A declaration of Christe and of his offyce compylyd, by Johan Hoper, anno 1547

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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