by the Bishop of Rome But upon serious excogitation of the whole I was brought to resolve that in the plea and condition of power the Pope now standeth the interposition of his authority would many times rather increase then be effectual to prevent injustice or silence differences whether acted between a Prince and his own Subjects or by one Prince upon another As for example some person or order of Princes subjects misliking their usage appeal to Rome as against injustice and oppression He must then to make his authority known to be useful determine for one party or another as his judgment shall be engaged If for the King then is he but heightned and farther warranted to do the like If for Thomas a Becket or the Barons against him as sometimes in England then are Subjects encouraged towards sedition and civil war another time Again before he can be supposed rightly to interpose between Prince and Prince in the justice of their quarrels they must all of them be brought to be of the same religion and perswasion with himself or else equally averse that he may be impartial Suppose that might be done yet since he may have kindred and relations may he not in that case favor a Nephew a Casar Borgia or the like against him that hath no relation or may he not respect interest and application so as again to favor such an one as King John not only above his Barons but other Princes too upon resignation of his Crown to be held of him and his successors But that was not all for partiality and the like is but that which the Subjects of any Monarch might object against his absolute rule But the great difference and difficulty is that since the absolute Monarch was in all causes and over all persons in his dominions supreme Governor there was hereby a sure way for prevention of civil war and disturbance which being the chief political evil would recompence those sufferings of inferior nature which could but occasionally happen and never be so general Whereas he claiming but Ecclesiastical power only and it being not at all determined or agreed upon what is certainly so or not so for prevention of question thereabouts I saw no possible hope to attain peace by his umpirage if any should say he did exceed his Commission unless he could make himself Judg of that too and so by degrees and in ordine ad spiritualia draw in cognisance of all matters whatsoever When that is done as Constantines Throne will better become him then S. Peters Chair so truly if such an Universal Christian Monarch there were which is not likely to fall to be he there might much good arise by it as to the general increase of Christian peace and profession As for that other way found out by some of that side mentioned by the late Archbishop sect 26. num 11. for advance of his Supremacie namely by setting up again one Emperor over all Christendom to rule in secular matters while himself would rule him and them too in what he would call spiritual with as supereminent splendor as the Sun doth the Moon I apprehend it still ineffectual to peace till those powers be joyned in one person unless the Emperor could indeed be content as I said to change places with him and become so subordinate as not to shine in any act of Moon like power but by the light and leave of this his Sun Could this in any likelihood have been eâ—pected I might happily then have given some credit to those slender probabilities of S. Peters primacie and the Popes succession in the chair In the mean time the usurped exercise of this his Ecclesiastick power where he had no jurisdiction as a power standing insubordinate to the Prince hath begotten that great mistake That there might be a Church in a Church that is one Christian Common-wealth in another 13. But let us hear judicious Mr. Hooker more at large in this business of the Church and in answer to such as would appropriate the notion of Church to those of their own perswasion only lib. 5. fol. 367. Church is a word which Art hath devised thereby to sever and distinguish that society of men which professeth the true Religion from the rest which professeth it not There have been in the world from the very first foundation thereof but three Râ—ligions Paganism which lived in the blindness of corrupted and depraved nature Judaism embracing the Law which reformed Heathenish impiety and taught salvation to be looked for through one whom God in the last days would send and exalt to be Lord of all finally Christian belief which yieldeth obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and acknowledgeth him the Saviour whom God did promise Seeing then that the Church is a name which Art hath given to Professors of true Religion as they which will define a man are to pass by those qualities wherein one man doth excel another and to take only those essential properties whereby a man doth differ from creatures of other kinds So he that will teach what the Church is shall never rightly perform the work whereabout he goeth till in matter of Religion he touch that difference which severeth the Churches religion from theirs who are not of the Church Religion being therefore a matter partly of contemplation partly of action we must define the Church which is a religious society by such differences as do properly explain the essence of such things that is to say by the object or matter whereabout the contemplations and actions of the Church are properly conversant For so all Knowledges and all Vertues are defined Whereupon because the only object which separateth ours from other Religions is Jesus Christ in whom none but the Church doth believe and whom none but the Church doth worship we find that accordingly the Apostles do every where distinguish hereby the Church from Infidels and from Jews accounting them which