weale and when there is cause an other chosen in his stead by the greatest part of the people but then to let you see that all that processe must depend from the Pope vpon the word Tyrannus they doe reason thus Tyrannice gubernans non potest spoliari sine publico Indicio lata vero sententia potest quisque fieri Executor potestque deponi a populo qui iurauerit ei obedientiam perpetuam He who raigns Tyrannously cannot be spoyled of his dominion vntill the publike sentence bee pronounced which once done he may be depriued by any yea by the same subiects who did sweare to him perpetuall obedience This publike sentence we must vnderstand is Excommunicatio Maior proceeding from the Pope How these Aphorismes doe agree with the doings of the Primitiue Church let the most ignorant iudge whither they bee not seasoned with their wormewood Vpon these two foundations of excommunication and depriuation doth of necessitie follow the third to wit murther of Kings first thundered next eiected thirdly slaine and doctrinall grounds set downe to authorise the same Gean Guignart in his treatise vpon the murther of Henry the third a good Prince and a catholike Romane he doth stablish two propositions one that the cruel Nero was murthered by a deliuering Clement whose heroicall act inspired by the holie spirit was to be reputed iust and lawfull yea and most laudable next that the crowne of France ought to be transposed to another Race and the Biarnois so doth he disdainfullie call the french king he ought to haue a monasticall crowne that is to say to be shauen and condemned to the cloyster albeit he was become a catholike Romane which if he would not accept they should by force of armes eiect him or depriue him of his life Ambrose Varades principall of the Iesuites Colledge at Paris was found the instigatour of Barrier against the late king immediatly after his conuersion to the Church of Rome Chastell who strooke him in the mouth confessed that he was taught by Iesuites that it was an act of extraordinarie great godlinesse to kill him because he was no lawfull king although he was conuerted vntill he was receiued by the Pope A letter was found of father Commelet a man most famous among them for prudence and grauitie bearing these words we must haue an Aeod let him be a monke a souldier or a sheepheard it is no matter we must haue an Aeod for the assassinat or slaughter of King Henrie the third so did their absynthiū vniuersallie poyson all that euen in the Serbon it was concluded in fauour of the Pope that his excommunication and murther was both lawful and wel acted William Parry confessed at his death that Benidicto Paulio Aniball Codreto Iesuites did persuade him that it was a most religious act to surprise the life of the late Queene of England a good Princesse replenished with Pietie vertue And who should heare the true relation of the state of Polonia since the entrie of the Iesuites there he should heare of more wicked secret practises during that time then for hundreths of yeeres before This is the doctrine and these are the practises of Papall pride with the Christian Kings of this age which being paralelled with these of the primitiue fathers it is easie to marke the antithesis So to ende this particular touching the Maxims of the Iesuisticke schooles it is the glorie which they doe cary as a bright starre in the front of all their renoune that they be daunters of puissant kings and it is found in their owne bookes in that treatise called Summa constitutionum imprinted at Lions Anno 1859. conteyning the gouernment of that societie it is sayd Tyrannos aggrediuntur lolium ab agro Domini euellunt They inuade tyrants and roote out the cockle and filth from the Lords feild And so invincible they be in this mischeuous doctrine that albeit they vnderstood Tanquerall was condemned to vndergoe a great punishment and hardlie did escape his life Anno. 1561. for suffering this Theame touching the authoritie of kings to be called in question of the Sorbon and to be disputed there yet so bould are they that euer since that tyme they did practise the court of parliament at Paris to fauour the same motion albeit oftentimes it was despightfully reiected vpon suspition of that which in effect was found true that they had couertly corrupted the Sorbon by sliding in among them some of their owne scolers neither is there anie thing in all this more strange then to heare Cardinall Bellarmine his answere for that holy carriage of the fathers of the primitiue Church with Emperours and Kings of their Tyme it was sayth he more necessarie in that time of the primitiue Church to admonish Christian people to obey temporal powers least otherwise the preaching of the Gospell had beene hindered The case being altered now when the Church is inful authoritie power her selfe which fiefor shame is no other then to make the word of God to be a religion of Foxes a doctrine of sophistrie a profession of Equiuocation consequentlie of P◅rle quia qui dubi◅r at his me◅itur bis peiur at as Cicero saith as if vpon these words Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo Christ would say to his Apostles and successours that they should obey Princes so long as they were vnder the Crosse and could doe no otherwise but when they should beginne to floorish and get the winde vpon them that then they should change the stile of the Euangell and teach a contrarie doctrine a doctrine not of Christ but of the ambitious schoole of Machauel to the stayne of Gods glorie who hath made no law but on for kings of Israel for kings of the primitiue Church and for all who haue followed vpon which point and vpon these words of our Sauiour Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo we may heare S. August as it were vpon the Theater of the world making a procliamation to secure all authorities from such feare Iealousie Audite saith he Iudaei gentes audi preputium audite omnia Regna terrena non i◅podis domination◅ ve◅am in hoc mundo O heere yee Iewes and gentiles yee circumcised and vncircumcised heere yee all the kingdomes of the earth Christ maketh no stoppe nor opposition to your authorities temporall and we reade S. Bernard vpon this text in the 12 of Saint Luke where one said to Christ master tel my brother vt mecum diuidat here ditatem that he may diuide our heritage he answered homo quis me constituit Di◅isorem aut Iudic◅m super vos who appointed me a iudge ouer you or diuider of your lands whereupon Saint Bernard saith stetisse lego Apostolos iudicandos sedisse iudicantes non lego I read saith hee that that the Apostles stood to be iudged but that they did sit ◅o Iudge I read not Their successors indeed the Bishops of the
his pontificate Finally if we come to speake of the confirmations of councels and canons which is the last point of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction we also finde that nothing was solid vntill the imperiall approbation was conioyned to the spirituall The Rolles of the decrees of the counsell of Nice and Constantinople were presented to Constantine and Theodosius to be subscribed and authorised by them against which foresaide policie of the primitiue Church so farre depending vpon the Emperour I know not what we can pretend vnlesse we will be like those ignorant Gnostickes of whom Irenaeus doth make mention in the fourth Chapter of his third booke who held this opinion that while God did commaund vs to obey superior powers he did accommodat that command to the condition of persons and tymes and that the Church is not now in minoribus as she was then but out of Pagerie and able to commaund her selfe Certayne the lawe of God is immutable and eternall and doeth not suffer ecclipse nor is subiect to the measure of our fantasies If one will say the dealing of Arrian Kings with the church vnder the crosse is not to be drawne in example what shall we say to the Iurisdiction of Constantine the greate the first patron of the Church who tooke vpon him in his tyme to establish Bishops and had at his death Athanasius vnder his Iudicature and what shall we answere to Charlemaine a great fauourer of the Church to his son Lues Debonaire who sent to Rome to iudge a Pope for the murther of Theodore a Romane Senatour of the French deuotion wherein the Pope was forced to cleere himself by the kings owne appointment as the letters of Pope Leon to Lues to that effect doth import Thus if we haue done any thing out of purposse in that processe we are readie to amend it by your owne officers whom weâ—…treate you to send outwell disposed men to take triall of that matter The ecclesiasticall histories and the liues of Popes where they are written besoful of such testimonies and so plaine into them I thought it not necessarie to quote them particularlie So concluding this generall Theme in fauours of the lawfull authoritie of Kings I say the primitiue Church had neuer a Bishop nor Pope who did refuse to submit himselfe to the imperiall Iurisdiction after the example and doctrine of Christ in such manner that we are to esteeme all this contrary clergie of Papall parasites to be a false and bastard Theologie of ambitious monsters who striue to vsurpe that power which God hath reserued to himselfe of disposing of Kings and Diadems of the world after the way of his secret and diuine prouidence which power is so alone to him that no mortall flesh may participate of it as Daniel doth approoue in the Dreame of Nebuccadnezar Altissimus habet Potestatem super Regna hominum dat illa cuivult constituit super illa homines vilissimos The most High hath power ouer the Kingdomes of men hee giueth them to whom hee will and placeth in them most vile men And the Prophet Esay in this point in the person of the Ethnicke Cyrus he doth prophesie his victories hee calleth him the Lords Anoynted of whom God did say Whose right hand I haue holden to subdue Nations before him he ordayned him to be obeyed saying Uae ei qui litigauerit contra factorem suum Woe bee to him who doth question with his Maker Numquid lutum dicet factori suo quid facis Shall the Clay say to the Potter What dost thou make Then hee concludeth saying I haue raysed him and he shall let my people goe not for