A PREFACE TO THE KYNGES HYGHNES IF I HAD NOT OF longe tyme past conceyued a sure truste and great confydence most noble prince of your synguler geÌ„tylnes and accustomed humanitie which dayly to the great comfort of al your seruaÌ„tes subiectes your highnes declareth openly I wolde neuer haue vsed such boldnes and audacite as to exhibyte and present this my rude writynge vnto your gracis mooste indifferent iudgement For moche and longe I haue doubted with my selfe whether hit shulde pertayne vnto me other by worde or by writyng to touche any suche matters of weyght and grauyte For as on the one syde many thynges moued me ' to kepe silence consyderynge myn own state condition and degre and how late I was admytted to the seruyce of youre maiestye and howe lyttell experte I am in matters of polycie so on the other syde dyuers thynges styrred me to open myne affecte and pourpose vnto your grace playnly For moued I was moche by this your great and synguler humanyte wherin amonge all other princely vertues your highnes excellyth moued I was also by the highe iugemente which by the goodnes of god aboue other princis is to you gyuen in al maters of truâ— religion and of iuste polycy and aboue all moued I was by the present state of our couÌ„trey weighty nature of thinges perteining to the same now in controuersy here amonge vs In the redresse and due order wherof as I thynke stondeth the chiefe poynte of all pryncely honour and nother in abundance of golde syluer nor tresure nor yet in any worldly power but euen as the honour of god as moche as is set forth to mans iugement consysteth and stondethe in the dewe order of all this sensible worlde whiche with our eies dayly we beholde so the tre we honour of all princis apon erthe resteth chiefly in the order and redresse of their commynalties by the prouidence of god to their gouernaunce commytted to this ende purpose that all theyr subiectes in concorde and vnyte may inioye suche quietnes and felicite as they are broughte forth vnto by the goodnes of god and nature so that this beinge mouyd and reasonyng with my selfe of such thinges as perteyne to your gracys honour chiefely to the whiche I shall serue euer durynge my lyfe faythfully I coud not teÌ„pre my selfe nor as me thoughte in no parte satysfie my bounden duetie excepte by some meane I shulde open myn affect to your gratious maiestie For greatte sorowe I conceyued as sone as I entred into my countrey after my long absence and peregrination obseruyng suche disobedience and diuersitie of opinion as here amonge your subiectes was growynge in by corrupte iugement to great confusion and to the great breche of christian vnitie while your grace by your high wisedom polycye studied to lay stablyshe certayn grouÌ„des fundations to the restoryng of very true and christen vnite moche necessary wherfore sone after I began with my self to reson of certayn causes occasioÌ„s out of the which chiefely as it appered to me sprang all this controuersie disobedience lately shewid here among vs and somwhat to consyder I began also the manner mean howe al suche discord and diuersitie of opinion vtterly put awaye we myght as membres of one body being couplyd togyther and knytte agayne in vnitie runne in one course and after one fascion the whiche discourse and reasonyng bycause I lacked coÌ„modite to open to your grace presently I gathered in writyng so presented it vnto your maiestie declaring therby myn opinion and by what meane we all your subiectes with mekenes humilite lyuyng togyther in due obedience myght restore and conserue this christen vnitie This was my purpose only in no poynt thinkyng than to haue my sentence and writyng abrode publyshed And though it be so that for the moste part suche men as be in hart most desirous to haue their writinges set abrode to the face of the worlde coÌ„monly vse this kynde of excuse coueringe their affecte studi of glory with one honest pretext of sobrenes and humilitie to say they wrote eyther for theyr owne exercyse secretly or for the priuate pleasure of their frende onely wherby they auoyde and eschewe al note and suspition of pride arrogaÌ„cy yet to your highnes most noble prince this may I say truly and without al colour affirm playnly that at suche tyme as I prescÌ„ted this my writing vnto your grace at winchester in soÌ„mer last past I though nothynge lesse than to publyshe it to the coÌ„mon iugement though in euery mans mynde the thinge to be fyxed I desired hartely but I thought plainly partly for bicause I iuge not my writynge to be of that sorte which are to be set out to lyghte and partely bycause I se the world al redy with ouer many bokes and writinges troubled dangerously wherby though moch knowledge of the truth be opened broughte to lyght yet by lacke of discretion and