Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

What are the things disagreeing hereunto?

1 The errour of the Swinkfeldians, who call the outward mi∣nistery of teaching a dead letter, and therefore say, that inward re∣uelations of the spirit are required also.

2 Of the Donatists, who denie, that the ministerie of wicked Ministers is powerfull in the administration of the Sacraments, ac∣cording to Christs institution. And of the Anabaptists who hold that all who of themselues will, of what estate soeuer they bee, without any sending, ordination, examination, choyce, and te∣stimonie of a lawfull calling, euen women if they be learned, may teach, either by word or writing, after the example of Holda, De∣borah, and the fower daughters of Philip, which did Prophecie; whereas this nothing toucheth the ordinary function of teachers in the Church.

3 Of those which either goe about vtterly to put downe the ministery, or else make light of it, as not verie neces∣sarie.

4 False Prophets, which preach the fancies of their owne brain and not the word of God.

5 Hirelings, who runne, neuer looking for a lawfull cal∣ling, and enter in by the windowe, seeke their bellie, and the things that are their owne, and not the things that

are Christs, which striue to get into the ministerie, not with a sincere loue of Christ and his flocke, but in a desire of their owne priuate commoditie; and insinuate themselues, not onely with Simoniacall subtiltie, but with base obsequies, and in seruile man∣ner flatter all men by whose helpe they thinke they may bee ad∣uanced.

6 The contempt of the ministerie in them, which doe not maintaine with their conuenient charge, the teachers and lear∣ners of the word of God; And which despise the ministers, and giue not that honour vnto the holy and sacred ministerie that is meete.

7 The Symony of the Papists, and their buying and selling of holy orders, all neglect of law Diuine and Ecclesiasticall in the popish elections, as namely, that they haue no regard of learning or life, but promote rude asses, and those of most filthy & wicked life. They vse vaine ceremonies of annointing, shauing, wax can∣dles and such toyes: they attribute that to the ministerie of men, which is only the worke of God alone, they transforme the ordi∣nation of ministers into a sacrament. They doe no more thinke of feeding the flock then a cobler doth of ploughing.

8 In conclusion, all the popish hierarchie and the primacie of the Pope of Rome, contrary to the word of God. First, that from the authority of saint Paul, they make Peter the Bishop of Rome. Secōdly, the Romane Bishops, which would be thought to be the successors of Peter, call thēselues indeede the seruants of seruants, yet are not saluted by any other name, then our most holy Lords, they translate Empyres and Kingdomes, and finally, they vsurpe vnto themselues all gouernment, pure and mixt, they domineere in manner of Kings, they boast of the patrimony of Peter, v∣surpe a double sword, spirituall and temporall (and yet haue neyther of both) and chalenge vnto themselues power, to draw all men to hell without cause, and cause euen Kings to kisse their feete. 3 They alleadge, that the Priests of Moses law were a figure of the Pastors of the Church of Christ, and their Masse-priests, they tearme by a false name of Presbyters or Priests

9 All those proud and arrogant titles of the Antichristian coun∣terfeit Cleargie, of Patriarches, Princes, and such like.

10 The errour of them which make an equalitie betweene the Ministers of the Gospell. In holy functions they make no dif∣ference betweene those that are temporarie, and those that are perpetuall, they that acknowledge no Priestes, but those that haue charge to teach publikely.

11 Those that vsurpe that authoritie in the Church, which was peculiar to the Apostles; for this is that which the Apostle ^a com∣plaineth to be then done by some, who boasted themselues as if they were Apostles.

12 The conceipt of Morellius concerning the bringing againe into the Church of the Democraticke policie.

13 The subuersion of the christian ministerie, the confusion of Ecclesiasticall offices, the robbing of the Ecclesiasticall possessi∣ons, the end whereof what it is like to be, the historie of ^b A∣chan teacheth vs.

14 The sinne of those who make no difference, betweene the distribution of the Churches stocke, and the disposing of our pub∣like goods, which is a thing meerely ciuill, but confound these two treasuries, the naming of all which things, is the confuting of them.