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| De voto, et fide irrita.
De irreprehensibilitate. Urmsquisque ergo in quo vocatus est, in hoc maneat apud Deum.
Volo autem vos sine solitudine [solicitudine] esse. N. Eplscopum irrep7-ehe7isibilem esse oporiere. RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 393 Number CI. Philippus Melancthon ad Regem Henricum VIII. S. D. Serenissime et inclyte Rex : Franciscus ^ noster Cleopatra, rediens, cum heroicas virtutes tuas amplissime praedicavit, ^' ^' P" ^^^' turn vero etiam singularem erga me benevolentiam Celsitu- 266 dinis tuaj mihi exposuit : quam etsi antea Celsitudo tua non obscuris signis declaravit, tamen gaudebam ab hoc, quem tanquam alteruni me esse censeo, sermones mihi tuos aman- tissimos perfcrri. Itaque cum de studiis nostris amanter sen- tias, revereuter me C. T. commeudo. Simul autem com- mendo C. T. pubhcam causam Christianse relhgionis. Scit enim C. T. praecipuum hoc officium esse summorum prin- cipum, propagare et tueri caelestem doctrinam. Propter hoc muneris impertit eis Deus societatem nominis sui. Opto autem, ut antea ssepe scripsi, consensum piai doctrinae con- stitui in iis ecclesiis omnibus, qua> Romani Episcopi tyran- nidem et impietatem damnat. Hie consensus gloriam Dei ilhistraret, et profuturus esset ad caeteras nationes invitan- das, et retinendam tranquilHtatem Ecclesiarum. Jam foe- hciter coepit C. T. e medio toUere quasdam nefarias su- perstitiones. Qujeso igitur ut rehquorum abusuum emen- dationem suscipiat. Non obscurum est, quid mohantur ad- versarii, sed doctrinam quam profitemur nunquam oppri- ment. Eritque Deus custos pohtiarum nostrarum et prin- cipum. - Qui semper sic adfecti fuerunt, ut pacem mallent, etiam pubhca tranquillitatis causa. Sed tamen si hostes arma ceperint, non licet nostris deesse suo officio. Saepe autem mihi venit in mentem inscriptionis nomismatum Regis Edvardi : in qua sunt haec verba, Jesus autem trans'ihat 'per meduim cornm. Significavit enim baud dubie Rex sapiens, divinitus tegi gubcrnatorcs reipub. si justas causas defen- dant. Ac vero iUud praecipu^ est heroicum, pro Ecclesia contra tyrannos arma gerere. Fertur Ajax interrogasse Achillem, quos labores omnium maximos et difficillimos sustinuisset. Huic respondit Achilles, susceptos pro amicis. Cumque rursus Ajax interrogaret, quos sustinuerit jucun- •¦ Franciscus nenipc Burgartus, Vicccanccllarius Electoris Saxoniae orator. 394 APPENDIX OF dissimos: respondit Achilles, eosdem. Significavit heroico viro, nihil esse jucundius, quam asperrimas res gerere pro communi salute; eumque quanquam ingentes sustinentem serumnas, tamen ipsa virtute delectari. Tanta in illis mag- nitudo animi erat, etiamsi non tenebant veram Dei notitiam. Quanto magis Christianos principes decet pro Ecclesia sus- cipere pericula et labores, cum sciant se divinitus ad hoc munus vocatos esse, et caelestia praemia pro his certaminibus proposita esse. Quare non desinam adhortari C. T. ut et recte consulere Ecclesiis pergat, et resistendum esse tyran- nidi et violentis adversariorum consiliis, statuat. Bene et feliciter valeat Cels. T. die Martii 26. anno 1539. Fran- cofurti.
