zeale and feruent affection I cease yet neuer ceasing most deuoutly to pray still both for your own good for the kings seruice for the peace of the land generally for the seruice of God that he will giue me grace I may truâ—ly say with Paul in your behalfe since the case is not very much vnlike that which he saith of the Iewes Rom. 9. I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart for I would my selfe euen be seperate for my brethren the Romish Catholikes to whome pertained the adoption and the glorie and the couenants and the giuing of the law and the seruice of God and the promises of whome are the Fathers and who hauing bequeathed or rather bequited them vnto vs as the Sinagogue had done vnto them both remaine depriued thereof Whereunto I pray God from the bottome of my heart to restore you all againe with vs that so both Iewes and all Christians as naturall brethren after a long discord reconciled together vnder one God and father one Lord and Elder Brother in one Church and Mother may enioy together one eternall glorie in the heauenly Ierusalem which is the mother of vs all Amen The Argument of the whole Treatise consisting of eighteene Sections ECclesiasticall Iurisdiction chiefly and essentially belongs to the Church but to the Pope and other Bishops ministerially onely as the power of seeing to the eye Christ immediatly and by himselfe did giue the keyes or iurisdiction vnto the hierachicall order by the immediate and reall sending forth of all the Apostles and Disciples The definition of the Church by essentiall causes S. Peter is onely the dispenser ministeriall head but Christ the right absolute Lord essential head founder foundation of the Church Wherefore all arguments drawne from the ministeriall to the essential head come short are fallacious * A dicto secuÌ„dum quid ad dictum simpliciter as being inferred from that which is said in some respect to that which is affirmed simply In the Church her state must be distinguished from her gouernement the state being monarchicall only to maintaine order and vnitie and to the powerfull execution of the Canons But the gouernment is Aristocraticall for wholesome counsell infalible prouidence and constitution of Canons For the Church is gouerned by Canons not by absolute power The infallible power of decreeing making Canons belongs to the whole Church which is the very pillar ground of truth not solely or onely to Peter And that prooued by the practise of the whole Church This place of the Gospell expounded Simon Behold Sathan hath desired to wiâ—ow you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not c. The frequent holding of Councels is absolutely and simply necessarie to the better and more holy gouerning of the Church and in what cases the Buls and Decretals of Popes doe binde How farre the fulnesse of the Popes power may be extended And in what case he may dispense with the canons of Councels Though the Church haue but one essentiall head neuerthelesse in regard of the exercise and execution of gouernment she is differently ruled by the Pope and by the Ciuill Prince Whereas the Church hath neither territory nor right of the Sword from Christ being onely ordained to a supernaturall and spirituall end shee can determine of the meanes necessarie to saluation onely by perswasion and direction not by constraint or inflicting of temporall punishments The ciuill Prince as being Lord of the Common-wealth and Country is the Protector and Defendor both of the Diuine Naturall and Canonicall law And to those ends may both establish lawes and exercise the sword The Ciuil Prince by the title of Protector of the Church and defendor of the Canons is the lawfull Iudge of all * Appellationes de abusu appeales for abuse as they are termed And from thence haue the liberties of the Gallicane Church had their beginning Confutation of those arguments which due attribute absolute authoritie to Popes In a generall Councel the Pope is held to bee the head so far forth as concernes preaching of the word administration of Sacraments and execution of Canons but not as touching direction and correctiue power ouer the whole Councell This Canon expounded No body must iudge the first See The finall cause of the Church which is euerlaâ—ting life by a good gouernment showes euidently that Peter is by the Church and for the Church as the eye by man and for man What the meaning is that the Church hath also indirect power in temporall things And the answeare to the contrarie arguments A TREATISE OF Ecclesiasticall and Politicke power IT is a common Principle and of an vndoubted faith that God Nature haue still a more chiefe and immediate regard to the whole then to any part neuer so noble thereof And for an example the power of Seing hath therefore bin giuen vnto man that it might bee executed