Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 5 · Part 6
Seauen Articles gathered out of his Booke against Stephen Pallets.
1 THE first Article, If the Pope, Bishop, or Prelate, be in deadly sinne, he is then no Pope, Bishop, or Prelate. Answere. I grant thereunto, and I send you to Saint Augustine, Ierome, Chrysostome, Gregory, Cyprian, and Barnard, who say moreouer, that he that is in deadly sinne, is no Christian; how much lesse, Pope, Bishop, or Prelate, of whom it is said in the eight of Amos, They hauehave ruled but not through me; they became Princes, and I knew them not: but I graunt, a wicked Pope, Bishop, or Priest, is an vnworthy Minister of the Sacrament, by whom God doth baptise, consecrate, or otherwise worke, to the profit of his Church. God saith by Samuell to Saul, because thou hast cast off my word, I hauehave cast thee off from being a King, much more a Pope sinning.
2 The Grace of Predestination, is the bond whereby the body of the Church and eueryevery member thereof are firmely knit vntounto the Head. Answere. This Article is mine, and it is proued out of the eight to the Romanes, Who shall separate vsus from the louelove of Christ: And the tenth of Iohn, My Sheepe heare my voyce, I know them, and giuegive them eternall life, they shall not perish, nor any shall take them out of my hands. This is the knot of the body of the Church, and the spirituall head, vnderstandding the Church of the predestinated.
3 If the Pope be a Reprobate, then as Iudas, he is a Deuill, a Théefe, and the Son of perdition, and not the head of the Militant Church, nor member thereof. I answer, If he were a member of the Church, then should he be a member of Christ, and then he should cleaue vntounto Christ by grace of Predestination and present Iustice, and should be one spirit with God, as in the 1. Cor. 6. Know you not that our bodies are the members of Christ.
4 That an euill Pope or Prelate is no Pastor. Answer. The Text of my Booke, is, if he be euill, he is a hireling: of whom Christ saith, He is no Shepheard, nor the sheepe his, he seeth a Wolfe and forsaketh his sheepe, so doth eueryevery Reprobate, therefore no true Pastor.
5 The Pope is not, nor ought not by his Office, to be called most holy. I Answere, When as the King, according to S. Augustines mind, representeth the Deity of Christ, and the Priest representeth only his humanity; therefore the King of Romaines by reason of his Office, ought rather to be called most holy. These thinges are more at large discided in my Booke (saith Iohn Hus) but I can finde no foundation, whereby I should call the Pope most holy, when it is only spoken of Christ.
6 If the Pope liue contrary to Christ, though he be lawfully chosen according to humane election, yet he commeth in another way then by Christ. Answere. The text is thus, if the Pope liue contrary to Christ, in Pride and Auarice, doth he not then come in another way, then by the lowly and méeke doore of Christ. Iudas was lawfully chosen by Christ, yet bee came in another way: and as Christ saith in the sixt of Iohn, Was a Theese, a Deuill, and the Sonne of perdition, and whosoeuer doth enter into a Bishopprick or any other place, not with intent to labour in the Church, but to liue voluptuously and richly, and to aduance himselfe with all kind of pride, he commeth in another way, and not by Christ, and is a Théefe.
7 The condemnation of the forty fiue Articles of Wickliffe, made by the Doctors, as wicked and vnreasonable, and the cause by them alleadged is fained and vntrue. Answere. So it is, to say that eueryevery one of them is hereticall, erronious, and offensiue: then he said to Cardinall Cambray? O Maister Doctor where is your proofe! Then the Cardinall said: Iohn Hus, thou diddest say thou wouldst defend none of Iohn Wickliffes errors? I will not if they be errors, but in my conscience, I could not consent to the condemnation, being I saw no Scripture against them.