Christian Instruction and Sum of Doctrine Part 1, Dialogue 1 · Dialogue · Part 38 – Part 39
¶ Of the meane and order that princes ſhould kepe in iudgement of thinges, appertaining to Religion, and to the reformation of the ſame.
T. ALl thoſe things do confirme the opiniō of thoſe yt wil cōmit all things y• touch Religion, to thoſe yt are called mē of the Church, without dealing therin thē ſelues. D. Yf thou diddeſt wel vnderſtād me, I did not cōclude yt princes, & other men ſhould ſo addreſſe thē, to the Miniſters of ye Church, in matters of Religiō & cōſcience, that they ſhould not deale therin ſo far as their office ſhould require, and to take good hede to what kinde of men they came: leaſt that in ſtede of commyng to the true Prophetes of God and Miniſters of Ieſus Chriſte, they ſhould addreſſe them to falſe Prophetes and Miniſters of Antechriſte, as often tymes it happeneth. T. This matter is perillous. D. Therefore, as thoſe men are greatly to be blamed, that make none accoumpt of the true Miniſters of God, and of hys Churche, but wyll gouerne the Churche, and determine of thoſe thynges which appertayne to the reformation of the ſame, folowing their own fantaſie and opinion, or els as though they had to determine of ſome worldly policie: euen ſo on the contrarie part, theſe kinde of men, are greatly to be blamed, whiche will not deale in it at all, but ſuffer others to determine of it euen as it pleaſeth them, and are ready to execute that whiche others ſhall appoynte, without hauynge any conſideration of the thynge them ſelues. But euen as ſhall pleaſe the others, without due examynyng and vnderſtandynge what they do. For, as the firſte ſorte vſurpe a greate tyranny ouer the Churche, and ouer the Miniſterie of the ſame, lyke vntounto that of the Antichriſte, who hath plucked to hym ſelfe the authoritie to diſpoſe of the Churche at hys pleaſure: in lyke maner this laſte ſorte do wronge to them ſelues, and do frame and eſtabliſhe a derye daungerous tyrannye, both agaynſt them ſelues, & agaynſte the whole Church, and do confirme Antechriſte in the poſſeſſion whiche he hathe all ready vſurped ouer them. For albeit that a iudge, before he gyue ſentence, and before he wyll execute the ſame, do aſke the aduiſe and counſell of hys aſſiſtauntes, yet doth he not gyue hys iudgemente accordynge to theyr ſentences, vntil he hauehave wel examined and vnderſtood them. Otherwiſe he ſhould put him ſelfe in greate daunger, and hys office ſhould not be greatly differyng from the office of a hange man. For the hange man doth not aſſiſte in the counſell of the iudges, he gyueth no ſentence, he hath no voyce, nor medleth with theyr proceſſe or cauſes of thoſe that are delyuered into hys handes: he hath nothing to do but only to execute that which is gyuen hym in charge. But a iudge, hathe farre other authoritie and greater charge, the whiche Pilate dyd very well knowe. And therefore he woulde not condemne Ieſus Chriſte vponupon the onelyonly reporte of the Iewes, when they had brought hym vntounto hym, all ready condemned in theyr Counſell: nor was forthwith preſte to commaunde hym to be executed as an euill doer, accordynge to their deſire, but did diligently enquire of the cauſes, for the which they would hauehave hym to be condemned: gyuing them playnely to vnderſtande, that he woulde not be their hangemen, but woulde do the office of a Iudge, whiche is duely to examine the cauſe. And if he ſee the ſentence of hys aſſiſtauntes to be vniuſte, he oughte not to folowe it, but to reiecte it, accordyng to the authoritie that God hath gyuen hym: and he ought to put in vſe that, whiche is written in the lawe to Exod, 10that ſame purpoſe. Thou ſhalte not folowe the multitude, to do euill, for if he gyue ſentence contrary to ryght and equitie, he ſhall make aunſwere for the ſame before God. For if he know it be vniuſte, and do conſent and agree to it, or els do diſſemble the matter, or els thorowe negligence he hath not ſought to vnderſtand the truth of it. he can not excuſe hymſelfe but that he is greatly culpable before God. T. That is very true.
¶ Hovve men ought to hauehave greater care for thoſe matters that appertayne to Religion: then for any others, and the reaſons vvhy.
D. MOreouer, the caſe in matters of Religion is not lyke to that of other matters, or of other artes, ſciences, occupations and eſtates. For whē there is queſtion in matters of Religion, we hauehave not a matter in hand of a péece of money, or of a péece of lande, or for an other man whiche toucheth not vsus at all. But a matter of the greateſt importance, that may be, and toucheth all men in generall and in particular, ſo neare, as nothynge in the worlde doth ſo nearely touch them. Yf there were queſtion, of a péece of an earthly inheritaunce, or els of our honor & fame, we would not ſo greatly put others in truſt, but yt we wold put to our own hād: & would know in what ſort ye matter ſhould paſſe. And further, if it wer a matter yt touched our life, we would not ſlepe the matter, but would be ſo much yt more carefull, we would leaue no meane vnſought for, yt myght ſtand vsus in ſtede. T. Experiēce teacheth it plainly. D. Nowe in this matter, wherof we ſpeake, ye queſtion is of ye greateſt honor or diſhonor yt euer may happē vntounto vsus: here is ye queſtiō of a maruelous great honor & glory, or els of an extreme ſhame & confuſion, whiche we ſhall once receaue, before the face of God, & before al mē which euer hauehave ben, are, or ſhalbe, this queſtiō is of an eternall inheritaūce: to wit, of Paradiſe or els of hell, here is the queſtiō of our death, or of our life, not onelyonly tēporal, but eternal, Wherfore I do gretly maruel of thoſe yt hauehave ſo great truſt in ye ſond fayth of their Curates, Prieſtes, Monckes, Byſhops and Prelates, whiche cōmitte thē wholly into their handes, both body and ſoule. T. There are no ſmall nomber of thoſe that do ſo.