Iurisdiction be of Gods institution also and duelie to be honoured in his Church and Christian common wealth as before wee haue shewed yet doe they teach the same to be far otherwise deriued and receiued from God then is Spirituall Power that is to saie not immediatlie by Gods owne deliuerie therof but mediatlie rather to witt by meditation of the law of nature and nations For by the law of nature God â—ath ordeined that there should be politicall gouernment for that otherwise no multitude could be preserued which the law of nations assuming hath transferred that gouernment vnto one or more according to the particular formes therof as Monarchie Aristocracy or Democracy or mixt wherin is to be noted that the ordination of God by the law of nature doth giue politicall Power vnto the multitude immediately and by them mediately to one or more as hath been said But Spirituall Power Christ gaue immediatly and by himself to the Apostles and their Successors by these words whatsoeuer you shall bind vpon earth the same sâ—all be bound in heauen And whatsoeuer you shall loose one earth shall be loosed in heauen Wherby you se a generall large commission graunted to them of binding loosing Quaecunque whatsoeuer without exception And the like to S. Peter as head and chiefe by speciall power and commission of those words Pasce oues meas Pasce agnos meos Feed my sheep feed my lambs thryse repeated signifying therby the Preheminence and Primacy of his Pastorall Authoritie in Gods Church as the auncient Fathers haue allwayes vnderstood the same For that to the office of Supreame feedinge is required also all other authoritie necessarie to gouerne direct commaund restraine and punish in like manner when need requireth 8. About which point is to be obserued and considered attentâ—uelie say Catholike Deuines and most learned lawyers that when God almightie giueth any office he giueth also sufficient Power and Authoritie euery way to execute that office as when he giueth the office of a King or temporal Magistrate for good of the Common-wealth he giueth Authoritie therwith not onlie to direct command and instruct but to punish and compell also yea and to extirpate and cut of those when need is that are rebellions or otherwise deserue that punishment And the like is to be obserued in Spirituall Power and Iurisdiction according to which the Ciuil law saith Cui Iurisdictio data est ea quoque concessa esse intelliguntur sine quibus Iurisdictio expleri non potuit To whosoeuer iurisdiction is giuen to him also must we vnderstand to be graunted all those thinges without which his Iurisdiction cannot be fulfilled And the Canon law to the same effect Iurisdictio nullius videretur esse momenti si coërcionem aliquam non haberet Iurisdiction would seeme to be of no moment if it had not some power to compell And finally it is a general rule giuen in the said Canon law that when anie cause is committed to anie man he is vnderstood to receiue also ful authoritie in al matters belonging to that cause 9. Out of all which is deduced that for so much as Christ our Sauiour God and Man hauing purchased to him felfe by the price of his owne blood a most deerlie beloued Church and committed the same as S. Paul saith to be gouerned by his Apostles and Bishops their successours vnto the worlds end it must needs follow that he hath indowed the same Church with sufficient spirituall Authoritie both directiue and coactiue to that end for gouerning our soules no lesse than he hath done the temporal CoÌ„monwealth for affaires of the body Nay much more by how much greater the importance is of the one than of the other as before hath been said 10. If you aske me yet more particularlie where and how by what commission and to whom Christ our Sauiour left this high Spiritual Power in his Church what it is and wherin it consisteth I answere first to the last that it consisteth as often hath been said in guiding our soules in this world to euerlasting saluation in the next Which thinge for that principallie it dependeth of this that we auoide sinnes in this life or if we committ them that they be pardoned vs or corrected by this Power Christ our Sauiour doth most aptlie giue and describe the same Power by the words of binding or loosing sinnes And therefore in the foresaid place alleadged out of S. Matthew his Ghospel he giueth the said commission as you haue heard VVhatsoeuer you shal binde or loose vpon earth shal be bound or loosed in heauen Wherby the Church of God hath allwaies vnderstood full authoritie of Iudicature to haue been giuen to the Apostles and their successors to discerne iudge binde or loose in all things belonging to this end of directing soules 11. Truth it is that diuers learned deuines are of opinion that in these places Christ did but promise to his Apostles to giue them this high iudiciall authoritie in his Church when by his death and resurrection it should be founded And that the actuall performance of this promise was made vnto them in the 20. if S. Iohns ghospell where Christ said vnto them Sicut misit me pater ego mitto vos As my father sent me so I doe send you and then presentlie breathing vpon then he addeth Receiue the Holie-ghost whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen vnto them and whose you shal retaine they are retained Where we se that Christ speaketh now in the present tense they are forgiuen and they are retained and not in the future as before in the place of S. Matthew his ghospell And we must note that those words of our Sauiour As my father sent mee so I doe send you are vnderstood by auncient Doctors of Authoritie as though he had said that with the same power authoritie that my father sent mee into this world to gather gouerne my Church I doe also send you that is to saie withall spirituall power necessarie to your office and charge both on earth and in heanen And therfore he saith in S. Matthew his Ghospell That whatsoeuer they shall binde or loose vpon earth which are the Acts of high iudges shall be loosed or bound in heauen 12. And to S. Peter in like manner as Cheif of the rest the promise of his Supreame and singular power besides the other which out of the former general commission he receiued with the rest of the Apostles was made vnto him first in S. Matthews ghospell when Christ said Thou art Peter which signifieth a stone or rocke and vpon this rock will I build my Church and will giue vnto thee the keies of the Kingdome of heauen c. Which he perfourmed afterward in the 21. chapter of S. Iohn after his resurrection when asking him three times of his loue towards him he as manie times gaue him coÌ„mission of high-pastor ouer
