A07146:865
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times…The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times…
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times past been brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherents: faithfully gathered out of the most faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and now newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singular profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes: faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and nowe newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singuler profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.
London: printed by John Day, 1563London: printed by Iohn Day, 1563
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly, 1God hath honoured the priests in that he hath committed unto them the souls of the faithful, that is to say, the holy Church of the which Chrysostom saith: The church is more honourable than heaven, and the angels, & all other creatures. Christ hath loved the Church more than himself for whose sake he came down from heaven into this world, and served for it xxxiii. years, and at the last suffered bitter death for it, and doth now give unto it his body for meat, & his blood for drink, and after this life he giveth himself unto it for a reward. Moreover he hath committed this well-beloved Church to priests with all the gifts, that is to say the Sacraments. For the order of priesthood only hath power to baptise, except it be in necessity, at which time it is lawful for every man and woman to baptise. Also he alone hath authority to minister the Sacrament of confirmation. Item, the priest alone hath power to hear confession, to give absolution, and to enjoin penance, according to this saying of Christ: take the holy Ghost: ⟨image 181⟩whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven them:2 but whose since ye do retain, they are retained. Item, he alone hath power to minister the Sacrament of extreme unction.3 &c. In this incomprehensible dignity God hath singularly honoured them above all other men. Ye are that light of the world, saith he. For as the world should be nothing without light even so is the Church nothing without priests.
Fourthly, 1God hath honored the priestes in that he hath committed vnto them the soules of the faythfull, that is to say, the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith: The church is more honourable than heauen, and the aungels, & all other creatures. Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world, and serued for it xxxiii. yeares, and at the laste suffred bitter death for it, and doth nowe geue vnto it his body for meate, & his bloud for drinke, and after this life he geueth himselfe vnto it for a rewarde. Moreouer he hath committed thys welbeloued Churche to priestes with all the giftes, that is to say the Sacramentes. For the order of priesthood onely hath power to baptise, except it be in necessitie, at whiche tyme it is lawefull for euery man and woman to baptise. Also he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation. Item, the priest alone hathe power to heare confession, to geue absolution, and to enioyne penaunce, accordynge to this saying of Christ: take the holy Ghost: