temper was found it was placed as a Distinct Commandment but not at full length the words For I the Lord thy God c. being left out and only those that go before being set down In the Explanation of this Commandment Images were said to be profitable for putting us in mind of the great blessings we have received by our Saviour and of the vertues and holiness of the Saints by which we were to be stirred up to imitate them So that they were not to be despised though we be forbidden to do any godly honour to them And therefore the Superstition of preferring one Image to another as if they had any special vertue in them or the adorning them richly and making Vowes and Pilgrimages to them is condemned yet the Censing of Images and Kneeling before them are not condmned but the people must be taught that these things were not to be done to the Image it self but to God and his honour To the third Commandment they reduced the Invocation of Gods name for his Gifts And they condemned the Invocation of Saints when such things were prayed for from them which were only given by God This was the giving his Glory to Creatures yet to pray to Saints as Intercessors is declared lawful and according to the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Upon the 4th Commandement a Reâ—t from labour every 7th day is said to be Ceremonial and such as only obliged Iews but the Spiritual signification of Rest among Christians was to abstain from Sin and other Carnal pleasures But besides that we were also bound by this Precept sometimes to cease from labour that we may serve and worship God both in publick and private And that on the dayes appointed for this purpose people ought to examine their lives the past week and set to amendment and give themselves to prayer reading and meditation Yet in cases of necessity such as saving their Corn or Cattel men ought not superstitiously to think that it is a Sin to work on that day but to do their work without scruple Then follow very profitable Expositions of the other Commandments with many grave and weighty admonitions concerning the duties by them enjoyned and against those sins which are too Common in all Ages After that an Explanation of the Lords Prayer was added In the preface to which it is said that it is meet and requisite that the unlearned people should make their Prayers in their Mother-Tongue whereby they may be the more stirred to Devotion and to mind the things they prayed for Then followed an Exposition of the Angels Salutation of the Blessed Virgin In which the whole History of the Incarnation of Christ was opened and the Ave Maria explained which Hymne was chiefly to be used in Commemoration of Christs Incarnation and likewise to set forth the praises of the Blessed Virgin The next article is about Free-will which they say must be in man otherwise all Precepts and Exhortations are to no purpose They defined it a power of the will joyned with Reason whereby a reasonable creature without constraint in things of reason discerneth and willeth good and evil but chooseth good by the assistance of Gods grace and evil of it self This was perfect in the State of Innocency but is much impaired by Adams Fall and now by an especial grace offered to all men but enjoyed only by those who by their free-will do accept the same it was restored that with great watchfulness we may serve God acceptably And as many places of Scripture shew That free-will is still in man so there be many others which shew that the grace of God is necessary that doth both prevent us and assist us both to begin and perform every good work Therefore all men ought most gratefully to receive and follow the motions of the Holy Ghost and to beg Gods grace with earnest devotion and a stedfast Faith which he will grant to all that so ask it both because he is naturally good and he has promised to grant our desires For he is not the author of Sin nor the Cause of mans Damnation but this men draw on themselves who by vice have corrupted these Natures which God made good Therefore all Preachers were warned so to moderate themselves in this high point that they neither should so preach the Grace of God as to take away Free-will nor so extol Free-will as injury might be done to the Grace of God After this they handled Justification Having stated the miseries of man by nature and the guilt of Sin with the unspeakable goodness of God in sending Christ to redeem us by his death who was the Mediator between God and man They next shew how men are made partakers of the blessings which he hath procured Justification is the making of us righteous before God whereby we are reconciled to him and made heirs of Eternal life that by his Grace we may walk in his ways and be reputed just and righteous in the day of Judgment and so attain Everlasting Happiness God is the chief cause of our Justification yet man prevented by Grace is by his free-consent and obedience a worker toward the attaining his own Justification For though it is only procur'd through the merits of Christs death yet every one must do many things to attain a right and claim to that which though it was offered to all yet was applied but to a few We must have a stedfast Faith true Repentance real purposes of amendment committing Sin no more but serving God all our lives which if we fall from we must recover it by Penance Fasting Almes Prayer with other good works and a firm Faith going forward in mortification and obedience to the Laws of God It being certain that men might fall away from their Justification All curious reasonings about Predestination were to be set apart there being no certainty to he had of our Election but by feeling the motions of Gods Spirit in us by a good and virtuous life and persevering in it to the end Therefore it was to be taught that as on the one hand we are justified freely by the free Grace of God so on the other hand when it is said We are justified by Faith it must be understood of such a Faith in which the fear of God Repentance Hope and Charity be included all which must be joyned together in our Justification and though these be imperfect yet God accepteth of them freely thorough Christ. Next good works were explained which were said to be absolutely necessary to Salvation But these were not only outward corporal works but inward Spiritual works as the Love and Fear of God Patience Humility and the like Nor were they Superstitions and mens Inventions such as those in which Monks and Friers exercised themselves nor only moral works done by the power of Natural reason but the works of Charity flowing from a pure heart a good Conscience and Faith
other faults have been As Phocas Brunichild Irene Mathildis Edgar of England and many more But our Church is not near so much concerned in the persons of those Princes under whom the Reformation began as theirs is in the persons of their Popes who are believed to have far higher Characters of a Divine Power and Spirit in them than other Princes pretend to And yet if the lives of those Popes who have made the greatest advances in their Iurisdiction be examined particularly Gregory the Seventh and Boniface the Eighth vices more eminent than any can be charged on King Henry will be found in them And if a leud and wicked Pope may yet have the holy Ghost dwelling in him and directing him infallibly why may not an ill King do so good a Work as set a Reformation forward And if it were proper to enter into a dissection of Four of those Popes that sate at Rome during this Reign Pope Julius will be found beyond him in a vast Ambition whose bloody Reign did not only embroil Italy but a great part of Christendome Pope Leo the Tenth was as extravagant and prodigal in his expence which put him on baser Shifts than ever this King used to raise money not by embasing the Coin or raising new and heavie taxes but by embasing the Christian Religion and prostituting the pardon of sin in that foul trade of Indulgences Clement the Seventh was false to the highest degree a vice which cannot be charged on this King And Paul the 3d. was a vile and lewd Priest who not only kept his whore but gloried in it and raised one of his Bastards to an high Dignity making him Prince of Parma and Piacenza and himself is said to have lived in Incest with others of them And except the short Reign of Hadrian the Sixth there was no Pope at Rome all this while whose example might make any other Prince blush for his faults so that Guicciardine when he calls Pope Clement a good Pope adds I mean not Goodness Apostolical for in those days he was esteemed a good Pope that did not exceed the wickedness of the worst of men In sum Gods ways are a great deep who has often shewed his Power and Wisdom in raising up unlikely and unpromising instruments to do great services in the World not always employing the best men in them lest good Instruments should share too deep in the Praises of that which is only due to the Supreme Creator and Governour of the World And therefore he will stain the pride of all Glory that such as Glory may only Glory in the Lord. Jehu did an acceptable Service to God in destroying the Idolatry of Baal though neither the way of doing it be to be imitated being grosly insincere nor was the Reformation compleat since the Worshipping the two Calves was still kept up and it is very like his chief design in it was to destroy all the Party that favoured Ahab's Family yet the thing was good and was rewarded by God So whatever this Kings other faults were and how defective soever the Change he made was and upon what ill motives soever it may seem to have proceeded yet the things themselves being good we ought not to think the worse of them because of the Instrument or manner by which they were wrought but are to adore and admire the paths of the Divine Wisdom that brought about such a Change in a Church which being subjected to the See of Rome had been more than any other part of Europe most tame under its