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
High Priest during Moses his absence in the Mount had at the peoples request made erected a golden calf who committed idolatry with it Moses calls him to a strict account for it to whom he made an excuse with this memorable preface Let not the anger of MY LORD wax hot which stile he likewise gave him Nu. 12 11. Yea Moses not he Pronounced the Judgment and punishment upon the people for this Sin of Idolatry as likewise on him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day the manner of whose punishment he inquired not Aaron and received from God 9ly When the Tables of stone formerly broken were renewed redelivered by God to the people it was alwayes done even after Aarons consecration by the hand mouth ministry of Moses who with his own mouth alwayes spake and delivered Gods Laws Messages to all the Congregation Elders people during all his Government and gave them a special charge of things future and a blessing at his death 10thly God made choice of Moses a Lay-man and Civil Magistrate to be the firâ—â— pâ—â—man and Register of all his sacred Laws and first Five Books of holy Scripture not Aaron or any other Priest And to shew that Kings and Temporal Magistrates were the principal keepers of both Tables God particularly enjoyned when the Israelites came into the Land of Canaan and had set a King over them that the King when he sate upon the Throne of his Kingdom shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites that it may be well with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to â—o them That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel All which particulars laid together relating to and acted by the very first Supream Civil Magistrat that God himself set up over his own peculiar people Church when he first instituted modelled both their Magistrates and Priests with their distinct Offices and powers will infallibly clear the Superiour Jurisdiction of the Supream Civil Magistrate in and over all Ecclesiastical persons and causes by Gods own institution and that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is united to the Temporal The reason why God reserved the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to Moses the Chief Civil Magistrate and afterwards to Kings when he transferred the Priesthood to Aaron and his Sons and severed it from the Kingship was because it would be inconsistent with Monarchie and the Peace Unitie of the Republike Kingdom Church to erect two distinct Supream Powers independent on unsubordinate to each other in one and the same Body Politick Nation Kingdom united under one Supream Civil Head and a Cause of perpetual Wars Schismes Contentions between these different powers by reason of mens Natural ambition and desire to enlarge their Juriisdictions to the prejudice of each other This we find experimentally verified in the Israelites themselves immediatly upon their division into two independent kings kingdoms of equal power unsubordinate to each other which produced not only perpetual Warres between them all their dayes in their Realms as sacred Story oft records but a more sad division in their Religion Worship Church Jeroboam erecting two Calves and a new idolatrous worship with suitable Priests to promote it and a new place of worship contrary to that prescribed by God himself to keep his Subjects from Gods true worship at Jerusalem and returning to their allegiance and obedience to their rightfull Kings of the seed of David which all his Successors persevered in till their final captivity and utter desolation for their idolatry And it is infallibly evidenced by the manifold sad Divisions Schismes Wars Rebellions in most Christian Empires kingdoms ever since the ambitious Popes of Rome and other Prelates have claimed by a pretended divine independent right and usurped to themselves the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over all Persons Causes inseparably united by God himself to the Crowns of Christian Emperonrs and Kings As God therefore out of his infinit Wisdom at the very Creation constituted but one natural head over every natural body of Men Beasts Fowls Fishes and creeping living creatures though they consisted of two different substances Soul and Body not two distinct heads the one corporal the other spiritual to govern each body because two Supream headâ— would have destroyed the unity harmony operations of these Creatures in their respective orbes and made a Schisme in their bodies So he at first united the Supream Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction over Men at the Creation in one person Adam the first sole Monarch of the World And afterwards when his Church and people multiplyed into