ought to be done accordynge to ryght reason The xxx chapytre THe resydewe and the last chapytre of this dyccyon is to solue the reasons or argumentes which also we brought in in the thyrde of this dyccyon to confyrme and fortyfye the erroure of them which do say that coactyue iurysdyccyons dothe appertayne vnto preestes or bysshops in that they are preestes or bysshops and that the hyghest coactyue iurysdyccyon of all in this worlde doth belonge to the bysshop of Rome To the fyrste therfore of the sayde reasons where it was sayde that as the body hath it selfe in comparyson vnto the soule so lykewyse hath the gouernoure of the bodye hym selfe vnto the gouernoure of the soule this proposycyon yf it be vnyuersally taken it is false For albeit y t there is a distynccyon or dyfference betwene the soule and the bodye because the soule is not the bodye yet for all that there is no prynce or gouernour of the body but the same is also som maner way prynce or gouernoure of the soule and lykewyse backwarde agayne takynge this worde prynce in his proper sygnyfycacyon as it appereth in the. viii and. ix chapytres of this dyccyon But yf by the prynce or Ruler of the bodye after a metaphore be vnderstanded the physycyon whiche hath the cure and gouernaunce of the bodye as an operatyue or practyke doctoure and as touchyng to the actes operacyons of the vnreasonable nutrytyue parte of man and yf also by the prynce or gouernoure of the soule be vnderstanded the sprytuall leche and the teacher or operatyue mayster as touchynge to the actes and operacyons of the reasonable and appetityue parte of man as well in the state and for the state of this present world of whiche sorte be the doctours and teachers of the humayne scyences or dyscyplynes as for the state of the worlde to come of whiche sorte be pastores and curates and preestes than the sayde proposycyon taken indyfynytlye but not generallye maye be graunted For yf it be taken genreallye it myghte alwayes be impugned and reasoned agaynst by manyfolde obieccyons For there are many dyfferences betwene the soule and the bodye or betwene the reasonable porcyon of man and the brutysshe whiche same dyfferences are not betwene the gouernoure and teacher as touchynge to the workes of the one parte and the gouernour or teacher as touchynge to the workes of the other parte For the reasoble parte made vnto y e lykenes or Image of the Trynyte can reason and make syllogysmes And the vnreasonable parte can not do so and yet this dyfference is not betwene the gouernoures and teachers as touchynge to the actes of these sayde ii partes and so lykewyse in many other thynges Though we therfore do graunte this proposycyon in some sence that is to wytte that lykewyse as the reasonable and appetityue power of the man is more noble than the body as touchynge to the nutrytyue power so in lyke maner the teacher and gouernoure of the reasonable parte of man c. Is more worthye and noble than he whiche is orderer of the bodye or yf this comparyson or symylytude also be made betwene the orderer of the bodye for the state or ende onely of this present world and hym which is teacher of y e soule for the state or ende of y e worlde to come I say though we do graūte the one teacher to be more perfyte than the other yet it dothe not folowe hereof that he whiche is the perfyter of these two is ruler iudge or prymate ouer hym that is the lesse perfyte by iudgement coactyue For so shulde the mathe matycall doctour or teacher be prynce or gouernour and coactyue iudge ouer the physycyon and very many other inconuenyences manyfestlye shulde folowe hereof But yf by the gouernour of the bodyes be vnderstāded the prynce or coactyue iudge of men or a iudge of the thyrde sygnyfycacyon in the state and for the state or ende of this present worlde onely or pryncypallye and by the gouernour of soules be vnderstanded he whiche is iudge after the thyrde sygnyfycacyon pryncypallye for the state or ende of the worlde to come so as the maker of the reason or argument semeth to intende this comparyson or proposycyon and symylytude myght be graunted after some sence yf it be taken indefynytly But taken vnyuersally as we haue sayd before it may be proued false by dyuerse many reasons And whan it is added or put to afterwardes that the body is vnder the soule or that the vnreasonable parte is vtterly or elles after a certayne maner vnder the reasonable parte thoughe we do graunt the body to be vnder the soule as touchynge to perfeccyon yet it foloweth not hereof that the one is vnder the other as touchynge to iurysdyccyon for he that shuld make that illacyon or argument shulde cōmytte the vyce or faulte of argumentacion called fallacia consequentis And thoughe we dyd graunte albeit not for this argumentacyon that the prynce or gouernoure of the bodyes that is to wytte the coactyue iudge of men for the state of this present worlde onely is vnder as touchynge to iurysdyccyon the coactyue iudge of soules for the state of the worlde to come yet it foloweth not therfore that any prynce or coactyue iudge of this world is as touchyng to iurysdyccyon vnder any bysshoppe or preeste For no bysshop or preeste in that he is such one is prynce or coactyue iudge of any man for the state of this present world or yet of the worlde to come as it hath ben shewed in the. iiii v. and. ix chapytres of this dyccyon For the coactyue iudge of soules or for the state of the worlde to come is onely chryst wherfore it is wryten in the. iiii of Iames and it greueth me not to repete it agayne There is but one lawe maker and iudge whiche may destroye and delyuer But this iudge purposeth not to iudge any mortall man by sentence irreuocable neyther he doth ponysshe fynallye or rewarde any man in this worlde but he purposeth to punysshe or to rewarde onely in the worlde to come as we haue sayd and haue proued by the scrypture in the. ix of this dyccyon Nowe the bysshop of Rome with other prelates or pastores is the teacher of soules and as it were the leche or phisycyon of them but not prynce or coactyue iudge of them as we haue shewed in the place afore alledged by the texte of the gospell and by the apostle Hylarye and Chrysostome and also by stronge reason And as touchynge to the reason whiche we brought in moreouer that lykewyse as corporall thynges are in comparyson of sprytuall thynges so is the gouernour of corporall thynges in comparyson of hym whiche is gouernour of sprytuall thynges for as moch as it is grounded vpon the same rote in a maner with the reason aforegone it is to be auoyded and disolued in a maner vnder the same or
easye to haue forgyuen man it myghte haue gyuen occasyon vnto man to haue trespassed more largely agayne And to be teachers of this sayd lawe and mynisters of the Sacramentes accordynge to the same lawe certayne men were instytuted in the coÌ„munyties whiche were called preestes and deacons or leuytes whose office is to teache the preceptes counsaylles of the Chrystyane lawe of the gospell in those thynges whiche are to be beleued to be done to be eschewed to the ende that we mayegette and obtayne the blyssed state of the worlde to come and auoyde the contrarye state of the same worlde that is to wytte eternall myserye The ende therfore or the fynall cause of the instytucion of the offyce of preestes is teachyng and gyuynge instruccyon to men of suche thyngê whiche accordyng to the lawe of the gospel it is necessarie for them to beleue to do and to leaue vndone for the gettynge and obtaynynge of eternall blysse and saluacyon and the auoydynge of euerlastynge dampnacyon and myserye And vnto this offyce conuenyentlye appertayne all dyscyplynes founde out and dyuysed by maÌ„nes wytte bothe speculatyue and practyue whiche doo moderate tempre and gouerne the Actes of of men as well the inwarde as the outwarde Actes proceadynge of appetyte and knowlege by whiche dyscyplynes a man is well disposed and ordered in his soule for the state as well of this present worlde as of the worlde to come for all these dyscyplynes well nere we haue of the tradycyon of the meruaylous philosopher and of other gloryous men Yet haue we lefte out the rehersayle of them here for breyfnes and for that that the necessytic of such maner dyscyplynes appertey ne not to our present consyderacyon But we ought to vnderstande by this chapitre the other nexte folowynge after this y t there are other causes of the offycê of a cytie as touchynge to euery kynde of them in that they are offices of a cytie and other causes of the same in that they are qualyties of maÌ„nes body or mynde for the fynall causes of them in that theyr qualyties of the body or soule of man be the workes whiche procede or are brought forth immedyatly of them as of the shyp wryghtes crafte the fynall cause is y e shyp and of cheualrye the fynall cause is the vse and occupyenge of armour or fyghtyng and of preesthode the fynall cause is the preachynge of the lawe of god and the admynystracyon of the sacramentes accordynge to the same law and so conformably in all other offyces and ê‘tes of a cytie or cyuyle coÌ„munytie But the fynal causes of them takynge them as they are offyces determyned and instituted in a cytie are the coÌ„modyties and sufficyencies whiche do make perfyte the accyons and passyons of men do procede or are brought forthe and caused by the workes of the sayd qualyties which suffycyencies can not be had without the sayd qualyties as for example of fyghtynge or batayle whiche is the acte worke and ende of chyualrye lybertie is caused or brought forthe and also is kepte in a cytie whiche lybertie is the ende of al the actes and workes of chyualrie So lykewyse of the worke or ende of the carpenters crafte that is to saye of a house there coÌ„meth or is brought forth to men or to the cytie defence from the impressyons of the ayre whiche are noysome as from excessyue heate colde moystnes or drynes whiche defence trulye is the fynall cause wherfore the offyce of carpenters crafte was ordeyned in a cytie or cyuyle coÌ„munytie And after the same maner of the obseruacyon of goddes lawe whiche is the ende of preesthode coÌ„meth forth or groweth vnto men eternall felycytie And after the same maner also we ought to Iuge of the other partê or offyces of a cytie And after this same maner or lyke the other kyndes of causes of y â— sayd offyces are dystyncte and dysseuered one from an other of them that is to wyt the materyall cause the formall cause and the effectyue cause of them as it shall appere of those thynges whiche hereafter doth folowe Of the nombre than of the partes of a cytie and of the necessytie and also the dystynccyon of them for cause of the fynall suffycyencies to be goten by them let thus moche as hath ben spoken of vs be suffycyent ¶ Of the other kyndes of causes both of the beynge and also of the seperacyon and dystynccyon of the offyces partes of a cytie and of the dyuysyon of euery kynde by two maners apperteynynge to the present purpose ¶ The. vii chapitre HOwe after the premysses it foloweth consequently to speke of the other causes of the offices or partes of a cytie and fyrste we shall speake of the causes materyall and formall and than afterwardes we shall make inquysycyon serche of the effectuell cause of them But for as moche as in thyngê whiche receyue perfeccyon the matier is existent or hath his beynge afore the forme Lette vs fyrste speake of the materyall cause And here we doo saye that the proper matyer or materyall cause of dyuerse offyces in that the sayde offyces doo name or sygnyfye to vs the qualyties of the soule are men by theyr natyuytie or generacyon inclyned to dyuerse craftes or dysyplynes For in as moche as nature dothe not fayle in necessary thynges as beynge alwayes moste carefull and dylygent aboute the moste noble creatures whiche veryly is mankynde aboue all other corruptyble thynges of whiche sayd kynde of man beynge made perfyte by dyuers Artes or dysyplynes as of the matier or substauÌ„ce It is necessary to constytute a cytie and to dystyncte dyseuer partes in it whiche are necessary to the gettynge or obteynynge of the suffycyencie of this lyfe as it hath ben shewed in the. iiii v. chapytres of this dyccyoy nature her selfe began this dystynccyon of the sayd partes euen about the generacyon of men bryngynge forth some men in theyr naturall dyspocysyons apte and inclyned to husbandry and other some to Chyualrie other men to the kyndes of other Artes and dysyplynes but yet dyuerse men to dyuerse dysyplynes And she hath not inclyned onely one man to one kynde of Arte or dysyplyne but she hath inclyned many men to one and the same kynde of crafte or dysyplyne as the necessytie of the suffyciencie of maÌ„nes lyfe dyd requyre She broughte forth some therfore Apte to prudencye bycause the parte of the iudges or of counseylours in a cytie ought to be made and instytuted of wyse men And some men she hath brought forth apte and mete to strengthe and boldenes bycause of such maner of men is made the parte of warryours or men of Armes in a cytie And so lykewyse she hath made other men apte mete to the kyndes of practyue and speculatyue habytes or scyences whiche are necessarie conuenyent to lyue and to lyue well to the ende that by this dyuersytie of the materyall inclynacyons of
