coupled togyther conteining as it is aforesayde the obedience to the hole doctrine and religion of Christe And here is to be noted that euery man that dothe offende god dothe not lose his faythe therby For they that synne by frailtie and sodeyn motions whiche iuste men doo not auoyde and be taughte therfore of Christ to say in their Pater noster Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynste vs Yet those men so breaking their promyse with god and slackyng in suche care and desyre as they shulde haue to please god neuerthelesse be not accompted to haue lost theyr fayth therby yea they also who after the knowlege of god fall into deadly synne aduisedly as they that committe murther adultery and other abhominations and soo falle from faythe as it is taken in the seconde acception and be therfore out of the state of grace and fauour of god for the tyme yet do not those men fall frome fayth as it is taken in the fyrst acception Luc. xii that is to saye from certayne and assured knowledge of god and his doctrine And therfore the gospell speaketh of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his lord and dothe it not And saynt Iames in his epistle sayeth Iacob ii that Faythe may remayne without charitie Wherfore a transgressour of the lawe of almyghty God after baptisme kepeth styll a remorse of conscience and the lyghte of knowledge by Faythe wherby he seeth the remedyes howe to atteyne remyssion of synne and by a special gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and so by faythe walketh the wayes ordeined to atteine remission of sinnes as in the sacrament of penance shal be declared Thus we haue shewed two acceptions of fayth and declared that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen from fayth after the second acception But whether there be any special particular knowlege which man by faith hath certainly of him self wherby he may testify to him selfe that he is of the predestinates which shal to th ende perseuere in their callynge we haue not spoken ne can not in scripture ne doctours find that any such faith can be taught or preached Truth it is that in the sacramētes instituted by Christ we may cōstantly beleue the workes of god in them to our present comfort and applycation of his grace and fauour with assurance also that he wyll not faile vs if we fall not from hym Wherfore so continuinge in the state of grace with hym we may beleue vndoubtedly to be saued But forasmoche as our owne frailty and naughtynes ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contynuall watche and continuall fight with our enemies the deuyl the fleshe and the world and not to presume to moche of our perseuerance contynuance in the state of grace which on our behalfe is vncertayne and vnstable For although goddis promises made in Christe be immutable yet he maketh them not to vs but with cōdition so that his promise standyng we may yet faile of the promise bicause we kepe not our promise And therfore if we assuredly recken vpon the state of our felicitie as grounded vppon goddis promise and do not therwith remēbre that no man shal be crowned onles he laufully fight we shal triumph before the victory and so loke in vain for that whiche is not otherwise promised but vnder a condition And this euery christen man must assuredly beleue ¶ The Crede or the .xii. articles of the christen faythe iI Beleue in god the fatheralmighty maker of heauen and earth ii And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde iii whiche was conceiued by the holy goste borne of the virgine Mary iiii Suffred vnder Pōce Pylate was crucified dead buried and descended into hell v And the third day he rose agein frō deth vi He ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty vii From thens he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy goste ix The holy catholike churche x The communyon of sayntes The forgyuenes of synnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen THE NOTES Here folowe certayne notes for the better vnderstanding of this Crede FIrst it is to be noted that all and singular the .xii. articles conteined in this Crede be so necessarye to be beleued for mans saluation that who so euer wyll not constantly beleue them or wyll obstinately affirme the contrary of theym can not be the very members of Christe and his espouse the churche but are very infidelles or heretikes and members of the deuel with whom they shall be perpetually damned Secondly it is to be noted that all true christen men ought and muste moste constantly beleue maynteyne and defende all those thinges to be true whiche be comprehended in this Crede and in the other .ii. credes wherof the one is vsed to be sayde at masse and is approued by the auncyen generall councelles the other was made by the holye man Athanasius And also all other thynges which