Machometanæ potius quam Christianæ assertores videri voluerint. Posterius hoc si faciunt, videant, quomodo permittant, quæ Christus, Apostoli, Evangelistæ, atque adeo totius ecclesiæ consensus districte ab initio huc usque prohibuit.

Quod si fortè dixerint, ea jam quoque tollerari posse, eo quod ante Christum natum fuerunt vel approbata vel tolerata; tunc enimvero causam nobis reddant, cur non et cætera toleremus, quæcunque tunc legimus pari jure usitata; aut definiant, quænam hujus generis, aut quatenus erunt admittenda. Nam in Veteri Testamento expressum habemus olim patrem concubuisse cum filiabus, ut Loth; Socerum cum nuru, út Judam; patrem familias, nempe Abraham, cum ancilla pellice, conscia uxore, atque etiam id ultro suadente, nempe Sara; eundem ipsum uxorem suam, adhuc juvenculam ac formosam, sororem nominasse, eámque Regibus, Pharaoni et Abimelech, ultro in concubinam permisisse. Præterea, unum sæpe hominem plures habuisse uxores, ut Jacob et Mosen ipsum, legis latorem a Deo constitutum. Postremò, Principes multos, eosque nec illaudatos, præter uxorum numerosa contubernia, Concubinarum etiam greges aluisse: ut Davidem, Solomonem, &c. Nec Assuero vitio datur, quod singulis pæne noctibus concubinam novam asciverit. Et Hester, foemina laudatissima, utpote quam ad Salutem populi sui Deus excitavit, quum esset Judæa, et legi Mosaicæ obnoxia, Assueri Regis cubiculum ante nuptias intravit. Quid pluribus opus, quum gravissimi autores, Ambrosius et Augustinus, disertis verbis affirment, hic Poligamiam, ille concubinatum, peccato tum caruisse, quando nec contra morem, nec contra præceptum fierent, quæ nunc et legibus et moribus pronuntiant esse contraria. Talia, inquam, constat apud Veteres fuisse usitata, nec a bonis quidem viris tunc temporis improbata. Quæ vel omnia probabunt novi isti homines, et rerum novarum intro ductores, vel aliqua, vel nulla. Quod si Nulla, dicant nobis, cur ista admiserunt? Si Aliqua, quur non et reliqua? et præscribant nobis regulam, qua sciamus, quæ sunt admittenda, quæ vero rejicienda. Si Omnia, (in qua sententia videtur esse Bucerus) quæso te, qualem rerum faciem, quantumque a priore mutatam in ecclesia videbimus? Quam erunt confusa, inversa, atque præpostera omnia? Sed adhuc proprius

urgebimus eos, interrogabimusque: An non tantum, quæ sub lege facta sunt, sed etiam quæ ante legem, et an non 56 tantum, quæ a Judæis, sed et quæ a Gentibus fuerint usitata, veluti jure postliminij, ad exemplum revocabunt? Et si illa tantum, quur non hæc æque atque illa? Presertim quæ a Sanctioribus et Sapientioribus viris, ut Socrate, Platone, Cicerone, &c. fuerint vel facta, vel approbata. Quod si utraque concedent, concedant et nobis Britannis, more majorum nostrorum, denos, duodenosque uxores habere insimul communes, et maximè fratres cum fratribus, parentes cum liberis. Quod aliquando in hac insula usitatum fuisse Cæsar, non ignobilis author, testatur in Commentarijs. Concedant fœminis Christianis, quod Solon suis Atheniensibus concesserat, ut quæ viros parum ad rem Veneream idoneos sortitæ fuissent, aliquem ex mariti propinquis impune admitterent. Concedant, quod Lycurgus concessit Viris Lacedemonijs, ut qui minus esset ad procreandam prolem idoneus, alteri, cui vellet, suam conjugem impregnandam daret, et prolem precariò sibi natam, ut propriam, suo nomine nuncuparet. Aut denique, quod Romanorum legibus permissum erat, ut qui satis liberorum procreasset, uxorem suam alteri commodaret prolem desideranti. Id quod et Cato, vir gravissimus sapientissimusque habitus, Hortenssio amico suo legitur fecisse. Talia cum probata fuerint antiquitus viris sapientissimis, ac Philosophorum legumque latorum optimis et sanctissimis, ut Platoni, Xenophonti, Catoni, &c. quum eadem fuerint moribus recepta Hebræorum, Græcorum, Latinorum, (quorum populorum Respublicas et Politeias constat optimè fuisse constitutas, et ab omnibus scriptoribus maximè celebratas) age, faciamus et nos, si deo placet, similia, et Christianis fratribus permittamus facienda. Imo Christus Opt. Max. tam fœda tamque incestuosa connubiorum portenta a sua sancta ecclesia dignetur avertere, nunc et in diem Domini. Amen.

Hæc Ego ad te potissimum, Charissime Osiander, in presentia scribenda duxi propter eam, quæ inter nos est, et jam diu fuit summa necessitudo et familiaritas; quamvis putem, atque adeo certo sciam, te ab hujusmodi tam absurdis et moribus et opinionibus quàm alienissimum esse. Cum cæteris Vestratibus Doctoribus levior et minus arcta

michi intercedit amicitia, cujus ipsius quoque fateor me multum pæniteret, si scirem hos esse fructus novi Evangelij ab ipsis tantopere jactitati, et a vobis quoque hactenus, ut putabamus, non temere aliqua ex parte probati. Bene vale. Dat. Lambeth xxvijmo. Decembr.

