of god And they may also baptise without ceremonyes or exorcysmes by the lawe of god and so may euery lay mā but none may vse the ceremonies or exorcysmes but prystes and that is by lawes of the byshops of Rome and so like wise the ceremonyes in other ministrations be by lawes of bishoppes of Rome or by custome Also the mynistration of extreme vnction none may exercise but onely priestes and as for the puttyng away of synne no prist maye doo it neyther by the lawe of god ne by the lawe of man for god onely of his mercye throughe contricion which is the very trewe penaunce putteth awaye synne and none but he And euerye man that hath offended muste vse this mynystration of penaunce and of contrytion in hym selfe and in his owne harte if he wyll haue forgyuenes And none other but he may vse this mynistration for hym ¶ Of dyuers mynystrations whiche the clergye hath vsed by custome and by lawes of man and yet many of the lay people haue thought that they haue vsed theym by the lawe of god The thyrde chapiter MATRIMONY was ordeyned by god as is sayde before and it hath ii greate prerogatyues before any other mynistration that is to say by reason of the place and of the tyme of the place for it was instituted by god in paradise of the tyme for it was fyrste ordeyned before all other mynystrations And trouth it is that prestes by custome haue had alway the ministration the solempnysyng therof and none but they as to the ceremonies so it is right cōuenient that they haue stil but yet it is expedient that it be knowē by what authorite they haue it and that it may with a cause be taken fro them by the hyghe powers as it may in dede Also confyrmation is by the lawe of man and was ordeined by the bishoppes of Rome and the clergie throughe the example of thappostles in the prymitiue churche whiche by touchynge of theyr handes gaue the holy gooste in a vysyble sygne but that gyfte went not to theyr successoures how be it theyr successours haue ordeyned that they shall lyke wyse confirme them that be baptised by tow chynge of theyr handes and if they that do it be in grace it maye doo good and elles it wil do lytel good Also auriculer confessyon is by the lawe of man and it may sometime do good and be occasyon to bringe in contrition Neuer the lesse many of the clergye affyrme and all the peple in maner beleue that it is by the lawe of god Also satisfactyon if it be taken as a parte of penance gyuen by iniunction of the confessour in suche maner as hath benne vsed in tyme past after confessions is by the lawe of man And if it be taken as good deedes of prayour fastynge and almes deede done of deuotion then it is commanded to euery man by the lawe of god but yet whiche way so euer it be taken it neuer putteth away synne but it maye throughe grace and through the free gyfte of god whether it be frely done or by waye of iniunction and penaunce encrease his merite and rewarde in heuen Also benedictions and hallowynges as they be commonlye vsed be by the lawe of man and if the minister be in state of grace his benedyctyons and halowynges may do good but if he be out of grace then as of them selfe they do rather hurt then good And neuerthelesse many of the people thynke that the euyll lyfe of the mynyster hurteth not suche hallowynges or benedyctions noo more than it dothe hurte theyr consecrations and absolutions or suche other mynystrations as they haue by the lawe of god And surelye that is a ryghte great errour Also bysshops haue power to examyne encumbentes that be presented to benefyces but that is in this realme onely by custome and by the fauour and sufferaunce of the king and his lawes and not by the lawe of god for it can not be proued by the lawe of god that one prist hath that power ouer an other priste ne none shoulde be made pristes but such as were able to take a cure Also all holydays excepte the seuenth daye and also the precyse fastynge dayes matyns euensonge the ceremomies at masse and other like be by the law of mā and so is the power of iurisdiction that the clergye hathe vsed in tyme paste as to kepe courtes and councilles to do corrections and suche other And yet many thynke that suche thynges haue ben by the lawe of god Trouthe it is that many of the prayours that be sayde at masse matyns euensonge and diriges be taken out of scripture and be scripture in dede but to this intente that they shall be sayd in one place of the seruice rather then in an other or in this tyme of the yere more than in this or to this intente one time and to this an other they are but ceremonyes for they be ordeyned to be saide in that ordre by the onely lawe of man And therfore it were righte expediente that it were openly declared and knowen what thynges be vsed by the law of god and what by custome and by the lawe of man And vndoubtedly there is no lawe of god that commaundeth settynge vp of ymages but whether the settynge vp of them be prohybited by the lawe of god that is