zeale and feruent affection I cease yet neuer ceasing most deuoutly to pray still both for your own good for the kings seruice for the peace of the land generally for the seruice of God that he will giue me grace I may truâ—ly say with Paul in your behalfe since the case is not very much vnlike that which he saith of the Iewes Rom. 9. I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart for I would my selfe euen be seperate for my brethren the Romish Catholikes to whome pertained the adoption and the glorie and the couenants and the giuing of the law and the seruice of God and the promises of whome are the Fathers and who hauing bequeathed or rather bequited them vnto vs as the Sinagogue had done vnto them both remaine depriued thereof Whereunto I pray God from the bottome of my heart to restore you all againe with vs that so both Iewes and all Christians as naturall brethren after a long discord reconciled together vnder one God and father one Lord and Elder Brother in one Church and Mother may enioy together one eternall glorie in the heauenly Ierusalem which is the mother of vs all Amen The Argument of the whole Treatise consisting of eighteene Sections ECclesiasticall Iurisdiction chiefly and essentially belongs to the Church but to the Pope and other Bishops ministerially onely as the power of seeing to the eye Christ immediatly and by himselfe did giue the keyes or iurisdiction vnto the hierachicall order by the immediate and reall sending forth of all the Apostles and Disciples The definition of the Church by essentiall causes S. Peter is onely the dispenser ministeriall head but Christ the right absolute Lord essential head founder foundation of the Church Wherefore all arguments drawne from the ministeriall to the essential head come short are fallacious * A dicto secuÌ„dum quid ad dictum simpliciter as being inferred from that which is said in some respect to that which is affirmed simply In the Church her state must be distinguished from her gouernement the state being monarchicall only to maintaine order and vnitie and to the powerfull execution of the Canons But the gouernment is Aristocraticall for wholesome counsell infalible prouidence and constitution of Canons For the Church is gouerned by Canons not by absolute power The infallible power of decreeing making Canons belongs to the whole Church which is the very pillar ground of truth not solely or onely to Peter And that prooued by the practise of the whole Church This place of the Gospell expounded Simon Behold Sathan hath desired to wiâ—ow you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not c. The frequent holding of Councels is absolutely and simply necessarie to the better and more holy gouerning of the Church and in what cases the Buls and Decretals of Popes doe binde How farre the fulnesse of the Popes power may be extended And in what case he may dispense with the canons of Councels Though the Church haue but one essentiall head neuerthelesse in regard of the exercise and execution of gouernment she is differently ruled by the Pope and by the Ciuill Prince Whereas the Church hath neither territory nor right of the Sword from Christ being onely ordained to a supernaturall and spirituall end shee can determine of the meanes necessarie to saluation onely by perswasion and direction not by constraint or inflicting of temporall punishments The ciuill Prince as being Lord of the Common-wealth and Country is the Protector and Defendor both of the Diuine Naturall and Canonicall law And to those ends may both establish lawes and exercise the sword The Ciuil Prince by the title of Protector of the Church and defendor of the Canons is the lawfull Iudge of all * Appellationes de abusu appeales for abuse as they are termed And from thence haue the liberties of the Gallicane Church had their beginning Confutation of those arguments which due attribute absolute authoritie to Popes In a generall Councel the Pope is held to bee the head so far forth as concernes preaching of the word administration of Sacraments and execution of Canons but not as touching direction and correctiue power ouer the whole Councell This Canon expounded No body must iudge the first See The finall cause of the Church which is euerlaâ—ting life by a good gouernment showes euidently that Peter is by the Church and for the Church as the eye by man and for man What the meaning is that the Church hath also indirect power in temporall things And the answeare to the contrarie arguments A TREATISE OF Ecclesiasticall and Politicke power IT is a common Principle and of an vndoubted faith that God Nature haue still a more chiefe and immediate regard to the whole then to any part neuer so noble thereof And for an example the power of Seing hath therefore bin giuen vnto man that it might bee executed by the eye as mans instrument and minister to that purpose for the eye subsisteth both by man and for man The Schoole of Paris building vpon that most infallible ground conformably to the opinion of all auncient Doctors of the Church hath euer and most constantly taught That Christ in the foundation of his Church hath more chiefly immediatly and essentially giuen the keyes or authoritie to the whole Church then to Peter Or which comes al to one That he hath giuen the keyes to the whole Church