circle of the Subjects neerest to them It is a proofe of the Governement of their persons an Image of the ruling of their Estates If every house be a beginning and part of a citie and every beginning ought to bee referred to the owne end much more the Families of Princes which are not simplie parts but rather compends extracts of their Kingdomes People cannot alwayes see the person of their Kings but they may guesse at their disposition by the manners of their Court As is the Prince so is his Court because they seeke by his imitation to procure and keepe his favour and as the Court is so will the Countrie bee Such as his servants are such is hee counted For men can hardly thinke but they are such by his command or connivence or example If therefore they bee godly and righteous they win the hearts of people to the King But if they bee profaine and godlesse they procure his contempt This care ought not onely to be of his neerest Attendents but also of these whom he intrusteth with his affaires abroad If they minister Iustice defend the people exact no more than is due then the people ascryue all that goodnesse to the King commanding his Officers to handle his people tenderly But if they be violent and outragious the contrare followeth as if all that severity were commanded of the King A good king by doing good maketh his Subjects good is as eminet in example before them as in dignity aboue them The Roman Impyre had a great proofe of the force of their example both in their Court and people when in fiftie foure yeeres space it found fiue changes First DiocletiaÌ„ like his Predecessours was a Pagan Next Constantine turned himselfe the Impyre to Christianity 3. Constantius his sonne turned all Arrian 4. Iulian the Apostate went backe to Paganisme And fiftlie Iovinian following Constantines zeale brought them back againe to Christianitie So important is the example of Princes either in good or evill and so changeable are the people to follow them The Kings of Iudah were not vnâ—â—k Achaz an idolater Ezekiah a zealous worshipper of God Amon and Manasseh restorers of idolatrie Iosiah a destroyer of idolatrie c. And their Courts and Countries followed their steppes Constantius the father of Constantine tryed his Courteours wisely hee offered preferment to such as would worship Pagan gods and when some for feare and desire of honour did so others layed downe their honour rather than that they would quite Christ hâ—ereby hee saw the ground of his Courtiers hearts he degraded such as had forsaken Christ and said They would never bee true to him that were false to God but he honoured such as were readie to losse all for adhering to God he made them his Guard and Governours of his Kingdome saying That such men were to bee numbered as his speciall Friends and Familiars And Theodoricke the Goth an Arrian King had some like practise but with a more summar censure for when one of his Court willing to please him forsooke the faith of Christ and turned Arrian hee was so offended that hee killed him with his owne hand affirming that hee would not bee trusty to him that was a traytour to Christ. To close this point the fruite of Davids prayer is manifest in Solomons extraordinary wisedome and that both in speculation and practice For the first hee knew all mysteries and wrote of the nature of all things from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hysope on the wall Beside his heavenly Doctrine in his Song whereof none of all the wise men of the earth could so much as dreame in his moralities in the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes he passed them all Thogh they came long after him and had the benefite of his Writs by some two Greeke translations before the Septuagints yet they are no more to his wisedome than a aram of vnfined silver-vre to a talent of pure gold As for his practice his first tryall proved an excellent practicall gift It was a plea betwixt two Harlots both of them clamed the living Child no doubt with the like boldnes cursing execration the vsuall companions of passionat pleading Heere God offred a fit purpose to proue the truth of his promise to Solomon The question was not of civill things but naturall to finde out the mother of the living Childe and there was no witnesse but both parties alike peremptory in their alledgeance His wisedome leadeth him to find out the truth by naturall affection Hee layed this sure ground that the Mothers affection is tender and the bowels that bredde the Child would never agree to see him killed On the other part that the cruell affection agreeing to the division of the Childe was but a strange and stepmotherly affection On these grounds hee pronounceth That the living Babe shall bee cut in two It might seeme a cruell sentence to kill the Babe but some equitie in the just division but the truth was hee found the decision of the matter in the show of division and adiudged the living Babe to her who in a sparing affection choosed rather to want her Babe than the Babe should want his life Hee saw in the tender affection of the one the equity of her cause and in crueltie of the other the iniquity of her clame This was a proofe of deepe wisedome The people heard of it and were both glad of such a King because the wisedome of God was in him and yet feared him because they saw hee was such a one as could discover the secrets of their hearts and counter-mine their deeepest policies 3. The fruite of their Governement Of PEACE Vers. 3. The Mountaines shall bring foorth peace c. THis is the third thing he craveth the fruite of kinglie Governement in the blessing of peace whither we take the Mountaines hills figuratiuelie for the estate in generall or for the degrees of power in greater and lesser Princes c. all is to this end that Iustice well ministered brings peace to a Countrie for the mighty who are as mountaines when they shall see Iustice reigne in the King are stayed from oppressing the poore and become a shadow to them So Iustice is both the mother to bring foorth and a Nurce to foster peace Peace is the desired and sweete end of all blessings and prosperitie it selfe without it is but adversity All our labours are for Peace and Warres the wrake of mankind and brâ—ake of Peace are vndertaken tâ— purchase and keepe Peace And God the Authour of all hath contempered the variâ—tie and disâ—rds of creatures to bring them all to a purposed peace All men are of him he summeth them all vp in Governement and peace is the beautie of all This Peace may bee considered in foure sorts The first is Peace with God which commeth of a true Religion When men are led by the truth to belieue in God to repent their sinne and sinde remission in Christ that is the way to Gods Peace Being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God No faith iustifieth but the true Faith no Religion informeth
men in the true Faith but the true Religion As it leadeth vs in a sure way to peace in Christ so it leadeth vs to keepe that peace in sincere obedience In which respect when God getteth his due hee blesseth vs with his Kingdome within vs. For the Kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This is the peace that no Kingdome can haue but such as haue a true Religion they may haue a civill and politicke peace amongst themselues but none of this peace with God The second is a civill peace with man when every one keepeth his place and doeth his duetie as hee standeth bound the body is then in good plight when everie member is whole and exerciseth the functions in order So in a Kingdome when everie one in his calling doeth his duetie with a loving respect to other there is peace or if any bee not peaceablie disposed their broyling humour is hemmed in by Iustice that they trouble not the peace of their Neighbour This is a civill peace the health of the civill body and a comely beautie in it when everie one brooketh another in loue and worketh to others hands And thogh there were innumerable men in callings places offices c. Yet they seeme all to be but one man with one minde seeking the good of other and of the common bodie As in Musicall instruments sounds are diverse and contrair high low c. and yet make a sweete harmonie so in a Kingdome are diverse estats rich and poore c. Yet they haue an harmonie and concord and that concord is peace That rule is generall for all things Let no man seeke his owne but everie one anothers good The third is a particular peace of our Lotte when every mā brooketh his lot peaceably without oppressiō either violent or coloured by Law This is as the life of our lot whē our right and possession haue a peaceable vse following and every man may eate vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figge-tree It is the verie lotte of our lotte and a pleasant sawce to sweeten our vse a sort of fruition of our Lot the fruite of that fruition a way to Contentment and the verie prosperitie of prosperitie The fourt may bee called a Kinglie peace when people are in loue and peace with their King They are his bodie and hee their Head vnder whose shaddow they haue these peaces The vse and enjoying of them will reflect vpon him as a procurer and maintainer None can finde comfort of a true Religion in libertie and peace but hee must loue and pray for him vnder whose governement hee hath that great blessing None can looke on that publicke peace the health and beautie of the civill bodie but he must loue and honour that Head from whom the influence of the publick peace floweth And none can enioy the private peace of his Lot lying downe rising in peace but he will loue the preserver of it Yea that peace that floweth from supreme Iustice is a natiue and kinde Daughter and so iust as to make vs honour him who ministreth Iustice for the procuring of peace All these are strong bands to ty the hearts of good people to such Princes by whose governement God blesseth them with so inestimable blessings This order is in the Angels Song Glorie to God in heaven peace on earth and towards men goodwill When man giveth God his glorie worshipping him in Spirit and truth then God giveth Peace to man beeing reconciled to him in Christ and the ground of both is Gods good will towards man whereby hee elected him in Iesus Christ that good will sendeth downe true Religion to man to direct him in the obedience of Gods revealed will These are the fruites of Iustice in their severall branches The first is Gods peace in our minde The second is mans peace in the civill body The third is Peace of our Lotte And the fourt is a peace with the Head of the common bodie The first appeaseth the terrours of our Conscience The second stayeth sactions and divisions amongst Subjects The third privat oppression And the fourth Rebellion against Princes And all of them are our ends in their severall kinds when God dwelleth in vs and maketh vs enioy him in his peace then hee maketh vs brooke one another and our selues in him Where Iustice is not these fruites of peace cannot bee found Where God getteth not his due honour in a true Religion there can bee no peace with him but hee sendeth warre or other calamities to trouble their peace and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant As long as Israel worshipped him a right matters went well with them but when they fell to idolatry he raised vp bordering nations to punish them In like manner hee can punish iniustice among people Lawfull Governement ministreth Iustice and Iustice bringeth peace so want of Iustice bringeth confusion and confusion breedeth discord Heerevpon also commeth the losse of particular Peace when by tumults no man can securely possesse his goods his blood or life Where violence rageth there reason is not heard and the Lawes are silent more where Armes doe speake Iustice well administrate is a great preservation to a Land It purgeth it from sin committed by punishing the sinner keepeth many from sin that they would otherwise commit and so holdeth off Gods anger and procurreth his blessing But neglect of Iustice is crueltie and not clemencie or rather a cruell mercie it fostereth sinne and hasteneth Gods wrath when grievous sins are committed they defyle the Land and the Land defyled can not be expiate but by the punishment of the malefactor What shall God doe but powre out his plagues and mak the Land spew out her Inhabitants where sinners will not repent and the Magistrate will not punish These two then Iustice and peace goe in others hands in a well governed Kingdome Iustice without Peace is a fruitelesse severitie and peace without Iustice is a conspiracie against God Iustice is Gods arrestment layed vpon mans corruption and peace is the quietnesse that followeth that arrest Both the necessitie and difficultie to keepe peace are as great as to purchase it for peace bringeth wealth and wealth because of our wickednesse bringeth insolencie and insolencie bringeth violence so that the daughter Peace would devoure iustice her mother except Iustice did her second service to keepe men from violence Her first service is to giue every man his due and her second is to secure him in it Peace of her selfe is a thankfull daughter to her Mother Iustice but our corruption that abuseth all can abuse her also and Ieshurun waxing fatte will kicke against his