by moch arrogancy there is growen in withall in Christis church a gret brake of christiaÌ„ charite I thought I say playnly to me it appered sufficiente specially concernyng suche matters of weight and grauitie to your hyghnes only by my writinge myn opinyon to declare the affecte and desyre which I haue long noryshed in my hart to sâ—rue your grace withal in some part therby to testifie For syth the tyme y â— I haue had any reson iugemeÌ„t to consider the end to the which al true subiectes ought to referre all their actes dedes I haue euer fashioned my studyes after suche maner that I might therby according to my bouÌ„deÌ„ duetie in som part serue your highnes my couÌ„trey to the which stirred moued I am now moche by the time wherin I trust to se by your high wisedom policy of al such abusion as by ê“cesse of time is growen in to our church and coÌ„gregation a holsom quiet iust reformation wherof though the begiÌ„ning hath beÌ„ somwhat rough and ful of difficultie yet I truste the prouidence of god vsyng your highnes as chefe mynister to the same shall at the laste all thynges soo order and dispose that they shall procede bothe to the coÌ„myn quietnes of vs your subiectes in this present age to the great coÌ„fort of al your posterite So y â— as wel for the steying of the one part of suche disobedience to be conceyued in the hartis of som other of your subiectis which might minister a great occasion to the plaÌ„ting of the rote of a sedition as for the teÌ„pering on the other part of a blynd an arrogant opinion lately conceyued by lyghtnes of iugemeÌ„t which might bring in among vs moche confusion I wrote this thinge declaringe therby vnto your highenes what I thought in the mater and how as I sayd before bothe I my selfe was affected and howe at the leest I wold wysshe the hartis of your subiectis after like maner to be
īstructed for y ◠which cause I conceyued this exhortation vnto your people instructing thē to suche obedience as is dewe to your prīcely authorite This was my purpose at y ◠beginnyng ful intent nothing lesse hauinge in mynd as I before recyted then to publishe the thyng abrode to the world but now sithe it hath pleased your grace moste noble prynce by your highe wysedome and most indifferent iudgemēt the thyng to aproue whiche I haue written and by your goodnes it to accepte and alowe I shall not feare to set it forthe to the cōmon redynge indifferent iudgement of your subiectes openly nothynge dystrustynge but that by the gracious goodnes of hym who gouerneth al it shall thus appreued by your gracis authorite in some part helpe both to restore confirme here among vs true obedience and christian vnytie wherby we al your true subiecies beinge obediente to your hyghnes as to our supreme heed vnder Christe here in this churche and congregation shal both in this age liue in perfyt quietnes and tranquillite and herafter also to the them that shal succede leaue a quiet cōmon wele to the cōmon comforte of all our posterite and at the last with heuenly vnite atteine inioy with our heuēly hed Christ the onely hede of the vnyuersal churche euerlasting felicite This hope I haue fastned ī mi hart nothing doubting at al but y ◠y ◠goodnes of him whose prouydence hath ordeyned your grace to reigne in our tyme lighting your hart with such knowlege of truthe as few other christian princis haue in our daies shal inspire in to your most noble mynde the ryght iudgement of all conueniēt menes wherby your highnes the better may the same truth set forth to his honour glory TO THE REDERS FOR BICAVSE I HAVE here folowynge somwhat more brefely than the nature of the thynge dothe well suffre comprised and gathered vnto the people a certayne instruction whereby they myghte the better be induced to suche vnitie and obedience as is of theym mooste iustely required I shall mooste Christen reders here in this prologue open vnto you a lyttel more at large what is the nature of this obedience and vnitie to the whiche we be so straytly bounde bothe by goddis lawe and all good ciuilitie and touche also somwhat the cause whiche hath chiefly moued me to the conceyuynge of this mattier and purpose But here in the begynnynge to the intent the thyng may the better be perceyued I do you require a lyttelle to lyfte vp your eies with som consideration to wey with your selfe in som part the diuine power wysedome prouidence thoughe the thynge fully to conceyue farre surmounteth all mannes witte and imagination And fyrst this is open and manifest that al this sensible worlde wherin is conteyned this wonderful varietie and nature of thingis is nothing els but as a certayne shadowe of goddis goodnes and diuinitie or rather a glasse of the diuine maiestie wherby to mans iudgement and capacitie is opened the infinite power and wonderfull