call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be his Church If we go lower we shall but add unto this certain casual and variable accidents which are not properly of the being but make only for the happier and better being of the Church of God either indeed or in mens opinions and conceits This is the error of all Popish definitions that hitherto have been brought They define not the Church by that which the Church essentially is but by that wherein they imagine their own more perfect then the rest are Touching parts of eminencie and perfection parts likewise of imperfection and defect in the Church of God they are infinite their degrees and differences no way possible to be drawn unto any certain account There is not the least contention and variance but it blemisheth somwhat the unity that ought to be in the Church of Christ which notwithstanding may have not only without loss of essence or breach of concord her manifold varieties in Rites and Ceremonies of Religion but also her
and of Soepter in the singular number we may well understand the King before mentioned And however the Pâ—ophetick designation of Monarchical government to succeed as under the notion of Kings as the adopted Father of each Country took not place until Moses but that those that were the natural Fathers of the Tribes and had right of Government by primogeniture continuâ—â— as Princes and Rulers yet their as he was the first that was so stiled being King in Jesâ—uâ—â—â—â— even as the succeeding Judges may be so well called for that in the inter-regnum it is said there was no King in Israâ—l so shall we â—ind Moses again as expresly foretelling that they should have a King as that they should possess the Land For the words to each Promise run absolute Dent. 17. 14. When tâ—â—u art come into the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shâ—lt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a King over me like all the Nations that are round about me c. It is not said If thou shalt say no such conditional but an express duty or prophecie For the conjunction and here used and shalt possess it and dwell therein and shalt say makes all of them equally certain as certain in the blessing of Kingship as in that of the promised Land it self Of all which I have formerly at large discoursed and have briefly here premised to unprejudice such as are averse to Monarchy or the acknowledgment of the power of Kings in the Church and shall now treat of the Church it self and of its proper cognisance and power in which we shall have farther occasion to assert this Kingly superintendencie CHAP. II. Of the Church Catholick and of the power and jurisdiction of each particular Church and Head thereof THe word Ecclesia or ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English Church doth originally import a Company called forth or men met together upon some special occasion But the Scripture treating of Religious matters applies that notion to Meetings made to that end And therefore that Assembly which Demetrius and his Craftsmen made is called by that name But then farther because to be called forth must presuppose some person or persons having power so to do and also to propound and regulate what shall be disputed of or determined in these Assemblies in that respect again we after find that those things which in the former unruly meeting could not be composed are by the Town-Clark promised to be determined in a more lawful Church or assembly to be called according to Authority All Religions agreeing in this truth that without observation of Government and Order both Church and State will quickly run into confusion After Christianity had a while been professed this name by way of excellence was appropriate to them and those of their communion Insomuch as in the beginning thereof and while the Land of Jewry did contain the whole number of Believers or that the Christians there or elswhere had not cast themselves into any proper or distinct forms of regiment all such as stood as well separated from the world as associated amongst themselves by their joint profession of the same faith stood only distinct from the rest of the world by the word Church or Church of Christ Catholickly applied without distinction thereof into parts in respect of any local application But when afterwards they came to be dispersed into several Cities so distant from one another in place and so different in jurisdictions as to require some form of Ecclesiastical discipline to be setled amongst themselves for their more orderly service in their Religion it came then to pass that as those that had begotten them in the faith and been their spiritual fathers and instructors had chief authority herein so were those their Churches and followers distinguished by topical additions as the Church or Saints at Rome at Corinth at Ephesus or the like By the use of the word at such a place and not saying the Church of Rome of Corinth of Ephesus or the like as now we do the Church of Rome England Geneva c we are to conceive that as the first Believers were in respect of this separation from the rest of the world in faith and some religious exercises called by the name of a Church so these in those several Cities wherein they lived were called Saints or Church at such a City and not of as betokening that they were aswel but a part of that City as to civil regiment as also a part of the whole Catholick Church now subordinate to some separate Authority in the exercise of their Religion But then we are to conceive that although this separation of theirs from others of the same City both in their meetings and holy exercises were done in order to their Religion yet was it not the quality of any Religion as such a Religion but difference in