of horses on their head or wombe pressing out their Braines and Bowels are the vsuall comforte that fallen men can sinde Their death is violent in rage at their enemies and without comfort in soule or bodie from their friends A Romane Souldier spoyling his slaine enemie found that hee was his Brother and killed himselfe for griefe And what is all warre-fare but a killing of our Brethren Warres then are the last of all remeeds A wise Physitian goeth not at the first to cutting and burning but after all other cures haue failed So a wise Prince goeth not to warre till all peaceable treatings faile It is not vndertaken for it selfe but for peace and some in a tolerable peace haue made warre for a better peace As a man evill cured of a broken legge will breake it againe to haue it better cured This is the taske of a good King in peace to bee furnished for warre and in warre to aime at peace and if he must haue warres abroad to keepe loue and peace at home with his Subiects and amongst themselues True Religion in puritie peace the greatest care of Kings Subjects OF all that is spoken a generall duetie riseth both for Princes and people that if they would haue all these former blessings they striue carnestlie to maintaine a true Religion So Theodosius on his death-bed exhorted his Sonnes aboue all things to maintaine the true Faith And Iustine told the like to Tiberius his Successor It directeth Kings to bee Kings according to Gods heart and people to obey as the Lords people It tempereth authoritie in Princes and sweetneth Subiection to people The great power of Princes that might turne in tyrannie is made profitable for people the naturall antipathy that is in some people is mitigate and so Princes rule meekelie and people obey willinglie Thereby Kings are taught the forme of Governement from God who disposeth all things sweetely and powerfully and people submitteth themselues to his ordinance as to the will of their Father Kings see great meekenesse ioyned with great power in Christ who beeing the Lord of all made himselfe a servant to all and people see in him a willing subiection to Ioseph and Marie in the course of his education And both of them respect other not onelie as men but as Christians the Brethren of Christ and partakers of that same grace and glorie in Heaven Out will by nature is captivate to sinne and the fountaine of disobedience but beeing made free by grace it sweetelie inclineth that way that God directeth it God dwelleth in Kingdomes where true Religion is harboured by grace giveth an higher qualification to men as it maketh them true Christians in their Persons so their actions and offices are good service to God when they are done at his command and respect to his glorie Impyres haue their beginning growth hight and fall But they fall not as they rise They rise by small degrees but fall at once as by a precipice Belthazar in one night lost his life and his Kingdome and the Persian Monarchie fell to Alexander in one day But there is nothing more forcible to make a Kingdome immortall than Religion truelie practised thereby God dwelleth in a Land as their glorie and their Shield Kingdomes without true Religion are not so the old Monarchies of Assyria Greece c. and Republickes as Rome Sparta c are but bad paternes of Governement they went no further than Nature because they had none other guide And neither knew God in Christ nor sanctification by grace They had indeede a right to secure them from the chalenge of man but in the vse of it were almost as farre behind Christian Kingdomes as flock of Beastes are behind Pagan societies The Heathâ—n saw this farre that Religion is most necessar for Estate And some of them gloried that the Romanes came to their Monarchie not so much by power and craft as by their Religion But what they spake of their superstition we apply it to the truth for it is Religion and the feare of God that keepeth the Societies of men in order without which the life of man would bee filled with foolishnesse wickednesse and cruelâ—ie As true Religion bindeth Princes people together so doth it Kingdome with Kingdome The pride of Conquerours falleth not in a godly Prince all the foure Monarchies were founded by Pagans wheÌ„ the Roman Emperors turned Christian they left their conquering humour though they had power to conquer more Christ the Prince of Peace maketh such Kings as hee ruleth peaceable his Gospel is a Law of peace and his grace maketh men as Lambes to do as they would be done to â—hogh the beasts in the Ark keeped their naturall fiercenes vet God suspended it during their byding there and the Lyon the Lambe liued peaceablie together Nature and superstition bidde men vse their sword to conquer and destroy but the grace of Christ maketh them turne their Swords in Syths and their Speares in Mattockes Pagans and Mahumetans warre against other and both of them against Christians and amongst Christians the conquering humour is not in Protestant Princes but in Papists because their superstition mortifies not their corruption but giveth it full libertie Since the Catholike Kings became Iesuited as well in policie as in Religion they are the oppressours of Europe but when they turne to the truth they will lay downe that invading and encroaching humour and content them to rule their owne Subjects in peace But since poperie directeth them to oppresse other and for that end hath set vp the negociating and statizing order of the Iesuits it is not the Religion of the Lambe but the crueltiâ— of the Dragon France Austria Spaine haue their owne iealousies and encroachings on other and will keepe them so long as they are Popish But when they become reformed in the true Religion they will accord among themselues So true Religion is a bond of peace and maketh Kingdomes in the world like houses in a Citie who delight in a neighbourlie concord By all meanes therefore Princes and people would maintaine the true Religion and that without any mixture or libertie to professe a false Religion There is but one God and one true Religion expressed in Scripture and all false Religions and their mixtures with the Truth offend him Hee forbad Israel to till the ground with diverse sorts of Beasts or to sow it with diverse seedes or to make garments of linnen and wollen together and that not so much for these things in themselues as to tell that hee abhorred all mixture in Religion Therefore Constantine spake like himselfe I haue thought that most of all to bee proponed by mee that in the multitude of the holy Catholicke Church one Faith and sincere Charitie should bee keeped Politicks call this mixture an Accommodation or Toleration the Cassandrians call it a mitigation or condescending and
bee null and of no effect In like manner hee promised often to the Duke of Saxon and by him to other protestant Princes and Provinces that hee would not crosse them in their Religon and liberties Likewise the Duke of Baveere and Princes of the popish League did sweare to disband their Armies not to invade any Protestants Land and to leaue the questions of Boheme to their owne hazard Let GOD and the world judge how they haue keeped these oaths When they feared a revolt they sent out declarations and Edicts for libertie of Religion but when they prevaile in warres they turne to their oppression When the Pope seeth his owne vantage hee absolveth them from these oaths They keepe their owne maxime non est servanda sides Haereticis that faith should not be keeped to Heretickes which is as false in the These because wee ought to keepe our promise to all as in the hypothese calling Protestants Heretickes And though Gretzer and Becane would glose the matter yet their exceptions are such as make their oaths but roapes of sand For beside the case of feare or violence whereby they proue the weaknesse of these oaths they referre the tryail of the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse to the Pope which is in effect to make oaths no oaths at all Thirdlie their Oppression is manifolde When they had taken in Boheme and the Palatinate they oppressed all other Countries and Provinces which had none entresse in the quarrell of Boheme as Pomer Mekelburge Brandeburge c. First they vrged them to inquarier Souldiers if they received them they were subdued If they refused it was a quarrell to take them by force Secondlie other Provinces and Cities which wanted Garisons were exhaust with great contributions as Hassen Wirtenberge Norinberge c. And these contributions were to maintaine Armies for oppressing the Impyre vnder colour of its defence Thirdlie when force and povertie had subdued all they invented a new quarrell of the restitution of Ecclesiasticke goods that they might finde a colour of plea against some Protestants who assisted them Fourthlie when this had a course they devised a new Commission at Regenspurg to punish all these as traitors to the Impyre who assisted the King of Denmarke Duke of Brunswicke or Count Mansfield so there was no Protestant whither hee was their enemie or friend or neutrall but they devised a quarrell to oppresse him A Lutheran and Calvenist was alike to them and their owne distinction sicut Catholicus sic Lutheranus was forgotten And turned to sicut Calvinianus sic Lutheranus for when they had first driven out the Calvinians they banished the Lutherians also Fifthlie when all these quarrels were fished they lacked a specious colour against the Duke of Saxe whom they had long gulled Therefore they tooke occasion of it for the meeting of Leipswicke wherein the Protestants had conveened to helpe their desperate case and prevent their finall ruine The Emperour made that a new quarrell and Count Tillie commanded the Duke to renounce the conclusions of Leipswicke otherwise they would handle him as an enemie Of all protestant Princes his Lands onelie lay in integritie and they reserved them as the last fat moâ—sell to their Armies Thus they fished quarrels against all Protestants as the Wolfe drinking aboue the Lambe in that same strand troubled the water and yet accused the Lambe and ranne vpon it So the Papists troubled the Fountaine of the sacred and common peace in cancelling Lawes and breaking oaths and yet accused the Protestants of the breach of Peace They made both their innocencie and blamelesse though necessar defence to bee treasonable When Austria had increased her Monarchie than Poperie followed The one was a Coach to carie the other and they oppressed men both in Soule and bodie They denyed them any Church benefite Baptisme Marriage c. except they went to Masse And where pacifications had provided Protestants to some places of credit Magistracie or Iudicatories so soone as they died their places were filled with Papists They banished them with this clause That it should never bee leasome for them to returne And not content to persecute them in their life they denyed them buriall after death except in their sicknesse they had confessed and taken extreme Unction They haue followed Machiavell in their matchlesse crueltie And let Palswach Brandeburge and Magdeburge stand to the posteritie as the proofe of it They destroyed young and old and Matrons with their Doughters cast themselues in the Rivers to eschew their villanies Eusebius hath the like of a Matron in Antioch with her two Virgine daughters in Diocletians persecution And as S. Austine coÌ„paring the crueltie of Sylla with the Goaths said That the Goths were more mercifull to Rome than Sylla who was a Romane So I may say that the Turkes are more humane to Christians than Papists are And though heerein they equalled Diocletian in crueltie and exceed the Turkes yet they glorie in it and Tillie proponed it to Leipsich that vnlesse speedilie they rendered the Towne he would doe to them as he had done to Magdeburge But God within two dayes tooke order with him for that bloodie insulting Thus they wrought a pittifull deformation in all places Preachers with the Gospel thrust out and Priests with their Masse brought in Men compelled either to goe to the Masse or to sell their goods and leaue their Countrie And if they remained they were forced to take this following Oath I poore sinner doe confesse before God and all Saints before the Priests and Pastours of Soules standing in the place of God that I haue all my life long gone astray in a cursed execrable and hereticall Religion And in the Supper of that Religion I receiue nothing but plaine Bakers bread and plaine Wine in a Cup. I doe also beleeue that all my Ancestors and all others that believed in that Religion and Faith are damned and perish for ever VVherefore I promise before God and the Virgine Marie his Mother and before the Priests and Pastours of Soules beeing in the place of God that I will never adhere nor cleaue to the cursed and hereticall Religon So God mee saue This is Antichristian crueltie vrging poore people to deny the trueth damne themselues and condemne their Predecessours The world never saw a more deepelie contrived Policie or a more cruellie executed plot And doubtlesse by this crueltie Austria will lose the hearts of Germanie And when God sendeth the Germans a deliverer hee shall find their hearts as Luther confessed by his owne experience That the people gladlie imbraced him because they had beene oppressed with the Popes tyrannie And Carolus Miltitius Legat to Leo the tenth confessed that in trying the Germane disposition hee found three inclining to Luther for one adhering to the Pope So did Cardinall Polus They are confident for obtaining their end and that both in respect of themselues and vs.
