you abundantly into THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ and our Saviours own asseverations Not every one that saith LORD LORD shall enter into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven necessarily evince 7ly After our Saviours resurrection and ascention when God his Father highly exalted him and gave him all power both in heaven and earth his Soveraign Regality and Dominion in and over his Church and Kingdom are frequently set forth in these transcendent expressions decyphering only his Regal not Prieâ—tly or Prophetick Offices and Administrations Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the earth whom God the father of glory hath set at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to his Church which is his body The fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Goa hath by the extraordinary greatnesse of his mighty and glorious power delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Sonne who is the first-born of every creature For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in or amongâ—â— all things he might have the preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell Compared with his other Gospel titles Thou King of Saints and the united praises prostrations acclamations of the Angels with the four beasts and the 24. Elders and all the Saints and Redeemed ones before Christ who sitteth on the throne before whom they all fall worship and cast down their Crowns saying Worship and honour and thanks and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne for ever and ever worthy art thou O LORD to receive glory and honour for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were and are created All these recited Texts resolve that Christ is Supream head of his Kingdom the Church not in his Priestly Propheticall capacity or office but only in his Regal and reigns in it as a King Lord not as Priest or Prophet 8ly As in the Old so in the New Testament the Church Militant as well as the Triumphant is usually stiled the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of heaven Christs Kingdom my Kingdom his Kingdom the ever lasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a Kingdom which cannot be removed c. The very Gospel it self the Gospel word and mysteries of the Kingdom yea shall the Kingdom of God and heaven it self The mighty power of God to salvation scepter of his Kingdom His Saints shall eat drink sit reign with him in his Kingdom He sits and reigns for ever in his Church as a King on a Royal throne clothed with royal Majesty and glory His rewards are all Regal A crown of righteousness of glory thrones Inheritances in his kingdom reigning with him as Kings royal Robes Honour Glory His punishments Regal Exclusion from his kingdome everlasting death infernal chaines destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the Glory of his POWER His judging of quick and dead at his appearance and comming Yea all his administrations Regal in prescribing Lawes to his Church rescuing them from the power of Satan Hell and all other Enemies protecting them from all evils treading Satan under their feet Guarding them by his Mighty power unto salvation in his heavenly kingdom compared with this fulfilling of the procies of Christs kingdom in the Old Testament thus recorded as accomplished in in the New Rev 11. 15. There were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdom not Church of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev 12. 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ 1 Cor 15. 24 25. Then cometh the end when Christ shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he shall put down all enemies under his feet All and every of these Texts and considerations joyntly and severall demonstrate more clearly then the Morning Sunne That Christs Government of his Kingdom the Church under the Gospel is only Kingly and Monarchical as even Bellarmin himself and most Pontificians professe argue grounding the Popes Universal Monarchy upon it not Pontifical or Prophetical and that the Supreme Government thereof is for ever intirely annexed to his Regal not Priestly or Prophetical Office and these Offices of his united to his Regal Office as Supream not his Regal to his Sacerdotal or Propheticall as subordinate to them This being an unfallible Gospel-truth not hitherto so fully cleared and insisted on by the Oppugners or Asserters of Popes Universal Monarchy as was necessary which induced me to expatiate in its probation The second and sole Question will be Whether Christ himself did ever delegate by any Commission recorded in Sacred History all his Regal Power and Jurisdiction or any branch thereof to Saint Peter or any other Apostles Bishops Presbyters Evangelists or Ministers of the Gospel Or whether they or any of them ever justly claimed enjoyed exercised this his Royal Dominion Office Government in or over his Church on earth If yea as most Popes and their Parasites confidently affirm without the least shadow of Scripture or Verity let them produce the Commission or Texts to evidence it to every mans conscience in the sight of God and to all Kings Kingdoms Nations in the world If not as shall be evidenced in the ensuing Chapters past all contradiction I and they may then safely cry out mightily with a strong voyce as the Angel prophetically doth Babylon the great Rome is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues with violence shall she and her triple-crown'd Pontif be thrown down from the pinacle of her usurped super-transcendent power and shall be found no more at all Before I take leave of this Proposition to avoid mistakes and clear up the Truth it will be necessary to distinguish
