Christ Christ neadeth no vicegerent Heb. 7.12 Whether peter wer the first pope but nowe the priesthood being translated vnto Christ as hee beareth the office himselfe alone without any vicegerent so he resigneth the same to none * Mat. 16.18 3 Ob. It was said to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my congregation * Ioh. 21.15 Also Feed my sheep An. Hee made the same power common to the rest For to binde and loose is to retaine and forgiue sinnes which is done by preaching of the worde Ioh. 20.23 4 Obiect He promised the keies of the kingdome of heauen to Peter alone * Mat. 16.16 The doctrine of the Gospell is the keyes An. The heauens are opened by the doctrine of the Gospel the same was common to the rest of Peters fellowes in office as well as to Peter Obiect Peter excelleth therein because hee receiued that both with the rest Mat. 18.20 Ioh. 20.23 also a part by him selfe whiche is not giuen to the rest but in common* An. Christ did not this to preferre one man aboue another Cypr. de simp praelat but that he might by this means commend the vnitie of the church* 5 Obiect It was not said to the rest vpon this rocke will I builde my church* Mat. 16.18 An. As if Christ spake anie other thing there of Peter Eph. 2.20 1 Pet. 2.6 but that which Paul and Peter himselfe spake of all christians* For hee maketh Christ the corner stone vpon whom are builded those which grow to be an holie temple to the Lord. Obiect Hee aboue the rest because hee hath the name properlie 2 Concession An. Let him bee the first and chiefest of all the faithfull in feruentnesse of studie doctrine courage yet he hath not power therefore ouer others Peters confession 6 Peter had confessed both in his owne name also in the name of his brethren that Christe is the sonne of God vpon this rocke doth Christe builde his church 1 Cor. 3.11 because there is one onlie foundation besides which none other can be laid* 7 If anie thing bee to bee done hee referreth it vnto the councell* Hee exhorteth his fellowes in office * 1 Pet. 5.1 Act. 15.5 he doth not commaund them beeing accused he purgeth himselfe* He was sharplie reproued by Paul* Act. 11.3 Gal 2.8 3. Grant By these it appeareth manifestlie that there was no more power in Peter then in the rest of the Apostles 8 But admit he were chiefe among the Apostles yet they were only twelue it was done but once Therfore that is a misse made to continue for euer Continuance of succession that one ought also to bee appointed as head ouer an hundred thousand Obiect Bees and Cranes choose one onelie captaine and no more A similitude An. But they come not together out of all the whole world to choose one king euerie king is content with his owne hiue Obiect The Poets commend the gouernment of one Monarchie An. Not because one ought to gouerne all the whole world But because a kingdome cannot easily suffer two for power cānot abide to haue a partner Christ is the head of the church 9 Quest Is it not necessarie that the Churche haue an head An. Christ himselfe is the head of the Church of whom the whole body being coupled and knit together in euerie ioynt wherewith one ministreth to another according to the operation in the measure of euery member maketh encrease of the bodie* Eph. 4.15 Obiect It is needfull that there be another ministeriall head to beare Christes office vpon earth A ministeriall head An. There is none ordained by Christ Furthermore the scripture giueth this honour to Christe alone* Eph. 1.22 4.15 5.23 10 Obiect It is necessarie that there be a certaine likelihood betweene the heauenlie hyerarchie and the earthlie An. To play the Philosophers and dispute subtillie about both is to be wise beyonde measure of the scripture 11 But let vs graunt that the supremacie was in Peter 4 Graūt yea that it should alwaies continue by perpetuall succession yet how wil they proue that his seat was so established there that whosoeuer is Bishop of that Cittie hee shoulde bee set ouer the whole worlde Obiect Peter liued at Rome and there hee died An. And Christ liued in Ierusalem and there died Deut. 34.5 and Moses in the wildernesse* yet did they not giue such honor to the place 12 Ob. Peter was chiefe of the Apostles therefore the church wherein he sate ought to haue this priuiledge An. Then the church of Antioch should by right chalendge to her selfe the supremacie because hee sate first there Marcell papa 12 q. 1. cap. Roga Obiect It was in times past the chiefe but when Peter remoued thence hee translated to Rome the honour which he brought with him An. If this be a priuiledge it is either personall and then it belongeth nothing to the place or real when it is once giuen to a place