away for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send him unto you:" and albeit that the apostles received the Holy Ghost before the day of Pentecost, yet did they then first receive him, in signum Sacramenti Confirmationis, that is to say, in token of the Sacrament of Confirmation; what time the Holy Ghost appeared upon them in fiery tongues, which fiery tongues were a visible and sensible sign of the Holy Ghost then sent and given unto them, to confirm and establish them in Christ's faith, &c.

And the reason why that Almighty God used this sign here in this Sacrament was this: First, he used this sensible sign of tongue, signifying by the same, that they should be liberal of their tongues to preach the faith of Christ and again, the figure of a tongue appeared in fire, to signify unto them, that they should be hot and fervent in charity; and that they should not preach or teach the faith of Christ for any lucre or worldly promotion: but only for the love unto Christ, and for the health of their neighbours. And thus did Christ confirm his apostles, giving unto them his manifold inward graces; and also outward, as it was then expedient for that time, by such an outward and sensible form or sign; that is to say, a fiery tongue, but after this, forasmuch as fire cannot be applied unto a man's body without hurt; therefore in his place was taken oil, which is a thing and a matter next unto burning, and draws most nigh unto the nature of fire; having in it also a marvellous clearness, which is a quality appropriate unto the fire furthermore, in the stead of a tongue, the Church uses balm, and that for this skill; for as balm has a good and sweet savour, and preserves from corruption; so by the manifold graces which be here conferred in this Sacrament, they that live and work according unto the same, have a sweet and good savour of a good name and fame before God, either by constant confessing and preaching of Christ's faith, or else by the strong resisting and vanquishing of his enemies-the Devil, the flesh, and the world; and so is also preserved from the corruption of sin and as touching these two, that is to say, oil and balm, which we called before materiam hujus Sacramenti, with holy consecrations of the same, which may be called mysterium Sacrum; no doubt, but that as the most ancient doctors write, the apostles of Christ, by Christ's authority, did institute and ordain the same or else, to speak

56.

better, Christ did institute them by his apostles: although that in the beginning for a certain season, he might dispense with them, that they should not need to use such matter, but only prayers and imposition of their hands upon such as they did confirm; and although mention of these, and such other things, rites, and ceremonies, which our mother the Church useth, not only in the ministration of this Sacrament, but also in many of the other, is not had expressly in Scripture, yet be all such to be observed and fulfilled by the order of apostolical tradition; for, as St. Austin writes, ("De fide et operibus circa medium") these things be not mentioned in Scripture which were commonly done, and yet by some things there, they may be understood in the Word: wherefore St. Gregory saith, (lib. 7. Regist. Epist. 16.) that the order of ancient custom and the canons of the Church are an interpretation of all doubts which be not expressed in Scripture: wherefore albeit all things concerning and appertaining unto this Sacrament be not expressly had in Scripture, yet ought we reverently and obediently to accept and receive the same, forasmuch as the Church, that is to say, the whole multitude of Christian people, hath so allowed and received them hitherto.

The apostles laid their hands upon those who were baptized, and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts viii.), which thing they would never have attempted but only by revelation and precept of the Holy Ghost: and so that sure hope which they used in the ministering of this Sacrament, doth openly show and argue, that the Holy Ghost had promised unto them that he would be ready to give his grace unto them, which should be confirmed by them; upon whom for the same cause they should lay their hands; and so it appears that the Holy Ghost, which taught and also commanded the apostles to use this outward sign, did in like manner make a promise to the worthy receivers of the same.

The inward Graces (Rabanus).

In undam baptismi Spiritus Sanctus descendit ad habitationem Deo consecrandam ; in confirmatione vero ejusdem septiformis gratia cum omni plenitudine sanctitatis et virtutis venit in hominem.

After this he cites the instance of the apostles St. Peter and St. John laying their hands upon those who were baptized in

Samaria; and likewise that of St. Paul, with reference to those at Ephesus above mentioned.

L.

A Copy of the Letters Patent which were to be signed by King Henry VIII., for giving Authority to a Book entitled "Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum."

Officina Jo

Henricus Octavus, Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ Rex, Londini ex Fidei Defensor, et Dominus Hiberniæ, ac in terris Anglicanæ hannis Day. sub Deo Caput supremum, omnibus archiepiscopis, episcopis, An. 1571. abbatibus, clericis, ducibus, marchionibus, comitibus, baronibus, militibus, generosis, ac aliis cujuscunque generis hominibus, subditis et ligiis nostris, per regnum nostrum, et dominia nostra ubilibet commorantibus, salutem et Evangelicæ veritatis incrementum. Cum vos optimi cives mei mihique charissimi, me nunc unum atque solum hujus regni principem; in terrisque secundum Deum hujus Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ unicum supremumque caput, quemadmodum divini atque humani juris ratio postulat, potestatemque tam Ecclesiasticæ quam mundanæ politiæ mihi, majoribusque meis, ipso jure divino concessam, (verum multis sæculis unius Romani episcopi malitia, fraude, dolis, atque astutia ereptam) ad me et successores meos pertinere una voce, uno omnium sensu agnoscitis: non possum indies magis magisque muneris, atque officii mei rationem non habere, deque illustranda Dei gloria, de Christianæ pietatis vera doctrina propaganda, de imperii hujus incolumitate, et quiete tuenda, summa animi cura, atque cogitatione non esse sollicitus. Occurrunt enim subinde animo meo verba illa quæ Sapientiæ cap. vii. habentur ad hunc modum. Audite reges, et intelligite, "quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis et virtus ab Altissimo, qui interrogabit opera vestra, ut scrutabitur cogitationes, ad vos ergo reges sunt hi sermones mei, ut discatis sapientiam, et ne excidatis. Qui enim custodiunt justitiam, juste judicabuntur, et qui didicerunt justa, invenient quid respondeant," &c. Hinc facile perspici potest, exactissime a regibus potestatis suæ reddendam esse rationem, illosque gravissimos manere poenas, si non, ut oportuit, in republica administranda sese gesserint.

