he coulde suffer nothing and if he were only man he should sinke vnder the burden of Gods wrath Because he is God and man therfore he was able to dye and vanquyshe death in dying Moreouer for asmuch as be is man most pure and most holy conceiued by the holy ghost this purity being perfect pleaseth God Wherefore we haue in Iesus Christe a man agréeable pleasing vnto God Nowe out of this puritie springeth two Ryuers as out of the fountayne or spring that is to saye a perfect righteousnesse and a whole and perfect abstayning from sinne ▪ For Iesus Christ very man bath fulfilled all the wyll of God for as much as hee neuer sinned in any manner wyse Therefore be is most iust righteous before God aswel because of this naturall puritie as of the fruites sprynging out of the same purity and cleanes Wherefore we maye with good ryght conclude that we doo fynde onelye in Iesus Christ perfect remedie against all the euyls that doth or mought feare our conscience or let vs from comming to the glory of God or might cause vs iustly to be condempned to eternall death But yet neuertheles we must ioygne a condition to this that is to saye if we doo take or ioyne to vs these remedies in Iesus Christ For as it profiteth not a sicke person to haue a good medicine except bee vse it nor a hungry man to be at a tables end garnished with plenty of good meats except he eate of them lykewise be there medies of Iesus Christe against y e wrath of God and eternal death set before vs in vain except we vse them Now we cānot vse them except first we knowe by what maner after what sort it may be done Wherefore first we must see how Iesus Christ is may be applied to our profit aduantage Then to declare how Iesus Christ may be applied to our saluation eternall lyfe we wyl vse this preface As it is not in our power to finde a medicine of saluation ▪ so cā we not find the maner how to vse this medicine For as in the sicknes of the body the sick person is past al hope of health vtterly dispaired then it is needful for the Phisition not onely to find and prepare the medicine but also to dispose the sick person so as he wyl may vse this medicin and y ◠he may vnderstād howe to vse it so the sicknes of the soule which is most precious aboue althings in the which mankind is not onely ignorant but also enemies of their owne saluation then we must vnderstande by the Phisition of the soule what is the medicine then after what maner it must be vsed yea in such wise y ◠the same Phisition do prepare make vs apt and meete y ◠we both will and cā vse those remedies which he prepareth and apoynteth to vs. God then is he which in the beginning of the world spake by his Angels to y ◠first man y ◠is to say Adam and others vntyll Moses declaring to them the only remedy of saluation as before is declared that is to wéete Iesus Christ in whom onely we find all y ◠is needful and requisit to saluation And after the reiecting of al other natiōs people made apoyntment w t the posterity of Abraham multiplied them exceedinglye expoūded to them his wyll most abūdantly as it is cōprised in the. x commaundementes of God also ioyned therto certain sacrifices and ceremonies the which dyd not only deuyde the people of God frō al other nations but also were certain testimonies of Christes coming ▪ of all the things that he should suffer for to delyuer vs from the wrath of God so y ◠they myght certaynly trust and beléeue in hym whiche they hoped shoulde come Moreouer because God knewe that the diuel would moue styrre vp false Prophets which woulde spreade foorth theyr lies as the true cōmaundements of God he wylled Moyses and the Prophetes to wryte all that God reuealed to them to the ende that the false Prophetes shoulde not so easily deceyue the people But in the end when y e tyme was come which he had eternally appoynted according to his eternall infinite wisedome he sent downe and presented from Heauē his promise that is to say his eternall sonne the which tooke vppon him a verye humaine body by the vertue of the holye ghost of the substance of the virgin Mary of the séede of Abraham and of Dauid with the whiche body God conioygned a most pure and most holy soule created by the same force of the holy ghost He was made the very mediatour as is sayde before and hath truly fulfilled accomplyshed all that was necessary to be fulfilled for to reconcyle man vnto God But in the ende when all these things were fulfilled Iesus Christe ascended vp into heauen and wylled this doctrine not onelye to bee preached by mouth of the Apostles Euangelists but also that theyr handes shoulde wryte it in suche wyse as the Church should haue to the ende of the worlde one certayne doctrine vppon the which she might stay rest and also by it might separate moste clearely the lyes of the false Prophets and Antichrists from the only verity of God which is comprehēded wholy and perfectly in the bookes of the olde and new testaments so that it is not lawfull to chaunge any thing eyther adde to it or take from it Moreouer this doctrine had bene written in vayne if it were not preached and declared faythfully And man cannot endure nor sustayne the face of God or of Angelles And God hauing pittie of the seede of man in this poynt hath ordained and constytuted Pastours and Teachers in his Church by whome he wylled that this doctryne shoulde be faythfully declared and applyed to the necessyties of the Church publykely and partycularly that man shoulde not alledge any ignoraunce of the wyll of God Wherefore to the ende I may comprehende all these things in few wordes we learne by the mouth of the faithfull Ministers of God which declare his woorde to the church al that we haue heretofore declared to be necessarie to vnderstande our myserie and our saluation And for as much as when the word of God is preached vnto man it is as if they spake vnto insensible stones therfore we must know that as God worketh to the external senses by his woorde pronounced by his Ministers euen so hee worketh inwardly by his infinite power that is to saye by hys holy spirit whose office consisteth in these effectes here following Fyrst that as this parte of Scripture which is called the law testifieth to our eares that wée bée most myserable sinners deseruing eternal death euen so the holy ghost teacheth the same and sixeth it in our consciences whiche otherwyse were dull and insensyble and maketh that we bée touched with the true perfect féeling
