Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 5
Cap. 5. That the old fourme of gouernment is vtterly ouerthrowne by the tyranny of the Papaſie.
THe Chapters being diuided into partes, firſt he thinketh to diſcuſſe both, who and what men, and in what order they ſhoulde be called vnderunder the papaſie to this miniſtery: & that he doth from the firſt to the ſeuenth. Moreouer howe faithfully they may execute their office, from the 8. to the 19.
1 As concerning the firſt where hée graunteth the firſt to the Biſhops, in this diſputation for honors ſake, firſt he ſheweth who, and what men muſt bée choſen, that is, the vnlearned, diſſolute, boies, Sodomites.
2 Moreouer as concerning the thirde member, that is to ſay, the order of choſing, al that right of the*That he complaineth the peoples right to be abridged, it is doubtfull whether it were but for a time, and tied to certaine circumſtances, I truely cannot be perſwaded to graunt ſuch right to the people, as our churches are nowe gouerned. people in choſing, is takē away, againſt Leo, Cyprian and many decrees of Synodes, neither can they bée excuſed with that coller they alledge.
3 They hauehave violently gotten to thē ſelues thoſe turnes, not (as they faine) to remedy miſerable things, but to eſtabliſh their owne tyranny, at length the*Notwithſtanding ſince that Papaſiie preuailed, certaine Emperours hauehave withſtoode the Popes, concerning ſuch rites and reaſons, as apperteining to them only, as Henry the 4. and the 5. and Edward the 3. King of England in an Epiſtle to the Pope, prooueth that the Biſhops election did appertaine to his Progenitors. Princes obteined of them to name the Biſhops an example no leſſe filthie then the other, and that which ought to be farre from a good Prince.
4 When he hath ſpoken of election of Biſhops, comming to the election of Prieſtes and Deacons: hée reprooueth the ſame for two cauſes: firſt for yt they are ordeined to an other ende: Moreouer, becauſe none are appointed to any certain place, beſides a thouſand other deceites.
5 In the ordinances of theſe how diuerſe abuſes doe burſt out.
6. 7 In the collations of Benefices are alſo many abuſes.
Comming to the ſecond part of the Chapter, that is to diſcuſſe how faithfully they fulfill their duetie: firſt, hee ſpeaketh of Prieſts of what ſort ſoeuer, from the 8. to the 14: Then alſo of Deacons, frō the 15. to the 19. In that they deuide their Prieſtes into monkes and Seculars,Hom. 17. firſt hee denieth that thoſe former hauehave any place in the preſbitery. Moreouer, if they hauehave, they doe not their duetie which is commanded them to doe.
9 Of the Seculars ſome hauehave certaine ſtipends whereby they are nouriſhed, as Biſhoprikes or Pariſhes, ſome liue, as hirelings by letting their dayly labor of a ſtipend gathered therevppon, theſe are nothing leſſe by the nature of their offices then Prieſtes.
10 Canons, Deanes, Chaplins, Prouoſts, and all that are fed with idle benefices, muſt be accounted in the ſame degree.
11 Biſhops and Teachers hauehave a godly and excellent office, if they did execute it, they forſake their Churches committed to them and caſt the gouernance thereof farre from them.
12 This did Gegory cōſider of in his time: but Bernard being ſomewhat after, much more. The worlde, ſaith Gegory, is full of Prieſtes, but yet in harueſt there are ſeldome workemen founde. Againe, what doe wée O Prieſtes which receaue rewarde and are no worke men?Acts. 20.28 wée leaue the miniſterie of preaching, & to our puniſhement, as I ſée, wée are called Biſhops that kéepe the name of honour, and not of vertue.
13 The whole forme of Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, which at this day floriſheth vnderunder Papiſme, there is nothing elſe but a ſpoiling place where in théeues licentiouſly raunge without lawe and meaſure, howſoeuer they bragge them ſelues with the couller of the Apoſtles authoritie.
14 Their manners are moſt vile and wicked of all men, ſo that in them the light of the world, which Chriſt requireth the ſalt of the earth,Matth. 5.14 true holyneſſe which ſhoulde be as a perpetual rule to iudge by, can by no meanes be founde, but riot wantonneſſe, daintines and al kinde of luſtes.
15 As touching the deaconſhip there is not at all among thē, although they holde a certaine ſhadow thereof:
16 The goodes of the Church are diſtributed to other vſes, then according to olde cuſtome they ought to bee, and they are not to be ſuffered.
17 It is to ſmal purpoſe, which they alledge for themſelues, that the dignitie of the Church, is bewtifully vpholden by earthly magnificence, and they wickedly wreſt many places of Scripture, to defend their beaſtlineſſe, for in thoſe places of ſcripture, the Prophets vnderunder the image of earthly thinges doe paint out vntounto vsus the heauenly glory of GOD that ought to ſhine in the Church.
18 They are wickedly carefull in adorning ye Church, when in the meane time they are touched with no care of the poore.
19 Neither only thoſe things which others giuegive to Eccleſiaſticall vſes, but alſo the rentes which they receiue of their landes & proper poſſeſſions doeth fill them with no leſſe ſuperfluitie and riot contrary to Gods worde.Titus. 2.7