name Thou shalt be to Aaron as God said the Lord to Moses whom he had made a soueraigne Prince ouer his people And againe I haue made thee a God to Pharaoh and Moses calleth the soueraigne Iudges by the name of Gods saying thou shalt not rayle vpon the Gods for so it is in the originall and the Psalmist to the same purpose speakes thus God stādeth in the assembly of Gods he iudgeth among Gods and againe he brings in the great God speaking thus of his little Gods I haue said ye are Gods yee are all children of the most high Sect. 9. In that Kings are called Gods That the Kingly dignitie is immediately from God wee learne sixe notable lessons hereafter following The first that the kingly power is immediately of and from God and not of man as both Geneuians and Romanes most erroniously doe hold for none can make of a man a God on earth but God in heauen neither is it in the power of man to make one Gods seruant or minister but we must leaue it vnto God himselfe to choose and ordaine his owne seruants And truely if the King were ordained of man as he is for the good of man and therefore is by Saint Peter called an ordinance of man the Apostle Paul would neuer haue named him Gods seruant and minister but mans 1. Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13.4.1 Chron 29.23 The King sitteth in the Lords throne saith the holy Chronicler now it belongeth not vnto man to set another man in Gods seate but must let this alone for God himselfe to doe The throne is Gods and not mans Psal 21.3.1 Sam. 9.15 16 17 10 1 24 13 13 14 16 1 2. 1. King 3.7 10.9 1 Chr 29 29 2 Chro 2.11 Nehe 13 26. Dan. 4.14.23 Prouerbs 8.15.16 Wisd 6.1 2.3 Rom. 13.1 4. and he that sitteth in it is Gods minister and not mans yea he is of God called God for man cannot make a man God and therefore Kings are immediately from God and not from man an argument that all the Geneuians and Romanes in the world shall neuer be able to answer And therefore to shut vp this first lesson for in our worke of kingly controuersies we disputeit more largely and accurately three Kings Dauid Salomor Hiram one Queene of Sheba one Prince Nehemiah one high Priest Samuel one chiefe Prophet Daniel one principall Apostle Paul yea Gods Angel and God himselfe doe all of them anouch that kings are chosen of God nominated sent crowned created and set in Gods throne by God himselfe and not by man Sect. 9. The second lesson that wee learne here is that the kingly dignitie is of all other dignities absolutely the greatest and the diuinest That the kingly dignity is the diuinest and greatest of all other Reuel 2. 3. Psal 82.6 Dan. 3.26 6.20 Ioh. 15.14 15. and not the priestly as both Romane Geneuians do erroniously suppose For first as none can be greater in heauen then the God of heauen or so great so none in earth can be greater then he who is called of God to be a God on earth nor none can beso great Secondly as the highest stile that can bee giuen to any is giuen to Kings so a lower stile is giuen to Prelates and Priests for they are in the Scripture no where called Gods but well are they named Angels so that as the Angels in heauen are inferiour to the God of heauen so are the Angels on earth to wit the chiefe Priests and Prelates inferiour vnto the Gods on earth which are Soueraigne Princes thirdly Princes are called the children of the most high where as Church-men are instiled onely the seruants and friends of the most high Psal 21.3 1. Chron. 29.23 Fourthly God putteth a crowne of golde vpon the Kings head and he setteth him in his owne throne to sit there for God as God so that as the Apostle speaking of the inferioritie of the Angels of heauen beeing compared with Christ the annointed of the Lord saith vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Heb. 1.13.14 sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation In like manner may it be said in this matter touching the inferioritie of the Angels on earth that is prelates beeing compared with the Lords Christ and annointed one the Soueraigne Prince vnto which of the Angels on earth for Prelates are called Angels in the Reuelation seauen or eight times said the Lord euer sit in my throne Reuel 1.20 2.1.8 12 18 3 1 7 14. as hee saith vnto Kings yea I haue sought much in reading and could neuer finde in old Testament or new in Scripture or Father Greeke or Latine that euer the Lord said immediately or mediately vnto the great Archangel himselfe that sitteth in S. Angel sit thou in my throne for no man taketh or at least should take this honor vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Dauid or Salomon What are the angels on earth else then but as ministring spirits sent forth by the Gods on earth 2. Chro. 17 7 8 9. Exod 32.21.22 Numb 12 11 1. King 1.33 34. 2 Chton 29 11. Exod. 5.1 4 20 1 6.8 20. 10 20. 9 8 10 3 11 10 12 1. Psal 77 20. 2 Chron 24 12 13 14 31 13. the Christian Ichosophats to teach in Iuda through al the Cities of their kingdomes to minister the holy Sacraments to them that shal be heires of Saluation to gouerne the Church Fiftly the high priest Aaron calleth the Soueraigne Prince Moses his Lord and Salomon a king is called Zadoks the high Priest Lord Ezekiah a king calleth the priests his sons which doth argue the superioritie and maiestie of kings for the Lord is superior to his seruant and the Sonne inferiour to his father Sixtly the Spirit of God euery where placeth Kings before the chiefe Priests Moses and Aaron the King and Iehoiada Ezekiab the King and Azariah the chiefe of the house of God and preferreth the Princely dignitie before the priestly where they meete in one and the same person Moses in Genesis Gen. 14 18 Heb. 7 1 Exod 19.6 1. Pet. 2.9 Reuel 1.6 4.10 and Saint Paul to the Hebrewes doe obserue this order in Melchisedech whome they name a King and a Priest The same Moses or rather the Lord himselfe calleth his people a kingdome of Priests or a royall Priesthoode as speaketh Saint Peter and Saint Iohn in the Reauelation hath these words and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God and the same words are vsed of the foure and twenty Elders Seuenth ly Psal 2 6 20 9 24 7 8 9 10 29 10 95 3 98 6 Esther 13 9 15 14 3 12. Reuel 1.5 15 3 17 14 19 16
if we haue as yet attained to this perfection as to giue vnto God all that we haue if he should require it at our hands for the man that will grudge to giue a part vnto Gods Image and chiefe Minister for his sake will neuer be willing to forsake all for Gods sake no hee would neuer bee willing to bestow his whole goods vpon God himselfe that will refuse or repine to giue a part vnto his cheife Minister And cōtrariwise the man that doth cheerefully bestow vpon the Prince in regard that hee is Gods Image Deputie and Minister For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth saith the Apostle and for this cause ye pay also tribute Rom 13.1 2 3 4 5 6. for they are Gods Ministers doth in so doing euidently show that hee loueth God better then his golde and goodnesse better then his goods and that he would make no difficultie to bestow most willingly 6all that he hath vpon God yea to forsake his whole goods for Gods sake But of this matter of the Princes maintenance I haue entreated elsewhere in another worke published some two or three yeares agoe called the Golden art or the right way of enriching dedicated to the two Royal cities of these two kingdomes but much more copiously in another worke of Kingly