ab actu exercito ad actum signatum or contrarywise will not always hold or to reason à potentia secunda ad primam vel è contra from the Difference in the Exercise to conclude a Difference or Disparity in the first Capacity is inconsequent To be rational in the first Capacity and natural Power is essential to all men and equal in all but in the use the Exercise of the rational Faculty there is a vast Disparity because of a great Latitude in different actual Ability Nature admits a great Variety in the use and exercise of her natural Powers that all are not alike fitted and enabled for the second Acts. In the first Capacity nature is so just so equal so indulgent to all that the native first radical power being of it self in indivisibili is equal in all no less in homine tenuissimi sensûs in the least knowing man than in him who in Sharpness of Wit approacheth nearest to Angelical and Noetical Spirits Take another Instance the face of man is not much above a Span in Length or Breath yet what an immense Variety is there in the faces of men Naturalists and Moralists do hold and not without great shew of Reason that from the first to the last man every individual hath his own proper peculiar face Can Suarez or any other from this Variety in the antecedent bring home this Conclusion in the Consequent Ergo a face is not natural to man but something casual or accidental The Result is we must pitch upon some things natural which are uniform in all and which yet admit in the multivarious Wisdom of God and large work of nature some room and place of Variety which Variety doth neither abolish nor destroy the Essentials We will find the like in Monarchy that all of them are uniform in their Essentials and accidental Varieties do not prove them to be of humane Composition or Constitution If Instances in things natural do not the Business let me entreat the Iesuit and Puritan to look upon moral things where they will find the like Vltio scelerum that gross enormous Crimes are to be punished with a condign proportioned Punishment is the Ordinance of God of Nature and common Equity This Truth is undenyable Is there not a great Variety and Difference in the measure and manner of the Punishment in different Kingdoms and Nations Theft somewhere is punished by Death somewhere by Restitution and that of Restitution somewhere twofold somewhere threefold some fourfold c. somewhere it is punished by Slavery somewhere one way somewhere another way Infinite Instances of this kind might be adduced Can you from hence conclude that the Punishment of Theft is not an inviolable Order and Ordinance of Almighty God and common Equity But that it hath all its Entity and Being by influence from humane Appointment A Country Clown would jeer you for this We deny not but Gods Works are uniform in their Essentials it a ut nec augeri nec minui possunt that if you take the least part of the Essentials if Essentials may truly be said to have parts from them they perish yet this may well subsist with some more some less power in the actuating or exercising of this natural uniform Power No understanding Iesuit will deny but acknowledge that Episcopacy with all its essential Power is immediately from God and of his Institution and yet may it not be that in actu exercito in the exercise of this Power some Bishops may have more some less power in actuating that which they are not restrained from but may do ex vi ordinis by their sacred native Power A Bishop ex vi ordinis by his inherent Power of Consecration may ordain every where in the World as many Priests as many Deacons as he will yet may he not be restrained that he shall not do it without his own Diocess May he not by the same Power ordain a Priest without a Title or Cure and yet may he not be restrained by positive Consent and Constitution that he shall not do it Is not the case possible and probable that Bishops of one particular Church may be more restrained than Bishops of another particular Church Can Suarez or any other than conclude from this Variety in the Exercise of Episcopacy that Episcopacy with it's radical Power is not immediately from God and Christ He hath more Learning and Candor than will allow him to be so absurd The Sectary feeleth no hurt by this Stroke Well let us come home to him I demand of the Sectary whether or not a Minister made I dare not say a Priest in sacred Orders or ordained by Imposition of hands this Christian Practice is Antichristianism now a-days hath not all the Power naturally inherent in him that any other Minister whosoever or wheresoever else I am confident none of them will deny it Again may he not be restrained to do no Ministerial act as to Baptize Preach c. but within his own Parish unless he be otherwise licensed No moderate Sectary if any such be doth deny this Come on In some cases of Jurisdiction I fear the Term offends the Ears and Stomach of the Precisian in some cases of Discipline I say of which by Gods Law and his calling excuse me