Leguntur exempla hominum, qui deserto conjugio, deserta reipublicæ administratione, abdiderunt se in monasteria. Id vocabant fugere ex mundo, et quærere vitæ genus, quod Deo magis placeret, nec videbant, Deo serviendum esse in illis mandatis, quæ ipse tradidit, non in mandatis, quæ sunt excogitata ab hominibus. Bonum et perfectum vitæ genus est, quod habet mandatum Dei. De his rebus necesse est admonere homines. Et ante hæc tempora reprehendit Gerson errorem monachorum de perfectione, et testatur, suis temporibus novam vocem fuisse, quod vita monastica sit status perfectionis. We read examples of men who, forsaking wedlock, and leaving the government of the commonwealth, have hid themselves in monasteries. This they called flying out of the world, and seeking a kind of life which is more acceptable to God: neither did they see that God is to be served in those commandments which he himself hath delivered, not in the commandments which are devised by men. That is a good and perfect kind of life which hath the commandment of God for it. It is necessary to admonish men of these things. And before these times Gerson did reprehend this error of the monks concerning perfection; and witnesseth, that in his time this was a new saying, that the monastical life is a state of perfection. Tam multæ impiæ opiniones hærent in votis, quod justificent, quod sint perfectio Christiana, quod servent consilia et præcepta, quod habeant opera supererogationis. Hæc omnia cum sint falsa et inania, faciunt vota irrita. Thus many wicked opinions do cleave fast unto vows: as that they merit remission of sins and justification, that they are Christian perfection, that they do keep the counsels and commandments, that they have works of supererogation. All these things (seeing they be false and vain) do make vows to be of none effect. Art. VII.--De Potestate Ecclesiastica. Art. VII.--Of Ecclesiastical Power. Magnæ disputationes fuerunt de potestate Episcoporum, in There have been great controversies touching the power of Bishops;
quibus nonnulli incommode commiscuerunt potestatem Ecclesiasticam et potestatem gladii. in which many have incommodiously mingled together the Ecclesiastical power and the power of the sword. Et ex hac confusione maxima bella, maximi motus extiterunt, dum Pontifices, freti potestate clavium, non solum novos cultus instituerunt reservatione casuum, violentis excommunicationibus conscientias oneraverunt, sed etiam regna mundi transferre et imperatoribus adimere imperium conati sunt. And out of this confusion there have sprung very great wars and tumults, while that the Pontiffs, trusting in the power of the keys, have not only appointed new kinds of service, and burdened men's consciences by reserving of cases, and by violent excommunications; but have also endeavored to transfer worldly kingdoms from one to another, and to despoil emperors of their power and authority. Hæc vitia multo ante reprehenderunt in Ecclesia homines pii et eruditi. Itaque nostri ad consolandas conscientias coacti sunt ostendere discrimen ecclesiasticæ potestatis et potestatis gladii, et docuerunt utramque propter mandatum Dei religiose venerandam et honore afficiendam esse, tanquam summa Dei beneficia in terris. These faults did godly and learned men long since reprehend in the Church; and for that cause our teachers were compelled, for the comfort of men's consciences, to show the difference between the ecclesiastical power and the power of the sword. And they have taught that both of them, because of God's commandment, are dutifully to be reverenced and honored, as the chiefest blessings of God upon earth. Sic autem sentiunt, potestatem clavium seu potestatem Episcoporum, juxta Evangelium, potestatem esse seu mandatum Dei, prædicandi Evangelii, remittendi et retinendi peccata, et administrandi Sacramenta. Nam cum Now their judgment is this: that the power of the keys, or the power of the Bishops, by the rule of the Gospel, is a power or commandment from God, of preaching the Gospel, of remitting or retaining sins, and of administering the Sacraments.
