Omnis Christi actio debet esse nostra instructio we ought to follow his example And therefore not onely Christ but also all good Christians have imitated him in this point for the Apostles prayed for their persecuting Tyrants exhorted all their followers to honour even the Pagan Kings and most sharplâ— reproved all that spake evill of authority much more would they say against them that commit evill and proceed in all wickednesse against authority How the Primitive Christians behaved themselves towards their Heathen persecutors And Tertullian speaking of the behaviour of the Primitive Christians towards the Heathen Emperours and their cruell persecutors saith that because they knew them to be appointed by God they did love and reverence them and wish them safe with all the Romane Empire yea they honoured the Emperour and worshipped him as a man second from God solo Deo minorem and inferiour onely unto God and in his Apologetico he saith Deus est solus in cujus solius potestate sunt reges à quo sunt secundi post quem primi super omnes homines ante omnes Deos God alone is he by whose power Kings are preserved which are second from him first after him above all men and before all gods that is all other Magistrates that the Scripture calleth Gods So Justin Martyr Minutius Felix Nazianzen which also wrote against the vices of Julian S. Augustine and others of the prime Fathers of the Church have set downe how the Primitive Christians and godly Martyrs that suffered all kinde of most barbarous cruelty at the hands of their Heathen Magistrates did notwithstanding pray for them and honour them and neither derogated from their authority nor any wayes resisted their insolencie Beda p. 15. And Iohannes Beda Advocate in the Court of Parliament of Paris saith that the Protestants of France in the midst of torments have blessed their King by whom they were so severely intreated and in the midst of fires and massacres have published their confession in these words Artic. 39. 40. confess eccles Gal. refor For this cause he that is God put the sword into the Magistrates hand that he may represse the sinnes committed not onely against the second table of Gods Commandements but also against the first We must therefore for his sake not onely endure that Superiours rule over us but also honour and esteeme of them with all reverence holding them for his Lieutenants and Officers to whom he hath given in commission to execute a lawfull and a holy function We therefore hold that we must obey their Lawes and Statutes pay Tributes Imposts and other duties and beare the yoke of subjection with a good and free will although they were Infidels Ob. But against this patience of the Saints Ob. and the wisedome of these good Christians it is objected by Goodwin and others of his Sect that either they wanted strength to resist or wanted knowledge of their strength or of their priviledge and power which God granted them to defend themselves and their religion or were over-much transported with an ambitious desire of Martyrdome or by some other misguiding spirit were utterly mis-led to an unnecessary patience and therefore we having strength enough as we conceive to subdue the King and all his strength and being wiser in our generation then all the generation of those fathers as being guided by a more unerring spirit we have no reason to pray for patience but rather to render vengeance both to the King and to all his adherents Sol. This unchristian censure Sol. and this false imputation laid upon these holy Fathers by these stabborne Rebels and proud Enthusiasts are so mildly and so learnedly answered by the Author of resisting the lawfull Magistrate upon colour of religion Where they are fully answered that more need not be said to stop the mouthes of all ignorant gain-sayers Therefore seeing that by the institution of Kings by the precept of God and by the practice of all wise men and good Christians Heathen Kings and wicked Tyrants are to be loved honoured and obeyed it is a most hatefull thing to God and man to see men professing themselves Christians but are indeed like those in the Revel Revel 2 9. which say they are Jewes and are not in steed of honouring transcendently to hate and most violently to persecute their owne most Chrâ—stian and most gracious King a sinne so infinitely sinfull that I doe not wonder to see the greatnesse of Gods anger to powre all the plagues that we suffer upon this Nation but I doe rather admire and adore his wonted clemency and patience that he hath not all this while either sent forth his fire and lightning from Heaven as he did upon Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19.24 Numb 16.31 to consume them or cause the earth to swallow them as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram for this their rebellion against their King or that he hath not showred downe farre greater plagues and more miserable calamities then hitherto we have suffered because we have suffered these Antichristian Rebels to proceed so farre and have with the Merozites neglected all this while to adde our strength to assist the Lords Annointed Judges 5.23 to reduce his seduced Subjects to their obedience and to impose condigne punishments upon the seducers and the ringleaders of this unnaturall and most horrible Rebellion CHAP. VI. Sheweth the two chiefest duties of all Christian Kings to whom the charge and preservation of Religion is committed three severall opinions the strange speeches of the Disciplinarians against Kings are shewed and Viretus his scandalous reasons are answered the double service of all Christian Kings 2. Christian Kings are to have double honour in respect of their double duty and how the Heathen Kings and Emperours had the charge of Religion 2. AS all Kings are to be honoured in the fore-said respects so all Christian Kings are to have a double honour in respect of the double charge and duty that is laid upon them As 1. To preserve true religion and to defend the faith of Dutie 1 Christ against all Atheists Hereticks Schismaticks and all other adversaries of the Gospell within their Territories and Dominions 2. To preserve their Subjects from all forraigne adversaries Dutie 2 and to prevent civill dissentions to governe them according to the rules of justice and equity which all other Kings are bound to doe but neither did nor can doe it so fully and so faithfully as the Christian Kings because no Law either Solons Lycurgus Pompilius or any other Greeke or Latine nor any Politique Plato Aristotle Machiavil or whom you will old or new can so perfectly set downe and so fairely declare quid justum quid honestum as the Law of Christ hath done and therefore seeing omnis honos praesupponit onus the honour is but the reward of labour and that this labour or duty of Kings to maintaine true religion well performed
and faithfully discharged brings most glory unto God and the greatest honour to all Kings when it is more to be with Constantine a nursing father to Gods Church then it is to be with Alexander the sole Monarch of the known world I will first treat of their charge and care and the power that God hath given them to defend the faith and to preserve true religion And 1. 1. Care of Kings to preserve true Religion Aug. de utilitate credendi cap. 9. Religion faith a learned Divine without authority is no Religion for as Saint Augustine saith no true Religion can be received by any meanes without some weighty force of authority therefore if that Religion whereby thou hopest to be saved hath no authority to ground it selfe upon or if that authority whereby thy Religion is setled be mis-placed in him that hath no authority at all what hope of salvation remaining in that Religion canst thou conceive but it is concluded on all sides that the right authority of preserving true religion must reside in him and proceed from him by whose supreme power and government it is to be enacted and forced upon us To whom the charge of preserving religion is commited and therefore now the question is and it is very much questioned to whom the supreame government of our Religion ought rightly to be attributed 3 Opinions whereof I finde three severall resolutions 1. Papisticall which leaneth too much on the right hand 2. Anabaptisticall which bendeth twice as much on the left hand 3. Orthodoxall of the Protestants that ascribe the same to him on whom God himselfe hath conferred it Opinion 1 1. That the Church of Rome maketh the Pope solely to have the supreme government of our Christian Religion is most apparent out of all their writings Vnde saepè objiciunt dictum â—lâ—su ad Constantium Tibì Deus impertum commisit nobis quâ— sunt ecclesiastica concredidit Sed hâ—c intelligitur de executione officij non de gubernatione ecclesiae Sicut ibi manifestum est cum dicitur ne que fai est nobis in terris imperium tenere neque tibi thymiamatum soâ—rorum potestatem habere i e. in pradicatione Evangelij administratione Sacramentorum similibus and you may see what a large book our Countrey-man Stapleton wrote against Master Horne Bishop of Winchester to justifie the same And Sanders to disprove the right of Kings saith Fatemur personas Episcoporum qui in toto orbe fuerunt Romano Imperatori subjectas fuisse quoniam Rex praeest hominibus Christianis verùm non quia sunt Chrstiani sed quia sunt homines episcopis etiam ea ex parte rex praeesset So Master Harding saith that the office of a King in it selfe is all one every where not onely among the Christian Princes but also among the Heathen so that a Christian King hath no more to doe in deciding Church matters or medling with any point of Religion then a Heathen And so Fekenham and all the brood of Jesuites doe with all violence and virulencie labour to disprove the Princes authority and supremacy in Ecclesiasticall causes and the points of our Religion and to transferre the same wholly unto the Pope and his Cardinals Neither doe I wonder so much that the Pope having so universally gained and so long continued this power and retained this