The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Preface
¶To the moste mightie and noble Prince, Francisce the most Christian kyng the French kyng his soueraigne Lorde, Iohn Caluine wisheth peace and saluation in Christ.
WHen I did firlie sett my hande to thys woorke, I thoughte nothyng lesse (moste noble Kyng) than to write any thyng that afterwarde should be presented to your maiestie. Only my mynde was to teache certaine introductions wherby they that are touched with some zeale of religion myght bee instructed to true godlynesse. And this trauayle I tooke principally for my contremen the Frenchemen, of whō I vnderstode very many to hunger and thirst for Christe, but I sawe very fewe that had rightly receiued so much as any litle knowlege of him. And that this was my meanyng, the boke it selfe declareth, beyng framed after a simple and playne maner of teachyng. But when I perceyued, that the furious rage of some wycked men hath so farre preuailed in your realme, that in it there is no roome for sounde doctrine: I thought I should doo a thyng worthe my trauayle, all in one worke bothe to geue an instruction for them, and to declare a confession to you: wherby ye may learne what maner of doctrine that is, agaynst which those furious men burne in so great rage, who at this day trouble your realme with sweard and fyer. For I will not feare to confesse, that I hauehave in this woorke comprehended in maner the summe of that selfe same doctrine, agaynst which they crie out, that it ought to be punished with prisonment, banishement, condemnation without iudgement, and with fyer, that it ought to be chaced away by lande and sea. I knowe in dede with how haynous informations they hauehave fylled your mynde and eares, to make our cause most hatefull vntounto you: but this of your clemencie ought you to weye, that there shalbe no innocence, neither in wordes nor dedes, if it may be enough to accuse. Truely if any, to bryng the same in hatred, shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yelde accompt vntounto you, hath ben long agoe condemned by consente of all degrees, and atteynted by many iugementes allready geuen in iudicial courtes: al that he sayth shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently throwen downe by the …anding and power of the aduersaries therof, and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lyes and suttle practises and sclaunders. Herein is violence shewed, that without hearyng the cause bloody sentēces are pronoūced against it: here in is Fraude, that it is without deseruyng accused of sedition and euel doyng. And that none may thynke that we wrongfully complayne of these thynges, you your selfe can beare vsus witnesse, moste noble Kyng, with how lyeng sclaunders it is dayely accused vntounto you: as, that it tendeth to no other ende but to writhe from Kynges their scepters oute of their handes, to throwe downe all iudges seates and iudgementes, to subuerte all orders and ciuile gouernementes, to trouble the peace and quiete of the people, to abolish al lawes, to vndo all proprieties and possessions, finally to turne al thynges vpsyde downe. And yet you heare the smallest portion. For horrible thynges they spreade abroade among the people: whiche if they were true, the whole worlde myghte worthily iudge it with ye mainteiners therof, worthy of a thousande fiers and gallowes, Who can now maruell that a common hatred is kindled agaynst it, where suche moste wrongfull accusations are beleued. Loe, thys is the cause that all degrees agree and cō spire to the condemning of vsus and our doctrine. They that sit to iudge, beeing rauished with this affection pronounce for sentences their freconceiued determinations whyche they brought from home with them: and thinke that they hauehave well enough discharged their duties if they commaunde no man to be drawen to execution, but suche as are founde gylty eyther by theyr owne confession or by sufficient witnesse. But of what fault? of that condēned doctrine, say they. But by what law cōdemned? Herein should hauehave stande the succor of defense for them, not to denie the doctrine it selfe, but to mainteine it for true. But here is all libertie ones to mutter vtterly cutt of from vsus.
Wherefore I doe not vniustly require, most victorious king, that it maye please you to take into your owne hande the whole hearing of the cause whiche hetherto hath ben troblesomly handled or rather carelesly tossed without al order of law, more by outragious heate than iudiciall grauitie. Neyther yet thynke, that I here goe about to make myne owne priuate defense, whereby I may procure to my selfe a safe returne into my natiue contree, to whiche althoughe I beare such affection of naturall louelove as becometh me: yet as the case nowe is, I not miscontentedly want it. But I take vppon me the common cause of all the Godly, yea and the cause of Christe himselfe, whiche at thys day hauing ben by all meanes torne and troden downe in your kyngdome, lyeth as it were in despeired case, and that in dede rather by the tyranny of certaine Pharisees, than by your owne knowlege. But howe that cometh to passe, it is not here nedeful to tell: truely it lyeth in great distresse. For thus farr hauehave the vngodly preuailed, that the truethe of Christ, be not destroyed beyng chaced away and scattered abrode, yet it lyeth hydden as buried and vnregarded: as for the silly poore Chirch it is eyther wasted with cruell slaughters, and so dryuen away with banishmentes or dismayed with threatens and terrors that it dare not ones open her mouth. And yet stil they continue with such rage and fercenesse as they are wont, thru…ting strongly against the wall alredy bending and the ruine whiche themselues hauehave made. In the meane tyme no mā steppeth fourth, to set hymselfe in defense agaynst suche furies. And they, if there be any suche, that will moste of all seme to fauor the truthe, say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and vnskilfulnesse of ignorante men. For thus the good natured men forsoothe do speake, calling that error and vnskilfulnesse whiche they knowe to be the most certaine trueth of God: calling them ignorante men, whoes witt they see that Christe hath not so despised but that he hath vouchesaued to communicate to