stones Wherefore the Temple in which this Antichrist shall haue his abode must be the Church if we stand eyther to the interpretation of q Hieron q. 11. ad Algasi Chrysost ac Oecumen in 2. Thess 2. Fathers or to the vse of the word Temple in the new Testament as where it is said r 1. Cor. 3.17 that the Temple of God is holy which yee are whiles as Å¿ 1. Pet. 2.5 liuely stones yee be made a spirituall house by t Ephe. 2.22 growing vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. Yet thereby we conclude not as Bellarmine u Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 13. would enforce that the state of Antichrist shall bee the true Church of Christ For as the Prophet speaketh x Esa 1.21.22.23 The faithfull Citie is become an Harlot it was full of iudgement righteousnesse lodged in it but now Murtherers Thy siluer is become drosse thy wine is mixt with water Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of Theeues Indeed the place where Antichrist now sitteth was once the true Church of Christ both in inward truth and outward profession yea and many bright lamps did y A. Lino seu Clement ad Bonifac 3. Vid Fascic Tempor Plati shine therein some dying in blessed Martyrdome some as constant Confessors but now z Osee 6.8 Gilead is a Citie of them that work iniquitie a Mat. 21. â—3 His proper Place the House of Prayer is made a den of theeues For now the proper place of Antichrist is in Scripture noted by the name of Great b Reue. 14.8 Babylon not litteral in Caldaeâ— which is c Vid. Sam. Purch l. 1 ca. 11 so far desolate that Trauailers cannot finde it neyther yet in Aegypt neere to Grand Cayro since d Pet. Bellonius lib. 2. cap 38. Io. Maginus in descript Aegypti some report that our Sauiour was hid in Aegypt there from Herod it being now a beggerly Village But mysticall euen Rome whose description is deliuered by S. e Reue. 17.9.10.11.12 Iohn in these words The seuen Heads are the seuen Mountaines on which the woman sitteth and there are seuen Kings fiue are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when hee commeth hee must continue a short space and the Beast that was and is not euen hee is the eighth and is of the seuen and the tenne hornes which thou sawest are the tenne Kings which haue receiued no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast For doe not all these Obseruations concerning Rome most naturally arise according to their most certaine euents out of this Scripture First that Rome was built vpon f Onuâ—hr lib. 1 Antiq. Rom. pag. 140. these seuen Hils which in Iohn his time were termed first Palatinus secondly Capitolinuâ— thirdly Quirinalis fourthly Caelius fiftly Esquilinus sixthly Viminalis seuenthly Auentinus according to that Verse of PROPERTIVS g Propert. lib. 3 Eleg. 10. Septem Vrbs alta iâ—gis toti quae praesidet orbi The Citie built on seuen Hils That with her power the World fils Secondly that Rome was gouerned by h Rhemenses in 17. Apoc. 9. seuen Kings that is by seuen kinds of Magistrates hauing kingly authoritie the first whereof were called Kings the second Consuâ—s the third Decemuiri the fourth Tribuni militum the fifth Dictatores the sixth Imperatores the seuenth Pontifices or Bishops fiue being past as out of date in Saint Iohns time the sixth who was called Emperour then bearing sway till the seuenth which is now the Pope should rise in the growth of whose Supremacy an eighth kind of Gouernment springing from Charles the Great and continuing amongst the Germanes successiuely i Carion Chron. lib 5 Aâ—nti lib. 4 Annal. â—oior Abbas Vrspurgâ—ns Naâ—cler tom 2. Henr. Mutius de reb Germanicis in the Families of the Frankes Saxons and Sueuians vnder the name of Emperour which was one of the seuen former kinds of Gouernment for a while swayed the scepter which the Pontifex now holdeth ouer the Citie of Rome Thirdly that this Rome was supported by ten hornes that is by ten Prouinces subiect to the Romane Empire but vpon the very first rising of Antichrist reuolting from that Gouernment and reuerencing the Beast with all Titles of Honor all Homage and helpe till afterward vpon plaine information of the truth they all by one consent shall make war against the Beast and these are their names if wee stand to the most probable coniecture of the k Apud Marlor in locum best learned viz. 1. Naples 2. Portugall 3. Spaine 4. France 5. Brittaine 6. Denmarke 7. Sweden 8. Poland 9. Hungarie 10. Bohemia For these in Saint Iohn l Onuphr lib. 3. Rom. Antiquit. his time were the Prouinces supporting the State of the Romane Empire in the West and these all became Kingdomes distinct in Gouernment and State from the Empire much m Vid. Carion lib. 5. Chron. Maria. Scoti Vrspurgens ab anno 500. ad anno 800. post Christ natum about the time when the Empire was deuided neere the dayes of Charles the Great some eight hundred yeeres or more from Christ The strength of these Collections is such that the n