Early writings of John Hooper

Contents

PAGE

A Declaration of Christ and his Office 1

Answer to the Bishop of Winchester's Book 97

Dedication

and manifest verity, your grace will pardon my bold enterprise, and accept this poor vi^ork in good and gracious part: and then it shall appear your most noble puissance to be conjoined with like clemency and mercy, the which virtue of all other causeth man most to resemble the Almighty €rod, that made not only all things for his mercy's sake, but likewise with mercy overcame himself, and his rigorous justice also; that the defaults of mortal man might find solace in Jesus Christ his only Son, who preserve the king his highness, your most noble grace, with all the council and the whole realm, to the glory of God ! Amen.

Tiguri, 8 Decembris, 1547

Your grace's most

Caput III. [the Third Chapter.]

Now that the scripture hath taught us to know, that of the office

of Christ

Christ is both God and man, I wiU briefly entreat of his oflice : first, of his priesthood ; then, of his kingdom and reign over his church till the world's end; then, for ever, in solace with his elect, in perpetual mercy and favour; with such as contemn in this world his holy commandment and pleasure, in severe justice and immortal hatred and ire for ever. John iii.

Saint Paul, in the epistle to the Hebrews, proveth him to be the priest, called by God unto that function and office of Christ's of the high bishop : Christus non glonficavit seipsum ut fieret Pontifex^ sed is qui dixerat ei, Filius mem es tu, ego hodie genui te. Et alibi, Tu es sacerdos in ceternum, secumdum ordinem MelcTiisedeJc^. Caput v. By whose obedience unto the cross he gave everlasting health to as many as obeyed him, and in all things executed the very true office of a bishop, to The first

-1 11 1-1 1 part of the

whom it appertained to teach the people ; which was the office of a

. , ~, . bishop is

chiefest part of the bishop s office, and most diligently and to teach, straitly commanded by God. As all the books of Moses and the prophets teach, and Christ commanded Peter, John xx. Paul all the bishops and priests of his time. Acts xx.

Of Christ's authority and preaching, Moses and Stephen, Acts vii. Deut. xviii. saith thus: PropJietam suscitabit vobis Deus vester e fratribus vestris similem mei, ilium audietis^. He that will not hearken unto his voice, shall be as none He that win

not hearken

of the people of God. This authority to preach the 1 ather to the^ymce gave unto him in the hearing of the apostles. Matt. iii. xvii., ^^^'^^^^j^^

^ Christ took not to himself this honour to be made the high priest ; ^"^^^ °^ but he that said unto him. Thou art my Son, this day begat 1 thee. And in another place. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. R.

^ Your God will raise up unto you a prophet of your brethren : Him shall ye hear. R.

[cH.

Christ revealed all things necessary to salvation.

The church and bound his church to receive his doctrine, saying, This doctrine of ^ is my dear beloved Son, in whom I dehght, hear him. He taught the will of his Father unto the world, and how they might be saved from death infernal, John xvii. vi. Matt, xi, V. vi. vii. so that they repented and believed the gospel. Matt, iii. Mark x. ; left nothing untaught, but, as a good doctor, manifested unto his audience all things necessary for the health of man: as the woman confessed, John iv. Messias cum mnerit docehit nos omnia^. He preached not only himself, but sent his apostles and disciples to manifest unto the world, that the acceptable time of grace was come, and the sacrifice for sin born into the world, Matt. x. John x. And Christ did after his resurrection he gave them commandment to preach, send his dis- and likewise what they should preach: Ite in universum

ciplcs to

preach, but mundum, et prcedicate quce ego prcecepi mbis, evangeliwm omni

3.1so tfiu^ht * ^ t • -r

what they creaturw^. Matt, xxviii. The which doctrine Luke thus

should , . . .

preach. expoundeth : Poenitentiam ac remissionem peccatorum in omnes gentes in nomine meo. initio facto ah Hierosolymis^ . Luke xxiv. In his name, to say, in the knowledge and faith of his merits, they should preach repentance and remission of sin unto all the world : as they did most sincerely and plainly, without all glosses or additions of their own invention, and were as testimonies^ of the truth, and not the authors thereof. Acts i. John i.