Jurisdiction do most neglect this most essential prime part of their Commission and relinquish it to inferiour Priests Ministers Curates to whom they deny the power of Jurisdiction The third Commission whereon the Pope and his flatterers principally erect St. Peters and their absolute Ecclesiastical Soveraign Supremacy over all other Apostles Ministers Priests Kings Emperors Kingdoms and Catholick Church on Earth and upon which all Bishops Presbyters Priests do bottom their pretended divine Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over Emperors Kings and all Secular persons as appropriate to their functions consistories and incommunicable to Princes or Laymen is that which was generally given by Christ to all the Apostles yea to private Christians and Lay-men and the whole Church before Christs passion Mat. 18. 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Thus renewed confirmed to all the Apostles by Christ in behalf of the whole Church after his resurrection in other words Jesus breathed on the Disciples and said Receive ye the holy Ghost whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Which Commission though thus twice joyntly given to all the Apostles alike by Christ yet because he first granted this commission to them directing his speech personally to Peter Mat 16. 18 19. I say unto thee thou art Peter c. And I WILL not now do give unto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Popes and Popish writers thence conclude St. Peters and others Universal Supremacy over the whole Church and all other Apostles and Bishops whatsoever as well as Kings and Emperors I answer That these Commissions if rightly examined do neither give St. Peter nor his pretended Successors nor any Prelates or Ecclesiastical persons such an inherent Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction distinct from the Regal and Temporal and incommunicable to Lay persons as is pretended For 1. Every particular person though a Lay man or private Christian hath an absolute power yea special command from Christ himself to pardon forgive and remit sins and offences committed against himself as this clause in the Lords Prayer Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us These precepts When ye pray standing forgive for if ye forgive their Trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Forgive and you shall be forgiven Forgive one another as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you with other Scriptures demonstrate And as they may thus pardon loose and forgive so they may likewise binde or retain sinnes and trespasses against them when the parties are obstinate and impenitent This is evident by Luke 17. 3 4. If thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him And if he trespasse against thee seven times a day and seven times in a day return unto thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him but not without repentance Compared with 2 Thess 3. 14 15. Rom 16. 17 18. 1 Cor 5. 11 12 13 and Mat 18. 15 16 17. Moreover if thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church and if he shall neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee mark it not them as an heathen man and a publican Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven Therefore the self-same Commission Authority of binding and loosing upon earth is given to every private person in this Original Text by Christ as was given to Peter Mat 16. 18 19. and to all the Apostles John 20. 22 23. Hence St. Augustin resolves Cum caepisti habere fratrem tuum tanquam Publicanum Ligis illum in terra cum autem corrigeris concordaveris cum fratre tuo solvisti illum in terra Cum solveris in terra solutus erit in coelo Theophylact is yet more punctual Si tu offensum eum habes eum qui te affecit injuria sicut Publicanum Gentilem erit ille et in coelo talis Si autem solveris eum hoc est si illi condonaveris erit illi et in coelo condonatum Non enim solum quae solvunt Sacerdotes sunt soluta sed quae cunque nos et iniuria assecti vel ligamus vel solvimus et ipsa erum ligata et soluta And if every private person may thus bind and loose as well as Priests as these two Fathers together with Bishop Jewel and others resolve then much more may Kings and Supream temporal Magistrates do it in their Courts and Consistories Our Venerable Beda Peter Lombard Scotus with other Popish School-men yea their Canon Law and Canonists resolve That in the absence or want of a Priest a man may confesse his sins to his coequal or neighbout yea open his daily and lesser sins to his neighbor where there is a Priest and receive absolution from him though a Layman as well as from a Priest And that they may do so even by divine Institution is most fully demonstrated by Jam 5. 16. written to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad who are thus admonished Confesse your faults one to another not to a Pope Bishop Priest and pray for one another that ye may be healed from which Text not only many Antients but most Orthodox Protestant Divines resolve That no privat christian in point of conscience is obliged to confess his sins to a Priest any more then to another private Christian and Laymen no more obliged to confesse their sins to Priests then Priests are to confesse their sins to Laymen and that this text makes the duty of confessing their sins faults one to another reciprocal being coupled with mutual praying for one another the Bishop Priest being bound to pray for the people as well as the people for the Bishop or Priest therefore to confesse unto them as far forth as they are to confesse to him 2ly I answer That the power of binding and loosing retaining and remitting publike or scandalous sinnes is not given to Peter the Apostles Popes Bishops Priests or Ecclesiastical persons as an inherent priviledge and jurisdiction peculiar to them alone but to the whole Church and congregation to whom the right and execution thereof principally appertains This is infallibly
