A CHRISTIAN CONFESSION of the late most noble and mighty Prince, Friderich of that name the third, Count Palatine by the Rhein, one of the electors of the holy Empire, and Duke in Bauire: wherein constantly and meekly he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the year of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament.  
Whereunto is added the Landgrave his answer to the French King.  1. Petri. 3. 
Be always ready to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.  Roman. 10. 
If a man believe Christ jesus with his heart, he shallbe righteous: If a man confess him with his mouth, he shallbe saved.  Matth. 10. 
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I acknowledge before my Father which is in heaven: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in heaven.  
Imprinted at London by Christopher Barkar. ANNO. 1577.   

john Casimire by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein, Duke in Bauire etc. and appointed Lieutenant General of the said Palatinate besides the Rhein, sendeth greeting.  
ALthough the high and mighty prince, & our entirely beloved Lord and father, Friderich late Paltzgrave by the Rhein, and Elector of the holy empire, of worthy memory, in the whole time of his government, and especially in the year of our lord god 1566 at the time of the diet holden at Augusta, where he was present about the confession of his christian faith: and also in the catechism and book of the reformation and orders of the churches in his dominions heretofore published, hath sufficiently declared & witnessed to the whole world, that neither he himself held or maintained, nor in his lands and dominions had suffered to be set forth and published, any other kind of religion then that which was in all parts agreeable unto the doctrine of the holy prophetical and apostolical scriptures, & besides conformable with the confession of Augusta and apology thereof, as the same was allowed of by the Princes & Estates assembled at Nawmburg: yet sith the time of the departure of our said lord and father out of this vale of misery, we have partly ourselves with our own ears heard, and partly understood from other places to our great grief, that it hath been given out by some (although untruly) that our said father before his death should have been removed from his former confession, as though aforetimes he had proceeded to far in such matters. And albeit we for our own part, sith the time that by the grace of God we were called out of Popery, have always taken and found his said Confession to be no otherwise, than Christian, & grounded in the infallible word of God, and especially at the time of the said diet of Augusta, where we attended upon our said father, and by his commandment exhibited the books of the holy Bible and Confession of Augusta before the electors and other Princes of the Empire then present, and the Commissioners & Ambassadors of those which were absent. Out of which in our said father's behalf we desired, that an other and better confession might be showed and taught unto him: where seeing none of them brought any thing at all against our said father's confession, we were at that time the more confirmed therein: And since according to the same have not only with heart and mouth professed, but also being accompanied with divers noble men, & other virtuous & honest persons fearing God, have at two several times sufficiently in the face of the whole world witnessed our zeal therein. And yet in like sort (as we have been informed) it hath been imputed unto us, that if we were not wholly departed & removed from our father's said Confession yet at the jest we were become somewhat less earnest than before.  
For which cause seeing our said Lord and father in the absence of the noble & mighty Prince, Ludouick Palzgrave by the Rhein, now elector of the holy Empire, our well-beloved Lord and brother, about the space of one month before his departure called and sent for us in this place unto him, where we remained with him still until his end, in which time we understood from himself that not only the above mentioned Confession heretofore published was with his own hands made, but also that he had caused the same to be written and inserted in his last will and testament. And further are witnesses that we have both heard & seen, that until his last breath he with good remembrance and great constancy continued in the profession of the same, and so blessedly departed in our Lord Christ jesus. And where as afterwards our said well-beloved brother coming hither, and with common consent opening the said will and testament, which in the mean time remained not only untouched by any person, but also kept under the hands and seals of good and sufficient witnesses, and further was in every leaf subscribed with our said fathers own hand: we not only found therein contained his above mentioned Confession, but also that we his children appointed executors of his said last will, upon pain of the avoiding of God's displeasure, anger and curse, and eternal and worldly punishment, by virtue and power of God's immutable precept of obedience due unto him, were commanded and enjoined both to maintain our said father's confession, and also to do our endeavours for the planting and spreading of it further. For which cause with a good conscience (as we trust) and also without any discredit or prejudice to our father's said will, and for divers other weighty and necessary causes, we could not any longer forbear for knowledge of the truth, & answering of such reports as have been untruly bruited and spread abroad to the contrary, openly to give herewith a true testimony of the said matter, causing the said Confession as it was word for word written and inserted in our father's said testament, to be published and printed: To the intent that the dutiful accomplishment and fulfilling of his said last and dear will, which is not only committed to the charge of the elector our said lord & brother (although to him chief) but also to his subjects, counsellors, officers, and especially to the university here, the School, and ministers, & also to the whole posterity, & every man in particular (as is expressly contained in the said testament) might be known unto them and they thereby understand their duty what they have to do: and further every person whatsoever, be thereby assuredly persuaded in his conscience, that our said lord and father, in no other confession nor in any erroneous condemned opinion, but in a most Christian confession and acknowledging of the infallible and invincible truth of our common true and ancient Christian faith, departed most godly out of this vale of misery into everlasting joy and quietness. By which confession as grounded upon the right rock Christ jesus our Lord and Saviour, and his most godly word, the right touchstone, we also through the help and assistance of almighty God, mind to persevere and continued unto our last end: and beseech the almighty that he will not only graciously preserve us and all our fellow members in Christ jesus, from all contrary errors and depravations, which by unquiet and contentious persons and members are moved in matters of religion and brought into the Church, but also maintain & keep in us his known verity, comfort & strengthen us in all troubles and temptations, and of his goodness once in these latter days open the eyes and hearts of all Christian people, that we may have a regard not unto traditions of men or private affections, but only to his most godly word as the truest and infalliblest line & direction of our consciences and faiths, and grant unto us all grace, that brotherly, Christian and due charity may take place and devil among us.   

These sentences & words following were distinctly spoken by the said prince elector, being of good understanding & memory, not long before his death, after he had declared that he persisted constant in his said confession which followeth.  
First the saying of S. Paul, 1. Timoth. 1  
This is a most true and assured saying, and worthy by all means to be embraced, that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chiefest.  
The second saying to them which stood by.  
I have lived long enough for you, I must also once live for myself.  
The third.  
The gracious Lord call me when it shall please him. I have a joyful & free conscience in the Lord jesus, whom I have served with all my heart, and tender thanks unto him that I have lived so long, that in the churches and schools under my dominion and charge, the people have been directed & taught from traditions of men to believe in him alone.  
The fourth. 2. Timoth. 4.  
I have fought a good fight I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: from henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.   

Here followeth the said christian confession.  
❧ In the name of the holy & undivided Trinity of God the Father, the Son, & the holy Ghost  
WE Friderich by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein, one of the electors of the holy Roman Empire, Duke in Bavaria etc. confess and make known to all persons by these our letters. etc.  