wordes of the Apostle seconde sermon Item in the sermon made to the children as Beda reciteth in his collection Item 3 booke of the Trinitie chap. 4 10. Item agaynst Fastus xx booke chap. xxi Item of the citye of God Item vpon the 54. Psalme Item vpon xxvi homily vpon Saynt Iohn Item vpon Saynt Iohn xxvii treatise and 6 chapter and 30 treatise xxi chapter xxv Item vpon saint Iohn tract xx and â–ª 30. Item against Adamantus chapter xiâ— Item 3 booke of the doctrine of a christian chapter 16. Item in the epistle to Boniface and in the epistle to Dardanus and in manye other places Leo Pope in the Epistle wrytten to the clergie and to the people of Constantinople Cyrill vpon Saynt Iohn 4 booke chap. 14. Item in the Epistle to Caloâ—â—rius Theodorete in the first and second dialogue against the heretickes touching the verye bodye of Iesus Christe Hesichius the twentye booke vpon the Leâ—iticus the eyght chapter â–ª Gâ—laâ—â—us agaynst Eutiches Bartram in the booke of the bodye and bloude of the Lord. 1. Corint 11. In that we take and eate the breade and after drincke of the cuppe is a witnes of that which is interiorly done truly by the vertue and power of the holye ghost For he can thorowe the bonde of faith ioyne and binde those things together which of themselues be farre deuided a sunder concerning the distance of the places that is to say y â— as verelye as we take and eate the bread and drink y e wine by a naturall maner the which in continent after by digestioÌ„ turneth into our substance nourishment of our corporal life likewise as verily although by a spiritul and celestial maner not with mouth téeth is Iesus Christ him selfe which is now in heauen on y e right hande of his father coÌ„municated to vs that we may be flesh of his fleshe and bones of his bones that is to saye being knytte and incorporated with him by faythe oure soules and oure bodyes doth attaine to eternall life yea euen whylest we be in this world his spirite doth sanctifye and gouerne our bodyes and soules to dedicate and sacrifice all our lyfe to his seruice and to the charitie of our neyghbours for the loue of him Finally in that we take all of one breade and of one wyne corporallye and visibly so on the other parte spirituallye and inuisibly by faith we come al to participate bee partakers of Iesus Christ onelye the same I say sheweth to vs the bonde and knot whiche ought to bee betweene vs all as the mysticall bodye of Iesus Christ our heade according to the publike and common protestation which we do make The conuenaunce agréement of the thinges signified with the signes ceremonies is very euident and plaine by this which we haue already sayd namelye that as one loafe is made of manye graynes gathered and ioyned into one loafe or peece of breade and lykewise the Wine being made of many grapes declareth vnto vs the agréeing of the sygnes with the signifycation whereof wee haue spoken heretofore that is to saye the knotte and vnyon whiche we haue with Iesus Christ and the mutuall charitye with all the faythfull in Iesus Christ theyr head the worde that is to saye the ordinaunce and promyse of the Lorde whereunto the signes doth sende vs bee suche as saint Paule hath expresslye touched togeather left to vs according to the Euangelists The Lorde Iesus the same night in the whiche hee was betrayed tooke bread and when hae had geuen thankes brake it and sayde take eate this is my bodye which is broken for you do this in the remembraunce of me likewise he tooke the cuppe after hee had supped sayinge this cup is the newe alliaunce or Testament in my bloud do this as ofte as ye drynke it in the remembraunce of mee for as ofte as ye eate this breade and drinke of this cuppe ye shall shewe foorth the Lords death tyll he come The meanes to receyue Iesus Christ as wee haue sayde afore is fayth and therefore sayde saincte Augustine he that is not of the bodye of Christe eateth not the bodye of Christe and as he sayde in an other place the heretykes which be withoute the Churche maye wel haue the sacrament but not y â— benefyte of the sacrament from whence it foloweth â–ª that a man must proue hymselfe according to the doctryne of the Apostle that is to saye enter into our selues to see if we haue suche sorowe for our sinnes as it appertaineth and suche certaine and sure trust in our God accordinge to hys worde by Iesus Christ our onely mediatour And yet is not requyred such a perfyte sayth as no imperfection can bee founde but suche a fayth as is true and not fayned In those then that be suche the vnyon and coniunction whiche they haue obtayned with Christe by their faythe is more and more confirmed and sealed by the holye ghost in receyuing the signes and sure seale of this coniunction and knot as it is sayde that y e circumcision was in Abraham a seale of the righteousnes of faith the other on the contrarie in despysing that which is offered to them that is to saye Iesus Christe and dishonoring the signes and ceremonies instituted of the Lorde bring themselues culpable and guiltie of the bodye bloude of Iesus Christ from the which continuallie more and more they recoyle and fall backwarde The declaration of the death of Iesus Christ consequentlie of all that which he dyd for vs with thankes geuing for the benefites receyued and the examining and prouing of our selues be of the substaunce of the supper therfore caÌ„not be left out nor peruerted or altered without great sacriledge Wherevpon followeth that the Supper of the Lorde ought not to be communicated to those which can not proue nor examine themselues because they haue not the vse of reason as younge chyldren and such lyke nor to those which haue not made profession of theyr fayth or which be Iudged vnworthylie that is to saye excommunicated by the right iudgment of the Churche the whiche shalbe spoken of hereafter 50. The conclusion of the matter of the Sacramentes THese thinges considered it foloweth that the sacramentes be not onely ordayned to offer to God geuing of thanks which also is called a sacrifice and acceptable offring but rather that we shoulde receiue of his grace and liberality the which is more precious then heauen and earth that is the confirmation of our faythe and to be the nearer vnited and ioyned to Iesus Christe into eternall life 51. Wherefore the holye ghost is called the consolator or comforter and to vvhat purpose and ende the afflictions of the faithfull serueth FInally it is easy to perceue for what reason the holye ghoste is called the comfortor a Because his office is to ioyne vs to Iesus Christ