the manner of the Power deliuered to them both and you shall see the Priests tribunall much higher then that of the King who hath receiued onlie the administration of earthly things Nequè vltra potestatem hanc quicquam habet pratereà authoritatis Neither hath he any authoritie beyond this earthlie Power But the Priests tribunall is placed in heauen and hath authoritie to pronounce sentence in heauenlie affaires And who affirmeth this The King of heauen himself who saith vvhatsoeuer you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and vvhatsoeuer you shal loose shall bee loosed Heer you see heauen to take principall authority of iudging from earth for that the Iudge sitteth on earth and our Lord followeth his feruant so as whatsoeuer the said seruant shall iudge heere beneath that will his maister allow in heauen So S. Chrysostome 24. And consider heere good Reader that this holie Father and Doctor wrote all this in Constantinople where the Emperour was present and many Courtyers togeather with the Empresse herself auerted from him for his seueritie of discipline and ready to note and take aduauntage against any thinge that he should say And yet was this doctrine neuer obiected against him as iniurious to the Emperour or to his Emperiall crowne notwithstanding as you see he speaketh plainlie both about the Subordination of temporall and spirituall Povver the one to the other as also that the Emperour had the one and not the other And if the same Father should preach this doctrine at Paules Crosse in these our daies he would be hissed out and be called into question of treason by the tenor of M. Attorneyes booke so far are our tymes differeÌ„t from these But God his truth are alwayes one 25. And to this very same effect might I alleadg heere the sayings and doings of diuers other auncient Fathers and Bishops for all were of one spirit opinion and faith in this behalfe but it would bee ouerlonge yet S. Ambrose I cannot omitt who in two or three occasioÌ„s with the Christian Emperours of his time did expresse most manifestly the iudgement of the Catholike Church in those daies The first wherof was with Valentinian the the younger who being induced by the Empresse Iustina to commaund S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine to dispute with AuxentiuS the Arrian Bishop and other of his Sect before the Emperour and his Counsellours and whole courte in his pallace he refused the same and gaue his reasons to the said Emperour in a seuerall booke which beginneth thus Clementissimo Imperatori Beatissimo Augusto Valentiniario Ambrosius Episcopus c. and then he setteth downe how the Tribune Dalmatius with a publike Notarie did cite him in the Emperours name to come to that conference or disputation and what he answered vnto him which was in these words I answered saith he that which your Father of glorious memorie Vaelentinian the elder not only answered in speach vpon like occasion but confirmed also by his lawes that in causes belonging to faith Priests only should iudge of Priests Yea further also that if a Bishop should bee called in question for his manners this iudgment likewise should appertaine vnto Bishops And who then of vs doe answere more peruerslie wee that would haue you like your Father or they that would haue you vnlike him c. Quando audisti Clementissime Imperator laicos in causa fidei de Episcopo iudicasse When haue you euer heard most Clement Emperour that lay men did iudge Bishops in matters of faith Certè si vel scripturaerum seriem diuinarum vel vetera tempora retractemus quis est qui abnuat in causa fidei in causa inquam fidei Episcopos solere de Imperatoribus Christianis non Imperatores de Episcopis indicare Truly if we will consider either the whole course of diuine scriptures or the vse of auncient times no man can deny but that in matrers of faith I say in matters of faith Bishops were wont to iudge of Christian Emperours and not Emperours of Bishops Eris Deo sauente etiam senectutis maturitate prouectior tunc de hoc censebis qualis ille Episcopus sit qui laicu ius sacerdotale substernit Pater nunc vir maturioris aeui dicebat Non est meum iudicare inter Episcopos Tua nunc dicet Clementia Ego debeo iudicare You shall be by Gods fauour by the maturitie of old age you being now in your youth better informed and then you will be able to iudge better of this point what manner of Bishop he is to be accounted that subiecteth the right of Priestdome to laie men your Father being a man of riper yeares said It belongeth not to me to be Iudge amongst Bishops And will your Clemencie say now that you ought to be their Iudge so S. Ambrose in this occasion 27. The next yeare after with the same Valentinian who by instigation of the said Arrians fauoured by Iustina the Empresse decreed that a Church in Millaine should be giuen vnto them S. Ambrose resistinge the same had a notable combat which besides other Authors himself setteth downe at large in a certaine epistle to his