such a vast dispersed multitude that one person could not possibly execute or discharge the Kingly and Priestly Offices as at first he conveniently might did whiles all united in one Tribe and Family so that there was an absolute necessity to divide them into several Hands Tribes God did even then reserve the Supream Ecclesiastical Government and Jurisdiction as absolutely necessary for inseparable from the Supream Civil Head and Governor of his people to prevent Schismes Confusions and preserve Unity Tranquillity both in Church and State not transferr it from Moses to Aaron the Church with all its Officers Members being included in branches of the Kingdom Republike not divided from it as a distinct independent spiritual corporation Therefore still to remain under the sole Government and protection of the Supream Politick Head This is most clearly and significantly expressed by Ezechiels uniting the two divided sticks into one rod in one hand typifying the uniting of the two divided Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah into one Kingdom Church PEOPLE under one King and Shepheard Jesus Christ and making them all but ONE in their Government and true Worship of God according to his Statutes Hence it is most apparent that the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers Authorities or Jurisdictions are not thus denominated because they are vested in different persons hands or flow from various fountains or distinct in their natures as the Pontificians and others generally assert and mistake but meerly because they are exercised upon or about different things or objects the persons wherein they originally and supreamly reside and from whence they flow and the very Powers Authorities Jurisdictions themselves in their nature being but one and the same only the objects matters in upon or about which they are exercised various and distinct from whence they have these different Epithites To evidence this truth past all contradiction being the surest Oracle to resolve all future Controversies concerning these Jurisdictions yea keenest axe
Servant above greater then his Lord and the Vicar then the Master 9ly Christ himself together with Paul and Peter do from the 5th Commandement most frequently presse and inculcate all due subjection and obedience by Wives unto their Husbands Children to their Parents and Servants to their Masters in all things and that with fear and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart and with good will doing them service as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the LORD they shall receive the Inheritance for herein they serve the Lord Christ Therefore there is the self-same relation obedience due to Kings and Magistrates the politick Husbands Parents Masters of the Realm people by all Members of the body politick as there is by Wives children servants to their Husbands Parents Masters 10thly It is very observable that Christ himself with his Apostles Peter and Paul do in the New Testament more frequently punctually energetically inculcate this duty of subjection obedience honor paying Tribute to Emperors Kings and Civil Magistrates though then all Pagans unbelievers yea for all Wives Children Servants to obey fear and reverence their Husbands Parents Masters in the flesh on all sorts of Christians under the Gospel then ever they were urged or reiterated in the Old Testament before or under the Law and that for these ends and upon these accounts as I humbly apprehend First to evidence That all Kings Supream Civil Magistrates Parents under the Gospel enjoy the selfsame Soveraign Jurisdiction over all Civil Ecclesiastical persons things and their children under the Gospel as they did before or under the Law in the Old Testament and that the Kingship Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel did no wayes diminish nor eclipse much lesse abolish or transfer to Apostles Bishops Presbyters or Chapters any part of their antient Temporal or Spiritual Authority before and under the Law 2ly To make the free passage for the preaching and reception of the Gospel among all Nations Kingdoms Republikes in the world as consistent with and no wayes opposing but advancing rarifying their respective Civil Governments by prescribing every soul to yeeld all chearfull obedience subjection to their Civil Governors Lawes for the peace and tranquility of their Kingdoms 3ly To stop the mouthes of Pagans and all Enemies of Christian Religion and Christians who traduced and accused them as opposites and Enemies to rebels against Emperors Kings Magistrates their Government and Lawes 4ly To take away all pretences from Libertins and yoaklesse Christians under pretext of Christian Liberty and the priviledges of Christianity