vnder lx yeares and also to haue good testimony of her chaste lyfe and conuersation 31 Of the fowre orders which they call minores ordines BEsyde thys amonge the olde wryters there is mencyon of three degrees whiche afterwarde were called Minores ordines although some count of fowre and other count more There was also Porters or Vsshers which were called Ostiarii who kept at the gates of the Churche to open and to shutte especiallye because of the Cathacumines the excommunicated and the penytentes whiche were not permytted to be present at the mynistration of the Sacramentes There were those also which followed the Pastour ordynarylye as well to doo hym reuerence and honour as to be wytnesses of those thynges whiche hee dyd or sayde and also to acquaynt and make them selues knowen to the church and also to learne to knowe and exercise their offyces and those they called Acolites that is to say following and also they dyd vse to set them to other small affayres néedeful in the assemblie Moreouer there were those which they called Lectors who dyd reade openly the textes of the scripture which the pastour or doctour afterward expounded in the Church they ioygned to them Exorcistes that is to say coniurers the which office as I think is now ceased or at the least ought to cease in the Churche with the gyft of myracles which was not but for a time for to confyrme and stablyshe the veritye of the word of God newly declared and reuealed to the world they serued for all those small affaires which concerne the ecclesiasticall seruice To trye and proue by lytle and lytle those whome they myght afterwardes appoint to offyces of greater importaunce And whensoeuer good orders shall be set vp and appoynted in the Church for such or so good purposes wée wyll not gaynsaye or refuse them prouided that they haue respecte to that which is necessary to edification 32 The thirde degree of ecclesiasticall offyces whiche is the Iurisdiction and offyce of the elders THe thyrde estate of ecclesiasticall offices lieth in the spiritual iurisdiction y e which was committed to those who were called in the wryttinges of the Apostles auncient Doctours both counsels and canons partycullarly presbiter that is to say Senior or Elder which also somtimes be called gouernours by saint Paule and were chosen not onelye by the clargye but by all the body of the Churche as it appeareth euidently by the complaynt whiche saint Ambrose made that euen in his tyme certayne persons tooke vpon themselues this offyce And by that which S. Cyprian c hath wrytten wherein it is easye to gather that the Byshoppe proseded and was chiefe in this companye not for to rule and raygne ouer them but to doo nothyng without the aduyse of the Church Now this iurisdiction lyeth not in worldlie temporal thinges but altogether in those thinges whiche concerneth the conscience So that it is fully distinde from the offyce of a cyuill magistrate according as the lord Christ not only said to his Apostles but practised and S. Paule after him True it is that in the tyme when there were no magistrates which made profession or vowed openly to be Christians s Paule would that for to eschew slaunders and offences the faythfull should decyde and ende all controuersies among themselues when neede required but this was but for a certaine tyme. And surely as I thinke such persons were but as arbitrers chosen by the parties or at the least was an offyce distincte from those which we spake of Also it is certayne that euen vnder Christian Emperours the good Byshoppes haue beene maruelouslie letted and troubled about the ending of controuersies but it was more for to appoynt and agree the partyes by amiable and friendlye abytrement then to meddell the spyrituall Iurisdiction with the temporall And Saint Augustine sheweth plainely in many places how it gréeued him for that he was constrayned to employe and bestowe so much tyme for the importunitie of the people All Byshoppes haue not so done but rather haue desyred nothing more then to serue theyr ambition vnder the shadowe of holynes whereof it came to passe that the Emperours haue graunted to them more in this case then was needefull or appertayned to them or the profyte of the Churche required 33 To what purpose or ende serueth the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and which be the partes therof THe cause and purpose of the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction tendeth to one ende that is to saye that all the body of the Church in generall and euery member of the same in particular bee pâ—esorâ—ed and entertained in doctrine and wel doing according to the wyll and word of God Now the continuance hereof consisteth in good lawes and in the good obseruation of the same And that y e lawes eyther be made touching the doctrine of saluation generally that is to wéete concerning their duetie which they owe to God and their neyghbours or concerning the regiment or manner of doing which euerye one ought to kéepe in his charge or office It followeth then that this iurisoiction ought to be deuided into two principall partes The first is concerning the authoritie to ordayne appoint those thinges whiche concerne as well doctrine and manners as the regiment which euery one ought to kéepe in his degrée The second in the punishing of those which offend in the obseruation of any of these two things But concerning the first parte which lyeth in the power to decrée or ordayne we haue alreadye declared here aboue that God hath receyued to him selfe fully and entirelye to preseribe lawes pertayning to the conscience for vs to walke in them vprightly before God and man Wherfore there resteth no more but the other part which concerneth the discipline and regimeÌ„t which is required that all thinges be done by good order as we haue treated amply in speaking of the authority of the body of the Church 34 VVhat is the office of the Elders in the Church IT is the office of the Elders principally to watche that the Church whiche is committed to them begouerned by good order according to the rule of the Gospel and that the ecclesiasticall lawes and ordinaunces eyther vniuersall or particular be mayntained and executed dilygentlye accordinge to their charge And if there shall happen any new inconuenience their duty is to prouide therefore by newe ordinaunces iniunctions conformable to the Christian religion charitie Without burdening of mens conscience neyther to charge the Churche with a multitude of lawes nor brynging in superstition according to that which hath beene sayde herebefore where it speaketh of couÌ„sels eyther to be done by theÌ„selues or to take the aduise and counsel of other churches and the sayd lawes and ordinances to be incontinent allowed auctorised by the magistrate if so be that he be a ChristiaÌ„ And for this cause in all the prymatiue Churche they haue beene accustomed to holde prouinciall
