permitted to speake That is as your owne doctour Nicol. de Lyra expoundeth it Women muste not teache and preache the doctrine in the Churche neyther dispute openly Therefore our Sauiour Christe did not committe to Kinges Quéenes and Princes the authoritie to haue and take vpon them any parte of gouernement in Ecclesiasticall causes As though a younge Nouice of your Munkishe order shoulde haue argued Nunnes muste kéepe silence and maye not speake in the Cloysture nor yet at dinner time in the fraytry therefore your deceyuer the Pope did not committe authoritie to his Prouincialles Abbottes Priors and Prioresses to haue and take vppon them the gouernement vnder him selfe in Munkishe and Nunnishe causes and matters What man woulde haue thought Maister Feckenham to haue had so litle consideration although vnlearned as to vouche the silence of women in the Churche for a reason to improue the authority of Princes in Churche causes M. Fekenham The thirde chiefe pointe is that I must not onely svveare vppon the Euangelistes that no forayne personne state or potentate hath or ought to haue any povver or authority Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall vvithin this Realme but also by vertue of the same Othe I must renounce all forrayne povver and authorities vvhiche for a Christian man to doo is directly againste these tvvoo Articles of our Crede Credo sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam I doo beleeue the holy catholique Churche Credo Sanctorum Communionem I doo beleeue the Communion of Sainctes And that there is a participation and communion amongest all the beleeuers of Christes Churche vvhiche of the Apostle Paule are called Sainctes Adiuro vos per Dominum vt legatur haec Epistola omnibus sanctis fratribus And herin I doo ioyne this issue vvith your L. that vvhan your L. shalbe hable to proue by Scripture Doctour Generall councell or by the continuall practise of any one Churche or parte of all Christendome that by the firste article I beleeue the holy catholique Churche is meante onely that there is a Catholique Churche of Christe and not so that by the same Article euery Christian man is bounde to be subiect and obedient to the catholique Churche like as euery member ought to haue obedience vnto the vvhole mysticall Body of Christe And further vvhen you shalbe hable to proue by the seconde Article I doo beleeue the Communion of Sainctes is not so meante that a Christian man ought to beleeue suche attonement such a participation and communion to be amongest all beleeuers and members of Christes catholique Churche in doctrine in Faithe in Religion and Sacramentes but that it is lavvfull for vs of this Realme therein to dissent froÌ„ the catholique Church of Christe dispersed in all other Realmes and that by a corporall Othe it is lavvfull for vs to renounce and refuse to haue communion vvith the catholique Churche so dispersed bicause it is a forrayne authoritie and povver out of this Realme vvhen so euer your L. shalbe hable to proue this â–ª by Scripture Doctour Generall councell or yet by continuall practise of any one Churche or parte of all Christendome Than shall I in like manner yelde in this thirde pointe and vvith moste humble thankes shall thinke my seife very vvell satisfied therein The B. of Wynchester This thirde chiefe point is nothing els but a misshapened lumpe of woordes conteininge firste an argument grounded vpon a kinde of Opposition that no wise or learned man euer redde of but is newly forged and hammered out of your owne braine Then an issue to haue me prooue that thinge whiche beinge rightly vnderstanded no Christian doth doubt of or will denie And last of all an huge heape of flatte and manifest Lies against the whole Realme to set a good face vpon an euill fauoured cause whiche can finde no helpe or ease by plain and simple truth The weighty burden that you are loden with can not beare is that you must by othe renounce all forreine power and authoritie the cause that maketh you fainte and feble is that it is directly against two articles of our Creede So that your feble reason is grounded after your simple skill vpon the place ab apositis pugnantibus Before I aunswere to the argument I will put the Reader in remembraunce of the deuision whiche you make chopping chaunging one article into twaine to make some shewe of an heinous matter Surely it were ouermuche detestable if you were moued to sweare but against one article of our Crede as yee were neuer moued by me either to or fro to sweare any thing at all There be three symboles or Credes whiche haue been allowed and receiued of Christes catholique Churche The symbole of the Apostles of the Nicen councell and of Athanasius The Apostolicall is so called bicause it was collected as some saye by the twelue Apostles and therefore conteineth as the coÌ„monly receiued opinion is in Christê Churche according to the nomber of the. xtj. Apostles but twelue articles whiche are called in the vsuall speche of the catholique ChristiaÌ„s the twelue articles of our Crede or beliefe If this I beleue the communion of sainctes be a seuerall article from this I beleue the holy catholique Churche as you doo phantasie then there must needes be at the least thirtene articles of the Crede contrary to the vniuersally receiued opinion of the catholique Churche You were wont to staye your selfe much vpon the custome of the catholike Churche and woulde vrge stifly although not so truely the vniuersally receiued opinion of the catholique Churche as a matter that might not bee reiected or denied and howe chaunceth it nowe that you are become suche a chaungeling that cleane contrary to the vse of the catholique Churche whiche acknowledged but twelue you wil make thirtene articles of the Créede at the least Besides this the catholique Churche in the time of Cyprian and Augustine and before also did not reken or iudge these to be twoo seuerall articles but did coumpte them one article concludinge these woordes the communion of Sainctes in this sentence I beleue a catholique Churche of Christe