thing vnto you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them) writeth thus: Here it is mistically commaunded vnto the Doctors and Teachers, that if any aduersity do let or hinder, or any man doe prohibite or stop, that sinners cannot de[illegible text] losed from theyr bondes or snares, and be brought vnto the Lord, by the confessiō of theyr fayth that they notwithstanding shoulde not leaue of preaching but constantly & boldly affirme and say that the Lord hath need of such, to edify & build agayne his Church. For so did the Apostles: so likewise ought all the humble and meeke Ministers of Christ to do. MarginaliaHieronimus ad Rusticum.And S. Hierome writing vnto Rusticus the Bishop of Narbone saith thus, Let no Bishop frō hencefore be puffed vp or enflamed with þ^e enuy of deuilish tēptation, if the Priestes nowe and then do exhort and teache the people or preache openlye in the Churches, or as it is sayd do blesse the people. For vnto him which shoulde deny vnto me the doing hereof, I would say in this maner: He that will not that Priestes shoulde doe those thynges which they are commaunded by God, let him say that he is greater and aboue Christ, by the which wordes S. Hierome doth openly declare, that Priestes are commaunded to exhort and teach the people and to preach in the Churches. Secondly that a Bishop denying or forbidding the same to be done, specially the Priestes or Ministers being apt men there vnto is extolled aboue Christ. And therfore consequently is not to be obeyed or heard in his doinges.

MarginaliaIf the pope be an heretike the godly Bishops may preach against him. Item, admit that the Pope be an Heretique and teach peruerse and contrary doctrine vnto the holy scriptures, and that the Bishop be a catholicke man vnto whom the Pope geueth in commaundement that he shall not suffer no man to preach contrary to his opinion. As it happened in Pope Leo and Saynt Hillary the Bishop, adding this also that the Bishop doe execute the Popes commaundement vnder payne of excommunication, this notwithstāding if the Catholicke Priestes, learned in the law of God do leaue of preaching against the Popes heresies for feare of excommunication of men they are already excommunicate. The which thing is euident for so much as they are accursed through the consent of theyr scilence, as S. Isidor sayth 11. Question. 1. He that doth consent vnto sinners of defendeth a sinner, he shall be cursed both before God and man, and shalbe punished with a most seuere rebuke, and in the 7. Question. 4. Omnis, It is sayde without he that doth neglect to amend that which he may correct committeth no lesse fault then he which had before offended, for not onely they which do cōmit the offence, but also they which consent thereunto, are iudged partakers thereof. In lyke case Priests which do not preach agaynst the heresy which the Pope teacheth, are dum dogges not able to open their mouthes or barcke agaynst the Woolfe which will kill the sheep of Iesus Christ: Ergo, how can it then be otherwise but they must needes be betrayers of the sheepe of theyr owne shepheard.

MarginaliaAlbeit the chief priests be adulterers yet ought the ministers to preach against adultery. Item, let it so be that the Bishop with the chiefe Prelates be an aduouterer or otherwise an open offender and that he together with his Prelates doe commaunde vnder payne of excommunicatiō, that none be so hardy to preach agaynst adultery, in such a case they which do omitte theyr duety in preaching against adultery for feare of excommunication of men, are already excommunicated of God. Ergo the first part of the Article is true. The Antecedent is proued, for our sauior in the 8. of Marke sayth thus: He that acknowledgeth me and my wordes in this wicked and adulterous generation, the sonne of man shall also acknowledge and confesse him when he shall come in the glorye of his Father with his Aungels. Therefore he that shall cōfesse Christ and these wordes of Christ Math. 5. you haue heard, that it was sayd to them in olde time, thou shalt not commit adulterye: but I say vnto you, that euery one, which shall beholde a woman to lust after her, he hath already committed adultery, with her in his heart: Hee I say that shall confesse these thinges, before an adoulterous Bishop, with his chiefe Prelates, the which perchaunce are the wicked and adoulterous generation, the sonne of man shall also acknowledge him, when he shall come in þ^e glory of his Father, and so consequently is he blessed. Cōtrarywise he which for the feare of excōmunication of men will not confesse Christ and his words, before the sinneful and adoulterous generation, is accursed. The consequent holdeth by the wordes of Christ. Luk. 9. He that is ashamed of me and my wordes, him shall the sonne of man be ashamed of, when he shall come in his maiesty, and in the glory of his Father and his holy Aungels, pronouncing that which is spoken. Math. 25. Verely, I say vnto you, I know you not, go you cursed into euerlasting fire.

