I haue yet heard, why I so ought to do. But as touching the forme and fashion, I shall aunswere willyngly so farreforth as my rudenes will serue. MarginaliaBaptisme to be in the vulgare tongue.I hold well that such as bee duely electe ministers in the Churche, ought to baptise, except necessitie requireth otherwise, and that the forme vsed in the Church, is in mine opinion, not vncōmendable. Neuertheles it should edifie much more, if it were vttered in the vulgare language, and cause people in the Baptisme of children, more effectuously to thanke God for his institution & hygh benefite therby represented.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAunswere to the 8. article.In lyke condition do I also deme of ministration in all the other, that it should bee expedient to haue them ministred openly in the vulgare language, for the edifiyng of the people. As concernyng the forme vsed in matrimonye, I lyke it ryght well, and thinke it commendable, sauyng in all countreyes lightlye Iudas hath set in hys foote ouer farre, and taketh in hand to sell his master, accompanied with Symon Magus, saying: what will you geue me if I deliuer vnto you Christ?  

MarginaliaMatrimony ought freely to be minestred and without money.This is the saying of all them that require, without any lawfull authoritie, in some places xij. pēce, in some vj. pēce, in some more, in some lesse, but in euery place lightly some money, when a couple should bee maryed: and this they call the Churches right. Moreouer, that they will not suffer mariage to be solemnised at all tymes of the yeare, I thinke it standeth not with Christes rule, but rather is agaynst the same: and that they will not suffer the banes vpon all holydayes to be proclamed vnles a dispensatiō for money be purchased therfore. All this God forbiddeth. Finallye, like as no money ought to be geuen for this: no more should any be taken for any other. But the contrary is seene, which is great pitye, yea euen at the receyuinge of the Sacrament of the Altar, priestes euerye where vse to claime somewhat, and in some part of the West countrey, no less then. ij. pence of euery pole.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAunswere to the 9. article.As touching priesthode, in the primitiue Churche, when vertue bare (as auncient Doctors do deme, and scripture, in mine opinion, recordeth the same) most roume, there were no more officers in the Church of God, then Bishops and Deacons, that is to saye, ministers: as witnesseth beside scripture, full apertly, Hierome in his commentaries vpon the Epistles of Paule, whereas he sayth, MarginaliaBishshops and priestes all one in the old time.that those whō we cal Priestes were all one, and none other but Byshops: and the Bishops none other but Priestes, men auncient both in age and learning, so neare as could be chosē: MarginaliaThe order and state of priests.neither were they institute and chosen as they be now a daies, with small regard, of a Bishop or his Officer only, opposing them if they can construe a Collect, but they were chosen not onely of the Byshop, MarginaliaElection of ministers in the olde time not without the assent of the people.but also with the consent of the people, among whom they should haue their liuing, as sheweth S. Cyprian: and the people (as he saith) ought to haue power to chuse priests that be men of good learnyng, of good and honest report. But (a lacke for pitye) suche elections are now banished, and new fashions brought in. Whiche if we should conferre with the forme of the election shewed of Christ by hys Apostle Paul, we should find no small diuersitie, but all turned vp side downe. MarginaliaSubdeacons, Exorcistes, Benet and Collect, not ordeined of God, but of men.To conclude, I say, the order or state of Priestes & Deacons was ordeined by God, but Subdeacons and coniurers otherwise called Exorcistæ & Accolitæ, which we call Benet and Collect, were institute by the inuention of men. And this you may find in the law, Dict. 21. and other places, where is written: Subdiaconatus tempore Apostolorum non fuit facer. MarginaliaSubdeaconship in the tyme of the Apostles was no holy order.Subdeacōshyp in the tyme of the Apostles was no holy order.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAunswere to the 10. article.As touchyng eare confession, I say, that the cōmon fashion now vsed was neuer ordained by Christs law, that is written in the Bible: neither can you proue MarginaliaAuricular confession not ordeined by god.by any authoritie of the same, that we ought to confesse all our offences particularly, with the circumstances of all and of euery such, to any mā. Agayn, for the maintenaunce of this whiche I haue sayd, you shall know that Chrisostome standeth stifly with me, MarginaliaChrysost. in epist. ad Hebr.
In Psal. Miserere.
Serm. de pœnitētia.in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues. In an Homily also that he maketh vppon the Psalme Miserere. And moreouer in a Sermō that he maketh, De pœnitētia: beside many other treatises, wherin he cōtinueth euer one, testifying in semblable wise.