man or to lyue after the fryst maner that is to wytte wordly or temperally otherwhyles is taken for the beynge of men lyuynge as it is sayde in the seconde boke de anima diuere vuientibus est esse that is lyfe to lyuynge thynges is theyr beynge after whiche maner lyfe is nothyng elles then anima otherwhyles lyfe or to lyue is taken for the acte or for the accyon or passion of the soule or lyfe And agayne both of thyse maye be taken two maner of wayes for other they maye be taken or vnderstande in eodem esse naturali orelles in consimili esse whiche they do call esse specificum And though lyfe taken after eyther other of thyse sayd wayes as well lyfe proper to man as the lyfe cōmune to hym to other synsyble creaturs doth depende and hange of naturall causes yet the present consyderacyon of lyfe or of accyon or passyon of the soule is not of it in that it cōmeth or is caused of them for suche maner consyderacyon is had or made in that parte of naturall Phylosophye whiche treateth de planets et de animalibus but our present inquysycion or consyderacion at this tyme is of them after as they do take or receyue complemente and perfeccyon of crafte reason by whiche the kynde of man lyueth And therfore we muste attende and note well that yf a man ought to lyue to lyue well it is necessarye and nedefull that his accyoris be done and wel done and not onely his accyons but also his passyons I saye well done that is to saye inconuenyent temperament And because we haue not receyued of nature perfytely and in euery poynte those thynges by whiche thyse temperaments are made complete and perfyte It was nedefull to man beyonde or ouer the naturall causes by reason to forme fascyon or make some thynges by whiche the operacyon and conuersacyon of his accyons and passyons bothe as to wchynge the bodye and also the soule myghte be made complete profyte And thyse are the kyndes of workes and workers procedyng caused and brought forthe of vertues artes and scyences bothe practyue and also speculatyue Furthermore of the accyone of man and also of his passyons some cōmen and are brought forthe of naturall causes without knowledge reason and vnderstandynge as ben those whiche are done or caused throughe or by the contrarytie of the Elementes wherof our bodyes at composte made by the reason of the permyxcyon or mynglyng of theym togyther one with an other And of this kynde all the accyons or operacyons of the nutrytyue parte or power maye conuenyentlye be sayde to be Of the same sorte also be all the accyons that the Elementes do cause whiche do conteyne oure bodyes or wherin we do lyue by the alteracyon of theyr qualyties of whiche kynde are also the alteracyons whiche are caused of y e thyngs enterynge in to mēnes bodyes as of meates drynkes medycynes poysons and other thynges lyke vn to these And there be other accyons and passyons caused of vs and in vs by our intellectyue and appetatyue powers of the whiche certayne are called actiones immanētes that is intrinsecall or inwarde operacyons because they do not passe forthe in to any other subiecte or body from the doer or worker of theym neyther they are exercysed by any the exteryour organes or membres beynge moued as to wchynge to mocyon locall as ben the thoughtes of men and also theyr desyres or affeccyons Other there be and they are called actiones transeuntes outwarde operacyons because that other one waye or other of thyse aforesayd they are contrarye in theyr maner and fascyon to the accyons laste spoken of that is to wyt to the inwarde accyons whiche are called actiones immanentes for the temperynge therfore of all thyse accyons and passyons and to make them complete perfyte in that thynge to whiche nature can not brynge them dyuerse kyndes of craftes and occupacyons hathe ben founde and deuysed And of other vertues also as we haue heretofore sayde and men of dyuerse offyces hathe ben instytuted ordeyned and appoynted to exercyse them for the supplyeng of mānes Indygence and nede whiche ordres of men are none other thynge than the partes of a cytie afore rehersed and rekened vp for to tempre and to saue the actes and operacyons of the nutrytyue parte of the soule whiche ones crassynge it coulde not be chosen but that the sensyble creature whether it be man or elles any other beest muste nedes vtterlye be corrupted and destroyed bothe as to wchynge to the syngulares and also as to wchynge to the hole kynde husbandrye or tyllynge of the feldes and the kepynge and orderynge of beastes and catall was Instytuted and ordeyned Vnto y e whiche two kyndes conuenyentlye may be reduced all the kyndes of huntynge of beastes lyuynge in the londe or in the water or flyenge in the ayre as of foure foted beastes fysshes and fowles and also all other beastes by whiche norysshement or foode is gotten by any cōmunycacyon or chaunge or elles is dyghte and made redy to be daten to the ende that by the sayde norysshement in conclusyon that thynge maye be restored whiche is lofte and consumed of the substaunce of oure bodye and be conserued and kepte in his immortall beynge to contynue euermore so farforthe as nature hathe graunted man to be immortall But to measure and tempre the accyons and passyons of oure bodye whiche are outwardely caused of the Elementes wherof we be made and of theyr impressions there was founde and deuysed the kynde of mechanycall artes as Arystotle in the. vii boke of his Polytykes calleth theym as ben the makynge of all maner clothe for the vse of mānes bodye with all thynges apperteynynge therunto whiche all Aristotle comprehendeth vnder this one worde lauificiū Coryers crafte shomakers and taylours crafte And all kyndes of Carpenters crafte and certayne other mechanycall craftes doynge seruyce to other offyces of the cytie medyatly or immedyatlye and not onely those that tempre the accyons or passyons of thyse ii senses touchynge and tastynge but also of the other senses or wyttes whiche artes are more for pleasure and to lyue well than for the necessytie of mānes lyfe as paynters crafte with suche other lyke of the whiche Arystotle in the thyrde boke of his Polytykes and the. iiii chapitre sayth in this wyse And of thyse mechanycall artes or crafes some muste nedes be of necessytie and other some apperteyne and are ordeyned onely for pleasure to the deckynge and adornynge of our lyfe vndre whiche kynde also is comprehended the practyse of lechecrafte ANd to measure and tempre the excesses of the actes or operacyons whiche ardon̄ or caused of the motyue powers locall by knowledge or vnderstandynge and by appetyte or desyre whiche actes we haue called afore actus transeuntes outwarde Actes and whiche are possyble to be done to the
vnder y e coÌ„miÌ„cacion of eternal payne to euylldoers and of eternall rewarde to well doers wherfore they sayde of dyuersemen whiche had ben vertuouse whyles they lyued in this worlde that they were placed or set in the fyrmament of heuen And hereof peraduenture came the names to certayne of the sterres and constellacyons or fygures celestyall And of those that wrought vngracyously whyles they lyued in this worlde they sayd of some that theyr soules entred in to dyuers bodyes of brute bestes as that in to the bodyes of hogges entred the soules of them whiche had ben glotons and inteÌ„perante in thynges apperteynynge to tastynge as meates drynkes and suche other thynges And that in to the bodyes of gotes entred the soules of them which had ben lecherouse and intemperant in thynges apperteynynge touchynge and flesshely luste and so semblable the soules of other men in to the bodyes of other beastes accordynge to the proporcyon and lykenes of meÌ„nes vyces vnto the daÌ„nable and vyle properties of the brute beastes After the same maner also they assygned dyuerse kyndes of tormentes ordeyned for the wycked or euyll workes of men as for example to intemperant Tantalus perpetuallhongre and thyrst hauynge water and frute present and nere vnto hym wherof he maye neyther eate ne drynke because euer as he maketh any profre towardes them they do flebacke from hym farther than that he maye reche to them They sayd also that there is a certayne place of suche tormentes both depe and full of darkenes whiche they called Tartara in englysshe it maye be called helle descrybynge suche maner tormentes after the moste terryble and hatefull fascyons that they coulde Imagyne by reason of the feare of whiche tormentes men eschewed to do euyll and vycyouse workes and were excyted to doo vertuouse workes of charytie mercy or pytie and were also well disposed and ordred them selfes and other men And by the reason of thyse thynges many contencions and iniuryes were ceased in the coÌ„munyties by reason wherof bothe peace and the tranquyllytie of cyties and the suffycyent lyfe of men for the state of this present worlde was withlesse dyffycultie and the more easely kepte whiche was the thynge fynallye intented of those wyse men by the makynge of suche maner lawes or sectes The offyce therfore of the hethen preestes amonge the gentyles was the gyuynge teachynge of suche maner preceptes for the teachynge wherof they ordeyned in theyr coÌ„munyties temples in whiche theyr goddes were worshypped and dyd appoynte therto teachers of the sayde lawes or tradycyons whom they called Sacerdotes preestes because they medled and had the ordrynge of the holy thynges apperteynynge to the temples as of the bokes of the vesselles of suche other thyngs whiche serued to the honourynge and worshyppynge of goddes Thyse thynges verely they ordred semyngly and syttyngly accordynge to theyr faythe custome and vsage for they dyd not instytute and admytte all maner of men to be preestes but onely they instytuted certayne vertuouse and approued Cytyzens to be preestes whiche had ben of the offyce of Chyualrye or of the offyce of Iuges Cytyzeyns I saye whiche had forsaken or gyuen ouer secularie or wordely busynes and whiche were no we excused from cyuyle offyces and workes because of theyr great age For of suche maner men than beynge separate and free from passions and to whose sayenges the more credence was gyuen because of theyr age the grauyte of theyr maners It was semely accordyng that the goddes shuld be honoured or worshypped the holy thynges of them to be handeled and ordred and not of handy craftê men hyred labourers or other whiche had exercysed vyle and fylthye offyces wherfore Arystotle in the. vii boke and the. ix chapytre of the Polytykes saythe thyse wordes folowynge For neyther an husbande man neyther an artyfycer or handye craftes man is to be made or ordeyned a preeste But for as moche as the gentyles with all other lawes and sectes of men whiche are no we or haue ben in tymes paste besydes the catholyke Chrysten faythe or besydes the belyfe of the holye fathers whiche was afore the chrysten faythe and to speake generallye for as moche as all that are or hathe ben without or besyde the tradycion of those thynges whiche are conteyned in the holy Canon called the Byble had not the ryght opynyon of god whiche ought to be had of hym in that they folowed the wytte of man or false prophetes maysters and teachers of errours and therfore also neyther theyr opynyon was right of the lyfe to come neyther of the felylytie or myserye of the same neyther of the true veray preesthode instytuted and ordeyned therfore yet neuerthelesse we haue spoken of theyr vsages and ceremonyes to the entent that the difference of theyr preesthode from the true preesthode that is to wytte from the preesthode amonge Chrysten men and to the entent also that the necessytie of the parte or offyce of preestes to be had in coÌ„munyties maye the more euydently appere ¶ Of the fynall cause of a certayne parte of a cytie or cyuyle coÌ„munytie that is to wytte the offyce of preestes whiche cause maye be proued by the tradycyon or imdyate relacyon and scrypture of god but it is impossyble to be proued by mannes reason ¶ The vi Chapytre HOwe it remayneth to speake of the fynall cause wherfore the veray and true offyce of preestes hathe ben instytude in the coÌ„munyties of chrysten men This fynall cause was to moderate and gouerne maÌ„nes actes and appetytes as well inwarde as outwarde by knowledge to the ende that they so moderated and temperated by knowledge mankynde is ordeyned to the best lyfe of the worlde to come And therfore we muste attende and consydre well that albeit the fyrste man Adam was created pryncypally for the glorye of god as other creatures were yet for all that he was created after an other synguler maner a specyall dyuers fascyon from all other kyndes of corruptyble and mortall creatures for he was created and made to the Image symytude of god to the ende that he shulde be apte to receyue be parte taker of eternall felycytie after y e state of this present world he was made also in the state of Innocencie or of orygynall Iustyce and also of grace as some sayntes do probablye saye and certayne also of the cheyfe doctoures or teachers of holy scrypture In which state veryly yf he hadde coÌ„tynued neyther he neyther any of his posterytie shuld haue neded the instytucyon or destynccion of cyuyle ê‘tes or offycê because y e nature shuld haue brought forth to hym all thyngê mete coÌ„uenyent pleasurefull to the suffyciencie of this lyfe in paradyse terestryall or in the gardyne of pleasure withoute any maner payne or werynes of hym But because he corrupted and destroyed his innocencie or orygynall Iustyce and grace by the eatynge of the forbydden frute