money but freely When God commanded Nolite tangere vnâ—…s meos hee did not except Saul more then Dauid Balthasar more then good King Iosias what then shall these miserable and wretched potshrads of these times reason with their Maker when he saith Dedi eis Regem in furore meo regnare facit hypocritam propter peccata Populi What shal they haue a count of him or how doe they not heare the voyce of the Prophets of Christ himselfe of the Apostles of the Fathers of the primitiue Church all consentient and contrary to that poysoned doctrine of Rome inuented and maintayned by the Iesuites where in place of these sacred priuiledges yeelded vnto Christian Princes as is said consisting in foure or fiue points of Soueraignity in the Ecclesiasticall gouernment wee shall heare foure or fiue such Maximes as these To Christ is giuen all power in Heauen and Earth and Christ hath giuen the keyes of all to Saint Peter therefore the Pope his successor hath all power also of Heauen and Earth hee is aboue Kings and may translate and destroy their authoritie he is aboue generall Councells and may inhibit them hauing all power in his owne person In place of Christian Apostolike and reuerent speeches of Monarchs Kings there is to be heard fastuous contemptible inuectiues against them serpentine insinuations to cut the throat of their Royall power to depose them spoyle their estates and inuade their liues and these by exoterick or publike writtes and who will be curious of their acroamaticke or hidden and cloysterall doctrine shall bee taught to vnderstand this ground for all that after the raigne of the Antichrist all Nations are to be collected vnder one Pastor and to obey him and to that effect God doth establish and raise some puissant Christian authoritie which should be in the occident as some Rabbins and Iewish Doctors who became thereafter Christians haue obserued by these mysticall wordes of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse Vouch chi hammassiah chesche uitlash bannesthimneth hu daieth roscho daiphen nalt sarphat dareth rachen nalcha That is to say Et erit postquam Messias suspensus fuerit in ligno ecce ipse inclinabit caput suum prespiciens ad occidentem dixit miserebor tui The French say they doth expound this mysterie of the Grandor of the French Crowne because their Princes were myraculously brought vnto the Christian faith receiuing the Flower-de-Luce sent from heauen as their Stories record with a supernaturall power to heale the Ecruelles by touching which Flower is holden sacred and in holy Scripture is recommended aboue all other Flowers being imployed in the worke of the great Candlesticke made by Moses and after vsed by Salomon who built the Temple whereof Moses drew the figure so that they esteeme this Flower to be the true hyerogliphicke of their faith and hold it yet for their Armories they haue beene mightie promoters of Gods Church by destroying flouds of Arrians Gots and Visigotti in Spaine in the daies of Carollo Martello and Pipino his sonne by their expulsion of Longobards and succouring of the seat Apostolicall vnder Carolus Magnus by their exploits in the Orient about the conquest of Ierusalem vnder the Armes of Godfred de Bullion and his partners and by their Christian enterprises against the Saracenes vnder Lodouicus sanctus
that spirit of Christian loue which God willeth to rule vs I wish all men to dispose themselues to this happie Vnion and to reuerence this time wherein we are and whereof the chiefest mystery is not yet seene albeit the seale thereof be alreadie opened and we haue alreadie seene miraculous things If we doe Christianly simpathize with the time to honour these glorious preambles of a generall reformation which God doth set a worke by the erection of the Monarchie of great Britaine in the Royall Person of our most gracious Soueraigne and if we can turne the ambitious craft of the Iesuite into a Christian wisdom against himself that as he striueth to reduce the whole world vnder the Tyrannie of his High Priest So we may with the force of vnited mindes assist the rising and encrease of this great Kingdome in the hope of a generall restauration of Christs Church what know we what God intendeth yet to bring about by this mighty Prince whose exaltation in the prouidence of the Almightie hath already brought the whole world in admiration what know we what he who did so long Prophesie by the mouth of Ieremy the comming of Cyrus to restore Ierusalem he who made Cyrus at his comming to cry the Lord God of heauen hath giuen me the kingdomes of the earth that I should build a house to him in Ierusalem what know we what he hath propounded to doe by this vertuous Monarch whom he hath so extraordinarily raised and made him Master of puissant Kingdomes what can we iudge of those currant prophesies of our fore fathers for his being Emperour and for his ransacking of the wals of Rome doe not we see how he hath already begunne to shake those wals and to breake the hornes of that Beast Let no man be so simple as to doubt but one day God hath predestinate by some Christian Cyrus to reforme that city and to restore his people from that spirituall captiuity Yea let no man doubt but that the time of that great Iubile doth approach as I will shew heereafter If wee by our obstinate distractions and diuision doe not preuent it and therefore thou who abhorrest any law or ordinance which may tend to a firme coniunction of this Isle or who doest repine in any sort against that great instrument whom God hath sent to reforme his Church thou shalt be infinitely blessed of God if by thy conformity thou can once take away that greeuous imputation of the Papist who to the reproach of the Gospell doth affirme thus That after Luther who was that Nimrod as he saith that enterprized the tower of heresie against the Apostolicall seate of Rome all those who did concurre to that building were like vnto those sons of Adam who builded Babylon punished of God with confusion of tongues that one did not vnderstand another All the followers of Luther Lutherians Semi Luth. Contrr Luth. Hussists Zwinglians Semizwing Melancthonists Brownists Anabaptists Caluinists Bezaists many moe whom he doth numerate to all which saith he Dominus confudit labium the Lord hath confounded their language that of all the reformed Churches of Germany France Holland Geneua Britaine not one doth altogether agree with another and diuers of them disagreeing within themselues either in doctrine in ceremonies in gouernment or somewhat else of which fearefull and scandalous oblatration seeing you who are the Puritan cannot denie for your part to be Authour I thinke it should make the most impudent and affronted face among you to blush in case their rest in it any drops of good and ingenuous bloud Being in this contemplation of the meanes of Christian concord before I speake of the reformation of the Church of Rome I will discourse some what of the meanes of our domesticke coniunction with the Church of England because it is more neere vnto vs and bringeth vs also mor neere to the possibilities of vniuersall Reformation CHAP. IX A Triall of the best and surest Policies which bee in Nature in Ciuility in Oëconomy in Morality IN matter of Doctrine we make one ptofession with the Church of England founded vpon the purity of Gods word The oddes be either in the Church policie or in some indifferent ceremonies I speake of oddes in polilicie by reason of you who be opponents in your hearts to the State of Bishops So before I will touch the Ceremonies I will deale with you vpon that head As for the Theologicall and more subtile disputarion of the Theme of Episcopall Regiment it is so exactly done by diuers reuerend and learned Diuines that it hath not much neede of my contribution only I will select some cleere sincere and most disiestable arguments for your information and because many of you who bee thus distracted haue neuer tasted the pure fountaines of true and naturall knowledge which is not the least cause of your Errour therefore I will shew you into this chapter what is the gouernment which God did plant in the creation of nature and what affinity it hath with such policies as haue since followed and fallen out through the world in Church or in state whereinto if I doe a little insist to expresse the lawfulnes and vertue of the Monarchall Rule it is not to induce a Monarchall gouernement in the Church which is a Popish inuention and heere also sufficiently answered But first it is to poynt foorth the power of God in annointed Kings against the pernicious doctrine of those who teach the contempt and violation of Kingly authority And secondly it is to shew that as God did frame the gouernment of his first Church of the Iewes not much vnlike to that of nature euen so if we seeke the originall Idaea of true ecclesiasticall policy in the right Horoschope and if we pronounce it with a right aire we shall find and we may say it without offence that the first image of whatsoeuer gouernment agreeable to Gods will hath beene conceiued into nature in the order whereof God hath auoyded two things and hath reserued one peculiar to himselfe absolute soueraigntie or a power meerely vnicall and an Anarchie or popular confusion neither of these two hath he willed that as on the one part no creature should haue a Monarchall Supremacie exempted from necessarie correspondence and simpathie with dependent members so on the other side no indiuiduall parts of one kinde might subsist without a head through whom they must receiue the order and direction of their motions The vnity againe of absolute Supremacie in heauen and earth God hath concluded within the Center of his diuine throne proper to himselfe that no particular Creature in nature can be capable thereof so that it is equally ridiculous to say the Lyon cannot be cheife of beasts vnlesse the Indian Libian and Barbarian Lyons bee all subiect to one Monarchall Lyon The Kings of the earth cannot be lawfull Kings vnlesse there be one supreme Monarch ouer them all which cannot bee in any but in God the Primates
