by his Supream Ecclesiastical power First built and finished the Temple according to King Davids modell and then commanded all the Elders and Princes of Israel with the Priests and Levites to carry the Ark and place it in the Temple 2ly The King not the Priests or Levites though all present dedicated and consecrated the Temple with a most Divine heavenly from of Prayer answered and approved by God in sending down fire from heaven which consumed the burnt-offerings and sacrifices and filled the House with his glory so that the Priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lords House 3ly He also hallowed the middle of the outward Court by offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings there 4ly He appointed all burnt-offerings to the Lord after a certain rate every day according to the commandement of Moses on the Sabbath and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of unleavened bread of Weeks and of Tabernacles 5ly He assembled all the Priests and Levites to Jerusalem at the Temples Dedication not in their courses But that solemnity ended He as King appointed according to the order of David his Father THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS TO THEIR SERVICE AND THE LEVITES TO THEIR CHARGES to praise and minister before the Lord as the duty of every day required Porters also by their courses for every gate FOR SO HAD DAVID the man of God COMMANDED And THEY DEPARTED NOT FROM THE COMMANDEMENT OF THE KING VNTO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES CONCERNING ANY MATTER or concerning the Treasures Here is Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction vested in and exercised by this King in and over all Ecclesiastical persons matters and exact canonical obedience yielded to King Davids and King Solomons Canons not to the High Priests Priests or Levites who had then no power to make or impose such Canons or Injunctions as Popes and Popish Prelates now doe without any Scripture president for their warrant 6ly This King was the inspired penman of three whole Books of Canonical Scripture the Proverbs Solomons Song and Ecclesiastes but no Priest or Levite we read of either in his or his Father Davids reign 7ly He as King thrust out Abiathar FROM BEING PRIEST TO THE LORD banished him from Jerusalem and might have put him to death for his Treason in crowning Adonijah King but saved his life for this reason because he had born the Ark of the Lord God before David his Father and been afflicted with him in all his afflictions and put Zadoc the Priest in his room Here is Regal Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction exercised over the High Priests themselves 6ly King Asa as King First took away the Altars of the strange Gods and the High-places and brake down the Images and cut down the groves through all the Cities of Judah and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of their Fathers and to do the Law and the Commandements and afterward did the like in Benjamin and the cities he had taken from Mount Ephraim 2ly He renewed the Altar of the Lord which was before the porch and gathered all Judah Ephraim Benjamin and others to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices of the spoils they had taken unto God which done He as King made them enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shoutings with trumpets and with cornets and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart 3ly He removed Maachah his mother from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and burned her Idol at the brook Kidron 4ly He brought into the house of the Lord all the things gold silver vessels himself and his Father had dedicated All evidences acts of his Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction 4ly King Johoshaphat his Sonne 1. commanded the Levites accompanyed with some Princes to oversesee encourage assist them to go and teach Gods Law to all the people throughout all the Cities of Judah and to carry the Book of the Law with them which they did accordingly 2ly He went out again the second time through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord God of their Fathers 3ly He appointed not only Temporal Judges City by City through all Judah but likewise Judges Delegates at Jerusalem in cases of appeals between blend and bloud Law and Commandement Statute and Judgements wherein he joyned some of the Levites Priests and chief Fathers of Israel and Amaziah the chief Priest in all matters of and judgements for the Lord as his subordinate Judges receiving their Commissions from him and gave them an Excellent admonition how to judge proceed uprightly 4ly He proclaimed a solemn Fast throughout all Judah to come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord for help against a great host of invading Enemies where he nor the Priests stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the House of the Lord before the Court and made a most pertinent effectual Prayer to God which God answered with a miraculous victory causing his enemies to destroy one another without fighting them and giving his Army all the spoil For which victory he commanded them to return to Jerusalem to give publike thanks to God 5ly King Jehoash commanded the Priests to repair all the breaches of the Lords House with the moneys and the dedicated things brought into it and called for and reprehended Jehoiada the High Priest and the other Priests for their negligence in not repairing them as he commanded whereupon they received no more money and repaired the House 6ly King Hezekiah by his Regal power 1. Opened the doors of the House of the Lord which had been shut up by his idolatrous Predecessors and repaired them gathered the Priests and Levites together brought them into the Lords house commanded them to sanctify themselves and then the house by carrying all the filth out of the holy place and cleansing the holy vessels Then made a second exhortation to them and strictly commanded them diligently to discharge their respective duties without ceasing All which they executed according to the Command of the King in the Businesse of the Lord. 2ly He afterwards commanded the Priests to offer burnt sacrifices and the Levites to praise God in the Temple according to the Commandement of David And He set all the services of the House of God in Order Moreover the KING and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and they sang praises with gladnesse 3ly This King taking counsel with his Princes and the Congregation at Jerusalem made a Decree sent forth a solemn Proclamation inviting
commanding all Judah and Israel to keep a solemn Passeover at Jerusalem on the second Moneth whereupon a great multitude then and there assembling they took away the Idols altars and cast them into the book Kidron and killed the Passeover Whereupon the Priests and Levites being ashamed of their bacwardness in this service sanctifyed themselves brought the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord stood in their places after their manner according to the Law of Moses and sprinkled the bloud 4ly Hezekiah not the Priests publikely prayed to God to pardon those who prepared their hearts to seek God though they were not sanctifyed and prepared according to the purification of the Sanctuary and spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good Law of the Lord. 5ly This King Appointed the Courses of the Priests Levites after their Courses every man according to his Service appointed the Kings portion for all morning and evening sacrifices for every day Sabbath Feast as it is written in the Law of the Lord and commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests and Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord whereupon all the people brought in the First-fruits and Tithes of all things abundantly which Hezekiah commanded to be put in store-houses built by his command over which he appointed Rulers to distribute to every Priest and Levite his portion All undoubted Badges of his Supream Ecclesiastical Authority 7ly King Iosiah by his Regal Jurisdiction 1. Purged Judah and Jerusalem from their high places groves carved Images and molten Images brake down the Altars of Baal and cut down the Images that were above them and brake in pieces the carved and molten Images and stamped them to powder and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them and burnt the bones of their Priests upon their Altars and so did he in the Cities of Manasseth Ephraim and Simeon even unto Napthali 2ly He assembled all the Elders of Judah inhabitants of Jerusalem Priests Levites and all the people great and small into the Temple and HE READ in their ears all the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord Then the King stood in his place and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements Testimonies and Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and caused all there present to stand to the Covenant and Oath 3ly He took away all the abominable things out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were found in Israel Priests and people to serve the Lord their God And all his dayes they departed not from serving the Lord God of their Fathers 4ly He assembled the Princes and he kept a most solemn Passeover to the Lord in Jerusalem the 14. day of the first moneth And He set the Priests in their Charges and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord and commanded the Levites that taught all Israel to prepare themselves by the Houses of their Fathers after their courses according to the writing of David King of Israel according to the writing of Solomon his Son said to them stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people and after the division of the families of the Levites So kill the Passeover and sanctifie your selves and prepare your Brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses Whereupon they all prepared performed their respective offices and duties in celebrating the Passeover as this pious King prescribed Lo here no lesse then 7. most renowned pious Kings recorded in Sacred story by divine approbation exercising Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over High Priests Priests and Levites themselves ordering all sacred affairs offerings sacrifices Psalms prayers courses of Priests appertaining to Gods worship building consecrating repairing cleansing the Temple destroying Idolatry with other particulars 5ly From Moses Joshuahs and their presidents I shall observe 1. That they are all specially recorded in sacred Writ for their eternal honors reputations and the example of all other pious Kings under the Gospel 2ly That not one of them was ever taxed by God or the high Priests for invading or usurping their Jurisdictions or Offices for any of their forecited actions injunctions commands over them or exercising these high points of Monarchical and Regal Jurisdiction in and over all Ecclesiastical affairs or the essential ceremonial parts of Gods publike worship Which Popes and Popish Prelates would repute the highest most sacrilegious Encroachment upon their Ecclesiastical Rights and Jurisdictions if now acted by Christian Kings Magistrates Rulers and excommunicate them for it by Bell Book and Candle 3ly That we find no one part of Ecclesiastical power and Jurisdiction in these or any other particulars either exercised or claimed by the high Priest Priests Levites either joyntly or severally all their reigns 4ly There are only Two Kings but no other Magistrate in sacred History reprehended by the high Priest and punished by God for invading the Priests Office and Function and that only in one particular Ministerial not Jurisdictional sacred action peculiar unto Priests by Gods own restriction The first is of King Saul who sending for Samuel to Gilgal to offer Sacrifices and enquire of the Lord for help against the Philistims and he staying seven dayes for him and the people scattering themselves from him thereupon he calling for a burnt offering and peace offering offered the burnt offering to the Lord himself Which he had no sooner done but Samuel came and Saul telling him how he had in this extremity forced himself and offered a burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel thereupon said to Saul Thou hast done very foolishly thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee for the Lord had now established the kingdom of Israel upon thee for ever but now thy kingdom shall not continue The second is King Vzziah who being lifted up with pride and prosperity to his destruction transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense whereupon Azariah the Priest went in after him with fourscore more Priests of the Lord that were valiant man and withstood the King and said unto him It pertaineth not to thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thy honour from the Lord God Then Vzziah was wroth with the Priests and took a censor in his hand to burn incense whereupon the Leprosie rose up in his Forehead before the Priests in the House of the Lord from beside the
you abundantly into THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ and our Saviours own asseverations Not every one that saith LORD LORD shall enter into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven necessarily evince 7ly After our Saviours resurrection and ascention when God his Father highly exalted him and gave him all power both in heaven and earth his Soveraign Regality and Dominion in and over his Church and Kingdom are frequently set forth in these transcendent expressions decyphering only his Regal not Prieâ—tly or Prophetick Offices and Administrations Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the earth whom God the father of glory hath set at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to his Church which is his body The fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Goa hath by the extraordinary greatnesse of his mighty and glorious power delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Sonne who is the first-born of every creature For by him were all things created that are in heaven and 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 And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in or amongâ—â— all things he might have the preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell Compared with his other Gospel titles Thou King of Saints and the united praises prostrations acclamations of the Angels with the four beasts and the 24. Elders and all the Saints and Redeemed ones before Christ who sitteth on the throne before whom they all fall worship and cast down their Crowns saying Worship and honour and thanks and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne for ever and ever worthy art thou O LORD to receive glory and honour for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were and are created All these recited Texts resolve that Christ is Supream head of his Kingdom the Church not in his Priestly Propheticall capacity or office but only in his Regal and reigns in it as a King Lord not as Priest or Prophet 8ly As in the Old so in the New Testament the Church Militant as well as the Triumphant is usually stiled the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of heaven Christs Kingdom my Kingdom his Kingdom the ever lasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a Kingdom which cannot be removed c. The very Gospel it self the Gospel word and mysteries of the Kingdom yea shall the Kingdom of God and heaven it self The mighty power of God to salvation scepter of his Kingdom His Saints shall eat drink sit reign with him in his Kingdom He sits and reigns for ever in his Church as a King on a Royal throne clothed with royal Majesty and glory His rewards are all Regal A crown of righteousness of glory thrones Inheritances in his kingdom reigning with him as Kings royal Robes Honour Glory His punishments Regal Exclusion from his kingdome everlasting death infernal chaines destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the Glory of his POWER His judging of quick and dead at his appearance and comming Yea all his administrations Regal in prescribing Lawes to his Church rescuing them from the power of Satan Hell and all other Enemies protecting them from all evils treading Satan under their feet Guarding them by his Mighty power unto salvation in his heavenly kingdom compared with this fulfilling of the procies of Christs kingdom in the Old Testament thus recorded as accomplished in in the New Rev 11. 15. There were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdom not Church of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev 12. 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ 1 Cor 15. 24 25. Then cometh the end when Christ shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he shall put down all enemies under his feet All and every of these Texts and considerations joyntly and severall demonstrate more clearly then the Morning Sunne That Christs Government of his Kingdom the Church under the Gospel is only Kingly and Monarchical as even Bellarmin himself and most Pontificians professe argue grounding the Popes Universal Monarchy upon it not Pontifical or Prophetical and that the Supreme Government thereof is for ever intirely annexed to his Regal not Priestly or Prophetical Office and these Offices of his united to his Regal Office as Supream not his Regal to his Sacerdotal or Propheticall as subordinate to them This being an unfallible Gospel-truth not hitherto so fully cleared and insisted on by the Oppugners or Asserters of Popes Universal Monarchy as was necessary which induced me to expatiate in its probation The second and sole Question will be Whether Christ himself did ever delegate by any Commission recorded in Sacred History all his Regal Power and Jurisdiction or any branch thereof to Saint Peter or any other Apostles Bishops Presbyters Evangelists or Ministers of the Gospel Or whether they or any of them ever justly claimed enjoyed exercised this his Royal Dominion Office Government in or over his Church on earth If yea as most Popes and their Parasites confidently affirm without the least shadow of Scripture or Verity let them produce the Commission or Texts to evidence it to every mans conscience in the sight of God and to all Kings Kingdoms Nations in the world If not as shall be evidenced in the ensuing Chapters past all contradiction I and they may then safely cry out mightily with a strong voyce as the Angel prophetically doth Babylon the great Rome is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues with violence shall she and her triple-crown'd Pontif be thrown down from the pinacle of her usurped super-transcendent power and shall be found no more at all Before I take leave of this Proposition to avoid mistakes and clear up the Truth it will be necessary to distinguish
