and singular to himselfe Therfore when he glorieth of this he doth not onely bost that he hath that which belongeth to a true and lawful Pastor but also bryngeth fourth the signes of his Apostleship For whē there were some among the Galathians which trauailing to diminishe his authoritie made him some meane disciple put in office vnder them by the principal Apostles he to defende in safetie the dignitie of hys preaching which he knew to be shot at by those suttle deuises neded to shewe himselfe in al pointes nothing inferior to the other Apostles Therefore he affirmeth that he was chosen not by the iudgement of men lyke some common Byshop but by the mouth and manifest Oracle of the Lorde himselfe But no man that is sober wil deny that it is according to the order of lawful calling that Bishops should be appointed by men forasmuch as there are so many testimonies of the Scripture for profe therof Neither doth that saying of Paul make to the contrary as it is said that he was not sent of men nor by men forasmuch as he speaketh not there of the ordinary choosing of ministers but chalengeth to hymselfe that which was special to the Apostles Howbeit God also so appointed Paule by hymselfe by singular prerogatiue that in the meane tyme he vsed the discipline of Ecclesiastical calling For Luke reporteth it thus whē the Apostles were fastyng and praying the Holy ghost said Seperate vnto me Paule and Barnabas to the worke to whiche I haue seuerally chosen them To what purpose serued that seperatiō and putting on of handes sith the Holy ghost hath testified his own election but that the discipline of the Chirche in appointing ministers by men might be preserued Therfore the Lord could by no playner example approue suche order than he dyd when hauing firste declared that he had ordeyned Paul Apostle for the Gentiles yet he willeth him to be appointed by the Chirch Which thing we may see in the choosyng of Mathias For because the office of Apostleship was of so greate importance that they durst not by their own iudgement choose any one mā into that degree they did set two men in the middes vpō the one of whom the lot should fall that so both the election might haue an open testimonie from heauen and yet the policie of the Chirch should not be passed ouer Nowe it is demaunded whether the minister ought to be chosen of the whole Chirche or onely of the other of the same office and of the Elders that haue the rule of discipline or whether he may be made by the authoritie of one man They that geue thys authorytie to one mā allege that whiche Paule sayeth to Titus Therefore I haue lefte thee in Creta that thou shouldest appoynte in euery towne Priestes Again to Timothee laye not handes quicklye vppon any manne But they are deceiued if they thinke that either Timothee at Ephesus or Titus in Creta vsed a kingly power that either of them shoulde dispose all thinges at his owne will For they were aboue the reste onelye to goe before the people with good and holsome counsells not that they onely excludyng all other shoulde doe what they lysted And that I may not seme to faine any thing I will make it playne by a lyke example For Luke rehearseth that Paule and Barnabas appoynted Pryestes in dyuerse Chirches but he also expresseth the order or manner how when he sayeth that it was done by voices ▪ ordeining Priestes sayeth he by lifting vp of handes in euery Chirche ▪ Therefore they two did create them but the whole multitude as the Grecians maner was in elections did by holding vp their handes declare whom they would haue Euen in lyke maner the Romaine hystories do oftentimes say that the Consul which kept the assemblies created newe officers for none other cause but for that he receiued the voices and gouerned the people in the election Truely it is not likely that Paule graūted more to Timothe and Titus than he toke to himselfe But we see that he was wonte to create Byshops by voices of the people Therefore the places aboue are so to be vnderstanded that they minishe nothing of the common ryght and libertie of the Chirch Therfore Ciprian sayeth well when he affirmeth that it commeth from the authoritie of God that the Priest should be chosē in presence of the people before the eyes of all men and should by publike iudgement and testimonie be allowed for worthy and mete For we see that thys was by the commaundement of the Lord obserued in the Leuiticall Priestes that before theyr consecration they should be broughte into the sight of the people And no otherwise is Mathias added to the felowship of the Apostles and no otherwyse the seuen Deacons were created but the people seing and allowing it These examples saieth Ciprian do shew that the ordring of a Priest ought not to be done but in the knowledge of the people standyng by that the orderyng may be iuste and lawfull which hath been examined by the witnesse of all We are therfore come thus farre that this is by the worde of God a lawfull callyng of a minister when they that seme mete are created by the consent and allowaunce of the people And that other Pastors ought to beare rule of the election that nothing be done amisse of the multitude eyther by lightenesse or by euil affections or by disorder Now remaineth the forme of ordering to which we assigned the laste place in the callyng It is euident that the Apostles vsed no other Ceremonie when they admitted any man to ministerie but the laying on of handes And I thynke that thys vsage came from the maner of the Hebrues which did as it were presente vnto God by laying on of hāds that which they would haue blessed hallowed So when Iacob was about to blesse Ephraim and Manasse he layed hys handes vpon their heds Which thyng our Lorde folowed when he prayed ouer the infantes In the same meaning as I thynke the Iewes by the ordināce of the law layed handes vpon the Sacryfices Wherefore the Apostles by layeng on of handes did signifie that they offered hym to God whō they admitted into the ministerie Albeit they vsed it also vppon them to whom they applyed the visible graces of the Spirite Howsoeuer it bee thys was the solemne vsage so ofte as they called any man to the ministerie of the Chirche So they consecrated Pastors and teachers and so also Deacons But although there be no certayne commaundemente concernyng the laying on of handes yet because we see that it was continually vsed among the Apostles their so diligente obseruing of it ought to be to vs in stede of a commaundemente And truely it is profitable that by suche a signe both the dignitie of the ministerie should be commēded to the people and also that he which is ordered should be admonished that he is
Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople he doth in dede render a reason why he ought not to be blamed yet he doth not bost of immunitie from the secular court but rather promiseth that he wil be obedient so farr as his conscience wil geue hym leaue and therewithal he saith this that Maurice did as became a Godly Prince when he gaue such commaundementes to the Prestes ¶ The .xii. Chapter Of the discipline of the Chirch wherof the chefe vse is in the censures and excommunication THe discipline of the Chirch the entreating wherof we haue differred vnto this place is brefely to be declared that we may at length passe ouer to the rest But that same for the most part hangeth vpon the power of the keyes and spiritual iurisdiction That this may be the more easily vnderstode let vs diuide the Chirch into twoo principal degrees that is to say the Clergie and the people Clerkes I call by the vsual name those that execute publike ministerie in the Chirch Firste we wil speake of common discipline to which al ought to be subiect then we will come to the Clergie which beside that common discipline haue a seuerall discipline by themselues But because many for hatred of discipline do abhorre the very name therof let them heare this If no felowship yea no house though it haue but a small householde can be kept in righte state without discipline the same is muche more necessarie in the Chirch whoe 's state ought to be most orderly of al. Therefore as the doctrine of Christ which bringeth saluation is the soule of the Chirch so discipline is in stede of sinewes therein wherby it is broughte to passe that the members of the body hang together euery one in hys fyt place Wherfore whosoeuer do either desire to haue discipline taken awaye or hinder the restoryng therof whether they do it of set purpose or by vnaduisednesse verily they seke the extreme dissipation of the Chirch For what shall betide if what is lustfull to be lawfull to euery man But so would it be if there were not with the preaching of doctrine adioâ—ned priuate admonishmentes corrections and suche other helpes whiche susteyne doctrine and suffer it not to bee idle Discipline therfore is as it were a bridle wherwith they may be holden backe and tamed which coltishly resist against Christ or as it were a pricke wherwith they that are not willing enough may be stirred vp and somtyme as a fatherly rod wherwith they which haue more greuously falleÌ„ may be chastised mercifully and according to the mildenesse of the