fayth without workes is dead. To this end doth also pertaine, that which the Lord speaketh Math. 23. of the faythfull and vnfaythfull seruaunt.

Marginalia4. Article.The 4. Article. These wordes of Iohn in his 22. chap. Receiue the holy Ghost: And whatsoeuer you sholl binde vpon earth. &c. And Mathew 16. and 18. chapter for lack of vnderstanding shall terrifye many Christians, and they shalbe wonderfully afrayd, and others shalbe deceiued by them, presuming vpon the fulnes of theyr power and authority. The answere. This sentence I do approue and allow, and therefore I say in the same place, that it is first of all to be supposed that the saying of our Sauiour is necessary, as touching the vertue of the word, forasmuch as it is not possible for a Priest to binde and loose, except that binding and loosing be in heauen. MarginaliaThe wordes of Christ for binding and losing, vnles they be well vnderstanded, minister to much feare or presumption.But for lacke of the true vnderstanding of these wordes, many simple Chrsitians shalbe made afrayd, thinking with themselues that whether they be iust or vniust, the Priestes may at their pleasures, whensoeuer they will, binde them. And the ignorant Priestes do also presume and do take vpon thē to haue power to binde and loose whensoeuer they wil. For many foolish and ignorant priestes do say that they haue power and authority to absolue euery man confessing himself, of what sinne or offence soeuer it be, not knowing that in many sinnes it is forbidden them, and that it may happen that an hypocrite do confesse himselfe, or such one as is not cōtrite for his sinne, wherof proofe hath oftentimes bene founde and it is euident for so much as the letter doth kill, but the spirite doth quicken.

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Marginalia

5. Article.

Binding & loosing chiefly and principally belong to Christ.

The v. Article, The binding and loosing of God, is simply & playnly the chiefe aud principal. The answere. This is euident, forsomuch as it were blasphemous presumption to affirme, that a man may remit and forgeue an euill fact or offence done agaynst such a Lord, the Lord himselfe not appouing or allowing the same. For by the vniuersall power of the Lord, it is necessary that he doe first absolue and forgeue, before that his vicare doe the same, neyther is there one Article of our fayth, which ought to be more cōmon or knowne vnto vs, then that it should be impossible for any man of the militant Church to absolue or binde, except in suche case as it be conformable vnto the head of the Churche Iesu Christ. Wherefore euery faythfull Christian ought to take heed of that saying: if the Pope or any other pretend by any maner of signe to binde or loose, that he is thereby bound or loosed, for he that doth graunt or confesse that, must also consequently graunt and confesse that the Pope is without sinne, and so that he is a God, for otherwise he must needes erre, and doe contrary vnto the keyes of Christ. This saying proueth the fact of the Pope, who alwayes in his absolution presupposeth contrition and cōfession. Yea moreouer, if any letter of absolution be geuen vnto any offender, which doth not declare the circumstances of the offence which ought to be declared, it is sayd that thereby the letter of absolution is of no force and effect. It is also hereby euident, that many Priestes do not absolue those which are cōfessed, because that either through shamfastnes they do cloke or hide greater offences, or els þ^t they haue not due contrition or repentance, MarginaliaTo true absolution 4. thinges are required.for vnto true absolution there is first required contritiō. Secondly a purpose & intent to sinne no more. Thirdly, true cōfessiō. And fourthly stedfast hope of forgeuenes, The j. appeareth by Ezech. if the wicked do repent him. &c. The ij. in the v. & 8. of Iohn do thou not sinne any more. The third part by this place of Luke: shew your selues vnto the Priestes. And the fourth is confirmed by the saying of Christ: My sonne beleue, and 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.

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Marginalia6. Article.The 6. Article. The Priestes do gather and heape vppe out of the Scriptures those things which serue for the belly but such as pertayne to the true imitation and folowing of Christ, that they reiect and refuse as impertinent vnto saluation. The aunswere. This Saynt Gregory doth sufficiently proue in his 17. Homely,MarginaliaEx Gregorio. alledging the sayinge of Christ: The haruest is great, the workemen are few, speaking also that which we cannot say without griefe or sorrow, that albeit there be a great number which willingly heare good things, yet there lacketh such as should declare the same vnto them, for behold the world is full of priests,MarginaliaPriestes more geuen to their owne lucre and belly, then to the seruice of Christ. but notwithstanding there is a scarcitye of workemen in the haruest of the Lord. We take vpon vs willingly priesthood, but we do not fulfil & do the workes & office of priesthood. And immediately after he sayth, we are fallen vnto outward affayres & busines, for we take vpō vs one office for honour sake, and we do exhibite & geue an other to ease our selues of labour. We leaue preaching and as farre as I can perceiue we are called Bishops to our paine, whichdo retayne the name of honour, but not the verity.

