appertained to military affaires And so from the first establishing of the law of Moyses the Temple and Synagogue was committed to the Tribe of LEVI the scepter and regall Authoritie was giuen to the Tribe of IVDA in like sort in the law of Grace when the Church came to her greatest perfection Christ appointed particularly Apostles Doctours Ephes 4. and Pastours to gouerne the Church and confirmed Princes in their temporall Authoritie commanding that obedience should be giuen to the Pastour in spirituall matters and to the Prince in temporall Mat. 22 Rom. 13 2. VVherfore least in giuing one of these Potentates too much Mat. 22 I may do iniutie to the other I must follow our Sauiours Commandement and so giue to Cesar that which belongeth to him that I take not from God and his Church what appertaineth to them And although in giuing both but their due I may perchance displease one yet if I may haue that indifferent audience which the grauitie and equitie of the cause requireth I hope to offend neither and how soeuet it happen I had rather displease then do wronge or iniurie And wheras in our Iland by the sway of Authoritie and terrour of lawes it hath bene made High Treason to denie the Prince Authoritie in matters Ecclesiasticall I protest that what I shall say in this matter proceedeth not from any disloyall minde towards my Princes true Authoritie nor from any itching desire I haue to lay open the disgrace of my Countrie which I would rather couer if it were possible with my owne life and bloud and to discharge my self from all iust imputation of Treason I desire to haue the leaue to plead this onlie for my defence that if this be Treason in mee not onlie all Catholick Priests Doctours and Prelates of the Church but also all the ancient subiectes not onlie of England but of all other Christian Countries must incurre the same imputation with me because there was neuer Christians before our English Protestants that gaue Ecclesiasticall power to Princes and there was neuer King of England or of any other Countrie what soeuer that euer was so hardie as to challenge such Authoritie before King HENRIE the Eight which his Challenge seemed so preposterous and monstrous that all the World stood and to this day standeth amazed at it and euen our Puritanes at home and all the new sectes abroade do abhorre and derest it And I in this Chapter shall bring such Argumentes against it that I hope that euen our English protestants who hitherto haue adored it wil be ashamed hence forth to submitt them selues to so monstrous Authoritie 3. My first Arguments shall be drawen from scriptures them selues For if the King had any such Authoritie then no doubt scripture which â—s aboue wee haue seene so often inculcateth Princes Authoritie in matters temporall would neuer haue kept silent this Ecclesiasticall power if they had had any such this being the greater and more eminent but scripture neuer giueth Princes this Authoritie neuer commandeth Christians to obey them in Ecclesiasticall matters but rather giueth that Authoritie to Apostles Bishops and Pastours and Commandeth obedience in this kinde to them not to Princes ergo Princes haue no Authoritie to command in Ecclesiasticall matters The Minor Proposition in which onlie consists the difficultie I proue out of those places of Scripture which aboue I haue alleaged and here will bring in againe yet to another purpose For to S. PETER no Temporall Prince but an Apostle and Pastour was promised the headship of the Church and consequently the soueraintie and supreame power of the Church Tues Petrus super hane Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Mat. â—6 The Hebrew hathâ— Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church And seing that to PETER it was sayd Thou art a Rocke to him also and not to CHRIST the Chiefe and independent Rocke nor to the faith of Christ as our Aduersaries would haue it it must needs be sayd and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church because the Relatiue This hath relation to him that was spoken of imediatly before which was only PETER not CHRIST nor the faith of CHRIST and therfore the Rocke and foundation of the Church and Head being all one it followeth that PETER and consequently the Pope his successour for the Church after PETERS tyme had as much neede or rather more of a Head and Pastour as in PETERS tyme and none euer practized Authoritie ouer all the Church but the Pope as all Councels and histories do witnesse is the supreme Head of the Church and so not euerie King no not any King in his Kingdome Apostles Prophetes Euangelists Pastours and Doctours onlie CHRIST gaue to gouerne his Church as S. PAVLE sayth not Princes Ephes 4. Mat. 18 To Apostles it was sayd VVhat soeuer you shall binde vpon earth shall be bound also in Heauen and what soe-euer you shall loose vpon earth shall be also loosed in heauen Ioan. 20 Neuer to Princes To Apostles it was said VVhose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained Neuer to Princes Of Bishops and Priests it was sayd Neb. 13. Obey your Prelates and be subiect to them for they watch as being to render account for your soules of Princes neuer rather they by these wordes are commanded also to obey Act. 20. To Bishops it was sayd Take heedâ— to your selues and the whole flocke wherein the Holie Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church which he hath purchased with his owne bloud to Princes neuer To a Bishop it was sayd Tit. 1. For this cause I left thee in CRETE that thou thouldst reforme the things that are wanting and thouldst order Priests by Cities as I also appointed thee To Princes neuer 4. I will not denie but that Princes are to assist the Church by sword scepter and Power and to punnish at the Churches direction not onlie Theefes and murderers but also Hereticks as CONSTANTINE and other Emperours did I graunt that they are nourcing Fathers Isay 49. but no Superiours to the Church And therfore if we read ouer both the old and new Testament we shall neuer finde that any King as King medled in the gouernment of Ecclesiasticall persons and matters 5. Bilson when he was VVardon of VVinchester wrote a booke called The True Difference betwixt Christian subiection and Vnchristian Rebellion in which he striueth but in vaine to prooue that the Prince hath supreme Authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and gouernment of the Church And to prooue this he citeth Nabuchodonosor Darius Par. 2. pag. 191 the King of Niniue Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Manasses Iosias and Nehemias as though they had gouerned the Ecclesiasticall affaires of the Synagogue In Tortura Torti pa. 363. So doth also D. ANDREWES But if I should graunt them that all these were by God appointed Rulers of
THE RIGHT AND IVRISDICTION OF THE PRELATE and the PRINCE OR A TREATISE OF ECCLESIASTICALL and REGALL authoritie COMPYLED BY I. E. STVDENT IN DIVINITIE for the ful Instruction and appeacemēt of the consciences of English Catholikes cōcerning the late Oath of pretended Allegance Togeather with a cleare Ample declaratiō of euery clause thereof newlie reuewed and augmented by the Authoure Reddite ergo omnibus debita cui tributum tributum cui vectigal vectigal cui timorem timorem cui honorem honorem Rom. 13. Render therefore to all men their due to whom Tribute Tribute to whom Custome Custome to whom Feare Feare to whom Honour Honour Imprinted With licence of Superiours ANNO DOM. 1621. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE To the most renovvned and constant English CATHOLIKES THIS LIFE OF OVRS Right Honourable Worshipful and worthie Catholikes is à Rase and course in which we are to runne for the winning of a goale 1. Cor. 9. It is a Wrastling for a garland of eternall glorie 1. Cor. 9. It is a Warfare in which we are to fight against three mightie knowne and professed enemies for no lesse then a Kingdome of Heauen Our life as IOB saieth cap. 7. is Militia super terram A warfare in which we stand alwaies vpon our guarde alwaies in our armour alwayes with weapon in hand but it is a warfare on earth for in heauen it is a peace a labour here a rest there a sowing in teares here a reaping in ioy there a storme here a calme there a troublesome sea here a quiet hauen there a battaile here a triumph there and there fore the Church is called militant here triumphant there Wherefore as the husbandman laboureth in the field resteth onely at home The wayfaring man trauelleth in his ware takes his ease onely in his Inne The Romanes tryumphed not in the same place in which they waged warre but made warre in forraine Countries for Townes Prouinces and Kingdomes and tryūphed onely in Rome So we must not looke for ease peace triumphes and garlandes in this life but here we must prepare our selues to skirmishes encounters combats and battailes and in Heauen onely expect our Triumph The children of Israel got not the land of promise but by the dynt of the sword by many encounters and bloudie battailes neither shall wee obtaine heauen vnlesse we fight for it Regnum coelorum vim patitur violenti rapiunt illud Mat. 11. The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent beare it away If we will winne this Cittie wee must lay siege vnto it by watching and praying If we will enter it we must make a breach by the batterie of good workes If we will take quiet possession of it we must make vvarre for it 2. So that the Church militant is an armie and an armie alwaies raunged in battaile array Terribilis vt Castrorum acies ordinata Cant. 6 Terrible as the armie of a Campe set in array In which you shal see nothing but choros castrorum Cant. 7. Companies of Campes In which armie the King is Christ his General is his chiefe Vicaire His Coronelles are Patriarches Bishops and other Prelates His Captaines and inferiour Commaunders are inferiour Priests and Pastours His souldiers are the rest of Christian troupes and Companies To the furnishing of this Armie all the Sacraments of the new law are instituted and ordained Matrimonie peopleth this armie and furnisheth it with men