CHAP. XIIII. Of Priesthood, or the ministerie of the Gospell it selfe, the holy Institution of IESVS CHRIST, how it is by the Romish Church prophaned, contrary to the Maiestie of the Institutor.
MAnifold are the iniuries, wherewith the Man of sinne hath disgraced, corrupted, and violated the holy office of the ministerie of the Gospell by IESVS CHRIST or∣dained. They affirme, that in Priesthood an indeleble Character, and such as can neuer bee abolished nor taken a∣way, is imprinted. So that, bee a Priest neuer so much sus∣pended, excommunicated, degraded, yet he hath still power to make the body of Christ, to binde and to loose. Not∣withstanding, what is more common with the Pope, then both by his Censures to suspend, and by his dispensation to take away this inextinguishable Character, and to make a lay-man of a Priest, and a common person of an holy.
The office of the Priest they somewhiles so extoll, that Page 573 the Angels in heauen dare not aspire vnto that function: That the Virgin Mary her selfe could not take it vpon her: That she with eight words conceiued Christ once: These with fiue words euery day doe make him:* that Cherubs and Seraphins dare not execute the ministry. Wherefore they say, that Priests are Fathers and masters of Kings and Princes; yet at other times they preferre Monks before Priests. Insomuch, that their Frierly orders onely area ac∣counted properly religious. The Ministerie that Christ or∣dained, is properly Secular, but in a large signification may be tearmed religious.
The Ministers in their owne Cures must giue place to Friers, and permit them to heareb confessions: or enioine penance, and absolue from sinnes. (c) Bellarmine calleth the Monasticall life the streightest and highest kinde of life.b So that their Cloisters are preferred before Kingdomes, and Empires, Paradise, and Heauen it selfe.
The name and title of a Priest they altogether abuse. For, whereas the name doth signifie an Elder,* from the Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they confound it with the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Latine Sacerdos. Yea, from them also by common vse of speech we haue learned to translate the word Sacerdos, Priest: wheras indeed it is rather a word that signifieth a Maker, and giuer of the holy ceremonies, then a Priest. For the word Priest in his proper signification, is as much to say as an El∣der, who ministreth in the Gospell; not Sacrificulus, not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, neither a confectionary of holy things, nor a Master of Enchantments and Mysteries, but a Preacher of the Gos∣pell, an Embassadour of Christ.
The office of the Ministers of the Gospel they most shame∣lessely turne from the first institution, which was to preach the Gospell, into power of consecrating, and offering vp the body and bloud of Christ. The Apostle saith,* A Bishop or Elder must be apt to teach; not a yong Scholler, but such a one as holdeth fast the faithfull word:d able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, and to improue them that say a∣gainst it. Peter also exhorteth the Elders to feed the flock of Page 574 God.* Wherefore it is manifest, that the office of a Minister of the Gospell consisteth chiefely in preaching, teaching, in∣structing the inheritance purchased by the bloud of Christ. But the onely and the chiefest end of the Priesthood in the Romish Church, isd to make the body and bloud of Christ, and to sacrifice it vnto God the Father. For Sum∣ma Angelica definethe the office, that it is to mak• the Sacra∣ment of the body and bloud of Christ, to say prayers, to blesse the gifts of God. Likewise Iohn de Combisf makes the princi∣pall act of a Priest to stand in consecrating Christs body: and the second in binding and loosing. Here is no mention of preaching the word, and feeding of the flocke of Christ. Wherfore no maruell if by their law,g vnto a Priest it suffi∣ceth to know the penitentiall Canons, though he know no more. For in the thirtie eight distinctionhcap. qu•e ipsis, Wee finde, that to a Priest the knowledge of the Masse Booke, The booke of Lectures, The booke of Antiphons, of Baptisme, The Almanack, The Penitentiall Canons, The Psalter, and the Homilies of the yeare, is sufficient.
Wherevpon these old verses were long since framed;
Hee that can construe well, sing well, read well, may bee a Priest.
And Iohn de Combis saith,iA Priest must bee competent∣ly, though not eminently, learned. Wherefore Manipulus Cu∣tatorum, recounting all the ends for which the seauen orders Clericall are ordained, speaketh not one word of preaching the Gospell; onely of Lecturers (saith he)kIt is the office, to read the Prophecies concerning Christ, which are contained in the Old Testament. Innocent saith,l that one of little lear∣ning may be admitted, if there bee hope of his further in∣crease in knowledge. Yea, the impudency of the Romane Church hath herein so farre proceeded, that they haue not beene ashamed tom admit boyes and children to the order of Priesthood, vnto Bishopricks, and to the proud Page 575 honour of the Purple Hat. For vvhat cannot the vnbride∣led power of the Romish Prelate dispense withall? seeingnThe imperfection of Knowledge is supplied by the perfection of Charitie.
To the ordering of a Priest many things are required; Shauingo of the Crowne, forbidden of GOD vnto his Priests: anointing vvith Chrysme, saying of a Masse, re∣ceiuing of those instruments, in whose deliuering the Cha∣racter consisteth;p as the stole, the Chalice, vvith the Wine, the Patten, the Hosts: They must professe chastitie by solemne vow; and diuers other. For all vvhich there is neither example, nor commandement in the vvord of Saluation and Gospell of IESVS CHRIST.* Where∣fore this office of their Priesthood is no institution of Ie∣sus Christ, Neither a plant which his heauenly Father hath planted. It remaineth therefore, that it bee roo∣ted out.
I speake not, as though I disallowed with Anapaptists all Sacraments or orders of the Church, that I would bring A∣taxie and confusion into the Church of Christ: or that I would haue euery man thrust himselfe into the ministeriall function. I know, God is the God of order, according to whose word I would haue Ministers in the church ordai∣ned, and their office to be vnto such end as Christ hath ap∣pointed. But this corrupting and peruerting of the Lords institution, is a capitall and heinous treacherie against the great King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