of the kyngdome of heuen and what soeuer thynge thou shalte bynde vpon erthe it shal also be bouÌ„den in heuen what soeuer thynge thou shalt louse vpon y e earthe it shal also be loused in heuens For of those wordes certayne bysshoppes of Rome haue chalenged taken to them selues the auctoryte of hyghest iurysdiccion aforesayd For by y e keyes grauÌ„ted to saynt Peter by christ they wyl to be vnderstanded y e fulnes of powre of al worldly gouernaunce rule to be gyuen vnto them selues whiche fulnes of powre as chryste had in coÌ„paryson of all kynges prynces and rulers euen so he graunted it say they to saynt Peter and his successours in y e epyscopall see of Rome as y e vycars of chryste in this worlde ¶ The secoÌ„de texte of scrypture to this purpose is takeÌ„ of y e wordê of christ iÌ„ y e. xi chapytre of Mathewe whan he sayde al thynges are gyuen to me of my father And agayne in the. xxiii of the same euangelyste whan he sayde all powre is gyuen to me in heuen and in erthe seynge than that saynt Peter and his successours in the epyscopallsee of Rome haue ben and be the vycars and deputyes of chryste as they saye it appereth that all powre of fulnes of auctoryte is gyuen to the same and consequentlye the auctorytie of all maner iurysdyccyon ¶ The thyrde texte or auctoryte to the mayntenaunce of the same is taken of y e viii of Mathewe and the. v. of Marke where it is sayde and the deuylles prayed hym y t is to wyt chryste sayenge yf thou canste or dryue vs forth sende vs in to y e flocke of hogges and he sayde to them go you and they goynge forth of the man wente in to the hogges and lo sodaynely all the hole flocke wente hedlonge in to the see were deade in the waters of the which wordes it appereth that chryst dyd dyspose and ordre temporall thynges as beynge all his owne for els he had done amysse in dystroyenge the flocke of hogges But it is abomynable to saye that chryste hath synned or done amysse whose flesshe neuer sawe corrupcyon For as moche than as saynte Peter with his successours bysshoppes of Rome be and hathe ben the cheyfe vycars or deputyes of chryste as certayne men sayth they maye dyspose of all temporall thynges as beynge iudges in the. iii. sygnyfycacyon and hathe full powre and domynyon of them euen lykewyse as chryste selfe had Agayne the same is shewed by that whiche is had in the. xxi of Mathewe in the. xi of Marke and in the. xix of Luke where it is sayd in this wyse ¶ Than sente Iesus ii dyscyples sayenge to them go you in to the castell which is ouer agaynst you and forthwith you shall fynde an asse bounden and her foole with her or the colte tayed to the asse vpon the whiche neuer any man had sytte yet as it is red in Marke and Luke louse them and brynge them to me of the which wordes the same conclusyon maye be inferred and by the same maner of argumentacyon whiche was inferred of the auctoryte of scrypture iÌ„medyatly here afore rehersed ¶ Moreouer the same thynge is reasoned of the. xxii of Luke where it is red in this maner Lo here be ii swerdes sayd the apostles makynge answere to chryst But he answered it is suffycyent or ynoughe By the whiche wordes after the interpretacyon of some men ought to be vnderstande the. ii powers or auctorites of this present worlde the one ecclesya stycall or spyrytuall the other temporall or seculer Seynge than that chryst dyrectynge his speche to the apostles dyd saye it is suffycyent that is to saye it is ynoughe for you to haue the. ii swerdes by these wordes he appereth to haue sygnyfyed that bothe the swerdes ought to appertayne belonge to the auctoryte of them namely of saynt Peter as beynge the pryncypall and cheyfest of them for yf he had not ben wyllynge that the temporall swerde shulde belonge to them he ought to haue sayde it is to moche and more than ynoughe ¶ Agayne the same thynge semeth to be beleued by that whiche is had in the. xxi of IohnÌ„ where chryste speakynge to Peter sayde fede my shepe fede my lambes fede my shepe rehersynge one sentence thre tymes as we haue here broughte in Of y e which some men gather this sence y t saynt Peter his successours bysshoppes of Rome ought without any excepcyon to be gouernours rulers ouer all the saythful shepe of chryste that is to wytte chrysten men and amonge these specyallye and most of all ouer preestes and deacons ¶ Yea and moreouer this appereth openlye to be the senteÌ„ce and mynde of saynt Paule in his vi chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans whan he sayde Do you not knowe that we shall iudge aungels howe moche more than seculer thynges Hereof it appereth that y e iudgemeÌ„tes accordynge to his thyrde sygnyfycacyon of seculer thynges dothe appertayne to preestes or bysshoppes and amonge them pryncypallye to the bysshop of Rome cheyfest of them all Agayne the apostle semeth to haue meaned the same in the. ix of the fyrste to the Corynthyans whan he sayd haue we not powre to eate c. The same agayne in the thyrde of the fyrst to the Thessalonyans In whiche wordes he semeth expresselye to intende and meane that powre was gynen to hym by god ouer and vpon temporall goodes of chrysten men and so consequentlye iurysdyccyon also of them ¶ Furthermore the same thynge is shewed of the fyrste epystle to Tymothe the. v. chapytre to whome the apostle sayde Agaynst a senyoure or preest receyue none accusacyon but vnder ii or iii. wytnesses or recordes By this than it appereth that a bysshop at the least wyse hathe iurysdyccyon ouer preestes deacons and other mynystres of the temple seynge that it belongeth to hym for to here accusacyon of them as for any probacyons of y e olde scrypture or testament which semeth to make for the conclusyon purposed or to make agaynst it we wyl not brynge in here the cause wherof we shall shewe in the. ix chapytre of this dyccyon By these foresayd auctorytes than and other lyke of the holye scrypture and suche maner interpretacyons and exposycyons of them it myght seme that the bysshop of Rome ought of dutye to haue hyghest auctoryte and iurysdyccyon of all No we consequentlye after these thynges it is conuenyent to brynge in certayne as it were polytyke or cyuyle argumentes and reasons whiche perauenture myght cause to some men a phantasye byleue of the aforesayde coÌ„clusyon ¶ Of the whiche lette this be the fyrste Lykewyse as the body is to the soule in the same maner is the ruler of bodyes to the gouernour of soules but the body is vnder the soule as a subiecte to his gouernoure wherfore it foloweth that the ruler of
the bodyes that is to wyt the seculer iudge ought to be vnder the domynyon and gouernaunce of the iudge or ruler of sowles and cheyfly vnder the domynyon of the bysshop of Rome the hyghest of all suche iudges or rulers ¶ Agayne to argue euen as it were from the same grounde Lykewyse as bodelye thynges ben in comparyson to spyrytuall thynges euen so is the heed of bodelye thynges in comparyson to the heed of spyrytuall thynges But it is vndoubted and of certayne that corporall thynges are more base and vyler of nature farre vndernethe the spyrytual thynges it foloweth therfore that the ruler of bodely thynges that is to wyt the seculer iudge or gouernoure ought to be ferre vnder and subiecte to hym whiche is ruler of spyrytuall thynges ¶ Moreouer loke what comparyson is betwene one fynall ende and an other betwene lawe and an other or betwene the maker of one law and the maker of an other lawe Euen lyke comparyson or dyfference is betwene hym that gouerneth accordynge to the one of them and hym that gouerneth accordynge to an other of them But the fynall ende whereunto the ecclesiasticall iudge dyrecteth or guydeth outher preest or bysshop and the lawe accordynge to the whiche he dyrecteth and the maker also of that lawe are superyours and more perfyte than the ende the lawe and the lawe maker to the whiche and accordynge to the whiche the seculer iudge dyrecteth therfore the ecclesyastycall iudge bysshop or preest and namely the cheyfest of them that is to say the Pope is superyour and aboue what soeuer iudge seculer it be for the ende to the whiche the ecclesyastycall iudge dyrecteth or leadeth is eternall lyfe the lawe accordynge to the whiche dyrecteth is the lawe of god and the lawe maker is god īmedyatlie in whome it is not possyble any erroure or malyce to be But the ende to whiche the seculer iudge intendeth to dyrecte is the suffycyencie of this worldly lyfe the lawe after the whiche he dyrecteth is the lawe of man the maker of that lawe is man īmedyatly or els men in whome it maye chaunce erroure and malyce to be Therfore are these thynges inferyours and more vyle or vnworthy thynges than the aforesayde thynges wherfore it foloweth that the seculare iudge yea euen the hyghest is inferyour and of lesse dygnyte than the hyghest preeste ¶ Agayne whose accyō or worke of it selfe is y e more honourable he of hym selfe is most to be had in honour but the accyon or worke of a bysshop or preest is the most honourable of all which maye be done by man in this present lyfe that is to wyt the consecracyon of the blyssed body of chryste it foloweth therfore that euery preest is more of dygnyte than any one who soeuer he be that is no preeste For asmoch than as the more worthye or excellent thynge ought not to be vnder the lesse worthy but to be aboue it as ruler it semeth that the seculer iudge or gouernour ought not to be aboue a preest in iurysdyccyon but vnderneyth hym most of all vnderneth the hyghest preeste the pope as they call hym of Rome ¶ The same thynge maye be shewed and proued more apparently of the prynce and gouernoure of the Romaynes called the emperoure by this reasan He is superycure to the prynce and ruler of the Romaynes as touchynge to iudgement in his thyrde sygnyfycacyon whiche hathe auctorytie to instytute and make the sayde prynce or gouernoure and to translate thempyre from nacyon to nacyon but the people saythe that he hathe this auctoryte for he hathe translated this gouernaunce or empyre from the Brekes to the Bermaynes as it is expressed in the. vii of his Decretalies in the tytle De iure iurādo also the bysshp of Rome that nowe is saythe the same more expressely in a certayne decree of his to Lodo wyke duke of Bauarye chosen and taken to be gouernour and emperoure of the Romaynes ¶ Moreouer agayne for the same purpose it semeth a great inconuenyence y t chrystes vp care the bysshop of Rome and other successours of the apostles that is to saye bysshoppes ought to be vnder the iurysdyccyon of any prynce seculare and that for asmoche as the seculare prynce maye synne trespace agaynst both the law of god and man wherof he is to be corrected by some man But he which is the hyghest of all seculer prynces hath neyther any egall or superyour persone to hym selfe which may take vpon hym to correcte hym for a pluralyte of cheyfe rulers is reproued in the. xviii chapytre of the fyrst parte wherfore it shall appere that iurysdyccyon coactyue ouer hym appertayneth to the bysshop of Rome and in no wyse the iurysdyccyon coactyue ouer the bysshop of Rome to the emperour Thus than me thynketh I haue shewed here suffycyentlye both by what auctoryties of holy scrypture also by what certayne argumentacyons of man as it were polytycall reason it appereth that it myght be proued the byssoppes or preestes to haue coactyue iurysdyccyon and that the hyghest rule gouernaūce of all this world is dewe to the hyghest cheyfest of them that is to wyt to the bysshop of Rome ¶ Of the canonycall scryptures of the cōmaundementes counsayles and examples of chryste and of the holy and approued exposycyons of the lawe of the gospell by the whiche it is shewed euydently that neyther the bysshop of Rome or any other bysshop or preest neyther any persone of the clargye maye by the vertue of the wordes of scrypture chalenge or ascrybe any maner coactyue domynyon or contentyouse iurysdyccyon at all to them selues ouer any clarke or laye man moche lesse then they can not chalenge the hyghest domynyon or iurysdyccyon of al and howe by the example and counsayle of chryste they ought to refuse suche maner domynyon or iurysdyccyon namely in the cōmunytyes of chrysten men yf it were offered or gyuen to them by hym that had auctoryte so to do And agayne that all bysshoppes indyfferently all that are nowe called clarkes ought to be vnderneth the coactyue iudgemēt gouernaunce rule of y e temporall prynce namely beynge chrystened prynce or gonernoure The iiij chapytre NOwe consequentlye we shall brynge in of the contrarye parte the verytes of holy scrypture cōmaundynge orcounsaylynge expresly bothe by theyr lytterall and also mystycall sence accordynge to the interpretacyon of sayntes and the exposycyon of other approued doctours of the chrysten faythe that the bysshop of Rome called the pope or any other bysshop preest or deacon ought to haue no domynyon iudgement or coactyue iurysdyccyon ouer any preest gouernour cōmunaltie college or any synguler persone of what estate soeuer he be vnderstādynge by coactyue iudgemente that which we haue shewed in the seconde chapytre of this parte to be betokened by this worde Iudge or iudgemente in the thyrde sygnyfycacyon But for this our intencyon purpose more euydently