not onely the soules of men but their bodies and goods yea the sacred D◅adems of annoynted Kings Was there euer a pride equall to this that a Priest shall thinke it his due that Kings and Monarks shall kisse his foote that he shall say to himselfe Sup◅ basiliscum ◅labo conoulc◅◅nem that hee shall arrogate power to sell the Kingdome of heauen and count himselfe God vpon the earth saying with Augustus Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesan habet stil following Gentiselime striuing as the Ethnicke Emperors did tomake it again Roma caput Mundi Such perpetual toyle busines doth that Consistory keep about this my stery that it may be said of thē as Lucianus mocking the plurality idlenes of the Poeticall gods said of Iupiter while som other god one day would haue talk't with him it was told him that he was busie quid facit parturit said one hee is a trauayling of the birth of Minerua whom the Poets faine to be bred in the braine of Iupiter Sowee may affirme of them Quod semper parturiant they bee euer bringing foorth their birth but what birth is it Minerua counsels bookes or precepts of wisedome no they doe not imitate Iupiter to bring foorth Minerua true wisedome of pietie and peace they imitate that Goddesse of wrath Nemesis who did send through the world with her Pandora the bookes of curiositie contention malignitie and dissention the bookes of vengeance and endlesse discord witnesse their Archipandora Bellarmine in his Treatise of the Papall Supremacie whereof I shall speake hereafter witnesse their Pandora Mariana the Iesuite heere you shall see what is the birth of their trauailing murther of Princes rebellion of Subiects bloud of legions desolation of Countries setting on fire the whole world for building againe that Tower of Babell which doth keepe Christian people in such desperate pacoxisme and diuision of tongues that alas wee are neuer like to speake one language so hath the Lord punished their pride their vnspeakable pride which is like vnto the pride of him who said Ascendam super altudinem nubium super moxtes Aquilonis fimilie ero altissimo They be in effect Cloudes high with proud ambition moyst and humide with letcherie bright and shining with glorious ostentation thundring with arrogance and tumults which they contriue Hi sunt nubes sine aqua quae a ventis circumferuntur saith Thaddeus this is that fatall Tower builded by that mighty Nimrod the Diuell whereof God hath concluded Tollatur in altum vt lapsu grauiore cadat It must bee mounted to great heigth that it may also haue a great fall it may be iustly called fatall the very Church doth not escape this blot but euen her first plants haue beene annoyed with these pernicious weedes of pride and ambition Aaron and Miriam grudged against Moses and did striue for authoritie The first sacred Colledge of our Christian Religion the twelue Apostles were not free of this contagion Iames and Iohn called of Saint Paul the Arch-pillers which did sustaine Christs Church they contended for the right hand of Christ. It is strange that Diuines and Prelates should not learne the wisedome of humilitie from the very stile of the Spirit of God speaking in these particulars When this Tower of Babel vnto the which I compare the pride of Rome was builded in the Land of Senair which is interpreted to stinke as is said by the posteritie of Noe the text sayes they parted from the Orient which is interpreted Christ as Zachary testifies Ecce vir Oriens nomen eius subter eum orietur lux And Luke Perviscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitauit nos Oriens ex alto they were the sonnes of Noe who went from this Orient to Sanair but from that forward the holy Spirit doeth no more call them the Sonnes of Noah but the Sonnes of Adam Descendit Dominus vidit vrbem quam edificanerunt filij Adam Euen so speaking of this pride of Iames Iohn he doth not vouchsafe them the names of Apostles nor their owne names but the sonnes of Zebedoeus Accessit ad Iesum mater filiorum Zebedei which is a notable Art of the Spirit of God to reproch pride O you blinde Prelates of Rome you sonnes of Adam and not of Noe you sonnes of Zebedeus and not Apostles why haue ye through your pride lost your names and parted from your Orient if your Tower were firmely established as that of Dauid vpon Sion no tempest were able to shake it it is but of stones taken out of the slime of the earth forged out of earthly auarice and ambition That of Dauid was founded vpon a sure rocke fundata super firmam Petram as it is said in the Gospell Ipso summo angulari Lapide Christo hauing Christ himselfe for the chiefe corner Stone therefore shall that of yours fall to the ground after the example of him who was the first author of such fabricks While I did behold at leisure in Rome this fulnesse and ouerflowing of concupiscence in mens manners one may easily gesse that it was to mee like vnto the second appearing of the Angell of God to the Asse of Balaam In that Towne which was one of the first Mother Churches where pouertie contempt miserie and glorious martyrdome had beene indured for plantation of the faith where Pastors were meerely spirituall without regard to the world after the commaundement of their Master where so many Cloystorall and Monasticall deserts of true solitude and holinesse were to bee seene of olde that now adaies no vestigium doth remaine no marke of that sanctitie yea not a cloke sufficient to couer their nakednesse nothing but an Ocean of abuses the Rulers swelling in pride and riches polluted with filthinesse and lust defiled with Idolatrie seeking the world and dominion ouer Princes contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles Non quaerimus quae vestra sunt sed vos Contrarie to the doctrine of the Prophets mittam vobis venatores multos qui venabuntur vos saith Ieremie Vos non vestra contrarie the doctrine of Christ himselfe faciam vos piscatores hominum he saith not piscium nor yet pecuniarum The people tyed to superstition religion turned to pharisaicall ceremonies the Euangel neglected the law became Mosaicall daylie impietie of all sortes daylie sacrifices and pardons for all abominatiōs the holy deserts opened again to the world and defiled with pride and vilanons lecherie the Towne smoking in the stincke of Sodom that if those faithfull fathers their first foundatours might againe looke vpon their Successores they would cry nec nos Patres nec vos fily The first Bishops of Rome who sustained Martyrdome being in number two and thirtie before Constantine the great what would they say to the Pope who walketh vpon the neckes of Monarkes while they succeeded onlie to Christ his Crosse what would that austere Saint Francis say vnto these Idle Bellies who haue abused his simple
which albeit they bee seuerally distinguished by nature yet can we make no vse of them but when they are conioyned The ciuill Magistrate among the Iewes certaine it is hee might not offer sacrifice or performe religious Ceremonies things proper vnto the Priest as againe militarie discipline matters of the fisk and such like went peculiarly vnder the name of the Prince but in points of pietie and iustice the rule of the people Iudicatura â—…orum their obedience to Gods Law they were not onely conioyned but in the hand of that gouernment the ciuill Magistrate had that place of the finger which is called the key of the hand Into Ierusalem there was two Sanedrim for so was their great Councell called one suâ—…reme in Ierusalem consisting of 70. together with the Prince and Priesthood another small Sanedrim in euery Citie of reasonable importance contayning 23. wise men together with a number of the Priesthood which was done by a generall ordinance of God himselfe Populo mandauit vt Iudices constitueret secundum tribus suas in omni Ciuitate That they should in euery Citie appoint Iudges according to their Tribes and againe in the next chapter he made a Law of Appellation commanding In omni re dâ—…fficili constituere Sacerdotes Leuitici generis Iudices To appoint ouer all difficile causes some of the Priests and some of the Iudges hee hath not saide onely the Priest nor onely the Iudge as neither did Moses when hee went into the Mountaine make any separation but left the spirituall and ciuill Magistrate coniunct Ecce Aaron Hur. That the ciuill Magistrate hath a diuine charge and was so counted among the Iewes there it is seent where after Iudges were constitute in euery towne the King saide to them Uidetâ—… quid agatis non enim pro Homine sed pro Deo iudicia 〈◊〉 Behold sayd Iosua what you doe because you doe not iudge for men but for God Againe to shew this coniunction he doth subioyne omnis causa qua venerit ad vâ—…s de fratribus Euerie cause which commeth from your brethren vnto you dwelling in the countrie where he maketh no separation of spirituall from ciuill causes euen as Moses hath done before where he or daines the people to goe to the Leuites and the Iudges si aliqua difficilis causa natafuerit if any difficile question 〈◊〉 in the gouernment of King Dauid those coniunctions are cleerelie expressed for he did absolutely distribute the peculiaâ—… charges of the Leuites Hebroniâ—…s vltra Iâ—…rdanem prâ—…cit in omni negâ—…tio diuino ministeriâ—… Râ—…gis he did promoue the Hebronites beyond lordeâ—… to all the functions appertayning to Gods house and to the seruice of the king and â—…ine in the laâ—…t verse of the same hâ—…s prefecit Dauid sâ—…per 〈◊〉 Gadâ—… in omni negâ—…tio Dei omni negotio Regis which power of constitution in Dauid is sufficient to prooue that the regall function is negotium diuinum chieflie where it is Christian and orthodoxall may not Moses and Dauid serue vs for matter of light in gouernment to qualifie this coniunction of religion and empire which made the Iudaicall law to be accounted a parte of Theologie So that we may with great reason conclude that he is not Orthodoâ—…s Theologus no right meaning Theologue who would refuse vnto christian Kings that authoritie in Ecclesiasticall affayres which was not onlie graunted but commanded vnto the Kings of Israel and which godlie Dauid vpon his death bed did render into the handes of Solomon from the warrant who made doubt of it of the holy Scripture saying Eccâ—… autem distributiones Leuitâ—…um ad vâ—… qâ—…odque