his Secretarie Thou art not ignorant how much vantage that Fable of Christ brought to vs. But such politicke abuse of Religion moues God to cast downe these Thrones which they seeke so to establish Never sinne was either more severlie or iustlie punished than this when God the chiefe end and Religion the onelie way to that end are turned in base meanes to bad purposes Secondlie some Kings haue superstitiouslie taken too much on them in things merelie spirituall Uzzah would doe the Priests part in burning Incense and Constantius tooke vpon him to moderate a Councell alone in favour of the Arrians and preiudice of the Orthodoxes And Sigis mund would play the Deacon at Constance in assisting the Masse and that as appeares more because that dayes Lecture began Exijt edictum a Caesare then for any loue of the worke or possiblie because hee was bound to that service as beeing a Chanon in S. Peters Church or the Laterane for the Pope imposeth these Tittles on Emperours as an homage for holding the Empyre of him But God shewed his anger against these preposterous courses Uzzah was smitten with bodilie Leprosie Constantius found confusions in the Impyre and Iulian to vsurpe on him for hee was an enemie to Christ and a more cruell persecuter than Nero or Decius as Hilarie calls him And Sigismund had a worse â—eprosie when hee gaue way to burne Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage Thirdlie some Princes haue either with Gallio neglected Religion as a light matter and impertinent to them Or like Herod held Christ out of their Kingdomes as though his Throne and theirs could not stand together This was a maine motiue of the persecution by pagane Princes They thought that Christian Religion would â—verthrow their Kingdomes But Herod needed not feare Christs comming for hee who giues heavenlie Kingdomes will not tak earthlie kingdomes from him But besyde the neglect of their owne Salvation they looke not wisely to their worldlie standing It is never better with Kings than when Christ freelie reignes in their Kingdomes and there is no such proppe to their Thrones as his Scepter True Religion in a Land is more forcible to hold people in obedience to Princes than many thousand Souldiours in Garrisons Everie heart that hath the grace of Christ is a loyall heart to authoritie Everie Parish where God is truelie worshipped is a Garrison and great Cities planted with faithfull Pastors are as Citadells for the securitie of Princes Obedience goeth vnder one name yet it hath manie branches it beginneth at God who is both the first Obiect and the fountaine of Dueties Wee ought to respect him before all and that for himselfe But wee respect other things for him and in him as he hath ranked them in the order of his commands or the degrees of place or goodnesse If therefore wee feare the Lord wee are thereby prepared enabled to doe a duetie to man Our Faith Loue and other religious bonds to GOD are so farre from defrauding Superiours of their due or disabling vs from doing of it that on the contrare they gette more respect because wee loue God and wee are both the abler and readier to doe so to them Our heartie Obedience to God giues a life and chearefulnesse to our obedience to man Godlinesse and righteousnesse are the summe of both Tables the twin-fruites of one Faith and the workes of that same Spirit The more godlie the more plyable to righteousnesse to man and the more righteous the more sincere in godlinesse the Soule that loues God truelie will also respect man duetifullie in the Lord. This is manifest in Europe so long as Princes were popish suffred their people to lye in poperie they were never sure of their peoples hearts They had no care to bind them to God by a true Religion therefore God suffred them easilie to be loosed froÌ„ them Everie roaring of the Pope from the Capitol in excommunication made people rebell against their Princes But since the truth of the Gospel shines amongst them they are not so soone moved It bindeth them to God and their Princes in God and maketh them contemne these thunders of Rome as wisemen doe that fatuous wylde fire that hath a colour of fire without burning The Popes excommunications were fearefull in the darkenesse of popish ignorance but now in the night of the Gospel wise people doe scoffe at them iustlie After Hildebrands time Princes were pittifullie abused bot since Luther arose Popes haue learned more modesty in their Censures and Princes haue found more respect of people Such as harboured the Gospel in their Land are free of that abuse and even they who adhere to the Pope are obliged to the revealed Truth that they are not so oft beaten by Excommunications as of olde And people haue their owne blessing by the true Religion that thereby they are taught more chearefullie to obey Princes So great a blessing is the Truth both to Princes and people Wee may close this verse with this Lesson That the gift of Kinglie Governement is not infalliblie annexed to Crownes but the gift of God to Kings So Christ Iesus telleth vs By mee Kings reigne and Princes decree Iustice By mee Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the earth Their Spirits makes them capable of royall giftes and when he giues Kings in mercie he ever giues that gift This is more thaÌ„ either their Birth in Succession or peoples consent in their Election can giue them And it is a maine difference betwixt Gods calling and mans Mans calling can do more but fill the place with the man applie such a persoÌ„ to such a Station But Gods calling sits the man for the place And maketh the person meete for his Station His providence putteth them in it his liberality furnisheth such gifts as the place craveth to iustifie his providence Mans calling giveth an outward warrand to the wrok but Gods calling giveth the sufficiency and abilitie to doe the work that with a conscience of his Calling and furniture This was a ground for David to aske this gift for Solomon Hee knew it was Gods will to set him vpon the Throne and therefore hee suteth of God who had appointed him that Station the answerable gifts for it Hee saw that same Throne without these gifts in the person of Saul but found them in himselfe and craved the like to his Sonne It is therefore a great folie in Popes to tye Apostolick gifts to their triple Crowne or pretended Apostolike Chaire These things come of a free dispensation not of the merite of any place If we taâ— it for a materiall Chaire all is vncertaine for they know not whither it bee the Chaire of his installing or the other of his repose or the third for proving his sex which now hath no vse since their Children end that question If wee take it for a mysticall
Atheists call it a libertie of conscience which is nothing but a passe-port to runne to hell For what a worse death is there to the Soule than the libertie of errour But God calleth it An halting betwixt God and Baal and grosse Atheisme in the want of Gods feare The people that were sent to dwell in Samaria worshipped the Lord and the gods of their owne Nations they thought themselues sure in that pluralitie of gods and libertie of worshippe but the Scripture saith They feared not God at all The Papists fall in that same sinne they haue multiplied gods with the true One. Beside God they haue their gods and goddesses and they honour their cannonized Saincts as the Pagans did their Apotheosedmen and their Pope vsed it more eminently in calling the blessed Virgine a goddesse when he is suteing timber to build her Church at Loretto But their patrone granteth that these names savour of Paganisme and desireth them to bee a mended in his Bookes and as for the worship given to them another granteth that hee saw no difference betwixt their opinion of the Saincts and that that the Gentiles held of their gods Varro boasteth that he appointed to the gods their offices sacrifices what else are the Rituals ceremonials of the Papists but that same busines vnder other names The Kings of Egypt granted libertie of Religions to their people and that in a fleshlie policie that while everie faction courted them for favour they might keepe all factions obnoâ—ious to them And Iulian at his entrie gaue the like libertie to Iewes Gentiles and Christians with the same spirit he rendred the Churchs to damned Hereticks and opened the Temples to devils Many Christian Princes haue a slayed reconciliation of Religions but God never blessed that worke in their hand Constantius made his Typus Heraclius his Ecthesis Zeno his Henoticon and Charles the fift his Interim but all of them kindled the fire more than quenched it They found the truth of the olde proverbe Isthmum perfodere to digge through the Isthme which was spoken of workes neither lawfull to attempt nor possible to doe And though some proud kings therby assayed to correct Gods creation in ioyning Seas which he had distinguished yet they wer omâ—nouslie forced to desist So others haue laboured to reconcile the true and false Religion which hee hath made irreconcilable but their labour to this houre was ever in vaine It seemeth but a small matter for condescending to cast one letter in the midst of a word and turne homoousios in homoiousios that is the same-substance in the like-substance yet that one Letter overthrâ—w the Article of the Divinitie of Christ. And when Basile in the end of a prayer said in the holie Spirit for with the holy Spirit great offence was taken by the people therefore hee advised Amphilochius to examine not onelie words but syllabs and letters in Divinitie So hard it is to worke a condescending even by the smallest alteration Some reformed Churches haue found woefull fruites of such libertie and hee proues now a true Prophet who said That libertie of prophecying in Preachers and of professing in people would shake Religion in Holland They began modestlie with some fiue disputable points as the small end of the wedge to make way for grosser heresies And if God had not put in the heart of K. Iames to devise and Prince Maurice to effect their curbing by the Councell of Dort their heresies ere now had overflowed that Land But God hath justified that prudent foresight of K. Iames since they haue declared what theÌ„ they denyed They haue taken Socinus by the hand whom I may call as one did Origen hydriam omnium haereseων a masse or surviving monster of all heresies And to mitigate the horrour of these opinions they are pleading for favour to the Socinians as men that either erre not or if they doe they are excusable and not to be censured because forsooth their errours touch not the foundation They layed the seeds of these Apologies covertly long since but now they are discovering to the world that their grounds are the overthrow of the grounds of Religion Their rule is to preach and professe what they please without censure Mans originall miserie in originall sinne they call with Pelagius figmentum Augustini or Augustins dreame and the efficacious working of the holy Spirite applying grace to vs they call figmenta Calvini Calvins dreames In the matter of free-will they follow the Pagans as it is pleaded by Cicero Hee was so hote in that cause that not beeing able to conceiue how Gods Prescience and mans Free-will could stand together for maintaining of Free will hee denyed both Gods Prescience and Divination And rather then these two should stand hee denyed a Deitie His arguments taken from Lawes Rewards Prayers and Exhortations c. to proue the absolutenesse of Free-will Pelagius hath borrowed from him Socinus from Pelagius and they from Socinus So in end vnder colour of Trueth according to godlinesse they come to the naturall Religion of Pagans the common Rendevous of all defections from the Truth Thus after long gadding they proue that Socinus is transformed in them as Ierome said That Basilides was transformed in Ioviâ—ian and that both in sense and style For they affirme that they teach otherwise than heeretofore was beleeved So said hee before them that his opinions of Christ were hid from others and that the true meaning was not knowne of all the Interpreters that are extant And againe our opinion is vnheard not onelie in our time but also in many Ages before And more fullie with disdaine of the Fathers Wee ingenuously confesse that our sentence of Christs Nature and Essence is contrair to all interpreters of Scripture who are come to our time Moreover hee professeth the noveltie of it in his Vncle who first proponed the opinion which hee imbraceth of Iesus Christ and telleth vs the way how hee got it was by Revelation This is like his friend Puccius who affirmed that his opinion of vniversall salvation was revealed to him by God This plat-forme of his divinity is for Epicures and that not farre from Origens mercie to pleade for Sathan Annihilation if not Salvation What grace could this plat-former of Religion haue who refused to bee baptized and when a zealous Preacher challenged him for that hee was not baptized nor would not bee baptized hee answered like a novelling opiniator That what hee thought of Baptisme hee would leaue it to his owne thoughts Sureâ—t is that one who refuseth to be initiate in Christ by sacred Baptisme is not a fitte instrument to reforme Christian Religion After this same manner spake the olde Arrians of whoÌ„ Lyrinensis sayeth That they overthrew well grounded Antiquitie by wicked noveltie and that the ordinances of the Ancient were violate