government from the right owners should imploy all his Hierarchie to maintaine that usurped authority which he held with so much advantage to his Episcopall See though with no small prejudice to the Church of Christ when the Emperours being busied with other affaires leaving this care of religion and government of the Church to the Pope the Pope to the Bishops the Bishops to their Suffragans and the Suffragans to the Monkes whose authority being little their knowledge lesse and their honesty least of all all things were ruled with greater corruption lesse truth then they ought to be so long as possibly he should be able to possesse it But at last when the light of the Gospell shined and Christian Princes had the leisure to looke and the heart to take hold upon their right the learned men opposing themselves against the Popes usurped jurisdiction have soundly proved the Soveraigne authority of Christian Kings in the government of the Church that not onely in other Kingdomes but also here in England this power was annexed by divers Lawes unto the interest of the Crowne and the lawfull right of the King and I am perswaded saith that Reverend Archbishop Bancroft had it not beene that new adversaries did arise Survey of Discip c. 22. p. 2â—1 and opposed themselves in this matter the Papists before this time had been utterly subdued for the Devill seeing himselfe so like to lose the field How the Devill raised instruments to hinder the reformation stirred up in the bosome of Reformation a flocke of violent and seditious men that pretending a great deale of hate to Popery have notwithstanding joyned themselves like Sampsons Foxes with the worst of Papists in the worst and most pernicious Doctrines that ever Papist taught to rob Kings of their sacred and divine right and to deprive the Church of Christ of the truth of all those points that doe most specially concerne her government and governours and though in the fury of their wilde â—eale they do no lesse maliciously then falsly cast upon the soundest Protestants the aspersion of Popery and Malignancie yet I hope to make it plaine unto my reader that themselves are the Papists indeed or worse then Papists both to the Church and State For 2. As the whole Colledge of Cardinals Of the Anabaptists and Puritans and all the Schooles Opinion 2 of the Jesuites doe most stiffely defend this usurped authority of the Pope which as I said may be with the lesse admiration because of the Princes concession and their owne long possession of it so on the other side there are sprung up of late a certaine generation of Vipers the brood of Anabaptists and Brownists that doe most violently strive not to detaine what they have unjustly obtained but a degree farre worse to pull the sword out of their Prince his hand and to place authority on them which have neither right to owne it Where the Pâ—ritans place the authority to maintaine religion 1. In the Presbyterie nor discretion to use it and that is either 1. A Consistory of Presbyters or 2. A Parliament of Lay men For 1. These new Adversaries of this Truth that would most impudently take away from Christian Princes the supreme and immediate authority under Christ in all Ecclesiasticall Callings and Causes will needs place the same in themselves and a Consistorian company of their own Faction a whole Volume would not contain their absurdities falsities and blasphemies that they have uttered about this point I will onely give you a taste of what some of the chiefe
to and intayled upon him in his own hands unclipped and unshaken for when the multitude shall be unbridled and the rights of the Kings are brandished in their hands we shall assuredly tast and I feare in too great a measure as experience now sheweth of those miserable evils which uncontrouled ignorance furious zeale false hypocrisie and the mercilesse cruelty of the giddy-headed people and discontented Peeres shall bring upon us and our Prince But to make it manifest unto the world what power and authority God hath granted unto Kings for the government of the Church and the preservation of his true religion we find them the worst men at all times and in all places that mislike their government The Kings that maintaine true religion make their Kingdoms happy and reject their authority and we see those Churches most happy and those Kingdomes most flourishing which God hath blessed with religious Kings as the State of the Church of Judaea makes it plaine when David Ezechias Josias and the other virtuous Kings restored the religion and purified that service which the idolatry of others their predecessours had corrupted and we know that as Moses * Exod. 14.31 Numb 12.7 8 Deut. 34.5 Josh 1.1 2. so Kings are called the servants of God in a more speciall manner then all others are that is not onely because they serve the Lord in the government of the Common wealth but especially because he vouchsafeth to use their service for the advancement of his Church and the honour of his sonne Christ here on earth or to distribute their duties more particularly we know the Lord expecteth The double service of all Christian Kings and so requireth a double service from every Christian King 1. The one common with all others to serve him as they are his creatures and Christians and therefore to serve him as all other Christians are bound to doe 2. The other proper and peculiar to them alone to serve him as they are Kings and Princes 1. As they are Christians In the first respect they are no more priviledged to offend then other men but they are tyed to the same obedience of Gods Lawes and are obliged to performe as many virtuous actions and to abstaine from all vices as well as any other of their Subjects and if they faile in either point they shall be called to the same account and shall be judged with the same severity as the meanest of their people and therefore Be wise O ye Kings Psal 2.10 be learned ye that are Judges of the earth Serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce unto him with reverence for with God there is no respect of persons Rom. 2.11 Psal 149.8 but if they doe offend he will binde Kings in fetters and their Nobles with linkes of iron and we dare not flatter you to give you the least liberty to neglect the strict service of the great God In the second respect 2. As they are Christian Kings and that is twofold the service of all Christian Kings and Princes hath as I told you before these two parts 1. To protect the true religion and to governe the Church of Christ 2. To preserve peace and to governe the Common-wealth For 1. It is true indeed that the Donatists of old 1. To protect the Church the grand fathers of our new Sectaries were wont to say Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia what have we to doe with the Emperour Aug. cont lit petil l. 2. or what hath the Emperour to doe with the Church but to this Optatus answereth that Optat. Melivet lib. 3. Ille solito furore accensus in haec verba prorupit Donatus out of his accustomed madnesse burst forth into these mad termes Prima omnium in republ functionum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 7. c. 8. for it is a duty that lyeth upon all Princes because all both Christians and Pagans ought to be religious as I shewed to you before not onely to be devout but also to be the meanes to make all their Subjects so farre as they can to become devoted to Gods service as the practice of those Heathens that had no other guide of their actions then the light of nature doth make it plaine for Aristotle saith Aristot Polit. l. 3. c. 10. that Quae ad Deorum cultum pertinent commissa sunt regibus magistratibus those things that pertaine unto the worship of the gods are committed to the care of Kings and civill Magistrates and whatsoever their religion was as indeed it was but meere Superstition yet because Superstition and Religion hoc habent commune doe this in common Vt faciant animos humiles formidine divum Therefore to make men better the more humble and more dutifull the transgression thereof was deemed worthy to receive punishment among the Pagans and that punishment was appointed by them that had the principall authority to governe the Common-wealth The chiefâ— Mâ—gistrates of the Heathens had the charge of religion as the Athenian Magistrates condemned Socrates though he was a man wiser then themselves yet as they conceived very faulty for his irreligion and derision of their adored gods And Tiberius would set up Christ among the Roman gods though the act added no honour unto Christ without the authority and against the will of the Senate to shew that the care of religion belonged unto the Emperour or chiefe Magistrate and therefore as the Lord commanded the Kings of Israel to write a copie of his Law in a booke Deut. 17 18 19. and to take heed to all the words of that Law for to doe them that is not onely as a private person for so every man was not to write it but as King to reduce others to the obedience thereof so the examples of the best Kings both of Israel and Juda and of the best Christian Emperours doe make this plaine unto us Josh 24 23. for Ioshua caused all Israel to put away the strange gods that were among them The care of the good Kings of the Iewes to preserve the true religion and to incline their hearts unto the Lord God of Israel Manasses after his returne from Babylon tooke away the strange gods and the Idols out of the house of the Lord and cast them all out of the Citie and repaired the Altar of the Lord and commanded Iuda to serve the Lord God of Israel And what shall I say of David whose whole studie was to further the service of God and of Iehosaphat Asa Iosias Ezechias and others that were rare patternes for other Kings for the well government of Gods Church and in the time of the Gospell Quod non tollit praecepta legis sed perficit which takes not away the rules of nature nor the precepts of the Law but rather establisheth the one perfecteth the other because Christ came into the world non ut tolleret jura seculi sed ut