ministerially to be vsed by one man Seeing all Ecclesiasticall power belongs properly essentially and first to the Church but to the Pope and other Bishops instrumentally and ministerially and onely so far forth as concernes the exercising as the power of seeing to the eye Let no body therefor glorie in men for all things are yours that is to say of the church Whether it be Paul or Apolos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether things present or to come for all things are the Churches and the Church Christs and Christs Gods 1. Cor. 3. c. For surely when it pleased our Sauiour Mat. 16.19 to promise by words of future the keyes to Saint Peter in the name of the whole Church after this maner I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. He did afterwards actually giue and deliuer them to the whole hierarchical order together First by a generall commission Mat. 18.17 where he doth establish the Church sufficient in it self a chief Gouernesse Tell it vnto the Church Secondly by a reall sending forth Luc. 10.1 The Lord appointed other seauenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie place whither he himselfe shold come Iohn 17.18 Likewise when a little before or immediatly after the celebration of the Lords supper he prayeth to his father for his Church in these
alone and only the essentiall head by whome and for whome the Church subsisteth for which cause also hee speakes thus to Peter Matthew 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Wherein is to bee noted that hee doth not say thy Church or the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against thee likewise Iohn 21.15 Feede my Lambes Feede my Sheepe hee doth not say thy Sheepe or thy Lambes And that purposely to shew that Ecclesiasticall men are called to a meere and simple dispensation or administration not to any temporall Dominion or Gouernment meerely and absolute Monarchicall The Kinges of the Nations raigne ouer them but with you it shall not bee so Luc. 22.25 and 1. Peter 5.2 Feed the flock which depends vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not as Lords of the flocke but that yee may bee a good example to them Which places of the Scripture Bernard ad Eugen. lib. â— cap. 5. doth expound after this sort Goe then thou also and vsurpe if thou dare either an Apostleship being a Lord or a Lordship being Apostolicall Thou art plainely forbidden both and if thou wouldst possesse both together thou shalt loose both This is the Apostolical forme Dominion is forbidden ministration is commaunded and commended by the example of the law-giuer * Luc. â—2 27 I am in the midst of you as one that ministreth c. By which both Saint Peter and Bernard doe set before our eyes a patterne of aristocraticall gouernment which shall bee more largely described afterwards Sect. 5. 6. and 8. I am not ignorant that our Nouelists better to defend their priuiledges doe maintaine that by these words Feed my sheep Christ hath giuen the whole Ecclesiastical iurisdiction solely to Peter alone to distribute it afterwards at his pleasure to whom he would But those idle pretences are so plainely and manifestly confuted by the Oracles of holy Scripture by the testimony of all auncient Fathers and by the whole practise of the primitiue Church that it is a great wonder how they dare forge such absurdities For indeed this speech of our Lord Feed my sheep c. doth confer vpon S. Peter as a ministeriall head a prime and ful authoritie of administring or executing the diuine naturall and canonicall law according to the rules of aristocraticall moderation Vpon which point looke Sect. 9. Which grounds being thus laid al those and other like arguments remain very easily answered That Petrus is Petra the foundation head of the Church and therefore without him the Church falleth Or that as a body being without a head a streame without a spring a beame without a Sunne a branch without a stock an arme of a tree cut from his body perisheth and withereth no more can the Church subsist without a Pope As though the Pope were the primary and not the secondary the essentiall and not the ministeriall Head of the Church Whence followes that the commandement of hauing a Pope binds * Ad semper non pro semper As Schoolemen speake for euer but not at all times The third principle makes a distinction betweene the State of the Church and her gouernment 〈◊〉 the State indeed is monarchicall as wel to maintaine vnitie order as to execute the Canons which execution is proper enough to the Pope as to a ministeriall head But the gouernment is Aristocraticall for found prouidence effectuall counsell and decreeing of those Canons for which cause wee sayd Sect. 1. That the keyes were giuen to the whole Church to bee vsed by one man For God hath ordained his Church his Spouse to be gouerned by Canon or counsel that the Pope and other Bishops might not bee able to decree any thing of moment of their own head or by the aduice of some oligarchicall Councell that is to say of few but that they should ofteÌ„ assemble craue the aduice of an aristocratical Councel of the church Therfore doe we read that it was ordained by the auncient Fathers that euerie yeare two prouinciall Councels shold be assembled For look what proportion there is betwixt a generall Councel and the