did for Pharaohs Daughter That she may forget her People and her Fathers house and that as God hath begun to make her a fruitefull Mother in Israel so hee would increase that fruitfulnesse and make her proue new-borne in Israel And with this bond of the fruite of her wombe that tyeth her to the King and this I land to tye her heart also to the Trueth professed amongst vs. To pray for our Prince That the matter of our Ioy in him may be constant That God with the increase of his Dayes would increase his Gifts and Graces and enable him for the Place hee hath appointed him that when his Father is full of good Dayes hee may succeede him in all these forenamed blessings as well as in these Thrones That so there never faile a Man of that Line to sit on the Throne of these Kingdomes That as Mankynd is increased by his Birth so the number of the Faithfull may bee increased by his new Birth in the â—awer of Regeneration And as God hath made him a Sonne of our Desires so hee would make him a Sonne of Delight to vs and the Posteritie by growing in favour with God and Man To pray for our Selues That wee may know the Tyme of our Visitation and the things that concerne our Peace and proue thankfull to God for his great Mercies Wee are like Ierusalem in the Happinesse of our Tyme and as like her in not knowing of it Wee are like that Figge Tree which was long spared and if wee bee vnfruitefull still wee are neere to a curse Wee are that Vineyard that was well dressed but if wee bring not our better fruits wee shall bee destroyed For all Estates of this Land from the greatest to the smallest doe meete Gods mercie with ingratitude and rebellioun God hath beene passing through the reformed Churches these yeares by gone with a fearefull yet a iust visitation Wee are as guiltie as they and yet God in a forebearing mercie is waiting if wee will repent If wee turne not to him vnfainedly let vs resolue that the dregges of this Cup are reserved for vs onely let vs take heede and keepe our Soule diligently lest we forget the things which our Eyes haue seene and lest they depart from our Hearts all the dayes of our life But let vs not thinke that our present businesse in this Church is sufficient wee must heereafter walke in a new obedience to God who ladeth vs dayly with blessings This is our best thanksgiving and a most forcible Prayer to obtaine new blessings vpon the blessings receaved and with all it is a Seale that Gods Mercies are given vs in Mercy If our Thanksgiving be a constant walking worthie of Gods blessings then he will delyte to dwell amongst vs and blesse vs more than shall we still be a matter of ioyfull wondring to the World and of comfort to our selues when the blessings of the Scepter of Christ and of the well sweyed Scepters of our Princes are visible amongst vs in Religion Iustice and Peace The Lord who hath blessed vs with this ioyfull Occasion and brought vs together in this house to testifie our ioy before Man and Angels put this Day amongst these white and ioyfull Dayes that are marked with rare blessings and make it a period and beginning of a ioyfull reckoning of yeares to come The Lord make vs constant in thankfulnesse that his goodnesse may continue with vs That the end of all his blessings may bee his Glorie in the Salvation of our Princes and of our selues through Iesus Christ our Lord. To this God Father Sonne and holy Ghost King of Kings and Lord of Lords bee praise honour and glorie now and for evermore AMEN FINIS A LOOKING GLASSE For PRINCES and POPES OR A Vindication of the sacred Authoritie of PRINCES from the Antichristian vsurpation of the Popes By the same Authour M. William Struther August Civit. lib. 4. cap. 7. Ipsi attendant speculum suum Bernard Consid. Lib. 4. Ipsi sint speculum ipsi forma Idem Lib. 2. Admove speculum faedus se in eo vultus agnoscat EDINBVRGH Printeed by the Heires of Andro Hart. 1632. The Preface of the Uindication REligion is the sacred Bond betweene God and vs And the certaintie of the Trueth professed maketh it stronger In this litigious age Contentions haue almost buried the Trueth And the inconsiderate Reader of Controversies shall neither finde Papists in their diverse and contradictorie opinions nor himselfe The best resolution for that certaintie next to Scripture is not so much by the theoricke of controversies as the practicke of Now-Romes pertinancie Therefore it shall be a price worth our labour to consider Rome as now it standeth and the graduall shifts whereby shee hath driven her selfe to it Her present estate is a judiciall hardnesse In that most obstinate pertinacie as Saint Austine calleth it that maketh men defend errour for trueth and pursue trueth for errour And all their businesse in wryting disputing c. is that made presumption as Patianus sayeth whereby they seeke only the victorie in any cause And like the olde Pagans they choose rather to obtrude their owne errours impudently than patiently to heare our Trueth as Cyprian said to Demetrian Potius tua impudenter ingerere quà m nostra patienter audire As Copernicus in Astronomie and Paracelsus in Physicke loathing olde Trueths layed their new Hypotheses and threw all things by the haire to countenance them so doe they in their new broached heresies And like Photinus c seeke not to show a reason of their doctrine to their hearers but draw things that are simply spoken to the colouring of their errour as Ruffinus speaketh of him Ut simpliciter ac sideliter dicta ad argumentum sui dogmatis traheret The first Ages delighted to comment Scripture But when Lombard gathered his sentences their itching ingines loathed Scripture and commented Lombard And when Thomas the floure of the Schoole had diggested his summes they were made the Text for commenting and reading in Schooles And the Canons of Trent are more holy than all not to bee commented least Trueth breake out amongst their hands but to bee believed and adored as Oracles So they stand now in the pertinacious defence of the Antichristian Faith canonized in Trent This is the present estate of the Romish Church wherevnto shee hath drawne her selfe by seven necessarie but miserable shiftings First at their great challenge by Luther they began with Scripture Though Caietan lurked in the bushes of Schoole-divinitie and Prierias worbled in his Cases yet Eccius and others appealed to Scripture But when they had assayed they found it hurtfull I herefore they cast it away with contempt calling it a nose of waxe a leaden sword c. like the olde Hereticks who as Irenie b sayeth turned to the accusation of Scripture when they were convinced by Scripture Cum à Scripturis
And Hilarius against Constantius what ever is with thee beside that one faith it is perfidie and not faith They know the force of this prescription and for eschewing of it maintaine both a current or ambulatorie faith and an vnbounded power in their Church to expone Scripture according to time and their Mitigators helpe them in this straite with their new Maxime that haeresis non est in excessu sed defectu that haeresie is not in excesse but defect as though it were not an heresie to haue mo Gods but to deny the true God Or as though it were no deformitie to a mans body to haue three or foure hands but only to want one By this rule of prescription wee finde their Vsurpation to be a Novaltie and that both negatiuely and positiuely Negatiuely because it was not so from the beginning for a thousand yeares as shall bee seene in this induction First not before Christ for then the high Priest though a Type of Christ and bearing the Vrim and Thummum was subiect to their Kings Secondly not in Christs tyme for hee vsed no such temporall power as they themselues confesse In his Mothers wombe he subâ—ected himselfe to the Emperours edict and went to Bethleem and in that one Act fulfilled both his Fathers prophesie to bee borne in Bethleem and obeyed the Emperours Edict in going to his Familie to bee taxed After his birth he yeelded to Herods cruelty who sought to kill him and fled to Egypt whereas hee might haue destroyed Herod if hee pleased Hee was subiect to his suposed Father and commanded to giue to Caesar the things of Caesars and payed tribute to himselfe Thirdlie not by his Disciples for they followed his example and command Paul commandeth everie soule to bee subiect to superiour powers Put them in minde to bee subiect to principalities and powers And appealed to Nero though hee was a tyrant And Peter from whom they fetch all this power commands vs to bee subiect to authoritie for the Lords sake whither it bee to Kings as supreme And all of them submitted themselues to Princes they neither inveyed against them neither stirred vp people to rebell but patientlie suffered Martyrdome Fourthlie not the Primitiue Church though we take it for the first Ages They followed Christ and his Apostles in doctrine and practice They suffered persecution and did neither practise against their persons nor their estates So Tertulian Christians were never found Albinans nor Nigrians or Cassians c. A Christian is enemie to no man farrelesse to the Emperour whom knowing to bee appointed of God it is necessar that hee loue reverence and honour him c. And againe wee incall the eternall the true and living God for the saftie of Emperours And thus these Fathers did both to approue themselues to God to cleare the Christian Religion from the calumnies of Pagans who charged it with sedition and rebellion But these godly Fathers let them see that Christ commanded his people subjection and obedience to authoritie And so a zealous Papist remarketh that from the death of Christ to Diocletian for the space of three hundreth years albeit the Christians suffred innumerable and cruel torments so that twentie thousand were killed at once and some times whole cities destroyed yet it is no where red that Christians albeit equall in number and power did attempt any thing against the Lawes or the Magistrate or his Security or any wayes rebelled by this argument shew that their Religion should bee embraced And that they were called Christians from him whose holy precept was this to obey the Magistrate And Tertullian long before him Wee are forbidden to wish ill doe ill speake ill to thinke ill of any that which wee may not doe against any farre lesse may wee doe against him to wit the Emperour who is so great by Gods ordinance Fiftlie Not the Fathers of the following Ages who though they vsed popular comparisons of the Pastorall and princelie calling that the