may keepe alwaies as for example he that prayseth God with his tongue cannot do it euer that member must haue rest as well as the other parts of the bodie but hee that praiseth God with his life conuersation may euer do it Euen so do I commend the words works of peace vnto you or if you think me vnworthie to commend such a diuine blessing looke if it be not the word of a Great mighty King that is far aboue all exception He cōmandeth it vnto vs from the Author of peace Beati pacifici not pacidici but pacifici blessed are not the praysors but the practisers of peace Let the Mountaines bring peace the little Hills righteousnesse vnto thy people O thou Prince of peace And so The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepheard of the sheep thorough the blood of the euerlasting Couenant make you perfect in all good workes working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be praise for euer euer Amen FINIS AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVERAIGNETIE SHEWING THAT THE POSSESSION THEREOF HATH NOT beene in Popes saue by Vsurpation and Practises but in Emperours and Kings by a continued or perpetuall Descent DVBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1. Cor. Chap. 3. Vers 21.22.23 Therefore let no man glorie in men for all things are yours Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours And yee are Christs and Christ is Gods TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GERALD Earle of KILDARE and the rest of the Nobles or Gentrie in Jreland CHRISTOPHER by the mercie of God Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all IRELAND wisheth much happinesse heere and full in the world to come HOnoured Lords and esteemed Gentlemen I haue published aswell the former Treatise as this addition of Soueraignetie for your sakes whom J am bound to informe by the dutie of my place and in retribution of the respects you giue vnto me otherwayes that since the sound of my voice cannot reach to the eares of euerie one now it is grown low with yeares and infirmities the Meditations of my heart may neuerthelesse be offered to the eyes and iudgement of all which J desire you to peruse and examine by the weights or standard of Truth without preiudice or forestalled opinion ⸫ ⸫ AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVRAIGNETIE AT the first institution of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall authoritie in the Church God saith to Moses Thou shalt speake to Aaron and put the wordes in his mouth and J will bee with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what you ought to doe And hee shall be thy spokesman vnto the people and he shall be euen he shall be as the mouth and thou shalt bee to him as God Aaron obeyed Moses and Moses called for an account of Aaron Salomon being King according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of Priests in their Ministeries Leuits in their orders that they might giue thankes and minister before the Priest after the order of euery day For so commanded Dauid the man of God neither did the Priests or Leuits omit any thing of all that hee had commanded So it is written of King Iehosaphat that hee appointed the Leuites and Priests And of King Iosias likewise that he appointed Priests to minister in their seuerall Offices In the New Testament our Sauiour Christ at his birth acknowledged subiection to Augustus the Emperor being borne vnder his tribute and setting the example of his owne subiection before his Disciples asketh Who is Superior hee that sitteth at the Table or hee that serueth Js not he Superior that sitteth but J am among you as hee that ministreth and serueth Before Pilate he disauowed to haue any earthly kingdome and acknowledged that the Roman Empire had authoritie ouer his body life for both were then in question and for blasphemy too which is a spiritual crime After the death of Christ his Apostle Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesars iudgement and saith in expresse termes That there he ought to be iudged And his cause was for preaching the Gospel Peter likewise patiently endured Nero his Swoord for teaching the truth This was the condition of Christ and his Apostles they professed themselues subiects to the Romane Emperour Eleutherius B. of Rome did write vnto Lucius then king of the Britans to take Lawes for the Gouernement of his kingdome out of the Olde Testament and the New which were then in the Kings hands giueth this reason of his aduise Yee are Gods Vicar within your owne kingdome A.D. 220 Tertullian Wee Christians worship the Emperour as man next vnto God inferior onely to God For so is the Emperour greater then all men when hee is lesse then the onely true God A.D. 225 Cyprian would not giue way to Cornelius Bishop of Rome to absolue any of Africk excommunicated there A.D. 340 Before the Councell of Nice there was small or no regard had of the Church of Rome but euery Church was ruled by their owne Canons or by the common aduise of Bishops vntill the Emperors became Christians Then Socrates testifieth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie in this wise We haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues for that since the Emperours were first Christened the affaires of the Church hath hanged on them and the