rites and form of Worship and in meeting thereabouts from that other Religion which was publikely authorised in that place which made it preserve this name of Church as taken in its proper sense And therefore as before said we shall usually find that the Addition of the Church of God or of Christ is put to distinguish as well as to dignifie it above other religious Congregations that were not such And upon this reason it is that we never read in the Scripture that the the word Church is applied to the Jews although they were a Nation separate from all the rest of the world both in their Religion it self and in the Ceremonies thereof even for that it was all one and the same with that which the publick Authority of that place did appoint and allow Whereas when Christianity first began amongst them the first Professors thereof being but subordinately divided were set down as a Church or Congregation of men in that respect separate saying The Church or Church of Christ which is at Jerusalem Which being considered we need not wonder why S. Paul should proceed to no higher punishment then that of Excommunication against a Blasphemer or an incestuous person or the like who by the very heinousness and nature of their sins might be presumed not greatly desirous of their Communion even for that it was at that time all the punishment he or other Heads of Churches could inflict wanting as before noted all coercive jurisdiction Upon which ground again we find not that the Jews did ever exercise this kind of punishment while they continued masters of their own soveraignty but comprising all offences under the same Law they punished transgressions of all sorts as breaches thereof when yet afterward in the time of our Saviour that the supreme power was in the hand of the Romans we find them both threatening and actually thrusting men out of their Synagogues But however such notorious sinners as those might in the infancie of Christianity set lightly of any Church-censure in that kind yet with the
more conscientious sort who in regard of those many promises by Christ made no his Church had been at first won to be of their fellowship and communion as the only means to their salvation it was taken as a punishment of the highest import And however that the then Church for want of Judiciary power as aforesaid could not punish otherwise yet since it became all that were named by the name of Christ to depart from iniquity and to have their conversation such as becomed Saints and to walk worthy that vocation wherewith they were called in which respect we shall find the name of Disciples Believers Saints Church and Christians indifferently used to signifie those that made profession of Christs name It therefore became them who were to be as lights on a hill and to see that others light did so shine before men that they seeing their good works might glorifie that God in whose obedience they did it to be very sensible and tender of permitting any thing scandalous in the eye of the world to be acted or countenanced by any of their profession In reference to which gracious promises of Salvation Illumination Assistance and the like made by Christ to his Church and of that degree of sanctity wherewith those of this profession stood eminent above the rest of the world or of that City or place where they lived it is no wonder if we find that this notion of Church was still used even after the time that the publick Authority of the Country came also to be of the same belief especially considering that it was more then three hundred years after Christs birth before any Emperor at all was of that profession from which they quickly again fell and that during the said time and a good while after the more considerable and perhaps the major part of the Empire it self besides what was done in other Countries more heathenish continued still Infidels Towards whose conversion and for the greater honor of their Master and his doctrine as they desired to become worthy Disciples by the example of their holy lives so dâ—d they withall still keep up as far as might be a communion with one another therein as well as a separation from others that were not of the same belief But yet we shall never find in Scripture or Author of antiquity that was not prejudiced by particular adherence to some party that these notions of Church or Saints were used to separate Christians from Christians so as to accompt others especially their fellow-subjects that publickly professed faith and obedience to Christ to be yet none of his Church until such time as the whole Church through the goodness of God being rid of the fear of much harm from such as for Christs sake were their common enemy some separate parts thereof began in a strange requital to seek out enemies amongst themselves Ambition pride interest and passion causing men to forget those prime precepts of humility meekness patience brotherly love and the like wherewith Christianity stood at first adorned and whereby they as out of a common principle of love to Christ and his honor as well as to one another according to the true intent of Religion were piously and unanimously guided and now to prosecute that course which should at once hazard the honor and good of both Christ and his whole Church through their strife to advance some particular Sect above the rest and themselves in it As if Christs Disciples and followers must not now be called such in regard of their faith in him as formerly was used but out of belief in and for following them rather in things circumstantial or by themselves called fundamental the more to countenance that breach of Charity which must thence ensue hereby shewing that we have not as the true elect of God and beloved put on bowels of mercies kindnesses humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering so as to forbear one another and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave us But have neglected to put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness and to let the peace of God rule in our hearts to the which we are also called into one body even this body and communion of a Church Col. 3. 