Pastorall excelled the other as far as the Soule did the Bodie Gold did Lead and the Heaven did Earth Yet they never dreamed of the Popes abuse of their comparisons But in their practice how ever the Trueth held in the callings Nazianzene Chrysostome and Ambrose were most obedient to Princes Ambrose alone will serue in the two great instances of censuring the Emperour and answering his vnjust command For the first hee abstained Theodosius rather than excommunicate him For the second hee refused to render the Churches of God to the Arians In the first hee did not depose Theodosius or absolue people from his obedience as Popes doe In the second hee did not fight but pray and request Lastlie Not the Popes of the first Ages for they all gaue odedience as Bellarmine confesseth When the Emperours were Heathen the Pope was not their Iudge but contrariewise subiect to them in al civill causes no les than other men And after that Emperours were Christians the Popes gaue them that same respect As Leo the â— zealous enough for greatnesse writing to the Emprâ—s Pulcheria I intreate thee that thou wouldst daigne to present our Supplication to the most clement Emperour And againe to Eudoxia I haue most humblâ—e supplicate And to Martianus d By all meanes wee ought to obey your Pietie And he praiseth his zeale for the Christian Faith and that hee found a princelie affection in a most Christian Prince Hee craveth also the gathering of the Chalcedon Councell and that hee would compell a Bishop to returne to the profession of his faith e And that hee would vse his power in matters of Religion In like manner to Leo the Emperour I received the Letters of your Clemencie which I am willing to obey And acknowledge in a word that per vos in totius Ecclesiae salutem operatur Spiritus Sanctus That by you the holy Spirit worketh for the saftie of the whole Church And Gregorie the first to Mauritus Most glorious Lord so far as concerneth mee I giue obedience to your commandements And speaking of the Longobards who were but vsurpers If I would haue revenged my selfe by the slaughter of men the Longobards this day had not beene extant I must say to usurping Popes as Erasmus did to the Sophists of his ti ne concerning Ieromes graue censure of such who spiced and powdred divinitie with Philosophie Either they read not these things or else preferre their owne opinion vnto Ieromes So say I that the later Popes either read not these speeches of the olde Popes or else prefer their judgement to theirs Why then haue the later Popes departed from the example of the former and better times and of their own predecessours They can giue none other reason but to acknowledge their Donatisme or Anabaptisme Therefore as their Canon Law spake of the Eucharist old golden priests did minister in treene
They would reallie be Kings and therefore pleased Kinges in making them titular and imaginarie Saincts But it is no Divinitie that is subiect to men and that mutuall protection is ridiculous when gods keepe living men and men keepe the statues of dead gods So they know nothing about Kings but the two extermities of Excommuication or Canonization If Kings serue them baselie they shall bee deified by canonizing If not they shall bee damned to hell But there is no truth in any of these and both of them argue an Antichristian presumption in Popes They vsurpe over Kings in casting them downe and setting them vp at their pleasure and over God himselfe in making gods and thrusting them on him as intercessours I close this point with Cicero wondering at Romulus Apot heosing For though times of ignorance made men gods yet it was wonderfull in the midst of learning men were so exalted but hee satisfieth himselfe in that none but Rome counted Romulus a god and that when shee was little and bâ—ginuing So it was no wonder in the middle Ages of darknesse to see Rome canonize men but now in so great a light of the Gospel and in the Contest with Rome for her Idolatrie to see her multiplie her â—utâ—ar gods it is wonderfull But wee may content our selfe with Cicero Who taketh these to be gods but Rome a that noâ— in her minorite beginning but in her maioritie and declining to destruction I intreat you therefore with Augustine to consider of this your Pagan impietie if your minde so long drunk with errours suffereth you to thinke of anie wholesome thing And this much of their cloakes of shame or their Spider-web-covertures of their open tyrannie The fourth and last Section Of their foolishnesse and madnesse manifested in their fruites CHAP. XXI Of their affected ignorance in the consideration of the two great powers Civill and Ecclesiasticke THeir foolish madnesse is plaine if wee consider their course and their fruites that follow Their folie considered not aright these two powers civill and spirituall and their ignorance was rather affected than simple to make greater way to their violent pride God ruleth the world by two distinct powers Civill and Ecclesiasticke For Religion must bee in the Republicke and the Republicke must bee in Religion sayeth Optatus The Church and Common-wealth are as the two Estates and everie one of them hath its owne full power and authoritie in thinges that concerne it They are both of God and none of them is that way more worthie than the other as to subiect the other to it Neutra potestas est altera eo sensu dignior ut alteram sibi subijciat utraque enim est in suo genere prima ab altera independens Each of them in its owne kind is prime independent from other But yet they are distinguished from other in their endes Taske and meanes for that end They haue both God for their Authour and generallie the good of mankind for their end but their proper ends are different For the spirituall power leadeth onely to a spirituall and eternall good whereas the civill absolutlie looketh first to an humane temporall good All mankind lyeth flatte on the Earth notwithstanding of all other Callings But the Pastorall calling pulleth him from the earth and lifteth him to Heaven The Taske of the Spirituall is the preaching of the Word ministration of Sacraments and the vse of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven directing mens consciences in the will of God and correcting them Ecclesiastickly For which cause the Pulpit is called the Tribunall of the Church because therein Pastors doe publish more glorious I awes than the Praetor The taske of the civile power is notoure in thinges Civile and for Religion it is appointed of God to defend the Church and trueth in it Indite and gather Councels and ratifie their Canons to abrogate superstition and idolatrie to provide Pastors with houâ—st maintenance and maintaine their provisions against the Sacrilegious In a word the power of the Church is not temporall but spirituall not a coactiue but a directiue power And the power civile is not spirituall but humane not directiue but coactiue to see all these spirituall dueties performed in their Kingdomes God hath not set them vp as contraire and opposite but as diverse and that for agreement and mutuall helpe to make vp an Harmonie of governement in mankinde These two powers cannot compete to any one person It is neither lawful nor seemlie for Princes to preach baptize communicate people excoÌ„municate delinquâ—â—ts c Neither is it tolerable in Pastours to denounce warre lead Armies shedde blood and swey a coactiue power Ambrose b riddeth the marches clearelie Wee pay sayeth hee to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to GOD the things that are Gods The tribute is Caesars and not denyed The Church is Gods and ought not to bee adiugded to Caesar because Gods Church cannot bee Caesars right Which none can denie is spoken with the honour of the Emperour For what is more honourable than that the Emperour be called the Sonne of the Church For a good Emperour is within the Church and not about the Church And in another place Divine things are not subiect to the power of the Emperour And thereafter places pertaine to the Emperours but Churches to the Priests The right of the publick walls is committed to thee not of the sacred so sayeth he to the Emperour who craved the Church to bee delivered to the Arrians Athanasius and Ambrose speake distinct lie That Princes are in the Church by profession and possession of grace and so the Sonnes of God and of the Church They are not over the Church for her direction but for her protection her Parents but her Nurce-Fathers Wise Kings ever granted the different power and interesse in things civill and Ecclesiasticke That in the first they were Lawmakers but in the second were directed and admonished themselues In the first they had a power both to make and allow Lawes for the publicke good in the second they are preservers of Lawes not to decerne therein with authoritie But to order matters Canonically according to the Lawes of the Church The Church first discerned Trueth from Heresie and then decerned And Princes ratified their decrets Pastours decrets according to the trueth obliged mens Consciences to follow the truth and Princes outwardlie inioyned the People to follow a knowne truth Though these two powers or callings simplie considered bâ—â— not subiect to other yet there is a sort of mutuall subordination in the persons that are cloathed with them Princes are aboue Pastours in respect of civill Eminence of outward governement and compulsion to do their duetie as Pastours though not in the intrinsecall direction And Princes are subiect to Pastours in respect of the informing and directing of their consciences in Religion The one is subiect
worke Baronius called it Divinum consilium a divine counsell So bee like these troubles of Germanie are a divine counsell with them With this vsurpation over Princes hee intendeth mainlie the rooting out of Protestant Religion and for that end stirred vp both France and Austria against the Protestants which wee may perceiue in his Resolutions and practice His Resolution is with Innocent the third to destroy the rising trueth This hath ever beene in following Popes and fullie concluded in Trent The Cardinall of Lorraine reveales the Conclusion of Charles the ninth Philip the second and the Pope was ad exstirpandas Germaniae haereticos novam toto Imperio formam instituendam ex prescripto Pontificis and is confident that the Heretickes beeing assaulted both at home and abroad shall be killed as beastes by Dogges sent amongst them and no wayes esâ—hew the snares And againe seeing there is so great a confederacie and power against Hereticks both the Pope and Cardinals doe exspect shortlie so great a mischiefe on them as shall double the ioy for the Massacre of Paris As for the Germanes hee sayeth that nothing is to bee feared from these improvident beasts who know not their strength but shall perish before they perceiue their danger And againe That they are so imprudent and senselesse that they never minde to repell a common danger by common force but everie one labours to defend their owne privatlie And thereafter There they are so stupide that they know not their owne danger till they bee overthrowne This is the opinion of the Pope and his Cleargie of the Germanes which imboldneth them to abuse Germanie as they doe To effectuat this end they haue consederate the Emperour Pope Spaine Bavere and the holy League as they call it even as the Pagan Priests stirred vp the Emperours to persecution and contribute large money to their Armies So now doeth the Pope and his Cleargie in the persecution of Protestants Their wayes to worke this end are Policie periurie and oppression Their policie first they pretend civill causes to hide the other plot of persecution and yet the Emperour discoverth it in his Letter to the King of Spaine That their businesse concerned the conservation of the holie Faith and the standing of their House And it is manifest that long before the sturres of Boheme they were persecuting the Protestants in Westphalieâ—614 