to cut off that ambitious usurping Antichristian Power of Roman Pontifs which opposeth exalteth it self above all that is called God and trampleth under feet both the Crowns Scepters of all Christian Kings I shall first clear and confirm it by Gods own distribution of various Gifts and powers to the Members of his mystical body the Church and members faculties of the bodies souls of men by one the self-same spirit thus emphatically expressed 1 Cor. 12 4 to 12. Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit to another the working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Discerning of spirits to another divers kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues But all these worketh that one the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Compared with v. 18. 25. God hath set the members every one of them in the body natural AS IT PLEASETH HIM that there should be no Schism in the body appointing them all their distinct Offices places under one head the seat of the soul which rules and directs all the other Members in the discharge of all natural civil moral and divine actions diversified denominated only by from their various objects so stiled not the person power head or facultie by which they are all performed being but one and the same As God the great King over all the earth whose is the Kingdom and the power from whom all Kings and Potentates of the Earth derive their Jurisdiction as their Ordainer and Orderer alwayes Soveraignly ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth them to whomsoever he will he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings at his pleasure by his indivisible Supream authority And as by one and the self-same power spirit he also distributes varieties of Gifts Graces Offices to the Members of his Spiritual body the Church distinct faculties to one and the same reasonable Soul in man in which they are united as vegetation sense reason memory will judgment affections c. with distinct offices places to every member in the body natural without erecting any plurality of Supream Powers parts principles heads souls in himself or them from which these diversities of Gifts and their operations issue So Kings and Soveraign Powers Gods Vicars and Ministers upon earth by that one and the same Supream Authority vested in them by God for Government of all sorts of Subjects and all sacred or civil Corporations under them whether Pagans or Christians may and do exercise all sorts of civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions under them in person or by their Delegates and Substitutes without any real division in their Soveraign power continuing still one the same or erectâ—ng two distinct specifical Powers the one Civil the other Ecclesiastical in themselves or others â—or as their Soveraign Royal Power when exercised about Martial affairs is stiled a Military power and the Courts wherein it is judiciaâ—â—y executed are stiled Martial Courts because the matters persons in and about which it is exercised are such And when employed in matters Courts of Law and Justice is called a Civil or Legal Power and their Courts Courts of Common or Civil Law because the businesses are such And when versed in Maritine affairs or causes is called A Maritime or Admiralty Power and Admiralty Court and when in Civil matters of Equity only it is then phrased a Chancery or Equitable Power and the Court wherein it is acted a Court of Chancery So by the self-same reason when it is employed in or about divine sacred Ecclesiastical things or persons it is then stiled An Ecclesiastical power the Laws concerning them and Courts wherein these Laws powers are exercised the Kings Ecclesiastical Laws Courts without making any fraction division or distinction in the Supream power which remains still but one and the same residing intirely in the King himself alone though the execution of it be distributed to sundry subordinate Courts persons who are but the Kings meer Ministers and act or ought to act all in his Name Right without claiming any share at all in the Soveraign Regal power as vested in themselves by this distribution being thus distinguished denominated only by and from the diversity of the respective objects which make no more multiplications of nor divisions in the power it self then diversities of colours specâ—es in the eyes or varieties of sounds tasts in the ears or pallate make so many distinct faculties in the Eyes Ears Pallate or as many different eyes ears pallats as there are species sounds tasts discerned by them All which doth evidently appear in this Orâ—ginal President of Supream Jurisdiction in Moses the first Soveraign Governour over Gods people when originally made both a Kingdom Church by Gods own institution wherein the High Priest Aaron and his Sonnes had no share at all in the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction though the Priesthood was setled on them