A General View of Papistry, Book 1 · Controversy 5 · Question 2
THE SECOND QVESTION, CONCERNING the election and institution of Bishops and Pastors.
THis question hath two parts: First, of the election generally of Pastors and Ministers: Secondly, of the election of the Bishop of Rome.
THE FIRST PART CONCERNING THE ELEction generally of all Bishops and Pastors.
The Papists.
error 67 THey say, that the election of Bishops neither belongeth to the Clergie, nor the people, but wholly appertayneth to the Bishop of Rome: as for the people, they hauehave (they say) nothing at all to doe in the election of their pastors, or ordayning of them, that neither their suffragium, consilium, or consensus, suffrage, counsell or consent is to be required, Bellarm. de clericis lib. 1. cap. 7. & 8.
1 That the people are to be vtterly excluded, thus they would proue it: Aaron was onelyonly elected of Moses, without consent of the people, so were the Apostles by our Sauiour: Ergo, the peoples consent is not required, Bellarm.
Ans. Who seeth not, that there is great difference betweene ordinary and extraordinary callings? such as the calling of the Apostles was, and Aarons at the first, though the office of the high Priest afterward became ordinarie. Also it followeth not, the Apostles were chosen without consent of the people, when there were yet no faithfull and Christian congregations, and because they were pastors of the whole world, Ergo, as well the peoples consent may be wanting in the election of ordinarie Bishops and Pastors, which hauehave their peculiar & proper charges, and there being now many faithfull and well instructed congregations. It is one thing to appoynt Pastors for the Church not yet planted, & an other thing to constitute them in a Church alreadie reformed and instructed: for we reade of nations that hauehave been conuerted to the faith, by those that had no calling of the Church, as a great nation of the Indians was by Aedesius and Frumentinus, Ruffin. lib. 1.9. and the Iberians by a captiue woman, Ruffin. 1.10.
2 The people cannot iudge, who are fit to be pastors, and their elections are tumultuous, as we may reade, how in the election of Damasus there were 137. persons slaine, and therefore it is not meete, nor conuenient, that the matter should be committed to the people, either to elect, or ordayne: but whatsoeuer they did in times past, it was either by sufferance or negligence of the Bishops, Bellarmin. cap. 7.
Ans. First, meere popular elections were neuer allowed in any well ordered Church, neither was the allowāce of their pastors wholly referred to the people, neither did they beare the chiefe stroke, but the election was moderated by the wisedome and grauitie of the Clergie, Fulk. Tit. 1. sect. 2. Secondly, the question is not betweene vsus, concerning the ordayning of pastors, for that belonged only to the Eldership, and was done by laying on of their hands, 1. Timoth. 4.14: but concerning the electing and choosing of them. Thirdly, neither doe we dispute, whether it be conuenient and necessarie at al times, but whether it be lawfull: for neither doe we affirme, that it is of the essence and substance of the calling of ministers to be chosen by the voyces of the people: as though they were no ministers, but vsurpers and intruders that are not so called:Fulk. Act. 14.22. but whether it hath been at any time, & may yet be lawfull, to require the consent of the people. Fourthly, it is false, that the people had this right by vsurpation, or els sufferance of the Pastors: for Cyprian sayth, it did, De diuina authoritate descendere, lib. 1. Epistol. 4. That this custome was grounded vponupon diuine authoritie, yea it was established by the lawes of Kings: as there was a lawe made by Lodouicus Pius King of France, that Bishops should bee ordayned by the free election of the Clergie and the people, ex Ansigis. lib. 1. cap. 20.
3 Therefore (say they) elections of Bishops ought to bee at the Popes assignement: for vntounto Peter was committed the care of the vniuersall Church, when he bad Peter feede his sheepe. Hereupon they are bold to affirme, that we hauehave neither true Bishops nor Ministers, because they are not lawfully sent, that is, as they interprete it, from the See Apostolike, Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 3.8. Rhemist. Rom. 10. sect. 5.
Answere: First, the charge giuen to Peter beareth no such sense: that because Christ bad him feede his sheepe, therefore he and his successors should onelyonly hauehave authoritie to consecrate Ministers: for if Peter had it by this grant, other Elders and Pastors had it in like sort, to whom it as well appertayned to feede the flocke of Christ, 1. Peter 5.2. And agayne, not Peter onelyonly, but the rest also of the Apostles did ordayne and consecrate Pastors and Elders, as it shall be shewed afterward.
