all the wordes of the lawe keeping and obseruing are not there referred to his priuate actions as a man but to his publike function as a king and therefore the king in these wordes receiued the charge and ouersight of the whole lawe that is an expresse commaundement from God to see the lawe kept and euerie part thereof obserued of all men within his Dominions and the breakers of it Prophetes Priestes and People to bee duely punished Nowe the Lawe contained all thinges that any way touched the true seruice and worshippe of God ergo the king had one and the selfe-same power and charge to commaund and punish as well for the preceptes of pietie as other pointes of policie neither did God fauour or prosper any of the kinges of Israell or Iudah but such as chiefly respected and carefully maintained the ordinances of Religion prescribed vnto them in Moses lawe In the times of the Prophetes saith S. Augustine all the kinges which in the people of God did not forbid and ouerthrow those thinges which were brought in against the commandementes of God are blamed and they that did prohibite and subuert such thinges are praysed aboue the rest God blessed Salomon with wisedome honour riches and peace so long as hee walked in the steppes of Dauid his father during the which time Salomon did dedicate the Temple in his owne person and cast out Abiathar from being Priest vnto the Lord and set Zadocke in his roome but when his heart once turned from God to builde places also for Idols and to suffer his outlandish wiues to burne incense and offeringes to their Gods then the Lorde was angrie with Salomon and stirred vppe aduersaries against him and threatned to rent his kingdom from him and to giue it to his seruant Asa tooke awaie the Altars of the strange Gods and the high places and brake downe the images and cut downe the groues and commaunded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and tooke awaie out of all the cities of Iudah the high places and images therefore the kingdome was quiet before him And hee tooke an oth of all Iudah and Beniamin that Whosoeuer woulde not seeke the Lorde God of Israell shoulde be slaine whether hee were small or great man or woman and hee deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie because she had made an idoll Asa brake downe her idol and stamped it and burnt it and the Lord gaue him rest round about Iehosaphat his sonne walked in the first waies of Dauid and sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his commaundementes and therefore the Lord established the kingdome in his handes so that hee had riches and honour in aboundance In the thirde yeare of his raigne he sent his Princes that they should teach in the cities of Iudah and with them Leuites and Pristes and him selfe went through the people from Beer-sheba to Mount-Ephraim and brought them againe to the Lord God of their fathers In Ierusalem he sent of the Leuites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israell for the iudgement and cause of the Lord. And he charged them saying Thus shal ye do in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart Thus shall ye do and trespasse not And behold Amariah the Priest shall be the chiefe among you for al the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah for all the kinges affaires and the Leuites shall be helpers vnto you Be strong and doe it And when the Moabites and Ammonites came against him he proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and stood in the congregation of Iudah and Ierusalem in the house of the Lord prayed in his owne person for all the people Ezechiah did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that Dauid his father had done Hee opened the doores of the house of the Lorde and brought in the Priestes and the Leuites and saide vnto them heare mee yee Leuites sanctifie your selues and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers I purpose to make a couenant with the Lord God of Israell And they sanctified themselues according to the commaundement of the king And the king rose early and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vppe to the house of the Lord. And they brought sinne-offeringes and Ezechiah commaunded to offer the burnt offering vppon the Altar yea hee commaunded the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron to offer them And when they had made an end of offering Ezechiah the king the Princes commaunded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the wordes of Dauid and Asaph the Seer And Ezechiah sent to all Israell and Iudah also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passouer So the Postes went with letters by the commission of the king and his Princes throughout all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the king saying Yee children of Israell turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israell And the hand of God was in Iudah so that he gaue them one heart to doe the commaundement of the King And Ezechiah appointed the courses of the Priestes and Leuites by their turnes euerie man according to his office for the burnt offeringes and peace offeringes to minister and giue thankes to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord. And in all the workes that hee beganne for the seruice of the house of God hee did it with all his heart and prospered Hee tooke away the high places and brake the Images and cutte downe the groues and brake in peeces the brasen Serpent which Moses had made for in those dayes the children of Israell did burne incense to it Manasses at the first wēt back built the high places which Ezechiah his father had broken down and set vp altars for Baalim made groues worshipped all the host of heauen serued them but after hee was taken by the king of Babylon put in fetters bound in chaines he hūbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdom Then hee tooke awaie the strange Gods and the image out of the house of the Lord and all the Altars that hee had built in the mount of the Lordes house and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the citie Also he repaired the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace-offeringes and of thankes and commaunded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israell Iosiah in the eight yeare of his raigne when he was yet a childe of sixeteene yeares began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father and in the twelfth yeare he began to purge Iudah Ierusalem from the high places the groues and the carued and
