such doynges, and to take a better way, cōtinuyng in þ^e Religion of their old aunciters, which were before them. And if there were any such thyng, wherein they were greued and offended agaynst the Byshop of Rome, the Cardinals, Byshops, or other Prelates, either for their ambition, in heapyng, exchaunging, and sellyng the dignities of the Church, or for their oppression in pillyng mens purses with their indulgences, or els for their vsurped iurisdiction, and power which they extēd to farre, and corruptly apply it to matters externe & politicall, which onely ought to serue in such cases as be spirituall: if these & such other abuses were the causes, wherewith they were so greuously offended, they promised that for the correction and reformation thereof, they would also themselues ioyne their diligence and good will thereto, for somuch as themselues also dyd not a little mislike therewith, and therfore would conferre their counsailes together with them, how and by which way, such greuaunces might best be remoued.

To this effect were the letters of the Heluetians written to the Senate & Citizēs of Zuricke. Wherunto the Tigurines made their aūswere agayne, the xxi. daye of March, the same yeare, in manner as here followeth.

MarginaliaThe letter of the Tigurines, aunswering agayne the letter of the Heluetians. First declaryng how their Ministers had laboured and trauailed amongest them, teachyng and preachyng the word of God vnto them the space now of fiue yeares. Whose doctrine at the first, seemed to them very straunge and nouelle, because they neuer heard the same before. But after that they vnderstode and perceaued, theMarginalia * If the scope of doctrine be well marked betwene the Papistes and the Protestantes, it will not be hard for any mā to iudge which is the truer doctrine. For the whole end and scope of the popes doctrine, tendeth to set vp the honour and wealth of man, as may appeare by the doctrine of supremacie, of confessiō, of the masse, of the sacramēt of the aultar, &c. all which do tend to the magnifying of the Priestes: lyke as purgatorye, obsequies, pardons, and such other, serue for their profyte. Contrarywyse the teaching of the Protestantes, aswell touching iustification, originall sinne, as also the sacramentes and inuocation, and all other suche lyke, tende onely to the setting vp of Christ alone, and casting downe of man. * scope of that doctrine onely to tende to this, to set forth Christ Iesus vnto vs to be the pillar and refuge of all our saluation, which gaue his lyfe and bloud for our redemptiō and which onely deliuered vs also sinful misers from eternall death, and is the onely aduocate of mankynde before God: they could no otherwise do, but with ardent affectiō receaue so wholesome & ioyful message.

The holy Apostles, and faythfull Christiēs, after they had receaued the Gospell of Christ, dyd not fall out by & by in debate & variaunce, but louyngly agreed andconsented together: and so they trusted (sayd they) þ^t they should do, if they would lykewise receaue the word of God, settyng a side mens doctrines and traditions dissonant from the same.

Whatsoeuer Luther, or any other man doth teach, whether it be right or wrong, it is not for the names of the persons, why the doctrine which they teach should be either euill or wel iudged vpon, but onely for that it agreeth or disagreeth from the rule of Gods word: for that were but to goe by affection, and were preiudiciall to the authoritie of the word of God: which ought to rule man and not to be measured by man.

MarginaliaNo iniurie to Saints if Christ onely be worshipped. And if Christ onely be worshypped, and men taught, soly to repose their confidence in him, yet neither doth the blessed virgine, nor any Saint els receiue any iniurie thereby, who beyng here in earth receiued their saluation onely by the name of hym.

And where as they charge their Ministers with wrastyng the Scripture after their owne interpretation, God had styrred vp such light now in the hartes of men, that the most part of their Citie, haue the Bible in their hand, and diligently peruse the same: so that their preachers can not so wynde the Scriptures awry, but they shall quickely be perceaued.MarginaliaWho be they that wraste the scripture. Wherfore there is no daunger, why they should feare any sectes, or factions in them: but rather such sectes are to be obiected to those, who for their gayne and dignitie, wraste the worde of God after their owne affections and appetites.

MarginaliaErrour many times obiected where none can be proued. And where as they and other haue accused them of errour, yet was there neuer man, that could proue any errour in them: Although diuers Byshops of Constance, of Basill, of Curiake, with diuers Vniuersities besides: also they themselues, haue bene sundry tymes desired so to do, yet to this present day, neither they, nor euer any other so dyd, neither were they, nor any of all the foresayd Byshops, at their last assemble, beyng requested to come, so gentle to repayre vnto them, saue onely the Schafhusians, and Sangalliās. In the which foresayd assemble of theirs, all such as were then present cōsideryng throughly the whole case of the matter, condescended together with them.

