an example and at their next meeting though hee were absent by the mightie power of the Lorde Iesus hee would deliuer him vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh to saue the spirite by repentance Paul decreed this of himselfe without the knowledge or consent of the Corinthians To execute that which hee decreed hee needed and therefore vsed the mightie power of the Lorde Iesus For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Saint Paul is often taken for the miraculous power of the holie Ghost whereby the Apostles and others did great workes and had euen the diuels in subiection vnto them That which he woulde doe should be this to deliuer him vnto Satan in the presence of them all for the destruction of the flesh to the ende the affliction of his flesh might bring him to repentance and so saue his soule in the day of Christ. To deliuer vnto Satan is more then to excommunicate Many are secluded from the companie of the godly for a time that are not yeelded vnto Satan yea many were deliuered vnto Satan without excommunication as Ananias and Elymas The end of this action was the affliction or destruction of the flesh which in excommunication hath no sense except it be Metaphoricall For excommunication endangereth the Spirite and toucheth not the flesh And the lustes of the flesh are not destroyed by excommunication but by repentance which of it selfe is no consequent to the other for many are excommunicated that neuer repent but affliction and feare of destruction cause repentaunce and thereby the soule is saued Forsomuch then as Paul decreed it alone and that absent and in perfourming it vsed the mightie power of Christ to the destruction of his flesh that had sinned which thinges can not bee vnderstoode of excommunicating or remoouing the offendour from the fellowship of the faithfull and that is before and after in other wordes expressed I am perswaded that by deâ—iâ—ering vnto Satan the Apostle meant to shewe the mightie â—ower which Christ had giuen him to reuenge the disobedient when the Spirite of God shoulde see it needefull to make some men example to others Of that power hee thus warneth the rest of the Corinthians I write these thinges vnto you absent lest when I am present I shoulde vse sharpenesse according to the power which the Lorde hath giuen mee I feare when I come I shall be waile many of them which haue sinned already and not repented I write to them which haue heretofore sinned and to others that if I come againe I will not spare But grant that by deliuering vnto Satan were meant excommunication what reason is there to affirme the Apostle alone coulde not doe it He alone decreed it and required them though hee were absent to execute it yea hee rebuketh them for not putting the Trangressour from amongest them and else-where he saieth of himselfe that hee did the like Hymeneus and AlexaÌ„der I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme Why shoulde wee not beleeue he could doe it since he saith he did it He that had vengeance in readines against all disobedience why coulde hee not by the same power deliuer the offendour at Corinth vnto Satan as well as he did else-where Hymeneus and others Excommunication some thinke pertained to the whole Church because our Sauiour saide Tell the Church If hee heare not the Church let him bee to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane and therefore they conclude the Apostle neither coulde nor woulde excommunicate without the consent and liking of the Church What I take to be the true meaning of Christes wordes if hee heare not the Church let him bee to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane I haue said before I shall not neede to repeate it as nowe Neuerthelesse because the ancient Fathers vse as well these wordes of our Sauiour as those of Saint Paul to expresse the strength and terrour of excommunication I will not gainesay their exposition yet this shall wee finde to bee most true that no Catholike father euer heard or dreamed that lay Elders or the whole multitude shoulde meddle with the keyes and Sacraments of the Church but onely the Apostles and their successours Dic Ecclesiae Praesulibus scilicet Praesidentibus Tell it the Church that is saieth Chrysostome the Rulers and Gouernors of the Church And vpon the next wordes Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer you binde in earth shall be bound in heauen c. he writeth thus Non dixit Ecclesiae Praesuli vinculis istum constringe sed si ligaueris haec vineula indissolubilia manent Christ biddeth not the Gouernour of the Church to binde him but if thou binde him the band is in dissoluble By these words faith Ierome Christ giueth his Apostles power to let them vnderstand that mans iudgement is ratified by Gods Hee forewarneth saith Hilarie that whome the Apostles binde or loose answerably to that sentence they are bound or loosed in heauen If this persuade vs not y â— the Apostles had power without the consent of the people or Presbyterie to excommunicate and deliuer vnto Satan we cannot denie but our Sauior gaue them this power that whose sinnes they did remit shoulde be remitted and whose they did retaine should be retained yea speaking particularly to one of them he saide I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen If then the rest had equall power and like honour with Peter as Cyprian saieth they had and if Paul were nothing behind the chiefe Apostles as him selfe affirmeth he was not it is euident he had power to binde in heauen and to deliuer vnto Satan