â—614 in Silesia 1614. and 161â— in some imperiall Cities as Ulme Aken Wesell 1614. in Donawerda 1617. in the Volteline Stiria and Bohemia it selfe 1618. And the Bohemian wars were occasioned by these persecutions when they were driven to that desperate state in Religion as to seeke the protection of some foreraine Prince Their second policie They divided the Protestants and drew a part of them on their side as Charles the fifth did at the Smalcaldicke war and they boast of it that the Protestants are so loose that many of them fight on the Papists side In all their meetings they pressed to draw the Lutherans from the Calvinists as they call them and vsed that speach Sicut Catholicus sic Lutheranus promifing as great quetnesse to the Lutheran as to the Papist that when they had broken vs by the Lutherans they might destroy them also Some of them contemned the D. of Saxe as a man of no Spirit but the most part feared him for his great power and therefore first â—ngaged him by the offer of Lusatia Next they held him on to bee Executor banni Imperialis And lastlie they fed him with the title of Vicarius Imperij All this was to guâ—l him as Charles the fifth did to Maurice his predecessor So their secret correspondence reveales that they studied by all meanes to please him that at least iâ— sâ—ow hee might bee satisfied Thirdlie in all meetings they ever treated of peace to make the Protestants carelesse And while they were busiest in warre they protested most they were seeking the publick peace and when Armies were gathered on both sides they fained a Cessation of Armes to make Protestants disband their forces which beeing done the Papists with their standing Armies seased on some Provinces as the Palatinate Lastlie as they confounded Religion and policie so in policie they confounded the quarrell of the house of Austria with the quarrell of the Impyre This was the rypenesse of a long plotted persecution for the Papists learned of Severus Canals the arte of Intelligence and myning Hee found them about the walls of Bizantium and brought their Copie in this Land to his Dyke betwixt Forth Clyde They went so alongst the roote of it that all Forts were advertised in an halfe houre what the enemie was doing and where hee assaulted So the Iesuites turned their vniversall intelligence whereof their rules giue a direction to worke mines in all the reformed Churches beyond Sea In France Boheme Silesia Moravia Uolteline Westphalie c. Princes were irritate People were miscontent the Papists fretted at the prosperitie of the Protestants and Protestants abridged of their owne wonted liberties in Religion and debarred from publicke imployments and defrauded of the course of Law c. Such a broyling disposition was like powder layed aboundantlie in mines that lacked nothing but firing In Boheme was their head-mine because of the electiue Kingdome and the exasperate minds of people for their crossing in Religion Thervnto the Iesuits layed the match of a new oppression to force the fire of defence They both sought and wrought this occasion of the Bohemianes the meeting of all their Provincials at Rome was to devise how to vse their opportunitie which they had long exspected So soone as Boheme fired their mines played in all places at once so that none could either helpe another as they were wont nor saue themselues Thus the Protestants were at one time everie where oppressed Secondlie their periurie is manifest For they come directlie against their promise confirmed by oath The Pacification of Passau was solemnelie ratified at Augsburg And the Emperour Rudolph and Mathias confirmed the liberties of Boheme by Letters reversall which in electiue Kingdomes are strong obligements of Princes and haue the force of mutuall contracts And Ferdinand the second by the like Letters declarations and Edicts confirmed the same But most solemnelie by his oath at his Coronation did sweare to maintaine both the Sacred and civill peace of the Impyre That hee would keepe the Electours Princes c. in their possessions dignities and rights That hee would keepe friendship and good correspondence in the Impyre and not bring strange forces in it That he would iniure or offer violence to no Elector nor Prince of the Impyre That hee would not proscriue any vnheard or without a cause That hee would not labour to turne the Imâ—yre hereditarie to his house And finallie that if hee did any thing beside or contraire to his Capitulation it should
cause why they burnt Spalato was for that hee held it possible to reconceale the Church of England to Rome This irreconciliablenesse is both in the outward peace and in Doctrine For the outward peace beside that hath beene said in the former Chapter Since the Trent Councell they haue ever beene plotting and the Iesuits of Princes Confessaris turned their Corycaei and Counsellers the Frogges from the bottomlesse pit haue stirred them vp to warre And when they had prepared all things one a of them began the Alarme in an Imperiall dyet Nunc tempus est haereticorum istorum oppressionem deletionem maturare Catholicis nec nervum pecuniam nec militem nec Consilia deesse Now it is time to hasten the oppression and destruction of these Hereticks For the Catholickes want neither money nor Souldiers nor Councell There is both their plotting and preparation against vs confessed it is senselessenesse not to obserue it But when all was readie and the fire begunne in Boheme then Sciopius gaue a formall Alarme and intitles his Booke suasoria de ratio nibus haereticorum compescendorum A Suasorie to compesse Hereticks And because Granvellanus and some other had suggested peaceable counsels to Emperours about Religion hee bids these moderate counsellers get them gone qui mollibus sententijs haereticorum ingenia alere solent in maximam crucem facessant And to ground their crueltie to Protestants he bids Princes count of Luther as a divell and sayeth That wee worship Sathan in stead of God This is like the blasphemous calumnies of the Iesuits of Munster in their Credo Calvini-sequarum who affained to vs that wee belieue in Sathan Thereafter hee bids destroy all Infaints and Children percuties in ore gladij delebis etiam Infantes pueros That is Magdeburge Modell Hee maketh not bones of that that Iesuits deny That it is leasome to cut off Princes that favour Religion And in end that it is lawfull to make covenants with Turkes Ethnicks and Iewes but not with Protestants This is their preamble Let vs heare what followeth and that both from the Popes Consistorie the Emperours Cabinat For the first the Cardinalls at Rome declare that the Popes designe is to restore the Church of Rome to her wonted greatnesse And for this end that as the Palatine is broken so Saxon and Brandenburge must also be removed as the greatest stayes of their purposes in Germanie And when the French King by their instigation had oppressed the Protestants of France the Iesuite Cornelius at Rome not content to praise him for it lest wee should doubt any longer who are these spirits who stirre vp Kings to battell stirreth vp Princes to persecute other Protestants Agite Principes generosi pergite magnis animis opus felicibus adeo auspicijs caeptum conficite Paribus studijs rebellem Calvini haeresin penè evulsam stirpitus ubilibet eradicate Goe to generous Princes set forward with great courage Perfect the worke begunne with so happie successe And with the like zeale roote out everie where the rebellious haeresie of Calvine And least this seeme to bee the humour of a privat Doctour Their infallible Doctour Vrbane the eight breaths the like crueltie to that same young King after his taking of the Rochell that hee would goe forward to hunt the rest of these fierce beasts the Hugonotes out of their denne and destroy them all vtterlie And from Vienne they declare that they minde no peace but to destroy Religion by force For the Iesuits vnder the fable of Abaris the Hyberborean far worse applyed than Nazianzen did stirreth vp the Emperour with his Arrow Oracles to propagate the truth by force as well as by reason Et norit ad propugnandum coeleste dogma non minus ferri aciem quam ingenij acumen adhibere And that a Prince must vse Appolloes arrowes and know that heavenly doctrine is propugned no lesse by the edge of the sword than by quicknes of Ingyne This is another sort of argument than Christ taught his Disciples Of old it was said that Faith should bee propagate not by Armes but by arguments not by blowes but by words For who will compell me sayth Lactantius either to belieue what I will not or not to belieue what I will But let vs heare the Emperour himselfe declaring his intention Ad exstirpandas sediciosas factiones quae Calvinistica potissimum factione foventur â—o roote out the factions of the Calvinists Beside these wee haue evidences of their irreconciliablenesse from their Pacificators and Scioppius Their Pacificators were set to worke by authoritie to colour their crueltie by a large Volume They saw the Pacification of Passau which was ratified at Augsburge condemned them of crueltie and persurie It provided peace of Religion that none should molest or invade other for their profession And that the peace should haue the owne vigour usque ad finalem compositionem vntill a finall composition But when they saw that they prevailed they set these Lawyers to work to put an Orleand glosse vpon the Pacification and to make men belieue it had no force Their speciall reasons are that the peace was not concluded by way of a Pragmaticall sanction but of a covenant rising of necessitie for the time That the Emperour is not bound to it nor the Bishoppes That beside the case of necessitie there was also feare vim inferens non meretur ut ipsi promissio servetur And lastlie that it is null in it selfe Because the Pope did not approue it Thus they elide that solemne Pacification which held Germanie in peace for sixtie yeares and more Others say the like that the peace was not valide That it expyred at the publication of the Trent Councell That it was onely till the Catholicks had expede their businesse that is their plotting against vs postea hoc vnum bellum contra sectarios administrarent they would follow out this onelie warre against hereticks All the time of their practising the treate of Passau was taken to compryse both the Publicke and religious peace But now when they thinke they haue prevailed they cure their tyrannie with distinctions That it was not a Sanction but a transaction And that the Publicke peace did not touch the religious peace but materiallie and by accident where as formallie they are diverse yea adverse These are shifts to colour perjurie and oppression As these Pacificators were set to worke to loose the bands of the stablished peace so was Scioppius to propone a new forme of Peace with his two Bookes the one of the Consultations of Peace vnder his owne name The other is of the Foundations of peace vnder the fained name of Theophilus Sanctafidius or rather Miso-theus nulli-fidius First hee confesseth that the wickednesse of their Cleargie gaue iust scandall to the Protestants Fundament pag. 48. 157. Next that their