Lord their God which brought them and their fathers out of the land of Egypt c. Whereupon all the people resolved and answered again and again The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey and they made a statute ordinance and covenant before the Lord to perform it compared with Joshua 22. 11. to 34. 4ly By King Davids manifold exhortations and precepts to his Subjects to this purpose throughout the Psalms especially Psalm 34. 37. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints Come ye children and hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it dwell for evermore c. And by his charge to his son Solomon all his Princes Officers and Congregation of Isrel 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keep and search for all the commandements of the Lord your God that ye may posses this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth the imagination of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou shalt forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Seconded with this his publike prayer to God for them 1 Chron. 29. 18 19 20. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee And give unto Solomon my Son an understanding heart to keep thy commandements thy testimonies and statutes and to do all these things and to build the house for which I have made provision Which ended David said to all the Congregation Now blesse the Lord your God And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowâ—d down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the King 5ly By Ecclesiastes 1. 12 c. 12. 9 10 11. recording that Solomon King of Israel was also a Preacher and taught the people knowledge and that which was upright even words of truth for their everlasting welfare 6ly By 2 Chron. 15. 12. to 19. Where King Asa made the people to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul and that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether great or small whether man or woman To omit all other particular examples of this nature already touched From these Texts it is apparent That the primary office duty end of Kings especially Christian is to promote the honour worship service fear love of God true religion eternal salvation of their Subjects souls and suppresse what ever is repugnant thereto 12ly That which was Gods principal end design in creating the World it self redeeming mankind by the bloud of Jesus Christ and the King of Kings giving both the Law and Gospel to men must certainly be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Governors the eminentest chiefest of men to be his Viceroyes to rule over men of inferiour rank or quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magistratical office duty Now Gods principal end and design in creating the world and men the Lords of all other Creatures redeeming mankind by the bloud of Christ and giving both the Law and Gospel to them was only this that all mankind might worship adore fear honor praise blesse obey love and glorify him according to his word and will whiles they live on earth that Jesus Christ might rule in and reign over them as his kingdom Church Saints and they might reign with and enjoy perpetual felicity in by under him in his heavenly kingdom for all eternity as the Scripture resolves Therefore it must necessarily be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Magistrates the eminentest choicest of all men to rule over those of inferiour quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magisterial office trust duty upon which Account among others God specially enjoyned the Kings of Israel to have a Copy of the Book of his Law alwayes in their custody and to read therein all the dayes of their lives the better to observe it themselves and to enjoyn all their subjects to observe obey and do nought against it yea God himself with greatest majesty enacted this Royal Law by King Davids own mouth for all Kings Rulers to square their Government by He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God which he can never do without taking special care to maintain promote the true Worship service fear love obedience of God according to his word among all his Subjects for Gods glory and their temporal and eternal felicity as David did 13ly This I shall evidence even from the very light of nature and practice among the Heathen Nations Plato in his Book De Regno asserts That the King hath Universae humanae Societatis curam that Regia cura ut quae principalis in omnes homines ars est consisting not only in this that Rex est humanus Curator but also Divinus Pastor over all his Subjects That the chief care of Religion Worship of the Gods and feeding of the people belongs to Kings they being a kind of Priests Quare in Egypto neque imperare licet Regi absque Sacerdotio Sed si quis ex alio genere per vim Regnum invasit postea tamen necesse est cum hoc genere initiari Quin et in multis locis apud Graecos Summis Magistratibus maxima sacrificia demandata esse quis compererit et sane etiam apud nos non minus clarum est quod dico Ei enim qui Rex sorte creatus est augustissima et maxima patria vetera sacrificia huic attributa esse tradunt Hos itaque sorte creatos Reges simulque Sacerdotes considerare convenit c. Aristotle his Scholar resolves us that in the heroical times Reges provinciam habebant bellorum et sacrorum nisi forte ad Sacerdotes attinerent Postea autem partim quidem ipsis Regibus omittendis partim vero populis recusantibus apud quasdam Civitates sacra solis Regibus relicta sunt Rex autem et Dux belli et Iuder erat rerum divinarum moderator And among the Romans themselves as their Historians and others relate their antient King and after that their Emperors were both Kings and Priests and had the chiefest hand in performing the Rites and Ceremonies of
promittitur to corroborate their â—action This young Emperor Henry the 5th counterfeited very much humility and ingenuity in this Council to indear himself to the Pope Prelates and Church Nam cum servorum Dei conventui non niâ—i vocatus interesse vellet tandem in abjecto productus habitu locoque stans editiori omnibus juxta Principum decreta suas leges atque jura rationabiliter renovaâ— it si qua vero irrationabilia rogabantur mira ultra suos annos prudenti resposione avita magnanimitate confutavit Christi Sacerdotibus dignam exhibens reverentiam Inter haec obortis lacrymis ipsum regem coeli cunctamque militiam coeli testabatur Se nulla regnandi cupiditate paternum sibi Regnum usurpare neque Dominum et Patrem suum a Romano deponi Imperio exoptare imo debitam pertinaciae inobedientiae ejus semper compassionem exhibere Sique Sancto Petro suisque Successoribus lege Christiana sublici velit sive regno cedere sive serviliter ipsi se subesse promisit Quod auditum omnis multitudo collandans lachrymae simul preces tam pro Patris conversione quam prosilii presperitate funderecaepit voce magna Kyrieel declamans Eadem hora Uto Hildinisheimenâ—is Henricus Paderburnensis Fredericus Halberstatensis praesules vestigiis Metropolitani prostrati ipsius atque Regis stantis totiusque praesentis Ecclesiae testimonio Apostolicae se dederunt obedientiae Quorum etiam commissa Apostolico nihilominus judicio reservantur sub Officii sui tantum suspensione After this Henry the Son raising an army against his Father forcibly ejected the Bishops made by his Father who on the contrary opposed despised the Bishops ordained by the Son After several bloody battles one of them continued for three dayes against each other to the great effusion of Christian blood both parties referred themselves to a Treaty of Peace in an Assembly of the German Princes and Prelates to be held at Mentz wherein the Emperor was to purge himself from the Heresie objected against him by the Pope and safe conducts were mutually granted to each party to resort to that Synod without any peril either of life or body Eo jam Henricus 4. Imperator cum iret a filio in itinere per insidias contra sidem publicam datam capitur captus in communitissimum castrum obducitur non permittitur illi ut Comitia adeat Henricus filius praesentibus Pontificiis Legatis Albano Episcopo Gebehardo Constantinensi Episcopo Comitia celebrat patre captivo excluso Legati anathema a tot Pontificibus in Henricum promulgatum renovant iterum confirmant Imperium impositione manuum conferunt silio Henricum 4. ea lege libertati restituendum esse statuunt ut coram Legatis Pontificiis culpam suam confiteatur satisfactionemque promittat cedat filio regnum cum omnibus Imperialibus insigniis corona lancea â—ceptro globo atque corona The Emperor thereupon writ one memorable Letter to his Son another to Pope Paschal complaining of this his Treachery Injustice and against these inhuman proceedings which you may peruse in his Epistles and this to the Bishops and Nobles of the Empire Henricus Dei gratia Rom. Imp. Aug. Archiepiscopis caeteris Saxoniae Principibus ac etiam reliquo populo gratiam dilectionem dignantibus eaem recipere Conquerimur Deo omnipotenti Dominae meae sanctae Mariae beato Petro principi Apostolorum patrono nostro vobis Principibus omnibus quia injuste inhumane crudeliter in illa confisi fide qua dubitare non debuimus tractati rumus et tam honore regni quam praediis omnibus quae habebamus contra divinum et humanum jus ad infamiam et vituperium regni ita expoliati sumus ut nihil paenitus praeter vitam nobis relictum sit Ubi cum ferme omnes essetis magna pars vestrum visa est dolore contristari sed prohâ—dolor nihil nobis contulit vestra tristitia quin in nobis sibi satisfaceret voluntas inimicorum odiosa Et quia consilio rogatu filii nostri fide securitate vitae honoris primum ab eo accepta fiducialiter desideranter Moguntiam in praesentiam Legati Romani principum tenderamus ut eorum dispositione ageremus tam de statu Ecclesiae honore regni quam de salute animae nostrae ipse non est veritus in hac voluntate et obedientia nos contra datam fidem capere et usque ad articulum mortis ferme ducere non ausi sumus ita illi credere ut injuria contumeliis nos pro voluntate sua sicut prius valeat tractare Quapropter multum vos rogamus obnixe precamur ut pro timore Dei honore Regni honestate vestra dignemini studere quomodo injuria in manibus vestris nobis illata per vos possimus recuperare justitiam Nos autem pro consilio vestro aliorum qui nos odio non habent religiosorum virorum parati sumus tam filio nostro si in aliquo eum offendimus quam alicui in regno libenter rationem dare Praeterea sicut Domino Papae in praesentia Legati sui vestra obedire parati fuimus ita nunc parati sumus ei omnem debitam reverentiam obedientiam syncero corde devotione praesentialiter exhibere ac tam consilio vestro quam spiritualis patris nostri Henrici Cluniacensis Abbatis aliorumque religiosorum de statu Ecclesiae honore regni quantum in nobis est disponere Cum ergo ad haec omnia parati sumus rogamus obnixe precamur quatenus pro Deo honore regni vestro instanter moneatis filium nostrum cum nulla ei secundum praefatam sentiam adversum nos residua sit occasio a modo desistat nos et fideles nostros persequi et pacifice et quiete vivere permittat ut supra dicta integre cum tranquillitate perficiantur Quod si noluerit rogamus vos per autoritatem Rom. Ecclesiae cui nos committimus honorem regni ne super nos fideles nostros veniatis quia manifestum est non eum divinae legis zelo vel Rom. Ecclesiae dilectione sed concupiscentia regni Patre injuste eo privato hoc incepisse Apud quem si interpellatio vestra nullaque alia interventio ad praesens prodesse poterit appellamus Romanum Pontificem sanctam universalem Rom. sedem Ecclesiam He likewise sent another Epistle to Pope Paschal Regi Celtarum thus complaining against the tyranny treachery injustice of the Pope his own Son by his instigation Princeps clarissime omnium in quibus post Deum speramus fidelissime primum praecipuum inter omnes vos excepi cui conqueri deplorare omnes calamitates meas miserias necessarium duxi etiam genibus vestris advolvi si licet salva
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
chief Priests and lesser Priests Vestals Salii distinguishing and limiting all their respective Offices Jurisdictions habits by special Laws recorded by Dionysius Halicarnasseus Plutarch Livy and others Yea Godwin observes That it was A CUSTOME among the Graecians as likewise afterwards among the Romans THAT THEIR KINGS SHOULD PERFORM AS WELL THE CEREMONIES AND HOLY RITES OF RELIGION as Civil businesses being BOTH KINGS AND PRIESTS till Numa perceiving that foreign wars did often occasion the Kings absence whereby the service of the Gods was neglected thereupon ordained several Orders of Priests as their Vicars generals or Curates to discharge their priestly function Yet after this institution their Consuls Censors and some of their Pagan Emperors as Tiberius Veâ—â—atian Trajan were created PONTIFEX MAXIMUS their Highest Priest or POPE and managed the Supream Civil and Pontifical affairs and that by election of the Senate and the people only without the Priests as Alexander ab Alexandro and the Roman Histories record I shall close this Chapter with that of the Roman Historian PRINCIPIO RERUM GENTIUMque IMPERIUM PENES REGES ERAT populus nullis legibus tenebatur arbitria Principum pro legibus erant and that as well in all Sacred Religious as Civil and Military affairs BOOK I. CHAP. II. 2. My Second Proposition is That God after the Israelites deliverance from the Egyptian bondage when he first new modelled them into a Commonwealth and afterwards into a Kingdom setled their State and Church government and divided the Priesthood from the Supream Civil Magistracy and Kingship vesting the one in Moses Josuah David Solomon and their Royal Successors the other in Aaron his Sons and the Tribe of Levi did even then leave the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Power and Jurisdiction over all persons and causes still annexed to and residing in the Supream Civil Magistratical Office and Officers transferring only the Ministerial Priestly Offices to the Priests not the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction being not different in kind from but the very same with the Civil varyed only by the Object not Subject of it THis I shall evidence as clear as the noon-day Sunne 1. By Ten memorable particulars recorded in Sacred History concerning Moses the first Supream Temporal Governor in the Israelites Commonwealth demonstrating his Soveraign Jurisdiction in all Sacred Religious Church affairs 1. God himself by the Ministry of Moses not Aaron instituted described celebrated the feast and Sacrament of the Passeover and sanctified all the firstborn of the children of Israel unto God and was to Aaron INSTEAD OF GOD Exod. 4. 16. 2ly Moses not Aaron penned and prescribed that memorable Song of Praise which all the Israelites sang unto the Lord immediately after their deliverance out of Egypt and drowning of the Egyptians â—n the Red Sea 3dly Moses not Aaron gave them instructions concerning the gathering and for reserving of an Omer of Manna to be kept before the Lord as a Type of Christ the true Manna 4ly God himself immediately appeared unto Moses in Mount Sinai and by his Mouth and Ministry alone not Aarons delivered the first Covenant and the Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial Law unto his people Israel the only rule of their Worship Obedience Government Sacred and Civil 5ly That when Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy of the Elders were afterwards called up into Mount Sinai by God Moses alone was called to come near to God and Aaron left behind That Moses alone wrote all the words of the Lord built an Altar for the 12 Tribes of Israel read the Book of the Covenant to them sprinkled the blood of the Covenant both on the Altar Book all the people received the Tables of stone and Law written therein by God himself and the pattern of the Tabernacle Mercy-seat Altar and all the furniture and utensils thereof the garments of Aaron and the Priests the manner and ceremonies of their respective Consecrations and all the oblations sacrifices and parts of Gods worship to be therein performed both by the Priests and people from God Hence it is specially recorded both in the Old Testament and New That these precepts concerning the Sanctuary of God Let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them according to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of the instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And look that thou make them after the pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount were given only to Moses the Chief Temporal Magistrate Not to Aaron nor the Priests or Levites who alone directed all things to be made accordingly And when all the work of the Tabernacle with the Curtains and the Priests Garments were finished by the Workmen Moses not Aaron survayed and looked upon all the work and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded even so had they done it and Moses not Aaron blessed them 6ly After all the work was thus finished Moses not Aaron was particularly commanded to rear up the Tabernacle with all its furniture and to anoint and consecrate them unto God 7ly Which is most observable Aaron and his Sonnes did not anoint Moses to be the Supream Civil Magistrate but on the contrary God by Moses not only prescribed all the spiritual Offices duties qualifications vestments wives marriages maintenance and appurtenances belonging to Aaron and his sons but also specially designed and commanded Moses to anoint and consecrate them to their Priesthood recorded in these words Exod. 40. 12 to 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying THOV shalt bring Aaron and his sonnes to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and wash them with water and THOU shalt put upon Aaron the holy Garments and anoint him and sanctifie him that he may Minister unto me in the Priests Office And Thou shalt bring his Sonnes and cloath them with coats and Thou shalt anoint them as Thou didst their Father that they may Minister unto me in the Priests Office For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood throughout their generations Thus did Moses according to all that the Lord commanded him so did he So Moses finished the Work without Aarons or his Sonnes assistance Never did Aaron nor his Sons consecrate or anoint any part of the Tabernacle Ark or utensils thereof their own garments oyntment nor any one High Priest or Levite of their Tribe but Moses the Supreame Temporal Magistrate only by Gods own special command whose consecration alone for ever sanctified all their Successors to the High Priests and Priests respective offices which I desire all Popes and Romish Prelates who now appropriate all consecrations whatsoever of persons or things to themselves alone by a pretended Divine right excluding the Civil Magistrate seriously to consider and from thence argue a superiority over Kings Emperors as well as Priests and exact Canonical obedience from them 8ly When Aaron the
