chief Priests and lesser Priests Vestals Salii distinguishing and limiting all their respective Offices Jurisdictions habits by special Laws recorded by Dionysius Halicarnasseus Plutarch Livy and others Yea Godwin observes That it was A CUSTOME among the Graecians as likewise afterwards among the Romans THAT THEIR KINGS SHOULD PERFORM AS WELL THE CEREMONIES AND HOLY RITES OF RELIGION as Civil businesses being BOTH KINGS AND PRIESTS till Numa perceiving that foreign wars did often occasion the Kings absence whereby the service of the Gods was neglected thereupon ordained several Orders of Priests as their Vicars generals or Curates to discharge their priestly function Yet after this institution their Consuls Censors and some of their Pagan Emperors as Tiberius Veâ—â—atian Trajan were created PONTIFEX MAXIMUS their Highest Priest or POPE and managed the Supream Civil and Pontifical affairs and that by election of the Senate and the people only without the Priests as Alexander ab Alexandro and the Roman Histories record I shall close this Chapter with that of the Roman Historian PRINCIPIO RERUM GENTIUMque IMPERIUM PENES REGES ERAT populus nullis legibus tenebatur arbitria Principum pro legibus erant and that as well in all Sacred Religious as Civil and Military affairs BOOK I. CHAP. II. 2. My Second Proposition is That God after the Israelites deliverance from the Egyptian bondage when he first new modelled them into a Commonwealth and afterwards into a Kingdom setled their State and Church government and divided the Priesthood from the Supream Civil Magistracy and Kingship vesting the one in Moses Josuah David Solomon and their Royal Successors the other in Aaron his Sons and the Tribe of Levi did even then leave the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Power and Jurisdiction over all persons and causes still annexed to and residing in the Supream Civil Magistratical Office and Officers transferring only the Ministerial Priestly Offices to the Priests not the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction being not different in kind from but the very same with the Civil varyed only by the Object not Subject of it THis I shall evidence as clear as the noon-day Sunne 1. By Ten memorable particulars recorded in Sacred History concerning Moses the first Supream Temporal Governor in the Israelites Commonwealth demonstrating his Soveraign Jurisdiction in all Sacred Religious Church affairs 1. God himself by the Ministry of Moses not Aaron instituted described celebrated the feast and Sacrament of the Passeover and sanctified all the firstborn of the children of Israel unto God and was to Aaron INSTEAD OF GOD Exod. 4. 16. 2ly Moses not Aaron penned and prescribed that memorable Song of Praise which all the Israelites sang unto the Lord immediately after their deliverance out of Egypt and drowning of the Egyptians â—n the Red Sea 3dly Moses not Aaron gave them instructions concerning the gathering and for reserving of an Omer of Manna to be kept before the Lord as a Type of Christ the true Manna 4ly God himself immediately appeared unto Moses in Mount Sinai and by his Mouth and Ministry alone not Aarons delivered the first Covenant and the Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial Law unto his people Israel the only rule of their Worship Obedience Government Sacred and Civil 5ly That when Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy of the Elders were afterwards called up into Mount Sinai by God Moses alone was called to come near to God and Aaron left behind That Moses alone wrote all the words of the Lord built an Altar for the 12 Tribes of Israel read the Book of the Covenant to them sprinkled the blood of the Covenant both on the Altar Book all the people received the Tables of stone and Law written therein by God himself and the pattern of the Tabernacle Mercy-seat Altar and all the furniture and utensils thereof the garments of Aaron and the Priests the manner and ceremonies of their respective Consecrations and all the oblations sacrifices and parts of Gods worship to be therein performed both by the Priests and people from God Hence it is specially recorded both in the Old Testament and New That these precepts concerning the Sanctuary of God Let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them according to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of the instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And look that thou make them after the pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount were given only to Moses the Chief Temporal Magistrate Not to Aaron nor the Priests or Levites who alone directed all things to be made accordingly And when all the work of the Tabernacle with the Curtains and the Priests Garments were finished by the Workmen Moses not Aaron survayed and looked upon all the work and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded even so had they done it and Moses not Aaron blessed them 6ly After all the work was thus finished Moses not Aaron was particularly commanded to rear up the Tabernacle with all its furniture and to anoint and consecrate them unto God 7ly Which is most observable Aaron and his Sonnes did not anoint Moses to be the Supream Civil Magistrate but on the contrary God by Moses not only prescribed all the spiritual Offices duties qualifications vestments wives marriages maintenance and appurtenances belonging to Aaron and his sons but also specially designed and commanded Moses to anoint and consecrate them to their Priesthood recorded in these words Exod. 40. 12 to 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying THOV shalt bring Aaron and his sonnes to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and wash them with water and THOU shalt put upon Aaron the holy Garments and anoint him and sanctifie him that he may Minister unto me in the Priests Office And Thou shalt bring his Sonnes and cloath them with coats and Thou shalt anoint them as Thou didst their Father that they may Minister unto me in the Priests Office For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood throughout their generations Thus did Moses according to all that the Lord commanded him so did he So Moses finished the Work without Aarons or his Sonnes assistance Never did Aaron nor his Sons consecrate or anoint any part of the Tabernacle Ark or utensils thereof their own garments oyntment nor any one High Priest or Levite of their Tribe but Moses the Supreame Temporal Magistrate only by Gods own special command whose consecration alone for ever sanctified all their Successors to the High Priests and Priests respective offices which I desire all Popes and Romish Prelates who now appropriate all consecrations whatsoever of persons or things to themselves alone by a pretended Divine right excluding the Civil Magistrate seriously to consider and from thence argue a superiority over Kings Emperors as well as Priests and exact Canonical obedience from them 8ly When Aaron the
High Priest during Moses his absence in the Mount had at the peoples request made erected a golden calf who committed idolatry with it Moses calls him to a strict account for it to whom he made an excuse with this memorable preface Let not the anger of MY LORD wax hot which stile he likewise gave him Nu. 12 11. Yea Moses not he Pronounced the Judgment and punishment upon the people for this Sin of Idolatry as likewise on him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day the manner of whose punishment he inquired not Aaron and received from God 9ly When the Tables of stone formerly broken were renewed redelivered by God to the people it was alwayes done even after Aarons consecration by the hand mouth ministry of Moses who with his own mouth alwayes spake and delivered Gods Laws Messages to all the Congregation Elders people during all his Government and gave them a special charge of things future and a blessing at his death 10thly God made choice of Moses a Lay-man and Civil Magistrate to be the firâ—â— pâ—â—man and Register of all his sacred Laws and first Five Books of holy Scripture not Aaron or any other Priest And to shew that Kings and Temporal Magistrates were the principal keepers of both Tables God particularly enjoyned when the Israelites came into the Land of Canaan and had set a King over them that the King when he sate upon the Throne of his Kingdom shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites that it may be well with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to â—o them That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel All which particulars laid together relating to and acted by the very first Supream Civil Magistrat that God himself set up over his own peculiar people Church when he first instituted modelled both their Magistrates and Priests with their distinct Offices and powers will infallibly clear the Superiour Jurisdiction of the Supream Civil Magistrate in and over all Ecclesiastical persons and causes by