greatest Councells both haue bin are kept by their aduise Eusebius writeth Constantine the Emperour appointed Councells of Bishops to assemble together disdained not to sit in the middest amongst them to be pertaker of their doings This great Constantine about the yeare of our Lord 340. called a generall Councell at Nice So Theodoret writeth A great and holy Councell was gathered to Nice by the grace of God by the godly Emperor So Eusebius also testifieth that Constantine gathered a generall Councell and by honourable Writs called the Bishops of all Countries to repaire together And the same Author witnesseth that the Emperor Constantine confirmed the determinations of the Councell of Nice More also The whole Councell sate in Reuerend comely order quietly in silence looking for the Princes comming and when the watchword was giuen that the Emperor was come the Bishops stood vp from their places and his Maiestie passed a long through the middest of them as if hee had beene an Angel of God In that Councell of Nice the whole bodie of Christendome was deuided into foure Patriarcheships whereof the first place was giuen to the Bishop of Rome the second to the Bishop of Alexandria the third to the Bishop of Antioch the fourth to the Bishop of Ierusalem afterward came in the B. of Constantinople in the place of the B. of Antioch these foure Patriarches had their peculiar
he be infinite in all his works Mirabilior tamē esse creditur in exercitio pietatis Thus he hath done and left vs an example to follow that followe him in his Pastorall function Wee which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues least passion transport vs we lose that through rigor that might be saued with placabilitie And thus much for the manner of the Censure The next thing obseruable in the Censure is the matter thereof that is Soueraignetie or supreame iurisdiction giuen heere vnto Kings which appeareth by the plaine ioyntes necessarie coherence of my Text. The Apostles quarell was for Supremacie CHRIST adiudgeth the matter vnto Kings What matter none certainly but that which was in debate question for I make it a matter of Religion to thinke that the Wisedome of God would wander leaue the question The Apostles contend Which of them should bee the greatest Is not the Contention for Supremacie CHRIST in his Censure saith That the Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them Is there any greater then he that raigneth and beareth rule Kings therefore are here inuested with supreame Authoritie by the sentence and Censure of the Sonne of God This is no strained inference it containeth nothing but the constant perpetuall meaning of the Sonne of God Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods Heere is no interposition of any person betweene God Caesar but next vnder God Caesar hath the highest right Wee reserue our Consciences for God wee submit our bodies and goods to Caesar That which remaineth is matter for Politans and Papians to discourse of Tell vs John the meaning of Christ his stile that is written vpon his thigh The King of kings is it not a title of his greatnesse yes verily for so he is implyed to be higher then the highest And who would imagine that the Sauiour of the World would call himselfe King of kings in his greatest greatnesse vnlesse hee had ment that Kings should haue the precedence of all mortall men or who knowing this to bee CHRIST his stile would thrust himselfe aboue Kings in preiudice of the sonne of God Christ hath a poore aduancement of it to be King of kings if another bee aboue them aswell as he If the Seruant of seruants bee aboue the King of kings and Lord of lords then where is Christ his prerogatiue Yee take too much vpon you yee sonnes of Leuie Paul subjecteth euerie soule to the Ciuill power and excepteth none Etiamsi sis Apostolus Though thou be an Apostle an Euangelist a Prophet or what else-soeuer thou bee thou must be subiect to Ciuil power For this subiection saith Chrysostome is no hinderance to godlinesse And then it can not bee against the faith The Apostle perswades this subiection not for humilitie nor by way of courtesie but enioynes it of necessitie we must needs be subiect Jdque propter conscientiam and that which is done of Conscience is so necessarie to bee done that it cannot bee omitted without haynous sinne Necessitie and Conscience bee strong obligations for Ciuill obedience Giue me leaue on the other side to let you see the strength and sinews of Ecclesiasticall power then looke on the Decrees of the Church single as they are in themselues seuered from the Princes countenance The Decree that the Gentiles should abstaine from things offered vnto Jdols is of that nature and is it not limitted by the Apostle of the Gentiles Whatsoeuer is sold in the shambles eate and aske no question for Conscience sake but if any man say vnto you this is sacrificed vnto Idols eate it not because of him that shewed it and for the Conscience The conscience I say not thine but of that other Compare Paul with Paul Power with power Bond with bond Law with law Ciuill authoritie requireth a necessitie of obedience Ecclesiasticall giueth libertie to the Conscience The Ciuill Magistrate must be obeyed simply the Ecclesiasticall admits Caution respect This bindes me onely in Case of scandall