recyting the Symbole without rehersall or mentioning the communion of Sainctes as it is plainely set foorth by S. Cyprian and Augustine in their exposicions of the Apostolicall Créede The mattier meant by the communion of Sainctes is vttered in these woordes I beleue an holy catholike Churche of Christ Whereunto hath been added sence these auncient fathers times as it may séeme by the way of explication a communion of Sainctes to expresse in plainesse of speche that Christes catholique Churche is nothing els but a felowshippe and communion of faithfull ones whiche are sainctes Nowe let vs see howe to sweare as this thirde chiefe point of the othe setteth foorth is directly against this article of our Créede I beleaue the holy catholique Churche the communion of Sainctes All true subiectes ought and must renounce and forsake all forraine iurisdictions powers superioritie preheminences and authorities
of euery forraine Prince and Prelate state or Potentate This is the proposition of that part of the othe to the whiche adioyne this proposition all true subiectes ought and must beleaue an holy catholique Churche of Christe the communion of Sainctes Espy nowe what opposition is betwixt these two propositioÌ„s y â— they may not both matche together and be verified in one true and faithful subiecte The one say you is directly against the other Then saye I there is a direct opposition repugnancy betwixt them by due examination we shall finde out the oppositioÌ„ Trie the partes of these propositions seuerally without the verbe that coupleth them together and you shall not find any opposition either contrary relatiue priuatiue or disparate ioyne them together with the verbe that coupleth being propositions they are not one against the other contrary subcontrary subalterne nor contradictory and therfore vntruly no lesse vnskilfully babled of you that the one is directly against the other when a yong scholer that hath red but the rudimentes of his Logike could haue séen iudged that there is in them no opposition or repugnancy at all To renounce and forsake Antechrist his Churche by othe or otherwise and to beleue in Christe and rightfully to acknowledge his holy catholique Churche by all maner of wayes staÌ„deth neither directly nor indirectly one against the other but are matched together agreeth iumpe one with the other Surely your eies were not matches neither were your wittes at home whan you spied cut this repugnancy if you had not published this learned piece of worke your friendes should neuer haue knoweÌ„ what an huge heape of conning knowledge is hidden in that litle head of yours The demaunde in your issue is easely proued by the description or definition of Christes true Catholique Churche The catholique Churche of Christe is a multitude societie and communion of Sainctes and faithfull ones that haue been shalbe and are nowe on liue in the earth how and wheresoeuer they be deuided and dispersed in time and place the whiche multitude of Sainctes haue a participation in common amongst them selues of all good thinges geuen graunted and growing from God through Christ of spirite faith Sacramentes prayer remission of sinnes and heauenly blisse and are vnited to Christ their head by faith and fastened togeather amongest them selues as members of one body with the bond of loue To this catholike church euery ChristiaÌ„ man is bounde to bee subiecte and obedient as a member ought and may be subiect and obedient to the body And we doo teache and confesse in this Churche suche an attonemeÌ„t participation and communion among all the members in doctrine faith Religion and SacrameÌ„ts that neither this nor any other Realme may lawfully dissent from this Churche or renounce and refuse to haue communion therewith as God be praised we of this Realme doo nowe shewe our selues by al Christian meanes neuer more at any time to agree and consent in the vnitie of this catholike Churche in necessary doctrine right faith true Religion and the right vse of Christes Sacramentes The foule lies that you heape together wherewith shamefully to defoyle your owne neast and natiue countrey neadeth none other confutation than onely to make them playne to be seen and iudged of all men that the Realme may be sory that euer it nestled so vnnatural and filthy a byrde and your friendes ashamed of so malicious and impudent a Lâ—ar This is a lewde Lie that this Realme dissenteth from the catholike Church in the forenamed pointes This is a shameful Lie that by corporal othe or any other wayes we renounce and refuse to haue communion with the catholike Churche of Christe And this is a monsterous Lye that the catholike Churche is a foraine authoritie and power out of this Realme Who was euer so madde as ones to thinke or so doltishe as to speake any thing against the catholike Churche but specially to forsake it and that bicause it is a foraine power and authoritie The Othe maketh no mention in any one woorde of the Catholique Churche it speaketh of a foraigne Prince Prelate and Potentate and so of the foraigne Power and Authoritie of suche a foraigne state Wherevpon M. Fekenham concludeth as it were by Reuelation in a Monkishe dreame without rime or reason that therfore the catholike Church is forsaken as though there were no difference betwixt a foreine Prince or prelate and the Catholique Churche or that the Catholique Churche might be called a foreine Power or a forine authoritie to a Christian Realme This is suche a newe kinde of Diuinitie as was neuer hearde or redde of in any writer no not in the Legende of Golden Lyes M. Fekenham The fourth and laste pointe is that I must svveare to the obseruation of this Othe not onely to the Queenes highnes and our soueraigne Lady that novv is but also vnto her heyers and successours Kinges and Queenes of this Realme And bicause euery Christian man ought to be carefull to auoide periury therein I vvoulde right gladly knovve that if any her highnes successours shoulde by the refusall of the saide title of supremacy binde her subiectes by the like statute lavve vnto