Ecclesiastical causes Theo. Proofes go very low with you when you fal from Princes to inferiour iudges yet mistake your text For Hilarie beseecheth nothing of CoÌ„stantius in that place but that the iudges of euerie Prouince should forbear medling in matters of religioÌ„ with tortures violeÌ„ce The whole book the words before the next part of the same sentence ioyned to this which you bring with a coniunction copulatiue confirme that to bee the true meaning of Hilarie This is the right order of the place We beseech not only with words but also with teares that the catholike churches be no longer oppressed with greeuous iniuries sustain intolerable persecutions coÌ„tumelies that which is shameful eueÌ„ of our brethren Let your clemency prouide appoint that all iudges euery where to whom prouinces are committed which ought to take care charge of commonwealth matters onely refrain from medling with religion Neither let them presume vsurp think they may enter into clergymens causes force vexe innocent men with diuerse afflictions threats violence terrours Your singular admirable wisedome perceiueth it is not seemely it ought not to be that men should be forced coÌ„pelled against their wils harts to yeeld addict themselues through violent oppressioÌ„ to such as cease not to sow the corrupt seeds of false doctrine This was the medling with clergie mens causes that Hilarie ment and which he would haue temporall iudges restrained from and yet were his meaning neuer so generall he required nothing but that which Constantine the father of Constantius had by his publike lawes ordained al christian Princes haue since obserued to wit that Ecclesiasticall persons should be conuented before ecclesiasticall iudges For so Constantine decreed CoÌ„mitting iudgemeÌ„t iurisdiction ouer clearks to Bishops Valentinian the elder would haue priests to iudge of priests Yea Iustinian excludeth all secular iudges from hearing the causes of clergie men except it were for ciuill offences If the crime be ecclesiasticall needing ecclesiasticall reformation punishment let the Bishop determine the same the iudges of the Prouince no way intermedling for we wil not haue temporall iudges enter into such matters where as such faults must be examined ecclesiastically by the sacred and diuine rules and Canons which our lawes take no scorne to follow And though he bar ciuill iudges from the hearing of such causes yet doth not exempt clergie men Bishops nor others from the obedience of his ecclesiastical lawes as the wordes import that bee next to these Omnibus quae iam a nobis sancita sunt siue super sanctiss ecclesus siue super Deo amabilibus Episcopis siue super clericis siue super monachis propriam virtutem habentibus All thinges which we haue already decreed concerning the most holie churches and blessed Bishops and touching clerkes and monks standing in their ful force Hee quiteth clergie men from temporall barres but he bindeth both them and their iudges to the tenor of his ecclesiasticall lawes as well in their Synods as in their Consistories as appeareth at large by his 123. constitution so that this place of Hilarie might well haue been spared saue onely to make vp your tale Phi. Is this your opinion that Princes themselues may lawfully medle with Ecclesiasticall causes and persons though their inferiour iudges may not Theo. We say princes exempted clergie men from secular iudges but not from themselues And that Princes from the beginning haue medled with persons causes Ecclesiasticall wee bring you not onely fiue authorities that shall bee neither maimed nor wrested as yours bee but fiue hundred actes examples lawes and edictes that shall bee strong and effectuall proofes for this purpose Phi. You talke of cost when you saie fiue hundered Theo. Wee coulde far passe that number if the number would moue you to leaue follie but I will go an other waie to worke with you What good king can you name before or after Christ for 1000. yeares but such as medled with Ecclesiasticall matters Phi. Nay what good king can you name that did Theo. They be sooner named than answered Nabuchodonosor in making a law that euery people nation language which spake any blasphemie against the God of Sidrac Misac and Abâ—dnago should bee drawen in peeces their houses made priuies did hee not medle with matters of Religion Phi. Nabuchodonosor was a tyrant The. But being corrected by the diuine miracle he made saith Augustine a religious and commendable law for the truth that who so blasphemed the God of Sidrac Misac and Abednago should with his house perish vtterly Darius vpon the sight of an other miracle wrote to all people nations and languages that dwelt in the world with these words I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniell The king of Niniueth hearing of that which Ionas threatned from God proclaimed a fast and charged all men to put on sack-cloath and crie mightily to God and to turne from their euill wayes and the wickednesse that was in their handes I trust you dare not condemne the king of Niniueth for an intruder vpon ecclesiasticall causes whose seruice so well pleased God that he spared the king and his subiectes from destruction hanging ouer their heads and yet fasting praier and repentance be causes meere spirituall in which the king interposed his royall authoritie by the councell of his Nobles and not of Ionas who departed the citie grieued and angrie with God for pardoning the Niniuites vpon their conuersion The factes of these three kinges I alleadge the rather because S. Augustine grounded himselfe vpon them as proofes that christian kinges may medle with matters of Religion and as patternes for them to follow Ye kinges vnderstand be wise ye that iudge the earth serue the Lord with feare and reioyce before him with trembling How do kings serue the Lord in feare but by forbidding and punishing with a religious seueritie those thinges which are done against the precepts of God As the king of Niniueth serued by compelling the whole citie to appease the Lord. As Darius serued by giuing the Idole into Daniels power to bee broken and casting his enemies to the Lions As Nabuchodonosor serued by restraining all that were in his kingdom from blaspheming God with a terrible law And againe WheÌ„ Emperours professe the truth they commaunde for truth against error As Nabuchodonosor proposed an edict for truth against error that whosoeuer blasphemed the God of Sidrach Misaach and Abednago should be destroied and his house dispersed And you Donatistes will not that christian Emperours command any such thing against you If the commaundements of kinges haue nothing to do with the publishing of religion and prohibiting of sacrileges why then do you signe your selues at king Nabuchodosors edict commaunding such thinges For when you heare it doe
as in Heli who was both Iudge and high-Priest but commonly both the Persons were distinct and the offices And hence grew the custome from inferiour ecclesiastical Iudges to appeale to the High-Priest and from inferiour Princes secular Iudges to appeale to the King or Emperour You haue turned into ex and not only debarred the Prince of all his right but subiected him to the Priest In al doubts and differences betwixt Prince and people euen to the losse of his Crowne if the Priest say the word Phi. We follow the latine text as wee found it Theo. You might easily follow that which your selues had framed to your liking but the order of the Iewes common wealth and the circumstances of the text it selfe admitte no such meaning as you make of it For it is more than euident and testified not in a few places of the scriptures that al causes neither were nor might bee referred to the Priest Moses at the counsell of Iethro chose men of courage out of all Israel made them heads ouer the people Rulers ouer thousands Rulers ouer hundreds Rulers ouer fifties Rulers ouer tens And they iudged the people at all seasons but brought the hard causes vnto Moses for they iudged al small or easie matters themselues And though Moses by them was eased of all sauing hard and importing causes yet finding that burden too heauie for one man alone he complained vnto God and saide I am not able to beare all this people alone for it is too heauie for me To whom God made answere Gather me seuentie men of the Elders of Israel and bring them vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation and I will come downe and