A godly Confession and Protestation of the christian faith, made and set forth by John Hooper, wherein is declared what a christian man is bound to believe of God, his King, his neighbour, and himself. The heart believeth to justice, confession by the mouth is to salvation. Roma ten To the Most virtuous and mighty Prince, Edward the sixth our most redoubted sovereign Lord, King of England, France, and jerland, defender of the faith, and in earth next and immediately under God, the supreme head of the churches of England and jerland: And also unto the most wise godly, and honourable Lords, of his highness privy Counsel, and unto the rest of the most wise godly and learned assembled of all the honourables, and other appointed to be of his majesties most high and godly Court of Parliament, john Hooper his most humble, loving, and obedient Subject, wisheth all grace and peace from God, with long, godly and most prosperous reign over us in all godly knowledge, honour, health, and perpetual felicity. THe wise man Cicero (most gracious and mighty Prince) saith, Offici. lib. i. that he doth not only wrong, that by violence oppresseth wrongfully an other man, but also he that defendeth not (if it lie in his power) the wrongs offered & is in no less faulty then though he had forsaken parents, friends, or country. The same doctrine practised he in the defence and propulsing the injuries and wrongs at tempted wrongfully against Milo by the friends of Clodius as it appeareth by his eloquent and facundious oration made for that purpose in the senate of Rome. The same kind of injuries, other godly men in the scriptures of God, have always according to the law eschewed: for it is written, if a man see his neighbours Ass fall under her but then, or his Ox to go astray, his neighbour is bound to help them both. Exodi. xxiii. The Ass from burden, and the Ox from his straying. The same practised Abraham: Gen. xiiii. when he perceived his nephew Loth oppressed with the wars of the Infidels, propulsed, and revenged the injuries, and set his nephew at large and liberty: Even so be there two sorts of people, that two sundry ways do injuries and wrongs unto the soul and conscience of men. The one of them, by force or subtlety defraudeth them from the truth and perfection of God's word, as heretical and superstitious ministers: The other, at such time as they should with prayer, diligence, and preaching, defend the people of GOD from such injuries and wrongs: are negligent or dumb. The which kind of injury, doubtless the Lord God almighty will at length grievously revenge. Therefore, against this kind of injury, he spoke unto the Prophet Ezechyel: Ezechi. iii. xxxiii. It I purpose to send a Plague upon the people, and thou give them not warning thereof, I will require their blood at thy hand. The same said he unto Saint Peter: Feed my lambs, Iho. xxi, Marck. xvi. fedemy sheep. And unto all the Apostles, he said: make ye all gentiles my disciples. And saint Paul fearing to fall in the danger of the second kind of doing wrouge, in saving the wrongs of false religion from the church of Christ, i Corin. ix. laid: woe be unto me, if I preach not. Upon the consideration of these premises, seeing all thing be written for our doctrine, Roma. xv have thought it good, to write and set forth this Confession, and protestation of my faith: submitting myself, and my faith also most humbly to be judged by your Majesty, your most honourable Counsel, with the godly assemblaunce of your majesties most high Court of Parliament, according to the word of god. That by this means, I may avoid the pain, and danger dew unto all them that neglect, or omit the injuries and wrongs that may happen & chance by sinister report, and false slander of God's word, to the conscience of any of your majesties subjects. For I am credibly informed that many false, and erroneous opinions is entered into their heads of me (god forgive them that hath been the occasion thereof) If any way these injuries and dangerous slanders, may be holp, I think this to be the way, to offer most humbly myself and my faith to be known, and judged by your majesty, after the word of god. I protest before god, and your majesty, I writ not this confession for any apology or defence, to contend, or strive with any man, in any matter, nor for any private affection, or displeasure I bear unto any man living, or for any inordinate or percial love unto myself: but for the cause, & to the same end, before rehearsed. Likewise for three other great causes, that shall follow. The one toucheth God, the other your majesty, the third your loving subjects. As concerning God, seeing both his majesty, mine own conscience, & my audytory know, that I have neither in doctrine, neither in manners, Matthew. x. taught no other thing than I received of the patriarchs, Mark. viii. Prophets, ●uke. xii. & the Apostles, it were not only sin, but also the very part of a miscreant, to deny or betray the innocency of that doctrine, or to be ashamed to stand to the defence thereof, seeing all godly men have esteemed more the true word of God, than their own mortal lives. The second cause, that toucheth your majesty, and your most honourable Counsel, is because upon credit, and good opinion, and partly by experience, that your majesty had both of my true faith and godly zeal: appointed me (among other of your preachers) though most unworthy, to teach your subjects their duty to God and man. What true subject can hear and understand such untrue bruits of those that a Kings majesty shall appoint to preach, and would not be glad, both for God's sake and his kings, to remove such ungodly bruits, if he can, for the peace and quietness of their subjects. As for the cause the toucheth the people, it is no less worthy than eternal damnation. In case he be worthy of judgement, Matthew. v. & in danger of hell fire that is angry with his brother, & calleth him fool: how much more, if he call his brother heretic▪ & a denier of God? If the first ●e worthy hell fire, much more the last▪ Therefore lest my brother should die, Galathi. vi. and then receive condign reward, jacob. v. dew for a slanderer: what it lieth in me, I do by this Protestation of my faith, call him to repentance. And in case any man stand in doubt of mine opinion and meaning in religion: Let him not damn me before time, but use the means with me that the ten josi. xxii. Tribes of Israel used with the Tribe of Reuben, Gad, & half the tribe of Manasses, that buy it at their return to their possessions, an altar upon the borders of jordane the which fact was like to have engendered great wars. But it was stayed by the means of consultation, and communication had with those that builded it: and their minds known, the dissension was ended and appeased. Even so I would desire my christ countrymen to use me (for I have built no altars of idolatry) if they be in doubt of me in any thing, & not to kill by hearsay, neither before they have heard me speak. Thus I pray God, both they and I may search always to live in his fear, to obey our King, and to be profitable, and true