the cleane contrary experience vvhereof vvas of late made here in this Realme that it is yet freshe in the memories of al men In this case I vvoulde right gladly knovve vvhat authoritie is hable to dispence againe vvith this Othe And if there be none at all then the subiectes of this Realme in this case are bounde and that by booke Othe to liue in a continuall disobedience to the Lavves of their soueraigne Lorde or Lady Kinge or Queene the case vvherof is very LameÌ„table And Christian charitie vvoulde that it should be foreseene and prouided for And for mine ovvne paâ—te being further touched herein than I haue yet expressed my very trust and hope is that the charity of this our nevv refourmed church here in this realme shal not be fouÌ„de so colde and short as in prouiding so sharpe lavves â—nd paines of death to force men to take this Othe of the Q. Highnes Supremacie but that it vvil prouide also such meanes and vvaies vvhereby the subiectes may receiue the same vvith salfe conscience and vvithout all perâ—ury And in so doynge I shall moste vvillingly submitte my selfe and receiue also that parte of the Othe And shall further thereupon set foorth the Q. Highnesse Supremacy vvith all Titles and Praerogaâ—iues bothe by penne and vvoorde of mouth and that vvith as desirous harte and glad vvil as any subiect that is this day liuinge in hir highnesse Realme So that of the premises ye may vvell vnderstande that there is in me no other cause of staâ—e touchinge the later parte of this Othe then very Conscience And that I vvoulde before right gladly knovve touching these forenamed pointes hovve I mighte svveare vnto them and not committee periury therein The B. of Wynchester As euery Christian
that dooth euill interpreting the mynd of the Apostle to bee that the authoritie and power of Prynces hath to deale in Ecclesiasticall causes so well as in Temporall And therefore sayth to Gaudentius and to you all Blotte out these saiynges of S. Paule 13. Rom. if you can or if you cannot then set naught by them as ye doo Reteyne a most wicked meaning of all these saiynges of the Apostle least you loose your freedome in iudging or elles truely for that as men yee are ashamed so to doo before men crie out if you dare Let murtherers be punished let adulteriers be punished let all other faultes be they neuer so heynous or full of mischiefe be punished by the Magistrate wee will that onely wicked faultes against Religion be exempt from punishment by the Lawes of Kinges or rulers c. Herken to the Apostle and thou shalte haue a great aduantage that the kingely power cannot hurt thee doo well and so shalt thou haue prayse of the same power c. That thinge that yee doo is not onely not good but it is a great euill to witte to cut in sundâ—e the vnity and peace of Christe to rebelle against the promises of the Ghospell and to beare the Christian armes or badges as in a ciuil warre against the true and highe Kinge of the Christianes Chrysostome sheweth this reason why S. Paule doth attribute this title of a minister woorthely vnto the Kinges or ciuill Magistrates bicause that thorough frayinge of the wicked men and commendinge the good he prepareth the mindes of many to be made more appliable to the doctrine of the woorde Eusebius alluding to the sentence of S. Paule where he calleth the ciuill Magistrate Goddes minister and vnderstanding that Ministery of the ciuill Magistrate to be about Religion Ecclesiasticall causes so well as Temporal doth call Constantine the Emperour The great light and moste shrill preacher or setter foorth of true godlines The one and onely God saith he hath appointed Constantine to be his mynister and the teacher of godlines to all countreis And this same ConstaÌ„tine like a faithfull and good mynister did thoroughly set forth this and he did confesse himselfe manifestly to be the seruauÌ„t and mynister of the high Kinge He preached with his imperiall decrees or proclamations his God euen to the boundes of the whole worlde Yea Constantine him selfe affirmeth as Eusebius reporteth That by his mynisterie he did put away and ouerthrowe al the euilles that pressed the worlde â–ª meaninge all superstition Idolatry false Religion In so muche saith this godly Emperour that there withal I bothe called againe mankinde taught by my mynisterie to the Religion of the most holy Lawe meanyng the woorde of God and also caused that the most blessed Faithe shoulde encrease and growe vnder a better gouernour meanyng than had beene before for saithe he I woulde not be vnthankefull to neglect namely the best mynistery whiche is the thankes Iowe vnto God of duety This most Christian Emperour did rightly consider as he had beene truely taught of the moste Christian Bishoppes of that time that as the Princes haue in chardge the mynistery and gouernment in all manner causes either Temporall or Spirituall Euen so the chiefest or best parte of their Seruice or Mynistery to consist in the well ordering of Churche matters and their diligent rule and care therein to be the most thankeful acceptable and duetifull Seruice that they can doo or owe vnto God For this cause also Nicephorus in his Preface before his Ecclesiasticall history doth compare Emanuel Paleologus the Emperour to Constantine for that he did so neerely imitate his duetifulnes in rulinge procuringe and refourminge Religion to the purenesse thereof Whiche amonge all vertues belonginge to an Emperour is moste seemely for the imperiall dignitie and dothe expresse it moste truely as Nicephorus saithe who maketh protestacion that he saithe nothinge in the commendacion of this Emperour for fauour or to flatter but as it was true in deede in him And so reherseth his noble vertues exercised in dischardge of his imperiall duetie towardes God in Churche matters sayinge to the Emperour who hath glorified God more and shewed more feruente zele towardes him in pure Religion without feyninge than thou haste doone who hath with suche feruent zeale sought after the moste syncere faithe muche endaungered or clensed againe the holy Table VVhen thou