wisedome vnderstanding y ◠spirit of counsel of piety folowing y e iudgement custome euen of y e church decla reth teacheth y t the laity Clergye whiche celebrate not ar by no precept of god boūd to receaue y e sacramēt of y e Eucharist vnder both kynds neither can it by any meanes fayth being kepte be doubted but y ◠cōmunion of y e one kind is sufficiēt for them vnto saluation For although the Lord Christ in his last supper instituted and deliuered vnto his Apostles thys reuerent Sacrament in the formes of bread and wine yet that institution and tradition tend not to that end y t al the faythful of Christ should by the ordinaunce of the Lord be bound to receaue both kindes Neyther also is it rightly gathered out of that Sermon in the sixt chap. of Iohn that the communion of both kinds was commaunded by the Lorde but either of thē is to be vnderstand according to the sundry interpretations of the fathers and Doctors For he which said vnlesse ye shall eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you Said also If a man shall eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And he which said He whiche eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath eternall life Said also The bread which I will geue you is my fleshe for the lyfe of y e world And lastly he which said He whiche eateth my fleshe drinketh my bloud abydeth in me and I in him Said neuerthelesse He whiche eateth this bread shall lyue for euer The power of the Churche concerning the dispensation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Chap. ii FArther it declareth y ◠this power hath alwaye ben in the Churche that in the dispensation of the sacramentes their substaunce being saued it should ordeyne or alter those thinges that it iudgeth more expedient for y e vtilitie of y e receauers or for the reuerence of the Sacramentes according to the variety of things tymes and places And the Apostle also seemeth playnely to signifie the same whē he sayth Let a mā so iudge of vs as the ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God And that he in dede vsed this power it is manifest ynough as well in many other places as also in this selfe same Sacrament who hauyng diuers thinges concernyng the vse thereof the other thynges sayde he wyll I dispose when I come Wherefore the holy mother Churche knowyng this her authoritie in the administration of the Sacramentes although at the begynning of Christian Religion the communion vnder both kyndes was verye muche vsed yet in processe of tyme that custome beyng nowe euerye where chaunged the holy mother Churche I saye beyng led by wayghty and iust causes hath allowed thys custome of communicatyng vnder one kynde and hath decreed that it shall be counted for a lawe whiche to refuse or without the authoritie of the Churche at pleasure to chaunge shall not be lawfull That the whole and perfect Christ and a true Sacrament is receaued vnder either kynde Chap. iii. Farther it declareth that although our redemer as it is before sayde in that last Supper instituted this Sacrament in two kindes and deliuered it to his Apostles yet we must nedes confesse that vnder one kynde onely whole and perfect Christ and y e true Sacrament is receaued And therfore as touchyng the fruite they are defrauded of no grace necessarye vnto saluation whiche receaue but one kynde onely ¶ That infantes are not bounde vnto the Sacramentall Communion Chap. iiii Lastly the selfe same holy Synode teacheth that infantes wantyng the vse of reason are by no necessitie bounde to the sacramentall communion of the Eucharist for so muche as beyng by the lauacre of Baptisme regenerate and grafted into the body of Christe at that age they can not lose the grace of the children of God alreadye obtained Neither yet is antiquitie therfore to be cōdemned if in certaine places at any time it obserued that maner For euen as these most holy fathers had accordyng to the consideration of that tyme a probable cause of theyr facte so vndoubtedly is it without cōtrouerly to be thought that they did it without any necessitie of saluation Canons of the Communion vnder both kindes and of the communion of infantes The first Canon IF any man shal say that by the cōmaundement of God or of necessity all and singular the faithful of Christ ought to receaue both kyndes of the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist let hym be accursed The second Canon If any man shall saye that the holy Catholike Churche was not by iuste causes reasons led that the Layty and Clergy whiche celebrate not should cōmunicate only vnder y ◠forme of bread or that it therin erred let him be accursed The third Canon If any man shall deny that whole and perfect Christ the fountayne and author of all graces is receaued vnder the forme of bread onely bycause as some falsly affirme it is not accordyng to Christ his owne institution receaued vnder both kyndes let him be accursed The fourth Canon If any mā shall say y ◠the cōmunion of the Eucharist is necessary for infantes before they come to yeares of discretion let him be accursed But as for the two other Articles proposed and not yet discussed namely whether the reasons by which y e holy Catholike church was led y ◠lay men also such Priests which celebrate not should cōmunicate vnder the forme of bread only should so still be retayned y ◠by no meanes the vse of the cuppe shoulde bee permitted to any And Whether that for certaine honest reasons and agreyng to Christian charity the vse of the cup is to be graunted to any nation or kingdome vnder any conditions and what conditions they are The selfe same holy Synode doth reserue to an other tyme to be examined defined as soone as occasion shalbe offred For so muche as the fathers of this Counsell haue in the proheme decreed that we must not otherwise beleue teach or preach of the Sacramēt of the Eucharist thā they shall thinke good therfore their doctrines Canōs are diligētly to be examined But y ◠Coūsel declareth teacheth that y ◠lay men are by no precept of God bound to receaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnder both kindes This decree they confirme by a horrible Canon If any mā shall say say they that by the cōmaundement of God or necessitie of saluation all and singular the faithfull of Christ ought to receaue both kindes of the Sacramēt of the most holy Eucharist let him be accursed This Canō must diligently be examined y ◠al mē may see not only the audacitie rashnesse of this Coūsell but also their extreme sacrilegous impiety For where as Christ cōmaūded not only his xii Disciples but also al his faithfull y ◠out of y ◠cup they
