A declaration of Christe and of his offyce compylyd, by Johan Hoper, anno 1547
About this Item
Title
A declaration of Christe and of his offyce compylyd, by Johan Hoper, anno 1547
Author
Hooper, John, d. 1555.
Publication
[Prynted in Zurych :: By Augustyne Fries,
Anno M.D.XLVII. [1547]]
Rights/Permissions
To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms
Jesus Christ -- Person and offices -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03621.0001.001
Cite this Item
"A declaration of Christe and of his offyce compylyd, by Johan Hoper, anno 1547." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03621.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 28, 2025.
Pages
Caput IIII. (Book 4)
CHrist the onli light of the worold
sent from his father and born mor¦tall
mann according unto the scripture
began to theache the word of God pu¦relli
and sincerly unto the worold and
chose ministres and Apostelles conue∣nient
for thexpedicion therof and ap∣prouyd
to be the uery Messias by God
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
the father Mat. 3. 17. Ioan. 5. tawght his
disciples the truith by the only law.
Wroten by Moses and the prophetes
and not by unwrytyne uerites. And in
all contrauersis and dout full questi∣ons,
he ausweryd his contrarijs by the
word of god, in that wonderfull tem∣ptation
of the deuill Matt. 4. by colla∣tion
of the places of scripture he killyd
the deuill with his awne swerde: fals∣ly,
and in a wrong sentence aleging the
word of god by the word of god god¦ly
applyed. When his disciples were
reprehendid by the Pharises as brea∣kers
of the sabboth Matt. 12. He excu∣syd
there fact by the law. Non legistis
quid fecerit Dauid, & qui cū eo erant,
so lik wyce Matt. 15. 19. in all contra∣uersys
he made the law iudge betwen
his Ennymis and him. When he was
desyrid to teach ayong man the way
to heauē and to cū to eū lasting lief he
sayd in lege quid scriptum est, quomo
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
do legis? Matt. 22. lik wice the Sadu∣ces
that denied the resurrexion of the
ded. Erratis inquit nescientes scriptu∣ras
& uerbum dei. The Rych man in
hell that was so desirous that his bro∣thers
lyuing in therthe might haue
knolege, and warning to beware thei
were not damnyd in tyme to cum wo¦uld
gladly haue warnid them hymsel¦fe
for à more suretye Luc. 16. that the
messayge shuld be done. Abraam
Answeryd, habent Mosen & prophe¦tas
audientillos, the scripture teachith
what heauen hell, and what man is,
and what Christ is therfore Christ
send dith us theter Io. 5. scrutamini in∣quit
scripturas. Agayne being re∣quirid
in à ciuile mater concerning tri¦bute
and obedience unto the princes
of the worold Matt. 22. he sayd. Red∣dite
quae sunt Caesaris Caesari, & quae
sunt dei deo. Yeue unto themperour
that that is deu unto themperour and
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
unto god that that is deu unto god.
And under the Nam of thempe∣rour
he undrestondith, all superior
poures apoyntid ouer the peple by
god. And would to yeue dew honor
unto them booth as Paule teachite
Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. this law teachith man
sufficiently as well what he is boūd to
do unto god as unto the princes of the
worold nothing can be desyrid neces∣sari
for man but in this law it is prescri¦bid.
Of wbat degre uocation or cal∣ling
so euer he be his dewty is shewid
unto hym in the scripture. And in this
it differith from mannes lawes becau∣se
it is absolute perfeit and neuer to be
Chaungid. Nothing addid unto it
nor taken from it. And the chur∣che
of Christ the more it was and is
burdenyd withe mannis lawes the far¦ther
it is from the trew and syncere ue¦rite
of godes word. The more man
presumith and takith authorite to in∣terpretat
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
the scripture after his awne
brayne and subtill wytt, and not as the
uerite of text requirith the more he dis¦honorith
the scripture and blasphe∣mith
god thauctor therof. It is the offi¦ce
of â good man to teach the churche
as Christ tawght, to reuoke all Erro∣urs
and souch as Er unto the fold of
Christe only by the word of Christ.
For the water at the foyntaynce hed
is more halsom and pure then when it
is caryd abrode in roten pypes or styn
king diches. I had rather folow the
shadow of Christ then the body of all
generall conselles or doctors sith the
death of Christe. The deuille neuer
slept but allways by his ministres at∣temptyd
to destroy the uerite of Chri∣stes
relligion and cleane to put out the
ligth of truithe. Which was perfet in
Christes tyme and in the tyme of the
Apostelles. Nonne sith that tyme so
pure. Saynct hieromein uita malchi
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
sayth that his tyme was darkenys in
the respect of the Apostelles tyme.