Oppressions and was most deeply drenched in Superstition And this by the means of a Prince who was the most devoted to the Interest of Rome of any in Christendome and seemed to be so upon knowledg being very learned and continued to the last much leavened with Superstition and was the only King in the World whom that See declared Defender of the Faith And that this should have been carried on so far with so little Opposition some risings though numerous and formidable being scattered and quieted without Blood And that a mighty Prince who was Victorious almost in all his undertakings Charles the 5th and was both provoked in point of Honour and Interest yet could never find one spare season to turn his Arms upon England are great Demonstrations of a particular Influence of Heaven in these Alterations and of its watchful care of them But the other prejudice touches the Reformation in a more vital and tender part and it is That Cranmer and the other Bishops who promoted the Reformation in the Succeeding Reign did in this comply too servilly with King Henry's humours both in carrying on his frequent Divorces and in retaining those Corruptions in the worship which by their throwing them off in the beginning of King Edward's Reign we may conclude were then condemned by them so that they seem to have praevaricated against their Consciences in that Complyance It were too faint a way of Answering so severe a Charge to turn it back on the Church of Rome and to shew the base Compliances of some even of the best of their Popes as Gregory the Great whose Congratulations to the Usurper Phocas are a strain of the meanest and undecentest flattery that ever was put in writing And his Complements to Brunichild who was one of the greatest Monsters both for Lust and Cruelty that ever her Sex produced show that there was no person so wicked that he was ashamed to flatter but the blemishing them will not I confess excuse our Reformers therefore other things are to be considered for their Vindication They did not at once attain the full knowledg of divine Truth so that in some particulars as in that of the Corporal Presence in the Sacrament both Cranmer and Ridley were themselves then in the dark Bertram's Book first convinced Ridley and he was the chief instrument in opening Cranmer's eyes So if themselves were not then enlightned they could not instruct others As for other things such as the giving the Cup to the Laity the Worshiping God in a known tongue and several reformations about the Mass though they judged them necessary to be done as soon as was possible yet they had not so full a perswasion of the necessity of these as to think it a sin not to do them The Prophets words to Naaman the Syrian might give them some colour for that mistake and the practice of the Apostles who continued not only to worship at the Temple but to Circumcise and to offer Sacrifices which must have been done by St. Paul when he purified himself in the Temple even after the Law was dead by the appearing of the Gospel seemed to excuse their Compliance They had also observed that as the Apostles were all things to all men that so they might gain some so the Primitive Christians had brought in many rites of Heathenism into their worship Upon which inducements they were wrought on to comply in some uneasie
the Holy Orders of Bishop Priest or Deacon the other that the Act should only be in force till the next Parliament With these Proviso's it was unanimously assented to by the Lords on the 26 Ian. 1513. and being agreed to by the Commons the Royal Assent made it a Law Pursuant to which many Murderers and Felons were denyed their Clergy and the Law passed on them to the great Satisfaction of the whole Nation But this gave great offence to the Clergy who had no mind to suffer their Immunities to be touched or lessened And judging that if the laity made bold with Inferiour Orders they would proceed further even against Sacred Orders therefore as their Opposition was such that the Act not being continued did determine at the next Parliament that was in the 5th year of the King so they not satisfied with that resolved to fix a censure on that Act as contrary to the Franchises of the Holy Church And the Abbot of Winchelcomb being more forward than the rest during the session of Parliament in the 7 year of this King's Reign in a Sermon at Pauls Cross said openly That that Act was contrary to the Law of God and to the Liberties of the Holy Church and that all who assented to it as well Spiritual as Temporal Persons had by so doing incur'd the Censures of the Church And for Confirmation of his Opinion he published a Book to prove That all Clerks whether of the greater or lower Orders were Sacred and exempted from all Temporal Punishment by the Secular Judge even in Criminal cases This made great noise and all the Temporal Lords with the concurrence of the House of Commons desired the King to suppress the growing Insolence of the Clergy So there was a hearing of the Matter before the King with all the Judges and the Kings Temporal Council Doctor Standish Guardian of the Mendicant Friers in London afterwards Bishop of Saint Asaph the chief of the Kings Spiritual Council argued That by the Law Clerks had been still convened and judged in the Kings Court for Civil Crimes and that there was nothing either in the Laws of God or the Church inconsistent with it and that the publick good of the Society which was chiefly driven at by all Laws and ought to be preferred to all other things required that Crimes should be punished But the Abbot of Winchelcomb being Counsel for the Clergy excepted to this and said There was a Decree made by the Church expresly to the contrary to which all ought to pay Obedience under the pain of Mortal sin and that therefore the trying of Clerks in the Civil Courts was a sin in it self Standish upon this turned to the King and said God forbid that all the Decrees of the Church should bind It seems the Bishops think not so for though there is a Decree that they should reside at their Cathedrals all the Festivals of the year yet the greater part of them do it not Adding That no Decree could have any force in England till it was received there and That this Decree was never received in England but that as well since the making of it as before Clerks had been tryed for Crimes in the Civil Courts To this the Abbot made no answer but brought a place of Scripture to prove this Exemption to have come from our Saviours words Nolite tangere Christos meos Touch not mine Anointed and therefore Princes ordering Clerks to be arrested and brought before their Courts was contrary to Scripture against which no custome can take place Standish replyed these words were never said by our Saviour but were put by David in his Psalter 1000 years before Christ and he said these words had no relation to the Civil Judicatories but because the greatest part of the World was then wicked and but a small number believed the Law they were a Charge to the Rest of the World not to do them harm But though the Abbot had been very violent and confident of his being able to confound all that held the contrary opinion yet he made no answer to this The Laity that were present being confirmed in their former opinion by hearing the Matter thus argued moved the Bishops to order the Abbot to renounce his former opinion and recant his Sermon at Pauls Cross. But they flatly refused to do it and said they were bound by the Laws of the Holy Church to maintain the Abbots opinion in every point of it Great heats followed upon this during the sitting of the Parliament of which there is a very partial Entry made in the Journal of the Lords House and no wonder the Clerk of the Parliament Doctor Tylor Doctor of the Canon-Law being at the same time Speaker of the Lower House of Convocation The Entrie is in these words In this Parliament and Convocation there were most dangerous contentions between the Clergy and the Secular Power about the Ecclesiastical liberties one Standish a Minor Frier being the Instrument and Promoter of all that mischief But a passage â—ell out that made this matter be more fully prosecuted in the Michaelmas-Term One Richard Hunne a Merchant-Taylor in London was questioned by a Clerk in Middlesex for a Mortuary pretended to be due for a Child of his that died 5 weeks old The Clerk claiming the beering sheet and Hunne refusing to give it upon that he was sued but his Counsel advised him to sue the Clerk in a Premunire for bringing the Kings Subjects before a forreign Court the Spiritual Court sitting by Authority from the Legate This touched the Clergy so in the quick that they used all the Arts they could to fasten Heresie on him and understanding that he had Wickliff's Bible upon that he was attached of Heresie and put in the Lollards Tower at Pauls and examined upon some Articles objected to him by Fitz-Iames then Bishop of London He denied them as they were chargeâ— against him but acknowledged he had said some words sounding that way for which he was sorry and asked Gods mercy and submitted himself to the Bishops Correction upon which he ought to have been enjoyned Penance and set at Liberty but he persisting still in his Sute in the Kings Courts they used him most cruelly On the Fourth of December he was found hanged in the Chamber where he was kept Prisoner And Doctor Horsey Chancellour to the â—iâ—hop of London with the other Officers who had the Charge of the Prison gave it out that he had hang'd himself But the Coroner of London coming to hold an Inquest on the dead body they found him hanging so loose and in a silk girdle that they clearly perceived he was killed they also found his Neck had been broken as they judged with an Iron chain for the Skin was all fretted and cut they saw some streams of blood about his body besides several other evidences which made it clear he had not murdered himself whereupon they did acquit the dead body and