Gods own institution and that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is united to the Temporal The reason why God reserved the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to Moses the Chief Civil Magistrate and afterwards to Kings when he transferred the Priesthood to Aaron and his Sons and severed it from the Kingship was because it would be inconsistent with Monarchie and the Peace Unitie of the Republike Kingdom Church to erect two distinct Supream Powers independent on unsubordinate to each other in one and the same Body Politick Nation Kingdom united under one Supream Civil Head and a Cause of perpetual Wars Schismes Contentions between these different powers by reason of mens Natural ambition and desire to enlarge their Juriisdictions to the prejudice of each other This we find experimentally verified in the Israelites themselves immediatly upon their division into two independent kings kingdoms of equal power unsubordinate to each other which produced not only perpetual Warres between them all their dayes in their Realms as sacred Story oft records but a more sad division in their Religion Worship Church Jeroboam erecting two Calves and a new idolatrous worship with suitable Priests to promote it and a new place of worship contrary to that prescribed by God himself to keep his Subjects from Gods true worship at Jerusalem and returning to their allegiance and obedience to their rightfull Kings of the seed of David which all his Successors persevered in till their final captivity and utter desolation for their idolatry And it is infallibly evidenced by the manifold sad Divisions Schismes Wars Rebellions in most Christian Empires kingdoms ever since the ambitious Popes of Rome and other Prelates have claimed by a pretended divine independent right and usurped to themselves the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over all Persons Causes inseparably united by God himself to the Crowns of Christian Emperonrs and Kings As God therefore out of his infinit Wisdom at the very Creation constituted but one natural head over every natural body of Men Beasts Fowls Fishes and creeping living creatures though they consisted of two different substances Soul and Body not two distinct heads the one corporal the other spiritual to govern each body because two Supream headâ— would have destroyed the unity harmony operations of these Creatures in their respective orbes and made a Schisme in their bodies So he at first united the Supream Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction over Men at the Creation in one person Adam the first sole Monarch of the World And afterwards when his Church and people multiplyed into such a vast dispersed multitude that one person could not possibly execute or discharge the Kingly and Priestly Offices as at first he conveniently might did whiles all united in one Tribe and Family so that there was an absolute necessity to divide them into several Hands Tribes God did even then reserve the Supream Ecclesiastical Government and Jurisdiction as absolutely necessary for inseparable from the Supream Civil Head and Governor of his people to prevent Schismes Confusions and preserve Unity Tranquillity both in Church and State not transferr it from Moses to Aaron the Church with all its Officers Members being included in branches of the Kingdom Republike not divided from it as a distinct independent spiritual corporation Therefore still to remain under the sole Government and protection of the Supream Politick Head This is most clearly and significantly expressed by Ezechiels uniting the two divided sticks into one rod in one hand typifying the uniting of the two divided Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah into one Kingdom Church PEOPLE under one King and Shepheard Jesus Christ and making them all but ONE in their Government and true Worship of God according to his Statutes Hence it is most apparent that the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers Authorities or Jurisdictions are not thus denominated because they are vested in different persons hands or flow from various fountains or distinct in their natures as the Pontificians and others generally assert and mistake but meerly because they are exercised upon or about different things or objects the persons wherein they originally and supreamly reside and from whence they flow and the very Powers Authorities Jurisdictions themselves in their nature being but one and the same only the objects matters in upon or about which they are exercised various and distinct from whence they have these different Epithites To evidence this truth past all contradiction being the surest Oracle to resolve all future Controversies concerning these Jurisdictions yea keenest axe
came to Samuel complaining against them and peremptorily desired him o TO MAKE THEM A KING OVER THEM to judge them like all the Nations not a Priest being so weary of Priests supreme Government that they would never permit him nor his sons to judge and govern them any longer and were never satisfied till they had a King which he made them by Gods direct on and Election much against his own will 5ly All the Priestly Offices and Jurisdiction he used towards them and Saul was but to pray without ceasing for them giving them good instructions and reprehending them for their sins telling them But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both you and your King his declaring Saul King by Gods election and the people 's doubled peremptory demand of a King and approbation of Saul when presented to them and his anointing David when a privat person with oyl King after Sauls rejection by God they were only Acts of Ministry not of Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the High Priest above the King as I shall prove in its due place more largely in the cloze of this Chapter 4ly When God setled the Kingdom of Israel upon David and his posterity in performance of his promises to Abraham Sarah and Iacob that KINGS should come out of their loynes he translated the Supream Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Jurisdiction to them which they enjoyed exercised by Gods approbation not the high Priest Priests or Levites as the Scripture Annals attest 1. Davia a man after Gods own heart which fulfilled all his will not long after he was anointed King over Israel and Iudah assembled all the whole Congregation Priests Levites of Israel and went and removed the Ark of God from Gibeah with great triumph joy and shouting to the House of Obed-Edom and afterwards into the place tabernacle in the City of David which David had there chosen pitched for it and offered there burnt-offerings peace-offerings before the Lord and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 2ly At the second removal of the Ark he assembled not only the Elders but the chief Priest and Levites informing them of their error in carrying the Ark in a cart at its first removal contrary to Moses command for which God made a breach upon them and that None ought to carry the Ark of the Lord but the Levites for them had the Lord chosen to carry the Ark of God and to minister unto him for ever For violating which precept Uzza was smitten to death before the Lord Hereupon David commanded the Priests and Levites to sanctify themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel upon their shoulders as Moses commanded and to appoint Singers with instruments of musick and lifting up their voices to sing before it when they removed it to the City of David which command they punctually obeyed 3ly He appointed ordained certain of the Priests and Levits to minister by turns before the Ark of the Lord and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel continually prescribing them what instruments of musick they should use what Psalms and Praises they should sing most or all of them compiled by himself what burnt-offerings they should offer upon the altar of the Lord morning and eveing continually according to the Law of the Lord and to minister before the Ark continually as every dayes work required And appointed others of the Priests and Levites to minister continually in like manner before the Tabernacle of the Lord that was in the high place at Gibeon 4ly He purposed contrived propounded to Nathan and ordained the building of a standing House and Temple instead of a moving Tabernacle and Tent for the Ark and worship of God and intended himself to build it had not God inhibited him because he was a man of Warre and had shed much blood and appointed Solomon his Son and successor to build it he provided all sorts of materials for the building and exhorted all the Princes and Elders of the people to a liberal contribution towards it 5ly The Angel of the Lord commanded David to go and set up an Altar to the Lord in the threshing-floor of Ornan who accordingly went up at the saying of the Lord and build there an Altar and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings and called upon the Lord who answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering 6ly When he was old and had made Solomon King he gathered together all the Princes Priests and Levites and when he had numbred the Priests and Levites he appointed them their several Courses Services Offices Duties they should perform before the Lord from time to time as well before as after the Temple was built all which he set down in writing 7ly He as Moses assembled all the Princes of Israel and before all the Congregation in the audience of God gave Solomon them charge to serve and fear God and build the Temple Which done he gave to Solomon the pattern of the Temple and of the Houses thereof and of the Treasures thereof and of the upper chambers thereof and of the inner parlours thereof and of the Mercy-seat and the pattern of all that he had BY THE SPIRIT of the courts of the House of the Lord and of all the chambers round about of the Treasuries of the house of God and of the dedicated things AND FOR THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES and for all the work of the Service of the House of the Lord and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord. And David said unto Solomon Be strong and of a good courage and do it fear not nor be dismayed for the Lord God even my God will be with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee untill thou hast finished all the work for the service of the House of the Lord And BEHOLD THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES FOR ALL THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD and there shall be with thee for all manner of wâ—rkmanship every willing skilfull man for any manner of service and ALL THE PEOPLE WILL BE WHOLLY AT THY COMMAND 7ly David as King not the Priests compiled all or most of the Psalms and Prayers afterwards sung or used in the Temple recorded in the Books of Samuel the Chronicles and compiled together her in the Book of Psalms continually read sung used not only in the Temple and elsewhere by the Jewish but in all Christian Churches generally and more frequently read sung commented upon then any other Book of Canonical Scripture By all which memorable particulars and command to the Priests to annoint Solomon King it is most evident that the whole Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over persons causes things relating to Gods Worship remained intirely in David as King and no part of it in the Priests 5ly King Solomon his Sonne succeeding David
by his Supream Ecclesiastical power First built and finished the Temple according to King Davids modell and then commanded all the Elders and Princes of Israel with the Priests and Levites to carry the Ark and place it in the Temple 2ly The King not the Priests or Levites though all present dedicated and consecrated the Temple with a most Divine heavenly from of Prayer answered and approved by God in sending down fire from heaven which consumed the burnt-offerings and sacrifices and filled the House with his glory so that the Priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lords House 3ly He also hallowed the middle of the outward Court by offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings there 4ly He appointed all burnt-offerings to the Lord after a certain rate every day according to the commandement of Moses on the Sabbath and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of unleavened bread of Weeks and of Tabernacles 5ly He assembled all the Priests and Levites to Jerusalem at the Temples Dedication not in their courses But that solemnity ended He as King appointed according to the order of David his Father THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS TO THEIR SERVICE AND THE LEVITES TO THEIR CHARGES to praise and minister before the Lord as the duty of every day required Porters also by their courses for every gate FOR SO HAD DAVID the man of God COMMANDED And THEY DEPARTED NOT FROM THE COMMANDEMENT OF THE KING VNTO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES CONCERNING ANY MATTER or concerning the Treasures Here is Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction vested in and exercised by this King in and over all Ecclesiastical persons matters and exact canonical obedience yielded to King Davids and King Solomons Canons not to the High Priests Priests or Levites who had then no power to make or impose such Canons or Injunctions as Popes and Popish Prelates now doe without any Scripture president for their warrant 6ly This King was the inspired penman of three whole Books of Canonical Scripture the Proverbs Solomons Song and Ecclesiastes but no Priest or Levite we read of either in his or his Father Davids reign 7ly He as King thrust out Abiathar FROM BEING PRIEST TO THE LORD banished him from Jerusalem and might have put him to death for his Treason in crowning Adonijah King but saved his life for this reason because he had born the Ark of the Lord God before David his Father and been afflicted with him in all his afflictions and put Zadoc the Priest in his room Here is Regal Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction exercised over the High Priests themselves 6ly King Asa as King First took away the Altars of the strange Gods and the High-places and brake down the Images and cut down the groves through all the Cities of Judah and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of their Fathers and to do the Law and the Commandements and afterward did the like in Benjamin and the cities he had taken from Mount Ephraim 2ly He renewed the Altar of the Lord which was before the porch and gathered all Judah Ephraim Benjamin and others to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices of the spoils they had taken unto God which done He as King made them enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shoutings with trumpets and with cornets and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart 3ly He removed Maachah his mother from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and burned her Idol at the brook Kidron 4ly He brought into the house of the Lord all the things gold silver vessels himself and his Father had dedicated All evidences acts of his Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction 4ly King Johoshaphat his Sonne 1. commanded the Levites accompanyed with some Princes to oversesee encourage assist them to go and teach Gods Law to all the people throughout all the Cities of Judah and to carry the Book of the Law with them which they did accordingly 2ly He went out again the second time through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord God of their Fathers 3ly He appointed not only Temporal Judges City by City through all Judah but likewise Judges Delegates at Jerusalem in cases of appeals between blend and bloud Law and Commandement Statute and Judgements wherein he joyned some of the Levites Priests and chief Fathers of Israel and Amaziah the chief Priest in all matters of and judgements for the Lord as his subordinate Judges receiving their Commissions from him and gave them an Excellent admonition how to judge proceed uprightly 4ly He proclaimed a solemn Fast throughout all Judah to come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord for help against a great host of invading Enemies where he nor the Priests stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the House of the Lord before the Court and made a most pertinent effectual Prayer to God which God answered with a miraculous victory causing his enemies to destroy one another without fighting them and giving his Army all the spoil For which victory he commanded them to return to Jerusalem to give publike thanks to God 5ly King Jehoash commanded the Priests to repair all the breaches of the Lords House with the moneys and the dedicated things brought into it and called for and reprehended Jehoiada the High Priest and the other Priests for their negligence in not repairing them as he commanded whereupon they received no more money and repaired the House 6ly King Hezekiah by his Regal power 1. Opened the doors of the House of the Lord which had been shut up by his idolatrous Predecessors and repaired them gathered the Priests and Levites together brought them into the Lords house commanded them to sanctify themselves and then the house by carrying all the filth out of the holy place and cleansing the holy vessels Then made a second exhortation to them and strictly commanded them diligently to discharge their respective duties without ceasing All which they executed according to the Command of the King in the Businesse of the Lord. 2ly He afterwards commanded the Priests to offer burnt sacrifices and the Levites to praise God in the Temple according to the Commandement of David And He set all the services of the House of God in Order Moreover the KING and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and they sang praises with gladnesse 3ly This King taking counsel with his Princes and the Congregation at Jerusalem made a Decree sent forth a solemn Proclamation inviting
