the worlde by the prechynge of his doctrine to turne them out of their wretched trade and misery and to wake them out of their dreame for drowned mankynde was with worldly affection and fynally to put them in remembraunce of the benefytes of god and of their dignitie and that so by his doctrine they at the last inspired and styrred vppe myght attayne to their felicite This was the chief authorite power to thapostels by our master gyuen to the puttyng in vse wherof he institute certayn mistical sacrameÌ„tes wherby man shuld be styrred to receyue grace fauour of almyghty god and so com oft to the memory of the great benefytes of the goodnes of him which he by his grace hathe aboue all other to vs of his flocke specially opened and communed To this tende all the sacramentes of Christe institute to brynge vs I say to the remembrance of suche benefyte as he to all theym whiche by sure saythe hang vpon him hath surely promysed as I shal more playnly herafter declare So that dere frendes in fewe wordes to conclude this high power and greattest that euer to mankinde was gyuen in erth to the apostels of Christ gyuen was this Fyrst of al myserie of â—ynne man to release not as of them selfe but as of the ministers of god so to all other to be deriued who so euer in Christ wold put sure confidence truste as in the fountain of al saluation and then so this doctrine to preche to al mankynd indifferently as to the creatures of god only to his image formed made by the hering wherof they at the last considering their owne dignite myght be brought out of all misery and so thirdly by the coÌ„munynge of the misticall sacramentes therof myght therby inspired with grace the heuenly spirite be styrred to the memorye of his infinite benefyte and goodnes which to vs not deseruyng he hath communed by the reason wherof consequently we deliuered out of this misery wretchidnes might attayne vndoubtedly to suche felycitie and quietnes as he of his mere goodnes hathe to vs by his worde and promise appointed and determyned This is the authoritie power in these fewe wordes described whiche Christe in his gospelle to his apostels hath communed and so coÌ„munid that indifferentely to all without inequalitie he stablyshed it in them ye and in all other whiche with like faith and confidence in him beleue and succede in their place leauynge al worldly vanities aside tredyng them vnder fote hang only vpon him as he that hath aboue al other y e true superioritie and is of all churches the very true heed And that this is a certayne and sure truth of the gospell in many places we haue most manyfest testimony where as Christ instructing his apostelles to the preachynge of his worde sayth vnto them all without exception of any what so euer ye loose in erthe the same in heuen shall be losed and also what so euer you do there bynde the same in heuen shall be bounden also that is to saye who so euer he be to whom you preache my worde of what countreye or nation secte or religion if he by your preachynge tourne to the confession of my name trustynge therby faythfully to haue saluation to him you shal haue power to declare that he is therby delyuered from bondage of all synne and loosed frome it by my vertue and power to him communed and declared openly by you whome I make the ambassadours of my wyll And lyke wise whom so euer you see to denye me in erthe despisynge my doctrine by you preached and refuse the confession of my name all suche by this same power you shall vtterly condempne here in erthe and to the same my wyll in heuen shall be agreable and the same shall confyrme After this maner our maister spake to his disciples gyuynge them power to the prechinge of his worde To the which sentence also in an other place his wordes do agree whiche he spake after his resurrection whan he sent forth his apostels to preache to al the world inspirynge them with his holy spirite after this maner saying Howe at your going forth vpon this heuenly embassage you shall receyue the heuenly spirite by whose grace you shal haue with al this power that whose so euer synnes ye lose the same shall by and by be released to them and whose so euer you bynde and iudge not to be relesed they shal with the bonde remayne as moch to saye as what synne so euer it be or what sorte or condition be the synner of so that he with sorowfull hart confesse the same trustynge by the goodnesse of me onely to be delyuered frome his myserie of synne if you by the spirite whyche I haue nowe gyuen vnto you iudge hym to be released in erthe your iugement shalbe confyrmed in heuen and if by the same spirit which I haue to you gyuen you iuge him contrary to be worthy of condempnation to that my wyll in heuen shall agree and with this power nowe I sende you forthe These wordes declare moste christen people manyfestly that this hygh authoritie by Christe was vndoutedly gyuen to his heuenlye messangers apostels whan he sent them forth to preache his heuenly doctrine by the benefyte