talke with them there and take off the spirit that is vpon thee and put it vpon them and they shal beare the burden of the people with thee so thou shalt not beare it alone This distinction of inferiour and superiour iudges God after by his law established in that common wealth for euer In the next chapter before this which you alledge order is taken for inferiour iudge in euery Citie throughout the Land Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates that is in al thy Cities which the Lord thy God giueth thee throughout thy Tribes and they shall iudge the people with righteous Iudgement In this Chapter and these very wordes which here you cite Superiour iudges are prescribed to whom harder causes and matters of greater difficultie were to be referred And so the wordes precisely sound If there fall out an hard matter for thee to iudge betwene blood and blood strife and strife sore and sore that be matters of iudgement in thy gates thou shalt rise and go vp to the place which the Lord thy God shall chose there in the land of promise And goe to the Priests of Leui and to the Iudge which shall be in those dayes and aske them and they shall shew thee the matter of iudgement The iudge of which he speaketh was the tēporal Magistrate for so the copulatiue leadeth vs and by that name were the chiefe Rulers of Gods People called before Kings were ordayned as the Booke of Iudges witnesseth neither was the iudge subiect to the Priest but had his charge besides and aboue the Priest which was to see the law of God exactly kept and obserued in all points of all men and to take vengeance on the breaker of any part thereof when as yet there were no kinges and after the creation of kinges both Priest and Iudge were subiect to the king This fourme of regiment by lower and higher Iudges and those both ecclesiasticall and cyuill king Iehosaphat renewed after he returned safe from the battell wherein Achab was slaine For hee set Iudges in the Lande in all the fensed Cities of Iudah Citie by Citie Also in Ierusalem hee appointed of the Leuites and of the Priestes and of the heades of the houses of Israel for the iudgement of the Lorde and for matters of doubt and they dwelt at Hierusalem And hee commaunded them saying thus shall yee doe in the feare of the Lorde in trueth and in a perfect heart euery cause that shall come before you from your brethren remayning in their Cities betweene blood and blood betweene Lawe and precept statutes and iudgements you shall instruct them therein and they shall not trespasse against the Lorde And beholde Amariah the Priest shall bee chiefe ouer you in euery matter of the Lordes and Zebadiah the captaine of the house of Iudah shall bee chiefe ouer you in euery matter of the kinges and the Leuites shal bee Rulers or ouerseers in your presence or vnder you Iehosaphat put that in execution which GOD prescribed by Moses for the debating and determining of greater and weightier causes among the children of Israel placing a Councell of Priestes and secular Magistrates at Hierusalem to consider of those doubtes of the Lawe and offences against GOD and the king which passed the reache of inferiour Iudges in euery Citie Marke then howe many errors you haue committed in alleaging this one place The gouernement which God setled in their common wealth to supply the want of kinges the defence might both ouer-rule kinges and depose kinges and yet when this was ordained there was no king created nor intended in Israel much lesse included or subiected to this consistorie Againe where obedience in these wordes is commaunded as well towardes the ciuil magistrate as towards the Priest you strike out the magistrate cleane and bring both Prince and people in subiection to the Priest in things and causes that be not spiritual but temporal For the deposing of Princes is a meere temporal act and you haue lesse to doe with Princes Crownes than with priuate mens inheritances which yet the priest may not dispose Thirdly the matters which belonged to them and the iudgements which they should giue were precisely limited to the lawe of God in other thinges they might not presume Nowe resisting and deposing of Princes bee things cleane besides the Lawe which Moses deliuered and therefore not determinable by those that sate to iudge according to that Law Fourthly what question can this bee betweene the Prince and the people whether the Magistrate shal bee deposed since GOD hath expressely commaunded the people to bee subiect to the sworde and not to resist against the which precept no earthly Court may deliberate much lesse determine to breake his lawe or licence the people to frustrate his heauenly wil. It is one thing to disburden the cōscience from obeying the euill that a Prince commaundeth which a Priest may doe and an other thing to take the Princes sworde out of his hand for abusing his authoritie which the Priest may not doe Lastly you force the whole text against the manifest experience of those times For it is euident that kinges commaunded and displaced high Priestes but that euer high Priest iudicially displaced
then the rest to depart from them We know it behoued vs to be with you as assessors to your wisedoms and in common to consider how these things should be handled but these times do not permit that and the differing of it would be daungerous for that their poison taketh hold apace Phi. But Basill conferring with Athanasius howe to helpe the Church saith I haue thought it meete that the Bishop of Rome be written vnto to consider of our state and to giue vs his counsel and because it is a matter of more difficultie to sende some thence by the common decree of a Synode he himselfe vsing his owne authoritie in this matter may chose men both able to indure the iourney fit for the mildnesse easinesse of their dispositions to correct those that here with vs are wrested awry or started aside This proueth that the Bishop of Rome had authoritie sufficient of himselfe without a Synode to send Legattes to reforme things amisse in the East Churches which is cleane against your assertion Theo. You mistake the matter for lacke of due marking the circumstances When these troubles were first beginning before they came to that extremitie which after fell out Basill knowing that the credit and opinion of the West Church might stay many from falling and reduce others that were not too far gone because it would be long to tarie the assembling of a Synode and the enimie perceiuing their intent would hinder the fruit of their labours wisheth that the Bishop of Rome woulde vse his discretion in chosing some that were fit for this purpose and sende them very closely to see what good might be done by gentle and faire perswasions Phi. You qualifie the text with your owne additions Theo. You shall find them expressed in Basils owne wordes if you weigh them well First he woulde haue the Bishop of Rome written vnto to consider their state to giue thē counsell what to do Next because it is hard to haue some sent by the common decree of a Synode he vsing his owne authoritie in this so small a matter may choose men fit c. And that no man knowing of it without any stir let them come secretly by Sea to those that are here least the enemies of peace discrie their comming Lastly they fitting and applying their speach to content euery man with mildnesse and gentlenes may rectifie such of our side as tread awry So that these messengers should bee but mediators and procurers of peace betweene