them a few Bishops in the Northern and Western Parts When afterwards the Patriarch of Constantinople was declared by the Emperor Mauritius The Vniversal Bishop Gregory the great did exclaim against the Ambition of that Title as being equal to the Pride of Lucifer and declared that he who assumed it was the Forerunner of Antichrist saying that none of his Predecessors had ever claimed such a Power And this was the more observable since the English were Converted by those whom he sent over so that this was the Doctrine of that See when this Church received the Faith from it But it did not continue long within those limits for Boniface the Third assumed that Title upon the Grant of Phâ—â—as And as that Boniface got the Spiritual Sword put in his hand so the Eighth of that name pretended also to the Temporal Sword but they owe these Powers to the Industry of those Popes and not to any Donation of Christs The Popes when they are Consecrated promise to obey the Canons of the Eight first General Councils which if they observe they will receive no Appeals nor pretend to any higher Jurisdiction than these give to them and the other Patriarchs equally As for the Decrees of Latter Councils they are of less Authority For those Councils consisted of Monks and Friers in great part whose exemptions obtained from Rome obliged them to support the Authority of that Court and those who sate in them knew little of the Scriptures Fathers or the Tradition of the Church being only conversant in the Disputes and Learning of the Schools And for the Florentine Council the Eastern Churches who sent the Greek Bishops that sate there never received their Determination neither then nor at any time since Many places were also brought out of the Fathers to show that they did not look on the Bishops of Rome as superior to other Bishops and that they understood not those places of Scripture which were afterwards brought for the Popes Supremacy in that sense so that if Tradition be the best Expounder of Scripture those latter glosses must give place to the more ancient But that passage of St. Ierome in which he equals the Bishops of Eugubium and Constantinople to the Bishop of Rome was much made use of since he was a Presbyter of Rome and so likely to understand the Dignity of his own Church best There were many things brought from the Contests that other Sees had with Rome to show that all the Priviledges of that and other Sees were only founded on the practice and Canons of the Church but not upon any Divine Warrant Constantinople pretended to equal priviledges Ravenna Milan and Aquileia pretended to a Patriarchal Dignity and Exemption Some Arch-Bishops of Canterbury contended that Popes could do nothing against the Laws of the Church so Laurence and Dunstan Robert Grostest Bishop of Lincoln asserted the same and many Popes confessed it And to this day no Constitution of the Popes is binding in any Church except it be received by it and in the daily practice of the Canon Law the customs of Churches are pleaded against Papal Constitutions which shows their Authority cannot be from God otherwise all must submit to their Laws And from the latter Contests up and down Europe about giving Investitures receiving Appeals admitting of Legates and Papal Constitutions it was apparent that the Papal Authority was a Tyranny which had been managed by cruel and fraudulent Arts but was never otherwise received in the Church than as a Conquest to which they were constrained to yield And this was more fully made out in England from what passed in William the Conqueror and Henry the 2d's time and by the Statutes of Provisors in many Kings Reigns which were still renewed till within an hundred years of the present time Upon these grounds they Concluded that the Popes Power in England had no Foundation neither in the Law of God nor in the Laws of the Church or of the Land As for the Kings Power over Spiritual persons and in Spiritual causes they proved it from the Scriptures In the old Testament they found the Kings of Israel intermedled in all matters Ecclesiastical Samuel though he had been Judge yet acknowledged Sauls Authority So also did Abimelech the High-Priest and appeared before him when cited to answer upon an Accusation And Samuel 1 Sam. 15.18 sayes he was made the head of all the Tribes Aaron in that was an Example to all the following High-Priests who submitted to Moses David made many Laws about sacred things such as the Order of the Courses of the Priests and their Worship and when he was dying he declared to Solomon how far his Authority extended He told him 1 Chron. 28.21 That the Courses of the Priests and all the people were to be wholly at his commandment pursuant to which Solomon 2 Chron. 8.14 15. did appoint them their charges in the service of God and both the Priests and Levites departed not from his commandment in any matter and though he had turned out Abiathar from the High-Priesthood yet they made no opposition Iehosophat Hezekiah and Iosias made likewise Laws about Eccledsiastical Matters In the New Testament Christ himself was obedient he payed Taxes he declared that he pretended to no earthly Kingdom he charged the people to render to Caesar the things that were Caesars and his Disciples not to affect temporal dominion as the Lords of the Nations did And though the Magistrates were then Heathens yet the Apostles wrote to the Churches to obey Magistrates to submit to them to pay Taxes they call the King Supream and say he is Gods Minister to encourage them that do well and to punish the evil doors which is said of all persons without exception and every Soul is charged to be subject to the Higher Power Many passages were cited out of the Writings of the Fathers to show that they thought Church-men were included in these places as well as other persons so that the Tradition of the Church was for the Kings Supremacy and by one place of Scripture the King is called Supream by another he is called Head and by a third every Soul must be subject to him which laid together make up this conclusion That the King is the Supream Head over all persons In the primitive Church the Bishops in their Councils made rules for ordering their Dioceses which they only called Canons or Rules nor had they any compulsive Authority but what was derived from the Civil Sanctions After the Emperors were Christians they made many Laws about sacred things as may be seen in the Codes and when Iustinian digested the Roman Law he added many Novel Constitutions about Ecclesiastical persons and causes The Emperors called general Councils presided in them and confirmed them And many Letters were cited of Popes to Emperors to call Councils and of the Councils to them to Confirm their Decrees The Election of the Popes themselves was
