in the prime foundation of order 3. The supreme and chief Power can be but one whether seated in a single Person or in more the supreme Power still is but one not in reference to the subject of it but in respect of the power it self and the actions of command and judgement thence proceeding Governments are commonly distributed into their kindes according to the difference of their supreme Powers If the higher Power be one single Person it is call'd a Monarchy i. e. the Government of one If the higher Power be more then one 't is either in the Chief and Nobles and then 't is call'd an Aristocracy i. e. the Government of the best men the more excellent and noble or else in the People and then 't is called a Democracy i. e. the Government of the People a Common-wealth Now whereever it be placed there must be granted to be but one Supreme and Chief where for order sake all Subjects must needs rest and to whose decision they must necessarily submit as final and terminative in the case Were there more then one Supreme their Laws and Commands might be contrary and so the judgement and execution impossible One may call to the Church another at the same time to the Camp and a third at the same time to the Court and one will punish for disobeying him the second for disobeying him and the third also for disobeying him And from hence must needs follow as a discord and division in the Supreme So also among the Subjects one Faction for this another for that c. Now Impossibilities Contradictions and Principles of division in Government must necessarily be avoided And here those Axiomes of our Blessed Saviour take place No man can serve two Masters and A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand We may as well suppose two supreme Wills appointed by God in chief to govern a man two Heads for a body two Suns in the Firmament yea two Gods in the world as two Supremes in an orderly Government And therefore 4. Whoever be the Supreme all others must of necessity be subject some-wayes dependent on him deriving from him or subordinate to him It belongs as Philo the Jew speaks Lib. de creat Principis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that hath the highest and greatest place in Government to choose such assistants as shall rule together with and under him in the administration of those things which concern the publick utility the common good 1 Pet. 2.13.14 To the King saith St. Peter as Supreme or to Governours as sent by him i. e. by the King as Supreme or Principal for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well Could the Supreme and Principal do all himself and be every where present in his own person other Governours were needless but that being in great Provinces impossible he must send forth his Deputies and appoint his Vicars and Substitutes I will exemplifie this by the instance of Moses Deut. 33.4 5. Moses saith the Sacred Text commanded us a Law even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob and he was King in Jesurun when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together We have here Moses the principal Law-giver and King in Israel Supreme under God and we have withal the Princes and Heads of the people and that these were under Moses and chosen by his appointment we are elsewhere instructed Moses did indeed lead and judge Israel a while alone but necessity inforced him in the end to profess unto them Deut. 1.9 to 18. I am not able to bear you my self alone How can I my self alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife Take you wise men and understanding and known among your tribes and I will make them rulers over you So saith the Text of Moses I took the chief of your tribes wise men and known and made them heads over you captains over thousands and captains over hundreds and captains over fifties and captains over tens and officers among your tribes And I charged your judges at that time saying Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me and I will hear it We see here the whole subordination in Government is order'd and appointed commission'd and sent from Moses the Supreme and to him subjected He gives the charge they must conform to and reserves the last appeal to himself So that the Supreme hath not more need of subordinate Magistrates for his help and assistance than they have of him as their Head of influence life and motion Upon this account Saint Paul is bold to tell Festus the Governour sitting on the Bench at Caesarea Acts 25.6 10 11 who had commanded him to be brought before him I stand at Caesar's judgement-seat I appeal unto Caesar He knew that Festus was but commissioned by him sent by him to that place of Judicature and therefore from him he appeals unto Caesar as the Supreme Subordinate Magistrates are necessary instruments for the Supreme to govern by but their dependence upon and subjection to the Supreme is ever to be acknowledged for by him are the bounds and limits of their respective Jurisdictions determined and to him they are accountable Inferiour powers compared to the Supreme and the People are like the Genus subalteruum in Logick which is a species in reference to the summum Genus but in reference to the species contained under it a Genus it self In like manner inferiour Magistrates in reference to the People under theâ—r Authority are a ruling Power but in reference to the Supreme no other then the people are to them that is in plain terms Subjects themselves This is the Profession of the Centurion in the Gospel St. Luke 7.8 I also am a man set under authority having under me Souldiers and I say unto one go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it I saith he have souldiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under my self so far he was a Commander and Governour and they to be subject and obedient to him as such but then saith he farther I my self am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordered and ranked under authority and so a Subject also i. e. subjected to the authority above him as his Souldiers and Servants were subjected unto his authority These Propositions spoken to are all demonstrable relying upon the evidence of natural reason and policy and are but the plain English of the Scripture distinction between Principalities and Powers the King as Supreme Tit. 3.1 and Governours sent by him But now to pass à Thesi ad Hypothesin to that particular wherein we are more nearly concerned I add 5. The supreme Power over us is questionless the King's Majesty The Government of England is no question Monarchical
