cation of dead saints? Whether there be any unwritten verities necessary to be believed, not written in scripture, nor deducted by infallible arguments out of the open places of scripture? Whether there be any satisfactions beside the satisfaction of Christ? Whether free-will by its own strength may dispose it self to grace of a conveniency (as it is said) de congruo? Whether it be against scripture to kiss the image of Christ in the honour of him? And generally whether images may be used any other way than your grace setteth forth in your Injunctions?

Whether in consideration of the premises it may please your highness to suspend your judgment for a time, and not to determine the marriage of priests to be against scripture, but rather to put both parts to silence, commanding them neither to preach, dispute, nor openly to talk thereof under pain of&c. And in case these premises do not move your highness to stay, that then it may please the same to grant that the article of priests marriage may be openly disputed in both universities, under indifferent judges, before it be determined. All the arguments of the contrary party first to be delivered in writing to the defenders, twelve days before the disputation; to the intent they may the more maturely and deliberately make answer to the same; and they that shall enter as defenders into this disputation, to do it under this condition, that if their judges discern them to be overcome, they be right well contented to suffer death, therefore and if their adversaries cannot prove their purpose, their desire is no more but that it may please your highness to leave your most humble subjects to the liberty that God's word permitteth them in that behalf; and your said humble subjects shall pray unto Almighty God for the preservation of your most royal estate long to continue, to God's glory and honour.

V.

A declaration made of the functions and divine institution of bishops and priests. An original.

As touching the sacrament of holy orders, we will that all bishops and preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge.

First, How that Christ and his apostles did institute and Cotton lib. ordain in the New Testament, that besides the civil powers fol. 45. Cleop. E. 5. and governance of kings and princes, which is called in scripture potestas gladii, the power of the sword, there should Palso be continually in the church militant, certain other ministers or officers, which should have spiritual power, authority and commission under Christ, to preach and teach the word of God, unto his people, to dispense and administer the sacraments of God unto them; and by the same to confer and give the grace of the Holy Ghost, to consecrate the blessed body of Christ in the sacrament of the altar, to loose and absoil from sin, all persons which be duly penitent and sorry for the same; to bind and excommunicate such as be guilty in manifest crimes and sins, and will not amend their defaults; to order and consecrate others in the same room, order and office, whereunto they be called and admitted themselves; and finally to feed Christ's people like good pastors and rectors, as the apostles calleth them, with their wholsome doctrine, and by their continual exhortations and monitions to reduce them from sin and iniquity, so much as in them lyeth, and to bring them unto the perfect knowledge, the perfect love and dread of God, and unto the perfect charity of their neighbours.

Item, That this office, this ministration, this power and authority is no tyrannical power, having no certain laws or limits, within the which it ought to be contained, nor yet none absolute power, but it is a moderate power, subject, determined, and restrained unto those certain limits and

ends for the which the same was appointed by God's ordinance, which, as was said before, is only to administer and distribute unto the members of Christ's mystical body, spiritual and everlasting things; that is to say, the

pure and heavenly doctrine of Christ's gospel, and the graces conferred in his sacraments: and therefore this said power and administration is called in some places of scripture, donum et gratia, a gift and a grace; and in some places it is called claves sive potestas clavium, that is to say, the keys, or the power of the keys, whereby is signified a certain limited office restrained unto the execution of a special function or ministration, according to the saying of St. Paul in the first chap. of his Epistle to the Romans, and in the fourth chap. of his Epistle to Timothy, and also in the fourth chap. of his Epistle to the Ephes. where he writes in this sentence; Quum ascendisset Christus in altum, captivam duxit captivitatem, et dedit dona hominibus, dedit autem, alios quidem apostolos, alios vero prophetas, alios vero evangelistas, alios autem pastores ac doctores, ad instaurationem sanctorum, in opus administrationis, in ædificationem corporis Christi, donec perveniamus omnes in unitatem fidei et agnitionis Filii Dei, in virum perfectum, in mensuram ætatis plene adultæ Christi, &c. That is to say, "When Christ ascended into heaven, he subdued and "vanquished very captivity her self, and led or made her "thrall and captive, and distributed and gave divers heavenly gifts and graces unto men here in earth; and "among all, he made some the apostles, some priests, some