no wrong or injury but being my Body preserved in the integrity which I brought into this Realm and I truly discharged from all band of Consent I find the King's Highness whom I cannot justly have as my Husband to be nevertheless as a most kind loving and friendly Father and Brother and to use me as honourably and with as much humanity and liberality as you I my self or any of our Kin or Allies could wish or desire wherewith I am for mine own part so well content and satisfied that I much desire my Mother You and other mine Allies so to understand it accept and take it and so to use your self towards this Noble and Vertuous Prince as he may have cause to continue his friendship towards you which on his behalf shall nothing be empaired or altered for this Matter for so hath it pleased his Highness to signify unto me that like as he will shew me always a most fatherly and brotherly kindness and has so provided for me so will he remain with you and other according to such terms as have passed in the same knot of Amity which between you hath been concluded this Matter notwithstanding in such wise as neither I ne you or any of our Friends shall have just cause of miscontentment Thus much I have thought necessary to write unto you lest for want of true knowledg ye might otherwise take this Matter than ye ought and in other sort care for me than ye should have cause Only I require this of you That ye so use your self as for your untowardness in this Matter I fare not the worse whereunto I trust you will have regard XXI The Resolutions of several Bishops and Divines of some Questions concerning the Sacraments by which it will appear with what maturity and care they proceeded in the Reformation taken from the Originals under their own hands Only in copying them I judged it might be more acceptable to the Reader to see every Man's Answer set down after every Question and therefore they are published in this method The first Question What a Sacrament is by the Scripture THe Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is nevertheless where in the Latin Text we have Sacramentum there in the Greek we have Mysterium and so by the Scripture Sacramentum may be called Mysterium id est res occulta sive arcana To the first In Scripture we neither find Definition nor Description of a Sacrament Without prejudice to the Truth and saving always more better Judgment Cum facultate etiam melius deliberandi in hac parte To the first Question I think that the Scriptures do use this word Sacrament in divers places according to the Matter it treateth upon Tobi. 12. Rev. 1. Wisd. 2.6.12 Dan. 2. Ephes. 1.3 5. Col. 1. 1 Tim. 10. Rev. 17. as also it doth divers other words Yet what a Sacrament is by definition or description of Scripture I cannot find it explicated openly Likewise as I cannot find the definition or description of the Trinity nor yet such-like things Mary what other Men can find being daily and of long season exercised in Scripture I cannot tell referring therefore this thing to their better knowledg I think that where this word Sacramentum is found in the Scripture in the Latin Translation there in the Greek is found this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a Mystery or a secret thing What the word Sacrament betokeneth or what is the definition description or notification thereof I have found no such plainly set out by Scripture But this I find that it should appear by the same Scripture that the Latin word Sacramentum and the Greek word Mysterium be in manner always used for one thing as much to say as Absconditum Occultatum vel in occulto Thomas Rebertson Ad Quaestiones Ad primam Respondeo vocem Sacramenti mihi in Sacris Literis non reperiri in hac significatione nisi quatenus ad Matrimonium applicatur a Paulo ubi tamen Graece habetur Mysterium proinde ex meris Scripturis expresse definiri non posse I find not in Scripture the definition of a Sacrament nor what a Sacrament is I find no definition in Scripture of this word Sacramenium howbeit wheresoever it is found in Scripture the same is in the Greek Mysterium which signifieth a Secret or Hid thing Non habetur in Scripturis quid Sacramentum proprie sit nisi quod subinde Mysterium dicitur varia enim in Scripturis in Ecclesiasticis Scriptoribus reperitur ejus nominis significatio ideoque definiri non potest I find no definition of this word Sacrament in the Scripture nor likewise of this word Gratia or Lex with innumerable more and yet what they signify it is known so the signification of this word Sacrament is plain it is nothing else but a secret Hid thing or any Mystery Like as Angelus Coelum Terra be spoken of in Scripture yet none of them defined So altho Sacrumentum be spoken of in Scripture yet 〈◊〉 hath no definition there but is taken divers ways and in divers sigâ—ifications This word Sacrament in Scripture is not defined I say this word Sacrament taken in his common signification betokeneth a Mystery and hid or a secret thing But if ye understand it in his proper signification as we use to apply it only to the Seven Sacraments the Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is And yet lest any Man might be offended thinking that because the Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is therefore the same is a light thing or little to be esteemed Here may be remembred that there are some weighty and godly things being also of our Belief which the Scripture sheweth not expresly what they are As for Example We believe the Son is consubstantial to the Father Item that the Father is unbegotten yet the Scripture sheweth not what is consubstantial nor what is unbegotten neither maketh any mention of the words Likewise it is true Baptism is a Sacrament Pennance is a Sacrament c. yet the Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is Edwardus Leyghton Responsions unto the Questions To the first Question I say That in Holy Scripture I never found and I think there is no Man that will find a definition or description of this word Sacramentum which is as much to say in English as a Mystery a secret or a hid thing I do read no definition of this word Sacramentum in Scripture but sometimes it is used in Scripture to signify a thing secret or hid In primo articulo conveniunt omnes non satis constare ex Scriptura quid sit Sacramentum Plerique tamen dicunt Graece appellari Mysterium i. e. a secret or a hid thing In the Answer unto the first Question They do all agree that it is not evident by Scripture what a
St. Mark and to examine the Decrees of the ancient Councils He went incognito without any Character from the King only he had a Letter Recommending him to the care of Iohn Cassali then Ambassador at Venice to procure him an admittance into the Libraries there But in all his Letters he complained mightily of his Poverty that he had scarce whereby to live and pay the Copiers whom he imployed to Transcribe passages out of MSS. He stayed some time at Venice from whence he went to Padua Bononia and other Towns where he only talked with Divines and Canonists about these questions Whether the Precepts in Leviticus of the Degrees of Marriage do still oblige Christians And whether the Popes Dispensation could have any force against the Law of God These he proposed in Discourse without mentioning the King of England or giving the least intimation that he was sent by him till he once discovered their Opinions But finding them generally inclining to the Kings Cause he took more courage and went to Rome where he sought to be made a Penitentiary Priest that he might have the freer access into Libraries and be lookt on as one of the Popes Servants But at this time the Earl of Wiltshire and Stokesley who was made Bishop of London Tonstall being Translated to Duresm were sent by the King into Italy Ambassadors both to the Pope and Emperor Cranmer went with them to justifie his Book in both these Courts Stokesley brought full Instructions to Crooke to search the Writings of most of the Fathers on a great many passages of the Scripture and in particular to try what they wrote on that Law in Deuteronomy