but Moses enjoyed exercised it intirely without any Partition made by God between him and Aaron to divide these powers equally between them as Co-heirs Hostiensis and out of him Alvarus Pelagius Thomas Bozius and Marta resolve That as it is Heretical to hold duo principia Two Principles or Authors of the World So it is Heretical to hold that there are Two Vicars of God or Christ upon Earth the one in Spirituals the other in â—emorals Therefore it is of necessity that Supream Temporal and Spiritual Jurisdiction should be intirely vested in the Pope not in the Emperor or Kings who derive all their power from him and it is of necessity to believe that every creature should be subject to the Pope as well in Temporal as Spiritual things to avoid the Heresie of duo principia Dante 's the Florentine who held the contrary being coudemned by the Pope for an Heretick after his death Indeed their position That there is but one Supream Head and Fountain of all Spiritual and Regal power on Earth in every distinct Kingdom and Church is an undubitable truth as these Pontificians and Popes themselves assert But that it was ever vested in the High Priest under the Law or Popes under the Gospel but in Moses Kings and other Supream Magistrates and that they derive all their Temporal Authority from Priests Popes not they from Kings and Supream Civil Governors is a notorious untruth as this Original president of Moses and Aaron with others following will irrefragably evince This I the rather mention and have more largely insisted on because some Usurping Popes not only ground their Pontifical Crowns Priestly garments with
havock of the Church and apprehended those that professed Christ whether men or women and haled them to prison persecuting them even to strange Cities and left them in bonds Yet when he was converted and preached Christ himself was apprehended and brought before the Council and Ananias the High Priest who commanded him to be smitten on the face when he began to speak and he was 5. times beaten with rods receiving 40. stripes save one as a penal punishment Yet neither the high Priest nor the Council were the Supream Judges in Causes Ecclesiastical but the Roman Governours Rulers and Caesar Hence the high Priest with the Elders and Council by Tertullus their Orator accused Paul first before Felix the Governor for being a stirrer up of sedition among all the Jewes in the world and ringleader of the sect of the Nazarens before whom Paul made his defence Afterwards he was accused by them before Portius Festus the succeeding Governour who demanded of him Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and THERE BE JUDGED BEFORE ME not the High Priest or Council of those things whereof he was accused Whereupon Paul doubting his justice made this Appeal to Caesar himself as Supreamest Judge in all Ecclesiastical causes I STAND AT CAESARS JUDGEMENT SEAT WHERE I OUGHT TO BE JUDGED c. No man may deliver me to the Jews I APPEAL UNTO CAESAR Then Festus when he had consulted with the Council answered Hast thou appealed unto Caesar UNTO CAESAR SHALT THOU GO Festus soon after informing King Agrippa that Paul had referred himself to the hearing and Judgement of Augustus heard him again the second time before King Agrippa who resolved This man might have been set at liberty had he not appealed unto Caesar to whose Tribunal he was thereupon sent a prisoner to Rome to Caesar himself as the Soveraign Judge as well in Religious as Civil causes persons though a Pagan Moreover Saint Paul having cast a spirit of divination out of a Damsel at Philippi the chief City of that part of Macedonia it is specially recorded When her Masters saw that the hope of their Gains was gon they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market-place unto the Rulers and brought them to the Magistrates saying These men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach customes which are not lawfull for us to receive neither to observe being Romans And the multitude rose up together against them and the Magistrates rent off their cloathes and commanded to beat them And when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the Jaylor to keep them safely who having received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the flocks But the next morning upon Pauls message the Magistrates released and brought them out of prison themselves In fine our Saviour foretold his Apostles They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into Prisons being brought before KINGS RULERS for my name sake for a testimony against them compared with Christs prohibition to his Disciples The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so and with the forecited Texts are a most clear convincing Evidence that although the Jewish high Priests and Priests usurped rather a Temporal then Ecclesiastical power to fetch the Apostles before and scourge them in their Synagogues to apprehend them by