THE FIRST CHAPTER. THAT THERE IS A HIE­rarchie of Angelles consisting of di­uers orders, and consequentlie that the Church militant of men in earth, is also a Hierarchie, it being an Imi­tation of that.

IT is the opinion of that great Doctour and Prince of Diuines Saint Thomas of Aquin S. Tho 1. part. q. 50. art. 4. & alibi. that the Angelles are so different in nature and perfection that there are not tvvoe of one sorte and kind (as there are of men and other creatures) but that euerie one is distinguished in nature and office from euerie one, All Angells are of d [...] ­uers na­tures. euē from the high­est [Page 2]to the lovvest. Which his opi­nion is generallie receiued of all Thomists Caie­tanus & Nazarius ibidem. vvho for their number and learning beare noe litle svvaye in the Schooles, and are no litle esteemed in the Church of God.

2. Angells are more i [...]umber then all corporall substaces. The same Doctour [...]. 1. p. 9.50. are. 3. b. 2. contra. gent. c. 92. F [...]rar. ibidem. is also of opinion, that the Angels are farre more in Number then are all the Species or kindes of all the corporall creatures in the vvorld, that is, more then the celestiall bodies, then the simple bodyes vvhich vve call the fowre elementes; yea then all the mixte bodies composed of them, be they inanimate or animated, liuing or not liuing, as beasts, plantes, hearbes, metalles, and the like: vvhich his opiniō all his follovvers doe imbrace as constantlie as they doe the former. This is prooued by autro­ [...]i [...]e.

3. And this he prooueth out of S. Dionysius Areopagita S. Paules [Page 3]Scholler De coe­loste Hie­rarch. cap. 14. whoe sayeth, that there are many armies of the blessed Angels which passe all our figures and numbers by which wee counte and calculate corporall thinges. Which opinion in diners places of Scriptu­re is insinuated: as in sob Iob. 25 where Baldad Suhites sayeth. Nunquid est numerus militum eius? Is there any num­ber of his soldiours? that is, of his An­gels, as S. Gregorie Greg. lib. 17. moral. cap. 17. expoundeth. And in the Psalmes Ps. 67. where the Royall Prophet sayeth: The Charriot of God is ten thousand fold, thousands of them that reioce: our Lord in them. where S. Hierom Hiero. ib. in com. by these num­bers vnderstandeth the numbers in the spirituall armie of the Angels. Daniel Daniel. c. 7. ver. 10 also sayeth thousands of thousands ministred to him and ten thousand hundred thousands assisted him. Which numbers signi­fie the almost innumerable num­bers [Page 4]of Angelles who attend on the diuine Maiestie, as Dionysius S. Dio­nys & S. Grigorius. v [...]t suprà. and S. Gregorie doe auerre. Christe also by a greate certaine num­ber, insinuated a farre greater num­ber of Angelles, when he bad Pee­ter put vp his sword and sayed Matth. 26. vers 53 Anputa [...] quia non possum rogare Patrem meum &c. Thinkest thou that I can­not aske my father and he will giue me presen [...]lie more then twelue legions of Angelles? which twelue legions amount to 72000. Angelles. Saint Paule Hebr. 12. ver. 22 also sayeth that wee are come to the cōpanie of many thou­sands of Angelles. S. Iohn like wise in his Apocalypse Apa [...]. [...]. 1 [...]. harde the voice of thousands of thousands of Angelles. S. Bernardine of Sienna S. Ber­nardin. to­r [...]o. 4. ser. 49. sayeth that the Angelles exceed in number the starrs of the heauen, and the sandes of the Sea. But at least, according to the cōmon opi­nion [Page 5]of diuines, they do eexceed om­nes species rerum corporalium, all the kinds of corporall creatures.

4. This S. The same is proo­ued also by reasō. Thomas S. Tho­mas 1. p. & 2. contra gentes; vòi suprà. prooueth by this reason. The more perfect creatures, which are principall par­tes of this vniuerse, are then others, the more they exceed them in quā ­titie: But the Angelles, whoe are such partes, exceed in perfection of nature all other God his creatures. Ergo they exceed them also in quā ­titie: not in quantitie of extension (for of that they are not capable, they being immateriall and spiri­tuall substances) Ergo in quantitie of discretion and number. The first and Maior propositiō may be proo­ued by Induction. For as the water is perfecter thē the earth and there­fore is placed aboue it, so it is, or should be greater, were it not by the diuine prouidence coarcted and [Page 6]lessened, that soe the earth might be a fitte place of habitation for men and beastes; and a more apte soile and garden plotte for plantes and hearbes: As the ayre, as it is perfecter in nature then the water, soe it is placed higher and is of greater quantitie: As the fier, as it is of a nobler nature then the ayre, so it is seated in a higher roome, and is also of greater extent: As the higher sphere of the heauens, as it is perfecter, so it is greater then the lower sphere, euen from the lowest to the highest; Soe consequentlie the Angelles, as they are perfecter then all this corporall world com­posed of corruptible and Incorrup­tible bodies; so they are greater then they all are, not in quantitie of extension (for the reason allea­ged) but in quantitie of discretion and number of which they are ca­pable; [Page 7]and cousequentlie they are more in number then all the kinds of creatures and bodies incorrupti­ble or corruptible which are vnder them in degree of perfection.

5. A goodlie order a mong the Angells. Now if wee put these twoe Assertions together; first that there are not twoe Angelles of one kind and perfection, but that they are all distinct one from another, as a man is from a Lion, an Eagle from a Swanne, a Cedar tree from a Pinetree, a Rose from a Lillie, and gold from Syluer; Secondlie that all these diuers Angelles are more in number then all corporall substances, corruptible and incor­ruptible, wee shall finde a goodlie order S. Tho­mas 1. p. q. 108. and a greate subordina­tion of the lowest Angel to him next aboue him, and of him to the next aboue him, and so to the highest.

6. Order is the beau­tie of the world. Aristotele Ari­stot. 12. met. s. 52. sayeth that, or­der is the good and the beautie of the world: and therefore he whoe considereth the order and disposi­tion of creatures, as how the fowre elementes are appointed euerie one to his naturall place and home; how the fier, as most noble, hath the high est place vnder the heauens; how the ayre and water take the middle roomes, as participating of twoe extremes, the ayre aggreeing with the fier in heate and lightnes, the water with the earth in couldnes and heauinesse; and how the earth being of a lumpish nature, is wor­thilie thurst downe to the Center or lowest place: If he consider the order of the heauens one aboue an­other, and those moouing so or­derlie, that they hinder not one an­other; he cannot but fall in loue with the beautie of this corporall [Page 9]world, because order is the beautie of the world, and out of this beau­tie he cannot but gather how much greater is the beautie of God the Architect of this so well ordered peece of worke. It is a goodlie thing also to behold an armie rannged in battayle array, Order is the beau­tie of an Armie and a kinge­dome. a Kingdome or So­cietie well gouerned and disposed. But what a goodlie sight were it, if it could be seen by sight, to see that Angelicall world, that so well or­dered spirituall kingdome that hea­uenlie Hierarchie, in which there is one principall Angell Monarch vn­der God of all, and vnder him mil­lions of Angelles different in natu­re, office and degree, and so one aboue another from the lowest to the highest.

7. The beau­tie of a garden, kinge­dome and Armie by reason of greate va­rietie. If you should enter into a gar­den where were aboundāce of flow­ers, and yet not twoe of the same [Page 10]sorte, but all different in nature, smell, proprieties and colours, as but one rose, one lillie, one Gillie­flower, one violette, one Mariegold, how would it recreate and rauish your sight? If you should see a king­dome verie populous in which yet, as, there is but one king, so there should be but one Duke, one Earle, one Marquis, one Baron, one Baronnette, one Knight, one Es­quire, one Gentleman, one Yeo­man, and so in a most populous kingdome but one of one degree: how would you be taken with the view of such a kingdome? If there were an armie consisting of a Mil­lion of Soldiours, and yet in it, as but one Generall, The Hie­rarchie of Angells is such a gar­den kinge­dome, armie. so but one Lieu­tenant, one Captaine, one Seargeāt, one Corporall; what order, and con­sequentlie what strenght, would there be in such an Armie! The [Page 11]Hierarchie of the Angelles is such [...] garden, such a kingdome, such an Armie. It is terribilis vt Castrorum a­ [...]es ordinata.Cont. c. 6. vers. 9.Terrible as the Ar­mie of a Campe sette in array. In it you shall see nothing, but Chores castrorum. Cont. c. 7. vers. 1.The co [...]mpagnies of Campes.

8. A descri­ption of the Hie­rarchie of Angells. This populous societie of the Angelles is called a Hierarchie which is sacer principatus, A sacred principallitie, as the Greeke wordes [...] and [...] doe importe. This Hierarchie in respect of God the Souueraigne Prince maketh but one, Vid. [...]. Thom. 1 p q. 108. art. 1. in corp. not onlie within it self, but also with men who all are subiects to one supreme Prince God: but if it be considered as it is a multitude, soe it is not only a distinct societie from men, but also in it selfe, by reason of the diuers sortes and di­uers gouernement of the Angelles, [Page 12]it maketh three Hierarchies and nine orders, as wee shall see.

9. Three Hierarchies and nine orders of Angells. To a Hierarchie there is re­quired one Prince and diuers orders vnder him, and to a distinct Hierar­chie is appertaining a distinct Prince in his kind, and distinct or­ders and distinct manner of Go­uernment. Wherefore because men are distinct subiects, from Angels and are other wise gouerned by God then Angells, they make a di­stinct Hierarchie frō Angelles: And because, the Angelles themselues are not gouerned all together in the same manner (for that the supreme Angelles receiue illuminations im­mediatlie from God, the middle Angelles frō the supreme Angelles, the lowest Angelles frō the middle) therefore there are three Hierar­chies; S. Tho. 1. p. 108. art. 1. & 2. in 2. d. 9. q. 1. ar. 3. lib. 3. con­tra gent. c. 80. Ferr. ibidem. and for as much as in eue­rie Hierarchie there are the su­preme, [Page 13]middle, and low orders, in euerie Hierarchie there are three orders, and so in all nine.

10. Three Hierarchi­call func­tions illu­mination, purgation, and per­fection. In the first Hierarchie are the orders of Seraphins, Cherubins and Thrones: in the second are the orders of Dominations, Vertues and Powers: in the third are Principalities, Archan­gels and Angelles. Among these not only the Superiour Hierarchie go­uerneth the inferiour, but also the superiour order the inferiour order, yea euerie Superiour Angell direc­teth and illuminateth his inferiour. This gouernmēt consisteth in three offices, to wit, in Illuminating, Vid. S. Dio­nys. de cae­lest. Hie­rarch. c. 6. part. 3.Pur­ging, and Perfecting. For when the su­periour Angell manifesteth some hidden veritie to his inferiour, hee illuminateth him according to that of saint Paule: Ephes. cap. 5. ver. 13. Omne quod manife­statur lumen est. All that is manifested, is light: and by manifesting the truth, [Page 14]purgeth him from the ignorance of it, and so also perfecteth him in knowledge.

11. The offi­ces of eue­rie Hierar­chie and order to­gether with their names are declared by sundrie writers. To particularize more distin­ctlie the offices of euerie Hierarchie and order as saint Gregorie S. Gregor. hom 34. in Euang. de [...]dem re [...]g [...]t S. Th. 1. [...]. q 108. a. 5. & 6.3. con [...]gent. c. 8 [...] 2. [...] 4. doth to whome I referre the Reader, and to tell what their names of Seraphins, Cherubins and the rest doe importe (by which names their offices are discouered) would require a lon­ger discourse then one Chapter, or my intended breuitie would per­mitte: It being sufficient for my purpose, to haue shewed in gene­rall, that among the Angelles there be Hierarchies and orders, that so I may also shewe that the Church militant on earth cōsisting of men, is established and gouerned accor­ding to the forme and order of the Church triumphant of Angelles in heauen, and that this Ecclesiasticale [Page 15]Hierarchie resembleth and repre­senteth that, as its pattern or plat­forme.

12. One su­preme prince a­mon [...]the Angells. This Angelicall kingdome consisting of three Hierarchies and nine orders, is gouerned, by one Supreme Angell, who is soueraigne Prince vnder God of all those celestiall spirits. This Prince in the opinion of saint Thomas of Aquin S. Tho. 1. [...]. 63. art. 7. in corp. yea and of diuers fathers and Diuines as of Tertulli [...]n Ter­tul. lib. 2. cō [...]. Marc., saint Gregorie, S. Gre­gor. lib 4. mor. c. 13. aliàs 12. & lib. 9 c. 2. saint Chrysostome S. Chry sost. hom. de Adam, & Eua. The rea­son why the highest Angell is most like to haue first sinned. and others, was Lucifer; who as they thinke was supreme Angell of all; who yet by his exorbitat pride tooke such a fall as from heauen he tumbled to the lowe and deepe pitte of hell. And saint Thomas S. Tho. 1. p. q. 63. ar. 7. vbi supra. giueth the reason why wee should thinke that the highest Angell, ra­ther then any other was the first that fell by sinne, because, sayeth [Page 16]hee, although in respect of the pronesse and proclinitie to sinne, it might be thought that the lowest Angell sinned first, yet in respecte of the motiue of sinne, which was the Angells proper excellēcie which puffed him vp, it seemeth rather that the highest Angell was the first that sinned, for that he had the high­est perfection, and so the greatest motiue to pride, which all wayes waiteth on perfection, and there­fore sooner creepeth into College and Religious houses then into ru­rall cottages, who haue litle to be proud of. To which I adde, that the highest Angell was more potent t [...] draw others into his faction, then a lower.

13. Wherfore saint Gregorie S. Gre­gorius lib. 32. c. 24. applieth those wordes which Iob it his fortieth chap. speaketh of Behe­moth the greate Fishe: He is the begin­ning [Page 17]of the wayes of God, Lucifer his emi­nencie, beautie and perse­ctiō aboue other An­gells proo­ued by di­uers figu­res. Vnto Luci­fer, who, he sayeth, is the begin­ning of the wayes of God, that is, of God his actions, by which, as di­ [...]ines saye, hee doth exire ad extra, goe forth of him selfe, quia nimirum cùm cuncta creans ageret, hunc primum condidit, quem reliquis Angelis eminentio­rem fecit: Because when God creating all, did operate, he created this Lucifer first, whom he made more eminent then the other Angelles. And in the sa­me Chapter, to shew the eminen­cie of Lucifer aboue all the other Angelles, he accommodateth those words of Ezechiel Ezce­chiel. c. 31. Cedri non fuerunt altiores illo in pa­radiso Dei &c. which are literallie meāt of Assur, vnto Lucifer: The Cedars were not Higher then hee in the Paradise of God, the firre trees mat­ched not his toppe and the Plane trees were not equall to his boughes. No tree of the Paradise of God was likened to him and to his beautie. For who can be vnder­stood [Page 18]in Cedars, firretrees and planetrees, but those armies of Celestiall vertues of high tallenesse, planted in the Greene of eternall ioye, which though they were crea­ted high (in perfection) yet they were not preferred nor equalized to this high Angell. This tree, Angell, (sayeth saint Gregorie) had as many thick boughes, as he had vnder him legions of the supernall Spirits. And then he concludeth: VVho therefore sinning was condemned without remission, because he was crea­ted greate without comparison. To shevv this his greatenes he yet allea­geth another place out of Ezechiel, Eze­chiel c. 28. Tu signa culum si­militudi­nis plenus sapientia & perfe­ctus decore. which though it litterallie spea­keth of the King of Tyre, yet is it by him applyed to Lucifer: Thou art the signet of similitude full of wisdome and perfect of beautie. And continuing Grego. lib. 33 cap. 25. the same prayse of Lucifer, he com­pareth him to Behemoth, adorned with nine precious stones Sardius, [Page 19]Topazius, the Iaspar, Chrysolytus, onix, Berillus, the Saphire, the Carbuncle, and the Emerald: Saying: Nouem dixit ge­nera lapidum, quia nimirum nouem sunt ordines Angelorum; He sayed nine kind of stones because there are nine orders of Angelles; With which Lucifer is described to be cladd and couered, because he is clearer and brighter by thē whilest he is compared vnto them. Tatianus in orat. contra gēt. This is also the opinion of (g) Tatianus Scholler to Iustinus Martyr, who sayeth that, Angelus ille primogenitus, in daemonem mutatus est. That first be­gotten Angell (that first Angell in dig­nitie) was turned into a Deuill.

14. Lucifer's pride: which was his falle. But this goodlie creature by an ouerweening conceite of him selfe, exalted him selfe aboue him selfe, and sayed in his harte, as the King of Babylon sayed: Isa. ca. 14. vers. 13. I will as­cend into heauen, aboue the starres of [Page 20]God will I exalte my throne, I will ascend aboue the height of the Cloudes, I will be like to the highest. But o proud harte how high aspirest thou? and yet how lowe also doest thou fall? Quomodo cecidisti de coelo Lucifer, qni mane orieba­risIsai ca. 14. vers. 12 Lucifer his creatiō sinne and falle dispa­tched in three in­stants.? How art thow fallen from heauen, Lucifer, which did'st rise in the morning? Pride was thy falle, and of the fay­rest Angell hath made thee the fow­lest fiende. He rose like a glorious sunne in the morning and first in­stant S. Tho. 1. p. q. 63. art. 6. & alij ibid. of his creation glittering more then the sunne in his naturall and supernaturall ornamētes aboue all the Angelles in heauen: But in the second instant he would rise so high that he would haue been as high as God him selfe, and there­fore in the third instant his glo­rie was Ecclipsed, and he cast out of heauen as lowe as hell it selfe.

15. But how then? After Lu­cifer his fall, Mi­chael suc­ceeded in the prima­cie ouer all the Angelles. hath this ce­lestiall common wealth beene a kingdome without a king, and a bo­die without a head? no no; God their creatour by his irreuocable sentence condemned and cast Luci­fer head long to hell, but he consti­tuted Michael a Seraphin, the next vnto Lucifer in all perfection, Mo­narch of that celestiall monarchie, and Prince of all that Spirituall kingdome. Whereby the way wee may obserue, that if God, although he was supreme Prince of the An­gells and all creatures, yet would vse second causes, and giue the Angells a Prince of their owne kinde to rule them vnder him selfe: much more should Christe, though he be still supreme Pastour of the Church mi­litant, giue vs Peeter and his succes­sors for our Chiefe visible Pastours, wee especiallie being a visible church [Page 22]and so standing in need of a visi­ble chiefe Pastour.

16. Michael is prince ou [...]r all the An­gelles in the opiniō of manie. Some of the fathers and Di­uines are of opinion that Michael is only an Archangel of the last Hie­rarchie, and so not Prince of all the Angelles; but others do thinke that Michael was the next in perfection to Lucifer, and so was worthilie con­stituted Prince of them all, as vvell for that he vvas aboue them in na­turall perfection, as for that he with his spirituall troupes resisted Luci­fer in defence of God his creatour, saying as his name importeth: Qui [...] sicut Deus? who like to God? and fought the first battayle that euer was fought, and gotte the first victorie. This saint Iohn Apoc. c. 12. vers. 7. & 9. insinuateth in his Apocalypse when he sayeth Michael and his Angelles, did make warn with the Dragon: For in the same pla­ce he opposeth vnto him, the De­uill [Page 23]and his Angelles; But by the De­uill and his Angelles, vvee vnder­stand Lucifer the Prince of the De­uills, Ergo, by Michael and his Angelles, vvee vnderstand the Prince of the good Angelles. This also Dan [...]el Daniel c. 1. vers. 12 seemeth to confirme, vvhen he sayeth: In tempore autem illo consurget Michael Princeps magnus qui stat pro fi­lijs populi tui. In that tyme shall arise Michael the great Prince, who standeth for the sonnes of thy people. And againe Daniel. cap. 10. vers. 13.: Et ecce Michael vnus de principibus primis venit in adiutorium meum: Behold Michael one of the first Princes came to helpe me: In vvhich vvordes a mo­derne writer sayeth there is an He­braisme, by vvhich vnus signifieth primus the first, as vvhen it is sayed. Genes. c. 1. vers. 5. Et factum est vespere & mane dies vnus, that is primus: euening and morning that made one day, that is, the first daye: and so sayeth he Michael is [Page 24]called, vnus de Principibus primis, that is, the first of the first Princes. But how soeuer (for I vvil not stand on this interpretation) S. Laurentius Iustinia­nesLaur. Iustinian. serm. de S. Mich.sayeth, sanctis spiritibus praela­tus est Michael, sicut Lucifer mal [...]s. Sainct Michael is constituted ouer the holy Spiri­tes as Lucifer is ouer the euill spirits. S. Basil S. Ba­sil. homil. de Ang. qui dignitate & honoribus prae­latus es omnibus spiritibus supernis, tibi, inquam, suppl [...]co. To thee o Michael Cap­tain of the first Spirits who in dignitie and honours art preferred before all the supernall Spirits, to thee, I saye, I suppli­cate. Pantaleon Pantal. Homil. de S. Mich. apud Lip­poman. the Deacon: Primum locum obtinet inter millia mille & decies millia myriades Angelorum & proximè & citra vll [...]m sluporem canit ter sanctum & admirabilem hymnum Michael, qui est maxima & clarissima stella clarissimi ordinis. Michael who is the greatest and clearest starre of the brightest order, hath the first place among [Page 25]a thousand thousandes and tenne thousand millions of Angelles, and neerest and without any astonishment doth sing that thrice holie and admirable hymne. And although he be commonly called Michael the Archangell, The rea­son whe­refore S. Michael is called an Archang. yet that may be, because he was sent to do the office of an Archangell, as Gabriel was, who yet according to some fathers and Diuines was of the supreme order of Seraphins: or else he is called Archangell, not be­cause he is one of the last Hierar­chie, but because he is chiefe of all the Angelles. To bee brefe, the Church in her office (s) seemeth to acknovvledge S. Michael to be the Prince of all the Angelles, S. Michael hereto­fore pro­tectour of the syna­gogue, now of the Church. in that by her he is stiled, Praepositus Paradi­si, primas caelestis, praepositus animabus suscipiendis. Which Church also ac­knovvledgeth Michael, as to haue been chiefe protectour of the Iewes [Page 26]vntill God forsooke them, so now to be her Principall protectour af­ter God and his blessed Mother, and therefore in her Litanies shee placeth him next vnto her.

17. The Hie­rarchie of Angelles is a patterne of the Church militant. This nuch I thought good to saye of the Hierarchie of the An­gelles, that soe I might laye a ground and firme foundation for the Hierarchie of the Church mili­tāt on earth, which our blessed Saui­our founded and established ac­cording to the forme of that trium­phant Church of the Angelles. For seeing that (as the Apostle Hebr.'c. 12. vers 18. & 22. auer­reth) wee are not come to a palpable mount (of Sina) and an accessible fire and whirlewinde: at which the Ievves trembled; but we are come (in hope) to mount Sion and the Cittie of the liuing God, heauenlie Hierusalem, and the as­semblie of many thousands of Angelles: It vvas convenient that the Church [Page 27]militant, should be ordered and go­uerned according to the Church triumphant of Angelles. And in­deed S. Iohn Apoc. c. 21. vers. 1. in his Apocalypse savve the holie Cittie, the new Hieru­salem descending from heauen, that is, the Church militant, (as some vn­derstand this place) vvhich is sayed to descend from heauen because it is gouerned after the forme and manner of the Hierarchie of An­gelles; according to vvhich inter­pretation S. Thomas of Aquin S. Tho. lib. 4. con­tra gent. c. 76. nu. 4. Ferrar. ibidem. sayeth: Ecclesia militans ex triumphante Ecclesia per similitudinem deriuatur; vn­de & Ioannes in Apocalypsi, vidit Hieru­salem descendentem de caelo, & Moysi di­ctum est, quod faceret omnia secundum exemplar in monte monstratum: The Church militant is deriued by similitude from the Triumphant Church: VVhere­vpon saint Iohn in his Apocalypse sawe Hierusalem descending from heauen: and [Page 28]to Moyses it was sayed,Exod. c. 25. vers. 40.that he should make all according to the example which was shewed him in the moūt. And saint Gregorie S. Gre­gor. lib 4. Indict. 13. ep. 52. cap. 96. hauing sayed that the Angelles are not equall, but are distinguished into diuers orders, prooueth also, that to keepe vs in peace, order and obedience, there should be diuers orders and prela­cies in the Church. And Saint Igna­tius S. Ig­nat. in ep. ad Trail. Patriarche of Antioche and the third of that Sea after S. Peeter, compareth the Hierarchie of the Church militant to the triumphant Church of Angelles saying: Quid enim est Episcopus nisi qui principatum omnium & potestatem super omnes obti­net, vt obtinere homo potest; qui est pro viribus Christi Dei imitator? Quid verò Presbyterium nisi Collegium sacrum, con­siliarij & Confessores Episcopi? Quid item Diaconi, nisi Imitatores Angelicarum virtutum & ministrantes ministerium pu­rum [Page 29]& immaculatum vt Sanctus Ste­phanus B. Iacobo, & Timotheus ac Linus Paulo, & Anacletus atque Clemens Pe­tro. Qui ergo his inobediens fuerit, Atheus & impius omnino fuerit, & Christum improbans, & eius ordinationem immi­nuens. For what is a Bishop, but one who hath a principalitie and power ouer all, as much as a man can haue? who is accor­ding to his forces an Imitator of Christe God. And what is the Presbyterie, but an holie Colledge, counsailors and confessours of the Bishop? VVhat also are Deacons, but Imitatours of the Angellicall vertues, and ministring a pure and immaculate ministerie, as saint Stephen did to blessed Iames, and Timothie and Linus to Paule, and Anacletus and Clement to Peeter. Hee therefore that shallbe disobedient to these men, he shallbe an Atheist and alltogether impious, and one that disprooueth Christe, and diminisheth his ordinance. And saint Bernard S. Ber­nard. lib. 3. de consi­der. ad Eugeniū. speaking of the order [Page 30]and Hierarchie of the Church, which he sayeth is perturbed, when Abbots are subtracted from the Bishops Iurisdiction, Bishops from the Archbishops, and Archbishops from the Patriarches or Primates, speak's to Eugenius in these words. Nec vilem reputes formam hanc, quia in terra est, exēplar habet è coelo. Nor would I haue thee repute this forme (of the Church cōsisting of Bishops, Arch­bishops and Patriarches) as vile, be­cause it is in earth; it hath itts patterne from heauen; for neither can the sonne, (who planted this Church in earth) doe any thing, but that which he hath seene his father doe, especiallie seeing to him in Moyses it was sayed: see thou doest all thinges according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the Mount. He had seene that (Patterne) who sayed: I sawe the Holie Cittie Hierusalem, new descending from heauē, prepared of God. For I thinke [Page 31]it spoaken by reason of the similitude. For as there the Seraphins and Cherubins and all the rest of the Angelles and Archā ­gelles are ordained vnder one Heade, God: So here also in earth vnder one Chiefe Bishop, Primates, or Patriarches, Arch­bishops, Bishops, Priestes, or Abbots and the rest in this manner.

18. But as I sayed, The con­clusion of this chap­ter, with the con­tents of the others ensuing. it shall suffice to haue prooued that in the Trium­phant Churh of the Angelles there are Hierarchies and orders, that so it may the more easilie be prooued, that there is a Hierarchie of diuers orders in the Church militant in earth; this being a Copie taken out of that. And because to the ma­king vp of a Hierarchie there is re­quired, besides one supreme Prince, diuers orders and degrees, I shall shewe in the ensuing Chapters, first in generall that there are distinct orders in the Church: Secondlie I [Page 32]shall prooue that there is one su­preme Pastour and visible heade in the Church answerable to the spirituall Chiefe Prince of the Angelles: Thirdly I shall demonstrate that vnder this supreme visible heade there are diuers orders of Patriarches, Primates, Archishops, Bishops, Priestes, Deacons and other ministers, which doe correspond to the diuers orders of Angelles.

THE II. CHAPTER. That in generall there are diuers orders in the Church vnder one heade or soueraigne.

1. Noe pro­p [...]r priest­hoo [...]e, ac­cordinge to Lu­ther and Caluin. LVther the Patriarch of the new Church, and father of the new ghospell, that he might preach what pleased him, and yet not be [Page 33]controlled by Pope, Bishop, Pa­stors or any Ecclesiasticall Prelate, denieth all proper and speciall Priesthood; yea the Sacrament of Order, and consequentlie all order and superioritie in the Church. But least I might be thought to belie him (as he hath done manie, euen of the auncient fathers, and the sa­cred penmen of holie Scripture) I shall quote the places and cause him also to speake in his owne wor­des. In an Epistle Luth. ep. ad se­nat. Pra­gensem. to the Senate of Prague thus he pronunceth, ex Tripode: Sacerdos in nouo Testamento non fit, sed nascitur; non or dinatur, sed crea­vur: nascitur autem in Baptismo, suntque prorsus omnes Christiani Sacerdotes. The Priest in the new Testament is not made, but is borne so; he is not ordained, but created; and he is borne (Priest) in Bap­tisme, and all are Priestes a like. Yet Lu­ther will graunt that all Christians [Page 34]are not to exercise the office, but they vvho are chosen by the multi­tude or Magistrat. And in another booke Lib. de Capt. Bab. cap. de ordine. he denyeth order to be a Sacrament. Sacramentū ordinis (sayth he) Ecclesia Christi ignorat, inuentúmque est ab Ecclesia Papae. The Sacrament of Order the Church of Christe knovvet not, and it is inuented by the Church of the Pope. And again: Aduer­sus artic. Louan. Ordo non es [...] Sacramentum, sed of ficium & vocatio mi­nistrorum, qui ad Ecclesiae gubernationen vocantur: Order is no sacrament, but [...] office and a vocation of ministers vvh [...] are called to the gouernmēt of the Church Caluin Cal. l. 3. inst. c. 4. nu. 4. seemeth to iumpe with him in the same opinion: Omnia sa­cerdotia (sayeth he) ad Christum tran­slata sunt, in eo completa & finita. A [...] eum igitur vnum ius omne & honor sa­cerdotalis translatus est. All Prïesthood are trāsferred to Christe, in him they an finished and ended, to him alone therefo [...] all Priestes right and honour is trāslated

2. Luther and Cal­uin by takinge awaie Priest­hood, take awaie. Order also. Out of Luthers opinion it followeth, that in the Church there is no order, but all are Priestes alike; and seeing that all are not true priestes, there are no true priestes, nor orders in the Church. The sa­me absurditie followeth also out of Caluins wordes: for if in the new lawe there is no priest but Christe, no Priest hood but in Christ, then there are no bishops, nor priestes, nor other ministers distinct from the laitie by the diuine ordinaunce, and consequentlie all are equall, and so no order in the Church (order importinge inequalitie of degrees) but all confusion, for that a multi­tude without order is no well orde­red but a confused multitude: and consequentlie there must be by these mennes opinion no monar­chie, nor Hierarchie in the Church. Conformablie to these principles of [Page 36]Luther and Caluin, The con­fused Church of Luther and Cal­uin. the Reformers in Frāce, Holland and other coun­tries where Caluin raigneth, make ministers of laye men, and will not call them priestes or Bishops: and although in England there be Bis­hops and Pastors in name; yet in deed and veritie they are not, for that they haue no Sacrament of order by their owne confession, and they haue neither lawfull vocation nor true ordination, as hath been often obiected to them and was ne­uer yet well answered. So that what Tertullian Ter­tullian. lib. pr [...]sc. c. 41. once sayed of the heretikes of his tyme: Ordinatio­nes eor [...]m temerariae, leues, inconstantes nunc neophytos conlocant, nunc saeculo ob­sorictos, nunc Apostatas nostros, vt glori [...] eos obligent, quos veritate non possunt: nus­quam melius proficitur quàm in castri [...] rebellium, vbi ipsum esse illie, promeren est. I [...]aque ali [...]s hodie Episcopas, cras a [Page 37]lius, hodie Diaconus, qui cras lector, hodie Presbyter, qui eras laicus. Nam & l [...]i [...]is Sacerdotalia munera iniungunt: Their ordinations are rashe, light, inconstant, hovv they place Neophites (in Ecclesia­stical offices) now those that are tyed to the vvorld, novv Apostatas from vs, that they may binde them to them by glorie, vvhom they cannot by veritie. No vvhere is promotion gotten better, then in the tentes of the enemie, vvhere onlie to be, is to deserue. Therefore one to daye is Bis­hop, to morrovve another, to day a Dea­con, to morrovve a Reader, to day a Priese, to morrovve a laye man: for euen to laye men they enioine Priestlie offices. But in this Chapter I shall prooue plainlie, but yet in generall onlie, that there are distinct orders and de­grees in the Church, and so a Hierar­chie.

3. For first in the Synagogue which was a figure of the Church, [Page 38]the Tribe of Leui was deputed by God to furnish it with Gouernours and Rulers of diuers degrees, Diuers orders prooued in the Church by diuers degrees in the Syna­gogue. out of which Tribe their high Prieste and other inferiour Priestes and Leuites were chosen; Nune. c. 3. & 4. who for their grea­ter grace and honour were conse­crated Exod. c. 28. & 29. vvith certaine ceremo­nies. And the high Priest (whō Ana­cletus Ana­clet pap. ep. 2. Pope calleth Episcopus Bis­hop) had certaine offices and fun­ctions common to him and othe [...] Priestes, The high priest's Office. but some proper Deute­ron. c. 7. vers. 12. Hebr. c. 9. vers. 7. to him selfe onlie. For first he onlie entred once a yeare into the Sanctuarie so expiation of the people sinnes and Immundicities contracted all th [...] yeare. A degree of Infe­riour prie­stes. Secondlie he consecrated th [...] priestes and Leuites. Thirdly [...] was supreme visible Iudge who pro­nounced sentence in controuersie of the lawe and ceremonies, from which there was no appeale. Last [Page 39]lie he being inuested in the Ephod and Rationale, demaunded resolu­tions frō God in doubtfull matters. Besides this one high Priest, there were manie other Priestes, and those of no lowe degree nor reputation, who did minister by turnes in the Temple, as Scripture Lue. c. 1. vers. 8. vvitnesseth, and Iosephus Ioseph. lib. 5. anti­quit. c. 11. recordeth: and both the high Priest and the infe­riour Priestes descēded from Aaron, and his two sonnes Eleazar and Ithamar, his other two sonnes Na­dad and Abiu being consumed by fier Leui­tic. c. 10. vers. 1. Num. c. 3. for vsing profane fier in sa­crifices, whereas they should haue taken holie fier from the Altar. Be­sides these Priestes there were Leuites, which were also of the Tribe of Leui, but not of the familie of Aaron who though they were not Priestes yet they had offices, A degree of Leuites. first about the Tabernacle, and after in the Tem­ple, [Page 40]and were in great estimation and in great number, being deui­ded into the families Num. 3. & 1. paral. c. 26 of the Catharites, Gersonites and Merarites. The priestes were in so great a nū ­ber, that Iosephus Ioseph. lib. 2. cont. App. sayeth there were fowre Tribes of priestes of which Tribes euerie one contained aboue 5000. who in their daies ap­pointed ministred in the Temple. These distinct orders of Priestes and Leuites were to the Synagogue such an honour and gaue such a lustre vnto it, that (as Iosephus Ioseph. lib. 11. Antiq. c. vltimo. wri­teth) when Alexander the Great came with a full purpose to besiege Hierusalem, and the High priest Iaddus, admonished by God in his sleepe accompanied with all his Priestes and Leuites, went out of the Cittie to meete him, and to re­ceiue him: The high Priest adorned with his Stole of hyacinthe about [Page 41]his necke and his tyara on his heade and his lamina aurea plate of gold, in which the name of God was engra­uen, the other Priestes and Leuites in great troupes, all cladd in their goodly robes; this maiestie strucke such a reuerence into Alexander, who yet made the world to quake, that he desisted from his intention of besieging and sackinge the Cittie and was so farre from sackinge it; that cōtrarie wise adoringe the high Priest, and the name of God en­grauen in the plate of gold aboue mentioned, and reuerencing all that Priestlie Hierarchie he entred pea­ceablie into Hierusalē with them, and there offered sacrifice, and was glad to see Daniels Danie. c. 8. vers. 21. prophecie, which fortold that a Greciā which he interpreted to be him selfe, should subiugate the Empire of the Persiās.

4. If there were such a goodly [Page 42]order of dignities in the Hierarchie of the Synagogue, much more emi­nent orders ought there to be in the Church of Christ, by how much the bodie exceedeth the shadow; veri­tie the figure; and this priesthood, that. And therefore saint Hierome S. Hi [...] ­ron. ep. ad Euagriū. sayeth: Quod Aaron & filij eius at­que Leuitae in templo fuerunt, h [...] sibi E­piscopi & presbyteri & Diaconi vendicent in Ecclesia. VVhat Aaron and his sonnes and the Leuites vvere in the Temple, that may the Bishops and Priestes and Deacōs challenge to themselues in the Church.

5. The secōd proote of the Hie­rarc [...]ie of the Church. Secondlie this distinction of orders and degrees may be proo­ued by the things to which the Church in holie Scripture is com­pared. It is compared to a man's bo­die, which hath a head and eyes and manye members, which also haue diuers functions: 1. Cor. 12. vers. 17. & 19. And, sayeth S. Paule, if the vvhole body vvere the eye, [Page 43]vvhere is the hearing? If the vvhole bodie vvere the hearing, vvhere is the smelling? And if all vvere one member, where vvere the bodie? The Church compared to a man's body. where saint Paule com­pareth the Church to a man's bodie in which are diuers members, as the heade, eyes, and the rest which haue diuers functions. And to show the distinction of members and their distinct offices in the Church, as there is in a man's body, he addeth: 1. Cor. 12. vers. 28. And some verilie God hath sett in the Church, first Apostles; Secōdlie Prophets; thirdly Doctors &c. And then he de­mandeth: Are all Apostles? are all Pro­phets? are all Doctors? confronting as it were Luther and Caluin, who say that there are noe Priestes, or that all are Priestes alike, whence it fol­loweth, that all are heades, all eyes, all Apostles, all Doctors, and so no distinction of members or or­ders.

6. The Church compared to a cittie, an armie, a familie, a kingdome a ship. The Church is also compared to a Citie, Matt. c. 5. vers. 15. in which is a Mayor, Aldermen and other officers to go­uerne, and inferiour Citisens to be gouerned: It is compared to an Ar­mie Cant. c. 6. vers. 3. in which is a Generall, Captaines, Lieutenants, Seargeants, Corporalls and common souldiars: It is compared to a familie Matt. c. 24. vers. 25. in which is the Pater familias the good­man of the house, his wife, his Chil­dren and seruants: It is compared to a Kingdome Matth. c. 13. vers. 24. Luc. cap. 1. vers. 33. Dan. c. 2. vers. 44. in which besides the kinge, are Dukes, Countes, Marquises, Vicountes, Barons, Knightes and diuers officers and Magistrates, who differing in digni­tie office and degree one from an other and from the cōmunaltie, do adde vnto the common vvealth no lesse lustre then strength, by which it may preuent Ciuill warres at ho­me, and resist forraine invasions [Page 45]from abroad: saint Anaclete Anacl. ep. 1. and saint Clement Clemēs ep. 4. ad Iac. compare the Church to a Ship, which saileth in the sea of this world, tossed with the windes of persecutions and tenta­tions, whose shipwright is God, whose gouernour is Christ, and vn­der him his Vicaire; he that ruleth the decke or forepart of the ship is the Bishop, whose shipman or ma­riner is the Priest, whose dispensers are Deacons, whose souldiars are the rest of Christians.

7. And shall wee thinke that the Kingdome of Christ his Church, (which in holie Scripture is often tymes Mat. c. 13. vers. 2 [...].31.44.45.46. stiled the kingdome of heauen, and which was founded by him, who to estabish a well ordered kingedome, wanted no power be­ing the powerfull arme of his fa­ther; nor wisedome being the trea­surie of Gods wisedome it self) wan­teth [Page 46]these degrees and orders? No no it wanteth not this lustre, and stren­gth which diuers degrees and digni­ties giue vnto a kingdome, it espe­ciallie being not whatsoeuer king­dome, but a kingdome, of no lesse extent then the vvorld is, vvhich beareth rule from sea to sea, Psal. 2. & 71. and vvhich is, the Hille of God that filleth the vvhole earth Dan. c. 2. vers. [...] 35. vvhich is of such durance and continuation, that vvhere as those mightie Empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians and Romanes haue had an end this kingdome shall continue for euer according to that of Daniel: Danae. 2. vers. 44. But in the dayes of those Kingdomes (aforenamed) the God of heauen shall rayse vp a Kingdome, that shall not be dissipated for euer, and his Kingdome shall not be deliuered vp to an other peo­ple, and it shall breake in peeces, and shall consume all those (Kingdomes aboue [Page 47]mentioned) and it selfe shall stand for [...]uer: which the Angell confirmeth [...] saint Luke Luc. [...] 1. vers. 33. saying: Et regni eius [...]on erit finis: And of his Kingdome there shalbe be no end.

8. Out of this I argue thus: A Kingdome is a multitude ordered and disposed by diuers dignities and degrees vnder one soueraigne Prince, as is alreadie shevved: But the Church is a Kingdome and the perfectest Kingdome that euer was, as is prooued, Ergo the Church is not a congregation or multitude in which all are equall (as Luther and Caluin Luther. & Caluin. vbi suprà. seeme to saye) but an or­dered common wealth, in which are diuers orders and degrees of Chri­stiās, whereof some gouerne, some are gouerned; and amongest those that gouerne, one is subordinate to another, as in a Kingdome, and all are subiect to one soueraigne [Page 48]Prince, vvho commaundeth all. For this cause Christes garment which is his Church, is Polymita Gen. c. 37. vers. 3. of diuers colours, by reason of the diuers orders, but it is also In­consutilis Ioan. c. 19. vers. 23. by reason of her one su­preme visible Pastour, one gouer­nement, one faith, one Hierarchie▪ For the same cause the Church [...] compared Psal. 44. vers. 10. to a Queene in vestit [...] deaurato circundata varietate: in gold [...] rayment compassed with varietie: In gol­den rayment; because by persecution shee and her fayth hath been trye [...] and purified, as gold in the fie [...] cōpassed with varietie, by reasō of he diuers states, orders and degrees.

8. Hauing prooued in genera [...] that in the Church there are diuer orders vnder one supreme Prin [...] and Pastour; The con­clusion of this chap­ter with the con­tents of the en­suinge. it remaineth that prooue in particular, first that in the Church there is one supreme visible P [...] stour; [Page 49]then that there are diuers orders and degrees vnder this visible Pastour, [...]s there are diuers states vnder one King, for that, as wee haue seene in the first Chapter, This is necessa­rie to a Hierarchie.

THE III. CHAPTER. That there is one visible Monarch and chiefe Pastour of the Church, to wit, S. Peter.

1. Nature pleadeth for a Mo­narchie which is in a man his bodie in his soule, in the world. NAture and naturall reason seeme to pleade for a Mo­narchie in which one soueraigne swayeth all, againste Arislocratie, in which diuers Potentats, and Demo­cratie, in which the people hy their magistrates doe commaunde. For nature telleth vs, that in man's bo­die there is a kinde of Monarchie, in [Page 50]which the head is Monarch that ruleth the rest of the members: and that in man's soule aso is a Monarchie of which the vnderstāding is prince, who ruleth all the inferiour powers, and appeaseth vnrulie and muti­nous passions when they rebell a­gainst reason. Nature sheweth this world to be gouerned by Monarchie and to haue one God, not manie for its Monarch, who ruleth all the creatures and partes thereof. which saint Athanasius Ath [...]n. orat. con­tra Idolat. prooueth by the vniforme gouernment, consen­te, order, and vnion of all the partes of the world: Whereas if there were manie Gods and gouernours there could not be this harmonie, nor this order, but rather confusion.

2. Monar­chie amōg t [...]e An­gelles, the heauens, and pla­netis. We haue seene in the former chapter how the Angelicall world is a Hierarchie ruled and gouerned by one supreme Angell, who as hee [Page 51]is more perfect in nature then all the rest; so he is by nature Prince and Monarch of all the rest. Wee see that among these celestiall sphe­res and incorruptible bodies, there is one Monarch, one Primum mobile, who makes all the inferiour globes to follow his motion. One sunne (the eye of the world) dominee­reth among the Planetts, who sit­ting in the middest of them illumi­nateth them all and directeth them.