ministeriuâ—…â—…omus Deipenes te sunt ad oâ—…ne opus voluntary denique omnes Principes totus populus parati ad verba tua Behold sayd he the distributions of all Leuiticall offices in the house of God is in thy power and they be ready to obey thee as also the princs and people where in that example wee see no exemption of the Leuite more then laitiefrom the kingly authoritie howsoeuer princes may not vse priestlie function yet are they bound to superintend Christes vineyard and to guard it not onelie from forraigne inuasions but from intestine perrill and corruption which is more frequent and more pernicious of the two to stop ambition auarice and dissention from comming among the prelates who were neuer in any time able to rule nor shal not be to theend without their Pallas be armed with authoritie of good and lawfull kings who doth not see that of diuine functions vpon earth the preistlie office is the contemplatiue part and the princelie office practicall acting the honour and worship of God by making people to obey his Lawe Who was the first instrument of God for redeeming the Church from persecution and the crosse to establish her prosperitie was it kings or priests was it not Constantine the great by what meanes againe was the Church redeemed from the flood of the Arrian heresie was it not by the seculararme of Carolus Magnus and his predecessors Pipino and Carolo Martello so that to goe about to separate things which God hath knit together as the soule and bodie it is to make a sacriledgious diuorcement and specially to take from the prince that which is his due to giue it vnto the priests it is iust as the serpent did in Paradizeto seduce the weaker partie of the two in that coniunction it is euen as if we would send Aaron vnto the mount of God to learne the wisedome of actiue gouernement and leaue Moses with the people to his returning And since such is the impudent and arrogant malignitie of the Iesuiticall ambition in their doctrine about this point what if to meete them in their owne language and pay them home with their owne Coyne I should goe yet one degree higher in that particular to say that appearantlie God himselfe doth prefer the regall function when by his Prophet setting aside all sacrifices and ceremonies which was the Priests part hee did require the Office of the ciuill MagistrateÌ„ Quid affertis tanta sacrificia discite vos reges Principes qui populum regit is benefacere quaerite iudicium dirigite oppressum What shall I doe with so many sacrifices would God say that is not the substance of my worship being but religious ceremonies learne yee Kings and Princes to doe well aske iudgement to gouerne the people and to relceue the oppressed which would the Lord say is the matter of my true worship to practise my law and make it to be obeyed The Deutr. doth shew that the office of a Prince was not to frame his owne life after the deuteronomicall but to prouide that both Priests and people should keepe the same inuiolable If Priests debord and transgresse Gods law must not the Prince corect them yea if they shuld sow haeretical doctrins who could stop the growth of them other
authoritie of a sacred Emperour declaring therby that in the poynts of externall policy he did esteeme them as men ordinary subiects whō in their spiritual functions he had counted as Gods The same authoritie was practised by Charlemaine who in his time did conuocate eight Councels and by his sonne Lewis Debonnaire who did assemble one And to shew it more plainely that this power to conuocate was Imperiall and not Episcopall we read how all the Popes of those dayes did write to Emperours for that effect Pope Innocent sent to Honorius fiue Bishops two Priests to obtaine a Councell for the restitution of Saint Iohn Chrysostome as we read in Euagrius Pope Leo doth beseech Valentine the third to obtaine of Theodose the yonger a Councell against Eutiches and in token that the Popes did not so much as pretend this power to assemble wee finde in Sozemene that Pope Iulius complaines onely that the Bishops of the Orient did not inuite him to the Councell of Antioch saying that a law of the Church prouided that no Decree should passe without the opinion asked of the Bishop of Rome And in Theoderet Pope Damasus makes the same complaint and in the same termes against the councel of Arimini in which such honour was done to the Emperour Constantius and such reuerence to his authoritie that the Fathers conuened there being detayned too long and being pressed to put downe some Decrees which were not orthodoxall they durst not for all that depart vntill they had the Emperours leaue and permission Further now will wee obserue the very internall Iurisdiction of the Church and that which is meerely spirituall to wit the sentence of Excommunication and how it was exercised we doe finde two things in that one is we shall not see that the primitiue Church did excommunicate any Emperour or King albeit there were more occasion against them nor is now contained in the great Bul of the holy Thursday which is yeerely published at Rome against Christian Kings and States Constantius and Valeus persecuting heretikes Trinitaries who would haue forced the Fathers to confessions against the Catholike faith were not excommunicate Theodose the second and Valentinian the third Eutichean heretikes were not excomunicate Basilieius enemie to the Councell of Calcedon Iustinian and of Kings Chilpericke King of France infected with Arrianisme Theodoricke King of Gothes Atalarichus Theodotus Vittiges and many others of whom none was excommunicate no not Iulian the Apostata nor Valentinian the second who fell in an heresie three seuerall times nor Iustinian who fell twise no when they had banished Popes themselues for wee read in an Epistle of Pope Siluerius that beng banished by Belizarius at the command of Iustinian his Master he assembled certaine Bishops to excommunicate Belizarius but did not so much as murmurre against Iustinian by whose direction he was persecuted Neither yet if they did kill a Bishop a◅ Valens who caused some of them to be drowned Secondly we obserue on this point of Excommunication that Bishops in the primitiue Church did excommunicate by the consent and permission Imperiall for Princes fearing that Church Rulers should abuse the spirituall sword made an ordinance repeated afterwards by Iustinian that no person should bee excommunicate vnlesse the cause of their sentence were before the Emperour cleerely prooued to be agreeable to the will and meaning of the holy Spirit which Saint Augustine doth expressely acknowledge in an Epistle to Boniface saying that the Church doth exercise her power against heretikes vnder the permission and power of Kings Some Bishops haue questioned hardly with Emperours as a Bishop did commaund Phillip the Emperour that hee should not enter into the Church but remaine without in the place of the Penitentiaries Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milane dealt right so with Theodosius the great but they did not pronounce any Excommunication maior against them for then they would not haue enioyned them penance if they had beene without the bosome of the Church As for Anastatius albeit some Churches as that and the Church of Ierusalem did excommunicate him yet he was euer in peace and vnion with numbers of Catholike Churches in the Orient which did declare that it was not magnum anathema but rather a t◅merarious Act howsoeuer this be such two or three exceptions will not serue against one ordinarie rule for then to meete these we finde in like manner three extraordinarie acts of Imperiall authoritie which caused excommunicate or eiect the Popes Xistus the third of that name suspected for adulterie was excommunicate by commaundement of Valens the third Theodoricke King of Gothes did eiect from the Church Pope Symmachus And the people of Rome vnder the Magistrates did forbid Pope Pelagius the assembly of the Church besides Saint Iohn Chrysostome deposed and expelled from his Church by Arcadius As for the excommunication of Arcadius done by Pope Gelasius it is doubted of in the Ecclesiasticall histories but I doe not speake of such extrauagant acts but of that which was ordinarily followed whereby it is still verified that the whole sway of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall was in the Emperors The Conuocation was due to them the processe went by their permission and consent their persons were exempted from excommunication as wee haue heard which bee three maine points of soueraigne Commandement For the fourth which is the confirmation of the Popes it was also due to the Emperours Constantius the sonne of Constantine hee banished Liberius and erected Pope Felix in his place yea farther hee recalled that good Prelate did establish him with the other Theodosius the great a great pillar of the Church by the right Emperiall he setled at Rome together with a Pope a Bishop of a diuers religion I thinke for satisfaction of a mutinous people Laeonius in his time was Bishop of Rome for the Church of the Nouatianes Honorius his son again comming into Italie while Boniface and Eulalius did contend for the Pontificat he chased them both away and after placed Boniface making lawes against such ambicious competences Iulius Nepos the tyrant ouercomming Glicerius the Emperour he made him Pope as Euagrius doth recorde for some hold that he made him onelie Bishop of Milane because he is not found in the catalogue of the Popes Odoacre king of the Horoli being master of Rome he made an ordinance at the solistation of Pope Simplicius and to the imitation of proceeding Emperours That no Pope should be exalted without the consent of Emperiall authoritie When the Emperours had recouered Rome from the Goths Iustinian did not only eiect Vigilius but made him come to Constantinople to be iudged offering to the people of Rome his Arch-deacon Pelagius whereupon they thanked the Emperour willing him to suffer Vigilius and after his death to establish whom he pleased which right did so continue with the seate imperiall that Saint Gregorie the greate durst not honour himselfe with his titles before he had receaued the imperiall confirmation of