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
continuing King till his death and making his Sonne his Viceroy to supply his Government and order his house 5ly Here was no sentence of Excommunication thundred out against him with Bell Book and Candle no absolving of his Subjects from their oaths of Allegiance no exciting of them to rebell or take up Arms against him to dethrone him Wherefore Popes and Popish Prelates can no wayes justifie from this president their excommunicating deposing Kings Emperors or absolving Subjects from their Allegiance against their wills for the greatest crimes Having removed these 4. Grand Romish stumbling-blocks before under the law and Gospel out of the way of my Chronological Progresse I now proceed to my third Conclusion BOOK II. CHAP. III. III. My Third Proposition is That the Supream Government of the Church after Christs Incarnation under the Gospel was and is vested in Jesus Christ himself God and Man only as he is the King not Priest or Prophet thereof and as it is His KINGDOM And that his Priestly and Prophetical Office are united to his Kingly as the first highest in dignity order not his Regal to his Prophetical or Kingly Office BEcause this is of very great Consequence and may seem strange to Usurping Pontifs and other Prelats who appropriate the Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction Government over Christs kingdom Church to themselves as united to his Priestly and Prophetical not Regal Office and so derived wholly and immediately to themselves by Christ as Bishops Priests not to Kings by from and under whom they will not claim nor exercise it as a flower of Christs Crown though delegated to Kings his sole Vice-royes upon Earth not Popes or Priests who are no Kings I shall fully demonstrate its verity by pregnant Scripture-proofs 1. It is generally asserted by all Divines Old and New Pontificans and Protestants That King David and Solomon both of them anointed by Gods special command to sit upon Gods throns to be Kings for the Lord their God 〈…〉 his people Israel to do Justice and Judgement to reign over rule 〈◊〉 in the fear of God and to establish them for ever as likewise to prepare build consecrate a most 〈…〉 and holy Temple for him under the Law were both lively Types of Christ 〈◊〉 by God with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes as the son and seed of David to be the Soveraign King as God incarnate over his Church Saints under the Gospel which he redeemed built sanctifyed with his own blood adorned with all saving graces and in which he should sit rule as King and Soveraign Lord for ever to govern rule help protect save glorify it for eternity 2ly That Christs comming in the flesh to rule reign in and over his People for ever is alwayes prophecied of and promised in the Old Testament under the Title and Office of a King not Priest or Prophet and that he shall sit upon the Throne of David his Father to govern them as a King not Priest Witnesse I say 32. 1 2. ch 16. 5. ch 9. 6 7 8. Behold a KING shall raign in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Judgement and a man shall be as an hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the ten post as rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land And in mercy shall his Throne be established and he shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David Iudging and seeking Iudgement and hasting righteousnesse For unto us a Child is born unto us a Sonne is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be call Wonderfull Counsellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the PRINCE of Peace Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isay 33. 22. Forthe Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law giver the Lord is our King he will save us Jer. 23. 5 6. The dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise 〈◊〉 avid a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Iudgement and Iustice in the Earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel 〈◊〉 dwell safely and this is his name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse c. Ezek. 27. 22 24 25. And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all And David my servant shall be King ever them and they all shall have one Shepherd and they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the Land which I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your Fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Hosea 3. 5. ch 13. 9 10. Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodâ—esse in the latter dayes O Israel thou hast 〈◊〉 thy self but in me is thy help I will be thy King where is any other that may save thee in all thy Cities Jer. 33. 15 16 17. chap. 8. 19. ch 9 10. In those dayes and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David and he shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the Land In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse For thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her The Lord is the true and living God and an everlasting King or King of eternity Micah 2. 13. Their King shall passe before them and the Lord on the head of them cap. 4. 7 8 9. I will make her that was cast off a strong nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion from henceforth for ever Unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem Now why dost thou cry out aloud Is there no King in thee Zach 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is is iust having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the fole of an Asse Actualy fulfilled at Christs triumphant riding into Jerusalem and crying 〈◊〉 to the Son of David blessed is the King of Israel and blessed be the kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest as all the four Evangelists record Zech
14. 9. 16. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth and in that day shall there be One Lord and his name One. And it shall câ—me to passe that every one that is left of all the Nations that came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosits To which I shall subjoyn these prophecies of King David himself concerning the Kingship and kingdom of Christ Gods Son of his seed Psalm 2. 6 7 8. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod or Scepter of Iron c. â—salm 10. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever c. Psalm 29. 10 11. The Lord sitteth King for ever The Lord will give strength uâ— to his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace Psalm 24. 7 8 9 10. Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of Glory shall come in Who is this King of Glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel The Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory c. Psalm 47. 6 7 8. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises For God is the King of all the earth sing ye praises with understanding God reigneth over the Heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holinesse Psalm 96. 9 10 c. 98. 6 9. 99 1 2. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse fear before him all the earth Say among the Heathen that the Lord reigneth the world also shall he establish that it shall not be moved he shall judge the world uprightly With trumpets and sound of a Corn it make a joyfull noise before the Lord the King c. For he cometh to judge the earth with righteousnesse shall he judge the world and the people with equity More especially Psal 95. 3. 99 to 2. The Lord is a great God and a Great King above all Gods The LORD REIGNETH let the people tremble The Lord is great in Sion and high above all people The KINGS strength also loveth judgement thou dost establish equity thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Jacob. Psal 149. 2. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Sion be joyfull in THEIR KING Let them praise his name in the Dance c. Psalm 89. 18. 34 35 36 c. For the Lord is our defence and the holy one of Israel is our King Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David His seed King Jesus shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sunne before me It shall be Established for ever as the Moon and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven In all these Texts of sacred Story to omit others Christ is still prophecyed of and promised to his Church only under the stile of a King Lord or Great King of the Seed of David sitting upon his Throne righteously judging and reigning over his people as a King and he is sometimes stiled David their King he being a Type of Christ his Supream government of them being attributed annexed only to his Kingship not to his Priesthood or Prophetical office as it was in King David his Father and the forecited kings 3ly That as the Scripture prophecied of and promiseth Jesus Christ in the flesh under the Title of a King so it stiles the Church and Saints he should reign over under the Gospel a kingdom wherein and over which he sits and reigns as a King for ever This is evident by all the last recited Texts and those I shall adde unto them 2 Sam 7. 13. 29. 1 Chron 28. 7. I will establish his kingdom for ever 1 Chr. 29. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the praise for all in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord thou art exalted as head above all as a King not Priest or Prophet both riches honor come of thee and thou reignest overall and in thin hand is Power and Might to â—ake great and to give strength to all Psal 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven and his kingdom ruleth over All Yea the contemplation and discourse of the Glory and excellency of Christs everlasting kingdom over his Church and Saints is thus prophecied of by David as one principal part both of their and all other Christians duty and felicity upon earth Psal 145. 10 11 12 13. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speak of the Glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious maiesty of his kingdom Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth through all Generations In pursuance of which duty King David himself penned two special Psalms of praise Ps 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things I have made for the King c. Gird thy sword not Peters or the Popes keyes upon thy thigh O most mighty with thy glory and thy majesty and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meeknesse c. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy kingdom not Peters keyes is a right Scepter Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows Hearken O daughter and consider c. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him The King daughter 〈◊〉 the Church is all glorious within c. She shall be brought unto the King Christ Jesus in rayment of needle work they shall enter into the Kings passage c. To which he addeth many Psalms of like nature especially two begenning thus Psal 97. 1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the 〈◊〉 and ours amongst others be glad thereof Psalm 99. 1. The Lord reigneth let the earth tremble c. The Prophet Daniel presents us with this excellent description and prediction of Christs Kingdome Dan 2. 41. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consum all these Kingdome and it shall stand for ever Thus farther illustrated Dan 4. 3.
them to subject themselves to his Royal Scepter and Government 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 Sonne a Ceremony used by Subjects fâ—â—datories to Kings Soveraign Lords when they kneeled down before swore Homage and Fealty to become their Men and Vassals from that day forwards of life limb or terrene honour and to be true faithfull bear faith and true allegiance to them continued in England till this day lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is 〈◊〉 but a little Blessed are all they that trust in him In all these Prophecies of Christs kingdome and Government under the Gospel in the Old Testament Christ 〈…〉 and set forth only as a KING and Soveraign Lord reigning and 〈◊〉 over his â—ubjects as a King not as a Priest or Prophet and his Church stiled described 〈◊〉 by the Name of a Church never once used throughout the Old Testament but only of a KINGDOM or of Mount Zion or Jerusalem THE CITY OF GOD where the House of the Lord was built his publike worship setled by David and Solomon the Metropolis of all Kings of the seed of David where they were crowned reigned and gave Judgement as Kings whence it was stiled THE CITY OF DAVID for there were set THRONES OF JUDGEMENT even THE THRONES OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID and the CITY OF THE GREAT KING in relation to Christ himself whence the Church under the Gospel 〈◊〉 likewise stiled The City of the living God and described in all her glory under the 〈◊〉 of A CITY Rev. 21. 13. to the end and ch 22. 1 to 27. wherein his Subjects serve and worship him as their LORD GOD KING and shall REIGN WITH HIM FOR EVER AND EVER All which considered infallibly demonstrate the Supreme Rule and Government of the Church on earth under the Law to be vested only in and exercised by the Kings and Soveraign Rulers of Gods people not in by the High Priests or Levites and under the Gospel in by Christ himself only as KING and Supream Lord thereof as it is his kingdom not as a Priest or Prophet and that his reign Dominion Jurisdiction in and over it is for ever appropriated to his Regal not Pontifical or Prophetical office 5ly As the Angel told Mary a little before Christs Conception the Grandeur stability perpetuity of his kingdom So the Wisemen which came to Jerusalem to worship him being the first-fruits of his Kingdom and Church under the Gospel inquired after him only as a King saying Where is he that IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him Whereupon he Chief Priests and Scribes being assembled by King Herod to inform him where Christ should be born answered At Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlehem art not the least among the PRINCES of Judah c. for out of thee shall come A GOVERNOR WHO SHALL RULE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL where these Wisemen finding him with Mary his mother they fell down and worshipped not his mother Mary with an Impera filio Monstra te esse matrem Jube benedicere c. as Popes and their disciples daily pray unto her even now in their Offices Primers Mass-books set forth by Papal authority but the Babe when they had brought forth their gifts they offered unto him Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe On which place Saint Cyprian first and others after him have this observation In auro REGEM in thure Sacerdotem in myrrha Incorruptibilem quamvis paâ—sibilum demonstrat In loco humili supellectile vili REX Regum DOMINUS Dominorum invenitur recognoscitur ab aliis adoratur And although Christ never claimed nor exercised any temporal Authority over the Kingdom of David to which he was born heir as Herod feared but only over his Spiritual kingdom which he affirmed Not to be of this world yet he owned himself to be A KING and Pilate himself positively professed it though the Jews would not by demanding of them when they cried out to have him crucified shall I crucifie your KING and fixing this written Title on his Crosse which he would not alter at the high Priests importunity in Hebrew Greek and Latin JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS to evidence his Kingship over his Kingdom the Church which none of the Princes of this world then knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord or King of glory as the Apostle and Psalmist stile him yea the very multitude of people proclaimed him a King when he rode into Jerusalem in regal Triumph by strowing their garments and boughâ— of trees in the way singing with a loud voice Hosanna Blessed be the King and kingdom of our father David that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest After which he went into the Temple and threw out them that bought and sold therein overthrew the Tables of the money-changers and them that sold Doves by virtue of his Regal not Sacerdotal power 6ly It is very observable that Jesus Christ whiles on earth was most usually stiled both by Mary his Mother all his Disciples especially by Saint Peter and by all sorts of persons who addressed themselves unto him by petition or otherwise Lord the Lord my Lord our Lord and his other Titles of Jesus Saviour Christ c. are very seldom mentioned throughout the New Testament by Angels Saints Evangelists Apostles or any others but with this addition Christ the Lord Jesus our Lord the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Lord God c. every tongue of Angels Saints yea of Devils and damned spirits confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord Lord of all Lord and Christ Lord both of quick and dead which Title many Hypocrites and the foolish Virgins reiterated saying Lord Lord open c. Which Appellation Christ himself resolved to be true You call me Lord Master so I am his Father having put all things in subjection under his feet especially his redeemed ones who professe this as an Article of their faith r But unto us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Now this Title Lord attributed to Christ in its eminentest sense denotes only his Regal Dominion Lordship and Soveraignty over them in and under the Gospel as their KING as the penitent Theefs speech to him on the Crosse LORD remember me when thou commest into THY KINGDOM the Apostles question to him LORD wilt thou at this time restore the KINGDOM to Israel Saints Pauls conclusion THE LORD will preserve me to his HEAVENLY KINGDOM with St Peters For so an entrance shall be ministred unto