3. A mona [...] ­chie at first amōg men and other creatures de­uoide of reason. All creatures seeme to affecte a Monarchie: for that men at first liued in families vnder one good­man of the house; afterwardes these families ioyned in one cittie vnder one Mayor, and diuers citties vn­der one king. Euen creatures de­uoyde of reason ayme at this go­uernment. Rex vnus est apibus (saieth S. Cyprian) Cypr. de Idolorū vanitate. & dux vnus in gregibus; [Page 52]in armentis rector vnus: multo magis mundi v [...]u [...]est rector: Bees haue one king, in flockes there is one leader, in heardes of beastes one heard's man. The like hath saint Hierome: Hieron. ep. ad Ru­ [...]cum. Etiam a [...]imalia (sayeth he) & ferarum greges ductores sequ [...]ntur suos. In apibus principes sunt. Crues vnum sequuntur ordine litterato. Euen brute beastes and flockes of wilde­beastes do follow theire leaders. Amongst bees there are princes; Cranes follow one Crane in forme of a letter. Thus na­ture pleadeth for a Monarchie; na­turall reason also challengeth the same.

4. Naturall reason standeth for a Mo­narchie. The first reason. For first that is the best go­uernment which best maintaineth peace, vnitie and cōcorde amongst the subiectes: but one gouernour better maintaineth vnitie then ma­nie. Ergo Monarchie in which one supreme Monarch beareth rule, is the best gouernment. The Maior or [Page 53]first proposition: That is the best gouernmēt which best maintaineth vnitie, is euidente: because vnitie among the subiects is the ende which gouernment should intende; and the thing which conserueth not onelie societies but also all o­ther thinges. For there is no Ens which is not Vnum; and there is no­thinge that looseth vnitie, but it fal­leth to nullitie, and consequentlie by ceasinge to be One thinge, it proo­ueth Nothinge. Hence it is, as Boetius Boe­tius lib. 3. de consola. pros. 11. and saint Thomas of Aquine S. Tho. 1. p q. 103. art. 3. ob­serue, that all thinges resist as much as they can disvnion, they being conserued by vnitie or vnion. Wherefore we see how all liuing creatures abhorre death because it is a separation or disvnion which bringeth destruction. All thin­ges r [...]sist disvnion. These Do­ctours saye further that this diuisi­bilitie procedeth in creatures frō a [Page 54]defect of nature in thē, and there­fore perfecte creatures, The rea­son why an Angell and man's soule are incorrup­tible. as An­gelles and a man's soule (which though as a parte is imperfect, yet as immateriall is the perfec­test creature nexte vnto an An­gell) as they are perfecter then o­ther creatures, so they are not sub­iecte to diuision, or disvnion; and so are incorruptible: because all corruption is diuision or separation of the soule from the bodye or the matter from the forme, or of one parte from another. All corru­ption pro­ceedeth from diui­sion. Wherefore be­ing that vnitie and Concorde is that which conserueth Societies; yea all thinges; and discorde that which dissolueth and ruineth them; that gouernment must be best which best conserueth societies, and that best conserueth societies which best conserueth vnitie and concor­de in them. The Minor or second [Page 55]proposition, to wit, that one go­uernour better maintaineth vnitie among the subiects then manie, is as easilie prooued: because this pea­ce and concorde importeth an vniō not onelie betwixt the subiectes among them selues, but also with their prince or chiefe gouernour (for if they be diuided among them­selues it is dissension; if from their head, rebellion) which peace and concorde one man better maintai­neth then manie. Because when ma­nie gouerne, they cannot make pea­ce among their subiectes vnlesse they first agree among themselues. For if one commande one thing, and another the contrarie or ano­ther thing; some will obey one, some another; and so diuision wil­be caused, no peace or vnion. But one gouernour can more easilie a­gree with himselfe, then manie can [Page 56]vvith one another: Ergo a Monarche or one gouernour, is apter to main­taine vnitie among the subiectes then manie; and consequentlie Monarchie in vvhich one gouerneth is the best gouernment.

5. The secō ­de reason why Mo­narchie is the best gouern­ment. Secondlie that Head or supe­riour of a communitie is most apt to make peace among his subiectes which hath most vnitie in himselfe; because the vnitie of the subiectes procedeth from him as the effecte from the cause: But in one cheife gouernour there is greater vnitie, then in manie gouernours; because in one is vnitie, in manie can be onelie vnion: Maior autem est vnitas quàm vnio: Greater in vnitie then vnion: Ergo one is more apt to conserue peace and vnion among the subie­ctes, The third reason why Mo­narchie is the best gouern­ment. then manie.

6. Thirdlie vvhen the subiectes are to obey manie gouernours, there are tvvo difficulties: one in [Page 57]them that obey; and this is also in Monarchie, in which all obey one: the other in thē that cōmaunde; and this is greater, when manie cōmaunde thē when one cōmaundeth, because it is harder for manie commaun­ders to agree among themselues e­uerie one of them desiring that his owne proiecte and iudgemente ouersvvaye the others: much easier is it for one to agree vvith himselfe. Ergo the gouernment of one is bet­ter thē the gouernmente of manie.

7. The fourth reason why Mo­narchie is the best gouern­ment. Fourthlie I maie prooue this by an argument like to that vvhich Aristotle Aristo­ [...]eles lib. 2. pol. c. 2. vseth to disprooue Pla­to's common vvealth; vvho vvould haue all thinges commō; as landes, possessions, goodes and the like: vvhich Aristotle disprooueth thus: As vvhē the Lorde or maister hath manie seruauntes belonging to one office, he is not the better serued, [Page 58]but the vvorse; because one ser­uante putteth of the vvorke or bu­sinesse to an other, and thinketh it lesse belonging to him, because it belongeth also to another: So (say­eth Aristotle) if landes, possessions, and all vvere common, all vvould be neglected; because euerie one vvould neglecte that which he thin­kes another maie, vvill, or should looke vnto. But (sayeth Aristotle) vvhen possessions are diuided, and euerie one hath his owne proper house and landes appropriated to himselfe onelie; then he vvill looke diligentlie to them, partelie because he knovveth that none els will, part­lie because they are his owne. For (as the same philosopher Aristo. vbi supra. Quod multorum commune est, in [...]o minimè adhibetur diligentia. sayeth) of that which is common there is little care and diligence. For that men take care of that which is their owne. The like ar­gumente I make for Monarchie a­gainste [Page 59] Aristocracie ad Democracie. When there are manie Princes, Leaders, and Gouernours of the cō ­mon wealth, then e [...]erie one would putt of the care of it to another, and would saie, it appertaineth as well to another, as to me, lett him then lay to his helping hand, as well as I, and so betvvixt them the common wealth would be negle­cted: whereas when there is but one Gouernour (as there is but one chiefe in Monarchie) then he taketh care of the common wealth as be­longing properlie to himselfe: and so trusteth not anie other with the principall chardge, euerie one lo­uing and looking to that which is his owne. An ans­were to an obie­ction a­gainst Monar­chicall Gouern­ment.

8. By this it is euident that Mo­narchie in which one is chiefe, is the best gouernment. For albeit it maie be obiected that: Plus vident [Page 60]oculi quàm oculus: More is seene by manie eies then by one eie, and that one man cannot beare so great a charge as a kingdome. Yet it is easilie answe­red, that Monarchie requireth not that the king onelie should doe all, but one lie that he should be chiefe: and therefore Monarchie admitteth, yea requireth inferiour Princes, counsailours, and other Magistrates to assiste the king and to beare the burden and charge with him, though euer dependentlie of him.

9. In the Church must be the best Gouern­ment. We hauing then demon­strated that Monarchicall Gouern­ment, in vvhich one head or Prince hath principall commaunde is the best; no Christian can doubte but that this gouernmente is establis­hed in the Church. For who can thinke but that the Church of God, which is more worthie and excel­lent, then all the kingdomes and [Page 61]Empires that euer were, which is the Cittie, house and familie of God; which is the arke of Noë, out of which is no saluation; which is the terrestriall paradise, in which the se­cond Adam was framed; which though it be seated on earth is cal­led the kingdome of heauen; which hath in her Pastours the povver to bynde and loose in heauen, and earth; which hath the keyes, by which she can by her Pastours open and shut heauē; which is the spouse of Christ purchased by his bloode, so that shee may saye vnto him as Sephora saied to Moyses Exod [...] c. 4. vers. 24.Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es: A bloudie spouse thou art to mee: Shall we thinke that this kingdome establisseed so by Christe that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it, Matt. c. 16. vers. 19. so founded by Christe who wanted no wisedome nor will to choose; nor power to [Page 62]effectuate what he had chosen, hath not the best gouernmente; and consequentlie a Monarchicall gouern­mente, in which one Prince beareth rule, and hath the chiefe com­maunde?

10. One visi­ble head in the Church besides. Christe. And if our aduersaries ans­were that they confesse one supre­me head and Monarch of the Church, Christe IESVS; it is not suf­ficiente. For although Christ bee still our high prieste and supreme Pastour; yet he since his Ascension liuing not visiblie amongst vs; a visi­ble kingdome (as the Church is) requireth a visible king and su­preme Pastour to rule her in a visi­ble manner: Especiallie seeing that the Hierarchie of the Angelles (by which as by a patterne, the Church was formed) though it be an inuisi­ble kingdome; yet besides god the king of kinges, hath a supreme An­gell [Page 63]for her prince and chiefe go­uernour vnder god. And that Chri­ste left saint Peeter; and after saint Peeter, the Bishop of Rome, as a chiefe and visible Pastour, to rule and gouerne vnder him, I shall prooue most cleerelie.

11. S. Peter's suprema­cie proo­ued firist. And first I will begin with saint Peeter: for whose supremacie ouer the Church and vnder Chri­ste this shalbe my first argumente. Our B. Sauiour before his death promised vnto saint Peeter for that his so worthie confession: Tues Chri­stus filius Dei viui:Matth. c. 16. vers. 16.Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God; that he would make him the foundation and rocke of his Church, sainge Etego di [...]o tibi, quia tues Petrus & su­per nanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam: And I saie vnto thee that thou art Peeter, and vpon this rocke I will build my Church. By those wordes: And vpo this rocke, Christe cannot meane [Page 64]him selfe; for although he be the onelie principall rocke and foūda­tion 1. Cor. 3. on which Peeter the secon­darie rocke relyeth, yet Christe in those wordes cannot meane him selfe, but onelie Peeter: first becau­se he sayeth in the future tense, By the Rocke, cannot heere be vnder­stood anie but [...]ee▪ ter. Ae­dificabo Ecclesiam meam: I will build my Church, which must be vnderstood of Peeter, on whom as yet he had not foūded his Church, not of him self, because on him selfe the Church was alreadie built. Second­lie by these wordes Vpon this rocke, Christe can neither meane himself nor Peeter's faith or confession; as our Noue [...]listes would haue it, that so they might exclude Peeter: but onelie he must meane Peeter; be­cause these wordes, And vpon this rocke are to be referred to one spoa­ken of immediatlie before, as the verie tenour of the wordes doth im­porte. [Page 65]But Christe spoake before neither of himselfe, nor of Peeter's faith, or confession, but of Peeter. Ergo to Christe or Pee [...]ers faith these wordes cannot be referred, but to Peeter onelie. And there­fore as when he sayed immediatlie before, Thou art Peeter he mente not himself, nor Peeter's faith, or con­fession, but Peeter; so when he sayeth immediatlie after And vpon this rocke, he cannot meane him selfe nor Peeter's faith or cōfession, but peeter's person onelie. And if wee consider in what language Christe spoake, to wit, in Chaldee or Syriake, it is yet more euident that by the Rocke, peeter's person is vnderstood. Because in that lāguage Christe saied: Thou art Cephas, and vpon this Cephas I will build my Church: Which is as much to saie; thou art a rocke (for Cephas signifieth a [Page 66]rocke) and vpon this rocke, I will build my Churh.

12. An obiec­tion out of some fathers answered. And although saint Hilarie Hila­rius lib. 6. Trinitat. S. Ambrose Amb. 2. c. Ephe. S. Augustine Tract. 10. & 20. in loan. S. Cyrill Cyril. lib. 4. Tri­nit. S. Chrysost. Chry­sost. hom. 53. in Matth. do seeme to vnderstād Christe or Pee­ter's faith and confession: yet when they saie Christe is the rocke, they exclude not S. Peeter; but onelie meane that peeter is so a rocke, that he relyeth on a more principall fundation, Christe. And therefore S. Leo Leo. serm. 3. Assumpt. sua ad Pontif. maketh Christe to speake to S. Peeter thus: Quia tu es Petrus, id est, cum ego sim inuiolabilis Petra, ego lapis augularis, ego fundamentum, tamen tu quoque petra es, quia mea virtute soli­daris vt quae mihi potestate sunt propria, sint tibi mecum participatione communia. Because thou art Peeter, that is, whereas I am one inuiolable rocke, I the corner stone, I the foundation, yet thou also art a rocke, because thou art made solide by my [Page 67]vertue, that so those things which are pro­per to me by power maie be common to thee vvith me by participation. And when those fathers saie that by this Rocke is vnderstood Peeter's faith or confession, they take not his faith or confession a parte from him, but as ioyned with him and inherent in him. And so they exclu­de not Peeter, but will haue him to be the Rocke; though by his infalli­ble faith and confession, which was neuer wanting in him after he was made the Rocke of the Church, or in his successours. Wherefore the same authors do expresselie call Peeter the Rocke and foundation of the Church. Saint Hilarie S. Hila­rius in Mattha. cap. 16. thus exclameth: O in nuncupatione noui no­minis felix Ecclesiae fundamentum, digna­que aedificatione illius petra, quae inferni leges & Tartari portas & omnia mortis claustra dissolueret: O in the nūcupatiō of a [Page 68]new name the happie foundation of the Church, and a rocke worthie the buil­dinge of that which should dissolue the in­fernall lawes and the gates of hell and all the grottes of death. Saint Ambrose in the hymne at the I audes of Sun­day, cited by Saint Austin, S. Am­bros. in hymno ci­tat. ab Aug. l. 1. Retract. cap. 21. spea­king of the Cocke which calleth vs vp in the morning sayeth; Hoc, ipsa Petra Ecclesiae, Canente, culpam di­luit: whilest the cocke singeth the Rocke of the Church (Peeter) did washe away his sinne, by his teares of contrition. S. Ambrose saieth: Peeter for the solidi­tie of the deuotion of the Church; is called a rocke, as our lord sayeth: Thou art pee­ter and vpon this rocke &c. Saint Au­stin S. Au­gust. ser. 1 [...]. de Sā ­ctrs. sayeth: Recte igitur Ecclesia natalem sedis illius colit, quam Apostolus pro Ecclesiarum salute suscepit, dicente Domino: Tues Petrus, & super hanc pe­tram aedif [...] abo Ecclesiam meam. Petrum itaque fundamentum Ecclesiae Dominus [Page 69]nominauit. Et ideò dignè fundamentum hoc Ecclesia colit; suprà quod aedificij Ec­clesiasti [...]i altitudo consurgit. Rightlie therefore doth the Church worship the Feaste of that seat which the Apostle (Peeter) for the safetie of the Chur­ches did vndertake; our lorde sayinge: thou art Peeter, and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church. Our lorde therefore nominated Peeter the foundation of the Church. And therefore worthilie doth the Church worship this foundation vpon which riseth the height of the Ecclesiasti­call building. Saint Cyrillus speaketh as planielie: Cyril. Ioan. 1. Tues Simon filius Ionaei [...]tu vo [...]aberis Cephas, vocabulo ipso com­modè significans quod in eo tamquam in [...]et a lapidéque firmissimo suam esset aedi­ficaturus Ecclesiam. Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona, thou shalt be called Cephas, signifyinge fittlie by the worde that in him as in a rocke and a firme stone he was to build his Church. S. Chrysostome Chry­sost. hom. 4. de verb. Isa. & hom. 3. in cai. Matt [Page 70]calleth him the Base of the Church, and the foundation of the Church. Out of this place I argue thus: Christe promised that on Peeter as on a rocke and foundation he would build his Church; and seeing that in a mysticall bodie, a foundatiō or head is all one, it followeth that Christe promised to saint Peeter, that he should be head, and chiefe visible Pastour and spirituall prince of his Church. I demaunde then whether Christ was as good as his worde or no? If he was not; then he is not veritie it selfe, which can nei­ther deceiue, nor be deceiued: If he was; then Peeter is heade and su­preme visible Pastour of the Church.

13. The secō ­de proofe of S. Pee­ter's su­premacie. My second argument shalbe taken out of the 21. chapter of saint Iohn: where (as I shall prooue) Christ performed what in the for­mer [Page 71]place he promised, and made Peeter actuall head, and chiefe visi­ble Pastour of the Church: for there he sayed vnto saint Peeter: Simon of Iohn louest thou me more then these? Peeter answereth: yea lorde, thou kno­west, that I loue thee. Christe sayeth vnto him: Feed my lambs. And Christe asking the same question the second tyme, He biddeth Peeter feed his lambs. And asking the same the thirde tyme, He biddeth him, Feed his sheepe. Whereis to be noted first, that Christ asked, Peeter whe­ther he loued him more then the rest; which argued that Christ ment to giue to Peeter greater authoritie then to the rest. For if he had inten­ded to giue him no more authoritie thē to the rest; it had beene sufficiēt to haue asked whether he loued, not [...]hether more thē the rest. Secōdlie Christe sayinge to Peeter in presēce [Page 72]of the rest: Feed my lambs, Feed my sheepe, and that also without limita­tion; giueth authoritie to Peeter to to feede all his sheepe; and conse­quentlie he constituteth peeter pa­stour of all his sheepe; euen the A­postles there presente. And there­fore saint Bernard S. Ber­nardus lib. 3. de consid. ad Eugen. bringeth in Christ speaking to S. Peeter in these vvordes: Si me amas Petre pasce oues meas. qua? illius vel illius populos ciuita­tis [...]regionis aut [...]e [...]te regni? oues omnes meas inquit: Cui non planum non desi­gnasse omnes? nihil excipit vbi distingui­tur nihil. If thou louest me, Peeeer feed my sheep: VVhich sheep? The people of this or that cittie, region or kingdome? all my sheep, he sayeth: To whome is it not plaine, that he designed not some, but as­signed all? He excepteth nothing where no­thing is distinguished. Where is to be noted that the vvorde (Pas [...]e, Feed) vvhen it is referred to reasonable [Page 73]creatures (as here it is) signifieth to gouerne and rule by povver and au­thoritie. For vvhich cause kings are called pastours. Homer Iliad. B. calleth Agamemnon [...] pastour of the people. So the tribes of Israel tould Dauid: Lib. 2. Reg. c. 5. vers. 2. Dixit Dominus ad te: Tu pasces populum meum Israël: & tu eris dux super Israël. Our lord sayed to thee: Thou shalt feed my people of Israël: and thou shalt be prince or captaine ouer Israël. In this sense God promised by his prophet Ezechiel: Ezech. 34. vers. 23. Suscita­bo super eos pastorem vnū, qui pascat eos, seruum meum Dauid ipse pascet eos & ipse erit eis in pastorem. I will raise vp ouer them one pastour, who shall feed them, that is, goruerne them, my seruante Dauid, that is, the sonne of Dauid, (for Dauid vvas dead be­fore Ezechiel liued,) he shall feed thē, and he shalbe their pastour: And so vvhen Christ sayed to Peeter: Feed [Page 74]my sheep: He gaue him authoritie, not onelie to feed his sheepe by preachinge the vvorde of God, and ministring Sacraments; but also to gouerne thē by lavves, to restraine them by excommunications, and and other Gensures. And therefore in the same place of Saint Iohn, as the Euangeliste vsed the Greeke vvorde [...] vvhich signifieth to Feed, so he vsed the vvorde [...] which signifieth also to gouerne.

14. VVhat S. Peeter might haue de­maunded of the rest of the Apostles. So that if Saint Peeter after that he had receiued this charge and authoritie ouer his sheepe should haue demaunded of the rest of the Apostle are you the sheep of Christ? they could not haue denied it, vnlesse they would haue denied them selues to be Christians, all Christians being the sheepe of Christe. And thē Peeter might hau [...] subsumed: If you be the sheep [Page 76]of Christ, you are my sheep, because Christ without distinction com­mitted all his sheep to mee. And if [...]ou be my sheep, I am your pastour, [...]d superiour: Because as sheep is a name of subiection, so Pastour is a name of superioritie. And if I be your Pastour, who are also Pas­tours; I am Pastor Pastorum: Pastor of Pastours, and so pastour of you and your sheep, and consequentlie of all the Church.

15. VVerefore Dionysius Areopagita 'Dio­nys. de diui. nom. cap. 3. calleth Peeter Supremum Decus & [...]iquissimum Theologorum Columen. The supreme honour and most ancient pil­lar of diuines. Hippolytus Hip. pol. orat. de consum. mundi. thus ex­tolleth him: Princeps Petrus fidei pe­tra, quem beatum iudicauit Christus D [...]us noster; ille Doctor Ecclesiae, ille prï­ [...]us dis [...]ipulorum; ille qui regni claues h [...]et. Peeter the Prince, the ro [...]ke of faith, whom Christ our God iudged to [Page 74] [...] [Page 76] [...] [Page 76]be blessed; he the Doctour of the Church, the first of the disciples; he that hath the keyes of the kingdome of heauen. Epipha­nius. Epiph. hares. 51. honoureth him whith the Title of Captaine of the Apostles. S. Chrysost. Chry­sostom. ho. 55. in Matth. calleth him the mouth Prin [...]e and Heade of the Apostles. Isi­dorus Pelusiota Isidor. c. 142. calleth him So dalitij Apostolici Choryphaeus: The chief [...] of the Apostolicall sodalitie. Saint Cy­prian sayeth; Cypr. cp. 40. Cathedra vna supe Petrum voce Domini fundata. Ore chain founded vpon Peeter by the voice of on lorde. And againe Cypr. lib. de vir­tute Ec­ciesiae. Primatus Pet [...] datur vt Cathedra vna monstretur. The primacie is giuē to Peeter, that one chain may be shewed. Saint Ambrose Ambr. in cap. de Gal. thus pronounceth: Soli Petro grat [...] primatus inter Apostolos est concessa. [...] onelie Peeter the grace of primacie amōg the Apostles is graunted. To him subscribeth saint Hierome: Hiero. lib. 1. ad­uersus o­uinianū. Propt [...] reainter duodecim vnus eligitur, vt cap [...] ­te [Page 77]constituto schismatis tollatur occasio [...] Therefore amōgst twelue one is chosen, that [...] head being chosen, the occasion of schisme away be taken a waie. Saint Austin Auga. q. 75. vet. & noui Testam. Tract. 56. in Ioan. lib. 2. de baptisme. [...]sum constituit caput eorum, vt pastor [...]sset gregis Dominici: Him (Peeter) he [...]onstituted head of them (the Apostles) that he might be pastour of our lordès flocke. The like he hath in manie other places. Saint Leo the Great: Leo serm. 3. de anniuers. assumpt. sua. Vnus de toto mundo Petrus eligitur [...]ui & vniuersarum gentium vocationi & [...]nnibus Apostolis, cunctisque Ecclesiae [...]atribus praeponitur. One Peeter is chosen out of all the worlde who might be set ouer and haue charge ouer the vocation of all nations, and all the Apostles, and all the fathers of the Church.

16. By this is plaine that there is as euident proofe for saint Peeter's supremacie as there is for the sacred Trinitie: for that we haue the plane text of Scripture, and interpretatiō [Page 78]of fathers. And I might adde Coun­cells (but that I desire to be shorte) for Peeters supremacie: And we can haue no more proofe or Authoritie for the Blessed Trinitie. So that our aduersaries must beleeue both, or els I will saye that they beleeue nei­ther fide diuina. Because to the same authoritie there can be no credit giuen in one of its Assertions, vn­lesse it be giuen vnto all. And there­fore Luther Luthe. in assert. art. 25. was to bould to sai [...] against scriptures and fathers, that all the Apostles were equall to pee­ter. And Caluin Calui. lib. 4. in­stit. c. 6. num. 7. as bould as he, when he saieth: Peeter was equall, no [...] superiour; fellow, not lorde of the resto the Apostles. I conclude therefore that there is one Soueraigne and supreme vi­sible pastour of the Hierarchie of the Church vnder Christ, which is saint P [...] ­ter.

THE IIII. CHAPTER. That after S. Peeter there was euer a su­preme visible pastour of the Church, who is the Bishop of Rome.

1. BVt our Aduersaries will saye, be it that Peeter was supreme head vnder Christ of the Church for his tyme; it is not necessarie he should haue a Successour; becau­se this supremacie might be a spe­ciall priuiledge graunted to Peeter in recompēse of his rare confession Matt. cap. 16. vers. 17. of Christs diuinitie; or if he must haue a Successour, why should the Bishop of Rome make claime to this dignitie more then the Bishop of Hierusalem, Antio­che, or Alexandria: seeing that ho­lie scripture maketh no mention of [Page 80]any successour to Peeter, much les­se of the Bishop of Rome. I shall therefore prooue in this chapter that the Bishop of Rome is the lawfull successour to saint Peeter, and that the­refore there is still, and euer shalbe a supreme spirituall Prince and Pastour of this Ecclesiasticall Hie­rarchie; as there is of the Celesti­all.

2. S. Peeter must haue a succes­sour. The first proofe. And first out of holy scripture I gather that Peeter must haue: Successour in his primacie ouer the whole Church; And thus I gather it, and prooue it. First because, a [...] we haue prooued, Christe made S. Peeter ordinarie pastour ouer all the Church, and euen the Apostle them selues; and so in him Christ▪ instituted a succession of supreme Pastours: for that an Ordinarit must haue others to succeede hi [...] in the same authoritie: And in th [...] [Page 81]consisteth the difference betwixt an Ordinarie and a delegate, as all Lawiers and diuines cōfesse, where­fore a king who is ordinarie of his kingdome, a Bishop because he is ordinarie of his Diocese, a pastour for that he is ordinarie of his Parish, must haue successours; who in that they are chosen to these places haue the authoritie which their Predeces­sours had, without anie especiall new graunt. Hence is it that the A­postles (as we shall see hereafter) be­cause the authoritie which they had ouer all the Church (though depen­dentlie of Peeter) was extraordina­rie, graunted onlie for theire time, and for the speedier conuersion of the world and propagation of the Church, had no successours in that [...] thoritie: but in theire Bishopri­cites and particular seates they had successours; as to S. Iames succeded [Page 82]in the Bishopricke of Hierusalem S. Simeon, to him Iustus: As to S. Marke in Alexandria succeeded Anianus: As in Antioch to S. Peeter succeeded E­uodius, to him S. Ignatius, to him He­ron. &c. But S. Peeter because he was ordinarie pastour of all the whole Church was to haue a Suc­cessour in that his ample authoritie and Iurisdiction. The se­cōd proo­fe for the same.

3. Secondlie Christ commaun­ded S. Peeter to seed all his sheepe without limitation, and consequen­tlie not onelie his sheepe then pre­sent, but also which were to bee. But Peeter could not in person feed the sheepe which were to be after his death; Ergo by his successours. Wherefore saint Leo S. Leo ser. 3. de Anniuers. Assump. Pope and first of that name sayeth that Peeter still feedes Christes sheepe and in an other place Ser. 2. de Anni­uers. he sayeth. His it a­que mouis, dilecttssimi, rationabili obse­quio [Page 83]celebratur hodierna festiuitas, vt in persona humilitatis meae ille intelligatur, ille honoretur, in quo & omnium Pasto­rum solicitudo cum commendatarum sibi ouium custodia perseuerat, & cuius etiam dignitas in indigno haerede non deficit: By these meanes therefore, my most be­loued, by reasonable obedience this present festiuitie is celebrated, that in the person of my humilitie he bee vnderstood, he ho­noured, in whom both the solicitude of all pastours with the sheepe commended vnto him, doth persouer, and whose dignitie also in an vnwhorthie heire (sucessour) doth not faile.

4. The thir­de proofe for the same. Thirdlie Christe appointed Peeter head of his Apostles and of al Christians, to gouerne them by his supreme authoritie, and so to gouerne them, as to preuent all schismes and dissentions: But the Church after S. Peeters death, had as much neede of such a supreme vi­sible [Page 84]Pastour to gouerne her as shee had in saint Peeters tyme; yea had more neede of such a Pastour, Chri­stians being multiplied in greater numbers after Peeters death, then they were before; and charitie and zeale waxing more cold, and here­tickes also (which in the Apostles tyme durst not so freelie open their mouthes,) after their deathes, as Eusebius Euseb. lib. 3. hist. cap. 32. writeth entring into the Church thick and three fold, and preaching their heresies more bouldlie and with more open mouth: Ergo after S. Peeter, Succes­sours were necessarie.

5. The four­the proofe of the same. Fourthlie Christ instituted one visible fold and that perpetuall that is, to the end of the world; Ergo he instituted a perpetual visi­ble Pastour to feed and gouerne this flocke: But Peeter in person could not be alwaies Pastour vnto [Page 85]this fold, he after some yeares dying: Ergo he must haue a perpe­tual successour least the visible fold and flocke should be without a visi­ble Pastour. Conformablie to this, Christe sayth: Ioan. cap 10. vers. 16. Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold (insinuating the Gentils, which after his death weere to be added to his fold) them also I must bring, and they shall heare my voice, and there shalbe made one fold and one Pastour: but the fold which is the Church is one visible fold, and perpetuall: Ergo it must haue one visible Pastour, and him perpetuall: That Pastour cannot be Christe onelie; for that he is now no more visible (though he bee still the same inuisible Passour) nor Peeter onelie; because he dyed: Ergo Peeters successour: otherwise after Peeter wee should not haue [Page 86]one visible fold and one visible Pa­stour. This suc­cessour to S. Peeter is not the Bishop of Antioch, not of A­lexand ia, not of Hierusalē not of Cō ­stantino­ple.

6. So that I haue euidentlie de­duced out of Scripture that Peeter by Christes institution must needes haue a successour. I demaund now who that was or is? not the Bishop of Antioche; for that Peeter left that seate before his death: and Antioche neuer claimed the first seate, nor was the Patriarche of Antioche euer called saint Peeters successour: Yea of the three Patriarchall seates Anuel. ep. 3. ex Conc. Ni­cen. can. 6. Chalced. act. 16. Leo ep. 53. & 83. Gregor. ep. 57. of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioche, that of Antioche had but the third place of dignitie: Not the Bishop of Alexādrid, for although that seate had the second place as being foun­ded by saint Marke in the name of saint Peeter (of whom Rome Alex­andria and Antioche haue theire dig­nitie of Patriarchall seates) yet it had but the second place; and neuer [Page 87]claimed the first: Nor was the Pa­triarche of Alexandria euer called saint Peeters successour: Not of Hierusalem; for that Peeter neuer fixed his seate there; nay that for fiue hundred yeares had not the trew power and dignitie of the fourth Patriarchall seate; for that it was subiect to Caesarea which was its Metropolitan Church, as may appeare by the Councel of Nice Cone. Nisen. can. 7. Hieron. ep. ad Pammach. where it is decreed that the Bishop of Hierusalem shall haue the fourth place, but with this condition that he shall not be exempted from his Metropolitane Bishop of Caesarea. Not the Bishop of Constantinople: For that he was no Patriarch of Cōstan­tinople at the tyme of the Councel of Nice, nor could he be, because Constantinople at that tyme had no Patriarch, neither was it then called Constantinople but Bizantium, and a [Page 88]By zātine Patriarch was neuer hear­de of. And although in the first Councell of Constatinople, and after in the Councell of Chalcedon the Bishop of that Cittie endeuoured by all meanes to be called Patriarch, and to haue the next place of digni­tie after the Bishop of Rome; Yet he neuer obtained his desire (S. Leo Leo ep. ad Anato­lium Binnius in notis op. 3. Ana­cleti to. 1. Coneil. Bell. l. 1. de Pont. Rom. c. 24. Conc. La­ter. 3. can. 5. and others resisting him) till in the time of Iustinian the Emperour, and after the yeare of our lord fiue hundred, partlie by the fauour, of the Emperour, partlie by the per­mission of the Bishop of Rome, he obtained not onelie to be Patriarch, but also to be the second in digni­tie, who was the last in standing; but neuer was he equalized to the Bis­hop of Rome: much lesse proferred before him. And therefore the Bis­hop of Rome hath euer carried him selfe (as he was) as his and all the Pa­triarchis [Page 89]Superiour. Vid. Bell. l. 2. de Rom. Pont. c. 18 And Ni­cholas Pope and first of that name in his Epistle to Michael the Em­perour reckeneth eight Patriarches of Constantinople deposed by the Bishop of Rome, which ar­ [...]ueth his superioritie ouer them, and theire subiectiō to him. Whēce [...] conclude, that the Bishop of Rome, where saint Peeter liued and died Bishop, is the successour of Pee­ter, not onelie as he was Bishop of Rome; but also as he was Bishop and pastour of the whole Church.

7. The rea­son why the Bis­hop of Rome is S. Peeter's successour And the reason is for that (as I haue prooued) Peeter must haue a successout euen in the vniuersall charge of the Church; and so Peeter neuer transferring his seate from Rome, but dying Bishop of Rome and electing the Bishop of Rome for his successour eleuated that seate to the vniuersall Bishopricke of the [Page 90]world; and made the Bishopricke of Rome and of the world all one, euen as when a Bishopricke is ele­uated to the dignitie of an Archbi­shopricke (as now Paris is, which formerlie was but a Bishopricke they are not two Bishoprickes but one eleuated.

8. An obie­ction a­gainst the Bis [...]op of Rome being 8. Peeter's successour answered. But some will saye, be it tha [...] Peeter by Christ his ordināce m [...] haue a successour; yet it followed not that his successour should hau [...] anie particular Church, but one [...] the vniuersall Church for his seate as S. Peeter as first had, till he fix [...] his seate first at Antioche and the [...] at Rome: and therefore after Pet­ters dath the Church might ha [...] chosen a successour to Peeter, wh [...] should haue beene the vniuersa [...] Bishop of the vniuersall Church but no particular Bishop of an particular seate or citie, and so [...] [Page 91]more Bishop of Rome then anie other particular Citie: I answere that this might haue beene, as the [...]rgument prooueth: For out of [...]cripture we can onelie deduce, that [...] succession must be to Peeter; but that the Romane Bishop should [...] his successour, wee cānot prooue out of Scripture; onelie the fact of Peeter who there dyed and lost the Bishop of Rome his suc­cessour, and Tradition, and the the ancient fathers and councelles do assure vs that he is Peeters law­full successour both in the Bisho­pricke of Rome, and in the Bishopricke of the world. For Peeter in his life tyme was as truelie Bishop of Rome, as saint Iames the Iuste was of Hierusalem; and he electing the Bishop of Rome to succeed him in [...] Bishopricke of Rome and the whole Church, and this by Gods [Page 92]will and commandement, he onelie is his lawfull successour. Wherefore Vid. Bellarm. l. 2. de Ro. pont. c. 12 saint Anacletus, saint Marcel­lus, saint Athanasius, and others whom anone I shall rehearse, say that Peeter dyed at Rome by Christ [...] commandement and founded the Romane Church, and made it hea [...] of the vniuersall Church.

9. This supposeth Peeter to ha [...] beene af Rome and to haue liue [...] and dyed Bishop of Rome; which though Illyricus Illyr. l. 10. de primatu Papae. and others o [...] the new Church denie; yet it is [...] euident that Peeter was at Rom [...] that Caluin Calu. l. 4. Inst. c. 6. nu. 17. sayeth he will no [...] denie it Propter Scriptorum consensu [...] For the consent of writers: That S. Peeter was at Rome, is prooued. onelie [...] cannot beleeue that he was Bishop of Rome, especiallie for anie lon [...] tyme. But first that saint Peeter w [...] at Rome, he himselfe testifieth who in the end of his first Epist [...] [Page 93] 1. Pet. c. 5. v [...]r. 13. sayeth: salutat vos Ecclesia quae est in Babilone coëlecta: The Church which [...] in Babilon coëlected saluteth you: Where by Babilon he vnderstandeth [...]ome as it then was pagan and per­sequuted Christians; as doe witt­nesse Eusebius Euse­bius lib. 2. c. 15. and saint Hierom S. Hie. lib. de vi­ris Illu­stribus in Marce.. And in this sense saint Iohn al­ [...] in his Apocalipse, Apoc. cap. 17. vers. 5. That S. Peeter dyed at Rome is prooued. calleth Rome Babilon. Secondlie that saint Peeter dyed at Rome, Eusebius Euseb. lib. 2. c. 35. also speaking of Nero, witnesseth [...] these wordes: Et Paulum quidem capite in ipsa Vrbe Roma, Petrum verò Crucis patibulo condemnat: and Paule he [...]ondemned in the cittie of Rome it selfe to be beheaded, Peeter to be crucified. And he addeth, that it is superfluous to seeke further testimonie of this seeing that the most shining monu­ments do testifie it to this daye: Yet he citeth also for this the testimo­nie of Caius and Dionysius Corinthius. [Page 92] [...] [Page 93] [...] [Page 94]And S. Chrysost. Chrys. hom. 32. in ep. Rom. sayeth that the Martyrdomes and bodies of S. Peeter and saint Paule make Rome more resplendent, then the starres doe the heauens. That S. Peeter dyed at Rome Bishop is prooued. Thirdlie that he dyed at Rome, Bishop of Rome (which Caluin feareth to graunt, least he should be forced to graunt, that the Bishop of Rome is saint Peeters successour) it is as euident out of the same Eusebius and gene­rallie out of the Councells and fa­thers. Eusebius Eus [...] ­bias. in Chron. anno 44. auerreth it in these wordes: Petrus natione Galilaeus Christianorum Pontifex primus, cum primum Antiochenam fundasset Eccle­siam, Romam proficiscitur, vbi Euan­gelium praedicans viginti quinque annis eiusdom vrbis Episcopus perseuerat: Pee­ter bynation a Galilaean, the first Bishop of the Christians when first he had foun­ded the Church of Antioche, goeth to Rome where preaching the Ghospell twentiefiue [Page 95]yeares he perseuered Bishop of the same Cittie.

10. And as Cardinal Bellarmin Bell. l. 2 [...] de Rom. Pōt. c. 12. well obserueth, Saint Marcellus Mar­cel. ep. ad Autioch. Pope, Saint Ambrose, Ambr. orat. cont. Aux. and S. Athanasius Atha. in Apolog. pro fugâ. affirme that S. Pee­ter by our lords commandement went to Rome, to suffer there death for Christe; and therefore it is not improbable that Christe bad him there fixe his seate and establish his successour. Certes Nicholas Nich. cap. omnes dist. 22. Pope the second of that name in his Epistle to those of Milan, fea­reth not to say: Illam vero sedem (Romanam) solus ille fundauit, & su­pra petram fidei mox nascentis crexit, quia Beato aeternae vitae Clauigero, terreni simul & caelestis Imperij iura concessit: But that seate (of Rome) onelie hee founded, and reared vpon the rocke of fayth, which by and by sprunge vp, who graunted to the Blessed Keybearer of eter­nal [Page 96]life the rights of the terrene and hea­uēl [...]e Empire. And immediatelie after, he thus proceedeth: Non ergo quaelibet terrena sententia, sed illud verbū, per quod constructum estcaelum & terra, per quod denique omnia condita sunt elementa, Ro­manam fundauit Ecclesiam. Illius certe pniuilegio fungitur, illius authoritate ful­citur, vnde non dubium quin quisquis cui­libet Ecclesiae ius suum detrahit, iniusti­tiam facit. Qui autem Romanae Ecclesiae priuilegium ab ipso Summo omnium Eccle­siarum capite traditum auferre conatur, hic proculdubio in haeresim labitur: Not euerie terrene sentence therefore, but that word, by which heauen and earth were created, by which, to be breefe, all the ele­ments were made, founded the Roman Church. It trulie vseth his priuiledge, it is vnderpropped by his authoritie, where­fore no doubt but that whosoeuer detrac­teth from anie Church her right, doth in­iustice. But he that seeketh to take from [Page 97]the Roman Church the priuiledge giuen her from the head of Churches, he with­out doubt falleth into heresie. And S. Anaclete: Anacl. ep. 3. c. 3. & refertur cap. sacro­sancta Ro­mana d [...] 22. Sacrosancta Romana & Apostolica Ecclesia non ab Apostolis sed ab ipso Domino Saluatore nostro primatum obtinuit, & eminentiam potestatis super vniuersas Ecclesias ac totum Christiani populi gregem assecuta est, si [...]ut ipse B. Petro Apostolo dixit: Tues Petrus & su­per hancpetrā &c. The sacred Romā and Apostolicall Church not from the Apostles, but from our lord and sauiour himself ob­tained the primacie, and hath gotten the eminencie of power ouer all Churches and ouer the whole flocke of the Christian people. And againe sayeth he: Prima ergo sedes est coelesti beneficio Romana Ecclesia: Therefore the first seate by the heauenlie benefit is the Roman Church. By which it is plaine, that these holie and ancient fathers were of o­pinion, that the Seate of Rome was [Page 98]founded by Christe himself; and consequentlie that by Christe his ordinance S. Peeter eleuated that Church to haue authoritie ouer all the rest of the Churches; and ele­cted the Bishop of Rome for his successour; and that the Roman Bishop hath his authoritie imme­diatelie from Christe him selfe. The Ro­man Bis­hop hath his auto­r [...]e from Christe. For although the Electours which here­tofore were the clergie of Rome and neighbour Bishops, and now are the Cardinalles, designe the person of him, that is to be Pope; yet they giue him no Iurisdiction, but after they haue designed and e­lected his person, Christe from a­boue giueth him power and iurisdi­ctiō ouer them and all the Church as the fathers alleaged do expresslie a [...]rme. And the reasō is because his power being not onelie supernatu­rall but also greater thē anie power [Page 99]the Cardinales, or the whole Church taken as distinct from him, The rea­son whe­refore the Electours of the Pope, de­signe one­lie the person, but giue no autho­ritie. hath (it being a supremacie ouer all the Prelats and members of the Church, and hauing also annexed an Infallibilitie in defining Con­trouersies concerning fayth, which power his Electours haue not) can not be giuen by them, but onelie by Christ himselfe.

11. Out of all this I argue thus: The Bis­hop of Rome is Peeter's successour our Sauiour Christ in appointing and creating Peeter supreme visi­ble Pastour ouer all the Church, as I haue prooued, he hath instituted also a successour to succeed him in authoritie ouer all the Church, as is also prooued; and him he instituted successour whom the Church by the Electours do choose; and to him thus chosen, he him selfe giueth authoritie, as euen now I declared: But the Bishop of Rome, [Page 100]euen from S. Peeter was chosen to succeed S. Peeter in the charge of the whole Churche, as fathers, Councells and all antiquitie doth testifie, and as may sufficientlie ap­peare by that which is sayed: Ergo he onelie is Peeters successour ouer all the Church and hath his autho­ritie not from men, but from Christ himselfe.

12. Conformablie to this Opta­tus Mileuitanus Opta­tus Mile­uit. set­teth dow­ne the suc­cession of Bisnops of Rome frō S. Peeter to Syri­cius. lib. 2. cont. Parmen. (one highlie esteemed by saint Augustin and S. Hierome) not onelie affirmeth that the Bishop of Rome is Peeters suc­cessour, but also setteth down his successours euen to Syricius who was Bishop of Rome in Optatus his time. Igitur (sayeth he) negare non potes, scire te in Vrbe Roma Petro primò Cathedram Episcopalem esse collocatam &c. Therefore thou canst not denie that thou knowest that the Episcopall chaire [Page 101]was giuen first to Peeter in the cittie of Rome, in which satte the head of all the Apostles, Peeter, whence also he was called Cephas: In which one chaire, vnitie of all might be kept. And a litle after: Vt iam schismaticus & peccator esset qui con­tra singularem Cathedram alteram collo­caret. Ergo cathedra vnica est &c. that now he should bee a schismatique and sin­ner who should place another chaire a­gainst this singular chaire. Therefore the chaire is one, which is the first of the dowries, in which Peeter satte first, to whom succeeded Linus, to Linus Clemens, to Clemens Anacletus, to Anacletus Eua­ristus, to Euaristus Sixtus, to Sixtus Te­lesphorus, to Telesphorus Higinus, to Higinus Anicetus, to Anicetus Pius, to Pius Soter, to Soter Eleutherius, to Eleu­therius Victor, to Victor Zepherinus, to Zepherinus Calixtus, to Calixtus Vrba­nus, to Vrbanus Pontianus, to Pontianus Antherus, to Antherus Fabianus, to Fa­bianus [Page 102]Cornelius, to Cornelius Lucius, to Lucius Stephanus, to Stephanus Sixtus, to Sixtus Dionysius, to Dionysius Foelix, to Foelix Eutychianus, to Eutychianus Caius, to Caius Marcellinus, to Mar­cellinus Marcellus, to Marcellus Eusebius, to Eusebius Miltiades, to Miltiades Syl­uester, to Syluester Marcus, to Marcus Iulius, to Iulius Liberius, to Liberius Damasus, to Damasus Syricius, who now raigneth, who is ours: with whom and vs all the world concordeth in our Commu­nion of societie by commerce of lettres cal­led formatae. Thus hee. And we can shewe the like succession euen to Vrbanus Octauus who now happi­lie sitteth at the sterne of S. Peeters shippe.

