Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 19 · Excursus 2
¶Of a Magiſtrate.
THis place admoniſheth me to entreat of a magiſtrate, whome I iudge may thus be deſcribed, namely to be a perſon elected by the inſtitution of God, to kepe the lawes as touching outward diſcipline, in puniſhing trāſgreſſors with puniſhment of the body, and to nooriſh and defend the good. There are vndoubtedly many perſons elected by the inſtitution of God which are not Magiſtrates as the miniſters of churches, whiche yet are keepers of the worde of God, & of his law, but not as touching outwarde diſcipline onelyonly. Bycauſe it is the office of miniſters, by the word of God to pearce euē to the inward mociōs of minds: for the holyghoſt adioyneth his power both to the right preachinges of his word & alſo to the ſacraments which are diſtributed in the church. But the magiſtrat onelyonly exerciſeth outward diſcipline & puniſhment vponupon tranſgreſſors. The miniſter bindeth the guilty & vnpenitent in the name of god, and in his name excludeth them from the kingdome of heauen, as long as they ſo remain. The magiſtrate puniſheth withoutward puniſhmentes, & when nede requireth vſeth the ſword. Ether of them nouriſheth the godly, but after a diuerſe manner: the magiſtrate encreaſeth them with riches, honors and dignities: the miniſter comforteth them with the promiſes of god, and with the Sacramentes. Wherefore the magiſtrate is inſtituted,The end of a magiſtrate. to the end that the lawes ſhould be moſt diligētly kept, the guilty puniſhed & the good holpen & nooriſhed. And vndoubtedly the law is a dumme magiſtrate, & againe the magiſtrate is a liuing and ſpeaking law, and ſo alſo is the miniſter of god (as Paule ſayth) to theyr prayſe which do well: and contrarily he beareth the ſword againſt the wicked, as gods reuenger & iudge, neyther tende theſe thinges to any other end, then to the health of men.
But the forme of magiſtrates is not one onelyonly but manye, as Monarchia, Ariſtocratia, Many formes of magiſtrates.& Policia: or Tirannis, Oligarchia, & Democratia. The diſcriptiōs and natures of which forms Plato, Ariſtotle, and other Philoſophers hauehave elegantly taught. Of all thoſe formes the beſt is to be deſired, and all men to whome it pertayneth ought to prouide, that a good or tollerable eſtate degenerate not into an euill one. But if it happen that Tirans or wicked princes obteine the gouernment of thinges,An example of the Iewes. that is to be ſuffred aſmuch as is by the word of god lawfull. The Iewes were by violence oppreſſed of the Babilonians, whome yet god admoniſhed that they ſhould obey, & to pray for the king, although he were a tiran, & poſſeſſed the kingdome of the Hebrewes moſt wrongfully. Ceſar alſo held Iewry by tiranny, and yet Chriſt ſayd: Geue that whiche is Ceſars vntounto Ceſars, & the thinges yt are of god vntounto god. The Apoſtles alſo hauehave taught that we muſt obey princes & pray for thē. Nero was a moſt vnpure beaſt, whō yet the Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to ye Romains declared yt he ought to be obeyed, not onelyonly for fear, but alſo for cōſcience ſake. Phocas poſſeſſed ye empire of Rome by euil arts, moſt cruelly ſlew Mauricius his prince, & alſo his children, whom yet ye Romaines acknowledged as theyr Emperor, & Gregory the .i. red vntounto ye people his cōmaundements & writings. If yu wilt demaūd, what form of a publike wealth yt Iewes had, it may eaſly be known by thoſe things which we hauehave in an other place ſpokē. They had at ye beginning this forme Ariſtocratia: for god allowed ye counſell of Iethro, which was yt ther ſhould be choſē out wiſe mē & ſtrong & ſuch as fered god, which ſhould gouerne the publike welth, as it is writtē in Exodus & Deut. Yea & god himſelf did ſo wt his ſprite inſpire theſe .70. men, whō he had cōmaunded to be choſē as helpers of Moſes, yt they alſo propheſied. So were the Iſraelite gouerned, although afterward they were gouerned by ye power of a king.
Princes ar called Paſto….But this is not to be omitted, ye princes in ye holy ſcriptures ar not only called Deacōs or miniſters of god, but alſo paſtors, of whō Ezechiel cōplaineth for many cauſes for yt they cruellye & peruerſlye fed the people of God. Homere alſo calleth Agamemnon the feder of ye people. For they ought not to beare rule as thieues or hired mē, to fleſe & to oppreſſe, but to kepe, noriſhe & fede like paſtors. They are alſo called fathers,Magiſtrates are called fathers. wherfore the Senators among ye Romaines were called Patres conſcripti, yt is appointed fathers, nether was ther a greter or more aunciēt honor in ye publike welth thē to be called pater patrie, yt is the father of ye country. Yea alſo a magiſtrate is contayned in ye law of God vnderunder this cōmaū dement: Honor thy father & thy mother. Wherfore princes owe vntounto their ſubiectes a fatherly louelove. And they ought alwaies to remēber, that they are not rulers ouer beaſtes but ouer men, & that thēſelues alſo are men, who yet ought to be far better & more excellēt thē thoſe whom they gouern, otherwiſe they ar not apt to gouern thē. For we make not a ſhepe a head ouer ſhepe, but the chief wether & then the ſhepeheard, And euē as a ſhepeheard excelleth ye ſheepe, ſo ought they to whome the office of a magiſtrate is committed, to excell the people. But now muſt we conſider by whome Magiſtrates are ordeined. That ſometimes is done by the cōſent of ye Senate, ſomtimes by ye voices of ye people,By whome magiſtrates are ordeined. God is firſt ordeiner of magiſtrates. or by ye will of the ſouldiers, or els by ſucceſſiō of inheritāce. But theſe ar but inſtrumēts. But ye proper cauſe of Magiſtrates is god him ſelf: which may be by many reaſōs proued. Firſt there is by god a certain light kindled in ye harts of mē, whereby they vnderſtand yt they can not liue together without a guide, & there hēce ſpronge ye office of a magiſtrate. The law of god alſo commaundeth to obey Magiſtrates. And before the law geuen by Moſes (as it is written in Gen.) god ordeined yt he which ſhedeth mans blood his blood, alſo ſhould be ſhed, not vndoubtedly raſhly & by eueryevery mā (for that were very abſurd) wherefore we may gather by thoſe wordes, that a magiſtrate was not obſcurely inſtituted by god, whiche ſhoulde puniſh manquellers. Paule alſo writeth, that all powers whatſoeuer they be ar ordeined of god. And Chriſt aunſwered vntounto Pilate: Thou ſhouldeſt hauehave no power againſt me, except it had beene geuen thee frō aboue. By theſe teſtimonies and reaſons it followeth that god is the true & proper cauſe of Magiſtrates.
But here ſome cauell, & ſaye that if all magiſtrates are of God, then muſt all things be rightly gouerned: but in gouerning publike welthes many things as we ſe, are done viciouſly & peruerſly. Vndoubtedly vnderunder Nero, Domician, Commodus, Caracalla, & Heliogabalus good lawes were contēned, good men killed, & diſcipline of ye city was vtterly corrupted. But if Magiſtrates were of god, ſuch thinges coulde neuer hauehave happened. This reaſon neither can nor oughte any thing to moue vsus: bicauſe the office is to be ſeperated from the perſon:The office is to be ſeperated from the perſō. & vndoubtedly it is poſſible, that he which hath the office may be a wicked & noghty mā, when as yet neuertheleſſe the power is good & very profitable. For there is nothing ſo good, but that men by theyr malice may vſe it ill. Therfore it is no meruaile if there hauehave bene kings & Emperors, which ſometimes hauehave abuſed yt power geuen thē, which yet they were not ſo able to corrupt, but that mē receiued by it many good things & cōodities, as I hauehave before ſhewed. By the teſtimony of Daniell it is moſt manifeſt that Magiſtrates ar of God. For he (ſaith he) geueth & tranſferreth kingdōs as it pleaſeth him. Farther we ſe that ye Monarche hath ſomtimes bene in ye Eaſt, ſomtimes in ye South, afterwarde in the Weaſt, & ſomtimes in ye North: & alſo that there hath ſometimes bene good princes, and ſomtimes euill: ſometimes hauehave reigned noble men, & ſometimes obſcure men. And we vnderſtād that it oftentimes happeneth that riches or power profite not to get or kepe a kingdome: and to thinke that theſe things are done by chaunce without the prouidence of God, it is moſt abſurd.
Some Aſtronomer will peraduenture ſay that theſe chaunges or mutaciōs are imported by ye ſtarres: but Daniell the miniſter of ye truth, ſaith that it is God which chaūgeth times. For euē as he hath in ye year appointed courſes of times,The chaunges of the wicked ar not to be aſcribed vntounto the ſtarres. ſo hath he as it pleaſeth him ſomtimes ordeined & ſomtimes takē away princes. He did caſt down Saul, & he alſo promoted Dauid. And he foretold that he woulde ſo do: leaſt it ſhould ſeme to hauehave happened raſhely or by chaunſe. Yea and kingdomes & publike wealthes may be called certayne worke houſes or ſhops of the wil of god. For that is done in them, which god himſelf hath decreed to be done, although princes oftētimes vnderſtād it not. God called ye Medes and ye Aſſiriās to afflict ye Iſraelits, & them (when it ſemed good vntounto him) he repulſed & toke a waye. He rayſed vp the Perſians agaynſte the Chaldeans, and the Grecians agaynſte the Perſians, and laſtlye the Romaines againſte all other nations. Who deuided the kingdome of the Hebrewes into Iuda and Iſraell? Vndoubtedly God. Ahias the Silonite did foretell that it ſhoulde ſo come to paſſe, and ſayde that the word was come forth from the Lorde, that it ſhoulde ſo be. Who ouerthrew Achab? Who cauſed Iehu to be annointed, but onelyonly God? But there ar certayne Tirannes which deſtroy publike welthes.What draweth Tirannes to Pub. welthes. I graunt that. But our wicked actes deſerue it. For there are oftentimes ſo greiuous wicked actes and ſo many, that they cannot be corrected by the ordinary magiſtrate, and by a gentle and quiet gouernance of thinges, and therfore god doth then prouide tirannes to afflict the people, and yet for the moſt part he tempreth and lenyfieth his puniſhment in rayſinge vp good and godly princes.God ſendeth good Princes after tirannes. After the fall of Nero he ſet vp Veſpacian: after Domician, he ſent Neruan and Troian: after Commodus, Pertinax and Seuerus: after Heliogabalus, Alexander. But they which ſay: The wicked actes of Tirannes are not of God, yet do they range and ſpreade abroade in kingdomes and Empires, therfore Empires and kingdomes ar not of god: they (I ſaye) make a falſe Silogiſmus a ſecundum quid ad ſimpliciter that is, from that which appeareth to that which is indede, neither doth this rightly follow: Certayne thinges in a magiſtrate are not of God: therfore the magiſtrate is not of God. Or tather they reaſon … from accidences for vices and wicked acts chance to publike powers, but are not knit vntounto them (per ſe) that is of thēſelues, or by theyr nature.
The godly may vſe Ethnike magiſtrates.But ſome man will doubt: If the Magiſtrate be an Ethnike & alſo a tiran, whither it be lawfull for a godly man to vſe his helpe and ayde? What els? Paul appealeth vntounto Ceſar a moſt wicked tiran. But it may ſeme that he did againſt his own preceptes. For in his firſte Epiſtle to the Corrin. he reprehended thoſe Chriſtians whiche pleaded cauſes at the iudgemente places of the Ethnikes. He iuſtlye reproued the Corinthians, bycauſe there were Chriſtians amonge them, which might in the church hauehave decided theyr cauſes. Neyther was it conueniēt that Chriſtians ſhould contend with chriſtians at the iudgemente places of the vngodly. But Paul whē he appealed vntounto Ceſar, had not to do wt chriſtians, but with ye Iewes, & preſident of Rome. Wherfore foraſmuch as he had not a faithfull magiſtrate, neither could it otherwiſe be done, & his life alſo was ſoughte, he did not il in imploringe the fayth and ayd of the cōmon magiſtrate, although he were an Ethnike. For euē as we vſe the Sun & Mone, ſo alſo is it lawfull to vſe the publike and ordinary magiſtrate, what manner of man ſo euer he be.