Riber Viegas in 17. Apâ—c 9. Bellar. li. 3. cap. 13. Iesuites themselues as conuicted in conscience grant Rome to bee the seate of Antichrist yet absurdly distinguishing Rome to bee either Heathenish or Christian and Rome Heathenish to bee the proper seate of Antichrist as it was subiect vnto the Heathen Emperours but not Rome Christian now vnder the Pope For this Glosse is flatly repugnant first to the Scripture which assigneth o Reue. 13.11 the same place of being though not of beginning to both the Beasts secondly to reason since we know that Rome Heathenish could not bee p Sic Glossa in Gratian. dist 50 can Placuit vt poenit definit Apostat â—sse retrò abeuntes à side Religione vel Clericat ex caus 26. q. 2. can Non obseruetis an Apostate from Christian Religion which it neuer professed thirdly to the certaine euent of things happening seeing Heathenish Rome did neuer q Reuel 17.2 make the Nations drunke with her Idolatries as doth the Psâ—udo-Christian-Popish-Rome at this day but rather was made drunken by the abominable Superstitions of all other people which they r Rosinus lib. 2. Antiq. Rom. ca. 5 willingly admitted into their Pantheon the common Temple of all their gods Wherefore concerning the place I conclude without further treating of a matter so plaine that Antichrist must sit in the middest of the Church at Rome Lastly now for the time we must enquire of two things The time of Antichrists 1. Beginning 2. Continuing first when Antichrist should beginne secondly how long hee shall continue In the former point it is hard to prescribe a definite time of beginning to diseases in
willing to shew hereafter Ob. For in the meane time where they b Bellar. ubi yn in resp ad 3.4 would haue this Apostasie not to appertaine to one body and Kingdome of Antichrist nor yet to require necessarily that it should haue one only head thereof but to bee only a disposition or preparation vnto the future Kingdome of Antichrist and to be done in diuers places vnder diuers Kings vpon diuers occasions as Afrike is fallen away to Mahomet Asia to Nestorius and Eutyches and other Prouinces to other Sects where I say they would thus vnseasonably separate Antichrist and this Apostasie Sol. I wish them to looke better into the holy Apostle who maketh these two Reciprocals Antichrist and Apostasie since there can bee no Apostasie from the right faith which is not against Christ neither is their any one to be accounted Antichristian which is not an Apostate either more or lesse as Augustine c August lib. 20 de Ciuit. Dei cap. 19. thought and therefore construed these words of Saint Paul only of the Great Antichrist yea as Bellarmine d Bell. vbi supr himselfe confesseth in his first answere vnto this our Argument that Antichrist is called Apostasie either by a Metonymie because he is vnto many men the cause of their backe-sliding from God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of some excellencie in that hee is the most famous Apostate although this figuratiue identitie supposed by these men doth not hinder the succession of the Great Antichrist in many men who are heads of this Monster successiuely since they all are both notorious Apostates in themselues villanous Seducers of an infinite number of people from Christ as wee shall find presently from the formall cause In the mean while as this truth is proued from Saint Pauls wordes so let vs now demonstrate the same from Saint Iohn who calleth this Great Antichrist in one place e Reue. 13.11 a Beast that commeth forth of the earth and after that in the same Chapter the f Verse 14. image of the Beast and in another place the g Reue. 17.10 seuenth King For euery one of these names signifie a succession of men sitting on Antichrists Throne since as the h Reue. 13.1 first Beast rising out of the Sea signifieth not one Emperour only but all the whole company of Emperours succeeding one another in that Monarchie so the second Beast importeth a body of beastly Tyrants arising by succession into a Gouernment which is called the Image of the Beast i Gloss interlin in cap. 13. Apocalyp Râ—â—har de Sanc. Victore lib. 4 in Apocalyps cap. 5. because it most fitly resembleth the State and Pompe of the Empire that as in the Empire the Head was one not by vnitie of Person but by succession of one person after another in that same authoritie so in this Kingdome of Reprobate Antichrist the Head must be one not singular in one only person and no more but single by the succession of one after another For else how can hee bee the seuenth King which was to come in the place of the sixth then flourishing when Iohn did write this Prophesie I will goe no further then to their owne Rabbies the k Rhemists Annot in 13. Reue. §. 1. Rhemists who first expound the seuen heads to bee seuen Kings but how truely they speake this I send them vnto l Qui prorsus negat hanc gloss lib. 2. in Rob. Abbat pag. 127. Eudaemon for iudgement Fiue before Christ one present and one to come and secondly m Rhemens Annot in 17. Reue. §. 