them the mysteries of hys heauenly wysedome. So muche are all ashamed of the Gospell. It shalbe your office (most noble King) not to turne away your eares nor youre mynde f…ō so iust a defense: specially when so great a mater is in question: namely how the glorie of God may be mainteined safe in earth, how ye trueth of God may kepe her honor, how Christ may hauehave hys kyngdome preserued whole among vsus. Thys is a mater worthy for your eares, worthy for your iugement, worthy for your royall throne. For, euen this thoughte maketh a true King: to acknowlege hymselfe in the gouernance of hys kyngdome to be the minister of God. Neyther doth he now vse a kyngdome but a robberie, which reigneth not to thys ende that he may serue the glorie of God. And he is deceiued that loketh for a long prosperitie of that kyngdome, whiche is not ruled by the scepter of God, that is, by hys holy worde: forasmuche as the heauenly Oracle can not proue vayne whereby it is proclaymed, that the people shalbe scattered abrode where prophecie sayleth.Pro. xxix.xviii. Neyther oughte the contempt of our basenesse to withdrawe you from thys purpose. We verily knowe right wel, howe poore and abiecte silly men we be, namely in the sighte of God miserable sinners, in the sight of men most despised persones, yea and (if you wil) certaine excrementes & outcastes of the world, or whatsoeuer vil…r thing may be named: so that there remaineth nothyng for vsus to glorie vponupon before God, but hys onelyonly merciemercy whereby we are without any our deseruing receiued into the hope of eternall saluation: and before men, nothyng but our weakenesse, whiche among them it is taken for a most great shame to confesse so much as in countenance. But our doctrine must be auaunced hye aboue all glorie of the worlde, muste stande vnuanquishable aboue all power: because it is not oures, but the doctrine of the liuing God and of hys Christe,Dan. ii.xxxii. Esai. xi.iiii. Psa. ii.ix. whome the Father hath appoynted Kyng to beare rule euen from sea to sea, and from the riuers euen to the endes of the earth: and so to beare rule, that strykyng the whole earth wyth the onelyonly rod of hys mouth, he may breake it with all the iron and brasen strength, with all the golden and syluer glittering therof, as it were potters vessels: as the Prophetes prophecie of the royaltie of his kingdome. Our aduersaries in dede do crye out to the contrary, and say that we falsly pretende the woorde of GOD, whereof we be most wicked corrupters. But howe thys is not only a malicious sclaunder, but also a notable shamelessnesse, you your selfe by reding our confession, may according to your wysedome iudge. Yet here it is also good to say somwhat, eyther to moue you to willingnesse and hedefulnesse, or at the least to prepare you a way to the reding of it.Ro. xii.vi Paul, whē he willed al prophecie to be framed to the agreablenesse of Fayth, hath set a most sure rule wherby the expounding of Scripture ought to be tryed. Now if our doctrine be examined by thys rule of Fayth, the victorie is allredy in our handes. For, what doth better or more fittly agree with Fayth, than to acknowlege our selues naked of al vertue, that of God we may be clothed? emptye of all good, that of him we may be filled? the bonde seruantes of sinne, that of him we may be made fre? blinde, that of hym we maye be enlightened? lame, that of hym we maye be made streight? feble, that of hym we may be vpholden? to take from our selues all mater of glorieng, that he alone may be glorious on hie, and in him we may glorie? Whē we say these and such like thinges, they interrupt vsus and cry out, that by thys meane is overthrowen I wote not what blinde light of nature, fained preparations, freewill, workes meritorious of eternall saluation, together with their supererogations: because they can not abide that the whole praise and glorie of al goodnesse, vertue, righteousnesse, and wisdome shoulde remayne in God. But we rede not that they were blamed that hauehave drawen to much out of yt fountayne of liuing water:Iere. ii.xiii. on yt contrary syde they are sharply rebuked which hauehave digged to themselues pittes, broken pittes, which are not able to holde water. Againe what is more agreable with Fayth, than to promyse to themselues that God wil be to them a fauourable Father, where Christ is acknowleged to be a brother and procurer of fauor? than assur…dly to loke for al thinges ioyfull and prosperous at hys hande, whoes unspeakable louelove towarde vsus hath proceded so farr, that he hath not spared his only begotten sonne,Rom. viii xxxii. but that he gaue hym for vsus? than to rest in sure loking for saluation and eternall lyfe, where we thynke vponupon Christe geuen of the Father, in whom such treasures are hidden? Here they stepp in against vsus, and crye out that thys certaintie of affiance is not without arrogance and presumption. But as nothing of our selues, so al thinges ought we to presume of God: and we are for none other reson spoyled of vayne glorie, but that we should learne to glorie in the Lord. What is there more… Consider (most mightie Prince) al the partes of our cause,i. Timo. iiii.x. Ioh. xvii.iii. and thynke that we are worse than any kynde of wycked men, vnlesse you playnly fynde that we are in troble and railed at because we put our trust in the liuing God: becaue we beleue that this is the eternall lyfe, to know one true God, and hym whom he hath sent Iesus Christe. For thys hope some of vsus are bounde in irons, some are whypped, some are caryed about in mockage, some are condemned without iugement, some are most cruelly tormented, some escape, away by flight: but al are distressed wt troble, al are most terribly accursed, torne with sclaunders, and handled in most haynous wise. Now loke vponupon our aduersaries (I speake of the degree of Prestes, at whoes becke and wil the other exercise ennimities against vsus) and consider with me a litle while, with what zele they be caryed. As for the true religion, which is taught in the Scriptures, & which ought to be holden certaine among al men, they easily geue leaue bothe to themselues and other to be ignorant of it, to neglect & despise it: & they thynke that it maketh smal mater what eueryevery man beleue or not beleue concerning