declared by our known Laws to be an Empire governed by one supreme Head and King having the Dignity and Royal Estate of the Imperial Crown of the same Vnto whom saith the Statute a Body politick compact of all sorts and degrees of people divided in terms and by names of Spiritualty and Temporalty been bounden and owen to bear next to God all natural and humble Obedience See 24. Hen. 8. c. 12. Now in every true Monarchy and Empire the Supreme Majesty and Authority is in the Person of the King as in its proper Genter whom therefore all in their right wits must needs acknowledge with Tertullian à Deo secundum quicquid est à Deo consecutum solo Deo minorem Next under God over them having whatever he is from God and inferiour unto God only and by consequence to have on earth Nec superiorem nec parem neither superior nor equal for as that Father speaks pertinently Ea est Summi conditio ut nihil aliud adaequet nedum superet That is the nature of a Supreme and Chief to have no Competitor much less one above it self And what is more obvious to this purpose then the publick acknowledgements required of the Subjects of this Realm in those two famous Oaths the one of Supremacy the other of Allegiance As for that of Supremacy made first in the time of King Henry the Eighth because it is but short I will here insert it The Oath of Supremacy I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my Conscience that the King's Highness is the only Supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foreign Jurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawful Successors and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the King's Highness his Heirs and Successors or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and by the Contents of this Book In which Oath he that runs may read that whoever takes it declares sincerely 1. That the King is the Supreme Governour of this Realm and all his other Dominions and that in all Causes 2. That he is the only Supreme Governour 3. That no Foreign Power hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction or Authority within this Realm 4. That he doth therefore utterly renounce and forsake the owning of or appealing unto any such 5. That he doth promise from henceforth not only Faith and true Allegiance to the King his Heirs and lawful Successors but to his power to assist and defend all the King's Prerogatives And Lastly That he doth Recognize the Crown of this Realm to be an Imperial Crown i. e. such which as to the coercive part is subject to no man Now for the farther illustration of this it is to be noted that Queen Elizabeth Queen Eliz. Injunct of Blessed Memory in her Injunctions to take away the scruples of some well meaning Subjects concerning the intendment of this Oath 1. denyes it to be the challenging Authority and Power of Ministry and Divine Service in the Church And 2. declares it to be no other than what was of antient time due to the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is as she proceeds under God to have the Sovereignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her Realms Dominions and Countries of what Estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be so as no other Foreign power shall or ought to have any Superiority over them Of the same nature and to the same effect is that which is recorded in the 37. Article of the Church of England agreed on Anno 1562. and established by Law Arti. 37. An. 1562. The Queens Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Foreign Jurisdiction Unto which this Explication is immediately annexed Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which Titles we understand the mindes of some dangerous folks to be offended we give not our Princes the Ministring either of Gods Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only Prerogative which we see to have been given alwayes to all godly Princes in Holy Scriptures by God himself that is That they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword and stubborn and evil doers To all which I will only add that both in the Injunctions of Queen Elizabeth Queen Eliz. Injunct Can. 1. K James and the Constitutions and Canons of King James since allowed and ratified by King Charles the Martyr and our Gracious Sovereign now reigning over us All Ecclesiastical Persons having cure of Souls and all other Preachers and Readers of Divinity-Lectures are obliged to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely wiâ—hout any colour or dissimulation to teach manifest open and declare four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations and Lectures That all Vsurped and Foreign Power forasmuch as the same hath no establishment nor ground by the Law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience and subjection within his Majesties Realms and Dominions is due unto any such Foreign Power but that the Kings Power within his Realms of England Scotland and Ireland and other his Dominions and Countries is the highest Power under God to whom all men as well Inhabitants as born within the same do by God's Laws owe all Loyalty and Obedience over and above all other Power and Potentates in the Earth The other Oath of Allegiance made at the Sessions of Parliament in the Reign of King James immediately after the Powder-Plot is over-long to be here recited And therefore I will only observe that the Sum of it is An hearty acknowledgement and declaration The sum of the Oath of Allegiance That our Sovereign Lord King Charles is lawful and rightful King of this Realm neither deposable by the Pope nor by any other and That we will constantly bear to him his Heirs or Successors that Faith and true Allegiance which becometh Subjects defending him and them to the utmost of our power against all Conspiracies and Attempts