the Commandment is conceived in general words yet there are some exceptions to be admitted as though it be said Thou shalt not kill yet in some cases we may lawfully kill so in the case of justice a Judge may lawfully sit on his Father But Doctor Veysey's Argument was that which took most with all that were present He said it was certain that the Laws of the Church did not bind any but those who received them To prove this he said that in old times all secular Priests were Married but in the days of St. Augustine the Apostle of England there was a Decree made to the contrary which was received in England and in many other places by vertue whereof the Secular Priests in England may not Marry but this Law not being universally received the Greek Church never judged themselves bound by it so that to this day the Priests in that Church have Wives as well as other secular men If then the Churches of the East not having received the Law of the Celibate of the Clergy have never been condemned by the Church for not obeying it then the conveening Clerks having been always practised in England was no sin notwithstanding the Decree to the contrary which was never received here Nor is this to be compared to those priviledges that concern only a Private mans Interest for the Common-Wealth of the whole Realm was chiefly to be lookt at and to be preferred to all other things When the Matter was thus argued on both sides all the Judges delivered their Opinions in these words That all those of the Convocation who did award the Citation against Standish were in the case of a Premunire facias and added somewhat about the Constitution of the Parliament which being forreign to my business and contrary to a received opinion I need not mention but refer the Reader to Keilway for his Information if he desires to know more of it and thus the Court broke up But soon after all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal with many of the House of Commons and all the Judges and the Kings Council were called before the King to Baynards Castle and in all their presence the Cardinal kneeled down before the King and in the name of the Clergy said That none of them intended to do any thing that might derogate from his Prerogative and least of all himself who owed his advancement only to the Kings favour But this matter of Conveening of Clerks did seem to them all to be contrary to the Laws of God and the Liberties of the Church which they were bound by their Oaths to maintain according to their Power Therefore in their name he humbly begged That the King to avoid the Censures of the Church would refer the Matter to the decision of the Pope and his Council at the Court of Rome To which the King answered It seems to us that Doctor Standish and others of our Spiritual Council have answered you fully in all points The Bishop of Winchester replyed Sir I warrant you Doctor Standish will not abide by his Opinion at his peril But the Doctor said what should one poor Frier doe alone against all the Bishops and Clergy of England After a short silence the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury said That in former times divers holy Fathers of the Church had opposed the execution of that Law and some of them suffered Martyrdome in the Quarrel To whom Fineux Lord Chief Justice said That many holy Kings had mantained that Law and many holy Fathers had given Obedience to it which it is not to be presumed they would have done had they known it to be contrary to the Law of God and he desired to know by what Law Bishops could judge Clerks for Felony it being a thing only determined by the Temporal Law so that either it was not at all to be tryed or it was only in the Temporal Court so that either Clerks must do as they please or be tryed in the Civil Courts To this no Answer being made the King said these words By the Permission and Ordinance of God we are King of England and the Kings of England in times past had never any Superiour but God only Therefore know you well that we will maintain the Right of our Crown and of our Temporal Iurisdiction as well in this as in all other points in as ample manner as any of our Progenitours have done before our time And as for your Decrees we are well assured that you of the Spirituality go expresly against the words of divers of them as hath been shewed you by some of our Council and you interpret your Decrees at your pleasure but we will not agree to them more than our Progenitors have done in former times But the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury made most humble Instance that the Matter might be so long respited till they could get a Resolution from the Court of Rome which they should procure at their own Charges and if it did consist with the Law of God they should conform themselves to the Law of the Land To this the King made no answer but the Warrants being out against Doctor Horsey the Bishop of London's Chancellour he did abscond in the Arch-Bishops house though it was pretended he was a Prisoner there till afterwards a temper was found that Horsey should render himself a Prisoner in the Kings Bench and be tryed But the Bishop of London made earnest Applications to the Cardinal that he would move the King to command the Attourney-General to confess the Inditement was not true that it might not be referred to a Jury since he said the Citizens of London did so favour Heresie that if he were as Innocent as Abel they would find any Clerk guilty The King not willing to irritate the Clergy too much and judging he had maintained his Prerogative by bringing Horsey to the Bar ordered the Attourney to do so And accordingly when Horsey was brought to the Bar and Endited of Murder he pleaded Not guilty which the Attourney acknowledging he was dismissed and went and lived at Exeter and never again came back to London either out of fear or shame And for Doctor Standish upon the Kings Command he was also dismissed out of the Court of Convocation It does not appear that the Pope thought fit to interpose in this Matter For though upon less Provocations Popes had proceeded to the highest Censures against Princes yet this King was otherwise so necessary to the Pope at this time that he was not to be offended The Clergy suffered much in this business besides the loss of their reputation with the people who involved them all in the guilt of Hunne's Murder for now their Exemption being well examined was found to have no foundation at all but in their own Decrees and few were much convinced by that authority since upon the matter it was but a judgment of their own in their own favours nor was the City of London at all satisfied with
St. Austin who do plainly deliver the Tradition of the Church about the obligation of those Laws and answer the objections that were made either from Abraam's Marrying his Sister or from Iacob's Marrying two Sisters or the Law in Deuteronomy for the Brothers Marrying his Brothers Wife if he died without Children They observed that the same Doctrine was also taught by the Fathers and Doctors in the latter Ages d Anselm held it and pleads much for Marrying in remote Degrees and answer the Objection from the Decision in the Case of the Daughters of Zelophehad Hugo Cardinalis Radulphus Flaviacenfis and Rupertus Tuitiensis do agree that these Precepts are Moral and of perpetual obligation as also Hugo de Sto. Victore Hildebert Bishop of Mans being consulted in a Case of the same nature with what is now controverted plainly Determines That a man may not Marry his Brothers Wife and by many Authorities shewes That by no means it can be allowed And Ivo Carnotensis being desired to give his Opinion in a Case of the same circumstanceâ— of a Kings Marrying his Brothers Wife says Such a Marriage is null as inconsistent with the Law of God and that the King was not to be admitted to the Communion of the Church till he put away his Wife since there was no Dispencing with the Law of God and no Sacrifice could be offered for those that continued willingly in sin Passages also to the same purpose are in other places of his Epistles From these Doctors and Fathers the Inquiry descended to the Schoolmen who had with more niceness and subtlety examined things They do all agree in asserting the obligation of these Levitical Prohibitions Thomas Aquinas does it in many places and confirmes it with many Arguments Altisiodorensis says they are Moral Laws and part of the Law of Nature Petrus de Palude is of the â—ame mind and says that a mans Marrying his Brothers Wife was a Dispensation granted by God but could not be now allowed because it was contrary to the Law of Nature St. Antonine of Florence Ioannes de Turre Cremata Ioannes de Tabia Iacobus de Lausania and Astexanus were also cited for the same Opinion And those who wrote against Wickliffe namely Wydeford Cotton and Waldensis charged him with Heresie for denying that those Prohibitions did oblige Christians And asserted that they were Moral Laws which obliged all Mankind And the Books of Waldensis were approved by P. Martin the First There were also many Quotations brought out of Petrus de Tarantasia Durandus Stephanus Brulifer Richardus de Media Villa Guido Briancon Gerson Paulus Ritius and many others to confirm the same Opinion who did all unanimously assert That those Laws in Leviticus are parts of the Law of Nature which oblige all Mankind and that Marriages contracted in these Degrees are null and void All the Canonists were also of the same mind Ioannes Andreas Ioannes de Imola Abbas Panormitanus Mattheus Neru Vincentius Innocentius and Ostiensis all Concluded that these Laws were still in force and could not be Dispenced with There was also a great deal alledged to prove that a Marriage is compleated by the Marriage-Contract though it be never Consummated Many Authorities were brought to prove that Adonijah could not Marry Abishag because she was his Fathers Wife though never known by him And by the