Spirite of Christ. Sith therfore we do now se at hande certaine beginninges of a horrible wastenesse in the Chirch because there is no care nor order to kepe the people in awe very necessitie cryeth out that there is nede of remedy But thys is the onely remedy which both Christ hath commaunded and hath alway ben vsed among the godly The first fundation of discipline is that priuate monitions shoulde haue place that is to say that if any man of hys own accorde doe not hys duty if he behaue himselfe licentiously or liue not honestly or haue committed any thyng worthy of blame he should suffer himselfe to be admonished and that euery man should study to admonish his brother when occasion shall require But specially let the Pastors and Prestes be watchefull to doe thys whoe 's office is not only to preach to the people but in euery house to admonish and exhort if at any tyme they doe not sufficiently preuayle by generall doctrine as Paule teacheth when he reherseth that he taughte priuately and in houses and protesteth that he is cleane from the blood of all men because he hath not cessed with teares day and night to admonish euery one For doctrine doeth then obteyne force and authoritie when the minister not onely doth declare to altogether what their duty is to Christ but also hath power and order to require the keping therof of them whom he marketh to be either not obediente to doctrine or slouthfull If any man doe either stubbornely refuse or in going forwarde in hys faultes do despise such admonishmentes when he hath ben the seconde tyme admonished with witnesses called to it Christe commaundeth them to be called to the iugement of the Chirch which is yâ— assemblie of Elders and that there they should be more greuously admonished as it were by publike authoritie that if he reuerence the Chirch he may submitt himselfe and obey But if he be not hereby subdued but do continue in hys wickednesse then he commaundeth hym as a despiser of the Chirch to be putt away from the felowship of the faythfull But because he speaketh here onely of secrete Faultes we must make this diuision that some synnes be priuate and some publike or openly manifest Of the first sort Christ sayth to euery priuate man Reproue hym betwene thee and hym alone Of manifest synnes Paule sayth in Timothee Reproue hym before all men that the rest may haue feare For Christ had sayd before If thy brother haue offended agaynst thee Which wordes against thee vnlesse thou wilte be contentious thou canneste not otherwyse vnderstande than vnder thyne owne secret knowlege so that there be no moe priuie to it But the same thyng whiche the Apostle teacheth Timothee concernyng the rebukyng of them openly that sinne openly he hymselfe folowed in Peter For wheÌ„ Peter synned euen to publyke offence he did not admonyshe hym apart by hymself but brought him fourth into the sight of the Chirch Therfore this shal be the right order of doing if in secret faultes we goe forward according to those degrees that Christ hath set but in manifest faultes we immediatly procede to the Chirches solemne rebuking if the offense be publike Let this also be an other distinctioÌ„ that of sinnes some be defaultes other some be wicked doinges or haynous offences To the correcting of thys later sort not only admonishment or rebuking is to be vsed but also a seuere remedie as Paule sheweth which not only chastised wyth wordes the Corynthian that had committed incest but also punished him with excommunication so sone as he was certified of his wicked dede Now therefore we beginne better to se how the spiritual iurisdiction of the Chirch which punisheth sinnes according to the word of the Lorde is the best maintenance of health and fundation of order and bonde of vnitie Therefore when the Chirch doth banish out of her coÌ„pany manifest adulterers whoremongers theues robbers seditious persons periured men false witnesses and such other againe obstinate men which being orderly admonished euen of small faultes doe scorne God and his iugement she taketh nothing vpon her selfe without reason but executeth the iurisdiction geuen her of the Lorde Moreouer that none should despise such iugement of the Chirch or lightly regarde that he is condemned by the consenting voices of the faithful the Lord hath testified that
THE INSTITVTION OF Christian Religion vvrytten in Latine by maister Ihon Caluin and translated into Englysh according to the authors last edition Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions Imprinted at London by Reinolde Vvolfe Richarde Harison Anno. 1561. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The Printers to the Reders WHeras some men haue thought and reported it to be a fault and negligence in vs for that we haue so long kept backe from you this boke being so profitable a woorke for you namely sithe maister Iohn Dawes had translated it and deliuered it into our handes more than a tweluemoneth past you shall vnderstande for our excuse in that behalfe that we could not wel emprinte it soner For we haue ben by diuerse necessarie causes constrayned with our earnest entreatance to procure an other frende of oures to translate it whole agayn This translation we trust you shal well allow For it hath not only ben faythfully done by the translater himself but also hath ben wholly perused by such men whoe 's iugement and credit al the godly learned in Englande well knowe esteme But sithe it is now come foorth we pray you accept it and vse it If any faultes haue passed vs by ouersight we beseche you let vs haue your patience as you haue had our diligence Ihon Caluin to the Reader AT the first setting out of this worke because I did not loke for that successe which the Lord of his vnmeasurable goodnesse hath geuen I had as men vse to do in small workes for the more parte lightly passed it ouer But when I vnderstode that it was receiued with that fauor of all the godly which I neuer durst haue desired muche lesse haue hoped for as I verily felt in my hart that much more was geuen to me than I had deserued so I thought it should be a great vnthankfulnesse if I should not at the least after my sclender abilite endeuor to answere so fauourable affections towarde me and which of themselues prouoked my diligēce And this I attempted not only in the seconde setting fourth of it but how oft sins that time the worke hath ben emprinted so oft it hath ben enriched with some encreasce But although I did not then repent me of the labor that I had employed yet I neuer helde my selfe contented til it was disposed into that order which is now set before you Now I trust I haue geuen you that whiche may be allowed by all your iugemētes Truely with how great endeuor I haue applied my selfe to the doing of this seruice to the Chirche of God I maye bring fourth for an euident witnesse that this last winter when I thought that the feuer Quartaue had summoned me to death how much more the sickenesse enforced vpon me so much lesse I spared myselfe til I mighte leaue this boke to ouerliue me which might make some part of thankfull recompense to so gentle prouoking of the godly I had rather in dede it had ben done soner but it is sone enough if well enough And I shall then thinke that it is come abrode in good season when I shal perceiue that it hath brought yet more plētiful frute than it hath done heretofore to the Chirch of God This is my only desire And truely ful ill it were with me if I did not holding my selfe contented with the allowance of God alone despise the iugementes of men whether they be the foolishe and frowarde iugementes of the vnskilful or the wrongfull and malicious of the wicked For although God hath throughly settled my minde to the endeuor bothe of enlarging his kingdome and of helping the common profit and though I am clere in myne owne conscience and haue himselfe the Angels to witnesse with me that sins I toke vpon me the office of a teacher in the Chirch I haue tēded to none other purpose but that I might profit the Chirch in mayntayning the pure doctrine of godlynesse yet I thinke there is no man that hath ben snatched at bitten torne in sonder with moe sclaūders thā I. Vuhē my epistle was now in printing I was certainly enformed that at Augsburgh where the assemblie of the states of the Empire was holdē there was a rumor sprede abrode of my reuolting to the Papacie and the same was more gredely receiued in the courtes of Princes than was mete This forsoothe is their thankfulnesse who are not ignorant of many trialls had of my stedfastnesse which trialls as they shake of so fowle a sclander so they should with al indifferent and gentle iudges haue defended me from it But the Deuell with his whole route is deceiued if in oppressing me with filthy lies he thinke that by his vniust dealing I shal be either the more discouraged or made the lesse diligent because I trust that the Lorde of his vnmeasurable goodnesse wil graunt me that I may with euē sufferāce cōtinue in the course of his holy calling Vvhereof I geue to the godly reders a new profe in this setting fourth of this boke Nowe in this trauail this was my purpose so to prepare and furnish them that be studious