the seales of gods promises as it is to be sene by the fayth of the faythfull Abraham Baptisme hath hys promises as is a fore sayd hys elemente the water his proper coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t hys proper ceremonies washiÌ„g in y e water As for other mens opinioâ—s that saye Circumsicion was the seale not onely of AbrahaÌ„s acceptation freely into the grace of God by faith but also of hys obedience and proper iustice I beleue it not to be trewe for S. Paul confuteth it in the same place as an errour sayiÌ„g AbrahaÌ„ had nothiÌ„g wherof he mighte glory before god If he had nothiÌ„g god confirmed that he gaue him not that he found in him for S. Paul saith that Circumcision was the seale of the Iustice that caÌ„ by faith not by workes They be out of the way that haue the lyke opinion of baptisme for S. Paul disputeth not in that place whether works plese god but sheweth that our saluacion coÌ„meth by grace and not bi workes Ther be other that think SacrameÌ„ts to be the coÌ„firmatioÌ„s not only of our fre acceptacyon into gods fauour by fayth but also of our obedyeÌ„ce towardes God hereafter And because Infantes and young babes cannot professe obedience nor put of the olde man nor put on the newe thei would exempt and defraud the young chyldren of baptisme Saynt Paule coÌ„fesseth also this opinion in the same place AbrahaÌ„ saith he beleued God and it was accoÌ„ted vnto hym for iustice and sayth not Abraham professed obedience Therfore God coÌ„firmed his owne infallible truth and promises to Abraham by circumcision and not Abrahams obedience For if he had he had confirmed the weke and vncertayn infirmitie of man and not hys own infallible truth For AbrahaÌ„ wyth all hys obedience was infyrme and vnperfect wythout Christ Yet was bouÌ„d to work in a godly life As for those that say CircumcisioÌ„ and Baptisme be like and yet attribut the remission of originall synne to Baptysme whyche was neuer gyuen vnto Circumcision they onelye destroye not the similitude and equalitie that should be betwene them but also take from Christe remission of synne and translate it into the water and element of baptisme As for the supper of the Lord which is the other Sacrament whereby the church of Christ is knowne I beleue it is a remembraunce of Christes death a seale confyrmation of his preciouse body geuen vnto death wherwyth we are redemed It is a vysyble word that precheth peace betwene God and man exhorteth to mutual loue and godlye lyfe teacheth to contemne the world for the hope of the lyfe to come when as chryst shall appeare and come downe in to the cloudes whyche nowe is in heauen as consernynge hys humanytye and no wher elles nor neuer shalbe tyll the tyme of the generall resurrection I be leue that this holi sacrament hath his proper promises proper elementes proper commauÌ„demeÌ„t and proper Ceremonies As concerning the ministers of the churche I beleue that the church is bound to no sort of people or any ordinary successioÌ„ of bishops Cardinals or such lyke but vnto the only word of god none of theÌ„ shuld be beleued but wheÌ„ thei speak y e word of god Althogh there be diuersitie of giftes knowledge amoÌ„g men some know more and some know lesse And if he that knoweth lest teache Christ after the holy scriptures he is to be accepted he that knoweth most teacheth Christ contrary or and ther wayes then the holye scryptures teache is to be refused I am sory therfore wyth all my herte to se the churche of Christ degenerated into a ciuil pollicy for euen as kinges of the world naturally by descent froÌ„ theyr parentes must solow in ciuil regiment rule and lawe as by right they oughte euen so must such as succede in the place of Bishops and priestes that dye possesse al giftes and learning of the holly gost to rule the church of Christe as his godly predecessour had so that tholy ghost must be captiue bondman to byshops seas palacies And because the holye gost was in saint Peter at Rome and in mani other godly men that haue occupied bishopprickes and dioses therfore the same gifts thei sai must nedes followe in their successours althoughe in dede thei be no more like of zeale nor diligence then Peter and Iudas Balaham and Ieremy Anna Caiphas to Iohn and Iames. But thus I conclude of the mynysters of what degre or dignity soeuer thei be thei be no better theÌ„ recordes testymonyes mynysters and seruauntes of goddes worde and gods sacrameÌ„ts Vnto the whych they shuld nether adde demynish nor chaunge any thyng And for their true seruyce and dyligeÌ„ce in thys part thei shoulde not be onely reuerenced of the people but also honoured by the magistrates as the seruauntes of god And I beleue that as many soules as perish by their negligeÌ„ce or contempt of gods word shalbe required at theyr handes Of the people thus I beleue that they owe their dutye and obebience to god to them kyng and magistrates vnto theyr neighboures and vnto them selues Vnto god they owe both bodye and soule to laude and prayse him according to gods boke To cal vpoÌ„ him in the daies of their trouble and vpon none els to coÌ„forme both their doctrin their lyues to promote and set forth the glory of God Theyr dutye to the kynges maiestie is theyr obedience to him his lawes and the Realme for conscience sake and rather to lose bothe body an goodes theÌ„ to offende his highnes or his lawes whensoeuer any subiect be called to serue with body or goodes at home or froÌ„ home willingly thei must obei without question or farther inquision to serche whether the kynges cause be righte or wronge for whether it bee or be not it maketh the death of him that serueth in this respect nether better nor worse For I beleue suche as obeyed kyng Iosias and were slaine in the battayle againste the Egiptians wer acceptable vnto god in Christ thoughe kyng Iosias had not y â— best quarell In this case the subiect oweth his body and goods vnto this lawfull magistrate and may deny him of none of them