Law of Moses a woman espoused to a man if she admitted another to her Bed was to be stoned as an Adulteress from whence it appears that the validity of Marriage is from the mutual Covenant And though Ioseph never knew the Blessed Virgin yet he was so much her Husband by the Espousals that he could not put her away but by a Bill of Divorce and was afterwards called her Husband and Christs Father Affinity had been also defined by all writers a Relation arising out of Marriage and since Marriage was a Sacrament of the Church its Essence could only consist in the Contract and therefore as a man in Orders has the Character though he never Consecrated any Sacrament So Marriage is compleat though its effect never follow And it was shewed that the Canonists had only brought in the Consummation of Marriage as essential to it by Ecclesiastical Law But that as Adam and Eve were perfectly Married before they knew one another so Marriage was compleat upon the Contract and what followed was only an effect done in the right of the Marriage And there was a great deal of filthy stuff brought together of the different Opinions of the Canonists concerning Consummation to what Degree it must go to shew that it could not be essential to the Marriage Conâ—ract which in modesty were suppressed Both Hildebert of Mans Ivo Carnotensis and Hugo de Sto. Victore had delivered this Opinion and proved it out of St. Chrysostome Ambrose Austin and Isidore Pope Nicolas and the Council of Tribur defined that Marriage was compleated by the Consent and the Benediction From all which they Concluded that although it could not be proved that Prince Arthur knew the Queen yet that she being once lawfully Married to him the King could not afterwards Marry her It was also said that violent presumptions were sufficient in the Opinion of the Canonists to prove Consummation Formal proofs could not be expected and for Persons that were of Age and in good health to be in Bed together was in all Trials about Consummation all that the Cononists sought for And yet this was not all in this Case for it appeared that upon her Husbands death she was kept with great care by some Ladies who did think her with Child and she never said any thing against it And in the Petition offered to the Pope in her name repeated in the Bull that was procured for the Second Marriage it is said she was perhaps known by Prince Arthur and in the Breve it is plainly said she was known by Prince Arthur and though the Queen offered to purge her self by Oath that Prince Arthur never knew her it was proved by many Authorities out of the Canon-Law That a Partie's Oath ought not to be taken when there were violent presumptions to the contrary As for the validity of the Popes Dispensation it was said That though the Schoolmen and Canonists did generally raise the Popes Power very high and stretch it as far as it was possible yet they all agreed that it could not reach the Kings Case Upon this received Maxime That only the Laws of the Church are subject to the Pope and may be dispenced with by him but that Laws of God are above him and that he cannot dispence with them in any case This Aquinas delivers in many places of his Works Petrus de Palude says The Pope cannot dispence with Marriage in these Degrees because it is against Nature But Ioannes de Turre Cremata reports a singular Case which fell out when he was a
the Kingdom fell into the hands of the Churchmen The Bishops looked more after the affairs of the State than the concerns of the Church and were resolved to maintain by their cruelty what their Predecessors had acquired by fraud and impostures And as Lesly himself confesses there was no pains taken to instruct the people in the principles of Religion nor were the Children at all Catechised but left in ignorance and the ill lives of the Clergy who were both covetous and lewd disposed the people to favour those that preached for a Reformation The first that suffered in this Age was Patrick Hamilton a person of very noble blood his Father was Brother to the Earl of Arran and his Mother Sister to the Duke of Albany so nearly was he on both sides related to the King He was provided of the Abbey of Fern in his youth and being designed for greater preferments he was sent to travel but as he went thorough Germany he contracted a friendship with Luther Melanction and others of their Perswasion by whose means he was instructed in the points about which they differed from the Church of Rome He returned to Scotland that he might communicate that knowledg to others with which himself was so happily enlightned And little considering either the hindrance of his further Preferment or the other dangers that might lie in his way he spared not to lay open the Corruptions of the Roman Church and to shew the Errours that had crept into the Christian Religion He was a man both of great learning and of a sweet and charming conversation and came to be followed and esteemed by all sorts of people The Clergy being enraged at this invited him to St. Andrews that there might be Conferences held with him about those points which he condemned And one Frier Campbel Prior of the Dominicans who had the reputation of a Learned man was appointed to treat with him They had many Conferences together and the Prior seemed to be convinced in most points and acknowledged there were many things in the Church that required Reformation But all this while he was betraying him So that when the Abbot looked for no such thing he was in the night time made Prisoner and carried to the Arch-Bishops Castle There several Articles were objected to him about Original Sin Free-will Justification Good Works Priestly Absolution Auricular Confession Purgatory and the Popes being Antichrist Some of these he positively adhered to the others he thought were disputable points yet he said he would not condemn them except he saw better reasons than any he had yet heard The matter was referred to 12 Divines of the University of whom Frier Campbel was one And within a day or two they censured all his Tenets as Heretical and contrary to the Faith of the Church On the first of March Judgment was given upon him by Beaton Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews with whom sate the Archbishop of Glasgow the Bishop of Dunkeld Brichen and Dunblan five Abbots and many of the inferior Clergy They also made the whole University old and young sign it He was declared an obstinate Heretick and delivered to the Secular Power The King had at that time gone a Pilgrimage to Ross and the Clergy fearing lest nearness of blood with the Intercessions which might be made for him should snatch this prey out of their hands proceeded that same day to his Execution So in the afternoon he was brought to the Stake before St. Salvators Colledg He stripped himself of his Garments and gave them to his man and said he had no more to leave him but the example of his death That he prayed him to keep in mind For though it was bitter and painful in mans Iudgment yet it was the entrance to Everlasting life which none could inherit that denied Christ before such a Congregation Then was he tied to a Stake and a great deal of fewel was heaped about him which he seemed not to fear but continued lifting up his eyes to heaven and recommending his soul to God When the train of Powder was kindled it did not take hold of the Fewel but only scorched his hand and the side of his face This occasioned some delay till more powder was brought from the Castle during which time the Friers were very troublesome and called to him to turn and pray to our Lady and say Salve Regina None was more officious than Frier Campbel The Abbot wished him often to let him alone and give him no more trouble But the Frier continuing to importune him he said to him Wicked man thou knowest that I am not an Heretick and that it is the truth of God for which I now suffer So much thou didst confess to me in private and thereupon I appeal thee to answer before the Iudgment Seat of Christ. By this time more powder was brought and the fire was kindled He cried out with a loud voice How long O Lord shall darkness oppress this Realm how long wilt thou suffer this Tyranny of Men and died repeating these words Lord Iesus receive my Spirit The patience and constancy he expressed in his sufferings made the Spectators generally conclude that he was a true Martyr of Christ in which they were the more confirmed by Frier Campbells falling into great despair soon after who from that turned frantick and died within a year On this I have insisted the more fully because it was indeed the beginning of the Reformation in Scotland and raised there an humour of inquiring into points of Religion which did always prove fatal to the Church of Rome In the University it self many were wrought on and particularly one Seaton a Dominican Frier who was the Kings Confessor He being appointed to preach the next Lent at St. Andrews insisted much on these points That the Law of God was the only Rule of Righteousness that Sin was only committed when Gods Law was violated that no man could satisfie for Sin and that pardon was to be obtained by unfeigned repentance and true faith But he never mentioned Purgatory Pilgrimages Merits nor Prayers to Saints which used to be the Subjects on which the Friers insisted most on these occasions Being gone from St. Andrews he heard that another Frier of his own Order had refuted these Doctrines So he returned and confirmed them in another Sermon in which he also made some reflections on Bishops that were not Teachers calling them Dumb-Dogs For this he was carried before the Arch-Bishop but he defended himself saying that he had only in St. Pauls words said a Bishop should teach and in Esaias words that such as did not teach were Dumb-doggs but having said this in the general he did not apply it to any Bishop in particular The Arch-Bishop was netled at this answer yet resolved to let him alone till he should be brought into disgrace with the King And that was soon done for the King being a licentious Prince and Frier Seaton having