¶ First whereas we have been before all things christianly taught and resolved out of god's word, that both everlasting and perpetual, and also the worldly and temporal prosperity, peace, quietness, concord, and good estate of all governments, principalities, countries, & people, & aswell of such persons as are ordained heads & magistrates, as other inferior members & subjects: have their beginning, increase, and enriching, and are most assuredly maintained and preserved by this only means when they shall set before their eyes and seek to advance god & his holy word, and according to the same, direct all their affairs and causes in this life, as by a most true and infallible line: which thing also the very heathen, although they had no true understanding of god, yet by the light of nature engraffed in them saw and confessed after a sort: and from thence at the first these declarations and making of last wills (which men commonly call testaments) took their beginnings: But especially among the old fathers, patriarchs & other religious persons, they seem to have been chiefliest made to this end, for that they would leave after them unto their children, heirs and successors, a certain token and witness, whereby not only their said successors might assuredly understand what religion and faith their forefathers were of, which they had received out of god's word by open testimonies, and wherein they had lived holy and uprightly, and were graciously maintained, defended, and protected by almighty god, and in the end so died: but also that their successors might have more cause to be moved with like bonds and duty to follow the christian footsteps of their predecessors, and to imitate their examples, and according to the same, to rule and maintain the people and countries committed to their charge, (if they did look for and desired to enjoy such everlasting and worldly blessings of almighty God, as had been bestowed upon their fathers: which thing appeareth by the last words used by some of the patriarchs & good King David himself where he speaketh to his son Solomon after this sort:  

1. Reg. 2.  Be of good comfort and show thyself a man: And attend or take heed unto the charge of the Lord thy God, that thou walk before him in his ways, and keep his precepts, commandments, judgements, and testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayst prospero in all that thou dost, and whereunto soever thou turnest thyself, that the Lord may confirm his word that he hath spoken over me and said: If thy children shall take heed to their ways, that they walk before me in truth, and with all their hearts, and with all their souls, there shall not at any time a man be wanting from my body to sit upon the throne of Israel.  
So also in like sort as a christian prince, fearing and loving god, and having in the making of our last wilmore regard in our heart to everlasting and immortal things, then to worldly and temporal matters, which perish and follow & depend of the former, we have thought good for the honour of almighty god, discharge and comfort of our conscience, and for an unfeigned declaration to our loving and dear sons, heirs and successors, & whole posterity, and also of all our true and faithful subjects, and every other whatsoever, to whom it may appertain: in this our fatherly disposition, testament and last will, to make an open & true declaration of our faith, that every one may have certain knowledge thereof, whereto we have been the rather induced for that in these latter days divers & sundry errors and debates in matters of religion have been moved by unquiet and contentious persons, wherewith both we & others in the time of our government have been much troubled, and some sects & factions have been raised in the church by certain persons going about to persuade simple men, as though we were privy and consenting to their erroneous opinions. And to the intent that it do not only appear that the same our confession is only grounded & built upon the true rock Christ jesus our Lord & saviour, & his only word: but also that therewith our dear children may be the more comforted to persist steadfastly in such our christian confession, & for no temptation or troublesome storm whatsoever that might happen to the contrary (whereof god be thanked hitherto by his almighty help & assistance in the time of our government we have both felt and overcome many) turned back or made faint hearted, fearful or negligent in their callings, and setting forth of the said true and christian religion: Even as we for our own person (as heretofore) so notwithstanding mind to continued by the said known and confessed truth, through the grace of the most highest, until our last end.  
And so first and in general we confess with an unfeigned & assured heart, that we steadfastly believe whatsoever is revealed, contained, taught, witnessed, and grounded in the holy prophetical and apostolical scripture and doctrine in the right, true, christian and uncorrupted understanding, and meaning of the same: in such sort as the church in the time of the Apostles did comprehend the principal points of christian doctrine in our christian creed commonly called Symbolum apostolorum, and as afterward in the confession of the counsel of Nice and Athanasius, the former apostolical faith was truly expounded and declared.  
This is the chief foundation, whereupon we and all other true believers in Christ, which either have been before us, presently are, or shall come hereafter, aught to build our faith. And through this we also hope to be saved according to the saying of Athanasius in his Symbolo: whosoever willbe saved, must before all things hold the true christian faith.  
And seeing the confession and declaration of the christian faith which in our time and namely in the year of our lord god 1530. was openly presented at Augusta to the Emperor Charles of that name the fift, with the apology thereto annexed, was gathered out of the said prophetical and apostolical doctrine & above named creeds or confessions, as a summary of them (as the time then suffered) and thereupon grounded themselves as upon the chiefest and unfalliblest foundation, the only, certain, and steadfast line, whereby they aught to be directed: For this cause we also sith the time that we came to the knowledge of God's truth, have received and allowed the same, & with other Electors and Princes being addicted thereto, we also for the maintenance of Christian unity and peace, in the right and true understanding and meaning of the same, and with this declaration, did set our hand & Seal thereto:  
And according to this commanded the preachers and teachers to instruct in our lands and dominions, as we yet also confess and acknowledge the same both of the said confession, and of all other writings that are agreeing and conformable with the godly, prophetical & apostolical scriptures:  
As we especially take the catechism which we heretofore have caused to be printed and published, and also the book of the reformation and orders of our churches, wherein all the questions of christian doctrine are distinctly, orderly and intelligibly contained and also in some part more amply explained.  
But for the more declaration of our mind and meaning, and to the intent our dear children, the whole posterity and every particular person may (as it were in a brief sum or collection) understand what we particularly believe and hold in all and every of the articles of the christian faith, and no man after our death may defame us with any erroneous opinions and sects, as it is the custom and property of many unquiet persons, in these days of the evil world, and for the satisfying of them which understand and interpret the said confession of Augusta and the apology thereof in some points after another sense and meaning, than the letter and true understanding can bear, following the direction of God's word whereto it referreth it self as to the chiefest foundation: we believe, hold and confess from the bottom of our heart, the articles of our old true and known Christian faith in manner as followeth.  
I Believe in God the father almighty maker of heaven and earth: and in jesus Christ his only Son our lord: who was conceived by the holy Ghost, borne of the virgin mary: suffered passion under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried, and descended into hell. He rose again the third day from death: he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty. from thence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the holy Ghost: the holy church universal, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins: the rising again of the bodies: and life everlasting.  