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
well in temporal as in Ecclesiastical matters is also taught by Augustinus Triumphans Alvarus Pelagius Hostiensis Panormitan Silvester and divers others Yea Hostiensis teacheth That Christ by his comming translated all the Dominion even that of Infidel Princes unto the Church and that this Dominion so resides now in the Pope Christs Vicar That he may give by his own Right the Kingdoms of Infidels as well as Christians to whomsoever he will Alvarus Pelagius seconds all these with most Hyperbolical passages and blasphemies which I cannot pretermit Christ writes he had all power given unto him both in Heaven and Earth being ascended in his humanity to his Father lest he should leave his flock without a Shepheard he left the care thereof to Peter and his Successors as his Vicar General Now the Father is Almighty the Son Almighty even in Earth Therefore every Pope his Vicar upon Earth hath all power in Earth which Christ had not as very God but as very Man To this purpose is that which Zacharias saith of Christ Zech. 8. His power shall be from Sea to Sea And Ps 72. 8. He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea from the River unto the ends of the Earth Whence Ecclesiasticus speaking of the power of the Pope saith Eccles 17. God hath given him power of those who are upon the Earth For in this the Pope is Successor to Adam the first man for God the Son hath autonomatically and typically formed the Pope his Vicar after his own image and likenesse Gen. 1. For the Pope truly represents Christ on Earth so that he who sees the Pope with a contemplative and faithfull eye may see even Christ himself Whence even for this cause he said to Peter Mat. 18. Thou art Peter taken a Rock from me Distinct 21. 1. Hunc enim in consortium individuae Trinitate assumptum id quod ipse erat c. For Peter being assumed into the Fellowship of the individual Trinity is become that which Christ himself was that is from that which he was namely a Rock the Lord would have him to be called and named Peter Whence according to this Papa non est homo simpliciter sed Deus id est Dei Vicarius Whence according to this the Pope is not simply a Man but a God that is The Vicar of God Item Christ as a man was a King Zach 9. Mat 21 27. Lu 24. John 19. Psal 72. Rom. 2. 7. God shall raise up a Kingdom c. But of this universal Kingdom the Emperor is not Christs Vicar because there are not two Vicars as is plainly proved Therefore the Pope is his Vicar because there is no other Vicar and the Kingdom of the world is not without the Vicar of God He thence inferrs and asserts in another Article Although in this life the Pope should do injury or injustice to any man or some men as he confesseth he may he hath no Iudge over him neither is he obliged to chuse Iudges or arbitrators to whose Sentence he may subject himself neither can he directly or indirectly be condemned for it is impossible that the Pope himself should constitute another Superiour Prince or Iudge or another ArchPope above or equal to himself sicut nec Deus Trinitas possit super se alium Deum constituere vel aequalem as neither God the Trinity can constitute another God above or equall to himself He thus proceeds in another Article The Church or Pope are not from the Empire but the Empire from the Church and the Pope is before the Emperor which he endeavours to prove by 25. Arguments I shall only touch upon some of them As the Moon receives her dignity and her Light from the Sunne so doth the Moon the Emperor the dignity of his altitude from the Sunne the Pope As much as the spiritual life is worthier then the earthly the spirit then the body gold more precious then silver so much doth the spiritual power exceed the temporal or secular power in dignity honor worth splendor and the order of Priests is so much higher then the Regal power to which all Emperors and Kings ought to subject themselves every of them being subject suo simplici Sacerdoti qui ipsum solvit ligat judicat All power in earth both spiritual and temporal is given to the Pope Christs Vicar as it was to Christ himself Mat 28. for in him resides the fulnesse of the Regal or Imperial Dignity that is to take from one and conferr unto another the right of chusing the Emperor to examine anoynt consecrate and crown him when elected and by consequence to approve and reject him all which of right belong to the Pope That the Pope out of the plenitude of the power and keyes given to him by Christ with this Commission Feed my Sheep hath a power and jurisdiction over all men upon earth de jure although not de facto which he may exercise when ever he is able or willing by which power he may lawfully punish all Pagan Heathenish Kings Nations and Idolaters in the world as well as Christians for breach of the Law of Nature only and command all Infidels who are subject to his Jurisdiction in earthly things to admit the preachers of the Gospel and punish them if they do not obey him yea the Pope alone and none other of right can contend with and denounce war and invoke the secular power against them Christ was a true temporal King and by consequence the Pope his Vicar He that in this point will exclude from himself the darknesse of understanding must consider the Pope non hominem sed Deum quodammodo qui non puri hominis sed Veri Dei vicem gerit in terris As Christ is God and Man most perfectly participating both Natures and God and Man are both one Christ perfect God and perfect Man So his Vicar General and Singular the POPE participat cum Christo quodammodo naturam Divinitatis quoad Spiritualia humanitatis quoad temporalia participates with Christ after a sort the Nature of the Divinity as to Spiritualities and of the Humanity as to Temporalties As by force of the Orthodox faith it is heretical to lay down two Beginnings 24. Quaest So it seems to be heretical to make two several Vicars equals to each other in earth in point of right As therefore no believer doubts Jesus Christ was both King and Priest and King of heaven and earth because all things were made by him one person in two Natures So no Catholick ought to doubt but his Chief Vicar General on Earth hath likewise both Powers Yea it would not be farr from Heresy pertinaciously to affirm the contrary because this would be as it were to deny the Son of God to be the Maker of the Earth and a King and so to make Duo principia That therefore thou mayst not seem an Arch Heretick let this be thy Catholick Faith that as there
maliciously brand them I shall now proceed to evidence the truth of my forecited Proposition which will for ever dissipate and overturn these their presumptuous groundlesse Claims and Titles to their forecited temporal and spiritual Universal Soveraignty The first Part thereof That Jesus Christ as Supream King Lord Head of his kingdom the Church whiles on earth never claimed nor exercised any Temporal Regal Jurisdiction over Kings or other Civil Magistrates or their Subjects much lesse deprived them of their Crowns Kingdoms Prerogatives nor ever gave unto St. Peter or to any other Apostle the least Dominion over them especially such as Popes now claim but both he and they submitted themselves to and ratified asserted not invaded their Supremacy and Regal Power in the highest degree I shall thus invincibly demonstrate 1. Jesus Christ himself though as many assert he had a temporal right to the temporal Crown and Kingdom of the Jews as right heir thereto of the seed of King David and therefore was thus inquired after by the Wise men Where is He that is Born King of the Iews Yet it is observable First That he never claimed nor seised on his earthly Kingdom then usurped by King Herod who sought to murder him to secure himself against Christs Title nor ever exercised the least Temporal Royal Jurisdiction therein 2ly That on the contrary when he perceived the people would come and take and make him KING by force he departed from them into a Mountain alone to prevent their designs 3ly That When he was arraigned before Pilate and accused as an Enemy to Caesar because he made himself A KING He twice openly professed in one breath My Kingdom is not of this World If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Jews But now is my kingdom not from hence And in his prayer to his Father for his Disciples a little before his passion he said They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Therefore doubtlesse since he neither challenged nor exercised any Temporal dominion as a King in his own proper Kingdom of Iudea much lesse took he away the Diadems Crowns Realms Soveraignty of any other Kings Princes nor exercised any Regal Jurisdiction in them This the antient Christian Poet Prudentius professed in his Hymn of Christ sung in the very Church of Rome till this day where he thus expostulates with Herod for fearing Christ would deprive him of his crown and murdering the innocent children upon that very account Herodes hostis impiè Christum venire quid times NON ERIPIT MORTALIA QUI REGNA DAT COELESTIA Why wicked Herod dost thou fear And at Christs comming frown The Mortal he takes not away That gives the Heavenly crown Which Claudian an antient Author in his Collectanea upon Matthew thus elegantly seconds That KING which is born doth not come to overcome Kings by fighting but to subdue them after a wonderfull manner by dying neither is he born to the end that he may suceed thee but that the World may faithfully believe in him For he is come not that he may fight being alive but that he may triumph being slain Nor that he may with Gold get an Army to himself out of other Nations but that he may shed his precious bloud for the saving of the Nations Vainly didst thou by envying fear him to be thy Successor whom by believing thou oughtest to seek as thy Saviour because if thou didst believe in him thou shouldest raign with him and as thou hast received a Temporal Kingdom from him thou shouldest also receive from him an Evelasting For the Kingdom of this Child is not of this World but by him it is that men do reign in this World He is the Wisdom of God which saith in the Proverbs By me Kings reign St. Augustin in his 115. Tract upon Iohn brings in Christ making this publike proclamation Audite ergo Judaei Gentes audi circumcisio audi pra putium audite omnia Regna terrena non impediam Dominationem vestram in hoc mundo Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo Nolite metuere metu vanissimo quo Herodes ille major cum Christus natus nunciaretur expavit tot infantes ut ad eum mors perveniret occidit timendo quam irascendo crudelior Regnum meum inquit non est de hoc mundo Quid vultis amplius Venite ad regnum quod non est de hoc mundo c. St. Ambrose in Luc l. 3. St. Hilary in Psal 2. Epiphanius Haeres 29. Eusebius lib 7. De Demonstration Evangelica St. Hierom in Jeremiam cap 22. Tom 5. St. Chrysostom Homil 82. in Johann Cyrillus Alexandrinus lib 12. in Johan c. 10. Fulgentius in Sermone de Epiphania Beda in cap. 11 Lucae Bernard Homil 4. Super missus est Luc. 1. with all other Fathers of the Church positively affirm That Christ neither claimed enjoyed nor exercised any temporal Kingdom or Dominion upon earth Which our Thomas Waldensis though a great asserter of the Popes and Bishops Supremacy above and over Kings in spiritual things asserts at large and thence inferrs and largely proves these conclusions pointblank against the forecited Papal pretensions 1. Regia Potestas prima sua origine a Deo est non a Sacerdote 2. Quamquam ministerio Episcoporum Râ—gibus imponantur Coronae insignia conferantur non est propterea dicendum Regiam illam dignitatem ortum habere à Sacerdote 3. Reges fuerunt ante Sacerdotes ad regnum evecti 4. Dicentes quod radix potestatis terrenae in tantum dependet a Papa ut ex commissione ejus executio derivetur in Principem errante Principe potest Summus Sacerdos negotium illud temporale administrare decipiuntur 5. Regia Potestas cedit Sacerdotali ubi de rebus divinis agitur Sacerdotalis verò cedit Regiae in negotiis terrenis In fine Cardinal Bellarmin himself is enforced to professe That Christ as man whiles he lived upon earth had neither Temporal Dominion neither did nor would he exercise any such temporal power I have read saith he the Books of the Fathers with what diligence I could and I have often read them to deny Christ to have a Temporal or Earthly kingdom but I have no where read them to affirm that he had such a Kingdom 1. That Christ had a Vniversal Kingdom of power as he was God 2 A Spiritual kingdom of Grace and a third which is an eternal Kingdom of glory I do read but that he had a fourth kingdom which is properly temporal such as other Kings here upon earth have I find not either in the Scriptures or Fathers yea I esteem such a Kingdom to be contrary to the poverty of Christ mentioned in the Scriptures and to savour of the errours of the Jewes and Hereticks Alvarus Pelagius with other Popish Parasites endeavour to
evade these Texts objected against the Popes Temporal Monarchy asserting That Christ had a Temporal Kingdom and that his Universal Kingdom takes away all other Kingdoms who by his death hath evacuated all other Principalities Powers Empires and temporal Kingdoms in the world and bought them to himself from the Devil to whom Adam by his Sin had sold them and given the Pope his Viceroy the universal possession of them by little and little since his death which they shew not though himself never actually possessed them during his abode on earth But their answers are so false so absurd I shall not spend time to refell them but proceed 2ly Christ and his Apostle Saint Peter by Peters own hand payd Tribute to Cesar for himself and Peter working a Miracle to pay it having no money in his purse causing commanding Peter to catch just so much as both their Polemoneys came to in a Fishes mouth And he asserted the right of Caesars Tribute commanding all To give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars mentioned in the first place and unto God the things that are Gods with the same obedience and tye of conscience Yea though he was the natural Sonne of God and King David too which might have exempted him and his Disciples from rendring Tribute to Caesar yet he paid it not only de facto but ex debito to fulfill all righteousnesse as Jerom and least He and Peter should give an offence unto them not they take scandall at it as Cardinal Cajetan Lucas Burgensis and others Note Now had he been a Temporal King then and there de facto he should have received Tribute from others yea those who demanded it from him and Peter not have paid it thus unto them to the prejudice of his Temporal Dominion and Kingship St. Ambrose from this example of Christs paying Tribute makes his inference Tributum petit Imperator non negamus Magnum quidem est speciale documentum quo Christiani veri Praelati sublimioribus potestatibus docentur debere esse subjecti ne quis constitutionem terrenae Regis putet esse solvendam Si enim censum Filius Dei solvit Quis tu tantus es qui putas esse non solvendum which he backs with Rom 13. 1. c. 1 Pet. 2 13. This resolution of his is inserted into the body of the Canon Law Gratian caus 11 qu. 1. cap. Si Tributum caus 23. qu. 8. which is likewise confessed by Pope Gregory the 1. and Pope Urban there cited by Gratian the Glossers thereon And not only so but this very Speech of Christ to Peter Give unto them for me and thee and the Officers demand unto Peter Doth not your Master pay Tribute coupled with Christs demand to Peter Of whom do the Kings of the Earth receive tribute or custom of their own children or strangers is produced as a strong Argument for Peters Supremacy over all the rest of the Apostles and his Universal Vicarship since he alone was coupled with and made equal to Christ himself in paying the Pollmoney and much insisted on by Alvarus Pelagius and other Pontificans for this purpose Yet Pope Boniface the 7. by his Papal authority decreed Anno 1296 That That no Ecclesiastical person whatsoever under pain of Excommunication should by any means whatsoever pay any Aydes or Tribute to any Secular Prince though demanded of them upon urgent occasions upon which all the Convocation Bishops Clergy of England in two several Parliaments peremptorily refused to grant or pay any Ayd to King Edw. 1. for the necessary defence of the Realm for which he put them all out of his protection and confiscated their goods and other Popes Canonists plead a general Exemption of all Prelates Clergymen and Religious persons from Taxes and Tributes to their Princes contrary to the expresse precepts and presidents of Christ himself St. Peter St. Paul St. Ambrose and those two Popes constitutions to evade this Argument of Subjection to Kings and Emperors as the Supream powers 3ly Christ foretold his Disciples that they should be brought before Kings Governors and Councils for his sake for a Testimony against them and he promised to give them in that hour what to answer to accusers by way of submission to their Regal power and jurisdiction not to demurr unto it as having no power over them and totally exempted from their temporal Jurisdiction as Popes and Priests claim now Yea Christ himself the very Lord of Glory submitted himself without any reluctancy or demurrer to the Jurisdiction of Pontius Pilate the Governor who adjudged him to be crucified Who demanding of him at his trial Knowest thou not that I have POWER to crucifie thee and I have POWER to release thee He answers Thou couldest have no Power over me unless it were given thee from above thereby acknowledging That his temporal power over him was vested in him by God therefore not to be resisted but submitted to as Peter himself at his martyrdom 4ly Christ professed Luke 12. 47. I came not to Judge the world as a temporal King or Judge upon which account when one of the company said unto him Master speak to my brother that he may divide the inheritance with me He said unto him Man who made me a judge or divider over you Thereby declaring that he had no judicial inherent temporal power over any private persons inheritance from God or Man ◠much lesse then over Kings and Kingdoms 5ly As Christ himself disclaimed all temporal Regal power and jurisdiction so his Apostle St. Peter from whose pretended Primacy all Popes derive their Titles claims both to Regal and Pontifical Jurisdiction in his first Catholick Epistle to all Gods elect ones as well Bishops Priests as Laymen in all the earth After he had acquainted them with the excellency of their Christian state that they are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood and Popes pretend to no more then what every good christian by St. Peters verdict enjoyes in common with them an holy Nation a peculiar people now the people of God though no people before c. lest they should pretend an exemption thereby from all Kings and Civil Magistrates as being as much advanced above their Jurisdiction by Christs the King of Kings making them Kings and Priests to God his Father as Popes and Popish Prelates pretend they are presently subjoyns this quite contrary Practise and peremptory precept k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subjecti estote igitur Be ye therefore Subiect to every Ordinance of Man or human creature for the Lord or Lords sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether to the King as Supream Regi ut Supereminenti as the Vulgar Arias Montanus and others translate it not to my self as Christs supream Vicar-General or my successors at Rome Or unto Governors which he backs with these invincible reasons 1. Because they are sent by God himself though ordained by