Controuersies not as yet finished where I doe discourse of the particular manner of the maintenance of Princes amongst Gods people both according to Scripture the Iudgement of diuines and Politicians and according to the seuerall customes of kingdomes And there I show 1. that the soueraigne Prince is not Lord of the whole goods of his subiects and that his right doth not extend ouer their whole faculties as some flatterers of Princes doe falsely and dangerously hold them in hand Secondly that the soueraigne Prince hath a right only to a certaine proportionable portion of the subiects goods Thirdly that as God and not man is the institutor author and ordainer of Kings so is he the appointer of their portion and the prescriber of their manner of maintenance for if God hath ordained and instituted Kings to bee his Ministers and Seruants for the gouernment of his people as we haue already showed that he hath then must it needs be true that the same God hath taken order for their maintenance And truly seeing that all wise and good masters doe prouide for their seruants and allow them meanes for their sustenance and maintenance it were a thing most vnbeseeming the wisedome and goodnes of God who is the Master of masters both for wisedome and goodnesse to thinke that he hath not as great care and taken at least as good order for the maintenance of his seruants namely of Kings as other men being masters haue taken and doe take for theirs God doth alwaies that which is most fitting and therefore hee hath designed and ordained the particular manner of the Princes maintenance for it is most fitting that the master should prescribe and appoint the quantitie of his owne seruants wages And it was so fit that God should do it that it was not fit nor expedient to referre the doing thereof vnto the will or discretion of man It was not fit that it should be remitted to the will of the Prince himselfe for he might perhaps require more then inough as for example the halfe third fourth or fifth part of the subiects goods neither was it fit that it should be referred to the discretion of the people for they lightly might allow the Prince lesse then inough and therefore God hath taken order for this thing himselfe and not left it for man to doe Rom. 14.4 For as the Apostle saith Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant so may it bee well said in this matter who art thou that takest vpon thee to share out a portion or allowance for another mans seruant yea for Gods owne chiefe seruant doth not such an office properly belong vnto God Fourthly that God hath set downe the manner of the Princes maintenance and hath specified the quantitie of his portion in some place of his word and that hee hath done it in the fittest place that could bee for that purpose for except it were so it should not appeare when it is that a Prince playeth the Exactor for seeing that he hath a right vnto a certaine portion of his subiects goods as all doe grant how shall they know when it is that he craueth more then hee ought except there bee some law to determine his portion and to inhibite him to leuy any more then the quantitie thereof doth permit In one word Exaction in a Prince is the transgressing of Gods law and not the breaking of some humane statute or decree and therefore there must be a certaine speciall law in Gods word touching the quantitie of the Princes portion aswell as there is of the Priests the one beeing as important as the other and Princes beeing Gods Ministers and Seruants aswell as Priests and so consequently to bee maintained aswell as they Yea it behoued so much the more because that Soueraigne Princes or Kings are Gods Ministers in a higher more eminent and honourable degree and kinde then Priests are as hath beene before abundantly shewed So that it is not likely that the Spirit of God would haue omitted so important a point as this is being such as that without the certaine knowledge thereof neither can Soueraignes nor Subiects doe their dutie to one another For neither can they know when it is that the Soueraigne keepes himselfe within the bounds of equitie and moderation or contrariwise that he debordeth into oppression extortion or exaction neither yet when it is that the subiect offendeth by detention or diminution of his Soueraignes due Seeing then it was so necessarie for the quiet iust and vpright constitution of a kingdome amongst Gods people that the Kings portion should be specified aswell as the Priests we need not doubt but that the Spirit of God hath proposed the same some where in holy Scripture and euen in that place which was of all other the most conuenient for such a purpose and what place of Scripture so conuenient as that wherin the first institution of Kings amongst amongst Gods people is propounded and expounded The which place because some Geneuians and moderne diuine haue monstrously misconstered I shal refute their errour God-willing other where by 13 vnanswerable argumēts And amongst other probations we shal show it by the Hebrew Text the Chaldaick Thargums or Paraphrases the Greeke translation of the Septuagints the Latine translations of Hieronymus Pagninus Vatablus Munsterus Leo Montanus with the old English and namely that the word MISHPAT which is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and in Latine Ius or Lex is alwaies taken in the Scripture and in no fewer then 210. places for the vpright iudgement of God and of the Kings and Iudges of the earth and no where for vniust and tyrannicall
gouernment or for a Princes abusiue power as some moderne writers haue vnderstood it most grossely in that same place of Scripture whereupon the resolution of this question doth wholly depend a thing which I wish our diuines should well consider that they doe not runne into their errour 1. Sam. 8.9.10 11.21 13 14 15 16 17. in expounding those words of the Prophet Samuel But of this more in another worke In the meane time I would entreate all good subiects to beware of charging either now or hereafter their Prince with the odious aspersion of Exaction vnlesse they can show that he requireth and receiueth more of his people then the law of God doth allow him but that they would honour him with their best opinion not only of a iust and vpright Prince but euen of an indulgent and beneficent Father incase it shall be well and sufficiently prooued vnto them that he is so farre from the iniustice of requiring or taking from them any part of their own that hee euen releaseth and giueth them a part of his owne which is indulgencie bounty and beneficence and in a word that he is content for his louing subiects further ease to leuie much lesse then Gods law doth allow him for the maintenance of himselfe his chiefe officers in the Common-wealth and in the Court and of his other seruants at home or abroad in peace and in warre Sect. 14. The sixt and last lesson that we learne That kings are free from all manner of coercion censure in that Kings are called Gods is that Almighty God in giuing them this name euen his owne name hath exempted them from all manner of violence coercion or censure at their subiects and inferiours hands where as our Geneuites aswell as Iesuites and Caluinists aswell as Papists doe hold the contrary for both of them wil haue Soueraigne Princes subiect to coercion excommunication and depriuation a doctrine and opinion repugnant I dare say both to Theologie and Philosophie to