be more largely declared in the. ix chapytre of this dyccyon Than it foloweth in the glose They that resyst worthely purchase or gettedampnacyon For gouernours good or euyll are not the feare of good workes but of euyll that is to saye not the fearynge of them whiche worke well but to the feare of them whiche worke euyll For yf he be a good prynce or gouernoure he dothe not punysshe hym that worketh well but loueth hym And yf he be an euyll prynce he dothe not hurte the good man but tryeth and purgeth hym But the euyll man ought to feare for prynces and gouernours are ordeyned to punysshe vyces or euyll deades He calleth them prynces or gouernours whiche are created and made to correcte and amende the lyfe of men and to kepe awaye aduersytie hauynge the Image or lykenesse of god that all other myght be vndre one But to you as euyll doers they are fearefull But wylte thou not feare the power what soeuer man he be other good or euyll Do good and worke thou well And than thou haste no cause wherfore thou nede to feare ordrede but thou shalt rather haue prayse of the same power althoughe he be euyll whyles thou haste a cause of greatter crowne and rewarde But yf he be a ryghtwyse power or offycer thou shalt haue prayse of hym whyles he shall hym selfe laude and coÌ„mendethe yf he be vnryghtwyse yet shalt thou haue prayse of hym not in y t he hym selfe shall prayse the but in that he shall gyue occasyon that thou shalte be praysed of other men and so shalt thou truly haue prayse by hym For he is the mynyster of god to the for good that is to say doynge good to the whether he be good or euyll For he is gyuen to the of god for thy good and profyte that is to wytte to desende the and thyne for it is manyfest and euydent or open that rulers or gouernoures are therfore gyuen of god that no hutte shulde be done to good men But yf thou do euyll than feare thou for he beareth the swerde that is to say the power and auctorytie to iudge not without cause but to punysshe euyll doers And this he sheweth whan he sayth afterwardes for he is the mynyster of god that is to say he punyssheth and taketh vengeauÌ„ce in the rowme or stede of god He I saye beyng a punyssher or auenger for the wrathe of god that is to say for to auenge the dyspleasure of god or elles for the wrathe of god to be shewed that is to saye to shewe the vengeaunce of god that is to come for this punysshemeÌ„t done by the gouernour sheweth that they whiche contynue in synnes shall be more sore greuously punysshed I say that he is a venger or punyssher also to hym that is to saye to the hurte and correccion of hym that dothe euyll and that because he is the mynystre of god And therfore be you subiecte to hym as of necessyte or elles be you subiectes to necessytie that is to saye to the necessary ordynacyon of god And that not onely for feare that the wrathe of the gouernour or elles of god shall be auenged but also because of conscyence that is to wytte that your mynde maye be cleane by louynge hym that is made ruler by god that is to say hym whiche hath suche rule and auctorytie by the ordynacyon of god For albeit that all Chrysten men that they are chrysten are one in Chryste in the faythe of whom there is no dyfference whether they be Iewes or Grekes Lordes or seruauntes and suche other thynges yet that notwithstandynge there is dyfference betwene them in the mortall or worldly conuersacyon And the apostles coÌ„mauÌ„deth the ordre of the conuersacyon to be kepte in the Iourney of this present lyfe For there ar some thyngs whiche we do kepe in vnytie of the fayth without any dyfference And there are other some thynges whiche we do kepe in the ordre of this lyfe as is the way lest the name of the lorde and his doctryne myght be blasphemed And therfore also you do gyue trybutes This is the probacyon of subiection wherfore ye ought to be subiecte because therfore that is to saye to shewe your subiection you do gyue trybutes whiche is a sygne or token of subiection he dothe not say you do paye trybutes but you do gyue or lende as to them whiche shall pay you agayne for they do rendre or pay it to you agayne in that they do defende you whan they fyghte for the countre And whyles they do Iudgementê you do lende trybutes You I say seruyng god in this thyng do verely serue hym hyghly in that you do gyue trybutê to them for they are the mynysters of god they are ordeyned for this entent that good men shulde be praysed euyll men punysshed Or this it may be vnderstande wherfore you ought to gyue trybutes for they are the mynysters of god they I saye seruynge you whyles they do defende the countree for this same thynge that is to wytte for trybute they do serue you in defendynge of the countree and bycause they are the mynysters of god So than by this texte of the Apostle and by the exposycyons of sayntes here afore brought in who soeuer is not wyllynge that the name and the doctryne of the lorde shulde be blasphemed as vniuste preachynge agaynst the Cyuyle lawes as the glose of Augustyne sayde here in this place in the sext chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Tymothe he ought to holde without any maner doubtyng that all maner men of what soeuer estate or condycyon they be both really personally ought to be vnderneth the iurysdyccyon of seculer prynces gouernours and to obey the same in all those thyngê whiche are not contrary to the lawe of euerlastyng helth namely accordyng to the humayne lawes or approued laudable honest customes for of thyse speaketh the apostle openly playnly whan he sayd Let euery soule be subiecte that without cause they do not beare a swerde with suche other thyngê whiche he hath spoken of them as well of the defendynge of the countre as of gyuynge trybutes to them after the exposycyons of sayntes But the apostle neuer sayde suche wordes any where of any Bysshop or preest For the lordes to whom we ar bounde to obey in coactyue iurysdyccion ar they whiche by power and myght of armes ought to defende the countre whiche thyng in no wyse is semely or agreynge for a bysshop or preeste Wherfore saynt Ambrose to Valentian in the seconde epystle whiche is entytuled to the people sayth in this wyse I shall be able to sorowe I shall be able to wepe I shall be able to syghe mourne agaynst armour wepons agaynst souldyoures the gothes my armour or wepons are teares for suche ar the munymentê defence or armour of a preest otherwyse I neyther ought neyther may resyst agayne such
and Titus In suche maner iudgemente he shulde in vayne haue sayde admonysshe them c. Agayne yf his mynde and wyll was that certayne men shulde be admonysshed to be subiectes to seculer prynces or gouernours and certayne not than shulde he haue spoken insuffycyentlye in that he dyd make no suche dyfference in his speakynge whiche dyfference without doubte no man shall fynde made any where in all Paules epystles but rather alwayes the contrarye for he sayde lette euery soule be subiecte c. in whiche sayeng the apostle shulde haue spoken vnaccordyngely and also falsely whiche god forbyd that any man shulde saye yf any maner persons had ben exempted from subiectyon to suche seculer prynces This also coÌ„formably was the sentence and doctryne of blyssed Peter in the seconde chapytre of his fyrste Canonycall epystle whan he sayde Be you subiectes to euery humayne creatures for god By euery humayne creature vnderstande thou euery man beynge constytute sette in hyghe power or gouernaunce For that he meaned of suche men it appereth by the examples whiche he brought in immedyatly folowynge whan he sayde whether it be to kynge as beynge the moste excellent or to dukes beynge sent by the kynge to the punysshement of malefactours but to the prayse of good men for so it is the wyll of god I haue not brought in here the gloses of sayntes vpon this place For what soeuer they do saye here it is conteyned in the glose whiche we haue broughte in heretofore vpon the wordes of the apostle in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes Beholde than that bothe saynt Peter and also saynt Paule conformablye and agreably the one to the other do saye that kynges and dukes are sent by god to the punysshynge of malefactours that is to wytte to take vengeaunce vpon them by coactyue power in this worlde but neyther they them selfes neyther the holy exposytoures of theyr sayenges euer sayde in any place that bysshops or preestê are sent to do the same But rather alwayes the contrarye as it hathe euydently appered cheyfly by the worde of Chrysostome afore alleged for as moche than as preestes may be malefactours euen aswell as they whiche are not preestes concernynge all kyndes sortes of transgressyons or trespasses named and rekened vp in the seconde chapytre of this dyccyon It foloweth necessaryly that they also ought to be vnderneth the coactyue iudgemente of kynges dukes or other seculer gouernoures And Peter sayth that you do obey them sayth he is the wyll of god This same thynge agayne is confyrmed by the sayenge and also by the manyfest example of saynt Paule the apostle for it is red of hym in the. xxv chapytre of the Actes that he refusynge the coactyue Iudgement of preestes sayde openly I appele to Cesar and agayne he sayde I stande in the courte of Cesar the emperour where I ought to be iudged The glose interlineare sayth because here is y e place of iudmente Then Paule refusynge the iudgement of preestes knowleged and confessessed hym to be subiecte to the coactyue iurisdyccion of Cesar But is it to be supposed that the apostle spake thyse wordê faynedly when he sayd There I ought to be iudged that is to wytte in Cesars courte whiche had chosen than and determyned in his mynde to dye for the truthe as it appereth in the xxi chapytre of the Actes whan he sayde I am redye not onely to be bounde but also to dye in Ierusalem for the name of the lorde Ihesu chryste for who is so madde to iudge that the apostle for cause of prolongynge of his owne lyfe wolde by his wordes haue coÌ„mytted so great a cryme and offence as to make al preestes subiectê to the Iurysdyccyon of seculer gouernours by his doctryne example wrongfullye and otherwyse than he ought to haue done yf he had reputed this thyng to be vndue vncoÌ„uenyent for it had ben better for hym not to haue gone vp to Ierusalem seynge y t no man coÌ„pelled hym therto than to go vp thyther to make a lye both agaynst hym self also agaynst his neybour therfore for asmoche as it is vnlawfull and great synne to haue any suche opynyon of Paule it appereth euydently that Paule thoughte euen the same in his mynde whiche he vtteryd forthe with his mouthe and in this thynge he dyd folowe hym whome he wolde not be superyoure vnto that is to wyt chryste whiche not onely knowleged Cesar to be his worldly iudge but also Pylate the deputye of Cesar whan he sayde in the. xix chapytre of IohnÌ„ Thou shuldest not haue any powre agaynst me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue c. that is to saye excepte it were gyuen to the by the ordynacyon of god aboue as saynt Augustyne sayde afore in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes because there is no powre neyther to any good man neyther yet to euyll man but it is gyuen of god whiche thynge also Bernarde dyd more largely declare to the archebysshop of Senon it was brought in before in the. iiii parte of this chapytre Seynge then that to no bysshop any iurysdyccyon or coactyue powre ouer any man is graunted by the lawe of god but rather suche powre is forbydden to them by counsel or precepte as it hath ben euydently and openly shewed in this chapytre and in the nexte before gone Neyther also suche powre is agreynge or appertaynynge to bysshoppes or preestes in that they be bysshoppes or preestes by inherytaunce or successyon of theyr fathers it foloweth necessaryly that in suche powre or iurysdyccyon they be subiectes to y e seculer prynces or gouernours as it hathe euydently apperyd by the sayenges of saynt Peter and saynt Paule apostles and of other holy doctours and by reason or demonstratyue syllogysme it maye be proued of those thynges whiche haue ben sayde in the. xv and the. xvii chapytres of the fyrste dyccyon that neyther bysshop ne Pope haue any coactyue iurysdyccyon in this worlde neyther vpon any preeste neyther vpon any other persone beynge no preeste onles suche iurysdyccyon be graunted to hym by the humayne powre In whose powre it is alwayes to reuoke and call agayne the same auctoryte from them for any reasonable cause chaunsynge The full determynacyon wherof is knowen also to belonge and appertayne to the same powre Thus then that chryste hym selfe refused and dyd forsake domynyon or coactyue iurysdyccyon of any man who soeuer he were in this worlde and that he hath forbydden the same to his apostles and to theyr successours preestes or bysshoppes by his counsayle or precepte and that his wyll and mynde was bothe hym selfe and the sayde apostles to be subiectes to the coactyue iurysdyccyon of seculer prynces or gouernours and that he taughte the same to be obserued and also that his cheyfe apostles Peter and Paule taughte the same bothe by theyr wordes or speache and also by the example of theyr workes and dedes I suppose we
vpon this place makynge no dyfference as there is none in dede betwene the temporall or cyuyle contencyons of preestes amonge them selues one with an other and generallye of clarkes or which are betwene preestê and laye men and betwene them whiche are amonge laye men selues one with an other For lette the sophyster or mysuser of wordes I beseche hym whiche calleth that spyrytuall whiche is vtterlye seculer after the mynde and callynge of the apostle and of sayntes let hym I saye tell me whether a preeste doynge iniurye to his brother beynge outher preeste or not preeste in worde or dede dothe a spyrytuall iniurye more than dothe a laye man yf he do lyke iniurye For to say so it is a folysshe and a scornefull sayenge and to byleue it is vttermoste madnes For without doubte the iniurye whiche is done by a preeste is more seculer and more detestable iniurye than that whiche is done by a laye man For he synneth or trespasseth the more greuouslye and more shamefully whiche is bounden to teache an other man bothe by his wordes and also by the example of his workes not to do iniurye as it hathe ben seryouslye shewed in the. viii chapytre of this dyccyon And that suche actes of clarkes are seculer and not spyrytuall and that they oughte so to be called saynt Augustyne wytnesseth openly in the afore sayd glose whan he calleth the contencyouse causes of preestes and of clarkes whiche were pleaded afore hym whiche was a bysshoppe troublouse perplexites of causes aboute seculer busynesses makynge no dyfference of these causes or coÌ„tencyons notwithstandynge the condycyon or estate of the persones for this dyfference of a preeste and of hym that is no preeste as touchynge to this thynge is but accydenttall lykewyse as the dyfference of a hoope or rynge beynge of golde and of a rynge beynge of syluer whiche dyfference no craftes man or cunnynge man dothe assygne because it maketh or causeth none essencyall dystynccion in the effecte or thynge wrought It appereth also secondarylye that the iudgement or to be iudge of suche maner actes belongeth not to preestes And that to instytute suche maner iudge doth nomore but peraduenture lesse appertayne to the auctoryte of them than of other chrysten men as it hathe ben shewed in the xv of the fyrste dyccion And therfore the apostle sayde not to any bysshoppe or preeste Constitue y t is to saye ordayne or appoynte thou For where any thynge was to be done whiche appertayned to the offyce of a bysshop or preeste he gaue charge syngulerlye to hym that he shulde do it as to preche the gospell or to exercyse other offyces whiche are properlye belongynge to a preeste or pastor wherfore in the fyrste chapytre to Tite he saythe For this cause I haue lefte the in Cretelande that thou shuldest correcte or amende those thynges which are wantynge that is to wyt as touchynge the holsome doctryne and maners and that thou shuldest coÌ„stytute and ordayne preestes throughout all Crete in euery cytie so as I haue dysposed ordred to be done but yet he sayde not to hym appoynte thou or ordayne thou a iudge to examyne seculer busynesses or maters Neyther whan he wrote to the Coryntheans dyd he saye the bysshop or preeste shall constytute or appoynte to you iudges but gaue them councell or tolde them what was best to be done wherfore the glose vpon those wordes I do speake it to your shame sayth thus as who shulde say I do not coÌ„maunde you but I do tell you that you shulde be ashamed For the apostle knewe very well that to instytute suche maner iudges dyd not appertayne to his offyce by so moch the lesse than to any other preeste or bysshop Neyther moreouer dyd he councell that any preest or bysshop shulde betaken or chosen to the exercysynge of suche maner offyce but rather the contrarye For no man as he saythe that warreth to god entangleth or wrappeth hym selfe in seculer or worldlye busynesses But he councelled that iudges shulde be apoynted and ordayned out of that sorte whiche were contemptyble in the churche that is to saye out of the nombre of chrysten men and suche persons as were not able nor mete to preche howbeit not all but after the exposycyon of sayntes the apostle wylled or counsayled that they shulde examyne iudge erthlye or worldly causes whiche had goten knowledge of outwarde thynges but they whiche are enryched with spyrytuall geftes ought not to be entangled or wrapped in seculer busynesses whiche thynge saynt Bernarde sayd openlye and playnlye to Eugenius in the fyrste boke and the. v. chapytre De consideratione and we haue broughte in his wordes in the chapytre iÌ„medyatlye aforegone But peraduenture some man shall obiecte and laye agaynst vs the sayenge of saynt Augustyne in the gloses afore rehersed For saynt Augustyne speakynge of the iudgement of seculer contencious actes saythe thus from whiche we can not excuse our selfe althoughe we wolde whose sentence also Gregorie coÌ„fyrmynge in the same place saythe thus moreouer But yet it is greatlye to be prouyded sene vnto y t they which are excellent in spyrytual gyftes c. But let the bysshoppes outher coÌ„mytte these iudgementes of seculer actes to be taken in hande of them whiche are persons coÌ„uenyent and mete therunto or elles let them selues exercyse the sayde iudgementes So by these wordes than it semeth that to iudge suche maters and to ordayne or appoynte iudges of suche maters dothe appertayne to bysshoppes or preestes in that they are bysshoppes or preestes seynge that after the sentence and mynde of sayntes the bysshoppes and preestes maye not be excused from suche iudgementes And that they muste greatly prouyde c. But to those obieccyons and to other lyke sayenges of sayntes and doctours let vs answere and saye that in the olde tyme and in the tymes of the aforesayde sayntes for the reuerence of the estate of preesthode and for the confydence of the maners and vertue of preestes at that tyme for other causes wherof we haue spoken in the. v. parte of the. xxv of this dyccyon it was graunted by the chrysten prynces to bysshoppes and to the pryncypall pastores and curates of soules to exercyse the offyce of a iudge in the thyrde sygnyfycacion ouer or vpon the persones of clarkes and theyr temporalles to the intent that they shuld be the lesse vexed or troubled from the dyuyne seruyce and that they shulde be the more honestlye entreated in seculer causes And because certayne of the sayntes a foresayd were made bysshoppes in the prouynces or places whose prynces or inhabytauÌ„tes had gyuen the iudycyall offyce to the bysshoppes excepte they wolde haue renounced and refused or forsake the bysshopryche they coulde not haue ben excused from suche maner care of the seculer causes or maters betwene clarkes But here agayne some man shall doubte not without a cause and aske a questy on why holy men as saynt
keyes of the kyngdome of heueÌ„s as it shal be more largely declared in the nexte chapytre folowynge And this was openly the mynde of saynt Ihetome in aforesayd epystle in whiche after y t he had shewed by many auctorytes of y e aforesayd apostles y t in the prymatyue churche or in the tyme of the apostles a preest or senyour a bysshop or ouerseer was vtterly all one in the essenciall dygnyte gyuen to them of chryst shewynge y e cause of the sayd thyngê he sayth thus but that one was electe which shuld be aboue other it was done for the remedye of scisme deuysyon leste yf euery man shulde drawe vnto hymselfe the churche of chryst by the reason therof myght be broken or deuyded in sondre For in Alexandria also from the tyme of Marke the euangelyst vnto y t tyme of Hereidas Dionise byssshops y t preestê alwayes chose one amoÌ„ge themselues whome they dyd set in an hygher degre called hym bysshop or ouerseer moche lyke as yf the hoost or army shuld make an emperour Or els as yf the deacons dyd chose one amonge them selfe whome they do knowe to be dylygent and wyse and dyd cal hym an archdeacone For what dothe the bysshoppe ordynacyon onely excepted whiche a preeste myght not do as touchynge to the actes or workes belongynge to y e essencial auctorite For Iherom where he speaketh of ordinacion dyd not vnderstande therby ordynacyon the powre and auctoryte to gyue or the gyuynge of holy ordres for the bysshoppes do nowe adayes many thynges besyde the gyuynge of ordres and so dyd the bysshoppes also in saynt Iheroms tyme whiche thyngê the preestes do not Albeit y t to the gyuynge of al the sacrameÌ„tes by y e dyuyne powre any preest may do as moch as y e bysshop But Iherome vnderstode therby ordynacyon the powre of orderynge suche thynges as pertayne to the seruyce of god other thynges aforesayd gyuen to hym iÌ„medyatly of man or men whiche thynge I do confyrme both by reason and the auctoryte of the same Iherome The reason is this for there hath ben many elected bysshops by the whole people or coÌ„munaltie as saynt Clement saynt Gregory saynt Nycolas many other sayntê to whome it is vndoubted that no greatter holye ordre nor any inwarde characte was gyuen by the people or by theyr felowe preestê but onely powre auctoryte to dyspose ordre the ceremonyes seruyce of y e church to dyrecte rule the mynystres of the temples as touchynge to the exercyse of goddes seruyce in the temple or howse of god for which cause consyderacyon also such persons elected to dyrecte other preestes in the temple and to instructe the people in suche thyngê which appertayne to the fayth called bysshoppes of the olde law makers as of Iustiniane and of the people of Rome were than called Iconomireuerendi And the hyghest of them was called of the same lawe makers Iconomius reuerendissimê° And therfore accordynge to the trouth after the mynde of saynt Iherome a bysshop is none other thynge than an archpreest And that the essencyall dygnyte of a bysshop and of a preeste is all one neyther that one bysshop hath more large essencyall auctoryte than an other bysshoppe Neyther one preeste than an other preeste saynt Iherome also expressed in the aforesayd epystle whan he sayde Neyther it is to be iudged or thought that there is one churche of the cytie of Rome and an other of the whole worlde Bothe Fraunce Englande and Affryke Perselande and the Eest and the west and Inde al Barbarouse nacyons do worshyp one chryste they all do obserue and kepe one rule of the trouth yf auctoryte be sought the whole world is greatter than a cytie where soeuer he shall be bysshop whether it be at Rome or at EngobinÌ„ or at Constantinople or at Regium or at Alexandrie or at Rachane they are all of one the same meryte and all of one preesthode The powre and myght of ryches and the lownes of pouerte maketh an hygher or a lower bysshop but they are all the successours of the apostles But there at certayne other instytucyons not essencyall of the offycê belongynge to preestê as for exaÌ„ple the eleccyon which we haue spoken of a lytle heretofore wherby one of them is taken or chosen to the ordrynge or gouernynge of other as touchynge to those thynges whiche appertayneth to the worshypynge of god or the dyuyne seruyce also the eleccyoÌ„s instytucyons of certayne of them to teache instructe the chrysten people to mynystre the sacrameÌ„tê of y â— newe law to a certayne people in a certayne place appoynted greatter or smaller And also to dyspence dystrybute both to hym selfe also to other pore men certayne teÌ„porall thyngê appoynted ordayned by the kynge or by a plyament for the sustentacyon of poore preachers of the gospel in a certayne prouynce or coÌ„munyte also for the sustentacyon of other poore folkes but yet of y â— onely whiche shalbe superfluous more than nedeth to the suffycient fyndynge of the preachers of the gospell which teÌ„porall goodes so appoynted ordayned to suche vse are after the coÌ„mune vse maner of speakynge nowe a dayes called the benefyces of the churche for these are coÌ„mytted betaken to the mynystres of the teÌ„ples to be bestowed vpon the aforesayd vses to the mynysters I saye therunto ordayned in a certayne prouynce For by the auctoryte essenciall by which they are the successours of the apostles they are not more determyned to teache instructe the people and to mynysters the sacramentes of the newe lawe in one place than in an other but lykewyse as the apostles were not determyned or appoynted to any certayne places to whom it was sayde Go therfore teachr all nacions Chryst dyd not appoynte them to certayne places but they afterwae des amonge them selues deuyded the peoples and prouynces to them selues in whiche they wolde preache shewe the worde of god or the lawe of the gospell and somtyme they were taught where they shulde preache by the reuelacyon of god wherfore also it is red in the seconde epystle to the Galatianes They gaue theyr ryght handes to me and to Barnabas in token of felowshyppe that is to wyt Iames Peter and IohnÌ„ that we amonge the gentyles and they amonge the Iewes c. So than of the premysses it appereth of whome as of the cause effycyent the instytucyon of preesthode is and of other holye ordres Truely of god or chryste imedyatlye albeit there gothe before as preparynge a certayne mynysterye of man as the layenge one of the handes the pronounsynge of certayne wordes whiche peraduenture doth nothynge to this but are so put before of a certayne promyse or ordynauÌ„ce of god It appereth also of y â— same premysses y t there is a certayne other instytucyon made by man by whiche