those that were of the same religion ioyned in communiō with the West Churches Whē they come which by Gods grace shal be sent let them not occasion any schismes in the churches but rather by all meanes draw those that be of one religion to vnity Care must be had that all things be borne with to win peace that the Church of Antioch in any case be prouided for least that which is yet syncere in her bee weakened rent in peeces through respect of persons meaning the schisme at Antioch where the Catholikes had diuided themselues and their Churches some cleauing to Miletius and some to Paulinus Phi. You could neuer speake it in a better time Upon this and other such occasions I remember S. Hierom consulteth Damasus the Bishop of Rome both what to beleeue and with whom to communicate Theo. Indeede S. Hieroms name is next and if he serue your turnes he doth more for you than al the rest of the Fathers besides but was Hierom in his old-age to seeke what to beleeue Phi. I say not so but that touching the faith and communion of the Church he submitted himselfe to the Bishoppe of Rome His wordes are worth the noting Because the East parts are togither by the eares by an inueterate madnesse of the people and Foxes there do roote vp the Vineyard of Christ therefore thought I best to consult Peters chaire and the faith which was praysed by the Apostles mouth thence desiring foode for my soule whence long ago I receiued the garments of Christ. I know not Vitalis I refuse Miletius I care not for Paulinus hee that gathereth not with you skattereth that is he that is not Christes is Antichristes And hauing opened his griefe and shewed what was demaunded at his handes by the East Bishops in the matter of the Trinitie he concludeth I beseech your blessednesse by him that was crucified euen the Sauiour of the world and by the Trinitie three persons of one and the same substance that by your letters you will appoint me whether I shall confesse there bee three Hypostases in one diuine nature or denie the same and also that you will signifie with which of those three at Antioch I ought to communicate And vrging the same matter the second time Miletius Vitalis and Paulinus say they be ioined in communion with you I could beleeue them if one and no mo said it but now either two or all three lie Therefore I beseech your blessednesse by the Crosse of the Lord by the necessarie ornament of our faith by the passion of Christ that by your letters you will signifie with whom I should communicate in Syria Despise not the soule for which Christ died Giue me leaue to be as long in repeating the wordes of S. Hierom as you were euen now in alleadging S. Basill Theo. With a good will you spend but a little the more time and we shall haue day enough Mary now you haue saide all marke first that most of these praises be not seuerall to the Citie of Rome but generall to the West Church The vnthriftie children of the East haue wasted saith he their patrimonie onely with you in the West is the inheritance of your Fathers kept vndiminished There the good ground yeeldeth an hundred fold increase that still resembleth the purenesse of the Lordes seede here the corne that was cast into the furrowes doth degenerate into tares and oates Nowe in the West the Sonne of righteousnesse shineth in the East Lucifer that fell hath set his throne aboue the starres You are the light of the world the salt of the earth the vessels of siluer and gold here are the wodden and earthen pots that staie for the yron rod and vnquenchable fire This comparison he maketh as you see not betweene all other places and Rome but between the East and West Churches preferring the one many degrees before the other Secondly the reason why Hierom himselfe depended so much on the Church of Rome was as he saith for that hee was baptized in the Citie of Rome and therefore as one of that Citie still desireth thence to bee fed in Christ where he was first cloathed with Christ. Thirdlie the pointes that hee doubted of and sought to be directed in were no matters of doctrine nor Principles of faith but a question of wordes and a dissention about the Bishopricke of Antioch for the which trifles
life Theo. The necessities of this life are nourishment and rayment the rest are superflâ—ities When wee haue foode and apparel sayth the Apostle let vs bee therewith content whatsoeuer is aboue is needlesse and noysome Our Sauiour willing his not to bee carefull for their life expresseth all thinges that bee needefull for this present life Take no thought saying what shall wee eate what shall wee drinke or wherewith shall wee bee clothed Your heauenly Father knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges These thinges wee neede and therefore are they promised other thinges are not promised and therefore we neede them not If Princes were first ordained of God for those thinges onely which are needefull to maintaine this temporall life for thinges superfluous are besides the promise and without the protection of GOD the power and charge of Princes shoulde consist in meates drinkes and apparell and Princes haue no farther care of their people than they haue of their houndes and Horses to see them well fedde and smoothe kept which is a very wicked and brutish opinion Phi. They are besides to maintaine peace and quietnes among their subiects Theo. You might haue ioyned godlines and honestie therewithall as S. Paul doeth and then had you done well I exhort sayth hee that prayers and supplications be made for Kings for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie Prayers must bee made for kinges that they may discharge their duties according to Gods ordinance which is that their subiects by their helpe and meanes may leade an honest godly and quiet life godlinesse and honestie being the chiefest endes of our praiers and effectes of their powers For God hath not put the goodes landes bodies and liues of men into Princes handes to cloath their backes and fill their bellies but with praise to prouoke those that be willing to driue those that be not willing with punishments to imbrace pietie towards God sobrietie towardes themselues and charitie towardes their neighbours This you may learne by the regiment of euery priuate familie which is both a part and a paterne of the common-wealth Al parents and masters haue a farther charge ouer their children and seruantes than to see them defended froÌ„ hunger and colde A wicked father is hee that feedeth and cloatheth and nourâ—ereth not his children Ye fathers saith S. Paul bring vp your children in the instruction and information of the Lord. Come children saith Dauid harken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Moses admonishing the whole people of the Iewes as it were speaking to euery particular maÌ„ Take heed saith he to thy selfe that thou forget not the thinges which thine eyes haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes and so God himselfe said to Moses Gather mee the people togither and I will cause them to heare my words that they may learne to feare me all the dayes that they shall liue vpon the earth and that they may teach their children This diligence God coÌ„mended and rewarded in Abraham as the best part of a fathers duetie I know him saith God that hee will commaund his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the waie of the Lord to do righteousnes and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that good which he hath spoken vnto him If