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And immediatly after he sayth, we take no care for our flocke, we dayly call vpon for our stipend & wages, we couet and desire earthly thinges with a gredy mind, we gape after worldly glory, we leaue the cause of God vndone, and make haste about our worldly affayres & busines, we take vpō vs the place of sanctity and holines, and we are wholy wrapped in worldly cares & troubles. &c. This writeth saynt Gregory with many other thinges more in the same place. Also in his Pastorall, in his Morals, in his register. Also Saynt Bernard with many other places. Likewise in his xxxiij. Sermon vpon the Canonicalles, he sayth, all frendes, and all enemies: all kinsfolkes and aduersaryes, all of one householde, and no peace makers: they are the Ministers of Christ, and serue Antichrist: they goe honourably honoured with the goodes of the Lord, and yet they do honour. &c.

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Marginalia7. Article.The 7. Article. The power of the pope, which doth not folow Christ, is not to be feared. The answere. It is not so in my treatise, but contrariwise, that the subiects are boūd willingly & gladly to obey the vertuous and good rulers, and also those which are wicked and euill. MarginaliaThe Popes power doing vngodly is not to be feared.But notwithstāding, if the pope do abuse his 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 deposition, whē as they resisted him, saying that he did abuse his power contrary vnto his owne othe.

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Marginalia8. Article.The 8. Article. An euill and a wicked Pope is not the successor of Peter, but of Iudas. The aunswere. I wrote thus in my treatise: If the pope be humble and meed, neglecting and despising the honors and lucre of the world: if he be a shepheard taking his name by the feeding of þ^e flock of God (of the which feeding the Lord speaketh, sayinge: feede my sheepe) if he feede the sheepe with the worde, and with vertuous example, and that he become euen lyke hys flocke with his whole hart and minde: if he doe diligently and carefully labour and trauell for the Church, then is he without doubt the true Vicare of Christ. MarginaliaThe Pope doing contrarye 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 society betwene Christ and Belial, and Christ himselfe 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 himselfe Sathanas, when he did cōtrary him but onely in one word, and that wyth a good affection, euen him whom he had chosen his Vicare, and specially appoynted ouer his church. Why should not any other then, being 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 testimonyes of this matter in S. Augustine, S. Ierome, Ciprian, Chrisostom, Bernard, Gregory, Remigius, and Ambrose. &c.

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Marginalia

9. Article.

I. Hus neede not proue this article the pope will proue it himselfe.

The 9. Article. The Pope is the same beast of whome it is spoken in the Apoc. power is geuen vnto him to make warre vpon the sayntes. The answere. I deny this Article to be in my booke.

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10. Article.

To preach against the popes commandement.

The 10. Article. It is lawful to preach, notwithstāding the Popes inhibition. The answere. The Article is euidēt forsomuch as the Apostles did preach contrary to the commaundement of the bishops at Ierusalem. And S. Hillary did the like, contrary to the cōmaūdement of þ^e pope which was an Arrian. It is also manifest by the example of Cardinals, which contrary vnto the cōmaundement of Pope Gregory the xij. sēt 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.

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Marginalia11. Article.The 11. Article. If the popes commaundement be not concordant and agreeable with the doctrine of the Gospell or the Apostles, it is not to be obeyed. The answer. I haue thus written in my booke: MarginaliaHow farre prelates are to be obeiedThe faythfull disciple of Christ ought to wey and consider whether the popes commaundement be expressely & plainely the cōmaūdement of Christ or any of his Apostles, or whether it haue any foundatiō or groūd in their doctrine or no: and that being once knowne or vnderstand, he ought reuerētly and humbly to obey the same. But if he do certaynly know that the popes cōmaūdement is contrary and agaynst the holy Scripture, and hurtful vnto the Church: then he ought boldely to resist agaynst it, that he be not partaker of the crime and offēce by cōsenting thereunto. This I haue handled at large in my treatise, and haue confirmed it by the authorityes of Saint Austine, Hierome, Gregory, Chrisostome, Bernard and Bede, and with the holy Scripture and Canons, the which for breuities cause I do here passe ouer. I will onely reherse the saying of Saint Isydore,MarginaliaIsydorus. who writeth thus: He

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