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
not in their owne blyndenes and wyll not lyft vp their eies this for to see For al suche whiche with christen hartes be desyrous of the cōmon quyetnes and of the restitution of this vnitie wherin with charitie all Christis membres oughte to be knytte therby inioyinge theyr sure and certayne felicitie this canne not denye And sorowfulle I am that the thing of it selfe is so open to euery mannes eye in soo moche that many men of greatte wisedome and prudence greatly do feare that to this breache of this spirituall vnitie growynge in by lacke of knowledge charitie shall succede the ruyne of good order and of the iuste cōmon policye to the coniecture wherof by this maner perauenture whiche I shall brefely touche they maye be moued For as moche as all good polycye is euer grounded vppon concorde and vnite vpon the whiche as vpon the sure and onely durable foundation all politike order is edified al ciuile constitutions be ordeyned and stablyshed Therfore where as that ground fayleth hauyng therin any bracke all the reste by reason and necessitie must fall to ruyne and miserye For as al storyes the very glasse and true image of the lyfe of man playnly testifie there was neuer comon weale whiche longe dyd endure whiche layde not of this grounde a sure foundation And to the conseruation hereof euer put not moste diligent cure But what shulde we seke confyrmation of this by story seinge our mayster Christe of his owne mouthe this hath pronounced that no comminaltie where as reygneth this dissolution of vnitie in harte may long endure without ruine and destruction wherof we haue sene in our owne dayes sorowful example and lamentable experience here of our neyghbours in the countrey of Germany where as for lacke of prudente respecte to the conseruation of this vnitie manyfestly hath succeded ruine of the common polycie and wonderfull confusion in so moche that amonge them selfes within the space of .vi. monethes there was slayne aboue an hundrede thousand mē This to all the worlde is open no man can it denye and nowe they be so deuyded by sectes and heresies that scant the shadowe of true religion remayneth in that confusion And all this hath succeded by the iudgement of men of wytte and polycie bycause there was not in tyme respecte to the bracke of this spiritual vnitie whose errour I doubte not shall be to our example by them we shal be instructe in tyme to prouyde for the breache of this vnitie For the thynge is not yet soo depely roted here amonge vs but that by the fauoure and helpe of hym who is the verye hedde of all vnitie by the hye wysedome and prouydence of our prynce who as the chyefe offycer and mynyster here vnder Christe nothynge more studieth thenne the conseruation therof ye and by the goodnes of your owne nature mooste christen people who I am sure to the restitution of this grounde wyll be mooste pliable and with all diligence endeuour your selfe therto This breche is not yet so great I saye but that by all these meanes shortly and surely stopped it maye be by the whiche we all as it were in one course knitte togyther as membres of one body may runne to gether with this vnitie wherby we shall surely at the last attayne to that ende and felicitie the whiche the hye prouydence of god of his mere goodnes hath to vs ordeyned and appoynted And to the entent we may somewhat the better attayne to the same puttynge awaye this oure blyndenesse reygnynge amongest vs bothe by false and vayne superstytion and also by arrogant and lyghte opinyon with all the pestylent and dyuellysshe effectes annexed to the same I shall nowe consequently of this our blyndnes gether certayne causes wherby our iugementes are thus corrupted by such fals groundes as we haue conceyued that so at the laste auoydynge the same with cōmon quietnes we may the better both restore and conserue among vs this heuenly vnitie And here moste christen people this you shall vnderstande that lyke as of all blyndnes reygnynge in vs I haue not before spoken so now in this parte of all causes therof I wylle not make mention for suche kynde of philosophye is not accordyng to your capacitie For nothing there is here in this worlde whiche is broughte forthe and made of onely one cause but lyke as the thinges be of nature dyuers and varyable so of many and dyuers causes they take their creation many causes runne to gether in certayne course and order to the bringynge forthe of all thinge here in this worlde subiecte to all corruption and