priuate men be bound to traine vp their families in the feare of God and loue of vertue much more are Princes the publike fathers of their countries and exalted to farre greater and higher authoritie by Gods ordinance than fathers or masters I say much more are they in coÌ„science charged by calling licenced to frame their subiectes to the true seruice of God right obedience of his law which be thinges not temporal but spiritual This king Dauid protesteth and promiseth vnto God he will doe in his kingdom Him that priuilie slaundereth his neighbour will I destroy Mine eyes shall be to the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with mee hee that walketh in a perfect way he shal serue me There shall no deceitful or proude person dwell within mine house hee that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight Betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the Land that I may cut off al the workers of iniquitie from the citie of the Lord. This christian Princes as you heard before made not onely a part but the chiefest part of their duetie The true religion of God and honest conuersation euen of Priests themselues is our chiefest care saith Iustinian And so Valentinian Theodosius The search of true religion we finde to be the chiefest care of the Imperiall Maiestie With whom S. Austen agreeth defending Felix a catholike Bishop against the Donatists for that he was cleared at a temporall bar by the Princes commandement of such crimes as were obiected to him notwithstanding they were ecclesiasticall One of you saith a Bishop ought not to be cleared at the Proconsuls bar as though he sought it not rather the Emperour commanded that kinde of trial to be had to whose charge that matter did most pertaine and whereof the Prince was to render an account to God Of this mind were the Bishops of Rome themselues in former ages Eleutherius not long after Christ wrote to Lucius king of this realm amongst other things in this wise You are Gods Vicar in that kingdom The natioÌ„s people of Britanny are yours whom you ought to gather bring vnto concord peace vnto the faith law of Christ vnto his holy Church to nourish maintaine protect rule alwaies to defende from iniuries mischiefs froÌ„ enemies A king you shal be whiles you rule wel which except you do you shal be vnworthy the name of a king loose it which God forbid So Pope Iohn made answere to Pipin Charles Illos decet vocari Reges qui vigilaÌ„ter defendunt regunt ecclesiam Dei populum eius imitati Regem Psalmographum dicentem non habitabit in medio domus meae qui facit superbiam c. We must cal those kings which doe carefully defend rule the church of God his people after the example of king Dauid in his Psalmes a proude man shall not dwel in mine house This Gregory the great earnestly exhorted Edelberth vnto the first that was christened of the Saxon kings in this Land For this cause the almightie God bringeth good Princes to the regiment of his people that by them hee may bestow the gifts of his mercy vpon al that are vnder theÌ„ Therfore glorious son the grace which you haue obtained at Gods hands keepe with a careful minde hasten to extend the faith of Christ in the nations vnder you Increase the zeale of your vprightnes to
gone out into the world Prophets be teachers if they must be tried before they be trusted ergo Pastours must be discerned before they be beleeued by whom trow you but by those that should beleeue them that is by their hearers The same precept our Sauiour gaue to the multitudes that followed him Beware of false Prophets or teachers which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they bee rauening wolues By their fruites you shall know them If all must beware them and are taught how to knowe them ergo they may lawfully trie them before they beleeue them This wisdome the Lord himselfe commendeth in his sheep My sheepe heare my voice and they follow me A stranger they will not follow but flie from him Phi. Yet they be no Iudges of Doctrine Theo. If you take iudgeing for discerning as it is often vsed the people must be discerners and iudges of that which is taught S. Paul himselfe alloweth them that leaue I speake as vnto them that haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I say And againe Iudge with your selues is it seemely that a woman pray vnto God vncouered And to that end belongeth this exhortation of the Lord which is often found in the scriptures Looke that no man seduce you For the people of God should haue their senses exercised in the word of trueth to discerne both good and bad and in that respect the Apostle sticketh not to say Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the rest iudge OrigeÌ„ in teaching the people submitteth himself to the Apostles Râ—le in these words Vos facite quod scriptuÌ„ est vt vno dicente omnes examinent Me ergo dicente quod sentio vos discernite examinate si quid rectuÌ„ est aut minê° rectuÌ„ Do you that which is written one speaking al the rest examine Whiles theÌ„ I say what I think try iudge you what is right what is not Ambrose when Auxen offered to dispute before some that were heathen men not christned thus traduceth him to the people of MillaÌ„ Auxentius knowing you not to be ignorant of the faith hath shunned your iudgemeÌ„t chosen foure or fiue heathen men Then in that he hath chosen infidels he is worthy to be condemned of christians because he hath reiected the Apostles precept where he saith Dare any of you hauing ought against another be iudged vnder the vniust not rather vnder the Saints You see then that which hee hath offered is against the Apostles authority But what speak I of the Apostle when the Lord him selfe proclaimeth by his Prophet Heare me my people that know what belongeth to iudgement in whose hart my law is God saith heare me my people that know iudgement Auxentius saith You know not how to iudge you see that he contemneth God in you which refuteth the sense of this heauenly oracle For the people in whose hart the law of God is doth iudge Who then doth you wrong he that refuseth or he that referreth himselfe to your audience Phi. The people must depend on their teachers mouthes not be iudges ouer them He that heareth you heareth me saith our sauior to his Apostles their successors he that despiseth you despiseth me And whosoeuer shal not receiue you nor heare your words going forth out of the house or citie shake off the dust from your feet Amen I say to you it shal be more tolerable for the land of the Sodomits GomorrheaÌ„s in the day of iudgemeÌ„t than for that city Theo. As the Pastors haue authority from Christ to preach the truth wo be to them that resist the Preachers of truth so haue all hearers both liberty to discerne a charge to beware seducers giuen them by the same Lord wo bee to them that do it not Take heed saith our Sauior that no man seduce you For many shal come in my name saying I am Christ shal deceiue many Then if any shal say to you Lo here is Christ or there beleeue it not For there shal arise false Christs false Prophets shal shew great signes woÌ„ders Behold I haue told you before Wherefore if they shal say vnto you beholde he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret places beleeue it not He that requireth al men to receiue such as he sendeth chargeth al men to auoide such as pretend his name when they are not sent and how can the people do either if they haue not skill leaue to discerne them both Phi. Our Lord gaue that honour to his very enemies