12 c. It being indeed impossible for any but such elect as these to escape those deceits and snares which each particular Sect as in Christs name will be ready to lay before us saying Lo here is Christ and lo there is Christ on purpose to affright us from confidence in that Name whereby alone under heaven we can be saved as if salvation were not to be found in being a Member of the Catholick Church or any part of it as Christian but in that secret Chamber or that desert Assembly which is now separately named and owned by themselves 6. This is that great misery under which Christendom hath of late been so much troubled as well through that ambitious humor of universal rule and dominion whereby those of the Roman party out of opinion of Eminencie Succession or the like would advance their Head to be Head of the whole Church even where his jurisdiction reacheth not As of others also who in any particular Church are ready to make a separation of themselves as though in regard of any extraordinary degree of sincerity of worship or sanctity of life by them professed above others the antient notion of Church could now again be appropriate to them without notice of their Brethren of the same Religion and those in Authority and perhaps more in number also in like manner as formerly the notion of Church was understood in opposition to those that were meer Heathens 7. The truth is that Christian societies may well be distinguished from Professors of other Religions by this peculiar appellation their Religion being indeed the Religion even as their God is apparently the God For where they in discovery of their meer humane extraction or wors are in their precepts wholly regardful of their own outward glory pomp and estimation and that according to humane fancie and opinion when we are by voice from heaven taught that strict conjunction which is between Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth and good will towards men Their Deities stand manifestly on their Sacrifices professing greatest love to such as are most zealous in them or such like kind of adoration Ours pronounce Charity the end of the Law and prefer Mercy before Sacrifice and to encourage men thereto our Saviour personateth the hungry blind naked imprisoned and promiseth even the reward of Heaven to such as should most express their love and duty to him that way 8. And thereupon again as true it is that particular Churches cannot seclude one another from being members of that Catholick body while they acknowledged the same Common head much less can such as live within the authority or are members of any Christian Church or society
strifes and contentions many times and that about matters of no small importance yea her schisms factions and such other evils whereunto the body of the Church is subject sound and sick remaining both of the same body as long as both parts retain by outward profession that vital substance of Truth which maketh Christian Religion to differ from theirs which acknowledg not our Lord Jesus Christ the blessed Saviour of mankind give no credit to his glorious Gospel and have his Sacraments the seal of eternal life in derision Now the priviledg of the visible Church of God for of that we speak is to be herein like the Ark of Noah for any thing we know to the contrary all without are lost sheep Yet in this was the Ark of Noah priviledged above the Church that whereas none of them which were in the one could perish numbers in the other are cast away because to eternal life our profession is not enough Many things exclude from the Kingdom of God although from the Church they separate not In the Church there arise sundry grievous storms by means whereof whole Kingdoms and Nations professing Christ both have been heretofore and are at this present day divided about Christ During which division and contentions amongst men albeit each part do justifie it self yet the one of necessity must needs erre if there be any contradiction between them be it great or little And what side soever it be that hath the truth the same we must also acknowledg alone to hold with the true Church in that point and consequently reject the other as an enemy in that case fallen away from the true Church Wherefore of hypocrites and dissemblers whose profession at the first was but only from the teeth outward when they afterwards took occasion to oppugn certain principal Articles of Faith the Apostles which defended the truth against them pronounce them gone out from the fellowship of sound and sincere Believers when as yet the Christian religion they had not utterly cast off In like sense and meaning throughout all Ages Heretickâ— have been justly hated as branches cut off from the body of the true Vine yet only so far forth cut off as their Heresies have extended Both Heresie and many other crimes which wholly sever from God do sever from the Church of God in part only The mysterie of Piety saith the Apostle is without peradventure great GOD hath been manifested in the flesh hath been justified in the Spirit hath been seen of Angels hath been preached to Nations hath been believed on in the world hath been taken up into glory The Church a pillar and foundatiou of this truth which no where is known or profess'd but only within the Church and they all of the Church that profess it In the mean while it cannot be denied that many profess this who are not