Tui Amantissimus,

T. Cantuarien.

Cleopatra,

E. 5.

f. 326.b.

NUM. XXX.

The French Kings Licence to print the English Bible in Paris. FRANCISCUS, &c. Dilectis nobis Richardo Grafton et Edwardo Whitchurch, Anglis, et Civibus Londini, Salutem. Quia fide digno testimonio accepimus, quod charissimus 57 frater noster Anglorum Rex, Vobis, cujus Subditi estis,

Sacram Bibliam tam Latinè quam Britannice sive Anglicè imprimendi, ac imprimi curandi, et in suum regnum apportandi et transferendi, libertatem sufficientem et legitimam concesserit Et Vos, tum propter chartam, tum propter alias honestas considerationes, animos vestros in hac parte justè moventes, dictam Bibliam sic imprimendam Parisijs infra hoc nostrum regnum curaveritis, ac in Angliam quamprimum transmittere intenderitis: NOS, ut hæc vobis facere liceat, potestatem facientes, vobis conjunctim et devisim, ac Procuratoribus, Factoribus, et Agentibus vestris et cujuslibet vestrum, ut in regno nostro apud Chalcographum quemcunque dictam Sacram Bibliam, tam Latina quam Anglicana lingua, tuto imprimere et excudere possitis, et possint: necnon excussa et impressa in Angliam dumtaxat sine ulla perturbacione aut molestia vel impedimento quocunque, transmittere et apportare. Dummodo, quod sic imprimetis et excudetis, sincerè et purè, quantum in Vobis erit, citra ullas privatas aut illegitimas opiniones, impressum et excussum fuerit: et onera ac officia mercatoria nobis et ministris nostris debite in hac parte extiterint persoluta; licentiam nostram impartimur et concedimus secialem per præsentes. Dat. &c.

NUM. XXXI.

Three Discourses of Abp. Cranmer, occasioned upon his review of the King's Book, intitled, The Erudition of a Christian

man.

I. FAITH.

THIS Book speaks of pure Christian Faith unfeigned, MSS.

C.C.C.C.

He, Miscellan.

which is without colour, as wel in heart as in mouth.
that hath this Faith, converteth from his sin, repenteth him, D.
that he like Filius prodigus, vainly consumed his Wil, Rea-
son, Wits and other goods, which he received of the mere
benefit of his heavenly father, to his said Fathers displesure:
and applyeth himself wholy to pleas him again: and trust-
eth assuredly, that for Christs sake he wil, and doth remit
his sins, withdraweth his indignation, delivereth him from
his sin, from the power of the Infernal spirits, taketh him
to his mercy, and maketh him his own son, and his own
heire. And he hath also the very Christian Hope, that
after this life he shal reign ever with Christ in his kingdome.
For S. Paul saith, Si filij sumus, et hæredes, hæredes quidem
Dei, cohæredes autem Christi. This is the very pure Christ-
ian Faith and Hope, which every good Christian man
ought to profess, Believe, and Trust: and to say of himself
even as Job said, Scio quod Redemptor meus vivit, &c.

And as for the other Faith, that the Good shal arise unto
Glory, and the evil unto pain, or, that those that persevere
in Gods precepts and laws, so long as they so do, they be
the right Inheritors of his kingdom, this is not the com- 58
mendation of a Christian his Faith, but a most certain pro-
position, which al the Devils believe most certainly. And
yet they shal never have their sins forgiven by this Faith,
nor be Inheritors of Gods kingdom. Because they lack
the very Christian Faith: and not trusting to the goodness
and
mercy of God for their own offences. But they hate
God, envy his glory, and be utterly in dispair.

For the more large Declaration of the Christian Faith, it

is to be considered, that there is a general Faith; which al that be christned, as wel good as evil, have. As to believe that God is; that he is the Maker and Creator of al things: and that Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world: and for his sake al penitent sinners shal have remission of their sins: And that there shal be a general resurrection at the end of this mortal world; At the which Christ shal judge al the Good to joy without end, and the Evil to pain without end; with such other like thyngs. And al these things the Devils also believe, and tremble for fear and grievousnes of Gods indignation and torments, which they shal endure, and ever shal do. But they have not the right christen Faith, that their own sins by Christs redemption, be pardoned and forgiven; that themselves by Christ be delivered from Gods wrath, and be made his beloved children, and heires of his kingdom to come. The other Faith have al Devils and wicked christen people, that be his Members. But this pure christen Faith have none but those that truly belong to Christ, and be the very Members of his body, and endeavor themselves to persevere in his precepts and lawes : altho many pretend to have the same pure Faith, which nevertheless have it not, but only in their mouths. For as there is a ly in the mouth, and a ly in the heart; even so there is a faith in the mouth, and a faith in the heart. Examine every man, if he Trust in God, and Love God above al things. And in word he wil answer, Yea. But examine every mans acts and deeds, and surely in a great number their acts and deeds condemn their words. For they walk after their own Wills and plesures, and not after Gods commandments. And Christ himself saith, Qui diligit me, mandata mea servat. And S. John saith, Qui dicit se nosse deum, et mandata ejus non custodit, mendax est. And therefore al those, that bridle not their own appetites, but follow them, and accomplish the wil of their own carnal minds, they trust in God, and trust God no further, then the lips. And if they persuade themselves, that they trust in God, and love God in their hearts, and be of any estimation before God, then be they much deceived; and as S. Paul saith, they deceive their own hearts. Our own flesh and carnal mind is contrary to the Spirit, and motion of God. And they, saith