which provided that when one died without Children his Brother should marry his Wife to raise up Children to him This was most pressed against the King by all that were for the Queen as either an Abrogation of the other Law in Leviticus or at least a Dispensation with it in that particular Case He was also to consult the Iews about it and was to Copy out every thing that he found in any Manuscript of the Greek or Latine Fathers relating to the Degrees of Marriage Of this labour he complained heavily and said That though he had a great task laid on him yet his allowance was so small that he was often in great straits This I take notice of because it is said by others That all the Subscriptions that he procured were bought At this time there were great Animosities between the Ministers whom the King imployed in Italy the two Families of the Cassali and the Ghinucci hating one another Of the former Family were the Ambassadors at Rome and at Venice Of the other Hierome was Bishop of Worcester and had been in several Ambassies into Spain His Brother Peter was also imployed in some of the little Courts of Italy as the Kings Agent Whether the King out of Policy kept this hatred up to make them Spies one on another I know not To the Ghinucci was Crooke gained so that in all his Letters he complained of the Cassali as men that betraied the Kings Affairs and said that Iohn then Ambassador at Venice not only gave him no assistance but used him ill and publickly discovered That he was imployed by the King which made many who had formerly spoken their minds freely be more reserved to him But as he wrote this to the King he begged of him that it might not be known otherwise he expected either to be Killed or Poisoned by them Yet they had their Correspondents about the King by whose means they understood what Crooke had Informed against them But they wrote to the King that he was so morose and ill-natured that nothing could please him and to lessen his Credit they did all they could to stop his Bills All this is more fully set down than perhaps was necessary if it were not to show that he was not in a condition to corrupt so many Divines and whole Universities as some have given out He got into the acquaintance of a Frier at Venice Franciscus Georgius who had lived 49 years in a Religious order and was esteemed the most Learned man in the Republick not only in the vulgar Learning but in the Greek and Hebrew and was so much accounted of by the Pope that he called him the Hammer of Hereticks He was also of the Senatorian Quality and his Brother was Governor of Padua and payed all the Readers there This Friar had a great opinion of the King and having studied the case wrote for the Kings cause and endeavoured to satisfie all the other Divines of the Republick among whom he had much credit Thomas Omnibonus a Dominican Philippus de Cremis a Doctor of the Law Valerius of Bergamo and some others wrote for the Kings cause Many of the Iewish Rabbins did give it under their hands in Hebrew That the Laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were thus to be reconciled That Law of Marrying the Brothers wife when he dyed without Children did only bind in the Land of Judaea to preserve Families and maintain their Successions in the Land as it had been divided by Lot But that in all other places of the world the Law of Leviticus of not Marrying the Brothers wife was obligatory He also searched all the Greek MSS. of Councils and Nazianzens and Chrysostoms works After that he run over Macarius Acacius Apollinaris Origen Gregory Nyssen Cyril Severian and Gennadius and copied out of them all that which was pertinent to his purpose He procured several hands to the Conclusions before it was known that it was the Kings business in which he was employed But the Government of Venice was so strict that when it was known whose Agent he was he found it not easie to procure Subscriptions Therefore he advised the King to order his Minister to procure a Licence from the Senate for their Divines to declare their opinions in that matter Which being proposed to the Senate all the answer he could obtain was that they would be Neutrals and when the Ambassador pressed as an evidence of Neutrality that the Senate would leave it free to their Divines to declare of either side as their Consciences led them he could procure no other answer the former being again repeated Yet the Senate making no Prohibition many of their Divines put their hands to the Conclusions And Crook had that Success that he wrote to the King he had never met with a Divine that did not favour his cause but the Conclusions touching the Popes Power his Agents did every-where discourage and threaten those who subscribed them And the Emperors Ambassador at Venice did threaten Omnibonus for writing in prejudice of the Popes Authority and asserting conclusions which would make most of the Princes of Europe Bastards He answered he did not consider things as a Statesman but as a Divine Yet to take off this fear Crook suggested to the King to order his Minister at the
the whole Matter that I hope the Reader will not be ill pleased to have a short abstract of them laid before him An Abstract of those things which were written for the Divorce The Law of Marriage was originally given by God to Adam in the state of Innocence with this Declaration that man and wife were one Flesh but being afterwards corrupted by the Incestuous commixtures of those which were of Kin in the nearest degrees the Primitive Law was again revived by Moses And he gives many Rules and Prohibitions about the Degrees of Kinred and Affinity which are not to be looked on as new Laws and judiciary Precepts but as a Restoring of the Law of Nature originally given by God but then much corrupted For as the Preface which is so oft repeated before these Laws I am the Lord insinuates that they were conform to the Divine Nature so the consequences of them show they were Moral and Natural For the Breaches of them are called Wickedness and Abomination and are said to defile the Land and the Violation of them is charged on the Canaanites by which the Land was polluted and for which it did vomit out the Inhabitants From whence it must be concluded that these were not positive Precepts which did only bind the Iews but were parts of the Law of Mankind and Nature otherwise those Nations could contract no Guilt by their Violating them Among the forbidden Degrees one is Thou shalt not discover the Nakedness of thy Brothers wife it is thy Brothers Nakedness And it is again repeated If a man shall take his Brothers wife it is an unclean thing he hath uncovered his Brothers Nakedness they shall be childless These are clear and express Laws of God which therefore must needs oblige all persons of what rank soever without exception In the New Testament St. Iohn Baptist said to Herod It is not Lawful for thee to take thy Brothers wife which shows that these Laws of Moses were still obligatory St. Paul also in his epistle to the Corinthians condemns the Incestuous person for having his Fathers wife which is one of the Degrees forbidden by the Law of Moses and calls it a Fornication not so much as named among the Gentiles From whence it is inferred that these forbidden degrees are excluded by the Law of Nature since the Gentiles did not admit them St. Paul also calling it by the common name of Fornication within which according to that place all undue