the earthe let them fal downe on theyr knees and with great veneracyon kysse the fete adorned garnysshed with precyouse stones of the and thy successours syttynge solemply in a seate or chayre of astate more gorgyouse then any kynges seate Moreouer that sayeng he that woll be cheiffest amonge you shall be your seruaunt and he that wylleth to be greater than other amonge you lette hym be your mynystre sygnyfeyth or betokeneth nothynge els but this we onely haue power and auctorytie to coÌ„maunde and all the resydue of the churche muste nedely obey O Peter yf thy mayster meaned this by his wordes why than dydest thou whan thou was made the chyefe capytayne hed of thy bretherne saye thyse wordes thyne owne selfe Be you subgettes to euery man for the loue of god whether it be to the kynge as to a more excellent persone or to dukes as persones sent by hym But here a certayne one of our moste holy fathers greuously rebuketh sayth with lowde voyce that thou Peter dydest not speke thyse wordes to thy self but onely to thy subgettes O howe conuenyently and metely hath he founde this startynge hole to helpe hym selfe with all As who shulde saye that what soeuer Peter taughte he dyd reache it onely in wordes as we do no we a dayes and not rather moche more dyd teache it by his workes or deades by contynuell example folowyng in this poynte also the custome and maner of his mayster Chryste of whom the euangelyste Luke sayth Ihesus began to do and teache Lykewyse Paule also sayth Be you the folowers of me as I am the folower of Chryste for whiche cause the same Paule also coÌ„maundeth the doer or worker of the worde not hym whiche is onely the hearer or teacher of it excepte y t peradueÌ„ture it besemed Peter to teache onely and not to do and so by a custome begon and brought vp by hym it becoÌ„meth other his successours to do the same I knowledge playnely suche is the dulnes of my wytte that I do not perceyue or vnderstande this theologye or dyuynyte Besyde this why dyd than y e same Peter go to Samarye with IohnÌ„ whan he was bydden so to do of the other apostels or why were not than the apostels asshamed to abuse the prerogatyue and prehemynence of theyr hedde and ruler to this mynysterie or seruyce or why I pray you doth he hym selfe not shewe forthe nor take vpon hym any suche maner pretogatyue and auctoryte and dygnyte at all aboue other in his epystles sayinge I one of the felowe bysshops my selfe and equall with them beseche the bysshoppes whiche are amonge you I praye the good reader canst thou perceyue any where in these wordes any tutle or poynte belongynge to prymacye what coulde be spoken more mekely or in more lowlywyse what more symplye or playnly Fyrste in callyng hym selfe felowe bysshyp he chalengeth to hym selfe or taketh vpon hym none excellence or prehemynence aboue other but maketh hym selfe felowe lyke with theym Whan he besecheth them in so doynge he chalengeth to hym self no rule no domynyon no prymacye no power or auctoryte vpon them And forsoth yf we woll herken and gyue credence vnto Peter to Paule hym selfe and to other whiche speake to vs in the holy scrypture of god both profyttes and apostels rather than to our owne dreames and fantasyes certaynly we shall perceyue and fynde that they do call them selues no thynge els but mynysters theyr power noughte els but a mynysterye hauynge theyr myndes farre awaye from all kynde ye apparaunce of honoure not onely from the ambycyons desyre of prymacye superyoryte Dothe not our lorde and mayster hym selfe for this is often tymes to be rehersed say I am not coÌ„men to be serued but to mynystre and serue And shall it not be suffycyent to the seruaunt to be as his lorde and maystre is but doth he desyre to be greatter than his mayster what nedeth it to make any more wordes With our scholyes gloses coÌ„mentes and interpretacyons we haue taken away destroyed well nere all the whole scrypture of god Srypture is not peraueuture ouertourned and destroyed but beynge as it were dombe in a maner speaketh no more neyther may do any more vnder vs tyrauntes then may the chylde whiche is vnder the rodde or correccyon of his gouernour or mayster that is to say nothynge but onely that whiche shalbe veray lykynge and pleasaunt to vs as domynyons prymacyes chyefe rulers kyngdomes Notwithstandynge that in the meane season our tryflynge and vayne ymagynacyons and fantasyes taken awaye she doth put vs in mynde and remembraunce of nothynge more chyefly in euery place than that we shulde dyspyse and set at nought all thyse thyngê cryeng out playnly and openly that empyres ryches and golde are vyle stayle and transytorye thynges Peter sayd to Symon magus the enchauntour offerynge golde to hym kepe thy golde to thy selfe to perdycyon The wyse man sayth in his boke entyled Ecclesiasticus Golde is the wood or tree of offensyon wo be to them whiche coueteth foloweth it And yet we good lorde what hokes what wyles what nettes do we not make contyuually now a dayes to catche this so euyll or myscheuous a thynge what do we not enterpryse or take in hande boldely and swyftly for the loue of money power and auctoryte what place of the scrypture do we not adulterate counterfeyte and cortupte By these fewe wordes lohere be ii swerdes we haue wrythen and wrested the swerde and empyre of the worlde out of the Emperours hande and stoutely manfully god saue vs chalenged it to the churche Albeit y t Chryste hym selfe doth say affyrme that his kyngdom is not of this worlde and Paule also his sworne oratour and Ambassadoure cryeth out sayeng Our wepons armour are not carnall but stronge and myghty in god And because that no poynte of boldnes and presumptuous pryde shulde be wantynge in vs we haue our selues made a foundament and hed of the vnyuersall churche Hereof came vp those straunge names whiche in olde tyme were not knowen any thynge at all of the holy men generall vycar greatest bysshop and many suche other yet farre more straunge then these of whiche we do not rede in al Peters epystles that euer he vsurped or toke any one to hymselfe Paule knoweth no hed of the churche but onely Chryste But we make ourselues a hed bothe of the churche and also of the empyre howe great tragedyes troubles we haue for this cause raysed vp hetherto to the churche howe many of vs haue stryuen after a lay maner with Emperours aboute this name and tytle It were to longe an hystorye to reherse amonge whiche emperours Lodowyke of Bauarye that noble and renoÌ„med emperour the beautye and worshyp of the moste honourable stocke of the dukes of bauarye and whiche was inferyour to none of the prynces in his tyme in gentle courage of mynde in mercye and pytie
and so consequently the lawes of theym are vtterly vnperfecte For the case put graunted that the sayd lawes haue a due forme that is to wytte a coactyue precepte of theyr obseruacyon yet for all that they do wante or lacke due condycyon that is to wyt due and trueordynacyon of ryghtfull ryght And vnder this accepcyon or sygnyfycacyon of this worde lex are comprehended all the rules of Cyuyle ryghtes and vtylyties whiche rules haue ben instytuted by y â— auctoryte of man as customes statutes ordenaunces or actes made by the coÌ„mens decretalles and all other lyke rules whiche as we haue sayd are grounded vpon the auctoryte of man But yet we ought to knowe that as well the lawe of the gospell as the lawe of Moyses and peraduenture the other sectes dyuersely consydered and compared in the hole or in the parte of theym vnto the Actes of men for the state of this present worlde or of the worlde to come otherwhyles dothe belonge or hathe belonged hytherto or shall belonge to the thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this worde lex and otherwhyles to the laste sygnyfycacyon of the sayd worlde as it shall be opened and declared more largely in the. viii the. ix of the seconde diccion Certeyne of y t sayd lawes or sectes as touchynge or accordynge to the trouthe and other certayne of theym after or as touchynge to a false Imagynacyon or fantasye and a vayne promyse Thus then there is a certayne rule or a lawe of the Cyuyle actes of men and what it is it appereth euydently of these thynges whiche we haue no we sayde ¶ Of the necessyte of makynge lawes takynge this worde in his moste proper sygnyfycacyon and that it is expedyent no Prynce or gouernour be he neuer so moche vertuous ryghtu ous to gouerne without lawes The xi Chapytre HOwe that we haue thus dyuyded this worde Lawe in to his accepcions or sygnyfycacions we wyll shewe the fynall cause wher fore it is necessarye that Lawes be hadde-takynge this worde in his laste and moste propre sygnyfycacyon The moste pryucypall cause is the Cyuyle ryghte and the coÌ„men vtylyte or profyte the nexte cause to this is a certayne securyte of the Prynces or gouernoures specyally of and namely of those whiche are gouernoures by inherytaunce and successyon of blode and also the diuturnite or longe contynuaunce of theyr gouernaunce and power or auctoryte That it is necessarye to haue lawes for the former cause that is to wytte for the Cyuyle ryght and coÌ„men profyte I proue it thus for it is necessary to ordeyne that thynge in a coÌ„men weale or cyuyle coÌ„mynalte without whiche Cyuyle iudgementes can in no wyse be well gyuen and by whiche they be gyuen duelye and so as they ought to be and by whiche also they be preserued from defalte as moche as is possyple to the Actes of men But suche maner thynge the lawe when the gouernour is appoynted to gyue cyuyle iudgementes accordynge to it ergo the instytucyon or makynge of a lawe is necessarye in a coÌ„men welthe The fyrste proposicion of this syllogisme is in a maner euydent and knowen of it selfe and very nere vnto the fyrste pryncyples as they are called whiche can not be proued by any thynge more euydent then they be them selues the certentie wherof also ought and maye be taken of the. v. chapitre of this diccion and the. vii parte therof The seconde proposycion of this demonstracyon shall be made euydent by this sayeng that to the completemeÌ„t of a iudgement in goodnes that is to saye to this that any iudgement be perfectely good is requyred ryght and vncorrupte affeccyon of the iudges and also true knowledge of the thyngê that be to be iudged the contraries of whiche two thynges done corrupte cyuyle iudgementê For the croked wronge lewde affeccyon of the iudge as hatted loue or couetousnes puerteth y e desyre of the iudge But al these thyngê be kept away from iudgement iudgment is preserued from these when the iudge or gouernour shal be appoynted or assygned to gyue iugementê accordynge to the lawes because the lawe is without all peruerse affeccyon for it is not made onely for the frende or for the enemye or for hym that dothe good or hym y â— doth hurte but it is made vnyuersally or generally for hym who soeuer he be y t doth Cyuylye wel or cyuylye euyll for all the other thyngê ar but accidentall to the lawe without the lawe but they be not so without the iudge for the persones whiche be sette to be iudged maye eyther be frendes or enemyes profytable or noysome persones to hym that sytteth as iudge by gyuynge or promysynge somwhat eyther good or euyll to hym And so lykewyse in all suche intencyons whiche maye cause in a iudge affeccyon peruertynge or corruptynge his iudgement For whiche consyderacyon no maner iudgement as moche as possyble is oughte to be coÌ„mytted and put all togyther to the arbytrement or wyll pleasure of the iudge But oughte to be determyned by the lawe and sentence or iudgement to be pronounced and gyuen of them accordynge to the same lawe And this was the sentence of Arystotle in the thyrde of his Polytykes the. xi chapytre wherin purposynge to serche out wherther it is better for a coÌ„men wele to be gouerned of the beste man without any lawe or elles of the beste lawe he saythe in this wyse that thyng is better to gouerne or to be iudge whiche hathe no passyon at all that is to saye no maner affeccyon whiche maye peruerte the iudgement than that thyng whiche hath passyons in hit selfe by nature but the lawe is without all suche maner passyon or affeccyon and the mynde of euery man muste nedes haue passyons in it he sayth of euery man exceptyng no man be he neuer so vertuous whiche sentence he repetynge agayne in the fyrste boke of his Rhetorikes and the fyrste chapytre sayth thus Omnium quidem maximuÌ„ querâ—tur scilicet nihil asque lege iudicandum relinque debet arbitrio iudicaÌ„tis c. That is to say of all thynges it is moste necessarye that no thynge be lefte to the arbytryment or pleasure of the iudge to be iudged without a lawe Quia iudicium legislatoris c. for the iudgement of the lawe maker that is to saye the lawe is not made for any pertyculer person but it is of thynges to come and of generall thynges but the offycer and the iudge syttynge in iudgement do iudge of thyngê present of determynate or ê‘tyculer thyngê to these that is to wyt to the gouernour and iugde is oftentymes annexed loue or hatred desyre of theyr owne synguler profyte so that they can not yet suffycyently se the trouthe or ryghte in iudgement but dothe regarde and hathe respecte in iudgemente to theyr owne propre pleasure and profyte or elles theyr owne dyspleasure and dysprofyte and this also he sayth in the same fyrste
shewe to what persone or persones the auctoryte belongeth of gyuynge suche maner precepte and of ponysshynge the transgressours of it whiche thyng is nothynge elles but to make inquysycyon and to serche out who is the gyuer or maker of the lawe And lette vs saye accordynge to the trouth and to the counsayle of Arystotle in the thyrde of his politikes and the syxte chapytre that the lawe maker or the chefe and propre cause effectyue of the lawe is the people or the hole multytude of the cytezens inhabytauntes or elles the byggest parte of the sayde multytude by theyr eleccyon or wyll by wordes expressed in the generall congregacyon parlyamente or assemble of the coÌ„munes coÌ„maundynge or determynynge any thynge to be done or to be lefte vndone aboute the cyuyle actes of men vnder a temporall payne or ponysshement the bygger parte I meane the quantyte consydered in that coÌ„munyte vpon whiche that lawe is gyuen whether the hole multytude aforesayde of the people in that coÌ„munyte or elles the bygger parts therof do this by theyr selfe imedyatly or elles shall haue coÌ„mytted it to some persone or persons to be done of hym or them which persone or persons are not neyther maye be vtterly and holly and generally the maker of the lawe but they are onely after a certayne maner and otherwhyles and by the auctoryte of the pryncypall lawe maker and consequently to this I do saye that by the same pryncypall auctoryte and by none other the lawes ought to take theyr necessary approbacyon Moreouer I saye that of the same auctoryte the lawes ought to take addycyon or dymynucyon or theyr hole mutacyon interpretacyon suspencyon accordyngly as the places and tymes and other cyrcumstances dothe requyre to whiche any of these aforesayde thynges shal be mete or conuenyent for the commune profyte and by the same auctoryte also the lawes ought to be publysshed or proclaymed after the instytucyon of them lefte any man outher cytezen or straunger trespassynge agaynst them myght be excused by the ignoraunce of them And a cytezen or coÌ„muner which in the latyn worde is called ciuis I call hym accordynge to the mynde of Arystotle in the thyrde boke of his politikes and the fyrste the thyrde and the. vii chapytres whiche is in habylytie to be part taker in the cyuyle coÌ„munyte of the publyke powre auctoryte of counsaylynge of iudgynge gouernyng or bearyng offyce accordyng to his degre by whiche discripcion chyldren are excluded bondmen strauÌ„gers women from y e name of cytezens or coÌ„muners though after a dyuers maner for y e chyldren of cytezens or coÌ„muners fre men are ciues in potencia propinqua that is to say in a nyghe possybylyte wantynge nothynge but onely suffycyent age and dyscrecyon And whiche is bygger parte of the cytezens we muste consydre iudge accordyng to y e honest custome vsage of y e cyuyle coÌ„munytes or els we ought to determyne it accordynge to the mynde of Arystotle in the. vi boke of his politikes the thyrde chapyâ— Nowe therfore after we haue thus determyned what is a cytezen what is the stronger and bygger partye of cytezens or coÌ„muners let vs nowe retorne to our purpose intended that is to wytte to shewe by demonstracyon that the humayne auctoryte of makynge lawes appertayn to the hole multytude of cytezens or coÌ„muners fre men or els to y e bygger parte of them assembled in the parlyament whiche we shall go about to proue fyrst in this wyse for vnto them beloÌ„geth the fyrst very pryncypall humayne auctoryte of y e makynge instytucyon of humayne lawes of whome onely the best lawes maye procede and be brought forth but suche is the hole multytude or congregacyon of cytezens or the bygger parte of it whiche representeth the hole multytude for it is harde or vnpossyble that all the persons in a coÌ„mune weale shulde agre vnto one sentence be all of one mynde because of the vnperfyte nature of certayne men outher of malyce or els throughe ignoraunce dyscordynge and dysagreynge from the coÌ„mune sentence or iudgement for all whose vnresonable contradyccyon and gaynsaynge the coÌ„mune vtylytes or profytes ought not to be letted or lefte vndone wherfore it maye be concluded that vnto the hole congregacyon or multytude of cytezens or fre men or elles to the bygger parte of them gathered in the parlyament belongeth the auctoryte of instytucyon or makynge of lawes The fyrste proposycyon or as they call it y e maior of this demonstracyon is in a maner euydent ynough of it selfe and very nere to those whiche are called pryncyples albeit the strength and vttermost certaynte of it maye be taken of the. xi chapytre of this dyccyon and the seconde proposycyon called the minor that is to wyt that by the hearynge and coÌ„maundement of the hole multytude onely the best lawe is instytuted or made I proue supposynge with Arystotle in the thyrde of his positikes and the. viii chapytre that lawe to be beste whiche is gyuen to the coÌ„mune profyte of the cytezens wherfore he sayde in this wyse those lawes are ryght or good whiche egally and indyfferentlye haue respecte to the vtylyte of the hole cyuyle coÌ„munyte and to the coÌ„mune welthe or good of all the coÌ„munee or inhabytaunce of the sayde coÌ„munyte And that this maye be done best onely by the hoole multytude of the cytezens or by the byggest parte of it whiche from hensforthe lette it be supposed to be bothe one I proue thus for the veryte or trouthe of that thynge is more suerly iudged and also the coÌ„mune vtylyte of it is more dylygently consyde red and marked vnto whiche thynge the hole multytude of cytezens geueth hede with all theyr wytte or reafon and also affeccyon for the greatter the multytude is the better it maye perceyue the defaulte that is aboute the lawe whiche is purposed to be made or instytuted than maye any patre what soeuer it be of the sayde multytude For as moche as euery bodely thynge beynge hole is at the leaste wyse greatter in quantyte and vertue than is any parte therof by it self Agayn the coÌ„mune vtylyte of the lawe is more consydered and regarded or taken hede of of the hole multytude for as moche as no man wyttynglye doth hurte his owne selfe but there euery man maye consydre whether the lawe purposed do more declyne or leane to the profyte of any certayne persone or persones than to the profyte of the other or of the coÌ„munyte And also may speake agaynst it to the contratie whiche thynge coulde not be done yf the lawe were gyuen or made by any persone or els a fewe certayne persones regardynge and hauynge respecte more to theyr owne propre vtylyte than to the coÌ„mune profyte And to this sentence helpeth well all those thynges whiche we haue sayde and spoken concernynge to the necessytie of lawes to be had in the. xi chapytre of this â—sent dyccyon Nowe agayne to
offyce to none other powre vnder a certayne forme of wordes sayd of them or of any one of them to tourne the substauÌ„ce of bread of wyne in to the very body blode of hym and besyde this he gaue also to the same auctoryte or powre to bynde to lose men from synnes which auctoryte they are wonte to call y e powre of y e keyes to substytute and make other vnder them selues hauynge the same auctoryte The whiche auctoryte also the apostles gaue to certayne men yea god gaue it by the apostles throughe prayer puttynge of theyr haÌ„des vpon them And after the same maner haue other taken powre auctoryte also to do lykewyse coÌ„sequently so they haue done dothe and shall do euen vnto the ende of the worlde after which maner also the apostle Paule dyd instytute Timothe Titus and other mo teachynge them also to instytute other lykewyse wherfore in y e. iiii chapytre of y â— former epystle wryten to Timothe he sayth Do not despyse or set lyght by the grace whiche is in the whiche is gyuen the throughe prophesye with y e layenge on of the preestes haÌ„des and in the fyrst chapytre of the epystle to Titus for this cause I haue lefte the in Crete londe that thou shuldest correcte and amende suche thynges whiche yet wanteth that thou shuldest constytute ordayne and make preestê throughe out euery cytie as I haue taught charged the this auctoryte of preesthod of y â— keyes whether it be onely one auctoryte or els many is a karact or a fygure or marke iÌ„prynted in y e sowle by y e iÌ„medyat workiÌ„ge of god ¶ Besyde this there is a certayne other auctoryte belongynge to preesthode gyuen by the graunte of men after that the nombre of them was multyplyed for to auoyde all occasyon of slaunder or offence and this auctoryte is the preemyneÌ„ce whiche any one of them hath aboue the other to dyrecte them in the temple to the worshypynge of god and to the doynge of the deuyne seruyce in dewe forme and maner and to destrybute certayne temporall goodes whiche hathe ben ordayned to the vse of the afore sayde mynystres Of the powre and cause effectyue of the whiche auctoryte and where hence it began and came forthe itshall be suffycyentlye declared in the. xv and in the. xvii chapytres of the seconde dyccyon or parte For this auctoryte of the prymateshyp of the clargye is not made iÌ„medyatly by god but by the wyll and mynde of men lykewyse as other offyces of a coÌ„mune weale be ¶ Thus than the orygynall begynnynge of the ecclesyastycall mynystres the powre and cause effectyue of theyr offyce beynge rehersed and somwhat declared we must attende gyue hede more ouer that amonge the apostles of chryste aforesayd there was one whose name was Symon Peter whiche was the fyrst that receyued of chryste the promyse of the keyes as saythe the glose after saynt AusteÌ„s mynde in the. xvi chapytre of Mathewe vpon this oracle or answere of chryste And to the I shall gyue the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens Upon this texte sayth the glose he that confessed that Iesus chryst was the very sone of god hathe the keyes gyuen to hym afore other for this sayd apostle after the passyon the resurreccyon the assencyon of chryste in to heuen came to Anteoche there was made bysshop by the people as euydently doth appere by the hystory of hym and from thense as the foresayd hystory sheweth what soeuer cause hathe be ouer hyppyd and lefteout for of this is there dyuerse and sondry opynyons afterwardes he wente to Rome and there was he bysshop and ouersear to chrysten people and in coÌ„clusyon for the professyon of chryste and for his godly preachynge he was beheded and dyed and with hym in the same place and at the same tyme y â— apostle Paule also accordynge to the aforesayd hystory of the prerogatyue than whiche this dyscyple or apostle semed to haue in comparyson of the other apostles in that the keyes were fyrste promysed to hym afore the other for the wordes of scrypture heretofore brought in and rehersed and for certayne other thynges spoken of chryst to hym syngulerly which shal be rehersed here after certayne bysshoppes after hym in the apostolyke or epyscopalsee of Rome and namely syns the tyme of Constantyne the emperour of Rome saye and chalenge themselues to be aboue all other bysshoppes of the worlde as touchynge all maner auctoryte of iurysdyccyon yea and certayne of the same whiche hathe ben of latter tyme not onely dothe chalenge to be aboue all other preestes and bysshoppes but also aboue all prynces of the world al coÌ„munaltyes al maner persones albeit they do not expresse this egally of all neyther do saye it playnly and openly as of the prynce and ruler of the Romaynes called the emperoure and of the prouynces cyties persones subiectes to the same emperour albeit that the synguler expressy on of suche domynyon or coactyue iurysdyccyon ouer this prynce accordynge to the very trouth semeth to haue taken face and fyrste begynnynge of a certayne gyfte or graunt whiche certayne men saythe to haue ben made by Constantyne emperour to saynt Syluester bysshop of Rome yet because this is not clerely expressed in that graunte or pryuylege or elles because perauenture it hath ben dysanulled by other made afterwardes or elles because it was weake or of smal streÌ„gthe the vertue of the sayde graunte extendeth itselfe to the other lordshyppes gouernaunces of the world not to the empyre of the Romaynes in al puynces And therfore afterwardes the bysshoppes of Rome of latter tyme haue chalenged taken to themselues this iurysdyccyon coactyue vnyuersally vpon y e hole worlde by a certayne other tytle comprehendynge all men that is to wyt by the fulnes of powre auctoryte whiche they say was gyuen by chryste to saynt Peter and to his successours in the epyscopall see of Rome as beynge Chrystes vycares or debytes For chryste as they saye and truly was the kynge of kynges and lord of lordes yea of all the hole world bothe persons and thynges how be it of this dothe not folowe that thynge whiche they wolde inferre and conclude as shall appere more certaynely and vndoubtedlye in those thynges which shall be spoken here after this than is the meanynge of this tytle amonge the bysshoppes of Rome that lykewyse as chryste had the fulnesse of powre and iurysdyccyon aboue all kynges prynces coÌ„munaltyes companyes or felysshyppes and alsanguler persons so in lyke maner they whiche calleth themselues the vycars of chryst and Peter haue also the same fulnesse of coactyue iurysdyccyon determyned by no lawe of man ¶ An euydent token y t the bysshoppes of Rome intende this to be the meanyngê which we haue rehersed of this tytle that is to wyt of the fulnes of theyr powre is this that Clement