it is not taken away againe The maner of priuilege or mixed then the place shall not bee simplie considered vnlesse the person doe also agree 13 But let it bee so let vs graunt that the supremacie was translated from Antioch to Rome 5 Graunt yet why had not Antioch the second place But Alexandria is before Antioch Gal. 2.9 Paul * nameth three which seemed to be pillers Iames Peter and Iohn If the honour of Peter the Sea of Rome haue the first place doth not that of Ephesus of Ierusalem deserue the second and thirde where Iohn Iames sate 14 Howbeit that which they report of Peter his sitting in the Churche of Rome hath no credite Whether Peter were at Rome Obiect Eusebius saith that hee ruled there fiue and twentie yeares Peters pilgrimage Gal. 1.18 2.1 An. He was at Ierusalem about twentie yeares after the death of Christe* afterward hee came to Antioch where how long he continued it is vncertaine Gregorie reckoneth seuen Eusebius twentie yeares But from the death of Christe vntill the ende of the Empire of Nero vnder whom they say he was slaine there shall be founde onlie seuen and thirtie yeares Thereby wee perceiue and see that he could sit at Rome but a short time Furthermore Paul wrote to the Romanes* Rom. 15.25 16.3 but there is no mention made of Peter 15 Obiect But it is a firme opinion of writers that hee gouerned that Churche vntyll his death An. Writers tell manie fables 6 Graunt But admit it bee so yet not long because his Apostleship appertained vnto the Iewes The supremacy had been meeter for Paul who was the Apostle of the Gentiles 16 Furthermore Why there was so great honor geuē to Rome the men of olde time gaue so great honor to the church of Rome for three most
Amongst other he addeth these Lib. 1. de consid Euang. circa finē lib The Papacie is the deuills pasture Thou Pastour commest foorth inuironed with much golde If I durst speake it these are rather the pastures of diuels then of sheepe 19 And now though we graunt to the Bishop of Rome that excellencie which he had in time of Leo and Gregorie Graunt what doth this helpe the present Papacie I do not yet speake of the earthlie Lordship but of the spirituall gouernment wherof they make boast For these be the sayinges of the Bishops A deuelish decree Nicol in decret 17.9 3. C. Nemini Innoc. 9.9.3 cap. Nem◠God would determine the causes of other mē by men but hee hath reserued the Prelate of this Sea without question to his own iudgement* Again the facts of our subiects are iudged by vs but ours by god alone 20 And to the ende these decrees might haue more weight they did falsly cog in the names of old Bishops as if things had been so appointed and ordained since the beginning whereas it is most certaine that it is new and latelie forged whatsoeuer is giuen to the Bishop of Rome ouer and besides that which we haue said was giuen him by the old councels 21 If Gregories testimony ought to bee of force they declare there by that their Bishop is Antichrist Epist 92.4 ad Iohānem constant because they make him vniuersall* 22 Are not the Patrones of the Sea of Rome ashamed to defend the present estate of the papacie which is certainlie an hundred fold worse The papacie is at this daye worst and more corrupt then it was in the time of Gregorie Bernard Graunt 23 Last of all though all these things should be graunted yet there ariseth a fresh new strife for them For wee denie that Rome can be the mother of churches seeing there is no church at Rome that the Pope is Prince of Bishops seeing hee is no Bishop Why ther is no church at Rōe because he teacheth not the word of God he doth not minister the Sacraments neither doth hee keepe the people in their duetie by anie discipline 24 Yea the Popes do whatsoeuer they can to oppresse the pure doctrine of the Gospel The vertues of the popes Leo was cruel Clement blooddie Paul a fierce murtherer Shall hee be Christes vicar and Peters successour who by persecuting the Churche with furious indeuours Leo. Clement Paul An absurditie doeth openlie professe that hee is Antichrist 2. Thes 2.4 25 Wee speake as did Paul when wee say that Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God* That his kingdome shall bee placed in hautinesse of speech and blaspheming of God* Dan. 7.23 Also whereas Paule setteth out Antichrist by this marke that he shall take away from God his honour that he may take it to him selfe this is a principall token in seeking Antichrist especially when such pride procedeth to the publike scattering and destruction of the Church 26 God translated the Church which was at Ierusalē to Pella* That which was once done Euseb lib. 3. ca. 5. might be done oftener Therfore so to tie the