So doth Paul teach with gravity* and manifest words, what is to be judged of himself and all other ministers : Deus erat in Christo, inquit, mundum reconcilians sibi, non imputans ei peccata sua, et posuit in nobis sermonem reconciliationis. Itaque nomine Christi legatione fungimur, tanquam Deo hortante vos per nos, rogamus pro Christo reconciliemini Deo\

1 The Messias, when he cometh, shall teach us all things. R.

2 Go into all the world, and preach those things I have commanded you, the gospel, to every creature. R.

2 Repentance and remission of sins to all nations in my name, beginning at Hierusalem. R.

« For God was in Christ, and reconciled the world to himself not imputing their sins unto them; and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then are we ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech through us : we pray you in Christ's stead, that ye be reconciled to God. R.

How the ministers are to be esteemed.

nr.]

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

Always in their doctrine they taught the thing, that Christ first taught, and God's holy Spirit inspired them. Gal. i. 2 Cor. iii. Holy apostles never took upon them to Theaposties be Christ's vicar in the earth, nor to be his lieutenant ; but upon them said, Sic nos mstimet homo, ut ministros Christi ac dispensatores Christ's

. vicar.

mysteriorum DeV 1 Cor. iv. In the same epistle he bindeth How far the the Corinthians to follow him in nothing but whereas he fol- are to be lowed Christ, cap. xi. Imitatores mei estote, sicut et ego Christi^ They ministered not in the church, as though Christ were absent, although his most glorious body was departed corporally into the heavens above ; but as Christ Christ being present, that always governeth his church with his Spirit of absent is truth, as he promised. Matt, xxviii. Ecce ego voMscum sum presentwith

- . „ his church.

usque ad consummahonem secuh

In the absence of his body, he hath commended the protection and governance of his church unto the Holy Ghost, the same God, and one God with the Father and his divine The power nature : whose divine puissance and power overmatcheth the of Christ, force of the devil, so that hell itself cannot take one of Christ's flock out of God's protection. John x. And this defence The condureth not for a day, nor year'", but shall demour" for ever, thereof, till this'^ church be glorified at the resurrection of the flesh. John XV.

It was no little pain that Christ suffered in washing away as Christ in the sins of this church : therefore he will not commit the son hath^re'^ defence thereof unto man. It is no less glory to defend and church, so keep the thing won by force, than it is by force to obtain fend it. the victory. Adam, Abel, Abraham, Moses, nor Aaron, could Abraham not win this church out of the devil's tyranny : no more can faithful they defend it, delivered. For although by imputation of imputation Christ's justice these men and all other faithfuls be de- righteouslivered from the tyranny of the devil and condemnation of the law : yet had and hath the devil his very friends dweUing within the nature of man, corrupt" as long as he liveth ; the

Let a man so esteem us, as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God. R.

" Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ. R. ' Behold, I am with you unto the end of the world. R. [i" Here, ed. 1647 ] " Endure. R. His. R.

22 A DECLARATION OF L^^'

concupiscence and rebellion of man's nature, who ceaseth nor day nor night to betray man again to the devil, except with the motion of true penitence^ this concupiscence be kept under Faith in God in fear and faith; which two virtues be so infirm in man, ftarofGod that be he never so perfect, yet falleth he from Grod someinS"^*" time, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Aaron. Isa.

xliii. Num. xix. Therefore he keepeth the defence and governance of the church only and solely himself, in whom the The apostles devil hath not a jot of right. Though the apostles were terfand"'^' instructed in all truth, and left the same written unto his thVtruth, church; yet were they ministers, servants, testimonies^, and Christ's preachers of this verity, and not Christ's vicars in earth and Ilith!"^°° lieutenant to keep the keys of heaven, hell, and purgatory;

but only appointed to approve the thing to be good, that God's laws commanded, and that to be ill, that the word of God condemned.