God and Christ, so that he do with an vnexpressed Fayth (as they cal it) submit hys mynde to the iugement of the Chirch: neither are they much moued if it happen that the glorie of God be defiled with manifest blasphemies, so that no man lift vp hys fynger agaynst the supremicie of the Apostolike sea, and authoritie of our holy mother the Chirch. Why therfore do they with so great crueltie and fercenesse fight for the Masse, Purgatorie, Pilgrimages, and such trifles, so farr fourth that they say that without most expressed Fayth (as I may so call it) of these thinges, godlinesse cā not stande, wheras yet they proue not that any of these thynges come out of the word of God: Why so, but because their belly is their God, their kitchen is their religion: which being taken away, they thynke that they shall not onelyonly be no Christians, but also no men? For though some of them do plentuously glutt themselues, and other some lyue with gnawyng of poore crustes: yet they liue all of one pott, whiche without these warning helpes should not only waxe colde, but also throughly freese. Therfore how much more eueryevery of them is careful for hys belly, so much more earnest warrier he is for their Fayth. Finally they all endeuor themselues to thys, to kepe still eyther bothe kingdome safe, and their belly full: but of pure zele none of them sheweth any token be it neuer so little. Neither yet so do they cesse to sclaūder our doctrine, and by al the colors that they can to accuse and defame it, wherby they may bryng it into hatred or suspicion. They cal it newe, and lately forged: they cauill that it is doutefull, and vncertayne: they demaunde by what miracles it is confirmed: they aske whether it be mete that it should preuayle agaynste the consente of so many holy Fathers, and the moste aunciente custome: they presse vponupon vsus to cōfesse it to be schismaticall, whiche moueth warr againste the Chirche, or that the Chirche hath lyen dead in many ages in whiche no suche thyng hath ben heard of. Last of all they saye that there nede no argumentes, for (say they) it may by the frutes be iudged of what sorte it is, namely which hath bredde so huge a heape of sectes, so many turmoyles of seditions, so great licentiousnesse of vices. Truely full easy it is, for them, to triumph vponupon a forsaken cause before the lyght beleuing and ignorant multitude. But if we might also hauehave our turne likewise allowed vsus to speake, verily thys sharpe heate woulde sone be cooled wherewith they doe so with full month and as licentiously as vnpunishedly some agaynst vsus.
Firste whereas they call it newe, they dooe greate wrong to God, whoes holy worde deserued not to be accused of newenesse. To them in dede I nothing dout that it is new, to whom Christ is new, and hys Gospell is new. But they which knewe that preaching of Paule to be olde,Rom. iiii xxv. that Iesus Christ dyed for our synnes, and rose agayne for oure iustification, shall fynde nothyng newe among vsus. Wheras it hath long lyen hidden vnknowen, and buried: that is the fault of the vngodlynesse of men. Nowe sithe it is by the bountifulnesse of God restored to vsus, it ought at least by ryght of full restitution to receiue agayne the title of auncientie.
Out of the same fountayne of ignorance springeth thys, that they take it for doutful and vncertayne. Thys verily is it which the Lorde by hys Prophet complayneth, that the oxe knew hys owner,Esa. i.iii. and the asse hys masters stall, but hys people knewe not hymn. But howsoeuer they mocke at the vncertaintie of it: if they were dryuen to seale theyr owne doctrine with their owne blood and with losse of their lyfe, men mighte see howe much they set by it. But farre other is our affiance, which dredeth neyther the terrors of death, nor yet the very iugement seate of God.
Wheras they require miracles of vsus, they deale vnreasonably wyth vsus. For we coine no new Gospell, but holde fast the selfe same Gospell for confirming of the truth wherof al the miracles do serue that euer Christ and his Apostles hauehave done. But thys thyng they hauehave speciall aboue vsus, that they can euen to thys day confirme their faith with cō tinuall miracles. Yea but rather they allege miracles, which may weakē a minde other wyse wel stablished: they are so eyther tryflyng and worthy to be laughed at, or vayne and lyeng. And yet, although they were neuer so monstruous, they oughte not to hauehave ben of any value agaynste the worde of God: forasmuche as the name of God oughte both in eueryevery place and eueryevery time to be hallowed, whether it be by miracles or by naturall order of thynges. Thys false color myght paraduenture hauehave made the better shew,Mar. xvi.xx. Acte. xiiii.iii. if the Scripture did not informe vsus of the lawful ende and vse of miracles. For, Marke teacheth that the sygnes which folowed the preaching of the Apostles were sett fourth for the confirming of it: Likewyse Luke also sayth that the Lord dyd beare wytnesse to the worde of his grace, when signes and wonders were shewed by the handes of the Apostles. Wherwith wholly agreeth that sayeng of the Apostle, that when the Gospell was preached,Hebr. ii.iiii. saluation was confirmed by thys that the Lorde did beare witnesse to it with signes, and wonders, and diuerse powers. But those thinges whiche we heare to be the sealinges of the Gospel, shal we turne to the destroyeng of the credit of the Gospell? those thinges which are appointed onelyonly to stablishe the trueth, shal we applye to confirming of lyes? Therefore it is mete that the doctrine, whiche (as the Euangelist sayeth) goeth before miracles,Ioh. vii.xviii. & viii.l. be firste examined and tryed. If that be allowed, then it maye lawfully take confirmation of miracles. But of a true doctrine (as Christe teacheth) thys is the marke, if it tende not to the seking of the glorie of men, but of God. Sithe Christe affirmeth thys to be the profe of doctrine, miracles are wrongfully estemed whiche are drawen to any other ende than to glorifie the name of God alone. And we oughte to remember that Satā hath hys miracles, which although they be iuggling deceites rather than true powers, yet are suche as may decciue the ignorante and vnskillfull. Magicians and enchaunters hauehave been alwaye famous in miracles: wonderfull miracles hauehave nourished idolatrie: whiche yee doe not proue to vsus that the superstition of Magicians and idolatrers is lawfull. And wyth thys batterynge ramme in olde tyme the Donatistes dyd shake the simplicitie of the common people, for that they excelled in miracles. Therefore we doe nowe make the same answere to oure aduersaries which Augustine then made to the Donatistes:In Iho. trac. 13. that the Lorde hath made vsus ware agaynste suche miracle workers, when he foretold that there shold come false Prophetes, which with lyeng signes and diuers wonders shold,Mathe. xxiiii.xxiiii. 