tablished. For what is there which doth let, but that from contrary occasions contrary laws may grow, and each be reasoned and disputed for by such as are subject thereunto, during the time they are in force; and yet neither so opposite to other, but that both may laudably continue, as long as the ages which keep them do see no necessary cause which may draw them unto alteration? Wherefore in these things, canons, constitutions, and laws, which have been at one time meet, do not prove that the church should always be bound to follow them. Ecclesiastical persons were by ancient order forbidden to be executors of any man's testament, or to undertake the wardship of children. Bishops, by the imperial law, are forbidden to bequeath by testament, or otherwise to alienate any thing grown unto them after they were made bishops. Is there no remedy but that these, or the like orders, must therefore every where still be observed? The reason is not always evident, why former orders have been repealed and other established in their room. Herein therefore we must remember the axiom used in the civil laws, "That the prince is always presumed to do that with reason, which is not against reason being done, although no reason of his deed be expressed." Which being in every respect as true of the church, and her Divine authority in making laws, it should be some bridle unto those malapert and proud spirits, whose wits not conceiving the reason of laws that are established, they adore their own private fancy as the supreme law of all, and accordingly take upon them to judge that whereby they should be judged. But why labour we thus in vain? For even to change that which now is, and to establish instead thereof that which themselves would acknowledge the very selfsame which hath been, to what purpose were it, sith they protest, "That they utterly condemn as well that T. C. lib. i. which hath been, as that which is; as well the ancient, as the P. 126. present superiority, authority, and power, of ecclesiastical persons." ments an swered, XVI. Now where they lastly allege, "That the law of our The arguLord Jesus Christ, and the judgment of the best in all ages, men condemn all ruling superiority of ministers over ministers;" whereby they are in this, as in the rest, more bold to affirm, than able they would to prove the things which they bring for support of their the law of weak and feeble cause. "The bearing of dominion, or the God, and the judgexercising of authority (they say), is that wherein the civil ment of the prove that demneth of one mi T. C. lib. i. p. 22. best in all magistrate is severed from the ecclesiastical officer, accordages, con- ing to the words of our Lord and Saviour, Kings of nations the ruling bear rule over them, but it shall not be so with you?' therësuperiority fore bearing of dominion doth not agree to one minister over nister over another." This place hath been, and still is, although falsely, another. yet with far greater show of likelihood and truth, brought forth by the anabaptists, to prove that the church of Christ ought to have no civil magistrates, but to be ordered only by Christ. Wherefore they urge the opposition between heathens, and them unto whom our Saviour speaketh. For, sith the apostles were opposite to heathens, not in that they were apostles, but in that they were Christians; the anabaptists' inference is, "That Christ doth here give a law, to be for ever observed by all true Christian men, between whom and heathens there must be always this difference, that whereas heathens have kings and princes to rule, Christians ought not in this thing to be like unto them." Wherein their construction hath the more show, because that which Christ doth speak to his apostles, is not found always agreeable unto them as apostles, or as pastors of men's souls, but oftentimes it toucheth them in generality, as they are Christians; so that Christianity being common unto them with all believers, such speeches must be so taken that they may be applied unto all, and not only unto them. They which consent with us, in rejecting such collections as the anabaptist maketh with more probability, must give us leave to reject such as themselves have made with less; for a great deal less likely it is, that our Lord should here establish an everlasting difference, not between his church and pagans, but between the pastors of his church and civil governors. For if herein they must always differ, that the one may not bear rule, the other may; how did the apostles themselves observe this difference, the exercise of whose authority, both in commanding and in controlling others, the Scripture hath made so manifest that no gloss can overshadow it? Again, it being, as they would have it, our Saviour's purpose to withhold his apostles, and in them all other pastors, from bearing rule, why should kingly dominion be mentioned, which occasions men to gather, that not all dominion and rule, but this one only form, was prohibited, and that authority was permitted them, so it were not regal? Furthermore, in case it had been his purpose to withhold pastors altogether from bearing rule, why should kings of nations be mentioned, as if they were not forbidden to exercise, no, not regal dominion itself, but only such regal dominion as heathen kings do exercise? The very truth is, our Lord and Saviour did aim at a far other mark than these men seem to observe. The end of his speech was to reform their particular mispersuasion to whom he spake: and their mispersuasion was that which was also the common fancy of the Jews at that time, that their Lord being the Messias of the world, should restore unto Israel that kingdom, whereof the Romans had as then bereaved them; they imagined that he should not only deliver the state of Israel, but himself reign as king in the throne of David with all secular pomp and dignity; that he should subdue the rest of the world, and make Jerusalem the seat of universal monarchy. Seeing therefore they had forsaken all to follow him, being now in so mean condition, they did not think, but that together with him they also should rise in state; that they should be the first and the most advanced by him. Of this conceit it came, that the mother of the sons of Zebedee sued for her children's preferment, of this conceit it grew, that the