Seeing that Christ doth govern his church always by his The minis- holy Spirit, and bindeth all the ministers thereof unto the the only sole word of God, what abomination is this, that any bishop God. of Rome, Hierusalem, Antioche, or elsewhere, should acclaim to be Christ's vicar in the earth, and take upon him to make any laws in the church of God to bind the conscience of man, beside the word of God ; and, in placing of their superstition and idolatry, put the word of God out of his place ! By what law, by whom, or where hath any this title given unto him, to be God's vicar and lieutenant upon the earth? The bishops Moscs^, the best prince that ever was and most godly take°L^on govcmor of the people, and' Aaron, that fidele* high priest titi^Moses and preacher of God's word, never usurped this title, to be

and Aaron j /^i • i i

never^^ as a second Ohrist and master over mens conscience. If godly Moses and his brother Aaron never acclaimed this title in the earth, doubtless it is a foul and detestable arroaeseYattef ^^ncy, that these ungodly bishops of Rome attribute unto hishops of themselves to be the heads of Christ's church, the more

Rome shew iryni

whosemem-to be lamented. He that considereth their life, and conferreth it with the scripture, will judge by the authority are,

P Moses and Aaron, 1647.] ' Supplied from R. 5 Faithful. R. « Because he. R,

III.]

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

thereof, that they were not for these many years worthy to be accounted any members qf God's church, but the members of the devil and the first-begotten of antichrist.

Thus is true'', the see of Rome is not only a tyranny and The see pestilence of body and soul, but the nest of all abomination, a^tyranny God give him grace and all his successors to leave their abomi- and soul, nation, and to come unto the light of God's word ! This beast is preached unto the people to be a man that cannot err, his authority to be above God and his laws, and to be the prince upon the earth of all princes : but God will judge him as he is, a murderer of both body and soul, and punish the princes of the world, that uphold his abomination.

Moses and Aaron, by the testimony of the scripture, never Moses and

^ELron fells

taught, but that they received of God, and at the last both they offended, Num. xx. : insomuch that God gave sentence against them, that none of them both should enter into the land of promise for their arrogancy and pride. The text saith, " Because ye were unfaithful unto me." This false belief was of no doubt" they had in the power of God; for the miracle was done, as God said : but that they attributed too much unto their own power, and said, Audite reielles, mm de petra ista nos educemus nobis aquas^ ? For the changing of the third person in this sentence into the first, the ire of God pronounced sentence of death against these two very godly ministers of his word. They sinned, because they said not, " Hear, ye rebellious, cannot Jehovah, the Omnipotent, give ye water of this stone?" And is this first-begotten of antichrist, the bishop of Eome, without sin, that changeth not only the person in a sentence, but the whole sentence, yea, the whole law of God and of man ? So that he reigneth in the conscience above the law of God, and will save him that God hath damned, and damn him that God hath saved ; yet [this] person and man of sin cannot err ! But he that spared not to kill'° good Moses and Aaron for the abuse of the word of God, will not favour this wicked man, nor none of his holy doctors, at the terrible day of judgment.

^ This is most true. R. " Not of any doubt. R.

^ Hear, ye rebellious, shall we bring you water out of this rock ? R. " To kill, omitted in R.

[cH.

Naum, the prophet, doth give God a wonderful name, which the Latin nor the Greek cannot properly express without cu-cumlocution, Noter hu leobau', quasi injuriarum memoriam retinens, et ulciscendi occasionem expectans\ He is the God that writeth aU these blasphemies in his book of remembrance; and when he hath shewed his mercy sufficiently, God is slow he revengeth the ill that man thinketh is forgotten. It is vengeance, of his superabundant mercy that he throweth not suddenly compenscth fire upon the world for sin ; and not that he is asleep, or ness^with" cannot do it. Right well judged Valerius Maximus% better the seventy ^^^^ ^^^^ christian men : Lento quidem

punishment . . . i •, ,

when it aradu ad vindictam sui procedvt divma ira; sea gravitate

Cometh. , z • 4

supplicii tarditatem compensabit

Because God hath given this light unto my countrymen, which be all persuaded, (or else God send them to be persuaded !) that the bishop of Rome nor none other is Christ's vicar upon the earth ; it is no need to use any long or copious oration : it is so plain that it needeth no probation ; the very properties of antichrist, I mean of Ohrisfs great and principal enemy, is so openly known to all men, that are not blinded with the smoke of Rome, that they know him to be the beast that John describeth in the Apocalypse, as well as the logician knoweth that risibilitate distinguitur homo a ceteris animantibus^ ^|know- This knowledge of Chrisfs supremity and continual pre- Christ's sence in the church admitteth no lieutenant nor general

continual ...

presence in yicar. Likewise it admitteth not the decrees and laws of men,

the church

admitteth brought into the church contrary unto the word and scripture

no general = _ _ '■

vicar. of God, which is only sufficient to teach all verity and truth for the salvation of man, as it shall appear in this chapter following.

vTxh xin Nah. i. 2.] ^ As though he should say, keeping the remembrance of injuries, and expecting an occasion of revengement. R.

