A history of the reformation of the Church of England. 3 vols. [in 6]. [on large paper] cm.27

Heart, than of Auricular Confession; after David the Prophet's saying and teaching, when he said, Tibi soli peccavi, that was not to a Priest. By the Text also which you alledg, begining, circa personas vero Ministrorum, &c. you do openly confess that the Church hath not accepted Auricular Confession to be by God's Commandment; or else by your saying and Allegation, they have long erred; for you confess that the Church hath divers times changed, both to whom Confession should be made, and times when; and that also they have changed divers Ways for divers Regions; if it were by God's Commandment they might not do thus: Wherefore, my Lord, since I hear no other Allegations, I pray you blame not me tho I be not of your Opinion; and of the both, I think that I have more cause to think you obstinate, than you me, seeing your Authors and Allegations make so little to your purpose. And thus far you well.

XII..

A Definition of the Church, corrected in the margin by King
Henry's own Hand. An Original.

De Ecclesia.

Christi

ECCLESIA præter alias acceptiones in Scripturis duas habet Cott. Libr. Cleop. E. 5. præcipuas: Unam, qua Ecclesia accipitur pro Congregatione Fol. 1. Sanctorum et vere fidelium qui Christo capiti vere credunt, et Sanctificantur Spiritu ejus hæc autem una est, et vere Sanctum Corpus Christi sed soli Deo * cognitum, qui hominum corda Sponsa solus intuetur. Altera acceptio est, qua Ecclesia accipitur pro cognita. Congregatione omnium Hominum qui baptizati sunt in Christo, et non palam abnegarint Christum, nec sunt † excommunicati‡: + Juste. Aut obQuæ Ecclesiæ acceptio congruit ejus Statui in hac vita dun-stinati. taxat, ubi habet malos bonis simul admixtos §, et debet esse § Et cognitio hujus cognita per Verbum et Legitimum usum Sacramentorum ut Ecclesiæ -possit audiri; sicut docet Christus, Qui Ecclesiam non faudie- pervenit

f audiret

per usum

Verbi et

rit. Porro ad veram unitatem Ecclesiæ, requiritur ut sit conSacramen- sensus in recta Doctrina Fidei et administratione Sacramento

torum, ac

ceptione,

perfecta

unitate, ac

unanimi

consensu

semper ob

rum.

Traditiones vero et Ritus atq; Cæremoniæ quæ vel ad 8 Decorem, vel Ordinem, vel Disciplinam Ecclesiæ ab hominibus sunt acceptata. institutæ, non omnino necesse est, ut eadem sint ubiq; aut prorsus similes: Hæ enim et variæ fuere et variari possunt || pro || Modo rectoribus regionum atq; morum diversitate et commodo *, sic tamen ut placeant quibus sint consentientes Verbo Dei: et quamvis in Ecclesia secundum temperan posteriorem acceptionem mali sint bonis admixti, atq; etiam dum est, Ministeriis Verbi et Sacramentorum nonnunquam præsint, tamen cum ministrent non suo sed Christi nomine, mandato et jussio atq; Lex Verbo authoritate, licet eorum Ministerio uti tam in verbo audiendo Dei non adversetur. quam recipiendis Sacramentis, juxta illud, Qui vos audit me auIsta est dit; nec per eorum malitiam imminuitur effectus aut gratia nostra Ca. donorum Christi rite accipientibus, sunt enim efficacia propter promissionem et ordinationem Christi etiamsi per malos exhibeantur.

Sic tamen

ut eorum

Ecclesia

tholica et

Apostolica,

cum qua

nec Pon

tifex Romanus, nec quivis aliquis Prælatus aut Pontifex, habet quicquid agere præterquam in suas Dioceses.

* Decorum,

TABLE

OF THE

RECORDS AND PAPERS

THAT ARE IN THE

COLLECTION,

With which the places in the History to which they relate are
marked: the first number, with the letter C. is the page of the
Collection; the second, with the letter H. is the page of the
History.