1. Thess. ii.ix. ii. Corin. xi.xiiii. Hieron. in prefa. Ierem. ii. Thess. ii.xi. if it were possible, bryng the elect into error. And Paule hath geuen warning that the kyngdome of Antichrist should be with all power, and signes, and lyeng wonders. But these miracles (say they) are doon not of idoles, not of sorceres, not of false prophetes, but of the Saintes. As though we knewe not that this is the craft of Satan, to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of lyght. In olde tyme the Egyptians worshipped Ieremie which was buried among them, with sacrifices and other diuine honors. Did not they abuse the holy Prophet of God to idolatrie? And yet by suche worshipping of his tombe they obteined that they thought the healyng of the styngyng of serpentes to be the iust rewarde therof. What shall we say: but that this hath ben and euer shallbe the moste iust vengeance of God, to sende strength of illusion to them that hauehave not receiued the louelove of truth, that they may beleue lieng? Therfore we want not miracles, and those certaine and not subiecte to cauillations. As for miracles whiche they bring foorth for themselues, they are mere illusions of Satan, forasmuch as they leade awaye the people from the true worshippyng of their God to vanitie.
Moreouer they do sclaunderously sett the Fathers agaynst vsus (I meane the auncient Fathers and the writers of the age as yet more vncorrupted) as though they had them for mainteners of their vngodlynesse: by whose authoritie if the debate were to be ended, the better part of the victorie (to speake euen most modestlie) wold bend to our side. But wheras many thynges hauehave ben excellentlye well and wisely written of those Fathers, and in some thynges, that hath happened to them which is wont to happen to mē: these good naturall children forsothe, accordyng to the rightenesse that they hauehave bothe of witt, iudgement and mynde, doo worship onelyonly their faultes and errors: and those thynges which are well spoken, they eyther marke not, or fayne as if they knew them not, or do corrupt them: so as a man may say that their care was altogether to gather dong in of the golde of the Fathers. Then they oppresse vsus with importunate cryeng out agaynst vsus, as despisers and ennemies of the Fathers. But wee doo so not despise them, that if it were the mater of my present purpose, I could very easily proue by their consentyng voices the greater part of these thynges that we say at this daye. But we so reade their writynges, that we alway remembre, that all thynges are ours, to serue vsus, not to hauehave dominion ouer vsus: and that we are Christes alone, whome we muste obeye in all thynges withoute exception. Who so keepeth not this choise, shall hauehave nothyng certaine in religion:Pro. xxli.xxviii. Psal. xlv.xi. forasmuch as those holye men were ignorant of many thynges, doo oftentymes striue one with an other, yea and sometymes fyghte with themselues. Not without cause (say they) we are warned of Salomō, that we passe not the old boundes whiche our Fathers hauehave sett. But there is all not all one rule in the boundyng of fieldes, and the obedience of Faith, which ought to be so framed that it forget her people and the house of her Father. If they hauehave so great delite to vse allegories, why doo they not rather expound the Apostles, than any other, to be their Fathers, whoes appointed boundes it is not lawfull to plucke vp?Acatius tripartit. hist. lib. 3. cap 6. Ambros. de offic. lib. 2. cap. 28. Siridio… tripart. hist lib. 1. cap 1…. Tripart. hist. lib. 8 cap. 1. August. de opere monach. cap. 17. for so did Hierome expounde it, whoes woordes they hauehave registred among their canons. But if they will hauehave the boundes of the same Fathers, whome they meane, to be stedfastly kept: why doo they, so oft as they list, so licentiously passe them? Of the number of the Fathers were they, of whome the one sayd, that our God eateth not, nor drinketh, and that therfore he nedeth neither cuppes nor dyshes: the other sayd, that the holy thynges require not golde, and that those thynges please not with golde whiche are not bought with golde. Therefore they passe the bound, which are in the holy thynges so muche delited with golde, syluer, yuory, marble, precious stones and silkes, and thynke that God is not rightly worshypped, vnlesse altogether be dissolutely set out with exquisite gorgeousnesse, or rather with outragious excesse. A Father was he whiche sayde, that he therfore dyd freely eate fleshe on the daye in which other absteined, because he was a Christian. Therfore they passe the boundes, when they accurse the soule that tasteth fleshe in Lent. Fathers were they, of whom the one sayd that a Monke whiche laboureth not with his handes, is iudged as euell as a violent taker or (if you will) a robber: the other sayd, that it is not lawful for monkes to lyue of other mens goodes, although they be continually busied in contemplations, in prayers, in studie. This bounde also they hauehave passed, when they placed the ydoll and harrell bealies of monkes in stewes and brothelhowses to be fatted with other meanes substance. A Father was he, which said that it is a horrible abhominatiō to se any image painted eyther of Christ or of any Sainte in the temples of Christians. Neither was this pronounced by the mouth of one man alone,Epipha. in epist. a Hiero. versa. Concil. Ehbert. cap. 36. Ambros. de Abra. lib. 1. cap. 7. Gelasius Pap. in Concil. Roman. Chrysos. in. 1. cap. Ephes. Cali. Papa de cō secr. dist. 2. Gelas ca. Lōperimus. De consecr. dist. 2. Cyprian. epist. 