or harmes of other men dothe call them selues sygulerly the spousesse of chryste This same sentence maye we perceyue and take of the wordes of the apostle in the laste chapytre of the former epystle to the Corynthyans and in the. iiii to the Lolossyans and in the fyrst chapytre to Phylemon For in al those sayde places y e apostle vseth this worde churche in that propre sygnyfycacyon which we haue sayde here afore to be his ppre and most trewe sygnyfycacyon Now consequeÌ„tly must we shewe y e manyfolde sygnyfycacyons of these nownes temporall spyrytuall This worde temporall in one of his sygnyfycacyons most famouse coÌ„munely vsed is sayd of all other corporall thiges besyde man which beynge any wyse in his powre or gouernauÌ„ce are ordayned in the state for the state of this worldly lyfe to his vse to supple the nedes and pleasures of hym Lykewyse as in an other generall sygnyfycacyon all thynges are wonte to be called temporall that begyn or ende in tyme. For these thynges as sayth Arystotle in the. iiii boke of his physykes properly are be sayd to be in tyme In an other sygnyfycacyon this worde temporall is sayde of euery maner habyte or qualyte euery accyon or passyon of man wroughte by man towarde hym selfe or towarde any other for the ende of this world or lyfe presente yet also besyde this this nowne temporall in a more specyall sygnyfycacyon is sayde of the voluntarye accyons or passyons of man goynge or tournynge to y e profite or disprofyte of an other sondry persone from hym which hathe done that accyon or passyon of the whiche accions passyons the makers of mannes lawes most intendeth or meaneth But nowe I wyll shewe the inteÌ„cyons or sygnyfycacyons of this worde spyrytuall whiche in one sygnyficacion is sayde of all corporall substances and theyr operacyons and in an other sygnyfycacyon it is sayd of all humane accyon or passyon of his powre intellectyue or appetytyue that is to saye of all the doynges or sufferynges of his knowlege or vnderstandynge and of his appetyte abydynge or contynuynge within hym accordynge to the whiche sygnyfycacyon also certayne accyons or operacyons of bodely thynges apperynge to the sences of man are wonte to be called spyrytual and without mater as the ymages lykenesses phantasyes or ymagynacyons of thynges which sayd lykenes are in a certayne maner cause of knowlege to the soule of the whiche kynde and sorte some men iudgeth the accyons and operacyons of sensyble thynges to be also in a substance hauynge no lyfe as the generacyons of lyghtes and of certayne lyke thynges Agayne and more to the purpose this nowne spyrytuall is sayde of the lawe of god of the teachynge and learnynge of the preceptes and counsayles accordynge to the same lawe and by it vnder the whiche sygnyfycacyon also are comprehended all the sacramentes of the church and the effectes of the same all the grace of god all Theologycall vertues and the gyftes of the holy ghoste orderynge vs to eternall lyfe For in this sygnyfycacyon and very properly and metely the apostle Paule vseth this nowne spyrytuall in the. xx chapytre to the Romaynes and in the. ix chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans whan he sayde yf we haue sowen spyrytual thynges to you is it a great thynge yf we reape your carnal thyngê where the glose after the mynde of Ambrose sayth spyrytuall thynges y t is to say such thynges which quickeneth your spyrytes or els which be gyuen of the holy ghost that is to wyt the worde of god and the mynysterye of the kyngdome of heuens Moreouer accordige to an other significacion this nowne spiritual is woÌ„te to be taken for euery maner voluntarye accyon or passyon of man wrought as well to hym selfe as to an other for the meryte or deseruiÌ„ge of y e blyssed lyfe in y e world to come of which kynde sorte be all y â— coÌ„templacyons of god y e louynge of hym of our neyghbours abstyneÌ„ces marcyes or dedes of pytie meke sufferyngê prayers oblacioÌ„s for honourynge of god hospitalytes pylgrymages chastysynges or ponysshynges of our owne bodyes the dyspysynge eschewynge of carnal and flesshely pleasures generally all lyke thynges downe for the ende aforesayd yet besyde these sygnyfycacyons this name spyrytuall is sayd thoughe not properly and metely as in the seconde and thyrde waye of the temple or churche taken in his seconde sygnyfycacyon of all the vesselles iewelles ornamentes whiche are in it ordayned for the worshyppynge of god And last of al certayne men very vnconuenyently and improperly stretche this nowne spyrituall to be taben for voluntary accyons exteryour of preestes or bysshoppes deacoÌ„s other mynystres of the temple and for the omyssyons of the same workes whiche workes ben to the profyte or dysprofyte of an other sondrye person from hym y t worketh them for the state of the lyfe in this worlde They do extende streche also agayne and that more improperly the same name spyrytuall to the possessyons of the sayd persons theyr temporall goodes moueable and vnmoueable to certayne prouences or reuenewes of temporall thynges which they call tyethes that vnder the coloure cloke of this name they maye be exempte from the rule of the ciuyle lawes and prynces or rulers But forsoth they do openly abuse this worde in these sygnyfycacyoÌ„s agaynst the trouthe contrary to the entencyon and vsage of the apostle of holy men whiche haue called suche maner thynges not spyrytuall thynges but carnall or temporall wherfore Paule sayth in y e. xv chapytre to y e Romaynes for yf the gentyles haue ben made parttakers of theyr spyrytuall thynges they ought also to mynystre to them in carnall thynges the same More expressely saythe in the. ix chapytre of the fyrst epystle to the Corynthyans yf we haue sowen spyrytuall thynges to you is it a great thynge yf we do reape your carnall thynges where the glose after Ambrose mynde sayth for yf we do sowe to you spyrituall thynges y t is to say those thynges whiche quyckeneth your spyryte or the whiche be gyuen of the holy ghost that is to wyt the worde of god mysterie of the kyngdome of heuens is it a great thynge yf we do reape to our sustentacyon your carnal thynges that is to saye those temporal thynges whiche are graunted to y e mayntenaunce of lyfe y t cherysshynge of the bodye Beholde here that those outwarde goodes with the whiche the preachers of the gospel ought to be sustayned in meate drynke clothynge y e apostle and Ambrose expressely calleth carnall or temporal thynges and in very deade so be they whether they be tyethes orlaÌ„des auauntages or almoses or colleccyons y e cause wherof saynt Ambrose hathe tolde because they are graunted gyuen to the lyfe and cherysshynge of the flesshe that is to say of the corruptyble lyfe The same thynge is to be thought iudged
gouernours to offre also bodely obsequye and seruyce after the example of chryste our lorde whiche wasshed the fete of his dyscyples Therfore chryste sayde The prynces of the gentyles be lordes ouer them but you that is to wytte the apostles shall not be so Chryste than the kynge of kynges lorde of lordes dyd not gyue to them powre and auctoryte to exercyse the seculare iudgementes of prynces neyther coactyue powre or iurysdyccyon ouer any man but openly and euydently he forbad it them whan he sayde but you not so And the same is consequently to be holden of all the successours of all the apostles bysshoppes or preestes This is it also whiche saynt Bernarde sayde openly to Eugenius in the seconde boke of consyderacyon the fourth chapytre treatynge vpon those wordes of chryst afore rehersed the kynge and prynces of the gentyles c. for amonge other these are the wordes of Bernarde that whiche the apostle Petre had that same he gaue that is to wytte busy care and dylygent ouerseynge of the congregacyons dyd he gyue domynacyon or lordshyp harken what he saythe Not hauynge saythe he domynyon or lordeshyp ouer the clargye but beynge made the example of the flocke And least thou myght wene or suppose that this was spoken onely of humylytie and lowlynes and not to be exequyted in very truthe the saynge of our lorde in the gospell is the kynges and prynces of the Gentyles haue domynyon and lordshyp ouer them and they whiche haue powre ouer them are called well-doers or benefycyall he inferreth or concludeth but you not so It is playne y ◠domynyon is forbydden the apostles so that they may not be lordes Darest thou then outher beynge a lord vsurpe y ◠offyce of an apostledor beynge an apostolyke persone vsurpe domynion or lordshyps forsoth thou art playnly phybyted from bothe yf thou art wyllynge to haue bothe of them togyther thou shalte lose both or elles thynke not thy selfe to be excepted from the nōbre of them of whome god cōplayned in this wyse They haue reygned and not by me they haue ben prynces and rulers and I knewe them not Thus than by the veryties or treue textes of the gospell whiche we haue brought in and alleged and by the interpretacyōs or declaracyōs of the same textes made by sayntes and other approued doctours It ought to appere euydentlye to all men that chryste dyd exclude or was wyllynge to exclude hym selfe aswell by his deades as by his wordes from all soueraynte or gouernaunce and iudgement coactyue or worldely powre and auctorytie and that he wolde hym selfe be subiecte and vnderneth the coactyue iurysdyccyon of seculare gouernours prynces or other hyghe powers ¶ Of the canonycall oracles or textes of the apostles and the exposycyons of sayntes and holy doctours by whiche the same thynge is openly proued whiche was proued by the chapytre laste afore gone The v chapytre HOwe there resteth remayneth behynde to shewe that this same was also the sentence and doctryne of the cheyfe apostles of chryst And fyrst of Paule whiche in the seconde chapytre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe admonyssheth and aduertyseth the same Timothe whome he had ordayned and made bysshop or preeste that he shulde not wrappe hym selfe in worldly busynes for these are his wordes let no man that warreth to god entangle hym selfe with worldly busynes where the glose after Ambrose mynde saythe that no man that warreth to god in spyrytuall thynges whiche god can not be parted or deuyded to two contrarye seruauntes euen lykewyse as no man can do seruyce to two maysters or lordes entangeleth hym selfe in any maner worldly busynesses And he sayth in any maner busynesses exceptynge none at all for asmoche then as domynyon or iudgement coactyue of contentiouse and debatefull actes or deades is the most seculer and worldly of all busynes for that it dothe ordre and rule all seculer busynes or all seculer cyuyle actes of men as it hathe ben shewed in the. xv chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon the apostle cōmaundeth it pryncypally moste of all to be eschewed of hym which ought to be the souldyour or seruaūte to god in mynystringe spyrytuall thynges so as euery maner bysshop or preeste ought to be And that this whiche we haue rehersed was the very meanynge and mynde of the apostle it is openly and euydently declared by the texte whiche is red in the syxte chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans where he sayde in this wyse Therfore yf you haue seculer iudgementes ordayne you or make you them iudges whiche are contemptyble and of least reputacyon in the churche for there the apostle speake vnto all faythfull or chrysten men and to the churche in his moste propre and laste sygnyfycacyon whiche sayde texte of the apostle the glose expoundeth thus accordynge to the mynde of Ambrose and Augustyne Contemptyble persones that is to wyt some wyse men but yet whiche be of lesse meryte than the preestes and teachers of the gospell ordayne them to be iudges and the cause is shewed why the mynystres of the gospell shulde not be made iudges in suche matyers For the apostles goynge aboute from place to place had not laysure or space to gyue theyr mynde to suche busynes than his wyll was that wyse and holy chrysten men whiche restyd were abydynge in places and not they which can aboute hyther and thyther from place to place for to sprede abrode the gospel shulde be the examyners and iudges of suche busynesse And an other cause hereof the glose assygneth accordynge to the mynde of Gregory in his moralles and that very well in my iudgement accordynge to the mynde and intencyon of the apostle for why sayth Gregory ought contemptyble persones and not bysshoppes or preestes be ordayned set to exercyse seculer offyces doubtles to the ende that suche shulde examyne earthly and worldly causes whiche haue gotten the wysdom or knowlege of exteryor and outwarde thynges that is to wyt of seculer or cyuyle actes or workes But they that are enryched with spyrytuall gyftes ought not to be entangled or encombred with earthly matyers or busynes that whyles they are not compelled to dyspose and ordre the inferyoure goodes of the worlde they maye be able to do seruyce to the superyour or spyrytuall good thynges lo than this is moste euydently the mynde of the apostle and of the holy exposytours which we haue sayde of the offyce that was vtterly forbydden to preestes by the apostle Paule whiche thynge also saynt Bernarde expressynge to Eugenius in the. v. chapytre of the fyrste boke De consideratione sayth in this wyse dyrectynge his speche to the bysshops of Rome and of other places Therfore your powre and auctorytie sayth he is in crymes or synnes not in possessyons For it was for synnes and not for possessyons that the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens was gyuen to you that you myght exclude transgressours or
shewed to be true that no man beynge of ryght mynde after he hath seen and red them ought to doubte any lenger The apostle sayd euery soule exceptynge none where the glose after Augustynes mynde fyrste and otherwhyles after the mynde of Ambrose sayth thus And here he prouoketh and exhorteth men to humblenes For certayne men thought that euyll Lordes and rulers and namely suche as were infydels ought not to haue domynyon and rule ouer chrysten men And yf they were good and also chrysten that then they were but peetes and egall to other good and chrysten men Whiche pryde also the apostle here putteth awaye euen from the superyour parte of man that is to wytte the soule by it betokenynge the hole man For what is it to saye euery soule but euery man as yf he shulde saye All the foresayde thynges are to be done and thoughe you be so perfyte in the bodye of Chryste yet that notwithstandynge let euery soule be subiecte that is to saye lette euery man be subiecte whiche man I do sygnyfye therfore by the name of the soule that you shulde serue and be obeyssaunte not onely in bodye but also in wyll and mynde Therfore let euery soule be so subiecte and obedyent that is euen also in wyll he do serue the seculer powers bothe good and euyll that is to wytte kynges and prynces or gouernours hygh capytaynes vnder capytaynes such other Lo than what the apostle vnderstode and meaned by the hygher powers nothynge elles but seculer prynces gouernours Than it foloweth in the glose for yf he be a good man whiche is ruler and gouernoure ouer the he is thy nouryssher yf he be an euyll man he is a temptoure to proue and assaye the. Bothe receyue and take nourysshementes or cherysshynges gladlye and with good wyll And in thy temptacyon be thou approued Be thou therfore golde and marke and take hede that this worlde is as it were the fornayce of the golde fyner So than lette euery soule be subiecte to the hygher powers that is to wyt in this that they are hyghe that is in worldlye thyngê Or elles in this worde hygher is signyfyed the cause wherfore they ought to be obeyed that is because they are hygher by the ordenaunce of god ¶ For there is no power but of god he proueth that they oughte to be subiectes obeyssaunte this maner waye because all power is of god but those thynges whiche be of god are ordeyned of god than it foloweth that power and auctorytie is ordeyned of god that is to saye who soeuer hathe power or auctorytie hath the ordynaunce of god Therfore who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynaunce of god And this is it that he saythe as yf he oughte therfore to be subiecte because there is neyther any good man neyther euyll that hathe any power excepte it be gyuen vnto hym of god wherfore oure Lorde sayde to Pylate Thou shuldest not haue power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue whiche thyng Bernarde also repeting to the Archebysshop of Senon sayth There was no man more seculare than Pylate afore whom our lorde stode to be iudged yet he sayde thou shuldest not haue any power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue At that tyme Chryst spake for hym selfe and had experyence of that thynge in hym selfe whiche thynge after he caused to be publysshed and proclaymed throughout all the churches by his apostles that is to wytte that there is no power but of god and that who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynauÌ„ce of god And within a lytle after in the same place Bernarde saythe Chryste graunteth and confesseth that the power and auctoryte of the Emperours deputie in Rome euen ouer his owne self was ordeyned from aboue And it foloweth in the glose but those that be are ordeyned of god that is to saye are resonablye dysposed and ordeyned of god Therfore who soeuer other by vyolence or by dyscorde or gyle resysteth the power that is to wyt the man hauynge power in those thynges whiche belonge to the power as in trybute and suche other thynges he resysteth the ordynacyon of god that is to saye he resysteth hym that hath power by the ordynacyon of god and therfore he dothe not accordynge to the ordynacyon of god Of the good power it is euydent that god hath made hym ruler reasonably and not without good cause And of the euyll power it maye also appere that he is made ruler reasonably whyles both good men are purged by hym and euyll men are coÌ„dempned hym selfe is caste downe hedlonge worse and worse And marke take hede that somtyme by this worde power is vnderstande the power it selfe or auctorytie whiche is gyuen of god somtyme by the same worde is vnderstande the man selfe that hathe the power whiche ii Sygnyfycacyons let the dylygent reader marke the one of them from the other he that resysteth the power resysteth the ordynacyon of god And this is so greuous an offence that who soeuer resysteth the power they do purchase and gette to them selfes euerlastynge dampnacyon And therfore no man oughte to resyste but to be subiecte and obeysaunte to hym But yet yf he coÌ„maunde the to do that thynge whiche thou oughte not to doo by the lawe of god here truely thou mayste not execute his coÌ„maundemente fearynge the greatter power that is to wytte god marke and take hede of the degrees of wordly thynges yf the Emperour of Rome shall bydde or coÌ„maunde any thynge to his subiects it is to be done albeit he do coÌ„mauÌ„de contrary to the proconsull Agayne yf the proconsul whiche is the emperours subiecte and offycer vnder hym byddeth one thynge and the Emperour coÌ„maundeth an other thynge is it any doute but that despysynge the proconsuls coÌ„mauÌ„deth the subiecte ought to obey the Emperour or pryncipall capytayne Therfore yf the Emperour coÌ„mauÌ„de one thynge god doth coÌ„maunde an other thyng the subiecte ought to obey god before the emperour But yet saynt Augustyne sayd not yf the Emperour do coÌ„maunde one thynge and the Pope or bysshop do coÌ„mauÌ„de an other thyng whiche thyng he ought to haue sayd yf the pope had ben superyour to the emperour in degree of Iurysdyccyon but yet saynt Augustyne wolde that yf the emperour hathe coÌ„maunded any thynge to be due agaynst the lawe of euerlastynge helthe whiche is immedyate coÌ„maundement of god in this the emperour ought not to be obeyed in whiche case the pope coÌ„maundynge accordynge to this lawe that is to wyt the lawe of god is rather to be obeyed than the Emperours coÌ„maundynge any thynge to be done whiche is contrary to the lawe of god But yf the pope coÌ„maundeth any thynge accordynge to his Decretalles in that they are but his owne decrees he is nothynge to be obeyed agaynst the coÌ„maundement of the Emperour or his lawes and that appereth openly and euydentlye here and shall
that is to saye by vyolence or compulsyon but suche as abstayne from synne of theyr owne towardnes And yet woll we not by thyse thynges say that it is vnconuenyent that heretykes or otherwyse infydels or mysbeleuers shuld be punysshed but this auctorytie to punysshe suche persones belongeth onely to the humayne lawe maker Than coactyue power or iurysdyccyon dothe not agree or belonge to any bysshop or preest but as well they as other oughte to be vndre the seculare iudges in this power as it hath ben sayd wherfore agayne the apostle sayde in the secoÌ„de chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Tymothe Therfore fyrst I beseche that obsecracyons prayers requestes and gyuynge of thankes be made for all men for kynges all men whiche are in hyghe auctorytie that we may lede a quyete and a peaceable lyfe Wherfore the glose sayth Paule dyrectynge thyse wordes to Tymothe in hym teacheth and sheweth a forme and maner to all the whole churche And afterwardes after y e mynde of saynt Augustyne it foloweth in y e same glose vpon these wordes for all men that is to say for men of all sortes and especyally and moste of all for kynges although they be euyll and for all whiche are set in hyghe auctorytie as dukê erles althoughe they be euyll men And yet amoÌ„ge all those that are set in hygh auctorytie or in suche iudycyarie power neyther the apostle neyther Augustyne maketh any where meÌ„cyon of bysshop or preest but onely of seculare prynces But wherfore the apostle wylleth sayth Augustyne prayers to be made for kynges and those whiche are in hyghe auctorytie yea althoughe they be euyll men he sheweth the cause sayeng iÌ„medyatlye after For this shall be profytable to vs that we maye lyue a quyete lyfe from persecution And a peaceable that is to saye without any dysquyetnes or trouble Lo here is testymonye and wytnesse of that thynge whiche we sayd in the last chapytre of the fyrste dyccyon that is to wyt that the cause effectyue and also conseruatyue of tranquylytie and peace is the dewe actyon or operacyon of the soueraygne or chyefe gouernoure beynge not letted Than Augustyne putteth by and by after a thyng whiche is greatly to the purpose sayeng Therfore the apostle admonysshed counseyled the church to pray for kyngs and all persons set in hygh auctorytie beynge inspyred with the same holy ghoste wherwith Ieremye the prophete also was inspyred whiche sent an epystle or letter to the Iewes y t were in Babylon that they shuld pray for the lyfe of kynge Nabugodonozor his sones for the peace of y e cytie sayeng for the peace of them shal be your peace By this fyguratyuely he sygnyfyed y t the churche militant in erthe in all the sayntê beloÌ„gynge to her the which at the Cytyzens by adoption of the heueÌ„ly Iherusalem shuld be seruaunte subiecte vnder the kynges and gouernoures of this worlde And therfore y e apostle monyssheth y e churche to praye for them that they myght lede a quyete peaceable lyfe Loo here vndoutedly y t the sentence mynde of the apostle and of Augustyne is that the churche or elles all true Chrystyans oughte to be vnderneth the seculer prynces or gouernoures namely the chrysten gouernoures and to obeye the coÌ„maundementê of them whiche be not cantrary to the lawe of euerlastynge helthe But yf the apostle had vnderstande or meaned that byssops or preestes ought to be soueraygnes and prynces and to iudge men really or personally by coactyue iudgement in the state and for the state of this present lyfe he wolde haue sayd to Timothe whom he had ordeyned and made bysshop I be seche the that obsecracyons c. be made for all kynges and bysshops whiche are in hyghe auctoryte Moreouer in the thyrde chapytre to Titus the apostle sayde admonysshe and warne them to whom thou preachest to be subiectes obeysaunte to prynces and powers the apostle sayd not admonysshe the seculare persons onely neyther he sayd Admonysshe them to be subiectes to vs and prynces for the Apostle knewe ryght well y t neyther he neyther other bysshops or prestes ought to be prynces or to iudge other men by lytygyouse Iudgement or Iudgement of seculare actes or deades yea moreouer he had reuoked and called them backe from all maner seculare busynes not onely from lordshype or soueraygntye and Iudgement of seculare matyers whan he sayd in the seconde chapitre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe no man warrynge to god entangleth hym selfe with seculare busynes wherfore Ambrose sayth admonysshe and warne thou c. As yf he had sayde albeit that thou haste spyrytuall Empyre and rule that is to wytte to coÌ„maunde them in spyrytuall thyngê yet that notwithstandyng warne them to be subiectes and obeysaunt to prynces that is to kynges dukes and to lesse or inferyour powers and offycers for the Christyan relygyon depryueth no man of his ryght whiche thynge saynt Ambrose sayth so moche because the apostles wyll mynde and also his doctryne was that also Chrysten men shuld be subiectes and obeysaunte to theyr Lordes or maysters and also to prynces and gouernours although they be infydels and no Chrysten men as he sayth hym selfe in the laste chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe in the begynnyng who soeuer are bonde men vndre yoke c. where the glose after saynte Augustynes mynde sayth thus It is to be knowen that certayne meÌ„ had preached that lybertie was coÌ„mune to all men in Chryste whiche is verylye true concernynge spyrytuall lybertie but not as touchynge carnall lybertie so as they vnderstode it Therfore the apostle speaketh here agaynst theym byddynge the bonde men to be subiectes and obedyent to theyr lordes and maysters therfore lette not the Chrysten bonde men requyre that whiche is sayde of the Hebrues that is to serue syxe yeres and than for nought to be made free for that is mystycall And wherfore the apostle doth coÌ„maunde this he sheweth by and by after sayeng lest both the name of the lorde myght be blasphemed as of one whiche dyd inuade and vsurpe thynges be longynge to other men And also the Chrystyan doctryne as beynge vniuste preachynge agaynst the lawes Cyuyle Howe than or by what meanes with what conscyence towarde god wyll any preest who soeuer he be absolue subiectes from the othe by whiche they are bounden to theyr christen lordes and Soueraygnes for this is an open heresy as it shal appere more largely hereafter The postle than sayde admonysshe them to be subiectes and obeysaunt to soueraygnes and gouernours he dyd not saye admonysshe laye men onely but he sayd admysshe them indyfferently For after his mynde euery soule is subiecte to them in coactyue or contencyous Iudgemente and yf it be not so than tell thou me In what thynge he meaned that euery soule shulde be subiecte to the poâ—oers c. For yf euery soule hadde oughte to be subiecte to Timotheus
