aboundauntly worke meritoriously to the profitte of the Church, he hath thereby more aboundaunt power geuen him of God thereunto. And hereupon sayth Christ in the 10. of Iohn, geue credit vnto workes.

Marginalia2.The 2. Article. The Pope being a reprobate, is not the head of the holy Church of God. The aunswere. I wrote it thus in my Treatise, that I woulde willinglye receiue a probable and effectuall reason of the Doctour, howe thys question is contrary vnto the fayth, to say, that if the Pope be a reprobate, how is he the head of the holy churche. Beholde the trueth cannot decay or fayle in disputation, for did Christ dispute agaynst the fayth, when he demaunded of the Scribes and Pharisyes. Math. 12. Ye stocke and ofspring of Vypers, how can ye speake good thinges, when you your selues are wicked and euill? and beholde I demaunde of the Scribes if the Pope be a reprobate, and the stocke of Vipers, how is he the head of the holy Church of GOD, that the Scribes and Pharisyes which were in the Councell house of Prage make aunswere hereunto? For it is more possible that a reprobate man shoulde speake good thinges, for so much as he may be in state of grace according vnto present iustice, then to be the head of the holy Church of God.

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Also in the 5. of Iohn, our Sauiour complayneth vppon the Iewes, saying. How can you beleue which doe seek for glory amongest your selues, and doe not seeke for the glory that commeth onely of God. And I likewise doe complayne how that if the Pope be a reprobate, can he be the head of the Church of God, which receiueth hys glory of the world, and seketh not for the glory of GOD? For it is more possible that the Pope being a Reprobate should beleue, then that he should be the head of the Churche of God. For so much as he taketh his glory of the world.

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Marginalia3.The 3. Article. There is no sparke of apparance, that there ought to be one head in the spiritualtye, to rule the Church, the whiche should be alwayes conuersant with the militant Church. The aunswere. I do graunt it. For what consequent is this. The king of Boheme is head of the kingdome of Boheme. Ergo, the Pope is head of the whole militant Church. Christ is the head of the spiritualtye, ruling and gouerning the militant Church by much more and greater necessity then Cesar ought to rule the tēporalty. For so much as Christ which sitteth on the ryght hand of God the Father doth necessaryly rule the militant Church as head. And there is no sparke of apparance that there should be one head in þ^e spiritualty ruling the church, that should alwaies be conuersant with the militant churche, except some infidell would heretically affirme, that the militant Church should haue here a permanent and continuall Citty or dwelling place, and not to enquire and seeke after that which is to come. It is also further euident in my booke, how vnconsquent the proportion of the similitude is for a reprobate Pope to be the head of the militent church, and a reprobate king to be the head of þ^e kingdome of Boheme.

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Marginalia4.The 4. Article. Christ would better rule his Churche by his true Apostles dispersed through out the whole world without such monstrous heades: I aunswere, that it is in my booke, as here foloweth, that albeit that þ^e doctor doth say, that the body of the militant Church, is oftentimes without a head: yet notwithstanding we do verelye beleue that Christ Iesus is the head ouer euery Churche, ruling the same without lacke or default, pouring vpō the same a continuall motion and sence, euen vnto the latter day, neither can the doctor geue a reason why the Churche in the time of Agnes, by the space of 2. yeares and 5. monethes, liuing according to many members of christ in grace and fauour, but that by the same reason the Church might be without a head, by þ^e space of many yeares. For so much as Christ should better rule his Church by his true disciples dispersed throughout the whole world, without suche monstrous heads. Then sayd they all together: Beholde now he prophecieth, and Iohn Hus prosecuting his former talke sayd, but I say that the Church in the time of the Apostles was farre better ruled and gouerned then now is. And what doth let or hinder that christ should not now also rule the same better by his true Disciples without such monstrous heades, as haue bene now a late? For beholde euen at this present we haue no such head. And yet Christ ceaseth not to rule his Church, when he had spoken these wordes, he was derided and mocked.