by the eye as mans instrument and minister to that purpose for the eye subsisteth both by man and for man The Schoole of Paris building vpon that most infallible ground conformably to the opinion of all auncient Doctors of the Church hath euer and most constantly taught That Christ in the foundation of his Church hath more chiefly immediatly and essentially giuen the keyes or authoritie to the whole Church then to Peter Or which comes al to one That he hath giuen the keyes to the whole Church ministerially to be vsed by one man Seeing all Ecclesiasticall power belongs properly essentially and first to the Church but to the Pope and other Bishops instrumentally and ministerially and onely so far forth as concernes the exercising as the power of seeing to the eye Let no body therefor glorie in men for all things are yours that is to say of the church Whether it be Paul or Apolos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether things present or to come for all things are the Churches and the Church Christs and Christs Gods 1. Cor. 3. c. For surely when it pleased our Sauiour Mat. 16.19 to promise by words of future the keyes to Saint Peter in the name of the whole Church after this maner I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. He did afterwards actually giue and deliuer them to the whole hierarchical order together First by a generall commission Mat. 18.17 where he doth establish the Church sufficient in it self a chief Gouernesse Tell it vnto the Church Secondly by a reall sending forth Luc. 10.1 The Lord appointed other seauenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie place whither he himselfe shold come Iohn 17.18 Likewise when a little before or immediatly after the celebration of the Lords supper he prayeth to his father for his Church in these
alone and only the essentiall head by whome and for whome the Church subsisteth for which cause also hee speakes thus to Peter Matthew 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Wherein is to bee noted that hee doth not say thy Church or the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against thee likewise Iohn 21.15 Feede my Lambes Feede my Sheepe hee doth not say thy Sheepe or thy Lambes And that purposely to shew that Ecclesiasticall men are called to a meere and simple dispensation or administration not to any temporall Dominion or Gouernment meerely and absolute Monarchicall The Kinges of the Nations raigne ouer them but with you it shall not bee so Luc. 22.25 and 1. Peter 5.2 Feed the flock which depends vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not as Lords of the flocke but that yee may bee a good example to them Which places of the Scripture Bernard ad Eugen. lib. â— cap. 5. doth expound after this sort Goe then thou also and vsurpe if thou dare either an Apostleship being a Lord or a Lordship being Apostolicall Thou art plainely forbidden both and if thou wouldst possesse both together thou shalt loose both This is the Apostolical forme Dominion is forbidden ministration is commaunded and commended by the example of the law-giuer * Luc. â—2 27 I am in the midst of you as one that ministreth c. By which both Saint Peter and Bernard doe set before our eyes a patterne of aristocraticall gouernment which shall bee more largely described afterwards Sect. 5. 6. and 8. I am not ignorant that our Nouelists better to defend their priuiledges doe maintaine that by these words Feed my sheep Christ hath giuen the whole Ecclesiastical iurisdiction solely to Peter alone to distribute it afterwards at his pleasure to whom he would But those idle pretences are so plainely and manifestly confuted by the Oracles of holy Scripture by the testimony of all auncient Fathers and by the whole practise of the primitiue Church that it is a great wonder how they dare forge such absurdities For indeed this speech of our Lord Feed my sheep c. doth confer vpon S. Peter as a ministeriall head a prime and ful authoritie of administring or executing the diuine naturall and canonicall law according to the rules of aristocraticall moderation Vpon which point looke Sect. 9. Which grounds being thus laid al those and other like arguments remain very easily answered That Petrus is Petra the foundation head of the Church and therefore without him the Church falleth Or that as a body being without a head a streame without a spring a beame without a Sunne a branch without a stock an arme of a tree cut from his body perisheth and withereth no more can the Church subsist without a Pope As though the Pope were the primary and not the secondary the essentiall and not the ministeriall Head of the Church Whence followes that the commandement of hauing a Pope binds * Ad semper non pro semper As Schoolemen speake for euer but not at all times The third principle