The best Fence against Popery OR A VINDICATION OF THE Power of the KING IN Ecclesiastical Affairs Being an ANSWER to the PAPISTS Objections against the Oath of Supremacy To which is added Queen Elizabeth's Admonition declaring the Sense of the said Oath and King James's Vindication of the Oath of Allegiance By a Learned Divine London Printed for J. Robinson in St. Paul's Church-Yard and S. Crouch in Cornhill THE LAWFULNES OF THE Oath of Supremacy c. THE Supremacy of the Kings of England being eclipsed by the Bishop of Rome in both parts of it the State thought fit to enjoin a Provision of equal extension In relation to the Civil Rights of the Crown is the Oath of Allegiance and against the Encroachments upon the Ecclesiastical this of the Supremacy which being first enjoined containeth in a manner both This Oath hath given the Papists such a Blow as they could not but strike again and have poured out a Flood of Arguments and Absurdities against submitting to it which hath been a long time scattered and stick in the Minds of divers of his Majesty's Loyal Subjects who tho otherwise well affected yet by reason of some Doubts and Tenderness are at a stand to this day and scruple the taking of this Oath For whose satisfaction and clearing the Lawfulness of this Supremacy is the ensuing Discourse CHAP. I. §. 1 The Oath it self as now enjoined §. 2 The Occasion of this Oath §. 3 Various Forms of it and Alterations about it §. 4 Interpretations given of it in our Laws and Writers of Note §. 5 The Nature of our Assent and Stipulation The Oath of Supremacy I A.B. do utterly testify and declare in my Conscience that the King's Highness is the only Supreme Governor of this Realm and of all other his Highness's Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Things or Causes as Temporal And that no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foreign Iurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King's Highness his Heirs and lawful Successors and to my power shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Privileges Preeminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the King's Highness his Heirs and Successors as united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm §2 For many Years there hath been a Contest about Jurisdiction and Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Matters between the Bishop of Rome and the Kings of England who hath got ground herein according as our Princes were found more weak necessitous or devoted to his Holiness Rome was not built in a Day By William the Conqueror Legates from the Pope to hear and determine Ecclesiastical Causes were admitted Henry the First after much Contest yields to the Pope the Patronages and Donations of Bishopricks and all other Ecclesiastical Benefices it being decreed at Rome that no Lay-Person should give any Ecclesiastical Charge King Stephen grants that Appeals be made to the Court of Rome In Henry the Second's Days the Pope gets the Clergy and Spiritual Persons exempted from Secular Powers The Bishop of Rome is now over all Ecclesiastical Persons and Causes even in these Dominions Supreme Head And having upon the matter made Conquest over more than half the Kingdom in the Times of King John and Henry the Third sets on for the whole and obtains of King John an absolute Surrender of England and Ireland unto his Holiness which were granted back again by him to the King to hold of the Church of Rome in Fee-farm and Vassalage Being now absolute and immediate Lord over all be endeavours to convert the Profits of both Kingdoms to his own Use so that Prince and People were hereby reduced to very great Poverty and Servitude Such Ruine being brought upon both Kingdoms by this Device and Engine the Claim and Exercise of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over Persons and Causes by a Foreign Power the Nation was awakened both King Lords and Commons yea the Spiritual Lords themselves to join with more Vigor against this Foreign Usurpation To this purpose severe Laws were made in the Time of Edw. 1st 2d 3d. Richard the 2d and Hen. the 4th Notwithstanding these Laws and some formerly as the Constitutions of Clarendon by Hen. 2. partly by Sufferance and partly by Negligence the whole Nation being Catholick and held under a devotional Slavery there was no thorow or successful Contest against these Oppressions They remained unto and were complained of in Henry the Eighth's Days as of Appeals to Rome in Causes of Matrimony Divorce Tithes c. to the great Inquietation Vexation and Trouble Costs and Charges of the King's Highness and many of his Subjects 24 Hen. 8. cap. 12. In a further Complaint Anno 25 cap. 21. it is declared how that the Subjects of this Realm have been greatly decay'd and impoverished by intolerable Exactions of great Sums of Money claimed and taken out of this Realm by the Bishop of Rome as well in Pensions Censes Peter-Pence Procurations Provisions Delegacies Rescripts in Causes of Contention and Appeals as also for Dispensations Licenses Faculties c. who assumed a Power to dispense with all humane Laws Vses and Customs of all Realms And many the like Complaints were made to King Henry by his Parliament at several times as it appears in the Statutes of that Age In which Statutes as in that of the 24th of Hen. 8. c. 12. 