sister Marcellina where shewing the solemne denuntiation of the Emperours Decree vnto him with his answere he saith Conuenerunt me primò viri comites Consistoriani c. First there came vnto me certaine Earles of the Court to commaund me to deliuer the Church c. I answered that which belongeth to a man of my order that the Church could not be giuen vp by a Priest c. Ego mansi in munere missam faecere caepi dum â—ffero raptum cognout c. I continued on in my Priestlie function I began to say masse and whilest I was offering I vnderstood that one of the aduersarie parte was taken by the people I began bitterlie to weep and beseech God in my oblation that he would help that no bloud might be shed in this cause of the Church but that my bloud only if it were his holie will might bee shed not only for saftie of the people but also for the wicked sorte themselues c. The Emperours Earles and Tribunes vrged me againe that I should deliuer the Church sayinge Imperatorem iure suo vti eò quòd in potestate eius essent omnia Respondi quae diuina sunt Imperatoriae popotestaeti non esse subiectae c. They said that the Emperour did but vse this owne right and due authoritie for that all was in his power I answered that those things that were diuine beloÌ„ged to God are not subiect to the Emperours power So S. Ambrose for defence of this his particular Church against the Emperours commaundement which notwithstanding was but a materiall Church as you see and yet he said the cause vvas diuine and not subiect to the Emperors power but to a higher authoritie of the clergie 27. And yet further when the said Tribunes sent
temporall sword of Constantine the Emperour and the Sea Apostolicke is more potent then any Imperiall power or authority And I would aske whether your power be of God or froÌ„ men Did not the God of Gods speakâ— to you in Peter the Apostle sayinge VVhatsoeuer you shall bynd vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen And why then doe you so negligently yea cruelly delay for so longe time to loose my sonne or rather why dare you not to doe it Perhaps you will say that this power giuen you by God of binding and loosing is for soules and not for bodies Let it be so Truely it is sufficient for vs if you would bind the soules of those that hold my sonnes body bound in prison And finally I know that it lyeth in your power to loose my sonne if the feare of God may euacuate in you the feare of man 42. Thus wrote this afflicted Queene vnto Celestinus the Pope and the same wrote diuers other great personages at the same tyme as may be seen in the said Petrus Blesensis and among others the foresaid Gualterus Archbishop of Roane and Gouernour of England a man of great authority learning and wisedome who after many reasons concludeth his Epistle thus Exerat ergo beati Petri gladium manus vestra Clementissime Pater quid quantum tanto filis debeatis exhibeatis in opere vt experientia mediante addiscant minores inferiores filij quantum à â—obis auxilium in suis necessitatibus debeant expectare Let your hand then most Clement Father draw forth the sword of Peter and doe you shew by workes how much you owe vnto so greate a child as is K. Richard so as by experiencâ— your lesser and lower children may learne how much help they may expect from you in their necessityes So he 43. And by this may appeare what opinion men had in those dayes of the Popes authority and let the Reader heer marke as also M. Attorney how vsuall a phrase it was at that tyme to name two distinct swords the one of Constantine the other of Peter thâ— one temporall ouer bodies the other spirituall ouer soules and thâ—â— the later was the greater and higher Which was the speach also and phrase of King Edgar before the Conquest and of the Conquerour himself in his lawes if you remember is now heer vsed againe and so was euer after vntill King Henry the 8. as by this our deduction will appeare And only this phrase of speach and common beleife of all our Kings and Countrey from time to time that there were two distinct swords or powers one temporall in the Prince and the other spirituall in the Pope is sufficient to ouerthrow M. Attorneys whole Booke though nothing els were said to it besides the purporte therof being as hath byn seen to proue that either no such distinction of swordes powers is to be admitted or that both are equally in the temporall Prince and so vsed and exercised by our auncient Kings of England 44. But now you see the vanity in truth absurdity of that Paradox refuted by all this heer set downe concerning K. Richard and many examples more might be alleadged during his raigne after his returne againe to England who meaning to euacuate the alienation of many thinges solde lent or empawned before for his going to Ierusalem caused himself to bee crowned againe in VVinchester reducing all thinges to a new order and among others he set downe Capitula placitorum Corona Regis The heads or cheife braunches of pleas that belong to the Kings Crowne or Courts wherein nothing at all is conteyned concerning Ecclesiasticall affaires but only De aduocationibus Ecclesiarum quae sunt de donatione Regis Of the aduowsons of such Churches as are of the Kings gift that is to say wherof he had Ius Patronatus Which is a small spirituall iurisdiction if we consider it well and may be in any secular man whatsoeuer that buyldeth or foundeth a Church And Matthaeus Parisiensis speaking of the Church of Normandy vnder K. Richard commendeth him highly for deliuering the said Church de longo seruitutis iugo from a long yoke of seruitude which secular men by little and little had brought in vpon her vnder other Kings and Dukes by often drawing Clergie-men to secular Iudges and tribunals inuadinge their goods restraining their liberties breaking their priuiledges and the like All which