and teach to be done For as S. Augustine teacheth they that sitte in the chaire of vnitie which I wil proue hereafter to be the chaire of S. Peter are constrained to teach the doctrine of veritie And in deed whereas the office or power is one thing and the vse therof an other thing seing the office is geuen before it be vsed the euil vse of it which insueth afterward caÌ„ not make void the former power And so without al question the substance of the â—rimacie remaineth safe and sure in â—he Apostles and their successours alâ—hough thei practise not their Primacie â—n such sort as they ought to doe Whereupon it foloweth that it is â—arke false and vngodly that these meÌ„â—each saying not only that al primacie 〈◊〉 forbidden in the Church of Christe â—ut also that they leese their Primacie who ceasing to preach doe abuse their â—ffice For they in deed leese the merite of their Primacie but not the self Primacie so long as the Church doth â—olerate and permit them in their places Otherwise Caiphas being so euil a man as he was Ioan 1â— Pontifex anni illius had not been the Bishop of that yeare which yet the Gospel sheweth to haue ben otherwise As concerning which some are wont to obiect that the Bishoppe of Rome doth not gouerne as a Pastor but doth beare a soueraintie as Princes of the world it hath no colour of truth whether thei respect the manner of coming by this primacy or the order iâ— practising the iurisdiction of it First of al no man succedeth into that Chaire by any right of inhearitance which is a common mean to get Domition among worldly princes Secondarilie that Chaire is not obteined by any right of battaile or lawe of Armes neither when it is voide it is permitted to him that can first possesse it but it is geuen onely by election Besides neither childd nor woman nor infidel nor catechumen or learner of the faih can be chosen to be bisshop of Rome or of any other citie which is farre otherwise in wordlie Kingdomes Distinct 62. 63. Actor 1. Againe although the faithfull people and the princes also may craue desire and require a pastoure or Bisshop and may geue their coÌ„sent to the choise of him yet the right to choose as well â—he bishop of Rome as al other pastours Act. 14. 20. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Greg. lib. 1 ep 55. 56. 77. Concil 8. c. 28. â—pperteineth only to ecclesiastical perâ—ons as whose dutie it is by Gods law to â—lace and make priests in the cities and Churches where nede is to fede to rule â—o confirm or to displace or traÌ„sfer and generally to prouide for the flock as Paulus Barnabas Titus and other bishops haue doÌ„ whereas the right of choosing 〈◊〉 Prince where he is made by election may as well or much more apperteine to the common people being the body of the realme then to the clergie or to the nobilitie alone When the bishop of Rome is thus chosen that I may omitte his temporal dominion which is but an accessorie to his bishoprike doutlesse in his Ecclesiasticall gouernment he vseth not that force and power which worldlie Princes doe Greg lib. 1 ep 45. distiÌ„ct 45. c. De Iudaeis Hee compelleth no man by violence no not so much as the Iewes that liue in Rome to baptisme or to embrace the catholike faith of Christ whereas worldly princes may iustly enforce the people whom they haue vnder them both to obey their lawes and to liue after their custome and manner Moreouer the bishop of Rome as bishop neuer punisheth any of them with the material sword who after baptisme forsake the Church but onlie with ecclesiastical censures And to them also he cometh very slowlie and teacheth that men must haue recourse vnto them none otherwise 2. quaest 1. multi then to a medicine For albeit he both plainlie affirmeth that hereticks are worthy of all punishment yea of violent death it self and that according to Gods word yea although he permitteth Deut. 13. and also where he hath any temporal dominion procureth schismatikes and heretikes to be punished with death partlie because they are themselues vnworthie to liue for their own heinous fault partly also because they shuld not infect others with their words 2. Tim. 2. which creepe and fret like a cancre â—et notwithstanding he doth it not by himselfe nor by others as a bishop and pastour of Christes flock but he doth it by the ministerie of others as a temporal prince and lord Psal 98. euen as Moyses being one of the Priests of our Lord was also master of the ciuil gouernment and a disposer of warre and peace Exod. 17. Deut. 31. as who commaunded Iosue to fight against Amalech and to be his successour in the ciuil gouernment Now whereas the Protestants deny Moyses to haue ben a priest and that by pretense of the Hebrew text they spaek therein against the expresse word of God and against the most auncient and best lerned Fathers The word of God saith Psal â—8 Moyses Aaron in sacerdotibus eius Moyses and Aaron are among the priests of the Lord the Hebrew word is cohaniÌ„ the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latin sacerdotibus which is to say those who make sacrifice In coÌ„mentarijs psal 98. S. Augustine reasoneth that he was Sacerdos a Sacrificer because whereas he was in al authoritie and power the very greatest among the Iewes yet he could not be Maior sacerdote greater then he that hath power to sacrifice S. Hierom being I am sure as good an Hebrician as M. Nowel in his booke against Iouinian Lib. 1. aduersus Iouinian groundeth the Priesthood of Moyses vpon the same text of the Psalme making a differeÌ„ce betwen Samuel the Leuite and Moyses and Aaron who were Bisshops or high Priests In oratione de Moyse Aar S. Gregorie Nazianzene is of the same minde yea Dionysius Areopagita confesseth Moyses to haue ben Primum legalium sacerdotum mystem ac ducem De Eccles Hierar c. 5. The first cunning master and guid of the Priest of the law qui fratrem Aaron ad sacerdotale munus inuÌ„gens sub Deo principe sacerdotalem consecrationem poÌ„â—ificabiliter consummauit Who â—nointing his brother Aaron to the Priestlie office vnder God the chief of al finished the Priestly consecration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bisshoplike or as Bisshops are wont to doe Philo Iudeus writing three bokes of Moyses life De vita Mosis and hauing spoken before of his authoritie in ciuil matters speaketh in the third of his Priesthod which he could not iustly doe except he had ben a Priest But what neede many woordes What thing doth in al the world belong to a Priests office which Moyses did not Exod. 20. He toke the law of God aÌ„d taught it the people he preached to them he consecrated the high Bishop