commanding all Judah and Israel to keep a solemn Passeover at Jerusalem on the second Moneth whereupon a great multitude then and there assembling they took away the Idols altars and cast them into the book Kidron and killed the Passeover Whereupon the Priests and Levites being ashamed of their bacwardness in this service sanctifyed themselves brought the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord stood in their places after their manner according to the Law of Moses and sprinkled the bloud 4ly Hezekiah not the Priests publikely prayed to God to pardon those who prepared their hearts to seek God though they were not sanctifyed and prepared according to the purification of the Sanctuary and spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good Law of the Lord. 5ly This King Appointed the Courses of the Priests Levites after their Courses every man according to his Service appointed the Kings portion for all morning and evening sacrifices for every day Sabbath Feast as it is written in the Law of the Lord and commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests and Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord whereupon all the people brought in the First-fruits and Tithes of all things abundantly which Hezekiah commanded to be put in store-houses built by his command over which he appointed Rulers to distribute to every Priest and Levite his portion All undoubted Badges of his Supream Ecclesiastical Authority 7ly King Iosiah by his Regal Jurisdiction 1. Purged Judah and Jerusalem from their high places groves carved Images and molten Images brake down the Altars of Baal and cut down the Images that were above them and brake in pieces the carved and molten Images and stamped them to powder and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them and burnt the bones of their Priests upon their Altars and so did he in the Cities of Manasseth Ephraim and Simeon even unto Napthali 2ly He assembled all the Elders of Judah inhabitants of Jerusalem Priests Levites and all the people great and small into the Temple and HE READ in their ears all the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord Then the King stood in his place and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements Testimonies and Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and caused all there present to stand to the Covenant and Oath 3ly He took away all the abominable things out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were found in Israel Priests and people to serve the Lord their God And all his dayes they departed not from serving the Lord God of their Fathers 4ly He assembled the Princes and he kept a most solemn Passeover to the Lord in Jerusalem the 14. day of the first moneth And He set the Priests in their Charges and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord and commanded the Levites that taught all Israel to prepare themselves by the Houses of their Fathers after their courses according to the writing of David King of Israel according to the writing of Solomon his Son said to them stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people and after the division of the families of the Levites So kill the Passeover and sanctifie your selves and prepare your Brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses Whereupon they all prepared performed their respective offices and duties in celebrating the Passeover as this pious King prescribed Lo here no lesse then 7. most renowned pious Kings recorded in Sacred story by divine approbation exercising Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over High Priests Priests and Levites themselves ordering all sacred affairs offerings sacrifices Psalms prayers courses of Priests appertaining to Gods worship building consecrating repairing cleansing the Temple destroying Idolatry with other particulars 5ly From Moses Joshuahs and their presidents I shall observe 1. That they are all specially recorded in sacred Writ for their eternal honors reputations and the example of all other pious Kings under the Gospel 2ly That not one of them was ever taxed by God or the high Priests for invading or usurping their Jurisdictions or Offices for any of their forecited actions injunctions commands over them or exercising these high points of Monarchical and Regal Jurisdiction in and over all Ecclesiastical affairs or the essential ceremonial parts of Gods publike worship Which Popes and Popish Prelates would repute the highest most sacrilegious Encroachment upon their Ecclesiastical Rights and Jurisdictions if now acted by Christian Kings Magistrates Rulers and excommunicate them for it by Bell Book and Candle 3ly That we find no one part of Ecclesiastical power and Jurisdiction in these or any other particulars either exercised or claimed by the high Priest Priests Levites either joyntly or severally all their reigns 4ly There are only Two Kings but no other Magistrate in sacred History reprehended by the high Priest and punished by God for invading the Priests Office and Function and that only in one particular Ministerial not Jurisdictional sacred action peculiar unto Priests by Gods own restriction The first is of King Saul who sending for Samuel to Gilgal to offer Sacrifices and enquire of the Lord for help against the Philistims and he staying seven dayes for him and the people scattering themselves from him thereupon he calling for a burnt offering and peace offering offered the burnt offering to the Lord himself Which he had no sooner done but Samuel came and Saul telling him how he had in this extremity forced himself and offered a burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel thereupon said to Saul Thou hast done very foolishly thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee for the Lord had now established the kingdom of Israel upon thee for ever but now thy kingdom shall not continue The second is King Vzziah who being lifted up with pride and prosperity to his destruction transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense whereupon Azariah the Priest went in after him with fourscore more Priests of the Lord that were valiant man and withstood the King and said unto him It pertaineth not to thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thy honour from the Lord God Then Vzziah was wroth with the Priests and took a censor in his hand to burn incense whereupon the Leprosie rose up in his Forehead before the Priests in the House of the Lord from beside the
all their tithes offerings first-fruits for the maintenance of Gods worship Priests and Levites whom he set in their courses and respective offices as is recorded at large in Neh. cap. 5. to the end of the Book penned by himself as is conceived though a Layman and no Priest 5ly Mordecai the Jew who was next to King Ahashuerus and Esther the Queen by this Kings consent instituted and by their own Decrees confirmed the dayes and feast of Purim wherein God gave them rest and deliverance from their Enemies to be dayes of feasting and gladnesse and of sending portions to one another and gifts to the poor and that these dayes should be remembred and kept through every generation every family every province and every City and that these dayes of Purim should not fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them from their seed And many conceive Mordecai was the penman of this Canonical History though no Priest 6ly King Nebuchadnezzer as he exercised the Supream Ecclesiastical Authority within his Empire in Erecting a golden image and commanding all his Subjects of what condition or Nation soever to fall down and worship it under pain of being cast into the fiery furnace which Decree all but Shadrac Mesac and Abednago obeyed he commanding them to be cast into this furnace for disobeying his Decree So after their miraculous preservation in and deliverance out of this furnace without any touch or smell of fire he made this memorable pious Decree That every people Nation and Language that spake any thing amisse against the God of Shadrac Mesac and Abednago shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort 7ly The King of Nineveh when he heard tydings of Jonah his Message from God which he cryed in the streets thereof by Gods command Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown to prevent this denounced Judgement caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh BY THE DECREE OF THE KING AND HIS NOBLES not Priests saying Let neither man nor beast herd nor flock taste anything let them not feed nor drink waeer but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hand who can tell if God will turn and repent from his fierce anger that we perish not whereupon they fasted and put on sackcloth from the greatest unto the least and the King himself was covered with sackcloth and ashes and they turned from their