so odiouse a thinge was in his eares the name of the churche that for the worde churche he gaue the worde Reipub. coÌ„mon welthe Much like honestie showed an other of youre coÌ„panions in translating the Grieke writer of the ecclesiasticall historie Socrates Who making mention of certeine lettres sent by Iulius then pope to the bishoppes assembled at Antioche wherein he repreheÌ„deth them that contrarie to the canons and rules of the churche theie had holden a Councell not calling him thither whereas by the order of the churche there maie be no Councell kepte withoute the auctoritie of the B of Rome He turned the wordes there maie be no lawes made or no councell holden into these there maie be no churches consecrate without the B. of Romes auctoritie Which wordes if they had bene so had giueÌ„ yet no small preeminence to the B. of Rome for whose licence to consecrate a churche theie shoulde be faine to runne from the fardest parte of the Easte churche to Rome in the west But seing this coulde by no meanes be the minde of the author who in that chapitre mencioneth not one worde of the dedicating of anie churche and that the complaint of the bishop had bene moste childishe and without all witte to haue saide that theie had done euel in not calling him to their councell because by the canons without his auctoritie there mighte be no churches consecrate and that also thereof he him selfe coulde not be ignorant it must necessarilie folowe that he did it of wicked malice In your doinges and allegations M. Iuell is your faithe the 〈◊〉 yowe and dealing any better No truly For if it had neuer woulde yow so falsely and vntruly haue alleaged the wordes of that excellent and learned bishop of blessed memory Steuin Gardiner B. of winchestre vpon whome in youre replie to M. Doctour Cole yow father these wordes as writteÌ„ by him in his booke called Marcus Anton. Constantius Quôd ait panem in sua substantia vel natura manere vel substantiam sentit Accidente vel naturâ— proprietatem and calle it a strange phrase of speache to say Substantiam accidente as truly it had bene if he had either so saide or written But because he did neither yow haue well signified to the worlde that it is no newe or straunge thing with yow to carie aboute in youre vnquiet heade a lieng sclaunderouse tongue The wordes of the bishop entreating of the place obiected by the heretike out of Gelasius arre these Quòd addit in sua substantia vel natura manere he meaneth panem vinum which wordes go before vel subsistentiam sentit accidentium vel naturae proprietatem The which how farre they differ from youres all men may see and youre selfe can not be ignorant This manner of dealing to laie to the catholikes charges wordes that they neuer spake vsed long ago Celsus the heretike as Origene reporteth of him But to let this passe if yow had ment which of all other in goddes matters especially yow ought to haue done to deale plainely simply and vprightely woulde yow euer haue brought ageinst the reading of sainctes liues in the churche the third councell of Carthage Woulde you haue alleaged the first parte of the canon Placuit vt praeter scriptur as canonic as nihil in ecclesia legatur that is we haue agreed that nothing be reade in the churche besides the canonicall scriptures and haue lefte oute the last Sub nomine diuinarum scripturarum vnder the name of holie scripture Wherebie might haue appeared that the scope of those fathers gathered together in that councell was not to banishe oute of the churche the legendes of sainctes liues but to agree vpon such bookes of holie scripture as the auctoritie whereof being oute of doubte theie woulde haue to be readen in the churche for scripture and no other And therefore in that canon we finde named for canonicall scripture to be reade in the churche the bookes of the Machabees the epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues and also that of S. Iames all though theie be not enrolled in youre registâ—r of Genâ—ua And that this councell ment nothing lesse then to forbid the reading of sainctes liues in the churche the other wordes that folowe if yowe had not guilefullie suppressed them woulde well haue declared where the same councell by expresse wordes permitteth that yearelie on the martirs daies their liues maie be reade in the churche Thus plaide yow before with the decree of Anacletus excepte yowe will saie that there yowe cut of the first parte and here yowe left oute the last Thus alleaged yow corruptelie the wordes of Leo his epistle which being that the prieste maie celebrate Masse offer the sacrifice because yowe woulde not haue those wordes sticke in youre readers teethe yowe wer so bolde to change with him and as the englishe prouerbe hath to steale a goose and sticke in her place a fether Whereas for those wordes yowe saie that Leo permitteth the prieste to ministre two or three communions in one daie Thus till yowe coate the place where yowe finde those wordes will we saie that yowe haue sarued Theophilus Alexandrinus as before in the article of communion vnder one kinde I haue noted Thus alleaged yow once in a sermon that yow made in S. Peters churche in Oxford in the Lent a saing of S. Austen for the mariage of votaries then which neither he nor all the other fathers that euer wrote haue or can speake more directlie ageinst them And yet yow so cunning a Maister yow ar in youre arte made it iust to serue youre purpose For whereas S. Austens wordes ar these Quapropter non possum dicere a proposito meliori lapsas si nupserint foeminas adulteria esse non coniugia Sed planè non dubitauerim dicere lapsus ruinas à castitate sanctiori quae vouetur Deo adulterijs esse peiores that is wherefore I can not saie that such women if theie fall from their better purpose and marie that this is adulterie and not mariage but this I dare be bolde to saie that the falling and sliding awaie from holie chastite vowed to god is worse then adulterie yow deuide the senteÌ„ce iust in the middest and where he saithe that he caÌ„not calle such mariages adulterie that swete soppe yowe keepe for youre owne toothe but that which foloweth that he dareth be bolde to call such manner of dealing worse then adulterie that sower sauce yow make no mention of at all but leaue it to such scrupulouse consciences as will not breake their fast with youre deintie delicates Thus much touching youre vneuen dealing in Christes cause Whereof I can saie no more but hartelie praie to god that bothe yowe and as manie take youre parte maie earnestlie repent and be hartely sorie therefore YOVRE rebellion and open war proclaimed agenst youre prince your sacking his townes your robbing his treasour your