8. interpret the eight to be the Great Antichrist one of the seneÌ„ in regard of order but for that the malice of all the rest is complete in it called the eight and the odd Persecutors For who are the fiue Kings before Christ The n Iidem ibid. §. 7 Rhemists tell vs that they were the Empires Kingdomes or States of Aegypt Canaan Babylon the Persian and Greekes which bee fiue as sixthly the Romane Empire which persecuted most of all Well then I demand whether the seuenth head or Kingdome shall resemble the rest in State and Gouernment or differ cleane from them They cannot say that hee shall differ from the other in forme of policie since he is one of the seuen and o Reue. 13.12 shall doe all that the first Beast could doe Therefore hence I conclude that since the heads of Aegypt Canaan Babylon Persians and Greekes yea and of the Romane Empire were not one singular person and no more but single men succeeding one after another as the p Herod lib. 2. Pharaohs in Aegypt q Iere. 52.31 Nabuchadnezzar Euilmerodach c. in Babylon r Herodot lib. 1.3 c. Cambyses and Darius Histaspis in Persia Å¿ Dindor Sicul. bibliothes lib. 17 18.19 c. Alexander alone and after him his Captaines in foure seuerall Kingdomes of Grecians and the t Sueton. Dio Corpus Romane historiae Caesars in Rome since I say these Kingdomes to which Antichrists Kingdome is like for outward Gouernment had a succession of many one after another Antichrist shall be such an head as when the Deuill hath cut off one he shal presently in succession set another in place But although this glosing Exposition of the Rhemists be sufficient to conuict the Romish Sect yet the faithfull must bee satisfied by reason onely grounded vpon the truth which is this concerning these seuen Kings that as the sixe former kinds of Gouernment were vpholden by succession of one after another vntill their last period so must this Kingdome of Antichrist continue in a company of wicked Caterpillers succeeding one another like Vipers the latter eating out his way to raigne by the ruine of the former For they are all alike both Heads and Kings for power and authoritie ouer the same Citie and they had a succession in euery kind seuerally as they were in force first Kings then Consuls thirdly Tribuni militum fourthly Decemuiri fifthly Dictators and sixthly Emperours as the Histories and Annales of the Romanes doe demonstrate and we shall shew hereafter But u Eudaemon pag. 122. c. ad 128. c. Eudaemon in his madnesse denieth all at once here Antecedent and Consequent that Ob. because there were not in Rome before Christ fiue seuerall kinds of Gouernment which kept this succession since Kings and Emperours were all one kind of Gouernment as Consuls and Dictators since Dictators were not ordinary but chiefe men chosen vpon extraordinary occasions since there was an often interruption of Consuls by Dictators and Tribuni militum this for that if we grant those fiue to haue a succession yet it followeth not that the seuenth must continue by the like succession since some of those raigned but two yeeres as the Decemuiri others but fifteene as the Tribuni militum nay all of them but seuen hundred yeeres at
their manner of life was the only speciall helpe and meanes for the speedier growth and rising of Antichrist who put downe their names but tooke to him their nature extinguished the Heretike but aduanced the Heresie so farre as it made any way for his best aduantage For marke him in his height from Bonifacius the Third for the space of nine hundred yeeres together vntill Leo the Tenth and see if vpon any * Legant Pontificij aut Mornaeum de Myster Iniquitatis aut Osiandri Centurias controuersie of faith arising in the Church and discussed in a Councell the Truth it selfe was not most commonly either adiudged for Heresie or filthily mingled with many idle matters belonging nothing thereunto Their Councels were most commonly but Conuenticles of Coozeners their 's Canons then enacted but as Lesbian rules appliable only to the Popes owne pleasure who not content with the ouer-worne Blasphemies of the ancient Heretikes hath stamped out a great deale of new matter falsly coyned from his owne brest and braine as if time would serue I could easily demonstrate by a bagfull of base Mettall wherewith their Canon Law their Missall their Breuiarie their Officium Mariae their Iesus Psalter their Manuell their Councell and Catechismes of Trent and Rome and other their Libels set out with x Iussu Pij Quinti Gregor 13. Popes priuiledge to the shame of Christianitie are wholly stuffed But why should we rake vp a stinking kennell we haue opened to the World enough before concerning his Heresie euen out of these Monuments y Ouid. 1. Fasto Octo pedis frustra quaeruntur brachia Cancri Praeceps occiduas ille subibit aquas said the Poet of the setting of Cancer vpon