to keep their own Diction he hath full Power within his Charge may he not be so restrained that some reserved cases this Phrase I fear be offensive that some points of Discipline be reserved as peculiar for the Classis the Presbytery and that their Judgment is only to be executed by the Parish Pope This is a known case amongst them Again may there not be some points of Discipline and Doctrine too reserved as proper and peculiar for a Provincial And again some of that high Strain and Concernment that they cannot be cognosced or determined but by a general Assembly of such a monstrous Composition a Tragelaphus such as never Christ instituted nor Christian Church knew All this holds with their Tenets their Practices Further I demand may it not be that in particular National Churches as the Church of Germany the Church of France the Church of Scotland are in these cases reserved respectively as we expressed before that there may be a great Variety and Difference Now notwithstanding of all those Restraints by which Ministers so evidently and actually differ in the exercise and actuating of their Ministerial Charge and Function The Sectary that understands himself aright will be very loath to have the Conclusion brought home that the Ministerial Power is all by humane Institution by humane Composition Contract or that his Calling is humane only conventional only pactional only As he answereth for himself I hope he will furnish us an Answer how to take off this Argument so much triumphed in both by him and his spurious Father the Jesuit I take the Observator to be a Lay Gentleman and it may be as the times are he careth not much for
synecdochical and tropical Speech it is so usually spoken Nor is it unusual to the Spirit of God in Scripture to speak this way for it is said 1 Cor. 6. The Saints judge the World Now it is certain that the Judgment of the Saints is only by approving or consenting to Christs Judgment which is his only authoritativ◠properly and their act in that great Judgment at the last day is only to approve or consent rather to the righteous Judgment of their Lord yet Scripture standeth not to say The Saints shall judge the World To judge by Authority is only proper to God the Father by the Son to whom the Father hath given all Judgment and this leaveth no place no Power to the Saints to dissent The like holdeth in the Instance proposed That this is to be conceived so which is our sixth Argument to confirm that Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately from God is more than apparent that Almighty God in Scripture vindicateth to himsel◠all the Acts real and imaginable which are necessary for the making of Kings If the Iesuit make much of the Letter of the Text Deut. 17. where it 's said The Lord should chuse the King and the People set the King over them Let us consider how the Practice interprets the Letter of the Law it is an infallible Maxim with Jurists Praxis optimus Legis interpres Practice is the best Commentary of Law and it is no less a ruled case that the first president is a ruling case to all following in that kind Come then take the first Instance in Saul the first elected and constituted King by the Tenor of this Law In the practice the Phrase is varied and turned over the Election is given to the People the Constitution to God 1 Sam. 12. 13. Behold the King saith Samuel whom you have chosen and desired and behold the Lord hath set a King over you This Election of the People can be no other but their Admittance or Acceptance of the King whom God had chosen and constituted as the words Whom you have desired imply Scripture telleth us that Saul's Election and Constitution was 1 Sam. 9. 17. when God said to Samuel Behold the man whom I spake to thee of the same shall reign over my people and when Samuel took a Viol of Oyl powred it upon his head kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance 1. Sam. 10. 1. Where you have Samuel as Priest and Prophet anointing doing Reverence and Obeisance to him and ascribing to God that he did appoint him Supreme and Sovereign over his Inheritance The same again is totally given to God 1 Sam 12. 13. The Lord hath set a King over you The Expression and Phrase is the same with that you have of Christ and his Kingdom Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I am confident none will be so sacrilegiously impudent as to give to Church to man or Angel Creature or Creatures any share in any act of constituting Christ King over his Church and for his Church and in order to it over all the Kingdoms of the World By what is said of this first practice it is more than evident that God in that Law of making Kings Deut. 17. did vindicate as proper and peculiar to himself the Designation of the person of the King and the investing of him in royal Power and Sovereignty The People then were only to admit and accept of their King by God so designed and constituted and to yield all Reverence Obedience and maintenance necessary