hereafter In the meane season that theie will haue of Christes church here in earthe no other head but Christ him self therein they fare me thincketh not much vnlike to a certein â—elon of whome I haue harde that being areigued 〈◊〉 â—he bar for a felonie when he had pleadid to the 〈◊〉 not guilty and was after the manner demaunded how he would be tried he would suspecting his own case and knowing that if he satisfied the law in putting him self apon the tryall of the country there wer no moe waies with him but one make thereto no other answer but onely that he would put him self apon god the righteous iudge of all who although he saide truely that god was the chief iudge of all as the protestants doe in calling Christ the head of the churche yet was there in his case an other iudge here in this worlde vnder god by whom he must haue byn tried as there is in theirs an other head here in the churche to ordre them and kepe them vnder and in whom Christ the chief head of all vseth in all necessary knowledge to giue answer And as the felon knewe well that there was an other iudge beside god and appealed not to him as though before him he should haue ben acquitted and proued not guilty but onelie to gaine a longer time of life and libertie so doe I dout not our aduersaries the protestants And trulie to both thiese kynde of men being bothe theeues th'one sort doing violence to the body the other to the soule if such pleas might be allowed howe so euer they be coloured with the name of Christ betwene them both they would freelie robbe the body and murther the soule But let vs now examine this reason of theirs whereof they ar wont so much to triumphe Christ is head of the church Ergo the pope is not Ergo it câ—a haue no other head That Christ is the head of the church we graunted before and none of our syde did euer yet deny yt But as it is most manifest that Christ him self is the worcker of all his sacraments for he baptizeth he forgiueth sinnes he consecrateth his blessed body and bloud he ioineth together in matrimony the man and his wife and yet forasmuch as he should nedes departe out of this worlde and could not alwaies dwell with vs after a corporall manner he hath chosen ministres to dispense those his giftes by And we saye and no fault found therewith that the priest his ministre baptizeth that he forgiueth sinnes that he consecrateâ—h his most preâ—ious body and bloud So after the same manner and for the same cause that is to say because he could not be alwayes present with vs in such sort as we might see him and speake with him face to face to be resolued at his mouth of such doubtes and questions as should arâ—se emongest vs he left vs also one that in that his absence should gouern and rule his whole churche He remaineth neuerthelesse head thereof he ruleth he reigneth he exerciseth his power and authorite in the same but yet by man his ministre whome for that cause most aptly the Scholasticall writers haue termed caâ—â—â— minâ—â—â—eriale that is to saye a head but yeat by the reason of his seruice and ministerie vnder an other that is Christ â—ho is onelie absolutely simply and without all relation to any other the head thereof Not as though he wer not hable to rule the same without any such help or instrument which he could haue doen also in the olde lawe where his pleasure was that the people should resort to the chief priest to be resolued in all doutes arising apon the lawe and had no more nede of help then then he hath now but for that this waye it hath pleased hym to 〈◊〉 his exâ—eding great loue towards mankind 〈…〉 of emongest men such as he will execute 〈…〉 worlde 〈◊〉 as he will vse as his mouth to 〈◊〉 the secretes of his holâ—e pleasure to vs and fâ—â—ally such as should represent to vs his owne parson Because Châ—â—stâ—s king of all kinges and lord of all lordâ—â— because if it so pleased him he could rule all this worlde much better then it is ruled without the help of any other whereof he hath his absolute power considered no nedeâ— shall we therefore say that there be not nor nede to be any kynges here in â—â—â—the When S. Paule called the man the head of the woman denied he therefore Christ to be her head Kinge Saul when he was called by the prophet Samuel caput in tribubus Israël the head of the tribues of Israel was god thinck you excluded that he should not be their head To vse examples more familier th'archebishop of Cauntorbury is the head of the bishoprick and diocesse of London as he is of all the bishoprickes within his prouince and yet can not a man infer apon this that therefore the B. of London is not the head of that his diocesse But Christ hath no suche nede our aduersaries crye still to haue any man to be in his stede to succede him in the whole enheritance Nam Christum semper adesse eccle siae suae vicario homine qui ex asse in integrum â—uccedat non â—gere these be their very wordes in their apologie Here would I like a frinde aduertise them that for ther pooer honesties sake they harp not to much on this string left by their so doing they comme as nere to the heresie of Suenkfeldius as he whom in their apologie they falselie sclaunder therewith is far bothe from that and all other For Suenkfeldius emongest other his abhominable heresies hath also this in my opinioÌ„ the chiefest that we ought to banish vtterly from emongest vs all scripture and as Hosius writeth of him thys heresie of hys to derogate from the scriptures all auctoritie he went also about to proue bi scripture But howe I praie you good readers By what reason thinck you would he haue proued this diuelish and most absurde doctrine Beleue me or rather your owne iudgements seing and perceiuing most plainely that I lie not by the self same reasons that our aduersareis doe vse to proue that Christes churche here in earth can haue vnder him no head or chief gouernour to gouern the same Thow must not be parfect in the scriptures saith this stincking heretike Swenckfield But whie because forsooth we must be taught at gods mouth because his worde teacheth truly the scripture is not his worde but dead lettres and no more accompte to be made of them then of other creatures emongest the which they ar to be reconed We must loke to be taught froÌ„ heauen not out of bookes The holie ghost vseth to coÌ„me froÌ„ aboue without the help of meanes as hearing preaching or reading the scriptures Thieâ—e be that wicked heretike his folish and vnsauery persuasions And what other thing is it I praie you good readers
forsoth he could he saide finde no roume for him there and therefore of his charitie 〈◊〉 that if any good fellow emongest his audieâ—ce wer weâ—rie of his roume he might be placed the re as verilie â— both thinck and knowe there wer manie that wished bothe them selues away and him in Bedlem emongest his compagnions neuer to come more in pulpit especiallie in that place to dishonor the vniuersitie his mother from whence he cam by such vnreasonable not reasoning but rayling although he I say could finde there no place for the pope he might yet haue wyth his yong sight founde at the least that which Iohn Caluin could before with his old and dimme eies espie out that is that the chiefest place of gouernement in Christes churche belonged to the apostles and so to the bishops and priestes their successors Except his braine would serue him to say that Christes churche died with his apostles But if a man should aske this great clercke that hath so narowely scanned the texte what roome he found there for Kinges I maruâ—ll what his wisdome would answer There is but one word in all the texte that should seeme to make place for any temporaâ—l magistrate and that hath Caluin watred with such a glose that it can in no wise serue his purpose The worde is gubernationes gouernements placed beside so far from the chiefest and first place if it wer to be vnderstand of temporal magistrates that it occupieth the seuenth But Caluin saieth it may not so be vnderstand but that the apostle ment by that word such spirituall men as wer ioined to the preachers for the better ordre in spirituall gouernement And he addeth a reason why it may not be vnderstande of ciuile magistrates because saith he there wer at that time none of them christians By which wordes this mery man maie see that if he will nedes daunce after his maister Caluin his pipe he muste saie that there is not not onelie no roume in this place for ciuile magistrates but that he is excluded alâ—o from the hope of finding for them anie I meane in the gouernement in ecclesiasticall causes in any other place of the newe testament But not in this place onely was S. Paule of that minde that priestes should gouern the churche of christ but in that notable sermon of his also that he made to the priestes of Ephesus at his departure from thence where he giueth them this exhortation Attendite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam dei Looke saith he to your selues and to your flock in the which the holie ghost hath placed yow to rule and gouern the church of god Can there be any plainer euidence then is this Let them therefore eyther rule as S. Paule saith they ar appointed thereto and that by the holie ghost or if princes must let vs deny sainct Paule his auctoritie and say that the spirite failed him for surelie bothe maie not And thus for the scriptures good readers ye see to whom of right that parte of ecclesiasticall gouernement which standeth in the alowing and condemning of doctrine dothe apperteine For that doe the auctorites by me out of the old testament alleaged expressely proue as also doe those brought out of the newe by a necessarie consequence in that they giue to them the whole gouernement and chief souereintie of which this is as is before saide a parte The nexte membre of spirituall gouernement is thepower as Christ him self calleth it of binding and loosing Which power to excomunicate and to absolue our sauiour gaue to his apostles when he saied to them what so euer yow binde in earth shalbe bound in heaueÌ„ and what so euer yow loose on the earthe shall be loosed in heauen Wherein and in the last which is to preache and ministre the sacramentes because thiese peuish proctours pretend not as yet any greate title for princes but seeme rather to ground their action in the first I will leauing them bothe as either by the scriptures in all mennes iudgements sufficiently defended or by our aduersaries them selues not assaulted examine of what minde touching this controuersie the holy doctours of Christes churche from time to time haue byn Not as though maÌ„nes word should haue with vs more auctoritie then goddes or that it nedeth to be boulstred vp there with but for this causeonelie that if it happen theÌ„ to wrangle as their manner is about the true interpretacion thereof all men may perceiue that we giue no other then the fathers of christes churche before vs haue giuen And here to begin with Ignatius that holy martir who for the faithe of Christ was with the teethe of wild beastes torn and as he writeth him selfe sawe our sauiour in fleshe coÌ„sidre I beseche yow in the prescribing of such ordre for obedience in Christes churche as wherebie vnitie might be preserued what place of preeminence he giueth to Emperours who ar of the laietie the greatest estates and what to bishops his wordes ar thiese Principes obedite Caesari milites principibus diaconi praesbiteris sacrorum prefectis praesbiteri diaconi reliquus clerus vnâ cum omni populo militibus principibus Caesa re episcopo episcopus Christo sicut Christus patri vt ita vnitas per omnia seruetur Princes saith he obey your emperour souldiors your princes deacons the priestes which haue the charge of religion priestes deacons all the rest of the cleargie with the people what so euer they ar souldiors princes yea the emperor him self be yow obedient to your bishop the bishop to Christ as Christ is obedient to his father that so vnitie maie in all poinctes be obserued Here may we see good readers that euen in the daies of this holie martir Ignatiâ—s it was then thought necessary and expedient that for the better obseruing of vnitie the emperour him self should obey the bishop well I wot our aduersaries will not restreine this obeâ—ience to temporall gouernement and therefore it must nedes be vnderstand of spirituall and in causes ecclesiasticall But if th'obseruing of this obedience be the way to conserue vnitie what shall we alas thinck of them that laboure to violat and breake the same as doe all they that trauail to make princes in matters of religion to rule and bishoppes to obeye The same worthy bishop and constant martâ— Ignatius writing in an other place ad Smirnenses biddeth he them not to honor first god next the bishop as bering his image and then after the king Policarpus disciple to saincte Iohn theuangelist of priestes and deacons writeth thus Subiecti estote praesbiteris diaconis sicut deo Christo. Be ye subiect to the priestes and deacons as to god and Christ. Is this any other to say then as thapostle said before him Obedite ijs qui vigilant pro animabus vestris Obey yow them which kepe the watche
I had not nor could getanie other copie The place is thus Pour tant ceulx qui despouillenâ— l' Eglise de ceste puisance pour exalter be magistrate ou la iustice terriene non seulemeÌ„t corroÌ„pent le sens des paroles de Christe par faulse interpretation mais aussi accusent d' une grande vice les sainctz euesques qui ont estè en grand nombre depuis be temps des Apostres comme â—iilz eussent vsurpè la dignitè office du magistrate subz fauls se couerture That is to saie in englishe Those therefore which to exalt the magistrat or earthely iustice doe spoile the churche of this power he meaneth and speakith of the ordre touching churche matters doe corrupt not onelie the sense of Christes owne wordes by false interpretation but doe also accuse of a heynouse faulte the holie bishops whereof the nombre is not small which haue bin sence the apostles time as though they had vsurped by false colouring the matter the office and dignitie of the magistrate Nowe choose good readers whether ye had rather beleue Caluin mainteining the auctoritie and iurisdiction of the churche or our clawebackes and parasites which impugne the same The one hath scripture to defende it The other hath nothing to assaulte it The scripture saeith that in doutefull questions we should resort to the priestes that at their word should all matters be decided that they should iudge that at their handes we should demaunde knowlege that their lippes be the kepers thereof because they ar our lordes angells Nowe coÌ„meth the heretike the peruerter of scripture he telleth vs that we must seke it at the princes handes that he is goddes chiefest ministre in thinges and causes aswel ecclesiasticall as temporall The scripture reaconeth in the first place in Christes churche apostles that is to say priestes for we maie not thinck that in that place the apostle described a forme of the churche to endure but for that onelie age The heretike will haue princes placed aboue and priestes benethe The holie ghost appointed bishoppes and priestes to gouern the flock of Christ that is the churche The diuell in his meÌ„bres appointeth ciuile magistrates to rule and priestes to obey So that herebie we maie most euidentlie see how manifestly they peruert and corrupt the true sense and meaning of gods worde As for the other poinct which Caluin also laieth to their charge of accusing of a most heynouse and grieuouse fault the auncient bishoppes that haue bin sence th'apostles time as though they had by vnlaufull meanes vsurped to them selues the office and dignitie of the Magistrate it is also if their doctrine wer true most plaine and euident eueÌ„ at the eye For first if kinges must be the chiefe gouernours in matters of religion and bishoppes their vnderlinges who seeth not then how far Ignatius that holy martyr abused bothe him self and vs to bid all men without exception euen th'emperor him self by name to the obedient to the bishop to tell vs that after him next the king is to be honored If this be true which they teache who is he that can excuse Liberius that holie father who for the determining of matters coÌ„cerning the cuhrche would haue a sinode kept where the emperour should not so much as be present Or that reuerend father Hosius who willed th'emperour not to entremedle in ecclesiasticall causes nor to comptroll or commaunde the bishoppes therein but to learne of the in those thinges to whose charge they wer committed not to his Or Athanasius that strong piller of Christes churche who when he saw that wicked emperour Constantius doe that which the heretikes of this our time perswade the Kinges and Emperours that now arre to doe as the Arrians did those of their age that is to take apon him the determination of matters ecclesiasticall to make him selfe chief iudge bothe of the bishoppes and causes belonging to the churche called him that abhomination of desolatioÌ„ spoken of by Daniel the prophet and pronounced that for his so doing his impietie was such as Antichrist when he should comme him self should not be able to goe beyond termed it a newe deuise brought in by the Arrians and finally demaunded but one example ab oeuo condito from the beginning of the world where by it might appeare that the doinges of the churche should take their auctoritie from th'emperour till Arrius his time Or Gregorius Nazianzenus who told th'emperour that by the lawe of Christ his power was subiect to his consistory and that although he wer an emperour yeat was he not withstanding a shepe of his flock Or S. Ambrose that bad the emperour set his hart at rest and not to thinke that he had by the right of his crowne any auctoritie in those matters that concerned religion that his palaice belonged to him and the churche to the priestes Or Chrisostom who comparing the power of a King with the auctoritie of a priest calleth the one a prince aswell as the other and greater theÌ„ he toe by so much as heauen is greater then the earth and addeth that god him self to witnesse the same hath brought vnder the handes of the priest the head of the prince For that saith he that is lesser is blessed of the greater Who in an other place saieth that the power which is geuen to priestes is such as the like thereto was neuer giuen to Angels or Archangels seing that to none of them it was euer said what so euer yow binde in earthe shalbe bound in heauen or what so euer yow loose in earthe shalbe loosed in heauen Or how wer it possible if this doctrine of our aduersaries wer true to excuse Damascenus for reprehending Leo Isaurus as yow haue hard before the emperour and many a one more of the holie fathers which for breuities sake I am here constreined to passe ouer in silence Leauing therefore our aduersaries thus at square both with the old fathers and their newe doctours it is high time good readers that I remembre to discharge my self of my promise which was to laie before your eyes such euidence as in this matter ether part had to bring for theÌ„ selfe Which as I haue for the catholikes according to my simple wit and pooer knowledge allreadie done so shall I by goddes grace on the contrary parte for the protestaÌ„tes and Huguenotes faithefully endeuor to doe the like And because for that aswell of all the poisoned reasons touching either this matter or almost any other at this day in question the late apologie of the churche of EnglaÌ„d for so is it by th' authors termed may well be called as it wer the some or abridgemeÌ„t as also for that there is as it should seme and sence hath byn coÌ„fessed in it comoÌ„ consent of all the fantasticall congregation I meane of them that trouble Christes churche in our countrie
sacrifices and executed the ceremonies he had also therein the souereintie and superioritie And thus much for answer to that obiection made of two high priestes But to make this matter more euident and to folowe my purpose this is not sainct Austens minde alone that the man should so fret and fume at him therefore For Gregorius Nazianzenus hath of Moyses and Aaron in plaine wordes that they wer bothe priestes and alleageth to proue it as sainct Austen did the Psalme where they ar so called with diuerse other auncient writers whome because I take the case to be cleare emongest the learned I here forbeare to alleage and am for this tyme contented to giue to our aduersaries the larger scope to put the case as though Moyses had being no priest corrected and reproued AaroÌ„ that was one that he prescribed to him what he should doe that he made him priest as it appeareth by the scriptures he did The which imagined to be true I aske this question whether it doe therefore folow that princes being lay men may at this day in matters of religion comptroll the bishoppes and prescribe vnto them what ordre they shall obserue and folow therein whether they maie also giue ordres to priestes and consecrate bishoppes now because Moyses consecrated Aaron then No trulie if yow will beleue Iohn Caluin it is an vntrue and a false collection â–ª For that Moyses saieth he had bothe the charges that is of thinges aswell ecclesiasticall and spirituall as ciuile and politike together to that I answer that it was done first by miracle and secoÌ„darily that that was but temporall till such time as thinges wer better staied For afterward saieth he as sone as god had ordeined a forme such as he â—ould should continue there remained to Moyses but onely the ciuile gouernement concerning the priestehood it was necessarie that he should resigne that to his brother Aaron And good reason whieâ— for it passeth naturall power that one man should susteine bothe the charges Hetherto Caluin Now if it be so that this auctoritie of Moyses cam to him by miracle or that he had it by especiall commission then can we not yow wot of either of these two cases gather a necessary consequence And thus might we answer our aduersaries good readers euen by their owne Doctour But cleauing to the scriptures and auncient fathers of Christes churche we hold the first opinion that Moyses was a priest and that in that respect he had auctoritie ouer the priestes and not as he was a prince The next example that they alleage is of Iosue who being also a ciuile magistrate receiued they saie at the time that he was appoincted to gouerne the people expresse commaundement and by name of religion and worshiping of god But by what wordes that would I faine knowe For in that chapitre by them in their apologie alleaged can I finde no wordes wherebie there might be grounded in temporall men as we call them or ciuile magistrates anie such auctoritie ouer matters of religion as they labour to induce For first this is out of all question that in one of these two sentences it is which I shall here alleage or that elles it is not there to be looked for The first of the which two is this Conforâ—are esto robustus c. Be of good comfort and be strong that thow maiest kepe and doe all the lawe which Moyses my seruant hath commaunded the. Swarue not either to the right hande or to the lefte that thow maiest vnderstande all thinges that thow doest Is there here good readers any auctoritie giueÌ„ to meddle with religion was there not as much as this cometh to saied to euery one of the children of Israell that they should trulie obserue the coÌ„maundementes giuen to theÌ„ by Moyses Is there not as much saide to euery one of vs touching the obseruing of the commaundementes of almighty god and yet had neither the children of Israel then nor we nowe auctoritie ouer religion pardie The other sentence is this Non recedat volumen c. that is to saie let not the booke of this lawe departe from thy mouthe but thow shalt spend thy time bothe nighte and day in the meditation thereof that thow maiest kepe and doe all thinges that ar written therein TheÌ„ shalt thow directe thy waie and vnderstande the same Where I pray yow is Iosua here coÌ„maunded to meddle with religioÌ„ in that that he is bidden to study the scriptures Now surelie that is far fetcht and nedeth no greate refutacion For this know I well will they graunte and for a maxima and very principle is it holden in their religion that thiese wordes perteine to euerie man a like aswell to the cartar as to the king or duke and make as much for the one to be a king as theie doe for the other to entremeddle in the order of religion Well may euery man and easelie perceiue how much they would haue triumphed if they had had but one suche texte to serue their purpose for kinges as the catholikes haue for priestes out of the holie scriptures many If they could haue fouÌ„de but one place in all the whole corps of the scriptures where had bene saide that the lippes of the ciuile magistrate should kepe the knowledge of goddes moste holie will and pleasure and his mouthe be the treasour of the same as is saide of the priestes O lord howe is it likely that their lippes mouthes and tongues should haue sowned and clattered thereof long before this that ruffle so with the example of Iosue because or for no cause that he was willed to study the scriptures dissembling in the meane season the .27 cha of the booke of Numeri where in plaine wordes it is to be found that Iosue was subiect to Eleazarus the high priest at whose bidding the scripture saieth he should goe furth and come in he and all the children of Israel It foloweth that king Dauid brought home the arcke restored religion was present not onelie as to admonishe or encourage them that accompanied it but deliuered also to them psalmes and himnes disposed the order of euery thing instituted the ceremonies and solemnitees and ruled after a sorte the priestes That Dauid brought home the arcke it can not be denied to the house at the least of Obed Edom. Although in an other place we reade how Dauid being strooken with a merueilouse feare for that which so latelie before he had sene happen vnto Oza for the onelie staieng being no priest th'arcke which otherwise was in greate daunger to fall he would not presume to carie the same into the tabernacle prepared to receiue it but called vnto him Sadock and Abiathar the priestes willing them in expresse wordes to carie it to the place appointed therefore lest happely god might strike them once again for doing the like vnlaufull acte to that which thorough their absence before they had done
He made psalmes and wrote himnes to the glory and praise of god And who is there I praie yow that at this day forbiddeth anie prince or king to doe the like He appoincted and established to serue the temple for euer some to sing some to plaie on the organes some and a greate some the scripture hath fower thousande to kepe the dores And what conclude they hereof if Dauid had appointed plaiers and singing men as he did not but willed the chief of the Leuites to appoint some of their brethern thereto that therefore he was chief gouernour in all causes ecclesiasticall O what newe logick is sodenly sprong vp with their newe diuinitie How manie notable Kinges hath our littell countrie had which in their daies haue established for the like purposes like fundations by our aduersaries at this daie almost all ouerthrowen of whom no one euer by this meanes thought him selfe anie thing the more auctorised to gouerne in matters of religion the cleargie of his countrie But for this example that which I haue allreadie saide maie suffise bothe because I thincke they leane not much theretoe for that theie can showe no greate store of Kinges yea I maie be bould to say none at all by them persuaded to builde anie churches or to establish anie fundacions of such as shoulde there continually serue god and also for that the place it selfe howe euer in the apologie the conclusion conteine more then the premisses semeth not to be brought in directly to proue any such thinge For our apologie which alleageth it hath onely quodammodo praefuit sacerdotibus that is and in a māner or after a sort he was aboue the priestes And therefore will I procede to their other examples Salomon they say builded and dedicated to god a churche made to the people an oration concerning religion and worshiping of god deposed Abiathar the bishop placing Sadoc in his roome Ezechias purged the temple commaunded the lightes to be kindled encense to be doen and sacrifice offred after the old accustomed manner finally the brasen serpēt which was then worshipped by the people to be vtterlie taken awaie and broken all to fitters Iosaphat toke awaie the hilles and wooddes whereby the people was hindred from the common temple of Ierusalem Iosias warned the priestes and bishops of their duties Ioas restreined their riot and insolency and last of all Iehu put the wicked prophetes to deathe These be th'examples good readers which the aduersaries to the truthe bring for the maintenaunce of the contrarie out of the old Testament Which manner of reasoning from examples in that age vsed if it might be at these daies in all poinctes laufull to folow what and how houge a nombre of inconueniences might by iust consequence thereapon be easelie grounded and brought in I nede not here to reherse anie man but meanelie exercised in the holie scriptures may with him self easely conceiue If the miracles examples significatiue and singuler priuileages doē practised and graunted in that age might without any daunger aswell be to the present esta te of the churche which now is drawen applied and accomodate as the morall preceptes of that lawe maie and ar whie haue not then the Kinges now a daies as many wiues as had King Dauid then why should it not be as laufull for the cleargie I will not onely say to admonishe and reprehend to put Kinges doing amisse at this tyme to death as it was at that for Samuel to cut in pieces with his owne hādes the body of Agag king of Amalech why not for thē to depose kinges aswell as kinges to depriue them For if they bring to vs th'example of Salomon who deposed Abiathar the priest and placed Sadoc in his roume they shall heare of vs again that Samuel by gods own cōmaundemēt pronoūced Saul depriued of his king dome and settled Dauid in the same Phinees being a priest killed with his dagger the Israelite and the Madianite as they filthely abused thēselues and haue priestes therefore at this day thinck we like iurisdiction Or woulde god is it likely praise him for the doing that would nowe doe the like as he then did him No no good readers they treade not vprightely that so interprete the scriptures And thus yow see howe generally all these examples and auctorities being euen after this sort answered make no more for kinges to rule in matters of religion then other places doe for the cleargy to depose kinges or