The church vſed an Ethnike Magiſtrate.The Chriſtian church did the ſame thing, whē there were yet no Chriſtiā Emperors. For Paulus Samoſatenus was condēned as an heretike, & being a biſhop he was diſplaced. But bicauſe he would not render vp the houſe which longed to ye biſhop, there was requeſt made vntounto Aurelianus ye Emperor, & ayd obteined at his hands to cōpel him to deliuer his houſe vntounto ye new biſhop. Who can ſay yt the church herein ſinned, bicauſe it vſed ye publike magiſtrate, though he were an infidel? But let vsus returne thither frō whence we digreſſed, and conſtantly beleue that the magiſtrate is of god, althoughe oftentimes (our ſins deſeruing the ſame) many things vnderunder him ar done wickedly & vniuſtly. Howbeit Hoſeah the Prophet ſemeth yet to be againſt vsus whē he ſaith: they hauehave raigned, but not by me.How it is ſayd that tirannes raign not by god. But we muſt know that Hoſeah entreated of tirans, which nether regarded laws, neither noriſhed ye good, nor toke away ye euil frō among ye people, & therfore they raigned not by god, but by theyr own luſt: they regarded theyr own affections & not the law of god. Farther they inuaded kingdomes, being ſtirred vp by theyr own wicked deſires, & moued by their own ambiciō, not as they which felt ye calling of god vntounto the kingdome, neither toke they vponupon them the power wt a wil to obey god, but to ſatiſfy theyr own ambiciō. This was not to reign by god. But yt they were not exalted to the kingdom by ye wil of god, it is contrary in a manner to ye whole ſcripture. For god calleth Nebucad-Nezar his ſeruāt, bycauſe he would vſe his miniſtery to afflict ye Iſraelites, whē as yet it might hauehave bene ſaid yt he reigned not by god, foraſmuch as he foght againſt ye Iewes by his own luſt & couetous deſire of his mind, & not of a zeale to fulfil the will of god. Wherfore the ſentence of Hoſea the prophet is nothing againſt vsus, but that we may beleue that the Magiſtrate is of God, and that we ought to obey him. Paule ſaith: Let euerye ſoule be ſubiect vntounto the higher powers. The ſame thing is written to Titus. And in the firſt Epiſtle of Peter, the ſecond chap. And Paule to Timothe addeth, that we ſhould pray for them.
But the Papiſtes, and they which wil be called Eccleſiaſtical men,Miniſters of the churche are not exemted frō the ordinarye power. Chriſoſtome. wyll not heare theſe thinges. For they cry that they are exempted from publike and ordinary powers, when as yet the Apoſtle vſed no exception when hee ſayde: Let euerye ſoule be ſubiect vntounto the higher powers. And: He whiche reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth the ordinance of God. Yea and Chriſoſtome alſo vponupon that place ſaith, that the Apoſtles, Prophetes, Euangeliſtes, and Moonkes, are comprehē ded vnderunder that lawe. And Chriſoſtome wrote theſe thinges of Eccleſiaſtical perſons, when as yet he was Biſhop of Conſtantinople, and there were then alſo Chriſtian Emperours.
But it is a ſporte to beare the argumentes,What the falſe eccleſiaſtical mē trifle of twoo ſwoordes. whiche theſe falſe Eccleſiaſticall men vſe. In Etrauag. de Maioritate et Obedientia, chap. Vnam ſanctam, Bonifacius the .viii. (whom they ſay entred in as a Foxe, raigned like a Lion, and dyed like a Dog) ſaith that there are two ſwordes in the Church. And leaſt he ſhould ſeeme to ſpeake it raſhly, he citeth theſe woordes out of the .xxii. chap. of Luke: whē I ſent you without bag or ſcrip, did ye at any time want any thing? They ſaid vntounto him: No. Chriſt added: But now I ſaye vntounto you, let euerye man take his ſcrippe and wallet, and he which hath none, let him ſell his coate and bye a ſwoord. They ſaid vntounto him: Behold here are two ſwoordes. Chriſt anſwered, it is ſufficient. Bonifacius ſaith: Two ſwoordes are ſufficient for the Churche, namely the ſpiritual ſword and the temporal. Wherefore they whiche ſay that Peter had not an outward ſwoord, do ſeeme not to vnderſtand the woordes of Chriſt, wherein he ſayd: Put vp thy ſwoord into the ſheath. Thy ſwoorde (ſayth he) and not an other mans. For he had a ſwoord of his owne, although he were bidden to put it vp.
But there muſt needes be ſome order kept and obſerued in theſe ſwoordes. For what powers ſoeuer there be, they are ordained of God. For there ſhoulde be a great confuſion, if for that being two ſwordes in the Church, the one ſhould not be gouerned by the other. Wherfore the temporal ſword ought to be gouerned by the ſpiritual. And to make this argument more plaine: The church (ſaith he) hath two ſwoordes, but it vſeth them not after one and the ſelfe ſame manner. For it exerciſeth the ſpiritual ſwoord, but the temporal ſword ought to be drawen, onelyonly at the becke and ſuffrance of the Church. This is ſo obſcure, that it may in a maner ſeme to be a riddle. Howe be it this is his meaning,The Pope maketh ſubiect vntounto him ſelfe the ſwoorde of the Emperour. that the ſworde of the Emperour ought to be drawen onelyonly at the wyll and pleaſure of the Pope, that when he commaundeth, he muſt ſtrike, and by ſufferance, that is he muſt go forward in ſtriking, ſo long as he liſteth and wil ſuffer it. Wherfore theſe thinges muſt be in order: and the order is that the temporal ſwoord be reduced vntounto God by the ſpiritual. For (as that Dioniſius ſaith,Dionyſius. who is thought to be an Areopagite, although he be farre an other) all inferiour thinges are referred vntounto the chiefeſt thing, but yet by a meane. Wherfore, ſaith he, the temporal ſworde muſt be drawen at the becke of the Pope, that by that meanes it may be referred vntounto God. So we ſee is now brought to paſſe. For ſo often onelye as the moſt holy willeth that warre be made againſt the Lutherians, he wil that the Emperour ſtraightway ſhould obey. And if any Prince wil not with much ſubmiſſion obey him, ſtraightway are ſent Legates hither and thether, that al other kinges and princes ſhould apply them ſelues vntounto his becke, and make war and vexe him, which wil not obey him.The Pope preferreth himſelfe before al kings and princes.
Bonifacius addeth moreouer that he himſelfe is aboue al kinges and princes. For principallity is to be eſteemed according to the dignity of the things which by it are exerciſed. We (ſaith he) exerciſe ſpiritual thinges, and they temporall, wherfore their ſwoorde is inferiour to ours, and they themſelues alſo vntounto vsus. He addeth alſo an other reaſon, they pay vntounto vsus tenthes, but tenthes ar paid by the inferior vntounto the ſuperior. Wherfore ſeing kings & princes pai tenthes, they do teſtify yt their lands & reuenues pertaine vntounto the church, & that they ar ſubiect vntounto it. Moreouer, he which bleſſeth, is greater then he which is bleſſed. But Biſhops conſecrate and anoynt kinges. The Gloſe addeth: That of kinges onelyonly the right ſhoulder is anointed, but the heades of Biſhops are anointed. And vponupon Kinges is poured oyle, but vponupon Biſhops Chriſma. Wherefore wee muſt needes confeſſe that Kinges are inferiour to Biſhops. Farther, kinges receaue the crowne and ſcepter of Biſhops. For who ſaith hee, anoynted Saul, and who anointed. Dauid, but onelyonly Samuel? who anoynted Iehu, but a Prophet ſent by Helizeus? The matter alſo which is intreated of by biſhops, is greater thē that, about which kinges are occupied. For Chriſt ſaid vntounto Peter: whatſoeuer thou ſhalt binde in earth, ſhalbe bound in heauen. This power is greater then al humane power. And God ſaith vntounto Ieremy: I wil ſet thee ouer nacions and kingdomes, to roote out and deſtroy, to ſcatter and to plant. Therefore we are greater then al the power of kinges, and are exempted from their right. Wherefore prophane and lay powers of Emperours and Kinges muſt be iudged by the Eccleſiaſtical men,The Pope wil not bee iudged or gouerned of any. & ought by vsus to be appointed, and may by vsus be ouerthrowen. For to whom it pertaineth to builde, to the ſame it belongeth to deſtroy. Therfore the ſpiritual Magiſtrate ought to iudge of the ciuill Magiſtrate. But if the ſpiritual offende in any thing, of whom ought he to be iudged? The inferiour, ſaith he, ought to be iudged of the ſuperiour. But the Pope, which is the higheſt of al, of whom ſhal he be iudged? Of no man ſaith he, but onelyonly of God, bycauſe the ſpiritual is iudged of no man, but he iudgeth al thinges.
Oh how finely and trymly ordaineth he his tirannye? He calleth hym ſelfe onelyonly ſpiritual. The Gloſer, although he were otherwiſe groſe inough, yet hee could not be ſo much a blocke, but that he ſawe that theſe thinges were ſpoken very abſurdly. How, ſaith he, is the Pope ſpiritual, if he be vnpure and wycked? He expoundeth himſelfe by this diſtinction:Two maner of ſpiritualties of the Canoniſts. There is one maner of ſpiritualtye ſaith he, of the perſon, and an other of the ſtate. Wherfore if there be anye ſpiritual perſon, he may reproue al men by a brotherly admonicion: but he ought to be reprehended of no man. Bicauſe for that he is ſpirituall, hee committeth nothing filthely. But ſometimes ſome perſon which is not ſpiritual in life and maners, ought yet to be called ſpiritual, bicauſe of his degree. As are many biſhops and Popes: wherfore we muſt cal the biſhop of Rome whatſoeuer he be, ſpiritual and moſt holy. But what thing els is this, then to teache vsus to lye, if they wil hauehave a filthy varlet called moſt holye? Bonifacius at the laſt concludeth, that all Emperours and Kinges muſt be ſubiect vntounto his power onelyonly. And he addeth a reaſon: Vnles we wil together with the Maniches appoint twoo begynninges: which thing we ought not to do, for Moſes ſayd not, in the beginninges, but in the beginning God created heauen & earth.The Pope pronoūſeth that he of neceſſitye of ſaluacion ought to be obeyed. Of the two maner of powers, the ciuil and eccleſiaſtical. Wherfore, ſaith he, we define, determine, and pronounce, that all men oughte of neceſſitye of ſaluacion, to obey the Pope, as the chiefeſt power. And ſo he excellētly I promiſe you concludeth that al Eccleſiaſtical men are exempt from the ciuil Magiſtrate.
Before I come to confute this their moſt ſhameles boaſting, I thinke it expedient briefly to ſpeake of the two maner of powers: of the Eccleſiaſticall power I ſay, and ciuill. In that it is ſayd that the Eccleſiaſtical power is preferred before al ciuil functions, it is ſomwhat that they ſay, if it be rightlye and aptlye vnderſtand. All eccleſiaſticall power cleaueth vntounto the woorde of God, ſo that without it is none: but the woord of the Lorde is a rule common, whereby all thinges ought both to be directed and be tempered.Ambroſe inſtructed Theodoſius. For it teacheth in what maner the outward ſword and publike wealth ought to be gouerned. And generally alſo it ſheweth how althinges ought to be done of al men. So Ambroſe (whō Theodoſius the Emperor raged to cruelly, and without al conſideracion againſt the Theſſalonians) perſwaded him, that in al puniſhmentes of death, ther ſhould be .xxx. daies ſpace after the ſentence geuen, leaſt the Magiſtrate ſhould do thoſe things in a rage and fury, wherof although he afterward repented him, yet they could not be amended. So many Biſhops, oftentimes in things moſt waighty, ſhewed foorth their authority, and many times either put away cruell warres, or els pacified them, & out of the word of God preached among them. Wherfore the Eccleſiaſtical power after this maner comprehendeth althinges, bicauſe out of the woord of God it findeth how to geue counſell in all thinges. For there is nothing in the whole world, wherunto the woord of God extendeth not it ſelfe. Wherfore they are farre deceaued, which vſe to cry:The preaching of the woord of God hath al mē & al ſtates ſubiect vntounto it. what hath a Preacher to do with the publike wealth, what hath he to doo with warres? what with Poticaries? what with Cookes? But let them tel me, when the Miniſter of the woorde perceiueth the law of God to be violated in theſe thinges, why ſhould he not reprehende them by the woord of God? Why ſhould he not admoniſh them? Why ſhould he not exhort them to ceaſe from ſynne?The Miniſter of the Churche worketh by the woord, and not by the ſwoord. How far cyuill power extēdeth Nndoubtedlye it is his dutye to correct ſynners, not in dede with the ſwoord, or puniſhing by the purſſe, not by empriſonment, not by baniſhment, but after his owne manner, that is by the might and power of the woord of God.
Againe, the political power is extended to al thoſe thinges which pertayne to political power. But after what maner? Shal ciuil power require good mociōs of the minde, and inward repentance? It cannot cauſe theſe thinges: yet it muſt wiſh theſe thinges, and vſe thoſe meanes wherby they may be had. For he ought to hauehave a care, that Biſhops, Paſtors and Teachers in the Churche doo teache purely, reprehende fatherly, and by the woord of God adminiſter the ſacramēts. This thing in dede the Magiſtrate doth not by himſelfe, but hee ought to hauehave a regarde, that they may be in a redynes, which ſhould do them wel. Wherefore either power extendeth moſt amply, and comprehendeth al thinges, but not after one and the ſelfe ſame maner. And the rule of either of them is to bee taken out of the woord of God, which is plaine to be in the Church.