coÌ„mission of God to doe all thesâ— things The Suprem gouernour may practise any thing properly belonging to his gouernmeÌ„t It is not possible for a man 〈◊〉 haue the supreame gouernment in 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastical causes by lawful power aâ—â— right but that he should thereby haâ—â— also power and right to execute any 〈◊〉 those things which belong to such Ecclesiastical causes as are vnder his gâ—uernment Marck the point I say not he is bound to executâ— euery such matter as falleth vnder hâ—â— gouernment or that it is decent for hiâ— to doe it but that he may doe it anâ— hath right and power to doe it if he bâ— rightly the supream gouernour in thâ— behalf An exaÌ„ple in ciuil Matters For example the King who 〈◊〉 supream gouernour in the ciuil and teÌ„poral causes hath vnder him Iudges shriues maiors Capitains and constables If his maiesty will plaie the iudgâ— in Westminster hal or the shriue in any sessions or the Capitain in warre he surelie may doe it concerning the right â—f his Kingdome Yea he lacketh no â—ight nor lawfull power to play the Solâ—iour the Tailour the Mason Carâ—enter or Tanner albeit he perhappes doe lacke the cunning or experience â—o exercise or practise those Artes so as they ought to be practised Likewise an Archbisshoppe or Priuate who hath Bisshoppes An exaÌ„ple in Ecclesiastical matters Archedeacons Officials Priests and Clerks vnder him may by right of his Suâ—eriorie baptize anie childe blesse or geue benediction burie the dead approue their last wils by his own fact helpe a Priest to Masse cary the crosse in procession digge the graue and to be shorte he maie doe anie thing which anie man may doe who is vnder his iurisdiction If then the king haue the right and power of Supreme gouernement in al Ecclesiastical causes The applying of the rule to our purpose seing it belongeth to the right and power of Ecclesiastical causes that a man may preache baptize blesse or geue benedictioÌ„ to the people and administer the sacrament of Christes body and blood and binde or loose synnes it must needes be that the King euen by that his supreamicy should also haue power and right to preache to baptise to geue benediction to administer the sacrament of Christes supper and to binde or loose synnes A farther declaration I say not that he by his supremacie hath cunning either to preache or to baptize or to geue benediction or to administer the sacrament of Christes supper or to play the tailer or the mason but that no law right and power doth or can forbid him to doe these things if in these things he be the supreme gouernour so that if he otherwise had cunning he might with praise no lesse preache and baptise and geue benediction or administer the sacrament of Christes supper then he might build a howse with his own haÌ„ds or cutte a garment yf he were cuÌ„ning â—herein But now if all the world confesse 2. Para. 20 non est tui officij ô Rex sed sacerdotuÌ„ domini â—hat à King by his kinglie office doth â—ot only lack knowlege but also hath no â—ight or power at al to preache to bapâ—â—ze to geue benediction or to conseâ—rate the sacrament of Christes supper 〈◊〉 a although otherwise he be most cunâ—ing and excellently lerned except â—e haue the office of a priest also geuen â—im and be lawfullie sent and authoriâ—d by the imposition of the hand of â—riesthood doutlesse it ought to be conâ—essed 1. Tim. 4. that a King by his kinglie office â—ath no right or supreme power at all in â—cclesiastical causes vnlesse it be comâ—itted to him from the bisshop And â—hat as wel because he of him self can â—ot practise those causes though he wold as euen our aduersaries coÌ„fesse â—s also because his power be it neuer 〈◊〉 roial reacheth not so high as the â—ower of spiritual gouernmeÌ„t appointed by Christ doth And surely no man by the commission which he onely hath to rest or to prison men maie also hang them or burn them For the lesser authority doth not coÌ„prehend the greater Say now M. Horn whether to celebrate our Lords supper and to preache Gods word and to absolue or bind sins it be a lesser or a greater ministery theÌ„ the Kings authoritie If it be lesser you haue reason on your side For then a greater power may comprehend it being the lesser But if it be incomparablie greater to minister vnto men the heauenly Sacraments then to minister iustice in temporal things if that be a higher power which toucheth the soule then that which only toucheth the body then by what meanes extend you the commission of a King which hath to do with lesse maters not only to the commission of a Priest In the booke agâ—inst M. Feenâ—Ì„ but also aboue it You bring many examples euil applied to make an apparance of somewhat But they al concerne matters of fact which are for many circumstances subiect to much wrangling But either it was no good Prince who medled of his own authority with disposing holy matters Or if he were otherwise good that deed was not good Or if he did it wel he did it by coÌ„mission from a Prophet or froÌ„ a high Priest Or he was deceiued by flatterers Or els being forced by necessity which is vnder no law he only sought the publike peace in that his deed and not to set himself ordinarily aboue the spiritual gouernmeÌ„t For howsoeuer the deeds of men be vncertaine deceitful aÌ„d vnknowen in al their particular circuÌ„stances the word of God can not fail which saith to Peter and to other Bishops after him Feed my sheep Ioan. 21. Here I aske whether the King or Emperour who is christened be Peters sheep or no If he be not he is not only not aboue the Church but he is not at all of the Churche If he be his sheepe then I say boldly that as it is against the law of nature which neuer can be wholie changed for a shepe to rule his shepheard in anie manner of such sort wherein he is the shepheard euen so it is vtterly impossible for anie King or Prince to be in anie respect of Ecclesiastical gouernment aboue his own pastour who soeuer he be for the time And yet farther to make this matter more plaine be it that a Christian King doth take vpoÌ„ him the supreame gouernment in Ecclesiastical matters What if a bishop being called before him Epist 32. sequeÌ„t say boldlie as S. Ambrose in a like case did may it please your maiestie to coÌ„maund my goods my laÌ„ds my body my life it shal be at your coÌ„mandemeÌ„t But as for the ordering and gouerning of my bishoprike I will not yeld it to you because Christ and not your maiestie committed the same to me what could that Christian King doe to that bishop more theÌ„ Nero or Traian might haue done Could he excommunicate him by his roial power M.