should drinke his bloud The Coūsell of Trent presumptuously denyeth y t this precept pertayneth vnto all the faithfull But what an impudency is this It is vndoubtedly greater than the impudencye of the Coūsel of Constāce which when it could not deny but that this precept by y e institutiō of Christ pertayneth vnto all men inuēted other reasons wherby it taught y t by the abrogation of the cup no cōfort is takē away frō the laye men whiche is no lesse vnder the one kynde than vnder both If we should demaund of the Counsell by what precepte the lay men are bounde to eate the bodye of Christ in the supper wil they not answer by y t institution of Christ bicause he cōmaūded Take ye eate ye He therfore which cōmaunded the laymen to eate the same also cōmaunded the lay men to drinke of the cuppe Unlesse peraduenture the whole institution pertayne nothyng at all vnto the lay men and y e al things are geuen them of free gifte yea also the one kinde whiche the sacrificers by no ryght but of mere grace distribute vnto the lay men ◅ut least any man should thinke that these good holy fathers doe sinne of ignorance they themselues confesse both that Christ instituted it vnder both kindes and also that the primatiue church religiously obserued this institutiō But notwithstanding the institution of Christ and practise of the primatiue churche it semeth good vnto them thus to decree If any man shal say although Christ did so or although y e Apostles dyd so that the lay men are by the precept of god bound vnto the vse of the cup let hym be accursed Thou seest Christian Reader the steppes of Antichrist who extolleth himselfe aboue God and aboue that which is called hys worshippyng He that seeth not these thynges is more than blinde Farther that which is here sayd of the necessitye of saluation let the Counsell knowe that here is not disputed of singulare cases as they call them whiche may happen thorough the imbecillitye of men or by any other chaunce vnlooked for For it is most certayne that euen as in the primatyue church many were sodenly drawen to martyrdome before they were baptised whose saluation was nothyng letted although they were not baptised with water So also we can not denye eternall saluation vnto the faythfull which of nature abhorre from wyne or by some other chaunce are taken away w tout the vse of y e Supper But of these cases we doe not nowe reason but of the common and lawfull vse of the Supper of the Lord in a peaceable and quiet churche whether it be necessarye by the cōmaundement of God to receaue both kindes or no. Here we expressedly affyrme y t al the faithful of Christ are charged and bound to the vse of either part of the Sacrament the contemners of y t Sacraments at also depriued as Augustine speaketh of y e grace of y t Sacraments For it is an expresse and manyfest commaundement of Christ DRINKE YE he addeth AL namely they whiche eate the same also must drinke This perspicuity the coūsell can by no meanes make darke howsoeuer they turne themselues into all manner of formes like Proteus In the second Chapiter they say that the Church hath power the substaunce of the Sacraments being saued to ordaine alter such thinges as it iudgeth most expediente for the variety of things times and places and therefore also hath it power to abrogate the cup. Here I can not tell whether the ignoraunce of the coūcell be greater or the impudencye For what ignorance is this that the substance of the Eucharist being saued the vse of the cup may be abrogated And is not wyne required vnto the substance of the Sacramente of the Supper whiche wine was of Christ ordayned to thys moste holy mysterie The cup being abrogated y e institution of Christ is not saued but torne changed maimed For wine is no lesse of the substance of thys Sacrament than bread Neyther can they winde themselues hereout by thys their Sophistication that Christe is whole contayned vnder one kynde For although Christ be not deuided yet is the institution to be kept which being chaunged torne there is made no distribution neither of the body nor yet of the bloud of Christ. But the Canon is farre more horrible than thys doctrine If any man shal saye that the holy Church was not by iust causes and reasons led that the Laye men shoulde communicate vnder the forme of bread onlye or that it hath therin erred Let him be accursed But it shall be good in this place to recyte the reasons by whiche the Counsell of Constance thought good that the vse of the cup shoulde be abrogated which reasons are so ridiculous and foolyshe that it is wonderfull that in so greate an assembly of Doctors there was none which for the defence of the authority of the church and of the counsel confuted them not And I wil not recite them in myne own wordes but in the wordes of Gerson Chauncelour of Paris who was a man of no smal authority in the Counsel of Constance It is not to be doubted sayth he but y e amongst other the Diuines of the high vniuersitye of Paris are in a readinesse which in great nūber are Presidents in this counsel there are sayth he also of other noble Uniuersities excellent Diuines both in great number and of great worthinesse Wherefore many of them which were gathered together vpon thys matter saye that the custome of not communicating the Laitye vnder both kindes chiefly after that the faythfull haue bene so multiplyed was lawfully and reasonably brought in into the Church