Againe, there are two ſubiections: One is political and ciuil,Two kinds of ſubiection. whereunto all men are ſubiect, who if they offend in any thing againſt the lawes, let them at the iuſt Magiſtrates hand looke for impryſonment, puniſhment by the purſſe, baniſhment, death, and outward paines. But if they doo wel, let them looke for honours, rewardes, dignities, and prayſe. And after this maner the ciuil power is not ſubiect vntounto the miniſtery of the woorde, bicauſe by it it can not by theſe kindes of puniſhmentes be afflicted and conſtrained. The other ſubiection is ſpiritual, that is of faith, and of obedience. For ſtrayghtway, as ſone as men heare of their duty out of the woord of God, and that either this thing or that is to bee done, or this or that thing to be auoyded, they geue place, beleue, and obey. Bycauſe they perceaue, that that which is ſpoken, is the woorde of God. And theſe are the endes of eyther power.A ſentence of Valentiniā the Emperour. And ſo is to be vnderſtand that ſaying of Valentinian the Emperour, out of the booke called Hiſtoria Tripartita, which thing is had alſo in the diſtinction .63. chap. Valentinianus: Chuſe (ſaith he) ſuche a biſhop, vntounto whom we which gouerne the Empire, may ſincerely ſubmyt our heades, and vſe his admonicions as medicines. &c. By which wordes is vnderſtand that it longeth vntounto the Eccleſiaſtical power,An error of the ſame Valentinian. to admoniſh out of the woorde of God for ſaluacion. Although the ſame Emperour afterward erred. For when he had appointed Ambroſe Pretor of the City of Millane, the people did chuſe him byſhop. Which thing when the Emperor knew,A biſhop ought not to hauehave a care onelyonly ouer ſoules, or onelyonly ouer bodyes. he gaue thankes vntounto God therfore after this maner: I had made hym ruler ouer the bodyes of men, but thou wouldeſt hauehave him ruler ouer the ſoules. &c. Valentinian did not rightlye put a diſtinction betwene offices. For why? Ought biſhops to hauehave a care onelyonly ouer ſoules, and not alſo ouer bodies? What if they geue them ſelues to glotonye or dronkennes, or liue licenciouſlye touching outwarde thinges, ſhall they not reproue theſe thinges? Vndoubtedly they muſt reproue them. Neither muſt princes hauehave a care onelyonly ouer the bodies of men, and neglect their ſoules. For wee do not imagine that a prince is a neateherd or a ſwineherd, to whom is committed onelyonly the care of the belly, fleſh and ſkinne of his ſubiectes: yea he muſt prouide that they may liue vertuouſly and godlily. But what if Chriſtian Princes when they are by the woorde of God admoniſhed of publike and moſt grieuous ſynnes, wil not heare, neither amende that which they hauehave noughtely committed. What I ſay ſhal the biſhop do herein? Ambroſe excommunicated Theodoſius the Emperor, when he exerciſed ſo grieuous tiranny againſt the Theſſalonians. Innocentius alſo excommunicated Arcadius, when he had exiled Iohn Chriſoſtome, who admoniſhed him freely and trulye, as it is had in the diſt. 96. chap. Duo ſunt, & in the diſt. 18. in the chap. Quoniam quidam. And they are the wordes of the ſyxt Synode, where it is decreed that ther ſhould eueryevery yeare be had two Sinodes. And if princes would hinder them, let them be excommunicated.
Euſebius.But what do I make mencion of theſe latter thinges? Let vsus reade Euſebius in his .vi. booke, and .xxxiiii. chap. where he ſaith that Philip the Emperor, who liued in the tyme of Origene, was the firſt Chriſtian prince, and when he would hauehave bene preſent together with the faithful on Eaſter euen, and hauehave communicated with them in prayers, the biſhop, bicauſe he was a wicked and noughty liuer, reiected him among them that wer put to penance, that he ſhould make open confeſſion before the Churche, and acknowledge his ſynne, otherwyſe hee could by no meanes be admitted vntounto the Communion. This did the byſhop at that tyme againſt the Emperour & chiefe Monarche of the whole world. Wherfore the ciuil power ought to be ſubiect vntounto the woorde of God which is preached by the Miniſters. But againe the Eccleſiaſticall power is ſubiect vntounto the ciuil, when the Miniſters behaue themſelues yll, either in thinges humane or Eccleſiaſtical. For theſe powers are after a ſorte conuertible and ſundry wayes are occupied about the ſelfe ſame thinges, and mutually helpe one an other, euē as Ariſtotle Theodectes calleth Rhethorike and Logike interchangeable artes,Ariſtotle. bicauſe either of them are occupied in the ſelfe ſame thinges after a ſundry maner. The Eccleſiaſtical power is ſubiect vntounto the Magiſtrate: not by a ſpiritual ſubiection, but by a politike. For as touching the Sacramentes and ſermons, it is not ſubiect vntounto it, bicauſe the Magiſtrate cannot bende the woord of God or the Sacramentes, which the miniſtery vſeth, neither can he compel the paſtors and Teachers of the Church to teach otherwiſe, or in any other ſorte to adminiſter the Sacramentes, then is preſcribed by the woorde of God. Howbeit miniſters in that they are men and Citizens, are without all doubte ſubiect vntounto the Magiſtrate, and alſo their lands, riches, and poſſeſſions. So Chriſt payd tribute, ſo alſo did the Apoſtles, and the whole primatiue Churche, when there were yet moſt holye men. Their manners alſo are ſubiect vntounto the cenſures and iudgementes of the Magiſtrates.
Farthermore, we muſt adde that Miniſters are ſubiect vntounto the Magiſtrate, not onelyonly as touching thoſe thinges which I hauehave rehearſed, but alſo (as I before ſignified) cōcerning their function. Bicauſe if they teache not right, neither adminiſter the Sacramentes orderly, it is the office of the Magiſtrate to compel them to an order, and to ſee that they teache not vnpurelye, and that they myngle not fables,Princes may put Miniſters oute of their place, if their be hauehave thē ſelues yll. or that they abuſe not the Sacramentes, or delyuer them otherwiſe then the Lorde hath commaunded. Alſo if they liue noughtelye and wickedly, let them put them out of the holy miniſterye. This did Salomon, who deiected Abiathar, and ſubſtituted Sadok in his roume, as it is written in the fyrſt boke of Kinges, the ſecond chap. And in the new Teſtament, Iuſtinian diſplaced Siluerius & Vigilius, which thing I doubt not but other princes did ſometimes. But how iuſtly, I wil not preſently declare: this one thing I wil ſay, that that thing was lawful for them in the cauſes now alledged. But ſome man wil ſay, that I ſpeake now of the fact, and not of the right. Yea but I ſpeake alſo of the right. For the king ought to hauehave with him the law of God written, bicauſe he is ordained a keeper, not onelyonly of the firſt table, but alſo of the latter.It longeth not to the Miniſter of the Churche to put downe Princes. Wherfore he which offendeth in any of them both, falleth into his power. But althoughe a king may remoue an vnprofitable and hurtful biſhop, yet can not a biſhop on the other ſyde put downe a king, if he offend. Iohn in dede reproued Herode, but he diſplaced him not of his kingdome. Ambroſe and Innocent excommunicated Emperours: but they went no farther. Yea and Chriſt called Herode a woolfe, but he tooke not away from hym his kingdom, and he payed tribute vntounto Tiberius, a moſt wicked Tiranne, neither was he at any time author to any man to ſhake of his yoke. Wherefore let Popes take heede by what right as they luſt them ſelues, they put Kinges and Emperors out of their place. This thing did neither anye of the Prophetes, nor the Apoſtles, nor Chriſt.
The Popes boaſt that they hauehave great power: but if it be any that they hauehave, it conſiſteth wholy in the woord of God. Let them teache, preach, and admoniſh, if they wil exerciſe their power: otherwiſe the ciuil and temporal power, whom they ſo much crake of, is farre from the eccleſiaſtical Miniſters. In ſumme, euen as there is found no king nor Emperour ſo great, which is not ſubiect vntounto the power of the woord of God, which is preached by the Miniſters: ſo on the other ſyde is there no biſhop, which when he hath offended, ought not to be reproued by the ciuil Magiſtrate. What difference ſo euer there bee, the ſame (as I hauehave ſayde) is wholye as touching the manner of reprouing. The Miniſters of the Churche doo that by the woorde, and Princes by outward puniſhmentes. But our falſe eccleſiaſtical men wilbe princes and raigne. But Chriſt woulde be no king. And when he was ſought for, to that ende to be made a king, he vtterly refuſed it: yea he openlye profeſſed that his kingdome was not of this worlde. He ſaid alſo vntounto the Apoſtles: Princes of the nacions do beare rule ouer them, but ye ſhal not do ſo. Peter alſo (whoſe ſucceſſors they affirme them ſelues to be) admoniſheth Miniſters, not to exerciſe dominion ouer the Clergy. But theſe men wyll hauehave pryſons, ſoldiours and ſwoordes, and ſtyrre vp warres, as they luſt them ſelues.
Perduenture they wil obiect vntounto vsus the Aſſamonites, Of the Aſſamonites or Machabites.out of the olde Teſtament, whom it is certayne that they were both Kynges and Prieſtes, and confounded both the powers. That hiſtorye in deede is wrytten in the bookes of the Machabites, but we muſt ſee whyther they dyd it rightly, or wyckedly and ambiciouſly. Vndoubtedly I thinke they did it not orderly: for God by his word had many tymes adiudged the kyngdome vntounto the Tribe of Iudah, euen to the tyme of Meſsias. And contrarily he commaunded the Leuites, that they ſhoulde poſſeſſe no landes, and muche leſſe to occupye a kyngdome among theyr brethren. But if a man had rather ſaye, that they did thys thyng by a certayne ſecrete reuelacion and hydden iudgement of GOD, hee ſhall not amende theyr cauſe. For that whithe is ſo done, ought not to bee drawen into an example. But I thynke rather that they offended in ſo doyng. They dyd well vndoubtedlye, when they delyuered theyr Countrey from tyrranny: but that thing being finiſhed, they ought not to hauehave taken vponupon them the kyngdome. Neyther dyd GOD obſcurely declare that that theyr act diſpleaſed hym. For (as wee gather out of Ioſephus) that houſe afterward neuer wanted Tragedies.How the Apoſtles ſomtimes vſed outwarde puniſhmentes. They farther obiecte vntounto vsus, that Peter ſlewe Ananias and Saphira, and that Paule ſtrake Elimas the Sorcerer wyth blindnes. That is true in deede: but they dyd theſe thinges by the woorde of God, not by violence, not by the ſwoord, neither by the labour of a hangman. Let theſe men doo the ſame thynges by the woord, and wee wyll regarde them. Why doo they not harken vntounto Paule to Timothe: Let no man going on warfare for God, wrap hymſelfe in cares of this lyfe. If they wil go on warfare for God, why doo they in ſuch ſorte hynder themſelues with worldly buſines? HaueHave they ſo much leaſure from their own affaires, that they can hauehave a care ouer other mens thinges? Let them anſwer plainly: would they at this day abide, that any king ſhould attempt to teache the Goſpel, or adminiſter the Sacramentes? They would not ſuffer it. Neyther did God hymſelfe alſo ſuffer it:The offices of both the powers muſt not be confounded. but he ſtrake Ozeas with Leproſy, when he would hauehave burnt inſence vntounto God. Why therfore doo they inuade other mens borders? Theſe functions ought to be ſeperated, bicauſe either of them requireth a whole man a part by hym ſelfe: yea rather ſcarce hath beene founde anye one man at anye tyme, which coulde ryghtlye execute eyther of them, ſo hard a thyng is the execution of them both. Howbeit, both of them doo helpe one an other: for the politike Prince geueth iudgement, and the Eccleſiaſticall doth not in deede geue iudgement, but he teacheth how iudgement ought to bee geuen. HaueHave no reſpect (ſayth he) of perſons in iudgement: afflict not the poore and ſtraunger: receaue no bribes. &c. So on the other ſyde the political Magiſtrate preacheth not, neither adminiſtreth the Sacramentes. But vnleſſe theſe thinges bee ryghtlye ordered, he ought to puniſh the Miniſters.