Commixtures of men and women are included Therefore those places in the New Testament that condemn Fornication do also condemn Marriages in forbidden degrees our Saviour did also assert the foundation of affinity by saying that man and wife are one Flesh. But in all Controverted things the sense of the Scriptures must be taken from the Tradition of the Church which no good Catholick can deny and that is to be found in the Decrees of Popes and Councils and in the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church against which if any argue from their private understanding of the Scriptures it is the way of Heresie and savours of Lutheranism The first of the Fathers who had occasion to write of this Matter was Tertullian who lived within an Age after the Apostles He in express words says that the Law of not Marrying the Brothers wife did still oblige Christians The first Pope whose decision was sought in this Matter was Gregory the Great to whom Austin the Apostle of England wrote for his resolution of some things in which he desired direction and one of these is Whether a man may Marry his Brothers wife who in the Language of that time was called his Kinswoman The Pope answered Negatively and proved it by the Law of Moses and therefore Defined that if any of the English Nation who had Marryed within that degree were converted to the Faith he must be admonished to abstain from his wife and to look on such a Marriage as a most grievous Sin From which it appears that that good Pope did judge it a thing which by no means could be dispenced with otherwise he had not pressed it so much under such Circumstances since in the first Conversion of a Nation to the Christian Faith the Insisting too much upon it might have kept back many from receiving the Christian Religion who were otherwise well inclined to it Calixtus Zacarias and Innocent the Third have plainly asserted the obligation of these Precepts in the Law of Moses the last particularly who treats about it with great vehemency So that the Apostolick See has already judged the Matter Several Provincial Councils have also declared the obligation of the Precepts about the degrees of Marriage in Leviticus by the Council at Neocesarea If a woman had been Marryed to two Brothers she was to be cast out of the Communion of the Church till her death and thâ— man that Marryed his Brothers wife was to be Anathematized which was also Confirmed in a Council held by Pope Gregory the Second Iâ— the Council of Agde where the Degrees that make a Marriage incestuous are reckoned this of Marrying the Brothers wife is one of them and there it was Decreed that all Marriages within these Degrees were Null and the Parties so Contracting were to be cast out of the Communion of the Church and put among the Catechumens till they separated themselves from one another And in the Second Council of Toledo the Authority of the Mosaical Prohibitions about the Degrees of Marriage is acknowledged It was one of Wickcliffs errors that the Prohibition of Marriage within such degrees was without any foundation in the Law of God for which and other points he was condemned first in a Convocation at London then at Oxford and last of all at the general Council of Constance these Condemnations were confirmed So formally had the Church in many Provincial Councils and in one that was General decided this matter Next to these the Opinions of the Fathers were to be considered In the Greek Church Origen first had occasion to Treat about it writing on Leviticus and Chrysostome after him but most fully St. Basil the Great who do expressly assert the obligations of these Precepts The last particularly refuting at great length the Opinion of some who thought the Marrying two Sisters was not unlawful laies it down as a Foundation That the Laws in Leviticus about Marriage were still in force Hesychius also writing upon Leviticus proves that these Prohibitions were universally obligatory because both the Egyptians and Cananites are taxed for Marrying within these Degrees From whence he inferrs they are of Moral and Eternal obligation From the Greek they went to the Latine Fathers and alledged as was already observed that Tertullian held the same Opinion and with him agreed the three great Doctors of the Latin Church Ambrose Ierom and
in that Age did and Frith wrote plainly without any Art yet there is so great a difference between their Books that whoever compares them will clearly perceive the one to be the Ingenious defender of an ill cause and the other a simple asserter of Truth Frith wrote with all the disadvantage that was possible being then in the Jayl where he could have no Books but some Notes he might have collected formerly he was also so loaded with Irons that he could scarce sit with any ease He began with confirming what he had delivered about the Fathers before Christ their feeding on his Body in the same manner that Christians do since his death This he proved from Scripture and several places of St. Austins works he proved also from Scripture that after the Consecration the Elements were still Bread and Wine and were so called both by our Saviour and his Apostles that our Senses shew they are not changed in their Natures and that they are still subject to Corruption which can no way be said of the body of Christ. He proved that the eating of Christs Flesh in the 6th of St. Iohn cannot be applyed to the Sacrament since the wicked receive it who yet do not eat the Flesh of Christ otherwise they should have eternal life He shewed also that the Sacrament coming in the room of the Jewish Paschal Lamb we must understand Christs words This is my Body in the same sense in which it was said that the Lamb was the Lords Passover He confirmed this by many passages cited out of Tertullian Athanasius Chrysostome Ambrose Ierome Austin Fulgentius Eusebius and some later Writers as Beda Bertram and Druthmar who did all assert that the Elements retained their former Natures and were only the Mysteries Signs and Figures of the Body and Blood of Christ. But Gelasius's words seemed so remarkable that they could not but determine the Controversie especially considering he was Bishop of Rome he therefore writing against the Eutichians who thought the humane nature of Christ was changed into the Divine says that as the Elements of Bread and Wine being Consecrated to be the Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ did not cease to be Bread and Wine in Substance but continued in their own proper natures so the humane nature of Christ continued still though it was united to the Divine nature this was a manifest Indication of the belief of the Church in that Age and ought to weigh more than a hundred high Rhetorical Expressions He brought likewise several testimonies out of the Fathers to shew that they knew nothing of the Consequences that follow Transubstantiation of a Body being in more places at once or being in a place after the manner of a Spirit or of the worship to be given to the Sacrament Upon this he digresses and says that the German Divines believed a Corporal presence yet since that was only an Opinion that rested in their minds and did not carry along with it any Corruption of the worship or Idolatrous practise it was to be born with and the peace of the Church was not to be broken for it but the case of the Church of Rome was very different which had set up gross Idolatry building it upon this