It was not arbitrary to them to admit or reject Saul so designed so constituted by God himself immediately reject him they could not Yet God in his wise prudent Dispensation of all things judged it expedient to complete and consummmate this Work by the Acceptation Consent and Approbation of the people Vt suaviori modo that by the smoother way he might thus encourage Saul to the undergoing of this hard Charge and make his People the more heartily without grumbling or scruple Reverence and obey him As by his Providence he doth all things powerfully so he disposeth of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the good of man in a sweet and mild way This Admittance possibly added something to the Solemnity of Saul's investing but nothing to the essential or real Constitution as the Intimation of a Law which in Laws I think hath more Interest than this Admittance here it hath no Influence upon a Law made by supreme Power yet it is useful it Puts the Subjects in mala fide makes them inexcusable if they contravene Or this Admittance was and is as the Imperialists say truly of the Popes Confirmation of the elected Emperour good ad pompam but not requisite ad necessitatem Or if you will speak with the Romanists that the confirmation is of the Pope once elected is ad solennitatem not ad necessitatem for the Solemnity not simply necessary Or to come more near and with more certainty and truth it is like the Coronation of an hereditary King which is only for solemnity not for Necessity for before that Ceremony and Solemnity his Title is as good as after it and any act of royal Power and Jurisdiction done before his Coronation is as valid as any done as after his Coronation Or if you will it is like the Enthronization of a Bishop or installing of a Canon o◠Prebend in a Cathedral Church Scripture maketh this Good plentifully elsewhere for it punctually ascribeth all Acts essentially constitutive of Kings immediately to God In one full word the making of a King is given to God 1 Kings 3. 7. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father The providing of a King is given to God 1 Sam. 16. 1. I have provided me a King The King in a proper and peculiar way is called Gods King Psal. 18. 50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King God exalteth them Psal. 89. 19. I have exalted one chosen out of the People Not the People but God findeth Kings out ibid. vers 20. I have found David my Servant Neither Priest nor Prophet nor People really anoin◠Kings God anointeth them ibid. vers 20. With mine holy Oyl have I anointed him That we conceive them not to have their Prerogative from Pope or People Priest or Prophet not they but God adopteth them ibid. vers 27. I will make him my first-born That he may cry unto him Thou art my Father my God vers 26. To shew their nearer and straiter Alliance they are taken in societatem nominis numinis potestatis into a communion of his Majesty his Name Power it is said Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods To shew their Generation their Procreation their Derivation there is a dixi to this too I have said ye are all of you the Children of the most High
such whatsoever to suppress whatsoever is contrary to the good intended in this Covenant and association if it be in their power so that this Sovereign maketh every man armatum magistratum to be armed with Power and the way left to himself for ought we know it may be Ravilliac's way or Guido Faux's way Surely here is a Despotical Sovereignty and more than ever was challenged by any the Turk or King of Spain without Europe This is to tyrannize over mens Souls for no man must be suffered to live or enjoy any Freedom or Life there who dissenteth in the least point of their voluminous Greed from them and if he assist not with his Monies his Arms his Hands to the loss of his Life for his Religion he is either Prelatical or Papistical and for his affection to the States a word incompatible with Monarchy and of highest Treason he is at best a Malignant At pleasure of this Sovereignty every man must give the Quota this Sovereignty prescribeth the Twentieth the Tenth the Fifth part c. must give loan of what moneys they have by them or upon Bank for the good Cause upon security of the Publick Faith a non ens which is like if God prevent it not to ruine the Reformed Orthodox Catholick Faith and moral Faith and Truth amongst men or what other they specifie and ordain What a vast Sovereignty is this the extent of it is immense for nothing shall be without the Sphere of this Power which hath no motion but eccentrick no Person without the verge of this Scepter And good reason for all this for this is God and Christ's Institution this Sovereignty is the indâ—vidual companion of the Gospel the holy discipline the discipline of Christ half the Kingdom of Christ the undoubâ—ed Note of the Church the eternal Counsel of God it is 〈◊〉 Scepter of the Son of God You see the Effect of it whâ—aâ— happy what a glorious