the said Author saith Ipso glorioso Rege Richardo annuente omnia disponente emendata sunt Were amended by the consent of glorious King Richard who disposed all things himself to the restitution of the ancient liberties freedome of the said Church of Normandie 45. It were ouer long to run ouer many other examples which might be alleadged to this effect for proofe of King Richards true Catholicke deuotioÌ„ towards the Church as also of his acknowledgement and obedience to the authority of the Sea of Rome in all Ecclesiasticall affaires during his life and raigne There are 4. or 5. epistles exstant in Houeden written to diuers parties by Celestinus the Pope which he wrote one soone after another concerning the forenamed Geffrey Archbishop of Yorke citing him to Rome to answere to certaine accusations laid against him by his Chanons and others accusing him among other things Quod â—enationibus aucupio totius animi studium applicabat That he applied his whole mind hunting and hauking And againe De inhonesta vita invtili conuersatione They accused him of dishonest life and vnprofitable conuersation For which though he were the Kings brother yet not making his appearance in Rome nor lending his lawfull defence or purgation thither he was suspended by the said Popes Bull and the King was so far of from taking it euill or defending him as he caused the lands and possessions of his Bishopricke to be seased on Praecepit illum dessesire saith Houeden de Episcopatu suo de Vice-comitatu Eboraci He commaunded him to be dispossessed of his Archbishopricke and of the Vicount-ship of Yorke 46. But afterward Celestinus being dead and Innocentius the third succeeding him in the Popedome and the said Geffrey amending his manners as may be presumed Misit literas suas deprecatorias ad Richardum Regem c. The said Pope Innocentius sent his letters to K. Richard of England requesting and exhorting him by Fatherly admonition that he would receiue into his loue and brotherly familiarity againe the said Archbishop at his request and suffer him in peace to returne to his Bishopricke for that otherwise he should be forced to vse Ecclesiasticall Censures against the said King and his Kingdome Vnto which petition ioyned with some commination as you see the King obeyed sending diuerâ— Bishops vnto the said Archbishop whose names Houeden setteth downe In spiritu humilitatis postulantes ex parte Regis vt ipse
Church and such as had cheife spirituall authoritie therin from time to time of whome Christ meant when he said Dic Ecclesiae denounce it to the Church and againe If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as a heathen or publican so in like manner must we say in these daies nor haue we any other reasonable answere why we beleeue any one booke of the new or old Testament to be scripture that is to saie to containe doctrine of the holie ghost and not of man but for that the gouernours of our Church which haue spirituall power among vs doe tell vs so 4. Yea all Sectaries likewise of what sorte or sect soeuer are forced to follow the same rule for that whatsoeuer they admit to be scripture they admit the same either vpon the credit of our Church and gouernours therof or of their owne or of both but especially indeed of their owne which is seen by their doubting or reiecting of any parcels of scripture doubted of or reiected by their owne leaders though admitted by ours As for example the booke of vvisedome of Toby Iudith Ecclesiasticus the first and second of Machabees and other parcels of the old Testament reiected by Luther and Lutherans as also the Epistle of S. Iames the second and third of S. Peter the Apocalips and other peeces of the new testament which our Church admitteth simply But Caluin and Caluinists though expreslie they reiect them not with the Lutherans as appeareth by our English Church where they are left to stand in the Bible yet is their admission so could and conditionall as it may rather seeme a curteous dimission then any way a faithfull or confident acceptation 5. And the same may be said of any other particular point or points of doctrine of any Religion or sect whatsoeuer the leaders or gouernours that are presumed to haue cheife authoritie must iudge and discerne distinguish expound and determine what is to be beleued or not what is to be held and taught or reiected and finallie what is to be done and practised what Sacraments what Ceremonies what Customes are to be vsed hovv where and when And last of all this second part of power and authoritie rule order gouerment and iurisdiction is that which giueth light direction and life to euerie religion And for so much as there can be but one true that can bring vs to saluation it followeth that whersoeuer this true spirituall power and iurisdiction is found there is the onlie true religion also which a man may securelie follow yea that vnder paine of eternall damnation he is bound to follow for that this authoritie will lead him to life euerlasting Christ hauing giuen the keies of heauen thervnto that is to say full power to shut and open heauen by binding or loosing sinnes vpon earth and that in such sort saith S. Chrysostome and all other ancient Fathers with him that the Courte or Tribunall of heauen standeth expecting vvhat is done vpon earth to confirme the same there for so much as euer since this admirable vniuersall and dreadfull authoritie was giuen say they by Christ vpon earth vnto the Gouernours of his Church nothing is done in that Court of heauen but by presidence and predetermination of that which is done or sentenced in the Tribunall of the militant Church on earth that is to say he that is here absolued is absolued there he that is here condemned is condemned there without remission VVherof also the said Fathers do inferre that to find out this authoritie