their King All these doe comfort the French say they to presume that this mysterie vpon the Crosse was in fauours of them Againe the Spaniard doth take it vnto him because he hath done so many things for extension and securing of the Catholike faith affronting the Turke in all quarters and planting Christian Religion among the barbarous Indians but the secret of the mistery say they is that the power which is prophesied in the Apocalyps doth pertaine to the sea Apostolicall and to the person of the Pope To him who keepeth my works to the end will I giue power ouer al Nations he shal rule them with a rod of Iron and as the vessell of a Potter shall they bee broken saith the Spirit of God in that place whereby is meant the Pope who onely of all men cannot erre I haue alwaies sufficiently cleered to your Lordship the mindes and practises of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in this poynt of Princes Now that I may not seeme to caluminate the Iesuite I will summarily shew how he hath peruerted this doctrine and poysoned it with his Absynthium Next I will relate how his preuarication and falshood is impugned by Catholike Romans themselues the French Church and that famous Palladium of Sorbon And lastly I will discourse a little of the dessigne of this pernicious doctrine which is a diuellish plot of feareful ambition by length of time to draw the whole world vnder the superstitious hyerarchy of Rome both in temporality and spirituality if it bee not preuented There be three grounds of this doctrine tied together in one chaine which in effect be but one thing teaching the Soueraigne power of the Pope ouer Princes which power is extended by three Armes power ouer their soule to excommunicate power ouer their states and crownes to depriue and power ouer their bodies to giue warrant to kill them which indeed is all the power the Pope doth claime on earth For as touching his being aboue generall Counsels it is but all one with his being aboue Christian Princes to whom belongeth the authoritie to conuocate and rule Counsels I will omit for breuities sake to speake of any other writer among the Iesuits but onely of Bellar who is their predominant plannet Touching the persons of Kings saith hee vpon this point the Pope may not albeit there be iust cause depose them in the same sort as he doth Bishops that is to say as a ciuill ordinarie iudge Neuerthelesse saith he he may as a Soueraigne Prince spirituall if it be necessarie for mens soules change kingdomes taking from one giuing them to another the first possessor being excommunicate as we shall prooue saith he pag. 1081. of that booke imprinted Anno 1601. Then for proofe he doth introduce all the treasonable enterprises of Christian people which are not onely contrary to Gods will in his holy word but are detestably abhorred by the relation made of them in ciuill histories Cap. 7. of the same wherby one may manifestly note that the intestine calamities of Christendome these many yeeres past rising from this wicked vsurpation ouer lawfull Christian Princes hath bene the truest cause of the encrease of the Mahometan Empire And it is maruellous to see how Bellarmine doth there so impudently striue to confirme that extrauagant of Vnam sanctam de maiorit obedient so solemnely condemned by the greatest part of the Romane Clergie chiefly by the French Church Like as the whole bodie of the Iesuits vnder one generallitie maintaine the same in an Apologie of theirs set foorth to the same end vnder the Title of the Veritie defended and in the last impression of the same pag. 42. for by that Extrauagant if the Pope should transgresse to thunder excommunication vniustly against the best Princes yet no mortall man might take notice of it nor craue it to be reformed but not content to deale this way with pretended hereticall Princes he laieth an ambush before the best most vertuous Kings he keepeth ouer their heads Virgam vigilantem In this manner he doth exempt generally from Regall Iurisdiction whatsoeuer Ecclesiasticall persons contending by many instances and iterations of words to confuse that Text of Saint Paul Omnis anima subdita sit superio potestat Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers for there is no power but of God and the puissances which be are ordained of him which he doth repeat in this sort whosoeuer doth resist power doth resist the ordinance of God and shall receiue Iudgement of God saith he reseruing the Equiuocating of the Text because he would haue vs to thinke that all Supreame power is in the Pope vpon this Text Chrysostome doth obserue that these are not onely spoken of the Laicke but for the Religious yea and for the Apostles themselues saith he But Bellarmine saith in the same Treatise pag. 255. that the Pope hath taken all Ecclesiasticall persons from the power of Princes secular So that they are no more their subiects saith he which in effect is no other then to build a forraigne state within a Kings Realme and so doth he himselfe affirme in the same place It is saith he as if a Prince should set ouer a part of his Dominion vnto a stranger for then hee behoued to loose it Thereafter he saith the lawes of Princes albeit they be not contrarie to Gods word yet can they not bind a Religious person except it be ad directionem non autem ad coactionem pag. 269. of the said clericall exemption concluding pag. 271. that the Prince doth lose the Clergie and is no more their Soueraigne maintaining it so obstinately that he doth obuiat such things as might be obiected in the contrary If saith he yee hold it an iniury done to Kings to spoyle them of their authoritie which they had ouer those men before they entered into the Clergie I answere that he that inioyeth his owne right doth wronge to no man one may choose such a calling as he thinkes meetest for himselfe therefore hee who entereth into the order Ecclesiast doth no iniurie to Kings albeit the King lose a subiect per accidens by that act saith he This Clericall exemption hath a strange consequence that the attemps of Religious men against their natiue Princes shall be no Treason because they are not their Subiects The assassinate of Iaco Clement no treasonable murther And the Iesuite Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes of confession doth plainely hold it treating of this word Clericus saying Clerici Rebellio non est crimen laesae maiestat is quia non est subditus Regi The Rebellion of a religious man is no act of Treason whatsoeuer he doe because he is not a Kings subiect And againe glosing vpon the word Princeps Rex Potest Rex priuari per Rempublicam ob Tyrannidem cum est causa aliqua iust a elegi alius a maiore parte populi The King for Tyrannie may be depriued by the Common
priuate or publike priuate is it which we call morall or a mans rule ouer himselfe and to speake first of that it is meerely Monarchiall because it is done by reason as a King The Philosophers doe esteeme euery wise man to be a Monarch and the first among Kings Sapiens vno minor est Ioue Rex denique Regum That no King was greater then a wise man but Iupiter Multoties reges siratio te rexerit saith Seneca You shall be many wayes a king if you can be king ouer your selfe yea the Spirit of God in the Apocalips saith as much as these Philosophers Fecisti nos Deo nostro reges Sacerdotes You haue made vs Kings and Priests vnto God certaine there cannot be a more princely rule nor more difficill then to daunt the dissordered passions of our spirits which as a seditious popular doe still perturbe the tranquillity of the mind if reason do not sit in his throne aboue their neckes to punish those Bestias animae called by Plato The temporal gouernment publike of men it is either Oeconomicall or Politicall Oeconomicall is the rule of a family and it is meerely soueraigne one man is master ouer the company of one house politicall is a rule of many families which make Cities Countreyes Kingdomes of all the sorts whreof the Monarchie I say for the first is most perfect because it comes neerest vnto the rule of God in the constitution of nature For the next I reason thus There be in nature three kinds of Creatures some with fewe meanes doe compasse small good as the vermine of the earth which be imperfect Creatures some more perfect by many meanes doe attaine greater good as man some lastly most perfect with few meanes doe attaine greatest happinesse as Angels these that haue the most excellent and supreme dignitie doe the same as that Archangell that turneth the Spheare of the first Mobile is said to mooue it in euery minute of the hower of foure and twentie howers while as there be 60. minutes in euery howre 500000. leagues which is the reason why we must count him a more perfect creature then that Angell who ruleth the globe of the Sunne much narrower then the other and taketh no lesse then a whole yeare for his course Summarily of diuers things which ayme at one marke that is most excellent which doth most easily and most swiftlie attayne the same I subsume that of all formes of gouernment the Monarchie doth most preuaile that way and I proue it thus Gouernment doth shew it selfe in three things first in the power and authoritie of those who commaund secondly in the diuturnitie of estate thirdly in the largenesse of dominion For the first I say that authoritie hath greater force where it is absolute and vnite then where it is dispersed and limited Naturall reason doth stand for it vis vnita fortior experience doth approue it That statelie popular Common-weale of Rome in case of any notable danger was constrained to distrust hir ordinarie Magistrates and to betake her selfe to the absolute and vnite power of the Dictator as Liuie saith Videat Dictator ne quid Respub detrimenti capiat let the Dictator prouide that the Common-weale incurre no euill which Dictatorship was a most soueraigne and powerfull authoritie for the time and when at length that flourishing Common-wealth became mightie and great there was no forme of gouernment could suffice to keepe it in good estate vntill it did againe peece and peece turne to a Monarchie first creating Dictators vpon occasions and by intermission