as we striue for or his Maiestie taketh to himselfe in this businesse whereof we entreat If he doe I craue but their assent to that oath if he do not their iust exceptions against the evidence which is drawne from him A shew of an answere to the most pressing arguments brought by vs I knowe hath beene ever ready from them but such that comming from none of them Read D. Mort. 1. 2. part of his Apologie his Catholik appeal for the Protestants and M. White of the way of the true Church an other hath evermore bin readie to oppugne it a manifest evidence of a false ground Those evasions and trickes on their parts I wish in this excellent temper of the world light of knowledge in the guids of this Church whose eies they cannot blinde with any craft were wholy laid aside and that the direct voice of Scripture first ancient Ecclesiasticall histories for the practise of the christian Emperors and testimonies of fathers confirming their practise might bee called in For in these cases to answere of our selues is to answer nothing not to answer to the allegation is silently to graunt our adversarie what he would To bee so conceited to our cause that whatsoever is tendered not to see it is willingly to cast our selues headlong into the gulfe of endlesse woe and miserie To come therefore to the first thing required which is the oath it selfe that al men may see what they sweare vnto that sweare vnto it The tenor where of is this I.A.B. doe vtterly testifie and declare in my conscience The oath of Supremacie in his Maiesties Apol. pag 48. that the kings highnesse is the only supreame governour of this Realme all other his Highnes dominions and countries aswell in spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes as temporall And that no forraine Prince person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to haue any iurisdiction power superioritie preheminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or spirituall within this Realme And therefore I doe vtterly renounce forsake all forrain iurisdictions powers superiorities and authorities and doe promise that from henceforth I will beare faith and true allegiance to the Kings highnes his heires and lawful successors and to my power shall defend all iurisdictions priviledges preheminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Kings highnesse his heires and successors or vnited or annexed to the imperiall crowne of this Realme So God me helpe and by the contents of this booke Besides the setting downe of this oath thus in these tearmes of which the Papists are afraid as of some monster I must expresse the meaning and intendment thereof what is challenged thereby and what is vnsought for by his Maiestie and from whom more sooner and trulier may wee learne the scope and drift thereof thē from him to whom we owe it and to whome of right it belongeth to be sworne His Maiestie therefore having proved from many and sundry sentences titles and prerogatiues both in the old Testament and in the new that Christian Princes within their dominions haue warrant to governe the Church as well as the rest of their people in being Custodes vtriusque tabulae persons to whom God hath commended and commaunded the keeping of both tables doth there disclaime and denie that hee hath any power to make new articles of faith What the king doth either take or refuse by the oath of supremacy His Maiesties Apol pag. 108. that office he leaveth to the Pope or to set vp anie points of religion not warranted by the word of God but by commanding obedience to bee given to the word of God by reforming the religion according to his prescribed will by assisting the spirituall power with the temporall sword by reforming of corruptions by procuring due obedience to the Church by iudging and cutting of all frivolous questions and schismes as Constantine did And finally by making decorum to bee observed in every thing and establishing orders to bee observed in all indifferent things for that purpose And this is the only intent of this oath of Supremacy This is inlarged with more words Rain conf with Hart. c. 10. div 1. but to the same effect by D. Rainolds in his cōference with M. Hart. For the king saith he to be supreame governour of all his dominions in things spirituall and temporall is to haue the preheminence over all rulers in government of matters touching God and man within his dominions and this by the Scripture is Cesars right 1. Pet. 2.13 The high Priest is ordained for mē in those things that appertaine to God to do them The Priest duty Heb. 5.1 that is to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin this is the peculiar duty of the priest which if the Prince meddle with as Ozias did 2. Chro. 26. v. 16 18.19 who would haue burnt incense vpon the Altar of incense a thing inioined to Priests only then hee transgresseth the bounds of his office and provoketh vengeance of the Lord vpon him The Princes du tie But to provide by Civill punishments and orders that Priestes doe their dutie in things concerning God not only Priests but people too it is the Princes charge and so hee is ordained to deale in things of God Iudges 27 5 6 For when Michah had an Idols chappell in his house with a vestment and Images in those daies