P Val. Max. Op. Leidse, 1726, Lib. i. cap. i. De religione, p. 35.] * The wrath of God goeth forth slowly unto revengement, but yet with the grievousness of the punishment he recompenseth his slackness. R.

» By the faculty of laughing man is distinguished from other living creatures. R.

IV.J

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

Caput IV [the Fourth Chapter.]

Chkist, the only light of the world, sent from his Father, and born" mortal man, according unto the scripture, began to teach the word of God purely and sincerely unto the world, and chose ministers and apostles convenient for the expedition thereof; and approved to be the very Messias by God Christ conthe Father, Matt. iii. xvii. John v. taught his disciples the doctrine by

11 1 1 testi-

truth by the only law, written by Moses and the prophets, and mony ofthe not by unwritten verities. And in all controversies and doubtful questions he answered his contraries'^ by the word of God. In that wonderful temptation of the devil. Matt. iv. by collation of the places of scripture he killed the devil with his own sword, (falsely and in a wrong sentence alleging the word of God,) by the word of God godly applied.

When his disciples were reprehended by the Pharisees, as breakers of the sabbath, Matt. xii. he excused their fact by the law, iVora legistis quid fecerit David et qui cum eo erant'^? So likewise, Matt. xv. xix. in all controversies he made the law judge between his enemies and him. When he was desired to teach a young man the way to heaven, and to come to everlasting life, he said. In lege quid scriptum est ? Quomodo legis^ ? Matt. xxii. Likewise the Sadducees, that denied the resurrection of the dead : Erratis, inquit, mscienies scripturas et mrbum Dei^" The rich man in hejl, that was so desirous that his brothers" living in the earth might have knowledge and warning to beware they were not damned in time to come, would gladly have warned them himself for a more surety, Luke xvi. that the message should be done. Abraham answered, Hahent Mosen et prophetas; audient illos^^ The scripture teacheth what

" Born, omitted in R.

' His contraries, 1547- To their objections. R. Have you not read what David did, and they [which] were with him? R.

" What is written in the law? How readest thou? R. ^" You err (said he), not knowmg the scriptures and the word of God. R.

" Brethren. R.

They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. R.

The scrip- heaven, hell, and what man is, and what Christ is : thereeth whaf ' fore Christ sendeth us thither. John v. Scrutamini, inqmt,

Christ is,

what man SCTipturaS '

ifeavenrnd Again, being required in a civil matter concerning tribute and obedience unto the princes of the world, Matt. xxii. he said, Beddite quce sunt Ccesaris Ccesari, et quae sunt Dei Deo. "Give unto the emperor that that is due unto the emperor, and unto Cod that that is due unto God." And under the name of the emperor he understandeth all superior powers appointed over the people by God, and would to give° due honour unto them both, as Paul teacheth. Eom. xiii. 1 Pet. ii.

This law teacheth man sufficiently, as well what he is bound to do unto God, as unto the princes of the world. Nothing can be desired necessary for man, but in this law it is prescribed : of what degree, vocation, or caUing soever Wherein he be, his duty is shewed unto him in the scripture. And dififereth ^ in this it differeth from man's laws, because it is absolute, law. perfect, and never to be changed; nothing added unto it, nor taken from it. And the church of Christ, the more it was and is burdened with man's laws, the farther it is from the true and sincere verity of God's word. The more man presumeth and taketh authority to interpretate the scripture after his own brain and subtle wit, and not as the verity of [the] ^ text requireth, the more he dishonoureth the scripture, and blasphemeth God, the author thereof. The office It is the office of a good man to teach the church as minister. Christ taught, to revoke all errors, and such as err, unto the fold of Christ only by the word of Christ. For the The water Water at the fountain's head is more wholesome and pure, purest at than when it is carried abroad in rotten pipes or stinking tain's head, ditches. I had rather follow the shadow of Christ, than the body of all general councils or doctors since the death of The devil Christ. The devil never slept, but always by his ministers

never

ceaseth to attempted to destroy the verity of Christ's religion and clean truth. to put out the light of truth, which was perfect in Christ's time and in the time of the apostles. None since that time

' Search the scriptures, saith he. R. ^ Have given. R. ^ Supplied from R.

