before, is only to administer and distribute unto the Members of Christ's Mystical Body, spiritual and everlasting things; that is to say, the pure and Heavenly Doctrine of Christ's Gospel, and the Graces conferred in his Sacraments: And therefore this said Power and Administration is called in some places of Scripture, Donum et Gratia, a Gift and a Grace; and in some places it is called Claves sive potestas Clavium, that is to say, the Keys, or the Power of the Keys, whereby is signified a certain limited Office restrained unto the execution of a special Function or Ministration, according to the saying of St. Paul in the first Chap. of his Epistle to the Romans, and in the fourth Chap. of his Epistle to Timothy, and also in the fourth Chap. of his Epistle to the Ephes. Where he writes in this Sentence; Quum ascendisset Christus in altum, captivam duxit captivitatem, et dedit Dona hominibus, dedit autem, alios quidem Apostolos, alios vero Prophetas, alios vero Evangelistas, alios autem Pastores ac Doctores, ad instaurationem sanctorum, in opus Administrationis, in ædificationem corporis Christi, donec perveniamus omnes in unitatem Fidei et agnitionis Filii Dei, in virum perfectum, in mensuram ætatis plene adultæ Christi, &c. That is to say, "when "Christ ascended into Heaven, he subdued and vanquished

very Captivity her self, and led or made her thrall and cap"tive, and distributed and gave divers heavenly Gifts and "Graces unto Men here in Earth; and among all, he made "some the Apostles, some Priests, some Evangelists, some "Pastors and Doctors, to the intent they should execute the "work and office of their Administration, to the Instauration, "Instruction, and Edifying of the members of Christ's Mystical "Body: And that they should also not cease from the Execu"tion of their said Office, until all the said Members were not "only reduced and brought unto the Unity of the Faith, and "the knowledge of the Son of God, but also that they were

come unto a perfect State, and full Age therein, that is to say, until they were so established and confirmed in the same, "that they could no more afterwards be wavering therein, and "be led or carried like Children, y into any contrary Doctrine

"or Opinion, by the craft and subtile Perswasion of the false "Pastors and Teachers, which go about by craft, to bring them "into Erroneous Opinions, but that they should constantly "follow the true Doctrine of Christ's Gospel, growing and en"creasing continually by Charity unto a perfect Member of "that Body, whereof Christ is the very Head, in whom, if the "whole Body, that is to say, If every Part and Member be grown and come unto his perfect Estate, not all in like, but

66

every one according to the Gift and Quality which is deputed “unto it, and a so be Compacted, United, and Corporated to"gether in the said Body, no doubt but that whole Body and 66 every part thereof shall thereby be made the more perfect and "the more strong, by reason of that natural Love and Charity, "which one Member so United in the Body hath unto the "other." By which words it appeareth evidently not only that St. Paul accounted and numbered this said Power and Office of the Pastors and Doctors among the proper and special Gifts of the Holy Ghost, but also it appeareth that the same was a limited Power and Office, ordained specially and only for the causes and purposes before rehearsed.

Item, That this Power, Office, and Administration is necessary to be preserved here in Earth for three special and principal Causes. First, for that it is the Commandment of God it should so be, as it appeareth in sundry places of Scripture. Secondly, for that God hath instituted and ordained none other ordinary mean or Instrument, whereby he will make us partakers of the Reconciliation which is by Christ, and confer and give the Graces of his Holy Spirit unto us, and make us the right Inheritors of everlasting Life, there to Reign with him for ever in Glory, but only his Word and Sacraments; and therefore the Office and Power to Minister the said Word and Sacraments, may in no wise be suffered to perish, or to be abolished, according to the saying of St. Paul, Quomodo credent in eum de quo non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient sine prædicante? Quomodo autem prædicabunt nisi missi fuerunt? Sicut scriptum est, Quam speciosi super montes pedes Evangelizantium Pacem,

Annunciantium bona! Thirdly, Because the said Power and Office or Function hath annexed unto it assured Promises of excellent and Inestimable Things; for thereby is conferred and given the Holy Ghost with all his Graces, and finally our Justification and everlasting Life, according to the saying of St. Paul, Non me pudet Evangeli Jesu Christi, potentia si quidem est Dei ad salutem omni credenti; that is to say, I am not ashamed of the Room and Office which I have, given unto me by Christ, to Preach his Gospel, for it is the Power of God, that is to say, the elect Organ or Instrument ordained by God and endued with such Vertue and Efficacy, that it is able to give and Minister effectually everlasting Life unto all those that will believe and obey unto the same.

