and conditions; seeing that there is no other following more pertinent, nor otherwise apt to receive of God this power procuratory. For unto the office of a vicegerent of Christ is required the conformity of manners, and the authority of the institutor.
XIII. The pope is not the manifest and true successor of Peter, the prince of the apostles, if he live in manners contrary to Peter; and if he hunt after avarice, then is he the vicar of Judas Iscariot. And likewise the cardinals be not the true and manifest successors of the college of the other apostles of Christ, unless they live according to the manner of the apostles, keeping the commandments and councils of our Lord Jesus Christ.
XIV. The doctors, alleging that, if a man who will not be amended by the ecclesiastical censures, is to be delivered to the secular powers, do follow in this point the bishops, Scribes, and Pharisees, who delivered Christ to the secular power, saying, 'It is not lawful for us to kill any man' (because he would not obey them in all things); and that such be greater homicides than Pilate.
XV. The ecclesiastical obedience is such an obedience as the priests of the church have found out, besides the express authority of the Scripture. The immediate division of human works, is, that they be either virtuous or vicious; and if a man be vicious, and doth any thing, then doth he it viciously; and if he be virtuous, and doth any thing, then doth he it virtuously. For like as vice, which is called a great offence or mortal sin, doth stain all the doings of a vicious man; so virtue doth quicken all the doings of a virtuous man.
XVI. A priest of God, living after his law, and having the knowledge of the Scripture, and a desire to edify the people, ought to preach, notwithstanding any excommunication pretended of the pope. And further, if the pope, or any other magistrate, doth forbid a priest, so disposed, to preach, the priest ought not to be obedient to him. For every one that taketh upon him the order of priesthood, receiveth in charge the office of a preacher; and of that burden ought he well to discharge himself, any excommunication against him pretended in any wise notwithstanding.
XVII. By the censures ecclesiastical (as of excommunication, suspending, and interdict), the clergy, to their own advancement, cause the lay-people to aid them; they multiply their avarice, they defend their malice, and prepare the way to Antichrist. And it is an evident sign that such censures proceed from Antichrist, which in their process they call 'fulminationes;' that is, their thunderbolts, wherewith the clergy principally proceed against those that declare the wickedness of Antichrist; who, so greatly for his own commodity, hath abused them.
XVIII. If the pope be evil, especially if he be a reprobate, then is he, with Judas, a very devil, a thief, and the son of perdition; and is not the head of the holy church militant, nor any member of the same.
XIX. The grace of predestination is the band wherewith the body of the church, and every member of the same, are indissolubly joined to their head, Christ.
XX. The pope or prelate that is evil and a reprobate, is a pastor in name, and not in deed; yea he is a thief and a robber in very deed.
XXI. The pope ought not to be called the most holy one, for his office-sake; for then ought a king to be called by his office the most holy one: and the hangman, with other such officers also, were to be called holy; yea, the devil himself ought to be called holy, forasmuch as he is God's officer.[1]
XXII. If the pope live contrary to Christ, although he climb up by the right and lawful election, according to the common custom of men; yet, notwithstanding, should he otherwise climb than by Christ; yea, though we admit that he should enter by the election principally made by God. For Judas Iscariot was lawfully elect of God, Christ Jesus, to his bishopric, and yet came not he the same way he ought to do, unto the sheepfold.[2]
XXIII. The condemnation of forty-five articles of John Wickliff, made by the doctors, is unreasonable, wicked, and nought; and the cause by them alleged is feigned; that is, that none of them are catholic, but every one of them heretical, erroneous, or slanderous.