makes a distinction betweene the State of the Church and her gouernment 〈◊〉 the State indeed is monarchicall as wel to maintaine vnitie order as to execute the Canons which execution is proper enough to the Pope as to a ministeriall head But the gouernment is Aristocraticall for found prouidence effectuall counsell and decreeing of those Canons for which cause wee sayd Sect. 1. That the keyes were giuen to the whole Church to bee vsed by one man For God hath ordained his Church his Spouse to be gouerned by Canon or counsel that the Pope and other Bishops might not bee able to decree any thing of moment of their own head or by the aduice of some oligarchicall Councell that is to say of few but that they should ofteÌ„ assemble craue the aduice of an aristocratical Councel of the church Therfore doe we read that it was ordained by the auncient Fathers that euerie yeare two prouinciall Councels shold be assembled For look what proportion there is betwixt a generall Councel and the Pope the same is also betweene particular Sinods their Bishops For particular Churches likewise must bee gouerned by their own Bishops with the rule of Canons not with absolute power Furthermore we hold the right and naturall Senate or Counsell of the Church instructed by our Lord to be not only the assembly of all the Bishops but of all Priests hauing charge of soules Of the which the former succeede the Apostles the latter the seuenty Disciples Dist â—8 Can. Charepiscopi ibid. Quaest 1. Can. Ecclesia and Dist 23. Can. Presbiter For the Priests indeede in times past did go 〈◊〉 the Church in common as Saint Hierome doct wiâ—nes Can. Legimus Dist 93. The fourth principle is That the infallible power of decreeing and making Canon is in the power of the whole Church or of a generall Councell representing the same Wherein principally consisteth the nature of aristrocraticall gouernment and is most clearely demonstrated partly by diuine partly by naturall light For indeede many eies can see farther and clearer then one alone neither is it giuen either from God or nature to any one alone to bee wise least hee should gloâ—ie in himselfe Moreouer The body of the Church is not one member only but manie If the whole bodie were an eye where were the hearing â— Cor. 12.24.17 And the spirits of the Prophets are 〈◊〉 the Prophets that is to the Church 1. Cor. 14 〈…〉 There is but one Bishopricke whereof a part is 〈…〉 â—um that is wholy by euery one 24. Quaest 〈…〉 â—tur Wherefore it is necessarie that 〈…〉 â—ncernes all should beâ— also approued 〈…〉 Since euery high Priest is taken from 〈…〉 â—mpassed with infirmitie Heb. 5.1.2 〈…〉 and bee deceiued except hee req◠〈…〉 Church which is the pillar groun◠〈…〉 â—refore when Christ was readie t◠〈…〉 â—hee doth promise the spirit of 〈…〉 Câ—urch not vnto onâ— and only Pâ—◠〈…〉 And I wâ—â—â— pray the Father and 〈…〉 â—ter that hee may abide with you for euer 〈◊〉 â—he spirit of truth And againe Mat. 18.15 hâ—â— doth establish his Church sufficient in it selfe and a chiefe Commandresse by the erecting of an infalible Court whiles hee doth so in these following words instruct Saint Petâ—â— desirous to know how many times he should forgiue his brother offending If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and proue him betweene thee and himself 〈◊〉 c. And if hee refuse to heare the Church 〈…〉 vnto thee as an Hâ—â—then man and a Publican Verily I say vnto you 〈…〉 yee bind 〈…〉 shalb◠〈◊〉 in heauen c. Againe 〈…〉 if two of you shâ—â— agree in earth vpon any â—â—ing whatsoeuer they shall desâ—â— it shall bee giuen 〈…〉 which is in heauen For where two or three are gaâ—â—â—red together in my 〈◊〉 there am
I in thâ— middest of 〈◊〉 By which speech wee learne that Christ hath grant the power of â—â—communication immediatly to the 〈◊〉 Order which is signiâ—â— hare by the 〈…〉 Church for as the 〈◊〉 of ten dotâ— eminently and causelty comâ—â—he â—â—â—umbâ—â—s â— likewise doth this former speech 〈◊〉 the Church eminently I say and causally compreâ—â—â—â— all 〈…〉 â—aâ— power 〈◊〉 euery supeâ—◠〈…〉 maâ—dued with any iurisdiction 〈…〉 â— Pope or a generall Counâ—â—â—â— wherein 〈◊〉 the supreame and infallible coâ—â—t-coâ—â—â—â—â—â—nesse of authoritie all 〈…〉 resolue And this is manifest because as soone as the Lord had vttered this speech in the singular Teâ—â— the Church hee doth immediatly adde in the plurall Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall haâ—de â—n earth c. Wherby it manifestly appeares that the Church is takeÌ„ there formâ—lly properly for man â—â—en gathered together not for any one man alone Therefore with the same câ—â—rent of speech Christ giues also to the Church the power to asseÌ„ble it selfe in a Councel and there infalibly to decree Again I say vnto you If two of you shall agree together on earth c. for