2. lib 1. de Lapsis. August. lib. 2. de peccat. mer. cap. vlt. Apolon. eccles. histo. lib. 5. cap. 12. paphnutius. tripart. hist lib. 2. cap. 14. Cypriā. epist. 2. lib. 2. August. cap. 2. cō tra …rescon. grā mat. absteyned from the other: and the other Father stoutely mainteyneth, that to the Christian people the blood of the Lorde ought not to be denied, for the confession wherof they are commaunded to shedde their owne blood. These boundes also they hauehave taken away, when they hauehave by an inuiolable law commaūded the selfe same thyng which the one of these Fathers punished with excommunication, and the other reproued with a strong reason. A Father was he, whiche affirmed it to be rashenesse to determine any thyng of a doutefull mater on the one side or the other without cleere and euident witnessyngs of the Scripture. This bound they forgot, when they stablished so many constitutions, so many canons, so many maisterly determinations without any woord of God. A Father was he, which among other heresies reproched Montanus with this that he was the firste that had charged men with lawes of Fastynges. This bounde also they hauehave farre passed, when they commaunded fastyng with moste streyght lawes. A Father was he whyche denied that mariage ought to be forbidden to ministers of the Chirch, and pronounced a mans lyeng with his owne wyfe to be chastitie: and Fathers were they, whiche agreed to his authoritie. Beyonde these boundes hauehave they gone: when they seuerely enioyned vnmaried life to theyr sacrificers. A Father was he which iudged that onelye Christe oughte to be heard, of whō it is sayd. Heare him: & yt we ought not to hauehave regard, what other mē which wer before us hauehave sayd or done, but what Christ (which ye first of all) hath cōmaunded. This bounde neither doo they appoynt to themselues, nor doo suffer other to hauehave it appointed them, when they set bothe ouer themselues and other any maisters whatsoeuer they be rather than Christe. A Father was he, whiche affirmed that the Chirche ought not to sett it self before Christe: because he alway iudgeth truely: but the iudges of the chirche, as men, are commonly deceaued. They breakyng through this bounde also, sticke not to affirme that the whole authoritie of the Scripture hangeth vppon the awardement of the Chirch. All the Fathers hauehave with one harte accursed, and with one mouth pronounced it abhominable, that the holy woorde of God should be entangled with the suttleties of Sophisters, and brawlynges of Logitians. Doo they holde themselues within these boundes, when they goe about nothyng ells in their whole lyfe, but with endlesse striues and more then Sophisticall brablynges to wrappe and encombre the simplicitie of the Scripture: so that if the Fathers were nowe raysed to lyfe agayn, and shoulde heare suche an arte of brawlyng whiche these men call Speculatiue Diuinitie, they woulde beleue yt nothyng lesse is doone than any disputation had of God. But my talke shoulde sprede it selfe beyonde due boundes, yf I woulde recken vp howe boldely these menne shake of the yoke of the Fathers, whose obediente chyldren they would seme to be. Truly bothe moneths and yeares woulde be to lyttle for me. And yet they are of so extreme and desperate shamelesnesse, that they dare blame vsus for that we sticke not to passe the auncient boundes.
But nowe wheras they call vsus to Custome, they nothyng preuayle. For we shoulde be moste vniustly dealt with, if we should be driuen to yelde to Custome. Truely if the iudgementes of men were right, Custome should be taken of the good. But it oftentymes happeneth that men doo otherwise. For, that whiche is sene to be done of many, by and by obteineth the right of a Custom. But the state of men hath scarcely at any time ben in so good case, that the better thynges pleased the greater numbre. Therefore for the most parte of the priuate vices of many hath been made a publike error, or rather a cōmon cōsent of vices, which now these good men would hauehave to stand for a law. Who so hauehave eyes doo see that not onelyonly one sea of euels hath ouerflowed, many poysonous pestilences hauehave inuaded the worlde, that all thynges runne hedlong to ruine: so that either the maters of men must be vtterly dispeired,Decret. dist 6 ca. Si, e…t de consuet. or we must lay hand vntounto, or rather vse violence vponupon so great euells. And remedy is by no other reason dryuen awaye, but because we hauehave nowe long tyme accustomed vsus to euells. But be it that publike error hauehave place in matters of common weale: yet in the kyngdome of God his onelyonly truthe is to be heard and regarded, to which by no succedyng course of yeares, by no custome, by no conspired agreement, may any prescription to be limitted. So in olde tyme Esase taught the electe of God, that they should not say. Conspiryng, to all thynges in whiche the people sayd Conspiryng:Esa. viii.xii. that is to say, that they should not conspire together to the wicked agreement of the people, nor should feare and dread the peoples feare: but rather that they should sanctifie the Lorde of hostes, and he should bee their feare and drede. Nowe therfore lett them as muche as they list obiect against vsus bothe passed and present ages, if we sanctifie the Lord of hostes, we will not be much afrayde. For whether it be that many ages hauehave consented to like vngodlinesse, he is strong to take vengeance to the third and fowerth generation: or if the whole worlde together conspire into one selfe same wickednesse, he hath by experience taughte what is the ende of them that offende with the multitude,Gen. vii.i. Heb. xi.vii. when he did with a generall ouerflowyng destroy the whole kynde of men, preseruyng Noe with a small household, which should by his faith beyng but one man condemne the whole worlde. Fynally an euyl custome, is none other than a common pestilence, in which they doo neuerthelesse dye that dye with company of a multitude.Epist. …. lib …. & epist ad Julian. de here baptizā. Moreouer they ought to hauehave considered that which Cyprian saith in certaine places, that they which sinne by ignorance, although they can not clere themselues from al fault, yet may seme after some maner excusable: but who so obstinatly refuse ye truthe offred by the grace of God, they hauehave nothyng to pretend for their excuse.