evil way and God pented of the evil he said he would do unto them and did it not By all these presidents recorded by the Spirit of God in Canonical Scripture it is infallibly evident That from Moses till the last King of Judah and Israel and during their Captivity yea from the very first chapter in Genesis till the last of Malachi the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in and over all persons things causes in and over the Church and people of God resided totally in and was executed by the Supream Temporal Magistrates Kings Governours and so in Pagan kingdomes too and was never so much as once seated in claimed usurped or managed by any one High Priest Priest Levite or other Ecclesiastical person whatsoever no not in divine and sacred affairs much lesse is there the least shadow of any such transcendent Jurisdiction in them over Kings and Civil Magistrates or their Subjects as all Popes and most Popish Prelates Priests too of inferiour rank now claim usurp exercise by a pretended Divine Right not to be found out or really grounded in the least on any place or president in the Old Testament from Adam till our Saviours incarnation 7ly After the Jewes return from the Babylonish Captivity though the High Priests during their unsetled estate frequent warrs with and captivity to the Romans and others usurped exercised some kind of Ecclesiastical and Civil Jurisdiction too which God never transferred to them by divine Authority nor any of their predecessors exercised under their Judges or Kings yet the Supream Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority which they frequently annexed to the Civil remained alwayes in their Chief Temporal Princes Kings whom they made their High Priests too or they made themselves both Princes Kings and High Priests by usurpation fraud and bloodshed After the extinction of the whole linage of Aaron the Kings of Syria translated the high Priestood to Simon and his family of the Asmoneans in which there were 20. high Priests as Paul Eber and others observe whereof 5. were likewise Princes and Chief Temporal Governours to wit Matthias Judas Maccabeus his Son Jonathan his Brother Simon and Hyrcanus six usurped the Crown styling themselves both Kings and High Priests as Aristobulus the 1. and 2. Alexander 1. 2. Hyrcanus and Antigonus After their Conquest by the Romans the Roman Emperours and their Deputies had the Soveraign power even in Ecclesiastical things and causes though the high Priests Princes Elders and Rulers of the people assembled in a Council in imitation of their Sanhedrim usurped to themselves both a Civil and Ecclesiastical power in religious matters having a Captain of the Temple Officers and Souldiers under them whom they sent forcibly to apprehend our Saviour Jesus Christ and bring him before them Prisoner in their Council where they examined and accused him first of blasphemy and then delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Roman Governour where he was accused by them in the Judgement hall before Pilate and at last condemned to be crucified as the Evangelists record at large By which it is evident that Pilate had the Soveraign power they having no power to put any man to death but only to put men out of the Synagogue scourge beat imprison them at their discretion After Christs death this Conventicle of Chief Priests Elders Priests Pharises and Scribes twice apprehended examined the Apostles for preaching in the Temple commanding them to preach no more in the name of the Lord Jesus which they refused to do whereupon they only threatned and let them go at first but when brought before them the second time for preaching openly in the Temple and filling Jerusalem with their doctrine notwithstanding their threats and inhibitions they then beat and let them go charging them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus Yet they were so farr from obeying their commands as Legal or them as the Supream Ecclesiastical power to which they were bound in conscence to submit that on the contrary they daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Soon after Stephen was brought before this Council and there accused of blasphemy and in the midst of his Apology stoned to death by the rude multitude Yea Paul by Letters and Authority from the High Priest made
continuing King till his death and making his Sonne his Viceroy to supply his Government and order his house 5ly Here was no sentence of Excommunication thundred out against him with Bell Book and Candle no absolving of his Subjects from their oaths of Allegiance no exciting of them to rebell or take up Arms against him to dethrone him Wherefore Popes and Popish Prelates can no wayes justifie from this president their excommunicating deposing Kings Emperors or absolving Subjects from their Allegiance against their wills for the greatest crimes Having removed these 4. Grand Romish stumbling-blocks before under the law and Gospel out of the way of my Chronological Progresse I now proceed to my third Conclusion BOOK II. CHAP. III. III. My Third Proposition is That the Supream Government of the Church after Christs Incarnation under the Gospel was and is vested in Jesus Christ himself God and Man only as he is the King not Priest or Prophet thereof and as it is His KINGDOM And that his Priestly and Prophetical Office are united to his Kingly as the first highest in dignity order not his Regal to his Prophetical or Kingly Office BEcause this is of very great Consequence and may seem strange to Usurping Pontifs and other Prelats who appropriate the Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction Government over Christs kingdom Church to themselves as united to his Priestly and Prophetical not Regal Office and so derived wholly and immediately to themselves by Christ as Bishops Priests not to Kings by from and under whom they will not claim nor exercise it as a flower of Christs Crown though delegated to Kings his sole Vice-royes upon Earth not Popes or Priests who are no Kings I shall fully demonstrate its verity by pregnant Scripture-proofs 1. It is generally asserted by all Divines Old and New Pontificans and Protestants That King David and Solomon both of them anointed by Gods special command to sit upon Gods throns to be Kings for the Lord their God 〈…〉 his people Israel to do Justice and Judgement to reign over rule 〈◊〉 in the fear of God and to establish them for ever as likewise to prepare build consecrate a most 〈…〉 and holy Temple for him under the Law were both lively Types of Christ 〈◊〉 by God with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes as the son and seed of David to be the Soveraign King as God incarnate over his Church Saints under the Gospel which he redeemed built sanctifyed with his own blood adorned with all saving graces and in which he should sit rule as King and Soveraign Lord for ever to govern rule help protect save glorify it for eternity 2ly That Christs comming in the flesh to rule reign in and over his People for ever is alwayes prophecied of and promised in the Old Testament under the Title and Office of a King not Priest or Prophet and that he shall sit upon the Throne of David his Father to govern them as a King not Priest Witnesse I say 32. 1 2. ch 16. 5. ch 9. 6 7 8. Behold a KING shall raign in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Judgement and a man shall be as an hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the ten post as rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land And in mercy shall his Throne be established and he shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David Iudging and seeking Iudgement and hasting righteousnesse For unto us a Child is born unto us a Sonne is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be call Wonderfull Counsellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the PRINCE of Peace Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isay 33. 22. Forthe Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law giver the Lord is our King he will save us Jer. 23. 5 6. The dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise 〈◊〉 avid a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Iudgement and Iustice in the Earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel 〈◊〉 dwell safely and this is his name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse c. Ezek. 27. 22 24 25. And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all And David my servant shall be King ever them and they all shall have one Shepherd and they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the Land which I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your Fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Hosea 3. 5. ch 13. 9 10. Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodâ—esse in the latter dayes O Israel thou hast 〈◊〉 thy self but in me is thy help I will be thy King where is any other that may save thee in all thy Cities Jer. 33. 15 16 17. chap. 8. 19. ch 9 10. In those dayes and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David and he shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the Land In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse For thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her The Lord is the true and living God and an everlasting King or King of eternity Micah 2. 13. Their King shall passe before them and the Lord on the head of them cap. 4. 7 8 9. I will make her that was cast off a strong nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion from henceforth for ever Unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem Now why dost thou cry out aloud Is there no King in thee Zach 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is is iust having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the fole of an Asse Actualy fulfilled at Christs triumphant riding into Jerusalem and crying 〈◊〉 to the Son of David blessed is the King of Israel and blessed be the kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest as all the four Evangelists record Zech
