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" in his Gospel, But rather seek first the kingdom of God " and his righteousness, and all these things shall he added " unto you. And again. Blessed are the eyes which see the " things which ye see ; for I say to you, that many kings " a7id prophets have desired to see and hear those thiiigs " which ye see and hear, and have not seen nor heard them. " Therefore," as he subjoined, " being warranted by the holy " oracles of God, I pronounce,^ that those kings shall be " happy, who offer and subject themselves and their king- " doms entirely to Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and " Lord of lords ; acknowledging him to be the highest *' Prince and Monarch, and themselves his vassals, liege- *' men, and servants : that in all things follow not their own " wills, nor the laws of men, contrary to those that are " God's, nor the good intentions of men, but the very laws " of the highest and eternal King and Monarch ; and that " deliver them to their subjects to be followed by them : '^ reforming all things according to the rule of God^'s word " only. For so they shall enjoy most flourishing and happy " kingdoms, and reign therein, wealthy, victorious, long, " and happy." Then he shewed the King, " how God commanded the " kings of old, that they should read the book of the law ; "and quoted that place in Deuteronomy xvii. When the " king sitteth in the throne of his kingdom, he shall take (25 1) " the hook of the law of God, that he may read in it all the " clays of his life, and do those things, and not depart from " them, either to the right hand or to the leftP
history of the kings of Judah and of Israel, and of other foreign kings, both before Christ and after : and how the godly, and those that took heed to God's law, were pros- perous, and the neglecters thereof unsuccessful and mise- rable. And when he came to young Josiah, the King of Judah, he took occasion to lay down his example at large
OF KING EDWARD VI. 393 before this young King; expatiating, " how peaceably and CHAP. " prosperously he reigned, of whose faith and obedience, ^^^• *' which he most religiously yielded to God, the Scriptures Anno 1550. " speak : how the admonitions of his father's counsellors " moved him not : how when once he heard the words of " the book of the law, found in the temple by Hilkiah the " high-priest, he gave himself wholly to God and his word, " and not expecting the opinions or reformation of other " kings and kingdoms, he in time took care of his own sub- " jects, and began to set upon the work of reformation *' when he was young, being but eighteen years old : and " that in this reformation he esteemed the rules of the holy " Scriptures alone to be followed ; not the actions of kings " or predecessors, nor the prescription of long time, nor " the suffrages of numbers of men : but calling together " his own people, and propounding the book of the law in '' the midst of them, appointed all things to be done accord- " ing to that rule : and that hence it came to pass, that he " spared not the old high places of Solomon and Jeroboam, *' set up against God"'s law ; nor the most ancient rites and " ceremonies. In short, he shewed how that king over- " threw whatsoever was set up in the Church and kingdom " against God's word. And lest any should lay to his " charge as though he were too bold or too severe in " these his deeds, the Scripture, as he added, gave him " this testimony, that before him was no such king, who " turned to the Lord with his whole heart, and with his " whole soul and strength, according to all the law of " Moses : neither cifter him arose any like him.'''' Towards the conclusion he applied himself to the King more closely, telling him, " that the reason of all that he *^' had said before was, that he should hold it for a most '' undoubted truth, that true prosperity was to be procured " by him no other ways, than by submitting himself and " his whole kingdom to Christ, the highest Prince, and by " framing all matters of religion and justice throughout his " dominions, according to the rule of God's word ; not stir- 394 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK " ring one inch from this rule; propagating the kingdom '' " of Christ, and tramphng upon that of Antichrist, as he Anno 1550. a had happily begun. Not that the King wanted, as he " said, his admonition or teaching, carrying in his mind " that heavenly teacher that suggested to him all the doc- *' trines of true religion ; and having that most sacred book, " the Bible, in which, as in a most perfect canon, was con- " tained and delivered the whole substance of our salvation; " having about him men that were learned, wise, godly, " bold, well skilled both in divine and human laws, pru- " dent, hearty lovers of sincere truth, and well spoken of in *' foreign countries. But he hoped, as King Hezekiah, " though he made use of those great prophets, Esay and " Micah, yet he refused not to be advised by the ordinary (252) " Levites ; so his Majesty should receive some fruit and be- " nefit by his discourse : having twelve years before dedi- " cated to his father. King Henry of happy memory, a book *' concerning the authority of the holy Scripture, and the " institution and function of Bishops, against the Roman ** superstition and tyranny : and he found that work had " some good effect in England." By such dedications and counsels as these, the young King's mind was mightily whetted and quickened to the taking care of religion. And I make no doubt BuUinger and others were instructed by some good men here at home, to make these kinds of ad- dresses to him. Dedicates This epistle and book was presented to the King by the him^^''*'' hands of Hoper, Bishop of Gloucester, personally ac- quainted with Bullinger. To whom the King declared his good acceptance thereof, and the respect and esteem he had for the reverend author. In August ensuing, Bullinger de- dicated the remaining sermons of the fourth Decad unto the same King : which the author said he did offer him with more confidence and assurance than he had done the former, since he understood by that holy and vigilant Bishop the King's gracious good-will towards him. In the dedication of these sermons, he suggested to his Majesty, " that he Ui^ KlJSiJr KDWAKD VI. 395 " had his eye upon nothing else but what he had men- CHAP. " tioned to him before, namely, that he might assist, ac- ^^^- " cording to the gift of God given unto him, the business Anno 1550. " of Christian piety, happily reviving in his flourishing *' kingdom, under his favour and the counsels of the best of " his nobihty. He shewed him, that for this new birth of " the Gospel, all the faithful throughout the Christian " world did congratulate him and his kingdom ; beseech- " ing Christ to bring to an happy conclusion what had been " so happily begun in his fear. He acknowledged that this " work, by the King undertaken, was great, and full of la- '' hour and trouble : but he who said, / will be with you al- " ways to the end of the worlds would not be wanting to his " godly endeavours.^'' Then that reverend Father thought it convenient to take this opportunity, to refute a very plausible plea that was wont then to be urged in Germany and in England, and particularly to the King, to divert the present purging of corrupt religion, (and this was much in the mouths of the more politic sort,) namely, that such haste ought not to be made by private authority, but that men ought to stay for the determination of a general council in controversies of religion ; without whose judgment they pre- tended it was not lawful, no, not for a kingdom, much less for any commonwealth, to make the least alteration in reli- gion once received, and hitherto observed. But to this he put this answer into the King's mouth, " that the Pro- " phets and Apostles sent us not to the councils of elders ^' or priests, but to the word of God. And he alleged that " of the Prophet Jeremy, Quomodo dicitis, Sapientes sumus^ Chap. viii. " et lex Donmii apud nos est ? Vere mendacium operatiis " est stylus mendax scribarum, &c. He added, that the *' authority of the Prophets and Evangelists persuaded to "go on, and further w4th suitable increases the reforma- '' tion of religion once undertaken in the fear of God, out " of the word of God ; and not to regard councils, which " were governed by the affections of men, and not by the " word of God.'' BOO K Then he went on to shew, " how httle might be expected ^' " from the decisions of councils, which the examples of Anno 15.50. '^ some of the last ages might teach for four hundred years (253) " past and better. That for five hundred years and more, " the best and most religious men have cried out of the su- " perstitions, errors, and abuses crept into the Church : that " the salt of the earth was become imsavoury, that is, that " the ministers of the Church were corrupted by sloth, ig- *' norance, and vile actions, and all good discipline was gone. " Upon which account councils of priests were often called " together by popes, princes assisting. But what was done, " what amendment there was of doctrines, of teachers, and " of discipline, the thing itself spake. For how much the " oftener councils met, so much the more prevailed super- " stition, error in doctrine, abuses in rites, pride, luxury, " covetousness, and all manner of corruption in the teachers " or priests ; and, in short, a most foul neglect in all good " disciphne. For such presided in those councils, who '' ought to have been first brought into order, or altogether " banished out of the society of holy men. Neither did " they in those councils treat of lawful causes, nor in a law- " ful way. For the word of God obtained with them nei- " ther its authority nor dignity. Nor did they admit to the " discussion of causes those whom they ought chiefly to " have admitted, but whom they themselves would. Nei- " ther did they seek the glory of God and the safety of the " Church, but themselves, and the glory and pleasures of " the world. And from the present Council [that of Trent] " what they could promise to themselves, though they were " blind, they might even feel.""