and to follow the same and the direction therof is the only sure way to saluation And that the erring herin either wilfully or of ignorance is the most certaine path to damnation for that by no other ordinary means since this Commission giuen and authoritie instituted among Christians is any grace fauour pardon light direction or other spirituall benefit to be receiued from God but by way of this subordination of spirituall authoritie appointed in his Church 6. VVherfore al hope of life depēding as you see of this soueraigne point so as whosoeuer erreth in this erreth in al ech man wil easilie cōsider how much it importeth him to looke well thervnto and to stand attentiue and vigilant in the discussion therof to see whence and how and by what means and from what sourge and fountaine this authoritie and spirituall Iurisdiction is deriued In which point the three professors of different religions before mentioned doe principally differ and distinguish themselues The Protestāt deducing this spiritual power from the temporall Prince or rather Princesse vnder Q. Elizabeth The Puritane from the people The Catholicke from the succession of Bishops from Christs time downe wards and especially from the highest which they hold to be S. Peter and his successours And which part soeuer of these three hitteth right goeth happely securelie the other two doe run to euerlasting perditiō 7. The Protestant for his ground hath those sayings of scripture That all orderly authoritie is from God That vve must giue to Cesar that vvhich is Cesars That Princes are to be honoured and obeyed for God and Kings as highest in dignitie and that he vvhich resisteth lavvfull authoritie resisteth Gods ordination and therby incurreth damnation c. All which the other two parties granting doe affirme to haue byn vnderstood of temporall authoritie only for gouerning the Commonwealth and not of spirituall for gouerning of soules which they proue for that all Kings and Princes were then infidels and especially the Roman Emperours of whom this was principally meant who by these places of scriptures cannot be said to haue receiued Commission to gouerne the Christian Church which was in their times and vnder their dominions but onlie in temporall matters and Ciuill affaires And that the spirituall power and iurisdiction wherof we talke was at that time in another sorte of men to wit in the Apostles and their successours which were Bishops according to the testimonie of S. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles speaking vnto them and saying The holie Ghost hath placed you Bishops to gouerne his Church vvhich he hath purchased vvith his ovvne bloud 8. The Puritanes or rigid Caluinists haue for their ground certaine elections made by the people and recorded as well in the Acts of the Apostles as in other histories of the Primitiue Church as for example when they chose two in the place of Iudas to wit Ioseph and Matthias to bee determined by lot which of them should be And when afterward they chose S. Stephen six others to supply the place of Deacons many times afterward in the primitiue Church we read that the people did choose or name their Bishops But to this the other two parties doe answere that in the first two examples out of the Acts of the Apostles it is euident by the Text that those elections or nominations
euill and pernicious man by excommunication which is an act of externall Iurisdiction called by Canon lawyers Actus sori contentiosi As to absolue or retaine sinnes in the Sacrament are acts of Internall Iurisdiction appertaininge to sorum conscientiae the tribunall of conscience 17. So that as the temporall magistrate for furnishinge of his authoritie hath Power also to punish temporallie when occasion is offered and this either in goods body or life so haue Spirituall Magistrates also by Christ his appointment Ecclesiasticall Power not onlie to teach exhorte instruct and direct as hath been said but to punish in like maner by Spirituall Censures much more greiuous and dreadfull in respect of the life to come than are the fore named punishments of the ciuill magistrate for this life Which Censures are three in number answeringe after a certaine manner to the former three of the temporall magistrate and these are accordinge to Catholike diuinitie and Canons of the Church Suspension Interdict and Excommunication which I leaue further to discusse in this place THE SECOND PART OF THIS CHAPTER About the Subordination of these two Povvers the one to the other and different Greatnes of them both §. I. 18. Vpon these and other like considerations then and premisses Catholike deuines doe deduce that these two Povvers of Spirituall and Temporall Iurisdiction whensoeuer they meet togeather as in the Christian Common-wealth they doe they are subordinate the one to the other according to the rule of Aristotle in Philosophie which holdeth also in this case of diuinitie that whensoeuer the ends of anie faculties be subordinate and doe serue the one to the other there also the faculties themselues are subordinate And so wheras the end of Spirituall Authoritie is to direct men to euerlastinge Saluation of their soules and the end Temporall Gouernment to procure their temporall prosperitie but yet with referment and subordination to the attainment also of life euerlasting in the next world it followeth by most certaine consequence that Temporall Gouernment is subordinate to the spirituall which is so much the more excellent and eminent as is an euerlastinge end aboue a temporall our immortall soule before our corruptible bodyes and the Kingdome of heauen before worldlie prosperitie 19. Out of which considerations no doubt did proceed those speeches of ancient and holie Fathers about the comparison of these two Povvers Ecclesiasticall and Temporall