13 And we may say to our Refor­mers of this time, as Optatus sayed immediatelie after Opta­tus vbi suprà. to the Dona­tists: Vestrae Cathedrae vos originem red­dite, qui vohis vultis Sanctam Ecclesiam [Page 103]vindicare: Show vs the origen of your chaire, who will chalenge to your selues the hol [...]e Church. But our Reformers can shew no succession of theire Bishops either in the Chaire of Rome, or anie other chaire either of the Greeke or Westerne Church. In England they can go no higher then Granmer; for that all the Bis­hops in Canterburie Chaire, euen from S. Austin the Monke the first that satte in that chaire, were ours, not theirs. So Saint Ireneus Iren. lib. 3. c. 3. re­ckeneth the Bishops of Rome as S. Peeters Successours in the Chaire of the vniuersall Church from saint Peeter to Eleutherius; saint Austin vnto Anastasius. And by this suc­cession Ireneus sayth wee confound all heretiques: saint Austin Augu­tom. 2. ep. 165. lib. cont. ep. fundam. c. 4. sayeth that this succession houldeth him in the Catholicque Roman Church. And this succession Tertullian Ter­tullian. lib. prae­scriptio. who calleth [Page 104]saint Clement Bishop of Rome. Peeters successour, demaundeth of all Heretiques, knowing that they cannot shew it.

14. But although enough hath beene sayed to prooue the Bishop of Rome Peeters successour; yet let vs he are what the mellifluous saint Bernard Bern. lib. 3. de consider. [...]d Eugen. sayed to Pope Eugenius, who had been his Monke and scholler, and then was Bishop of Rome. But because he is long, I will cite him in English: Go to, let vs searche yet more diligentlle, who thou art, whose person thou bearest for the tyme in the Church of God. VVho art thou? The great Preist, the chiefest Bishop. Thou art Prince of the Bishops, thou art heyre to the Apostles. Thou art in primacie Abel, in gouernment Noë, in Patriarchship A­braham, in ordre Melchisedech, in dignitie Aaron, in Authoritie Moyses, in office of iudge Samuel, in power Peeter, in vnction [Page 105]Christe. Thou art he to whom (in Peeter) the Keyes were giuen, the sheepe commit­ted. There are others indeed that are por­ters of heauē and Pastours of flockes; but thou so much the more gloriouslie, by how much the more differentlie thou hast inhe­rited aboue others both names. They haue flockes assigned to thē, seuer all, to seuerall; to thee all flockes are cōmitted, one to one, Neither art thou pastour onelie of the sheepe, but also of all the pastours, thou alone art Pastour of all. Thou demandest how I prooue this; out of the word of our Lord. For to whom, I say not of the Bis­hops, but euen of the Apostles, so absolute­lie and without dinstinction, were all the sheepe committed? If thou louest mee, Peeter, feede my sheepeIo. ca. 21. vers. 17.which? the people of that or that cittie? of that na­tion or Kingdome? my sheepe, sayth he. VVho seeth not plainlie that he designed not some certaine, who assigned all; no­thing excepted wher nothing is distinguis­shed. [Page 106]And a litle after continuing his speech to the same Pope Eugenius, he concludeth in these words: To bee breefe, Iames who seemed to be a pillar of the Church was content vvith Hierusalem onelie, yeelding to Peeter the vvhole vvorld; the brother of our Lord yeeldeth, vvho els can thurst him selfe into P [...]e [...]ers prerogatiue? Therefore according to thy Canons others are called into part of the sollicitude, thou to the fullnesse of povver: others povver is restrained vvithin cer­tain limites, thine extended euen to them vvho haue charge ouer others. Canst not thou, vvhen there is cause, shut heauen to a Bishop, depose him from his Bishoprick, and deliuer him vp to Satan? Thus saint Bernard.

15. Actes of the B. of Rome, in which he carried himself as supreme Pastour. And truelie the Bishop of Rome hath euer euen from saint Peeter carried himselfe as vniuer­sall and cheefe Pastour. For he hath deposed euen Patriarches and Bis­hops; [Page 107]and confirmed the election of others; he hath called generall Councelles and presided in them; he hath at the petition of generall Councelles confirmed theire de­crees; he hath prescribed lawes to the whole Church; he hath appoin­ted Bishops out of the Diocese of Rome, euen in Greece it selfe; he hath giuen authoritie to others to preach the ghospell in all countries; To him appellatiōs haue beē made from all partes; he hath written let­tres of command to all Bishops, to Kings and Emperours; and he hath excommunicated, deposed and ab­solued them: all which argueth him euer to haue exercised the power of an vniuersall Bishop ouer all the Church and Prelates of the Church; and consequentlie he is S. Peeters successour, and Christes Vicaire, as Constantine Dist. 96. cap. Constan­inus. the greate stileth [Page 108]saint Peeter, to whom he is succes­sour.

16. Wherefore if the Pope should demaund of all the Bishops, An argu­mēt proo­uinge the Bishop of Rome to be aboue all Bis­hops. Prima­tes or Patriarches of the Church, ether residing in theire owne seates, or assembled in a Generall Coūcell, whether they be the sheepe of Christ; they could not deny it vnles they should deny themselues to bee Christians. And then the Pope might subsume: If you be the sheepe of Christ, you are Peeters sheepe, for that Christ committed all his sheepe without anie restri­ction vnto saint Peeter: If yow be Peeters sheepe, yow are my sheepe, for that I am Peeters lawful succes­sour: If yow be my sheepe I am your Pastour; and if your Pastour, your Superiour.

17. Awaie then with our Refor­mers who will haue all equall, all [Page 109]Priests alike, and consequentlie no supreme Pastour. Awaie with Spa­latensis his equalitie of Bishops; the Bishop of Rome is their Prince and Pastour. For as the Church is one vi­sible fold so it hath one visible chiefe Pa­stour; as it is one visible Kingdome, so it hath one spirituall and visible Monar­che: as it is one mysticall and visible bo­die, so it hath one visible head, not Christ onelie, because he is now inuisible; and therefore saint Paul 1. Cor. c. 12. vers. 21. compareth the Church to a bo­die whose head can not saye to the feete I need yow not, as Christe can, the visible heade the Pope can­not: It is one visible familie, and so hath one paterfamilias, and good man of the house: it is one visible armie terrible as an armie of a cāpe sette in ar­ray and so must haue one visible gene­ral to lead and cōmand; It is one Hierar­chie instituted according to that of [Page 110]the Angelles, and so it hath (at is prooued) one supreme Pastour vnder Christ as that hath one supreme Prince vnder God.

THE V. CHAPTER. That besides Peeter and his successour who is the supreme visible and spirituall Prince of the Ecclesiasticall Hierar­chie, there must be diuers orders and dignities vnder him.

1. I Hauing shewed in the first chapter that To the making vp of a Hierarchie two things are essentiallie re­quired, to wit, one supreme Prince, and vnder him diuers orders and dignities, both which are found in the Hie­rarchie of Angelles, as in that Chap­ter is declared at large: and hauing prooued in the second Chapter that [Page 111] In the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of the Church, Conformablie to the cae­lestiall, there are in Generall diuers or­ders vnder one head and supreme visible Pastour; and hauing demonstrated in the third Chapter, that S. Peeter was in his tyme the supreme visible Pa­stour of the Church vnder Christe; and in the fourth Chapter that the Bis­hop of Rome is his lavvfull successour and chiefe Pastour after him: It remanieth that in this fift chapter I make manifest vnto my Reader more particularlie then I did in the se­cond chapter the orders and degrees of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of the Church of Christ.

2. What was the Hierarchie of the Synagogue we haue seen, and how it consisted of the high Priest and the inferiour Priestes and Leuites we haue declared; In the Church, first wee haue our Moyses [Page 112]also Christ IESVS; for as Moyses was the first and highest Priest of the Iewes according to that of the Psalme: Psa. 98 vers. 6. Moyses & Aaron in sacer­dotibus eius: Moyses and Aaron in his Priests, and did the office of the high­est Priest in consecrating Aaron and his sonnes: Exod. 29. for which cause he is called by saint Gregorie Na­zianzen Nazia. orat. 22. Sacerdos Sacerdotum: Priest of Priests: Christe compared with Moyses Ps. 109. Hebr. 5. so was Christ highest Priest of the new lawe according to Melchisedech, and he consecrated Peeter and the rest of the Apostles. As Moyses consecrated Aaron and his sonnes; yet had none to suc­ceed him in his Priesthood, all the succession being to Aaron and his children; so Christ consecrated the Apostles, but had no successour; onlie Peeter and the Apostles haue successours; As by Moyses the old lawe was promulgated; so the new [Page 113]lawe by Christ was enacted: As Moyses by manie miracles freed the Israëlites from the captiuitie of Pharao; so Christ by manie more fteed his people frō the thraldom of the diuil: As Moyses like a Prince, Duke, and Generall, ledde the Israëlites through the deserte to­wards the land of promise, for which cause Philo Philo. lib. 3. de vita Moy­sis. stileth him king, legislatour, Prophet and high Priest. Haec fuit vita obitusque Moysis Regis, le­gislatoris, vatis & Pontificis: So Christ leadeth vs by his lawe and grace through the desert of this life to hea­uen the land of the liuing, where all God his promises are fulfilled. Se­condlie wee haue our Aaron and highe visible Prieste Peeter and his successours; vnder them wee haue our Bishops and inferiour Priests: wee haue our Leuites, Deacons and other ministers as the Synagogue [Page 114]had theirs wherefore Dauid sayeth: Psal. 44. vers. 17. Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filij: constitues eos principes super omnemter­ram: For thy fathers, there are borne sonnes to thee: thou shalt make thē Princes ouer all the earthe: For the high Priest and other Priests of the old lavve which were thy Fathers (o Synago­gue) there are Sōnes borne to thee, the Apostles; and for thy fathers which were the Apostles, who begat thee in Christe (o Church of Christ) there are borne Bishops and Priests to thee. And therefore the Apostle sayeth: 1. Cor. 12. vers. 28. Et quosdam quidem posu [...] Deus in Ecclesia primum Apostolos, secun­do Prophetas, tertio Doctores, &c. And some verilie God hath set in the Church, first Apostles, secondlie Prophets, thirdlie Doctors. Behold diuers degrees and orders in the Church. And there­fore the same Apostle immediate­lie after addeth: Numquid omnes Apo­stoli? [Page 115]numquid omnes Prophetae? &c. Are all Apostles? are all Prophets? &c. As if he had saied; no; because there are diuers degrees, ordres and offices in the Church, as there are diuers mē ­bers in the bodie, which haue di­uers offices; amongst which not withstanding is great concord and mutuall communication, and par­ticipation. Again the same Apostle sayeth Ephe. 4. vers. 11. And he gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and other some Euan­gelistes, and other some Doctors and Pa­stours: behold here also distinct or­ders in the Church: for by Apostles as saint Chrysostome Chrys­in cap. 4. ad Ephes. expoun­deth he meaneth those onely, who were sent to preach ouer al the world, though they were Bishops also; by Pastours and Doctors he vnderstandeth Bishops and Priests, who were not sent ouer al the world, but were tyed to some certain [Page 116]Citties and determinate places.

3. The Hie­ratchie of the Church in the Apo­stles tyme. And whilest the Apostles liued, this was the Hierarchie, these were the ordres of the Church. The first man in dignitie and chiefe pastour was saint Peeter, as I haue aboue demonstrated: next to him were the Apostles, who were his sheepe, as aboue is prooued and so subiect vnto him; yet because they were Apostles, as well as he, they were in some sorte equall vnto him. Which equalitie Christ graun­ted vnto them onelie for the better and more speedie plantation and propagation of the fayth, and con­uersion of the world.

4. The A­postles and S. Peeters authoritie cōpared. For first as Peeter by the assi­stance of the holie ghost, was so cō ­firmed in grace that he could not sinne mortallie, so they as commō ­ly diuines do teach: Secondlie as Peeter could not erre in preaching [Page 117]or defining matters of faith, for that Christ saied: Lucae. cap. 22. vers. 32. Rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua: I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not: So neither could the rest of the Apostles, for whom also Christ prayed to his fa­ther to giue them the Holie Ghost. And this was requisite at that tyme, for that the Apostles deuiding them selues into diuers countries, and these farre distant by sea and Land, that so they might make the spee­dier and more vniuersall conquest of the world, if thus dispersed they would haue erred in defining the [...]ayth, they should haue deceiued manie with them, and yet being distant frō Peeter their head and Su­periour they could not by him haue beene corrected. And besides be­cause then it was not so well known amongst the new conuerted Chri­stians that Peeter was the had of the [Page 118]Apostles, if any of them had erred the new Christians would haue beene scandalised, and could not haue knowne whom to followe; and therefore it was necessarie then that none of the Apostles could erre in doctrine of fayth and manners, but this infallibilitie of preaching trevv doctrine is not now necessarie in Bishops theire Successours, for that they may bee directed and corre­cted by Peeters Successour the Bis­hop of Rome.

5. Secondlie as Peeter had au­thoritie euerie where to preach, and minister Sacramentes, to absol [...] from sinnes, to excommunicate, t [...] make Ecclesiasticall lawes, to gi [...] Indulgences and the like in all pa [...] ­tes of the world: so euerie one [...] the Apostles could exercise this a [...] ­thoritie in all places where th [...] came, but vvith a subordination [...] [Page 119]Peeter, vvho could send them to this Countrie and to that. And if in matter of facte any of them erred (for in matter of faith they could not) he could iudge and correct them; and some say he could sus­pend or limit theire ample Iurisdi­ction, as he savv cause; others say he could not, because they were not delegated by him, but by Christe, and had their Iurisdiction imme­diatelie from him, and not from Peeter. And although they might make particular Ecclesiastical lawes in euerie place where they conuer­ted Infidels to the Christian faith, vvhich yet Peeter might haue abro­gated if they could haue beene in­donuenient for place and tyme; yet they could not haue made Gene­rall lavves to binde the vvhole Church, that appertaining proper­lie to Peeter, and for that it vvould [Page 120]derogate to the monarchie of the Church, and vvould breede confu­sion, if diuers should enact diuers generall lavves.

6. Thirdlie though euerie one of the Apostles had authoritie ouer all the persons of the Church, yet not ouer one another; much lesse ouer Peeter: but he had authoritie also ouer them.

7. Fourthlie this vniuersall au­thoritie, in the Apostles vvas extra­ordinarie both in respect of him that gaue the authoritie, vvhich vvas Christe, vvhereas, Peeter being the chiefe pastour, it should haue other vvise been giuen by him; as also in respect of the extent and lar­genesse of their Iurisdiction, vvhich should haue been limited to particu­lar places, as the Iurisdiction of Bis­hops is. But Peeters vniuersall autho­ritie was ordinarie in both respects. [Page 121]For as in the creation of the vvorld it vvas no miracle that God imme­diatlie by himselfe alone should creat the first creatures, (nature then requiring it) but aftervvard the course of nature required that he should vse the second causes to vvorke, and so to let a man generate a man, and a lion a lion, and fier fier, and therefore now vvould be a miracle and aboue the course of na­ture if God should create a man, beast, or plante immediatlie: So it vvas no extraordinarie thing but necessarie that at first Christ should elect and constitute his vicegerent Peeter, though novv if Christ should elect his Vicair im­mediatlie, and not by the Cler­gie, it would bee extraordina­rie and as it were miraculous, though now also Christ immedia­tlie giueth Peeters successour his au­thoritie [Page 122]as is aboue declared: euen as now although God vseth man as a second cause to generate man, and to dispose to the creation of mans soule, yet God onelie crea­teth and infuseth the soule. Like­wise Peeters authoritie in respect of its extente was ordinarie, he being constituted ordinarie Pastour of the vniuersall Church, as aboue is prooued. And hence it is that the Bishop of Rome is pastour ouer the whole Church, because he succee­deth to Peeter, as Ordinarie Pastour of the sayed Church. But because the vniuersall Iurisdiction of the Apostles was extraordinarie and delegate, therefore Bishops (who are their successours) do not succeed them in that ample Iurisdiction. If anie of the Apo­stles liued after Pee­ter he was subiect to Peeters successour Out of which it followeth that if after Peeters death anie of the Apo­stles should be liuing, they should [Page 123]be subordinate to Peeters successour euen as they were to Peeter, onelie they should exceed Peeters succes­sour in this, that they could make Canonicall Scripture, whereas the Bishop of Rome can onely ap­prooue it, and define which is scrip­ture, which is not, and what is the trew meaning of it, and what is not.

8. By this it will easilie appeare that the first in dignitie and autho­ritie of the Churches Hierarchie are the twelue Apostles prefigured (as Iustinus Iustin. in dialog. cont. Try­phonem: sayeth) by the 12. belles that hung at the high Priests veste­ment. The next to them are Bis­hops, who succeed to the Apostles: and next to them are Priests who succeed to the seauentie two disci­ples, as Anacletus Ana­clet. Ep. 3. affirmeth. Because though Bishops haue not authoritie ouer al the Church, as [Page 124]the Apostles had, nor the gift of mi­racles as they had; yet they succeed them in the power of order, by which they can ordaine Ministers and confirme, as they did: and as the Apostles were the first in digni­tie after Christ, so they are the first after Christ his Vicair the Bishop of Rome. And although the seauē ­tie two disciples were not Priests (for as wee read in the Acts Act. c. [...]. vers. 6. of the Apostles, Philip and Stephen and the other 5. Deacons who vvere of the seauentie tvvo, vvere orday­ned Deacons by the Apostles) yet because as the 72. disciples vvere next to the Apostles, so Priestes are next in ranke and place of dignitie to the Bishops they are sayed to suc­ceed the 72. disciples.

9. To Bishops the Apostles sayed Act. c. 20. vers. 28. attendite vobis & vniuerso gregi. Take heed to your selues and the [Page 125]whole flocke, wherein the holy Ghost hath placed yow Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he hath purcha­sed with his owne bloud. By vvhich it is plaine, that Bishops are instituted by the holie Ghost and diuine or­dinance. And vvhere the Apostle in the places alleaged 1. Cor. c. 12. & ad Eph. 4. to the Corinthians and Ephesians sayeth, Christe gaue some Apostles some Do­ctours &c. Saint Chrysostome by Doctours and Pastours vnderstandeth Bishops. Which places also argue the dignitie of Bishops to be no hu­man inuention, but the diuine or­dinance. So vvhen the Apostle sayeth vnto Timothee 1. Ti­moth. c. 4. vers. 14. Noli negli­gere gratiam, quae data est cibiper pro­phetiam cum impositione manuum Presby­ [...]terij: Neglect not the grace which is giuen vnto thee by prophecie with imposition of the handes of priesthood: By prophecie he doth not signifie that by it (as by a [Page 126]rite or instrumēt) grace vvas giuen, but onelie, that by prophecie, that is, by reuelation saint Paul knevv Timothie to be fit to receiue the grace of ordination vvhich vvas done vvith imposition of handes of the priesthood, that is, (as saint Chryso­stome, Oecumenius, Theophilact and others expound) of a companie of Bishops: Three Bishops are neces­sarie to make Bis­hop. for sayeth S. Chrysost he could not be ordained Bishop, as he vvas, by priests. And therefore di­uines saye that to make a Bishop, three Bishops are necessarie vnlesse necessitie excuse. And this they prooue out of Anacletus vvho vvas ordained by saint Peeter, and vvho in his second Epistle Ana­clet. ep. 2. c. 1. sayeth that saint Iames the first Bishop of Hie­rusalem vvho vvas called, Iuste, and vvas the brother, that is, the consir [...] of our Lord and Sauiour, à Petro I [...] ­cobo & Ioam [...] Apostolis ordinatus est: h [...] [Page 127]was ordained by Peeter, Iames maior, and Ihon Apostles: which (sayth he) ex­ample was giuen; that a Bishop should not be ordained by fewer then three Bis­hops. And that three Bishops are ne­cessarie by the diuine praecept and Institution to ordaine one Bishop, it may appeare by that in the be­ginning of his Epistle he sayeth, he will answer breeflie, prout Dominus tribuit & vt a B. Petro Apostolorum prin­cipe instructi sumus, a quo & Presbyter ordinatus sum: as our lord giueth, and as we are instructed by Blessed Peeter the Prince of the Apostles of whom also I was ordained Priest. The same affirmeth Pope Anicere Anicet. ep. vnica ad Episc. Gallia. alleaging the for­mer wordes, and Damasus Da­mas. ep. 4. c. 2. Conc. Nie. c. 3. & re­fert. [...]. E­piscopi in omnibus. d. 64. Concil. Carthag. 2. can. 12. & refer­tur cap. placet om­nibus. Concil. Arclae. [...]. can. [...]. also with the second councel of Nice, and the second of Carthage, and first of Arles do auerre the fame: yet in case of necessitie one Bishop sufficeth.

10. Likewise when saint Paul Tit. c. 1. vers. 5. writing, to Titus sayth: Huius reigra­tia reliqui te Cretae, vt ea quae desunt cor­rigas & constituas per ciuitates presbyte­ros &c. For this cause I left the in Crete, that thou shouldst reforme the things that are wanting and shouldst ordaine Priests by Citties. Where for the word Priests in Greeke is [...] presby­teros which in the Apostles time was a name giuen to Bishops as well as to Priestes. And that here he meaneth Bishops appeareth as well because presentlie after he sayeth, a Bishop must be without crime, as also for that he telles him he left him in Crete that he should ordaine priests by Citties; because in euerie great cittie, as neere as myght be, the Apo­stles ordained a Bishop and but one in a Cittie; Priests were appointed to other lesser places. Episcopi autem (sayeth Anacletus) Anacl. ep. 3. non in castelli [...] [Page 129]aut modicis ciuitatibus debent constitui; sed Presbyteri per castella aut modicas ciuitates atque villas debent ab Episcopis ordinari & poni: But Bishops not in Castles or litle walled townes or litle cit­ties must be constituted, but Priests must by the Bishop be placed in castles litle citties and townes; and he gi­ueth by and by the reason: Ne vi­lescat nomen Episcopi: least the name of a Bishop should be litle esteemeed. And when Paulus and Barnabas consti­tuted by citties Act. c. 14. vers. 22. Presbyteros, they constituted Bishops.

11. And amongst Bishops there are diuers degrees, not of order, but Iurisdiction. For that S. Peeter, who vvas Bishop of the vvhole Church, Diuers degrees of Bishops in Iurisdi­ction one­lie. vvas made by Christ head of all the Apostles; the Apostles were higher in dignitie then Timothie and Ti­tus, who were made Bishops by saint Paul: yea then all other Bishops, [Page 130]and amongst Bishops not Apostles, there are also degrees. And first Primates or Patriarches which (as Anacletus sayeth) were in his time but three; as in deede a long time after they were no more. The first Patriarchall seate sayeth hee, is the Roman Church, where saint Peeter dyed Bishop: The second is Alexan­dria consecrated by Marke in the name of saint Peeter: Pataiar­ches who were three at the first; after fo­wer prin­cipal. The Third is of Antioche, honorable (sayth he) for the name of Peeter, who there satre seauen yeares: The fourth in tyme is the Church of Constantinople; which yet afterward was made by the Bishop of Rome, at the entreatie of the Emperour, the second in digni­tie, as aboue we haue seene. After these great Patriarches there vvere other lesser Patriarches, now called Primates, Archbis­hops. as of Lions, of Canter­burie, and such like. After them are [Page 131]Archbishops who haue diuers Bis­hops for their suffragans: and af­ter them are Bishops who are lo­wer in dignitie and Iurisdictiō then all the former. Bishop [...]. For Patriarches and Primates haue Iurisdiction ouer di­uers Countries; Archbishops ouer diuers citties and Bishops; Bishops are principallie ouer one cittie, as London, Winchester, &c. And vn­der Bishops are Priests, Priestes. who haue lesse Iurisdiction then the Bishop; because the Bishop hath Iurisdi­ction ouer his diocese which contai­neth manie parishes; the Priest, if he be Pastour, hath authoritie one­lie in his Parish: and the Bishop can reserue causes from the Priest and pastour, and is his Iudge and can ex­communicate him.

12. But if vve consider the de­grees, not of Iurisdiction but of or­der, then in all Bishops there is but [Page 132]one order, But one degree of Order a­mongst Bishops. for that the poorest Bis­hop is as good a Bishop as the Archbishop, Patriarch, yea and Pope himselfe, and hath as great povver of order as they, for that he can ordaine and confirme as vvel as they: and therefore Anacletus Anacl. ep. 3. saieth: Episcoporum autem vnus est ordo: Of Bishops there is one order. And S. Ig­natius Ignat. ep. ad Smyrn. saieth that a Bishop is prin­ceps Sacerdotum: Prince of Priests: and that as there is nothing in the common­wealth greater then the King, so there is nothing in the Church greater then the Bishop.

13. The of­fice of a Bishop. The Bishops office is to of­fer sacrifice, to remitte sinnes, to or­daine Priests and other Ministers of the Church, to cōfirme, to Iudge, consecrate Churches, altars, chali­ces, vestements, and to these all his other offices may bee reduced.

14. After Bishops are Priests [Page 133]whose first office is to offer the dreadfull sacrifice of he bodie and bloud of Christ, The of­fice of a Prieste. vvhich is so proper to them, that it cannot be perfor­med of anie, who is not Priest true­lie ordained and consecrated, which power Christe gaue to the Apostles and in them to all Priests at his last supper, vvhen he gaue them his sa­cred body and bloud, and saied vn­to thē: Luc. c. 22.1. Cor. c. 11. Hoc facite in meam commemo­ratiouem: Do you this for a commemo­ration of mee. For then as the Coun­cell of Trente Conc. Trident. sess. 22. c. 1. defineth, Christ made the Apostles Priests, and ga­ue them power to consecrate and to offer the holie sacrifice of the bo­dy and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine, as Christ their highest Priest had done be­fore them: and the same power vvhich he gaue to them, he gaue in like manner to all Priests their [Page 134]Successours in Priesthood, as saint Denis, Diony. de Eccles. Hierarch. c. 3. saint Ireneus, Iren. lib. 4. c. 12. S. Cy­prian, Cypri. ep. ad Ce­cil. S. Chrysostome, Chrys. hom. 17. in ep. Heb. S. Am­b [...]ose, Ambro. in Psal. 38 &c. 1. Heb. and others affirme. The second office of a Priest is to ab­solue from sinnes, vvhich povver vvas giuen to the Apostles and to all Priestes (who in Priesthood succeed them) after Christ his resurrection, when as he sayed: Ioan. c. 20. vers. 23. Quorum remise­ritis peccata, &c. VVhose sinnes yow shall forgiue, they are forgiuen: and whose yow shall retaine they are retained. Which office Priests now exercise in the Sa­crament of Pennance, as S. Cyprian Cypr. serm. de Laps. S. Chrysostome, Chry. sost. lib. 3. de sacerd. S. Hierom, Hieron. in c. 16. Matt. & in cap. 10. Eccles. saint Cyrille, Cyril. lib. 2. in Leuit. saint Austine, Rom. c. 13. vers. 4. and other ancient Fathers do wittnesse.

15. And if vvee compare these povvers, the first is the greatest, be­cause by it the Prieste hath power in corpus Christi naturale, as deuines [Page 135]say: The po­wer to cō ­secrate is greater then the power to remit sinnes. that is to consecrate the natu­rall body of Christ, and by transub­stantiating bread into his bodie and wine into his bloud (which the Priest doth by the force of Christs owne words) to make both reallie present on the Altar, as they are reallie present vnder the formes of bread and wine. The second power though greater then any Angell in heauen hath, for to vvhom of the Angelles vvas it euer sayed; whose sinnes yovv shall forgiue, they are for­giuen them? yet it is lesser then the former because by this the Priest hath povver onely ouer the mysti­call body of the Church by absol­uing her members frō their sinnes or by retayning them: The dig­nitie of a Priest. And there­fore as the mysticall body of Christ is lesse in dignitie then his natural body which is infinitlie dignified by its vnion with the diuinitie; so the [Page 136]power te remitte sinnes is les­ser then the povver to conse­crate the bodie and bloud of Christ. And these tvvo powers de­clare how greate the dignitie of a Priest is and how he is to be estee­med and honoured. The dig­nitie of a Priest. Other lesser of­fices the Priest hath as to, baptize, to minister Sacramētes, to preach, and to blesse diuers creatures; though without a speciall priuiledge he can­not blesse vestements, nor Al­tarchothes, nor Altars, nor Chur­ches nor Chalices. But of Priests I shall say more in the next chap­ter.

16. Deacons. After Priests follow Deacons, so called of the Greeke word [...] which signifieth in his first accep­tion Minister, as [...] signifieth any ministerie. And in this large signifi­cation S. Paule Rom. c. 13. vers. 4. calleth Kings and secular princes or Magistrates God [Page 137]his minister in Greeke [...]. So he calleth Rom. c. 15. ver. 8. Christe Minister circum­cisionis: minister of circumcision, because he executed his office of Messias first towardes the Iewes circumci­sed, in Greeke [...]. So he bid­deth 2. Tim. c. 4. ver. 14 Timothie fulfill his ministe­rie: in Greeke [...]: and yet then Timothie was a Bishop: and there­fore saint Paul biddeth 1. Tim. c. 4. vers. 5. him not to neglect the grace which was giuen him with the impositiō of handes by the Priest­hood, that is, by a cōpanie of Bishops who ordained him Bishop, as aboue we haue prooued. Deacons­hip an ho­lie order. But by vse of scripture and custome of the Church, [...] Dia­conus signifieth not whatsoeuer mi­nister, but him who assisteth the Bishop or Priest. This order of Deacon is an holy order and de­gree next to Priesthood, instituted by Christ, and a Sacramēt of order, as commonlie diuines do auerre; [Page 138]whence it is that the Apostle when he mentioneth Bishops and Priests he mentioneth also Deacons as when he sayeth 1. Tim. c. 3. vers. 2. & 8. It behoueth a Bishop to be irreprehensible, the hush and of one wife (that is, who hath had but one wife and is not Bigamus) sober, wise &c. Where vnder the name of Bis­hops are vnderstood Priests, who also must haue these qualities. He addeth; Diaconos similiter pudicos &c. Deacons in like manner chaste &c. And to the Philippians: Phil. c. 1. vers. 2. Cum Episco­pis & Diaconibus, with the Bishops and Deacons. And againe: let Deacons be the husbandes of one wife: Where in in the name (Deacons) some in­terpreters think that subdeacons are vnderstood. The first office of Deacons was to haue care of the poore and widowes, and to this of­fice seuen (where of saint Stephen was the first) were elected, with [Page 139]imposition of handes. And many Diuines think that in this place they were ordayned, and receiued the holie order of Deacons, and that then they were not elected onelie to haue care of the poore, but also to assist at the Altar: For that not onelie faithfull and indu­strious men, who had been suffi­cient to haue care of the poore and widowes, but also men full of the holie Ghost were chosen. Which argueth them to be chosē to a more sacred function, that is, to assist at the altar, and therefore Stephen is sayed Actor. c. 6. vers. 8. to be full of the holy Ghost, and to haue disputed of the law so learnedlie and Zelouslie, that they could not resist him; Philip prea­ched the ghospell to the Samaritans, Astor. 8. and the Eunuche; and there­fore is graced with the title of Euangelist. Act. 21. And all the rest, sa­uing [Page 140] Nicolaus, were of the like san­ctitie, as the Martyrologes on their dayes do testifie of thē. Who there­fore can think with anie reason, that so rare men should be elected onelie to a prophane office, such as the office of a Stevvard is? And what needed it, that such men should be ordained with prayer and imposition of handes as Bishops are, had they been ordained onelie to a prophane office and not to a sacred function? Other deuines saye that in the sixt of the Actes they were elected as onelie prefectes ouer the tables of the widovves and poore, and after vvere ordained to the sacred function of assisting at the Altar: But it litle skilleth vvhen they vvere ordained to the Altar, so they vvere ordained, as all Ca­tholiques do confesse: yet the rea­sons alleaged seeme to prooue that [Page 141]at that tyme (either a litle before or after) they vvere elected to haue charge of the poore and vviddo­vves, they vvere also ordained to assist at the Altar. And therefore the Fathers and councells Greeke and Latin, alleaged by Coccius Coc­cius tom. 2 lib. 8. ar. 3. speake of Deacons as sacred mini­sters, who assist at the Altar. The Offi­ces of a deacon. The first office then of a Deacon, and that principall is to assist the Bishop or Priest at the Altar. Wherefore saint Ignatius Bishop of Antioche Igna­tius ep. ad Tral. in his Epistle ad Trallianos (which saint Hierom in his Cata­logue approueth as his) writeth thus of Deacons: Quid sunt Diaconi nisi Imitatores Angelicarum virtutum ei ministrantes ministerium purum & im­maculatum; vt S. Stephanus Beato Ia­cobo, & Timotheus ac Linus Paulo, & Anacletus atque Clemens Petro. The second office was not to consecrate [Page 142]but to minister the holie Chalice vnto the Communicantes, as witnesseth saint Cyprian Cypr. serm. de lap. and as saint Ambrose, Ambr. lib. Offie. cap. 41. saint Leo S. Leo serm. de S. Laurent. and saint Austine Augu. serm. 37. de diuersis. affirme of saint Laurence; yea to distribute to those that were present, and to carrie to those that were absent, the sacred hoste, as saint Hierom, or who­soeuer was authour of the Epistle of the Paschal Candle, and the fourth Councel of Carthage Conc. Carthag. 4. can. 38. in which saint Austin was present, do auerre. The Third is to minister bread and wine to the Priest, as the Missall and Pontificall do teache vs. The fourth to preache to the people or rather to catechise thē in the ab­sence of the Bishop and Priest, a [...] Philip the Deacon preached to the Samaritans. Act. cap. 8. So saint Gregor [...] Greg. ep. 44. and saint Austin Au­gnst. ser. 4. de B. Ste­phan [...]. do assure v [...] And therefore Deacons are ordai­ned [Page 143]by the booke of the ghospelles, which is giuen vnto them. The fift is to assist the Bishop when he prea­cheth, and at other tymes: and the­refore Anacletus Ana­clet. ep. 1. and Euaristus Eua­rist. ep. ad Episc. Africa. call Deacons the eyes of the Bishop. The seauen Deacons which were chosen in the vj. of the Actes represēt the seuen spirits which assist before the throne Tobiae. 12. Apoc. 1. & 4. as the Deacons as­sist before the Altar, as some ex­pounde.

17. Next to Deacons is the or­der of Subdeacons, Subdea­cons their order is a Sacra­mente. which order was also instituted (as diuines do commonlie teach) by Christe, and is an holy order: and therefore to it, not to the inferiour orders, is anne­xed chastitie. Of Subdeacons, as of sacred ministers, who therefore are bound to chastitie, there is honora­ble mention in the writings of an­cient fathers and Councels, as the [Page 144]reader may see in Iudocus Coccius Coc­cius. tom. 2. lib. 8. art. 4. at large. I will onelie alleage two or three places; and to omitt saint Cle­ment; Clem. lib. 3. const. A­post. c. 11. lib. 8. c. 21.22. ep. 2. ad Iacob. S. Ignatius, Igna­tius ep. ad Antioch. Saluto (saieth he) presbyterorum Collegium, saluto sa­cros Diaconos, saluto Hypodiaconos &c. I salute the College of Priestes, I salute the sacred Deacons, I salute the subdeacons. Eusebius Euse­bius lib. 6. [...]. 33. also speaking of Noua­tus the Heretique sayeth: Is ergo qui Euangelium vendicabat, nesciebat in Ecclesia Catholica vnum Episcopum esse debere, vbi videbat esse, presbyteros qua­draginta & sex, Diaconos septem, sub­diaconos septem &c. he therefore who chalenged the Ghospell to him, knew not that in the Catholique Church there must be one Bishop where he sawe fort [...] and six priests, seuen Deacons, seuen Sub­dea ons &c. Saint Athanasius Atha­nasius ep. ad solit. vit. agen­tes. tel­leth how the Arrians tooke away violentlie Eutychius his subdea­con who serued the Church well [Page 145]and whipped him to death. Sozo­menus Soz. lib 4. hist. c. 2. maketh mention of Mar­tyrius subdeacon; Anacletus Ana­clet. vbi supra. men­tioneth Deacons and Subdeacons, who are to assist the Bishop in solē ­ne feastes. S. Cyprian S. Cy­prian ep. 24. sayeth that he made Saturus Lector; and Op­tatus subdeacon. The Roman Sy­nod Synod [...] Roman. c. 7. vnder S. Syluester decreeth thus: Let the Priest to the Bishop, the Deacon to the Priest, the Subdeacon to the Deacon, the Acolyte to the Subdeacon, the Exorciste to the Acolyte the Lector or Reader to the Exorciste, the Ostiarius to the Reader shew obedience and humilitie, as well in publique, as in the Church. The fourth Councel of Carthage Concil. Carthag. 4. c. 5. tel­leth how a Subdeacon must be or­dained. S. Leo S. Leo ep. 48. c. 4. the first, Subdia­conis carnale connubium non conceditur: carnall marriage is not graunted to Sub­deacons: so sacred this order was esteemed. Saint Gregorie in many [Page 146]places, S. Greg [...]r ep. 44. & 54. maketh mention of Sub­deacons and of the other orders. The office of the subdeacons is to minister at masse to the Deacon, The office of a Sub­deacon. and to prepare the thinges which he must giue to the Bishop or Priest, to sing the Epistle, &c.

18. Besides these greater Orders, to wit, Priesthood, in which is inclu­ded the order of a Bishop, who is Summus Sacerdos: High and chiefe Priest, the order of Deacon, and Subdeacon, there are fowre lesser orders; to wit, of an Accolite, of an Exorcist, of a Le­ctor or Reader, and of an Ostiarius, who had in anciēte tyme charge of the Church dore, to keep out infi­dels and excommunicated persons and to let in the faithfull onelie and those who are not excommuni­cated: Which fower lesser orders if they be Sacramentes of Order, as the other are (as saint Thomas o [...] [Page 147]Aquin S. Tho. in 4. d. 24. qu. 2 ar. 2. q. 3. & [...]lij ibidem. and diuers diuines affir­me) then is the Hierarchie of the Church, consisting in these seuen orders, wholie instituted and or­dained by Christ; because he onely, not the Church, can institute Sacramentes. But if the fowre lesser Orders be not Sacramentes, but o­nelie orders and degrees instituted by the Church for decencie, and for the better performing of the fun­ctions in the Hierarchie of the Church, as others saye; Ma­gist. in 4. dist. 24. c [...]p. s [...]pti­mus ordo. Dur. ibid. Caiet. to. 1. opuse. tract. 11. then the Hierarchie of the Church is partlie of Christes, partlie of the Churches institution. As for the Clericall tonsure called Prima tonsura, that is onelie a disposition to other orders, no order; because it giueth a mā no speciall degree in the tem­ple or Ecclesiasticall state; but one­lie is a generall disposition to all or­ders by which a Clearke is distin­guished, [Page 148]from the Laye, but hath no degree in the Cleargie.

19. Which opinion so euer goe for true (for here I intend not to dispute the matter, but to leaue it to the scholes) there is ancient men­tion of these fower lesser orders not onely by Isidorus Isidor. lib. 2. Of­fic. Eccles. Rabanus Raba. lib. de in­stitu. Cle­ricor. c. 12. Alcuinus, Alcui­nus lib. de diuin. offi­cijs. c. 35. Stephanus Eduen­sis, Steph. Eduens. lib. de Sa. cram. Al­tar. but also by saint Ignatius Ignat. ep. ad An­tioch. who saluteth subdeacons Lectors, Priests of the Church, and Exorcists. Eusebius in the place aboue quoted mentioneth Acolytes Lectors and porters. Saint Cyprian Cypr. ep. 15.24.55.78. also in diuers Epistles mentioneth one or other of them. The Roman synod, as wee haue seene aboue, rehear­seth all the seuen orders. The fourth Councell of Carthage Con [...]. Carth. 4. can. 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. vnder Anastasius Pope, at which saint Austine was present, setteth downe the manner, how a Bishop, Priest, [Page 149]Deacon, Subdeacon, Acolyte, Exorcist, Lector, and Ostiarius, are to be ordained.

20. Saint Thomas of Aquin D. Tho. in 4. d. 24. q. 4. sheweth how these seuen orders are answerable to the graces which di­uines call Gratias gratis datas, and which saint Paule reckeneth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. 1. Cor. c. 12. For sayeth he Sermo scientiae the word of wisdome, aggreeth to the Bishop which is he that ordaineth all and illuminateth all: The 7. or­ders com­pared to the gra­ces. The worde of know­ledge to the Priest, who must haue the key of knowledge: faith to the Deacons, who singeth and prea­theth the ghospell; and in like manner he applieth the rest. Yea (saieth he) some distinguish these or­ders according to the celestiall or­ders which do purge, illuminate, and perfect. Saint Bonauenture Bon. in 4. d. 24 qu. 2. Scotus ibid. Ger­sō in com­pend. cap. de Sacr. ord. di­stinguisheth these orders another [Page 150]way, Scotus and Gerson other wayes and all verie pertinentlie.

21. In these orders consisteth the Hierarchie of the Church, and in the orders of Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons, it con­sisteth by the Diuine ordinance, and Institution; in the other fower at least by the Institution of the Apostles or the Church, which euen from the Apostles hath practi­sed these lesser orders, as the Coun­cell of Trent assureth vs, and as may vndoubtedlie appeare by the Councells and ancient fathers allea­ged. Wherefore the same Councell Conc. Trid. sess. 23. cap. 2. defineth that the Hierarchie of the Church, established by the di­uine ordinance, consisteth in Bis­hops, Priests, and other ministers: where by other Ministers, Deacons and Sub­deacons seeme at least to be vnder­stood. These bee the wordes of the [Page 151]Councell Conc. Trid. sess. 23. can. 6. with which I will end this chapter: Si quis dixerit in Ecclesia Catholica non esse Hierarchiam diuina or­dinatione institutam que constat ex Epis­copis & presbyteris & ministris: Ana­thema sit: If any shall say that there is not in the Cathelique Church a Hierar­chie instituted by the diuine ordinance, which consisteth of Bishops, Priests and ministers let him be accursed.

THE VI. CHAPTER. That Bishops are distinct in Order from Priestes and higher in dignitie then they.

1. BY that vvhich is allready sayed, it may easilie be seen, that the Bishop and Priest are the high­est orders and degrees in our Ecclesiasti­call Hierarchie: wherefore because [Page 150] [...] [Page 151] [...] [Page 152]the more distinction there is in or­ders the more the Hierarchie is gra­ced, as in the first chapter wee haue seen by the Hierarchie of Angels, in which there are not two of one degree; I shall shew in this chapter that the order of a Bishop is distinct frō the order of a Priest; that so I may the more illustrate and embellish this our Hierarchie, by how much it hath greater distinction of Or­ders.