the third of Ianuarie being neere the beginning of the olde Romane yeere as wee may in like sort speake of this crabbed Antichrist who going backward through Apostasie setteth forward by his fall into hellish Damnation For the arch of his eleuation hath not beene so large aboue our Hemisphere these last hundred yeeres almost Gods Name therefore be praysed as it was in times before now it is shortned by his Cosmicall setting through the rising of the Sunne of Righteousnesse vpon this Westerne Reformed halfe-side of the Christian World in which yet this Antichrist hath left behind him some thicke and grosse mists of diuers deepe Errours as yet to bee tossed vp and tumbled out of our Skies by the neerer ascent of our bright Sunne to our Verticall I cannot denie what all the World knoweth heartily z Iudg. 5.16 grieuing at the Diuisions of Reuben I would a 1. Pet. 4.8 in charitie couer those spots wherewith some haue besmeared the face of their Assemblies in all other points so farre as I can finde by their seuerall b Vide Harmon Confess per Belgas Corpus Confess per Gasp Laurentiū Confessions right truely Orthodoxall But alas they are too openly discouered by c L. Osiander sil in 2. part Enchirid Controuersiarum Eckardis in suo Compendio controuersicum Calumianis some who take paines to put d Matth. 19.6 those asunder whom God would haue to ioyne e Ephes 4.2 together in vnitie against the Great Antichrist that daily getteth ground vpon our dissentions And therefore I must needs tell out what I finde in my poore iudgement to bee the base Relikes of Antichristian and Popish Opinions as yet maintained by some particular Teachers in some Reformed Churches onely to giue warning of a Snake in the grasse of a f Act. 28.3 Viper in the bundle of stickes which commeth sorth of the heate that is flyeth the tryall of the inlightning Spirit and fasteneth vpon PAVLS hand that is maketh seyzure vpon the doctrine which Saint Paul taught euen to puffe vp and kill those vpon whom it settleth if they doe not quickly shake it off into the fire in which vpon g 1. Cor. 3.13 tryall it will quickly burne The first Relike is that h Vid. Hatterum in explic lib. de Concordiâ art 7. 8. Consubstantiation together with his necessarie adherent Vbiquitie both wholly depending vpon that grosse i Iohn 6.52 Capernaite k Concil Lateran 4. sub innocent 3. cap. 1. Lateran l Concil Trid. sess 13. can 1. Popish conceit of the Reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist The second is that Monster m Vid. Hannium in cap. 6. Ioh. Hemingium de Vniuersali gratia Sueca Arminium c. of vniuersall Election Redemption and Vocation together with those their Consequents the vncertaintie of Saluation and deniall of Perseuerance vnto the Saints all flowing from that n Stobaeus lib. 2 Eclogarum cap. 7 Heathenish o August de haeres cap. 88 Pelagian p Concil Trident sess 6. can 5 Popish maintayning of Free-will to good in man corrupted The third and last but not the least to endanger the Church in regard of her Gouernment is that q Vid Bezam de Presbyter Excomminat explicat Ecclesiast Discipl per Trauers High and transcendent Consistorian authoritie of Pastor with Lay Elders aspiring to a Primacie aboue Kings and Princes vnder the plausible pretence of perfect Reformation but indeed with the proud mind of the Spartan r Plutarch in Agide Cleom. Ephori who to keepe one King in compasse reared vp aboue him fiue Thrones farre higher and of greater Soueraigntie as these ſ Bullinger Gwa ther haec scribunt apud D. Bancrofts discouerie cap. 35. deluded Disciplinarians in purposing to pull one downe set vp many Popes So cunningly can the Deuill play the Serpent t Plin. lib. 8. nat histor cap. 30. Amphisbena in going forward at both ends at once and so like u Aelian de histor animalium lib. 6. cap. 14. to the Hyena is wicked Heresie that whom it catcheth by the counterfeite voyce of a reasonable man it first doth infatuate and lull them asleepe by the soft touch of a sopiferous hand and smooth discourse but afterward deuoureth with a cruel tooth as the wise King said x Prou. 16.29 A violent man enticeth his Neighbour and leadeth him into the way that is not good and as the blessed y Ephes 4.14 Apostle noteth the trickes of Heretikes that by slight and cunning craftinesse they lye in waite to deceiue the simple Ob. But it may bee some will aske why such bad opinions and so vilely erroneous doctrines and practices are suffered or maintained amongst men liuing in Reformed Churches Sol. To whom I answere first that z Math. 18.7 offences must needs come howbeit woe to that man by whom they come secondly that the true Church of Christ is exercised by these faults which although some doe stiffely maintaine vpon their owne priuate motion to their owne destruction yet are cast out of the Church of Christ by her faithfull Pastors teaching and her godly Princes fighting for the Truth of