Doctrine Thus I have given a short Abstract of Friths Book which I thought fit the rather to do because it was the first Book that was written on this Subject in England by any of the Reformers And from hence it may appear upon what solid and weighty reasons they then began to shake the received Opinion of Transubstantiation and with how much learning this Controversie was managed by him who first undertook it One thing was singular in Friths Opinion that he thought there should be no contest made about the manner of Christs presence in the Sacrament for what-ever Opinion men held in Speculation if it went not to a practical error which was the Adoration of it for that was Idolatry in his Opinion there were no disputes to be made about it therefore he was much against all heats between the Lutherans and Zuinglians for he thought in such a matter that was wholly speculative every man might hold his own Opinion without making a breach of the Unity of the Church about it He was apprehended in May 1533. and kept in Prison till the 20th of Iune and then he was brought before the Bishop of London Gardiner and Longland sitting with him They objected to him his Opinions about the Sacrament and Purgatory he answered that for the first he did not find Transubstantiation in the Scriptures nor in any approved Authors and therefore he would not admit any thing as an Article of Faith without clear and certain grounds for he did not think the Authority of the Church reached so far They argued with him upon some passages out of St. Austin and St. Chrysostome to which he answered by opposing other places of the same Fathers and shew'd how they were to be reconciled to themselves when it came to a Conclusion these words are set down in the Register as his Confession Frith thinketh and judgeth that the natural Body of Christ is not in the Sacrament of the Altar but in one place only at once Item he saith that neither part is a necessary Article of our Faith whether the natural Body be there in the Sacrament or not As for Purgatory he said a man consisted of two parts his Body and Soul his Body was purged by sickness and other pains and at last by death and was not by their own Doctrine sent to Purgatory And for the Soul it was purged through the word of God received by Faith So his Confession was written down in these words Item Frith thinketh and judgeth that there is no Purgatory for the Soul after that it is departed from the Body and as he thinketh herein so hath he said written and defended howbeit he thinketh neither part to be an Article of Faith necessarily to be believed under pain of Damnation The Bishops with the Doctors that stood about them took much pains to make him change but he told them that he could not be induced to believe that these were Articles of Faith And when they threatned to proceed to a Final Sentence he seemed not moved with it but said Let judgment be done in righteousness The Bishops though none of them were guilty of great tenderness yet seem'd to pity him much and the Bishop of London professed he gave Sentence with great grief of heart In the end he was judged an Obstinate Heretick and was delivered to the Secular Power there is one clause in this Sentence which is not in many others therefore I shall set it down Most earnestly requiring in the Bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ that this Execution and punishment worthily to be done upon thee may be so moderate that the rigor thereof be not too extreme nor yet the gentleness too much
Preheminence of the See of Rome flowed only from the Laws of men so there was now good cause to repeal these for the Pope as was said in the Council of Basil was only Vicar of the Church and not of Christ so he was accountable to the Church The Council of Constance and the Divines of Paris had according to the Doctrine of the Ancient Church declared the Pope to be subject to a General Council which many Popes in former Ages had confessed And all that the Pope can claim even by the Canon-Law is only to call and preside in a General Council but not to overrule it or have a Negative vote in it The Power of Councils did not extend to Princes Dominions or Secular Matters but only to points of Faith which they were to declare and to Condemn Hereticks nor were their Decrees Laws till they were Enacted by Princes Upon this he enlarged much to show that though a Council did proceed against a King with which they then Threatned the King that their Sentence was of no force as being without their Sphere The determination of Councils ought to be well considered and examined by the Scriptures and in matters indifferent men ought to be left to their freedom he taxed the severity of Victors Proceedings against the Churches of the East about the day of Easter And concluded that as a Member of the Body is not cut off except a Gangrene comes in it so no part of the Church ought to be cut off but upon a great and inevitable cause And he very largely showed with what moderation and charity the Church should proceed even against those that held errors And the Standard of the Councils definitions should only be taken from the Scriptures and not from mens Traditions He said some General Councils had been rejected by others and it was a tender point how much ought to be deferred to a Council some Decrees of Councils were not at all obeyed The Divines of Paris held that a Council could not make a new Article of Faith that was not in the Scriptures And as all Gods Promises to the people of Israel had this condition implyed within them If they kept his Commandments so he thought the Promises to the Christian Church had this condition in them If they kept the Faith Therefore he had much doubting in himself as to General Councils and he thought that only the word of God was the Rule of Faith which ought to take place in all Controversies of Religion The Scriptures were called Canonical as being the only Rules of the Faith of Christians and these by appointment of the Ancient Councils were only to be read in the Churches The Fathers SS Ambrose Ierome and Austin did in many things differ from one another but always appealed to the Scriptures as the common and certain standard And he cited some remarkable passage out of St. Austin to show what difference he put between the Scriptures and all the other Writings even of the best and holiest Fathers But when all the Fathers agreed in the Exposition of any place of Scripture he acknowledged he looked on that as flowing from the Spirit of God and it was a most dangerous thing to be wise in our own Conceit Therefore he thought Councils ought to found their decisions on the word of God and those expositions of it that had been agreed on by the Doctors of the Church Then he discoursed very largely what a person a Judge ought to be he must not be Partial nor a Judge in his own Cause nor so much as sit on the Bench when it is tryed lest his presence should over-awe others Things also done upon a common error cannot bind when the error upon which they were done comes to be discovered and all human Laws ought to be changed when a publick visible inconvenience follows them From which he concluded that the Pope being a Party and having already passed his Sentence in things which ought to be examined by a General Council could not be a Judge nor sit in it Princes also who upon a common mistake thinking the Pope Head of the Church had sworn to him