where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Neither is it to be past in silence that Christ in this text doth denote the Aristocratical Councell established by his owne diuine law not the oligarchicall afterwards instituted by men And that hee hath purposely expressed a certaine number and that the least of numbers for an vncertaine to take away from contentious men all occasion of shifting auoiding and to shew that for a lust gouerning of the Church the consent agreement of two or three at the least is required not of the Pope solely and alone Truely to what side soeuer the aduersaries will turne themselues they must needs confesse that these words for where two or three are gathered together in my name doe necessarily exclude that absolute and infallible authority of the Pope alone and do proue that the Church cannot bee bound against her will nor without her consent aduice required which euery way agreeth with the natural law is sufficiently coÌ„firmed by the practise of the Ancient Church For the Councell of IerusaleÌ„ with the consent voices of al the Apostles and Priests concludes with this stile Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs. Moreouer the Fathers of the Africane Church amongst whome was Saint Austen writ vnto Pope Celestin 1. in these words That it is not credible that God doth inspire the Iâ—stice of examination into any one man and deny it to an â—â—numeâ—â—â— number of men lawfully gathered together is a Councelâ— The opinion also of Pope Zozimus make for the confirmation of this doctrine when writing to the Bishops of France hee confesseth himselfe pâ—ainely to bee infeâ—â—our to the Councell and the auâ—horitie of the Apostolicall Sea not able to derogatâ— from the holy decrees of Councells 25 Quaest 1. Câ—â—â— To decree or change any thing against the decrees of the fathers no not the very authoritie of this 〈◊〉 is able to doe it Holy antiquitie liues with vâ— vnshaken in hâ—â— foundation whereunto the decrees of the fathers haâ—e ordained all reuerence To this may well bee added the answere of Gregorie the great Who confesseth that he reuerenceth the foure generall Councells euen as the foure bookes of the holy Gospell for being constituted with vniuersall consent whosoeuer presumes to loose that which they bind or to bind that which they loose doth but destroy himselfe and not them Dist 15. Can. Sicut Sancti Euangelij And truely if one will neuer so little peruse the acts of generall Councells he shall easily perceiue that the Pope doth not solely and himselfe alone make decrees of the Catholike faith in those generall Synods but doth inferre and conclude them by the induction and consent vniuersally taken of all particular Churches Which indeede is the most certaine and most euident proofe of an Aristocraticall gouernment and is confirmed Can. Maiores 24. Quaest 1. But if some perhaps will yet argue that Christ did pray for Peter 22. Luc. 32. that his faith should not faile and commanded him to confirme his brethren Wee answere to the first part that this promise of Christ according to the litterall sence of the Scripture doth not extend farther then the time of the Lords passion Wherein the scandall of the Crosse was most furiously to rage against all the disciples and principally against Peter who thrice denied his Master Whereupon the Lord speakes after this manner to them all Mat. 26.31 All yee shall bee offended in me this night for it is written I will smite the Shepheard and the sheepe of the flocke shal be scattered But Peter answering sayd vnto him Though all men should be offended in thee yet will I neuer be offended Iesus said vnto him verily I say vnto thee that this night before the Cock crow thou shalt denie mee thrice Moreouer Luc. 22.31 Simon beholde Sathan hath desired you to winnow you as wheate but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not wherefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Wherein is principally to be noted that Christ did not say to Peter I haue prayed for thee that thou maist neuer erre or be subiect to be deceiued But only I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And that Peter indeede did erre yet his faith neuer failed him in regard of the habite but only of the act for he did only denie the Lord with his mouth not with his heart To the second point who will aduisedly examine that which preceedes and followes this text euen at the first sight hee shall find that after Saint Peter was out of that dangerous staggering of his trebble deniall and come againe to his right sences as from a most deepe and dead sleepe hee was farre more able both to settle and stay his wauering fellowes and to call againe to the Church all his scattered brethren that there together they might expect the resurrection of the Lord. Therefore that argument of theirs is fallacious being inferred a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simplicitèr from that which is said in some respect to that which is affirmed simply For that priuiledge did reach no farther then Saint Peter himselfe and alone because of the imminent scandall of the Crosse And sure if the Pope alone and not the Church iointly taken be infalible It followes that Saint Paul sinned most greeuously Galat. 