As for their dooble horned argumente, they doo not driue vsus to so harde a streighte with it to compell vsus to confesse, that either the Chirch hath lyen dead a certaine tyme, or that we hauehave controuersie against the Chirche. Truely the Chirche of Christe hath lyued and shall lyue,Mathe. xxviii.xx. so long as Christ shall reigne at the right hande of the Father: by whoes hande she is vpholden, by whose succor she is defended, by whose power she kepeth her safetie. For he wil vndoutedly performe that which he hath ones promised, that he will be present with his euen vntill the endyng of the worlde. Agaynste it nowe we hauehave no warre at all. For we doo with one consent together with all the people of the faithfull honor and worshyp the one God and Christ the Lorde, in like sorte as he hath alway ben worshipped of all the godly. But they themselues not a little way erre from the truthe, when they acknowlege no Chirche, but which they see with present eie, and go about to compasse it about with those boundes in whiche it is not enclosed. Uppon these poyntes hangeth our controuersie: Firste that they affirme that the forme of the Chirche is alway appearyng and to be seen: then, that they set the same forme in the see of the Chirch of Rome, and in the order of their prelates. We on the contrary side affirme, bothe that the Chirche may consiste of no appearyng forme, and that the forme it selfe is not conteined in that outwarde shynyng shewe, whiche they foolishely hauehave in admiration, but hath a farre other marke, namely the pure preachyng of the worde of God, and the righte ministration of Sacramentes. They are in a rage, vnlesse the Chirche may be alwayes pointed out with a finger. But howe ofte happened it fit the people of the Iewes to be so deformed, that there appered no forme at all? What forme thinke we to hauehave shined.i. Kin. x… xi. when Helias bewailed that he alone was left? How lōg sins the commyng of Christe hath it lyen hidden without forme? How syns that tyme hath it ben so oppressed with warres, seditions, and heresies, that it shined out on no side? If they had liued at that time, wold they hauehave beleued that there was any Chirch? But it was sayd to Helias, that there were preserued seuen thousand men, whiche had not boowed their knee before Baal. Neither ought it to be doutfull to vsus but that Christ hath alway reigned in earth sins he ascended into heauen. But if the godly hadde then sought any discernable forme with their eies, should they not by and by hauehave ben discoraged?Contra …. And verily Hylarie accompted it euen alredy in his tyme for a most great fault, that beyng occupied with the foolishe admiration of the dignitie of Bishops, they marked not a deadly pestilence lurkyng vnderunder that visor. For thus he saythe: One thyng I warne you, beware of Antichrist: for you are yll taken with the louelove of walles: ye do yll worship the Chirch of God in houses and buyldynges: vnderunder them ye doo yll thrust in the name of Peace. It is doutefull that in those Antichrist shall sitte? Mountayns and woods, and lakes, and prisons, and caues are safer for me. For in these the Prophetes when they were either abydyng or throwen into them, did prophecie. But what doothe yt world at this day honor in his horned Bishops, but that it thinketh them to be holy prelates of religion, whom it seeth to be heads ouer great cities? Away therfore with such foolishe estemyng.ii. Tim. ii xix. But rather let vsus leaue this to the Lorde, forasmuch as he alone knoweth who be his, and sometyme also taketh away from the syght of men the outwarde knowlege of his Chirch. That is (I graūt) a horrible vengeance of God vponupon the earth. But if the wickednesse of men so deserue, why doo we seke to withstande the iust vengeance of God? In suche wise the Lorde hath in times past taken vengeance of the vnthankfulnesse of men. For because they wold not receiue his truthe, and had quenched his light, he suffred them beyng blynded in sense, bothe to be mocked with lies full of absurditie, & to be drowned in depe darknesse, so that there was no face of the true Chirch to be seen. Yet in the meane tyme he saued his bothe beyng scattered abroade and lyeng hydden, in the myddest of errors and darknesse, from destruction. And no maruell. For he can skill to saue bothe in the very confusion of Babylon, and in the flame of the burnyng ouen. But wheras they would hauehave the forme of the Chirche to be iudged by I wote not what vaine pompous shewe: howe perillous that is, I wyll rather poynt vntounto than declare, least I should draw out my tale into infinite length. The Pope (say they) whiche holdeth the Apostolike see, and the Bishops that are annoynted and consecrate by hym, so that they be trimmed with fillets and miters, doo represent the Chirche, and ought to be taken for the Chirche: and therfore they can not erre. How so? because they are pastors of the Chirche, and consecrate to the Lorde. And were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also Pastors?Exod. xxxii.iiii. But Aaron & his sonnes after that they were made prestes, dyd yet erre when they made the calfe. After this reason, why shoulde not the fower hundred Prophetes whiche lyed to Achab, hauehave represented the Chirche. But the Chirche was on Micheas syde,i. Kin. xxii xi. Ier. xviii xviii. beyng in dede but one man alone, and vnregarded, but out of whoes mouthe came truthe. Did not the false prophetes in resemblance beare bothe the name and face of the Chirch, when they did with one violent assaulte rise vp agaynst Ieremie, and with threatnyng boasted that it was not possible that the lawe should perishe from the priest, counsell from the wiseman, the woord from the Prophet… Ieremie alone was sente agaynste the whole companie of the Prophetes, to declare from the Lord, that it shoulde come to passe, that the lawe should perishe from the priest, counsell from the wiseman, and the worde from the Prophet. Did not suche a glistering shewe shyne in that Councell which the Bishops, Scribes, and Pharisees assembled, to take aduises together for the killyng of