25. c. 21. 26. c. 1 3. Anno 28. c. 1 7 10 16 and 35 c. 1. you have the whole Fabrick of Romish Usurpation laid level and all Ecclesiastical Power reduced within his Majesty's Dominions and placed in the Arch Bishop and other Ecclesiastical Persons under him by firm and severe Laws This being done the King is petitioned by his Lords and Commons That for further Corroboration of those Acts and utterly to exclude the long usurped Power Authority and Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome that an OATH containing the Substance and Effect of those Statutes be limited and tendred to his Subjects This Parcel of Sacred Worship an Oath is indulged to Mankind in Civil Affairs Such is the Falseness Unrighteousness and Uncertainty of Men as that human Societies could hardly subsist without it The Lord to repair our Credit hath formed Mens Hearts generally to a great and apparent Religion and Reverence of this Ordinance The Heathens themselves termed it Sacramentum as if the most eminent or only Thing Sacred and religiously to be observed It is so effectual a Means to establish a Reformation as Men will be kept firm by Oaths saith one Liv. Hist tho there were neither Laws nor Magistrates We are exposed to more Variety and Changes from Vnsteadiness in the Mind than from any thing that is without us Fix the
Congregation say our Brethren Jus divinum Regim p. 230. hath equal Power one as much as another according to the trite and known Axiom Par in parem non habet imperium An Equal hath no Power over an Equal ' Ecclesiae institutae parochiales integrae sunt inter se collaterales potestate Ecclesiastica aequales saith Voetius Disp de Polit. Eccles p. 3. Which you may English out of the English Puritanism thus ' Particular Churches are in all Matters equal and are entrusted by Christ with the same Ecclesiastical Power and Authority Cap. 2. §. 3 ' Jewel Reynolds Whitaker and most of our Divines against the Papists are large in their Disputes for a parity of Churches and Mr. Parker hath written a whole Chapter de paritate Ecclesiarum De Polit lib â—… cap. 21. Some make a particular Church to be of larger Extension as a Diocess a Province c. but that altereth not the State of the Question A DIGRESSION 1. Of Independentism Name and Thing 2. It s consistency with the Kings Supremacy THis State of a particular Church namely their equality in respect of Jurisdiction or coercive Power one over another was wont to be expressed by INDEPENDENCY which though now it be a term of Reproach yet formerly made use of by good Authors as very fit and significant to set forth this Priviledge of each particular Church compleat and intire namely their not Dependency or Subjection to the Jurisdiction of another Church as their Head and Superior Dr. Jackson in his learned Treatise of the Church Cap. 15. Cap. 119. useth this term frequently Unity saith he in one place of Discipline or of INDEPENDENT Judicature is essential and necessary to the Church as visible Hence there be as many distinct visible Churches as there be INDEPENDENT Judicatures Ecclesiastick Dr. Sibbs thus Gospel-anointings pag. 94. Particular visible Churches are now God's Tabernacle The Church of the Jews was a National Church but now God hath erected particular Tabernacles Every particular Church under one Pastor is the Church of God a several Church INDEPENDENT The Church of England saith the same Author is called a particular Church from other Nations because it is under a Government Civil which is not dependent on any other Foreign Prince Each Church saith Voetius Desp Caâ—… â—ap lib. 3. §. 3 c. 4. as it hath its proper Form of an Ecclesiastical Body or Society so it s endued with its proper Government and Jurisdiction which it exerciseth DEPENDENTLY upon Christ his Word and Spirit but INDEPENDENTLY in respect of all other Churches Mr. Bates Treatise printed Anno 1613. One Company of Men assembled hath no Authority to impose things upon many Churches 1. None now have Apostolick Authority 2. Each Congregation is a Body INDEPENDENT of any Ecclesiastical Power There is no Ordinance of God for this saith Mr. Banes that Churches within a circuit should be tyed to a certain Head-Church for Government pag. 8. and pag. 13. We affirm that no such Head-Church was ordained either vertually or actually but that all Churches were single Congregations equal INDEPENDENT each of other in regard of Subjection Every true Church saith one A Collection of sundry matters Anno 1601. now is an INDEPENDENT Congregation and in another place The Congregational Body Politick spiritually INDEPENDENT is Christ's Divine Ordinance in the Gospel One ordinary Congregation of Christians is a spiritual Body Politick INDEPENDENT That is it hath