IV.]

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

so pure. Saint Hierome, in vita Malchi*, saith, that his The truth

' \ darkened m

time was darkness in the respect of the apostles' time. the time of

, Jerome.

The antiquity of the world doth darken the verity of God's word ; as Varro' saith truth, Vetustatem multa depravare, multa etiam tollere. Et, Tertium sceculum, inquit, non mdef eum Jiomimm qmm vidit primum''. The truth of God's verity, the more it is used, practised, and taught after the wisdom is so far

' ^ ' ° from beingr

of man, the more is the glory and perfection thereof darkened, bettered by

o J L ^ ^ man's wis-

It is the contrary in all human arts, as Cicero saith^ : In do™> *at it

•' IS darkened

htmanis nihil simul inventum et perfectum fuit, usuqm et ex- thereby. ercitatione factum sit ; ut hoc prcestantiores artes qucedam fuerint, qm longius ah origine sua et inventoribus essent deducted ^

The church of God must therefore be bound to none other authority than unto the voice of the gospel and unto the ministry thereof, as Esay saith, chap. viii. Obsigna legem in discipulis meis". The prophet speaketh of such darkness, as should follow his time, concerning the coming of Messias, the true doctor of the church : therefore [he] prayed to preserve the true heirs" of the prophets, and that it would please him to conjGirm the doctrine of truth in their hearts, lest the word and true understanding of the word by the devil should be put out. And seeing the church is bound unto this infallible truth, the only word of God, it is a false and usurped authority that men attribute unto the clergy, and bind the word of God and Christ's church to the succession of bishops or any college of cardinals, schools, ministers, or cathedral churches.

[* Ab apostolis usque ad nostri temporis faeceni, &c. Hieron. Op. Veronse, 1735, Tom. ii. col. 41.]

Varronis Op. Amsterdam, 1623. De ling. Lat. Lib. iv. p. 6.]

" Oldness corrupteth many things, and also taketh away many things. And the third age (quoth he) seeth not that man which they saw. R.

[' Vid. Cic. de claris Oratoribus, cap. 18.]

* In human things nothing is made perfect so soon as it is invented, but by use and exercise it is wrought out. So that some arts are by so much the more excellent as they have had continuance since the beginning, and since they were invented. R.

* Seal my law in my disciples. R. ^" Supplied from R.

" Hearers. R.

The minis- Paul would no man to give faith' to any person or tfbebe^" minister in the church of God, but when he preacheth the as they word of God truly. Gal. i. Men may have the gift of God wo?d of God to understand and interpretate the scripture unto other, but never authority to interpretate it, otherwise than it interpret tateth itself, which the godly mind of man by study, meditation, and conferring of one place thereof with the other'. How the may find ; howbeit some more, some less, as God giveth his may^'and' grace. For the punishment of our sins God leaveth in all fntSpreted. men a great imperfection ; and such as were endued with tions anfthe excellent wit and learning saw not always the truth. As it menfs^ofsinis to be Seen in Basilius, Ambrose, Epiphanius, Augustine, Bernard, and other, though they stayed themselves in the Tiie greatest knowledge of Christ, and erred not in any principal article

clerks of the „ ° .-ii ,

church have of the faith : vet they did inordinately and more than enough

erred in . ip

some extol the doctrine and tradition of men, and after the death

points.

of the apostles every doctor's time was subject unto such ceremony and man's decrees, that was neither profitable nor necessary. Therefore diligently exhorted Paul the church of Christ principally to consider and regard the foundation of all verity ; meaning that doctors of the church had their imperfection and faults. Fundamenttm (inquit) mn potest poni aliud prmter id quod positum est, quod est Jesus Christus^. In these few words is stablished all our faith, and all false religion reprehended.