that which wee vse 14. Victory in persecution is ours 15. Yea we are persecuted of the ProtestaÌ„ts our childern as of whome they were baptized aÌ„d in whose vniuersities they were brought vp aÌ„d now thei turn the weapoÌ„s which we gaue theÌ„ against vs. 16. Antiquitie aÌ„d the practise of the primatiue Church is agreable to that of our tyme. 17. The name of Catholiks by their confession is ours 18. The continuall succession a bishops we doe shew and they can noâ— so much as pretend it Rom. 3. Generally what haue they which wâ— lack haue they a faith iustifiyng so haue we but not iustifiyng alone Galat. 5. Iacob 2. but iustifying with charity which is as it were â—he life of faith Ergo their iustificatioÌ„â—f faith alone is a deade righteousnes â—urs is it which quickeneth to life eâ—erlasting Haue they two SacrameÌ„ts We haue seuen 1. Pet. 2. Haue they an inwarde â—riesthod whereby Christ is offered in â—heir harts we haue an inward and â—n †Isai 61. 66. 1. Tim. 4. Heb. 10 outward whereby he is offered â—oth in our harts and in our hands Do â—hey beleue that Christ with one Saâ—rifice paid our rauÌ„som for euer Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 10. 11. We beâ—eue it and shew to the eye vnder the foorm of bread the self body sacrificed and by offering and eating it sacramenâ—ally with our mouth we are made partakers of the redeÌ„ption which is in it Is Christ with them the head and â—astour of his Church Ioan. 10. Ephes 1. We do not onely beleue so but we shew it to be so by the real figure of one chief head aÌ„d Pastour of his particular flock in earth Heb. 10. whereby the eternall thinges are liuely represented Doe lay men with them receaue the communion vnder both kinds euen so doe they with vs by dispensation of the See Apostolike in Austria and in diuerse other parts of Germany both without schism and also without iniury of an other truth which must confesse one kind to conteine as much as both and therefore to suffise alone And both kindes were instituted of Christ Math. 26. rather to shew by an vnbloody sacrifice the nature of Christes bloody sacrifice where his sowle and blood was a part from his body and fleshe then that any more is either conteined or distributed by both Ioan. 19. then by one alone Heb. 13. Haue you Mariage in great price Not in so great as we who teache it to be a Sacrament which by the outward and visible signe of mutuall consent in faithfull persons signifieth the gratious vnity of Christ and of his Churche and whiles it signifieth such a singular grace Ephes 5. it partaketh of the grace whereof it is the signe Yea but you allow Mariage in all kind of men what Euen in those Math. 19. who haue gelded them selues for the kingdom of heauen For they onely who make the vow of chastity can iustly be said to geld them selues for the kingdom of heauen Vvho geld theÌ„selues for the Kingdom of heauen For he that absteineth from Mariage without any vowe he is not yet gelded sithens he maie lawfullie marie But whoso hath gelded himself for the kingdom of heauen is meant to be no more hable to marie by the right of Gods law and in very conscience theÌ„ he is able by the course of nature to haue a child who either is borne or by force is made an Eunuche For these three kinds of Eunuches Christ doth compare together Math. 19. expresly geuing vs to vnderstand that it is both praise worthy to vow chastity and when it is once vowed that by Gods owne law there is no more possibilitie to return to the vse of mariage then it is possible for a gelded man to be restored again to that which he lacketh By these few examples it may appere that you haue no maner of thing praise worthy which we lack whereas we haue a great nuÌ„ber of things both good and laudable VVhat thiÌ„gs the protestaÌ„ts lack and many of them very necessary all which you lacke You haue no insufflations no exorcism no holy oyle in baptism no holy Chrism in bishopping no externall priesthood no publik sacrifice no altars no censing no lights at your seruice no Images in your Churches no adoration no reseruation of Christes body no Eremits no MuÌ„kâ— no virgins vealed and consecrated no vnwriten traditions no communion with Saints or with faithfull sowles by praying to the one or for the other no Stations no pilgrimages no confession of synnes to the priest no forgeuenes by the priest no temporall satisfaction inioyned nor the same remitted by pardon no holy water no holy vestments no Reliques of Martyrs no extreme vnction no place of purgatory where their synnes may be released after this life who died in charity but yet not without the det of temporall purgation You say falsely that all these thinges are naught Galat. 1. praeterquaÌ„ quod accepistis but once we receaued theÌ„ of our auncestours and we iustifie theÌ„ by Gods word and by the bookes of the auncient Fathers If we our selues had once had other things and so had cast away those other and taken these as you haue taken Note vppon your own heads naked tables in stede of adorned altars praying toward the south in stede of praying toward the East mariage of priestes in steade of chastity vulgar tungs in stede of holy and learned the sacrifice of praysing God by bare words in stede of Masse which praised him by the consecration of Christes owne body with other like matters then in dede there had ben cause why we might haue feared our owne dedes and inuentions But seing we made no new religioÌ„ but kepe the olde Philip 2. humilitie obedience and the keeping of vnity is our fault if we haue any Of such faults I beleue noman shall geue accompt but rather of pride Rom. 1. 2. Cor 3. Galat. 5. of disobedience of breakiÌ„g vnitie of makiÌ„g schismes and of troubling the Churche Neither can it be iustlie replied of you that you doe toward vs in changing our religion Dissimile as Christ and the Apostles did toward the Iewish synagoge For Christ changed his owne Religion whereof himself was Lorde and not onely theirs But Luther is not that toward Christ which Christ was toward Moyses neither hath Caluin that power to alter the state of Christes Churche which Christ had to alter the Law It must be vnderstanded that in all Religions there is a law which prescriâ—eth in what maner God shal be serued The chief point of Gods seruice coÌ„sisteth â—n publike Sacrifice The Sacrifice deâ—endeth of the Priesthod for of whatâ—oeuer order the priest is there after he maketh his sacrifice whervpon S. Paul said Heb. 7. The priesthod being transferâ—ed or changed it must nedes be â—hat the law be transferred or chaÌ„ged also Now from Adam til Christ â—here