Maystre saye to my brother that he deuyde the inherytaunce with me But he that is to wytte chryste sayde to hym Thou man who hathe ordayned or made me iudge or deuyder ouer you as who shulde saye I am not come to exercyse this offyce nor yet sente for these purposes That is to wytte for to departe or ende cyuyle sutes or stryues by iudgement whiche thynge for al that no man doubteth to be the worke moste properlye appertaynynge to the gouernoures or iudges of this worlde And albeit in very deade that the texte of the gospell more euydentlye dothe contayue and shewe our purpose than the gloses of holy men whiche our aduersaryes knowynge that as we haue sayd they make ryght manyfestlye agaynst them euery where dyd tourne them selues more to the allegorycall or mystycall sence yet that notwithstandynge we haue broughte in those gloses also to the greatter confyrmacyon fortefyenge of our purpose and leste it myght be sayde of our aduersaryes that we do expounde the scrypture folysshelye and presumptuouslye after our owne brayne Thus than saythe saynt Ambrose expouÌ„dynge these wordê of chryste Therfore he doth well sayth saynt Ambrose auoyde and eschewe erthlye thynges whiche came downe for godlye thynges sake neyther he vouchsaueth to be iudge of worldly stryues or sutes or vmpyere of suche goodes and substaunce whiche hathe the iudgemente of men bothe quycke and deed and the arbytrement of theyr deades And a lytle after he saythe also wherfore not without cause sayth he this brother is rebuked whiche coueted to busye the ordre of heuenly thynges aboute earthly thynges and corruptyble Lo here what saynt Ambrose mynde is of the offyce of chryste in this worlde For he saythe that chryste dothe well auoyde and refuse earthly thynges that is to wytte to be iudge of contentyouse persones whiche came downe for heuenly thynges sake that is to teache and to mynystre spyrytuall thynges in the whiche thynge he marked forthe and assygned the offyce of hym and his successours that is to wytte to dyspence heuenly or spyrytuall thynges I saye spyrytuall thynges yea and those spyrytuall thynges of the whiche the same Ambrose spake in the. ix chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans and the whiche we broughte in before in the seconde chapytre of this dyccyon in y e thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this nowne spyrytuall Nowe consequentlye it resteth and remayneth to shewe that chryste hymselfe not onely dyd refuse the domynyon of this worlde or coactyue iurysdyccyon or iudgemente in this worlde wherin he gaue example to his apostles and dyscyples and the successours of them to do lykewyse but also that he taughte by his preachynge and shewed by his example y t al preestes laye men ought to be vnderneth the coactyue iudgement or iurysdyccyon of the prynces of this worlde bothe reallye and personallye that is to saye bothe in theyr owne personages and in all theyr goodes appertaynynge to them Fyrste than chryste shewed this by his wordes example of his owne selfe as concernynge his goodes and substaunce in the. xxii of Mathewe where it is redde that whan the Iewes asked of hym sayenge Tell vs howe thynkest thou is it lawful to gyue trybute to Cesar or not Chryst after he had loked on the money or quoyne and the scrypture therof made answere and sayd gyue than to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to Cesar and to god those thynges whiche appertayneth to god where the glose interlyneare sayth that is to wytte trybute and money And saynt Ambrose vpon that texte whose is this ymage and this superscrypcyon sayth in this wyse As Cesar exacteth and requyreth the money hauynge his ymage imprynted in it so god also requyreth the soule marked with the lyghte of his owne face Take hede than what thynge chryste came to exacte in this worlde And Chrysostome sayth thus But thou when thou hearest these wordes gyue to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to hym knowe thou that chryste meaneth onelye those thynges whiche in no poynte are contrarye to vertue and the coÌ„maundement of god for yf there be any suche thynge it is not the trybute of Cesar but the trybute of the deuyll Beholde that in all thynges we oughte to be subiectes to Cesar so that they be not contrarye to pytye that is to wytte the worshyppynge of god or his coÌ„maundement Chryste than wolde be subiecte to the seculer prynces in reall or temporall substaunce This also was openlye the sentence or mynde of saynt Ambrose grounded vpon this sentence of chryste for he sayde in the epystle agaynst Valentynyan whiche is intytled to the people we paye to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to Cesar and those thynges which belongeth to god we paye to god trybute belongeth to Cesar it is not denyed hym The same thynge is shewed agayne by the. xvii chapytre of Mathewe where it is this wryten they whiche receyued the Dydrachme came to Peter and sayde dothe not your mayster paye the Dydrachme and consequentlye after a certayne wordes betwene it foloweth that chryste sayde to Peter That we do not offende them go to the see and throwe in thyne hoke and that fysshe whiche shall come vp fyrste take it vp and whan thou haste opened the mouth of it thou shalte fynde a stotere or a doble Dydrachme take it and gyue it to them for the me and the lorde sayde not onelye gyue it them but sayde gyue it to them for me and the and saynt Iherome saythe here our lorde bothe as consernynge his bodye and also his spyryte was the sone of a worldlye or lyuynge kynge by two maner wayes Fyrste in that he was gendred of the stocke of Dauid or in that that he was the worde or sone of the almyghtye father Therfore he oughte by ryght no trybute to paye but to be fre from all coactyue powers or bondage as beynge the sone of kynges And afterwarde it foloweth in the same sayenge of saynt Iherome Therfore althoughe he were free yet because he had taken vpon hym the humylytye or mekenesse of the nature of man he ought to fulfyll all iustyce And Orygen vpon that sayenge of chryste saythe in this maner wyse But that we do not offeÌ„de them speketh in this wyse more to the purpose and to the mynde of the euangelyste whiche after this maner saythe as foloweth Consequentlye we maye well perceyue saythe Origen vnderstande by these wordes of Chryste that as ofte as certayne men ryseth vp which wrongfully taketh away our earthly thyngê or temporal substauÌ„ce the kynges and gouernours of this earthe doth sende them to requyre of vs that whiche belongeth to them and by his owne example our lorde forbyddeth any occasyon of synnynge or greyfe to be gyuen euen to suche maner men outher leste they myght synne the more or elles that they maye be saued The sone of god whiche neuer dyd any seruyle worke or dede as hauynge y e forme or shape of a
shewed to be true that no man beynge of ryght mynde after he hath seen and red them ought to doubte any lenger The apostle sayd euery soule exceptynge none where the glose after Augustynes mynde fyrste and otherwhyles after the mynde of Ambrose sayth thus And here he prouoketh and exhorteth men to humblenes For certayne men thought that euyll Lordes and rulers and namely suche as were infydels ought not to haue domynyon and rule ouer chrysten men And yf they were good and also chrysten that then they were but peetes and egall to other good and chrysten men Whiche pryde also the apostle here putteth awaye euen from the superyour parte of man that is to wytte the soule by it betokenynge the hole man For what is it to saye euery soule but euery man as yf he shulde saye All the foresayde thynges are to be done and thoughe you be so perfyte in the bodye of Chryste yet that notwithstandynge let euery soule be subiecte that is to saye lette euery man be subiecte whiche man I do sygnyfye therfore by the name of the soule that you shulde serue and be obeyssaunte not onely in bodye but also in wyll and mynde Therfore let euery soule be so subiecte and obedyent that is euen also in wyll he do serue the seculer powers bothe good and euyll that is to wytte kynges and prynces or gouernours hygh capytaynes vnder capytaynes such other Lo than what the apostle vnderstode and meaned by the hygher powers nothynge elles but seculer prynces gouernours Than it foloweth in the glose for yf he be a good man whiche is ruler and gouernoure ouer the he is thy nouryssher yf he be an euyll man he is a temptoure to proue and assaye the. Bothe receyue and take nourysshementes or cherysshynges gladlye and with good wyll And in thy temptacyon be thou approued Be thou therfore golde and marke and take hede that this worlde is as it were the fornayce of the golde fyner So than lette euery soule be subiecte to the hygher powers that is to wyt in this that they are hyghe that is in worldlye thyngê Or elles in this worde hygher is signyfyed the cause wherfore they ought to be obeyed that is because they are hygher by the ordenaunce of god ¶ For there is no power but of god he proueth that they oughte to be subiectes obeyssaunte this maner waye because all power is of god but those thynges whiche be of god are ordeyned of god than it foloweth that power and auctorytie is ordeyned of god that is to saye who soeuer hathe power or auctorytie hath the ordynaunce of god Therfore who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynaunce of god And this is it that he saythe as yf he oughte therfore to be subiecte because there is neyther any good man neyther euyll that hathe any power excepte it be gyuen vnto hym of god wherfore oure Lorde sayde to Pylate Thou shuldest not haue power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue whiche thyng Bernarde also repeting to the Archebysshop of Senon sayth There was no man more seculare than Pylate afore whom our lorde stode to be iudged yet he sayde thou shuldest not haue any power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue At that tyme Chryst spake for hym selfe and had experyence of that thynge in hym selfe whiche thynge after he caused to be publysshed and proclaymed throughout all the churches by his apostles that is to wytte that there is no power but of god and that who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynauÌ„ce of god And within a lytle after in the same place Bernarde saythe Chryste graunteth and confesseth that the power and auctoryte of the Emperours deputie in Rome euen ouer his owne self was ordeyned from aboue And it foloweth in the glose but those that be are ordeyned of god that is to saye are resonablye dysposed and ordeyned of god Therfore who soeuer other by vyolence or by dyscorde or gyle resysteth the power that is to wyt the man hauynge power in those thynges whiche belonge to the power as in trybute and suche other thynges he resysteth the ordynacyon of god that is to saye he resysteth hym that hath power by the ordynacyon of god and therfore he dothe not accordynge to the ordynacyon of god Of the good power it is euydent that god hath made hym ruler reasonably and not without good cause And of the euyll power it maye also appere that he is made ruler reasonably whyles both good men are purged by hym and euyll men are coÌ„dempned hym selfe is caste downe hedlonge worse and worse And marke take hede that somtyme by this worde power is vnderstande the power it selfe or auctorytie whiche is gyuen of god somtyme by the same worde is vnderstande the man selfe that hathe the power whiche ii Sygnyfycacyons let the dylygent reader marke the one of them from the other he that resysteth the power resysteth the ordynacyon of god And this is so greuous an offence that who soeuer resysteth the power they do purchase and gette to them selfes euerlastynge dampnacyon And therfore no man oughte to resyste but to be subiecte and obeysaunte to hym But yet yf he coÌ„maunde the to do that thynge whiche thou oughte not to doo by the lawe of god here truely thou mayste not execute his coÌ„maundemente fearynge the greatter power that is to wytte god marke and take hede of the degrees of wordly thynges yf the Emperour of Rome shall bydde or coÌ„maunde any thynge to his subiects it is to be done albeit he do coÌ„mauÌ„de contrary to the proconsull Agayne yf the proconsul whiche is the emperours subiecte and offycer vnder hym byddeth one thynge and the Emperour coÌ„maundeth an other thynge is it any doute but that despysynge the proconsuls coÌ„mauÌ„deth the subiecte ought to obey the Emperour or pryncipall capytayne Therfore yf the Emperour coÌ„mauÌ„de one thynge god doth coÌ„maunde an other thyng the subiecte ought to obey god before the emperour But yet saynt Augustyne sayd not yf the Emperour do coÌ„maunde one thynge and the Pope or bysshop do coÌ„mauÌ„de an other thyng whiche thyng he ought to haue sayd yf the pope had ben superyour to the emperour in degree of Iurysdyccyon but yet saynt Augustyne wolde that yf the emperour hathe coÌ„maunded any thynge to be due agaynst the lawe of euerlastynge helthe whiche is immedyate coÌ„maundement of god in this the emperour ought not to be obeyed in whiche case the pope coÌ„maundynge accordynge to this lawe that is to wyt the lawe of god is rather to be obeyed than the Emperours coÌ„maundynge any thynge to be done whiche is contrary to the lawe of god But yf the pope coÌ„maundeth any thynge accordynge to his Decretalles in that they are but his owne decrees he is nothynge to be obeyed agaynst the coÌ„maundement of the Emperour or his lawes and that appereth openly and euydentlye here and shall
