Augustine thus resolves Sicut terreni Imperatoris auctoritas currit per omnes ut in omnibus ejus sit reverentia Ita Deus instituit ut ab ipso Rege Dei auctoritas incipint et currat per cunctos Quamvis frequenter mundus hoc non intelligit alii se subjiciat in potestate positus quam debet tamen institutio est ut unus sit qui timeatur Ubi ergo haec institutio non est ibi Cathedra pestilentiae reperitur as it is at Rome Nusquam enim unius Dei auctoritas abjicitur nisi apud eos qui multorum Deorum praedicant metum From hence our Thomas Waldensis thus concludes Ecce ab ipso Rege incipit auctoritas currit per cunctos executores justitiae hoc instituit Deus non ergo instituit Deus ut inciperet à Summo Sacerdote sola executio potestatis manaret in Principem Ecce inde est Imperator unde homo antequam Imperator unde homo antequam Imperator nisi à Deo Quamvis a Deo per Sacerdote Christianus homo tamen nec homo nec Christianus homo nisi a Deo Ita nec Imperator nec Christianus Imperator nisi a Deo quamvis per Pontificem fidelis sit Imperator a Christo et inde potestas illi unde et spiritus et nunquid spiritus illi a Pontifice Tertullianus intendi Quod non sed a Deo profecto ergo non potestas illi a Sacerdotio provenit a cujus dono animam non accepit Potestatis Regiae primum initium in ipso Rege a Deo et ab ipsius auctoritate manat in subditas potestates as well Ecclesiastical as Civil as I shall here demonstrate against all Papal or Pontifical pretences to the contrary For methods sake I shall digest the sum of my First Book into these 5. Propositions 1. That from Adams creation till the Law given by God to Moses and by him unto the Israelites his peculiar people the Supreme Paternal Regal Magistratical with that now stiled Spiritual Pontifical Ecclesiastical Authority or Jurisdiction both in and over the Family State Church Militant was by Divine and Natural Right vested united in one person not many to wit First in Adam himself but after his decease in the First-born unlesse disinherited by God for sin or in the Patriarch or Master of the Family Tribe who was both King and Priest having the Priesthood annexed to his Paternal or Regal Office not these to his Priestship 2ly That God after the Israelites deliverance from the Aegyptian bondage when he first new-modelled them into a Commonwealth and afterwards into a Kingdom setled both their State and Church-government dividing the Priesthood from the Supreme Civil Magistracy Kingship vesting the one in Moses Josuah David Solomon and their Royal Successors the other in Aaron his Sons and Tribe of Levi left the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Power Jurisdiction over all persons causes still annexed to the Kingly or Supreme Magistratical Office and residing in the King or chief Civil Officer as before transferring to Priests only the Ministerial Priestly Offices not the Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction the same in kind with a real part of and various dispensation only from the Civil Supremacy 3ly That the Supreme Government of the Church Militant after Christs Incarnation under the Gospel was vested in Jesus Christ himself God and Man only as he is the King not Priest or Prophet of the Church his Priestly and Prophetical Offices being united to his Kingly as the first highest in dignity and order not his Regal to his Pontifical or Prophetical Offices 4ly That Jesus Christ as Supreme King Lord Head of his Kingdom the Church whilst on Earth never claimed nor exercised any Temporal Regal Jurisdiction or Magistratical Authority over any of his Subjects much less over Emperors Kings Kingdoms Nations or Soveraign Civil Powers nor ever deprived any of them of their Crowns nor absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance nor cast down pulled or rooted up their Kingdoms nor gave them to whomsoever he pleased Neither did he either before at or after his Passion Resurrection or Ascension derive any such Superlative Power to St. Peter as his sole universal Vicar or Viceroy nor to any other Apostle Bishop Priest or Pope whatsoever Nor yet delegate to them his supreme Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Kingdom in this world the Church Militant and all the Members of it but only the Ministerial part of his Prophetical Office his High Priesthood being personal untransferrable incommunicable to any other to wit preaching the Gospel publickly to all Nations administring the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper according to his Institution and Command feeding his sheep with the sincere milk of his Word teaching them as his Apostles Ministers Servants to obey whatsoever he hath commanded them beseeching intreating them as his Ambassadors in his stead to be reconciled unto God to declare pronounce them absolved from their sins by God himself upon their sincere Repentance and to denounce damnation against them in case they do not repent and believe in Christ 5ly That Gods principal end and intention in ordaining Kings and supreme Civil Magistrates in the world was not the bare external administration of Justice between man and man the protection of their Subjects from violence oppression the preservation of them in worldly peace plenty prosperity the punishment of Malefactors the rewarding of Well-doers encouragement of Arts Vertue Trade Industry or fighting their Battels in times of War against Invading Enemies though considerable parts of their Regal Office and Soveraign Authority But the advancement of Gods honour worship service glory and spiritual Kingdom whose Viceroys they are the suppression of all Idolatry Blasphemy Heresie schisme sin wickednesse the promotion of the eternal salvation felicity of their people and to be Kings for the Lord their God by advancing his interest all they can Upon which ground in order to effect these ends God himself as well under the Gospel as Law hath delegated the supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction only to Kings and other Soveraign Temporal Potentates not to Popes Bishops Priests who are subordinate to them as their Subjects Ministers not Copartners with them in their Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in point of Interest nor yet in its actual execution no further then they are pleased by their Laws or Commissions to delegate it to them as their Substitutes When I have Chronologically evidenced and fully demonstrated the truth of these five Conclusions in so many distinct Chapters in this First Book I shall then wholly addresse my self to my intended Chronological History in relation to the Kings and Crown of England from Lucius our first Christian King Anno Dom. 183. till the Popes extirpation concluding my First Tome thereof with the reign of King Henry the third Anno 1273. THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. Proposition 1. That from Adams Creation till the Law given by God to Moses and by
him unto the Israelites his peculiar people the Supreme Paternal Regal Magistratical together with that now stiled Spiritual Pontifical Ecclesiastical Authority or Jurisdiction both in and over the Family State Church Militant was by Divine and Natural Right vested united in one person not divers to wit First in Adam himself but after his decease in the First-born unlesse disinherited by God for some crime or cause or in the Patriarch or Master of the Family Tribe who was both King and Priest having the Priesthood annexed to his Paternal or Regal Office not these to his Priestship _â—O evidence the truth of this Proposition so far as the light of Scripture or Nature in the first remote obscure age of the world have revealed it for the Readers satisfaction I find it generally acknowledged by all or most Divines and Christian Authors who have written of the Church or the Original of Republikes Jurisdictions or Chronologies 1. That as God the Original of all power at the very Creation gave Adam a Soveraign Dominion over the fish of the sea over the foul of the ayr and over all the earth the cattle and every creeping thing therin to which he gave their several names as a badge of his Soveraignty over them by Gods own direction So he likewise ordained him as well after as before his fall to be both a King and Priest over the little world his family posterity issuing from him during his life not only to govern correct them when they transgressed but to offer sacrifices prayers to God for and instruct them in his Worship Laws fear Hence Cedren makes Adam the first KING Governor and that with reason enough as Mr. Selden notes because he governed and commanded all mankind as long as he lived who by the Law of Nature and Fifth Commandement are enjoyned To honor and obey their Father in the flesh and he not only obliged to provide for protect defend and correct as a Father but likewise to * instruct and educate them in the fear and admonition of the Lord as a Priest Now Adam being a King and Lord not only over all Creatures but Eve his wife before he was a Father and over his Posterity by his Paternal right before they were capable of instruction And the Title of King being alwaies prefixed before that of Priest as most honourable and first in order when ever mentioned and meeting together in one person as in Melchisedec Christ Others who were both Kings and Priests and the High Priests alwayes inferiour subordinate to the Chief Civil Governors and Kings of Judah and in Heathen Nations It thence most clearly follows that the Priesthood and Spiritual Jurisdiction in Adam was at first united and subordinate to his Kingly Soveraign Magistratical Office and Authority and so continued whiles residing in one person from the Creation till the Law given in mount Sinâ—i 2ly That Cain Adams first-born having forfeited his birthright and life too by the murther of his Brother Abel and thereby Seth becomming his first-born when Adam deceased his Kingship and Priesthood descended first to Seth and after him successively to the Patriarchs who were not only the Princes and Chief Governers of their Families Tribes to rule protect and correct them when they offended but likewise their Priests to erect Altars and Houses to God for his publique worship to offer Sacrifices prayers vows to God for them to blesse them in his Name to teach them his Lawes Fear and the Covenants made by God to them and their seed and commanded them to put away their strange gods and idols as Jacob did All which is evident by the examples of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. c. 9. 25 26 27. Abraham Gen. 12. 7. c. 13. 4 18. c. 17. 1 2 8 c. 23 to 27. c. 18. 19 23 c. c. 20. 7. 17. c. 21. 23. c. 22. c. Melchisedec both King of Salem and Priest of the most High God Gen. 14. 18 19. Heb. 7. 1. Isaac Gen. 26. 23 24 25. â— 27. 21 28 to 41. of Jacob Gen. 28. 8. to the end c. 31. 54. c. 32. 9 to 13. c. 33. 20. c. 35. 1. to 16. c. 43. 14. c. 46. 1. c. 47. 7. 10. c. 48. 3. to the end c. 49. 1. to 33. Heb. 11. 21. and affirmed by St. Jerom the Ordinary Glosse with most other Commentators on these Texts Alexander Alensis and other Schoolmen Bishop Jewel Dr. Field Jacobus Bouldoc De Ecclesia a Mundi principio usque ad Mosen Salianus in his Annales Ecclesiasticae and other Annalists in the times before the Law 3ly Upon this account after the Law given and Priesthood vested in Aaron and the Tribe of Levi the firstborn though they lost this priviledge of exercising the Priests Office as before yet they were still the Lords to redeem themselves with an oblation of five shekels by the poll for their exemption from the Priesthood because God had taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel which redemption was given to Aaron and his Sonnes who officiated in their steads 4ly That upon this original right priviledge of Primogeniture Christ himself as Gods firstborn was not only made Higher then the Kings of the Earth King of Kings Lord of Lords but likewise Head over all the Church that in all things he might have the Preeminence And had like the First-born before the Law the Supream Priestly Office and Power united to his Kingly Yea in some sence Christ hath fully restored this antient Right to all who are spiritually Gods First-born and the First-fruits of his Creatures as the Gospel stileth them having the First-fruits of the Spirit growing in them whom he hath MADE KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD HIS FATHER as the Marginal Texts resolve 5ly That the very Gentiles and Pagan Nations by the Law and Light of Nature vested the Supream Ecclesiastical Authority and oft times the Priesthood it self in their Kings and chief Temporal Magistrates who erected consecrated Temples Altars Groves constituted by their particular Lawes the several Orders Offices of Priests the Number Worship Services of their Gods and the Sacrifices Ceremonies and whole manner of their Worship To instance in some particulars Fanus the antientest of the Kings in Italy was the first who brought in thither the form of Religion He cousecrated Groves erected Temples from whom they were called Fana ordained Priests and Sacrifices Evander his next Successor introduced many other Ceremonies in the Worship of the Gods Anius as Virgil relates was at once REX IDEM HOMINUM PHAEBIQUE SACERDOS After Rome was built Romulus the first King thereof and Numa Pompilius who succeeded him made several Lawes concerning the whole Worship Service Holy-dayes Ceremonies of their Gods instituted their distinct Orders of Priests as highest Priest
Antichristian Pride actions and Kings villain service It is St. Bernards instruction to Pope Eugenius Bonus fundus humilitas in quâ—â—mne aedificium spirituale constructum crescit in Templum sanctum in Domino Nulla splendidior gemma in omni praecipue conatu Summi Pontificis Quo enim celsior caeteris eo humilitate apparet illustrior in seipso And it is the determination of Thomas Waldensis a great Patron of the Popes Supremacy Petrus sicut in Apostolatu primus erat sic etiam in humilitate I wish Popes who pretend themselves to be St. Peters successors disclaiming all their premised Luciferian Ceremonies Services Exorbitances with all other Bishops and Clergy-men may from henceforth demonstrate themselves to be Christs real Disciples Apostles successors exceeding all others in humility by preaching diligence in the Ministry not in the usurpation of such Ecclesiastical Authority for which they have neither precept nor president in the Gospel as the premises demonstrate I shall cloze up this Chapter with St. Bernards words to Eugenius which I cordially desire all ambitious Popes and Prelates seriously to consider En quis es sed noli oblivisci etiam quid Quid desinas intueri quod non desiisti esse Hoc ergo consulo consideres maxime quod maximus es hominem videlicet quod natus es Tolle ergo nunc haereditaria haec perizomata ab initio maledicta Dirumpe velamen foliorum celantium ignominiam nec plagam curantium Dele fucum fugacis honoris hujus malae coloratae nitorem gloriae et unde es nude nudum consideres quia nudus egressus es de utero matris tuae Nunquid infulatus nunquid micans gemmis aut floridus sericis aut coronatus pennis aut suffarcinatus metallis Si cuncta haec veluti nubes quasdam matutinales velociter transeuntes cito pertransituras dissipes exsuffles a facie considerationis tuae occuret tibi homo nudus pauper miserabilis Homo dolens quod homo sit erubescens quod nudus sit plorans quod natus sit murmurans quod sit Homo natus ad laborem non ad honorem Homo natus de muliere ab hoc cum reatu brevi vivens tempore ideoque cum metu repletus multis miseriis ideoque cum fletu vere multis quâ—â— corporis animae simul Proinde si consideras quantus es cogita etiam qualis maxime Haec te sane consideratio tenet in te nec te avolare sinit nec ambulare in magnis neque in mirabilibus super te In te consistito non infra dejici non attolli supra non evadere in longius non extendi in latius Tene medium si non vis perdere modum Locus medius tutus est Medium sedes modi modus virtus Omnem extra modum habitationem sapiens exilium putat BOOK I. CHAP. V. That Gods principal end and intention in ordaining Kings and Supream Civil Magistrates in the world was not the bare external administration of Justice between man and man the protection of their Subjects from violence oppression the preservation of them in wordly peace plenty prosperity the punishment of Malefactors rewarding of well-doers encouragement of Arts Virtue Trade industry or fighting their battels in times of War against Invading Enemies though considerable parts of their Regal Office and Soveraign Authority But the advancement of Gods Honor Worship Service Glory and spiritual Kingdom whose Vice-royes they are the suppression of all Idolatry blasphemy sinne wickedness the promotion of the eternal salvation felicity of their people and to be Kings for the Lord their God by advancing his interest all they can Vpon which ground in order to effect these ends God himself as well under the Gospel as Law hath delegated the Supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction only to Kings and other Soveraign Temporal Potentates not to Popes Bishops Priests who are subordinate to them as their Subjects not Copartners with them in their soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in point of Interest nor yet in its actual execution no further then they are pleased by their Laws and Commissions to delegate it to them as their Substitutes With a specification of the chief particulars wherein this Supream Ecclesiastical Power of Christian Kings and Emperors consists THE Grand Engin by which Popes and Popish Prelats have robbed Christian Emperors Kings Princes Magistrates of their Supream Ecclesiastical Authority and monopolized it to themselves alone is this grosse Paradox and Imposture That God and Jesus Christ under the Gospel have committed to their trust care only the Administration Government of the Commonwealth and Secular not of the Church and Religious affairs of the bodies temporal estates of their Subjects not of their Souls for which they are not to give any account at all to God That the Government care reformation of the Church Religion divine Worship and their Subjects souls are by Christs institution wholly and solely delegated to Popes Bishops Priests and other Ecclesiastical persons not to Emperors Kings or Supream Civil Magistrates Upon which notorious Forgery and Mistake they have First usurped engrossed to themselves alone the Title of The Church when as the definition of a Church whether Militant Triumphant National or Provincial accords not with them but their flocks people rather and is no where given to them in Scripture and the stile of Churchmen Ecclesiastical sacred persons Clergy-men which Titles they deny to all others not in sacred Orders stiling them The world secular persons the Laity popularity prophane vulgar unconsecrated persons as if they were no members of the Church when as the Scripture stiles them the Church Members of Christs body the Church and so Church-men Ecclesiastical persons as well as Bishops Priests Saints sanctifyed holy consecrated persons yea an holy Priesthood being made such by their very calling the Sacrament of Baptism and the Lords Supper their internal sanctification by Gods holy Spirit and washing away of their sins by the bloud of Christ far nobler consecrations then their bare Clerical Orders which no Protestants esteem a Sacrament and St. Peter himself defines them to be Gods Clergy Heritage as well as much as any Popes Prelates Priests how great soever 2ly They have forged two distinct incompatible Swords Jurisdictions The one Ecclesiastical peculiar to Popes Bishops Priests and those they stile Ecclesiastical persons not belonging to Emperors Kings or secular Princes The other Temporal exercised about secular things and affairs belonging only or principally to Emperors Kings and Secular powers yet subordinate to the command of Ecclesiastical persons when they shall require or desire its protection or assistance to enforce their Ecclesiastical censures 3dly That every Pope Bishop Priest as he is an ecclesiastical person is as far above all Emperors Kings Secular persons of what quality or dignity soever as the soul is above the body heaven
Ecclesiastical matters expressed in his Epistle he concludes it thus Tu prosperitas regni tu salus populi Tu Decus Ecclesiae tu omnium protectio fidelium Christi Nobis igitur sub umbrae potentiae sub tegmine pietatis tua divina concessit gratia religiosam ducere vitam atque secura quiete Deo Christo deservire Ideo sollicita mente pia intentione pro tua prosperitate salute curam habere intercedere justum necessarium habemus Domine desiderantissime atque omni honore dignissime David Rex In his Epist 106. ad Karolum Imperatorem he hath this passage Unde patenter cognosci poterit non tantum Imperatoriae vestrae prudentiae potestatem a Deo ad solum mundi Regimen SED MAXIME AD ECCLESIAE PRAESIDIUM et sapientiae decorem collatum Siquidem praeter Imperiales et publicas curas evangelicas quaestiones Academicis vestris a nobis enucleandas inquiritis c. Epistola 83 84. contain an Admonition of this Charles to Pope Leo where he stiles himself Karolus Dei gratia Rex Defensor Sanctae Ecclesiae Wherein among other things he admonisheth this Pope who promised to do him Fealty upon the certificate of the Charter of his Election sent to him De Simoniaca subvertenda haeresi quae sanctae Ecclesiae corpus multis malè maculat in locis Then informs the Pope Nostrum est secundum aurilium divinae pietatis sanctam ubique Christi Ecclesiam ab incursu Paganorum et ab infidelium devastatione armis defendere foris et intus Catholicae fidei agnitione munire Vestram est sanctissime Pater elevatis ad Deum cum Moysi manibus nostram adjuvare militiam quatenus vobis intercedentibus Deo ductore et datore populus Christianus super inimicos sui sancti nominis ubique semper habeat victoriam c. In his Poemata Section 221. he writes thus to him Tu decus Eccleclesiae Rector defensor amator And elsewhere Rex Carolus Caput orbis Europae venerandus apex altaque disponens venturae moenia Romae Pâ—urima nempe tibi sunt emendanda per orbem O Rex O Rector O Decus Ecclesiae Grex est quippe tuus populus tu pastor ovilis Ipsa caput mundi spectat te Roma Patronum Rector et Ecclesiae per te rex rite regatur c. O pater O Pastor Rector spes alma tuorum Sit tibi vita salus sit sine fine Vale. Most of his Writings Poems Epistles are full of the like expressions In few words he writes of him Plurimos convertit populos ad caritatem Christi et laudes Antiqui Saxones et omnes Frisones populi instante Rege Karolo alios praemiis alios minis sollicitante ad fidem Christi conversi sunt besides many others Charles the Great whiles King of France the greatest Protector of the Pope and See of Rome by his Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority out of sacred Councils and Synods collected a Book of Ecclesiastical Lawes and Constitutions for the preservation and propagation of the Orthodox Faith the peace good government and discipline of the Church the discharge of his regal trust duty and salvation of his peoples souls which he enjoyned all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priests Monks Clergymen and other his Subjects to observe thus prefaced by himself Regnante Domino nostro Jesu Christo in perpetuum Ego Karolus gratia Dei ejusque misericordia donanâ—e Rex et Rector regni Francorum et devotus Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae defensor humilisque ad utor omnibus Ecclesiasticae pietutis ordinibus seu seculari potentiae dignitatibus in Christo Deo aeterno perpetuae pacis et beatitudinis salutem Considerans pacifico piae mentis intuitu una cum Sacerdotibus consiliariis nostris abundantem in nos nostrumque populum Christi Regis â—clementiam et quam necessarium est non solum toto corde ore ejus pietati agâ—regratias incessanter sed etiam continuo bonorum operum exercitatione ejus insistere laudibus quatenus qui nostro regno tantos contulit honores sua protectione nos nostrumque regnum in aeternum conservare dignetur Quapropter placuit nobis vestram rogare solertiam O Pastores Ecclesiarum Christi Ductores Gregis ejus clarissima mundi luminaria ut vigili cura et sedula admonitione populum Dei per pascua vitae aeternae ducere studeatis et errantes oves bonorum exemplo operum seu adhortatione humeris intra Ecclesiasticae firmitatis muros reportare satagatis ne lupus insidians aliquem canonicas sanctiones transgredientem vel paternas traditiones Vniversalium Conciliorum excedentem quod absit inveniens devoret Ideo magnae devotionis studio admonendi adhortandi sunt imo compellendi ut firma fide et infatigabili perseverantia intra paternas sanctiones se contineant In quo operis studio sciat certissime sanctitas vestra nostram vobis cooperari diligentiam Quapropter et nostros ad vos direximus missas qui ex nostri nominis authoritate una vobiscum corrigerent quae corrigenda essent Sed et aliqua Capitula ex Canonicis institutionibus quae magis vobis necessaria videbantur subjunximus Ne aliquis quaeso hujus pietatis admonitionem esse praesumptuosam putet vel judicet qua nos errata corrigere superflua abscindere recta coarctare studeamus sed magis benevolo charitatis animo suscipiat Nam legimus in Regnorum libris quomodo sanctus Josias Regnum sibi a Deo datum circumeundo corrigendo admonendo cultum veri Dei studuit revocare Non ut me ejus sanctitati aquiparabilem faciam sed quod nobis sint ubique Sanctorum semper exempla exsequenda et quoscunque poterimus ad studium bonae vitae in laudem et in gloriam Domini nostri Iesu Christi congregare necesse est Quapropter ut praedirimus aliqua Capitula notare jussimus ut simul nec eadem vos admonere studeatis et quaecunque vobis alia necessaria esse scitis ut et ista et illa aequali intentione praedicetis Nec aliquid quod vestrae sanctitati populoque Dei utile videatur omittatis sed pio studio admoneatis quatenus et vestra solertia subjectorum obedientia aeterna faelicitate ab omnipotenti Deo remuneretur These Ecclesiastical Lawes of his with the Lawes of Ludovicus Pius his sonne and Lothorius collected 〈◊〉 into 7 Books by Abbot Ansegisus upon the command of Ludovicus Pius contain in them all matters concerning the Orthodox faith the Canonical Scriptures the Sacraments of Baptism Lords Supper Preaching Catechising sanctification of the Lords day the Ordination qualification duty electing installing of Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priests Monks Deacons their respective offices duties orders excesses holy dayes Churches Chappels Tithis Churchlands Excommunications Masse Sacriledge Simony Appeals Ecclesiastical Judges Synods Consistories Visitations Vowes Marriage Viâ—ginity Altars Church-ornaments Sanctuaries
to cut off that ambitious usurping Antichristian Power of Roman Pontifs which opposeth exalteth it self above all that is called God and trampleth under feet both the Crowns Scepters of all Christian Kings I shall first clear and confirm it by Gods own distribution of various Gifts and powers to the Members of his mystical body the Church and members faculties of the bodies souls of men by one the self-same spirit thus emphatically expressed 1 Cor. 12 4 to 12. Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit to another the working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Discerning of spirits to another divers kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues But all these worketh that one the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Compared with v. 18. 25. God hath set the members every one of them in the body natural AS IT PLEASETH HIM that there should be no Schism in the body appointing them all their distinct Offices places under one head the seat of the soul which rules and directs all the other Members in the discharge of all natural civil moral and divine actions diversified denominated only by from their various objects so stiled not the person power head or facultie by which they are all performed being but one and the same As God the great King over all the earth whose is the Kingdom and the power from whom all Kings and Potentates of the Earth derive their Jurisdiction as their Ordainer and Orderer alwayes Soveraignly ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth them to whomsoever he will he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings at his pleasure by his indivisible Supream authority And as by one and the self-same power spirit he also distributes varieties of Gifts Graces Offices to the Members of his Spiritual body the Church distinct faculties to one and the same reasonable Soul in man in which they are united as vegetation sense reason memory will judgment affections c. with distinct offices places to every member in the body natural without erecting any plurality of Supream Powers parts principles heads souls in himself or them from which these diversities of Gifts and their operations issue So Kings and Soveraign Powers Gods Vicars and Ministers upon earth by that one and the same Supream Authority vested in them by God for Government of all sorts of Subjects and all sacred or civil Corporations under them whether Pagans or Christians may and do exercise all sorts of civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions under them in person or by their Delegates and Substitutes without any real division in their Soveraign power continuing still one the same or erectâ—ng two distinct specifical Powers the one Civil the other Ecclesiastical in themselves or others â—or as their Soveraign Royal Power when exercised about Martial affairs is stiled a Military power and the Courts wherein it is judiciaâ—â—y executed are stiled Martial Courts because the matters persons in and about which it is exercised are such And when employed in matters Courts of Law and Justice is called a Civil or Legal Power and their Courts Courts of Common or Civil Law because the businesses are such And when versed in Maritine affairs or causes is called A Maritime or Admiralty Power and Admiralty Court and when in Civil matters of Equity only it is then phrased a Chancery or Equitable Power and the Court wherein it is acted a Court of Chancery So by the self-same reason when it is employed in or about divine sacred Ecclesiastical things or persons it is then stiled An Ecclesiastical power the Laws concerning them and Courts wherein these Laws powers are exercised the Kings Ecclesiastical Laws Courts without making any fraction division or distinction in the Supream power which remains still but one and the same residing intirely in the King himself alone though the execution of it be distributed to sundry subordinate Courts persons who are but the Kings meer Ministers and act or ought to act all in his Name Right without claiming any share at all in the Soveraign Regal power as vested in themselves by this distribution being thus distinguished denominated only by and from the diversity of the respective objects which make no more multiplications of nor divisions in the power it self then diversities of colours specâ—es in the eyes or varieties of sounds tasts in the ears or pallate make so many distinct faculties in the Eyes Ears Pallate or as many different eyes ears pallats as there are species sounds tasts discerned by them All which doth evidently appear in this Orâ—ginal President of Supream Jurisdiction in Moses the first Soveraign Governour over Gods people when originally made both a Kingdom Church by Gods own institution wherein the High Priest Aaron and his Sonnes had no share at all in the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction though the Priesthood was setled on them but Moses enjoyed exercised it intirely without any Partition made by God between him and Aaron to divide these powers equally between them as Co-heirs Hostiensis and out of him Alvarus Pelagius Thomas Bozius and Marta resolve That as it is Heretical to hold duo principia Two Principles or Authors of the World So it is Heretical to hold that there are Two Vicars of God or Christ upon Earth the one in Spirituals the other in â—emorals Therefore it is of necessity that Supream Temporal and Spiritual Jurisdiction should be intirely vested in the Pope not in the Emperor or Kings who derive all their power from him and it is of necessity to believe that every creature should be subject to the Pope as well in Temporal as Spiritual things to avoid the Heresie of duo principia Dante 's the Florentine who held the contrary being coudemned by the Pope for an Heretick after his death Indeed their position That there is but one Supream Head and Fountain of all Spiritual and Regal power on Earth in every distinct Kingdom and Church is an undubitable truth as these Pontificians and Popes themselves assert But that it was ever vested in the High Priest under the Law or Popes under the Gospel but in Moses Kings and other Supream Magistrates and that they derive all their Temporal Authority from Priests Popes not they from Kings and Supream Civil Governors is a notorious untruth as this Original president of Moses and Aaron with others following will irrefragably evince This I the rather mention and have more largely insisted on because some Usurping Popes not only ground their Pontifical Crowns Priestly garments with