synodes twise a yeare It is their office lykewise when any peryl or dauÌ„ger doth happen among them to appoynt prayers fasting extraordinarilye to practise vse them in theyr churches when any such chauÌ„ces do happen with the consent of y e Christian magistrate if there be any so that the godly orders of the church may be maintained w t discipline And aboue al things let the word of god be diligeÌ„tly sincerely preached w t the sacraments truly ministred y e ecclesiastical goods wel gouerned althings wel ordred Their duty is also to elect men méete for the same I say elect for it caÌ„not be found that euer ther was any other lawful ecclesiastical vocation in the Christian Churche synce it was brought into any good order of gouernement but by the way of ellection except God called any extraordinarily without ordinary meanes Now concerning the election that it may be lawful behold the pointes which we consider therin First who ought to bee electours what persons ought to be elected and howe they ought to elect and howe to confirme the election 35 How the ecclesiasticall elections ought to be FOr the fyrste poyncte wée neyther fynde it a custome nor yet reasonable in the Churche of God that be which shoulde serue a Churche already erected can bee elected without the good wyll of the same Yet neuertheles according to the places and the conditions of the people it is requisyte that the ecclesiasticall gouernours haue fyrst a respect to those and appoynt most méetest then to aduertyse the people who oftentymes the greatest parte be ignoraunt who are méetest for them And in the primatyue Churche it happened sometyme that good Byshoppes haue named those which they desyred to haue for theyr successors but it was without respecte of their owne priuate or partycular affections And this nomination was none otherwyse then a declaration of theyr opinyon which incontinent after was consydered and examyned by the whole Church as we see by the example of S. Augustin and of Anastasius Moreouer the ecclesiasticall rulers ought to take order to preuent all things which may be a let or hyndrance that the election be not fréelye done as it appertayneth And first to be authorised by the Christian magistrate when God shall appoynt him after by good delyberation and admonitions But without the approbation and consent of the body of the Churche where they be the election cannot be lawfull Also good heâ—de must be takeÌ„ that this approbation and election of a multitude bee done without confusion As it was ordayned and decreed in the counsel of Laodicia The same order we see was kept in the election of saint Mathias of the deacons by the Apostles Such order also was dillygentlye kepte and obserued in the Church by a long space as it appeareth by all the auncient wryters especiallye when there was occasion to receyue any into the clergye as it appeareth by y â— S. CypriaÌ„ wrote And concerning priests that is to saye Elders there is a playne Canon for them which hath the tytle of Anaclete whiche they coumpt for the fowrth Byshop of Rome Item Leo first of that name in his Epistles hath expressed the same in a dosen places at the least S. Gregorie in his Epistles writeth the lyke And also let them consyder the maner of electing the Pope him self which Nicolas the secoÌ„d ordayned about a fiue C. yeares paste they shall find that the conseÌ„t of the people was among them although the Emperour dyd ratifie and allow altogether afterward 36 Of the qualities and conditions of those which they ought to elect AS concernynge the conditions requyred in those whiche shoulde be elected and chosen it is manyfestlye declared at large by the spyrite and worde of God Wherefore we maye conclude that hee which wyll dyspence with any for money or rewardes cannot be led but with the spirite of Sathan 37 The order and maner to geue the voyces COncerning the manner to elect wée find that fasting prayers were the beginning of the electioÌ„s the which don shortlie after in the most best and wysest maner they gaue their voices in the great feare of God after they had examined the lyues and sufficiencie of those which were named according as God ordained by Saint Paule 38 Of confyrmation and consecration of the persons elected COncerning the confyrmation consecratioÌ„ of the person elected it was done by laying handes vpon the head of him which was elected commendyng him to the Lord by the prayers of all the Churche whiche were there assembled which ceremony hath ben vsed from the law of Moises after retained and vsed by Iesus Christ by the apostles Neuertheles in the election of bishops this was added by the auncient Canons that the nexte Byshops should be there at the least to the number of thrée with the metropolitane 39 Of mariage of fasting and of the difference of dayes and meates BEcause that matrymonyall causes be partlie ecclesiasticall and also fasting pertayneth to theÌ„ exteriour discipline of the Churche I haue gathered in a fewe wordes that which we beléeue and vse according to the scripture We do not put any part of our saluation in those things that is to say either in mariage or virginity either in fleshe or fyshe eyther to eate or not to eate but we do stay and establishe our selues in Iesus Christ onely as hath bene saide afore And as for good workes wherein the Christians ought to exâ—â—â—yse them selues they do far excell these aforesayd according as is commaunded or forbydden in the two tables of the. â— commauÌ„dementes â–ª Yet notwithstanding we doo commende and prayse such thinges as farre forth as the spirite of God doth commend them to vs. That is to weete as foloweth Fyrst we know that y â— seat