sawest our true Religion broughte into perill with newe deuises brought in by conterfaict and naughty doctrines thou diddest defende it most painefully and wisely Thou diddest shewe thy selfe to be the mighty supreme and very holy anchour and staie in so horrible waueringe and errour in diuine matters beginninge to fainte ard to peris he as it were with shipwracke Thou arte the guide of the profession of our Faithe Thou hast restored the Catholique and Vniuersall Church beinge troubled with newe matters or opinions to the olde state Thou haste banished from the Churche all vnlawfull and impure doctrine Thou hast clensed againe with the woorde of trueth the Temple from choppers and chaungers of the diuine doctrine and from hereticall deprauers thereof Thou haste beene sette on fier with a Godly zeale for the diuine Table Thou haste established the doctrine thou haste made Constitutions for the same Thou haste entrenched the trewe Religion with myghtie defenses That whiche was pulled downe thou haste made vp agayne and haste made the same whole and sounde againe with a conuenient knittinge togeather of all the partes and members to be shorte thou haste saithe Nicephorus to the Emperour establissed true Religion and godlines with spirituall butiresses namely the doctrine and rules of the auncient Fathers These and suche like Christian Emperours are not thus muche commended of the Ecclesiasticall wryters for their notable dooinges in the maintenaunce and furtheraunce of Religion as for dooinges not necessarily appertayninge to their office or callynge But for that they were examples spectacles and glasses for others wherein to beholde what they are bounde vnto by the woorde of God and what their subiectes may looke for at their handes as matter of chardge and duetie both to God and his people Whiche S. Paule doth plainely expresse where he exhorteth the Christians to make earnest and continuall prayer for kynges and all that are in authoritie to this ende and purpose that by their rule mynistrie and seruice not onely peace and tranquilitie but also godlines and Religion should be furthered and continued amongst men attributing the furtherance and continuaunce of Religion and godlynes to the Magistrates as an especial fruite and effect of their dutie and seruice to God and his people Chrysostome expounding this place of the Apostle doth interprete his meaning to be vnderstanded not onely of the outward peace tranquilitie furthered mainteined defended by the Magistrates but chiefly of the inward peace of the mynde and conscience whiche can not be atteyned without pure Religion as
contrariwyse godlynes can not be had without peace and tranquilite of mynde and conscience This would be noted with good aduisement that S. Paule him selfe sheweth playnely prosperitie amongest Gods people and true Religion to be the benefites and fruites in generall that by Goddes ordinance springeth from the rule and gouernement of kynges and Magistrates vnto the weale of the people The whiche two although dyuers in them selues yet are so combyned and knyt together as it were incorporated in this one office of the Magistrate that the nouryshinge of the one is the feeding of y e other the decay of the one destroyeth or at the least deadly weakeneth them both So that one can not be in perfect good estate without the other The whiche knot and fastening together of Religion prosperitie in common weales the moste Christian and godly Emperours Theodosius and Valentinianus dyd wysely ses as appeareth in this that they wrote vnto Cyrill saiyng The suertie of our common weale dependeth vpon Goddes Religion and there is great kinred and societie betwixt these tweyne for they cleane together and the one groweth with the increase of the other in suche sorte that true Religion holpen with the indeuour of Iustice and the common weale holpen of them bothe flourisheth â—eing therefore that we are constituted of God to be the kinges and are the knitting together or ioynture of godlines and prosperitie in the subiectes we kepe the societie of these tweyne neuer to be sondred and so farre forth as by our forsight we procure peace vnto our subiectes we minister vnto the augmenting of the common weale but as we might say being seruauntes to our subiectes in all thinges that they may liue godly and be of a Religious conuersation as it becommeth godly ones we garnis he the common weale with honour hauing care as it is conuenient for them bothe for it can not be that diligently prouiding for the one we should not care in like sorte also for the other But we trauayle earnestly in this thing aboue the rest that the Ecclesiastical state may remaine sure bothe in suche sorte as is seemely for Goddes honour and fit for our tymes that it may continue in tranquilitie by common consent without variaÌ„ce that it may be quiete through agreement in Ecclesiasticall matters that the godly Religion may be preserued vnreprouable and that the life of suche as are chosen into the Clergie and the great priesthood may be cleere from al fault Hitherto I haue proued playnely by the holy Scriptures and by some suche Doctours as from age to age haue wytnessed the order of Ecclesiasticall gouernement in the Churche of Christe yea by the confession testimony and example of some of the moste godly Emperours them selues that suche lyke gouernement in Churche causes as the Queenes maiestie taketh vpon her doth of dutie belonge vnto the cyuill Magistrates and Rulers and therfore they may yea they oughte to clayme and take vpon them the same Nowe remayneth that I proue this same by the continuall practise of the lyke gouernenement in some one parte of Christendome and by the generall counsayles wherein as ye affirme the right order of Ecclesiasticall gouernemeÌ„t in Christ his Church hath been moste faithfully declared and shewed from tyme to tyme. The gouernement that the Queenes maiestie taketh moste iustly vpon her in Ecclesiasticall causes is the guydyng caringe prouidyng orderyng dyrectynge and ayding the Ecclesiasticall state within her