honor of the supremacie to a place that an enemie of Christ The pops armes an aduersary of the Gospel a destroyer of the Church a butcher of the Sainctes should be Christes Vicar Peters successour the chiefe Bishop of the Church is too ridiculous 27 We haue spoken inough of the thing If we come to the men we shall find that Leo Clement Paule and almost all the rest were Atheistes and that they knewe nothing else in a manner concerning Christ but that which they learned in Lucian his scholes 28 And yet for all this the Romanistes auouch that the Pope cannot erre Though Iohn the xxij Pope did openly auouch that the soules of men are mortall* Iohn Gerson doth witnes this who lyued then that they die together with the bodies vntill the day of the resurrection 29 Therefore though Rome were in times past the head of Churches yet she is not worthie at this day to be counted one of the smallest toes seing she is made common to all kind of wickednesse 30 The Cardinals were in times past only priests of the church of Rome What Cardinals were in times past and farre inferiour to Bishops but such as they be nowe at this day they haue no true and lawfull office in the Church CHAP. VIII Touching the power of the Church as touching the articles of faith and with what vnbridled licentiousnesse it hath in the papacie bene wrested to corrupt all purenesse of doctrine Ecclesiasticall power 1 NOw followeth the third place touching the power of the church which consisteth partly in particular Bishops partly in Councels those either prouinciall or generall such power cōsisteth either in doctrine or in iurisdiction or in making lawes The first parts touchinge doctrine The place touching doctrine hath two parts authoritie to deliuer and teach articles and points of doctrine and to expound the same And let all things be done to edifying* That shall be if the authoritie of Christ 1 Cor. 10.8 13.10 the maister of the Church be kept safe and sound 2 Furthermore we must remember in this place that what authority soeuer the Scripture doth giue either to Priests or Prophets or Apostles or to the successours of the Apostles that is properlie giuen not to the men them selues but to the ministerie wherein they are placed Priests Deut. 17.10 It is sayd of the priestes* The lips of the priest shall keepe knowledge they shall require the Lawe at his mouth because he is the Angell of the Lord of hostes 3 The authoritie of the Prophets is described in Ezechiell The prophets are watchmen Sonne of man saith the Lord I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel Therfore thou shalt heare the word out of my mouth thou shalt tell it them from me* Ezech. 3.17 Apostles Mat. 5.13 4 The Apostles are called the light of the world* the salt of the earth they are to be heard in steed of Christ * Luke 11.26 Ioh. 20.13 5 And though there be but one the same doctrine yet according to the diuersitie of times the seruants of God had diuerse kinds of teaching The same doctrin but diuers manners of teachng◠It is true indeed which Christ saith that no man hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him* God vsed secret reuelations with the Patriarks these did he confirme with vndoubted signes The Patriarks cōueyed that vnto their sonnes they to their childrens childrē 6 When the Lorde raised vp a more manifest forme of the Church Reuelations The word written he would haue his word put in writing that the priestes might thence set that which they should teach the people and that all doctrine might
be examined by that rule Priests Therfore after the publishing of the Lawe the priests are commaunded that they should onely teach that which God did comprehend in the Law It was not lawfull for them to adde or to diminish Prophets After thē followed the Prophets which were interpreters of the Lawe who added nothing therto but prophecies concerning things to come Herunto were added the histories which are also the works of the Prophets The old testament but being made by the enditing of the holie Ghost Such was the rule of the life of the fathers vntill the comming of Christ The new testament Heb. 1.2 7 When the wisedome of God was made manifest in the flesh he taught with full mouth whatsoeuer mans mind can conceaue of the Father * Mat. 17.5 Aimaxime because the Father appointed him to be a teacher* Therfore he left nothing for others to speake after him In the old and new testament is comprehended the truth and the best kind of teachinge 8 Therefore let this be a firme maxime that there is none other word of God to be had but that which is contained in the old and newe Testament and that there is none other manner of teaching aright in the Church but according to the prescript and rule of his word Therfore Christ commanded the Apostles to teach whatsoeuer thinges he had commanded them Mat. 27.20 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 14.19 9 That was also diligently obserued by the Apostles* Obiect It is not lawful for one alone to adde any thing but there is another respect to be had of the vniuersall Church An. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God* Rom. 10.10 If faith depend vppon the word of God alone what place is now left for the word of all the whole world 10 Obiect A generall councell is the true image of the Church and it is gouerned immediatlie by the Spirit of God therfore it can not erre Whether a Councell can erre An. A generall councell is gouerned by the holie Ghost when it decreeth or setteth downe nothing contrary to the word of God Then it cannot erre 11 Obiect Christ sayd behold I am with you vntill the end of the world* Mat. 28.20 Ioh. 14.6 Also I will giue vnto you a comforter the Spirit of truth* An. He did not only promise that to the number of twelue but euen to euerie one of them And this spirit is not the spirit of error of lying of ignorance or darknesse but of sure reuelation wisdome truth and light* 1 Cor. 2.12 Eph. 1.28 12 Obiect Whatsoeuer is giuen to euery one of the faithfull seuerally that is giuen and belongeth to the Church altogether An. The Church shall neuer want that which shall be necessarie for it But the richesse of the Church are such that it wanteth much of the chiefest perfection The church is without blott Eph. 5.25 Obiect The Church cleansed by the washing of water in the word of life is without blot wrinkle* The piller and foundation of truth * 1. Tim. 3.15 An. In the former place it is rather taught what Christ doth daylie worke in the Church then what he hath already accomplished Again it is false friuolous to thinke that the church is altogether without spot all whose members are vncleane furthermore the Church it selfe is the piller of truth which resteth vpon the word of God alone 13 Is it anie maruell if the bride and scholer be subiect to Christ her spouse and maister that she may continually and diligently depende vpon his mouth 14 Obiect I haue manie thinges to say to you The church is Christs scholer Ioh. 16.12 which you cannot carie now* An. The Apostles being led by the Spirit of truth into all truth they did publish their writings wherin they left the perfect knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell written 15 Obiect Christ commandeth that he be counted an Ethnicke as a Publicane which shall gainsay and resist the decree of the Church* Mat. 18.17 An. There is no mention made there of doctrin but onely the authoritie of censures to correct vices is auouched that they may not set them selues against the iudgement thereof which shall be admonished and reproued Obiect The Church must be heard The force of Censure An. Who denieth that because it pronounceth nothing but out of the word of the Lord. Whether baptizing of infants be by the decrees of the church 16 Obiect Baptizing of infantes sprange not so muche from the manifest commaundement of the Scripture as from the decrees of the Church An. It shall sufficiently appeare else where that it is farre otherwise Obiect That is nowhere in the Scripture to be found which was pronounced in the Nicene synode that the Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father An. I graunt this word is not extant in Scripture but the thing signifying the same is often founde in Scripture CHAP. IX Of Councels and their authoritie What counsels be lawfull 1 FVrthermore Councels shall be lawfull then if Christ sit as chiefe in the same do gouerne the whole assembly with his word and Spirit 2 For this is Christs saying where two or three shall be gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them* Mat. 18.20 Which promise doth no lesse belong to euerie particular assemblie then to a generall Councell And those only are gathered together in the name of Christ which adde nothing to his word neither take anie thing therfro 3 Obiect The truth remaineth not in the church vnlesse it continue among the Pastours Neither doth the Church consist vnlesse it appeare in generall Councells Pastors are blind An. That is not alwayes true For there was a Church in Isaias his time at Ierusalem which God had not as yet forsaken and he calleth the Pastors thereof blind watch men Isa 56.10 ignorant dumbe doggs* In an other place he teacheth that they haue a shadowish pretence and cloake of priesthood* Frō the prophet to the priest euery one followeth lying* Osc 9 8. Ier. 9.13 4 Obiect Peraduenture that