lordes to whom we ar bounden so to obey myght be infydels or myscreantes as the glose sayth aboute the begynnynge but bysshops neyther ar neyther may be suche maner men And therfore it is open and euydent to all men that the apostle spake not of preestes or bysshops but of kynges prynces gouernours as saynt Augustyne sayd From this subiection also the apostle excepteth no man whan he sayd euery soule Yf than it be so that they whiche resyst suche powers yea beynge infydels euyllmen do purchase to them selues eternall daÌ„pnacion how moche more do they purchase to them selues the indignacion wrathe of almyghty god of his apostle Paule also of Peter whiche despysynge this doctryne of god these apostles haue of late troubled contynually do trouble Chrysten kynges prynces most of all without any maner excuse the Emperoure of Rome For prynces and gouernours ar the mynisters of god as the apostle sayd And he sayd not they ar our mynisters or the mynisters of Peter or of any other apostle And therfore they ar not subiectê in iudgement coactyue to any bysshop or preest but rather contrary wyse the bysshops preestê at subiectê to them whiche thyng also the glose after saynt Augustynes mynde declared whan it sayd Than yf the emperour coÌ„maundeth one thyng god coÌ„mauÌ„deth the coÌ„trary c. namynge there no bysshop or archebysshop or patryarche in suche iurysdyctions whiche thyng yet he wolde haue done or ought to haue done yf Chryste whiche is the kyng of kynges and lorde of lordes had graunted suche power and auctorytie to hym ouer the Emperour as they do bable lye in theyr Decretals which accordyng to truth in very dede ar nothyng els but certayn ordynauÌ„cê CoÌ„stytucions or Decrees appertaynynge to the EstablysshemeÌ„t of theyr owne gouernauÌ„ce rule or domynyon beyng but a fewe ê‘sons in noÌ„bre to the which ordynacions in y t they ar but of theyr own braynes chrysten men ar not bounde in any thyng to obey as it hath ben shewed proued of the. xii chapitre of the fyrst dyccion as it shal appere more espcially in those thigê which hereafter shal folowe ¶ Yet of thyse thynges afore gone we woll not say but the reuerence and obedyence is due to be gyuen to suche Ecclesiastycall or spyrytuall teacher or pastor in those thyngê whiche he coÌ„maundeth or teacheth to be obserued kept accordynge to the lawe of the gospell but not otherwyse or to the coÌ„trary as it appereth suffycyently in the. xxiii of Mathewe by the exposycion of saynt Ierome in the same place Howbeit yet he neyther ought neyther may compell any man to the obseruynge of suche thyngê in this worlde by any payne or punysshemeÌ„t Reall or personall for we do not rede y t any suche power of punysshynge vsynge domynyon ouer any man in this world is graunted to them but rather forbydden them by counsayll or coÌ„maundement as it appereth euydently of this chapytre and of the last aforegone For suche power in this worlde is gyuen by the lawes or by the humayne lawe maker whiche although it were gyuen to a bysshop or preest to compell men in those thyngê whiche apperteyne to goddes lawe it shuld be vnprofytable For to them that shuld be compelled no suche thyng shuld auayle or do good to euerlastyng helthe saluacion And this was playnly the mynde of the apostle in the fyrste chapytre of the seconde epystle to the Corynthyans whan he sayd And I do call vpon god to wytnesse that I sparynge you haue not coÌ„men yet to Corynthe not because we ar lordes ouer your fayth but we ar helpers of your ioye for you do stande contynue in fayth Where the glose after Ambrose mynde sayth I call god to wytnesse not onely agaynst any body but also agaynst my soule yf I do lye in that thynge wherof I speke That I haue not coÌ„men to Corinthe agayne syns I departed from you and I haue done this sparyng you that is to wyt lest I shuld haue made many of you sad sorowful by sharpe rebukyng of many of you in which thing he spared them lest he beyng very sharpe they myght be tourned in to sedicion Therfore he wylleth them to be fyrst mytigated afore his coÌ„myng And therfore it was not loÌ„ge of incoÌ„stancie lyghtnes or els of any carnall coÌ„sideracion y t he dyd not fulfyl those thyngê whiche he had purposed For a spyritualman doth not fulfyl his purpose than whan he hath deuysed any thyng more prouydently apperteynyng to helth saluacion And lest they myght be angry as yf he had spoken of domynyon because he had sayd it was for sparing of you y t I haue not come he saith afterwardê I do not therfore say sparyng you because I haue any domynyon ouer your faith y t is to say because your fayth doth suffre any domynion or coÌ„pulsion which is a thyng free not of necessytie but I say it therfore because we ar helpers yf you worke with vs of yourioy eternal or els of the ioy of your ameÌ„demeÌ„t for they which ar ameÌ„ded doth ioy ar glad I said very well ouer your faith for by faith whiche worketh through loue you do staÌ„de not by dominion This same sentence meanig dyd sait IohnÌ„ Chrisostome gather of the afore reherced wordes of the apostle hath expressed it to al meÌ„ euydeÌ„tly in his boke of Dialoges which is entytled the Dignite of presthod in y â— iii. chap. of the. ii boke for therafter he hath brought in y t sayng of y â— apostle not because we ar lordê ouer yo â— faith but we ar helê‘s c. he saith thus They whiche ar outwarde iudges y t is to wyt seculer iudgê whan they haue subdued euyll persones they do shewe very moche power auctorytie vpon them whether they wylor not wyl they restreyne them kepe them spyte of theyr teth froÌ„ theyr olde lewde vngracious maners but in the church no maÌ„ by compulsyon but well contented and condescendynge ought to be conuerted to better maners and conuersacyon for neyther there is any suche power gyuen to vs by the lawes that by the auctorytye of sentence or Iudgement we maye restrayne and withholde men from synnes And here Chrysostome speaketh in the person of all preestes assygnyng the fyrst cause nowe rehersed wherfore they ought to compell no man because they haue not coactyue auctorytye or iurysdyccyon of any man in this worlde for asmoche as it was not gyuen by the lawes or lawe makers at those tymes or in those places or prouynces Than afterwardes he assygned and sheweth an other cause sayeng neyther yf suche power and auctorytie were gyuen we preestes or bysshops shuld haue wheron we myght exercyse suche maner power auctorytie seynge that our god that is to wyt Chryste shall rewarde not suche as be brought awaye from synne by necessytie
c. that is to saye y t it be done by you of coÌ„mune assente or elles by the superyour therunto apoynted by the hygher powre of the laytie whiche is allone thynge therfore the apostle dyd not coÌ„maunde all the whole tragedie of this thynge to be done by any preest neyther dyd he wryte to any bysshop or preeste that this thynge shuld be done by hym yet euen at the same tyme he dyd sende Tymothe vnto them whiche was a bysshop as it is euydent in the. iiii chapytre of the same epystle whiche thynge doubtles he wolde haue done yf he had knowen this iudgement to appertayne onely to the auctorytie of a preeste euen lykewyse as he had done in other thyngê as we haue declared here to fore in the laste chapytre of this dyccyon afore gone by the auctorytie of the thyrde chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Tâ—mothe of the fyrste chapytre of the epystle to Titus this sentence proueable sayd which we do hold myghtie also be confyrmed and fortyfyed by reason agreably to the scrypture for suche maner of iudgement is done more certaynelye and more without suspycion by the hygher nowres or theyr deputies than yf it were done by wyll of one preest alone or elles of any colledge or company of preestê onely for his or theyr iudgemeÌ„t myght sooner be peruerted through loue fauour or els through hatred and euyll wyll or els for respecte and regarde of theyr owne pryuate and syngular profyte and aduauntage than the iudgement of the superyours aforesayde to whome it chaunceth alwayes men to appeale albeit as I haue sayde the pronouncyacion of such maner sentence ought to be done by the preest for asmoche as by it the powre of god is called on in this worlde to do some punysshement to the criminouse and synfull persone euen in this worlde whiche payne or punysshement coulde not be done to hym by the powre of man that is to wytte the vexacyon of the deuyll And also because he is lykewyse iudged to payne for the state of the world to come and because he is berefte the suffrâ—ges of y â— church which thynge peraduenture god hath ordayned to be done by the operacyon onely of a preest Moreouer because yf any maner bysshop or preest alone or els with y â— colledge or coÌ„pany onely of his clarkes shuld haue this auctorite to excoÌ„munycate any maner man without the consente of the hygher powres or theyr deputies it dothe folowe therof that preestes myght take away al kyngdomes lordshyppes from the kynges or prynces whiche haue them For so any prynce or gouernoure beynge excoÌ„munycated the multytude of his subiectes shall be also excoÌ„munycated yf they wolde obeye the prynce or gouernour beynge so excoÌ„munycated and so the powre of euery maner prynce or gouernoure shall be voyde and of no strength whiche thynge shulde be contrary to the wyland mynde of Paule the teacher of the Gentyles in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes and in the. vi chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Tymothe and also agaynst the mynde of saynt Augustyne in the glose vpon the same place as we haue declared in the. vii and. viii partes of the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon and the obieccyons whiche apparently myght be brought in agaynst this determynacyon shal easely be answered vnto and auoyded by those thynges which shall be sayd hereafter in the. ix the. x. y e. xiiii and the. xviii chapitres of this present dyccyon ¶ There is agayne an other certayne auctoryte belongynge to preestes that is that wherby breade and wyne is transubstancyated or turned in to the substaunce of chrystes blyssed body at the oration of the preeste after the pronounsynge of certayne wordê by hym And this auctorytie is a character of the soule euery lykewyse as that auctorytie of keyes is And this auctorytye or powre is called the powre of makynge the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare and certayne dyuynes sayth that this powre is euen the same character of the whiche the powre of the keyes is wherof we haue spoken here to fore And certayne other dyuynes saye this powre is by a dyuers and sondrye character gyuen to the apostles at an other tyme and also by other wordes of chryste than was the powre of the keyes For this powre was gyuen as they of this opynyon do say to the apostles whan he sayd to them these wordes wrytten in the. xxvi chapytre of Mathewe the. xiiii of Marke and the. xxii of Luke This is my body which is gyuen for you do this in the remembraunce of me do this that is to say haue or take you powre to do this thynge But how soeuer the trouth is in this so great dyuersytie of opynyons it skylleth not greatly to this our consyderacyon for we thynke that we haue rehersed as moche as is suffycyent for vs to our purpose concernynge the maners of auctorytie or powre gyuen by chryste to preestê or bysshoppes which may be proued by the holy scrypture But nowe gatherynge togyther agayne and makynge as it were a suÌ„me of those thynges whiche haue ben sayde of vs concernynge the powre or auctorytie of the keyes whiche was gyuen by chryste to the apostles and to preestes the successours of them Let vs saye that in a synner truely penytent that is to say beynge sorowfull for his synne coÌ„mytted god alone worketh some thynges euen without any mynystery of the preeste goynge before that is to wyt the illumynatynge of the mynde the purgacyon or clensynge of the faulte sporte or synne and the remyssyon of the euerlastynge dampnacyon And other some thynges therbe whiche god worketh in the same synner not by hym selfe alone but by the mynysterye of the preeste as this folowynge to shewe and declare in the face of the churche who is accompted bounde or losed from synnes in this world so that he shall be bounde or losed in an other world y t is to say whose synnes god hathe retayned or els forgyuen Agayne there is an other thynge which god worketh aboute a synner by y e mynystery of the preest y t is to wyt the chaungynge of the payne of purgatorye whiche is dewe to the synner for the state of the worlde to come in to some temporall satysfaccyon in this worlde for he dothe releasse the sayd payne outher in parte or in the hole accordynge to the satysfaccyons inioyned after the coÌ„dycyon or state of the penytent which thyngê euery one of them ought to be done by the preeste with the keye of powre accordynge to dyscrecion after this maner also dysobedyeÌ„t ê‘sons at excluded from y e coÌ„munyon or partetakynge of the sacramentes by the preeste And persons repentaunte amendyng theyr conuersacyon are receyued to the sayde coÌ„munyon by the preeste as we haue sayde aboute the ende of the Chapytoure laste afore gone And this was the sentence and mynde of the mayster in the. iiii boke in