to say by the xx Chapyter of exodie or not is a great doubte to many men and as it semeth if the sayde texte were indyfferently loked vpon it wold appere that the settyng vp of them is therby clearly prohibite howe be it if the clergy be iudges in that matter it is verye lyke that many of them wyl mainteyne that theyr predecessours began Also all the inferiour orders vnder deacon and also these names Pope patriarke Cardinall and dyuers other haue ben inuented and broughte vppe by the power of the bysshoppes of Rome and the clergye and not by the lawe of god ¶ Of dyuers thynges that the byshops of Rome and other byshops and prystes haue claimed vnder the color of the law of god whiche it gyueth them not ne that theyr protence therin can not be affyrmed by custome ne yet by assente of the people The fourthe Chapyter FYRSTE bysshoppes of Rome haue pretcded to be supreme hed of the buyuersall churche of Christ and they haue pretended also thae they haue bothe powers spitytuall and temporal howe be it they agre that they haue gyuen the execution of the temporall power to kynges pryncis but the power of tight they haue pretcded to haue holly in them selfe and therfore they haue sayde that they haue power to depose kinges and pryncis and that some of theyr predecessours haue doné so in dede And ferthermore they haue pretended that by theyr sayde supremitie they haue power to somon a generall councill and to commaunde kynges and princis to assiste theym therin And that byshoppes pristes and other of the clergye aughte to
vnder this maner beganne the auctoritie of the catholike general councilles in the churche of god and then to speke somewhat of the power of the catholyke generall councils that I haue spoken of before I thynke veryly that the power of them standeth mooste principally to declare the trewe catholyke fayth accordynge to the rules and groundes of scripture and to declare also what is to be iuged to be agaynste scripture and what not and to expounde the doubtes therof and also to determine what bokes are to be obeide and taken as bookes of scripture and what not For all chrysten people muste agree in one faythe and in one god Howe be it the correctiō of them that wold breke or dysobey the sayd declaration of the generall councille belongeth by the lawe of god to kynges and pryncis For it is sayd Eccle. v. the kynge commaundeth the hoole countrey as his subiette and therfore if any man shulde punysshe in the realme of an other prynce any of his subiectes withoute his commaundement it shulde be againste the foresayde texte Wherfore the sayde texte Math. xviii which was spoken to the vniuersall churche as is sayde before is to be vnderstand thus what so euer ye bynde vppon erthe not offendynge scripture ne the power that is gyuen to kynges by the lawe of god shal be bounden in heuen For certayne it is that the intent of Christ was neuer to speke any thynge againste scripture neither of the olde testamente ne of the new For he said I com not to breke the lawe but to fulfyll it And also it is to be noted that to declare the faithe or to do any of the thynges that I haue sayd before do pertayn to the generall councille is not agaynste scripture ne agaynste the power of kinges and princes For they neuer had those powers but to correcte offenders and to appoynte thorder of correction in what degre of offence so euer it be without their assent is against the power of kinges and princis Ro. xiii where it is sayde that princis be punyshers of euery thynge that is euyllc And ouer that if a christen kynge lyued agaynste scripture to the hurte of his owne soule and to the yuell example also of all his subiectes the general councill might declare that he lyued againste scripture and against the lawe of god but correction they myght none do ne his subiectes might nothing do therin but only pray to almightye god for his amendement Also yf the generall councille decreed that the youngest sonne shuld enherite in this realm or that all entayles made of landes shulde be voide Or that the clergie shuld haue a iurisdiction and make proces of excōmunication againste euery man that breke any of their decrees all were in vayne for it were agaynste the prerogatyue of kingis and princis in euery realme and also against scripture whereby kynges haue their power as is said before Wherfore the general councill hath therin no auctoritie Lyke wyse if any lawe be vsed agaynste scripture the generall councill may declare that it is so but the correction and refourmation in that behalfe they muste commytte to kynges in euery countreye and to theyr lawes And thoughe the apostels seniours Act. xv by auctoritie of the said texte Matth. xvi Quodcunque ligaueris c. decreed that the peple shuld abstayne a suffocatis sanguine whiche pertayned not meerelye to the faythe for the meate was laufulle and neuerthelesse the chrysten people were than bounden to obey the decree Yet yf the kynges vnder