The Confutation of the 13 Articles, Article 10
Shaxton. The .x. Article.
THE churche of Chriſte maye and doeth order ſome prieſtes, to be miniſters of the ſacramētes, although the ſame do not preache, nor be not admitted therunto.
Crowley.
In very dede, that church whych you take for the church of Chriſt, may & doth ordeine ſome prieſtes (yea almooſte all prieſtes) to be miniſters of the Sacramentes, although the ſame do not (nor can not) preache, nor be not admitted therunto. That your churche hath alwaies ordeyned ſuch prieſtes, appeareth by the greate numbre of monkes, friers and chanōs, and other ſacrificatours, which hath bene euen ſence that churche of yours began fyrſt to floryſh. And that they may do it: appeareth by theyr dayly practiſe. For as manye Idle knaues as they can get they annoynte, and yet they complayne of the ſcarcitie, and lacke of hyrlynges, chaplay…es, and morowmas gentilmen. At an ordres ge…ynge, ſhal you ſcarſely ſe .iiii. that ſhal take holye orders, euen in the ſame place where were wonte to be .lxrx. We ſhall, ſaye they, with in a while, hauehave non to ſerue our cures And what call they ſeruynge of a cure? For ſo the, to ſaye maſſe, mattens, and euenſonge on the holye daye, to make holye water, and holye breade, to coniure the fonte, and volowe the chylde, to ſhrine, houſell, & annointe the ſycke, to ſaye dirige and maſſe, and burye the dead.
But the chiefe poynte is to kepe well the Eaſter booke, and ſe that the tythes be not ſlacke lye payed. As for preachynge ſhall be nothynge of the curates charge.
But one thing he muſt beware of. That he ſuffer none of the new learninge nor that vſe anye englyſhe bookes in hys paryſhe, thoughe he knowe not newe from olde, nor whether the Englyſhe bookes be good or not. Onelye he muſte preſente the readers of theym to the ordinarye, and ſaye they be heritikes, bycauſe they reade engliſhe bokes, excepte it be Roden hode, Beues of hampton, Guy of Warwyke, the nutbrown may theyr feſtifall, or ſome other lyke.
And all thys maye youre churche do, for there is no lawe to the contrarye I am ſure. For if there were, they woulde not do it, be ye ſure, for they knowe that the breach of euerye lawe is deadlye ſynne. And where no lawe is there is no ſynne. Wherefore if the lawe forbid them not to make ſuch prieſtes, they maye lawfullye make them, and cōmit into theyr handes, the benifices whiche they maye by the ſame libertie heape togither.
Thys church I …aye, you take for the church of Chriſte. But for as muche as it bearethe not the badge of Chriſte (that is to ſaye) contempte of thys worlde, doueyſhe ſimplicitie, ſerpente lyke wyſdome, humblenesof ſpirite, babyſhe ſubmiſſion, longe ſufferaunce, mutuall louelove towardes all men, ſu… a…uynge of wronges, diſtruſt of them ſelues, conſtaunte and ſure truſt in the merites of Chriſte, the preachynge, ſettynge forthe and confiſſynge of hys worde, reiecting the fonde inuentions of men: we can not but ſay They wente forthe from vsus: but they were not of …s. Yea that more is: we are conſtrained to take them as they be in dede) for Antichriſtes, becauſe we ſe thē wear the badges of the enemie of Chriſt, in ſteade of the badges of Chriſt. In ſtede of the con…ēpt of this world, they hauehave put on vnſaciable deſire, as appeareth by the benifices they heape togither. In ſteade of doueyſhe ſimplicitie: they haueput on vultours rauen…e, as appeareth by the ſwifte ſuite they make vpō the ſimple preachers & ſetters forth of Gods truth. In ſteade of the ſerpētes prudēce: they hauehave put on more then brutiſhe negligence, ſufferyng theyr ſenſuall appetities to leade theim captyue into al abhominations. In ſtede of hū blenes of ſpirite: they hauehave put on ſuch haūt ues of hert, as hath led them vp aboue Emperours and kynges. In ſteade of babeiſhe ſubmiſſion: they hauehave put on ſturdye obſtinacie, as appeareth by the greate tumulties that they hauehave alwayes ſterred vp, to holde themſelues out of the reach of Emperours and of Kynges. In ſteade of longe ſufferaunce they hauehave putte on ſwyfte reuenge…uēt, yea preuētion of treaſpaſe, as appeareth by the commiſſions that they hauehave purchaſed for the examination of certayne ſuſpecte perſons, whome they hauehave by theyr ſubtyle circumuentions, tra…ned into theyr ſnares, and made awaye with the innocente membres of Chriſte. In ſteade of vnfayned louelove towards al men: a cone…t & priuie hatred toward al that be eyther hinderaunce or let to theyr mooſte vaine glorye, as appeareth by theyr perſecutynge of thoſe perſonnes: that ſeke the … of theſe thynges, …he abuſe whero…, is the …pholdyng of theyr glory. In ſtede of ſuſtayning wrong… playne extortion and open bribourye, as appeareth by theyr beaderolles, maſſe pence, and dirige grotes, wyth other, more then popeiſhe pillage. In ſtede of diſtruſte in them ſelues, cō tempt of Goddes mercies, as appeareth by the aboundaunce of merites that they hauehave continuallye ſolde to other.