wisedome of hym who by his hyghe prouydence gouerneth and ruleth all For whither so euer you cast your eies other aboue vnto heuen there beholdynge that heuenly body in his synceritie other here benethe vnto the erthe there considerynge of nature the wonderfull varietie you shall euer see of that power and prouidence in euery thinge mooste certayne argumente and sure testimony Wherof I thynke no man canne doubte who wyth any consyderation lokynge into this glasse there standeth in meruayle and admyration For fyrst there shall he see the infinyte nombre multitude of sterres euer kepyng their certayn course and mouyng without al instabilitie there shal he se the son the mone with all the other planettes waueryng abrode nowe to this parte of the worlde nowe to the other to the comforte and creation of all mortal thynges subiecte to corruption there shall he see the wonderful vertue and influence of the same by the whiche as by chiefe instrumentes the goodnes of god worketh al thinges Here in the lower worlde garnyshyng it with this varietie wherin standeth all naturall beautie ye yet ferther yf he into this glasse diligently loke there shall he see of the foure elementes of the fyre the ayre the water and of the erthe the mooste meruaylous nature so knytte by dewe proportion in a certaine equalitie that though they be by nature mooste dyuers and full of contrarietie yet they are cowpled and ioyned togyther as it were in a natural concorde and vnitie there shall he see the erth as foundation and ground susteyning the reste hangynge in the myddes after a wonderfull maner and about the same the see continually rollynge with his certayne and sure ebbynge and flowynge after a strange fashion giuinge to mans wytte no smal cause of meruayle and great admyration and fynally to say there shall he see of all beastes fyshes and fowles the meruaylous nature and propretie by the which all the diuine power spredeth her goodnes accordyng to the nature of thinges and their capacitie so that to hym who so euer into this glasse diligently dothe loke may remayne no doubt of this heuenly wysedome and prouydence wherof in euery thinge here in this worlde sette forth to goodis honour and glorye appereth so sure tokē and so certayne signe for in euery thyng shyneth the image therof euery thing here is a glasse of the same And to me this thinge considerynge reasonynge with my selfe of the goodnes of god and of his prouidēce though the thinges before touched mynister therof sure profe and sufficient argument yet it appereth that nothynge more clerely declareth the same than mans actis and fashion of lyuynge here in policie all be it many men haue taken thereby greate argument to the contrary in so moche that whan they haue sene many men longe to contynue in worldly ioy and prosperitie whome they haue iudged most worthy of al aduersitie and contrary other of great perfection vertue to be oppressed with al wretchednes and myserie This I say whā they haue sene they haue playnly thought no prouidence to be nor gouernance of god but all to be lefte to mans wyl and tyranny To the whiche opinion they slypped for lacke of iugement and good cōsyderation for who so euer weyeth mans actes groundly and of his lyfe the hole proces he shal fynde moste manifestly and by reasone shall be constrayned playnly to confesse that this highe prouydence is not onely declared by suche dedes and actes of man as appere to the worlde to be good and vertuous but also moche more by other whiche seme pestilent and pernicious and to all vertue contrarye For this semeth to be a certayne truthe and sure that euen lyke as god by his infinite goodnes these erthequakes and general fluddes by the whiche many cities and hole nations oft tymes be ouerflowē and sonke euer tourneth to the good order of the
playne arrogancye and the streyghte waye and certayne to brynge all to vncertayntie so that boldely I dare affyrme that this perswasyon hathe sette in many of vs of many thynges corrupte opinyon And thus whatte by superstition and what by arrogant opinion many of our iudgementes dere frendes are fowle and perniciously corrupte by the whiche we are nowe induced by false and blynde perswasion to conceyue eche one of other an odious and a corrupt opinyon by the reasone whereof somme of vs are called of the newe fashyon and somme of the olde somme phariseys and some schismatykes and some also playne heretikes As by example this somwhat to declare such as repugne ageynst the pride of Rome gladly shakyng of the yocke therof and wyllyng to receyue some newe doctrine to the comforte of their myndes suche as newe fangled persones be noted of other to be of the newe facion ye and suche as besye them selfes in redynge of newe bokes and scripture freely condempnynge manye of the