Item, That this Office, this Power and Authority was committed and given by Christ and his Apostles unto certain Persons only, that is to say, unto Priests or Bishops, whom they did elect, call, and admit thereunto by their Prayers and Imposition of their Hands.

Secondly, We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall Instruct and Teach our People committed unto their Spiritual Charge, that the Sacrament of Order may worthily be called a Sacrament, because it is a Holy Rite, or Ceremony Instituted by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament, and doth consist of two Parts, like as the other Sacraments of the Church do; that is to say, of a Spiritual and an Invisible Grace, and also fof an outward and a visible Sign. The invisible Gift or Grace conferred in this Sacrament, is nothing else but the Power, the Office and the Authority before mentioned: The visible and outward Sign, is, the Prayer and Imposition of the Bishops Hands, upon the Person which receiveth the said Gift or Grace. And to the intent the Church of Christ should never be destituted of such Ministers, as should have and execute the said Power of the Keys, it was also ordained and commanded by the Apostles, that the same Sacrament should be applyed and ministred by the Bishop from time to time, unto such other Persons as had the Qualities which the Apostle very dili

gently discryve; as it appeareth evidently in the third Chap. of the first Epistle of St. Paul to Tim. and h the first chapter of his Epistle unto Titus. And surely this is the whole vertue and efficacy, and the cause also of the institution of this Sacrament as it is found in the New Testament; for albeit, the Holy Fathers of the Church which succeeded the Apostles, i mindyng to beautifie and ornate the Church of Christ with all those things which were commendable in the Temple of the Jews, did devise not only certain other Ceremonies than be before rehearsed, as Tonsures, Rasures, Unctions, and such other Observances to be used in the Administration of the said. Sacraments, but did also institute certain inferiour orders or degrees, as Janitors, Lectors, Exorcists, Acolits, and Subdeacons, and deputed to every one of those certain Offices to execute in the Church, wherein they followed undoubtedly the Example and Rites used in the Old Testament; yet the truth is, that in the New Testament there is no mention made of any degrees or distinctions in Orders, but only of Deacons or Ministers, and of Priests or Bishops: Nor is there any word spoken of any other Ceremony used in the conferring of this Sacrament, but only of Prayer, and the Imposition of the Bishops hands.

Sacræ Theologiæ, Juris Ecclesiastici et Civilis t Professores.

VI.

A Letter of Melanthon's, to persuade the King to a further Reformation. An Original.

Cotton Lib. S. D. Serenissime et Inclyte Rex, Etsi audieramus Romanum Cleop. E. 5. Fol. 244. Episcopum omnibus artificiis incendere Cæsaris Caroli et Regis Gallici animos adversus Britannos et Germanos, tamen quia spero Deum hæc pericula gubernaturum esse, et defensurum tranquilitatem tuam, scripsi in alteris literis de Ecclesiarum emendatione, quam si u tempora sinent rogo ut Regia Majestas tua suscipiat. Postea adjeci hanc Epistolam, non impudentia, sed optimo studio, et amore cum Ecclesiarum, cum Regiæ Majestatis tuæ incitatus: Quare per Christum obtestor Regiam Majestatem tuam ut meam libertatem boni consulat. Sæpe cogito Britannicæ Ecclesiæ primordia, et cæteras laudes: Hinc enim propagata est doctrina Christiana in magnam Germaniæ et Galliæ partem; imo Britannicæ Ecclesiæ beneficium fuit, quod primum Romanæ Provinciæ liberatæ sunt persecutione. Hæc primum nobis Imperatorem pium Constantinum dedit. Magna hæc gloria est vestri nominis. Nunc quoque Regia Majestas tua primum heroica magnitudine animi ostendit se veritati patrocinaturum esse excussit Romani Episcopi tyrannidem, quare veterem puritatem Ecclesiæ vestræ maxime optarim restitui integram. Sed animadverto istic esse quosdam qui veteres abu

¶ Prynn. pore

r Buckmastre. s Joannes Tyson. om. t Professors. tem

x veterum