that the people should obey them in regard of Moses chaire Vpon the chaire of Moses haue fitten the Scribes and the Pharisees All thinges therfore whatsoeuer they shall say to you obserue ye and do ye but according to their workes do ye not for they say do not Theo. Thinke you that Christ coÌ„manded the people to beleeue the Pharisees whatsoeuer they taught or that he affirmed the Pharisees could not teach amisse because they sate in Moses chaire Phi. He willed the people to beleeue theÌ„ for that they succeeded Moses The. Though the pharisees were wicked hipocrits yet because it was their functioÌ„ to teach the people in their Synagogues he willeth theÌ„ to be obeied so loÌ„g as they said nothing but that which the hearers knew to be agreeable to the law of God but if they speak any thing of their own besides the law that the people were to reiect detest And so S. Aust. expoundeth the place Sua verò si velint docere nolite audire nolite facere But if they will teach their owne deuises besides the law neither heare them nor doe as they did you Which is plainly commaunded by Christ himselfe in the Gospell Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisees and Saduces that is as the holie Ghost doth interprete in the same chapter of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Saduces This then is euident The law of God the people were to receiue and obey at the Pharisees mouthes though they were hypocrites because they were appointed by God for the time to be teachers But the leauen of the Pharisees that is their mixtures wherewith they tempered and infected the lawe of God the people were to beware and auoide Ergo the people were required to discerne between the law of God and the leauen of the Pharisees and charged to follow the first and forsake the last And why impugne you that which the holy Ghost so often commaundeth and therefore permitteth Trie the spirites whether they be of God as you heard before Trie all thinges and holde fast that which is good Be not vnwise but vnderstand what the wil of the Lord is Be renewed in your minde that you may discerne what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is This I pray that your
as soone as the Pope by his letters willed them Theo. The one halfe of the electours were Bishops that neither durst nor would abide the Popes furie in the other halfe it was easie to finde one that would be seduced displeased or some way corrupted to go to the choice of a new but that the elect of theirs was slaine the same yere in the siege of Vlme William of Holland that was choseÌ„ next after him had as short a dispatche by those that tooke part with Fredericke And had you not beene more actiue with your poisons than lucklie with your elections Fredericke had sped them faster than you had named them Phi. His own bastard stisled him Theo. But his Antagonists first drenched him so Cuspinian sayth The Popes hatred against the Prince ceased not whom he night and day deuised how to destroy after the conspiracie of Theobaldus Franciscus Gulielmus of San Seuerine and Pandulphus was detected who coÌ„fessed they were set on by the Pope as Peter de Vines witnesseth in his second booke tenth thirtieth epistle Yet at last the prince could not be so watchful but when he returned to Apulia hee was poysoned And lying very sicke of the potion which he tooke and beginning at length to recouer he was stifled of Manfrede his base sonne with a pillow as he lay in his bed Thus you made away that worthie Emperour Frederike the second and these bee the weapons of your Romish warfare against Princes excommunications rebellions poysons Phi. You raiâ—e without all reason Theo. I speake no more than trueth Your owne examples shall iustifie the same Omitte Henry the seuenth called Henrie of Lucenburg whome a Dominican Frier poysoned in the chalice Lodouike of Bauaria and king Iohn of this lande were they not thus persued and thus dispatched Beginne with Lodouike the fourth What cause had Iohn the 22. to curse and banne him and to condemne him for an heretike Phi. Platina telleth you he called himselfe Emperour without the authoritie of the See of Rome and ayded the deputies of Italie to get the citie of Millan and to be Lords ouer it Theo. Two shamefull sinnes I assure you He had foure voyces when he was first chosen in contentioÌ„ with Frederike of Austria Auentinus saith he had fiue after in the field he tooke the other elect prisoner and so ended the strife why then should he not take himselfe to be lawful Emperour Phi. The fourth voice which did the deede was cunningly stollen For where the Marquesse of Brandenburge then absent wrate his letters for Frederike his name was rased out and Lodouikes conuaied in Theo. Sir by your leaue that is a legend The marquesse of Brandenburge sent his substitute with a general coÌ„mission to choose as hee sawe cause though as some said his meaning were that Frederike should haue his voyce and that instruction hee had giuen priuatly to the partie that was sent who deceiued his expectation and named Lodouike The second obiection is more absurd For Lodouike aided those that stoode for the safetie of the Empire against the Popes incourses practises And that since he was chosen Emperour in honour and equitie he was bound to do Phi. He ayded them against the Church Theo. The Church of Christ hath nought to do with the warlike wilful tumults of Popes Phi. He made a new Pope against Iohn the 22. and set him vp as an Idole in Peters chaire Theo. The Pope before that had done the worst he could against Lodouike openly excoÌ„municating him and all his fauourers and appointing him three monethes to renounce the election to the Empire that was made of him and come personally to excuse himselfe of his fact in giuing ayde to heretiques schismatikes and such as were rebels against the Church He also depriued al Clergie men that yeelded the Prince any counsell helpe or fauour And when Lodouike appeared not the Pope accursed him and condemned him of heresie These be the sober and graue proceedings of your holy father which he and his flatterers called the defence and exaltation of the church But the sounder and sincerer of his owne Canonists and schoolemen abhorred as the confusion and desolation of all Godlines Hermannus then lyuing sayth These proceedings against Lodouike were curiously obserued by some but very many reputed them litle worth because as men said they were examined by the Doctours of both Lawes pronounced by them to bee vtterly voyde Yea many famous diuines well commended for their learning and life concluded the Pope to bee an heretike for certaine errors which hee coldly recanted at the houre of his death and Benedictus his successor is reported to haue publikely condemned those erronious opinions Phi. Nothing is so well done that all men like it Theo. It must needes bee euill that so many of your owne side mislike yea which the Pope that came next most of all others misliked For when the kinges of Fraunce and Apulia by their Legates defaced the person of Lodouike and rehearsed what thinges hee did against the Church the Pope replied nay wee did against him Hee would haue come to the feete of my predecessor if hee might haue beene receiued to fauour and that he did hee did it prouoked The Prelates and Princes of Germanie being assembled at Franckforde with their common consent reiected all the Popes iudicial processe against this Emperour as wholy voide and of no validitie the Prince declaring