so the dyuers effectes bothe in mans body and also in mynde sprynge oute of dyuers occasions as to our purpose nowe at this tyme this blyndnes which I haue declared to reigne in our myndes cometh not of one occasion but of many and dyuers of the whiche certayne after my iugement moste conuenient before you to be opened I wyll nowe touche as brefely as I can gyuynge you some occasyon therby peraduenture to the inuētion of other and auoyding of the same And fyrste one greatte cause of this blyndenes reignynge amonge vs I note to be vnwyse maysters foolysshe teachers of relygion vndiscrete preachers of the gospell of god whiche by their madnes and frantyke folye ye and by their lacke of iugement and discretion haue broughte you oute of all good facion they haue ben a great occasion of this cōmon blyndnes whiche shulde bringe you to the truthe and shew you the lyght they haue ledde you into miserable darknes and almost put out your sight It is they that of manye yeres haue grafted in your hartes and stabled superstition it is they which of longe season by their fonne doctrine or rather fonne foly haue moch corrupt your iugementes For the people in euery cōmon weale be rude and ignorant hauyng of them selfe smalle lyght of iudgement but euer in simplicitie as shepe folowe the herde so folowe they their masters euer treadynge in their steppes whether so euer they go indifferētly For the which cause the auncient wyse men and olde philosophers were wont euer to saye that loke of what sorte what nature so euer they be which are maisters teachers rulers and heedes in any citie or polycie of the same sorte and nature of necessitie must be all the rest of the comminaltie For their lyfes doctrine and dedes be to the people chefe example and rules their doctrine is their bokis their lyfes he their common glasses wherin they with diligence euer be tootynge and lokyng and to their example as moch as they may they euer forme and facion them selfes in all thinges and in all kynd of lyfe but specially in forme and facion of religion for therof of all other thing the people of them self haue leest iudgement and be of the same moste ignorant as a thinge whiche mooste hyghly passeth the common capacitie of man For the whiche cause al
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
and in Antyoche as nere to Ierusalem toke fyrst greater ground than it dyd in the citie of Rome whose pryde worldely polycye many a daye moche resysted to the truthe of the gospel and that heuenly humilitie therin to vs taught the which nothing was agreable to the imperial pryde in the emperours then reygnynge Wherfore christen men there secretly in corners made their assembly and priuy profession of Christes name auoydyng the persecution of the wycked emperours whose arrogancy was clene contrary to Christis simplicite And thus at Rome it cōtinued without great encrease of Christis doctrine longe many yeres where as at Alexandria and Antioche was at the begynnyng moche more open profession of Christis name and doctryne the whiche may well be gathered of the multitude of lerned men and religyouse wherof at the begynnynge of Christis churche was in Alexandria and Egypte in Antioche and in the parties of Grece as story maketh mention far greatter nombre than there was at Rome or here in the weste parties of the worlde where as Christis relygyon toke more slowe encrese than it dyd in the easte where it beganne For at Rome vntyll the tyme of Constātyne it neuer toke so notable encrease his vertue goodnes and authoritie moche altered the policy of Rome for his fame and example greattely styrred y ◠hartis of the cōmon peple whose iugementes euer moche folowe theyrs whiche be in authoritie by theyr example moche they fourme their myndes theyr trade of lyfe they studye to expresse so that vntil this good emperours time thoughe before at Rome it had a good grounde yet it was not so stablished by authorite of prince it did not so florishe in the face of the worlde but christen men liued there in moche subiection and specially at the begynnynge when for their relygion they suffred moche miserie persecution But nowe to the purpose al this space of thre or foure hūdreth yeres nother the byshop of Ierusalē nor of Antioche no nor yet Alexādria neuer shewed argument of any superioritie of power dewe to the byshoppe of Rome by the doctrine of Christe they neuer gaue to hym of necessitie and of the gospell dewe any poynt of obedyēce they were not institute nor made by his authoritie they neuer cam to