the Right and Power of spiritual Administration and Government in it self and over it self by the common and free consent of the People INDEPENDENTLY and immediately under Christ Confession of Faith p. Anno 1601. This was the Opinion generally of N. Conformists as is observed by one of themselves in the Name of the rest as also by B. Downam Sermon at Lambeth p. 5. They that is the N. C. say that every Parish by Right hath sufficient Authority within it self immediately derived from Christ for the Government of it self in all Causes Ecclesiastical To the Parishional Presbytery consisting of their Parish-Bishop and his Elders they do ascribe that sufficient immediate and independent Authority for Ecclesiastical Government for every proper visible Church That Independency of Churches was asserted by those learned men of a former Age in relation only to a superior Church-power properly spiritual and such as is claimed jure divino and not in relation to that Ecclesiastical Power which is in or exercised from the Civil Magistrate Some of them have thus described a particular Church It 's a Body Politick spiritually independent or independent in relation to a spiritual Superiority which is expressed fully by him that wrote Church-Government with the Peoples consent pag. 115. Though we affirm the Church-Government is independent and immediately derived from Christ yet we affirm also that the Civil Magistrate is even therein that is in Ecclesiastical Matters Supreme Governor civilly And though nothing may be imposed on the Christian Churches against their Will by any spiritual Authority for so only we intend yet we affirm withall that the Civil Magistrate may impose on them spiritual Matters by Civil Power yea whether they like or dislike if it be good in his Eyes that is if he judge it within his Commission from God And such an Independency hath been pleaded for also and argued by them to be much more consistent with His Majesties Supremacy than a DEPENDENCY or Subordination of Churches to any spiritual Power And it was their professed Judgments That no External Power ought to be exercised in spiritual Matters any where within that space betwixt a particular Congregation instituted by Christ and the Catholick Visible Church by any person but the Civil Magistrate or by his Appointment Take their own Words They that make claim Jure Divino of Power and Jurisdiction to meddle with other Churches than that one Congregation of which they are Members do usurp upon the Supremacy of the Civil Magistrate who alone hath and ought to have a power of Jurisdiction over the several Congregations in his Dominions c. A Protestation of the King's Supremacy made and published in Anno 1605. §. 27 and in §. 28 The King himself is to be General Overseer of all the Churches within his Dominions and ought to employ under him fit persons to oversee the Churches in their several Divisions visiting them and punishing whatsoever is amiss in any of them Mr. Bradshew in the Vnreasonableness of Separation against Johnson writes thus It 's their principal Honour speaking of Archbishops and Bishops to be Commissioners and Visitors in Causes Ecclesiastical under the King over the Pastors and Churches of Provinces and Diocesses In his Answer to Johnson's first Reason And in his Answer to his second He questions him thus 1. Whether the Supreme Magistrate hath not Power to oversee and govern all the several Churches within his Dominion yea whether he be not
That the Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons and other Ecclesiastical Persons have no manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but by from and under the King 's Royal Majesty By the Statute also of 1 Edw. 6. c. 2. All Courts Ecclesiastical within the Realms of England and Ireland ought to be kept by no other Power or Authority either Foreign or within the Realm but by the Authority of His most Excellent Majesty And it was further Enacted That all their Process shall issue out under the King's Seal and His Name and Style c. but since repealed Dr. Cosens in his learned Defence of them and their Proceedings asserts thus They are saith he warranted by the Statute and Canon Law of this Nation professing also that there were Reason enough against those Ecclesiastical Proceedings if they were not claimed from the Crown but from some other Authority immediately as the Popish Clergy did theirs from by the means and direction of the Pope Apol. Part 1. Cap. 1. 