members of this Realm of England. So be it. The twenty day of December, in the year of our Lord God. a. M. D. & fifty. To the Reader. Assoon as I perused this confession, and protestation of my faith after the print, I perceived words, and syllables evil placed. And in that letter G. the sixth face, and sixth line, both against my copy and the state and argumante of my matter, there is printed Saint Paul confesseth, for s. Paul confuteth, an affirmative for a negative, as thou mayst understand by the place, how the word printed, seemeth to affirm, that the place denieth. But such faults escapeth some times, contrary aswell to the Printers as the authors mind. Thus the Lord be with the & pardon all our faults, for the death of Christ. At London the. xxvi Decem. An. M. D. l. The Confession and protestation of john hoopers faith. I Believe according to the holy Scripture to be things without time, and before time. Also to be things with time, and made in time. The thing without and before time, is God only, and solely, iii. in diversity of people, and one in essence and equality of the godhead. Math. iii. and. xxviii Zacary. iii The father, the son, and tholygost. Not. iii. Gods, but one God, Things with time, Gene. i. and in time, be all things, that ever was, now is, or ever shall be created in heaven or in earth, untly the day of the last general judgement, when as both body & soul, shall begin together (for the soul ever liveth) immortality and joys without time, of such as be ordained by God to eternal salvation, and of such as be appointed and have deserved it, to eternal damnation, to begin eternal pains, and so to endure without time. I believe the spirits both good and bad, and likewise the souls of men, and women, created by God, to be immortal, and from their creation to live for ever, and never to die. I believe all things created by God as concerning their creation, to be perfect and good: without hatred, displeasure, grudge, contumacy, rebellion, disobedience or pride against their maker. I believe that things created by God, part of them by grace, and gods favour, hath & ever shall persever and continued in the perfection, and excellency of their creation, Colossians. i as the spirits, or angels, that never fell, nor hereafter shalfal, through the means of Christ. I believe that part of these creatures which God made in their perfection, now to be subject, part of them to immortal pains, part to mortal pains, part unto both: as the devil, and man, that fell into this ruin, and perdition of them selves, although divers ways: To say the devil by pride, and arrogancy, whiles he would be like unto God. Psalm. v. Man by ignorance, Ihon. vii● and by craft of the devil deceived, and not by any imperfection of god's party in their creation, not by any force, compulsion or violence of god's part, that compelled them to evil. For I believe God to be the author of life, and salvation, and the will of the devil, and of man, to be the occasion of both their loss. I believe all the people of the world, to be either the people of GOD, either the people of the devil. The people of God, be those that with heart and mind know, worship, honour, praise, and laud GOD, after the Doctrine, of the Prophets and apostles. The people of the devil be those, that think, they worship, honour, reverence fear, laud, or praise God, any other ways, besides, or contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles. I believe, that this people of God, which be the very true church of God, to have a certain doctrine, that never was, is, or hereafter shallbe violated by time, or any man's authority. This doctrine only and solely, is comprehended in the sacred, and holy Bible. And I believe, this doctrine of the Patryarckes, & Prophets to be sufficient, and absolutely perfect, to instruct me, and all t'holy church, of our duties toward God, & toward our neighbours. Of God it teacheth, that he is but one, almighty, maker of all things, merciful, just, & all things that good is. And seeing we know nothing of God, nor can judge nothing of God, as touching our salvation, but after his word we must judge of him, as we be taught therein, as well of his divine nature, as of the division of the persons, in the divine essence, so that we be compelled by th'authority of god's word, to confess the plurality of people, the Father, the Son, and the holy ghost, in the unity of one divine godhead and essence. I believe as touching the father of heaven, as much as holy scripture teacheth us to believe, & is set forth by parts in the iii Credes, the Crede commonly called the Apostles Crede, where as we say: I believe in God the Father almighty maker of heaven and of earth, and so forth, with all such things as the creed of Niece believeth, & after the faith & Crede of Athanasius, in this behalf I believe, the second person in Trinity, to be one God with the Father in godhead, and divers in person. I believe him to be the very substance, image, and figure of God, without beginning or ending, with all other properties and conditions, that the holly scripture of God, or the decree, or doctrine of any of the three former creades affirm: I believe that the mercy of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, pitied, & had compassion upon Adam the lost man, and was provoked to ordain the son of god, second person in Trinity to debase and humble himself unto the nature of man, and also to become man to redeem and save the lost man. For even as he was by external malice and craft of the devil, brought to confusion, to sin, and so to death both of body and soul, nothing having in himself, as touching his first creation, that provoked, stirred, enticed or alured him to evil: Even so after his fall was there nothing in him, or ever after could be in his posterity, that might or may allewer, or provoke him or any of his posterity, to the means or help of his or their salvation. But even as he was lost by malice, and deceit of the devil: so is he and so shall all his posterity be saved by the mercy, and merits of christ. The Devil and Adam's will, wrought sin and death: gods mercy, and Christ his merits, wrought grace, and life. The will of Eve and Adam straying, and wandering abroad upon the fruit, an object, and matter forbidden of God, that they should not eat of, brought them into death: jesus Christ the seed of the womble applying both body and soul, to the obedience of God, deserved life. As it is in the scriptures, and in the second part of the common creed. I believe in jesus Christ, his only son our Lord, which was conceived by the holy ghost, borne of the virgin mary, suffered under Ponc●us pilate, he was crucified dead, and buried, he descended into hell, and the third day he arose again from death unto life: and ascended into heaven, and there sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. And from thence he shall come to judge both the quick & the dead I believe that by this means, and no other, Iho. vi. xii. the sins of all believers, Rom. xv. to be forgiven without the merits and deservings of adam's posterity. Ephe. i. two. By