be cōprehended in the hole body canon of the bible Thirdly that all true christen men ought and must not onely repute take and holde all the sayde thynges for the most holy most sure and most certayne and infallible truthes of goddis worde and suche as neyther oughte ne can be altered or conuelled by any contrarye opinion or authoritie but also must take interpretate all the same thynges accordynge to the selfe same sentence and interpretation whiche the wordes of scripture do signifie and the holy approued doctours of the churche do agreably intreate and defende Fourthly that all true christen men ought and must vtterly refuse and condemne al those opiniōs contrary to the said .xii. articles of our crede whiche were of longe tyme paste condemned in the .iiii. holy counsels that is to say in the counsel of Nece Constanstinople Ephese and Calcidonense The fyrst article I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen and earthe FOr the plain vnderstandinge hereof euery materiall worde of this article shal be declared hereafter And first we muste knowe God that God is a spiritual and an inuisible substance or nature of infinite power and eternall without beginning or endyng of incomprehensible knowlege wysdome goodnes iustice and mercy and that there is but one very god thre persons the father the sonne the holy gost that these thre persons be not three goddis but all one god one nature one substance all one euerlastinge essence or being and all lyke and equall in might power wisdome knowlege rightwysnes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is none other god Moreouer we must knowe that god the father is the fyrst persone in trinitie Father and Father of his onely begotten sonne the second persone in
mayntenance support an vniust vsurpation for that church hath no more ryghte to that name than the churche of Fraunce Spayne England or Portugale whiche be iustly called catholyke churches in that they doo professe consent agree in one vnitie of true fayth with other catholike churches This vsurpation before rehersed well considered it may appere that the bishop of Rome doth contrary to goddis lawe in chalengynge superioritie and preeminence by a cloke of goddis lawe ouer all And yet to make an apparance that it shulde be soo he hathe and dothe wreste scriptures for that purpose contrary both to the true meanyng of the same and the interpretation of ancient doctours of the church so that by that chanleng he wold not do wrong onely to this churche of Englande but also to all other churches in claymyng this superioritie without any authoritie by god so to him gyuen For God by his goodnes hath called indifferently and equally all such churches in sundry places as his highe wisedome hath thought good to assemble and call vnto hym Moreouer the perfitte beleue of this article worketh in all true christen people a loue to continue in this vnicie and a feare to be caste out of the same and it worketh in them that be synners and repentaunte great comforte and consolation to obteyne remission of synne by vertue of Christis passion and administration of his sacramentes at the ministers handes ordeyned for that purpose for as muche as god doth not ordinarily giue suche thinges but onely within this churche It is to be noted that this churche of England and other knowen particular churches in whiche Christis name is truely honored called on and professed in faythe and baptisme be membres of the hole catholike churche eche of them by him selfe is also worthyly called a catholyke churche whan they merely professe and teache the faythe and relygion of Christ according to the scripture and the apostolike doctrine And so euery christe man oughte to honour gyue credence and to folowe the particular churche of that region soo ordered as afore wherin he is borne or inhabiteth and as al christen people as well spirituall as temporal be bounde to beleue honour obey our sauiour Iesus Christe the onely heade of the vniuersall churche soo lykewyse they be by his commaundemente bounde to honour and obey nexte vnto him selfe christen kinges and prynces whiche be the heade gouernours vnder him in the particular churches to whose offyce it apperteyneth not only to prouide for the trāquillitie and wealthe of theyr subiectes in temporal and worldly thynges to the cōseruation of their bodyes but also to forsee that within theyr dominions suche ministers be ordeyned and appoynted in theyr churches as can and wil truely and purely set out the true doctrine of Christe and teache the same and to see the commaundementes of god well obserued and kepte to the wealth and saluation of theyr soules The tenth article The communion of sayntes / The forgyuenes of synnes IN this article be taught two speciall fruites and benefytes whiche all men called of god and obeying to the