without the helpe of the Presbyterie or people of Corinth And why The power of the keys was first setled in the Apostles before it was deliuered vnto the Church and the Church receiued the keyes from the Apostles not the Apostles from the Church And therefore when Augustine sayeth If this I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were spoken onely to Peter the Church doeth it not if this bee doone in the Church then Peter when hee receiued the keyes represented or signified the whole Church Wee must not thinke by the name of the Church hee entendeth the Lay Presbyterie or the people but hee doeth attribute this power to the Church because the Apostles and their successours the Pastours and Gouernours of the Church receiued the keyes in Peter and with Peter The keys of the kingdome of heauen we all that are Priests saieth Ambrose receiued in the blessed Apostle Peter The Apostles then had the keyes of Christs kingdome to binde and loose both in heauen and in earth and by the dignitie of their Apostleship receiued the holie Ghost to remit and retaine sinnes as well before as after
Christes resurrection without either Presbyterie or people to concurre with them O you blessed and holie men saith Hilarie speaking of the Apostles that for the desert of your faith gate the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and obtained right to binde and loose in heauen and earth I suppose then it is not much to be contradicted that the Apostles had from their master a larger commission fuller instruction higher power and greater gifts then the rest of the Doctours Pastours Prophets and Euangelist in the Church of Christ and that the Churches in their time were not gouerned by the voyces and consents of the greater part concurring with them before any thing could be done but by their precepts and rules deliuered by speach or expressed by writing which the faithfull in euery place as well Pastors as people with all readinesse obeyed And that in appointing and ordeyning Pastors and Elders as likewise in reteyning sinnes and binding offenders by deliuering them vnto Satan or reiecting them from the felowship of Saints they needed not the helpe or agreement of the people or Presbyterie but had power sufficient with imposing their handes as the Spirite directed to make Prophets and Pastors by giuing them the gifts of the holy Ghost needefull for their seuerall callings and by the same power coulde yeeld the bodies of such as sinned and repented not to be punished and afflicted by Satan or remooue them from the Communion of Christes Church and exclude them from the kingdome of heauen as their wickednes or wilfulnes deserued This superioritie they reteined whiles they liued so moderating their power that they sought rather to winne the euill disposed with lenitie then represse them with authoritie saue when the wicked might no longer be endured lest others should be iufected and vsing such meekenes and mildnes towards al that no schisme disordered the Church by their rigour nor soule perished by their default labouring more to profit many with their paines then to preferre themselues before any by their priuiledge and vtterly forgetting their owne dignitie whiles they serued and aduanced Christes glory I obserue as well their patience as their preeminence lest any man should thinke I goe about to make them Princes in the Church of Christ to commaund and punish at their pleasures and not rather faithfull Stewards and careful Shepheards to feede and guide the Church committed to their charges CHAP. IX What parts of the Apostles power and charge were to remaine in the Church after their decease and to whom they were committed IT will happely be graunted the Apostles had their prerogatiue and preeminence aboue others in the Church of Christ but that limitted to their persons and during for their liues and therfore no reason can be made from their superioritie to force the like to be receiued and established in the Church of Christ for all ages and places since their office and function are long since ceased and no like power reserued to their successours after them I doe not denie but many things in the Apostles were personall giuen them by Gods wisedome for the first spreading of the fayth and planting of the Churches amongst Jewes and Gentiles that all nations might be conuerted vnto Christ by the sight of their miracles and directed by the trueth of their doctrine yet that all their gifts ended with their liues and no part of their charge and power remained to their after-commers may neither be confessed by vs nor affirnted by any vnlesse we meane wholy to subuert the church of Christ. To be called by Christes owne mouth and sent into all nations to be furnished with the infallible assurance of his trueth and visible assistance of his spirit not onely to speake with tongues cure diseases worke miracles know secretes and vnderstand all wisedom but to giue the holy Ghost to others that they might doe the like these things I say were needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell to conuert infidels that neuer heard of Christ before to confirme the beleeuers compassed with diuers temptations and to store the whole world then presently with meete Pastours and Teachers but to maintaine the Church once setled and faith once preached there is no cause why either the immediate vocation or generall commission or mightie operation and sudden inspirations of the Apostles should alwayes endure The Scriptures once written suffice all ages for instruction