are alreadie both iudged of GOD and sentenced in his word to consumption and Abolition and the hand of Providence goeth on in the execution of that sentence there is neither ground to treate for reconcliation nor hope to attaine to it Or if wee will treate of it wee accuse the Lords sentence of iniquitie and his execution of rigour Let Babell then bee vnder her sinne and punishment begun and approaching and let all that loue the Lord Iesus separat themselues from these wickedmen A CONCLVSION Exhortatorie to Princes I Turne now that speach which they abuse to you most sacred Princes Bee wise O Kings bee learned yee Iudges of the earth Christ Iesus whom yee haue long pursued by Antichirsts direction when hee might destroy you calleth you to repentance to change both your mindes and course Your Mindes to know that poperie is that foretold Apostasie and that the Religion which yee persecute is the trueth of God And your course that since blind zeale the companion of false Religion hath made you thinke it good service to God to destroy his Saincts you would turne your power for the service of the Lambe of whom yee haue it and both revenge Gods quarrell and your owne vpon the Beast Consider how GOD setteth downe his Dittay and Dâ—ome His Dittay in Idolatrie Filthinesse and aboue all the blood of the Saincts Rome was ever bloodie the Mathematicians observed that when her ground-stone was layed the Moone was in cauda Draconis to tell that all her changes in rysing growing standing would bee in the câ—uâ—ltie of the Dragon And soone after Romulus wet her wals with his Brothers blood Shee turned the earth in a Butcherie by warres abroad And her Ganâ—es at home in the Theater were bloodie Shee shed the blood of the Saints in her persecuting Pagan Emperours And lastlie sheddeth the bloodie of the Protestants by her Antichristian head Ierusalem was guiltie of the blood of all the Prophets because they succeeded the Murtherers in malice and crueltie And Rome succeeds Ierusalem and exceedeth her in persecuting Christ All blood of the Saints is shedde either in Rome or by Romes authoritie Shee hath shedde more blood than Ninivie Babylon Shusan and Ierusalem it selfe Her Doome is doe to her as she hath done to you And what she hath done to you your Soules Thrones may feele For beside your soules killing the Pope hath overthrowen the Maiestie and dignitie of Impyres Shee denuded you of Kinglie Authoritie when shee exposed your Sacred Persons to the contempt and violence of the basest Villanes Shee ate vp your flesh not so much in catching the riches of your Kingdomes as by nesting in your bosome like a Viper to destroy you Shee burnt your with the fire of excommunication raising such combustions that your Countrie and Courts were divyded The Sonne set against the Father as Henrie the fifth against Henrie the fourth to pursue him to death and after death to deny him Buriall Therefore this is her recompence that you make the Whoore naked eate vp her flesh and burne her with fire God hath sentenced her and there remaineth no more but execution Though wee rest on none but Scripturall Prophecies yet their owne Prophets foretold their ruine For Hildegardis and Catharina Senensis whose contraire visions Delrio laboureth to reconceale Brigitta telleth them of their destruction What ever bee the force of her writ it must be Canonick to them since Boniface the nynth hath cannoized her and Martine the fifth confirmed that canonization and their later writers as Chemensis Capistranus Aytinger c. haue spoken broadlie That Rome shall bee ruined by the Almaines and the French As God calleth and commandeth you to doe it so you are bound to it by these two bonds wherey they presse you most your Baptismall initiation and sacred oath In Baptisme yee were initiate in Christian faith and not in Antichristian perfidie And the substance of your oath is to defend Apostolicke and primitiue trueth and not the yesterday novelties of Rome Their own Patrons graÌ„t that in the middle ages they were Apostaticke and Apotactick but since we never find their reformation or amendement The errour of time confirmed by badde custome hath made men mistake these Notions of Christ and Antichrist trueth and vntrueth and so to misplace their affections and actions about them but open your eyes to the light God offereth in his word and your better informed mindes shall reforme your affections and rectifie your actions least you take darknesse for light night for day and death for life that you may forsake Antichrist and heresies and ioyne your selues to the Lambe and his trueth in the reformed Churches Or if you will not take Gods cause to heart nor bee moved with these bonds let your Life and Crownes moue you Though hee vnder a Iudiciall hardnesse bee senselesse of the guiltinesse of his vsurpation yet be not you senselesse of these indignities He maketh you to fight against your selfe in his quarrell while hee abuseth your power for the maintenance of his greatnesse to the overthrow of your authoritie Remember hee is head of that Court whose Ambassadours boasted in England that they served at that Court which commanded both other Kings and their Courteours It hath ever beene your fault to neglect the commoun cause of Princely authoritie There is nothing more sâ—oothed than that that is pleaded by many When any one Prince was thunder-beaten by Iupiter Capitolinus hee exhorted other Princes that they should not betray the common cause but all in vaine For the ruine of one made a prey to many Therefore they suffered the present storme to passe over and that because by a wicked purchas some accession came to their state This was specially when a great Prince was broken whose greatnesse was fearefull to them all The Emperour was most left in the sturre while smaller Princes thought it their securitie if he were redacted to that state that hee might not rise to the greatnesse of his Ancestors It is tyme for you to awake when their flatterers pittie your injuries and the Iesuits admire your patience Petrus Ferrariensis marking how the Pope insnared you to inlarge his owne iurisdiction cryeth out But alace miserable Emperours and secular Princes who suffer these things and make your selues slaues to the Pope and see the world by infinite cousanages abused and yet you thinke not of a remeede And where the Iesuits please to bee free they wonder fatuos fuisse veteres Imperatores imperij nostri ordines qui sibi tanto cum dedecore ora sublinia Papis sustinuerint that Emperours and the States were so foolish as to bee gulled with Popes Wee haue better cause than Athanasius to say I am Ecclesiae tempora oculatos operosos Principes requirunt that the tymes of the Church require seeing and doing
sive ab una Rege sive a paucis optimatibus sive ab universo populo August de Civiâ— Deilib 2. cap 20. Their practise is Monarchie Monarchie is the end of all 1. Errour in Princes affectation of Divinitie That conceate is a great frensie Ante â—mnes Deos super â—mnes Deos. Tertul. Apol. Cap. 30. It is Sathans policie August civit lib. 9. cap. 10 Gentium numina scelerum nomin â— Iovem non magis regno quam vitijs principem Cypr. Epist. 2 Portenta non numina Cyp de vaâ—t idol sect 2. The Pope is taken with that frensie Pontificale de Consecratione Imaginum Minor est si tune Deus dicitur Tertul. Apol. Maledictum est ante Apothensim Caesarem Deum nuncupare Tertul. Apol. 34. Nec Deus es nec bomo 1 Anabapenemies to Magistracie a Si quis putat quoniam Christianus est c. Aug. propos 72. ex Epist ad Rom. b Iudai non peccarunt dicendo non habemus Regem nisi CaesareÌ„ sed quia abnegarunt Christum Aug. Ps. 55. c Singulare Dei opus est rectum in mundo princiâ— patum erigere ac tueri Calvin in hunc locum Rom. 13. Grace and Magistracie agree Prov. 8. Rom. 13. 1. d Potes officio â—urisaictionis tuae fungi humanitatis meminisse Tertul ad â—cap cap. 4. e Ambros. Hexam lib. 5 passim f Secundum istas vestras fallacissimas â—anissimasq rationes habenis laxatis Aug. contr epist. Gaud lib. 2. cap. 1â— 2. A popular errour that Princes get good but giues none to their people â—ivius Decâ—d 1. lib. 2 Ambros. Hex lib. 5. cap. 21 People should 1. pray for Princes Nos pro salute imperatoris Deum in vocamus a ternum Ter. cap. 30. 1 Tim. 2. 1. Such prayers are our profite 1. Tim. 2. 1. Ier. 29. 7. 1 Kings 24. g Si quis de populo deviat soluâ— perit Verum Principis error multos involvit Bernard Epist. 1â—7 h Regunâ— lapsus pâ—na populorum est Amb. Apo Davâ—d Quapropter utile est ut bonâ— diu lateq regnent Aug. Civ Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. 2 Obey them in the Lord. Rom. 13. 1. Gods designation of Solomon 1. Chro. 22. 8 9. 2. Sam. 7 13. 1. Chro. 28. 5 Three ways to come to a Kingdome 1. Conquest is violent Machiavell de principe Conquerors abuse Providence Esa. 10. 5. 6. Prescription alone is not sufficient Inferre bella â—in timis quâ—d aliud quam grande latro einium nomiâ— nandum est Aug. de Câ—â— lib. cap. 4. 6. a Eleganteâ— enum veraciter Alexandro Magno Pirata respondit Aug. Câ—vit 4 c. 4 b Impunt â—itatem sceleribus ac quirit c Cyp. ad Dâ—na Prescription the maine ground of the Popes Vsurpation over Princes Dur and spe cul lib. 4. 2. 25 marta de lurisdict part 1. cap. 33. num 13. Election to Kingdomes is tumultuous Satiut esse existâ—mabant eos intrusot qualescunq tolerandos Baron An. 897. num 1. It hastened the ruine of the Impyre Tertul apol 3. Succession is the best way Election and Conquest yeelde to succession Womens governement lawfull Scripseram cum resinter nos turbulentissima essent b Lata est illa Lex Voconâ—a nequis haeredem faeminam faceret nec unicam siliam c. Aug. Ciâ—it lib. 3. cap. 21 Numb 7. 8. Q. Elizabeths instance Thuan. K. Iames his instance Gods determination Deut. 17. 26 2 Sam. 7. 12. David rests on Gods designation Barbarous Princes cruel against their Children A Kings Sonne is a great Blessing The Line of this Kingdome Hector Boeth Lesâ—â—ns A Zorius Tom 2 lib. 10 1. Quoniam Gaudium sem per properat c Cyp. Ep. 33. Praevenit omnia verba mea vester affectus Aug. Psal. 147. Dicemus breâ—â—iter Bern. de resurrect serm 2. Spiritu rectitudinis c. Calv. in hunc locum 1 Chro 29. 19. ibid. 22 12. 28. 9. 1 The nature of Iustice. Eccles. 8. 4. Exod. 18. 2. Necessitie of iustice 1. It is the bridle of mans corruption Luk. 6. Nec sane frustra institutae sunt potestates Aug Epist. 54 2. It is the Guarde of our Lotte Exod. 20. a Remotá iustitià quid sunt regna nis si magna la trocinia Aug. â—ivit lib. 4. cap. 4. b Per iura Regum possidentur possessiones Tract 6. in Ioh. Noli dicere quid nihi Regi 3 Decyding questions Summum in Regibus bonum c. Greg. lib. 7. Epist. 120 Rex est lex viâ— va Lex est Rex iustissimus Philo. de vita Mosis lib. 2. Rempub. sine iniuria regi non posse Au. Civ 2 ca. 21. Princes fittest for to Iudge Qui perso nam amici induit exuit personaÌ„ conscienti â—â—â— iudicis Aug. 3 The extent of Iustice. Reges terrae serviuÌ„t Christo c Aug. Epist 48. In hoc enim Reges c. Aug. con Cresconium Three haue enteresse in Religion Constantins exact distinction Vos eorum quae intra Ecclesia geruntur Episcopi estiâ— c. Euseb vit Const. â— 24. Synods for Religion 2 Ch. 29. 25 1 Chro. 17. 9. Popes debarred Princes a Bellar de Laicis cap. 1. Pet Thy. les de Eccl Thes. 3 b Francise Boz de Monarchia c Pla. Gre. 7 Canonizing of Kings the popes baite to gul them Bella de offiâ— Principis lib. 3 à cap. 3. ad finem And the popes discover a In Cathedra Petrâ— solio Christi erant homines monstruosi vitá turpissimi c. Barron Ann. 897. Bern. Ep. 96. 1 Politicke abuse of Religion 2 King 10. 16. 1. Kin. 12. 26 28. Animian Marcellinus a Memini enim me â—e communiter aliquando c. Basil Ep. admirand 4. Iusia desert b Quam quod Deo religioni c. Cusan Crib Alcâ—r lib. 3. cap. 8. c Leo 10. P. Beâ—b 2. Superstitiouslie abused themselues in it Prateolus lib. 2. hares 8. Durand Rat. lib. 2. cap. 8. num 6. Hilar. lib. 3. contr Const. 3. Neglect of Religion Et nune Reges entelligite id est nâ—lite tristes esse c. Aug. psa 2. Non auferet mortalia qui Regna dat caleâ—â—ia Sedul True Religion makes people more obedient to Princes Princes owe their liberty from the pops tyrannie to reformation vnder God Truth an vsher of loyaltie Kinglie prudence is the gift of God Prov. 8. 15. 16 Nam si propria virtute satis instructi essent Reget c. Calvin in hunc locuÌ„ The popes tye God to their Chaire but not themselues to God Ceremonial lib. 1. 6. 2. a Non Cathedra facit Sacerdotem Chry hom Matth. 43. b In sedem Apostolicam horenda c. Barr. 900 n. 3 Per Aâ—nos ferè centum c. Genebr lib. 4. sect 10 Barron An. 897. num 4. Stertentibus omnibus quibus fuerat vigilandum Idem Anno 899. â— 3â— Idem Anno 900. n. 1. The work of the royall gift is good Governement Exod. 31. 30. 1.