Secondly, neither is it a good reason to condemne our Ministerie, because it hath not the Popes allowance: for eueryevery Church hath a lawfull calling within it selfe, without sending to forrayne Prelates for their approbation. And if you aske vsus by whom our Ministers were first called, seeing there were none but popish Bishops in eueryevery Church: wee answere: that some had their calling in the Popish Church, which afterward being more effectually called of GOD, became profitable teachers of the Gospell. Neither is it necessarie, that the Church should alwayes be bound to an ordinarie calling; when as the state of the Church is so corrupted, and the gouernment thereof, that no good calling can bee obtayned: for then the Lord raiseth vp some extraordinarily for the reformation of the Church, such as we doubt not, but Luther was. In which and the like cases, the ordinarie imposition of hands by the Pastors of the Church, being heretikes and idolaters, as it was in time of Poperie, is not to be expected or stayed for, Plura apud Fulk. annot. Rom. 10. sect. 5.
The Protestants.
COncerning election or choise to be made by the people, we are to put three cases. First, meere popular elections, wherein the people by multitude of voyce should carrie all away, are in no case, nor at any time to be allowed. Secondly, for the people to giuegive their voyce in elections, which are moderated and gouerned by the graue and wise Pastors and Elders, it hath been vsed in times past, and may bee agayne, and is in some places, where the state of the Church, the condition and qualitie of the people will beare it. Thirdly, though the people neither beare sway in the election, nor giuegive their suffrages and voyces, yet it is conuenient and requisite, that their consent should be had, and publike testimonie: for the Ministers should bee such as hauehave a good report of all, 1. Timoth. 3.7. Fulk. Act. 14. sect. 3. But as for the Pope, let him keepe himselfe, as a Bishop in his owne Dioces, he hath nothing to doe with ordayning or electing of Ministers in other Churches.
1 Numb. 20.27. Eleazar was made Priest in Aarons place, in the sight of all the congregation: Ergo, Ministers ought to be ordayned publikely in the sight of the congregation: not in corners or priuate places, as they vsed to doe in time of Poperie: yea it is recorded of Pope Iohn the 13. that he ordayned Deacons in a stable. And herein they offended manifestly agaynst their owne rules: for their decree is, Nullus inuitis detur Episcopus, Ex Celestin pap. distin. 63. cap. cleri.sed Cleri & plebis consensus & desideriū requiratur: Let no Bishop be thrust vponupon any against their wils, but let the consent and desire of the people and Clergie be knowne.
2 We hauehave the example of the Apostles, Act. 1. & 6. & 14.23. When Matthias was elected, the whole multitude was called together: and Act. 6. the Deacons were chosen by the whole multitude: Ergo, the people had an interest in times past in the election of Church officers: and this example of the Apostles may safely and lawfully bee followed of the Church, when time and place serueth.
Bellarmine answereth: First, the election of Deacons and Pastors is not all one, neither is there the like reason. Ans. They are both publike officers for the good of the Church, and therfore if the people hauehave any interest in the one, why not in the other? Secondly, this was done by the grant and sufferance of the Apostles. Ans. Yea the Apostles called them together, but by the direction of the holy Ghost: as Act. 15. when the Church was assembled together vponupon another occasion, it is sayd, It seemed good to vsus and the holy Ghost. Agayne, in the election, beside imposition of hands, prayer was vsed, which was a chiefe part of that action: but the people had their interest in publike prayers, as being part of the congregation, and were not admitted thereunto at the pleasure and will of men: wherefore it is not true, that it was a meere grant of men, that the people might be present at elections, but it so seemed good to the Apostles thereto directed by the spirit of God.
3 But as for the right of elections in the Pope, it hath no shewe of reason: for bee it that Peter had onelyonly the right of consecration amongst the Apostles, you doe but flatter your selues in thinking, that whatsoeuer right was in Peter, it must needes be in the Pope: for he is not Peters successor, as we hauehave shewed before at large. But we will hold you rather to this poynt: that all the Apostles had as full right to ordayne and consecrate by laying on of hands, as Peter had. Looke Act. 6.6. & Act. 13.3. & Act. 14.23. And if the Pope cannot hauehave all that which Peter had, much lesse can he bee capable of that which Peter neuer had.
