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.

It is a worlde to see the singular logicke, and depe rea∣soning of M. Horne, that can of such slender premisses in∣ferre such mighty conclusions. For the Emperour to be the Supreme Gouernour in all matters or causes temporall or spiri∣tuall, it appereth most plain (saieth he) to be the practise of the Church by these Bisshops c••lled vnto the Nicene Councel. An∣swere first M. Horne. How could this possiblye be a pra∣ctise of the Churche, that neuer before was vsed in the Churche? Except you wil say, that euen heathen princes may be your Supreme gouernours in al causes Ecclesiasti∣cal. You knowe before this Constantine there was neuer Christian Emperour, to whome bisshoppes might put vp their complaintes as to their Supreme gouernour, onelye Philip excepted. Who is neuer read, euer to haue medled with the lest matter or cause Ecclesiasticall, but liued ra∣ther like a close Christian, being afearde to displease the Romain Legions, who then were in maner al heathens, and who (as the worlde then wente) bore al the stroke in ele∣cting of the Emperour, and in the continuance also of him. Contrarywise,* 1.1 that he was subiect to the Bisshops, it appe∣reth wel by the doing of Pope Fabian, shutting him out at an Easter tyme, from the number of cōmunicants, because he sticked to confesse his sinnes, as other Christians did. Answere therefore first to this, howe you auouche that for a practise which was or coulde neuer be vsed? Wel lette this goe for an other vntruthe.

Now let vs heare howe ioylely you wil proue, that the 318. Fathers of the Nicene Councel, doe condemne M. Fe∣kenhams opinion, which before you promised to doe. The cause is to your seeming, that certain Bisshops accused one

the other before the Emperour Constantine. But how can this be a good motiue for you M. Horn, to pronounce him therefore a Supreme Gouernour in all causes temporal and spi∣ritual, seing it dothe not appere what those causes were, which the bis••hops did put vp vnto him? They might be, and so it is most likely they were, causes temporal. Verily your selfe confesseth, they were priuat quarrels: and so no matter of faith and religiō, (of which can growe no priuat quarrels, but cōmō cōtrouersies) but as it may seme, it was some priuat cōtētiō betwene neighbour ād neighbour (for at that time euery town had bis bisshops, yea many meane Villages also) concerning the limites and boundes of their possessions, or ••uch like matter, which is a matter plaine temporall. Beside this they were not al at dissention but certaine, and perchaunce very fewe: how is then M. Fe∣kenham condemned by 318. Bisshops of Nice? I see you wil play smal game, rather then ye wil sit out. I wil now bring you for M. Fekēham and for the Popes supremacy, no such trieflinge toyes and folishe gheasses: but a substantial au∣thour Athanasius him self, that reciteth out of Pope Iulius epistle, that this famous and moste godly synode decreed:* 1.2 that no bisshop should be deposed, onlesse the Pope were first thereof aduertised: and that nothing owght to be determined in Councel, but that he should be thereof made priuye before. But why doe I craue ayde against you of this Councell, seing your own example plainlye destroyeth your imagi∣ned Primacy, in that Constantine answereth to these quar∣reling bisshops, that it was not lawful for hī to be their Iudge?* 1.3 Which sentence of his being so plaine, you more grosslye then truely or politykely would elude, as thowgh Constā∣tin meant no such matter, but politykely spake this because

he would not irritate them, or leaste by priuate quarrels the weighty cause of the faith in hand should be hindred. Such gay gloses that destroy the text, may you by your ex∣trauagant Authority make at your pleasure. But the sen∣tēce of Sozomene only laied forth, shal both discouer your bastard glose, and open also your vntrue handling of his text. For Constantine refusing to iudge of the bisshoppes complaintes, calling them first (as Ruffinus at large reher∣seth) Goddes,* 1.4 and such as ought to iudge ouer him, not to be iud∣ged of him, or of any men at al, but of God only, he addeth and saieth as Sozomenus your alleaged Author reporteth. As for me, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, being a man (which woordes you guilfully left out) it is not lawfull to take vpon me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such iudgement not the iudgemēt: as you absolutely but vntruly turn it: For straight he expoūdeth what maner of iudgement it is not lawful for hī to take vpō him: adding immediatly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whē priests are parties plaintifs and defendants, not of such Priestes &c. as you,* 1.5 now the third tyme in one sentence, most lewdely and liyengly doe translate it. These woordes therefore of Constantine, thus spoken to the Bisshoppes, were not poli∣tikely (as you glose Maister Horne) but religiously and re∣uerentlye deuised, as to whome in plaine woordes he said: Deus vos constituit Sacerdotes, & potestatem vobis dedit de nobis quoque iudicandi, & ideo à vobis rectè iudica∣mur. Vos autem non potestis ab hominibus iudicari. God hath appointed you Priestes: And hath geuen you power, to iudge ouer vs also: And therefore we are orderly iud∣ged of you. But you can not be iudged of men. Here by the waye, Maister Horne: The best, the noblest, and the wysest Emperour that euer Christendome had, confesseth

the Bisshoppes his superioures and iudges: Shewe you where euer any wise or good Bisshop so flatly agnised the Emperour his superiour or Iudge in matters of Reli∣gion.

Nowe that this facte of Constantine proceded not of policie, but of reuerence: beholde, howe this example was interpreted afterward aboue a thousand yeares past, both of Emperours and of Bisshops.* 1.6 Martianus that ver∣tuouse Emperour protested openly in the Councell of Chalcedon, that he was present there, after the example of Constantine, not to shew his power, but to confirme his faith. And Saint Gregorie putting Mauritius the Emperoure (who in a chafe had called him foole) in mynde of the due∣ty he owed to Gods ministers, rippeth vp to him particu∣larlye this verye fact of Constantine, refusing to iudge vpon the bishopes complayntes &c. and addeth in the end as an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, these woordes.* 1.7 In qua tamen sententia pie Domine, sibi magis ex humilitate, quàm illis aliquid praestitit ex reuerentia impensa. In which sentence yet (my good Lorde) Constantyne more profited him self by humilitie, then he did the Bishopes, by the reuerence he shewed them.

It was saieth Saint Gregorye, Reuerentia impensa, a re∣uerence shewed to the bishopes, that Constantine would not iudge ouer their complaintes: It was politikelye done, saieth. M. Horne. Such a politike prelate hath Winchester diocese of him. Verely of that notable See with such pre∣lates lately beautified, and now of this man so contamina∣ted, we may say as Cicero saied of Pompey the greate his palace possessed of Anthonie that Infamous Rybalde. O domus antiqua, q̄ dispari Domino dominaris?* 1.8 For with the

like sincerity doe you through the whole booke procede, sometyme flatly belying, somtyme nypping their senten∣ces,* 1.9 but wel nere continually concealing the circumstan∣ces and whole effect of your alleaged Authours, as we shal in the processe see.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 27.
• * 1.2

  Athanas. Apol. 2.
• * 1.3

  M. Horne cōuicted by his ovvne example of Cōstā∣tines do∣inges.
• * 1.4

  Ruffin. lib. 1. c. 2. hist. suae eccle∣siast.

  Sozom. li. 1. cap. 17
• * 1.5

  Three vn¦truthes of M Horn. in transla¦ting of one greke sentence. Ruffin. lib. 1. cap. 2.
• * 1.6

  Concil. Chalcedo. Act. 1.
• * 1.7

  Gregor. li. 4. epist. 31
• * 1.8

  In Phil. 2.
• * 1.9

  Euseb. lib. 3. De vita Constant.