whom the christen people were thā subiectes vpon a reasonable cause had commaunded them to haue eaten suche meate they ought in conscience to haue obeyed his commādement For the eatinge shulde not haue ben against the faith and that decree was not made but onely for a frendly communyon and companienge togither of the gentyles and iewes in the beginning of the churche For the Iewes greately abhorred suche meates But for as moch as the cause of that lawe is nowe determined the lawe also is determyned so that no man at this day is bounden to it Farthermore by that I haue saide before appereth that the generalle councille laufully gathered according to scripture may declare what is heresie and whatte not And I thinke also that by these wordes Dic ecclesię si ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi sicut ethnicus publicanus They may put a man to aunswere before them vpon the heresie and so may not euery byshop ne yet all the clergie togyther Howe be it the generall councill maye not thervpon do correction For al the correction per taineth to kynges and princis as I haue sayd before ne they maye not alter the wordes of scripture in any article as the apostels dydde in the fourme of baptysme for the cause why the appostels dyd it is determyned that is to saye to cause the name of Iesu to be had in the more loue and honour amonge the people as is said before whiche nowe thanked be our lorde is vniuersally fulfylled amonge al christen people and so the sayd example is determined Farthermore by that that I haue sayde before appereth that the orderynge of all ceremonies of fastynge dayes and holy dayes excepte the. vii day onely of sensynges ▪ and of all the ceremonies apparell at masse matyns and euen songes and of al other lyke be vnder the power of kynges and prynces according to their lawes and not of the generall councilles For they be not commaunded by scripture ne pertayne not merely to the faithe but haue ben brought vppe for the beautifieng of the ministrations vsed amonge the people and to stire them the rather to deuotion wherfore dyuers countreyes maye vse dyuers ceremonies to the sayde intentes in suche maner as shall be thought most expedient for the people in euery countrey without any offence to the law of god but in one fay the and in one hoole and full assente vpon scripture and vpon the expositions therof all christen people muste of necessitie agree as I haue sayd before and to that intent onely it shulde seme that Christ ordeyned generall councilles Of such councils as haue ben kept in tyme past by the power of the bishops of Rome and of the clergie and haue ben called general councils The. vi chap. IF A MAN wylle saye and abydingly stand in it that the byshop of Rome is heed of the vniuersalle Churche of Christe it is not onely vntrewe but it is also heresye and is directely agaynste scripture Ecclesiastes v. Where it is sayde Vniuersę terrę rex imperat seruienti that is The kynge commaundeth the hole countrey as his subiect Whervpon it foloweth that the emperour whiche is kynge in Italye maye commaunde the byshoppe of Rome as his subiecte And if the byshoppe of Rome shulde be heed of the vniuersall churche then he shulde be heed ouer the Emperour For he vndoutedly is one of the church and
than he might commaunde hym as a superiour to hym and that is directly against the said texte ecclesiastes v. and if the bysshoppe of Rome came in to the realme of any other kyng he shulde for the tyme be subiecte to that kynge and ought to be obediente to his lawes and commaundementes And also it is sayd Sa. vi Here ye kynges and vnderstande lerne ye that be iudges of all partes of the worde And if kinges be Iuges of al partes of the worlde what part of the world is left to the iugement of the bishoppe of Rome And if the bysshoppe of Rome were supreme heed of the vniuersall churche then he might iudge vniuersally in al realmes and that were directely ageynst the sayde textes It is heresie therfore to saye that the byshoppe of Rome is heed of the vniuersall churche Also to say that the byshoppe of Rome and the clergie maye make lawes to bynde kinges and princis and their subiectes is also against scripture psal 11. where it is saide O kynges vnderstande ye be ye lerned that iuge the world For yf the bysshoppe of Rome and the clergie shoulde haue power to make lawes to bynde kynges and their people then myght not kynges iudge the world for they might not iudge vppon tho lawes ne reforme tho lawes For he that maye make a lawe hath power to interprete and to reforme the lawe and none but he and so shulde kynges be bounden by tho lawes myght not of their owne power iudge the worlde as the sayde texte Psal. 11. say the they do Also seyncte Paule Ro. xui sayth of euery prynce thus He is the reuenger in to wrathe to hym that dothe euylle And sayncte Paule in the sayd wordes excepteth no maner of euylle And if princes haue power to reuenge euery euyll