2. Our Convocation or General Synod which makes Laws and Canons about matters that are more spiritual This is an ancient Court and hath formerly been in it self of great Authority in Ecclesiastical Regulations it 's not so now but dependent upon the Civil Magistrate for whatsoever Jurisdiction or Coercive Power there exercised which will appear in these Particulars 1. There are no Laws or Canons made by the Bishops and others of the Clergy in the Convocation that oblige under any Penalty without the Stipulation and Assent of the Civil Magistrate be it either in matters of Faith or Discipline The 39 Articles and Canons about them concluded upon by the Synod in Anno 1562. engaged no man under any Penalty in our Law to believe profess or subscribe until they had an Assent or Establishment by the Civil Powers Nor can they proceed against any Crime as Heresie Apostasie or gross Enormity in Doctrine but what our Laws declare to be such Nihil habet vim legis priusquam Regius assensus fuerit adhibitus iis quae Synodus decernanda censuerit Cosins Polit. Ta. 1. a. And for matters of Discipline and Worship it appears by the Letters Patent Copies whereof are annexed to the Canons published in Anno 1603 and 1640. That 1. All power to meet confer treat debate and agree upon any matter for common good is from such Licence Power and Authority as is granted to the Archbishops Bishops Chancellors and other Members of the Convocation from His Majesty of His special Grace and by virtue of His Prerogative Royal and Supreme Authority in Ecclesiastical Causes And 2. the Synod having treated of concluded and agreed upon Canons Orders c. To the end and purpose by His Majesty limited and prescribed unto them they are to offer and present the same to His Majesty in writing He upon mature consideration taken thereupon may allow The Licence to the Convoc in Anno 1640. approve confirm and ratifie or otherwise disallow anihilate and make void such and so many of the said Canons Orders c. as he shall think fit requisite or convenient And none of those Canons c. shall be of any force effect or validity in Law but only such and so many of them and after such time as His Majesty by His Letters Patents shall approve and confirm the same The Civil Magistrate may suspend for what time he shall please yea wholly deprive any Bishop or Bishops from their Office and Place in this Synod who are the chiefest Members thereof He may Commissionate also by Writ * Cook Instit pag. 4. cap. 74. what other Persons He shall please to sit in Convocation with them And if occasion be He may likewise wholly constitute another Synod and nominate each particular Person of what Quality and of what Number of His Natives as He shall please and give them like Authority in Ecclesiastical matters So was that Synod of the 32. appointed by Hen. 8. and afterwards by Edw. 6. to do the work of a Synod and present a Body of Ecclesiastical Canons for Confirmation by the Magistrate Field Of the Church Lib. 5. cap. 53. Princeps potest assignare nominare authoritatem dare quandocunque quamdiu ipsi placuerit hujusmodi indigenis subditis quos idoneos censuerit c. Dr. Cosin de Pol. Tab. 1. a. 3. These Laws saith * De Ju. Ec. pag. 9. Cook are termed Regiae Leges Ecclesisiasticae and another such Ecclesiastical Laws as now are in force are called the King 's Ecclesiastical Laws for that now all Jurisdiction whether it be Temporal or Ecclesiastical is the Kings And if there be any thing difficult or doubtful in these Laws the Interpretation is ultimately to be given in the Civil Judicatures So Cook 's Instit pag. 4. cap. 74. To the King also is the last Appeal to be made and Delegates appointed by Him give final Determination in Controversies after adjudged by those Laws and Canons in any yea the highest of those Ecclesiastical Courts Vltima Appellatio sit ad Principem non extra Regnum saith Dr. Cosen and tells us it is a Jurisdiction Coronae Regiae de Jure debita * Dr. Ridley's view pag. 110. * 25 Hen. 8. c. 19. * 15 Hen. 8. c. 21. 4. The King's Majesty may dispense with any of those Canons or Ecclesiastical Laws indulge the Omission of what is enjoined by them make void the Crime and remove the Penalty incurred by breach of them yea and give Faculty to do or practise otherwise any Synodical Establishment or long usage to the contrary notwithstanding in what offends not the Holy Scripture and Laws of God 5. The King may exempt Persons and Societies from the Jurisdiction of the Ordinary or Bishop or any else who are to execute these Canons This my Lord Coke asserts De Jure Eccles and as a Prerogative annexed to the Crown He gives many Instances of such Dispensations in several Kings Reigns both ancient and of later times For doubtless what Power He grants and is exercised under Him may be re-assumed by Him And Priviledge even whole Parishes if he please from Episcopal or Synodical Jurisdiction and such Parishes are said to be Regiae Majestati immediate subditae Mocket de Ecclesiastica Ang. Pol. pag. 294. And many Parishes to this day stand thus exempted by the favour and grant of Princes formerly The Dutch and French Churches in several Parts of this Kingdom by Patent from Edw. 6. were exempted from the then Establishment and exercised a Discipline and Forms of Worship according to their own Perswasion our Synod and Ecclesiastical Courts having by vertue of this Exemption nothing to do with their Ministers or Churches which Priviledge hath been confirmed to them by our Kings that Reigned since and are enjoined to this day His Majesty that now is by His Prerogative in Ecclesiastical Matters notwithstanding the present Form of Worship and Ceremonies Graciously indulged Tender Consciences a
