Aut ita quod inferior potestas ex toto oriatur a superiori, et tunc tota virtus inferioris fundatur supra virtutem superioris, et tunc simpliciter et in omnibus est magis obediendum potestati superiori quam inferiori; sicut etiam in naturalibus causa prima plus influit supra causatum causae secundae quam etiam ipsa causa secunda, ut in lib. De causis, in princ., dicitur, et sic se habet potestas Dei ad omnem potestatem creatam; sic etiam se habet potestas imperatoris ad potestatem proconsulis; sic etiam se habet potestas papae ad omnem spiritualem potestatem in Ecclesia: quia ab ipso papa gradus dignitatum diversi in Ecclesia et disponuntur et ordinantur; unde ejus potestas est quoddam Ecclesiae fundamentum, ut patet Matth. 16. Et ideo in omnibus magis tenemur obedire papae quam episcopis vel archiepiscopis, vel monachus abbati, absque ulla distinctione.
Either it is such that the inferior power totally arises from the superior, and in this case the inferior’s entire force is founded on the force of the superior. And then the superior power is more to be obeyed than the inferior simply and in all matters. So, too, in natural things the first cause has more influence on what is caused by a second cause than even the second cause itself does, as it says in the Book of Causes. This is how God’s power relates to every created power. In this way, too, the emperor’s power relates to the proconsul’s power. So too the pope’s power relates to every spiritual power in the Church, since it is by the pope that the different degrees of dignities in the Church are both arranged and ordered. Hence his power is like the Church’s foundation, as is clear (Matt 16:18). Thus, in everything we are more bound to obey the pope than the bishops or archbishops or than the monk is his abbot, without any distinction.
Possunt iterum potestas superior et inferior ita se habere, quod ambae oriantur ex una quadam suprema potestate, quae unam alteri subdit secundum quod vult; et tunc una non est superior altera nisi in his quibus una supponitur alii a suprema potestate; et in illis tantum est magis obediendum superiori quam inferiori; et hoc modo se habent potestates et episcopi et archiepiscopi, descendentes a papae potestate.
Again, superior and inferior powers can be related such that both arise from one supreme power that places one beneath the other as it wills. And in this case, one is only superior to the other in those matters in which one is put under the other by the supreme power. This is the way in which the powers of both the bishop and the archbishop come down from the power of the pope.
Ad primum ergo dicendum, quod non est inconveniens patrem esse superiorem in rebus familiaribus, et ducem in rebus bellicis; sed ei qui in omnibus superior est, scilicet Deo, simpliciter est magis obediendum, et ei qui vices Dei gerit plenarie.
Reply Obj. 1: It is not unfitting for the father to be superior in family affairs and for the captain to be superior in matters of war. But the one who is superior in everything, namely, God, is more to be obeyed simply, and so is the one who serves in place of God in a plenary manner.
Ad secundum dicendum, quod in illis in quibus magis obediendum est episcopo quam archiepiscopo, archiepiscopus non est superior episcopo, sed tantum in casibus determinatis a jure, in quibus ab episcopo recurritur ad archiepiscopum.
Reply Obj. 2: The archbishop is not superior to the bishop in those matters wherein the bishop is more to be obeyed than the archbishop, but only in the cases determined by law, in which recourse is made by the bishop to the archbishop.
Ad tertium dicendum, quod monachus magis tenetur obedire abbati quam episcopo in illis quae ad statuta regulae pertinent; in his autem quae ad disciplinam ecclesiasticam pertinent, magis tenetur episcopo: quia in his abbas est episcopo subditus.
Reply Obj. 3: The monk is more bound to obey the abbot than the bishop in those matters pertaining to the statutes of the rule, whereas in what pertains to church discipline, he is more bound to obey the bishop. For in these matters the abbot is placed under the bishop.
Ad quartum dicendum, quod potestas spiritualis et saecularis utraque deducitur a potestate divina; et ideo intantum saecularis potestas est sub spirituali, inquantum est ei a Deo supposita, scilicet in his quae ad salutem animae pertinent; et ideo in his magis est obediendum potestati spirituali quam saeculari. In his autem quae ad bonum civile pertinent est magis obediendum potestati saeculari quam spirituali, secundum illud Matth. 22:21: reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari. Nisi forte potestati spirituali etiam saecularis potestas conjungatur, sicut in papa, qui utriusque potestatis apicem tenet, scilicet spiritualis et saecularis,
Reply Obj. 4: Spiritual power and secular power are both derived from divine power. Thus, secular power is under spiritual power to the extent that it has been placed under it by God, namely, in matters pertaining to the salvation of souls. Thus, in these matters spiritual power is more to be obeyed than secular power. But in what pertains to the civil good, secular power is more to be obeyed than spiritual power, according to the passage: render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s (Matt 22:21). Unless, perhaps, spiritual power also has secular power joined to it, as in the case of the pope, who holds the peak of both powers, spiritual and secular.
hoc illo disponente qui est sacerdos et rex, sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech, Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium, cujus potestas non auferetur et regnum non corrumpetur in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
And this is by the arrangement of him who is priest and king, a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, King of kings and Lord of lords, whose power will not be taken away and whose kingdom will not be destroyed forever and ever. Amen.