Servant above greater then his Lord and the Vicar then the Master 9ly Christ himself together with Paul and Peter do from the 5th Commandement most frequently presse and inculcate all due subjection and obedience by Wives unto their Husbands Children to their Parents and Servants to their Masters in all things and that with fear and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart and with good will doing them service as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the LORD they shall receive the Inheritance for herein they serve the Lord Christ Therefore there is the self-same relation obedience due to Kings and Magistrates the politick Husbands Parents Masters of the Realm people by all Members of the body politick as there is by Wives children servants to their Husbands Parents Masters 10thly It is very observable that Christ himself with his Apostles Peter and Paul do in the New Testament more frequently punctually energetically inculcate this duty of subjection obedience honor paying Tribute to Emperors Kings and Civil Magistrates though then all Pagans unbelievers yea for all Wives Children Servants to obey fear and reverence their Husbands Parents Masters in the flesh on all sorts of Christians under the Gospel then ever they were urged or reiterated in the Old Testament before or under the Law and that for these ends and upon these accounts as I humbly apprehend First to evidence That all Kings Supream Civil Magistrates Parents under the Gospel enjoy the selfsame Soveraign Jurisdiction over all Civil Ecclesiastical persons things and their children under the Gospel as they did before or under the Law in the Old Testament and that the Kingship Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel did no wayes diminish nor eclipse much lesse abolish or transfer to Apostles Bishops Presbyters or Chapters any part of their antient Temporal or Spiritual Authority before and under the Law 2ly To make the free passage for the preaching and reception of the Gospel among all Nations Kingdoms Republikes in the world as consistent with and no wayes opposing but advancing rarifying their respective Civil Governments by prescribing every soul to yeeld all chearfull obedience subjection to their Civil Governors Lawes for the peace and tranquility of their Kingdoms 3ly To stop the mouthes of Pagans and all Enemies of Christian Religion and Christians who traduced and accused them as opposites and Enemies to rebels against Emperors Kings Magistrates their Government and Lawes 4ly To take away all pretences from Libertins and yoaklesse Christians under pretext of Christian Liberty and the priviledges of Christianity to disobey contemn all Kings Magistrates Lawes and Civil Government as exempted from their power 5ly To lessen and controll the Antichristian Usurpations of the Popes Prelates Clergy of Rome it self and their Confederates elsewhere upon the Crownes prerogatives rights and kingdoms of Christian Kings and Emperors which should embrace the Gospel All which reasons are expressed or intimated in the Gospel it self Pauls Epistle to the Romans and St Peters 11ly St Paul in his second Epistle to Timothy a Bishop as all Popes Bishops assert in relation to his spiritual warfare layes down this universal Maxim which every good Souldier of Jesus Christ must observe No man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Soldier If then no Bishop or good Spiritual Souldier of Jesus Christ must so much as once entangle themselves with the affairs of this world and life that so they may discharge their duties as to please Christ who hath chosen them to be his souldiers then certainly neither Christ nor his Apostles ever gave or committed to any Apostle Pope Bishop or Minister of the Gospel any Supreme Temporal Jurisdiction over all or any Kings Kingdoms or Civil Corporations in the world which require continual attendance and would totally avocate them from their spiritual warfare 12ly The Apostles themselves though inspired from Heaven what to preach without much study when there was a complaint made to them that the widows and poor were neglected in the daily ministration calling all the multitude of Disciples to them sayd It is not Reason that we should leave the World of God and serve Tables wherefore Brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selves continually unto the Ministry of the World And the saying pleased the whole multitude who thereupon chose Stephen and 6. more Deacons to attend the poor whereupon the word of God increased the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly If the Apostles then thought it against reason that they should once or twice a day serve Tables and the poor though an act of charity and piety as being inconsistent with their Apostolical Office Ministry and thereupon ordained Deacons to discharge the trust Then certainly it cannot but be against Reason and Scripture to assert That Christ gave or any of his Apostles by divine right and institution ever had claimed exercised or ought to enjoy any the least Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion in the world much lesse such as Popes pretend to from St. Peter who was present at and assenting to this institution of Deacons it being wholly inconsistent with their Spiritual function 13ly Christ himself assured his Apostles That no man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Therefore when Christ called his Disciples to follow him they forsook their worldly imployments and all they enjoyed that they might apply themselves wholly to their Apostolical and Ministerial functions And when He called Barnabas and Paul to be Apostles he said Separate me Barnabas and Paul to the work I have appointed them Which Paul thus expresseth Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle Separate unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ being wholly taken off from all secular imployments as incompatible with their Apostolical Function Upon which Account he giveth this charge to all other Ministers He that hath the gift of the ministry let him wait on the ministry and he that teacheth in teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation He that ruleth as a Magistrate let him do it with diligence Whence sundry Fathers Councils Popes Decretals Canonists Schoolmen have prohibited all Bishops Priests and Clergymen to intermeddle as Judges Advocates Proctors or Sollicitors in any secular affairs as inconsistent with their spiritual function under pain of deprivation Therefore it is most certain That Christ never gave to Peter or any other Apostle Bishop Minister any Temporal Jurisdiction over Kings kingdoms or in temporal
Gods primitive instituting the First-born of every Family and Kings themselves before the Law to be not only Kings but Priests too as Melchisedech and others were And the very Romans Grecians with other Pagan Nations creating their Kings Emperors by the very light of Nature to be their high Priests likewise as I have formerly proved by sundry Testimonies and Alvarus Pelagius Lyra in Gen. 14. Numb 3. 12. 8. 16. Bellarmin De Romano Pontifice with other Romanists Bishop Carlton and sundry Protestants attest with one consent Because the care of Religion and Gods worship the instruction edification salvation and eternal felicity of all their Subjects souls did principally belong to them as a part of or appendant to their Regal dignity 8ly This truth is at large demonstrated by all the particulars I have formerly insisted on in the Second Chapter relating to Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat and Josiah as likewise of the Kings of Assyria Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Nebuchadnezzar and the King of Niniveth which I shall not repeat All Kings and supream Magistrates under the Gospel having the self-same authority charge trust to promote preserve the purity syncerity of Gods worship suppress Idolatry Blasphemy Heresy all sorts of sins against the first and second Tables and indeavour the instruction salvation and eternal welfare of their Subjects as they had under the Law the ends uses grounds of Kingly and Magistratical institution Government under the Gospel continuing still the same as they were before and under the Law and being all moral perpetual not ceremonial 9ly This is most perspicuous by this precept given to all Kings by the King of Kings Psal 2. 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce unto him with trembling Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the right way Which they cannot do as Kings unlesse they command their Subjects to do it likewise Compared with these prophecies concerning Christian Kings under the Gospel Psalm 72. 2 10. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts Yea all Kings shall fall down before him and by their example and Regal authority all Nations shall serve him Psal 138. 4 5. All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord when they shall hear the words of thy mouth yea they shall sing in the praises of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. Isay 49. 22 23. Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people c. And Kings shall be thy Nursing-Fathers and Queens thy Nursing mothers they shall bow to thee with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship Compared with Isay 41. 1 2. c. 52. 15 c. 60. 1 10 11 16. c. 62. 5. The Gentiles shall come to thy Light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising The Kings of the sons of Strangers shall come unto thee unto thee the rulers of the Gentiles and their Kings shall be brought c. And Psal 148. 11 12. Praise the Lord from the earth ye Kings of the earth in the first place and then by their examples and edicts Princes and all Judges of the earth both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord this being the prime end of their creation and Gods instituting Kings Princes and Judges in the earth both before and under the Gospel 10ly This is most perspâ—cuous by the example of Jesus Christ himself the King of Kings of whom as Davis Solomon and other forecited Kings of Judah were types under the Law so himself is the president pattern for all Christian Kings under the Gospel Now the principal end scope of the Kingly Authority power 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ is the propagation of Gods Kingdom Gospel worship glory the destruction of the Kingdoms of Satan sinne and all kind of wickednesse error heresie 〈◊〉 and the conversion sanctification salvation eternal beatitude of his Subjects souls that they may reign for ever with him in his heavenly kingdom in endlesse felicity Therefore it is and ought to be the principal end aym office duty of all Christian Kings who are his Viceroyes and ought to imitate his example 11ly This I shall more specially and peculiarly evidence by some few texts and examples 1. By Gen. 18. 18 19. Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that he will command his children are houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Iustice and Iudgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken Abrahams 〈◊〉 care being then a mighty Prince over his great and numerous family and to become a great and mighty Nation was to instruct and command his children and houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord that so they and all the Nations of the earth might be blessed in him 2ly By the whole Book of Deuteronomy especially ch 4. 5. 6. 26. 28. to 34. where Moses the supream Governour of Gods own people Israel with all earnestnesse exhorts and presseth them to keep do and observe all Gods commandements judgements and statutes that they might fear the Lord their God and love and serve him with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their might they and their sons and their sons 〈◊〉 all the dayes of their life that it might be well with them and their children after them for ever c. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgements thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thy heart and with all thy soul thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and his commandements and his judgements and to hearken unto his voyce And the Lord hath avouched thee to be his people and that thou shouldest keep all his commandements and to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honor and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken This is the chief end of Gods instituting Kings and Magistrates in the earth to make their subjects an holy people to the Lord their God 3ly By Joshua his last Speech and Exhortation to the children of Israel and their chief Heads and Officers before God Josh 23. 24. where he severally charges them To fear the Lord and to serve him in sincerity and truth to put away the gods which their fathers served on the other side of Jordan and in Egypt and to serve the
An Exact CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY AND FULL DISPLAY OF POPES Intollerable Usurpations Upon the antient just Rights Liberties of the Kings Kingdoms Clergy Nobility Commons of ENGLAND and IRELAND THE design of this Chronological History and Display being principally to remonstrate to the world by irrefragable Testimonies and Records the manifold unsufferable Vsurpations of the Bishops and See of Rome from time to time upon the antient indubitable just Rights and Liberties of the Kings Churches Nobles Commons of England and Ireland whiles they continued under their Foreign Jurisdiction More especially by Excomâ—unications Interdicts absolving Subjects from their Oathes of Allegiaâ—ce raising Rebellions dethroning our Kings enforcing them to resign their Crowns to become their sworn Vassals Tributaries exempting Bishops Clerks from their Homage Judicatures collating Bishopricks Monasteries Ecclesiastical Dignities Benefices by Provisions to Aliens or others translating swearing Bishops Abbots to them and their Papal See vacating due Elections at their pleasures Appeals to Rome Dispensations Tenths Procurations First-Fruits Bribes Symony Crossadoes varieties of Extortions Oppressions by their Legates and other Instruments To discover their originals progresse growth revivals suppressions with the manifold memorable Complains Letters Oppositions Writs Prohibitions Declarations against them both in and out of Parliament and the frequent Treacheries Usurpations of our Popish Prelates Spiritual Courts Officers upon our Kings just Rights Prerogatives Regalities Courts Subjects Liberties to the extraordinary dâ—â—ger mischief of the Crown Realm Church Christian Religion and peoples grievance And what Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction our Kings as Gods Vicars have exercised from King Lucius his Conversion Anno 183. till the total extirpation of the Popes usurped Authority by King Henry the 8. and Edward the 6. by Histories and memorable Records in the Tower and Rolls for the most part unknown to our greatest Clerks Antiquaries worthy publick view yea adding much light to our Ecclesiastical and Political Histories very defective in these Transactions of grand Importance I apprehended it absolutely necessary by way of Introduction like a Wise Builder to lay a deep sure Foundation whereon to bottom this Weighty Structure that so if any Floods shall hereafter come or Windes blow and beat upon it from Rome or other Quarters they may not be able to shake or overturn it because it is founded upon a Rock To this end I shall by Gods assistance in one intire Book Chronologically and Historically remonstrate and where necessity requires Polemically examine discusse the Original of Soveraign Jurisdiction in what Persons God himself hath setled the Primitive Right and Exercise thereof as well over the Churches Militant as Civil State from Adams Creation till Christs Ascension and from thence till this present age And irrefragably demonstrate by Scripture Heathen Philosophers Fathers Councils Ecclesiastical Histories Imperial Laws Edicts Popes own Epistles Decretals Bulls Archbishops Bishops Popish Divines School-men Canonists Protestant Writers Testimonies and Presidents in all ages That the Supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in governing protecting reforming the Church and people of God maintaining propagating the Orthodox Christian Faith the true publike worship of God suppressing all Heresies Errors Blasphemies Idolatries Schisms sinnes against both Tables in all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal taking care of the souls and salvation of men is originally vested by God himself in Kings Emperors or Soveraign Princes as Gods Vicegerents and Christs Vicars upon Earth as the principal part of their Royal Authority Office Trust not in High-Priests Priests Apostles Popes Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops or any other Ecclesiastical persons whatsoever who are all Subjects to and subordinate Ministers under them in the Churches Militant within their respective Empires Kingdoms Dominions as all inferiour Civil Magistrates Officers of Justice are in their Civil States Kingdoms Courts And that the received Distinction of two supreme Jurisdictions Powers specifically different from and independent on each other in their very essence nature by Divine Institution and at least ever since our Saviours Ascension immediately vested in two distinct callings professions of men to wit the Soveraign Civil Jurisdiction in and over all secular persons affairs in Emperors Kings and Temporal Powers alone the Supreme Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Jurisdiction in and over all Churches Militant Bishops Priests Church-Members Divine and Ecclesiastical affaires only in Popes or Patriarchs not Emperors Kings Secular Princes States is but a meer Popish Imposture Forgery Fancy Stratagem to cheat rob deprive all Christian Emperors Kings Princes of the richest Pearl Jewel chiefest Branch and Flower of their Diadems to exempt the Clergy from their Jurisdictions under this pretext and to subject both their Persons Crowns Kingdoms Subjects to the Antichristian Usurpations Tyrannies Exorbitances Oppressions of Ambitious Popes Prelates Priests as Ecclesiastical Histories evidence ever since this Heresie of two distinct Soveraign Authorities delegated by Divine Institution to two several Functions was first broached in the Christian Church being the same in substance with that of Duo Principia condemned by Popes themselves and the greatest Champions of their Universal Soveraign Monarchy as a most dangerous Heresie invented first by Marcion Manes Hermogenes and other Hereticks against whom Tertullian thus long since argued Quid erit unicum singulare nisi cui nihil adaequabitur Quid principale nisi quod super omnia nisi quod ante omnia in quo omnia Haec Deus solus habendo est solus habendo Deus est Si alius habuerit tot jam erunt Dii quot habuerint quae Dei sunt Quod summum sit Deus est summum autem non erit nisi quod unicum fuerit Unicum autem esse non poterit cui aliquid adaequabitur Veritas autem sic unum Deum exigit defendendo ut solius sit quicquid ipsius est Ita enim ipsius erit si fuerit solius Et ex hoc alius Deus non possit admitti dum nemini licet habere de Deo aliquid Ergo inquis nec nos habemus Dei aliquid Imo habemus habebimus sed ab ipso non à nobis Nam Dii erimus si meruerimus illi esse de quibus praedicavit Ego dixi vos Dii estis stetit Deus in Ecclesia Deorum sed ex gratia ipsius non ex nostra proprietate quia ipse est solus qui Deos faciat I may most aptly apply it to Emperors Kings who are Earthly Gods made such by God in their own Kingdoms as his Vice-roys The Soveraign Power Jurisdiction over all persons Churches causes as well Civil as Ecclesiastical within their respective Realms must be but one inâ—ire indivisible Soveraign Authority incommunicable unto any other subject or person whatsoever but by subordinate derivation and delegation by from or under them else they should presently cease to be Earthly Gods had Popes or Bishops a distinct Supreme Ecclesiastical Power within their Realms coequal with underived from or independent on them Whence St.
High Priest during Moses his absence in the Mount had at the peoples request made erected a golden calf who committed idolatry with it Moses calls him to a strict account for it to whom he made an excuse with this memorable preface Let not the anger of MY LORD wax hot which stile he likewise gave him Nu. 12 11. Yea Moses not he Pronounced the Judgment and punishment upon the people for this Sin of Idolatry as likewise on him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day the manner of whose punishment he inquired not Aaron and received from God 9ly When the Tables of stone formerly broken were renewed redelivered by God to the people it was alwayes done even after Aarons consecration by the hand mouth ministry of Moses who with his own mouth alwayes spake and delivered Gods Laws Messages to all the Congregation Elders people during all his Government and gave them a special charge of things future and a blessing at his death 10thly God made choice of Moses a Lay-man and Civil Magistrate to be the firâ—â— pâ—â—man and Register of all his sacred Laws and first Five Books of holy Scripture not Aaron or any other Priest And to shew that Kings and Temporal Magistrates were the principal keepers of both Tables God particularly enjoyned when the Israelites came into the Land of Canaan and had set a King over them that the King when he sate upon the Throne of his Kingdom shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites that it may be well with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to â—o them That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel All which particulars laid together relating to and acted by the very first Supream Civil Magistrat that God himself set up over his own peculiar people Church when he first instituted modelled both their Magistrates and Priests with their distinct Offices and powers will infallibly clear the Superiour Jurisdiction of the Supream Civil Magistrate in and over all Ecclesiastical persons and causes by Gods own institution and that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is united to the Temporal The reason why God reserved the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to Moses the Chief Civil Magistrate and afterwards to Kings when he transferred the Priesthood to Aaron and his Sons and severed it from the Kingship was because it would be inconsistent with Monarchie and the Peace Unitie of the Republike Kingdom Church to erect two distinct Supream Powers independent on unsubordinate to each other in one and the same Body Politick Nation Kingdom united under one Supream Civil Head and a Cause of perpetual Wars Schismes Contentions between these different powers by reason of mens Natural ambition and desire to enlarge their Juriisdictions to the prejudice of each other This we find experimentally verified in the Israelites themselves immediatly upon their division into two independent kings kingdoms of equal power unsubordinate to each other which produced not only perpetual Warres between them all their dayes in their Realms as sacred Story oft records but a more sad division in their Religion Worship Church Jeroboam erecting two Calves and a new idolatrous worship with suitable Priests to promote it and a new place of worship contrary to that prescribed by God himself to keep his Subjects from Gods true worship at Jerusalem and returning to their allegiance and obedience to their rightfull Kings of the seed of David which all his Successors persevered in till their final captivity and utter desolation for their idolatry And it is infallibly evidenced by the manifold sad Divisions Schismes Wars Rebellions in most Christian Empires kingdoms ever since the ambitious Popes of Rome and other Prelates have claimed by a pretended divine independent right and usurped to themselves the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over all Persons Causes inseparably united by God himself to the Crowns of Christian Emperonrs and Kings As God therefore out of his infinit Wisdom at the very Creation constituted but one natural head over every natural body of Men Beasts Fowls Fishes and creeping living creatures though they consisted of two different substances Soul and Body not two distinct heads the one corporal the other spiritual to govern each body because two Supream headâ— would have destroyed the unity harmony operations of these Creatures in their respective orbes and made a Schisme in their bodies So he at first united the Supream Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction over Men at the Creation in one person Adam the first sole Monarch of the World And afterwards when his Church and people multiplyed into such a vast dispersed multitude that one person could not possibly execute or discharge the Kingly and Priestly Offices as at first he conveniently might did whiles all united in one Tribe and Family so that there was an absolute necessity to divide them into several Hands Tribes God did even then reserve the Supream Ecclesiastical Government and Jurisdiction as absolutely necessary for inseparable from the Supream Civil Head and Governor of his people to prevent Schismes Confusions and preserve Unity Tranquillity both in Church and State not transferr it from Moses to Aaron the Church with all its Officers Members being included in branches of the Kingdom Republike not divided from it as a distinct independent spiritual corporation Therefore still to remain under the sole Government and protection of the Supream Politick Head This is most clearly and significantly expressed by Ezechiels uniting the two divided sticks into one rod in one hand typifying the uniting of the two divided Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah into one Kingdom Church PEOPLE under one King and Shepheard Jesus Christ and making them all but ONE in their Government and true Worship of God according to his Statutes Hence it is most apparent that the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers Authorities or Jurisdictions are not thus denominated because they are vested in different persons hands or flow from various fountains or distinct in their natures as the Pontificians and others generally assert and mistake but meerly because they are exercised upon or about different things or objects the persons wherein they originally and supreamly reside and from whence they flow and the very Powers Authorities Jurisdictions themselves in their nature being but one and the same only the objects matters in upon or about which they are exercised various and distinct from whence they have these different Epithites To evidence this truth past all contradiction being the surest Oracle to resolve all future Controversies concerning these Jurisdictions yea keenest axe
people had avenged themselves of their enemies at his not the Priests prayer to the Lord. 8ly He not the Priests assembled all the Congregation of Israel to Shiloh and there set up the Tabernacle of the Congregation 9ly He by Gods special command with advice of the Heads of the Tribes of the children of Israel appointed and set out the Cities of refuge and the 48 Cities with their Suburbs given to the Priests and Levites out of all the other Tribes Lots 10thly Joshua a little before his death not the Priests assembled all the Tribes of Israel to Sechem and there calling all their Elders Heads Judges Officers who presenting themselves before God he repeated the Histories of Gods great mercies to them from Terah his time till then and commanded them to serve the Lord in sincerity and truth and to put away all the gods which their Fathers had served renewed the Covenant between God and them set them a Statute and an Ordinance in Sechem and wrote all the words thereof in the Book of the Law of God and set up a stone for a witnesse unto them lest they should deny their God And penned the History stiled Joshua During all this time of Moses and Joshua's Governments we find not one syllable of any Ecclesiastical Supream Authority exercised or claimed by the High Priest Priests or Levites severally or joyntly but only by Moses and Joshua themselves in all the forecited particulars Which Popes and Popish Prelates would repute most strange and uncouth should Christian Emperors Kings Princes now exercise the like Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and confine them only to Preaching Administration of the Sacraments reading Masse or Common-Prayers and those other essential Ministerial duties which they delegate for the most part to poor Curates as they do their pretended Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Judicatories to their Vicars Generals Chancellors Officials Commissaries and other such party Officers the more to fleece the people and ease themselves from Trouble or Clamors 3dly After the death of Joshua though the High Priest Priests and Levites were all setled in their possessions and offices in his life yet we read of none of them in all the Book of Judges when the people of Israel were very idolatrous wicked and most needed Ecclesiastical censures to reform them that did ever use the least Ecclesiastical Authority over them Therefore doubtlesse they had none vested in them or else were intollerably negligent and blame-worthy And to put it past Dispute it is no less then four several times specially recorded in that sacred story Judg. 17. 6. c. 18. 1. c. 19. 1. c. 21. 25. IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL Every man did what seemed good in his own eyes First as the chief cause of Micah his making a graven and molten image and setting them up in the house of God and making an Ephod Teraphim and consecrating one of his sons who became a Priest to his Idols and after that in consecrating a Levite to be his Idols Priest 2ly b As the occasion of the Danites plundring and taking away Micahs Idol god and setting up his graven Image in the Tribe of Dan and making Priests unto it all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh 3ly Of a Levites taking to him a Concubine instead of a lawful Wife and the Gibionites ravishing her to death 4ly Of the Benjamites forceable taking away of the Virgins who came up to the feast of the Lord at Shiloth and making them their wives against their will and that by the Israelites advice and concurrence contrary to the curse and oath they had made All properly spiritual and ecclesiastical Crimes belonging rather to Papal and Pontifical then regal Jurisdiction and Coertion as they are now reputed yet all and every of these are recorded to be perpetrated but not corrected in the least because in those days there was no King in Israel Therefore questionless all the supreme Civil Ecclesiastical power to restrain punish these offences was wholly vested in the King not in the high Priest Priests or Levites of which they had then store in Israel And had this supreme spiritual Authority been in them these Texts had been very impertinently inserted and should rather have run in this Dialect In those days there was no high Priests or Priests in Israel nor any Ecclesiastical Court or Judge therefore every one did that which was right in his own eyes If any object that Ely the high Priest judged Israel forty years Judg. 4. 18. and that Samuel next high Priest after him judged Israel all his days till he was old built an Altar unto the Lord at Ramah and when he grew old made his two sons Judges over the people Judg. 7. 15 16 17. c. 8. 1. to 8. Therefore the high Priests had then the soveraign Jurisdiction as Priests I answer The Argument is most absurd for by the like Consequence they may argue Deborah a woman the wife of Lapidoth judged Israel and the Children of Israel came up to her for Judgement and she delivered them out of Sisera his hands who sorely oppressed them with his Chariots and Army Ergo Debora as a woman had then Soveraign Jurisdiction over them 2ly They judged them not as Priests but supreme Magistrates 3ly It seems the chief Ecclesiastical power was not in Ely when he judged Israel but in the Elders of Israel by their sending for and fetching the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto them in the Camp to save them from the enemies against Ely his Will 4ly He was very remiss and indulgent to inflicting no civil nor ecclesiastical punishment upon his sons though sons of Belial whose wickednesse was great before the Lord both in lying with the women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and forceably taking away from those that sacrificed to the Lord the flesh of the Sacrifices of those that came to offer how much when they pleased without burning the fat presently so that they made men abhor the offerings of the Lord His Sons presumed thus impudently to abuse the people because their father judged Israel who only gave them a mild Reprehension when he heard of their evil reports from all the people Which miscarriages of his sons in their Priest-hood and himself in his Judicature sharply reproved by a man of God were most severely punished of God by their slaughter and untimely deaths the ruine of their families and loss of the Priest-hood the taking of the Ark of God by the Philistines and slaughter of thirty thousand footmen in one day This was the Judgement befel the first Priest and his house who took upon him the supreme civil power and magistracy 4ly Though Samuel himself was a just Judge yet his sons were wicked n turning aside after Lucre perverting Judgement in so much that all the Elders of Israel