Benefices should bring their Curates to him or his Officers to be tried Fifthly That they should often exhort their Parishioners to make no private contracts of Marriage Sixthly That they should marry none who were married before till they were sufficiently assured that the former Husband or Wife were dead Seventhly That they should instruct the Children of their several Parishes and teach them to read English that they might know how to believe and pray and live according to the Will of God Eighthly That they should reconcile all that were in Enmity and in that be a good Example to others Ninthly That none should receive the Communion who did not Confess to their own Curates Tenthly That none should be suffered to go to Taverns or Ale-Houses and use unlawful games on Sundays or Holy-days in time of Divine Service Eleventhly That twice every quarter they should declare the seven deadly sins and the Ten Commandments Twelfthly That no Priest should go but in his Habit. Thirteenthly That no Priest should be admitted to say Mass without shewing his Letters of Orders to the Bishop or his Officers Fourteenthly That they should instruct the People to beware of Blasphemy or Swearing by any part of Christs Body and to abstain from Scolding and Slandering Adultery Fornication Gluttony or Drunkenness and that they should present at the next Visitation those who were guilty of these sins Fifteenthly That no Priest should use unlawful games or go to Ale-houses or Taverns but upon an urgent necessity Sixteenthly No Playes or Enterludes to be Acted in the Churches Seventeenthly That there should be no Sermons Preached that had been made within these two hundred or three hundred years But when they Preached they should explain the whole Gospel and Epistle for the day according to the mind of some good Doctor allowed by the Church of England and chiefly to insist on these places that might stir up the people to good works and to prayer and to explain the use of the Ceremonies of the Church That there should be no railing in Sermons but the Preacher should calmly and discreetly set forth the excellencies of Vertue and the vileness of Sin and should also explain the Prayers for that day that so the People might pray with one heart and should teach them the use of the Sacraments particularly of the Mass but should avoid the reciting of Fables or Stories for which no good Writer could be vouched and that when the Sermon was ended the Preacher should in few words resume the substance of it Eighteenthly That none be suffered to Preach under the degree of a Bishop who had not obtained a License either from the King or him their Ordinary These Injunctions especially when they are considered at their full length will give great light into the temper of men at that time and particularly inform us of the design and method of Preaching as it was then set forward Concerning which the Reader will not be ill pleased to receive some information In the time of Popery there had been few Sermons but in Lent for their discourses on the Holydays were rather Panegyricks on the Saint or the vain magnifying of some of their Reliques which were laid up in such or such places In Lent there was a more solemn and serious way of Preaching and the Friars who chiefly maintained their credit by their performances at that time used all the force of their skill and industry to raise the People into heats by passionate and affecting discourses Yet these generally tended to raise the value of some of the Laws of the Church such as Abstinence at that time Confession with other Corporal Severities or some of the little devices that both inflamed a blind Devotion and drew Money such as Indulgences Pilgrimages or the enriching the Shrines and Reliques of the Saints But there was not that pains taken to inform the People of the hatefulness of Vice and the excellency of Holiness or of the wonderful Love of Christ by which men might be engaged to acknowledge and obey him And the design of their Sermons was rather to raise a present heat which they knew afterwards how to manage than to work a real Reformation on their Hearers They had also intermixt with all Divine Truths so many Fables that they were become very extravagant and that alloy had so embased the whole that there was great need of a good discerning to deliver People from those prejudices which these mixtures brought upon the whole Christian Doctrine Therefore the Reformers studied with all possible care to instruct the People in the Fundamentals of Christianity with which they had been so little acquainted From hence it came that the People ran after those New Preachers with wonderful zeal It is true there seem to be very foul and indiscreet reâ—lections on the other Party in some of their Sermons But if any have applied themselves much to observe what sort of men the Fryars and the rest of the Popish Clergy were at that time they shall find great excuses for those heats And as our Saviour laid open the Hypocrisies and Impostures of the Scribes and Pharisees in a style which such corruptions extorted so there was great cause given to treat them very roughly tho it is not to be denied but those Preachers had some mixtures of their own resentments for the cruelties and ill usage which they received from them But now that the Reformation made a greater progress much pains was taken to send eminent Preachers over the Nation not confining them to particular charges but sending them with the Kings Licence up and down to many places Many of these Licences are enrolled and it is likely that many were granted that were not so carefully preserved But provision was also made for peoples daily Instruction and because in that ignorant time there could not be found a sufficient number of good Preachers and in a time of so much jugling they would not trust the Instruction of the people to every one Therefore none was to Preach except he had gotten a particular Licence for it from the King or his Diocesan But to qualifie this a Book of Homilies was Printed in which the Gospels and Epistles of all the Sundays and Holidays of the year were set down with an Homily to every one of these which is a plain and practical Paraphrase on those parcels of Scripture To these are added many serious exhortations and some short explanations of the most obvious difficulties that shew the Compiler of them was a man both of good judgement and learning To these were also added Sermons upon several occasions as for Weddings Christnings and Funerals and these were to be read to the people by such as were not Licensed to Preach But those who were Licensed to Preach being oft accused for their Sermons and Complaints being made to the King by hot men on both sides they came generally to write and read their Sermons From thence the
the Law of Nature to take the surer way or else he should seem to contemn his own Health which is unnatural Also because we be bound to love God above all things we ought by the same Bond to labour for his Grace and Favour So that because we be bound to love God and to love our selves in an Order to God we be bound to seek the best and surest Remedy to recover Grace for our selves Contrition is one way but because a Man cannot be well assured whether his Contrition Attrition or Displeasure for his sin be sufficient to satisfie or content Almighty God and able or worthy to get his Grace Therefore it is necessary to take that way that will not fail and by which thou mayest be sure and that is Absolution of the Priest which by Christ's promise will not deceive thee so that thou put no step or bar in the way as if thou do not then actually sin inwardly nor outwardly but intend to receive that the Church intendeth to give thee by that Absolution having the efficacity of Christ's promise Quorum Remiseritis c. Now the Priest can give thee no Absolution from that sin that he knoweth not therefore thou art bound for the causes aforesaid to confess thy sin This Scripture as Ancient Doctors expound it bindeth all Men to confess their secret deadly sins I say That such Confession is a thing most consonant to the Law of God and it is a wise point and a wholsome thing so for to do and God provoketh and allureth us thereto in giving the active Power to Priests to assoil in the words Quorum Remiseritis It is also a safer way for Salvation to confess if we may have a Priest Yet I think that confession is not necessarily deduced of Scripture nor commanded as a necessary precept of Scripture and yet is it much consonant to the Law of God as a thing willed not commanded To the fifteenth I think that only such as have not the knowledg of the Scripture whereby they may quiet their Consciences be bound to confess their secret deadly sins unto a Priest Howbeit no Man ought to contemn such Auricular Confession for I suppose it to be a Tradition Apostolical necessary for the unlearned Multitude A Man whose Conscience is grieved with mortal secret sins is bound by these words Quorum Remiseritis c. to confess his sin to a Priest if he may have him conveniently Eboracens Londinens Dayus Oglethorpus Coren Redmayn asserunt obligari Coxus Tresham Robertsonus dicunt non obligari si aliter Conscientiae illorum satisfieri queat Menevens nullo modo obligari Carliolens Symmons aiunt secundum veterum interpretationem hac Scriptura quemvis obligari peccatorem Roffens Herefordens Thirliby non respondent sed dubitant Leightonus solum indoctos obligari ad Confessionem Edgeworth tradit duplicem modum remissionis peccatorum per Contritionem sive Attritionem per Absolutionem quia nemo potest certus esse num attritio dolor pro peccato sufficiat ad satisfaciendum Deo obtinendam gratiam ideo tutissimam viam deligendam scilicet Absolutionem a Sacerdote quae per promissionem Christi est certa Absolvere