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evangelists, some pastors and doctors, to the intent they "should execute the work and office of their administra❝tion, to the instauration, instruction, and edifying of the "members of Christ's mystical body: and that they should "also not cease from the execution of their said office, until "all the said members were not only reduced and brought "unto the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son "of God, but also that they were come unto a perfect state,

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"and full age therein, that is to say, until they were so esta"blished and confirmed in the same, that they could no "more afterwards be wavering therein, and be led or carried “like children, yinto any contrary doctrine or opinion, by "the craft and subtile perswasion of the false pastors and "teachers, which go about by craft, to bring them into erroneous opinions, but that they should constantly follow "the true doctrine of Christ's gospel, growing and encreas"ing continually by charity unto a perfect member of that "body, whereof Christ is the very Head, in whom, if the "whole body, that is to say, if every part and member be 66 grown and come unto his perfect estate, not all in like, "but every one according to the gift and quality which is "deputed unto it, and aso be compacted, united, and corporated together in the said body, no doubt but bthat "whole body and every part thereof shall thereby be made "the more perfect and the more strong, by reason of that "natural love and charity, which one member so united in "the body hath unto the other." By which words it арpeareth evidently not only that St. Paul accounted and numbered this said power and office of the pastors and doctors among the proper and special gifts of the Holy Ghost, but also it appeareth that the same was a limited power and office, ordained specially and only for the causes and purposes before rehearsed.

35

Item, That this power, office, and administration is necessary to be preserved here in earth for three special and principal causes. First, for that it is the commandment of God it should so be, as it appeareth in sundry places of scripture. Secondly, for that God hath instituted and ordained none other ordinary mean or instrument, whereby he will make us partakers of the reconciliation which is by Christ, and confer and give the graces of his Holy Spirit unto us, and make us the right inheritors of everlasting life, there to reign with him for ever in glory, but only his word and sacraments; and therefore the office and power to minister

y in

% or

a so to be

b that the whole

e be so,

the said word and sacraments may in no wise be suffered to perish, or to be abolished, according to the saying of St. Paul, Quomodo credent in eum de quo non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient sine prædicante? Quomodo autem prædicabunt nisi missi fuerunt? Sicut scriptum est, Quam speciosi super montes pedes evangelizantium pacem, annunciantium bona! Thirdly, because the said power and office or function hath annexed unto it assured promises of excellent and inestimable things; for thereby is conferred and given the Holy Ghost with all his graces, and finally our justification and everlasting life, according to the saying of St. Paul, Non me pudet evangelii Jesu Christi, potentia si quidem est Dei ad salutem omni credenti; that is to say, am not ashamed of the room and office which I have, given unto me by Christ, to preach his gospel, for it is the power of God, that is to say, the elect organ or instrument ordained by God and endued with such vertue and efficacy, that it is able to give and minister effectually everlasting life unto all those that will believe and obey unto the same.

I

Item, That this office, this power and authority was committed and given by Christ and his apostles unto certain persons only, that is to say, unto priests or bishops, whom they did elect, call, and admit thereunto by their prayers and imposition of their hands.

Secondly, We will that all bishops and preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed unto their spiritual charge, that the sacrament of order may worthily be called a sacrament, because it is a holy rite, or ceremony instituted by Christ and his apostles in the New Testament, and doth consist of two parts, like as the other sacraments of the church do; that is to say, of a spiritual and an invisible grace, and also fof an outward and a visible sign. The invisible gift or grace conferred in this sacrament, is nothing else but the power, the office and the authority before mentioned: the visible and outward sign, is, the prayer and imposition of the bishops hands, upon the person which receiveth the said gift or grace. And to the intent the church of Christ d assuredly

• aud

f of om.