like to come from councils, he applied himself to the King, with these words : " That when these things were as clear " as the sun, he did most prudently and religiously, in not " looking for the determination of a general council, but " proceeding, without more ado, to reform the churches in " his kingdom, according to the rules of both Testaments,
OF KING EDWARD VI. 397 <' which we beUeve aright to be inspired by the Holy Ghost, CHAP. " and to be the very word of God.'' ^^^' He shewed moreover, in the next place, " that it was Anno 1550. " lawful for every Christian church, much more Christian " kingdom, without consulting with the Church of Rome " and her members, entirely to reform religion by them de- " praved, so it were according to the rule of God's word. " And then propounded to the King the example of Josiah,
" by divine right ; how that most holy King understood, " by reading of God's word, and by considering how divine " worship and other matters stood then in the Church, that " there was a very extraordinary swerving from the simple '' truth by his forefathers. Presently therefore he called " together his princes, and all the estates of his kingdom, " together with all the priests. And in this assembly it " was not long disputed, whether they should follow the " example of their ancestors, rather than simply to receive " that which God had commanded; whether should they " believe the Scripture or the Church. But that immedi- " ately the King commanded all to do according to God's " precepts, making no account of ancient custom, or of the " Church that then was. And therefore that his Majesty '' could not follow better and safer counsel." Thus season- ably did this grave and learned man instruct this young and towardly Prince, and arm his mind against an objection which subtle men in these times were apt to insinuate to (254) him, to stop him in his commendable endeavours for a re- formation.
mainder of his Decads to one of this King's Council, Henry ^"s\te ^^_ Grey, Marquis of Dorset, and afterwards Duke of Suffolk, dicatory Which was advisable to be done for the confirming this quis of and other great leading men, and such as were always at^""^^^** the King's elbow, in the proceedings that were making in religion. To which this grave man apprehended some stop The reason, might be made by a plausible occasion that now happened ; which was the issuing out of a bull of the indiction of the
398 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK oecumenical Council, (as they called that of Trent,) on the calends of May next, [1551.] " From whence, as some Anno 1550." every where, he said, seriously looked for a reformation " of the Church, so he supposed some in England expected " the like : and that therefore they judged there should be " a cessation from the reformation begun. He therefore " advised this nobleman, that he should diligently see and " watch what damage the kingdom might hence sustain." And then he proceeded to shew, by solid arguments, " that " the expectation of a reformation thence would be most The true " yaiu. For that the Council was called by this Pope upon caiUng^he " no Other ends, than for the confirmation of the old errors Council of a ^^^ superstition, and for the overthrow of the reforma- " tion begun in Germany, England, Denmark, and other " nations of Christendom ; and for the oppression of the '^ pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel. Here he shew- " ed, how the calling of the Council was in express words, "Jbr the extirpating of heresy: and Pope Paul did accuse " and condemn, as heretics, those that professed the Gos- " pel, and required reformation according to the word of " God : and how the prelates of the Church took an oath " to the Pope and Church of Rome, (there set down,) " so that they could not do any thing else, than what " he would have them, and what tended to his safety and " security." He took occasion to examine some of the former decrees of this Council ; by which it appeared, as clear as the light, for what end it was indited by the Pope : " Not, that the " truth should be found out, or illustrated by the Scrip- " tures, but that the Scriptures should be reduced into " order, so as to serve foi- the preserving and confirming " the dignity, honour, wealth, and superstition of those " men : not, that the churches might be reformed^ but that " they might be brought back into the old deformation. " And therefore he advised the Marquis, and the rest in " England, that they should not remove their eyes from " that light, which whosoever followed, had the light of " life. Go on, go on, said he, in Christ's name, to reform
OF KING EDWARD VI. 399 " what needs reforming. Ye should not sin, thouo^h ye CHAP. " never returned into favour ao^ain with that novel Roman " Church. He knew, he said, this nobleman needed iiot'^""^ i^^^- " instructors, being so well instructed in true religion, and " having such learned men about him : among whom he " named two, who, I suppose, were his chaplains, viz. Robert " Skinner and Andrew Wullock, [perhaps Bullock :] yet " he hoped this labour of his would be well taken ; seeing " he intended nothing thereby but the pubhc weal and " safety ; that the kingdom of the Son of God, which in • " that time began to flourish again, as well in England as " elsewhere, might spread every where. And so taking no- '' tice of his nobility and royal blood, and what a refuge he " was to poor strangers, and a Mecaenas of students and (255) " learned men, and persuading him to persist therein, he " concluded : desiring him to recommend him to the no- " ble-minded John Earl of Warwick, to whom he wished " all happiness, and offered all services," Dated from Zu- rick, in the month of March 1551. And indeed great was the brotherhood and friendship A Lasco between the foreign divines and ours. A Lasco was one appoint^a"^ of these, who had lived in Helvetia, and was greatly ac- "^^^^^"S ^^^"^
400 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK S. P. Per me non stabit, quin, Deo volente, eras adero; '• et si valetudo uxoris mecp. non ohsiet, votis D. nostri A Anno I bfjo. Lasco amiuef. Hodie multa capitis gravedine fuit mulc- Hoper to ^^^^ Scio, et si corf ore aberit, niente nos comitabitur. Quod perpetiio erga vos faciet Dens suo Spiritu. Interim ematur aliquid, quod cum gratiarum, actione una accipi- amus ; ego aliquod, si Deo visum Jherit, sumptus faciam. Dominus vos, &c. rp j,^ j^ Hoperus.
