The English concord in ansvver to Becane's English iarre: together with a reply to Becan's Examen of the English Concord. By Richard Harris, Dr. in Diuinitie.

❧ Becans Iarre. (Book 4)

IIII. Question. Whether the King, by reason of his Primacy, may be called Head of the Church? (Book 4)

THis Title first began to be vsurped of King Henry the 8. as all Authors, aswell our owne as our aduersa∣ries do testifie. For thus writeth Iacobus Thuanus in his first booke of the Histories of his times: Henricus post diuonium, se Caput Ecclesiae constituit. K. Henry af∣ter his diuorce (from Q. Katherine) made himselfe Head of the Church &c. And Polydor Virgil lib. 27. of his History of England, saith: Interea habetur Concilium Londini, in quo Ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis, nullis ante tempo∣ribusvisam, induit. Henricus enim Rex Caputipsius Eccle∣siae constituitur. In the meane while (to wit after his foresaid diuorce) a Councell was held at London, wherein the Church of England tooke to it selfe a forme of power, neuer heard of be∣fore. For that King Henry was appointed Head of the same Church &c. Genebrard also in the fourth books of his Chrono∣logic hath these words: Henrieusanno 1534. in publicis Co∣mitijs se caput Ecclesiae Anglicanae appellauit. King Hen∣ry in the yeare of our Lord 1534. in publike Parliament, called himselfe Head of the Church of England &c. Also Doctor San∣ders in his booke of the Schisme of England, saith: Exqu•• li∣cendiformula, primam occasionem sumptamatunt, vt Rex Supremum Caput Ecclesiae Anglicanae diceretur. By which manner of speech, it is said, the first occasion was taken, of calling the King supreme Head of the Church of England &c. And a∣gaine, in the same booke: Proponebantur eis noua Comitio∣rum Decreta, & iubebantur iureiurando affirmare, Regem

Supremum Ecclesiae esse Caput. The new Lawes or Statutes of the Parliament were propounded vnto them (to wit, to the Kings subiects) and they were commanded to sweare, that the King was head of the Church &c. Iohn Caluin in like manner vpon the 7. Chapter of the Prophet Amos writeth thus: Qui tantopere extulerunt Henricum Regem Angliae, certè fue∣runt homines inconsiderati. Dederunt enim illi summam rerum omnium potestatem; & hoc me grauiter semper vul∣nerauit. Erant enim blasphemi, cùm vocarent eum sum∣mum Caput Ecclesiae sub Christo. Those who so greatly did extoll K. Henry of England, were men voide of consideration. For they gane vnto him the chiefe power of all things: and this point did euer gall me grieuously. For that they were blasphemers, vvhen they called him the chiefe Head of the Church vnder Christ &c.

2. The same Title did K. Edward Sonne to King Henry, and his Successour, vsurpe, as it may be seene by his Letters to Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury, which begin thus: Edouardus Dei gratia Angliae, Franciae, & Hyberniae Rex, supremum in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae, & Hybernicae, tām causis spiritalibus quàm tēporalibus Caput; Reuerendo Thomae Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo, salutē. Edward by the Grace of God K. of England, France & Ireland, supreme Head on earth of the Church of England and Ireland, as well in Cau∣ses Ecclesiasticall as temporall: to the Reuerend, Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, greeting &c. The same Title also did Bishop Cranmer giue vnto the said King, as appeareth by his letters written to other Bishops subiect vnto him, thus: Tho∣mas permissione diuina Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus, per Illustrisimum in Christo Principem Edouardum Regem sextum, supremum in terris Caput Ecclesiae Anglicanae & Hybernicae, sufficienter & legitimè authorizatus; Tibi Ed∣mundo Londinensi Episcopo, & omnibus fratribus Coepis∣copis, vice & nomine Regiae Maiestatis, quibus in hac parte sungimur, mandamus, vt Imagines ex. Ecclesijs cuiusque dioecesis tollantur &c. We Thomas by Gods permission Arch∣bishop of Canterbury, being sufficiently and lawfully authorized