incense Altar which Azariah the chief Priest all the Priests looking upon drave thrust him out from thence yea himself also hasted to go out because the Lord had smitten him And he continued a Leper until the day of his death and dwelt in a several house being a Leper for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and Jotham his Sonne was over the Kings house judging the people of the Land Had the exercise of Supream Ecclesiastical power in all the premised particulars been any usurpation of the Priests Office in Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Jehoash Hezekiah or Josiah no doubt God would have punished them as exemplarily for it as he punished King Saul and King Uzziah for offering a burnt offering and burning incense upon the Altar of incense Or as he did Corah Dathan and Abiram before them for rebelling and usurping the Priests Office in burning incense with their censers asVzziah intended to do Or as he punished and slew the men of Bethshemesh for looking irreverently into the Ark and Vzza for stretching out his hand to hold the Ark steady when it â—â—ook in the Cart when as none but Levites were by Gods special precept to come near bear or touch it whose office all these directly invaded for which they were thus signally punished by God himself But since neither of all these Kings Rulers received any check punishment at all from God or the high Priests but on the contrary praise honour blessings from God and chearfull obedience from all the high Priests Priests Levites themselves for these their sacred Ecclesiastical transactions they were doubtlesse no parts of the high Priests Priests or Levites Offices but of their own proper inherent Supream Magistratical and Regal Authority vested in them for these ends by God himself 6ly When the Kings Kingdoms of Judah and Israel were destroyed for their Idolatry and both Kings Princes people carried away Captives into foreign Nations so that they had no King nor Magistrate of their own to govern them the sacred story records that even Heathen Kings exercised Supream Authority over them in all Religious and Ecclesiastical matters as these presidents demonstrate 1. The King of Assyria sent one of the Priests they had carried away captive to the Nations he had placed in and about Samaria instead of the Israelites to teach them the manner of the God of the Land and to fear the Lord. 2. God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to make a publike Proclamation through all his kingdom in writing for every man that would to go up to Jerusalem and build the house of the Lord God of Israel who had charged him to build it and that all should assist them with silver gold beasts besides the free-will offering for the House of the Lord Whereupon God stirring up the spirits of the chief of the Fathers of Judah Ephraim Priests Levites and others to undertake the work King Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzer had taken from thence and put in the house of his Gods and delivered them to them by number all which they carried to Jerusalem for the use of the Temple when re-built and all they that were about them in obedience to Cyrus royal Proclamation strengthned their hands with vessels of gold goods beasts and pretious things besides all willingly offered Whence God said of Cyrus He is my Shepherd and shall fulfill all my pleasure saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundations shall be layd and stiled him HIS ANOINTED Vpon which Proclamation and Grant of Cyrus the Jewes set up the Altar offered Sacrifices and laid the foundation of the Temple as King Cyrus King of Persia had commanded them 3ly King Darius confirmed and enlarged this Decree of Cyrus commanding his Officers not to hinder the building to furnish them with moneys out of the Kings tribute for the work and with young Bullocks Lambs Rams for burnt offerings of the God of Heaven wheat salt wine oyl according to the appointment of the Priests at Jerusalem to be given them day by day without fail that they may offer Sacrifices of rest to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Sonnes clozing his Decree thus Also I have made a Decree That whosoever shall alter this word let timber be pulled down from his house and being set up let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a Dunghill for this And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all Kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter or destroy this House of God which is at Ierusalem I Darius have made a Decree let it be done with speed Whereupon the Iewes built and finished the House offered Sacrifices set up Gods worship in it according to the commandement of the God of Israel and according to the Commandement of Cyrus Darius and Artarerres King of Persia 4ly This King Artaxerxes sent Ezra the Priest up to Jerusalem and gave him sundry Vessels for the Lords house with a large Commission to like effect with that of Darius recorded Ezra 7. superadding Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be done diligently for the house of the Lord of heaven for why should wrath come upon the King and his sons And thou Ezra as my Commissioner after the wisdom of thy God set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the River all such as know the Law of thy God teach ye them that know it not And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed â—eedily upon him whether unto death or unto banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment all Temporal and Ecclesiastical Censures to be executed by Civil Magistrates not Ezra the Priest Upon receipt of which Commission Ezra used this Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lord c. Which Commission he punctually pursued and delivered it to the Kings Lieutenants and Governors who thereupon furthered the people and the House of God This King likewise granted his Royal Letters to Nehemah commanding the Governours there to give him Timber and stone for the building of the Temple who as the Kings Lieutenant over the Jewes there exercised Supream Ecclesiastical Authority in building the Temple directing and ordering the Priests and Levites setting up the publike worship of God observing the Sabbath and solemn Festivals constituting publike Fasts and putting the Priests from their Priesthood and the Levites who could not prove their pedigrees causing all of them that had married strange wives to enter into a Covenant to walk in Gods Laws given by Moses not to marry with strangers pay
all their tithes offerings first-fruits for the maintenance of Gods worship Priests and Levites whom he set in their courses and respective offices as is recorded at large in Neh. cap. 5. to the end of the Book penned by himself as is conceived though a Layman and no Priest 5ly Mordecai the Jew who was next to King Ahashuerus and Esther the Queen by this Kings consent instituted and by their own Decrees confirmed the dayes and feast of Purim wherein God gave them rest and deliverance from their Enemies to be dayes of feasting and gladnesse and of sending portions to one another and gifts to the poor and that these dayes should be remembred and kept through every generation every family every province and every City and that these dayes of Purim should not fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them from their seed And many conceive Mordecai was the penman of this Canonical History though no Priest 6ly King Nebuchadnezzer as he exercised the Supream Ecclesiastical Authority within his Empire in Erecting a golden image and commanding all his Subjects of what condition or Nation soever to fall down and worship it under pain of being cast into the fiery furnace which Decree all but Shadrac Mesac and Abednago obeyed he commanding them to be cast into this furnace for disobeying his Decree So after their miraculous preservation in and deliverance out of this furnace without any touch or smell of fire he made this memorable pious Decree That every people Nation and Language that spake any thing amisse against the God of Shadrac Mesac and Abednago shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort 7ly The King of Nineveh when he heard tydings of Jonah his Message from God which he cryed in the streets thereof by Gods command Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown to prevent this denounced Judgement caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh BY THE DECREE OF THE KING AND HIS NOBLES not Priests saying Let neither man nor beast herd nor flock taste anything let them not feed nor drink waeer but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hand who can tell if God will turn and repent from his fierce anger that we perish not whereupon they fasted and put on sackcloth from the greatest unto the least and the King himself was covered with sackcloth and ashes and they turned from their evil way and God pented of the evil he said he would do unto them and did it not By all these presidents recorded by the Spirit of God in Canonical Scripture it is infallibly evident That from Moses till the last King of Judah and Israel and during their Captivity yea from the very first chapter in Genesis till the last of Malachi the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in and over all persons things causes in and over the Church and people of God resided totally in and was executed by the Supream Temporal Magistrates Kings Governours and so in Pagan kingdomes too and was never so much as once seated in claimed usurped or managed by any one High Priest Priest Levite or other Ecclesiastical person whatsoever no not in divine and sacred affairs much lesse is there the least shadow of any such transcendent Jurisdiction in them over Kings and Civil Magistrates or their Subjects as all Popes and most Popish Prelates Priests too of inferiour rank now claim usurp exercise by a pretended Divine Right not to be found out or really grounded in the least on any place or president in the Old Testament from Adam till our Saviours incarnation 7ly After the Jewes return from the Babylonish Captivity though the High Priests during their unsetled estate frequent warrs with and captivity to the Romans and others usurped exercised some kind of Ecclesiastical and Civil Jurisdiction too which God never transferred to them by divine Authority nor any of their predecessors exercised under their Judges or Kings yet the Supream Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority which they frequently annexed to the Civil remained alwayes in their Chief Temporal Princes Kings whom they made their High Priests too or they made themselves both Princes Kings and High Priests by usurpation fraud and bloodshed After the extinction of the whole linage of Aaron the Kings of Syria translated the high Priestood to Simon and his family of the Asmoneans in which there were 20. high Priests as Paul Eber and others observe whereof 5. were likewise Princes and Chief Temporal Governours to wit Matthias Judas Maccabeus his Son Jonathan his Brother Simon and Hyrcanus six usurped the Crown styling themselves both Kings and High Priests as Aristobulus the 1. and 2. Alexander 1. 2. Hyrcanus and Antigonus After their Conquest by the Romans the Roman Emperours and their Deputies had the Soveraign power even in Ecclesiastical things and causes though the high Priests Princes Elders and Rulers of the people assembled in a Council in imitation of their Sanhedrim usurped to themselves both a Civil and Ecclesiastical power in religious matters having a Captain of the Temple Officers and Souldiers under them whom they sent forcibly to apprehend our Saviour Jesus Christ and bring him before them Prisoner in their Council where they examined and accused him first of blasphemy and then delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Roman Governour where he was accused by them in the Judgement hall before Pilate and at last condemned to be crucified as the Evangelists record at large By which it is evident that Pilate had the Soveraign power they having no power to put any man to death but only to put men out of the Synagogue scourge beat imprison them at their discretion After Christs death this Conventicle of Chief Priests Elders Priests Pharises and Scribes twice apprehended examined the Apostles for preaching in the Temple commanding them to preach no more in the name of the Lord Jesus which they refused to do whereupon they only threatned and let them go at first but when brought before them the second time for preaching openly in the Temple and filling Jerusalem with their doctrine notwithstanding their threats and inhibitions they then beat and let them go charging them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus Yet they were so farr from obeying their commands as Legal or them as the Supream Ecclesiastical power to which they were bound in conscence to submit that on the contrary they daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Soon after Stephen was brought before this Council and there accused of blasphemy and in the midst of his Apology stoned to death by the rude multitude Yea Paul by Letters and Authority from the High Priest made
havock of the Church and apprehended those that professed Christ whether men or women and haled them to prison persecuting them even to strange Cities and left them in bonds Yet when he was converted and preached Christ himself was apprehended and brought before the Council and Ananias the High Priest who commanded him to be smitten on the face when he began to speak and he was 5. times beaten with rods receiving 40. stripes save one as a penal punishment Yet neither the high Priest nor the Council were the Supream Judges in Causes Ecclesiastical but the Roman Governours Rulers and Caesar Hence the high Priest with the Elders and Council by Tertullus their Orator accused Paul first before Felix the Governor for being a stirrer up of sedition among all the Jewes in the world and ringleader of the sect of the Nazarens before whom Paul made his defence Afterwards he was accused by them before Portius Festus the succeeding Governour who demanded of him Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and THERE BE JUDGED BEFORE ME not the High Priest or Council of those things whereof he was accused Whereupon Paul doubting his justice made this Appeal to Caesar himself as Supreamest Judge in all Ecclesiastical causes I STAND AT CAESARS JUDGEMENT SEAT WHERE I OUGHT TO BE JUDGED c. No man may deliver me to the Jews I APPEAL UNTO CAESAR Then Festus when he had consulted with the Council answered Hast thou appealed unto Caesar UNTO CAESAR SHALT THOU GO Festus soon after informing King Agrippa that Paul had referred himself to the hearing and Judgement of Augustus heard him again the second time before King Agrippa who resolved This man might have been set at liberty had he not appealed unto Caesar to whose Tribunal he was thereupon sent a prisoner to Rome to Caesar himself as the Soveraign Judge as well in Religious as Civil causes persons though a Pagan Moreover Saint Paul having cast a spirit of divination out of a Damsel at Philippi the chief City of that part of Macedonia it is specially recorded When her Masters saw that the hope of their Gains was gon they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market-place unto the Rulers and brought them to the Magistrates saying These men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach customes which are not lawfull for us to receive neither to observe being Romans And the multitude rose up together against them and the Magistrates rent off their cloathes and commanded to beat them And when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the Jaylor to keep them safely who having received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the flocks But the next morning upon Pauls message the Magistrates released and brought them out of prison themselves In fine our Saviour foretold his Apostles They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into Prisons being brought before KINGS RULERS for my name sake for a testimony against them compared with Christs prohibition to his Disciples The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so and with the forecited Texts are a most clear convincing Evidence that although the Jewish high Priests and Priests usurped rather a Temporal then Ecclesiastical power to fetch the Apostles before and scourge them in their Synagogues to apprehend them by their Officers Souldiers drag and cast men and women into prison for preaching and professing Christ and that not severally by themselves but in a mixt Councel of Elders Scribes and Pharises who were no Priests sitting advising and voting with them Yet the Supream power in matters of Doctrine and Religion even amongst the Jews during our Saviours abode with them and after his Ascension continued in the Roman Deputies Kings Emperors and chief Civil Magistrates alone as they did by divine institution in Moses Joshua David Solomon and other their own forementioned Kings and Supream Temporal Governours As for the Jewish Supream Court generally stiled their Sanhedrim consisting of 71. persons of the Elders Heads and Princes of Israel as the Jewish Rabbins and those who write of the Jewish Courts collect from Numb 11. 16. where they hold it was first erected and conceive it was like our Parliaments having conusance of all highest affairs I confesse I could never yet be satisfied by any Text of Scripture or solid Antiquity 1. That this Court of 71. or Sanhedrim was a setled standing Court sitting usually at Jerusalem and that during the Judges Kings and inter-regnums too till Herod put it down 2ly That the high Priests or any Levites were antiently Members of it which Godwin and others utterly deny 3ly That they intermedled with any Ecclesiastical causes as Supream Judges of them as some alleadge they did in the case of the Prophet Jeremiah where when the malicious Priests Prophets and all the people pronounced him I conceive only by way of accusation as in the case of Christ before Pilate when they cryed out Let him be crucified not vote or Judgement to be worthy of death the Princes of Judah who heard tydings thereof came up from the Kings house and sate down in the Porch of the house of the Lord and when they had heard Jeremiah his Apology and their clamours adjudged voted the contrary that he was not worthy to die and saved his life which proves the Princes only not the Priests or Prophets to be Judges paramount even in Ecclesiastical causes persons not the Priests in their imaginary Consistory Church Council 4ly It is granted by Sigonius Dr. Field most Jewish Rabbies Antiquaries that the Princes of Judah and Israel before the Babilonish captivity sat Chief Presidents in this high Court as they do in our Parliaments and that nothing was there passed but by their assents thereto till the high Priest after that restitution by usurpation not right sat Chief therein Therefore if we admit any such Soveraign standing Court erected and continuing so long as some pretend to erect such a Presbytery in themselves having conusance of Ecclesiastical persons or causes as well as Temporal or a kind of Ecclesiastical Consistory stiled a Council which some would difference from it though I hold them both one and the same erected devised by their Elders Princes Priests after their return from the Babilonish captivity it will no wayes enervate but ratifie my second Proposition That the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in the Israelitish Church of God under the Law remained alwayes setled by Divine and Natural Right in their Kings and chief Civil Magistrates Princes Councils not in their High Priest Priests or Levites separated or conjoyned and that the Civil and Ecclesiastical power are but one and the same in nature distinguished only by the Civil or Ecclesiastical
objects about which they are exercised not in their original subject or power it self Before I proceed to the next Proposition it will be necessary to answer 4. principal Arguments Presidents out of the Old Testament before and under the Law produced by Popes and their Parasites to evidence their pretended Universal Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction too over the Persons Crowns Kingdoms of all Kings Princes and the Emperor himself to dispose of them at their absolute Wills as derived only from and held under them which my Chronological Method confines me here to propound and answer in their order The first is that alleged by Pope Innocent the 3d. the first Pope who interdicted the Realm of England Excommunicated King John and by force and frauds induced him to resign his Kingdoms of England and Ireland to and resume them from him under an Annual rent and to do Homage to him for them as his Vassal This Pope in an Epistle to the Emperour of Constantinople useth this Argument before Adams creation to maintain his Temporal Monarchy Moreover you ought to know that God hath made two great Lights in the firmament of heaven the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night both of them great but the other greater Ad firmamentum igitur Coeli hoc est Universalis Ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria c. Therefore God hath made two great lights to rule the firmament of heaven to wit of the Universal Church that is he hath instituted TWO DIGNITIES quae sunt Pontificalis authoritas Regalis potestas which are The Pontifical Authority and the Regal Power But that which ruleth in the day that is in Spiritual things major est is the Greater but that which in carnal things minor is the Lesser ut quanta est inter Solem Lunam tanta inter Pontifices Reges differentia cognoscatur mark it that it might be known there is as great a difference between Popes and Kings as there is betweeen the Sunne and Moon How great this difference is this Pope defines not But some illiterate Canonists and Glossers on this Text not well versed in Astronomy resolve the Sunne to be 47. times greater then the Moon whereas Johannes Clavius and other Astronomers determine it to be no lesse then 6529. degrees greater then it and by consequence the Pope to be so many degrees greater then the Emperor by this Popes Resolution in his over-erring chaire He subjoyns If his Imperial Highnesse would prudently consider these things he would not make or permit the Patriarch of Constantinople a great and honourable Member of the Church to sit on the left side near his Footstool when as other Kings and Princes sicut debent AS THEY OUGHT reverently rise up to and assign them a venerable Chair next them on their right hand Nos autem etsi non increpando scripserimus potuissemus tamen rationabiliter increpare Mauritius de Alzedo a Spanish Doctor of the Canon Law in his highly approved and applauded Book De Praecellentia Episcopalis dignitatis concludes from this Popes Text That there is as vast a difference between the Episcopal and Regal dignity not Papal only as there is between the Sun and Moon quoting many Canonists Divines Politians and Cardinal Bellarmin himself in his Apologia pro Responsione ad JACOBUM REGEM ANGLIAE averring it Yet Pope Sixtus the 5. was so angry with Bellarmin for not asserting the direct but oblique dominion of Popes over Kings in all Temporal things in this Apology that he purposed to have burnt and totally abolished this his Book AS HERETICAL And that upon reading of Alex Carerius his Book purposely written against Bellarmins Adversus Impios Politicos Haereticos hujus Temporis branding all for impious Hereticks who denyed the Popes direct Universal Dominion in Temporal things though they acknowledged it obliquely in-order to and absolutely in all Spiritual things In this applauded Book Carerius asserts There is that proportion between the Pope and the Emperor as is between the Sun and Moon not only in Magnitude but Splendor too For as the Sun is far more excellent and eminent then the Moon seeing she borrows her splendor and light of the Sun SO IS THE POPE THEN THE EMPEROUR seeing his Authority depends on the Pope and is derived from him Our own Thomas Waldensis alluding thereunto professedly asserts against Wickliffs defence of our Kings Supream Jurisdiction over Priests and Prelâ—tes That Priests as well as Bishops ARE TO BE PREFERRED BEFORE ALL OTHER EARTHLY PRINCES WHATSOEVER and the Priesthood before the Kingship as far as the Flesh before the Spirit Gold before Lead the Soul before the body and Heaven BEFORE EARTH in proof whereof he spends two whole Chapters and Alvarus Pelagius above forty Articles To all which I answer 1. That God created the Sunne to Govern the day and the Moon the night by a direct divine inviolable and irrevocable Institution observed from the Creation till now when Pope Innocent and his flatterers can produce any such divine Law and constitution made either by God at the creation or by Moses for the Jews High Priests Supremacy or by Kings Princes or Christ himself under the Gospel to convince any rational Christian that Popes and Prelates are the sole Universal Governours in the Church but Kings and Emperours only in the World That Popes or Bishops were ever typified by the Sunne and Moon the Church and Earthly kingdoms by Day and Night That there is as vast a difference between the Amplitude of Jurisdiction and Splendor of Popes Bishops Kings and Emperours as is between the Grandeur and Brightnesse of the Sunne and Moon That Kings and Emperours derive all their Regal Authority Crowns Kingdoms Splendor Excellency in the world from Popes Miters or Bishops Crosiers not God himself as the Old and New Testament Paul and Peter the first pretended Bishop of Rome it self dogmatically resolve as the Moon borrows her light and splendor from the Sunne as some assert but others rationally deny being both made at once by God on the fourth day two days before Adam the first man was created and some thousands of years before Popes Prelates the Grecian or Roman Emperours were extant in the world and so could not typifie either of them as these Pontificians dream Or when they can evidence that God hath constituted Popes to rule govern and give light to the whole World by day only and to the Emperour alone not Pope by night as the Sunne and Moon govern alternis vicibus without encroaching on one the others turns when as Popes Prelates usurp the Temporal Rights of all Emperors Kings as well as Ecclesiastical all the year long I shall then subscribe these Popes and Doctors conclusions as Catholick verities whereas yet I cannot but conclude them strong Antichristian delusions lyes which few sober men will
credit In the mean time since Kings Emperors were long before Popes Bishops who derive all their Lordly power Splendor Temporalties Jurisdictions Bishopricks precedency above other Ministers only from their donations not they their Crowns Kingdoms or Regal Authority from Popes or Bishops as all Histories attest against their Papal pretences to the contrary Since the Moon doth frequently ecclipse the Sunne by the interposition of her body between it and the earth as the Papal and Pontifical power hath frequently ecclipsed more or lesse the power splendor of our own and other Kings and the Roman Emperours but these Suns ver ecclipseth the Moons but only the interposition of the earths Ball betwixt them in their Divine jurisdiction being very little granted to them out of meer bounty not duty as I shall prove in due place Since the Jurisdictions Constitutions Decrees Ceremonies Franchises of Popes Prelates are still various and subject to change like the Moon the Light both of their Doctrine and Life since Pope Gregory the seventh Innocent the third Adrian the fourth Boniface 8. hath been rather Moon-light yea darkness it self then Sun-shine and the Popes Bishops Priests Monks of the Church of Rome it self more carnal earthly ambitious vitious and dark then the Kings Princes Civil Magistrates and Lay-people as St. Bernard and many of their own Authors as well as Protestants assert that the Papacy opposing and exalting it self ever since these Popes above all Christian Kings and Emperours is that Man of sin which Christ himself shall destroy with THE BRIGHTNESSE OF HIS COMMING LIGHT of the Gospel I shall rather conclude that the Pope with his Prelates Priests are the Moon and their Church the Night the Emperour and Christian Kings the Sunne and their kingdoms the Day signified in Genesis 1. then Popes and Prelates of the Church of Rome if rightly parallel'd The 2d Text alleged for the Popes Supremacy over Kings and Emperours as well in Temporals as Spirituals is The High Priest and Priests anointed crowned Saul David Solomon Jehu Joash Kings of Judah and Israel as Popes and Bishops do Kings now Ergo they were paramount their Kings as well in Temporals as Spirituals because they were anointed by and received their Crowns and Kingdoms from their hands alone who might dispose of them at their pleasures Thus Pope Adrian the 4th argued from Popes coronations of the Roman Emperour deduced from the Jewish high Priest Whence hath he King Frederick the Empire but FROM US By election of the Princes he hath the Name of King by OUR CONSECRATION he hath the name of Emperour Imperator quod habet totum habet a nobis Whatever the Emperor hath he hath the whole from Vs It is in our Power to give the Empire to whomsoever we will Hence Laurentius Ostiensis Alvarus Pelagius Marta with sundry other Pontificans thus second Pope Adrian Since Kings are made Kings by their Unction which can be had from none BUT A PRIEST as Saul and David by Samuel It is apparent they are above above Kings and That all Kings receive both the Confirmation and Administration of their Kingdoms from the Spiritual Iudge The Emperor receives his Temporal power from the Pope and Church of Rome who Confirms Annoints Crowns him therefore approves rejects and deposeth him at his Pleasure To which I reply 1. That Samuel anointed Saul and David to be Kings not at but before their Coronations and that by Gods special command as his Minister only not their Superiour whence Samuel told Saul The Lord anointed thee King over Israel and David alwayes stiled him THE LORDS ANOINTED not Samuels refusing to offer the least violence to his person upon this account So David is stiled Gods anointed who tells him I anointed thee KING over Israel and called him Mine anointed adding With my Holy oyle have I not Samuel anointed him 2. Neither Samuel nor any other of the High Priests who anointed Saul David or any King of Judah or Israel did ever from thence either claime or exercise the least Jurisdiction or Superiority over their Persons Crowns Kingdoms in Spiritualties or Temporalties as Popes and Prelates claime exercise over Christian Kings and Emperours Crowned by them Nor yet Jehojeda the High Priest who not only Anointed and Crowned Joash King but was the principal Instrument in preserving and restoring him to his Crown when Usurped by Athaliah But they all dutifully submitted to and obeyed their Royal commands ordinances in all Ecclesiastick and Divine as well as civil things as the premises evidence 3ly Not only the High Priests but Elders and People anointed David and Jehoahaz Kings without any Priest or High Priest that we read of Yet none of them claimed exercised any Supremacy over these Kings upon this account 4ly Zadoc the Priest and Nathan anointed Solomon King by King Davids special command not their own Authority who put Abiathar the chief Priest from being Priest unto the Lord because he sided with Adonijah and crowned him King and made Zadock Priest in his place Here the very King deposeth the chief Priest and tells him he deserved also to dye for anointing Adonijah not the high Priest the King for being crowned and anointed by Zadock 4ly One of the sons of the Prophets a young man by the Prophet Elisha his command from God not the high Priest anointed Jehu King saying Thus saith the Lord I HAVE ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL which having executed he opened the door and fled If this young Prophets meer anointing Jehu King gave him an absolute Jurisdiction over him in spiritual and temporal things as these Pontificians argue then this Minor Prophet likewise gained the supream Jurisdiction over the high Priests themselves and Zadock and Nathan over Abiathar the chief Priest by anointing Solomon King as well as over Jehu and Solomon which they dare not averre 5ly Popes themselves who pretend to this absolute Soveraign power over Emperors Kings by reason they crown and anoint them are both elected crowned and anointed Popes by Bishops and Cardinals only not Popes as all their Historians Pontificale Ceremoniale Romanum attest Will Popes then inferr Ergo they are higher greater in Power Jurisdiction then Popes and may dispose of the Papacy Popes and depose them at their wills Besides in the Church of Rome all other Episcopal Churches and our English Church meer Presbyters at first and of latter ages inferiour Bishops and Clergymen both elected anointed consecrated and installed all their Patriarchs Metropolitans and Archbishops Will it therefore follow that they are superiour to Patriarchs Metropolitans Archbishops in Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and may remove them at their wills If not then this grand Argument of Popes Popelins for the Popes Prelates supremacy over Emperors Kings Churches kingdoms in Temporals and Spirituals because they anointed crown them is a meer ridiculous
Non-sequitur 6ly The Kings of England France Spain Hungary Poland Denmark Sweden Bohemia Scotland Cyprus and others have been usually anointed crowned by their own Bishops the Kings of England most frequently by the Archbishops of Canterbury yet some times by the Archbishop of York or Bishop of London or Winchester Are therefore these Bishops that crown anoint them Kings thereby intituled to be their Soveraign Lords in all Temporal and Spiritual things and advanced above all other Archbishops and Bishops in their Realms not present at their Coronation Consecration and may dispose of their Bishopricks Crowns kingdoms at their pleasures If not I hope the Roman Pontifs will from henceforth disclaim this grand Argument for their Supremacy as most false and absurd The rather because none of the Jewish high Priests Priests ever pretended to much lesse exercised such a power over any of their most impious idolatrous Kings as Popes both claimed and exercised over pious Christian Kings Emperours to their eternal infamy And because Kings are actual Kings by desent or election before their Coronations The 3d. and principal warrant from the Old Testament which Popes and their Parasites insist on for their Supream Athority over all Christian Pagan Kings and Emperors Persons Crowns Kingdoms to dispose depose root out destroy them at their wills is that Text of Jeremy 1. 10. The Lord said unto Jeremiah See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over kingdomes to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Whence they thus argue Jeremiah the Priest to whom this power under the Law was given was but a Type of the Popes Christs Vicar General his absolute Dominion power under the Gospel of whom this Text was principally meant Therefore Popes may pull down root out destroy and throw down all Kings Emperors Kingdoms at their pleasures and dispose of them at their wills Thus Pope Gregory the 7th in his Confirmation of his Execration of Henry the Emperor Pope Innocent the 3d. Pope John the 22d Ostiensis Alvarus Pelagius Augustinus Triumphans Caspar Scoppius Carerius Radulfus Cupers Lelius Zecchus Bozius Marta Bellarmine and other Romanists conclude with very great Confidence from this Text. But to dismount these aspring Roman Bishops and Rooks I shall desire them to demonstrate first how Jeremiah only one of the private Priests of Anathoth not the high Priest of the Jews was in this and this alone a Type of the Pope or Peter If not then their pretences argument are false If yea then let them produce some Scripture warrant for it 2ly How Jeremiah and the high Priest too from whom they claim their power can be both Types at once of the Pope and his Papal pretended prerogatives 3ly Whether the High Priest had any such Supremacy vested in him as Jeremiah here received If not then Jeremiah was paramount him in Jurisdiction and might remove extirpate him at his pleasure as well as whole Nations Kingdoms being a Member of the Israelitish Nation and Realm and so the High Priest not Supream as they formerly argued If yea What need of any such special Commission from God to Jeremiah alone without the high Priests privity or delegation to the prejudice of his inherent high priesthood 4ly Whether this transcendent power was given only to Jeremiah as an extraordinary Prophet of God sanctifyed in and called from the womb or as he was an ordinary Priest If as an extraordinary Prophet only as the Text expresly resolves then Popes can lay no Title to it till they can prove themselves such extraordinary sanctifyed called Prophets as Jeremiah and produce the like special divine Commission to each of them from God himself as he received If as to an ordinary Priest alone then every ordinary Priest among the Jewes heretofore had and by like consequence every ordinary Masse-priest in the Church of Rome hath as absolute a Soveraign power over all Kings Emperors Nations Kingdoms of the world as the high Priest or Pope himself pretends to from this Text and then where is his sole Monarchy over them when equally and intirely divided amongst so many inferiour Priests or any Kings or Kingdoms safety 5ly Whether it extends to Kings there being not a word of Kings but only of Nations Kingdoms in this Text 6ly Whether Jeremiah by virtue of this Commission did either challenge or exercise any such Soveraign Authority over Amon Jehoiakim or Zedekiah Kings of Iudah their kingdom under whom he lived though very wicked and idolatrous by deposing them from their thrones absolving their Subjects from their allegiance and setting up other Kings in their steads If not it is infallible then this was no Commission for such a rooting out destroying pulling and throwing down as these Pontificians dream of but of far different Nature to wit only by denouncing Gods judgements against them that if they persevered in their sins God himself would root out and destroy pull and throw them down but if they repented upon his menaces he would build and plant them This God himself declared to be his only meaning even to Ieremiah himself and to us ch 19. 5. to 11. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in my hand O house of Israel At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it If it do evil in my sight that it obey not my voice then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I frame evil against you and devise a devise against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your wayes and your doings good This way of working out pulling down building up and planting Kings and kingdoms and no other he useth throughout his prophecy especially ch 25. 17. to 38. where God commands him to take the wine cup of his fury at his hand and to make all the Kings and kingdoms of the world to drink it that so they may spue and fall and rise no more and become a desolation for their sins if they repented not This was the rooting up and pulling down which Samuel exercised towards Saul the first King of Israel and his kingdom when he thus publikely menaced them But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be destroyed both you