Pope the same is also betweene particular Sinods their Bishops For particular Churches likewise must bee gouerned by their own Bishops with the rule of Canons not with absolute power Furthermore we hold the right and naturall Senate or Counsell of the Church instructed by our Lord to be not only the assembly of all the Bishops but of all Priests hauing charge of soules Of the which the former succeede the Apostles the latter the seuenty Disciples Dist â—8 Can. Charepiscopi ibid. Quaest 1. Can. Ecclesia and Dist 23. Can. Presbiter For the Priests indeede in times past did go 〈◊〉 the Church in common as Saint Hierome doct wiâ—nes Can. Legimus Dist 93. The fourth principle is That the infallible power of decreeing and making Canon is in the power of the whole Church or of a generall Councell representing the same Wherein principally consisteth the nature of aristrocraticall gouernment and is most clearely demonstrated partly by diuine partly by naturall light For indeede many eies can see farther and clearer then one alone neither is it giuen either from God or nature to any one alone to bee wise least hee should gloâ—ie in himselfe Moreouer The body of the Church is not one member only but manie If the whole bodie were an eye where were the hearing â— Cor. 12.24.17 And the spirits of the Prophets are 〈◊〉 the Prophets that is to the Church 1. Cor. 14 〈…〉 There is but one Bishopricke whereof a part is 〈…〉 â—um that is wholy by euery one 24. Quaest 〈…〉 â—tur Wherefore it is necessarie that 〈…〉 â—ncernes all should beâ— also approued 〈…〉 Since euery high Priest is taken from 〈…〉 â—mpassed with infirmitie Heb. 5.1.2 〈…〉 and bee deceiued except hee req◠〈…〉 Church which is the pillar groun◠〈…〉 â—refore when Christ was readie t◠〈…〉 â—hee doth promise the spirit of 〈…〉 Câ—urch not vnto onâ— and only Pâ—◠〈…〉 And I wâ—â—â— pray the Father and 〈…〉 â—ter that hee may abide with you for euer 〈◊〉 â—he spirit of truth And againe Mat. 18.15 hâ—â— doth establish his Church sufficient in it selfe and a chiefe Commandresse by the erecting of an infalible Court whiles hee doth so in these following words instruct Saint Petâ—â— desirous to know how many times he should forgiue his brother offending If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and proue him betweene thee and himself 〈◊〉 c. And if hee refuse to heare the Church 〈…〉 vnto thee as an Hâ—â—then man and a Publican Verily I say vnto you 〈…〉 yee bind 〈…〉 shalb◠〈◊〉 in heauen c. Againe 〈…〉 if two of you shâ—â— agree in earth vpon any â—â—ing whatsoeuer they shall desâ—â— it shall bee giuen 〈…〉 which is in heauen For where two or three are gaâ—â—â—red together in my 〈◊〉 there am
godly Princes haue giuen him though he cannot show nor who nor how nor when so that he acknowledge it at least vse it as a free gift and not like a desperate vngratefull rebell to the preiudice of the heyrs of his benefactors For in that case the gifts of Princes are not as the gifts of God and be they neuer so firmely sealed neuer so auncient or pleading prescription are euer and most lawfully subiect to a iust resumption But if still through shame or mallice he be loth to accept of these most reasonable termes be brought againe to his first estate thogh glorious enough for any temperate ambition I meane to that which hee hath by the foure former generall Councels and by the Emperours of those times for otherwise to reduce him to that which hee hath by S. Peter if euen hee haue any thing by S. Peter it were but a poore and verie beggerlie thing Finally if hee will not voluntarily forgoe all vsurpation or abuse neuer so auncient or moderne let him be most iustlâ— depriued thereof as a preuaricator and bee brought by meere force to that which he should voluntarily and wisely yeeld vnto by right Whereupon strengthned now the more with the opinions of that famous Societie which is no lesse then a little continually standing Councell in France allowed by the Pope himselfe I conclude still with the French Herald to a generall Croisade against him that is now become the great enemy of Christendome And that the executioÌ„ of the decrees of that blessed councell being put into your Princely hands as the Lieftenant general of the high Defender of the faith the whole Catholike Church sighing and panting vnder the heauy loade of that cruell tyranny may for euer be beholding to your valor and extoll you as the restorer of her liberty Vp then vp braue Prince the eyes of all Christendome are now cast vpon you to see you beginne you shall not want friends and followers euen more then you thinke euen more then perhaps you looke for Those that now dare not shew their heads for want of a Generall will mount vpon the tallest coursers they can finde to shew their whole body and draw with more hast to bee nearest to you At least you shal know who be your friends For if the first blow be not giuen vnto that monster by your Royal father and the second and last by your selfe sure sure I knowe not who will beginne much lesse who shall make an end And least any man beleeue that I stand yet wilfully and without iust causes in my old vaine or that I perswade you vpon the reasons of strangers or any moderne writers onelie I end with an instance of your owne a graue prophecie or a sentence if you will giuen in this case almost foure