2. Aërius and some other hereti­ques, to ruine our Hierarchie, which cannot stand without distin­ction of orders, haue sought to confounde them and to make them all one. I will not deny but that in the Apostles tyme, when there were few Bishops and Priests, they went by one name [...] in Greek, Presbyteri in Latin, Priests in English, as appeareth by many [Page 153]places of holy scripture which a­boue we haue related. For where saint Paul 1. Tim. c. 4. vers. 14. exhorteth Timothie not to neglect the grace which is giuen him by imposition of handes of priesthood; by priesthood he vnderstandeth a cōpagnie of Bishops, as the Greeke interpreters Chrys. Oecumen. Theoph. expound it. And when he sayeth Tit. c. c. 1. vers. 5. that he left Titus in Creete to ordaine Priests by Citties, by Priestes he meaneth Bishops as saint Hierom Hier [...] ­nymus. expoundeth and as aboue is declared. So saint Pee­ter by Seniours to which in Greeke is answerable [...], vnderstan­deth Bishops, as appeareth by the wordes following 1. Petr. c. 5. vers. [...]. Pascite qui in vobis est gregem Dei: prouidentes &c. Feed the flocke of God which is amongst you, prouiding not by constraint &c. Where for the word Prouidentes Prouiding, the Greeke, text hath [...] of which cometh the word [Page 154] [...]piscopus Bishop so the name Pres­biter and Senior is taken in other places 2. & 3. epist. Ioan. 1. [...]etr. vlt. Act. 15. & 20. for a Bishop. But although in the Apostles age the Bishop and Priest were called by one name; yet Bishops, euer since their first in­stitution, Bishops and Priests had one name but a distincte power. were distinguished from Priests in power and digintie, and therein euer had the precedence and superioritie ouer them: and therefore some tymes euen holy scripture doth appropriate the na­me [...] Presbyter, Priest, vnto Priests, as they are distinguished from Bishops. As when saint Paul 1. Ti­moth. c 5. vers. 15. sayeth: Aduersus Presbyterum accu­sationem noli accipere nisi sub duobus a [...]t tribus testibus: Against a Priest receiue not accusation, but vnder two or three witnesses: he chargeth Timothie a Bishop not to receiue to easilie ac­cusation against a Priest; which ar­gueth that he speaketh of a Priest, [Page 155]whose Iudge the Bishop is; which is a signe that the Priest is inferiour to the Bishop. And when S. Iames Iacob. c. 5. vers. 14. sayeth: Is any man sicke among you? let him bring in the Priests of the Church, and let them praye ouer him &c. He meaneth Priests, not Bis­hops; For that in one Church there neuer were many Bishops (as we haue shewed aboue) though vnder one Bishop and in one Church there were many Priests.

True it is, that Aërius, Aërius made a Bishop and Priest all one. that infa­mous heretique, because he could not himself attaine to the dignitie of a Bishop, as he desired, affirmed that a Bishop and a Priest were all one, as Epiphanius Epiph. haeres. 75. and S. Austine Augu­stin. lib. de haeres. hers. 53. do testifie. To him subscribeth Iohn Caluin Caluin. lib. 4. insti­tut. ca. 4. num. 1. in his Institutions; who therefore in Geneua and Frāce where he domineereth, hath no Bishops to gouerne, but a consisto­rie [Page 156]of Ministers; which gouernmēt, our Puritans also do affect to bring into our Englishe new Church, though the Prince hath euer resisted them.

4. The fa­thers and diuines make a Bishòp and Priest distincte. But the cōmon opinion of an­cient Fathers and diuines is, that a Bishop is of an higher rank in the Church of God then a Priest, and is superiour to him in degree ad dignitie by the diuine ordinance and institution. Sanctus Ig­natius Igna. ep. ad Smyrnons. calleth the Bishop Prince of Priests: Ergo he is his Superiour, and therefore he chargeth Deacons to be subiect to Priests, and Priests to Bishops. Saint Ambrose Ambr. in 1. Ti­moth. 3. ob­serueth that saint Paul writing to Timothie, after the Bishop addeth immediatelie the Deacon, not men­tioning the Priest: Post Episcopum, Diaconi ordinem subijcit: Quare? nisi quia Episcopi & Presbyteri vna ordinatio est, vterque enim Sacerdos est. Sed Episcopus [Page 157]primus est, vt omnis Episcopus Presbyter sit, non tamen omnis Presbyter Episcopus: After the Bishop he addeth next the order of a Deacon. VVhy? but because there is one ordination of the Bishop and Priest, for both are Priests; but the Bishop is first; so that euerie Bishop is a Priest, but not euerie Priest a Bishop. Where he sayeth that there is one ordination of both in respect of Priesthood; For that both are Priests, but yet he graunteth that the Bishop is first and chiefe, to wit, as Bishop, and so insinuateth another ordination by which he is Primus First, and aboue the Priest. Damasus Da. masc. ep. 4. also when he sayeth: Hoc solummodo Chorepiscopis concedatur vt inter sacerdotes locum ha­beāt &c. Let this onelie he graunted to the Chorepiscopi that they haue place amōgst the Priests, and that they content them­selues with the ministerie of Priests, and not meddle with Episcopal functions; in­sinuateth [Page 158]enough that the Chore­piscopi and Priests are of an inferiour ranke and degree, then Bishops are. S. Austine Aug. ep ad [...]iero [...]. in one of his epistles to saint Hierom: Quamquam secun­dum honorum vocabula, quae iam Eccle­s [...]e vsus obtinuit. Episcopatus Presbyterio maior sit; tamen in multis rebus Augu­stinus Hieronymo minor est &c. Al­though according to the names of honour, which now the vse of the Church hath obtained, the order of a Bishop be greater, then the order of a Priest; yet in many thinges Austine (though a Bishop) is lesse then Hierom. This the Councel of Trēt Conc. [...]rid. sess. 23. cap. 4. hath defined in expresse words saying Proinde Sacrosancta Sy­nodus declarat, praeter caeteros Ecclesiasti­cos gradus, Episcopos qui in Apostolorū lo­cum successerunt, ad hunc Hierarchicum ordinem praecipue pertinere, & positos (sicut Apostolus ait) a Spiritu Sancto re­gere Ecclesiam Dei, eosque Presbyteris [Page 159]superiores esse: VVherefore the Sacred Synod declareth that, besides other Eccle­siasticall orders, Bishops, who haue succee­ded into the place of the Apostles do ap­pertaine principallie to the Hierarchicall order, and are placed (as the Apostle sayeth) by the Holy Ghost to rule the Church of God, and that they are supe­riour to Priests. And againe the same Councel Sess. 23. can. 7. thus pronounceth: Si quis dixerit Episcopos Presbyteris non esse Superiores, vel non habere potestatē cofirmandivel ordinandi, vel eam quam habent, illis esse cum Presbyteris commu­nem: anathema sit. If any shall saye that Bishops are not Superiour to Priests or haue not power to confirme or ordaine, or that power, which they haue, is com­mon to Priests with them, let him be ac­cursed. The Bis­hop ex­ceedeth the Priest in power of ordro first.

5. And if wee looke into the power both of order and Iurisdi­ction, we shall see that in both the [Page 160]Bishop taketh precedence of the Priest: The Bishop exceedeth and excelleth the Priest in power of order: First because he can consecrate Priests and other ministers of the Church, as may be gathered out of diuers places by me alreadie allea­ged out of saint Paul. 1. Tim. 3. & 5. Tit. 1. And when saint Paul chargeth Timothie Not to receiue accusation against a Priest, but vnder two or three witnesses, he insi­nuateth planelie, that a Bishop, as Timothie was, is Iudge and conse­quentlie superiour to the Priests. Dionysius Areopagita Dio­nys. l. eccl. Hier. c. 5. sayeth that the Priest is ordained by Imposition of handes of the Bishop. Saint Hierom sayeth Hiero. in cap. 59. that ordination which the Grecians call [...] is fulfilled not onelie by prayer of the voice, but also by imposition of handes. The fourth Councel of Carthage Cone. Carth. 4. can. 3. sayeth that the Priest is ordained Episcopo [Page 161]eum benedicente, & manum super caput eius tenente: The Bishop blessing him and holding is hand ouer him. The same Councel giueth the reason why the Bishop onelie imposeth his handes vpon a Deacon vvhen he is ordai­ned, but when the Priest is ordai­ned, not onelie the Bishop but the Priests also, lay there handes on him; be­cause he is theire fellow Priest.

6. Secondlie. Secondlie the Bishop vvith two other Bishops can ordaine Bis­hops. For as Ana [...]letus Anacl. ep. 1. cit. sayeth, and the Canons of the Apostles Canon Apost. can. 1. & 2. haue declared, three Bishops are ne­cessarie to the making of one Bis­hop, as S. Iames stiled the Iust, the first Bishop of Hierusalem, vvas or­dained by saint Peeter, saint Iames Maior and S. Ihon. And this is eui­dentlie deduced out of that place of saint Paule, alreadie alleaged: 1. Ti­m [...]t. c. 4. vers. 14. Noli negligere gratiam: do not neglect the grace [Page 162]which is giuen thee by prophecie with im­position of handes of priesthood, that is, of a companie of Bishops, as the Greeke fathers Chrys. Oecum [...]n. Theophyl. ibidem. especiallie do expound. Which argueth a supe­rioritie in degree of the Bishop ouer the Priest; For that one Bishop can ordaine a Priest, but three are ne­cessarie to consecrate a Bishop; though in case of necessitie one Bis­hop by commission from the Pope (as some diuines teach) may con­secrate a Bishop. And therefore S. Epiphanius Ephiph. haer. 75. disputing against Aërius, who made no difference bee­twixt the Bishop and Priest sayeth: Dicere ipsum Episcopum & presby­terum aequalem esse, quomodo erit pos­sibile?Bishops generate fathers, Priests spiritual c [...]ildren.Episcoporum enim ordo Patrum generator, Patres enim generant Ec­clesiae: presbyterorum verò non potens generare Patres, per lauacri generationem generat filios Ec [...]lesie, non tamen pa­tres [Page 163]&c. To saye that the Bishop and Priest are equall, how shall it be possible, for the order of Bishops is a begetter of fathers, but the order of Priests not able to beget fathers (that is, Priests and Bishops) begetteth to the Church by the Lauatorie of Baptisme children, but not fathers &c.

7. Thirdly the Bis­hop mi­nistreth confirma­tion: the Priest doth not. The grace of Confir▪ Thirdly the Bishop can mini­ster the Sacrament of Confirma­tion by which he giueth the holie Ghost, and herewith a speciall gra­ce, by vvhich the confirmed recei­ueth force to confesse the name of Christe, and to professe his faith, maugre the threatnings of the per­secutour, and in no wise for shame or feare to omitte this profession; and therefore is signed in the fore­head, and anointed also, to signifie that he is enrolled amongest the spirituall soldiars of Christe, and receueth his militarie marke and [Page 164]lyuerie, to signifie that vnder the coulours of Christe he is to fight spirituallie against all persecutions in defence of his faith. And this the simple Priest cannot doe, but only the Bishop. Hence it is that al­though saint Philip conuerted and baptized the Samaritans, Act. c. 8. yet he attempted not to confirme them; but saint Peeter and saint Iohn A­postles and Bishops were sent to impose handes on them (which im­position was Confirmation) and thereby gaue thē the holy Ghost. Where venerable Bede Beda. sayeth that if Philip had been an Apostle or Bishop he might haue confir­med them, but this, sayeth he, is re­serued to Bishops. Saint Cyprian, Cypr. ep. 73. ad Iubatanū. sayeth that they who by Philip were baptized in Samaria, ought not to be baptized any more, but onlie that which wanted was done [Page 165]by Peeter and Iohn, to wit, that by prayer made for them and Imposi­tion of handes, the holie ghost might be powred vpon them. Which now also (sayeth he) is done with vs, that they which in the Church are baptized may be signed with our Lordes seale. Saint Denis Dion. l. de Eccl. Hier. sayeth that the Priests did present the baptized to the Bishop, that he might signe them diuino & Deifi­co vaguento: with the diuine and Deifi­call oyntement. And againe we read Act. c. 19. vers. 5. that when saint Paule came to Ephesus and found some baptised only by saint Iohn the Baptist his baptisme, the Scripture insinuateth that they were baptised by some other, but yet expresslie sayeth that faint Paule imposed hands on them and that so the holie ghost descen­ded vppon them. The ancient fa­thers relying on these scriptures, [Page 166]haue euer taught, that the Sacra­ment of Confirmation is to be mi­nistred onlie by the Bishop, which hath also euer been the practise of the Church. So doe saint Clement, Clem. l. 3. constit. c. 15. Eusebius Pope Easeb. ep. 3. ad E­pisc. Tus­ciae. Melchiades Pope, Melch. ep. ad E­piscopos Hispan. Innocent the first Pope Inno­cent. 1. ep. ad decent. cap. 3. Leo the first Pope, Leo ep. 88 saint Cypriā, Cypr. ep. 79. ad Iub. saint Hierom, Hiero. in Dial. saint Austin Aug. l. 15. Trin. c. 26. and others teache, and lastlie the Councell of Florence Conc. Flor. in Decret. and of Trent Conc. Trid. Sess. 23. c. 4. can. 7. haue defined that the pro­per and ordinarie minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation is a Bishop. And the reason is, because by this Sacrament we are made perfect Christians receuing by it our full pitche and growgh and so it is to be ministred by him onlie who is: Summus Sacerdos: An high and most perfect Priest, as the Bishop is.

8. True it is that if you compare the power of order, by which the Priest can consecrate the bodie and [Page 167]bloud of Christe and remitte sin­nes, The reasō way a Bis­hop onlie confir­meth. with the power the Bishop hath to consecrat Priests and other mini­sters, and to confirme the baptised, The Priests power is greater then the Bishops proper power. The rea­son. that the Priests povver is greater, then is that vvhich is proper to the Bishop; because the Bishop by the povver to ordaine ministers hath only povver ouer corpus Christi my­sticū, as diuines saye, that is, ouer the Church; but the Priest by the power to consecrate the bodie and bloud of Christe hath power ouer Corpus Christi naturale, The Priest by the power to conse­crate the bodie and bloud of Christe, hath. the natural bodie of Christe, in that he by Christe his owne words conuerteth breade in­to Christes bodie and vvine into his bloud, and makes them both reallie present vnder the forme of breade and vvine. Mat. 26. And for this reason the power the Priest hath to remitte sinnes, is lesser then the po­vver, he hath to consecrate; For that [Page 168]by the povver to consecrate, The Priests power to cōsecrate is greater then his power to remit sinnes. The rea­son. he hath povver Super corpus Christi naturale, Ouer the naturall bodie of Christe, as is declared: But by the povver he hath to remitte sinnes, he hath onlie po­vver Super corpus Christi mysticum: Ouer the mysticall bodie of Christe, which is his Church. And therefore by hovv much the naturall bodie of Christe (Deified as it vvere and ineffablie dignified by the vnion it hath with the diuinitie) excelleth the mysti­call bodie of Christe the Church; by so much the povver the Priest hath ouer Christ his naturall bodie, surpasseth the povver which he hath ouer the mysticall bodie of Christe. Yet the Bishop is absolute­lie greater then the Priest. The rea­son.

9. But yet for all this, the Bis­hop is absolutelie greater in povver and dignitie then the Priest, because in that he is a Bishop, he is Summus Sacerdos: An high Priest, and so as [Page 169]the Superlatiue supposeth the Posi­tiue, so a Bishop supposeth a Priest, and consequentlie hath the power of a Priest and more, to wit, his own proper povver. And hence it is that a Priest may validlie (though not lavvfullie) be made a Priest Per sal­tum (as diuines saye) though before he be not a Deacon; None can be Bishop who is not first a Priest. The rea­son. because a Priest is not a perfect or high Deacon, but of a disparate order, to vvhich the order of a Deacon is not essentialie subordinate. But a Bishop is essen­tiallie an high Priest, and so the or­der of Priesthood is essentiallie sub­ordinate to the order of a Bishop, and consequentlie a man can nei­ther lavvfullie nor validlie be or­dained Bishop, vnlesse he be first a Priest, it implying as much to be Summus Sacerdos before Sacerdos, as the Superlatiue degree implyeth to be before the Positiue.

10. Secondlie a Bishop excee­deth the Priest in power of Iurisdi­ction, the Bishop being the Priests Iudge and 1 Tim. c. 5. vers. 19. the Priest being to stād at his tribunall for sentence: The Bishop can excommunicate, as saint Paule 1. Cor. c. 5. vers. 5 excommunicated the ince­stuous, the Priest cannot; The Bis­hop hath Iurisdiction ouer a Dio­cese, the Priest onlie ouer a Pa­rish: The Bishop can giue In­dulgences, the Priest cannot; the Bishop hath his deciding voice in Councelles, the Priest hath not; The Bishop can reserue cases from the Priest, the Priest cannot from him: The Bishop can conse­crate Churches, Altars, Chalices and can blesse vestements, the Priest, though he can blesse other thinges, yet these he cannot with­out a speciall graunte or priuiledge.

11. A questiō VVether the Bis­hop hath iurisdictiō immedia­lie from Christe or the Pope. But whether the Bishop ex­celle the Priest in power of Iurisdi­ction by the immediate graunt of Christ, or by the graunte of the su­preme Bishop, the Bishop of Rome, it is disputed amongest diuines pro­bablie on both sides. Some saye the Bishop hath Iu­risdiction immedia­tlie from Christ; so maior in 4. d. 17. q. 2 Victor. Re­lect. 2. de pot. Eccl. q. 2. Petrus Soto lec. 5. de Con­fess. So tus in 4. d. 18. q. 4. a 1. & d. 20. qu. 1. a. 5. Vasq­to. 3. in 3. Par. disp. 240. c. 4. The first proofe. Some of them are of opinion that the Bishop and Priest haue their Iurisdiction and power to absolue, to excommuni­cate and the like, immediatlie from Christ, when they are ordained: and these doctours would saye that the Bishops power of Iurisdiction is greater by the diuine graunte and institution, then is the Iurisdiction of the Priest. This they proue first out of Scripture; as where Christ sayeth, Matt. cap. 18. vers. 10. to all the Apostles, who­se Successours Bishops are: Que [...]nn­que alligaueritis superterram, erunt li­gata & in caelo. Et quaecunque solueritis super terram, erunt soluta & in caelo: [Page 172]VVhat soeuer you shall bynd vpon earth, shall be bound also in heauen: And what soeuer you shall loose vpon earth shalbe loosed also in heauen. In which words as he promised before the power of bynding and loosing to saint Peeter Matt. c. 16. vers. 19. principallie, as to an ordinarie chiefe Pastour of the Church, so now he promiseth an vniuersall power to all the Apostles ouer all the Church: but which in them was extraordinarie, yet requisite for the first planting of the Church and faith, as aboue is declared. So Christ immediatlie giueth power to the Apostles and in them to all Bishops and Priests to absolue from sinnes, saying: Ioan. c. 20. vers. 23. Quorum remiseri­tis peccata &c. VVhose sinnes you shall forgiue, they are for [...]iuen them: and whose you shall retaine, they are retai­ned. But to bynd and loose, to ab­solue from sinnes, and to retaine [Page 173]them are actes of Iurisdiction: Ergo (saye they) Iurisdiction of Bishops and Priests proceedeth immediatly from Christe. The 2. proofe. This also they prooue because the Priest in his ordination hath authoritie giuen by his order to remitte sinnes: As the forme of vvordes in his ordination impor­teth: Frgo he hath povver from Christe by his ordination, and not from the Church or Pope. This they confirme also, The 3. proofe. for that the Priest cannot saye, I absolue thee in the name of the Pope, or Church, or by authoritie from them, which yet (as it seemeth) he might saye if his authoritie proceeded from them. And if you obiect, An obie­ction a­gainst this opinion is answered. why then cannot a Bishop excommu­nicate them, who are not of his dio­cese, he hauing Iurisdiction from Christ who limited him to no place? Why cānot a Pastour absolue [Page 174]those from sinnes, who are of a­nother Parish, he hauing from Christ authoritie to absolue with­out limitation to any place or per­son? Why cannot euerie Simplex Sa­cerdos, that is, who hath no care of soules committed to him, absolue euerie one that will confesse his sin­nes vnto him, seing to him it is saied in his ordination: Accipe spiri­tum Sanctum: quorum remiseritis pecca­ta remittuntur eis &c. Receiue the ho­lie ghost, whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them. To this they answere, that although all Bishops and Priests receiue their Iurisdi­ction in respect of the actiue po­wer which it implyeth, immediatlie from Christe in their ordination, yet they cannot exercise it, vnles by the Pope, subiects be giuen them and applyed to them, as they are to the Bishop in his Diocese, [Page 175]and to the Pastour in his Parish, but not out of it; and so (saie they) if a Bishop excommunicate or ab­solue one, who is not of his Diocese his excommunication and absolu­tion is inualid, not for want of any actiue power of Iurisdiction, but for want of matter or subiects on whom it may be exercised. And for the same reason a Priest cannot ab­solue any from mortall sinne (for from venial euerie Priest can ab­solue) who are not of his Parish, or otherwise by the Pope, or some vn­der him are not assigned for his sub­iects. For (sayeth Dominicus Sotus) Sotus supra. in 4. d. 18. cit. as, although a mā haue a key fit and apte of it selfe to open a locke, yet it cannot open it vnlesse it be applyed: So although a Bishop or Priest haue the Key of Iurifdiction; yet he cannot exercise it but on [Page 176]them who are applyed as subiects vnto him.

12. Other di­umes saie Bishops and Priests haue Iu­risdiction from the Pope. So it seemeth S. Thom. holdeth 2.2. qu. 39. a. 3. Caiet. to. 1. Opusc. Trac. 1. c. 2. Turrecr. in sum. l. 2. c. [...]4. Couar. Reg. peo­catum. 2. p. §. 9. nu. 6. Suar. to. 4. disp. 25. sect. 1. nu. 10. Other diuines saye that Bis­hops and Priests haue power of Iu­risdiction immediatlie from the Pope, and that by those words which are spoken to Priests in their ordination: Accipe Spiritum Sanctum, quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis &c. Receiue the holie Ghost; whose sinnes you shall forgiue &c. They re­ceiue onlie Potestatem ordinis, Power of order, which is not sufficient to excommunicate or absolue, till the Bishop haue Iurisdiction from the Pope, and the Priest from the Bis­hop, or some other who can giue Iu­risdiction. For although (saye they) the Pope receiueth Iurisdictiō ouer all the Church immediatlie from Christe, (he hauing no other supe­riour from whom to receiue it; and the Cardinalles onlie designing his [Page 177]person, The Pope hath his Iurisdictiō from Christe. Christ giuing him his Iuris­diction, as aboue we haue seen, yet Bishops and Priests (as these Doctours do thinke) receiue onlie power of order from Christ by meanes of their consecration; but their Iurisdiction they receiue from the Pope, or some other that vn­der him giueth Iurisdiction, and in more or lesse ample manner, as he shall Iudge most fitting. Wher­fore as the Episcopall caracter and order requireth more Iurisdiction then doth the caracter of the Priest, so the Pope giueth ordinarilie more Iurisdiction to the Bishop then to the Priest or Pastour. Order and Iurisdictiō maie be separated. And that these powers of order and Iurisdi­ctiō are distinct, and may be separa­ted, appeareth (saye they) in that the Pope may be Pope in respect of Iurisdiction ouer all the Church by his election onlie and before he [Page 178]be cōsecrated Bishop, yea or Priest; and some * So saieth the Pentisicall in the begi­ning of Cousec [...]ation of the Pope. So [...]etrus Moro­neus and others were elec­ted Pope. vid Pon­tisical. ibi­dem. haue been elected Popes before they were conse­crated Bishops yea Priests, or Deacons, and euen then before they were consecrated Bishops or Priests, they had all power of Iurisdiction ouer the Church to de­fine controuersies in faith, to make generall lawes, to excommu­nicate, VVhat the Pope and Bishop may doe before they be consecia­ted. to call Councelles and to define in them, to giue Indulgences and to giue Iurisdiction to Bishops: but they could not consecrate Bis­hops or ordaine Priests, before they were consecrated Bishops them­selues, nor absolue from sinnes in the court of conscience before they were Priests, nor confirme till they were consecrated Bishops, these actes being actes of order not Iuris­diction. So contrariwise a Bishop or Pastour after he is consecrated Bis­hop [Page 179]or ordained Priest may re­nounce his Bishopricke, or Pastour­ship, and so remaine true Bishop or Priest in respect of his caracter and order without all Iurisdiction, and whatsoeuer they shall attempt in that kind, wilbe inualid and of no force.

13. This their opinion they proue out of some fathers as S. Gregorie Cap. Decrato. 2. q. 6. where he sayeth that the Romaine Church vices suas ita alijs impertiuit Ecclesijs vt in partem sintvocate sollicitu­dinis, non in plenitudinem potestatis: Hath so imparted to other Churches her authoritie, that they are called into parte of the care, and sollicitude, not into the fulnes of power. And saint Leo S. Leo ep. 87. ad Epis Vien. dist 29. cap. Ita Dominus. sayeth that Christ from saint Peeter Tanquam a quodam capite: As from a certain heade, hath diffused his guiftes into all the bodie of the Church. They alleage also reason grounded in ex­perience [Page 180]for this their opinion; for (saye they) the Pope some tymes deposeth Bishops and depriueth them of all Iurisdiction, which he could not do if this Iurisdiction were giuen immediatlie by Christ, and not by him selfe.

14. But whether of these opinions we admitte (as both are probable) it is all one for my purpose; for that at least cōplete Iurisdiction, or the lawfull and valid vse of it, is frō the Pope. For be it that the Bishop and Priest haue their Iurisdiction in re­spect of the actiue power from Christ immediatlie and by ordina­tion, as the Doctors of the first opi­nion do hold; yet they graunte that the Bishop and Priest cannot validlie exercise this their power of Iurisdiction vnles the Pope, who at first diuided Dioceses and Parishes, assigne vnto the Bishop his Diocese [Page 181]to the Priest his Parish, on whom he may exercise this his Iurisdictiō; for else they are not his subiects; And if the Pope depriue the Bishop of his Bishopricke, or the Pastour of his Pastourship, he consequentlie depriueth them of subiectes; and so though still they haue the power of Iurisdiction, and cannot (as the­se Doctours auerre) be depriued by the Pope of it, they holding it from Christ immediatlie, yet be­cause the Pope depriueth them of their subiects, neither the Bishop nor Pastour can exercise with vali­ditie this their Iurisdiction.

15. Out of all this we may ga­ther first, that as all Priests are e­quall in their power of order, so are all Bishop in theirs, and only the difference betwixt Bishops (as the Pope, the Patriarch or Primate, the Archbishop and Bishop) is in ho­nour [Page 182]and Iurisdiction, All Bis­hops e­quall in power of order: so all Priests equall in priest­hood. not in power of order; in which the Bishop is as greate as the Archishop, Pa­triarch and Pope; euen as the Priest in his order of Priesthood is as great as they all, neither the Bis­hop nor Archbishop nor Patriarch nor Pope being in. Priesthood grea­ter then he.

16. The Bis­hop is su­periour in power of Iurisdi­ction. Secondly that Bishops though equall amongest them selues in po­wer of order, are superiour to Priests, as well in power of order as Iurisdi­ction as I haue already proued out of scripture, and by cōparing their powers together.

17. I know that saint Hierom Hier [...]n. in p. ad Tit. ep. ad Euagrium is all aged by some as a fauourer at least in parte of Aërius his opi­nion, who, as aboue we haue seene, maketh the Priest and Bishop all one. And they alleage saint Hie­roms own wordes in his commen­taries [Page 183]vpon the Epistle to Titus, and in his explication of these wor­des: Huius rei gratia reliqui te Cretae: For this cause I left thee in Crete. For there he sayeth: Idem est Presbyter qui Episcopus. And in an Epistle to Euagrius which beginneth; Legimus in Isaia: where after he hath prooued that in the Apostles tyme a Priest and Bishop had one name, and thence inferreth that they are all one, he addeth: Quod autem postea vnns electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur in schismatis remedium factum: But that after wards one was elected to be set aboue the rest, it was done for a remedie against schisme. For (sayeth he) At Alexan­dria from saint Marke the Euangelist to Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops, the Priests placed in an higher degree one elected from amongest them, whom they called Bishop. As if an armie make an Emperour, or Deacons do choose one [Page 184]amongest them whom they know to be in­dustrious, and call him Archdeacon: for what doth the Bishop (ordination ex­cepted (which the Priest may not do. Thus he. By which words he see­meth to auerre that the Bishop had not at the first superioritie ouer the Priest, but that afterwards to auoid occasiō of schisme, the Priests chose one from amongest them and nominated him Bishop. Which his manner of speech may argue that Bishops are not greater then Priests by Christes institution, but by the Church or Pastours election, and that otherwise in order they are all one, and differ only in dignitie or Iurisdiction.

18. Wherefore some diuines Vas­quez. do graunt that saint Hierom was of this opinion, yet did not iumpe with Aërius the Heretique: for that Aërius denyed all iust and lawfull [Page 185]distinction, and sayed that the Church iniustlie had eleuated the Bishop aboue the Priest; but saint Hierom at least confesseth that iu­stlie and not without good reason the Church or Pastours placed the Bishop aboue the Priest in dignitie and office.

19. S. Hierom defended. Yet other diuines to whom subscribeth Baronius Baron. to. 1. An­nal. do inter­prete saint Hierom more fauoura­blie; and say, that saint Hierom denyeth not but that Bishops by their caracter and order receiued in their ordination from Christ, are greater then Priests; for that in the same Epistle to Euagrius he sayeth of Bishops: Quid facit (excepta ordi­natione Episcopus quod presbyter non fa­ciat? VVhat doth the Bishop, (ordination excepted) which the Priest may not doe. Where he graunteth that the Bis­hop can ordaine ministers of the [Page 186]Church which the Priest cannot. And in the same Epistle speaking of Bishops, he sayeth: Caeterùm omnes Apostolorum successores sunt: But all of them are successours of the Apostles; but the Apostles as they were made Priests at the last supper Mat. 26. and in the 20. of Saint Iohn, Ioan. 20. as aboue we haue shewed, so they were made Bishops immedia­tlie by Christ: And therefore Bis­hops are not made by men, but by Christ immediatlie by the ministe­rie of three Bishops. And in his Dialogue against the Luciferiās: Hicro­nymus in. Dial. con­tra Luci­ferianos. But if thou demaund (sayeth he) Quare in Ecclesia Baptizatus &c. VVhy he that is Baptised in the Church receiueth not the holy ghost but by the hands of the Bis­hop? learn that this obseruation descen­deth from that anthoritie that after the Assension of our Lord, the holy ghost des­cended vpon the Apostles. Wherefore [Page 187]these diuines (to whom I rather subscribe for honour of saint Hie­rom) do think that saint Hierom onlie meaneth in his former words alleaged out of his Epistle to Eua­grius, S. Hierom explicated that Bishops and Priests are all one in Priesthood, and in the tyme of the Apostles had one name, and that then Priests by the practise and custome of the Church did sit in Councell with the Bis­hop, and did with them by commō counsaile gouerne the Church; though after, when the number of Bishops and Priests encreased, Priests were no more admitted to this dignitie, but the Bishop tooke on him the superioritie which he had by his order, and principallie gouerned the Church by him selfe. The Bis­hop and Priest make two eminent orders. By this Chapter then it is euident that The Bishop and Priest are distinct in order and degree, and that conse­quentlie [Page 188]they make two eminent orders in the Hierarchie of the Church.

THE VII. CHAPTER. Bishops and Priests are of the highest or­ders of the Church: and so to be ho­noured and obeyed.

1. OVt of that which hath bene saied in the precedēt chapters it followeth euidentlie, that the Bis­hop in power and dignitie of order taketh the highest roome and dig­nitie in the Church of God. The Bis­hop as high in the power of Order as the pri­mate and Pope. The Pope highest in Iurisdi­ction and dignitie: For al­though the Archbishop and Pri­mate be aboue him in power of Iu­risdiction and Ecclesiasticall dig­nitie, yet in the order and power of Bishop, he is as high as any of them, euen as the Pope himself. True it is, that the Pope is head of [Page 189]the Church, and Pastor Pastorum, Pastor of the Bishops themselues, (as aboue I haue demonstrated) yet this superioritie is in Iurisdictiō, The actes and offi­ces of the Pope. by which he can prescribe lawes to the whole Church; can call councelles, and define and decree with infallibilitie controuersies of faith: by which he may create and inthronise Bishops out of his Dio­cese; and depose them againe; by which he can excommunicate thē; by which he may canonise saintes, giue Indulgences, send preachers into pagane countries, erect newe Bishoprickes, suspend, dispen­se, reserue cases euen from Bis­hops &c. Yet all this superioritie is onlie in power of Iurisdiction, which in him is supreme: but in the power of order, the Bishop can validlie do as much as he, for that he may ordaine Priestes, and con­firme [Page 190]the baptised as well as he; The Bis­hop by power of order can validlie do all the Pope can do in that kinde. and although if he shall suspend the Bis­hop from these offices, as he may, the Bishop shall sinne in doing them: yet if he ordaine or confir­me, what he doeth shall be valide, these his functiōs proceeding from his character and power of order, which (as we haue seene aboue) he holdeth and receiueth imme­diatly from Christe, and not from the Pope or anie humane power. And therefore in degree of order the poorest Bishop is as greate as the richest and greatest Patriarche; yea as the Pope himself, there beeing but one order of a Bishop, in which all are equale amongest thē ­selues, and superior to Priests, much more to the laitie, be they Princes or Monarchs.

2. Two Cō ­clusions. Whence I may deduce two conclusions; the one that the Bis­hop [Page 191]is to be honoured of all, euen of Monarches, and Emperours: the second that he is also to be hū ­blie obeyed of all his subiectes. The first prooued, first by Fathers. The first conclusion I proue first out of the testimonie of holy fathers: se­condly out of the respect Empe­rours and Princes haue borne vn­to them. Amongest the fathers let Saint Ignatius Ignat. ep. ad Smynen­ses. Bishop and martyr, and one of the most anciēt as being the third Bishop of An­tioche after S. Peeter speake first: Honora (saieth he) Deum vt omnium authorem, & Dominum, &c. Honour God as the author and lord of all; the Bishop as the Prince of Priestes, bearing the image of God: of God indeede, by his principalitie, but of Christe by his Priest­hood. And next to him we must honour the king, for neither is any better or chiefer then God, or equale to him in any thing, nor is there any thing in the Church of [Page 192]God greater them the Bishop, who sacri­ficeth to God for the health and saluation of the worlde, nor is any equal amongest Princes to the King, who procureth peace and iustice amongest the subiectes. And then he addeth: Omnia igitur vestra de­centi ordine perficiantur in Christo; Laici Diaconis subijciantur, Diaconi Presbyte­ris, Presbyteri Episcopo, Episcopus Christo, sicut ipse patri: Let therefore all your things be done in decent order in Christe. And how o holie Bishop, shall that bee? Thus sayeth he; Let the laye people be subiect to the Deacons, the Deacons to the Priestes, the Priestes to the Bishop, the Bishop to Christe, as he to his father. Where you se, that he will haue the Bishop honoured next to Christe, None in heauen or earth greater then the Bis­hop in po­wer of or­der. as he placeth him in digni­tie next to Christe. And in deede in regarde of his power of order there is none in earth or heauen, (be he an Archangel, nay a Cherubin or [Page 193]Seraphin) that is aboue the Bishop. For which of the Angels hath the power ouer the naturall bodie of Christe, as the Prieste hath (as a­boue we haue sene?) who of the An­gels hath that power ouer the mi­sticall bodie of Christe, the Church which he hath in ordaining the Churches ministers, in confirming her children and feeding and gouer­ning her, as he hath? For cui Angelo­rum dictum est, pascite, qui in vobis est, gregem Dei? 1. Pet. c. 5. vers. 2. To which of the Angelles was it euer sayed, feede the flock of God that is among you? To Bishops it was sayed. Actorū c. 20. vers. 28. To whom of the Angels was it euer saied; Atten­dite vobis & vniuerso gregi, in quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei, quam acquisiuit sanguine suo: Take heed to your selues and to the whole flock, wherin the holie Ghoste hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church [Page 194]of God, which he purchased with his owne blood: To Bishops it was sayed. The same holy father in the same epistle saieth, that who honoureth the Bishop, shalbe honoured of God, and who dis­honoureth him, shall be dishonoured of God. And in his epistle to the Tral­lians: S. Ig­natius [...]p. ad Trall. Quid aliud est Episcopus, quam is, qui omni principatu & pote­state superior est? VVhat else is a Bis­hop, but he, that is superior to all prin­cipalitie and power? And againe ep. ad Philadelp. in his epistle to the Philadelphians: Boni sunt Sacerdotes, & sermonis mini­stri, melior autem est pontifex, cui credita sunt sancta sauctorum, cui soli commissa sunt se. reta Dei: Pri [...]stes are Good, and ministers of the world, but better is the Bishop, to whom are committed the holies of holies, to whom onlie the secrets of God are committed.

3. S. Ambrose Ambr. de digni­tate secer­datali c. 2. cometh not behinde saint Ignatius in extolling [Page 195]episcopall dignitie: Honor & sublimi­tas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparatio­nibus adaequari. Si regum fulgori compa­res, & principum diademati, longè erit inferius, quasi plumbi metallam ad auri fulgorem compares; quippe cùm videas regum colla & principum submitti geni­bus sacerdotum, exosculatis eorum dextris orationibus eorum se credunt communiri: The episcopall hononr and sublimitie can­not be equalized by any comparisons. If thou compare it to the splendour of Kings and the diademe of Princes, it shalbe much lesse, as if thou shouldst compare the metall of leade to the luster of Gold; for as much as thou seest the necks of Kings and Princes subiected to the knees of Priestes, whose right hands they kissing, do beleiue that they be protected and de­fended by their prayers.

4. Saint Chrysostome, Chrys. Hom. 4. de verbis I [...] saiae. that torrent of eloquence, speaking of the power and dignitie of a Priest, [Page 196]and especially of the high Priest the Bishop, hath these words: Maior hic principatus; propterea rexcaput submit­tit manui sacerdotis & vbique in veteri scriptura sacerdotes inungebant reges: Greater is this principalitie and therefore the king submitteth his head to the hand of the Priest, and euery where in the old testament Priests did anoint kings. And againe; Hom. 5. de ver­bis Isaeiae. Siquidē sacerdotium principa­tus est ipso etiam regno venerabilius ac maius &c. Because the Priesthood (espe­ciallie of the high Priest and Bis­hop) is a principalitie, and that more ve­nerable and greater then the kingdome it selfe. Speake not to mee of the purple and diademe and golden robes, these all be but shadowes, and more vaine then spring slowers. Speake not to mee of these things, but if thou wilt se the difference betwixt a king and a Priest (especiallie a Bis­hop) weigh the power giuē to them both and thou shalt see the Priest sitting much [Page 197]higher in dignitie then the king. Much more he hath in that place to this effect.

5. Saint Gregoire Nazianzene. Bishop, in an oration Greg. Naz. orat. 17. ad pop. timore perculsū. he made, conuerting his speach to the pre­fects, and euen to the Emperour Valentinian, vseth these wordes: An me liberè loquentem aequo animo fere­tis? nam vas quoque potestati meae meis­que subsellijs lex Christi subijcis, imperiū enim ipsi quoque gerimus, adde etiam praestantius, & perfectius, nisi vero aeqū est spiritum carni fasces submittere, & caelestia terrenis cedere. Sed non dubito, quin hanc dicendi libertatem (o impera­tor) in optimam partem excepturus sis, vtpote sacrimei gregis ouis sacra, magni­que pastoris alumna &c. VVill you take in Good parte what I shall speake freely? For the lawe of Christe doth submitt you also vnto my benches: For we also beare empire, and I add also, mere excellent [Page 198]and more perfect: vnles it be meete to submit the spirit to the flesh, and that things celestiall should yeeld to things that be terrene. But I doubt not (O Emperour) but that thou wilt take in Good parte this my freedom of speache, as being a holie sheepe of my holie flock, brought vp vnder the great Pastour, &c.

6. Here I intend not to detract frō the king; I acknouledge with S. Ig­natius Igna­tius supra ep. ad Smyrnen ses. that there is nothing equall to the king in the common wealth, as the­re is nothing in the Church aboue the Bis­hop in power of order. I saye and con­confesse with Tertullian: Tertul. li [...]. aduer­sus [...]capu­lam.colimus imperat [...]rem (regem) sic, quo modo & nobis licet, & ipsi expedit, vt hominem a Deo secundum, solo Deo minorem: VVe honour the Emperour (the king) so, as it is lawfull for vs, and expedient for him, as a man second to God, and onlie lesse then God: For that in temporall power [Page 199]he hath none aboue him but God, by whom and vnder whom onlie he raigneth.

7. The for­mer Con­clusion prooued secondlie by Emp­rours and Kings. Secondlie hovv a Bishop is to be honoured the kings and Em­perours themselues will testifie, who haue euer done great homage vnto him. Constantine the great, as Rufinus Ruf­ [...]n l. 1. c. 2. Constan­tine. relateth, when certaine Bishops assembled at the Councell of Nice, offered vnto him certaine memorialls, in which were com­plaintes and accusations of one an­other, he saied vnto them: Deus vos constituit sacerdotes, & potestatem vo­bis dedit de nobis quoque iudicandi &c. God hath constituted you Priests, and hath giuen you power to iudge euen of vs, and therefore we are rightly iudged of you: but you cannot be iudged of men. For which cause, do you expect onlie God his iudgement betwixt you: and your diffe­rences and contentions, whatsoeuer they [Page 200]be, let them be reserued to the diuine ex­amination, for you are giuen of God to vs as our Gods, and it is not meete that a man should iudge Gods, but he onlie, of whom it is written:Psal. 81. vers. 1.God stoode in the assemblie of Gods, and in the middest he iudgeth Gods. And when this Empe­rour entred into the Councell, he so reuerenced that graue assemblie and senate of fathers, that he would not sitt downe, till that they had en­trea ted him.

8. Theodo­sius. Theodosius an Emperour al­so, as Theodorete Theo­dor. lib. 5. hist. c. 18. recordeth, so honoured saint Ambrose Bishop of Milan, that he accepted with all submission a publique penaunce prescribed by him, and was content at the same Bishops commaunde­ment to depart out of the chancell, and so sit amongest the laitie.

9. Gainas Theod. l. 5. c. 33. though an Arian and prefect of the Emperours ar­mie, [Page 201]and so potent that rhe Empe­rour feared him, so reuerenced saint Iohn Chrysostome bishop and Patriarche, that when he was sent from the Emperour vnto him as Embassadour into Thracia, where at that tyme Gainas played the tyrant and rebell; Gainas. Gainas hea­ring of his comming, went a good way to meete him, and when he was come to him, he vsed all reue­rence to him, and took the Bishops handes and put them on his eyes, and made his children kneel downe to receiue his blessing. Many other examples I could here alleage of the reuerence of Emperours and kings not onlie to the Pope, but al­so to inferiour Bishops.

10. Valenti­nian. Valentinian the Emperour after that Auxentius an Arian Bis­hops of Milan was dead, wished the Bishops to choose him to be [Page 203]Bishop of Milan, who by doctrine and good examples may instruct the people. Theo­doret. l. 4. hist. ca. 5. & 6. Cui nos quoque imperij moderatores nostra subdamus sincere ca­pita, cuiusque reprehensiones tanquam medicinae curam libenter admittamus: To whome we also maye subiect our head, and whose reprchensions we may admit as a cure of physicke: And so they made choise of saint Ambrose.

11. When Valentinian vouchsa­fed not to rise out of his regal throne to saint Martin Bishop, Fortu­nat. l. 3. de vita S. Martini. Seuer. Sulpit. l. 2. Dial. c. 7. fier sud­dainlie issued out of his chaire, and made him not onlie rise, but also cast himselfe prostrate at his feete. And the Emperesse like an other S. Marie Magdalene could not be per­suaded to leaue kissing his feete.

12. I otharius king of Fraunce prostrated himselfe before S. Lupus Bishop. Ex An­nalibus Franc. The kings of Spaine whe [...] they came to a Councell of Bishops [Page 204]vsed to prostrate themselues before them. Leo Castrens. Comment. in Isa. c. 49. Saint Austin Aug­ser. 18 de verbis A­postoli. insinua­teth it to haue beene the custome of Christians to falle at the Bishops feete, saying: Ad Ecclesiam curris, Epis­copum videre cupis, ad eius pedes voluta­ris: Thou runnest to the Church, thou desirest to se the Bishop, thou fallest at his feete.