was of force among the Iewes but our age is free from so great an euill An Would God it were but the holie Ghost hath pronounced that it shall be otherwise As saith he there were in the old people false Prophetes so likewise there shall be among you false teachers slily bringing in sects of perdition* 2 Pet. 2.2 Mat. 24.11 2 Thess 2.4 5 And yet I would not ouerthrow the authoritie of Pastors onely I warne men to make choise of them lest we admit wolues in steede of true sheepheardes 6 Out of this we may easily aunswer to that other thing touching generall Councells Generall counsells The Iewes had the true Church in the time of the Prophetes But if there had bene gathered at that time a generall counsell of the priests what manner face of
14 In the meane season let vs beware that we weaken not the force of the Sacraments and quite ouerthrow the vse therof Secondly that we do not imagine certaine hidden powers to be in the Sacramentes We must take heed of three steepe downes The Sacramēts doe not geue grace which we can no where reade to be geuen them of God Obiect The Sacraments do iustifie giue grace so we put not in the barre of mortall sinne An. Such doctrine is deuillish when as it promiseth righteousnesse without faith Secondly because the minds of men do rest rather in this spectacle of a bodily thing then in God him selfe 15 Also we must beware that we traslate not that to the one which is proper to the other The truth is contayned indeede in the Sacraments but they are not so linked together but that they may be separate The Sacramēts worke that which they figure onlie in the Elect. Therfore the thing must alwayes be distinguished from the signe For the Sacraments worke that which they figure only in the elect For Christ is receaued by faith alone 16 Quest Do then the wicked bring that to passe by their vnthankfulnes that the ordinance of God is voyd and doth come to nothing An. Augustine aunswereth if thou receaue it carnallie it ceaseth not to be spirituall but not to thee* Hom. in Ioan. 26 17 For there is none other office of the Sacraments then of the word of God which is to offer to vs Christ and in him the treasures of the heauenlie grace but they profit vs nothing vnlesse they be receaued by faith which is to vs as the mouth of a vessell to receaue liquours and graces of the holie Ghost Faith is lyke the mouthe of a vessell Sacraments put for all manner signes 18 Furthermore the word Sacrament doth generally comprehend all signes which God did euer command men to vse that he might assure them of the truth of his promises Those he would haue to be extant sometimes in naturall things as when he gaue Adam the tree of life to be a pledge of immortalitie* Gen. 2.17 3.3 and the rainebowe to Noe and his posteritie* Sometimes he gaue them in miracles as when he shewed Abraham light in a smoking ouē * Gen. 9.13 when he wet the fleece with dewe Gen. 15.17 Iud. 6.37 all the grounde being drie to promise victorie to Gedeon* 19 But we intreate properly of the Sacramentes which God wold haue to be ordinarie in his church to nourish his children in one faith and the confession of one faith For Augustine saith* men can be congeled together into no name of religion either true or false vnlesse they be knit together by some fellowship of visible Sacraments 20 And these also haue bene diuerse according to the diuerse respect of time For Circumcision was graunted to Abraham* whereto purifications and sacrifices were afterward added* Lib 9 contra Faust manich cap. 11. Gen. 19.20 Diuersitie of sacraments Leuit. 1.2 Christ gaue to the Church Baptisme* and the Supper* I speake not of laying on of handes because it is not ordinarie neither doth it agree to all 21 Circumcision was graunted to Abraham for a seale of the righteousnesse of faith * Mat. 28.19 Mar. 26.26 Rom. 4.11 Heb. 9.1.14 Heb. 4.14 Purifyinges were testimonies of their washing in Christ* Sacrifices did promise the satisfaction of the Mediatour 22 Baptisme doth witnesse to vs that we be washed by the bloud of Christ the Supper that we are redeemed these two are found in Christ who came in water and bloud* that is 1 Ioh. 5.6 that he might purge redeeme 23 But the Fathers did eat the same meat which we eate drunke the same drinke which we drinke namely Christ* 1 Cor. 10.3 Obiect The Sacraments of the old Law did shadow grace those of the newe do geue it being present An. Who dare make voyde that signe which gaue to the Iewes the true communion partaking of Christ 24 Obiect The outwarde Circumcision is nothinge with God neither doeth it geue anie thing* Rom. 2.25 An. So it is if the truth it selfe be wantinge Which might also be sayde concerning