himself did almost despair And then induced him to use his utmost endeavours to reform them by the forecited smitings of them with the sword of the Spirit And in case of their final incorrigibility not to excommunicate interdict or anathematise them but desert them totally and by a voluntary exile to remove to some other City to exchange Rome for the World or any other part thereof which was farre better then it there to preach the Gospel and discharge his Pastoral office committed by Christ to Peter and through him to himself by seeding his sheep which he defines only to be the preaching of the Gospel to them concluding in these words Evangelizare pascere est fac opus Evangelistae et Pastoris opus implesti Upon all which considerations I hope the most zealous Pontificians will henceforth be satisfied That the Civil and Spiritual swords have not their distinction distribution nor any foundation at all on Peters single sword or the other Apostles two material swords and that the only spiritual sword belonging to Popes and the Church is not their usual Ecclesiastical Censures thunderbolts but the meer word of God incessantly preached applied in season and out of season to all sorts of sinners especially the most obdurate wherewith the City and Court of Rome are so stuffed that Popes have most reason to brandish this sword and all other swords or keyes they claim from St. Peter only there not in other Princes Bishops Diocesses and Dominions much lesse against Emperors and Kings themselves 2ly If St. Peters the Apostles Priests and Ministers commissions forecited will neither warrant support their Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction challenged pretended to much lesse will their several Titles do it Before I enter upon the Positive Titles given to them in Scripture I shall desire you to take notice 1. That neither St. Peter nor any other Apostle Minister or Presbyter is ever once stiled by Christ or any Apostle in relation to his office either a King Prince Caesar Lord or the higher Powers but only earthly Kings and temporal Magistrates Alvarus Pelagius the Popes Grand Advocate doth not only ingenuously acknowledge but renders these folid reasons for it First because Kings and Lords do frequently abuse their Regal and Lordly power to tyranny and great oppression of their Subjects which Popes and Clergymen would be likewise apt to do if dignified with these Titles 2ly Because the name of a King aliquando superbum sonat and is apt to puff men up with pride and arrogance therefore inconsistent with the humility and meeknesse of Christs Disciples Ministers 3ly To put a distinction between Civil and Ecclesiastical Governors Inter spirituales temporales Reges sicut est discretio in potestatibus sic debet esse in nominibus Principes itaque seculares nomen Regis quod commune est sibi a proprietate retinent praesertim quia ante constitutionem spititualium Regum officium Regis nomen plures habuisse leguntur Principes autem spirituales aliis nominibus nuncupantur quae non fastum sed actum pietatem insinuant Et propter hoc ait Petrus Pastoribus Ecclesiae 1 Pet. 5. 2. 3. 95 Distinct Esto Neque ut Dominautes in Clero Christus dixit Discipulis Lu. 22. Reges Gentium dominatur eorum vos autem non sic Mat. 20 Yea he draws this memorable inference from hence Et secundum hoc videretur dicendum quod licet Christus sit Rex Sacerdos tamen ejus Vicarii scilicet Apostoli eorum successors non sunt Sacerdotes et Reges imo solum convenit eis potestas Sacerdotalis vel Pontificalis ex concessione Christi Si autem aliquibus eorum convent potestas Regia hoc est ex concessione Principum terrenorum sicut ex concessione Constatini habet Romanus Prontifex Imperialem potestatem Distinct 96. Constituimus Which though Alvarus prima facie grants to be rationabiliter dictum for others yet he spends several Articles to assert That the Pope is not only a spiritual but temporal King and Lord yea King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that not only Popes but even Bishops and Priests too have a power and jurisdiction above all Kings Emperors Princes in the world even to excommunicate depose and put them from their Thrones Kingdomes Empires as you heard before at large 2ly Neither Christ nor his Apostles after his Ascension in any of their Epistles or Gospels ever gave St. Peter or the Pope any of these swelling Titles now claimed or Attributed to them by their flatterers as Christs sole Viceroy his sole Vicar General on Earth sole head of the whole Catholick Church God Vice-God Christ Christs Omnipotentiary or Plenipotentiary indued with a plenituds of all power both in heaven and earth the life of the world or any of those Titles which St. Bernard by way of irony censure only gives to Pope Eugenius as others did in good earnest Age indagemus adhuc diligentius quis sis quam geras videlicet pro tempore personum in Ecclesia Dei Quis es Sacerdos magnus Summus Pontifex Tu Princeps Apostolorum tu Primatu Abel Gubernatu Noe Patriarchatu Abraham Or â—ine Melchisedech dignitate Aaron auctoritate Moyses indicatu Samuel potestate Petrus unctione Christus Tu es cui claves traditae cui over creditae sunt Sunt quidem alii coeli janitores gregum pastores Sed tu tanto gloriosius quanto differentius utrumque prae caeteris nomen haereditasti c. If none of these ambitious Titles were ever given by Christ or other Apostles to Peter himself in this magnificent mannerâ— or to any other Apostle How comes the Pope now to appropriate them to himself in Peters right who doth not own but quite disclaim them 1 Pet. 1. 