Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE FIRST PART CONCERNING THE AVTHO∣ritie of the ciuill Magistrate ouer Ecclesiasticall persons.

The Papists.

THe Clergie is not bound to keepe and obserue the ciuill and positiue lawes [error 98] of Princes, if they be contrarie to the Canons of the Church: neither ought they for any cause to bee cited before the ciuill Magistrate, or to be iudged by him, Bellarm. de Clericis, cap. 28.

It is absurd (saith the Iesuite) that the sheepe should iudge the shepheard, Bel∣larm. And the Apostle willeth all men to obey their Bishops and ouerseers, Heb. 13.17. and to submit themselues vnto them, from which rule neither Kings nor Emperours are exēpted: Prelates must be obeyed, Ergo, not obey Rhemist. ibid.

Ans. First, the obedience here required we acknowledge, that it ought to be yeelded by Kings & Emperours to those that haue the ouersight of their soules: for the Prince is bound to receiue and beleeue all true doctrine which is taught by the Pastors and Bishops of the Church, agreeable to the word of God, vnder paine of damnation: and the Pastors are bound vnder the like paine to obey the Princes lawes, made according to the word of God. Secondly, wherefore the spirituall obedience of the ciuill Magistrate to the word of God, taught by the Pastors of the Church, is no exemption of them from their ciuill obedience: for euery soule is subiect to the higher powers, Rom. 13.1. Fulk. annot. 13. Heb. sect. 9

The Protestants.

THat Ecclesiasticall persons are subiect to temporall gouernours, and are to be iudged by their lawes, the scriptures speake plainly.

1 Rom. 13.1. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers: Ergo, Bishops, yea the Pope himselfe, if he haue a soule. The like sayth S. Peter, 1.2.13. Submit your selues to all manner ordinance. Salomon remoued Abiathar from the Priesthood, and put in Sadock. Paul appealed, and submitted himselfe to Caesar. Againe, if Priests offend and commit any grieuous sinne, as of murther, theft, who shall punish them? The ciuill Magistrate onely beareth the sword: They

must either grant, that priests are no euill doers, which were to too grosse: or if they be, that they are vnder the ciuill Magistrates power: for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance vpon euery euill doer, Rom. 13.4.

In Augustines time, the controuersies betweene the Catholike and Donatist Bishops, were committed to the iudgement of the Emperour. Ait quidam,* 1.1 saith he, Non debuit Episcopus proconsulari iudicio purgari: Quasi verò ipse sibi hoc com∣parauerit, ac non Imperator ita quaeri iusserat, ad cuius curam, de qua rationem deo red liturus est res illa maximè pertinebat. But, saith one, a Bishop ought not to haue been purged before the Proconsul, or ciuill Magistrate: As though (sayth Augustine) the Proconsul did of himselfe intermeddle in this matter, and was not commanded rather of the Emperour so to doe: vnto whose charge that matter principally appertained, and whereof he shall make account vnto God: Ergo, by his sentence, the cause of the Bishop principally was to be iudged by the Emperour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Epistol. 162