which are founde euery where in their workes highly preferringe the one before the other and subiecting the one vnto the other An me liberè loquentem aequo animo feretis saith S. Gregorie Nazianzen to the Emperour Nam ves quoque c. will you heare me with patience to speake my minde freely vnto you Which truelie you ought to doe for so much as the law of Christ hath made you subiect to my Power and to my tribunall For wee Bishops haue an Empyre also and that more excellent and perfect then yours except you will saie that spirit is inferiour to flesh and heauenly things to earthly But I doubt not but that you will take in good parte this my freedome of speach you being a sacred sheepe of my holie flocke and a disciple of the great Pastor rightly instructed by the Holy-ghost euen from your young years c. So Gregorie Nazianzen to the Emperour 20. And heere we see what difference this greate Doctor and Father S. Gregorie Nazianzen almost 1300. yeares gone did put between these two Powers of Kings and Bishops Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall dignitie euen as much as between flesh and spirit heauen and earth And the same difference doth S. Chrysostome set downe in his bookes of Priesthood and elswere I shall alleadge some place or two out of him as breifly as I may that you may see his sense and iudgement therin though I would wish the Reader to peruse the places themselues heere cited for that they will fullie satisfie him in this matter 21. First then in his third booke of Priesthood comparinge the Power of a King with the Power of a Priest he hath these words Habent quidem terrestres Principes vinculi potestatem verum corporum solum c. It is true that earthlie Princes haue power to binde but our bodyes onlie But the bands which Priests can lay vpon vs doe touch the soule it self and reach euen vnto the heauens so far forth as whatsoeuer Priests shall determine heere beneath that doth God ratifie aboue in heauen and confirmeth the sentence of his seruants vpon earth And what is this I pray you but that God hath giuen all heauenlie Power vnto them according to those words of his VVhose sinnes soeuer you shall retaine they are retained And what Power I beseech you can there be greater then this I read that God the Father gaue all manner of Power vnto his Sonne And I see againe that God the Sonne hath giuen ouer the self same Power vnto Priests c. what a manifest madnes then is it for any man to despise this Princedome of Priests without which we cannot possibly be made partakers either of eternall saluation or of the good promises of our Sauiour c. Quo nomine sacerdotes non modo plus vereri debemus quam vel Principes vel Reges verum etiam maiori honore quam parentes proprios honorare In which respect wee ought to reuerence feare Priests more not only then Princes and Kings but honour them also more then our owne parents c. All these are S. Chrysostomn wordes 22. And the same Saint in his Homilies vpon Esay the Prophet writeth thus Rex quidem ea quae sunt in terris sortitu◠est administranda c. The King hath receiued the administration and gouernment of those things that are on the earth But the Priests authoritie commeth from heauen whatsoeuer you shall binde saith Christ vpon earth that shall be bound in heauen To my King are committed earthlie things but to me heauenlie and when I say to me I vnderstand a Priest c. To the King are committed the bodies to the Priest the soules the King can remitt bodily spotts but the Priest can take away the spotts of sinne Maior hic principatus This principallitie of Priests is greater then that of Kings 23. Aud yet further in another Homilie vpon the same Prophet Sacerdotium principatus est ipso etiam regno venerabilius maiu◠Ne mihi narres purpuram c. Priesthood is a Princedome yea more venerable and great then is a Kingdome Doe not tell mee of the purple or diademe or scepter or golden apparrell of Kings for these are but shaddowes and more vaine then flowers at the spring time Si vis videre descrimen quantum absit Rex à sacerdote expende modum potestatis vtrique traditae If you will see indeed the true difference between them and how much the King is inferiour to a Priest consider
his flocke Pasce oues meas pasce agnos meos c. 13. This Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Power then which Christ hath left for gouerning his Church though it be to be exercised heere vpon earth and by men yet is it iustlie called by holie fathers not humane Power but diuine and heauenlie both for that it was giuen immediatelie and exercised also by Christ himself that came from heauen and for that it tendeth to heauen and is approued in heauen yea to vse the Phrase of S. Chrisostome and other Fathers directeth and commaundeth the verie Tribunall of heauen which heauenlie Power on earth S. Paul as an Apostle extraordinary hauing extraordinarilie also receiued not by man but by Iesus Christ as himself doth signifie did so much glorie of as he wrote to the Corinthians If I should glorie some what of our Power which Christ hath giuen vs to edification and not to destruction I would not blush at it And a litle before in the same Chapter he saith Nam arma militiae nostrae non carnalia sunt sed potentia Deo c. For the armour of our warrfare are not carnall or wordlie armes but are power from God In promptu habentes vlcisci omnem inobedientiam c. hauing speedy means to reuenge all inobedience And yet further to the said Corinthians within two Chapters after Quoniam si venero iterum non parcam If I come vnto you againe I will not spare to punish And a little after in the same place Ideo absens scribo vt non durius agam secundum potestatem quam Dominus dedit mihi I doe write vnto you absent to the end that when I shall come and be present with you I be not forced to deale more roughly