the other as well out of offence as in offence Though I liued without controlment of any eye yet I am bound in Conscience to obey the Positiue lawes I am bound to obey both powers but with disparitie the Ciuill ordinances for clearing mine own Conscience from sinne and Ecclesiasticall Decrees for comelinesse for order for sauing my Brother from stumbling offence Iudge whether authoritie is greater the Mytre or the Scepter Primae Ecclesiae Patres non leges aut iura vt Reges sed modestiâ vocabuli abijs traditiones suas distinxerunt Posteriores Pontifices vt necessitatem parendi vsurparent vsuque acquirerent iuris verbum adiecerunt Jus Canonicum Canones appellarunt Both these Offices are now conioyned together in CHRIST and is he not greater in his kingdome hee stands at the right hand of God as an Aduocate and Priest hee sitteth as a King This puts a Scepter the other giueth a Censer into his hand His Priesthood reacheth but to the Elect his kingdome iudgeth quicke dead He is sweete in his Priesthood but in his kingdome High Potent Magnificall Glorious Triumphant Why must praiers be made for Kings That wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life vnder them in all godlinesse and honestie Godlinesse and honestie makes them Guardians of both Tables as well of the First which containeth the worship of God as of the Second which is the fountaine of publike honestie And what lackes hee of Supremacie that hath the care and superintendance of all things that belong to God and man Statesmen tell vs that fiue things must concurre together meete to make a Soueraignetie First to giue Lawes Secondly to make Warre Peace Thirdly to appoint the principall Officers of estate Fourthly to receiue appeales Fiftly to graunt Pardon As to the first it is aboue three thousand and foure hundred yeares agoe since Iacob said The Scepter shall not depart from Juda nor a Law-giuer from between his knees vntill Shilo come Marke Antiquaries Nouelists too how anciently law-giuing hath beene an accedent adiunct to the Scepter Iura humana iura Imperatorum sunt quare quia ipsa iura humana per Imperatores Reges saeculi Deus distribuit generi humano Jn hoc Reges seruiunt Deo sicut eis diuinitus praecipitur in quantum sunt Reges Si in suo regno bona iubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam quae ad Diuinam Religionem Heerein Kings serue God as they are commaunded by holy Writt in respect that they are Kings if in their kingdomes they commaund that which is good and forbid that which is euill not only in matters of humane societie but of Diuine Religion too Abigail could tell that King Dauid must fight the Lords battells And
it followeth in the storie that at length hee made peace with all the nations round about Concerning Officers Rex Assuerus Aman quamuis alienigenam ad id honoris euexit vt cunctis Persarum Medorum Principibus anteferretur Et Mordechaium totius honoris dignitatis eius successorē constituit The Book of Kings and Chronicles yeeld cleere testimonies that these Offices were in the Kings dispose hee placed and displaced them all euen the high-Priests too Pope Boniface the 8. would haue put himselfe into these rights in Frāce But he got a Great fooliship for this attempt Sciat maxima tua fatuetas c. and then was quiet Who can doubt of the matter of appeale that reads Pauls prouocation vnto Cesar I stand at Cesars iudgement seate where I ought to be iudged not only in respect of himselfe because hee could not decline that iurisdiction but of all others besides for none could exempt him because Cesar had the last resort and supreame Iudicature Last of all the grace of deliuerance and pardoning criminalls was in the King else Ioab was mistaken in the middest of his subtilitie when he sent the woman of Tekoah to Dauid Dauid Salomon were mistaken too the one when hee pardoned Absolon and Shemey the other when he gaue to Abiathar the high priest his life Thou art worthy of death but I will not kill thee goe to Anathoth to thine owne fields Hee did confine him Now who can denie the Kings Supremacie seeing all the particulars of Soueraignetie meete together in his person Peter graunts it Submit yourselues to all maner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as hauing more then all that is the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in my poor vnderstāding he that hath power boue all must needes bee Supreame But why doth Peter call it a humane ordinance The Kings power is like to Pearles that are found heere below but carrie a resemblance of Heauen in their brightnesse and Orient colours Such is the authority that I treat of S. Peter calls it a humane ordinance because it is conuersant here vpon earth and exercised amongst men But it may iustly challenge an higher parentage when the beautie therof is marked and the emoluments considered Then it is like to Daniels goodly Tree of whose fruite all mortall men doe tast and eat vnder whose shadow they also take rest and comfort How often haue those holy Fathers run to the defence and succour of this Tree in stormes which now in their faire Sunne-shine goe about to shroude lopp the branches O vnthankefull remembrancers But to the point If this power be of men how is it sacred and if it be from heauen why should it not be Soueraigne The Royall