Scripture; but the reading adopted is, "Let us not be led," &c. p. 178. Henry VIII.'s addition " as only of ourselves," though objected to by Cranmer, Annotation lxxiv. is rather strengthened in the Necessary Doctrine, where the expression is, " as of our own nature only without "the grace of God." The passage respecting forgiveness of injuries is much altered, but Cranmer succeeded in procuring it to be drawn up so as to leave no door open for escaping from the duty: as appears to have been Henry VIII.'s wish from his expression inserted p. 61. and exposed by Cranmer, Annotation lxxix. A strong sentence however on the subject is omitted according to the King's desire.] H Stillingfleet MSS. Lamb. Libr. 1108. f. 69. [a Seventeen Questions concerning the Sacraments, and the appointment and power of Bishops and Priests.] 1. What a sacrament is by the Scripture? 2. What a sacrament is by the ancient authors? 3. How many sacraments there be by the Scriptures? 4. How many sacraments there be by the ancient authors? 5. Whether this word sacrament be, and ought to be, atApp. vol. i. tributed to the seven only? And whether the seven sacraments be found in any of the old authors, or not? b. iii. No. 21. 6. Whether the determinate number of seven sacraments be a doctrine, either of the Scripture, or of the old authors, and so to be taught? 7. What is found in Scripture of the matter, nature, effect, and virtue of such as we call the seven sacraments; so as although the name be not there, yet whether the thing be in Scripture or no? and in what wise spoken of? 8. Whether Confirmation, cum chrismate, of them that be baptized, be found in Scripture? 9. Whether the apostles lacking a higher power, as in not having a Christian king among them, made bishops by that necessity, or by authority given them by God? a [These Questions with Answers to them by Cranmer and other divines, are preserved in the Lambeth Library and the British Museum. No answers besides Cranmer's claim a place here, but the whole are printed by Burnet and Collier. Their date is fixed by Thirlby's being called "Elect of Westminster," a title which was applicable to him only between 17th of Sept. and the 29th of Dec. 1540. The questions are believed to have been proposed to commissioners appointed in that year to draw up a declaration of the Christian doctrine. Mr. Todd, following an anonymous writer in the British Critic, attributes them to the pen of Henry VIII.; but Strype's opinion that they were prepared by Cranmer is confirmed by the fact, that draughts of some of them are still extant in the Archbishop's hand-writing in the Lambeth MS. 1108. fol. 1. See Burnet, Reform. vol. i. p. 578. App. vol. i. b. iii. No. 21. vol. iii. p. 295. App. vol. iii. b. iii. No. 69, 70, 71. Collier, Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. App. No. 49; Strype, Cranmer, p. 77, and App. Ño. 27 and 28; Todd, Life of Cranmer, vol. i. p. 508.] 10. Whether bishops or priests were first? And if the priests were first, then the priest made the bishop. 11. Whether a bishop hath authority to make a priest by the Scripture, or no? And whether any other, but only a bishop, may make a priest? 12. Whether in the New Testament be required any consecration of a bishop and priest, or only appointing to the office be sufficient? 13. Whether (if it fortuned a prince Christian learned to conquer certain dominions of infidels, having none but temporal learned men with him) it be defended by God's law, that he and they should preach and teach the word of God there, or no? And also make and constitute priests, or no? 14. Whether it be forfended by God's law, that (if it so fortuned that all the bishops and priests of a region were dead, and that the word of God should remain there unpreached, the sacrament of Baptism and others unministered,) that the king of that region should make bishops and priests to supply the same, or no? 15. Whether a man be bound by authority of this Scripture, "Quorum remiseritis" and such like, to confess his secret deadly sins to a priest if he may have him, or no? 16. Whether a bishop or a priest may excommunicate, and for what crimes? And whether they only may excommunicate by God's law ? 17. Whether unction of the sick with oil to remit venial sins, as it is now used, be spoken of in the Scripture, or in any ancient author? [Answers to the foregoing Questions.] 1. The Scripture showeth not what a sacrament is; nevertheless where in the Latin text we have sacramentum, there in the Greek we have mysterium; and so by the Scripture, sacramentum may be called mysterium, id est, res occulta sive arcana. 