deleret peccata mundi not to take away the rights of the Nations but to satisfie for the sinnes of the world the best Christian Emperours discharged the same duty The care of the good Emperours to preserve the true religion reformed the Church abolished Idolatry punished Heresie and maintained Piety especially Constantine and Theodosius that were most pious Princes and of much vertues and became as the Prophet foretold us Esay 49.23 nursing fathers unto Gods Church for though they are most religious and best in their religion that are religious for conscience sake yet there is a feare from the hand of the Magistrate that is able to restraine those men from many outward evils whom neither conscience nor religion could make honest therefore God committed the principall care of his Church to the Prince and principall Magistrate Who defended thâ—s truth And this is confirmed and throughly maintained by sundry notable men as Brentius against Asoto Bishop Horne against Fekenham Jewell against Harding and many other learned men that have written against such other Papists and Puritans Anabaptists and Brownists The Papists unawares confesse this truth that have taken upon them to impugne it yea many of the Papists themselves at unawares doe confesse as much for Osorius saith Omne regis officium in religionis sanctissimae rationem conferendum Osortus de relig p. 21. munus ejus est beare rempubl religione pietate all the office of a King is to be conferred or imployed for the regard and benefit of the most holy religion and his whole duty is to blesse or make happy the Common-wealth with religion and piety Quod enim est aliud reipublicae principi munus assignatum quà m ut rempubl florentem atque beatam faciat quod quidem nullo modo sine egregiâ pietatis religionis sanctitate perficitur For though we confesse with Ignatius that no man is equall to the Bishop in causes Ecclesiasticall no not the King himselfe that is in such things as belong to his office as Whitaker saith Whitak resp Camp p. 302. because he onely ought to see to holy things that is the instruction of the people the administration of the Sacraments the use of the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and the like matters of great weight and exceeding the Kings authority The Kings authority over Bishops yet Kings are above Bishops in wealth honour power government and majestie and though they may not doe any of the Episcopall duties yet they may and ought lawfully to admonish them of their duties and restraine them from evill 1. Chron. 28.13 2. Chron. 29. 1. Reg. 2.26 and command them diligently to execute their office and if they neglect the same they ought to reprove and punish them as we reade the good Kings of the Jewish Church and the godly Emperours * As Martian apud Binium l. 2. p. 178. Iustinian novil 10. tit 6. Theodos jun. Evagr. l. 1. c. 12. Basil in Concil Constant 8. act 1. Binius tom 3. p. 880. of the Christian Church have ever done and the Bishops themselves in sundry Councels have acknowledged the same power and authority to be due and of right belonging unto them as at Mentz anno 814. and anno 847. apud Binium tom 3. p. 462. 631. At Emerita in Portugall anno 705. Bin. tom 2. p. 1183. and therefore it is an ill consequent to say Princes have no authority to preach Ergo they have no authority to punish those that will not preach or that doe preach false Doctrine This truth is likewise apparent not onely by the testimony of Scripture and Fathers but also by the evidence of plaine reason because the prosperity of that Land which any King doth governe Reason confirmeth that Kings should take care of religion without a principall care of religion decayeth and degenerateth into Warres Dearthes Plagues and Pestilence and abundance of other miseries that are the lamentable effects and consequences of the neglect of religion and contempt of the Ministers of Gods Church which I beleeve is no small cause of these great troubles that we now suffer because our God Psal 35.27 that taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants cannot endure that either his service should be neglected or his servants abused CHAP. VII Sheweth the three things necessary for all Kings that would preserve true Religion how the King may attaine to the knowledge of things that pertaine to Religion by his Bishops and Chaplaines and the calling of Synods the unlawfulnesse of the new Synod the Kings power and authority to governe the Church and how both the old and new Disciplinarians and Sectaries rob the King of this power THerefore seeing this should be the greatest care that brings the greatest honour to a Christian Prince to promote the true religion it is requisite that we should consider those things that are most necessary to a Christian King for the religious performance of this duty And they are Three things necessary for a King to preserve the Church and true Religion 1. A will to performe it 2. An understanding to goe about it 3. A power to effect it And these three must be inseparable in the Prince that maintaineth true religion For 1. Our knowledge and our power without a willing minde doth want motion 2. Our will and power without knowledge shall never be able to move right And 3. Our will and knowledge without ability can never prevaile to produce any effect Therefore Kings and Princes ought to labour to be furnished with these three speciall graces The first is a good will to preserve the purity of Gods service 1. A willing minde to do it not onely in his House but also throughout all his Kingdome and this as all other graces are must be acquired by our faithfull prayers and that in a more speciall manner for Kings and Princes then for any other and it is wrought in them by outward instruction and the often predication of Gods Word and the inward inspiration of Gods Spirit The second is knowledge 2. Understanding to knâ—w what is to be reformed and what to be retained which is not much lesse necessary then the former because not to runne right is no better then not to runne at all and men were as good to doe nothing as to doe amisse and therefore true knowledge is most requisite for that King that will maintaine true religion and this should be not onely in generall and by others but as much as possible he can in particulars and of himselfe that himselfe might be assured what were fit to be reformed and what warranted to be maintained in Gods service for so Moses commandeth the chiefe Princes to be exercised in Gods Law day and night because this would be a speciall meanes to beatifie or make happy both the Church and Common-wealth The Kings neglect of religion and the Church is the
destruction of the Common-wealth As the neglect thereof brought ignorance unto the Church and ruine to the Romane Empire for as in Augustus time learning flourished and in Constantines time piety was much embraced because these Emperours were such themselves so when the Kings whose examples most men are apt to follow either busied with secular affaires or neglecting to understand the truth of things and the state of the Church do leave this care unto others then others imitating their neglect doe rule all things with great corruption and as little truth whereby errours and blindnesse will over-spread the Church and pride covetousnesse and ambition will replenish the Common-wealth and these vices like the tares that grow up in Gods field to suffocate the pure Wheat will at last choake up all vertue and piety both in Church and State Therefore to prevent this mischiefe the King on whom God hath laid the care of these things ought himselfe what he can to learne and find out the true state of things and because it is far unbefitting the honour and inconsistent with the charge of great Princes whose other affaires will not permit them to be alwayes poring at their bookes as if they were such critiques as intended to exceed all others in the theorick learning like Archimedes that was in his studie drawing forth his Mathematicall figures when the Citie was sackt and his enemies pulling down the house about his eares How Kings may attaine unto the knowledge of religion and understand the state of the Church and how to governe the same therefore it is wisedome in them to imitate the discreet examples of other wise Kings and religious Emperours in following the meanes that God hath left and using the power and authority that he hath given them to attaine unto more knowledge and to be better instructed in any religious matter then themselves could possibly attaine unto by their owne greatest studie and that is 1. To call able Clergy-men about them 1. As Alexander had his Aristotle ready to informe him in any Philosophicall doubt and Augustus his prime Orators Poëts and Historians to instruct him in all affaires so God hath granted this power unto his Kings to call those Bishops and command such Chaplaines to reside about them as shall be able to informe them in any truth of Divinity and so direct them in the best forme of government of Gods Church and these Chaplaines should be well approved both for their learning and their honesty for to be learned without honesty as many are is to be witty to doe evill which is most pernitious and doth often times make a private gaine by a publique losse or an advantage to themselves by the detriment of the Church and to be honest without knowledge How they should be qualified or to have knowledge without experience especially in such places of eminencie and for the affaires of importance may be as dangerous when their want of skill may counsell to doe matters of much hurt but when both are met together in one person that man is a fit Subject to doe good service both to God and the King and the King may be assured there cannot be a better furtherance to assist him for the well ordering of Gods Church then the grave advice directions of such instruments as it appeareth by that memorable example of King Ioas left to be remembred by all Kings who whilest the wise and religious Priest Jehoiada