saith the text there was no king in Israell but every man did that which was good in his own eies Iudges 18.1.2 And againe there was no king in Israell when the men of Dan got that Idolatrous stuffe with an Idololatrous Priest 17. went a whoring after it which being said in like sort when adultery was committed 19. and with adultery murther doth shew that as the subiect should haue beene restrained from murther and adulterie Iudg. 19.1.2 25.26 so from Idolatry too by the Princes sword sith all these sinnes raigned Iud. 20.28 Deut. 17.19 not for want of a Priest but of a king in Israell And where the king is willed by Moses to keepe all the words of the law to doe them the Lord meant therby that he ought to keepe them not only as a private man but as a king by seeking and providing that all his subiects did their duties both to God and man Wherefore since the supremacie we giue to our Prince in things Ecclesiasticall 2. Chr. 29. v. 5. 21 27.30 2. Chr. 30.1.6.12 to deale therein as Ezechias did first to command that the Priests and Levites doe doe their duties afterward the people to come and serue the Lord and finally both Priest and people to reforme themselues for maintenance of religion not as Ozias who as is said before would burne incense nor ours to preach the word minister the sacraments celebrate the prayers or practise discipline of the Church but to provide that those things bee done as they ought by them whom God hath called
therevnto And this is to Giue Caesar no more then is Caesars for every lawful Prince is the supream governour of his owne subiects in things spirituall and temporall And the ParlameÌ„t may take an oath of English men for Iames our King against the Pope A president for the lawfulnesse of the oath of supremacie 2 Kings 11.4.17 against Athalia that vsurped his state Now in this maner as hath been expressed and no otherwise doth his Maiestie take or we giue him the title of Supreame governour in matters spirituall and Ecclesiasticall which so vnderstood would cut of a great number of addle idle talk which at this day passeth amongst them touching it who know not what they say To governe and rule the Church of God is of two sorts The kings duty consisteth in this 1. For to distinguish the offices which are by God at this day set to rule and govern his Church must we not needs say they are of 2 kindes and sorts The one being by the supreame authority and power of the sword to guid care for provide direct and aide Gods Church to further maintaine and set forth the true religion vnitie and quietnesse of Gods Church and to oversee visit reform restraine amend and correct all manner of persons with al maner errors superstitions heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities in or about Gods Church which government and rule belongeth to kings queenes and princes and not to Apostles Bishops and Priests The other is to governe rule by feeding the flocke of Christ with the spiritual food of Gods word The Priests duty consisteth in this preaching it in season and out of season 2. administration of the sacraments and power of the keyes which is the onely rule and government belonging to the Apostles Bishops and Ministers of Christs Church Examples of the godâ—y kings of Israell their practise Shall we see then by the practise of the Godly kings in the time of the old Testament this supreame government I meane in spirituall and Ecclesiasticall matters and over the persons exercising the same confirmed Tortura Torti pag. 363. From thence we must begin from the common wealth of Israell all this question hath its strength and force Ecclesia est in republica sed respublica non est in Ecclesia For in Israell the people of God did God ordaine the kingdome and the Church in the kingdome according to his owne mind since we haue no example in the new Testament we must take it from the old The Empire and the Church in that time were never united in one the Empire was then enimie to the Church therefore what charge the kings had of religion must be fetched from thence where the civill policie and the Church are as it were twins and friendly imbrace together not where they are separated From that fountaine therefore of Israell doe we deriue our cause and from that example where both are together where the Church is in the kingdome doe we informe our selues of the Government both of our Church and Kingdome Touching their practise therefore I doubt not but to make our question cleere insomuch that I hope I shall finde none so shamelesse as to deny the principall care in the matter of religion belonged to the king which is seene by this one argument drawne from the whole course of the holy historie Note this especially That looke how the king was changed 1. so was the forme of religion 2. and that change was alwaies ascribed to the king as his deed neither could the Priests at any time so order the matter that any change was made 3. from the worse to the better or from the better to the worse But if the chieftie had beene theires 4. some one Priest or other would haue beene found at one time or other or at the least some part of the people though the king had beene otherwise affected that would haue kept the worship of God sound I will now beginne