13. In our countrie wee want not examples of respect borne to Bishops not onlie by the people, but also by the kings themselues. How king Oswald honoured Bishop Ai­dan, and how his sonne and succes­sour king Oswin prostrated him­selfe at his feete, Venerable Bede Beda lib. 3. c. 3. hath set downe for an example to posteritie. How much king Ina reue rented S. Aldelme Bishop, Malmes­burie Mal­mesburie l. 3. de ge­st is Pont. Angior. relateth. What a reuerent respect our kings bore to S. Dun­stan Archbishop of Canterburie, [Page 204]and to Saint Hugh Bishop of Lin­colne our chronicles do recorde. No countrie more honoured Bishops, then England did, as appeareth by the goodlie pallaces, and the great reuenues they had, and by the estee­me our kings had of them, who ad­mitted them for Lords of the Parla­ment and Peeres of the realme, and some for his priuie Counsell, and the Archbishop of Canterburie for chiefe of the Counsell, and conse­cratour of the king. The English people were heretofore so deuoted to their Bishops, that when a Bishop passed by anie towne or village they rung their bells, and carried their children in great troupes to be con­firmed of him, or to receiue his be­nediction, as appeareth by one ex­ample in Malmesburie Mal­mesb l. 3. de Gest is Pontif. Anglorū. who re­cordeth, how a deuout woman in the thick throng of those that [Page 205]brought their children to Wilfride Bishop, brought also hers, though dead, to receiue his benediction, hoping thereby to receiue her child againe liuing, as in deed she did. When S. Anselme on a tyme came to S. Bertins monasterie he vvas receiued as Surius Sur. 21 April. writeth, with great ioy and honour of the people, Clergie and Monkes and for fiue daies he was deteined there, and all that tyme at the request of some of the chiefe of the Town he confir­med great numbers who flocked to him thick and threefould, hauing not had a Bishop for diuers yeares who had ministred that Sacrament vnto them.

14. And shall we now be lesse zealous for our Bishop, lesse respect­full vnto him? true it is that the two last Bishops, we haue had, haue not had those riches, that splendour, [Page 206]which our Bishops in Catholique time had. But shall we honour thē the lesse for that? do reueneues make a Bishop or rather his conse­cration and order? Nay rather we should honour them the more For that it is not riches, nor wordlie ho­nour that hath made them vnder­take the office and charge of a Bis­hop, but meerlie the Catholiques good and comforte, for which they expose euen their liberties and li­ues. And although they haue not that wordlie honour, splendour, and riches, which our auncient Bishops had, yet they are not inferiour to them in degree of order, no nor in learning, life, nor labour: and there­fore are to be honoured as much as they were, and to be prouided for ac­cording as these tymes will permitt, because. Qui bene praesunt praesbyteri, duplici honore digni habeātur, as S. Paule [Page 207]saieth 1. Tim. c. 5. vers. 17. the Priestes that rule well (that is Bishops, as saint Chryso­stome expoundeth, and gathereth out of the word Praesunt, Rule) let them be esteemed worthie of double honour, that is, not onlie of the honour of capp and knee, but of honourable maintenaunce also, as saint Tho­mas of Aquin S. Tho. tom. 2. in comment. in ep. D. Paul. expoundeth. Of the first Ecclesiasticus speaketh, when he saieth: Eccl. c. 4. vers. 7. Presbytero humi­lia animamtuam: To the auncient hum­ble thy soule. Of the second the wise­man speaketh Prou. 3 c. 3. vers. 9. saying: Honora Dominum de tua substantia; Honour our lord with thy substance, and giue to him of the first of all thy fruites. And of this double honour those Priestes and Bishops are worthie, who, as S. Paule 1. Tim. c. 5. vers. 1 immediatlie after saieth: Do labour in the word and doctrine, as our Bishop and our Priestes in Englād do. For, saieth he, The scripture [Page 208]saieth,Deut. 25. vers. 4.Thou shall not moselle the mouth of the oxe, that treadeth out the corne, and the workman is vvorthie of his hire.

15. The se­cond con­clusion prooued. My second conclusion dedu­ced out of the dignitie, power, and authoritie of a Bishop (which aboue I haue declared) to wit, that to the Bishop is due obedience from his subiects, I easilie proue. For first S. Paule Rom. c. 13. vers. 1. saieth; Let euerie soule be sub­iect to higher povvers, for there is no po­vver but of God: But the Bishop hath an higher povver, (as aboue we haue seene) for he hath power of order and iurisdictiō, Ergo his flocke is sub­iect to it, and must obey it. And this I confirme, for that this the Bishops power is from Christe, who giueth immediatlie his power of order, and if he giueth not immediatlie his po­vver of Iurisdiction, as vve haue al­leaged some diuines that saye so, [Page 209]yet at least he hath giuen to S. Pee­ter and his Successour authoritie to giue Iurisdiction to the Bishop, and so this Iurisdiction mediatlie pro­ceedeth from Christe; and there­fore seing that (as the Apostle in the same place sayth) Those povvers that are, of God are ordained, and that he that resisteth the povver, resisteth the ordi­nance of God, it follovveth that the subiect, that resisteth the Bishops authoritie, resisteth God his ordi­naunce, and so sinneth.

16. Secondly saint Paule Hebr. c. 13. vers. 17 ex­presslie commaundeth obedience to Bishops. Obey your prelates and be subiect to them. For they watch, as being to render account for your soules. Where saint Thomas of Aquin S. Tho. in ep. ad Hebr. loco sit. noteth that the Apostle commaundeth vs to be obedient to our prelates, be­cause, Melior est obedientia quam victi­ma:1. Reg. c. 15. vers. 22.Better is obedience then sacrifice: [Page 210]and to reuerence them also, and therefore he addeth: Et subiacete eis: And be subiect to them. And the reason why he so strictlie and so se­uerelie commaundeth obedience is this: because (sayeth he) they watch, that is, are sollicitous and carefull for your soules, as being (because they are superiours, who haue char­ge of soules) to render account for them before the iuste iudge; who (as Saint Thomas S. Tho. in c. 13. ad Hebr. in the same place saieth) will at the daye of iudgement demaunde: Vbi est grex qui datus est tibi, Hiere. 13.pecus in [...]lytum tuum? Quid dices cùm visitauerit te? Where is the flock, thy glorious cattaile, vvhich vvas giuen vnto thee? VVhat vvilt thou saye vvhen he shall visit thee? Worthi­lie therefore are we commaunded to obey and reuerence our prelates, they hauing charge of our soules, [Page 211]and beeing to ansvvere soule for soule.

17. S. Ignatius Igna­tius vbi supra ep. nd Smyrn. therefore (as a­bone we haue sene) commaundeth all to obey the Bishop, as the Prince of the Priestes, bearing the image of God. And in his epistle to the Magnesians Igna­tius in ep: ad Ma­gnes. he vvill haue vs so obseruant and obedient to the Bishop, that vve should do nothing without his aduise and Counsail, nor permitt our selues to be separated from our Bishop. And this he thinketh to be the onlie meanes to keepe vs in peace and concord; for if we be se­parated from the head, who is giuē vs to procure and conserue vnitie among the members, we cannot long aggree amongest our selues. These be his words; And first hee he sayeth that it becometh vs Episco­po obedire, & in nullo illi contradicere. Terribile est enim tali contradicere; non [Page 212]enim hunc qui cernitur &c. It becometh vs to obey the Bishop, and to contradict him in nothing: for it is terrible to contra­dict such an one, for he that doth so, doth not deceiue him, (the Bishop) who is seene; but him, that is inuisible, who can­not be deceiued of any. For God saieth to Samuel1. Reg. c. [...]. vers. 7they deceiued not thee but mee; and Moyses sayeth: this murmu­ration is not against vs, but against our lord God. No man (sayeth this holy father) remained vnchastised, who ex­tolled himself against superiours. And then he telleth how terribilie Da­than and Abiron for murmuring against Moyses, and Chore for re­sisting Aaron, and Ozias for en­croching on the Priestes office, and Saule for disobeying Samuel, were punished: It behoueth you therefore (saieth he) to obey your superiour [...] that you may not onlie be called, but truth be Christians; if any call him Bishop, be [Page 213]yet do all without him, to such an one, he that is the true, first, and onlie Bishop by nature will saye, what do you call mee lord, lord, and do not the things I saye? for such seme to me not to be men of good conscience, but dissemblers, and Personati, such as take on them the personnes they are not. And a little after; I warne you to hasten to do all in concord, the Bis­hop presiding and sitting in the place of God. And a little after that. Nihil sit in vobis quod vos separare possit, sed vnū efficiamini cum Episcopo, Deo subiecti per eum in Christo Let there be nothing that may separate you, but be ye made one with the Bishop. As therefore our lord (Christe Iesus) doth nothing without his father (for, saieth he, I can doe nothing of my selfe) so ye also, neither Prieste, nor Dea [...]on, nor laike without the Bishop must do any thing. Nor let any thing seme to you aggreable to reason, vvhich is be­sides his sentence, for that is vvicked and [Page 214]odious to God. And in all his epistles almost, he inculcateth nothing more then obedience and reueren­ce to the Bishop.

20. You haue heard how obe­dient Theodosius was to saint Am­brose, who did the publique pe­naunce he enioyned, and recalled his law, he had made, as saint Am­brose commaunded, and when he was in the Chauncell went out into the bodie of the Church to sit amō ­gest the laitie, as he prescribed. Our king Ina (as Malmesburie Mal­mes. l. 2. de gestis Reg. Angl. c. 2. re­porteth) honoured Aldelm Bishop: Cuius ille praecep [...]a [...]diebat humiliter, sus­cipiebat granditer, adimplebat hilariter; vvhose commaundementes he harkened vnto humblie, receiued amplie, fulfilled them chearfullie. Let vs then obey our Bishop, as our lawfull Supe­riour, reuerence him as lord and [Page 215]spirituall Prince, loue him as our father.

THE VIII. CHAPTER. VVho in particular belong to the Hierar­chie of the Church.

1. HAuing prooued in the for­mer Chapters, that the Church is a Hierarchie consisting of diuers orders, of which the or­ders of Bishop and Priest are the most principall, who also, as I haue prooued in the sixt Chapter, are distinct; it follovveth novv that I breeflie declare which in particular are these orders, and whether all that are of dignitie in the Church, be of the Hierarchie, not onlie as the laytie is, which is of this Hierar­chie, as the common people are of [Page 216]the Kingdome, but also as they are who beare office and haue an emi­nent place in the Church.

2. Diuerslie christians are of the Hierar­chie first in respect of order. To the deciding of vvhich cō ­trouersie vve must distinguish the diuers vvayes that Christians may be of this Hierarchie. First then if we speake of this Hierarchie as it importeth distinction of degrees in power of order, then onlie Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons and other inferiour ministers, as Acoly­tes, Exorcistes, Lectors and Ostia­rij are of the Hierarchie; and they onlie; because there be no other or­ders, and consequentlie no other degrees of orders then these. And so Cardinales, Patriarches and Arch­bishops &c. Vnles they be Bishops, Priests, Deacons, or Subdeacōs, &c. Are not of the Hierarchie. And in this sense a Bishop that is onlie ele­cted Bishop but not consecrated, is [Page 217]not of the order of Bishops though he haue Iurisdictiō in the exteriour Court, and if he haue none of the orders afore named, but onlie pri­mam tonsuram, which (as aboue vve sayed) is no order, but a disposition to orders, he is not at all of the Hie­rarchie of order. So religious men though for their state of life they be eminent in the Church of God; yet be they Abbots or Prouincialles or Priours, are not, in that qualitie, of the Hierarchie, as it consisteth of diuers orders; but onlie as they are Priests or Deacons, &c. Because the names of a Cardinall, Patriarch Archbishop are onlie titles of dig­nitie and Iurisdiction, not of order; and the dignitie of an Abbot is a dignitie in religion, but no order of the Church, as it consisteth of diuers orders in the afore saied meaning. And, although taking or­der [Page 218]in the sense aboue sayed, some Abbot may ordaine Acolytes and Exorcistes and others of the lesser orders; yet that he doth not as Abbot by any Caracter of a reli­gious order, but by a priuiledge which the Pope graunteth to grace his dignitie.

3. A [...]est [...] Wh [...]er all the [...] orders be insti [...]ed by Christe If you aske me whether these orders be all Sacraments and of the diuine ordinaunce, or of the Chur­ches Institution, I must answer that of all the seuen orders there is not the like certaintie. For, that the or­ders of a Bishop, Priest, Deacon, and Subdeacon are Sacramēts, and orders instituted by Christ, it is the common opinion of Diuines, who prooue it (as we aboue haue proo­ued) out of holy scripture, Coun­celles and fathers: but as for the other fower lesser orders some di­uines saie they are sacraments, and [Page 219]consequentlie are instituted by Christe, Some saye the 4 lesser orders are Sacramen­tes. and do giue grace and im­print in the soule a Caracter. Of this opinion are many and the gra­uest and learnedest diuines, S. Th. in 4 d. 24. q. 2. a. 1. q. 7. Bon. ar. 2. q. 1. Ric. a. 4. qu. 1. Scotus d. 24. q. vni­ca Gab. in suppl. q. 4. a. 2. Ma­ior q. 1. Almain. q. 1. ar. 3. as saint Thomas of Aquin, Richard de media villa, of Middleton, Saint Bonauenture, Scotus, Gabriel, Ma­ior, Almainus and others. And the­se Doctours would saye that the whole Hierarchie of these seuen orders, is of the diuine ordinan­ce.

4. Others saye the fowre lesser orders are no Sacraments, and con­sequentlie giue no grace, nor im­print any caracter; but are offices instituted by the Church, though they be of ancient vse and are men­tioned by Clemens Romanus, by Anacletus, S. Ignatius and others, as aboue we haue partlie seene. And of this opiniō is the master of [Page 220]sentēce, Ma­gist. in 4. a. 24. c. 7. though he saieth also that Subdeaconship is of the Churches institutiō, where in he cōtradicteth the greatest part of diuines; who a­uouch that the order of Subdeacon is an order instituted by Christe and a Sacrament, and in this sense an holy order; though some haue sayed it is not a sacred order; not because it is not a Sacrament, and in that respect not sacred; but be­cause heretofore the sacred vowe of Chastitie was not by the Church annexed to it, as afterwards it was. With the master of sentences other diuines do hold as Durand, Dur. d. 24. q. 2. Ca­ietan Caiet. to. 1. Opas. Truc. 11. and others. And these would saye that the lesser orders are not ordained and iustituted imme­diatly by Christ, but by the Church. And therefore, saye they, there hath beene mutation in these lesser or­ders: for of the order of an Acolyte [Page 221]S. Ignatius and S. Clement who rec­ken other lesser orders make no mē ­tion, which yet after, was an order. And the office of Cantor or Psalmi­sta (as they saye) was ancientlie taken for an order, now it is not so esteemed: which argueth that the Church instituted them as occasion was offered

5. But which so euer opinion goe for current, certaine it is that the order of Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Subdeacons are of the diuine Institution. Wherefore the Coun­cell of Trent Conc. Trid. sess. 23. can. 6. thus pronounceth: Si quis dixerit in Ecclesia non esse Hierar­chiam diuina ordinatione institutam,A Hierar­chie in the Church of Bis­hops &c.quae constat ex Episcopis, & Presbyteris, & ministris: Anathema sit: If any one shall saye that there is not in the Church a Hie­rarchie instituted by the diuine ordinance, which consisteth of Bishops, Priests and ministers; let him be accursed. In which [Page 222]words the Councell defining that there is a Hierarchie instituted by the diuine ordinance, and which consisteth of Bishops, Priests and ministers; by Ministers in the plurall number, must needs vnderstand at least Deacons and Subdeacons. So that this Hierarchie of order, at least in respect of Bishops, Priests Deacons and Subdeacons is institu­ted by Christ, and so cannot be al­tered, as here after we shall see. And in the same session it defineth Conci­lium Trid. sess. 23. c. 4. that Bishops especiallie do apper­taine to this Hierarchie.

6. Secondlie in respect of Iurisdi­ction. In po­weer of Iurisdi­ction and dignitie, orders a­mong Bis­hops. But if wee speake of a Hierar­chie as it importeth a distinction of degrees in power of Iurisdiction and dignitie, then besides the a­foresaid orders there are others. For in power of Iurisdiction, as we haue seen aboue, there are distinct de­grees amongest Bishops, who in [Page 223]power of order make but one or­der. Wherefore Anacletus Anacl. ep. 3. sayeth. Episcoporūrero ordo vnus est, licet sint pri­ [...]nates &c. The order of Bishops is one al­though there be primates and Archbishops and other degrees; to wit, not in order, but in Iurisdictiō. And in this respect there are diuers orders and degrees amongest Bishops in the Church of God: which make also a kinde of Hierarchie and distinction of de­grees not in power of order, but Iu­risdiction and dignitie: To wit, Pa­triarches or Primates, Archbishops and Bishops: and heretofore Pa­triarches were of the highest ranke of Bishops, Patriar­ches ber­tofore, now Car­dinalles are next to the Po­pe in Ec­clesiasti­call digni­tie. and amongst them the Patriarches of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioche; and afterwards of Constantinople had the precedēce; after whom followed Archbishops and Bishops: but now Cardinalles, and euer since they were Counsel­lers [Page 224]to the Pope and his Electours take place of all Patriarches, How Car­dinalles are of the Hierar­chie; How re­ligious are of the Hierar­chie. and are in dignitie next to the Pope. But these also as Bishops, Priests, Dea­cons &c. are of the Hierarchie of the Church, as it consisteth of di­uers orders, but as Cardinalles, Pa­triarches, and Archbishops, they are not of the Hierarchie of the Church, as it cōsisteth of diuers or­ders; because their degrees are not orders; yet in Iurisdictiō and digni­tie they are eminēt, and giue a great lustre and splendour to the Church.

7. Now as touching religious (of whom I shall make honorable mention here after, as I shall also of Cardinalles) they, as Religious, are not of this Hierarchie as it consi­steth of diuers degrees in power of order or Iurisdiction ouer the Church, because as religious, they haue no power of order; no nor of [Page 225]Iurisdiction, but in their owne or­der; though if they be Bishops, as many tymes they haue beene, and are, yea many tymes haue been Archbishops, Primates; Yea and Popes: then they pertaine to the Hierarchie of the Church in both respectes. Yet religious, euen as re­ligious, are a greate ornament to the Churche, and are in this sense of the Hierarchie of the Church, in that they are eminent members of the Church, and are ordained to helpe and assist Bishops and Pa­stours in preaching and hearing confessions, as the Pastours shall desire and need, or as their priui­ledges shall permitte them.

8. Twoe sortes of Religious These as Cardinall Bellarmine Bel. to. 1. l. 1. de mona­chis c. 1, hath well obserued, are of two sortes: some are called Monachi Monkes, whose profession is to liue solitarilie in their Monasteries and [Page 226]there separate to vacare contemplatio­ni, to attend to contemplation, and to the contemplatiue, not the Actiue life. And therefore saint Hierom Hiero­nymus ep. ad Helio­dor. sayeth: Interpretare vocabulum Mo­nachi, hoc est, tuum: quid facis in turba qui solus es? Interprete the name of a Monke, that is, thy name; what doest thou amongst the people, who (by pro­fession) art alone? such (sayeth he) are the Benedictins of Monte Cassino, and others of that order, the Cister­cians, Carthusians, Camaldulenses, and such like. Others by the Institution of their order do applye thē selues not onlie to the contemplatiue life, but also to the Actiue, in ayding Bishops and Pastours by their Prea­ching and administration of the Sacraments of Confession, and the Sacrament of the sacred Euchariste, and these, sayeth he, are not called Monkes, but regulars or Religious. [Page 227]But although Monkes by their In­stitution should keepe them selues with in their Monasteries, and ap­ply them selues only to contempla­tion and prayer and singing their office in the Quiere; yet in tymes of necessitie they also by the Pope haue been licensed to go abroad, and to preach to Infidels, as saint Austine and his fellowe Monkes preached in our Countrie and con­uerted it, and as other Monkes haue preached to other Countries, and with great fruite also. But yet all of them are onlie to helpe the Bis­hops and Pastours, and haue no Sa­cramēt or power of order amōgest them, as regulers; but onlie, as suche haue Religious titles and offices amongest them selues.

9. Wherefore Saint Francis con­maunded his religious not to preach against the Bishops will. Reg. S. Francisci. cap. 9. So saint [Page 228]Xauier, as Tursellinus Tur­selin. l. 6. de vita S. Xauerij cap. 8. in his life relateth, would not haue those of his order to preache, or do the offices of the Societie without licēce from the Bishop or his Vicaire. These are Tursellinus his words: Erga Episco­pos verò eorumquevicarios Xauerij vene­ratio iuxta & obedientia insignis fuit. Nam diuinum in eis numen venerans ex illorum auctoritate, sua munia obire ge­stiebat. Eis denique prorsas omnibus in rebus dicto obediens erat. Idem caeteros è Societate facere iubebat, a nostris homini­bus obedientiae in praepositos Ecclesiastieos prodendum exempl [...]m dictitans: But Xauerius his reuerence and obedience to­wards Bishops and their Vicars was re­markeable. For he reuerencing in them the diuine power, delighted to do his fun­ctions by their auctoritie. To be breefe in all things he was obedient to them. The same he bad the rest of the Societie to do, dictating to our men a notable exam­ple [Page 229]of obedience towards Ecclesiasticall Prelates. And a litle after: Eandem obedientiam aduersus praepositos Ecclesia­sticos exigeb it a socijs, vt non conciones haberent ad pop [...]l [...]m, non societatis munia obirent, nisi facta ab Epis [...]opo aut Vicario potestate. The same obedience to the Pre­lates of the Church, he exacted of his fel­lowes, that they should not preache to the people, nor do any functions of the Societie vnlesse they first haue leaue of the Bishop. And although he was the Popes Le­gate, yet in the Countrie where he was Legate, he reuerenced not onlie Bishops and their Vicars, but also Priests, carrying him selfe rather as a seruant to them all then as the Po­pes Legate. And in the rules of the mission of tohle of the Societie Regu. la 8 So­cietatis. in the seuenth rule, they are com­manded that so soone as they are entred into any places where the ordinarie resideth, they offer their [Page 230]help and labours humbly vnto him and demaund leaue modestlie of him.

10. And therefore these titles of Patriarches, Archbishops, Priests and Pastours are not titles or orders of Religious, as they are religious, but onlie of the secular Clergie and Hierarchie of the Church: And these titles of Abbots, Priours, Pro­uincialles &c. Though honorable, are not titles or orders of the Hie­rarchie of the Church as it impor­teth distinction of orders; but on­lie of the Religious state and profes­sion Wherefore not onlie the Wi­clefists and the Lutherans and Cal­uinists of this tyme are worthilie condemned for condemnig the Re­ligious orders, as we shall see here­after but also some others who haue opposed them and accused them as perturbers of the Ecclesia­sticall [Page 231]Hierarchie; are verie much to be blamed, as they were by S. Th. Aquin. Opusc. 19. Bern. A­pol. ad Gul. Ab­batem. Bo­nauen. saint Thomas of Aquin, saint Bo­nauenture and S. Bernard in their Apologies they made for their or­ders. For that by these diuerse or­ders of Religious, the Hierarchie of the Church is adorned, the Pastours are ayded, and the peo­ple is edified and stirred vp to deuotion: and if anie Religious do oppose the Pastours and Prelates of the Church, or do in anie sort mo­lest them or by their euill life do disedifie the people, it is the fault of those Religious, not of the Reli­gious orders, which by the ancient Fathers are allovved and highlie commended.

THE IX. CHAPTER. VVho of the Hierarchie of the Church are designed by the diuine ordinance to gouerne the Church, to preache, and to minister Sacraments.

1. AS in a temporall Kingdome (to which aboue Cap. 2. we com­pared the Church) euerie one is not to rule or gouerne, to prescribe la­wes, to enacte statutes, or to admi­nister Iustice (for that would breed confusion) but onlie the king prin­cipallie, and vnder him his officers, Iudges and magistrates: so in the Church euerie one is not to arro­gate to him selfe the gouernment thereof, which consisteth in making ecclesiasticall lawes, in calling coū ­cells, in preaching and ministring [Page 233]of Sacramentes, but he onlie qui vo­catur à Deo tanquam Aaron:Heb. c. 5. vers. 4.VVho is called vnto it from God as Aaron vvas.

2. In the old law Deut. 17. Exod. 28. Nume. 3. Leuit. 8. not euerie one of the people was to meddle in matters of the lawe, in offering sa­crifices and in gouerning the Syna­gogue, but onlie the tribe of Leui, Aaron and his Children, and their successours Wherefore when Core, Dathan and Abiron with their fol­lowers rose vp against Moyses and Aaron, and arrogated the Priest­hood vnto them selues which per­tained onlie to Aaron and his son­nes, saying vnto them: Num. 16. Let it suf­fice you that all the multitude consisteth of holie ones, and our Lord is among them:So Luther and Cal­uin say all are Priests alike.why lift you vp your selues aboue the peo­ple of our Lord? God punished them most seuerlie, causing some to be swallowed vp by the earth others to [Page 234]be consumed by fier. And when Ozias King would entermedle in the Priests office to offer Incense, Azarias the high Priest accompa­nied with eightie other Priests resi­sted him, and sayed: 2. Pa­ [...]al ca. 26. vers. 18. It is not thy office Ozias, to burne incense to our Lord, but of the Priests, that is, of the Children of Aaron which are consecrated to this kind of ministerie. And because he obeyed not, God at the same instant marked him with a leprosie in the forhead.

3. So in the Church of Christ, of which the Synagogue was a figure, not euerie one is to entermeddle in the gouernmēt of the Church, in preaching or ministring Sacra­ments, but they onlie whom Christ our high Priest hath appointed. For as he onlie foūded the Church and purchassed it vvith his blood: Act. 20. vers. 28. So he onlie is to appoint the gouer­nours [Page 235]and ministers of the Church. And who are they? In a word, they are the Apostles and their Succes­sours; the Apostles for their tyme, their Successours after the Apostles tyme.

4. For if we speake of the admi­nistration of the Sacraments, The mini­ster of Baptisme. we shall find that by Christs Institu­tion and ordinance, to the Apostles and Disciples and their Successours Bishops and Priests that charge was committed. Who were commaun­ded to baptize but the Apostles, Disciples and their Successours? For to them it was sayed: Matt. c. 28. vers. 19. Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes &c. Going there­fore teach ye all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the sonne and of the holy ghost. Out of which words diuines S. Th. 3. p. q. 67. do gather that the office of baptizing appertaineth first to Bishops who are the Apostles [Page 236]Successours, and to Priests either by commission of the Bishop, who maye giue any Priest commission to Baptize in his Diocese, or by graunt of a Pastorship, by which they, as ordinarie Pastors, maye baptize; a Deacon by his caracter and ordination is apt to baptize solemnlie when the Priest is wan­ting, if it be committed to him by the Bishop, but he cannot be a Pa­stour. Others cānot baptize solemn­lie but onlie in necessitie and pri­uatlie, and without solemnitie and the ceremonies of the Church. Wherefore Tertullian Tertul. lib. de Ba­ptismo ca. 17. speaking of the minister of Baptisme sareth: Dandi quidem habet i [...]s summus Sacer­dos qui est Episcopus, dehine Presbyteri & Di [...]coni, non autem sine Episcopi au­thoritate: The right of giuing Baptisme the chiefest Priest hath, who is the Bishop and after him Priests and Deacons, but [Page 237]not without the Bishops authoritis. Yet in necessitie any, euen weomen, or Infidels, without solemnitie may baptize, so they vse the right mat­ter, to wit elementarie water, and the right forme of words.

5. The Mi­nister of Confir­mation. The minister of Confirmation is the Bishop, as aboue we haue prooued, for that the Apostles only Act. 8. & 19. by Imposition of hands gaue the holy ghost whose Successours are Bishops who euer haue done that office. And therefore the coūcelles of Florēce Conc. Flor. in decreto si­dei. and I rent Conc. Trid sess. 7. can. 3. haue de­fined that the ordinarie minister of this Sacrament is a Bishop, though as some thinke the Priest hauing commission from the Pope may be extraordinarie minister of it. The Mi­nister of the Sa­crament of the Al­tar.

6. The holie Sacramēt of the Altar Priests onlie do minister; for to the Apostles, and in them to Priests, it was saied at the last supper: Luc. 22. [...]. Cor. 11. [Page 238] Hoc facite in meam commemorationem. Do ye this for a commemoration of me. At which tyme, as the Councell of of Trent Cinc. Trid. sess. 22. cap. 1. defineth, and we aboue Aboue chap. 5. haue shewed, the Apostles were made Priests. And so Priests are or­dinarie ministers of the Eucharist; heretofore Deacons were by com­mission onlie to distribute it but neuer to consecrate it.

7. The Mi­nister of the Sacra­ment of Confessiō or pe­naunce. The minister of the Sacra­ment of Confession or penaunce, is he who can in it absolue from sinnes confessed, that is, the Bishop and Priest: for to them in the Apostles it was sayed Mat. c. 18. vers. 18. Whatsoeuer you shall bynd vpon earth, shall be bound in heauen: and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earth, shalbe loosed also in heauen. To them also it was, sayed. Ioan. c. 20. vers. 23. VVhose sinnes you shall forgiue, they are forgiuen them &c. Wherefore the Catholique people of the Vandals [Page 139]when their Priests were banished by the Arrians, cryed out pitifullie: Victor Vticensis de perseg. VVandali­ca. VVho shall baptize these infantes? who shall minister penance vnto vs, and loose vs from the bandes of sinnes? and saint Cyprian Cypr. ep. 54. accounteth those Priests cruell whoe permitte penitents to to depart this life without absolu­tion and reconciliation receiued by them.

8. The Mi­nister of the Sacra­ment of order. The minister of the Sacramēt of order is the Bishop, for that, as aboue we haue seen, he with two o­ther Bishops can consecrate a Bis­hop, and alone ordaineth Priests and other inferiour ministers; and therefore, as Epiphanius Epiph. Hier. 75. sayeth, and as aboue Aboue chap. 6. wee haue seene, he is Patrum generator, he by the Sa­crament of order begetteth fathers that is Priests: the Priest by baptisme is Generator filiorū, a spirituall beget­ter of Children. And therefore saint [Page 240]Paule 1. Tim. c. 4. vers. 14. chargeth Timothie, not to neglect the grace that is in him with Im­position of handes of Priesthood, that is, of a companie of Bishops, as the Greeke Interpretours expound. And so the councell of Trent Conc. T [...]id. sess. 25. can. 7. condemneth as heretiques all those that saye, that a Bishop is not grea­ter then a Priest, or hath not power to confirme and ordaine &c.

9. The Mi­nister of Extreme Vnction. The Minister of Extreme Vn­ction is the Priest, as saint Iames Iacobi­ca. 5. Vers. 14. in his Epistle doth assure vs, saying: Is any man sicke among you? let him bring in the Priests of the Church, and let them pray on him, anoyling him with oyle in the name of our Lord, and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke &c. And if he be in sinnes they shalbe remit­ted to him. And so none but a Priest can minister this Sacrament, as out of S. Iames his wordes the Fathers, and councelles Innoc. 1. ep. ad Decent. Bern. in vita. S. Malachiae c. 32. Conc. Ca­bilon. 2. c. 48. do gather.

10. The Mi­nister of matrimo­nie. The minister of matrimo­nie, as some diuines Canus lib. 8. de locis c. 8. Syluius 3. p. q. 42. a. 1. q. 2. Con. 3. say, is the Priest, for although (saie they) it may be a ciuil cōtract without the Priest, yet vnles he saie those wordes: Ego vos coniungo &c. It is no Sacrament. others saye that because matrimo­nie is a ciuil contract, though a Sa­crament also, that the parties who contracte are the ministers of this Sacrament, which is the opinion of Vasquez Vasq. disp 2. de matrim. c. 5. & alij apud illū. and others. But which­soeuer opinion be admitted, now since the councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sess. 24. c. 1. and where it is receiued, matrimonie contracted without the presence of the Pastour or of another Priest by licence of the Bishop or Pastour and 2. or 3. witnesses, is inualid. But in England Clandestine marriages though seldom lawfull, yet are va­lid without the Priest his presence, because this decree of the councell [Page 242]hath not yet been there promulga­ted (though it commaundeth all ordinaries to publish this decree so soone as they can) and the councell will not haue it to be of force till thirtie daies after the publication of it in the parish.

11. The mini­sterie of Sacramē ­tes be­longeth to Bishops, Priestes and Pa­stours. By this it is easilie seene that the ministerie of Sacraments, which is a principall function of the Hie­rarchie of the Church, appertaineth to Bishops and Priests by the diuine lawe and ordinance and institution; not to Cardinalles as Cardinalles, nor to regulers as regulers; though to them also as Bishops or Pastours, if they be called to these dignities.

12. Preac [...]ing oulie be­longeth to Bishops and Priests not to Deacons but by Cominis­sion. Now as touching preaching, which was commaunded for the in­struction of the people and conuer­sion of Nations, that also by God his ordinance appertaineth to Bis­hops and Priests, not to any others not Bishops or Priests; vnles, by [Page 243]commission, to Deacōs and others. Wherefore to the Apostles, Disci­ples, and their Successours, Christe saied: Matt. c. 28. vers. 19. Going therefore teach yee all Nations. And least any should de­maund what auctoritie Christe had to send preachers into the world, he telleth vs in the words which go be­fore, That all power is giuen to him in heauen and earth. And again the same he inculcated by saint Marke: Marei c. 16. vers. 15. Euntes in mundum vni [...]ersum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae: Going into the whole world, preach the Ghospel to all creatures, that is, to men. For as saint Gregorie saieth, man is all creatu­res in that he containeth in him selfe compendiouslie the perfection of all creatures. And it followeth: Marc. c. 16. vers. 20. But they going forth preached euerie where, our Lord working with all, and confirming the word with signes that fol­lowed. So saint Luke Lu [...]ae. c. 9. vers. 1. & 2. telleth vs [Page 244]that Christe, calling together the 12. Apostles, he gaue them vertue, and power ouer all Diuills and to cure maladies. And he sent them to preach the Kingdome of God. And againe: Luc. c. 10. vers. 1.2. & 3. And after this our Lord designed also other seuentie two, and he sent them tvvo and tvvo before his face into euerie Citie and place whether him selfe vvould come. And he saied vnto them the haruest trulie is much, but the workmen (Preachers) few &c. Goe: be­hold I send you as lambes amongest vvol­ues, to make them also by prea­ching sheepe and lambes. Whēce it followeth that Bishops and Priests by the diuine ordinance haue the office and right to preach. Where­fore saint Thomas of Aquin 3. p. q. 67. a. 1. ad. 1. saieth: Docere, id est, exponere Euange­lium pertinet proprie ad Episcopum, cuius actus est perficere secundum Dionysium, persi [...]ere autem idem est quod docere. To teache, that is, to expound the Ghospel [Page 245]pertaineth properlie to the Bishop, whose acte is to perfecte, according to Dionysius, but to perfecte is all one as to teache. Yea the Councell of Trent, Conc. Trid. sess. 5. c. 2. because preaching is the principall office of Bishops, decreeth that all Bishops, Archbis­hops, Primates and all other Prela­tes of Churches are bound by thē ­selues, if they be not lawfullie hin­dred, to preach the holy Ghospell of Iesus Christe: and if they be law­fullie hindred, that they be bound to appoint others to doe this office. And the same Councell Conc. Trid. sess. 24. c. 4. in an­other place giueth againe the same charge to Bishops and Pastours of Parishes.

13. Hence may euidentlie be deduced that the Apostles and dis­ciples and their Successours, Bishops and Priests, haue by the diuine or­dinance authoritie and right to preach to gentils and to propagate [Page 246]the faith, but yet with a dependence one the Chiefe Pastour. And there­fore the first conuersion of Coun­tries vvas done by the Apostles, Bishops and Priests. And although after vvards Regulars vvere admit­ted and sent to preach to the Gen­tils, yet that office doth not apper­taine to thē Iure ordinario, by the ordi­narie lawe, but by priuiledge and ex­traordinarilie. And therfore S. Tho­mas of Aquin S. Th. 2.2 q. 187. a. 1. in fine corp. saieth that the state of Religiō doth not giue vnto mō ­kes and other Religious authoritie to preach, teach, and to do such other offices: yet Religious men may do these offices if they receiue order, and ordinarie Iurisdiction, or if those offices which are of Iuris­diction be committed vnto them. And the Councell of Trent Gone. Trid. sess. 24. c. 4. for­biddeth Regulars to preache euen, [Page 247]in the Churches of their own orders against the will of the Bishop.

14. The go­uerne­mēt of the Church perteineth onlie to Bishops and Prie­stes. And as cōcerning the gouern­ment of the Church, that also was committed first to the Apostles and Disciples, then to their Successours, Bishops and Priests: wherefore S. Paule Ephes. c. 4. vers. 11. et. 12. saieth that Christe gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and other some Euangelists, and other some Pastours and Doctours, to the consum­mation of the Sainctes, That is, to the perfecting of them, that are alreadie faithfull (who then were all called Saintes) Vnto the worke of the ministe­rie, that is, to the ministring of Sa­craments, preaching, and gouer­ning the Christians, Vnto the edisying of the bodie of Christe, that is, to the conuersion of Gentils, by which the mysticall bodie and Church of Christ is edified and propagated; and these he hath giuen Vntil we [Page 248]meete all in vnitie of faith &c. So S. Thomas of Aquin D. Th. in hunc locum. on this place place. And saint Paule saieth to Ti­tus Tit. 1. Bishop: For this cause I lefte thee in Crete: for what cause? that thou shouldest reforme the things that are wā ­ting, and shouldest ordaine Priests by Cit­ties, as I also appointed thee, that they may instruct the people, go­uerne them direct them, and mini­ster Sacraments vnto them. The same Apostle frō Miletum sendeth for the Clergie of Ephesus and whē they were come to him he gaue them this Charge: Act. c. 20. vers. 28. et. 29. Take heed to your selues and to the whole flocke, wher­in the holie Ghost hath placed you Bis­hops to rule the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his owne bloud. For (saieth he) I know that after my depar­ture there will rauening wolues enter in a­mong you, not sparing the flocke &c. And S. Peeter 1. Pe­tri. c. 5. v. 1. & 2. The Seniors therefore (that [Page 249]is Bishops and Priests in Greeke, [...]. That are among you, I beseeche my selfe a fellow Senior with them, that is, a fellow Bishop and Priest &c. Pascite gregem Dei: feed the slocke of God which is among you &c. So that by Christe his institution Bishops and Priests are to gouerne the Hierar­chie of the Church, to preache, to minister Sacraments, and therefore at first they onlie preached the Ghospell, conuerted countries; and amōgest the conuerted, placed Bis­hops and Priests to gouerne them, and to minister Sacraments.

15. How Re­gulars are chosen to Eccleasti­sticall dig­nities. But some may obiect that Regulars also haue conuerted coū ­tries, haue been Bishops, yea Popes. To this I answer, that regulars in deed haue been assumpted and ele­cted vnto these dignities and offi­ces: onlie I contend that by the diuine law and institution the go­uernment [Page 250]of the Church was not giuen to them, but to Bishops and Priests (as we haue seene) which names of Bishops and Priests, are not names of regulars as regulars; for that at the begining especiallie, few regulars were Priests or Bis­hops; onelie the superiour or Ab­bote or some one other was Priest to saie Masse and communicate the rest. Vide Bellar. l. 2. de Mo­nachis. c. 6. & Aug. ep. 81. & Epiph. ep. ad Ioan. Hierosol. And it is not certaine that saint Antonie, saint Benedicte, and saint Francis (though founders of religious Orders) were Priestes. Yea saint Bonauenture and others expresselie saie that saint Francis was onelie Deacon. Wherefore the Councell of Constantinople cele­brated vnder Iohn the eight Pope of thatname saieth: Cone. Const. Act. 5. & refertur 1. q. 7. c. Hoc ne­quaquam. Monachorūvi­ta subiectionis habet verbū, & discipula­tus, non docendi, vel praesidendi vel pas­cendi alios: The life of Monkes hath the [Page 251]word of Subiection and of a scholler, not of teaching or presiding or ruling others. And saint Hierom: S. Hier. ep. ad Ri­par [...]m. Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet officium: A monke hath the office not of a teacher, (or preacher) but of a mourner. And again: Alia causa est monachorum, alia Clericorum. Clerici pascunt oues, ego pas­cor: Other is the cause of Monkes, other is the cause of Clarkes: The Clarkes feed the sheepe, I (sayeth saint Hierom) ame fedde. And saint Leo: S. Leo ep. ad Theodori­tum. refer­tur cap. Adij [...]i­mus. 16. q. 1. hoc speciali [...]er statuentes vt praeter Domini Sacerdotes nullus audeat praedicare siue Monachus siue Laicus ille sit, qui cuiusli [...]et scientiae nomine glorietur. Ordaining this speciall [...]e that none be so bold as to preache but the Priests of our Lord, whether he be a Monke, or a [...]a [...]ma [...], who may glorie vn­der the name and title of whatsoeuer lerning. How Ro­gulars come to Ecclesia­sticall dig­nities.

16. How then (will you saye) came regulars to haue charge of [Page 252]the Church with other Bishops and and Priests? I answer that by these meanes this came to passe. First the Popes and other Bishops knowing many regulars to be worthie of Ecclesiasticall dignities both for sanctitie of life and learning, did as­sume them to the Clergie, but as I saied this their assumption to the Clergie, was extraordinarie. Se­condlie because Bishops and Priests were busied in gouerning their Subiectes, and so could not be spa­red and besides were bound to re­sidence; The Popes, when they foūd regulars fitte for learning and Sanctitie of life, sent them to con­uert countries, in which they pros­pered so well, that many Countries do aknowledge religious men for their Apostles and first founders of religion amongest them. As we English Catholiques acknowledge [Page 253]most gratefullie, S. Austine monke the Apo­stle of En­gland. saint Austine and his fellow monkes for our Apo­stles; onlie this I contend, which also I haue prooued, that this ap­pertaineth onlie to Bishops and Priests by the diuine lawe and in­stitution, not to regulars as regu­lars; vvho yet by their vovve and state of religion are not vncapable of Ecclesiasticall degrees.

17. This saint Thomas of Aquin S. Th. 2.2. q. 187. a. 1. in Corpo­re. the honour, (after saint Domi­nicke the founder) of the order of the Dominicans, and the glorie of the Scholes, explicateth thus: For he propounding a questiō whether it be lawfull for religious or regu­lars to preach and to do other Ec­clesiasticall functions; answereth to this effect: Two wayes may it be saied that a thing is not lawfull or conuenientfor a man. First be­cause he hath in him selfe some [Page 254]thing that repugneth to it: So it is not lawfull for any man to sinne, because he hath reasō and an obli­gatiō of the lawe of nature in him, which opposeth it selfe against all sinnne: So (saieth he) one that is ir­regular may not take holie orders, because his irregularitie repugneth: So he that is a publike sinner can­not preache lawfullie according to that: Ps. 49 vers. 16. Pecratori autem dixit Deus, quare tu enarras iustitias meas: To a sin­ner God saied, VVhy deest thou prea [...]h my Iustices? because his publique sinne repugneth to preaching in that it maketh the worde of God or its preacher to be despised. And in this sense, it is not vnlawfull for re­ligious men to preach, and to do other Ecclesiasticall functions, for that their vow and state of life doth not repugne or make them lesse fitte; but rather fitter for Ecclesia­sticall [Page 255]dignities and degrees. Secon­dlie a thing may be saied to be law­full for one to do; not because he hath in him selfe any thing contra­rie to such an acte or facte; but be­cause there is some thing wanting in him which is required to perfor­me such an Acte; as a Deacon cannot saie Masse (saieth he) be­cause he hath not the order of a Priest; and a Priest must not giue sentence, or confirme, or ordaine, because he hath not Episcopall po­wer and authoritie. And in this se­cond sense it is not lawfull for mon­kes or Regulars, to preach and to do other Ecclesiasticall functions. Yet they may do these things if they receiue order and Iurisdiction. And in his answer to the arguments he had proposed to the contrarie, he saieth, that saint Hieroms words and such like aboue alleaged, [Page 256]prooue only that regulars as regu­lars, cannot exercise Ecclesiasticall functions; but prooue not that such functions may not be committed vnto them. So that this learned and holie Doctour (though him selfe a regular) graunteth that Regu­lars as Regulars are not called to Ecclesiasticall fūctions, as Bishops and Priests are; but yet affirmeth (which no good Catholique can denye) that Regulars may be cal­led to these functions to ayde Bis­hops and Pastours in the gouern­ment of the Church; and to go­uerne also when the Church shall thinke good to call them, elect them, and ordaine them Bishops, Priests, and Pastours. The same doctrin the same Doctour deli­ureth in his Opusculum S. Th. Opuse. 19. which he wrote against impugners of Reli­gious orders; for there he answe­reth [Page 257]to many obiectious framed out of the 16. q. 1. cap. alia est causa monachi. cap. Adij­cimus & cap. Iuxta & 7. q. 1. cap. ue­quaquam. canon lawe and diuers fathers, who saie that Regulars are not to be Pastours, to preach or mi­nister Sacraments; And his answe­re is, that monkes and Regulars as such, are not to presume to preach or Minister Sacraments of their owne authoritie, or without holie orders; but (saieth he) if they be called to it and be ordained as others, then they maye.