of holy Diuinitie to the reding of the worde of God that they may bothe haue an easy entrie into it and goe forwarde in it without stombling for I thinke that I haue in all pointes so knitt vp together the summe of religion and disposed the same in suche order that whosoeuer shal wel haue it in minde it shal not be hard for him to determine both what he ought chefely to seke in the Scripture and to what marke to apply whatsoeuer is conteined in it Therefore this as it were a way being ones made plaine if I shal hereafter set fourth any expositiōs of Scripture because I shal not nede to enter into long disputations of articles of doctrine and to wander out into common places I wil alway knitt them vp shortly By this meane the Godly reder shal be eased of great peine ▪ and tediousnesse so that he come furnished aforehand with the knowlege of this present worke as with a necessarie instrumente But because the entente of this purpose doth clerely as in mirrors appeare inso many commentaries of mine I had rather to declare in dede what it is than to set it out in wordes Farewel frendly Reader and if thou receiue any frute of my labors helpe me with thy praiers to God our Father At Geneua the first day of August in the yere 1559. Augustine in his vii Epistle I professe my selfe to be one of the number of them which write in profiting and profit in writing ¶ To the moste mightie and noble Prince Francisce the most Christian kyng the French kyng his soueraigne Lorde Iohn Caluine wisheth peace and saluation in Christ. WHen I did firlie sett my hande to thys woorke I thoughte nothyng lesse moste noble Kyng than to write any thyng that afterwarde should be presented to your
of God vnlesse that so excellent a benefite should come vnto them from els where than from themselues Also how could the right of priesthode remaine in force among them who by filthinesse of sinnes were abhominable to God vnlesse they had ben consecrate in a holy head â–ª Wherefore Peter doth very aptly turne that sayeng of Moses where he teacheth that the fulnesse of grace the taste whereof the Iewes had taken vnder the law was geuen in Christ Ye are sayeth he a chosen kinred a kingly priesthode For to this ende tendeth that turnynge of the wordes to shewe that they to whome Christ appered by the Gospell haue obteined more than their fathers bicause they are all endued bothe with priestly and kingly honour that trustyng vpon their mediatour they maye freely be bolde to come forth into the sight of God And here by the waye it is to be noted that the kingdome whiche at length was erected in the house of Dauid is part of the law conteined vnder the ministerie of Moses Wherupon foloweth that as well in all the kinred of the Leuites as in the posteritie of Dauid Christ was set beâ—ore the eyes of the olde people as in a doble loking glasse For as I sayd euen now they could not otherwise be before God eyther kinges or priestes which were both the bondslaues of sinne of death defiled by their owne corruptioÌ„ Hereby appereth that that sayeng of Paule is moste true that the Iewes were holden as vnder the keping of a Scholemaister til the sede came for whose sake the promise was geuen For bicause Christ was not yet familiarly knowen they were like vnto children whose weakenesse could not yet beare a full knowledge of heauenly thinges but how thei were by ceremonies as it were led by the hand to Christ is before spokeÌ„ may be better vnderstand by many testimonies of the Prophetes For although it was coÌ„maunded them to come dayly with newe sacrifices to appease God yet Esaye promiseth that al their sinnes shal be cleansed with one only sacrifice Wherewith Daniel agreably sayeth The priestes apointed of the tribe of Leui did enter into the Sanctuarie but of the only priest it was ones sayd that by an othe he was chosen of God to be a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech At that time the anointing with oyle was visible but Daniel by his vision pronouÌ„ceth that there shal be an other manner of anointyng And bicause I will not tarry vpon many examples the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes eueÌ„ from the .iiij. chapter to the xi doth largely and plainely enough shew that the ceremonies are nothing worth vaine til we come to Christ. As concerning the ten coÌ„maundementes that lesson of Paule is likewise to be kept in minde that Christ is the ende of the law vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth And an other lesson that Christ is the Spirit that quickeneth the letter whiche of it selfe slayeth For in the first of these two he meaneth that righteousnesse is vainely taught by commaundementes vntill Christ doe geue it bothe by free imputation and by the spirite of regeneration Wherefore he worthyly calleth Christ the fulfilling or ende of the law Bycause it should nothing profit vs to knowe what God requyreth of vs vnlesse he did succour vs faynting and oppressed vnder the yoke and vntolerable burden In an other place he teacheth that the lawe was made for transgressions that is to bryng menne to humilitie beyng proued gilty of theyr owne damnation And bycause this is the true and only preparation to seke Christ what so euer he teacheth in diuerse wordes do al very well agree together But bicause he then was in contentioÌ„ with peruerse teachers which fained that we do deserue righteousnesse by the workes of the law to confute their errour he was compelled somtime to speake precisely of the bare lawe whiche yet otherwise is clothed with the couenant of free adoption But now it is good to know how being taught by the morall law we are made more inexcusable that our owne giltynesse maye moue vs to craue pardon If it be true that we be taught perfectioÌ„ of rightousnesse in the lawe then this also followeth that the absolute keping thereof is perfect righteousnesse before God that is whereby a man maye be demed and accompted righteous before the heauenly throne of iudgement Wherfore Moses when he had published the law doubted not to protest before heauen and earth that he had set before Israell life and death good and euell And we maye not denie but that the reward of eternal saluation belongeth to the vpright obedience of the lawe as the lord hath promised it Agayne yet it is good to examine whether we performe that obedience vpon desert whereof we may conceiue a trust of that reward For to what small purpose is it to see the rewarde of eternall life set in kepynge of the lawe vnlesse we further knowe whether we maye by that waye attaine to eternall life But herein the weakenesse of the law doth shewe it selfe For bycause that kepyng of the law is founde in none of vs al we are excluded from the promises of life and doe fall into curse onely I doe not nowe tell what doth come to passe but what needes muste so come to passe For where as the doctrine of the lawe is far aboue the power of manne he maye in deede a far of loke at the promises but yet not gather any fruite of them Therefore this one thing remayneth that by the goodnesse of them he may the better weye his owne miserie while he considereth that all hope of saluation beyng cut of death dothe certainely haÌ„g ouer him Do the other side do presse vs terrible penal lawes which do holde entaÌ„gled fast bound not only a few of vs but euery one without exceptioÌ„ they presse vs I say do pursue vs with vnappeasable rigour so that we may se most present death in the law Therfore if we loke only vpoÌ„ the lawe we can do nothing but be discouraged be confounded despeire for asmuch as by it we are al damned cursed kept far of from the blessednesse that he offreth to them that worship him Wilt thou say then Doth the lord so mock vs â–ª For how finally doth it differ from mocking to shewe forth a hope of felicitie to allure exhort men vnto it to protest that it is layed open for vs wheÌ„ in the meane season the entrie vnto it is forclosed impossible to be come to I answere although the promisses of the lawe in so much as they are conditional do hang vpon the perfect obedience of the law which can no where be found yet are they not geuen in vaine For when we haue lerned that they shal be voide and of no effect vnto vs vnlesse God embrace vs with his free goodnesse without regarde of