And that for the auoyding of manifolde daungers irreuerence and offence about the receauyng of such a blessed Sacrament The fyrst daunger is in spillyng The second in carying it from place to place The thyrd for the filthinesse of y e vessels which ought to be sacred and not cōmonly to be hādled and touched of the Laye men And muche lesse ought y e wine consecrated to be sold at the Uinteners as it is accustomed with such men The fourth by reason of y t long beards of the Lay men The fyfth in preseruing it for the sicke bycause it may being long in the vessell be turned to Uineger so the bloud of Christ shoulde cease to be there neyther should it be receaued nor consecrated a new without a masse And if it might be possible that pure Uineger should be geuen in steade of the bloud of Christ yet there is an other danger bycause in the sommer wormes flyes would engender howe close so euer the vessell were shut sometimes also it would putrifie be made as it were abhominable to drike this is a reasō of very great efficacy And by an other reason also whē many other haue dronke before And it is demaunded in what vessell so much wyne should be cōsecrated as should serue
cōsiderations a cōtrary custome hath grown in vse being by y e church praysed com maūded which cōmaūdemēt appeareth by such a custome which is y e best interpreter of laws such a receiuing is rash presūptuous offēsiue sedicious a disturbing of Ecclesiastical rite cōsequētly inducing to eternal dampnation Now hast thou after y e reasōs rehersed here as it were in one word again repeted in a sūme what the counsell of Cōstāce thinketh of y e cōmunion vnder both kinds namly that the receauing of it nether is nor euer was by y e law of god And y t thei which endeuor themselues to put it in vse ar rash presumptuous seditious disturbers of y e church of God which incurre the blame of geuing of offence it iudgeth them worthy of eternal destruction and hel fire But thereason wherebye they proue the deniall of the cuppe and the vse of one kinde doe not onelye wante the woorde of Godde but are moreouer folyshe ridiculous blasphemous against Christe and contumelious against◅ the church of God as it is manifest by those things whych we haue before spoken But graunt that ther wer some daūger if the vse of the Cup should be retained what was the prouidence of these fathers greater than the wisedome of Christ of his Apostles Could not they also see these daungers and admonish the church thereof that so great a Sacrament of God shoul◅ not be prophaned Of these reasons soundeth the second Canon of y e Coūsel of Trent wher it saith If any man shal say that the holy catholike Churche was not by iust causes and reasons led that the laimen also the Clergy which celebrate not should cōmunicate vnder the forme of bread onelye or that it therin erred let him be accursed Thou seest christiā reader that by the authority of the Counsel of Trent reasōs that are foolish blasphemous contumelious agaynst the Churche of God are counted and allowed for iust causes which if any man shal gainsay let him be accursed Many haue hitherto doubted certaine also haue vtterlye denied that the Counsell of Trent is ruled gouerned by the holy ghost But I do not onely nothing doubt thereof but am fulli persuaded y e the coūsel assēbled vnder Pius y e. 4 B. of Rome is not at al gouerned or ruled by y e holy gost For men y ◠ar sober left onely vnto humane iudgemēt or sense would neuer ordain things so absurde which hitherto haue ben mencioned to haue come from this coūsel But bicause the fathers of this counsel haue once fully determined vtterly to plucke vp by the rootes blot out extinguish the doctrine which we professe God punisheth in them the syn of obstinate malice euen w t the synne of most grosse errors as y e apostle hath left in writing God saith he sendeth on them the efficacy of illusion y ◠they shoulde beleue lies to the end al they might be iudged which haue not beleued the truth but haue consented vnto iniquitye And thys grosse ignorance blasphemy of the counsel is so directed of the lord that it profiteth the Church of God For al y e true faithful do now not only se but also euē fele with their hands y e the fathers of the counsel ar deliuered vp into a reprobate minde that they defend most grosse palpable errors tread vnder foote the manifest truth In the third Canon is confyrmed y e self same sacrilege manifest idolatry that vnder the paine of a curse we must beleue that whole Christ is receaued vnder one kind onely But how can the faithful beleue this when as it wanteth the woord of promise For faith leaneth vnto y e word of God but ther was neuer any word of God that Christe would in the bread only dispense his body blood there is no wher such thing extant in the Euangelicall historye or writing of y e Apostles These subtilties as touching christ y t he is not deuided ar of no force We know that fyrmly beleue it But here the question is not of the integritye of Christ but of the dispēsation of his body blood He receiuing the cup said Drinke ye al of this this is my blood c. This cup being abrogated how canst thou w c a true faith settle thy self y ◠in the vse of y e bread thou art made partaker of his blood For when he toke the bread he said not this is my blood or eate ye my blood How subtile soeuer this impiety be yet can they neuer defende support thys sacriledge In the. 4. canon they deale very hardly with the holy fathers especially w t Cyprian Augustine also with the church y t was at that time wherin was accustomed y t vnto infants also of Christiās the Eucharist was geuen But although we also disalowe this custome neither thinke it mete to be called again into the church yet iudge we y ◠the holye Fathers ought more gentlye to be delt with in this matter But farre bee it from me that I shoulde prescribe any thing to y e spirite of this counsell which seing it hath vpon iust causes cōfirmed this sacrilege in this sacramēt it shall also vndoubtedly if God will haue most wayghtye