to kill them or other doing amisse But to descend nowe more particulerly to the seuerall examination of these examples I would gladly aske this question of some of these our newe Rabbines that being graunted to them by the way of reasoning which theie presuppose that is that king Dauid entremedled in th' affaires of religion how this argument holdeth not withstanding Dauid being bothe a king and a prophete had the rule of religion Therefore the kinges of our tyme must haue the like And in deede thus must they reason if they will reason trulie For so was king Dauid they can not all deny it And as well am I able to proue that if he had any such power it was because he was a prophe te and not in respect of his kingedome as they shall euer be to proue the contrary So that to make this reason of theirs haue yea seeme to haue some apparence of truthe of two thinges must they nedes doe one that is either proue our kinges nowe a daies prophetes also or Dauid in his daies to haue bene but a king simply In Salomon also is the case trowe ye all so cleare as they make it For touching the depriuation of Abiathar the priest to that I answer that as in breaking the wicked packe of Adonias Abiathar and other their complices who had conspired to haue put Salomon beside his kingdom he vsed the councell of Sadoc and Nathan to defeat them so vsed he their auctoritie and ministery to punishe them Nor it forceth not that the scripture saieth Eiecit ergo Salomon Abiathar vt non esset sacerdos domini therefore cast Salomon Abiathar out that he should no lenger be our lordes priest as though that therefore it wer his own deede and could be doen by no other seing that that is a phrase of speche common not in the scriptures onelie but in common talck also as if for example a man should say that Quene Mary whose soule god assoile depriued Thomas Cranmer of the archebishoprick of Cantorburie whose treason also ageinst her was no lesse then that of Abiathar ageinst Salomon he should not say a misse And yet was not she god wot the chief doer thereof but an instrument ioining with the pope in the execution of his determination touching the rooting out of that wicked membre So saie we in like manner that the prince hath made such a man bishop when in very dede he onely commended him by his
that he worshiped not him but god whose ministre he was By this which hetherto good Readers yowe haue hard forasmoch as it appeareth that our aduersaries staÌ„d alltogether destitute and as it wer naked of such prouision out of the scriptures as with the vaine title whereof they persuaded them selues their part to be well boulstred and them selues ageinst all that would mainteine the contrary sufficiently furnished it remaineth nowe that I first bring furth to yowe such examples as hauing happened in Christes churche sence his departure hence and his apostles they alleage for them selues then after â—hat I refell the same and proue that they make as little or lesse for their purpose as doe the other before brought furth of the scriptures And first for Constantinus the greate although by consent of all historiographers it be well knowen and most apparent as before hath byn showed howe farre he was of all other from that vnlaufull desier of entremeddling in matters of religion yeat for asmuch as the impudency of thiese men is such that they ar not ashamed to abuse his name emongest other for the maintenaunce of their opinion and that they labour to make him a piller to susteine and hold vp their rotten building alleaging his calling together of the councel of Nice his sitting there presently with the bishoppes and fathers his admonisshing them how to procede that is according to the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles I will first answer thereunto and after procede to the rest Constantinus the truthe is called together to the rooting out and vtter extirpation of the heresie of Arrius that greate and famouse councell of Nice as after him did diuerse other good emperours diuerse other But neither of this acte of his or that of theirs can any man rightely gather that either the one or the other had ouer matters of religion anie thing thereby the more auctoritie But euen as the handes or armes reaching a thing far of ar when it is brought nearer to sight nothing therebie the more authorised to iudge of the value and goodnes thereof to dispose howe it shalbe ordered but that remaineth still in the head by whose councell and commaundement the handes and armes reached it thither euen so in this case maie it be saide In Christes churche there is and as it hath bene before proued necessarily must be one head As there is a head so is there a bodie armes legges and other membres answering to the same EmoÌ„gest the which princes and kinges haue of our elders not amisse bene termed the handes and armes to aide and succour the head If nowe the bishoppes of Rome for the time being for theie ar vnder Christ the true heades of this churche as hereafter by goddes grace I shall make it moste manifestly appeare haue emongest so many enemies and backe friendes as Christ and his gospel had bene glad to bid the handes doe their dutie to call to the emperours and kinges for help which had so long hindred if by this meanes they compelled them to comme in for feare of the temporall sword who feared not the spirituall if theie vsed this rigorouse meanes where lenitie could haue no place who is so voide of wit to thincke that princes had thereby auctoritie ouer religion Naie but Constantinus saieth our apologie did not onelie call together the councell of Nice but he sat in the same with the bishoppes nor sat there barely as a cipher but warned them how to procede by the scriptures Here marcke diligently I beseche yowe good readers either the manifest malice of them that wittingly mangle the holie histories or intollerable folishenes which alleage that that theie neuer them selues sawe but onelie haue by reporte of others or last of all their grosse ignorance that thinck they haue to doe with them who without anie farder searching of such places as ar by theÌ„ alleaged will streight waies giue full credit to their bare honesties Eusebius who writeth the historie of Constantinus and whole discours of his life witnesseth that comming into the councell last of all hauing prepared ready for him a seate lower then any of the rest he would not before sit downe in the same then first he had asked of the bishoppes and they graunted him licence so to doe The very same doeth Socrates report of him and euen he out of whome the apology alleageth this example Theodoretus him self whose wordes ar these Minore verò sede quám alijs posita in medio eorum sedit primò tamen petens sibi hoc episcoporuÌ„ iussione concedi And hauing that is to say appoincted for him a place or feate meaner then any of the other he sat him down in the middest of them desiring yet first that by the commaundement of the bisshoppes it might be grauâ—ted him so to doe If this be true as if the histories and olde recordes doe not witnes the same then let me neuer be farder beleuid what meaneth then this lieng generation to bring in for example to susteine and vphold their wicked doctrine this vertuouse emperour Constantinus then whome if they would haue laied all their heades together for that purpose they should neuer haue founde one whose doings and whole life had madeâ— more for vs or more ageinst them If he wer chief of the councell and ruled all as theie