MarginaliaTo true absolution 4. thinges are required.It is also hereby euident, that many priestes do not absolue those which are cōfessed, because that either through shamefastnes they do cloke or hide greater offēces, or els that they haue not due contrition or repentaunce, for vnto true absolution there is first required contrition. Secondly a purpose & intent to sinne no more. Thirdly true confessiō. And fourthly stedfast hope of forgeuenes. The. i. appeareth by Ezech. if the wicked do repent him. &c. The. ij. in the v. & viij. of Iohn, do thou not sinne any more. The. iij. part by this place of Luke: shew your selues vnto the Priestes. And the. iiij. is confirmed by the saying of Christ: My sonne beleue, & thy sinnes are forgeuen thee. I also added many other probations in my treatise out of the holy fathers, Augustine, Ierome, and the maister of the sentences.

Marginalia6. Article.The 6. Article. The Priestes do gather and heape vp out of the Scriptures those thinges whych serue for þ^e belly, but such as pertayne to the true imitation and followyng of Christ, that they reiect & refuse as impertinent vnto saluation. The aunswer. This Saint Gregory doth sufficiently proue in hys. xvij. homily, alledgyng the saying of Christ: MarginaliaEx Gregorio.The haruest is great, the workemen are few, speakyng also that which we cannot say without griefe or sorrow, that albeit there be a great number which willingly heare good things, MarginaliaPriestes more geuen to their own lucre & bely, then to the seruice of Christ.yet there lacketh such as should declare þ^e same vnto thē, for behold the world is full of priestes, but notwithstandyng there is scarsitie of woorkemen in the haruest of the Lord. We take vpon vs willingly priesthood, but we do not fulfill and do the workes and office of priesthoode. And immediately after he sayth, we are fallē vnto outward affaires and busines, for we take vpon vs one office for honor sake, and we do exhibite and geue an other to ease our selues of labour. We leaue preachyng, and as farre as I can perceiue, we are called Bishops to our payne, which do retayne the name of honour, but not the vertue. And immediatly after he sayth, we take no care for our flocke, we daily call vpon for our stipend and wages, we couet and desire earthly thinges with a gredy mynd, we gape after worldly glory, we leaue the cause of God vndone, and make hast about our worldlye affaires and busines, we take vpon vs the place of sanctity and holines, and we are wholy wrapped in worldly cares and troubles. &c. This writeth saint Gregory with many other thinges more in the same place. Also in his Pastorall, in his Morals, in hys Register. Also Saint Bernard wyth many other places. Likewyse in hys xxxiij. Sermon vppon the Canonicals, he sayeth: all friendes, and all enemies: all kinsfolkes, and all aduersaries: all of one housholde, and no peace makers: they are the Ministers of Christ, and serue Antichrist: they go honorably, honoured with the goods of the Lord, and yet they do honour. &c.

Marginalia7. Article.
The popes power doing vngodly is not to be feared.The 7. Article. The power of the pope, which doth not follow Christ, is not to be feared. The answer. It is not so in my treatise, but contrarywise that the subiects are boūd willingly and gladly to obey the vertuous and good rulers, and also those which are wicked and euill. But notwithstāding, if the Pope do abuse hys power, it is not thē to be feared as by bondage. And so the lordes the Cardinals as I suppose, did not feare the power of Gregory the. xij. before his depostion, when as they resisted hym, saying that he did abuse hys power, contrary vnto hys owne othe.

Marginalia8. Article.The 8. Article. An euill and a wicked Pope is not the successor of Peter, but of Iudas. The aunswer. I wrote thus in my treatise: If the Pope be humble and meeke, neglecting and despising the honours and lucre of the world: if he be a shepeherd takyng his name by the fēdyng of the flock of God (of the which feedyng the Lord speaketh, saying: feede my sheepe) If he feede the shepe with the worde, and with vertuous example, and that he become euen lyke hys flocke with hys whole hart and mynde: if he do diligently and carefully labour and trauell for the Church, then is he without doubt the true Vicar of Christ. MarginaliaThe pope doing contrary to Christ is not the vicare of Christ, but Antichrist.But if he walke contrary vnto these vertues, for so much as there is no societie betwene Christ and Beliall, and Christ himself saith: he that is not with me, is agaynst me: how is he then the true vicar of Christ or Peter, and not rather the vicare of Antichrist? Christ called Peter hymselfe Sathanas, when he did contrary hym but onely in one word, and that wyth a good affection, euen hym whom he had chosen hys vicare, and specially appoynted ouer his church. Why should not any other then, beyng more contrary vnto Christ be truely called Sathanas, and consequently Antichrist, or at lest the chiefe and principall minister or vicar of Antichrist? There be infinite testimonies of this matter in S. Augustine, S. Ierome, Cyprian, Christostome, Bernard, Gregory, Remigius, and Ambrose. &c.