their Officers Souldiers drag and cast men and women into prison for preaching and professing Christ and that not severally by themselves but in a mixt Councel of Elders Scribes and Pharises who were no Priests sitting advising and voting with them Yet the Supream power in matters of Doctrine and Religion even amongst the Jews during our Saviours abode with them and after his Ascension continued in the Roman Deputies Kings Emperors and chief Civil Magistrates alone as they did by divine institution in Moses Joshua David Solomon and other their own forementioned Kings and Supream Temporal Governours As for the Jewish Supream Court generally stiled their Sanhedrim consisting of 71. persons of the Elders Heads and Princes of Israel as the Jewish Rabbins and those who write of the Jewish Courts collect from Numb 11. 16. where they hold it was first erected and conceive it was like our Parliaments having conusance of all highest affairs I confesse I could never yet be satisfied by any Text of Scripture or solid Antiquity 1. That this Court of 71. or Sanhedrim was a setled standing Court sitting usually at Jerusalem and that during the Judges Kings and inter-regnums too till Herod put it down 2ly That the high Priests or any Levites were antiently Members of it which Godwin and others utterly deny 3ly That they intermedled with any Ecclesiastical causes as Supream Judges of them as some alleadge they did in the case of the Prophet Jeremiah where when the malicious Priests Prophets and all the people pronounced him I conceive only by way of accusation as in the case of Christ before Pilate when they cryed out Let him be crucified not vote or Judgement to be worthy of death the Princes of Judah who heard tydings thereof came up from the Kings house and sate down in the Porch of the house of the Lord and when they had heard Jeremiah his Apology and their clamours adjudged voted the contrary that he was not worthy to die and saved his life which proves the Princes only not the Priests or Prophets to be Judges paramount even in Ecclesiastical causes persons not the Priests in their imaginary Consistory Church Council 4ly It is granted by Sigonius Dr. Field most Jewish Rabbies Antiquaries that the Princes of Judah and Israel before the Babilonish captivity sat Chief Presidents in this high Court as they do in our Parliaments and that nothing was there passed but by their assents thereto till the high Priest after that restitution by usurpation not right sat Chief therein Therefore if we admit any such Soveraign standing Court erected and continuing so long as some pretend to erect such a Presbytery in themselves having conusance of Ecclesiastical persons or causes as well as Temporal or a kind of Ecclesiastical Consistory stiled a Council which some would difference from it though I hold them both one and the same erected devised by their Elders Princes Priests after their return from the Babilonish captivity it will no wayes enervate but ratifie my second Proposition That the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in the Israelitish Church of God under the Law remained alwayes setled by Divine and Natural Right in their Kings and chief Civil Magistrates Princes Councils not in their High Priest Priests or Levites separated or conjoyned and that the Civil and Ecclesiastical power are but one and the same in nature distinguished only by the Civil or Ecclesiastical
their power of consecration on Aarons and his Sons but likewise their Papal Monarchy Jurisdiction over other Bishops Ministers and Kings too on Aarons high Priesthood and imaginary Vniversal Supremacy which quite subverts their pretences Aaron the High Priest being inforior to Moses and he greater then Aaron in administration and in instruction and correction of the people though not in consecration wherein they were both equal as Bartholomeus Buxiensis Joannes Thierry and other Canonists in their approved Glosses on Gratian resolve Whereupon to prop up the Popes tottering Supremacy as founded upon Aarons Priestood Pope Anacletus with others of his Successors have bottomed the Popes Soveraign Jurisdiction in Spiritual and Temporal affairs too upon Moses and Aaron joyntly affirming Moses to be a Chief Priest as well as Aaron from Psal 99. 