2^7 Number CI I. Ph. Melancthon ad Regem Henricuvi. Cieop. E. 5. S. D. Sereniss. et inclyte Rex. Etsi videor ineptus inter- pellator, tamen Francisco istuc proficiscenti dedi literas, non quod illi commendatione opus esse arbitrarer, praesertim publico nomine venienti, sed quod meum testimonium sui perpetui studii erga regiam M. T. adferre cupiebat. Ad- firmo igitur Franciscum tuas laudes, cum in publicis con- ciliis, tum in privatis congressibus, magna fide et constan- tia, praedicare solere, easque sententias, quae ad ornandam tuend.amque dignitatem tuam pertinent, magna cura adju- vare. Haec vere a me scribi testes esse possunt multi gra- vissimi viri. Quae quidem significanda esse duxi regiae M. T. quia iis, qui praesunt reip. prodest nosse voluntates ho- minum non simulatas. Est autem Franciscus, cum in omni vita amans veritatis, tum vero in dicenda sententia maxime rectus et ingenuus. Porro inter laudes Regis Ptolomei, hanc quoque poeta Theocritus recenset: quod veros amicos a fucatis discernere solitus sit. Compleetetur ergo R. M. T. Franciscum, ita ut statuat eum ex animo optime velle regiae Majestati tuae. RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 395 Negotia quae adfert pertinent ad comniunem salutem Ec- clesia?, et ad conservationem piae doctrinae. Nee vero alia ulla causa honestior incidere potest, quae dignior sit regia propugnatione, quam piae doctrinae defensio. Quare, oro, ne ei desit R. M. T. Erit et ad ctetera consilia opportunius, si cito istic res confectte crunt. Haec ut scriberem ad R. M. T, non inipudentia, scd quadam officii rationc, et singular! observantia regiae M. T. adductus sum. Quae ut boni con- sulat, oro. Deus servet R. M. T. incolumem et florentem. X. Aprilis, 1539. Regiae M. T. addictissinuis, Philippus Melancthon. Number CIII. The Duke of Saxony, and Landgrave of Hesse, to the King; concerning those matters which Christopher Mount and Thomas Panel, the King's messengers, related to them by the King-'s command. The ansxver of John Frederic, hy the benefit qfGod,Duke<^^eoi,iiUa, of Saxony, Elector of the sacred Roman empire, and of Philip, by the divine benefit. Landgrave of Hesse, Earl of the Hassians, <^c. to tlwse matters ivhich Chris- 26S topher Mount and Thomas Panel, agents of K. Henry VIII. our friend and most dear cousin, expounded to us by the said King of England's commandment. BY your oration we understand first, the singular and exceeding good will of the most serene King of England towards us : which was most welcome to us, both upon our own private account, and because of the public benefit of the Church. For it is very convenient that kings should, together with us, take on them the common care of reform- ing the Churches, and advanceing the glory of Christ.
name, and present to him our services with the greatest ob- servance.
namely, a report caried of the pacijication : wherfore the 396 APPENDIX OF King was concerned to enquire concerning the conditions of the peace ; whether Ave were about to make some alterations in the doctrine and rites of our Churches, and would yield some things to the Bishop of Rome : specially, when the Emperor was reported to have said, that he hoped the Ger- man Princes would not decline his authority in the cause of religion ?
wayes attempted to alienate the minds of the most serene King of England from us in the common cause of the Church ; yet when we have so often signified to him by his ambassadors and orators, and lastly by our own, that we, by the grace of God, would be constant in so great a cause, as became Christians and Princes, and would never cast off the pure and catholic doctrin of the Gospel, which we profess, nor receive the tyranny nor rites of the Bishop of Rome ; we wonder whence this doubt of us should arise in the mind of the most serene King : and we very much desire, that the most serene King would, in things that concern our selves, sooner believe us than our adversaries.
that love their country ; and we have often defended it with our armes, together with other Princes of Germany, with whom we have been joyned by so many bonds of kindred and covenants ; and that we ought to reverence the Em- peror, and we have obeyed him in the common weal, and in those causes which pertain to the empire ; yet this was al- wayes resolved by us, to retain the profession of the truth, and not to reproch the Gospel of Christ, since he teacheth, that this worship of God is necessary, and the chiefest of al things, saying. He that sJial confes me before men, him wil I coiifes before my heavenly Father. Hitherto, such hath been the moderation of the Emperor, that altho' the faction of the Bishop of Rome hath often en- deavoured to incite him to take up war against us, yet he would not be the minister of anothers cruelty. Therfore both our duties do as yet appear towards the Emperor; 269 and we have always taken care that it might appear, that RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 397 we love the common peace and tranquillity, and desire to defend it. Of which there are many illustrious testimonies. Nor are we ignorant, the commonwealth being once moved, cannot easily be allayed again. Wherfore we have hitherto dissembled many injuries brought upon us by our adversaries. And altho we have been with great grief be- holders of parricides, which the adversaries every where commit; who most unjustly put to death pious men and Christs members, and exercise a greater cruelty than that of Nero, and the rest after him, was at Rome; yet we have been quiet, nor thought convenient to take up armcs. Nevertheles neither fear nor favour of any one draweth us away from the pure doctrin of the Gospel which we profess, since we know it is the true doctrin of Christ, which the ca- tholic and apostolic Church delivered. In this opinion, by the grace of God, we have wholly determined to persist : and we beseech God to confirm us, and to over-rule dangers. For he is the defender and governour of his Church. When our ambassadors were returned out of England, they related, among other things, how the same thing was objected to them, that doubt was made of our constancy. But tho we hoped they answered gravely, as they rehearsed to us; yet these things we now repeat, that a testimony might remain with the King, signed by us; that he might not doubt of our constancy.