Ecclesiastical matters expressed in his Epistle he concludes it thus Tu prosperitas regni tu salus populi Tu Decus Ecclesiae tu omnium protectio fidelium Christi Nobis igitur sub umbrae potentiae sub tegmine pietatis tua divina concessit gratia religiosam ducere vitam atque secura quiete Deo Christo deservire Ideo sollicita mente pia intentione pro tua prosperitate salute curam habere intercedere justum necessarium habemus Domine desiderantissime atque omni honore dignissime David Rex In his Epist 106. ad Karolum Imperatorem he hath this passage Unde patenter cognosci poterit non tantum Imperatoriae vestrae prudentiae potestatem a Deo ad solum mundi Regimen SED MAXIME AD ECCLESIAE PRAESIDIUM et sapientiae decorem collatum Siquidem praeter Imperiales et publicas curas evangelicas quaestiones Academicis vestris a nobis enucleandas inquiritis c. Epistola 83 84. contain an Admonition of this Charles to Pope Leo where he stiles himself Karolus Dei gratia Rex Defensor Sanctae Ecclesiae Wherein among other things he admonisheth this Pope who promised to do him Fealty upon the certificate of the Charter of his Election sent to him De Simoniaca subvertenda haeresi quae sanctae Ecclesiae corpus multis malè maculat in locis Then informs the Pope Nostrum est secundum aurilium divinae pietatis sanctam ubique Christi Ecclesiam ab incursu Paganorum et ab infidelium devastatione armis defendere foris et intus Catholicae fidei agnitione munire Vestram est sanctissime Pater elevatis ad Deum cum Moysi manibus nostram adjuvare militiam quatenus vobis intercedentibus Deo ductore et datore populus Christianus super inimicos sui sancti nominis ubique semper habeat victoriam c. In his Poemata Section 221. he writes thus to him Tu decus Eccleclesiae Rector defensor amator And elsewhere Rex Carolus Caput orbis Europae venerandus apex altaque disponens venturae moenia Romae Pâ—urima nempe tibi sunt emendanda per orbem O Rex O Rector O Decus Ecclesiae Grex est quippe tuus populus tu pastor ovilis Ipsa caput mundi spectat te Roma Patronum Rector et Ecclesiae per te rex rite regatur c. O pater O Pastor Rector spes alma tuorum Sit tibi vita salus sit sine fine Vale. Most of his Writings Poems Epistles are full of the like expressions In few words he writes of him Plurimos convertit populos ad caritatem Christi et laudes Antiqui Saxones et omnes Frisones populi instante Rege Karolo alios praemiis alios minis sollicitante ad fidem Christi conversi sunt besides many others Charles the Great whiles King of France the greatest Protector of the Pope and See of Rome by his Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority out of sacred Councils and Synods collected a Book of Ecclesiastical Lawes and Constitutions for the preservation and propagation of the Orthodox Faith the peace good government and discipline of the Church the discharge of his regal trust duty and salvation of his peoples souls which he enjoyned all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priests Monks Clergymen and other his Subjects to observe thus prefaced by himself Regnante Domino nostro Jesu Christo in perpetuum Ego Karolus gratia Dei ejusque misericordia donanâ—e Rex et Rector regni Francorum et devotus Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae defensor humilisque ad utor omnibus Ecclesiasticae pietutis ordinibus seu seculari potentiae dignitatibus in Christo Deo aeterno perpetuae pacis et beatitudinis salutem Considerans pacifico piae mentis intuitu una cum Sacerdotibus consiliariis nostris abundantem in nos nostrumque populum Christi Regis â—clementiam et quam necessarium est non solum toto corde ore ejus pietati agâ—regratias incessanter sed etiam continuo bonorum operum exercitatione ejus insistere laudibus quatenus qui nostro regno tantos contulit honores sua protectione nos nostrumque regnum in aeternum conservare dignetur Quapropter placuit nobis vestram rogare solertiam O Pastores Ecclesiarum Christi Ductores Gregis ejus clarissima mundi luminaria ut vigili cura et sedula admonitione populum Dei per pascua vitae aeternae ducere studeatis et errantes oves bonorum exemplo operum seu adhortatione humeris intra Ecclesiasticae firmitatis muros reportare satagatis ne lupus insidians aliquem canonicas sanctiones transgredientem vel paternas traditiones Vniversalium Conciliorum excedentem quod absit inveniens devoret Ideo magnae devotionis studio admonendi adhortandi sunt imo compellendi ut firma fide et infatigabili perseverantia intra paternas sanctiones se contineant In quo operis studio sciat certissime sanctitas vestra nostram vobis cooperari diligentiam Quapropter et nostros ad vos direximus missas qui ex nostri nominis authoritate una vobiscum corrigerent quae corrigenda essent Sed et aliqua Capitula ex Canonicis institutionibus quae magis vobis necessaria videbantur subjunximus Ne aliquis quaeso hujus pietatis admonitionem esse praesumptuosam putet vel judicet qua nos errata corrigere superflua abscindere recta coarctare studeamus sed magis benevolo charitatis animo suscipiat Nam legimus in Regnorum libris quomodo sanctus Josias Regnum sibi a Deo datum circumeundo corrigendo admonendo cultum veri Dei studuit revocare Non ut me ejus sanctitati aquiparabilem faciam sed quod nobis sint ubique Sanctorum semper exempla exsequenda et quoscunque poterimus ad studium bonae vitae in laudem et in gloriam Domini nostri Iesu Christi congregare necesse est Quapropter ut praedirimus aliqua Capitula notare jussimus ut simul nec eadem vos admonere studeatis et quaecunque vobis alia necessaria esse scitis ut et ista et illa aequali intentione praedicetis Nec aliquid quod vestrae sanctitati populoque Dei utile videatur omittatis sed pio studio admoneatis quatenus et vestra solertia subjectorum obedientia aeterna faelicitate ab omnipotenti Deo remuneretur These Ecclesiastical Lawes of his with the Lawes of Ludovicus Pius his sonne and Lothorius collected 〈◊〉 into 7 Books by Abbot Ansegisus upon the command of Ludovicus Pius contain in them all matters concerning the Orthodox faith the Canonical Scriptures the Sacraments of Baptism Lords Supper Preaching Catechising sanctification of the Lords day the Ordination qualification duty electing installing of Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priests Monks Deacons their respective offices duties orders excesses holy dayes Churches Chappels Tithis Churchlands Excommunications Masse Sacriledge Simony Appeals Ecclesiastical Judges Synods Consistories Visitations Vowes Marriage Viâ—ginity Altars Church-ornaments Sanctuaries
it as usefull for the Church and containing nothing in it which any person well advised could dislike the Emperor when he had heard it read approved it and he with all there present cried out Deo gratias Nec immerito quippe qui occulta sua dispensatione gratissima inspiratione praefatum Principem ut id fieri moneret compulit et ad effectum produceretur miserando adiuvet Proinde omnium sententia statutum est ab omnibus juxta virium possibilitatem modis omnibus observandum In this Council Legibus etiam Capitula quaedam pernecessaria quae deceant addita sunt as Vspergensis and the Title to these Additional Lawes assure us These Additional Lawes are reduced into 4. Books consisting of 306. Chapters concerning Abbots Abbesses Monks Nuns Metropolitans Bishops Priests all sorts of Ecclesiastical persons affairs duties vices crimes and their respective punishments to which he prefixed this Preface Quia Scriptura testatur Quodcunque possumus instanter operari debemus quia nulli ad bene operandum crastinus dies permittitur Omnesque secundum Apostolum ante Tribunal Christi stabimus ut unusquisque rationem pro his quae gessit reddat Nobis praecipue qui caeteris mortalibus conditione aequales existimus dignitate tantum superiores sumus secundum Scripturam sacram quae dicit Quoniam interrogabâ—t opera nostra et cogitationes scrutabitur rationes reddituri sumus sollicita