olde customes by processe of tyme growen to great abuse though their purpose be neuer soo good yet shall not they scape the note of an heretyke or els of more gentylnesse they shall be called but a schismatike wherin I dout not to pronounce that they be euyll iudged and that they whiche so iudge haue conceyued of them a corrupte iudgement For the moste parte I dare saye of them whiche be called of the newe facion lyke trewe and obedient personnes bothe to god and their prince wolde gladly with common quietnesse the alteration of certayne ceremonies and customes of the churche to the encrease of all vertue and of true religion and yet contrary they are iuged euen lyke as many other whiche are noted to be of the olde facion bycause they not gladly sette forwarde this newe mutation but sommewhat styffely stycke in the olde ceremonies and rytes of the Churche wherein they haue benne of youthe broughte vppe and taken of their fathers the same customes not condempnynge lyghtly the constitutions ecclesiasticall these I say are iudged of other to be superstitious and pharisaicall folyshe and papisticall the whiche also I dare with no lesse boldnes affirme than I dyd of the other that they ar mysiudged For of them the moste parte vndoubtedly though they some thynge stycke in the olde customes as thinges of longe tyme receyued for good order and polycie yet whan so euer it shal appere by cōmon counsell here in our countrey them to chaunge and vtterly to abrogate substitutinge other by common assent they wyll euer be gladde as true and loyall subiectes to all suche to be obedient but in the meane tyme though lyke quiet modest and obedient persones they stande in the olde they are not to be blamed as pharisees but rather deserue prayse therin declaring their duetie obedience from the whiche lyghtly they ar not moued accordinge to Poules counsayle with euery newe inuention by lyght braynes brought in contrary to good order and al ciuile constitution wherfore without fayle many of those of the olde facion are of the newe lykewise mysiudged and wrongefully taken as they be of the other and so though some of the olde facion be peraduenture yet playne superstitious for superstitiō so shortly wil not be pluckid vtterly out of mind ye and though somme of the newe be in harte of true religion vtter dispisers as if it were not for feare of deathe I thinke playnely they wolde to the worlde declare yet I doubt not but the most part both of the newe facion and also of the olde of the truthe be ryght studious and of true religion moche desirous and dayly doo praye vnto him who is the onely fountayne of all vertue truthe that it maye please him so to light their hartes and conscience that by his grace delyuered from blyndenes they may at the last se some sparkle of his lyght and truthe of the whiche nowe one iudgeth an other to be no parttaker at all but echeone blyndely iudgethe other to be blynde eche one iudgeth other to erre and to be slypped from the trewe and catholike faithe the which some by newe facion pretende to bring in and some by the olde study to defende so that by this contention whyle euery man besily endeuoreth him selfe to maynteyne among vs this true and catholike faythe of Christe the meane tyme is vnder growing secretly in our hartes this lamentable diuision the very bracke of the groūde of Christis religion whiche is founded grounded vppon vnitie wherof here is amonge vs a playn and manifest dissolution For he that thinketh that in those hartes resteth christen vnitie where as one in harte iudgeth an other to be an heretike he is playne frantike and lacketh the common sense he is eyther blynde or playnely wyll not see the whiche thynketh that with suche contrary and corrupte iudgementes may be conserued this spirituall vnitie which requireth our hartes as in a common bande to be knytte and coupled to gether in charite wherof betwixt the newe facion and the olde our hartes are soo voyde and soo colde that I thinke many of vs there be whiche withoute grefe wolde see their christen brother to hange vpon a galowes tree Suche enuye malice of one to an other is growyng in amonge vs that I can not se howe we may iustely be called membres of this spirituall body of Christe in the whiche as by charitie all partis do flouryshe and growe in vnitie receyuynge grace and spirituall comforte of that heuenly heed soo by malyce and rancour the same falle in diuisyon and for lacke of that spiryte receyued of that heed runne into manifest ruine and destruction The experience whereof here amonge our self dayly we se where as you may perceyue one nothing gladde to helpe an other though he be in extreme necessitie one nothynge prompte to gyue succour to other thoughe for lacke therof he shulde incontinent dye one not redy to