to disobey contemn all Kings Magistrates Lawes and Civil Government as exempted from their power 5ly To lessen and controll the Antichristian Usurpations of the Popes Prelates Clergy of Rome it self and their Confederates elsewhere upon the Crownes prerogatives rights and kingdoms of Christian Kings and Emperors which should embrace the Gospel All which reasons are expressed or intimated in the Gospel it self Pauls Epistle to the Romans and St Peters 11ly St Paul in his second Epistle to Timothy a Bishop as all Popes Bishops assert in relation to his spiritual warfare layes down this universal Maxim which every good Souldier of Jesus Christ must observe No man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Soldier If then no Bishop or good Spiritual Souldier of Jesus Christ must so much as once entangle themselves with the affairs of this world and life that so they may discharge their duties as to please Christ who hath chosen them to be his souldiers then certainly neither Christ nor his Apostles ever gave or committed to any Apostle Pope Bishop or Minister of the Gospel any Supreme Temporal Jurisdiction over all or any Kings Kingdoms or Civil Corporations in the world which require continual attendance and would totally avocate them from their spiritual warfare 12ly The Apostles themselves though inspired from Heaven what to preach without much study when there was a complaint made to them that the widows and poor were neglected in the daily ministration calling all the multitude of Disciples to them sayd It is not Reason that we should leave the World of God and serve Tables wherefore Brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selves continually unto the Ministry of the World And the saying pleased the whole multitude who thereupon chose Stephen and 6. more Deacons to attend the poor whereupon the word of God increased the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly If the Apostles then thought it against reason that they should once or twice a day serve Tables and the poor though an act of charity and piety as being inconsistent with their Apostolical Office Ministry and thereupon ordained Deacons to discharge the trust Then certainly it cannot but be against Reason and Scripture to assert That Christ gave or any of his Apostles by divine right and institution ever had claimed exercised or ought to enjoy any the least Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion in the world much lesse such as Popes pretend to from St. Peter who was present at and assenting to this institution of Deacons it being wholly inconsistent with their Spiritual function 13ly Christ himself assured his Apostles That no man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Therefore when Christ called his Disciples to follow him they forsook their worldly imployments and all they enjoyed that they might apply themselves wholly to their Apostolical and Ministerial functions And when He called Barnabas and Paul to be Apostles he said Separate me Barnabas and Paul to the work I have appointed them Which Paul thus expresseth Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle Separate unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ being wholly taken off from all secular imployments as incompatible with their Apostolical Function Upon which Account he giveth this charge to all other Ministers He that hath the gift of the ministry let him wait on the ministry and he that teacheth in teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation He that ruleth as a Magistrate let him do it with diligence Whence sundry Fathers Councils Popes Decretals Canonists Schoolmen have prohibited all Bishops Priests and Clergymen to intermeddle as Judges Advocates Proctors or Sollicitors in any secular affairs as inconsistent with their spiritual function under pain of deprivation Therefore it is most certain That Christ never gave to Peter or any other Apostle Bishop Minister any Temporal Jurisdiction over Kings kingdoms or in temporal
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