yield Obedience to any Commands given by it or make any Appeals or Complaints to it 3. That which followeth and wherein the main of this Engagement lieth is in these Words I do promise that from henceforth I shall bear Faith c. and to my Power shall assist all Iurisdictions c. Herein is required a Promissary Oath swearing Allegiance to the King as a Loyal Subject to submit to his Laws as also if there be occasion to my Power to assist and defend him and all Jurisdictions and Priviledges belonging to him Though my Perswasion be ever so right my Resolution ever so sincere at the taking of this Oath that 's not all is required In an Assertory Oath if there be Truth and a right Frame of Heart in time I swear and give my Testimony it sufficeth But a Promissory Oath is not discharged by this that I sincerely intend what I say and promise for I engage to Action and for the time to come I must not only promise but if it be lawful and possible I must act and do accordingly Numb 30.2 If a Man swear an Oath to bind his Soul with a Bond he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his Mouth CHAP. II. What is meant by Persons and things Spiritual or Ecclesiastical in the proper as also in the vulgar use of these Terms IF this Expression Spiritual be interpreted by the Contradistinct Member Temporal it seems to direct us to understand such matters as concern Eternity for that is the true Opposite to what is temporal 2 Cor. 4.18 The things that are seen are temporal and the things that are not seen are eternal now in strictness of Speech carnal not temporal is the opposite Member to spiritual I could not speak unto you as spiritual Men but as to carnal 1 Cor. 3.1 and 1 Cor. 9. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things But this is too narrow and strict a Sense There are matters vulgarly termed Spiritual or Ecclesiastical being such in Name and Title only having nothing of a spiritual Nature in them Such a Distinction of spiritual things you have in a Letter written by Henry the 8th to his Clergy of the Province of York in the Year 1533 who were offended at his Title of being Supream Head of the Church ' Men saith he being here themselves earthly and temporal cannot be Head and Governour to things eternal nor yet spiritual taking this word Spiritual not as in the common Speech abused but as it signifies indeed ' By spiritual things as abused in common Speech he means what is given to all such Persons and Causes as belong to the Spiritual Court and are termed by Civilians causae vel res contentiosae vel judiciales matters of contest inter partes actorem reum and come to be determined by Sentence of the Judg in those Courts By those things that are indeed spiritual is meant res extra judiciales or non contentiosae that is such things as are determined not in a Judicial or Court-way of Tryal by Witnesses Oaths Interpleadings Sentences and the like but in a more deliberate and synodical way having the Word of God for Witness and Judg both in respect of what we do and what we may do in things of this Nature Causes Ecclesiastical saith Dr. Field Field of the Church p. 680. are of two sorts for some are originally and naturally such and some only in that they are referred to the Cognizance of Ecclesiastical Persons as the probat of the Testaments Matrimony c. Those Spiritual Courts being continued and the same Causes tried in them as before when this Jurisdiction was usurped the matters that were then are still vulgarly reputed Spiritual Emperors receiving the Christian Faith honoured the learned and godly Bishops antiently with some Jurisdiction in the cases of Tythes Matrimony Wills and the like which are termed Ecclesiastical or Spiritual not from their own Nature but from the Quality of the Persons who were made Judges of them They being spiritual Men the Causes come to be called spiritual Causes after their Names and Quality that were set over them These Causes growing and increasing in after-times according as spiritual Persons were able by the Popes assistance to rifle from Princes the managing of them require more hands than those to whom first committed namely the Bishops and such as were in holy Orders they therefore took in for Assistants a great number of others as Archdeacons Chancellors Commssiaries Officials c. and these are denominated Spiritual from those Causes and their assistance of Bishops in the managing of them and their Courts Spiritual Courts There are Persons that are truly spiritual The spiritual Man saith Paul judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.14 and Gal. 6.1 Ye that are spiritual c. That is such as have Grace and Holiness He also that hath spiritual Gifts and in a Gospel-Office or Calling is a spiritual Person 1 Cor. 14.37 a Man of God 2 Tim. 3.17 1 Pet. 2.5 And there are Matters or Causes that are truly spiritual as the Law is spiritual Rom. 7. The Gospel and preaching of