Apostolis Recordare nunc vocis illius Sapientibus et insipientibus debitor sum Etâ—i non indebitam tibi ipsam censes hoc quoque simul memento debitoris molestum nomen servienti potius quam Dominanti congruere Servus in Evangelio audit Quantum debes Domino meo Frgo site agnoscis sapientibus insipipientibus non dominatorem sed debitorem curandum summopere tibi tota vigilantia considerandum quomodo qui non sapiunt sapiant qui sapiant non desipiant qui desipiere resipiscant c. After which he concludes with this pathetical Exclamation and interrogation O ambitio ambientium Crur quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places Nil acerbius cruci at nil molestius inquietat nil tamen apud miseros mortales celebrius negotiis ejus An non limina Apostolorum plus jam ambitio quam devotio terit An non vocibus ejus vestrum tota die resultat palatium An non questibus ejus tota Legum Canonumque disciplina insudat An non spoliis ejus omnis Italica inhiat inerplebili aviditate rapacitas Quid ita tua spiritualia studia non saltem intercidir sed occidit Quoties sancta ac facunda tua abortori ocia fecit inquietum et inquietans malum Aliud est quod ab oppressis appellatur ad te aliud autem quod Ambitie in Ecclesia per te regnare molitur Nec deesse illis nec huic aliquatinus assenrire oportet He concludes thus to our purpose after a large detection of and invective against the monstrous ambition rapine injustice of the Parasites Officers and Ministers of the Court of Rome he falls upon the more then Regal and Imperial wordly pomp of the Pope himself Inter haec tu Pastor procedis deauratus tam multa circumdarus varietate Oves quid rapiunt Si auderem dicere Demonum magis quam ovium pascua haec Scilicet Sic factitabat Petrus sic Paulus 〈◊〉 Vides omnem Ecclesiasticum zelum fervere sola pra Dignitate tuenda Honori totum datur sanctitati nihil aut parum Si causa requirent paulo â—ummissius agere ac socialius te habere temperaveris Absit inquiunt non decet tempore non congruit majestati non convenit quam geris personam attendito De placito Dei ultima mentio est pro jactura salutis nulla cunctatio Nisi quod sublime est salutare dicamus et quod gloriam redolet id justum Ita omne humite probro â—ucitur inter Palatinos ut facilius qui esse quam qui apparere humilis velit invenias Timor Dei simplicitas reputatur de dicam fâ—tuitas c. Hic hic non parco tibi ut pareat Deus Pastorem te populo huic câ—â—è aut nega aut exhibe Non negabis ne cujus sedem tenes te neget heredem Petrus hic est qui nescirur processisse aliquando vel gemmis ornatus vel seâ—icis non tectus auro non vectus equo albo nec stirpatus milite nec circumstrepentibus septus ministris Absque his tamen credidit satis posse impleri salutare mandatum Si amas me pasce oves meas In his successisti non Petro sed Constantino Thus this Canonized Roman Saint Bernard concluded long since against the Popes pretended Monarchy to Pope Eugenius himself with whom I shall cloze this branch of my 4. Proposition For the second part thereof That Jesus Christ as Supream King of his kingdom the Church-militant upon earth never delegated the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over it or all the Members in it to St. Peter or any other Apostle Bishop Priest or Pope whatsoever as his Viceroyes but only the ministerial part of his Prophetical not Kingly or High Priests office of teaching and preaching the Gospel publikely to all Nations administring the Sacraments of Baptism Lords Supper 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 what he hath commanded them beâ—eeching them as his Embassadors in his stead to be reconciled to God and to declare pronounce them absolved from their sins by God upon their sincere repentance and to aenounce damnation against them if they do not repent and believe in Christ I shall demonstrate the verity thereof First from the several Commissions or Precepts 2dly From the respective Titles given by Christ and the Gospel to the Apostles Peter Bishops Presbyters Ministers and their respective Offices in and as they relate to the Kingdom Church and people of God 1. For their respective Commissions I shall enumerate and examine them distinctly The first Commission given them by Christ was only to preach the Gospel and Kingdom of Heaven to the lost sheep of the House of Israel but not to the Samaritans and Gentiles without any Jurisdiction or pomp without scrâ—â— gold silver or brasse in their purses two coats or staves only as labourers worthy of their hire or meat which they were to receive from those to whom they preached Which commission imports nothing of Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in it expiring before Christs passion then head on earth of his Church and equal to all the Apostles not peculiar to St. Peter The second general Grand Commission given them by Christ wherein their office principally consists after his Resurrection is thus recorded by St. Matthew and d Mark Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned Go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you not what your selves without my command much lesse Popes Priests Prelates shall of their own heads prescribe That this was their principal commission charge office is further evidenced by the Apostles daily constant preaching to the people both in the Temple Synagogues and from house to house notwithstanding the High Priests and Councels inhibitions not to preach chusing rather to obey God then men By St. Pauls separation and mission to preach the Gospel the necessity laid upon him and wo that would fall on him if he did not preach it And his dreadfull charge to Timothy and in him to all Bishops and Ministers of the Gospel I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge both the quick and dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season out of season rebuke reprove in and by the word preached exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine In all this Grand commission there is only a Ministration not the least Domination or Iurisdiction delegated to Peter or any other Apostle Evangelist Bishop Priest or Minister whatsoever Yea it is observable That Popes and Prelates of the Church who most contend for
Alvarus Pelagius and other his Champions have found out an unanswerable Text to prove his Headship over the Universal Church to wit Christ tells Peter he should be called Cephas which signifyes a Head Petrus secutus est Christum non solum in genere Martyrii sed in ordine Magisterii quod Christus ostendit cum ait Tu vocaberis Cephas Licet enim Cephas secundum unam linguam interpretatur Petrus secundum alteram tamen exponitur Caput Nam sicut caput habet plenitudnem sensuum caetera vero membra partem recipiunt plenitudinis ita caeteri Sacerdotes vocati sunt in partem sollicitudinis sed Summus Pontifex he should have said Petrus rather assumptus est in plenitudinem potestatis Pope Leo the 1. thus blasphemously writes of Peter intending the Pope and himself thereby Christus Petrum in consortium individuae Trinitatis assumpsit And thence inferres Deus â Petro velut a quodam Capite dona sua velut in corpus omne diffudit To all which I answer 1. That Cephas signifieth not a Head in any Language as these wilfully mistake but only a Stone or Peter witnesse Iohn 1. 42. the text wheron they rely When Jesus beheld Simon he said thou art Simon the sonne of Jonah thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation Lapis so some or Petrus so others render it and our English Translations a Stone or Peter not an head Yea the Holy Ghost himself by St. Pauls sacred pen gives him this Title of Cephas as the very same with Peter no lesse then 5 several times in his Epistles 1 Cor 1. 12. Every one of them saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas where Paul and Apollo are put before Cephas as they are also 1 Cor. 3. 22. 25. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas c. all are yours 1 Cor. 9. 5. Have not we power to lead about a sister or wife as well as other Apostles as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas where all the other Apostles James and John are marshalled before Cephas Gal. 2. 5. And when James Cephas and John which seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision Here Cephas is recited after James and both James Cephas and John the grand pillars of the Church gave both to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship as their equals neither claiming an absolute headship over them or the Church as Popes do now from this Title Cephas 1 Cor. 15. 5. That he was seen of Cephas after his resurrection then of the twelve here only Cephas is placed before the 12. not in point of priority of order or dignity but because he first saw Christ at his appearance after his resurrection before any of the other Apostles to comfort and strengthen his soul after his treble detestable denying of Christ Wherefore this sirname Cephas then given to Simon being one and the same with Peter and signifying not an head rock nor chief head-stone or Topstone a Title peculiar to Jesus Christ alone and Simon Peter by this very name Cephas being in four several Texts ranked after Paul Apollos James John and all the Apostles it cannot prove St Peters or the Popes headship over the Church 2ly Admit Cephas signified a head yet it doth not signifie the head of the Universal Church the head of the World the head of Bishops principalities powers which Popes must prove before they pretend thereto For 1. It is used in Scripture for the head of the natural body in a proper sence Psal 23. 5. 2 Kings 10. 6 7 8 c. 2ly Metaphorically as 1. For the Top or upper part of a pillar or base 2 Chron. 3. 16. Ps 24. 7. 2ly For the Fathers or chief men of a particular Tribe or family Exod. 6. 24 25. Numb 1. 16. c. 30. 1. Deut. 5. 23. Josh 14. 1. 2 Chron. 5. 24. c. 7. 2 7 9 11 40. c. 12. 32. 3ly For subordinate Princes Civil Governors and Rulers of the people in the Civil State Exod. 18. 25. Num. 7. 2. c. 10. 4. c. 13. 3. 25 13. Deutr. 1. 15. c. 33. 5 22. Josh 19 22. c. 21. 1. c. 22. 21 30. c. 23. 2. 1 Kings 8. 1. 1 Chron. 8. 6 10 13 18. c. 9. 13. 2 Chron. 5. 2. c. 28. 12. Mich. 3. 1. Isa 9. 14. Judg. 8. 10. c. 11. 8 9 11. 3ly For Kings and Supream Civil Governors 1 Sam. 15. 17. Jer. 22. 6. 4ly For a head city or Metropolis Isay 7. 8 9. Josh 11. 10. 5ly For an oeconemical head so the man is called the head of the Wife or woman 1 Cor. 11. 3. c. 5. 23. 6ly For a Spiritual supream head so Christ is stiled the head of the Church the head of everyman the head of the heathen the head of all principalities and powers and God the head of Christ and head over all 1 Chron 29. 11. Psal 18. 43. 1 Cor 11. 3. Eph 1. 22. c. 4. 15. c. 5. 23. Col 1. 10. 18. c. 2. 19. Ps 118. 22. Mat. 21. 42. Now that Cephas signified any of these 3. last sorts of heads the Pope must clearly demonstrate or else renounce his headship as derived from Cephas 3ly Pope Gregory the 1. resolves That Paul had the priesthood of the whole world that he being converted to Christ caput effectus est Nationum Which Chrysostom thus seconds Both land and sea and the habitation of the whole world is committed to Paul How then could Peter be the supreme head 4ly As for Pope Leo the 1. his passage seconded by Pope Nicholas That Christ hath assumed Peter into the fellowship of the individual Trinity that so God from Peter not from Christ as from an head might diffuse his gifts into all his body the Church it is a most grosse daring blasphemy derogatory to Iesus Christ his Headship Offices in the highest degree contradicted by John 1. 16. Eph. 1. 23. c. 2. 21 22. c. 4. 10 11 12. Col. 1. 18 19 20 21. befitting only such blasphemous Pontifs who stile themselves Gods and Vice-gods as well as Heads 3ly I proceed to those respective Titles Names given to all Apostles Ministers of the Gospel and their Church-offices in the New Testament neither of which imports or transferrs to them any Supream Ecclesiastical or Temporal Jurisdiction at least not such as Popes Popish Prelates Priests now claim and exercise 1. The chief and first of all those Titles both for dignity and authority is an Apostle St. Paul resolving that God hath set in his Church First Apostles and that when Christ ascended far above all heavens he gave some to be Apostles c. the first and chiefest in order as all Divines and Popes themselves acknowledge Now what doth this prime title signifie or
Apostle who spread the Gospel into most parts of the world planted many famous Churches amongst the Gentiles and in Rome it self to whom he directed a several Epistle but Peter none at all nor was ever there for ought appears by Scripture How Peter or Popes can against all these particulars with any colour of verity or ingenuity assert St. Peter to be paramount all other Apostles undoubted head or sole Vicar General of the whole Catholick Church Let all Roman Catholickes resolve their consciences and theirs who on all these grounds deny it Yet notwithstanding Alvarus Pelagius informes us That the Church is called Apostolical because it is founded on the Apostles especially on St. Peter the chief of the Apostles That the Church of Rome is stiled The Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul Therefore the Pope is Summus Rector Ecclesiae dicitur Apostolicus yea Apostolus in many of his Bulls and Canonists Glosses Sedes Apostolica vocatur sedes Papalis in multis locis of Gratian and his Glossers there cited Et dignitas Papalis officium Apostolicum appellatur Et Lex Papae vel Constitutio Apostolica instituta vocantur quia Petrus Paulus princeps Apostolorum Romanam Ecclesiam Christo Domino confirmarunt Et quia omnes Apostolos fuerunt fundamentum origo totius Ecclesia militantis Et quia Papa est Vicarius illius magni Apostoli desuper missi Christi de sinu Patris ipse successor Petro in quo tota Apostolica authoritas secundum plenitudinem reservatur Being all built upon the sand since both the Title Office of an Apostle or Messenger comprehend no Soveraign Jurisdiction in them The 2d Title given them in Scripture even whiles they were Apostles is Disciples and that as well after as before Christs Resurrection This Title is given them more frequently in the Evangelists and Acts then that of Apostle in many hundred places and in Mat 28. 19. Mar 16. 7. John 20. 18 19 20. 25 26 30. c. 21. 1 2 4 8 12 14. Acts 1. 15. c. 9. 1. they are stiled Disciples after Christs resurrection and their Mission as Apostles This title was likewise common to them all yea to all Christians and converts to the faith though no Apostles Bishops nor Ministers of the Gospel Acts 6. 1 7. c. 9. 25 26 28. c. 11. 26 29. c. 14. 20 22 28. c. 15. 16. c. 18. 23. 27. c. 19. 1 3 30. c. 20. 7. 30. c. 21. 4. 17. Now this Title of Disciples common to Apostles and all Christians carries not the least colour or shadow of any much lesse of supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in it but rather of subjection to the doctrine instruction of others who instructed them The 3d. Title next in dignity to that of Apostles is Prophets and their ministry is usually stiled prophecying Acts 13. 1. c. 15. 42. 1 Cor. 12. 29. c. 14. 3 4 5 6 22 29. c. 11. 5. Ephes 4. 11. 1 Thess 5. 20. That this Title carryeth in it any Ecclesiastical or Civil Jurisdiction especially Supream no mortall can conjecture nor any now claim since they disown this Name The 4th Title is an Evangelist or Preacher of the Gospel whose office is stiled Preaching Ephes 4. 11. Acts 2. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 5. Rom 10. 8. 15. 25. 1 Cor 1. 18. 2 Cor 10. 14. And in this there is no Jurisdiction at all couched much less Supream This Title of Preacher is not peculiar to Apostles Bishops or Priests by order but attributed frequently to King Solomon Ecclesiastes 1. 1 2. stiled The Preacher The words of the Preacher the Sonne of David King of Jerusalem Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity I the Preacher was King over Israel in Ierusalem And c. 7. 27. c. 12. 