most iust reasons of this curse which reasons to resyst is to sin against the holy ghost To these four canons they adde other two articles whither for any cause or consideration the vse of the cup is to be permitted vnto any man Also whether that for certain honest reasons such which agree with Christiā charity y e vse of the cup is to be graūted to any nation or kingdom vnder certayn conditions what cōditions they are The examinatiō definīg of these they reserue to an other time Undoubtedly a worthy deliberation consultation of so long time in a thing so obscure doubtfull wherof childrē that are but seuen yeres of age are able to geue sudgemēt if they be but well enstructed in theyr catechisme But the words of the counsell are diligently to be marked whither for any cause or consideration the vse of the cuppe is to be permitted vnto any man The institution of Christ is w t the coūsel of Trēt no cause or reasō at al why ye good holy fathers can bring or deuise anye other reason than the precept cōmaundemēt of Christ yea his very expres wil What wil ye be wiser thā Christ thā the apo stles than y e primatiue church Or what sacrilegious bold nes is this that ye wil not but vpon certain conditions those as we shal a litle afterwarde heare most vngodlye graūt the vse of the cup not to the vniuersal church but to som certain nations kingdoms ◅e vnderstand as I suppose Germany England Denmark now peraduēture Fraunce also which for the most part hauing left the fylthinesse of the babilonish whore
do approue and coÌ„firme them with their assent and authoritie By these thinges as I thinke all Christendome maye easly vnderstand that the Cardinals Bishops Monkes Sacrificers called together at Trent by the consent of the Bishop of Rome Pius y e iiii not to cleÌ„se y e doctrine of the Churche froÌ„ errors whiche haue not once with their litle finger touched any one error of y â— Scholastical or Papisticall doctrine wherewith their bookes and decrees ouer flowe but they are asseÌ„bled together with this only purpose and entent to establishe and confirme the Popes tyranny in the Churche and also deuilishe Idolatrye and thorough out al ChristeÌ„dome to oppresse vtterly to ouer throwe sounde doctrine and the folowers therof Wherfore there is no cause why that any man should be deceaued w te these their most flatteryng wordes namely that they assembled together in this Counsell so the increase aduancement of faith ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ to asswage the calamities of these times to quiet y â— coÌ„trouersies of ReligioÌ„ to restraine disceatful tongues to correct the abuses of corrupt maners to restore y e true ecclesiasticall Christian peace For the sense of those wordes is y t the calamities of these times caÌ„ by no other meanes be asswaged or the coÌ„trouersies coÌ„cerning reli gioÌ„ quieted vnlesse the olde auÌ„cieÌ„t superstitioÌ„ idolatry be called agayne into the Churche y â— al godly teachers whom they in this place vnderstand by disceatful toÌ„ges shuld euerywhere be put to sileÌ„ce y t such which hithertâ—… being instructed w c y t word of God haue gayne sayd their impietie playnly coÌ„uinced them of manifest idolatry of infinitie superstitions abuses all kind of most pernitious errors yea and also of most great impietie should cruelly be put to death But as touching the correcting of corrupte maners they are so far of to be carefull y t they seme by all diligence to seke a greater liceÌ„ce for y â— maintenance therof wheÌ„ as it is not possible y â— there should be a greater dissolutioÌ„ of lyfe maners in all orders but especially in the Clergy And although as I suppose I haue hitherto sufficieÌ„tly pleÌ„tifully declared y t the CouÌ„sell of Trent in this firste decree hath most briefly coÌ„deÌ„ned y e souÌ„d doctrine of y e Gospell in a maner in al his partes articles so y â— I nede not to rehearse any mo things whereby to declare y t all godly meÌ„ ought to abstaine froÌ„ the amitie familiaritie therof as froÌ„ a most deadlyopeÌ„ enemie of y e eternal truth celesti all doctrine yet neuerthelesse bycause we would in other things also satisfie y â— desire of y e godly reder we will briefly also examine such things whiche they haue decreed of y e bookes of herctikes of y e sacrifice of y e Masse of y e coÌ„munioÌ„ vnder both kindes and of prebendes ¶ The first decree of the second Session of the sacred Counsel of Trent vnder Pope Pius the fourth the xxvi of February 1562. THe sacred oeconominall generall Sinode of Trent lawfully asseÌ„bled together in y e holy ghost the self same legares of the Apostolical seat being presideÌ„tes in it not trusting to humane strengthes but cleauing to the helpe aide of our Lord Iesus Christe who hath promised to geue mouth wisdome vnto his Church hath principally a regard vnto this to restore at the length to his purenesse â—…brightnesse the doctrine of the Catholike fayth beyng in many places corrupted and obscured by reason of the opinions of many whiche disagree among them selues and to reuoke the manners which haue declined from the olde institution vnto a better manner of lyfe and also to conuert the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers For as muche therefore as it firste of all considereth that at thys tyme the number of suspected and pernitious bookes wherein vnpure doctrine is coÌ„tayned and farre and wide spred abrode hath to muche increased whiche thyng in dede was the cause that many reformatioÌ„s were with a godly zeale made in sundry prouinces and especially in the hyghe Citie of Rome and yet coulde no healthfull medicine profite thys so greate and pernicious dysease It hath thought good y e the fathers which are ap pointed for this inquisition should diligently coÌ„sider what were nedefull to be done concernyng Censures bookes that they should also in due time make relation vnto the selfe same holy Synode that it may with more ease desseuer sundry straunge doctrines as it were tares from the wheat of ChristiaÌ„ verity and more