it is a sowing of spiritual things 1 Cor. 9. the Worship and Service of God 1 Cor. 12. and 14.12 and all Gifts and Ordinances of Christ are spiritual Yea whatsoever things natural or moral that are helps to the Persons worshipping and by which the Worship it self becomes more orderly and to Edification and in the defect whereof the Name of God is taken in vain and Ordinances of Christ become less acceptable and effectual these Things and Circumstances in some sence may be termed Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Persons and Causes of each sort whether vulgarly or properly termed Spiritual or Ecclesiastical are some way or other under the Magistrates Government The former of these those spiritual Persons and Courts and Causes appertaining to them in the first framing of this Oath were principally if not only intended and aimed at as appeareth in the Statutes before mentioned And indeed the greatest Contention between the Pope and our Princes in all time hath been about Ecclesiastical Matters of that nature being then judged of greatest prejudice in respect both to the Honour and Wealth of this Nation For those matters more truly spiritual and nearly relating to God and his Service the Ignorance of the times was such his Impositions both in Doctrine and Worship though very sinful unsound and superstitious were generally received by Prince and People in this Nation without resisting or complaining There can be no question but these matters being indeed temporal properly belong to the Secular Powers For for the space of three hundred Years this Distinction was not known saith Sir John Davis Sir J. D. in his Reports the Case of Premunire or heard of in the Christian World the Causes of Testaments Matrimony c. termed Ecclesiastical or Spiritual were meerly Civil and
Pet. 2. Church-Power and Government being spiritual hath all particulars for substance both in respect of Persons and Administrations for matter and manner appointed by Jesus Christ and in all Nations to be the same Civil Power even in Ecclesiastical Matters in many things for substance is left to the Prudence of the State in which it is exercised and in the Forms of it various according to the manner of the Nation As for Instance Inspection into Religious Assemblies visiting and observing their Demeanour receiving Complaints by reason of Wrongs Disorders c. These things may be done by the Civil Magistrate in his own Person or by Persons authorized from him these Persons may be many or but one in a Division these Divisions of larger or less Compass And for the manner of Procedure it 's various as Ecclesiastical Courts differ in their manner of Process from Civil or of a Method or Way of handling Causes different from each be established by Law it is equally warrantable There are particular Directions left by Christ according to which the Officers and Persons more especially entrusted with this Power are designed to and invested in their Places and Charge as Election Ordination c. with Fasting and Prayer The other Powers are setled upon and claimed in such ways as the respective Law of Nations design as by Birth Lot Victory Donation or the like as well as Election insomuch as a Woman or Child may have a rightful Claim to this Supreme Trust and the Management of it by themselves or others as shall be appointed CHAP. IV. §. 1 Of the Necessity and Vsefulness of a Jurisdiction over Persons and in Causes Ecclesiastical besides what is in Churches §. 2 This Power is placed in Kings and such as are the Supreme Governors in a Common-Wealth §1 FOr the second we shall shew how necessary and useful Civil Power is even in Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Matters notwithstanding the other It is not to be denied that Souls were converted and Churches established and kept up when there was no Assistance but rather Opposition from the Princes of the Earth as in the Apostolick and Primitive Times The Benefit we have now by Christian Mgistrates was then more abundantly supplied the Infancy of Christianity requiring more by the Miracles wrought and the constant Direction and Care of Apostolick and extraordinary Persons who were gifted by Christ for that purpose All the ordinary Helps that now we have by external and more sensual or carnal Means contributing any thing to these great Works is only a pious and Christian Magistracy where a Nation is blessed with it The Benefit hereof is much in a spiritual respect both to the World as likewise to the Church 1. It is tho remote a great Help to bring Men out of their natural Condition unto Life and Salvation We are exhorted to pray for Kings and such as are in Authority 1 Tim. 2. The reason v. 4. For God will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledg of the Truth As the Knowledg of the Truth is a means to bring a Soul into a saving State so is the Magistrate being enlightned himself a great Means to bring us to the knowledg of the Truth Those Men were in a great Distance from God in a Rage against Christ and