Wherin either power differeth and agreeth.And to be briefe, there are two thinges to be conſidered of vsus in thys collacion. In the Ciuyll Magiſtrate is to be conſidered both the power, and alſo the man which beareth and exerciſeth the power. He in reſpect that he is a Chriſtian man, is vndoubtedly ſubiect vntounto the woorde of God, and in reſpect that hee beareth power, and gouerneth, he ought alſo to be ſubiect vntounto the ſame woord of God. For out of it ought he to ſeeke rules to gouerne and to adminiſter. In the Miniſter of the Churche alſo is to be conſidered both the miniſterye it ſelfe, and alſo the perſon which executeth it. As touching the perſon, the miniſter is ſubiect vntounto the Ciuill power: for he is both a Citizen, and payeth tribute as other men doo, and is vnderunder the correction of manners. But as concernyng the miniſterye, he is alſo ſomewaye ſubiect vntounto the Magiſtrate: For if he eyther teache or adminiſter the Sacramentes agaynſt the woorde of God, he muſt bee reprehended by the Ciuil Magiſtrate. And yet muſt hee not ſeeke for rules and reaſons of hys function at the ſame Magiſtrates hand, but out of the woorde of God. By thys diſtinction we may eaſelye vnderſtande the differences and agrement of eyther power.
To the argumentes of Boniface.Now reſteth to come to that Thraſo Bonifacius to confute hys argumentes. Fyrſt, he gathered out of that whych the Apoſtles anſwered: Beholde here are two ſwoordes, and Chriſt added: It is ſufficient, that the Churche hath twoo powers,How the churche maye hauehave twſſiwoordes. and both of them committed vntounto hym. To that I aunſwer, that it is poſſible, that ſometymes there may be two ſwoordes in the Churche: but there were not ſo alwayes in it, neyther peraduenture ſhall bee alwayes ſo. What outward ſwoord had the Church in the tyme of Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles and Martyrs?The Churche hath nowe almoſt al artes. But yet now (they wyll ſay) it hath. I graunt that, bycauſe kynges and Emperours are Chriſtians, whych in the olde tyme were Ethnikes. The Churche hath alſo huſbandrye, trade of marchaundiſe, the arte of Carpenters, and other ſuche lyke. For they whyche exerciſe theſe thynges, are members of the Church. But that cōmeth to paſſe (as the Schoolemen ſpeake) per accidens, that is by chaunce. For there might be a Churche, thoughe thoſe thynges were not. So nowe, bycauſe there are Princes in the Churche, it is ſayde to hauehave an outward ſwoorde. But bycauſe Princes are in our tyme a part of the Churche, it doth not therfore follow that the ſword of Princes is the ſword of miniſters: euen as although there be in the Church huſbandry and trade of merchaundiſe, and alſo the arte of Carpenters, it cānot therby be gathered that miniſters are huſband men, merchauntes, and Carpenters.
Now I come to the place of the Euangeliſt. The Apoſtles ſayde, they wanted nothing, when they were ſent without wallet and ſcryp, vntounto whom Chriſt ſayd: Let eueryevery one take vntounto him his ſcrip and wallet, and he which hath none, let him ſell his coate, and bye a ſwoord. What woulde Chriſte ſignifye by theſe woordes? Nothing els vndoubtedly, but to ſhewe that the ſtate and condicion of tymes hereafter ſhould be far otherwiſe then they wer before. Hitherto (ſayth he) whyleſt I was wyth you, ye felt no griefe, neyther wanted you any thyng. But now harder tymes are at hand: now ſhall ye hauehave neede of coates, ſcryps, and ſwoordes. By theſe woordes hee declareth that hee ſhoulde depart from them, and that hee woulde ſende them into the whole worlde to preache and teache the Goſpell, in which miniſtery they ſhould meete with ſo manye aduerſities, that they ſhould thinke themſelues to hauehave neede of ſwoordes. It is a figuratiue kinde of ſpeeche, whereby is vnderſtande one thing by an other, as is that in Geneſis, when the Lorde ſayde, that hee repented that he had made man. For God is not in very deede touched with repentance, but he doth that, which men repenting vſe to doo, that is, he chaungeth that which hee hath done. And vndoubtedly then he by the flood deſtroyed humane kinde which hee had created. So now he hath not inſtructed his Diſciples, to fight with yron, but onelye by a certaine paraphraſis deſcribeth the condicion of the tyme to come. And euen as a gowne oftentimes ſignifieth tranquility and peace: ſo in this place a ſword ſheweth troubleſome and vnquiet times.
After this maner Chriſoſtome interpreteth theſe woordes,Chriſoſtome. expounding this place of Paule: Salute Priſca and Aquila. The Lorde (ſayth he) hath not broken the lawe, which before he had made, ſaying: And hee which ſtriketh thee on the one cheeke, turne vntounto him the other. Bleſſe thoſe that curſe you, pray for them that perſecute you. How then doth he commaunde his Diſciples to bye themſelues ſwoordes? He ment no ſuch thing, ſaith Chriſoſtome: For it is a figuratiue kinde of ſpeeche, whereby he ſignified that he ſhould be taken away from them, and that they ſhould be afflicted with many calamities. Theſe woordes are not ſo to be taken as they appeare at the firſt ſyght. In an other place Chriſte ſayth alſo: That which ye hauehave heard in the eare, preache on the houſe toppes. And yet wee neuer reade, that the Apoſtles ſtoode on the houſe toppes, when they preached vntounto the people. Neither aſſuredly was it decent to hauehave left the ſtrete and temple, and to hauehave ſpokē from the houſe top. The ſenſe was, that thoſe thinges which they had hearde priuatelye, they ſhoulde ſpeake openlye and manifeſtlye. The Lord alſo ſayd: Deſtroye this temple, and in three dayes I wyll reſtore it: which is alſo ſpoken figuratiuely. For he commaunded not to ouerthrowe the temple of Salomon (as the Euangeliſt himſelfe interpreteth) but vnderſtoode that which he ſpake, of the temple of hys owne body: wherein (as Paule ſayth) corporally dwelled all diuinity.
But to returne to the matter, that Luke ſo ment Chriſoſtome proueth by theſe thinges which follow: That in the ſonne of man ſhoulde be fulfylled that which was ſpoken of him: And he was counted with the vngodly. But the Apoſtles vnderſtoode not Chriſt: for they thought that hee had ſpoken ſimplye, and (as the woordes ſounded) ſpoken of an outward ſword. And ſo did Boniface vtterly interpreate it. And in that Chriſt addeth: It is inough, he vnderſtoode that two ſwordes are ſufficient in the Church, ſo that ther ought to be nowe neyther more nor fewer. But Chriſoſtome vnderſtandeth it farre otherwiſe. For when Chriſt perceiued yt the Apoſtles vnderſtode him not, by that anſwer he declared that he would omit the thing. And in dede ſo is a ſcholemaſter wont to ſay vntounto a child which yet vnderſtandeth not that which is taught him: It is inough. Otherwiſe vndoubtedly two ſwords wer not ſufficient againſt al the aduerſaries of Chriſte. There ſhoulde moreouer hauehave needed coates of male and ſhieldes. Wherfore Chriſoſtome concludeth that ye ſpeche was figuratiue & parabolical. Farthermore,In the times of the Apoſtles ye church had not two ſwoordes. if Bonifacius expoſition bee receaued, wee muſte thincke that the Church in the time of the Apoſtles ought to hauehave had two ſwords, which is moſt farre from the truth.
But let vsus come to that which Chriſt ſaid vntounto Peter: Put vp thy ſwoord into thy ſheath. Thy ſword (ſaith Boniface) not an other mans ſword. But what gathereth he by thoſe wordes? Although Peter hauehave his ſword, yet if he be cōmaunded to put it vp, how can he hauehave it drawen? or to what end hath he a ſwoord, if he maye not vſe it? But Boniface wil peraduenture aunſwer: I hauehave in deede a ſword, but I vſe it not, but by an other mans hande. Or I vſe not myne owne ſwoord, but the ſword of the Emperor, & other princes. For they ought to draw the ſword at the becke and ſufferance of the Church. I would gladly demaund, whither Chriſt, whē he bad Peter to put vp his ſword, ment this, that he ſhould in dede vſe it as he liſted and would himſelfe,EueryEvery man is ſayd to doo that himſelfe whych he doth by an other man. but yet by the labour of an other man? Aſſuredly that which a man doth by an other, he ſeemeth to do it himſelfe. If a man by mony or giftes get one to kil his enemy, although he do it not with his own hand, yet neuertheles he ſhould be an homicide: otherwiſe euen Princes doth not with their own hand kil the guilty, but commaunde the hangmen to puniſh them. Ther is in this anſwer of Bonifacius a deceite of equiuocation. For we demaund whither an eccleſiaſtical Miniſter may beare the office of a ciuil Magiſtrate, and vſe a ciuil ſword: and they remit vsus vntounto the ſword of Peter, a man otherwiſe priuate.
Bernardus.Howbeit Bernardus in his .4. booke de Conſider. ad Eugenium, ſemeth to interprete the two ſwordes. I graunt that Bernard hath certaine thinges lyke vntounto this, but yet not vtterly the ſame. But we muſt remember, in what tyme Bernardus lyued. He liued at that time, wherein all thinges were corrupted in the Church, and if a man reade thoſe his bokes de Conſideratione, he ſhal ſe that he grieuouſly complaineth of the corruption of his time. Eugenius was by the Romanes excluded the City, and peraduenture he meditated by violence to reſtore himſelfe. Wherefore Bernard exhorted them to preache the Goſpell, to deale aganſt the Romanes with the woorde and with Sermons, rather then wyth the ſword. Eugenius ſaid: what wilt thou hauehave? That I ſhould feede Serpentes and Dragons and Beaſtes? Yea rather aſſayle them ſaith Bernard with the woord, & not with iron. And in an other place he ſaith: If thou wilt hauehave both ſwordes, thou ſhalt leeſe both. Neither is it to be thought that Eugenius would by himſelf hauehave fought, but peraduenture he aſſayed to moue warre by other, from whiche purpoſe Bernard diſſwaded him. And thus much of him.
But in that Bonifacius addeth, that thoſe ſwords of the church ought to be in order (namely that the one ſhould be ſubiect vntounto ye other, & that he proueth by thys ſaying of Paule: Thoſe powers that are, are ordeined of God) is manifeſtly declared how this man wreſteth the ſcriptures. For this word ordinatae, that is ordered, is in Greeke written foreign: which is nothing els, then inſtituted or appointed. But be it ſo, as Bonifacius hath expounded it, what manner of order ſhal this be at the length? Vndoubtedly, it ſhoulde be that the Miniſter ſhoulde teache, and the ciuil power ſhoulde heare and beleue. But this is nothing vntounto the Pope which teacheth nothing.
The loweſt thinges ſaith Dioniſius are by meanes reduced vntounto the hygheſt. Wherfore Bonifacius concludeth that the outward ſword ought to be referred vntounto God by the ſpiritual. Vndoubtedly I wil eaſely graunt that the ſwoord of the ſpirit, that is the word of God, is the meane wherby the other ſword, namely the outwarde, ought to be tempered and directed vntounto God. But why doth not the Pope retaine this meane?The Pope vſeth not the ſwoorde of the woord. Why vſeth he not the word? Why teacheth he not? why preacheth he not? Nndoubtedly princes that ſtray, are not by him reuoked into the right way, yea rather contrarywiſe the Pope and biſhops of the Church are ſomtimes rebuked and iuſtly reproued of princes.
Aaron aſſuredly, being high prieſt,It longeth to princes ſometimes to admoniſh and correct Eccleſiaſtycall men. fel greuouſly in making the golden calfe and obeing the fooliſhnes of the people. Moſes accuſed him greiuouſly, whome it is certayne that he was a ciuil magiſtrate. For toward the end of Deut. he is called a king. And when the prieſtes abuſed the mony which was offred for the mending of the couerings of the temple, who remedied that, but onelyonly Ioas the king? I will not ſpeake of Dauid and Salomon, and others which deuided the lottes of the prieſt, & orders of the Leuites. And I will not at this time proue theſe things by any more examples. For they are manifeſt inough of them ſelues. Wherefore I graunte that the ciuill power maye be corrected of the miniſters by preaching of the word. But the Pope vſeth not this kind of gouernment, but rather an incredible tirrannye.
They boaſte moreouer that they themſelues are greater in dignitye, for that they excerciſe ſpirituall & heauenly thinges, where as princes are occupied onelyonly about earthly and ciuill thinges. Be it ſo: for we deny not but that miniſters are occupied about thinges greater and more deuine then magiſtrates are. But doth the Pope alone miniſter them? Yea rather he neuer doth it at al. Wherfore if the dignity of the miniſtery depend of thoſe things, then will it follow that many biſhops and prieſtes do in dignity far excell the Pope, which neuer preacheth, & moſt rarely, and to very few, adminiſtreth the Sacraments.