had knowne them it would neuer haue beene Therefore notwithstanding these cauils of an hellish Locust wee haue now two tryed meanes whereby we may finde out good and bad Ministers Gods Spirit and Gods Word which of themselues were sufficient if our strength were answerable but seeing we are weake to weild such weapons without some helpe therefore God hath giuen and good men haue obserued three other good yet secondary meanes by which together with the Spirit and the Word we may quickly discerne betweene good and bad Guides And the first of these 3. Meanes which is the third in order is as we noted the summe of their calling described vnto vs in holy Scripture first in their Ingresse secondly in their Progresse thirdly in their Constancie and true perseuerance Their Ingresse is by a lawfull calling from God as g Iohn 3.27 a man can receiue nothing except it bee giuen from aboue and that both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly by speciall endowment of abilitie and willingnes wrought by Gods Spirit in their honest education or trayning vp to learning vpon the certaine conscience of which fitnes they may as lawfully craue admittance as Ahimaaz did of Ioab h 2. Sam. 18.22 to runne vnto DAVID otherwise not lest they proue but either bold intruders or vnconscionable vndertakers of so honourable a Calling which they cannot discharge as there are too many now adayes blue coates turned to blacke who make the Ministerie the last remedie or meanes of maintayning themselues to verifie our old English Prouerbe When hee is good for nothing then make a Priest of him But who is sufficient i 2. Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle for these things Well To his inward indowments hee must outwardly â—ee ordayned and put apart vnto that great Worke by the laying on of hands as were k Act. 13.3 Saul and Barnabas l 1. Tim. 4 14. Timothie and other m Tit. 1.3 Presbyters in Creete by Titus For this good order is a necessary let and stop against all Iereboams n 1. Reg. 13.33 Priests who being of the basest people commonly without both learning and honestie would consecrate themselues for Priests of the high places as at this day Swenâ—kfelâ—ians Libertines Anabaptists Brownists Familists and such other addle-brayned and idle Illuminates presume to doe without any ordinary calling or appointment of their Superiours like o Ierem. 23.21 those prophets which ranne when God sent them not But forward The Progresse of a good Guide is when to his vttermost hee seriously laboureth to performe all those duties of his Office requirable at his hands as they are set downe in many places of holy Scriptures especially in 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where as Chrysostome well p Chrysost hom 10. in 1. Tim. 3. obserueth what hee speaketh of one agreeth vnto all that are good Guides But who shall examine this Not the people Ob. saith q Stapleton vbi supra STAPLETON they being but sheepe but other Shepheards or the whole Company and Communitie of Priests and especially the head of the Shepheards Christs Vicar on earth must iudge and know this But I answere First Sol. that if by Christs Vicar hee meane the Pope he beggeth a question that will not bee granted since the Pope is neyther the Vicar of Christ but r Vid. Sermon in 1. Ioh. 2.18.19.20 Antichrist himselfe neither hath he more power or authoritie to make this scrutinie then any other Prelate since as in Å¿ Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesiae Cyprians iudgement the other Apostles were equall to PETER So in t August lib. 2. de baptis cap. 2. Augustines opinion other Bishops in their Diocesses haue as great power and authoritie to iudge of their inferiours as hath the Pope in his place it being the Decree u Concil Carthag 1. apud Cyprian August of the Councell of Carthage that none should call himselfe a Bishop of Bishops or by a tyrannicall manner force his fellowes to a necessitie of obeying since euery Bishop according to the licence of his libertie and power hath his owne iudgement Secondly that the censure Ecclesiasticall which either Priests in a Councell or Bishops in their Consistorie may lawfully giue of Ministers according to the Apostolike rules and Canons Ecclesiasticall is no let or hinderance to priuate men from their secret examination and tryall of good or bad Ministers by comparing their doctrine and liues with the Word of God for their owne priuate quiet and good satisfaction they being bound x Act. 20.32 to slee the Wolfe and discouer the y Iohn 10.3 Thiefe as much as they may For as in the Law euery z Deut. 13.4 mans hand was to be stretched out against the Intiser vnto Idolatry so are we all in the Gospell bound by our faith and loue in Christ a 1. Cor. 16.20 to detest with execration all those be they Ministers or people who loue not the Lord Iesus as euery one who will but examine the state of the Popish Clergie by the Apostles rules shall finde that