1. c. 5. 1 2 3. Wherefore pretermitting them as late Papal fancies invented by Popes and their Parasites I shall proceed to St. Peters particular Scripture Titles peculiar to himself whereon Popes and their flatterers bottom his and their own pretended transcendent Supremacy The 1. is his very Sirname Peter Mat. 16. 18. I say unto thee thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church Whence they infer That Peter is not only supreme head of Christs Church but the very stock and foundation on which it is built I answer 1. That he had this very name Peter given him either before he was called by Christ to be an Apostle or at leastwise he was named Peter by Christ upon his very first calling to be his Disciple Mat. 4 18. c. 8. 14 15. Mar. 3. 16. Lu 3. 16. Lu 6. 14. Jo 1. 41 42 If then his first sirname Peter gave him no such supream Jurisdiction Lordship over all the other Apostles and whole Catholick Church as certainly it did not Christ himself being then the supream head thereof on earth for some years after This repetition or confirmation of this his former
well in temporal as in Ecclesiastical matters is also taught by Augustinus Triumphans Alvarus Pelagius Hostiensis Panormitan Silvester and divers others Yea Hostiensis teacheth That Christ by his comming translated all the Dominion even that of Infidel Princes unto the Church and that this Dominion so resides now in the Pope Christs Vicar That he may give by his own Right the Kingdoms of Infidels as well as Christians to whomsoever he will Alvarus Pelagius seconds all these with most Hyperbolical passages and blasphemies which I cannot pretermit Christ writes he had all power given unto him both in Heaven and Earth being ascended in his humanity to his Father lest he should leave his flock without a Shepheard he left the care thereof to Peter and his Successors as his Vicar General Now the Father is Almighty the Son Almighty even in Earth Therefore every Pope his Vicar upon Earth hath all power in Earth which Christ had not as very God but as very Man To this purpose is that which Zacharias saith of Christ Zech. 8. His power shall be from Sea to Sea And Ps 72. 8. He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea from the River unto the ends of the Earth Whence Ecclesiasticus speaking of the power of the Pope saith Eccles 17. God hath given him power of those who are upon the Earth For in this the Pope is Successor to Adam the first man for God the Son hath autonomatically and typically formed the Pope his Vicar after his own image and likenesse Gen. 1. For the Pope truly represents Christ on Earth so that he who sees the Pope with a contemplative and faithfull eye may see even Christ himself Whence even for this cause he said to Peter Mat. 18. Thou art Peter taken a Rock from me Distinct 21. 1. Hunc enim in consortium individuae Trinitate assumptum id quod ipse erat c. For Peter being assumed into the Fellowship of the individual Trinity is become that which Christ himself was that is from that which he was namely a Rock the Lord would have him to be called and named Peter Whence according to this Papa non est homo simpliciter sed Deus id est Dei Vicarius Whence according to this the Pope is not simply a Man but a God that is The Vicar of God Item Christ as a man was a King Zach 9. Mat 21 27. Lu 24. John 19. Psal 72. Rom. 2. 7. God shall raise up a Kingdom c. But of this universal Kingdom the Emperor is not Christs Vicar because there are not two Vicars as is plainly proved Therefore the Pope is his Vicar because there is no other Vicar and the Kingdom of the world is not without the Vicar of God He thence inferrs and asserts in another Article Although in this life the Pope should do injury or injustice to any man or some men as he confesseth he may he hath no Iudge over him neither is he obliged to chuse Iudges or arbitrators to whose Sentence he may subject himself neither can he directly or indirectly be condemned for it is impossible that the Pope himself should constitute another Superiour Prince or Iudge or another ArchPope above or equal to himself sicut nec Deus Trinitas possit super se alium Deum constituere vel aequalem as neither God the Trinity can constitute another God above or equall to himself He thus proceeds in another Article The Church or Pope are not from the Empire but the Empire from the Church and the Pope is before the Emperor which he endeavours to prove by 25. Arguments I shall only touch upon some of them As the Moon receives her dignity and her Light from the Sunne so doth the Moon the Emperor the dignity of his altitude from the Sunne the Pope As much as the spiritual life is worthier then the earthly the spirit then the body gold more