the miracles then done are for euer a most euident confirmation of their doctrine the authoritie of their first calling liueth yet in their succession and time and trauell ioyned with Gods graces bring Pastours at this present to perfection yet the Apostles charge to teach baptize and administer the Lordes Supper to bind and loose sinnes in heauen and in earth to impose hands for the ordaining of Pastours and Elders these partes of the Apostolike function and charge are not decaied and cannot bee wanted in the Church of God There must either be no church or els these must remaine for without these no church can continue The Gospell must be preached the Sacraments must be frequented for which purposes some must bee taken to the publike seruice and ministerie of the Church for how shall they inuocate in whom they haue not beleeued or how shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they bee sent without sending there can bee no preaching without preaching the word there is no ordinarie meanes for faith and without faith there is no Church Neither onely the lacke of the word and Sacraments but the prophanation and abuse of either how greatly doethit endanger the state and welfare of the whole Church of Christ yea the casting of holy things vnto dogges and of pearles before swine how dreadfull a iudgement doeth it procure as well to the consenters as presumers A little leauen so wreth the whole masse So that power to send labourers into Gods haruest and to separate prophane persons for deâ—iling the mysteries and assemblies of the faythfull must be retained and vsed in the Church of Christ vnlesse we will turne the house of God into a denne of theeues and make the Temple a cage for vncleane and hatefull birdes As the things be needfull in the Church of Christ so the persons to whom they were first committed cannot bee doubted Goe teach all Nations baptizing them sayd our Sauiour to the eleuen in mount Oliuet whenhe ascended Doe this in remembrance of mee sayd hee to the twelue that sate at supper with him After his resurrection when hee appeared to the eleuen sitting together hee sayd As my father sent me so send I you Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained for though the Lord before his death promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vnto Peter and as then sayde nothing vnto the
seruice of his Church or limite the Apostles on whom they should laie their handes siâ—ce not man but God made choise of those persons As for excommunication if you take it for remoouing the vnrulie from the ciuill societie of the faithfull vntill they conforme themselues to a more Christian course of life I am not altogether auerse that the whole Church where there wanteth a Christian magistrate did and should concurre in that action for thereby the sooner when all the multitude ioyne in one minde to renounce all maner of conuersing with such will the parties bee reduced to a better minde for shame and griefe to see themselues reiected and exiled from all companie and the whole Church shall declare their innocencie before men by auoiding and shunning the doers of wickednesse and encrease their zeale and loue of holinesse before God by hating and detesting vnrighteousnesse in others and by keeping themselues cleane and vnspotted from the like offences If any man that is called a brother bee a fornicatour or couetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not Yet count him not as an enemie but admonish him as a brother This rule as I could wish euery Christian man did for his owne part duely obserue so I iudge it not amiffe if the whole congregation in defect of a christian magistrate ioyne with the Pastor in misliking rebuking and forsaking such disordered vsuall offenders as will neither be reclaimed nor ashamed of their lewdnesse but for deliuering or denying the Sacraments I take that to be the Pastors charge and not the peoples Yet Pastors shall do well after the example of the ancient godly fathers Cyprian and others not only to prouoke repentance in the malefactors but to tender the offence taken by the multitude so farre that as the minds of the godly are grieued by notorious impieties so they may be satisfied and contented by the earnest and vnfained sorow of the repentant before they be receiued to the Lords table Against these rules of Christian moderation circumspection I dispute not I onely enquire whether by the word of God any laie persons haue any interest to withhold or yeeld the Sacraments without the allowance and liking of the Pastour And to expresse what I thinke I finde no warrant in the Scriptures for it and the maine consent of the Catholike fathers and course of the Primitiue Church against it Some places are detorted and wrested to that effect but they must be very partiall that will be led with such weake proofes The words of our Sauiour If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane which are the onely ground-worke of this opinion I haue before handled examined as far forth as needed If by those words the church of Christ were ment which no circumstance there enforceth yet the rulers gouernors of the Church are thereby intended as Chrysostome affirmeth and a soule error it is as Beza thinketh to say the whole multitude is there comprised In deed it is no new rule neither with the Scriptures nor with other writers for the chiefer and worthier part to beare the name of the whole The fathers who often attribute excommunication to the Church by no meanes endure that laie-men should vse the keies