assisted and directed him had all things successefull and happy to his whole Kingdome but after Jehoiada's death 2. Reg. 12.1 the King destitute of such a Chaplaine to attend and such a Priest to counsell him all things came speedily to great ruine Therefore I dare boldly avouch it they are enemies unto Kings and the underminers of Gods Church and such instruments as I am not able to expresse their wickednesse that would exclude such Jehoiada's from the Kings counsell for was not Saul a wicked King and Ahab little better yet Saul would have Samuel to direct him though he followed not his direction and Ahab would aske counsell of Micaiah though he rejected the same to his owne destruction and King David 1. Reg. 22.16 though never so wise and so great a Prophet and Josias and Ezechias and all the rest of the good Kings had alwayes the Priests and the men of God to be their Counsellors and followed their directions especially in Church causes as the oracles of God Mar. 6.20 so wicked Herod disdained not to heare John the Baptist and to be reformed by him in many things and happy had he beene had he done it in all things And if you reade Eusebius which is called Pamphilus for the great love he bare to that his noble Patron and Socrates and the rest of the Ecclesiasticall Historians or the Histories of our owne Land you shall finde that the best Kings and greatest Emperours had the best Divines and the most reverend Bishops to be their chiefest Counsellors and to be imployed by them in their weightiest affaires How then hath the Devill now prevailed to exclude them from all Counsels and as much as in him lyeth from the sight of Princes when he makes it a suspicion of much evill if they do but talke together How hath he bewitched the Nobility to yeild to be deprived of their Chaplaines Is it not to keepe them that have not time to studie and to find out truth themselves still in the ignorance of things and to none other end then to overthrow the true religion and to bring Kings and Princes to confusion 2. When the King seeth cause 2. To call Synods to discusse and conclude the harder things God hath given him power and authority to call Synods and Councels and to assemble the best men the most moderate and most learned to determine of those things together which a fewer number could not so well or at least not so authoritatively conclude upon for so Constantine the Great called the great Councell of Nice to suppresse the Heresie of Arius Theodosius called the Councell of Ephesus in the case of Nestorius Valentinian and Martian called the Councell of Calcedon against Eutyches Justinian called the Councell of Constantinople against Severus that renewed the Heresie of Eutyches Constantine the Fifth called the sixth Synod against the Monothelites and so did many others in the like cases God having fully granted this right and authority unto them for their better information in any point of religion and the governement of the Church And therefore they that deny this power unto Kings or assume this authority unto themselves whether Popes or Parliament out of the Kings hand they may as well take his eyes out of his head because this is one of the best helpes that God hath left unto Kings to assist and direct them in the chiefest part of their royall government The unparallel'd presumption of the Faction to call a Synod without
Martyn Travers Throgmorton Philips Nicholls and the rest of those introducers of Out-landish and Genevian Discipline first broached these uncouth and unsufferable tenets in our Land in the Realme of England and Scotland and truely if their opinions had not dispersed themselves like poyson throughout all the veines of this Kingdome and infected many of our Nobility and as many of the greatest Cities of this Kingdome as it appeareth by this late unparallâ—'d rebellion these and the rest of the trayterous authors of those unsavory bookes which they published and those damnable tenets which they most ignorantly held and maliciously taught unto the people should have slept in silence their hallowed and sanctified Treason should have remained untouched and their memoriall should have perished with them But seeing as Saint Chrysostome saith of the Heretiques of his time that although in age they were younger yet in malice they were equall to the ancient Heretiques and as the brood of Serpents though they are of lesse stature Our rebellious Sectaries farre worse then all the former Disciplinarians yet in their poyson no lesse dangerous then their dammes so no more have our new Sectaries our upstart Anabaptists any lesse wickednesse then their first begetters nay we finde it true that as the Poët saith Aetas parentum pejor avis Tulit nos nequiores These young cubbes prove worse then the old foxes for if you compare the whelpes with the wolves our latter Schismatickes with their former Masters I doubt not but you shall finde lesse learning and more villany lesse honesty and more subtilty hypocrisie and treachery in Doctor Burges Master Marshall â—â—se Goodwin Burrowes Calamy Perne Hill Cheynell and the rest of our giddy-headed Incendiaries then can be found in all the seditious Pamphlets of the former Disciplinarians or of them that were hanged as Penry for their treasons for these men doe not onely as Sidonius saith of the like apertè invidere 〈…〉 â—pâ—sâ— abjectè fingere serviliter superbiro openly envy the state of the Bishops basely forge lyes against them and servilely swell with the pride of their owne conceited sanctity and appâ—â—â—ut ignorance but they have also most impudently even 〈◊〉 their Pulpits slandered the footsteps of Gods Annointed and to brought the abhomination of their transgression to stand in the holy place they have with Achan troubled Israel and tormented the whole Land yea these three Kingdomes England Scotland and Ireland and for inciting provoking and incouraging simple ignorant poore discontented and seditious Sectaries For which their intolerable villanies if I be not deceived in my judgement they of all others and above all the Rebels in the Kingdome deserve the greatest and severest punishment God of Heaven give them the grace to repent to be Rebels and Traytors against their owne most gracious King they have not onely with Jerusalem justified Samaria Sodome and Gomorrah but they have justified all the Samaritanes all the Sodomites all the Schismaticks Hereticks Rebels and Traytors Papists and Atheists and all that went before them Iudas himselfe in many circumstances not excepted and that which makes their doings the more evill and the more exceedingly wicked is that they make religion to be the warrant for their evill doings the packe-horse to carry and the cloake to cover all their treacheries and thereby they drew the greater multitudes of poore Zelots to be their followers And therefore seeing it is not onely the honour but also the duty as of all other Kings so likewise of our King to be as the Princes of our Land are justly stiled the Defenders of the Faith and that not onely in regard of enemies abroad but also in respect of those farre worse enemies which desire alteration at home it behoves the King to looke to these home-bred enemies of the Church and seeing the King though never so willing for his piety and religion What Gods faithfull servants and the Kings loyall Subjects must doe in these times 1. To justifie the Kings right never so able for his knowledge and understanding yet without strength and power to effect what he desires cannot defend the faith and maintaine the true religion from the violence of Sectaries and Traytors within his Kingdome it behoves us all to doe these two things 1. To justifie the Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his authority and right to be the supreame governour and defender of the Church and of Gods true religion and service both in respect of Doctrine and Discipline and that none else Pope or Parliament hath any power at all herein but what they have derivatively from him which I hope we have sufficiently proved 2. 2 To assist Him against the Rebels To submit our selves unto our King and to adde our strength force and power to inable his power to discharge this duty against all the Innovators of our religion and the enemies of our peace for the honour of God and the happinesse of this Church and Common-wealth for that power which is called the Kings power and is granted and given to him of God is not onely that heroicke vertue of fortitude which God planteth in the hearts of most noble Princes as he hath most graciously done it in abundant measure in our most gracious King but it is the collected and united power and strength of all his Subjects which the Lord hath commanded us to joyne and submit it for the assistance of the Kings power against all those that shall oppose it and if we refuse or neglect the same then questionlesse whatsoever mischiefe idolatry barbarity or superstition shall take root in the Church and whatsoever oppression and wickednesse shall impaire the Common-wealth Heaven will free His Majestie and the wrath of God in no small measure must undoubtedly light upon us and our posterity even as Debora saith of them that refused to assist Barac against his enemies Curse ye Meroz Judg. 5.23 curse bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not forth to helpe the Lord against the mighty CHAP. VIII Sheweth it is the right of Kings to make Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons proved by many authorities and examples that the good Kings and Emperours made such Lawes by the advice of their Bishops and Clergie and not of their Lay Counsellors how our late Canons came to be annulled that it is the Kings right to admit his Bishops and Prelates to be of his Councell and to delegate secular authority or civill jurisdiction unto them proved by the examples of the Heathens Jewes and Christians OUt of all this that hath been spoken it is more then manifest that the King ought to have the supreme power over Gods Church and the government thereof and the greatest care to preserve true religion throughout all his Dominions this is his duty and this is his honour that God hath committed not a people but his people and the members of his Son under his charge For the performance of which charge it is