hundred yeares since by a right reuerend godly bishop of yours Robert of Lincolne altogether out of likely-hood to sauor any thing of the hot French or of the interessed Protestant Another man of yours your auncient and learned Mat. Paris citeth it In Henrico iii. An. 1153. out of whose bookes I could bring almost as many arguments to this purpose as there are leaues howsoeuer otherwise a passionate mainteiner of the Apostolike sea That good old Prelate dying in a full age after that he had liued and serued here vnder the tyranny of three or foure Popes Gregory 9. Celestin 4. Innocent 4. hauing held a long discourse with his Priests and Clergie the same night that hee dyed in complaint of the hard and miserable estate of the Church in those times accusing the Popes onely as the totall cause thereof and calling them Heretikes and Antichrists at last did willingly yeeld vp his blessed soule the neerer to happinesse the sharper-sighted and surer in her iudgements with great vehemencie sending foorth this last Oracle from the bottome of his heart The Church shall neuer be deliuered out of this Egiptian bondage vnlesse it be by the mouth of the bloody sword To the sword then Nota. to the sword I durst almost say euen at this instant for at last when Councell and all is done wee shall euer bee put to it Possession is very sweet and that Iudicious man best acquainted with the humour of Popes knew full well that they doe not part so easily from what they haue once catched holde of If all this doe not satisfie the worlde truely then I knowe not what shall though I knowe very well what should howbeit hardlie of more weight then that which is handled through all this Booke Finally to the end none may say that I am more ready to talke then to doe I vow faithfully that if euer this holie purpose goe forward and God let me enioy my selfe I shall be one of the forwardest in my poore condition to shew by my best endeuours in life or death how much I am Your Highnesses Most humble most faithfull and most deuoted seruant Δ To the Romish Catholikes of England MOst deere though but halfe brethren whom yet I wholly loue euen though you were but men a great deale more being Christians most of all being English Christians and subiects to that great Monarch my adoptiue Master who hauing beene so gracious vnto me farre farre beyond my deserts or any hope I might euer haue builded thereon hath bound me for euer to apply vow dedicate all my life studies seruice and best endeuours to him and for him and for his sake to all such as are his In his Maiesties first speech to the Parliament whom euen for that respect only I must needs loue thogh they were but halfe his as long as hee wants the best part of them that is their soules as he himselfe in some place saith of your selues In that resolution for as much as the whole need not the Phisition and that indeed I am no Phisition at all leauing to God and themselues that other part of the good people of this famous kingdom which agreeth in faith and beleefe with vs And choosing you as the fittest obiect for my loue and seruice to work vpon and in you that best part of you your soules yea euen in that leauing that greter businesse of your whole conuersion for spiritual things to the working care of that so worthy Abbot who hath deserued to be a more worthy Archbishop and Primâ—te of so flourishing a Church Of an eloquent King of LoÌ„don Of an acute indeed and much acute Montaign of Bathes and Wels Of that other learned Abbot Of that right diuine Iudicious Leyfield Of substantiall and fruitful Field yea dâ—ring to leaue you to the liuely remains of a rich English Iewel Of a solid Hooker so skilful that with one only hook he fisheth of both sides with many others both aliue a sleep so easie to be found so hard to be nuÌ„bred medling onely in temporalty and such things as are and haue euer beene receiued for constant and common religion
thorough all the world but onely some few yeres since that the diuell being almost at a bay strugleth with his last and most violent endeuours against the truth that strangleth him Neuerthelesse medling heerein more for your own good then for his Maiesties which yet as a right Pater Patriae as a kind Pater-familias of the Common-wealth hee will euer esteeme his owne when it is yours I thought some moneths a goe to haue presented you in your owne language that famous letter of a great friend of yours the Iesuit Cotton written in French to the Queene Regent of Fraunce in disalowance of Marianaes booke and other writings of other Iesuits approouing disobedience of subiects to their own lawful kings in temporall matters euen to their poisoning and murther But another man with more hast then good speede I am sure though not with a better minde then my selfe seruing it vnto you in another dish and with a sower sauce in the end of that odious chamber of meditations did quite marre the good vse that yee both and wee I meane the whole state might very well haue reapt therof All things are not fit to bee said at all times neither ought we so nakedly to vncouer the shame of our brethren as long as ther is any hope of amendment principally being most certain that the best part of you doth not alow yea I dare say not know those abhominable execrable and almost incredible courses For no doubt