How great are his signes how mighty are his wonders and his dominion is from Generation to Generation Upon which consideration King Nebuchadnezzer himself upon his restauration to his understanding and kingdom ver 34 35 Blessed the most high and praised and honoured him who liveth for ever whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom from Generation to Generation And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and who can say unto him what doest thou King Darius thus seconded him Dan 6. 26. He is the living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his dominion that which shall be even unto the end He delivereth and rescueth c. Dan. 7. 13 14 27. I saw in the night Vision and behold one like the sonne of man Christ Jesus came with the clouds of heaven and came to the antient of dayes and they brought him near before him and there was given him Dominion Glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages shall serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed An the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints which are of the most high whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him To which the Prophet Micah superadds this prophecy ch 4. 7. I will make him that was cast farr off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever All these memorable Prophecies and Promises in the Old Testament were particularly applied to Christ and ratified by the Angel Gabriel when sent by God to the Virgin Mary with the blessed Tydings of our Saviours miraculous conception by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost in her womb thus recorded by St. Luke in the New Testament Luc. 1. 21 31 32 33. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name JESVS He shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his father David an he shall reign over the House of Israel for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end All these recited memorable Prophecies promises applied to Christ himself his Reign Kingdom Kingly Office in the New Testament Lu. 1. 32 33. Hebr. 1. 7. to 14. 1 Cor. 15. 25. 2 Pet. 1. 11. infallibly resolve That all Spiritual Dominion Rule Power Judicature and Jurisdiction over the Church and members thereof are actually vested in Christ by God the Father for ever inseparably annexed only to his Regal not Priestly or Prophetical Office and that he exerciseth this Supream Lordship and Dominion over them only as a King sitting in his Regal throne reigning over giving Lawes to judging rewarding punishing them as they are his Kingdom Subjects who serve and obey him as their King whose Kingdom and Soveraign Dominion over them is an everlasting Kingdom Government Dominion which shall never be altered nor destroyed nor the rights thereof invaded by his Priestly Office nor any Apostle Pope Bishop Priest or Usurpers whatsoever 4ly Upon this account we find these secondary Prophecies recorded in the Old Testament that not only all Nations but their very Kings Princes Kingdomes should obey serve and do him homage with all humility as their Soveraign King and Lord by from and under whom they hold their Crowns and whose 〈◊〉 Ministers they are Hence is that memorable prophecy of 〈◊〉 David 〈…〉 on 〈◊〉 throne he is sad to sit Psal 68. 24 29. 32. They have seâ—n thy going O God the going of my God my King in the Sanctuary c. Kings â—â—all bring presents unto thee Sing unto God ye Kingdomes of the earth O sing praises unto the Lord. Psal 72. 4 9 10 c. a meer prophecy of Christ and his Kingdom under the person oâ— King Solomon his predecessor and type Give the King by Judgement O God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings Sonne He shall judge thy people with righteousnesse c. He shall have Dominion also from sea to sea and from the River unto the enâ—s of the earth They that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him and his 〈…〉 shall liâ—ke the dust The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts Yea all Kings shall fall down before him and â—hem by their examples and authority all Nations shall serve him 〈◊〉 102. 15 16. The heathen shall fear the name of the Lord 〈◊〉 Kings of the earth thy glory Psal 138. 4 5. All the Kings of the Earth shall praise thée O Lord when 〈◊〉 hear the words of thy mouth yea they shall sing in the praises of the Lord for great is thâ— glory of 〈◊〉 Lord Whence King David exhorting all celestial terrestrial and then the rational 〈…〉 as to praise the Lord Psal 14. 8. begins thus with Kings verse 11. Kings of the earth and all people Princes all Iudges of the earth c. Let them praise thy 〈◊〉 of the LORD for his name alone is excellent his glory is above the earth and heaven Isay 41. 1 2. Keep silence before me O Islands c. who raised up the righteus maâ— from the east and called him to his foot gave the Nations before him and made him Rule over Kings he gave them as dust to his sword and as driven sâ—ubble to 〈…〉 Isay 49. 7 23. Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull and the holy one of Israel Kings and Quéens shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth Isay 52. 15. He Christ with his 〈◊〉 shall â—â—rinkle many Nations THE KINGS shall shut their mouths at or rather before him for that which hath not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider Isay 60. 3. 10 11 16. chap. 62. 3. The Lord shall 〈◊〉 upon thee and his glory shall be shewn in thee The Gentiles shall come to thy light and KINGS to the brightnesse of thy rising THE KINGS of the sons of strangers shall come unto thee unto thee the riches of the Gentiles and THEIR KINGS shall be brought The Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse and ALL KINGS thy glory Hence the Royal Psalmist David upon this consideration that God in despite of all heathen people Kings and Rulers of the earth should set up his Sonne Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 KING upon his holy hill of Zion which cannot be removed but standeth fact for ever to whom he had given the Heathen for an Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession concludes with this admonition to
1. The several sorts of Christs kingdomes 2ly What kind of Kingdom his Church is 3ly How and in what manner he reigns and governs in it as King and Soveraign Lord over it For the 1. It is generally agreed by Fathers Pontificians and Protestants that Jesus Christ hath a three-fold kingdom set forth in the premised Scriptures if strictly pryed into The first is a Kingdom of power and absolute Dominion which extends it self not only to all Men and Angels but likewise to all other unreasonable and inanimate Creatures whatsoever in heaven earth and under the earth yea to the very Devils themselves This Kingdom belongs unto Christ principally as he is God and the Creator of all things which comes not within the Verge of our present Discourse however Popes seem to usurp it The 2. is a Kingdom of meer purchase or Grace confined properly not to Angels or Mankind in general but to such as are truly elected called justifyed sanctified redeemed saved by Christs precious blood yet in the largest sense extended to the good Angels and all visible Members of the Church Militant professing the name and gospel of Christ as his Subjects though not actually regenerated justified sanctified saved Of this Kingdom there are two distinct parts the one Triumphant in Heaven over which no Pope or Mortals on earth can pretend the least Kingship or Dominion the other Militant upon Earth the latter in its largest extension comprehending all who bear the name of Christians whether good or bad regenerate or unregenerate This is the Kingdom of Christ of which the Pope as Christs Vicar General and Peters fictitious Successor pretends himself the Supream and sole Governor The 3d. is the Kingdom of Glory not really different from the former long since begun and encreasing every day more and more by new additions of departed Saints thereto which kingdom shall be fully compleated when all the Elect shall be gathered the Church militant united to the Church triumphant actually glorified with Christ in the kingdom of heaven For the 2d It is asserted by Fathers and most Romanists themselves as well as Protestants that this Kingdom of Christ is meerly Spiritual Not any temporal kingdom upon earth as the Jewes some grosse Milenaries Popes and their Parasites fancy over which Christ never actually reigned or shall reign as a Temporal King and Lord even in all temporal things for which we find no warrant in Scripture or Fathers Hence Thomas Waldensis himself though a grand Advocate for the Popes Supremacy layes down and proves at large these 4 Conclusions 1. Regnum temporale Judaeorum sub Jeconio excidium accepit neque amplius Judaecorum aliquis vel de jure vel de facto illud obtinuit 2. Regnum illud Judaeorum terrenum cum figura fuit Regni aeterni spiritualis Christi debuit omnino in adventu eius cessare quemadmodum et sacrificia 3. Regnum temporale quod in Prophetarum scriptis MESSIAE promissum est non est Regnum Carnale et Terrenum sed Spirituale quo per Fidem in Cordibus suorum Regnat 4. Quod ex verbis quae Christus dixit coram Pilato Tu dicis quod Rex sum ego non potest colligi quod ipse fuerit Rex Terrenus de Facto vel de Jure And Gen. 49. 10. proves That the temporal Scepter should depart from Iudah when Christ the true Shiloh came into the world Alvarus Pelagius the grand assertor of the Popes Universal Kingship in and over Christs kingdom the Church and all earthly Kings Kingdoms too informs us That the kingdom of Christ hath various acceptations in Scripture 1. It is taken for Christ himself 2ly For the sacred Scripture or Gospel of Christ 3ly For the Church of Christ divided into two Parts Militant on earth triumphant in heaven yet there are not two kingdoms in the Church but one kingdom because both end in one and there is but one King of both and one Spirit reigns in both Churches but diversly for in the Church of Travellers it reigns by faith in the Church of the blessed by open vision This Church therefore is but One for the unity of its end and beginning but it is distinguished by reason of the diversity of the state Yet this kingdom comprehends not only the Elect but also all the holy Angels for there is but one City and Kingdom of God constituted out of holy Angels and men as he proves out of Augustine and Gratian Distinct 10. 59. That Christ ever challenged or enjoyed any temporal kingdom upon earth he offers not the least proof out of Scripture or Fathers in which Cardinal Bellarmin himself confesseth he could never find that Christ had any such kingdom after most diligent search but only a kingdom in and over his Church which is not temporal but spiritual For the 3d. All antient and most modern Divines of all sorts assert that Christs immediate Government in and over his Spiritual Kingdom the Church is Spiritual not Temporal and that principally in and over the souls spirits consciences wills hearts affections of his elect Saints in which he dwells lives rules reigns by his Spirit and Grace And this his Spiritual Government is neither communicated nor transferred by Jesus Christ to any King High Priest Priest Bishop Pope or other Mortal whatsoever but resides in Christ alone the King of Saints as an incommunicable unseparable part and prerogative of his Regal not Sacerdotal or prophetical office But more of this in the two next Propositions BOOK I. CHAP. IV. That Jesus Christ as Supream King Lord Head of his Kingdom the Church whiles on Earth never claimed exercised enjoyed any Temporal Royal Jurisdiction or Magistratical Authority over any of his Subjects much lesse over Emperors Kings Kingdoms Nations or Soveraign civil Powers nor ever deprived any of them of their Crowns nor absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance nor pulled up cast down or rooted up their Kingdomes nor gave them to whomsoever he pleased Neither did he either before at or after his passion resurrection or ascention derive any such superlative Power to Saint Peter as his sole universal Vicar or Viceroy nor to any other Apostle Bishop Priest or Pope whatsoever Nor delegate his Supream Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Kingdom the Church militant in this world and all the Members of it but only committed to them the Ministerial part of his Prophetical Office his High Priestood being personal untransferrable and incommunicable unto any other of teaching and preaching the Gospel publikely to all Nations administring the Sacraments of Baptism the Lords Supper to them according to his institution and command feeding them as his Sheep with the sincere milk of his word teaching them as his Apostles Ministers Servants to obey whatever he hath commanded them beseeching intreating them as his Embassadors in his stead to be reconciled unto God and to declare pronounce them absolved
men as to the execution of their offices as these next words as those who are sent by him to wit by the LORD for whose sake you ought thus to submit unto them as Rom 13. 1 2 4 6. and the sense resolve not by me or my Vicars and that to be Supream Governors over you 2ly Because sent by God only for the punishment of evil doers as well Christians as Pagans Popes Priests as Lay-christians if you do ill as the Gentiles accuse you to be Evil doers v 12. c. 3. 16. and so subject to their Jurisdiction only and not to mine or your own Pastors if proved such 3ly Because they are also thus sent for the praise of them that do well so that they by your honest conversation and good works which they shall behold and submission to their power and Government will not only praise you but glorify God in the day of their visitation and become Christians too 4ly For so is the will of God that you should thus submit to them as Supream and with well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who falsly accuse you to pretend an exemption from all Secular power A◠free yet not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousnesse but as the servabts of God 5ly He thence inferts Honor all Men that is all Supream Governours to whom Honor is due Rom 13. 7. Fear God Honor the King in a more signal manner as Supream and Gods Vice-Roy upon Earth the honoring of whom for the Lords sake will evidence to the world and your own consciences that you fear God when your disobedience to exempting your selves from and advancing your selves above them will discover that you fear him not Pope Innocent the 3d. with other Popes and their Parasites to evade Saint Peters text assert 1. That it extends only to those who receive temporal things from the Emperor who in temporal things is Supream which yet he and his Successors elsewhere contradict but not to spiritual things wherein Pontifex antecellit which excell temporal things as much as the soul doth the body 2ly That it is not said simpliciter Subjecti estote but with this addition propter Deum which extenuates and qualifies it 3ly Neither is it purely written Regi praecellenti sed interpositum Forsttan non sine causa 4ly Ad vindictam malefactorum extends only to those qui utentes gladio ejus sunt Jurisdictioni subjecti not to Priests whose Promotion of Priesthood advanceth them above Kings and kingdoms totally to root up and to destroy and to build and plant them To which evasions I answer 1. That St. Peter makes no such distinction of Temporalties and Spiritualties nor that the King or Emperor is supream in the one but himself Popes Prelates only in the other as this Pope doth 2ly He acknowledgeth the King Supream in both it being Heresy as they assert to hold two Supream heads and two Principles of power in and over one body 3ly Peter writes this Epistle to all the Elect Saints as Gods peculiar people heritage a Royal holy Priesthood and an holy Church Nation unto God enjoyning them upon this consideration only not as meer worldlings to submit to Kings and Governors as Supream without one word of his own his Successots or others supremacy over them therefore it extends to spiritual as well as to temporal Supremacy 4ly This Pope acknowledgeth the Emperor to be Supream in Temporal things which he bestowes on others who receive them But Popes as themselves and flatterers confesse have received all their temporalties and St. Peters Patrimony from the Gifts of Emperors as Constantine Charles the Great and others Therefore they ought to acknowledge him Supream in temporal things at least notwithstanding all their recited vaunts and passages denying it 5ly St. Peter and Bishops had then neither Silver gold nor temporal possessions at all nor yet those Strangers scattered by persecutions through Pontus Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia to whom he writes who all sold their possessions and were spoyled of their goods when he sent this Epistle to them Therefore Saint Peter rather intended Kings and Governours to be supream in ecclesiastical matters in rewarding praysing and encouraging them in good works and in a Christian honest pious conversation and punishing them for sins contrary to and scandalizing their Christian profession then for temporal matters 2ly His 2d evasion doth not deny nor diminish but fortifie Kings Supremacy For if he had commanded them to submit to Kings and Governors as supream by the bare Ordinance of men alone this had been no strong obligation in point of conscience to them but when he adds for the Lords sake this superadds divine authority to this humane Ordinance and binds them in point of conscience towards God and as they are Christians to this submission to them Josephus relates that in his time not long before this Epistle written there rose up a crafty arrogant sect of the Pharisees et interdum Regibus quoque infestum ut eos etiam aperte oppugnare non verentur necnon cum tota gens Judeorum fidem suam jurejurando obligasset Regi et Caesari hi solum non iuraverunt being above six thousand men in number hoc nomine à Rege mulctatis and pretending to know secrets by divine Revelations they openly proclaimed like some of our late Republicans and Fanaticks in relation to the King and his Royal family Decretum esse a Deo regnum ablatum ab Herode et eius progenie transferre ad Pheronem uxorem ejus communes liberos And they with others held That being Abrahams seed and Gods people they ought not to be in subjection or pay Tribute to the Roman Emperor and Pagan Kings Hereupon the Jewish and other Christians were then suspected accused to be enemies to Kings and Cesar yea to deny subjection tribute and an Oath of Allegiance to them as supream chief Governours as these Pharisees did To take off this slander Saint Peter and Paul too did in their Epistles as well as Sermons most earnestly and particularly presse Christians subjection obedience to Emperors Kings Princes and all Secular powers even for the Lords and conscience sake as ordained and sent by God himself and a duty enjoyned them by the very Will and Gospel of God as Chrysostom Haymo Soto Calvin Gualther Willet Pareus Perrerius most other Commentators on the place and Bellarmine himself acknowledge To which Doctrine practise nothing could have been more diametrically contrary then to set up such a Universal Temporal Monarchy and Ecclesiastical Supremacy in Peter and his pretended Successors in the See of Rome it self then the seat of the Roman Emperors as they now pretend to inconsistent with the Emperors Supremacy and all Kings Government Regal power here knocked down and crushed in the shell by St. Peters own hand keyes and sacred pen. This Pope his 3d evasion is most absurd For had it been
Submit your selves therefore Regi praecellenti as this Innocent would have Peter vary it it would have extended only to one King alone then most eminent or to Christ whereas now it relates to all Kings and Governours too who have Regal or supream Authority and the addition after it as Supream is so far from extenuating the Kings Supremacy that it more fully emphatically asserts it not with a forsitan as he mistakes which would have made the Supremacy disputable but with a quasi or sicut supereminenti which puts it out of question like that of Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not sicut Deus as God which last clause as God adds lustre yea Divine Glory to his Deity which it identically not comparatively sets forth and asserts His 4th evasion that this precept extends only to Lay-christians as to Kings and Governours civil power not to Bishops Priests especially to Popes exempt from above all human judicature is most false For this Epistle is general to all the elect of God to whom he directs it whereof some no doubt were Elders and Ministers of the Church as himself informs us c. 5. 1 2 3. 2ly He gives this command in precise terms To all who came unto Christ the living and precious stone and were built up on him not Peter as lively stones a spiritual house an Holy and Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God I hope Popes Popish Prelates and Masse-priests dare not assert that Lay-Christians only are this Holy and Royal Priesthood since they wholly appropriate it to themselves as no wayes belonging to the Laity though St. Peter equally extends it to both without distinction Therefore this precept most belongs to them 4ly They of all others have in all ages most invaded oppugned the temporal magistratical Supremacy of Kings and Emperors Therefore they were principally intended by Saint Peter who would not presse that submission only on the Laity from which himself all Bishops and Clergymen their guides and presidents of obedience were totally exempted 3dly St. Peter makes no such distinction as Popes now do between Lay-Christians and Clergy-men yea he defines those now stiled the Laity to be Cleri the Lords Clergy or Heritage 1 Pet 5. 3. not the Elders nor between himself Popes Prelates and other Presbyters as Popes and others since make yea such a distinction would have not only verified but aggravated the calumnies accusations of the Pagans against the Christians For had he informed those to whom he writes and the Roman Pagan Emperors Kings Governors then ruling that all Lay Christians ought to be subject to them as Supream in all temporal things held of them but that himself and all Christian Bishops Elders Ministers were totally exempted from their power and had the sole Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction originally in themselves by virtue whereof they could root up and pull down build up and plant them their Empires Kingdoms Nations at their pleasures and were set over them for that very purpose as Jeremiah was in this Popes sence not Gods This certainly would have incensed all Emperors Kings and Governours against them to their total and final extirpation as the archest Traytors Rebels that ever the world produced This Popes distinction therefore was as farr from St. Peters meaning as he was from his humility 6ly St. Peter in this very Epistle as he stiles himself only an Elder yea fellow Elder not Christs Vicar Viceroy Head of his Church c. as Popes since have done so he exhorts the Elders of the Church only as his fellows not commands them as their Lord to feed the flock of Christ which is amongst them neither as being Lords over Gods heritage as Popes now make themselves but being ensamples to the flock Therefore those Kings and Governors to whom he enjoyned them to submit themselves not Peter nor these Elders as Supream were Supream over them in all temporal and ecclesiastical Causes as well as over their flocks to whom they were to be examples herein as well as in other particulars 7ly Bellarmin affirms Saint Peters first Universal Epistle to be written from Rome from this salutation in the cloze thereof The Church which is at Babylon saluteth you affirming this Babylon to be Rome to prove Peters being Bishop thereof and his Universal Supremacy as Christs Vicar since devolved unto Popes Wherein he makes the Church of Rome a true Antichristian Babylon and mother of confusion in perverting this Epistle from Rome so pregnant for the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Supremacy of Kings and Temporal Magistrates over all their Christian subjects as well of the Clergy as Laity so far as to give the Pope an absolute Supremacy over Kings and Emperors themselves which never entred into St. Peters heart nor was ever claimed or exercised but abominated by him and thus Decreed against in his unerring chair Yet Alvarus Pelagius concludes with Pope Innocent from this very Text of Peter ex praedictis clarè patet Papa est Universalis Monarcha totius populi christiani denuo totius mundi ita quod velit nolit quicunque viator Papae de jure subjicitur ut Praelato 6ly Saint Peter in his second Vniversal Epistle chap 2. gives a most lively character of Popes Apostacy ambition covetousnesse uncleannesse injustice and presumption more especially in despising all Dominion over them by Emperors Kings and Magistrates in speaking evil of Dignities without fear of God or Man in defiance of his first Epistle and bringing many railing accusations against them as they do in their Epistles Decrees Bulls Books against their Supremacies whereas Angels who are greater in power and might dare not do it Yet these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of those Dignities they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousnesse as many Popes Popish Prelates Rebels Regicides have done both in the field and Courts of Justice for maintaining the Popes Unchristian Usurpations over the Crowns kingdomes persons lives of their Lawfull Emperors Kings and Princes Therefore Popes must henceforth either for ever renounce their Universal Vicarship Soveraignty as neither enjoyed exercised owned but professedly and eternally subverted by St. Peter himself from whom alone they derive it or else St. Peter will eternally disclaim them by these General Texts and Universal Epistles to be either his Successors or Christs Vicars but meer Antichristian Impostors 7ly St. Paul the first real Apostle and sole Bishop of Rome to whom he only writ if any Apostle was so at least joynt Bishop with Peter if ever Bishop there as Epiphanius Eusebius and others attest even in his very Epistle to the Saints and Church of Rome it self hath put in an eternal Bar against the pretended Supremacy of Popes as St. Peter did in his Epistles from it Rom 13. 1 to 3. where he gives a
universal precept to all present and future Saints and Members of the Roman Church as well Popes Prelates Priests and other Ecclesiasticks as Lay-Christians or Pagans as the Fathers resolve Let every Soul be subiect to the higher Powers not to Paul or Peter who enjoyn obedience to them acknowledged by all to be the Roman Emperors Senate though then meer Pagans not abolished nor translated to Peter by Christ himself and that upon these unanswerable reasons 1. Because there is no power but of God 2ly The power that are then in being and so not abolished by Christ but ratified are ordained and ordered by God 3ly Whosoever therefore resisteth much more then who usurp abolish as Popes and their Parasites do the power resisteth the Ordinance of God 4ly Those that resist shall receive to themselves damnation not a Papal canonization 5ly For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evill 6ly Those that do good need not fear the Power yea they shall have praise and rewards as well as protection from the same 7ly For he is the minister of God to thee for good 8ly But if thou do that which is evil He not the Pope beareth not the sword of Justice in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger in God stead to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 9ly From all these premises he drawes this peremptory conclusion Wherefore ye must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience sake 10ly For for this cause pay you tribute also for they not Bishops or Priests are Gods not Saint Peters or the Popes Ministers attending continually upon this very thing 11ly From all which he thus concludes Render therefore to All Higher powers that are their Dues by Divine Evangelical right Tribute to whom Tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor in the affirmative Owe nothing to any man in power as well as out but to love one another obeying them out of love not fear What now is become of St. Peters or his pretended successors Monarchy Headship over the Church or Emperor of Rome himself which St. Pauls sword hath for ever decapitated Yet some Popes and their Janizaries are so impudent as to assert it cannot be argued or inforced from this Text that the Pope Church Clergy are subject to Emperors and Kings though they pay Tribute to them as a badge of their subjection even out of their Church-lands as St. Ambrose and others confesse they ought to pay by Christs and Peters examples and that Popes Clergymen are not within these universul words Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Surely St. Bernard was of another Judgement in his memorable Epistle to Henry Archbishop of Sienna Omnis anima inquit potestatibus sublimoribus subdita sit Si omnis et vestra Quis vos excipit a Vniverstate Si quis tentat excipere conatur decipere Nolite eorum acquiescere consiliis qui cum sint Christian Christi tamen vel sequi facta vel obsequi dictis opprobrio ducunt Ipsi sunt qui vobis dicere solent Servate vestrae sed is honorem Though they violate this expresse command of Christ and the Apostle Theodoret Bishop of Cyprus thus expounds this Text Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers whether he be any Priest or my Bishop then certainly any Pope or Popish Prelate or any Monk he must yeeld subiection to those to whom Magistracy is given Theodulus Bishop of Caelosyria concurs with him upon this reason For that the Gospel was not given for the subversion of the publike Civil Government and order St. Chrysostom Patriarch of Constantinople Romes and Popes Corrivals for precedency goes one step higher in his Exposition of this Text For All whether thou be a Priest or a Prophet or an Apostle therefore a Pope or a Monk which his next words certainly include or whosoever else thou be every one is commanded to obey these Higher Powers The like do Oecumenius Theophylact and sundry others conclude against these Papal Impostors and praevaricators of this unanswerable Text for Regal Supremacy 8ly To put this out of doubt the same St. Paul in his First Epistle to Timothy whom Popes and all Prelates assert to be the first and sole Bishop of Ephesus exhorts him that First of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks should be made For Kings and for all that are in Authority that We including himself and Timothy as well as other Christians may lead a quiet and peaceable life under them as all expound it in all Godlinesse relating to Gods Worship Religion and Spiritual affairs and Honesty extending to all temporal matters For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour And in his Epistle to Titus whom they repute Archbishop of Crete he gives him this express charge Put them in minde to be subiect to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates c. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived In both which Texts he peremptorily enjoynes not only continual prayers for but also subjection and real obedience to all Civil Magistrates Principalities Powers Kings Governours as the Higher powers to which himself then submitted and obeyed since he was an Apostle of Christ though formerly disobedient to them while foolish and deceived and to which Timothy and Titus themselves submitted as well as their flocks it being a moral universal duty tending to the Churches and all Christians peace quietnesse advancement of all godlinesse honesty yea good and acceptable in the sight of God and Christ our Saviour by and for whom all Thrones Dominions principalities powers both in heaven and earth were created To evade these and other Texts Alvarus Pelagius Bartholmeus Buxiensis Johannis Thierry Panormitan Angelus de Clavasio and other Canonists blasphemously assert Quod Papa est major Paulo authoritate potest dispensare contra Apostolum Paulum in omni casu cum teneat locum Petri sit Vicarius Christi Quod potest dispensare contra Jus Divinum yea contra Novum Testamentum And if this be not sufficient Papa potest dispensare de omnibus praeceptis Veteris Novi Testamenti in some particular cases Aliter ut dicit Ricardus 4. Distinct 38 non videretur Deus fuisse bonus Pater familias nisi dimisisset Pastorem super Gregem suam qui possit consulere omnibus occurrentibus necessario expediendis Nic etiam posset dici quod Papa est generalis Commissarius Dei assumptus in plenitudine potestatis cujus contrarium determinatur 2 qu 6. c. Qui se scit 24. qu. 1. Quodcumque But these Transcendent Blasphemies and even Atheistical Delusions will satisfie no sober Christians conscience nor yet evade these and St. Peters own forecited Texts Precepts which the Pope cannot dispense with unlesse he will make the