so much by his Imperial decree By the counsell and consent of all the prelats princes of Alemannie assembled at our towne of Francford wee denounce determine these processes of Pope Iohn against vs to bee none in Law and of no strength or force And wee straitly charge and commaund all and euery within the limittes of our Empire of what condition state soeuer that no singular person nor societie presume to obserue the sayde sentences of excommunication and interdiction Where also you may see the protestations and allegations of that Prince against the doings of Pope Iohn taken out of the groundes of your owne Canons and the very same that are defended of vs at this day as warrantable by the sacred Scriptures and auncient order of Christes Church namely these The Prince hath his sword or dominion not from the Pope but only from God The sacred Canons and the Church of Christ prohibite and doe not graunt to the Pope the right of the Empire and power in temporall things The sentence is ipso iure none which is erroneous as when it commandeth the subiect not to obey his superiour or prescribeth any thing against God or the Scripture But it is manifest that Pope Iohn hath coÌ„maunded that our subiectes shall not obey vs to whome all that are in our Empire ought to yeeld alleagance and reuerence by the Lawes of God and man This
to them at their cōming to Rome yet the attempt was so strange that Otho Frisingensis saith See the kingdome decreasing and the Church aspiring to that authoritie that she will iudge kings The famous and as you say maiesticall excommunication of Arcadius and Eudoxia by Innocentius well neere 1200. yeres agoe is a ridiculous and peeuish corruption deuised by some practiser at Rome and embraced ouer greedily by Nicephorus and other later Grecians in fauour of Chrysostome Which insolent fansie wide from the matter we striue for and full of forgerie because it is refuted before I may well ouerskippe If it were true as it is apparently false it remoueth Princes from the Sacraments but not from their Scepters Thus of seuen examples pretended that Princes were excōmunicated in the auncient times of the Church only one is duely proued and no mo within 860. yeres after Christ that not by the Bishop of Rome but by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millan The rest are either enforced against the stories of the Church or boldly presumed by you besides the stories And yet were they all prooued and confessed they make nothing for your purpose The question is not whether bishops shall receiue kinges with open and obstinate vices to the Lordes table but whether they may chase them from their kingdomes or no. We mislike not repentance in Princes but resistance in subiects bind their sinnes as fast as you can but pul them not downe from their Seates And yet least you should thinke that Princes then had no faultes or that learned and godly Bishops did in those dayes forbeare to excommunicate Princes rather for feare or flatterie than for any Religion or duetie marke what care S. Augustine will haue obserued howe and when discipline shoulde bee vsed If contagion of sinne haue inuaded a multitude the mercifull seueritie of correction from God himselfe is necessarie nam consilia separationis inania sunt perniciosa atque sacrilega quia impia superba fiunt plus perturbant infirmos bonos quà m corrigant animosos malos For then the attempt to excommunicate is frustrate and pernicious yea sacrilegious because it becommeth both impious and arrogant and more troubleth the good that be weake than correcteth the euill that be carelesse Neither was this the iudgement of S. Augustine alone but the generall wisedome of Christes church as himselfe professeth when he entereth into this question In hac velut angustia quaestionis non aliquid nouum aut insolitum dicam sed quod sanitas obseruat ecclesiae vt cum quisque fratrum id est Christianorum intus in ecclesiae societate constitutorum in aliquo tali peccato fuerit deprehensus vt anathemate dignus habeatur fiat hoc vbi periculum schismatis nullum est atque id cum ea dilectione de qua ipse alibi praecepit dicens vt inimicum non eum existimetis sed corripite vt fratrew Non enim estis ad eradicandum sed ad corrigendum In the straitnes of this question I will say nothing that is newe or vnwonted but that which the soundnes of the church obserueth that when any of our brethren I meane Christians within the Church is deprehended in any such fault that hee deserueth excommunication let that be done where there is no daunger of any schisme and with such loue as the Apostle commanded saying Esteeme him not as an enemie but rebuke him as a brother For you are not to roote vp but to amend And to this ende S. Augustine largely disputeth throughout that chapter shewing that excommunication is not to be vsed where a schisme is iustly feared It can not bee an healthful reproouing by many but when hee that is reproued hath no number to take his part But if the same disease hath possessed many the good haue nothing left for them to do but to sorrowe and mourne And therefore the same Apostle finding many defiled with fornication and vncleannes in his seconde epistle to the same Corinthians doeth not commaund them not to eate meate with such Hee that calleth excommunication a proude pernicious and sacrilegious attempt where any number is linked together that a schisme may follow what would he haue sayd to you that excommunicate Princes and whole Realmes whence not onely daungerous schismes but also cruell persecutions easily may commonly doe arise Againe the ende of excommunication which Saint Paul toucheth and the meane which he prescribeth do cease in Princes If any man obey not our sayings haue no cōpanie with him that hee may be ashamed Now the princes companie the subiects may not flie both in respect of the necessitie that al men haue to deale with the magistrate duetie that must be yeelded to the Princes person and preceptes And how should the people make their Prince ashamed whom by Gods Law they must honour and obey in all thinges and by whom they must iustly bee punished if they offer default in any thing And this the church of God wisely considering neuer vrged any Subiectes to dishonour their Princes neither did Sainct Ambrose separate Theodosius from the companie of men but hee charged him in Gods name to refraine the church and Sacramentes vntill hee appeased the wrath of God by repentaunce Hee charged not the people to disgrace or shunne their Prince but he burdened the Princes owne conscience knowing full well his religious disposition and offering his life into the Princes handes if he misliked the fact Your selues prouide for this mischiefe but as your maner is by wicked craftie dissembling not by christian and sober forbearing the thing which you should not aduenture The Pope who is farre enough off and free from al hazardes hee must first pronounce the sentence you will stande by and watch your time when you may safely without losse of life or goods put his sentence in execution till that pinch come you may sweare and stare you bee louing and obedient Subiects but then in any case you must shew your selues or else you be accursed for euer Toledo teacheth you that if there be danger of life or goods you may finely iuggle with excommunicate Princes and serue thē and honour them with al circumstances till you be strong enough to take their Crownes from their heades in spite of their heartes and then you must spare them no longer and so much the dispensation which Campion and Parsons obtayned of his holinesse when they came into this Realme importeth Phi. Woulde you that men shoulde communicate with hereticall Princes Theo. Condemne their errours but praie for their persons for so the Apostle willeth you I exhort you therefore that first of all supplications prayers and intercessions bee made for kinges and for al that are in authoritie when kinges were Infidels and Idolaters So God commaunded his people whē they were caried to Babylon Seek the prosperitie of the citie whether I haue caused you to bee caried awaie
