manner be loosed, or bound, and ratified in hea-ven. But the Key by which the Kingdom of Heaven is thus opened and shut, we say, with St. Chrysostom, is " the knowledge of Scripture;" with Tertullian, is the interpretation of the Law;" with Eusebius, is the Word of God."

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*

The disciples of Christ did not however receive this authority that they might hear the private confessions of the people, and attend to secret whispers, as every Priestling now does, and in such a manner, that they appear to consider the KEY entrusted to them for that sole purpose; but it was given to them, that they might go, and teach, and publish the Gospel, and become to the true believer a sweet savour of life unto life-to the unbeliever and infidel, a savour of death unto death: that the minds of the pious, alarmed by the consciousness of their former offences and errors, when they beheld the light of the Gospel, and believed in Christ, might be opened by the Word of God, even as a door is

* Sacrificulus, or Priestling, as here translated, was merely used as an expression of contempt, to designate the young and ignorant amongst the Popish Priesthood, to whom was, however, entrusted the power of granting absolution, &c.

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opened by a key; but that the wicked and rebellious, who refused to believe, and return to the straight path, might be shut up and locked; * and as St. Paul expresseth it, might † “wax worse and worse." In this manner we interpret the Keys, for thus are the consciences of men either opened or shut. We indeed call the Priest, in this case a Judge; but yet, as St. Ambrose says, he hath no right whatever to assume any authority, and therefore it was that Christ, to reprove the negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching, rebuked them in these words: § Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, for you have taken away the key of knowledge, and shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men. Since then the key which opens to us the Kingdom of Hea ven is the word of the gospel, and the interpre tation of the Law and Scriptures; where there is no such word, there is no key: and as one key, that is the same word, was given to all, it follows, that the authority of all ministers as to

"Shut up, and locked," that is, that their hearts might be hardened, and closed against the reception of Truth and the Word of God, which is the true key to open the door of the Human Heart.

† 2 Tim. iii. 18.

De pœniten. dist. i. cap. Verbum Dei. § Matt. xxiii, 13. Luke xi. 52.

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binding and loosing is one and the same, We therefore deny that the Pope himself, although soothed by his parasites with these flattering words: * I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, as if they were his peculiar right, and sole property, unless he exerts himself to turn and subdue the consciences of men to the word of God-we, I say, deny that he can either open or shut the door of the Kingdom, or that he hath even possession of the Key. And, although he may teach and instruct the people, (which I sincerely wish he would do, and consider it as in some degree, at least, incumbent on him,) still his Key is neither larger nor better than that of others. For who distinguished him? Who taught him to open more learnedly, or absolve more powerfully than his brethren?

We consider Marriage an holy and honourable estate in all sorts and degrees of men; in the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, blessed Martyrs, Ministers of Religion, and Bishops: that, as St. Chrysostom† saith, it is both lawful and just for a person in such a condition to ascend the epis

* Matt. xvi. 19. + Chrysost. In Titum. Hom. i. cap. 2.

copal throne. And we agree with Sozomen,* when speaking of Spiridion, and Nazianzen† of his own Father, that a pious and active bishop, far from being disqualified by matrimony, becomes, on that very account, a better and more profitable minister. The Law therefore which deprives men of this liberty, and binds them to a life of celibacy, is rightly deemed by us, in the words of St. Paul, the doctrine of Devils; and the source and origin whence the profligacy, immoral and flagitious conduct of the Ministers of God has chiefly risen: which the § Bishop of Augusta, Faber, the abbot of Palermo, Latomus, the tripartite work annexed to the second volume of the Councils, and other champions of the Papal authority confess; and which indeed is apparent from the very nature of the case, and the unanimous consent of all historians. So that Pope Pius the second decided most properly when he said, that "there were many reasons why the clergy should not be allowed to marry, but far greater and more weighty ones why this privilege should be restored to them."

*

Theop. ad Titum x. cap. 6.

+ In Monodia sua super Basilium.

+ 1 Tim. iv. 1.

Platina in Vita Pii Secundi.

We receive and embrace all the Canonical Books, both of the Old and New Testaments; giving thanks to our most gracious God, that he hath furnished us with this light to shine for ever before our eyes; lest, by human fraud, or the snares of hell, we should at any time be seduced into errors and false doctrines. We acknowledge them to be the voice of God by which he has declared his will unto us; that in them alone the soul of man can find rest; for they alone, as Origen, St. Augustin, St. Chrysostom, and St. Cyril have taught us, abundantly and fully contain every thing that is necessary for our soul's health in them is manifested the

power and might of God unto salvation; they are the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles, on which the Church of God is built by their infallible law, in all cases of error or corruption, the doctrines of the church ought to be tried: in opposition to them, no law, no tradition, no custom, is to be received, not even though St. Paul† himself, or an Angel from Heaven should come and teach otherwise.

We allow moreover the Sacraments of the

* Rom, i. 16.

+ Gal. i. 8.