circumspectione totaque mentis intentione satagendum est ut bonis operibus jugiter insistendo his quibus praeesse videmur modis omnibus quantum nobis divina suffragante misericordia facultas adtributa fuerit prodesse curemus Sed quia omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum desursum est debemus continuis Precibus dominum humiliter exorare faciemque illius humili confessione et congrua prout ipse posse dederit emendatione praevenire ut sicut ejus est muneris quod regnamus ejus sit pietatis quod foeliciter regnamus Quatenus eo miserante regni gubernacula aequissimo libramine tenere ad eum qui Rex Regum est et Dominus Dominantium cum multiplici fructu administrationis nostrae justitiae scilicet pietate atque humilitate sine fine cum eo regnaturi mereamur pervenire Et quoniam per Apostolum suum nos adjutores suos appellare dignatus est et Sancta Ecclesia ejus videlicet sponsa in Scripturis sacris hortus est appellata quotidianis exercitiis adhibito sarculo bonae operationis est excolenda Ut sicut semper nociva in ea velut in bono agro emergunt ita semper laboris boni studio eradicentur noxia plantentur utilia Oportet et Nos cunctis ejus necessitatibus nisibus quibus possumus devote consulere quatenus in ejus emendatione quantum Dominus posse dederit tota cum mentis devotione elaborantes in aliqua parte aedificiorum illius a fabricatore ejus Domino scilicet Iesu Christo aptari mereamur Proinde notum sit omnibus fidelibus Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae nostrisque Domino dispensante successoribus quia cum nos nullis existentibus meritis divina pietas genitore nostro a rebus humanis exempto ad ejus Imperii culmen provexisset quomodo aut qualiter desiderium divini cultus quod ab ineunte aetate Christo inspirante mente conceperam ad effectum Domino suffragante perduceremus et quid studii quidve laboris progenitores nostri praecipue tamen piae recordationis genitor in utilitatibus sanctae Dei Ecclesiae exhibuerit adverteremus et pia illorum facta non solum inviolata conservare sed etiam imitari pro viribus nobis a Domino concessis optaremus Scilicet ut sive in Ecclesiasticis negotiis sive in statu Reipublicae emendatione dignum prospexissemus quantum Dominus posse dabat nostro studio emendaretur Et hactenus hinc inde mundanorum turbinum procellis emergentibus diversissimisque occupationibus ingruentibus praepediti ut optaveramus efficere nequivissemus ejus rei gratia 4. Anno Imperii nostri accersitis nonnullis Episcopis Abbatibus Canonicis Monachis fidelibus obtutibus nostris studuimus eorum consulta sagacissima investigare inquisitione qualiter unicuique ordini Canonicorum videlicet Monachorum Laicorum juxta quod ratio dictabat facultas suppetebat Deo opem ferente consuleremus Et quoniam licet saepe de statu Ecclesiarum et de ritibus praeterito tempore ordinassemus et missos per singula loca destinassemus sed invidente Diabolo per tyrannicam pravitatem praepeditum fuisset oportebat ut hoc tempus paucis indultum ad communem Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et omnium nostrorum utilitatem impenderemus tribus videlicet modis ut quae bene inchoata erant Deo auxiliante effectum obtinerent et si quae bona voluntate sed incauta discretione variis praepedientibus causis inchoata fuissent ut diligenter inspicerentur et discrete prout facultas suppetebat corrigerentur si quae etiam de his quae necessaria erant deesse videremus ut quaererentur et Deo auxiliante ad effectum perducerentur quatenus deinceps opus nostrum a nemine juste posset reprehendi et tam nostris quam futuris temporibus multorum saluti proficeret et Deo opitulante stabile permaneret Sed qualiter de his divina cooperante gratia consulta fidelium pâ—o viribus et temporis brevitate licet non quantum debuimus voluimus sed quantum a Deo posse accepimus egerimus et quid unicuique ordini communi voto communique consensu consulere studuerimus ita ut quid Canonicis proprie de his quidve Monachis observandum quid etiam in Legibus mundanis quid quoque in Capitulis inferendum foret adnotaverimus et singulis singula observanda contraderemus Tamen ut sive nostris sive successorum nostrorum temporibus rata forent et inviolabiliter Deo annuente conservarentur libuit nobis ea quae gesta sunt ob memoriae firmitatisque gratiam in unum strictim congerere et subjectis Capitulis annotare et in publico archivo recondere ut successores nostri Deo dispensante nostra pia facta conservantes et ipsi nihilominus bona facta sua successoribus suis servanda perdoceant Amongst these Additional Laws this is one specially recommended to the Emperor by this Council as a principal part of his Kingly office and duty Quod in eligendis constituendis Pastoribus rectoribusque in Ecclesiis Dei Regem magnum studium atque solertissimam vigilantiam et curam adhibere oporteat Quia si aliter factum fuerit ordo Ecclesiasticus suam non habebit dignitatem Religio Christiana in multis labefactanda damna detrimenti sui patiatur et animae Regiae vestrae periculum generabitur Moreover this pious Emperor and Charles the Great Universos quoque Veteris ac Novi Testamenti libros
quis contra nostram jussionem facere ausus fuerit exilio afficiatur Illud enim propter superiores tumultus adjectum videtur ut ad vitanda Comitiorum dissidia aut Legati Regis aut Rex ipse si in Vrbe adessent consecrationi Pontificis interessent sic enim subsequentibus 〈◊〉 est observatum postremo nova lege sancitum By reason of this new Law Gregory the 4th was elected Pope Anno 827. by the people sed ante non est ordinatus quam Imperatoris Legatus Romam veniens electionem populi qualis esset examinavit Et Gregorius Papatum inire noluit futura pericula timens donec Imperator ejus approbasset electionem This Pope coming to the Emperor Ludovicus in France under pretext to reconcile Lotharius to his Father but in truth to forment and promote his sons and some French and German Bishops conspiracies to deprive him of his Empire for which they were afterwards condemned and banished and to excommunicate those Bishops who adhered to Ludovicus they returned him this answer Si excomminaturus adverniret excommunicatus abiret who departing thence returned not with that honour he expected The Synod of Mentz under the Archbishop Rabanus Maurus assembled by the Command of this Emperor Ludovicus Pius Anno 829. sent all their Canons with a Preface before them to this Emperor with this inscription Domino Serenissimo Christianissimo Regi Ludovico verae Religionis Serenissimo Rectori ac Defensori Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae una cum uxore prole sua ejusque fidelibus vita salus honor benedictio cum victoria sine sive mansura Dignissimae reverentiae vestrae patefecimus nos humiles simul vestri Rabanus cum Coepiscopis ejus c. wherein they have this notable passage touching Princes Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Petimus ut sicut apud antecessores vestros Reges atque Imperatores qui ante vos fuerunt honorem sancta Dei Ecclesia habuit per immunitatem eorum possessiones Ecclesiasticae inconvulsae perstiterunt manentesque in eis semper inlaesae perseveraverunt ita apud vos modernis temporibus incontaminatae permaneant Zelo enum Dei oportet vos defendere Ecclesias Christi qui vobis Regnum in terra et dominationem tribuit ut per nullius suggestiones iniquas vestram concessionem quam in Eleemosynam vestram Ecclesiis Christi contulistis sinatis permutari Quia inhonestum est ut hoc quod non solum Christianis temporibus a Christianis Imperatoribus sed etiam a Paganis regibus tempore Gentilitatis ad honorem Dei collatum est vestris temporibus in vestro Regno permutetur Nam legimus apud Esdram quod Artaxerxes Rex Esdrae scribae legis Dei per Epistolam mandaverit Ego Artaxerxes c. De Christianis vero Regibus Imperatoribus non necesse est aliqua exempla ponere cum omnes qui rectae fidei et sani dogmatis fuerint a Constantino Imperatore qui primus Imperatorum Christianam Religionem defendere atque honorem Ecclesiarum Dei amplificare caepit usque ad vos semper in hoc studio solerter laboraverint ut Ecclesia Dei pacem et tranquillitatem haberet quatenus cultus Dei incontaminatus foret et serviâ—e jus sine impedimento Deo delectabiliter deservirent At the end of their last Chapter they conclude with this Petition to the Emperor Haec vero quae vobis transmissa sunt petimus ut vestra authoritate firmentur Et si quis adversarius illis existere voluerit praevalere non permittatur Dei enim cooperatores vos esse debetis et adjutores sanctae ejus Ecclesiae quatenns Religio Christiana incontaminata temporibus Regni vestri usque ad finem servetur In the year of our Lord 829. the Religious Emperors Lewes and Lotharius commanded a general Fast to be kept throughout their Realms to divert Gods warth and judgements and likewise summoned 4. Councils at Paris Mentz Lyons and Tholose to reform both in the Clergy and Laity Church and State all sins vices errors corruptions contrary to Gods word which had brought plagues wars and other