non potest nisi cognoscat peccata Ergo peccata per Confessionem sunt illi revelanda In the eleventh Concerning Confession of our secret deadly sins The Bishops of York Duresme London Drs. Day Curren Oglethorp Redmayn Crayford say That Men be bound to confess them of their secret Sins Drs. Cox Tresham Robertson say They be not bound if they may quiet their Consciences otherwise The Bishop of St. Davids also saith That this Text bindeth no Man Dr. Leighton saith That it bindeth only such as have not the knowledg of Scripture The Bishop of Carlisle and Symmons say That by ancient Doctors exposition Men be bound by this Text to confess their deadly sins 16. Question Whether a Bishop or a Priest may excommunicate and for what Crimes And whether they only may Excommunicate by God's Law Answers A Bishop or a Priest by the Scripture is neither commanded nor forbidden to Excommunicate but where the Laws of any Region giveth him authority to Excommunicate there they ought to use the same in such Crimes as the Laws have such authority in and where the Laws of the Region forbiddeth them there they have no authority at all and they that be no Priests may also Excommunicate if the Law allow thereunto To the sixteenth The power to Excommunicate that is to dissever the Sinner from the communion of all Christian People and so put them out of the Unity of the Mystical Body for the time donec resipisâ—at is only given to the Apostles and their Successors in the Gospel but for what Crimes altho in the Gospel doth not appear saving only for disobedience against the Commandment of the Church yet we find example of Excommunication used by the Apostles in other cases As of the Fornicator by Paul of Hymeneus and Alexander for their Blaspemy by the same and yet of other Crimes mentioned in the Epistle of the said Paul writing to the Corinthians And again of them that were disobedient to his Doctrine 2 Thess. 3. We find also charge given to us by the Apostle St. Iohn that we shall not commune with them nor so much as salute him with Ave that would not receive his Doctrine By which it may appear that Excommunication may be used for many great Crimes and yet the Church at this day doth not use it but only for manifest disobedience And this kind of Excommunication whereby Man is put out of the Church and dissevered from the Unity of Christ's Mystical Body which Excommunication toucheth also the Soul no Man may use but they only to whom it is given by Christ. To the sixteenth I think that a Bishop may Excommunicate taking example of St. Paul with the Corinthian and also of that he did to Alexander and Hymeneus And with the Lawyers it hath been a thing out of Question That to Excommunicate solemnly appertaineth to a Bishop altho otherwise both inferior Prelates and other Officers yea and Priests too in notorious Crimes after divers Mens Opinions may Excommunicate semblably as all others that be appointed Governors and Rulers over any Multitude or Spiritual Congregation I answer affirmatively to the first part in open and manifest Crimes meaning of such Priests and Bishops as be by the Church authorized to use that power To the second part I answer That it is an hard Question wherein I had rather hear other Men speak than say my own Sentence for I find not in Scripture nor in the old Doctors that any Man hath given Sentence of Excommunication save only Priests but yet I think that it is not against the Law of God that a Lay-man should have authority to do it Divers Texts of Scripture seemeth by the Interpretation
of ancient Authors to shew that a Bishop or a Priest may Excommunicate open deadly sinners continuing in obstinacy with contempt I have read in Histories also that a Prince hath done the same Opinor Episcopum aut Presbyterum Excommunicare posse tanquam ministrum os Ecclesiae ab eadem mandatum habens Utrum vero id juris nulli nisi Sacerdotibus in mandatis dari possit non satis scio Excommunicandum esse opinor pro hujuscemodi criminibus qualia recenset Paulus 1 Cor. 5. si is qui frater nominatur est fornicator aut avarus aut idolis serviens aut maledicus aut ebriosus aut rapax cum hujusmodi ne cibum sumere c. A Bishop or a Priest as a publick Person appointed to that Office may excommunicate for all publick Crimes And yet it is not against God's Law for others than Bishops or Priests to Excommunicate A Bishop or a Priest may Excommunicate by God's Law for manifest and open Crimes Also others appointed by the Church tho they be no Priests may exercise the power of Excommunication Non solum Episcopus Excommunicare potest sed etiam tota Congregatio idque pro lethalibus criminibus ac publicis ê quibus scandalum Ecclesiae provenire potest Non tamen pro re pecuniaria uti olim solebant They may Excommunicate as appeareth 1 Cor. 5. 1 Tim. 1. and that for open and great Crimes whereby the Church is offended and for such Crimes as the Prince and Governours determine and thinketh expedient Men to be excommunicate for as appeareth in nonnullis Constitutionibus Iustiniani Whether any other may pronounce the Sentence but a Bishop or a Priest I am uncertain A Bishop or a Priest only may excommunicate a notorious and grievous Sinner or obstinate Person from the Communion of Christian People because it pertaineth to the Jurisdiction which is given to Priests Io. 26. Quorum Remiseritis c. et Quorum retinetis c. There is one manner of Excommunication spoken of 1 Cor. 5. which private Persons may use Si is qui frater nominatur inter vos est fornicator aut avarus aut idolis ferviens c. cum hujusmodi ne cibum quidem capiatis Excluding filthy Persons covetous Persons Braulers and Quarrellers out of their Company and neither to eat nor drink with them Whosoever hath a place under the Higher Power and is assigned by the same to execute his Ministry given of God he may Excommunicate for any Crime as it shall be seen to the High Power if the same Crime be publick A Bishop and Priest may Excommunicate by Scripture as touching for what Crimes I say for every open deadly sin and disobedience And as touching Whether only the Priest may Excommunicate I say not he only but such as the Church authorizes so to do To the sixteenth I say that a Bishop or a Priest having License and Authority of the Prince of the Realm may excommunicate every obstinate and inobedient Person for every notable and deadly sin And further I say That not only Bishops and Priests may Excommunicate but any other Man appointed by the Church or such as have authority to appoint Men to that Office may Excommunicate A Bishop or a Priest may Excommunicate an obstinate Person for publick Sins Forsomuch as the Keys be given to the whole Church the whole Congregation may Excommunicate which Excommunication may be pronounced by such a one as the Congregation does appoint altho he be neither Bishop nor Priest Menevens Herefordens Thirleby Dayus Leightonus Coxus Symmons Coren concedunt authoritatem excommunicandi etiam Laicis modo a Magistratu deputentur Eboracens Edgworth prorsus negant datum Laicis sed Apostolis eorum successoribus tantum Roffensis Redmanus Robertsonus ambigunt num detur Laicis Londinens non respondet Quaestioni Oglethorpus Thirliby aiunt Ecclesiae datam esse potestatem Excommunicandi Idem Treshamus In the sixteenth Of Excommunication they do not agree The Bishops of York Duresme and Dr. Edgworth say That Lay-men have not the authority to Excommunicate but that it was given only unto the Apostles and their Successors The Bishops of Hereford St. Davids Westminster Doctors Day Coren Leighton Cox Symmons say That Lay-men may Excommunicate if they be appointed by the High Ruler My Lord Elect of Westminster Dr. Tresham and Dr. Oglethorp say further That the Power of Excommunication was given to the Church and to such as the Church shall institute 17. Question Whether Unction of the Sick with Oil to remit Venial Sins as it is now used be spoken of in the Scripture or in any ancient Authors Answers UNction of the Sick with Oil to remit Venial Sins as it is now used is not spoken of in the Scripture nor in any ancient Authors T. Cantuarien This is mine Opinion and Sentence at this present which I do not temerariously define but do remit the judgment thereof wholly unto your Majesty To the seventeenth Of Unction of the Sick with Oil and that Sins thereby be remitted St. Iames doth teach us but of the Holy Prayers and like Ceremonies used in the time of the Unction we find no special mention in Scripture albeit the said St. Iames maketh also mention of Prayer to be used in the Ministry of the same Edward Ebor. To the seventeenth I think that albeit it appeareth not clearly in Scripture whether the usage in extream Unction now be all one with that which was in the beginning of the Church Yet of the Unction in time of Sickness and the Oil also with Prayers and Ceremonies the same is set forth in the Epistle of St. Iames which place commonly is alledged and so hath been received to prove the Sacrament of extream Unction Ita mihi Edmundo Londinensi Episcopo pro hoc tempore dicendum videtur salvo judicio melius sentientis cui me prompte humiliter subjicio In Unction of them that be Sick with Oil and praying for them for remission of Sins is plainly spoken of in the Epistle of St. Iames but after what form or fashion the said Inunction was then used the Scripture telleth not Written on the back of the Paper The Bishop of Rochester's Book Extream Unction is plainly set out by St. Iames with the which maketh also that is written in the 6 th of St. Mark after the mind of right good ancient Doctors Robert Carliolen De Unctione Infirmorum nihil reperio in Scripturis praeter id quod scribitur Marc. 6. Jacob. 5. Thomas Robertson T. Cantuarien Unction of the Sick with Oil consecrat as it is now used is not spoken of in Scripture Richardus Cox Unction of the Sick with praying for them is found in Scripture George Day Opiniones non Assertiones De Unctione Infirmorum cum oleo adjecta Oratione expressa mentio est in
