ther man to let or hinder them, least thereby they should let the word of God, that it haue not his free course. Ergo, this article is true, for the king doth not so much rule ouer the goods of his subiects, no not of his owne sonnes, but þ^t they may geue almes to whom they will: muche more the bishop hath not so great authority ouer the knowledge of the meeke minister, with his other giftes of God, but that he may frely vnder the title of spirituall almes frely preach the gospell vnto the people. Ergo, forasmuch it should seme straunge that a Bishop should forbid any man to geue any corporall almes to the poore that are a hūgred, much more straūge and maruelous would it be, if that he should prohibite the spirituall minister of Christ to geue spirituall almes, by the preaching of the gospell of the word of God.

Item no catholicke man ought to doubt, but that a man able for the purpose is more bounde to teache them which are ignoraunt, to councell & comfort the weake in spirit, to correct such as are vnruly, to forgeue those that do thē wrong, thē to do any other work of mercy, forsomuch then as he that hath sufficient, is bound vnder paine of dānation to geue corporall almes as it appeareth Math. 25. much more he which is able, is bound to doe spirituall almes. MarginaliaBernarde. And this alms S. Barnard writing vnto Eugenius in his 3. book perceiued to be very necessary for the Bishop of Rome, where as he said thus: I feare no greater poysō, no greater sword or mischiefe will happen vnto thee, thē this vnsatiable desire of dominion. With what face then cā the faythfull minister withdraw or keepe back, the spirituall almes from the Pope and any other, euen without the speciall licence of the Pope or of the Bishop, which licence through the far distance from the Pope, the ministers can not so easily obtaine or come by. For all prohibition of anye Prelate beeing broken through necessitye is not to be blamed. 11. Quest. 3. Intercessor, and also in the chapter folowing.

Item, all authoritye of preaching geuen vnto deacons and Priestes in theyr consecration were but vayne, except that in case of necessitye without any speciall licence they might preach the gospell. It is euident, forsomuch as it is not lawfull for them to vse that authority, but their aduersary without a speciall licēce. Ergo, it is geuē them in vain. The consequent is euident by the common saying of the Philosopher, that power is but vayne, wherof proceedeth no vse of action. But forsomuch as this Article doth as it were depend vpon the article before passed, therefore this shall suffice, spoken therof at this present.

MarginaliaObiection. But agaynst the affirmations of both these Articles, this is obiected, out of the 16. quest. 1. All faythfull people, and specially all priests deacons and all others of the clergy, ought to take heede that they doe nothing without the licence of theyr bishop. It is also obiected out of the 5. book of Deccretals, Titulo de hereticis cap. cū ex iniuncto. Where it is no man ought to vsurp to himself, indifferētly the office of preaching, forsomuch as the Apostle sayth, how shall they preach except they be sent. Where as also Innocentius doth declare, that it is not sufficiēt for a man to say, that he is sent of God to preach except he do shew the same. MarginaliaThe answeres to the obiection.As touching the first poynt, the Glose doth sufficiently aunswere vpon this word without licence, that is to be expounded, sayth he, without generall licence: the which is obtayned and geuen, when as a bishop doth appoynt any priest to gouern the people. For therby (sayth he) it semeth a bishop is thought to geue him generall power to minister vnto the people and to rule the church. Thus much in the glose. And to the same end and purpose it is sayd in the 7. quest. 1. chap. Episcopi Bishops or Priestes, if they come vnto the church of an other Bishop, for to visite the same, as it is said, glose, 1. in honore suo. Let them be receiued in their degree, and desired as well to preach the word, as to do any other consecration or oblation. MarginaliaWhat it is falsly to vsurpe the office of a preacher.Secondly it is to be noted, þ^t which is very wel spoken in þ^e same place, no man ought to vsurpe vnto himselfe the office of preaching, as a thing indifferent. For to vsurpe, is vnlawfully to use any thing: ergo, the same deacon or priest, doth then vsurpe the office of preaching as indifferētly, who liuing viciously, cōtrary vnto the law of Christ, or being ignorant of the law of God, doth preach either for gayne, or couetousnes of lyuing, either for his belly or dainty life, or for any vaynglory, MarginaliaWho is a true minister of the church.but he whiche doth liue according vnto the lawes of Christ, & being moued with the affection of sincere charity itending purely the honor of God and the saluatiō of him selfe & his neighbors, doth preach no lyes nor vayne iests or other things not authorised, but only the law of Christ, & the minds of þ^e holy doctors. And he that doth so preach, necessity occationing or mouing him therunto, in case there be no Pope or Bishop, or in case possible to withstand the preaching of heretickes, or false preachers, he in so doingdoth not vsurpe the office of preaching, and in suche case there is no doubt but he is sent of God, and this doth also answere vnto that, which is consequently sayd, that if any man will peraduēture craftely answere, that such preachers are inuisibly sēt of God, although not visibly of mē, when as that inuisible sēding of God is much more better thē the visible sending of men: A man may reasonably answere therunto, that forsomuch as that internall sēding is secret, it is not sufficieut for a man onely to say that he is sent of God, forsomuch as euery hereticke may so say, but he ought to proue the same his inuisible calling, by þ^e working of some miracle, or by some speciall testimony of the scripture.