Christ. Nowe let them go and sticke faste in the outwarde visor, that they may make Christ and al the Prophetes of God, schismatikes: and on the other syde make the ministers of Satan, the instrumentes of the holy ghost. If they speake as they thynke, let them faithfully answere me, in what nation & place they thinke that the Chirch remained sins the tyme that by the decree of the Councell at Basile Eugenius was thruste downe and depriued from the estate of Pope, and Aymee set in his place. They can not, though they would burst for it, denye that the Councell, for so much as concerneth outwarde solemnities, was lawfull, and summoned not onelyonly of one Pope, but of two. Eugenius was there condemned of schisme, rebellion, and obstinatie, with the whole flocke of Cardinals and bishops, whiche had with hym practised the dissolution of the Councell. Yet afterward beyng borne vp by the fauor of princes, he recouered his papacie safe againe. That election of Aymee, which had been orderly made by the authoritie of a generall & holy Synode, vanished away in a smoke: sauyng that he hymselfe was appeased with a cardinalls hatte, as it were a barking dog with a pece of bread cast vntounto hym. Out of the bosome of these herelikes, rebelles, and obstinates, are proceded all the Popes, Cardinalls, Bishops, abbotts, and Prestes that hauehave ben sins. Here they are taken and can goe no further. For, to whether side will they geue the name of the Chirche? Wyll they denye that the Councell was generall, whiche wanted nothyng to the outwarde maiestie: namely, whiche beyng solemnely summoned by two bulles, and well framed in the order of all thynges, continued in the same dignitie to the laste ende? Will they confesse Eugenius with all his companie a schismatike, by whome they are all sanctifeid? Therfore eyther let them otherwyse define the forme of the Chirche, or they all as many as are of them shalbe of vsus accompted schismatikes whiche wittyngly and willyngly hauehave ben ordered of heretikes. If it had neuer before ben knowen, that the Chirch is not bound to outwarde pompes, they themselues may be to vsus a large profe, which vnderunder that glorious title of ye Chirch hauehave so long so proudly bosted themselues, wheras yet they were the deadly pestilences of the Chirche. I speake not of their maners, and those tragicall dooynges wherewith theyr whole life swarmeth full: because they say that they be the Pharisees whiche are to bee heard, not to be folowed. But if ye will spare some of your leysure to reade our writinges, you shall playnly know that the very doctrine, the doctrine it selfe, for the whiche they say that they be the Chirche, is a deadly butcherie of soules, the firebrande, ruine, and destruction of the Chirche.
Finally they doo not vprightly enough, when they doo spitefully rehearse how great troubles, vprores, and contentions the preachyng of our doctrine hath drawen with it, & what fruites it now beareth in many. For the blame of these euells is vnworthily layde vponupon it, which ought rather to hauehave ben imputed to the malice of Satan. This is as it were a certayne naturall propretie of the worde of God, that whensoeuer it ryseth vp, Satan is neuer quiet or sleapyng. This is the moste sure and moste trusty marke, wherby it is discerned from lyeng doctrines, which doo easyly shew foorthe themselues when they are receiued with fauorable eares of all men, and are heard of the world reioysyng at them. So in certayn ages past, when all thynges were drowned in depe darkenesse, the Lorde of this worlde made a sport and a play in manner of all men, and lay ydle and toke his pleasure like a certayne Sardanapalus in sounde peace. For, what should he ells doo but laugh and playe beyng in quiet and peasible possession of his kyngdome? But when the lyght shinyng from aboue somwhat scattered abrode his darknesse, when that strōg man troubled & assailed his kyngdome, then he began to shake of his wonted drowsinesse, & hastily to arme himself. And first he stirred vp the force of mē, wherby he might violently oppresse the truthe beginnyng to shine. By whiche when he nothyng preuailed, he turned to suttle entrappynges. He stirred vp dissentions and disagreementes of doctrines by his Catabaptistes, and other monstruous lewde men, wherby he might darken it and at lengthe vtterly quenche it. And nowe he continueth to assayle it with bothe engines. For he trauaileth bothe by the force and power of men to plucke vp that sede, and with his darnell (as much as in him lieth) to choke it, that it may not grow and beare frute. But all this he dothe in vayne, if we heare the warnyng of God, which both hath long before opened his craftes vntounto vsus, that he shold not take vsus vnware, and hath armed vsus with sufficient defences agaynst al his engins. But how great maliciousnesse is it to lay vponupon the worde of God the hatred either of the seditions, which noughty and rebellious men do stirre vp, or of the sectes which deceiuers do raise agaynst it? Yet it is no new example. Elias was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel. Christe was esteemed of the Iewes a seditious man. The Apostles were accused of makyng a commotion among the people. What other thyng doo they which at this day do father vponupon vsus all the troubles, vprores and contentions that boyle vp agaynst vsus? But what is to be answered to suche,i. Kings. xviii. Elias hath taughte vsus: namely that it is not wee that scatter errors or stirre vp vprores: but it is they themselues that wrastle against the power of God. But as that one thyng alone is sufficient to beate backe their rashenesse, so agayne we ought to mete with the weakenesse of other, who oftentymes happen to bee moued with suche offences, and in their dismayeng to wauer. But let them, to the ende that they may not faynt with this dismayeng and be discoraged, know that the Apostles in their tyme felte by experience the same thynges that nowe happen vntounto vsus. There were vnlerned & vnstedfast men, which wrested to their owne destruction, those things yt Paul had writtē by the inspiration of