Marginalia9. Article.The 9. Article. The Pope is the same beast of whomeMarginaliaI. Hus neede not proue this article. The Pope will proue it himselfe.it is spoken in the Apoc. power is geuen vnto hym to make warre vpon the saintes. The answer. I deny this Article to be in my booke.

Marginalia10. Article.The 10. Article. It is lawfull to preach, notwithstāding the Popes inhibition. The answer. The Article is euident, for so much as the Apostles did preach contrary to the commaundement of the bishops at Ierusalem. MarginaliaTo preach against the popes cōmanudement.And S. Hillary did the like, contrary to the cōmaundement of þ^e Pope which was an Arrian. It is also manifest by the example of Cardinals, which contrary vnto the commaundement of Pope Gregory the. xij. sent throughout all realmes, such as should preach agaynst him. It is also lawfull to preach vnder appeale, contrary vnto the Popes commaundement. And finally he may preach which hath the commaundement of God, wherunto he ought chiefly to obey.

Marginalia11. Article.The 11. Article. If the Popes commaundement be not concordaunt and agreable with the doctrine of the Gospell or the Apostles, it is not to be obeyed. The answer. I haue thus wrytten in my booke: MarginaliaHow farre prelates are to be obeyed.The faithfull disciple of Christ ought to way and consider whether the Popes commaundement be expressely and plainly þ^e cōmaundement of Christ or any of his Apostles, or whether it haue any foundation or ground in their doctrine or no: and that beyng once knowen or vnderstand, he ought reuerently and humbly to obey the same. But if he do certeinly know that the Popes cōmaundement is contrary and against the holy Scripture, and hurtfull vnto the Church: then he ought boldly to resist agaynst it, that he be not partaker of the crime and offence by consenting thereunto. This I haue handled at large in my treatise, and haue confirmed it by the authorities of Saynt Augustine, Herome, Gregory, Chrisostome, Bernarde and Bede, and with the holy Scripture and Canons, the which for breuities cause I do here passe ouer. I will onely rehearse the saying of Saint Isidore, who writeth thus: MarginaliaIsidorus.He which doth rule, and doth say or commaund any thing contrary and besides the will of God, or that which is euidently commaunded in the Scriptures, he is honoured as a fals witnesse of God, and a Church robber. Wherupon we are bounden to obey no prelate, but in such case as he doe commaund or take counsaile of the Councels and commaundements of Christ.

Likewise S. Augustine vpon this saying: vpon the chaire of Moses. &c. sayth: Secondly they teach in þ^e chaire of Moses the law of God: Ergo, God teacheth by them: but if they will teach you any of their own inuentions, do not geue eare vnto them, neither do as they commaund you. Also in the saying of Christ, he that heareth you heareth me, all lawfull and honest thinges be comprehended, in the which we ought to be obedient, according to Christes saying: it is not you which doe speake, but the spirite of my father which speaketh in you. Let therfore my aduersaries & slaunderers learne that MarginaliaConsilia Præcepta.there be not onely xij. Counsails, in the Gospell, in the which subiectes ought to obey Christ & hys appointed ministers, but that there are so many Coūsailes and determinations of God, as there be lawfull and honest thyngs ioyned with precepts & cōmaundemētes of God binding vs therunto, vnder þ^e payne of deadly sinne: for euery such thyng doth the Lord commaunde vs to fulfill in tyme and place, with other circumstaunces, at the will and pleasure of their minister.

Marginalia12. Article.
The clergie and laitie may iudge of the workes of their prelates.The xij. Article. It is lawfull for the clergie and laitie by their power and iurisdiction to iudge and determine of all thinges pertayning vnto saluation, and also of the workes of the Prelates. The aunswere. I haue thus written it in my booke, that it is lawfull for the clergie and laity to iudge and determine of the workes of their heades and rulers. It appeareth by this, that the iudgement of the secret counsels of God, in the court of conscience is one thyng, and the iudgement of the authoritie and power in the Church is an other. MarginaliaIudgement double.
Secret in the court of conscience.
Open in the court of authoritie.Wherefore subiectes first ought principally to iudge and examine themselues. i. Corithians. ii. chapter. Secondly they ought to examine all thinges which perteineth vnto their saluation, for a spiritual man iudgeth and examineth all thinges. And this is aleadged, as touchyng the first iudgement, and not the second, as the enemy doth impute it vnto me. Wherupon in the same place I do say, that the lay man ought to iudge and examine the workes of hys Prelate, lyke as Paule doth iudge the doinges of Peter in blaming hym. Secondly to auoyde them according to thys saying: Beware of false Prophetes. &c. Thirdly to rule ouer the ministry: For the subiect ought by reason to iudge and examine the workes of the Prelates. And if they be good to prayse God therfore and reioyce: But if they be euill, they ought with patience to suffer them, and to be sory for them, but not to doe the lyke, least they be damned wyth them: accordyng to thys saying: If the blynde lead