precious then silver so much doth the spiritual power exceed the temporal or secular power in dignity honor worth splendor and the order of Priests is so much higher then the Regal power to which all Emperors and Kings ought to subject themselves every of them being subject suo simplici Sacerdoti qui ipsum solvit ligat judicat All power in earth both spiritual and temporal is given to the Pope Christs Vicar as it was to Christ himself Mat 28. for in him resides the fulnesse of the Regal or Imperial Dignity that is to take from one and conferr unto another the right of chusing the Emperor to examine anoynt consecrate and crown him when elected and by consequence to approve and reject him all which of right belong to the Pope That the Pope out of the plenitude of the power and keyes given to him by Christ with this Commission Feed my Sheep hath a power and jurisdiction over all men upon earth de jure although not de facto which he may exercise when ever he is able or willing by which power he may lawfully punish all Pagan Heathenish Kings Nations and Idolaters in the world as well as Christians for breach of the Law of Nature only and command all Infidels who are subject to his Jurisdiction in earthly things to admit the preachers of the Gospel and punish them if they do not obey him yea the Pope alone and none other of right can contend with and denounce war and invoke the secular power against them Christ was a true temporal King and by consequence the Pope his Vicar He that in this point will exclude from himself the darknesse of understanding must consider the Pope non hominem sed Deum quodammodo qui non puri hominis sed Veri Dei vicem gerit in terris As Christ is God and Man most perfectly participating both Natures and God and Man are both one Christ perfect God and perfect Man So his Vicar General and Singular the POPE participat cum Christo quodammodo naturam Divinitatis quoad Spiritualia humanitatis quoad temporalia participates with Christ after a sort the Nature of the Divinity as to Spiritualities and of the Humanity as to Temporalties As by force of the Orthodox faith it is heretical to lay down two Beginnings 24. Quaest So it seems to be heretical to make two several Vicars equals to each other in earth in point of right As therefore no believer doubts Jesus Christ was both King and Priest and King of heaven and earth because all things were made by him one person in two Natures So no Catholick ought to doubt but his Chief Vicar General on Earth hath likewise both Powers Yea it would not be farr from Heresy pertinaciously to affirm the contrary because this would be as it were to deny the Son of God to be the Maker of the Earth and a King and so to make Duo principia That therefore thou mayst not seem an Arch Heretick let this be thy Catholick Faith that as there
evade these Texts objected against the Popes Temporal Monarchy asserting That Christ had a Temporal Kingdom and that his Universal Kingdom takes away all other Kingdoms who by his death hath evacuated all other Principalities Powers Empires and temporal Kingdoms in the world and bought them to himself from the Devil to whom Adam by his Sin had sold them and given the Pope his Viceroy the universal possession of them by little and little since his death which they shew not though himself never actually possessed them during his abode on earth But their answers are so false so absurd I shall not spend time to refell them but proceed 2ly Christ and his Apostle Saint Peter by Peters own hand payd Tribute to Cesar for himself and Peter working a Miracle to pay it having no money in his purse causing commanding Peter to catch just so much as both their Polemoneys came to in a Fishes mouth And he asserted the right of Caesars Tribute commanding all To give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars mentioned in the first place and unto God the things that are Gods with the same obedience and tye of conscience Yea though he was the natural Sonne of God and King David too which might have exempted him and his Disciples from rendring Tribute to Caesar yet he paid it not only de facto but ex debito to fulfill all righteousnesse as Jerom and least He and Peter should give an offence unto them not they take scandall at it as Cardinal Cajetan Lucas Burgensis and others Note Now had he been a Temporal King then and there de facto he should have received Tribute from others yea those who demanded it from him and Peter not have paid it thus unto them to the prejudice of his Temporal Dominion and Kingship St. Ambrose from this example of Christs paying Tribute makes his inference Tributum petit Imperator non negamus Magnum quidem est speciale documentum quo Christiani veri Praelati sublimioribus potestatibus docentur debere esse subjecti ne quis constitutionem terrenae Regis putet esse solvendam Si enim censum Filius Dei solvit Quis tu tantus es qui putas esse non solvendum which he backs with Rom 13. 