Militant Church hath a certain primacie in consideration and respect of them ouer whome he is made Primate and chief gouernour albeit when we consider the maiestie of our Maister Christ the very Primate stil continueth altogether a suppliant and an huÌ„ble seruitour to him As for other who vnder the chief ruler haue the charge of particular parishes and Churches committed vnto them they haue also in the same degree and sort a certaine Superioritie which S. Hierom calleth Exortem quandaÌ„ eminentem potestatem In Dial. coÌ„tra Luciferanos a certaine perelesse and high power If he be a Parish Priest he is aboue any other in that parish If he be a Bishop he is aboue any other in that Diocese Of such Rulers S. Paul saith Obedite Prepositis vestris Obey them who are sette ouer you Now it is to be knowen that in any one parish or in any one diocese there neuer was but one ruler at once ordinarily For thence come heresies and schismes saith S. Cyprian because one Priest in the Church for the time Ad Cornel Ep. 3. Lib. 1. and one iudge in Christes stede is not thought to be If then the whole militant Church be also one certaine particular body of a certayne particular administration and condition in respecte of the triumphant Church which is otherwise guided in heauen it must nedes follow that ouer the whole militant house of God one only master and gouernour is set whom we al ought to obey as our chief ruler in earth And so by the superioritie which experience sheweth to belong to one in euerie parish we come by the force of the same reason to acknowledge one chief Postour in the great parish of this world of which kind S. Peter was whiles he liued And that may well be perceiued by the Gospell it selfe For seeing the Euangelist S. Mathew repeting the names of the twelue Apostles saith Primus Cap. 10. Simon qui dicitur Petrus the first is SimoÌ„ who is called Peter and afterwards reckoneth none neither second nor third nor fourth vndoubtedly by calling Peter Primum first he meaneth that he was the first in dignitie and the chiefest among the Apostles and that al the rest afterwardes were to be equallie estemed For to be first where none is put as Second or Third is to be first not by order of numbring but onely by dignitie and preeminence in somuch that the Auncient Fathers expresse the force of this woorde Primus First by calling S. Peter the Prince or chief of the Apostles And certes where there is any in the Church of God first in dignitie and chief in praeeminence there must needes be some primacie Besides if the Bishop of the old law was called in those daies Exod. 22. Princeps populi The Prince of the people and if S. Paul honoured Ananias with that name euen after the death of Christ saying Actor 23. It is written Thou shalt not curse or reuile the Prince of thy people how much more ought he both to be called and to be also beleued to be the chief gouernour and Prince of al Christian people whom Christ hath appointed and sette ouer his familie Ioan. 21. saying Feede my sheepe Onely he must be circumspect that he turne not his primacie into a tyrannie as the GeÌ„tiles and Princes of the world doe How be it this also is to be considered that neither the Prophets nor the Euangelists are wont to be so carefull of woordes as of the sense and things â—hemselues Wherby it commeth to passe sometimes that they geue the name of God to such meÌ„ as haue by participation any diuine or godly thing in them as to Iudges Exod. 22. Psal 81. Ioan. 10. and to whom God vouchsafeth to speake By like meanes it may be verified that some Ecclesiastical persons haue a certaine dominioÌ„ in that respect verely that by participation they receiue a diuine and heauenly thing that is to say that power which Christ their liege Lord and natural Soueraigne indued them withal when he made them gouernours of his familie For among the holy orders of Angels in like manner there is rekened one which is called of S. Paule Dominationes Dominations Coloss 1. not because they haue any dominion or soueraintie ouer other Angels as seruants in subiection vnto them because they reciue that vertue and power of God the onelie true Lord which it pleaseth his Maiestie to haue annexed to that order thereby to geue forth some token and shew of his infinite Lordship and power Wherefore if some man not thinking peraduenture of these controuersies nor weighing rather the thing then the bare word hath at any time expressed the primacy of the Church Dominus Lord staÌ„deth somtime for Sir with this worde Dominion or if any maÌ„ do cal a Bishop by the name of Lord we ought not for any such respect to make an hurly burly as though any proper or true dominioÌ„ were challenged in the Church of one towards an other For as touching that which is properly called DominioÌ„ we defend it not But that there is a primacie in the Church that is the thing which we defend The which Ecclesiastical primacie although it may euidently appere by that which is already said yet it shal not be out of the way to consider how one of those places which are alleaged of our Aduersaries as yf it did vtterly forbid 〈◊〉 Superioritie among the disciples Luc. 22. â—â—th cleerely stablish and confirme the â—â—me For whereas often times there â—ll a strife betweene the Disciples â—ho shoulde be the greater once 〈◊〉 the way to Capharnaum Marc. â— an other â—â—me when the Mother of the sonnes â—f Zebede desired that one of her chilâ—ren might sitte at Christes right and and the other at his left hand Marc. 10. And the third time Luc. 22. after his last â—upper albeit Christ always did dehort â—hem from expectation of that heatheâ—ish kind of dominioÌ„ which was vsed â—n the worlde and alwaies inuited â—hem to humilitie yet he neuer denied â—ut that there should be one in deede â—reater among them and he oftenâ—imes signified that the same should be â— Peter and that as wel when he chose â—im to be the first Apostle as when â—e said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church and to thee I vvil geue the keiâ— of heauen Math. 16. 17. and paie for thee anâ— mee Yf then you demaund how it happened that this notwitstanding th'Apostles striued who should be greater 〈◊〉 that euen after supper wheÌ„ it had beâ— already said Vpon this rocke I vvâ—â— build my Church I answer that noâ—withstanding S. Peter was most like 〈◊〉 be preferred yet whiles Christ liued iâ— the earth it was in his free choise tâ— haue appointed it otherwise Anâ— when the Apostles saw either S. Peteâ— called Satanas Math. 16. Origen in Math. tractat 5. Ne maior noÌ„ esset
man in himselfe so hath euery Bishop for his part the whole nature of a bisshop in hiÌ„self This equalitie of bishoply order and office notwithstanding the Apostles were in their bishoply prelateshippe and Iurisdiction a great way behiÌ„d S. Peter because he had a higher and larger power of gouerning geuen to him ouer Christes shepe then any of the other had in that behalfe Touching then the superiority of S. Peters iurisdiction for asmuch as all the power he had was either Apostolike or bishoply seing he could not easily haue more coÌ„mitted to hiÌ„ ouer the rest of the shepe by his Apostolike office Math. 2â— then the other Apostles had for ech of theÌ„ had charge ouer the whole Church and the gouerment of their owne persons excepted what greater power could S. Peter haue if this notwithstandig I proue euideÌ„tly that Christ committed to S. Peter more Ecclesiastical power eueÌ„ ouer his shepe then to anie other it must needes be rather meant of more bishoply then of more Apostolike power And so albeit the power and iurisdictioÌ„ of the Apostles ouer the rest of the shepe be equal yet the power of bishops euen ouer the same shepe is not equal How proue I theÌ„ that S. Peter had more coÌ„mitted to his charge theÌ„ the other Apostles Verily because Christ in the presence of S. Iohn S. Iames aÌ„d S. Thomas the Apostles aÌ„d of other three disciples said to Peter SimoÌ„ IoaÌ„nis diligis me plê° his Ioan. 21. Simon the son of Iohn doest thou loue me more then these And surely seing S. Iohn was among them who was so tenderly beloued of Christ that he was knowen by the name of the Disciple whom Iesus loued Ibidem when Peter is asked whether he loue more theÌ„ they he is in effect asked whether he loue more then any other Apostle or Disciple Neither doth our Lord demaunde this question as a thing whereof he doubted but to instruct vs that Peter loued him more then the other Wherevpon S. Augustine concludeth In Ioan. Tract 24. Sciebat igitur Dominus noÌ„ soluÌ„ quôd diligeret verumetiam quôd plus illis diligeret eum Petrus Therefore our Lord did know that Peter did not onely loue him but