with the example of Iehoshaphat mentioned in the text of the Apology Tortura Torti pag 364. Iehoshaphat the king whose doings in the matter of religion is notably set downe in the chapter quoted 2 Chron. c. 19 v. 4. The king went through the people from Bersheba to mount Ephraim brought them againe vnto the Lord God of their fathers He brought them again to the Lord that is he caused that they were a Church and hee did it by his kingly authoritie whereby also afterward in the 8. verse V. 8. hee appointed Iudges in Israell of the Levites Priests and chiefe of the families of Israel to iudge the cause of the Lord which is said in the 10. v. to be of the law and of ceremonies And what greater supremacie can there be then of setting and appointing Iudges in matters of religion And where the text saith V. 11. Amariah the Priest shall be the chiefe over you in all matters of the Lord and Zebadiah the son of Ishmaell a ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for all the kings affaires and the Levites shall be officers before you it appeareth plainely that the king Iehoshaphat commandeth the Priest to be chiefe in those things which belongeth to the Lord and gaue the captaine or LieutenaÌ„t charge of those things which appertaineth to the Common weale Iehoshaphat appointed both The ground of the high commission in England taken from Ezra cap. 7. v. 25 26. c. 10. By which deed of his he teacheth vs that no lesse the one then the other doth principally belong vnto the kings charge since first he could reduce the people to the worship of God and when they were reduced to appoint Iudges and by his kingly power to divide the causes amongst the Iudges who should be chiefe in what things Thus hath the civill policie and the church distinct causes and distinct courts but vnder the king no lesse the church then the common wealth hath them by whose authority and command Iudges do sit Amariah over the one and Zabadias over the other Both of them handle matters belonging to their courts but both of them vnder the king What Iosias did in the affaires of religioÌ„ appeareth by that which is written of him Tortura torti pag. 367. Iosias 2. Chron 22.11 He made the booke of the law which was new lie found to be read vnto the people The text saith further the king called the assembly togither commanded the book to be read vnto them being read entered into a newe covenant with the Lord An 〈…〉 of th◠〈…〉 tooke an oath of the people for the performance thereof There the king commanded the high priest himselfe the rest of the priests of the second order that they should cast out of the temple of the Lord burne all the vesse is that belonged to Baall and throw downe their high
places He also gaue cōmaundemēt for the keeping of the Passeouer a new and at a word for the whole reformantion of religion Here is as much for the Kings Supremacie as either we giue or his Maiestie requireth Iosua Read the whole story in the book of Iosua The historie of Iosua before these is plaine enough for this who although hee were none other but a Civill Magistrate yet assoone as he was chosen of God set as a ruler over the people he received commandements aspecially touching Religion and the service of God He caused the people to be circumcised He caused Altars for their bloudy sacrifices to be erected Hee caused the people to make their sacrifices He commanded the Priests to take vp the Arke Hee caused the Deuteronomie to bee written in stones He caused both the blessings and the cursings of the Lord to bee pronounced He spake openly to the people and fraid them from Idolatry All these were cases of Religion and not of Civill policie The doings of Ezechias Asa Ezechias Asa 2. Chron. 29. 15. 1. King 15.8 1. King 2.27 Tortura Torti 371. in purging the temple when it was defiled King Salomons deposing of the high Priest Abiathar and placing Zadoc in his roome are frequently knowne I need not much stand on them Wherefore did Salomon thrust out Abiathar but because he was guilty of treason against the king Marke the words Go to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields keepe thy selfe there thou art a man of death or art worthy of death but I will not this day kill thee These are the words of a king in his supreame government over an high priest To confine men within a circuit where they are worthy of death to giue them life to change a capitall penaltie into an easier of deposing is the authority also of a king Moreover by the same authority that hee placed Banaiah in Ioabs stead over his army which no mā I thinke wil denie to be done by his kingly supremacie by the same and none other did he place Sadoc in stead of Abiathar over the priesthood so it is in the 35. verse And the king put Benaiah the sonne of Iehoida in Ioabs roome over the host and the king set Sadoc the Priest in the roome of Abiathar Done by the kings authority both both in one the same verse But that I may at once dispatch out of the old testament Tortura Torti pag. 380. this whole question of the kings supremacie and that the right of it may be more fully seene although enough is said before what is vnderstood thereby so to stop if it be possible their after slanders rising vpon it devised only by themselues In few this it is First vnder the title of supremacie the king bringeth in no new Popedome into the church for hee setteth not vp a power like Aaron the high priest of making a Golden Calfe Exod. 32. v. 4. 