finding that this was done upon a false ground may pull their Neck out of his Yoke as every man may make his escape out of the hands of a Robber And the Court of Rome was so corrupt that a Pope though he mean't well as Hadrian did yet could never bring any good design to an issue the Cardinals and the rest of that Court being so engaged to maintain their Corruptions These were the Heads of that Discourse which it seems he gave them in writing after he had delivered it but he promised to entertain them with another Discourse of the Power the Bishops of the Christian Church have in their Sees and of the Power of a Christian Prince to make them do their duty but that I could never see and I am afraid it is lost All this I thought necessary to open to show the State of the Court and the Principles that the several Parties in it went upon when the Reformation was first brought under Consideration in the third Period of this Kings Reign to which I am now advanced The end of the Second Book EFFIGIES VERA REVERENDISSIMI D. THOMAE CRANMERI ARCHIEPISCOPI CANTUARIâ—NSIS HHolbein pinxit Natus 1489 Iuly 2. Consecratus 1533 Mar. 30. Martyrio Coronatus 1556 Mar. 21. 〈…〉 THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE Church of England BOOK III. Of the other Transactions about Religion and Reformation during the rest of the Reign of King Henry the 8th THe King having passed through the Traverses and tossings of his Sute of Divorce and having with the concurrence both of his Clergy and Parliament brought about what he had projected seem'd now at ease in his own Dominions But though matters were carryed in Publick Assemblies smoothly and successfully yet there were many secret discontents which being fomented both by the Pope and the Emperors Agents wrought him great trouble so that the rest of his life was full of vexation and disquiet All that were zealously addicted to that which they called the Old Religion did conclude that what-ever firmness the King expressed to it now was either pretended out of Policy for avoiding the Inconveniences which the fears of a Change might produce or though he really intended to perform what he professed yet the Interests in which he must embarque with the Princess of Germany against the Pope and the Emperor together with the Power that the Queen had over him and the credit Cranmer and Cromâ—ell had with him would prevail on him to change some things in Religion And they look'd on these things as so complicated together that the change of any one must needs make way for change in more since that struck at the Authority of the Church and left people at liberty to dispute the Articles of Faith This they thought was a Gate opened to Heresie
Christi and Matrimonium be called in the Scripture Mysteria and therefore we may call them by the Scripture Sacramenta But one Sacramentum the Scripture maketh mention of which is hard to be revealed fully as would to God it were and that is Mysterium Iniquitatis or Mysterium Meretricis magnae Bestiae To the third In Scripture we find no precise number of Sacraments To the third I find not set forth the express number with express declaration of this many and no more nor yet of these expresly by Scripture which we use especially under the name of Sacraments saving only of Matrimony I think that in the Scripture be innumerable Sacraments for all Mysteries all Ceremonies all the Facts of Christ the whole Story of the Iews and the Revelations of the Apocalypse may be named Sacraments The certain number of Sacraments or Mysteries contained within Scripture cannot be well expressed or assigned for Scripture containeth more than infallibly may be rehearsed De istis septem quae usitate vocamus Sacramenta nullum invenio nomine Sacramenti appellari nisi Matrimonium Matrimonium esse Sacramentum probat Eckius Homi. 73. conferre gratiam ibid. There be divers Sacraments by the Scripture as in Tobie 12. Sacramentum Regis the King's Secret Also Nebuchadnezars Dream Dan. 2. is called Sacramentum Incarnatio Christi Sacramentum Ephes. 3. Matrimonium Sacramentum Taking for Sacraments any thing that this word Sacramentum doth signify there be in Scripture a great number of Sacraments more than Seven Non habetur determinatus Sacramentorum numerus in Scripturis sunt enim innumera fere illic quae passim vocantur Sacramenta cum omnis allegoria omneque Mysterium dicatur Sacramentum Quin et somnia ac secreta subinde Sacramenta vocantur Tobiae 2. Sacramentum Regis abscondere bonum est Dan. 2. Imploremus misericordias Dei Coeli super Sacramento isto somnio Paulus etiam Epist. 2. vocat Mysterium Incarnationis Christi Sacramentum Et in Apoc. 1. vocat Sacramentum septem Stellarum Ac hoc praecipue observandum venit nullum a septem Sacramentis receptis hoc nomine appellari praeter solum Matrimonium As many as there be Mysteries which be innumerable but by Scripture I think the Seven which be named Sacraments may principally bear the name Speaking of Sacraments generally they be innumerable spoken of in Scripture but properly to speak of Sacraments there be but Seven that may be so called of which Matrimony is expresly called Sacramentum Ephes. 5. and as I think in the germane and proper signification of a Sacrament so that the indivisible knot of the Man and his Wife in one Body by the Sacrament of Matrimony is the Matter of this Sacrament upon which as on the literal verity the Apostle foundeth this allegorical saying Ego autem dico in Christo in Ecclesia for the mystical sense presupposeth a verity in the Letter on which that is taken Six more there be to which the definition doth agree as manifestly doth appear by the Scriptures with the exposition of the Ancient Authors In the Scripture there is no certain number of Sacraments I â—ind no more of the seven called expresly Sacraments but only Matrimony but extending the name of Sacrament in his most general acception there are in Scripture a great number of Sacraments whereof the Apostle saith Si noverint Mysteria omnia c. To the third I say that I find not in Scripture any of these seven which we commonly call Sacraments called Sacramentum but only Matrimonium But I find divers and many other things called Sacraments in Scripture as in the 21 of Tobie Sacramentum Regis abscondere bonum est Item Apoc. 17. Dicamus tibi Sacramentum Item 1 Tim. 3. Magnum est pietatis Sacramentum c. I cannot tell how many Sacraments be by Scripture for they be above one hundred In â—ertio conveniunt satis non esse certum numerum Sacramentorum per Scripturas Redmaynus addit But by Scripture I think the seven which be named Sacraments may principally bear the name Idem sentit Edgworth septem tantum Matrimonium in Scripturis haberi sub nomine Sacramenti plerique dicunt In the third they do agree That there is no certain number of Sacraments by Scripture but even as many as there be Mysteries and none of these seven called Sacraments but only Matrimony in Scripture 4. Question How many Sacraments there be by the Ancient Authors Answers BY the Ancient Authors there be many Sacraments more than seven for all the Figures which signifie Christ to come or testifie that he is come be called Sacraments as all the Figures of the Old Law and in the New Law Eucharistia Baptismus Pascha Dies Dominicus lotio pedum signum Crucis Chrisma Matrimonium Ordo Sabbatum Impositio manuum Oleum Consecratio Olei Lac Mel Aqua Vinum Sal Ignis Cinis adapertio Aurium vestis candida and all