none of those Antients and apparently slights the authority of the Antients in other matters And I challenge him to produce any of those Antients who assert this 1. To be the right and priviledge of the Church and then 2. As such to have been preserved inviolate a long time in the Primitive Churches 'T is acknowledged indeed that St. Cyprian and others do teach that the ordaining of Ministers ought to be in the presence of the people to the intent they may object any thing against them if they can and that it was the ordinary custom more 's merita singulorum communi consilio ponderare to advise and weigh with common advice viz. of such as knew them every man's manners and deserts but they no where affirm it the right of the people to Elect those that shall be set over them Secondly We are pointed to the suitableness of this imaginary institution of Christ to a Church-state which is said to be founded by voluntary consent and to be a state of absolute liberty and to have their Rulers and Overseers imposed on them without their choice is contrary to that liberty We have seen †Chap. 3. before this Church-state of his to be as very a dream as this vvhich he now calls Christ's institution in it and it may not be unseasonable here to remarque That his argument of entring into a Society by consent and the liberty of Christians no less strikes at the Civil government than the Ecclesiastical having before told us Cat. p. 117. that without this consent no Society of any kind can exist In reasoning thus therefore against the Government of the Church the state of the Kingdom is certainly concerned Christ requires a free and voluntary obedience for conscience sake to the Civil government no less than to that of the Church and subjection in lawful matters to the lawful powers of both is no piece of slavery and bondage nothing opposite to Christian liberty save unto those only who make all dutiful obedience unto their Superiours such If so it be that our Catechist's reason stand good that where the people have not their free consent in the choice of their Pastors they are considered as mute persons or brute creatures This reasoning extends no less to the Commonwealth than to the Church and there must not be in the one any more than in the other any Rulers but such as are of the peoples choice and appointment And vve have seen enough in these late times to perswade us that this is the mind and sense of the separate brethren had they but power answerable to their wills Thirdly It is insinuated that The body of the Church hath some duty to be discharged towards Christ in this institution of Church-government which they cannot perform if the choice of Pastors be denied them But what duty of the people he means is not farther expressed nor do I know any obligation which the people have as to the Officers set over them besides their Prayers for them their endeavours by testimonies of known crimes to lawful Authority for to prevent unfit persons ordination and their obedience unto those that shall be set over them all which may well enough be performed though the choice of their Pastors be denied them Lastly It is boldly affirmed That there is no other ordinary way of communicating authority unto any which is either Rational or Scriptural but as this is affirmed only without either Reason or Scripture to back it so it may suffice as peremptorily to deny it Which I the rather do to shorten my discourse on this subject and because I am now according to my promise to demonstrate That it is upon several accounts unmeet and unreasonable whatever is by the Catechist and others pretended that the election and choice of Ministers should be left unto the people 1. The Priesthood under the Law was not of the peoples choice but of God's by the hand of Moses Exod 28.1 And in their consecration afterwards the people are assembled indeed for solemnity-sake and it may be a suffrage of Prayer but act nothing towards the performance of the whole business Levit. 8.6 7. And again after that upon Aaron's decease Moses alone without the peoples suffrage substitutes Eleazar into his Office Numb 20.18 True indeed at the consecration of the Levites the people put their hands on the Levites heads Numb 8.10 12. but that was done only in token of their being presented to God's service instead of their first-born as God had chosen them Numb 3.45 There was not then this way of Election as to the Old Testament and what saith the New No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 But I will not urge this matter farther 2. The people have not requisite and fitting parts to make a competent and meet judgment in the choice of their Pastors and therefore 't is not likely God hath call'd them to a work they are not first fitted for I will appeal to the Catechist here as Judg Whether the first qualification for any Office Cat. p. 125. 126. be not the Gift for it the gift in order to the discharge of the work It is the doctrine taught by himself That It is not lawful for the Church to call any man to that work p. 137. where the Lord Christ hath not gone before them in qualifying him for it 3. There is nothing so likely to occasion Divisions in the Church and which more usually ends in factious determinations than popular election Contention and Sedition have been the known fruit of this way of chusing Pastors where it hath obtained 4. That which is prophetically spoken by St. Paul reflects extremely upon these popular elections 2 Tim. 4.3 4. The time will come saith he that they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap up to themselvs teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables Where the people are at their own choice every one will seek to gratifie their itching ears and those whom they chuse are left under some obligation to claw them The people will if it be possible chuse one suitable to their own humours one that shall speak pleasing things unto them and the Minister's dependence upon their choice will byass and incline him vehemently not to displease them though in the performance of his bounden duty Lastly This election of Ministers by the people would be highly injurious unto Christian Kings unto whom the especial care of God's publick service in their respective Dominions doth appertain They shall never be able to procure such reformation consent or agreement in matters of Religion as when they have the placing of the chief of the Clergy at their disposal for the people who are commonly bent to noveltie and factions and most ready to receive that doctrine that is