1. King 12 28. These things the king taketh not or of proposing it to be worshipped as Ieroboam the king did his or maketh new articles of faith or hāmereth any new formes of religion in the service of God Neither burneth he incense with Ozias 1. Chro 26.16 2. Sam. 6.6 or of touching the Arke with Oza Nor taketh he the office of teaching we place the primacie in Governing The king is the chiefe Governour but not the chiefest doctor not in teaching And therefore we say he is the Chiefe Governour but not the chiefe teacher or Doctor He expoundeth not the hard doubtes of the law nor preacheth the word or administreth the holy things or vseth imposition of hands or exerciseth the keyes or laieth any ecclesiasticall censure on anie At a word hee taketh nothing to him that belongeth ad Sacerdotale munus to the priestly function or is annexed to the power of order If they vnderstand vs otherwise they detract but will not vnderstand These things the king taketh But in the matter of outward governement to command that he challengeth to himselfe and we very willingly acknowledge it The care of religion belongeth to the kingly office not only to the priests And in kings it is the chiefest which they are not only bounde to challenge as their owne in keeping it from externall force abroad but at home from the negligence of men and when it is decaied it is their duties to see it repaired For when by the very law of God Deut. 17.18 Ioshua 1.8 the king is keeper and defender not of the second table only but of the first too his Maiestie doubteth not but that the care of the first table doth belong vnto him and maketh the due regard there of his first study And since every soule is said to bee subiect vnto him he will haue care of the soules of his subiects more and before the care of their bodies And particularly whatsoever in the matter of religiō the kings of Israel did and did not without praise the king hath power and right to do the same Power to make lawes by his kingly authority Tortura Torti pag. 381. Power to make lawes Dan. 3.29 Ion 3 7. Ester 9 26. 1. Macc. 4 56.59 that God bee not blasphemed none I hope wil deny it the king of Babel did it To pacifie God by fasting so did the king of Ninive To honour him by keeking solemne feasts so did Hester with the feast of Purim And as Iudas Machabeus when he proclaimed the feast of Tabernacles Finally he hath supremacie in all those things touching which In codice in Authenticis in capitulari bus lawes were made in the Code in the Authentickes the statures by Constantine Theodosius Iustinian and Charles the great Then he hath power of appointing those that shall determine businesse according to the law so made as Iehoshaphat did Then he hath power of binding his subiects by an oath 2. Chr. 15.14 c. 34. v. 32. that they violate not the law so made as Asa and Iosias did And whosoever shall offend against the lawe so made although he pretend the worship of God Deut. 13.10 15. Levit. 24.23 Num. 15.35 as whether he be a false Prophet or an Idololater or blasphemer or breaker of the Saboth in every and all these cases the king is to punish him by his kingly authoritie Power also he hath of calling the multitude together 1. Chr. 13.3 by his owne authoritie of bringing backe the Arke and setting it in its owne place 2. Chr. 19 4. as did David And of calling the people backe to the worshippe of God as did Iehoshaphat Of dedicating the temple as did Salomon and renuing the house of the Lord 1. Kings 8 64. 2. Chr. 24 4. 29.5 as Ioas did And of purging it when it was pollutted as Ezechias did And albeit the king doe not thinke that it was for naught that God charged him To write out a copy
kingly and Priestly authority protect those things which appertaine to an holy confession The kings authoritie and Priestly functiō must ioin in one Epist 33. The Churches hope rests vpon the Emperour and he commandeth the Bishops to stand to the Councell of Nice Is not this a part of the Supremacy wee seeke for In the 33 Epistle to Theodosius the Emperour thus he beginneth Your Maiestie hath given vs great hope of quietnesse in al your letters but especially now amongst all those cares which wee sustaine for the faith in condemning the councel of Nice because you will not suffer the Priestes of the Lord to goe from it And toward the ende thus And to the ende that a speedier fuller effect by Gods helpe might be brought to our profitable indeavors by the faith of your clemency I haue sent my Bretheren fellow Bishops to your highnesse whose religion to me is knowne by whom you may as it becommeth take notice They account to the Emperour what their faith is what the substance of our faith is according to those instructions we haue sent that so if the Bishop of Constantinople doe consent with all his heart in the same confession we may reioice in saftie of the Churches peace and that nothing seeme to remaine doubtfull or that peradventure we may nourish vaine suspicions But if any doe dissent from the puritie of our faith and the authoritie of the fathers Let