aliter ordinari permittemus nisi literas sciant rectam fidem vitamque habeant honestam c. Presbyterum autem minorem 35 annos fieri sed neque Diaconum vel subdiaconum minorem 25. c. Sed neque curialem aut officialem Clericum fieri permittimus Episcopi Clerici in Vrbe Constantinopolitana degentes ibi conveniendi Si vero lis nondum inchoata est apud Gloriosissimum Praefectum oricutis praetoriorum aut apud eos qui a Nobis fuerint deputati Iudices Iubemus Archiepiscopos Seniores Romae c. Whence Papa temporalibus immiscere se non debet Papa Iurisdictionem temporalem Imperii non habet is the Glosse resolves After which he adds this memorable cloze to his Law concerning Bishops Priests Deacons and their respective ordinations Quae igitur a Nobis sancita sunt sacrum ordinem statumquâ— custodiunt secundum sacrarum regularum observationem virtutem de caetero observent perpepetue integra et sanctissimi Patriarchae uniuscujusque Ecclesiae whereof the Bishop of Rome was one et Deo amabiles Meâ—ropolitae et reliqui reverendi Episcopi atque Clerici ubique Dei culturam et sacram disciplinam custodientes inviolatam poena imminente haec praevaricanti quo penitus alienus sit a Deo et imposito sibi Sacerdotii ordine nam velut indignus hoc excluditur Licentiam vero universis damus cujuscunque sint officii vel conversationis respicientibus aliquid horum praevaricari nunciare Nobis et ad Imperium quod semper est ut Nos qui hoc secundum sacrarum regularum explanationem Apostolicamque traditionem constituimus decentem etiam indignationem praevaricantibus inferamus Sanctissimi siquidem Patriarchae uniuscujusque Diocesis haec proponant in Ecclesiis sub se constitutis et manifesta faciant quae a nobis constituta sunt Illi quoque rursus etiam ipsi proponant in Metropolita sanctissima Ecclesia et constitutis sub se Episcopis haec manifesta faciant illorum vero singuli in propria Ecclesia haec proponant ut nullus nostrae Reipublicae ignoret quae a Nobis ad honorem et ad augmentum magni Dei et Salvatoris nostri Iesu Christi disposita sunt To which end he commanded Copies of these Laws to be sent to all Metropolitans Johanni vero gloriosissimo praefecto sacrorum praetoriorum secundo exâ—onsuli expatricio commanding him to see these Laws duly observed to inform him of all violations of them ut decens super eis imponatur correctio cunctis Utatur quoque praeceptis ad clarissimos Provinciarum Iudices ut et ipsi qui fiunt inspicientes non permittant aliquod ertra hoc quod a Nobis constitutum est fieri imminebit enim eis et poena quinque Librarum auri si quidem et ipsi praevaricari videntes non denunciaverint aut sedi tuae aut Imperio ut undique decens ornatus ordinationis gradui conservetur 5ly By the Prologue of this Law Ut Ecclesia Romana centum annorum gaudeat praescriptione Vt legum originem anterior Roma sortita est et Summi Pontificatus apicem apud eam esse nemo est qui dubitet Yet not in the Pope but King Emperor as he thus declares in the very next words Vnde et Nos necessarium duximus patriam legum fontem Sacerdotii speciali nostri numinis lege not of the Pope illustrare ut ex hac in totas Catholicas Ecclesias quae usque ad Oceanum fretum positae sunt saluberrimae legis vigor extendat et sit totius occidentis necnon et orientis ubi possessiones sitae inveniuntur ad Ecclesias nostras not vestras sive nunc pertinentes seu postea eis acquirendae Lex propria ad honorem Dei consecrata c. Quod igitur nostra aeternitas ad omnipotentis Dei honorem venerandae sedi summi Apostoli Petri dedicavit hoc habeant omnes terrae omnes Insulae totius occidentis quae usque ad ipsas Oceani recessus extendantur nostri Imperii providentiam prae hoc in aeternum reminiscentes hujus legis praerogativam non solum in occidentalibus partibus Romanae Ecclesiae condonamus sed etiam in Orientalibus partibus in quibus Ecclesiasticae Vrbis Romae possessiones sunt vel postea fuerint scilicet omnibus judicibus minoribus et majoribus qui Christiani Orthodoxi sunt vel postea fuerint hanc nostram constitutionem servantibus Nihilominus hujusmodi Legis temeratoribus post coelestes poenas etiam legitimam super vigorem pertimescentibus poenam quinquaginta librarum auri formidantibus hac lege non solum postea in emergentibus causis suum tenorem exercente sed etiam in his quaenam sunt deductae in judicium Sanctitas itaque tua praesentem nostrae mansuetudinis legem piissimam sive sacrosanctam oblationem quam Deo dedicamus accipiens inter sacratissima vasa reponat et a nobis servandam et in omnes Ecclesiasticas possessiones servaturam Dat. xviij Kal. Maii. Capite Bilisario Proconsule This Law the Emperor sent to Pope John the 3d. with this inscription Joanni viro beato sancto Archiepiscopo Patriarchae Veteris Romae which being an Universal Law extending to all parts of the Roman Empire to the possession of all Churches to Isles in the East and West as well as those of Rome equally binding Popes and the Church of Rome as all others and made by the Emperors own inherent Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction without the Pope as the sole Original fountain of Lawes to whom the chief Pontifical Legislative power appertained Compared with his precedent Lawes binding both Popes Patriarchs Metropolitans Bishops Priests all sorts of Ecclesiastical or religious persons and subjecting them to punishments of deprivation imprisonment and other censures to be inflicted on them by the Emperor himself and