Lord sayth he for all the thynges that he hath bestowed vpon me I wil take the cup of saluations and wil cal vpon the name of the Lord. And the same law the Chirch foloweth in an other Psalme Saue vs our God that we may coÌ„fesse to thy name and glory in thy prayse Againe He hath loked vnto the prayer of the solitarie and he hath not despised their prayers Thys shal be wrytten to the generation that shal folow the people created shal prayse the Lord that they may declare hys name in hym and his prayse in Hierusalem Yea so oft as the faithful beseche God to do for hys names sake as they professe themselues vnworthy to obteine any thing in their own name so they binde themselues to geue thankes they promise that this shal be to them the right vse of the bountifulnesse of God that they shal be publishers of it So Osee speaking of the redemptioÌ„ to come of the Chirch sayth Take away iniquitie O God and lift vp good and we will paye the calues of lyppes And the benefites of God doe not onely clayme to themselues the prayse of the tong but also do naturally procure loue I haue loued sayth Dauid because the Lord hath heard the voice of my praier Againe in an other place rehearsing that helpes which he had felt he sayth I wil loue thee O God my strength Neither shall the prayses euer please God which shal not flow out of thys swetenesse of loue Yea and also we muste holde fast thys sayeng of Paule that all prayers are wrongful faulty to which is not adioyned geuing of thaÌ„kes For thus he sayth in al prayer beseching with thankesgeuing let your petetions be knowen with God For sithe testinesse tediousnesse impatieÌ„ce bitternesse of grefe and feare do moue many in prayeng to murmure he commaundeth that our affections be so tempered that the faythfull â—re they haue obteyned the which they desire should neuerthelesse cherefully blesse God If thys knot ought to haue place in things in a maner coÌ„trary with so much more holy baÌ„d doth God bind vs to sing his praises so oft as he maketh vs to enioy our requestes But as we haue taughte that our prayers are hallowed by the intercessioÌ„ of Christ which otherwise should be vncleane so the Apostle where he coÌ„maundeth vs to offer a sacrifice of praise bi Christ putteth in mind that we haue not a mouth cleane enough to praise the name of God vnlesse the presthode of Christ become the meane WherupoÌ„ we gather that meÌ„ haue ben moÌ„struously bewitched in the papacie where the greater part marueleth that Christ is called an aduocate This is the cause why Paule commaundeth bothe to praye and to geue thankes without cessing namely for that he willeth that with so great continuing as may be at euery tyme in euery place in all maters and businesses the prayers of all men shoulde be lifted vp to God whiche may bothe loke for all thinges at hys hande and yelde to him the praise of all thinges as he offreth vs continuall matter to prayse and praye But this coÌ„tinual diligeÌ„ce of prayeng although it specially coÌ„cerne to the propre priuate praiers of euery man yet somwhat also perteineth to the publike prayers of the Chirch But those can neither be continuall nor ought otherwise to be done thaÌ„ according to the politike order that shall by commoÌ„ consente be agreed vpon among all I graunt the same in dede For therefore certayne houres are set and appointed as indifferent with God so necessarie for the vses of men that the commoditie of all men may be prouided for and all thinges according to the sayeng of Paul may be comlyly and orderly done in the Chirch But this maketh nothing to the contrarie but that euery Chirch ought bothe from tyme to tyme to stirre vp it selfe to often vse of prayers and when it is admonished by any greater necessitie to be feruent with more earneste endeuor As for perseruerance which hath a great affinitie with continuall diligence there shal be a fitt place to speake of it aboute the ende Nowe these make nothing for the much babbling whiche Christe willed that we shold be forbidden For he forbiddeth not to continue long nor oft nor with much affection in prayers but that we should not trust that we maye wryng any thing oute of God by dulling his eares with much babbling talke as if he were to be persuaded after the maner of men For we knowe that Hypocrites because they do not consider that they haue to do with God do no lesse make a pompous shewe in their prayers than in a triumph For the Pharisee which thanked God that he was not like to other men without dout reioysed at hymselfe in the eyes of men as if he would by prayer seke to get a fame of holynesse Hereupon came that much babbling â–ª which at this day vpon a like cause is vsed in the papacie while some do vainly spende the tyme in repeting the same prayers and other some doe set out themselues among the people with a long heape of words Sith thys babbling childishly mocketh God it is no maruell that it is forbidden out of the Chirche to the ende that nothing should there be vsed but earnest and proceding from the bottome of the hart Of a nere kinde and lyke to this corruption is there an other which Christ coÌ„deÌ„neth with thys namely the Hypocrites for bosting sake do seke to haue many witnesses do rather occupy the market place to pray in than their prayers should want the prayse of the world But wheras we haue alredy shewed that thys is the marke that prayer shooteth at that our myndes may be caryed vpwarde to God bothe to coÌ„fessioÌ„ of prayse to crauing of helpe therby we may vnderstand that the chefe duties therof do stand in the minde the hart or rather the prayer it self is properly an affectioÌ„ of the inward hart which is poured fourth and layed opeÌ„ before God the searcher of harts Wherfore as it is alredy said the heauenly scholemaister when he minded to set out the best rule of prayeng commaunded vs to goe into our chamber and there the dore beyng shutt to pray to our Father whiche is in secrete that our Father which is in secret may heare vs. For wheÌ„ he hath draweÌ„ them away froÌ„ the example of hipocrites which with ambicious bosting shewe of praiers sought the fauor of meÌ„ he therwithall addeth what is better namely to entre into our chamber and there to pray the dore being shut In which words as I expounde them he willed vs to seke solitarie being whiche may helpe vs to descende and to entre throughely wyth our whole thoughte into our hart promising to the affections of our harte that God shal be nere vs whoe 's temples our bodyes ought to be For he meant not to deny but that it is
women coulde execute no other publike office but to geue themselues to the seruice of the poore If we graunt thys as we must nedes graunt it then there shal be twoo sortes of Deacons of which one sort shall serue in distributing the thinges of the poore the other in loking to the poore of the Chirche themselues But although the very worde Diaconia Deaconrie extendeth further yet the Scripture specially calleth them Deacons to whom the Chirche hath geuen the charge to distribute the almes and to take care of the poore and hath appointed them as it were stewardes of the common treasurie of the poore whoe 's beginning institution and office is described of Luke in the Actes For when a murmuring was raysed by the Grecians for that in the ministerie of the poore their wydowes wer neglected the Apostles excusyng themselues wyth saying that they could not serue both offices both the preachyng of the worde and the ministring at tables required of the multitude that there might be chosen .vii. honest men to whom they mighte committe that doing Loe what manner of Deacons the Apostolike Chirch had and what Deacons it were mete for vs to haue according to their example Now wheras in the holy assemblie all thynges are to be done in order and comly there is nothyng wherin that ought to be more diligeÌ„tly obserued than in stablishing the order of gouernmeÌ„t because there is no where greater peril if any thing be done vnorderly Therfore to the ende that vnquiet and troublesome men which otherwyse woulde happen should rashly thrust in themselues to teache or to rule it is expresly prouyded that no man should without calling take vpon hym a publike office in the Chirche Therfore that a maÌ„ may be iudged a true minister of the Chirche first he must be orderly called then he must answere his vocation that is to say take vpon him and execute the duties enioyned hym This we may oftentymes marke in Paule which wheÌ„ he meaneth to approue hys Apostleship in a manner alway wyth hys faythfulnesse in executing his office he allegeth hys callyng If so great a minister of Christe dare not take vpon himselfe the authoritie that he should be heard in the Chirch but because he both is appointed therunto by the commaundement of the Lord and also faithfully performeth that whych is committed vnto hym how greate shamefulnesse shal it be if any man waÌ„tyng both or either of these shal chalenge such honor to himselfe But because we haue aboue touched the necessitie of executing the office now let vs entreate onely of the callyng The discourse therof standeth in foure poyntes that we shoulde knowe what manner of ministers how and by whom ministers ought to be institute and wyth what vsage or what Ceremonie they are to be admytted I speake of the outwarde and solemne callyng whyche belongeth to publike order of the Chirche as for that secrete callyng wherof euery minister is priuy in hys own conscience before God and hath not the Chirche witnesse of it I omitt it It is a good witnesse of our hart that not by any ambitioÌ„ nor couetousnesse nor any other gredy desire but with pure feare of God and zele to edefye to the Chirche we receiue the office offered vnto vs. That in dede is as I haue sayed necessarye for euery one of vs if we wyll approue oure ministerie allowable before GOD. Neuerthelesse he is ryghtly called in presence of the Chirche that commeth vnto it with an euil conscience so that his wickednesse be not open They are wont also to say that euest priuate men are called to the ministerie whom they