Adam sin came into the world, Heb. two. ix. x. and by sin death: Col. i. two. Even so without all merits, respects, and worthiness of Adam, either of any of his posterity, by jesus christ came remission of sin and life everlasting. And even as I believe stedfastli, sin & death, by this means to be overcome and destroyed, and ever lasting life to follow it: so believe I the son of God to be perfect God & man, according to the scriptures, and do condemn the heresies of Arian and Mar●ian, with their complices & adherentes, that wickedly believed the contrary. And as I confess and believe the measies of our salvation to be only Christ: so I condemn the Pelagian: and all such other, as believed and taught, that they could by their own powers, strength and will, work their own salvation: which false opinion conculcateth, frustrateth, slandereth, condemneth, and blasphemeth all the deservings of Christ. Therefore the Pelagian is called worthily the enemy of grace. Farther I believe that the grace of God, deserved by the passion of Christ, doth not only freely, and without all merits of man, begin, teach, and provoke man to believe the promises of God, and so to begin to work the will of God: but also all the works, merits, deservings, doings, and obedience of man, towards God, although they be done by the spirit of god, in the grace of god, yet being thus done, be of no validitee, worthiness nor merit before God, Luke. xvi Roma. xiiii. except God by mercy and grace, account them worthy for the worthiness and merits of jesus Christ, that died under Poncius Pilatus. So that I believe grace, not only to be the beginner of all good works, Esay. lxiiii. but that all good works done by man in the greatest perfection, Psal. cxliii. have need, and wanteth grace to pardon their imperfection. I believe in the holy ghost equal god with the father, and the son, and proceeding from them both: by whose virtue, strength, and operation, the catholic church is preserved from all 〈◊〉, Math. iii. and xviii and false doctrines, Act. two. and teacheth the cōmuniō●f saints in all truth and verity: i Corin. xii. the which holy spirit, Ephe. two. iii. shall never forsake the holy church which is Christ his mystical body. Ihon. xiiii. Gala. iii. joel. two. I believe that this holy spirit, worketh the remission of sin, the resurrection of the flesh, and everlasting life, according to the holy scripture. This is my faith, 〈…〉. and doctrine, concirning the Godhead and diversity of persons in the holy Trinity, and also of the two natures in christ, his godhead, and manhood. Abhorring, and detesting the heresies of Samosa●enes. Arian, Nestor, Eutiches, who were condemned by godly counsels Niece, Constantinople, Ephesin, Calchedom, & other, I detest and abhor the Martian & Man●che, that feigneth to be two gods, and both eternal: one good, & the other evil, always at debate among them selves. I detest, & abor the monstruous doctrine of the Valentines, & so generally of all those that have denied to be any god, or would have many gods. Also all those I detest that have erred, and in aintaine their error in any thing concerning the essence of god, ordained the plurality of persons, as of the father the son and the holy ghost, This is the faith of god's spirit, in my conscience, which I have learned in his word, & have fayethfullye, and r●lygyouslye preathed, and taught the same in all my sermons, as I will be judged by onne audytory. Also the same doctrine. I have furthred & set forth in all mi boks 〈◊〉 writings, though sum Calunniators and slanderers, wulde gladly make poor the people believe the contrary. But I do decline and appeal from such uncharitable sprites, unto the charitable reader and loving heart of all them, that be endued with gods holy spirit for they will not constrain, nor force letter, syllable, word, or sentence, contrary to the mind of the speaker, & writer, but will judge, and search for judgement, in the processes and circumstances of the writer, & content themselves with the writer's mind, rather than to bring their affection and corrupt minds, to make their own imaginations and fantasies an other man's doctrine, as the Arrian, Pelagiane, Anabaptist, Papist, and other do, and have done, bringing corrupt minds to the lesson and reading of Christ's testament, and would that their false heresies, and untrue imaginations, should be Christ his doctrine. Seeing both god's laws, and man's laws suffereth, and giveth liberty to every man in a cause of religion, to be interpretater of his own words, it were contrary to justice, to put any man from it. For if the auctor, may not be the interpreter of his own mind, what would not malice, envy, spite, and disdain gather of works most truly, and faith fully mente and written. And seeing charity and the laws of this realm as it appeareth in an act of parliament made in the first year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Edward the sixth, giveth liberty, and licence to him that shallbe accused for a matter of Religion, upon malice, evil will, hatred disdain, or be made and suborned records, to repel and convict all such false records, and their accusers by other faithful and indifferent Records. The which act of parliament God forbid should be denied to any of the kings Majesties preachers: for if the testimony of their audientes, shall not quit them from the spite & calumniation of malicious, & uncharitable men, they shall not long preach the truth. For either the papists will accuse them, because they wish them pope & all monuments of papistry to be taken out of the way: Ether the carnal gospellar, that cannot abide to hear his faults, & carnal life rebuked. And I think if the kings majesty, & his most honourable counsel prepare not the sooner a bridle & correction for sin, the true preacher of God hereafter shall be more persicuted for reprehending of sin and ungodly life, than ever yet hither unto he hath been persecuted by the papists. Thus I have declared my faith, and belief towards God, according to the Scriptures, in the which I trust to contiune until death end this miserable, and w●fihed life. Now I will declare also the same towards the church of Christ, what I bele●e of the magistrates the ministers of the wo●de, and the people I dwell with al. And of these things I will speak according to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles. For many times as well heretofore, as in our days, have been superstitious Hypocrites, and fantastical spirits, that have neglected, and condemned the office of magistrates, judgements, laws punishments of evil, lawful dominion, rule, lawful wars, and such like: without which a common wealth may not endure. They have condemned also the ministry, and ministers of Christ's church: and as for christian society and charitable love, they confound. They use the ministry of the church so, that it is out of all estimation, supposing themselves to be of such perfection, that they need neither the ministry of the word, neither the use of Christ his holy Sacraments, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. And