Liturgy and Her Ecclesiastical Constitutions Her Avouched Doctrine is declared in the 39 Articles From the Doctrine of the Church in the Articles and Homilies and the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority exactly consonant to them These she acknowledgeth next to the Scriptures as the Measure of her Faith and the Rule for her Practice And because they are no Novel Inventions nor the Products of any particular brain but the first agreed upon by the whole Convocation the Clergies Representative and the Other compiled by able Persons appointed to that employment we see they are of age and shall speak Aâ—t 37. for themselves The Queens Majesty so it was 1562. now the Kings hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other Her His Majesties Dominions unto whom the Government of All Estates in this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in All Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any forreign Jurisdiction Thus much declared in general terms the Explanation follows presently after Where we attribute to the Queens Kings Majesty the Chief Government we understand that only Prerogative which we see to have been given alwayes to all godly Princes in Holy Scripture by God himself i. e. that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the stubborn and evil doers Then is there particularly added The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England Upon which passage a motion was made in the Hampton-Court Conference for inserting Nor ought to have but King James in his wisdom rejected it with this answer habemus jure quod habemus intimating that the Actual asserting that Priviledge argued a legal title to it And it may be worth your observation that the Title-page of the Articles tells you they were agreed upon for avoiding diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion What these speak more concisely the Homilies teach more fully I refer you to the six Sermons against Rebellion proving the greatness of that sin from Scripture and the remarkable Examples of Gods vengeance upon persons guilty of it and proceeding in a method of close and strong arguing so that the perusal of them will be a good improvement of your time and pains Onely towards the latter end of one there is this Exhortation which I could not well omit Let us as the Children of Obedience fear the dreadful 〈◊〉 3. Execution of God and live in quiet obedience to be the Children of Everlasting Salvation For as Heaven is the place of good obedient Subjects and Hell the Prison and Dungeon of Rebels against God and their Prince so is that Realm happy where most obedience of Subjects doth appear being the very figure of Heaven and contrariwise where most Rebellions and Rebels be there is the express similitude of Hell and the Rebels themselves are the very sigures of Fiends and Devils and their Captain the ungrateful Pattern of Lucifer and Satan the Prince of darkness With an exact agreement to this Doctrine is her From â—he Liturgy Liturgy composed And because according to the Apostles Exhortation first of all as a duty never to be neglected supplications and prayers and intercessions 1 Tim 2. 12. and giving of thanks are to be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority there are none of Her Services of daily or weekly use wherein her Prince is not particularly remembred and the Almighty Protection of Heaven earnestly desired to be his continual defence Nay all the blessings in the world but especially what concern his Place and Station are the matter of his Subjects prayers a a Second Prayer before the Communiâ—n and the Prayer for the Church Mâ—litanâ— That He may be instructed for Government b b Versicle after the Câ—â—ed Preserved in His Person c c Dâ—iâ—y Prayer Replenished with Heavenly Graces d d Liâ—any Service Prove victorious over his Enemies And as Two of these fall within the compass of Her constant Morning and Evening Devotions so a Third is added three times in the week and all of them used every Sunday and Holiday A piece of duty which with some instead of a just applause hath met with severe censures and been cavelled at like Maries Box of oyntment by Judas To what purpose was this Matt. 26. 