The antiquite of the worold doth dar¦ken
the uerite of godes word. As Var¦ro
sayth truith uetustatem multa de∣prauare.
Multa etiam tollere. Et ter∣cium
seculum (inquit) non uidet eum
hominem quem uidit primum. The
truith of godes uerite the more it is u∣sidd,
practysid and taught aster the
wisdom of man the more is the glory
and perfection therof darkenyd it is
the contrary in all Humane artes as
Cicero sayth in humanis, nihil simul
inuentum & perfectum fuit, usu{que} &
exercitatione factum sit: Vt hoc prae∣stantiores
artes quaedam fuerint quo
longius ab origine sua & inuentori∣bus
essent deducte. The churche of
god must therfore be bound to none
other authorite thē unto the uoyce of
the gospel and unto the ministery the∣rof
as Esa sayth cap. 8. Obsigna legem
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
in discipulis meis. the Prophete spe∣kith
of souch darkenis as shuld folow
his tyme conserning the comming of
Messias the trew Doctor of the chur∣che
therfore prayd to preserue the
trew heres of the Prophetes and that
it would pleac hym to confirm the do¦ctrine
of truth in there hartes lest the
word and trew undrestonding of the
word by the deuille shuld be put out
and seing the church is bound unto
this infallible truith the only word of
God it is â false and usurpyd authori∣te
that men attribute unto the clerge
and bynd the word of God and Chri∣stis
church to the successiō of byshop¦pes
or ony coleige of Cardinalles Sco¦les
minystres or Cathedrall churches,
Paule would noman to yeue fayth to
ony person, or minystre in the church
of God but when he preachith the
word of God trewli, Gal. 1. Men may
haue the gyfft of God to undrestond
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
and interpretat the scripture unto o∣ther.
But neuer authorite to interpre∣tat
it, other wyse then it interpretatithe
it selfe whiche the godly mynd of mā
by study meditacion and conferryng
of one place therof withe the other
may fynd how be it some more some
lesse as God yeuith his grace. For the
ponyshement of our synnes God le∣uithe
in all men à great imperfection
and souche as were induyd withe ex∣cellent
wytt and lernyng saw not all∣wayes
the truithe. As it is to be seen in
Basilius, Ambrose, Epiphanius, Au∣gustyne,
Bernerd, and other. thowghe
they stayed them selfes in the knolege
of Christ and Erryd not in ony Princi¦pall
article of the faythe yet, they did
inordinatly and more then Inowghe
extolle the doctrine and tradicion of
men. and after the deathe of the Apo∣stellis
euery doctors tyme was subiect
unto souche ceremonye and mannes
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
decrees, that was nether profetable ner
necessari. therefore diligently exortyd
Paule the churche of Christ principal∣to
consider and regard the fundacion
of all ueryte Menyng that Doctors of
the chnrche had there imperfectiō and
faultes. Fundamentum (inquit) non
potest poni aliud praeter id quod posi¦tum
est, quod est Iesus Christus. In the
se few wordes is stablyshe al oure fay¦the
and all false religion reprehendyd
upon this foundacion sommen buld
gold to say godly and necessari doctri¦ne
as Policarpus that confutyd the he
resy of marcion de essencia Dei. of the
causis of sinne that the deuyll and mā
is the cause of sinne and not god nor
fatall destiny, nor the influens or re∣spectes
of the planetes. He meyntei∣nid
the trew religion of god and go∣uernyd
the church, As the scripture
tawght whiche he lernyd of Iohan e∣uangelist
and defendyd this truith wi¦the
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
woūderfull cōstāce and martyrdō
Basilius and many other reteynid the
articles of the faythe but they institu∣tyd
the lieffe and rule off monkes and
preferryd that kynd of lief before the
lief of souche as gouern in the comu∣ne
wealth the people of god. and per∣suadyd
men that souche kynd of lieffe
was auery deuyne and acceptable ho¦noryng
of god. After hym folowyd
souche as augmentid this yle and said
it was not only acceptable unto God
but also: that men might deserue ther¦withe
remission of sinne. thus alitle
and alitle the deuill augmentid super∣sticion
and deminyshyd the trewth of
Godes glory so that we se no where
the churche of Christ as it was in the
Apostelles tyme thowghe mani and
godly uerites hathe byn browght un∣to
light in our tyme by men of diuerse
graces yet is not the truithe of necessa¦ry
uerites playnly sheuyd by them
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
lest man shuld to mouche glorye in
hymselfe he permyttyd them to ar in
certayne poyntes. As Luther of ablys¦syd
memorie. which wrote and prea∣chyd
the gospell of iustificacion nomā
better yet in the cause of the sacramēt
he arrithe concerning the corporall
precens of Christes naturall body that
there is no man can ar more. I shall ha∣ue
occasion to writ the truith concer∣ning
this mater herafter it is no repro∣che
of the did man. but myne opinion
unto all the worold that the scripture
soly and the Apostelles churche is to
be folowyd and nomans authorite. Be
he Augustine, Tertullian, or other
Cherubim or Cherabim. unto the ru∣les
and Canones of the scripture must
man trust and reforme his errores
therby. or else he shall not reform him
selfe but rather deform his consciens.