Diuinitie and Humanitie as we shal God willing show at large other where For the present because in this worke we thought good for soliditie and breuities sake to employ only testimonies of Scripture and some reasons deriued from thence it shall suffice that we show and confute the impietie and absurditie yea the vnlearnednesse and stupiditie of this doctrine of Geneua and Rome by these 17 reasons after following The which if any Diuine can answere sufficiently and soundly or bring better reason for the contrary opinion I shall not be ashamed to change the opinion that I now hold and subscribe to theirs and freely confesse this of mine to bee as blockish and vnlearned as now I hold theirs to bee First God himselfe by his seruant Moses saith vnto euery Subiect Thou shalt not raile vpon the Gods Exod. 22 28. nor speake euill of the Ruler of thy people if it bee not lawfull to rayle vpon the Prince then must it bee as vnlawfull to rage or rise vp against him and if wee must beware of vehement words in his behalfe then much more of violent deeds and if the subiects must not speake euill of their Ruler or Soueraigne then they cannot excommunicate him for whosoeuer excommunicateth a Prince must needs speake the greatest euill of a Prince that can bee euen that hee is a most wicked man and fitter to bee Sathans slaue then Gods seruant Ecclesiast 10.20 To the same purpose appertaineth that other precept or prohibition of the Spirit of God by the mouth of Salomon proclaimed to subiects Curse not the Prince no not in thy thought if it be not lawfull to curse the King then is it not lawfull to excommunicate him 1 Chron. 29.23 Psal 21.3 let both Rome rage and Geneua iangle as much as they can to the contrary Secondly God hath set the King in his throne and set on his head with his owne hand a crowne of pure gold now who can say that it is fitting or comely that any man or order of men especially subiects and such as stand before the throne should offer violence to him that sitteth in the throne or put out the hand to thrust him out of the throne or to pull off the crowne that God hath put vpon his head Thirdly It is the most high saith the holy Angel and the Prophet Daniel Dan. 4.22.28.29 Prouerb 21.1 to King Nebuchadnezzar that beareth rule ouer the Kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will The Kings heart is in the hands of the Lord as the riuers of waters he turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him saith Salomon and therefore the most high is the onely Ruler Curber Connerter and Scourger of Kings and men must not bee so bould as to take Gods proper office vpon them for in so doing they commit a greater offence against God then doth the greatest Tyrant that can be in plaguing and persecuting his people For no subiect one or moe ecclesiasticall or secular can meddle in such a matter as this without impeaching God of a notable imperfection for either they must thinke that God seeth not the wickednes of the tyrannous or idolatrous King which is to deny his diuine omniscience and absolute knowledge or if hee seeth it that he careth not for it which is to deny his diuine prouidence and to charge him with humane negligence or if he care for it that he is either vnable to reuenge it without the hand of the Kings owne subiect which is to deny his diuine omnipotency and to brand him with humane infirmity or else that he is vnwilling to reuenge it which is to charge him both with iniustice and want of mercy Whence it followeth that such subiects as would correct their Soueraigne doe both make God no God and make themselues God in a word such a subiect is Dauids foole Psal 53.1.2 Thess 2.4 that hath said in his heart there is no God except perhaps himselfe and so becommeth such an Antichristian Anti-god as exalteth himselfe both aboue Gods God on earth the King and aboue the God in heauen in taking his proper place and office vpon him No Iosh 6.8 10 11 12 cap. Iudg. 1.2.6 7 3 15 16 17 20 21 22 26 27 28 1. Sam. 13 15. 22 31 1. King 16 22. 2. King 16. 25. 2. Chron. 28. 33. Exod. 14 28 15 4. Dan. 4.22 28 29 30. 1. King 1 2 3 4 16 17 15 4 5. 2. Chron. 26 16 17 18 19 20 21. God needeth not the hand of any subiect to be reuenged on a wicked Prince for hee can stirre vp other Princes and people or forraine persons against him as we reade that hee did against these Kings of Iericho of Ai and of the Amorites against Adonibezek King of Canaan Eglon King of Meab Saul Ahab Ahaz Manasseth and Zedekias Kings of Iudah and Israel or he can make the wicked King as it were with his own
hand execute Gods vengeance vpō himself thus he suffered Saul to slay himselfe and Zimri to burne himselfe And as he wil not employ a Princes owne subiects in such a businesse so he needeth not to vse the hand and power of any person whatsoeuer for God can drowne the wicked Prince in the water or sea with Pharaoh or hee can strike him with madnesse with Nebuchadnezzar or hee can burst him or breake his necke with Ahazias or can strike him with leprosie like Vzziah or Azariah The very elements and beasts of the field are at his beck and bidding the beasts to deuoure the fire to burne the aire to infect the water to drowne and the earth to swallow vp such Princes as God will be auenged on yea he hath armies of painefull and shamefull diseases of wormes of mice and of lice to consume and vexe wicked Kings with Dan. 4 10 11 12 13 14 22 23 28 29 30. 5.6 7 24 25 26 27 28 2. Micha 6.9 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 28. And as the Angels of God which are his highest creatures smote Nebuchadnezzar with madnes droue him from amongst men to dwell with the beasts of the field and so depriued him of his kingdome for a time for those Noters and Geneuian Glossers are deceiued that doe thinke his owne subiects did depose him for tyrannie and as another Angel did write vpon the wall the sentence of King Belschazzars destruction so the wormes that are the Lords lowest creatures conspired to vexe the wicked tyrant Antiochus the cruell persecuter of the Iewes that he died miserably and both these creatures together the highest in heauen act 12.1 2 3 4 5 21 22 23 and the lowest on earth did at Gods appointment concurre to plague Herod the persecutor of the Christians who had vexed many of the faithfull killed Iames and imprisoned Peter for the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gaue not glory vnto God so that hee was eaten vp of wormes Thus we see how God getteth glory when he correcteth wicked Kings with his owne hands 1. Sam 13.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 2 3 8 9 10 11 16 17 22 23 19 20 22 23 26 28 cap. 1. King 16.30 31 32 17 18 19 20 21 22 cap 2. King 21 1 2 3 4.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 2. Chron. 33.