8. waste a thing whereof our blessed Martyr took especial notice as a reason why so many Zealots of the times were eagerly bent against the Publick Service One of the greatest faults some men found with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayer Book I believe was This that it taught them to pray so oft for me to which Petitions they had not loyalty enough to say Amen Not doth the Church onely teach us to pray for the King but to do it with an acknowledgment of His Soveraign Authority and subjection to none but God himself whom therefore she stiles The only Ruler of Princes To all this may be added that in some of those Prayers made for Him we are also enjoyned to implore Gods mercy for the keeping his People in their Allegeance that they may obey him as the Almighties Vicegerent a a First Prayer before the Commuâ—ion That we and all his subjects duly considering whose authority he hath may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him in Thee and for Thee In a word our Prayers for their fulness loyalty seem excellently framed after the Pattern of the Primitive Church as owned by Tertullian b b Precati sumus semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus forâ—es senatum fidelem orbem quiecuâ— quaecunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt Tertul. Apolog. cap 30 We pray at all times for all Emperors that they may have Long Life a Secure Empire a Safe Palace Valiant Armies a Faithful Senate an Honest People a Quiet World and whatsoever each of them can desire either as a Man or a Prince Pass we now from her Liturgy to her Ecclesiastical From the Canons of the Church Constitutions agreed upon in a full Convocation 1603 and then ratified by Royal Authority where the first thing determined is this very Particular All Ecclesiastical Can. 1 persons having cure of Souls shall to the uttermost of their Wit Knowledge and Learning purely and sincerely Teach Manifest Open and Declare four times a year at the least in their Sermons That the Kings Power within his Realms is the highest Power under God to whom all men do by Gods Law owe most Loyalty and Obedience Afore and Above all other Power and Potentates in the Earth Now certainly if the Incumbents are obliged thus to Preach it is an argument this is the received Doctrine of the Church and the design of this Duty imposed
THE RELIGION OF THE Church of England The Surest ESTABLISHMENT OF THE Royal Throne WITH The Unreasonable Latitude which the Romanists allow in point of Obedience to Princes In a LETTER occasioned by some late Discourse with a Person of Quality ROM 13. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake LONDON Printed for Randal Taylor and John Williams junior at the Crown and in Cross-Keys Court in Little Britain 1673. THE RELIGION OF THE Church of England The Surest ESTABLISHMENT OF THE Royal Throne In a LETTER occasioned by some late Discourse with a Person of Quality Honoured Sir I Cannot charge you with Vnkindness or say you have put me upon an unpleasing Task by commanding my Thoughts about the matter of our last Discourse though thousands of my Brethren might have done it to better purpose since you have rendred me capable of expressing the Service I owe to my Prince and the Duty to my Mother the Church of England She like her Saviour hath met with a great many Reproaches and by some either Ignorants or Adversaries been particularly misrepresented to you and that Excellency wherein she hath just occasion to glory above all the Churches in the world so miserably sullied by unrighteous Aspersions that she appears not half so amiable to your eye as formerly she hath done Give me leave then to wipe off the Dirt which hath so maliciously been cast upon her to wash off the Spots spirted on her Face and her own Beauty will sufficiently commend her I cannot believe your Judgment so unsteady as really to be captivated with those false Insinuations nor wonder enough at the Impudence of some persons who dare insinuate such palpable untruths as you seem in danger to be perverted with In plain terms That any man should have so hard a forehead as to question the Church of England 's Loyalty to her Prince or maintain that she affords the least Encouragement to any Rebellious Attempt either against his Person or Dignity to shake the Crown upon his Head or make a Finger of his Hand to bleed would put me into a strange fit of Admiration did we not liâ—e in so prodigious an Age that mens tongues are their own and they will say what they please For my part I look upon these charges to be so grosly slanderous that for your Satisfaction and possibly the Conviction of others I shall confidently assert That no King sits so securely upon his Throne as the King of England by virtue of the Religion established among us It is not to be imagined that the bare propounding this Truth should presently gain it a favourable Reception especially where the Judgment seems already fore-stalled with no mean Prejudices against it But still a Truth it is and to prove it one I shall only proceed upon these two Grounds I. That the Church of England obligeth all her Children to the most Dutiful Carriage imaginable towards All Princes II. To take off your Mis-prision That the Church of Rome allows those of her Communion an unreasonable Latitude in this very point of Obedience and Duty I. That the Church of England obligeth all her Children to the most Dutiful Carriage imaginable towards All Princes It is but Reasonable we should clear our own Innocency before we quarrel with anothers Guilt least our selves fall under the charge of that Crime which is so justly condemned in those of the Romish Party Now certainly the most Rational