but it would haue made some impression in your harts to haue seene without such a bitter addition quite then out of season and rather to exasperate then to pacifie you so famous a man a Iesuit by profession and one of your greater saints writing of set purpose to so eminent a person and impugning whatsoeuer hitherto hath beene or hereafter might be written by any of his owne order or by others against the temporall authoritie of Princes ouer their subiects cyting orderlie one by one as numerus certus pro incerto a dozeÌ„ of famous Iesuits Cardinall Tolet Cardinall Bellarmine Gregory of Valencia Salmeron Delrio Heyssius Becanus Gretzerus Lessius Serrerius Azor Richeom euerie one with some speciall place mainteining the Princes temporall authoritie And for better fortifying therof setting downe of himselfe and without any vrging 15. heads and principles of the faith and beleefe of their whole society about that matter whereof among the rest the 6. 7. 8 9. 10. 11. 12. are these after that in the former he hath established and highly coÌ„mended the monarchicall state as the best That kings are annointed and therefore called the annointed of the Lord that euerie one as Simeon Archbishop of Thessalonica saith may vnderstand that they ought to be inuiolable and respected as holy and sacred persons That whosoeuer resisteth them or rebelleth against them shall receiue their owne damnation Rom. 13.2 That obedience is due vnto them not because vertuous wise mighty or of any other such qualities but meerely because they be kings and established by God That it is not lawful to deny them their obedience much lesse to rebell against them though they should bee vâ—â—tous froward and hard to be endured 1. Pet. 2.18 That in such cases wee ought to pray for them as the Prophet did command the Iewes for Nebucadnezar and Baltazar Bar. i. ii And that those persecutions losses of goods and other afflictions which are patiently suffered for that cause and without rebellion against their superiours are things most pleasing to God and agreeable to that praise which Paul giueth to the Ebrewes cap. 10.34 and to that ordinance by himselfe published in the Church Rom. 1â— 1. That it is not lawfull to attempt any thing against their persons but that it is a most execrable parricide a prodigious crime and abominable sacriledge All which articles and letter though by some accused of some equiuocation truely at least by all honest plaine-dealing men and fully good subiects of to much sparingnesse and cohibition in a matter which deserued with an open mouth to haue bene more clearely and largely extended yet willing to take al things in the best sence euen in our aduersaries and receiue as lawfull and current the coyne of ill pay-masters neuer so base neuer so clipt so it be but indifferent good I then purposed with a peaceful charitable and truely Christian and brotherly mind and fashion to set them before your eyes to the end you might with as peacefull a spirit and not stirred or distasted by any vnsauory appendix conceaue at least of this point That so many other Iesuits of other nations are not of the same opinion in that behalfe with your Parsons Campion Creswell Garnet Hall Greenwell Gerard HamoÌ„d other your fiery Iesuits which as right Puritans among their other fellowes that is abstractum de abstracto as though England were the onely Seminary in the world for such a cumbersome to sharp-sighted and to sharp-minded zeale definâ—ng and refining law and Gospell according to their owne humours and priuate ends till they haue I feare me and God forbid finished and dissolued all make Religion where there is none and irreligion of that which is most sacred and religious As by all lawes both diuine naturall Ecclesiasticall politike and positiue temporal obedience of subiects to their Princes is and hath euer beene held But that good duetie being intercepted as I told you before I had very willingly requited it by presenting you another booke of another though yet my Country-man still of your owne profession for with other armes will I neuer vrge you then those that your owne men shall put into my hands A man truly most worthy and learned A booke most worth reading intituled Of the common offence and priuiledged case wherein shewing by degrees and from age to age the incroaching increase of the authority of the Popes and Church-men in that old time of thick ignorance when scarce any in the world but they could reade or write his name that Author most excellently proueth that a principio non erat sic and that from the beginning many hundred yeares after al Church-men without exception were subiect to the ful obedience and Iustice of their ciuill Princes till by their fauourable graunt and relaxation or rather by an ouer-religious statâ—nesse vnprouidency and scrupulous simplicitie Church-men by tract of time got to be released in some cases from wheÌ„ce first arose the distinction betwixt delictum commune casus priuilegiatus as they call them But fearing least that booke neuer so cleer neuer so wel followed might not be of great moment with you as being written by a priuate man not perhaps so famous among you as your owne father Cotton though a noble Iudge of one of our high Courts of Parliament and his booke openly printed allowed and licenced by Catholike learned Diuines I thought rather to looke for a better opportunitie which I am sure hath not bene euer since so effectuall as this nor perhaps