Quod si tanta cura, ac solicitudine quibuscunque regibus opus est, quam anxios ac sollicitos Christianos reges esse de

bere censendum est, quibus non politia modo civilis, sed ecclesiastica etiam potestas data est? Hos enim non tantum quæ ad humanam societatem pertinent, sed etiam quæ divinæ Christianæque religioni maxime consentanea sunt, curare necesse est; præsentem hujus sæculi fœlicitatem principes Christianos ita metiri convenit ut hac potestate sua ad Dei cultum dilatandum utantur, ut in hoc incumbant, ut recta doctrina propagetur, orneturque Dei gloria.

Cum igitur a Christianis regibus justitiam in imperio, pacis tuendæ curam, pietatem, studium juvandæ et ornandæ religionis Christianæ exigi animadverterem, nihil mihi potius esse debere judicabam, quam ut omnes inirem rationes, quo minus in hoc meo regno hæc a me desiderentur, et quoad possem, muneri imposito satisfacerem: hoc ut facilius expeditiusque præstare valeam, non ignoratis vos, quantam curam adhibuerim in illis rebus promovendis, tuendisque quæ huic negotio maxime conducere atque adjumento esse videbantur. Quæ contra impedire atque obesse visa sunt, quanto studio tollere, ac delere conatus sum, assidueque conor. Abunde enim vobis declaratum hactenus fuit, quam in hac nostra Britannia, multis vero sæculis, episcopi Romani vis injusta ac non ferenda, sacrosancto divino nomini inimica fuit, quantopere religioni Christianæ veræ doctrinæ propagandæ adversata est, quantum hujus reipublicæ pacem ac tranquillitatem sæpissime interturbavit, potestatemque regiam divinitus constitutam labefactando, omnium obedientiam, a vero ac justo principis sui imperio, contra omne jus divinum et humanum ad se transferre ausus est. Hujus potestatem hic cum divino munere sublatam esse manifestum est, ne quid superesset, quo non plane fractam illius vim esse constaret, leges omnes, decreta atque instituta, quæ ab authore episcopo Romano profecta sunt, prorsus abroganda censuimus. Quorum loco, ut facilius in posterum Dei Optimi Maximi gloria illustretur, et vera philosophia Christiana, regnumque Christi vigere possit, et quo omnia decenter, et ordine in Christi hac Ecclesia gerantur: en vobis autoritate nostra editas leges damus, quas a vobis omnibus suscipi, coli, et observari volumus, et sub nostræ indignationis pœna mandamus, ut vestra in Deum pietas, amor erga patriam, principemque vestrum obedientia, non sine immensa divini nominis gloria omnibus conspicua sit, ac vosmetipsos non minus de vestris rationibus sollicitos ostendatis, quam ego

vestra causa de officio fuerim meo, stricte præcipientes, ut his nostris constitutionibus, vos omnes et singuli, tam in judiciis, quam in gymnasiis, utamini, severe prohibentes, ne quisquam vestrum alias præter has, et regni nostri leges admittere præsumat. Valete.

LI.

Part of King Henry VIII's last Will and Testament relating

to matters of Religion.

57.

Ch. Hist.

In the name of God, and of the glorious and blessed Virgin Fuller's our Lady St. Mary, and of all the holy company of heaven, book 5. we, Henry, by the grace of God king of England, &c., most p. 24 humbly and heartily do commend and bequeath our soul to Almighty God, who in the person of the Son redeemed the same with his most precious body and blood in time of his passion; and, for our better remembrance thereof, has left here with us in his Church militant the consecration and administration of his precious body and blood, to our no little consolation and comfort, if we as thankfully accept the same, as he lovingly and undeservedly on man's behalf hath ordained it for our only benefit, and not his.

Also we do instantly require and desire the blessed Virgin Mary his mother, with all the holy company of heaven, continually to pray for us whilst we live in this world, and in the time of passing out of the same, that we may the sooner attain everlasting life after our departure out of this transitory life, which we do both hope and claim by Christ's passion.

We also will and specially desire and require, that where and whensoever it shall please God to call us out of this transitory world to his infinite mercy and grace,—be it beyond the sea, or in any other place without our realm of England, or within the same,-that our executors, as soon as they conveniently may, shall cause all divine service accustomed for dead folks to be celebrated for us, in the next and most proper place where it shall fortune us to depart out of this transitory life; and ever that we will that whensoever and wheresoever it shall please God to call us out of this transitory life to his infinite mercy and grace, be it within the realm or without, that our executors, in as goodly, brief, and convenient haste as they reasonably can or may, order, prepare, and cause our

VOL. IX.

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