A03632:39
A godly confession and protestation of the christian faith, made and set forth by…A godly confession and protestacion of the christian fayth, made and set furth by…
A godly confession and protestation of the christian faith, made and set forth by John Hooper, wherein is declared what a christia[n] man is bound to believe of God, his King, his neighbour, and himselfA godly confession and protestacion of the christian fayth, made and set furth by Ihon Hooper, wherin is declared what a christia[n] manne is bound to beleue of God, hys Kyng, his neibour, and hymselfe
London: printed by John Daye dwelling over Aldersgate beneath saint Martins, 1550London: printed by Ihon Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate beneth saynt Martyns, 1550
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
he shall offend God no more, than the English men, that have longer days in the summer, shorter days in winter: ⟨image 14⟩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 our selves 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 Marcion, Manichees, & Anabaptists do. I see & know by experience, much trouble & danger to rise among the unlearned & ungodly people, by ignorance: for when they see such ⟨image 15⟩deformities, & confusions, rise & chance, as we see many times, to happen in kingdoms Cortes, judicials, laws, governors, that more fancy private profit, and singularity, then the profit of the hole common wealth, and indifferency of all men, and all causes indifferently: they suppose verily, (for lack of knowledge in God's word) that all orders, policies, 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,1 and covetousness of men. This same evil upon the same occasion of ignorance, 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 ⟨image 15⟩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.