Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/509

 The tenth article: 'That subjects, and the common people, may and ought publicly and openly to detect and reprove the vices of their superiors and rulers, as having power given them of Christ, and the example of St. Paul so to do.' This error is pernicious, full of offence, inducing all rebellion, disobedience, and sedition, and the curse and malediction of Ham.

The eleventh article: ‘That Christ only is head of the church, and not the pope.’ It is an error according unto the connnon understanding of the doctors, if all the reason of the supremacy, and of being head, be secluded and taken away from the pope.

The twelfth article: 'That the only church, which comprehendeth the predestinate and good livers, is the universal church, whereunto subjects do owe obedience.' And this is consequent unto the former article: the error is contained as in the former articles.

The thirteenth article: 'That tithes and oblations given to the church are public and common alms.' This error is offensive, and contrary to the determination of the apostle [ 1 Cor. ix.]

The fourteenth article: 'That the clergy living wickedly, ought to be reproved and corrected by the lay-people, by the taking away of their tithes and other temporal profits.' A most pernicious error and offensive, inducing the secular people to perpetrate sacrilege; subverting the ecclesiastical liberty.

The fifteenth article: ‘That the blessings of such as are reprobate or evil livers of the clergy, are maledictions and cursings before God, according to the saying, I will curse your blessings.’ This error was lately reproved by St. Augustine, against St. Cyprian and his followers, neither is the Master of the Sentences allowed by the masters in that point that he seemeth to favour this article.

The sixteenth article: 'That in these days, and for a long time before, there hath been no true pope, no true church, nor faith, which is called the Romish church, whereunto a man ought to obey; but that it both was, and is, the synagogue of Antichrist and Satan.' The error, in this article, is in this point, That it is derived from, and taketh its foundation upon, the former articles.

The seventeenth article: 'That all gift of money given unto the ministers of the church, for the ministration of any spiritual matter, doth make such ministers, in that case, users of simony.' This error is seditious and temerarious, forasmuch as something may be given unto the clergy, under the title of sustentation or maintaining the minister, without the selling or buying of any spiritual thing.

The eighteenth article: 'That whosoever is excommunicated by the pope, if he appeal to Christ, he is preserved that he need not fear the excommunication, but may utterly contemn and despise the same.' This error is temerarious and of arrogancy.

The nineteenth article: 'That every deed done without charity, is sin.' This error was reproved and revoked before this time at Paris, especially if it be understood of deadly sin; for it is not necessary that he who lacketh grace, should continually sin and offend anew, albeit he be continually in sin.

This declaration following, the masters of Paris, by their whole voice and consent, did unto these nineteen articles, for their reason and determination.

We affirm, That these are notoriously heretical, and that they are judicially to be condemned for such, and diligently to be rooted out with their most seditious doctrines, lest they do infect others. For albeit they seem to have a zeal against the vices of the prelates and the clergy, which (the more is the pity and grief) do but too much abound, yet is it not according unto learning: for one of a sober and discreet zeal, suffereth and lamenteth those sins and offences, which he seeth in the house of God, that he cannot amend or take away; for vices cannot be rooted out and taken away by other vices and errors, forasmuch as devils are not cast out through Beelzebub, but by the power of God, which is the Holy Ghost, who willeth, that in correction