instruct an other though he iuge hym to be in greatte errour and folye one not redy to beare the weakenes of an other though he be of greatte simplicitie but contrarye one denyethe helpe and succour to other euery one fleethe the instruction of other no man gladdely nor wyllyngly admonyssheth his christian brother but suffereth hym to erre and hath him in derision For suche is the diuision growyng in by folyshe simplicitie and arrogant opinion that one of vs in no meane may abyde of the other any brotherly admonition but euer one hathe an other suspecte that with some corrupt and newe opinion he wyll infecte his iudgement and bringe hym into some pernicious errour contrarye to Christis catholyke faithe and religion Thus in spirite and harte we be deuyded and of this spirituall vnitie is growen a playn bracke and dissolution which is an effect consequently folowing the cōmon corruption of our iugementes which we conceyue one of an other the whiche thynge is open vnto all theym that delyte
the antiquitie euer referred the institution therof to heuenly power to goddis diuinitie as we most christen people surely do of ours the whiche our master Christ receyuynge of the hygh wysedome of the heuenly father hath most plainly and clerely in fewe wordes described vnto vs and by his apostels instructe vs therwith no man excludynge from the misteries therof they whiche be common to all mens capacitie For the gospell is a doctrine of simplicitie and nothinge but faythfull charitie a doctrine so manifeste and playne that if it were as easye to fulfyll and put in effect as it is to conceyue and to vnderstaÌ„de I thynke there is no manne so rude nor no manne by nature so ignoraunt but he myghte attayne to the hyghest mysteries and to the hyghest knowledge necessarye to the saluation of manne conteyned therin For suche was the pourpose of our mayster Christe to prescribe a doctrine to all men kynde open and common Wherfore he made rude fyshers and ignorant persones the fyrste prechers teachers and doctours thereof But nowe dere frendes though this doctrine be neuer so playne and full of simplicite neuer so clere and manyfest of it self yet it is by the curiositie of our masters and teachers therof nowe of late yeres so obscured and hydde so cloked with subtyl interpretation so mangled by contrarye exposition that many of vs nowe be in greatte perplexitie moche dowbtynge of the truthe therof vtterly ignorant of the grounde and foundation of the same For where as the chiefe maisters and teachers haue preched and write contrary one to an other howe shuld ignorant and simple myndes conceiue any grounde and sure stey wherto they myghte leane for succour and comforte Howe shoulde they fynde any certayne truthe therin where they here their masters in such controuersie whyle somme of them sette vp the authoritie of olde tradition rytes and customes as thynges necessarye for the conseruation of good polycie where other vtterly do them abrogate and damne as thinges pernicious to all perfyte and true religion and some purgatorie and praying for them whiche be deed playnely do condemne and som openly admyt some pilgremage veneratioÌ„ of imagis as thingis of idolatry manifestly deny other them preache sette in full authoritie But what shuld I here be about to recyte al such thinges wherin our masters be iÌ„coÌ„trouersy seing that to al meÌ„ I trow they be surely knoweÌ„ in so moche that many of the people commonly say that they wyll no more here prechynges tyll the preachers amonge them selfes better agree they wyll no more gyue their eares to such masters whiche brynge them into so manyfest perplexitie and som of them haue induced into this fals superstition and some to the contempte of true religion so that a great parte of our blyndnes and corrupt iugement we may most iustely dere frendes attribute vnto the vndiscrete preachers and of Christis doctrine blynde maysters and techers who haue not ben coÌ„tent with their tongues onely their blyndnes to coÌ„mune abrode and testifie but also with their penne wrytynge the same they haue descriued and so the iugemeÌ„tes of them which haue ben a lyttel lettered with their foly by writing declared they haue most ê‘niciously infected som by their eloquence mans lawe ceremonies rytes customes traditions so haue exalted so sette a height that many simple myndes therby are perswaded the somme of Christis religion in them to remayne or at the lest so by them to be maynteyned y t to their ruine or alteration shall succede of trewe religion the playn decay or innouation Some other coÌ„trary by their bokes haue them so depressed and vtterly condempned that they boldely affirme the mayntenance of them to bringe in of all syncere and pure christianite the vtter destruction by the whiche Christis glory so