see to be meâ—e and able to execute it because verily learning ioined with godlinesse with the other qualities of a good Pastor is a certaine preparation to the very office For whom the Lord hath appointed to so great an office â–ª he first furnisheth them with those armures that are required to fulfill it that they should not come empty and vnprepared vnto it WhereupoÌ„ Paule also to the Corinthians when he meante to dispute of the very offices firste rehearsed the giftes whiche they ought to haue that execute the offices But because this is the firste of those fower poyntes that I haue propounded let vs now goe forwarde vnto it What maner of Bishops it is mete to choose Paule doeth largely declare in two places but the summe commeth to this effect that none are to be chosen but they that are of sounde doctrine and of holy lyfe and not notable in any vice whiche mighte both take awaie credite from them and procure slaunder to their ministery Of Deacons and Elders there is altogether like consideration It is alway to be loked vnto that they be not vnable or vnfit to beare the burden that is layed vppon them that is to say that they may be furnished with those powers that are necessarie to the fulfilling of their office So when Christ was about to sende his Apostles he garnished them with those weapons and instrumentes whiche they could not wante And Paule when he had painted out the image of a good and true Bishop warneth Timothee that he should not defile himselfe with choosing any man that differeth from it I referre this worde How not to the Ceremonie of choosing but to the reuerente feare that is to be kept in the choosing Hereupon come the fastinges and prayers which Luke reciteth that the faithful vsed when they made Priestes For wheras they vnderstode that they meddled with a most earnest matter they durste attempt nothyng but with greate reuerence and carefulnesse But they châ—fely applied theÌ„selues to prayers wherby they myght craue of God the Spirite of counsell and discretion The thirde thing that we haue set in our diuision was by whom ministers are to be chosen Of this thing no certayne rule can be gathered out of the institution of Apostles which had some difference from the coÌ„mon callyng of the rest For because it was an extraordinary ministerie that it might be made discernable by some more notable marke it behoued that they whiche shoulde execute it shoulde be called and appoynted by the Lordes owne mouth They therefore tooke in hande their doyng being furnished by no mans election but by the onely commaundemente of God and of Christe Hereupon commeth that when the Apostles would put an other in the place of Iudas they durst not certainly name any one man but they brought fourth twoo that the LORDE shoulde declare by lotte whether of them he would have to succede After this manner also it is mete to take thys that Paule denyeth that he was create Apostle of men or by man but by Christe and GOD the Father That firste poynte that is to saye of men he had common wyth all the Godly ministers of the woorde For no man could rightly take vppon hym that execution but he that wer called of God But the other point was proper
Chirch is by that magnificēce not vncomlily vpholden And they haue of their secte some so shamelesse that they dare openly boaste that so only are fulfylled those prophecies wherby the old Prophets describe the gloriousnesse of the kyngdome of Christ when that kingly gorgeousnesse is seen in the priestly order Not in vaine say they God hath promised these thynges to his Chirche Kinges shall come they shall worshyp in thy sight they shal bryng thee giftes Arise arise clothe thee with thy strength O Syon clothe thee with the garmentes of thy glorie O Hierusalem All shall come from Saba bryngyng golde and incense and speakyng praise to the Lorde All the cattell of Cedar shal be gathered together to thee If I should tarie long vpon confutyng this lewdnesse I seare least I should seme fonde Therfore I will not lose woordes in vaine But I aske if any Iew would abuse these testimonies what solution would they geue Uerily they woulde reprehende his dullnesse for that he transferred those thinges to the fleshe and the worlde that are spiritually spoken of the spirituall kingdome of Christ. For we know that the Prophetes vnder the image of earthly thyngs did paint out vnto vs the heauenly glorie of God that ought to shine in the Chirche For the Chirch had neuer lesse abundance of these blessings whiche their wordes expresse than in the time of the Apostles yet al confesse that the force of the kingdom of Christ then chiefly florished abroade What then mean these sayings Whatsoeuer is any where precious hye excellent it ought to be made subiect to the Lord. Where as it is namely spoken of Kynges that they shall submit their scepters to Christ that they shall throwe downe their crownes before his feete that they shall dedicate their goodes to the Chirch when wil they say was it better and more fully performed thā when Theodosius casting away his purple roabe leauyng the ornamentes of the empire as some one of the cōmon people submitted himself before God and the Chirch to solemne penance then when he other lyke godly princes bestowed their endeuors and their cares to preserue pure doctrine in the Chirche and to cherishe and defende sounde teachers But howe priestes at that tyme exceded not in superfluous richesse that only sentence of the Synode at Aquileia where Ambrose was chief sufficiently declareth Glorious is pouertie in the priestes of the Lorde Truely the Bishops had at that time some richesse wherwith they myght haue set out the Chirches honor if they had thought those to be the true ornamentes of the Chirche But when they knewe that there was nothyng more against the office of Pastors than to glister and shew them selues proudly with deintynesse of fare with gorgeousnesse of garments with great train of seruantes with stately palaces they folowed and kept the humblenesse and modestie yea the very pouertie which Christ holily apointed among his ministers But that we may not be to long in this point let vs again gather into a short summe how farre that dispēsation or dissipasion of the goods of the Chirch that is now vsed differeth from the true deaconrie whiche bothe the worde of God cōmendeth vnto vs and the auncient Chirche obserued As for that whiche is bestowed vpon the garnishyng of temples I say it is ill bestowed if that measure be not vsed whiche bothe the very nature of holy thyngs appointeth and the Apostles and other holy fathers haue prescribed both by doctrine and examples But what like thing is there seen at this day in the temples whatsoeuer is framed I wil not say after that auncient sparyng but to any honest meane it is reiected Nothing at all pleaseth but that which sauoureth of riot the corruption of tymes In the mean tyme they are so farre from hauyng due care of the liuely temples that they would rather suffer many thousands of the poore to perish for hunger than they would breake the least chalice or cruet to releue their nede And that I may not pronounce of my selfe any thyng more greuously against them this only I would haue the godly readers to thinke vpon if it should happen that same Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa whom we euen nowe rehearsed or Acatius or Ambrose or any suche to be raised from deathe what they would say Truly they would not allow that in so great necessitie of the poore richesse in a maner superfluous should be tourned an other way Admit I speake nothyng how these vses vpon which they be bestowed although there were no poore are many ways hurtfull but in no behalfe profitable But I leaue to speake of men These goodes are dedicate to Christ therfore they are to be disposed after his will But they shall in vaine say that this part is bestowed vpon Christ whiche they haue wasted otherwise than he commaunded Howbeit to confesse the truthe there is not muche of the ordinarie reuenue of the Chirche abated for these expenses For there ar no bishopriks so welthy no abbaties so fatte finally neither so many nor so large benefices that may serue to fill the gluttonie of priests But while they seke to spare them selues they persuade the people by superstition to turne that which shoulde be bestowed vpon the poore to builde temples to sette vp images to bye iewels to gette costly garmentes So with this gulfe are the dayly almes consumed Of the reuenue that they receiue of their landes and possessiō what els shall I say but that which I haue already said which is before all mens eyes We see with what faithfulnesse they whiche are called Bishops and Abbots do dispose the greatest parte What madnesse is it to seeke here for an ecclesiasticall order Was it mete that they whose lyfe ought to haue ben a singular exāple of frugalitie modestie continence and humilitie should contende with the royaltie of princes in number of goodes in gorgiousnesse of houses in deintynesse of apparell and fare And howe much was this contrary to their office that they whom the eternall and inviolable commaūdement of God forbiddeth to be desirous of filthy gaine and biddeth to bee contente with simple liuyng should not onely lay handes vpon townes and castels but also violently entre vpon the greatest lordships finally possesse forceably very empires If they despise the worde of God what will they answere to those auncient decrees of the Synodes wherby it is decreed that the Bishop should haue a small lodgyng not farre from the Chirche meane fare and householde stuffe what will they say to that praise of the Synode at Aquileia where pouertie is reported glorious in the Priestes of the Lorde For perhappes they will vtterly refuse as to muche rigorous that whiche Hierome aduiseth Nepotianus that poore men and strangers and among them Christ as a guest may knowe his table But that which he by and by addeth they will be ashamed to denie that it is the glory of a Bishop to prouide