commodiously deliberate and decree coÌ„cernyng those things whiche shall seme most opportune to the plucking out of doubtes out of the myndes of very many men and to the taking away of the causes of ma ny complayntes And all these thinges â–ª it desireth to be brought to the knowledge of all men what soeuer they be as also by thys present decree it geueth knowledge abrode that if any man shall thinke that by any meanes these things pertaine vnto hym touchyng the matter of these bookes and Censures or any other thynges whiche it hath declared to be handled in this generall CouÌ„ sell he should not doubt but that he shall w t much fauor be heard of the holy Synode But bycause y â— self same holy Synode wisheth euen from the heart earnestly desireth of God those thinges that are profitable to the peace of y e Church y t all we acknowledging our coÌ„mon mother vpon the earth whiche can not forget those whoÌ„ it hath brought forth may with one mynde with one mouth glorifie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ thorough the bowels of the mercy of the selfe same God and our Lord and al those whiche haue not communion with vs it allureth exhorteth vnto concorde and reconciliation that they would come vnto this holy Synode embrase charitie which is the bond of per fectioÌ„ preferre the peace of Christ which reioyseth in their harts into whiche they are called in one body Wherefore harkenyng vnto the voyce not of a maÌ„ but of the holy ghost let theÌ„ not hardeÌ„ their harts but not walking in their own seÌ„se nor pleasing theÌ„ selues let theÌ„ be stirred vp coÌ„uerted to so godly healthfull an admonition of their mother For the holy Sinode as it allureth them so also will it embrase them with all duties of Charitie Furthermore the self same holy Synode hath decreed that publique faith or saue conduite may be graunted in a generall congregation and shal haue the same force and be of the same strength and wayght as if it had bene geuen and decreed in a publicque Session The second Decree published in the selfe same ii Session THe selfe same sacred Sinode of Trent lawfully gathered together in the holy ghost the self same legates of the
Cuppe but also from the bread of the Supper than with so greate offence to God by theyr testimonye to allowe horrible Idolatrye and sacrilege For by it they are not grafted into the libertie wherinto they are deliuered by Christ but are caste into a greater bondage the conscience is not eased but oppressed with a greater burden I truste I haue briefelye and perspicuouslye shewed that the Counsell of Trent hath not onely allowed erroures that are repugnaunte vnto the holy Scripture but hath also confyrmed horrible impietie Iolatrye superstitions and abuses and that not in doctrine alone but also in the Sacramente deliuered of Christ vnto the Churche Euen as therefore for theyr sakes we haue muche cause to lamente for that the Fathers of thys Counsell in so manifeste a lyghte of the Gospell are enfected with so greate a blyndnesse that they will not acknowledge or abolyshe no not euen the leaste erroure so also agayne on the other syde oughte the Churche of GOD and all we euen from the hearte to reioyce that euen nowe at the laste by the decrees of thys Counsellâ—… we maye stay vppon some certainety of the will and meanyng of the pontificall Counselles For hytherto the Christians which are euery where dispersed abroade in the papacye haue hoped y â— it would haue come to passe that by some lawfull Counsell and publiquâ—… authority errors and abuses whiche thorough the negligence of Byshops and auarice of sacrificing priestes haue exept in into the church should be abrogated For thys office they thought to pertayne unto a counsel not to priuate men Neither also thought they it the office of a Magistrate to chaunge or abolysh any thing in doctrine or ecclesiasticall ceremonyes Whiche thyng for that many Kings and Princes Earles Barons Noble me and Imperiall cities haue done very many were offended bicause they taryed not for some lawfull knowledge of the cause and determination of a Counsel They confesse that they acknowledge that in the Catholyke Churche as they call it are very many errors but they affyrme ther withal that it pertayneth not to the Magistrate to take them awaye but that office belongeth vnto a Counsell And whereas many yeares and long tyme a ChristiaÌ„ generall and 〈◊〉 counsell hath bene required and promysed and euen vnto this yeare suspended nowe at the length the Counsell of Trent deliuereth vs from al doubt and farther expectation For as be in Terence sayth Nulla circuitione vsum est rem aperte prolocutum est that is It hath vsed no circuâ—…ution but hath opened the matter playnly that they wil not abolyshe the least abuse the leaste ceremonye or ryte but rather haue decreed to curse all those whiche eâ—…en in the least thyng accuse them of any errour So farre is it of that they thynke to abrogate and take awaye manifest Idolatrye Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead Carying aboute and worshipping of the breade Inuocation of Saints pilgrimages to the Images of the dead Doctrine of perpetuall doubting Doctrine of the merite of good workes Of purgatory and such lyke errors Nowe also shoulde we speake somewhat of the reformation of manuers whiche shoulde bee taken in hande and defyned by the Counsell whiche thyng the Embassadoures and Legates of the Emperoure of the Frenche Kyng and of other Princes requyred moste earenestly For not onely the Courte of Rome aboundeth with all kinde of vices and wickednesse as Ryot Simonye Auarice or couetousnesse and moste horrible fylthinesse but thys mischiefe is so farre and wyde spred abroade through oute Christendome that the Embassadoures and Oratours of certayne Princes were not ashamed to declare vnto the Counsell that the fylthinesse of the priestes in theyr prouinces was so greate that amongest a hundreth priestes coulde scarcely bee founde two whose helpe and industrye they myghte with honestye vse