hath ben of longe tyme obscured and hyd that the worlde as they say hathe gyuen more to the outwarde workes and mans tradition than to lyuely faith and trust in Christis passion so that after this maner as wel by foolysshe bokes as by fonne preachynge you good people ar brought in a great mammering your symplicitie semeth to be moche blynded by their curiositie Howe be it frendes this you muste nowe consequently take that all be it great causes of your blyndnes be these vndiscrete prechers these curious and arrogant teachers yet you maye not al attribute to them you be not your selfes clene without faut If you your selfes some of you I say had not sturdy hartes and ful of obstinacy by this superstition folyshely conceyued though of many yeres it hath growen in your stomakes yet it shulde not so there be roted and so styffely of you be defended that to common authoritie you shuld gyue no place This declareth in many of vs to be great and manifest obstinacie like as in some other of vs easy it is also to see great lightnes of mynde and of iugement instabilitie whiche with euery blast of newe doctrine of our newe masters be ouerthrowen and ledde and to euery lyght perswasion lyghtly gyue place leauynge by and by al olde custome and ceremonie whiche is no lesse faute than in superstition to be sturdy Wherfore to excuse your selfes most christen people holly by your maysters as many of you do iustly you may not For though in them be great faute and perauenture more damnable than is in you yet you your selfes be not cleane withoute blame For these vnwyse doctours of religion neyther with their proude arrogancye nor yet with their superstitious symplicitie if they found not in your hartes a prompt redynes to receyue their opinion neuer shuld haue place to fasten in you their folyshe doctrine they shuld not lyghtly stable in you any poynt of vayne superstition nor yet in your hartis any contempte of good and trewe religion For lyke as the sede caste in the grounde neuer bryngeth forth frute excepte by nature the grounde be apte and mete there vnto soo the doctryne of preachers dothe neuer neyther edyfye nor dystroye excepte in the hartes of them to whome it is communed there be founde to the receyuynge therof somme promptnes and conueniency The faute wherof is to our selfes holly to be imputed for thoughe as I sayde before the vulgare people be moche ignorant and of iugement very bare yet they be not of nature so naked sette forthe here into the worlde but that certaine sedes in their hartes they haue planted certayne sparcles of knowledge there they haue grafted which if with any meane diligence they wyll sette forth tyll some iugement they shall haue betwixt good and euil some discretion they shal attayne to discerne the good preacher from the vayne some knowlege they shall haue to perceyue hym that preacheth wel vertue and honestie from him that precheth his owne folyshe fantasie by some token signe they shall discerne him that is arrogant and sedicious from him that is meke
howe that as it hath bene many yeres vsurped it is to the very spirituall vnitie nother necessarye nor yet conuenient and so I truste sommewhat the better your consciences shall be delyuered from suche scrupulositie as may take from your myndes christen quietnes and vnite And fyrst most christen people this is of you al as most open and manifest to be taken as a sure truthe that all be it the olde testamente wherin god to the people of Israel declared his first wil be called the scripture of god and his very lawe yet for as moche as Paule testifieth all thinges to them as in a shadowe grossely there to be shewed accordyng to their rude capacite the which to vs after clerely were opened by our mayster Christe to whose glorye all the lawe tended we therfore may say all the lawe of god in Christe to be as in a somme conteyned who is the perfection and ende of all lawe it is he only that in the olde lawe was figured and now in the newe law of the gospell openly is to vs declared in so moche that this boldely we maye affyrme goddis lawe holly and perfitely in the gospell to be conteyned for as moche as Christ in whom all law of god is fully as in a sōme gathered is there to vs clerely taught nothīg to be necessary to our saluatiō wherof in y e gospel we haue not expresse mention or at the leste oute of that deduced by some certayne reason and open demonstration For as touching the traditiōs of faders though they be moche expedient to the increse and maintenance of Christis gospell and truthe yet of suche strength and power they be not that to their obseruation we be of necessytie bounden vnder peyne of vtter damnation nor yet they be not of any suche necessitie that to the alteration of them ye or vtter abrogation ensueth by and by the ruyne