¶
To
the
right
high
and
mightie
Prince
,
Philip
by
the
grace
of
God
Lantgraue
of
Hesse
.
&c.
Thomas
Naogeorgus
his
humble
subiect
wisheth
.
&c.
THE
BEWTIFVLL
LIGHT
of
the
Gospell
(
moste
worthy
Prince
)
hath
nowe
so
manye
yeares
shyned
,
that
not
vnworthily
,
if
it
so
had
seemed
good
to
God
,
it
might
haue
drawne
all
men
to
the
loue
and
estimation
thereof
,
&
asswaged
the
malice
of
the
chiefest
enimies
,
in
suche
sort
,
as
thoughe
they
could
not
find
in
their
hearts
to
embrace
it
,
yet
at
the
leastwyse
they
shoulde
forbeare
from
their
vncharitable
slaunders
and
cruell
raylings
.
But
bicause
they
onely
doe
beleeue
(
as
we
reade
in
the
Actes
of
the
Apostles
)
that
are
before
appoynted
to
saluation
:
So
farre
of
are
our
aduersaries
from
waxing
more
gentle
,
or
any
whitte
forsaking
their
crueltie
and
reprochfull
wordes
,
as
now
at
length
they
poure
out
more
boldely
and
dispitefully
the
vilest
wordes
they
can
,
not
onely
agaynst
the
poore
Preachers
,
but
also
agaynst
theyr
doctrine
,
and
the
very
Gospell
it selfe
.
For
of
late
came
there
one
abrode
,
(
whose
name
I
will
not
here
declare
)
who
taking
occasion
of
these
last
warres
,
with
a
foolish
and
slaunderous
booke
,
cuttes
in
peeces
,
teares
,
chides
,
and
with
as
yll
reportes
as
may
be
,
burdeneth
as
well
the
Princes
,
as
subiectes
,
that
bee
fauorers
of
the
Gospell
,
and
herewithall
(
full
wisely
)
calles
vs
againe
to
Poperie
,
tearming
vs
Apostatas
,
and
forsakers
of
our
fayth
.
But
surely
he
deserueth
no
aunswere
,
as
one
that
except
raylinges
hath
vttered
nothing
:
and
his
Booke
that
hee
wrote
,
seemes
to
be
written
by
a
man
ouerseene
with
wine
,
hauing
no
Methode
therein
,
but
a
certaine
disordered
heape
of
wordes
,
and
(
as
they
say
)
a
tale
without
a
head
.
Yet
woulde
I
there
should
be
some
that
should
aunswere
this
slaunderer
,
not
for
his
sake
,
but
for
the
worthinesse
of
the
religion
that
we
professe
:
whereby
hee
might
perceyue
with
what
rashnesse
,
vngodlinesse
,
and
malepartnesse
he
controlles
and
persecutes
the
thing
he
doth
not
vnderstande
.
For
although
we
are
bound
by
the
worde
of
God
,
to
beare
and
dissemble
the
iniuries
and
offences
that
are
done
vnto
vs
:
yet
such
things
as
belong
vnto
truth
,
the
pure
doctrine
of
the
Gospell
,
and
so
to
the
honour
and
glorie
of
God
,
we
ought
by
no
meanes
to
dissemble
,
but
earnestly
both
with
wordes
and
writings
to
fight
agaynst
the
enimies
,
as
with
great
commendation
did
the
auncient
Doctors
of
the
Churche
,
agaynst
the
Heathen
,
and
first
planters
of
Herisies
:
for
these
slaunderers
,
although
of
such
as
sufficiently
knowe
the
truth
,
they
be
but
laught
at
and
despised
,
yet
doe
they
infect
,
and
not
a
little
abuse
the
weake
,
and
cause
them
to
mistrust
and
think
the
worse
of
the
religion
we
teach
.
Therefore
eyther
for
the
Doctrine
it selfe
,
or
else
for
the
weakelinges
that
haue
but
newly
begonne
to
taste
the
truth
,
the
wickednesse
and
malice
of
this
defamer
,
in
calling
the
gospell
that
we
preach
Turkish
,
and
by
other
hatefull
tearmes
,
is
to
be
beaten
downe
and
vtterly
confuted
.
And
here
I
can
not
but
woonder
with
what
face
hee
can
thus
shamelesly
behaue
himselfe
,
since
it
is
well
known
he
neuer
reade
any
booke
of
ours
,
whereby
hee
might
rightly
iudge
of
our
fayth
and
religion
,
neyther
is
it
reason
for
the
fault
and
offence
of
some
one
Prince
or
subiect
to
giue
iudgement
vpon
all
.
But
I
thinke
he
learned
these
slaunders
,
at
the
Sermons
of
some
bawling
Friers
,
or
other
venimous
Papistes
,
who
haue
more
care
for
their
bellies
,
than
for
the
truth
,
wherby
he
thought
to
be
accounted
a
great
Clearke
,
for
thundering
out
his
rayling
Rethoricke
agaynst
vs
,
and
thinkes
it
no
little
glorie
,
if
with
his
fonde
and
ruffianly
booke●
,
he
may
not
ouerthrow
(
for
so
great
his
learning
is
not
:
and
if
it
were
▪
the
truth
is
inuincible
)
but
like
a
flie
or
a
gnat
,
sting
and
bite
vs
,
whome
it
pleaseth
him
to
call
Lutherans
.
But
I
trust
there
shall
some
man
bee
founde
that
shall
aunswere
the
foole
,
as
Salomon
sayth
,
according
to
his
follye
,
least
he
should
seeme
wise
to
himselfe
.