6. Moses and Aaron among HIS PRIESTS Whence they inferr That as Moses and Aaron were the chief among the Priests in the Old Testament So Peter was ordained head of the Apostles and Original of the Apostleship in the New and the Pope as his Successor And as Moses was constituted a God unto Pharoah and judged the people of Israel So the Pope is the God of the Emperor the First Priest the Vicar of Christ the High Priest and the Cardinals assisting him are Priests of the Levitical kinde by whose assistance he Iudgeth all Criminal causes not only Ecclesiastical but likewise Civil and mixt Moses as a Priest being only a Type of the Pope as were Melchisedec and all those that were Kings as well as Priests before the Law given as Alvarus Pelagius and other Pontificians conclude with very great confidence To which I answer 1. That Moses neither before his flight out of Aegypt nor during his absence before his return thither nor whiles he abode there to deliver the Israelites from their bondage nor after their deliverance was ever made or constituted a Priest much less an High Priest by God for ought we read but only Aaron with his sonnes and Levites 2ly Had Moses been an high Priest as well as Aaron as these assert there had then been two high Priests at once and so two Supream heads of the Church not one and so the high Priest could not be a proper Type of Christ the sole high Priest and head of his Church nor of St. Peter or the Pope his pretended Vicar General by divine Right 3ly The Scripture is expresse that Aaron only was the chief Priest not Moses and that there neither was nor ought to be any more high Priests but one at a time Therefore Moses could be no high Priest 4ly Moses in the 99 Psalm and all other Texts where he and Aaron are mentioned is put and named in the first place before Aaron and asserted by Bartholomeus Buxiensis Thierry and other Glossers to be greater then Aaron in two respects in the very Priesthood it self Therefore he not Aaron was the chief high Priest and so all Popes pretences for their Supremacy drawn from Aarons high Priesthood must vanish into smoak The rather because we frequently read in Scripture that Moses not only COMMANDED AARON but likewise stripped him of his garments and girt them on Eleazer his Sonne and successor a little before his death 5ly Psalm 99. doth not evince Moses to be a chief Priest as well as Aaron no more then the rest of the people as is evident by the coherence with verse 5 6. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his foot-stool for he is holy Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his Name these called upon the Name of the Lord and he heard them this passage relates to Numb 25. 6. when Moses and Aaron and all the Congregation were all weeping and worshipping God together promiscuously intermixed with Phinehas and the other Priests as also in Joel 2. 16 17. So as the sole argument hence is this Moses and Aaron worshipped and called upon the name of the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle mixed promiscuously with the other Priests as Samuel did with the people when they called on Gods name Ergo Moses and by consequence all the people too were high Priests as well as Aaron So that the Popes absolute Soveraign Monarchy as well in Temporal as Civil things being thus grounded on Moses his mistaken Priesthood must needs fall to the ground and be for ever exploded upon the premised considerations and because his Successor no high Priest nor Priest at all enjoyed exercised the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as well as Temporal in the Israelites Church and State 2ly I shall demonstrate this Propositions truth by Joshua who succeeded Moses in the Supream Civil Authority to whom the Israelites not only promised the self same obedience in all Spiritual as well as civil things which they yeelded to Moses but he likewise exercised the same Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as Moses had done as these Ten instances irrefragably prove 1. He commanded the people to sanctify themselves to morrow and commanded directed the Priests when to take up and how to carry and dispose of the Ark of the Covenant and declared the words to the people which God himself immediately spake unto him 2. He circumcised all the uncircumcised Israelites with sharp knives and kept the Passeover formerly omitted by special directions given to him from God not to the Priests 3. By Gods special direction He commanded the Priests to compasse Jericho bearing the Ark round about it seven dayes one after another which they obeyed executed without dispute marching seven times round about it the last day 4. He not the Priests Ordained a publike fast sanctified the people when he discovered Gods wrath against them for Achans taking of the accursed thing against his command and examined punished with stoning to death even that which Popes and Canonists stile Sacriledge appropriated by them to their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Tribunals 5ly He built an Altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal according to the Law of Moses and he not the Priests there writ upon stones a Copy of the Law of Moses and read all the words of the Law of Moses the Blessings and the Curses before all the congregation of Israel with their women little ones and strangers conversant among them there was not a word of all that Moses commanded which he read not unto them and that in presence of the Priests and Levites who there stood on both sides of the Ark and bore it 6ly He and the Princes not Priests descided a case of conscience touching the Oath and Covenant made with the Gibeonites by fraud and circumvention to spare their lives against Gods positive precept and gave sentence against them to be Hewâ—rs of wood and drawers of water for the Altar of the Lord. 7ly The Sunne stood still and the Moon stayed till the