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. whereas he is robbed of his glorie by such subiects as dare take the rod as it were out of Gods hands and put it into their owne to scourge Kings with Fourthly the people of God vnder the old Testament did not imprison or depose their most wicked Princes such as were Saul Ahab and Manasses nor did the high Priests excommunicate them for their crueltie tyrannie apostasie and idolatrie persecution and seduction and therefore the people of God vnder the new Testament ought to doe the like in following the example of their pietie and patience in the behalfe of bad Princes otherwise Christians should come short of the Iewes in morall perfections which were absurd Fifthly the constitution and creation of Kings is of God and not not of man it is Gods hand only that can make a King according as he saith himselfe By me Kings raigne and as we haue prooued aboue in the first lesson and therefore the deposition of Kings Prouerb 8.15 and their coercion belongeth likewise to God and not to the Kings owne subiects for the power is equall in the one and the other And therefore wee see that the voice that deposed Nebuchadnezzer came from heauen Dan. 4.22 28 29. Thy kingdome is departed from thee like as the Angel and the Prophet doe both of them auouch that it is the most high that giueth the kingdome to whomsoeuer hee will Sixtly in the new Testament Christ and his appostles do oftentimes command subiects to giue vnto Kings but no where they bid take away or withhold any thing from Kings howsoeuer vnworthy neither tribute and liuing by detention nor libertie by incarceration nor Kingship by depriuation nor life by ciuil or rather vnciuill and sinnefull execution nor the benefits of the Church and kingdome of heauen by hellish excommunication Giue saith the King of Kings vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars like as he had commanded Peter his very prime Apostle to giue the Kings Receiuer poll money for them two Mat. 22 17 21 17 24 25 26 27 Mark 12 14 15 16 17. Mat. 10.1 2. 1. Pet. 2.17 Rom. 13 1 2 24. giue saith hee the twenty pence vnto them for me and thee and the same prime Apostle commandeth all subiects both spirituall and temporall persons euen as many as haue Soules for his fellow Saint Paul saith let euery soule besubiect to princes to feare God and honour the King Ergo subiects must not dishonour the King by coercion incarceration excommunication or depriuation Yea Saint Peters Successor himselfe if he hath any hath no power to dishonour the King whom God hath honoured with his crowne and throne let him be neuer so vnworthy in his conceite nor to expose him to the dishonour or danger of any of his subiects by his censure of excommunication or sentence of depriuation Our Sauiour bids giue to Kings Saint Peter gaue to Kings ' and bids giue them honour and so doth S. Paul saying Giue to all men their duty Rom. 13.7 tribute to whome yee owe tribute custome to whome cnstome feare to whome feare honour to whom yee owe houour And no where they bid take away any thing from Kings and therefore such men as take away from Kings their liuings libertie or life or the benefits of the Church Gods kingdome or their owne doe disobey God the father of Kings and obey the deuil the dishonourer debaser of kings Seuenthly wee doe not read in Gods word that euer a King was deliuered vnto Satan so that it wanteth example and as for precept the very formal words vsed in the institution of excommunication by our Lord do shew that it was neuer intended for Kings by the Spirit of God For besides they were not as yet within the bosome of the Church Mat. 18 15 16 17. by calling when it was ordained those words If thy brother trespasse against thee If thy brother hoare thee If thy brother heare thee not If thy brother refuse to heare the Church also do euidently and pregnantly euince that excommunication is a censure of an offending brother 1. Cor. 5.12 not of the father of the people And therefore the Apostle entreating of excommunication extendeth it no further then unto such a one as is called a brother If any that is called a brother saith he be a formcatour 2. Thess 3.13.14 15. or couetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not neither companie together and againe And ye brethren be not wearie
in well doing if any man to wit beeing a brother obey not our sayings note him by a letter and haue no compante with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemie but admonish him as abrother And though it bee true that the beleeuing Soueraigne aswel as the Subiect is a brother in Christianitie and might well haue beene so called by our blessed Sauiour and his Apostle yet I say it doth not appeare that they vnderstood by the title of brother in those places but such as did then beleeue the Gospell who were all subiects for as yet there were no beleeuing Soueraignes yea both our Sauiours and the Apostles words doe euince that a King though hee bee a beleeuer and so a brother yet that he can not bee brought in amongst those excommunicable brothers because the excommunicated brother must be vnto the other brethren as an Heathen and a Publican as our Sauiour commandeth that is to say they must auoide his conuersation and decline his companie and flee his familiaritie as the Aposlle expoundeth it But so it is that subiects can not by any meanes shunne or abhorre the presence and conuersation of their Soueraigne both because of duty and because of necessitie As for duty the lawes of nature and of Scripture of reason and religion of Church State doe oblige subiects to doe their duty to their Soueraigne be he neuer so bad and therefore they must repaire vnto his presence and conuerse with him whensoeuer it pleaseth him to command And as for necessitie subiects can not choose but repaire to the Prince to haue iuslice and such other helpe as they sland in need of at his hands And therefore I say though both Rome and Geneua should ioyne their iarring and warring wits together yet they shall neuer bee able to solue or satisfie this argument Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.5.9.11 2. Thess 3.14 1. Tim. 1.20 all excommunicated persons presence societie and companie is to be shunned as a Heathens a Publicanes or which is worse as a man 's deliuered to the Diuell But no Kings presence society and conuersation can bee shunned of their subiects for both duty and necessitie binde them to the contrary Ergo no Kings can be excommunicated or thus the effects of excommunication can not haue place in the person of a Prince as for example his presence and conuersation can not be declined of his subiects without both sinne and their great hurt and therefore the censure it selfe hath no place in Princes Ninthly the excommunication of an vniuersalitie or multitude as of a whole citie Body Common-wealth or kingdome is in the iudgement of all thought a thing vnlawfull and semblably the excommunication of the Soueraigne as he that representeth the whole Body of his kingdome must bee vnlawfull neither can the head be punished without the sensible hurt of the whole body Tenthly God is a God of order not of disorder or confusion 1. Cor. 14.33 as the Apostle speaketh and therefore hee hath not giuen the inferiours power to punish corporally or spiritually their superiours for this were most contrary to order consequently he hath not giuen subiects any power vpon their Soueraigne nor Priests any power to punish Princes for both people and priests be inferiours and their Soueraigne is their superiour they are as members of the body taken seuerally the commons as feete the Nobles as hands the Priests as eyes or they are as the bodie being taken coniunctly but the Soueraigne is as the head higher then all the other members and aboue the whole body and as the soule more diuine excellent and eminent then the whole body the subiects are as seruants the Soueraigne as the Master or Lord the people as the children and the Prince as their common father It is against good nature and order for the inferiour members to rise or rebell