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.

M. Horne. The .31. Diuision. Pag. 21. b.

This supreme (.74.)* 1.1 authority of the Emperour in Church causes is moste liuely expressed by S. Augustine and Eusebius, vvhere they make mention of the horrible Scisme, stirred by the Donatists, against Cecilianus Bisshoppe of Carthage: vvhose election and ordering to be Bisshop of Carthage, Donatus and others of his companions misliked, and therfore made a Schisme in that Church. The question in controuersie vvas, vvhether Cecilianus being ordered Bisshop, hauing the imposition of hands by Felix, vvere lavvfully consecrated and ordered or not this controuersie made a lamentable trouble amongest the Churches in Aphrike. At the length, the Donatists accused Cecilian vn∣to the Emperour: desired the Emperour to appointe some Delegates to iudge of this cōtrouersy. And for that al the Churchs in Aphrike vvere bāded, either to the one partly, or the other, and for that France vvas free frō this cōten∣tion, they require iudges to be appointed by his authority from amongest the Frenche Bisshoppes. The Emperour much grieued, that the Churche vvas thus torne in sundre vvith this schism, doth appoint Melciades Bisshop of Rome, and Marcus to be his (.75.)* 1.2 delegates and commissaries in this con∣trouersy vvith certaine other Bisshoppes of Fraunce, Melciades colleages or felovv Bisshops, vvhom the Emperour had cōmaunded to be there vvith thē for that purpose. These commissioners vvith certaine other Bisshoppes accor∣ding to the Emperours commaundement mette at Rome, and after due exa∣mination had, doe condemne the Donatists, and pronounce Cecilianus cause to be good. From this sentence of the bisshop of Rome, and other bisshoppes his colleages being the Emperours delegates, the Donatists appeale vnto the Emperour, not onely accusing Cecilianus, but also Melciades the bisshop of Rome, and other Cōmissaries. Wherefore the Emperour causeth a Synode to be had at Arelatum, committing the cause to the bisshop thereof and o∣ther bisshoppes assembled there by his commaundement, to be herde and dis∣cussed. VVhereūto he calleth Crestus the bisshop of Syracuse a City in Sicilie by his letters. VVherein he declareth in (.76.)* 1.3 plain termes, that it belongeth

to his imperial cure, to see these controuersies in Church causes to be deter∣mined and ended.* 1.4 Donatus and his companions, being condemned also by these bishops, in the Synode at Arelatum, and Cecilianus cleered, doe a∣gain appeale vnto the Emperour from their sentence, beseching him to take the hearing and discussing of the cōtrouersie. VVho calleth both the parties to∣gether before himself at Millayn, and after he had herde the vvhole matter, and vvhat vvas to be said on both sides, * 1.5 he gaue final sentēce vvith Cecilia∣nus, condemning the Donatists. VVho after al these things thus done, as S. Augustin saith, made a very sharpe Lavv against the Donatistes, the vvhich also his Sonnes after him commaunded to be obserued.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The 74. vntruth. No such supreme authority is either by S. Au∣gustin or Eusebius expressed as shal ap¦peare.

  Aug. epist. 50. et 48 Euseb. lib. 10 cap. 5.
• * 1.2

  The 75. vntruth. Eusebius hath no such vvoords of delega¦tes or cō∣missaries, but allea∣geth for his so doinge: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the most holy law that is, the lavve of the Church, vvhich had ordayned bishops to be iudges in Churche matters.
• * 1.3

  The 76. Vntruth. Constantin in those letters hath no such thing either in plaine termes or obscure. Only he expresseth a desire to haue the contention ended.
• * 1.4

  Augu. epi∣stol. 166.
• * 1.5

  This he did. But this he re∣pented af∣ter.

  Augu epi∣stol. 162. Epist. 166.