Baptisme presseth and enrolleth them Confirmation armeth them and giueth them their militarie Marke and liuerie The Sacred Eucharist vittaileth the Campe and furnisheth it with munition bread The Sacrament of Order createth Coronelles Captaines and such as are to commaund The Sacrament of Penance healeth and cureth the souldiers who in this warre are wounded and euen reuiueth them who are slaine and killed Extreame vnction riddeth them euen of the reliques of the woundes and diseases And so all Christians are pressed to the warre and ordained to fight the whole Church is a raunged Armie and euery Christian ought to singe that songe which DAVID sunge against GOLIATH Benedictus Dominus Deus meus qui docet manus meas ad praelium digitos meos ad bellum Psal 42. Blessed be our Lord my God who teacheth my handes to battaile and my fingers to warre 3. In this Armie you ô valiant and constant Catholikes are placed as in the most dangerous so in the most honourable rancke and place For as the Generall placeth there his most expert and hardie souldiers where the enemies Canon playeth oftenest the darts and arrowes flye thickest the pikes are planted like a wood most terriblie so our King CHRIST IESVS vnder whose banner and colours you fight knowing your vndaunted courage to be such that absit verbo inuidia you are the most valiant souldiers of the present Church militant he hath placed you against a wood of Pikes against a shower of Bullets and Pellets against the most furious assault that the common enemie giueth to the Christian Armie and Church militant of Christ 4. For whereas Christians amongst the Turks can buy their libertie of Conscience for money you by no tribute can purchase such a fauour And whereas in Holland and other countries the Magistrate layeth handes on Priests and Catholikes only when he findeth them at Masse or diuine seruice you are searched for more diligently then theeues murderers and publike harlots and are apprehended euen in the streetes and fieldes And although in Fraunce and the Low Countries Catholikes haue heretofore endured intollerable pillages cruell deathes and torments yet that furie lasted onely a while whilest the furie of heresie raged in her hoate beginning but against you the like furie hath long continued That cruelty was practised onely by way of tumult but against you the like sharpnes hath bin vsed vnder the colour of law shew of iustice So that no Nation no people Christian endureth at this day for Christ his Church and her Pastours authoritie that which you haue endured for these many yeares without interruption And whereas the more raging the Tempest is the sooner it is appeased the more furious bloudie the battaile is the sooner it is ended you haue this long time suffered a violent and furious persecution and yet you see no ende of this furie yea no hope of an ende by humane meanes oulde statutes being still renewed new enacted So that you are placed in that place of Christs Armie which is exposed to the greatest furie of the Enemie yea you are set as a Butt or marke against which the enemies of Gods Church are permitted to discharge all their Artillarie and to emptie the quiuers of all the pearsing arrowes of afflictions against you and fo you may say as IOB did Iob. 16. Posuit me quasi signum He bath set me to him selue as it were a marck to shoote at And seeing that he bath bene so long a spectator of these shottes and furious assaultes it seemech he taketh delight and
who shall haue care of the spirituall and eternall life But let the one not encroache vpon the other let both helpe one another and both are stronger as was excellently obserued by NICHOLAS the Pope Nichol. epist ad Michael Imp. cap. Gum ad verum ventum est d. 96. Cum ad verum ventum est neque Imperator Iura Pontificatus arripuit nec Pontifex nomen Imperatoris vsurpauit quoniaem idem Mediator Dei hominum homo CHRISTVS IESVS sic propriis actibus dignitatibus distinctis officia Potestatis vtriusque difcreuit vt Christiani Imperatores pro aeternâ vitâ Pontificibus indigerent Pontifices pro cursu temporalium tantummodo rerum Imperialibus legibus vterentur VVhen it came to the vnderstanding of the truth neither the Emperour did take vnto him the rightes of Bishop-like authorotitie nor the Bishop did vsurp the name of the Emperour because the same Mediatour of God and men man Christ Iesus hath distinguished the offices of both powers by their proper actes and distinct dignities as that Christian Emperours for attaining eternall life should neede Bishops and Bishops should vse the Imperiall lawes for the cause only of temporall thinges 3. But as both are necessarie so both are not equall but the one inferiour to the other the one subordinate to the other else the one would be an hindraÌ„ce to the other and both would cause confusion And certes if we will not preferre the bodie before the soule heauen before earth temporall before eternall life VVe must preferre the spirituall and Ecclesiastieall power before the Temporall and consequentlie the Church before the Common VVealth 4. These two powers and the preemineÌ„ce of the spirituall before the Temporall were prefigured as Turrecremata hath well remarked by the two brazen Pillars in the Porch of Salomons Temple The Porch was a figure of the Church Militant Turrecr lib. 4. cap. 87. 3. Reg. 7. the Inner Temple of the Church Triumphant because as by the Porch the Iewes entred into the Temple so by the Church Militant and by no other way Christians haue entrance into the Church Triumphant The two brazen Pillars that sustained the Porch signified the Power Temporall spirituall which support the Church Militant and the pillar on the right hand signified the spirituall power the Pillar on the left hand the Temporall power whence it is that that must take the precedence of this and this must be subordinate to that 5. And truly that the spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power is superiour to the Temporall and more eminent then it I prooue First by those thinges by which I haue prooued them in the former Chapter to be distinct For the end and finall cause of the temporall power is temporall and naturall to witt temporall peace the end of the spirituall Authoritie is eternall and supernaturall peace the immediat cause efficient of the Temporall is the people the immediat cause of the spirituall is God The matters in which the temporall power is occupied are temporall the affaires which the spirituall gouerneth are Ecclesiasticall and spirituall the functions of the temporall are all temporall the functions of the spirituall power are all spirituall and supernaturall as absoluing from sinnes ministring Sacraments offering of sacrifices enacting lawes for the soules health excommunicating absoluing c. The temporall ruleth especially the bodies the spirituall the soules that ruleth the Kingdome or Common Wealth this the Church To the King the Keyes of Cities are offered to the Priest and Pastour the Keyes of heauen He remitteth temporall Mulctes and paynes no sinnes at all The Priest and Pastour remitteth sinnes and absolueth from all paynes He can cast out of his Kingdome by banishement the Pastour out of the Church by Excommunication And therfore looke how farre eternall felicitie excelleth temporall God the People supernaturall and diuine thinges naturall and humane spirituall functions temporall soules bodies the Church the Common VVealth the Keyes of heauen the Keyes of cities sinnes ciuill penalties eternall temporall punishment excommunication banishement so farre the Ecclesiasticall and spirituall excelleth the Ciuill and Temporall Authoritie By this Argument S. CHRYSOSTOM as alwaies very excellentlie proueth the Priests to be greater then the King Chrysost homil 4. de verbis Isaiae tom 5. Mane intra tuos terminos ô Rex alij sunt termini Regni alij sacerdotij hoc Regnum illo maius est Rex ea quae sunt in terris sortitus est administranda caeterùm ius sacerdotij è supernis descendit Regi corpora commissa sunt sacerdoti animae Maior hic Principatus propterea Rex caput submittit manui sacerdotis vbique in scripturâ sacordotes inungebant Reges Remaine within thy boundes O King others are the limites of the Kingdome others of Priesthood this Kingdome is greater then that The King hath the administration of the things of the earth but the right of Priesthood defcendeth from aboue To the King bodies are coÌ„mitted to the Priest soules greater is this principalitie and therfore the King inclineth his head to the hand of the Priest and euerie where â—n Scripture Priests did anoint Kings Secondlie there is no Christian can denie but that since God hath ordained vs to a supernaturall end to witt the cleate vision and fruition of him selfe as all Scripture witnesseth that he hath all our goods also and states are ordained to the same end and are not well vsed but rather abused when they are vsed to serue our pleasures contrarie to that end whence followeth that all temporall thinges since the former Institution and ordination of God are Media meanes in respect not only of out supernaturall end but also of supernaturall meanes as Sacraments Grace and supernaturall functions which are more proportionate and more neere meanes to that end and consequentlie temporall power which ordaineth of these meanes is subiect to spirituall power which principally considereth the supernaturall meanes and end For as the art of ryding is more noble Arist li. 1. Eth. c. 1. then the art of making bridles as Aristotle to a like purpose reasoneth because this is ordained to that so the spirituall power which disposeth of supernaturall thinges is nobler then the Temporall this being ordained to that and the end being more noble then the meanes 6. Thirdlie Philosophers affirme that all habites and faculties are specified and dignified by their actes obiectes and endes and so Morall Philosophie which hath vertue and manners the health of the soule for its obiect is more noble then the art of Phisicke which teacheth only to cure the diseases of the bodie and to restore corporall health Seeing therefore that the obiects of spirituall power are supernaturall and heauenlie the obiects of Temporall power are naturall and earthlie the end also of spirituall power is eternall beatitude the end of temporall power temporall felicitie the actes also and functions of that power spirituall and supernaturall the actes of this naturall and