same calling in theyr wyl and workes doo obteine by goddes grace in the saide catholike churche whiche benefites be the communion sayntes and forgyuenes of synnes And here is to be noted that althoughe this word Sayntines our english tungue signifieth proprely them that be departed this lyfe and be establysshed in glory with Christe Yet the same worde Saintes wherby in this article we expresse the latin worde Sanctorum is here extended to signifie not onely these before mencioned but also all suche as be called into this holy assemble and churche and be santified in our sauiour Iesu Christe And as touching the communion that is to say the mutuall participation of these sayntes ye must vnderstande that lyke as all the partes and membres which be liuing in the natural body of a man do naturally cōmunicate and minister eche to other the vse commoditie and benefite of all theyr forces nutrimentes perfections In so muche that it lieth not in the power of any man to say that the meate which he putteth into his owne mouth shal nouryshe one particular membre of his bodye and not an other but that all and euery one particularly shall receyue of the sayde nutriment and of the vertue and benefyte therof more or lesse accordyng to the naturall disposition portion and place whiche it hath within the same body euen so what soo euer spirituall gyftes or treasure is gyuen by god vnto any one membre of the holy church although the same be gyuen particularly vnto one membre and not vnto an other Yet the fruite and merites therof shall by reason of theyr abydyng together in the vnitie of the catholike churche redounde vnto the common profyte edifienge and increace of all the other membres of the same catholike churche In so muche that there shal nede no mannes autoritie to dispence and dystribute the same or to applye it vnto this membre or that but eche membre shall be made participante of the sayd treasure and shall haue and enioy the fruite and benefyte of the same in such quantitie and measure as for the rate and proportion of the faythe and charitie which he hath in the same body shall be expedient and necessary for hym to haue And hereby is notified and declared vnto vs the vtilitie and profyte whiche all the membres of the church do receiue by the merites suffrages and prayers of the churche And forasmoche as the moste blessed sacrament of the Aultare wherin by the myghty operation of goddis worde is really present in fourme of breade the naturall lyuynge body and bloude of our sauiour and redemer IESV CHRISTE increaseth and worketh in them that worthily receiue it the communion and coniunction in body soule of them to Christe and Christe to them with a mutuall coniunction also in loue and charitie of eche good man in Christe to other Therfore the sayde sacrament may worthely be called the Communion of saintes And so the fyrst parte of this article hath ben by good deuout and lerned men expounded to sygnifie the sayde blessed sacrament of the aultare which we must beleue to be a reall effectuall communion of all saintes that is to say of al men whiche be called by the holy callynge of god and there with wyllyngely and obediently do knowlege and folowe the same In the seconde parte of this article we be taught to beleue remission of synnes which is one of the effectes and chiefe benefites of the moste blessed passion of Christe head of the holy churche whiche is called and assembled in his name in which churche is applyed the benefites of remission of synnes by the workynge of god in his sacramentes ministred in the same as shal be hereafter declared in theyr place ⧠The XI and XII article The resurrection of the body / and the lyfe euerlastynge AT the daye of the generall dome or
saynte Augustine was present where as all the kyndes of orders whiche were than in the churche be rehersed and also with what rites and ceremonies they were cōferred and giuen at that time And thus by succession from the apostles time hath Order continued in the churche and hath euer bene called and counted for a sacrament as it may appere by dyuers other aunciente writers and speciallye by sainte Augustine where he writeth thus speakinge bothe of the sacrament of baptisme and of order Eyther of them saythe he is a sacrament and eyther of them is gyuen to men by a certain consecration the one whan a mā is baptised and the other whan he is ordered and therfore neyther of them both may be iterate or repeted in the catholyke churche of Christe And where as we haue thus summaryly declared what is the office and ministration whiche in holy scriptures hath ben committed to bysshoppes and priestes and in what thinges it consisteth as is afore rehersed leste peraduenture it myghte be thoughte to some persones that suche auctorities powers and iurisdictions as patriarches prymates archebysshoppes