18. An obie­ction an­swered. But some may obiect that some Religious orders are institu­ted to preache, and to conuert na­tions as the Dominicans, Fanciscās and Iesuites. Ergo to these at least it appertaineth as well, as to the se­cular Clergie to do these functions. I answer: that these orders are in­deed instituted to that purpose, but yet to helpe onlie and assist the Clergie; and to this they were not [Page 258]ordained by the diuine law as Bis­hops and Priests are, but by the Churches institution.

19. Another obiection answered. Another obiection and which semeth of more force is made by some, for that the Apostles seme to haue been Religious men: and seing that the Apostles by Christ were ordained to preach and teach and minister Sacraments, it se­meth that Regulars, their Suc­cessours, are also by the diuine lawe ordained to the same functions. And in deed saint Thomas S. Tho. 2 2 q. 88. a. 4. ad 3. So [...]us l. 7. de Iustitia q. 5. a. 5. and some others are of opinion that the Apostles vowed pouertie. Others, as Sermientus, Sarm. 1. p. Apol. cap. 2. thinke that they vowed not pouertie: be­cause although such a vow pertai­neth to religious they being Instatu perfectionis acquirende In state of per­fection to be gotten: yet it pertaineth not to the Apostles, who were Bis­hops [Page 259]and so were in state of perfe­ction already attained, because they are to perfecte and teache others. Vasques Vas [...]. Tract. de redditi­bus dub. 2. one of the most learned schoole men of this age, saieth that although the Apostles some tymes obserued perfect po­uertie, and liued of that which de­uoute persons gaue thē: And there­fore saied: Matt. c. 19. vers. 27. behold we haue left all; And for a tyme Christe (d) saied vnto them: Doe you not possesse golde or siluer or money in your purses: Yet this was but counsel; and other tymes they had some thing at least in common, and Iudas was their purse bearer. And at first not only the Apostles, but all liued in common who yet all vowed not pouer­tie. And although Lessius Less. lib. 2 de [...]tatu re­lig. c. 4. and some others thinke that the first Christians vowed pouertie, and prooue it also by the example of [Page 260]Ananias and Saphira, who could not haue sinned so greeuouslie, Act. 5. nor had been punished so seuerely for reseruing some of their Gods, had they not vowed pouertie: yet others saie that this prooueth not that they had vowed pouertie; for that they hauing giuen all to the Apostles and the communitie of Christians that liued then in com­mon, their goods vvere no more their ovvn, but the communities, and so reseruing some goods to them selues, they sinned and did in­iurie to the communitie, and so are saied to haue defrauded of the price. So that, saieth Vasquez, out of the factes of the Apostles nothing can be gathered of any certaintie; yet (saieth he) hence may be deduced, that at least the state of Bishops doth not require pouertie (as in deed it doth not) because the Bis­hops, [Page 261]as saint Paule Tit. c. 1. vers. 8. saieth, must be Hospital; vvhich standeth not so vvell vvith pouertie. But suppose the Apostles had vovved pouer­tie; yet all three vovves of pouertie, obedience and chastitie, are not suf­ficient to make a religious man, vn­les the Church by her decree or consent admitte them, and ordaine that the same vowes made before the Superiour shall make a man re­ligious, as Vasquez Vasq. 1.2. disp. 165. proueth at large. And yet it is not certain that the Apostles vovves vvere euer so admitted. Lastlie suppose that the Apostles had been religious men, yet Christe gaue them not povver to preach and minister Sa­craments, and to gouerne the Church, as they vvere religious, but as they vvere Bishops and Priests; and so in this not the Re­gulars, but the seculars, to vvit Bis­hops [Page 262]and Priests do succed the Apo­stles; and consequentlie they, not Regulars are by the diuine ordināce to preach, gouerne, and minister in the Church. But although Regu­lars, as they be Regulars onlie, are not ordained by Christe to preach; to minister Sacraments, and to gouerne the Church; yet the Church hath of old tyme com­mitted to them the office of prea­ching so to ayd the Pastours, and some tymes also hath choosen thē to be Bishops, yea and Popes when she saw them fitte for their pietie and learning.

10. Hauing hitherto spoaken of the diuers orders of the Church, and in particular of Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons and other in­feriour orders, it remaineth before I proceed to saie anie more of Bis­hops, that I speake of two eminent [Page 263]states of this Hierarchie, to wit, Car­dinalles and Regulars, and first of Cardinalles they being next in dig­nitie to the Spirituall and visible Prince and monarch of the Hie­rarchie.

THE X. CHAPTER. Of the dignitie of Cardinalles.

1. VVhat the name Cardinall, impor­teth. THe name Cardinall being de­riued from the word Cardo, which in its proper signification is taken for the hinge on which the doore hāgeth, is by a Metaphor trās. ferred to signifie euerie principall thing on which other things are de­pendent. So the fowre Winds, as the Eastern, Western, Northern and Suthern, are Cardinales venti, the Cardinall and principall winds, to which all the other windes are re­duced: [Page 264]So Vitruuius calleth the two poles Arcticque and Antarcticque Cardines caeli; because on them the globe and sphere of the heauen is imagined to relye in his motion: So Plinie Plin. lib. 18. c. 25. calleth the fowre prin­cipall partes of the yeare, to wit spring, Summer, Autumne, and Winter Cardines temporum, by which the whole yeare runneth: So the fower morall vertues, Prudence, Iustice, Fortitude and Temperance are called Cardinall vertues, because they are the most principall of mo­rall vertues, and haue diuers Species and kindes of vertues vnder them and depending on them: So saint Austine Aug. lib. contra Donati­stas de ba­ptism. c. 6. calleth the principall of the Donatists, Cardinall Donatists. And so the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons of the Romane Church are called Cardinalles, not onlie be­cause they serue most faithfullie the [Page 265]Church of Rome, VVhy the Bishops, Priestes and Dea­cons of the Romā Church were cal­led Cardi▪ nalles. which is as it were the Cardo of other Churches as S. Anaclete Anacl. ep. 3. & cap. Sacro­sancta. d. 22. stileth it, but also becau­se as the doore is sustained by the hinges, so the whole Church in her gouernmēt next after the Pope de­pendeth on the Cardinalles, who are the Popes Counsellers and are called In partem sollicitudinis omnium Ecclesiarum: in parte of the carefulnes of all Churches; And after him to swaye most in the gouerment of the whole Church.

2. VVhen the name of Cardi­nalles beyan is not cer­taine. But as the beginnings of an­cient Kingdomes, Townes, Cities, and families are not easilie discoue­red, so of how ancient standing Cardinalles are in the Church of God it is not so certaine, but that writers do dispute their antiquitie to and froe, and as yet sub iudice lis est, the controuetsie is not determi­ned.

3. Caluins lying, and false opi­nion. Caluin as he is no freind to the Hierarchie of the Church, as we haue seene aboue in the second Chapter, So this owle cannot en­dure to behold the splendent rayes of this dignitie, and therefore he raileth not onlie at the Cardinalles, but also at the Pope, Bishops, and Clergie of Rome, and feareth not to saye (but with an impudent lye) that they are all so contaminated with all manner of vice, that they resemble monsters rather then men. And saieth he: Cal. uin. lib. 4. Institut. c. 7. num. 29 & 30. Quantum ad Cardinales (quos vocant) attinet, nescio quid factum sit, vt ita subito in tantam amplitudinem emerserint. Hic titulus Gregorij aetate in solos Episcopos compete­bat. Nam quoties meminit Cardinalium, non Romanae Ecclesiae, sed alijs quibuslibet eos attribuit, vt in summa nihil aliud sit Sacerdos Cardinalis quam Episcopus. Apud Superioris saeculi aetates nomen hoc [Page 167]non reperio. Video tamen fuisse tunc Epis­copis minores quos nunc longe antecellunt: As concerning Cardinalles (as they call them) I know not how it is come to passe that so suddenlie they are grovvne to such greatenes. This Title in Gregories tyme aggreed onlie to Bishops. For as of­ten as he mentioneth Cardinalles, he so calleth not onlie the Bishops of Rome, but others also; so that in breefe a Cardinall is nothing but a Bishop; In the ages be­fore Gregorie, I finde not this name. Yet I see that then Cardinalles were lesse in dignitie thē Bishops whom now they farre excelle.

4. Caluins Lye, con­cerninge Cardinals. Thus he in fewe lines hath told vs no fewe lyes. The first is that which he saieth of the liues of the Cardinalles and Clergie of Rome. For that all they who know Rome cannot but know also, that they for their grauitie, Pietie and Priestelike, yea Prelatelike carriage [Page 268]and conuersatiō, The Cler­gie of Rome the lightes of the Church: and Rome the elect Citie of God, shy­neth in all actes of pietie. are principall ligh­tes of the Church; and Rome it selfe like the elect Citie of God shi­neth more in actes of charitie, Pie­tie and Religion, then anie Citie of the world; whereof one reason is, because they are gouerned imme­diatlie by Christ his Vicaire; ano­ther is, because as saint Cyprian Cypr. ep. 55. & lib. 1. ep. 3. saieth no perfidiousnes can haue accesse to the Romanes; and conse­quentlie no Lutheranisme nor Cal­uinisme, which wheresoeuer they enter do first corrupt faith, then de­praue and debauche manners and morall life. His second lye is that in saint Gregories tyme Cardinalles and Bishops were all one; For that there were Cardinall Deacons not Bis­hops, euen from the first origin of Cardinalles. The third that before the age of saint Gregorie there was not the name Cardinall, whereas it is [Page 269]found to be much ancienter as I shall prooue.

5. Turrecremata, Turre­crem. lib. 1 Sum. c. 80. Panormi­tanus Panor­mit. in ca. Per vene­rabilem qui sint legittimi filij. and some others Mau­clerus. 2. p. de Mo­narch. lib. 4. c. 11. & alij. are in another, but better extreme; for they are of opinion that the dignitie and office of Cardinalles is as ancient as the Apostles, though the name be of later standing; and conse­quentlie that their dignitie was in­stituted by Christ and before the order of Bishops. To shew this Turrecremata distinguisheth here three states of the Apostles. The first is, as they assisted Christ before his Ascension, according as Christ himselfe testifieth saying: Luce. 1.22. v. 27 Vos estis qui permansistis mecum in tenta­tionibus meis: You are they that haue remained with mee in my tentations. The second is, as after Christes As­cension, they assisted Saint Peeter his Vicair Generall in the gouern­ment [Page 270]of the vniuersall Church. The third was as they were separa­ted from Peeter, and from one ano­ther, and as, so separated, were to preach ouer all the world the Ghos­pell, according as Christ commaun­ded saying: Mare. cap. vlt. vers. 15. Euntes in mundum vni­uer sum praedicate Euangelium omnicrea­turae: Going into the whole world, preach the ghospell to all creatures. Which di­stinction supposed (he saieth) that the Apostles in the first and second state were Cardinalles, in that they assisted Christ in the first state, and Peeter his vicare in the second. In the third state they were Bishops whose office is in their Dioceses Act. ea. 20. vers. 28. Regere Ecclesiam Dei; To rule the Church of God.

6. Turrecre­mata his first infe­rence. Whence he maketh these Inferences. First that the Apostle [...] were Cardinalles, and exercised th [...] function of Cardinalles, before they [Page 271]were Bishops, or exercised the of­fice of Bishops; because they were Apostles before Christ his pas­sion, according to that: Lneae c. 6. vers. 13. Vocauit Discipulos suos & elegit duodecim ex illis quos & Apostolos nominauit: He called his disciples and he chose twelue of them whom also he named Apostles. But Bis­hops and Pastours they were not till after Christ his passion, Peeter their head being not created chiefe Pastour till after Christes Resurre­ction, when Christ bad him feed his sheepe Ioan. c. 21. vers. 17. as aboue wee haue seene. Aboue cap. 3.

7. Secondlie that the Apostles were Cardinales orbis, Turrecre­mata his second in. ference.Cardinalles of the world and vniuersall Church, be­fore they were Cardinales vrbis, Car­dinalles of the citie of Rome. For (saieth he) as saint Peeter was Bishop of the whole Church some yeares before he was particular lie Bishop of [Page 272]Rome, as aboue is declared; so the Apostles were Cardinalles of the whole world, before they were Car­dinalles of the Church of Rome, be­cause they assisted Peeter in the Gouernment of the whole Church, before they assisted him in the rule of the Roman Church.

7. Turrecre­mata his third in­ference. Thirdlie that the Pope him selfe may be reckened amongest the Cardinalles (for which he allea­geth Archidiaconus, Archi­diac. in cap. Saecro­sancta, d. 22. because he succeedeth to Peeter as he was Cardinall and Assistent to Christ be­fore he was Bishop and Pastour: for although all the Apostles were Pa­stour; yet (saieth he) they were Apostles before they were Pa­stours; whence, he thinketh to be, that the Pope is called Apostolic [...] Apostolique.

9. Turrecre. mata his fourth in­ference. Fourthlie that in the Hierar­chie of the Church the Cardinalles, [Page 273]succeed the Apostles as they were Apostles, and that the Bishops suc­ceed them as they were Bishops and Pastours: and seeing that the Apo­stles were Apostles before they we­re Bishops; the dignitie of Cardi­nalles was instituted before the or­der of Bishops. And so Cardinalles by Christ his Institution, haue their ranke and place next to the Pope in in the Churches Hierarchie, and by the same diuine Institution do take the precedence of Bishops. Thus he more subtillie and conceitfullie, then solidlie.

10. Sotus his censure of this opi­nion. Dominicus a Soto Sotus. in 4. d. 24. q. 2. art. 4. saieth that although he was a most learned man (as in deed he was, though learned men be men and so may be ouer seene) yet this his discourse, as it fauoreth to much his owne or­der (for he was a Cardinall) so it hath no solid ground: and there­fore [Page 274]he concludeth that the order of a Cardinall, as it is distinct from a Deacon, Priest and Bishop, is not of Christs, but of the Churches In­stitution. Vasquez Vas­quez. tom. 3. in 3. p. d. 242. c. 4. saieth that the office of a Cardinall is not any holie order instituted by Christ, nor was in vse in the tyme of the Apostles, but was after their tyme instituted by the Church.

11. The au­thors o­pinion. And in deed that which Turre­cremata saieth of the Apostles, to vvit, that they vvere first Cardinalles to Christ, and after to Peeter, is but a conceite, and not grounded at all in scripture, as he imagineth; for that the Cardinalles office is to assist the Pope with their Counsell, and vvhen on Pope is deade to electe another; vvhich officies the Apo­stles did not exhibit to Christ; he as their master, hauing tought them not hauing euer taken counsell o [...] [Page 275]them: and he hauing elected them, not being elected by them; nor did they, but Christ him selfe elect Peeter to be his vicaire, as aboue Chap. 3. wee haue proued, nor did they by common consent electe Peeters successour, but Peeter himselfe be­fore his death elected him. Cardi­nalles institu­ted by the Church. And so the Apostles were neuer Cardinalles, and consequentlie Cardinalles as Cardinalles are not their successours, nor were they (as such) instituted by Christ, but by the Church.

12. Three thinges in Cardinal­les. Wherefore in Cardinalles three thinges are to be distinguis­hed. First that the Cardinalles are Priestes, Deacons, or Subdeacons, and so they are Instituted by Christ as those orders are. Secondlie that they assist the Pope in gouerning the Church in Councelles, and out of Councelles and do also elect him; and this office was in deed per­formed [Page 276]euen from the Apostles tymes, but promiscuouslie by all Priests and Bishops. For as Cardi­nall Bellarmine tom. 1. lib. 1. de Clericie. cap. 16. and Vasquez Vas­quez. disp. 2.12. cap. 4 cit. do well obserue, immediatlie after the Apostles tyme for the space of manie yeares and some ages; be­cause there were fewe Priests and Deacons, all of them were called to Councelles, and all concurred, to the Election of the Bishops; and the Bishops and they to the Elec­tion of the Pope: neither at that tyme were Cardinalles in this distin­guished from not Cardinalles. For this cause saint Cyprian Cypr. lib. 3 ep. 5. & lib. 2. ep. 7. writing to the cleargie of Rome, writeth to all Priests and Deacons: And the clergie ansvvering him, onlie the Priests and Deacons ansvvere.

13. VVhen the name Cardinall began. But when the name Cardina [...] began, and why this name was gi­uen to some not to other some, i [...] [Page 277]is not a thing so certainlie aggreed on amongest writers. Yet certaine it is that the name Cardinall is more ancient then Caluin maketh it: for that Euaristus Eua­rist. ep. 1. ad omnes Episcopos Africae. Pope ordained that in euerie Citie where a Bishop was, seuen Deacons should assist him whilest he preached, partlie for his greater honour, partelie for his better defense and protection; and these resembled the seuen Angelles which assist before the Throne of God. Apoc. c. 1. v. Yea Pope Fabian Fabia. ep. 1. & habetur in Pontif. Damasi. also diui­ded seuen Regions of the Citie of Rome to seuen Deacons, who were called Dia [...]oni Regionarij, Regionarie Deacons. And in the second Roman Synode Synod. 2. Rom. Act. 2. we read that Pope Sylue­ster diuided the Citie of Rome into seuen Regions and committed them to seuen Deacons: And in the same Synode he decreed, that there should be seuen Cardinall Dea­cons [Page 278]in the citie of Rome; of which seuen Deacons Nicephorus, Nice­phorus. lib. 2. hi­stor. c. 34. and and the councell of Aquisgrane Conc. Aquisgra­nense. c. 64. do make mention. And although there seemeth to be no expresse mention of Cardinalles before the second Roman Synode, yet becau­se Pope Syluester in this Synode speaketh of seuen Cardinall Deacons, not as then first created, it see­meth that the seuen Deacons created by Euaristus and Fabian were also called Cardinall Dea­cons

14. Whence followeth that Iohn Caluin either vvas blind or neuer looked into antiquitie, or else vvil­fullie lyed, vvhen he saied, that be­fore Pope Gregorie he findeth not the name Cardinall. And whereas he saieth that in saint Gregories tyme onlie Bishops were called Car­dinalles, his mouth also runneth o [...] ­uer; [Page 279]for that saint Gregorie Greg. lib. 1. ep. 11. Et re­fertur ca. Fraterni­tatem. d. 71. wri­ting to Fortunatus Bishop of Na­ples vvho desired saint Gregorie to graunte vnto him Gratian Deacon to be Cardinated (as he called it) in his Church who before was Dea­con in the Church of Benefrana (where by reason of persecution he could not minister) saint Gregorie answereth: Idcirco scriptis praesentibus eum necessario duximus tibi concedendum, habituro licentiam Dia [...]onum illum, no­stra interueniente Authoritate, Ecclesiae, tuae, Deo propitio constituere Cardinalem: Therefore we haue thought good by these present writings to graunt vnto thee who shalt haue licence, by our authoritie to constitute him Cardinall of thy Church. And in another of his Epistles Greg. 2. ep. 25. & refer­tur cap. Pastoralis. 7. q. 1. he constituteth a Bishop who could not abide in his own Church, Cardi­uall of an other Church. And yet in an other Epistle Greg. lib. 2. ep. 13. ad Ag­nellum. & refertur. 21. q. 1. c [...] Relatio. he constituteth [Page 280]one Agnellus whose Church and Citie was destroyed by the enemie, Cardinall Bishop of Tarracina, as the people of that Citie had desired. But in deed in these places S. Gre­gorie by Cardo vnderstandeth the Church, by Cardinalis him that was by his ordination tyed to one Church, and by Cardinandus him who being first ordained to one Church was afterwards transferred to another, and speaketh not of Cardinalles who were counsellers to the Pope, or Cardinalles of the Church of Rome, as Paulus Lance­lottus Lan­cellotus in cap. fra­ternitatē. d. 71. VVhether the name Cardinall was giuen first to the place or person. in his Annotation vpon the Chapter which beginneth Fra­ternitatem hath vvell obserued.

15. Now if anie demaund whe­ther this name Cardinall was first gi­uen to the place or the gouernour of it; Bellarmine Bellar. vbi supra: sai [...]th to the place. will answer that the name Cardinall was first giuen [Page 281]to the place, Church, or Title, by reason that they were principall Ti­tles, and of the Church the Pastour or Gouernour was called Cardinall: Vasquez Vasq. vbi supra saieth to the per­son. contrariewise thin­keth that the name Cardinall was first giuen to the persons, to vvit, to the aforesaid Deacons, who of the Regions of the Citie committed to their charge (which regions vvere called Cardines ciuitatis) tooke the name of Cardinall Deacons, and so this name, as he thinketh, came af­tervvarde to be giuen to Priests and Bishops: which is also the opinion of Doctour Pitse Pit­saeus in praesat. ad Catalo­gum Car­dinalium Anglorum in his preface to his catalogue of our English Car­dinalles. This they confirme by the second Romain Synode Synod. 2. Roman. Act. 2. pa­rum ante cap. 11. vvhere is mention of a Deacon vvho vvas, Cardine constrictus vrbis Romae, tyed to a Cardo, that is, a principall Region or parte of the citie of Rome. Such Dea­cons [Page 282]were the seuen Deacons which saint Syluester in the second Ro­man Synod, as we haue alleaged called, Cardinall Deacons: which be­fore as we haue aboue probablie deduced were called Regionarij, and Cardinalles also.

16. VVhen Cardinal­les had first the preceden­ce of Bis­hops. But when they first began to haue the precedence of Bishops, and when first they were assumpted to be the Popes Counsellers and Electors, it is no litle obscure. It is true that in the Councel of Nice the Roman Priests, Victor and Vincentius sate before the Bishops, yet that might be, not because they were Roman Priests or Cardinalle [...] of the seuen Regions or Titles, but because they were Pope Sylueste [...] his Legates. Wherefore in tha [...] Councell after Osius Bishop o [...] Corduba, subscribed Victor and Vincentius before the Patriarche [...] [Page 283]but as Osius subscribed first becau­se he was Pope Syluester his legate (and otherwise could not haue ta­ken that place) so the other two, to wit Victor and Vincentius had the the precedence of the rest of the Councell, not perchaunce because they were Roman Priests, and per­aduenture Cardinalles also of some of the saied Regions or Titles, but because they were the Popes Legates, who for respect to the Su­premacie of the Pope, whom they represented, euer tooke the highest place in councelles. And therefore this was their subscription: Vide Cōcilium Nicenum in subscri­ptione Pa­trum. Victor & Vincentius Presbyteri vrbis Romae, pro venerabili viro Papa & Episcopo no­stro Sancto Syluestro Subscripsimus, it a credentes sicut supra scriptum est. VVe Victor and Vincentius Priests of the Citie of Rome, haue subscribed for the Venera­ble man our Pope and Bishop saint Syl­uester, [Page 284]so beleeuing, as aboue is written. In other councelles saieth Vasquez Vas­quez. disp. 242. c. 6. the Bishops subscribed before the Priests not legates, amongest whom not withstanding (saieth he) some were no doubt Cardinalles of the Regions or Titles of Rome. Wherefore in the councell of Rome vnder Syluester, it was de­creed that a Bishop should not be condemned vnder 72. witnesses, a Priest not vnder fortie fowre, a Dea­con tyed to his Cardo (that is a Cardi­nall Deacon) not vnder thirtie six: which argueth that in that Coun­cell Bishops were preferred before Cardinall Deacons. Yet Leo Leo ix. ep. contra Michaë­lem &c. c. 10. the ninthe Pope of that name in his Epistle to Michael Bishop of Con­stantinople, and to Leo Acridanus; saieth that as Constantine the grea­te gaue to the Bishop of Rome his mitre, Crowne and other imperiall [Page 285]ornaments, so he gaue to the most Reuerend Cardinalles who serue the holie Church of Rome, the honour of Con­sulles and Patritij: which argueth them to be verie ancient.

17. But howsoeuer, Cardinal­les, since they were electours, take pre­cedence of all pre­lates nexte to the Pope. since they had the honour to be the Popes daylie Counsellours and his sole Electours, they haue worthilie ta­ken the precedence. And so in the Councell of Florence (and as it is like before also, Concil. Flerent. in subscript. for that this digni­tie is not mentioned as a new thing) the Cardinall Priests, yea and Cardinall Deacons take place of all the Bishops in their sitting and in their subscribing, and not as Lega­tes because Pope Eugenius was pre­sent in person. This may be seene in the subscriptions of the Latin fa­thers.

18. And Turrecremata Tur­recrem. lib. 1. sum. cap. 80. thinketh. is of o­pinion that Cardinalles are in the [Page 286]highest state of perfectiō next vnto the Pope; Cardinal­les be in the highest state nexte to the Pope. and so for this respect also do deserue the first ranke after the Pope in the Church of God. That they are in a state he proo­ueth; because a state requireth an immobilitie caused by some obli­gation, as appeareth in the state of a bondman, of a married man, of a Religious man; Priest and Bis­hop: which, saieth he, is caused in that of charitie, and by their office and profession they binde thēselues perpetuallie to assist the Pope in the rule of the Church, and to defend him and the Church against all eni­mies with hazard of their liues. That they are in a state of perfe­ction he prooueth; because the perfection of Christian life (as we [...] shall see in the next Chapter) i [...] Charitie, which maketh vs perfect in vniting vs to our last end God, [Page 287]according to that of saint Iohn. Ep. 1. Ioan. c. 4. vers. 16. Qui manet in charitate in Deo manet & Deus in eo: He that abideth in charitie abideth in God, and God in him. And therefore it is called Coloss. c. 3. v. 15. vinculum per­fectionis, the band of perfection. Yea, saieth he, they are by so much in an higher state of perfection then Bis­hops, by how much the vniuersall good of the Church, of the which Cardinalles haue care and charge, ex­ceedeth the particular good of a Diocese, where with the Bishop is charged. And in deed in this respe­cte, the Cardinall excelleth the Bis­hop; but in other respectes the Bis­hop excelleth the Cardinall. For that the Bishops state is of the di­uine institution, the Cardinalles is of the Churches ordinance; The Bis­hops order is a sacred order insti­tuted by Christ, The Cardinalles of­fice is no sacred order; nor is it in­stituted [Page 288]immediatlie by Christe; the Bishop by the diuine ordinance hath a deciding voice in the Coun­cell, the Cardinall onlie by the Po­pes decree: For which cause the Pope calleth the Bishops, Venerabiles Fratres: Venerable brethren; Cardinal­les he stileth Dilectos filios, Beloued sonnes.

19. The Bis­hop grea­ter then Cardinall not Bis­hop in dig ni [...]ie of Order: so the Priest and Dea­con. So that, if wee respect the power of order, the Bishop is grea­ter then a Cardinall Priest, and the Priest is greater then a Cardin all Deacon; for that the Bishop can ordaine and create Priests and other ministers, and can also confirme; the Cardinall Priest can do neither: The simple Priest also can conse­crate the sacred Euchariste, the Cardinall Deacon cannot. And if wee regarde the ordinarie power of Iurisdiction, which a Prelate or Pa­stour hath in his owne Church, the [Page 289]Bishop hath greater then the Car­dinall not Bishop, for that the Bis­hop hath power ouer a whole Dio­cese, the Cardinall not Bishop hath onlie power in his Church and Ti­tle, which saieth Bellarmine Bel­larminus vbi supra. is like to the Iurisdiction of a Parish Priest in his Parish. The Bishop by his ordinarie power of Iurisdiction can make lawes, inflicte excom­munication, and other censures, The Cardinall can do no more in this kind then the Pope licenseth him.

20. The Car­dinalle in the go­uernment of the whole Church is before all Bishops. But if we consider the go­uernment of the whole Church, the Cardinall though but Deacon, for these many yeares, yea for no fewe ages, taketh place and precedence, before all Bishops not Cardinalles: and worthilie also. For first the Cardinalles assist the Pope daylie in all his publike and most important [Page 290]affaires, for which Cardinalles are most apte, being ordinarilie Princes or learned and expert men in diui­nitie or lawe; and being chosen from all partes and Countries, that so they may giue the better infor­mation; although most of them are chosen out of Italie and Rome, and not without reason also; be­cause they being neere are better acquainted with the affaires of the Court and Church of Rome, and so also inconueniences are auoided, which haue happened by externe Cardinalles, Bos­sius. tom. 2. lib. 10. designis c. 21. nu. 22. as Bossius hath obser­ued. Secondlie Bishops assiste the Pope onlie in councells, the Cardi­nalles in councelles, and out of councells: and because councelles now a dayes are more seldome then in former ages, Bishops assist the Pope but seldome, Cardinalles day­lie. And if you demaund of me [Page 291]why councelles are not now so fre­quent as formerlie they haue been, VVhy Councel, les now not so fre­quent. the answere is readie; for that as councelles are verie profitable to the vniuersall Church, so they are no litle discommodious to parti­cular Churches, which (during the tyme of the councell) are forced to want their Pastours and since Car­dinalles haue beene the Popes Ele­ctours, the businesses of the Church are dispatched by the Pope, and that with lesse discommoditie and yet sufficientlie; especiallie since diuers congregations of them haue beene erected; one for the propagation of the faith, another for the Interpre­tation of the councell of Trent, &c.

21. Thirdlie the Cardinalles haue beene this greate vvhile the onlie Electours of the Pope. And Alex­ander Conc. Lateran. c. 1. & re­fertur. ca. licet de e­lectione & electi po­testate. the third in the councell of [Page 292]Lateran saieth that although before his tyme there vvere constituted sufficient lavves for the Election of the Pope; yet because the ambi­tion of some had abused those hol some lavves, he decreeth that the Pope shall not be coūted canonical­lie elected vnles by two partes of the Cardinalles: and since this constitu­tion (as Bellarmine noteth out of Onuphrius) there haue beene fevver schismes and greater peace then be­fore; Bellar. lib. 1. de Cleric. c 9. for that of twentie and nine schismes, vvhere vvith the peace of the Church hath beene perturbed, there haue but three schismes hap­pened since that constitution vvas made, and of those three, but one through the default of the Cardi­nalles.

22 The Reformeers (as they call themselues though in deed they haue deformed religiō, life and all) [Page 293]carpe vvith Caluin Calui. lib. 4. c. 7. num. 2 9. at the most Illustrious colledge of Cardinalles; yet, as Bozius Bozius lib. 9. de signis c. 5. obserueth, besides that they are for the most parte Princes or learned lavviers or diui­nes, Cardi­nalles the most parte princes, or learned manie of them [...]aue beene saintes. there haue beene more Sainc­tes and holie men in that colledge then can easilie be shevved in anie colledge of their number, they till Sixtus the fowerth his tyme hauing not beene aboue thirtie, and till Leo the tenthe his tyme not aboue fiftie three in number.

23. Cardi­nalles the 60. va­liantes. And in deed these most Illu­strions Prelates may be compared to the threescore Valiants of the most valiaunt of Israël Cant. cap. 3. vers. 7. (the Church) as who by profession, as we haue saied, are to expose their liues and to spille their bloud for the Chur­ches defence; for which their chari­tie (as no man hath greater charitie then to expose his life for his freind (x) Ioan. c. 10. v. VVhy the Cardi­nalles were Scarlett. they [Page 292] [...] [Page 293] [...] [Page 294]weare scarlet robes and cappes, VVhy the Cardi­nalles were Scarlett. as one Antonius Scappus Anton. Scappus De Bireto Rubeo. Responsio­ne prima & alibi. Aduo­cate in the courte of Rome in his booke De Bireto Rubeo &c. and An­toninus Anto­ninus in sum. Tit. 2. c. 1. before him declare, and are compared by one Mauclerus Mau clerus de Monarch. p. 1. lib. 5. c. 1. com­pareth Cardi­nalles to Scraphins. a learned Doctour of Sorbon to the Seraphins, that is, to the highest Hierarchie of the Angelles so called for their ardent loue and charitie: who compasse the litle bed of Salomon Cant. c. 3. v. 7. (the Church of Christ, the onlie bed of repose in matters of faith and saluation, and litle in respect of the Church Triumphant) all holding swords and most [...]unning to battaile, be­cause their life is a warfare for the Churches defence. These Prelates are the Syluer pillars Canti. ca. 3. v. 10. of Salomons Throne yea the pourple ascending Steppes Cant. c. 3. v. 10. and staires thereof.

24. To these Prelates saieth Tur­recremata Lib. 1. sum. c. 8. may be applyed those [Page 295]vvords of Annaes Canticle: lib. 1. Reg. c. 2. vers. 8. Do­mini sunt Cardines terrae & posuit super eos orbem: The poles of the earth are our Lords, and vpon them he hath sette the world; Because as the heauens are imagined to depend in their mo­tion on the poles Arctique and An­tarcticque, and the earth by tvvo poles is thought to subsist, so the Church of Rome vvhich Anacle­tus Anacl. ep. 3. calleth the Heade and Cardo of other Churches, is particularlie vnder the Pope gouerned by Car­dinalles; yea Cardinalles are they vvho (after the Pope) swaye most in the gouernment of the whole Churche, which is seated on earth. And vpon them God hath sette, and sea­ted the worlde, Cardi­nalles the 72. Se­niors. that is the Christian world and Church, whose limites are no other thē those of the whole world. Yea what the seuentie Ancientes with Heldad and Medad [Page 296]to vvhom God imparted parte of Moyses spirit (saieth Turre­cremat. lib. 1. sum. cap. 83. Turrecre­mata) vvere to Moyses, that are the Cardinalles to the Pope: who being called vnto parte of the solli­citude which he hath of the vniuer­sall Church, do helpe him to beare the greate charge and pastorall burden: whom therefore saint Ber­nard Bern. lib. 4. de considerat. cap. 1. calleth Seniores populi, The Seniors of the people who daylie assist the Pope, and the Iudges of the world. Thus much I thought good to saie of the most Illustrious order and Colledge of Cardinalles so to honour the more the Church of Rome whose Spirituall Senatours and consulles they are; and so to giue a greater lustre to the Hierar­chie of the Church militant, The Con­clusion of this Cha­pter. of which they are the Seraphins for the charitie they professe, and the first order for their dignitie, in which [Page 297]they are next to the Pope and aboue all the rest of the spiri­tuall Princes and Prelates of the Church.

THE XI. CHAPTER. Of the state of Religious.

1. All aggree that God is to be worship­ped with religion. THere was neuer Pagan vvho admitted a God or Gods, but graunted also Religion, natu­rall reason teachiug him that to such Excellencie a supreme honour is due, vvhich vve call Religion And therefore Plutarch Plu­tarch. l. aduersus Colotem. saieth that you shall sooner find cities amongest them without walles, lawes, coynes, then without Temples in vvhich they vvorshiped their Godes; for as Cicero saieth: Omnes Religione mo­ [...]entur & Deos patrios quos a maioribus [Page 298]acceperunt colendos sibi diligenter & re­tinendos arbitrantur: All are mooued with Religion and do thinke that they must worship and reteine diligentlie their Countrie Gods whom they receiued from their Ancestours: onlie the difference amongest them was what God or Gods should be admitted, and with what worship. Al hereti­ques ac­knowled­ge Chri­stian Re­ligion, but so as eue­rie one chalen­geth it to himselfe. Euen so all he­retiques do admitte of some wor­ship of Christ and some Christian religion, because euerie one of them professeth the name of Christ, but yet so, as euerie sectmaster will chalenge to him selfe and his sect the onlie true Christian Reli­gion.

2. Manie he­retiques deny par­ticular Religions and Reli­gious or­ders. But as for the particular Reli­gion, which is a state of certaine per­sons who by obseruation of the counselles of Pouertie, Chastitie and obedience, and by the vowes of them do tend to more perfection [Page 299]then is the ordinarie perfection of Christians, and who, as saint Tho­mas D. Th 22. q. 81. a. 1. ad 5. saieth, are speciallie called Religious, because they consecrate their whole life to Christ and total­lie abstracte them selues from the world; such Religion, and such Religious, manie Heretiques do condemne, VVicle­phes ob­iection a­gainst re­ligious orders. as derogating to Chri­stian Religion: so do Wiclephe, Luther, Caluin, and manie others: for (saied Apud Th. VVald. l. 3. do­ctrin. fidei. Wiclephe) Christ ha­uing instituted Christian Religion to which he obligeth all men, and this Religion being perfect and suf­ficient; to adde other Religions deuised by men, as is it superfluous, so it is iniurious to Christ, that being, as it were, to go about to amend Christ his Religion, and to argue it of imperfection and insuf­ficiencie.

3. Against this Heresie condem­ned [Page 300]in the councell of Constance, Conc. Constant. Sess, 8. in sent, dam­nat. arti­culorum 45. VVi­clef. our countrie man Thomas Wal­densis Thom. Vald. lib. 3. Prouinciall in his tyme of the Carmelites, Doctour of diuini­tie in Oxford, and one highlie es­teemed by Henrie the fifte, wri­teth a whole booke; shewing that as Christ Instituted christian Reli­gion, Defen­d [...]th thē. The three counsels instituted by Christe Mat. 19. to which all are bound, so he instituted the substance of all parti­cular Religions, to wit the three counsels of Prouertie, obediēce and Chastitie, in which all Religions do aggree, and on which they are foun­ded. To which counselles all chri­stians are counselled, none obliged, but they vvho voluntarilie oblige them selues by vovve, as Religious men do. And so these particular Religions of particular orders, as of Benedictins, Dominicans, Fran­ciscans and others, in regarde of the substance are no additions to [Page 301]Christ his religion: for that he, as he instituted the commaundement, so he instituted the Counselles, but with this difference, that he obli­geth all to the commaundements, but none to the counselles; vnles by vowe they first oblige them sel­ues; for then he also obligeth thē, saying: Vouete & reddite Domino Deo [...]stro:Ps. 75. vers. 12.Vowe ye and render to your Lord God: In the first word vowe is a Counsell, in the second, render is a commaundement. And again; Si quid vouisti Deo ne moreris reddere: Eccles. c. 5. v. 3.If thou hast vow [...]d any thing to God, dif­ferre not to paye it.

4. And although the particular habits and the particular rules of Religious orders be instituted by mē, that is by the Founders of these orders, yet these men were holie [...]en and great Sanites, as appeareth [...]y their holie liues and miracles, [Page 302]for which the Church hath canoni­zed them, that is, declared them to be Saintes; and such as we may and ought to honour and pray vnto: which Church in this and all other her definitions and declarations is to be credited, she being Columna & firmamentum veritatis: 1. Ti­moth. c. 3, vers. 15.The pillar and ground of truthe. Or if Wicleph and his Schollers, Luther and Caluin, will except against the Re­ligious habit and rule, because it i [...] not in scripture, nor commaunded by God, they may by the same rea­son except against the habit of the prophetes and their manner of life which they found not commaun­ded by scripture; yea and against the habit and rules of our colleg [...] in Oxford and Cambridge, yea an [...] against all newe fashions whi [...] are not commaunded by scriptur [...] If they answere that these hab [...] [Page 303]and rules are not against scriptures; the same saie I of the religious rules and habits.

5. The first counsel is voluntarie pouertie. The first counsaile is the coun­saile of pouertie, which Christ gi­ueth, saying to the young man and in him to all; Mat. cap. 11. vers. 21. Si vis perfectus esse vade, vende omnia quae habes, & dapau­pauperibus & habebis the saurum in caelo & veni sequere me:Counsels are not precepts.If thou wilt be per­fect, go sell all the things that thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen, and come followe me? Where wese how Christ distinguis­ [...]heth betwixt commaundements and counselles. For before he had saied of the commaundments: Matt. cap. 9. vers. 17. If thou wilt enter into life, keepe the com­maundements: but now speaking of a coūsell, he saieth not, if thou wilt en­ [...]er into life sell all, but only, if thou wilt [...]e perfect, sell all. For that a man may [...]e saued and yet keepe his riches, as [...] braham did, but he cannot so ea­silie [Page 304]attaine to perfection, vnles by selling or leauing all, he free himsel­fe from the encombrances of Ri­ches. Thus saint Chrysostome Chrys. hom. 21. in 1. ep. ad Corinth. and other fathers Theo­phil. ibid. Aug. ser. 61. de Temp. expound this place. So that if a man sell all to giue all to the poore, or to other pious vses, he doth well; but if he doth not, The dif­ference betwixt counsell and pre­cept. he doth not ill; if he giue all he shall please God, because he follo­weth his counsaile; if he do not, he shall not displease him, because he doth not against his cōmaundemēt.

6. The 2. counsell of chasti­tie. The second counsell is of cha­stitie which Christ also gaue, when he saied: Matt. c. 19. v. 12 Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc &c. Not all take this word, but they to whom it is giuen, for there are Eunu­ches which were born so from their Mo­thers wombe, and there are Eunucher which haue gelded them selues for the kingdome of heauen. He that can take, let him take. Where is to be obserued [Page 305]that when the disciples had hearde Christ saie, that a man must not leaue his wife, as the Iewes did, and take another, and that if he do take another, he shall commit aduou­trie; The disciples saied vnto him; Mat. cap. 19. vers. 11. If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry: Christ re­plied: Matt. c. 19. v. 11. Not all take this worde, but they to whom it is giuen: And again: He that can take let him take, All haue the guife of chasti­tie that will.not all take this word of liuing chastlie without a wife, but they to whom it is giuen. by which Apostatate Monkes, and fryars must not cloake their ince­stuous marriages against their vowes, because they haue not the guift; for so neither can married men liue Chast, without the guift and grace of God, according to that of the wiseman, Sap. c. 8. vers. 21. no man can be continent vnles God giue it, and of the Apostle: 1. Co­rint. c. 7. vers. 7. Euerie one, euen the [Page 306]married man, hath a proper guift of God, one so, and another so: But all that haue not either this or that guift, it is either because they will not praie for it, or will not vse it when they haue it, or will not vse the meanes, as of fasting and other austerities by which Chastitie is conserued; or will not auoide the occasions, as companie of woemen &c. Saint Austine Aug. l. de gratia & lib. arb. cap. 4. saieth: Quibus non est da­tum, aut nolunt aut non implent quod vo­lunt. Quibus autem est datum, sic vo­lunt vt impleant quod volant: To whom it is not giuen to liue chaste, either they will not, or they fullfill not what they will. But they to whom it is giuen, so they will as they may fullfill what they will. The Coū ­sell of chastitie prooued. For otherwise if it were impossible to liue chaste, Christ would not counselle it, saying: He that can take, let him take. Vpon which saint Austine discoursing, [Page 307]saieth: Aug. ser. 61. de Temp. Aliud est consilium aliud prae­ceptum &c. One thing is a Counsell, ano ther thing is a precept, counsell is giuen to keepe virginitie, to abstaine from wine and flesh, to sell all and giue to the poore; but a precept is giuen, that iustice be kept, that euerie man decline from euill and do good. To be breefe of virginitie it is saied: He that can take, let him take; but of Iu­stice it is not saied, he that can do iustice let him; but it is saied of it, euerie tree that yeeldeth not good fruite shalbe cut down and shalbe cast into the fyre. He that shall willinglie harken vnto counsell and do it, shall haue greater glorie: he that doth not fullfill the precept, vnles penaūce helpe him, he cannot auoid punishment. Conformablie to this saint Paule commaundeth not, but yet coun­selleth virginitie saying: 1. Cor. cap. 7. vers. 25. And as concerning virgins a eommaundement of our Lord I haue not, but counsell I giue. Vpō which words thus S. Hierō Hiero. ep. 22. [Page 308]discourseth: De virginibus (inquit Apō ­stolus) praeceptum Domini non habeo Cur? quia & ipse vt esset virgo, non fuit impe­rij, sed propriae voluntatis &c. As con­cerning virgins, saieth the Apostle, a com­maundement of our Lord I haue not. VVhy? because it vvas not a commaunde­ment, but his ovvn vvill that he vvas him selfe a virgin. VVhy therefore hath he not a commaundement of our Lord of virginitie? because it is a thing of greater revvard, vvhich is not forced vpon a man but offered. For if virginitie had beene commaunded, marriages should haue see­med to haue beene taken avvaye. And it had beene most harde to compelle against nature, and to extorte from men a life of Angelles.