to the cause But the Pastours of the Church as is manifest out of the alleaged places of scripture haue Authoritie to gouerne and rule the Church and all the members and subiects thereof ergo they haue authoritie to do all those thinges which are necessarily belonging therevnto but they should not haue all power belonging therevnto vnlesse they haue a Power Legislatiue and not onlie directiue but also coerciue at least by spirituall paines ouer Christians and the lay power and temporall Iurisdictions ergo their spirituall power is not onlie aboue the temporall in dignitie but also in authoritie and power of commanding else they had not sufficient power to gouerne the Church which is committed vnto them 14. But because this veritie will appeare more by that which I shall alleage in the next Chapter to prooue that the Pastours of the Church haue spirituall authoritie ouer Kinges and Emperours I will here make an end desiring all wordlinges and Politikes who so inculcare obedience to Princes and secular power not to forgett their dutie and obedience to the Church and her Pastours who haue Authoritie as well as princes and greater then theirs and to thinke also with them selues that he that will not obey the Church Mat. 18. is to be held as an Ethnike and publican and that Deut. 17 if he that stubbornlie refused to obey the Highe priest in the olde lawe was to die for such disobedience what punishment remaineth for them who contemne Church and Pope which yet are in dignitie and power as farre aboue the synagogue and her priests and Bishops as the veritie surpasseth the figure the bodie the shadow the guift the promise Christ Moyses Christes preisthood that of Aaron Christes facrifice and Sacramentes those of the Iewes and synagogue CHAPTER V. Ecclesiasticall and Temporall peeres and princes are compared together and out of the Comparison is gathered that not only priuate laymen but euen temporall princes though otherwise absolute are subiect to the pastours of the Church and especially to the supreame visible pastour as is prooued by many arguments 1. I intend not by this comparison to detract the least from Kings and Princes Naziāz orat 17. ad ciues timore perculsos Psal 81. for I acknowledge their Authoritie to be of God them selues the Images and sonnes of God according to that Ego dixi Dij estis filij excelsi omnes I saied you are Godds and the sonnes of the highest all I will not let to giue them in a good sence those high titles with which the Romanes and Grecians stiled them who called them Filios Deorum Deos terrae Ioues mundi The sonnes of Goddes Goddes of the earth and Iupiters of the world for as God is the supreame Monarch of the world so are they of their Kingdomes in the gouernment wherof they imitate the Monarchicall gouernment of the world I graunt that a King in respect of the laitye is as the eye and head in the bodie as she sunne amongst the planets as the Cedar amongst Trees as gould amongst metalles as fier amongst the Elements as the sea amongst waters I will willinglie acknowledge him the second person after God and onlie lesser then God in temporall Authoritie Tertul. l. aduersus Scap. c. 2. 2. But yet it is not one of Kings least honours to acknowledge thē selues sonnes of the Church Ambros orat in Auxentium as S. AMBROSE tould Valentinian the Euiperour And therfore as Priests are content to giue to the King and Prince that honour which is due vnto them so Princes must not disdaine to giue to Priess their due respect and right Princes I graunt are called Gods by participation and the anointed of God so are Priests and in this kinde greater Gods then they because they approche nearer vnto the true God and only God by essence who therfore is called Deus Deorum Psal 49. 135. God of Goddes and their consecration and anoynting being a Sacrament is farre holier then that of Kings for which cause CONSTANTIN called the Bishopes of NICE his Gods Ruf. l. 1. Cap. 2. and would not be Iudge of them to whose iudgement he was to stand and as Princes are Kinges so are Priests and by so much greater Kinges then they by how much it is more to be a Kinge of soules then bodies wherfore the scriptures alleaged in the former Chapter which giue to the spirituall power a superioritie and authoritie ouer the temporall do prooue also that Bishops and especiallig the High and chiefe Pastour are euen Kings Pastours Ioan. 21 and superiours For when Christ bad PETER feede his sheepe he made him Pastour ouer all Christians and so the King if he wil be a sheepe of Christ must be a sheepe of PETER and consequentlie of the Pope his successour Mat. 18. and must acknouwledge him his Pastour And When Christ saied Dic Ecclesiae c. Tell the Church and if he will not beare the Church let him be vnto thee is an Ethnick and Publican Did he exempt Princes from the Churches Tribunal And when he saied What soeuer you shal binde vpon earth Mat. vlt. shal be bound in heauen were Princes excepted No no. If Princes will be members of the Church they must be subiect to the visible Head therof If they will be sheepe of Christ they must acknowledge PETER and the Pope his successour for their Pastour 3. Neither can their temporall soueraintie exempt them for that only maketh them so absolute that they are subiect to no temporall power yet remaine they notwithstandinge subiect to the spirituall power of the Church and as subiect as the lowest Christian and haue no more commaund ouer the Church then the meanest of the people True it is that they are defendours or ought so to be and Protectours of the Church Pastours and superiours they are not but sheepe and inferiours And therfore after that the Prophet Esaye had saied Erunt Reges nutritij tui c. Esai 49. Kinges shall be thy nourcing Fathers to shewe that this importeth no superioritie ouer the Church he addeth VVith countenance cast downe toward the ground they shall adore thee the Churche and they shall licke vp the dust of thy feete 4. And this I proue first by reason grounded in faith and Diuinitie For the King by Baptisme is made as trulie a member of the Church as the meanest Christian and is incorporated as deepelie by the Caracter of Baptisme as any hee is regenerated and borne againe as much as any else he should not be so good a Christian as others And seing that by this incorporation and natiuitie as is before declared the Pastours especiallie the chief Pastour who is Head of this bodie hath power ouer all Christians it followeth that he hath also power ouer Kinges and so as the King can punnish rebelles Malefactours cast them out of the Realme by banishement so may the Chiefe Pastour punnish a rebellious King
hath Authoritie ouer Clergie men as Clergie men he can command euen Churchmen in Ecclesiasticall matters and can call Synodes determine controuersies of faith in them enact Ecclesiasticall lawes and bestowe Ecclesiasticall Benefices and so he shall haue Authoritie not onlie ouer the persons but also ouer the things of the Church And therfore as he that should say that the King for the necessarie good of the Common VVealth cannot dispose of the Temporalities of the Realme should in effect make him no King so BILSON in saying that the King hath no Authoritie ouer the spirituall things and graces of the Church makes him no Head of the Church nor superiour ouer Church men as Church men For if the King be Head of the persons of the Church he can command them as his subiects And then I demand of BILSON in what things he can command them If in temporall thinges onlie as to paie Tribute to go to warre c. then is he King only of the Common wealth but no Head of the Church If in Spirituall things as administration of Sacraments decisions of matters of faith in Councels c. then hath he the administration of spirituall things and hath authority not only ouer the persons but also ouer the things of the Church But I neede not wrest this frō BILSON by force of Argument for he no lesse plainely confesseth that the King is no Head of the Church Bilson par 2 pag. 240 These are his wordes VVe confesse Princes to be supreme Gouernours that is as we haue often told you supreme bearers of the sword which was first ordained from aboue to defend and preserue as wel godlines and honestie as peace and tranquillitie amongst men We giue Princes no power to deuise or inuēt newe Religions to alter or chaunge sacraments to decide or debate doubtes of faith to disturbe or infringe the Canons of the Church Thus he VVherby we see first how he derogateth from that authority which King HENRIE the 8 and Queene ELIZABETH challēged and the former Parlament approoued for by that authoritie King HENRIE the 8. exiled all the Popes authoritie forbad all Appeales to Rome contrary to the ancient Canons disposed of Abbaies and Churches without the Popes authority c. And by the same authoritie Q. ELIZABETH chaūged the sacraments and all the whole face and hew of religion and forbad Councels to be called or any thing in them to be decided without her consent Secondlie we may see also herby how BILSON maketh the King no supreme Head yea no head at all of the Church but only a Protectour and defender therof which Title all Catholikes graunt to Kinges acknowledging that the King is to defēd the Church to assist her by his temporall sword and Authoritie that shee bee not hindred in calling Councels and administration of the Church yea and to punish heretikes condemned by her and deliuered vp to secular power And no more doth BILSON graunt And so he denying the Prince to be head of the Church and graunting him to be only a protectour and defender is guiltie of high treason 22. D. Field lib. 5. de Eccles cap. 53. Doctour FIELD also in effect denieth this authority to the King for he distinguisheth things merelie Spirituall