of time next creating Pompey onely Consul thirdly Caesar Dictator in perpetuum And Augustus was receiued in the state absolute Monarch And the greatest part of the Common-wealths of the earth this day which be either Aristocraticall that is to say where a selected number of the most worthy doe gouerne as at Venice or which be Democraticall that is to say meerely popular as at Genua they are forced to acknowledge a certaine soueraigntie by establishing of a Duke For the second touching diuturnitie of States Sparta was of the longest continuance eight hundred yeeres as for Venice which doth reckon eleuen or twelue hundred yeares that is true for the part of their Cittie by reason of the strength thereof by sea but their State hath been oftentimes altered as their Stories doe record and the gouernment it selfe frequently changed being for the first Tribunitiall or popular next vnder a Duke more absolute then hee is now then by little and little it became Aristocraticall vntill in the yeare 1217. it came to this present condition wherein the great Councell was closed and doth since admit no increase of their number Sparta howsoeuer it seeme to be Respub by limitation of their Kings to the Councell of the Ephori yet in actions of warfare and danger his authoritie was absolute so that euen the Republicks in matters of weight and importance they were forced to relie vpon Soueraigntie In the meane time in place of one Cittie which hath stood three or foure hundred yeares there be numbers of Monarchies which haue endured a thousand or twelue hundred yeares The Assyrians more then 1300. yeares Prester Iohn had his beginning before the incarnation and doth yet remaine flourishing The Romane Empire which I count Monarchicall 1600. The kingdome of China is said to be 2300. And of all those of Europe the Royall Crowne of the house of Scotland knowne to bee infallible of greatest antiquitie For the third concerning largenesse of domination the Monarchie hath that way the greatest aduantage Diuers kingdoms haue been of more large and spacious Territories then the dominions of the Romane Empire and many haue been equall More large were the dominions of the Assyrians Medes Persians Greekes and of the Scythians yea forbearing to talke of antiquitie the Ottomanicall Empire is more extended then was that of Rome Rome was dilated from Atlant to England 1200. myles from the streight of Gibalter to Euphrates 3000 myles whereas the Turkish doth lye 4000. in length and in bredth 3500. from Asna to Asaph from Tauris to Buda from Balsara to Algar Moreouer the Romane territories were yet more ample vnder the Emperor then before Augustus there do this day beare rule in Asia great Cam and the great Mogor whereof euery one may put into the fields three hundred thousand horse The great Duke of Muscouia whose bounds doe reach in length 1800. and in bredth 1600. And in the Spanish domination we haue a great example of Monarchicall vertue which doth in largenesse equall many Empires that hath been except that it is weake by disiunction alwaies to brooke dispersed states among diuersities of people languages and manners in the ancient and new found world vnder both poles possessing the most rich Prouinces of Europe in the eyes of strong and dangerous emulators it proues the Monarchiall rule to bee matchles and most solide Briefly for one Repub there be great numbers of principalities
throughout Europe Venice Genua Raguzia Luca Geneua with the Cantons of the Swissers and Grisons and 60. Townes in Almanie which be free all the Remanant being possessed in Monarchie In Asia and Africa wee heare of no gouernment but soueraigne so that Monarchie doth in effect draw vnder it the whole world after the instinct of nature which is the reason why the greatest Clerks Statesmen both do hold that God nature do fauor the increase of Monarchie more then of any other state and we marke it ordinarily and it commeth also to passe sometimes by meanes which can neuer be incident in Republicks as many Principalities falling in one by the lot of Succession and heyres of one house which hath within these few yeares wonderfully enlarged the Crowne of Spaine by the confluence of diuers Kingdomes and Seigniories into it as Riuers into one Ocean and as our most fortunate Isle of Great Brittaine hath been lately erected into a puissant Monarchie by the like coniunction of diuers kingdoms aspiring in the strength of these to greater height which things could neuer arriue into a Repub quia non moritur Respub nec habet heredes the Common-wealth dieth not nor hath any heyres as Kings doe Moreouer wee collect by the holy Scripture that the dilatation of Empires is a benediction of God which since it falleth out by monarchie therefore vnto it must also appertaine the blessing The reason of this is because the pluralitie of pettie Princes and Estates doe make them commonly to liue in aemulation and strife and make great subiects to be insolent and contentious which breedeth ciuill discord and often times distraction in religion grieuances and annoyances of people so farre that wee read how multitude of Princes is permitted by God for the punishment of our sinnes As this point now is true that the vertuous effects of Monarchicall gouernment doe approue the lawfulnesse of it so doth the holy Scripture confirme the same Christ himselfe commanded to obey Caesar the two Archiapostles Peter and Paul from his inspiration did teach the same Paul hath showne himselfe a patron of supreme authoritie Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers which in his time were onely but Ethnick Kings Peter hath commanded vs to submit our selues to all manner of ordinances of Kings or of Gouernours vnder Kings whether they bee good or bad And all the Doctors of the Church haue clearely been of this opinion in fauour of monarchie that it was one of the chiefest blessings which God did vouchsafe vpon the Israelites the coniunction of the tree of Ioseph which was in the hand of Ephraim with the tree of Iuda as wee finde in the 30. Chap of Ezechiel that they should be all vnder one King and be no more a deuided people saith God in that place for the Princely authoritie We haue Iustin orat ad Graecos Athanasius orations contra Idola Chrysost. Homil. 34. on the 1. Cor. Cyprian de vanitate Idolorum Ierom Epi. 4. Leon. Sermo 1. de natiuitate Tho. de Aquin. and all the learned sort of them haue preferred it also all the famous Poets Orators Philosophers Historiographers haue done the same out of the light of nature Homer 2. Booke Euripides in Andromache Isocrates ad Nicom Demosthenes Olym. 1. Dion Hist. Roma Lib. 44. Plinie li. 11. cap. 1. Plato in Politicis Aristot. lib. 12. Metaph. Senec lib. 2. de benef ca. 20. Plutar. de tribus generibus Reipub. and as many moe as haue written haue left the same ground in their Books As both these be most true so it is most true also and a strong argument for Monarchy for the third that the thundering of Gods iudgements against those who attempted to violate euen wicked and tyrannous Princes it doth approue that calling to be a true ordinance of God The banishers of the Romane Kings first Tarquinius superbus then of Iulius Caesar who in effect was a King bearing still the name of Brutus howsoeuer these enterprises seemed for the time to bee vertuously vndergone against vniust vsurpatours or wicked Kings yet the issue of the actors did shew to bee a diuine vindication The first Brutus was brought vpon the parricied of his owne sonnes and had his owne life spoyled thereafter the last of them that pretended braue Brutus who was called Vitimus Romanorum because after him none did dreame any more of Romane liberty he after a wretched while of afflictions did dye by his owne hand attesting the Gods Virtuti fortunam defuisse that fortune was conspired against his vertue and leauing behinde him to the world a bloody name which hath no other vse why to bee remembred of men but when it is applyed to those trecherous Traytors in whom his spirit bath made transmigration to bee perfidious murtherers of lawfull Kings as I haue said before and all his complices the killers of Caesar being mightiemen of resolued action and strongly fortified they did all perish by a sudden reuenge as the story tells Intra annum vertentem before the turning about of one yeere which made Cardan to say that the ghost of Caesar was Maximus Daemon a terrible spirit of reuenge and made other Philosophers to say of him Non mortuus est homo sed reuersus quidem Deus in locum suum That by the slaughter of Caesar no man was dead but a certaine god returned to his owne seat from whence hee came Cassius in like manner the chiefe contriuer of that murther the night before the battell of Philippi being visibly terrified with the ghost of Caesar he procured himselfe to be dispatched by the hand of his owne seruant and nothing did ensue thereafter during the space almost of twentie yeeres in the time of the Triumuiri but fires of ciuill combustion and bloud-shed wherein Antho. Lep. Pompe Sextus Cicero and all the ambitious spirits were spent with infinite numbers of the popular and what violation of Kings and Princes hath not the like euent A more barbarous and more supportable tyranny yea a more cruell brutish man hath neuer beene then Nero the surprise of whose life was accompained with the murther of three succeeding Emperours Galba Otho Vitellius all within two yeeres of whom Otho the worthier of the three was made his owne executioner besides many thousands of Romane Gentlemen whose liues were the propitiatory sacrifice to the gods for the contemptible Nero. To come to domesticke examples Richard the second of England degraded as an vnworthy Prince but in their stories wee see that an omnipotent reuenge did follow vpon it for Henry the fourth in his time had no other actions but the dispatching and ouerthrowe of those who were of his side against Richard so was he enraged with feare and iealousie his sonne againe had some intestine repois and peace by meanes of his warres in France but his successour Henry the sixt was depriued his sonne Edward poysoned his children murthered by their cruell Vncle the Duke of Glocester