2. The ancient authors call a sacrament, sacræ rei signum, or visibile verbum, symbolum, atque pactio qua sumus constricti. 3. The Scripture showeth not how many sacraments there be, but incarnatio Christi and matrimonium be called in the Scripture mysteria, and therefore we may call them by the Scripture sacramenta. But one sacramentum the Scripture maketh mention of, which is hard to be revealed fully, as would to God it were, and that is, mysterium iniquitatis, or mysterium meretricis magnæ et bestia. 4. By the ancient authors there be many sacraments more than seven, for all the figures which signified Christ to come, or testify that he is come, be called sacraments, as all the figures of the old law, and in the new law, eucharistia, baptismus, pascha, dies Dominicus, lotio pedum, signum crucis, chrisma, matrimonium, ordo, sabbatum, impositio manuum, oleum, consecratio olei, lac, mel, aqua, vinum, sal, ignis, cineres, adapertio aurium, vestis candida, and all the parables of Christ, with the prophecies of the Apocalypse, and such other, be called by the doctors sacramenta. 5. I know no cause why this word sacrament should be attributed to the seven only; for the old authors never prescribe any certain number of sacraments, nor in all their books I never read these two words joined together, viz. septem sacramenta. 6. The determinate number of seven sacraments is no doctrine of the Scripture, nor of the old authors. 7. I find not in the Scripture, the matter, nature, and effect of all those which we call the seven sacraments, but only of certain of them; as of Baptism, in which we be regenerated and pardoned of our sin by the blood of Christ: of Eucharistia, in which we be concorporated unto Christ, and made lively members of his body, nourished and fed to the everlasting life, if we receive it as we ought to do, and else it is to us rather death than life. Of Penance also I find in the Scripture, whereby sinners after baptism returning wholly unto God, be accepted again unto God's favour and mercy. But the Scripture speaketh not of Penance, as we call it a sacrament, consisting in three parts, contrition, confession, and satisfaction; but the Scripture taketh Penance for a pure conversion of a sinner in heart and mind from his sins unto God, making no mention of private confession of all deadly sins to a priest, nor of ecclesiastical satisfaction to be enjoined by him. Of Matrimony also I find very much in Scripture, and among other things, that it is a mean whereby God doth use the infirmity of our concupiscence to the setting forth of his glory, and increase of the world, thereby sanctifying the act of carnal commixtion between the man and the wife to that use; yea, although one party be an infidel; and in this Matrimony is also a promise of salvation, if the parents bring their children in the faith, love, and fear of God. up Of the matter, nature, and effect of the other three, that is to say, Confirmation, Order, and Extreme Unction, I read nothing in the Scripture, as they be taken for sacraments. 8. Of Confirmation with chrism, without which it is counted no sacrament, there is no manner of mention in the Scripture. 9. All Christian princes have committed unto them immediately of God the whole cure of all their subjects, as well concerning the administration of God's word for the cure of souls, as concerning the ministration of things political and civil governance: and in both these ministrations, they must have sundry ministers under them to supply that which is appointed to their several offices. The civil ministers under the King's Majesty in this realm of England, be those whom it shall please his Highness for the time to put in authority under him: as for example; the Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, Lord Great Master, Lord Privy-Seal, Lord Admiral, Mayors, Sheriffs, &c. The ministers of God's word, under his Majesty, be the bishops, parsons, vicars, and such other priests as be appointed by his Highness to that ministration: as for example, the Bishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Duresme, the Bishop of Winchester, the Parson of Winwick, &c. All the said officers and ministers, as well of the one sort as of the other, be appointed, assigned, and elected in every place, by the laws and orders of kings and princes. In the admission of many of these officers be divers |