in this manner Either sayth he the power in these things is of order or of iurisdiction the power of order consisteth in preaching the worde in ministring Sacramēts and ordaining ministers and in these things saith he Princes haue no Authoritie at all much lesse supreme authority The power of iurisdiction standeth in prescribing lawes in hearing examining and iudging of opinion in matters of saith and things pertaining to Ecclesiasticall order and Ministerie and due performing of Gods seruice and in these the King can only by direction of the Clergie make penall and tempor all lawes for the Execution of Bishops lawes and Canons Thus he But to omitt how aptlie D. FIELD annexeth preaching to the power of order Vide Sairum lib. 4. de Censuris cap. 16. num 21 which may be exercised with licence of the Bishop by one that hath no Orders at all to omitt also how he can possiblie distinguish the powers of order ād Iurisdiction he and his Doctours denying all Caracters and making ordination nothing else but a meere deputation to such an office I auerre that D. FIELD in this contradicteth the former authority which was giuen by Parlament to King HENRIE the Eight and King EDWARD his sonne and Queene ELIZABETH his Daughter as may appeare plainlie by the actes of Parlament aboue alleadged and he maketh the King no Supreme Head of the Church but onlie an Assistant Protectour and Defendour therof as I haue shewed against D. BILSON 23. Wherfore the Catholicks of England haue iust cause to complaine of seuere dealing towards them who many of them haue bene condemned to Premuniries and cruell deathes for denying the snpremacie of the Prince in Spirituall causes of which notwithstanding the leardnest of the Ministerie make such doubt and question as we haue seene yea denie it in plaine termes For if that care had bin had of the Kings Catholick subiects which their number antiquitie and loyaltie seemed to require this question of the Supremacie should haue bene better discussed and more maturely resolued before the Ministers should haue preached it as necessarie to be beleeued and before Catholicks should haue been so seuerelie handled for denying it their own Doctours now varying so much as we haue seene about the very name and thing it self and some of the leardnest amongst them denying it as flatly as any Catholick can do 24. Remember then O Kinges Princes and Potentates of the earth what is belonging to your so high an office Psal 2. An exhortation to Princes Et nunc Reges intelligite erudimini qui iudicatis terram And now ô Kings vnderstand your office informe your selues ô you that iudge the earth what belongeth vnto you You are Iudges of the earth and Common wealth you are not to meddle with the Church which is called Regnum Coelorum Mat. 13 the Kingdome of Heauen You are Isa 49. as Esaye calleth you Nurcing Fathers but no Gouernours of the Church you are Protectours and Defendours and Assistants obliged by scepter and sword to assist her and to punish her Rebelles at her direction You are subiects no Superiours sheepe no Pastours Inferiour members no Heads and your greatest honour and safetie is to serue not to rule the Church to defend not to inuade her rightes Harken ô Princes to that holsome counsell which AZARIAS the High Priest gaue to King OZIAS 2. Paral. 26. Ioseph l. 9. Ant. cap. 11. who would be medling with the Priests office For when he being puffed vp with pride of hart tooke vppon him to offer Incense in the Temple and on the Altar of Incense AZARIAS matching his Kinglie pride with a Priestlie Zeale followed him at his heeles accompanied with fourescore Priests and
may raigne ouer them are content that this opinion of the Popes authoritie be taught in schooles and published in printed bookes And therfore of late his Catholike Maiestie with three Bishops of his Counsell and the Inquisition of Spaine authorized the printing and setting forth of a booke of this subiect composed by a learned Diuine Franciscus Suarius intituled Defensio fidei Catholicae Apostolicae aduersus Anglicanae sectae errores c. in which the Authoritie of the Pope in deposing Princes who by their tyrannie against the Church make them selues vnworthy of their honourable roome and place is largelie and learnedlie defended and prooued 2. I confesse that the Popes Temporall Authoritie which he hath in ROME and ITALIE proceeded not from the immediat guift of CHRIST but rather commeth to him by the a Cap. Cōstantinus d. 96. c. Ego Ludouic d. 63. ca. futuram 12. q. 1. Naucler gen 13. Magd. Cent. 4. c. 7. Petr. Damian disp cum Reg. Aduoc Anselm li. 4 c. 32. Iuo Carn p. 5. Decr. cap. 49. Genebr lib. 3. Chron. Abrahā Leuita in ca. 11. Dan. Donation of CONSTANTINE PIPIN CHARLES the Great LEWIS the Godlie and other Princes as is testified partlie by the Canon law partlie by the Actes of SILVESTER partlie by other auncient writers I graunt also that Christ made him no temporall Prince but only Pastour of the Christian world For although many b Ostiens in cap. quod super his de voto voti Redemp Anton. 3. p. tit 22. cap. 5 §. 13. Silu. V. Papa V. Legitimus Canonists affirme that the Pope is Temporall Lord of the whole world yet c Henr. quod lib. 6. q. 23. Turrecr lib. 2. Summ◠cap. 113. Caiet tom 1. Opusc tract 2. cap. 3. 2.2 q. 43. art 8. passim recentiores Diuines stand against them in this point and not without good reason For looke what power the Pope hath by Diuine right he hath from the Apostles And seing that CHRIST made his Apostles Pastours Ephes 4. Ioan. 21 Mat. 16. not Princes and gaue them a Church to rule not a Kingdome bestowed on them the Keyes of heauen not of Cities Mat. 18. Act. 20. Mat. 28. gaue them power to bind and loose the soule not the bodie to teach and baptize all Nations not to subiugate them and built his Church vpon an Apostle not vpon any King or Prince It followeth euidently that the Pope by Christs donation hath no title to Kingdomes and Empires 3. True it is that many Diuines and those also of note are of opinion that Christ as man was Temporall King ouer all the world which is the expresse opinion of S. a Anton. 3 p. tit 3. cap. 2. Antonine b Almai tract de potest Ecc. c. 8. Almainus c Turrec lib. 2. Summae cap. 116. Turrecremata d Ostiēs in cap. quod super his de voto voti redemp Ostiensis e Duran tract de Iurisd Eccl qu. 43. Durand f Nauar. in cap. Nouit de Iudiciis not 3. n. 8. 130. Nauar and others which they also prooue out of diuers places of scripture as Apoc. ◠Princeps Regum terrae Prince of the Kings of the earth Apoc. 19. Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords Act. 10. Hic est omnium Dominus This is Lord of all Psalm 8. and Heb. 9. Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius Thou hast subiected all things vnder his feet Matt. vlt. Data est mihi omnis potestas in Coelo in terra All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth Yet most Interpreters expound these places as meant of Christs spirituall and Priestlie Power by which he was spirituall King of the world And though it be verie probable 1. Vasq 3 p. disp 87. ca. 3. as the Leardned Vasquez sheweth that Christ in deede as man was Temporall King of the world and had that Regall dignitie not by election or descent but only by Hypostaticall vnion which did so eleuate and dignifie his humane nature that it gaue him Authoritie euen as man ouer all the Kings of the earth by which he might haue commanded them euen in Temporall things and might haue depriued them of their Crownes Yet this it not so certaine because many Diuines also holde that Christ as man was no Temporall King But howsoeuer all allmost do agree that Christ neuer vsed any Regall power nor did actually raigne as King ouer any Countrie much lesse ouer all the world And therfore he sayd Ioan. 18 Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo My Kingdome is not of this world Because although his spirituall Kingdome the Church be in this world yet it is not of this world in respect of the spirituall authoritie and graces of the Church which are from heanen And although it be probable that he had Kinglie authoritie which is called Ius regnandi A right to raigne by which he might haue raigned and ruled temporallie in the world yet as I haue said he neuer actually raigned neither did he exercise any Kinglie act of his Kinglie Power and so hauing sayd that his kingdome is not of this world Ibidem be giueth a reason thetof saying Si enim ex hoc mundo esset Regnum meum ministri vtique decertarent vt non traderer Iudaeis For if my Kingdome were of this world my Ministers verily would striue that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes Which is a good reason if you vnderstand by his Kingdome the actual exercise of his Kinglie authoritie for otherwise one may be a true King in respect of his right as Kings driuen by force out of their Kingdomes are and yet haue no souldiers nor ministers to fight for them Ioan. 2. I know some Authours contend that he did actually exercise the Temporall power of a King when with a whippe he chased buyers and sellers out of the Temple yet that he did by the office of a Redeemer and Prophet whose part was to correct sinnes and abuses Others say that he vsed Kinglie Authoritie when he cast the Deuils into the Hogges and them into the sea Matth. 8. and when he withered the Figgetree Mat. 21. Mar. 11. Otherwise saye they he had done iniurie to the owners But all this an other Prophet might haue done though no King much more CHRIST the Prophet of Prophets and yet should he haue done no iniurie to the owner seing that what Prophets do miraculously they do by authority from God who is supreme Lord ouer life goods and all And because CHRIST did not actually raigne therfore Emperours and Kinges were absolute and were not vicaires or delegates to CHRIST and CHRIST tooke neither crownes nor scepters from them according to that of the Hymne of the Epiphanie In 1. Vesp Epiph. Hostis Herodes impie Christum venire quid times Non eripit mortalia Qui