deliuered to the Apostles and their successors That right is permitted only to Priests as Ambrose saith It is the Priests band that toucheth the soule and reacheth vnto heauen as Chrysostome teacheth When they which chalenge the place of Bishops and receiued the keies of the kingdom of heauen from our Sauiour teach what they bind is bound in heauen what they loose is loosed in heauen we must acknowledge they say wel if withall they haue those things for the which it was said to Peter The gates of hell must not preuaile against him that will binde and loose for if he bee bound with the ropes of his owne sinnes in vaine doeth he offer to bind or loose saith Origen Shal it not be imputed to vs saith Cyprian with the rest of the Bishops his Colleagues if so good a souldier should die without peace and without the Communion Shall not great slacknesse or cruell hardnesse be ascribed to vs in the day of iudgement that being Pastours we neither in peace would heale the sheepe committed credited vnto vs nor arme them in the battell How doe we teach or prouoke them to shed their bloud in the confession of Christes name if wee denie them the bloud of Christ when they be entring the conflict or how doe we make them readie for the cup of martyrdome if first in the Church we admit them not by right of Communion to drinke the Lordes cup It hath pleased vs therefore the holy Ghost directing vs that vpon examination of euery mans cause such as fell in persecution should be reconciled or receiued to the Lords table and if there be any of our Colleagues which doth not thinke it good to giue peace that is the Communion to the brethren or sisters persecution approching he shal in the day of iudgement render account to the Lord of his importune censure or inhumane rigor And so againe when as in smaller faults a man may not come to the Communion except the Bishop and the Clergie first lay their hands on him in signe of reconciliation how much more should the discipline of the Lord be obserued in these most grieuous extreme sinnes Likewise Basil Confession of sinnes must necessarilie be made to them to whom the dispensatioÌ„ of the mysteries of God is committed for so they which in former times repented amongst the Saints are read to haue done It is written in the Gospel that they confessed their sinnes to Iohn Baptist In the Acts they all confessed their sinnes vnto the Apostles of whom they were baptized Power to forgiue sinnes is not absolutely giuen but limited to the obedience of the penitent and agreement with him that hath the charge of the soule Apud Deum non sententia Sacerdotum sedreorum vita queritur Quomodo ergo ibi leprosum Sacrdos mundum vel immundum facit sic hic alligat velsoluit Episcopus Presbyter With God saith Ierome not the sentence of the Priest but y e life of the partie is respected As therefore in the law the Priest did make that is pronounce the Leeper cleane or vncleane so in the Gospell the Bishop and Presbyter bindeth or looseth And againe formicator adulter homicida caetera vitia per Sacerdotes de Ecclesia propelluntur The fornicator the adulterer the homicide and all other transgressours are cast out of the Church by the Priest S. Augustine Hee that willingly iudgeth himselfe least against his will he be iudged of the Lord Veniat ad Antistites per quos illi in Ecclesia claues ministrantur à Praepositis sacrorum
were all one with Doctors you haue lost one of those offices which you affirme to bee perpetuall in the Church if they were distinct from them they were superiours vnto them and so betwixt ministers of the word for such were Teachers by Saint Pauls rule you establish a difference of degrees Thus much for the worde and Sacraments the dispensing whereof no doubt was common to all Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours and Teachers and so to Presbyters and Bishops not withstanding the moderatioÌ„ and ouersight of those things were still reserued to the Apostles as well absent as present euen when the power and charge thereof was imparted to others The discipline and gouernement of the Church I meane the power of the keies and imposing hands are two other partes of Apostolike authoritie which must remaine in the Church for euer These keyes are double the keie of knowledge annexed to the word the keie of power referred to the Sacraments Some late writers by vrging the one abolish the other howbeit I see no sufficient reason to counteruaile the Scriptures and Fathers that defend and retaine both The keie of knowledge must not bee doubted of our Sauiour in expresse wordes nameth it Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for yee haue taken away the keie of knowledge yee entered not in your selues and those that were comming in you forbade The keie of power standeth on these words of Christ to Peter I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And likewise to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And after his resurrection in like maner to them all Receiue ye the holie Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained And least we should vnderstand these places of the preaching of the Gospell as some new writers doe Saint Paul hath plaine wordes that cannot be wrested to that sense Speaking of the incestuous Corinthian that was excommunicated and deliuered vnto Satan he saieth Sufficient for that man is this rebuking of many so that now contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least hee bee swallowed vp with too much sorowe To whom you forgiue any thing I also forgiue for