therfore cleered simply from all either faults or errors which maketh separation between us and the Wel-spring of our happiness Idolatry severed of old the Israelites Iniquity those Scribes and Pharisees from God who notwithstanding were a part of the seed of Abraham a part of that very seed which God did himself acknowledg to be his Church The Church of God may therefore contain both them which indeed are not his yet must be reputed his by us that know not their inward thoughts and them whose apparent wickedness testifieth even in the sight of the whole world that God abhorreth them For to this and no other purpose are meant those Parables which our Saviour in the Gospel hath concerning mixture of Vice with Vertue Light with Darkness Truth with Error as well an openly known and seen as a cunningly cloaked mixture That which therefore separateth utterly that which cutteth off clean from the visible Church of Christ is plain Apostacie direct denial utter rejection of the whole Christian faith as far as the same is professedly different from Infidelity Hereticks as touching those points of Doctrine wherein they fail Schismaticks as touching the quarrels for which or the duties wherein they divide themselves from their brethren Loose licentious and wicked persons as touching their several offences and crimes have all forsaken the true Church of God the Church which is sound and sincere in the doctrine that they corrupt the Church that keepeth the bond of unity which they violate the Church which walketh in the ways of righteousness which they transgress the very true Church of Christ they have left howbeit not altogether left nor forsaken simply the Church upon the main foundations whereof they continue built notwithstanding those breaches whereby they are rent from bottom to top asunder And having largely discoursed on the same argument in the beginning of his third Book he proceeds to reprove such as being then members of this Church would annihilate her being truly a Church and claim an independencie because of some corruptions they conceived in her As there are saith he fol. 86. which make the Church of Rome utterly no Church at all by reason of so many grievous errors in their Doctrine so we have them amongst us who under pretence of imagined corruptions in our Discipline do give even as hard a judgment of the Church of England it self And afterwards f. 88. coming to distinguish the visible Church into parts according to their several jurisdictions to the end that authority thereof might be made useful he farther saith For preservation of Christianity there is not any thing more needful then that such as are of the visible Church have mutual felowship and society one with another In which consideration as in the main body of the Sea being one yet within divers precincts hath divers names so the Catholick Church is in like sort divided into a number of distinct societies every of which is termed a Church within it self In this sense the Church is always a visible society of men not an Assembly but a society For although the name of the Church be given unto Christian assemblies although any multitude of Christian men congregated may be termed by the name of a Church yet Assemblies properly are rather things that belong to a Church Men are assembled for performance of publike actions which actions being ended the Assembly dissolveth it self and is no longer in being whereas the Church which was assembled doth no less continue afterwards then before Where but three are and they of the Laity also saith Tertullian yet there is a Church that is to say a Christian Assembly But a Church as now we are to understand it is a Society that is a number of men belonging unto some Christian fellowship the place and limits whereof are certain That wherein they have communion is the publike exercise of such duties as those mentioned in the Apostles Acts Instruction Breaking of bread Prayers As therefore they that are of the mystical body of Christ have those inward graces and vertues whereby they differ from all others which are not of
sixth who it is well known had no such power and soveraignty in himself as our present Protector hath And to this end he saith And now Candles Ashes and Images being gone as you see there followed in the next moneth after to wit March that the Protector still desiring to go forward with his designment of alteration sent abroad a Proclamation in the Kings name with a certain Communion-book in English to be used for administration of Sacraments in stead of the Mass-book But whether it was the very same that was rejected a little before in the Parliament or another patched up afterward or the same mended or altered is not so cleer But great care there was had by the Protector and his adherents that this Book should be admited and put in practice presently even before it was allowed in Parliament To which effect Fox setteth down a large Letter of the Council to all Bishops exhorting and commanding them in the Kings name to admit and put in practice this Book We have thought good say they to pray and require your Lordships and nevertheless in the Kings Majesties our most dread Lords name to command you to have a diligent earnest and careful respect to cause these Books to be delivered to every Parson Vicar and Curate within your Diocese with such diligence as they may have sufficient time well to instruct and advise themselves for the distribution of the most holy Communion according to the Order of this Book before this Easter time c. praying you to consider that this Order is set forth to the intent there should be in all parts of the Realm one uniform manner quietly used To the execution whereof we do eftsoons require you to have a diligent respect as you tender