habet They were furiously bent against them and you know furor arma ministrat dum regnant arma silent leges all Lawes must sleepe while Armes prevaile Besides you may finde those Canons as if they had beene prophetically made fore-saw the increasing strength of Anabaptisme Brownisme Puritanisme most likely to subvert true Protestanisme and therefore were as equally directed against these Sectaries of the left hand as against the Papists on the right hand and I thinke the whole Kingdome now findes and feeles the strength of that virulent Faction and therefore what wonder that they should seeke to breake all those Canons to pieces and batter them downe with their mighty Ordinances for seeking to subdue their invincible errours or else because as they say the Ecclesiasticall State is not an independent society but a member of the whole the Parliament was not so to be excluded as that their advice and approbation should not be required to make them obligatory to the rest of the Subjects of the whole Kingdome which claime this priviledge to be tyed to the observation of no humane Lawes that themselves by their representatives have not consented unto 2. To grant dispensations of his owne Lawes 2. As the King is intrusted by God to make Lawes for the government of the Church of Christ so it is a rule without question that ejus est dispensare absolvere cujus est condere he hath the like power to dispense with whom he pleaseth and to absolve him that transgresseth as he hath to oblige them therefore our Church being for reformation the most famous throughout all the parts of the Christian world and our King having so just an authority to doe the same it is a most impudent scandall full of all malice and ignorance not to be endured by any well-affected Christian that the new brood of the old Anabaptists doe lay upon our Church and State that they did very unreasonably and unconscionably by their Lawes grant Dispensations both for Pluralities and Non-residency The scandall of the malicious ignorants against the worthier Clergy onely to further the corrupt desires of some few to the infinite wrong of the whole Clergy besides the hazard of many thousands of soules the intolerable dishonour of Gods truth and the exceeding disadvantage of Christ his Church for seeing God hath principally committed and primarily commanded the care of his Church and Service unto Kings who are therefore to make Lawes and Orders for the well governing of the same I shall make it most evident that they may as they have ever done most lawfully and more beneficially both for Gods Church and also for the Common-wealth doe these three things 1. Three speciall points handled To grant that grace and favour unto their Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons as to admit them of their counsell and to undertake secular authority and civill jurisdiction 2. To allow dispensations of Pluralities and Non-residency which they may most justly and most wisely do without any transgression of the Law of God 3. To give tolerations where they see cause of many things prohibited by their Law to dispense with the transgressions and to remit the fault of the transgressors For 1. Though the world relapsed from the true light 1. Point and declined from the syncere religion to most detestable superstition yet there remained in the people certaine impressions of the divine truth that there was a God The great respect of the Clergy in former ages and that this God was religiously to be worshipped and those men that taught the worship of that God how fowly soever they did mistake it Sarawa l. 2. c. 2. p. 103. were had in singular account and supereminent authority among all Nations and as Saravia saith 1. Among the Gentiles they were compeeres with Kings in their government so that nothing was done without their counsell and consent and as Theseus was the first that Cives Atticos è pagis in urbem compulit Osor p. 231. and put the difference betwixt Nobles De tota Syria Palestina refert Dion l. 37. quòd rex summi Pontificis nomen habeat Husbandmen and Artificers so the Priests were alwayes selected out of the noblest families and were ever in all their publique counsels as the Divines sate among the Athenians and the South-sayers sate with the King among the Lacedemonians in all their weightiest consultations And Strabo tells us Strabo lib. 12. that the Priests of Bellona which were in Pontus and Cappadocia Apud Tertul. advers Valent. Hermetem legimus appellar◠Max. sacerdotem maximum regem for that Goddesse was honoured in both places were regarded with the greatest honour next to the King himselfe and the Romans that were both wealthy warlike and wise did almost nothing without the advice and counsell of their Priests I will omit what Valerius Maximus setteth downe of their care of religion and their great respect unto their Priests and religious persons and I will referre you onely to what Tully writeth of this point Cicero l. 2. de legibus Diotogenes apud Stob. dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aethiopes reges suos deligebant ex numero sacerdotum Diodor l. 3. c 1. Tòtus Vespas Pontificatum maximum ideo sese professus est accipere ut puras servaret manus Sueton. in Tito c. 9. In Aritia regnum erat concretum cum sacerdotio Diana ut innuit Ovid. Ecce suburbana templum nemorale Dianae Partaque per gladios regna nocente manu De arte amandi lib. 1. Strabo l. 5. where he saith that the greatest and the worthiest thing in their Common-wealth was the priviledge and preheminence of the Divines which was joyned with the greatest authority for they dismissed the companies and the Councels of the chiefest Empires and the greatest Potentates when they were proposed they restrayned them when they were concluded they ceased from the affaires which they had in hand if but one Divine did say the contrary they appointed that the Consuls should depose themselves from their Magistracie it was in their intire power either to give leave or not to give leave to deale with the people or not to deale to repeale Lawes not lawfully made and to suffer nothing to be done by the Magistrate in peace or warre without their leave or authority this was their Law though I beleeve it was not alwayes observed by their proud Consuls and unruly Magistrates Cicero de nat deorum l. 2. In like manner Caesar writeth of the Gaules and Britons that they had two sorts of men in singular honour the one was their Druides or Divines the other was their Souldiers or men of warre and he faith that their Druides determined of all controversies in a manner both private and publique and if there were any crime committed any murther attempted if any controversie about inheritance or the bounds of lands did arise they also did set downe
especially considering that the discharging of those good duties to give counsell to doe justice to relieve the distressed and the like are more acceptable recreations unto them as it was meate and drinke to Christ to doe his fathers will then the other fore-named exercises are or can be to any others and considering also John 4.34 that where the Bishop or Pastor hath great affaires and much charge he may have great helpes and much aid to assist him You will allow us an houre for our recreation why will you not allow us that houre to doe justice 2. If you say they are spirituall men and therefore cannot Ob. 2 have so great a care of the temporall State and Common-wealth I answer that as now the Common-wealth is the Church Sol. 1 The ability of thâ— Clergy to manage civill affaires and the Church is the Common-wealth and have as good interest therein and better we hope then many of the Common-wealth have in the Church and they should be as able to understand what is beneficiall to the Common-wealth as any other for Ignatius saith Ignat. epist ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Kings ought to be served by wise men and by those that are of great understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to be attended upon by weake and simple men and if Kings must be served by such men then certainly the service of God is not to be performed by Weavers and Taylors and others like Jeroboams Priests but it will require men of great abilities learning and understanding in all businesses whatsoever such as are indeed well able to discourse De quolibet ente And they have very unprofitably consumed themselves with their time in their head pain vigils and heart-breaking studies in traversing over all the Common-wealths of the world The Clergy of better ab lities to benefit the Common-wealth thâ—n many others that now swâ—y it if they have learned nothing whereby they may benefit their owne Common-wealth or doe understand lesse what belongeth unto the good of their Countrey especially in matters of equity and right then illiterate Burgesses and meere Chapmen for if you reade but the bookes of the Prophets you shall finde how plentifull they are in the precepts of peace in the policies of warre and in the best counsels for all things which concerne the good of the Common-wealth and doe not the Divines reade the Histories of all or most other Common-wealths how else shall they be inabled to propose unto their people the example of Gods justice upon the wicked and his bounty and favour unto the observers of his Lawes throughout all ages and in all places of this world and will you deprive the King of the assistance of such instruments for the government of his people The imployment of the Bishops in civill affaires is the good of the Common-wealth that are stronger then any one man can rule and would quickly despise Heaven and destroy the earth if their consciences were not awed with religion or would you damme up the channels of those benefits that should