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.

English Concord.

Becane in his Iarre, and 7 Question, demanded, Whether the King can make Ecclesiasticall lawes? And I, in my Concord, & 7 Question, demand.

Whether the Pope can make lawes Ecclesiasticall, & dis∣annull lawes Temporall?

Heerein I produced 4 Ecclesiasticall lawes against the Pope and his Primacy. The first,* 1.1 That the Bishop of the first Sea or Seat, be not called Prince of Priests, or high Priest, or any such like; but onely, The Bishoppe of the first Sea: neither let the Bishop of Rome himselfe, be called Vniuers all Bishop.

The second;* 1.2 That no Bishop should make himselfe Bi∣shop of Bishops, or Papa, that is, Pater Patrum.

The third; That the Bishop of Constantinople, should haue equall authority, with the Bishop of Rome.

The fourth; That they should not be receiued to the Cō∣munion of any within Africk, who held Appeales lawful to any Iudgements beyond the Sea. Especially to Rome: for this Canon was made purposely, against Appeales to the Bishop of Rome.

Concerning the Popes power ouer lawes Secular, I produced a currant generall Axiome of theirs, viz. The fulnesse of the Popes power surpasseth all positiue lavves: And it sufficeth, that, in the Pope, his will stand for reason. And therein I did instance by this sentence of Panor∣mitane, De Constitut. ca. Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae, nu. 9. (which also agreeth wholly with the Rubrike of that chapter). Thus, The law of the Prince, preiudiciall to the Church:or the law of any Inferiors behoueful to the Church: doth not extend vnto the Church, vnlesse it be expresly ap∣proued by the Pope.

Then I added thus: The reasons heereof collected out of the Canon law, by Iewell, in his Defence of the Apologie, are these;* 1.3 Though the whole vvorld should sentence against the Pope, yet the Pop••s sentence should pre∣uaile;

because he seemes to haue all lawes,* 1.4 or rights, in the closet of his breast.

And againe: Therefore that which the Pope allowes, or disallowes,* 1.5 wee ought to allow, or disallow. Whosoeuer then doth not obey the statutes of the Romane Church, is to bee accounted an heretick.

Further,* 1.6 That it is a kind of Sacriledge, to dispute of that vvhich the Pope doth.

Morcouer, That the Pope hath a coelestiall arbitriment: vvhence it followeth,* 1.7 that in those things which bee willeth, His will to him for Reason is: Neither is there any vvho should say to him, Sir or Lord, vvhy doe you so?

Lastly, That as the Pope by his owne will onely, can cre∣ate a law:* 1.8 so by his owne will onely, hee can disper•••• vvith the lavv.

The Iesuit, in his Examen, answereth nothing vnto the lawes Ecclesiasticall, either of the vniuersall Bishop, or of the Equality bet weene the Bishop of Canstantino∣ple, and the Bishoppe of Rome: and yet those said two lawes, expell the Pope with his Primacy, out of the Church, and shut vp the Church doores against him (as they of Eden were against Adam) to preuent his future re-entrie. But because the Iesuite doth make particular answers vnto most of the remainder; I will set them downe seuerally, and my Reply vnto them; as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dist. 99. ca. Primae.
• * 1.2

  Cyprian in Conc••lio Carthagi. Concil. Cō∣stantin. 6. cap. 36. Concil. A∣fric. ca ••2.
• * 1.3

  Part. 4. c. 21. Di. 7.
• * 1.4

  9. q. 3. Ne∣que ab Au∣gusto.
• * 1.5

  Dist. 19. cap. S•• Roman, in Glossa.
• * 1.6

  Dist. 40. Si Papa in Gloss.
• * 1.7

  Extr•• de tr••ps••. Epi. ca. Quinto. in Glossa.
• * 1.8

  Felin de Relc••pt.