Let vsus come to tenthes,Of tenthes. by ye paiment wherof Bonifacius laboreth to proue yt al princes ar ſubiect vntounto him. This argumēt ſemeth to hauehave ſome ſhew, bicauſe at the firſt ſight it agreeth with the .7. chap. of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, wher Paul proueth the dignitie of chriſt to be greater thē ye dignity of the prieſthode of the Leuits. For thus he gathereth: Abraham payd tenthes vntounto Melchiſedech, at which time Leui was not yet, but was at ye time in the loins of Abrahā, & ſo paid tēthes in him. And he which payeth tenths to an other, by the ſelf ſame thing profeſſeth himſelf to be inferior vntounto him. Chriſt was prieſt accordinge to ye order of Melchiſedech. Wherfore the Apoſtle concludeth yt the prieſthode of ye Leuits was much inferior vntounto the prieſthode of Chriſt. I hauehave opened the ſpring frō whence Bonifacius deriued his argumēt. The place is very dark, and nedeth explicatiō, and moreouer Bonifacius doth not aptly apply it to his purpoſe. Firſt we ought to vnderſtand that tenthes in the old time pertayned vntounto ceremonies, & that aſwel in Melchiſedech as in the Leuites. Both the prieſthode of Leui & alſo of Melchiſedech ſignified Chriſt.For in either prieſthode they were referred vntounto Chriſt. And either prieſthode was in very dede a figure of Chriſt: for euen as the Leuiticall prieſte entred once eueryevery yeare into the Sancta Sanctorum, and that neuer without blood: So Chriſt by his blood entred once into the tabernacle, that is into heauen, and agayne Melchiſedeche for that he had neyther father nor mother, reſembled Chriſt, which in reſpect that he was God, had no mother, and in reſpect that he was a man, wanted a father.
But what ſignified the tenthes in either prieſthode?Chriſte was more playnelye ſignified by the prieſthode of Melchiſedech, then by the Leuiticall prieſthode. Vndoubtedly they ſignified nothing els, then that the elders ought to referre al theyr things vntounto chriſt. By that ceremony the people worſhipped euen Chriſt. And if a man wil conferre Melchiſedech and the prieſthode of Leui together, although both of them ſeme to ſhadow Chriſt, yet ſhall he ſe that he is more expreſſedly & manyfeſtly ſignified by Melchiſedech, as the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes teſtifieth. Bonifacius ſayth: we receiue tenthes of all the lay men. Ye do take them indede, but now that Chriſt is come, the paying of tenthes is no more a ceremony, as it was before the comming of Chriſt, when by tēthes men worſhipped Chriſt, which was to come in the fleſh, and confeſſed that they ought vntounto him both thēſelues, and al that they had. After which ſelf ſame manner they payd the firſt fruites of al their thinges.Tēthes at this day ar no more ceremonies but rather rewards and ſtipendes. But our men do in theſe dayes receiue tenthes. But by what law? Not vndoubtedly by the ceremoniall law, but by the morall lawe. Foraſmuche as it is mete that the Myniſter ſhoulde bee nooryſhed of the people. For the laborer is woorthye of hys rewarde: and hee whyche ſerueth the Goſpel, it is meete that he liue of it. Wherfore whither ſtipéds be payd vntounto miniſters out of lands or out of houſes, either in ready mony or in tenths, it ſkilleth not, ſo that they be not maintained filthily, but honeſtly. Indede theſe rewardes in ſome places doo retayn the olde name of tenthes. But in many places they ar not called tenthes, but ſtipendes or wages. And aſſuredly they are in very deede rather rewards, whiche are dew vntounto the labours of the miniſters, then tenthes.
Stipendes are paid both to ſuperiors and alſo to inferiors.And as touching this foreſayd argument, we muſt vnderſtand that ſuch rewardes and ſtipendes, are thinges indifferent: bicauſe they are ſometimes payd vntounto inferiors, and ſometimes to ſuperiors. For tributes which are geuen vntounto kinges and princes, are theyr ſtipendes which we geue vntounto them, partly to noriſh and ſuſteine them, and partly to confeſſe that we are ſubiecte vntounto them, and laſtly ye they may hauehave wherwithal to defēd the publike welth and vsus. And ſomtimes inferiors alſo do receaue ſtipendes. For princes pay them vntounto ſouldiers, and yet cannot we therefore ſaye that the ſouldiours are greater then Kynges and Prynces. And notwythſtandynge I woulde not hauehave anye thynke, that I ſpeake theſe thinges, to dimynyſhe the dygnitye of the Eccleſiaſticall miniſterye, but that men myghte vnderſtande that theyr argumentes are very trifling.The church which payeth the ſtipēd vntounto the miniſter is greater then he Why in the church kinges are conſecrated Power is geuē vntounto princes of god, and not of biſhops. Neither doubt I to affirme, that the church it ſelf whiche payeth the ſtipend vntounto the miniſter, is greater then the miniſter. Wherfore if we ſpeake of tenthes, as they are at this day geuen vntounto miniſters, they are no cauſe that they ſhould be greater then thoſe that pay them. But in that kinges and Emperors are conſecrated and annointed of byſhops, and in that they receiue the crowne and ſword of them, it nothinge helpeth their cauſe. For if we ſpeake of the ciuill power, that is not geuen of the biſhop, but of God. But this thing is ther done, that after the king or Emperor is choſen of god, in ſuch manner as is agreable, prayers ſhould be made for him in the aſſembly of the church, that god may confirm and ſtrengthen his hart, that he may encreaſe piety in him, and inſtil in him a feare of his name, proſper his counſels, and ſo make fortunate his actions, that they may proue profitable vntounto the church, and vntounto the publike welth. And the biſhop whileſt theſe thinges are in doing, is the mouth of the church, & goeth before it, in expreſſing the prayer. And this function was deriued of an olde ceremony and cuſtome of the Iewes. And ye the king receaueth not his power of the biſhop, but of God, euen their owne decrees alſo do teſtifye. In the diſt. 96. chap. Si Imperatur, Gelaſius ſaith, that the Emperor hath the priueleges of his power at gods hand. Why then doth Bonifacius arrogātly claim it vntounto himſelf? namely that which longeth to God onelyonly. For as Paule ſayth: All power is of god. In the Code de Iure veteri enucleando in the lawe firſte,Iuſtiniane. Iuſtinian declareth that his power was geuen him of the deuine maieſty. And the Gloſe (in Extrauag. de maioritate & obediencia in the chapter vnam ſanctam toward the end, ſaith, that power is geuen vntounto kings of God onelyonly, and that therfore they do indede receiue the crowne of the byſhop, and the ſword from the aulter.
But let vsus more narowly examine Bonifacius argumēt: I (ſayth he) do geue power vntounto Emperors. Therfore I am greater then Emperors. Let this moſt bleſſed Thraſo aunſwere me, who conſecrated him when hee was choſen Pope? Vndoubtedly the biſhop Hoſtienſis. Let vsus conclude therfore that the biſhop Hoſtienſis is greater then the Pope. And if that follow not, thē is the argument alſo of Bonifacius of no force, bicauſe (as I hauehave now ſhewed) it cleaueth vntounto a broken foundation. For they are not biſhops which geue power vntounto kinges. Farther,All emperors were not conſecrated of the Pope. wer there not many Emperors whiche were neuer conſecrated of biſhops, and yet were neuertheles for al that Emperors? Neither were the old Grecian Emperors ſo annointed. Wherfore that is a new inuētiō. But what if I proue that the head biſhop was ſomtimes conſecrated of the ciuill magiſtrat? Vndoubtedly Moſes cōſecrated Aaron, whē as yet (as it is ſayd) Moſes was a ciuil prince. Wherfore Bonifacius laboreth in vayne about his conſecration, bicauſe he canne gather nothing thereby.
He boaſted moreouer of the kayes.Wherin the kayes of the church conſyſt. We (ſayth he) hauehave the power of binding and loſing. But the power of the kayes conſiſteth herein, that ye ſhould preach the word of god truly. For he which beleueth the goſpel, is loſed: & he which beleueth not, is bound. But when ye neither preach, nor teach, neither can ye binde, nor loſe. And farther this ſubiection which we hauehave graunted is ſpiritual, namely of fayth and of obedience: and not ciuill, and with dominion.
Afterward was Ieremy obiected, vntounto whom the Lord ſayde: I hauehave appointed thee ouer nacions and kingdoms, &c. Firſt here I demaund what kings Ieremy deiected, or whom he abrogated of theyr Empire, and what new kinges he inſtituted? They can ſhew of none. What therefore ſignify theſe woordes: I ſet thee ouer nacions and kingedomes? Vndoubtedly nothing els, then that by the ſprite of prophecy & word of god he ſhould foretell what kingdomes god would ouerthrow for ſinnes, and what new ones he would inſtitute. Why doe not the Popes ſo excerciſe theyr power? Let them ſette before kinges and princes of the earth the threatninges of god,Prophetes are not the efficiēt cauſes of the ouerthrow of kingdomes. Miniſters and prophetes are an occaſion, but not a iuſt cauſe of ruines. and let them be in this manner ouer nacions and kingdomes. Could Ieremy be called the cauſe of the ouerthrowe of kingdomes? He was not properly the efficient cauſe, but onelyonly a certayn occaſion. For when he had admoniſhed the king of Iudah, and he beleued him not, the prophet by his preachinge was ſome occaſion that he ſhoulde be condemned and ouerthrowne. So Paule ſayth: To ſome we are the ſauor of life to life, and to other the ſauor of death to death: When as yet the Apoſtle properlye killed no man, but his preaching after a ſorte broughte death vntounto thoſe whiche would not beleue. It is god therefore that ſeperateth, ouerthroweth, ſcattereth & planteth. Neither diſdaineth he ſometimes to call vsus hys fellowe workers.
Bonifacius goeth on, the lay power ought to be iudged of the Eccleſiaſticall, but by what kind of iudgement? Vndoubtedly by this, that in the churche he ſet forth the anger of God againſt ſinners, & that they be admoniſhed and corrected by the holy ſcriptures. But ye biſhops may expel kings and put them out of their kingdome, wher is ye permitted? Frō whence hauehave they that? what writings wil they bring for it?The Pope ought to be iudged of the church. But that is moſt intollerable yt the Pope ſayth that he can be iudged of no man. And yet Iohn .23. was in the counſel of Conſtance put downe, and not onelyonly by god, but alſo by men. So theſe men plant and replant Canons, and the ſame they allow and diſalow, as often as they think good. Yea and Emperors hauehave ſometimes thruſt out and put down Popes, as it is before ſaid. Paul to the Gal. ſayth: If an Aungell from heauen preach any other goſpel, let him be accurſed. If the Pope (which may come to paſſe, and hath alredy long ſince come to paſſe) obtrude wicked opinions, who ſhall pronounce him accurſed?It is the dewty of the magiſtrate to execut the ſentence of the church agaynſt the pope Shall he be vtterly iudged of no man? The church vndoubtedly ſhal geue ſentence vponupon him: and the magiſtrate (for that he is the chiefeſt part of the church) ſhal not onelyonly iudge together with it, but alſo ſhall execute the ſentence. Farther it longeth vntounto the magiſtrate to prouide that the riches of the churche be not geuen vntounto ye enemies of godlines. Wherefore if biſhoppes become enemies of the churche, a faythfull magiſtrate ought not to ſuffer the goods of the church to be conſumed by them. The Canoniſts hauehave this oftentimes in theyr mouth: That for the office ſake is geuen the benefice. When therfore they do not their office, ought the magiſtrate to ſuffer them to enioy their benefices?
But let vsus heare howe Bonifacius proueth that he can be iudged of no man. Bycauſe he that is ſpiritual (ſayth he) iudgeth all thinges, but he himſelfe is iudged of no man. A godly and wel applied argument I promiſe you. But let vsus ſe what kind of iudgement Paul writeth of in that place. He ſpeaketh not vndoubtedly of the common kind of iudgement, whereby men are either put to death or put oute of theyr roome. He entreateth there onelye of the vnderſtandinge of thinges deuine, and which auaile vntounto ſaluation. Theſe thinges I ſay properlye belong vntounto the iudgement of the ſpiritual man: but concerning common iudgementes, and knowledge of ciuill cauſes, Paule neuer thoughte of them in that place. Which is eaſely perceaued by his wordes, we hauehave not receiued (ſaith he) the ſprite of this world: but a ſprite, which is of God. If thou wilt demaund for what vſe ye ſprite is geuen vsus: He anſwereth, that we ſhould know thoſe things yt are geuen vsus of God. And bycauſe ye ſprite of this worlde cannot geue iudgemente of thinges deuine, it is added: The carnall man vnderſtandeth not thoſe things which ar of ye ſprite of god. The ſpiritual man iudgeth al things. What? Doth he iudge alſo ciuill and common cauſes? No vndoubtedlye: but he iudgeth thoſe thinges whiche pertayne vntounto the ſaluation of men: he himſelfe is iudged of no man. Without doubt both Peter and Paul were iudged by the ciuil power, wherunto Paul appealed to be iudged there, and yet were they both ſpirituall.
Peter & Paule were iudged by the ciuil power.But that place is thus to be vnderſtanded. He yt is ſpirituall, in that he is ſuch a one, cannot in thinges deuine and ſuch as pertaine vntounto ſaluation, bee rightely iudged of any mā, which is not endewed wt the ſame ſprite that he is. The wicked and worldly ones count him oftentimes for a ſedicious, vnpure, & infamous fellow: but only God and his ſprite looketh vponupon the hartes.