iudgement of the fyrste sygnyfycacion and as it were pronostycatyue y t by y e reason therof synners in this world myght be made afrade and be called backe agayne from vyces synnes vnto penaunce or repentauÌ„ce to which thynge the offyce of preestes is requyred and is also of great strength auayleable Lykewyse after such maner as yf y â— physycion of bodely helthe to whome lysence auctorytie is gyuen for to teache worke practyse accordynge to the arte or crafte of physyke by the instytucyon ordenaunce of the humayne lawe maker shuld openly declare and publysshe iudgement accordynge to the scyence and knowlege of physyke amonge the people who shall be hole who shall dye to the intent that by the reason therof men shulde lede a sobre lyfe vse temperate dyete and shulde be brought backe agayne from ryotynge or surfetynge for the conseruynge or recouerynge of theyr bodely helth and shuld declare the preceptes documentes of physyke doubtles the physycyon shulde after a certayne maner coÌ„maunde suche preceptes and documentes to be obserued shulde iudge that the obseruers and fulfyllers of them shal be hole and that the transgressours of the same shuld be sycke or els dye whom he hym selfe neyther shuld make sycke neyther make hole pryncypally but the workynge of the nature of the men yet that notwithstandynge he shuld exhybyte and do some mynystery or offyce and agayne the same physycyon coulde not by his owne auctorytie compell neyther the hole man neyther the sycke to do suche thynges were they neuer so moche auaylable to theyr bodely helthe but onely he myght exhorte and teache them and put them in feare by his pronostycatyue iudgement of the fyrste sygnyfycacyon she wynge vnto them y t they shall haue helth by the obseruynge of certayne thynges and that they shal be sycke or els dye yf they do transgresse and breake such preceptes Euen so lykewyse the physycyon or leche of soules that is to wytte the preeste iudgeth and exhorteth men concernynge suche thynges whiche brynge to euerlastynge helthe or to euerlastynge death for the state of the worlde to come and yet neyther he maye neyther ought to compell any man to the obseruynge of suche thynges by iudgement coactyue in this worlde as we haue proued by the auctorytie of the apostle and of Ambrose in the fyrst chapitre of the seconde epystle to the Corynthyans and also we haue broughte in with y e same the expresse sentence of Chrisostome afore in the syxte parte of the. v. chapytre of this present diction Wherfore the preest as touchynge to his offyce ought not to be lykened to a iudge of the thyrde sygnyfycacyon but of the fyrste that is to wytte hauynge auctorytie to teache or to worke and practyse lykewyse as the bodylye physycyon hath but not hauynge powre coactyue for after this maner chryst called hym selfe a physycyon or leche not a prynce or gouernoure whan he sayd in the. v. chapytre of Luke speakynge of hym selfe they which be whole men nedeth no physysyon but they whiche be sycke he sayd not here they nede a iudge but they nede a physycyon for he came not in to this worlde to exercyse coactyue iudgement of contencyons and debatefull matters as we haue declared by the. xii chapytre of Luke in the. iiii chapytre of this dyccyon in y â— viii parte But he shall iudge both the quycke and the deed by suche maner coactyue iudgement in that day wherof the apostle spake in the laste chapytre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe whan he sayde There is layde vpon me the crowne of iustyce which the lord shal yelde to me in that daye whiche is a ryghtuouse iudge for than he shall by coactyue iudgemeÌ„t punysshe them which haue in this worlde traÌ„sgressed thelawe whiche was iÌ„medyatly made by hym and therfore he sayde notablye and accordynglye vnto Peter I wyll gyue to the the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens he sayde not I wyll gyue to the the iudgement of the kyngdome of heuens and therfore we haue sayde here tofore that neyther the keye beter or Iayler of the worldlye iudge nor of the heuenlye iudge hathe any coactyue iudgement of the thyrde sygnyfycacyon because neyther of them exercyseth the ryght lawes or offyce of any suche powre as saynt Ambrose sayd playnlye and openly of the preeste and as it hathe ben shewed suffycyentlye by the auctorytie also of other sayntes Therfore as touchynge to the auctorytie of preestes or bysshoppes and of the powre of the apostolyke keyes gyuen to them by chryste let it be determyned in this wyse ¶ Of the dyuysyon of the dedes of men and howe they are referred to the lawe of man and to the iudge seculare The viij chapytre ANd for asmoche as all maner coactyue iudgement concerne and apperteyne to the voluntarye actes of men accordynge to some lawe or costume and that to suche voluntary actes as outher ben dyrected to a fynall ende and purpose of this worlde that is to the suffycyencie of y e worldly lyf or elles as ben dyrected to fynall ende of the worlde to come which we do cal eternall lyfe or euerlastynge glorye to the intente therfore that the dystynccyon and dyfference of the iudges or of them whiche ought to iudge maye the more largely appere and be open and also accordynge to what lawes and by what iudgement or howe and in what maner they ought to iudge let vs somwhat treate speake of the dyfferences and dyuersyties of the sayd actes operacyons or dedes For the determynacyon of them shall be not lytle auayleable and helpefull to the solucyons of the doubtes here tofore moued Let vs therfore say that of suche workes of men whiche procede and coÌ„meth forth by knowlege and desyre some certayne of them procede without delyberacyon of mannes mynde or vnderstandynge and other some are cause and procede by the coÌ„maundement or delyberacyon of mannes vnderstandynge Of the fyrste sorte are knowlegê desyres and loues sodeynly chaunsynge or caused of vs and in vs without the empyre or coÌ„maundement of the vnderstandynge or of the appetyte delyberatelye prouoked concernynge suche operacyons as ben for example the knowlegê and effeccyons wherby we do go forth when we ar sodeynly awakened from slepe or as be knowleges and desyres otherwyse caused in vs without the coÌ„maundement or delyberacyon of our mynde and nexte to these folowe the knowleges consentes affeccyons and desyres to contynue and holde on such workes as were had in hande before or els to enquyre and serche forth and to comprehende and perceyue certayne thynges as in the accyon or dede which is caused by callynge agayne to remembraunce these accyons or operacyons bothe are in dede and also are called the coÌ„maundementes or preceptes of the mynde because they are done or broughte forth by our coÌ„maundement or elles by them certayne other thynges as loues desyres hatredes or esche
xxiij chapytre THe fulnes of powre is and maye one waye truely be vnderstanded taken for that powre whiche is able to do any maner acte possyble vpon any maner thynge voluntarylye powre I saye hauynge not excesse whiche maner powre semeth to be agreynge and belōgynge onely vnto chryste wherfore it is sayde in the laste of Mathewe Al powre is gyuen to me bothe in heuen and in erthe ¶ The seconde waye fulnes of powre may be vnderstanded more to the purpose for that powre by the whiche it maye be lawfull for any man for to exercyse any maner acte any maner man or any maner outwarde thynge beynge in the powre of men ordynable to the vse of men Or elles agayne that powre accordynge to whiche a man maye exercyse any maner acte albeit not vpon euery maner man or vpon all maner thynge beynge subiecte to the powre of man Or elles agayne that powre accordynge vnto the whiche it may be laufull to exercyse not all maner actes but onely an acte or operacyon determyned in kynde or maner but yet accordynge to all maner inclynacyon or appetyte of the wyller vpon any maner man euery thynge beynge subiecte vnder the powre of man ¶ The. iiii way fulnes of powre may be vnderstanded the last aforesayd powre or the powre accordynge to the maner aforesayde vpon all clarkes onely and the powre instytutynge all them to the ecclesiasticall offyces of depryuynge them or deposynge them from the sayd offyces and of dystrybutynge the ecclesiasticall temporalles or benefyces or accordynge to the maner laste afore rehersed ¶ The v. waye fulnes of powre may be vnderstanded that powre whiche belongeth to preestes all maner wayes to bynde and lose men from synnes and the paynes done for them and to excōmunycate to interdycte and to reconcyle of whiche powre we haue spoken before ¶ The. vi waye the fulnes of powre maye be vnderstanded that powre by whiche it maye be laufull to put on handes vpon all men to the receyuynge of the ecclesiasticall ordres and to gyue or prohybyte and with holde the sacramentes of the churche of whiche powre it hath ben spoken before ¶ The. vii waye by fulnes of powre maye be vnderstanded the powre of interpretynge the scrypture ¶ The. viii the last way as touchynge to our purpose by fulnes of powre maye be vnderstanded the powre of the pastorall cure of soules generall in comparyson to all peoples prouynces of the world of which it hath ben spoken before Agayne fulnes of powre maye be vnderstanded accordynge to eche one of the aforesayd dyuysyons that powre which is not determyned by any lawe that powre may be vnderstanded to be not full powre which is determyned by the lawes of man or of god vnder whiche ryght reason may cōuenyently be comprehended There be peraduenture certayne other maners and combinacions of the fulnes of powre but I thynke that we haue rehersed and rekened vp all whiche appertayneth to the purpose intended of vs. ¶ These dyuysyons of the fulnes of powre than thus premysed and declared I do saye that fulnes of powre accordynge to the two fyrste maners or sygnyfycacyons aforesayd doth in no wyse agre or appertayne to the bysshop of Rome or to any other bysshop or preest saue onely chryst or god of the which two I passe ouer because the thynge is euydent and because it hath ben certyfyed by the wysdome of god and man and by all morall scyence and also because of spede and breyfnes And as touchynge to the thyrde iiii way or maner of fulnes of powre it hathe ben proued by demonstracyon and stronge reason in the. xv chapytre of the fyrste dyccyon moreouer cōfyrmed by the holy scrypture in y e. iiii v. viii of this dyccion Agayne moste stablysshed coroberated in the. xv xvi xvii xxi of this dyccyon that suche maner powre not onely not with any fulnes but also dothe not at all by the lawe of god agree or appertayne to any preeste or bysshop in y t he is suche one vpon any man beynge other clarke or no clarke But an concernynge the other two that is to wyt y e. v. and. vi maners of fulnes of powre it hathe ben shewed in the. vi and. vii chapytours of this dyccion that the powre of byndynge and lousynge from synnes and from the paynes dewe for them lyke wyse the powre of cursynge or excōmunycatynge any man openlye is not graūted to the preeste absolutelye or with fulnes but is determyned by the law of god so that he can neyther cōdempne those that be innocentes afore god neyther louse them that are gyltye afore god Moreouer that the same powre to instytute the ecclesiasticall mynysters by the puttynge on of handes to teache and preache and to mynystre the sacramentes of the churche in the cōmunyties of chrysten men dothe not so fully agree or belonge to bysshoppes or preestes but that there is determyned and appoynted vnto them by the lawe of god and of man a conuenyent maner of workynge accordynge to it And as touchynge to the other two maners of fulnes of powre remaynynge that is to wyt the. vii and the. viii it hathe ben shewed before that they do not agree or appertayne to any preeste or bysshop with fulnes but accordynge to the determynacyon bothe of the lawe of god and of the lawe of man ¶ Therfore to conclude fulnes of powre doth agree or appertayne neyther to the bysshop of Rome neyther to any other bysshop or preeste in that he is such a one ¶ Nowe consequentlye it is to be shewed whense and of whiche sygnyfycacion the bysshop of Rome toke his fyrst begynnynge of ascribynge this tytle of fulnes of powre vnto hym selfe albeit that in very dede it doth not agree or belonge vnto hym after any at all of the foresayd sygnyfycacions and it appereth that the bysshop of Rome toke fyrst his tytle of fulnes of powre vnto hym selfe after the. viii sygnyfycacion And that the begynnynge of the apparente appertaynynge therof vnto hym was that sayenge of chryste whiche is had in the. xxi of Iohn̄ where he speakynge vnto saynt Peter saythe Fede my shepe Agayne because he sayd syngulerly to the same Peter in the. xvi of Mathewe To the I shall gyue the keyes of the kyngdom of heuens c. Agayne for that it was sayd to Peter in the. xviii of Iohn̄ Turne thy sworde in to thy scaberde Moreouer of y e answere whiche the dyscyples made to chryste sayenge Se here two swerdes of the which textes after theyr owne interpretacyons certayne men wyll this to be vnderstāded that the vnyuersyte or the hole flocke of shepe of al the worlde that is to wyt of chrysten men was cōmytted to Peter onely and so lykewyse to euery bisshop of Rome as to the specyall vycar of saynt Peter but to the other apostles and to the bysshops successours of them not the vnyuersyte or whole flocke of