the Parables of Christ with the Prophesies of the Apocalyps and such others be called by the Doctors Sacramenta To the fourth There is no precise number of Sacraments mentioned by the Ancient Authors taking the word Sacrament in his most general signification To the fourth I find that St. Austine speaketh de Baptismo de Eucharistia de Matrimonio de Ordinatione clericorum de Sacramento Chrismatis Vnctionis Also I find in the said St. Austine that in the Old Law there were many Sacraments and in the New Law few I think that in the Doctors be found many more Sacraments than seven viz. Panis Catechumenorum signum Crucis Oleum Lac Sal Mel c. That Scripture containeth by the same Holy Ghost which is Author thereof the Holy Doctors and Ancient Fathers expoundeth So that where in Scripture the number of Sacraments is uncertain it cannot be among them certain Apud Augustinum lego Sacramentum Nuptiarum Sacramentum Baptismi Sacramentum Eucharistiae quod altaris sive panis vocat Sacramentum Ordinationis Sacramentum Chrismatis quod datur per manus impositionem Baptizatis Sacramentum Unctionis I find in the Ancient Authors that Baptism is called Sacramentum Eucharistia Sacramentum Matrimonium Sacramentum Ordo Sacramentum Chrisma Sacramentum Impositio Manuum per Baptismum Sacramentum Dilectio Sacramentum Lotio pedum Sacramentum Oleum Mel Lac Sacramenta and many others There be a great sort of Sacraments found in the Doctors after the acception above-said more than seven Apud Scriptores Ecclesiasticos reperiuntur multo plura Sacramenta quam haec septem Taking this word Sacrament universally for Mysteries or all secret Tokens there be more Sacraments than can be reckoned but the seven by old Authors may specially obtain the name Lotio pedum is spoken of in old Authors as a special Sacrament
these seven are found in Authors and Scriptures altho they be not found by the name of seven I say This word Sacrament is attributed to the seven and that the seven Sacraments are found in the ancient Authors To the fifth I say first as before that this word Sacramentum is not applied or attributed in Holy Scripture to any of the seven but only to Matrimony But it is attributed in Scripture and ancient Authors to many other things besides these Howbeit taking this word Sacramentum for a sensible sign of the invisible Grace of God given unto Christian People as the Schoolmen and many late Writers take it I think that these seven commonly called Sacraments are to be called only and most properly Sacraments This word Sacrament may well be attributed to the seven and so it is found in old Authors saving that I do not read expresly in old Doctors Pennance to be under the name of a Sacrament unless it be in Chrysostome in the Exposition ad Hebrae Homil. 20. sect 1. cap. 10. in principio In quinto praeter Herfordens Roffens Dayium Oglethorpum Menevens Coxum putant omnes nomen Sacramenti praecipue his septem convenire Symons addit The seven Sacraments specially confer Grace Eboracens Curren Tresham Symons aiunt septem Sacramenta inveniri apud veteres quanquam Curren Symons mox videntur iterum negare In the fifth The Bishops of Hereford and St. David Dr. Day Dr. Cox say That this word Sacrament in the old Authors is not attributed unto the seven only and ought not to be attributed The Bishop of Carlile alledging Waldensis Doctors Curren Edgworth Symons Tresham say That it is and may be attributed And Dr. Curren and Mr. Symmons seem to vary against themselves each in their own Answers for Dr. Curren saith That this word Sacrament is attributed unto the seven in the old Doctors and yet he cannot find that it is attributed unto Pennance Dr. Symons saith That the old Authors account them by the number of seven and yet he saith That they be not found there by the name of seven 6. Question Whether the determinate number of seven Sacraments be a Doctrine either of the Scripture or of the old Authors and so to be taught Answers THe determinate number of seven Sacraments is no Doctrine of the Scripture nor of the old Authors To the sixth The Scripture maketh no mention of the Sacraments determined to seven precisely but the Scripture maketh mention of seven Sacraments which be used in Christ's Church and grounded partly in Scripture and no more be in use of the said Church but seven so grounded and some of the ancient Doctors make mention of seven and of no more than seven as used in Christ's Church so grounded wherefore a Doctrine may be had of seven Sacraments precisely used in Christ's Church and grounded in Scripture To the sixth I think it be a Doctrine set forth by the ancient Fathers one from another taking their matter and ground out of Scripture as they understood it tho Scripture for all that doth not give unto all the seven the special names by which now they are called nor yet openly call them by the name of Sacrament except only as is before-said the Sacrament of Matrimony Albeit the seven Sacraments be in effect found both in the Scripture and in the old Authors and may therefore be so taught yet I have not read this precise and determinate number of seven Sacraments neither in the Scripture nor in the ancient Writers By what is here before-said I think it doth well appear that both the Scripture of God and holy Expositors of the same would have the seven Sacraments both taught and in due form exhibited to all Christian People as it shall also better appear by what followeth In Scriptura tantum unum ex istis septem Sacramentum vocari invenio nimirum Matrimonium apud veteres reperiuntur omnia haec septem a nullo tamen quod sciam nomine 7. Sacramentorum celebrari nisi quod Eras. ait 7. a veteribus recenseri August loquens de Sacramentis ad Januarium Ep. 118. ait numerum septenarium tribui Ecclesiae proprie instar universitatis Item objectum fuisse Husso in Concilio Constantienti quod infideliter senserit de 7. Sacramentis De perfectione Num. Septenarii vide August lib. 1. de Civ cap. 31. This determinate number of seven Sacraments is no Doctrine of Scripture nor of the old Authors nor ought not to be taught as such a determinate number by Scripture and old Authors Neither the Scripture nor the ancient Authors do recite the determinate number of the seven Sacraments but the Doctrine of the seven Sacraments is grounded in Scripture and taught by the ancient Authors albeit not altogether Septenarius Sacramentorum numerus Doctrina est recentium Theologorum quam illi partim ex Scriptura partim ex veterum scriptis argute in sacrum hunc ut aiunt numerum collegerunt I think as I find by old Authors the ancient Church used all these seven Sacraments and so I think it good to be taught The determinate number of seven Sacraments is not taught in any one Process of the Scripture nor of any one of the old Authors of purpose speaking of them altogether or in one Process as far as I can remember albeit they all seven be there and there spoken of in Scripture manifestly and so have the old Authors left them in sundry places of their Writings and so it ought to be taught Forasmuch as the Scripture teacheth these seven and sheweth special Graces given by the same the which are not so given by others called Sacraments the old Authors perceiving the special Graces have accounted them in a certain number and so have been used by Doctors to be called seven and without inconvenience may so be taught I say The determinate number of seven is not expresly mentioned in the Scripture like as the determinate number of the seven Petitions of the Prayer is not expresly mentioned and as I think the seven Petitions to have their ground in Scripture even so do I think of the seven Sacraments to be grounded in Scripture To the sixth I say as before That the old Authors call each of these seven Sacraments but be it I cannot remember that ever I read the determinate precise and express number of seven Sacraments in any of the ancient Authors nor in Scripture Howbeit we may find in Scripture and the old Authors also mention made and the doctrine of each of these seven commonly called Sacraments The determinate number of seven is a Doctrine to be taught for every one of them be contained in Scripture tho they have not the number of seven set forth there no more than the Petitions of the Pater Noster be called seven nor the Articles of the Creed