1. c. 1 Pet. 2 13. This resolution of his is inserted into the body of the Canon Law Gratian caus 11 qu. 1. cap. Si Tributum caus 23. qu. 8. which is likewise confessed by Pope Gregory the 1. and Pope Urban there cited by Gratian the Glossers thereon And not only so but this very Speech of Christ to Peter Give unto them for me and thee and the Officers demand unto Peter Doth not your Master pay Tribute coupled with Christs demand to Peter Of whom do the Kings of the Earth receive tribute or custom of their own children or strangers is produced as a strong Argument for Peters Supremacy over all the rest of the Apostles and his Universal Vicarship since he alone was coupled with and made equal to Christ himself in paying the Pollmoney and much insisted on by Alvarus Pelagius and other Pontificans for this purpose Yet Pope Boniface the 7. by his Papal authority decreed Anno 1296 That That no Ecclesiastical person whatsoever under pain of Excommunication should by any means whatsoever pay any Aydes or Tribute to any Secular Prince though demanded of them upon urgent occasions upon which all the Convocation Bishops Clergy of England in two several Parliaments peremptorily refused to grant or pay any Ayd to King Edw. 1. for the necessary defence of the Realm for which he put them all out of his protection and confiscated their goods and other Popes Canonists plead a general Exemption of all Prelates Clergymen and Religious persons from Taxes and Tributes to their Princes contrary to the expresse precepts and presidents of Christ himself St. Peter St. Paul St. Ambrose and those two Popes constitutions to evade this Argument of Subjection to Kings and Emperors as the Supream powers 3ly Christ foretold his Disciples that they should be brought before Kings Governors and Councils for his sake for a Testimony against them and he promised to give them in that hour what to answer to accusers by way of submission to their Regal power and jurisdiction not to demurr unto it as having no power over them and totally exempted from their temporal Jurisdiction as Popes and Priests claim now Yea Christ himself the very Lord of Glory submitted himself without any reluctancy or demurrer to the Jurisdiction of Pontius Pilate the Governor who adjudged him to be crucified Who demanding of him at his trial Knowest thou not that I have POWER to crucifie thee and I have POWER to release thee He answers Thou couldest have no Power over me unless it were given thee from above thereby acknowledging That his temporal power over him was vested in him by God therefore not to be resisted but submitted to as Peter himself at his martyrdom 4ly Christ professed Luke 12. 47. I came not to Judge the world as a temporal King or Judge upon which account when one of the company said unto him Master speak to my brother that he may divide the inheritance with me He said unto him Man who made me a judge or divider over you Thereby declaring that he had no judicial inherent temporal power over any private persons inheritance from God or Man ◠much lesse then over Kings and Kingdoms 5ly As Christ himself disclaimed all temporal Regal power and jurisdiction so his Apostle St. Peter from whose pretended Primacy all Popes derive their Titles claims both to Regal and Pontifical Jurisdiction in his first Catholick Epistle to all Gods elect ones as well Bishops Priests as Laymen in all the earth After he had acquainted them with the excellency of their Christian state that they are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood and Popes pretend to no more then what every good christian by St. Peters verdict enjoyes in common with them an holy Nation a peculiar people now the people of God though no people before c. lest they should pretend an exemption thereby from all Kings and Civil Magistrates as being as much advanced above their Jurisdiction by Christs the King of Kings making them Kings and Priests to God his Father as Popes and Popish Prelates pretend they are presently subjoyns this quite contrary Practise and peremptory precept k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subjecti estote igitur Be ye therefore Subiect to every Ordinance of Man or human creature for the Lord or Lords sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether to the King as Supream Regi ut Supereminenti as the Vulgar Arias Montanus and others translate it not to my self as Christs supream Vicar-General or my successors at Rome Or unto Governors which he backs with these invincible reasons 1. Because they are sent by God himself though ordained by
duty office of a King Quid sit Regis officium 〈…〉 Regem Quantum ad officium ita sit Rex in Regno sicut ratio in corpore et anima et sicut Deus in mundo quae si diligenter consideret Rex ex altero in eo justitia accenâ—itur dum considerat ad hoc se pâ—â—um ut loco Dei iudicium in regno exerceat Caus 24. qu. 5. Regum ex alâ—â—ro vero clementiae 〈…〉 lenitatem acquâ—raâ— dum 〈◊〉 singulos qui suo subsunt regimini sicut propria 〈…〉 Augustinus ad Marcellinum Comitem â—â—ple Christiane Judex pii Patris officium sic succensere iniquitati memmeris ut non in peccatorum acrocitatibus exerceas ulcâ—cendi libidinem sed peccatorum vulneribus curandi adhibeas voluntatem noâ— perdere paterâ—â—â— diligentiam quam in ipsa inquisitione servasti Officium autem principale Regum est mark it dirigere suum regimen in finem bonum qui est beatitudo aeterna Vnde sic debent suos subditos in hoc mundo peregrinos regere ut efficiantur Cives et Domestici Dei Eph. 2. Qui◠〈…〉 in corpore peregrinamur a Domino 2 Cor. 5. Sed quia finem 〈◊〉 divinae homo non consequitur per virtutem humanam sed divinam quia gratia Dei 〈…〉 Rom. 6. perducere ad illum ultimum finem non est humani per se regiminis sed diviâ—i Ad illum ergo Regem hoc pertinet principaliter qui non solum est homo sed etiam Deus scilicet Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum qui homines Dei filios faciens in coelestem gloriam introducit propter quod non solum Sacerdos sed et Rex in sacro eloquio nominatur Hier. 23. This then being the principal end office of Kings according to my Proposition I now proceed to evidence the truth thereof which will appear 1. By Col. 1. 