dominions to the furtheraunce mayntenaunce and settyng foorth of the true Religion vnitie quietnes of Christes Churche ouerseyng vysiting refourmyng restrayninge amendinge and correctyng all maner persones with al manner errours superstitions Heresies Schismes abuses offences contemptes and enormities in or about Christes Religion whatsoeuer This same authoritie rule and gouernement was practised in the catholique Churche by the most Christian kynges and Emperours approued confirmed commended by the best counsailes both generall and nationall Constantinus of whose carefull gouernement in Churche causes I haue spoken somewhat before tooke vpon him and did exercise the supreme rule â–ª aund gouernement in repressing all maner Idolatry and false Religion in reforming and promoting the true Religion and in restreining correcting al maner Errours Schismes Heresies and other enormities in or about Religion and was moued hereunto of dutie euen by Gods worde as he him selfe reporteth in a vehement prayer that he maketh vnto God saying I haue taken vpon mee and haue broughte to passe healthfull thinges meanyng reformation of Religion Being persuaded therunto by thy worde And publishing to all Churches after the councell at Nice what was there doone He professeth that in his iudgement the chiefest ende and purpose of his Imperiall gouernement oughte to be the preseruation of true Religion and godly quietnes in all Churches I haue iudged saieth this godly Emperour this ought before all other thinges to be the ende or purpose whereunto I should addresse my power and authoritie in gouernemeÌ„t that the vnitie of faithe pure loue and agreemeÌ„t of Religion towards the almighty God myght be kepte and mainteined amongest all Congregations of the catholique Churche He did not only abolishe al superstitions and false Religions whiche had been amongest the gentiles but also he repressed by his authoritie Lawes Decrees all such Heresies as sprong vp amongest the Christians sharpely reprouing and correcting the authours or mainteinours of hereticall doctrines as the Nouatians Valentinians Paulianes and CataphrygiaÌ„s as Eusebius saith of him And Theodoret us dooth recite a part of an Epistle that Constantine wrote vnto the Nicomedians wherein the Emperour hath this saiyng If we haue chast Byshops of right opinioÌ„ of curteous behauiour we reioyce But if any be enflamed rashly and vnaduisedly to continue the memory and commendation of those pestilent Heresies his foolebardy presumtion shal forthwith be corrected and kept vnder by my correctioÌ„ which am gods minister CoÌ„stantinus also gaue Iniuctions to the chiefe mynisters of the churches that they should make speciall supplication to God for him He enioyned all his subiectes that they should keepe holy certaine daies dedicated to Christ and the Saturday He gaue a Lawe vnto the Rulers of the nations that they should celebrate the Sonday in like sort after the appointment of the Emperour And so the daies dedicated to the memory of martyrs and other festiual times c. And al suche thinges sayth Eusebius were done according to the ordinance of the Emperour He coÌ„maunded Eusebius the bishop to draw certein Instructions lessons as it wer Homelies forth of the holy scriptures y t they might be red in y e churches Which was done incoÌ„tineÌ„t according to TheÌ„perours coÌ„mauÌ„dement When the Emperour herde of the great schisme mooued betwixt Arius and Alexander the Bishop of Alexandria wherwith the Churche was piteously tormented and as it were rente in sondre he tooke vpon him as one that had the care and authoritie ouer all to sende
and vsed in the same sort his princely authoritie in refourming all abuses in all maner causes ecclesiastical These godly kynges claymed and toke vpon theim the supreme gouernement ouer the ecclesiasticall persons of al degrees and did rule gouerne and direct them in all their functions and in all maner causes belonging to Religion and receyued this witnes of their doinges to wyt that they did acceptable seruice and nothing but that whiche was ryght in Gods sight Therfore it foloweth well by good consequent that Kynges or Queenes may clayme and take vpon them suche gouernement in thynges or causes ecclesiasticall For that is ryght sayth the holy ghost they should than do wrong if they did it not You suppose that ye haue escaped the force of all these and such lyke godly kynges which do marueilously shake your holde and that they may not bee alledged against you neither any testimony out of the olde testament for that ye haue restreignes the proufe for your cōtentation to suche order of gouernement as Christ hath assigned in the Ghospell to be in the tyme of the newe Testament wherin you haue sought a subtyle shift For whyles ye seeke to cloke your errour vnder the shadowe of Christes Ghospel you bewray your secrete heresies turnyng your selfe naked to be seen of all men and your cause notwithstandyng left in the state it was before nothyng holpen by this your poore shift of restreynt So that where your friendes toke you before but only for a Papist now haue you shewed your selfe to them playnly herein to be a Donatist also When the Donatistes troubled the peace of Christes catholique Churche and deuided them selues frō the vnitie thereof as now you do The godly fathers trauailed to confute their heresies by the Scriptures both of the olde and newe Testament and also craued ayde and assistaunce of the Magistrates and Rulers to refourme them to reduce them to the vnitie of the Churche to represse their heresies with their authoritie godly lawes made for that purpose to whome it belonged of dutie and whose especial seruice to Christe is to see care and prouyde that their subiectes be gouerned defended mainteined in the true and sincere Religion of Christ without all errours superstitions and heresies as S. Augustine proueth at large in his epistle against Vincentius a Rogatiste in his epistle to Bonifacins and in his bookes against Petilian and Gaudentius letters Against this catholique doctrine your auncestours the