of the excoÌ„munycatynge or assoylynge of any persone or persones dothe not appertayne to any of them alone or onely to the colledge or coÌ„panye of them But to ordayne and make any suche iudge to whome it may be lawfull to call the persone so accused or gyltie afore hym and to examyne hym to iudge hym condempne or to assoyle the persone whiche is so to be openly dyffamed or to be cut awaye from the companye or felowshyp of chrysten men doth appertayne and belonge to the superyoure or soueraygne of the same coÌ„munyte or els to the counsayle by hym apoynted and the preestê onely to iudge or dyscerne by scrypture the crymes takynge this worde iudgement in his fyrst sygnyfycacion wherfore any man ought to be cut awaye from the company of chrysten men lefte he myght infecte other men lykewyse as a physycion or a company of physycions must iudge by iudgement of the fyrst sygnyfycacion of the bodely dysease wherfore any man ought to be seperated from the coÌ„pany of other men left he myghte infecte them as a persone hauynge the leprye or other lyke coÌ„tagyous syckenes and agayne the cryme ought to be proued by sure wytnes to haue ben coÌ„mytted in dede And therfore lykewyse as it doth not appertayne to any physycion or to any coÌ„pany of them onely to ordayne the iudgement or iudge whiche hath coactyue powre to expell or dryue out persones ful of leprye but vnto y e hygher powers of a realme towne or cytie euen so it doth not appertayne to any preest alone or to any colledge or coÌ„pany of them onely to ordayne in y â— coÌ„munytie of chrysten men the iudgement or the iudge whiche hath coactyue powre ouer such persones whiche are to be expulsed dryuen out from the coÌ„mune company or felowshyp for the dysease of the soule as for a notorye cryme that is to say a trespasse openly knowen all thoughe they are bounde to know the lawe of god in which lawe the crymes and offences are determyned apoynted for whiche any synfull persone ought to be forbydden banysshed the coÌ„pany of other chrysten men whiche be innocent or faultles for the lyppes of the preest kepeth knowlege the people shal requyre the lawe of his mouthe as it is wryten in the seconde of Malachie y â— prophyte But whether he whiche is accused of suche maner trespasse hath coÌ„mytted suche trespasse or els not this ought not to be iudged by the bysshop or preest but by the superyour powres as we sayde before yet that notwithstandynge accordynge to the probacions afore brought in yf he be conuycted by wytnesse and the cryme also is suche wherfore he ought to be excoÌ„munycate then the persone founde gylty of suche cryme ought to be pronounsed worthy to be excoÌ„munycated by sentence of a superyour iudge And the execucyon of suche sentence ought to be done by the mouthe voyce of the preest and that because suche sentence of the preeste toucheth the persone so accused or gyltie for the state also of the worlde to come And this to be trewe which we haue sayd it is euydeÌ„tly shewed by that scrypture wherof this kynde of correccyon semeth to haue taken his begiÌ„nynge y t is in the. xviii chapitre of Mathewe whan chryst sayd yf thy brother shal haue trespassed agaynst the go rebuke hym betwene hym the alone yf he shal harken to the than haste thou haue wonne thy brother but yf he shall not harken to the take one or two wytnesses with the y ◠〈◊〉 the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery worde or sayeng may staÌ„de but yf he wyll not regarde or obeye them than tell it to y e church but yf he wyl not here the church let hym be to the as a gentyle or a publycane Chryste than sayd tell it to y e churche not tel it to the apostle or to the bysshop or to the preest or to the colledge or coÌ„pany of them onely chryste vnderstode therby y â— church the hole multytude of chrysten people or els the iudge ordayned for suche purpose by the auctorytie of the hygher powre for in this sygnyfycacion y â— apostles the prymytiue church vsed this worde church as it was fully ê‘fytely shewed in the seconde chapytre of this dyccyon that chryst meaned by the church the hole coÌ„gregacyon of faythfull beleuynge people that it be longeth to the sayde coÌ„gregacyon to haue a superyoure heed to gyue suche maner iudgement agaynst stubburne or dysobedyent persones or such haynouse offenders synners I ê“ue by the apostle in y â— v. chapytre of y e fyrste epystle to the CorynthiaÌ„s where y â— apostle declarynge the senteÌ„ce of chrystê wordê teacheth more expresly the cause y â— forme maner by what persones suche maner iudgement of excoÌ„munycacion ought to be gyuen agaynst any man sayenge in this wyse I beynge absente verely in body but present in spyrite haue nowe iudged as yf I were presente you beynge assembled in the name of our lord Ihesu chryst and my spyryte with the auctorytie and powre of our lord Ihesu to gyue hym which hath done y t dede to Satan that is to wyt that synful persone which had flesshely knowen his fathers wyfe where the glose after y â— mynde of Augustyne sayth this thige I haue now iudged y t you beyng asseÌ„bled togyther iÌ„ one place without any dyssencyon with whome bothe myne auctorytie the powre of chryste shall worke together do gyue such maner persone to the deuyll Lo here wherfore or for what intent of whome and vnder what maner any persone is to be excoÌ„munycated accordynge to the intencyon and doctryne of the apostle In whose wordes peraduenture is marked rather a counsayle than a coÌ„maundement euen accordynge to the lawe of god For in case that the Corynthians throughe theyr pacyence had suffered the aforesayd criminouse persone to haue ben conuersaunt and in companye amonge them howbâ—it not without slaunder and ieoperdy of infectynge other men yet myght they neuerthesesse haue ben saued haue done merytorious workes Agayne the case put that this had ben a precepte and coÌ„maundement accordynge to the lawe of god yet was it not coÌ„maunded that this thynge shuld be done by a preeste or bysshop onely or elles onely by a colledge or company of them and therfore â–ª whan the apostle sayd I verely beynge absent in body but present in spyrite haue no we iudged c. his wordes ought to be vnderstaÌ„ded of iudgement taken in his fyrst sygnyfycacion and not in the thyrde because he sayth afterwardes you beynge assembled and my spyrite c. By whiche wordê he doth also teache them the forme and maner howe to auoyde that no contencyon or stryfe myght ryse amonge them-by the pronouncynge of the sayd excoÌ„munycacion If it were done by them asseÌ„bled togyther wherfore Augustyne sayth that you beynge gathered togyther without any dyssencion
wynges ¶ And the dyfference of the operacyons coÌ„maunded or done with good aduysement and of the operacyons not coÌ„maunded or done without aduysement is by the reason of that whiche we haue sayd here tofore because of the operacyoÌ„s not coÌ„maunded we vtterly haue not in vs lybertie rule or powre whether they shall be done or not done But of the operacyons coÌ„maunded accordynge to the chrysten relygyon there is powre in vs that they shall be done or els not done And I haue sayde that we haue not vtterly powre in vs of the actes not coÌ„maunded because it lyeth not in our powre wholy or vtterly to prohybyte and let the chaunsynge and coÌ„mynge to passe of them Howbeit by the seconde sorte of actes or operacyons whiche are called coÌ„maundementes or preceptes and by the actes folowenge them we maye so dyspose and ordre our soule that it shal not lyghtely do cause or receyue the actê of the fyrst sorte or kynde that is to wyt whan eche man hath accustomed hymselfe contrarye to theyr nature and of the actes or dedes coÌ„maunded or done with good aduysement certayne be and are called actes or operacyons inwarde other some are and be called actes outwarde The inwarde actes are and be called the coÌ„maunded knowleges and the affeccyons coÌ„maunded or qualyties permanent caused and made of the mynde of man because they do not passe out in to an other subiecte matter or persone from hym whiche is the doer and worker of them But the outwarde actes or operacyons passynge forth or as they are called in the latyne Actus transeuntes are and be called all the actes or loues of thynges desyred and the omyssyons of them and also the mouynges caused made by any of the exteryour or outwarde organs or instrumentes of the bodye namely beynge moued as touchynge the mocyon whiche is called Locale that is to saye from place to place Agayne of the actes whiche are called Actus transeuntes some ar and be done without the hurtynge noyaunce or iniurye of any synguler persone company or coÌ„munytie beynge a sondrye thynge from hym whiche is the doer or worker Of whiche sorte ben the kyndes of al thynges possyble to be done and the gyuynge of money and the chastysement of a mannes owne body with beatynge strykynge or any other maner of waye and other dedes lyke to these And other some of those outwarde actes ar and be made with the noyaunce or iniury of an other sondry persone from hym that is the doer or worker of them Of whiche sorte be the strykynge of another man thefte rauyne or robbery extorcyon false wytnesse and many other after dyuers kyndes and facyons And there is founde out and deuysed certayne rules or measures habytes and scyences of all the aforesayde actes whiche come forth and are caused of mannes mynde namely of the actes coÌ„maunded or done with aduysement by whiche rules the sayde actes or workes may be done and brought forth conuenyentlye and in ryght and dewe fourme and maner bothe for the gettynge and purchasynge by them of a suffycyent lyfe in this worlde also in the worlde to come But of these rules there are certayne by the which the accyons and operacyons of mannes mynde as well the outwarde actes as the inwarde are taught ruled and ordred eyther in doynge of them or in leuynge of them vndone without payne or rewarde to be gyuen to hym that dothe them or that leueth them vndone of any other man by powre coactyue of whiche sorte verely be the most parte of dyscyplynes artes or scyences operatyue actyue factyue And there ben other of the sayd rules after which the operacyons of maÌ„nes mynde are coÌ„maunded to be done or to belefte vndone vnder payne or rewarde to be gyuen by the powre coactyue of an other man eyther to the workers of the sayd dedes or elles to the leuers of them vndone And agayne of these coactyue rules there are certayne wherby the obseruers or transgressours of them are punysshed or rewarded in the state and for the state of this present lyfe Of whiche sorte be all the cyuyle worldly customes and lawes of men And there be other some of the same rules accordynge to which the workers ar punysshed or rewarded onely for the state and in the state of the worlde to come Of whiche sorte are the lawes of god for the moost parte whiche in the coÌ„mune name are called sectê amonge whiche as we haue sayde the secte which is of chrysten men onely contayneth the trouthe and suffycyencie of thynges to be hoped for y e world to come ¶ There is therfore for the suffycient lyfe of this world a rule set which is preceptyue of the acte of man done with aduysement suche as are called Actus transeuntes that is to saye outwarde actes or actes passynge forth beynge possyble to be done to the profyte or dysprofite to the ryght or wronge of an other sondrye persone from hym that is the worker of suche dedes and the same rule is also coactyue of the transgressours by payne or punysshement for the state of this present lyfe whiche we haue called by the coÌ„mune name the lawe of man in the. x. chapytre of the fyrste dyccyon The fynall necessytie also and the cause agent or effectyue wherof we haue assygned and shewed in the. xi and. xii and. xiii chapytres of the fyrste dyccyon And howe we shuld lyue in this world for the state of the worlde to come there is a lawe gyuen or made and sette by chryste whiche lawe doubtles is the rule of mannes dedes beynge by the grace of god in the actyue powre of our mynde as well I saye of suche dedes as be in warde actes as of those which are called outwarde actes accordynge as they may eyther be done or elles lefte vndone dewely or vndewelye in this worlde but yet for the state of the worlde to come and this rule is also coactyue and dystrybutyue of payne or rewarde to be gyuen and executed in the worlde to come but not in this worlde accordynge to the merytes or demerytes of the obseruers or transgressours of the sayde lawe or rule in this present lyfe But because these coactyue lawes as well the lawes of god as of man lacke lyfe or soule and a pryncyple or cause motyue in themselues to gyue iudgement to do execusyon they had nede to haue some subiecte as they call it and some pryncyple or cause hauynge lyfe soule which may coÌ„maunde rule or iudge the dedes of men accordynge to the sayde lawes and also do execucyon of the iudgement gyuen and punysshe the transgressours of the same lawes This subiecte or pryncyple is called a iudge takynge this worde iudge in his thyrde sygnyfycacyon whiche we haue sayde in the seconde chapytre of this dyccion wherfore Arystotle sayth in the fourthe of the Ethikes where he treateth of Iustyce or ryghtuousnes A iudge is as
yet hauynge no coactyue powre in this worlde to coÌ„pell any man to the obseruynge of the preceptes and coÌ„maundementes of the same lawe For it shuld be in vayne and to none effecte to compell any man vnto the obseruynge of them For to hym that shulde obserue them onely by compulsyon they shulde be nothynge auayleable vnto eternall helthe as we shewed before euydently by the auctorytie of Chrysostome and also of the apostle Paule in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon And therfore this iudge is conuenyentlye lykened to a physycyon or leche whiche hathe auctorytie gyuen to hym for to teache or coÌ„maunde and to prenostycate or iudge of those thynges whiche are profytable to be done or to be lefte vndone for the optaynynge and gettynge of bodely helthe and the aduoydynge of death and syckenesse whiche shulde chaunce to hym for the whiche cause Chryste also in the state and for the state of this presente lyfe called hym selfe a physycyon or leche not a prynce or a iudge And therfore he sayd vnto the pharyseys speakyng of hym selfe as it was brought in in the chapytre afore gone They nede not a leche whiche are in helthe but they whiche are sycke and dyseased For Chryste hath not ordayned that any man shulde be compelled in this worlde to the obseruacyon of the lawe made by hym And therfore he hathe not ordayned any iudge spyrytuall hauynge coactyue powre to punysshe the transgressours of this lawe in this worlde wherfore it is to be marked and taken hede of that the lawe of the gospell may be two maner wayes compared vnto the men vpon whome it was made by chryste One waye it maye be compared to them in the state and for the state of this presente lyfe And in this comparyson it maye rather be called a speculatyue or a practyue doctryne or elles bothe than a lawe taken in his propre and last sygnyfycacyon albeit that it maye be called a lawe after other sygnyfycacyons of the same worde as after the seconde and the thyrde sygnyfycacyons of whiche we haue spoken in the. x. chapytre of the fyrste dyccyon And the cause of this whiche we haue sayde is this for that the name of this worde lawe in his thyrde sygnyfycacyon belongeth onelye to a coactyue rule that is to wytte such a rule accordynge to whiche the transgressoure is punysshed by powre coactyue gyuen to hym whiche ought to iudge accordynge to the same rule But nowe by the lawe of the gospell or by the lawe maker therof it is not coÌ„maunded that any man shulde be compelled of any spyrytuall man in this worlde to obserue those thynges whiche are coÌ„maunded in the same lawe to be done or to be lefte vndone in this worlde And therfore it beynge compared to the state of man in this worlde and for this worlde ought to be called a doctryne and not a lawe but onely after suche maner as we haue sayde And this was the mynde of the apostle in the thyrde chapytre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe All scrypture inspyred from god aboue is profytable to teache to argue or proue to rebuke to instructe in ryghtuousnesse But he neuer sayde that it was profytable to compelle or to punysshe in this worlde wherfore in the fyrste chapytre of the seconde epystle to the Corynthyanes the apostle sayth not because we are lordes and gouernours ouer your faythe but we are helpers or comforters of your Ioye Because you stande in faythe where saynt Ambrose as we haue shewed before in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon and it greueth me not to reherse the same often tymes agayne sayth these wordes and lest the Corynthyanes myght be myscoÌ„tent and angrye as yf the apostle had taken vpon hym to be lorde ouer them Because he had sayd it was for the sparynge of you that I haue not come therfore the apostle sayth followyngely I do saye these aforesayd wordes it was for the sparynge of you and not because your fayth suffereth any domynyon or compulsyon whiche is a thynge of freewyll and not of necessytye But I speake these wordes therfore because we are helpers yf you wyll worke with vs. c. Loo here he sayth helpers that is to wyt by our doctryne and he saythe also yf you wyll worke with vs whiche nowe do stande in faythe that worketh by loue and not by domynyon or compulcyon An other maner way the scryê‘ture or the lawe of the gospell maye be compared vnto men for the state of them in an other worlde in whiche worlde onely and not in this they shal be payned and punysshed whosoeuer hath transgressed and broken the sayd lawe in this worlde and so it maye well be called a lawe in his moste propre sygnyfycacion And he that iudgeth accordynge to it whiche is chryste maye than be called a iudge in the moste propre sygnyfycacyon of this worde because he hathe coactyue powre after the thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this worde But the preeste or bysshop who euer he be for asmoche as he dothe rule and ordre men accordynge to this lawe onely in the state of this presente lyfe althoughe it be to the lyfe to come neyther is it graunted to hym by the iÌ„medyate maker of this lawe that is to wyt chryste for to punysshe a man accordynge to it in this worlde therfore the preeste or bysshop is not called a iudge properly in his thyrde sygnyfycacyon as the whiche hathe not coactyue powre and neyther maye neyther ought to punysshe any man by suche maner iudgement in this worlde with eyther reale or personall payne or punysshement And in this or in lyke maner any doctour or teacher operatyue as a physycyon is in comparyson to the iudgement of the bodely helth of men hauynge no powre coactyue of any man as we haue sayde aboute the begynnynge of this present chapytre And this was also the sentence of saynt IohnÌ„ Crysostome playnlye openly agreynge to the mynde of the apostle in the fyrste chapytre in the seconde epystle to the Corynthyanes in his boke of dyaloges whiche is also entytled of the dygnytie of preesthode in the seconde boke and the thyrde chapytre But the ordre of his wordes which we haue brought in heretofore in the. vi parte of the. v. chapytre of this dyccion we haue not rehersed agayne here for cause of shortnesse but these wordes of his whiche folowe nexte after the aforesayde texte we haue put here and they be these For this cause than there is moch nede sayth he of the helpe of crafte and coÌ„nynge that men may be perswaded and brought in mynde whan they be sycke of theyr owne accorde and frewyll to offre them selfe to the leche crafte or physyke of preestes and not onelye this but also that the preestes maye do good and be gentle to them that are to be cured For whether any man wolde starte backe whan he is bounde for verely in this thynge he hath powre free lybertye
whiche in this worlde was iudged by coactyue power and dyd not iudge shall exercyse the power of a iudge that is to wytte in the Resurrection than shall you also be iudges with me ¶ Loo here than that accordynge to the sayeng of Chryste in the gospell and after the exposycion of sayntes Chryste hathe not exercysed iudicare power that is to wytte coactyue power in this worlde But rather beyng in the fourme of a seruaunt he was iudged of an other by suche maner iudgement also that whan he shal exercyse suche iudicare power coactyue in an other worlde that than the apostles also shal sytte with hym to iudge by suche maner iudgement and not afore that tyme. ¶ wherfore hit is worthely to be greatly meruayled at wherfore any bysshop or preeste who euer he be shulde take vpon them or be in wyll to haue greatter or other auctorytie in this worlde than Chryste or his apostles wolde haue for they in the fourme of seruauntes haue ben iudged by the seculate and worldly prynces But the successoures of them preestes and bysshoppes not onely refuseth to be subiectes to prynces contrarye to the example and precepte of Chryste and his apostles but also they saye that theym selues are aboue prynces and the hyghest powers in coactyue iurysdyccion and the prynces to be subiectes vnto them not withstondyng that Chryste sayd in the. x. of Mathewe And you shalbe ledde vnto kynges rulers for my sake he dyd not say you shall be kyngê rulers and hit foloweth afterwarde in the same chapytre The discyple is not aboue his teacher nor the bondeman aboue his lorde Therfore no preest or bysshop in y t he is suche one neyther may neyther ought to exercyse iudgemeÌ„t domynyon power or gouernaunce coactyue in this world And this also was euydently the mynde of Arystotle in the. iiii boke of his polytykes and the. xii chapytre THis may be proued also after this maner For yf chryst had wylled the preestes of y e newe lawe to be iudgê by the auctorytie of y e same lawe by iudge ment coactyue of the thyrd sygnyfycacyon y t is to wyt by defynynge determynynge the contencyons and debatefull actes of men in this world by such maner sentence doubtelesse he wolde haue gyuen suche specyall preceptes of such maner thynges in this lawe lykewyse as he dyd in the olde lawe to Moyses whome god by his owne mouthe or wordes and not by any man ordayned and made gouernour and coactyue iudge of the Iewes as it is red in the. vii chapitre of the actes of the apostles for which cause also god gaue to hym a lawe of thynges to be obserued in the state of this presente lyfe contaynynge specyally preceptes of such thynges for the departynge and endynge of the contencions and stryfes amonge men beynge very moche lyke vnto the lawe of man as touchynge some parte of it To the obseruynge and kepynge of whiche preceptes men were compelled and constrayned in this worlde by Moyses his substytutes coactyue iudges with or by payne or punysshement but not by any preeste as it appereth euydently in the. xviii chapytre of Exodus But chryste hathe not gyuen any suche preceptes in the lawe of the gospell but supposed them to be alredy gyuen or that they shulde afterwarde be gyuen in the lawes of men whiche lawes he coÌ„maunded to be obserued and also the gouernours accordynge to those lawes to be obeyed of euery soule at the lestwyse in those thynges whiche shuld not be coÌ„trary to the lawe of euerlastynge helthe And therfore he sayth in the. xxii of Mathewe and in the. xi of Marke Gyue you to Cesare those thynges that belonge to Cesare vnderstandynge by Cesare any maner prynce or gouernoure So also-the apostle in the. xiii to the Romaynes saythe for it greueth me not to reherse it agayne Let euery soule be subiecte to the hygher powres So also in the last chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe he byddeth the seruauntes to be obedyent to theyr lordes ye thoughe they be infydeles And the glose also in the same place after the mynde of Augustyne agreeth with the same whiche we haue brought in afore in y e. viii parte of the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon of all which auctoryties it appereth euydently that it was the intencyon and mynde of chryste and of the apostle and of sayntes that al men ought to be subiecte and obedyent to the lawes of men and to those that be iudges accordynge to the same lawes ¶ Moreouer of these aforesayd thynges it is euydent that chrysten men are not bounde to obserue and kepe all thyngê which in the olde lawe or testament were counsayled or coÌ„maunded to the people of the Iewes to be kepte But the obseruacyon of certayne thynges whiche coÌ„maunded to the Iewes is vtterly forbydden chrysten men as for example the seremonyes vnder payne of eternall perdycyon as the apostle teacheth in the. iii. and. vii chapytres to the Romaynes in the seconde and. v. to the Galathianes and in the seconde to the Ephesyanes and in the. vii and. x. chapitres to the Hebrues To whose mynde saynt Ierome saynt Augustyne agreynge say in theyr epystles sent from the one of them to the other the. xi and the. xiii concordynge eche with other that the obseruers of suche ceremonyes outher truely or faynedly after the publysshynge of the lawe of the gospel shal be cast downe in to y e doÌ„gyon of y e deuyl Lykewyse also christen men ar not bouÌ„de to y e obseruacyon of y e legales as it appereth by y e apostle also by Augustine vpon y t sayeng aforesayd in the last chapitre to Timothe whan he sayd let not chrysten seruauntê requyre y t is they can not requyre that whiche is sayde of the Hebrues c. for asmoche than as there is not in the lawe of grace any preceptes specyally gyuen for the coÌ„tencyons debatefull actê of men in this worlde to be determyned and ended it is lefte that such thynges ought to be determyned by the lawes of men and by the iudges accordynge to those lawes hauynge auctorytie of the humayue lawe maker or prynce There were also certayne other thynges in the lawe of Moyses coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be obserued for the state of y e worlde to come as the preceptes of the sacryfyces or of certayne hostes or oblacyoÌ„s to be made for the redempcyon of synnes namely of the preuye synnes whiche are coÌ„mytted by the inwarde actes or iudgement to the accomplysshynge of which preceptes no man was compelled or constrayned by payne or punysshement of this present worlde very lyke vnto these are al the counseyles preceptê of the newe lawe because chryste neyther wolde neyther coÌ„maunded any man to be coÌ„pelled to the obseruacyon of them in this worlde Albeit that he dothe coÌ„maunde by a generall coÌ„maundement that the ordynaunces of mennes lawes shulde be obserued but yet