Church but by the Magistrate I must tell him that if the Magistrate may punish Hereticks much more may the Church because the Magistrate and Prince as he is not to iudge which is heresie so it pertaines not to him to punish Hereticks Vide Suarâ—z lib. 4. de legibus cap. 11. heresie being a crime which pertaineth to the Ecclesiasticall not to the Temporall Court and therfore that Princes by their lawes do decree punishments against hereticks they do it by commission from the Church which is the cause why the Church first deliuereth them vp to secular power whence followeth that the Church who giueth Authoritie to Princes to punish Hereticks may do it her selfe when they are wanting in their office which also all the Arguments alleadged do conuince And Widdrington cannot denie Ca. ad ab solendum cap. vergentis c. ExcoÌ„municamus ca. fin de haereticis 15. q. 6. ca. not Sanctorum that the Church doth deliuer vp Hereticks to secular power which is a temporall punishment as also that she casteth them into prison confifcateth their goods makes them infamous vncapable of new secular offices and of the right and lawfull execution of the olde makes them vnable to make their last will or to succeed by Testament yea and that by her decrees they be excommunicated and consequentlie depriued of all Ciuill societie which are in like sort Temporall punishments Moreouer it cannot be denied but that the Councell of Trent sess 25. cap. 3. Commaundeth Ecclesiastical iudges not to vse Censures but when there is vrgent cause and in lieu therof to condemne malefactours to pecuniarie mulctes 3. And if the Church can thus punish ordinarie Christians temporallie she may inflict Temporall punishments vpon Kinges because although Kings as Kings are superiours to their subiectes yet as Christians and Christian Kinges also they are as subiect to the Church as others because as aboue I haue declared the reasoÌ„ why other Christians are subiect to the Church and her visible Head and Pastour is because they are incorporated to the Church and made members therof by baptisme and consequentlie subiect to the whole bodie and head but Kinges and Emperours are as well incorporated as other Christians being as well baptized and signed with as good and as vndefaceable a caracter of baptisme ergo they are as subiect And then say I If they be as subiect they may by the Churches authoritie be punished aswell as others and not only spirituallie but also temporallie as others may if once it be graunted that hereticall and rebellious Princes may be punished by the Chiefe Pastour by lesser penalties as coÌ„fiscations of goods infamie exile such like punishments which are inflicted on all obstinate hereticks then I shall easilie inferre that they may by the Church be depriued also of their Kingdomes that depriuation being a temporall punishment so of the same order with the others And though it be greater then many others yet why may it not be inflicted for an enormious rebellion or iniurie against the Church This I say to prooue that Princes by the Church may be punished temporallie though the Church alwayes beareth and ought to beare that respect to Princes that she will not vse teÌ„porall punishmeÌ„ts against Princes no nor any punishment at all but only when holsome admonition will not serue and the Church is much interessed CHAPTER XI The same power of the Pope ouer Princes is prooued by authority of Generall Councells out of which are gathered for the same authority euident and conuincing arguments 1. THe Authoritie of a Generall Councell confirmed by the Pope quoad nos in respect of vs to whom a Councell is better knowen then Scripture though in it selfe not of so great credit as Scripture is the greatest in earth and vnder the cope of Heauen For if a Councell especiallie Generall confirmed by the Chiefe Pastour Act. 15. notwithstanding that it representeth the whole Church containeth all the Chiefe Pastours of the Church and hath in it assembled all the learning wisdome Authoritie and sanctitie yea the holy Ghost for directour may erre who cannot erre And after such Authoritie reiected whome shall we finde of greater Authoritie for interpreting Scripture deciding controuersies clearing doubts and difficulties and enacting holsome lawes Mat. 18. Christs bids vs holde him for no better then an Ethnike and Publican who will not heare the Church and where or when doth the Church more expreslie deliuer her mind or teach with more Authoritie or command with more right to be obeyed then in a Generall Councell â—â—au 14. 16. And if in any place or coÌ„munitie the holie Ghost presideth as certes Christ promised his Holy spirit to his Church and the Apostles and their Successours no doubt in a Generall Councell he teacheth all veritie Act. 15. Hence it is that S. PETER and the Councell holden at Hierusalem sayth Visum est spiritui sancto nobis 1. Tim. 3. It hath seemed good to the Holie Ghost and vs. And if the Church be euer the Pillar of truth it is in a Generall Councell If euer Christ fulfilleth his promise to be there where two or three are gathered together in his name Athan. in epist de Synodie Arim. Seleue. he fulfilleth it in a Generall Councell Wherefore ATHANASIVS calleth the decree of the Councell of NICE Sententiam Apostolicam An Apostolicall sentence and in another place he marueiles how any dare make any doubte Epist ad Epict. Ambros li. 5. epist 32. Aug. ep 162. 118. or moue any question concerning any matters decided in that Councell S. AMBROSE did giue such credit to it that he sayd neither death nor sword should separate him from that Authoritie S. AVGVSTINE calleth the sentence of a Generall Councell the last sentence from which is no appeale and saith that the Authoritie of Councels in the Church is saluberrima most holesome Ciril in dial 1. S. CIRILL of Alexandria calles a Generall Councell Basim immobile fundameÌ„tum Gregor epist 28. A ground and immoueable foundation S. GREGORIE the Great honoured the foure first Generall Councels to which the Councell of Trent is equall in Authoritie coÌ„sisting of as lawfull Bishops as the foure Ghospelles to wit for their infallibilitie This I thought good to premise because Widdrington and others seeme not to giue that respect to Councels as the Authoritie of them requireth Let vs now see what the Councels say of this matter in hand and then let me see the face that dareth face out so great Authoritie 2. And first let vs see what the Generall CouÌ„cell of LateraÌ„ held in the yeare of our Lord 1215. vnder INNOCENTIVS the third determineth in this matter Surius praefat in hoc Conc. Platina in Innocentie 3. No man sayth Laurentius Surius in his Preface to this Councell can doubt of the Authoritie and generalitie of this Councell because in it were handled matters of ReligioÌ„ determined
against God and his Churches right and honour VVherfore seeing that by this oath the true and lawfull Authoritle of your chiefe visible head and Pallour is abiured as this booke will make plaine vnto you imitate the wise serpent expose bodie liuings libertie and all for the defence of your Head and if your zealous Pastour and Primat S. THOMAS of CANTERBVRIE indured banishment reuilings contumelies iniuries and at length death it self for the defeÌ„ce of the rights of the Church how much more should you constantlie endure for the defence of the Head of the Church 18. And although Widdrington telles you and as he would seeme as a freind and one that hath care of your temporall estates that you are not bound to loose any penny for the Authoritie of the Pope which this oath abiureth yet I desire you to coÌ„pare VViddrington to those Allens Card. Allan in his Answ to the libeller Hardings Sanders Bâ—istowes Stapletons who had as great a care of your temporall and more of your spirituall estates and yet wrote and taught that the Authoritie which this oath abiureth is to be defended with hazard of liuings and life To these I'desire you to adde the CouÌ„cels not only Prouincial but also General which in their decrees haue defined this authoritie the Popes so many so learned so holie who haue exercized it vpon rebellious Princes the Kings and Emperours though most herein interessed who haue acknowledged it the arguments also deducted out of Scripture and Principles of faith and Diuinitie which do conuince it all which this booke will make known vnto you and lastly the fatherlie admonition of your most Holie Father and chiefe visible Pastour PAVL by the Grace of God the fifte of that name who as by office he hath a generall charge and care of all Christian Nations so hath he a particular care not only of the spirituall but also of the temporall estates of all English Catholikes as our Colledges haue and do daiely experience and consequentlie would not expose your temporall estates to the furie of the persecutour by forbidding you this oath if as he telleth you it did not containe thinges which can not be sworne without euident and grieuous wronging of Gods honour and which are flat contrarie to faith and saluation Paulus 5. in Breu. And therfore seeing that hee like a wise and carefull Phisitian hath more care of your health then of contenting your tast and humour and VViddrington contrariewise permitteth you that which is pleasing to flesh and bloud not so much respecting how preiudicious it is to your soules health if you will preferre heauen before a temporall estate and the soule before the bodie you must also preserre your Holie Fathers counsel and admonition especiallie grounded in such authoritie before all the smooth and soothing prescriptions in the world warraÌ„ted by onlie Widdringtons and some few obscure Authors authoritie for although he alleadgeth often the Doctors of Sotbon and all the state of France yet by the late resistance made by the Clergie and nobilitie of France against the like Oath who seeth not how he abuseth his reader and iniureth that noble Monarchie 19. But put the case you should preferre VViddringtons counsel before your chiefe Pastours admonition and all the authoritie alleadged neither so what soeuer he beareth you in hand should you saue your temporall estates or decline persecution For to omitte that if you had at