[Back to Top]

In lyke maner doth one of your principall Doctors writyng vpon your Canon lawe, named Panormitanus, testifie that it is made by the lawe of mā, & not of God MarginaliaPanormitanus Abbas in cap. omnis vtriusq̀; sexus.
Historia tripartita.in cap. Omnis vtriusq; sexus. In the booke also called historia tripartita, you shal find how it was first iustitute (as I remember) and after vndone agayne, because of an huge vilany committed with a woman by a Minister of the Church thorow confession.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaDist. 1. de pœnitētia.
The Greke church alowed not confession auricular.Also it is mentioned in the end of þ^e first distinct. De pœnitentia, how the Greeke Churche, whō I thincke you do not note to be heretickes, will not yet hetherto alowe it. There also are many reasons brought forth, both to proue that confession made to a Priest, should not be necessary, & also that cōfession made vnto God, shoulde suffice, concludyng in this wise: Quibus autoritatibus. &c. I could bryng forth other that bee yet lyuing men, of surmountyng and excellent litterature, which exactely by many and myghtye, both authorityes and reasons, doo shewe and confyrme thys my sayinge to bee iuste: but I keepe silence and will not name them, lest I should bring them in hatred. Notwithstanding, I neuer sayd, ne will say, but thath men feeling them selues agreued in conscience with some great tentation, had neede to go vnto such, whom they know and trust to be of stedfast credence, and to haue good skill in the law of God, opening their greefe vnto them, to the entent they maye knowe throwe counsell, some ease and remedy therof.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaAsking counsell in the church is good, but is not tyed to any person.But in this I meane not that they ought to go vnto their Curate, or to any other Priest, whose credence they deeme not all trusty, or their Coūcell not sage, but to any other, what soeuer he be, whom they know most sufficient in properties aboue shewed, when their Curate doth lacke them. And this thyng is the most behouable, when men nedyng counsell, bee so voyde of knowledge in Christes law, that they can not find therin remedy them selues. For the doctrine of Christ, if it were well knowen, conteyneth remedies for all infirmities and maladies of the minde, so that men by spirituall knowledge might ease them selues.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe secōd part of the questions, whether a priest loseth a sinner.To the other part of your questiō, where ye do aske whether a Priest in cases vnto hym limited, may lose a sinner cōfessed & contrite for his sinne, inioynyng hym holsome penaunce? MarginaliaChrist, and not the priest, loseth the sinner.I say that onely Christ loseth a sinner whiche is contrite, by hys worde and promise, and the Priest doth nothyng but shewe and declare the worde: Neither doth declaration or ministerye of the Priest anye whit auayle for to lose any person, vnlesse he that should bee losed, geue credence vnto the worde ministred and shewed by the Priest. Whiche worde or promise of Christ is called the worde of reconciliatiō or atonement making betwixt God and man. And this testifieth S. Paul in the ij. to the Cor. where hee sayth in this wise: God hath reconciled vs vnto hym thorowe Iesus Christ. Marginalia2. Cor. 5.
Christ only loseth vs from sinne.See how it is God that loseth vs from sinne, whiche is to make reconciliation or atonement betwixt vs and hym, and that thorow Christ, whom he caused to dye for the same purpose. And he (quoth S. Paul) hath ordeined vs Ministers of the sayd atonement. MarginaliaThe apostles not the authours of byndyng and losing, but ministers.See how Christes Apostles called not them selues the authors of byndyng and losing, but Ministers: for hee (that is to wit, God) reconciled the worlde vnto hym forgeuing theyr sinnes. Wherin you may know what reconcilyng is. And hath committed (sayth Paul) vnto vs to be messengers of the same worde or tydinges of atonement

[Back to Top]