Reformation it hath brought with it the like was never seen since the Apostles dayes this Reformation will pull down Antichrist from his Throne the hearing of the beginning of it how it enlarges it self now to be sworn too in England will make the Pope of Rome and his Cardinals knees smite one against another Quid verba audiam cum facta non videam Judge of the Tree by its Fruits as our Master hath taught us and we will find all their good words are as Jurists say Protestatio contraria facto solemn Protestations liberal Promises you know whose custom this is but slack Performances Would to God that had been allâ— no a world of mischiefs have followed upon it and it is to be feared that what is past is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginnings of troubles The most glorious Church amongst the Reformed the staff and strength of Reformed Religion is broken in shivers where all things are lawful except to serve God and all Sects all Schisms allowed except the Orthodox Truth and Ordinances of God This Reformation is written in Letters of Bloud acted with the greatest Cruelty against not onely Innocent but Deserving men with Calumnies Rapine Robbery Cruelty that Father Mother and young ones if they have not been starved with hunger and cold have been exposed to extreamest indigency contempt and mockery I dare to say no Persecution that ever was can parallel this Persecution for Impiety Injustice and Cruelty What heart bleedeth not to see these Kingdoms happy before to the Envy of other Kingdoms and States to be the mocking-stock of the World that the Canaanite and Perizzite rejoyceth to look upon our Misery to see the Desolation standing in the Holy place and those Kingdoms of late the desire of all the Earth turned into an Akeldama and no other fruit of this glorious Reformation but to kill Christians for Christ's sake and to plunder for Religions sake Lord forgive them for Christ's sake and remove our Sins and those fearful Judgments and I beg pardon of the Reader for this Digression or Regret which I have poured out with a sad heart and wish them no worse than speedy Repentance For all we have said of this Antichristian Sovereignty whereby the Puritan and Factious would exalt the Presbytery and Representative Body above all that is called God Let no man imagine that we ran to the other Extreme to privilege a King from the direction and just Power of the Church or that we would encourage him or set him on like Vzziah to intrude upon Sacred actions proper to Ecclesiastical Persons Ex vi ordinis In direction by the Word administration of the Sacraments binding and loosing in interiori foro conscientiae or in exteriori by the Spiritual Censures annexed to the Keys Sure I am no pious or knowing King as blessed be God our Sovereign is will by right of his Crown which he holdeth immediately of Christ usurp upon this but on the contrary as a Son of the Church will submit to the Church his Mother or rather Christ in Church-men reconciling him to God Elsewhere by Gods Grace if God give us Life and Leisure in a several Treatise by it self we intend to lay open this point In sum briefly we say that men in Sacred Orders In rebus purè spiritualibus in things meerly and intrinsecally of themselves Spiritual have from Christ immediately a directive and authoritative Power in order to all whatsoever although ministerial onely as related to Christ But this giveth them no Coercive Civil Power over a Prince either per se or per accidens either primarie or secundarie either principaliter or consecutive directâ— or indirectè simple or absolute that either the one way or the other directly or indirectly absolutely or respectively by it self or in ordine ad spiritualia any or many in sacred orders Pope or Presbytery can convent cite censure in case of Defailance Supply and in case of not obeying what God in Scripture hath commanded to covenant associate swear and take Sacrament upon it to resist him oppose him and force him to submit to the Scepter of Christ. This Power over man God Almighty useth not much less hath he given it to man Psal. 110. His People are a willing People Suadenda non cogenda religio nihil minùs Religionis quà m Religionem cogere Nor doth that spiritual Power which entirely we give to Bishops Priests and Deacons rob the King as he is the nursing Father of the Church of the power Christ hath endowed him with as a Christian King in externa gubernatione Ecclesiae We must not look on Kings as on others of the Flock of Christ although we may neither preach nor administer the Sacraments nor bind nor loose nor give sacred Orders nor excommunicate these are things only proper to Priests Primi secundi ordinis of the first and second Order and Degree Yet the exercise of these things freely within his Kingdom what concerneth the decent and orderly doing of all and what concerns