by his temporal Officers Judges who were to inquire and inform him of all violations of them are pregnant evidences of this Pious Emperors Legislative Coercive Supream Ecclesiastical authority transmitted in Perpetuity by these Laws to the Roman Empire and his Successors therein most perspicuously demonstrate that it was a principal part of his Imperial office duty care to make such Ecclesiastical Laws for the conservation of Gods sacred faith worship Laws and good Government of the Church Clergy as well as Laws for the Government of the Commonwealth 6ly By his declaring resolving Imperator Pater est Legis Nullum genus rerum est quod non sit penitus quaerendum authoritate Imperatoris Is enim recepita Deo coronam gubernationem et Principalitatem super omnes homines Whence Paulus Bishop of Apamea in the 5. General Council of Constantinople upon the death of Pope Agapetus used these words to Justinian Transtulit ipsum Dominus ut plenitudinem directionis vestrae custodiret Serenitati 7ly By declaring That if any Bishop by Doctrine or otherwise move any tumults he shall be punished
it as usefull for the Church and containing nothing in it which any person well advised could dislike the Emperor when he had heard it read approved it and he with all there present cried out Deo gratias Nec immerito quippe qui occulta sua dispensatione gratissima inspiratione praefatum Principem ut id fieri moneret compulit et ad effectum produceretur miserando adiuvet Proinde omnium sententia statutum est ab omnibus juxta virium possibilitatem modis omnibus observandum In this Council Legibus etiam Capitula quaedam pernecessaria quae deceant addita sunt as Vspergensis and the Title to these Additional Lawes assure us These Additional Lawes are reduced into 4. Books consisting of 306. Chapters concerning Abbots Abbesses Monks Nuns Metropolitans Bishops Priests all sorts of Ecclesiastical persons affairs duties vices crimes and their respective punishments to which he prefixed this Preface Quia Scriptura testatur Quodcunque possumus instanter operari debemus quia nulli ad bene operandum crastinus dies permittitur Omnesque secundum Apostolum ante Tribunal Christi stabimus ut unusquisque rationem pro his quae gessit reddat Nobis praecipue qui caeteris mortalibus conditione aequales existimus dignitate tantum superiores sumus secundum Scripturam sacram quae dicit Quoniam interrogabâ—t opera nostra et cogitationes scrutabitur rationes reddituri sumus sollicita circumspectione totaque mentis intentione satagendum est ut bonis operibus jugiter insistendo his quibus praeesse videmur modis omnibus quantum nobis divina suffragante misericordia facultas adtributa fuerit prodesse curemus Sed quia omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum desursum est debemus continuis Precibus dominum humiliter exorare faciemque illius humili confessione et congrua prout ipse posse dederit emendatione praevenire ut sicut ejus est muneris quod regnamus ejus sit pietatis quod foeliciter regnamus Quatenus eo miserante regni gubernacula aequissimo libramine tenere ad eum qui Rex Regum est et Dominus Dominantium cum multiplici fructu administrationis nostrae justitiae scilicet pietate atque humilitate sine fine cum eo regnaturi mereamur pervenire Et quoniam per Apostolum suum nos adjutores suos appellare dignatus est et Sancta Ecclesia ejus videlicet sponsa in Scripturis sacris hortus est appellata quotidianis exercitiis adhibito sarculo bonae operationis est excolenda Ut sicut semper nociva in ea velut in bono agro emergunt ita semper laboris boni studio eradicentur noxia plantentur utilia Oportet et Nos cunctis ejus necessitatibus nisibus quibus possumus devote consulere quatenus in ejus emendatione quantum Dominus posse dederit tota cum mentis devotione elaborantes in aliqua parte aedificiorum illius a fabricatore ejus Domino scilicet Iesu Christo aptari mereamur Proinde notum sit omnibus fidelibus Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae nostrisque Domino dispensante successoribus quia cum nos nullis existentibus meritis divina pietas genitore nostro a rebus humanis exempto ad ejus Imperii culmen provexisset quomodo aut qualiter desiderium divini cultus quod ab ineunte aetate Christo inspirante mente conceperam ad effectum Domino suffragante perduceremus et quid studii quidve laboris progenitores nostri praecipue tamen piae recordationis genitor in utilitatibus sanctae Dei Ecclesiae exhibuerit adverteremus et pia illorum facta non solum inviolata conservare sed etiam imitari pro viribus nobis a Domino concessis optaremus Scilicet ut sive in Ecclesiasticis negotiis sive in statu Reipublicae emendatione dignum prospexissemus quantum Dominus posse dabat nostro studio emendaretur Et hactenus hinc