if I forgaue ought to any I forgaue it for your sakes in the sight of Christ. As Paul deliuered this offender to Satan and shut both the Church and heauen against him so now vpon the detesting and forsaking of his sinne hee restored him to the peace of the Church communion of the Lordes table and hope of Gods kingdome from which before hee was excluded And this Paul did not by preaching the word vnto the penitent for as then hee was absent from Corinth but by forgiuing him in the sight of Christ and his Church as by his Apostolike power hee might Both these keyes the one of knowledge the other of power Ambrose mentioneth in his 66. Sermon and likewise Origen in his 25. tractate vpon Matthew adding a third keie where hee saieth Blessed are they that open the kingdome of heauen either by their word or by their good worke for liuing well and teaching rightly the word of trueth they open the kingdom of heauen before men whiles they enter themselues and prouoke others to follow The meaning of these late writers it may bee is not wholie to cast away the keie of power but onely to drawe the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter and the rest of his Apostles rather to the preaching of the Gospell then to excluding from the Sacraments and yet to the Church or Presbyterie they reserue the power of the keies that is ful authoritie to excommunicate notorious and rebellious sinners These men foresee that if the power of the keies bee giuen to the Apostles and their successours then haue laie Elders who doe not succeed in the Apostles roumes and functions nothing to doe with the Apostles keies Because this was enough to marre the Laie Preâ—â—â—terie therefore the Patrones thereof conueie the wordes of Christ to another sense and builde the ground-worke of excommunication vpon the 18. chapter of Saint Matthewes Gospell where the Church is named and not the Apostles But this deuise is both a preiudice to the Apostles and a Preamble to the laie Presbyterie which all the Catholike Fathers with one voyce contradict as I haue before at large declared Omitting the Laie Burgesses of the Church as hauing no interest in the Apostles keies it resteth in this place to bee considered to whom those keies were committed whether equallie to all Presbyters or chieflie to Pastours and Bishops The like must bee done for imposition of handes whether that also pertained indifferently to all or speciallie to Bishops Before wee make a full resolution to these questions we must search the time when Bishops first began and by whom they were first ordained and authorized In which inquisition wee will begin with the report and opinion of the auncient Fathers and so descend to the positions and assertions of such as in our age impugne and gainesay the vocation and function of Bishops Epiphanius report is this The Apostles could not suddenlie settle all things There was present need of Presbyters and Deacons for by those two the necessities of the Church might bee supplied Where there was none found woorthie of the Bishoprike the place remayned without a Bishop But where there was neede and fitte men found for the Episcopall function Bishops were ordained Euerie thing was not perfect from the beginning but in processe of time things were fitted for the furnishing of all occasions the Church in this wise receiuing the perfection of her gouernment Ambrose somewhat differing from Epiphanius saieth Apostolus Timotheum Presbyterum a se creatum Episcopum vocat quia primi Presbyteri Episcopi appellabantur vt recedente eo sequens ei succederet Sed quia coeperunt sequentes Presbyteri indigni inueniri ad primatus tenendos immutata est ratio prospiciente concilio vt non ordo sed meritum crearet Episcopum c. Paul calleth Timothie created a Presbyter by himselfe or with his owne handes a Bishop because the first Presbyters were called Bishops so as the first departing the next succeeded him But for that the Presbyters which followed beganne to bee found vnwoorthie to beare the chiefe regiment the maner was chaunged a Councill prouiding that not order but desert should make a Bishop appoynted by the iudgement of many Priestes least an vnfitte person should rashlie vsurpe the place and bee an offence to many Ieromes opinion is euident by his words which I repeated before in effect hee affirmeth thus much Before there were factions in religioÌ„ a Presbyter a
at first to the ministers of each parish by the lord of y t Soile were matter enough in the iudgement of Christes Church to establish the right of Patrones that they alone should present Clerkes because they alone prouided for them the Princes interest to conferre Bishoprikes hath far more sound and sufficient reason to warrant it for besides the maintenance which the kings of this land yeelded when they first endowed bishoprikes with lands and possessions to vnburden their people of the support and charges of their Bishops in that respect haue as much right as any Patrones can haue the preheminence of the sworde whereby the Prince ruleth the people the people rule not the Prince is no small enforcement that in elections as well as in other points of gouernment the Prince may iustlie chalenge the soueraigntie aboue and without the people Gods law prescribing no certaine rule for the choise of Bishops the people may not chalenge the like without or against the Prince And lastly though the people in former ages by the sufferance of magistrates had somewhat to doe with the elections of their Bishops yet nowe for the auoiding of such tumults and