Law is this Thou shalt make him King ouer thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose The people haue no authoritie to make a King no voyces nor interest in the businesse when they desire a King God reserueth that power to himselfe You know who saith it Acts 13. When the people of Jsrael desired a King God gaue vnto them Saul the Sonne of Cys Samuel did not appoint him the people did not chuse him but God To morrow about this time I will send thee a Man him shalt thou annoynt There is Samuels warrant And will you see what part the people had Samuel assembled the people the tribe of Benjamin was taken So Saul the sonne of Cys was taken And Samuel said see you not him whom the Lord hath chosen Nor Priest nor Prophet nor people had Nomination Election or Approbation of the King but God did all according to the reseruation of his own Law The people were beholders no actors they did take Conditions they could make none Hoc erit ius Regis This shall bee whether you translate it the Kings right or his manner It is an Item to Subiects that they can neuer Capitulate with their Prince If you translate it the Kings right then that may not be inuaded If you translate it His manner or custome that creates an other right and cannot handsomely be auoyded Heere is the difference between a Law that giueth right a Custome that maks a manner in the former there is an expresse allowance in the second a secret consent The appointment of the second King was like vnto the first and the third also was assigned to Dauid by God The greatest diffrence was that Gods Election began then to be hereditarie and to bee declared by succession But mens inheritances take not away Gods right they confirme it rather because he appointeth heires Ego dixi dij estis He calleth them Gods to whom the Word of God came Which speech of Christ is an Hebraisme signifying that Kingdomes Gouernments come not by authority or practise of men but by Gods holy Ordinance and Commission The Word of God must come vnto them before they can be called Gods And so I will shut vp this point with that which they say Peter spake to Birthwould a Moncke of Glassenburie when hee was anoynting Edward the Confessor as I remember The Moncke was inquisitiue who should succeed him in the kingdome And Peter answered Ne talia cures Sir Moncke trouble not your head with such cares Regnum enim Angliae Dei regnum est For the Kingdome of England is Gods kingdome Euen so Lord IESVS let it euer continue that it may bee safe vnder the shadow of thy wings If the Monckes vision were true it brings our Superuisors of kingdomes a Supersedeas from Peter that should be of some force amongst those that crie nothing but Peter Peter If it be not true yet it shews what the opinion of the world was then namely That the disposition of kingdomes belongeth to God alone And that the Care of Titles and Successions was no fit Meditation for Monckes and Parsons of that rancke Thus much for the Supremacie of the Kings power Now the stile of Kings followeth which our SAVIOVR in this place would haue proportionable to the Maiestie of their places wee are commanded To giue honour to whom honour belongeth Surely none hath such right vnto it as the King And the first part of honour consisteth in Tearmes and Titles of respect My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious God and the King are proposed ioyntly and made the Obiects of our feare therefore the Holy Ghost inioyneth vs to performe no perfunctorie or vulgar reuerence to Kings but that which is Sacred Cordiall Bring such reuerence all Complements of Honour will follow to content Christian Princes And remember that as they haue Gods Chaire and represent Gods image so hee hath communicated his Name vnto them which containeth the amplitude of all Honour Heere the Sonne of God calleth them Benefactors or gracious Lords a Title anciently
that hee should rule and defend the Kingdome and the people of the Lorde and aboue all things the holy Church And when the Popes eyes were fixed vpon the Bishopricks of England to bring them all spirituall promotions to his owne donation his Holinesse receiued admonition from the same Conqueror that hee should goe against the most auncient Lawes of his kingdome if he did admit or acknowledge the power of any forreiner as the Pope was A.D. 1088 So William Rufus sonne to the Conqueror did strictly forbid Anselm Archbishop of Canterburie and charged all other Bishops to haue no respect to Rome or to the Pope saying J cannot endure any equall in my kingdome so long as J liue A.D. 1114 Henry the first by his Atturney did forbid Anselm returning from Rome to enter his land vnlesse he would faithfully promise to keep all the customs both of William the Conqueror his Father and of William Rufus his brother A.D. 1164 Henrie the second made all the Bishops c. sweare in a generall assembly at Cloredon that these liberties of the Crown amongst which one was That no Archbishop Bishop or any other person should goe out of the Realme without the King his leaue Another did direct Appeales That if any were made they should come from the Archdeacon to the Bishop from the Bishop to the Archbishop and if the Archbishop fayled in doing Justice it shall bee lawfull at the last to come vnto the King that by his commaundement