flow from them to the Common-wealth for it is not the addition of any honour to the calling of a Bishop but the Kings interest and the peoples good that is aymed at when we assert the capacity of the Clergy to discharge the offices of the most publique affaires Petrus Blesensis ep 84. because as Petrus Blesensis saith it is the office of the Bishops to instruct the King to righteousnesse to be a rule of Sanctity and sobriety unto the Court to mixe the influences of Religion with the designes of State and to restraine the malignity of the ill-disposed people and all histories doe relate unto us that when pious Bishops were imployed in the Kings Counsells the rigor of the lawes was abated equity introduced the cry of the poore respected their necessities releived the liberties of the Church preserved pride depressed religion increased the devotion of the Laity multiplied the peace of the Kingdome flourished and the tribunals were made more just and mercifull then now they be And therefore the sacred histories doe record of purpose how the people of God never adventured upon any action of waight and moment before they had well consulted with the Preists and Prophets as you see in the example of Ahab No Nation attempted any great matter without the advice of their Priests that was none of the best Kings yet would not omit this good duty and such was the custome of all other Countries wheresoever there was any religion or reverence of God Quae enim est respub ubi ecclesiastici primum non habeant locum in comitiis publicis de salute reipub deliberationibus for which is that Common-wealth where the Ecclesiasticall persons had not the first place in all meetings and publique consultations about the welfare of the Common-wealth as in Germany the three spirituall Electors are the first in France the three Ecclesiasticall persons were the first of all the Peeres in England till this unhappy time the two Archbishops and in Poland as many were wont to have the chiefest place and not unworthily quia aequum est Apud Euseb Paphilum l. 11. antestent in concilio qui antestant prudentia nec videtur novisse res humanas nisi qui divinas cognitas habet Strabo l. 4. Caesar de bello Gallico lib. 6. as the Indian said unto Socrates and therefore the Chaldeans the Egyptians the Grecians the Romanes the French and the Britons thought it alwayes ominous to attempt any notable thing in the Common-wealth without the sad and sage advice of their Priests and Prophets for they knew the neglect of God was never left without due revenge and though their false gods were no gods yet the true God was found to have beene a sharpe revenger of the contempt of the false gods because that to them they were proposed for the true gods and they believed them so to be as Lactantius sheweth and therefore all antiquity that bare any reverence to any Deity shewed all reverence and respect unto the teachers of his religion but now men desire to throw learning over the Barre because it should not discover the ignorance of the Bench or rather piety is excluded because it should not reprove their iniquity And the Clergy must not sit on the seat of judgement that the Laity may doe injustice without controule or perhaps revenge themselves upon their Ministers on the Bench for reproving their vices in the Church so the Devill gaineth whatsoever piety looseth by their depression 2. As the Clergy-men are as able 2. The desire of the Clergy to do good to the State so they are as willing and as carefull to provide for the good of the State as any other for themselves are members of the Common-wealth and they are appointed by God to be watchmen and over-seers to fore tell what mischiefes or felicities are like to
Ariamirus Wambanus Richaredus and divers other Kings of Spaine did in like manner And Charlemaine who approved not the decisions of the Greekish Synod wrote a booke against the same * Intituled A Treatise of Charlemaigne against the Greekish Synod touching Images whereby the King maintained himselfe in possession to make Lawes for the Church saith Iohannes Beda of which Lawes there are many in a booke called The capitulary Decrees of Charles the Great who as Pepin his predecessor had done in the Citie of Bourges so did he also assemble many Councels in divers places of his Kingdomes as at Mayens at Tours at Reines at Chaalons at Arles and the sixt most famous of all at Francfort where himselfe was present in person and condemned the errour of Felician and so other Kings of France and the Kings of our owne Kingdome of England both before and after the Conquest as Master Fox plentifully recordeth did make many Lawes and Constitutions for the government of Gods Church But as Dioclesian The saying of Dioclesian that was neither the best nor the happiest governour said most truly of the civill government that there was nothing harder then to rule well * That is to rule the Common-wealth so it is much harder to governe the Church of Christ therefore as there cannot be an argument of greater wisedome in a Prince nor any thing of greater safety and felicity to the Common-wealth then for him to make choice of a wise Councell to assist him in his most weighty affaires Tacitus Annal. lib. 12. saith Cornelius Tacitus So all religious Kings must do the like in the government of the Church and the making of their Lawes for that government for God out of his great mercy to them and no lesse desire to have his people religiously governed left such men to be their supporters their helpers and advicers in the performance of these duties and I pray you whom did Kings choose for this businesse but whom God had ordained for that purpose for you may observe that although those Christian Kings and Emperours made their Laws as having the supremacy and the chiefest care of Gods religion committed by God into their hands yet they did never make them that ever I could reade with the advice counsell or direction of any of their Peeres or Lay Subjects but as David had Nathan and Gad The good Kings and Emperours made their Lavves for the government of the Church onely by the advice of their Clergy Nebuchadnezzar had Daniel and the rest of the Jewish Kings and Heathens had their Prophets onely and Priests to direct them in all matters of religion so those Christian Kings and Princes tooke their Bishops and their Clergie onely to be their counsellors and directors in all Church causes as it appeareth out of all the fore-cited Authors and all the Histories that doe write thereof and Justinian published this Law that when any Ecclesiasticall cause or matter was moved his Lay officers should not intermeddle with it A good Law of Iustinian but should suffer the Bishops to end the same according to the Canons the words are Si Ecclesiasticum negotium sit nullam communionem habento civiles magistratus cum ea disceptatione Constit 123. sed religiosissimi Episcopi secundum sacros canones negotio finem imponunto For the good Emperours knew full well that the Lay Senate neither understood what to determine in the points of faith and the government of Christ's Church nor was ever willing to doe any great good or any speciall favour unto the Shepherds of Christ's flocke and the teachers of the true religion because the Sonne of God had fore-told it that the world should hate us John 15.19 that secular men and Lay Senators should commonly oppose crosse and shew all the spite they can unto the Clergy of whom our Saviour saith Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sheepe in the midst of wolves Whence this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great distance between their dispositions being observed it grew into a Proverb that Laici semper infesti sunt Clericis How the Laity love the Clergie And Doctor Meriton in a Sermon before King James observed this as one of the good favours the Clergie of England found from our Parliaments since the reformation when many men first began to be translated from the seat of the scornefull to sit in Moses chaire A very memorable act Anno 39. Eliz. cap. 4. and to prescribe Lawes for Christ his Spouse to make an Act that all wandering beggars after their correction by the Constable should be brought to the Minister of the Parish to have their names registred in a booke and the Constable used to give to the Minister 2d for his paines for every one so registred but if he refused or neglected to doe it the Statute saith he should be punished 5 for every one that should be so omitted where besides the honourable office I will not say to make the Minister of Christ a Bedle of the beggars but a Register of the vagrants you see the punishment of one neglect amounteth to the reward of thirty labours therefore all the Christian Emperours and the wisest Kings considering this great charge that God had laid upon them to make wholesome Lawes and Constitutions for the government of his Church and seeing the inclinations of the Laity would never permit any of these Lay Elders and the Citizens of the world to usurpe this authority to be the composers contrivers or assistants in concluding of any Ecclesiasticall Law That the Laity should have no interest in making Lawes for the Church untill the fences of Gods vineyard were pulled downe and the wilde Boare out of the forrest the audacious presumption of the unruly Commonalty ventured either to governe the Church or to subdue their Prince since which incroachment upon the rights of Kings it hath never succeeded well with the Church of Christ and I dare boldly say it fidenter quia fideliter and the more boldly because most truly the more authority they shall gaine herein the lesse glory shall Christ have from the service of his Church and therefore Be wise ô ye Kings And consider how any new Canons are to be made by our Statute 25. Hen. 8. Ob. Ob. But then it may be demanded if this be so that the Laity hath no right in making Lawes and Decrees for the government of Gods Church but that it belongs wholly unto the King to doe it with the advice of his Bishops and the rest of his Clergy then how came the Parliament to annull those Canons that were so made by the King and Clergy because they had no vote nor consent in confirming of them Sol. Sol. Truely I cannot answer to this Objection unlesse I should tell you what the Poet saith Dum furor in cursu currenti cede furori Difficiles aditus impetus omnis
