Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That the ancient forme of gouernment was ouerthrowne by the tyrannie of the Papacie.
1 NOW let vsus conferre and compare the order of gouerning the Popiſh church, with that of the primatiue and old church which wee hauehave deſcribed,Calling. that it may more eaſilie appeare how falſlie they chalenge to themſelues the title of the church. It is beſt to begin with calling, and we will giuegive the firſt place to Biſhops. There is there no examination of learning or maners, yea this hundreth yeeres,What maner biſhops. there hath been founde ſcarce one among an hundred which had in him anie ſounde doctrine: fewe which were not drunkardes, whoremongers, hunters, &c.
2 Now in chooſing,By whom all that right of the people was taken away: their deſires, aſſent, ſubſcriptions & al ſuch things did vaniſh away. The whole power is tranſlated vntounto the Canons onlie: they beſtowe the Biſhopricke vppon whom they will, ſo that it is made at this day for the moſt part, a reward of adulterie and baudrie.
3 Ordaining is nothing but a meer mock:With what rite wheras princes hauehave by bargaining in ſome places obtained of the Biſhops of Rome to nominate the Biſhops, the churche hath ſuffered no newe loſſe therein, becauſe the election is onelyonly taken from the Canons, who tooke it to themſelues by no right.
4 Behold their excellent calling, by reaſon wherof the Biſhops boaſt that they be the ſucceſſours of the Apoſtles.Elders And they ſay that the right to make elders belongeth to them alone: and they are made not to gouern, or feed the people, but to ſacrifice: in like ſort, when they conſecrate Deacons,Deacons. they ſpeak nothing of their proper office, but they ordaine thē to certaine ceremonies about the challice and pattin. It was eſtabliſhed*,In Synod Calcedon. diſtinct. 70. cap. 1. that euerie one which was ordained ſhould hauehave a place appointed him forthwith: nowe it is ſufficient if their reuenue bee ſufficient to ſuſtaine them. They doe in deed with great pompe ſhadow that which they do, but they be onlie viſures,Vicars. wherein there is no ſoundneſſe.
5 Obiect. Biſhops hauehave vicars to enquire of learning before ordering.
An. But what? whether they can reade their Maſſes: whether they can decline ſome cōmon word wherewith they meet in reading. Whē thoſe which are to bee ordered are brought to the altar, it is demanded thriſe in words which they vnderſtand not whether they be worthie of the honour? One which neuer ſaw them, anſwereth, they be worthie. Is not that to mocke God and men?
Beſtowing of Benefices.6 How much better do they behaue themſelues in beſtowing of benefices? Trulie ſo, that no one of them can hit another in the teeth. All of thē breake in generally as into a farme of their enemies.
7 But this is alſo a greatet monſter, that one mā is appointed to gouerne fiue or ſixe churches.Quot liberaries Wee may ſee in Princes Courtes young men which are thriſe Abbots,Munkes. twiſe Biſhops, once Archbiſhops.
8 But let vsus ſee how faithfullie they do their dutie. Of Prieſts, ſome are Monks, ſome Seculars. That former flocke was vnknowen to the old churche, to which this ſong is now firſt ſoung: let a Monke being content with his cloiſter, neither preſume to miniſter the ſacraments, or to beare any other publike function. A manifeſt mocking of God.
9 Seculars are partlie beneficed, & partlie they ſpende their daily labour in ſaying Maſſe, or in ſinging, & they liue by the wages which they get that way. Benefices, hauehave either cure of ſoules as biſhopricks or Pariſhes:Seculars. or els they be ſtipends for daintie men which get their liuing by ſinging, as Prebends, Canonſhips, Perſonages, Dignities, Chapellēſhips. As for hirelings,Benefices they get their liuing from day to day, and after a ſhameleſſe maner ſet themſelues to ſale for gaine,Hungrie hyrelinges. and like hungrie dogs with importunate begging, they wring out of men againſt their will, that which they put in their hūgrie bellie. They ſacrifice Chriſt vponupon the altar: which is to do ſacrifice not to God, but to the Diuell.