Rome or any Suitors to the Court of Rome or that lett the devolution of Causes unto that Court or that put any new Charges or Impositions real or personal upon any Church or Ecclesiastical Person and generally all other that offend in the Cases contained in the Bull which is usually published by the Bishops of Rome upon Maundy Thursday all these can be assoiled by no Priest Bishop Arch-Bishop nor by none other but only by the Bishop of Rome or by his express license 2. 4. q. z. Robbing of the Clergy and poor Men appertaineth unto the judgment of the Bishops 23. 9. q. He is no Man-slayer that slayeth a Man which is Excommunicate Dist. 63. Tibi Domino de summa Excommunicationis Si judex Here may be added the most tyrannical and abominal Oaths which the Bishop of Rome exact of the Emperors in Clement de jurejurando Romani dist 6.3 Tibi Domino De Consecra Dist. 1. Sicut It is better not to Consecrate than to Consecrate in a place not Hallowed De Consecrat Dist. 5. De his manus ut reum Confirmation if it be ministred by any other than a Bishop is of no value nor is no Sacrament of the Church also Confirmation is more to be had in reverence than Baptism and no Man by Baptism can be a christned Man without Confirmation De poeniten Dist. 1. Multiplex A penitent Person can have no remission of his Sin but by supplication of the Priests XXVIII A Mandate for publishing and using the Prayers in the English Tongue Mandatum Domino Episcopo London direct pro publicatione Regiarum Injunctionum MOst Reverend Father in God right trusty and right well-beloved we greet you well and let you wit That calling to our remembrance the miserable state of all Christendom being at this present besides all other troubles so plagued with most cruel Wars Hatred and Dissensions as no place of the same almost being the whole reduced to a very narrow corner remaineth in good Peace Agreement and Concord the help and remedy whereof far exceeding the power of any Man must be called for of him who only is able to grant our Petitions and never forsaketh nor repelleth any that firmly believe and faithfully call on him unto whom also the example of Scripture encourageth us in all these and other our troubles and necessities to fly and to cry for aid and succour being therefore resolved to have continually from henceforth general Processions in all Cities Towns Churches and Parishes of this our Realm said and sung with such reverence and devotion as appertaineth Forasmuch as heretofore the People partly for lack of good Instruction and Calling and partly for that they understood no part of such Prayers or Suffrages as were used to be sung and said have used to come very slackly to the Procession when the same have been commanded heretofore We have set forth certain godly Prayers and Suffrages in our Native English Tongue which we send you herewith signifying unto you That for the special trust and confidence we have of your godly mind and earnest desire to the setting forward of the Glory of God and the true worshipping of his 〈◊〉 Holy Name within that Province committed by us unto you we have sent unto you these Suffrages not to be for a month or two observed and after slenderly considered as other our Injunctions have to our no little marvel been used but to the intent that as well the same as other our Injunctions may be earnestly set forth by preaching good Exhortations and otherwise to the People in such sort as they feeling the godly tast thereof may godly and joyously with thanks receive embrace and frequent the same as appertaineth Wherefore we will and command you as you will answer unto us for the contrary not only to cause these Prayers and Suffrages aforesaid to be published frequented and openly used in all Towns Churches Villages and Parishes of your own Diocess but also to signify this our pleasure unto all other Bishops of your Province willing and commanding them in our Name and by virtue hereof to do and execute the same accordingly Unto whose Proceedings in the execution of this our Commandment we will that you have a special respect and make report unto us if any shall not with good dexterity accomplish the same Not failing as our special trust is in you At St. Iames's Iunii Regni 36. Directed to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury XXIX The Articles acknowledged by Shaxton late Bp of Sarum THe First Almighty God by the Power of his Word pronounced by the Priest at Mass in the Consecration turneth the Bread and Wine into the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ so that after the Consecration there remaineth no Substance of Bread and Wine but only the substance of Christ God and Man The Second The said Blessed Sacrament being once Consecrate is and remaineth still the very Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ although it be reserved and not presently distributed The Third The same blessed Sacrament being consecrate is and ought to be worshipped and adored with godly honour wheresoever it is forasmuch as it is the Body of Christ inseparably united to the Deity The Fourth The Church by the Ministration of the Priest offereth daily at the Mass for a Sacrifice to Almighty God the self-same Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ under the form of Bread and Wine in the remembrance and representation of Christ's Death and Passion The Fifth The same Body and Blood which is offered in the Mass is the very propitiation and satisfaction for the sins of the World forasmuch as it is the self-same in Substance which was offered upon the Cross for our Redemption And the Oblation and Action of the Priest is also a Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving unto God for his Benefits and not the satisfaction for the Sins of the World for that is only to be attributed to Christ's Passion The Sixth The said Oblation or Sacrifice so by the Priest offered in the Mass is available and profitable both for the Quick and the Dead altho it lieth not in the power of Man to limit how much or in what measure the same doth avail The Seventh It is not a thing of necessity that the Sacrament of the Altar should be ministred unto the People under both kinds of Bread and Wine and it is none abuse that the same be ministred to the People under the one kind forasmuch as in every of both the kinds whole Christ both Body and Blood is contained The Eighth It is no derogation to the vertue of the Mass altho the Priest do receive the Sacrament alone and none other receive it with him The Ninth The Mass used in this Realm of England is agreeable to the institution of Christ and we have in this Church of England the very true Sacrament which is the very Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ under the form
his time and have continued since in great honour as the Seimours from whom the Dukes of Somerset are descended the Paulets from whom the Marquess of Winchester derives the Russels Wriothslies Herberts Riches and Cromwells from whom the Earls of Bedford Southampton Pembroke Essex and Ardglass have descended and the Browns the Petres the Pagets the Norths and the Mountagues from whom the Vice-Count Mountague the Barons Petre Paget North and Mountague are descended These Families have now flourished in great Wealth and Honour an Age and a half and only one of them has and that but very lately determined in the Male Line but the Illustrious Female Branches of it are intermixed with other Noble Families So that the Observation is false and the Inference is weak 119. He says When the King found his strength declining he had again some thoughts of reconciling himself to the Church of Rome which when it was proposed to one of the Bishops he made a flattering answer But Gardiner moved that a Parliament might be called for doing it and that the King for the quiet of his own Conscience would vow to do it of which God would accept in that extremity when more was not possible to be done But some of his Courtiers coming about him who were very apprehensive of such a Reconciliation lest they should have been made restore the Goods of the Church diverted the King from it And from this our Author infers that what the King had done was against his Conscience and that so he sinned the Sin against the Holy Ghost I shall not examine this Theological definition of the Sin against the Holy Ghost for my quarrel is not at present with his Divinity but with his History tho it were easy to shew that he is alike at both But for this story it is a pure dream for not only there is no evidence for it nor did Gardiner in the Reign of Queen Mary ever own any such thing tho it had been then much for the credit of their Cause especially he being often upbraided with his compliances to this King for which the mention of his repentance had furnished him with a good answer But as the Tale is told the Fiction appears too plainly for a Parliament was actually sitting during the King's sickness which was dissolved by his Death and no such Proposition was made in it The King on the contrary destroyed the chief hopes of the Popish Party which were founded on the Duke of Norfolk's greatness by the Attainder which was passed a day before he died And yet Sanders makes this discourse to have been between the King and Gardiner after his fall and his Sons death between which and the King's Death there were only nine days but besides all this Gardiner had lost the King's favour a considerable time before his death 120. He says The King that he might not seem never to have done any good Work in his whole life as he was dying founded Christ's Church Hospital in London which was all the restitution he ever made for the Monasteries and Churches he had robbed and spoiled If it had not already appeared in many Instances that our Author had as little shame as honesty here is a sufficient proof of it I will not undertake to justify the King as if he had done what he ought to have done in his