Article, of the communion vnder both kyndes, should bee passed with peace and quietnes.

They propounded in Prage, in an open assembly of the nobles & commons, the declarations of the three Articles in forme folowyng.

MarginaliaA declaratiō of the coūcell to the Bohemians, concerning the first 3. articles. For so much as touching the doctrine of the veritie, we ought so to proceede soberly and warely, that the truth may be declared, wyth wordes beyng so orderly conceiued & vttered, that there be no offence geuen to any man, wherby he should fall or take occasion of errour, and (to vse the words of Isidore) that nothing by obscuritie be lefte doubtfull: whereas you haue propounded touching the inhibition and correction of sinnes, in these wordes:MarginaliaThe 2. proposition propounded by the Bohemians with the delcaration from the councell. all mortall sinnes, and specially open offences, ought to be rooted out, punished, and inhibited, by them whose dutie it is so to do, reasonably and according to the law of God: here is to be marked and vnderstand, that this worde (whose duty it is) is too generall, and may be an offence: and according to the meaning of the Scripture, we ought not to lay any stomblyng stock before the blind, and the diches are to be closed vp, that our neighbours Oxe do not fall therein: all occasion of offence is to be taken away. Therfore we say that according to the meanyng of the holy Scripture, and the doctrine of the holy doctours, it is thus vniuersally be holden:MarginaliaPunishing of publicke offences how and by whom. that all mortall sinnes, specially publike offences, are to be rooted out, corrected and inhibited, as reasonably as may be, accordyng to the lawe of God, and the institutions of the fathers. The power to punishe these offenders, doth not perteine vnto any priuate person, but onely vnto them which haue iurisdictiō of the law ouer them, the distinction of law and iustice, being orderly obserued.

MarginaliaThe 3. article of the Bohemians with the declaration frō the councell. As touching the preaching of the word of God, which Article you haue alledged in this forme, that the worde of God should be freely and faithfully preached by the fitte and apt ministers of the Lord: least by this word (freely) occasion may be taken of disordred libertie, which (as you haue often sayd ye doe not meane) the circumstaunce therof is to be vnderstand: and we say, that (according to the meaning of the holy Scripture, and doctrine of the holy fathers) it is thus vniuersally to be beleued:MarginaliaLibertie of preaching, how farre & to whom it extendeth. that the worde of God ought freely, but not euery where, but faithfully & orderly, to be preached by the Priestes and Leuites of the Lord, being allowed & sent by their superiours, vnto whom that office apperteyneth, the authoritie of the Bishop alwayes reserued, who is the prouider of all thinges according to the institutions of the holy fathers.

MarginaliaThe 4. article of the Bohemians with the declaration frō the councell. As concerning the last Article expressed vnder these wordes: it is not lawfull for the Christē clergie, in the time of the law of grace, to haue dominion ouer temporall goods: we remember that in the solemne disputation holden in the sacred Councell, he which was appointed by the Councell to dispute, propounded two conclusions in this sort.

MarginaliaTemporall possessions in the clergie mens handes First, that such of the clergie as were not religious, and had not bound themselues thereunto by a vow, might lawfully haue and possesse any temporall goodes, as the inheritaunce of his father or any other, if it be left vnto hym, or any other goods iustly gotten by meanes of any gift or other lawfull contract, or els some lawfull arte.

MarginaliaThe papists stand hard for their temporall Lordships. The second conclusion: The church may lawfully haue and possesse temporall goods moueable, and vnmoueable, houses, landes, townes, and villages, castles and Cities, and in them haue a priuate and ciuill dominion. Your Ambassadour which disputed against him graunted those conclusions, saying that they did not impugne the sense of hys Article beyng well vnderstand, for so much as he vnderstādeth hys Article, of ciuill dominion formally ment. Whereby, and also by other thinges, it may be vnderstand, that those words, to haue secular dominion expressed in the foresayd Article, seemeth to be referred to some speciall maner or kinde of dominion. But for somuch as the doctrine of the Church is not to bee intreated vpon by any ambiguous or doubtfull wordes, but fully and plainely: therefore we haue thought good more plainely to expresse that, which according to the law of God, and the doctrine of the holy doctours, is vniuersally to be beleued: that is to say, the two aforesayd conclusions to be true. And also, that the clergie ought faithfully to distribute the goods of the church, whose administratours they are, according to the decrees of the holy fathers: and that the vsurpation of the administration of the Church goods, done by any other then by them, vnto whom the administration is Canonically committed, can not be without gilt of sacrilege.