the powre therof belongeth onely to hym that is gouernour and not to any preeste or bysshop for that they offende or trespasse agaynst goddes lawe whiche compared vnto men in the state and for the state of this present lyfe is a lawe but not after y e last sygnyfycacion of this worde hauynge coactyue powre of any man in this worlde as it appereth by the chapytre last afore gone and by the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon but it is called a lawe after the thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this worde as it appereth in the. x. chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon Accordynge to whiche lawe preestê euen in this worlde are iudges after the fyrste sygnyfycacion of this worde iudge or iudgement hauynge no coactyue powre as it hathe ben shewed in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon in the chapytre laste afore gone by the auctoritie of the apostle of Ambrose Hilarie and Crisostome for yf they were coactyue iudges or gouernours ouer heretykes because such do trespas agaynst the dyscyplyne wherof they be teachers and workers teachynge many thynges to other men accordynge to the same dysciplyne than by the same reason the goldfyner or the goldsmyth shulde be coactyue iudge gouernour ouer hym that is a false counterfaytour of golden cuppes whiche is agaynst reason greatly By the same reason also the physycion myght punysshe them that worke not aryght accordynge to the arte and scyence of physyke And than shuld there be as many gouernours coactiue as there ben offyces or occupacioÌ„s in a cytie agaynst the whiche it myght chaunce any man to trespasse or offende whiche thynge we haue shewed to be impossyble superfluous in the xvii chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon for those that trespas or offende agaynst the offycê occupacyons craftê in the cytie shulde not be coarted or punysshed vnlesse there be somwhat elles coÌ„mynge betwene as for example the precepte of the humayne lawe made by the auctorytie of the prynce For yf such maner offences were not prohybyted by the lawe of man they that do coÌ„mytte such offences ought not in any wyse to be punysshed This y t we haue sayd may be proued declared by a famylyare exaÌ„ple for I put the case that it were forbydden by the lawe of man that persons infecte with leprye shulded well or abyde amonge other cytezens myght the physycion or leche which alone can iudge theyr syckenesse accordyng to his facultie scyeÌ„ce that is to wytte whether they be full of leprye or not by coactyue powre of his owne auctorytie because he is a doctour of physyke dryue them whome he shall iudge by iudgemeÌ„t of the fyrst sygnyfycacion to be full of leprye from the felowshyp coÌ„pany of other men c. It is euydent vndoubted that he myght not do so But to do this thynge belongeth onely to hym to whome the costume of the humayne lawe coactyue is coÌ„mytted that is to wyt to y e gouernour for it is not lawfull for the people or for any coÌ„pany pryuatefy to iudge or to coarte or punysshe any man but onely to the cheyfe gouernour whiche gouernour for al this coÌ„cernynge the crymes or trespasses offences wherof any man is accused and coÌ„cernyyge the nature of the same accordynge to the determynacion of the lawe yf it speake of this thynge which doubtelesse it shal do yf it be a perfyte lawe or els by his owne wysdome yf it be not spoken but lefte out in the lawe ought to vse to gyue credence to the iudgement of the lerned men suche as be well skylled in the artes or scyences whiche treate of the nature of suche workes dedes or wordes as to the iudgement of a physycyon concernynge the persons whiche be full of leprye or which be not so to the iudgemeÌ„t of a dyuyne of synners which are fygured or sygnyfyed by leprouse persons in the holy scrypture after the exposycion of sayntê Lykewyse also he ought to beleue y e iudgemeÌ„t of the goldsmyth coÌ„cernynge the deceytfull counterfaytynge of golden cuppes or of other metallê semblably to any other maner lerned or coÌ„nynge man after the other kyndes of thyngê that maye be done or wrought So than the physycyon of soules y t is to wyt the preest ought to iudge of heretykes or infydels by iudgement of the fyrste sygnyfycation that is to wyt in pronouÌ„cynge declarynge by the worde of god whiche sayenge or whiche dede is heretycall whiche not But to iudge of suche persones by iudgement of the thyrde sygnyfycacion that is by daÌ„pnynge or absoluynge them from temporall payne or punysshement or to coÌ„pell them whiche shall be dampned suffre such payne or punysshement to applye the paynes exacted for these crymes yf there be reall as well as other paynes which are exacted requyred for other crymes offences accordynge to the determynacyon of the lawe of man All these thynges I say belonge onely to the prynce gouernour or his deputie And to these thynges whiche we haue sayde the scrypture beareth wytnesse in the. xxv chapytre of the actes of the apostles For whan the apostle was accused of the Iewes for an heretyke thoughe falsely wrongfully the inquysycyon deduccion applycacion determynacyon of this cause was made a fore a iudge to a iudge by a iudge therunto ordayned apoynted by the auctorytie of the gouernour Lykewyse as to other coÌ„tencioÌ„s or cyuyle actes or dedes And it is no mastery to assoyle the reasons or obieccyons made coÌ„trary to these determynacyons for whan it was sayde that the iudgement of the heretyke belongeth vnto hym as iudge to whome it beloÌ„geth to knowe the cryme of heresy here is a dystynccyon to be made because of the equyuocacyon or manyfolde sygnyfycacion of this worde iudge or iudgement after one sygnyfycation of these wordê that is to wyt the fyrst y e ê“posycion aforesayd is true after an other sygnyfication of this word iudgemeÌ„t y t is to wyt y â— thyrd y e sayd ê“posycion is false And therfore nothynge can be coÌ„cluded agaynst our determynacion of this proposycyon afore alledged And to the other obieccyon which foloweth that to hym belongeth the iudgement of the trespasser the exaccion of the payne the applycacion of y â— same yf he be reall agaynst whome whose lawe the trespasser doth offende And than whan it is sayde afterwardes y t the heretyke trespasseth offendeth agaynst the lawe of god it is to be graunted therfore he shal be iudged by hym that is iudge of the thyrde sygnyfycacion accordynge to that lawe that is to wyt by chryst in an other worlde but not in this excepte it be by mannes lawe But neyther preeste neyther any bysshop is suche a maner iudge of the lawe of god but onely a iudge in the fyrst sygnyfycacion for that he is a teacher therof namely yf this lawe be coÌ„pared to men in the state and for the state of
for to teache vs practyse y e same thyngê by exaÌ„ple wherfore it is red in the seconde chapytre of Luke that the blyssed vyrgyn his mother wrapped hym in course clothes and that she layde hym downe in y â— Mawnger Beholde here that he was poorely borne in an other mannes house beholde that he was layde downe in a mawnger or cratche which was a place for beastê to be fed in And it is lyke to be true y t he was wrapped in cloutê borowed of another body because Ioseph the blyssed virgyn were strauÌ„gers pylgrymes or passengers in y t place he whiche was thus borne in pouertie lyued also in pouertie when he was growen in age wherfore speakynge of his owne pouerte in the viii of Mathewe in the. ix of Luke he sayde The foxes haue dennes the byrdes of the ayre haue nestê but the sone of man hath no place where he maye laye downe his heed And this state as beynge the state of pfeccion after al other preceptes counsayles duely accordyngly obserued fulfylled he taught them to electe chose those whiche be in wyll mynde to be his dyscyples cheyfe folowers namely his successours in y t same offyce which for the exercysynge wherof he came in to this worlde wherfore in the. xix of Mathewe in the. x. of Marke in the. xviii of Luke when a certayne man demauÌ„ded a questyon of hym sayenge in this wyse Good maystre what thynge shal I do to obtayne get euerlastynge lyfe Ihesus answered to hym sayd knowest thou the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tê Thou shalte not kyll thou shalte do no thefte c. he sayde agayne I haue obserued kepte all these from my youth when Ihesus had herde y t he sayde to hym yet thou lackest one thynge or as it is red in Mathewe yf thou wylte be perfecte go sell all that thou haste gyue it to poore folkes thou shalt haue a treasure in heuen Agayne in the. xiiii of the same Luke he sayde to his dysciples who soeuer of you dothe not renouÌ„ce al thyngê which he possesseth he can not be my dyscyple Lo here y t the state of pouertie despysynge of y e world besemeth euery ê‘fecte man namely the dysciple of chryst his successour in y e pastoral offyce yea moreouer this state is in a maner necessary to hym that ought to couÌ„sayle exhorte other vnto the despysynge of y â— world yf he do intende purpose y t any profyte or good shal growe of his teachynge or preachynge for yf suche maner ê‘sone doth possesse ryches desyreth domynyoÌ„s soueraygneties which teacheth other men vnto whome he speaketh to despyse these thyngê that persone verely by his owne workynge doynge doth manyfestly reproue rebuke his owne preachiÌ„ge wordes wherfore Chrisostome agaynst suche preachers in his boke of the compunccyon of herte sayth in this wyse To say not to do is not onely no lucre or aduauÌ„tage but also very moche losse hynderaunce for verely it is a great coÌ„deÌ„pnacion to hym that ordereth wel trimeth his speache but regardeth nothiÌ„ge his maner of lyuynge This same also is y â— mynde of Aristotle in the fyrst rhapytre of the. x. boke of his etykes where he sayth thus For when the wordê be dysagreynge from y e workê of hym y t speaketh whiche workes be sene perceyuyd by other bodely sences the sayd workes destroye the trouth y t he whiche ordereth and triÌ„meth his wordes so well can not be beleued And he sayth a lytle after y e wordes which be agreynge vnto the workê or dedê shal be beleued and therfore chryst whiche knewe howe all thyngê were to be done most coÌ„uenyently wyllynge credence to be gyuen vnto his wordes wherby he taught the coÌ„tempte of the world the despysynge eschewynge of worldly vanyties carnall pleasures he counsayled y t the workes shulde be coÌ„formable to the wordes or doctryne wherfore in the. v. of Mathewe he sayth to all that shulde after wardê be doctours teachers of such thyngê in the persone of the apostles let your lyght y t is to wyt your doctryne whiche is coÌ„pared to lyghte so shyne before men y t they maye se your good workê where the glose sayth these wordê I requyre workê y t they may be sene so by the reason of them that your doctryne may be confyrmed establysshed for els lytle credence is gyuen to the wordes doctryne where the workê be not sene wherfore y â— glose vpon that texte in the. x. of Mathewe do not you possesse golde nor syluer c. shewynge y â— cause hereof sayth in this wyse yf they had these thynges that is to wyt golde syluer c. they myght seme to preache not because of soule helthe but for cause of lucre aduauntage for the teachers or pastours of other men possessynge suche thyngê do rather destroy the fayth deuocyon of men with theyr coÌ„trary workes exaÌ„ples then strength establesshe them with theyr wordes doctryne that because they do set theyr owne workes dedes manyfestly agaynst theyr owne teachynge of which workê men take hede rather then of the wordes it is greatly to be feared least at the last throughe the lewde exaÌ„ples of theyr workes they do brynge the chrysten people to the desperacyon of the world to come For such be the exaÌ„ples workes in a maner of all the mynysters of the churche bothe of bysshpps or preestê of other clarkes coÌ„sequently moste euydently of them which sytteth vpon the greatest trones or chayers of y e churche that is to say whiche be in most hyghe rowmes auctorytie that they do seme no thynge at all to beleue that there shall be any iudgement of god done in an other worlde for let them tel I beseche them with what coÌ„scyence towardes god yf they do beleue that there shall be made a ryghtwyse iudgemeÌ„t of god in y e worlâ— to come done y e most parte of the popes of Rome theyr cardynalles with other preestê or bysshoppes whiche be made ouerseers put in truste to take charge of soules to dystrybute the teÌ„poralles of the churche to poore folke also in a maner all other deacons clarkes of euery sorte accordynge to theyr powre why do they I say of the thefte or robery of suche teÌ„porall goodes whiche haue ben ordayned bequest by deuoute chrysten men for the susteÌ„tacion of the preachers of goddes worde of theyr poore folke eyther delyuer whyles they be lyuynge or els bequeth when they be dyenge as great suÌ„mes of money as they may not to y â— poore and nedy people but to theyr nere kynsfolke or to other who soeuer they be robbynge wherof no man doubteth the poore men of the same goodes Let them tell also I requyre them with what coÌ„scyence accordynge to
inferior to Peter nor to the other apostles consequently to this purpose it foloweth thus in the glose when they had sene or perceyued that the preachynge of the gospell to the vncyrcumcysed gentyles was betaken to me as faythfull and trusty so pryncypally as the gospell of cyrcumcisyon was betaken to Peter Lo that Paule was sent as pryncypallye as Peter was and not of Peter or of any other of the apostles but of chryste iÌ„medyatlye whiche thynge the apostle more largelye expressynge in the fyrst chapytre of the same epystle sayth thus Paule the apostle not of men or by man but by Ihesus chryste god y e father where the glose sayth after the mynde of Ambrose Paule the apostle not electe or sent by men that is to wyt by Ananias as certayne men sayd or by other men as certayne were elected and sent by the apostles and a lytle after it foloweth in the same glose alter the mynde of Augustyne For the other apostles semed to be greatter because they were afore And this apostle semed to be leaste because he was laste but hereof he appereth more worshypfull because the fyrst apostles were made and ordayned by chryste beynge yet partlye a man that is to saye mortall but the last apostle that is to wyt Paule was constituted and made by chryste nowe beynge whole god that is to saye vtterly mortall and by god the father whiche dyd or wrought this by the same and that he myght open and declare wherfore he sayd neyther by man he sayth afterward which hath raysed hym vp from deathe And so he hath more worthelye or worshypfullye made me by chryste beynge iÌ„mortall than he dyd the other by chryst beynge mortal Agayne the apostle coÌ„fyrmynge this afterwarde in y e same chapytre sayth thus I gyue you knowlege or do you to wyt brethern that the gospell whiche hath ben preached of me is not after man for I haue not receyued it or learned it of man but by the reuelacyon of Ihesu chryste where the glose after the mynde of Augustyne sayth I do you to wytte bretherne that the gospell whiche hath ben preached of me is not after the mynde of any man teachynge me verely it is not of man for I haue not receyued it neyther learned it of man so that man dyd electe me to preache it or inioyne me to preache it Neyther I learned it of man teachynge me but by the reuelacyon of Iesu chryste Lo here that neyther Peter neyther any other of y e apostles or any man hath chosen Paule or sent hym or inioyned to hym the mynystery of preachynge the gospell The same is to be iudged also of y e other apostles Peter therfore had no powre moche lesse than he had coactyue iurysdyccion of god iÌ„medyately vpon y e other apostles neyther of iÌ„stytutige them in y e offyce of preesthode neyther to segregate and departe them in sondre or to sende them to the offyce of preachynge sauynge onely that this maye safelye be graunted that Peter was afore or aboue other in age or auÌ„cyentnes or perauenture afore them in offyce as touchynge tyme or the chosynge of the apostles that is to saye fyrste elected apostle for whiche cause the other apostles had hym in reuerence not vnworthely albeit y t no man can proue this eleccion of Peter afore the other apostles by the holy scripture And that this is trewe which we haue sayd it is an euydeÌ„t token seynge that we do not fynde any where in the scrypture that Peter toke vpon hym any auctoryte syngulerly aboue y e other apostles but rather that he kepte and vsed egalytie with them for he toke not to hym selfe auctoryte to determyne suche thyngê which were doubtfull concernynge the preachynge of the gospell whiche pertayneth to doctryne teachynge but suche thyngê as were doubtfull concernynge this busynes were determyned by the coÌ„mune delyberacion or counceyle of the apostles and of other chrysten men most learned and not by the determynacyon of Peter alone or of any other apostle seuerally by hym selfe wherfore in the. xv chapytre of the actes when a dyssencyon was rysen amonge y e preachers of the gospell whether it was necessarye to cyrcumcyse the chrysten men that were vncyrcumcysed for the gettynge or obtaynynge of euerlastynge saluacyon and certayne sayd that it was necessarie but Paule and Barnabas sayd playnly agaynst it the apostles and the senyours assembled togyther to take consultacyon of this mater vpon which Peter and Iames sayd that it was not necessarye to whose sentence and iudgement the senyours and the other apostles consented wherfore it foloweth afterwardes in the texte Than it pleased the apostles and senyours with the whole congregacyon to chose men and to sende them to Antyoche with Paule Barnabas c. sendynge letters by theyr handes the maner of theyr wrytynge was lyke to the maner of a delyberacyon or consultacyon in this fourme and facyon The apostles and senyours and brethern to the brethern of the gentyles whiche are in Antioche in Siria and Cilicia sendeth greatynge c. A lyke thynge is also had afterwarde in the same chapytre whan it is sayd it pleased vs therfore beynge assembled togyther in one to chose men and to sende them vnto you agayne the same thynge is had in the same chapytre a lytle after it hathe pleased the holy ghost and vs to laye no more burthayne vpon you Thus than it is euydent that Peter dyd not determyne the aforesayd doubtes coÌ„cernynge the fayth of the fulnes of powre which fulnes of powre certayne maysters and teachers in Israell dreamynge dothe saye that the bysshop of Rome hath whiche also hath pronounced and gyuen senteÌ„ce in theyr decrees wryten that the bysshop of Rome by hym selfe alone whiche thynge Peter durst neuer be bolde to do may determyne the doubtes which are concernynge the fayth whiche is openlye and euydentlye false and playnely contrary to the scrypture wherof also we shall speake largely in the nexte chapytre hereafter folowynge in the. xx chapytre of this dyccyon It was the coÌ„gregacion than of the learned chrysten men whiche toke couÌ„ceyll whiche determyned the doubte whiche chose messengers and which wrote And by this auctoryte of the whole congregacyon the thynge whiche was so determyned and coÌ„maunded was of strength for the congregacyon of the apostes was of more or greatter auctorite than Peter alone or any other apostle by hym selfe wherfore we do rede that Peter was sent by the congregacion in to Samarye as it is euydent in the. viii chapytre of the actes by these wordes whan the apostles had herde whiche were at Iherusalem that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of god they sent to them Peter IohnÌ„ Why then or wherof dothe certayne cursed flaterers take vpon them to saye that any bysshop hathe fulnes of powre gyuen to hym by chryste not onely vpon laye men but also vpon clarkes seynge that saynt Peter or any
playne y t it nedeth no glose whiche thynge also we haue proued here before by the epystle of saynt Iherome to Euander the preeste where he sayth y t all bysshoppes whether it were of Rome or of any other place are all of one the same preesthode meryte or of one powre and auctorytie gyuen by chryste But yet yf any where it be founde in the wrytyngê of certayne holy fathers that Peter is called Princeps a postolorum y t is to say the cheyfe or pryncipall of the apostles it is sayd takynge this word princeps largely vnproperly albeit that it is openly agaynst the sentence sayenge of chryste in the. xx of Mathewe the. xxii of Luke where he sayth The prynces of the gentyles haue domynion of them but you not so And therfore it is to be sayd y t the holy fathers spake not so meanynge y t Peter had any powre or auctoryte gyuen to hym by chryste ouer or vpon the other apostles but peraduenture because he was elder in age or because he fyrste of all the apostles dyd confesse that chryste was the very consubstancyal sone of god or els because peradueÌ„ture he was more seruent coÌ„stante or bolde in the sayth or els because he was more often tymes coÌ„uersauÌ„t with christ more often called i secrete busynes counseyles wherfore the apostle in the seconde chapytre to y e Galatyans sayth thus Iames Peter IohnÌ„ whiche semed to be y â— pyllers c. where y â— glose after y â— mynde of Ambrose sayth because they were more worshypful for that they were alwayes with our lorde in secrete busynesses A coÌ„uenyeÌ„t example of the whiche thynge may be taken of the worldly prynces For one of them is not aboue an other of them by hauynge any powre one ouer an other as the erles of one realine of whom one is not vndre an other of them in iurysdyccion or auctoryte but they be all iÌ„medyatly vnder the kynge yet for all that one or mo then one of them is otherwhyles accoÌ„pted more honorable then the other because they be elder or more auÌ„cient or els because they be more excelleÌ„t in one or mo vertues or because they be more obsequyouse obedyeÌ„t or do more pleasure or seruyce to the kynge or to the realme For whiche cause they be more loued of the kynge or the people had in more reuereÌ„ce then the other after this same maner we ought to iudge of the apostles in coÌ„paryson of them one to an other vnto chryst for all they were vnder the powre auctoryte of chryste iÌ„medyatly receyued of hym theyr instytucion in the offyce of preesthode of apostleshyp not one of them of an other as the scrypture wytnesseth openly euery where the sayntê folowynge the scrypture albeit yet y t amonge them saynt Petre was the most worshypfull for the causes aforesayde but not for any powre or auctoryte gyuen to hym by chryste ouer or vpon the other apostles for this powre or auctoryte chryste forbad them to haue one ouer an other as we shewed afore by the. xxiii of Mathewe when he sayde dyrectly to the present purpose vnto them these wordes Be you not in wyl to becalled Rabbi y t is to say mayster for you haue but one mayster chryste all you be brethren lykewyse neyther had he any coactyue iurysdyccion vpon the other apostles more then they had ouer hym so consequently neyther his successours vpon the successours of the other apostles for this chryste vtterly forbad them in the. xx of Mathewe the. xxii of Luke when he sayd dyrectly for y e present purposes vnto them when there was a coÌ„teÌ„cion made amongê them whiche of them shuld be the greatest these wordes folowynge The kyngê pryncê of the gentyles are lordes ouer them they whiche are greatter don exercyse powre auctoryte vpon them but do not you so Chryst coulde nomore openly playnly haue denyed it them why then shall any man beleue the tradycyon of man concernynge this mater whether he be saynt or no saynt more then y e most playne open speche or sayenge of chryste for agaynst suche maner persone or persones chryste speketh in the. vii of Marke when he sayd dyrectly to our present purpose But they honouren me in vayne teachynge the doctrynes preceptes of men for you leaue the coÌ„maundement of god do holde or kepe the tradycioÌ„s of men a lytle after it foloweth you do wel refuse or make the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god voyde or of none effecte y t you may kepe your owne tradycioÌ„s And this thynge do all they which teachen the Decretalles made by men which sayen that to the bysshop of Rome beloÌ„geth powre domynyon of the teÌ„poral goodes not onely of men of y e churche that is to say ecclesiastical persons but also of the teÌ„poralles beloÌ„gynge to kyngê emperours makiÌ„ge the precepte of god voyde and of none effecte as it was shewed in the. xiiii chapytre as it appereth euydeÌ„tly of this present chapytre that they may kepe theyr owne tradycyon or constytucyon coÌ„cernynge the temporall goodes for theyr owne profyte aduauÌ„tage But yet yf the apostles had elected chosen saynt Peter as ouerseer to them or more pryncypall because of his age more excelleÌ„t holynes as it is had of a certayne decre of Anacletus pope which is coÌ„tayned in the Code or boke of Isydore y e texte of which decre is in this forme folowynge But the other apostles with the same Peter receyued honour powre by egall felowshyp they wylled hym to be cheyfe pryncypall of them yet for all y t it shuld not folowe hereof that his successours in the see of Rome or in any other see yf he were bysshop any where els hath the same priorite or prehemyneÌ„ce aboue the successours of the other apostles except his successours were chosen ther unto by the successours of the other apostles for some successours of the other apostles were of more vertue then certayne of the successours of Peter Howbeit properly euery bysshop is indyfferently the successour of euery one of the apostles as touchynge to offyce thoughe not as touchynge to place Agayne why shuld this superiorite or prerogatyue belonge more to the successours of Peter in the see of Rome then to his successours in the see of Antioche or of Ierusalem or in any other see yf he had ben bysshop in many sees c. Moreouer euery bysshoppe as touchynge to the intrynsecall dygnyte y t is to say the inseperable dygnyte is indyfferently the successour of eche one of the apostles of the same meryte or perfeccyon as touchynge to the dygnyte aforesayd or offyce for all they haue this powre all one of one the same cause effycyeÌ„t or gyuer iÌ„medyatly y t is to wyt of chryste not of hym that put on his haÌ„des vpon them