against the supreame member for the body to beate or breake the owne head and it is repugnant both to good nature and grace for children to stretch forth the hand to chastise or punish their father bee hee neuer so furious And as for the chiefē Priests and Prelates they are as Angels and Archangels indeed but the Soueraigne Prince is as the God of Angels and Archangels farre aboue their reach Eleuenthly if it belongeth not vnto one man or more men to beate punish iudge or condemne another mans seruant as the Apostle S. lames teacheth saying Who art thou that iudgest another man Iam. 4.12 Rom. 14.4 and the Apostle S. Paul likewise saying Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant then it belongeth much lesse to one man or more to iudge punish excommunicate depose or condemne Gods chiefe seruant Rom 13 4. now the Prince is Gods seruant saith the same Aposlle and in the same Epistle to the Romanes and I wish that both Romanes and Geneuians would weigh those words better then they do and therefore who is hee that condemneth such a seruant as is not only another mans seruant but euen the best mans seruant to with Christs and his chiefe seruant yea Gods seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne master saith the Apostle and that is neither the Pope of Rome nor the master Minister of Geneua but God and Christ who will not haue his seruant subiect to the proud censure eitheir of the Romane Consistorie or of the Geneuian Presbyterie The Apostle would not presume to iudge them that are without the Church because they belonged to Gods iudgement in propriety what haue I to doe to iudge them also which are without saith he doe ye not iudge them that are within but God iudgeth them that are without and shall we thinke that he would haue presumed to iudge those that God hath placed aboue the Church I meane Christian Princes 1. Cor. 5.12.13 who though they be within the bosome of the Church as Christians yet are they without or aboue the reach of the hands of the Church as the nursing-fathers and heads of the Church on earth vnder Christ the Soueraigne King of the Church whose immediate seruants they are and therefore as his peculiars are subiect to nones iudgement but his only Twelfthly if seruants must be subiect to their masters with all feare and not only to the good and courteous but also to the froward as the Apostle Saint Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. then must subiects be loy all and dutifull to their Soueraigne and not only to the good but also to the euill for as the family is a little kingdome and the master of the family a little king and the sonnes and sernants of the family are the subiects of this little kingdome so is the kingdome a great family the King the great master of this great family and his subiects are the children and seruants of the same family Thirteenthly if the Angels of heauens Church from their heauenly seates
of equall dignitie and authoritie or whether or no there ought to bee amongst the multitude of Ministers some superiours to gouerne and some inferiours to be gouerned for good orders sake and to bee called for distinctions sake by different names applying or appropriating the common name of Bishop to the superiour and the common name of Presbyter Priest or Pastour to the inferiour And truly in the time of my owne Puritanisme and Geneuisme I was wont to presse this verball argument asmuch as any man to prooue thereby the paritie of pastours and there is not another argument to that purpose worth a pinne but in the end I found it both fallacious and friuolous for in the Scriptures Kings Apostles Act. 6. Rom. 13 4 1. Cor. 4 1. Colosi 1.25 1. Thess 3.2 1. Tim. 3.8.12 Prophets Euangelists Pastours and Deacous are called by the common name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers or seruants of God and yet their Ministrations and seruices are not of the same nature nor of equall dignitie and the two names of presbyter or elder beeing referred to office and not to age and of Gouernour or Ruler or Ouerseer are conucrtible for euery Elder is a Gouernour and euery Gouernour is on Elder and yet the Elderships and Gouernments are distinct Numb 11 16.17 Ezra 10.8 Luk. 22.66 Act. 20.17 for some are called Lay-elders or elders of the people to wit in temporal matters and those were the Magistrates of the lewish Common-wealth and others are called Elders of the Church to wit Gouernours of the people in spirituall matters as Ministers of the Word and Sacraments so that both the one and the other were Elders and Gouernours and yet they were of different and distinct kindes the one temporall Elders and Gouernours of the people in the Common-weale the other spirituall Elders and Gouernours of the same people in the Church and semblably these spiritual Gouernours of the Church and Ministers of the word both Bishops and Presbyters or Priests are called by the common name of Presbyters Priests and Elders and likewise by the common name of Episcopi Bishops Superintendents or Ouerseers and yet they differ both in the obiect of their office and in their degree for the one are cheife Priests Elders of the Church and the other are inferiour Priests and Elders of the same Church the one are Bishops Superintendents and Ouerseers of the Laitie or people in spirituall things but the other are Bishops Superintendents and Ouerseers of the Clergie as well as of the Laitie and of their inferiour priests and pastours aswell as of the people in the same spirituall things In a word the Church of God being the best ordered Body that can be behoued to consist of Superiours to gouerne and of Inferiours to bee gouerned to wit of these two rankes Clergie and Laitte and as the Laitie was to bee gouerned by the Clergie as the children by the fathers and schollers by their masters so the Clergie being a great multitude was to haue order and gouernement in it selfe and therfore behoued to consist of superiours and inferiours likewise And to these ouerseers of the Church were assigned different names and titles for distinctions sake the Ouerseers or Rulers of the Church in the quarters of the world were called Patriarkes the Ouerseer and Ruler of the Church of a whole kingdome was called a Primate the Ouerseers and Rulers of the Clergie or Church in the seuerall Prouinces of a kingdome were called Archbishops and the Ouerseers or Rulers of the same Clergie in a diocesse or shiere were called Bishops like as the Ouerseers of the Laitie or people in a parish were called Presbyters Priests or Pastours for in the last Section of this worke wherein we doe entreate more at large of the honourable titles and maintenance of the ministerie we show likewise how that the Ministers of the Gospel ought not to disclaime the honourable stile and title of Priests Thus we see how that there must needs bee imparitie and inequalitie amongst Ministers except wee meane to make them a multitude without order and gouernment or else giue them from Geneua Lay-gouernours for amongst them the Elders of the Church which bee lay men being more in number to passe ouer their Lay-deacons doe gouerne the Ministers beeing the smaller number iudge and censure them both in life and doctrine and so are they well serued because they refused to bee gouerned by men of their owne order to wit by Bishops therefore God hath giuen them ouer to bee deluded derided debased and dishonoured by the Lay gouernment of those whom they ought to gouerne and rule as the Shepheard his sheepe the father his children the schoolemaster his schollers for amongst the Geneuians it is quite contrary where the Lay-elders as being more in number doe ouer-rule the Ministers as hath beene said But thankes bee vnto Almighty God for raising vp a Iacob from the North Isay 41.8 9 25. Reuel 1.20 12.7 and calling him from the endes of the earth to doe him seruice in restoring of his Church in the North to the ancient Angelicall forme and in banishing out of it the Grashopper-gouernment of Geneua and let all Britaines North and South Prouerb 30.27 euen as many as doe loue the likenesse of Ierusalems Angels better then of Geneuian Grashoppers say Amen Sect. 16 Thirdly the Church of England is more like the Church in heauen for holinesse then the Geneuian is The Church of England more heauen-like for holines Isay 6.1 2 3 Reul 4. 