vprores as the Primitiue Church was afflicted with by the lawes of this Realme and their owne consents the peoples interest and liking is wholie submitted and inclosed in the Princes choise so that whome the Prince nameth the people haue bound themselues to acknowledge and accept for their Pastour no lesse then if hee had bene thosen by their owne suffrages And had they not here unto agreed as by Parliament they haue I see no let by Gods lawe but in Christian kingdomes when any difference groweth euen about the elections of Bishops the Prince as head and Ruler of the people hath better right to name and elect then all the rest of their people If they concurre in iudgement there can bee no variance if they dissent the Prince if there were no expresse lawe for that purpose as with vs there is must beare it from the people the people by Gods lawe must not looke to preuaile agaynst their Prince If we might safelie doe it we could obiect against the Princes giuing of Bishoprikes that Athanasius saieth Where is there any such Canon that a Bishop should be sent out of the pallace And the second Councill of Nice alleageth an ancient Canon against it All elections of Bishops Presbyters or Deacons made by the Magistrate are voyde by the Canon which saieth If any Bishop obtaine a Church by the helpe of the secular Magistrate let him bee depâ—â—â— sed and put from the Lordes table and all that communicate with him The Councill of Paris likewise in earnest manner Let none bee ordeined Bishop agaynst the wils of the Citizens but onely whom the election of the people and Clergie shall seeke with full affection Let him not be intruded by the Princes commaundement nor by any other meanes against the consent of the Metropolitane the Bishops of the same Prouince And if any man by ouermuch rashnesse presume to inuade the heigth of this honour by the Princes ordination let him in no wise bee receiued by the Bishops of the same Prouince Rules of discipline be not like rules of doctrine In Christian faith whatsoeuer is once true is alwayes and euery where true but in matters of ecclesiasticall gouernement that at some times and in some places might be receiued and allowed which after and else where was happilie disliked and prohibited If any Father or Councill affirme that by Gods lawe the people haue right to elect their Bishop the Prince hath not the assertion is so false that no man need regard it No proofe can be made that the people haue by the word of God an essentiall interest in the choice of their Pastours If we speake of mans law whatsome Councils decreed other Councils vpon iust cause might change and what some Princes permitted their successours with as great reason might recall or restraine as the varietie of times and places required Of Councils S. Austen saieth Ipsaplenaria Concilia quis nesciat faepe prior aposterioribus emendari Who can be ignorant that generall Councils are often amended the former by the latter when by the experiment of things that is opened which before was hid and seene which before was not perceiued and that without any smoke of sacrilegious pride obstinate arrogance or enuious contention Of Princes edicts I take the case to be so cleare that no man doubteth whether humane lawes may bee altered or no. All Princes haue the sword with like commission from God and heare their scepters with one and the same freedome that their progenitors did As they may with their owne liking abridge themselues of their libertie so may they with the aduise and consent of their state resume the grants of former Princes and enlarge the priuiledges of their roiall dignitie as farre as Gods lawe permitteth For answere then to your authorities I say First Athanasius and the other two Councils might speake of those times when as yet christian Princes had not reuoked elections of Bishops to their owne power but by their publike lawes commanded their Clergie and people to make choise of their Pastors And in that case he that contrary to the positiue lawes of any kingdome or common wealth made secret meanes or procured to be placed by the priuate letters of Princes against the open lawes of the Realme where hee liued was an ambitious violent intruder and not woorthie to beare the name of a Pastor Bishop in Christes Church Next Athanasius and the rest may speake not of election but of examination ordination which by Gods law is committed to Bishops not to Princes and then their meaning is It is not sufficient for a Bishop to haue the Princes consent decree he must be also examined and ordained by such as the holy Ghost hath appointed to impose hands on him which no man may omit though he be neuer so much allowed elected by y e Princes so both their words proofs seem to import Athanasius misliketh that Constantius sent such as should be bishops out of his pallace and forceably inuaded the Churches by his souldiers and captaines none of the comprouincial bishops approuing or admitting them The second council of Nice doth not impugne that princes should elect but that the decree of the magistrate is not enough to make a bishop And why he must be approued ordained by the bishops of the same Prouince by the Metropolitane as the Nicene Canons witnesse Now the 4. Canon of the Nicene Council which they mention speaketh not a word who shal elect name bishops but who shall examine ordaine theÌ„ as is euident to be seene And so the council of Paris Non principis imperio ingeratur let him not be imposed by the Princes precept against the Metropolitanes good will And therefore if