Religion Psal 2.1 they did combine against the strict Ways of the Gospel these poor Heathens being notwithstanding given to Christ by Election v. 8. David useth a twofold Method for reducing them The first is a representing their wretched and miserable Condition while in this State of Enmity ver 9. Then 2. deals with their Princes and Rulers to be forthwith instructed and serve the Lord i.e. as Kings and Magistrates in their publick Capacity But must not the People be instructed also Such Magistrates will speedily provide and take care for their People that they may be brought to the knowledg of the Truth and therefore it needs not to be mentioned The Magistratical Power conduceth to this Work divers ways 1. By setting up and protecting a Gospel-Ministry He only can subserve Providence by sending or giving way to others to send forth fit Persons and enforce a Maintenance for their Encouragement in this Worâ—… By such a Woâ—d of Providence it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we come to hear and by hearing we believe Rom. 10.17 He can urge his People to come to the Means and outwardly conform to the same and so bring them to the Knowledg of the Truth the very Knowledg whereof tho not saving is a means at least to restrain our inbred Corruption and to work preparatively to Conversion bringing Men into a Condition not far from the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ speaks 2 Pet. 2.20 2. The Civil Magistrate hath Power to punish and reward and so to work upon the Passions of Fear Desire Hope c. Man even in his Natural Estate hath free Will in Moral Actions if it be excited and drawn forth The Passions are so seated betwixt the Will and Senses that outward and sensual Objects work effectually upon it the Motions of the Will in this our State of Corruption depending more upon the visions of what is sensual than what is a rational Good or Evil. The most commanding and stirring Passion and with most â—…fe and vigour in a natural Man is Self or Self-Love it is the first Principle usually that God excites in us towards Conversion as in the Parable of the Prodigal and divers other Scriptures Sickness Poverty and the like Occurrence of Providences Punishments for Sin being sanctified by the Lord work much upon us so Miseries inflicted upon the more obstinate from Magistrates in Justice for evil-doing have the same Operation and by reason hereof gross Corruptions are kept in and restrained whereby the Habits of Sin decrease and become less rank in the Soul Hominem etsi timore poenae fugiat peccatum paulatim affectum animum ad illud amittere è contrario concipere odium â—…tus ideoque etiam vitare peccatum Aâ—iag de Leg. Disp 13. §. 9 It is a hedging our Way with Thorns as the Prophet speaks Hos 2.6 A great part of the World lies without the Pale of the Church and the severity of its Judicature reacheth them not This Power is exercised only on Church-Members 1 Cor. 5.12,13 we have nothing to do to judg them that are without tho they be Fornicators or Covetous or Idolaters or Drunkards or Extortioners Churches in respect of Censures and Punishment leave them to God by the Magistrate or the like Providential way to judg them vers 13. 3. Impedimenta removendo he removes corrupt Teachers that slay Mens Souls by crying Peace prophesying of Wine c. Mich. 2.11 indulging Sinners in their Security and such as by Errors and false Doctrine poyson Mens Souls to their eternal perdition by restaining Stage-Plays not permitting Brothel-Houses and the like Fomenters of Sin Now
them And if any Person that hath conceived any other Sence of the Form of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this Interpretation Sence or Meaning her Majesty is well pleased to accept every such in that behalf as her good and obedient Subjects and shall acquit them of all manner Penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorily or obstinately refuse to take the same Oath In the fifth Year of her Reign there is by Act of Parliament a Confirmation of this Sence by way of Proviso in these Words The Proviso in the Statute of 5 Eliz. cap. 1. Provided also That the Oath expressed in the said Act made in the said first Year shall be taken and expounded in such Form as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queen's Majesty's Injunctions published in the first Year of her Majesties Reign That is to say to confess and acknowledg in her Majesty her Heirs and Successors none other Authority than that was challenged and lately used by the Noble King Henry the Eighth and King Edward the Sixth as in the said Admonition more plainly may appear There may be a Doubt made about this Interpretation as whether it be not inconsistent with the Words of the Oath it seems to be rather a material Change of them than an Interpretation In the Oath it is All Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Things or Causes in the Interpretation it is All manner of Persons of what Estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be The Oath seems to