the first iointlie and couragionslie resisted the oath it is like you should neuer haue been so hoatlie pressed with it if now you should all resolue to accept of it neither so should you auoide persecution For as I haue tould you perchaunce your yeelding in this point hath prouoked your heauenlie Fathers wrath and induced him in this his so iustlie conceiued anger to vse or permitt still the rodd of persecution which otherwise he was readie to haue layed aside and the persecutour who proposeth this oath not seeking so much the Princes securitie which rather hereby as I haue shewed in the last chapter of this booke is more endaungered as the molestation of your Consciences and the pillage of your goods would not though you should accept of this oath surcease therfore from persecution but if he could not by this meanes molest your consciences and ruine your estates he would try other meanes as to compell you to their Churches or prophane Communion And this you may gather by his sorrow he shewed when in the beginning so many of you yeelded to take this oath and by this also that many who haue taken this oath can not so free them selues from molestation because nothing but your goods and miseries can satisfie the vnsatiable crueltie of bloudie persecutours And so by yeelding to this oath as you prouoke Gods greater anger so you moue the persecutour to no compassion rather you make him more insolent and redouble your owne miserie But suppose you could thus shake of this hâ—auie yoke of persecution yet it beeing vnlawfull as your chiefe Pastour and â—earnedst Doctours teach you as hetherto rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis cognoscentes vos habere meliorem manentem substantiaÌ„ Heb 10 the spoile of your owne goods you haue taken with ioy knowing that you haue a better and permanent substance so do you perseuere and continue And if God permit the persecutour to prey not only on your goods but also on your liues yet nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus animam autem non possunt occidere c. Matt 10. feare not them that can kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and bodie into Hel. 10. Many thinges do make this oath vnlawfull as you will easilie perceaue by the briese examination which the last chapter of this treatise maketh of it but if there were nothing but this that it is an vncouth and vnwonted oath neuer yet proposed by any Prince vnto his subiects and proposed also by the professed Enemies of Gods Church all Catholikes that feare to offend God or to doe iniurie to the Church and her right and authoritie ought to holde it as suspected and as such to shunne it and auoyd it For it is no new thing for heretikes vnder colour of oathes of fidelitie and ciuil alleageance to deceaue the well meaning and nought-suspecting Catholike VVee read in the historie of the persecution of the Wandalles Victor Vticen lib. 3. de pers Vand. how Hunnericus proposed such an oath to the Catholike Bishops assembled together at Carthage preteÌ„ding onely therby to assure him selfe of their sidelitie towards him and his sonne that was to succeede him which if they would take he premised to send them home to their Churches The oath seemed â—â—rie reasonable and was no other then this Iurate si post obitum Domini nostri Regis eius filium Hildericum desideratis esse Regem vel si nullus vestrum ad Regiones
morall It must needs followe that the spirituall power excelleth the temporall as much as the obiects endes and actes of that doe surpasse this 7. Fourthlie that power is greater to which euen the Princes them selues are subiect then that to which the subiects and people onlie are subiect not the Prince for though the Prince be subiect to his owne sawes quoad vim directiuam yet not quoad vim â—perciuam but the Prince is subiect to the spirituall powet of the Church as much as â—he lowest and meanest of his subiects ergo â—he spirituall power of the Church is more â—minent then the Temporall power of the Prince or Common VVealth The Maior â—roposition is euident The Minor I shall â—rooue in the next Chapter wherfore the â—onclusion must needs followe 8. Hitherto I haue prooued that the spiâ—ituall and Ecclesiasticall power is more â—minent and noble then the Temporall â—nd consequentlie that the spirituall is â—igher in dignitie but whether it can comâ—and correct curb or restraine the temâ—orall I haue not as yet either prooued or declared for many things are more highe in dignitie then others which yet haue no authoritie to command or punnish As for example the Protestants of this time will not lett to graunt that the Pope is the highest Patriarch in dignitie yet they say he can not command out of his particular Diocese of Rome and all Diuines graunt that the power of the Church is more noble then any power of Princes or Emperours that being spirituall and supernaturall this onely temporall and yet they say that they that are not baptized be they Princes or subiects are not subiect vnto it so as the Church can command or punnish them spirituallie And the King of France is more eminent in dignitie then any of the noblest subiects of England or Spaine and yet hath no authoritie to command or punnish them for faultes committed out of his Realme Wherfore it resteth that I prooue that the Church by her spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power can command all Christians euen Heretickes that are baptized And this besides what hath been saied in the former Chapter to the proofe thereof I shall briefely yet cleerely shew by these ensewing arguments 9. For first the Ecclesiasticall superiours are true Pastours of the Church ergo they can not only direct but command and correct at least by spirituall paines and chastisements The Antecedent I prooue out of scripture Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe Ioan. 21. saied Christ to S. Peter and his successours and all Pastours in their kinde Ad Eph. 4. Christ saieth S. Paul gaue to his Church some Apostles some Prophetes and other some Enangelists and other some Pastours and Doctours Act. 20. And the same Apostle speaking to Pastours sayth Attendite vobis c. Attend to your selues and your whole flocke To which purpose also S. Peter addeth saying 1. Pet. 5. Pascite qui in nobis est gregem Dei Feede the flocke of God which is in you The consequence I prooue because to a Pastour it belongeth not onlie to feede by Sacramentes and the word of God but also to rule to gouerne and correct and consequentlie the Pastours of the Church can make lawes which bynd all Christians their subiectes in conscience and they can correct and punnish â—he delinquents at least by spirituall chastisements of Excommunication and other Censures 10. Mat. 18. Secondlie Christ gaue power by his Apostles and successours to bynde and loose which argueth Iursdiction 11. Thirdlie the Apostles and their succesâ—ours haue vsed this Authoritie ouer Chriâ—tians Act. 15. 1. Cor. 5. Tit. 1. 1. Cor. 7. 2. Cor. 10 for they enacted lawes in their first Councell Saint Paul excommunicated the â—ncestuous Corinthian They appointed Bishops and Priests to gouerne particuler Churches Saint Paule distinguisheth his â—wne power of making lawes from Christs And hee saith Arma militiae nostrae non carnalia sunt sed potentia Deo ad destructionem munitionum c. The weapons of our VVarfare are not carnal but mightie to God vnto the destruction of munitions destroying Counsels and all loftinesse extolling it selfe against the Knowledge of God c. and hauing in a readinesse to reuenge all disobedience c. 12. Fiftlie I proue it by a Theological Argument By Baptisme Christians are made true members of the Mysticall bodie of Christs Church no lesse then subiects are of the Kingdome or Politicall bodie D. Tho. 3. p q. 63. art 6 q. 68. a. 1. q. 69. a. 4 5. yea more because they are incorporated to the Church by a reall supernaturall and indelible Caracter But all members are so subiect to the head that the head by Authoritie may command correct and punish them if they transgresse ergo the Pastours of the Church and especiallie the chiefe Pastour hath Iurisdiction ouer all those that are baptized be they true Christians or Heretickes or Apostataes This I confirme by this congruence Euerie one is bound to the lawes of the Realme in which he was borne by reason that his natiuitie in that place maketh him a true member of that Kingdome as our Soueraine Liege himselfe well obserueth In praef monitor pag. 12. And seing that Baptisme is a regeneration and newe natiuitie by which we are borne in the Church for euen the Children of Heretickes though they be baptized by Heretickes if they be trulie baptized are borne in the Churche it followeth that all that are baptized are bound to obey the Church and chiefe Pastour of the Church to obserue her lawes and may be punished by the Church if they transgresse the same else the Church which is the most eminent state and Common wealth should be inferiour vnto the lowest and meanest Politicall common wealth that is for there is no lawfull common wealth but it can make lawes and punish the transgressours 13. Sixtlie the Church is an absolute Common VVealth and consequentlie hath Authoritie to make lawes to appoint spirituall Magistrates to call Councels and to decide controuersies to correct and punish Heretickes and Blasphemers and all sinne which are properlie opposite to her gouernment and Ecclesiasticall peace but this supposeth a legislatiue an commanding and not only a directiue but also a coerciue power ergo the Church and especiallie her chiefe Pastour Christs Vicaire hath such Authoritie l. 2. ff de Iurisd omnium Iud. cap. Praeterea de officio delegati This Argument I confirme thus The Ciuill lawe telleth vs Cui iurifdictio data est ea quoque concessa esse videntur sine quibus iurisdictio explicari non potuit To whom iurisdiction is graunted those things also seeme to be graunted without which the iurisdiction could not be explicated And againe Ex eo quod causa alicui committitur super omnibus quae ad causam ipsam spectare noscuntur plenariam recipit Potestatem In that a cause is committed to any he receiueth full power ouer all things which are known to pertaine