the Kings Majesties pleasure and will answer to the contrary c. From Westminster the 13. of March 1548. By all which and by much more that might be alleadged it is evident that all that was hitherto done against Catholick Religion for these first two years until the second Parliament was done by private authority of the Protector and his adherents before Law and against Law c. 40. And if we look farther into the Preamble of the first Statute that confirmed this Book by him also set down a little after sect 35. we may find that the said Book was appointed first for Uniformity and next that it or some other had been set on foot before by the Lord Protector in the Kings name The words are Where of long time saith the Act there hath been in this Realm of England divers Forms of Common-Prayer commonly called the Service of the Church as well concerning Mattens and Evensong as also the whole Communion called the Mass c. And where the Kings Majesty with the advice of his most entirely beloved Vncle the Lord Protector and others of his Highness Council hath heretofore divers times assayed to stay Innovations or new Rites concerning the premisses yet the same hath not had such good success as his Highness required in that behalf Whereupon his Highness by the most prudent advice aforesaid being pleased to bear with the frailty and weakness of his Subjects in that behalf of his great clemencie hath not been only content to abstain from punishment in that behalf but also to the intent that an uniform quiet and godly order should be had concerning the premisses hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and certain of the most learned and discreet Bishops to consider and ponder the premisses and thereupon having as well an eye and respect to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Scriptures as the usages of the Primitive Church should draw and make one convenient and meet order rite and fashion of Common-Prayer and administration of Sacraments to be used in England Wales c. The which at this time by the aid of the Holy Ghost with uniform agreement is of them concluded set forth and delivered to his Highness great comfort and quietness of mind in a Book entituled The Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments c. Now truly I cannot for my part see how we can make either the first Imposition or receipt of this Book lawfull if we stick not to our main principle in acknowledging the present supream Christian Magistrate to be head of the Church which doubtless the Protector was in the non-age of the King And if those elder Reformed Protestants amongst us did well to conform to this authority in abolition of the Masse and other very ancient services and that notwithstanding the Book had been by Parliament already rejected there seems to me great reason to conform to what an Act of Parliament and a Protector of more power hath determined concerning another alteration of this kinde To think that the Book or the Ceremonies thereby appointed had of themselves separate from that Authority by which they were devised and imimposed any such inherent and divine worth as for their own sake to claim admittance and continuance were plainly to contradict the act it self and the Stories of those times which tell us by whom it was made and by whom commanded and it doth plainly cross the judgement of Mr. Hooker himself who in his answer to Mr. Travers fol. 471. may be found giving sentence for indifferency in the use of these things as in themselves by the instance of kneeling sitting or walking at receiving of Sacraments his words are An order as I learn there was tendred that Communicants should neither kneel as in the most places of the Realm nor sit as in this place the custome is but walk to the one side of the Table and there standing till they had received passe afterwards away round about by the other which being on a sudden begun to be practised in the Church some sat wondring what it should mean others deliberating what to do till such time as at length by name one of them being called openly thereunto requested that they might do as they had been accustomed which was granted and as Master Travers had administred his way to the rest so a Curate was sent to minister to them after their way which unprosperous beginning of a thing saving onely for the inconvenience of needless alterations otherwise harmless did so disgrace that order in their conceit who had to allow or disallow it that it took no place Was there indifferency and harmlesness in the use of these things then and now they onely inconvenient as causing distraction and scandall to the generality of other receivers and could Master Hooker record without censure the custome of that Congregation whereof he was Minister in receiving of the Communion sitting and for ought appears gave it so to them himself whereas yet the Service Book had appointed it kneeling and shall we now think of any inherent divine worâ—â—in the things themselves No sure this would but too plainly argue them guilty of Superstition that so maintain