and metropolitanes now haue or heretofore at any time haue had iustly and laufully ouer other byshoppes were gyuen theym by god in holy scripture We thynke it expediente and necessarye that all men shulde be aduertised and taught that all suche laufull powers and authorities of any one bysshoppe ouer an other were and be gyuen to them by the consent ordynaunce and posytiue lawes of men onely and not by any ordynaunce of god in holy scripture And all other power and authoritie whiche any bysshoppe hath vsed or exercysed ouer an other whyche hathe not benne gyuen to hym by suche consente and ordynaunce of menne as is aforesayde is in verye deede noo laufull power but plaine vsurpation and tyrannye And therfore where as the byshoppe of Rome hath heretofore claymed vsurped to be head and gouernour of all priestes and byshops of the hole catholyke churche of Christe by the lawes of god It is euydent that the same power is vtterly fayned and vntrue and was neyther gyuen to hym by god in his holy scripture nor allowed by the holy fathers in the auncient generall counsels nor yet by the consent of the hole catholyke churche For it is playne that Christe neuer gaue vnto saint Peter or to any of the apostels or theyr successours any suche vniuersall authoritie ouer all the other But he set them all indifferently and in lyke power dignitie and authoritie as it dothe euidently appere in all suche places where any authoritie is gyuen to them by Christe And also by sainte Paule in his epistle to the Galathians where he compareth him selfe to Iames Gala. ii Peter and Iohn̄ whiche were the most notable emonge the apostles affirminge hym selfe to be equall in authoritie with them And as concerning the most auncient and most famouse holy generall counsayles it is euydent that they gaue the byshops of Rome no suche authoritie for in them be dyuerse actes and decres playnely testifieng the contrary As fyrst in the former counsaile of Nece emonge other there is one decree that the patriarches of Alexandria Antiochia shuld haue like power ouer the countreys about those citees as the byshoppes of Rome haue had ouer the coūtreis about Rome Also in the counsayle Mileuitane in which coūsayle saint Augustine was presente and subscribed to the same it was decreed that if any clerke of the countreys of Aphrike wolde appeale out of Aphrica vnto any bysshoppes beyonde the sea that suche a one shulde be taken through out al the countreys of Aphrica as a person excommunicate Moreouer in the general counsayle Constantinopolitan the fyrste it was likewyse decreed that euery cause and controuersy betwene any persons shulde be determined within the prouinces where the matters dyd lye and that by the byshops of the same prouinces And also that no byshops shuld exercise any power out of his own dioces or prouince And this was also the mynde of the holy doctour and martyr saint Cypriane and of the other holye fathers of Aphrica before the tyme of any generall counsayle And for the better and more playne and assured confirmation that the bishop of Rome hath no suche vniuersall authoritie neyther by goddis lawene yet by any ordinances of any ancient catholyke coūsayle It is to be considered that in the .vi. great counsayle Carthaginense the bishop of Rome sente his legates to that counsaile to alledge and vendicate his vsurped primacy and by title of the same to defend and mainteine the receyuing of appeles made vnto hym of causes and controuersies commenced in Aphrike bycause the hole counsaile had by theyr decree prohibited forbidden before al suche appeles to any toreyn byshop In the entreting and debatyng of which matter the bishop of Rome for his title alleged onely a canon made as he pretended in the firste Nicene counsaile The bishops of Aphrica denieng any such canon to be made For triall wherof messangers were sent to the patriarches sees of the orient to make searche for the hole canons of that counsayle And finally after longe diligēt searche whā the hole canons were brought forthe from thense there was no such canon emonges them as the byshop of Rome for his sayde title had alledged Whervpon two thynges are to be noted as euident by the premisses Firste that the bishoppe of Rome hath no such primacy nor any such can challenge by any wordes in scripture For than the byshop of Rome wolde at that tyme by his legates haue alleged it and the great multitude of so many fathers as were assembled in that Aphrican counsayle of whō saynt Augustine was one were so wel profoundly lerned in holy scripture that no such thynge if it were there coulde haue ben hidde vnto them And also they were soo good and vertuouse that if they had knowen it there they than wolde haue made no acte before to the contrary nor yet at that tyme so ernestly and extremely refused it The seconde thyng to be noted as