The churche of the Romaynes, Corin
thiōs and other. the seuē churches that
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
Ioā. writithe of in the Apocalipses we¦re
in all thinges reformyd unto the ru¦le
and form prescribyd by the euerla∣sting
God the ymayge of these chur∣ches
I allwayes prynt in my mynd.
And wher so euer I com I lok how
nere they resemble the afore reher∣sid
and whether there prechers pre∣ach
simple without dispensation of
ony part of godes most necessarie
word. And whether all the occatious
of Idolatre be taken away as ymagy
ce whom Gregori callith the bokes
of the lay men thowghe this title be
agaynst the second commaundement
and neuer approuid bythold testamēt
nor the new ••y word or examplewhe¦re
as thoccacion is not remouid the
word of god must nedes stand in ha∣serd
for god will not, Say the wys∣dom
of man what it list haue his chur¦che
pesteryd with ony kynd of Idola∣trie:
and to mak god and the deuill a∣gre
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
in one churche it is impossible.
Saynct Iohn hathe wounderfull wor¦des
in the Apocalippes cap. 3. Vnto
the churche of laodicensium scio ope¦ra
tua, quia ne{que} frigidus neque ferui∣dus:
Vtinam frigidus esses aut ferui∣dus
ita{que} quoniam tepidus es & nec fri¦gidus
nec feruidus incipiam te euome
re de ore meo. These wordes aruero
necessarie to be bonr in mynd. For he
that is nether hote nor cold, But indif∣ferent
to use the kolege of godes word
and Christes churche, withe the word
and glosse of man that teachith the use
of ymagys in te church, before he can
proue by tauctorite of godes word
that they may besuffryd in the church
doothe not well, they haue byn thoc∣cacion
of greathurt and Idololatrye
the church of the old testament nor the
new neuer tawght the people with
ymagys. Therfore it shalbe the office
of euery man that louithe god and his
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
word to folow the scripture onli. And
to be wayle the ignorancy of souche
as hathe before our tyme or now in
our tyme by wordes or wryting de∣fend
the same. And with all humilite
and humblenys submitt hymselfe to
the iudgmet and Censure of the iudge
of all Iugdes the word of god that he
may wysely and godly dissern what is
to be belyuid and acceptyd of ony do∣ctors
wrytinges, and what is not to be
acceptyd. What is to be perdonid and
what is not to be pardonid. and by the
perylles and dangers of other lern to
be wyse that we commit not the same
fault. à fyne glosse and fere interpreta¦cion
cannot make godd an ile thing if
I shuld say an ymage prouokyth deuo¦cion.
holy waterteachith that the blud
of Christ was sprynklyd for my sinnes
the holy breade teachith that Christes
body was torn for my sinnes what
shall thesse glosses excuse the fact
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
nay nay, Christ that died for our sakes
would not his deathe to be prechid
this way. but out of the scripture by
the tong of man and not out of the de¦crees
of Bishopes by adrop of water
or peyntyd post he that tok the paines
to dy and suffre his passion for te redē¦tion
of the worold soly and only. soly
and only hathe taken the paynes to
teach the worold how and which wai
they shuld kepe this passion in mynd
and lefft it unto the worold in wry∣ting
by the handes of his holy Aposte¦les
unto the which wreting only he ha¦the
bound and obligatyd his churche
and notto the wretings of men. In this
passaige I admonishe the Christiane
reader that I speake not of the lawes of
magistrates or princes that daili ordey
ne new lawes for the preseruacion of
there comune wealthe as they se the
necessite of there Realmes or cites re∣quire.