monstretur The beginning is taken from one and the Primacie is giuen to PETER that one Church and one chaire may be shewed Cypr. ep ad Iubaianū Hier. lib. 2. contra Iouin And in his Epistle to Iubaianus Ecclesia quae vna est super vnum qui Claues accepit voce Domini fundata est The Church which is one is by the voice of our Lord founded vpon one who hath receiued the Keyes And S. HIEROME sayth Inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio Amongest twelue one is chosen that the Head being appointed the occasion of schisme may be taken away But if we admit euerie King as Head of the Church in his Kingdome we shall not haue one visible Head but manie and those also verie diuers For as Kings claime supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall because they are supreme Princes for the same reason may the senate in Venice Genua and Geneua challenge the same Authoritie Whence followeth that vnitie in faith and Sacraments vnder so diuers Heads cannot any long time be retained but we should haue as many Religions as Kings and as many diuers and independent Churches and Kingdomes for one King will not depend either for him selfe or his people of an other 12. This diuision we see alreadie proceedeth from these diuers Heads Haue we not seene how Religion in England hath changed with our Kinges since they challenged supremacie of our Church King HENRIE the Eight in the six and twentith yeare of his Raigne in the Parlament holden at VVestminster the third of Nouember 1534. enacted that the King should be reputed the onlie supreme Head in earth of the Church of England and should haue aswel the Title and stile as all honours authorities and commodities belonging thervnto and all power also to redresse all Heresies errours and abuses in the same and the yeare before also the fiftenth of Ianuary the King and Parlament decreed That no Appeales should be made to Rome no Annates or Impositions should be paied to the Bishop of Rome no sutes should be made to him for licēre or dispensation And yet in the Parlam̄et holden at Westminster anno Domini 1554. the first and second yeare of King PHILIP and Queene MARIE obedience was restored to the Church of Rome and all statutes repealed which derogated to the Authoritie and honour of the Sea Apostolick and the Title of the Kings supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall was reiected After this notwithstanding was the same Authoritie taken againe by Queene ELIZABETH in the Parlament Anno Domini 1558. Anno 1. regni Elizab die 13. Ian. Likewise in the Parlament holden by King HENRIE the Eight in the one and thirtith yeare of his raigne and eight and twentith of April and in the yeare of our Lord 1537. these six Articles were enacted The Six Articles The Reall presence of the true and naturall Bodie and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine without the substance of bread and wine 2. That Communion vnder both kindes is not necessarie for the people 3. That Priests cannot marrie after Priesthood 4. That Religious after their vowes cannot marrie 5. That Priuate Masses are according to Gods law and to be allowed 6. That Auricular Confession is expedient and necessarie And yet this statute was qualified and repealed by EDWARD the sixt his sonne and as yet a Child in the yeare of our Lord 1547. 4. Nouemb. and first yeare of his raigne After that againe the self same six Articles were receiued and confirmed in Queene MARIES raigne in the first Parlament an Domini 1553. 24. Octob. and in another an Domini 1554. Likewise King HENRIE the Eight in the Parlament holden the 22. of Ianuary and 34. of his raigne in the yeare of our Lord 1542. condemned Tindals Translation of the Bible and all bookes written against the Blessed Sacrament and forbad the Bible to be redd in English in any Church which statutes were repealed by King EDWARD at VVestminster an 1. Edu 6. Domini 1547. And yet the former statute of King HENRIE was renewed by Queen MARIE in the first yeare of her raigne an Domini 1553. and repealed againe by Queen ELIZABETH in the first yeare of her raigne So that if Kings be heads of the Church and haue supreme Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction we shall haue as many Religions almost as Kinges And euen as King HBNRIE the Eight after his vsurpation of the supremacie changed his wiues and made his mariages lawfull and vnlawfull his children legitimat and illegitimat at his pleasure and by Authoritie also of the Parlament which durst not gainesaie so euery King shall haue authority to change religion and must be obeyed as the onlie supreme Head in earth of the Church For as King HENRIE the Eight and his young Sonne King EDWARD and his Daughter Queene ELIZABETH challenged Authoritie to redresse errours and correct heresies to giue validitie to all Ecclesiasticall lawes and Synodes as King HENRIE made it Heresie to denie the Reall Presence so another King of England or of another Kingdome may decree the contrarie As King HENRIE forbad Priests to marrie so another King will permit them to marrie As King HENRIE commanded the Bibles to be read and diuine seruice to be sayd and song in Latin so another will like better of the vulgar tongue of his owne Countrie and if you say that the King is tyed to the word of God euerie one of them will say that they follow the word of God hauing the Authoritie to iudge of heresies and consequentlie of the true meaning of the word of God 3. Sixtlie if Princes were Heads of the Church a ridiculous consequence and of which euen the Kinges and Queenes of England haue bene ashamed would follow to wit that they may preach minister Sacramentes excommunicate call Councels and sit as iudges in them c. For if the Prince be supreme head he is also supreme Pastour of the Church of his Kingdome for Head and Pastour in this kind is all one In Tortura Torti And this D. ANDREWES graunteth and prooueth by the example of DAVID to whom the people sayd That God had sayd vnto him Tu pafces populum meum Israel 2. Reg. 5 Thou shalt feede my people of Israel VVheras there only mention is of a Temporall Pastour gouernment and feeding as appeareth by the words following Tu eris Dux super Israel Thou shalt be Captain ouer Israel Gen. 45. And in this sence IOSEPH said Ego te pascam I will feede thee meaning his father IACOB So that if the Prince be Head of the Church he is Pastour but it pertaineth to the office of a Pastour to gouerne his sheepe by lawes to feede them with bread of the word of God Matt. 4. by which the soule liueth and the Sacraments to seuer an infected sheepe from the flocke by excōmunication least it infect the whole and consequentlie if the King be supreme head
of their Kinglie Authoritie and if the woolfe come he may not only crie out against him by denouncing Gods law and Iudgements nor only strike him with his spirituall staffe but he may also vse euen the Temporall Club to chase him from the flocke and fould as many worthy Prelates of the Church haue done whose examples we shall anon alleadge And yet this not withstāding there shall still be a difference betwixt the Pope and the Temporall Prince because the Pope is to vse in the first place his spirituall glaiue and not to meddle with Kinges Regalities or temporall armes but onlie when it is necessarie for the good of the Church and when the Spirituall censures will no◠suffice the Prince is to vse Temporall armes and not to meddle with the Spirituall at all 9. Mat. 18. The like Argument I deduce out of these wordes of CHRIST Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus If he will not heare the Church Chrysost in hunc locum let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publican By the Church are vnderstood the Prelates of the Church and especially the Chiefe Prelate the Pope who gouerneth and commandeth in the Church and so this place is like to the former place of Deuteronomie Deut. 17 For as God there sayth that he that will not obey the high Priest shal be sentenced to death so here CHRIST sayth that he who will not obey the Pastours and especiallie the high Pastour shall be holden as an Ethnick and Publican that is by excommunication shal be cast out of all societie of the Church for with the Ethnikes and Publicans the Iewes had no commerce nor communication If then he contemne this censure of the Church the Chiefe Pastour may take his armes from him by which he molesteth her and seing that his Temporall power is that which is his Chiefest weapon the High Pastour may depriue him of it else the high visible Priest of the New law should be inferiour to the High Priest of the oulde law and MOYSES should be preferred before CHRIST and the Synagogue before the Church To make this deduction of more force I obserue that this place conuinceth that the Pastour of the Church may separate a disobedient Christian from the societie of the rest which is a Temporall punishment being a priuation of Temporall conuersation whence it followeth thar if the disobedience and default deserue it he may also depriue a Prince of his Crowne and Temporall Authoritie that being also a Temporall paine Which Argument shall be confirmed more hereafter 10. Many also and not improbablie alleage for proofe of that which hath bene said those words of our Blessed Sauiour to his Apostles Mat. 18. Whatsoeuer you shall binde vpon earth shall be bound also in heauen and what soeuer you shall loose vpon earth shal be loosed also in heauen For although this power of binding and loosing giuen to the Apostles and their Successours especiallie the Chiefe Pastour hath for her ordinarie functions loosing or detaining sinnes excommunicating or absoluing dispensing in vowes and oathes c. yet the wordes being generall VVhat soeuer you shall bind vpon earth it seemeth that they should not so be restrained but that they may be extended to loosing and absoluing euen from Temporall allegeance and obedience to the Prince when obedience to the Prince can not stand with the conseruation