by our most grat••ous Prince in Christ, King Edward the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, supreme Head on earth of the Church of England and Ireland, do in his Maiesties Name and place, which berein we supply, command von Edmund Bishop of London, and all the rest of our Brethren Bishops; that Imaves be taken out of the Churches of euery Diccesset &c. And Doctor Sanders also in his booke of the Schisme of England saith thus: Quamprimum visum est Henrici octaui mortem diuulgare; statim Edonardus Henrich filius, nonum aetatis annum agens, Rex Angliae pro∣clamatur, & sumurn Ecclesiae Anglicanae in terris Caput, proximè secundum Christum constitutel it &c. As score as it was thought good to diuulge King Henries death, by and by Ed∣ward his sonne, being of the age of nine yeares, was proclaymed King of England, and ordained supreme Head of the Church of England on earth, next vnder Christ &c.

3. Queene Elizabeth, although she were a woman, yet she thought her selfe no way inferiour to her Father or Brother, Shee therefore would be also called supreme Head of the Church of England. For so writeth Iacobus Thuanus in his 15. booke of the Histories of his time. Elizabetha, recep to à Patre & fratre titulo, Ecclesiae Caputper Angliam coepitappellati. Queene Elizabeth hauing receiued the (former) Title from her Fa∣ther & Brether, began to be called Head of the Church through∣out England &c.

4. But now aduyes, vnder K. Iames, this title is put in Repardie. The Chaplaine (to wit M. Doctor Andrewes) doth admit the same in his Tortura Torti: but M. Tooker, and M. Burhill do reiect it. M. Tookers words, which a little before I recited are these: Olere autem malitiam, & clamitare audaciam tuam videturillud, cum Regem Caput Ecclesiae, Primatemque confingas. It may seems to sauour of malice, and try out upon your sausines, when as you feigne the King to be Head and Primate of the Church &c. And in like manner doth M. Burhill pag. 133. reprehend a certaine person of ouer much, want onnes and boldnes, for calling the King, Head, Pastour and Primate of Bishops.

5. In his debate and Iarre then, what shall the King do?

If he admit the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of Eng∣land, M. Tooker, and M. Burhill will no doubt murmure streadly. If he rerect it, what then will the Chaplaine say? Per∣haps this contention may be mollified, if the King, as he gaue to the Chaplaine the Bishopricke of Ely: so he would giue to M. Tooker, and M. Burhill two other Bishopricks. For then, least they might seeme ungratefull, they would easily grant this Title to the King, and farre greater too.

English Concord.* 1.1

THe Head, Regall Primate, and th'alone Su∣preme gouernour in all things, and ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall, in the Church of England; sig∣nifie one, and the selfe same thing: wherein, all our English Protestant Writers doe vniformally accord; and so do openly and publikely profess the Kings roy∣all Title of Supreme Head vnder Christin England.

Here therefore the Iesuite contends for nifles. And this hee might haue learned of the R. Bishop of Ely;* 1.2 who doth not only admit that Title, but also foundlie proueth the same by Scriptures, and Fathers, in these words:

Now to bring this name of Head vnto the King, from Gregory, or any other, needs no wondrous Art. The Holy-ghost in this word was our guide. The Prophet Samuel speaks thus to his King:* 1.3 When thou wast little in thy own eyes, wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel: of w^th tribes, the Tribe of Leny was one. Theriore the K. is head of the leuitical tribe;

in the which Tribe was the high Priest Abimelech vnder the king his head. Wondrous ignorance it is to deny this; not wondrous Art to prooue this. Moreouer: Chrysostom, a Bishop of the. Catholike Church (no lesse godly, and learned then Gregory) called Theodosius, not onely the Head, but also the Toppe, or Crowne of the head, euen of all men vp∣on the earth. I thinke there was then a man vpon earth, who was called the Bishop of Rome.