16. For by him Jesus Christ were all things created that are in heaven 〈◊〉 that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him that is to promote his honor glory kingdom Gospel worship interest Compared with Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure or service they are and were created Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself that is to set forth his glory service worship praise Isay 43. 7. 21. Ps 95. 6 7. Therefore much more Kings who as they reign by him Prov. 8. 15. upon that account they should and ought principally to raign and rule for him his glory worship service their subjects salvation 2ly By Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God tho powers that are are ordained of God c. Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same For he is the Minister of God to thee for good that is for thy eternal good and salvation as well as temporal good but if thou doest that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil to reclaim him from his evil and others by his punishment thereby to bring him and others to repentance and save their souls as Chrysostom Haymo Theophylact Paraeus Willet Grotius Soto with other Commentators on the Text and Grotius De Jure Belli Pacis lib. 2. cap. 20. de Poenis resolve 3. By 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3 4. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions thanksgivings be made for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may live a quiet and peaceablelife in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth The chief end of Kings and Magistrates institution by God being to advance godlinesse in and among all their subjects in the first place and then quietnesse peace honesty in the second 4ly By Rev. 21. 24. Where St. John describing the glory and beauty of the heavenly Jerusalem to wit of Christs Church and its glory under the Gospel subjoyns And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honor to it this being the principal end for which they were made Kings to contribute all their Regal Honor Power to enlarge the bounds of Christs Church kingdom promote Gods honour worship glory and salvation of the Nations people committed to their Government 5ly Natural Parents as well under the Gospel as Law are enjoyned to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and knowledge of the Scriptures Ephes 6. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And natural Husbands are obliged to instruct and sanctifie as well as love and nourish their wives 1 Cor. 7. 14. c. 14. 35. Therefore Kings and supream Christian Magistrates the Politick Fathers and Husbands of the Commonwealth are also obliged to bring up their Children Wives Subjects in the fear and admonition of the Lord to see them instructed in Gods word and endeavour their real sanctification and salvation To these Arguments evidences out of the New Testament I shall accumulate many more out of the Old 6ly That memorable Speech of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 8. most punctual and observable to our purpose And she said to the King Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God because thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made he thee a King over Israel to do judgement and justice In which speech even of an Heathen Queen from the very light of Nature there are these memorable particulars 1. That the Thrones of all Kings are not their own but Gods alone 2ly That it is God himself who sets Kings upon his throne 3ly That the grand end thereof is To be Kings for the Lord their God who hath set them on his own throne to be his Viceroyes to promote his Glory worship honour kingdom interest in the world as Solomon did and suppresse what ever is opposite thereunto 4ly To establish their Subjects people for ever by setting up establishing Gods true Worship Ordinances Statutes Gospel amongst them for their eternal salvation and by executing Judgement and Justice over them to the encouraging piety holinesse vertue godlinesse all good works and cutting off all the wicked of the Land from the City of God left they should corrupt others and dishonor God by impunity 7ly This is most apparent by
is but one God incommutable so there is but one his Vicar General upon Earth Cui omnes Angeli i. homines debent esse subjecti in omnibus obedire to whom all Angels that is Men ought to be subject and to obey in all things whose Ship is stable and immutable For thus the inferiour Hierarchy accords with the superiour when all men serve and obey his Vicar in earth as all Angels serve and obey God in heaven but when they grow proud and resist the inferior is disturbed and the superiour Hierarch is offended Gratian caus x. qu. 3. All things are put under the Popes feet except God alone who hath put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. In another article he asserts That the Pope is King of Kings of the Emperor and Spiritual Kings and every Member of the Church Militant who ought Iure Divino to be subject to him That he hath a plentitude of all Temporal and Spiritual power in him in several respects 1. Because it is a universal power No person in the Militant Church nor Infidel in some sense being exempted from but subject to it 2ly Because all temporal and spiritual power whatsoever ordained by God for the