wherof man shulde be quyte delyuered frome al kynde of synne and myserie but that this same was to all them gyuen equally this is not to all men so manifest playn this many men denye affirmyng y â— to Peter it was giuen with a prerogatiue of excelleÌ„cy and so therby to the bishop of Rome in whose place he only dothe by their sentence succede they attribute a superioritie This they say only they say but as for sure grounde of scripture their sentence to confirme playnly there is none For as touchynge this whiche is of al other most chief that to Peter Christ spake particularly gyuynge to hym this power that was vndoutedly bicause he beinge of faith more feruent and as it appereth of greatter stomake ye and as it shulde seeme also by many signes of better vtterance and eloquence For the whiche cause he of the olde interpretours of scripture is euer called the mouthe of the apostels he I saye hauyng these giftes spake before the rest and so to him particularly Christe sayd he wolde gyue the keyes of the kyngedome of heuen but he sayde not that vnto hym alone he wolde gyue them For after whan he gaue theym in dede he spake to all indifferentely And ferther yet this same power whiche he said he wold gyue to Peter was not of any other sorte then that whiche he gaue to al other as it appereth by the wordis but euen all one and runnyng to the same effect as to release and bynd sinne with like authorite and therby to make opeÌ„ the gates of heueÌ„ Therfore to affirme suche prerogatiue onely bycause he spake to Peter particularly semeth a
īstructed for y ◠which cause I conceyued this exhortation vnto your people instructing thē to suche obedience as is dewe to your prīcely authorite This was my purpose at y ◠beginnyng ful intent nothing lesse hauinge in mynd as I before recyted then to publishe the thyng abrode to the world but now sithe it hath pleased your grace moste noble prynce by your highe wysedome and most indifferent iudgemēt the thyng to aproue whiche I haue written and by your goodnes it to accepte and alowe I shall not feare to set it forthe to the cōmon redynge indifferent iudgement of your subiectes openly nothynge dystrustynge but that by the gracious goodnes of hym who gouerneth al it shall thus appreued by your gracis authorite in some part helpe both to restore confirme here among vs true obedience and christian vnytie wherby we al your true subiecies beinge obediente to your hyghnes as to our supreme heed vnder Christe here in this churche and congregation shal both in this age liue in perfyt quietnes and tranquillite and herafter also to the them that shal succede leaue a quiet cōmon wele to the cōmon comforte of all our posterite and at the last with heuenly vnite atteine inioy with our heuēly hed Christ the onely hede of the vnyuersal churche euerlasting felicite This hope I haue fastned ī mi hart nothing doubting at al but y ◠y ◠goodnes of him whose prouydence hath ordeyned your grace to reigne in our tyme lighting your hart with such knowlege of truthe as few other christian princis haue in our daies shal inspire in to your most noble mynde the ryght iudgement of all conueniēt menes wherby your highnes the better may the same truth set forth to his honour glory TO THE REDERS FOR BICAVSE I HAVE here folowynge somwhat more brefely than the nature of the thynge dothe well suffre comprised and gathered vnto the people a certayne instruction whereby they myghte the better be induced to suche vnitie and obedience as is of theym mooste iustely required I shall mooste Christen reders here in this prologue open vnto you a lyttel more at large what is the nature of this obedience and vnitie to the whiche we be so straytly bounde bothe by goddis lawe and all good ciuilitie and touche also somwhat the cause whiche hath chiefly moued me to the conceyuynge of this mattier and purpose But here in the begynnynge to the intent the thyng may the better be perceyued I do you require a lyttelle to lyfte vp your eies with som consideration to wey with your selfe in som part the diuine power wysedome prouidence thoughe the thynge fully to conceyue farre surmounteth all mannes witte and imagination And fyrst this is open and manifest that al this sensible worlde wherin is conteyned this wonderful varietie and nature of thingis is nothing els but as a certayne shadowe of goddis goodnes and diuinitie or rather a glasse of the diuine maiestie wherby to mans iudgement and capacitie is opened the infinite power and wonderfull wisedome of hym who by his hyghe prouydence gouerneth and ruleth all For whither so euer you cast your eies other aboue vnto heuen there beholdynge that heuenly body in his synceritie other here benethe vnto the erthe there considerynge of nature the wonderfull varietie you shall euer see of that power and prouidence in euery thinge mooste certayne argumente and sure testimony Wherof I thynke no man canne doubte who wyth any consyderation lokynge into this glasse there standeth in