according to the Power which our Lord hath giuen me 14. Beholde the dreadfull Spirituall Power which S. Paul affirmeth to be giuen to him by Christ as well to punish as to instruct and direct and according to this Power he writeth againe to the said Corinthians Quid vultis in virga veniam ad vos an in charitate spiritu mansuetudinis what will you haue mee doe shall I come vnto you in the power of the rodd or in loue and spirit of mildnes As who would saie choose which you will And note that heer the Power of correction giuen to the Apostles their successours is called the rodd in respect of strikinge as before in the words of Christ it was called the key of the kingdome of heauen and the power of binding and loosing sinnes in regard of the dreadfull shutting or opening heauen or hell gates vnto vs. And accordinge to this power S. Paul afterward exercised iudgment gaue sentence in a certaine grieuous case of Incest among the said Corinthians in these words Ego autem absens corpore praesens autem spiritu iam iudicani vt praesens eum qui sic operatus est I though absent in body yet present with you in spirit haue giuen iudgment vpon him that hath committed this sinne as though I were present in body And the same Apostle writinge to his scholler Timothie doth tell of another sentence and iudgment pronounced by him vpon Hymenaeus and Alexander two seditions and hereticall men quos tradidi Sathanae saith he whome I haue deliuered ouer to Sathan which is as much to saie as I haue excommunicated cut them of from the Church of God wherby they come to be no more in the protection of Christ but in the power and protection of Sathan 15. And the like Spirituall Iudgment was exercised by S. Peter vpon Simon Magus when he said vnto him Non est tibi pars neque sors in sermone isto Thou hast no parte nor participation with vs in this word of God which we preach By which words of S. Peter the 30. Canon of the Apostles doth affime Simon Magus to haue bene excommunicated and cut of from the number of Christians and from all spirituall benefit belonging thervnto Which if we beleue S. Augustine was a more greiuous and dreadfull punishment than if he had been sentenced to be burned vvith fire drowned vvith vvater or pearced through vvith a temporall sworde In consideration wherof holie S. Chrysostome cryed out in his time Nemo contemnat vinculae Ecclesiastica non enim homo est qui ligat sed Christus qui nobis hant potestatem dedit Oh let no man contemne the chaines which ecclesiasticall power laieth vpon him in bindinge or loosinge his sinnes for it is not man that bindeth but Christ which hath giuen vnto vs that are Gouernours of his Church this power And S. Augustine againe Alligatur bomo amarius infaelicius Ecclesia clauibus quam quibuslibet grauissimis durissimis ferreis vel adamantini◠nexibus A man is bound more bitterlie miserably by the keyes of the Church than by any most greiuous sharpe iron or adamāt bounds Wherof the holy Martyr and Bishop S. Cyprian gaue the reason before them both sayinge That in the old law vvhich vvas Carnall God gaue cōmaundement that such as were rebellious to their Priests and Iudges should be slaine vvith the sword But now in the lavv of Christ that is Spirituall proude and disobedient men are commaunded to be slaine eternallie vvith the spirituall svvord vvhich is their castinge out from the Church out of vvhich they cannot haue life 16. This then is the Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall dreadfull Power which Christ hath planted in his Church by his owne immediate commission for gouerninge the same in the affaires of our soules vnto the worlds end And heere we may note also that the same is double or of two sortes The one internall concerning mans conscience onlie by loosinge or bindinge sinnes by means of Sacraments The other is external Iurisdiction in hearing iudging and determining causes in publicke affaires that doe fall out in the Church tending to the same end and this distinction is founded in the words of Christ himself as well for binding and loosing of sinnes in respect of our conscience as also in that he addeth Si ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or Publican that is to say as holy Fathers expound let him be excomunicated cast out from the Church and then fled and auoided as one seperated by the authoritie of the said Church from all communion and fruite of Christian religion as much as if he were an Infidell or Publican Which meaning of our Sauiour S. Paul well vnderstandinge said of like men Auferte malum ex vobisipsis Take away and seperate the euill from among your selues which words S. Augustine expoundinge saith to be as much as if he had said Hominem malum pernicipsum à vobis seperate per excommunicationem Doe you seperate from your selues an
remedy at his hand And if I haue found any grace in your sight although the way betweene you me be long yet I beseech you let my eyes once see your face againe to treat of this matter and that my soule may blesse you before I die Wherfore my dere sonne deale with this holy man VVilfryd as I haue besought you and if in this point you shew your selfe obedient to me your Father that am shortly to departe out of this world it will profit you much to your saluation Fare you well 53. Vpon this letter King Alfred being much moued permitted him to retourne to his Archbishopricke againe And S. VVylfryd by the persuasion of the said Theodorus and other Bishopps was induced to accept the same and so he did for some time but after fiue yeres the complaints of his emulatours growing strong against him he was forced to fly the second time vnto King Etheldred of the Mercians but after againe appealed to Rome and went thither being now full threescore and ten yeares old whence retourning absolued as hath byn sayd with