hoc mandata Christus mittit Apostolos (John xx. 21 sqq.): 'Sicut misit me Pater, ita et ego mitto vos. Accipite Spiritum Sanctum: quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis, et quorum retinueritis peccata, retenta sunt.' Mark xvi. 15: 'Ite, prædicate Evangelium omni creaturæ,' etc. For Christ doth send his Apostles with this charge: 'As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained' (John xx. 21-23). 'Go and preach the Gospel to every creature,' etc. (Mark xvi. 15). Hæc potestas tantum exercetur docendo seu prædicando verbum, et porrigendo Sacramenta, vel multis vel singulis juxta vocationem, quia conceduntur non res corporales, sed res æternæ, justitia æterna, Spiritus Sanctus, vita æterna. Hæc non possunt contingere nisi per ministerium verbi et Sacramentorum; sicut Paulus dicit (Rom. i. 16): 'Evangelium est potentia Dei ad salutem omni credenti.' This power is put in execution only by teaching or preaching the Word and administering the Sacraments, either to many or to single individuals, in accordance with their call. For thereby not corporal things, but eternal, are granted; as an eternal righteousness, the Holy Ghost, life everlasting. These things can not be got but by the ministry of the Word and of the Sacraments, as Paul saith, 'The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth' (Rom. i. 16). Itaque cum potestas ecclesiastica concedat res æternas, et tantum exerceatur per ministerium verbi: non impedit politicam administrationem; sicut ars canendi nihil impedit politicam administrationem. Nam politica administration versatur circa alias res, quam Evangelium: magistratus defendit non mentes, sed corpora et res corporales Seeing, then, that the ecclesiastical power concerneth things eternal, and is exercised only by the ministry of the Word, it hindereth not the political government any more than the art of singing hinders political government. For the political administration is occupied about other matters than is the Gospel. The magistracy defends not the minds, but the bodies, and
adversus manifestas injurias, et coërcet homines gladio et corporalibus pænis, ut justitiam civilem et pacem retineat. bodily things, against manifest injuries; and coerces men by the sword and corporal punishments, that it may uphold civil justice and peace. Non igitur commiscendæ sunt potestates ecclesiastica et civilis: ecclesiastica suum mandatum habet Evangelii docendi et administrandi Sacramenta. Non irrumpat in alienum officium, non transferat regna mundi, non abroget leges magistratuum, non tollat legitimam obedientiam, non impediat judicia de ullis civilibus ordinationibus aut contractibus, non præscribat leges magistratibus de forma rei publicæ; sicut dicit Christus (John xviii. 36): 'Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo.' Item (Luke xii. 14): 'Quis constituit me judicem aut divisiorem super vos?' Et Paulus ait (Phil. iii. 20): 'Nostra politia in coelis est.' 2 Cor. x. 4: 'Arma militiæ nostræ non sunt carnalia, sed potentia Dei, ad destruendas cogitationes,' etc. Ad hunc modum discernunt nostri utriusque potestatis officia, et jubent utramque honore afficere et agnoscere, utramque Dei donum et beneficium esse. Wherefore the ecclesiastical and civil powers are not to be confounded. The ecclesiastical power hath its own commandment to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments. Let it not by force enter into the office of another; let it not transfer worldly kingdoms; let it not abrogate the magistrates' laws; let it not withdraw from them lawful obedience; let it not hinder judgments toughing any civil ordinances or contracts; let it not prescribe laws to the magistrate touching the form of the republic; as Christ saith, 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John xviii. 36). Again, 'Who made me a judge or a divider over you?' (Luke xii. 14). And Paul saith, 'Our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven' (Phil. iii. 20). 'The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but might through God, casting down imaginations,' etc. (2 Cor. x. 4). In this way do our teachers distinguish between the duties of each power one from the other, and do warn all men to honor both powers, and to acknowledge both to be the [highest] gift and blessing of God. Si quam habent Episcopi potestatem If so be that the Bishops have