Course who are invested with sacred power to determine Truth in Controversies and Mysteries of highest Concernment in Councels to establish Canons to prescribe a Form of Worship a Catechism to have the power of the Keys in all censures Ecclesiastical in sum in all things Ecclesiastical to have no less power no less a Voice not only deliberativè but decisivè than Priests or Ministers as they are pleased to call them these Lay Elders are debarred from nothing but only publick Preaching and Administration of the Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist it is expected if the independent Ministery another Head of this Hydra become the prevalent part they will justle the Presbyterian out of this and restore all the Laity who in their Divinity are no less the Lords anointed than Prince Priest or Prophet There is some hope I say that these Lay Elders a non ens in Scripture and never known to Antiquity will curb them that they shall not have way for such a vast Immunity finding already by sad and feeling Experience what a measure of Patience is required to bear their Insolency and what Prudence is necessary to disappoint their ambitious and pragmatical ends There is enough said to lay open the weakness and wickedness of this Antichristian tenet that Kings are God's but not Christ's Vicegerents They cry out much against the Pope to whom they do better service than they are aware of I pray God they were as real and true Enemies to Popery as moderate and Orthodox Protestants are whom the Pope feareth more than them and with just reason and seeing I have not much hope that what is said will work much upon them let me tell them that in their Tenet and Practice they are worse than the good Popes were and I dare say all to Gregory the Great hear it from his mouth and startle not at it he was a better Christian than any of your Sect or Sectaries thus he writeth Lib. 3. Epist. 61. to Maurice the Emperour Dominus meus fuisti quando adhuc Dominus omnium non eras Ecce pro me respondebit Christus dicens Ego te de notario countem excubitorum de comite Caesaerem de Caesare Imperatorem feci Sacerdotes meos manui tue commisi tu à servitio meo milites tuos substrahis Ego quidem jussioni vestrae subjectus legem vestram per divers as terrarum partes transmitti feci Et quia lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minimè concordat ecce per suggestionis meae paginam Serenissimis Dominis nuntiavi utrobique ergo quae debui exolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui pro Deo quod sensi minimè tacjii And in another Epistle written to Theodor. Epist. 64. He saith Valdè mihi durum videtur ut ab ejus servitio milites suos substrahat qui ei omnia tribuit dominari non solum militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit Maurice was no bad Emperour and Gregory certainly was a good Bishop yet Maurice had commanded that none serving in his Wars or any Officer whatsoever accountant unto him should be admitted either to Sacred Orders or a Religious Monastical Life without his special Warrant Reason may plead for the equity of this charge because by the Bounty and Beneficence of Christian Emperours men in sacred Orders and Religious Persons had admirable Priviledges which might make his Armies weak by flying to sacred Orders and Religious Life and exempt Accountants from doing what was due in civil Justice ex Indulto Imperatorum not ex jure Divino by the gratuite concession of Princes and no direct Warrant from God or his Word Whatever this was in it self which Maurice commanded Gregory to keep and to intimate to all his Suffragan Bishops and to be published in all Churches within the verge of his Jurisdiction certain it is in St. Gregory's judgment it was unlawful and sinful for he saith Lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minimè concordat and again Valdè durum mihi videtur yet what did he He made this Ordinance of the Emperour 's to be published throughout all his Churches here is Obedience and although it did belong properly and peculiarly to him as Bishop to admit any qualified by God Almighty to sacred Orders He submits to the restraining Ordinance of Sovereign Authority and I am confident did not transgress He pleadeth for no immunity to any sacred Person in sacred Orders nay he bringeth in Christ himself saying Sacerdotes meos manui tuae commisi I have committed to thy trust to thy power my Priests and in this case which is Spiritual enough and necessary enough for ought I can conceive at least that part of it of admitting of able men to sacred Orders he humbly obeys he pleads not that he was Christ's Vicegerent and Maurice only Goâ—'s he objects not Vzzia's attempt to sacrifice he â—onfesseth or rather bringeth in Christ speaking thus He calls him not onely His Lord but Dominus omnium the Lord of all without restraint he averreth that not onely he had by God Dominion over Souldiers but over all sacred Persons in sacred Functions Ei omnia tribuit dominari non solùm militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit He knew no remedy else but per suggestionis paginam