also that he loued him more then they And yet seing Peter could not loue Christ more then the other did except Christ had first loued Peter more then he loued the other for Peters excelleÌ„t loue towards Christ must nedes come of the former exceding loue of Christ toward Peter as the scripture it selfe doth teache vs it is out of all controuersie that Christ first loued S. Peter 1. Ioan. 4. Prior dilexit nos more then he loued any other man in the whole world What The question more then he loued S. Iohn Or more then he loued his own Mother I answere An exaÌ„ple that there are diuerse coÌ„siderations of loue Alexander the great had two frindes who loued him for diuerse respects The one called Craterus loued him as king and loked to his honour in matters belonging therevnto The other called Hephestion loued his ê‘son and diligently ê“cured his health aÌ„d priuate wel doing WhereupoÌ„ King Alexander was wont to saie that Craterus loued the King but Hephestion loued Alexander EueÌ„ so Christ loued his Morther aboue all creatures in the respect of that loue which it pleased him as her Sonne to owe vnto his Mother by the Law of nature Exod. 20. And therein he loued her almost incoÌ„parablie aboue S. Peter Likewise he loued personally S. Iohn the Euangelist August in Ioan. Tractat 124. and S. Iohn loued him more then other in that he was a virgin by Christes gift as who had dedicated his bodie and soule to Christ alone But in respect of Christes flock which was to be fed aÌ„d gouerned in the earth in that respect Christ loued S. Peter and S. Peter him more theÌ„ others The which distinction being kept we maie well say that our Lady loued Christ as the Sonne of God taking flesh of her own bodie more then any other and that S. Iohn loued Christ as the cause of his virginitie and the Athour of his chast loue more then any other and that S. Peter loued Christ as the prince of pastours more then anie other 1. Pet. 5. of which last kind of loue Christ now speaketh as it may wel appeare by his owne words For wheÌ„ S. Peter had answered yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus said to hiÌ„ fede my laÌ„bs As who should saie for asmuch as thou in respect of my pastoral power louest me more then these take more power then they to feede my lambs For now sith Peters loue is the cause why Christ geueth him power to feede his lambs according to the measure of the loue the measure of the feeding must be vnderstanded De temp serm 149. Dominus Iesus saith S. Augustine respondenti amoreÌ„ commendat agnos suos dicit pasce oues meas tanquam diceret quid retribues quia diliges me dilectionem ostende in omnibus To Peter answering that he loueth our Lord Iesus commendeth his lambs and saith Feede my shepe as if he should say what wilt thou render to me because thou louest me Shew thy loue toward the shepe The same verie sense S. Chrysostom geueth In Ioan. Hom. 87. Si amas me fratruÌ„ curaÌ„ susci pias If thou louest me or seing thou louest me take the care of thy brethern Yf then the authority of feeding be the reward of Peters loue for asmuch as accordiÌ„g to S. Augustines iudgemeÌ„t grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the expresse word of God Peter loued more theÌ„ the other Peter is now bid to shew more loue in taking cure of his brethern then any other Which thing because he can not doe except he receiue more power and authoritie to feed his brethern Iacob 1. then other haue for Peter can doe no more in that behalfe then is from heaueÌ„ committed to him it doth inuinciblie follow that Christ at this time geueth to Peter alone more povver and authority to feede his sheepe then any other had or can haue For the literal meaning of Christes whole discourse is none other thing then to say for as muche as thou louest me more then these feede my sheepe In the cumpasse or meaning of which wordes it is not possible for any other Apostle to be comprehended aequallie with S. Peter Note this reason For if any other may feed aequallie with him by the force of this commission the same cause of feeding must be in him which is named in this commission That is to say More theÌ„ these he must loue more then these But if any other doe so then hath Peter no commission to feed Christes sheepe because he then doth not loue more then they seing they must loue more then he or els no coÌ„missioÌ„ of feeding is geueÌ„ theÌ„ Who so euer hath this commission to feed
Christes sheep he must first loue Christ the prince of Pastours more thē these as Peter now doth And by these I shewed before alth ' Apostles and disciples to be meant Therefore they are al excluded from this authoritie wherof Christ speaketh presentlie And yet seing the sheepe of the whole worlde are in other places committed to all Io◠7.20 the Apostles the which power concerning al other beside the Apostles them selues is so great that this cā be no greater if these things be wel conferred and weighed together Note we are forced to confesse that this commission whiche geueth more authoritie ouer the sheepe to one then to the reast is not proprely anie Apostolike power for then al the Apostles should haue it aequally but it is an other kind of power which being perhaps not much inferiour to the Apostolike authoritie must stil so remaine in one aboue others so long as the shepe of Christ doe remain as it is now geuen to one more then to other because he loueth more then the other This kind of power is now called the power of one chiefe Bisshop or pastour wherevpon S. Augustine saith cōcerning this very text of scripture and this one pastour S. Peter Dominus in ipso Petro vnitatem commendauit Multi erant Apostoli In hom de pastor c. 13. vni dicitur pasce oues meas Absit vt desint modò boni pastores sed omnes boni pastores in vno sunt vnum sunt Our Lord hath cōmended vnity in Peter himself There were many Apostles and it is said to one feed my shepe God forbid there shoulde lacke now good Pastours but al they are in one they are one S. Augustine manifestly declareth hereby that Saint Peter alone was spoken vnto among other causes for this also to signifie in him selfe being one Pastour the vnitie which al Pastours haue in Christ De sanctis serm 24 the Prince of Pastours In vno Petro figurabatur vnitas omniū Pastorū The vnity of al pastours was signified in Peter alone or in Peter being one Pastour But whereas the vnitie of all good Pastours in Ghrist alone is not literallie expressed in this place of the holy scripture but is onely builded mysticallie vpon the literal storie of Peter being made one shepheard that mystical and allegorical sense is void except this other literal sense be true 1. Cor. 10. Gal. 4. Heb. 9. For al maner allegories are grounded vpon some true and literal historie Therefore S. Peter is indeed made Pastour alone who may conteine al the Pastours of the earth in his vnitie to the ende he thereby may shew that al the good Pastours which haue ben be or shal be are one in Christ the prince of Pastours So that by S. Augustines discourse it is cleare two waies that Peter hath no fellow in this pastoral office whereof Christ now speaketh Both because he alone loueth more then other and he is one pastour in earth for the time to shew that Christ is one euerlasting pastour of his whole flock both in earth and in heauen From S. Augustine let vs passe ouer to S. Chrysostome who hauinge taught that Christe asketh whether Peter loueth him not to teache vs that S. Peter loued him but to informe vs Quantae sibi curae sit gregis huius praefectura how greate care he taketh of the gouernment of this flock concludeth in this wise lib. 2. de Sacerdoti◠Petrū