Of ecclesiasticall Orders.
The fourth place in their register hath the Sacrament of Order: but [ 22] the same so fruteful, that it bredeth out of it selfe seuen litle Sacramen∣tes. But this is very worthy to be laughed at, that wheras they affirme that there be seuen Sacramentes, whē they go about to rehearse them they recken vp thirtene. Neither can they allege for themselues, yt they are but one Sacrament, because they tende all to one Presthode, and are as it were certaine degrees vnto it. For sith it is euident yt in euerye one of them are seuerall Ceremonies, and they thēselues say that there be diuerse graces: no mā can dout but that they ought to be called seuē Sacramentes, if their opiniōs be receiued. And why striue we about it as though it were a thing doutefull, forasmuch as they themselues doe plainly and seuerally declare seuen? But first we wil brefely knitt vp by the way, how many and how vnfauorie absurdities they thrust in vnto vs, when they goe aboute to commende to vs their Orders in stede of Sacramentes:* 1.1 & then we wil se whether ye Ceremonie which Chirches vse in ordering of ministers, ought to be called a Sacramēt at al. They make therfore seuē ecclesiastical Orders or degrees, which they garnish with the name of a Sacrament. Those be, dorekepers, Reders, Exor∣cistes, Acoluthes or folowers, Subdeacons, Deacōs, Prestes. And vii they say that they be, for the seuenfolde grace of the Holy ghost, where∣wt they ought to be endued yt are promoted vnto them. But it is encrea∣sed & more largely heaped to them in their promotion. Now ye nūber it selfe is hallowed wt a wrōgful expoūding of Scripture. whē they think yt thei haue red in Esai vii vertues of ye Holy ghost wheras both in dede Esay there rehearseth but six,* 1.2 & also ye prophet mēt not to cōprehēd them al in that place: for he is ells where as wel called the Spirite of lyfe, of sanctification, of adoption of the children, as he is in ye place called the