of chastity resteth in the hart And therfore let not those brag or boast of virginitye which doo abstayne from the outward acte but those in whom the natural concupisceÌ„ce is so mortified that they haue no néede of y â— remedy of mariage Secondarily we know by the worde of God by most euident experience that continency is a speciall gyft which God geueth to those whiche séemeth good to him And for as long tyme as it pleaseth him Thirdly to abstaine froÌ„ mariage is not a thing that of it selfe doeth make vs acceptable to God nor yet mariage But he that is vnmaried hath more leysure to execute the publike or particular office that God hath geuen him and in this respecte we prayse continencie as a thing which serueth vs to vse our vocation better and none otherwyse â–ª Concerning mariage first we say that it is ordained of God honorable in al estates as the holy scripture teacheth so that who so euer hath not the gyfte of continency that is to say who
Pope as head of the vniuersall Church Finally if the counsels be set and stablyshed by the holy Ghoste from whence commeth it then that there be none y â— doo lesse estéeme them when they lyst then the Pope and all his sequiel I wyll saye yet more that there is at this daye neyther Pope Cardinal Bishop nor Priest which maye not be reproued excommunicated and accursed if they shall be iudged by the counsels And if they dare denye I shall proue it 6 The papistes spoyleth Iesus Christ of his office of head of the church COncerning the office of Kinge and gouernor of the Churche of which Iesus Christ is head both in heaueÌ„ in earth sytting on the ryght hande of God his father and yet neuertheles present in his Church by his spirituall vertue from whence commeth it then that they wyll appoynte him a Uycar in his presence considering principallye that it is directly against the word of God agaynste the Metropolytans iurisdiction ordayned by the first counsell of Nicene against all the hystorie of the primatiue Church yea against sainct Gregory himselfe whiche wytnesseth in many places that the name of vniuersall Byshoppe ought not to be vpon earth but to Antechrist Moreouer put the case yet that he were Uicare of Christe in the vniuersall gouernement of the Churche from whence commeth â–ª thys power to dyspense with the worde of Iesus Christe and to abrogate the doctrine of the Apostles and namely of Sainct Peter And yet neuertheles are not ashamed to saye that they are his successors saint Peter was he not sent to Hâ—erusalem by the Churche refuseth he to render accompt of his office and what dyd he teache to others I sayth he beséech the Priests that is to saye those which haue office in the Church I which also am a Priest with them a witnes of the afflyctions of Christ and partaker also of the glorye which shall be reuealed Féede the flocke of Christe as much as ye may watching ouer it not by constraint but willingly not for dishonest gayne but with a ready wyll and not as hauing lordship ouer the cleargy that is to say ouer the heritage of the lord but so y â— ye be examples of the flocke when the principal pastor shall appeare you shall receyue a crown of incorruptible glory Behold y â— proper words of s Peter which are far of from appropriating to himselfe y â— segniory or lordship of Italy superintendeÌ„t aswell of Kings Princes as of all other churches And briefly if they looke well they shal finde that there is nothing agréeing or any comparison betwéene S. Peter these which falsly cal themselues his successors but in one thing y â— is to wete the denying of Iesus Christe for the which S. Peter repented but these do not 7 By the doctrine of the papists we can in no wise vnderstand how mortal the naturall sicknes of mankinde is IT is no maruell though suche people vnderstande not the offyce of Christe our onely sauiour for they know not howe deadely theyr sicknesse is nor by what meane Iesus Chryst our only medycine is applyed and vnyted to vs. For firste in steade to declare that man is altogether dead by originall sinne otherwyse called naturall corruption they teach that the vnderstanding and wyl of man is so sore hurte that the fyrst grace doeth but onely ease and comforte vs in our infyrmitie So that if this doctrine â—e true our regeneration procéedeth not onely of grace but there is a participation or concurrence betwéene grace that which they call fréewyll of whiche is spoken amplye in the 13. 14 â–ª and 15. Articles of the thyrde poynte Moreouer to ioygne and heape together errour vpon errour they wyll haue a certayne disposition procéeding from the nature of maÌ„ to receyue the fyrst grace and that God maye be prouoked by our merites for to geue vs the seconde grace Item that the concupiscence whiche continueth after Baptisme is not sinne of it self before God Item that al smnes deserue not eternall death for there bee some whiche they call venyall synnes Item if our saluation be grounded vpon our good workes in all or in parte to what ende doth grace serue vs then but as an instrument to helpe our frée wyll â—o saue our selues Which be all execrable errours wholy abollishing the benefites of Iesus Christe and the vertue of the holy ghost in vs. 8 Another execrable error of the papistes in the vsing of the onely medicine of health which is the benefit of Iesus Christ AS there is but one onely Iustyce by imputation for the whiche we be estéemed and holden for ryghteous before God be consequent saued that is to say by the righteousnes of Iesus Christe whiche is declared to vs in the gospell So is there but one meane to be ioyned vnited with Iesus Christe for to haue saluation in hym that is to weâ—e fayth which is an assuraunce that all ChristiaÌ„s ought to haue of their election saluation by the onely grace and goodnes of God in Iesus Christ Fayth and assuraunce is created and dayly encreased by the vertue of the holy ghoste within the hartes of the electe by the meane of preachinge the worde of God and the ministration of the sacraments as wée haue amply and largely declared in the thyrde and fowrth poyncte of this confession So then this fayth is as the hande which onely doth receyue and apprehende Iesus Christe to the saluation of him that beleeueth It followeth that those doo take awaye all meanes of saluation from men which dyrectly stryue and fyght againste this doctrine not knowinge them selues what fayth is muche lesse