Christus authoritate praeditum esse voluit acreliquos item Apostolos lōgè praecellere Christe would haue Peter to be indowed with authoritie and also to passe a great waie the other Apostles Marke first that it is praefectura gregis the rule and gouernement of the flocke which Christ intendeth Secondlie that Christe would haue Peter to be indowed not onely with grace and vertue but with such authoritie as did apperteine to the feeding of Christes sheep Thirdly that he would him to passe the Apostles and wherein I pray you but in authoritie For he passed them in that thinge wherewith he was indowed But Christ indowed him with authority therefore Peter passed the other Apostles in authoritie Fourthly he passed them longè a great way He passed the Apostles in al other power after some certain sort Hovv S. Peter passed the Apostles either because he had that power first which was geuen them afterward or els because he had that power ordinarily which was extraordinarily geuen them or els because whereas they were heads of the shepe together with him thorough their Apostleshippe he was also their head as being the prince and chefe of the Apostles But aboue all other respects he passed them longè a great way in the power of feeding the shepe as the chiefe bisshop In epist ad Episc per Viennēsem prouinc constitut So that Leo had iust cause to saye Cûm Petro prae caeteris soluendi ligandi sit tradita potestas pascendarum tn̄ ouiū cura specialius mandata est Whereas the power of bindīg and loosing is deliuered to Peter aboue others yet the care of feeding the shepe is more specially committed Will you see how much more specially Arnobius noteth none of the Apostles euer to haue had the name of a Pastour geuen to him by Christ beside S. Peter alone to whome it was said pasce oues meas feede mie sheepe That is to say be thou the pastour of my sheepe Arnobius in Psalm 138. Ioan. 10. Nullus Apostolorum nomen pastoris accepit Solus enim Dominus Iesus Christus dicebat Ego sum Pastor bonus iterum me inquit sequuntur oues meae Hoc ergo nomen sanctum ipsius nominis potestatem post resurrectionem suam Petro poenitenti concessit Ioan. 21. ter negatus negatori suo hāc quam solus habuit tribuit potestatem None of the Apostles hath receaued the name of a pastour Four our Lord Iesus Christ alone did saie I am a good pastour and againe he saith My shepe doe follow me But this holy name and the power thereof after his resurrection he graunted to Peter repenting and being thrise denied he did geue vnto him who denied him this power which he alone had Christ alone had the power to feede his owne flocke this power he gaue to Peter in such sort as none other Apostles had it For he gaue to Peter the name of a Pastour ipsius nominis potestatem and that power which the name did import But as Arnobius said before nullus Apostolorum nomen Pastoris accepit None of the Apostles toke the name of a pastour therefore none of them toke the power of feeding after such sort as the name and power thereof was now geuē to Peter And seing euery Apostle had authority before to feede all nations through his Apostleship this feeding which is now geuen to Peter alone and must be meāt of some other power beside the Apostolike function is doutlesse meant of Peters bishoply
he as the head of all Bishops had it specified to him before they had it For whereas their authority is shewed to haue ben geuen in the eighteÌ„th chapiter of S. Matthew Matth. 18. and in the twenteth of S. Ihon Ioan. 20. the authority of S. Peter is described and promised in the sixtenth of S. Matthew Matth. 16 and it depended of the promise of Christ wherin he said thou shalt be called Peter or the rock the which promise was made as it appereth in S. Ihon not only before the Apostles were chosen Ioan. 1. but also before they were called to be the Disciples of Christ Ad iubaianum In consideration whereof S. Cyprian might boldly say Petro primus Dominus super quem aedificauit Ecclesiam vnde vnitatis originem instituit ostendit potestatem istam dedit vt id solueretur in terris quod ille soluisset Our Lord did first geue vnto Peter vpon whome he built his Church and from whome he did institute and shew the original or beginning of vnity this power that what soeuer he did loose it should be loosed in the earth Notevvel When one hath first that right and power alone which afterward others haue if there be any ordinary power of that thing at al it must nedes be in him who hath it first Ordinary Order For whereas all ordinary power dependeth chefelie of order and whereas in order nothing can be before that which is first First one seing S. Peter had first of all the right of the keyes of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ in himself alone Matth. 16. and seing the power of the keyes that is to saie of forgeuing and of reteining synnes is ordinarily in the Church it caÌ„not be otherwise but that ordinary power was first in S. Peter alone Augustin in Ioan Tract 124. If the pordinary power of binding aÌ„d loosing be once in one pastour alone it must stil coÌ„tinue coÌ„cerniÌ„g that degree in one alone if it shal at the least remaine stil the same power For if it be geuen to many and be equal in them al it is not now the same which was promised and geuen first to Peter alone Monarchie aristocratie democratie but an other kinde of power euen as the gouernment of one prince differreth in kind froÌ„ the gouernment which is equally common either to manie or to the whole people Seing it is cleere that the Apostles had the same power ouer the sheep which S. Peter had coÌ„cerning the exercise of all manner of binding loosing Ioan. 20. preaching and baptising and yet their autoritie could not be the ordinarie power which is in the Church because they were manie wheras the ordinary power was ê“mised before to one alone it doth insue Mat. 16. that they had their authority delegated aÌ„d specially appointed to them extraordinarily The Apostles povver vvas delegated for their liues only Therefore although they fed the flock of Christ as wel as S. Peter yet they did it by delegatioÌ„ and by special coÌ„missioÌ„ wheras S. Peter alone was the ordinarie chiefe shepheard according to whose patern there must still be some one appointed to feed Christes whole flock No man is at this day that which the Apostles were No man is able to write vs an other Gospel or to increase the Canonical Epistles or to warrant that he receiued the first fruits of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. as the Apostles did That authority died with them and came to none other after them aÌ„d consequentlie it was not ordinarie but onely was committed to a few during their owne liues But the ordinary authoritie of this highe administration beganne in one alone and therefore it must continew still in one alone There must be still one Rock Matth. 