the Euangelicall law hath no other end but euerlasting life and the soule of man for his matter and naturall subiect It ought wholly to apply it selfe about the direction of the inward motions of the conscience but no wayes in any outward force or violence And therefore iudgeth only of meanes necessarie to saluation conformably to the essential spiritual causes of Christian religion that is persuasiuely only and directiuely in preaching of the word administration of Sacraments and if need require exclusion of Communion with the Church by vertue of censures the spirituall armes of the Church which in ancient times it was a great crime to exercise without mature counsell and Aristocratical moderation of the Priestly order as we haue spoken Sect. 5. And so much the nature of Aristocraticall gouernment did require and euer since that hath beene discontinued the learned know what disturbance of Ecclesiasticall discipline hath ensued Now this doctrine is grounded partly vpon the definition of the Church deliuered Sect. 3. partly vpon many strong and euident Oracles of the Scripture Doth not our Lord distinctly auerre to Pilate Iohn 18.36 that his Kingdome is not of this world And Luc. 9.58 The foxes haue holes and the birds of heauen nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head As though hee would say That the Church as from God hath neither territorie nor vse of sword of prison or of any corporall punishment for the soule which is the only and proper subiect of Euangelicall law is only moued by an inward not by an outward beginning but the right of the materiall sword necessarily followeth the territorie as they effect the cause Hence was it that the Lord did answerâ— to one of the people that desired him to bid his brother to diuide with him their fathers inheritance Luc. 12.14 Man who made me a Iudge or a diuider ouer you As though hee had said That the Church which hath for her subiect the soules of men not earthly Dominions ought not to iudge of earthly inheritances and possessions For walking in the flesh yet doe wee not warre after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.3 Where is to be noted that by the materiall sword the bodies may bee compelled yea killed but by no such meanes the thoughts to be captiuated to the obedience of Christ for that is only effected by the wholesome food of the Word and Sacraments And to this the witnesse of Paul Philip 3.20 Our Politeuma that is Christian gouernment is wholly in heauen from whence wee looke for the Sauiour Iesus Christ our Lord And so indeede would our Lord haue it that Church men should not meddle in violent and temporall matters Will you haue also the testimonie of Saint Bernard They shall neuer shew saith he when euer any of the Apostles hath sitten as a Iudge of men diuider of bounds or distributer of grounds Finally I reade that the Apostles did stand before the Iudges to bee iudged but not that they did sit iudging others Therefore your power reaches no further then to sinnes not to possessions because for those not for these you did receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to shut out offendors only not possessors I pray thee which power and dignitie dost thou esteeme greater to remit sinnes or to diuide possessions But there is no comparison therein These earthly and inferior things haue their iudges by themselues the Kings and Princes of the earth Why doe yee inuade other mens liberties Against those diuine oracles though more cleare then noone-light two obiections principally are made The first that Ananias and Saphira his wife were punished with death by Saint Peter because of their lie to the holy Ghost Act. 5. The second that the Apostle seemeth to teach Christians whilest they liued vnder Heathen Princes and Magistrates that they might choose Iudges among themselues in their ciuill businesses 1. Cor. 6.4 If then yee haue iudgements of things pertaining to this life set them vp which are least esteemed in the Church We answere to the first that such a great action of Saint Peter was altogether miraculous extraordinarie and wholly by the inspiration of the holy Ghost And therefore not appliable to ordinarie right nor can no more be drawne into argument in either then these words Ierem. 1.10 Behold this day haue I set thee ouer Nations and Kingdomes to plucke vp to roote out to destroy and to threâ— downe Or that place of the two swords Luc. 22.38 seeing both places must be vnderstood Allegorically and spiritually but that from an Allegoricall and misticall sence there can no forcible argument bee drawne the very children know it Neither is there any reason that the authoritie of Saint Bernard should breed any scruple in any mans minde lib. 4. cap. 4 ad Eugen. Put vp thy sword into thy sheath The sword therefore is also thine to bee perhaps vnsheathed at thy direction though not with thine owne hand For both spirituall and materiall swords belong to the Church But the one to be drawne for the Church and the other by the Church That by the hand of the Priest this of the Souldior though indeede by the Priests apointment but by the Emperors commaundement For indeede these words