Neyther it maketh any skyll or force whiche of y â— apostles layde on his haÌ„des wherfore it is wryten in the thyrde chapytre of the fyrst epystle to the Corynthianes Let no man glorie or reioyse in men whether it be Paule or Apollo or Cephas that is to wyt Peter c y t hathe baptysed you or otherwyse layde haÌ„des it maketh no force Furthermore the bysshop of Rome is not or ought not to be called syngulerly the successoure of saynt Peter for cause of the puttynge or layenge on handes for one may be coÌ„uenyently bysshop of Rome vpon whom saynt Peter neuer layde haÌ„de neyther medyatly ne yet iÌ„medyatly Neyther agayne he ought to be called y t successour of Peter for y t see or determynacion or appoyntmeÌ„t of y e place Fyrst because none of y e apostles was determyned or appoynted at al by y e law of god to any people or place for it was sayd in the last chapytre of Mathewe to them all Go you therfore teache you all nacyoÌ„s agayne because it is red that Peter was at Antioche before that he was at Rome Moreouer because thoughe Rome were made inhabitable destroyed yet the successyon of Peter shulde not therfore perysshe but Peter shulde haue a successour Furthermore because it can not be proued neyther by the lawe of god neyther by the scrypture althoughe it doth call men to the belefe of it selfe of the necessyte of saluacyon that it was ordayned or appoynted by chryste or by any of the apostles that the bysshop of any determynat prouynce or dyocese is or ought to be called spyritually the successour of Peter or of any other apostle superyour to other the case put that the apostles had ben neuer so vnegall in auctoryte but that persone or those persones be rather some maner way more the successours of Peter of the other apostles whiche be more coÌ„formable to the lyfe and holy maners coÌ„uersacyon of Peter the other apostles for such maner men the blyssed apostles wolde answere yf they were asked the questyon to be theyr successour moche lyke to the answere of chryste theyr mayster in y e. xii of Mathewe where when one sayd to hym Thy mother thy brethren stonde without y e dores sekynge the or wylliÌ„ge to speke with the he answered sayd who is my mother or who be my brethren who soeuer shall fulfyll the wyll of my father which is in heuen he is my brother suster mother whiche of the bysshops then or preestê is more worthy to be called the successour of the apostles doubtles he whiche foloweth them more in theyr coÌ„uersacion workê But yf any man shall say y t any bysshop is therfore pryncypally made the successour of saynt Peter because he is elected by the clargy of Rome or by the clargy with the resydue of the people to the bysshopriche therfore to be made bysshop ouerseet of the vnyuersal churche althoughe more spyrytually he belonge to the cytie of Rome aslonge as it shall remayne vndystroyed it is to be answered sayd that albeit this sayeÌ„ge may be many wayes repreued yet it may suffycyeÌ„tly be disproued put by by this one waye seynge that it can not be ê“ued by the holy scrypture but rather the coÌ„trary of it as it hath ben shewed here before shall be shewed more largely in y â— chapytre nexte hereafter folowiÌ„ge wherfore as lyghtly as it is sayd so lyghtly it may be denyed But wherby or how for what cause the priÌ„cipalyte or superiorite hath com to the bysshop and churche of Rome yf suche superyorite be dewe to them aboue other bysshops churches it shall be sayde seryously earnestly in the. xxii chapytre of this dyccyon But thoughe these thyngê aforesayde be meruaylouse vnwonte to be harde yet this that foloweth is more meruaylouse bycause it is more vnwonte strauÌ„ge it shal peraduenture seme at y â— least wyse inopinable yf it do not seme false That by y e certayne vndoubted testymony of y e scrypture it may be proued y t the bysshops of Rome as touchynge the prouynce nacyon ben rather the successours of the apostle Paule then of Peter namely in the episcopall see of Rome And moreouer whiche shall seme excedyngly more meruaylouse then this before rehersed that it can not be proued by the holy scrypture that the bysshoppes of Rome ben the especyal successours of saynt Peter by reason of the determynacyon of the prouynce or see but rather that they for that cause are the successours of Peter whiche haue ben bysshops and haue set or don set in the epyscopall see of Antioche more then the bysshoppes of Rome And the former of these two sayengê may be proued by this that albeit saynt Paule was generally sent to all nacyons lykewyse as euery one of the other apostles was wherof it is red in the. ix of the actes he is a chosen vessell vnto me for to bere my name afore the gentyles and kynges and sones of Israell but yet specyallye pryncypally he was the apostle of the gentyles lykewyse as Peter was the apostle teacher of the Iewes as well by reuelacyon as by the ordynacion of the apostles amonge them selues wherfore it is red in the seconde to the Galatyans whan Iames Peter IohnÌ„ had perceyued and sene that the gospell of vncyrcuÌ„cisyon that is to saye of the Gentyles was betaken to me as the gospell of cyrcuÌ„cysyon that is to saye of the Iewes was betaken to Peter c. and the apostle meaneth in both places the preachynge of the gospell to the gentyles to the Iewes to haue ben coÌ„mytted to hym to Peter pryncypally for both Peter myght preache to the Gentyles and Paule to the Iewes yf cause or necessyte had so requyred Albeit that the pryncypalyte amonge the Gentyles by mynystrynge of the gospell dyd beloÌ„ge to Paule the pryncipalyte of mynystrynge the same to the Iewes dyd belonge to saynt Peter as the glose expoundeth the same place after the mynde of Augustyne Agayne in the. xxii of the actê it was sayde to Paule beynge in a traunce by reuelacyon Go thy way for I shall sendethe in to farre nacyons Agayne in the. xxviii the last of the actes it is sayde so we came to Rome And a lytle afterwarde the apostle speaketh to y e Iewes in rome sayenge Be it therfore knowen to you that this holsome gospell of god is sent to the gentyles they shal here it he remayned or dwelled hole two yeres in a howse that he hyred receyued al men that cam in to hym preachynge to them the kyngdom of god Agayne he hym selfe wytnesseth this more specyally in the. xi to the Romayns where he sayth For I say to you geÌ„tyles y t as loÌ„ge as I am y e apostle of the gentyles I shall do honoure to my mynysterye yf I may by any meane
other euydent coÌ„modytes and profytes whiche I shall assygne hereafter ¶ These thynges than thus premysed and put before nowe coÌ„mynge pertycularely and specyally to the thynges purposed in the begynnynge of this chapytre Fyrst we shall shewe that of suche determynat instytucyon of the apostles to certayne peoples and prouynces the moste coÌ„uenyent cause effectyue imediat was the reuelacion of chryst or els y â— able ordynacion of them amoÌ„ge themselues afterwardes we shall shewe that the imedyate cause effectyue of the determynate instytucyon of theyr fyrst successours afore the conuercion of the people was the expresse wyll of all the apostles or els of many of them yf other all or els many of them were present togyther in one place or prouynce in whiche it was necessarye to ordayne and instytute a preest or bysshop or elles onely one of the apostles accordynge to the dysposycion of the place and people and tyme. Laste of all we shall shewe that after the dethe of the apostles or in theyr absence the secondarye instytucion of bysshops and of other spyrytuall mynysters or mynystres of the churche after the most conuenyent manere possyble to the conuersacyon of man was done by the vnyuersyte or hole congregacion and multytude of the chrysten people in the place or prouynce ouer whiche the sayde bysshoppes or mynystres ought to be instytuted and ordayned rather than by any other pertyculare coÌ„panye or persone and so afterwarde the other thynges shall be shewed coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ¶ The fyrste therfore of these maye appere that is to wytte that there can be no more conuenyent cause assygned of the aforesayd determynacion of the apostles to a certayue place c. than the deuyne reuelacyon or y e conuenyent delyberacion of them amonge themselues for as moche as in neyther of these two there semeth any erroure or malyce to haue chaunced or come betwene for of the deuyne reuelacyon no man doubteth And as for the eleccyon made by the apostles it semeth probable and to be beleued that they were inspyred with the holye ghost as we haue alledged here tofore of the. xx chapytre of IohnÌ„ ¶ Furthermore I say that of the secondary instytucyon or determynacyon or assygnement of theyr fyrst successours namely afore the conuersyon of peoples the imedyate cause effectyue or doer was and ought to be all or many of the apostles or some one alone of them after the maner aforesayd as yf all togyther or many or elles but one alone of them were founde in that place And this is proued fyrst by the scrypture for we rede in the. vi of the actes that the apostles dyd after this maner in the instytucyon of the deacons yea and that touchynge the fyrste and essencyall as we do call it instytucion of them For it is sayde in the same chapytre They sette these men vnderstande thou whiche were to be made deacons afore the syght of the apostles and they that is to wyt the apostles makynge theyr prayers layde theyr handes vpon them They dyd not than bryng them to Peter alone but they brought them afore the syght of the apostles Neyther Peter alone toke vpon hym auctoryte seuerally to put his handes vpon them but the apostles dyd put handes on them And this is also agreable to reason For it is lyke to be trewe that all or many of the apostles togyther toke more sure councell and dyd lesse erre aboute the persone to be promoted outher to preesthode or to any other holy ordre than any one of them taken seuerally by hymselfe as we alledged afore in the last chapytre that for this cause they assembled with the other senyours or preestes to determyne the doubte aboute the lawe of the gospell in the facte or worke of cyrcuÌ„cysyon Agayne by this coÌ„mune assente was taken awaye the mater and occasyon of offence and contencyon whiche of lykelyhode shulde haue rysen amonge them yf any one of them in the presence of the other wold haue taken vnto hym any powre or superyoryte aboue other whiche contencyon rysen amonges them euen by chrystes tyme Chryste determyned and ended by this shewynge and expressynge y â— equalyte of them as we haue here tofore alledged of the. xxii of Mathewe and the. xxii of Luke and also haue shewed it more largely by â–ª y e apostle also and the exposycyons of the sayntes in the chapytre last afore gone Moreouer it was most resonable so to do that therby they myght take away the presuÌ„pcyon of suche syngularyte from all theyr successours and also gyue them example of doynge lykewyse as it shall be shewed hereafter in the. ix parte hereof by the glose vpon the. vi chapytre of the actes ¶ But yf they were not all togyther or elles many of them in the place where it was nedefull to make a bysshop or ouerseer and gouernour to some multytude of chrysten men for the kepynge of them in the fayth it is to be sayde verely that one of them alone myght lawfully do this thige namely where was but a small multytude of chrysten people and the same rude and vnskylled to dyscerne what persone was moste conuenyent for the offyce of a bysshop or ouerseer and cheyfelye where was not many suffycyent or able persons for this sayde offyce whiche thynge chaunced often tymes to Paule and to his fyrste successours as it appereth suffycyentlye of the actes of the apostles and of his owne epystles vnto Timothe and Tite And that suche maner instytucion myght lawfully and ought to be made by one of them alone it maye be proued by this that therby was chosen the beste and most conuenyent pastor For outher it was lawfull for eche one of them at his owne pleasure to make hymselfe ouerseer vnto other in the mynysterye of the gospell or els this thynge ought to be done by the eleccion of the multytude beynge subiecte or elles by some of the apostles beynge there prsente Of the fyrst waye slaundre and erroure myght haue chaunced slaundre or offence I saye yf two persons or mo wolde haue taken this auctoryte vnto them Erroure also or insuffyciencie and vnablenes of the pastor lykewyse For most coÌ„munely fooles or ambicious persons desyreth and goeth aboute to take vpon them dygnyties and prelacies more than vertuose or wysemen And of the seconde way that is to wyt yf the prelate shulde haue ben made by the eleccyon of the multytude erroure insuffyciencie of the persone promoted myght of lykelyhode haue chauÌ„ced by the reason that the sayd multytude was weke bothe in nombre and also in knowlege for they were rude and ignoraunt at the begynnynge in mayne prouyncê namely out of Iewrye and easye to be begyled as it appereth of the holy epystle to the Galatians and of many other epystles wherfore the apostle in the thyrde of the fyrste epystle to the CoryntheaÌ„s sayth thus And I brethren myght not speke to you as to spyrytuall persones but as to carnall persones as to
chyldren or babes in chryste I gaue you mylke to drynke for you were not yet able or stronge neyther yet you be able or stronge for you are yet carnall Wherfore to conclude it was a more sure and more wyse way that this instytucion shulde be done by y e eleccion or determynacion or assygnemeÌ„t of one of the apostles whose lyfe and wysdom was more wayghtye and greatter by the reason that they had the holy ghost than the lyfe or wysdome of all that were in such a multytude albeit that it is not to be denyed but that it was expedyent for the apostle to haue asked counsayle of the multytude as touchynge to the maners and conuersacion of the persone whiche was to be preferred and elected to the sayd offyce ¶ Nowe consequentlye after the premysses I wyll shewe that after the tyme of the apostles and of the holy fathers succedynge nexte after the apostles in office and namely the coÌ„munytes and congregacions of chrysten men beynge ones perfyte the iÌ„medyat factyue cause or doer of this instytucion and assygnacion of the gouernour and ouerseer whether he were greatter whom they do nowe call a bysshop or whether he were smaller whome they do nowe call a curate or a preest hauynge cure also of the other inferyor mynystres is ought to be hym to whom the sayd multytude hathe graunted auctoryte to make suche instytucyons or eleccyons And to the same auctoryte it belongeth laufullye to put out and depryue euery one of the sayd offycers of suche maner offyces and to compell eche one of them to exercyse execute his offyce yf it be thought expedyeÌ„t necessary But yet we ought to marke take hede y t althoughe it is in the powre of any preeste who euer he be so to exhybyte and do his mynysterie that he maye put his haÌ„des vpon all men indyfferently and to promote hym to preesthode hym selfe beynge as mynystre preparynge and god absolutlye and iÌ„medyatlie gyuynge the powre of preesthode yet I do say for al that y t it is not laufull for hym to gyue it to euery maner of man at his pleasure neyther by goddes lawe nor mannes lawe in y e coÌ„munytes of chrysten men beynge nowe perfyte as we sayde before but more ouer yf he do exhibyte his sayde mynysterye to any crymynous or sclaunderous ê‘sone or otherwyse insuffycient and vnable he trespasseth worthy of punysshement agaynst the law of god and of man also that he doth synne punyssheable against y e lawe of god it appereth by the apostle in the thyrde of the fyrst epystle to Timothe and in the fyrste chapytre to Tite for a bysshop ought to be faulteles with other mete qualytyes and properties there rekened vp And the same or elles moche lyke is to be thought and supposed of the deacons wherfore in the place afore alledgyd vnto Timothe he sayth deacons lykewyse oughte to be chaste c. And that he dothe also synne and trespasse worthy of payne agaynst the lawe of man in promotynge any insuffycient or an vnable persone to the ecclesiasticall ordre it appereth by these thynges which haue ben shewed in the. viii chapytre of this dyccion For he coÌ„mytteth an outwarde acte tournynge to the noyauÌ„ce and hurte of an other man for the state of this present worlde and also of the worlde to come whiche maye be proued to hym in very dede althoughe he wolde saye naye in promotynge vnto a coÌ„mune offyce suche a persone whiche maye corrupte the lyfe and maners of other bothe men and women or els which can not so moche as is expedyent and necessarye bothe for the state of this preseÌ„t worlde and also of the worlde to come fascion the maners of men for suche one is euer leude and euyll dysposed or otherwyse insuffycient and vnable ¶ Of these premysses I wyll forthermore inferre and conclude of necessyte that in the coÌ„munyties of chrysten men beynge nowe perfyte it beloÌ„geth onely to the kynge or his deputies to haue ouersyght to electe to determyne or assygne and to presente the persones whiche are to be promoted to the ecclesiasticall ordres The persones therfore which are to be promoted vnto ecclesiasticall ordres are to be approued or to be dysalowed by the sentence or iudgement of hym whiche is cheyfe hyghest gouernour And by the same auctoryte the sayd persones are also to be instytuted or remoued from the cure or offyce of a bysshop or preeste and to be prohibited from the excercysynge therof Or also yf of malycyouse purpose they dyd cease from the excercyse of theyr offyce to be coÌ„pelled to the excercisynge and doynge of theyr dutye lefte throughe theyr lewdnes any man myght fall in to ieopardy of eternall death as for lacke of baptisme or of any other sacrament and this verely is to be vnderstanded in the coÌ„munyties of chrysten men whiche are alredy perfyte For in such a place where the prynce or gouernoure an hethen prynce as the moste parte of coÌ„munytes and well nere all coÌ„munytes were aboute the state and tyme of the prymatyue churche there the approbacyon or reprobacyon of persones to be promoted to the ecclesiasticall ordres with the aforesayd instytucions and the auctorite to prohybyte them from the exercyse of theyr offyces or to compell them to the same shulde appertayne belonge to the preest or bysshoppe with the more wyse parte of the chrysten multytude beynge in the sayd place or to hym alone yf he were there alone without the consent or knowledge of the gouernoure or cheyfe ruler that of or by suche maner promotynge instytucyon of prelates or curates the faythe and holsome doctryne of chryste myght be publysshed which thynges shulde not be done by the auctoryte fauour studye or coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the gouernour but rather shulde be prohybyted And after this maner dyd the apostles this thynge aboute the begynnynge of chrystes churche were bounde to do by the coÌ„maundement of god And the successoures of them shuld be bounde also to the same in the defaulte of suche a prynce or in defaulte of the hethens prynce consent wherfore the apostle saythe in the. ix of the fyrst to the CorynthyaÌ„s For yf I shal preache the gospell it is no glory or prayse to me for necessyte of so doynge lyeth vpon me for woo is to me yf I shall not preache but yet where the parlyament and the prynce are wyllynge and content that suche thynges be done I saye that the auctoryte belongeth to the prynce ¶ But as concernynge the dystrybucyon of the temporalles whiche are wonte to be called the benefyces of the churche you ought to knowe that suche thynges can not here so well be dysputed as they maye be ordred by kyngê and theyr most honourable and dyscrete counsayles ¶ Prouyded alway that the mynystres of the gospell haue suffycyent fyndynge and sustentacion in meate drynke and clothes semely and suffycient for them and herewith the sayde mynysters ought
folowynge Also it hathe pleased vs that besyde the canonicall scryptures nothynge be red in the churche vnder y e name of the deuyne scrypturê And the canonycall scryptures be Geneses the other in the volume of y e byble whiche are rekened vp there neyther that whiche Augustyne sayth agaynst the Manicheis in the epystle of the foundacyon is any whyt agaynst these thynges aforesayd for there saynt Augustyne sayth but I wolde not beleue the gospel excepte the auctoryte of the catholyke churche dyd moue or styre me in whiche sayenge he semeth to preferre the auctoryte of man before the auctoryte of the scrypture For alwayes that wherfore an other thynge is regarded is more regarded it owne selfe But let vs answere y t it is not all one thynge to beleue a worke boke or treatyse to be made wryten by some doctor or man to beleue that that same worke that it is true profytable or hurtfull to be obserued or to be refused For a man may receyue or take the one of these two thyngê by the testymonie of men without the secoÌ„de coÌ„trary wyse the secoÌ„de without the fyrst he may receyue bothe of them lykewyse otherwhyles by the testymonye of men as for example some man shall beleue that same scrypture which is offered layde afore hym to be the lawe of the couÌ„tree by the coÌ„mune testimonye of the inhabytantê or dwellers there whiche sayd lawe for all y t to be true or to be obserued not transgressed or broken he may lerne by some sensible sygile as by y e payne or punysshemeÌ„t whiche he hathe seen to be done to the traÌ„sgressours therof by ryght reason of his owne mynde without any perswasyon or sayenge of any men So also backewarde agayne he whiche sethe any man make a boke or buylde a house or to do anyother thynge shall beleue of his owne selfe without the testymony of men y t the boke was made or the house was buylded of the same man but that the contentê in that boke be true or false ê“fytable or noysome to be folowed or exchued he may beleue this by y e testymony of men namely of credable persons Agayne a man may take or receyue bothe otherwhyles of or by the testymony of men as he which neuer sawe Hyppocrates shal beleue y t this is y â— boke doctryne of Hippocrates by the testymonye of men and that the contentê thyngê wryten in it be true or false to be obserued or to be refused for the coÌ„seruacyon of helthe the auoydynge of syckenes this the same man shal receyue or beleue of y e testymony of lerned men And after the same or very lyke maner to beleue y t any scrypture coÌ„tayned in the byble is the tradycion of god this thynge a man may take of the coÌ„mune testymonye of chrysten men or of the catholyke churche which yet for al that neuer sawe nor herde chryste neyther hath had any perceyuynge of chryste by any other exteryor sence But yet that this scrypture is true he shall beleue by fayth as for exaÌ„ple by myracle without the testymonye of any man euen lyke wyse as Paule beleued before his coÌ„uersyon y t the lawe which he dyd then ê‘ceyue was the doctryne of chryste by the testymonye of the preachers whom he persecuted and yet for all that he dyd not therfore beleue the sayde lawe to contayne the truthe But afterwardes he beleued it to be true fyrste by a sencyble myracle and coÌ„sequeÌ„tly by the fayth which he had lykewyse also both these thyngê is taken otherwhyles by the testymony of man as y t the scryture is a law made and gyuen by chryste and that the contentes in it are true and to be obserued and to get eternall lyfe saluacyon and to auoyde eternall myserye is beleued and hath ben beleued of many men which neuer sawe chryste nor haue knowen hym by any exteryor sence neyther euer hathe perceyued any myracle or sencyble sygne therof ¶ Therfore this sayenge of saynt Augustyne I wolde not beleue the gospell yf the auctoryte of the churche dyd not moue me maye accordynge to the thynges aforesayd be vnderstanded two maner wayes and haue two sences The one is this that he beleued the scrypture to be the gospell that is to saye the ioyfull message of chryste by the testymonye of the churche albeit y t he dyd beleue this scrypture or gospell to contayne truthe more pryncypally peraduenture by some myracle or by some reuelacion or elles by the faythe by whiche he dyd beleue y t chryste was very god and so consequentlye that al his tradycion doctryne was trewe and to be obserued and kepte The other sence whiche the sayde wordes of Augustyne may haue is this that he dyd fyrste and at the begynnynge receyue and beleue bothe these aforesayde thynges by the testymonye of the churche albeit the fyrste sence of these two semeth to agree more vnto the sayenge of the apostle in the fyrst chapytre to the Galathians For the wordes and sayenges of chryste or of god ar not therfore trewe because the churche doth so wytnesse to them by true testymonye but therfore is the wytnes or testymonye of the churche true when she alledgeth for her the true sayenge of chryste whiche make her sayengê true because they are true wherfore the apostle to the GalathiaÌ„s afore alledged sayth thus But thoughe we or an auÌ„gel from heuen do preache vnto you any thynge otherwyse than we haue preached vnto you cursed be he And lykewyse it is to be vnderstanded that althoughe the holy churche had preached any other gospell that is to say a contrary gospell it shulde not haue ben true And the cause why Paule thus sayd was for that that was sure and out of doubte that the sayde gospell was the sayenge or reuelacyon of chryste in whiche coulde be no falsytie And therfore after what soeuer sence the aforesayd wordes of saynt Augustyne be expounded they ar not contrarye or agaynst the senteÌ„ce which we haue sayd And saynt Augustyne dothe for so moche saye that he beleueth the gospell for the auctoryte of the churche because he toke the begynnynge of his beleue of the churche For fayth otherwhyles begynneth of hearynge And agayne because he was moued with the good lyuynge and holy conuersacyon of the churche and with the pacyent sufferaunce of trybulacyon whiche he perceyued in the churche in tyme of persecucyon ¶ The. xx xxi and. xxii chapytres be lefte out as not of moche value and to auoyde the offence of some spyrytuall persons that beare peper in theyr noses y t iudge euery truth to be spoken of malyce ¶ Of the dyuerse maners or sygnyfycacioÌ„s after which fulnes of powre maye be taken and after what maner and ordre the bysshop of Rome hath taken these vnto hym and breyfly generallye after what maner and fascyon he hathe vsed dothe vse them The