In ſtede of the conſtāt truſt in the merites of Chriſt: diſtruſte in the ſame, as appeareth by the cōtinual ſacrifice they offer for ſynne. In ſtede of cōfeſſyng, & preachinge & ſettyng forthe of Godes worde perſecutynge of the confeſſours, preachers and ſetters forthe of the ſame. In ſtead of the reiectyng of mens inuentions: the preferrynge of them before Goddes moſte holy worde, as appeareth by theyr ſhyton ceremonies, whyche muſt take place▪ whē Goddes moſte holy word muſte ſtande abacke.
Oh Shaxton, here maiſte thou beholde the Image of thy churche lyuelye counterfayted, whoe maye (as they are wycked) ordeyne wyckedlye, miniſters for the vpholdeynge of theyr wyckednes. But the true churche of Chriſte, neyther doeth nor maye ordeyne anie other miniſters then miniſters of the Goſpel.
If the Goſpel therfore nede no ſuch ſacrificeyng prieſtes: tel me thē howe the church of Chriſte may ordeine any ſuch. The Goſpell ſayeth, that all ſacrifice was ended in Chriſte ſauyng onelyonly the ſacrifice of thākes geuinge, whyche eueryevery true chriſtian muſte continually offer vponupon our aultare Chriſte, in the tēple of hys owne her…e. If the church therfore may ordeyne any miniſters for any other purpoſe then to preache: no doubte it muſte neades be to ſupplye the rowme of Stephane. And to ſupply that rowme, they muſt be full of the holye Goſte, myghtye in good worckes, & able to confound the diſpitfull enemies of the churche, thoughe not by the gyfte of preachynge, yet by the gyfte of exhortynge and myghtye declaration of the hope in Chriſte Ieſu. Such miniſters doeth the church of Chriſt ſtand nede of, that they baptiſyng & miniſtering ſacramētes: myght do all thinges of knowledge, & not of ſuperſtition, declaryng alſo to the people, the efficacie and ſtrength of eueryevery thing they miniſter: that the people alſo, might, receiue their miniſtrations of knowledge & not of ſuperſtitiō, But to hauehave ſuch a rout of reguler rutterkins, ſome bellowinge in the quire, ſome muttering at the aultare, & an other ſortiettynge vp and down to wayte when my Ladie ſhalbe readye to ſe a caſte of theyr office. If theſe be the prieſts of your church, tel me whether they be the prieſts of Chriſt or not.
The Prophet O ſee ſayeth (in the perſonOſee .iiii. of God) that he will refuſe that prieſte, that refuſeth vnderſtandynge, and ſuch one ſhall be no lōger hys prieſte. Malachie ſayeth alſo,Mala .ii. that the lyppes of the prieſte muſt be ſure of knowledge, that men maye ſeke the lawe at theyr mouth. Then tel me, whether chriſt wyll alowe thys rablement of rorynge bulles, wyth the other iettynge gentylmen, that knowe and profeſſe none other lawe, but the mooſte blaſphemouſe ſtatutes of that abhominable baude, theyr whoreyſhe mother of Rome. But hearke what the Lorde ſayeth ofOſee .iiii. thys whoreyſhe mother of yours. I wyll brynge your mother (ſayeth he) to ſcilence. And whye? Bycauſe my people peryſhe for lacke of knowledge.
Nowe take youre pen in hande, & declare if you cā, that theſe drone bees that ſwarme ſo thycke in eueryevery church: be not the prieſtes that the prophete ſpeaketh of, Declare that your mother (the holye churche of Rome) is not thys mother that ſhall be put to ſcilence If you can not denye but it is ſhe, and that theſe dombe doges (you wot whō I meane) be hyr chyldren: then reuoke youre Article, and ſaye wyth the chriſtian congregation, that the churche of Chriſte maye ordeyne no miniſters, but ſuche as be full of the holye Goſt, myghty both in word and operation.