speak of one thing and the Interpretation of another the one of Causes and the other of Persons Ad leges per se requiritur potestas in persinam secundario â—…res 〈◊〉 Suarez 〈…〉 lib. 1. cap. 8. Answ There is no opposition or Inconsistency between these two Persons and Causes The principal Object of a Law is a Person and a Person with respect to his Actions a Person morally considered for a Person physical that is in his Being only and Nature as Man without moving or acting any thing good or evil is not the Object of a Law nor Actions of any kind or sort whatsoever as Actions and in that general Consideration do come under a Law but as they respect Persons and are some way or other the Actions of reasonable Creatures Tho a Law be made to punish the Exod. 21.29 Ox which goreth a Man that he dieth yet it is with respect to Man to let him know how much God is provoked by shedding Man's Blood as Gen. 9.5 1 Cor. 9.9,10 Doth God care for Oxen Doth God in his Law respect the Beast for it self is it not that Man may be instructed and restained Verse 10. He saith it altogether for our sakes The mentioning of Ecclesiastical Causes therefore doth imply Persons and Persons of the same Denomination to whom such Actions are peculiar that is Ecclesiastical Persons 2. And that this latter is an Interpretation of the former will thus appear The Oath in giving a Supremacy in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Causes might seem to imply Spiritual Things to be the immediate and proper Object of the Magistrates Power and spiritual Persons only for this because they had to do in spiritual Matters and to infer thence that the Christian Magistrate hath Power in spiritual Administrations as the Word and Sacraments after the same manner as hath the Ministers of Christ who have Power in these Things as the principal and immediate Object of their Function Which this Form af Expression in the Admonition doth clearly take away 1. In asserting that by the Words of the said Oath Kings or Queens of this Realm may not challenge Authority and Power of Ministry of Divine Offices in the Church 2. The mentioning Ecclesiastical Persons and not Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Causes at all implieth that the Persons of Bishops Presbyters and such like are primarily and immediately the Object of this Supreme Power and the Laws made by it upon another Consideration than as Bishops c. namely as being born within these her Majesty's Realms and Dominions and such Persons of what Estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be She hath the Sovereignty and Rule over them Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Things are mentioned in the Oath upon a twofold Account 1. Because the Civil Magistrate's Power and Jurisdiction really extends it self to the Duties of both Tables and hath to do with Matters and Causes as well as Persons that are spiritual as hereafter we shall shew but 2. Principally that a Calling or Employment in Church-Affairs whatsoever hath been formerly judged and practised doth no more exempt a Person and his Actings that is a Subject to the Queen upon any other account from her Secular Power than doth a Temporal Calling or Employment in any worldly Affairs There is something of Explication further in the Articles of Religion concluded in the Year 1562. The 37th Article is this The 37th Article professed in the Church of England The Queen's Majesty hath the chief Power in her Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Foreign Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queen's Majesty the chief Government by which Titles we understand the Minds of some slanderous Folks to be offended we give not to our Prince the ministring either of God's Word or of the Sacraments The which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testify But that only Prerogative which we see to have been given always to all Godly Princes in Holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their Charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the Stubborn and Evil-doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England It is mentioned in the Admonition that the Queen 's Ecclesiastical Power is the same that was challenged and used by Henry the Eighth c. Which is supposed by some to be the same that was in the Pope the Person only and not the Power changed so that our Princes are but Secular Popes This Objection was strengthned by the Subtilty of Gardiner Whom Calvin terms Impostor ille in Am. 7.13 abroad and at home by a Sermon preached at Paul's-Cross in the Year 1588 by Dr. Bancroft who calls Queen Elizabeth a petty Pope and tells us her Ecclesiastical Authority is the same which the Pope had formerly This 37th Article removes the Scruple sufficiently 1. In asserting the Authority given to her Majesty to be no other but what we see to have been given to all Godly Princes in holy Scriptures c. And for what Power Henry the Eighth challenged 26 Henry 8. cap. 1. it was no new Jurisdiction wrested from