by humble supplication submiss admonition to tell the Emperour it was not right he professed his obedience and that not by compulsion an extorted a coacted one Quod debui exolvi Imperaâ—ori obedientiam praebui as he was bound he obeyed and for his humble Remonstrance he speaketh no less rightly than modestly Et pro Deo quod sensi minimè tacui He knew no more lay upon him than in humility and submiss freedom with Reverence to tell and admonish what he thought fit The poor man knew not that as Christ's Vicegerent in Christ's Kingdom he was to oppose to supplicate petition and if there were not a recalling a repealing of the Imperial Edict that they might excite the People to covenant swear and at last to present a Petition upon the point of a Pike by right as he was Christ's Vicegerent This holy man knew not this Divinity it was never heard of in his age nor any since the World began it sprang not up till many Ages after that that malicious one did sow Popple among the good Wheat of Christ's Field for a thousand years after Christ the independent Sovereignty Ecclesiastical of the Pope was never known in the Christian Church The Presbyterian Sovereignty not â—till fifteen hundred and above were run out The Parochian Pope or independent Sovereign in every Parish Christ's Vicegerent except Almighty God right in mercy what is disjoynted in Church and State is like to put the Presbyterian and Pope out of doors I may add a world of Testimonies of the Fathers who expresly call Kings Christs Vicegerents upon Earth Athanasius in the Sermon of the Blessed Virgin explaining that of the Psalm Et regnabit in domo Iacob in
their proper and peculiar and yet several and distinct Rights What Law what Right what Reason is it that the King may or should part with his sacred Right and yet warrants the People to preserve their Rights nay to invade and challenge the King 's Right It feareth me that high Sacrilege robbing God his Anointed and Holy Church is not the least crying sin that hath brought upon us these Miseries and many good men fear that Kings giving too much way to Harpyes to rob God and his Church have made a furious multitude to invade the Sovereignty of Kings to teach Kings to be more zealous and careful to preserve Christ and his Churches Rights Let us remember that God and true Policy have so inseparably united and conjoyned the Interest of King and People that they be almost altogether the same upon which necessarily it followeth that the people ought not to account it a game or strength to them which they obtain and acquire by a Loss and wast of his Prerogative nor ought they to think that perished to them which is gained to him and by which his Prerogative is strengthened he more enabled to protect and they the more secured in safety to enjoy Liberty and Propriety with peace and plenty To reason à salute populi from the Good and Gain of the people to the weakning or destroying of Royalty and Sovereignty is sophistical it is that Sophism they call à dicto secundum quid or à limitato ad absolutum to reason from one end of Government to the Destruction of the other which is more excellent and which effecteth and worketh the other is totally to overthrow Royalty and Government The compleat and adequate end of Monarchical Government is as we have said to preserve the Kings Prerogative entire and the Liberty and Good of the Subject too If any man reason after this Form in the case betwixt the head and the body the Wife and the Husband he will soon discover the Fallacy of this Sophism It is right just necessary and honourable for a King to proportion his Laws and Government for the Good and Safety of his People and on the other part it is as just as necessary for the people to hold that Salus Regis suprema lex esto the safety of the King of his Sovereignty and Right ought to be the paramont Law without which no safety can be to the publick State nor to any private mans well-being If such Sophisms as these were confined within School-walls for the exercise of Wits it were no great matter but such abused Principles clogged with such paradoxal Consequences have a mighty Influence upon the multitude and will make them assume to themselves or commit to their Representatives an arbitrary Power which placed in a wrong hand cannot chuse but produce monstrous Mischiefs These Maxims with their absurd Consectaries embolden them authorize them to pull his Crown from his Head wrest his Sword out of his hands seize his Ships Forts Magazines Ammunitions and Revenues if they apprehend it fit for their own good It will make them break thorow all inferiour Laws that no more shall we have or know for Law but what it shall please them to unfold at pleasure out of the Closet of their Breasts And if this power be in some few or in many who are back't by the greater part of the people having a domineering power over the Judgment and Affections of the people gulled with fair and false promises and vain expectation of a glorious