The su[m] of diuinitie drawn out of the holy scripture very necessary, not only for curates [et] yong studentes in diuinitie: but also for al christen men and women what soeuer age they be of. Drawn out of Latine into Englyshe by Robert Hutten.

Of ecclesiastical pouer.

☞What is the keye or power of y^e church?

VVhich consisteth in teach∣inge the gospel ministring of the sacramentes, and in excommunicatynge them which be accused of open synnes, and absoluynge them agayne, when they are absolution. Or it is a certayne rule of an howseholde whiche is not by bodily force, but by the worde onely.

For y^e kingdome of Christe is spi∣rituall, whiche is not ruled wyth the swerde, wepons, & other thin∣ges perteining vnto a ciuile king¦dome. For Christ y^e author of this powre of y^e church and institutor hathe deliuered all ciuyle gouer∣naunce both frō himselfe because he would not be chosē for a kyng but he conueieth himselfe away. From hys Apostles, when he say∣eth, the princes of the people shal

haue dominion ouer them, but so shall not ye.

☞ Howe many kyndes of ecclesiasticall power be there?

¶ Two, of ordre, and of iurisdi∣ction.

What is the powre of order?

¶ It is a commaundement of teachyng the gospel, & of shewing remission of synnes, and of mini∣stryng the sacramentes to one or mo. Here is it not lawful to bring in any newe doctrine, but the do∣ctrine whyche was taughte of Christe muste be set furth lyke as he cōmaundeth in the last Chap∣ter of Mathewe: teachynge them to obserue all thynges, what soe∣uer I haue comaunded you.

And Paule sayeth, Galath. i. If an angell come from heauen and shall teache you any other gospel then we haue taught you, curssed be it.

☞ What is powre of iurisdiction?

❧ It is the power of excommu∣nicatynge

them whyche be accu∣sed of open crimes, and agayne of absoluynge them, if they being conuerted, do require absolution. Thys powre oughte not to be ti∣rānical, but as christ hath taught Math. xviii. If he wyl not heare the church, take thou hym for an Ethnik. And Paul .ii. Cor. i. We haue no dominiō ouer your faith but we be healpers of your re∣ioycynge.

☞ What difference is betwene Eccle∣siastical power, and politicke power?

¶ Politicke or ciuile power ma∣keth lawes for the defētion of bo∣dies, of the diuision of dominiōs, of couenaūtes, & of crimes, & it cō¦streineth mē with bodely strēgth. Agayne, ecclesiastical power doth minister euerlastinge & spirituall thinges, that is to say, it hath an heauēly doctrine, & it cōstreineth men wyth the worde of God.

Wherefore it doeth not disalowe

nor abolishe ciuile power, but it doeth rather allowe it, & subiec∣teth the bodies of holi mē vnto it.

☞ Whē hath the church receiued the keyes?

¶ When Christ sayed vnto Pe∣ter. Mathew. xvi To the wyll I gyue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen. And Mathewe .xviii. What so euer thou shalte bynde vpon earth, it shal be bounde also in heauē. &c. And Iohn .xx. Take ye the holy goste whose synnes so euer ye shall forgyue. &c.

☞ Auayleth not the ministrynge of euyll mi∣nisters?

¶ Yes it auayleth. For the word and sacramētes be no ministers, but they belonge vnto Christe, whiche if they be ryghtly mini∣stered, the malice of the minister cānot hurt vs. And it is a cōmon saiyng. The life of y^e minister doth not chaūge the vertue of y^e sacra∣mētes, the administring of the sa∣cramētes is not of no valure al∣thoughe the maners of the mini∣sters

be viciouse. But thys muste be vnderstanded of them whiche be euyll not of them whiche be o∣pen blasphemers, none other wise then if they were Iewes or Tur∣kes, vnto such ought the churche to commit no office.

☞ Is not obedience due vnto ministers of the churche?

¶ Like as obedience is dewe vn∣to the worde of God: euen so is it dewe vnto them whiche do mi∣nistre it, in so much as belongeth vnto the office, as the scripture doth commaunde, he whiche hea∣reth you, heareth me. Luke .x.

What so euer they shall saye, do it. Mathew xxiii. Also obey your rulers. Hebrues xiii.

These sentēces speake of the mi∣nistring & thei require dewe obe∣diēce vnto the gospel. But thei do not cōstitute a kingdom vnto the teachers without thauthoritie of the gospel. Also obedience is dewe

vnto them in iurisdiction, which thei haue by the authoritie of the Gospell, that is to saye, in know∣ing crimes, in hearing the witne∣sses, in lawful excōmunicatiō. &c.