doe but shew That the Church hath right to giue the signe that is to say to teach and perswade when the Ciuill Prince ought to draw his sword for the glorie of God Whereof wee will speake in the Section following And truly when Church-men did excell in holinesse of life Christian Princes to remoue all suspition of iniustice from their consultations and enterprises did vse and that very iustly the counsell of Clergy-men both in peace and in warre But as iustly againe haue they left to take it since Churchmen gaue occasion to suspect that they affected that temporall Monarchie whereof Eugubinus Bozius Garrerius and the very Cardinalls Bellarmine and Baronius haue written most laborious bookes Which opinion euen though it were true yet wisedome and reason should haue taught those authors at least in those most vnlucky dayes to abstaine from such manner of writing The second argument deceiues ab ignoratione Elenshi through vnskilfulnesse of arguing for howbeit those testimonies of holy Scripture aboue commended conclude manifestly that the Church by diuine right hath neither territorie right of sword nor contentious Court yet they doe not denie but by humane right and graunt of Princes shee may very well haue it Now for this place in question the Apostle doth not speake of the diuine right but of the humane and arbitrarie right as when by a mutuall agreement of the parties priuate arbiters are chosen friendly to decide differences and controuersies without troublesome going
been ordained by Christ to bee the Sheep-heard ouer the whole Church in these wordes Feede my sheepe and that by that diuine speech neither Apostles nor generall Councels are excluded being all Christs sheepe and therefore to be fed by S. Peter the Vicar of Christ To that we answere that by these wordes Christ did giue no other authoritie but ministeriall vnto Peter as we haue proued Sect. 4.5 and 9. And that the duty of a Minister and Vicar is to put in execution the precepts of the Diuine Naturall and Canonicall law but yet according to the rules of the Aristocraticall temper ordained by God And that therefore Peter is accounted a Pastor only for the execution of Canons administration of the word and other such things which may better be managed by one man alone then by the whole Church gathered together in a Councell Their second argument is That the whole Church gathered together in a Councell makes but one Familie one Flocke one Kingdome and visible bodie of Christ therefore must also necessarily haue a visible head the Pope and it would seeme a strange Monster if one bodie should haue two supreme heads the Pope and the generall Councell Wee answere that the Church is a Monarchicall policie tempered by an Aristocraticall Gouernement Whence of necessitie it followes that the Councell hath the supreme power for direction of Gouernement correction and authoritie to make Canons And as for Peter hee hath it only for the execution exercise and vse of the â—â—ies towardes the particular Churches Looke our Sect. 4.5.6 and 9. Thirdly they alleage that in the Councell held at Rome vnder Pope Siluester with 280. Bishops it is ordained cap. 20. Let no body iudge the first Sea which is desirous to temper iustice The Iudge shall not bee iudged no not of the Emperour not of the whole Clergie nor of King nor of People Which sentence Gratianus citeth 9. quest 3. Can. Nemo But if wee must needes tell you what wee thinke thereof whosoeuer wiâ—l duly consider that Canon shall euen at the first sight perceiue that it is more hurtfull then fauourable to the Aduersaries because the opinion of the Schoole of Paris grounded vpon the decree of the Synode of Constance teaches that the Pope may bee iudged by the Councell in that case only when he doth notoriously scandalize the Church and is incorrigible But if he be desirous to temper iustice truly he must be iudged of no body since he law is not made against a iâ—â— man being a perpetuall law to himselfe Secondly although this Canon should decree absolutely yet can it not derogate any thing from the authoritie of the decrees of the Councell of Constance since it was made in a particular Church which indeede ought not to iudge of the Pastor of the whole Church vnlesse hee submit himselfe to the iudgement of that Councell as once Pope Sixtus the third did 2. quest 4. Canon Mandaslis Therefore those wordes No not of the whole Clergie must hee vnderstood distributiuely of some Church or particular Clergie but not ioyntly of a whole generall Councell as that of Constance or Basill was Thirdly who is acquainted with the reading of Councells shall soone perceiue that there are many harsh and vnproper thinges in this Canon which make it iustly suspected of manifest iâ—â—eption For certainely in those times the Fathers of the Church did not speake so gloriously neither did the persecutions giue them leaue to thinke of any absolute power Moreouer what needes to haue spoken of Kinges since at that time there were none at all but only the Romane Emperors But thou Christian Reader we pray thee looke thereupon Cardinall Cusanus lib. 2. cap. 20. de concordantia Catholicas For all other authoritie which are cited out of the writings of Popes read 9. quest 3. there is no great account to be made of them since Iohn Gerson and other Parisian Doctors doe answere in a word That none is to be beleeued in his owne cause except his testimonie agree with the Diuine Naturall and Canonicall law But now it is contrarie to the law of God and Nature that the ministeriall head should haue power ouer the Church And surely the finall cause of the Church which is euerlasting life by a good gouernment declares euidently that the Pope is by the Church and for the Church not contrariwise The Church by and for the Pope Therefore in the matter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment that Cephas that was Peter is subiect vnto the Church as the eie vnto man 1. Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no man glorie in men for all thinges are yours that is of the Church Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas c. Item 2. Cor. 13.10 All power is giuen to edification not to destruction From whence it ariseth as proued that the Church by the Diuine and Naturall law can prouide and preuent that the Pope may not rule her to her owne destruction as it was decided Conc. Constant Sess 4. and 5. Finally whereas they crie so loud that the Church hath an indirect authoritie ouer the Temporaltie it is true by way of doctrine perswasion direction and exclusion from the communion of the Church but false that it ought to be done by constraint and deposition of Princes as we haue shewed Sect. 11. 12 Seeing the Church hath neither Territorie nor vse of the materiall sword Whosoeuer therefore doe maintaine that the Church may lawfully depose Christian Princes doe euen as much as if one should inferre that the Schoole-master because he hath the authoritie of Scholasticall discipline may disinherite his Disciples of their partrimonie if they be obstinate against his discipline Which also is fallacious as being wrested à dicto secundum quid addictum simpliciter from that which is said in some respect to that which is affirmed simply For such thinges which are true in some one and peculiar sense ought not to be stretched to an vniuersall and absolute sense but by Sophisters and Iuglers only And if they vrge further that the Church is sufficient in it selfe and a supreme commandresse The answere is that that must be limitted within those bounds which be assigned by nature to euery thing But the essentiall causes of the Church will not suffer that church-men should meddle with violent or secular businesses Wherefore all the sufficiencie of the Church gouernment ought to be deriued from the obseruation of the commandements of God but not from any temporall Monarchie or right of sword Mat. 28.19 Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them and teaching them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and lot I am with you alwaies vntill the end of the world For the arguments which doe vphold this doctrine wee will reduce them to three heads The first shall containe all the examples which Sanders Bellarmine Coâ—queus and others set forth out of the old Testament but all ab ignoratione Elenchi through vnskillfullnesse of arguing Who is ignorant among vs that there is a farr different nature of the Iewes Sinagogue and of the Christian Church of the law of Moses and of the Gospell For these indeede had Territorie alloâ—ted them consequently might haue right of meere command from God which no wise man will euer affirme of the Church And to this that the Euangelicall law compared to that of Moses yea to any other law whatsoeuer is a law truly Roiall and full of mildnesse and most perfect libertie whereas the law of Moses was a most seruile bondage Act. 15.10 Gal. 4.3 The second head offereth vnto vs the authorities taken out the Canonicall law which Cardinall Bellarmine commended namely cap. 3. Synod Lateran where it is ordained that Kings and Princes are to be deposed which doe not roote out all Heretikes from their Dominions The answere is that these and the like ought to haue no more power against ciuill Princes then the extrauagant of Boniface 8. Vnam Sanctam or the constitution of Paul 4. Cum ei Apostolatus of siue which is to be read in the Directorie for Inquisitors seeing those decrees haue been made not Synodically that is with consent of the whole Church but by the Popes priuately and by their owne proper motion which therefore doe not binde because the Church is ruled by Canon not by absolute power Sect. 5. and 8. For the third head we denie absolutely that the deposition of King Chilperiâ— or the translation of the Empire to the French was by the only authoritie of the Popes without consent authoritie or desire of the people And though it were true as they say yet would it make but very little or nothing to the decision of our present Controuersie since it rather openeth a question of fact then of right as also the examples of the deposing of Henrie 4. Frederick 2. and other Emperous or Kings Let therefore our Aduersaries dispute of right not of fact for our Lord Iesus Christ hath ordained the Christian commonwealth to be gouerned by good manners and Canons not by examples The solution of all other arguments drawen either from holy Scripture or any where else may be taken out of the most learned Treatise of M. Iohn of Paris touching Regall and Papall authoritie Let all these thinges be subiect vnto the iudgement of the Catholike Church FINIS