That is:  
We believe and confess, that the eternal father of our lord jesus Christ made heaven and earth and all that therein is of nothing, and also yet conserveth and governeth the same by his eternal wisdom and providence. And that not for our own deserts or worthiness, but of mere grace and mercy and according to his godly providence, for his only begotten and dear son Christ jesus sake: he also is our God and Father, upon whom we have so set and reposed our confidence, that we doubt not but that he will provide for us all things necessary for our bodies and souls hereafter, even as he hath done heretofore. And as hitherto he hath turned to our best and profit, all such evils as the devil and the world have attempted against us, even so hereafter he willbe no less gracious and merciful unto us, seeing he is able to do it as an almighty God, & will also do it as a loving Father.  
secondly we believe and confess, that jesus Christ the son of the almighty God, from the beginning begotten of the Father, is one and the same GOD with the Father and the holy Ghost, and at the time appointed (as it was determined in the eternal wisdom of God) was conceived by the holy Ghost, in the womb of the most pure and always virgin mary: took upon him our flesh, was borne into the world, To this end, that he being our King and high Priest (for which cause he is called Christ) might be our Mediator and brother, receive us to grace, and as a true jesus and Saviour, reconcile us to his heavenly Father. We also believe that for that cause he suffered a most shameful death under Pontius Pilate the judge, to the intent he might redeem and deliver us from everlasting death wherein we otherwise were and must have perpetually remained: and to deliver and loss us from the curse which by the sin and fall of our first fathers Adam and Eve, was rooted in all mankind.  
We believe also and confess that this Lord jesus Christ being made an offering upon the cross is so puissant and strong, that by the power and strength of the same through the working of the holy Ghost, our old man is with him crucified, dead & buried, so as the evil concupiscences of the flesh aught not any more bear rule in us, but rather we should offer up ourselves unto him, as a sweet sacrifice of thanksgiving.  
We believe also, that he was buried and therefore undoubtedly dead, yea also that he descended into hell, to the intent that in our greatest temptations we might assure ourselves that our Lord jesus Christ, by his unspeakable sorrows, pangs and horrors which he also suffered in his soul both upon the cross and before, hath delivered us from the sorrows and pain of hell. So that from henceforth neither hell nor the devil shall hinder or hurt us in our salvation. We believe also with our heart, that the third day he rose again from the dead. And we are certainly persuaded, first that by his resurrection he hath overcome death, to the intent he might make us partakers of the righteousness, which he hath purchased for us by his bitter passion and death. And secondly, that we also now by his power should be resuscitated & quickened to newness of life. And thirdly, that the resurrection of Christ is a most certain assurance unto us, that as he is first risen up again from death, so we also at the last day shallbe raised up again to life everlasting.  
And further, we also believe that Christ our Lord truly and visibly with his manifested manhood which he had taken on him, is ascended up into heaven, & there sitteth on the right hand of his heavenly Father, that is to say, with heavenvly and godly majesty he showeth himself unto all the holy Angels and men, to be a head of his whole Church: and from thence also truly and visibly (as he ascended up) he shall again come down in the clouds in the dominion and majesty of his Father, to judge the living and the dead. And yet notwithstanding we confess and acknowledge, that albeit our Lord JESUS Christ true God and man, according to his human nature is now no more in earth, but in heaven, yet according to his Godhead, majesty, grace and spirit, he never departeth from us. And we little esteem that which is said by some, that both the natures were so united and confounded in Christ, as though his human nature were in all places as the divine is. For seeing the divine nature is incomprehensible, and always to be found in all places, it followeth necessarily, that it is both without the human nature, which was assumed, & also personally united to the same: even as the divine nature never left heaven when Christ was conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin. And all this which our Lord Christ hath suffered and done, we believe and confess that it hath been done for the behoof and benefit of us, & that he thereby hath given himself unto us as our own. And besides the rest, this comforteth us most that we are assured that our flesh is already in heaven, & that our Saviour Christ jesus sendeth down unto us from thence his holy ghost as a pledge. By the inspiration & power of whom, we seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, and not things here upon earth.  
Thirdly, we believe and confess, that the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the son, is a true, only, and eternal God: & secondly, that he is given unto us to make us partakers through a true faith in Christ, of all his good gifts and benefits, and further that he is our comforter, and is with us, and will remain with us until the end.  
As touching the universal Christian Church, we believe that the son of God hath out of all kindreds and generations of men, chosen a congregation unto himself for everlasting life, by the holy Ghost, & his godly word in the unity of true faith: which from the beginning of the world he hath gathered, & yet gathereth together, preserveth & defendeth, & believe also that we are a lively member thereof and so shall remain eternally.  
Of the communion of Saints we believe and confess that we with all and every true believers, as members of our Lord Jesus Christ, have a communion and society in all his treasures and gifts, and therefore we acknowledge that we are debtor of all such gifts, as he hath imparted unto us, to bestow them willingly and joyfully to the profit & help of others our commembers.  
We believe and confess also, that God the Father for the satisfaction and full payment of Christ jesus hath forgiven, and never will call to remembrance our sins or sinful inclinations and affections, wherewith we have to fight all the days of our life, but rather will give and impute unto us the righteousness of Christ jesus. So that we need not to be afraid of the judgement of God.  
Of the resurrection of the flesh we believe and confess, that not only our souls, when they shall be departed out of our bodies by temporal death, are in the same instant taken up and received unto Christ their head, but also that our flesh shallbe in the last day united again with our souls, and made conformable unto the glorious body of Christ jesus.  
Of life everlasting, we believe and confess, that even as now we feel in our hearts the beginning of an everlasting joy, so after this life we shall possess an eternal blessedness, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor any man's heart can conceive. God be always thanked & praised therefore, and thereto help us God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, one true and everlasting God. Amen.  
And for as much as without cause we have been suspected of many, as though we held & believed not in such sort of the holy and blessed Sacraments, as become good Christians, we have thought good immediately after the former Confession of our faith to set down also in writing our plain Confession of those points.  
We therefore believe and confess both with our mouth, heart and pen, that all Sacraments aswell of the old as new Testament, were appointed and ordained by God himself, to this end, that they all should signify and point as with a finger unto the bloody offering of Christ jesus once accomplished upon the cross, as undoubtedly all the patriarchs and faithful fathers in the old Testament herewith only comforted themselves in faith, when they killed their lambs & other beasts, that after the same sort the seed of the woman, the Lord jesus should be slain, and make a full satisfaction and payment for the sins of the whole world. And therefore the holy Sacraments (as many hundred years hitherto in the schools hath been taught to youth and yet is) are only Sacrae rei symbola, & invisibilis gratiae visibilia signa: that is to say, visible signs or seals of a holy thing, namely of the grace of God in Christ jesus, whereby we are assured and made certain of that which otherwise in God's word by God himself and his holy Prophets & Apostles hath been promised unto us. And we believe and hold steadfastly, that the Lord God thought chiefliest upon the weakness and infirmity of man's nature, and (as the only knower and searcher of hearts) understood how hard it was for the nature of man to believe the naked word of God which is preached and declared in the holy Gospel. And therefore he would also represent and set before our eyes such things which we daily use, and are most known unto us, to quicken, stir up, & strengthen our faith, to the intent that thereby we might give the sooner credit to the word preached. As the same may appear by this similitude taken from worldly things, namely when we receive from an Emperor, King, or other great Prince, a letter or writing, although the same be subscribed with the Princes own hand, yet we are not satisfied therewith, if the seal be not annexed also to it. And in case the Seal be put thereto, than it contenteth us, and then we may say, I have from that Emperor, King, etc. a letter & seal, wherein this or that is written and signified unto me.  