meruayle and admyration For fyrst there shall he see the infinyte nombre multitude of sterres euer kepyng their certayn course and mouyng without al instabilitie there shal he se the son the mone with all the other planettes waueryng abrode nowe to this parte of the worlde nowe to the other to the comforte and creation of all mortal thynges subiecte to corruption there shall he see the wonderful vertue and influence of the same by the whiche as by chiefe instrumentes the goodnes of god worketh al thinges Here in the lower worlde garnyshyng it with this varietie wherin standeth all naturall beautie ye yet ferther yf he into this glasse diligently loke there shall he see of the foure elementes of the fyre the ayre the water and of the erthe the mooste meruaylous nature so knytte by dewe proportion in a certaine equalitie that though they be by nature mooste dyuers and full of contrarietie yet they are cowpled and ioyned togyther as it were in a natural concorde and vnitie there shall he see the erth as foundation and ground susteyning the reste hangynge in the myddes after a wonderfull maner and about the same the see continually rollynge with his certayne and sure ebbynge and flowynge after a strange fashion giuinge to mans wytte no smal cause of meruayle and great admyration and fynally to say there shall he see of all beastes fyshes and fowles the meruaylous nature and propretie by the which all the diuine power spredeth her goodnes accordyng to the nature of thinges and their capacitie so that to hym who so euer into this glasse diligently dothe loke may remayne no doubt of this heuenly wysedome and prouydence wherof in euery thinge here in this worlde sette forth to goodis honour and glorye appereth so sure tokē and so certayne signe for in euery thyng shyneth the image therof euery thing here is a glasse of the same And to me this thinge considerynge reasonynge with my selfe of the goodnes of god and of his prouidēce though the thinges before touched mynister therof sure profe and sufficient argument yet it appereth that nothynge more clerely declareth the same than mans actis and fashion of lyuynge here in policie all be it many men haue taken thereby greate argument to the contrary in so moche that whan they haue sene many men longe to contynue in worldly ioy and prosperitie whome they haue iudged most worthy of al aduersitie and contrary other of great perfection vertue to be oppressed with al wretchednes and myserie This I say whā they haue sene they haue playnly thought no prouidence to be nor gouernance of god but all to be lefte to mans wyl and tyranny To the whiche opinion they slypped for lacke of iugement and good cōsyderation for who so euer weyeth mans actes groundly and of his lyfe the hole proces he shal fynde moste manifestly and by reasone shall be constrayned playnly to confesse that this highe prouydence is not onely declared by suche dedes and actes of man as appere to the worlde to be good and vertuous but also moche more by other whiche seme pestilent and pernicious and to all vertue contrarye For this semeth to be a certayne truthe and sure that euen lyke as god by his infinite goodnes these erthequakes and general fluddes by the whiche many cities and hole nations oft tymes be ouerflowē and sonke euer tourneth to the good order of the
therof to haue their hartes euer inflamed with vtter contempte of all suche thynges whiche therto do put any obstacle and impedimente This vndoutedly is as it were the marke which our master Christ hath before our eies set wherat he wolde haue vs euer continually to shoote this is as it were the hauē to the which he wolde haue vs to direct our course saylyng in the troublous stormes of this lyfe and this to stablyshe in our hartes was his chiefe purpose and so to institute in vs the spiritual lyfe and godly wherof before I haue made mention And as for the worldely lyfe and polytike he came not nowe to stable nor institute whiche by the benefyte of nature he hadde before sufficiently founded but he came to bringe vs to an hygher perfection and to make vs playne spirituall treadynge vnder foote all thynges temporal And this is not my fantasy and dreame Christe by his owne worde manyfestly dyd expresse it many tymes sayeng He cam not into this world to reigne nor to rule but to minister vnto vs heuenly doctrine and to exhorte vs to contemne those thynges whiche so blynd cōmonly mans hart he sayd oft his kyngdome was not of this world whiche is most manyfest in this that he neuer taught one poynt of worldely policie but euer refused the institution and direction therof as to him he made answer whiche required the diuision of his inheritāce by his iugemēt sayeng who hath made me a iudge in suche matters the which to redresse is not my purpose to him that presēted before him a pece of money with the image of themperour he bad render that to hym for therwith I haue nothing to do but to god gyue thy harte and affection of pure mynde whose image