in any ciuile rusticall iudgementes so farre are they paste â—…l shame of moste horrible fylthynesse whoredome and such like wickednesse And the Fathers of the Counsel being ouercome with the truth testifyed that for theyr sakes thys garboyle and trouble is rysen in the Churche and that theyr wickednesse is the cause of so great euills But if we diligentlye weyghe the requestes of the Kynges and Princes we oughte euen from the bottome of the harte to lamente that in the Councell sit not suche Fathers whiche should be affected which the considerations of these thynges For although the aboue mentioned Kinges and Princes are still addicted vnto the Byshop of Romes kyngdome yet they see that vnlesse there be had a more seuere reformation of manners and especially in the Clergye the Popes kyngdome can not long continue safe and sounde Wherefore they vrge and requyre a reformation with as muche fayth diligence as they can But what doo they of the Papacye and the good holy Counsell of Trent They dooe euen as if a man shoulde go aboute to washe one hauing the leprosye or if a man should endeuour him selfe to ryd an olde scalde head from lyse which thing may manifestly be sene by the. xii Articles set forth of reformation and by the decrees confirmed by authority of the Counsell Twelue principal poyntes of reformation proposed the. xi day of March to be considered of the Fathers in the Counsel of Trent 1 LEt the Fathers consider what meanes may be had that Patriarches Archbishops bishops al those that haue cure ouer soules should be resident vpon their Churches and should not be absent from them but vpon causes iust honest necessary and profitable vnto the Church 2 Also whither it be expedient that none bee admitted vnto holy orders vnles it bee to some certayne tytle of a benefice For it is founde by experience that muche disceate is practised by reason that for the moste parte they are admitted by the tytle of Saltimonium 3 And that they whych geue orders receaue nothyng for the bestowyng of any orders whatsoeuer they be neyther also the Ministers nor Notaries 4 Whyther it may be graunted vnto them that of the Prebendes of suche as serue not they may distribute dayly distributions in those Churches in whyche are no distributions or els so slender distributions that they are not regarded 5 Whyther all Parishes whych for their greatnesse requyre many Priestes ought also to haue tytles to be instituted of the Ordinary 6 Benefices also that haue cure whych want a sufficient prouision of lyuyng for the Priest whither they be to be reformed so that of many by the Ordinarye may be made onely one 7 Forasmuche as Persons of Churches are for y â— most part very vnmâ—…ete so that eyther through ignorance or filthines of lyfe they destroy rather than edifye And somtymes they haue Uicars far woorse than them selues it is to bee consydered how thys euyll maye bee prouided for and whyther it should be expedient that vnto them should be geuen a meete fellowe helper wyth the assygnation of the fruites at the arbitrement of the Ordinary 8
Whyther it maye bee graunted vnto Ordynaries that they may geue vp into the mother churches benefices and Chappels being by reason of auncientnesse decayed and whych throughe pouertye cannot be renued 9 Whyther it bee decreed that benefices commended and also regular ought to be visited and corrected of the Ordinaries 10 Also whether secrete Matrimonies oughte in tyme to come to bee declared voyde and of no force 11 What conditions ought to be assigned to this that matrimonies bee not called secrete but contracted in the face of the church 12 Lastly it should very diligently be considered what is to be ordained as touching the no small abuses of vsurers The selfe same sacred Synode c. intending to pro secute the matter of reformation hath in thys presēt Session being the. v◅ thought good to decree as follloweth THere is nothing which otherwise continually more instructeth to piety and the worshypping of God than the lyfe and example of them which haue dedicated them selues vnto the ministery of God For for so much as they being from the thinges of the worlde exalted vnto a hygher place are beholden all other men cast their eyes on them as on a glasse of them take that which they may follow Wherfore it altogether so becōmeth the clergy elected vnto the office of the lord to frame their whole life and māners that in apparel gesture going speche and all other things they shew no exāple of any thing but that which is graue moderate and ful of piety and that they eschew also euēlight faultes which in thē should be most great that all their doinges maye bryng a recreation and reuerence vnto all men Wherefore seing that how much the greater both commoditye and ornament these thynges are in the church of God so muche the more diligentlye are they to be obserued the holy Synode hath decreed that those thinges which at other tymes haue bene aboundantlye and healthfullye ordeyned by sage Bishops by sacred Counsels of the life honesty and demeanor of the Clergy and for the re taining of doctrine also of banquetynges dauncinges disinges gamings and such like faultes and also of the auoiding of worldly affaires that the selfe same should be hereafter obserued vnder the selfe same punishmentes all whych thynges ar reuiued by this present decree And the bishops if they shal finde that any of these thinges ar turned into a disuse let them with speede studye to haue thē called again into vse diligently cause them to be obserued of all men for God shall take vengeaunce vpon them for the neglecting of the amendement of such as are vnder them Let no mā from hence forth be admitted vnto cathedrall churches which besydes that whych is requyred of the holy Canons shal not be in the Uniuersitie Doctor or Licentiate or otherwise Graduate in diuinity or in both the lawes or els in one of thē or which hath not receaued holy orders vnles he be so adorned with that integrity of lyfe and ther withal such excellency in learning and