So he apointed Hormisdas bishop of Hispalis to be his vicar in Spain but eueri wher he excepteth that he geueth out such apointmēts vpō this cōdition that the Metropolitās may haue their auncient priuileges remainyng safe whole But Leo himselfe declareth that this is one of their priuileges the if any dout happē about any mater the metropolitane shold first be asked his aduise Therfore those appointmētes of vicars in his stede wer vpō this conditiō that neither any Bishop should be letted in his ordinary iurisdictiō nor any Metropolitane in being iudge of Appealles nor any prouincial Coūcel in ordering of their Chirches What was this ells but to absteine frō all iurisdiction but to entermedle to the appeasing of discordes only so farre as the law and nature of the communion of the Chirche suffreth In Gregories time that aunciēt order was already much changed For whē the Empire was shakē and torne in peces whē Fraunce Spaine were afflicted with many ouertrowes receiued Slauonia wasted Italie vexed Africa in a maner destroied with cōtinual calamities that in so great a shakīg of ciuile affaires at least the integritie of faith might remaine or yet not vtterly perish al the Bishops frō ech part did the rather ioine themselues to the Bishop of Rome Thereby it came to passe that not only the dignitie but also the power of that see greatly encreased Howbeit I do not so much passe by what meanes it was brought about Truly it appeareth that it was thē greater thā in the ages before And yet it then greatly differed frō being an vnbridled dominiō that one mā myght beare rule ouer other after his own wil. But the see of Rome had this reuerence that it might with her authoritie subdue represse y◠lewde obstinate that could not by the other Bishops be kept wtin their dutie For Gregorie doth oftē times diligētly testify this that he doth no lesse faithfully preserue to other men their rightes than he requireth his own of them Neither doe I saith he pricked on by ambition plucke frō any man that which is his right but I desire in al things to honor my brethrē There is no saying in his writinges wherin he doth more proudely bost of the largenesse of his Supremicie thā this I know not what Bishop is not subiect to the see Apostolike when he is founde in faulte But he by by adioyneth Where fault requireth not al according to the order of humilitie are egal He geueth to hymselfe power to correct them that haue offended if all doe their dutie he maketh himselfe egall with y◠reste But he himselfe geueth himselfe this power and they assented to it that would other that lyked it not might frely gainesay it which it is well knowen that the most parte of them did Beside that he speaketh there of the Primate of Cōstantinople which whē he was cōdemned by the prouincial Synode refused the whole iudgemēte His fellow Bishops informed the Emperour of this stubbornesse of him The Emperour willed Gregorie to be iudge of the cause We see therfore that he both attēpteth no thing wherby he may breake the ordinary iurisdiction and the same thing that he doth for the helping of other he doth not but by the commaundement of the Emperour This therfore was thē al the power of the Bishop of Rome to set himself against obstinate vntamed heds whē there neded any extraordinary remedy that to helpe not to hinder Bishops Therfore he taketh no more to hīselfe ouer al other thā in an other place he graunteth to al other ouer hīselfe whē he cōfesseth that he is redy to be corrected of al to be amēded of al. So in an other place he doth in dede cōmaunde the Bishop of Aquilela to come to Rome to pleade his cause in a cōtrouersy of faith that was risē betwene him other but he doth not cōmaūde him of his own power but because that Emperor had so cōmaūded Neither doth he geue warning that he alone shal be iudge but promiseth that he will assemble a Synode by whom the whole mater may be iudged But althoughe there was yet such moderation that the power of the see of Rome had her certayne boūdes which it might not passe the Bishop of Rome himselfe was no more about thā vnder other yet is appeareth how much Gregorie misliked such state For he nowe thē cōplaineth that vnder color of Bishoprike he was brought backe to the world and that he was more entangled with earthly cares than euer he had serued them while he was a lay mā that he was in that honor oppressed with tumult of worldly affaires In an other place so great burdēs saith he of businesse do holde me down that my minde can nothing at all be raised vp to thinges aboue I am shaken with many waues of causes and after those leysures of rest I am tossed with tēpestes of troublesome lyfe so that I may rightly say I am come into the depth of the sea and the tēpest hath drowned me Hereby gather what he would haue sayed if he had happened to be in these tymes Although he fulfilled not the office of a Pastor yet he was doing it He absteyned from the gouernement of that ciuile Empire and confessed himselfe to be subiect to the Emperor as other were He did not thrust himselfe into the cure of other Chirches but being compelled by necessitie And yet he thinketh hymselfe to be in a maze because he can not apply himselfe altogether only to the office of a Bishop At that time the Bishop of Constantinople striued with the Bishop of Rome for the Supremicie as it is already said For after that the seate of y◠Empire was stablished at Cōstātinople the maiestie of the Empire semed to require y◠that Chirche also should haue y◠seconde place of honor after the Chirche of Rome And truly at the beginning nothing more auailed to cause that Supremicie to be geuē to Rome but because the hed of the Empire was there at that time There is in Gratian a writing vnder the name of Pope Lucinus where he saith that cities wer no otherwise diuided where Metropolitanes Primates ought to sit thā by the reson of y◠ciuile gouernemēt that was before There is also an other vnder the name of Pope Clemēt where he saith that Patriarches wer ordeined in those cities that had had the chefe Flamines in thē Which although it be false yet is takē out of a truth For it is certaine that to the ende there should be made as litle change as might be the prouinces wer diuided according to that state of thinges that thē wer that Primates Metropolitanes wer set in those cities that excelled the other in honors power Therefore in the Coūcel at Taurinū it was decreed that those cities which in the ciuile gouernemēt were that chefe cities of
euery prouince should be the chefe sees of Bishops And if it happened the honor of the ciuile gouernement to be remoued frō one citie to an other that thē the right of the Metropolitane citie should therwtal be remoued thether But Innocentius Bishop of Rome whē he saw the aunciēt dignitie of his citie to grow in decay after that the seate of the Empire was remoued to Constantinople fearing the abacemēt of his see made a contrary law wherein he denyeth it to be necessary that the ecclesiastical mother cities should be chāged as the Imperial mother cities change But the authoritie of a Synode ought of right to be preferred aboue one mans sentēce Also we ought to suspecte Innocentius himselfe in his owne cause Howsoeuer it be yet by his owne prouiso he sheweth that from the beginning it was so ordered that the Metropolitane cities should be disposed according to the outwarde order of the Empire According to this auncient ordināce it was decreed in the first Coūcell at Constantinople that the Bishop of that citie should haue the priuileges of honor next after the Bishop of Rome because it was a new Rome But a long time after when a like decree was made at Chalcedō Leo stoutly cried out against it And he not only gaue himselfe leaue to esteme as nothing that which sixe hundred Bishops or moe had decreed but also bitterly taunted them for that they toke frō other sees that honor which they were so bolde to geue to the Chirche of Constantinople I besech you what other thing could moue a mā to trouble the world for so smal a mater but mere ambition He sayeth y◠that ought to be inuiolable whiche the Nicene Sinode hath ones decreed As though forsooth the Christian faith wer endangered if one Chirch be preferred before an other or as though Patriarchies wer there diuided to any other ende but for policies But we knowe that