7. The 3. counsell is of obe­dience. The third counsell of obe­dience Cardinall Bellarmine and others do gather thus: Christ coun­selled the youngman not onlie to selle all, but also to follovve him, to [Page 309]wit by obeying him as the other disciples did, Mat. c. 19. who liued in a parti­cular obedience to their maister; Who also saied: Matt. cap. 16. vers. 24. Luc. 9. Si quis vult post me venire abneget semetipsum & tollat crucem suam & sequatur me. If any man vvill come after me, let him denie him selfe and take vp his crosse and follovv me. Where is insinuated that to come after Christ or to follovv him, is to denie our selues, which then we do when denying our own willes we subiect them voluntarilie to a Superiour. And the reason is, be­cause our vnderstanding and will, being the principall commaunders and rulers of man, and of all his ac­tions, in renouncing our willes and iudgements and submitting them by obedience to the will and Iudge­ment of the Superiour, we re­nounce our selues. According to this saint Hierom Hiero. ep. ad Eu­stoch. de custodia virginita­tis. speaking of [Page 310]Monkes who liued together, and in common, saieth: Prima apud eos con­faederatio est obedire maioribus, & quic­quid iusserint facere: The first confedera­tion vvith them, is to obey their elders and to do vvhatsoeuer they shall com­maunde.

8. No credit to be [...]i­uen to be­retiques w [...]o deny coūselles. By this it appeareth what cre­dit is to be giuen to Luther and Caluin, who saie that there are no workes of Supererogatiō, no coun­selles, but all commaundements; for that voluntarie pouertie, virgi­nitie, and voluntarie obedience to a Superiour, to whom we freelie submitte our selues, are counselled but not commaunded; or if they be commaunded, why do not the Reformers obey them? Why did Luther contrarie to his vowe of these counselles reuolt from them, and shake them of, as thinges not necessarie.

9. Vowes of coūselles prooued lawfull. And hence wee may gather also, that if these counselles be law­full and good and in our povver also (as no doubt they be, else our Sauiour Christ and saint Paule would not haue counselled them; for that vnlawfull things cannot be counselled without sinne; nor im­possible, without meere madnes) we may also vowe them. For why should it be vnlawfull to vowe that which other wise is honest and law­full, and in our free povver? An acte of vertue vowed is a double vertue. Certes a vovve of an acte (vvhich is other­vvise vertuous, as chastitie, or abstinēce) makes it tvvise vertuous; for if one vovve virginitie, vvhich of it selfe is the most laudable and principall acte of chastitie, it is by vovve made also religious (vovves pertaining to religion) and so is not onlie chaste, but religious. Again, [...] saint Thomas of Aquin S. Th. 2.2. q. 88. a. 6. in corp. auer­reth, [Page 312]he that vovveth an acte of ver­tue doth subiect him selfe to God, not onlie, quantum ad actum, sed etiam quantum ad potestatem: not onlie in res­pect of the acte, but also in respect of the povver: That is, he that vovveth to God chastitie, giueth him not on­lie the acte vvhich the vertue of chastitie alone could do, but also the povver: For that before a man vovve virginitie, he may leaue that laudable acte when he pleaseth, and take a wife, but after he hath vowed it, he hath now no lawfull power to leaue it, and so by vowe he giueth to God not onlie the acte but the power. So Christ saieth: Matt. c. 19. v. 12 There are Funuches vvho haue gelded them selues for the kingdome of heauen. Which is most properlie to be vn­derstood of those that vowe chasti­tie. For that, as they who are cor­porallie gelded, haue nether the [Page 313]acte nor power to generate; so they who vowe virginitie, are spirituallie gelded: for that after their vowe they haue no morall, or lawfull po­wer to exercise the acte of genera­tion; whereas yet, liued they neuer so chaste, they had the povver be­fore they vovved. And besides these reasons scripture in diuers places vvarranteth vovves saying: Ps. 75. vers. 22. Vo­uete & reddite Domino Deo vestro: Vovve ye, and render to our Lord your God. And againe: Eccles. c. 5. v. 3. If thou hast vovv­ed any thing to God, differre not to pay it, for an vnfaithfull and foolish pro­mise displeaseth him.These 3. vowes are the essentiall partes of religion.But what soeuer thou hast vovved pay it: and it is much better not to vovve, then after avowe, not to performe the thinges promised. These three counselles vvith the vovves of them, are the essentiall partes of a Religious life, and there­fore, [Page 314]as I saied, all orders of Reli­gion do in them aggree.

10. Not they but chari­tiers per­fection. Yet the perfection of a Reli­gious life consisteth not in them, but in charitie: for although faith and hope, as vvhich are Theologi­call vertues, bee great perfections; yet that vvhich maketh the soule absolutlie perfect, is charitie, which is greater then faith and hope; yea then all other vertues, according to that of saint Paule: 1. Cor. [...]. 13. v. 13. And novv there remaines faith, hope and charitie, these three, but the greater of them, is charitie. And the reason of this is. For that as the earth then attaineth its last end and perfection, vvhen it is vni­ted to the center, and therefore then resteth and moueth no further: So the soule of man then receiueth her last and greatest perfection of this life, Charitle vniteth to God. vvhen she is vnited to God as to her last end and Summum bonum: [Page 315]vvho onlie is her center and place of rest: according to that of saint Austine: Au­gustinus. Fecistinos, Domine, ad te & inquietum est cor nostrum donec re­uertatur ad te: Thou haft made vs, o Lord, to thee, and our harte is vnquiet till it return to thee. And this charitie doth, as she is loue. For that all loue is of an vnitiue, and gluing nature and vniteth the louer to the person loued, as Dionysius Areopagita Dion. l. de Eccl. Hier. & l. de diui­nis nom. affirmeth, and Scripture and Philosophie teacheth. Ionathas his soule is saied: 1. Reg. c. 8. v. 1. To haue beene glued to Dauids soule by loue. Christ praied Ioan. 1. c. 17. v. 11. that as he and his father were one by consubstantialitie, so his dis­ciples might be one by loue and charitie: The first Christians Act. ca. 4. v. 32. had one harte and soule by charitie: And the holie Ghost who proocee­deth eternallie from God the fa­ther and God the sonne, is called [Page 316]by diuines, their nexus their knotte of Freindship; by saint Austine, Aug. lib. 6. Trin. c. vlt. their ineffabilis cōplexus, their ineffable imbracing and colling: because he is their loue. The Philosopher saieth Arist. l. 9. Eth. c. 8. freinds are one soule in a. bodies. that two freinds by loue are one soule: and that a freind by loue is an­other ones selfe; and therefore Da­mon, and Pythias, Pylades and O­restes would haue dyed for one an­other, the one thinking him selfe by loue to be transformed into the other, and his soule to be more where it loued, then where it liued. And therefore saint Austine Aug. [...]. 4. con­fess. c. 6. thought him selfe halfe dead when his other halfe Nebridius was dead. Wherefore charitie vniting vs to God and more then other loues, in that it is the loue of God, according to that, 1. Ioan. c. 4. v. 16. he that abideth in charitie, abi­deth in God and God in him, it is the greatest perfection of this life, and [Page 317]is therefore called vinculum perfectio­nis, the band of perfection. Vide D. Th. 2.2. q. 184. a. 1. Colloss. 3.

11. What then are the three coun­selles? The 3. counselles are instru­ments and meanes to perfectiō, yet not necessa­rie. they are instruments of per­fection, not necessarie, yet verie profitable. Not necessarie because Abraham attained to great perfe­ction without practise of these coū ­selles, for he onlie exercised the or­dinarie obedience due to God and his cōmaundements; he obserued onlie coniugall chastitie; and he was so farre from leauing all, that he was verie riche in goods and pos­sessions. And there are manie not onlie secular Priests who are not bound to pouertie, but also manie married men more perfect of tenty­mes thē are manie of the Religious. But yet they are profitable instru­ments of perfection, in that they are conuenient meanes to procure [Page 318]charitie the loue of God, in which consisteth the perfection of Chri­stian life.

12. Perfectiōs distin­guished. the first is the perfe­ction of God. But here we must distinguish betwixt perfections; for first there is the diuine perfection which no crea­ture, not the most blessed in heauen can attaine, though we are counsel­led to imitate it according to that: Matt. c. 5. v. 48. Be you perfect therefore, as also your heauenly father is perfect: For as none but God can comprehend God, so none but God can loue God Quan­tum est diligibilis,The 2. perfectiō of the blessed.as much as he is wor­thie of loue. Secondlie there is the per­fection of the blessed in heauen, who seeing God face to face, can­not but loue him most ardentlie and incessantlie; and so also, that they haue no inordinate motions, nor can offend him so much as ve­niallie. This charitie is charitas pa­triae and the end of charitas viae; and [Page 319]so to it we are not obliged in this life, The end of the lawe bin­deth not. the lawe commonlie bynding vs to the things commaunded, but not to the end intended. As if the Generall commaunde his soul­diers to assault a towne with inten­tion to win it, if they giue the assault they fullfill his commaundement, though they win not the towne. The 3. perfectiō is of all Christiās. The third perfection consisteth in that charitie by which we so loue God, that we will not transgresse his commaundements nor offend him mortallie. And by this, as diui­nes say; we loue God aboue all Appretiatiuely, that is, we so prize and esteeme him, as we will not of­fend him mortallie for the loue of any creature: And to this perfectiō all are obliged, though they be nei­ther Bishops, nor Priests, nor Reli­gious. Of this perfection saint Iohn [...]eaketh saying: 1. Io. c. 2. v. 5. Qui seruat ver­bum [Page 320]eius, vere in hoc charitas Dei perfe­cta est, He that keepeth his word (that is his commaundement, for a litle after he saieth, The old commaundement is the word which you haue heard) in him in verie deed the charitie of God is perfe­cted. This charitie Noe had: Gen. [...]p. 6. v. 6. Noe vir iustus atque perfectus fuit: Noe was a iust man and perfect. To Abraham God saied: Gen. c. 17. v. 1. walke before me and be thou perfect. And of King Asa is writ­ten: 2. Pa­ral. c. 15. vers. 17. Asa his hart was perfect all his daies. And this perfection the young man in the Ghospel Matt. c. 19. vers. 20. had, if, as he saied, he had in deed fullfilled all the commaundements. The fowrth perfection implyeth that charitie, The 4. perfection is of the regulars. by which we so loue God, as we are readie not onlie to obserue the commaundements, but also the aforesaid counselles for his loue: And this charitie is the charitie o [...] Religious if they obserue the afore [Page 321]saied counselles sincerely as they professe. How it differeth from the perfectiō of all Christiās. This perfection requireth that we actuallie leaue all, but the former perfectiō to which all Chri­stians are bound, requireth not that we actuallie leaue all, All Chri­stiās must leaue all in prepa­ration of minde. but onlie in preparation of mynd, that is, that we be so prepared in mynde, that al­though for the present we may en­ioy these thinges, yet we must be readie, if the occasion were offered, to leaue Father, Mother, Landes and liues, rather then transgresse God his commaundemements or offend him mortallie; and this pre­paration of minde had Abraham in the middest of his riches, and amidst his manie wiues. For although he left not all actuallie, as religious men do, yet he left all in preapara­tion of mynd, to which preparatiō all Christians are bound. wherefore Christ saieth: Luc. c. 14. v. 26. If any man come to [Page 322]me and leaueth not his father and mother wife and children, and brethrē and sisters, yea and his owne life besides, (that is, if he leaue not all these in preparatiō of mynd) he cannot be my disciple. The diffe­rence bet­wixt reli­gious and other christians. So that there is onlie this difference be­twixt Religious and other Chri­stians; that the Religious leaue all these thinges actuallie, other Christians must leaue them in pre­paration of minde. To leaue all actual­ly is no perfectiō. The former ac­tuall leauing of them is no perfec­tion: but an instrument of perfec­tion, vnles it be ioyned with the loue of God, in vvhich consisteth perfection, as saint Thomas of A­quin D. Th. 2. 2 q. 184 ar. 7. ad 1. well obserueth. But to lea­ue all in preparation of mynd is perfection, because it either is the loue of God, or is ioyned with it.

13. We must also distinguish bet­wixt perfection, and the state of per­fection; [Page 323]for that (as saint Thomas saieth) euill Bishops, State of perfection and perfe­ction are distinct and may be separa­ted. and disorderlie religious men are in a state of per­fection, but haue no perfection; and good christians may be perfect, as Abraham was, though they be not in state of perfection: Yea the Reli­gious man as often as he sinneth mortally, loseth perfection, be­cause he loseth charitie; but his state he cannot lose. Perfection therefore consisteth in charitie and the loue of God (as aboue we haue declared) but the state of perfection implyeth an immobilitie, VVhat is a state of perfectiō. groun­ded in some obligation, as S. Tho­mas D. Th. 2. 2. q. 184 ar. 4. hath declared vnto vs: for, as he well obserueth, a man is not a bondslaue, because he serueth an other, for that freemen do serue ac­cording to that of the Apostle: Gal. c. 5. vers. 13. By charitie serue one another: nor is a seruant, or boundman made a free­man [Page 324]because he ceaseth to serue; for that slaues may be fugitiues, and remayne slaues, though they serue not actuallie. But as he is in state of bondage who by birth is borne slaue, or by contracte is made slaue; so he is in state of perfection, vvho by vowe is obliged to actes of per­fection, as the Bishop and Religious man are. And because all states are commonlie giuen by some solem­nitie, besides an obligatiō or vovve, vvhich causeth immobilitie, saint Thomas D. Th. vbi supra. also requireth some so­lemnitie; and so if a man should priuatelie vowe pouertie, chastitie and obedience, as he should not be properlie Religious, because the Church hath not receiued his vowes; so he should not properlie haue the state of perfection; but if he make his vovves to God in the handes of a lawfull Superiour, and [Page 325]in an order approoued by the Church, which hath accepted his vovves, as then he is properlie reli­gious, so then, and no before hath he properlie a state. And because manie oblige thēselues by promise to things which they obserue not, and manie obserue things to which they haue no obligation (as one of the sonnes of the lorde of the vineyarde Matt. cap. 11. saied he would not worke in the vineyarde, yet after­wards did worke, the other promi­sed to worke and did not) there­fore euill Bishops are in state of per­fection but haue no perfection: and a Religious man who keepeth not his vowe or liueth not in compasse of his rule, hath a state of perfection, but is far from perfection.

14. There is also a difference be­twixte states of perfection, for that as saint Thomas S. The. 1.2. q. 184 ar. 7. Dio­nys. lib. de Eccl. Hier. 2. States of perfe­ction: the one as of Bishops who tea­che, &c. of Aquin and [Page 326]others both fathers and diuines af­firme, there is one state of them who illuminate and perfecte, as Bishops and Prelates do: there is another of them who are to be per­fected and illuminated, The other of reli­gious who are taught and illu­minated. as the reli­gious are; The one is of them who are in state of perfection alreadie acquired, as Bishops and Prelates are; the other of them who are in state of perfection to be acquired, as Religious are; they by state are perfecte, these tende to perfection: And therefore looke what differēce there is in state betwixt Agents and Patients, Illuminators and Illu­minated, Maisters and Schollers; that is betwixte Bishops and Prelates and the Religious. And by how much greater science is in the Maister then in the scholler, so much in regarde of state, is there more perfection in the Bishop then [Page 327]in the Religious. Whence it is that saint Hierom Hiero. ep. ad Ri­parium. saieth: Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet Officium The Mōke hath the of fice not of a teacher, but of a mourner. And againe: Alia caussa est monachorum, alia Clericorum: Clericipascunt oues, ego pascor: Other is the cause of monkes, other of Clearckes: Clearckes feed, I am fedd. And as the texte of the Canon law saieth: 7 q. 1. cap. hoc nequa­quam. The life of Monkes hath the worde of subiection, and of a scholler. The Bis­hop by his state is obliged to expose his life for his flocke, when iust oc­casion is offered, as other Pastours also are obliged, accordinge to that Ioan. c. 10. v. 11.: A Good pastor giueth his life for his sheepe: but the religious, as religious, by his state is not obliged to this heroicall charitie, as to be euerie day readie to dy for his neighbour, he hauinge no care of soules; onelie be is bounde to obserue his vowes [Page 328]of the three Counsailes, and by them to tend to perfection. And so in this respect not onelie the Bishop but also euerie pastour; Yea and all they who are lawfullie called to conuerte or gouern soules by prea­ching, teaching and ministring of Sacraments (especiallie if in perfor­ming these offices they expose their liues, Pastours haue a hi­gher cal­ling then religious, but not so perfecte a state. landes, or liberties) haue a more perfect calling then the Reli­gious, as Religious, haue, because the Religious man by his calling seeketh onlie to saue his own soule, not the soules of others, he hauing by state and office no care of sou­les, and he is not by his calling to giue his life for others, as euerie Pa­stour, and they who haue charge of soules are. And therefore when Religious men are sent to preach to Infidelles, and to conuerte soules as that pertaineth not to them a [Page 329]Religious, but as they are extraor­dinarilie called: So they are then sent to exercise greater actes of per­fection, then purelie monasticall or regular which are properlie be­longing to them. And the reason of this is: because there is no greater perfection in this life then charitie, 1. Cor. cap. 3. and there is no greater charitie then to giue or hazarde ones life for the sauing of soules. Onlie the Pa­stour not Bishop, though he haue a perfecter callling then the Reli­gious as Religious, yet he hath not so perfect a state as the Bishop, or Religious hath: not as the Bishop, because the Pastour not Bishop hath charge onlie of a Parish, the Bishop of a Diocese; and that char­ge the Pastour hath dependentlie of the Bishop: Not as the Religious because as we haue seene to a state immobilitie is required D. Tho. 1.2. q. 184 a. 7. ad 1. which Ioan. c. 10. v. 1 [...]. [Page 330]the Pastour not Bishop hath not. And therefore the Pastour not Bis­hop may forsake his pastourship and retyre himself to a more quiet life, either in religion or out of re­ligion without licence of the Pope; the religious man after his vowes made, cannot returne to the world, nor can he of Religious become no religious man, as the Pastour of a Pastour maie become no Pa­stour.

15. The Bis­hop in state of perfectiō excelleth. But in this respect also the Bishop excelleth the religious mā; for that the Religious man maie be preferred, to be a Bishop, as prac­tise of the Church teacheth and the Canons, 18. q. 1. cap. sta­tutum est. which argueth (saieth saint Thomas S. Th. 2.2. q. 184. ar. 7. in argum. sed contra. that the state of a Bishop, is a greater state of perfec­tion: For if it were lesser, it were not lawfull for the Religious to be a Bishop, because as Saint Thomas [Page 331]also saieth: Nulli licet à maiori statu ad minorem transire; hoc enim esset retrò as­picere: It is lawfull for no man to goe from a greater state (of perfection) to a lesser; for this were to looke backe. But the Bishop cannot leaue his Bishopricke weere it to be a Reli­gious man, vnlesse the Pope vvho hath full power vnder Christ vpon some iuste cause dispense with him, as saint Thomas expresselie auer­reth: S. Tho. 1.2. q. 18 [...] art. 4. The Bis­hops ma­riage with his Church. for as Euaristus Eua­ristus ep. 2. d. 1. episc. ere­ctis. Pope, Calixtus Pope, Calix­tus ep. 2. ad omnes Galliae episc. and Innocen­tius III. Pope In­nocent. III. in c. Inter cor­poralia. de Trans­lat. episc. do acertaine vs, the Bishop when he is consecra­ted, elected and confirmed to his Church, doth contract a spirituall marriage with his Church: and so maie not leaue it vnles the Pope vpon an vrgent cause dispense with him: Else if a Bishop might leaue his Bishopricke for a greater, the doore would be open to much am­bition, [Page 332]and none would be conten­te with his Bishopricke. And there­fore this is seuerelie prohibited by diuers Councelles, as by the Coun­cell of Antioche, Conc. Antioch. c. 1. & re­fortur. ca. Episcoperū in 7. q. 1. Sardis Conc. Sardic. can. 1. Car­thage: Conc. Carthag. 3. c. 38. by saint Leo Leo ep. 84. ad Anastas. and In­nocentius III. Innoc. III. vbi supra. & cap. Nisi cum pridē de renun­ciatione. And Innocentius addeth that it is easier for a Mōke, to ascende to a Bishopricke, then for. Bishop to go to be a Monke, be­cause the state of a Bishop is perfe­cter. And hence some inferr that the Bishops marriage with hi [...] Church is firmer and more indisso­luble then is marriage betwixt ma [...] and wife, which is contracted, bu [...] not consummated: because matri­monie contracted onlie, is dissolue by entrance into Religion, but th [...] marriage betwixte a Bishop and [...] Church cannot so be dissolued.

16. So that the state of a Bishop is an higher state of perfection th [...] [Page 333]the state of Religious; yea a reli­gious state can be but a meanes to come to be a Bishop, and so must [...]eedes be inferiour, the meanes being inferiour to the end. And [...]herefore S. Hierom Hiero. ep. ad Ru­sticum Monach. writing to Monke saieth: Sic viue in monaste­ [...]io vt Clericus esse merearis: So liue in [...]y monasterie that thou maiest deserue [...] be a Clearke. And with much more [...]ason might he haue saied: so liue [...] thy monasterie as thou maiest [...]eserue to be a Bishop. Wherefore [...]hen a Religious man is made a [...]ishop or a Pastour, he is preferred [...]o an higher calling, and to a voca­tion of greater perfection: yea reli­gious men when they were sente to preach and conuerte countries, they were sente to exercise higher actes of perfection; for that in this life there is no greater charitie, and cō ­ [...]uentlie no greater perfection [Page 334]then to haue care of soules and to hazarde ones life for them, to which the Pastour is obliged by his state and office, not the religious.

17. An obiec­tion an­swered. If anie obiecte that a Bishop may haue riches and possessions and so obserueth not that coūsaile of Christe: Matt. c. 19. v. 21. Si vis perfectus esse, vade & vende omnia quae habes & da pauperibus: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all thou hast, and giue to the poore: I an­swere with saint Thomas of Aquin 2.2. q. 184. ar. 7. ad 1. the honour of the schooles and glorie of religion, that actuallie to renounce all, is no perfection, but an instrumente and meanes to per­fection, and therefore though the religious person do actuallie leaue all, that argueth not him to be per­fecter in state then the Bishop. But the Bishop by his state is obli­ged to be readie prepared in minde to expose his life for his Church, and [Page 335]euerie one of his Diocese. Which preparation of minde Abraham had in the middest of his riches: And in this preparation (as aboue is declared) consisteth perfection not in the actuall leauinge of all as manie heathens haue done: though (as aboue is saied) this actuall lea­uinge of all, be a good meanes to perfection.

18. Wherefore S. Thomas 2.2. q. 185. ar. 8. incorp. S. Th. his censure. determineth this controuersie in these wordes: Status religionis ad per­fectionem pertinet quasi quaedam via in perfectionem tendens. Status autem Epis­coporum ad perfectionem pertinet, tam­quam quoddam perfectionis magisterium. Vnde status religionis comparatur ad sta­tum Episcopalem, sicut disciplina ad magi­sterium, & dispositio ad perfectionem: The state of Religion pertaineth to perfe­ction as a waie tending vnto perfection: But the state of Bishops pertaineth to per­fection, [Page 336]as the maistership of perfection. Whence it is that the state of religion is compared vnto Episcopall state, as instru­ction to maistership: And Henricus a Gandauo handling this question Whether the religious or the Bishop be in the greater state of perfection, concludeth in these wordes: Hen­ricus Gan­dauensis his cēsure. quodl. 12. quaest. 29. Status praelatorum se habet ad statum religioso­rum, sicut status magistorum adstatum discipulorum: Magister autem debet esse perfectior discipulo. The state of Prelates hath that comparison to the state of reli­gious, which the state of Maisters hath to the state of schollers: But the maister ought to be perfecter then his scholler. And againe (saieth he) Quando aliquis religiosus deductus est ad summum ali­quid & perfectum, tunc primum estido­neus vt assumatur in praelatum. VVhen a religious man is brought to a high and pre­fect (degree of perfection) then first he is fit to be assumed for a Prelate. [Page 337]And so where a religious man en­deth, there a Bishop or Pastour be­ginneth, and the Bishop laieth his foundation on the Religious mans toppe and roofe. The con­clusion of this chap­ter. Hauing spoakē of all the orders of the Church though more amplie and particularlie of the greater then of the lesser; it re­maineth that in the ensuing Chap­ters I examine which of all these orders are most necessarie.

THE XII. CHAPTER. Bishops are so necessarie in the Church of God, that it can not subsist without them.

1. All the orders of the Church as of Priests, Deacons, Sub­deacons &c. being giuen with some Sacramentall action, it is necessarie [Page 338](saieth D. Tho. lib. 4. cont. gent. c. 76. Ferrar. ibidem. saint Thomas) that there should be a sacred power which giueth them, and which also must be greater and of an higher order then they, the cause being greater and nobler then the effect; No or­ders with­out a Bis­hop. and this is Episcopall authoritie, by which the Bishop hath power to giue all the orders, and ordaine all the mi­nisters of the Church. So that with­out a Bishop there can be no other orders, and without diuers orders there cā be no Hierarchie, and with­out a Hierarchie there can be no Church, which, as aboue we haue seen is Hierarchicall; and so with­out a Bishop there can be no Church. Hence it is that the Coun­cel of Trente Cono. Tvid. sess. [...]3. [...]. 4. declareth that, Praeter caeteros Ecclesiasticos gradus &c. Besides the other Ecclesiasticall degrees, Bishops, who succeede into the place of the Apostles, do appertaine principallie to this [Page 339]Hierarchicall order, and are placed (as the ApostleAct. ca. 20. v. 28.saieth) by the holie Ghost, to rule the Church of God, and are superiour to Priests, and do giue the Sacraments of Confirmation and ordaine Ministers. And againe the same coū ­cell Sess. 23 can. 6, thus pronounceth: If any shall saie that in the Catholique Church there is not a Hierarchie instituted by the diuine ordinance, which consisteth of Bis­hops, Priests and ministers, let him be ac­cursed.

2. Secondlie the Bishop hauing the highest degree in the Church both in power of Iurisdiction and order, as aboue is declared, there can be no lawfull ministration of Sacraments, no preaching of God his worde, no lawes Ecclesiasticall can be enacted, No eccle­siasticall function without a Bishop. no acte Iuridicall or Hierarchicall can be lawfullie exercised, no Councelles, which es­sentiallie consist of Bishops, can be [Page 340]assembled, no consecration of Churches, no gouernment of Dio­ceses or Parishes, no sacring of Cha­lices, no hallowing of vestements or other things, and so no Ecclesia­sticall functiō can be exercised law­fullie in the Church without a Bis­hop, all depending on him. Where­fore saint Ignatius saieth: Ignat. ep. ad Smyrnen­ses. Non licet sine Episcop [...] neque Baptizare, neque offerre, neque sacrificium immolare, neque dochen, id est, caenam celebrare: It is not lawfull without the Bishop nether to bap­tize, nor to offer, nor to Immolate the sa­crifice, nor to celebrate the supper.

3. Thirdlie the Church, as a­boue, is compared to the Hierar­chie of Angels, and to a temporall Kingdō, it being a spirituall King­dom and called the Kingdom of heauen. Mat. 23. It is also a monarchie whose monarch vnder Christe is Peeter and his Successour, as there also [Page 341]is prooued. Wherefore as in the Hierarehie of the Angels, besides one supreme Angell who vnder God ruleth that spirituall Kingdo­me, there are three Hierarchies and nine orders, all which haue their Princes to gouerne them: And as in a kingdom or Monarchie there are rulers of Prouinces, which they rule also not as the kings Lieutenants, but as Princes in their degree: So in the Church of God there must not be one onlie Monarch and su­preme Pastour (which is Peeter and his Successour, as wee haue demō ­strated) for that he onlie and alone, cannot sufficientlie menage all the affaires of the Church; nor rule and direct all the members of it: but al­so other Pastours, I meane Bis­hops, who are spirituall Princes, are necessarie: and although they de­pend of the Pope for their Iurisdic­tion; [Page 342]Yet they are spirituall Princes, and ordinarie Pastours in their kinds and not his dele­gates. No parti­eular Church without Bishops. And therefore as the whole Church hath one supreme Pa­stour, so all particular Churches must haue their Bishops and Pa­stours. And so euerie Patriarch­ship hath its Patriarch, euerie Archbishopricke, vvhich contai­neth diuers Dioceses and suffra­gane Bishops, hath its Archbishop; and euerie Diocese its Bishop, and euerie Parish its Pastour. Which also argueth that without Bishops, the Church cannot subsist, it con­taining in it diuers particular Chur­ches, which are of the Integritie yea and essence of the whole Church; which particular Churches are to be gouerned by Bishops.

4. Hence it is that the Apo­stles besides saint Peeter and them [Page 343]selues; constituted Bishops in diuers places, as saint Peeter (according to Chrys. hom 87. in Ioan. saint Chrysostome) consti­tuted saint Iames Bishop of Hieru­salem: and he and saint Iohn and saint Iames the greater ordained him, as Anacletus Anacl. ep. 2. & Euseb. l. 2. cap. 1. auerreth. S. Chrysostome saieth: Si quis a me percontaretur, quomodo Iacobus sedem Hierosolymitanam acceperit, responde­rem ego hunc totius orbis magistrum prae­posuisse Petrum:Bishops constitu­ted.If any aske of me how Iames tooke the seate of Hierusalem, I would auswere, that Peeter the maister of the whole world, constituted him. Saint Paule constituted Timothie Bishop of Fphesus, as saint Paule him selfe 1. Tim. c. 1. v. 3. insinuateth, and Euse­bius Euseb. l. 3. hist. cap. 4. plain lie auoucheth. Saint Paul Tit. c. 1. vers. 5. also constituted Titus, Bis­hop of Crete that the should ordaine Priests by Cities. So after S. Peeter had founded and gouerned the Gelas. in decrete de libris Apocr. Anacl. ep. 2. Euseb. l. 2. c. 24. [Page 342] [...] [Page 343] [...] [Page 344]Church of Antioche seuen yeares, Euodius was there Bishop, to whom succeeded Ignatius. So saint Marke in the name of saint Peeter foun­ded the Church of Alexandria, to whō succeeded Anianus. And who­soeuer is neuer so litle conuersant in Ecclesiasticall histories and the practise of the Church, cannot but see, hovv the Church hath euer been gouerned by Bishops, euen from the beginning. For as we haue seene, the Apostles presentlie after they had conuerted countries and Cities, did ordaine and send Bis­hops to gouerne them. And Ana­cletus, Anacl. ep. 2. cit. c. 1. & ep. 3. ordained Priest by Saint Peeter, maketh mention of Pa­triarches or Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops which in his tyme go­uerned. So that take awaie Bishops and you take awaie the Church, they being essentiallie pertaining [Page 345]to the Hierarchie without the which there is no Church. Wherefore S. Anaclete saieth: Sacerdotum or do bi­partitus est, & sicut Dominusillum consti­tuit, à nullo debet perturbari: The order of Priests is of two sortes (to wit Bishops and Priests) and as our Lord hath con­stituted, it must be perturbed by no bodie. And saint Cyprian Cypr. ep. 6. q. ad Flor. edit. pamel. saieth that the Church is, Sacerdoti plebs adunata & Pastori suo grex adhaerens: The Church is the people vnited to the Bishop, No Church without a Bishop.and the flocke adhering to its Pastour; And seeing that there cannot be a peo­ple vnited to the Bishop, without a Bishop, it followeth that there can­not be a Church without Bishops. The same father in the same Epistle saieth: Vnde scire debes Episcopum in Ec­clesia esse & Ecclesiam in Episcopo; Wherevpon thou must know that the Bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the Bishop. And why? because the [Page 346]one cannot be without the other. For as the Kingdome cānot be with out a King, nor the King without a Kingdome, they being correla­tiues; so neither can the Church be without a Bishop, nor the Bis­hop without the Church, he being ordained to no other end then to rule the Church. Act. c. 20. v. 28. And the councel of Trent Canc. Trid. supra Sess. 2.3. can. 6. as we haue seene accur­seth them that shall saie that in the Catholique Church there is not a Hierarchie instituted by the diuine ordinance, Bishops of the es­sence of the Church. or that it consisteth not of Bishops, Priests and other mini­sters. By which it is euident that Bishops are of the essence of the Church; and that neither the vni­uersall Church, nor any particular Church in its perfect state can be without a Bishop; the Church vni­uersall or particular being (as saint Cyprian Cypr. vbi supra. saieth) nothing else, But [Page 347]the people vnited to the Priest that is to the Bishop, and the flocke adhering to its Pastour.

5. And therefore they who will haue no Bishops will consequentlie haue no Church; and so our Puri­tans who will haue no Bishops, de­clare themselues to be no Church; and the Protestants are wiser then they, who though they haue no true Priests or Bishops, and so no true Church; yet they haue suppo­sed Bishops, and so a showe of a Church: Protestan­tes go­uernmēte of their Church, better thē that of the puritans. and euen as a Tyrant be­cause he hath some showe of a king, better gouerneth a Kingdome then a seditious multitude, and therefore by Tyrānie Kingdomes haue stood for some tyme, neuer by sedition; so the Protestants Church will stād longer vnder supposed Bishops who haue a show of Bishops then the congregation of the puritans vnder [Page 348]a Presbyterie or consistorie of Mi­nisters not Bishops, who therefore for lacke of Bishops to keepe them in order and vnitie, are alwayes at variance.

THE XIII. CHAPTER. Bishops are so necessarie that euen in tyme of persecution (though it should be greater for the Bishops) the Church may not be gouerned vvithout Bis­hops.

1. BY that which hath alreadie been sayed in the former Chapters, and especiallie in the last, it is euident that the vniuersall Church cannot be without Bishops: yea it is an heresie to saie that the Church may be gouerned without Bishops; the Church being essen­tiallie [Page 349]a Hierarchie, and Bishops being of the essence of this Hierar­chie, as the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sess. 23. can. 6. hath defined, and is aboue proo­ued, and the gouernment of the Church being giuen to Bishops by the diuine ordinance, as aboue is declared out of manie places of scri­ptures, and out of the Councell of Trent in the place last alleaged, no humane authoritie can alter it. And therefore Anacletus Anacl. ep. 3. saieth, that the order of Priests is of two sortes (that is of Bishops and simple Priests) and as our Lord hath constituted, it must be perturbed by no bodie.

2. The go­uernment of the Church by Bis­hops can not be changed. And the reason is because the gouernmēt of the Church being established by Christe, it is Iuris di­uini, of the diuine law which no man can alter; in which the Pope cannot dispense; which the whole Church cannot change: because [Page 350]the Inferiour Prince cannot abro­gate or dispense in the lawes of his Superiour, as Christe is to the Church. For as commonly diuines, [...]aye the Pope and Church cannot abrogate the diuine lawe by which the Sacraments are instituted and commaunded, nor dispense in any other diuine positiue lawes, they being onlie to be changed by God who made them. Wherefore seeing that Christ hath established a for­me of Gouernment in his Church by Bishops and Priests, no humane authoritie can abrogate or change it. And so the Pope cannot put downe all Bishops and gouerne the Church onlie by him selfe and Vi­caires or delegated officers not Bis­hops, Christ hauing appointed Bis­hops: This commonlie diuines saie, and it is euident in reason: I will alleage onlie Suarez Suar. to. 2. disp. 25. s [...]st. 1. nu. 8. because [Page 351]he is a learned diuine. He in his fourth tome of his Commentaries vpon the third parte of saint Tho­mas his summe concludeth in these words: Vnde sine dubio non posset tota Ecclesia hunc modum regiminis (per E­piscopos) mutare, vt omnes etiā autores fatentur. Et ratio breuiter est, quia Chri­stus Dominus instituit perfectam Monar­chiam in Ecclesia. Ad perfectionem autem Monarchiae, & bonum animarum necessa­rium est vt in tota Ecclesia, non tantum vnus Monarcha, sed etiam vt sub illo es­sent alij veluti Principes Ecclesiae, ipsi su­premo principi, subordinati: Ergo hoc to­tū Christus instituit. Minor declaratur, tum quia Monarchia vt sit perfecta debet habere aliquid admixtum Aristocratiae, quia oportet vt in republica sint varij Principes sub vno primo: Wherevpō with­out doubt the whole Church could not Chaunge this manner of gouernment by Bishops, as all authours doe also cōfesse. [Page 352]And the reason breefelie is because Christ our Lord instituted a perfect Monarchie in the Church: but to the perfection of a Monarchie and the good of soules, it is ne­cessarie that in the whole Church there should be not onlie one Monarche, but also others vnder him as Princes of the Church, subordinate to the chiefe Prince. Therefore Christe instituted all this. The Minor proposition is declared, both be­cause a Monarchie, that it maye be per­fect, must haue some thing admixt of Aristocracie, because there must be in the Church many Princes vnder one the first.

3. Christ sent his Apo­stles not withstan­ding per­sequutiō. Wherefore euen in tyme of persecution, though it should be principallie intended against Bis­hops, this gouernment must not be chaunged; it being ordained by Christe. Certes our blessed Saniour foresaw, yea fortold the persecu­tiōs, which were to be raised against [Page 353]his Apostles, for saied hee: Matt. c. 10. v. 16. Ecce ego mitto vos sicut oues in medio luporum &c. Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of wolues. Be ye therefore wise as serpentes and simple as doues. And take heed of men: (Homo homini lupus, Man to man is a wolfe) For they will deliuer you vp in councelles and in their Synagogues they will scourge you. And to Presidents and Kings you shalbe ledde for my sake &c. And he addeth; Mat. c. 10. v. 22. you shall be odious to all men for my name: He foretold Peeter his death by the crosse saying: Ioan, c. 21. v. 18. When thou wast younger thou diddest guirde thy selfe, and diddest walke where thou wouldest, but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hādes, and another shall guirde thee,So saieth Tertu. lib. prescr. nu. 14. Chrys. he. in hune locum Eu­seb. l. 2. ca. 24.and leade thee whether thou wilt not. And this, saieth saint Iohn, he saied, signifiing by what death he should glorifie God. Did he therefore omitte to make him Bishop? Nay in the [Page 354]words which he spake immediatlie before these, he made him not on­lie Bishop, but Chiefe Bishop and Pastour of the Church. The Apo­stles prea­che and ordaine Bishops in perse­quution. Yea the A­postles knowing that they were made Bishops to preach and con­uert the world, and after to gouer­ne it; maugre all the Tyrants and their engines of crueltie, they sette vpon this greate peece of worke of the worldes conuersion, and they, whom they conuerted were as wil­ling to receiue them, though they knew the persecution was raised es­peciallie against them.

4. And as Christe ordained his Apostles Bishops though he fore­sawe this great persecution: So the Apostles ordained Timothie and Titus Bishops, and they ordained by Cities other Bishops Tit. 1. aboue. So [...] did their suc­cessors. not with standing the persecution. And the successours of the Apostles haue [Page 355]not omitted to ordaine Bishops for feare of persecution, nor did the Christians then except against or­daining Bishops, though they knew that the persecutors aymed espe­ciallie at Bishops, and at others for their sakes. Although the persecu­ting Emperour (saieth Cypr. l. 4. ep. 2. ad Anto­niauum. saint Cy­prian) vvas so infestus Sacerdotibus vt fanda & infanda comminaretur; And did so hate the Bishops of Rome that multo patientius & tolerabilius au­diret leuari aduersus se aemulum Princi­pem, quam constitui Romae Dei Sacerdo­tem: Endured more patientlie to heare of a Prince competitor, then of a Bishop con­stituted at Rome: Yet should you thē haue seen (saieth he) Cornelius (and other Popes) sedere intrepidum, to sit in Peeters Chaire without feare, knowing it to be protected by Pee­ters Maister. O the courage and cō ­stancie of the Bishops of Rome, [Page 356]who neuer shrunke the shoulders, neuer intermitted their succession, but least the Church should want a head, and the Hierarchie a Hierar­chicall Prince, were content with euident hazard of their liues, to maintayne the Succession of Bis­hops in that seate, maugre the bar­barous crueltie of the bloudie Ty­rāt. And O the zeale of the Romās who though they knewe, they could not haue a Bishop without hazard of his life and theirs; yet ad­mitted him; yea thought them sel­ues happie to haue him, and as vn­happie to be without him, as it is for the armie, when it is assaulted, to be without a Generall, or the shippe amidde the surging waues and windes to want a Pilot, or the flocke, when the wo [...]fe is en­raged, to be without a Pastour.

5. Wherefore, as we maie ga­ther out of Ecclesiasticall histories, from the cruell Tyrant Nero to the Clement Emperour Constantine the Greate, there was scarse any Bishop of Rome who was not a Martyr, who at least suffered not great persecution. Twentie seuen of them are commonlie auouched for Martyrs, to vvit Peeter, Line, 27. Popes Martyrs before the tyme of Constan­tin.Cletus, Clement, Anacletus, Fuaristus, Alexander, Sixtus, Thelesphorus, Anice­tus, Callistus, Vrbanus, Pontianus, An­terus, Fabianus, Cornelius, Lucius, Ste­phanus, Sixtus Secundus, Faelix, Euti­chianus, Caius, Marcellinus, Marcellus, Ioannes, Syluerius, Martinus: Vide Boziuml. 8. c. 3. To whom maie be added manie moe who were banished and by the mi­serie of Banishment had their liues shortened.

6. And these glorious Bishops Peeters Successours, as they were [Page 358]contented the later to succeed the former in the Bishopricke of Rome and therein to hazard their liues, knowing that it was Christes will, that the vniuersall Church should be gouerned by one supreme visi­ble Pastour: so they also knowing that Christ, besides the supreme visible Pastour, instituted other Bishops to gouerne with reference to the supreme Pastour, The an­cient Popes or­dained still Bis­hops in tyme of persecu­tion. their par­ticular Churches, so to make vp a Hierarchie of diuers orders: neuer omitted in the greatest persecutions to ordaine Bishops ouer particular Churches, though this ordination hazarded no lesse the ordainers, thē the ordaineds liues. And to omitte that in the three Patriarchall Seates, of Rome, Alexandria, and Antio­che and other principall Seates there was neuer wanting a Patriarch or Bishop to gouerne them as [Page 359]maie partelie appeare by the mar­tyrdom of the aforesaied Bishops in the Seate of Rome, Euseb. l. 3. hist. c. 20. & 32. of Saint Marke and saint Anianus in the seate of Alexandria, of Euodius and Ignatius in the seate of Antioch, of saint Iames, Ordina­tions of Popes. and saint Symeon in the seate of Hierusalem:If you reade the liues of the Bishops of Rome, you shall finde that in the greatest persecutions they omitted not to consecrate Priests and Bishops in diuers places. Ex Bā. ron. an. Domini. 80. an. 43. an. 102. an. 112. an. 121. an. 132. an. 142. an. 154. an. 158. So saint Linus saint Peeters immediate successour ordained eighteene Priests and fif­teen Bishops in the persecution of Vespasianus: saint Cletus fiue and twentie Priests in the persecution of Domitian, saint Clement ten Priests and fifteene Bishops in the persecution of Traiane: saint Ana­clete Six Bishops and fiue Priests in the same persecution: saint Euariste [Page 360]seuenteen Priests and fifteen Bis­hops in the persecution of Hadrian: Saint Alexander fiue Bishops in the same persecution: Saint Sixtus eleuen priests and fowre Bishops in the persecution of Antoninus: Thelesphorus thirteen Bishops: S. Higinus six Bishops in the same persecution. And to omitte many others: The Priest in his Breuiarie will find in the office of Popes in the end of their liues how euerie one of them in the verie fur [...]e of Persecution ordained Deacons, Priests and Bishops in diuers places, knovving that the Church of God according to Christs Institution, vvas to be gouerned by Bishops.

7. This vvere sufficient to shewe that for feare of persecution the or­dination of Bishops maie not be omitted least the sheepe should be destituted of Pastours. But yet I will [Page 361]not omitte here to propose vnto my reader the feruent zele and de­sire the catholiques of the Church of Carthage had for Bishops. When Hunericus Victor Vticensis l. 2. perseq­vand. in initio. began his raigne, to make a showe of clemencie and fauour towards the catholiques of Carthage, he offerred them (yet at the instance of Zeno the Empe­rour and Placidia to choose in that Church and to consecrate a Bishop whom they would (which ornamēt (saieth Victor) carthage had wan­ted for fowre and twentie yeares) but yet vpon this condition, that the Arrians at Constantinople might enioye the free vse of their Churches; otherwise (saieth Hune­ricus) not onlie the Bishop that shalbe ordained in carthage vvith his clergie, but also all other Bis­hops of the Africane Prouinces with their clergie, shalbe sente to the [Page 362]Moores. The which whē Victor Pri­mate of Africke and others heard, they refused his courtesie with so cruel a condition, and saied: Si it a est, interpositis his conditionibus pericu­losis, haec Ecclesia Episcopum non delecta­tur habere. Gubernat eam Christus qui semper dignatur gubernare: If it be so, with these perilous conditions, the Church of Carthage is not delighted to haue a Bis­hop. The de­sire of the people of Carthage for a Bis­hop. But the people so cryed out for a Bishop that they could not be ap­peased vvithout one. Eugenius therefore an holie man being or­dained their Bishop, there vvas greate ioy, and as it were, a Triūphe made that they had again a Bishop; And the younger sort flocking to­gether shevved greate signes of ioy, Their ioy for him. and saied that they had neuer be­fore (for they had been destitute of a Bishop tvventie and fovver yea­res) seen a Bishop in that Episcopall [Page 363]Throne And they were so inamou­red of this their Bishop, that, as Vi­ctor saieth: Animam suam pro eodem vniuersos ponere delectaret: All of them would haue taken delight to haue giuen their liues for him. Heere I cannot but turn my speach to my deare coun­trimen the Catholiques of Englād, and to desire them vvho for their constancie and zele for the catho­lique faith, haue been a mirrour and patterne to all other countries, to iumitate this zele of the Carthagi­nians for a Bishop, and their loue tovvards him, and to imprinte it in their hartes. These vvould haue hazarded their liues for their Bis­hop, because they had not seen one in their Church for the space of fovvre and tvventie yeares: hovv zelous should you be for your Bis­hop, you hauing not seen a true Bishop in England till these tvvo [Page 364]last you haue had, for farre moe yeares.