affairs being diametrically contrary to and inconsistent with their spiritual vocations 14ly St. Paul chargeth Timothy a Bishop as Bishops assert To give himself wholly to reading exhortation and doctrine that his profiting might appear before all men and give him with all other Bishops Presbyters and Ministers of the Gospel this dreadfull charge I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering doctrine denouncing a Wo to himself if he preach not the Gospel which he thereupon preached constanly publikely and from house to house as Christ and his Apostles daily preached it whose examples all Bishops Popes Ministers ought to follow Now this they could not possibly do had they all Temporal and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction delegated to them the execution whereof would totally divert or very much interrupt them in their ministerial Office preaching instructing the people and other duties of their Ministry Therefore it is infallible Christ never gave to any of them any temporal Jurisdiction 15ly St. Paul blaming the Christians of the Church of Corinth for going to Law with their brethren before Pagan Judges to the scandal of christianity doth not delegate the hearing and decision of such controversies to the Bishops or Elders of the Church but adviseth them To set them to Judge who are least esteemed in the Church as no wayes fit for the Bishops and Pastors thereof Therefore they neither had nor ought to have any Temporal Jurisdiction 16ly St. Paul makes this the special badge and character of Antichrist that man of sinne and sonne of perdition that he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God to wit over all Kings and secular Magistrates stiled Gods in the Old Testament or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And St. John describes him under the Notion of a bâ—ast exercising temporal Jurisdiction in the Church and State causing all both great and small rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark and that he had power given him over all Kingdoms Tongues and Nations which Popes now claim so that all that dwelt on the earth worshipped him whose names were not written in the Lambs book And he further subjoyns That the ten horns he saw were ten Kings who receive power as Kings one honour with the beast who have one mind and shall give their Kingly Power and Strength unto the Beast that so by pretext thereof he may claim and exercise both civil and ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as Popes do now by pretext of Constantines Charls the Great and other Kings donations and resignations of their Temporal Jurisdictions to the Pope and his Successors Upon which account most Protestant and some Romish Divines assert Popes claiming exercising both the supream temporal and ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over Kings Emperors Kingdoms Churches to be the ANTICHRIST And if so Then that Jurisdiction which is thus declared to be Antichristian neither did of right belong to Christ nor was ever delegated by him to St. Peter or the Bishops of Rome or any other Bishops whatsoever being diametrically contrary to Christ and Christianity 17ly Christ himself as he did with some indignation refuse to be a voluntary Judge or Arbitrator in a small temporal inheritance to divide it between two brethren when required saying Man who made me a Iudge or a Divider over you neither God nor Man the Supream Magistrate having given him any such Commission So he hath in precise terms expresly prohibited all Kingly and Lordly Dominion to his Apostles and in them to all Popes Prelates Bishops and Ministers whatsoever Mat. 20. 25 26. Luke 22. 25 26. And he said unto them The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors or Gracious Lords as the old Translations render it But ye shall not be so or it shall not be so among you but he that is or will be Great or Greatest among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be Chief among you let him be your Servant From which Text Origen in Mat. Hom. 13. in Isay Hom. 13 Chrysostom Opus Imp. in Mat. Hom. 31. in Epist ad Ephes Hom 1. Hierom Epist 2. ad Nepotianum c. 9. Comment in Epist ad Ephesios c. 6. Gregorius Magnus Pastoralis Curae p 2. c 6. Homil 17. in Evangelia Beda Ambrosius Theophylus Antiochenus Rabanus Maurus Paschatius Rasbertus Anselmus Theophylact and most other antient and modern Commentators on Mat 20. Lu 22. condemn all Regal and Lordly Dominion not only in Temporal but in Ecclesiastical and Spiritual things in Popes and Prelates of the Church as expresly prohibited by Christ yea by in Peter himself as well as others Hear St. Bernard for all the rest in his excellent Book a De Consideratione where he thus expounds and applies these forecited Texts against Papal Sycophants Glosses on them to Pope Eugenius in the ruff of his Papal grandeur Nam quid tibi aliud promisit Sanctus Apostolus quam sedula sollicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum Quod habeo inquit hoc tibi Do. Quid illud unum scio non est aurum neque argentum cum ipse dicat Argentum Aurum non est mihi Esto ut alia quacunque ratione haec tibi vindices sed non Apostolico Jure Nec enim illa tibi dare quod non habuit potuit Quod habuit hoc dedit sollicitudinem ut dixi super Ecclesias Numquid dominationem Audi ipsum Non dominantes ait in Clero sed forma facti gregis Et ne dicium sola humilitate putes non etiam veritate Vox Domini est in Evangelio Reges gentium dominantur eorum qui poteâ—â—atem habent super eos Benefici vocantur Et infert inter vos non sic Planum est Apostolis interdicitur Dominatus I ergo tu et tibi usurpare aude aut Dominans Apostolatum aut Apostolicus Dominatum plane ab alterutro prohiberis Si utrumque similiter habere voles perdes utrumque Alioquin non te exceptum illorum numero putes de quibus queritur Deus sic Ipsi regnaverunt non ex me Principes extiterunt non cognovi eos I am si regnare sine Deo juvat habes gloriam sed non apud Deum At si interdictum tenemus audiamus Edictum Qui major est vestrum ait fiat sicut minor qui praecelsior est sicut qui ministrat Forma Apostolica haec est Dominatio interdicitur indicitur ministratio quae et Commendatur
vel solvere se noxios arbitrentur cum apud Deum non sententia Sacerdotum sed reorum vita ponderatur Alligat solvit Episcopus vel Presbyter eos qui insontes sunt vel noxii sed pro officio suo cum peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui solvendus c That is as Peter Lombard interprets it Dominus tribuit Sâ—cerditibus potestatem Ligandi Solvendi id est ostendendi hominibus Ligatos Solvendos in and by the preaching of the Gospel to them according to Christs commission He that repenteth believeth and is baptized shall be saved here is the loosing and remitting He that repenteth not nor believeth shall be damned and the wrath of God abideth on him here is the binding and retaining by the keyes of the kingdom of heaven to wit the Gospel which shuts and opens heaven gates admits or excludes inherits or disinherits them of it and is the savor of life unto life to those who believe it but the savor of death unto death to those who believe it not as is evident by Mar 16. 16. Lu 13. 3. 5. John 3. 38. c 12. 48. Rom 2. 1 to 16. 1 Cor 6. 9 10 11. 2 Cor 2. 14 15 16. c 4. 3 4. Gal 5 19 20 21. Ephes 5. 5 6. Rev 21. 8 17. c. 22. 14 15. Acts 3. 26. c 16. 30 31. 2 Cor 10. 4 5 6. Which texts do open heaven gates to all repending and believing but shut them against all unrelenting unbelieving sinners This Origen Tertullian Hierom Chrysostome Augustine and other Fathers Bishop Jewel Dr. Reynolds Bishop Vsher and most Protestant Divines prove to be the Keyes of heaven and the proper pardoning binding loosing retaining of sins in the premised commission which though peculiar to Apostles Bishops Priests and Ministers of the Gospel in respect of their publike Ministry in preaching the word and pressing the promises and threatnings of the Gospel yet it belongs to every Christian Magistrate and private Christian too in their orb who may in their respective places apply the promises of the Gospel to the consolation and absolution of private penitent Christians their own families friends neighbors and denounce the wrath and judgement of God against impenitent persons and Malefactors as Judges usually do as there is ocasion 4ly This power of binding retaining loosing and remitting sinnes with the keys of the kingdom of heaven whereby this is done were equally given to all the Apostles as farre forth as to Peter Christs words I will give to thee the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven c. being in the future not present tense giving him no actual possession of the keys kingdom of heaven til after Christs ascension then but joyntly with the rest of the Apostles John 20. 21 22 23. Yea every ordinary Minister Presbyter Priest hath as large a divine power in the Keyes as the Pope himself or the greatest Patriarch Archbishop Bishop in the world and may as absolutely fully bind loose absolve retain mens sinnes as they their Commissions being all one and the same and their power herein not judicial but meerly ministerial declaratory not definitive the absolute judicial power of shutting and opening heaven pardoning remitting retaining sins and absolving condemning sinners being peculiar to God and Christ alone as Isay 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. Mat. 9. 5 6. Luc. 7. 48 49. John 2. 13. Rom 2. 17. resolve Origen St. Ambrose Chrysostom Augustine with others before cited Beda yea Peter Lombard Richardus De Sancto Victore confesse and Bishop Jewel Dr. Rainolds Dr. Field Bishop Usher Dr. Ames and all other Protestant Divines prove at large in their Treatises of Confession Absolution Power of the Keyes and against the Popes Supremacy Whence Alphonso de Castro concludes though a great champion for the Pope Quando absolvit simplex Sacerdos tantum adsolvit de Culpa sicut Papa Therefore if these Texts give any Supream Ecclesiastical Authority over Kings and the whole Church to St. Peter or the Pope they give the very same to every Priest Curate whatsoever and so we shall have as many Popes yea Vicars generals and Viceroyes of Christ over the Church all Christian Kings Emperors and their kingdoms as there are Priests 5ly I have long admired how any Pope or Prelate from this borrowed Metaphor of the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven given to Peter or others can pretend to such a transcendent Soveraign Ecclesiastical Temporal Jurisdiction too as some of them claim from thence Since I never read in any Text Story That Keyes were an Emblem of Supream Iurisdiction but the Sword or Scepter only which belongs not unto Apostles Popes Prelates Priests but Kings alone And experience informs us that Porters who keep the keyes and open shut the gates of Kings Popes Bishops Noblemens Pallaces Cities Colledges Castles Courts and other publike or private Baylifs Stewards Butlers Grooms who keep the keyes of their Lords Masters Barns Butteries Sellers Stables are persons of inferiour quality void of any Supream Temporal or Ecclesiastical Authority in or over their fellow Servants much lesse over their Lords Masters to shut them out or let them in at their pleasures Therefore every of these Porters Key-keepers yea every parish Clerk who keeps the keyes of the Church Cathedral or of the Popes own pallace at Rome may as justly challenge a Supream Temporal and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over their Kings Lords Popes Bishops Parish-Priests Parishioners Churches themselves as the Pope Priests and Prelates do from St. Peters keyes because they keep the keyes and open the doors to let them in and out of their Pallaces Churches Houses yea the Door-keepers and Turn-keyes of both Houses of Parliament may as well argue they are above the Houses Members themselves in power and jurisdiction upon the same Account as Popes above the Church Kings 6ly Popes and their flatterers to appropriate those Keyes to St. Peter and the Romish Hierarchy which Christ himself never knew nor gave them have made up a New Bundle of Keyes in their own forge which will never shut nor open the gates of heaven As first the Key of Power 2ly Of Iurisdiction 3ly Of Order 4ly Of Discretion 5ly The Keyes most principall 6ly The Keyes lesse principall 7ly The Keys of Knowledge Which though chief Bonaventura confesseth most of their Ordinary Masse Priests want being so ignorant that they are utterly voyd of all true saving knowledge of the sacred Scriptures Most of these Keyes they appropriate to the Pope originally and from him derivatively to Bishops But since they have not in all their New Bunch of Keyes The Key of Faith and knowledge of the word of God which only opens heavens gate and since the gate of heaven is very strait and but one and so needs not such a multiplicity of Keyes or pick-locks to open it
quaecunque acceperunt ut suas utilitates negligant illorum procurent ut si opus fuerit neque mori recusent pro salute inferiorum suorum sicut Apostolus dicit Ego autem impendar superimpendar pro animabus vestris Si haec ergo ita se habent Primatum Ecclesiasticum concupiscere neque ratio est neque causa quia neque justum est neque utile as he there proves at large Denique ipsi honores in Christo in prima quidem facie videntur honores revera autem non sunt honores diveruÌ„ sed diversa ministeria St. Hierom thus back him Illud etiam dico quod Episcopi Sacerdotes se esse â—overint non Dominos honorent Clericos quasi Clericos c. Vnus Dominus unum Templum unus sit etiam Ministerium Recordemur semper quid Apostolus Petrus praecipia Sacerdotibus Pascite eu qui in vobis est gregem Domini neque dominantes in Clerum sed forma facti gregis Rex nolentibus praeest Episcopus volentibus ille terrore subjicit hic servituti donatur ille corpora custodâ—â— ad mortem hic animas servat at vitam Qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Videte quod dixit bonum opus desiderat non dignitatem Ad boni operis desiderum eum provocat non ad honorem Ministri sunt Episcopi non Principes Etiam in altari Dei videant sibi Episcopi si superbi sint Draconos antepoâ—â— Fratres obsecro vos c. Quae quidem verba ad humilitatem provocant supercilium decutiunt Episcoporum qui velut in aliqua sublimi specula constituti vix dignantur vidâ—râ— mortales alloqui conservos suos Discant ab Apostolo errantes insipientes Galathas vocari Fratres Subjecti invicem in timore Christi Audiant haec Episcopi audiant Presbyteri audiant omnis ordo Doctorum subiectis suis se esse subiectos imitentur dicentem Apostolum Cum enim essem liber ex omnibus omnibus me ipsum servum feci ut omnes lucrifacerem Et in alio loco Per charitatem servite invicem Servator quoque formam servi accepit ut serviret discipulis suis pedes eorum lavit Hoc interest inter Gentium Principes et Christianorum quod illi dominantur subditis nos servimus et in eo maiores sumus si minimi omnium fuerimus Yea he concludes the Bishop of Eugubium a small despicabie City to be equal to the Bishop of Rome himself in power and Jurisdiction Nec altera Romanae urbis Ecclesia altera totius orbis existimanda est c. Si authoritas quaeritur Orbis major est urbe Ubicunque fuerit Episcopus sive Eugubii sive Constantinopoli sive Alexandriae sine Tanais ejusdem meriti ejusdem est Sacerdotii Potentia divitiarum paupertatis humilitas vel sublimiorem vel inferiorem Episcopum non facit Caeterum omnes Apostolorum successores sunt quid mihi profers unius urbis Romae consuetudinem St. Augustin determines Episcopatus nomen est Operis non Honoris c. ut intelligat se non else Episcopum qui pra esse dilexerit non prodesse Quomodo vinitori altior locus factus est ad custodiendam vineam sic Episcopis altior fit locus ut ipsi superintendant tanquam custodiant populum Et de isto loco alto periculosa redditur ratio nisi eo corde stemus hic ut humilitate sub pedibus vestris simus pro vobis oremus ut qui novit mentes vestras ipse custodiat Custodimus enim vos ex officio dispensationis sed custodiri volumus vobiscum tanquam vobis pastores sumus sed sub illo Pastore vobiscum oves sumus Tanquam vobis Doctores ex hoc loco sumus sed sub uno illo Magistro in hac Schola vobiscum condiscipuli sumus Si volumus custodiri ab illo qui humiliatus est propter nos exaltatus ad custodiendos nos Humiles simus Nemo sibi arroget aliquid In brief Primasius Uticensis Episcopus Sedulius Scotus Theodoretus Beda Rabanus Maurus Oecumenius Theophylactus Bishop of Bulgaria Anselmus Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus Hayme Halberstattensis Episcopus in their Commentaries and expositions on 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. Tit. 1. Isidor Hispalensis Episcopus de Officiis Ecclesiasticis l. 2. c. 5. Concilium Aquisgranense sub Ludovico Pio c. 9. 11. 13. Gratian Causa 8. quaest 1. St. Bernard De Consideratione ad Eugenium Papam lib. 2. with infinite more unanimously resolved Episcopatus nomen est Operis non Honoris Opus inquit Apostolus non dignitatem laborem non delicias honorem Opus pet quod per humilitatem crescat non fastidio intumescat Ne igitur Dominatum et Auctoritatem solum expetat Nec desiderare Episcopatum putandus est qui suum desiderat iucrum vel honorem non plebis salutem Non enim dicitur qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum Gradum desiderat sed bonum Opus Ipse ergo sibi testis est quia Episcopatum non appetit qui non boni Operis Ministerium sed Honoris gloriam quaerit Episcopi nomen non Dominium sed Officium non Honos sed Onus Nec enim Dignitates sunt Ecclesiastica sed opus co quod unumquodque horum pro communi utilitate est constitutum sive Episcopatus sive Diaconia sive unumiquodque aliud Curam potius haereditabis et Operam quam gloriam et divitias Non est Episcopus qui praeesse dilexerit non prodesse There is therefore nothing in the Title or Office of a Bishop being only a work that can give St. Peter the Pope or any other Bishop Presbyter Elder or Minister any Supream or Ordinary inherent Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction independent on underived from the munisicence of Christian Emperors Kings especially if we consider that in the Apostolical Churches and those next succeeding them in the purest Primitive times there were by divine institution many Bishops Elders in one and the same Church not one Bishop over many That they were all of equal authority who by a common council and consent did feed instruct watch over and take care of their Churches that they were promiscuously stiled Bishops Elders Presbyters there being then no real distinction of order and degree between a Bishop a Presbyter by divine institution Hence St. Cyprian resolves Una est Ecclesia Christi per totum mundum in plura membra divisa Item Episcopatus unus Episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus Ecclesia una est connexa cohaerentium sibi invicem Sacerdotum glutino copulata Etsi Pastores multi sumus Unum tamen grogem pascimus oves universas quas Christus sanguine suo passione quaesivit collegit fovere debemus Idcirco copiosum est corpus Sacerdotum concordiae mutuae glutino atque unitatis vinculo copulatum ut si quis ex collegio
duty office of a King Quid sit Regis officium 〈…〉 Regem Quantum ad officium ita sit Rex in Regno sicut ratio in corpore et anima et sicut Deus in mundo quae si diligenter consideret Rex ex altero in eo justitia accenâ—itur dum considerat ad hoc se pâ—â—um ut loco Dei iudicium in regno exerceat Caus 24. qu. 5. Regum ex alâ—â—ro vero clementiae 〈…〉 lenitatem acquâ—raâ— dum 〈◊〉 singulos qui suo subsunt regimini sicut propria 〈…〉 Augustinus ad Marcellinum Comitem â—â—ple Christiane Judex pii Patris officium sic succensere iniquitati memmeris ut non in peccatorum acrocitatibus exerceas ulcâ—cendi libidinem sed peccatorum vulneribus curandi adhibeas voluntatem noâ— perdere paterâ—â—â— diligentiam quam in ipsa inquisitione servasti Officium autem principale Regum est mark it dirigere suum regimen in finem bonum qui est beatitudo aeterna Vnde sic debent suos subditos in hoc mundo peregrinos regere ut efficiantur Cives et Domestici Dei Eph. 2. Qui◠〈…〉 in corpore peregrinamur a Domino 2 Cor. 5. Sed quia finem 〈◊〉 divinae homo non consequitur per virtutem humanam sed divinam quia gratia Dei 〈…〉 Rom. 6. perducere ad illum ultimum finem non est humani per se regiminis sed diviâ—i Ad illum ergo Regem hoc pertinet principaliter qui non solum est homo sed etiam Deus scilicet Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum qui homines Dei filios faciens in coelestem gloriam introducit propter quod non solum Sacerdos sed et Rex in sacro eloquio nominatur Hier. 23. This then being the principal end office of Kings according to my Proposition I now proceed to evidence the truth thereof which will appear 1. By Col. 1. 16. For by him Jesus Christ were all things created that are in heaven 〈◊〉 that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him that is to promote his honor glory kingdom Gospel worship interest Compared with Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure or service they are and were created Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself that is to set forth his glory service worship praise Isay 43. 7. 21. Ps 95. 6 7. Therefore much more Kings who as they reign by him Prov. 8. 15. upon that account they should and ought principally to raign and rule for him his glory worship service their subjects salvation 2ly By Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God tho powers that are are ordained of God c. Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same For he is the Minister of God to thee for good that is for thy eternal good and salvation as well as temporal good but if thou doest that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil to reclaim him from his evil and others by his punishment thereby to bring him and others to repentance and save their souls as Chrysostom Haymo Theophylact Paraeus Willet Grotius Soto with other Commentators on the Text and Grotius De Jure Belli Pacis lib. 2. cap. 20. de Poenis resolve 3. By 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3 4. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions thanksgivings be made for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may live a quiet and peaceablelife in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth The chief end of Kings and Magistrates institution by God being to advance godlinesse in and among all their subjects in the first place and then quietnesse peace honesty in the second 4ly By Rev. 21. 24. Where St. John describing the glory and beauty of the heavenly Jerusalem to wit of Christs Church and its glory under the Gospel subjoyns And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honor to it this being the principal end for which they were made Kings to contribute all their Regal Honor Power to enlarge the bounds of Christs Church kingdom promote Gods honour worship glory and salvation of the Nations people committed to their Government 5ly Natural Parents as well under the Gospel as Law are enjoyned to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and knowledge of the Scriptures Ephes 6. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And natural Husbands are obliged to instruct and sanctifie as well as love and nourish their wives 1 Cor. 7. 14. c. 14. 35. Therefore Kings and supream Christian Magistrates the Politick Fathers and Husbands of the Commonwealth are also obliged to bring up their Children Wives Subjects in the fear and admonition of the Lord to see them instructed in Gods word and endeavour their real sanctification and salvation To these Arguments evidences out of the New Testament I shall accumulate many more out of the Old 6ly That memorable Speech of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 8. most punctual and observable to our purpose And she said to the King Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God because thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made he thee a King over Israel to do judgement and justice In which speech even of an Heathen Queen from the very light of Nature there are these memorable particulars 1. That the Thrones of all Kings are not their own but Gods alone 2ly That it is God himself who sets Kings upon his throne 3ly That the grand end thereof is To be Kings for the Lord their God who hath set them on his own throne to be his Viceroyes to promote his Glory worship honour kingdom interest in the world as Solomon did and suppresse what ever is opposite thereunto 4ly To establish their Subjects people for ever by setting up establishing Gods true Worship Ordinances Statutes Gospel amongst them for their eternal salvation and by executing Judgement and Justice over them to the encouraging piety holinesse vertue godlinesse all good works and cutting off all the wicked of the Land from the City of God left they should corrupt others and dishonor God by impunity 7ly This is most apparent by
all the Commandements of the first as well as of the second Table and punish all violations of them by Bishops Priests or Deacons as well as others of their subjects 3ly Though not to intrude like Vzziah on the Priests Ministers Bishops office in administring the Sacraments or constant publike Preaching the Gospel yet strictly to command all Bishops Clergy-men of what degree soever within their Realms diligently faithfully constantly to discharge their Pastoral duties by frequent preaching Catechising Administring the Sacraments living answerably to their professions And to enjoyn all other their Subjects to frequent Gods publike Ordinances embrace the true Religion lives as becomes the Gospel and to punish all their negligences extravagances and scandalous offences against their respective trusts and Christian profession 4. To summon General National Provincial Councils Synods to make ratifie Ecclesiastical Lawes Canons and constitute Courts Commissions Officers under them for the examination suppression of Errors Heresies Schisms and better Government of the Church and Church affairs when and where there is occasion 5. To erect new Churches Parishes Bishopricks divide or unite old place godly Bishops Pastors in them for Gods publike worship the better edification instruction salvation of the souls of their subjects and to provide competent maintenance for them 6. To receive Complaints decide Controversies Differences in Religious or Ecclesiastical matters by way of final Appeal to them to restrain redress all Incroachments exactions usurpations of Popes Bishops or other Clergymen upon their Ecclesiastical or Civil Jurisdictions Courts Rights or Subjects Liberties by Prohibitions or other means and promote as much as in them lies as well the spiritual and eternal as temporal felicity of all their subjects This Supream Jurisdiction of Emperors Kings in and over all Ecclesiastical causes persons as well as Secular for their spiritual good together with Christians professed acknowledgement of and submission to it as well under Pagan as Christian Emperors Kings Governors I shall evidence by these ensuing Authorities Aristaeas ad Philocratem fratrem informs us That King Ptolomeus Philadelphus before Christs Nativity demanding of Eleazar and other of the 70. Interpreters Quonam pacto regnum incolumè in finem usque à Rege conservetur Et quemadmodum singula juste perficere possit quomodo recte omnia servans illaesa cundem filiis salvum tradat c. Received these answers Si Dei mansuetudinem Rex in omnibus imitatur Si considerat omnem sensum à Deo esse proponatque ante omniae Dei timorem Si non potentiae suae fidat sed Deum semper imploret ut juste sibi agendi consilia dirigat Si Deum assidue imploraverit ut rectos sibi sensus ad ea quae in posterum peragenda sunt tribuat filiis imperaverit ne gloria divitiisque superbiant sed arbitrentur Dei benignitate sua sermonis sui pulchritudinem principium a Deo deducat And to this question Quid sit in gloria Regis potissimum He received this answer Deum venerari non sacris neque muneribus at cum animi puritate ac fide candida ejus voluntutem sequi All this they must do not only in their own private persons as men but as Kings and Soveraign Rulers by inducing commanding their subjects to imitate their piety examples that they may both arrive at the same ends temporal and eternal felicity Ignatius Bishop of Antioch St. Johns disciple and contemporary with the Apostles writes thus Honorare oportet et Regem nec enim Rege quisquam praestantior nec quisquam similis ei in rebus omnibus creatis therefore not the Pope or Bishops being creatures nec Episcopo qui Deo consecratus est pro totius mundi salute quicquam majus in Ecclesia The Emperors being then Pagans Nec inter Principes quisquam similis Regi qui in pace optimis legibus subditos moderatur Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and all the Elders with him in their Epistle to the Philippians thus exhort them Orate pro Regibus Potestatibus Principibus as supream Governours though then enemies to the crosse of Christ ut fructus vester manifestus sit in omnibus sitis in illo perfecti Justin Martyr in his Apologia secunda pro Christianis as well Bishops and Presbyters as believers ad Antoninum Pium Imperatorem stiles him and the Senate Ii quae praesunt qui non vi vel tyrannide sed religione sapientia ducti ferant sententiam of Christians and their Religion the grounds principles and summary whereof he relates and refers unto his and the Senates judgements consciences Subjoyning Tributa verò census iis qui a vobis constituti sunt Vbique in primis conamur pendere quemadmodum a Christo instituti sumus c. Deum solum adoranus vobis autem in aliis rebus laeti servimus Regesque vos et Principes hominum esse profitemur rogamusque ut vos cum Regali potestate sanam bonamque mentem habere inveniamini And he concludes his second Apology in defence of the Christians and their Religion which he submits to the Emperors and Senates Judgements thus Haec vobis queque consideranda permittimus ac si vobis rationi vertitatique consentanea videntur comprobate sin nugae vobis videntur ut verba nugarum plena contemnite non in eos qui nullam injuriam inferunt nec scelus admittunt ut in hostes mortem statuite And ends his first Apology with these words Qua◠vestrum quoque erit pro Religionis Philosophiaeque dignitate quod jus aequum est secundum nos Christianos judicare Theophilus Patriarch of Antioch living about the year 180. under the Empeperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus writes thus of himself and all Christians too in that age Contra Christianae Religionis calumniatores Simulacra Dii Gentium opera sunt quae confecit manus humana daemonia impurissima c. Quae cum ita sint magis honorabo Regem sive Caesarem non tamen eum adorabo verum pro eo orabo Deum qui verè Deus est adorabo sciens Caesarem ab ipso esse ordinatum Dicas ergo Quare Regem sive Caesarem adorare recusas Quia non ad id institutus est ut adoretur sed ut legitimo qui ipsi congruit honoretur honore Rex enim sive Caesar Deus non est sed meminerit se esse hominem a Deo in hanc dignitatem promotum non ut adoretur sed ut juste quemadmodum justitia exigit judicet Nam Regnum sive Imperium rerumque administratio ipsi a Deo commissa et demandata est Hinc Caesar sive Rex neminem subjectorum aut Regem aut Caesarem appellari vult Regium enim sive Caesareum nomen ipsi soli competit nec alius id vendicare audet Ita adorandi cultus nemini nisi Deo soli deferendus est Regem quidem sive Caesarem
That the Power of summoning Councils even in Rome it self appertained to this King of Italy not to the Pope 3ly That the King upon the complaints exhibited to him against the Pope suspended him both from his temporalties benefices and Papal office by his Regal authority before the Council summoned till he had purged himself from the Crimes objected 4ly That though most of the Synod held it just this Pope should not answer the Articles against him till he was first restored to his Patrimony benefice and office yet they would determine nothing therein till this Kings approbation pleasure first known 5ly That the King would not take off this Popes Suspension till he answered his Articles and purged himself notwithstanding the Synods request and opinion to the contrary 6ly That thereupon they received and read the Articles against him 7ly That the Pope appeared by this Kings summons before this Council to answer the crimes against him where at his appearance he denies to answer in point of Law till his Suspension first released and his restitution which the Emperor overruled against him After which he appeared the second time upon Summons to answer the Articles and purge himself but was interrupted by the tumultuous force and assaults of his accusers made upon him and his followers who were wounded and had been slain by them had not the Kings Great Officers rescued them from their fury and guarded them back to their lodgings That after this upon new Summons the Pope was willing to answer and purge himself before the Synod but that he was informed he could not do it without danger of being slain by his tumultuous opposites 8ly That the Synod thereupon repaired to the King as the Supream Judge to direct them how to proceed in this cause by reason of these Tumults 9ly That thereupon the King referred the whole businesse to them to proceed therein as they should think best for the Peace of the Church and of all Christians in the City of Rome 10ly That they hereupon by vertue of this Kings regal authority and command not their own inherent Episcopal or Synodal Jurisdiction referred the merits of the cause being secret and difficult to Gods judgement and restored the Pope to his Ecclesiastical Rights and exercise of his Ministry within the City of Rome and perswaded an amicable Christian peace and agreement between him his adversaries the Senate and Citizens of Rome Where then is that transcendent Jurisdiction of Popes over Kings Councils all other Bishops and his absolute exemption from their Judicatures for any scandalous sins or heresies which succeeding Popes and their Parasites boast of in the premised Chapters To evade this undeniable president Ennodius and other flatterers of Popes pretend That Pope Symmachus out of meer humility and of his own accord submitted himself to this Kings and Councils Judgement But the premises evidence the contrary that most of these proceedings especially his Suspension overruling of his demurrer c. were much against his will and that he had no real desire to purge himself what ever he pretended And John Gerson Chancellor of Paris one of the learnedest profoundest Pontificians in his notable Book De Auferibilitate Papae resolves That Symmachus and other Popes did undergo the judgements of Councils nequaquam ex humili condescentione sicut nonnulli fingunt sed ex debito et obligatione Yea this Pope himself in his Apology to Anastatius the Emperor stiles him Principem rerum humanarum adding Thou O Emperor governest human and secular affairs Bishops dispence the divine Mysteries without any addition that Bishops govern all Ecclesiastical affairs which this King and the Emperor then did in Italy not Popes nor Bishops This Theodoricus King of Italy made and published divers Ecclesiastical Lawes intermixed with his Temporal concerning Clergy-men Churches Sanctuaries Pagan Sacrifices Sepulchers and burials in Rome it self Marriages Espousals Jews the observation of the Lords day c. commanding them to be generally observed by his Edictum Theodorice Regis Lex 26. 70. 71. 92. 93. 108. 110. 111. 125 126. and that as well by the Romans as Barbarians and Goths under pain of banishment if violated Quia quod pro omnium provincialium securitate provisum est universitatis debet servare devotio Cassiodorus a Noble learned Roman Senator tutor to this King Theodoricus in his Exposition in Psal 50. Tibi soli peccavi hath this passage De populo si quis erraverit Deo peccat Regi Nam quando Rex delinquit soli Deo reus est quia hominem non habet qui eius facta diâ—udicet Merito ergo Rer Deo dicit se solum peccasse quia solus erat qui eius potuisset admissa discutere Therefore not the Pope or any other Conclave of Prelates In his other works he registers the Epistle of Theodohardus to Justinian the Emperor wherein he recites In toto orbe simile nihil habet as supream for power and dignity Pope Hormisda the 1. having condemned the Eutychians in a Council at Rome by the exhortation and command of King Theodoricus by his Letters and Messengers exhorted John then Patriarch of Constantinople and Anastatius the Emperor to renounce this Heresy and believe the two natures in Christ But they taking this message in high indignation and scorn put the messengers into an old leaking Ship and Anastatius commanded them to return directly into Italy and not to touch upon the shoare of Grece enjoyning them to return this answer to the Pope Scire se Augustorum or Imperatoris proprium esse non Pontificis imperare nec Imperata Pontificis accpiere et si quid foret in quo hunc cui divina curae sunt jubere oporteat se eum esse a quo alii multo melius sua jussa expectent quam sua proponant exequenda Nos jubere volumus non Nobis juberi This Pope Hormisda after Anastatius his death in his Epistle to the Emperor Justinus adversus Nestorii Eutychetis blasphemias informs him Inter eq quae ad unitatem Ecclesiae pertinent propter quam Deus Clementiae vestrae elegit Imperiam hoc quoque venerabilis Imperator Cura fidei cui multipliciter vos studere declarastis adiecit Making the care of the Christian faith and Peace of the Church by establishing the Orthodox faith and suppressing heresies by his Imperial authority the principal cause of Gods advancing him to the Empire In pursuance whereof this Emperor Justinus by his Letters Decrees endeavoured to reconcile the differences between the Bishops Churches of Rome and Constantinople ut unitatem individuae Trinitatis ipsi quoque colant in unitate mentium Quid enim gratius reperiri potest quid justius quid illustrius quam quos idem Regnum continet idemque fidei cultus irradiat eos non diversa contendere sed collectis in eisdem sensibus instituta venerari non humana mente