2.11 telling vs so plainly that therefore Saint Peter was reprehensible because hee went not the right way to the truth of the Gospell Which words are most worthy to be noted Besides that this reprehension as the Parisian Chauncelor well obserueth is equiualent to an appeale to a Councell For if Saint Peter had at that time resisted Saint Paul iustly reprouing him no doubt but the Church gathering herselfe together in a
to law For euery man will easily obserue thus much that shall reade the 6. chap. of the 1. to the Corint consideratly and without all preiudice only bringing with him a desire of the truth Now let vs passe to the ciuill power Truly since the ciuill Prince is the Lord of the Common-wealth and Countrie protector and defendor of the diuine naturall and canonicall law And to that end doth beare the sword It is he alone that hath the power of constraining and restraining by inflicting corporall punishment Wherefore for the good of the Church and execution of Ecclesiasticall Canons he may make lawes and inroll them among his Ordinances Records Charters as we find that the Emperors Constantine Theodosius Iustinian Charles the great Saint Lewis Charles 7. Francis 1. and others of our Kings haue done Whereupon Saint Austen Epist 48. ad Vincent The Kings of the earth ought to serue Christ euen making lawes for Christ according to the admonition of Dauid Psalme 2.10 Be yee wise now therefore yee Kings be learned yee Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare Eusebius likewise cap 24 lib. 4 of the life of Constantine the great rehearseth that that Noble Emperour was wont thus to speake vnto his Bishops Yee are established Bishops by God within the Church and I a Bishop without As if hee would say that it is the dutie of Christian Princes by vertue of their owne offiâ—â—â—o make ordinances for the execution of the diuine naturall and Canonicall law and if occasion require draw the sword yet keeping still the moderation of the parable of the tares Mat. 13.30 That is to say without breach of the publike peace And the same is confirmed by the same Saint Austen Epist ad Vincent euen now named All which things being well conceiued It is easie to perceiue both in what sence Optatus Mileuitanus affirmeth That the Church is within the Common-wealth that is as it were vpon another mans ground Territory and Dominion And also whether Christian Princes did in times past assemble the Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and other generall Synods rightfully or wrongfully for that indeede concernes the execution of the diuine naturall and Canonicall law Here for a corrollary and short addition wee will adde one word more which is That the naturall liberties of the Catholike Church or the common right giuen her by God and Nature are clearely strengthned in these eight grounds and principles so that none can except against them but withall hee must needs infringe the whole diuine naturall and canonicall law And this looke how often it hath hapned so often hath it giuen iust occasion to our Frenchmen to appeale from it as from an abuse Of which appeales the Prince and Ciuill Magistrate as being the protector of the Church and defendor of the Canons hath the supreame moderation For hee iudgeth of the abuse only and that belongs to the execution of the case And indeâ—â— that manner of proceeding among our French hath caused the beginning of the liberties of the Gallicane Church as they are commonly termed As also I heare that Spaniards other christian nations when any thing proceeds from the Court of Rome which is against their customes and orders are wont to labor by intreatie that it might not be put in execution Whence it appeares that in the matter it selfe they agree with vs but disagree only in the forme and manner of proceeding A Confutation of the contrarie opinion THose that maintaine the contrarie opinion that is the Popes absolute power First doe confound the State of the Church with the gouernment of it forsooth because Christ did adopt Saint Peter for a Pastor of the Church and his Vicar Iohn 21.15 he himselfe being the absolute King and Monarch thereof therefore they conclude that absolute and purely Monarchicall commaundement belongs vnto Saint Peter as being Christs lieftenant And by and by that the Pope hath not only the whole Ecclesiasticall power but also all authoritie ouer the