captiues and pray to the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall you haue peace Which Tertullian witnesseth the christians did in all their publike assemblies Wee call vpon the euerlasting God for the health of our Emperours alwaies beseeching God to sende euerie of them long life happie raigne trustie seruantes valiant souldiers faithfull counsellours orderly subiectes and the worlde quiet and what soeuer people or Prince can wish for Examine your selues how farre you be from the innocencie and integritie of Christes church They wished all happinesse to heathen Princes and praied for the securitie of their liues and prosperitie of their states You curse and ban christian Princes and lay plots not onely for enimies to inuade them but for subiectes to shake off the yoke and shorten the daies of their naturall and lawfull Princes Phi. The church of Christ praied for her Princes if they were Pagans but not if they were heretikes Theo. What was Constantius a Pagan or an heretike Phi. An Arian Theo. For him the church praied Phi. For his conuersion Theo. For his health raigne and welfare Phi. Heretikes perhaps like himselfe did Theo. I say Catholiks Phi. It was then at the beginning of his raigne before his impietie was notorious Theo. About you fetch and all will not serue This testimonie that the church praied for Constantius though an heretike was giuen by a Councell of catholike Bishoppes in the 21. yeare of his raigne not long before his death Phi. Where finde you that the church praied for him Theo. Reade the two letters which the West Bishops sent from Ariminum to Constantius and see whether it be not cleare In the first thus they say Wee beseech you that you cause vs not to staie from our cures but that the bishops togither with the people seruing God in peace may humblie praie for your health kingdome and safetie in which the diuine Maiestie long preserue you The conclusion of their second letter is this For this cause we beseech your clemencie the second time most religious Lord and Emperour that you command vs to depart to our churches if it so please your godlines before the sharpnes of winter come that wee may make our accustomed praiers togither with the people to the almightie God and our Lord and Sauiour Christ for your imperie as we haue alwaies purposed and now wish to continue The writings of Hilarie and Athanasius to this verie Prince confirme the same We beseech your clemencie to permit saith Hilarie that the people may haue such teachers as they like such as they thinke well of such as they choose let them solemnize the diuine mysteries and make prayers for your safetie prosperitie Athanasius by his prayers made for this prince in the open assemblie of the people cleareth himselfe from hauing intelligence with Magnentius the murtherer of his brother With what eyes could I behold that bloodie homicide or howe coulde I but cal to minde your brothers face whiles I made my praiers for your health Howe coulde I indure to thinke euill of your brother or sende letters to his enimie and not rather pray and beseech God for your welfare which verily I did A witnesse hereof is first the Lord which hath giuen you the whole Empire that was left by your Fathers There can witnesse also with me Felicissimus the captaine of Aegypt Asternis the Earle Paladius the master of your Palace and others My wordes were Let vs pray for the welfare of the most religious Emperour Constantius and presently the whole people with one voice cryed O Christ bee fauorable to Constantius and this crie they continued a long time And appealing to the Emperours owne conscience knowledge You haue good triall that all the christians make their prayers and supplications to God that you may liue in safetie and continuallie raigne in peace And God graunt you O most gracious Prince to liue many yeares Heare you deaffe of yeares and dul of hartes the church of Christ praied for hereticall Princes in the middest of their impietie and tyrannie And when it was but obiected to Athanasius that hee and others wrote letters to one that rebelled and tooke armes against the Prince hee made answere Vincat quaeso apud the veritas ne relinquas suspicionem contra vniuer sam Ecclesiam quasi talia aut cogitentur aut scribantur à christianis potissimum Episcopis I beseech you let truth take place with you and leaue not this suspition vpon the catholike church as though any such things were written or thought on by Christians and especially by Bishoppes Howe farre then were these men from your humours which professe to depose Princes and not onlie licence Subiectes to rebell but incite them to kill their Soueraignes as you did lately Parry with pardon praise and recompence both here and in heauen Phi. They might do this in the beginning of his raigne before hee discouered his heresie Theo. These bee senslesse shiftes Hilarius wrote his booke after the Councell kept at Millan by Constantius and Athanasius his after Liberius was banished For those pointes be mentioned in their writinges and fell out the one immediatly before the other after the Councel of Ariminum And therefore the rathest of these defences came seuenteene yeares after the beginning of Constantius raigne and in the hoatest of his tyrannicall and hereticall persecution as the bookes themselues declare And yet they not onely indured but also obeyed him as their liege Lord and detested all resistance in deede and thought as vnlawfull for Christians and chiefly for Bishops Phi. But when in processe of time some Princes through Gods iust iudgement the peoples sinne were fallen to such contempt of religion as it lightly happeneth by heresie and Apostasie that excommunication being onely but a spirituall penaltie or other ordinarie Ecclesiasticall discipline would not serue then as well Bishops as other godlie persons their owne Subiectes did craue aide and armes of other Princes for their chastisement as most holie and auncient Popes euen in the olde dayes when the Protestants confesse them to haue beene godlie Bishoppes did incite catholike kinges to the same that those whom the spirituall rodde coulde not fruitfullie chastise they might by externe or temporall force bring them to order and repentaunce or at least defende their innocent Catholike Subiectes from vniust vexation Theo. You begin nowe to shewe your selues in your right kinde From the church you leape to the fielde meaning belike as Iulius the seconde did that since Peters keyes wil not pleasure you Paules sworde shall better steede you The side of your booke seemeth to direct vs when and vppon what occasion spirituall Pastours beganne to vse the temporall sword but the text it selfe runneth quite awrie Wee finde there neither time prefixed nor spirituall Pastour named that euer vsed the temporall sworde Are rebellions such trifles with you that you thinke to proue them with