is there prynted and sette as of hym who is onely lorde therof This euer he refused the cure of suche thynges as pertayne and belonge vnto the cyuile and polytyke lyfe and yet to them he was euer obedient as the hole course of his lyfe manyfestly doth declare He was circūcysed and purified he kept the sabbot daye and was baptysed he payde tribute to the prince ye and to the hole lawe was so obedient that accordynge to the course therof he suffred his deathe the whiche all he dyd for our instruction teachynge vs neuer to dispyse nor to be disobediente to suche thynge as by common authoritie is commonly receyued but euer with humble and meke obedience therto contende and desyre to attayne the fruition of suche thinges as neuer shall fayle nor decaye Wherfore dere frendes seinge that the doctrine of our master Christe is of this sorte euer drawynge vs frome the loue of this worlde to hygher consyderation forbyddynge vs vtterlye all contention for any superioritie of order and degree leauing all suche thynges to ciuile and worldly polycie the instytution whereof he euer refused as a thynge base and vyle compared to that doctrine whiche he euer taughte All this consyderynge I saye and well ponderynge in mynde indifferentely to affyrme that Christe stablysshed amonge his disciples any suche superioritie makynge therby Peter chiefe heed and also consequently the byshoppe of Rome that he therby vppon all christendome shoulde be a chiefe iuge and vppon all princis and lawes to haue authoritie with interdites and dispensation theym to tempre and reule at pleasure ye and vppon the worde of god alone to haue power of interpretation this to my iudgement whan I weye the thinge with my selfe appereh to me more than madnes and extreme foly For this passethe all pryde and arrogancy this is aboue all tyranny Christen nations were neuer so madde by any open decree or consent in counsell generalle euer to gyue to any one manne suche authoritie but vndoubtedly by the symplicitie of christen people and by the pacience of good princis ye and by the arrogancye and pride of those the whyche haue vsed and occupyed the See of Rome it is growē by litle litle into this intollerable tirāny the which after this sort as it is vsed to affirme to be of the lawe of god and of necessite is playn cōtrary to the law of god and moch to the obscurynge of his glory But yf you wyl se dere frendes the authoritie of Peter whiche to all other apostels was equally gyuen withoute any superioritie shortly I shal declare it vnto you Lyke as the lyfe whiche Christe came to institute and stablyshe in the hartes of them whiche wolde folowe him was of an other sorte and degree of a hyer puritie and excellency than was the lyfe of them whiche loked no ferther than to thynges present drowned in all worldly vaine affection and folowed only the course of the lyfe politike wherof I spake at large before so is the power and authoritie that he gaue vnto theym whiche with sure faythe and truste in his worde folowed hym and his doctrine of an other sorte and greatter excellency than euer before Christe was gyuen to man in this worlde or stablyshed by any policie there was neuer before him suche thinge gyuen to mortall man For to whom was hit euer sayde what soo euer thou byndeste or loosest in erthe the same in heuen shall lykewyse be loosed and bounde And yet to Peter this power was gyuen and to all the apostelles with equalite There was neuer before Christe emperour in Rome nor sens Christ prince out of christendome whether he were gret turke or sowdan or amonge the mores any kinge most myghty of power that euer had any suche dignitie to none of them all was euer gyuen suche power For their power and authoritie resteth onely in the lordshyppe and dominion gouernance and rule of those thynges worldly vnstable and transitorye the which al as vyle by nature and of small dignitie Christis doctrine techeth to treade vnder foote and to a hyper degree he lyfted the hartes of his disciples and soo gaue theym hygher authoritie as to lose manne from all myserie of synne though the synne were neuer so great and to sette hym in sure state of felicitie and who so euer he were and of what nation cōdicion state or degree all indifferently to lose from synne yf they wyll with perfyte faythe and sure truste in Christe professe his doctrine folowynge euer the perfection of the same To this fayth and truste being in Peter and in the other apostels our master gaue this diuine power and this is the very key of the gate of heuē which as you se openeth to all men the gate indifferently there is no man excluded from entrynge therin but all puttynge their holle affiance in Christe folowynge his doctrine shall be admytted withoute difficultie This is a meruaylous power to man gyuen to plucke man so myserable and wretched out of al myserie and to putte him in the state of felicite And with this power our master Christ sēt forth his disciples instructe with his spirite to all