they haue good cause to flee such both Heretikes and Hypocrites who swarue so farre both in their doctrine and in their liues from not onely the rules of the blessed Apostle but also from their owne Canons which I neede not produce being freed from that labour by the diligent and most godly paines of diuers most worthy and reuerend Diuines of the Reformed Church as yet not answered by any Papist referring all who heare me to the reading of b Beza Confess cap. 7. Beza c Heming in Antichrist machi Hemingius d Binder cap. 13. Theolog. Schoâ—asticae Binder and our owne good Countreyman the most painefull searcher of truth e D. Willet in Synops Pap. pa. â—43 â—44 c. Doctor Willet Lastly Constancie and perseuerance is a great marke of a good Guide when we finde that neither Honours nor age will and doth withdraw him from his former paynes as he is exhorted to bee f Reuel 2.10 faithfull to the death and to g Reuel 3.11 hold that hee hath that no man take his Crowne since he h Matth. 10.22 that endureth to the end shall bee saued For albeit hee cannot being olde endure so much labour as he tooke when hee was young yet must he pro virili imploy himselfe as much as he can both for the full discharge of himselfe and encouragement of others who by his graue example will if Grace be in them be prouoked to paines i Luke 12.43 Happie is that man whom his Master when hee commeth shall find so doing and happie those people who are blessed with such a Guide that leadeth them to life k Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the firmament and bee as the starres for euer and euer Now the fourth meanes of searching and finding out a good Guide from a bad 4. Meanes is the testimonie of the ancient
Pelagius maketh this plaine conclusion of as the third m Gloss 10. Fan. ibid. principall point of that distinction Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur The Bishop of Rome must not bee called vniuersall But marke a distinction Ob. n Bellar. vbi supra Sanders li. 7 de Vis Monarch num 447. the name of vniuersall Bishop is to be vnderstood two wayes first so as he that is vniuersall Bishop be vnderstood to bee the onely Bishop of all Christian Cities so that the rest are not Bishops but onely his Vicars who is called the vniuersall Bishop and so this name is truely prophane and sacrilegious as Gregorie thought but secondly he may be called vniuersall Bishop who hath a generall care of the whole Church so as hee doth not exclude particular Bishops as in GREGORIES opinion the Bishop of Rome may bee called vniuersall Bishop Sol. But to answere him and all their Crue who euer vnderstood vniuersall for one only singular man but they who might well know that IOHN sought not to be Bishop alone but as Gregorie expoundeth the Title o Gregor lib. 4. Ep. 38. to put all Christs members vnder him by the name of vniuersall Bishop and so to bee the chiefe of Bishops or to speake us IOHNS language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Bishop of all the habitable World a proud Title for one man there being by the order p Concil Nicaen 1. Can. 6. Constantinopolit 1. Can. 5 vid. Iunij Animaduers in Bellar. contr 3. lib. 2. cap. 12. nota 46. of the Church foure Patriarchs who had this name equally according as their Iurisdictions were equall in their parts allotted to them as the Romane Bishop had Italie and the West the Bishop of Antioch had Syria and the East the Bishop of Alexandria had Afrike and the South and the Bishop of Constantinople had Thrace Greece Asia-Minor and the North the Patriarch of Hierusalem being more for honour then neede and yet somewhat conuenient to decide doubts by an odde voice if it were so required For wee find not only this name of vniuersall Bishop giuen by q Iustinian Cod. lib. 1. tit 5. l. 7. Emperours to the other Patriarchs as well as to the Bishop of Rome but also by the Bishop of Rome himselfe thus writing r Concil Nicaeno 2. act 2. THARASIO Generali Patriarchae ADRIANVS seruus seruorum Dei To THARASIVS Generall so hee readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch ADRIAN seruant of the seruants of God Wherfore as Iohn transgressed the bounds of modestie and order by his affection so doth the Pope swarue farre from all humanitie by his vsurpation of this title which neither could Å¿ Platina in Bonifac 3. Phocas giue nor Boniface take nor other Popes after assume as their right without preiudice to the other three Patriarchs as t Apud Gratia vbi supia Pelagius reasoned yea and as it is proued afterward when vpon this Chiefedome the Pope did not onely ouersway the other three Patriarchs but all Bishops besides not fearing to bee called by his u August Anconitanit q. 19. art 3. Flatterers Immediatum Episcopum cuiusque Ecclesiae The immediate Bishop of euery Church Is this to preach Christ Iesus the Lord Is this to follow Peter who did not x Act. 10.26 suffer Cornelius to fall downe before him because he was