back presently, happened upon this account; because, in the very juncture of their coming home, some of our ene- mies did practise against us a civil war and a wicked rob- bery. We therfore deferred our answer, being taken up in the care of repressing it. Nor could we write any tiling of the pacification, which happened suddenly, and was uncer- tain ; and we heard of no conditions. But the declaration of our ambassadors was ful of the praises of his serene Majesty, and shewed ample hope of the amendment of the Churches. They mentioned many il- lustrious significations of the serene Kings good wil towards us, and his mervellous kindnes towards ours. But especially
398 APPENDIX OF they declared his wil for the restoring of the purity of doctrin in the Churches, and abohshing abuses. In answer to this, we thank the most serene King, that he hath such a loving sense of vis, and so graciously em- braceth ours. And we exhort him as much as we can, that he go on to consult for the Churches, and to restore the true worship for the glory of Christs sake. For he understand- eth, according to his wisdom, that this duty is chiefly in- cumbent upon kings: and having thrust down the Rbman Antichrist, the author and patron of error, he sheweth that he wil correct the impieties that arose, or was confirmed by the Bishop of Rome. And he hath begun that amendment. He hath set over some of the Churches learned and godly teachers : who may recal the people to the acknowledgment of Christ, to true invocation, and the duties that are accept- able to God ; exploding the superstitions. He hath over- thrown some images and idols which the people impiously worshiped. And tho many, both Bishops and Kings, ignorant of true religion, judge otherwise of these deeds; yet godly men 270 know they have more of true praise, than the most cele- brated triumphs. As by the voice of the prophets. King Josaphat and other good princes were not less spoke of for their taking away idols, than for their famous victories, which God gave them ; invited so to do by this their piety, that they abolished fanatical and monstrous superstitions. Lastly, We hear, that the most serene King, in his late proclamation, did promise his people the emendation of the rest of the ecclesiastical abuses. Wherfore we gratulate this mind to him and his Christian state ; and exhort him, as much as we may, being of his own accord incited, that he look upon the Churches layd waste by false doctrin, for the avarice and ambition of the Roman Bishops, and revive them ; and brighten again religion, now almost wholly razed and extinguished. And so he shal effect a perfect deliver- ance of the Churches from the tyranny of the Bishops of Rome, if by his own authority he take away impious rites, raised and established by the said Bishop of Rome. This RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 399 we think convenient to mention ; not that we doubt of the wil of the most serene King, but because we fear ever, that there be there some Bishops much addicted to the inveterate opinions of the Bishops of Rome, whose morosity is an im- pediment to this consulting for tlie Churches. And by their sentence we tliink it came to pas, that to that pro- clamation was added a somewhat hard confirmation of cer- tain vitious or unprofitable rites : which yet, we hope, the most serene King wil mitigate. For we understand, that many things were put into that proclamation, which indeed do not agree with those articles, which our men have con- ferred with the Bishops and Divines of the Kings Majesty about ; and which, in our judgments, do not vary from the right doctrine of religion. For vitious traditions offend the light of the Gospel. And this asperity deterrcth the weak from the purer doctrin : it proposeth other worship than is delivered by God, and taketh away authority from the rest.
in his time, that now the service of the Church was harder than that of the Jews. How much sadder wil the service be, if vitious constitutions be armed with corporal punish- ments ; whence a bitter time would ensue towards the good and godly. From which we hope the wil of the most se- rene King doth abhor. Wherfore, for the glory of Christ, and that godly men may be spared, we wish the Churches to be constituted according to the rule of the Gospel. Which, if it were, our agreement would be good and bene- ficial for the universal Church ; and die example would in- vite other nations. Concerning an embassy, in which the Kings Majesty de- sireth that some excellently learned men might be sent to liim, for a further disputation ; it cannot now be resolved, for such causes especially, as we have partly signified to the King, and partly have understood by the very circum- stances of the times. And let the King take this in good part. We judge the opinion of our men is sufficiently known to the serene King, and the learned in England, as wel by our confession, as by those disputations whicli the
400 APPENDIX OF Anno Ambassador of the most serene King three years ago =i, and ^^^'^- lately the English Bishops had with our men, sent thither. 27 1 Nor let the most serene King think, that Ave wil cast off the opinion which hitherto we have defended, nor wil we suffer that any of ours should become approvers of a con- trary sentence. And we understand there, that our articles of the mas, of the use of the whole sacrament of the Lords Supper, and of the celibate, be stil called into question : wherby how much danger we sustain sufficiently appeareth. Which in- deed we should not draw upon our selves, did we not un- derstand, that what we profess is commanded by God : nor are the things obscure of themselves.