any of these Sects that may be commorant within his Kingdomes Touching which I say that besides dissembling hypocrites and prophane worldlings that have no faith nor any other religion but the shadow of that religion whatsoever it is which is profest wheresoever they are Foure speciall sorts of false Professors 1. Jewes there may be in any Kingdome Jewes Turkes Papists Puritans and the like or to call them otherwise Idolaters Heretiques Schismatiques c. And 1. For the Jewes though they have many things in their religion which will ever alienate them from the Papists yet they have free leave to use their ancient Ceremonies in Rome Whitak against Campian translated by Master Stocke p. 311. saith Doctor Whitaker and it is well knowne that many pious Princes have permitted them to dwell and to exercise their owne religion in this Kingdome the old Jurie in London is so called because it was allotted for their abode and the Lawes of many Christian Emperours have in like sort permitted them to do the like in their Dominions With what cautions the Jewes are to be suffered Deut. 7.3 Exod. 23.32 Doctor Covell c. 14. p. 199. but with those cautions and limitations that Moses prescribed unto the Jewes to be observed with the Heathens and Idolaters that dwelt amongst them that is neither to make marriages with them nor to communicate with them in their religion And S. Augustine is reported to be so favourable towards them that he alleadgeth severall reasons for their toleration As 1. 1. Reason for their toleration That above and before others they had the promise of salvation and therefore though some of the branches be cut off and the case of the rest be most lamentable yet not altogether desperate and incurable Rom. 11.24 25 if we consider what the Apostle setteth downe of their conversion and re-unition unto the good right olive tree 2. That the Prophet David speaking of them made that Reason 2 prayer unto God Slay them not O Lord Psal 59.11 lest my people forget it but scatter them abroad among the Heathen and put them downe O Lord our defence for many excellent ends as first that their being scattered among the Christians might shew both the Clemency and severity of God towards us mercy and clemency and towards them justice and severity which may likewise happen unto us if wee take not heed as the Apostle bids us Rom. 11.20 Wee may not force the Jewes to beleeve Be not high-minded but feare and secondly that being among the Christians they might the sooner at all times by their charity and prayers be reduced the more willingly to imbrace the faith of Christ when as unwillingly wee may neither compell them nor take their children to be baptized from them And therefore as the Princes of this Realme for divers causes hurtfull to their State have banished them out of their Dominions so if they see good cause to permit them as time may change the condition of things they may do as by their counsell they shall be advised either the one or the other to receive them or reject them without offence because we find no speciall precept or direction in Gods Word either to banish or to cherish them in any Kingdome 2 Turkes 2 For the Turkes the reasons are not much unlike though something different and in my judgement no lesse tolerable then the other because somewhat neerer to the Christian faith therefore I leave them to the Lawes of each Kingdome to do as the wisedome of the Prince shall thinke fit 3. Papists 3 For the Papists the case is farre otherwise with them then either with the Turkes or Jewes because 1 They professe the same faith quoad essentialia the same Creedes the same Gospell and the same Christ as we do 2 It is not denyed by the best of our Divines but that they together with us do constitute the same Catholicke Church of Christ though they be sicke and corrupted yet not dead and we strong and sound yet not unspotted members of the same as I have more fully shewed in my booke of the true Church 3. Popist 3 It is not agreed upon by all our Divines that they are idolaters though they be in great errours and implunged in many superstitions because every Church in errour though never so dangerous is not so desperate as that Church which is Idolatrous or be it granted which some of our Protestants will not admit that they were Idolaters Carol. Sigon l. 5. c. 11. p. 174. yet seeing not only seaven speciall sort of heresies as 1 the Sadduces 2 the Scribes 3 the Pharises The Hemero-baptists such as baptized themselves every day 5 The Osseni which Josephus calleth Essai 6 The Nazarites And 7 the Herodians whereof some denied the resurrection and the being of Angels and spirits but also Idolaters and heathens that knew not God but worshipped the Devill insteed of God were not inhibited to dwell and inhabit among the Jewes of whose Religion notwithstanding God was as carefull to preserve the purity of it and as jealous to keepe them from Idolatry as of any Nation that then or ever after lived upon the earth it is no question but if it please the King permission may be granted them to exercise their owne religion not publikely and autoritative equally with the Protestant but quietly and so as I have shewed in my Grand Rebellion Grand Rebell c. 1. p. 5. 6. for I am not of their faith which hold it more safe and lesse dangerous to be conversant with the Turkes or Jewes and to have more neerenesse with them then with an Idolatrous Church that professeth Christ because that where the greater distance is from the true religion there the lesser familiarity and neerenesse should be in conversation and the greater distance in communion therefore as the wrath of God was kindled against the Israelites because they had the Jewes their owne brethren The least familiarity in conversation where there is greatest distance from truth in greater detestation then the Idumeant or the Egyptians whose idolatry must needs be farre greater and their Religion farre worse in their owne judgement then that of the Jewes so we may feare the like anger from God if we will be so partiall in our judgement and so transported with disaffection as to prefer a blasphemous Turke or an impious Jewe before those men though ignorantly idolatrous that do with all feare and reverence worship the same God and adore the name of Christ as we do And we read that the Emperour Justinus a right Catholique Prince as Bishop Horne calleth him Bishop Horne against Fekenham Iustinus gave a toleration to the Arians at the request of Theodoricke King of Italy granted licence that the Arians which denied the Deity of our Saviour Christ and were the worst of Heretiques and therefore worse then any Papist should be restored and suffered to live after
people So Arnisaeus saith Arnisaeus de jure Majest l. 2. c. 1. p. 214. Majestatis potestas omnis consistit vel in defendenda repub vel in regenda all the power of royalty consisteth either in defending or in governing the Common wealth according as Homer describeth a perfect King Homer Iliad γ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so you see the two principall parts of the Kings government are the Offices 1. Of a Captaine in the time of Warre 1. Ducis in bello gerendo 2. Iudicis in jure reddendo 1. Part. In the time of Warre Ordo ille naturalis mortalium paci accommodatus hoc poscit ut suscipiendi belli autoritas atque consilium apud principes sit Aug. cont Faust l 22. Arnis l. 2. c. 5. p. 345. Plato de legib lib. 2. Arnisaus lib. 2. cap. 5. p. 345. Luc. 14.31 Vers 32. 2. Of a Judge in the time of Peace 1. Then it is the proper right of the King and of none but the King or he that hath the regall and supreme power to make warre and to conclude peace for Plato in his Common-wealth ordained that Si quis pacem vel bellum secerit cum aliquibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Julian Law adjudgeth him guilty of High Treason Qui injussu principis bellum gesserit delectúmve habuerit exercitum vel comparaverit that either maketh Warre or raiseth an Army without his Kings command And to this part of the regall government which consisteth in the Militia in Armes for the defence of the Kingdome pertaineth 1. The proclaiming of Warre which our Saviour properly ascribeth unto the right of Kings when he saith not what State or Common-wealth but What King going to warre with another King c 2. The concluding of Peace which our Saviour ascribeth also unto the King in the same place 3. The making of leagues and confederacies with other forraigne States Aristot polit l. 7. c. 8. 