5.8 12.13 7.15 for in heauen the Angels and blessed Spirits keepe euery day holy incessantly praising God and saying holy holy holy is the Lord of hostes the whole world is full of his glory so saith the euangelicall Prophet Isay in the old Testament diuine S. Iohn in the new saith that they cease not day nor night to say and to sing holy holy holy Lord God almighty which was and which is and which is to come that they serue him day and night in his Temple saying Praise and honour and glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer more and the foure said Amen Now the Church of England is farre holier then the Geneuian because the Geneuians are not so holy as the Iewes were nor haue not so many holy dayes as they had for besides the two and fifty Sabbaths of the yeare Exod. 12.14 15 16 17 18. 13.6.7 20.8 9 10. 23.12 14 15 16 17. 38.18 Deut. 16. Ester 9.17 18 19 21 26 27 28 29. 30 31. 1. Machab. 4.43 44 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59. which are the Geneuian holy dayes they had other holy dayes and festiuities which they did obserue as of the Passeouer of the first fruites of Tabernacles and of Purim instituted by Queene Ester and Mordecai and of the dedication of the Altar instituted by Machabaeus But the English like
1 2 16 27 28 37 5 15 16 17 18 8 9 12 Act. 10.25 16.24 25 26 27 28 29 Gen 40.8 41 14 15 16 25 40 41 42 43 44 Dan. 2.28 29 30 36 48 49 5 29 6 1 2 3. Psal 45.9 13 16 was likewise a Prince Eli and Samuel Priests were Princes and Iudges and the Priests iudged of some ciuill causes together with the other temporall Iudges The chiefe Priests which taught the people of Iuda are called Princes whom King Iehesophat had appointed to be Iudges vnder him both in ecclessiastical and temporal causes as betweene blood and blood betweene law and precept statutes and iudgements Anna called Eli the the chiefe Priest her Lord the widdow of Zarepta the widdow of Bethel the Shunamite Gentlewoman Obadiah King Achabs steward the good Captaine sent by King Ahaziah Naeamen the King of Syrta his Generall Hazael one of the Princes of Benhadad King of Aram did all of them honour the chiefe Prophets of God Eliah and Elisha with the stile of Lords and bowed before them And so did Cornelius the Captaine and likewise the Iaylor to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul to passe ouer that Ioseph a Patriarke and a Prophet of the Church was likewise a chiefe Prince vnder the King of Egypt euen the next vnto the King Daniel another chiefe Prophet of the Church was likewise a Prince and the next person to the King of Babel Nebuchadnezzar and his three fellowes Shadrach Messach and Abednego were made Gouernours ouer the Prouinces of Babel and the same Prophet Daniel was by King Belshazzar made the third Ruler in the kingdome and by King Darius the first and chiefe Ruler ouer the whole kingdome And the Prophet Dauid prophecying of the splendour and dignitie of the Fathers of the Church vnder the Gospel vseth these words In stead of thy Fathers shall thy Children be thou shalt make them Princes through all the earth meaning that of the Children of the Church there should be chosen such as should bee Fathers and Rulers of the Church as Arch-Bishops and Bishops which should bee honoured throughout the whole Christian world as Lords and Princes For the holy Prophet as hee describeth typically Christ as the King of the Catholike Church and none but he to be King and the Church as the Queene and Spouse of this King so doth be signifie vnto vs that the Princes of this King and kingdome are the Rulers and Gouernours of the Church aboue named which of the Children of the Church should bee made Fathers of the Church and should be honoured as Princes as hath binsaid And this prophesie is most cleerly accōplished and verified in the Church of England not of Geneua nor any Geneuian vnto whose Ministers God hath not graunted so much honour as they who haue vnhappily dishonoured and debased themselues in bringing in their Lay-elders to bee Church gouernours in stead of the Bishops I say they haue debased themselues most ridiculously because that they haue submitted themselues who should be as Fathers and Schoolemasters vnto their owne children and Schollers for by those Lay-elders they are elected they are iudged and censured in matters both of life and doctrine they are suspended or remooued from their ministerie and yet they are but meere Lay-men generally voide of learning as being for the most part tradesmen and artificers and some country gentlemen So that there is as great disorder in the Geneuian Church and as grosse absurditie as if the children should command their Fathers in the house or the Schollers correct their Masters in the Schoole or as if the Sheepe should pull the pastorall crooke out of their Sheepheards hand And though that our Geneuians do deriue their Lay-elders and Eldership from the Synedrie of the Iewes for I graunt them with all my heart that the chiefe perfections of the Iewish Church ought to bee found in the Christian Church which thing if they vnderstood well they should see their grosse errours yet I must tel them that they haue nothing like but the name For first the Iewish Elders were inferiour magistrates ordained primarily by the Soueraigne and chiefest magistrate Moses to assist him in matters of Iudgemēt Numbers 11.16 17 Ezr. 10.8 Luk. 22.66 Act. 5.27 wheras the Geneuiā are not Iudges or any such publike persons appointed by the Prince but priuate persons picked out of the Parish by the Preacher and some other with him Secondly the Iewish Elders iudged and censured the Laitie and therefore were called the Elders of the people wheras the Geneuiā presume to censure correct their Clergie Thirdly and lastly the Iewish Elders concurred with the Princes of the Priests as their assistants or officers in matters of iudgement and debate but the Geneuian haue no Princes of Priests Deut. 17.8.9.10.11 12,2 Chron. 19 8 9 10.11 Ezech. 