policie receiueth yea requireth diuerse chaunges according to the diuersitie of times Therefore it is fonde that Leo pretendeth that the honor which by the authoritie of the Nicene Sinode was geuen to the see of Alexandria ought not to be geuē to the see of Constantinople For cōmon reason telleth this that it was such a decree as myght be takē away according to the respect of times Yea none of the Bishops of the East withstode it whō that thing most of all concerned Truely Proterius was present whom they had made Bishop of Alexandria in the place of Dioscorus There were presente other Patriarches whoe 's honor was diminished It was their parte to withstand it not Leos which remained safe in his owne place But when all they holde their peace yea assent vnto it and only the Bishop of Rome resisteth it is easy to iudge what moueth hym that is he foresaw that which not long after happened that it would come to passe that the glory of olde Rome decaying Constantinople not contented with the seconde place would stryue with Rome for the Supremicie And yet with his crying out he did not so much preuaile but that the decree of the Councell was confirmed Therfore his successors whē they saw themselues ouercome quietly gaue ouer that stiffenesse for they suffred that he should be accompted the seconde Patriarche But within a litle after Iohn which in Gregories tyme ruled the Chirche of Constantinople brake forth so farre that he called himselfe the vniuersall Patriarche Here Gregorie lest he should in a very good cause fayle to defende his own see did constantly set hymselfe againste him And truely both the pride and madnesse of Iohn was intolerable whiche desired to make the boundes of his Bishoprike egall wyth the boundes of the Empire And yet Gregorie doth not claime to himselfe that which he denieth to an other but abhorreth that name as wicked and vngodly and abhominable whosoeuer take it vpon him Yea and also in one place he is angry wyth Eulolius Bishop of Alexandria whiche had honored hym with suche a tittle Beholde sayeth he in the preface of the Epistle which ye directed to my selfe that haue forbidden it ye haue cared to emprinte the woorde of proude callyng in manyng me vniuersall Pope Whiche I praye that your holinesse wil no more do because that is withdrawen from you whiche is geuen to an other more than reason requireth I compt it no honor wherin I se the honor of my brethren to be diminished For my honor is the honor of the vniuersall Chirche and the sounde strength of my brethren But if your holinesse call me the vniuersall Pope it denyeth it selfe to be that which it confesseth me to be wholly Truely Gregorie stode in a good and honest cause But Ihon holpen by the fauor of Maurice the Emperor could neuer be remoued from his purpose Ciriacus also his successor neuer suffered himselfe to be entreated in that behalfe At the last Phocais which when Maurice was slaine was set in his place I wote not for what cause being more frendly to the Romaines but because he was there crowned without stryfe graūted to Boniface the third that which Gregorie neuer required that Rome should be the hed of all Chirches After thys maner was the controuersy ended And yet this benefite of the Emperor could not so much haue profited the see of Rome vnlesse other thinges also had afterwarde happened For Gretia and all Asia were within a litle after cut of frō the communion of Rome Fraunce so much reuerenced him that it obeyed no further than it lysted But it was thē first brought into bondage when Pipine vsurped the kyngdome For whē zacharie Bishop of Rome had ben his helper to the breache of his faith and to robbery that thrusting out the lawful kyng he might violently enter vpon the kyngdome as layed open for a pray he receiued thys rewarde that the see of Rome shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer the Chirches of Fraūce As robbers are wonted in parting to deuide the commō spoyle so these good men ordered the mater betwene themselues that Pipine should haue the earthly and ciuile dominion spoiling the true king and zacharye should be made hed of all Bishops and haue the spirituall power which when at the beginning it was weake as it is wont to be in new thynges was afterwarde confirmed by the authoritie of Charles in maner for a lyke cause For he was also indetted to the Bishop of Rome for that by hys endeuor he had atteined to the honor of the Empire But although it be credible that Chirches eche where were before that tyme muche deformed yet it is certayn that the old forme of the Chirch was thē fyrst vtterly defaced in Fraūce and Germanie There remayne yet in the recordes of the court of Parise brefe notes of these tymes which where they entreate of the maters of the Chirche make mention of the couenant both of Pipine and of Charles wyth the Bishop of Rome Therby we may gather that thē was
serue to nourishe common peace and to reteine concorde if we se that in the doing of thinges there is alway some orderly forme which is behouefull for publike honestie and for very humanitie not to be refused the same ought chefely to be obserued in Chirches whiche are both best mainteined by a well framed disposition of al thinges and without agreement are no Chirches at al. Therfore if we wil haue the safetie of the Chirch wel prouided for we must altogether diligently procure that which Paule commaundeth that al thinges be done comlily and according to order But forasmuch as there is so greate diuersitie in the manners of men so great varietie in mindes so greate disagremente in iudgementes and wittes neither is there any policie stedfast enough vnlesse it be stablished by certaine lawes nor any orderly vsage can be obserued without a certaine appointed forme Therfore we are so farr of from condemning the lawes that are profitable to this purpose that we affirme that when those be taken away Chirches are dissolued from their sinewes and vtterly deformed and scattered abrode For this which Paule requireth that all thinges be done decently and in order can not be had vnlesse the order it selfe and comlinesse be stablished with obseruations adioyned as with certaine bondes But this only thing is alway to be excepted in those obseruations that they be not either beleued to be necessarie to saluation and so bynd consciences with religion or be applied to the worshipping of God and so godlinesse be reposed in them We haue therfore a very good and most faithful marke which putteth differēce betwene those wicked ordināces by which we haue saied the true religion is darkened and cōsciences subuerted the lawful obseruatiōs of the Chirch if we remēber that the lawful obseruations tende alway to one of these twoo thinges or to both together that in the holy assembly of the faithfull al thynges be done comly and with such dignitie as besemeth and that the very common felowship of mē should be kept in order as it were by certaine bondes of humanitie moderation For when it is ones vnderstode that the law is made for publike honesties sake the superstition is now takē away into which they fal that measure the worshipping of God by the inuētiōs of mē Again whē it is knowē that it perteineth to cōmō vse thē that false opiniō of bōd necessitie is ouerthrowē which did strike a great terror into cōsciēces when traditions were thoughte necessarie to saluation For herein is nothing required but that charitie should with common dutiefull doing be nourished among vs. But it is good yet to define more plainely what is comprehended vnder that comlinesse which Paule commendeth and also what vnder order The ende of comlinesse is partly that when suche Ceremonies are vsed as may procure a reuerence to holy thinges we maye by suche helpes be stirred vp to godlinesse partly also that the modestie and grauitie whiche ought to be seen in all honest doinges may therin principally appeare In order this is the first point that they which gouerne may knowe the rule and law to rule well and the people which are gouerned maye be accustomed to obeying of God and to right discipline Then that the state of the Chirch being wel framed peace and quietnesse may be prouided for Therfore we shall not say that comlinesse is wherin shal be nothing but vaine delectation suche as we se in that playerlike apparel whiche the Papistes vse in their Ceremonies where appeareth nothing ells but an vnprofitable visor of gainesse and excesse without frute But we shall accompt that to be comlinesse which shall so be mete for the reuerence of holy mysteries that it be a fitt exercise to godlinesse or at least suche as shall serue to conuenient garnishing for the celebrating therof and the same not without frute but that it may put the faythfull in minde with howe greate modestie religiousnesse and reuerence they ought to handle holy thinges Now that Ceremonies may be exercises of godlinesse it is necessarie that they leade vs the streight way to Christ. Likewise we may not say that order consisteth in those trifling pompes that haue nothing ells than a vanishing gaynesse but that it standeth in suche an orderly framing as may take away all confusiō barbarousnesse obstinacie and