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Marginalia5.The 5. Article. Peter was no vniuersall Pastour or shepheard of the sheepe of Christ, much lesse is the Byshop of Rome. The answere. These words are not in my book, but those which do follow. Secondly it appeareth by the wordes of Christ, þ^t he did not limit vnto Peter for his iu-risdiction, the whole world, no not one onely prouince. So likewise neither vnto any other of the Apostles. Notwithstanding certayne of them walked through many regions and other some fewer, preaching and teaching the kingdome of God, as Paule which laboured & trauelled more then all the rest did corporally visite and conuert most prouinces, whereby it is lawfull for any Apostle or his vicar to conuert and confirme as much people, or as many prouinces in the fayth of Christ, as they are able, neither is there any restraynt of their liberty or iurisdiction. But only by disability or insufficiency.

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Marginalia6.The 6. Article. The Apostles and other faythfull priestes of the Lord haue stoutly ruled the Church in al things necessary vnto saluation before the office of the Pope was brought in to the Church, and so would they very possibly doe still, if there were no Pope euen vnto þ^e latter day. Then they all cryed out agayne and sayd: Behold the prophet, but Iohn Hus sayde verely it is true that the Apostles did rule the Churche stoutly, before the office of the Pope was brought into the Churche. And certaynely a great deale better then it is now ruled. And likewise may other faythfull men which doe follow their steppes doe the same, for as now we haue no Pope, and so peraduenture it may continue and endure a yeare or more. Besides this were brought agaynst him other 19. articles obiected vnto him being in prison which with his answeres to the same here likewise follow. Of the whiche Articles, the first is thys.

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Marginalia

1. Article.

Paule how he was both a blasphemer, & also a member of Christ.

The first Article. Paule according vnto present iustice was a blasphemer and none of the Church, and therwithall was in grace, according vnto predestination of life euer lasting. The aunswere. This propositiou is not in the booke, but this which foloweth: Whereby it doth seme probable, that as Paule was both a blasphemer accordyng to present iustice, and therewithall also was a faythfull childe of our holy mother the Church, and in grace accordyng to predestination of life euerlasting. So Iscariot was both in grace according vnto present iustice, and was neuer of our holy mother the Church, according to the predestination of life euerlasting, for somuch as he lacked that predestination. And so Iscariot albeit he was an Apostle, and a Byshop of Christ, which is the name of his office, yet was he neuer no part of the vniuersall Church.

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Marginalia

2. Article.

Predestination.

The 2. Article. Christ doth more loue a predestinate man being sinnefull, then any reprobate in what grace possible soeuer he be. The aunswere. My wordes are in the 4. chapter of my booke intituled of the Church, and it is euident that God doth more loue any predestinate beynge sinnefull, then any reprobate, in what grace so euer he be for the time: for so much as he will, that the predestinate shall haue perpetuall blessednesse, and the reprobate to haue eternall fire. Wherefore God partly infinitely louing them both as his creatures, yet he doth more loue the predestinate because he geueth him greater grace, or a greater gift: that is to say, life euerlasting, which is greater & more excellent then onely grace, according vnto present iustice. And the third Article of those Articles before, soundeth much neare vnto this, that the predestinate cannot fall frō grace, for they haue a certayne radicall grace rooted in thē, although they be depriued of the aboundant grace for a time. These thinges are true in the compound sence.

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Marginalia

3. Article.

Who so committeth deadly sinne swarueth from the faith.

The 3. Article. All the sinnefull according vnto present iniustice, are not faythfull, but doe swerue from the true Catholicke fayth, for so much as it is impossible that any many can committe any deadly sinne but in that point, that he doe swerue from the fayth. The aunswere. I acknowledge that sentence to be mine, and it appeareth, that if they did thinke vpon the punishment which is to be laid vpon sinners, and did fully beleue, and had the fayth of the diuine knowledge and vnderstanding. &c. then vndoubtedly they would not so offend and sinne. This proposition is verified by the sayinge of the Prophette Esay. Thy rulers are vnfaythfull, misbeleuers, fellowes and companions of theeues, they all loue bribes, and followe after rewardes. Beholde the Prophet calleth the rulers of the Church infidels for their offences, for all such as do not keep theyr fayth inuiolate vnto theyr principall Lorde, are vnfaythfull seruauntes, and they also are vnfathfull children wich keepe not theyr obedience, feare, and loue vnto God their father.

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Item, this proposition is verified, by the saying of the Apostle, the 1. chap. to Titus:MarginaliaTit. cap. 1. They doe confesse that they know God, but by their works they do deny him. And for so much as they which are sinnefull, do swerue away from þ^e meritorious work of blessednes, therfore they do swerue from the true fayth grounded vpon charity, for so much as

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