But to speak of the use of the Sacraments, we believe and confess that the holy Sacraments of the new Testament, as the holy Baptism and Supper of the Lord, were ordained of Christ himself, to that end that Christians should use them, hold them in great reverence, and not despise them. For that they are not only marks whereby we are known to be Christians, & of the open profession before God & man of the covenant & grace of God, but also especially & principally are true & assured tokens & witnesses of gods grace towards us: For which cause when we shall have young children borne into this world, we should not as some do suffer them to be 8. 9 or 10. years old, till they be of some reasonable discretion, and then first baptize them: But rather much more comfort ourselves with that which our Lord Christ said to his disciples Mark. 10. Let little children come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. If then the kingdom of heaven belong unto young children (as it is undoubtedly true) why should we then doubt that they are not also comprehended and concluded in the covenant which God made with Abraham and the believing fathers heretofore? And for that cause we aught not by any means seclude or forclose them from the holy baptism.  
Of the efficacy and working of the holy Baptism, we believe, that our children, seeing (as is before declared) they be comprehended in the covenant, when they shallbe baptized according to the article of our true, old and universal faith, and also be afterwards brought up in the same, they are also made partakers of the bloody death of our Lord and saviour jesus Christ, and all his benefits which he hath purchased unto us by his said death, in such sort that they not only receive the outward seal of the holy Sacrament, which is the elemental water upon their outward bodies, but like wise inwardly are baptized in their souls by Christ himself with his blood which was shed, and also through the working of the holy Ghost regenerated and borne again to be new creatures. For as the elemental water of the holy Sacrament in baptism is not Christ's blood, nor the holy Ghost itself, so also the holy Ghost or blood of Christ is not in the Sacrament of the elemental water. And although the elemental water according to his property and nature can do no more then outwardly cleanse the body, and reacheth not so far as unto the soul, yet the blood of Christ cleanseth the soul inwardly to everlasting life. And as the minister doth the one, so doth Christ the other, as saint john the Baptist witnesseth in the third chapter of saint Matthewes Gospel: I baptize you with water to repentance or amendment of life, but he that cometh after me is stronger than I am, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry, he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire. And like unto this is the saying of Saint Paul in the tenth Chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, that after the same sort the Israelites were baptized with the clouds and sea, as also they were fed with Manna, and drunk the water which proceeded out of the rock. etc.  
And to speak of the holy & most worthy Supper of our Lord jesus Christ, we believe and confess willingly, with all other Christians, that our Lord jesus Christ first instituted the said Supper, which he himself kept with his disciples. And therefore it aught not to be despised of Christians but rather to be held in great estimation & reverence. For the Lord jesus for this cause ordained this participation and fruition of bread and wine, 
1. Cor. 11.  that thereby we should remember him and declare his death until his coming: and after we have been instructed & assured thereof, both before God and man, acknowledge & praise this his great benefit, that the body of Christ hath been delivered up to death for us, and his blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins: which if we shall apprehend and take unto us with true faith, it willbe a true & spiritual food and drink to eternal life, as the visible bread and wine is food for the nourishing of the corporal body: seeing we are in Christ members of him the head, branches of him the vine tree, incorporated into him by his spirit, and so for his sake and through him shall obtain forgiveness of our sins, justification and life everlasting. We believe also that we at this day have no other Supper or Communion then as our Lord jesus Christ at his last supper ordained and held it with his disciples, and that we aught not to have any other, & much less use any other, unless we would contemptuously offend against the commandment and institution of Christ.  
Now it can not be denied but must be confessed of all (that obstinately & maliciously seek not to contend) that our Lord jesus Christ did not deliver unto his disciples his natural & then present body as it was sitting at the table, & not yet crucified, to be eaten with their corporal mouths, & much less gave or commanded his blood to be drunken, which was yet in his body, and not shed (as at these days some have caused a great division in the Church of God teaching that men must believe, that they must eat and drink in the communion the body and blood of Christ with their corporal mouths, as it was then natural and present at his last supper: and whosoever will not believe and confess this, which without great prejudice of their consciences they can not believe, they are called despisers of the Sacraments and great blasphemers of god) But rather he commanded us to eat his body which was the day following nailed to the cross, and drink his blood which should be shortly shed, even as the very words of Christ himself sufficiently give us to understand. And we doubt not but that his disciples before at Capernaum were sufficiently instructed & persuaded what was the meaning and manner of the eating of his body and drinking of his blood, so that they had not any occasion or cause to make the lest doubt therein: As also Peter himself notably confesseth, 
joh. 6.  saying: Lord whither should we go, thou hast the words of everlasting life, and we have believed and confessed that thou art Christ the son of the living god.  
Out of which confession of Peter which he made not alone for himself, but in the name of all the twelve Apostles, it appeareth that he had understood and received such sufficient instruction out of this sermon at Capernaum, that neither he nor the other eleven had any cause to ask what the lord jesus meant by such his said institution.  
And therefore we believe and confess that in the holy supper of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, where it shallbe kept according to his own institution, to the faithful (for whom this Supper or Communion is only ordained, even as for his disciples at the first) the true offered and crucified body of Christ with all his heavenly treasures and benefits which he hath purchased by his death for his people, shallbe given and delivered by Christ himself unto our hungry souls for food, & his blood which he hath shed for the forgiveness of sins for our drink. And so little did the distance or espace of the time hinder his disciples at that present, namely, that although his body was not yet offered and crucified, nor his blood yet shed, yet his said disciples did eat his very natural and human body which was borne of the immaculate virgin Marie, & should be shortly after delivered up for them, & did drink his true blood which shortly should be shed for them, as though it had been delivered up and shed already: So also the distance of the place hindereth not us and other faithful believers, that is, that we also with the holy apostles according to the lords institution do eat the same body of Christ & drink his blood, although the Lord jesus with that his natural body be now no more upon earth, but sitteth in heaven on the right hand of god his heavenly father, from whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead, as the article of our Christian faith teacheth & declareth unto us. And therefore we have no need of this question, whether with his self same natural body sensible upon earth, (as he was at the last supper with his disciples) he can be present with us in our communions: But it is enough that we understand out of his word, that he with his said body willbe neither visible nor invisible neither comprehensible nor incomprehensible upon earth. And nevertheless he is as the almighty son of God at all times and in all places with his grace, and holy spirit with his, and chiefly in his holy supper where he is both our host and food. And as the minister doth distribute the precious Sacraments, seals, and tokens, that is the blessed bread and cup of the Lord, so doth the Lord therewith impart unto the faithful himself for bread and drink, (not of the worldly body, as the signs of wine and bread are otherwise true meat and drink unto men) but rather a meat and drink unto everlasting life for their hungry and thirsty souls, beaten down and dismayed by the knowledge and consideration of their sins, and of the wrath of God.  