Baptisme by good right For God regardeth not the outward washing* vnlesse the mind be inwardly purged 1 Cor. 10.5 1 Pet. 3.21 Col. 2.17 Obiect Paule doth vtterly contemne Circumcision made with handes when he compareth it with the Circumcision of Christ* An. Paule disputeth in that place against those which required Circumcision as necessarie wheras it was abrogat Therfore he admonisheth the faithfull that omitting the old shadowes they stay in the truth And he proueth that Baptisme is the same to Christians which Circumcision was to the men of old time 25 Obiect All the Iewish ceremonies were shadowes of things to come The bodie is in Christ* Heb. 7.8.9.10 What the Iewish ceremonies did profit the Iewes An. Paule did not therefore make the ceremonies shadowish because they had in them no sound thing but because the fulfilling therof did after a sort hang in suspence vntil the giuing of Christ And also though they shadowed Christ being absent yet he vttered inwardly to the faithfull the presence of his power Obiect Christ distinguisheth the Supper from Manna euen in respect of the efficacie An. He hath to deale with those which thought that Manna was nothing else but the meate of the bellie The comparison betwene Manna and the Supper he saith that he giueth better meate which feedeth the soules vnto the hope of immortalitie 26 Furthermore the Sacraments of both Lawes being diuerse indeede in signes but equall and like in verie deede and efficacie do testifie that the fatherly good will of God and the grace of the holie Ghost are offered to vs in Christ but our Sacraments do this more plentifullie and plainly there is in both the same giuing of Christ CHAP. XV. Of Baptisme 1 BAptisme is a signe of our entring What baptisme is whereby we are admitted into the societie of the Church that being ingrafted into Christ we may be reckened among the children of God A double end Furthermore it is geuen vs of God to this ende First that it might serue for our faith with him Secondly for our confession before men Baptisme bringeth three things to our faith First that it may be a signe of our purging like to a certaine sealed charter whereby he confirmeth to vs that all our sinnes are blotted out Faith 2 In this sense must we vnderstand that which Paule writeth that the Church is sanctified by Christ her spouse and washed with the washing of water in the word of life* and in another place Eph. 5.26 Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.21 that we are saued according to his mercie by the washing of regeneration* 3 Obiect Baptisme is onely geuen for the time past so that we must seeke other newe remedies for our newe falles into which
it to water sanctified by the word of God Obiect It must haue greater reuerence giuen it not for the greater vertue which it giueth but because it is giuen by those which are more worthie and in a more worthie part of the bodie that is in the forehead or because it giueth greater increase of vertues though baptisme bee more auaileable to remission An. First doe they not bewray themselues to be Donatistes Donatistes which esteeme the force of the Sacrament by the worthinesse of the minister 11 The other reason is foolish For we say that in Baptisme the forehead is likewise dipped in water In comparison of this wee set not one peece of dongue by their oyle either in baptisme or in confirmation Obiect Oile is deerer An. This inhaunsing of the price is theft iniquitie and deceit In the third reason they bewray their owne vngodlinesse when as they say that there is greater increase of vertues giuen in confirmation then in baptisme By laying on of handes the Apostles gaue the visible graces of the spirite wherein doth the fat of these men shewe it selfe fruitfull 12 Obiect The obseruation of confirmation is most ancient and confirmed by the consent of manie ages An. It is no whit the better Because a sacrament commeth not from the earth but from heauen Not from men but from God alone 13 Therefore let vs conclude that the true vse of confirmation is the maner and order of catechising or a forme written for this vse The true vse of confirmation which containeth a familiar summe in a manner of all points of our religion wherein all the whole Church of the faithfull must agree togeather without controuersie The forme of catechizing When a childe is tenne yeares olde let him offer himselfe to the Church to make confession of his faith let him be examined concerning euerie point let him make answere to euerie point if he be ignorant in anie let him be taught 2. Of repentance 14 The men of old time obserued this order in publike repentance that those which had done and ended those