Donatistes aryse vp and desende them selues with this colour or pretence that they be of the catholique fayth and that their churche is the catholique church Which shifte for their defence against Gods truthe the Popishe sectaries do vse in this our tyme being no more of the one or of the other than were the Donatistes and suche lyke of whom they learned to couer their horrible heresies vnder the same fayre cloke that the seculer Princes haue not to medle in matters of Religion or causes ecclesiasticall That God committed not the teaching of his people to kynges but to Prophetes Christe sent not souldiours but fishers to bring in and further his Religion that there is no example of such ordre founde in the Gospel or new Testamēt wherby it may appeare that to secular Princes it belongeth to haue care in matters of Religion And that as it semeth by that S. Augustine by preuention obiecteth against them they subtilly refused all proufes or examples auouched out of the olde Testament as ye craftely do also in bynding me onely to the new Testament which S. Augustine calleth an odious and wicked guyle of the Donatistes Let your friendes nowe whom ye wil seeme to please so muche when you beguyle them moste of all weigh with aduisement what was the erronious opinion thouching the authoritie of Princes in causes ecclesiasticall of the Donatistes as it is here rightly gathered forth of S. Augustine and let them consider wysely these foule shiftes they make for their defence And then compare your opinion and guylefull defences thereof to theirs and they must needds clappe you on the backe say to you Patrisas ▪ if there be any vpright iudgement in them demyng you so lyke your great grandsier Donatus as though he had spit you out of his owne mouth But for that S. Augustines iudgement and myne in this controuesie is alone as your opinion herein differeth nothyng at all from the Donatistes I wyll vse no other confirmation of my proufes alledged forth of the olde Testament for the reproufe of your guylful restraint thē Christes catholique Church vttered by that catholique Doctour S. Augustin against al the sectes of Donatistes whether they be Gaudentians Petilians Rogatistes Papistes or any other petit sectes sprong out of his loynes what name so euer they haue S. Augustine against Gaudentius his second epistle affirmeth saiyng I haue saith he already heretofore made it manifest that it apperteined to the kinges charge that the Niniuites should pacifie Goddes wrath whiche the Prophet had denounced vnto them The kinges whiche are of Christes Churche doo iudge moste rightly that it apperteineth vnto their cure that you Donatistes rebell not without punishement against the same c. God dooth inspire into kinges that they shoulde procure the commaundement of their Lorde to be perfourmed or kept in their kingdome For they to whom it is said and now ye kinges vnderstande be ye learned ye Iudges of the earth ferue the Lorde in feare doo perceiue that their authoritie ought so to serue the Lorde that suche as will not obey his will shuld be punished of that authoritie c. Yea saith y e same S. Aug. Let the kings of the earth serue Christ euē in making lawes for Christ meaning for the furtherance of Christes religiō How then doth kinges saith S. Aug. to Bonifacius against y e Donatistes serue the lord with reuerēce but in forbidding and punishing with a religious seueritie such thinges as are done against the Lordes cōmaundemētes For a king serueth one way in that he is a man an other way in respect that he is a king Bicause in respect that he is but ◠man he serueth the Lorde in liuing faithfully but in that he is also a kinge he serueth in makinge Lawes of conuenient force to commaunde iust thinges and to forbidde the contrary c. In this therfore kinges serue the Lorde when they doo those thinges to serue him which they could not doo were they not kinges c. But after that this began to be fulfilled which is written and all the kinges of the earth shall worship him all the Nations shall serue him what man being in his right wittes may say to kinges Care not you in your kingdomes who defendeth or oppugneth the Churche of your Lorde Let it not apperteine or be any part of your care who is religious in your kingdome or a wicked deprauer of Religion This was the iudgement of S.
neither the whole Synode doth any thing without licence and the direction of the Emperour the president and chief ruler in all those causes In the ende of the eleuenth Action The Emperour assigneth certeine of his noble counsailours to be the directours in the Synode for that he was to bee occupied in other weighty affaires of the common weale Hetherto we see how the Emperour in his owne persone with his lay Princes also was the supreme gouernour was the President ouersear commaunder ratifier and directour of all thinges done in the councell The Popes Legates and all the whole couÌ„cell humbly yelding al these thinges vnto him alone The residue of the actes or any thinge therein done was likewyse his deede by his deputies although he him selfe in persone was not present The Bishops and Clergy which were of the Prouince of Antioche whan Macarius was deposed by the iudgemeÌ„t of the Synode do make supplication vnto the Iudges the Emperours deputies counsailours that they wilbe meanes vnto the Emperour to appoint them an other Archbishop in the place of Macarius nowe deposed The Iudges make them aunswere that it was the Emperours pleasure that they shoulde determine amongest them selues whom they would haue and bringe their decree vnto the Emperour At the last the whole Synode doo offer their diffinition subscribed with their handes to the Emperour besechinge him to examen and confirme the same The Emperour within a whyle saith we haue redde this definition geue our coÌ„sent therunto The Emperour asked of the whole Synode if this definition be concluded by vnifourme coÌ„sent of all the Bishops the Synode answered VVe all beleue so we be al of this mynde God sende the Emperour many yeares Thou hast made all heretiques to flie by