the other they use with such devilish disorder, that they would by a law, make theirs their neighbours and their neighbours theirs, confounding all propriety and dominion of goods. Before our time the fury, & damnable heresy of Marcian and the Ma●lchees against the magistrates, troubled many a year dangerousely both Asia, and Africa. And not yet. cccc. years sith a gone, a sort of people called Flagelliferi did the same. And now in our time to the great trouble and unquietness of many common wealths, in Europe, the anabaptists hath resuscitated, and revived the same errors. Which is an argument and token of the devils great indignation against civil policy and order. for he knoweth where such errors and false doctrines of political ordres be planted: two great evils necessarily must needs follow, the one is sedition, that bringeth murders, bloodshedding and dissipations of realms: the other is blasphemy against Christ's precious blood, for those sects think they be able to save themselves, of & by them selves. Farther whereas the magistrates be cumbered with those dangerous sort of people, the devil knoweth theyshal have no leaser at will to take some order by god's word, to oppress such false doctrine. But this we be taught out of the scripture, that even as man is ordained to the order, change, and alteration of time, as th'order of the year appointeth, now to be subject unto summer, now unto winter, now to the spring, and now to the fall: so hath God ordained, & commanded man to be obedient to policies, & orders were soever he be, so they be not repngnaunt nor contrary to the word of God: As joseph in his heart, bore abroad wheresoever he went, the true knowledge & invocation of God, also of Christ to come, yet outwardly in courts, judgements, contracts, and inpossessyon of gods he used the law of the Egyptians: even so did Daniel in Babylon. Dan. iii. There is no more to be taken heed of, in laws, and civil policies but to see the law repugn not the law of god: and that the law makers and those to whom the execution of the law is commended unto, have a special, and singular ●se unto the effect and the meaning of the law, wherefore it was made a law: the which S. Paul wonderfully exhorteth people to understand, Roma. xiii saying of the law, Exod. ●xxii. and magistrates: let them be a fear and terror to the evil doers, and a praise, and commendation to the welldoers. Neither forceth it, though the form and manner of laws, of judgements, of pains and punishments, be not like in all places, as the laws of Feuderies ●ee not like in Italy, England, France, Spain nor Germany. Yet should every nation be subject unto the laws of his own realm, and civil policy: and in his doing. he shall offend God no more, than the English men, that have longer days in the summer, shorter days in winter: then those that dwell near to the south. Or s. Paul that had longer days at the Solsti●ium and pitch of the sun in Macedon▪ then Christ had at jerusalem. But even as we be content with our measure and length of day & night and others be contented with theirs: so must both they and we submit ourselves and be contented with the measure and order of our own laws. I do therefore be wail and lament, that the preachers in the church, and schoolmasters in their schools, the householder in his household, do know no better what the dignity and honour of a civil policy is: by whom it is ordained, and by whom it is preserved, how dangerous & damnable a thing it is before god and man, to trouble and disquiet it, by any furor and madness of opinion, as the Martion, Manichees, & anabaptists do. I see & know by experience, much trouble & danger to rise among the unlearned & ungodly people, by ignorancy: for when they see such deformities, & confusions, rise & chance, as we see manitimes, to hap in kingdoms Cortes, indicials, laws, governonres, that more fancy private profit, and syngularitye, than the profit of the hole common wealth, and indifferency of all men, and all causes indifferentelye: they suppose verily, (for lack of knowledge in god's word) that all orders, pollycyes, kingdoms, and dominions, be no other thing, than cruel Tyranny and oppression of the poor. And also to have their beginning, and original either of the devil or of pride, Romay. xiii. and covetousness of men. This same evil upon the same occasion of ignorancy, caused natural wise men, much to be troubled and vexed about the considerations of kingdoms, policies, Rules, and dominions, because they perceived all kingdoms to be subject unto troubles and alterations and not only that, but they perceived right well, no kingdom too be perpetual, nor for ever. And in deed, who so beholdeth the beginning, the continuance and end of the Empire of Rome, shall see right well, they▪ imaginations to be no vain things. How much of her own blood, and of strangers blood did Rome shed, before, she came to the regiment and rule of all the world? When she was aspired thereunto, and was a fear to all the world, how much blood of her own shed she, by civil wars and contentions, the jests and writings that men cioneth of Silla, Marius, Cinna, Cezar, Pompeius, Brutus, Anthonins August, & other declareth. Thus when the Lord God would take from Rome, for her sins, the dominion of the world, he sent the Goths, Vandals, H●ns, Arabies. and Turks: that wasted not only Italy but also Egypt, Aphrica, and Asia, and so brought the Empire of Rome to nought. As many times as I read & mark this history and ●●her like it causeth me to ●doke upon many evil english men as Scipio looked upon the great city of Car●hage whiles it was a burning, saying with a lamentable voice: the inconstancy of fortune in human things is to be lamented. Which voice sprang upon this occasion that Carthage being a city of great ●eno●me, & dominion, was now become a prey unto the fire, and devolted as wisdom always doth, the consideration of present evils, unto other yet flourishing in haut, & prosperous felycyty: and declared as a man seeing before, the ruin and fall of things that stood, destinated the fall of Rome to come, that should perish by like plague Even so when I behold the eull pestiferous affected minds of english men, and perpend and wa● the fruits of such corrupt minds, contempt, hatred grudge & malice against their King magistrates laws, orders & policies, d●●tles I can 〈◊〉 other think, but these men as much as is in them, conspire & work the destruction of this realm: For it canno● other wise be, but as contempt of godly laws, & sedition among the people▪ and subjects of what 〈…〉 they be, have wrought the destitution of other realms: so must it: and can no otherwise do, unto this realm. The chiefest remedy against sedition. 