8 9 10. He oft stiles himself The Preacher adding Because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs and the Preacher sought to find out acceptable words And as King Solomon so King David his Father was a Preacher too else he would not have recorded Psal 40. 9 10. O Lord my God I have Preached righteousnesse in the great congregation lo I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest I have not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart I have delivered thy faithfulnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindnesse and thy truth from the great â—rrgregatioâ— Yea other Christian Kings as Constantine Oswald have been preachers and expounders of the Scriptures to their people upon special occasions in default of able learned Bishops the principal duty of Kings being to endeavour the felicity and salvation of their peoples souls as well as bodies or estates Thus Noah though no Priest by order is stiled a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2. 5. And though the office of publike preaching the Gospel was principally committed to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel yet it is specially recorded That when the Church at Jerusalem were all scattered through Pauls persecution throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Therefore they that were scattered abroad whom Zanctius the Jesuit and Baronius too affirm to be above 15000. who were not certainly all ordaine Ministers but Lay-men went every where preaching the word and converting souls in Samaria and elsewhere which the Apostles being informed of sent Peter and Iames from Ierusalem to pray with confirm and lay hands on those they converted that they might receive the holy Ghost and likewise preach the Gospel in those parts Yea Origen himself about 200. years after Christ quando Presbyteratus honorem nondum esset consecutus whiles he was a Layman at the earnest request of the Bishops of Palestine ut de sacris libris dissereret et publica eas in Ecclesia interpretaretur for defect of able Ministers and Bishops to instruct them thereupon publikely preached and expounded the Scriptures in Caesarea Upon which Demetrius a person disaffected to Origen writing Letters to the Bishops of Palestine Nunquam ante auditum nunquam factum esset ut praesentibus Episcopis Laici concionarentur Thereupon they all specially Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem and Theoctyactus Bishop of Cesarea in defence thereof returned him this answer in writing charging him with untruths Quod autem in literus dixeris Nunquam ante auditum neque iam usurpatum ut Laici praesentibus Episcopis disputarent Scripturasque erponerent in eo nobis nescio quomodo videris perspicue falsa dixisse Nam ubi idonei et habiles reperiuntur qui fratribus in verbo Dei adiumento sint a sanctis Episcopis rogantur ut populum in verbo instituant et per exhortationes ad populum verba faciant et id offendiculo non est sicut Laodiceis Evelpis à Neonâ— â—â—onu Paulinus à Celso et apud Synodos Theodorus ab Attico qui omnes beati et pii
nostro haeresim facere ac gregem Christi lacerare ac vastare tentaverit subveniant caeteri ut Episcopatum quoque ipsum unum et indivisum probemus they being all both Bishops and Priests ejusdem merito ejusdem Sacerdotii Apostolus perspicue docens eosdem esse Presbyteros quos Episcopos Idem ergo est Presbyter qui Episcopus c. as St. Hierom and most antient Commentators after him on 1 Tim. 2. Tit. 1. assert which our learned Bishop Jewel Dr. Raynolds Dr. Whitaker Dr. Field Dr. Willet Dr. Ames and sundry other Writers have at large asserted against the Popes pretended Supremacy over all other Bishops Presbyters and the Catholick Church and Gersomus Bucerus David Blondellus with many more have demonstrated in peculiar Treatises against the Vsurpations of Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops over Ordinary Presbyters Priests Ministers People by a pretended Divine Right not derived from Christian Kings or Princes from whom alone all their Episcopal Jurisdiction and Courts are or ought to be derived as the Statutes of 37 H 8. c. 17. 1 E. 6. cap. 2. and other Acts resolve The 6th Gospel Title given to them is that of Elder or Presbyter 1 Tim. 5. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. 2 John 1. 3. John 1. Tit. 1. 5. Jam. 5. 14. Rev. 4. 10. Acts 10. 17. c. 15. 2 4 6 22 23. c. 16. 4. Acts 21. 18. c. 23. 14. Which being the same in substance with that of Bishop hath no supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but only a directive not coercive Authority or dominion included in it as St. Peter resolves 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. The 7th Title given them is that of Embassadors for Christ to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation beseeching men as if God did intreat them by their Embassy to be reconciled to God who hath made Christ to be sinne for us who had no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God by him But this supplicatory Office carrying no Jurisdiction but beseechings and intreatings along with it derives no Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction at all much lesse Supream to any who enjoy it and it s the same in substance with the Title of an Apostle The 8th Title is that of a Minister a Minister of God a Minister of Christ a Minister of the Gospel by whom we believe given to Apostles Bishops Elders and all other dispensers of the Gospel Acts 26. 16. Rom. 15. 16. Ephes 3. 7. c. 6. 21 1 Cor. 3. 5. c. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 3. 6. c. 6. 4. c. 11. 23. Col. 1. 7 23 25. c. 4. 7. 1 Thes 3. 2. 1 Tim 4. 6. Whence the office is stiled a Ministry Ministration and Ministring 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9. c. 4. 1. c. 5. 18. c. 6. 3. c. 9. 13. Rom 12. 17. Eph. 4. 12. Col. 4. 17. 1 Tim 1. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 5 11. Hebr 8. 6. Now as this Title was attributed to the Priests Levites and others in the Old Testament without any Jurisdiction Ezra 7. 24. c. 8. 17. Ps 103. 21. Ps 104. 4. Isay 61. 6. Jer. 33. 21. Ezech 44. 11. c. 45. 4 5. c. 46. 24. Joel 1. 9 13. c. 2. 17. Heb 8. 2. So it signifies nothing but a servant and their office but a meer service without the least appurtinent of Jurisdiction Soveraignty Power Dominion over those to whom they are Ministers as is evident by Matth 20. 16. Mar. 10. 43. Luke 4. 20. Acts 13. 5. Exod 24. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 4. c. 9. 1. Heb 1. 14. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Ezech. 44. 11. 15 16 17. 27. and sundry other Texts The 9th Title is the same in effect with that of Minister to wit A Servant of Jesus Christ servants of the Church their servants for Jesus sake Pauls usual stile in his Epistles and Peters and Judes in their Epistles Now as this Title is usually given throughout the Scrpture to every Christian servant and other Ministers of the lowest rank so it imports only inferiority and subjection to their Lords and Masters not Soveraignty or Jurisdiction inconsistent in and with a servant Mat 20. 27 John 13. 16. Mat. 24. 50. c. 25. 21. Pope Gregory the 1. being the most humble was the first Pope who out of humility stiled himself not only a Servant but Servus servorum Dei in all his Letters by whose example other succeeding Popes gave themselves this Title of humility which was inserted into their antient Lawes and Decrees but not in their new as Alvarus Pelagius observes who informs us That the Pope stiles himself thus because he is the servant of Peter and Paul and that he is called a Servant 1. Because he makes himself the servant of all like Paul that he might gain all 2ly Propter laborem sollicitudinem quam sustinet pro omnibus sicut Servus 3ly Quia sicut per Servum acquiritur Domino sic per Papam cuilibet Ecclesiae potest acquiri But this Servus servorum is now asserted to be Rex Regum Dominus Dominorum And that which St. Bernard thus decried Absit à te Nunquid hoc quia Summus Pontifex ideo summus hoc enim illorum est qui dignitates virtutes putant Augustis relinquito illam sententiam aliisque qui divinis coli honoribus non timent viz. Nabuchodonosor Alexandro Anticho Herodi is now become the Popes usual darling Title which occasioned these two Verses Servierant tibi Roma prius Domini Dominorum Servorum servi NUNC TIBI SUNT DOMINI The 10th Title is Stewards and dispensers of the mysteries and manifold graces of God and their office is stiled a Stewardship to give the houshold and their fellow servants their meat in due season not to beat abuse domineer over or enslave them Now a Steward being but a servant imports not the least dram of Jurisdiction or Dominion The 11th is that of Priest which Protestants allow of as a contract of Presbyter but utterly disallow as used by the Church of Rome for a sacrificing Priest unlesse in respect of such spiritual sacrifices of Prayer Prayse Alms offring up our own souls and bodies to God Now this Title in this spiritual sence is common to every Christian as well as to Popes Bishops and Presbyters Witnesse 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation c. as all the Elect and Saints of God are there stiled Rev. 1. 4. 7. where St. John writes thus to the 7. Churches in Asia Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father Rev. 5. 9 10. Those whom Christ had redeemed with his bloud out of every tongue language Nation sing this New song unto him that sits on the throne Thou art worthy c. For thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests Rev. 20. 6. Blessed and
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
their Religion as I have proved and shall further evidence by this passage of Cicero de Divinatione lib. 1. Apud veteres qui rerum potiebantur iidem auguria ferebant ut enim sapere sic divinare Regale ducebant ut testis est nostra Civitas in qua et Reges augures et postea privati eodem Sacerdotio praediti rem religionum auctoritate rexerunt eaque divinationum ratio nec in barbaris quidem gentibus neglecta est To which I shall subjoyn this observation of Alexanderab Alexandro Cum a principio urbis multa et magna sacra Reges obirent ad quos de religione deque sacrificiis et ceremoniis deorum Sacerdotes saepe consultum ibant qui etiam rem divinam facientibus aderant ne bonis auspiciis coeptum confirmatumque regium nomen post exterminatos Reges aboleretur penitus neve de relictis sacris regium nomen expeterent longe antiquissimum rati sacra quae penes Reges erant alicui demandare Regem sacrificulum crearunt qui sacrorum Rex dictus sine regio imperio solo nomine rex sacra quaepenes reges erant obiret ac Ceremoniis praeesset quem creatum aut in locum decedentis suffectum sicut reliquos sacerdotes inaugurari oportebat Eratque non annuum sed perpetuum sacerdotium immune ab omni belli tumultu Neque enim Rex sacrorum militare stipendia facere aut castris et Legionibus praeesse poterat propter suspectum invisumque regium nomen neque magistratum gerere aut concionem habere vel cum populo agere Namque eius potestas sola religione et templis tenebatur Primus enim Manlius Papyrius ex Patricus Bruto Consule rex creatus fuit cui jus sacrificandi de sacris decernendi reliquerunt eumque Pontifici maximo subjecerunt ideo in sacris epulis post maximum Pontificem supra Flaminem Dialem Martialem Quirinalem accumbebat Atque licet a principio a populo crearetur ex patriciis multis honoribus functis post aliquot aetates a minore parte populi selectis relatisque comitiis quibus fiunt Sacerdotes ex plebe creari coepit tunc cum Maximus Curio plebeius homo rex sacrorum fuit cujus uxor regina sacrorum hoc habet proprium ut quoties sacra facit ex malo punico virgulam quam in arculum dicunt pro infula deferat quae omnibus cal Junonis sacram faceret eique porcum vel agnum mactare debet in regia Ad quem vestales virgines die constituta annis singulis ventitare ne sacra negligerentur quae suae fidei tutelaeque credita erant praemonere solebant Erat ergo tegis sacrorum munus quinto Idus Jan Jano arietem immolare diesque fastos praedicere nefastos sacra procurare quae sacrificia sui essent ministrare Ideo sacra facturi lanam farra fruges lauros verbenas quaeque sacrificio opportuna sunt regem petunt Adeoque tam intra quam extra pomarium populi civesque quique in agris agunt imperiti morum civilium atque una agricolae de sacris festisque diebus consultum vadunt sacra postulant Ipseque feriarum causas quid quoque mense faciendum a quibusque cavendum esset praedicebat praemonebatque Cui hoc proprium dicunt fuisse ut sacrificium in comitio peragat quo perfecto nulla cunctatione vel mora se ex foro proripiat quando vero divinis rebus perfectis in Comitium venit in fastis notabatur utque Cal Martiis fores regis sacrorum Flaminis Pontificis maximi nova exornentur lauro sicut Palatinae aedes Augustae quercus virides nunquam lauros habuere Cujus filiae ad sacerdotium Vestae invitae eligi nequeunt nam privilegio honoris ab hoc onere immunes erant volentes vero non vetantur Quae autem ejusmodi sacra fuerint solis Regibus credita This was the power trust the antient Kings amongst the Romans had in all matters of Religion and worship of their Gods which their Pagan Emperors enjoyed as High Priests till they became Christians The like power we read of in other Pagan Kings in Diodorus Siculus Boemus de Moribus Gentium Strabo and Purchas his Pilgrimage among other Nations Hence Theodorus Gaza Thessaloniensis ad Alphonsum Regem Praefat in Orationes de Incomprehensibili Dei Natura D. Johannis Chrysostomi quasâ—e Graeco in Latinum vertit Operum Tom. 5. Parisiis 1588. p. 360. asserts Eundem Regem et Pontificem olim fuisse accepimus tanquam Regis officio is fungi non posse qui minus jura et rationes rerum sacrarum teneret quas nosse Pontifices certe interest Which he proves to be the practice among the Grecians Athenians Romans Egyptians Jewes out of Josephus contra Apâ—ouem and likewise adds Atque etiam Persos Medos Indos gentes nominis magni suos Reges vel ex Sacerdotium ordine facere vel maxima familiaritate Sacerdotibus devinctos habere solitos legimus And he thereupon concludes that though of later times the offices of Kings and Priests are distinguished for the better discharge of both being over-burdensom for one person to manage and thereupon Quod etsi Rex minus divinam rem facit minusque Iudex constitutus est rerum sacrarum quas Ecclesia suo vocabulo spirituales appellar Rationes tamen nosse earum rerum et quemadmodum singula Christianae religionis debeant minime ignorare proculdubio pulchrum est et Majestati Regiae consentaneum since Kings themselves ought to observe them and to take special care that all their subjects do the like as he there proves at large quo plus apud eos as it did apud te Alphonsum Religionis Chatitas quam civile negotium valet 14ly Because Popes with other ambitious Prelates Priests and Clergy-men deny this truth together with Emperors and Kings Supremacy in Ecclesiastical affairs to avoid mistakes I shall briefly inform you 1. Wherein the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction belonging to all especially to Christian Emperors Kings exercised by them in all ages as part of their regal Office consists and then 2dly evidence the truth of my Proposition by the resolutions of Fathers Councils Popes themselves Popish and Protestant Divines of chiefest note in a Chronological manner For the First This their Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is reducible to these short Heads 1. By their royal Lawes Edicts as well as examples to maintain establish propagate encourage protect the publike sincere worship orthodox faith service honour glory religion of the true and only God throughout their Dominions according to the holy Scriptures to encourage defend love all the Ministers and Professors hereof to preserve peace unity concord in all Churches under them and prevent suppresse all Atheism Heresie Blasphemy Idolatry false or superstitious Worships Heresies Errors Schisms Profanesse Impiety repugnant to Gods Word 2. To preserve inviolable