inde mundanorum turbinum procellis emergentibus diversissimisque occupationibus ingruentibus praepediti ut optaveramus efficere nequivissemus ejus rei gratia 4. Anno Imperii nostri accersitis nonnullis Episcopis Abbatibus Canonicis Monachis fidelibus obtutibus nostris studuimus eorum consulta sagacissima investigare inquisitione qualiter unicuique ordini Canonicorum videlicet Monachorum Laicorum juxta quod ratio dictabat facultas suppetebat Deo opem ferente consuleremus Et quoniam licet saepe de statu Ecclesiarum et de ritibus praeterito tempore ordinassemus et missos per singula loca destinassemus sed invidente Diabolo per tyrannicam pravitatem praepeditum fuisset oportebat ut hoc tempus paucis indultum ad communem Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et omnium nostrorum utilitatem impenderemus tribus videlicet modis ut quae bene inchoata erant Deo auxiliante effectum obtinerent et si quae bona voluntate sed incauta discretione variis praepedientibus causis inchoata fuissent ut diligenter inspicerentur et discrete prout facultas suppetebat corrigerentur si quae etiam de his quae necessaria erant deesse videremus ut quaererentur et Deo auxiliante ad effectum perducerentur quatenus deinceps opus nostrum a nemine juste posset reprehendi et tam nostris quam futuris temporibus multorum saluti proficeret et Deo opitulante stabile permaneret Sed qualiter de his divina cooperante gratia consulta fidelium pâ—o viribus et temporis brevitate licet non quantum debuimus voluimus sed quantum a Deo posse accepimus egerimus et quid unicuique ordini communi voto communique consensu consulere studuerimus ita ut quid Canonicis proprie de his quidve Monachis observandum quid etiam in Legibus mundanis quid quoque in Capitulis inferendum foret adnotaverimus et singulis singula observanda contraderemus Tamen ut sive nostris sive successorum nostrorum temporibus rata forent et inviolabiliter Deo annuente conservarentur libuit nobis ea quae gesta sunt ob memoriae firmitatisque gratiam in unum strictim congerere et subjectis Capitulis annotare et in publico archivo recondere ut successores nostri Deo dispensante nostra pia facta conservantes et ipsi nihilominus bona facta sua successoribus suis servanda perdoceant Amongst these Additional Laws this is one specially recommended to the Emperor by this Council as a principal part of his Kingly office and duty Quod in eligendis constituendis Pastoribus rectoribusque in Ecclesiis Dei Regem magnum studium atque solertissimam vigilantiam et curam adhibere oporteat Quia si aliter factum fuerit ordo Ecclesiasticus suam non habebit dignitatem Religio Christiana in multis labefactanda damna detrimenti sui patiatur et animae Regiae vestrae periculum generabitur Moreover this pious Emperor and Charles the Great Universos quoque Veteris ac Novi Testamenti libros
age what Theodoricus de Niem Nem. Vnionis p. 5. 137. Claâ—dius Espencaeus De Continentia lib. 4. Comment in Titum c. 1. Cornelius Agrippa De Vanitate Scientiarum cap. 62 63. Guicciardin Histor l. 1. Polydorus Virgilius De Inventoribus Rerum l. 5. c. 4. Mantuanus l. 3. 6. Cuyckius Speculum Concubinar Udoâ—ricus Epistola ad Nicolaum De Caelib Clericorum Alanus Charter cited by Joannes Marius De Scismate Concil p. 264 467. Gravamina Germaniae drawn up at the Diet of Noâ—inberg nu 31 91. with others of the Roman Religion have largely written of his Subject But I shall conclude with the noble Picus Mirandula his brief though sad complaint That in Elyes time the Priests slept with the Women at the door of the Tabernacle but in our time they break into the sacred Houses proh pudor Women are brought in to satisfie their Lusts and Boyes that are sodomitically abused against Nature are lent and given them by their Parents and these Boyes afterwards are made Priests with our own Robert Holcot his Confession of the Priests in his age Proh dolor Sacerdotes moderni sunt Angeli Sathanae per discordiam Angeli Apostatici per superbiam Angeli Incubi per luxuriam Sacerdotes Priapi vel Beelphegor Hunc vilissimum Deum Priapum whom he there describes excolunt non pauci Sacerdotes moderni Discipuli illius maligni Angeli de quo loquitur Paulus 2 Corinth 12. Datus est mihi stimulus carnis Angelus Sathanae qui me colophasset And with the complaints in Onus Ecclesiae written by a German Bishop of the Romish perswasion which are very observable cap. 8. sect 4. Oblationes fidelium hodie rarescunt non offerunt Decem quoniam Ecclesiastici plures expendunt in usus meretricantium quam indigentium pauperum c. cap. 21. sect 10. 