euident by the premisses is that the byshops of Rome haue no suche power giuen them by any auncient generall counsayle For they at that tyme of this Aphicane counsayle wold than haue alleged it where in dede they alleged none but a pretensed canon of the fyrst Nicene counsayle which after great trial searche as is aforesayde coulde neuer be founde in the autentikes And that chapiter autentique which of al the canons of that counsayle moste concerneth the bishop of Rome maketh directly playnly against the sayde pretensed vniuersal primacy giuyng as is saide before to other patriarches lyke and equal authoritie in theyr countreys as bishops of Rome had and vsed than in the countreis about Rome Thirdly that the bishops of Rome had no such vniuersall primacy gyuen vnto them by the cōmon cōsent of the hole catholyke church it wel appereth in that the dyuers patriarches
people whiche be called of god to one fayth be they of the clergye or of the laymen but also by the same worde we signifie the place wherin the worde of god is commonly preached and the sacramētes ministred and vsed and call that the churche to entreate wherof at this time in this article is no part of our entent but onely of the assemble and cōpany called to professe Christe in one faythe whiche in this article is named the Holy churche For all be it in this assemble of men called by the worde of god and receyued by faythe and baptisme be many euyll men many synners many that tourne by true penance to grace and sometyme yet fal agayn some after theyr tourne by true penance styll perseuere and increace in goodnes many that fall and neuer ryse agayn so that spottes blottes and imperfections appere euidently in this churche and many tymes in the more parte therof Yet neuerthelesse bycause the callyng is of it selfe holy the caller also holy and the ende of the callinge holynes with this also that the people so called professe holynes and make a bodye wherof the onely heade our sauiour CHRIST is moste holy and holines it selfe by the merites of whose passion they be relieued and norisshed with dyuerse holy sacramentes and be in theyr callyng indued with moste speciall holy giftes and graces of almightye god autour therof and by his holy spirite directed and gouerned in the same so long as they by folowyng theyr concupiscence the deuyll or the worlde fall not frō that estate For these causes although some membres therof be euyll the churche is called Holy churche takyng the name Holy of that that Christ the onely head is holy the caller holy the profession and callyng holy and the ende holynes whyche of very duety ought to be in al them that be called and is in deede in suche membres as contynue and perseuere in that holy callynge And for so moch as god of his goodnes calleth people as afore without acception of persons or priuilege of place Therfore this holy church is also Catholike that is to say not limitted to any one place or regiō of the world but is in euery place vniuersally through the world where it pleaseth god to cal peple to him in the professiō of Christis name and faith be it in Europe Affrike or Asia And all these churches in diuers coūtreis seuerally called althoughe for knowlege of the one from the other among them they haue diuers additions of names and for their moste necessary gouernement as they be distinct in places so they haue distinct ministers and diuers heades in earthe gouernours and rulers yet be al these holy churches but one holy churche catholyke inuited and called by one god the father to enioy the benefite of redemption wrought by our onely lord and sauiour Iesu Christ and gouerned by one holy spirite whiche reacheth to this foresayde holy churche one truthe of goddis holy worde in one faith and baptisme And this churche is relieued norished and fortified by his holy and inuincible worde and his sacramentes which in al places haue eche of them their owne propre force strength with giftes of graces also distributed by the goodnes of almighty god in al places as to his wisedome is sene conuenient Wherby it appereth that the vnitie of these holy churches in sundry places assembled stādeth not by knowledging of one gouernour in earth ouer al churches For neyther the hole churche catholyke togither nor any particular church apart is boūd to aknowlege any one vniuersall gouernour ouer the hole churche other than Christe althoughe by sufferaunce of some princes and potentates not beinge truely instructed in the worde of god by suche as of duety both to god them oughte to haue declared the truthe of scripture to them and by hypocrisy and vsurpation of the see and court of Rome the bishoppe of the same giuinge him selfe more to worldly polycy than to the execution of his duety hath longe tyme gone aboute to obteine and establishe vnto hym selfe suche an vniuersall