XVI. For Punishment of those that Profane the Sacraments and do contemn the Word of God, and dare presume to minister them, not being thereto lawfully called.

Satan hath never ceased from the beginning to draw mankind into one of two extremities. He hath sought that417 men should be so ravished with gazing upon the visible creatures that, forgetting why these were ordained, they should attribute unto them a virtue and power which God hath not granted unto them. Or else he hath sought that men should so contemn and despise God's blessed ordinance and holy institutions, as if neither in the right use of them were there any profit, nor yet in their profanation were there any danger. As, in this wise, Satan hath blinded the most part of mankind from the beginning; so we doubt not but that he will strive to continue in his malice even to the end. Our eyes have seen and presently do see the experience of the one and of the other. What was the opinion of the most part of men, of the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood, during the darkness of superstition, is not unknown; how it was gazed upon, kneeled unto, borne in procession, and finally worshipped and honoured as Christ Jesus Himself.

So long as Satan might retain man in that damnable idolatry, he was quiet, as one that possessed his kingdom of darkness peaceably. But since it hath pleased the mercies of God to reveal unto the unthankful world the light of His Word, and the right use and administration of His Sacraments, he essays man upon the contrary part. Where, not long ago, men stood in such admiration of that idol in the Mass that none durst presume to have said the Mass, but the foresworn shaven sort (the beasts marked men); some dare now be so bold as, without all convocation, to minister, as they suppose, the true Sacraments in open assemblies. Some idiots, also, yet more wickedly and more imprudently, dare counterfeit in their houses that which the true ministers do in the open congregation; they presume, we say, to do it in houses without reverence, without Word preached, and without minister, other than of companion to companion. This contempt proceedeth, no doubt, from the malice and craft of that serpent who first deceived man, of purpose to deface the glory of Christ's Evangel, and to bring His blessed Sacraments into a perpetual contempt.

Farther, your honours may clearly see how proudly and stubbornly the most part despise the Evangel of Christ Jesus418 offered unto you. Unless ye resist sharply and stoutly the manifest despiser as well as the profaner of the Sacraments, ye shall find them pernicious enemies before long. Therefore, in the name of the Eternal God and of His Son, Christ Jesus, we require of your honours that, without delay, strait laws be made against the one and the other.

We dare not prescribe unto you what penalties shall be required of such. But this we fear not to affirm, that the one and the other deserve death. If he which doth falsify the seal, subscription, or coinage of a king is adjudged worthy of death; what shall we think of him who plainly doth falsify the seals of Christ Jesus, Prince of the kings of the earth? If Darius pronounced upon the man that durst attempt to hinder the re-edification of the material temple, the sentence that a bauk²⁷¹²⁷¹Beam. should be taken from his house, and he himself be hanged upon it; what shall we say of those that contemptuously blaspheme God and manifestly hinder the spiritual temple of God, the souls and bodies of the elect—from being purged, by the true preaching of Christ Jesus, from the superstition and damnable idolatry in which they have been of long plunged and holden captive? If ye, as God forbid, declare yourselves careless over the true religion, God will not suffer your negligence to go unpunished. Therefore, the more earnestly require we that strait laws may be made against the stubborn contemners of Christ Jesus, and against such as dare presume to administer His Sacraments, without orderly call to that office; lest, while there be none found to gainstand impiety, the wrath of God be kindled against the whole.

The papistical priests have neither power nor authority to administer the Sacraments of Christ Jesus; because in their mouth is not the sermon of exhortation. To them, therefore, must strait inhibition be made, notwithstanding any usurpation which they have had in that behalf in the time of blindness. It is neither the clipping of their crowns, the crossing of their fingers, the blowing of the dumb dogs, called the bishops, nor yet the laying on of their hands that maketh them the true ministers of Christ Jesus. The Spirit of God419 inwardly moving hearts to seek Christ's glory and the profit of His Church, and thereafter the nomination of the people, the examination of the learned, and public admission, as before we have said, makes men lawful ministers of the Word and Sacraments. We speak of an ordinary vocation, where Churches are reformed, or at least tend to reformation; and not of that which is extraordinary, when God by Himself, and by His only power, raiseth up to the ministry such as best please His wisdom.