Reformation in Church and State What person how innocent how well-deserving soever can be secured in the Liberty of his Person and Propriety of Life and Goods Shall it not be a sufficient and just warrant to commit innocent men to Ieremiah's Dungeon to prove them guilty at Leisure because they are disaffected to the Good Cause Shall it not be just to take from men what Portion what Moity of their State and Revenues they will and sequestrate them for the publick because they cannot confide in them and the Good Cause must be maintained upon the Estates of Bishops Malignants and Delinquents God forgive you Remember there is a God in Heaven will call Ahab to an account for Naboth's Vineyard repent in time and make Satisfaction before the evil day come upon you May they not by the same Grounds disarm whom they will to weaken Gods Enemies Those Maxims and Sophisms will make way to Rebellion to murther the most innocent the most deserving men It will at last come at that except God and Sovereignty right it that it will be a crime to have Wealth and Treason to be faithful and loyal to King Church and State This Maxim with the annexed Sophisms is enough to destroy King and Kingdom Church and State and at last send the Authors and those are set on by them packing to Hell from which good Lord deliver them and all of us But what may be the proper natural and innocent sense of the words Salus populi suprema lex esto No doubt they have a good and just sense if they be not â—acked upon Tentures beyond their just Extent It was as we have said and as it appeareth by Cicero de Legibus one of the Laws of the twelve Tables and 〈◊〉 paramount Law too But it is only tant ' amount as Salus publica suprema lex esto let the publick Safety of 〈◊〉 be the paramount Law It is transcendent in this Respect that Government first and principally regardâ—th the common Good and Safety of the whole and 〈◊〉 the next place it intendeth the private Good of eveâ—y private singular one subordinately Conservatio speâ—â—ei est potior conservatione individui the Preservation 〈◊〉 the spece and whole is intended more by Nature 〈◊〉 the preservation of any individual The word Populus in classical Authors and its ordinary use is more than â—leâ—s Plebs is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a derivative from many but Populus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est à mulâ—â—pluribus Plebs comprehends only the vulgar and bafâ—eâ— sort of the Society but Populus omnes ordines hominum complectâ—tur comprehends in its extent all men in the Kingdom of what Condition or Quality soever SS Plebiâ—scitum de jure â—atural apud Iustinianum Nicholaus Porretus ad 2. Epigramma Martial in Cornâ—copia By which it is easily conceived that in this Salus populi in this Salus publica Salus Regiâ— is necessarily involved The word Publicum as Latin Authors well observe is a populo and 〈…〉 that it may sound the better in our Ears we pronounce iâ— Publicum 〈…〉 so that publick and popular in their originaâ— Sense are equivalent Popularâ—s actiones in the Diction of Law are the same that 〈…〉 de popular action actio P. L. 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 P. and 〈◊〉 sacra if we will trust Festus and Labeo were those solemn Festivities 〈…〉 kept by all the People Governour and governed different from those
fidei but they are bound to another as propugnatores fidei that is to see that the Purity of Faith and Worship be preserved with that Solemnity and Decency of sacred Places sacred Things sacred Persons sacred Gestures as God hath prescribed and the holy Catholick Church hath practised and allowed The Preservation of the sacred Right and Prerogative royal is that secureth and preserveth the Right and Liberty of the Subject and it is the maintaining and preserving of God's and holy Church's Right that preserveth Kings and their Crowns Happy is the King who with David can say Psal. 26. 8. Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine Honour dwelleth upon this he may with David confidently pray vers 9. Gather not my Soul with Sinners nor my Life with bloody men If the King's delight be in the Sanctuary of the Lord although Trouble fall upon him yet Help will come to him out of the Sanctuary that will save both him and his Crown Psal. 20. The highest Honour the greatest Happiness that ever David attained to was to bring back again the Ark of God to leave a great Treasure for building of the Temple 1 Chron. 13. 15. 28. and to raise the Church and establish the Worship and Order in it's height of Perfection 1 Chron. 24. 25 26. when he finished this Work he rejoyced more than ever Then he said Psal. 84. 