4. The sending and receiving of Ambassadors 5. To raise Armes and the like which the Lawes of God and of all Nations justifie to be the proper right of Kings Arnis l. 2. c. 1. and to belong onely unto the supreame Majestie Judges 11.11 But then you will say did not the Judges Moses Joshua Gedion Jephta Barac Sampson and the rest make warre and yet they were no Kings Why then may not the Nobles make warre as well as Kings I answer that they doe indeed make warre and a miserable wretched warre but I speake of a just warre and so I say that none but the King or he that hath the Kings power can doe it for though the Judges assumed not the name of Kings nor Captaines sed à potiore parte vocati sunt judices but from the sweetest part of the royall government were termed Judges yet they had the full power ducendi judicandi populum both of warre and peace saith Sigonius and so the men of Gilead said unto Jephthe veni esto princeps noster and they made him their head by an inviolable covenant Deut. 33.5 And of Moses it is plainly said He was King in Jesurun and when there was no Judge it is said there was no King in Israel Judges 17.6.18.1.19.1 for I stand not about words when some were called Kings for the honour of the people and yet had no more power then Subjects as the Kings of Sparta and others had not the name of Kings and yet had the full power of Kings as the Dictator and the Emperour and the great Duke of Muscovie and the like But when a warre is undertaken by any Prince how shall we know which party is in the right for to make an unjust warre cannot be said to be the right of any King yet as the Poët saith Lucan lib. 1. Quis justius induit arma Scire nefas summo se judice quisque tuetur Every one pretends his cause is just he fights for God for the truth of the Gospell the faith of Christ and the liberty and Lawes of his Countrey how then shall those poore men that hazard their lives and their fortunes yea and soules too if they warre on the wrong side understand the truth of this great doubtfull and dangerous point I answer all the Divines that I reade of speaking of warre Dambo ◠d in praxi criminal cap. 82. doe concurre with what Dumbauderius writeth of this point that there must be foure properties of a just warre 1. A just cause Foure properties of a just Warre 2. A right intention 3. Meet Members 4. The Kings authority Sine qua est laesa Majestas without which authority the Warriours are all Traytors And I would to God our Rebels would lay their hands upon their hearts and seriously examine these foure points in this present Warre 1. What cause have they to take Armes against their King 1. A just causes and to kill and murder so many thousands of their owne Brethren they will answer that they doe it for the defence of their Liberty Lawes and Religion but how truly let God himselfe be the Judge for His Majestie hath promised and protested they shall enjoy all these fully and freely without any manner of diminution and we know that never any rebellion was raised but these very causes were still pretended And therefore 2. Consider with what intent they doe all this 2. A right intention and I doubt not but you shall finde foule weeds under this faire cloake for under the shadow of liberty and property they tooke the liberty to rob all the Kings loyall Subjects that they could reach of all or most of their estates and to keepe them fast in prison because they would not consent to their lawlesse liberty and to be Rebels with them against their conscience And under the pretence of Lawes they aymed not to have the old Lawes well kept which was never denyed them but to have such new ones made as might quite rob the King of all his rights and transferre the same unto themselves and their friends so he should be like the King of Sparta a royall slave What Lawes and Religion the Rebels would faine hav◠and they should be like the Ephori ruling and commanding Subjects And for the religion you may know by their new Synod which are a Synod not of Saints but of Rebels what religion they would faine have not that which was profest in Q. Elizabeths times that was established by the Lawes justified by the paines and confirmed by the bloud of so many worthy men and faithfull Martyrs but a new religion first hatched in Amsterdam then nourished in New England and now to be transplanted into this Kingdome 3. Meete Members 3. Who are the persons that are imployed in this warre he first of all that is the more disloyall because he was a person of honour that had so much honour conferred upon him by His
Majestie and so much trust reposed in him and would notwithstanding prove so unthankfull as to kick with his heeles against his Master and so follow whom you know passibus aequis whose example any other man that were not robb'd of his understanding would make a remora to retaine him from rebellion and what are the other heads but a company either of poore needy Who the Rebells are and what manner of persons they be and meane condition'd Lords and Gentlemen or discontented Peeres that are misled or such factious Sectaries whose blind zeale and furious malice are able to hurry them headlong to perpetrate any mischeife for their Captaines and their Officers I beleeve they fight neither for the Anabaptists creed nor against the Roman faith nor to overthrow our Protestant Church but for their pay for which though they cannot be justified to take their hire for such ill service to rebell against their King and to murder their innocent brethren Yet are they not so bad as their grand Masters and for their common Souldiers I assure my selfe many of them fight against their wills many seduced by their false Prophets others inticed by their factious Masters and most of them compelled to kill their brethren against their wills and therefore in some places though their number trebled the Kings yet they had rather run away then fight and what a miserable and deplorable case is this when so many poore soules shall be driven unto the Devill by Preachers and Parliament against their wills 4. The supreme authority 4. If you consider qua authoritate by what authority they wage this warre they will answer by the Authority of Parliament and that is just none at all because the Parliament hath not the supreme authority without which the warre is not publique nor can it be justified for a warre is then justifiable when there is no legall way to end the controversie by prohibiting farther appeales which cannot be but onely betwixt independent States and severall Princes Albericus Gentilis de jure belli l 1. c. 2. that have the supreme power in their owne hands and are not liable to the censure of any Court which power the Parliament cannot challenge because they are or should be the Kings lawfull Subjects and therefore cannot be his lawfull enemies but they will say Master Goodwin Burroughes and all the rest of our good men zealous brethren Subjects can never make a lawfull warre against their king and powerfull Preachers doe continually cry out in our eares it is bellum sanctum a most just and holy warre a warre for the Gospell and for our Lawes and Liberties wherein whosoever dies he shall he crowned a Martyr I answer that for their reward they shall be indeed as Saint Augustine saith of the like Martyres stultae Philosophiae when every one of them may be indicted at the barre of Gods justice for a felo de se a Malefactor guilty of his owne untimely death Res dura ac plena pericli est regale occidisse genus and for their good Orators that perswade them to this wickednesse I pray you consider well what they are men of no worth rebellious against the Church rebells against the King factious Schismatiques of no faith of no learning In what condition their Preachers are and of what worth that have already forfeited their estates if they have any and their lives unto the Kingâ— and will any man that is wise hazard his estate his life and his soule to follow the perswasions of these men my life is as deere to mee as the Earle of Essex his head is to him and my soule deerer and I dare ingage them both that if all the Doctors in both Universities and all the Divines within the Kingdome of England were gathered together to give their judgement of this warre there could not be found one of ten it may be as I beleeve not one of twenty that durst upon his conscience say this warre is lawfull upon the Parliament side It is contrary to the doctrine of all the Protestant Church for Subjects to resist their king for though these Locusts that is the German Scottish and the English Puritane agreeing with the Romane Jesuite ever since the reformation harped upon this string and retained this serpentine poison within their bosome still spitting it forth against all States as you may see by their bookes Yet I must tell you plainely this doctrine of Subjects taking up armes against their lawfull King is point blanke and directly against the received doctrine of the Church of England and against the tenet of all true Protestants Paraeus in Rom. 13. Boucher l. 2. c. 2. Keckerm Syst pol. c. 32 â—un Brut. q. 2. p. 56. Bellar. de lâ—â—c c. 6 Suar. dâ—f fid cathol c. 3. and therefore Andreas Rivetus Professor at Leyden writing against a Jesuite that cast this aspersion upon the Protestants that they jumpe with them in this doctrine of warring against and deposing Kings saith that no Protestant doth maintaine that damnable doctrine and that rashnesse of Knox and Buchanan is to be ascribed praefervido Scotorum ingenio ad audendum prompto Juell and Bilson and all the Doctors of our Church are of the same minde and Lichfield saith no Orthodox father did by word or writing teach any resistance for the space of a thousand yeares and Doctor Feild saith â—ichfield l. 4. c â—9 § 19 â—ield l. 5. c. 30 that all the worthy fathers and Bishops of the Church perswaded themselves that they owed all duty unto their Kings though they were Heretiques and Infidells and the Homilies of the Church of England allowed by authority do plainely and peremptorily condemne all Subjects warring against their King for Rebells and Traitors that doe resist the ordinance of God and procure unto themselves damnation and truly I beleeve most of their own consciences tell them so they that think otherwise I would have them to consider that if they were at a banquet where twenty should averre such a dish to be full of poyson for every one that would warrant it good would'st thou venture to eate it and hazard thy life in such a case O then consider what it is to hazard thy soule upon the like termes So you see the justnesse of the warre on the Parliament side But 1. On the Kings side it cannot be denied but his cause is most just for his owne defence for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion that is established by our Lawes and for the rights of the Church and the just liberties and property of all his loyall Subjects this he testifieth in all his Declarations and this we know in our owne consciences to be true and therefore 2. As His Majestie professeth so we beleeve him that he never intended otherwise by this warre but to protect us and our Religion and to maintaine his owne just and unquestionable rights which these Rebells would