XLII

The fifth argument is drawn from the words spoken by our Saviour, “Feed my sheep”; by which was given all power necessary for a pastor; as the power to chase away wolves, such as are heretics; the power to shut up rams if they be mad, or push at the other sheep with their horns, such as are evil, though Christian kings; and power to give the flock convenient food. From whence he inferreth that St. Peter had these three powers given him by Christ. To which I answer, that the last of these powers is no more than the power, or rather command, to teach. For the first, which is to chase away wolves, that is, heretics, the place he quoteth is ( Matt. 7:15), “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.” But neither are heretics false prophets, or at all prophets: nor, admitting heretics for the wolves there meant, were the apostles commanded to kill them, or if they were kings, to depose them; but to beware of, fly, and avoid them: nor was it to St. Peter, nor to any of the apostles, but to the multitude of the Jews that followed him into the mountain, men for the most part not yet converted, that he gave this counsel, to beware of false prophets: which, therefore, if it confer a power of chasing away kings, was given, not only to private men, but to men that were not at all Christians. And as to the power of separating, and shutting up of furious rams, by which he meaneth Christian kings that refuse to submit themselves to the Roman pastor, our Saviour refused to take upon Him that power in this world himself, but advised to let the corn and tares grow up together till the day of judgment: much less did He give it to St. Peter, or can St. Peter give it to the Popes. St. Peter and all other pastors are bidden to esteem those Christians that disobey the Church, that is, that disobey the Christian sovereign, as heathen men, and as publicans. Seeing then, men challenge to the Pope no authority over heathen princes, they ought to challenge none over those that are to be esteemed as heathen.