auctoritie and hath by abuses alwaies compassed to cause other to vpholde and mainteine the same contrary to goddes lawe as more largely shall be declared in the sacrament of orders The vnitie therfore of the churche is not conserued by the bishoppe of Romes auctoritie or doctrine but the vnitie of the catholyke churche whiche all christen men in this article do professe is cōserued and kepte by the helpe and assistence of the holy spirite of god in reteining and mainteynynge of suche doctrine and profession of christen faithe true obseruance of the same as is taughte by the scripture and the doctrine apostolike And particular churches ought not in the said doctrine so accepted and allowed to vary one from an other for any lucre arrogance or any other worldly affectiō but inuiolably to obserue the same so that by reason of that doctrine eche churche that teacheth the same maye be worthely called as it is in dede an apostolike churche that is to say folowing such teachyng as the apostels preached with ministration of suche sacramentes as be approued by the same And this vnitie of the holy church of Christe is not diuided by distance of place nor by diuersitie of traditions and ceremonies dyuersely obserued in diuerse churches for good ordre of the same For the churche of Corinthe and of Ephese were one churche in god thoughe the one were farre distant in place from the other And though also in traditions opinions and policies there was some diuersitie amonge them lykewise as the churche of Englande Spaine Italy and Poole be not separate from the vnitie but be one churche in god not withstandynge that amonge them there is great distance of place diuersitie of traditions not in all thinges vnitie of opinions alteration in rites ceremonies and ordinances or estimatiō of the same as one churche peraduenture doth esteme their rytes traditions lawes ordinances and ceremonies to be of more vertue and efficacie than an other churche dothe esteme the same As the churche of Rome doth affirme certaine of theyr lawes and ordinaunces to be of suche estimation that they be of equall force with the worde of god and that who so euer disobeyeth or transgresseth the same commytteth deadly synne Yet we perceyuing the same to be discrepant from the truthe of scripture must nedes therin dissent from them But such diuersitie in opinions and other outward maners and customes of policie doth not dissolue and breake the vnitie whiche is in one god one faith one doctrine of Christe and his sacramentes preserued and kept in these seueral churches without any superioritie or preeminence that one churche by goddis lawes maye or ought to chalenge ouer an other And therfore the churche of Rome beinge but a seuerall churche chalenginge that name of Catholike aboue all other dothe great wrong to all other churches and dothe onely by force
manifestly sheweth in his epistle to Tite sayinge thus i Tim. v. For this cause I lefte the Crete that thou shuldest ordeyne priestes in euery citie according as I haue appointed the. T◠i. And to Timothe he saythe Se that thou be not hasty to put thy handes vpon any mā And here is to be noted that althoughe this forme before declared is to be obserued in gyuyng orders yet there is no certaine rule prescribed or limitted by the word of god for the nomination election presentation or appointing of any such ecclesiasticall ministers But the same is holy left vnto the positiue lawes and ordinances of euery christē region proiuded and made or to be made in that behalfe with the assent of the prince and ruler And as concernyng the office and duetie of the sayde ecclesiasticall mynisters the same consysteth in true preachynge and teachyng the word of god vnto the people in dispensyng and ministring the sacramentes of Christe in consecratynge and offerynge the blessed body and bloud of Christe in the sacrament of the aulter in losynge and assoylyng from synne suche persons as be sory and truly penitent for the same and excommunicatynge suche as be gyltie in manyfest crimes and wyll not be refourmed otherwise and finally in praying for the hole churche of Christ and specyally for the flocke committed vnto them And althoughe the office and minysterye of priestes and byshoppes stande chiefly in these thinges before rehersed yet neither they nor any of them may exercise and execute any of the same offices but with such sort such limitation as the ordinances lawes of euery christē realme do permit and suffre And bycause it is not mete that this so chargeable a cure shuld be committed to euery man that peraduenture ambiciously wolde desyre it Therfore saynt Paule dothe dilygently set out to his disciples Timothe and Tite the conuersation learnyng conditions and qualities of them that shuld be admitted to the mynistery of priesthode i. Tim. iii. Tit. i. writyng in