gladii, hanc non habent Episcopi ex mandato Evangelii, sed jure humano donatam a regibus et imperatoribus, ad administrationem civilem suorum bonorum. Hæc interim alia functio est, quam ministerium Evangelii. any power of the sword, they have it not as Bishops by the commandment of the Gospel, but by man's law given unto them of kings and emperors, for the civil government of their goods. This, however, is a kind of function diverse from the ministry of the gospel. Cum igitur de jurisdictione Episcoporum quæritur, discerni debet imperium ab ecclesiastica jurisdictione. Porro secundum Evangelium, seu, ut loquuntur, de jure divino, nulla jurisdictio competit Episcopis, ut Episcopis, hoc est, his, quibus est commissum ministerium Verbi et Sacramentorum, nisi remittere peccata, item, cognoscere doctrinam, et doctrinam ab Evangelio dissentientem rejicere, et impios, quorum nota est impietas, excludere a communione Ecclesiæ, sine vi humana, sed Verbo. Hic necessario et de jure divino debent eis Ecclesiæ præstare obedientiam, juxta illud (Luke x. 16): 'Qui vos audit, me audit.' Therefore, when the question touches the jurisdiction of Bishops, government must be distinguished from ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Again, by the Gospel, or, as they term it, by divine right, Bishops, as Bishops--that is, those who have the administration of the Word and Sacraments committed to them--have no other jurisdiction at all, but only to remit sin, also to take cognizance of [to judge in regard to] doctrine, and to reject doctrine inconsistent with the Gospel, and to exclude from the communion of the Church, without human force, but by the Word [of God], those whose wickedness is known. And herein of necessity the churches ought by divine right to render obedience unto them; according to the saying of Christ, 'He that heareth you heareth me' (Luke x. 16). Verum cum aliquid contra Evangelium docent aut statuunt, tunc habent Ecclesiæ mandatum Dei, quod obedientiam prohibet (Matt. vii. 15): 'Cavete a Pseudo-prophetis.' But when they teach or determine any thing contrary to the Gospel, then have the churches a commandment of God, which forbiddeth obedience to them: 'Beware
Gal. i. 8: 'Si Angelus de coelo aliud Evangelium evangelizaverit, anathema sit.' 2 Cor. xiii. 8: 'Non possumus aliquid contra veritatem, sed pro veritate,' Item (10): 'Data est nobis potestas ad ædificationem, non ad destructionem.' Sic et Canones præcipiunt (II. Quæst. VII. Cap. Sacerdotes, et Cap. Oves). Et Augustinus contra Petiliani Epistolam inquit: 'Nec Catholicis Episcopis consentiendum est, sicubi forte falluntur, aut contra Canonicas Dei Scripturas aliquid sentiunt.' of false prophets' (Matt. vii. 15). 'If an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel, let him be accursed' (Gal. i. 8). 'We can not do any thing against the truth, but for the truth' (2 Cor. xiii. 8). Also, 'This power is given us to edify, and not to destroy' (2 Cor. xiii. 10). So do the Canons command (II. Quæst. 7, Cap. Sacerdotes, and Cap. Oves). And Augustine, in his Treatise against Petilian's Epistle, saith, 'Neither must we subscribe to Catholic Bishops, if they chance to err, or determine any thing contrary to the canonical divine Scriptures.' Si quam habent aliam vel potestatem, vel jurisdictionem in cognoscendis certis causis, videlicet matrimonii, aut decimarum, etc., hanc habent humano jure; ubi cessantibus Ordinariis coguntur Principes, vel inviti, suis subditis jus dicere, ut pax retineatur. If so be that they have any other power or jurisdiction, in hearing and understanding certain cases, as namely, of Matrimony, and Tithes, etc., they hold it by human right. But when the ordinaries fail [to attend to this office], princes are constrained, whether they wish to do so or not, to declare the law to their subjects, for maintaining of peace. Præter hæc disputatur, utrum Episcopi seu Pastores habeant jus instituendi ceremonias in Ecclesia, et leges de cibis, feriis, gradibus ministrorum, seu ordinibus, etc., condendi. Hoc jus qui tribuunt Episcopis, allegant testimonium (John xvi. 12): 'Adhuc Besides these things, there is a controversy whether Bishops or Pastors have power to institute ceremonies in the Church, and to make laws concerning meats, and holidays, and degrees, or orders of ministers, etc. They that ascribe this power to the Bishops allege this