of the Churches right or faith for which that power was giuen And if the Pastour may free the subiects in this case from all obligation of obedience or dutie to the Prince he may make them no subiects and consequentlie the Prince no King nor superiour for the Prince and subiects are correlatiues which are of this nature that one cannot be without the other and one destroyed the other is destroyed VVherfore if the Chiefe Pastour of the Church can absolue the subiects from their allegeance be can make them no subiects if he can make them no subiectes he can make the Prince no Superiour and consequentlie depriue him of all Temporall Authoritie by which he is Superiour VVherevpon not only the learned writers of this time Cardinall BELLARMINE SVAREZ SCHVLKENIVS and others but also some of the auncients haue vnderstood this place of loosing in some case euen from Temporall allegeance S. GREGORIE the Seuenth who deposed HENRIE the fourth Emperour of that name in his depositiō which BARONIVS alleageth Baron tom 11. Anno 1080. num 11. calling vpon S. PETER and S. PAVLE sayth thus Agite nunc quaeso Patres Principes sanctissimi vt omnis mundus intelligat cognoscat quia si potestis in Coelo ligare obsoluere potestis in terra Imperia◠Regna Principatus Ducatus Marchias Comitatus omnium hominum possessiones pro meritis tollere vnicuique concedere Goe to now I pray you ô most holy Fathers and Princes that all the world may vnderstand and know that if you can bynde and loose in heauen you can in earth take away according to their deserts from euerie one and giue to others Empires Kingdomes Principalities Dukedomes Marquisdomes Counties and all mens possessions So INNOCENT the fourth in the Councell of Lions and in the deposition of FREDERICK the second expoundeth the same and warranteth therby his authority in deposing And thus much concerning proofes of the Popes authority out of scripture for deposing Princes and punishing Hereticks and rebelles to the Church by Temporall chastisements CHAPTER IX By Theologicall arguments grounded in principles of faith and the Nature of the Church as it is an absolute Common wealth the same power of the Supreame Pastour is prooued 1. WHat proofe holie Scripture yeeldeth for this veritie we haue seene in ther former Chapter Now let vs see what proofe reason grounded in faith and the Churches Nature can afforde vs. My first Argument I deduce from the comparison before mentioned betwixt the Spirituall and Temporall power by which I haue made it manifest that the Spirituall power exceedeth the Temporall as in many other things so in inflicting penalties and punishments for the Temporall power can onlie punish the bodie the Spirituall can chastize the soule that power can only decree and indict Temporall penalties and mulcts this can lay spirituall Censures and bonds vpon the soule euen excommunication This power which the Church hath to excommunicate I haue aboue in part prooued out of diuerse places of Scripture which here with some others I shall alleadge againe for my present purpose For to omitt that S. PAVL excommunicated that Incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. 1. Tim. 1. Tit. 3. 2. Thes 3. 2. Ioan. 1 2. Cor. 10 as also Hyminaeus and Alexander he insinuateth the same power where he commands vs to shunne hereticks and not to say Aue vnto them As also where he sayth Arma militiae nostrae non carnalia sunt sed potentia Deo ad destructionem c. The weapons of our warfare are not
by warre a Prince that persecureth Religion it is lawfull to kill him and consequentlie to depose him because the end of iust warre being peace all things in it are lawfull which are necessarie to obtaine peace and if vnles the Prince be taken away that iust peace cannot he had that also is lawfull 2. The Caluinists are not behind them in this point Caluin saith that earthlie Princes do bereaue them selues of Authoritie when they erect them selues against God yea that they are vnworthie to be reckened in the number of men and therfore we must rather spit in their faces then obey them Beza in ep dedic Noui Testam an 1554. epist 34. 37. Can. 3. an 1572 Beza in his Epistle Dedicatorie to his New Testament defendeth Rebellion against Princes of a different Religion if they permitt not but rather persecure Caluinisme The Hugonots of France in a Councell of Ministers at Berne haue decreed that euerie citie shall sweare that they and their posteritie will obserue firme and inuiolate the thinges following of which one is can 40. that vntill it please God in whose hands are the harts of Kings to change the hart of the French Tyrant so they call him in the meane time euerie Citie shall choose a Mayor to gouerne them as well in warre as in peace Another Canon is that all Captaines leaders neuer lay downe weapons as long as they shall see them persecute the Doctrine of Saluation Caluinisme and the Disciples of the same Caluinists Another is If it please God to raise vp some Christian Prince to take reuenge of their sinnes and to deliuer his people let them subiect them selues to that Prince as to another Cyrus sent to them from God And this doctrine of the same Hugonots was practised in France to the ruine of many cities and Churches and the slaughter of many thousands as The Historie of the Ciuill warres of France printed at London anno 1591. and Crispinus in his booke of the Estate of the Church and others haue written and to this day France remembreth yea feeleth it The like practise the hereticks in the lowe Countries haue vsed as Osiander confesseth and all the world witnesseth Moreouer Osiander sayth that the states there deposed their Prince Osiand in Epit. histor Eccles Cent. 16. pag. 941. Belgici publico scripto Domino Regi suo Philippo obedientiam subiectionem renunciant They of the low Countries renounce all obedience and subiection to their Lord and King Philip and consequentlie they depose him because there is no King without subiects Yea an Edict of this deposition is extant in their Historie printed at Francfort in the yeare 1583. in which they declare him to haue lost all right and title by his Tyrannie and forbid all vse of his name and seale 3. Zuingl in explaÌ„ art 42. fol. 84. Idem lib. 4. ep ad Conhardum c. pag. 868. 869. Zuinglius and the Zuinglians iumpe with them in the same opinion Quando Reges Principes Magistratus perfidè extra Regulam Christi egerint possunt cum Deo deponi When Kings Princes and Magistrates behaue them selues perfidiouslie and do against the rule of Christ they may with God be deposed And againe That Kings may be deposed Saules example doth teach manifestlie And againe Permittendum est Caesari officium debitum si modò sidem nobis permittat illibatam We must permitt due obedience to Caesar so that he permitt vs to enioy our faith inuiolate Coclaeus in Actis Luth. an 1531 And according to this doctrine the Tigurines molested the Catholicke Cantones sowed sedition and rebelled but afterwards in fiue battailes though moe in number and Artillerie they were ouercome and slaine and in the first battaile Zuinglius him self was slaine and afterwards burnt 4. See Sutcliffe in his Answere to a libell supplicatorie c. pag. 192. 193. Sutcl in his anwere to a libell c. pag. 95. Knox in Appellat ad nobilitatem populum Scotiae Buchan li. de Iure Reg. et li 7. hist Scot. I could alleadge Goodman who in his booke which in Queene MARIES time was printed at Geneua and is commended by Whittingham in his Epistle before the saied booke affirmeth that it is lawfull to withstand the Princes in case of Religion and that therfore VViat who rose against Queene MARIE was no Traytour The like was the doctrine of Knox and Buchanan Sutcliffe auoucheth that Knox said Noblemen Gouernours c. Iudges ought to reforme religion if the King will not If the Prince will not yeeld to his Nobles and people he armeth them with power to depose him If Princes be tyrants against God and his truth their subiects are freed from their oathes of obedience And with him accordeth Buchanan teachinge that the people is more excellent then the King and hath right to bestowe the Crowne at their pleasure That the People may arraigne the King c. That Reward should be giuen to them that kill Tyrants to wit those who persecute Religion And what sedition this doctrine raised in Scotland against that worthie and virtuous Queene MARIE his Maiesties mother and against his Maiestie him selfe all the world knowes and he best him selfe So that the question betwixt vs and our Reformers who so storme at this opinion of Catholicks which teacheth that Popes in some case exâ—taordinarie may depose Princes is not so much whether the Pope can doe it as whether he or rather a Luther Zuinglius Caluin Beza Knox or Buchanan can do it nor so much whether a Generall Councell can doe it but whether such a Councell rather then a Consistorie or Heard of Ministers can 5. And thus much I haue discoursed concerning this question whether the Pope can in any case depose a Rebellious Prince and who otherwise cannot be corrected not for that I honour not Princes or acknowledge not obedience due vnto them for I haue aboue prooued that they are in Temporall matters to be honoured and obeyed vnder paine of mortall sinne I haue also confessed and declared that so long as they conteine them selues with in their bounds and that their Temporall sword is not necessarilie to be drawne for the Churches defence they haue if they be absolute Superiours no superiour on earth in Temporall matters but only this I haue done to satisfie my conscience to discharge my dutie to Christ his Church and so to giue to Caesar and Temporall Princes what belongeth to them that I take not from God and his Church what is due to them 6. Wherein I hope I derogate no more from the Prince then many Catholicks do from the Pope who teach that in case of Heresie to which as a priuate man though not as a publike person they thinke him to be subiect he may be a Councell of Bishops and Prelates be deposed And therfore as Popes take this doctrine in good parte so ought Princes not to take it so haynously that we