satisfactions which were enioyned thē were by solemne laying on of handes reconciled Laying on of handes That was a token of absolution whereby both the sinner himselfe was lifted vp with hope of pardon before God and the church was admonished to receiue him courteouslie putting out of mind the remembrance of his offence To the greater commendation the authoritie of the Bishop came between Afterwarde in successe of time the matter came to that passe Cypr. lib. Epist 1. Epist 2 Lib 4. sent dist 22. cap. 2. that euen in priuate absolutions they vsed this ceremonie 15 The Romish schoolemen take great paines to find a sacrament heere What a Sacrament is Ob. Outward repentance is a sacrament signe of the inward repentance that is of the contrition of the heart An. If it were a sacrament it shoulde be an outward ceremonie instituted by the Lorde for confirmation of faith The absolution of the Priest 16 It might with a fairer colour be obiected that the absolution of the priest is rather a sacrament then either outward or inwarde repentaunce For they might easilie haue saide that it is a ceremonie to confirme our faith concerning remission of sins and that it hath the power of the keyes 17 Therefore let vs conclude that repentance cannot be a sacrament because there is no particular promise of God extant for this thing which is the onlie staffe and stay of a sacrament Secondlie that whatsoeuer ceremonie is here shewed foorth it is a meere inuention of men Lib. 4. sent dist 14. cap. 1. * De poenis dist 1. cap. 2. Obiect Ierome saith* that it is the second boord after shipwracke because if anie man haue marred his garment of innocencie which hee had in Baptisme hee may repaire it againe by repentance An. This is a wicked saying because baptisme is not blotted out by sinnes Mar. 1.4 Luke 3.3 Moreouer baptisme is the sacrament of repentance for the remission of sins* Therefore there is no cause why we should make an other sacrament for repentance 3. Of the last annoynting as they call it 18 The third feigned Sacrament is extreeme vnction which is done only by the priest The forme of extreame vnction and that in extremitie and with oile consecrated by the Bishop and with this forme of words By this holie annointing and his most holie mercie God doeth forgiue thee whatsoeuer thou hast offended by seeing hearing smelling tasting touching they feigne that it hath two vertues remission of sinnes and ease of the bodile disease if it be expedient so to be if not saluation of the soule Ob. The institution is set downe by Iames* Iam. 5.14 19 An. That was a temporall gift and through the vnthankefulnesse of men it did quicklie cease The annointing which the Apostle vsed was temporall and but for a season For by the same reason Siloah the clay spittle dust might be a sacrament 20 Furthermore they bee iniurious to the holie ghoste which make that rotten oyle whiche is of no force his power But seeing the ceremonie is not instituted by God neither hath the promise of God it cannot be a sacrament 21 Furthermore Iames will haue all sicke men to bee annointed these annoint with their grease The end of annoynting bodies which are halfe dead Iames will haue him that is sicke to bee annointed by the Elders of the Church these men will haue none to annoint but the masse priest It was common oyle which they vsed Consecration of oyle these men vse charmed oyle and such as in niene times saluted in this manner thrise Haile holie oyle thrise Haile holie ointment thrise Haile holy balme 4 Of ecclesiasticall orders 22 The Sacrament of order possesseth the fourth place The plentie of orders beeing so fruitefull of it selfe that it bringeth foorth seuen pettie Sacraments which when they reckon vp they reckon thirteen And they be dore-keepers Readers Exorcists Acoluthes Subdeacōs Deacons Iesa 11.2 Priests They say there be seuen because of the seuen fold grace of the holie ghost* Some others make niene after the similitude of the triumphant Church some will haue shauing of clarks to be the first order of all and the order of Bishops to be the last Shauing of clarks Some excluding shauing reckon vp the order of Archbishops Othersome adde Psalmistes and singers Thus do men disagree when they dispute and reason about diuine matters without the word of God 23 But this surpasseth all follie that in euerie one they make Christ their fellow in office 24 They make Readers Psalmistes Dorekeepers Acoluthes with great pompe that they may take vpon them a vain title and doe nothing of that which their name requireth Obiect This must be ascribed to the peruersnes of times An. Then there is at this day no fruit of their holie orders in the church 25