Account we can have of any Churches Principles must be taken from the Infallible Rule to which in all cases she submits the Doctrin she professeth the Worship which she owns the Ecclesiastical Constitutions she hath framed for outward Order and the constant Practice of all her Obedient Children Her Rule are the Holy Scriptures Commented upon and Interpreted by the Sentiments of the Primitive Fathers Her Doctrin is conteined in the Articles and Homilies Her Worship in the Public Liturgy Her Constitutions in the Book of Canons to which the Carriage of all those who have not only in pretence but reality been her sons hath exactly corresponded Nor is there any one of these which furnisheth us not with an abundant Confirmation of that Truth on behalf whereof it is alledged No Church ever professed a greater Reverence to the Proved I. From the Scriptures Holy Scriptures nor charged her children more strictly to make them the Rule both of Faith and Life We believe nothing but what is therein revealed and are obliged to observe all the Commands therein conteined whatsoever sort of Duties they have respect unto Now it is beyond dispute that the Word of God calls for Obedience to Princes and forbids all Opposition to and Rebellion against them Solomon in the old Testament speaks of a King against whom there is no rising Prov. 30. 31. up which King is every King for by virtue of his Supreme Authority he is beyond the reach of his Subjects Power and above the attempts of all their Force Nor is this only true of such who like David are men after Gods own heart or like Hezekiah and Josiah not to be equalled scarce parallel'd by those that either preceded or succeeded them but of a wicked Saul a loose Amaziah an Idolatrous Manasseh These also being Gods Anointed and wickedness in the Heart wipes not off the sacred Oil from the Head If we look into the Gospels our Blessed Saviour commands the Rendring unto Matth. 22. 21. Caesar the things that are Caesars with the same care that he requires the rendring unto God the things that are Gods which Caesar was Tiberius of whom the Roman Historians give no very good Character And rather than any Offence should be taken he works a Miracle for paying his Tribute-Money sending S. Peter to take it Matth. 17. 27. out of a Fishes mouth To him succeeded the two great Apostles S. Paul and S. Peter the one with his charge Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers Subject Rom. 13. 1. not only for Convenience but upon the account of Duty not only as a piece of Policy to prevent any Secular Punishment but a point of Conscience to please our Heavenly Father Ye must needs be subject not 5. only for wrath but also for conscience sake The other with his command Submit your selves to every 1 Pâ—â— 2. 13 14. Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto them that are sent by him Fear God Honor the King And it is plain 17. when these Apostles wrote Nero that Portentum hominis as Suetonius calls him that Monster of men Suet in vitâ Nâ—roâ—â—s was then Emperor as wicked a tyrannical Prince and as great an Enemy to the Christians as ever lived Whence we may rationally conclude Though a King be of another Religion though his Life be extremely debauched and his Government severe and cruel yet None of these
singly not All of them together will discharge the Subject from his obedience And to convince the World what particular care this Church of ours takes that these Principles of Loyalty may be imbibed by all her children she hath not only appointed those Chapters Rom. 13. and 1 Pet. 2. to be read in the constant course for daily Service nor designed those Passages in them only for the more especial Solemnities of the Fifth of November and Twenty nineth of May but hath selected them likewise for her Sundayes Epistles the one on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany the other on the third Sunday after Easter But the Absolute Subjection she owns to the Holy 2. From the Writings of the Fathers Scriptures doth not in the least lessen her Honor to the Primitive Fathers from whose Writings as the best Expositors of the Sacred Text she would satisfie her Children in this point of Duty It may well be presumed that in those early dayes of Christianity Religion was in its greatest vigour and men did not only best Know but Practice what they were obliged to both with respect to God and their Superiors She doth not indeed allow us jurare in verba to pawn our Faith upon any man's credit but to be Followers of Them so far as They have been Followers of Christ and to take directions from them where those directions agree with the written Word So that whensoever any of the Romanists would asperse us as slenderly regarding the Authority of the Ancients we boldly plead in our own justification the venerable esteem we entertain of the Authors and their genuine Writings for the first four Centuries And truly the higher we trace the better we like them God in