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WHere read you that the fift Councell of Con∣stantinople vvas celebrated vnder Theodo∣sius? You alwayes erre. Indecde the words you cite, are in the first Councell of Constanuno∣ple. viz: We pray your Clemency to confirme the Councells de∣cree
The reason of which words, you saide was this: That alt though those Fathers made a decree, which had force of an Eccle∣siasticall law, and force to compell by Ecclesiasticall censure; yet they prased the Emperour to confirme the decree, by adding a con∣straining force through temporall punishments. If this your rea∣son whereby you defended Thomson, be good, why doe you aske me another? If if be not good, why did you not answere for him better? If Thomson meane, that Prelates may by their owne au∣thority, make lawes Ecclesiasticall, to bind their subiects to the keeping thereof by ••••••sures Ecclesiasticall, but cannot vrge them, by punishments Corporall; and that Kings should onely subseruire serue vnder the Prelates as their outward executors, (hangmen, or the like): he consenteth with vs. Otherwise there is no Concord. Chuse which you will.
COncord? What concord hath Christ with Be∣lial? The beleeuing Protestant, with the Idola∣trous Papist? The seruants of Christ, with the sworne slaues of Antichrist? Wicked Nahash the Am∣monite, would not couenant with the Gileadites for peace, vnlesse he might thrust out all their right eyes, and bring shame vpon all Israell: The Iesuit here (more wic∣ked than Nahash) protesteth, that he will haue no con∣cord with vs, vnlesse he may, not only bring shame vp∣on Israel, but quench the light and glory of Israel: to weet, that our Kings casting their Crownes at the Popes, nay at inferiour Bishops, feete; should stand ready to be hangmen, or the like executioners of all their impious and vnrighteous decrees & commands: viz to hang, and burne, whom, when, and where they will.
Chuse vvhich vve vvill? We will chuse millions of Combats with garments tumbled in bloud, rather than to yeeld to the least iotte of this shame and dis∣grace of our royall Monarches, the Soueraigne Lords of all Prelates within their Kingdomes; Patriarkes, or Popes themselues.
Although no lines of concord can be drawen be∣tween vs and the Papists: yet here among our s••lues is full consent. Dr. Tooker saith, in times of Churches per∣secution, the Apostles did, and wel might, make lawes Ecclesiasticall. Mr. Thomson granteth as much, and ad∣deth, that because the authority of Emperours (then heathen) did not breath vpon them, or with them, they wanted the enforcements by corporall punishments, as imprisonments, losse of goods, members, life &c.
Dr. Tooker saith, in times of Church peace, the au∣thority of calling Councels, and of ratifying the Ca∣nons and Decrees made in Councels, belongeth to Christian Kings and Emperours. Mr. Thomson with full agreement, saith, in those times of peace, the Bi∣shops and Councels could not make any Ecclesiasti∣call law, which had force of law, without the authority of the King or Emperour.
To backe this assertion of Mr. Thomson, I mooued the Iesuite to yeeld a sound reason, why [especially if that be true which Pope Boniface 8. in that last Canon,* 1.2 Vnam Sanctam, viz. Vterque gladius spiritualis et materi∣alis est in potestate Ecclesiae: sed ille, Sacerdotis; is, manu Regum et militum, sed ad Nutum sacerdotis, exercendus. Both spirituall and materiall sword, are in the Churches power: but th'one is to be vsed by the hand of the Priest; th'other, by the hand of the King or Soldier, but at the Priests
beck or command.] so many, to wee••, 150. Bishops as∣sembled in the first Councell of Constantinople, should be such suppliants, as it were vpon their knees, vnto the Emperour, beseeching, & so earnestly intreating him, to confirme the Councells decree, if that decree had had force of Ecclesiasticall decree, without confirmati∣on of the Emperour.
But this empty Iesuit not being able to giue another solide reason, and not daring to yeeld that: runs away from the matter; and leaueth nought else behind him, but the crackling sound of a windie tubbe; answering vnto me nothing but this: If your reason brought to de∣fend Thomson were good, vvhy did you aske me another? If not, why did you not giue me a better? which his answer made in forme of the two horned Dilemma, is thus returned vpon him, with both hornes directly bent a∣gainst him. If my reason were good to accord them; why doth the Iesuit here hold on his prattle of discord? if it were not good, why did not the Iesuit produce a better, and a more solide reason of those Fathers in∣treaty for Imperiall confirmation, to ratifie their decree? considering that the Question, as it was moued and darted by me, strooke the Iesuites Cause through the very heart. As som cannot fish but in troubled waters; so it seemeth this Iesuit can holde no argument, but in mists of confusion. For here he confounds the Coun∣cell and lawes of the Apostles, with Councels and Ca∣nons of after-Bishops. Sic canibus catulos, sic paruis com∣ponere magna: It is belike the fashion Iesuitical, to com∣pare molehils with mountaines. The Apostles in ex∣traordinary manner Diuinely inspired, might, and did make Ecclesiastical lawes to binde the conscience of all
Christians, though not to punish their bodies: But the after-Bishops, in times of Christian Emperors, neither did, nor could meet, specially in generall Councells, to make lawes Ecclesiasticall, for the space of 600. yeers, at least, after Christ, without Imperiall commaund. And when they were mette in Councell, not only the Emperour, but also his officers, the lay Senate and Iudges, sate as Presidents there, giuing-rule and order for making of those Canons, not suffering any to passe for law, without their consent, and confirmation of the Emperour, as Hainric the Salo-Brigian in his Be∣cano-Baculus, hath with great varietie of solide proofs, fully demonstrated; and further hath there produced very many Ecclesiasticall lawes, touching in a manner all Ecclesiasticall matters, and Ecclesiasticall persons, commendably made by orthodoxall Kings and Em∣perours, without Councells of Bishops.
Lastly, whereas the Iesuite here slyeth, vpon mee, (indeede not vpon me, but vpon the Compositer) for mistaking the Arithmeticall figure of 5. for 1. and as though I had written fiue at large, the Iesuit sets down (quintū); he sheweth himself to be, in the one a truth∣lesse wrangler, and in the other, a seely fly-catcher. My Compositer, or Transcriber, must be whipt in print, mistaking one letter for another: but he must go scot-free, mistaking one name for another; one man for an∣other, to weet, Tooker for Richard.* 1.3 For which I would not taxe him in due place, (and here, constrained I do it) because I would not misspend the Readers precious time, with such empty and childish trifles.
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Extrau••g. Commun. de M••••or. et Obedien.
Exam. page 120.