A counterblast to M. Hornes vayne blaste against M. Fekenham Wherein is set forthe: a ful reply to M. Hornes Answer, and to euery part therof made, against the declaration of my L. Abbat of Westminster, M. Fekenham, touching, the Othe of the Supremacy. By perusing vvhereof shall appeare, besides the holy Scriptures, as it vvere a chronicle of the continual practise of Christes Churche in al ages and countries, fro[m] the time of Constantin the Great, vntil our daies: prouing the popes and bishops supremacy in ecclesiastical causes: and disprouing the princes supremacy in the same causes. By Thomas Stapleton student in diuinitie.

Stapleton.

M. Horne goeth yet nedelessely foreward to proue that Christ did not destroy the rule of Princes in Churche cau∣ses, figured in the olde Lawe, and now at length catcheth he one testimonie out of the new Testament to proue his saiyng: which is, Geue vnto Caesar, that belongeth vnto him. Which place nothing at al serueth his turne, but rather de∣stroyeth, I will not say any figure of the old Testament, but M. Hornes foolish figuratiue Diuinitie. For it is so farre of (that of this place M. Horne may make any ground, for the Ecclesiasticall authoritye of Princes) that it doth not as much as inferre, that we ought to pay so much as tribute to our Princes, but only that we may paie it. For the questi∣on was framed of the captious Iewes, not whether they ought, but whether they might lawfully paie any tribute to Caesar. Whiche was then an externall and an infidell Prince. For if M. Horne will say those woordes importe a precise necessitie, he shall haue muche a doe to excuse

the Italians, Frenchmen, Spaniardes, and our Nation, which many hundred yeares haue paid no tribute to Caesar. But I pray you M. Horne, why haue you defalked and curtai∣led Christes aunswere? Why haue you not set forth his whole and entier sentence: Geue to Caesar that belongeth to Caesar, and to God that belongeth to God? which later clause I am assured, doth much more take away a supreme regi∣ment in al causes Ecclesiastical, then necessarily by force of any wordes binde vs to paie, yea any tribute to our Prince. And wil ye see how it happeneth, that Hosius a great lear∣ned and a godly Bishoppe of Spaine, as M. Horne him selfe calleth him, euen by this verye place proueth against the Emperour Constantius, and telleth it him to his face, that he had nothing to doe with matters Ecclesiasticall? Whose woordes we shall haue an occasion hereafter to rehearse. Yea S. Ambrose also vseth the same authoritie to represse the like vsurped authoritie of Valentinian the yonger. This ill happe hath M. Horne euen with his first authori∣tie of the new Testament, extraordinarie, and impertinent∣lie I can not tell howe chopped in, to cause the leaues of his boke, and his lies, to make the more mouster and shew. But nowe, whereas this place serueth nothing for any au∣thoritie Ecclesiasticall in the Prince, and least of all for his preeminent and peerlesse authoritie in all causes Ecclesiasti∣call, as M. Horne fansieth, Yet least any man (being borne doune with the great weight of so mightie a proufe) should thinke the Princes power infinite, M. Horne to amende this inconuenience, of his greate gentlenes, thought good to preuent this mischief, and to admonish the Reader ther∣of: and that his meaning is not by this place to geaue him an infinite authoritie, or without limites, but such onely as is

bounded and circumscribed within the boundes of Gods worde: and least ye should mistake him, he would himself so to be vnderstanded. Which is for al this solemnitie, but a foolish and a friuolous admonitiō, without any cause or groūd: ād groūded only vpō M. Horns fantistical imaginatiō, and not vpon Christ, as he surmiseth. Who willeth that to be geauen to Caesar that is Caesars, and to God that is Gods: but determi∣neth and expresseth nothing, that is to be geuen to Caesar, but only paiement of money. And yet if we consider, as I haue saied, what was the question demaunded, it doth not determine that neither: though the thing it selfe be moste true. Howe be it this admonition serueth Maister Horne and his brethren for manye and necessarye purpo∣ses, to rule and maister their Princes by, at their pleasure: that as often as their doings like them not, they may freely disobey, and say it is not▪ Gods word, wherof the interpre∣tation they referre to them selues. And so farre it serueth some of them, and the moste zealouse of them, that nowe their Prince, though Supreme gouernour and iudge in al cau∣ses Ecclesiastical, may not by Gods worde, appointe them as much as a Surplesse or Cope to be worne in the Churche, or Priestlike and decent apparell to be worne of thē other∣wise. Yea some of them, of whom we haue already spo∣ken, haue found a way, and that by Gods woorde, to depose the Quenes Maiesty from al manner of iurisdiction as well temporal as spiritual: and that by Gods holy worde. Whereof these men make a very Welshemans hose, to say the truth, and amonge other, M. Horne him selfe, for all his solemne admonition. For we plainly say, that this kind of suprema∣cie, is directly against Gods holy worde.

Notes

• The pla∣ce of Mat. 22. ma¦keth ra∣ther quite against M. Horn. Fol. 20.
• Amb li. 5. Ep. 32.