hominis et hominem sua causa Deum fecisse quam quod ex omnibus animantibus solus ita formatus est ut oculi ejus ad coelum directi facies ad Deum spectans vultus cum suo parente communis sit quasi porrecta manu allevatum ex humo ad contemplationem sui excitasse Propterea igitur coli se Deus expetit honorari ab homine tanquam Pater ut virtutem et sapientiam teneat quae sola immortalitatem parit Idcirco mundus factus est ut nascamur ideo nascimur ut agnoscamus factorem mundi ac nostri Deum ideo agnoscimus ut colamus ideo colimus ut immortalitatem pro mercede capiamus quoniam maximis laboribus cultus constat ideo praemio immortalitatis afficimur ut similes Angelis effecti summo Patri ac Domino in perpetuum serviamus et simus aternum Deo Regnum Haec summa rerum est hoc arcanum Dei hoc mysterium mundi Yea this is the sum mysterie of all the Kings and kingdoms in the world instituted by God for these only ends that all the kingdoms of the world might thereby become the temporal kingdoms of God and of his Christ on earth and his eternal kingdom in heaven All these recited Fathers lived under Heathen not Christian Emperors Kings to whom they Addressed their Apologies Appeals Defences of the substance truth of the Christian Religion they professed under them as the highest powers on earth the properest Judges of Religion and bound in duty to protest both it and them in the true profession thereof When the Roman Emperors and other Kings became Professors Protectors and Propagators of Christianity the Fathers Councils Bishops Clergy and Christians under them thus set forth their Supremacy in and over all Ecclesiastical and Religious affairs persons as well as temporal To pretermit the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction attributed to and exercised by Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperor which I shall insist on in the First Chapter of the 2d Book Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria as he constantly prayed to God in publike for Constantius the Emperor though an Arrian with all expressions of Loyalty duty and dedicated a special Apology to him in Justification both of his faith and loyalty useth this expression therein If I were accused to others I would appeal to your Majesty as Paul did to Cesar but seeing they accuse me unto you ad quem a te appellare potero nisi ad Deum There being none paramount the Emperour to Appeal to neither Pope nor Council but God alone How this Emperor Constantius twice removed and banished Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria and Paulus Bishop of Constantinople from their Bishopricks and placed Gregory and George two Arrian Bishops in their Sees and how upon their Complaints and Appeals to his Brother the Emperor Constans reigning in the West who summoned their accusers to appear before him which they did they were restored to their Bishopricks by the advice and decree of the Council of Sardis Anno 350 summoned by both these Emperors Edicts at the requests of Athanasius and Paulus to hear and decide their cause referred to them by the Emperors and the special Letters of Constantius sent to Athanasius What Creeds or forms of Christian faith both the Arrian and Orthodox Bishops compiled in the Councils of Antioch Sardis Jerusalem Smyrna Millain Arimino and Seleucia all summoned by the Emperors Edicts presented to the Emperors for their approbations and ratifications as Supreme Judges Moderators in such cases are at large recorded in Socrates Scholasticus Ecclesiast Hist l. 2. cap. 7 to 44. Nicephorus Calixtus Eccles Hist l. 9. c. 20. to 44. Sozomen Eccles hist l. 2. Cent. Magd. 4. cap. 8. and sundry others to whom I referr the Readers for brevity sake Only I shall recite the memorable requests of the Orthodox Bishops in the Council of Arimino to the Emperor Constantius in their second Epistle to him Wherefore we humbly request your Majesty of your gracious Favour and wonted Clemency to accept this our Message That you admit no novelty to creep into the Church of God to the contumely of such as are already departed this life but that you grant us your license and lawfull favor firmly to persevere in those things which our Ancestors have decreed in as much as it is evident to all men that whatsoever they did it was through well advised counsel prudent consideration and the aid of the holy Ghost Also We humbly request that the exiled Bishops which wander in farre and foraign Regions grievously afflicted by reason of great years and the misery of want and necessity may by your safe conduct return home from exile to the end the Churches remain not desolate and desolate of their Bishops being thus farr asunder Last of all Our humble sute is to your Majesty that nothing may be diminished from or added to the Old and Antient Decrees but that all whatsoever have been observed unto this day through the godly procurement of your Father may henceforth be of force strength and virtue and that hereafter there may arise no molestation to us about those things and that you suffer us not to be banished our Churches c. Saint Hillary Bishop of Poictiers wrote thus to this Arrian Emperour Constantius not long after At hanasius in the Orthodox Christians behalf We beseech your Clemency to permit that the people may have such teachers as they like such as they think well of such as they chuse and let them solemnize the divine mysteries and make prayers for your safety and prosperity In which Book to this Emperor he acknowledgeth his Supremacy in and over all Ecclesiastical persons causes though he justly censures his force imposed on them in their Councils to make them vote against their wills and the Orthodox faith in behalf of the Arrian Hereticks The Godly Western Bishops assembled by this Arrian Emperor Constantius his Edict to the Council of Ariminum and there long detained by him from their Cures wrote two supplicatory Epistles to him from thence to dismisse them to their Bishopricks before the cold Winter approached In the first they thus petitioned them We beseech your Majesty that you cause us not to be banished nor stayed from our Churches but that the Bishops together with the people may live in peace and tranquillity and may humbly pray for your health kingdom and safety in which the Divine Majesty long preserve you Pro tua salute Imperio prolixo So Nicephorus renders it but others thus Supplicantes Deo pro pace tui Imperii pariter et salutis quam tibi Dominus in perpetuum largiatur They concluded their second Letter to him with this Supplication For this cause we beseech your Clemency the second time most religious Lord and Emperor that you command us to depart to our Churches if it so please your Godlinesse before the sharpnesse of Winter come That we
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
quis contra nostram jussionem facere ausus fuerit exilio afficiatur Illud enim propter superiores tumultus adjectum videtur ut ad vitanda Comitiorum dissidia aut Legati Regis aut Rex ipse si in Vrbe adessent consecrationi Pontificis interessent sic enim subsequentibus 〈◊〉 est observatum postremo nova lege sancitum By reason of this new Law Gregory the 4th was elected Pope Anno 827. by the people sed ante non est ordinatus quam Imperatoris Legatus Romam veniens electionem populi qualis esset examinavit Et Gregorius Papatum inire noluit futura pericula timens donec Imperator ejus approbasset electionem This Pope coming to the Emperor Ludovicus in France under pretext to reconcile Lotharius to his Father but in truth to forment and promote his sons and some French and German Bishops conspiracies to deprive him of his Empire for which they were afterwards condemned and banished and to excommunicate those Bishops who adhered to Ludovicus they returned him this answer Si excomminaturus adverniret excommunicatus abiret who departing thence returned not with that honour he expected The Synod of Mentz under the Archbishop Rabanus Maurus assembled by the Command of this Emperor Ludovicus Pius Anno 829. sent all their Canons with a Preface before them to this Emperor with this inscription Domino Serenissimo Christianissimo Regi Ludovico verae Religionis Serenissimo Rectori ac Defensori Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae una cum uxore prole sua ejusque fidelibus vita salus honor benedictio cum victoria sine sive mansura Dignissimae reverentiae vestrae patefecimus nos humiles simul vestri Rabanus cum Coepiscopis ejus c. wherein they have this notable passage touching Princes Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Petimus ut sicut apud antecessores vestros Reges atque Imperatores qui ante vos fuerunt honorem sancta Dei Ecclesia habuit per immunitatem eorum possessiones Ecclesiasticae inconvulsae perstiterunt manentesque in eis semper inlaesae perseveraverunt ita apud vos modernis temporibus incontaminatae permaneant Zelo enum Dei oportet vos defendere Ecclesias Christi qui vobis Regnum in terra et dominationem tribuit ut per nullius suggestiones iniquas vestram concessionem quam in Eleemosynam vestram Ecclesiis Christi contulistis sinatis permutari Quia inhonestum est ut hoc quod non solum Christianis temporibus a Christianis Imperatoribus sed etiam a Paganis regibus tempore Gentilitatis ad honorem Dei collatum est vestris temporibus in vestro Regno permutetur Nam legimus apud Esdram quod Artaxerxes Rex Esdrae scribae legis Dei per Epistolam mandaverit Ego Artaxerxes c. De Christianis vero Regibus Imperatoribus non necesse est aliqua exempla ponere cum omnes qui rectae fidei et sani dogmatis fuerint a Constantino Imperatore qui primus Imperatorum Christianam Religionem defendere atque honorem Ecclesiarum Dei amplificare caepit usque ad vos semper in hoc studio solerter laboraverint ut Ecclesia Dei pacem et tranquillitatem haberet quatenus cultus Dei incontaminatus foret et serviâ—e jus sine impedimento Deo delectabiliter deservirent At the end of their last Chapter they conclude with this Petition to the Emperor Haec vero quae vobis transmissa sunt petimus ut vestra authoritate firmentur Et si quis adversarius illis existere voluerit praevalere non permittatur Dei enim cooperatores vos esse debetis et adjutores sanctae ejus Ecclesiae quatenns Religio Christiana incontaminata temporibus Regni vestri usque ad finem servetur In the year of our Lord 829. the Religious Emperors Lewes and Lotharius commanded a general Fast to be kept throughout their Realms to divert Gods warth and judgements and likewise summoned 4. Councils at Paris Mentz Lyons and Tholose to reform both in the Clergy and Laity Church and State all sins vices errors corruptions contrary to Gods word which had brought plagues wars and other judgements on them to appease Gods wrath against them and their Subjects Et quia nos magis in hoc peccasse cognoscimus qua forma salutis omnibus esse debuimus et omnium curam gerere et per authoritatem Imperialem pravorum acta ne tantum adcrescerent corrigere cupimus write these Emperors in their summons of and pious prologue to the Council of Paris wherefore totius Ecclesiae sibi commissae mark it generalitati consulere gestientes they summoned these Councils to assist them in this their general desired reformation Consultu Episcoporum Sacerdotum Optimatum caeterorumque fidelium nostrorum Whereupon the Bishops and others assembled in the Council of Paris Orthodoxorum Principum jussionibus obedientes compiled several Constitutions and Rules for the reformation of themselves and other Christians which they digested into three Bookes The first for the reformation of the corruptions lives of Bishops Priests Monks abuses in Gods worship and prophanations of the Lords day The 2d describing the respective duties and regulating the enormities of Kings Civil Magistrates Officers and sinnes of the people in relation to Gods worship and service The 3d. relating both to Kings Bishops Priests and people In the 2d Book they thus describe the office and duty of a King Cap. 1. Quid sit Rex quid esse quidque cavere debet Rex a recte agendo vocatur Si enim piè justè misericorditer regit merito Rex appellatur si his caruerit non Rex sed Tyrannus est c. Quia ergo Rex a regendo dicitur primò ei studendum est ut semet ipsum suamque domum Christi adjuvante gratiâ ab operibus nequam emaculet bonisque operibus exuberare faciat ut ab ea caeteri subjecti bonum exemplum semper capiant ipse etiam salutiferis Christi praeceptis fideliter atque obedienter obsecundet recte agendo eis quibus temporaliter imperat in pace concordia atque charitate caeterorumque bonorum operum exhibitione quantum sibi divinitus datur consistere faciat et dictis atque exemplis ad opus pietatis et justitiae et misericordiae solerter excitet attendens quod pro his Deo rationem redditurus sit quatenus ita agendo sanctorum Regum qui Deo syncere serviendo placuerunt post hane peregrinationem consors efficiatur De Rege autem qualis esse vel quid cavere debeat ita in Deuteronomo legitur Cum ingressus fueris terram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi possederis eam habitaverisque in illa et dixeris Constituam super me Regem sicut habent omnes per circuitum Nationes eum constitues quem Dominus Deus tuus elegerit de numero fratrum tuorum Et post pauca Non habebit Uxores
Hincmarus Archbishop of Rhemes in France elected consecrated by the consent of Carolus Calvus succeeding Ebbo who for his Treason against the Emperor Ludovicus Pius to deprive him of the Empire and thrust him into a Monastery was deprived of his Archbishoprick upon the Emperors complaint against him in Synodo apud Theodonis Villam but after Ludovicus his death restored to it by Lotharius with whom he confederated the Kings of France having an antient Right and Prerogative annexed to their Crowns to conferre all Archbishopricks and Bishopricks within their Realms to grant Licenses to elect them to the Clergy and people and to approve or reject them when elected as Archbishop Hincmarus informs us in his Epistola ad Carolum Regem pro Sylvanectensi Ecclesia Pastore vidnata in his Epistola ad Clerum plebem Beluacensis Ecclesiae Epistola ad Hludovicum 3. Francorum Regem pro electione Episcopi Beluacensis and Pierre Pythou manifestly proves by many evidences as likewise to deprive imprison banish execute Bishops persons and confiscate their Estates for Treason and other crimes against their Oathes of Fealty and Homage to them being the Kings Lieges and Vassals as Pythou proves at large This Archbishop Hincmarus in his Epistola 1. ad Ludovicum Balbum Regem c. 9. resolves thus Sollicite unicutque ambulandum est cum Deo suo et Regi praecipue qui sub tantis erit poenis in futuro saeculo si malus fuerit super quantos fuit in isto saeculo in quo se a malitia non correxit et non fecit judicium et justitiam et non ambulavit sollicite cum Deo suo And in his Epistola 2. ad Carolum Crassum Imperatorem he exhorts and intreats him Vt Ecclesiam Gallicanam pene collapsam restituatis vestrique sapienti consilio et potestatis auxilio relevetis c. Then shewing him the means to effect it he concludes Si enim Domine mi Rex hujus Regni Ecclesia et ministri ejus ac populus haec per vos obtinuerint quantam mercedem et remunerationem inde apud Deum et bonum nomen apud saeculum habebitis ex verbis Apostoli pensare potestis Jam. 5. 20. Si ergo Apostolus spiritu Dei plenus de uno peccatore converso tantam remunerationem praemittit colligat sapientia vestra quantam de tantorum salute ac profectu remunerationem apud Deum habebitis Epistola 3. 4. he prescribes many excellent rules pro recta novi juvenis Regis institutione making the care and defence of Religion and the Church the suppression of all heresies and sins the principal part of a Kings Office observing that in sacra Regum historia legimus quia Principes Sacerdotum quando sacra unctione Reges in Regnum sacrabant Coronam significantem victoriam ponentes super capita eorum legem in manum eorum debant ut scirent qualiter seipses regere et pravos corrigere et bonos in viam rectam deberent dirigere c. Unde Principi terrae magnopere providendum atque cavendum est ne in his Deus offendatur per quos religio Christiana consistere debet caeteri ab offensione salvari Et ideo quia res Ecclesiasticas divino judicio tuendas et defensandas suscepit consensu ejus electione Cleri ac plebis et approbatione Episcoporum provinciae quisque ad Ecclesiasticum regimen absque ulla venalitate provehidebet He describes the Office of a King at large out of the Scripture St. Cyprian Augustine and others Regum est Deum timere et colere c. as in the Council of Paris Adding Rex de administrationis talento sibi credito reddatrationem in die judicii Epist 6. c. 27 28. He records Imperatorum auctoritate convocatas generales Synodos et in historiis Ecclesiasticis et in Epistolis Apostolicae sedis Pontificum reperimus Et Sanctus Gregorius Reges Francorum Synodos in Gallicis et Beligicis provinciis convocare saepe commonuit Epist 9. c. 2. Habet vos Reges sancta mater Ecclesia pios pudicitiae et castimoniae custodes ac defensores Pope A rian the 2d writing to this Archbishop Hincmaerus to excommunicate Charles the Balde K. of France for seising upon the Realm of Lotharius to send Hincmarus Laudanensis Episcopus and other Bishops of France to a Synod at Rome and enjoyning him several other things to the prejudice of the Rights of the Crown and Church of France thereupon he communicated his Letter to the other Bishops King and Nobles of France writ a memorable Epistle to this Pope in answer thereunto wherein amongst other things he informes him That K. Charles and others denyed the matter fact wherewith he was charged as false averring the quite contrary for verity That nec legali nec regulari judicio convictus apparerent Nos vero querquam though the meanest Peasant à communione prohibere non possumus quinimo haec prohibitio non sit mortalis sed medicinalis nisi aut sponte consessum aut aliquo sive saeculari sive Ecclesiastico judicio nominatum aut convictum much less then could he excommunicate his King it being contrary to the Canons of the Council of Africk where St. Angustine was present yea to the very Laws Canons Decrees of the See Apostolick and Popes themselves there cited by him That the Nobles and French Bishops to whom he had shewed his Letter affirmed That Popes did not excommunicate K. Aâ—stulphus or Desiderius King of the Lombards who invaded their possessions in Italy Neither did this Kings Grandfather Pipin nor Father K. Charles conquer them restore the Pope Church to their Right Excommunicatione Apostolica sed virtute hostili Dicunt etiam secularem scripturam dicere quia omne Regnum saeculi hujus bellis quaeritur victoriis propagatur non Apostolici vel Episcoporum excommunicationibus obtinetur Scripturam divinam proponunt dicere Quia Domini est Regnum per quem Reges regnant cui voluerit dat illud ministerio Angelorum hominum not of Popes c. Sicut volumus de vestris orationibus habere adjutorium nolite quaere nostrum disâ—iendium petite Dominum Apostolicum ut quia Rex et Episcopus simul esse non potest sui antecessores Ecclesiasticum ordinem quod suum eu et non Rempublicam quod Regum est disposuerunt non praecipiat nobis habere Regem qui nos in sic loâ—gâ—nquis partibus adjuvare non possit contra subitanto et frequentes Paganorum impetus et nos Francos non jubeat servire cui nolumus servire quia istud jugum sui antecessores nostris antecessoribus non imposuerunt et nos illud portare non possumus qui scriptum esse in sanctis libris audimus ut pro libertate et haereditate nostra usque ad mortem certare debeamus c. Non convenit ulli Episcopo dicere