Now therefore if this question be made, how Christ the Lord seeing he is with his body above in heaven, and we here upon earth, can feed us with his said body: we answer with S. Ambrose that albeit we be here with our feet upon earth, yet are we with our head above in heaven. And with S. Paul, 
1. Cor. 12.  We are all baptized by one spirit into one body, and we are all made to drink one spirit. And in this our confession we refer and remit ourselves to the holy and godly Scriptures of the old and new Testaments and confess herewith frankly and freely before the sight of almighty God, whom no man can abuse or deceive, that we undoubtedly think, that if we did believe or hold otherwise of the said holy Sacraments, we then should as much as in us say, overthrow the articles of our old, true and christian faith, and so should not be able to stand before the judgement seat of Christ jesus in the last day. For when as in the articles of our undoubted christian faith we confess that there is but one only everlasting, almighty & incomprehensible godhead in three persons, which both made, governeth & conserveth all things: then must it needs be (not as some have given out) that the human nature of our lord jesus, but the man Christ by his godly nature, is almighty and in all places working and present at once. Also the only begotten son of god through the working of the holy Ghost took upon him and retaineth for ever to the great comfort and assurance of our salvation, a true and unfeigned human nature like unto ours in all properties of nature (sin only excepted.) And so undoubtedly after & before his resurrection, ascension, & glory at the right hand of his father, according to his said human nature is and was visible, comprehensible, and at all times in one place present, according to his good will and pleasure, as he witnesseth of himself in the 24 Chapter of the Gospel after S. Luke: This Lord jesus Christ is our only Saviour, mediator, high Priest, King, and Prophet, Lord and head of his congregation. And therefore the ministers of the church cannot baptize us with the spirit and blood of christ, but only with the outward elemental water, nor feed and drink us with the body and blood of Christ, but with the visible bread and wine. And of his spirit body & blood, Christ himself only maketh us partakers by faith to the forgiveness of our sins and life everlasting.  
If he truly suffered for us, if he in very deed were crucified and dead, then in the time of his passion, his manhood was not in omnipotency & glory like unto his godhead in all places, in heaven and earth, but suffered & died, not without infirmity: If also his dead corpses was truly laid into the grave, them was it not before there nor after his burial was it in all places but there for the time only.  
If it be true that for our benefit he descended into hell, then was he not at that time, as yet set at the right hand of GOD his Father in his heavenly glory and majesty.  
If it be true that out of the grave he rose up from death, than was the soul before not in the body, & so the said body was not before out of the grave, & also afterwards remained not therein.  
If it be true that he ascended up into heaven & sitteth there as perfect man on the right hand of his Father, then according to his humanity he was not already above before, and also after his ascension he remained not invisible below, or in all places present, & incomprehensible: but showeth himself there visibly and comprehensibly in the heavenly habitation before the faces and sight of his holy angels and men. And therefore he cannot be without horrible idolatry said, to be in the bread of the communion, or in any one place else, them at this present sought by our prayers above in heaven, & honoured & invocated as only present and bodily there.  
If it be true that as he ascended up, he shall come down again from heaven in the clouds, then is he not already & before invisible below. And he shall not be in all places visible and invisible, but visible in one place, with his human nature, that is, in the clouds where he shall show himself as a judge of the living and of the dead.  
He sendeth also his holy Spirit into the hearts of his elect to assemble and gather together unto him amongst the generations of men, from the beginning of the world unto the end, an universal church or congregation, which hath the very same and like fellowship with their head Christ, to whom he participateth all his heavenvly benefits: And this fellowship or communion of the saints is not wrought by a visible or invisible entrance of the body of Christ into our bodies, but by the dwelling and working of the spirit of Christ in them and in us. We also which come unto the Supper of the Lord, shall not nor can not have any other participation or habitation of CHRIST in us, than such as all the faithful had, which from the beginning of the world have been saved, or such as they which cannot come unto the communion, now have and shall retain everlastingly. Yea Christ in his holy supper will impart & give unto us the fruition of himself no otherwise than so far & in such sort, that he according to the use of the said supper not only in this life, but in the life to come, will everlastingly devil and remain with us. And seeing it is assured and certain, that he giveth the fruition of himself unto us, it is not to be thought that he will again incontinently depart from us, as to the great dishonour of the Son of God hath been forged by the papists, but will remain in and with us everlastingly.  
If he hath purchased unto us the forgiveness of all our sins, through his bitter passion & death upon the cross, in case we shall receive, take, apply and make the same proper unto us by true faith as the full satisfaction & ranson for our sins, than had he not a nature deified present in every place, but a very true human, visible, & comprehensible body, & also at the time subject to death, which was (sin excepted) in all things like unto ours. for otherwise we could not be saved fromour sins by him. Hebrews. 2.  
If our flesh shall rise again from death, & be made partaking of everlasting life through Christ then must our head Christ jesus have been conversant here in his true human nature, and not alone in his godly, spiritual and invisible nature, present in every place: but retain for ever the likeness and unity of his human nature, which it had and hath with our nature, so that we may for ever be his brethren and members of him, planted and graffed in him, as the branches in the vine tree, and so be and remain always his flesh and his bones.  
And lastly if the communion of CHRIST and of all his gifts and benefits righteousness and life everlasting, was not otherwise purchased unto us, then by his death upon the cross, and otherwise cannot be obtained of us, but through true faith, which the holy ghost worketh in our hearts, than it is certain that neither the use of the holy Sacraments, nor yet any other inward or outward work ex opere operato, that is, by virtue of a work done: can make us partakers of Christ or his benefits. But the holy Sacraments are godly tokens and seals, by which our faith is strengthened: and they do direct and lead us to the only offering of Christ which hath been once made upon the cross for us. And there cannot come unto us any such communion & fellowship with Christ when we only hear outwardly the visible word or promise of the Sacraments, as when inwardly we believe the word of the Gospel, which shallbe heard and preached unto us. And therefore although the visible signs may be abused by the ungodly & wicked to their condemnation, yet the invisible and heavenly gifts and benefits which we apprehended only by our faith, must only be and remain proper to the faithful.  
And in this confession and profession of our Christian and true faith, both now and at all times, we bequeath our soul when it shallbe separated from our mortal body, to the holy and undivided Trinity, God the Father our maker, God the son our redeemer, mediator, and only Saviour, Christ jesus, God the holy Ghost our true comfort: humbly beseeching from the bottom of our heart our only redeemer and saviour Christ jesus, that he would vouchsafe to hold his gracious, merciful and saving hand over us, increase our faith and grant unto us a Christian and good end in perfect sense and memory: and when we shallbe separated from this earthly body & woeful vale of misery, that it would please him to carry and receive us up into everlasting rest, peace, and blessedness, in his father's kingdom, which he hath promised, purchased and prepared for us and all the faithful, by his bitter death and shedding of his most precious blood to remain there in the company of his Saints and all true believers in Christ jesus.  
