The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

¶ Of worshipping and what is to be vnderstand by the worde.

COncerning worshipping or honouring (which two ter∣mes are both one) M. More * 1.1 bringeth forth a difference, a distinction or diuision of Greke wordes, fayned of our schole∣men, which of late neither vnderstode greke, latine or hebrue, called doulia, hyperdoulia and La••ria. But the diffe∣rence declareth he not, nor the proper∣ties of the wordes, but with confused termes leadeth you blindfolde in hys maze. As for hyperdoulia I woulde fayne we••e where he readeth of it in all the scripture, and whether the worship done to hys Lord the Cardinalles hat were doulia, hyperdoulia, or idololatria. And as for doulia and latria we fynde thē both referred vnto God in a thou∣sand places.

Therefore that thou be not begui∣led wyth falshod of sophisticall words, vnderstand that the wordes which the scripture vseth in the worshipping or honouring of God are these: loue god, * 1.2 cleaue to God, dread, serue, bow, pray and call on God, beleue and trust in God and such like. Which wordes all we vse in the worshipping of man al∣so, how be it diuersly, and the differēce thereof doth all the scripture teach.

God hath created vs and made vs vnto his owne likenes, and our saui∣our Christ hath bought vs wyth hys bloud. And therfore are we Gods pos∣session of dutie and right, and Christes seruauntes onely, to wa•…•…e on his will * 1.3 and pleasure, and ought therefore to moue neither hand nor fo••e, nor any o∣ther member, eyther hart or mynde, o∣therwise then he hath appointed. God is honoured in his owne person, whē we receaue al things both good & bad * 1.4 at his hand, and loue his lawe wyth all our hartes, and beleue, hope, and long for all that he promiseth.

THe officers that rule the worlde in * 1.5 Gods stede, as father, mother, ma¦ster, husband, Lord and Prince are ho∣noured, when the lawe which almigh∣ty God hath committed vnto them to rule with, is obeyed. Thy neighbour that is out of office, is honoured, when * 1.6 thou (as God hath commaunded thee) louest hym as thy selfe, countest hym as good as thy selfe, thinkest hym as worthy of any thing as thy selfe, and commest louingly to helpe hym at all hys neede, as thou wouldest be holpe thy selfe, because God hath made him like vnto hys owne image as well as thee, and Christ hath bought hym as well as thee.

If I hate the lawe, so I breake it in * 1.7 myne hart, and both hate & dishonour God the maker therof. If I breake it outwardly, then I dishonour god be∣fore the worlde, and the officer that ministreth it. If I hurt my neigh∣bour, then I dishonour my neighbour and him that made him, and him also that bought him wyth hys bloud. And euē so, if I hate my neighbour in mine

hart, then I hate him that commaun∣deth me to loue him and him that hath deserued that I should at the lest way for his sake loue him. If I be not rea∣dy to helpe my neighbour at hys nede, * 1.8 so I take his due honour from him, & dishonour him, & him that made him, and him also that bought him with his bloud, whose seruaunt he is. If I loue such thinges as God hath lent me and committed vnto mine administration, so that I can not finde in myne hart to bestow them on the vses which God hath appointed me, then I dishonour God and abuse his creature in that I geue more honour vnto it thē I shuld do, And then I make an idole of it in that I loue it more then God and hys commaundement and then I disho∣nour my neighbour from whose nede I withdraw it.

In like maner if the officer abusyng his power, cōpell the subiect to do that * 1.9 which God forbiddeth or to leue vn∣done that which God commaundeth, so he dishonoureth God, in withdraw¦yng his seruaunt from him, & maketh an Idole of his owne lustes, in that he honoureth them aboue God, & he dis∣honoureth his brother in that he abu∣seth hym contrary vnto the right vse which God hath created him for and Christ hath bought him for, which is to wayte on Gods cōmaundementes. For if the officer be otherwise mynded * 1.10 then this, the worst of these subiectes is made by the hādes of him that made me, and bought with the bloud of hym that bought me, and therfore my bro∣ther, and I but his seruaunt onely, to defend him and to kepe him in the ho∣nour that God & Christ hath set him, that no man dishonour him: he disho∣noureth both God & man. And therto if any subiect thinke any otherwise of y^t officer (though he be an Emperour) then that he is but a seruaunt onely, to minister the office indifferently, he dis∣honoureth the office and God that or∣demed it. So that all men, what soe∣uer degree they be of are euery man in his rowme, seruauntes to other, as the hand serueth the foote and euery mem∣ber one an other. And the aungels of heauen are also our brethren and very seruauntes for Christes sake, to defend vs from the power of the deuils.

And finally all other creatures that * 1.11 are neither aungels nor man, are in ho¦nour lesse then man, and man is Lord ouer them, and they created to serue him, as Scripture testifieth, and he not to serue them, but only, his Lord God and his Sauiour Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Worship∣•…•… and〈…〉〈…〉are ••••th one.
• * 1.2

  The true wordes that ex∣presse the God.
• * 1.3

  What it is to honour God.
• * 1.4

  The true honour of God.
• * 1.5

  What it is to honour rulers.
• * 1.6

  What it is to honour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mās neigh∣bour.
• * 1.7

  What it is to disho∣nour God and disho∣nour our neighbour.
• * 1.8

  To deny to helpe my neighbour is to disho∣nour hym.
• * 1.9

  To do that God for∣biddeth is to disho∣nour God.
• * 1.10

  I true offi∣cer in the sight of God.
• * 1.11

  All crea∣tures are o•…•…ed to •…•…ue 〈◊〉〈◊〉.