thy meanes all Churches are in peace accursed be all Heretiques In the whiche curse the whole Synode curseth Honorius Pope of Rome with the great curse whome the Synode nameth in 17. action one of the chiefest of these Heretiques who ar herecursed The Emperour protesteth that his zeale to conserue the christian faith vndefiled was the only cause of calling this Synode He she weth what was their partes therein to wyt to weighe consideratly Gods holy Scriptures to put a way all noueltie of speche or â—ssertion added to the pure Christian faith in these latter daies by some of wicked opinion and to deliuer vnto the Church this faith most pure and cleane They make a commendatory oration vnto the Emperour with muche ioyfulnes declaring that this his fact about this Synode in procuring to his subiectes true Godlines and to all the Churche a quiet state was the most comely thing the most acceptable seruice the most liberall oblation or sacrifice that any Emperour might or coulde make vnto God And declaring the humble obedience to his precept or sommons of the Bishoppe of Rome who sent his Legates being sicke him selfe and of them selues being present in their owne persones they doo moste humbly beseche him to set his seale vnto their doinges to ratifie the same with the Emperiall wryt and to make edictes and constitutions wherewith to confirme the actes of this councell that all controuersie in tyme to come may bee vtterly taken away All whiche the Emperour graunted vnto them addinge his curse as they had doâ—n before so well against all the other Heretiques as also against Honorius late Pope of Rome a companion fautour and confirmer saieth he of the others heresies in all pointes After this the Emperour directeth his letters to the Synode at Rome of the Westerne Bishoppes wherein he commendeth their diligence about the confuting of the heresies He describeth the myserable estate the Churche was in by meanes of the Heresies for sayth he the inuentours of Heresies are made the chiefe Bishoppes they preached vnto the people contention in steade of peace they sowed in the Church forrowes cockle for wheate all Churche matters were troubled and cleane out of order And bicause these thynges were thus disordered and impietie consumed Godlines wee set forwarde thither wherunto it becommed vs to directe our goinge meanyng to seeke by all meanes the redresse of these disorders in Churche matters wee labour with earnestnes for the pure faithe wee attende vppon Godlines and wee haue our speciall care aboute the Ecclesiasticall state In consyderation whereof wee called the Byshoppes out of farre distaunte places to this Synode to set a Godly peace and quietnes in the Churche matters c. To this epistle of the Emperour Leo the seconde Bishop of Rome maketh aunswere for Agatho was dead by letters whereof this is the effect I geue thankes vnto the kyng of kynges who hath bestowed on you an earthly kyngdome in suche wyse that he hath geuen you therewith a mynde to seeke much more after heauenly thinges Your pietie is the fruite of mercy but your authoritie is the keper of discipline by that the Princes minde is ioyned to God But by this the subiectes receyue reformation of disorders Kinges ought to haue so muche care to refourme and correcte naughtynes amongest their subiectes as to tryumphe ouer their enemies for in so dooinge they make their authoritie subiect to serue him by whose gifte and protection they reigne VVherefore seinge that the holy mother the Churche whiche is the Body of Christe enioyeth by meanes of you her sincere and principall childe an inuincible soundnes Therefore it is written of you most mercifull Prince and of that same holy Churche dispersed thorough out all the worlde Kinges shalbe thy noursinge fathers and in like sorte it is writen the honour of the Kinge loueth iudgement in that you set muche more by heauenly than by earthly thinges and doo preferre without comparison the right faith before all worldly cares what other doo you herein than make right iudgement bonde and seruiceable to Goddes honour and religion and to offer vnto his diuine Maiestie an oblation and burnt Sacrifice of sweete sauour vppon the aultar of your harte God inspire encrease and replenishe your princely harte with the light of the Catholique doctrine whereby the clowdes of the haereticall prauitie may be driuen away I receiued most ioyfully the Synodicall actes with your letters of highest authority by the legates your humble seruauntes whiche were sente vnto the Councell from my praedecessour Agatho at your commaundement Wherefore with thankes geuinge I crie vnto the Lorde O Lorde saue our moste Christian Kinge and heare him in the day he calleth vpon thee By whose godly trauaile the Apostolike godly doctrine or Religion shineth thorough the worlde and the horrible darkenes of hereticall malice is vanished away For thorough your trauaile God assistinge the same that mischiefe whiche the wicked crafte of the Deuill had brought in is ouerthrowne the benefite of the christian Faith that Christe gaue to the saluation of man hath wonne the ouer hande The holy and great generall Councell whiche of late hath beene congregate at Constantinople by