nobilitye of birth that these ornamentes in hym doo nota bly counteruaile the publike degree of a Doctor Let not cachedrall Churches also the true va lure of whose fruites exceede not the summe of 500. duckets of gold of the Chamber be burdened wyth pensions yea in cause of resignatiō but those which excede the said valure may neuer be burdened aboue halfe the fruits nether also may they bee so muche burdened but that at the least 500. ful be left vnto the Prelate Let not parish churches also whose fruites exceede not the sum of 500. duckets of golde of the Chamber by no meanes be burdened with yerely pensions yea in cause of resignation But those which excede that value may neuer hēceforth be burdened with pensions or reseruations of fruits aboue the halfe and let ther alwayes remain vnto the Person of the parishe Churche at the least 500. duckets of golde of the Chamber Of the fruits of al dignities vnto which in cathedral churches or in churches collegiate is due by law or by custome any iurisdictiō administration or office the bishops may at their arbitremēt deuide the third part into distributiōs to be assigned euerye festiual day so that hee which shal not at the least euery holye day personallye fulfyll the seruice belonging vnto him according to y e order to be prescribed by the Ordinary shall lose the distributiō of y ◠day neither shal he by any meanes make clayme vnto it but it shal be applyed to the reparatiōs of the church Let these things be vnderstād to be ordayned for those churches only in which ther is no custome or statute y ◠they which serue not should lose anipart which ariseth to the third part of the said frutes notwithstanding all customs yea though they be bi time out of mind constitutions although they be by an oth cōfirmed or with any authority whatsoeuer it be Let Canons deuidēts whosoeuer peaceably obtain such prebends vnto which ar annexed sūdry duties namely that som should sing Masses som the Gospel som the Epistle be bound so that ther be no iust impediment to the cōtrary to take vpō them orders requisite any custome what soeuer it be to the cōtrary notwithstanding neither frō henceforth let any be admitted but only those which are wel knowen to haue full age other abilities otherwise let the admission be voyde Whatsoeuer dispensations if they be to be committed out of the court of Rome let them be committed to the Ordinaries of those which haue obtained them in those things which ar graciously graunted of the same as delegates Apostolicall sūmarily only that it may be forth knowen iudicially whether the requestes expressed be true or no which if they shal not finde to bee true let the dispensations lose their effect In alteryng also of last wyls whych ought not to be done but vpon most iust causes they maye as delegates of y e sea Apostolike search out whether the thinges declared in the requestes be true or no which if they shal fynd to be false let not the foresaid alterations be put in execution Let causes touching benefices whose fruites in dayly distributions excede not the true valure of 24. d◅cates of gold of the Chamber in the fyrst instāce be examined in part before the ordinaries of the places which may procede to the definitiue sentence anye clause or inhibition notwythstanding and that no appeale in y ◠same be admitted vnles it be by the definitiue sentēce or by it which hath the strength of a definitiue sentence eyther els from the griefe which maye happen by the ap peale frō the definitiue sentence Metropolitans in appellations which happē vnto them in al cases both in admitting appeales and in graūtyng inhibitions after the appeale are bounde to keepe the cōmon law according to the forme and tenor of the sacred constitutions and chiefly the constitutions of Innocentius the. 4. in the Counsell
and as it is wrytten in Czechiel are greeued at all the abhominations which ar done in the church whom the Lord in due tyme wyll bryng foorthe together with Nichodemus and Ioseph that they maye set foorthe hys glory and with a constant mynde succour the Church nowe beyng sycke Thou haste here Christian Reader the decrees of the Counsell of Trent concerning the principall pointes of doctrine Sacramentes and reformation of the Clergy in which decrees is condemned the true doctrine of Original synne of the strengthes of free wyll of grace and iustification of faith and woorkes of the sacramentes and specially of the Eucharist and CoÌ„munion vnder both kyndes ther is no prouision made for meete Ministers for Churches but vngodlye decrees are confirmed wherein againste the woord of God is prohibited the mariage of Priestes vnpure sole lyfe is obtruded and the church and the court of Rome are made free from al errour and it is prouided for the bishop of Rome by the selfe same Canons being repeated that no man shoulde presume once to reprehende hys errours much lesse to correcte and amende them By all which thinges as well our men which haue of late departed from the papisticall court as also euen they which are styll addicted vnto the papistical religion maye vnderstand that there can nothing bee hoped for of the papistical Counsels that may serue for the taking awaye of superstitions errours and abuses out of the Churche and for the reformation of the maners of the Clergy But forasmuche as by all mens iudgement the reformation of doctrine and maners is most necessarye and the same caÌ„ by no meanes be obtained of the bishop of Romes counsel who least they should seme to haue erred wyl not geue place euen in the least thing it is nedeful that kinges and Princes do deuise some other waye and meanes to set an vnity in religion if in case they wyll prouide for theyr own saluation and the saluation of their subiectes Unto whom I commit such so great a matter and so necessary more deepely to be considered and wayghed And let them remember their vocatioÌ„ and office that God hath not preferred them ouer his Churche as Swyneherds and Cowherdes only to kepe publique peace and tranquilitye and