Original Douay–Rheims Annotations1 Peter 2

Spiritual hosts.

^◦ Here we see, that as he speaketh of spiritual hosts, which every Christian man offereth, so he speaketh not properly of priesthood, when he maketh all Priests, but of a spiritual priesthood. Which spiritual priesthood was also in all the Jews: but the priesthood (properly so called) was only in the sons of Aaron, and they offered the sacrifices (properly so called) which none besides might offer.

• ◦ Spiritual hosts and Priests.

Be subject.

^[1] Not only our Master Christ, but the Apostles and all Christians were ever charged by such as thought to bring them in hatred with Princes, with disobedience to kings and temporal Magistrates, therefore both ^[2] S. Paul and this Apostle do specially warn the faithful, that they give no occasion by their ill demeanor to secular Princes, that the Heathen should count them disobedient or seditious workers against the States of the world.

• 1 Obedience to temporal princes.
• 2 Ro. 13.

To every human creature.

So he calleth the temporal Magistrate elected by the people, or holding their sovereignty by birth & carnal propagation, ordained for the worldly wealth, peace, and prosperity of the subjects: to put a difference betwixt that human Superiority, and the spiritual Rulers and regiment, guiding and governing the people to an higher end, and instituted ^[1] by God himself immediately. for Christ did expressly constitute the form of regiment used ever since in the Church. He made one the chief, placing Peter in the Supremacy: he called the Apostles and Disciples, giving them their several authorities. Afterward ^[2] God guided the lot for choice of S. Matthias in Judas' place: and the Holy Ghost expressly and namely severed and chose Paul and Barnabas unto their Apostolical function: and generally the Apostle saith of all spiritual Rulers, The Holy Ghost hath placed you to rule the Church of God ^[3].

And although all power be of God, and kings rule by him, yet that is no otherwise, but by his ordinary concurrence, and providence, whereby he procureth the earthly commodity or wealth of men, by maintaining of due superiority and subjection one towards another, and by giving power to the people and Common wealth to choose to themselves some kind or form of Regiment, under which they be content to live for their preservation in peace and tranquility. But Spiritual superiority is far more excellent, as in more excellent sort depending, not of man's ordinance, election, or (as this Apostle speaketh) creation, but of the Holy Ghost, who is always resident in the Church (which is Christ's body mystical, and therefore another manner of Commonwealth than the earthly) concurring in singular sort to the creation of all necessary Officers in the said Church, even to the world's end, as S. Paul writeth to the Ephesians ^◦.

• 1 God instituted the Spiritual government in more excellent manner than the temporal.
• 2 Act. 1.
• 3 Act. 20.
• ◦ Eph. 4.

Lest therefore the people, being then in so precise sort always warned of the excellency of their Spiritual governors ^◦ and of their obedience toward them, might neglect their duties to Temporal Magistrates, specially being infidels, and many times tyrants and persecutors of the faith, as Nero and other were then: therefore S. Peter here warneth them to be subject, for their bodies and goods and other temporal things, even to the worldly Princes both infidels and Christians, whom he calleth human creatures.

• ◦ Hebr. 13.

To the king as excelling.

Some simple heretics & others also not unlearned, at the beginning, for lack of better places, would have proved by this, that the king was head of the Church, and above all Spiritual rulers: and to make it sound better that way, they falsely translate ^[1] it. To the king as to the chief head. in the Bible of the year 1562. But it is evident that he calleth the king, the precellent or more excellent, ^[2] in respect of his Vicegerents which he calleth Dukes or Governors that be at his appointment: and not in respect of Popes, Bishops, or Priests, as they have the rule of men's souls: who could not in that charge be under such Kings or Emperors as the Apostle speaketh of: no more than the kings or Emperors then, could be heads of the Church, being Heathen men and no members thereof, much less the chief members. See a notable place in S. Ignatius ep. ad Smyrnenses, where he exhorteth them first to honour God, next the Bishop, & then the king.

^◦

This is an invincible demonstration, that this text maketh not for any spiritual claim of earthly kings, because it giveth no more to any Prince than may and ought to be done and granted to a Heathen Magistrate. Neither is there any thing in all the new Testament that proveth the Prince to be head or chief governor of the Church in spiritual or Ecclesiastical causes, more than it proveth any heathen Emperor of Rome to have been. For they were bound in temporal things to obey the heathen being lawful kings, to be subject to them even for conscience, to keep their temporal laws, to pay them tribute, to pray for them, and to do all other natural duties: and more no scriptures bind us to do to Christian kings.

• 1 Heret. translation.
• 2 The King's excellency of power is in respect of the nobility and law magistrates under him.
• ◦ Christian Princes have no more right to be supreme heads in spiritual causes, than the Heathen.

Not as having.

There were some Libertines in those days, as there be now, that under pretence of liberty of the Gospel, ^◦ sought to be free from subjection and laws of men as now under the like wicked pretence, Heretics refuse to obey their spiritual rulers and to observe their laws.

• ◦ Libertines.

But also the wayward.

^◦ The Wiclefists and their followers in these days, sometimes to move the people unto sedition, hold and teach that masters and magistrates lose their authority over their servants and subjects, if they be once in deadly sin, and that the people in that case need not in conscience obey them. Which is a pernicious and false doctrine, as is plain by this place, where we be expressly commanded to obey even the ill conditioned. Which must be always understood, if they command nothing against God. for then this rule is ever to be followed. We must obey God rather than men. Act. 5. 29.

• ◦ Deadly sins of Princes or Superiors exempt not the subjects from obedience, as Wicleffe held.