and destruction of all christen ciuilitie and religion Wherfore though it were soo as it is not in dede that this superioritie of the pope were to vs by tradition descended gyuen yet it is not of this nature and necessitie that without hit we can not attayne to our saluation For by suche bonde no christen nation at anye tyme receyued any mans tradition This therfore we may affirme now dere frendes as sure and true that if we can not fynde this superioritie clerely vnto vs in the gospell expressed nor of the same manifestly deduced by clere interpretation it is not to our saluation of hye necessitie the whiche thinge to seke and out of the gospell to pyke I thynke is lyke as to seke and to pyke darkenesse out of the lyght For to my iugement all thynge there indifferently weyinge all appereth playne contrary in so moche that to me considering the sōme and hole cours of Christis doctrine he semed nothinge lesse to go about than to stablyshe amonge his disciples and amonge theym that wold make profession of his name any such superioritie but leuyng all suche thynges to princes worldly polycie purposed to drawe the hartes of his scholers from all suche ambicious and vayne desyre and turne them to the sight and cōtemplation of suche thynges as be celestial and of nature pure and euerlasting seperate from al this worldly vanitie euer wylling them to hang vpon the desyre of suche thynges as bretherne to gether knytte in a certayn equalite vtterly excludyng al cōtention for any maner superiorite he euer taught his disciples as membres of one body coupled together in perfyt loue and vnite to hang vpon him only as vpon the true heed fountayn of al suche thynges as they shuld euer desyre leauyng the order of al worldly thinges as I saide to suche as by office haue cure of the same for as moch as that perteyneth to worldly policie wherof he wolde haue his disciples to haue in a maner cōtempt to be in the world as out of the worlde rather to refuse al suche besy policie careful study of transitorie thinges thā therby to be let from the office of pure christianitie which chiefly doth rest stonde in this with despisynge of all such thinges with feruent hart and affection euer to desyre thinges euerlastyng and eternall To this rūneth the course of al Christis doctrine which by his mouth he taught by his disciples to vs in writing hath left in so moche that of his doctrine to gether that amōg his disciples he shuld stable any suche superiorite so therby to deriue it to the bishoppe of Rome is manifestly to turne al thing vp so down to the cleane cōtrary the which thinge Christ him selfe in dyuers places of his gospel particularly doth teache expresse For where as his disciples not yet perfyte nor lyghted with his spirite but hauynge a lyttel of the spirite of the worlde stroue amonge theym selfe for superyoritie of place he made aunswere instructinge them this Princis of the worlde and other whyche haue not as yet the heuenly guste stryue for suche thynges as they whiche haue theyr hartes fyxed therin But you whom I wolde haue to conceyue other desires shal not do so for as moche as all suche contention cometh of playne arrogancye frome the whiche I wolde haue you vtterly to abhorre and stablynge in your hartes by humilitie the contempte of all suche thynges contende alway to the desyre of the heuenly and celestiall to the whiche if you wyll attayne euen as this chylde here stondynge amonge you liueth in simplycite vtterly without care of worldly vanitie so must you leauynge asyde all contention for all worldly thinge and all superioritie beare hartes pure without affection euer lokynge vp to the heuenly conuersation therin settynge all your comfort and ioye after this sentence Christe answered to his disciples stryuynge amonge them selfes for superioritie moued by ambition wherin he manifestly declareth that if he had purposed to stably she amonge them any order of superioritie or degree he wolde then moued therof haue made some mention commandynge the reste to gyue obedience to suche heed and order but in all the course of his doctrine you shall neuer fynde any mention or memory of suche institution and polycie For this is a sure thynge of you all to be taken as moste true that the chief poynt of Christis doctryne stondethe in this to perswade all those whiche wolde be his true disciples this to conceiue as a chiefe grounde with obedience to al worldly policie not beinge contrary to y e glory of god to vse these worldly thīges as passingers pylgrims nothyng restinge thervpō to be in the worlde as out of the worlde and to vse this lyfe as a meane to lyfe wherof this is but a shadowe puttynge no affiance nor truste therin but holly to hange vpon hym who is the onely foūtayne of all goodnesse and truthe and with the desyre