And if the Byshops happely will obiect agayne & say: that the word of God ought not so to be handled of the vulgare people: they aunswered, the same not to stand with equitie and reason. For albeit it dyd belong to the Byshops office, to prouide that the sheepe should not go astray, & most conuenient it were, that by them they should be reduced into the way agayne:MarginaliaByshops neither will feede the flocke nor yet suffer them to feede themselues. yet because they will not see to theyr charge, but leaue it vndone, referryng all thyngs to the fathers, and to Councels, therfore right and reason it is, that they themselues should heare and learne, not what mā doth determine, but what Christ hymselfe doth commaunde in hys Scripture. Neither haue their Ministers geuen any occasion of this diuision, but rather it is to be imputed to such, which for their owne priuate lucre and prefermentes, contrary to the worde of the Lord, do seduce the people into errour, and greuously offending God, doe prouoke hym to plague them with manifold calamities. Who, if they would renounce the gredynes of their owne gayne, and would folow the pure doctrine of his worde, seeking not the will of man, but what is þ^e will of God, no doubt but they should soone fall to agreement.

Marginalia [illegible text] * As for the eatyng of fleshe, and egges, although it be free to all men, and forbidden to none by Christ: yet they haue set forth a lawe, to restreine rashe intemperaunce, and vncharitable offension of other.

MarginaliaPriestes maryage. And as touching matrimony, God is himself the author thereof, who hath lefte it free for all men. Also Paule willeth a Minister of the church to be the husband of one wife.

And seeyng that Byshops for money permitte theyr Priestes to haue concubines, which is contrary both to Gods law, and to good example: why then might not they as well obey God in permitting lawfull matrimony, which he hath ordeined, as they to resiste God in forbidding the same?MarginaliaVowes of chastitie, not agreeing to Gods lawe. The y is to be sayd also of women vowing chastitie: of whom thys they iudge and suppose, that such kynd of vowes and coacted chastitie are not auayleable nor alowed before God: and seeing that chastitie is not all mens gifte better it were to marye (after their iudgementes) then filthely to liue in single lyfe.

MarginaliaMonasteries first geuen to the poore, but now serue to feede the rich. As for Monasteries, and other houses of Canons, they were first geuen for reliefe onely of the poore & nedie, where as now they which inhabite them, are wealthy and able to lyue of their owne patrimonie, in such sort, as many times some one of thē hath so much, as well might suffice a great number:MarginaliaGoods of monasteries conuerted to the reliefe of the poore. Wherfore it semeth to them, not vnconuenient þ^t those goodes shoulde be conuerted agayne to the vse of the poore: Yet neuerthelesse they haue vsed herein such moderation, that they haue permitted the inhabitantes of those monasteries to enioy the possessions of their goodes, during þ^e terme of their naturall life, lest any should haue cause of iust complaynte.

MarginaliaOrnamentes of Churches better bestowed vpon the poore. Ornamentes of Churches serue nothing to Gods seruice: but this is well agreeyng to the will and seruice of God, that the poore should bee succored. So Christe commaunded the yong man in the Gospell, that was riche, not to hang vp his riches in the temple, but to sell them, & distribute them to the nedy.

MarginaliaGood priestes not to be cōtemned: the rable of them to be diminished. The order of priesthode they do not contemne. Such priestes as wyll truly discharge their duetie, & teach soūdly, they do magnifie. As for the other rable, which serue to no publike commoditie, but rather dāpnifie the cōmon wealth, if the number of them were diminished by litle and litle, and their liuings put to better vse, they doubted not, but it were a seruice well done to God. Now whether the singyng and prayers of such Priestes be auaylable before God, it may be doubted, for as much as many of them vnderstād not what they say or sing, but onely for hyer of wages do the same.

MarginaliaConfession to the Priest. As for secret confession, wherein men do detect their sinnes in the Priestes eare, of what vertue this confession is to be esteemed, they leaue it in suspense.MarginaliaConfession to Christ. But that confession, whereby repentyng sinners do flye to Christ our onely intercessour, they recounte not onely to be profitable, but also necessary to all troubled consciences. As for satisfaction, which Priestes do vse, they recken it but a practise to get money, and the same to be not onely erroneous, but also full of impietie. True penaunce and satisfaction is for a man to amende his lyfe.

MarginaliaThe order of Monkery The orders of Monkery come onely by the inuention of man, and not by the Institution of God.

MarginaliaThe vse of Sacramentes. And as touchyng the Sacramentes, such as be of the Lordes institution, thē they do not despise but receaue with all reuerence, neither do suffer the same to be despised of any persō, nor to be abused otherwise then becommeth: but to be vsed rightly accordyng to the prescript rule of Gods word. And so with þ^e like reuerence they vse the Sacramēt of the Lordes Supper, accordyng as the word prescribeth, not as many do abuse it, to make of it an oblation and a sacrifice.

MarginaliaFalse tale caryers. And if the messēgers sent to them of the Clergy in their letters mentioned, can iustly charge them with any hynderaunce, or any errour, they will be ready either to purge thē selues, or to satisfie the offence. And if they can not, then rea-