Note.Laſtly Bonifacius concludeth, that there is one onelyonly chiefe power which longeth vntounto the pope, leaſt we ſhould ſeme with the Maniches to make many beginninges.We put this one onelyonly beginninge, and not many. And he addeth: That god in the beginning, and not in the beginnings, created the world. We alſo abhorre from the Maniches, and do put one onelyonly beginning, and pronounce one onelyonly fountayne and ofſpring of all powers, namely, god and his word, without which can be no power, either ciuil or Eccleſiaſticall. For the foundation of either of them dependeth of the word of god, & ſo we make but one beginning & not two. Farther, if Bonifacius wil vrge theſe words of Geneſis: In the beginning god created. &c. there oughte to be in the world but one onelyonly king. For when Paul ſayde: One Lord, one faith, one baptiſme, he added not one Pope.
A Schiſme of thre Popes.At the length our Thraſo commeth ſo farre, that hee excludeth them from the hope of ſaluation, which acknowledge not the Pope for the chief prince & head of the church. But when ther were two or three Popes al at one time (which thing both happened, and alſo endured the ſpace of .60. yeares full) it muſte needes be that thoſe were at that time Maniches, and did put two beginnings, which were of Bonifacius opinion. Moreouer, what thinke they of the Gretians, of the Perſiās, and Chriſtians which dwell in the Eaſt part, for as much as they acknowledge not the Pope, who yet neuertheleſſe reade the ſcriptures, beleue in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and both are, & alſo ar called chriſtians? Al them Bonifacius excludeth from the hope of ſaluation. This is the ambicion and vnſpeakeable tirannye of the Popes.
When we obiecte vntounto the papiſtes theſe wordes of Paule: let eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect vntounto the ſuperior powers, they aunſwere: that eueryevery ſoul ought to be ſubiect vntounto the ſuperior power, but yet to theyrs, not to other mens power, otherwiſe the frenchmen ought to be ſubiect vntounto the Spaniardes, the Spaniardes to the Germaines, which thing, for that it is abſurd, it is concluded, that eueryevery man ought to obey his own Magiſtrat. But now the clergy acknowledge the biſhops for theyr power, and ought to be ſubiect vntounto thē: and the biſhops acknowledge the Archbiſhoppes and Primates, and they laſtly acknowledge the Pope. After this manner ſay they, we obey the power, and ſatiſfye Paule. What hauehave we to do with kings or ciuil magiſtrats? But this is nothing els, then moſt filthily to abuſe the wordes of Paule. The Papiſtes do rēt into two partes both the kingdomes and the people.Doo they not ſee that they deuide the publike wealth into two bodies, which oughte to be one body onelyonly? For when they deuide the kyngdome of the Clergye, from the kingedome of the laitye, they make in one kyngedome twoo peoples, and doo ſette ouer eyther people a Magyſtrate. And thereby commeth to paſſe, that the Clergy whiche are Frenchemen, ſeeme not to be Frenchemen: and the Germanes ſeeme not to be Germanes. And this maketh not coniunction, but diuiſion.
Farther, of what power I praye you ſpeaketh Paul? Not vndoubtedly of Byſhops or Archebiſhops, but of that power whiche beareth the ſwoorde. He doth not without a cauſe (ſayth he) beare the ſwoorde. He ſpeaketh of that power to whom tribute is payd. For for this cauſe (ſayth he) ye pay tribute. But Biſhops neither beare ſwoorde, nor exacte tributes of the people. Wherfore Paul ſpeaketh not of them. And thoughe Germany Byſhops beare the ſwoorde, and do gather tributes and cuſtomes, they doo not that in reſpect that they are Byſhops, but in reſpect that by accidens they hauehave the ciuile power adioyned vntounto thē: how rightly, let them ſee to it. But it is manifeſt that Paul ſpake of the Ciuile power, vntounto whiche he commaunded that eueryevery ſoule ſhould obey. Neither is the interpretation of Origene probable, wherin he affirmeth, that Paul ſayd: EueryEvery ſoule,Origene. and not eueryevery ſpirite. Bycauſe (ſayth he) the ſpirituall man is moued with no affections, neither poſſeſſeth he any thyng in the world. Wherfore he is not ſubiect at all vntounto the outward power. Wherfore Paul commaundeth eueryevery ſoule, that is, eueryevery carnall man to obey the ciuile power. But what? Was not Chriſt ſpirituall? who was more ſpirituall? And yet he acknowledged the ſuperior power, and payd tribute. What ſay you to the Apoſtles, were not they ſpirituall? And yet they neuer exempted thēſelues from the ciuile power: yea rather they obeyed and taught others to obey them.
But let vsus heare what our Bonifacianes aunſwere farther. They ſay that they hauehave not this power ordinarily, and by the right of their fruition, but graunted them by priuiledges and giftes of princes. And why ſay they is it not lawful for vsus to enioye the priuiledges and liberality of princes? But we ought here to hauehave a regard, not what princes hauehave doone, but what they ought to hauehave done. God without all doubt hath made ſubiect eueryevery ſoule vntounto the hygher power. It was neuer lawfull for any prince to breake that law.Whether it wer lawful for princes to exempt Eccleſiaſtical men from their ſubiectiō. Nor humane reaſon ſeeth not better then the prouidence of God, what ſhould become of the affaires of humane kynd. And the euent it ſelfe alſo ſufficiently hath declared how much that remiſſion of princes hath profited. For after that Biſhops and falſe Eccleſiaſtical men got themſelues once frō the ſubiection of the ciuile power, they ſtraight way became farre worſe then they were before, and made the people which were committed to theyr charge, nothyng the better. Wherfore let them ceaſe to ſay that Emperours and kynges hauehave geuen them theſe thynges, let them rather heare ye word of god, wherin they are cōmaūded to obey princes. But they hauehave not onelyonly withdrawen thēſelues from obedience towarde princes, but alſo hauehave claymed vntounto thēſelues an immunite or fraunches.What immunity is. What tribute is. What cuſtome is. Vlpiane. And an immunity is a liberty from doyng of homages, & bearyng of ciuile burthens. And among burthens are numbred tributes, & cuſtomes. Tributes are thoſe which are payd of landes and poſſeſſions. Cuſtomes are thoſe whiche are payd of marchandiſes, & of thoſe thinges whiche are either caried out or brought in. Theſe thynges Vlpiane calleth ye ſinewes of the publique wealth, as without which it cā not either conſiſt, or be gouerned. By what ryght therfore and reaſon hauehave theſe men withdrawē themſelues from the publique commodity? With what face do they boaſt of ſuch liberality of princes, whiche neither Chriſt, neither the Apoſtles, nor the Prophetes vſed? And althoughe they hauehave this thing as they ſay,Miniſters of the Church ar exempted from perſonall burthēs and from ſuch as are filthy. Vlpianus. by the gift of kings and Emperors, yet muſt they take heede, that it be not hurtfull vntounto the Citezins, and leaſt whileſt they are lifted vp, other be aboue meaſure burdened. And yet ar they not by priuiledges and lawes of princes exempted from all burthēs. In deede they are franchiſed from perſonall burthens: & that not without great reaſon, whiche euen the Ethnike princes ſawe alſo. In the digeſtes de Vacatione & excuſatione munerum, in the law Praetor: Vlpianus ſaith: If a man hauehave gotten a benefice, neither can hurt of conſcience be abſent from it, he is acquited. And Conſtantine the Emperor, in the Code de Epiſcopis & Clericis in the law .1. and .2.What perſonal burthens are. Filthy burthens. exempteth them from perſonall and filthy burthens. Perſonall burthens are thoſe whiche are accompliſhed by the induſtry of the mynde and labour of the body. Filthy burthens are thoſe, as to burne lyme, to digge ſand, to kepe the cundite, to heate the bath, and ſuch other of like ſorte. From theſe burthens they are woorthily exempted, bycauſe the miniſtery by ſuch filthy excerciſes ſhould come in contempt. And they are made free from perſonal burthens, bycauſe whē they ſhould geue theyr mindes to holy thyngs, they ought not to be withdrawē to other thynges. Wherfore princes hauehave ryghtly graunted theſe thynges vntounto Eccleſiaſticall men, that they ſhould not be abſent from the ſtudy of religion, and that they ſhould not be contemned of the common people.
But what if a man clayme hymſelfe to be a Miniſter onelyonly by hys apparell or garmentes, and doth nothyng in the Churche, is this freedome alſo graunted vntounto hym?Iuſtiniane. No vndoubtedly. Yea Iuſtiniane in the Code de Epiſcopis & Clericis in the lawe generaliter ſancimus, ſayth that he meaneth onelyonly of thoſe, whiche diligently geue themſelues to holy thynges, and not of vagaboundes and idle perſons, which bragge onelyonly in the name of the Miniſtery. Moreouer Miniſters are not looſed from ordinary charges, althoughe they are exempted from extraordinary charges.Ordinary charges. Extraordinary charges. Ordinary charges are thoſe, whiche are impoſed alwayes by the commaundement of the lawes. Extraordinary charges, whiche are exacted onelyonly for ſome preſent neceſſity, and afterward doo ceaſe. Wherfore if Eccleſiaſtical men hauehave manors & landes, as other Citezins hauehave, for them they ought to pay.Why they are acquited from extraordinary charges. For the Church when it taketh landes, taketh them wt their burthens. But they are free from extraordinary tributes, bycauſe in the olde tyme Eccleſiaſtical men were poore, & beſides neceſſary foode and apparell had nothyng remanyng, or if peraduenture there remayned any thyng, all the ſame, whatſoeuer it were, was beſtowed vponupon the poore. But nowe it is cleane contrary: for both they abounde in riches, and they beſtow very litle vponupon the poore. And yet if any great neceſſity happened,They are not exempted from all extraordinary charges. they were compelled to pay alſo extraordinary charges. As if there were any highe wayes to bee mended, and any bridges to be made, any ſhippes to be edified, for to tranſporte an hoſte, as it appeareth in the Code, by the lawes of the Emperour. Neyther vndoubtedly doth brotherly charity ſuffer, that when other are burdened, they ſhoulde lye ſtyll aboundyng in wealth and riches. Neyther is it to bee ſuffred, that they ſhoulde lyue at eaſe, and other in payne.
Yet the Pope in his Decretalles (de Immunitate Eccleſiae in the chapter. Non minus, where the woordes of the Counſell holden at Lateranum are cited. And in the chapter aduerſus Conſules) will hauehave the Eccleſiaſticall men vtterly exempted. And Bonifacius the .8. in hys .6. de Immunitate Eccleſiarum, in the chapter Clericis laicos, permitteth them not to pay any thyng. Yea and he excommucateth the prince, which taketh tribute of a Miniſter of the Churche, and alſo the Miniſter hymſelf which payeth it. This law as to cruel, Benedictus the .11. after a ſort mitigateth, in Extrauag. de Immunitate Eccleſ. in the chap. Quod olim, yet he permitteth not ye prince to do any thyng without aſkyng counſel of ye Byſhop of Rome. For he in deede doth not excōmunicate thoſe princes which do receaue tribute of Eccleſiaſticall men, but onelyonly thoſe that exacte it of them. For he permitteth not, that princes ſhould exacte any thyng by their owne right, whiche thing yet ſometymes he permitteth, namely in an extreme neceſſity, as in daunger of religion and lyfe, ſo that firſte there be had the conſent of the Byſhop and clergy, and afterwarde alſo the agreement of the Pope. So longe therefore hath he decreed that they muſt tary. So theſe men do exempt themſelues frō the obedience and tributes of princes and kyngs, which (as I hauehave before ſayd out of Vlpiane) are the eſtabliſhementes and ſinewes of the publique wealth.A ſayinge of Diocletian. When I thinke vponupon theſe thinges, I call to remembraunce a profitable ſaying of Diocletian: of whō when a Philoſopher deſired an immunite: This requeſt (ſayd he) diſagreeth with thy profeſſion. Thou profeſſeſt (ſayd he) that thou wilt ouercome thy affections, but thou ſheweſt that thou art ouercome of auarice. So theſe men profeſſe themſelues to be ſpirituall. But in a ſpirituall mā is nothing more required thē charity, whiche counſelleth vsus not to lyue franchiſed and ſecurely, when other are oppreſſed with cares and burthēs. Thomas Aquinas bringeth a place of Geneſis to ſhewe that Prieſtes are exempted from tributes,Thomas Aquinas. not in deede by the law of GOD, but by a lawe made by princes, and yet neuertheles agreing with the law of nature. For Pharao kyng of Egypt prouided, that the Prieſts ſhould not paye the fift parte of their fruites for tribute, when as yet ſo muche was exacted of all the other Egyptians. Wherfore he concludeth that Prieſtes are exempted. This place is diligently to be conſidred. Firſt let vsus note, that the Prieſts of the Egyptians had theyr dayly lyuing out of the threaſory of the kyng. They had meate and drinke and money geuen them to lyue by. Afterward it came to paſſe, that when the hunger waxed great, all the Egyptians ſolde their landes vntounto the kyng, therwith to buy corne to driue away the hunger. But whē that famine was paſt, the kyng rendred the landes vntounto the olde poſſeſſors, but yet vponupon this condition, that eueryevery yeare they ſhould paye him the fift parte, but of the landes of the Prieſtes there was no fift part payd. And no meruayle: bycauſe they ſold not their landes vntounto the king when they were kept of the common coſt. Yet it is to bee thought that they payd ſo muche tribute of their landes as they were wont to pay before the famine. Neither vndoubtedly can any other thyng be gathered out of that place, but that Prieſtes ought to be nooriſhed of the common coſt: but in that they payed not the fift part, that happened for an other cauſe, as we hauehave nowe declared.