〈◊〉 what realm or kingdom 〈◊〉 avoid these eulls, 〈◊〉 provide the word of God to be truly and diligently preached, & taught unto the subjects and members thereof. The lack of 〈◊〉 is the chief cause of sedition and 〈◊〉, Prove. xxvi. as Solomon saith. Where 〈◊〉 ●●phecye wanteth, the people are dyscy●pated. wherefore 〈◊〉 not a little wonder at the opinion and doctrine of su●ly as say a Sermon 〈◊〉 in a week, in a month, or in a quarter of a year is sufficient for the people. Truly it is injuriously 〈…〉 against that glory of god, & salvation of the people. But seeing they will not be in the whole, as good unto god as before they have been unto the devil, neither so glad to remove false doctrine from the people, and to continued them in the true▪ where as they did before occupi the most part of the for●●o●e, the most part of the after none, yea, and a great part of the night, to keep the estimation & continuance of dangerous, & vain superstitious, were it much now to occupy one hour in the morning, and another hour towards night, to occupy the people with true and earnest prayer unto GOD in Christ his blood, and in preaching the true doctrine of Christ that they might know and continue in the ●ewe religion, and faithful confidence of Christ jesu. Exercise; and diligence bringeth▪ credit unto religion, whether it be true or false. For it never taketh place, nor cool in the people without diligence, as it is to be perceived by the acts, and jests, done in the● me of Iero●oam, and Roboam, the king of Israel, and juda. What brought the Mass and all other Idolatry into estimation, but daily preaching and saying thereof, with such laud and praise as every old wife knew what a mass was worth. fifteen Masses in a church daily were not to many for the priests of Baal, and should one sermon every day be to much for a godly Bishop and evangelical preacher? I wonder how it may be to much opened, and declared unto the people. If any man say, labour is left, and men's business lieth undone by that means. surely it is ungodly spoken, for those that here the people in hand of such a thing knoweth right well that there was neither labours, cares, needs, necessity nor any things else, that heretofore could keep them from hearing of Mass, though it had been said at four a, clock in the morning. Therefore, as far as Ice, people were content to lose more labour, and spent more time then to go to the devil, them now to come to God: but my faith is that both Master & servant shall find vantage, & gain thereby at the years end, though they hear morning Sermon and morning prayers every day of the weak. For by this means they should learn, not only to know God, but also their magistrates, & to put difference between the office, & the person that is in office: & between the office, and the troubles, necessarily annexed unto the office, which bringeth not only knowledge of office & officer but also honour, & reverence unto them both, as. S. Paul that lived the policy, laws, order, and wisdom of the Romans, yet disliked very much the vice & naughtiness of Niro, unto whom he submitted and willingly brought into servitude both his body and his gods, and rebelled not though Nero was a naughty Emperor, for his office sake, which was the 〈…〉 of God. i Reg. xvi●. So did Elias love the state, honour, and dignity of the kings of Israel: yet detested, and fell foul out with the fauts of Hachab. The same doctrine teacheth saint Peter unto all servants, commanding them to obey their master, though they be evil, having a respect to the place they be in, which is thorder of god & not unto the vice, & abuse of the person in gods order Truly be the ruler of himself never so evil, yet the laws, judgements, punishments and statutes, made for the punishment of evil, Deut. xvii. and the defence of the good, be the very work of god, for the magistrates be the keepers of discipline and peace. Therefore as the motion of the heavens the fertility of the earth be the works of god, & preserved by him: even so be the governors and rulers of the earth, Ps. l. c. xliiii as David saith: he giveth health to Princes as it was showed in himself, Solomon, josophat, & others. The regiment & policy of king David was troublous, and full of miseries, thereygne of king Solomon his son, peaceable and quiet, the re●ygne of josua. victorious, and prosperous. The raygn of the judges that followed so troublous & unquiet, as a more rent and torn common wealth, I have not red of: yet was the order of God all one, aswell in the one as in tother, and required as much love, assistance, and obedience of the people, to their king and magistrates in their trouble as in their quietness & peace. So doth Daniel the prophet most godly & wisely teach by his image that he saw made of four ●undry metals, but he concludeth whether the regiment, and regentwer gold, silver, copper or Iron, the people always obeyed. The same teacheth also the doctrine and example of john baptist, christ, saint Stephen, and saint james, john's brother. For although the regiment were neither so godly, nor so quiet in Herodes times, and Pontius Pilatus as it was in salomon's time: yet gave they always like reverence, honour, and obedience unto them, for their order's sake, as though they had been the verteousest princes of the world as their doctrine tribute and blood recordeth. For they gave unto Cesar the things dew unto Cesar, as their boys, a●d their goods, but their souls they owed to none, but unto God. And when diversity of religion, & doctrine should be discussed and determined by their laws, they declined from their judgement. and appealed unto the word of god, to have all controversies ended thereby. When that took place, they gave thanks to god: when it did not, they were content patiently to bear whatsoever gods hand would permit the magistrates to say upon them. Were these exampels known and kept before men's eyes people would not for a fault or two that should happen in the regiment, iritate and provoke the regentes, and Princes with contumacy, and rebellion as it is seen commonly at this day, but rather follow the example of the jews that when they herd of the facts, and doings of Ptolemy Lathure, that killed twenty thousand of their country men and caused those that he took captive, to ear the flesh of their own dead fathers, and brothers, yet rebelled they not, but knew it was for their sin, and therefore exhorted one that other to penance & amendment of life: the same self doctrine, teacheth our saviour Christ in his holy evangelist Luke. Luk. xiii Thus I thought good, to put in my Crede for the declaration of my faith, towards civil magistrates, orders, & laws, & to open the difference between th'order the person, & such troubles as be annexed unto thorder: lest any man should, for trouble & confusion's sake, damn order, & regiment itself: or else, by the means there of, to detract & forsake, to take pains in suh vocation as the epicures did, where as in deed, rule, & regiment, themselves be the great benefits of god. And there fore row in the later time, more to be pre●hed & taught to the people for divers considerations: them ever heretofore. Specially because contempt of honesti, & laws, labours, & godly exercises, rain more than ever they did. For at the beginning men so obeyed reason & were ruled thereby, that they brought themselves into order & policy. And for the maintenance thereof, sought out crafts and & arts necessary for the preservation of policy and order, and