dare be suertye that they do intende this also thoughe they dare not as yet attempte it or set vpon it but do wayte a mete and a conuenyent tyme therfore wherof also peraduenture we shall speake somwhat So than of these sayde false supposycions no we last of all a certayne one called pope of Rome entrynge in to the way of erroure and iniquyte with al his studye and inforcementes letteth and prohybyteth noble Ludouyke descendynge of the dukes of Bauarye which is elecced kynge of the Romaynes to procede vnto quyete possessyon of the hyghe emperyall dygnyte For the sayd Ludouyke bothe by his worde and also by his dede kylleth and destroyeth not with out a cause the supposycions of the aforesayde bysshop For albeit that he hathe not yet ben approued or confyrmed by his wordes or wrytynges as we haue euydentlye shewed here before neyther neadeth to be confyrmed yet that not withstādynge from the tyme of his eleccion made and publysshed by the electours hyther to contynuallye he hathe caused and dothe cause hym selfe to be wryten and named kynge of the Romaynes as in very dede and accordynge to the trouth he is and hathe ben and also he dothe admynystre all thynges belongynge to the sayd kynge or emperoure in all poyntes as he may and also is bounde to do of ryght wherfore accordynge to the tale of Esope worthy to be marked and very well agreynge to our purpose this serpent the bysshoppe of Rome that nowe is albeit that he hathe ben exalted releued and auaunced in his predecessours by the sayd Ludouyke or his predecessours from great pouertye vylenes oppressyon rebukes and persecucyon vnto abundaunce of temporall goodes to that hyghe dygnyte and honoure and to powre and tranquyllite yet lyke an vnkynde persone and one that had forgotten all the aforesayde benefytes he hathe lyfted vp hym selfe agaynst the aforesayd Ludouyke Fyrste after his lewde and wonte maner spyttynge out many wordes of rebuke dysworshyp and irreuerence agaynst the sayd prynce But yet offrynge this venome or poysone vnder the apperaunce of hony he pretendeth after his olde crafte and deceypte a coloure and apparaunce of vertue and charyte where he saythe in certayne of his epystles whiche he calleth decrees that he wryteth or speaketh suche thynges to the ende that he myght brynge agayne the sayd Ludouyke from the bypathe or erroure vnto the ryghte waye or pathe of truthe and of helthe not regardynge hym selfe whiche speaketh neyther what he speaketh neyther to whome he speaketh To the which bysshop as beynge out of the waye from all truth and parteles of all equyte we may say cōuenyently and verely truly with chryste that texte in the. vii of Mathewe and in the. viii of Luke why seest thou a strawe in the iye of thy brother and dost not se a bealme in thyne owne iye or how sayst thou to thy brother brother suffre me to caste out the strawe out of thyne iye and haste a bealme in thyne owne iye Thou hypocryte fyrste caste out the bealme of thyne owne iye and than shalte thou se to caste out the strawe of thy brothers iye There is no good tree whiche bryngeth forth euylfruyte neyther euyll tree bryngyng forth good fruyte Euery tree is knowen by his owne fruyte Why than dothe this hypocryte the most euyltree brynge euery where the fruytes of all malyce and seducyon and dyscorde as it is sencyble knowen of all men and why dothe he go aboute to defame this vertuous man innocent catholyke and praysed of all men with his wordes of ignomine and slaundre vnder the false apperaunce and coloure of deuocyon and charyte Let hym fyrste caste out from his owne mynde beynge ful of darkenes and as it were blynde the bealme that is to wyt his most great ignoraunce and erroure And from his owne lewde affeccyon beynge in a maner oftynate and in durated let hym caste a waye malyce and furyous woodnes and than he shall be able to se the small faultes of other men and maye by his exortacions and monycyons the more metelye and conuenyentlye caste them out of other men And afterwarde the aforesayd bysshop whiche vnder such deceyptfull and fayned wordes dothe intende not the amendment of the man but the cyuyle deathe and destruccyon of the cōmune weale hathe powred forthe and spredde abrode agaynst the aforesayde moste chrysten prynce the venomes and poysons of cyuyle lyfe whiche he hathe supposed to be moste deadlye vnto hym in that that he hathe excōmunycated hym with all those that pertyculerly do cleue vnto hym and hath also forbydden the exercyse of the dyuyne seruyce vnto all cōmunyties of chrysten men whiche do gyue or are aboute to gyue helpe counsayle or fauour vnto the same prynce as beynge kynge of the Romaynes lytle or nothynge markyng or regardynge the counsayle of saynt Ambrose in his boke whiche is intytled De sacerdotali dignitate For there Ambrose treatynge of the texte of Paule in the thyrde chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe Yf any man desyreth preesthode c. And amonge other thynges in the. viii chapytre of the sayde booke he sayth thus Not brawlers that is to saye let not a preeste louse his tonge to raylynge and euyll wordes lefte by the same tonge by whiche he gyueth prayses to god and offereth vp the deuyne seruyce he do brynge forth the venome or poyson of braulynge and stryfe For it is not semely that bothe benedyccyon and maledyccyon shulde yssue out of a preestes mouthe And agayne lefte by the same tonge by whiche god is lawded man maye be despraysed and euyll spoken of For he maye not brynge forthe bothe swete water and bytter water out of one fountayne or sprynge And in conclusyon peraduenture he shall sende forthe the prycke or stynge of his malyce whiche he supposeth to be most vtter and extreme in noyenge or dystroyenge supposynge to fasten it vpon the sayde prynce that is to wytte a certayne blasphemye called of hym a sentence thoughe in verye dede it maye be called a madnes by whiche he hathe pronounced the aforesayde prynce with all that dothe cleue vnto hym or that dothe obeye hym or fauoure hym as kynge of the Romaynes to be heretykes enemyes or rebellyons vnto the churche And by the whiche sentence he hathe depryued and berefte them the ryght of all theyr temporalles bothe moueables and vnmoueables in makynge the sayde temporalles cōmune by his aforesayde sentence vnworthelye so called by grauntynge them also to who soeuer lyst to entre vpon them to wynne or get them by vyolence by spreadynge abrode in all prouynces by his wordes or elles by his wrytynges in parchement by hym selfe or els by certayne other false preachers that this maye be done lawfullye And agayne by condempnynge them to deathe and by grauntynge remyssyon and forgyuenes of al synnes and paynes or punysshementes and of all crymes vnto those that do kylle or inuade them And by bryngynge them yf they betaken
perfyte of the lorde and of god that there was no thynge that they coulde adde to my perfeccyon in this conferrynge of my gospell with them For he that gaue wysdome knowledge to those iii. vnlearned men he hathe also gyuen knowledge vnto me And it foloweth afterwardes in the glose after the mynde of saynt Iherome They gaue or addednothynge to me but I gaue or added somwhat to Peter and agayne afterwardes I resysted or withstode hym as egall vnto hym for he wolde not haue ben bolde to do these thyngê yf he had not knowen hym selfe not to be vnegall Therfore that sayenge lest I shulde ronne in vayne c. oughte to be referred vnto the hearers whiche peraduenture wolde not haue gyuen credence elles vnto hym or at the lest wyse not so moche credence vnto hym and by the reason therof shulde haue remayned voyde or emptie and he lykewyse shuld haue ben voyde in them that is to saye shulde haue ben dysapoynted and haue myssed of his purpose and intent in them For asmoche as he shulde not haue engendred any fayth in them whiche he intended by the course of his preachynge And this is it also whiche foloweth afterwardes in the same glose after the mynde of saynt Augustyne for the apostle Paule beynge called by a voyce from heuen after the ascencyon of chryste yf he shuld not coÌ„munycate and be partener or felowe with the apostles and shuld not conferre his gospel with them so that it myght appere that he was one of the same felowshyp or companye the churche wolde gyue no credence to hym at all but whan the churche had knowen that he dyd preache the same gospell that the apostles dyd and that he lyued in the coÌ„munyon and vnyte of them suche myracles also beynge done by hym as they dyd worke then by such coÌ„mendacyon of the lorde he deserued auctoryte and to be regarded in the churche that his wordes be so herde in the churche as yf chryste were herde speakynge in hym as he hym selfe sayd moste truely Than it foloweth of these wordes of the glose that Paule deserued auctoryte or to be regarded by the coÌ„mendacion of chryste and he sayde not Peter or the other apostles coÌ„mendynge hym or causynge hym to be accepted And it foloweth a lytell afterwardes in the glose after the mynde of the same Augustyne wherfore he conferred his gospell with them toke theyr ryght handes For he preachyd the same worde of god that they dyd thoughe he receyued not it by them For that conferrynge of his gospell with them shewed y t it was all one kynde of doctryne all spottes or dyuersite of leprye cleane shaken awaye This than was the cause of his conferrynge of his gospell with them that all scrupules and doubtfulnes of the varyete and dyuersyte of his doctryne theyrs shuld be rydde and taken awaye from the hearers And this is it whiche the glose had sayde afore after the mynde of Augustyne For he sayd I went vp agayne to Iherusalem c. I wente vp I saye with Barnabas whiche was of the Iewes takynge also Titus vnto me whiche was of the gentyles As who shulde saye I haue wytnes and recordes of both nacyons by whiche it shulde be playne euydent that it was not trewe but false that I dyd preache one thynge to the Iewes and an other thyng to the gentyles And I dyd ascende not onely after this dysposycyon and ordre as I haue reherced but also accordyng to the reuelacyon of god And I haue not lerned of them as beynge greatter than I or superyours to me but I haue coÌ„ferred with them as with my freÌ„des egalles the gospell of chryst whiche I preache amonge the gentyles This thynge he dyd for the assercion and defendynge of his owne preachynge for many men were in doubte of the doctryne of the apostle the Iewes trowbelynge and disquyetynge theyr myndes whiche scruple and doubte it pleased god to take awaye And therfore not by the delyberacion of man but by the reuelacyon of god the apostle as he sayth hym selfe went vp to Ierusalem to conferre his gospell with them not for any doubtfulnes that he hym selfe had of his gospell that he preached but that the sayd scruple or doubtfulnes shulde be ryd out and taken away from the myndes of his hearers And where it was alleged of the glose vpon the seconde chapytre to the Galatyanes that Paule was an hyndermore pastor than saynt Peter the apostle it is to be sayde that y e glose maker spake properly For saynt Paule was called the later of them two vnto apostleshyp and therfore he was posteryor that is to saye hindermore in tyme but he was not therfore inferyor in auctoryte neyther dyd the glose expresse this but rather the contrary so than of the aforesayd nowe rehersed thynges it appereth euydently that neyther Peter neyther any other of the apostles was greatter than Paule but that he was frende egall to them in the auctoryte iÌ„medyatly gyuen vnto them by chryste And yf there haue ben any pryoryte amoÌ„ge them it is to be coÌ„sydered to haue ben ê‘adueÌ„ture by y e eleccion of them amoÌ„ge theyr selfe or els after such maner after whiche we sayd saynt Peter to haue ben hedde or cheyfe of y e apostles in y e. xvi chapytre of this dyccion And to the sayenge taken of the boke of Isodore in y e chapytre whose title is Incipit pÌ„fatio Niceni coÌ„cilii where it is sayd thus it is to be knowen verely of al catholyke men y t the holy churche of Rome is preferred to other made priÌ„cypal not by any synodal Decrees but it hath obtayned prymacie by y t voyce or wordes of our lorde and sauyour in the gospell so also vnderstandynge of the bysshop of the same churche the sayenge of Isodore of who soeuer saythe so besyde Isodore without the Canon is to be denyed for the churche of Rome hathe ben instytuted and made moste pryncypall and the heed of the other churches by the Decrees of the Romayne emperoures and by the consent of the other churches as it were by a certayne eleccion Moreouer that doth not folowe of the aforesayd auctoryte of the Canon which Isodore doth inferre But the illacyon or argument of hym maye be put by or yf any other man who soeuer shal so say by those thynges whiche haue ben determyned of vs in the. xv chapytre of this dyccion in the. viii parte of it and in the. xvi chapytre in the. xiii and. xiiii parte And vnto the auctortye wherby he gothe about to fortyfye these saynges taken of the. xvi of Mathewe Thou art Peter and vpon this stone I wylledyfy my churche c. it hath ben answered heretofore ¶ And vnto y t reason or argument by whiche it was deduced that the churche is but one and that there is but one pryncypall or hyghest bysshop because of the vnyte of the faythe accordynge to the
Inunccion chryste yf he do meane by vnccion the vnccion of grace or of the holy ghost which is gyuen with the carecte of preest hode it is true which vnccion euery preeste also doth receyue but yf by vnccion he do meane prymacie vpon all the churche by the imedyate instytucion of god not of men whiche chryste onely none els hathe had vpon all preestê than I do refuse his sentence because the apostle saythe the contrarye in very many places of the scrypture as it hathe ben shewed in the. xvi of this dyccion And to that whiche he dothe adde afterwardes Thou arte not onelye the pastor or herdysman of the shepe but also thou alone arte the verye pastor of all herdysmen yf he dydmeane by the instytucion of men imedyatlye I wolde graunte his sayenge but yf he do meane by the ordynacyon of god or by the statute of the lawe of god so as he appereth to intende than I refuse his sentence for it is not canonycall neyther necessarelye deduced and folowynge of the canonycall scrypture but rather the contrarie And whan he go the aboute to fortyfy his sentence or sayenge by the scrypture sayenge afterwardes askest thou where I do proue it by the sayenge of chryste yf thou louest me Peter fede my shepe for to whom I do not saye of the bysshops but also of the apostles was the whole flocke of shepe so absolutlye coÌ„mytted and without any dyuersyte or dystynccyon to whome is it not playne that chryste appoynted or marked not forthe any pertyculer flocke of shepe vnto the there is nothynge excepted or outtaken where no dyuersyte or dystynccion is made It is to be answered but alwayes with reuerence that this questyon is to be meruayled at by whiche he demaundeth to whome of the apostles he doth not saye onely of the bysshops the whole flocke of shepe hath ben so absolutly coÌ„mytted or betaken without any dyuersyte or dystynccyon made I do saye that to all the apostles both ioyntly and seuerallye Aske thou wherby I do proue this by the wordes sayenges of chryste more euydentlye than he for in the laste chapytre of Mathewe and in a maner last of all his preceptes Chryste sayd to al the apostles Go you therfore and teache all nacions or peoples c. And I say more euydentlye than he For chryste sayde in the. xx of IohnÌ„ Fede my shepe but he sayde not all my shepe nowe it is vndoubted that he comprehendeth mo shepe whiche delyuereth all vnyuersallye than he whiche delyuereth them onely indefynytely sayengs fede my shepe for whiche cause agayne with reuerence the scrypture which Bernarde alledgeth and bryngeth in semeth to receyue an other interpretacyon and more agreable to the scrypture which interpretacion we haue touched heretofore in the. ix parte of this chapytre and it greueth me not to reherse it agayne for chryste in the. xv of Mathewe is red to haue sayde I am not sent but to the shepe whiche are perysshed of the house of Israell whiche oracle and sayenge of chryste after the interpretacions of sayntes ought to be vnderstaÌ„ded not truely as Iherome sayth but that he was sente also to the Gentyles but he was fyrste or pryncipally sent to Israell c. But Remigius saythe and more to the purpose and more agreablye to the lettre he was sent specyally to the saluacion of the Iewes that he shulde teache them also by his bodelye presence Albeit that chryste accordynge to the exposycyon of sayntes was sente to the saluacyon of all men yet specyally and pryncypally he was sent to the saluacyon of the Iewes as the wordes also of chryst do sounde in the gospell of Mathewe whan he sayd I am not sente but to the shepe whiche are perysshed of the house of Israell These shepe than he dyd appropryate vnto hymselfe whan he sayde whiche are perysshed of the house of Israell And because this people hathe alwayes ben hardnecked sturdye or stubburne as it appereth in the. xxxii chapytre of Exodus and also a kyller of the prophetes as chryste which is very trouche itselfe sayde in the. xiii of Luke And because chryste knewe Peter to be more constant in the faythe and more feruent in the loue of hym and of his neyghboure therfore he dyd recoÌ„mende these shepe syngulerlye and specyallye vnto hym whan he sayde yf thou louest me fede my shepe that is to saye specyallye laboure to teache the people of Israell And that this is trewe it is a token seynge that it is wryten thus in the seconde chapytre to the Galatyans Whan they hadde sene that the preachynge of the gospell to the Gentyles was coÌ„mytted vnto me as was the preachynge of the gospell to the people of cyrcumcysyon was coÌ„mytted vnto Peter c. Neyther coulde this sayenge of the apostle be confyrmed by any other place of the gospell than by this fede my shepe And agayne in y e same chapytre to the Galatians They gaue theyr ryght handes of socyetie and felowshyp vnto me and Bernabas that we shulde go and preache vnto the Gentyles and they vnto cyrcumcisyon that is to saye vnto the Iewes Chryste therfore whan he had sayde vnto Peter fede my shepe he dyd not by this coÌ„mytte a more generall cure or charge vnto Peter than vnto other but rather a more specyall charge of a certayne people For there can not be a more generall cure or charge than that whiche he gaue to all the apostles in the last of Mathewe and in the. xx of IohnÌ„ whan he sayde Go you therfore and teache all nacyons And take you or receyue you the holy ghost whose synnes you shall forgyue they are forgyuen c. For by these wordes all the apostles receyued pastoral auctoryte and cure and that in comparyson vnto all men indyfferentlye as saynt Augustyne also dyd say in his boke of the questyons of the newe testament in the. 94. questyon and we haue alledged and brought in his wordes heretofore in the. xvi chapytre of this dyccion Let Bernarde also tell what more generall cure chryste hath coÌ„mytted to any man than he dyd vnto Paule in the. ix of the actê whan he sayd he is a vessell of eleccion or a chosen vessell vnto me to bere my name afore the Gentyles nacions kyngê and the sones of Israell ¶ And as for that whiche foloweth in Bernarde whan he sayth hereof it is that eche one of the other apostles hathe taken to theyr parte one pertyculer nacion or people it appereth to be dyssonaunte and dysagreynge from the scrypture neyther the tyxte of the epystles of Paule agreeth vnto it neyther can it be proued by the scrypture but rather the contrarye as we haue shewed heretofore ¶ And where he sayth afterwardes in the syxte accordynge to the canones the other apostles are come in to parte of the cure and charge or busynes c. yf it be meaned by the imedyate
god And to the obieccyon whiche was brought in of the. xxii of Mathewe the. xi of Marke and the. xix of Luke where it is redde Than Ihesus sente ii descypses sayenge vnto them Soo you in to the castell whiche is ouer agaynst you and you shal fynde an asse bounde c. it is to be answered lykewyse lykewyse as vnto the obieccy on imeoyatlye aforegone And that obieccyon of the two swerdes whiche is taken of the. xxii of Luke the other of the fedynge of the shepe taken of the. xxi of Ihon dothe make nothynge agaynst neyther dothe inferre or conclude any thyng necessarely whiche is contradyctorye to the sentence whiche we do holde as we haue shewed seryously in the chapytre aforegone For Chryst by these wordes dyd not gyue to saynt Peter or to any other apostle or to any successoure of them iurysdyceyon or iudgemente coactyue of any maner in this worlde but he gaue to hym onely the offyce of a pastor or herdysman of whiche offyce we haue spoken suffycyently in the. ix of this last parte And as touchynge to that which the apostle sayth in the. vi chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Coryntheans Do you not knowe that we shall iudge aungels Howe moche more than shall we iudge seculer thynges This texte is neyther it selfe coÌ„tradyctorye neyther inferreth any thynge contradyctorye to the sentence whiche we do holde For Paule in the aforesayde wordes or scrypture dyd not monysshe speake or counsayleth vnto preeses onelye but generallye vnto all the chrysten people of Corinthe he wrote that epystle as appereth and is euydent by his salutacyon For they dyd contende and stryue one with an other aboute seculer thynges drawynge one an other afore heathen iudges wherfore the apostle monysshed them as a pastor or herdysman gyuynge them councell that they shulde constytute and make iudges vnto them selues of the company of chrysten men And chose not bysshoppes or preestes but other that were not bysshoppes or preestes wherfore the apostle saythe iÌ„medyatlye folowynge Therfore yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes ordeyne and sette them to be iudges whiche are contemptyble in the churche I saye it to your rebuke is there none so wyse a man amonge you whiche maye gyue iudgement betwene his brother and brother but dothe one brother contende and stryue with an other brother in iudgement afore infydels and heathen iudges whiche texte of the apostle the glose expoundynge after the mynde of Ambrose Augustyne and Gregorye saythe in this wyse In lyke maner as he hath repreued them for that they pleaded causes and stroue in iudgement afore infydels despysynge and smally regardynge chrysten men euen so nowe he rebuketh them because they made conteÌ„ptyble persones iudges althought they were chrysten And therfore he saythe yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes because suche iudgementes are not to be had but rather to be despysed but yf you haue suche iudgementes ordayne and sette to gyue iudgement those contemptyble that is to saye vndyscrete and vyle persones whiche are in the churche That is to saye thus haue you done by reason wherof the brethren myghte be compelled to haue recourse agaynâ—â— vnto infydels or hethen iudges The apostle repreueth and rebuketh this in them speakynge Ironycallye that is to saye meanynge the contrarye to that that his wordes dothe sounde And because it was not semely or conuenyent that they shulde do so therofre he sayth by and by after I speake to your shamefastnes or to your reuerence that is to saye I do not coÌ„maunde but I do speake that you shulde be asshamed and you oughte to be ashamed that there is not one man amonge you so wyse that he is able to iudge betwene his brother and brother but that you must nedelye make fooles iudges And yet for all that these fooles are to be made iudges rather than you shulde go to heathen iudges yf there wante wyse men amonge you I saye is there not so wyse a man amonge you but dothe one brother stryue with an other brother in iudgement whiche is an euyll thynge yea and that afore heathen iudges which is a worse thynge or elles thus Therfore yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes c. Because the apostle had sayd that they myght iudge of these leaste or smalest thynges therfore he doth nowe determyne who are to be ordayned and appoynted iudges to the determynynge of suche maters that is to wytte the contemptyble persones which are in the churche For the greatter or more worshypfull persones oughte to gyue attendaunce to spyrituall thynges But you whiche ought to iudge for asmoche as you must iudge yet do after this maner Yf you haue seculer bysynes or maters ordayne or sette them to be iudges whiche are contemptyble in the churche that is to saye some wyse men which for all that are of lesse meryte for the apostles whiche went aboute to preache the gospell coulde not gyue attendaunce to suche busynesses The apostle wolde therfore that those wyse chrysten and holy men whiche contynued and abode styll in one place and not those whiche ranne aboute from place to place to preache the gospell shulde be the examyners and iudges of suche maner bysynes and causes From whiche we can not excuse our selfe by no maner wayes althoughe we wolde For I call god to wytnesse and recorde that I hadde leuer eache daye worke somwhat certayne howres with my handes and to haue certayne houres at lybertie to rede and praye or to worke somwhat of the dyuyne scryptures than to suffre the troublouse perplexites of causes concernynge seculer maters and busynesses or stryues whiche are outher to be decyded and ended by iudgement or elles to be preuented put awaye by entreatynge or goynge betwene I saye ordayne you or appoynte you contemptible persons and this I do saye to your reuerence that is to wyt that they shulde examyne and iudge erthly causes whiche haue gotten the wysdome and knowledge of exteryoure or outwarde thynges And they whiche are enryched with spyrytuall gyftes ought not to be entangled with worldly maters or busynesses so that whyles they are not compelled to dyspose these worldlye goodes they maye be able to do seruyce to the superyour or celestyall goodes But yet it is greatly to be prouyded and taken hede of that they whiche are excellent in spyrytuall gyftes do not in any wyse vtterly forsake the busynesses of theyr we ake neyghbours but lette them outher coÌ„mytte the sayde busynesses to be ordred and brought to an ende vnto other mete and conuenyent persones or elles take the same maters in hande theyr owne selues And these scryptures of the apostle and of sayntes are to be noted and marked for fyrst it appereth by the sayd scryptures that all contencyons betwene what soeuer persones aboute suche thyngê whiche do not appertayne to the lawe of god are seculer and not spyrytuall and do belonge to seculer iudgement For the apostle speaketh generallye and so lyke wyse doth the sayntes