say why had he in that place where by all likelihood there lacked nothing that perteined to semelie ordre a seate lesse statelie then hiâ— inferiours Places ar I knowe of their owne nature thinges indifferent and of no greate account yeat haue theie at all times in all ages and emongest all men bene taken for meanes to distinct according to their worthines in degre one from an other So that it can be to no man doubtefull but that if of the councell gathered and assembled together he had byn the head and chief there should haue byn prepared for him if not a seate such as might by the maiestie aboue the rest well haue declared the same yet at the least such a one as should not by the basenes thereof compared with thother well and plainely haue proued the contrary If the whole some and ordre of religion belonged to him being th'emperour Why then in that place whither they wer all for that purpose to entreate of religioÌ„ assembled had the head of that parle no place but by licence why asked he leaue of the bishoppes to sit in the councell and not rather they of him Yea but he warned the bishoppes how they should procede in the councell that is by the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles If they would here haue delt truly and vprightely with vs and not rather haue folowed their father in lieng and patching they would not haue rehersed Gloria patri without Sicut erat nor taken a piece that seemeth to make for them leauing out that which maketh ageinst them But because they ar sworn to be true to their
by common consent and is rightely termed the certificate of their doinges to Leo the pope wherein they called him the heade and them selues the membres and in that that they termed him the man to whome our lorde committed the keping of his vineyarde doe moste plainelie affirme the same there is nowe left to our aduersaries no starting hole to escape Besides all this that yowe haue hard there is a notable testimonie of Iustinian the emperour who in his Codex calleth in plaine wordes Ioannes that was then the pope of Rome caput omnium ecclesiarum that is the heade of al churches And thus much for such as within the first sixe hundred yeares haue called the B. of Rome by this name heade of the churche To come nowe to those who although they haue not vsed the same terme haue named him yet notwithstanding by the like and haue attributed vnto hiÌ„ and acknowleged in him in all poinctes the same iurisdiction and auctoritie I shall first bring furth the testimonie of that stroÌ„g piller and vnmoueable rocke of Christes churche Athanasius and yet not him alone but accompanied with the whole noÌ„bre of the bishoppes of Egipt Thebaida and Libia Who writing to three seuerall popes Marcus Liberius and Felix called first Marcus S. Ro. Apostolicae sedis atque vniuersalis ecclesiae papam that is the bishop or pope for the worde is in the auncient doctours vsed indifferentlie for bothe of the holie apostles seate at Rome and also of the whole vniuersall churche of Christ and the churche of Rome the mother and heade of all churches acknowleged in the secoÌ„de written to Felix that almighty god had placed the bishoppes of Rome insummitatis arce omnium ecclesiarum curam habere praecepit in the chiefest tower that he had commaunded them to take on them the charge not of their owne propre and peculier churche of Rome onlie as though their charge extended no farder but of all churches vniuersallie witnessed beside whereof theie coulde not be ignorant them selues being present there and then which they coulde not haue brought a stronger proufe to proue the superioritie of that See that in the first councell holden at Nice it was ordeined and agreed apon that no councells should be holden or bisshoppes condemned without the auctoritie of the B. of Rome And in their lettres last of all to Liberius the popeâ— doe so openlie and manifestlie witnesse their opinion in this controuersy in saieng that to him as pope was committed the vniuersall churche of Christe to labour for all to helpe euerie one that I can not ynough maruell at your impudency M. Iuell who standing in defence of the contrary beate in to the eares of the people that this doctrine of the popes auctoritie is newe and hath for warrante thereof not so much as one auncient writers approbation and that as suerly as god is god the Catholikes if they had vouchesaufed to folowe the scriptures the generall councels the examples of the primitiue churche or opinions of th'auncient fathers would neuer haue brought in the pope again being once banished out of the realme The seuerall answers of euerie one of thiese popes wherein they acknowleged no lesse burden of charge then was by these fathers laiâ—d apoÌ„ theÌ„ I here forbeare to bring in lest theie maie by yow perhappes be chaleÌ„ged as principall partes to the title in strife The which because I knowe yow can not say by S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Austen and other such like I shall here of many alleage some for the confirmation thereof S. Hierome called Damasus who was B. of Rome the chief and highest prieste S. Ambrose calleth him ruler of the churche Ecclesia saieth he domus dei est cuius hodie rector est Damasus The churche is goddes house the gouernor whereof at this day is Damasus S. Austen saieth in writing to Bonifacius the pope ageinst the Pelagians that although the office of being a bishop be to them all comon that yet he was in that care placed aboue the rest And in an other place comparing together the blessed apostle S. Peter and the holie martir S. Ciprian he had cause to feare he saied least he might seme to be towardes S. Peter contumeliouse not as though touching the crowne of martirdome they wer not bothe equall but in respect of their seates and bishoprikes Quis enim nescit illum apostolatus principatum cuilibet episcopatui praeferendum for who is quoth he ignorant that that principalitie of apostleship is to be preferred before all bishoprikes To these shall I adde Theodorite the B of Cyrus who writeth in this wise to Leo the pope Si Paulus praeco veritatis tuba sanctissimi spiritus ad magnum Petrum cucurrerit vt ijs qui Antiochiae de institutis Legalibus contendebant ab ipso adferret solutionem multò magis nos qui abiecti sumus pusilli ad apostolicam vestram sedem currimus vt ecclesiarum vlceribus medicinam à vobis accipiamus Vos enim per omnia primos esse conuenit If Paule that is to saie the messanger of truthe and trumpet of the holie ghost ran vnto mighty Peter to fetch from him the resolution of such doubtes as rising apon th' obseruation of the Lawe ministred to them occasion of strife that wer at Antioche much more neede had we which ar weake and abiect to run vnto your apostolicall seate from thence to fetch salues for the sores of the churche For expedient is it that in all pointes before all other yow haue the preeminence And a little after he addeth that the churche of Rome is of all other maxima praeclarissima quae praeest orbi terrarum the greatest the noblest and that which ruleth all the worlde By occasion of this place of Theodoritus calling the churche of Rome the chief of all other which yet he doeth not alone neither for so did well neare two hundred yeares before his daies Irinaeus when he would haue euery churche that is as him selfe expoundeth it all faithefull Christians from all partes of the worlde to mete and conforme them selues to the imitation of this churche propter potentiorem principalitateÌ„ saieth he for the chiefest souereintie that it hath and after him aswell S. Ambrose whose opinion was that Rome hath bene more honored thorough the preeminence and principalitie of the apostolicall priestehood by hauing there the chief tower of religion then it was before when it had there the chief throne of worldly power and ciuile iurisdiction as also S. AusteÌ„ affirming that in that churche the preeminence and chief honour of the apostolicall priestehood hath alwaies florished I shall here make this argument for the better coÌ„firmation of this controuersie that the B. of Rome is the heade and chief of the whole churche this allwaies presupposed that yowe M. Iuell whome I desire to solute this argument ar stille of this minde that the