may be retained as with some it is and with us it is and it may be spared as it is with others spared or retained all is one no claim groweth that way But last of all where it was used as by Samuel to Saul by Zadoc to Solomon yet they claimed nothing in the parties they anointed but called them still Gods and never their own anointed They knew no claim lay by it Nay if it had been a Sacrament as it was but a Ceremony he that ministreth the Sacrament hath no interest in the party by it but God alone and then much lesse he that performeth but a Ceremony is to plead any meos So that every way this claim vanisheth of Christi Pontificis Afterwards he reproves all claim made by the people of power over them as though they were their anointed or had his right to govern from their suffâ—ages And setâ— forth also by divers instances of personal failings both in Government and Religion as well among the Roman Emperors as others that no such pretence of fault could debar the person him that was in power of this priviledg and title so as to give liberty of touching him either with hand tongue or pen or the like For saith he It is the administration to govern not the gift to govern well the right of ruling not the ruling right It includes nothing but a due Title it excludes nothing but Vsurpation And he asks the question who is anointed and answers it on whom the right rests And so again he asketh Who is inunctus and answers He that hath it not that is as I conceive hath not this right by administration to govern or immediate possession of the Government If he be a Foreigner like the Pope he is to be accounted an Usurper as medling in anothers mans jurisdiction Or if he be as he after instanceth in Nimrod one who cared for no anointing thrust himself in and by violence usurped the throne came in rather like one steeped in vinegar then anointed with oil rather as a Ranger of a Forrest then a Father of a family he was no anointed nor any that so cometh in These words at first view will seem to a prejudiced Reader to contradict and overthrow all said before in defence of the authority and respect to be given to the chief Magâ—strate but when we shall have considered those qualifications that debar him this anointing and then whether it abate Subjects in their just obedience or him only in having just title to it and then whether this repulse and resistance of such an one may be made whilst he is first entring or afterwards also and by whom then made we may then well reconcile him to what was said before For first having spoken of that sacred power which belongs to each Christian King as anointed he was to oppose to it all foreign claim whether craftily entred upon as the Pope mentioned before or forcibly as now instanced in Nimrod especially if a Heathen or of another Religion in which respect he could not be reckoned among the Christi not caring for anointing or to have care of Church or Religion which is the drift of this Discourse When as if we should understand that every one that a discontented party will call Usurpers or do make a forcible entry may be by those that live under his obeisance withstood upon any allegation we make him contradict himself in commending that submission which Primitive Christians gave to their former Emperors although known Usurpers and some of them different in Religion 43. But he will be best understood to gainsay such kind of Liberty or meaning by the immediate following words But on the other side David or he that beginneth a royal race is as the Head on him is that right of ruling first shed from him it runs down to the next and so still even to the lowest border of his issue so that then you finde that it is not that which now is usually called Usurpation the possâ—ssion of the government by a new Person or Family that is Usurpation indeed for how then should any amongst Christians be thought a lawfull beginner of a Royal Race who in his possession must needs dispossess some person of the old family which could never be supposed to want some such relating to him in kindred as to be apparantly within the lowest borders of this natural Issue as he said before And if he did do so as David did to the family of Saul and have not the like Divine anointing and warrant as he had how shall Subjects be so guided in their distinction as not mistake and think every one a Usurper For if such an one be a Usurper then are Christian Kingdoms governed by a race of Usurpers Nay by Usurpers too if as he saith right be to be derived from the first beginner of a Race 44. And it is also to be noted that this derivation of right from first seisure as though his right were best even as Davids was better then any that followed doth contradict that fancy of prescription as meer fancy indeed wherein it is made worst or rather to have no worth at all but that the Successors do arrive at Lawfulness accordcording as by degrees they shall be removed from it 45. And to prove his meaning to be that Subjects may not upon any such Allegation rise or resist we shall finde him instancing in the case of Saul of whom he saith fol. 791. I verily think God in this first example of his first King over his own people hath purposely suffered them all to fall out and to be found in him even all that should fall out in any King after him to enforce their Position that so we might find them answered to our hands To touch them in Order they would easily have quarrelled at Sauls mis government Not at the first he then was a mild and a gracious Prince Never came there from any Princes mouth a more princely speech then the first speech he is recorded to have spoken Quid populo quod flet what ailes the people to complain A speech worthy everlasting memory so they complain not without cause But within a while he grew so stern and fierce as no man might speak to him Upon every light occasion nay upon no occasion at all his Javelin went straight to nail men to the wall not David onely but Jonathan his Son and Heir apparant and no cause why In the 13. Chapter it is said Saul had then been King a yeer and reigned two years in Israel yet it is well known his reign was fourty years Their own Writers resolve it thus how long soever he reigned he was a King but two years All the time after he was somewhat else or somewhat more then a King And they let not to tell what applying to Saul that of the Psalm Tyrants that have not God before their eyes seek after my soul And that Vnder thy wings shall