government of christians or men is comprehended in his power 3ly Because all power in the Church is derived from his and ordained for it and he is the beginning and end of any power whatsoever Therefore every human power is DE JURE subject to him 4ly Because it is not exceeded nor overcome by any other human power but overcomes and exceeds all other powers 5ly Because it is limited or ordained or judged by no other power but it limiteth ordaineth judgeth all other powers 6ly Because it is not restrained nor bound by any Lawes made by the Pope himself for it may act mediately by other powers or immediately by it self whatsoever it shall think sit It may likewise act both according to the Lawes it sets down and besides them when it shall judge convenient And for this cause his Power is said to be Sine Numero Pondere et Mensura Without number because it extends to innumerable persons even all men in the world whether Beleevers or Infidels Without weight because it is not confined to one place but extends it self to all Churches throughout the world And without measure as to the act and manner of acting because it is after a sort Immense both in acting and in the manner of acting For as the Spirit was given to Christ man without measure John 3. and to others it is given only according to the measure of the gift of Christ 1 Cor 12. Eph. 4. Rom 12. So to Christs Vicar the Pope is given a Power without measure to wit in a certain Immensity Exâ—rav de Major Obedientia Solita c. Nos autem But to others is given a power according to their measure of participation of this Immense Power And although this Power of Christs Vicar is without Number Weight or Measure yet notwithstanding it determinates to other powers Number Weight and Measure Causa xv qu. 1. pervenit 13. qu. 1. c. 1. Therefore this power is deservedly called FULL proper quod multum veneranda metuenda est wherefore it is much to be Reverenced and Feared And indeed all Kings Princes Kingdoms Churches of the World had need to fear yea to keep watch and ward against it and for ever to abandon it as our and other Kings Kingdoms Churches have both justly and prudently done and more are now about to do For haec plenitudo potestatis est plentitudo potestatis est plenitudo tempestatis I omit his other Passages to the same effect in above 30. Articles more Upon these pretences of the Popes transcendent plentitude of power Pope Gregory the 7. that impious Hildebrand and pest of the world in his generation in his ratification of the Emperor Henry the seconds Excommunication presumed to make this most impious Antichristian appeal to Peter and Paul themselves Go to now O ye blessed Apostles do you confirm what I have done that all men may know that if you being in heaven can bind and loose that I also here on Earth can give and take away Empires Kingdomes Principalities quicquid habere mortales possunt and what ever Mortals can possess And two of his late Successors new-named Paul when crowned Popes with their Parasites are of the same judgment with their predecessors point-blank against Saint Pauls doctrin evidencing them to be the very Antichrist man of Sin decyphered by him 2 Thess 2. which they demonstrated by their two late Portraitures cut and printed in Brasse-pieces prefixed to two Books dedicated to them printed in Italy it self Permissu Superiorum to wit Benedicti à Benedictis Jacula Ecclesiae Catholicae Bononiae 1608. Caraffae Theses Neapoli 1609. in one of which as the Noble Lord Morney observes Pope Paul the 3d is Pourrayed with this blasphemous Inscription Paulo 3. Opt. Max. in terris Deo And in the other Pope Paul the V. with this Motto Paulo V. Vicedeo Christianae Reipublicae Monarchae Invictissimo et Pontificiae Omnipotentiae Conservatori acerrimo In both which Pourtraitures under their respective Papal feet the Scepters Crowns of Kings and Emperors are prostrated and Princes Kings Emperors themselves stand pourtrayed by them bare-headed excommunicated astonied and adoring these Pontifs One of them having this inscription over his head Vultu Imperium portendit Besides these sacred Texts are engraven round about them Jer 27. intended only of King Nebuchadnezzer the great subverter persecuter of Gods Church Kings Kingdoms whom the Pope it seems will now succeed as his Vicar General rather then Christs That Nation and Kingdom which will not serve him will I punish saith the Lord with the sword and with the pestilence untill I have consumed them by his hand Dan 7. 14. The Lord hath given to him Power and a kingdom and all people shall serve him his power is an everlasting power which shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Isay 49. 23. Kings and Queens shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet The two last texts pertain to Christ alone as King of his Church You have seen a pretty full View of Popes and their parasites blasphemous claims of an unlimited Universal Supremacy in all causes and over all persons whatsoever throughout the world yea over the Persons Crowns Scepters Kingdoms Empires of all Kings Princes Emperors vested in Christs pretended Vicar General S. Peters Successors the Pope enough to awaken alarum all Monarchs Realms Churches throughout the Universe as well Papal as Pagan to keep watch and ward against and for ever to exterminate such Antichristian Antimonarchical Usurpers out of their Dominions as all Protestant Kingdoms Churches have done upon very good grounds without the least guilt of Schisme wherewith they