the matter may bee ended in the Archbishop his Court So that no person shall presume to appeale further without the King his consent And hee writ letters to all his Shiriffes Lieutenants in England in this manner I commaund you that if any Cleargie man or Lay man in your Countie appeale to the Court of Rome you attach him hold him fast-ward till Our pleasure bee known Henrie the third when it was propounded in Parliament whether one borne before Matrimonie may inherit in like maner as they that are born after And the Bishops intreating the temporall Lords to consent to the affirmatiue because the Canons Decrees of the Church of Rome are so all the Earles and Barons answered with one voyce That they would not haue the Lawes of England changed and so the statute passed with the Lords temporall against the orders of Rome The same King writeth in this wise to the Bishops seuerally to euerie one in his Diocesse Henry the third by the Grace of God to the Reuerend in Christ B. of N. Whereas Wee haue heretofore written vnto you once twise thrise as well by Our priuie Seales as also by Our Letters Patents that you should not exact or collect for the Popes behalfe anie tallage or other helpe of Our Subiectes either of the Cleargie or of the Layetie for that no such tallage or helpe either can or is vsed to bee exacted in Our Realme without the great preiudice of Our Princely dignitie which Wee neither can nor will suffer or sustaine Yet you contemning and vilipending Our Commaundement and contrarie to the Prouision made in Our last Councell at London graunted agreed vpon by Our Prelates Earles and Barons haue that notwithstanding proceeded in collecting the same your taxes and tallages Whereupon Wee doe greatly maruaile are moued especially seeing you are not ashamed to doe contrarie to your owne Decrees whereas you and other Prelates in the said Councell in this did all agree and graunt that no such exactions should bee heereafter vntill the returne of Our and your ambassadors frō the Court of Rome sent thither purposely of Vs and in the name of the whole Realme for the same to prouide for redresse against these oppressions Wherefore Wee straightly will and commaund you that from henceforth you doe not proceede any more in collecting exacting such tallages or helpes as you will enioy Our fauour and such possessions of yours as within this Our kingdome you haue and hold And if you haue alreadie procured or gathered any such thing yet that you suffer it not to bee transported out of Our Realme but cause it to bee kept in safe custody till the return of the said Ambassadors vnder the paine of Our displeasure in doing of the contrarie and also of prouoking Vs to extend Our hand vpon your possessions further thē you will thinke or beleeue Moreouer willing charging you that you participate make knowen this Our Inhibition with your Archdeacōs Officials which We here haue set forth for the liberties of the Cleargie and of the people as knoweth God c. A.D. 1212 When King John had refused the disordered election of Stephen Langton to the Archbishopricke and See of Canterburie Jnnocent the third forced the King to resigne his kingdome and to take it of him againe the said Pope at the yearely rent of 1000. Markes But the Barons the Bishops were so much displeased therewith that in plaine contempt of the Popes keyes curses they did choose them another King and chased King Iohn the Popes fermor in dispite of all his new Landlord could doe A.D. 1291 King Edward the first made a Statute at Carlile that the Pope should exercise no Iurisdiction in England and in his time one bringing an excommunication from Rome against a Subiect of England and the same being brought by complaint before the King and his Councell the fact was adiudged high Treason the offendor had suffred death but by the mediation of the Chauncellor Treasurer the King was content with his banishment Edward the second would not suffer the Peter-penie to bee collected otherwise then had been accustomed A.D. 1360 Edward the third reuiued the Statute of Premunire made by Edward the first Pope Gregorie the eleuenth writ to him that this Law might bee abrogated but preuailed not Shortly after this time Richard fitz Ralfe liued was made Archbishop of Armagh a holy learned man as appeareth by his labours and disputations against the begging Friers A.D. 1413 Henry the fourth made a Law that no Popes Collector thenceforth should leuie any money within the Realme for first fruites of any Ecclesiasticall liuing vnder pain of incurring the Statute of Prouisions or Premunire An. 5. Henr. 5. Act. 17. It was enacted in a Parliament That the Church all estates should enioy all their liberties which were not repealed or repealeable by the common Law meaning the excluding of the Popes forreine power which hath alwayes beene excluded by the common Law A.D. 1428 As King Henry the sixt with Duke Humfrey Lord Protector the rest of the Councell were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Pauls Wharfe one Richard Candray Procurator in the Kings name behalfe did protest denounce by this publike instrument That whereas the king and all his Progenitors Kings before him of this Realme of England haue beene heretofore possessed time out of minde with speciall priuiledge custom vsed and