enstructe you others also that they doo the same Firste of all euery preacher muste preache in generall that they beleeue the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste to be an omnipotent God c. And so learnedly procéedeth thorough all the articles of our Faithe after whiche he commeth to the conuersacion of life c. And wee doo therfore more diligently enioine vnto you this thing bicause wee knowe that in the latter daies shall come false teachers as the Lorde him selfe hath forwarned and the Apostle Paule to Timothe doth witnes Therfore beloued let vs furnishe our selues in harte and minde with the knowledge of the trueth that wee may be able to withstande the aduersaries to trueth and that thorough Goddes grace Goddes woorde may encrease passe thorough and be multiplied to the profite of Goddes holy Churche the Saluation of our soules and the glory of the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Peace to the preachers grace to the obedient hearers and glory to our Lorde Iesus Christe Amen This noble Prince was mooued to take vpon him this gouernment in Ecclesiastical matters causes not of presumption but by the woorde of God for the dischardge of his princely duety as he had learned y e same both in the examples of godly kings coÌ„meÌ„ded therfore of the holy ghost also by the instructions of the best learned teachers of his time whereof he had great stoare especially Alcuinus an Englisheman of greate learninge who was his chiefe Scholemaister and teacher whome as Martinus telleth Charles made Abbot of Towers Amongst other many notable volumes this Alcuinus writeth one entituled De Fide Sanctae in diuiduae Trinitatis whiche as moste méete for him to know he dedicateth to Charles the Emperour He beginneth his epistle dedicatory after the salutation superscription thus Seeinge that the Emperial dignitie ordeined of God seemeth to be exalted for none other thinge then to gouerne and profite the people Therfore God doth geue vnto theÌ„ that are choosen to that dignitie power and wisedome Power to suppresse the proude and to defende the humble against the euill disposed wisedome to gouerne and teache the subiectes with a godly carefulnes VVith these twoo giftes O holy Emperour Gods fauour hath honoured and exalted you incoÌ„parably aboue your auÌ„cestours of the same name and authoritie c. VVhat than what must your carefulnes most deuoutly dedicated to God bringe forth in the time of peace the warres beinge finished when as the people hasteneth to assemble togeather at the proclamation of your coÌ„maundement he meaneth that he expresseth afterwarde by this assembly or concourse the councell that was nowe in hande assembled as he saith Imperiali praecepto by the Emperours precept And waiteth attentiuely before the throne of your grace what you will commaunde to euery persone by your authoritie what I say ought you to doo but to determine with all dignitie iuste thinges whiche beinge ratified to set them foorth by coÌ„maundement and to geue holy admonitions that euery man may retourne home mery and gladde with the precept of eternall Saluation c. And least I should seeme not to helpe and further your preachinge of the Faithe I haue directed and dedicated this booke vnto you thinkinge no gifte so conuenient and woorthy to be presented vnto you seeinge that all men knowe this moste plainely that the Prince of the people ought of necessitie to knowe all thinges and to preache those thinges that please God neither belongeth it to any man to knowe better or mâ—e things than to an Emperour whose doctrine ought to profit all the subiectes c. All the faithful hath great cause to reioyce of your godlines seing that you haue the priestly power as it is mete so to bee in the preaching of the worde of God perfect knowledge in the Catholique faith and a most holy deuotion to the saluation of men This doctrine of Alcuinus whiche no doubte was the doctrine of all the catholique and learned fathers in that time coÌ„firmeth wel the doinges of Charles and other Princes in calling councelles in making decrees in geuing Iniunctions to Ecclesiastical persons and in ruling and gouerning them in all Ecclesiasticall thinges and causes If the gouernement of this most Christian Prince in Ecclesiastical matters be well considered it shall well appeare that this Charles the great whom the Popes doo extolle as an other great Constantine patron vnto them as he was in deede by enriching the Churche with great reuenues and riches was no whit greater for his martial Prince-like affaires in the politique gouernaunce than for his godly ordering disposing the Churche causes although that in some thinges he is to be borne with consideringe the blindnes and superstition of the time Although herein Lodouicus Charles his sonne were somwhat inferiour to his father Yet not withstanding he reserued these Ecclesiasticall causes to him selfe with no lesse care he ordred the same although in some things being a very milde Prince he winked and bare ouermuch with the ambition of the Popes Shortly after whan as the foresaid Leo was departed was Stephen next elected Pope and without the confirmation of the Emperour tooke the Papacy vpon him All the histories agree that he came shortly after into Fraunce to the Emperour but wherfore most of them leaue vncertaine Platina thinketh to auoyde the hurley burley in the Citie that was after the death of Leo. Sabellicus thinketh the Emperours coronation to be the cause Nauclerus saith he went in his owne persone vnto the Emperour Lodouike about or for the Churche matters whiche proueth that the Emperour had chiefe authoritie in ordering the Churche busines But our English Chronicles as some writers affirme doo plainly declare that his comming into Fraunce was to make an excuse of his vnlauful consecration against the decrees made to Charles by his predecessours Adrian and Leo fearing therefore the fequele of the matter he first sent his Legates before him to be a preparatiue to his purgation and afterwards came him self to craue his pardoÌ„ And the rather to please Themperour brought a most beautiful crown of gold for him and an other for the Empresse wherof folowed as Nauclerus saith Omnia quae petiit à pio Imperatore obtinuit he obteined whatsoeuer he asked of the godly Emperour Nowe when Stephen had dispatched all his matters he retourned home and shortly after an other Ecclesiastical cause happened for within a while the Bishop of Reatina died and there was an other chosen And when the sea of Reatina saith Nauclerus was voide the Pope would not consecrate the elect Bisshop onles he had first liceÌ„ce therto of the Emperour The circumstances of this story make the matter more plaine The erle Guido had writen vnto Pope Stephen to consecrate that Bishop whom the Clergy and the people had elect but the Pope durst not enterprice the matter till he were certified of y e Emperours pleasure therupon wryteth