and his tyranny againe intercepted by Henry the seuenth These were the infinite effusions of natiue bloud during that tempest of Naufrage wherein their Writers doe collect haue beene sixteene or 17 seuerall pitched battells the slaughter of nine Kings or Kings sonnes forty Dukes Marquesses and Earles 200000. of the popular And what extraordinary punishment haue wee in our time seene inflicted vpon the persons houses and states of diuerse disloyall subiects who haue attempted to abuse the sacred authority of our most gracious Soueraigne certaine it is a ground in reason a tryall in experience a conclusion of all politickes and warranted by Gods word in holy Scripture strengthened with the opinion of graue Doctors of the Church That Rebellon doeth euer moue greater mischiefe then Tyranny CHAP. X. A defence of Episcopall gouernment by diuerse most cleere and ingenuous reasons NOw wee come to conside◅ what affinitie the Church gouernment hath with those others whereof we haue spoken before the written Law of Moses God did elect so many Patriarckes to rule his first Church Enoc Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and others And our Sauiour before the written Law of the Euangel or of grace hee did elect so many Apostles to rule the second whereof the former was the type when the numbers of the beleeuers did increase euen vnto Moses were adioyned seuenty to assist him in his charge so did Christ next his twelue Apostles elect seuenty Disciples In Israel there were many particular Princes and Elders of the people who did rule euery man his own Centuries and Chiliads but these seuenty were created to beare vniuersal rule as we collect frō the words of Moses Ego solus ferre omnem populum istum non possum I only cannot beare the charge of this people answere Congregatibi gather vnto you which is to be his Collegues and yet they were subordinate for while Moses went to the mountaine he left a deputation ouer the people Ecce Aaron Hur. If any man haue controuersie let him come to Aaron and Hur euen so these seuenty Disciples howsoeuer they were adioyned to the Apostles yet they were subordinate and inferiour the Apostles being still chosen to be conuersant with Christ constant witnesses of all his actions and onely intire with him like vnto Moses who onely went vp to talke with God We read in the twelfth of the Acts how the Apostles found Iustus and Matthias onely sufficient of all the rest to succeed in the place of Iudas argument enough of the Apostolicall superiority ouer them Luke againe and Marke were of good authorities among the Apostles because they were the Euangelical Historians yet were they not of the seuenty Euangelists being elected by men and not our Sauiour as Tertullian writeth of Luke Non Apostolus sed Apostolicus non Magister sed Discipulus vtique Magistro minor Not an Apostle but Apostolicall no Master but Disciple and alwaies inferiour to the Master That diuerse had the holy spirit as the Apostles who were not yet their equals it is euident after their dispersion Philip did Euangelize at Samaria but Peter Iohn were sent to constitute the churches The holy spirit without the ministery of S. Paul did come vpon Cornelius and his company for besides these two orders of Apostles and Disciples there was a third among the number of an hundred who were present at the choosing of Matthias besides the twelue Apostles and seuenty Disciples there were thirty eight who beene in neither ordination were Prophets as all the learned do affirme who treat of this point of which number was Annamas and Agabus endued with propheticall spirits to impart to the Church diuers reuelations which they had Touching these againe who were thereafter called Episcopi Presbiteri we see that in the Apostles daies the Church was a while without them the first mention of of that order we finde it in the Church of Ierusalem in the twelfth of the Acts for so long as the Apostles and Euangelists did remaine there was neither Episcopus nor Presbyter but after they were disseuered Iames being beheaded and Peter fled then did they enter from that forth Luke doth coniunctly report of them with the Apostles Saint Paul so like vnto himselfe in all his Epistles we cannot thinke that without a reason in his Epistle to the Philipians hee hath giuen salutation to the Episcopi and Diaconi and hath not done so in the rest of his Epistles In that Epistle to the Romanes hee salutes diuers whom he calles his co-operarij or fellow labourers as Andronicus and Vrbanus famous among the Apostles And of the Domestick Church which was some while at Ephesus and somewhile at Corinth to these hee giues them their owne praises yet doth he not call them Episcopi nor Presbyteri as hee doth Epaphroditus in that to the Philipians And Archippus in that to the Colossians when hee came to Rome we read how hee was receiued but by no Presbiteri which had not beene omitted if that ordination had beene then among them more then it is omitted in the 15. and 21. of the Acts where he is said to be receiued of Presbyters all this time there was no Presbiteri yet planted other then Timothy Titus Apollo Luke Stephen Fortun. Achai and a few others whom the Apostles did send vpon occasions nor these Churches had then no other Bishop but S. Paul In the meane time the Apostles and the Euangelists did at their commodities visit them as Epiphan and Ambrosiu◅ beare witnesse Epiphanius thus while the preaching of the Gospell was but resent the holy Apostle write according to the time and to things that were where there were Episcopi hee write to them and vnto Diaconi where they were for the Apostles did not ordinate saith hee al things vpon the sudden there was great neede of Presbiteri and Diaconi vnder the Apostles because by these Ecclesiasticall function is perfect Where none was found worthy of Episcopall charge that place did remaine without a Bishop for they being no great multitude of beleeuers saith he they were no great numbers found capable of the Presbyterat therefore the Church at that time did rest vnder the Apostolike Bishopricke till with time things grew to greater perfection in which words we doe obserue this that in the beginning while the Apostolicall mission was limited to Iudea Christ did onely chuse 12. Apostles and 70. Disciples but after the Legation was generall both to Iew and Gentile they tooke vnto them co-operarij Euangelists Prophets and others and when the Gospell beganne to spred they did institute Episcopi and Presbyteri So that Christs Church was planted by the like beginnings and had the like growth of policie as that of Ierusalem both hauing their originall in the persons of Moses the figure and Christ the man figured and both with time diuoluing by little and little into a diuersity of subordinate rulers of whom the Apostle setteth downe the cleere distinction and imparity giuing
President in effect of the Ecclesiasticall Senate differing onely in name from a Bishop which name and authoritie both hee could haue susteyned in his person if the State had vrged him seing hee was contented himselfe to obey a reformed Bishop Beza likewise during ten or twelue yeares carried the same authoritie they did both rule ouer their brethren as a Primate ouer his Coepiscopi or a Bishop ouer his Compresbyteâ—… euen as Zanchius hath said And how many Christian Pastors of remote Nations did in all those times depend from their Oracles as Presbyters vnder Bishops If any man will say it was the merit of the men no ordination of the Church I answer if it was so it is all one to beare authoritie whether colourably or openly onely heere is the difference that lawfull authoritie is better then that which men doe arrogate without warrant and it is better to endure a lawfull Bishop then an vsurping Brother but to neither of these two doe I ascribe any disorder they were wise learned and diuine men who did comport with the policie of the time Inuita Minerua as wee say of necessitie For euen Beza finding things yet to goe farder from the Episcopall rule by the comming thither of Daâ—…aeus he did vehemently regrate it to his familiars And I say that Anthon Faâ—…us who is now Arch-Presbyter there is as wise in that kind as any of his Predecessors for I know it by experience to be so It may be indeed said that the Church of Geneua is yet in puritie without faction but who doth not see the reason of it because it is parua Respublica a small Common-wealth easily ruled where the Presbyteriall Clergie is not aboue the number of eighteen counting both Pastors and Doctors but if it were populous and grosse or if diuision should fall in that which is might it not come to passe among them as it hath done to others in the like that for want of a spirituall head the Ciuill Magistrate behooued to interpose his authoritie and perhaps ioyne him selfe to the wrong side as sundry Romane Emperours haue done in such things according as Ecclesiasticall Stories doe record And what was the doing of our owne Reformator Iohn Knox and of all those who were wise Reformators was it not like vnto the Romanes wisdome who hauing cast out their Kings did in euery case of danger clothe themselues with the absolute authoritie of Dictators Euen so did they after the expulsion of Bishops exercise the same power as Zanchius hath said vnderchanged names and euill Latine names as he calls them of Superintendents and generall Superintendents vntill by length of time as the state of Rome was neuer stayed before it fell againe into the owne naturall center of Monarchie Naturam furca expellas licet vsque recurret Euen so the Ecclesiasticall policie hath returned againe to the owne fountaine from whence it did flow All which considered I giue you my counsell who are Puritans that you be not ashamed to say with Zanchius Quis ego sum c. who are you to oppose your selues against the rule of God in nature in all her members against the rule of wisedome in the Ciuill state of Oeconomie in families of moralitie in one mans person of God in the Architype of the Iewish Church of the Apostles the Primitiue Church and all antiquitie following thereupon I giue you my Counsell to vnderstand the mysterie of time and the