this maner A bishop or a priest ought to be blamelesse as the stewarde of god not wilfull not angry no drunkarde no fyghter not gredy of fylthy lucre but giuen to hospitalitie liberal discrete sobre rightuous deuout temperate and continent and such one as holdeth the true worde of doctrine that he may be able to exhort with bolsom lerning and to reproue them that saye against it Thus we haue shortly touched fyrst the ordrynge of priestes and bishoppes Secondly their ministery office and duetie with the charge cure belonging thervnto and finally the qualities and conditions required in the same And for as moche as it is an olde heresie of the Donatistes condemned in the generall counselles to thynke that the worde of god and his sacramentes shuld be of no efficacy strength or vertue whā they be ministred by euyll men it is to be remēbred that according to the saying of saynt Gregory Nazianzene Lyke as there is no differēce betwene the selfe same image or figure of any thyng imprinted with a signet of golde and a signet made of yron or of woode or any other viler mattier euen so the worde of god and the sacramentes of god mynystred by an euyll and noughty man be of the selfe same vygour strength and efficacie as whan they be ministred by a man of excellent vertu and goodnes The cause and reason wherof is for that the priestes and byshops although in the execution of their office and administration they do vse and exercise the power and auctoritie of god committed vnto them yet they be not the principall causers nor the sufficient or of them selues the efficient causers or gyuers of grace or of any other spirituall gyfte whiche procedeth and is gyuen of god by his word and his sacramentes But god is the only principall sufficient and perfite cause of all the efficacy of his worde and his sacramentes and by his only power grace and benefites it is that we receyue the holy goste and his gracis by the office and administration of the said priestes and byshoppes and the sayde priestes and bysshoppes be but onely as officers to execute and minister with their handes and tongues the outwarde and corporall thynges wherein god worketh and gyueth grace inwarde accordynge to his pacte and couenaunt made with and to his espouse the church And this also Chrisostome affirmeth the .lxxxv. homily vpon saynt Iohn where he sayth in this maner What speake I of priestis I say that neyther aungel nor archangell can giue vs any of these thynges whiche be giuen vnto vs of god but it is the father the sonne and the holy goste whiche is the effectuall cause of all these thynges the priest dothe onely put to his handes and his tongue And in this poynt saynt Ambrose also agreeth with the sayde sayinges of Chrisostome wrytyng thus The priest layeth his handes vpon vs but it is god that gyueth the grace the priest layeth vpon vs his besechynge handes but god blesseth vs with his mighty hande The byshoppe consecrateth an other bysshoppe but it is god that gyueth the worthynesse Wherfore we must always thynke and beleue that the vertue and efficacie of the word of god and his sacramētes consisteth and dependeth in and vpon the commandement ordinance power and auctoritie of god onely and that neyther the merites or worthynes of the ministers be they neuer of suche excellencie do gyue them theyr auctoritie strength or effycacie neyther yet the malyce nor corrupte lyuynge of them be it neuer so euyll can frustrate or take away from the sayde worde or sacramentes their sayd power authoritie strength or vertue Moreouer as touchynge the order of deacons we rede in the actes of the Apostles Act. vi that they were ordered and instituted by the same apostelles by prayer and imposition of their handes vpon them And as for the qualities and vertuous conuersation whiche be required in them saynte Paule setteth them out in his epistle to Timothe in these wordes l. Tim. iii. Deacons oughte to be chaste not double tounged no drunkardes not gredy of fylthy lucre hauynge the mystery of faythe in a pure conscience And their office in the primitiue churche was partly in mynistringe meate and drynke and other necessaryes to poore people founde of the churche partly also in mynystrynge to the bysshoppes and priestes and in doinge theyr duetie in the churche And of these two orders onely that is to saye priestes and deacons scripture maketh expresse mencion and howe they were conferred of the apostels by prayer and imposition of their handes And to these two the primitiue churche did adde conioyn certain other inferiour and lower degrees as subdeacons accolites exorcistes with diuerse other of the whiche mention is made of bothe of the most auncient writers that we haue in the churche of CHRIST after the apostelles and also in diuerse olde counsayles and namely in the fourthe counsayle of Aphrike in whiche