4 We hauehave had good experience in England, of the Popes great discretion and wisedome, in collation of spirituall preferments, and ordayning of Bishops. About anno 1253. the Pope wrote a very imperious and commanding letter to the good Bishop of Lincolne, Robert Grostede, Fox. p. 323.to bestowe a Canonship in Lincolne vponupon his nephewe, a boy: for so Popes call their bastards: but he suffered the repulse for that time. In the time of Edward the 3. and Richard the 2. a certificate was sent vp into the Chauncerie, of such Ecclesiasticall dignities, as were possessed by strangers not inhabiting the land: and there were found aboue fourtie Deaneries, Archdeaconries and Prebends, and those not the worst, some worth one hundred, some two hundred, nay, some foure hundred pound by the yeere, the Archdeaconrie of Canturburie was valued at seuen hundred Florences by the yeere, which a Cardinall of Rome had: And there were aboue a dosen Cardinals resiant at Rome, Fox. p. 429.that had at once the best and richest dignities in the land: beside a great sort of Italian priests, and others, that were beneficed in England. By this it may appeare, what good choise the Pope-holy father of Rome was wont to make in bestowing Church dignities: and it were pitie but he should hauehave the ordering of them still, he did so well dispose of them when he had them.
5 Let Augustine speake, who growing now old, was desirous to knowe his successor while he liued: he went not to Rome for the matter: but assembling the Church together at Hippo where he was Bishop; in the presence of two Bishops beside, and seuen Presbyters or Elders, Astante clero & frequenti populo, the whole Clergie, and a great sort of people standing by: Augustine himselfe began first and sayd, Presbyterum Eradium mihi successorem volo: I would hauehave Eradius presbyter to be my successor. Afterward, hearing how the people did approue and like of his motion, he desired them to subscribe to that which was done, Rogo vt dignemini gestis subscribere, qui potestis. And when they held their peace, he vrged them further, saying, Hic mihi responsione vestra opus est, de hac assensione aliquid acclamate: I must needes hauehave you make some answere, and testifie your consent by your acclamation: A populo acclamatum est, fiat, fiat, dictum vicies quinquies: The people cryed out, let it be as thou hast sayd, let it be, and this was repeated fiue and twentie times, Augustin. epistol. 110. By this example it appeareth, though the people made not the choise, yet their consent was demanded. And thus a Bishop was elected, and no word sent vp to Rome at all.
Neither was it the custome of the Church so to do in those dayes: for whereas the Donatists obiected agaynst Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage, because he stayed not to be ordayned of the chiefe Bishop of Numidia, Vt princeps Episcopus a principe ordinaretur: That one chiefe Bishop might bee ordayned of an other. Augustine answered, that there was another custome of the Catholike Church, Vt non Numidiae, sed propinquiores Episcopi, Episcopum ecclesiae Carthaginis ordinarent: Breuicul. collation. 2. cap. 5.That not the Bishop of Numidia, but those Bishops that were neerest at hand, should ordayne the Bishop of Carthage. So we see, they were not onelyonly bold to choose an inferiour Bishop, as was Eradius of Hippo, without the Popes consent: but they would aduenture to ordayne a chiefe Metropolitane Bishop euen of Carthage, without the Popes leaue.
THE SECOND PART CONCERNING the election of the Pope.
THey say, that the surest and safest way and simplie the best, is that which is error 68 now vsed, to choose the Pope by, namely by the Colledge of the Cardinals: That whosoeuer is by two partes of the sayd Cardinals elected, is rightly the successor of Saint Peter, and the vndoubted Pope of Rome.
1 None can better iudge who is fittest for the papacie,Argum. then they which are the Popes Counsellers, and know the affayres of the Church. Ergo, the Cardinals the meetest men.
Answere: First, you take that for graunted, which wee instantly denie, that the Cardinals of Rome are alwayes the wisest and most learned: as though a Cardinals hat doth bring with it such abundance of vertue and learning: nay a title of a Cardinalship is sooner obtayned by fauour than desert, by masses of money, then weight of learning: And good reason, seeing that the Cardinals make a gayne of the papacie: For an Asse loaden with golde shall sooner enter into the Castle of Saint Angel, then any other comming with a cart loade of bookes: they that reade Cardinal Wolseyes instructions sent to Stephen Gardiner at Rome, what great promises of money and preferment, may easily vnderstand the disposition of the Pope-holy Electors of Rome: Seeing they make a gayne of the Pope, why should not he set Cardinalships to sale?Fox. p. 992. for if Iacobus Archbishop of Mentz payd 27000. florences for his pall, what thinke you a Cardinals hat is to be valued at, which is a higher degree,Fox. p. 794. then either Bishop or Archbishop?