judgements on them to appease Gods wrath against them and their Subjects Et quia nos magis in hoc peccasse cognoscimus qua forma salutis omnibus esse debuimus et omnium curam gerere et per authoritatem Imperialem pravorum acta ne tantum adcrescerent corrigere cupimus write these Emperors in their summons of and pious prologue to the Council of Paris wherefore totius Ecclesiae sibi commissae mark it generalitati consulere gestientes they summoned these Councils to assist them in this their general desired reformation Consultu Episcoporum Sacerdotum Optimatum caeterorumque fidelium nostrorum Whereupon the Bishops and others assembled in the Council of Paris Orthodoxorum Principum jussionibus obedientes compiled several Constitutions and Rules for the reformation of themselves and other Christians which they digested into three Bookes The first for the reformation of the corruptions lives of Bishops Priests Monks abuses in Gods worship and prophanations of the Lords day The 2d describing the respective duties and regulating the enormities of Kings Civil Magistrates Officers and sinnes of the people in relation to Gods worship and service The 3d. relating both to Kings Bishops Priests and people In the 2d Book they thus describe the office and duty of a King Cap. 1. Quid sit Rex quid esse quidque cavere debet Rex a recte agendo vocatur Si enim piè justè misericorditer regit merito Rex appellatur si his caruerit non Rex sed Tyrannus est c. Quia ergo Rex a regendo dicitur primò ei studendum est ut semet ipsum suamque domum Christi adjuvante gratiâ ab operibus nequam emaculet bonisque operibus exuberare faciat ut ab ea caeteri subjecti bonum exemplum semper capiant ipse etiam salutiferis Christi praeceptis fideliter atque obedienter obsecundet recte agendo eis quibus temporaliter imperat in pace concordia atque charitate caeterorumque bonorum operum exhibitione quantum sibi divinitus datur consistere faciat et dictis atque exemplis ad opus pietatis et justitiae et misericordiae solerter excitet attendens quod pro his Deo rationem redditurus sit quatenus ita agendo sanctorum Regum qui Deo syncere serviendo placuerunt post hane peregrinationem consors efficiatur De Rege autem qualis esse vel quid cavere debeat ita in Deuteronomo legitur Cum ingressus fueris terram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi possederis eam habitaverisque in illa et dixeris Constituam super me Regem sicut habent omnes per circuitum Nationes eum constitues quem Dominus Deus tuus elegerit de numero fratrum tuorum Et post pauca Non habebit Uxores
Haec autem iâ—onia in ore multorum versabatur quia Cynice remordet universos This Cynical Irony thus publickly uttered by the Cardinal in the Pulpit before the Pope himself his Cardinals Court Clergy and all the Citizens summoned to hear his Farewel Sermon preached by the Pope's appointment and in his name right was certainly an unquestionable though satyrical truth That the Pope his Cardinals Prelates Court had made that whole City as they had done Rome whiles there but one universal continued Stewes from East to West such was the fruit of their vowed chastity 5ly That Sigebertus Gemblacensis flourishing and writing in that age Matthew Paris Florentius Wigorniensis two English Monks Johannis Bromton Radulphus de Diceto Aventinus and sundry others out of them reciting this Popes Decrees against married Priests Si qui sunt Presbyteri aut Diaconi aut Subdiaconi qui in crimine fornicationis jaceant to wit by living chastly with their own Wives interdicimus eis ex parte omnipotentis Dei sancti Petri authoritate Ecclesiae introitum usque dum paeniteant emendent Si qui vero in peccato suo perseverare maluerint nullus vestrum eorum praesumat audire officium quia benedictio corum vertitur in maledictionem oratio in peccatum testante Domino per Prophetam Maledicam inquit benedictionibus vestris Qui vero huic saluberrimo praecepto obedire noluerint idololatriae peccatum incurrent Samuele instante beato Gregorio instruente quoniam peccatum arâ—olandi est non obedire quasi scelus idololatriae non acquiescere Pass this Censure on it Iste Papa in Synodo generali uxoratos Sacerdotes a divino removet officio Laicis Missas eorum audire interdixit novo exemplo et ut multis visum est inconsiderato judicio contra Sanctorum Patrum sententiam qui scripserunt quod Sacramenta quae in Ecclesia fiunt Baptisma Chrisma Corpus Christi Sanguis Spiritu sancto invisibiliter cooperante eorundem Sacramentorum effectum habeant seu per bonos seu per malos intra Dei Ecclesiam dispensentur tum quia Spiritus Sanctus mystice illa vivificat nec bonorum meritis amplificantur nec peccatis malorum attenuantur Ex qua re tam grave oritur Scandalum ut nullius haeresis tempore sancta Ecclesia graviori sit Scismate discissa his pro justitia illis contta justitiam agentibus Porro paucis continentiam observantibus aliquibus eam causa Lucri ac jactantiae simulantibus multis incontinentiam perjurio multipliciori adulterio cumulantibus ad haec hac oportunitate Laicis insurgentibus contra sacros ordines se ab omni Ecclesiastica subjectione excutientibus Laici sacra mysteria temerant de his disputant infantes baptizant sordido aurium humore pro sacro Chrismate utentes oleo in extremo vitae viaticum Dominicum usitatum Ecclesiae obsequium sepulturae a Presbyteris uxoratis accipere parvi pendunt Decimas etiam Presbyteris debitas igne cremant corpus Domini a Presbyteris uxoratis consecratum pedibus saepe conculcant sanguinem Domini voluntarie frequenter in terram effundunt To which Aventinus subjoyns Porro paucissimis Veneri bellum indicantibus quibusdam castitatem jactantiae quaestus ergo simulantibus maxima pars sub honesto castimoniae nomine stupra incestus adulteria passim et impune committunt Et tu vigilantissime Gregori quid nam faceres si te fortuna ad nostra tempora servasset et nunc demum natus esses quando amare potare stupra incestus committere vim puellis inferre virgines viciare alienas permolere uxores adeo ut caudax salax sacrificulorum in proverbium vel vulgo protritum abieret munus sacerdotale censetur 6ly That Alvarus Pelagius a Spanish Freer writing about the year of Christ 1330. in his Book De Planctu Ecclesiae thus complained of the execrable Unchastity uncleaness venery sodomy of Bishops Priests all sorts of Clergy-men and Votaries especially in Spain Apulia and Italy ever since this Hildebrandian Decree against theirs wives Sequitur Apoc. 18. Et custodia omnis spiritus immundi quia intra Ecclesiam omnia peccata inveniuntur hodie quae immunda dicuntur quia immundam faciunt animam maxime spiritus immunditiae fornicationis Quis enim Clericorum intra sanctam Ecclesiam castitatem servat rarus est Perpauci enim hodie sunt Presbyteri maxime in Hispania regno Apuliae quin sunt publici Concubinarii Episcopi Presbyteri nimis incontinenter vivunt utinam nunquam continentiam promisissent maxime Hispani Regricolae in quibus Provinciis in pauco majori numero sunt filii Laicorum quam Clericorum Et quod sceleratius est per plurimos annos de latere concubinae qualibet die surgunt non praemissa confessione vel hypocritali cum proposito redeundi procedunt ad altare ad terrificam hostiam consecrandam panem pollutum quantum in eis est Domino no cordibus labiis scelestis offerentes Contra sanctam castitatem quam Domino promiserant Sic offendunt continuo etiam publice praeter ea nefandssima quae in occultis perpetrant quod nec chartae reciperent nec posset calamus exarare de quorum immundicia saepe dispersim in hoc opere pertractavi Non est ergo mirum si mulieres suspectas tenent in domo contra Canones Nay these unchast Popish Cardinals Prelates Priests Votaries proceeded from Fornication and Adultery to secret and open Sodomy of which Alvarus thus complains Plangit Ecclesia peccata populi maxime Clericorum quasi majora peccato Sodomorum c. Adolescentibus impudice abusi sunt heu heu intra sanctam Ecclesiam multi Religiosi et Clerici in suis latibulis et conventiculis et jam in plerisque Civitatibus maxime in Italia within the Pope's own Jurisdiction publice quodammodo nefandum gymnasium constituunt et palestram in illius flagitii abominatione se exercentes et optimi quique epheborum in lupanari ponuntur ut factum fuit Hierusolomis tempore Machabeorum 2 Mach. 4. Soli verbo tali faedatur os polluitur aer c. Hoc flagitium utinam secundum leges ultore gladio puniretur cum timor Dei eos à tanto malo non revocat â—erro enim necesse est ut abscindantur vulnera quae fomentorum non senserunt Disciplinam Tales ergo infames insurgentibus legibus armatis viribus sunt ultore gladio feriendi to wit of Christian Kings Emperors Magistrates seeing Sodomitical Popes Prelates then and since either would not or could not reform them much less this lecherous Hildebrand I might at large inform you what Nicholaus de Clemangiis Archdeacon of Bayon in his Book De corrupto Ecclesiae statu c. 13. 14 15. 20 21 22 23 25 26. records of the Incontinency lechery Sodomy of Romish Cardinals Bishops Priests Monks Nuns in his