so were glad rather to be ruled by ●eson than by force and violence. This time being expired & reason corrupt, aspiring farther than reason by nature would, partly for too much love of herself, partly to tame & kepein subjection such as disordered all good order, & rule: descended from the regiment of reason, unto the force of war, & martial laws, The same seeming good unto almighty god to tame, & reclaim man by force, that would not be ruled by reason But now are we fallen into the last time & end of the world, wherifor reason ruleth lust, & for just battle, ruleth immoderate concupiscence: for scarce is there one of a. C. that love to seek for wisdom & knowledge of reason, & of arts, that other men found out & left unto us. And as for the pains & travails of war, let ●uery maniudge, & consider himself, whether our weak nature can suffer as much as David, Archilles, Cyrus, Alexander, Hanybal, Marcellus, Scipio, C, Cesar, & other did: than shall we perceive, that nature now in man consumed, effeminated, & worn out, is a thing most unable to do, that fore age hath done. Therefore have these later days more need of much tcaching, in civil causes, than the old age before us, which better, and more modestly, governed themselves, by only reason, than now we do by god's word, and reason. And this is not known only by the holy scriptures, but also by profane writers, that declare with the age of the world to increase iniquity. And our experience may be a commentary in this behalf to gods laws, & man's laws: for where as saint Paul declareth the civil Magistrates, not only to be ordained, but also preserved by god, & that all men should accept, & account him to be the true Magistrate, that God had appointed, and not such a one as the people & subjects appoint their selves. And even as wise Cicero perceived at the beginning of the mortal dissension and debate between Pompeius, and julius Cesar, gave counsel according to the will of God, (declared unto him, by the suffrages, and voices of the Romans) that Cesar should have been chief Ruler of the people: now for lack, and contempt of knowledge, both faint Paul, and Cicero be neglected. For either the people will have no magistrate at all, or else suc● a one, as it pleaseth themselves, and not him that God hath appointed. If this adventure take no place, they will change (if they can) the state of the common wealth, that whereas one reigneth, a Monarch or king, they would change it into the regiment of many. And whereas many reign (as men never contented with the state that God hath appointed) turn the regiment of many into the governance of few. Whose nature Orace well declareth. Lib. Epist. ☞ Optat Ephippia bot. p●ger Optat, arare Caballus, Against whose preposterous judgement and fickil minds, Romay. xiii. saint Paul vehemently writeth. The powers saith he that be, are ordained of God, and not the powers that subjects shall choose & make at their pleasures. For no man of what degree, state, or authority soever he be being a private man, (as all men be in a monarchy whereas one ruleth, in respect of the king that ruleth) should meddle with the state of a realm. For it is god that ordained it, Daniel. two. and he that dissolveth it. Psal. cxxvi. Cxliii. Neither should this fond opinion take any place in a christian man's head, prover. xviii. Parap. two. Isaiah. i. that any offices appointed by god, Psalm. viii should cause the officers to be evil before god. For the lord giveth them titles and names of great honour and love, as gods, and such as serve and please him, Psal. lxxxii. also the nurses of the church as the examples of Adam, Esa. xlix. Henoch, Noah, with other, Genesis. ix. who were in those days veri godly rulers, to maintain virtue and punish vice. This saw not only the patriarchs, and godly men of the scripture, but also natural wise men, that saw and reverenced order and policy as Plato writeth, De legivus. saying. As the Ox is not ruled by the Ox, nor the goat by the goat, but by a more pure nature, to say, by man so the nature of man: is more infirm then can rule itself, Therefore god appointed, not only men to rule, but also such men as excelled in wit and wisdom, two. Pa●ap. xx adjoined with the special & singular grace of God, & so saith Plato de legibus: ubi non deus sed mortalis aliquis dominatur, ib● 〈◊〉 dorum vel erumnarum nullum esse effugium: whereas any mortal man beareth dominion, and not god, there can be none escape of calamities, & miseries. Of the same opinion is Homer the poet, who saith that the gods appointeth their shields to defend princes, as Pallas defended Achi●les. That doth josophat the king in the plate afore rehearsed, wonderfully declare. And whosoever will consider the execution & dew pains to wards evil doers, shall rightwell perceive that god himself is in the magistrate, For Christ sayeth: he that striketh with the sword, shall perish with the sword, And of the oppressoures it is spoken: woe be unto the that spoyleste, Math. xxvi. for thou shalt be spoilt So that we see god to defend civil justice upon the earth, Esay. xxxiii Abraham, job. xi. jeremy, Eccle. viii. & saint Paul, Gene. i. declareth that the civil policy is the ordinance of God, jerem. xxix. i Timo. two. by such prayer as they commanded the people to pray for it: and this prayer for the magistrates declareth what diversity is between a magistrate christened, & a Heathen. Wherein Cicero differeth from Esay, & king David from julius Cesar. Cicero gave counsel, after reason & experience to rule the common wealth, but many times it took not good effect for lack of the wisdom of God, Esay, & the rest of the prophets gave counsel not of them selves but from god & what prince soever obeyed their council he prospered always & had good success. The same may you see in the fashions, and manner of their wars. Alexander thought himself strong enough by natural strength, to conquer his enemies. King david added to his s●yage stones, i Sam. xvi● the prayer and help of god's name. Therefore if heath in magistrates should be obeyed, much more Christian magistrates. And in case the kings majesty of England may find no less obedience ●n his subjects then Scip●o Alexander, and other found amongs theirs, England shallbe to strong, with gods help, for all the world. But English men I speak it with sorrow, and grief of heart, have learned of Cleon, a man that Aristophanes writeth of, that had one footein the senate, and the other in the field: so have Englishmen one hand at the plough, and the other against the magistrates. The ministers of the church, persons & vicars, one hand upon the porteous, and the other to strike at the kings crown. They do follow the Ape that Harmogenes fable speaketh of, that would have had other Apes to have builded houses, towns, & cities to have defended themselves from the dominion of their Lord, and ruler man: e'en. two. 