MarginaliaThe example of Christ. Also our Sauiour Iesu Christ, did not omitt or leaue of the preaching of the kingdome of God, for any preten-ded excommunication of the Bishops, Scribes and Pharisies: So likewise his true and humble Priestes, ought not to omit theyr preaching, for any pretensed excommunication of men, the consequent holdeth by the saying of Christ. Iohn. 15. be ye mindfull of the words which I haue spoken vnto you, the seruaunt is not greater then his master: If they haue persecuted me, they will persecute you also. The Antecedent is apparant by the saying of Saynt Iohn in his 9. chapter. Euen now the Iewes had conspired, that whosoeuer did confesse him to be Christ, shoulde be excommunicate. And likewise Iohn. 7. Whether did any of the Princes or rulers, or any of the Phareseis beleue in him. But this people which knoweth not the law are accursed.

MarginaliaThe obedience of christian priests towards their Prelates. Also the humble and iust ministers of God, ought not vnder payne of sinne to cease from the fruitfull preaching of the law of God for any vniust excommunicatiō, or vnlawfull commaundement, and it is proued thus: the humble and iust ministers of Christ, ought to obey theyr Prelates, in such thinges as are not contrary to God: as all the holy Doctors, and such as are learned in the Lawe of God, do wholy with one consent affirme. And forsomuch, as an vniust excommunication, and vnlawfull commaūdement, are agaynst God, therefore the iust and true ministers of God, ought not to obey such vnlawfull excommunication, and commaundements, and consequently ought not to cease for them, from the fruitefull preaching of the Gospell of our Lord Iesu Christ. But ought boldely and gladly to preach the same. For so muche, as the Lord doth comfort them in the 5. of Mathew, saying thus, blessed and happye are ye, when as men doe curse you, and persecute you, and speake all kinde of euill against you, making lies and slaunders vpon you, for my sake, reioyce and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen.

MarginaliaThe power of preaching to edification ought not to cease. Also euery Minister, hauing power geuen him from aboue, to preach the Gospel, he hath the same geuen vnto him for the edefying of the Church, and not for the destruction of the same.

As the Apostle saith 2. Corinth. 10. But euery one, leauing of the preaching of the Gospell, for feare of any pretensed extommunication of men, he shoulde frustrate the power geuē him, for the edefying of the Church. And therfore in so doing should sinne agaynst God and his church: And consequently ought rather to chuse, not to cease from preaching, for feare of any such excommunicatiō, least that he be excommunicate of our Lord Iesu Christ.

MarginaliaThe preaching of the Gospell is not to bee left of for al the popes prohibition. Item, set case that the Pope doth commaūd that there shall be no preachinge in any place, then the Ministers of Christ, leauing of theyr preaching, for feare of the Popes curse, are already excommunicated of God. It is euident, for so much as they haue neglected the commaundement of God for the commaundement of men. And this case is possible: For by what reason the Pope may commaunde vnder payne of excōmunication that there shalbe no preaching in any place, neither in the parish Churches, by the same reason, he may command that no man should preach in any place.

The first part is euident by the prohibition of Pope Alexander, who in his bull, did prohibite to preach þ^e word of God, vnto the people in Chappels, although the sayde Chappels were confirmed by the priuiledge of the Sea apostolicke. The which Bull, the Lord Subincon Archbyshop of Prage, with his Canons, obteyned. By these aofresayd, the first part of the Article is euidēt, which is this that all Priests omitting the preaching of the woorde of God, for feare of the excommunication of men, are already excommunicate.

MarginaliaThe second part of the article. The seconde part of the Article is this, that all they which doe omitte, the hearing of the woorde of God, for feare of the excommunication of men are alreadye excommunicate.

And it is proued thus, all such as neglect the cōmaundementes of God, are excommunicate. But they whiche neglect the hearing of the word of God, for the excommunication of men, are they which neglect the commaundementes of God. Therfore they which omit the hearing of the word of God for the excommunication of men are already excommunicate.

The Maior, is apparant by the 118. Psalme. Cursed be they which decline from thy commaundementes. And the Minor is euident, by the second supposition, which sayth, that the hearing of the word of God is commaunded vnto the people.

MarginaliaMeanes necessary vnto saluation are not to be omitted. This is confirmed, al such as omit the necessary mean vnto saluation, are excommunicate: but such as omitte the hearing of the woorde of God for the excommunication by men, be such as do omit the necessary mean vnto salua-