selves with any rites, ceremonies, or usages not instituted by God, and so divide ourselves from him.

In this cause, if a faithful man should be at the mass, it is to be considered with what mind those that he doth there accompany himself withal, do come thither, and what the end is of the work that the priest doth. The people come to honour the bread and wine for God, and the priest purposeth to consecrate both God and man, and so to offer Christ to the Father for remission of sin. Now do they, that adjoin themselves unto these people, profess and declare a society and fellowship of the same impiety, as St. Paul laid to the Corinthians' charge. St. Paul was not offended with the Corinthians, because they lacked knowledge of the true God, but because, contrary to their knowledge, they associated themselves with idolaters. For this is true, that in all rites, sacraments, and honourings, whether they be of God or of the devil, there is a profession of a communion: so that every man protesteth to be of the same religion, that the rest be of, that be partakers with him. I know there be many evasions made by men, that judge a man may with safeguard of conscience be at the mass. But forasmuch as M. Calvin, M. Bullinger, and others have throughly answered them: such as be in doubts, may read their books. This is my conscience after God's word.

JOHN HOOPer,

DECLARATION OF CHRIST

AND OF

HIS OFFICE.

COMPILED BY

JOHN HOOPER.:

A. D. 1547.

"Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene conplacuit, ipsum audite."

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye

him."

DEDICATION.

To the most noble and victorious Prince, EDWARD Duke of SOMERSET, Earl of Hertford, Viscount Beauchamp, Lord Seymour, Governor of the person of the King's Majesty, and Protector of all his realms, his Lieutenant-general of all his armies, both by land and by sea, Treasurer and Earl Marshal of England, Governor of the Isles of Guernsey and Jersey, and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter: John Hooper wisheth grace and peace with long and gracious life in the living God through Christ Jesus, our only Saviour.

The godly pretence and consideration of your warfare of late into Scotland, most gracious and victorious Prince, and the just occasion given by your enemies to use the force of your most mighty and virtuous army, the Lord hath so magnified with prosperous and victorious success, that it seemeth not only a victory, most noble and worthy of perpetual memory; but also to be esteemed as a singular favour and merciful benediction of God, given from heaven, who accustometh many times unto such a godly pretenced purpose, to annex and add an external sign and testimony of his good will; that the world should not only acknowledge him to be the God of battle, and say, "This thing is done by the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes;" but also remember that thus the Lord useth to bless such, as fear his name, both in war and in peace.

And as every godly and good man doth praise the divine Majesty of God for his inestimable favour and grace in this heavenly victory: so he is to be called upon always hereafter to follow your Grace with like aid and consolation, that the thing, godly begun, may take a gracious and blessed success, the old

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amity and friendship be restored, that God by the creation of the world appointed to be in that one realm and island, divided from all the world by the imparking of the sea, by natural descent of parentage and blood, one in language and speech, in form and proportion of personage one, one in manner and condition of living, and the occasion of all discord and hatred be banished, that the good Scottish-Englishman may confess and do the same at home, that he doth in foreign and strange countries; calling an Englishman always his countryman, and studious to do him pleasure before any other nation of the world. The breach of this divine and natural friendship is the very work of the devil by his wicked members, that have not taught Scotland only disobedience unto her natural and lawful Prince and superior power, the King's Majesty of England; but also the contempt of Christ and his most holy word. Through all the world their iniquity and malice is fulfilled, and God's mercy sufficiently declared. For seeing they will not repent, he revengeth their injustice with his most dreadful ire, not only extenuating their force and diminishing their strength; but also he infatuateth and turneth into foolishness their most prudent and circumspect counsels. As it appeared in this battle, where God used your Grace as a means to your immortal renown, to obtain a glorious and celestial victory against his enemies and yours, that were not only match and equal in force with your army, but also treble, or at the least double in number, as strangers report, at the first onset. A gracious and good beginning at the first brunt of your Grace's godly vocation unto so high honour, not only to defend the King's Majesty's most noble person and the realm, but also to better and perfect the crown, if God will, in reconciling the unnatural and ungodly hatred between two