They bring forth alſo the .8. chapter of Eſdras, where Artaxerxes prouided that when he had layd a tribute vponupon the Iewes, there ſhould be nothing leuied of the Leuites in the name of a tribute. But this is not to be meruayled at, ſeyng ye Leuites had no landes to pay tribute of. For vntounto them pertayned onelyonly oblations, firſt fruites, and tenthes. For whiche cauſe they were releaſed of tributes. Alſo Iulius Ceſar de bello Gallico ſayth,The Druites payd no tributes. Plini. that the Druites whiche were Prieſtes in Gallia payd no tributes. But Plini in his .16. booke and .44. chapter, writeth that the Druites had no landes. And yet are not theſe thinges ſpoken to this end, that I ſhould thinke that it is not lawfull for the Magiſtrate to deale ſomewhat more gently with them, and ſomewhat to beare with thē:It is honeſt that the …agiſtrate deale ſomwhat more gently with Miniſters. Bycauſe they muſt alwayes apply themſelues to holy thinges, and ſtudy for nothyng els. Wherby it cōmeth to paſſe, that they can not increaſe their ſubſtaunce, yea rather very oftentymes they ſuffer great loſſe, neither hauehave they their ſtipendes, but duryng theyr lyfe. This thyng onelyonly I diſſalowe, that they clayme vntounto thēſelues immunity, both real and perſonall, they vtterly refuſe both ordinary and extraordinary charges, and that by tyranny or againſt the worde of God, and for that the Pope will not ſuffer princes to exacte tributes of Byſhops and Eccleſiaſticall men, when they will themſelues: and bycauſe they will not geue them, if they be required. The word of God hath otherwiſe commaunded, when it ſayth, let eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect vntounto the higher power. And therfore (ſayeth he) ye pay tributes. None is excepted: neither would Chriſt himſelfe be exempted.Chriſoſtome. Chriſoſtome vponupon that place of Paul: It may (ſayth he) ſeeme greuous vntounto Chriſtians, for that they beyng the children of God and appoynted for the kyngdome of heauen, are ſubiect vntounto princes of this world. But he aunſwereth: Whileſt we are in this lyfe, our dignity is hidden. For it appeareth not what we ſhalbe. Wherfore whileſt we lyue here, let it not be grieuous vntounto vsus to riſe vp to the Magiſtrate, to geue them the way, and to honour them. Theſe thynges are full of comelynes and are decently done of the ſaintes. Nowe that we are regenerate by the worde and the ſpirite, it might ſeeme that we neede no Magiſtrate. Wherefore the Iewes, bycauſe they were the people of God, tooke it very grieuouſly that ſometyme the Babilonians raigned ouer them, ſometymes the Perſians, ſometymes the Grecians, ſometymes the Romanes, Anabaptiſtes & Libertines.and other nations whiche knewe not God. The Anabaptiſtes alſo and Libertines cry that it is a thyng vnworthy for a Chriſtian to ſuffer a Magiſtrate ouer hym. The Clergy of the Pope alſo hauehave ſhaked of this yoke from themſelues. But the Apoſtles which foreſawe that this thing would come to paſſe, did very often inculcate, that the Ciuile power ſhould be obeyed, whiche precept is two wayes tranſgreſſed: one way is, when men ſay they will not obey the Magiſtrate,Sinne committed two maner of wayes agaynſt the Magiſtrate. and ſediciouſly make warre agaynſt hym. The other way is, whē they circumuent hym by ſubtility and guile, that he can not execute his office. For there are in courtes, whiche flatter in the eares of princes, diſprayſe & prayſe whom they luſt, complayne of the good, as euill, and commend the euil, as good. So according as they wil, ſome ar preferred to prouinces, and other ſome ar diſplaced.A ſentence of Diocletian. Wherfore Diocletian ſayde: A good, wiſe, & wary Emperor is oftētymes ſolde of his ſubiectes. The prince is at home in his palace, they that are familiar with him accuſe & defende before him whom they will. Yea and among the Romanes ye fathers which were called Conſcripti, yt is appoynted, were ſometymes called Circumſcripti, that is deceaued or abuſed. The courſe of Iuſtice is by many deceates hindred. Neither ſkilleth it much whether it be done by violēce or by guile, bycauſe both wayes the publique wealth is hurte, and the inſtitution of God contemned.
Neither is this to be paſſed ouer in this place (whiche hath alſo ben often ſpoken of) that the Magiſtrate is not to be obeyed, if he commaūd any thing againſt the worde of God. For when he ſo doth, he is no Magiſtrate. Bycauſe (as Paul ſayth) he is the Miniſter of God to good. Wherfore if he commaund thinges contrary vntounto the worde of God, he is not in that parte his Miniſter. But thou wilt ſay: Sometymes greuous, moleſtous, and harde thinges are cōmaunded: whiche yet are not agaynſt the worde of God. What is to be done in thoſe caſes? We muſt obey: for we are commaunded to obeye our Lordes, thoughe they be hard, ſo that they commaunde nothyng agaynſt the worde of GOD: whiche thing if they do, we muſt aunſwere them with this ſentence of Peter, whiche ſayth: we muſt rather obey God then men. Nabucad-Nezar would hauehave had his Image worſhipped, the faythfull Hebrues aunſwered: Thy image O kyng we will not worſhip. Antiochus cōmaunded the Hebrew woman to eate ſwines fleſhe: but ſhe chuſed to dye with together her ſeuē childrē, rather then to cōmit any thing agaynſt the lawe of God. Alſo the Martin, as well in the old tyme as alſo in our tyme, ſuffred moſt extreme puniſhmentes, and moſt cruell deathes, for that they would not ſinne agaynſt the law of God.
Euſebius. An example of Conſtātius an Emperor.Euſebius Caſarienſis writeth that Conſtantius the father of Conſtantine fayned vponupon a tyme, that he would put out all the Chriſtians whiche would abyde in theyr religion, from their honours and offices. But they whiche were in very dede godly, of theyr own free will gaue ouer their dignity, and chuſed rather to geue place vntounto dignityes, then to depart frō Chriſt. But this turned to good vntounto thē, for the Emperour embraced thē: and thoſe which had denyed Chriſt for to keepe their dignityes, he vtterly remoued from hymſelf, ſaying: that they alſo would not be faythful vntounto him, whiche had broken thier fayth vntounto God. Conſtantius afterwarde the ſonne of Conſtantine, Conſtantius the ſecond an Arrian.beyng an Arrian, went aboute to drawe the faithfull Byſhops into hys hereſy: but they chuſed rather to be baniſhed,Iulianus Apoſtata. then to follow that wicked purpoſe of the Emperour. Afterward Iulianus Apoſtata opened the temples of Idoles, and labored to dryue the Chriſtians to the Ethnike religion & worſhipping, but ſuch as wer in deede godly had greater louelove and regarde to Religion of Chriſt then to their lyfe.Achilles. Yea and Achilles in Homere ſayth: I will obey the princes, but yet when they commaund things honeſt and iuſt.
And theſe thynges pertayne not onelyonly to ſubiectes, but alſo to inferior Magiſtrates. For what,Of inferior powers. if the ſuperior prince commaunde the inferior Magiſtrates, to receaue the Maſſe in their Cityes? Vndoubtedly they ought not obey. If a manne will ſaye: It is the ſuperior power, therefore it muſte bee obeyed: I will aunſwere: In thynges ciuile and humane let them obeye as muche as they ought, but nothyng agaynſte GOD. We muſte alwayes runne vntounto that principle: EueryEvery thyng is ſuche a thyng by reaſon of an other, wherefore that other ſhall more bee ſuche. Therefore if we obeye the Magiſtrate for goddes ſake, muche more is GOD hymſelfe to be obeyed. Wherefore the inferior Magiſtrates ought not in ſuche thynges to hauehave a regarde what the ſuperior power commaundeth, but what God hymſelfe hath commaunded.
But there are ſome whiche ſaye:Whether the conſent of the Churche is to be taryed for in reformyng of religion. A Similitude. that before we departe from the obedience of the Magiſtrates as touchyng Religion, we muſt tary for the conſent of the Churche. They whiche ſay theſe thynges, muſt marke that Chriſt neuer ſo commaunded: EueryEvery manne for hymſelfe is wholy bounde vntounto the lawe of GOD, whether other conſent or diſſent. If the good man of a houſe hauehave many ſeruauntes, whome he commaundeth to doo hys woorke in the countrey, but ſome of them, when their maſter is abſent wil be idle,Paul taryed not for conſent. ought the reſt therfore to be idle, bycauſe ſome conſent not to theyr common buſines? Did Paul when he was called to preache Chriſt, tary for the conſent of his other brethren. No vndoubtedly: but as he writteth vntounto the Galathians, when it pleaſed GOD to reuele vntounto me hys ſonne, that I ſhould preache hym amonge the Gentiles, I dyd not ſtrayghtwaye aſke counſell of fleſhe and bloude, neyther went I vntounto the Apoſtles whiche were before me, but I went into Arabia. Wherefore he taried not for the conſent of other, but ſtraightwaye obeyed his vocation. So alſo ought we to doo: after that GOD hath opened vntounto vsus his truth,Whē we muſt tary for conſēt. we muſte not tary. We muſte in deede tary for the conſent if the thynge bee doubtfull and darke. But our cauſe is manifeſt and without all obſcurenes, whiche if we will omitte tyll conſent be had, the thyng it ſelfe is loſt,An acte of Tiberius. and good occaſions taken awaye. Tiberius woulde hauehave brought Chriſte into the number of the goddes, but he thought to hauehave the conſent of the Senate: but the Senate woulde not: and by that meanes it came to paſſe, that whyleſt the conſent was taryed for, Chriſt coulde not bee numbred amonge the goddes, wher as Tiberius was able to hauehave brought it to paſſe by himſelf. But I pray you let them tel vsus: For whoſe cōſent they will tary? For the Byſhops cōſent? But they (no doubt) wil neuer conſent: for they are ſworne enemyes vntounto the truth.
But let vsus returne vntounto the inferior Magiſtrate, of whom we ſpake before. We muſt remember what God hath commaunded chyldren concernyng theyr parentes: Honour thy father and thy mother. By whiche woordes vndoubtedlye is alſo commaunded honour and obeyſaunce towarde ſuperior powers. For they hauehave the place of parentes towarde the inferior Magiſtrates. But let vsus ſee what Chriſte hath pronounced as touchyng thys matter. He whiche loueth father (ſayeth he) or mother more then me, is not woorthy of me. The ſame thyng without doubte muſte we thynke of the Magiſtrate whiche is the father of the countrey. We muſte obeye hym, but yet not aboue the Lord. Yea if he commaunde any thyng agaynſt hym, he is both to be hated, and alſo to be denyed. Neither is it lawfull for any manne to profeſſe hymſelfe to be a Chriſtian, whiche will not departe from the ſuperior Magiſtrate in theſe thynges, whiche are agaynſte the woorde of GOD. Thys were to hauehave a wyll to ſerue two Lordes, and to halte in two partes. If GOD be God, let vsus follow hym: and that not by halues, but wholy.
But it is to be feared (ſaye they) leaſt whyleſt we are agaynſte the ſuperior power, we engender daunger to the publique wealth. To this will I anſwere contraryly to that which Demades in the old tyme anſwered vntounto the Athenienſes. An anſwere of Demades.Caſſander the Macedonian, whiche ſucceded Alexander the greate, entreated with the Athenienſes, to woorſhippe Alexander for a GOD. They ſtayed at it, but Caſſander, vnles they woulde conſent, ſeemed that he would inuade them with battaile. Wherefore Demades ſpake thus vntounto the people: That it was to be feared, leaſt whileſt they retayned heauen, they loſt not earth. So doo I aunſwere theſe menne, but chaungyng the woordes: That it is to be feared, leaſt whileſt they to muche regarde and defende an earthely publique wealth, they loſe heauen. For althoughe the ſuperior power doo fume and threaten, we muſt ſtande valiantly to a good cauſe. For we muſte woorſhippe GOD holyly and godly, thoughe all Magiſtrates and the whole worlde were agaynſte vsus. And therefore if that ſuperior power commaunde any thyng agaynſt the lawe of God, it is not to be obeyed.