after them And so the Apostles ordained Matthias to be one of their number St. Paul made and ordained Timothy and Titus with others likewise Of the Sacrament of Extream Vnction we have manifestly in the Gospel of Mark and Epistle of St. Iames. Materia Sacramentorum est Verbum Elementum virtus quam Deus per illa digne sumentibus conferat gratiam juxta suam promissionem nimirum quod sint Sacra Signacula non tantum signantia sed etiam significantia Unde opinor constare hanc Sacramentorum vim esse in Sacris Literis I find in Scripture of such things as we use to call Sacraments First Of Baptism manifestly Of Eucharistia manifestly Of Pennance manifestly Of Matrimony manifestly Of Ordering per manus Impositionem Orationem manifestly It is also manifest that the Apostles laid their hands upon them that were Christened Of the Vnction of the Sick with Prayer manifestly Albeit the seven Sacraments be not found in Scripture expressed by name yet the thing it self that is the Matter Nature Effect and Vertue of them is found there Of Baptism in divers places of the most Holy Communion of Matrimony of Absolution of Bishops Priests and Deacons how they were ordained per manuum Impositionem cum Oratione Of laying the Apostles hands on them that were Christened which is a part of Confirmation of Unction of them that were sick with Prayer joined withal Natura vis effectus ac uniuscujusque Sacramenti proprietas seorsim in Scriptura reperitur ut veteres eam interpretati sunt As it appeareth in the Articles which be drawn of the said seven Sacraments In Scripture we find of the Form of the Sacraments as the words Sacramental and the Matter as the Element Oil Chrism and the Patient receiving the Sacrament and of Grace and encrease of Vertue given by them as the Effects The things are contained in Scripture as Baptism Confirmation Eucharistia Poenitentia Extrema Vnctio Ordo altho they have not there this name Sacramentum as Matrimony hath and every one of them hath his Matter Nature Effect and Vertue I think the Thing the Matter the Nature the Effect and Vertue of them all be in the Scripture and all there institute by God's Authority for I think that no one Man neither the whole Church hath power to Institute a Sacrament but that such Institution pertaineth only to God To the seventh I say That we may evidently find in Scripture the substance of every one of the seven Sacraments the Nature Effect and Vertue of the same as of Baptism Confirmation Pennance Matrimony and so forth of the rest Of the Matter Nature Vertue and Effect of such as we call Sacraments Scripture maketh mention Of Baptism manifestly of the most Holy Communion manifestly of Absolution manifestly of Matrimony manifestly of Bishops Priests and Deacons Scripture speaketh manifestly for they were ordered per Impositiones manuum Presbyterii cum Oratione jejunio Conveniunt praeter Menevens naturam septem Sacramentorum nobis tradi in Scripturis Eboracens effectus singulorum enumerat item Carliolens Londinens non Respondet Quaestioni Treshamus ait ideo ê Scripturis tradi nobis Sacramenta quoniam tota Ecclesia non habet Authoritatem Instituendi Sacramenta In the seventh they do agree saving this That the Bishop of St. David says That the Nature Effect and Vertue of these seven Sacraments only Baptism the Sacrament of the Altar Matrimony Pennance are contained in the Scripture The other say That the Nature and the Vertue of all the seven be contained in the Scripture 8. Question Whether Confirmation cum Crismate of them that be Baptized be found in Scripture Answers OF Confirmation with Chrism without which it is counted no Sacrament there is no mention in the Scripture To the eighth We find Confirmation cum Impositione manuum in Scripture as before cum Chrismate we find not in the Scripture but yet we find Chrismation with Oil used even from the time of the Apostles and so taken as a Tradition Apostolick To the eighth I find in Scripture in many places de Impositione manuum which I think considering the usage commonly and so long withal used to be Confirmation and that with Chrism to supply the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost which Holy Ghost was so visibly seen in the Primitive Church nevertheless for the perfect declaration of the verity hereof I refer it to the judgment of Men of higher knowledg in this Faculty Altho Confirmation be found in the Scripture by Example as I said before yet there is nothing written de Chrismate The Imposition of Hands the Holy Doctors take for the same which we call Confirmation done upon them which were christened before whereof is written in the Acts. And as for Chrisma it should seem by Cyprian both as touching the confection and usage thereof that it hath a great ground to be derived out of Scripture tho it be not manifestly therein spoken of Res Effectus Confirmationis continentur in Scriptura nempe Impositio manuum per Apostolos Baptizatis per quam dabatur Spiritus Sanctus De Chrismate nihil illic legimus quia per id tempus Spiritus Sanctus signo visibili descenderit in Baptizatos Quod ubi fieri desierit Ecclesia Chrismate signi externi loco uti coepit I find not in Scripture that the Apostles laying their hands upon them that were baptized did anoint them Chrismate Confirmation cum Chrismate I read not in Scripture but Impositionem manuum super Baptizatos I find there is which ancient Authors call Confirmation and Inunction with Chrisma hath been used from the Primitive Church De Impositione manuum cum Oratione expressa mentio est in Scripturis quae nunc usitato nomine a Doctoribus dicitur Confirmatio Sacrum Chrisma traditio est Apostolica ut ex veteribus liquet The Question is not simple but as if it were asked Whether Eucharistia in infermentato be in the Scripture or baptismus cum sale Imposition of the Apostles hands in which was conferred the Holy Ghost for Confirmation of them who were baptized is found in Scripture Chrisma is a Tradition deduced from the Apostles as may be gathered by Scripture and by the Old Authors and the Mystery thereof is not to be despised This Sacrament is one unitate integritatis as some others be Therefore it hath two parts of which one that is Impositio manuum is taken Heb. 6. Act. 8. The other part that is Chrisme is taken of the Tradition of the Fathers and so used from the Primitive Church vid. Cyp. Epist. lib. 1. Ep. 12. Confirmation is found in Scripture and Confirmation cum Chrismate is gathered from the old Authors I say Confirmation is found in Scripture but this additament cum Chrismate is not of the Scripture yet is