wel known : which hath endured many ages in the Church. Afterward anotlier ncAv custome was received by the negli- gence of the Bishops, and confirmed by the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome.
concerning the celibacy is exasperated by the Bishop of Rome, against the antient authority. There be extant clear testimonies of antient writers, which shew, there were no private masses for some ages, when religion was more pure. And alwayes some Avere admitted in the service of the Church to communicate in the Sacrament. That custom, agreing Avith the ordinance of Christ, is a weighty and firm testimony of our opinion.
retained, Avhich was instituted with his command, we have judged this custom instituted in the Church, and in the purer Church observed, to be necessarily embraced. These things we have repeated, that the King might not think we doubt of our opinion, or wil grant that our men should approve of any thing contrary. And we wish, that our Lord Jesus Christ govern the breast and counsils of the most serene King, to the common welfare of the Church, and to protect and keep him. Concerning tlie pacification here treated of, and of the RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 401 articles, wliich were explained to us by the Kings Ambassa- dors, when we heare them the second time, we shal signify our opinion by those we now send to liim. And these things we thought good to serve for answer to the King. And we present our duties with the highest deference : and w^e most diligently commend our selves to him, as our most dear cozin and lord. Dated at Frankford, the 4. April an. Dom. MDXXXIX. Number CIV. The Lord Crumxccl to the King; itpoii the coining- ()fmme
bounden duty right honorably remembred with most hearty ''" and eifectuous thanks for your gracious benignity extended upon me infinite wayes ; and now in special for your facil acceptation of mine absence, and comfortable gracious 272 words; to understand, that yesterday about noon arrived to me hither your Majesties servants, Mr. Christopher Mount and Mr. Paynel : and shewed unto me, that the Duke of Saxony hath sent hither to your Highnes his Vice- chancellor, Burgart ; and the Landisgrave, a gentleman of his of good experience, that can speak sundry languages, and hath been oftentimes sent to sundry priiices in message, as he is now to your Grace.
not as yet dissolved, nor ful conclusion taken therupon : al- beit some thought, that it would come to the point of an abstinence of any molestation on both parties for eighteen months or so. The said Burgart and his collega^ with four other persons in theii- company, arrived hither also yesterday ; and were brought by the said Christopher to Jenyngs, Ser- geant to your Graces pastery house : there to remain for such time, til they may be otherwise better provided of bet- ter lodging. I have not as yet, for mine indisposition, spoken to them. But by your Graces servant I can per- ceive, that the Landgrave and Duke also do continue stil in VOL. I. I'AUT TT. 1) d 402 APPENDIX OF their loving and friendly observation towards your Majesty, very joyous of your Graces alliance and confederation, if it shal please your Highnes to enter with them. And so con- cerning the same point, their orators be sent hither at this time. But what their instructions do bear, your Graces servants be not made privy of: howbeit they think, that they wol require concord in doctrin, and mutual help of defence, in case of invasion, with indifferent conditions of reciproque.
find that part of your Graces proclamation somewhat strange : wherin thus it is spoken de conjugio Saccrdotum : saying, that the same was against the true doctrin of the votes, which they professed. And hereupon also Melanc- thon hath written unto me, that he hath seen that procla- mation, wherin certain evil doctrins be forbidden, and also certain true doctrins, which they profess in Alemayn de x^otis et de conjugio: but that he hoped, for as much as in the said proclamation your Highnes promiseth to abolish abuses, that your Gr. shal consider the same more exactly, and at the last mitigate the same. They have, as Mr. Christopher saith, been earnestly in hand with him for the same point. Who answered, that altho he knew not your Graces considerations in that behalf, yet he might wel affirm, that your Highnes is not so scru- pulous in the matter de votis ; and that sundry n7ms and religious women have been discharged out of their houses with honest pensions during their lives, and not forbidden, but suffered to mary. But as for priests, he thinketh the cause of the prohibition was, because they might preach the word of God : and that it was thought the common ]Deople, as yet weak in the knowledge of the word, and of other things, might therby conceive an opinion of concupiscence in them ; and by reason therof condemn their preaching, and the word of God. But what your Gr. would do after- ward, when the people shal wax strong, and able to eat J^73 sohd meat, he answered, he could not define nor judg: but that he doubted not, but your Gr. did nothing without
RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 4()ii good cause and reason, and with groat consideration. With the vvliich answer tlie said Landgrave and others were Yüklə 12,09 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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