It is heresye to say that the byshop of Rome may iudge or reuenge any maner of euyll by his owne power And neuertheles not withstandyng the sayde textes and dyuers other whiche proue sufficientely that the high power of the worlde is in kinges and princis wherof I haue recited parte in the firste chapyter of this treatise yet the bysshoppes of Rome haue in tyme past as heedes of the vniuersall churche taken vpon them to summon and appoynt generall councils as they haue called them and to commande kinges and princis to obey that sommons and to assiste theym therein but yet when kynges princes haue done soo they ne any other by their appoyntemente ne yet any lay manne shulde haue in the sayde councilles any voyces but bysshoppes priestes and religious and other of the clergie onely For they haue pretended that they make the vniuersall churche and that such a churche as may not erre And surely to say that byshops and pristes make the vniuersall churche is a great erroure for the vniuersall church is the congregation of all faithefull people and not onely of the bysshops and priestes And of that churche saint Paule speke Ephes. v. whanne he sayde that for his churche Christe gaue hym selfe and no man wylle say that Christ gaue hym selfe only for the clergie Also saint Paule spe kynge of the particular churche of the Corinthians saith thus Despondiuos vni uiro uirginem castam exhibere Christo That is I haue espoused you to gyue your selfe a chaste virgin to one manne that is Christe And by those wordes a chaste vyrgine he vnderstandeth the vniuersal churche of the Corinthians and not onely of the clergie there Howe be it the byshops of this realme are clere fro that errour for they right well and catholikely haue confessed in their boke called the Institution of a christen man in the title of matrimonie that the congregation of al faithfull people maketh the vniuersall churche And by reasone of the said pretences that the byshops of Rome shulde be supreme heedes of the vniuersall churche and that they might summon a general coūcill as they haue callid it to reforme the churche as they haue pretended in capite membris in fide moribus that is to say in heed and membres in faith maners vnderstādyng by that worde heed the byshoppe of Rome and by that worde membres kynges and princes and theyr people they haue brought in many gret perillous errours and abusions as well to the hurte of theyr owne soules as of all the people And ouer that for mayntenance of theyr own honour power riches libertie and suche other haue made lawes directely agaynst scripture agaynst the power of kynges and princes and theyr lawes and also agaynste all trouthe and charitie and whereof they hadde noo power to make any lawes and canons but onely that they toke vpon them to do it by the vsurped powers before rehersed And nowe lette euery manne in his owne conscience iuge whether it be an indifferent waye of Justice that the byshoppe of Rome and the clergie shulde be in these mattiers iudges to redresse the sayde abusions heresyes and vntrewe doctrynes brought in by them selfe by their predecessoures and whyther they wolde be dilygente to abbate their accustomed vsurped honor power riches libertie and suche other as in this worlde be thinges ryght delectable and plesant specially if the councill be kepte where they haue worldly power I doubte not but that there be som of the clergie that wolde put therto right greatte diligence but to fynde many of them I thinke it wold be very hard And yet the byshop of Rome hath nowe of late summoned a councyll to be holden after the old fashion And it he shuld shew him self out wardly to do it for a reformation in wardly intende to maynteyne forthe the old abusyons it shoulde be in hym to great a faute enormitie to be suffred And therfore it is to think that he knowith many of the clergy that wyll helpe forthe his good purpose therin Howe be it thoughe his intent be neuer soo good in this matter yet if ignorance do not excuse I thinke verily that he and all that haue moued hym to sūmon it haue fallen therby into a ryght great heresie for the causes before rehersed And it wyll be very harde to proue that ignoraunce of the lawe of god shulde excuse any manne specially them that are moste bounde to haue knowledge of it wherfore I wyll say thus farre concerninge the said councill that as many kynges and princis as knowe the said text Ecclesiastes v. and other textes lyke wherby it appereth euidentely that the high power and the high commandement of the worlde restith in kinges and princes and that none hath auctoritie vnder god to commaunde theym and neuer the lesse wyl appere at the sayd councill that they agree that the bysshoppe of Rome is heade of the vnyuersalle Churche and so assente to the saide herysye and be maynteyners and partteakers of it and that they also renounce and forsake therby the power that they haue receyued of god ouer his people and that