8. But let vs behold another example of Hunericus crueltie and of the African catholiques zele to their Bishops and Pastours. Hune­ricus his crueltie Victor Vticen­sis Victor, Vtie. l. 2. describeth rather by teares then vvordes saying: Huneti­cus his cruel Quibus au­tem prosequar fluminibus lachryma­rum, quando Episcopos, Presbyteros, Diaconos & alia Ecclesiae membra, id est, quatuor millia D. CCCC. LXVI. ad exilium eremi destinauit, in quibus erant podagrici quam plurimi, alij per aetatem annorū lumine temporalipriuati &c. But with what fluddes of teares shall I prosequute Hunericus his crueltie. VVhen he sent Bishops, Priests, Deacons and other members of the Church into Banish­ment in the wildernes, amongest whom were many troubled with the goute, others by age blind and depriued of sight &c. [Page 365]For he further setteth downe vvhat miseries they suffered in their iour­ney. Behold Hunnericus crueltie.

9. The Ca­tholiques zele for their Bis­hops. Now let vs behold also the zele of the Catholiques of these coun­tries for their Bishops and Priests. They cōplained pittifully that they vvere to be depriued of their Pa­stours, saying or rather crying: Victor. l. 2. perseq. vandal. Quibus nos miseros relinquitis, dum per­gitis ad coronas? qui hos baptizaturi sunt paruulos fontibus aquae perennis? qui no­bis paenitentiae munus collaturi sunt, & re­conciliationis indulgentia obstrictos pecca­torum vinculis soluturi? quia vobis dictū est,Mat. c. 18. v. 18.Quaecumque solueritis super terrā, erunt soluta & in caelis. Qui nos solemni­bus orationibus sepulturi sunt morientes quibus diuini sacrificij ritus exhiben­duse st? Vobiscum & nos licebat per­gere, si liceret vt tali modo filios a pa­tribus nulla necessitas separaret: To whō do you leaue vs miserable wretches, whi­lest [Page 366]you go to receiue your crownes? who shall giue vs the Sacrament of Penance, and loose vs tyed with the bondes of sinnes by the Indulgence of reconciliation? For to you it was saied: VVat soeuer you shall loose vpon earth, shallbe loosed in heauen? who shall burie vs with solemne prayers when we shall dye to whom the rite of the diuine sacrifice is to be exhibited? we might haue gone with you, that so no necessitie might separate the children from their fathers. Wherefore as for other pointes of our faith we must die ra­ther then denie them, so we must die rather then denie the Hierarchie of the Church, it being a point of faith, as aboue wee haue proued out of Scriptures Act. 20. Eph. 4. and consisting of Bis­hops, Priests and ministers, as the Councell of Trent (whose words wee haue diuers tymes related) hath defined. Conc. Trid. sess. 23. can. 6. And therefore as saint Thomas of Canturburie is a true [Page 367]Martyr, He should be a mar­tyr who should dye for the Hie­rarchie. who yet dyed onlie for the righte of the Church; So he that should dye for defence of the Hie­rarchie of the Church, which consi­steth principallie of Bishops, should be trulie a Martyr.

10. The like complainte did or might our English Catholiques make vvhen in Queen Elizabethes tyme, partlie by banishment, par­tlie by Imprisonment, partlie by death, they vvere depriued of their Bishops and Priests, and consequē ­tlie of the Sacrament of confirma­tion, vvhose vse especiallie is requi­sit in tyme of persecution, and of the publique vse of other Sacra­ments, and of the sacrrifice of the Masse and other benefittes. But novv that Christe by his Vicar hath sent vs a Bishop, should vve repine, or rather should vve not [Page 368]reioyce and thanke God for so greate a benefit.

11. The cruel­tie of Trasamū ­dus. But behold yet another as great a crueltie of the Arrian Tyrāt Tra­samundus answered with no lesse zele of the African Bishops: Ore­sius lib. 1. hist. c. 10. The Tyrant commaunded that they should not ordaine anie more Bis­hops in the place of those that dyed, and so the Church of Carthage af­ter the death of Eugenius had no Bishop. The Bishops considering that without Bishops their Chur­ches could not long subsiste, but would fall without anie other per­secution or violence vsed against them, resolued to call a councell An. Domini 504. as they did. And in that councell called Byzacenum (of which is a memorie in the second tome of the councelles) all the Bishops with one consent decreed, notwithstanding the Tyrants Edict to the contrarie, [Page 369]to ordaine Bishops; cogitantes (as the historie saieth) aut Regis iracundiam, si qua forsan existeret mitigandam, The Bis­hops Zele.quo faciliùs ordinati in suis plebibus viuerent, aut si persecutionis violentia nasceretur, coronandos etiam fidei confessione, quos dignos inueniebant promotione &c: Thin­king that the Kings wrath, if anie per­chaunce should be, would be mitigated or that they who were found worthie of pro­motion, would be crowned with confession of their ministerie, and that amidest the tribulatious they should so giue confola­tion to the people; And good reason had they to do so: For, as saieth Baronius Baro­nius An. Domini 504. Quaenam spes de Ecclesijs pastoribus destitutis vlterius reliqua esse poterat, conuulsis earum fundamentis ipsis quibus innitebantur Episcopis? VVhat hope could there remain for the Churches when their foundations, to wit the Bihops, to which they leaned and on which they [Page 370]depended, vvere ruined and pulled vp.

12. Behold then O Catholiques of England, A speeche to English Catholi­ques. how these Bishops for feare of persecution do not omitte to consecrate Bishops (who are by Christes institution appointed to gouerne the Church in all tymes and especiallie in persecutiō) which they might iustlie expect from that Arrian Tyrant, but will expose Bis­hops and Priests, and all to Martyr­dome, rather then their Church should sustaine so great a losse as the want of Bishops: And you, who for your constante confession of your faith haue been a mirrour to all other Catholique coun­tries of this age; refuse not to take of those holie Bishops a pa­terne of true zele, which is required not onlie of Bishops and Priests but [Page 371]also of all good Catholiques. Bis­hops are the gouernours of the Church, they are appointed by Christe him selfe, as aboue we haue shewed; and they were appointed euen then when nothing but a ra­ging persecutiō could be expected, and by the Church they haue euer been ordained in the verie middest of persecution. To refuse therefore Bishops for feare of persecution, is to refuse a pilot when the shippe is daungerouslie tossed with the sur­ging waues, a Pastour when the wolfe is readie to deuour the flo­cke, a Generall vvhen the enemie approcheth and offereth battaile.

THE XIIII. CHAPTER. That a particular Countrie may not refuse Bishops by reason of persequution.

1. I Haue shewed in the tenth Chapter that the Church can­not subsiste without Bishops, for that the Church is a Monarchie and Hierarchie in which there is not onlie one Chiefe Bishop Peeters Successour and Christe his Vicar, who is one supreme pastour of the whole Church, but also diuers o­ther Bishops, heades of particular Churches. And this diuersitie of Bishops is by Christes diuine lawe and ordinance established in the Church. Hence it is that when anie such number as required a Bishop [Page 373]was conuerted, by and by euen in the Apostles tymes, a Bishop vvas appointed ouer them, as S. Iames at Hierusalem, saint Marke and af­ter him Anianus at Alexādria, saint Euodius after saint Peeter at Antio­che, yea saint Timothie was appoin­ted by saint Paul at Ephesus, and Titus at Creete, as aboue wee haue seene, who also had order to consti­tute other Bishops, VVhen any coun­trie was conuerted by and by a Bishop there wās ordained. as the number of Christians required. Hence it is that vvhen anie countrie vvas con­uerted by anie one vvho vvas not Bishop, the first thing was to con­secrate there a Bishop. So saint Au­stin the Monke although he vvas not Bishop vvhen he first preached in England, yet when there was a number of Christians conuerted ca­pable of a Bishop, not onlie he but diuers others as Iustus and Meli­tus, were ordained Bishops. So saint [Page 374]Boniface when he first preached to the Germanes was not Bishop, yet after, vvhen the number of Chri­stians increased, he and others vvere appointed Bishops. And the reason vvas because Bishops by Christes ordinance and Institution are the proper rulers of the Churche.

2. An obie­ction an­swered. But some maie alleage, that although Bishops are necessarie in the vvhole Church, yet they are not so necessarie for euerie parti­cular Church, but that a parti­cular Church may be Gouerned, at least, for a tyme vvithout a Bis­hop, that is till the tyme of per­secution be blovvn ouer and the storme appeased. To this I an­swere that if for a tyme some par­ticular Church, which formerlie hath had a Bishop or requireth a Bishop be gouerned by Priests or an Archpriest without a Bishop, it [Page 375]is a thing accidental and not ordi­narie, nor according to Christes Institution, who will haue his Church gouerned, not onlie by one vniuersall, but by diuers particular Bishops. An other obiection answered. But some maye again re­plie, be it that by the diuine ordināce there must be some particular Bis­hops to gouerne particular Chur­ches; yet that this Church in parti­cular should be so gouerned, it is not Iuris diuini of the diuine lawe. I answer that for this argument, it seemeth not so euident that there must be a Bishop in this or that particular Church by the diuine ordinance, as that in generall, and indeterminat­lie there must be particular Chur­ches Gouerned by Bishops; Yet Sotus, Sotus. lib 10. de lust. & Iure qu 1. a 4. post secundam conclus. a learned Dominican af­firmeth it to be De iure diuino of the diuine lawe Quod in genere singulis Ec [...]lesijs secundum Ecclesiasticam diuisio­nem [Page 376]sui applicentur Episcopi; That in ge­nerall to euerie particular Church accor­dinge to the Ecclesiasticall diuistion proper Bishops are to be applyed. And Bannes another later yet learned diuine of the same Order saieth: That Bis­hops cannot by the Pope be remo­ued from the whole Church, or a greate or notable parte of it. And I argue thus: by the diuine lavve there must be particular Bishops in the Church, as in the former Chapter I haue prooued that there must be; But there is no more reason vvhy the particu­lar Church of France (for I speake especiallie of greate particular Churches, which are notable partes of the whole Church) should be gouerned by a Bishop or Bishops moe or fevver according to the ex­tent of the Countrie, rather thē the Church of Spayne, or the Church [Page 377]of Spaine, rather then the Church of England or Flanders: Ergo France, Spaine, England, Flanders and all o­ther particular Churches of extent must be gouerned by Bishops and that it hath been euer the practise of the Church to appoint a Bishop, or Bishops to gouerne vvhen the countrie conuerted vvas capable I haue shewed sufficientlie in the former Chapter. Which maketh mee demaund why the Popes and Bishops in the primitiue Church were so diligent and exact in conse­crating Bishops; yea and making Popes euen in the middest of the greatest persecutions, and when the persecutions vvere principallie in­tended against Popes and Bishops; and vvould not for feare of persecu­tion or other humane respects let a­nie countrie or Church especiallie of anie greatnes to be vvithout a [Page 378]Bishop, but that they thought it vvas Iuris diuini of the diuine lavve that euerie Church or countrie should haue its Bishops.

3. And although when a Bishop cannot at all be gotten, the particu­lar Church must be gouerned as it may, necessitie hauing no lawe; yet whē a Bishop may be had, though not without encrease of persecutiō, I ame of opinion (which I humblie submitte to Aurhoritie) that this perticular Church cannot except any long tyme against hauing a Bishop for feare of persecutiō. True it is that in England wee were long without a Bishop, but that was be­cause we could not get one, and our Superiours were informed tha [...] a Bishop would not be permitted to enter into England, or would pre­sentlie be taken and put to death and so it was to no purpose to send [Page 379]a Bishop with euident hazard of his life and no hope of good to the peo­ple by sending him. But if a Bishop maye be had, and may so liue in a Countrie (as he may in England) that as there is feare least he be ap­prehended, VVhen a Bishop may be­had, he cannot be refused for perse­cution. so there is hope he may escape some tyme, and so do some notable good: I do not think that the Catholiques of that countrie can except against his entrance.

4. For as, all though euerie one is not bound vnder mortall sinne to receiue a Priest, or to keepe him in his howse, if he see probablie, that thereby he shall hazard his life libertie or landes; yet Catholiques cannot except against the mission of Priests into their coūtrie, because vvithout Priests the people can haue no Sacraments, nor absolutiō from sinnes, no sacrifice, no prea­ching of the word of God; which [Page 180]to a vvhole countrie is so greate a domage that no man can except against their mission for feare of persecution; but rather ought to hazard persecution of the bodie, then such domage of the soule: So although no man in particu­lar perchaunce is bound to receiue a Bishop into his howse, or to receiue confirmation of him with probable hazard of his life, libertie or landes; yet neither a countrie, nor any of the countrie can except against the mission of a Bishop in­to it, though his entrance might cause a persecution. And my reasōs are two.

5. The first reason. The first is that which I haue often alleaged, because the gouern­ment of Bishops is instituted by Christ, and hath beene put in prac­tise euen in the greatest persecutiōs yea instituted against persecution [Page 381]as we haue seen in the former Chap­ter.

6. My second reason is, The se­cond rea­son. because the commoditie vvhich a prouince reapeth by a Bishop is so greate, and the want of him is such a losse, that we should rather hazard perse­cution (as aboue in the for­mer chap­ter. the African Catho­liques did) then to be depriued of a Bishop. For first without a Bishop we cannot be perfect christians, be­cause vvithout a Bishop we cannot haue confirmation, By the Bishop we are made per­fect Chri­stians. which giueth vs our full pitch and grough. True it is that by baptisme we are borne new creatures, and Tit. 3. regenerated to the life of grace; but we are borne onlie litle ones in spirituall life, and are 1. Petr [...] c. 2. v. 2. Sicut modo geniti infantes, as in­fants euen now borne: But wee growe to be men in a spiritual life, and re­ceiue our full strength and grough by Confirmation, and Confirma­tion [Page 382]we cannot haue ordinatilie vvithout a Bishop. And therefore we see what youngones and weake­linges the Apostles vvere before they receiued the holie ghost in Pentecost, vvhich is giuen by con­firmation; and how strong and couragious afterwards they proo­ued. Hence it is that saint Tho­mas of Aquin 3. p. q. 65. a. 1. in corp. & q. 72. a. 1. Confir­mation giueth vs manlie strength in our spi­rituall life. A simili­tude. compareth: Bap­tisme to our natiuitie, Confirma­tion to our augmentatiō, by which we gette our grough; for as by our natiuitie we receiue our being, and haue all the partes and limmes be­longing to a man, but yet all weake and litle, and by augmentation vve receiue our full strengh and quantitie in all our limmes: So by Baptisme vve are born Chri­stians, though as yet but litle ones in a spirituall life. And by Confir­mation we are made perfect Chri­stians [Page 383]and receiue our manlie grough and force, and we are in­dued Luea. c. 24. v. 49. Virtute ex alto, with force and strength from aboue, as the Apostles and Disciples vvere in Pentecoste when they receiued the holie ghost, vvho is giuen to this purpose by Confirmation. For this cause Dio­nysius Areopagita Diony. l de Eccles. Hier. ca. 5. Cle. ep. 4. calleth this Sacrament a perfitting and consumma­ting vnction. And S. Clement saieth: Omnibus ergo festinandum est fine mora reuasci Deo, & demum consignari ab Episcopo; id est, septiformem gratiam Spiritus Saucti percipere, quia incertus est vniuscuiusque exitus vitae. Quum autem regeneratus fuerit per aquam, & post­modum septiformis spiritus gratia ab E­piscopo confirmatus, quia aliter perfectus esse Christianus nequaquam poterit &c. All therefore must make hast without de­lay to be regenerated to God, and then to be consigned by the Bishop, that is, to re­ceiue [Page 384]the seuenfold grace of the holie ghost, because the ende of euerie ones life is vn­certaine. But when he shalbe regenerated by water, and afterwards confirmed by the Bishop with the seuenfold grace, of the spirite, because otherwise he cannot be a perfect Christian &c.

7. The ne­cessitie of confirma­tion. Secondlie the vtilitie or ne­cessitie of the Sacrament of Confir­mation pleadeth hard for a Bishop. For although, as many diuines af­firme, in Catholique countries this Sacrament be not so necessarie to euerie one in particular, as to bynde vnder mortall sinne, so it be not cō ­temned; And although also euen in tyme of persecution a man maie haue sufficient grace without this Sacrament to stand to the profes­sion of his faith (as appeareth by them vvho though neither confir­med nor baptized haue endured martyrdome, and haue been bapti­sed [Page 385]in their owne blood and by Ca­tholiques who in the last persecu­tion in England haue shed their blood for their faith, though they were not confirmed; Confir­mation is the ordi­narie mea­nes which giueth grace to professe our faith. yet because confirmation is the ordinarie mea­nes, which is instituted to giue force and courage to professe our faith before the persequutor, and there­fore is giuen in the forhead, it maie seeme a presumption to neglect it, especiallie in tyme of persecution, when it maye commodiouslie be had; and as some diuines think, it is a mortall sinne. I will not deliuer here mine owne opiniō least I may be thought to seuere: onlie I will here sette down what one Doctour Estius, who was in his life tyme a learned and holie man, and taught diuinitie manie yeares, and hath published diuers learned bookes, and who dyed not without opiniō [Page 386]of Sanctitie, hath published in printe. Hee in his commentaries vpon the maister of the sentences Estius in 4. dist. 7.5.18. pronunceth thus: Quod si quaeras &c. But if thou aske whether the omission of confirmation, when it can commo­diouslie be had, be a mortall or venial sinne? I answere that it cannot be omitted without mortall sinne in tyme and place of persecution of faith, when forsooth there is danger to a man by reason of infirmitie, least he denie his faith in word or deed, or at least be ashamed to confesse (his faith) when he should: otherwise I thin­it onlie a veniall sinne so there be no con­tempte.

8. But howsoeuer although euerie man in particular cannot be condemned of sinne for omitting confirmation for feare of loosing his life, landes, or libertie: yet I thinke that neither anie countrie, nor anie one of the countrie; for [Page 387]feare of persecution, can oppose against the comming in of a Bishop, though thereby onlie the Sacra­ment of Confirmation should be wanting; for although the vvant of Confirmation be not so greate a harme to anie in particular vvhere persecution rageth not, that he should hazard his life or liuings for it, Confir­mation cannot be refused by a çountrie for feare of perse­quution. it being not a Sacrament of ne­cessitie to euerie particular person; yet it is so profitable a Sacrament to euerie one in particular, so neces­sarie to a persecuted countrie, it being the ordinarie meanes institu­ted by Christe to giue force and courage in persecution, Nouatus felle for want of confirma­tion. that it can­not be refused for feare of persecu­tion; for that if one falle not, others probablie will (as Nouatus Euseb. l. 6. c. 33. alias 34. did) for want of it: and so vve are rather to hazard persecution of the bodie then to vndergoe such a losse of the [Page 388]soule, as the vvant of such a Sacra­ment is, especiallie in tyme of per­secution, for vvhich especiallie it vvas ordained. And consequentlie if there vvere no other domage to a countrie by the vvant of a Bishop then that it should thereby loose confirmation, a Bishop vvere to be admitted, yea to be desired and procured.

9. No Church without Bishop. Thirdlie vvithout a Bishop there can be no particular Church. For as saint Cyprian Cypr. [...]p. ad flori­num. saieth, and vve haue aboue alleaged, the Church is Sacerdoti plebs adunata, & Pastori suo grex adhaerens. The Church i [...] the people vnited to the Priest, (Bishop) and the fllocke adhering vnto its Pastour. And therefore, as I haue she vve [...] aboue, that in the vvhole Church there are many particular Chur­ches, as of England, Frāce, Spaine so I haue shevved that as the vvhol [...] [Page 389]Church hath one supreme Bis­hop to gouerne it, vvho is Peeters Successour, to vvit the Bishop of Rome: So euerie particular Church also must haue its Bishop or Bis­hops, else it should not be a particu­lar Church, and so the vvhole and vniuersall Church should not (as Christe hath instituted) be a Hie­rarchie composed of diuers particu­lar Churches. Wherefore the Ca­tholiques of England all the vvhile they had no Bishop, vvere no par­ticular Church, and shall no longer be a particular Church then they shall haue a Bishop, but shalbe a flocke vvithout a Pastour, an armie vvithout a generall, a ship vvithout a Pilot, a spirituall Kingdome vvi­thout a spirituall King, a familie vvithout a good man of the hou­se.

10. Fourthlie vvithout a Bishop [Page 390]no Hierarchicall or Ecclesiasticall function can be exercised in the Church of God. No Hie­rarchicall function without a Bishop. Dionysius Areopagita Diony. l. de Eccl. Hier. ca. 5. vid. Tho. VValdens. l. 2. doctri­fidei ar. 3. a cap. 57. saieth that the power of a Bis­hop which he calles the Hierarchicall vertue, comprehendeth all the holie functions of the Church: for al­though (saieth hee) inferiour Priests maie baptize, yet they cannot bap­tize solemnelie vvithout the holie oyle which the Bishop consecrateth: And although the Inferiour Priest hath power to consecrate the holie Eucharist, yet he maie not conse­crate it but on the Aultar which the Bishop onlie consecrateth. And a­boue in the sixte and tenth Chap­ter, I haue prooued that it is the pro­per office of the Bishop to conse­crate and ordaine Priests, and o­thers; yea that the Bishop with two other Bishops, is also the onlie con­secratour [Page 391]of a Bishop: And so with­out a Bishop we cā haue no cōsecra­tion of ministers in the Church, and so no Sacraments, no sacrifices, no absolution from sinnes, no conse­cration of Churches, Aultars, chali­ces, no benedictions of vestemētes or other things. In fine without a Bishop all would be prophane no­thing holie. And although in En­gland in Queen Elizabethes raigne we had Priests sent into England, who were ordained beyond seas, and so wee were in some sorte sup­plied without a Bishop of our owne; Yet that was not ordinarie, for that the ordinarie gouernment of the Church requireth that euerie parti­cular Church should within it selfe be sufficientlie furnished and pro­uided of all these necessaries (as vve se generallie they are) though with [Page 392]a reference to the chiefe Bishop Peeters Successour and vvith a de­pendence of him, to whō also in ex­traordinarie cases recourse is to be had

11. The con­clusion of this Cha­pter. By this and some of the for­mer Chapters it easilie appeareth that the order of a Bishop is the worthiest and most necessarie of all the orders of the Church: The wor­thiest, because it giueth all other orders, and the cause is worthier and nobler then its effectes: The most necessarie, because all other orders, yea and Ecclesiasticall fun­ctions depend on it.

THE XV. CHAPTER. To haue a Bishop in England cānot proba­blie encrease persecution because it can­not probablie be offensiue either to the King and state, or to the provestant Bishops, it being preiudiciall to neither, but rather profitable to the temporall state.

1. IN the two last Chapters I haue shewed that although a Bishop or Bishops in a Kingdome or com­mon wealth should occasion perse­cution, yet they were not therefore to be excepted against, they being appointed by Christe Act. 8. Act. 20. Ephes. 4. to gouerne the Church, and to minister the Sa­craments of order and Confirma­tion, which last is most requisite; yea, as aboue is showed, in tyme of [Page 394]persecution to put life into the pu­sillanimous, and to giue force and courage to the weake and fainte ha [...] ted. Now I shall shew how by the presēce of a Bishop, as Catholiques whould be much comforted, so nei­ther the King nor the state tempo­rall or spirituall can probablie be irritated, nor consequentlie Catho­liques the more persecuted by the presence of a Bishop.

2. The rea­son why the King and state haue no iuste canse to feare a Bishop. In tymes past our Countries temporall state vnder the spirituall gouernmēt of Catholique Bishops hourished in all peace and concord of the Subiects amongest them selues, and with their soueraigne, and was thereby so strengthened, that England was a terrour to all bordering Countries; and happie then vvas that Countrie that could obtaine league and amitie with En­gland. And had not warres happe­ned [Page 395]more by the ambition of the howses of Yorke and Lācaster, and of some other our temporall Prin­ces and Potentates, then by anie occasion of Catholique Bishops or Catholique Religion (by which the Subiects were rather kept in awe and obedience to the Prince) En­gland for peace had been another Paradise. For as the catholique Church and her Religion is no ene­mie to temporall states, but rather hath conserued them in a temporall felicitie, so the gouerment of this Church by catholique Bishops hath alwayes been a strēght and defence vnto the kingdome, as appeareth by the manie catholique countries which euen form their first conuer­sion haue flourished euen in tem­porall peace and felicitie vnder the catholique Church, and her catho­lique Bishops.

3. It is heresie, not the catholike faith that causeth garboiles, tumul­tes, diuisions, Rebellions and war­res, as I could shew by the exam­ple of the Arrians who backed by some Arrian Emperours for many yeares to gether troubled, distur­bed, and imbroiled the Christian world, as histories do record to the eternall disgrace of heresie. Vid. Baron. An. Christi 355. Con­stantij 19. & en. 355. Constan tij 20. Vid. Ruf [...]in. l. 2 c. 3. Socr. l. 2. cap. 7. See the oration of Peeter Frarin pronoun­ced in Lo­ [...]ain in the schoole of Attes and trans­lated into English. See Su­rius in cō ­pendio re­rum in orbe gesta­rum. And vve haue seen what garboiles haue been raised presentlie vpō the prea­ching of Luthers and Caluins nevv ghospells; vvhich their preaching seemed nothing else but a procla­mation of warre. For presentlie vpō their preachinges the Drummes be­gan to sound, the Canons to roare, and Lucae. c. 21. v. 10. Surrexit gens contra gentem, & regnum aduersus regnum, One countrie a­gainst another, one Citie against another, and one parte of the Citie against the other were presentlie vp in ar­mes; [Page 387]as appeareth by the warres in Germanie caused by Luther, Mun­ster, Zuinglius and others; by the garboiles in Fraunce stirred vp by Caluin and Beza; and the rebel­lions and broiles in the Low coun­tries caused by the Gues, which our moderne Histories recorde, and those countries to this day do feele. And although our countrie of England hath not felt so much the smarte of heresie in this kinde, yet it may thanke the Prudence of our Princes, and the good nature of the people which heresie could not al­together chaunge, and the wall and Rampar of the Sea that gardeth it, not heresie, which is allwayes mu­tinous.

4. But some maye obiect, An obie­ction an­swered. that now that England is not catholi­que, Catholique religion and her Bishops and Priests cannot but be [Page 398]enemies to the state. I answer that although the catholique faith be opposit to heresie, yet it is not opposit to state, as appeareth by so many stares that haue been and still are conserued by our Religion, Church and Pastours; yea in that it is an enimie to heresie, it is a freind and fauorour of state which rather tottereth then standeth vnder here­sie, as appeareth by manie states ruined or molested by its furie. And the reason is because our Church being foūded on a rocke Mat. e. 16. v. 16. The rea­son why a state re­lying on the Ca­tholique faith is strength­hed. so firm­lie, that the gates and forces of hell could neuer yet nor euer shall preuaille against it, as aboue I haue proued, and experience of six­teen hundred yeares confirmeth; that temporall state which relyeth and appuyeth it selfe vpon this Church, standeth and flourisheth; and that state that will not relye on this rocke but buildeth on the san­des [Page 399]of heresie, rather tottereth then standeth.

5. They will yet obiect that it is against policie for a state which imbraceth a contrarie Religion to permitte the Catholique religion and her Bishops and Pastours. I ans­were that our Religion commaun­deth vs to obey Princes and states euen of a contrarie religion, Another obiection answered. as by and by I shall shewe; and so it can­not be against true policie to per­mitte the Catholique religion, and her Bishops and Pastours; yea it is true policie to permitte it. And therefore, as the king of Fraunce permitteth to the Hugonottes and their ministers libertie of their Reli­gion, not out of anie loue to here­sie, but onlie out of Policie: and as the states in Holland and the netherlands permitte to Catholi­ques farre greater libertie in their [Page 400]religion, then is permitted to them in England, not out of anie liking they haue of Catholique Religion, but onlie out of policie: so might our noble Soueraigne and his state permitte in England libertie of Conscience to our Bishops, Priests, and catholiques, if not out of loue to our Religion (as were to be wis­hed) at least out of policie, catho­liques I dare saie, being the most ancient, and (absit verbo inuidia) the most modest, quiet, and faithfull Subiects the King hath.

6. Certes King lames, as of late, so of famous memorie, and who in princelie policie and arte of gouer­ning a Kingdome (which he had practised from his tender age) yel­ded perchaunce to none of his pre­decessor; although vvhen at the first he hearde, that a Catholique Bishop was to be sent into England [Page 391]he seemed to be moued; yet when his maiestie was informed, that this Bishop was only to gouerne the ca­tholique clergie in Church matters, the laitie in matters belonging to conscience and their soules health, and not to medle with matters of state no more then the Priests do, who attend onlie to their Priestlie functiōs, he did not oppose against his entrance, nay after he knew that he was entred and was in Lon­don, he would not commaund him to be apprehended, as he might easilie both in London and anie part of England, Kinges hauing lōg and powerfull armes.

7. And so our wise and noble soueraigne; who now happilie rai­gneth and vvorthilie succeedeth both by right of Princelie birth and Princelie qualities, for which he is worthie to sway an heauier scepter [Page 402]and to weare a greater crown then England can afford; will not (such is his rare wisdome and Clemēcie) bee in any sorte offended, that his catholique subiectes should enioye the comfort of their Priests and Bis­hops, their religion commaunding obedience euen to Princes of a dif­ferent-religion; they them selues hauing been the most ancient sub­iects since England was Christian, who haue serued their Kinges most faithfullie in peace and vvarre, at home and abroade, their Bishops and Priests hauing from Englandes first conuersion alwaies gouerned the Church of England in its grea­test splendour in all peace and concord in matters of religion, and hauing euer taught the laye people to be subiect to higher powers: Rom. c. 13. v. 1. and especiallie to the King 1. Petr. ca. 2. v. 13. quasi pr [...] cellenti) as excelling: Nay rather both [Page 403]his Royall maiestie and the tem­porall state should (as in deed they may if they looke into the matter with an indifferent eye) allowe and approoue of a catholique Bishop to gouerne in spirituall matters the Catholique subiects.

8. The King and state haue cause to desire a Cath. Bishop. Bishops haue euer been estee­med by Kings, and Emperours as their spirituall fathers and vvisest and sincerest counsellours, whose Priestlie libertie they knew would not permitt them to conceale from their kings the truth ether for feare or fauor; for as saint Ambrose Ambr. lib. 5. ep. 29. saied to Theodosius: Neque est Impe­riale libertatem dicendi negare, neque sa­cerdotale quod sentiat non dicere: Neither is it the parte of an Emperour to deny a­nie the freedom of speaking, nor is it the parte of a Priest not to speake what he thinketh. Gratian Ex Ambr. in prologo librorum de fide ad Gratianū. the Emperour before he vvaged battaylle against [Page 404]the Gothes requested of saint Am­brose a Treatise of faith, trusting more to the sheeld of fayth the breast plate of Iustice, Ephes. c. 6.the helmet of Saluation and the vvorde of the spirit, which is the word of God, then to his militarie armes and forces. And such confi­dence he put in him that he attribu­ted his victories after God to his prayers; so he loued him that he could not be without his presence; Amb. l. 5. epist. ep. 25. And when by reason of his own soldiers he was deliuered vp to Ma­ximus the Tirant, the last words he spake were Ambrose, Ambrose, as saint Ambrose Ambr. orat. de obitu Va­lentiniani in fine. him selfe testifieth in his funerall oration he made of Valentinian the younger. And al­though Iustina the Arrian Empe­resle had persecuted saint Ambrose, yet both she and her young sonne Valentinian, put such confidence in his wisdome and fidelitie, that in [Page 405]their greatest necessities they sent him in tvvo Embassages, vnto Maximus the Tirant. How Theo­dosius the Emperour respected him, and followed his counsell, how our King Ina Aboue in the se­uenth Chapter. listened all waies to Bishop Aldelme his aduise, hovv King Canutus was directed by E­gelnothus Bishop of Canterburie, and how faithfull this Bishop vvas to him and his heyres the sonnes of Emma his vvife: Hovve S. Hugh Bishop of Lincoln preuailed vvith King Richard we haue seen aboue; and how manie other Catholique Bishops haue been imployed by our kinges in waightiest affaires and most important Embassages, our Chronicles do record. The Bis­hope will hold the Catholi­que subie­ctes in obedience to the King. And there­fore neither our Noble Souueraigne nor his tēporall state need to feare anie Catholique Bishop that hath been heretofore or shalbe hereafter [Page 406]sent into England; for that they will not degenerate from the fidelitie of their predecessors the Catholique Bishops of England, and that choise wilbe euer made of men, who for their leanring and vvisdome shalbe able, and for their respect to their Prince vvilling to do his maiestie seruice if he please to imploye them. At least they shall do him this ser­uice, that is, they shall keepe his Catholique subiectes in obedience and fidelitie vnto him.

9. And trulie now that the Ca­tholique Subiectes haue a Bishop they shalbe bound by a double bond to be his maiesties most assu­red subiectes, Catholi­ques by hauing a Bishop, hane a double bond to the King. The first. as well impeace as in warre. Their first bond is in respect of his Royal person, to whom, as to their true and naturall Prince, their Religion bindeth them. For [...] though Beza Beza. ep. dedica­tor. before the new Testamēt an. 1564. defendeth rebe [...], [Page 407]against Princes of a different Reli­gion, Hollan­ders in their edict printed at Francf. 1583. which doctrine they in Hol­land haue practised in rebelling and deposing their King of Spaine; yet our conscience and Religion telleth vs that we must obey our kinges though they differ from vs in Re­ligion. For when saint Paule Rom. c. 13. v. 1. saied: let euerie soule (that is man) be subiect to higher powers, for there is no power but of God. And those (powers) that are of God, are ordained. Therefore he that resisteth the power resisteth the or­dinance of God. And they that resiste, pur­chase to themselues damnation: When I saye saint Paule commaunded this obedience of Christians to Princes, they were then Pagans, and so of a contrarie Religiō. And there­fore Vasquez Vasq. in his Pa­raphrase on this place. in his Paraphrase maketh saint Paule speake thus: Euerie man be he Ethnique or Christian, let him obey higher po­wers, [Page 408]and let him not refuse to obey Princes vnder pretext of religion. And whē saint Paule sayed to Titus Tit. c. 3. v. 1. admonish them to be subiect to Prin­ces, Princes were then Ethniques; and when saint Peeter 1. Petr. ca. 2. v. 13. saied, be subiect therefore to euerie humane crea­ture for God, whether it be to the King as excelling, or to rulers as sent by him to the reuenge of malefactors &c. And againe, feare God, honour the king; Kinges and Princes were at that tyme Ethniques. The se­cōd bond. Their second bond now will be in respect of their Bishop, to whom, as to their spiri­tuall Superiour, they owe obedien­ce, according to that of saint Paule: Hebr. c. 13. v. 17. Obey your Prelats and be subiect to them: for they watche as being to render account for your soules. For nowe the Bishop commaunding them to be faithfull and obedient to their king (as by his office he is bound) they [Page 409]must and will obeye him, and con­sequentlie now by a double bond they are bound to his maiestie: Lesse feare of tumultes by hauing a Bishop. who therefore now hath lesse cause to feare any tumult or insurrection or conspiracie amongest the Catholi­ques then euer he had: for that now if any Catholiques would out of priuate disgustes or discontentment (as they are most contented, yea and comforted in his Maiesties go­uerment) attempt anie thing not pleasing ether to the Prince or state, the Bishop who is theire spirituall father, whose counsell, direction or commaundemēt good catholiques vse to respect and obey; would ea­silie appease them and persvvade them to their due obedience and bounden dutie, and by his authori­tie vvill euer keepe them in avve. And so vve se hovv in Ireland the Catholique Subiectes by their Ca­tholique [Page 410]Bishops and Archbishops are kept in obedience to the king and state in all ciuill and temporall matters.

10. Hauing shewed hovv the king and Temporall state haue no cause to feare a Catholique Bishop in England, it remaineth that I shew how the protestant Bishops of England (whom it may seeme most to touch) haue no cause to except against him. And this is as easilie shewed. For first the Catho­lique Bishop out of his respect to his Souueraigne, The first reason why the Bishops of Englād need not feate a Catholi­que Bis­hop. and the loue he beareth to the tēporall state, which he and all catholiques do and ought to tender, would not entermedle with the Bishops established by the king and parlament, but will be cō ­tent, as he ought to permitte them to enioye that which the king hath giuen them; least by entermedling [Page 411]he maye offend the king irritate the state, and ouerthrowe him selfe and the Clergie and all Catholi­ques vvith him. The se­cond rea­son for the same. Secondlie the Bishop of England vvho novv is, hath onlie a generall spirituall po­wer and Iurisdiction ouer the Cler­gie and laye Catholiques in spiri­tuall matters, and hath no Title giuen him to anie particular Bis­hopricke in England, but onlie to Chalcedon, vvhich is far enough distant from England; and so can by no right chalenge to him selfe anie particular Bishopricke; no more then the Priests by their faculties which they haue to preach and mi­nister Sacramentes to English Ca­tholiques in all partes of England, can therefore chalenge to themsel­ues anie particular parish Chur­che, or Churches. And therefore if the protestant Bishops of Ireland [Page 412]established there by the kings au­thoritie, feare not the Catholique Irishe Bishops, though they haue Titles to particular Bishoprickes, because they know that the Catho­lique Bishops as they haue not the power, so out of their respect to the king they haue not the will to sup­plante them, or to trench vpon them: much lesse cause haue the Bishops of England to feare our ca­tholique Bishop, who hath no Title to anie particular Bishopricke, but onlie a generall spirituall Iurisdictiō of a Bishop, by whicth he can cha­lenge no Bishopricke, no not so much as the poorest parish.

11. The regu­lers need not feare a Bishop. Nor need the Religious feare least this Catholique Bishop encroach or trenche vpon their pri­uiledges. For although there hath been some controuersie of late be­twixt him and the Religious cōcer­ning [Page 413]approbation, which the coun­cell of Trent Conc. Trid. sess. 23. cap. 19. commaundeth the Religious to aske of the Ordinarie before they presume to heare cōfes­sions of seculars, and which is the ordinarie practise in other Catho­lique countries; (which yet the re­ligious in England pretend not to oblige them by reason of their pri­uiledges, of which I will not pre­sume to giue my opiniō the matter being referred to the highest courte) Although, I saie there be some dif­ference betwixt them and the most Reuerend Bishop concerning that point: Yet they need not feare their other priuiledges graunted by the Sea Apostolique, for that the Bis­hop out of his respecte to that sea and desire of peace vvith all men, vvill not meddle vvith them as he hath openlie protested and declared his mynd and Intention; nor is it [Page 414]like that he will euer offer to restrai­ne these their prioiledges, which he knoweth to be lawfullie graunted vnto thē, and which their orders en­ioye with the peaceable permissino of all Bishops, in all other coun­tries.

12. The the Catholi­ques need not feare a Bishop. Lastlie as the laye Catholi­ques of England cannot in con­science refuse to haue a Bishop for feare of persecution, as I haue proo­ued at large the former Chapter, partelie because the gouernment of the Church is committed to Bis­hops, by Christs Institution, vvho therefore haue been gouernours of it in the greatest rage and furie of persecution; partlie for that they are rather to hazard a temporall losse of landes and libertie, then the spirituall losse of a Bishop, so neces­sarie especiallie in tyme of persecu­tion, as in the same chapter I haue [Page 415]at large deduced: So there is no probable reason why they should thinke that their persecution wilbe encreased by hauing a Bishop, there being no other lawes a­gainst a Bishop, then are alrea­die enacted and in force against Priests and Religious; and there being no reason vvhy a Bishop should be more odious either to the Kinges Maiestie or his tem­porall state then a Priest or Reli­gious man, he being not to erect anie publique tribunall, as some haue feared, that being a thing nei­ther intended by him, as he hath protested, nor sutable to these ty­mes, as he him selfe confesseth; and he being onlie to entermeddle in the gouernment of his clergie, and Laitie in spirituall matters and in ministering the Sacrament of con­firmation; which in no wise can [Page 416]preiudice the temporall state, it being onlie a spirituall function, nor can prooue more odious to the king or state then the function of the Priests and Religious.

13. Wherefore if for reall feares the Christians of the primitiue Church refused not Bishops (as I haue shewed) but haue hazarded enē their liues for them, and thought themselues worse then dead to liue without them: If the Romanes for their Popes, the Alexandrians and Antiochians for their Patriarches, if the Catholiques of Afrique for their Bishops, vvere contented to hazard liuings, life, and all; and ne­uer refused them for reall and im­minent dangers, as aboue Aboue chap. 14. Beda. lib. 3. c. 7. vvee haue seene: If our king Cenwalch vvhen he had sent avvaie Agilber­tus his Bishop and expulsed his Bis­hop Wini, thought himselfe desti­tute [Page 417] Diuino praesidio, of the diuine ayde and succour, when he was destitute of a Bishop: If the people of Milan, when Valentinian Ruf­fin. l. 2. cap. 15. the younger, at the instigation of Iustina his mother, sent a troupe of souldiers to breake open the Church doores, to pull out saint Ambrose and to send him into banishment, stucke so fast and faithfullie to their Bis­hop, vt animas prius amittere quam Episcopum mallent: That they had rather loose their liues, then their Bishop: let not vs for imaginarie feares seeke to de­priue our selues of so greate a good as a Bishop, without whom we can be no Church, we cannot be per­fect Christians, nor cā haue so easi­lie, and infalliblie, that speciall grace which gaue force to the prime Christians to professe their faith with an vndaunted courage, and to [Page 418]subsigne and seale this their profes­sion with their dearest bloud.

14. The con­clusion of the whole treatise. And thus much I thought good to saie of the Hierarchie of the Church, and of the diuers goodlie orders of which it is com­posed, so to defend the Church a­gainst her enemies who denye these orders, and so to encourage you who are members of this Church and partes of these orders, to suffer constantlie as hetherto you haue for iustifying of this Church and e­uerie order of it; so to allure all or­ders to respect one another, euerie order in its kind deseruing respect and honour; and lastlie so to per­suade you all to liue in peace and concord amōgest your selues and vvith your Bishop, as formerlie you haue done, and as it becommeth members of one bodie, and orders [Page 419]of one Hierarchie: Eph [...]s. c. 4. vers. 1. & 2. To walke wor­thie of the vocation in which you are cal­led, with all humilitie and myldnes, with patience, supporting one another in Cha­ritie, carefull to keepe the vnitie of spirit, in the bond of peace: And Coloss. c, 3. v. 12.13.14.15. to put on as the elect of God, holie and beloued, the bowels of mercie, benignitie, humilitie, modestie, patience, supporting one another, and pardoning one another, if anie haue a quarrell against anie man, as also our Lord hath pardoned vs, so you also. But aboue all these thinges, haue charitie which is the band of perfection: And let the peace of Christ exult in your hartes. Or as the Greek vvord [...] im­porteth, let it triumphe in you, and let it haue the victorie ouer all pas­sions and respectes, that so you may preferre the common peace before all priuate interests. And as in my Epistle I desired, so in the end of [Page 420]this booke I desire you again to take this my Treatise which I haue out of my loue and respect to you all and my zeale to the common cause presumed to dedicate vnto you, in as good parte and meaning, as I meant and intended it; vvho intended onlie to defend all orders of the church, but to offend none, to praise all in their kinde and de­gree, dispraise none; and so to con­firme your peace and concord, but in no vvise (as God knovveth) to disturbe it.