a man No no it is with proude y Act. 12.20 Herod to take to him the name of GOD. But what saith their z Gratian. dist 40. c. 12. Canon Law out of Chrysostome a In oper Imperfect in Mat. homil 43. Whosoeuer desireth Primacie in earth shall finde confusion in heauen neither shall he be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ that dealeth for supremacie For b Prou. 16.5 all the proud in heart are an abomination vnto the Lord and amongst men they shall finde that c Prou. 25.27 to seeke their glory is no glory since glory is d Beza emblemat 32. like the Crocodile it will follow them that flee it and flee them that follow it that Bernard might well exclaime thus against this vanitie in the Prelates of his time e Bernard lib. 3 de Consid ad Eugen. O ambitio ambitientium crux quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places O ambition the Crosse of proud men how dost thou please all and yet torment all Wherefore I conclude this iust correction of Popish pride too cleerely made knowne to the World by these titles with the words of Saint CYPRIAN f Cyprian lib. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Nemo fraternitatem mendicio fallat Let no man deceiue the brotherhood by a lye Nemo sidei veritatem perfidâ praeuaricatione corrumpat Let no man corrupt the truth of faith by faithlesse deceiuing Episcopatus vnus est cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is one Bishopricke of which part is holden by euery one wholly Yet secondly hence that Christ Iesus is the onely supreme Head of the Catholike Church 2. Of Caution wee are not onely to correct Popish errour but also to giue good Caution to our selues for the right vnderstanding of the Kings most Royall Maiestie his Title which we most lawfully and iustly ascribe vnto his most Excellent Person and vnto all and euery his lawfull Heyres and Successors in the Oath of Supremacie when we acknowledge g Vid Oath of Supremacie in 1. Eliz. cap. 1. apud Rastall tit Crowne his Maiestie to be Supreme Gouernour of this Realme and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countreyes as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things and causes as Temporall For hereby wee giue but h Matth. 22.21 Caesar his due euen vnder Christ such a power and authoritie as not onely Scripture assigneth him when it willeth vs i 1. Pet. 2.13 to submit our selues to the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k B. Tonstal in his Sermon before K. Henrie the eight as vnto him who hath aboue all others a Chiefedome or Headship such as Dauid l Psal 18.43 had ouer the Nations yea and m 1. Sam. 15.17 Saul ouer the Tribes but also reason enforceth vs to yeeld in regard both of his Name of his Nature as hee is a King For what is his name In Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some n Auenar in Lexic thinke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that it is the Kings Office o Pet. Martâ—â— in 1. Reg. 3.7 to goe in and out before his people in all good gouernment as Salomon desired p 2. Chro. 1.10 Wisedome therefore In Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Etymolog con 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the foundation of the people because on him is settled their safetie being r 2 Sam. 18.3 worth ten thousand of them In Latine Princeps Å¿ Gregor Tholosanus lib. 6. de
rep cap. 4. quasi primum caput As their first and chiefe Head vpon whom next vnder God wee are to depend that t 1. Tim. 2.4 vnder them wee may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie So that u Agapet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Iustinia apud Orthodoxograph tom 1. Agapetus might well say vnto Iustinian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King is Lord ouer all yet Gods seruant withall For what is his Nature as he is a King None better expresseth it then the Apostle x Rom. 13.4 Saint Paul saying He is the Minister of God to thee for good For here is first his Maker GOD By y Prou. 8.14 me Kings raigne secondly his matter or obiect of gouernment Thou whosoeuer thou art z Rom. 13.1 euery soule must bee subiect vnto the higher Powers thirdly his forme Gods seruice according vnto his will a Psal 2.11 Serue the Lord in feare fourthly his end b 1. Tim. 2.2 Thy good in an honest and a quiet life So that looke how farre God hath giuen him authoritie and power so farre must inferiours bee subiect vnto it without exemption vnlesse against all conscience by rebellion c Rom. 13.2 they resist the Ordinance of God Now certaine it is that God hath giuen to Kings an absolute power and Soueraigntie vnder him ouer all Persons Goods or Causes within their Dominions For first Persons are subiect vnto obedience without exception as the Apostle saith Let d Rom. 13.1 euery soule be subiect to the higher Powers Yea saith e Chrysost hom 23. in Ep. ad Rom. Chrysostome If thou beest an Apostle if an Euangelist if a