Si vero Laicus fuerit honestioris loci persona est medietatem facultatum suorum amittat fisci juribus profuturam si vero minoris loci persona est amissione rerum suarum mulctatus in exilium deputetur Flavius Reccaredus Rex hanc deliberationem quam cum sancta diffinimus Synodo confirmans subscripsi It is very observable that this King Reccaredus by his power piety and example converted all the Bishops Clergy Nobles and others of the whole Gothish Nation from the Arrian Heresie which they anathematized to the Orthodox faith as they all thus acknowledged in this Council Tunc Episcopi omnes una cum Clericis suis Primoresque gentis Gothicae pari consensione dixerunt Licet hoc jam olim conversionis nostrae tempore egerimus quando secuti gloriosissimum Dominum nostrum Reccaredum Regem ad Ecclesiam transivimus et perfidiam Arrianam cum omnibus superstitionibus suis anathematizavimus pariterque abjecimus After which protesting their unanimous cordial believing embracing profession of the Kings Orthodox faith they denounced many Anathemaes against the Arrian heresy and each branch thereof subjoyning this ingenuous confession of their Conversion from their heresie by this Kings means and their cordial embracing of his faith Comfitemur nos ex haeresi Arriana toto corde tota anima tota mente nostra ad Ecclesiam catholicam fuisse conversos Nulli dubium sit nos nostrosque decessores errasse in haeresi Arriana fidem Evangelicam atque Apostolicam nunc intra Ecclesiam Catholicam didicisse Proinde fidem sanctam quam religiosissimus Dominus noster patefecit in medio Concilii et manu sua subscripsit hanc et nos tenemus hanc confitemur pariter et suscipimus hanc in populis praequicare atque docere promittimus Haec est vera fides quam omnis Ecclesia dum per totum mundum tenet Catholica esse creditur probatur Cui haec fides non placet aut non placuerit sit Anathema Maranatha in adventu Domini nostri Jesu Christi c. All of them unanimously embracing subscribing professing perpetually to adhere to that Confession of the Catholick faith which this their religious King who converted them had made and read unto them in this Synod anathematizing all such who disliked or assented not thereunto I have transcribed these Speeches passages Confession and Charter of Confirmation of this pious King and Synod even in Spain it self where the Pope now most predominates because they justifie the Emperor Justinians Ecclesiastical Authority Laws Proceedings so much decryed by Baronius demonstrate the care and duty of the antientest Christian Kings in Spain and elsewhere to promote the orthodox faith true worship service of God conversion salvation of their Subjects souls as the principal means of their temporal and eternal felicity and utterly subvert the antichristian assertions of Popes Popish Canonists Prelats Priests Quaecunque a Principibus terrae in ordinibus vel in Ecclesiasticis rebus decreta inveniuntur authoritatis nullius esse monstrantur cum Laici deâ— rebus Ecclesiasticis nihil possunt constituere That this matter is so clear that no secular Prince from the beginning of the world till this day can be named who by the ordinary power of a Prince without the gift of Prophecy or special Revelation did laudably meddle with Religion as a Judge or ruler of spiritual causes c. And refutes the received answer of Civilians and Canonists on Justinians most excellent Law concerning Bishops and Priests to this Question Ad quid se intromittat Imperator de Spiritualibus vel Ecclesiasticis cum sciat ad se non pertinere To which if any answer be given it must be principally this Dic quod authoritate Papae hoc facit by whose Authority neither any pious Emperors nor this Spanish King ever held summoned Councils or made confirmed the recited orthodox Confessions of faith nor their Ecclesiastical Laws or Constitutions but by their own Regal Supremacies Pope Gregory the 1. sirnamed the Great most frequently prayes to God for the Emperor Mauritius and stiles him his Lord and most excellent Lord adding Deus vos universo mundo praeesse constituit Potestas Dominorum meorum caelitus data est super omnes homines himself subjecting his Papal Miter to his Imperial commands not out of meer humility but bounden duty and conscience as his Ego sum servus vester O Imperator ego vestrae jussioni subjectus ego quod debui erolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui attest He begins one of his Epistles to him thus Inter animarum curas et innumerabiles solicitudines quas indefesso studio pro Christianae reipublicae regimine sustinetis magna mihi et universo mundo saetitiae causa est quod pietas vestra Custodiae fidei qua Dominorum fulget Imperium praecipua solicitudine semper invigilat Vnde omnino confido servat vos Deus causa Religiosae mentis amore tuemini ita Deus vestras Majestates sua gratia tuetur et adjuvat Another Epistle begins thus Omnipotens Deus qui pietatem vestram pacis Ecclesiasticae fecit esse custodem ipse vos fide servat c. Pro qua re totis precibus deprecamur ut bonum hoc Omnipotens Deus Serenitati Dominorum piaeque eorum soboli et in praesenti seculo atque in perpetua remuneratione retribueret And he concludes another Epistle to him thus Omnipotens autem Deus serenissimi Domini nostri vitam et ad pacem sanctae Ecclesiae et ad utilitatem Reipublicae Romanae both coupled together by him as his office duty in and towards both alike per tempora longa custodiat In another Epistle Leontiae Augustae he thus prayes to Almighty God ut cor vestrae pietatis sua semper dextra teneat ejusque cogitationes caelestis gratiae ope dispenset Ouatenus tranquillitas vestra rectius valeat sibi servientes regere quanto Dominatori omnium noverit minus deservire In amore catholicae fidei faciat Defensores suos quas fecit ex benigno opere Imperatores nostros Infundat vestris mentibus zelum simul mansuetudinem ut semper pro fervore valearis et quicquid in Deo exceditur non inultum relinquete et si quid vobis delinquitur parcendo tolerare c. Yea he thus declaims against and censures that Title of Universal Bishop and Head of the Vniversal Church which his successors so much contend for as Antichristian Ego fidenter dico quod quisquis se Vniversalem Sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit quia superbiendo se caeteris praeponit Yea he tells Mauritius the Emperor that this Title is contra statuta Evangelica contra Canonum Decreta That Nullus unquam praedecessorum suorum hoc tam prophano vocabulo uti consenserit Quia si unus Patriarcha universalis dicetur
Burials Penance and all manner of Divine and Ecclesiastical affairs where those who please may peruse them for their satisfaction This pious Emperor to reform all corruptions abuses in Doctrine Discipline in the Churches of France Italy Germany summoned several Councils under him being present and president in most of them Pope Leo the 3d. being distressed misit ad Carolum claves Sancti Petri Urbisque Romae vexilla alia 〈◊〉 peteâ—s ut Romanum populum Papae Sacramento fidei data subâ—iceret against their wills upon this occasion Anno 799. there was a great sedition raised at Rome against this Pope whose Opposites as he was riding in procession from his Palace of Lateran to St. Laurence Church threw him from his horse put out his eyes and cut off his tongue as they imagined leaving him naked and half dead in the Streets and afterwards thrust him into the Monastery of St. Erasmus as a prisoner whence he escaping went into France complained of this injury to Charles the Great who Anno 800. marched to Rome accompanied with this Pope where after 7. days stay calling an Assembly of the Bishops Abbots et omnem Nobilitatem Francorum et Romanorum He acquainted them that the principal cause of his comming to Rome and convening them now was De discutiendis quae objecta sunt Pontifici criminibus ejus calumniatores mortiferum ei crimen imposuerunt Rege autem hoc inquirente cum nullus esset criminis probator Pontifer assumpto Evangelii textu coram Rege et omni populo ambonem conscendit astantibusque accusatoribus invocato sanctae Trinitatis nomine jure jurando ab objectis se expurgavit c. Lo here King Charls before he was crowned Emperor sat as Supreme Judge in Rome it self examining the Crimes objected against the Pope who when witnesses failed purged himself before him and all the people by his Oath and was thereupon acquitted Immediately after by way of gratitude for his restitution to the Papacy and absolution from his objected crimes King Charls comming on Christmas day to divine Service this Pope Leo on a sudden rising from prayers Carolo nihil minus speranti as Abbas Uspergensis relates though others conceive it was by his own appointment Papa coronam imposuit et Imperatorem Romanum pronunciavit et a cuncto Romano populo acclamatum est Carolo Augusto a Deo not Papa coronato Magno et Pacifico Imperatori Romanorum vita et victoria Post quas laudes unctus ab Apostolico et antiquorum more Principum ab eo adoratur ablato Patricii nomine Imperator et Augustus appellatus est Which Mantuanus the Poet thus expresseth Imperii tandem Roma applaudente Coronam Impoâ—uâ—t Carolo tantique insignia Regni Gratia Anastatius Onuphrius Platina Stella Baronius Alvarus Pelagius Marta 〈◊〉 Schioppius Bellarmin and other Pontificians conclude from lience that the Pope is above the Emperor and may de jure dispose of Empires Kingdoms and at his pleasure translate them from one Family and Nation to another Romani Imperii 〈◊〉 Gracis per Papam ad Gallos est translata postea a Gallis ad Germanos secundum beneplacitum ejus Ita est Imperium quod antea a coelo dari creditum fuit nunc ad Papae manus devolutum Pipinum queque Caroli hujus filium illius partis Itahae regem declaravit hic Pontifex quam nec ipse nec ullus praedecessorum suorum subjicere poterant writes Balaeus and others But whosoever shall impartially consider these ensuing particulars will at first discover the falsity and absurdity of these Conclusions 1. The several Letters supplications addresses of Pope Hadrian Stephen Leo and others to Pipin Carolomannus and this King Charles to protect and desend them against Aistulphus Desiderius the Lombards Romans Exarchs and other their opposites who deposed expelled and seised upon their persons possessions from time to time who thereupon restored these Popes to yea confirmed them in their Papacy by their swords and new Charters of Donations 2ly That they submitted themselves to them as their Lords Patrons Protectors surrendred up St. Peters Keyes and the Roman Ensigns to them 3ly That the Pope Council Nobles and people of Rome granted the power of electing confirming the Pope and the Government of the See and City of Rome to this Charles and his successors 4ly That before he was crowned Emperor he sat as Judge of this Popes crimes when others refused out of fear to Judge him that after his purgation he absolved and pronounced him innocent then gave judgement of death banishment against his false accusers and persecutors beheading no lesse then 300 of them as some record 5ly That Charles by way of conquest got actual possession of Rome and Italy made himself Emperor thereof his son Pipin King of Italy and this Leo actual Pope by his own sword alone not by this Popes antecedent gift or donation who never had any precedent right in or possession of them Hence Otto Frisingensis and sundry others truly observe Qualiter Carolus assumpto Pontifice totoque populo Augustus vocatus Imperium a Gracis ad Francos transtulit Hujus virtute Regnum Francorum plurimum augmentatum est omniumque Regnorum Maximum Romanum scilicet ab Oriente ad Occidentem translatum Not by the Popes or St. Peters authority as Pontificians fancre 6ly That all this Popes Predecessors were subject to the Emperors their elections approved yea their persons judged deposed by them from time to time as the premises evidence 7ly That the people of Rome by their unanimous acclamations and assents rather elected and made Charles their Emperor then the Pope who only declared anointed crowned him Emperor ministerially as other Archbishops and Bishops crown their Kings as Cardinals Bishops crown Popes themselves not authoritatively as disposers of their Crowns Empires Kingdoms as Supream Lords thereof 8ly That this Pope together with the people of Rome and all present at Charls his Coronation cryed out That God had made and crowned him Emperor by his providences and his own victorious successes not the Pope or Romans as Carolo Augusto A DEO CORONATO c. resolves 9ly That as the High Priests and Priests anointing and crowning of David Solomon and other Kings of Judah and Jerusalem by Gods appointment under the Law gave them no Jurisdiction or superiority over their persons or Kingdoms So the Popes and Bishops annointing crowning of Emperors Kings under the Gospel warranted by no Gospel precept or president of Christ Peter or any other Apostle Bishop Priest can much lesse do it Hence Thomas Waldensis though a great Champion for the Popes and Bishops Jurisdiction and Supremacy dogmatically resolves 1. Regia potestas prima sui origine a Deo est non a Sacerdoâ—e 2. Quanquam ministerio Episcoporum Regibus imponatur Corona et insignia conferantur non est propterea dicendum Regiam illam dignitatem ortum habere a sacerdote
Quanquam ministerio Episcoporum solemnitates adhibentur Regibus unctionis jusjurandi fidei et coronae non tamen habet regia illa dignitas ortum a Sacerdotio quanquam per ministerium Sacerdotis hoc habet a Deo sicut nec ordinatus quisquam habet ordinationis ortum a Praesule aut Sacramentum Eucharistiae a Sacerdote quolibet celebrante ab homine enim est solennitatis ministerium Deus vero solus largitur officium Which he proves by St. Chrysostom Tom 1. Hom. 1. De Unctione Samuelis in David Regem On whose words he observes Palam dicit Deum coronasse Regem quem homo despexit et ungitur quidem Ministerio hominis sed Dei nutu Ita quidem est et per hoc evidens quod a Sacerdote non habet Rex originem Vel iterato concludimus quod Sacerdotium initium habet a Duce quia Moyses unxit Aaron Levit. 8. Nec tamen hoc verum est nec quod autumat Doctor Adam ideo regnum Cain defecisse quia sine Sacerdote regnavit Thus he most solidly and unanswerably determines which quite subverts the Popes Supremacy over the Emperor from his bare designation unction coronation of him 10ly That all the People of Rome and other Prelats present at this Coronation had a hand voyce in this designation and coronation of Charles to be Emperor in translating the Empire to him from the Germans as much as this Pope Will it therefore follow that all and every of them there present paramount the Emperor or Kings and might dispose of the Emperor Empire and Italy at their pleasure If yea then each of them was as great and omnipotent as this Pope If not then the inference is most absurd 11ly Marsilius Patavinus long since thus discovers and refutes this inserence of the Pope and his Parasites Quae autem finaliter addebatur deductio quoniam secundum Jurisdictionem ille superior est ad Romanum Imperatorem ipsumque de jure instituere atque deponere potest qui transtulit Imperium a Graecis in Germanos in persona Magni Caroli Hic autem est Papa Romanus Ergo Imperatoris superior ipsumque instituere atque deponere potest Dicendum quod si major indefinite sumatur ex ipsa cum minore nihil infertur propter non fieri syllogismum ex indefinita cum particulari Si vero signatur universaliter ut dicatur Omnis translater imperii Romani a Graecis i◠Romanos superior est c. nisi determinetur subjectum quam plures haberet haec propositio veras instantias Si enim quis de facto non de jure transtulisset imperium aut si aliena ceu sibi ab altero tunc data potestate ad hoc tanquam procuratori vel quasi qui sic inquam transtulisset as this Pope did to Charles non propter hoc solus superiorem Jurisdictionem haberet nec potestatem justam Romanum Principem instituendi aut deponendi Si vero determinata jam dicta priori propositione ut omnis mortalis qui transtulit aut transferre potest Romanum Imperium a Graecis in Germanos juste autoritate propria non sibi concessa per alterum superior est secundum coactivam jurisdictionem ad Romanum Principem ipsumque juste instituere atque deponere potest Quae huic annectitur secunda videlicet Romanus Episcopus sive Papa est qui transtulit Imperium ut dictum est neganda est tanquam omnino falsa Nam eius opposita demonstrata est l. 1. c. 15. c. per Scripturam dicta Sanctorum atque catholicorum Doctorum Lib. 2. c. 4 5. sicque observatum de facto sine reclamatione fuisse per antiquos patres et pastores Romanos Episcopos persuasimus 21. hujus ex approbatis historiis Esto igitur Imperii translationem a Graecis in Germanos juste factam c. Dico tamen quod non authoritate Romanae Papae solius aut cum suo solo collegio Clericorum ut pridem diximus Et propterea oportet attendere secundum demonstrationes inductas c. 12. 13 15. lib. 1. quod ejusdem est autoritas prima secundum rationem rectam intendentibus leges humanas statuendi principatum instituendi Principem assumendi authoritatem illi concedendi haec omnia mutandi destruendi augendi ve◠minuendi suspendendi corrigendi deponendi transferendi recreandi reliqua faciendi circa ea quae jam dictam aut horitatem habenti principaliter non ab altero expedire videntur per suam expresserit voluntatem Cujus autem sit auctoritas supradicta determinatum est c. 12 13. l. 1. viz. Legislator vel causa legis effectiva prima ac propria esse populus seu Civium Vniversitas aut ejus valentior pars quantitate per suam electionem vel per voluntatem in generali civium congregatione per sermonem expressam praecipientem vel determinantem aliquid fieri vel remitti circa civiles actus humanos sub poena vel supplicio temporali Propter quod ubicunque legatur a quocunque dicatur translatum fuisse Imperium aut alter quicunque Principatus aut Princeps aliquis qui per electionem assumitur institutus per Papam vel aliam personam singularem aut per Collegium singulare aliquod provinciae sive regni si vera debeat esse Scriptura vel sermo et valida seu justa institutio sive translatio talis oportet fieri aut factam esse autoritate Legislatoris primi in provincia vel provinciis super quas a quibus et ad quas debet institutio aut translatio fieri aut facta fore Ideoque translatio Imperii Romani vel Imperatoris alicujus institutio dicatur aut scribatur ritè facta fuisse per Papam Romanum solum aut per ipsum cum suo solo collegio Clericorum verum sit hujusmodi dictum aut scriptum oportet translationem aut institutionem jam dictam per ipsos intelligere factam per autoritatem illis concessam adhoc a Romani Imperii Legislatore humano supremo per medium aut sine medio vel ab eis quidem non factam simpliciter sed modo quodam ut publicatam vel pronunciatam autoritate tamen praedicta But neither this Pope nor his successors had any such authority either from the rightful Roman Emperor Leo then residing at Constantinople nor from the Universality or majority of the Nobles Princes Bishops Clergy People of the then Roman Empire thus sodenly at Rome to translate the Empire from the Grecians to the French and to intail it upon them nor yet from God himself or St. Peter as I have proved at large in the precedent Chapters and Marsilius Patavinus in his two whole Books intituled Defensor Pacis Therefore it must needs be altogether illegal invalid injurious yea an Antichristian Usurpation as the forecited together with Dr. Barnes Balaeus the Century Writers Morney Jewel with other Protestant Writers
librariorum imperitia lectorum oscitantia interpretum inscitia incuria temporum depravatos ad amussim et veritatem fontis correxit Extat publicum Decretum ut Canonici libri tantum legantur in Ecclesia nec sinit in divinis Lectionibus templisque inter sacra officia inconditos solae cismos barbarismo que inconcinnos obstrepere in quibus quidam religiosuli nostra memoria sanctitatem collocant as Joannes Aventinus informs us All these particulars abundantly evidence the Supremacy of Charles the Great and Ludovicus his sonne both as Kings and Emperors in and over all Ecclesiastical persons causes and Popes themselves during their reigns and that the care protection propagation of Religion the Church and their peoples salvation belonged principally to and were managed by them as the chief branch of their Kingly office This Emperor Ludovicus Pius collected published sundry Ecclesiastical Lawes and Constitutions which he thus prefaced Omnibus vobis aut visu aut auditu notum esse non dubitamus quia genitor noster progenitores postquam a Deo ad hoc electi sunt in hoc praecipue studuerunt ut honor Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et status Regni decens maneret Nos etiam juxta modum nostrum eorum sequentes Exemplum saepe vestram devotionem de his admonere curavimus et Deo miserante multa jam emendata et correcta videmus Vnde et Deo justas laudes persolvere vestrae bonae intentioni multimodas debemus gratias referre Sed quoniam complacuit divinae providentiae nostram mediocritatem ad hoc constituere ut sanctae suae Ecclesiae et regni huius curam gereremus observe it ad hoc certare et nos et filios ac socios nostros diebus vitae nostrae optamus ut tria specialiter Capitula et a nobis et a vobis Deo opem ferente in hujus regni administratione specialiter conserventur id est ut defensio et exaltatio vel honor sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et servorum illius congruus maneat et pax et Iustitia in omni generalitate populi nostri conservetur In his quippe maxime studere et de his in omnibus placitis quae vobiscum Deo auxiliante habituri sumus vos admonere optamus sicut debitores sumus Sed quanquam summa hujus ministerii in nostra persona consistere videatur tamen divina authoritate humana or sinatione ita per partes divisum esse cogoscitur Vnde apparet quod ego omnium vestrum admonitor esse debeo et omnes vos nostri adiutores esse debetis Nec enim ignoramus quid unicuique vestrum in sibi commissa portione conveniat ideo praetermittere non possumus quin unumquemque juxta suum ordinem admoneamus Sed quoniam scimus quod specialiter pertineat ad Episcopos ut primum ad sacrum ministerium suscipiendum justè accedant in eodem Ministerio religiose vivant tam bene vivendo quam recte praedicando populis sibi commissis it er vitae praebeant ut in Monasteriis in suis Parochiis constitutis sancta religio observata fiat unusquisque juxta suam professionem veraciter vivat curam impendant Omnes vos in hoc sacro ordine constitutos et officio Pastorali functos monemus atque rogamus ut in hoc maxime elaborare studeatis et per vosmetipsos et per vobis subjectos quantum ad vestrum ministerium pertinet nobis veri adjutores in administratione ministerii nobis commissi existatis ut in judicio non condemnari pro nostra vestra negligentia sed potius pro utrorumque bono studio remunerari mereamur Et ubicunque per negligentiam Abbatis aut Abbatissae vel Comitis sive vassi nostri aut alicujus cujuslibet personae aliquod vobis difficultatis in hoc apparuerit obstaculum nostrae dignoscentiae id ad tempus insinuare non differatis ut nostro aurilio suffulti quod vestra auctoritas exposcit famulante ut decet potestate nostra facilius perficere valeatis This pious King and Emperor employed Abbot Ansegisus to collect all his own his Fathers King Charls the Great and other his Predecessors Ecclesiastical Lawes made by the advice of their Nobles as well as Bishops scattered in divers Schedules into one Volume and to present them to him for the honour and good of the Church who accordingly collected digested them into several Books Chapters intituled Capitularia Caroli Magni Ludovici consisting of 7. Books and near 1600 brief Chapters or Constitutions besides 4. Books of Additions to them printed all together in Fridericus Lindebrogus his Codex Legum Antiquarum wherein are comprised all sorts of Laws Canons Constitutions relating to the Orthodox faith worship service of God Scriptures Sacraments all Ecclesiastical persons duties matters Christians whatsoever to whom he prescribed these Laws by his Royal authority corrected augmented by advice of his Nobles as the Titles to each Book declare and sundry penalties as having the principal care of the Church and people of God committed to him for which trust he was to give a strict account at the day of Judgement In his 7th Book cap 375 376. he thus ratified all the precedent Lawes Has omnes Constitutiones quas summatim breviterque perstrinximus sicut plenius in Canone continentur manere perenni stabilitate sancimus Si quis ergo Clericus aut Laicus harum sanctionum obediens esse noluerit si Clericus fuerit excommunicationi subjaceat Si vero Laicus fuerit honestioris loci persona medietatem facultatum suarum amittat fisci juribus profuturam si vero majoris loci persona est amissione rerum suarum multatus in exilio deputetur Quaecunque a Parentibus nostris diversis sunt statuta temporibus manere invâ—olata et incorrupta circa sacrosanctas Ecclesias praecipimus Nihil igitur a privilegiis immutetur omnibus qui Ecclesiis serviunt tuitio deferatur Quia temporibus nostris addi potius reverentiae cupimus quam ex his quae olim praestituta sunt immutari About the year 824. Lotharius both Emperor and King of Italy in the time of Pope Eugenius the 2d appointed Magistrates in Rome and through all Italy qui jus Romano populo dicerent eo quod libertate qua sub Carolo Magno Ludovico usi essent abuterentur statuit etiam juxta antiquum morem ut ex latere Imp. miterentur qui judiciariam exercentes potestatem justitiaÌ„ omni populo facerent tempore quo visum foret Impâ—ratori aequa lance penderent Yea he made this Law to prevent the tumults about elections of Popes Volumus ut ad electionem Pontificis nemo audeat venire neque liber neque servus qui aliquod impedimentuÌ„ inferat exceptis illis tantuÌ„ Romanis quibus antiqua fuit consuetudo per constitutionem Sanctorum Patrum concessa eligendi Pontificem Quod si
humili prece deposcimus ne nos nostros satis invitos ad id cogatis convertere quod in quinta Universali Synodo a sede Apostolica ut in Apostolicis literis praecipue autem in Synodica B. Gregorii ad quatuor Patriarchas in aliis ejus Epistolis una cum quatuor praecedentibus legimus collandatum atque susceptum invenitur nobis tenendum Quod adhuc nostris literis ad exemplum inserere no luimus donec sciamus si duritiam mandatorum vestrorum erga nos aliter ad benignitatem inflectere poterimus Quia quod ex Apostolicae sedis nomine secundum sanctarum Scripturarum tramitem praedicationemque majorum orthodoxorum decreta scribuntur sequendum tenendum non ignoravimus et quod secus a quoquam fuerit compilatum sive confictum non solum respuendum sed et redarguendum esse cognoscimus Si denique aliter quam nos vos decuerat reverendistimae paternitati vestrae rescribendo factus sum insipiens vos me coegistis Petimus autem omnipotentem Dominum ut inspiret cordi vestro sic nos benigne tractare quatenus ulterius nobis non sit necesse vobis ita rescribere Sed ut cupimus in veneratione Apostolorum Apostolico Pontificio vestro humiliter ac devote colla corda submittere Deus omnipotens ad honorem salutationem atque exaltationem sanctae suae Ecclesiae vos per multa annorum curricula conservare dignetur Domine sanctissime reverendissime pater in Domino Hincmarus Archbishop of Rhemes with his Suffragans and four other Archbishops of France with their Suffragans by command of this King Charles in their respective Synods compiled several Canons and Ecclesiastical decrees which they presented to the King and his Nobles to confirm and ratify Upon perusal they finding some of them entrenching upon the Kings prerogative the Priviledges of the Nobles and peoples Liberties and giving overmuch power to the Bishops by enlarging their Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions the Nobles would by no means assent unto them but only selected 21. out of 88. of their Canons rejecting all the rest which 21. were confirmed by King Charles and published in his Name with this Title a Karoli Hludovici Imp. F. Capitula printed in b Fredericus Lindebregus with this preface to them Haec quae sequuntur Capitula excerpta sunt a Domino Rege Carolo Domini Hludovici Imp. Filio Principibus ejus ex Capitulis quae anno DCCCXLVI ediderant Episcopi in Synodis Wenilo scilicet cum Suffraganeis suis Guntboldus cum Suffraganeis suis Ursmarus cum Suffraganeis suis Hincmarus cum Suffraganeis suis Amalo cum Suffraganeis suis et oblata sunt some time after eidem Principi sicut ipse jusserat collecta ad relegendum in Sparnaco Villa Remensis Ecclesiae Et quia factione qudrundam motus est animus ipsius Regis contra Episcopos dissidentibus regni sui Primoribus ab eorundem Episcoporum admonitione et remotis ab eodem Concilio Episcopis ex omnibus illis Capitulis Haec tantum observanda et complacenda sibi collegerunt et Episcopis scripto tradiderunt dicentes Non amplius de eorum Capitulis acceptasse quam ista et ista se velle cum Principe observare A memorable clear Evidence 1. That no Ecclesiastical Canons and Constitutions made by Archbishops and Bishops in their Synods were obligatory or valid unlesse first examined approved by Kings and their Nobles to whom they were usually presented for their examination ratified if approved by them 2ly That the Nobles as well as Kings and Emperors had a negative voice in Councils and Synods to reject Canons or Constitutions when made and drawn up in them by the Bishops 3ly That they rejected such of them as they deemed prejudicial to the Crown their own or the peoples Priviledges or enlarged the Bishops Ecclesiastical Authority beyond its due antient limits which the Bishops were over prone to amplify in most of their Synods as well as Popes that so they might tyrannize over Kings Nobles and Laymen at their pleasures Anno 876. there was a General Synod as the Romanists stile it assembled at Constantinopl consisting of 373. Bishops wherein these particulars are observable 1. That it was summoned by the Emperor Basilius his industry about the restitution of Ignatius to the See of Constantinople of which he was deprived by Michael the Emperor and to remove Photius intruded into it in his room 2ly That Pope Adrian the 2d writ to this Emperor importuning him to summon this Council 3dly That this Pope sent his Legates to it 4ly That this Emperor Basilius though he advanced the Popes Supremacy over the Greek Church in a great measure in this Council yet in exordio Synodi ita locutus est Cum divina et benignissima providentia NOBIS GUBERNACULA UNIVERSALIS NAVIS Ecclesiae COMMISISSET not to the Pope or Patriarch of Constantinople the two competitors for this trust omne studium arripuâ—â—us et ante publicas curas Ecclesiasticas Ecclesiasticas dissolvere et procellas quae per multos annos ex invidia odientis bonum Satanae expansae sunt in stabilem tranquilitatem per meliorem quandam provisionem transferre c. Igitur iis quae prava vobis omnibus esse videbantur et aspera in vias planas imperatoria diligentiaet studio nostro translatis commonemus et hortamur omnes vos fratres ut cum multo pondere et reverentia conveniatis ad sanctam hanc et universalem Synodum tanquam ad communem et universis aptam atque sine labore medelam nullam vitiosam motionem vel affectum ferentes nec ad contentiosam voluntatem respicientes sed potius vinci bene quam vincere periculose ac injuste sitientes Sic enim unusquisque qui vitiatum interiorem patitur hominem sanitatem recipiet et aeternam salutem percipiet c. 5ly That Photius the Patriarchand his followers summoned to and entring into this Synod Actio 4. 5. would give no answer at all to the Questions demanded of them by the Popes Legats nor acknowledge their authority wherupon the Legates spake thus to the Princes Principibus qui jussu Basiâ—i Imperatoris interfuerunt Interrogate illos magni fortissimi gloriosissimi Principes an illi qui introterunt faciunt libellum hoc That Actio 7. Bahanis Patricius et Praepositus dixit ad Synodum Photio praesente cum Episcopis suis Sanctus Imperator noster vult facere also cutionem ad istos per me indignum servum suum Whereupon Sanctissimi Vicarii senioris Romae â—â—ixerunt Sicut jubet Imperium ejus Bahanis dixit Hortatorie alloquitur vos Imperator Homines 〈…〉 estis c. Episcopi Photii dixerunt Deus custodiat Imperatorem nostrum Verbum petivimus impunitatis ut diceremus negocia nostra cum fiducia non accepimus according to the Emperors promise quantum ergo habemus loqui c.