to administer iustice but also to be nurcyng fathers vnto the churche of God as it is written And Kynges shall be thy nurcyng Fathers and â—…uenes thy nurces And in the Psalme lift vp your gates ye Princes and beâ—…e lifte vp ye eternall gates and the King of glorye shall enter in Wherefore seing they see the Pope so neglecting theyr owne saluation and also the saluation of their subiectes that by heapes he leadeth greate number of people into hell let them take vpon themselues thys godly care and confyrme themselues according to the example of Godlye Kinges and Emperonres which iudged that it pertayned to their office to apply them selues vnto this godlye care that idolatrye being abolished and hyghe places broken downe the true woorshipping of God myght be restored as in the old Testament we reade of Asa Iosâ—…as and Ezechias and in the newe Testament of the godly Emperours Constantine Theodosius and such lyke by whose authoritye most waightye controuersies of religion were most grauely according to the woord of God decided and quieted when as the tyrranny of the Papacy was not yet knowen vnto the Churche of God And the waye is not hard so that godly Princes would with one mutuall consent take the matter in hand that by the diligence of godly and learned men the doctrines of the Church may be purged from al errours and ceremonies being reduced vnto the rule of faith might be clensed from al superstition Whereas I sayd that it shoulde be done with the mutual consent of Princes the same shal for this cause chiefly be very necessary least whilest that al singular persons doo at their pleasures abrogate ceremonies and rites ther be brought iu into the Church Anarchia no lesse perâ—…lous then was the pontifical impiety and tyrranny by whych meanes the purenes of doctrine shoulde easelye be corrupted and Churches should be seuered and draweÌ„ into sundry sectes and opinions whych Churches by a legitimate authority might be kept in their due obedience But hither to neyther is the houre come neyther hath this day shined foorth whose brightnes yet we seme a far of to beholde For I verely beleue that not onelye God in heauen but also in a maner the whole world lotheth at the impiety and tyranny of the pontifical court which already is decaied and threateneth a most great ruine vnto the kingdome of the Pope The Lorde God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ of his clemency delyuer hys eleâ—…t whoÌ„ he hath dispersed in this Babilon from al errour of 〈◊〉 and bryng them to hys sonne through the knowledge of the Gospel that they forsaking the intollerable yoke of the Bishop of Rome may submyt and subdue them selues vnto the moste sweete yoke of Christ. Amen ¶ Imprinted at Lon don by Iohn Day dwellyng ouer Alderigate beneath Saint Martins Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis Math. 16. Luke 10. Math. 18. Actes 2. Math. 2. Ephesi 4. Iohn 4. 1. Thes. 4 Actes 15â—… In the couÌ„sel of Basill Sâ—…ss 1. Gala. 1. 2. Iohn 1. Math. 7. Luke 3. Sess. v. Decr. i. Sess. vi Can. vii Can. xii Can. xii Can. xiii Can. xviii Can. xxviii Can. xxx Math. xv Esay xxix Ierom vpoÌ„ the. 〈◊〉 Chap. of Daniell in his preface vpon Daniell Sess. v. Decr. i. Exod. xx Deut. vi Rom. vii Sess. vi Ephes. ii Iohn xv ii Cor. iii. Rom. xiiii Rom. iiii In the same place Psal. xxxij Ephes. ii Esa. liii Act. iiii Marke i Rom. iiii Rom. viii Ephe. iii Iames. i Heb. iiii 〈◊〉 Cor. xv Psal. 143 Marke ix 〈◊〉 Peter iii Rom. viii Ephe. i Rom. vii Galat. v ii Thes. iii. ii Cor. xiii Eph. iii. Iames. ii Gala. v. i. Cor. xiii Rom. i. Ierem. xxâ—…i Esay liii ii Iohn i ii Iohn ii 〈◊〉 Cor. â—…i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus i. Psalme li i. Cor. i ii Cor. i Rom. iiii Ephe. iiii Ephe. i Rom. viii ii Cor. i Stanislaus Hosius Bisshop of Uarmienum Cardinall agaynste Brentius Mark xvi Rom. iiii ii Cor iiii Gala. v. Math. xv Gala. v. Marke vi Iohn xiiii Luke xxii Heb. v. Esay liii ii Cor. v Gal. iii. Heb. i. Rom. viii Heb. 13. In the pon tifical boke folio 20 Exod. 12. 1 Cor. 5 Mal. 3. Ierome bâ—… on the. 3 chap of Malachye 1. Cori. 11. Micheâ—… Heldgug bishop of Sydon at the counsell of Auguste celebrated in the yere 1548. Discipulus in his part of Saints Sacrifice for the dead 1. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 11. psal 50 Math. 1â—… Esay 63. Heb. ix Luke xvii Gal. v. Phillip iii. Rom. viii Iohn xvi i. Ioh. ii Dilemma i. Iohn ii In his 48. sermon of the 12. frutes of the Masse 〈◊〉 Cor. xi Math. xxvi Gabriel Biel vpon the Cannon of the Masse Lect. lxxxi All standers by at the Masse eate the body of Christ by the Priestes mouth Marke 14 â–ª Christ and his Apostles in danger of droÌ„kennes if vva ter had not ben mingled with wyne Ergo by the fa thers there are but two Sacra meÌ„ts flowyng out of Christes syde Ioan. 3. Clerus whiche they turne cler gy signifieth a Lot which Peter applieth to al ChristiaÌ„ meÌ„ but Popish sacrificers apply it vnto theÌ„selues onely Math â–ª 26. Marke 14. Luc 22. The pope very Antichrist Thess. 〈◊〉 Gerson in his treatyse against â—…he heresy of communica ting of the lay men vnder both kyndes Note y e hor rible blasphemy 1. Cor. 10. 11. Christ hys bloud turned into Uineger Christe his bloud putrifyed Math. 26. 1. Cor. 11. Exod. 12 i. Cor. x. i Cor. xi The. 18. homely vpon the latter Epistle to the Corin. Chriâ—… the author of synne Mat. 26. 28 Math. 24. 1. Reg. 19. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. Dan. ix Luke 22. Deut. 7. 〈◊〉 Thes. 2. Roma 1. Thessa. 1. 2. Thes. 2 Math. 10. Math. 15. Math. xxvi Mark xiiii Luke xxii 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 That is 〈◊〉 â—…lse tytle In the decree of Gratiane Dist. 40. Chap. Sâ—… Papa c. * That is neuer for they haue no Calendes Malach. 〈◊〉 Math. ix Rom. viii Math. xxvi i. Iohn ii i. Iohn ii Math. vi Math. xxvi Math. 15 i. Tim. iii. Tim. i. 〈◊〉 Sam. ii Ierem. 8. Ierem. 7. Ierem. 18. Psal. 94. Math. 28 Dani. 12. Iere. 44. Actes 9. â—…zechi 9. Eâ—…y 49. Psal. 24. Anarchia is Iack or waÌ„t of a Ruler