his infinite wisdom resolved the seed of the Gospel should no sooner be sown than watered with blood A great while did his faithful servants bear a very heavy Cross The Roman Emperors were Heathens and some particular piques most of them had taken against Christianity insomuch that the Professors of it met with a great deal of misery during their life and many with a great deal of cruelty were put to death Yet whether Martyrs or not Martyrs this was still the Doctrin they taught and from them we learn it That nothing can dispense with the Subjects Obedience to his Prince Pardon me Sir if I spend a little paper in presenting you with remarkable passages taken out of some whose heads are the grayest among them I begin with Ignatius Scholar to St. John and twelve years old at our Saviours Crucifixion Thus he instructs the Antiochians a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist ad Antioch Be obedient to Caesar in those things wherein you may obey without danger which is in all that are not sinful provoke not your Governors to anger that you may not give occasion to them who seek it against you But because the Authority of this Epistle is matter of some dispute pass from him to Justin Martyr not much behind him in years b b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. pro Christianis We worship saith he speaking to the Magistrates God alone but in all things else we cheerfully serve you A third among the Greek Fathers is Theophilus Patriarch of Antioch who delivered this good Rule c c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Antyoch lib. 1. ad Autolycum Honor the King honor him by being kindly affected to him by obeying him by praying for him for thus doing thou doest the will of God From those of the Greek come we to them of the Latine Church and certainly She preached the same Doctrine The Kings Supremacy and the Subjects Obedience was never better taught by any man in the world than Tertullian a thousand pities he turn'd Montanist at last a a In cujus Dei potestate sunt a quo primi post quem secundi ante omnes super omnes Deos Tertul Apolog. cap. 30. They i. e. Kings are only under the coercive power of God to whom they are subordinate under whom Chief before and above all that are called Gods b b Christianus nullius est hostis nedum Imperatoris quem sciâ—nâ— Ã Deo suo constitutus necesse est ut ipsum diligâ—t hoâ—oâ—â—â— revâ—â—â—atur salvum 〈◊〉 Idem lib. ad Scapulam cap. 2. A Christian saith he is no mans Enemy not the Emperors the great crime objected against them for knowing Him to be a Person of His Gods own appointment it is necessary he should love honour reverence and wish him all the prosperity imaginable And upon a large discourse in his most excellent Apology a book that deserves the greatest commendation he declares plainly it was not want of Power but Will that hindred them from being rebellious not fear of Punishment but sence of Duty not Restraint but Conscience that awed them into obedience They were gotten most numerous both in the Court Senate City and Camp and it was the Heathens security to have them so for c c Nunc pauciores hostes haâ—â—tis pâ—ae multitudine Christi moâ—um Idem Apolog. cap. 50. the more Christians alwayes the fewer Enemies I have made the bolder with Tertullian both because of his Antiquity and the Pertinent Quotations wherewith his Writings supply me To him let me add Lactantius who instructs all Christians in Passive as the rest have done in Active Obedience For put case the Old Plea for Disobedience should be renewed a Reformation of Religion yet will not that plausible pretense justifie the failure in our Allegeance since a Christian must learn Patience as well as Courage and prepare to be a Martyr rather than a Rebel d d Defenâ—â—nda est Râ—lâ—gio non occidâ—ndo sed moriâ—nâ—o non sâ—vi◠á sed patientiá neâ— sceleâ—e sed fiâ—e Ilâ—â— enim maloâ—um sunt â—aec hoâ—orum La â—â—ant lib 5. cap 30. Religion is to be defended not by Killing but by Dying not by Cruelty but by Patience not by Wickedness but by Fidelity Those are the practices of Wicked but these of men truly good To these might be added many others which for brevity sake I omit because this Pamphlet would swell beyond what is intended and create you more trouble than is necessary in so plain a case Let me now fall upon what more peculiarly belongs to our Church The Papists keep the Scriptures from their people which God be thanked we may have free recourse unto but they mightily brag of an Adherence to the Fathers Had the Writings of those Holy men as great an influence upon them as they pretend Princes Thrones and Lives would be much more secure than they are and the Church Censures not be thundred out against them as they be upon every trivial occasion But of this hereafter Now Sir give me leave to assure you that what you have already read from the Scriptures and Fathers is but the same our Church maintains in Her Avouched Doctrine Her Publick