all the Commandements of the first as well as of the second Table and punish all violations of them by Bishops Priests or Deacons as well as others of their subjects 3ly Though not to intrude like Vzziah on the Priests Ministers Bishops office in administring the Sacraments or constant publike Preaching the Gospel yet strictly to command all Bishops Clergy-men of what degree soever within their Realms diligently faithfully constantly to discharge their Pastoral duties by frequent preaching Catechising Administring the Sacraments living answerably to their professions And to enjoyn all other their Subjects to frequent Gods publike Ordinances embrace the true Religion lives as becomes the Gospel and to punish all their negligences extravagances and scandalous offences against their respective trusts and Christian profession 4. To summon General National Provincial Councils Synods to make ratifie Ecclesiastical Lawes Canons and constitute Courts Commissions Officers under them for the examination suppression of Errors Heresies Schisms and better Government of the Church and Church affairs when and where there is occasion 5. To erect new Churches Parishes Bishopricks divide or unite old place godly Bishops Pastors in them for Gods publike worship the better edification instruction salvation of the souls of their subjects and to provide competent maintenance for them 6. To receive Complaints decide Controversies Differences in Religious or Ecclesiastical matters by way of final Appeal to them to restrain redress all Incroachments exactions usurpations of Popes Bishops or other Clergymen upon their Ecclesiastical or Civil Jurisdictions Courts Rights or Subjects Liberties by Prohibitions or other means and promote as much as in them lies as well the spiritual and eternal as temporal felicity of all their subjects This Supream Jurisdiction of Emperors Kings in and over all Ecclesiastical causes persons as well as Secular for their spiritual good together with Christians professed acknowledgement of and submission to it as well under Pagan as Christian Emperors Kings Governors I shall evidence by these ensuing Authorities Aristaeas ad Philocratem fratrem informs us That King Ptolomeus Philadelphus before Christs Nativity demanding of Eleazar and other of the 70. Interpreters Quonam pacto regnum incolumè in finem usque à Rege conservetur Et quemadmodum singula juste perficere possit quomodo recte omnia servans illaesa cundem filiis salvum tradat c. Received these answers Si Dei mansuetudinem Rex in omnibus imitatur Si considerat omnem sensum à Deo esse proponatque ante omniae Dei timorem Si non potentiae suae fidat sed Deum semper imploret ut juste sibi agendi consilia dirigat Si Deum assidue imploraverit ut rectos sibi sensus ad ea quae in posterum peragenda sunt tribuat filiis imperaverit ne gloria divitiisque superbiant sed arbitrentur Dei benignitate sua sermonis sui pulchritudinem principium a Deo deducat And to this question Quid sit in gloria Regis potissimum He received this answer Deum venerari non sacris neque muneribus at cum animi puritate ac fide candida ejus voluntutem sequi All this they must do not only in their own private persons as men but as Kings and Soveraign Rulers by inducing commanding their subjects to imitate their piety examples that they may both arrive at the same ends temporal and eternal felicity Ignatius Bishop of Antioch St. Johns disciple and contemporary with the Apostles writes thus Honorare oportet et Regem nec enim Rege quisquam praestantior nec quisquam similis ei in rebus omnibus creatis therefore not the Pope or Bishops being creatures nec Episcopo qui Deo consecratus est pro totius mundi salute quicquam majus in Ecclesia The Emperors being then Pagans Nec inter Principes quisquam similis Regi qui in pace optimis legibus subditos moderatur Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and all the Elders with him in their Epistle to the Philippians thus exhort them Orate pro Regibus Potestatibus Principibus as supream Governours though then enemies to the crosse of Christ ut fructus vester manifestus sit in omnibus sitis in illo perfecti Justin Martyr in his Apologia secunda pro Christianis as well Bishops and Presbyters as believers ad Antoninum Pium Imperatorem stiles him and the Senate Ii quae praesunt qui non vi vel tyrannide sed religione sapientia ducti ferant sententiam of Christians and their Religion the grounds principles and summary whereof he relates and refers unto his and the Senates judgements consciences Subjoyning Tributa verò census iis qui a vobis constituti sunt Vbique in primis conamur pendere quemadmodum