But of souche lawes as men ha∣the
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
ordeinid for the churche of Christ
whiche shuld be now and for euer go¦uernyd
by the word of God. In this
cause loke as eue offendid obeyng the
persuacion of the deuill contrary unto
the commaundement of God so doo∣the
euery man offend obeyng ony la∣wes
or decrees, that commaundithe o∣ny
thyng contrary unto the word, of
God. This law must preuayle, Opor∣tet
Deo magis obedire quâm homini∣bus.
The exampleherof we haue in
Daniel of the thre chyldren that cho∣se
reather to burn in the firie furny
se then to worshipp The ymiage that
Nabucadneser had made. so did the
Aposteles Act. 5. let all the worold cō¦sider
whether these lawes of the Bis∣hopes
the Masse whiche is â propha∣nation
of Christes supper to bynd mē¦nes
consciens to pray unto did sayn∣ctes,
to say Imagis be to be suffryd in
the temples and constrayne the mini∣stres
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
of the churche to lyue sole con∣trary
unto there uocacion ar to be obe¦yd
or not, they do no lesse offend God
in obeyng these lawes then Eue dyd
in obeyng the uoyce of the serpēt. the
wysdom of all the wittes in the wo∣rold
cannot cōprehend the greatnys
of this yle. mak what lawes they will
for the body so the leaue the consciens
fre, with pacience it is to be suffryd: on¦ly
I lament the bondayge of the con∣sciēs
cursyd be these that make souche
lawes, and cursyd be those that withe
sophistrie defend them that parasitus
and bond man of the bishope of Ro¦me
pigius in his writīges shamith not
to say it is lesse synne for â prist to ke∣pe
an other mannis wief then to haue
â wiefe of his awne. Conserning actes
indifferent whiche of them selfes or
nether good nether yle. as to refrayne
from eating of fleshe the fryday obser¦uyng
of the fests kept holy in the re¦membrance
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
of souche holy martires
as died for the faythe of Christ, or in
keping holy Ester and witsonday the¦re
is too respeects most diligētly to be
obseruid thone good and to be suffrid
the other yle and to be eschewyd. sou∣che
as abstayne from fleshe and think
they do better seruyce to god and
would lik wice obtayne remission of
there synnes, by those workes: do de∣clare
boothe them selfes and there
workes to be yle. But souche as abstay
ne because the sprite may be more ar∣dent
and the mynd more yeuen to stu¦dy
and prayer doothe well and as
they be bound to do, and to com un∣to
the temple to pray for them selfes
and the churche of Christ and to hyre
the word of god doothe well for as
god commaundithe his word to be
preachyd and hard so he hathe apoyn¦tid
à certayne tyme as the sabbothe
whenpeople shuld hyre it. And not
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
only this order to be obseruid in the
churche but also in euery familye and
houshold of what degre so euer he be
He shuld cause his familie and chyl∣dren
to rede some part of the Bible for
there erudition to know god. Likwy
ce he shuld constrayne them to pray
unto god for the promocion of his ho¦ly
word and for the preseruacion of
the gouerners of the commune weal∣the
so that no day shuld passe withe¦out
prayer, and augmētacion of kno∣lege
in the religion of Christ. But our
new Euangelistes hathe an other opi¦nion
they dreame of faythe that iusti∣fieth
the whiche nether repentaynce
presedithe nether honesty of lyffe fo∣lowithe
which shalbe to there doble
damnaciō if they amend not. He that
will conforme his knolege unto the
word of god let hym likwyce conuert
his Itef withe all as the word requiri∣the
and as all the examplis of Christ
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
and his gospelle teachithe or else
what will he do withe the doctrine of
Christ whiche only teachith and suffi∣ciently
teachithe all uerite and uerre∣wes
lief let hym tary style in the do∣ctrine
of man and lyue as manly and
as carnally as he list and not professe
to know god nether his trewthe ra∣ther
then, so to slaunder them boothe.
This sufficithe to proueth only word
of god to be sufficiēt to teache the trui¦the.
All other mennes lawes, to be ne∣ther
necessarie nether profetable. and
certayne we be that the churche of the
Apostelles dyd waunt these decrees,
that papistre of late dayes faythyd the
churche withe all
email
Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem?
Please contact us.