can they declare it to others For according to theyr doctrine fayth is no other thinge than to beléeue in generall that which is contayned in the holie scriptures to be true that the Romish Church as they call it cannot erre what soeuer they saye or doo Notwithstanding concerning the fyrst of these two poyntes it is forbydden to translate the Scriptures into the mother tongue and to reade it to knowe what is contayned therein to the ende it maye bée knowen what it is that they do beléeue except he be a Doctour or a man of the Church as they cal them And so by this means it is folly to permyt the greatest part of their priests to reade it For coÌ„sider the greatest parte of them cannot scarcely reade it truly And of those which caÌ„ reade yea euen the greatest Prelates setting asyde those whiche haue not muche more knowledge of Christes doctrine than beasts which féede in the fielde and those which passe not greatly for it in exercysing them selues rather in other things than in their vocation namely mocke it with open mouthe I beléeue the rest shalbe found maruelous few NotwithstaÌ„ding according to their own doctrine al this is not without faith although he knowe not what he beleeueth and what may
and Princes euen by the meanes of his Cardinalles who of good ryght he calleth his Creatures And neuerthelesse of suche greâ— force is the Trueth that in the yeare â— â–ª â—8 the principall among them yea naâ—â—ly the same which at thys tyme or of late was Pope and called Paule the fowrth â–ª declareth fréely to Pope Paule the thyrde that to bée a Byshoppe and Cardynall were thinges vtterlye not to be suffered The booke is imprinted and open to be séene What lacketh it then that they bée not iudged by theyr owne mouthes I leaue out to speake of theyr Buggeryes Auarices Symonies Treasons poysoninges and other Cardynall vertues vsed of many among them which all the world styncketh with the sight and knowledge therof To speake of their estate although they were the moste honest men in the worlde yet I saye â–ª they haue no approuation nor iust tytle neither in the scripture or in Counsell neyther Decrée or auncient Doctor although they set them selues aboue the Metropolytanes Byshops But truely I agrée with them in one thing that is to say that their vniuersall heade whiche Saynt Gregory calleth Antichriste cannot better be chosen then of such an honest company But of one thing I muche maruayle that so many great men of so noble and auncient houses yea euen Princes haue thorowe thys curssed sonne of perdition béene so bewytched deceyued and poysoned to make them Mynisters of his crueltyes that they haue no more regarde to the dygnitie of theyr auncestours nor the building and restoring of the poore Christian Church and the authority of kings ruinated and ouerthrowen by the false perswasions of this wycked beast But to be so contamynated with such fylthynes to maintaine that which they sée and knowe in theyr owne consciences â—owe euyll it is Beholde here howe the Pope and his Cardinalles be the successours of the Apostles and Disciples of â–ª Iesus Christe Concernyng theyr Suffraganes Officials Proctours in the Courtes of the Church Notaries Apostolycall Promoters Auditors Bullists Copists Courriers Vicars Chaplaynes Prouostes and other suche innumerable vermyne what can I say otherwyse For one shall find assoone the diuel among the Angels as one worde or mencion of them in the holy scripture or in the auncient Counsels Decrées Doctours Gréekes or Latines for to approue them I say more that it is as possyble to accorde these estates with the true forme of the Christian Churche as to accorde lyght and darknes trueth and lyes I come nowe to the other which haue more apparence for as muche as they haue theyr foundation in the scrypture yet notwithstanding because they be nothing lesse then that whiche they be called to what purpose doeth these names serue whiche they beare but the more to condempne them of falsehoodde and deceypt Wee haue here before declared and shewed that there is in all two degrées of Ecclesiasticall offices as well for the mynistration of the woorde of God as of publyke prayers and Sacramentes to weete the offyce of Pastours and Doctours Suche was the manner and the custome in all the primatyue Churche And for as muche as the Pastoures are deuyded into many degrées to wéete Archbyshoppes or Metropolytanes Bishops or Curates this was not onely in respecte to the office of the worde but in consyderation of the orderyng of the affayres which concerneth the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the whiche wee shall speake in his place Wherefore there is in consideration of the offyce to mynister the doctryne of the Gospell no dyfference before God betwéene the Archbishop the Byshoppe and the Curate so that eache of them bée Pastour of their owne flockes And for this cause bee they all named with the common name of Bishops So hath Iesus Christ and his Apostles both exercysed and spoken and all their true Successours As if they consider al the auncient Counsels and decrees concerning the election and the lyfe as wel domesticall as publike of those whom we speake of they shall fynde there and perceyue thinges yet more straight Nowe then is it possyble that the stubborne impudencie of these horned beastes shoulde come so farre to bee called Successours of the Apostles vaunt them selues of names which appertayneth least to them of any men vnder heauen For who set them in this estate By what doore be they entered in Where is the election examination of all theyr lyfe according to all right orders both diuine humaine Is there one among a hundred of them that is meete or disposed to thinke only of his charge or offyce or knoweth certaynly what office and charge he hath or which onely enquyreth after his flocke And if there be found one among a huÌ„dred how doth he occupy himselfe but rather to do any other thing then that which pertayneth to his office And if of a thousand Bishops or Curats in the papistry there he founde one which teacheth his people what doctrine is it but such as is directly against the trueth as we haue declared And what Sacramentes can hee mynister what orders maye he kéepe where there is nought but all pollution and falsifying of the true sacramentes and all abhomynable confusion as here before hath bene declared The prouincial couÌ„selles howe