apon D. Coles wor des in the margeÌ„t of your boke that no B. of Rome before S. Gregories time would euer be called vniuersall biâ—shop finallie then would yowe not so ignorantlie haue confounded together these termes vniuersall bishop and heade of the churche as though theie had in that place signified all one thing The which that theie doe not no maÌ„ doeth more plainelie expresse then S. Gregorie him selfe who writeth of S. Peter after this maÌ„ner The charge saith he and supremacie of all the whole churche was committed to him and yeat was he not called vniuersall apostle Lo M. Iâ—ell if you had taken the paines to haue scanned the place of S. Gregorie alleaged by yow by this and such other would yow euer haue brought in to the lighte this deade mouse this false argument and vntrue consequent There was neuer anie B. of Rome called or that would be called by the name of vniuersall bishop therefore â–ª theie be not or ought not to be heades of the churche Seing that S. Peter as saithe S. Gregorie had the charge of the whole churche although he wer neuer called by the name of vniuersall apostle If S. Peter might be heade of the churche and without anie absurditie haue the charge thereof as S. Gregorie thought although he wer not called vniuersall apostle whie should yow thicke it now anie more impossible for the pope to be called head of the churche although he be not called vniuersall bishoppe And so haue yowe by the waie an answer to your wise demaunde also that is if no B. of Rome would euer take apon him to be called th'vniuersall bishoppe or heade of the whole churche for the space of six hundred yeares after Christe where then was the heade of the vniuersall churche all that while or howe it coulde then continue without a heade more theÌ„ nowe For we saie vnto yow that that is moste false and vntrue which yowe lay for a grounded truthe that is that no B. of Rome woulde euer be called by the name of heade of the churche within the first six hundred yeares after Christe as hath bene sufficientlie proued before and that also as we haue declared yowe abuse your selfe in the framing of your saide questioÌ„ in taking for all one the heade of the churche and the vniuersall bishoppe And thus haue yow one cause whie this place of S. Gregorie maketh nothing ageinst the supremacie of the B. of Rome And other cause is for that that Iohn the B. of Constantinople by this name or title of vniuersall bishoppe vnderstoode him selfe onelie to be a bishoppe and none elles Which meaning neither in the first six hundred yeares nor at anie time sence anie B. of Rome that I could yeat heare of euer had And that this is the true meaning of S. Gregorie and not forced by me the verie wordes of the same man written to Iohn archebishop of Constantinople doe well witnesse with me Qui enim indignum te esse fatebaris vt episcopus dici debuisses ad hoc quandoque perductusâ— es â–ª vt despectis fratribus episcopus appetas solus vocari that is to saie for thow Iohn B. of Constantinople which once grauntedst thy selfe to be vnworthie the name of a bishoppe art nowe at the length comme to that passe that thowe labourest to be called a bishop alone And a little after Thow goest about saieth he to take awaie that honour from all other which by singularitie thow desirest vnlaufullie to vsurpe to thy selfe Thus maie yowe see M. Iuell howe this place being by th'author him selfe expounded fardereth yow nothing at all and also by suche auctorities and reasons as haue for our parâ—e bene before alleaged vnderstand howe vnaduisedlie it was saide of yowe that the catholikes as sure as god is god if theie would haue vouchesaufed to folowe either the scriptures either the auncieÌ„t Doctours and couÌ„cels would neuer haue restored again the supremacie of the B. of Rome after it was once abolished Doe yow not hereby giue occasioÌ„ to meÌ„ to thinke that your lacke of faithe and mistrust in goddes omnipotency in other thinges groweth euen thereof that yow thincke god is not god For towching the supremacie hauing in the scriptures nothing in the councels as little in the fathers writinges onelie thiese fewe wordes that might se me to impugne the same and yet doe not howe will yow be able to discharge so manie auctorities of the fathers such consent of councels such conformitie of examples and force of reasons as haue bene and maie be brought ageinst yow howe will you satisfie your owne conscience which telleth yowe that so manie ceremonies so manie ordonances so manie decrees of bishoppes of Rome as Thomas Beacon otherwise called Theodore Basile or by what name so euer he be elles termed hath heaped together deliuered by them to the worlde some of them as emongest a nombre that which of all other yowe make lest account of holie water within little more then a hundred yeares after Christe and the most parte in the pure state of the primitiue churche would neuer haue bene by such common and generall confent without contradiction of anie receiued by the whole worlde vsed and frequented in all the churches scattred and dispersed thorough out the same onlesse the authors thereof had had vniuersall auctoritie to establishe that which hath bene vniuersallie receiued Thus hauing hetherto touching the supremacie saide so much as maie presently serue for your chalenge leauing the rest for a whole booke either by me when god shall sende better laisure or some other better able when he shall thincke best to be thereof made I shall nowe passe to the nexte article in question THAT THE PEOPLE VVAS TAVGHT VVITHIN THE FIRST SIX HVNDRED YEARES AFTER CHRISTE TO BELEVE that in the Sacrament of the altar for so dothe S. Austen terme it is conteined Christes bodie reallie substantiallie corporalie and carnallie TErtullian an auncient writer of Christes churche reporteth of heresie that the nature thereof is either when it is pressed with the auctoritie of scripture to denie it platlie to be scripture or if she receiue it with additions and detractions to the framing of her purpose to peruert it or finally with false gloses and vntrue expositions in such sorte to water it that it maie seme to haue a far other sense then had euer the holie ghost the author thereof This lesson and manner of olde heretikes was neuer I trowe more diligently put in execution or earnestlie practised theÌ„ in this our most miserable and wretched time nor in anie controuersie more perspicuouse and easie euen at the eye to be perceiued then in this of the moste blessed sacrament of Christes owne bodie and bloude For when our aduersaries demaunde of vs scripture for the confirmation of our parte and we bring them the wordes not of Peter not of Paule not of anie of thother apostles but of Christe him selfe that