Confutation of the Popes Bull, Part 7
¶Of the wordes, power, and ministery, and so is the disputation of the keyes knit vp.
I Know well inough it offendeth many euen in this discourse, that I vse the terme power so seldome, and the worde ministerie or ministration so often, when notwithstanding the Scripture doth openly geue power to the ministers, and it is commonly called the power of the keyes. But how small a thing is that I beséech you, if it be compared with the fulnesse of power which these men chalenge to them selues openly? I graunt in déede that the administration of the Church, or (if ye like it better) of the keyes, is called power. For the Lord sayth in the Gospell: Like as a man that at his going into a straunge countrey, left his house and gaue his seruauntes power. &c. But who knoweth not that the power which is spoken of héere, is none other but to do seruice or to minister: specially seing that in an other Euangelist, it is more effectually opened what maner of power the same is, in these wordes: to geue his honsholde meate in due season, sayth the Lord. Which thing no man will wrest to the fulnesse of power, but he that is past all shame. For the Lorde speaketh manifestly of the preaching of the Gospell, whereby meate is set before the housholde, I meane before the Church of God. And when Paule to the Corinthians had termed the preaching of the Gospell the word of attonement:2. Cor. 5. by and by expoūding him selfe he addeth, that the office or ministration of preaching the attonement was geuen vntounto him: behold, héere he calleth that thing a ministration, which he had euen now called the worde. And he addeth againe, that Christ by the ministers exhorteth men to be at one with God. What power (I pray you) shall the faythfull minister claime by this géere? Rightly therefore do some men geue warning, that the power by lawe is one thing, and the power by ministration is an other. The power by lawe is that wherby ech man as an owner hath power ouer the thinges that are his owne, subiecte to his owne commaundement and not to an other mans. After this sort the Lord hath power ouer the Church,Math. 28. who sayth in the Gospell: All power is geuen to me in heauen and in earth. So is it sayd before, that Christ hath the key of Dauid, of death, and of hell. This power is communicated to no creature, but remaineth to God alone. Therefore except they will be false ministers, they will neuer take this power vponupon thē. But the power of ministration or office, is that which the Lord hath committed to the ministers, with a certaine limitation and not absolutely. For these do, not what they list them selues, nor as owners of thinges, but as their Lord and master hath commaunded them, and onelyonly in the same maner that he by his certaine determination hath appointed them to be done: and if they do it not, or do it otherwise then their master hath commaunded them, they shall be but vntrusty seruauntes. And so vndoutedly the minister of Christ hath the ministering power of the keyes in ye Church, to preach the Gospell to the Church, and to preach it in such wise as the Lord hath commaunded him to preach: and certeinly he shall be a false and vnfaythfull seruaunt to his master, if he take vponupon him any other power and specially fulnesse of power, and preach not the Gospell at all, or preach it otherwise then is appointed him.
Besides this, I am not ignorant, that Christ gaue the Apostles great power, howbeit with limitation, and but for the beginning and for a certeine time, according as Mathew witnesseth, saying: And he gaue his twelue Disciples power against vncleane spirites, to cast them out and to heale all maner of diseases and infirmities. For I thinke not that any man will affirme the same power to be geuen to all ministers of the Church, together with the keyes, considering that we know, how that (the Gospell being sufficiently confirmed already by such signes) they be now no longer common and vsuall in the rest of the Church, no more then the ablenesse and vse of sundry tounges. But howsoeuer the case stād with that wonderfull power, it is most certeine that the Apostle Paule sayd of all maner of power geuen vntounto him by the Lord, that the same was geuen him to edifie withall, and not to destroy. Which thing vnlesse eueryevery minister wey very aduisedly with him selfe: not onelyonly in vaine, but also to his owne great harme shall he dispute of the power that is geuen him, and much more daungerously shall he take it vponupon him.
Hetherto I hauehave made discourse of the keyes with as much bréefnesse and plainnesse as I could. Wherby I trust that such as shut not their eyes of malice, may perceaue that the keyes are for an other thing, then the Papistes face vsus withall, doutlesse not an absolute ouer thinges in earth and in heauen, but an healthfull ministery of Gods worde, or of the Gospell of Iesu Christ, and the charge and good ordering of the very Church of God: And therefore that whē the Lord sayd, I will geue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, he gaue not Peter and the Romane Idoll an infinite power which they call the fulnesse of power. For when the Lord promised and gaue the keyes, he gaue not the keyes of an earthly kingdome, but of the kingdome of heauen. Which thing is chéefly to be marked in this discourse. And in this kingdome & in this his Church Christ is the souerein Lorde, and abideth King, Bishop, and supreme head: yea and that alone without any copartener or deputie. But his messengers or Ambassadors sent to his Church, are the Elders, rulers, and ministers of the congregations. As for all power it is onelyonly Christes the King, Préest, and Head, and is not surrendred to any other. For he him selfe caryeth yet still, and vntounto the very end will cary vponupon his shoulders the key of Dauid: and he will open and no man shall shut, and shut and no man shall open, and he alone both looseth and bindeth. But his Ambassadors or preachers that are sent and ordeined to gather his Church, doe preach this Christ the Lord, assuring men by the preaching of the Gospell, that Christ forgeueth the sinnes of such as beléeue certeinly and bestoweth eternall life vponupon them, and that he cōdemneth those to eternall death, which beléeue not, or which gainstand the Gospell. The self same Ministers do féede with Gods word the Church that is gathered vntounto Christ, comfortyng the weakeharted, quickenyng and thrusting foreward the slothfull, confirming the wauerers, exhortyng all men euermore vntounto continuall prayers, to the lawfull vsing of the Sacramentes, too the dewties of godly conuersation, and most of all to charitie and mercy, and in all thinges & by all meanes with singular faythfulnesse and diligence endeuering to bryng and preserue the Churche safe and sound vntounto Christ: whiche doutlesse is the very true and wholesome vse of the keys of Gods kyngdome, euen the natiue and holy stewardshyp, charge, and well orderyng of Gods Church.