MarginaliaFoure kynds of sending or calling. Here it is to be noted, according to S. Augustine in his 65. booke of quest. vnto Orosius, that there is 4. kindes of sending. The first is from God onely, whereof we read in Moises & other, which were inspired by God. And this kinde of sending, loseth from the daunger of the statute: so that he whom the spirit of God hath enspired, this prelate geuing thankes, may proceed vnto a better life. Whereupō Pope Vrbane sayd 19. quest.2. There be (sayd he) 2. lawes þ^e one publick the other priuate. MarginaliaThe cōmon lawe.The publick law is that which is confirmed in writing by þ^e holy fathers, such as is the canon law: which is only geuen for transgressions: As for example, it is decreed in the canons, that none of þ^e clergy shall go frō one bishoprick vnto an other, without þ^e letters commendatory of his bishop, the which was ordeined onely for offēders, that no infamed persons should be receiued of any bishop. For they were wont when they could not celebrate or do their office vnder their owne Bishopricke, to go vnto another: which now is forbidden by the lawes and precepts. MarginaliaThe priuate lawe.The priuate law is that which by þ^e instruction of the holy Ghost, is written in þ^e hart as the Apostle speaketh, of many, which haue þ^e law of God, written in their hartes. And in an other place: For somuch as the Gentiles haue not the law of God, but naturally doe those thinges, which are of the law, they are lawes vnto thēselues. And afterward he sayth, þ^e priaute law is much more worthy, then the publicke law. MarginaliaPriuate law that is the secrete and inward working of gods spirite in the heart.For the spirit of god, is a law: And they which are moued by the spirit of God, are led by the law of God: And who is he, that can worthely resist agaynst the holy Ghost? Whosoeuer therfore is led by the spirit of God, albeit his bishop do say him nay, let him go freely by our authority, for þ^e law is not appointed for the iust man, for where as the spirit of God is, there is liberty, and if ye be led by the spirite of God, ye are not vnder the law.MarginaliaThe wordes of pope Vrbane.

Beholde here it is affirmed, that the sending by God, through inspiration, is not bound vnder þ^e bondage of the law, for that law is more worthye then the publicke law. Secondly that the law is made for transgressors & offenders, and not for the iust. Thirdly, that whosoeuer is ledd by the spirite of God, although his Bishop stand agaynst him, he may proceed vnto a better life. Wherby it is euidēt that a deacon or priest, disposed to preach, and being led by the spirit of God, he may freely preach the gospell of christ without the spiritual licence of his bishop. It is euidēt for somuch as it is good, that a deacon or priest, do liue well & preach fruitfully. Ergo, he may proceede from idlenes vnto the labor & office of preaching, and so vnto a better life.

MarginaliaEuery man may pretēd to be sent of God, immediately. But where as it is sayde afore, that for so much as the inward sending or calling is secret, therfore it is not sufficient for a man, barely to affirme onely, þ^t he is sent of god, when as euery heretick may so say, but it is necessary, that he do confirme & proue his inuisible sending, by the working of some miracle, or by some speciall testimony of þ^e scripture. MarginaliaTwo kinde of preachersHere is to be noted, that there are 2. kindes of preachers, some true preachers of our sauior Christ, & other seducers of Antechrist. The first sort following the mayster Christ, teach the people in truth: The other sort, being of a corrupt minde, and reprobate touching faith, resist against þ^e verity. And through couetousnes, by their fained words do make marchandise of the people: And these mē do geue & shal geue miracles, as our sauior saith, Math. 24. There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, the which shall shew great signes and wonders, in so much that euen the elect thēselues, if it were by any meanes possible, shoulde be brought into error. And the apostle in the 2. to the Thes. 2. as touching their head Antechrist, writeth thus, whose comming shalbe according to þ^e operation of sathan with al power and signes, false miracles, seducing vnto iniquity, those which do perish, because they haue not receiued þ^e charity and loue of truth, that they might be saued: Therfore will the Lord send vpon them the operation of error, that they shall geue credit vnto lies. That all such as haue not beleued the truth, but consent vnto wickednes, should be iudged: Behold, how expressely our Sauior by himself,