which he acquired by them, soon obtained for him the degree of doctor in that science. He was afterwards promoted to the archdeaconries of Salisbury and Leicester. In 1234 and 1235, he was unanimously elected by the chapter of Lincoln to that extensive and wealthy see, and the king readily confirmed his election. Through the whole of his episcopacy, Grossetete strove to promote religion and learning, to enforce, among his clergy, an exact observance of discipline. This engaged him in several disputes; one, with the dean and chapter of his own cathedral church, on his right to visit them; one, with the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of Canterbury, on their right to receive, during the vacancy of that see, appeals from his sentences; and several with the regular clergy of his diocese, on his right to reduce, under his donation, all the churches possessed by them, to which they could not shew a regular and authenticated title; and on his right to charge those, to which they shewed such a title, with the payment of a competent stipend to an incumbent, who performed the parochial duty. In all these contests, he succeeded, and his conduct gave general satisfaction: but he was engaged in more important contests both with the crown and the pope. These more properly relate to the subject of these pages. VIII. 3. The Sentiments of bishop Grossetete on the different nature of Spiritual and Temporal Power. WE shall first state these in the prelate's own words: 66 "Whatever portion secular princes possess of "that power and dignity, which is ordained by God, they receive it all from the church: whereas "the princes of the church-(her prelates),-re❝ceive no part of their ecclesiastical dignity and authority from secular princes, but from God. He, who receives power from another, cannot "rebel against him, from whom he receives it, by abusing what he hath received, any other than if "the axe should glory against him, who saws with "it; or the rod or staff against him who lifteth it. Moreover, secular princes are to remember, that "both swords belong to Peter, the natural as well "as the the spiritual; with this difference, that the princes of the church, who sit in the chair and "office of Peter, wield the spiritual sword by them"selves, but wield the temporal one by the hand "and ministry of secular princes, who are to un"sheath or sheath the sword they carry, at the "beck and direction of the princes of the church: "for, as Paul saith, the secular prince doth not wear the sword in vain, and adds the reason, be cause he is the minister of God, an avenger to "execute wrath upon him, who doeth evil. Secular "princes therefore bear the sword as ministers of God, to execute his vengeance upon evil-doers; "in like manner both peaces and both laws are "entrusted to Peter's lieutenants: with this dif"ference, that Peter and his vicegerents administer 66 by the hands of secular princes, that peace and "that temporal law, which have been ordained for "the good order of society, and for our undisturbed passage through this temporal life; whereas they "exercise, by their own proper ministry, that spi"ritual peace, which unites the faithful in one heart "and mind towards God; and that spiritual law, "which promotes that (spiritual) peace. Hence, "as secular princes, in bearing the sword as 66 avengers of the evil-doer, are thereby ministers of God, and consequently of the church, the spouse "of Christ; so, in holding and exercising the ad"ministration of the temporal peace and law, they 66 are also ministers of God, and consequently of "his church. Hence also, the laws, which are "formed to preserve the peace of our temporal life, "cannot in anywise contradict the laws of God, "or of his church; since no minister ought to lift "up his heel against him whose minister he is. "Now, that both the swords, both the peaces, and "both the laws are primarily and originally lodged "in the princes of the church, appears not only 'from the expositors of the holy books, but from "the divinely disposed examples of the chiefs of "the ancient people of God. Moses, though di"vinely appointed chief of the people of Israel, and "the perfect type of the presidents of the church, "administered, by himself, both swords, and ruled "the people committed to his care, by both powers, "and by both laws: for, as the Scripture asserts*, "he presided over the people, in the things, which belonged to God, and restrained those, who trans"gressed his laws, the due observance of which "constitutes the tranquillity of the spiritual peace; "and besides this, he girded his sword upon his thigh, and passing through the camp, from one 66 gate to the other, he chastised the disturbers of "the civil peace, and those disturbers, whether of "the spiritual or temporal peace, he judged and "punished by laws, proper to each. But, when "our Lord Jesus Christ appeared on earth, then "he, who is the true God, and most meek lamb, "would have meekness and the contemplation of "heavenly things to shine principally in the princes "of his church; and therefore, lest this pre-emi"nent meekness, and application to things above, "should be eclipsed under the exercise of severity "and the application to secular affairs, the actual 66 exercise of the material sword, which flashes with "the terror of just severity, and the administration "of the temporal, which is clouded with the dark ness of earthly though lawful occupations, are put "into the hands of secular princes, the power "thereof still remaining in the hands of the princes "of the church. Now, that the exercise of the two "swords and of the two laws, is divided between "the secular princes and the princes of the church, (the power of both always remaining in the latter), seems to have been signified and illustrated by 46 66 * Exod. c. 18, v. 19. "Christ himself*: when, knowing that those, "whom he had fed with five loaves and two fishes, "were advancing to make him king, he fled into "the mountain and again †, when one of the "crowd said to him, 'Master, speak to my "brother, that he divide the inheritance with me,' "he refused:-Oh man, he said to him, who has "made me judge over you, to divide your inherit"ance? For these, he only renounced the act of 66 reigning and judging in temporals, not the royal "and judiciary power itself; seeing he was truly, "and by nature, king and judge of all creatures, "whether in heaven or in hell, or on earth. And "herein Christ signified that, in the law of grace, "the princes of his church ought not actually to "exercise any judgments of severity in temporal concerns, though the power and authority thereof "be vested in them; and secular princes derive "from their power, the exercise of such judgments. "The laws, therefore, of temporal princes ought " never to go against the divine or ecclesiastical laws; nor in the use of the sword, should the "secular prince resist Christ or his church. When "he does, he is convicted of disobedience to his "father Christ Jesus, who hath begotten him by "the word of his truth; and to his mother the church, who hath brought him forth by the sacred "fountain of baptism. Consequently, (according "to Ecclesiasticus ‡), he is infamous, because he "hath deserted his father; and he is accursed of + C. 12, v. 13. * John, c. 6, v. 12. |