a Christo instituti sumus c. Deum solum adoranus vobis autem in aliis rebus laeti servimus Regesque vos et Principes hominum esse profitemur rogamusque ut vos cum Regali potestate sanam bonamque mentem habere inveniamini And he concludes his second Apology in defence of the Christians and their Religion which he submits to the Emperors and Senates Judgements thus Haec vobis queque consideranda permittimus ac si vobis rationi vertitatique consentanea videntur comprobate sin nugae vobis videntur ut verba nugarum plena contemnite non in eos qui nullam injuriam inferunt nec scelus admittunt ut in hostes mortem statuite And ends his first Apology with these words Qua◠vestrum quoque erit pro Religionis Philosophiaeque dignitate quod jus aequum est secundum nos Christianos judicare Theophilus Patriarch of Antioch living about the year 180. under the Empeperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus writes thus of himself and all Christians too in that age Contra Christianae Religionis calumniatores Simulacra Dii Gentium opera sunt quae confecit manus humana daemonia impurissima c. Quae cum ita sint magis honorabo Regem sive Caesarem non tamen eum adorabo verum pro eo orabo Deum qui verè Deus est adorabo sciens Caesarem ab ipso esse ordinatum Dicas ergo Quare Regem sive Caesarem adorare recusas Quia non ad id institutus est ut adoretur sed ut legitimo qui ipsi congruit honoretur honore Rex enim sive Caesar Deus non est sed meminerit se esse hominem a Deo in hanc dignitatem promotum non ut adoretur sed ut juste quemadmodum justitia exigit judicet Nam Regnum sive Imperium rerumque administratio ipsi a Deo commissa et demandata est Hinc Caesar sive Rex neminem subjectorum aut Regem aut Caesarem appellari vult Regium enim sive Caesareum nomen ipsi soli competit nec alius id vendicare audet Ita adorandi cultus nemini nisi Deo soli deferendus est Regem quidem sive Caesarem
librariorum imperitia lectorum oscitantia interpretum inscitia incuria temporum depravatos ad amussim et veritatem fontis correxit Extat publicum Decretum ut Canonici libri tantum legantur in Ecclesia nec sinit in divinis Lectionibus templisque inter sacra officia inconditos solae cismos barbarismo que inconcinnos obstrepere in quibus quidam religiosuli nostra memoria sanctitatem collocant as Joannes Aventinus informs us All these particulars abundantly evidence the Supremacy of Charles the Great and Ludovicus his sonne both as Kings and Emperors in and over all Ecclesiastical persons causes and Popes themselves during their reigns and that the care protection propagation of Religion the Church and their peoples salvation belonged principally to and were managed by them as the chief branch of their Kingly office This Emperor Ludovicus Pius collected published sundry Ecclesiastical Lawes and Constitutions which he thus prefaced Omnibus vobis aut visu aut auditu notum esse non dubitamus quia genitor noster progenitores postquam a Deo ad hoc electi sunt in hoc praecipue studuerunt ut honor Sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et status Regni decens maneret Nos etiam juxta modum nostrum eorum sequentes Exemplum saepe vestram devotionem de his admonere curavimus et Deo miserante multa jam emendata et correcta videmus Vnde et Deo justas laudes persolvere vestrae bonae intentioni multimodas debemus gratias referre Sed quoniam complacuit divinae providentiae nostram mediocritatem ad hoc constituere ut sanctae suae Ecclesiae et regni huius curam gereremus observe it ad hoc certare et nos et filios ac socios nostros diebus vitae nostrae optamus ut tria specialiter Capitula et a nobis et a vobis Deo opem ferente in hujus regni administratione specialiter conserventur id est ut defensio et exaltatio vel honor sanctae Dei Ecclesiae et servorum illius congruus maneat et pax et Iustitia in omni generalitate populi nostri conservetur In his quippe maxime studere et de his in omnibus placitis quae vobiscum Deo auxiliante habituri sumus vos admonere optamus sicut debitores sumus Sed quanquam summa hujus ministerii in nostra persona consistere videatur tamen divina authoritate humana or sinatione ita per partes divisum esse cogoscitur Vnde apparet quod ego omnium vestrum admonitor esse debeo et omnes vos nostri adiutores esse debetis Nec enim ignoramus quid unicuique vestrum in sibi commissa portione conveniat ideo praetermittere non possumus quin unumquemque juxta suum ordinem admoneamus Sed quoniam scimus quod specialiter pertineat ad Episcopos ut primum ad sacrum ministerium suscipiendum justè accedant in eodem Ministerio religiose vivant tam bene vivendo quam recte praedicando populis sibi commissis it er vitae praebeant ut in Monasteriis in suis Parochiis constitutis sancta religio observata fiat unusquisque juxta suam professionem veraciter vivat curam impendant Omnes vos in hoc sacro ordine constitutos et officio Pastorali functos monemus atque rogamus ut in hoc maxime elaborare