16 beside and aboue all petite Rockes There must be still one shepheard Ioan. 21. besyde and aboue many petite shepheards There must be still one greater then other Luc. 22. who may be made as the yonger and for whose faith Christ hath prayed to the end he may strengthen his brethern And verily seing as S. Bernard saith there is most perfection in vnitie De consid lib. 2. and in al diuision some imperfection is included shal we thinck that Christ hath chosen to gouern his Churche in earth rather in an vnperfit then in a perfit sort Again sitheÌ„s the state of the new testament must needs be more perfit then the state of the Lawe which brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. and yet seing in the Law the ordinary Pastour was one high Priest aÌ„d Bishop as Aaron and his sede after him hauing manie synagoges and Leuits vnder his supreme gouernmeÌ„t Num. 3. what reason can beare that the state of our visible Church should lacke also in earth one highe priest and bishop ouer manie particular parishes and dioceses Thus haue we both natural reason the exaÌ„ple of the Law and the institution of Christ for one cheefe Bishop And that this was the mind of all the auncient Fathers also it appeareth most euidentlie because they geue such a reason whie the Church was built vpon S. Peter the which reason without an extraordinarie appointement of God caÌ„ neuer agree but onlie to one shepheard who may be aboue the rest I say without an extraordinarie appointment of God for that the Apostles being manie vvhy tvvelue Apostles gouerned equally and being all equal did gouern the church in a maruelouse vnitie and concord as if thei had ben al but one man The which spirit of vnity Christ gaue them that his institution of twelue equall gouernours for the time might wel appere not to be slaunderouse or hurtful vnto his Churche For he would neuer haue sent manie with equal authoritie into the whole world except he had ben able to make them gouern with one minde spirit aÌ„d hart But seing it were stil a miraculouse thing to see twelue and much more to see manie thousand bisshops and rulers being al equal stil to gouern the whole Church in their equal authoritie without schisme as the Apostles did that Apostolike authority being only instituted for the better publishing of the faith doth now cease and one shepherd is ordinarily alone set ouer al by whose general power it may appere that Christes Churche is but one For that is the reason which S. Cyprian bringeth why Christ built his Churche vppon S. Peter Ecclesia quae vna est super vnuÌ„ qui claues eius accepit Ad Iubaianum voce DnÌ„i fundata est The church which is one was fouÌ„ded by our Lords voice vpon one who toke the keies therof De simplicitate praelatorum And againe QuaÌ„uis Apostolis omnibus c. tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem origineÌ„ ab vno incipienteÌ„ sua authoritate disposuit Although Christ after his resurrection geueth to al the Apostles like power and saith As my Father sent
dimidium temporis The Saints shal be deliuered in his haÌ„d vntil a time that is to saie one yere times that is two yeres more and half a time that is halfe a yere And that we may be sure this interpretation to be true it is noted of S. Augustin that Daniel afterward nuÌ„breth the daies aÌ„d in the Apocalips the moneths are also nuÌ„bred Apoc 13. to wit forty and two moneths Daniel saith FroÌ„ the time wherin the continual Sacrifice shall be taken away and the abhomination of desolatioÌ„ shal be set vp daies a thowsand Daniel 12 two hundred nientie Where S. Hierom saith Perspicuum est tres istos semis annos de Antichristi dici temporibus qui tribus semis aÌ„nis hoc est mille ducentis nonaginta diebus sanctos persecuturus est Et postea corruiturus in monte inclyto sancto It is euident that these three yeres aÌ„d an halfe are said of the time of Antichrist who shal ê‘secute the saints three yeres aÌ„d an half that is a thousand two huÌ„dred aÌ„d nienty daies and afterward he shal fal in the glorious and holy hil Of the same mind were Eusebius Caesariensis Appollinarius Laodicenus and Methodius whoÌ„ S. Hierom nameth at the end of the same Chapiter S. Irenaeus likewise saith Iren. lib. 5. Aduersus haeres Cùm vastauerit Antichristus omnia in hoc mundo regnans annis tribus mensibus sex sederit in templo Hierosolymis tunc veniet Dominus c. When Antichrist reigning three yers and six moneths shall haue spoyled all things in this worlde and shal sit in the Temple at Ierusalem theÌ„ our Lord shal come If Antichrist then preuaileth but three yeres and a halfe seing the Popes haue kept their succession fiftene huÌ„dred yeres together and haue had their teÌ„poral power which is annexed to the bishoprik eueÌ„ by the coÌ„fession of our Aduersaries at the least these viij or ix huÌ„dred yeres I can not see what ground they haue to teache the Pope to be Antichrist himself I might adde to these differences that Helias shal come at the time of Antichrist as a Serm. de Antich Hippolytus b De ciuit lib. 20. c. 19 S. Augustine c in 2. Thessal S. Chrysostome and d in 2. Thessal Theodoretus teache who is not yet come although the Popes hath florisshed so long Item that Antichriste shall be born of the tribe of Dan as a lib. 5. Irenaeus b de Anti. Hippolytus c in 2. Thessal Theodoretus and S. d In 14. in Iob. 11. Gregorie haue written wheras the Popes are of no suche tribe and also that Antichrist cometh but euen a litle before the end of the world as a Lib. 5. Irenaeus saith and b Lib. 20. c. 19 S. Augustin and c in 2. Thessal Theodoretus In ipso tempore coÌ„summationis in the verie time of the last end But either these former differences doe suffise or with them who haue settled their hartes against the truth of Gods worde and againste the iudgement of the Catholike fathers no arguments at al wil preuail Whose infinite selfe will if it be punisshed with infinite damnation it is but the iust iudgement of God Onelie I beseche him to staie their harts whiles yet the time of penance is not shut vp I haue not lightlie spoken one word in this behalfe without authoritie because the matter is harde and aboue mans capacitie In so muche that S. Hierom considering Daniel him selfe not to haue perceued the mysteries before they were expounded to him writeth in this wise In cap. Dan. 12. Si Propheta audiuit non intellexit quid faciunt hi qui signatum librum vsque ad tempus consummationis multis obscuritatibus inuolutum praesumptione mentis edisserunt Yf the Prophet did heare and did not vnderstand what shal they doe who by presumption of the minde do expouÌ„d and declare the book sealed and folded vppe with many obscurities vntil the time of consummation Let now the Protestants speak without the booke after their presumptuous phantasie or els let them shew vs one auncient Father of the first six hundred yeres among so many as haue writeÌ„ who said at any time the Pope of Rome was or should be Antichrist Dan. 7. Ioan. 5. 2. Thess 2 Or if none can be named yea if the Prophets the Gospels the Apostle describe Antichrist in suche wise that it is impossible for the Popes to be meant thereby shal yet this furious opinion stil preuaile It shal in deed but with men possessed by some euil spirit who haue neyther eyes at libertie to see nor eares to heare nor common sense to conceiue either the word of God or the consent of graue and lerned men God opeÌ„ the eyes of the blind if it be his wil. The argument of the Protestants Now whereas to make a shewe of somwhat the Protestants alleage that Babylon is expounded by Tertullian to be Rome and that Rome is called the harlet clothed with purple in Saint Hierome and that there are the seuen hils whiche are spokeÌ„ of in the Apocalips Apoc. 13. If these men care not what they saie or how they allege the Fathers so that they may seeme to the ignorant not to lack wordes I can not enuie them their small pleasure which shal be afterward recompensed with so bitter a sauce of aeternal damnation But if they seek the truthe with a syncere coÌ„science thei are wel assured that Rome is called BabiloÌ„ not in respect of the Christians which are now there but oÌ„ly in respect of the coÌ„fusioÌ„ of al tongs aÌ„d al peple whiche haunted thither in the time of th' Emperors And then Rome was ful of Idolatry aÌ„d did persecute the Saints and did put to death aboue thirty of the first Bisshops of Rome So that Rome is called Babylon for persecuting the Bishops and not for honouring them For disobeying the Popes and not for obeying them Ad algaesiam Againe S. Hierom expoundeth the harlet clothed with red purple namely to be that euerlasting wordlie Empire and monarchie which as the Romans dreamed should continue stil ouer the whole world The which opinion of the eternity of the Roman Empire S. Hierom calleth the name of blasphemy which is writen in the harlets forhead And in this respect the RomaÌ„ Empire prepared a way for the abhomination to come which being once come to his ripenes Antichrist shal be reuealed One of the graetest signes of whose comming is the weakenes of the RomaÌ„ Empire Which when it is cleane taken away then cometh Antichrist But it is to be vnderstanded if I shall play the child with childish Diuines that the city of Rome at this daie standeth not vppon the seuen hils but as the Empire is gonne from the city so is the City gonne from the hils and standeth in the plaine along by the riuers side in the field which sometime