〈◊〉, ix and thought it not meet to live in the state that God had appointed them: even so subjects, now a days, (God amend it) would make themselves defences, cities, castles, towns, tents, pavilions, to defend them against their king, lord and magistrate, and will not be content to live in the state that god appointed them unto. But it shall hap unto them, as it did unto the Apes: their counsel and conspiracy shall never take place. Let us therefore remember s. Paul that saith: the powers that be, Romay. xiii. be of God, and not such as we would make and let us be contented with them, and obey them for conscience sake: for such as disobey and rebel against superior powers, rebel against god, & so god punisheth it with eternal damnation. This is enough to keep every good man and true subject, in obedience, to their higher powers. If the reader of the scripture of god note the first & the second chap. of Gen. he should perceive rule & policy or ever man witted what sin menre: for the Lord gave the superiority & dominion to Adam over all beasts. Of whom now we may right well learn obedience if we were not worse than beasts. Now a word or two of the magistrates duty: Aristotle calleth the Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A keeper of the law. Let him use it therefore indifferently without respect of persons, ●eni. xxiiii. in punishing such as trouble by inordinate means, 〈◊〉. xii. xviii the common wealth: Psalm. two. and also such as blaspheme the living God, ●roue●. xxv as godly kings & Rulars have done, david, josias, Nabucodonozor, Constantine, and other. For although a Eyvyl Law, and punishment can not change the Heresies of the mind, neither the desire that men have to do evil: yet when they break forth against the honour of GOD, and trouble the common wealth, they should be punished. For the maiestrat is, as one that hath the two testaments tied at his neck, and should defend them, as his own life: 〈◊〉. xiii. and therefore saint Paul calleth him not only the revenger of evil, but the maintainer of good, and Esay the Prophet saith the same. Now I will declare my faith concerning the external, xvii. & visible church of Christ, & of the ministers thereof. I call this visible church a visible congregation of men and women that hear the gospel of Christ and use his sacraments, as he hath instituted them. In the which congregation the spirit of God worketh the salvation of all believers, as saint Paul sayeth: Rom. i. The gospel is the power of God, to the saluaryon of the believer. As though he had said: the gospel of Christ, where it is heard and believed, the mind is changed by the virtue of the holy ghost, from the love of sin, unto the love of virtue. The will is wrought to consent, and the consent so assisted by the holy ghost, that saith obtaineth the remission of fy●ne, and the beginning of everlasting life. And these two marks, the true preaching of gods word & right use of the sacraments declare what, & where the true church is▪ Unto the which church, I would all Christian men should assosiate themselves, although there may happen to be some things desired in manners and discipline. For no church as touching this part, can be absolutely perfect. But where as the doctrine is sound, and no Idolatry defended, that church is of God, as far as mortal man can judge. And where as this doctrine and right use of Sacraments be not, there is no church of Christ, though it seem never so holy. For in the blessed virgin's time, the pharisees, and bishops, were accounted to be the true church: yet by reason their doctrine was corrupt, the true Church rested not in them, but in Simeon, Luke. i. two. zacharye, Elisabeth, the shepherds & other. The same doth saint Paul teach us, Io. x. that whatsoever he be that preacheth other doctrine than the word of God is not to be credited, Io. iii. though i Cor. i. he were an Angel of heaven. Roma. x Neither Ephe. two. iiii. will 〈◊〉 as know God, Esa. viii. lix hearken unto them: but will hear Christ, the Prophets and Apostles, and no other. The other mark is the right use of sacraments, whereof were two in number with the fathers, in the ministry of the church, and so many yet be with us in the ministery of the church, and have annexed unto them the promise of eternal salvation, and also of eternal damnation if they be contemned, and may be lawfully had. In the law of Moses was Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb: & in their places we have Baptism and the Supper of the Lord divers in external elements, and Ceremonies, but one ineffect mystery, and thing itself, saving that their Sacraments showed the graces of God to be given unto men, in Christ to come: and ours declare the grace's of God to be given in Christ that is already come: so that the Sacraments be not changed, but rather the Elements of the Sacraments. And every of these Sacraments have their peculiar & proper promises, unto the which they hang annexed, as a seal unto the writing. And therefore be called after saint Paul, the confirmations or seals of god's promises. Roma. iiii They have peculiar Elements, by the which they signify the heavenly mysteries, that sacramentally they contain & be the thing in deed They are called Sacraments. That is to say: visible signs of invisible grace. They have their proper ceremonies, that testify unto us the obsignation, and confirmation of God's heavenly gifts. The have also their proper commandment, because we should not change, add, nor take, from them anything at our pleasures. Thus in general I think of all gods Sacraments in the ministry of the church. And of Baptism because it is a mark of our Christian church, Roma. iiii. this I judge after the doctrine of Saint Paul, that it is a seal and confirmation of justice, xviii. either of our acception into the grace of God for christ, for his innocency and justice by faith is ours, and our sins and injustice, by his obedience are his, whereof baptism is the sign, seal and confirmation. For although freely by the grace of god our sins be forgiven: yet the same is declared by the Gospel, received by faith and sealed by the sacraments, which be the seals of gods promises, as it is to be seen by the faith of the faithful Abraham. Mat. xxviii. Baptism hath his promises as is afore said his element, Mat. xvi. the water: Act. viii. his proper commandment, & his proper ceremonies, washing in the water. As for other men's opinio●s that say circumcision was the seal, not only of Abraham's acceptation freely into the grace of God by faith, but also of his obedience and proper justice: I believe it not to be true, for. S. Paul confuteth it, in the same place as an error, saying Abraham had nothing whereof he might glory before god. If he had nothing, god confirmed that he gave him, & not that he found in him, for S. Paul saith, that Circumcision was the seal of the justice that can by faith, & not by works. They be out of the way, that have the like opinion of baptism, for S. Paul disputeth not in that place, whether works please god, Rom. iiii. ix. but showeth that our salvation cometh by grace, and not by works. There be other that think Sacraments to be the confirmations, not only of our free acceptation into god's favour by faith, but also of our obedience towards God hereafter. And because Infants and young babes, cannot