defecerant in deditionem recipit totum Petri patrimonium brevi pacatum reddidit This year Conrade the Emperors sonne after 9. years revolt from and rebellion against his Father wholly swayed by the Pope and Machtylda cui ut quidam dicunt sicut sanguine ita connubio conjunctus died in rebellion being poysoned as some relate whereupon this Pope endeavoured to engage his Sonne Henry whom his Father had declared to succeed him in the Empire in a publike assembly of the States and all the Hildebrandian faction to depose and usurp his Fathers throne by force and treachery For which end Pope Paschal Anno 1102. summoned a General Council at Rome wherein he resumed the old quarrel about Investitures passing this Decree therein and other subsequent Councils thus registred by Gratian caus 16. qu 7. Si quis Clericus Abbas vel Monachus per Laicos Ecclesias obtinuerit secundum Sanctorum Apostolorum Canones to wit of Urban and Hildebrand Antiochieni Concilii capitalium excommunicetur Constitutiones Sanctorum canonum sequentâ—s of Hildebrand and Vrban Statuimus ut quicumque Clericus ab hac hora investituram Ecclesiae vel Ecclesiasticae dignitatis de manu Laici acceperit et qui ei manum imposuerit gradus sui periculo subjaceat Nullus Laicorum Ecclesias vel Ecclesiarum bona occupat vel disponat qui vero secus egerit ab Ecclesiae liminibus arceatur ratifying all his Predecessors forecited Decrees against Investitures Henry the Emperor having notice of the Popes intention and designes to call this Council Habito cum Principibus colloquio Roman se profecturum ac Generale Concilium circa Febr. Kalend. inibi convocaturum according to his Imperial Priviledge to summon Councils of which this Pope would deprive him condirit quatenus tam sua quam Domini Apostolici causa canonice ventilata Catholica inter Regnum et Sacerdotium confirmaretur unitas Constat tamen nec ipsum juxta placitum venisse nec nuncia dignitati Apostolicae subjectonem profitentia misisse as he had no reason Nec hoc latet quod alterum Papam ipsi Domino Paschali superponeret he being unduly elected without his Imperial assent by the power and confederacy of his rebellious usurping Sonne Conrade si fieri posset conatus sit The ground of his absenting himself was his just fear of the Popes treachery and designs to dethrone or murder him to establish himself in his usurped Papal Chair Whereupon this Pope taking advantage of his absence convententibus universis Apuliae Campaniae Siciliae Tuscaniae totiusque simul Italiae Praesulibus Ultramontanorum autem quamplurimorum Legatis all or most of the Hildebrandian faction Synodus magna Romae est habita ubi praeter antiqua Patrum instituta to wit against Investitures more solita reverenter confirmata etiam saepedictum hujus temporis Schisma inter prâ—â—cipuas haereses computatur ac perpetuo cum suis authoribus atque sequacibus anathemate hujusmodi subscripta professione condemnatur Anathematizo omnem haeresim praecipue eam quaestatum praesentis Ecclesiae perturbat quae docet asserit Anathema contemnendum Ecclesiae ligamenta spernenda esse And to make sure his Title superadded this new Oath of absolute Canonical obedience Promitto autem obedientiam Apostolicae sedis Pontifici Domino Paschali ejusque successoribus sub testimonio Christi et Ecclesiae affirmans quod affirmat et damnans quod damnaâ— sancta universalis Ecclesia Ibi etiam quam sententiam in Imperatorem vel Patricium Romanum Heinricum idem Apostolicus Paschalis promulgaverit by no Apostolical president nos quoque inter innumeras diversarum Gentium catervas proxima coena Domini in Ecclesia Lateranensi ab ipsius ore didicimus Nimirum postquam 8. Kalend. Octobris maris fluctibus Joppae traditi Romae sumus per gratiam Christi praedicta majore hebdomada introâ—ucti Quia inquit tunicam Christi scindere id est Ecclesiam rapinis incendiis devastare luxuriis perjuriis atque homicidiis commaculare non cessavit Primo a beatae memoriae Gregorio Papa deinde a sanctissimo viro Vrbano predecessore meo propter suam inobedientiam excommunicatus est atque condemnatus Nos quoque in proxima Synodo nostra judicio totius Ecclesiae perpetuo eum anathemate tradidimus Id notum volumus omnibus et maxime Vltramontanis esse quatenus se ab ipsius contineant iniquitate After this Excommunication the Pope dispatcheth his Legates and Letters into Germany exciting Princes and Prelates of the Hildebrandian faction to take up arms afresh against the re-excommunicated Emperor and all his adherents Amongst others he sent one Letter to Robert Earl of Holland newly returned from the wars against the Saracens in the holy Land to this effect Hoc est legitimi militis ut sui Regis hostes instantius persequatur Gratias ergo prudentiae tuae agimus quod praeceptum nostrum in Cameâ—acensi parochiae executus es id ipsum de Leodiensibus excommunicatis Pseudoclericis praecipimus who adhered faithfully to the excommunicated Emperor Nec in hac tantum parte sed ubique cum poteris Henricum haereticorum caput et ejus fautores pro viribus persequaris Nullum profecto gratius Deo sacrificium offerre poteris quam si eum impugnes qui se contra Deum erexit qui Ecclesiae Dei regnum auferre conatur c. Hoc tibi et Militibus tuis in peccatorum remissionem pricipimus c. Hereupon the Bishop Canons and Clergy of the Diocesse and Church of Leodium in their own just defence writ a memorable answer to this Popes Letter wherin they thus notably oppugned his antichristian proceedings against the Emperor and his adherents oppugne his pretended Supremacy Tyranny Blood-thirstinesse vindicate this Emperors cause supremacy over Popes Prelates prove Rome to be Babylon and the Pope Antichrist Stupendo gemendo exâ—â—laâ—…o inquit Ecclesia Leodiensis cum Esia qui onus deâ—â—â—â—… exaggerans exclamat sicut turbines ab Africo veniunt de deserto venit de terra horribili vuio dura nunciata est mihi c. Qui hactenus non intelligebat loquendo quid sit desertum mare nunc intelligat videndo quid per desertum mare significetur non solum Babylonia sed etiam mundus Ecclesia c. Ecclesia 〈◊〉 se desertam a sano praesulum consilio Quae enim major olim confusio fuit in Babylonia quam hodie est in Ecclesia In Babylonia confusae sunt lingua gentium in Ecclesia dividuntur linguae mentes credentium Ait Petrus in Epistola sua Saâ—â—taâ— vos Ecclesia quae est in Babylone collecta Hactenus interpretabar ideo voluisse Patrum per Babyloâ—em sâ—gâ—are Romam quia tunc temporis Roma confusa erat Idoloâ—atria omni spurcitia At nunc dolor meus mihi interpretatur quod Petrus Prophtico spiritu dicens Ecclesiam in Babylone collectam praevidit confusionem dissensâ—onâ—s quia
recondendo gladio Petrum imitetur c. Esto concedimus vobis inviti eum talem esse qualem dicitis nec talis a nobis repellendus esset armis contra eum sumptis sed precibus ad Deum fusis Contra Pharaonem cujus cor contra Deum induravit Moses ranam muscam locustam grandinemque induxerat has tantum plagas non nisi orando extensis in coelum manibus avertere potuit Jeremias pro Nabuchodonozor Paulus pro Nerone orant c. Et haec exempla latius exporrigit Quis Pontificum Romanorum suis unquam decretis authorizavit ut debeat Pontifex gladio belli in peccantes uti Gregorius primus hujus nominis Papa quid omnes ante se Papae super hoc senserint quid omnes post se sentire debeant ostendit scribens Sabiniano Diacono c. Hoc exemplo omnes a primo Gregorio contenti utebantur solo gladio spirituali usque ad ultimum Gregorium qui primus se et suo exemplo alios Pontifices contra Imperatorem accinxit gladio belli c. Dicitis cum Gregorio quoquo modo liget pastor timeat grex vinculum pastoris Dicimus nos cum Gregorio ligandi solvendi potestate se privat qui subjectos pro suo velle non pro merito eorum ligat solvit Dicitis quoque modo excommunicatur si morte praevenitur damnatur Hic nobis succurrit Romanae Ecclesiae authoritus Gregorius enim primus scripto facto exauctoravit quod potest Romanus Pontifex absolvere excommunicatum in juste ab aliquo Si hoc potest Romanus praesul quis neget etiam Deum posse absolvere si quem praesul Romanus injuste excommunicaverit Nemo enim potest ab alio laedi nisi prius laedatur a semetipso nullum vero sacrificium Deo gratius offerre poterit Robertus quam si nos persequatur Quaero a te O mater mea Romana Ecclesia Num Deo placeat sacrificium nisi sit mundum immaculatum Quale ergo quomodo tam gratum est Deo hoc bellandi Sacrificium quod non potest fieri sine macula culparum quod caput multis Scriptura locis explicat Et hoc inquit tibi ac militibus tuis in peccatorum remissionem praecipimus Hic quid dicam nescio quo me vertam non video Si enim utriusque legis totam bibliothecam si omnes totius bibliothecae veteres expositores revolvam exemplum hujus Apostolici praecepti non inveniam Solus Hildebrandus Papa ultimam manum sacris Canonibus imposuit quem legimus praecepisse Mathildi Marchionissae in remissionem peccatorum suorum ut debellaret Henricum Imperatorem Tumque ex Scriptura aliquot Gregorii locis veram peccata remittendi rationem edisserens qua nemp peccatori peccatum suum ob oculos ponitur quod confiteatur agnoscat indeque ejus gravitatem expendat dolore coâ—punctus viva fide remedium in Christo quarat concludit haec ipsa Leodiensis Epistola his verbis Hunc morem discrete ligandi solvendi hactenus tenebas nobis tenendum mandabas O sancta mater Romana Ecclesia Unde ergo haec nova authoritas per quam reis sine confessione poenitentia offertur praeteritorum peccatotum immunitas futurorum libertas Quantam fenestram malitiae patefecisti hominibus 〈◊〉 mater liberet Deus ab omni malo Sit Jesus tibi ostium sit ostiarius nullus in te introeat nisi cui ostiarius aperuerit Te inquam tuumque Praesulem liberet ab his qui ut ait Micheas seducunt populum Dei qui mordent dentibus suis praedicantem pacem Et si quis non dederit in ore eorum quippiam sanctificant super eum bellum This Pope after Conrades death perceiving he could not work his design to depose the Emperor who upon Conrades long unnatural rebellion against him had declared his Son Henry Copartner with him in and Successor to the Empire by Decree of the German Princes but by engaging Henry to revolt and take up arms against his Father as Conrade had done by his Legate and Agents perswaded Henry against his filial duty and express Oath never to bear arms against his Father suddenly to desert and raise Forces both to imprison and dethrone him To prevent which design Henry the Father Anno 1103. published his intention to leave the Government of the Empire wholly to his Son and to take a voyage to relieve the Holy land whereby many were encouraged to accompany him thither and the malice of his enemies abated for the present but he deferring his expedition thereupon An. 1105. his Son Henry by the advice of the Pope of some German Princes Prelates rebellionem adversus Patrem in Boiaria parat most unnaturally departing privily from his Fathers side as an Heretick excomunicated by the Pope soon after to engage all the Hildebrandian Papal faction to side with him against his Father Primo haresin Investiturarum anathematizans Apostolicae sedis Pontifici debitam profitâ—tur obedientiam indeque foederatis sibi Noricis principibus atque ab Alemannia necnon ab Orientali Francia nonnullis Nobilibus ad Saxones conâ—enitur the old seditious Rebels A quibus honorifice susceptus in brevi universis Saxoniae civitasibus potitus ab optimatibus est dignitate Regia satis honoratus Consilio tamen atque ministerio Ruothardi Moguntini atque Gebehardi Constantiensis Episcopi responsalium scilicet Domini Pascalis Papae being the Popes Legates and Commissioners totam Saxoniam Romanae Ecclesiae reconciliavit After which this Usurper of his Fathers Throne by his new Imperial authority Episcopis atque Clericis Conventum generalem in villam regiam quae Northusam dicitur quarto Calendas Junii indixit ubi super Ecclesiasticae institutionis jam depravata disciplina tractaretur Convenit igitur magnus Episcoporum Abbatum Monachorum turba In quo Concilio super sententiis instantibus Patrum decretis primo relictis quaecunque poterunt ad praesens laudabiliter corrigebantur quaedam vero quae graviora videbantur ad Apostolicam audientiam differebantur Simoniaca quippe haeresis Patrum consuetudine condemnata ibid. ab omnibus condemnata Deinde as the Century Writers observe Investiturae jus totum Romano idolo consecrabant et involabant plenissimis oribus Nam Henricus hactenus majorum authoritatem et privilegia contra furorem Romanorum Praesulum tutatus fuerat Et hac quidem in parte Henrici filius Papam omnium maxime fricare studebat sed postea in similes poenas justo Dei judicio incidit Hoc igitur Investurae jes quod sibi politici arrogabant per invidiam nonnulli Scriptores Papae Simoniam appellabant His vero qui a Pseudo-Episcopis as they deemed all who received Investitures from the Emperor fuerant consecrati per Catholicam manus impositionem reconciliatis proximo â—ejunio danda fore
quia voluntas Dei est Erat autem illic Episcopus Spirensis Caesari quondam dilectissimus nam templum ingens Dei genetrici apud Spiram construxerat Praeterea Civitatem Episcopum decenter promoverat Dixit ergo Caesar ad amicum suum Episcopum de Spira Ecce destitutus regno decidi a spe nihilque mihi melius est quam renunciare militiae Da ergo mihi Praebendam apud Spiram ut sim famulus Dominae meae Dei genitricis cui devotus semper exstiti Novi enim literas possum adhuc subservire choro Ad quem ille Per matrem inquit Domini non faciam tibi quod petis Tunc Caesar suspirans illachrymans ad circumstantes ait Miseremini mei miseremini mei vos saltem amici mei quia manus Domini titegit me Mortuus est autem eo tempore Leodii stetitque corpus ejus inhumatum in Capella quadam deserta quinque annis Tanta enim severtitate Dominus Papa et caeteri adversarii ejus in ipsum ulti sunt ut mortuum vel humari non sinerent Krantzius and others adde Caâ—aber ejus jam Christianae sepulturae traditum in monasterio jubetur extrahi et in locum poni non consecratum ubi post quinque annos reconciliatum Spiram perducitur Mirum et incomparabile rerum humanarum spectaculum et exemplum non vulgar in quo contemplari possint ima atque summa O Magna Dei judicia quae completa sunt in tam praepotenti viro sperandum autem quod caminus ille tribulationis decoxerit in eo scoriam tulerit rubiginem quoties enim in praesenti judicamur a Domino corripimur ut non cum hoc mundo damnemur Fuit autem Ecclesiis admodum bonus his videlicet quas sibi fideles persensit Porro Romanum Antistitem Gregorium caeteros insidiatores honoris sui sicut infestos habuit ita etiam infestare studuit Impulit eum ad hoc ut multi dicunt gravis necessitas Quis enim vel minimam honoris sui jacturam aequanimiter ferat Legimus autem quia multi peccaverunt quibus tamen subventum est poenitentiae remedio Certe David peccans poenitens Rex Propheta permansit Rex autem Henricus ad vestigia Apostolorum jacens orans ac poenitens gratis pessundatus est nec invenit tempore gratiae quod ille obtinuit duro legis tempore Sed disputaverint de his qui scierint vel ausi suerint Vnum hoc scire licet quia Romana sedes adhuc hodie luit factum illud a tempore enim illo quotquot regnant de stirpe illa omnibus modis nituntur humiliare Ecclesias ne resumant vires consurgendi adversus Reges nec inferre quae intulerunt patribus eorum Regnavit autem Henricus junior pro Patre suo fuitque Concordia inter Regnum et Sacerdotium sed non multo tempore nam nec ipse prosperatus est in omni vita sua irretitus similiter ut Pater ejus a sede Apostolica De quibus suo loco dicendum est A Just punishment of God for his Wars and Rebellions against his Father to gratifie the Pope The transcendent Tyranny of this Pope towards this pious Emperor both in his life and after his death which was much lamented by all good men made Rodolphus Gualther and Balaeus passe this further censure thereon Et haec quidem non alicujus barbari tyranni jussu non Phalaridis alicujus instinctu sed sanctissimi Patris consilio siâ—nt Gaudete nunc Caligulae exultate Nerones quotquot unquam crudelitatis nomine fuistis celebres Habetis enim qui dum vos longo post se reliquit spatio infamia diri nominis memoria liberat Romanum videlicet Pontificem qui in Patris viscera Filii gladium stringi praecepit Sic Regem honorabat 1 Petri 2. Sic Dei institutis obedivit Romanorum 13. superbissimus Antichristus But now observe the signal Judgement of God upon this Treacherous Pope who instigated this new Emperor most undutifully to imprison and depose his own Father whom he kept 5. years from Christian burial This Pope Anno 1106. by another Synod at Guardastal making Decrees against Bishops homages to the Emperor and other Princes for their Temporalties against receiving Investitures from them and refusing to consecrate those Bishops who received Investitures from this Emperor the chief ground of the quarrel against Henry the 4th his Father He therewith exasperated upon this affront imprisons his ghostly Father in Rome it self Ab eodem Imp. post pedum oscula capitur et in Carcerem traditur nec inde educitur donec omnes confirmaret investiendi jus Carolo magno datum diplomate restitueret atque ipsum Imperatorem confirmaret Dum in Cathedra inquit Massaeus post Missam se contineret Pontifex ecce Milites clamantes Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari tam ipsum quam totum Clerum invaserunt et abduxerunt exuerunt que vestibus adeo nudos ut ne femoralia reliquerint eis atque ita spoliatos apud montem Soractim custodiae manciparunt Videres ergo Cardinales funibus in colla missis nudos trahi vinctis post terga manibus So little did this New Emperor or his Souldiers value his Papal or his Cardinals authority holinesse when put in competition with the antient Rights of the Imperial Crown even in this case of Investitures for defence where of his Father was so frequently excommunicated deprived I shall recite the story more at large out of Hermoldus Krantziâ—s Abbas Uspergensis others King Henry the 4. being dead and thus trampled upon by the Pope and his Son intangled in Wars in Germany this Pope thinking he had now obtained a full conquest in case of Investitures Synodalibus comitiis non minus dat operam Pontificiam authoritatem augere quam Henricus Imperium armis apud Trecas enim congregato Concilio contentionem de dandis Episcopatibus resuscitat propter quam Hildebrando cum Henrico inimicitiae intercesserunt quae fuerunt maximae cladis occasio in Germania Episcopos namque non ineuntes secum gratiam obedientiam pollicentes in eo Concilio dejecit substituitque alios Statuitque neminem ex Laicis debere dare Ecclesiasticas dignitates Henricus audiens fale Decretum in Synodo promulgatum Moguntiae Concilium habuit unde misit suos Legatos ad Pontificem postulaturos ne se ex jure spoliaret quod olim Carorolo datum esset et suis omnibus in imperio successoribus Pontifex inducias petiit super ea quaestione donec Henricus Romam veniret dicens Sibi non esse integrum in alieno regno de tantis rebus aliquid definire Henricus 5. rebus in Germania pacatis Anno Dom. 1111. in Italiam ire decrevit ingredituriter In Italiam cum venisset intellexit Paschali Pontifici suum adventum esse ingratum eumque in se