upon them is that the People committed to their charge may be instructed therein for the conviction of their Judgments and the regulation of their Practice Nay lest such Teaching should not produce an effect answerable to the desires of these good men but people should still take a liberty of Believing and Asserting what they list there is a severe Censure to be inflicted upon such irregular Can. 2 persons for their punishment Whosoever shall affirm that the Kings Majesty hath not the same Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical for in Temporal our Adversaries will grant it more than what they can hook in by In ordine ad spiritualia that the godly Kings had among the Jews and Christian Emperors in the Primitive Church which is the same we plead for or impeach in any part his Regal Supremacy let him be Excommunicated So little do any of our Church Constitutions derogate from the Kings Power that they establish it both by their positive Command to have it preached and received as true Christian Doctrine and the Opposers of it thrown out of the Churches Bosom as not fit for the Society of Christian men And now Sir I cannot imagine there wants any From the Pâ—actice of her Children thing for your further satisfaction unless it be to consider how the Practice of the Children of this Church hath agreed with the excellent Rules delivered unto them For although their Miscarriages could not justly be charged upon her yet we shall find that these Rules have had so great an Influence upon them as they have never dared to engage in any concern against their Prince nor ever been wanting in the manifestation of a due Obedience unto him Be not therefore I beseech you deceived with the vain Pretences of the Romish Party who tell you openly in some of their Books There have been more seditious Insurrections since the Reformation of Religion than were in some hundreds of years before For as there is no reason to take their bare word for it so no more are we engaged to vindicate any but those of our own Church I dare not undertake to justifie all the Proceedings of the Hugonots in France much less of the Kirk-party in Scotland but for the Sons of our Holy Mother of England let them if they can produce any Accusation against us and we are ready to submit to a fair Trial. The ordinary things pleaded are the late Rebellion and the Death of our Royal Martyr neither of which touch us any further than as our sins added to the rest filled up the Number and provoked God to make use of such Instruments for the executing his wrath as startled not at the most excerable Villanies in the world It is notoriously known how many Persons of Honour and Quality out of mere conscience attended that poor injured Prince from place to place during the unnatural War and paid their Service to his Son our now Gracious Sovereign throughout the many years of his calamitous Exile What Numbers spent their Estates and sacrific'd their Lives with all the generous Alacrity in the world to maintein the Distressed Kings Cause had Heaven given success to their loyal Endeavours How many Thousands might we reckon up who fought valiantly fell gallantly and spent their dearest bloud in the asserting his Majesties just Rights against all the Abettors of Rebellion Whereas those who either fomented the War or were afterwards active in the carrying it on had receded from true Protestant Principles and sucked in those pernicious Doctrins from Scotland which she had infectiously drawn either from Rome or Geneva It is not barely upon my own credit that this Truth begs your Belief take it from King Charles his incomparable Pen who being the Sufferer might best distinguish between his Friends and Foes The Scandal of the late Troubles which some may object and urge to you writing to the then Prince of Wales against the Protestant Religion established in England is easily answered to them or your own thoughts in this that scarce any one who hath been a Beginner or an active Prosecutor of this late War against the Church the Laws and Me either was or is a true Lover Embracer or Practiser of the Protestant Religion which neither gives such Rules nor ever before set such Examples And for the Death of that Royal Martyr the remembrance whereof we so much detest as to keep an Anniversary Humiliation upon that day Malice itself dares not lay it at our Door But if you would indeed be satisfied what mischievous Wretches carried on this bloudy Design brought Majesty to bleed on the Scaffold and openly acted such a piece of Villany as the Sun never beheld since Christs Crucifixion They were in plain terms the Papists and the Sectaries who like Sampson's Foxes have their Tails tied together though their Heads seem far asunder For the Papists I shall satisfie you in their Activity afterward For the Sectaries the Proof against them is but too evident and for those of the more refined sort who have confidence enough with Pilate to call for water and wash their hands and say they are innocent from his bloud yet their own Actions testifie against them both before and after that dreadful Blow was given And what horrid Encouragements to and Justifications of that abominable Act fell from the Mouths of those who were then the Godly Preachers of the Gospel remain upon Record Not to surfeit you with such coarse Diet take but a Tast in two or three passages of some eminently esteemed Persons though their Names shall be spared When Meroz had been cursed from one Fast-Day to another and thereby men seduced to take Arms against their Prince called in their sacred Dialect Agoing to the help of the Lord against the Mighty Then were the people of this Kingdom possessed with strange Apprehensions of the King and his Party some telling us it was their Design to root out all Religion I know saith one among them how unsatisfied many are concerning the unlawfulness of the War which hath been managed As I cannot yet perceive by any thing they object but that we undertook our Defence upon warrantable Grounds so am I most certain that God hath wonderfully appeared through the whole And as I am certain by sight and sense That the Extirpation of Piety was the then great Design So am I most certain that this was the Work which we took up Arms to resist The fault was that we would not die quietly nor lay down our Necks more gently upon the Block nor more willingly change the Gospel for Ignorance nor our Religion for a Fardle of Ceremonies with several things to the same purpose Others declared their Fears of a Tyrannical and Arbitrary Government but the greatest Number like the unruly Assembly at Ephesus knew not wherefore they were gathered Acts 19. 32. together When the Sword had for some years been glutted with Bloud mens minds at least appeared a little more composed
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