MendF' t^^ y^^^ before this, to shew the good correspondence be- tween Hoper and the Switzers : when BulHnger had drawn up a in the matter of the Sacrament with Calvin, he sent it unto Hoper here, and prayed him that Utenhovius might see it : as I find by a manuscript letter of Bullinger to Utenhovius here in England, 1549- Bishop Rid- Ridley, who was now entered upon the government of dbcts?of'''the see of London, did this year institute his primary visi- London, tation. Wherein what reformation he intended to make, may be seen by the injunctions which he set forth for a uniformity in his diocese : which were printed by Reynold Wolf the same year. They imported, " that there should " be no reading of such injunctions [given before by other " Popish Bishops] as extolled and set forth the Popish mass, " candles, images, chantries. That ministers counterfeited " not the Popish mass, as in kissing the Lord's table, wash- " ing their hands or fingers after the Gospel, or receipt of " the holy communion, shifting the book from one place to " another, laying down and licking the chahce, blessing " their eyes with the sudary of the communion, or the " patin thereof, or crossing the head with the same, hold- " ing up the forefingers and thumbs joined together to- " wards the temples of the head after the receiving ; mak- " ing any elevation, ringing the sacring bell ; with such " like strange and superstitious ceremonies, forbid by the (256)" King's Injunctions. Also, none to receive the commu- " nion but such as should be ready with meekness to con- OF KING EDWARD VI. 401 " fess the articles of the Creed upon request of the curate. CHAP. " None to make a mart of the holy communion, by buying ^ " or selling the receipt thereof, as was sometimes used toAnnoi56o. " be done before. And whereas some used the Lord's " board after the form of a table, and some of an altar, " therefore wishing a godly unity to be in all the diocese, " and considering that the form of a table might more *' move the hearts of the simple from the old superstitious " opinion of the Popish mass, and to the right use of the '' holy supper, the curates and churchwardens were ex- " horted to erect and set up the Lord's board after the fa- " shion of an honest table, decently covered, in such place «' of the choir or chancel as should be thought most meet " by their discretion : so that the ministers might with the " communicants have their place separated from the rest of " the people ; and to take down and abolish all other by- " tables and altars. Ministers immediately after the ofFer- " tory, in time of communion, to admonish the communi- " cants, saying these or such like words ; That now was the " time, if it pleased them, to remember the poor man's " chest. That the Homihes be read orderly, without omis- " sion of any part thereof. Common prayer to be had in " every church upon Wednesdays and Fridays. Curates to " be diligent to teach the catechism upon Sundays or holy- " days, whensoever just occasion was offered. And at the " least every six weeks once to call the parishioners, and " present himself ready to instruct and examine the youth. " None to maintain purgatory, invocation of saints, the six " articles, bedrols, pilgrimages, relics, rubrics, primers, jus- " tification of man by his own works, holy bread, palms, " ashes, candles, creeping to the cross, hallowing of fire or «' altars, or such like abuses. Ministers to move the people to Yüklə 12,09 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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