God,ii. Pet. iii xvi. as Peter saith. There were despisers of God, which when they herd that sinne aboūded to the end yt grace might more abound, by & by obiected, We will then abide in sinne, that grace may abounde. When they heard that ye faithful are not vnderunder the law,Rom. vi.i.et.xv. Philip. i.xv. they by & by, answered, We will then sinne, because we ar not vnderunder the law, but vnderunder grace. There were that accused him as an exhorter to euell. There entred priuily many false Apostles to destroy the Chirches which he had builded. Some by enuie & contention, & not purely, yea & maliciously preached ye gospel thinking to adde more affliction to his bandes. Somewhere the Gospell not muche profited. Al sought their owne, and not the thynges of Iesus Christe. Some wente backwarde, dogges to their vomite, and swyne to their wallowyng in the myre. The moste parte did draw the libertie of the Spirit to ye licentiousnesse of ye flesh. Many brethrē crept in, by whome there came afterwarde great dangers to the godly. Among the brethren themselues were many striues raised vp. What should the Apostles hauehave doone in this case? Should they not eyther hauehave dissembled for a tyme, or rather alltogether hauehave geuen ouer and forsaken the Gospell which they sawe to be the sedeplott of so many contentiōs,Luke. ii.xxxiiii. ii. Corin. ii.xvi. the mater of so many dangers, the occasion of so many offences? No. But for helpe in suche distresses this came in their mynde that Christ is the stone of stomblyng and rocke of offence, set vntounto the ruine and risyng agayne of many, and for a signe that should be spoken against. With whiche affiance they beyng armed went forward boldly through all dangers of vprores and offences. With the same thought we also ought to be vpholden, forasmuch as Paule testifieth that this is the perpetuall propretie of the Gospel, to be the fauor of death vntounto death to them that perishe, althoughe it were ordeyned to this vse that it should be the fauor of life vntounto lyfe, and the power of God vntounto the saluation of the faithfull: whiche verily we should also feele, if we did not with our vnthankfulnesse corrupt this so singular a benefit of God, and turne that to our owne destruction which ought to hauehave ben to vsus the onelyonly defence of our safetie.
But nowe I returne to you, my soueraigne Lord. Let those false reportes nothing moue you, by which our aduersaries trauail to cast you in feare of vsus, with sayeng that by thys new Gospell (for so they call it) nothing is hunted for and sought but fitt occasion of seditions, and vnpunished libertie of vices. For our God is not the author of diuision, but of peace: & the sonne of God is not the minister of synne, which came to destroy all the workes of the Deuill. And we are vnworthily accused of such desires, wherof we neuer gaue any suspition were it neuer so small. It is likely that we forsothe do practise the ouerthrowyng of kyngdomes, of whō there hath neuer ben heard any one seditious worde, whoes lyfe hath euer ben knowen quiet and simple, when we lyued vnderunder you, & which now being chaced from home yet resse not to pray for all thinges prosperous to you & your kingdom. It is likely forsothe yt we hunt for licētiousnesse of vices, in whoes behauors although many thynges may be founde faulty, yet there is nothing worthy of so great reprochyng: neither hauehave we with so yl successe (by the grace of God) profited in the Gospell, but that our lyfe may be to these backbyters an examplar of chastitie, liberalitie, mercy, temperance, patience, modestie, and what soeuer other vertue. Verily it is by the proofe it selfe euident that we doo vnfaynedly feare and worshyppe God, for asmuche as we desire that his name be halowed bothe by our life and oure deathe, and enuy it selfe is compelled to beare of some of vsus a witnesse of innocence & ciuile vprightnesse, in whō thys only thyng was punished with death which ought to hauehave ben accōpted for a singular praise. But if any vnderunder pretence of the Gospell do stirre vp tumultes (as hetherto it hath not ben founde that there hauehave ben any such in your Realme) if any pretende the libertie of the grace of God to defende the licentiousnesse of their vices (of which sort I hauehave knowen many) there be lawes and penalties of lawes, by which they may accordyng to their deseruynges be sharpely punished: yet so that in the meane time the Gospel of God be not euel spoken of for the wickednesse of naughty mē. Thus hauehave you (O Kyng) the venimous vniustice of the sclaunderors largely enough declared, that you may not wt an eare of to easy belefe binde to their reportes. I feare me also least it be to largely set out, forasmuch as thys preface is in a maner come to the quantitie of a whole boke of defense, wherby I entended not to make a defense in dede, but only to molify your mind aforehand to geue audiēce to ye disclosing of our cause: which your mind, though it be nowe turned away and estranged from vsus, yea and enflamed agaynst vsus, yet we trust that we shall be able to recouer the fauor therof, if you shall ones hauehave without displeasure and troublous affection red ouer this our confession, which we will to be in stede of a defence for vsus to pour maiestie. But if the whisperynges of the malicious do so possesse your eares, yt there is no place for accused men to speake for themselues: and if those outragious furies doo still with your winkyng at them, exercise crueltie with prisonning, tormenting, cutting, and burning: we shal in dede, as shepe appoynted to the slaughter, be brought to all extremities, yet so that in our patience we shall possesse our soules, and wayte for the strong hande of the Lord: which shal without dout be present in tyme, and stretche foorth it selfe armed, bothe to deliuer the poore oute of affliction, & to take vengeance on the despisers, which now triūph with so great assurednesse.
The Lorde the Kyng of Kynges stablysh your throne with ryghteousnesse, and your seate with equitie, moste noble Kyng. At Baule the fyrst daye of August, in the yeare, 1516.