and ordayned to the sustentacyon of the mynystres of the gospell and to the succurrynge and releuynge of impotent poore people and also vniustlye chalengynge the temporalles bequested in testamentes vnto vertuouse vses as to the passage ouer the see and to the redemynge of the prysoners taken of the infydels and to other lyke vses I saye chalengynge them as belongynge vnto his powre he gothe aboute to tourne them in to the aforesayd vses Albeit that it is no worke mete for the successoure of the apostles or a preeste neyther it dothe become a preeste or a man consecrated vnto god to moue weapon or to bydde warre to be made amonge chrystes faythfull people and namelye vniustlye but rather by conuenyent exhortacions to call agayne the same people vnto concorde and vnyte yf they shall be at dyscorde or debate amonge them selues one of them with an other as it hathe ben suffycyentlye shewed by the auctoryte of the apostle by Chrysostome Hilarie and Ambrose in the. v. and ix chapytres of this dyccyon it is not therfore from hensforthe to be permytted or suffered that this bysshoppe or any other shall haue so generall absolute or so great powre to gyue or dystrybute the ecclesiasticall temporalties but the sayde powre is by the prynces and parlyamentes vtterlye to be reuoked from hym or elles so to be tempted and measured that those thynges whiche hathe ben statuted and ordayned hytherto to the helthe of chrysten men bothe present and for to come and contynually are ordayned may not tourne to the contynuall vexacyon of them and in conclusyon to the euerlastynge tornement or dampnacyon of them Also he that is called pope euen nowe adayes with his mynystres whom he calleth legates haue proceded of late dayes and contynuallye do procede with suche maner processes so laudable and so pleasaunt vnto god as euery man beynge of ryght mynde and not cortupted in affeccyon maye perceyue agaynst the foresayd Ludouyke kynge of the Romayns And so they haue proceded agaynst his deputyes and faythfull subiectes namelye in the prouynce of Lombardye of Tuskayne and of the matches of Anchone Amonge whome most specyallye and syngularlye he hathe hytherto persecuted the gentle noble and famouse catholyke man syngulare amonge all other Italyons in honestye of maners and in grauyte Mathewe of good remembraunce sherefe and by the emperyall auctoryte his lyefe tennaunte vycare or deputie in Mylayne with a verye great multytude of chrysten people adherentes vnto hym for this sayde Mathewe the aforesayde bysshoppe thoughe verye vniustlye by his prophane and wycked sayenges and scryptures dothe pronounce to haue ben of a shamefull lyfe and of an euyl daÌ„pned memory But not y e sayd Mathewe but he by whom slauÌ„ders offeÌ„cioÌ„s do come which bryngeth forth of y e treasures of his malyce alwayes cuylles is counted openlye of dampned memorye afore god and man and it shall be more largelye accompted and layde to his charge bothe afore his death and after his death accordynge to the manashynge of Chryste which is verye trouth in the. xviii chapytre of Mathewe where he sayth woo be to that man by whom slaunder coÌ„meth and agayne in the same chapytre who soeuer shall offende one of these lytle ones whiche beleueth in me it were more expedyent for hym that a mylnestone be hanged in his necke and that he be drowned in the depthe of the see whiche sayenges he nothynge markynge or regardynge lykewyse as he regardeth not the other monycions and counsayles of Chryste as beynge frowarde and vnpenytente contynuallye without ceasynge dothe persecute and blaspheme very many other noble men for the prosecutynge of theyr faithfulnes and constancye to warde the sayd prynce or emperour of the Romaynes whose fame beynge swete bothe afore god and man by his aforesayde prophanacyones and blasphemyes he gothe aboute to spotte and defyle This is the bysshoppe the iudgement of whome and of his churche god dothe not folowe because he iudgeth by surrepcyon and ignorauncye as the mayster of the sentence saythe in the. iiii booke the. xviii dystynccyon and the. vi chapytre And the cause hereof saynt Iherome sheweth vpon that texte in the. xvi chapytre of Mathewe And to the I shall gyue the kayes of the kyngdome of heuyns For he saythe whiche I am not greued to reherse Certayne men not vnderstandynge this place as for example this bysshoppe vnderstande thou take vnto them selues somwhat of the pryde or hyghe mynde of the pharyseys that they do suppose them selues to condempne innocentes or to lose and assoyle malefactours and gylty persones and it foloweth afterwardes to the same purpose albeit that in very dede afore god not the sentence of the preestes but the lyfe of the persones accused is soughte for God therfore dothe not folowe the iudgement of suche maner preeste bysshoppe or churche beynge so vniuste and contrarye to equytye wherfore the blasphemyes of hym and of his complices are not to be dredde or feared of any Chrysten man as we haue sayde for they do not entre in to the flocke of Chrysten men but they haue learned rather by the powre of god to stryke and lyghte vpon the fowle bodyes and the cursed and wreched soules of them that braste forthe in to suche blasphemyes These than whiche we haue rehersed are the trewe begynnynges of the thynges inquyred and those thynges whiche also haue bothe duelye and vnduelye procedyd and gone forwardes albeit that by reason of longe tyme and the folysshenes and ydlenesse of men they are fallen out from the syghtes and memoryes of them and in the stede of these thynges throughe custome of herynge false and fayned thynges certayne falsehodes haue ben broughte in secretelye and fastened in the soules of verye many chrysten men whiche thynges are contrarye cleane to trouthe The begynnynge and fountayne therof was auerice or couytousnes and Ambicion or pryde And no lytle instrumente of the increase and mayntenaunce therof hathe ben that execrable opynyon and sayenge by whiche the bysshoppe of Rome and the companye or colledge of his clarkes or cardynalles do affyrme that vnto the same bysshop in the persone of saynt Peter the apostle was graunted and gyuen by Chryste fulnes of powre But after moche dylygent and labourfull serchynge and exquysycyon of the scrypturê of god from the scryptures of men whiche certayne bysshoppes of Rome had confounded and almoste set at nought the sayd scryptures of god and mengeled the one with the other and wrestynge it to theyr pleasures supposynge beleuynge y t of such menglynge gatheryng of them togyther the same auctoryte which is due onely to the holy scrypture shulde be coÌ„mune to theyr owne instytucions and ordynacions we haue determyned the sences of the sayde tytle and haue suffecyently opened and declared in the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccion to all that vseth reason at the least wyse whiche are not troubled with croked affeccions that the sayde sences are false and
moste of all other that sence vnto whiche the bysshop of Rome hathe laste translated the aforesayd oracyon that is to wyt ascrybynge by it vnto hym selfe vnyuersall or hyghest iurysdyccyon coactyue whiche vnder a metaphorye of wordes he calleth the temporall swerde vpon all prynces coÌ„munytyes and peoples of the worlde albeit that he dothe nowe expresse this tytle onely agaynst the emperoure of the Romaynes as we haue sayde and haue shewed also for what causes but in tyme to come he shall expresse the same tytle agaynst all the resydue of prynces whan he shall perceyue and se sedycyon to be in theyr realmes and shal se also that hymselfe hathe vyolent powre to vsurpe and to occupye or wynne them So than the fulnes of powre throughe cowardenes beynge permytted vnto the bysshoppes of Rome they haue hytherto vsed aboute cyuyle actes and contynuallye do vse and shall vse in tyme to come worse and worse yf they be not stopped or letted for they haue made certayne olygarchycall lawes by whiche they haue exempted the colledge or companye of clarkes and certayne other maryed men from y e cyuyle lawes duelye gyuen or made to y e most hygh preiudyce of prynces and peoples And yet not contentyd to kepe them with in these bondes they do nowe cause laye men to be cyted and called afore theyr offycyalls or iudges as they are called and wyll there punysshe them vtterlye destroynge the iurysdyccyon of the prynces or gouernours And this is the syngulare cause of stryfe and cyuyle dyscorde and verye secrete in the begynnynge of it whiche we purposed euen from the begynnynge to shewe and declare For many chrysten men beynge deceyued and begyled throughe the darkenes mynglynge togyther of the scryptures of god and of the scryptures of men haue ben induced and brought in mynde to beleue y t the bysshop of Rome with his clarkes whom they do call cardynalles maye make statutes decrees vpon chrysten men what soeuer he and they luste and that all men are bounde by the lawe of god to obserue the same and that the transgressours of them ben bouÌ„den vnto eternall dampnacyon whiche thynge we haue shewed of suertie heretofore neyther to be true nor yet nere to the truthe but manyfestly contrarye to the truthe This agayne is the cause as we sayd in our prolouge or entresse wherby the kyngdome of Italye hathe ben of longe season combred vexed or dyseased and is coÌ„tynually vexed and this contagyon is nowe no lesse redy to crepe in to other cyuylyties and realmes yea and hathe somwhat all redy infected them all and in conclusyon yf it be not stopped or letted shall infecte them vtterlye as it hathe enfected the empyre of Italye wherfore it is expedyent vnto all prynces and peoples by a generall counsayle to be called togyther to interdycte and vtterlye prohybyte the bysshoppe of Rome or any other bysshoppe to haue or vse this tytle leaste throughe custome of hearynge false doctrynes from hensforthe the people be seduced and begyled And the powre is to be reuoked from hym of gyuynge and dystrybutynge ecclesiasticall offyces and temporalles or benefyces and that because this bysshoppe of Rome abuseth them to the hurte of the bodyes and to the dampnacyon of the soules of faythfull chrystened men And this to do all y t haue iurysdyccyon chefelye kynges are bounde by the lawe of god For herefore they are constytuted ordayned to do iudgement iustyce which thynge yf they be neclygeÌ„t do not regarde to do from hensforth they are in excusable in asmoch as they do knowe the hurte y t groweth of suche omyssion forbearynge or rather neclygence And let hym whiche is bysshop of Rome with his successours in the aforesayde seate and all other preestes and deacons and spyrytual mynystres to whome I speake these wordes not as to enemyes I cal god to wytnesse agaynst my body and soule but rather as vnto my fathers and brethren in Chryste let them I say studye and inforce them selues to folowe chryste and the apostles renounsynge vtterlye and puttynge awaye seculare empyres and domynyons of temporall thynges For I haue opeÌ„nlye reproued and rebuked them whiche do synne in the syght of all men accordynge to the doctryne of chryste and of the apostle and I beynge the coÌ„mune herolde of truthe haue gone aboute by the deuyne humayne scrypturê to reduce and brynge them agayne vnto the pathe or waye of the truth that they and namelye the bysshop of Rome whiche semeth to haue gone moste largelye out of the waye maye auoyde that indygnacyon of all myghtye god of the apostles Peter and Paule whiche he syngulerly often tymes threteneth to other men Wherfore let hym regarde the ordre of charyte so that fyrste auoydynge the sayde indygnacyon hym selfe consequentlye he do teache other to auoyde the same For he is not ignorant or at the lest wyse shall not from hensforth be ignorant that besyde and without the coÌ„maundement of god yea cleane moreouer agaynst the precepte or counsayle of chryste and of the apostles he setteth vpon the empyre and vniustly letteth and troubleth the emperour Agayne he is not ignorant y t throughe the slaunder or occasyon reysed by certayne of his predecessours and hym selfe in Italie many batayles haue sproÌ„ge by reason wherof so many thousandes of chrysten men haue ben slayne by vyolent deathe whom it may be presumed of lykelyhode to be eternally dampned for asmoche as very many of them haue ben preuentyd with deathe beynge full of hatred and euyll wyll towarde theyr brethren And they that are lefte alyue of the same sorte are wretches abydynge the same or very lyke ieopardous chaunce and myserable ende excepte the helpynge hande of god be theyr succoure or leche for hatred hath entred in to y e myndes of them with stryfe and contentacyon wherof afterwardes fyghtê and batayles do folowe And moreouer also honest maners and dyscyplynes beynge corrupted in a maner all kyndes of vyces wantonnes myschefes and errours haue vtterlye possessyd and occupyed the myndes and the bodyes bothe of men women The successyon of theyr chyldren is cut away theyr substance or goodes are consumed theyr houses are plucked in sondre and destroyed great famouse cyties are emptie and destytute of theyr inbabytauÌ„ce the feldes vntylled no we beynge deserte are dyswonted and haue ceased to gyue theyr wont fruytes And whiche is the thynge most to be bewayled and sorowed the true deuyne seruyce and honourynge of god hath ceased in the same place beynge in a maner vtterly dystroyed and put away and the churches or temples haue remayned as desertes or wyldernesse beynge destitute of preachers vnto all whiche sayde myserable pyteous thynges the wretched inhabytauÌ„tes blynded in mynde through hatred and dyscorde amoÌ„ge them selues one to an other haue ben prouoked and prycked and coÌ„tynually are prycked and prouoked by that great dragon the olde serpent whiche ought and maye be worthy