15. Ecce modo Praelati Sacerdotes natant in comessationibus cubilibus impudicitiis solvunt fraenum carnalis concupiscentiae tam in se quam in suis subditis c. cap. 23. sect 8. Caeterum Sacerdotes frequenter fornicationibus coinquinantur maxime Curati sordescunt in concubinatu adeo manifesto quod nulla tergiversatione celari possint Et quamvis Concubinarii sunt ab ipso officio suspensi tamen a celebratione missarum aliisque actibus ecclesiasticis nequaquam abstinent quin divinis se continuo immisceant ob hoc irregularitatem incurrentes As for the chastity of Monks and Nunnes he renders us this account out of St. Catherine of Sienna and others cap. 22. sect 6. 12. Religiosi collocati sunt in religione velut Angeli sed quamplurimi sunt daemonibus deteriores incontinentes dissoluti c. Religiosi facti sunt arma Diaboli In Ecclesiis enim Cathedralibus quam Conventualibus hodie plerumque faeces mundi Ecclesiasticis gubernaculis praeficiuntur utpote quibus mundus uti vel frui nequit Tandem de moribus Monialium perversis non audeo imo pudeo dicere quia suspicor ne meis verbis quempiam virginum Deo dicatarum coetum reddam suspectum attamen istum quoque gradum paucis attingere conor Sunt namque nonnulla Monialium monasteria e quibus professas juxta regulae tenorem nunquam exire vel quempiam introire decet adeo propatula ut ipsa loca Veneris prostibulo sint similiora quam Dei sacrario Hinc procacitas stuprum incestus mulierum sacratarum hinc quoque verenda scandala offendicula oriuntur quamplurima quae singula recensere jam nolo What sinks of uncleaness whoredom adultery sodomy our English Monasteries were found to be before their dissolutions you may read at large in John Bales Acts of English Votaries the Records in the Augmentation-office Henry Stephen his Apology for Herodotus cap. 21. f. 183. Speeds History of Great Britain lib. 9. cap. 21. sect 161. p. 143 144. John Weaver his Funeral Monuments c. c. 12. 15. whose Sensualities Adulteries Whoredomes Sodomies Murders of Bastard-infants as they defiled their Cells to their final overthrow so let their remembrance for ever stain the memory of this leacherous Hildebrand and Religion of the Great whore of Babilon which defiles the bed of Priests lawfull marriage and yet dispenseth for mony with such prodigious crying sins sinners There being at the dissolution no less than 15. Sodomitical Monks in Battle Abby 8. in Canterbury besides Adulterers Whoremasters John White Prior of Bermonsey Abby keeping no lesse than 20. VVhores to satisfie his unsatiable lustfull cloystred Virginity which enforced Godly Christian Princes by their Supreme Ecclesiastical Authority to suppress when they could not reform these Nurseries of Uncleaness These prodigious unchast sodomical consequences of prohibiting Priests marriages are a sufficient evidence not only of the lawfulness but expedience yea necessity of their marrying when or where they cannot live chast without it Gratian himself confessing Copula Sacerdotalis nec Legali nec Evangelica nec Apostolica authoritate prohibetur the legality whereof in point of conscience I shall briefly evidence against all Hildebrandians by these following Scripture Arguments wherewith I long since so silenced a vaunting Romish Priest who held our Ministers no Priests because married that he had not one word to reply 1. That God himself instituted Marriage in the state of Innocency before Adam's fall when he had nearest communion with God therefore it cannot defile or incapacitate any of his posterity to be a Bishop Priest or Minister of God 2ly That Gods primitive command to Adam and Eve in the state of Innocency at the first institution of Matrimony and to Noah and his Sons after the stood Increase and multiply and replenish the earth by the use of lawfull Matrimony extended to Adam Noah and all their Posterity in succession to the end of the world and that as a special priviledge and benediction not a curse it being a curse to be childless but a blessing to have children posterity as the Scripture oft resolves Therefore to Priests Clergy-men they all being Adam's and Noah's posterity as well as much as others and so not to be debarred from this special blessing 3ly That Adam himself and the first born Patriarch of every Family during the law of Nature even from Adam's creation till the institution of the Levitical Priesthood were the only Priests and Ministers of God to offer Sacrifices instruct their Children Families in the fear and worship of God to bless them and pray for them Now these were married to propagate Mankind perpetuate Posterity and the Church by God's own precept without the least restraint or any impediment at all to their primitive Priesthood Therefore Priests may be so too under the Gospel 4ly That Aaron the first High-priest under the Law all the High-priests succeding him who were types of Christ himself and entred once a year at least into the Holy of Holyes were all married having