An example of Naboth.So dyd Naboth behaue hymſelf, he would not graunt vntounto Achab hys vyneyarde whiche was his inheritaunce. Neither had he in that thing a reſpect vntounto any thing elles, then that the lawe of GOD ſhould remayne vnbroken, wherin it was commaunded that ye tribes and famelyes of the Iſraelites as touchyng poſſeſſions ſhould remayne diſtincte and ſeparated. Wherefore by it, it was not lawfull for Naboth to alienate hys inheritaunce for euer. Yet a manne beyng farre endetted mought hauehave ſolde his inheritaunce, till the yeare of Iubily. But after that yeare it returned vntounto the olde poſſeſſor agayne. GOD woulde by thys meanes, that the inheritaunces of the Iſraelites ſhoulde not be confounded. Wherefore Naboth woulde not ſell hys auncient inheritaunce, that the lawe of GOD ſhoulde not be broken, whome Magiſtrates alſo ought to follow, and not to geue place in theyr Cityes and dominions vntounto moſte vnpure Maſſes and Papiſticall Idolatrye. The Iewes, when they were oppreſſed vnderunder the Mocedonians, The conſtancy of the Iewes agaynſte the Macedonians & Romanes.chuſed to ſuffer any thynge, rather then that the Image of Iupiter Olimpicus ſhoulde abyde in the Temple of GOD. And when the Romanes bare rule ouer them, howe greate ſedition and tumult ſtirred they vp, rather then they would ſuffer the Siluer Eagle, or the Image of Caligula to be ſet vp in the holy place. Yea & Valentinian ye Emperor beyng an Arrian (as both Euſebius writeth and alſo Ambroſe in hys Epiſtles) would hauehave had the Church of Millan delyuered vntounto him, there with hys heretikes to hauehave celebrated prayers and holy ſeruices.Ambroſe. But Ambroſe woulde not geue place, but rather abode daye and nyght in the Temple together with the people, that the Emperour ſhould not fynd it empty and ſo poſſeſſe it. If the Hebrues would not hauehave the Temple of GOD polluted with Idoles, and Ambroſe ſuffred not the Churche to be contaminated by heretikes, why doo faythfull Magiſtrates permitte theyr Temples to Idolatrers, and vnpure worſhippynges of Papiſtes?
They ſaye that theſe thynges pertayne not vntounto them, and that theſe Temples are not in theyr power. What then? If murther ſhoulde be committed in thoſe Temples, or any ſhoulde there conſpire agaynſte the publique wealth, woulde they leaue murtherers and conſpirators vnpuniſhed there? And would they ſay yt theſe wycked crimes pertayne nothyng vntounto them? Would they willingly & wittingly ſuffer theſe thyngs? I thinke not, if they were wiſe, & if they would keepe and defend the publique wealth. If a man ſhould obiect vntounto them, this Temple is not yours, neither maketh it any matter vntounto you what is here done: yea but they would then aunſwere, for as muche as it is in our City, in that it ſufficiently pertayneth vntounto vsus. But wicked actes, farre more grieuous then murthers and conſpiracyes, are there committed, Idolatry I ſay, ſacrilege, and blaſphemye. And ſhall a Magiſtrate whiche will be called a Chriſtian, thynke that theſe thynges pertayne nothyng vntounto hym? But, ſay they, the ſuperior power hath commaunded theſe thynges to be done. To this I hauehave already largely aunſwered. Nowe thys thynge wyll I adde, if the ſame power ſhoulde go aboute to deſtroye the Citye, or to take awaye or diminiſhe the priuiledges, they woulde neuer ſuffer that, they woulde rather runne to weapons: but theſe thynges whiche are farre more grieuous and cruell, are openly and manifeſtly done and ſuffred. And whiche is muche moſte grieuous of all, thoſe thynges are there ſuffred, where many yeares the Goſpell of Chriſte hath bene receaued.
Nowe reſteth (bycauſe oftentymes the Magiſtrate excuſeth hymſelfe, ſaying ye Eccleſiaſtical cauſes pertayne not vntounto him) to declare yt to be vntrue. Although it be ſufficiently declared by thoſe things which I hauehave already ſpoken, yet for ye more eaſie vnderſtandyng I thinke it good to adde thoſe thynges. Firſt I ſay yt ye Magiſtrate is the keper of the law of God, which conteyneth not onelyonly the latter table, but alſo the firſt. Wherfore ye Magiſtrate is a keper as well of the one, as of the other. I adde that alſo whiche Auguſtine ſayth,Auguſtine. that not onelyonly priuate men, but alſo kynges ought to ſerue the Lorde. For in the Pſalme it is written: In gatheryng together peoples into one, and kynges to ſerue the Lorde. And in an other place. And nowe O kynges vnderſtand, be wiſe ye that iudge the earth. Serue the Lord in feare, &c. A priuate man (ſayth Auguſtine) ſerueth the Lorde if he confeſſe hys name, and lyue vprightly.Howe kynges ought peculiarly to ſerue the Lorde. But this is not ſufficient for a kyng and Magiſtrate. For he by his authority and power ought ſo to ſerue the Lorde, that he muſt puniſhe thoſe that are agaynſt hym: whiche thyng vnles he doo, he ſeemeth to aſſent vntounto blaſphemers and heretikes. For the king, when he ſeeth theſe menne, and ſuffreth them, is as much in faulte, as if he ſhoulde ioyne hymſelfe with them, and mainteyne theyr wicked actes. Nebuchad-Nezar as ſoone as euer he knewe GOD, made a decree that whoſoeuer ſpake blaſphemy agaynſt the GOD of Daniel, ſhoulde dye. The lyke decree made Darius afterwarde. Wherfore our Magiſtrates alſo ought vtterly to take awaye all Idolatryes, blaſphemyes, and ſuperſtitions, aſſone as euer they find them out.
The Ethnike princes neuer thought that the care ouer Religion pertayned not vntounto their power. Why was Socrates condemned at Athens? The Ethnike princes had a regard vntounto religion.I do not now demaunde how holyly or iuſtly: (for as all men in a manner beleue, Anitus and Melitus lyed agaynſt hym) this I ſpeake, for that he was for no other cauſe condemned, but onelyonly for religion, as thoughe he taught newe gods, and led away the youth from the olde, and receaued worſhyppyng of the gods: and he was by a prophane Magiſtrate condēned.Socrates was for religiō ſake condemned of a prophane Magiſtrate. Wherfore the Athenienſes thought that the obſeruance and care of religion pertayned vntounto their Magiſtrate. The law of God commaunded that the blaſphemer ſhould be put to death, not I thinke by eueryevery priuate mā, or by the Prieſtes, but by the Magiſtrates. The Ethnike Emperors alſo in thoſe firſt tymes did for no other cauſe rage agaynſt the Chriſtians, but bycauſe they thought that matters of religion pertayned vntounto their iudgement ſeat. And aſſuredly as touching this opinion, they wer not deceaued: for none (as Chriſoſtome ſayth) either Apoſtle or Prophet reproued the people,Chriſoſtome. either Iewes or Ethnikes, bycauſe they had a care ouer Religion, but they were deceaued in the knowledge of Religion: bycauſe they defended theyr owne religion as true, and condemned the Chriſtian religion, as vngodly and blaſphemous.
Conſtantine and Theodoſius are prayſed, and very many other holy princes, bycauſe they tooke awaye Idoles, and either cloſed vp, or elles ouerthrew theyr Temples. But they dyd not theſe thynges, but for that they thought that the charge of Religion pertayned vntounto them: otherwiſe they ſhould hauehave bene buſy fellowes, and ſhould hauehave put theyr ſicle into an other mannes harueſt. The Donatiſtes tooke thys in very ill parte, and grieuouſly complayned thereof in Auguſtines tyme, bycauſe the Catholique Byſhoppes required ayde of the Ciuile Magiſtrate agaynſt them.Auguſtine. But Auguſtine confuteth them with the ſelfe ſame argumentes, whiche I hauehave a litle before rehearſed, and addeth this moreouer: Why did ye accuſe Cecilianus Biſhop of Carthage before Conſtā tine, if it be wicked for the Emperor to determine concerning Religion.
Farther, there is gathered by thoſe thynges whiche the ſame father wrote agaynſt Petilianus, and agaynſt Parmenianus, and alſo in many other his Epiſtles, howe that the Donatiſtes accuſed Cecilianus (as it is ſayde) before Conſtantine the Emperour, who firſt ſent the cauſe to Melchiades Biſhop of Rome. And when by hym they were ouercome, they appealed agayne vntounto the Emperor, neyther reiected he their appealation from him, but committed the matter vntounto the Biſhop of Orleance: by whom they were agayne condemned. Neither reſted they ſo,Conſtātine decideth a matter of religion. but again appealed vntounto ye Emperor, who heard thē, decided their cauſe, condemned them, and by hys ſentence abſolued Cecilianus. Where are they now which ſo often and ſo impudētly cry, that there is no appealyng from the Pope, and that the cauſes of Religion pertayne not vntounto the ciuile Magiſtrate?
To whom in the olde tyme pertayned the ryght of callyng generall counſels? Pertayned it not vntounto the Emperors?Counſels were called by Emperors. As for the counſell of Nice, the counſell of Conſtātinople, of Epheſus, and of Chalcedonia, Emperors called them. Leo. 1. of yt name, prayed the Emperor to cal a counſell in Italy, bycauſe he ſuſpected the Gretians of the error of Eutiches: & yet could he not obteyne it, and the Byſhops were called together to Chalcedonia, where at the Emperor alſo was preſent, as was Conſtantine at the counſell of Nice. Neither doo I thinke yt they were there preſent, to ſitte idle and to do nothing, but rather to put forth vntounto the Biſhops what they ſhould doo, and to vrge them to define rightly. Theodoretus telleth, that Conſtantine admoniſhed the fathers to determine all thinges by the ſcriptures of the Euangeliſtes, Apoſtles, Prophetes, and Canonicall ſcriptures. Iuſtinian alſo in the Code, Iuſtinian. Auguſtine.wrote many Eccleſiaſticall lawes of Byſhoppes and Prieſtes, and other ſuch lyke. Yea and Auguſtine hath taught, that the Magiſtrate ought after the ſame manner to puniſh Idolatrers & heretikes, as he puniſheth adulterers, for as much as they cōmitte whoredome againſt God in mynd: which is much more heynous then to committe whoredome in body. And looke by what lawe murtherers are put to death, by the ſame alſo Idolatrers and heretikes ought to be puniſhed, for that by them are killed not the bodies, but the ſoules: although the common people be ſtirred vp onelyonly agaynſt homicides, bycauſe they ſee the bloud of the bodyes killed, but ſee not the death of the ſoules. Vndoubtedly it is profitable for the Magiſtrate to take vponupon hym this care, and by his authority to compell menne to come to holy ſermons, and to heare the worde of God: for by that meanes it commeth to paſſe, that by often hearyng thoſe thyngs, begyn to pleaſe, whiche before diſpleaſed. As Hyſtoryes teach, that God hath oftentymes with moſt noble victoryes illuſtrate godly prynces,God hath proſpered princes whiche had a care vntounto Religion. which hauehave had a care vntounto theſe thinges.
Farther, it can not be denied, but that it is the dewty of the Magiſtrates to defend thoſe Cities and publique wealthes ouer whiche they are gouerners, and to prouide that no hurt happen vntounto them: wherfore for aſmuch as Idolatry is ye cauſe of captiuity, peſtilence, famine, & ouerthrowing of publique wealthes, ſhal it not pertaine vntounto the Magiſtrate to repreſſe it, and to kepe the true ſound religion? Laſtly Paul teacheth fathers to inſtruct their children in diſcipline, & in the feare of God: but a good Magiſtrate is a father of the countrey, wherfore by the rule of the Apoſtle he ought to prouide that ſubiectes be inſtructed as common children. But kynges and princes, whiche ſay that theſe thynges pertayne not vntounto thē, do in the meane tyme let, geue, and ſell Biſhoprikes, Abbacies and benefices, to whō they thinke good, neither thinke they that to be none of their office: onelyonly religion they thinke they hauehave nothyng to doo with, and they neglect to prouide that they, whom they exalte to moſt ample dignityes, ſhould execute theyr office rightly. Wherfore this thyng onelyonly remayneth for them, euen that GOD hymſelfe at the length will looke vponupon theſe thynges, and with moſt grieuous puniſhement take vengeaunce of their negligence. Theſe thynges hauehave I ſpokē the more at large by occaſion of our Hyſtory, which maketh mention twiſe or thriſe that euilles happened in Iſrael, bycauſe they had not a kyng or lawfull Magiſtrate.