temporalty indirectly at least and in ordine ad spiritualia with relation to spirituall things as the most reuerend Cardinall Bellarmine teacheth Secondly they inferre that there is no need at all of holding Councells for the better and more holy gouernment of the Church since the Lord hath deliuered vp vnto Peter solely and alone the infalible authoritie and power to confirme his brethren Luc. 22.32 Thirdly they conclude that if Councells bee assembled at any time the Church neuer so lawfully gathered there hath no right at all to decide of any thing the Pope being either absent or not consenting Fourthly that the Pope may abrogate at his pleasure all Canons of generall Councells concerning Ecclesiasticall policie and altogether disanull them and make all new Fiftly that the Pope hath not only power ouer all the particular Churches scattered ouer the world but euen ouer the generall Councell and that hee himselfe is in no case subiect vnto the Councell All which weake grounds it is most easie for any to beate downe hauing once well conceiued of our former principles For in the first place they all aime but at this to ascribe that very same power to Peter as the ministeriall head which only indeede belongs to one Christ alone being Lord and founder of the Church which is sophistically inferred a dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid from that which is affirmed simply to that which is said but in a manner But I pray you is there not a great difference betweene the Master and the Steward that is betweene Christ and Peter For the Church is by Christ and for Christ but Peter by the Church and for the Church as the eye by man and for man For confutation of their second principle you may reade it Sect. 7. The third the fourth and the fift bee not worth answering being all fallaciously inferred a dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid from that which is affirmed simply to that which is said but in a manner as though Peter had the same power ouer the Church which Christ hath And surely if we loue the truth we must freely say that by nature a desire is giuen to all men to be free and happie but who may naturally bee happy without freedome But if the infallibilitie of decrecing doe decide out in the Pope solely and a lone no body then shall halfe the power of deliberatiue voice in the assemblies of the Church which is against the pleasure of the Lord Matt. 18 18. Wherevpon looke our â— Section So that if this opinion take place it followes that Christ hath suffered all his extremities only to submit his Spouse the Church that is to say all Christians to the soueraigne Empire of the Pope Which is directly contrarie to the law of God and Nature But now because of all the arguments of our Aduersaries three principally seem to be of som waight we will also examine them First that Peter hath
words As thou hast sent me into the world so haue I sent them into the world and for their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may bee sanctified through the truth And a verse farther That they all may bee one as thou O father art in me and I in thee and may also be one in vs that the world may beleeue thou hast sent me And one verse after That they may be made perfect in one c By which words it appeares clerely That Christ hath not deliuered the infallible power of the Keyes somuch vnto Peter himselfe and alone as vnto the vnitie it selfe as S. Cyprian and S. Austen doe confirme 24. quaest 1. can Quodcunque can Loquitur can Alienus Moreouer Iohn 20.21 As my father sent mee so send I you Receiue the holy Ghost whosoeuer sinnes you remit c. Seeing then that true and reall mission is a conferring of iurisdiction by the authoritie of the Apostle Rom. 10.15 And how shall they preach except they be sent And Christ immediatly indiuidually and iointly hath sent all his Apostles and Disciples which did represent the Episcopall and Priestly order as he had beene sent of his father that is with a iust and spirituall authoritie necessary for the gouernment of the Church It followes That the whole hierarchical order consisting of Bishops Priests doth deriue immediatly yet in a proportion and subordination his power and iurisdiction that is his authoritie for the gouerning of the Church from Christ As in Fraunce inferiour Iudges and Magistrates although subiect to Parliaments deriue aswell and as directly their authority from the King as the Parliaments themselues For those that bee are ordained of God And had neuer beene so ordained if there were not some subordination betweene those magistrates and the Ecclesiastical persons And finally the testimony of Paul Acts 20.28 Take heede therefore vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to gouerne the Church of God Which doctrine S. Bernard lib. 3. de Consider ad