And as we think to be saved by this our former Christian confession, and to appear with a joyful countenance before the judgement seat of Christ jesus: So we admonish, warn and pray our dear children, heirs and successors in most friendly sort, as a true father, & also graciously require such our subjects as by God's ordinance have been committed unto us, our counsellors, officers, and especially our University, school & ministers, of what dignity, state or degree soever they be & their successors: we also ordain, command, & enjoin unto them & every of them, by virtue of the immutable commandment of the almighty God of Abraham, who said, I know he will give charge unto his children & his house after him, that they may keep the ways of the Lord, and do that which is good and right in his sight, to the intent the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he promised unto him. And therefore we will and command with the greatest earnestness, charge, & zeal that we can, that they not only for their own persons persist constant unto their end by this acknowleged, confessed and blessed truth of the holy Gospel, and former Christian confession, whereby the horrible darkness of Popery in our days through the unspeakable goodness and mercy of almighty God hath been confounded & thrown down: And beside joyfully and frankly confess the same before God and the world, & never abalienate or withdraw themselves from the same, to the intent that with us (as we hearty desire) they may be partakers of everlasting salvation: But chief & principally we desire them, as Christian and godly Princes & magistrates, to whom the defence and propagation of Gods known verity, is by almighty God himself very earnestly imposed and commanded as their chiefest and highest office, that they would with all diligence have a due regard, that the holy and blessed Gospel and the only truth of God (which is infallible and shall not pass away but remain for ever) may be preached and taught unto all their subjects & others appertaining unto them, according to the contents of the Prophetical and Apostolical scriptures, purely and unfalsified: that through the blessing of almighty God the same may be still planted, inherited and professed by their successors and posterity, to the intent they may be partakers of the rich and gracious promise of our Lord and Saviour JESUS Christ, saying, Seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof & the rest shall fall or be given unto you: truly & assuredly confirming & strengthening themselves with the commandment & comfort of almighty God, which he gave to his loving & true servant josua in these words: Be strong and of a most valiant courage, that thou mayest observe & do all things according to the law, which Moses my servant hath commanded thee. Turn not from it neither to the right hand, nor to the left, that thou mayest prospero and proceed wisely in all that thou hast to do. And let the book of the Law never departed from thy mouth, but meditate upon it day & night, that thou mayest do and observe all things according as it is written therein.  
secondly, for as much as both now and always it hath so come to pass, that when God's word and holy Sacraments have been in any place taught & administered purely, clearly and without darkness or falsehood, and almighty God by his blessed word hath gathered unto him a Church, that then immediately and forthwith the enemy of Christian faith, the raging devil, partly soweth his weeds among it, and partly opposeth himself & assaulteth it with his whole forces & might & goeth about by all means he can not only to overthrow & quench it with his outward power, but also by stirring up of divers divisions, contentions, false & erroneous opinions, which also in the time of our government (as is well known unto all men) not without some danger have also happened unto us, & especially in the some unquiet and contentious persons of mere ambition & settled hatred, whereas they could not publish a better book of their own, went about and very earnestly laboured to slander & cavil the catechism and book of the orders and reformation of our Church, which we caused to be published, and to bring the same into suspicion by sundry simple and well meaning people. All which notwithstanding by the help and grace of almighty God, whilst we suffered ourselves not to be carried away from the right line of God's word, nor to be made afraid by any respect of outward power, but truly and constantly follewed our office and calling, in the end wonderfully contrary to all men's expectation, with great and apparent benefit both worldly & eternal, and many other blessings & commodities which happened to our people, which did at length submit themselves obediently unto the manifest truth, we outstoode & overcame them all: and out of God's word have stopped the mouths of such as so opposed and set themselves against our said Christian catechism & book of orders, so as to our great comfort, the eyes of many have been thereby opened, and brought to the right understanding of our true Christian religion and confession of pure doctrine.  
We therefore pray, admonish and warn our dear children, also our counsellors, officers, ministers & subjects, & especially our University and Church at Heydelberg, that seeing the malice, deceit and subtlety of the devil, and so the dangers of true faithful Christians, are like every day more and more to increase and wax greater: They would in consideration of such imminent perils have a more true, diligent and earnest regard thereto, not only to set forward this good work, as they mind to avoid the heavy anger and displeasure of almighty GOD, and his everlasting and worldly punishment upon them, and tender the salvation of themselves and their posterity, but also not suffer themselves to be feared, turned away or seduced from this known and confessed troth, for any contentions already entered into the Church, fear of offending, respects of persons, deceipts and other subtleties of this vain world, but rather open their eyes, awake, take heed, & do their best endeavours, that in such places of our dominions as gods troth hath already been taught and received, may there still and constantly be retained, kept, and increased. And in case the same hitherto through any empechementes of the wicked devil, and other defaults, shall not have been perfectly in all places established, known and rooted in our said subjects, that then in such place or places by the grace and means of almighty God & Christ jesus, they would procure that the same may be brought in, taught & planted, to the everlasting and temporal profit and benefit of our said subjects.  
Especially & for the third point, we will & pray our dear sons, to beware & take heed of all contentious & unquiet ministers in churches & schools, which in these times go about to stir up in matters of faith & religion, sundry evil contentions, and strifes about words, using unprofitable condennations & censures against other Christian Churches & Schools, which nevertheless agreed in the principal foundation and chief articles of the Christian faith, and repose the salvation of their souls upon the only Saviour and redeemer Christ jesus: going about by ambition and perverse zeal, to bring in and erect a pretended jurisdiction of a holy Ghost, and even as in time of blasphemous Popery, seeking both to rule and have dominion over the consciences of magistrates and subjects, and to constitute a new supremacy: whereby not only divisions and bitterness of minds both in temporal and spiritual governements have followed, to the overthrow and ruin of them: But also thereby occasion hath been given to the Pope and his followers, to persecute our true and Christian religion with fire and sword, banishmentes and other pains and punishments: and thereby to establish and confirm his own tyranny the more. As (the more is the pity) many examples partly already heretofore happened even in our days in some electors and Princes houses, & among other strange nations our neighbours, where the holy Gospel a long time hath had a sway, and partly of late time sprung up, might be produced to declare sufficiently, what miserable divisions, calamities and misfortunes have happened thereby, where unto also all Christian magistrates, Churches and schools, aught to behold and look unto as in a glass. And therefore we would have them as much as in them shall lie, to beware of such dangerous & unquiet persons, enemies of peace and quietness, and neither suffer themselves or any other under them to be persuaded or exasperated by their means or divided among themselves: But rather to eschew and avoid them, and also whereas no amendment can be looked for, to suppress them: to the intent that they be not partakers of the detestable and horrible persecutions and shedding of innocent blood, which both in the Empire of Dutchland and other outlandish nations have followed by such unchristian condemnation and censures: Even as we for the most part have in like manner for the above rehearsed and other Christian and weighty causes, agreed, consented and united ourselves with other electors and Princes. And hereby notwithstanding it is not meant to take from true and godly ministers such punishments and censures as appertain unto them for the reforming of blasphemies, and confuting of errors that may happen, according to the word of GOD, with Christian decency, which is to be established & used not to the overthrowing, but for the edifying of the Church of Christ jesus. etc.   