be they kept Nowe many Archbishoppes be there How many Archbishoppes be there How many Bishoppes be there meete to dyscerne and geue counsell Concerning Sinodes of euery Diocesse howe bée they practised Wherefore be the Curates called but to paye theyr tribute and procurations What assemble what doctrine or what order is there But I wyll demaunde of them according to their own ordinaunces whether one that is excommunicated ought not to be reiected and not to be taken as a member of the Churche Howe much lesse then ought he to be a Pastour Secondly I demaunde of them if he be not suffyciently excommunicated which is notoriouslye suche a one as are those whiche Iesus Christe and his Apostles commaunde to eschewe as one infected or full of pestilence and whiche be expresselye entered and mayntayned in the Churche against all the constitutions and ordinaunces of Counsels Decrées and auncient Doctours conformable to the scriptures Nowe for to know if they bée suche I sende them besyde the Scryptures whiche wee haue alreadye often tymes alleadged to the Epistles 3. and 4. and fourth booke of S. Ciprian and to the third Treatise of the same entituled The simplicitie of Prelates Item to the Epistle 85. of Leo the first Item to the Canon 4. and 6. of the counsel of Nicene Item to the Canon 23 and 25. of the counsell of Antioche Item to the Canon 14. and 15. of the counsell of Sardicque Item disti 23. ca. Clericâ— plebisque and 8. q. 1. c. Sicut vir Paragr Epis copum vere and 9 q 3. c. Archiepiscopus nihil There and other where in an infinite number of textes they shall fynde by what title they be called Archbishops Byshops and Curates how auayleable the title of their
Hierarchie is 13 The abuse which is commytted in the seconde partie of ecclesiasticall offyces which be Deacons COncerning those whiche ought to wayte and watche vppon the doctrine and prayers let vs come first to the dispensation of the goodes of the poore for the which it was declared that the Deacons were principallye established Also in the Papistrie what examination what election or what order is there in the making of Deacons and Subdeacons what charge also is geuen them Forsoothe to bee able to iuggell in theyr mommerie to bee assistaunt at the renouncinge of the sacrifice and intercession of Iesus Christe as hath bene declared before in the thyrde and fowrth Article to syng a gobbet of the History of the Gospell or of an Epistle in an vnknowen language and without exposition to handell the Challice to holde the Crewetes to receyue the offeryng whereof the poore shall haue nothing to geue the Paxâ— to saye Ita missa est in a hye Masse But in what Churche forsoothe where they maye And for howe long Untyll they them selues maye be Priestes euen the first day And because that long time before he be a Priest that is to weete before hée haue the office of doctrine or of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction according to the olde Canons be must be for a tyme exercised and proned in these base offyces Therefore it was néedefull for these Maister Apes to worke some inuention for to saye they kéepe the auncient decrées Nowe I praye you these thinges consydered by what title dare these wycked wretches bée called Deacons against the testimony of the scripture against all the auncient decrées and Doctours For the which they spake of the offyce of the Deacons in the ministration of the Sacrament of the supper howe can it agree with that which is dyrectly against it And especially of Archdeacons by what tytle are they called by that name consyderinge they haue not followed one iotte of their office And for the admynistration of the goodes of the Churche where is the distrybution of fowre partes ordayned by auncient Counselles as it hath bene amplye declared in the thyrtie Article of the fyfte poynt From whence commeth that euerye Benefyce as they call it hath hys reuenue a parte But that the Lordes coate whiche the Souldiors woulde not teare is by them parted into infinyte peeces Where is the fowrth parte committed to the Byshoppe and howe is it dystributed I report mée to theyr whoores to Bawdes to Dogges to Hawkes Popengayes and Byrdes to Horses and Cookes Where be the Cleargye that ought to be norished with his fowrth portion But rather in what Churche haue they any learned Clarkes or Schollers I report mée to the Cathedrall Churches and Collegyalles as they doo call them where the bootye and spoyle is parted Where is the fowrth parte of the poore I reporte mée to those whiche kéepe the accoumptes of Hospytalles howe muche they be holpen by the part of those which haue the goods of the Churches Where is the fowrth part for the reparation not of theyr superfluous Palaces vnméete for Christian men and yet lesse for the entertaynement of such horryble Idolatries But to mayntayne the buyldynges necessarye for the congregations I report mée to those that sée it Beholde in summe the godly order of this Ecclesiastical Hierarchie in these poyntes 14 Of the abuse which is commytted in the order of Priesthoode and in the gouernment of theyr spirituall iurisdiction IF it bée néedefull to speake of the abuse whiche is commytted in the thyrde part of Ecclesiasticall offyces of the which hath bene spoken in the fifte poynt in the Artycles 32. 33. 34. and other following by what ende maye we begynne to enter into so great a confusion Fyrst by what authoritie haue they chaunged for the moste parte the nature of the spyrituall iurisdiction of the Churche into a mâ—ere temporalitie appertayninge onelye to the Ciuyll Magistrate by all ryght both diuine and humaine Secondly although the Priestes or Elders be especially ordained to do their offyce by Gods woorde from whence commeth it that it is so out of vse in all the Papacie For I doubt not of that I speake and also it is manyfest throughout the Scripture and by all the auncient Counselles and Doctours that those which be called Priestes at this daye be no more lyke that they beare the name of then blacke is lyke whyte For after theyr manner what is it to bée a Priest It is to haue authoritie to Sacrifice and to offer vp Iesus Christe for the quycke and for the deade that is to saye in one worde to turne the rootes vpwarde as much as in them is of all the grounde of our saluation as in other places hath bene sayde And from thence is it sprong that of Gouernours they haue made