The triall of the supremacy wherein is set fourth ye unitie of christes church milita[n]t geue[n] to S. Peter and his successoures by Christe and that there ought to be one head bishop in earth Christes vicar generall ouer all hys churche militant: wyth answeres to the blasphemous obiections made agaynste the same in the late miserable yeres now paste.

¶The answere.

That which is in the laste

respōsion wil serue to answere here vnto this obiection. For neither Christe nor Peter for∣biddeth rule gouernaunce or primacye, so that it be accor∣dinge to the right rule and or∣der, with al humilitie godlines and charitie. Both Christ and Peter describe and appoint an order as wel to the ciuil ruler (beinge a Disciple of our saui∣oure) as to the ecclesiasticall: notwithstandinge the ecclesia∣stical example in ruling, being more perfite, more high in dig∣nitye, and the eye of the bodye, requireth a straiter examina∣tion with al perfection & god∣lines, he to gouerne the shepe & subdue the wolfes,* 1.1 he beinge in the churche of Christe the great priest, y^e highest Bushop

the Prince of all ministers, the very ayer to the Apostels, Abel in primacye, Noe in go∣uernaunce, in patriarcship A∣brahā, in order Melchisedech, in dignitye Aaron, in authori∣tye Moises, in iudgemēt Sa∣muel, in power Peter, & in a∣noynting Christ, one shepherd oboue al, hauing power to lose & binde. Wherfore (now to re∣turne) a christiā ruler whether he be of the clergye or of the laytye can not, nor ought to beare anye lordlye rule after the maner of the heathē Prin∣ces, which like tirātes vse their subiectes onlye rigorouslye to their owne vauntage. But a christiās rule and gouernaūce ouer his subiectes is nothinge els but a charge and a solici∣tude

or carefulnes ouer his brethren in Christe, and a ba∣lishippe or stewardshippe ouer them that be seruauntes toge∣ther wyth hym vnder god the commen lorde and Master of all.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Haec diuus Barnardus ad euge.