Eugen. cap. 10. dooth very cleerely make manifest Thou dost deceiue thy selfe saith hee if thou thinkest that as your Apostolicall power was ordained by God to be chiefest so also to be alone If thou be of that mind thou art not of his mind who said Rom. 13.1 That there is no power but from God Therfore that which followes Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God though it make principally for thee neuerthelesse not singularly For the selfe same who said Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers did not say vnto the higher power as though they were but in one but speakes in the plurall as being in many VVherefore thy power is not alone from God There are some of the middle sort yea some inferiour And as they whome God hath ioyned must not be seuered no more those who are subiect to others must be compared to them Thou dost forme a monster if remouing a finger from the hand thou wilt haue it hang at the head superiour to the hand collaterall to the arme So is it if in the bodie of the Church thou placest the members otherwise then he hath disposed them * Ephes 4 11 who hath set some in the Church to bee Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Teachers for the perfit vnion of the Saints in the worke of the Ministery and edification of the body of Christ Let the Godly rather looke the whole chapter But if any happen to obiect that this power which Christ by an immediate missioÌ„ did transfer to his Disciples doth not so much concern the authority of the outward as of the inward Court The answere is that vniuersally al the ancient fathers of the Church haue absolutly expouÌ„ded it of whatsoeuer power necessary to rule the Church as wel in the inward as in the outward Court And that we are bouÌ„d a great deale more to giue credit to their souÌ„d decisions theÌ„ to the subtle distinctioÌ„s of some Noualists forged at pleasure more easily to maintaine enlarge their liberties extraordinary missions euen to the ouerthrow of common right Besides That the sum of the whole outward iurisdiction reaches no farther then to the power of excoÌ„municatioÌ„ which afterwards Sect. 6 shal be clearely proued to haue immediatly bin deliuered vp by Christ to the Church Yet perhaps they wil pretend that this power of iurisdiction was indeed ordained coÌ„ferred at first by Christ to the whole Church but with such coÌ„ditioÌ„ that it shold be afterwards coÌ„tinued coÌ„ferred to other Bishops by the Popes as successors to S. Peter And therfore now al authoritie coÌ„meth is deriued only from theÌ„ce But thus stop you their mouth That it is most apparaÌ„t by the practise of the primitiue Church by the holy canoÌ„s that al collatioÌ„s of benefices as they are now called haue bin 1400. yeares together made by a coÌ„moÌ„ right that is by holy elections The reason is because al principality so far as concernes coÌ„pulsiue power depeÌ„ds of the coÌ„seÌ„t of men â—s both diuine natural law do confirme against which neither length of time priuiledge of places nor dignity of persons can euer prescribe Which grouÌ„d being thus layed and setled of necessitie these eight next ensuing principles must directly follow The first shall vnfold the definition of the Church Which is a Monarchicall gouernment ordained to a supernaturall and spirituall end tempered with an Aristocraticall order which is the best of all and most conformable to nature by the greatest Pastor of soules Iesus Christ our Lord Who is the only King Monarch absolute Lord Founder foundation and essentiall head of the Church hauing an absolute and purely monarchical command ouer her And who although by his omnipotencie and infinite power hee might haue saued all mankind without the scandall of the Crosse neuerthelesse to confound and ouerthrow the power pride arrogancie and wisedome of the world And teach his Ministers to thinke most lowly of themselues Yet was pleased by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue that no flesh should glory in his presence Cor. 1.25.29 Whereof wee will treate Section 11. From whence we doe also inferre this Article of faith I beleeue one holy Catholike Church to bee of an euerlasting veritie seeing as long as the Euangelicall Law doth stand Christ cannot make any diuorce from the Church his Spouse Which cannot properly bee said of her Simbolicall and Ministeriall head the Pope Whome wee often see to bee absent and present for a time at least without destruction of the Church for who is ignorant that the Apostolike Sea hath sometimes three sometimes seuen yeares beene vacant So that the Commaundement of hauing a Pope is affirmatiue and not negatiue The second principle teacheth That Saint Peter is only the dispenser and Ministeriall head not the Lord Founder or foundation of the Church Titles which belong indeede vnto one Christ