44.4 or Prince-Church gouernours as Primates Archbishops or Bishops to giue assistance vnto whereby it doth appeare that the Iudges and Iustices of Peace in England are like those Elders of the Iewes especially the Iudges of Ecclesiasticall courts called by the names of Chancellour Commissary Deane of the Arches Officiall and the like and in no wise the Elders after the Geneuian forme Moreouer as the Ministers of the heauenly Church are called Priests so are the Ministers of the Church of England honoured Reuel 4.8 9 10.11 5 8 7 10 12 8 3 4 Heb. 13.15 Hos 14.3 with the same holy title and stile Those Angelicall Priests doe offer vp vnto God the spirituall sacrifice of prayer and praise and answerably thereunto our English Euangelicall Priests offer vnto God the like spirituall sacrifice as the Apostle prescribeth saying Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name Publike prayer and praise is a sacrifice and therfore the Minister that offereth it is a Priest neither could he blesse publikely the people except hee were a Priest for Church-benediction is a part of the Priests function nor yet Minister any of the two Sacraments in both which there is a spirituall sacrifice for by Baptisme our bodies and soules are offered vnto God by the hand of his Priest Rom. 12.1 Mat. 26.27.28 29 30. 28 19 Ioh. 6.32 33 41 51 Reue l. 2 17 a reasonable and liuing sacrifice and in the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper he offereth vnto God in our name the spirituall sacrifice of thankesgiuing for giuing the substance of his blessed body both corporally for vs a bloodie sacrifice vpon the crosse and spiritually vnto vs in the Sacrament of bread wine and euen for feeding of vs in a my sticall and supernaturall manner with his flesh which is that hidden Manna of heauen Reuel 1.4 5 6 5.10 Heb. 7.15 17 21 24 26 28 8 1 2 3. promised in the Reuelation to those that ouercome To bee briefe the blessed Apostle
Saint Iohn writing vnto the Angels or Bishops of the seauen Churches of Asia calleth them Priests like as the foure and twentie Elders in heauen doe call themselues Priests and Iesus Christ himselfe is called a Priest yea more an high or chiefe Priest and consequently must haue inferiour Priests vnder him And such are the Ministers of the Gospell in England the which stile whilest our Genenians cannot endure no more then the white Surplisse and the artificiall singing I wonder what they meane to do in heauen where Saint Iohn saw so many Priests so many white habits and heard such harmonie and musicall melodie Now the honourable titles that God hath vouchsafed his Ministers doe show that it is his will Deut. 10 9 12 19 24 23 25 Numb 18.12 13 17 18 19 20 21 2 23 24 1. Cor. 9.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Heb. 10. 1. Tim. 5.17 18 they should haue a more honourable maintenance then Geneua doth allow them in their beggarly contributions The Priests and Ministers of the Gospell haue succeeded into the roome of the legall Priests and Ministers of the Tabernacle and therefore they haue succeeded to their maintenance and so much the more because these serue him in a more excellent manner then the other did And if hee would not haue his Ministers to begge vnder the law or yet to depend vpon popular beneuolences shall wee thinke that hee would haue his Ministers vnder the Gospell to be subiect to such a beggarly condition Euery prouident wise master prouideth for his houshold and seruants Leuit. 27.30 31 32. Deut. 12.17 18 19 14 22 23 27 29 26 Numb 18. Nehem. 10.35 36 37 38 39. Iosh 13.14 33. 2. Chron. 31.4 5 6 7 8 Ezech. 44 28 29 30 2. Tim. 2.6 Luk. 10.2.7 1. Tim. 5.18 Mat. 9.37 38. wherefore it followeth that God who is the most prouident and wise Master of all other hath prouided for the maintenance of his houshold seruants and we know none other but first fruites and tithes all labourers haue certaine standing wages the Ministers of the Gospell are Gods labourers therefore they ought to haue their standing wages likewise and wee read of none other except first fruites and tithes And therefore we see how our Sauiour forbiddeth his Apostles to goe from house to house telling them that the workeman is worthy of his hire And truly if hee would not haue his Apostles to goe from house to house euen in that time when tithes were withholden from them by the Iewish clergie shall we thinke that now when the Iewish clergie is abolished he would haue his Ministers of the Gospell to goe from house to house or yet to send from house to house to begge the peoples beneuolences Those that withheld from Christs Apostles and Ministers the duty of first fruites and tithes were such as persecuted both them and Christ and crucified him in the end Deut. 10 9 12 19 14 23.29 2. Chron. 31.4 Prouerb 3.9 10. and such God spoiling Gospellers as doe now adaies withhold the Church-rents from Churchmen what doe they else but persecute Gods Ministers and crucifie Christ daily in his members The ends of paying first fruites and tithes vnto Gods Priests are perpetuall to wit that the Ministers of God may bee maintained and not forsaken but more and more encouraged in the seruice of God that God may be honoured with our riches and acknowledged to bee our great Land-lord and good Lord that we may learne to feare the Lord and that hee may blesse vs in all the workes of our hands that so our store may be increased and our barnes filled with abundance are not Christians Gods tenants farmers and vassals as well as were the Iewes and doe we not hold all that we haue of God as well as they and are we not bound to pay our annuall rents vnto God as duly and truly as they and what reason haue Christians to forsake their Ministers more then the Iewes had and doe not the one deserue aswell to bee liberally maintained and encouraged in their worke as the other and haue not Christians as great cause to learne to feare God as the Iewes had finally doe not Christians desire as earnestly as the Iewes did to be blessed in the workes of their hands and in the encrease of their store wherefore it followeth necessarily that we Christians must pay our Tithes as truly and duly as did the Iewes 1. Tim. 5 17 18. 1. Cor. 9.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And therefore the blessed Apostle as he commendeth vnto Christians the honourable and liberall maintenance of the Mininistery right diligently writing to the Corinthians and euen prooueth by the law of Moses the right that the Ministers of the Gospell haue vnto our carnall things and euen vnto such carnall things as both Moses doth prescribe in his Law and the Apostle himselfe doth mention entreating of this matter comprehending them vnder these two kinds the fruits of the field and the flockes of the fold so writing to the Galathians he enioyneth in expresse words Heb 13.7 Galat. 6.6 euery one that is taught in the word to make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods The people must giue a part of their goods vnto their Pastours as the Apostle prescribeth and all doe acknowledge to be reasonable now this part must either be equall vnto the Leuiticall part or greater then it or else smaller To giue them a smaller were a most vnreasonable indiscretion and a more then beastly ingratitude and if they will not nor cannot bestow a greater such as indeed it ought to be 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9 10 11. for looke how farre the ministerie of the Gospell is more excellent then that of the law so much the more ample and liberall ought to be the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospell then was that of the Ministers of the Tabernacle yet at least for shame they must giue an equall portion with that of the legall Priests Lastly to shut vp this our reasoning for the perpetuitie of tithes for the honourable maintenance of Christs seruants for hereof wee haue written more amply in a worke published some fewe yeares agoe called the Golden art or the right way of Enriching dedicated to the two most famous and royall Cities of these two kingdoms I say that the holy Scripture setteth downe the paying of these yearely Church-rents amongst morall duties and accounteth of Sacriledge not as if it were the transgression of a ceremoniall ordinance but euen the violation of a morall law Will a man spoyle his Gods saith the Lord God by his Prophet Malachie yet ye haue spoyled me in tithes and in offerings Malacha 3 8. Prouerb 3.9 10 20.25 Honour the Lord saith Solomon with thy riches and with the first fruites of all thine encrease so shall thy barnes bee filled with abundance and thy presse shall burst with new