Upon this foundation some men build gold, to say, godly confuted the ^'^'^ neccssaiy doctrine: as Polycarpus, that confuted the MarcYon! ^^^^^1 Marcion, De essentia Dei\ of the causes of sin ; that the devil and man is the cause of sin, and not God, nor fatal destiny, nor the influence or respects of the planets. He maintained the true religion of God, and governed the church, poiiycarpus as the scripture taught, which he learned of John Evangelist, disciple. and defended this' truth with wonderful constancy and martyrdom.

Basilius and many other retained the articles of the faith ;

' Faith or credit. R. ^ Another. R.

» Another foundation can no man lay than that which is aheady laid, which is Jesus Christ. R.

^ Of the essence of God. R. 5 jjj^ ^

IV.]

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

but they instituted the hfe and rule of monks, and preferred ^asiie ai-^ that kind of hfe before the hfe of such as govern in the com- ™^'J^*(.^'°^;J monwealth the people of God, and persuaded men that such ™ie of kind of hfe was a very divine and acceptable honouring of God.

After him followed such as augmented this ill, and said, it was not only acceptable unto God, but also that men might deserve therewith remission of sin.

Thus a little and a little the devil augmented superstition, and diminished the truth of God's glory : so that we see no where the church of Christ as it was in the apostles' time. Though many and godly verities hath been brought unto light in our time by men of diverse graces, yet is not the truth of necessary verities plainly shewed by them. Lest man should too much glory in himself, he permitted them to err in certain points : as Luther, of a blessed memory, which wrote and preached the gospel of justification, no man better ; yet in the cause of the sacrament he erreth concerning the corporal presence of Chrisfs natural body, that there is no man can err more. I shall have occasion to write the truth concerning this matter hereafter. It is no reproach of the dead man, but mine opinion unto all the world, that the scripture solely and the apostles' church is to be followed, and no man's authority, be he Augustine, TertuUian, or other, cherubim or cherabim.

Unto the rules and canons of the scripture must man Reformatrust, and reform his errors thereby ; or else he shall not made acreform himself, but rather deform his conscience. The church thecanons of the Romans, Corinthians, and other, the seven churches word, that John writeth of in the Apocalypse, were in all things reformed unto the rule and form prescribed by the everlasting God. The image of these churches I always print in my mind. And wheresoever I come, I look how near they resemble the afore rehearsed, and whether their preachers preach simply without dispensation of any part of God's most necessary word ; and whether all the occasions of idolatry be taken away, as images, whom Gregory^ calleth the books of

« In. R.

[J Quod legentibus scriptura, hoc idiotis praestat pictura cernentibus. S. Greg. Op. Paris. 1672, Tom. ii. col. 938. Lib. ix. Indic. iv. Ep. ix.]

so A DECLAKATION OP

[cH.

the laymen, though this title be against the second commandment, and never approved by the old testament nor the new, by word or example.

The occa- Where as the occasion is not removed, the word of Grod idolatry must needs stand in hazard : for God will not (say the wisdom removed, of man what it list) have his church pestered with any kmd have his of idolatry ; and to make God and the devil agree in one pestered church, it is impossible. St John hath wonderful words in idndof^ the Apocalypse, Chap. iii. unto the church of the Laodi-

idolatry. r j r ^ j. _ ^..7 jr -j

ceans : Scio opera tua, qma neque fngidus neqm jermaus. Utinam frigidus esses aut fervidus I itaqm qmniam tepidus es, et nec frigidus nec fervidus^ incipiam te evomere de ore meo^. These words are very necessary to be borne in mind. We must be For he that is neither hot nor cold, but indifferent to use advancing the knowledge of God's word and Christ's church with the and not in- word and gloss of man ; that teacheth the use of images in ' " " the church, before he can prove by the authority of God's word that they may be suffered in the church, doth not well. They have been the occasion of great hurt and idolatry. Neither the The church of the old testament nor the new never taught the old nor the people with images. Therefore it shall be the office of ment did" every man that loveth God and his word, to follow the scripture