Offers of Peace were made and a Treaty managed where Another whom afterwards his Masters rewarded but unkindly uttered these bitter Expressions in his Sermon Whilst our Enemies go on in their wicked Practices and whilst we keep our Principles we may as soon make Fire and Water to agree and I had almost said reconcile Heaven and Earth as their spirits and ours Either they must grow better or we must grow worse before it is possible for us to agree Where I cannot omit the Observation of an 〈…〉 l. 3 c. 2. pâ—g 1â—6 Ingenious Gentleman that our Dear Prince was beheaded just the day four years aften this Sermon was preached This and such like Stuff struck at length the Kings Head from his Shoulders and though some upon sight of their Errors repented yet when a disorderly Government had for several years appear'd among us in monstrous shapes still the doings of those Usurpers were commended by others and large Harangues made upon solemn occasions to express the Nations Happiness under them One more particularly I have taken notice of and not a little wondred at Worthy Patriots saith the Preacher Anno 1656. you that are Rulers in this Parliament 't is often said we live in times wherein we may be as good as we please wherein we enjoy in purity and plenty the Ordinances of Jesus Christ Praised be God for this even that God who hath delivered us from the Imposition of Prelatical Innovations Altar-Genuflexions and Cringings with Crossings and all that Popish Trash and Trumpery And truly I speak no more than what I have often thought and said the removal of these unsupportable Burdens countervails for the Bloud and Treasure shed and spent in these late Distractions Did the Gentleman think you remember that the King was murthered almost eight years before this Pulpit-Caress And did the Removal of those Burdens countervail for his Bloud too Nor did I as yet ever hear of any godly men that desired were it possible to purchase their Friends sure that blessed King had a great many good men that were his Friends or Money again at so Dear a Rate as with the Return of these to have those soul-burdening Antichristian Yokes imposed upon us So that though the King was barbarously taken from us yet better lose him than have a Resettlement of the antient Church-Service and Discipline for any other Thoughts would argue the wickedness of our Hearts If any such there be I am sure that Desire is no part of their Godliness and I profess my self in that to be none of the Number By these three Testimonies from the Pens of three great Persons you may judge how far that Party was concerned in the bloudy and dreadful Tragedy And now I suppose you will favourably allow the first of my Assertions proved The strict Obedience charged by the Church of England upon all her Children The second will as evidently appear That the Church Prop. II. of Rome allows those of her Communion an unreasonable Latitude in the same point of Obedience and Duty freeing them from the Obligations which God hath laid upon the Conscience for it is plain that she exempts her Ecclesiastics from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate referring them altogether to the Popes Censure upon the Commission of any fault She maintains those pernitious Doctrins of Excommunicating Deposing and murdering Kings for promoting the Cause of Religion She allows the Pope a Power of absolving all Subjects from their Allegiance and gives him a Right to dispose of the Kingdoms of Heretical Princes And if we look upon the Practices of the Romanists we shall find them exactly fitted to these Maxims that they have been are and in all probability will be a Turbulent sort of people despising Dominions and speaking evil of Dignities â—uâ—e 8. For the Exemption of Ecclesiastical Persons from the Proved â— By the Exeâ—ption of Ecclâ—â—â—astics from â—â— civil â—ower Civil Magistrates Jurisdiction it is a received Doctrin among them In their so much famed Council of Trent when the Fathers there fell upon the Reformation of Princes several things were upon the Wheel Like careful men of themselves they propounded largely in favour of Ecclesiastical Immunities That such Persons might not be judged in a Secular Court though there should be some doubt of their Clerkship or though History of the Council of Trent l. 8 p. 769 770. themselves consent notwithstanding it were under pretence of Public Vtility or Service of the King That neither the Emperour Kings nor any Prince whatsoever should make Edicts or Constitutions in what manner soever concerning Ecclesiastical Causes or Persons nor meddle with their Persons Causes Jurisdictions or Tribunals no not in the Inquisition but shall be bound to afford the Secular Arm to Ecclesiastical Judges That the Temporal Jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastics though with mere and mixt power shall not be disturbed nor their Subjects drawn to the Secular Tribunal in Causes Temporal All that excellent Device concluding with a Command under the pain of Anathema That No Prince should either directly or indirectly under any Pretence whatsoever suffer any thing to be Enacted against the Persons or Goods of the Clergy or against their Liberty any Priviledges or Exemptions though Immemorial notwithstanding It is true this was opposed and so in some measure quashed by the briskness of the Emperours and French Kings Embassadors and thereby proceeded not to the height they designed however it argued the daring Confidence of the Attempters the assurance they had of favourable Reception at Rome and the Priviledges they either ought or would willingly have enjoyed And whatsoever passed they gained a great deal more than either they deserved or could challenge But to omit what can be gathered from this Flourish and not insist upon things dubious we refer the Cause to Bellarmin and oâ—fer to stand to his Arbitrement The Noâ— possunt Clericâ—◠〈◊〉 Sâ—culâ—ri judicaâ—i eâ—iam si lâ—ges Civiles noâ— seâ—vâ—nt 〈◊〉 l. de Cleâ—icis l. â— c. 2â— p. â—p 3. Clergy saith he cannot be judged before a Secular Magistrate though they observe not the Laws in Civil Affairs for that I suppose he means by Leges Civiles And when upon further discoursing the Point he mentions the Apostles indispensable Charge Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers Rom 13. 1. I must confess his Answer to it is as much below himself had not his Interest been concerned as can possibly be imagined He will have that way of arguing to conclude nothing because sometimes one Power Nihil eâ—raâ—iocinatioâ—e oâ—â—li dâ— is higher sometimes another But be it as it will the Pope never loseth his Power therefore he infers Because the Bishop of Rome hath exempted Quoâ—iam summus Pontifex Clericos oâ—nâ—s exemit à subjectione Principum Secularium sequitur ut respectu Cleric rum Principes non suâ—t potestatâ—s superiores ac â—roinde non teneantur Clerici Priâ—cipiâ—us pâ—rere