do depende and receaue some what of the prynce or seculer gouernoure and the prynce or seculer gouernour dependeth and receaueth some thynge of the preeste For the preestes do receaue of the prynce and seculer gouernoure in stytucyon of theyr cyuyle actes and defence from Iniurye that they shall neyther do iniurye to any other man neyther any other man to theym in the state and for the state of this present worlde for this is the offyce of the prynce or hyghe gouernoure and of none other parte or membre of the cōmunyte as it hath ben shewed in the. xv of the fyrst dyccyon And this also the apostle expressed in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes and we haue brought in his wordes in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon this same also he mened in the. v. chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Tymothe whan he sayde I beseche therfore that obsecracyons be made fyrst for kynges and all that are in hyghe auctoryte that we may leade a quyete and peaceable lyfe Lykewyse agayne on the other parte the prynce dependeth and hath nede of the accyon or operacyon of the preeste For of the preeste he receaueth doctryne and the sacramentes dysposynge men in this worlde and remouynge or puttynge awaye suche thynges as are contrarye to saluacyon or eternall beatytude for the state of the worlde to come But yet dyfferently and after a dyuerse maner they worke and receaue these operacyons eche of other For the prynce beynge coactyue iudge in this worlde by the ordynacyon of god maye lawefully exercyse or impresse his operacyon by coactyue power by doynge ponysshement vpon any preeste yea thoughe he be not wyllynge or contente yf he hathe ben a transgressor of the lawe of man whiche is not contrary to the lawe of god as it hath ben shewed and proued in the. v. and. viii chapytres of this dyccyon and in the. xv of the fyrste dyccyon But the byssoppe or preeste because he is not accordynge to the lawe of god coactyue iudge of any man in this worlde as it hathe ben shewed in the. xv of the fyrste dyccyon and in the. iiii v. and. ix of this dyccyon but is a iudge after the fyrste sygnyfycacyon of this worde iudge and as it were an operatyue teacher as a leche or physycyon he can not by his operacyon or precepte compell any man neyther he ought to compell any man by payne or ponysshement outher reall or personall as touchyng to this present lyfe So than the fyrst proposycyon of this sayd argumentacyon was false wherin it was sayde that what soeuer thynge worketh the more perfyte operacyon ought not as touchynge to iurysdyccyon to be vnder the thynge that worketh the lesse perfyte operacyon For of this proposycyon with the aforesayde proposycyons ioyned vnto it there foloweth necessarely an other manyfeste inconuenyent and a false proposycyon that is to wytte that no speculatyue dortor or at the lestewyse that the hyghest or pryncypall phylosopher or metaphysycyon is not vnder the iurysdyccyon of the prynce or gouernoure accordynge to the lawe of man For as moche as none of the practyue habytes or scyences and qualytes besydes faythe in the prynce and gouernoure or els in any other man neyther any operacyon procedynge and brought forth of the sayde habytes or scyences is egall in perfeccyon to the habyte or scyence of the methaphysycyon or to the accyon or operacyon brought forthe by it whiche habyte or operacyon it maye chaunce a prynce or gouernoure for to lacke And where as it was afterwardes obiected that it semeth an inconuenyent and an vnsemely thynge that the bysshoppe of Rome or elles any other bysshoppe ought to be vnder the coactyue iudgemente of hym that is prynce and worldly gouernoure it is to be answered and sayde that it is none in conuenyent at all that he or any other bysshoppe be vnder that same or lyke iudge vnder whom the lorde and mayster of the sayde bysshop of his owne fre wyll hath determyned to be for a cōuenyent ordynacyon or ordre of this worlde to be obserued For chryste whiche was bothe god and man wyllynglye submytted hymselfe to the coactyue iudgement of ponce Pilate whiche was the vycare or deputye of hym that was Emperoure so also dyd the holye apostles and taught other also to do the same accordyngly vnto the lawe of god as it hath ben playnlye and euydently shewed by the scrypture and by the saynges of sayntes and of other doctours in the. iiii and. v. of this dyccyon and hathe ben also repeted or reherced agayne in the. xxviii of this same dyccyon wherfore also in as moche as the seruaunte is not greatter than the mayster neyther the apostle greatter than he that hathe sent hym as we haue alledged and brought in of the scrypture by the sayinge of Bernarde in the. xxviii chapytre of this dyccyon For Bernarde amonge other thynges saythe thus in the fyrste Booke and the. v. chapytre De consideratione vnto Eugenius Is the seruaunte thanne a mynyssher of the dygnyte yf he wylleth not to be greatter than his Lorde and mayster or the dyscyple yf he wylleth not to be greatter than he that sente hym or the sone yf he wyll not goo beyonde the termes or boundes whiche his Forefathers haue sette Our mayster and lorde sayd who hath made or ordayned me a iudge and shall it be iniurye to the seruaunte and dyscyple excepte he maye iudge all men It is not inconuenyent but verye conuenyente and also necessarye to the quyetnes and tranquyllyte of cyuylytye or the cōmune weale that any bysshop and preeste and clerke be vnder the coactyue iudgemente of the prynces and seculer gouernoures And the contrarye hereof is vtterlye inconuenyent and intollerable Furthermore because the bysshoppe of Rome or any other bysshoppe is not the vycare of chryste or his mynyster to exercyse all maner offyce in this world but onely as touchynge to a certayne determynate offyce as for example as touchynge to preesthode in whiche offyce in that it is suche one there is not regarded or consydered any coactyue iudgemente neyther superyoure or inferyour as touchynge to suche iudgemente as we alledged openlye of the wordes of Arystotle in the. viii parte of the. ix chapytre of this dyccyon But the prynce or seculer gouernoure is the vycare or mynyster of god as touchynge to the offyce of a prynce or gouernoure in whiche offyce is consydered and regarded a superyour and an inferyour or subiecte as touchynge to coactyue power wherfore in the. xiii to the Romaynes the apostle exceptynge none of the preestes or bysshoppes saythe Let euery soule be subiecte to the hyghe powers and he putteth the cause hereof forth with saynge for he is the mynyster of god Se nowe howe the prynce is the vycare of god not vyolent but coactyue of euyl men in this world And therfore it foloweth A ponyssher for wroth vnto hym y t is an euyldoer But it is so that a
false bacbyters slauÌ„derers of vertuous people spiritually of such as write or speake a gaynst theyr abhomynacions Note well these wordê of Iherome vpon the. xvi of Mathewe The iniuste curse of any bysshop hurteth no man but hym selfe The mayntenaunce of all myscheyfe IurysdyccyoÌ„ coactyue or y â— temporall swerde Of the iudgement of offycyalles and of other Take hede ye pryncê vnto your dutyes The protestacion of Marsilius of Padway Herolde or messanger of truthe The great dragon and olde serpent antychryste of Rome The aÌ„swere of all the obieccyons that ben made in this chapytre ben coÌ„tayned set forth in the nexte chapytre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Ambrose 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Playne trayson heresy iÌ„ the decretallê What scryptures we are bouÌ„de to beleue to gyue credence vnto Howe moche the exposycyons of olde auncient doctours do bide when they are to be admytted and when with reuerence to be refused Iherome Augustyne dysagre Ambrose Iherome dysagre Answere made to the fyrst obieccyon in the chapytre last paste An answere to the seconde obieccyon To the tfyrd obieccyon The epystle of Clement Suspecte Canons Clement bysshop of Rome 4 5 Chryst is the stone The interpretacion of Peter Chryste sayd I shall gyue the keyes not I do gyue That Peter was not superyour An exposytour is not to be credeted be fore a playne texte 6 Liberiê° pope 7 To fede shepe what it betokeneth Marke this The preface of the Masse vpon y e feaste of any of the apostles is allone Chryst dyrecteth his spech somtyme to one in the persone of all Marke this my maystres of the churche for your dyscharge Peter preched to the Iewes and Paule to y e gentyles 8 â—he cause wâ—â— Paule coÌ„ferred with Peter other Lest I shuld ronne in vayne Why saynt Paule coÌ„ferred the gospel with the apostles Howe Paule was an hyndermore pastor than Peter was The churche of Rome hath ben preferred vnto other by maÌ„nes lawe onely 9 One churche One faythe in kynde 10 It is necessary that there be but one prynce in one realme 11 Many bysshops in one churche By what auctoryte there is but one bysshop in euery diocese 12 One pastor or herdysman One folde after what maner 13 Ualentinian the Emperour The churche is not to be coÌ„mytted to heretykes A bysshop infected may be deposed Remembre euer y t the auctoryte of doctours is of no force with out the auctoryte of holy scrypture Ambrose The holy catholyke fayth is y e true spouses of chryste The churches paye trybutê 14 15 I thynke this to be a loudelye forgyd in the name of CoÌ„stantyne as was the gyfte called the donacyon or gyfte of CoÌ„stantyne The bysshop of Rome is no more goddes vycare nor bereth his stede in erthe otherwyse than an other bysshop CoÌ„stantynes sayenges are not Canonycall or any parte of y e Canon or scrypture 16 17 18 19 Sacerdos magnus Princeps episcoporum Abell Noe. Abraham Melchisedech Aron Moyses Samuell Peter Chryste The shepe were roÌ„mytted to all the apostles A place of Bernarde is declared Chryste was sent to the Iewes The Iewes were recoÌ„meÌ„ded vnto Peter when chryste sayde to hym Peter fede my shepe By what wordes the apostles receyued auctoryte 20 21 22 Bernardus non vidit omnia We vsurpe those thynges whiche ar not our owne but belongeth to an other man Chryste refused both the swerde and also iudgement or the offyce of a Iudge Bernarde The dyscyples were iudged and dyd not iudge Seculer iudgement appertayneth not to be a bisshop Chrysostome Two swerdê are the two testamentes by ChrysostoÌ„mes exposycion Bysshopps reyse warres vniustlye The auctoryte of doctours may be refused Preestes are egall in dygnyte Heed of the churche Membres of the churche Prymacie or pryorytye in tyme. We are not bounde vtterly to gyue credeÌ„ce to y e Decrees Decretalles The benefyces are to be dystrybuted by the prynce The makers of the Decretalles are dysposed as were the pharisyes The Decretalles are neyther goddes lawes neyther mannes lawes The canonystes ben they y t make scysme diuysyoÌ„ and styre vp treason The powre of preestes The keyes of the kyngdom of heuen not of this world Iherom Note here well howe chryste sometyme vsed coactyue iurysdyccyon and note the answere to the same The hogges drowned of the feendes The outwarde offence of a preeste is more seculer a great deale then is the offence of a lay man He calleth them coÌ„teÌ„ptible whiche were not mete to preache not because they ben so indede but after a maner of spekiÌ„ge wherin he meneth by coÌ„teÌ„ptible men lay meÌ„ An obieccion that preestes may be iudgê apoynte iudges An answere to the forsayd obieccion Howe ryches possessyons and iudgemeÌ„tes crept in to the churche Ambrose The bisshoppes of Rome ben warryours The spousesse of chryste The purpose of our prelats now a dayes Iudycyall of fyces ar to be reuoked from preestes Answers to obieccyons made in the thyrde chapytre of this parte â–ª The fyrst argument Answere A doctour or teacher is more noble than a leche or physycyon Howe the body is vnder the soule Chryst is the only iudge coactyue of soules The byssop of Rome is but a teacher Obieccyon The answer Obiccyon Answere The seconde argument Answere Obieccyon Answere An inconuenyent or absurdytye The prynce is y e vycare of god An other obieccyon Answere Howe a prynce or gouernoure is to be corrected Another obieccyon Answere The translacyon of the to mayne empyre