Thus the sacred Councell (sayd they) hath diligently gone about according to the veritie of the Gospell, all ambiguitie set a part, to expounde the true sense of the three foresayd Articles. Wherefore, if there do yet remayne any doubt: according to the information which we haue receaued in the sacred Councell, we are ready by Gods helpe (who is the principall veritie) to declare the truth vnto you: If ye doe receiue and embrace the declaration of the sayd three Articles, which is grounded vpon the veritie of the holy Scripture, as you are bounde, and will effectually haue a pure, simple, and perfecte vnitie, touchyng the libertie of the cōmuniō vnder both kynds, which you desire & require, which also you can not lawfully haue without the licence of holye church: we haue authoritie from the generall Councell, by certain meanes, to intreat & cōclude with you, trustyng that you wil shew your selues as you will continue.

MarginaliaThe Bohemians take a deliberation of the fourth article. These thynges thus declared, after þ^e Bohemians had taken deliberation, they sayd that they would gyue no aūswere vnto þ^e premisses, before they vnderstood what should be offred them as touchyng the cōmuniō. Wherfore, it shalbe necessary to declare the mater, as it was writtē in forme folowyng.

MarginaliaA declaration of the councell touching the fourth article of the communion. In the name of God & our sauiour Iesus Christ, vpō the Sacrament of whose moste blessed last supper we shall intreat, that he which hath institute this most blessed Sacrament of vnitie and peace, will vouchesafe to worke this effect in vs, to make vs that we may be one in the said Lord Iesu our head, and that he will subuerte all the subtilties of the deuill, whiche thorwe hys enuious craftynes, hath made the Sacramēt of peace & vnitie, an occasion of warre and discorde, that whilest Christians do contende touchyng the maner of communicatyng, they bee not depriued of the fruite of the communion. Wherupon S. Augustin in his Sermon vpon infantes, in the decrees De cons. distinct 2. Quia passus, saith thus:MarginaliaConsecrat. dist. 2. quia passus. So þ^e Lord Iesu Christ certified vs and wylled, that we should appertaine vnto hym, and consecrated the mistery of our peace and vnitie vpon the table. He that receiueth the misterie of vnitie, & doth not keepe þ^e bond of peace, doth not receiue a misterie for himself, but a testimonie agaynst him selfe, This we thought good aboue all thynges to be premised, that the generall custome of the Churche, which your fathers & you also in tymes past haue obserued, hath a long tyme had & stil vseth, that they which do not cōsecrate, cōmunicate onely vnder the kinde of bread. Whiche custome beyng lawfully brought in by the Churche and holy fathers, and now a long tyme obserued, it is not lawfull to reiect, or to chaunge at your will & pleasure, without the authoritie of the churche.MarginaliaThis is to set vp the church aboue the scripture. Therfore to chaunge the custome of the Churche, & to take in hand to communicate vnto the people vnder both kyndes, without the authority of holy church, is altogether vnlauful. For holy church vpon reasonable occasions, may graunt libertie to communicate vnto the people vnder both kyndes. And euery cōmunion which, beyng attempted without the authoritie and licence of the church, should be vnlawfull, when it is done w^t the authoritie of holy church, shalbe lawfull, if other thinges let it not: because (as the Apostle sayth) he that eateth and drincketh vnworthely, eateth & drinketh his owne damnatiō.

Wherupon saint Isidore in the second distinct. vpon the consecration writeth thus:MarginaliaThe holy communion requireth amendment of lyfe. They which lyue wickedly and cease not daily to communicate in the church, thinking therby to be clensed, let them learne that it doth nothyng at all profite them to the clensing of their sinnes. And S. Augustine in the same distinction sayth, holy things may hurt the euill, for vnto the good they are saluation, but vnto the euill damnation. There are besides this, many other authoritiesMarginaliaHoly thinges nothing profite the wicked. The Apostle Iudas was amongest them which did first communicate, but for so much as he receyued vnworthely, hauyng the sinne of treason in hys hart, it dyd profite hym nothyng, but the deuill by and by exercised more the power and authority ouer him. This is declared by a great reason:MarginaliaThe reuerent receiuing of the sacraments. Which of you is it, that if you should receiue your Lord into your house, would not with all diligence and care, study to make cleane and adorne hys house, that he may receyue his Lord honestly? much more he that shall receiue his lord and Sauiour into the house of his soule, ought diligently to make cleane and decke his soule, to clense it by the Sacrament of penaunce, with sorrow and contrition of hart, humbly, purely and truely confessing his sinnes, and receiuyng due satisfaction and penaunce, to adorne and decke the same with the purple or rich aray of deuotion, that the hart being so purged and adorned with feruent desire, he may come to that most holy Sacrament, whereby God reconcileth all the world vnto hym.

Wherfore, the most sacred Synode admonisheth, exhorteth, and commaundeth, that all Priestes should diligently exhort and admonish the people. and that they should vse all their care and indeuor, that no man come to that most blessed sacrament, except he be duely prepared with great reuerence and deuotion, lest that which is receiued for the salua-