new Foundations But it is the height of impudence to deny things that all England knows He founded six Bishopricks he endowed Deans and Prebendaries with all the other Offices belonging to a Cathedral in fourteen several Sees Canterbury Winchester Duresme Ely Norwich Rochester Worcester and Carlisle together with Westminster Chester Oxford Glocester Peterborough and Bristol where he endowed Bishopricks likewise He founded many Grammar-Schools as Burton Canterbury Coventry Worcester c. He founded and endowed Trinity Colledg in Cambridg which is one of the noblest Foundations in Christendom He also founded Professors in both Universities for Greek Hebrew Law Physick and Divinity What censure then deserves our Author for saying that the Hospital of Christ's-Church was all the restitution he ever made of the Church-Lands 121. He gives a Character of the King which sutes very well with his History his malice in it being extravagantly ridiculous Among other things he says The King promoted always learned Bishops Cranmer only being excepted whom he advanced to serve his Lusts. Cranmer was a Man of greater Learning than any that ever sate in that See before him as appears in every thing that he writ Tonstal was a learned Man and Gardiner was much esteemed for Learning yet if any will compare Cranmer's Books of the Sacrament with those the other two writ on the same Subject there is so great a difference between the learning and solidity of the one and the other that no Man of common ingenuity can read them but he must confess it 122. He says When the King found himself expiring he called for a Boul of White Wine and said to one that was near him We have lost all and was often heard repeating Monks Monks and so he died This was to make the Fable end as it had gone on and it is forged without any authority or appearance of truth The manner of his death was already told so it needs not be repeated 123. He says The King by his Will appointed the Crown to go to his righteous Heirs after his three Children and commanded his Son to be bred a true Catholick but his Will was changed and another was forged by which the Line of Scotland was excluded and they bred his Son an Heretick There was no such Will ever heard of and in all the Debates that were managed in Queen Elizabeth's Reign about the Succession those that pleaded for the Scotish Line never alleadged this which had it been true did put an end to the whole Controversie It was indeed said that the Will which was given out as the King's Will was not signed by his Hand nor sealed by his Order but it was never pretended that there was any other Will so this is one of our Author's Forgeries The Conclusion THus I have traced him in this History and hope I have said much more than was necessary to prove him a Writer of no credit and that his Book ought to have no Authority since he was not only a stranger to the Publick Transactions Printed Statutes and the other Authentick Registers of that time but was a bold and impudent Asserter of the grossest and most malicious Lies that ever were contrived I have not examined all the Errors of his Chronology for there is scarce any thing told in its right order and due place nor have I insisted on all the passages he tells without any proof or appearance of truth for as I could only deny these without any other evidence but what was negative so there are so many of them that I must have transcribed the greatest part of
perfectly and truly repentant and contrite of all their sins before committed and also perfectly and constantly confessing and believing all the Articles of our faith according as it was mentioned in the Article before or else not And Finally if they shall also have firm credence and trust in the promise of God adjoyned to the said Sacrament that is to say that in and by this said Sacrament which they shall receive God the Father giveth unto them for his Son Jesus Christs sake remission of all their sins and the Grace of the Holy Ghost whereby they be newly regenerated and made the very Children of God according to the saying of Christ and his Apostle St. Peter Paenitentiam agite Baptizetur vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Iesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum accipietis donum Spiritus Sancti and according also to the saying of St. Paul ad Titum 3. non ex operibus justitiae quae fecimus nos sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis renovationis Spiritus Sancti quem effudit in nos opulenter per Iesum Christum servatorem nostrum ut justificati illius gratia haeredes efficiamur juxta spem vitae aeternae The Sacrament of Penance THirdly Concerning the Sacrament of Pennance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that they ought and must most constantly believe that that Sacrament was instituted of Christ in the New Testament as a thing so necessary for mans Salvation that no man which after his Baptism is fallen again and hath committed deadly sin can without the same be saved or attain everlasting Life Item That like-as such men which after Baptism do fall again into sin if they do not Pennance in this Life shall undoubtedly be damned even so whensoever the same men shall convert themselves from the said naughty Life and do such Pennance for the same as Christ requireth of them they shall without doubt attain remission of their sins and shall be saved Item That this Sacrament of perfect Pennance which Christ requireth of such manner of persons consisteth of three parts that is to say Contrition Confession with the amendment of the former Life and a new obedient reconciliation unto the Laws and will of God that is to say exteriour Acts in works of Charity according as they be commanded of God which be called in Scripture fructus digni Paenitentia Furthermore as touching Contrition which is the first part We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that the said Contrâ—tion consisteth in two special parts which must always be conjoined together and cannot be dissevered that is to say the penitent and contrite man must first knowledg the filthiness and abomination of his own sin whereunto he is brought by hearing and considering of the will of God declared in his Laws and feeling and perceiving in his own conscience that God is angry and displeased with him for the same he must also conceive not only great sorrow and inward shame that he hath so grievously offended God but also great fear of Gods displeasure towards him considering he hath no works or merits of his own which he may worthily lay before God as sufficient satisfaction for his sins which done then afterwards with this fear shame and sorrow must needs succeed and be conjoyned The second part viz. a certain faith trust and confidence of the mercy and goodness of God whereby the penitent must conceive certain hope and faith that God will forgive him his sins and repute him justified and of the number of his Elect children not for the worthiness of any merit or work done by the penitent but for the only merits of the blood and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Item That this certain faith and hope is gotten and also confirmed and made more strong by the applying of Christs words and promises of his grace and favour contained in his Gospel and the Sacraments instituted by him in the new Testament and therefore to attain this certain faith the second part of Pennance is necessary that is to say Confession to a Priest if it may be had for the Absolution given by the Priest was institute of Christ to apply the promises of Gods grace and favour to the Penitent Wherefore as touching Confession We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that they ought and must certainly believe that the words of Absolution pronounced by the Priest be spoken by the Authority given to him by Christ in the Gospel Item That they ought and must give no less faith and credence to the same words of Absolution so pronounced by the Ministers of the Church than they would give unto the very words and voyce of God himself if he should speak unto us out of Heaven according to the saying of Christ Quorum remiseritis peccata c. qui vos audit me audit Item That in no ways they do contemn this Auricular Confession which is made unto the Ministers of the Church but that they ought to repute the same a verry expedient and necessary mean whereby they may require and ask this Absolution at the Priests hands at such time as they shall find their consciences grieved with mortal sin and have occasion so to do to the intent they may thereby attain certain comfort and consolation of their consciences As touching the third part of Penance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that although Christ and his death be the sufficient oblation sacrifice satisfaction and recompence for the which God the Father forgiveth and remitteth to all sinners not only their sin but also Eternal pain due for the same yet all men truly penitent contrite and confessed must needs also bring forth the fruits of Penance that is to say Prayer Fasting Almsdeeds and must make Restitution or Satisfaction in will and deed to their neighbour in such things as they have done them wrong and injury in and also must do all other good works of mercy and charity and express their obedient will in the executing and fulfilling of Gods Commandments outwardly when time power and occasion shall be Ministred unto them or else they shall never be saved for this is the express precept and commandment of God Agite fructus dignos paenitentia and St. Paul saith Debitores sumus and in another place he saith Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo Item That these precepts and works of Charity be necessary works to our Salvation and God necessarily requireth that every penitent man shall perform the same whensoever time power and occasion shall be ministred unto him so to do Item That by Penance and such good