THE ANSWER OF the most famous and excellent Prince William Landgrave of Hessen, sent to the French King, by the Lord of Villequier Ambassador from his Majesty to his excellency.  
THE most famous and noble Prince, William Landgrave of Hessen, having received the message sent him from the French King by the Lord of Villequier his highness Ambassador, rendereth his Majesty most hearty thanks for the good will it pleaseth him to continued towards him: promising that for his part, his Highness shall always find his excellency forward and ready, to answer him with the like: as his Majesty may clearly see and understand by all his former actions tending to no other mark, but to the maintenance of that good amity and intelligence which hath of long time been between the crown of France and the house of Hesse.  
As for the chiefest matter which the said Sir of Villequier had to communicate with the said Prince the Landgrave, in the King his master's name, to wit, that the King had, at the suit and request of the states assembled in his town of Bloys, granted them, that he would from thence forward, suffer no exercise of any other religion in his Realm, save of the Catholic, Apostolic and Romish, his excellency is of opinion and thinketh that in truth there is nothing more greatly to be desired in this world, then that it would please our good God of his infinite bounty and mercy, that the same true Religion, which was once published and taught at Rome by the Apostle Paul, might through his merciful sufferance, be not only planted, take root, and be maintained in the kingdom of France, but also, as purely kept and preserved in all parts of the world, as it was in the beginning taught and planted in Rome, as we find the said Apostle Paul hath left witnessed in his epistle written to the romans.  
But it is a matter very well known both to the King himself and to many other good men, even that are professors of the self same romish religion, that (after the Apostles time, when the authority of the Bishop of Rome become so swollen and puffed up, that it would needs be a top-gallant above Emperors, Kings, and all other monarchs of the world) that Religion which the Apostle had planted at Rome, and wherefore he so highly commended their faith, become through many abuses, men's traditions, errors and Idolatries, altogether defaced & falsified. A matter greatly complained of, by many good men both of high calling & others, not only at this day, but long since, and many years ago, desiring no thing so much as to see the church of Christ well reformed. But it prevailed not as we may apparently see by all histories. Which thing caused our Ancestors and predecessors of most worthy memory, and other good men in other countries, for the quieting of their consciences, and because GOD did so expressly command them to fly from Idolatry, to withdraw themselves from the obedience of the Pope of Rome, & of themselves to make a reformation according to the writings of the holy Apostles and Prophets, because they had no other means whereby to obtain it, and being persuaded as the truth is, that it is better to obey God then man.  
And it is well known that after these long and manifold troubles, wherewith the kingdom of France hath been pitifully wasted & brought to a very low ebb, there could be no better way possibly devised upon, to appease former troubles & to make an end of those grievous calamities which have through so long continuance brought the whole kingdom to great extremity, & almost apparent ruin, then to suffer them which have withdrawn themselves from the obedience of the Pope for the reasons before mentioned, to live with freedom of their consciences under the free exercise of the reformed Religion, according to that confession which they presented to the King his brother that dead is. Accordingly as was in fine accorded, agreed, granted & by oath promised, by his Majesty, and his Counsel, by the Queen his mother, the Princes of his blood, and officers of his crown, and other noblemen and gentlemen of his privy counsel, by a perpetual and irrevocable Edict, promising that he would maintain and keep throughlie and in all points the peace last made & published in all parts of his Realm, In witness whereof, and of his good intent & meaning therein, he also sent the same to the said Princes excellency, & to many other Princes & noblemen of the Empire, by letters & Ambassages using these terms following, That he would keep this edict of pacification inviolably for ever, as the first earnest penny and pledge of his word given to his subjects, which, he said, he had a care to keep truly and faithfully.  
But his excellency seeing his majesty presently so suddenly changed, clean contrary to all that he had promised before, & to suffer himself to be so easily carried away with a few of the states assembled at Bloys, whose bills were not answerable to the charge that was committed unto them, but as men easy to be won suffered themselves to be framed to the fantasy of the adverse party, contrary to all right and reason, as they of the reformed religion do complain and say forth their griefs against them, to revoke that which he had before so advisedly, and upon so good ground and counsel solemnly protested, to wit, that he would suffer the free exercise of the reformed religion for ever, Whereby his majesty hath renewed the former troubles and disorders of his realm, which were hardly & with great difficulty quenched & appeased, could not but be grieved at these news, not only in respect of his majesties honour and reputation, & likewise his state, which entered very deeply into his excellency, considering what occasion was offered hereby to all Prince's christian, to conceive of his actions otherwise then could well sound to his honour & credit, but also for the regard & desire he had to the welfare, safety & preservation of all his subjects in general. For though divers & strange news had been brought to his excellency before, yet notwithstanding he could never be persuaded to credit them, being of opinion, that the rumour had been openly devised upon some grief conceived against his majesty upon some pretended purpose, to defame his majesty amongst the common people.  
For which cause the message which his majesty sent by the said Lord of Villequier grieved his excellency very much, because it agreed wholly with that rumour & report which he had heard before which before that time he could not in any wise persuade himself to be true.  
And although his majesty be not bound to make his excellency an account of his doings and actions, and though his said excellency desire nothing more, then that the Kings dealings may be such as might be justifiable to every private person, for the great good will and affection he beareth to his majesty: yet notwithstanding, his excellency being given to understand by the said lord of Villequier what his will and intent is, his said excellency for the zeal he beareth to the preservation of the King his majesties honour can do no less but lay forth plainly before him what he thinketh, & in singleness of heart show unto his majesty with no less plainness & uprightness than he useth in all his doings what he is persuaded is most convenient not only for his honour & the safety of his person, but generally for his whole state, desiring his majesty to take it in no worse part than he doth mean it.  
And first his excellency can not think, & much less can he be persuaded to believe, that any man whatsoever he be either of honour or of good judgement that desireth the welfare & honour of his majesty, & preservation of his crown, would ever counsel him to break the edict of pacification that was last made, and disannul that which he had so solemnly sworn & protested to keep for ever inviolably & without breach in any point & article whatsoever.  
