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 auditory know, that I have nether in doctrine, nether in manners,1 taught no other thing then I received of the Patriarchs,2 Prophets,3 & 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, then their own mortal lives. The second cause, that toucheth your Majesty, and your most honourable Council, 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 brutes of those that a Kings majesty shall appoint to preach, and would not be glad, both for Gods sake and his kings, to remove such ungodly brutes, if he can, for the peace and quietness of their subjects. As for the cause ye toucheth the people, it is no less worthy then eternal damnation. In case he be worthy of judgement,4 & 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 ⟨image 4⟩least my brother should dye,5 and then receive condigne reward,6 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 .x.7 Tribes of Israel used with the Tribe of Reuben, Gad, & half the tribe of Manasseh, that buy it at their return to their possessions, an altar upon the borders of Jordan 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.
Lykewyse for three other great causes, that shal folow. The one toucheth God, the other your maiestie, the thyrd your louyng subiects. As cōcerning God, seing both his maiestie, myne own conscience, & my audytory knowe, that I haue nether in doctryne, nether in maners,1 taught no other thynge then I receyued of the Patryarches,2 Prophetes,3 & the Apostles, it were not onely synne, but also the very parte of a myscreant, to deny or betraye the innocencye of that doctrine, or to be ashamed to stande to the defence therof, seing all godly men haue estemed more the true worde of God, then theyr owne mortall liues. The seconde cause, that toucheth youre Magestie, and your mooste honorable Counsell, is because vpon credyte, and good opinion, and partly by experience, that your maiestie had both of my true fayth and godly zeale: appoynted me (amōg other of your preachers) though moost vnworthy, to teache your subiectes their dutie to God and man. What true subiect can hear and vnderstād such vntrue bruites of those that a Kynges maiestie shall appoynte to preach, and would not be glad, both for Gods sake and his kyngs, to remoue such vngodly bruites, yf he can, for the peace and quietnes of their subiects. As for the cause ye toucheth the people, it is no lesse worthy then eternal dānation. In case he be worthy of iudgement,4 & in daunger of hel fyre yt is angry wt his brother, & calleth him fole: how much more, if he cal hys brother heriticke▪ & a denyer of God? If the fyrst •e worthy hel fyre, much more the last▪ Therefore ⟨image 4⟩least my brother shoulde dye,5 and then receyue condigne reward,6 dew for a slaunderer: what it lieth in me, I do by this Protestatiō of my fayth, cal him to repentaunce. And incase any man stand in doubt of myne opinion and meanyng in religion: Let hym not damne me before time, but vse the meanes with me that the .x.7 Tribes of Israel vsed wyth the Tribe of Ruben, Gad, & halfe the tribe of Manasses, that buy it at their returne to their possessions, an aulter vpon the borders of Iordane the whych fact was lyke to haue ingendered great warres. But it was stayed by the meanes of consultation, and communication had with those that buylded it: and theyr myndes knowne, the dissention was ended and appeased.
- 1Matthew. x.Mathew. x.
- 2Mark. viii.Marke. viii.
- 3•uke. xii.
- 4Matthew. v.Mathew. v.
- 5Galathi. vi.
- 6Jacob. v.Iacob. v.
- 7Josi. xxii.Iosi. xxii.
