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 .38. Diuision pag. 24. b.

Arius count••••feiting a false and a feined confession of beliefe, like an hy∣pocrite▪ pretending to the Emperour, that it vvas agreable to the faithe of the Nicene Councel humbly beseching the Emperour, that he would vnit and restore him to the (.96.)* 1.1 mother Churche, and therefore hauing friends in the Emperours Court (as suche shall neuer vvante fau∣tours about the best Princes) vvas brought into his presence, vvhom the Em∣peroure him selfe examined diligentlye, and perceiuinge no disagree∣ment (as he thought) from the agrement made in Nicene Councell (.97.)* 1.2 ab¦solued and restored him againe, vvhervnto Athanasius, vvho knevv Arius throughly, vvould not agree, and being accused therfore vnto th'Emperour, vvas charged by letters from him, that he should receiue Arius, vvith these threates, that if he vvould not, he vvould (.98.)* 1.3 depose them from his Bis∣shoprike, and commit him to an other place. The Arrians heaped vp many and horrible accusations and slaunders vpon Athanasius, vvhervpon the Em∣perour doth summon a Councell at Tyre, and sendeth commaundement by his letters ••o Athanasius, that vvithout all excuse, he should appeare there, for othervvise he should be brought vvhether he vvould or no. He vvriteth to the Coūcel his letters, vvherin he declareth the causes vvhy he called that Coūcel. He shevved vvhat he vvould haue and vvhat they ought to do, ād prescribeth vnto thē the form ād rule wherby thei shuld iudge ād determin in that Synod.

Athanasius appeared, appealed, fled to the Emperour, and declared the in∣iuries offered against him in that Councel. The Emperour tooke vpon him the hearing of the cause,* 1.4 sent his letters to the vvhole Synod, commaunding them vvithout al excuse or delay, to appeare before him in his palaice, and there to shevv hovv vprightly and hovve sincerely they had iudged in their Synod, as I haue shevved (.99.)* 1.5 before. VVherein obserue diligently, that the Emperor taketh vpō hī, and no fault found thervvith, to examine and iudge of the doings of the vvhol Coūcel. Thus far of Cōstantine and his doings, in the executiō of his ministerie, and especially in perfourming that part, vvhich he called his best part, that is his gouernement, and rule, in Ecclesiastical mat∣ters, vvherein it is manifest, that by the practise of the Catholique Churche for his time approued and commended by all the Catholique Priests and Bi∣shops, in the Nicene Councell, the supreme gouernment, authority, and rule, in (,100.)* 1.6 all maner causes both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall, vvere clai∣med and exercised by the Emperour, as to vvhom of right, suche like povver and authority, belonged and appertained.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The .96. Vntruth. The very vvoordes of Arius falsified.
• * 1.2

  The .97. Vntruth. No suche vvordes in Theo∣doret, or in any o∣ther of the eccle∣siasticall Historiās Socr lib. 1 cap. ••8.
• * 1.3

  The 98. Vntruth. No suche thing nei¦ther in So¦crates nor in Theo∣doret, for any mat∣ter of A∣rius.

  Theod. li. 1. ca. 27.
• * 1.4

  Soc. lib. 1. cap. 34.
• * 1.5

  (.99.) A heape of vntruths as before in the .32. Diuision and third chapter.
• * 1.6

  The .100. vntruth. Facing ād impudēt, generally auouched but not in one par∣ticular proued.