Pope though restored by his means or to read the Popes Letter to him not to send any Greek Priest among the Bulgarians though conjured by him not to do it 10ly That the Popes Legates returning to Rome were taken prisoners by the Sclavi bonis omnibus atque autentico in quo omnes subscriptiones erant privati qui Imperialibus Apostolicis literis vix liberati sine autentico actorum libro revertuntur so that Surius and other Romanists having no authentick Copies of this Synod have foisted into the fragments of it many passages making for the Popes and Church of Romes Supremacy the Clergies power but against the Emperors Jurisdiction Laymens presence votes in Councils in matters of faith and Ecclesiastical affairs out of Pope Nicholas and Adrians Letters which was never assented to nor recorded in the Authentick Acts of this Synod wherein Bahanis a Layman bare chief sway 11ly That Laurentius Surius himself hath prefixed before his imperfect fragments and Epitome of its Actions De octavo Synodo admonitio ad Lectorem viz. Triplicem Octavam Constantinopoli habitam Synodum historiae loquuntur Primam in qua praeter fas ejecto Ignatio repente ex aulico neophyto creatus est Constantinopolitana Urbis Antistes Photius Alteram quae pulso Photio restituit suae sedi Ignatium Tertiam sub Johanne Octavo Romano Pontifice qui mortuo Ignatio pacis conciliandae causa Photium Constantinopolitanis Episcopum reddidit Ex his mediam docti viri Octavam recte ac merito oecumenicam censent dici oportere tametsi Graeci quidem aliter sentire videantur quorum judicia non sunt magni penaenda Semper enim illi quadam mulatione feruntur erga Latinam Ecclesiam difficile est morosis ingeniis per omnia satisfacere c. Sed iis omissis hoc te lector admonitum volumus nos dare quidem in praesentiarum legendam tibi Octavam Synodum sed ita tamen ut multa ex ejus Actionibus desiderentur Neque enim habuimus exemplar integrum sed ab illis mutuaâ— sumus qui in compendium epitomen ipsas Actiones redigere voluerint Sub finem tamen quaedam adjuximus ex aliis bona fide collectis ad eandem Synodum pertinentia 2ly It is observable that the true cause of Photius his deposition and Ignatius his restitution by the Emperor Basilius and this Synod was because Basilius prohibitus fuit a Communione per Photium Patriarcham propter caedem Michaelis Imperatoris not because he was made Patriarch in his stead being a meer Courtier and Layman before against the Canons St. Ambrose with sundry others being made Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops yea Popes in the Eastern and Western Churches and England though mere Laymen and Courtiers when elected yea after Ignatius his death Photius was restored to his Patriarchship notwithstanding this exception 13ly It is worthy consideration what advantage Pope Nicholas the 1. and Adrian the 2d made of these schisms and differences between Ignatius and Michael Photius and Basilius Patriarchs and Emperors of Constantinople to advance their own usurped Supremacy over the Greek Emperors and Church all other Princes Prelates and Councils themselves if their Epistles Rescripts registred by Gratian and others be genuine not forged as many justly repute them For Pope Nicholas in his Letters to the Emperor Michael upon the complaint of Ignatius that he was unjustly deposed by the Emperor took upon him not only most insolently to revile check and trample upon the Emperor Michael but likewise to inlarge his own Papal power beyond all bounds and to deny abridge abolish the Emperors antient Ecclesiastical Right and Jurisdiction averring 1. That Popes have an Universal Jurisdiction over all Patriarchs Archbishops and Bishops to receive appeals from and restore them to their Sees whereof they were deprived either by Emperors Kings or Councils by their Papal authority 2. That Popes have power to summon General National or Provincial Synods for this purpose without Emperors or Kings assents and to enjoyn Emperors to suppresse all Councils Synods enacting any thing to the prejudice of the Pope or Church of Rome as meer wicked Conventicles 3ly That Emperors Kings or Laymen ought not to be present much lesse to preside in any Synods or Councils where Ecclesiastical matters are debated nor have any authority to intermeddle with or to make Lawes Constitutions for the Church or Clergy but only Popes and Bishops 4ly That Emperors and Kings have no right power to judge or dethrone Popes Bishops or other Clergy-men for any crimes nor yet to elect promote constitute Bishops or confer Bishopricks but only Popes and their Delegates 5ly That Popes may judge excommunicate depose Emperors Kings and other Laymen 7ly That the Jurisdiction power office of Emperors and Kings is confined by God and Christ only to worldly or secular not extended to Ecclesiastical religious or divine affairs which belong wholly and solely to Popes Bishops and Church-men 7ly That Popes and Prelates by their Canons and Constitutions may repeal null controll the Lawes Edicts of Kings or Emperors but they can neither null nor repeal their Canons Constitutions nor act ought against them These with other Antichristian Paradoxes Pope Adrian broached decreed upon the score of Ignatius and his successors have since incorporated them into the body of their Canon Lawes After the death of Caroâ—us Calvus Pope John the 9th intended to make and Crown Ludovicus Balbus Emperor but the Senate and Citizens of Rome standing for Carolus Crassus against the bribed Pope who persisted obstinate they thereupon cast him into prison from whence he escaping fled into France for succour and there Crowned Ludovicus Balbus Emperor Charles in the mean time seising upon Rome called the Pope out of France to Rome by menaces who returning thither upon his summons crowned Charles Emperor in Rome to purchase his peace with him that so he might safely reside there An Argument of his Supremacy over this Pope Pope Martin the 2d Seditione malis artibus Pontificalem dignitatem acquisivit whereupon Primo huius tempore non expectabatur Caesaris authoritas in creando Pontifice nec quaerebatur eius admissio which till then was customarily required Ita paulatim sese Pontifices Imperatorum potestate exuerunt ut facilius eos tum demum contererent pedibus Sed eo foelicius provenit Ecclesiae Urbi quod in tam male acquisito Papatu diutius non duraverit writes Balaeus he dying within 13. months after Pope Hadrian the 3d. statim post initum Pontificatum nactus opportunitatem per Caroli Crassi absentiam qui tunc exercitum ab Italia in Normannos diripientes Galliam eduxerat encouraged by his predecessors Usurpations upon the Emperors antient right in the election and confirmation of Popes proceeded one step further utterly to abolish it for the future Tantae audaciae supercilii fuit ut mox adepto Papatu
suae partem consumpsit electus consecratus ipse tum demum ab ipsis he dying within 7. months after An. 921. Pope John the 11. Papae Laudonis cum adulterio filius Papatum quasi haereditario jure per scortationem obtinuit Theodora scortum impudens Romanae Urbis Domina veneris calore succensa eum ob mutuas scortationes Bononiensem Episcopum primo Ravennae Archiepiscopum secundo tertio ut sic insano ejus amore commodius fruiretur Romanum Papam fecit At last he was apprehended in Rome by the Souldiers of Guido Marquesse of Thuscia Anno Dom. 928. cast into prison cervicale super os ejus injecto suffocatur to set up Theodoraes daughters Bastard son Quo mortuo Marozia filium Johannem 12. quem ex Sergio Papa meretrix ipsa genuerat 〈◊〉 Papam constituerunt Sed quia Romanus Clerus populus in ejus electionem non consenâ—erant eodem anno est iterum depositus in maximo Civium tumultu Leo sextus in ejus locum suffectus Qui statim post septimum ejus regiminis mensem Anno Dom. 930. veneno sublatus à Marozia fertur ut sâ—urio locum daret Stephanus the 7. who succeeded him Anno Dom. 932. vitam cum morte per venenatum poculum ut fertur commutavit to make way for John the 12. Pope Sergius the 3. his Bastard son by Marozia formerly deposed expelled by the Romans who after the poysoning of Leo and Stephen was restored to the Papacy by the power of Marozia his Mother and Albericus his Brother during whose Papacy Metetrix mater Marozia Romae tam Regnum quam Ecclesiam regebat Pope Stephanus the 8. ita civilibus Romanorum seditionibus vexatus fuit ut nil memoria dignum ab eo geri potuerit In populari enim tumultu tam turpiter mutilatus erat ac cicatricum deformitate signatus ut puduerit eum postea in publicum prodire Adeo sancti tunc temporis Papae fuerunt ut eorum oves nulla sanctitatis aut beatitudinis aut superioritatis ipsorum habita ratione eos vulneribus afficerent he dyed ingloriously Anno 944. During all this space the Emperors by reason of their intestine Wars and Competitors for the Empire were disabled to claim or exercise their antient Imperial Jurisdiction at Rome in the election confirmation correction and deposition of these wicked scandalous Popes who were for the most part elected deposed ruled by most infamous Roman Whores and Strumpets bearing chiefest sway in Rome none of all these Popes exercising any Supreme Jurisdiction over Emperors Kings or Foreign Prelates who for the most part slighted their Authority and Bulls in all places and acknowledged their Kings Supremacy over Popes Bishops as these Histories well demonstrate Helduinus Episcopus Tungrensis Ecclesiae about the year 920. against his Allegiance revolting from King Charles the 3. of France to Henry his Enemy by great sums of money given to him and his followers procured a grant of this Bishoprick from him who by force and menaces enforced Archbishop Herimannus to consecrate him procuring sundry Clerks and Laymen likewise to swear That King Charles had conferred this Bishoprick upon him Whereupon King Charles writ a Letter to the Bishops of his Realm against this intruder Qui contra Regalem agens potestatem contra quoque Apostoli dicta ubi dicitur Deum timete Regem honorificate Et Qui potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit non est enim potestas nisi a Deo Et adversus cytharedi David dicta ubi ad Dominum loquitur Imposuisti homines super capita nostra Quique ultra Rhenum ad inimicos nostros proficiscens minimeque reminiscens Sacramentorum suorum nobis promissorum eaque retro deorsum abjiciens ab Henrico inimico nostro Episcopatum Tungrensis Ecclesiae expetivit suaque damnatione contra omnia statuta tam sacrorum patrum quam Regum viz. antecessorum nostrorum usurpavit c. commanding them to ordain Ruherus Bishop in his place upon the petition of the Laity and Clergy of that Church to the King whom they had unanimously elected by his License which they did accordingly Pope John the 10. in his Epistle to Herimannus Archbishop of Colen affirmed that this forcible intrusion and consecration of Helduinus into this Bishoprick absque Clericorum electione Laicorum acclamatione and Kings assent was illegal and against the Apostles rule Lay hands suddenly on noman cum prisca consuetudo vigeat qualiter nullus alicui Clerici Episcopatum conferre debeat nisi Rex cui divinitus sceptra collata sunt Concluding Quia nos Caroli Regis decus nullo modo auferre volumus sed pro vigore atque dilectione vel consanguinitate nostri dilecti filii Berengarii gloriosissimi Imperatoris ut prior antecessorum suorum Regum mos fuit eum ita illibatam atque inconcussam Dominationem obtinere delectamur et sicut Priores suos antecessores nostrorum antecessorum authoritate Episcopum per unamquamque Parochiam ordinare probabiliter statutum est ita ut Carolus Rex faciat confirmando jubemus A clear Papal concession and ratification of this their Royal prerogative of conferring Bishopricks After the death of Seulfus Archbishop of Rhemes Herebertus Earl of Aquitaine coming to Rhemes perswaded the Clergy and people to elect Hugo his sonne not above 5 years old for their Bishop and sent to Rodulphus King of Burgundy to confirm his election by his authority who thereupon by advice of some Bishops Remensem Episcopatum committit Hereberto Comiti aequitatis censura disponendum atque regendum ab ipso Qui etiam legatos Ecclesiae cum Abbone praesule Romam mittere satagit hujus electionis decretum secum ferentis assensum Papae super eum petentes Johannes itaque Papa interveniente Abbone presule petitioni corum assensum praebens Episcopium Remense Abboni Episcopo delegat quae sunt Episcopalis ministerii ab ipso in eodem Episcopio tractanda sirmanda decernens Abbo being Guardian only of the spiritualties and Count Herebertus of the temporalties during Hughs minority the Earl by force of arms turned many Clerks and Laymen out of their benefices and possessions belonging to the Archbishoprick disposing of them prolibitu suae voluntatis quibuscunque placuerit A tumult arising thereupon his souldiers slew two Canons in the Cloisters of the Church After which he called a Synod of 6. Bishops of the Province of Rhemes apud Trosteium Anno 927. Rege tamen Rodulpho contradicente In the mean time Pope John being apprehended and kept Prisoner by Wido and King Rodolph falling out with Herebertus Rodulphus Rex literas Remis mittit ad Clerum populum pro electione Praesulis celibranda ad quas illi respondent id agere se non posse salvo suo electo to wit Hugh the infant electione quam fecerant permanente The K. thereupon besieged Rhemes 3. weeks then being admitted
into it Conjunctis igitur sibi nonnullis Episcopis ex Francia Burgundia facit ordinari hac in sede Artoldum quendam ex eoenobio sancti Remigii monachum without any election by his own regal authority who above one year after received his Pall from Pope John Artoldus excommunicating Herebertus for invading and detaining some Towns belonging to his Church Anno 940. thereupon Herebertus with his friends and certain Bishops wasted the villages which belonged to the Bishoprick with fire and sword besieged and took Rhemes then by perswasions of friends and menaces forced Artoldus Episcopii se precuratione vel potestate abdicare and to accept of the Abbey of Saint Basol in lieu thereof which done they consecrated and installed Hugh for their Bishop asserentibus fautoribus ejus quod Artoldus nequaquam electus sed per violentiam fuerit intromissus seseque Episcopali abdicaverit ditione Soon after the Legates of Rhemes bringing Hugo a Pall from Pope Stephen Artoldus breaking all his forced agreements with Hugh and Herbert repaired to King Ludovicus to whom he complained of the injury who thereupon besieged Rhemes so long that Archbp. Hugh unable to hold out or make any composition without quitting his Archbishoprick secretly departed the City after 3. dayes siege to avoid the putting out his eyes if taken prisoner Sicque Reges cum Episcopis Principibus ingredientes Urbem Dominum Artoldum Praesulem qui dudum fuerat ejectus iterum inthronizari fecerunt quem Robertus Trevirensis Archiepiscopus Fred. Moguntiacensis accipientes utraque manu eidem sedi restituerunt After which to end the differences between these Competitors Synodus postea Verduni habetur where sundry Archbishops Bishops and Abbots assembled to that end ad quam Hugo evocatus nissis quoque duobus ad eum deducendum Episcopis venire noluit Upon which contempt Vniversa Synodus Artoldo Remense regendum decernit Episcopium Soon after Indicitur Synodus quae convenit in Ecclesiam Sancti Petri in prospectu Mosomi ex Diocaesi Trevirensi atque Remensi Veniens autem illuc Hugo Praesul locu us cum Rotberto Archiepiscopo Synodum noluit ingredi Literas vero quasdam er nomine Agapeti Papae misit ad Episcopos per Clericum suum qui eas Roma detulerat nihil auctoritatis canonicae continentes sed hoc tantum praecipientes ut Hugoni Remense redderetur Episcopium Quibus lectis responderunt Episcopi non esse dignum vel congruum ut Apostolicae Legationis mandatum quod dudum Rotbertus Archiepiscopus deferente Frederico Magontiacensi Praesule coram Regibus et Episcopis susceperat intermitterent propter has literas quae insidiator aemulus Artoldi Praesulis exhibebat immo quod regulariter caeperant Canonice pertractaretur Sicque praecipitur recitari capitulum xix Carthaginensis Concilii de accusato accusatore Quo recitato dijudicatum est juxta diffinitionem hujus Capituli ut Artoldo communionem et Parochiam Remensem retinente Hugo qui ad duas jam Synodes evocatus venire centempsâ—rat à communione regimine Remensis Episcopii abstinerâ—t donec ad universalem Synodum sese purgaturus occurreret Ipsumque Capitulum mex in Charta describi feceruat Episcopi coram se subnectentes hanc etiam diffinitionem suam eidem Hugoni miserunt Qui post alteram diem eamdem Chartam Rotberto Pontifici remisit hoc verbis remandans quod ipsorum judicio nequaquam obediturus esset Interea literae proclamationis Artoldi Praesulis ad Romanam diriguntur sedem Dominus igitur Agapitus Papa Vicarium suum Marinum Episcopum misit ad Othonem Regem propter evocandum et aggregandum generalem Synodum as proper only for the Emperor to summon Literae quoque ipsius Papae mittuntur ab Urbe quibusdam speciatim Episcopis vocantes eos ad eandem Synodum Congregato denique Synodo in Pallatio Engulenheim recitata sunt haec quae sequuntur coram Regibus et Episcopis present therein This general Synod being assembled all the premises concerning Artoldus and Hugo with the Popes Letter commanding Hugh to be restored were read before them The Synod upon debate passed the same sentence for Artoldus against Hugo notwithstanding the Popes Letter as the last Synod did approving their sentence and excommunicating Hugo From this History I shall observe 1. That the Archbishops of Rhemes were usually elected by the Clergy and people but yet by the Kings license who had a power to confirm or reject the person elected 2ly That the Kings of France in special cases did conferre Bishopricks on whom they pleased without any precedent election by the Clergy and people 3ly That they committed the Temporalties of Bishopricks to Noblemen and others during the vacancy of the Sees or Minority of the Bishop 4ly That they had a just power to remove Bishops unduly elected or forcibly intruded into Bishopricks even by force of armes when necessary 5ly That both the Kings of France and successive Synods reproved condemned the Popes own Letters as Un-canonical and gave sentence against them which sentence was afterwards approved by a General Synod 6ly That Kings may and ought to remove unfitting or scandalous Bishops notwithstanding the Popes Bulls Palls Mandates to confirm or continue them 7ly That no Synods ought to be summoned but by Kings or their Authority within their Realms and that if any be otherwise called by Popes Archbishops or others they may and ought to prohibit them and their Bishops resort unto them This is evident by the antient memorable Inhibition of Sigebertus King of France to Desiderius Cadurcensis Episcopus in this his Letter directed to him Dum fabula currente à plurimis fidelibus nostris cognovimas quasi vocati ab eodemque Patre nostro Vulfolendo Episcopo Synodali consilio Kal. Sept. in Regno nostro ignoramus in quo loco una cum reliquos fratres comprovinciales vestros debeatis conjungere Licet nos Statuta Canonum Ecclesiasticas regulas sicut parentes nostri in Dei nomen conservarunt ita nos conservare optamus Tamen dum ad nostram antea notitiam non fuit perlatum sic Nobis cum nostris Proceribus convenit ut sine nostra scientia Synodale consilium in Regno nostro non agatur nec ad dictas Kal. Septemb. nulla conjunctio Sacerdotum ex his qui ad nostram ditionem pertinere noscuntur non fiatur Postea vero opportuno tempore si nobis antea denunciatur utrum pro statu Ecclesiastico an pro Regni utilitate sive etiam pro qualibet rationabili conditione conventio esse decreverit non abnuimus sic tamen ut diximus ut in nostri prius deferatur cognitionem Provide praesentia scripta sanctitati vestrae destinare curavimus per quae petimus ut per nos orare dignetis et ad istam conjunctionem priusquam nostram cognoscatis voluntatem penitus accedere non debeatis ut certius credatis
Clerum omnem populum asserimus esse concordem ad meliorem statum fore productum atque ideo quia juste rationabiliter vestra humilitas nostro Apostolatui humiliter postulat quatenus gratulanter peragrantes sanctam Synodum vestro consilio congregatam Patriarchio Lateranensi in Ecclesia Sancti Salvatoris constitutam a pluribus viris Catholicis Episcopis et Abbatibus insuper Iudicibus et legis Doctoribus promulgantes qualiter quiete ac pacince stare vivere valeamus praesentibus omnibus singulis regionibus hujus alâ—â— Urbis Romae ex omnibus ordinibus Cleri et populi asserentibus et confirmantibus per omnia ut haereâ— altercatione ac omni errore expulso quoniam 〈…〉 temporibus error ex hoc accrescere discernitur tam de Romano Imperio quam de Apostolica sede ac dignitate Patriciatus de investituris Episcopatuum 〈◊〉 ad exemplum beati Adriani Apostolicae sedis Antistitis cujus vitam actionem satis discretum audivimus rationabilem qui suis spiritualibus sanctionibus Domino CAROLO victoriosissimo Regi Francorum et Longobardorum regni Italiae Patriciatus dignitatem et ordinationem Apostolicae sedis et Investituras Episcoporum concessit Igitur Ego quoque Leo Servus servorum Dei Episcopus idem exemplum beati Adriani cum toto similiter Clero et universo Romano populo omnibusque ordinibus hujus almae Vrbis sicut in suis scripturis apparet constituimus et confirmamus et corroboramus et per nostram Apostolicam authoritatem concedimus atque largimur Domino OTTHONI primo Regi Teutonicorum ejusque Successoribus hujus regni Italiae in perpetuum facultatem Successorem eligendi atque summae Apostolicae sedis Pontificem ordinandi et per hoc Archiepiscopos seu Episcopos ut ipsi tantum ab eo investituram accipiant et consecrationem unde debent exceptis his quos Imperator Pontificibus et Archiepiscopis concessit Et ut nemo deinceps cujuscunque gradus vel dignitatis vel religionis eligendi Regem vel Patricium vel Pontificem summae sedis Apostolicae aut quemcunque Episcopum vel ordinandi habeat facultatem absque consensu ipsius Imperatoris sed soli Regi Romani Imp. hanc reverendam tribui facultatem quod tamen fiat absque omni pecunia et ut ipse sit Patricius et Rex Romanus Quod si a cuncto Clero et universo populo quis eligatur Episcopus nisi a supradicto Rege laudetur et investiatur non consecretur Si quis contra hanc authoritatem Apostolicam et traditionem aliquid molietur aut temerator in aliquo repertus fuerit sive contra hoc nostrum consilium agens sciat se iram Sancti Petri Principis et Filii nostri Domini Otthonis ejusque successorum et omnium praedecessorum nostrorum Censuram et sub Anathematis vinculo emersurum ac per hoc Excommunicationi universalis Ecclesiae omnisque populi Christiani eum subjacere decernimus Insuper nisi a malo resipuerit irrevocabili exilio prematur vel ultimis suppliciis feriatur Qui vero pro intuitu custos et observator extiterit benedictionis gratiam vitamque aeternam cum omnibus Sanctis sine fine mereatur habere in secula seculorum Amen In his Actis interfuere Seniores Proconsules Exarchatus quidam tenentes regionarii Scholae Graecorum Arabum Judaeorum Paganorum de Majoribus omnium platearum Insuper Cardinales Archiepiscopi omnes Presbyteri Episcopi de finitimus Civitatibus processuarii Notarii Cancellarii ex omni plebe Romani Imperii This Decree of Pope Leo is prefaced by Gratian himself with this Rubrick Electio Romani Pontificis ad Ius pertinet Imperatoris and incorporated into the body of the Canon Law authorized by sundry Popes Which being made ratified by two famous Popes Adrian and Leo in two Councils held in Rome it self with the suffrage and unanimous consent of all the Clergy Senators Officers and People of Rome in a most solemn manner and the violators thereof subjected to such severe Ecclesiastical and Civil punishments to prevent all future Schisms seditions symonaical contracts indirect practises and interpositions of prevalent infamous Whores and Strumpets in the election of Popes for the peace honour benefit of the whole Church no succeeding Popes had any power at all to null or revoke by their Pontifical usurped power upon any pretext without the concurrent authority at least of a General Council and universal consent of all the Clergy Senators and people of Rome as Marsilius Patavinus proves at large Bartholomeus Buxiensis and Dr. Thierry in their Glosse upon this Decree in Gratian demand this Question Cum haec privilegia fuerint omnibus Imperatoris successoribus data quare non utuntur eis To which they return these unsatisfactory Answers Quia Imperator eis renunciavit A grosse mistake since no Emperor since the reign of Otho ever renounced it by any Charter and Gratians conclusion Ex istis Constitutionibus pacto Ludovici Imperatoris deprehenduntur Impâ—ratores renunciasse privilegiis quae de electione Summi Pontificis Adrianus Papa Carolo Imperatori ad imitationem ejus Leo Papa Ottonis primo Regi Theutonicorum fecerat is but a meer Nonsequitur contradicted by his prâ—mises whereupon they subjoyn these ensuing answers Item quia per abusum ea peâ—diderunt without expressing any abuse the Roman Clergy people and Cardinals since having much more for feited their right to elect Popes for their manifold abuses therein recorded by sundry Historians Item quia ex causa fuâ—rint eis concessa unde cessante causa ipsa cessaverunt Nec obstat quod hic dicitur de successoribus quia hoc intelligendum est de illis successoribus qui hoc impetrare possunt A pretry equivocating evasion worthy Popes and Popish Canonists They further propound this second question on this Popes Decree Nunquid Papa posset Imperatori potestatem dare ut deponeret ipsum Which they thus affirmatively resolve Sic in Haresi therefore a Pope may be an Heretick and deposed for Heresie by the Emperor et de consensu Cardinalium immo in omnibus se potest subjicere ei Therefore the Emperor in all things is superiour to the Pope not the Pope to him since this Pope Leo by his Bull and Charter resigned regranted to this Emperor Otho not only the Right of electing and confirming Popes and the Investitures of Bishops but also what ever Lands Cities Territories Possessioâ—â— Gifts either Charles or Pipin or Justinian or Aripert had given of the Regalities of the Kingdom of Italy or the Empire to St. Peter or the Church of Rome which Bull or Charter is recorded at large in Theodoricus de Niem Crantzius the Century Writers and others being made in a General Council and subscribed by 15. Archbishops and Bishops 7. Cardinals and 15. Chief Citizens of Rome Both which conjoyned eternally subvert as well