10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere it was better be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness It was this that made God send to his King Deliverance out of his Troubles Psal. 18. vers ult It was this that established his House and Kingdom for ever it was this that crowned him with a Crown of pure Gold here and of immortal Glory in Heaven Kings at their Coronation offer their Crowns Scepters and Swords to God at his Altar and receive them from thence the one Ceremony signifieth that their Sovereignty cometh to them immediately from God the other signifieth that they offer all first for the Service of God It is a Vow or Dedication of themselves and their Power for the Advancement of Gods Glory To this add that this is solemnly sworn by them to maintain the Purity of the Faith and Worship and the Priviledges and Rights of holy Church and lastly all is sealed with the receiving of the Sacrament off the Altar What then can free Kings from these Ties And how fearful a thing is it for them to be principal Actors or accessary to bad Counsels and Courses to give up a Church or to wrong Christ and his Rights There be a great many that practise Machiavel's Politicks affirming Princes are no more tyed to Church and Religion than as both of them are subordinate and subservient to the politick Government and good Temporal These are truly Atheists who Ierobâ—am like care not at all for God nor Religion who abuse them to their own private ends they may for a short time flourish but in the end God will root out them and their Posterity and their Memory shall be had in Execration as Pilate is remembred in the Creed and Iudas recorded in the Gospel There be others who seem more moderate whose Counsels are no less pernicious because they seem to speak in a favourable and more specious way like to the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of Light these advise Kings to maintain a Worship an Order a Church but that it is not best to be too sumptuous and prodigal in the Maintenance or endowing the Church richly nor is it necessary punctually and precisely to adhere to all Gods Ordinances and in some cases say they a Prince at some Times at some Exigences may give way to the undoing of some Ordinances of God and Christ he may permit some of the Beauty and Solemnity of the Worship to be eclipsed devest the Church and Church-men of some Priviledges and Rights which by immemorial Possession they and their Pedecessors have enjoyed and to which besides Dedication and Consecration the Church is by all positive Civil Law and Right entituled no less if not more than Noblemen Gentlemen Corporations or any Subject or Subjects whatsoever These Counsels for a time may prevail and the Church may be a little for a little time suppressed and depressed but if God have Mercy in Store for that Kingdom it will not continue long These Achitophels tell Kings that if Moses's ten Commandments the Apostles twelve Articles of the Creed and the six Petitions of the Lord's Prayer be preserved it skilleth not for other things whether Bishop or no Bishop whether good Christians preach and do ministerial Acts or only men in sacred Orders authorised by Consecration and Imposition of hands whether any Solemnity in the publick Worship or not whether in sacred Church consecrated or in a private House or Barn whether Christ have a Patrimony or his Servants be allowed only a Competency at the Disoretion of Lay-men c. These Counsels and Courses if they be not repented forsaken and the Church righted will prove destructive to Kings to their Crowns to their Posterity and to their Authors and Abettors King Saul for ought we read did not restrain nor pollute the Worship he found nor took from their Priests what was their due but it is manifest he did neglect God and his Church his Worship and his Servants had less Esteem of God's Servants than of any of his Subjects besides and yet this is punished with the Forfeiture of Crown and Kingdom to him and his Posterity and God provideth a man a King according to his Heart to right the Church to order the Service aright which established his Kingdom and Crown for ever The Church was the Alpha and Omega of his Government he consecrated the beginning of his peaceable Reign with bringing home the Ark he spent the most of his Reign in ordering and establishing the Service of God with it's Solemnity and ended his Life and Reign exhorting Solomon to do the like to build the Temple and leaving by Legacy a great immense Treasure consecrated to this purpose If any will look upon these Counsellors he will find that they have a mighty Zeal and Care of their own Honour and Wealth how much they remit their Zeal towards God and his House they intend it as much for themselves and what concerneth their private they will not willingly dwell but in Houses of Cedar and can see the Ark of God within Curtains this maketh them that they can suffer the Church to be spoiled if by her Spoils they or theirs can be enriched Christians they cannot be whatsoever they profess they are in a contrary a contradictory way to Christ of him it was said The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up of them it is verified that their Zeal hath eaten up the house of God If these men can enjoy their own make