We say then, that there may be wiser and more learned men of the Clergie in Rome then the Cardinals: and that the whole Clergie may better iudge, then a few ambitious Cardinals, and are freer from corruption.
2 They are not fitter, not concerning the affayres of the Church, for Bishops are like to know better, what appertayneth to the office of a Bishop, then priests and Deacons, as most of the Cardinals are.
2 It appeareth by the continuance to be the best:Argum. for it hath now endured foure hundred yeeres: and by the effect, for the See of Rome hath neuer been freer from Schismes, then since this order was taken for the Popes election, Bellarmin. cap. 9.
Answere: First, how can it be of such long continuance, seeing by your owne confession, it exceedeth not foure hundred yeeres? Nay who will not graunt, that the ancient order of electing the Bishop of Rome by the whole Clergie, and consent of the people of Rome, with the confirmation of the Emperour, which lasted a thousand yeeres, till this new deuice came in place, was far more ancient and durable? Secondly, how well the Cardinals election hath kept the See of Rome from Schisme, experience of former times teacheth vsus: In pope Vrbanus time the 6. there were two popes many yeeres together: and one did so deadly pursue the other, that Pope Vrbane at once cut off fiue of the Cardinals heads: might they not hauehave great ioy, thinke you, in choosing such a Pope? In the time of Pope Iohn the 23. there were three Popes at once. In the Councel of Basile Pope Eugenius was deposed,Fox p. 434. and counted an heretike. And yet for all this, the Cardinals are the onelyonly preseruers and maintainers of the peace of the Apostolike See.
The Protestants.
THough it doe not greatly concerne vsus, what manner of election is vsed at Rome: (for vntounto vsus the electiō of the meanest Bishop in the land is as much, yea and more, then the glorious enthronizing of the Pope:) Yet it shall not be amisse briefly to shew, how these great antiquaries are become enemies of antiquitie, refusing the ancient manner of election, which was vsed in Rome for a 1000. yeares together, namely, that the Bishop there should be elected by the whole Clergy, wiht the consent of the people and confirmation of the Emperour.
1 It is a playne case, that till the yeare 685. in all their elections they wayted for the authoritie of the chiefe Magistrate, the Emperour, or the deputie of Italie. But then came in the constitution of Constantine the 4 that their elections should be firme without the consent of the Emperour. Yet for all this constitution, anno. 810. Pope Adriane gaue vntounto Carolus magnus full authoritie to elect the Bishop of Rome: and anno. 961. Leo the 9. made the same grant to Otho first Germane Emperor. This continued in force till Alexander the 2. his time, who was elected first without the Emperors consent, but afterward repenting of it, he protested openly, that he would be no longer Pope vnlesse hee had the Emperours consent, and thereupon he was deposed by Hildebrand, and throwen into prison. This was more then a 1000. yeeres after Christ: since that time the Emperour hath been excluded, and shut out from their elections. But all this while notwithstanding, though the Emperors consent sometime was not necessary, yet the Clergie of Rome, and the people retayned their ancient priuiledge still. So we see by this new erection of the Colledge of Cardinals,Fox. p. 4.6. there is great iniurie offered to three estates, the Emperor, the Clergie of Rome, the people.
2 This new forme of election hath not stood continually in force, since it was first founded. For in the Councel of Constance sess. 40. they proceeded to the election of a new Pope, not staying for the rest of the Cardinals, but appoynting other electors in their roume. In the Councel of Basile, the Duke of Sauoy was elected Pope, by other electors, then Cardinals: Nay there was but one Cardinal, namely, Arolatensis, the rest were Bishops, Doctors and others. And though they will say perchance that this Pope was chosen in a schisme, for they holde the Councel of Basile to be schismaticall: yet they can not, neither doe deny, but that Pope Martin the 5. who was chosen at Constance, was rightfully Pope.
3 In Augustines time the rest of the Bishops of Italie neere vntounto Rome, should seeme to hauehave had some interest in the election of the Bishop: Romanae ecclesiae Episcopum non ordinat Episcopus aliquis metropolitanus, sed de proximo Ostiensis Episcopus: The B. of Rome is not ordained by any Metropolitane, but by the Bishop of Ostia that is neere at hand, Breuicul. collation. lib. 2. cap. 5.