Nobiles quoque Romanos occisos et captivos et populorum stragem factam audiens ingemuerit et pro hujusmodi facinoribus Ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae consilio et zelo Dei animatus excommunicationis sententiam in Regem dictarit et eandem in Graecia Vngaria Saxonia Lotharingia Francia in quinque Conciliis consilio praedictarum Ecclesiarum renovando confirmarit Orare se demum ut sicut Dominus Papa Legationem suam confirmasset ita praesentes Concilii Patres Episcopi concorditer annuerent Ad eundem modum Legati literae Domini Viennensis postulabant Dum tali ratione et ordine tam variae dissonae multitudinis assensus exquiritur à saniori parte veritati apertae rationi nihil contradictum a paucis submurmuratum ab Episcopis vel Abbatibus nullo modo reclamatum The Emperors Excommunications being thus ratified by the Pope Council the sad consequences thereof are thus recorded by Abbas Uspergensis and others Hinc factiones extitêre altera alterius agros vastare coepit maximè vero Herbipolensis Dioecesis per Conradum Ducem qui Imperatoris frater erat affligebatur ac denique cuncta fere loca armis infesta erant Igni oleum Moguntinus qui serpente pejus Imperatorem oderaâ— addidit Imperatoris fidelibus quacunque ratione poterat malum creans Seditiones crebrae ejectiones Praesulum Castellorum demolitiones conflictus caedes mutuae oppressiones pauperum in frequenti usu fuere et neque pax Dei caeteraque Sacramentis firmata pacta custodiuntur sed uniuscujusque conditionis aetatis praeter solos Ecclesiasticae professionis homines quibus jam penè nihil praeter miseram restabat vitam caeteri hoc tempore belluino furore bacchantur The Emperor thus still vexed excommunicated by this Luciferian Pope his Prelates without any hopes of reconciliation by all his amicable Treaties being tyred out with Papal delayes exasperated by new affronts resolved to recover his right work out his peace by force of armes In pursute whereof Heinricus tantam inclementiam Papae aegerrime ferens exercitu conscripto ipsemet Romam contendit armis discreturus quod summa subjectione quotidianis precibus obtinere non poterat Sed Papa id animadvertens sese in pedes conjecit atque in Apuliam fugiens ibi Rogerium contra Imperatorem impellit Dum itaque Romae Imperator est in Apulia denuò suos convocat quieti non assuefactus Paschalis primum quidem fulminibus suis Acheronta movet deinde Rogerium hastis atque gladiis cruentis in Heinricum armat who thought to surprise the Emperor at unawares but being prevented by the Emperors sodain collecting of his forces resolving to give him battel he retreated with the Pope into Apulia The Emperor often petitioned the Pope to absolve him from his Excommunications but he still affirmed he could not do it without the consent of the Bishops who concurred with him in the sentence and that in a Synod where both parties might be heard the Bishops by their Letters urging him to continue it During these delayes the Emperor retyring with his forces from Rome into Germany to suppress the Insurrections there raised against him by the Archbishop of Mentz and other Prelates and Confederates of the Pope Paschal thereupon returned to Rome and repossessed himself of St. Peters Church whither the Emperor marching with a great Army to chastise him Paschal soon after breathed forth his seditious Antichristian spirit During these contests between the Emperor and Paschal concerning Investitures there fell out this Quarrel between the King of France and him About the year 1108. Pope Paschal presiding in the Synod of Treca in France therein published some Decrees against the Kings antient rights of Investitures and Bishops Oaths Homages Fealty to him In pursuance whereof he presumed to make Richard Archdeacon of Virodune Archbishop of Rhemes to withdraw him from the Emperors party and confirm his usurped Papal authority in France which preferment Richard refusing being made Bishop of Verdune by the Emperor Paschal thereupon constitured Rudolphus Archbishop of Rhemes by his own Papal authority without the consent of King Lewis the Grosse then newly come to the Crown and involved in wars with his Barons who thereupon taking possession of the Archbishoprick King Lewes on the contrary created Gervasius Archbishop Et Archiepiscopatu Rhemensi pro suo jure investit The City hereupon receiving Gervasius for their Archbishop was interdicted and excommunicated by Paschal who imployed Yvo Carnotensis to mediate with King Lewes to remove Gervasius as an intruder receive Rudolphus into his royal favour and grant him leave to enjoy the Archbishoprick The King at last upon Yvo his solicitation concessit ut eum ad Curiam suam quae Aurelianis in Natali Domini congreganda erat Rudolphum securè adduceremus ibi cum eo Principibus regni de hoc negotio quantum fieri posset salva Regni integritate tractaremus But what the issue of this Treaty was Yvo himself thus relates in his Epistle to Pope Paschal Sed reclamante Curia plenariam pacem impetrare nequivimus nisi praedictus Metropolitanus per manus et Sacramentum eam fidelitatem Regi faceret quam praedecessoribus suis Regibus Francorum antea fecerant omnes Rhemorum Archiepiscopi et caeteri Regni Francorum quamlibet Religiosi et sancti Episcopi Whereupon Yvo made this request to Paschal Petimus ergo flexis genubus ut hoc eodem intuitu charitatis pacis veniale habeat paterna moderatio quod illicitum facit non aeterna lex Dei sed intentione acquirendae libertatis praesidentium Pontificum sola Prohibitio So that this great Bishop and Canonist Yvo deemed Kings investing of Bishops and Bishops Oaths Fealty made to Princes constantly practised ever before at that time by all the holy religious Archbishops Bishops of France no wayes unlawfull by Gods Law but by Popes meer prohibitions Which he likewise asserted against John Bishop of Lions and Hugo the Popes Legate in France who expostulating that this King had invested the Archbp. of Sienna against the Popes Decretals Ivo declared it to be no Heresie nor crime as Popes deemed it cum hoc nullam vim Sacramenti in constituendo Episcopo vel admissum vel omissum quod fidei religioni officiat habeat cum Reges nihil spirituale se dare intendant sed tantum votis petentium annuere bona exteriora quae de munificentia Regum obtinent Ecclâ—siae ipsis electis conceder c. Whereupon he made this supplication and gave this good advise to Pope Paschal who attempted Hermanensem Episcopatum à Noviodunensi distrahere without the Kings royal assent Nos sicut filii fideles rogamus consulâ—â—â—s ut statum Ecclesiarum Galliae quae quadringentis fermè annis duravit inconcuâ—â—um manere concedatis ne hac occasione Schisma quod est in Germaâ—eo Regiis adversus sedem Apostolicam in
tueri Coronam et Ecclesiam defensare Alterum Regi alterum convenit Ecclesiae advocato Victoria sicut in Domino conâ—idimus prae manibus est Superbia arrogantia Romanorum plus quam fortitudo eorum Quid enim Nunquid quispiam magnus vel potens verbi gratia Imperator aut Rex faedam Rem istam in Imperium pariter Sacerdotiumque praesumit Sed Populus hic maledictus tumultuosus qui suas nescit metiri vires cogitare sinem considerare proventum insipientia sua furore suo ausus est hoc grande sacrilegium attentare Absit ut vel ad momentum stare possit ante faciem Regis popularis manus vulgi temeritas Factus sum insipiens qui cum sim vilis ignobilisque persona tanquam aliquis magnus consiliis tantae magnitudinis tantaeque Sapientiae me ingessi de re magna At quo ignobilior atque objectior tanto liberior sum ad loquendum quod Charitas suggerit Unde adhuc addo in eadem insâ—pientia mea Si quis aliud quam locutus sum vobis quod non credimus suadere conabitur is profecto aut non diligit Regem aut parum intelligit quid Regiam deceat Majestatem aut certe quae sua sunt quaerit et non valde quae vel Dei vei Regis sunt curare convincitur This Pope at last by St. Bernards solicitation and the assistance of Conrade and Ludovicus King of France was restored to the possession of his See at Rome In the mean time whiles Engenius remained in France the Emperor Conrade apprehended that St. Bernard had done something in derogation of the Empire and his Prerogative whereupon he writ this short Epistle to him to acquit himselfe from this accusation Querimoniae Regis nostrae sunt maximè illa quà m dignanter exprimitis de invasione Imperii Regis dedecus Regni diminutionem nunquam volui Volentes odit anima mea Legi quippe Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit Et qui potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit Quam tamen sententiam cupio vos omnimodis moneo custodire in exhibenda reverentia Summae Apostolicae Sedi beati Petri Vicario sicut ipsam vobis vultis ab universo servari Imperio Pope Eugenius intending to hold a General Council at Rhemes in France the French King conceiving it might derogate something from his Prerogative and right of his Crown intended to prohibit it hereupon St. Bernard writ this Epistle to perswade him to permit this Council to sit promising that the Pope should correct and reform any thing wherein he had exceeded his Jurisdiction to his prejudice wherein he would assist him Ludovico Dei Gratiâ Excellentissimo Regi Francorum B. Clarevallis vocatus Abbas fidelis suus salutem à Rege Regum Domino Dominantium ipsi dilectae ejus filiis ejus Regna terrae et jura Regnorum tunc satè sana suis Dominis atque illaesa persistunt si divinis ordinationibus ac dispositionibus non resistunt Cur Domine trascitur furor tâ—us contra Dei electum quem tua quoque sublimitas suscepit et praeelegit tibi quidem in Patrem filio autem tuo in Samuelem Armatur Regia indignatio non plane in extraneos sed in semetipsam et suos Non mirum si juxta Scripturam Ira viri justitiam Dei non 〈…〉 quae propriae quoque utilitatis sed indignitatis sed salutis facit sapè ut nec 〈…〉 omnibus advertas periculum sentias damnum Colligitur Consilium Quid in hoc detrahitur Regiae Gloriae Regni utilitatibus Ibi Vniversae Ecclesiae commendabitur ac rememorabitur Excellentiae vestrae prompta et specialis devotio quod Regum primus aut certe inter primos rabie persequentium eandem matrem vestram strenuissime et Christianissime defendendo obviastis Ibi gloriosè ab ingenti illa multitudine debitae gratiae referentur vobis ibi a Milibus Sanctorum orabitur pro vobis et vestris Alias autem quà m sit hoc eempore necessarius Conventus Episcoporum nullus ignorat nisi qui durus corde matris Ecclesiae angustias non attendit At calor inquiunt nimius est quasi nos glacilia corpora habeamus An corda nobis magis congelata sunt nemo est qui juxta Prophetam Compatiatur super contritione Joseph Sed haec alias Nunc autem ego minimus in regno vestro sed dignitate non fidelitate dico vobis non expeâ—it velle impedire tantum tam necessarium bonum Nec desunt evidentes causae quibus id manifestum facere possem quas nunc proferre in medium ad manum mihi est nisi quod sat arbitror dictum Sapienti Tamen si quid ex Apostolicae auctoritatis rigore processit unde se merito esse turbatam Celsitudinis vestrae Serenitas arbitratur qualiter hoc ipsum revocetur aut temperetur prout oportet ad honorem vestrum fideles vestri qui adherent totis viribus enitentur Inter nos quoque si quid possumus non dissimulabimus The design of this whole Epistle imports 1. That the Pope himself could not then summon any Council in France without the Kings special royal license authority and conviction of the grounds and necessity thereof 2ly That he had power to prohibit any Council to assemble in his Realm if held by the Pope himself without his license and approbation 3ly That if the Pope did or had done any thing by his Decrees or Papal authority to the Kings offence or prejudice of his honor all his loyal Subjects and Clergy were obliged to endeavour to revoke and moderate it Eugenius by S. Bernards instructions and assistance beyond expectation of all men became more couragious Papal apt to govern the See of Rome then was imagined whence Sigonius observes Eugenius ubi primum est designatus contra opinionem omnium ingentem animi indolem prae se tulit Nam cum à Romanis ad remittenda urbis vectigalia urgeretur eos ita aspernatus est ut ne dignos quidem queis cum habitaret putarit Itaque urbe statim egressus ad Monasterium Farfense se contulit eoque Cardinalibus evocatis novo instituto ibi consecrationem accepit atque inde aspectum pervicacis populi devitans arce S. Angeli Petri Leonibus tradita Viterbium se recepit Sub eosdem dies Arnoldus Haereticus ex Germania in Italiam reversus captato Romanae seditionis Pontificiae absentiae tempore in Urbem se conjecit ac seditioni per se satis ardenti majores quoque faces admovit populum ad vetera majorum instituta factaque imitanda gravi inprimis ac praesentibus temporibus oportuna oratione adhorâ—ans qui senum consilio et juvenum manu totum sibi terrarum orbem subjecissent reaedificandum Capitolium ac Senatores Equitesque Romanos renovandos inclamans
tam necessarium et publicae disciplinae Ecclesiasticae defensioni omnino suppliciter postulamus ejusdem pii Principis authoritate muniri Without which their Canons and Sentences were both invalid subjoyning thereunto the Law of the Emperor Constantine the Great De confirmando judicio Episcoporum Synodus Trevirensis Anno 855. hath this Prologue evidencing that the Emperor Ludovicus the 2d summoned it prescribed the Bishops therein both by word of mouth and writing what heads or Chapters they should consider frame and then return them all to him when finished to examin alter ratifie as he saw cause Capitula quaedam et commonitorum Imp Ludovicus suis Episcopis de statu sui Regni considerare praecepit De conversatione Episcoporum Presbyterorum et caeterorum Clericorum de doctrina et praedicatione in populo de conscriptione librorum restauratione Ecclesiarum de ordinatione Plebium Xenodochiarum de Monasteriis virginum seu foeminarum quae secundum regulam Sancti Benedicti vel ea quae secundum câ—nonicam authoritatem disposita esse debent adding Quicquid in praefatis ordinibus extra ordinem est aut per negligentiam praepositorum aut per desidiam subditorum vehementer cupio scire et secundum Dei voluntatem vestrumque sanctum consilium sic emendare desidero ut in conspectu Dei nec ego reprobus sim neque vos et populus in commissis iram suae indignationis incurrat Quomodo autem istud rationabiliter quaesitum monitum perficiatur vobis hoc ad tractandum ac nobis renunciandum committimus De minoribus quoque causis quae generaliter omnes specialiter aliquos tangunt et indigent emendatione volumus ut posthac illas quaeratis et ad nostam notitiam reducatis sicut est de Comitibus et eorum Ministris c. sicut in reliquis causis quae ad peccatum nostrum pertinere possunt ac populi nostri These heads exhortations and admonitions of the Emperor being communicated to and read before this Synod omnes unanimiter pro nostra indole omnipotenti Deo devotissiâ—â—e gratias egerunt quia populo suo tam piissimum quamque Sanctissimum Princpem dedit qui cuncta ordinabiliter et rationabiliter disponere cupit After which the Bishops returned him an answer to each head in writing which being read before the Emperor in Augustali aula residens tractaturis de statu sanctae matris Ecclesiae et pace divina dispositione commissi sibi Imperii ac generali totius populi salute praesentibus Optimatibus suis dixit Crebro vestram fidelitatem retroactis temporibus commonuimns ut secundum normam Christianae religionis vivere unusquisque nostrorum fidelium satageret c. Which ended he enacted several Lawes and Constitutions for the benefit and Peace of the Church with a Sancimus autem Sancimus nihilominus c. Concluding Haec olim saepe inconcuâ—cata Augustali nostra sanctione promulgata quia ex parte in aliquibus videntur neglecta hactenus acriori ulcisci debuerat examine c. destinaturi post modicum Legatos strenuos emendata inquirere Qui verò negligens repertus fuerit propriis honoribus nostro privabitur iudicio Nicholas the 1. as Anaâ—â—atius with others inform us being elected Pope by the unanimous assent of the Senators Clergy and People of Rome was consecrated and installed in his See in the presence of the Emperor Ludovicus the 2d by his approbation and assent After which the Pope with the Nobles and Great men of Rome out of love and respect going to visit the Emperor in a place called Quintus where he fixed his seat the most excellent Emperor so soon as he saw the Pope obvius in adventum ejus occurrit fraenumque Caesar equi Pontificis suis manibus adpraehendens pedestri more quantum sagittae jactus extenditur trarit After the Emperor had feasted him Augustus cujus amore fâ—oenum Imperialis equi superscandens accompanying him in his return cum pervenissent spaciocissimum itineris locum Imperator equo descendit equumque Pontificis iterum ut memmimus supra traxit dulcissimisque osculis invicem perornantes lucifluè gratulaâ—i sunt What this Emperor then voluntarily did out of overmuch courtship and humility only some Popes have since claimed and prescribed as a bounden service vassalage incumbent duty Which so puffed up this Pope with Antichristian pride insolency that he presumptuously Imperatores seculares Principes decreto exclusit ab omnibus Clericorum Conciliis nisi quando causae agerentur de fide Ne Laici de Clericorum vita judicent Pontificem nec solvi nec ligari posse decernit a seculari potestate quem constat a pio Principe Constantino DEUM appellatum cum nec posse DEUM ab hominibus judicari manifestum est When as this Pope and other Parasites who make use of his reason had quite forgotten 1. That it appears not by any authentick Historyes that Constantine the Great ever gave the Title of God to the Pope 2ly Admit he gave it to one Pope out of the contemplation of his piety and the spirit of God dwelling in him yet this extended not to his Successors especially to such who were devils incarnate in their actions 3ly That the Scripture never called the Pope nor St. Peter God much lesse made either of them a God in truth but it particularly frequently stiles Kings and Temporal Judges Gods Vicegerents on earth sitting in his throne executing Judgement and Justice in his stead Gods to wit in a qualfyed sence not in reality and essence Exod. 4. 16. c. 7. 1. c. 22. 28. Josh 22. 22. Ps 82. 1 6. Ps 136. 2. Ps 138. 1. 1 Cor. 8. 5. Therefore they being thus frequently called Gods by God himself in sacred Writ may lawfully judge condemn depose Popes and Priests who are but men and never stiled Gods in Scripture 4ly Kings being thus stiled Gods and sitting on Gods Throne the Pope who is but a man and sits only in St. Peters chair at most not Gods own throne hath not the least power or pretext by this Popes own argument inference to judge much lesse depose dethrone these Gods as they have most antichristianly presumed 5ly Sundry Emperors Kings notwithstanding this stile of God given to the Pope by Constantine did frequently before and after Pope Nicholas his time both judge depose Popes Patriarchs Metropolitans Bishops Priests for their Heresies Treasons Schisms rebellions and other crimes as the premised and subsequent examples and Ecclesiastical Histories evidence This therefore is a nonsense argument for a Pope especially in his own case to exempt himself from the Emperors Supreme Jurisdiction 6ly His exempting all inferiour Clergymen as well as Bishops Popes from Emperors Kings and Civil Magistrates censures powers though Constantine never stiled them Gods is an argument that every Priest whatever is as much a God as the Pope himself in this respect
and equal to him in Authority which subverts Popes pretended Soveraign Monarchy and sole Deity appropriated only to those who sit in Peters imaginary but Antichrists real Chair at Rome 7ly About the year 865. Guntherus Archbishop of Coler and Thetgandus Treverersis for approving the divorce of the Emperor Lotharius from Thetberga for incest with her brother in the Synod of Mus after long attendance at Rome were by this Pope Nicholas imprisoned deposed excommunicated without sight hearing reason or cause alleged against all rules of Justice who complaind to the Emperor of this his Tyranny and likewise writ a notable Epistle to him in answer to his Letter after their release in their own names behalfs and their fellow Bishops in justification of the Emperor and themselves against his pretended supremacy over them wherein they have these passages amongst others Subito de inproviso sententiam injustam temerariam nefaviam Christianae religioni repugnantem de chartulae effutisti satis protervè tuis fratribus atque conservis illusisti c. Tu Pontificis quidem personam prae te fers at Tyranum agitas sub cultu Pastoris Lupum sentimus Titulus Parentem mentitur tu te factis Jovem ostentas Cum sis Servus servorum Dominus dominantium esse contendis atque juxta disciplinam Christi Servatoris nostri infimus ejus omnium minister templi Dei Tuvero libidine dominandi in praeceps abis quicquid tibi libet licet Fucus factus 〈◊〉 Christianis Hisce de causis nos cum fratribus nostris collegis neque Edictis tuis stamus neque vocem tuam agnoscimus neque tuas Bullas tonittuaque timemus â—u eos qui Senatus consultis impiis non parent impietatis condemnas iisdem sacrificiis interdicis Nos tuo te ense jugulamus qui edictum Domini Deique nostri conspuis concordiam collegii discindis pacem immortalem coelestis Principis tesieram violas Spiritus sanctus author est omnium Ecclesiarum qua longissime latissime terrarum orbis porrigitur Civitas Dei nostri cujus municipes sumus ad universos coeli cardines pertinet Major est urbe quae Babylonia a sacris Vatibus appellatur ut quae divinitatem usurpat coelo se aequat se aeternum fore neque unquam errasse aut errare posse gloriatur This Pope presumed to send this insolent Letter to this Emperour Lotharius to deprive him of his antient Right of conferring Archbishopricks and Bishopricks without the Popes consent which his Predecessors durst not attempt prefaced by Gratian with this Rubrick Authoritate Apostolica non Regio favore Episcopus est eligendus Porro scias quod relatum est nobis quod quicunque ad Episcopatum in regno tuo provehendus est non nisi faventem tibi permittas eligi Id circo Apostolica aut horitate sub divini judicii obtestatione injungimus tibi ut in Treverensi Urbe in Agrippina Colonia nullum eligi patiaris antequam relatum super hoc nostro Apostolatui fiat But neither he nor his Successors would depart with this flower of their Crown to the Pope as is evident by the 63. Epistle of this Pope Nicholas the 1. to the Bishops under King Lotharius Anno 863. to grant a license to the Clergy and people to elect a Bishop in Ecclesia Cameracensi void above 10. moneths by sundry other instances collected by M. Pierre Pithou a learned French Advocate and Pope Pelagius his Epistle Laurentio Episcopo Gratian Dist 63. Concilium Pistis celebratum Anno 863. as Surius confesseth videtur potius quidem esse Regni Procerum Conventus quam Episcoporum Synodus Carolus enim Rex Episcopi Abbates quoque Comites et cateri in Christo fideles ex diversis Provinciis convenerunt Wherein they recite and ratifie plura Capitula Praedecessorum Regum et Synodorum Vt autem haec quae observanda supra scripsimus ac pronunciavimus nunc de coetero certius expessius a nobis atque Successoribus inconvulsa serventur propriis manibus his subscribere communi consensu decrevimus ea conditione servata ut omni in cunctis ordinibus lex juris debiti honor ab omnibus obedienter fideliter cooperante Domino conservetur The Council of Wormes Anno 866. is thus prefaced Dum studio amatoris Christi ac jussione excellentissimi gloriosique Domini Ludovici Regis cujus tanta erga Deum devotio extat ut non solum in rebus humanis verum etiam in causis divinis maximam semper sollicitudinem gerat apud Vormatium Civitatem c. convenissemus After which followes a Confession of faith and 80 Chapters or Canons there agreed on published by this Kings approbation After the death of Pope Nicholas the 1. Hadrian the 2d notwithstanding some dissents was elected Pope collectis omnibus tam Episcopis cum universo Clero quam primoribus urbis cum obsecundantibus sibi populis ad Lateranense Patriarchium certatim a Procerum plebis multitudine deportatur Imperator Legatos ad eligendum Pontificem Roman misit Clerus populus autoritatem eligendi Pontificem sibi vindicaturi non quaesita Imperatoris aucthoritate neque accersitis Legatis eligunt Quod audientes tunc missi Principes moleste tulere indignati scil non quod tantum virum nollent Pontificem quem nimium anxie cupiebant Sed quod se dum praesentes essent quirites non invitaverint nec optatae a se futuri Praesuli electioni interesse consenserint Qui accepta ratione quod non Augusti causa contemptus sed futuri temporis hoc omissum fuerit omnino prospectu ne videlicet Legatos Principum in electione Romanorum Pontificum mos expectandi per hujusmodi fomitem inolesceret omnem suamentis indignationem medullitus sedavere ac salutandum electum etiam ipsi se humiliter accessere Denique omnes hunc certatim coram â—isdem Legatis rapere ad summum Pontificatus apicem provehendum trahere ac auxie nitebantur portare nisi blanditiis Senatorum consiliis aliquantulum sedati fuissent the Emperor having not yet assented to his election Quorum omnium unanimitatis desilerum audiens Hludovicus Christianissimus Imperator cognoscens etiam qualiter in eo decretum suis subscriptionibus reboraverunt valde gavisus est c. Et mox Imperialem scribens Epistolam cunctos Romanos quod dignumtanto elegisset officio conlaudavit per quam videlicet innotuit nulli quippiam praemii fore er consecratione ipsius quoque modo pollicendum cum ipse hanc non suorum suggestione sed Romanorum potius unanimitate commotus ardentissime cuperet provenire Maxime cum reddi quae ablata fuerant non auferri ab Ecclesia Romana vel deperire quippiam se diceret amare After the Emperors approbation of his Election by his Letters sent to Rome he was consecrated and installed Pope not before