A briefe and piththie summe of the Christian faith made in forme of a confession, vvith a confutation of all such superstitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza. Translated out of Frenche by R.F.

15 The Papists be manifestly culpable of rebellion against the magistrate.

THe impudentie of those whiche bur∣den vs to be rebelles against kings, Princes, or other Magistrates, is to much, and to extréeme. For concerning our doctrine, it is cleane contrary, as we haue declared in the sixt poynt. And for experience, wee make Iudges (with our Princes and Lords) all the whole world, yea euen our cruell persecutours. But if there be Anabaptists & lybertines, which do ••owe abroade the contrarie to defame the verity of the gospell, be we in y^e fault? It is we onely that at this day do stryue & inueigh against them, more firmly and

lyuely then all the rest of the world. But what neede is it in this case to attrybute it to the Anabaptistes? For there be no people in all the worlde lesse subiectes to kings and princes, then those which bur∣den vs falsely and against the truth. For who is he that abaseth & bringeth down kinges and Emperours vnder his féete? And namely, is there euer so vilaine a Moonke, or so wicked a Priest in y^e world that is not exempt from the iurisdiction of the secular magistrat, as they cal him? Let those here answer vs, in stéede to ac∣cuse vs: For consider what we saye and maintaine, for asmuch as Iesus Christe himself hath practised (although he were exempt being the sonne of God) a and the Apostle expresly cōmaūd that b euery per¦son shalbe subiect to the superior powers with a threate, that hee whiche resysteth them, resisteth God. Also S. Peter c hath ordained & declared largely as foreseeing that which those should doo, which falsely woulde be called his successours. From whence think ye doth come their exemp∣tions which they cal ecclesiastical, & these

their temporall iurisdictions which haue destroyed the Church? Those which now a dayes mayntayne & thinke that in such things consisteth the preheminēce of the Church, be they not the same of whom s. Iude d hath spoken, which folow y^e flesh, walking after their old filthy lustes, con∣tempning powers & seignory? which also bee audatious & pleasers of them selues, not hauing any fear or shame to cōtemne and dispise rulars & powers. If they wyl not beleue vs, nor experience at the least let them heare what is written. S. Chri. expoūding these words of S. Paul: let e∣uery person be subiect to y^• hyer powers, this sayth he is ordained to the ecclesiasti¦cals & clergy, and to Monks, and not only to the seculars or laity, although y^• were Apostle, Euangelist, or Prophete, or any other whatsoeuer it be. For thy obediēce & subiection doth not alter thy seruice to∣wards God. Behold also what S. Bern. f hath written: by what title saith he is it, (speaking of the temporal sword) that the Pope selleth these thinges? It is not ac¦cording to the ryght vse Apostolicall. For

Saynt Peter coulde not geue that which he him selfe had not, but he hath left to his successours that which he had, to wete the care of the Churches. Item sayth, he, your powers are not ouer possessions, but ouer the synnes, for as muche as ye haue receyued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, not for to be great Lordes, but to haue the correction of vices. Whiche dygnitie séemeth greatest to you? To for∣geue sinnes, or to distrybute possessions? There is no comparison. These earthly superiorities haue theyr Iudges, which be Kynges of the earth: and wherefore vsurpe you the office, dignities & lymittes of other men? Learne sayth he, to haue a spade to delue, and dresse the Vineyarde of the Lorde, and not to beare a Scepter. And yet more, it is a cleare thing sayth he. that all Lordshyppes is forbydden to the Apostles. Go then thou which vsurpest the tytle of an Apostle in ruling Lordlike. Go where as the authoritie and power is set in the Apostolyke seate. Beholde the proper words of Saint Chrisostome, and Saynt Bernarde, whiche hearde not the

blasphemies of Boniface the eyght, and other such Monsters. And if this suffi∣ceth not, let them adde to it the Epistles of saint Gregorie to the Emperor Mau∣rice, & the aunswere of Pellagius Pope, to Chyldebert. 25. quest. 1. Chapiter Sata∣gendum, and lykewise the aunswere of Leo the fowrth. 2. q. 1. Chapiter nos si in∣competenter. By this shall appeare more cleare then the daye, from whence theyr tyranny doth come, whiche at this daye hath brought vnder them, the king∣domes of the earth. It serueth them to no purpose to alledge the donations and gyftes of Kynges: besydes that whych they haue forged, and make men beleeue what they lyst. It is certaine that kings maye not, nor ought not to chaunge the order, whiche is establyshed of God, that which hath deuyded and separated these two iurysdictions. And also they cannot alledge prescription. For there is no pre∣scription against God. Besydes that in them there is nothing to be had but most euyll conscience and infidelitie.

Notes

• a

  Math. 17.
• b

  Roma. 13.
• c

  1. Peter. 2.
• d

  Iude. 8.
• e Chrisost▪ on the beg••••∣ning of the 13. chapter of the Epi∣st•••• of S. Paule to the Rom.
• f

  S. Ber∣narde in the boo••es, De consider••••••∣one, writter•• to Pope Eu••ene.