threatenings of the Emperour what neede is there of men who haue the title of bishoppes When hath it bene heard of since the beginning of the world Note when did the iudgement of the church take his autority frō the Emperor or whē at any time was this acknouleged for a iudgemēt There haue ben very many synods hertofore many iudgements of the Church haue ben kept But neither the Fathers went about to persuade these things to the prince nor the Prince did shew himselfe curiouse in the matters of the Churche Paule the Apostle hadde frinds in Cesars howse and did salute the Philippians in their name in his letters yet did he not take them as his fellowes in iudgement By this ye may perceaue that no Emperours at al were they neuer so good no County Palatines or secular Lords be they neuer so much faithful as Constās was ād those of th' Emperors house of whome S. Paule speaketh haue yet any right or power Philip. 4. to sitte presidents in Ecclesiastical matters otherwise then to kepe ciuil order and peace but onlie those to whom God hath committed the cure of sowles In so much that Athanasius douteth not by name to call Constantius the foreruner of Antichrist because he being a secular prīce intermedled with the spiritual gouernment of the Churche Quid igitur Constantius quod Antichristi non sit In epist vbi antè omisit aut quomodo ille in aduentu suo non repererit sibi expeditam viam ad dolos ab isto praeparatam Siquidem in locum ecclesiasticae cognitionis suum palatium tribunal earum caufarum constituit séque earum litium summum principem authorem facit What hath Constantius then omitted that doth not appertain to Antichrist Or how shal not Antichrist when he cometh finde a fitte way for him to all deceits prepared by this mā ▪ For in steede of the Ecclesiasticall iudgement The part of Antichrist he appointeth his palace to be the place of iudgement for their causes and maketh himselfe the chiefest prince and bearer out of those controuersies Ibidē vbi antè And againe Grauia sunt ista plusquam grauia sed tamen istiusmodi quae congruant in eum qui Antichristi imaginem induerit Quis enim videns eum in decernendo principem se facere Episcoporū praesidere iudicijs Ecclesiasticis non meritò dicat illū eam ipsam abominationem desolationis esse quae à Daniele praedicta est nam cùm circumamictus sit Christianismo caet These things are greuous and more then greuous but yet they are such as doe well agree to him who hath put on the the Image of Antichrist For who seing him in making a decree to take vpon him to be prince of the bishops and to be president in Ecclesiastical iudgemēts may not worthely say that he is the abomination of the desolation which was foretold by Daniel The property of antichrist For when he being clothed with Christianitie doth both enter into the holie places and also being there doth spoile Churches abrogate the Canons vsing force to make men obserue and keepe his commaundements who will at anie tyme dare say that this is a quiet tyme to the Christians and not rather a persecution and such a persecution as neither hath ben before nor perchance no man will at any tyme make again but that sonne of iniquity which is Antichrist Thus haue we the determinate sentence of Athanasius of Athanasius I say the most notable bishop that euer was for vertue and lerning since the Apostles time And his sentence is that the Christiā Emperor and the like is of any Christian Prince who taketh vpō him to be prince of the bishops in making a decree and to be president in Ecclesiasticall iudgements is a mēber of that abominable desolatiō wherof Daniel prophecied Can any plainer sentence be wished for to conclude my present purpose Neither was this doctrine only meant of an heretical Emperour for the Catholike Emperour Constans is praised for not medling with Church matters Philip. 4. Yea S. Paule is alleaged not to haue communicated the Church matters with those good Christians of Cesars howse I know with what wranglers I haue to doe They wil bring examples to shew that some Emperours haue sitten in general Coūcels as Constantine the great Martianus ād some others But I answere that they satte to kepe good order and to preserue peace and quietnes among the bishops speciallie because the Archeheretikes were commonly themselues great Prelates as being the patriarches of Antioche or of Alexandria or of Constantinople Who yf the Emperour were not present would vse force in the stede of holy scriptures as Dioscorus did In the schismatical Ephesine Coūcel and Eusebius of Nicomedia in the tyme of the Arrians For the preseruing thē of ciuil and ecclesiastical peace the Emperour was present ād not as supreme iudge in Ecclesiasticall causes S. Ambrose noteth and thincketh that euen an heretical Emperour comming to yeres of discreatiō wil be hable to consider In epi. 32. VVhat maner of bishop M. Horn i◠qualis ille Episcopus sit qui Laicis ius Sacerdotale substernit what manner of bishop he is who layeth the priestly right vnder the laye mens seete And yet by geuing of the most proud and most intolerable title of supreame Head or gouernor in al ecclesiastical causes to lay princes al the religiō vsed now in England wholy standeth What bishoppes then are those of England who making the secular prince their head putte the priestly right vnder his feete S. Augustine being fully persuaded that nothing could be greater then a priest in the house of God therevpon concludeth that Moyses must nedes haue ben a priest for saieth he nunquid maior sacerdote esse poterat August in Psalm 98. Could he be greater then a priest Yea Marie saith M. Horn he might haue ben a King or a secular Prince But S. Augustine knew no such diuinity And yet the worlde toward the comming of Antichrist is growne so wise that these men haue found now that euery Emperor King Prince or Duke who hath any temporall state of his owne is greater euen in Ecclesiasticall causes then the lawfull successour of S. Peter This I say is the diuinity of England For therein our countrie maketh a peculiar Secte of his owne wherein they disagree euen from their fellow Caluinistes But lette them loke to it as well as they will they shal finde it a badge of Antichrist as Athanasius hath plainlie affirmed And when the daie of triall commeth it shall euidentlie appeere that those are most faithfull subiects to the prince who geue him his due place of honour in Gods Churche without derogation to that heauēly power of bishops which Christ himself came down from hauen to plant and whom he hath set euen ouer the Kings themselues Ioan. 21. as being the sheepe of their foldes Theod. lib.