his affaires made the hearers beholders astonished Lawes are not made for Theorie but for Practice and the best practice on the part of the people is Obedience and on the part of the Magistrate execution And the best execution is when rewards and punishments the pases of the worlds Clocke are applyed as men deserue the god lie rewarded the wicked punished It hath bene an olde coÌ„plaint that Lawes haue bene well made but evill observed And he cannot be innocent who either spareth him that should bee punished or punisheth him that should bee spared By just punishment three things are procured First the amendement of the offender for so the evill of punishment layde vpon the evill of his disobedience will curbe that corrupâ—ion in him since it bringeth vpon him a worse evill in his account Next a bettering of other who seeing iniquitie punished will feâ—re to doe the like least they incurre the like punishment Thirdlie the peace of the whole Bodie when such as trouble it with their wrongous dealing are condignelie punished for their wrongâ— On the other part when righteousnesse is rewarded three answerable fruites doe follow First the righteous are made better when the good of their righteousnes is augmented by the good of their reward Next others are provoked to righteousnesse when they see it rewarded Thirdlie the whole body is reioyced to see the good honoured for when the godly are exalted the people reioyce and so publicke peace is keeped by the vniversall care and study of well-doing But when the application of these things goe contrare both to the meaning of the Law and the deserving of the persons then fearefull confusions follow All men are discouraged from righteousnesse which they see neglected and punished And none sleeth from evill but rather followeth it when they see it honoured with the reward of good The wicked are both imboldened to committe sinne and proud of their reward The godly are grieved that matters goe so crosse and lament to see good men cled in the liveray of the wicked and the wicked in the liveray of the godly It is a shame for the sonnes of men when the wicked are exalted In such a case Lawes are without life their execution is contrare to their direction and their direction serveth for no other end but as a shining light to discover the iniquitie of such application Impyres and Kingdomes are no lesse mortall than a man they haue their owne Infancie Adolescence and Vigour and from that their inclination decay death and others arise of their fall Their greatest high is in Pietie and Iustice and their deadlie disease is in profainesse and vnrighteousnesse As the heate decaying in the heart so is profainnesse in a Kingdome and injustice is as a palsie that dissolveth the whole Bodie It was one of Solomons remarkes of vanitie I saw vnder the Sunne the place of Iudgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquitie was there It is grievous to see iniquitie any where but most in the seate of Iustice and it is great boldnesse in iniquitie to out-face Iustice in her owne seate and great presumption in the vnrighteous when they darre either prosecute or defend iniquitie in Iudgement The case of that â—and is lamentable where Iustice â—eats are â—ade seates of injustice and the remeede of inquitie turned in the disease there is no hope that Iustice can reigne where iniquitie vsurpeth so vpon her as to thrust her out of her place and from thence vnder her name maintaineth wrong That case seemeth so desperate to Solomon that hee putteth it amongst these cases reserved to Gods owne cure and the great appellations to be discussed at the last day I said in mine heart God shall iudge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time for everie purpose and for everie worke God hath established Iustice amongst men to doe them right but when shee is so oppressed as to bee displaced and her name borrowed to colour iniquitie then of a Iudge shee turned a Plaintiue compleaning to God of that violence Though Lawes were wrong exponed in their meaning and their rewards wrong applyed yet supreme reason the life of the law liueth with God and will vindicate the owne true sense and apply rewards aright This is the law of Lawes abyding in God which wee may know and ought to follow â—ut may not iudge so that wee may say THAT THE LAVV OF THE COVRT OF HEAVEN AND OF REPVBLICKS IS THE VVILL OF GOD. Hee hath appointed Indicatories to keepe men in order but when they are abused to maintaine wrong and oppresse right hee hath the last Iudgement for a remeede to call all proceedings to a new tryall and to discusse the appeales of the distressed Kings indeede haue long eares to heare and long hands to doe many things yet they cannot heare and doe all by themselues Therefore Iethroes counsell to Moses was good to divide his burthen and set vp Iudges and Magistrates with authoritie vnder him But that work is full of difficulty that in respect of the Lawes the parties Witnesses Lawes are many yet short for all incident and daylie emergent causes Iustinian thought hee had put out a perfect bodie of the Lawes when hee caused digest the Roman Lawes for twelue hundreth yeare and yet these many Volumes may be called short for so vniversall a purpose and the matter appointed to end Pleas is turned a seminarie of pleas because of briefnesse Though all Lawes and Decisions were gathered together they cannot meete with everie new circumstance Mans corruption is ever devysing new wrongs and new colours to colour them withall â—he diverse interpretation of Lawes increaseth this difficultie and that Emperour misseth his end of the hastie decision of pleas when after long disputing the question is more doubtfull than when it was first stated albeit the small brookes of Lawes before Lotharius time are turned since in Mare magnum a great ocean of Lawes The parties vsuallie whither of simplicitie or purpose are bold to bring the evill cause to Iudgement they are confident of their cause and oft times the worst cause hath most diligence to supplie the want of equitie by the excesse of businesse If righteousnesse ruled men Iudges would haue little to doe and if Truth were in their words questions were soone decided But the Clients information to their Advocats is so badde that it is hard either for them to know or the Iudge to discerne where the Truth is Witnesses also helpe this difficultie They are subiect to their own corruptions and may deceiue the best Iudges who by their office are bound to judge according to things alledged and proven If the religion of one Oath had force the matter were easie for God hath ordained it to put an end to controversies but mans wickednesse hath turned it in a
meanes to hyde the truth If Aequivocation had place in Iudgement God had never ordained Oathes for ending of questions though the Iesuits haue perfected that coloured periurie in our time yet it is naturall to man who is a liar It confounded all Iudgement so that neither the oath of calumnie in the parties nor the oath of veritie in the Witnesses wants the owne suspicion But possiblie betime Iudges will bee forced to invent a third sort of oath occasioned by Aequivocation to make parties and Witnesses sweare that they sweare truelie Moreover though Knowledge and Experience in Iudges overcome these difficulties yet their frailtie of affection is inclinable to the Parties Therefore it was a good devyce to pleade causes without designing the names of the parties but vnder the fained names of Seius and Titius c. And that suffrages should not bee given by Word but by Notes on a Table or by White-stones for assenting or blacke-stones for dissenting So a way was provyded for libertie in votting and for securitie from challeng for that libertie But the absolute best remeede for Parties Pleaders Witnesses and Iudges is to set God the supreme Iudge before them and to remember that God sitteh in the assemblie of gods and to proceed as in his sight When cause is simplie compared with cause and reason with reason the sentence will easilie ryse according to right and equitie But this difficultie is greatest in criminall causes and hath brought on the necessitie of torture which is a sort of torment to a pittifull Iudge It is a miserable supplie of the want of probation and so insufficient that the vrgers of it permit the sufferer after torture to goe from his deposition or byde at it It was first devysed by Pagans and is iustlie called a Tarquinian crueltie They had not spirituall and divine motiues taken from GOD or Heaven or Hell c. to presse the Consciences of the guiltie therefore they tooke them to that brutish motiue of a bodilie paine Man is reasonable and truth should bee sought out of him by reasonable motiues which choppe on his reason and Conscience and that in the respects of eternall reward or punishment But the way by bodilie paines is more fleshlie and the order is preposterous by the bruising of the flesh to open the minde An extorted confession is but a bastard confession as fire forced out of the flint It is lamentable that among Christians there is as great necessitie of torture and as small fruite of it as among Pagans What ever bee the lawfulnesse of it the minde of he Iudge is tortured Hee would know the Truth and must vse such a meanes to search it Hee knoweth not whither the sufferer bee guiltie or not yet must hee suffer as suspected of obstinacie in denying lest hee die as guiltie and in avoyding death hee suffereth death in torments hee suffereth not because hee hath done the crime but because it is vncertaine if hee haue done it And so the vnavoydable ignorance of the Iudge is the calamitie of the Innocent and the more hee presse to helpe his ignorance hee hurteth the innocent the more This is lamentable and to bee washeth with floodes of teares that while the Iudge tortures the suspâ—ct person least hee kill an innocent hee killeth that innocent whom hee tortureth lest hee should kill him And when their paine maketh them chuse to die rather than to bee tortured they confesse the cryme that they did not and so are innocent both in torture and in death And yet when they are execute the Iudge knoweth not whither they be guiltie or innocent And so oftimes both tortureth and killeth an innocent while hee laboureth to eschew it By these things a wise Iudge is drawen on not by desire of hurt but by necessitie of ignorance and yet since humane Societie craveth it by necessitie of Iudgement This is contrare to the tortures of the olde persecutors they tortured confessing Christians and let them goe free if they denyed but the criminals torture that they may confesse and destroyeth them for their confession On the other part how oft doe the guiltie endure torture with obstinacie and harden their hearts to conceale the truth Such obstinacie at the first is resolved but if it turne iudiciall by a wilfull denying with cursings and execrations then it worketh either a stupifying senselesnes in their flesh or else by way of diversion fasteneth the minde so vpon losse or shame that followeth a confession that it lets not the flesh feele paine Sathan can stupifie his martyres in maintaining lies that hee may play the Ape to GOD who mitigateth the paines of his martyrs by spirituall comforts It is not therfore for nought that God tooke of the Spirit of Moses and put vpon the Elders because they had a Calling full of difficultie In all which cases it is best for a Iudge to looke to God and that eternall Law in him and withall to craue his direction that hee erre not in Iudgement and cry Deliver mee O Lord out of all my necessities But there is no better spur than Iehosaphaâ—s exhortation to Iudges Take heede what yee doc for yee iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heede and doe it For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts Of Princes difficulties dangers IT lyeth then on Princes to exercise their Gift as they would proue the liuelinesse of it and this brings on them a world of difficulties There is none in their Kingdome of a more laborious life The Head that moveth all must haue action in it and the heart is in a continuall motion to furnish fresh Spirits to the bodie Great is their taske to know the state of their Subjects to heare the plaints of the poore to represse the insolencies of the proude by causing minister Iustice to all God hath set them aboue their Subiects but that same exalting in some sort putteth them vnder because they are servants to their Subiects in that they watch for their weall and safty I herefore the Apostle in that same place where hee calleth them supereminent powers calleth them also the Ministers of God to minister Iustice for hee is the Minister of God to thee for thy good They are Gods Ministers attending continuallie vpon this verie thing They haue supreme power bowing downe to a Ministeriall worke and a Ministerie cloathed with supreme power Many are quicke-sighted to see the defects of Governement who will not see the difficulties and dangers of it for beside the weight of such a Calling the most lawfull vse of their coactiue power beareth them on many dangers either in punishing the vniust or affraying them that would bee so Every curbed humour by feare of punishment