VIII. Touching1 the king’s supereminent authority in commanding, and in judging2 of causes ecclesiastical; First, to explain therein our meaning, It hath been taken as if we did hold, that kings may prescribe what themselves think good to be done in the service of God; how the word shall be taught, how sacraments3 administered: that kings may personally sit in the consistory where bishops4 do, hearing and determining what causes soever do appertain unto those courts5: that kings and queens in their own proper persons are by judicial sentence to decide the questions which rise6 about matters7 of faith and Christian religion: that kings may excommunicate: finally, that kings may do whatsoever is incident unto the office and duty of an ecclesiastical judge. Which opinion because we count8 as absurd as they who have fathered the same upon us, we do them to wit that thus9 our meaning is, and no otherwise: There is not within this realm any10 ecclesiastical officer, that may by the authority of his own place command universally throughout the king’s dominions; but they of his11 people whom one may command, are to another’s commandment unsubject: only the king’s royal power is of so large compass, that no man commanded by him according to order12 of law, can plead himself to be without the bounds and limits of that authority; I say, according to order of law, because with us the highest have thereunto so tied themselves, that otherwise than so they take not upon them to command any.
And, that kings should be in such sort supreme commanders over all men, we hold it requisite, as well for the ordering of spiritual as of13 civil affairs; inasmuch as without universal authority in this kind, they should not be able when need is14, to do as virtuous kings have done. Joas1516, purposing to renew the “house of the Lord, assembled the Priests and Levites, and when they were together, gave them their charge, saying, Go out17 unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all18 Israel money to repair the house of your God19 from year to year, and haste the things: but the Levites hasted not. Therefore the king called Jehoiada, the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and Jerusalem, the tax of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of the testimony? For wicked Athaliah and her children brake up the house of God20, and all the things that were dedicated for the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim21. Therefore the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it at the gate of the house of the Lord without; and they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring unto the Lord the tax of Moses the servant of God22, laid upon Israel in the wilderness.” Could either he have done this, or after him23 Ezechias the like concerning the celebration of the passover, but that all sorts of men in all things did owe unto those24 their sovereign rulers the same obedience which sometime25 Josua had them by solemn26 vow and promise bound unto27? “Whosoever shall rebel against thy commandments, and28 will not obey thy words in all that29 thou commandest him, let him be put to death; only be strong and of a good courage.”