hyreling Sacrificers for wages And so there is become two sortes of Priestes that is to weete the Beneficed and the poore hyrelinges whiche lyue vnder the other and bée more busyed in offeringes aswell in their dayly butchery for mony as Iudas was as also affyrming theyr office to saue and dampne for money yea of those which be so occupyed to dampne them selues that they are forced to haue Uicars vnder them to dampne others And to aduaunce this occupation they muste yet haue goodlye Bulles and Dispensations to dystribute to all that commeth paying honestly for it to the ende that those which lyue to eate vp deuour and dampne all the worlde as muche as in them lyeth also maye deuour and dampne one another by priuiledge For truelye it is easye to sée in this confusion whiche is apparaunt to all the worlde and to those whiche bée of the best of them if theyr bellye doo not ouercome theyr consciences that the Diuell fyndeth hym selfe as it were combered and ouerladen to receyue so manye at once and woulde inuent some maner of way that eache maye come in bys ranke and order drawing and tollyng after him his companie a thyng certaynly moste miserable and pitifull amongst the Christian people Notwithstanding who hath this iurisdiction whiche deuowreth the quycke and the deade vnder the name of the Churche I wyll not enter here into the great bottomlesse court of Rome but I leaue it to be scanned to Saint Barnard in his bookes De consideratione to Pope â—â—gene although that which they then dyd was nothyng in respecte of this whiche is nowe But I wyll speake of the Ordinarie Fyrst my Lorde Byshoppe maister Offyciall maister Uicar theyr Promoters Procurers and suche lyke haue taken the place of my maisters the Sacrificers On the other side the Canons as well in theyr Chapiter as in theyr dygnities Capitularies lykewyse haue taken theyr part â–ª Nowe for the first that is the Officialles and their sequell who hath set them in thys degrée Truelie the same Spyrite that doeth conducte them as the experyence declareth For as I haue sayde in other places it was not possyble to haue brought them
5. a Math. 19. 1. Cor. 7. b 1. Cor. 7. Roma 14. c 1. Timo. 4. d 1. Cori. 7 e 1. Cori. 7 Math. 12 f 1. Cori. 7. and vnto the ende of the chapter g Genes 2 Math. 19 Ephes â— h Hebre. 1â— i 1. Cori. 7 k 1. Thes 4. 1. Peter 5 l Leuit. 18. 1. Cor. 5. m 1. Cori. 6 n â— Timo. 4. o 1. Cori. 7. 9 1. Timo. 3 Hebre. 13. 41 ber 2. Historia tripertit â— 14. canon 5. of the Canons Apostolyke Canon 10. of the counsell of Ancite Looke dist 26. where is recyted the wordes of Innocent the fyrst and Augustine in disti 27. canon 13. of the counsell of Constantinople which was called the 6. vniuersall counsell p 1. Timo. 4 q Luke 2 1. Cori. r Actes 13. 1. Cor. 7. Å¿ Iudges 20. 1. Samu. 1 Ionas 3 t Looke the hystorie ecclesiasticall 5. booke â— v Ioel. 3. and. 3. â— x Colos 2. y Exod. 20. z 1. Cori. 10. a Roma 16. 1. Cor. 8. Colos 3. b Roma 14. Titus 1 Marke 7. c Roma 1. 1. Corin. 8. d 1. Tim. 4. e Colos 2. a Luke 22 Iohn 18. 2. Cor. 10. b Acts. 5 c Roma 14. and. 15. Ephes 4. 1. Timo. 2. d Math. 18. e 1. Timo. 5. f Galath 2. g Math. 18. 1. Cori. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Timo. 4. Titus 3. 2. Iohn 2. 1. Theâ— 3. h Colos 5. 1. Cor. 2. a 1. Cor. 9. b Math. 18. c 1. Cori. 5. 1. Timo. 1 d 2. Cor. 2. Ciprian 1. booke 2. Epistle and 1. booke 14. Epistle 16 e Math. 18. 1. Cori. 5. f Iohn 16. and. 10 g Canon 5. c first counsell of Nice h Canon 116. of the fyrst Counsell of Nice and. 9 Counsell of Antioche This counsel was holden at Carthage about the yeere 422 i 1. Cor. 5 k 1. Cori. 5. l 1. Cor. 5. 2. Thes â— 2. Timo. 1. a Roma 15. b Math. 22 Roma 13. c Roma 13. d 1. Timo. 2. c Psal 108 and many other textes a Roma 13 Titus 2. 1. Peter 2 â–ª b Acts. 4 c 1. Peter 2. d Math. 17 a Actes 3. â— Peter 3 b Math. 24. and. 25. 1. Thes 5. c Apoâ—a 6. 1. Peter 3. d Actes 1. Math. 24. e 1. Peter 3. f Math. 25. 1 Peter 4. 2. Tâ—mo 4. g 1. Cor. 55. h Math. 25. i Math 25. k Math. 25. l Luke 23. m Iohn 14. n 1. Cor. 2. o 1. Cor. 12. p 2. Cor. 5. q Roma 2. r Math. 25. a Hebre. 10. b Hebre. 7. 1. Timo. 2. a Iohn 14. a Iohn 15. Actes 15. 1. Cori. 7 Galath 1. Collos 2. b 1. Tiâ—â— 4. Looke the Epi. of S. Gregorie 32. 34. 36. 38. 39. The 4. booke and the. 24. 28. 29. 30. The 6 â–ª booke a Acts. 8. 1â— â–ª b 1. Peter 5. a Acts. 15. 1. Cor. 7. Collos 2. Timo. 4. Timo. 3. By â—â—ades they count their praiers to God and at length bring God theyr det a Math. 5. Mark 1 Luke 3 Acts. 13. a Leuit. 15 Exod. 10 Nehe. 10 b Iohn 13 Daniel 9 1. Iohn 1 Math. 18 Luke 17 c Psalm 51 Math. 3 Luke 23 1. Corin. 15 1. Timo. 1 d Iames. 5. c Math. 4. and. 6. â— 2. Cori. 2 g C. omnis vtriusque sexus de suÌ„ma trinitate in antiq h Nicephore in the history ecclesiastycall 112. booke 28. c. Chrisost on the Psalme 50. homil 2 I teÌ„ sermon of penance confession Item 5. homily of the incomprehensible nature of god Item 4. homily of Lazarus i Mark 6. Iames. 5 a Theyr lowe Masses be all sayde which is against this order to sing masse Canon 100. Act. 1. â— 1 â–ª Cor. 11. Cap. reiecta consecratione dis 2. d. consecrat in decret Note this wel Note De consecradist 2. cap. comperi 〈…〉 De consecra dist 2 chap. crimen Third boke of the Trinitie 10. c. S. Ciprian Sermon 5. de lapsiâ— S. Ierome vppon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus a Epistle 5. of the fyrst booke Augustine expoundeth at large against the Donatists a Looke the. 6 lesson of the counsell of Calcedon b Canon 22. of the counsell Mileuitane more there 1100. c The epist is in the end of the counsell of Affrica This was done about the yeare 752. 7. quarters of Rome called Cardines a Mark 18. Iohn 15 Acts. 18. b 1. Corin. 9. 1. Timo. 6 â— To the Sorbonists doctours of Paris and Inquisitors of Spaine a Epi. 76. 82. b Histori tripertit 1. booke c 1. Thes 3. August de moribus eccle catho Cap. 3. de opera monacorum d 1. Timo. 4. e Augu. de moribus eccl cath capi 33 f First booke 11. Epist g â— Timo. 5. h Gregori 3. booke 11. Epist i Canon 4. of the. 15. lesson of the vniuersall counsell of Chalcedon a Math. 17. b Roma 13. c 1. Peter 2. d Iude. 8. e Chrisost â–ª on the begâ—â—ning of the 13. chapter of the Epistâ—â— of S. Paule to the Rom. f S. Bernarde in the booâ—es De considerâ—â—â—one writterâ— to Pope Euâ—ene I II III IIII V VI VII VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIII XIII