Prophet or whosoeuer thou art for this subiection hindreth not godlinesse but ratifieth Gods Order for reward of thy well-doing as Salomon f 1. Reg. 2.26 preferred Zadoc or for thy iust punishment if thou rebellest against thy Soueraigne as did Abiathar deposed g Vid. Bennonem Cardinal Act. Monum Io. Fox de his omnibus Hildebrand Lanfranke Anselme Becket Beuford Poole Allen and the rest of our Romish Renegadoes Secondly Goods are at Princes disposing for the good of Church and Common-wealth bee they what they may bee prophane or sacred which the King may eyther for necessary vse establish as good Nehemiah h Nehe. 13.12 did the Tithes or vpon abuse translate to other occasions thereby to punish the grosse offendours as Ioas i 1. Reg. 12.7 did disgrace the Priests by forbidding them to take any further Offerings of their acquaintance since with what they had before receiued they did not repayre the breaches of the Temples so may Kings take Tribute of Church-lands as Christ k Matth. 17.25 himselfe payed to Caesar so are Clergie-men to yeeld subsidie as members of the body politike euen out of their Lands and other reuenewes which they hold of the King in capite as we Englishmen say in chiefe according as the l Gratian. dist 8. Can. 10. Canon Law iudged out of S. Augustine m August tr 6. in Ioh. prope finem thus disputing Nolite dicere quid mihi Regi Quid tibi ergo possessioni Per iura Regum possidentur possessiones Say not yee What haue I to doe with the King Then what hast thou to doe with Possessions By the Lawes or right of Kings are Possessions kept Thirdly Causes Ecclesiasticall as well as Ciuill are within the compasse of the Kings Iurisdiction since otherwise there can hardly eyther Kings be n Esay 49.23 nursing Fathers or Queenes be nursing Mothers vnto the Church Was not the Iudge to o Deut. 17.8 ioyne with the Priest in the sentence of Iudgement Did not Asa Iâ—hoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Nehemiah and such other good Rulers of Iudah meddle with causes of Ecclesiasticall conusance when they commanded the p 2. King 18.4 Priests to purge the Temple the q 2. Chro. 19 4 Leuites to teach the people r 2 Reg. 23.6 put downe all Idolatry and restrained Å¿ Nehe. 13.15 abuses done vpon the Sabbath day Did not the Fathers of the Primitiue Church craue helpe t Euseb lib. 7. histor cap. 24. of Aurelianus the Emperour for deposing of Paulus Samosatenus Had not Constantine the Great in his power what he determined betweene u Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 4. Alexander and Arius in Alexandria betweene x Optatus Mileuitan lib. 1. contr Parmenianum Caecilianus and Donatus in Carthage Who called Councels Who placed Bishops Who established Churches Who receiued the Appeales of Bishops from their Metropolitanes The Emperour while hee stood and since his deminishing those Kings of the Prouinces as wee may plainely see by the y Tomis 1. 2. Concil apud Binnium apud Caranzum Councels of Spaine at Toledo of France at Orleance and other places For this point is plaine by those words of Leo the z Leo 1. Epist 75. cap. 3. Romane Bishop to Leo the Emperour Seeing God hath enriched your Gentlenesse with so great enlightning of his Sacrament you are presently to marke that this Kingly power is conferred vpon you not onely for the gouernment of the World but especially for the safegard of the Church that by the repressing of bold attempts you may both defend things well ordayned and restore true peace to things in trouble and that by driuing out the vsurpers of anothers right Therefore in a word we find that the King is called the Head of the Church not mysticall and spirituall for so is Christ a Vt supra the onely Head but politicall and corporall as the b Esay 9.15 ancient and Honourable is the Head and yet so not an Head which doth by it selfe execute what is to be done for mans soules health in the Church of God I meane he is not caput administrans a ministring head in his owne person for Kings in Gods law were not to sacrifice as appeareth by Vzziah c 2. Chron. 26.16 therefore smitten with a Leprosie but as our most d Nowâ—l against Dorman D. Rainolds Conference with Hart cap. 10. diuis 1. learned Diuines haue expressed it the King is caput imperans an head who howsoeuer he may himselfe execute any Soueraigne dutie coÌ„cerning the affaires of the Common-wealth as to sit in iudgement with e 1. Reg. 3.15 Salomon and to f Vid. Q. Curtium lib. 3. c. make warre with Alexander yet in offices Ecclesiasticall only is to commaund and see those duties performed by such as are therunto allotted by Gods speciall calling as Dauid g 1. Chro. 24.8 set the Priests in their orders courses Hezekiah h 2. Chro. 29.4 called them to purge the TeÌ„ple For this is the settled iudgement of the Primitiue Church as is manifest by these words first of Augustine i August Ep. 50 ad Bonifac. The King serueth God otherwise as he is a man and otherwise