your clemency graunt a generall councell to be held within Italy Leo and his Bishops desire the Emperour for another Councell as the Synode which is met at Rome for the same cause doe desire with me that all meeting together remedies of amendment may bee provided forthose that are fallen evē either through ignorance or feare that henceforth it be free for none so to mention the Nicene Councell The Emperour must see that none violate the Councel of Nice Two religions in one kingdome not to bee suffered as to be found contrary to the faith of it because it is Good for the Catholike Church and this your Empire if one God one faith one mystery of mans salvation be held through the world in one confession The 35. epistle is writtē to Pulcheria the Empresse touching those things Epist 25. Leo the Bishop to Pulcheria the Empresse which he requested before of Theodosius the Emperour wherin after his accustomed due praises given her And his own desire to know what the Bishop of Constantinople helde in that point of the incarnation of the sonne of God as was meet He commeth to this To the obtaining therefore of a staidnes in dispositions I haue sent my brethren and fellow Bishops to offer vnto your clemencie a forme of faith They offer a forme of faith to the Empresse which according to the do of the reverende fathers we preach which messengers after the divine grace it is meete be furthered Next and immediatly vnder God c. by the devout helpe of your godlines least contention trouble the whole church from which faith if some perhaps do disagree Let there be a general coūcell of Priests called within Italie with the consent gf your highnesse whereby all deceipt laide aside it may appeare what things ought to be withstood or amended by a longer handling In the 38. epistle to the Emperour Martianus successor to Theodosius Epist 38. Leo Episcopus Martiano sēper Augusto hee writeth That hee is glad that hee hath received his highnes letters for the good of the church whereof he is so carefull Martianus succeeded Theodosius whō God hath chosen to defend the Catholike faith from the snares of her enemies And this hee desireth his godlines to accept in briefe promising to direct his larger letters in those things which belong vnto his charge touching the affaires of the church the agreement of the priests of the Lord. Epist 39. In which he giveth thankes that she by defending of the faith had overthrowne the heresie of Nestorius and Eutiches The 39. Epistle is directed to the Empresse Pulcheria and beginneth thus Quod semper de sancta pietatis vestrae mente praesump simus id plenissimè experiendo cognovimus c. That which we did ever perswade our selues of touching the good intent of your Godlinesse wee know it fully now by experience which is that the Christiā faith although it be invaded with the many designes of the wicked yet in your presence prepared for defence thereof by the Lord it cannot be confoūded For the Lord doth not forsake the mistery of his loue nor the desert of your labor The Prince thrust out the hereticke and restored the Catholike Bishops that were displaced both which are actions belonging to that supremacy we seeke for wherby ere while you expelled the crafty enimy of true religion out of the bowels of the church This is the second victory you haue gotten in slaying the heresie of Eutiches It is good therefore to be glad with ioy and for the prosperitie of your clemencie to pay my due vowes to the Lord who thorow al parts of the world where the Gospell is preached hath gotten you a double crowne victory Let your clemency know thus much that the whole Roman church doth very much reioice in all the workes of your faith In what regard wee ought to haue the Reliques of the Martyres Read Rainolds de Rom. Eccl. Idol l. 1. c. 9. § 2. c. 2 § 2. Epist 43. Leo Episcopus Martiano Augusto whether it be in that you helped our message with a godlie affection and that you brought back againe the Catholik Priests who were vniustly cast out of the churches Or in that you caused the reliques of the innocent Catholike priest Flavianus to be brought backe with due honour to that church over which hee was set The 43. Epistle is directed to the Emperour Martianus touching the message which in his stead he directed to Cōstantinople for having a councel at Chalcedon and beginneth thus I had surely desired of your glorious clemēcie that the synode by vs requested for recovering of the peace of the East church which you also thought necessary should be a little while deferred till further opportunity that those Bishops also might come thether with freer minds whom the feare of wrong doth withholde But because with a religious care you preferre divine things before humane affaires do religiously truely beleeue that it wil be profitable for the strength of your kingdome if there be no differēce in opinion amongst the priests or discorde in the preaching of the Gospell neither do I withstand your orders wishing that the Catholike faith which can be but one be planted in the hearts of al men The former Ephesine coūcell The 1 Councell of Ephesus did iustly deservedly condemne Nestorius together with his opinion and who soever doth continue in that error can attaine to no hope of pardon