subdue Sathan c. Written for the information and satisfaction of many mens mindes touching so weighty a matter but especially for the furthering of the Church of Scotlands full conformitie with that of England BY IAMES MAXVVELL Master of Artes c. PSAL. 122. verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD THE ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS HIS VERY GOOD LORDS AND OTHER LEARNED AND GRAVE PASTOVRS OF THE CHVRCH OF SCOTLAND IAMES MAXWELL WISHETH PEACE VNITIE AND CONCORD FROM THE GOD OF CONCORD AND PRINCE OF PEACE AND HVMBLY DEDICATETH FOR A TESTIMONIE OF HIS DVTY THIS PRESENT TREATISE OF CHRISTS DESCENDING INTO HELL A Demonstration of Christs Descending into Hell LIke as the dissensions and differences in matter of faith betwene Christian and Christian Greeke and Latine Papist and Protestant haue prooued the greatest scandall and offence to those that are without the bosome of the Church and the greatest hinderance of both Iewes and Gentiles conuersion vnto Christ that euer the hand of hell brought into the world or the diuell did deuise so the contentions and dissentions the diuisions and differences arising betweene Protestant and Protestant which haue a number of new denominations such as sorrow and shame will not so much as once suffer me to mention haue prooued questionlesse the greatest scandall of our reformed profession and the chiefest cause of many Papists auersenesse from Reformation And this may sufficiently appeare by their daily obiecting and hitting vs in the teeth with our diuisions and differences and telling vs that our Church is so farre denoide of Vnitie that euen the reformed subiects of one the same Soueraigne cannot be brought to an agreement in the matters and manner of Gods worship Witnesse say they there repugnant expositions vpon that article or particle of faith touching Christs descending into hell their discrepant doctrines touching the Princes ecclesiasticall power their generall auersenesse from Prelacie with their differences in matter of ceremonie Sacramentall Ministerie and Church-sernice And what other thing else say they can it be but a manifest token of a weake and ruinous Religion to say no worse when as the professours thereof Mat. 12.25 Mark 3.24.25 Luk. 11.17 can neither agree with other Christians nor yet with themselues according to that saying of our Sauiour Euery kingdome or house diuided against it selfe shall be brought to desolation For the preuenting of which euill and the remooning of which cursed scandall and cause of offence seeing that Almighty God hath raised vp our Soueraigne and endued him with a most diuine Spirit both for pregnancie and peaceablenesse far beyond all the other Princes of the earth yea and far beyond many professed diuines Isay 41 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 20 21 25. and that hee hath euen chosen our Iacob and taken him from the endes of the earth and called him before the chiefe thereof to speake with the Euangelicall Prophet Isay to be the chiefe instrument of so glorious a worke let vs in the consideration thereof both acknowledge the inestimablenesse of the blessing that Almightie God offereth vs by the hand of his seruant for Concord and Vnitie especially in the matters of God is an inestimable blessing vnto man and a thing most acceptable and agreable vnto God and let vs likewise acknowledge the fanourable prouidence of God towards vs disposing all things as for our greatest good so for our chiefe comfort and contentment in that he hath beene graciously pleased to picke out a King of the North to be the Bringer and Brocher of this blessing vnto vs according to that in the Prophet saying I haue raised vp from the North and he shall come Isay 41.25 from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my name and euen such a King of the North as hath loued vs so deerely as hee hath done and who would not for all the kingdomes of the world bring the Church of God or his owne natiue Country into any corrupt or dishonourable condition No I dare take it vpon my soule that it is his zeale and loue towards the glorie of God the honour and credite of our Country and the happie and more perfit constitution of our Church that hath set him a worke about so blessed a businesse as the working of a perfit agreement and full conformitie betweene the Churches of these two kingdomes For I suppose that no man is so far deuoide of comon sense but seeth sufficiētly how that both Pietie Policie Religion of Church and Reason of State doe require that Britaines which are the worshippers of one true God the seruants of one Sauiour the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne should agree in all things belonging to Gods worship especially in all matters of faith such as is this present point of Christs descending into hell The which though all Christians doe professe to beleeue according to the letter yet we can not say that our verball or literall profession thereof is seconded with a solide consent in the meaning and sense For first the Papists vnderstand it of Christs descending in his soule to a certaine region or habitacle of hell called Limbus Patrum to deliuer the fathers an opinion voide of all good warrant for we shall make it more then apparant In our Latine disputation of the seate of soules both by Scripture and Doctors by authoritie and arguments that the soules of the beleeuing people vnder the law went not downe into any corner of hell for all that they can say to the contrary and though Zuinglius ioyne with them herein but to Paradise And as for our Protestant writers we see how some namely the Geneuians expound it of Christs suffering the sorrowes of hell in his soule before his death denying his descending in soule after death into hell to deliuer the faithfull from descending thither and to conquer and binde Sathan in his owne strongest holde though Mr. Caluin did not denie his foresaid locall descending after death but acknowledged it others expound it idly of Christs buriall others of his continuance in the graue vnder the power thereof for three daies others of his translating into the state of the dead and others most ridiculously haue deliuered that by the descending of Christs soule into hell is to bee vnderstood no other thing but the ascending thereof into heauen all which opinions are false fanaticall and friuolous and the doctrine of the Church of England and of some other reformed Protestants of Germanie is only orthodoxe and true to wit that our Sauiours soule beeing seuered from the Bodie which lay in the graue three daies went downe into the very loathsome dungeon of the damned for our sakes and not into any superiour Limbus Patrum as Papists do dreame partly to deliuer his elect children from descending thither and