ho shall
perform the building that his father had begun, which church cannot be
builded unless universally in all realms we adhere to one head, and do
acknowledge him to be the vicar of God, and to have power from
above--for {p.169} all power is of God, according to the saying,
_non est potestas nisi in Deo_.

"All power being of God, he hath derived that power into two parts
here on earth, which is into the powers imperial and ecclesiastical;
and these two powers, as they be several and distinct, so have they
two several effects and operations. Secular princes be ministers of
God to execute vengeance upon transgressors and evil livers, and to
preserve the well-doers and innocents from injury and violence; and
this power is represented in these two most excellent persons the
king's and queen's majesties here present. The other power is of
ministration, which is the power of keys and orders in the
ecclesiastical state; which is by the authority of God's word and
example of the apostles, and of all holy fathers from Christ hitherto
attributed and given to the Apostolic See of Rome by special
prerogative: from which See I am here deputed legate and ambassador,
having full and ample commission from thence, and have the keys
committed to my hands. I confess to you that I have the keys--not as
mine own keys, but as the keys of Him that sent me; and yet cannot I
open, not for want of power in me to give, but for certain impediments
in you to receive, which must be taken away before my commission can
take effect. This I protest before you, my commission is not of
prejudice to any person. I am come not to destroy, but to build; I
come to reconcile, not to condemn; I am not come to compel, but to
call again; I am not come to call anything in question already done;
but my commission is of grace and clemency to such as will receive
it--for, touching all matters that be past, they shall be as things
cast into the sea of forgetfulness.

"But the mean whereby you shall receive this benefit is to revoke and
repeal those laws and statutes which be impediments, blocks, and bars
to the execution of my commission. For, like as I myself had neither
place nor voice to speak here amongst you, but was in all respects a
banished man, till such time as ye had repealed those laws that lay in
my way, even so cannot you receive the benefit and grace offered from
the Apostolic See until the abrogation of such laws whereby you had
disjoined and di