For first of all in so doing he hazardeth all his honour & reputation, & all hope he might have to grow greater hereafter, in so much as there is no ornament so precious & well beseeming either kings, princes, or other noble men & gentlemen of what degree & quality soever they be, as to keep their faith & promise inviolably. As on the otherside there is nothing the soundeth more to their discredit & dishonour, or that which draweth the good wills & people's hearts from them, or is so preiudicious & hurtful to their greatness, as to speak one thing in word, & to do an other thing in deed. All histories both ecclesiastical and profane, all examples aswell ancient as modern teach us and witness unto us, not only how shameful a fault this is in the sight of men, but also how displeasing it is to God himself, who hath in former time poured out his just judgement upon them that have faulted in the same. To which purpose his excellency cannot but lay before his majesty amongst an infinite number of others, the example of Ladislaus King of Hungary, Boheme and Polony, that dead is, who because he suffered himself to be persuaded by the Pope & Cardinals upon a wicked & foolish colour that he should be easily absolved afterwards, to break his promiss which he had given, not to one that made profession of Christianity, but to Amurates Emperor of the turks & enemy to the christians, did by the occasion not only lose his kingdom but also his life & what else soever he had in the world, & moreover & beside that, his head was, to the great dishonour & shame of all christendom, carried throughout all the towns of Asia. As his excellency hath declared more at large this pitiful history & certain other to the same effect, to the said L. of Villequier, being moved with the desire he hath to prevent the mischief which is like to ensue, for the sincere affection which he beareth to the weal of France, & only of purpose, that they might serve for a looking glass & example of others, not that he desireth in any wise that any such inconvenience should befall to his majesty, which is a thing farthest from his thought, as the said lord of Villequier can inform him and is well able for the sufficiency that is in him to give his majesty a view thereof.  
Who hath moreover to weigh & consider diligently in himself what troubles & inconveniences, yea what bloodshed he is to look for in his kingdom, and what calamities are like to ensue thereof, as also what issue may be hoped for of those kind of dealings: for moreover and beside that it will be a very hard matter for his majesty, to root out, not only those that are next of his blood, but also so many thousand persons which are all his own subjects. And desire nothing more than to employ both their life & goods & whatsoever else they might have in this world for the service of his majesty, it is also greatly to be feared, that the same men perceiving now what his intent and purpose is, & being clean out of hope for ever to come to any reconciliation or to purchase the favour of their Prince and natural Lord: And seeing themselves clean shut out of all hope of quietness hereafter, be not in fine constrained for the preservation of their lives and goods, to resort to the last & extreme remedy, which may be very preiudicious both to his majesty, and also to the whole crown of France.  
And also it will be very hard and a matter of great difficulty for his majesty to kick against the prick, and to pluck out of the hearts of his subjects by force a known and persuaded truth, and to stop the course of the holy Gospel which the Lord will have spread abroad every day more and more, yea, though it were so that his majesty were able (as happily many men desire) to root out all his subjects which make profession of the same reformed religion, what should his majesty do otherwise therein, but to the great hurt and decay of his kingdom, dismember one of his arms, yea the best arm he hath, and so weaken himself more and more, and bereave and spoil himself of his own forces.  
And though some persuade his majesty that to have two divers Religions in his kingdom is the cause of those troubles & dissesions which fall out there, and in case he suffer them both, he shall not be able to keep his subjects under that obedience which they own to their superiors, for proof whereof, they allege the Princes & Electors of Germany, who will not suffer within their territories the exercise of any religion, save of that which they profess themselves yet notwithstanding his excellency doubteth not, but that his majesty knoweth right well, that by the agreement made in the Empire for the matter of religion, there is with in the same, free exercise of them both permitted, and he knoweth that the same order is observed in the kingdom of Polony. In like sort did the Emperor that dead is, of most famous memory, and so doth his son the Emperor that now is, suffer within his territories and in many towns, yea, even in his court at Vienna, free exercise of two religions: by means whereof was maintained in all respects as it is also at this day, very good peace and concord in Germany. And so in like sort the kingdom of France consisting of many & divers provinces, is in no respect to be compared to any one prince or elector of Germany, not only because there is no proportion comparable, but also because the said Princes and electors did never make any such solemn promiss to their subjects, as his Majesty hath done to them whom God hath committed to his government.  
And therefore, his excellency prayeth his Majesty again, that he would not suffer himself to be carried away with this persuasion that the sufferance of the exercise of the reformed religion should be the cause of those troubles & dissensions, which have continued to this day in France, for it is no new thing for the Christians and professors of true religion, to be accused and blamed as authors & causes of rebellion and sedition: for so it fared not only with the holy Prophets and Apostles, but also with jesus Christ him self, although both he and they were wrongfully charged therewith and against all truth. But that it would please his Majesty to believe and assure himself rather that the stay and hindrance which some go about to make against the free course of Christian Religion, is the only cause of all the calamities and miseries that have fallen out heretofore, & may hereafter in the kingdom of France.  
And therefore his excellency prayeth & counseleth his Mayest. as earnestly as he can, that he would have regard of his honour, of his faith & promise, & of his reputation, to keep them safe & unattainted, & also to weigh advisedly how much the matter importeth him, how many and great inconveniences depend thereon, and never suffer himself to be persuaded to have a mind to follow a counsel which can never be put in execution, but it willbe the utter undoing of the same, the shedding of an infinite deal of blood, & is also directly contrary to his faith, promise & word of a Prince which his Majesty hath given to his subjects, but rather that he would maintain and confirm the edict of pacification that was last published, in all the points and articles of the same. And in case his Mayest. were desirous to make some good accord in the matter of Religion, which surely were a Princely act and worthy a Christian, he were best for the accomplishing of the same, to use not the edge of the sword, but according to the example of his predecessors of worthy memory, Constantine the great, Theodocius, and others, the sharp sword of the word of God, by the means of a free and national counsel: for it hath been proper even from the beginning & at all times for the Church, and so shall it continued to the end, that seeing the foundation thereof hath been laid by blood, it shall never be rooted out by shedding of blood, but the more it is watered with blood, the more it shall increase, & stretch more large abroad.  
As for the other part of the charge committed to the said L. of Villequier, wherein his Majesty requesteth his excellency that he would have nothing to do with them of the religion, nor minister them any aid or favour against him in case he should be required to the same, his excellency would that his Majesty should wit and understand, that hitherunto he hath meddled with other mens matters as little as he might, and especially never gave occasion either by way of counsel or otherwise to his subjects to rise against him, and his excellency hopeth that he shall have occasion ever hereafter (so that it may stand with the safeness of his conscience) to continued in this good affection and singular amity which he beareth to his Majesty.  
Whom he prayeth most humbly in this behalf to take in good part all that he hath said before, as proceeding from a heart that beareth a true affection unto him, and respecteth nothing else but his honour and estimation, joined with his prosperous & quiet state, and to show himself herein as becometh a King that hath a care to maintain his honour & reputation with all men, as his excellency trusteth God will give him the grace to do, which shall not only tend to the advancing of God's glory, but also generally to the whole estate and preservation both of his person and all his subjects, and of his whole Realm.  
And this is all that his excellency could answer to that which the said Lord of Villequier had in charge to deliver unto him from his Majesty.  
Given at Cassel the 18. of March. 1577. Signed beneath. William Landgrave of Hessen.