Agreeable hereunto writeth D^r. Tooker,* 1.4 thus: The Bishop of Ely doth with vs, and with Chrysostom, so ac∣knowledge the king to be Head, and toppe of the Head; that he vnder standeth him to be gouernour of the Church, vn∣der the Primary head Christ.

See you not hereby (Iesuite) how impudently you lyed, when you wrote thus: But now this Title of Head, is indangered vnder King Iames &c. D^r. Tooker, and M^r. Burhill will not haue the King to be called such a Head of the Church, as you Papists dreame the Pope to be: viz. Vnto whose motion, (as say the Clementines) all are subiect. From whom, as from an Head, taken vp into the fellowship of the indiuiduall vnity, God doth poure out his gifts in the whole bodyb 1.5 From whom all Bishoppes descend, as members from the Head:c 1.6 who can doe all things, that Christ can doe:d 1.7 who hath the same Tribunall and Consistory that Christ hath.e 1.8

But is the Iesuite amongst the Prophets? It may be, among the false Prophets. What, doth hee mea∣sure our Writers (who had rather lose their heads, then, in the Papists sense, to ascribe vnto their King, the Title of Supreme Head) with the met-wand of Pa∣pall parasites?

In that Iarre of Cardinalls, about the Popes Prima∣cy, to vveet, whether it consist in the Temporalties of Kings, Directly, or Indirectly: what will Pope Paul 5. doe? If he admit that Primacy Direct; Bellarmine will murnur: if hee refuse it, what will Baromus, and the Canonists say?

If the Cardinalls would bestow the Popedome vp∣on Bellarmine, he would grant vnto the Pope, this, and a farre greater Title Directly. But haue the Papists any greater Title then this papall, to weet, of the Head bf the Church? It seemes so: because according to his Parasits, these following are Catholick Axioms.

First, The Pope can dispense aboue right, or law, and can make iustice of iniustice: and can make no sentence a sen∣tence, and can create some-what of nothing.a 1.9

Secondly, The Pope is the true (Soueraigne) Lord of Temporalties: so that hee can take away frō one that which is his owne: and that act of his holds for good, though hee sinne. Princes are not Lords, but Tutors, Procurators, and Stewards.b 1.10

Thirdly, It is hereticall to beliene, that Our Lord God the Pope, the maker of this and that decree; can not decree as hee hath done.c 1.11 Is there any thing more? Yes, a∣boue God, and power diuine. They haue perswaded the Popes, that.

Fourthly, The Popes may doe all things, euen what they list, euen things vnlawfull; and that they are More than God.d 1.12 Which madee 1.13 Camotensis long since vvrite thus: The Popes commaund the Angels: They haue power ouer the dead: They offer violence to the Scriptures, thereby to gaine fulnesse of Power. The Pope is become in∣tolerable: no Tyrant did euer equall him in pride & pompe.

Behold heere the Roman Head, how glorious, pom∣pous, and (if hee had rather haue it so) how tyran∣nous it is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pag. 32.
• * 1.2

  Tott. Tort. pag. 338. et 339
• * 1.3

  1. Sa. 19.17
• * 1.4

  Duel. pag. 4
• b 1.5

  De Elect. et Elect. po∣test. ca. Fun∣damenta.
• c 1.6

  De Minist. et ordin. li. 2
• d 1.7

  Hoftiens. de Transl. Epi. ca. Quinto.
• e 1.8

  Abbat de Elect.c. Ve∣nerabilem.
• a 1.9

  De Trans, Epi. Quan∣to in glosla.
• b 1.10

  Ioh. de pa∣tis. de porest. Pap. et Reg.
• c 1.11

  Extrau. loan. 22. ca. Cum inter nonnullos in Gloss.
• d 1.12

  Francis Zibarell.
• e 1.13

  In Poly∣cratico.