profess obedience, nor put of the old man, nor put on the new, they would exempt and defraud the young children of baptism. Saint Paul confesseth also this opinion in the same place. Gen. xvii. Abraham saith he, believed God, and it was accounted unto him for justice, and saith not Abraham professed obedience. Therefore God confirmed his own infallible truth and promises to Abraham by circumcision, and not Abraham's obedience. For if he had, he had confirmed the week and uncertain infirmity of man, and not his own infallible truth. For Abraham with all his obedience was infirm and unperfect without Christ, Yet was bound to work in a godly life. As for those that say Circumcision and Baptism be like, and yet attribute the remission of original sin to baptism, which was never given unto Circumcision, they only destroy not the similitude and equality that should be between them: but also take from Christ remission of sin, and translate it into the water, and element of baptism. As for the supper of the Lord, which is the other Sacrament, whereby the church of Christ is known, I believe it is a remembrance of Christ's death, a seal & confirmation of his precious body given unto death, wherewith we are redeemed. It is a visible word, that preacheth peace between God and man, exhorteth to mutual love, and godly life, teacheth to contemn the world, for the hope of the life to come, when as christ shall appear, and come down in to the clouds, which now is in heaven as concerning his humanity, and no where else, nor never shallbe till the time of the general resurrection. I be leave that this holy sacrament hath his proper promises, Math. xxvi. proper elements, Mark. xiiii. proper commandment, Luke. xxii. and proper Ceremonies. i. Corinth. xi As concerning the ministers of the church, I believe that the church is bound to no sort of people, or any ordinary succession of bishops, xx. Cardinals or such like, but unto the only word of god, & none of them should be believed but when they speak the word of god. Although there be diversity of gifts & knowledge among men, Ephes●. iiii. some know more, and some know less. And if he that knoweth lest teach Christ, Gala i after the holy scriptures he is to be accepted, & he that knoweth most, & teacheth Christ contrary or and their ways, than the holy scriptures teach, is to be refused. I am sorry therefore with all my heart to see the church of Christ degenerated into a civil policy: for even as kings of the world naturally by descent from their parents must follow in civil regiment, rule, and law, as by right they ought: even so must such as succeed in the place of Bishops and priests that die, possess all gifts, and learning of the holy ghost, to rule the church of Christ as his godly predecessor had: so that t'holy ghost must be captive & bondman to bishops seas, & palaces. And because the holy ghost was in saint Peter at Rome, and in many other godly men that have occupied bishoprics and dioses, therefore the same gifts they say must needs follow in their successors, although in deed they be no more like of zeal nor diligence, than Peter and judas, Balaham and jeremy, Anna & Caiphas to john and james. But thus I conclude of the ministers, of what degree or dignity soever they be, they be no better than records & testimonies, ministers and servants of god's word and gods sacraments. Unto the which they should neither add, demynish, nor change any thing. And for their true service and diligence in this part, they should not be only reverenced of the people, Ma. xxviii. but also honoured by the magistrates, i Cor. iiii. as the servants of god. ●er. i. And I believe, Eze. two. that as many souls as perish by their negligence or contempt of god's word, xxxiii. shallbe required at their hands. Of the people thus I believe: that they own their duty and obebience to god: to them king, and magistrates: unto their neighbours: and unto themselves. Unto god they own both body and soul, to laud and praise him according to gods book. To call upon him in the days of their trouble, ●. Cor. vi. x. and upon none else, to conform both their doctrine & their lives, to promote and set forth the glory of God. Their duty to the kings majesty is their obedience to him, Rom. xiii. his laws, i Timo. two and the Realm for conscience sake, i. Peter. two. and rather to lose both body an goods, them to offend his highness or his laws, & whensoever any subject be called to serve with body or goods, at home or from home, willingly they must obei without question or farther inquision to search whether the kings cause be right or wrong: for whether it be, or be not, it maketh the death of him that serveth in this respect, neither better nor worse. two. pa●. xxxv. For I believe such as obeyed king josias and were slain in the battle against the Egyptians were acceptable unto god in Christ, Matthew. v. though king josias Luke. vi. had not the best quarrel. Iho. xv In this case Roma. xiii. the subject oweth his body, Gala. v. and goods unto this lawful magistrate, Ihon. two. iii. and may Exod. xiii. deny him of none of them both. Deu. vi. Unto Ephe. vi. their neighbours they own good will Collossi. i. and charity, help, & preservation of their bodies, souls, goods, and fame, that none of all those perish, if they may preserve them. Thetowe unto them selves, the s●udy & labour to read, and hear the scripture of God, until such time as they have laid a true foundation of faith in christ. When that is done, they be bound to themselves, to build upon that foundation, all chartable works, as well to god as to man, with innocency of life. After that they owe to themselves, Psal. C. nineteen. study & diligence to make defences for their true religion against the devil, i Corin. iii. the flesh, the world, sin: the wisdom of man and superstitious hypocrites, which cease not to pervert, & destroi in man the image & work of God. Away away I pray you with this opinion, & thinketh a man to owe no more unto himself for relygyin, then to learn by rote the Crede ten commandments, and Pater noster. S. Paul rebuketh that opinion, as it is to be seen in his Epistle. We own unto ourselves, Psal. Cxi● dew labours in praying unto God daily for the necessities of both body & soul, Ge●es. & likewise to give him thanks for all the goodness he hath given unto us. Also we own unto ourselves, the exchuing & avoiding of Idleness, & ociviti, and the labours of our own hands, with the industry & gift of reason, learning & wit, to eat our own bread with the sweat and pain our own bodies, according to the commandment of god. Thus I conclude my faith, the which being examined by the word of god, is catholic & godly, who send us of his grace to fear him, honour the king, and to love one the other, as Christ loveth us al. So be it. The twenty of Decembre Anno. M. D. and fifty Lord bliss thy Church and save our King. Imprinted at London by John day dwelling over Aldersgate beneath saint martyn's, and are to be sold at his shop by the little conduit in Cheap side. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum Per septennium.