10 The ſame account ought we to make of Canons, Deanes, Chaplaines, Prouoſts, &c.Chanons. &c
11 There remaine Biſhops and gouernours of pariſhes,Biſhopes. who hauehave an excellent office if they would vſe it. They hauehave churches committed vntounto them, though they turne the charge ouer to their vicars: they make none other account of them then of farmes,A Similitude ouer which they ſet their vicars as Baliffes or Farmers: as if it were the office of a Paſtour to doe nothing.
12 Of this did Gregorie complaine in his time, ſaying, The world is full of Prieſtes:Hom. 17. and yet it is a rare thing to find a labourer in the harueſt: becauſe we take vponupon vsus in deed the office of the Prieſts, but we doe not the worke of our office.
13 But if anie man doe duely examine all this face of Eccleſiaſticall gouernement,Poperie is an horrible theeuiſh corner. which is vnderunder poperie at this day, hee ſhall finde that there is no theeuiſhe corner, wherein robbers doe liue more licentiouſlie without law and order.
14 But if wee deſcende vntounto the manners, where ſhall wee finde that light of the worlde, the ſalt of the earth?Examinations of maners Mat. 5.14 Where is that holineſſe whiche may be as a perpetuall rule to iudge by. There is no kinde of men more infamous at this day, for riot, wantonneſſe, daintineſſe, and finallie for all kinde of luſtes.
15 Let Deacōs now come forth, wher is that moſt holy diſtribution of goods? But they are not made to that ende.Deacons with out diſtributiō of goodes For there is none other thing enioyned them, but to ſerue at the Altar, to recite the goſpell, or to ſing it, and to doe I cannot tel what toies. There is nothing ſpoken of almes, nothing of the caring for the poore. They appeare not at all with the inſtitution which the Apoſtles vſed.
16 Hauing made a diuiſion of the church goods, euerie man did catche to himſelfe ſo much as hee could,Theeues cānot agree about the parting of the ſtake. the Biſhops and towniſh Prieſtes (who being enriched by this pray, became Canons) did pull in peeces among them the beſt part. It was a troubleſome diuiſion, becauſe they cannot yet agree about their boūds. Yet by this means prouiſiō is made that not one half penny ſhal come to the poore. For they hauehave takē to themſelues the fourth part which was appointed for the poore. That which was conſecrated to the repairing of the churches is conuerted to ſuperfluous vſes. The ſame ſacrilegious robberie is committed in the fourth part which was giuen to the clarkes.
17 Obiect. By this gorgeouſneſſe of churches, the propheſies are fulfilled,Pſal. 72.10. Ieſ. 52.1. & 60.6 wherein the olde prophets deſcribe the beautie of the kingdome of Chriſt*.
The pouertie of miniſters is glorious.An. That is to tranſlate thoſe thinges which are ſpoken ſpirituallie of the ſpirituall kingdome of Chriſt vntounto the fleſh & the world. The ſentence of the Synode of Aquileia is to be noted. Pouertie is glorious in the Prieſtes of the Lorde.
Garniſhinge of Churches18 That which is beſtowed vppon garniſhing of churches, is beſtowed amiſſe, becauſe it doeth not ſmell of chirſt, but of riot and corruption of times. In the meane ſeaſon it is ſo farre of that they hauehave reſpect of the liuing temples, that they doe rather ſuffer manie thouſandes of poore people to ſtarue through hunger, then that they will breake the leaſt challice or cruet to releeue their pouertie.
19 The reuenue of lands and poſſeſſions cauſeth that Biſhops & Abbtos in number of wayting men,Reuenues of lands in gorgeouſneſſe of houſes, in gay apparrell & daintie diſhes, doe imitate, or rather ſtriue with Princes. I am aſhamed to ſay any more. Lo of what titles the Papiſtes boaſt for commendation of their church.