his iugemēt for sentence as to the vicar of Christ but often tymes by collation they toke one of another the trewth of scripture and therof the trewe interpretation therby they founde oute to that euer gyuynge dewe obedience but of that hyghe superiorite all that tyme was no mention no worde nor by story and lytel sygnyfication whiche is also mooste manifeste by the celebration of the fyrste counselles generalle whiche were congregate by the princelye authoritie without mention of any suche superiorytye gyuen to the byshoppe of Rome the whiche thynge to proue is more open thanne nowe nedeth any declaration Wherfore hit can not be thoughte to be of suthe necessytie specyally seynge all that tyme at the begynnynge of Christis churche whenne the doctryne of oure mayster was mooste pure and not corrupte by mannes inuentyon but as hit came from the fountayne syncere and clere was entred and stabled in the hartes of them which therof made professyon there is noo storye made oone tytle of mention of anye suche superyoritye to the bysshoppe of Rome to be gyuen no nor yet to none other speciallye that it shoulde be of suche hygh necessitie that without it Christis doctrine coulde not stande the whiche to all menne that haue eyes and consider the storye of the begynnyng of the churche stode than in greatter puritie than euer hit dydde sens the tyme that we haue had this one hed stablisshed with suche authorytie and power the whiche thynge is so manyfeste and playne that no manne consyderynge the antiquitie and comparynge it with the posteritie maye denye this For this to the worlde is open in so moche that this thynge to be of necessyte to the saluation of man as many men dreme now also to confyrme with moch argumēt and reson appereth vtterly superfluous Howe be it this I wyll saye a great lykelyhode that this shoulde not be necessary is this Fyrste that all the aunciente and good Interpretours of Christis Gospell amonge the grekes whome I iudge to haue more lyghte in the holye scripture as they had in al other letters and lerning than any other nation that euer yet receyued the trewthe of Christis religion the whiche without profe here of me is open by theyr workes to all men that with diligence them wyl rede Al these I say with one consente kepe sylence of this authoritie to be gyuen to the byshoppe of Rome of suche necessitie in theyr workes therof ye shall neuer fynde mention the whiche is not like they wolde haue done if they had iudged it to be soo necessary a thynge and a gospell truth of Christ institute and stabled besyde this if this ground were trewe then shulde al the Indians all these thousand yeres haue runne heedlyng to damnation which neuer toke the byshop of Rome heed of Christis churche and his vicar in erthe nor of hym neuer toke tradition and yet they haue ben ye and yet be nowe in our dayes vnder Preter Iohn̄ their kynge and heed of Christis doctrine deuout true professours and with vs in al the groūdes of scripture vtterly agre in ceremonies and rytes ecclesiasticalle there is moche diuersitie as it is necessary accordyng to the nature of the contrey and people The same thynge myght be sayde of them in Armeny whiche neuer wold be obedient to the byshoppe of Rome but hadde amonge them their heed whom they called their catholyke as he that was a trewe professour and maynteyner of the catholyke faythe The same also myght be sayd of the Greke nation whiche neuer wolde confesse the obedience to the church of Rome to be necessary to the saluation of mā Wherfore chiefely by the byshops of Rome they were most vniustly noted not to be as membres of Christes vniuersall and catholyke body But now al these nations Indians Armenians and Grekes vtterly to condemne and seperate them from the benefit of Christis passion wherin they haue had euer their chiefe comforte and trust only for bycause they wold not nor were not to this heed as to the vycar of Christe obedyente All these I say to condemne and caste theym into the depe pytte of hell semeth playne madnesse and moste blynde arrogancye and I pray god that they whiche so blyndly do iudge be not for their owne iudgement rather to be condempned For this iugement hath no grounde neyther of scripture nor yet of reasone but is a playne blynde superstition For as I haue shewed you before that thynge to attribute to god of necessitie vnder pretense of religion whiche in dede is not so but hangeth only vpon mās cōstitution is moste playn and manifest superstition Wherfore dere frendes seinge that neyther