nature of reformation which is not compassed vpon the suddaine but with length of time euen as corruption growes with time We see in the old Law the Priesthood was one thing and the Priestly transgressions an other what did Manâ—…sses what did Ahas and other kings of Iudah How did Uziah the Priest and diuers others concurre with the impiety of their kings to defile the house of God with Idolatrie we may see it in the booke of the Kings and Paralyp did God therefore take away from the people the Priesthood no it was oft times prophaned but neuer abolished yea before the Lord should take it away hee did rather suffer both Priesthood and Principautie to be confounded in one person as is said before why should you then malitiously transgresse against so many examples to contemne Episcopall regiment because the Papall tyrannie hath prophaned it why doe you search argumens for diuision and not for vnity It is no Christian part out of the sixteene Archbishops of Antioch to obiect alone Paulus Samositanus who abused his authority to pride heresie would you thinke the like aduantage good against the Apostles to speake of Iudas out of multitudes of Bishops you haue chosen a few of the most insolent and wicked to be of your side marking the disorders of Theoph. Alexandrinus Valens Vrsatius Nestorius Macedon Phoc. What would you answere to these who would deale so with yourselues among hundreths of the like entercourses of your policie to obiect but two your great feast day holden at Edenburgh which made the seuenteenth of December so famous and again your caryage after the treason of Gowrie at Perth where the Lord God stood miraculously for the life of your most Gratious Prince and that for greater causes as you haue seene then were reuealed at that time and no doubt for greater ends then you doe yet see what can you answere to the bad behauiour of some brethren who durst challenge such a king his Maiesties reputation and fame and bring it in question before his people which things I mentioned heere out of my true affection to your reformation because the Physicians say Nulla medicamenta magis sunt salutifera quam ea qua dolorem pariunt There is no medicine more powerfull then that which breedeth dolor to the patient why doe you not therefore ouerpasse your malitious caption of mens faults to lookevpon the benefite which doth depend from lawfull policie why doe you not remember that the Archiepiscopall authority hath serued to represse the Arrian heresie the most mighty opposition that euer hath beene in Gods Church why do you not remember that Samositanus was more times in parting from the troth and more corrigiable thereafter as is said then Manicheus Marcion Arrius Pelagius and other Heresiarches who were but Presbyters why doe you not call to memorie the holy and reuerend names of Gregor Nazianz. Basil. Nicen. Athanas. Chrysost. Cyprian Ignat. Polycarp Iren. Ambros. August Whose persons were not so remote from this age of ours as the sincerity of their Christian and Catholike gouernement in the Church was different for the present rule of the Romane Bishops And notwithstanding of the corruption which is this day pregnant in the world and which you doe so much perill to fall in the state of Bishops by diuoluing of that charge in great noble personages more through the fauour of Princes then for their Merit as you say yet doe but looke a litle vpon the worthy Prelates which haue bin in the Church of
terrible flames against his neighbours to the end it may approach the more fearefully to himselfe May not wee imagine that it is a great heart-sore to him to see his fellowes so absolute Kings his Maiesty of great Britaine like to Salomon disposing at his pleasure of the Leuiticall functions within the house of God the Church of France from all antiquitie hauing her liberties exempted from Papall Hierarchie both those Kings auowedly defying that pretended Soueraignty while as he one of the first Christian Monarches doth vnderlie the yoake of Priestly Domination For as touching this late practice of Cardinall Perone whereby hee hath so much strained his wits to staine the glory of the French Crowne and to render the ancient Christian and famous priuiledges thereof obscure and problematicke as he speakes that is but an illusion of the Romane Circe cast in to abuse the weakenesse offeminine and childish gouernment which will soone appeare in the owne colours to any Prince in perfection to be an act of perfidious 〈◊〉 against the strength and reputation of that braue 〈◊〉 as it is already both cleerely and cunningly charactered by the truly royall answer and defence made by our most gracious Soueraigne for his neighbour King in minoribus for all Christian Kings in generall against that serpentine and disloyall Oration of the aforesaid Cardinall Alwaies that ielousie and distraction is easie to grow betwixt Spaine and Rome This is a strong reason for it and approued by experience The Spaniards doe already possesse the richest patrimonies of S. Peter Sicilia and Naples that if a violent and headie Pope doe recounter a troubled estate in Spaine it is like enough they will redemaund these whereof the proofe was seene in the person of Pope Sixto Quinto who fauoured Henry the third of France against the holy League for that same cause vpon the other side we are to presume from the like reason that the Spaniard hath no better meanes to possesse these things securely then by clipping the winges of the Popish pride since he hath already gotten the fatnesse of his pot Experience hath in like manner qualified this Carolus Quintus of Spaine and Ferdinand and Maximilian his Successors in the Empire had no greater studies in their times then to haue reformed the Church of Rome for Christian peace and for their owne securitie as is more particularly before rehearsed the misgiuing whereof did breed so great griefe to himselfe before his death and so great displeasure to his posteritie thereafter One other point maketh me to apprehend this disposition of the world to Catholike reformation The whole Clergie of Rome is a thinking how to supplant the Iesuiticall Trafficke and to extirpate those plagueful weedes who by their large vniust priuiledges granted by ambitious Popes for their ambitious and wicked seruices haue ouergone the whole religious orders of the Romane Church invading their Functions at their pleasure as one may well see in that little Treatise which some few yeares agoe came out against them called Introductio in arcam Iesuiticam wherein all their treacheries are perfectly exprest CHAP. XIV A contemplation of the present condition of this Isle of Great Britaine by sundry weightie points and worthy of consideration for our better knowledge of this Time BVT finally of all the circumstances of this present world there is one which doth most moue me to think that this great Iubile of the restitutiō of the catholike Church doth approach and that we be already entered into the prime of that new light First there is now a mightie Monarch of the Protestant side alike to whom hath not been in any time his Maiestie of Great Britaine Secondly a Monarch of such authoritie with all the Protestant States and Princes in matters of Religion that they giue vnto him the Style of the Great St. Augustine to be flagellum haereticorum Thirdly a Monarch of that rare learning accompanied with the true wisdome of a temperate spirit that euen the iudicious opponents except these who bee Iesuiticall doe hold his Maiestie the most sufficient instrument to goe about and bring to passe a generall reformation which points I will pray all those that shall read this discourse to weigh in sinceritie as I shall compendiously set them downe for our edification that wee may thankfully remarke the miraculous and mercifull dealing of God with our Age. There hath euer been since the first Creation two generations in the world one of Cain one of Abel one of Isaac one of Ismael one of Iacob one of Esau one of Ioseph one of his malicious brethren one of Dauid one of Saul one of Solomon one of Absolon one of Simon Peter one of Simon Magus c. Arace of the iust and a race of the reprobate making that admirable Antithesis wherevpon God doth hang the ballance of his glory swayed by his mercy to the one hand and by his iustice to the other this is the secret and hidden mysterie of Gods predestination in the gouernment of the world numero pondere mensura as the Scripture saith And because the wicked as impetuous flouds do ouerflow the world and ouercome the Saints of God with multitude of wicked Princes and false Prophets therefore the Lord doth oftentimes as the storie of the Scripture declareth raise vp both in Church and State some men of extraordinarie vertue and goodnes to preserue the faithfull seed which hath made the Psalmist to say Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis suis the Lord is admirable in his Saints In the first age of the originall Creation he had his seruant Enoch of whom it is said Placuit Deo translatus est in Paradisum hee pleased God and was translated to Paradice In the second age of vniuersall corruption he had Noah to be the seminarie of the godly of whom it is said factus est reconciliatio In the third which was the peculiar election of the Iewes he had Abraham of whom it is said Et non inventus est similis ei qui conseruaret legem excelsi In the fourth which was his manifestation to be the God of Israel by the written Law hee had his excellent Moses of whom it is written Dilectus Deo hominibus Moses cuius memoria in benedictione In the fist which was the establishment of the Iewish kingdom he had his Prophet Dauid whom himselfe did honour with this testimonie Inveni hominem secundum cor meum In the sixt which was the propheticall illumination of the Synagogue among greater numbers he had in speciall his Eliah of whom it was said Et quis potest similiter gloriari tibi So in the seuenth which was the falling of the Synagogue hee had his great Priest Simeon Onia of whom it is said Quasiignis effulgens quasithus redolens in igne quasi vas auri soliduns ornatum lapide pretioso Euen so in the later ages since the Gospell albeit things goe not by