I
for
my
part
,
as
well
as
leysure
woulde
presently
serue
,
haue
plainely
and
truely
set
forth
the
chiefe
members
of
the
Popish
state
,
their
fayth
,
their
cerimonies
,
and
religion
,
though
I
passe
ouer
names
:
that
euery
man
may
see
,
whether
they
or
we
come
nearer
to
the
steps
of
the
Apostles
,
and
whether
they
be
Catholikes
,
or
rather
we
whom
they
so
hate
and
persecute
as
Heritikes
.
What
goodnesse
,
what
true
dealing
,
or
what
thing
agreeing
with
the
Apostolike
doctrine
there
is
among
these
Papistes
,
I
truelye
can
not
see
.
On
the
other
side
it
plaine
appeareth
,
that
our
religion
is
such
,
as
the
Papistes
with
all
their
indeuor
,
by
faythfull
witnesse
of
Scriptures
,
yet
hitherto
coulde
neuer
bee
able
to
ouerthrow
.
Whither
than
do
they
call
vs
?
Doe
they
thinke
that
we
will
forsake
the
truth
,
and
followe
falshoode
in
so
cleare
a
light
?
Why
doe
they
call
vs
Apostatas
?
Is
it
a
shame
to
forsake
vngodlinesse
and
Idolatrie
,
and
other
thinges
both
vaine
and
foolish
?
That
this
religion
of
theirs
is
none
other
,
I
intende
so
brieflye
to
showe
,
that
it
maye
appeare
as
in
a
Table
,
whereby
our
men
maye
pacientlier
beare
the
iniuryes
and
reproches
of
these
fellowes
,
in
seeing
from
what
monsters
by
the
doctrine
of
the
Gospell
they
are
deliuered
,
and
our
aduersaryes
not
beare
their
heades
so
loftie
,
and
boast
themselues
to
bee
the
true
Church
of
Christ
,
beholding
the
abuses
aswell
of
their
life
,
as
of
their
religion
,
disclosed
&
declared
vnto
all
men
.
I
therefore
exhort
our
brethren
,
that
they
esteeme
as
their
greatest
glorie
,
the
departing
from
the
Pope
,
and
as
a
singuler
blessing
of
GOD
,
the
knowledge
of
the
Gospell
.
I
exhort
also
and
admonishe
our
aduersaries
,
that
they
leaue
of
in
time
from
slaundering
,
not
onely
vs
(
who
in
respect
are
nothing
)
but
rather
the
truth
of
God
,
and
the
Gospell
of
Christ
,
and
that
they
weigh
the
matter
with
more
diligence
,
and
remooue
a
while
from
their
eyes
the
consent
of
numbers
of
people
,
the
aucthoritie
of
the
Pope
and
his
members
,
and
the
accustomed
religion
of
a
few
hundred
yeares
:
for
these
and
such
other
like
are
of
no
force
in
the
confirming
of
truth
,
but
are
rather
lettes
and
hinderaunces
to
the
knowledge
thereof
,
and
common
to
the
inhabitantes
of
the
whole
worlde
,
who
by
antiquitie
,
continuaunce
,
aucthoritie
of
Kinges
and
Princes
,
and
the
generall
consent
of
people
,
are
able
to
defende
their
supersticious
lawes
.
But
other
groundes
of
fayth
and
religion
ought
Christians
to
haue
,
as
the
consent
of
the
Prophetes
,
and
the
Apostles
,
the
authoritie
of
the
holy
Ghost
,
bearing
witnesse
of
our
Lorde
Iesus
Christ
,
as
well
in
scriptures
,
as
in
the
heartes
of
men
.
These
if
they
thorowlye
consider
,
and
without
parcialitie
regarde
,
I
doubt
not
but
it
shall
come
to
passe
,
that
clothing
themselues
with
Christian
shamefastnesse
,
they
shall
amende
and
returne
vnto
more
sounder
and
surer
doctrine
.
A
great
foolishnesse
it
is
to
knowe
what
is
best
,
and
to
followe
the
worst
,
as
many
of
our
aduersaryes
for
gaine
,
and
their
bellies
sake
do
.
In
the
meane
time
,
most
excellent
Prince
,
great
cause
we
haue
to
reioyce
of
our selues
,
beholding
in
howe
great
darkenesse
,
errors
,
deceyts
,
and
vanities
,
our
enimies
walke
:
and
to
besech
God
,
that
it
may
please
him
,
to
open
their
eyes
and
their
mindes
,
that
they
may
beholde
the
light
of
the
Gospell
,
by
which
the
quietnesse
of
heart
is
onely
obtayned
,
and
that
they
may
seeke
for
and
enioy
al
things
in
Christ
our
alonely
sauiour
.
Howe
great
a
griefe
it
is
to
such
as
trauaile
to
bee
ignoraunt
of
their
way
,
or
taught
amisse
by
some
malicious
guide
,
they
well
can
tell
that
haue
had
experience
thereof
.
Neyther
doth
it
anye
whit
auaile
to
proue
many
wayes
,
and
yet
to
bee
farre
of
from
the
right
.
Which
commonly
happeneth
,
as
is
well
knowne
,
to
our
enimies
.
For
many
wayes
they
attempt
,
and
trie
,
and
carefully
wrest
their
mind
hither
and
thither
,
to
obtaine
the
forgiuenesse
of
their
sinnes
,
and
euerlasting
life
.
But
euery
man
that
is
Godly
doth
see
,
that
they
striue
and
trauaile
in
vaine
,
when
the
only
way
vnto
God
is
Christ
,
From
Basill
the
.20
.
of
Februarie
.
1553.