letters of commendation from Pope Iohn the seauenth both to Britwald Archbishop of Canterbury that had succeeded Theodorus as also to Alfred King of the Northumbers and to Etheldred King of the Mercians he obteyned againe his Archbishopricke of Yorke and heldâ— it foure yeares before his death 54. The letters of Pope Iohn vnto the two foresaid Kings doe begin with a complaint of sedition raysed in England amongst the Clergie by opposition against S. VVilfride which he exhorteth the two said Kings to suppresse and then beginneth his narration thus Wheras of late vnder Pope Agatho of Apostolicke memory the Bishop VVilfryd had appealed to this holy Sea for the tryall of his cause c. The Bishops at that time gathered herein Rome from diuerse partes of the worlde hauing examined the same gaue the definition and sentence in his fauour which was approued both by Pope Agatho and his Successours our predecessours c. and then sheweth he how the same hauing succeeded in this his second appeale he doth appoint Britwald Archbishop of Canterbury to call a Synod and by all consents either restore him to his Archbishopricke or to come and follow the cause at Rome against him and whosoeuer did not soe should be depriued of his Bishopricke and then concluding with this speach to the King he saith Vestra proinde Regalis Sublimitas faciat concursum vt ea qua Christo aspirante perspeximus perueniant ad effectum Quicumque autem cuiustibet persona audaci temeritate contempserit non erit a Deo impunitus neque sine damno calitus alligatus euadet Wherefore doe your royall highnes concurre also to this our ordination to the end that those things which by the inspiration of Christ we haue iudged for conuenient may come to their effect And whosoeuer vpon the audacious temerity of any person whatsoeuer shall contemne to doe this shall not be vnpunished of God neither shall he escape that hurte which those incurre whose sinnes are bound from heauen So he 53. And I haue thought good to alleadge this notorious example somewhat more largely for that it expresseth euidently both the acknowledgement and exercise of the Popes authority in those dayes as also the deuoute and prompt obedience of our Christian Kings and Prelates therevnto in that holy time of our first primitiue Church For that of the two forenamed Kings Malmesbury wryteth that Ethelredus of the Mercians receaued the Popes letters vpon his knees on the ground And albeit that Alfryd of the Northumbers somwhat stomaked the matter for a time as done in his dishonour yet soone after being strooken with deadly sicknes sore repented the same and appointed in his testament that S. VVilfryd should be restored which testament the holy virgin Elfled his sister that stood by him when he dyed brought forth and shewed before the whole Synod of Bishops gathered togeather about that matter in Northumberland 57. And thus hauing byn longer than I purposed in this example of S. VVylfryds appeales I will passe ouer as before I haue said the other appeales aboue mentioned of Lambert and Athelard Archbishops of Canterbury vnder King Offa and Kenulfus Kings of the Mercians vnto the Popes Adrian the first Leo the third wâ—â— determined the great controuersie about the iurisdiction of the Sea of Canterbury at the humble sute of the said King Kenulsus of all his Clergie and nobilitie I will passe ouer in like mannerâ— the example of Egbert Archbishop of Yorke who by his appealing to Rome multa Apostolici throni appellatione saith Malmesbury that is by frequent appellation to the Apostolicall throne recouered againe the preheminence and dignity of his Archbishopricke and Pontificall pall vpon the yere 745. which had byn withdrawen from that Church for many yeares togeather after Panlinus his departure And I may add further to this argument and consideration not only that appellations were ordinarily made to the Sea of Rome concerning Ecclesiasticall affaires vpon any aggreiuances of particuler persons Churches or Societyes in those dayes as appeareth by the examples alleadged but also complaints of publicke defects negligences or abuses if they concerned the said Ecclesiasticall affaires were carried to Rome and to the Bishops of that Sea aswell against Bishops and Archbishops as against the Kings themselues where occasions were offered which Bishops of Rome tooke vpon them as lawfull iudges to haue power to heare determine and punish the same by acknowledgement also of the parties themselues whereof we might alleadge many examples But one only in this place shall serue for the present which fell out in the tyme of King Edward the elder vpon the yeare of Christ 894. though others differ in the number of yeares And the case fell out thus 57. The Bishop of Rome in those dayes named Formosus the first being aduertised that diuerse prouinces in England especially that of the VVestsaxons by the reason of Danish warrs were much neglected and voyde of Bishops for diuerse yeares the said Pope saith Malmesbury wrote sharpe letters into England Quibus dabat excommunicationem maledictionem Regi Edwardo omnibus subiectis eim à sede S. Petri pro benedictione quam deder at Beatus Gregorius genti Anglorum By which letters he sent excoÌ„munication and malediction to King Edward and all his subiects from the Sea of S. Peter in steed of the benediction which S. Gregory had giuen to the English-nation wherof Malmesbury addeth this reason that for full seauen yeares the whole region of the VVest-saxons had byn voyde of Bishops And that King Edward hauing heard of the sentence of the Pope presently caused a Synod of the Senatours of the English nation to be gathered in which sate as head Pleamâ—ndus Archbishop of Canterbury who interpreted vnto them strictly saith Malmesbury the wordes of this Apostolicall Legacy sent from Rome Wherupon the