do depende and receaue some what of the prynce or seculer gouernoure and the prynce or seculer gouernour dependeth and receaueth some thynge of the preeste For the preestes do receaue of the prynce and seculer gouernoure in stytucyon of theyr cyuyle actes and defence from Iniurye that they shall neyther do iniurye to any other man neyther any other man to theym in the state and for the state of this present worlde for this is the offyce of the prynce or hyghe gouernoure and of none other parte or membre of the cōmunyte as it hath ben shewed in the. xv of the fyrst dyccyon And this also the apostle expressed in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes and we haue brought in his wordes in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon this same also he mened in the. v. chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Tymothe whan he sayde I beseche therfore that obsecracyons be made fyrst for kynges and all that are in hyghe auctoryte that we may leade a quyete and peaceable lyfe Lykewyse agayne on the other parte the prynce dependeth and hath nede of the accyon or operacyon of the preeste For of the preeste he receaueth doctryne and the sacramentes dysposynge men in this worlde and remouynge or puttynge awaye suche thynges as are contrarye to saluacyon or eternall beatytude for the state of the worlde to come But yet dyfferently and after a dyuerse maner they worke and receaue these operacyons eche of other For the prynce beynge coactyue iudge in this worlde by the ordynacyon of god maye lawefully exercyse or impresse his operacyon by coactyue power by doynge ponysshement vpon any preeste yea thoughe he be not wyllynge or contente yf he hathe ben a transgressor of the lawe of man whiche is not contrary to the lawe of god as it hath ben shewed and proued in the. v. and. viii chapytres of this dyccyon and in the. xv of the fyrste dyccyon But the byssoppe or preeste because he is not accordynge to the lawe of god coactyue iudge of any man in this worlde as it hathe ben shewed in the. xv of the fyrste dyccyon and in the. iiii v. and. ix of this dyccyon but is a iudge after the fyrste sygnyfycacyon of this worde iudge and as it were an operatyue teacher as a leche or physycyon he can not by his operacyon or precepte compell any man neyther he ought to compell any man by payne or ponysshement outher reall or personall as touchyng to this present lyfe So than the fyrst proposycyon of this sayd argumentacyon was false wherin it was sayde that what soeuer thynge worketh the more perfyte operacyon ought not as touchynge to iurysdyccyon to be vnder the thynge that worketh the lesse perfyte operacyon For of this proposycyon with the aforesayde proposycyons ioyned vnto it there foloweth necessarely an other manyfeste inconuenyent and a false proposycyon that is to wytte that no speculatyue dortor or at the lestewyse that the hyghest or pryncypall phylosopher or metaphysycyon is not vnder the iurysdyccyon of the prynce or gouernoure accordynge to the lawe of man For as moche as none of the practyue habytes or scyences and qualytes besydes faythe in the prynce and gouernoure or els in any other man neyther any operacyon procedynge and brought forth of the sayde habytes or scyences is egall in perfeccyon to the habyte or scyence of the methaphysycyon or to the accyon or operacyon brought forthe by it whiche habyte or operacyon it maye chaunce a prynce or gouernoure for to lacke And where as it was afterwardes obiected that it semeth an inconuenyent and an vnsemely thynge that the bysshoppe of Rome or elles any other bysshoppe ought to be vnder the coactyue iudgemente of hym that is prynce and worldly gouernoure it is to be answered and sayde that it is none in conuenyent at all that he or any other bysshoppe be vnder that same or lyke iudge vnder whom the lorde and mayster of the sayde bysshop of his owne fre wyll hath determyned to be for a cōuenyent ordynacyon or ordre of this worlde to be obserued For chryste whiche was bothe god and man wyllynglye submytted hymselfe to the coactyue iudgement of ponce Pilate whiche was the vycare or deputye of hym that was Emperoure so also dyd the holye apostles and taught other also to do the same accordyngly vnto the lawe of god as it hath ben playnlye and euydently shewed by the scrypture and by the saynges of sayntes and of other doctours in the. iiii and. v. of this dyccyon and hathe ben also repeted or reherced agayne in the. xxviii of this same dyccyon wherfore also in as moche as the seruaunte is not greatter than the mayster neyther the apostle greatter than he that hathe sent hym as we haue alledged and brought in of the scrypture by the sayinge of Bernarde in the. xxviii chapytre of this dyccyon For Bernarde amonge other thynges saythe thus in the fyrste Booke and the. v. chapytre De consideratione vnto Eugenius Is the seruaunte thanne a mynyssher of the dygnyte yf he wylleth not to be greatter than his Lorde and mayster or the dyscyple yf he wylleth not to be greatter than he that sente hym or the sone yf he wyll not goo beyonde the termes or boundes whiche his Forefathers haue sette Our mayster and lorde sayd who hath made or ordayned me a iudge and shall it be iniurye to the seruaunte and dyscyple excepte he maye iudge all men It is not inconuenyent but verye conuenyente and also necessarye to the quyetnes and tranquyllyte of cyuylytye or the cōmune weale that any bysshop and preeste and clerke be vnder the coactyue iudgemente of the prynces and seculer gouernoures And the contrarye hereof is vtterlye inconuenyent and intollerable Furthermore because the bysshoppe of Rome or any other bysshoppe is not the vycare of chryste or his mynyster to exercyse all maner offyce in this world but onely as touchynge to a certayne determynate offyce as for example as touchynge to preesthode in whiche offyce in that it is suche one there is not regarded or consydered any coactyue iudgemente neyther superyoure or inferyour as touchynge to suche iudgemente as we alledged openlye of the wordes of Arystotle in the. viii parte of the. ix chapytre of this dyccyon But the prynce or seculer gouernoure is the vycare or mynyster of god as touchynge to the offyce of a prynce or gouernoure in whiche offyce is consydered and regarded a superyour and an inferyour or subiecte as touchynge to coactyue power wherfore in the. xiii to the Romaynes the apostle exceptynge none of the preestes or bysshoppes saythe Let euery soule be subiecte to the hyghe powers and he putteth the cause hereof forth with saynge for he is the mynyster of god Se nowe howe the prynce is the vycare of god not vyolent but coactyue of euyl men in this world And therfore it foloweth A ponyssher for wroth vnto hym y t is an euyldoer But it is so that a
cōmune cyuyle offycers doth appertayne to no bysshop in that he is suche one neyther ioyntlye with an other neyther seuerally this is proued in the. xv of the fyrste parte ¶ The. xix conclusyon ¶ That no bysshoppe in that he is suche one maye graunte outher ioyntly or seuerallye lycence to teache or worke or practyse openly in any art or dyscyplyne but that to graunte these lycencyes appertayneth onely to prynces or to hym that is hed gouernoure this is proued in the places laste reherced ¶ The. xx conclusyon ¶ That the kyng or prynce may lawefully agreably to y e lawe of god vse the temporalles of the churche or clergye outher in the hole or in parte of them for the publyke or cōmune vtylyte or defence of the cōmune weale after that the necessyte of the preestes and other mynysters of the gospell and of those thynges whiche appertayneth to the worshepynge and seruyce of god and of the impotent pore folke is suffycyentlye prouyded for and satyssyed this is proued in the. xv of the fyrste and in the. xvii of the seconde dyccyon ¶ The. xxi conclusyon ¶ That it belongeth onely to the cheyfe gouernour or soueraygne to dyspose all temporalles which are ordayned for charytable causes and to almosse dedes and the workes of pytye As for example suche thynges whiche are bequeste in testamentes for the meyntenaunce of souldyers agaynst infydeles or for the raunsomynge of prysoners beynge in theyr handes or for the sustentacyon and releaue of impotent poore folke and suche other lyke thynges and that to hym onely it appertayneth to ordre the sayd thynges accordynge to the determynacion intencyon and mynde of the testator or otherwyse gyuer this is proued in the places laste reherced ¶ The. xxii conclusyon ¶ That it appertayneth onely to the auctoryte of prynces to graunt the vowson of what soeuer colledge or relygyon and the same to approue and to alowe or els to reproue and dysalowe this is proued in the. xv of the fyrste in the. viii the. x. of the seconde dyccyon ¶ The. xxiii conclusyon ¶ That it appertayneth onely to the auctoryte of the gouernour or soueraygne to iudge by coactyue iudgement heretykes and all trespasers and malefactors and those whiche are to be ponysshed by temporall payne or ponysshement and to inflycte and enioyne peynes personall and reall and the same paynes reall to applye vnto what vse they lyst This is proued in the. xv of the fyrst in the. viii the. x. of the seconde ¶ The. xxiiii conclusyon ¶ That no subiecte or person whiche is oblygated and bounde to another by a lawefull othe maye be losed from the sayde bonde by any bysshop or preeste with out reasonable cause whiche is to be iudged by the iudgement in his thyrde sygnyfycacyon of the prynce or kynge and that the contrarye of this conclusyon is agaynst all true and ryghte doctryne this is proued in the. vi the. vii and. xxvi of the seconde dyccyon The. xxv conclusyon ¶ That it appertayneth and belongeth onely to the prynces and gouernoures in the cōmunytes of chrysten people to gather by coactyue power a generall coūceyll or elles a partyculer counceyll of preestes and bysshoppes and of other chrysten men ¶ The. xxvi conclusyon ¶ That the cōmaundynge of fastes and the prohybycyons and forbyddynges of certayne meates ought onely to be made by the auctoryte of prynces And that onely the aforesayde prynces maye enterdycte or forbydde the workynge and exercysynge of handcraftes or the teachyng of disciplynes whiche are not prohybyted by the lawe of god to be exercysed vsed in almaner of dayes and that it appertayneth onely to hym that is gouernour to constrayne men to the obseruyng and kepynge of the same cōmaundementes or prohibycyons by temporall payneor ponysshement ¶ The. xxvii conclusyon ¶ That it maye be lawfull alwayes for hym that is a suter or stryueth in the lawe to appele from the coactyue iudgement whiche hathe ben graunted to any bysshoppe or preeste to hym that is prynce or gouernoure ¶ The. xxviii conclusyon ¶ That a multytude or synguler person to whom the gospell is mynystred is bounde accordynge to the lawe of god and after theyr or his habylytye to exibyte and gyue to bysshops and other euangelycall mynystres those thynges whiche shall be necessarye and nedefull to theyr nourysshement and clothynge at the leaste wyse theyr dayly foode necessarye to the sustentacyon of theyr lyfe But in no wyse tyethes or any other thynge yf it shall be superfluouse and more than shall be necessarelye requyred to y e supplyenge of the nedes of y e sayde mynysters ¶ The. xxix conclusyon ¶ That the faythfull lawemaker or he that is gouernoure by the auctoryte of the sayde lawemaker maye in the prouynce subiecte to hym compell as well bysshoppes as other euangelycall mynysters for whose foode and clothynge it is suffycyentlye prouyded to celebrate deuyne seruyce and to mynyster the sacramentes of the churche this is proued in the. xv of the fyrste in the. viii of the seconde ¶ The. xxx conclusyon ¶ Other conclucyons bothe verye many in nombre and also verye profytable myght be inferred whiche by necessyte foloweth of the determynacyons made in the two fyrste dyccyons or partes But yet that notwithstandynge at this tyme we wyll holde vs contented with these whiche we haue all redy deduced For as moche as they do the gyue easye and suffycyent entraunce and occasyon to the reder to geather and inferre other suche lyke mo and be suffycyent also to the cuttynge awaye of the aforesayde great myscheyfe otherwyse called the bysshoppe of Rome and also the cause therof ¶ The ende of the thyrde dyccyon or parte of the worke whiche is called The defender of peace ¶ The peroracyon or conclusyon of the worke to the reader THou haste here most gentyll reader A worke whiche albeit that it is not perauenture set forth with paynted wordes and eloquent speache yet is there wysdome in it not to be dyspysed This sayde worke it hathe lyked and pleased the auctor therof to entytle Defensor pacis that is to saye in Englysshe the defender or maynteyner of Peace because in it he hathe dylygentlye and faythfullye gathered togyther and also hathe in goodlye ordre sette forthe all the wayes and meanes by whiche most cheyflye empyers realmes or any other cyuyle socyetes or felowshyppes of men amonge them selues are or maye be beste holden or kepte and consydered or ioyned togyther by a certayne contynuall fauoure and loue of the offycers or rulers and of the multytude or cōmunes eache to other establesshed and made fyrme and sure without feare or dreade of any sedycyon dyscorde debate or stryfe bothe partes keapynge themselues within theyr owne ryghte as it were within a certayne lymytes or boundes and neyther of them chalengynge or vsurpynge any thynges vnto themselues saue onely that whiche the lawes wyll gyue them leaue Whiche consent and concorde or agrement betwene the orders
causes of dyuyne lawes The Imagê or fygures of sterres or constellacions The soules of men to entre in to y e bodyes of vrute beastes The fable of Tantalus Tartara hell The preestes of y e gentyles what maner men were instytuted to be preestes amoÌ„ge y e gentyls Of wat maner men god is to be worshypped The lawes or sectê of the gentyles had not right opynyon of god Adam was created to the image of god what maner was the falle or offence of Adam and what maner one the punisshemeÌ„t therof Originall synne Chryste was free from orygynall synne MaÌ„ was made sycke in soule by orygynall synÌ„e Ritus holocastorum CircuÌ„sycion The lawe of Moyses Sacerdotes acleuite The vtilitie of the lawe of Moyses The lawe of grace why our workes are called merytoryous Vntyll the coÌ„myng of chryste y e fathers remayned in Limbo why man was not restored forthwith after his fall The offyce of preestes deacons The ende or fynall cause of the offyce of preestes The fynall causes Lybertie is y e fynall cause of warre Of what maner men iudges ought to be made The ê‘tes of a cytie at meÌ„ profytable to the commen weale Regimen teÌ„peratum Aegimen vitiatum Monarchye Regall Tyrannye Aristocratia Oligarchia Politia Democratia The wyll of god is the cause of Regall preesthode Monarchie 1 2 The maners of gouernoures in Asia 3 4 Heroycall tymes Who were heroes 5 There are ii sortes of prynces or gouernours the one ouer voludtarie subiectes the other ouer inuoluntarie subiectes This worde lex hathe many signyfycacyons Lex is put for an inclynacyon Lex is put for a secte Lawe maye be taken two manÌ„ of wayes Howe y e lawes is acoactiue precept The necessytie of makynge lawes is declared Iudgê be corrupted throughe euyll affeccyon Derye fewe thynges be to be coÌ„myted to the pleasur of the Iudges MaÌ„nes mynde is not without synyster affeccyons No thynge is to be iudged without a lawe Iugementes are geuen after dyuers maners The lawe whiche at the begynnynge is vnperfyte is finysshed made perfyte by the addicyons of them y t come after Long delyberacyon is to be taken before that any sentence or lawe be pronounced Prudence requyreth long experyence what maketh an experte man Artes ar not made perfyte by one man alone How or wher of craftes hathe takeÌ„ theyr perfeccyon Who were the fyrste inuentours of musyke Arystotle bosteth hym self alone to haue ben the fyrste inuenter of logyke The lawe was signyfyed of the olde wyse men by the iye Why wherfore lawes at necessarie Let the iudge determine nothynge without a lawe A goodly sentence What thynge destroyeth kyngdomes The hystorye of Susanne TheopoÌ„pue The example of Theopompus It is not lawefull for a prynce to greue his subiectes with any eyaccyon contrary or besyde and without the lawe The dyscrypcyon of the lawe He meaneth here of those lawes which do passe by acte of parlyament Howe the promulgacyon of lawes is to be made The dyscrypcyon of a cytezen c. The auctoryte of makige or gyuynge lawes The best law is that which helpeth to the coÌ„mune profyte Howe and of whom y e law is to be gyueÌ„ In all this longe tale he speaketh not of the rascall multytude but of the parlyament A cytie is a coÌ„mune societie of fre meÌ„ Not onely wyse men caÌ„discern what thynges are to be done Euen vnlerned men also may dyscerne of lawes to be made Howe this auctorite stultorum infinitus est munerus is to be taken and vnderstanded The makers of y e decretals had respecte all togyther to their owne synguser profyte Oligarchia is declared be fore in y e. viii chapytre The begynniÌ„ges of thynges are very harde to be founde out That maÌ„ is best which of hym selfe koweth what thynges are to be done The maner of inuentyng or fyndynge out lawes Whan lawes dothe bynde What qualyties he that shal be a price or gouernour ought to haue in hym The propre worke of a prynce or gouernoure Catifine with his complices were ponysshed of Cicero Place tyme ordre in execucyon may at some seasoÌ„ vpon good polycye be altered The wysdome of Cicero Tullianum The descrypcyon of Prudence The prynce or gouernour ought to folowe y e lawe Prudence is necessary to a prynce A prynce ought to be iuste or ryght tuouse what Epicikeiais and of his nature There is req â—red in a price loue to warde the coÌ„mune weale Howe many what maner men of armes ought to be aboute a prynce for what cause The propre subiecte of maÌ„s lawes without a prynce or gouernour a realme or coÌ„mune weale cannot contynue A prynce ought to surmount all other in vertue prudence The coactiue powre of a prynce or gouernoure is lyke to y e heate or spyryte iÌ„ maÌ„ or beast Men of wysdome are to be appoynted of the prynce to be offycers and not hare brayned felowes men of smal coÌ„scyeÌ„ce lesse descrecyon A good law lytle kepte in some place It belongeth vnto prynces or gouernours to ordayne and appoynt what arte or scyeÌ„ce eche one of y e yonge men ought to lerne for y e coÌ„mune vtylyte He meaneth of suche offyces as y e prynce or kynge wyll haue in stytuted by acte of perlyament els all other officers degres it lyeth iÌ„ y t kyngê absolute power to appoiÌ„te at all tymes Where soeuer he speaketh of such multytude he meneth when it is assembled in y e perlyamente remeÌ„bre this to auoyde captyousnes Let y e prynce restrayne the excessiue multytude of preestes and of poore folke Preestes and poore men Let a prynce or gouernour coÌ„maunde honest ryghtfull thynges both by his worke also by his wordê The prynce or gouernour helpeth the other partes of the cyuyle coÌ„munyte The prynce or gouernour ought neuer to cease from his offyce or dutie doynge Letthe lawes alwayes and contynually endure 1 2 Men lately made tyche so lykewyse that they be newe elected to be kynges or gouernoures at proude for the moste parte 4 5 Theodectus poete 6 It is necessarye but very harde to fynd electours to a good eleccyoÌ„ 7 8 9 10 11 Let there be but one kyng or heed gouernoure Many men maye be heed gouernours beynge al as one in offyce Many prynces or heed gouernours are pernycyous to a cyuyle coÌ„munyte or realme Why a cytie or realme is called one It is called but one worlde because of one god A kyngdom is called one because of one kynge or hed gouernour The descrypcyon of a quiete a peaceable cytie we ought to pray for heed offycers that we may lyue in peace Iesu chryste The apostles of chryste The lawe of the gospell The sacrameÌ„tes of y e churche The sacrament of the aulter The powre of the keyes The karact of holy order The primate shyp of y â— spyrytuall commeth of man Peter the bysshop of Anteoche The donacyon or gyfte of CoÌ„stantyne 8 Clement y e. v
false bacbyters slauÌ„derers of vertuous people spiritually of such as write or speake a gaynst theyr abhomynacions Note well these wordê of Iherome vpon the. xvi of Mathewe The iniuste curse of any bysshop hurteth no man but hym selfe The mayntenaunce of all myscheyfe IurysdyccyoÌ„ coactyue or y â— temporall swerde Of the iudgement of offycyalles and of other Take hede ye pryncê vnto your dutyes The protestacion of Marsilius of Padway Herolde or messanger of truthe The great dragon and olde serpent antychryste of Rome The aÌ„swere of all the obieccyons that ben made in this chapytre ben coÌ„tayned set forth in the nexte chapytre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Ambrose 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Playne trayson heresy iÌ„ the decretallê What scryptures we are bouÌ„de to beleue to gyue credence vnto Howe moche the exposycyons of olde auncient doctours do bide when they are to be admytted and when with reuerence to be refused Iherome Augustyne dysagre Ambrose Iherome dysagre Answere made to the fyrst obieccyon in the chapytre last paste An answere to the seconde obieccyon To the tfyrd obieccyon The epystle of Clement Suspecte Canons Clement bysshop of Rome 4 5 Chryst is the stone The interpretacion of Peter Chryste sayd I shall gyue the keyes not I do gyue That Peter was not superyour An exposytour is not to be credeted be fore a playne texte 6 Liberiê° pope 7 To fede shepe what it betokeneth Marke this The preface of the Masse vpon y e feaste of any of the apostles is allone Chryst dyrecteth his spech somtyme to one in the persone of all Marke this my maystres of the churche for your dyscharge Peter preched to the Iewes and Paule to y e gentyles 8 â—he cause wâ—â— Paule coÌ„ferred with Peter other Lest I shuld ronne in vayne Why saynt Paule coÌ„ferred the gospel with the apostles Howe Paule was an hyndermore pastor than Peter was The churche of Rome hath ben preferred vnto other by maÌ„nes lawe onely 9 One churche One faythe in kynde 10 It is necessary that there be but one prynce in one realme 11 Many bysshops in one churche By what auctoryte there is but one bysshop in euery diocese 12 One pastor or herdysman One folde after what maner 13 Ualentinian the Emperour The churche is not to be coÌ„mytted to heretykes A bysshop infected may be deposed Remembre euer y t the auctoryte of doctours is of no force with out the auctoryte of holy scrypture Ambrose The holy catholyke fayth is y e true spouses of chryste The churches paye trybutê 14 15 I thynke this to be a loudelye forgyd in the name of CoÌ„stantyne as was the gyfte called the donacyon or gyfte of CoÌ„stantyne The bysshop of Rome is no more goddes vycare nor bereth his stede in erthe otherwyse than an other bysshop CoÌ„stantynes sayenges are not Canonycall or any parte of y e Canon or scrypture 16 17 18 19 Sacerdos magnus Princeps episcoporum Abell Noe. Abraham Melchisedech Aron Moyses Samuell Peter Chryste The shepe were roÌ„mytted to all the apostles A place of Bernarde is declared Chryste was sent to the Iewes The Iewes were recoÌ„meÌ„ded vnto Peter when chryste sayde to hym Peter fede my shepe By what wordes the apostles receyued auctoryte 20 21 22 Bernardus non vidit omnia We vsurpe those thynges whiche ar not our owne but belongeth to an other man Chryste refused both the swerde and also iudgement or the offyce of a Iudge Bernarde The dyscyples were iudged and dyd not iudge Seculer iudgement appertayneth not to be a bisshop Chrysostome Two swerdê are the two testamentes by ChrysostoÌ„mes exposycion Bysshopps reyse warres vniustlye The auctoryte of doctours may be refused Preestes are egall in dygnyte Heed of the churche Membres of the churche Prymacie or pryorytye in tyme. We are not bounde vtterly to gyue credeÌ„ce to y e Decrees Decretalles The benefyces are to be dystrybuted by the prynce The makers of the Decretalles are dysposed as were the pharisyes The Decretalles are neyther goddes lawes neyther mannes lawes The canonystes ben they y t make scysme diuysyoÌ„ and styre vp treason The powre of preestes The keyes of the kyngdom of heuen not of this world Iherom Note here well howe chryste sometyme vsed coactyue iurysdyccyon and note the answere to the same The hogges drowned of the feendes The outwarde offence of a preeste is more seculer a great deale then is the offence of a lay man He calleth them coÌ„teÌ„ptible whiche were not mete to preache not because they ben so indede but after a maner of spekiÌ„ge wherin he meneth by coÌ„teÌ„ptible men lay meÌ„ An obieccion that preestes may be iudgê apoynte iudges An answere to the forsayd obieccion Howe ryches possessyons and iudgemeÌ„tes crept in to the churche Ambrose The bisshoppes of Rome ben warryours The spousesse of chryste The purpose of our prelats now a dayes Iudycyall of fyces ar to be reuoked from preestes Answers to obieccyons made in the thyrde chapytre of this parte â–ª The fyrst argument Answere A doctour or teacher is more noble than a leche or physycyon Howe the body is vnder the soule Chryst is the only iudge coactyue of soules The byssop of Rome is but a teacher Obieccyon The answer Obiccyon Answere The seconde argument Answere Obieccyon Answere An inconuenyent or absurdytye The prynce is y e vycare of god An other obieccyon Answere Howe a prynce or gouernoure is to be corrected Another obieccyon Answere The translacyon of the to mayne empyre