A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago…A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe…

And yet in the mean while, the Princes meddled not with the sacrificing, which God had committed to the ⟨image 51⟩Priests.¹ For that was not lawful for them without punishment, as it appeared by king Azarias, otherwise named Osias, who was stricken with leprosy for presuming wilfully to burn incense upon the brazen altar, contrary to Gods ordinance. For it is one thing to sacrifice and to execute the offices that belong peculiarly to the Priests: and an other thing to dispose the Priesthood and discipline of the Church in convenient order, and to keep them when they be ordered. For God hath sorted these offices asunder, and will not have them confounded.² And what man (except it be some giddy brained and froward Anabaptist,) will say that Christen Princes have less authority and power in the Churches of Christen folk, than the Jewish kings had in the Synagogues? Can ye say, that the authority of these is diminished by Christ our Lord, or by his Apostles? Most certain it is, that it is not diminished by Christ. For the Prophets, and among them specially David in the 2. Psalm, and Isaiah in his 49. chapter & in other places, have foretold that kings should come into the Church of Christ, & that they should not only lead their lives there after the manner of other Christen men, but also more over continue there still in governing, defending, & advancing Church affairs, as kings still executing kingly power. Which point S. Austin handleth excellently, garnishing and enlightening it with many sentences, against the Donatists, which denied the Magistrate to have any power at all to deal in matters of the Church. Furthermore it is certain, that Christs Apostles removed not the faithful Magistrate from the administration of Ecclesiastical matters, thereby to make Christen kings of less power than the kings of the Jews had. For they say expressly that Princes are Gods ministers, yea and ordained to plant the thing that is good, and to pluck up the thing that is evil. But who is so overladen with the flesh, that he will restrain these things to the flesh only and to outward affairs: and not also extend them to mens souls, and to spiritual matters?

And yet in the meane while, the Princes meddled not with the sacrificing, which God had committed to the ⟨image 51⟩