all striues and dissentions Of the first sorte are these examples in Paule that Prophane bankettinges shoulde not be myngled with the holy Supper of the Lord that women shoulde not come abrode but couered and many other which we haue in cōmon vse as this that we praye kneling and bare hedded that we minister the Lordes Sacramentes not vnclenly but with some dignitie that in the buryeng of the dead we vse some honest shewe and other thinges that are of the same sort Of the other kynde are the houres appointed for publike prayers Sermons and celebratiōs of mysteries at Sermōs quietnesse and silence places appointed singing together of Hymnes dayes prefixed for celebrating of the Lordes Supper that Paule forbiddeth that women should teache in the Chirch and suche like But specially those thinges that concerne discipline as the teaching of the Catechisme the censures of the Chirch excommunication fastinges such as may be reckened in the same number So all the constitutions of the Chirch which we receiue for holy and holsome we may referre to twoo chiefe titles for some perteine to rites and Ceremonies and the other to discipline and peace But because here is peril least on the one side the false Bishops shoulde therby catch a pretēse to excuse their wicked and tyrannous lawes and least on the other side there be some men to ferefull which admonished with the aforesaid euels do leaue no place to lawes be they neuer so holy here it is good to protest that I allow only those ordināces of mē which be both grounded vpon the authoritie of God and takē out of the Scripture yea and altogether Gods owne Let vs take for an example the kneling which is vsed in time of commō praier It is demaunded whether it be a tradition of man which euery man may lawfully refuse or neglect I say that it is so of men that it is also of God It is of God in respect that it is a part of that comlinesse the care and keping whereof is commended vnto vs by the Apostle it is of men in respect that it specially betokeneth that which had in generaltie rather been pointed to than declared By this one exāple we may iudge what is to be thought of that whole kynde verily because the Lord hath in his holy Oracles both faithfully conteined and clerely set fourth both the whole sūme of true righteousnesse and al the partes of the worshipping of his diuine maiestie and whatsoeuer was necessarie to saluation therfore in these thinges he is onely to be heard as our scholemaster But because in outward discipline and
prest and the people The selfe same thyng dothe Augustine testifie in many places But why dispute I about a thyng moste knowen Let all the Greke and Latine writers be redde ouer suche testimonies shal echewhere offer themselues Neither was this custome growen oute of vse whyle there remained one droppe of purenesse in the Chirch Gregorie whom you may rightly say to haue ben the last bishop of Rome teacheth that it was kept in his tyme. What is the blood of the Lambe ye haue nowe learned not by hearyng but by drinkyng His blood is poured into the mouthes of the faithfull Yea it yet endured fower hundred yeares after his death when all thynges were growen oute of kynde For neither was that taken onely for an vsage but also for an inuiolable lawe For then was in force the reuerence of Gods institution and they douted not that it was sacrilege to seuer those thynges which the Lorde hadde conioyned For thus saieth Gelasius We haue founde that some receyuyng only the portion of the holy body do absteyne from the cup. Lett them without dout because they seme to be boūd with I wot not what superstition either receyue the Sacramentes whole or bee debarred from them whole For the diuidyng of this mysterie is not committed without great sacrilege Those reasons of Cypriane were heard which truely ought to moue a christian mynde How saith he do we teache or prouoke them to shed their blood in the confessing of Christe if we deny his blood to them that shal fyght Or how do we make them fitte for the cup of Martyrdome if we do not first in the Chirch by right of communion admitte them to drinke the cup of the Lord Whereas the Canonistes do restraine that decree of Gelasius to the prestes that is so childish a cauill that it nede not to be confuted Thirdly why did he simply say of the bread that they should eate but of the cuppe that they shoulde all drinke euen as if he had meant of set purpose to mete with the craft of Satan Fowerthly if as they would haue it the Lorde vouchesaued to admitt to his Supper onely sacrificyng Prestes what man euer durst call to the partaking of it strangers whom the Lorde had excluded yea and to the partakyng of that gifte the power wherof was not in their handes without any commaundement of him which onely could geue it Yea vpon confidence of what warrant do they vse it at this day to distribute to the common people the Signe of the body of Christ if they haue neither commaundement nor example of the Lorde Fifthly did Paule lie when he saide to the Corynthians that he had receiued of the Lorde that which he had deliuered to them For afterwarde he declareth the thyng that he deliuered that all without difference should communicate of both the Signes If Paule receiued of the Lord that al shold be admitted without differēce let them loke of whome they haue receiued which doo dryue awaye almost all the people of God because they can not now pretend God to be the author of it with whome there is not yea nay And yet still for clokyng of such abhominations they dare pretend the name of the Chirch and with suche pretense defende it As though either these Antechristes were the Chirch whiche so easily treade vnder foote scatter abroade and destroy the doctrine institution of Christ or the Apostolike Chirche were not the Chirche in which the whole force of religion florished ¶ The .xviii. Chapiter ¶ Of the Popishe Masse by whiche sacrilege the Supper of Christ hath not only ben prophaned but also brought to nought WIth these and lyke inuentions Satan hath trauailed as by ouerspredyng of darknesse to obscure and defile the holy Supper of Christ that at least the purenesse of it shoulde not be kepte styll in the Chirche But the head of horrible abhomination was when he aduanced a signe by which it myght not onely be darkned and peruerted but beyng vtterly blotted and abolyshed shoulde vanyshe away and fall oute of the remembrance of men namely when he blynded almost the whole world with a moste pestilent error that they shoulde beleue that the Masse is a sacrifice oblation to obteine the forgeuenesse of sinnes How at the beginning the sounder sort of the Scholemē toke this doctrine I nothyng regard farewell they wyth theyr crabbed suttelties whiche howsoeuer they may be defended with cauillyng yet are therfore to be refused of all good men because they do nothyng ells but spred muche darknesse ouer the brightnesse of the Supper Therefore biddyng them farewell let the readers vnderstand that I here matche in fight with that opinion wherewith the Romishe Antichrist and his prophetes haue infected the whole worlde namely that the Masse is a worke wherby the sacrificyng Prest which offreth vp Christ and the other that doo partake at the same oblation do deserue the fauor of God or that it is a cleansying sacrifice wherby they reconcile God to themselues Neither hath this ben receiued onely in common opinion of the people but the very doyng it selfe is so framed that it is a kynde of pacifyeng wherwith satisfaction is made to God for the purgyng of the quicke and dead The wordes also which they vse do expresse the same and no other thyng may we gather of the dayly vse of it I know how depe rootes this pestilence hath takē vnder how great seming of goodnesse it lurketh howe it beareth in shewe the name of Christe howe in the one name of Masse many beleue that they comprehende the whole summe of Faith But when it shal be by the worde of God most clerely proued that this Masse how muche soeuer it be colored and glorious yet shamefully dishonoreth Christ burieth oppresseth his crosse putteth his death in forgetfulnesse taketh away the frute that cometh therof vnto vs doth weaken and destroy the Sacrament wherin was left the memorie of his death shall there then be any so depe rootes which this moste strong are I meane the word of God shall not cutt downe and ouerthrowe Is there any face so beautifull that this lyght can not bewray the euell which lurketh vnder it Let vs therfore shew that which hath ben set in the fyrst place that in it is intolerable blasphemie dishonor done to Christ. For he was consecrate of his Father a Prest and Bishop not for a tyme as we reade that they were ordeined in the olde testament whoe 's life beyng mortal theyr presthode also coulde not be immortall for which cause also there neded successors that should from tyme to tyme be putt in the place of them that dyed But in place of Christ which is immortal there nedeth no vicar to be set after hym Therfore he was ordeined of the Father a prest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech that he shold execute an euerlastyng presthode This mysterie had bene long before