studeatis et per vosmetipsos et per vobis subjectos quantum ad vestrum ministerium pertinet nobis veri adjutores in administratione ministerii nobis commissi existatis ut in judicio non condemnari pro nostra vestra negligentia sed potius pro utrorumque bono studio remunerari mereamur Et ubicunque per negligentiam Abbatis aut Abbatissae vel Comitis sive vassi nostri aut alicujus cujuslibet personae aliquod vobis difficultatis in hoc apparuerit obstaculum nostrae dignoscentiae id ad tempus insinuare non differatis ut nostro aurilio suffulti quod vestra auctoritas exposcit famulante ut decet potestate nostra facilius perficere valeatis This pious King and Emperor employed Abbot Ansegisus to collect all his own his Fathers King Charls the Great and other his Predecessors Ecclesiastical Lawes made by the advice of their Nobles as well as Bishops scattered in divers Schedules into one Volume and to present them to him for the honour and good of the Church who accordingly collected digested them into several Books Chapters intituled Capitularia Caroli Magni Ludovici consisting of 7. Books and near 1600 brief Chapters or Constitutions besides 4. Books of Additions to them printed all together in Fridericus Lindebrogus his Codex Legum Antiquarum wherein are comprised all sorts of Laws Canons Constitutions relating to the Orthodox faith worship service of God Scriptures Sacraments all Ecclesiastical persons duties matters Christians whatsoever to whom he prescribed these Laws by his Royal authority corrected augmented by advice of his Nobles as the Titles to each Book declare and sundry penalties as having the principal care of the Church and people of God committed to him for which trust he was to give a strict account at the day of Judgement In his 7th Book cap 375 376. he thus ratified all the precedent Lawes Has omnes Constitutiones quas summatim breviterque perstrinximus sicut plenius in Canone continentur manere perenni stabilitate sancimus Si quis ergo Clericus aut Laicus harum sanctionum obediens esse noluerit si Clericus fuerit excommunicationi subjaceat Si vero Laicus fuerit honestioris loci persona medietatem facultatum suarum amittat fisci juribus profuturam si vero majoris loci persona est amissione rerum suarum multatus in exilio deputetur Quaecunque a Parentibus nostris diversis sunt statuta temporibus manere invâ—olata et incorrupta circa sacrosanctas Ecclesias praecipimus Nihil igitur a privilegiis immutetur omnibus qui Ecclesiis serviunt tuitio deferatur Quia temporibus nostris addi potius reverentiae cupimus quam ex his quae olim praestituta sunt immutari About the year 824. Lotharius both Emperor and King of Italy in the time of Pope Eugenius the 2d appointed Magistrates in Rome and through all Italy qui jus Romano populo dicerent eo quod libertate qua sub Carolo Magno Ludovico usi essent abuterentur statuit etiam juxta antiquum morem ut ex latere Imp. miterentur qui judiciariam exercentes potestatem justitiaÌ„ omni populo facerent tempore quo visum foret Impâ—ratori aequa lance penderent Yea he made this Law to prevent the tumults about elections of Popes Volumus ut ad electionem Pontificis nemo audeat venire neque liber neque servus qui aliquod impedimentuÌ„ inferat exceptis illis tantuÌ„ Romanis quibus antiqua fuit consuetudo per constitutionem Sanctorum Patrum concessa eligendi Pontificem Quod si
Si vero Laicus fuerit honestioris loci persona est medietatem facultatum suorum amittat fisci juribus profuturam si vero minoris loci persona est amissione rerum suarum mulctatus in exilium deputetur Flavius Reccaredus Rex hanc deliberationem quam cum sancta diffinimus Synodo confirmans subscripsi It is very observable that this King Reccaredus by his power piety and example converted all the Bishops Clergy Nobles and others of the whole Gothish Nation from the Arrian Heresie which they anathematized to the Orthodox faith as they all thus acknowledged in this Council Tunc Episcopi omnes una cum Clericis suis Primoresque gentis Gothicae pari consensione dixerunt Licet hoc jam olim conversionis nostrae tempore egerimus quando secuti gloriosissimum Dominum nostrum Reccaredum Regem ad Ecclesiam transivimus et perfidiam Arrianam cum omnibus superstitionibus suis anathematizavimus pariterque abjecimus After which protesting their unanimous cordial believing embracing profession of the Kings Orthodox faith they denounced many Anathemaes against the Arrian heresy and each branch thereof subjoyning this ingenuous confession of their Conversion from their heresie by this Kings means and their cordial embracing of his faith Comfitemur nos ex haeresi Arriana toto corde tota anima tota mente nostra ad Ecclesiam catholicam fuisse conversos Nulli dubium sit nos nostrosque decessores errasse in haeresi Arriana fidem Evangelicam atque Apostolicam nunc intra Ecclesiam Catholicam didicisse Proinde fidem sanctam quam religiosissimus Dominus noster patefecit in medio Concilii