apostles began to question amongst themselves which of them should be greatest: and in controlment of this conceit, it was, that our Lord so plainly told them, that the thoughts of their hearts were vain. The kings of nations have indeed their large and ample dominions, they reign far and wide, and their servants they advance unto honour in the world; they bestow upon them large and ample secular preferments, in which respect they are also termed many of them benefactors, because of the liberal hand which they use in rewarding such as have done them service: but, was it the meaning of the ancient prophets of God that the Messias, the king of Israel, should be like unto these kings, and his retinue grow in such sort as theirs? "Wherefore ye are not to look for at my hands such preferment as kings of nations are wont to bestow upon their attendants, 'With you not so.' Your reward in heaven shall be most ample, on earth your chiefest honour must be to suffer persecution for righteousness' sake; submission, humility, and meekness, are things fitter for you to inure your minds withal, than these aspiring cogitations: if any amongst you be greater than other, let him shew himself greatest in being lowliest; let him be above them in being under them, even as a servant for their good. These are affections which you must put on; as for degrees of preferment and honour in this world, if ye expect any such thing at my hands ye deceive yourselves, for in the world your portion is rather the clear contrary." Wherefore, they who allege this place against episcopal authority abuse it, they many ways deprave and wrest it clean from the true understanding wherein our Saviour himself did utter it. For first, whereas he by way of mere negation had said, "With you it shall not be so," foretelling them only that it should not so come to pass as they vainly surmised; these men take his words in a plain nature of a prohibition, as if Christ had thereby forbidden all inequality of ecclesiastical power. Secondly, whereas he did but cut off their idle hope of secular advancements; all standing superiority amongst persons ecclesiastical these men would rase off with the edge of his speech. Thirdly, whereas he in abating their hope even of secular advancements speaks but only with relation unto himself, informing them that he would be no such munificent Lord unto them in their temporal dignity and honour, as they did erroneously suppose; so that any apostle might afterward have grown by means of others to be even emperors of Rome, for any thing in those words to the contrary; these men, removing quite and clean the hedge of all restraints, enlarge so far the bounds of his meaning, as if his very precise intent and purpose had been not to reform the error of his apostles, conceived as touching him, and to teach what himself would not be towards them; but to prescribe a special law both to them and their successor for ever; a law determining what they should not be in relation of one to another; a law forbidding that any such title should be given to any minister as might import or argue in him a suT. C. periority over other ministers. Being thus defeated of that succour which they thought their cause might have had out p. 05. of the words of our Saviour Christ, they try their adventure in seeking what aid man's testimony will yield them: Cyprian objecteth it to Florentinus as a proud thing, that by believing evil report, and misjudging of Cyprian, he made himself bishop of a bishop, and judge over him whom God had for the time appointed to be judge. (Lib. 4. ep. 9.) The endeavour of godly men to strike at these insolent names may appear in the council of Carthage: where it was decreed, that the bishop of the chief see should not be entitled the lib. i. exarch of priests, or the highest priest, or any other thing of like sense, but only the bishop of the chiefest see; whereby are shut out the name of archbishop, and all other such haughty titles." In these allegations it fareth as in broken reports snatched out of the author's mouth, and broached before they be half either told on the one part, or on the other understood. The matter which Cyprian complaineth of in Florentinus was thus: Novatus misliking the easiness of Cyprian to admit men into the fellowship of believers after they had fallen away from the bold and constant confession of Christian faith, took thereby occasion to separate himself from the church; and being united with certain excommunicate persons, they joined their wits together, and drew out against Cyprian their lawful bishop, sundry grievous accusations; the crimes such, as being true, had made him incapable of that office whereof he was six years as then possessed, they went to Rome, and to other places, accusing him every where as guilty of those faults of which themselves had lewdly condemned him; pretending that twentyfive African bishops (a thing most false) had heard and examined his cause in a solemn assembly, and that they all had given their sentence against him, holding his election by the canons of the church void. The same factious and seditious persons coming also unto Florentinus, who was at that time a man imprisoned for the testimony of Jesus Christ, but yet a favourer of the error of Novatus, their malicious accusations he over-willingly hearkened unto, gave them credit, concurred with them, and unto Cyprian in fine wrote his letters against Cyprian: which letters he justly taketh in marvellous evil part, and therefore severely controlleth his so great presumption in making himself a judge of a judge; and, as it were, a bishop's bishop, to receive accusations against him, as one that had been his ordinary. "What height of pride is this (saith Cyprian), what arrogancy of Spirit, what a puffing up of mind, to call guides and priests to be examined and sifted before him! So that, unless we shall be cleared in your court, and absolved by your sentence, behold for these six years' space, neither shall the brotherhood have had a bishop, nor the people a guide, nor the flock a shepherd, nor the church a governor, nor Christ a prelate, nor a Ὥστε τὸν τῆς πρώτης καθέδρας ἐπίσκοπον μὴ λέγεσθαι ἔξαρχον τῶν ἱερέων ἢ ἀκρὸν ἱερέα ἢ τοιουτότροπον τί ποτε, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἐπίσκοπον τῆς πρωτης καθέδρας. Can. 39. |