et manu sua subscripsit hanc et nos tenemus hanc confitemur pariter et suscipimus hanc in populis praequicare atque docere promittimus Haec est vera fides quam omnis Ecclesia dum per totum mundum tenet Catholica esse creditur probatur Cui haec fides non placet aut non placuerit sit Anathema Maranatha in adventu Domini nostri Jesu Christi c. All of them unanimously embracing subscribing professing perpetually to adhere to that Confession of the Catholick faith which this their religious King who converted them had made and read unto them in this Synod anathematizing all such who disliked or assented not thereunto I have transcribed these Speeches passages Confession and Charter of Confirmation of this pious King and Synod even in Spain it self where the Pope now most predominates because they justifie the Emperor Justinians Ecclesiastical Authority Laws Proceedings so much decryed by Baronius demonstrate the care and duty of the antientest Christian Kings in Spain and elsewhere to promote the orthodox faith true worship service of God conversion salvation of their Subjects souls as the principal means of their temporal and eternal felicity and utterly subvert the antichristian assertions of Popes Popish Canonists Prelats Priests Quaecunque a Principibus terrae in ordinibus vel in Ecclesiasticis rebus decreta inveniuntur authoritatis nullius esse monstrantur cum Laici deâ— rebus Ecclesiasticis nihil possunt constituere That this matter is so clear that no secular Prince from the beginning of the world till this day can be named who by the ordinary power of a Prince without the gift of Prophecy or special Revelation did laudably meddle with Religion as a Judge or ruler of spiritual causes c. And refutes the received answer of Civilians and Canonists on Justinians most excellent Law concerning Bishops and Priests to this Question Ad quid se intromittat Imperator de Spiritualibus vel Ecclesiasticis cum sciat ad se non pertinere To which if any answer be given it must be principally this Dic quod authoritate Papae hoc facit by whose Authority neither any pious Emperors nor this Spanish King ever held summoned Councils or made confirmed the recited orthodox Confessions of faith nor their Ecclesiastical Laws or Constitutions but by their own Regal Supremacies Pope Gregory the 1. sirnamed the Great most frequently prayes to God for the Emperor Mauritius and stiles him his Lord and most excellent Lord adding Deus vos universo mundo praeesse constituit Potestas Dominorum meorum caelitus data est super omnes homines himself subjecting his Papal Miter to his Imperial commands not out of meer humility but bounden duty and conscience as his Ego sum servus vester O Imperator ego vestrae jussioni subjectus ego quod debui erolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui attest He begins one of his Epistles to him thus Inter animarum curas et innumerabiles solicitudines quas indefesso studio pro Christianae reipublicae regimine sustinetis magna mihi et universo mundo saetitiae causa est quod pietas vestra Custodiae fidei qua Dominorum fulget Imperium praecipua solicitudine semper invigilat Vnde omnino confido servat vos Deus causa Religiosae mentis amore tuemini ita Deus vestras Majestates sua gratia tuetur et adjuvat Another Epistle begins thus Omnipotens Deus qui pietatem vestram pacis Ecclesiasticae fecit esse custodem ipse vos fide servat c. Pro qua re totis precibus deprecamur ut bonum hoc Omnipotens Deus Serenitati Dominorum piaeque eorum soboli et in praesenti seculo atque in perpetua remuneratione retribueret And he concludes another Epistle to him thus Omnipotens autem Deus serenissimi Domini nostri vitam et ad pacem sanctae Ecclesiae et ad utilitatem Reipublicae Romanae both coupled together by him as his office duty in and towards both alike per tempora longa custodiat In another Epistle Leontiae Augustae he thus prayes to Almighty God ut cor vestrae pietatis sua semper dextra teneat ejusque cogitationes caelestis gratiae ope dispenset Ouatenus tranquillitas vestra rectius valeat sibi servientes regere quanto Dominatori omnium noverit minus deservire In amore catholicae fidei faciat Defensores suos quas fecit ex benigno opere Imperatores nostros Infundat vestris mentibus zelum simul mansuetudinem ut semper pro fervore valearis et quicquid in Deo exceditur non inultum relinquete et si quid vobis delinquitur parcendo tolerare c. Yea he thus declaims against and censures that Title of Universal Bishop and Head of the Vniversal Church which his successors so much contend for as Antichristian Ego fidenter dico quod quisquis se Vniversalem Sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit quia superbiendo se caeteris praeponit Yea he tells Mauritius the Emperor that this Title is contra statuta Evangelica contra Canonum Decreta That Nullus unquam praedecessorum suorum hoc tam prophano vocabulo uti consenserit Quia si unus Patriarcha universalis dicetur