shall rule ouer them Isay 3 4. And againe Woe vnto thee ô Land whose King is a child a child in knowledge in wisedome in vnderstanding Ecclesiastes 10 16. The reason of both which is very euident A Wise King gouernes with Iustice and Equity and the Kinges Throne is established by righteousnesse Prouerbes 25 5. And the King that iudgeth in Truth his Throne shall bee established for euer Prou. 29 14. Againe a prudent and wise King as he maintaines Iustice so his principall and chiefe care is to maintaine and aduance piety and godlinesse the true sincere worship of God throughout all his kingdomes So did holy Dauid of whom it is said that he ruled thy people prudently with all his power And wherein did his prudence appeare he was no sooner set vpon the throne but he assembled all the congregation of Israel and they brought againe the Arke of the Lord with singing and dauncing with Vyols with Cimbals and with Trumpets 1. Chron. 13 verse 2 and 8. The like did that most religious and wise King Iosiah He made a Couenant before all the people to walke after the Lord and to keepe his Commandements and be caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to that couenant and he compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. Whereupon it followed that all the daies of Iosiah the people turned not backe from the Lord. 2. Chron. 34 ver 31 32 33. Such a blessing the Church and the whole kingdome hath of a Prudent Religious and wise King On the other side an irreligious a wicked and vnwise King or Gouernor by suppressing Iustice and equity and making his Lust a Law impiously saying with the Donatists Quod volumus sanctum est or as Iulia did to Caracalla Si libet licet what I list that 's a Law Such an one is euen a trouble to the whole land and to his owne people as Eliah said to King Ahab 1. Kings 18 18. Thou and thy fathers house trouble Israel in that you haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord Nor onely trouble Israel by violent and tyranicall intrusion into the Vineyards and lands of Naboth but chiefely by causing the people to forsake the Lord and his worship and to follow Baal or the Calues as did Ieroboam of whom it is therefore said that he did euill aboue all that were before him and why For he did not onely sinne himselfe but he did sin and hee caused Israell to sinne 1. Kings 14 verse 9. and 16. You see now what an heauy iudgement and curse an vnwise King is vnto the Land and people but that Kingdome is happy that people and those Subiects are happy ouer whom Salomon a wise and prudent King is placed by the Lord. I may truely heere say vnto you your selues also being witnesse and say it to the immortell praise of Gods name to the honour of our Soueraigne and to the ioy and comfort of all his people that in this happinesse this renowned Kingdome among all and aboue all Nations of the earth is blessed this day Happie O King are thy people and â—…appie are thy Subiects or Seruants It is not my meaning nor is it fit to make a panegericall Oration in this place at large therein to recount and amplifie also those manifold blessings which by the meanes of our SALOMON we doe now enioy Yet the more to stirre vs vp to magnifie and blesse Gods glorious name and if it be possible more also to loue and honour that Sacred Maiesty whom God hath chosen to be his royall Instrument whereby so many and great blessings are deriued vnto vs I may not omit to mention some few which are most eminent commending the rest to your priuate Religious consideration The first is our long tranquility and happie peace with all the blessings and blessed fruites of peace A blessing which God began to bestow on this land at the ioyful entrance of our late Soueraigne QVEENE ELIZABETH whose Sacred spirite doth now rest and raigne with the Lord but her memory shall bee blessed and eternized in the world for euer when all those venomous and Viperous tongues set on fire by hell which now in vaine bark against her and seeke to staine her spotlesse honour shall rot and be euen as the dung vpon the earth Hauing enioyed long and happy peace vnder her long and happy raigne it was expected by the Agents and vassals of Antichrist that the day which ended her life should haue ended all our comforts and beene to vs a dismall day a day of murthers and massacres a day of warres of tumult and of vtter desolation one of their owne false Prophets with a lying spirit in his mouth foretelling of that day Catholici quidem dimicabunt at that day they will fight it out indeed Behold hee that sits in heauen laught them to scorne the Lorde had them in derision Himselfe placed in his owne Throne after Dauid Saloman A man of rest and peace sor God hath giuen him and in him to vs rest and peace from all his and our Enemies round about And loe this is now more then the fiftieth yeare wherein the people of this lande in abundance of peacâ—… sat as the Prophet saieth Euery man vnder his owne Vine and vnder his owne fig-tree without danger Such so long and so happy peace neuer did our Fathers nor Ancestors see before vs in this Land nor haue any of all the Nations and neighbour-kingdomes enioyed the like who in the meane time haue beene wearied and wasted either with forraigne or with intestine warre Yea and this very day which they had cruelly designed to weeping mourning and lamentation God by the happy meanes of our SALOMON hath turned it as we all now see to a day of mirth and melodie a day offeasting singing and reioycing a day of praise and thankesgiuing to his blessed name which be therefore magnified and praised and blessed for euermore A second blessing which vnder our SALOMON this whole Empire enioyeth is the sincere profession of Gods holy truth the blessed continuance yea the establishment also therâ—…of among vs. The extinguishing of this most glorious light hath bin often wished by most malicious and diuellish deuises attempted and at the chaunge of our late Soueraigne was vndoubtedly expected But the wisedome of our SALOMON knowing that Piety and Religion is the surest prop to a kingdome like Constantine the great made it his first care by his most Religious Edicts and Lawes to establish Gods truth and true worship in the land Assuring further protesting his ardent zeale for euer to vphold and maintain the same and that so often in so many Honourable and publicke Assemblies with such vehemency of speech in so many Learned and Diuine writings published to the view of the world with so Religious and royall promises nor this onely for himselfe but in assured hope also of the most
and to doe homage and fealty for their Crownes and Kingdomes And to whom else thinke you but to the vtter enemie of God to that man of sinne and sonne of perdition who exalts himselfe indeed as the Apostle saith and whom they also haue exalted aboue all Exalting him first from a Christian Byshop to an Antichristian Pope and then from a Pope or Pastor to a Temporall King supreame Monarch of all whose Soueraignty must be ouer al Kings and people and his Dominion ouer all Lands goods and possessions in the whole world Euen of this man of sinne must all Kings hold their Crownes and Kingdomes and that in the most base seruile tenure that can be deuised holding theÌ„ as Tenants at will Ex Pontificis mero fauore gratia by the meere fauor good wil of the Pope as the vaine Triumpher affirmes of the Kingdome of France These to be their resolued positions you may cleerely perceiue by Franciscus Bozius who professedly sets down and vndertakes by the helpe of God and Saint Peter to proue thus much Supremam iurisdictioneÌ„ temporalem esse penes Petri. successores ita vt idem sit Hierarcha et Monarcha in omnibus that the supreame temporall iurisdiction belongs to the Pope so that hee is both an Hierarch and a Monarch in all things affirming againe his Arguments to shew that to the Pope belonges indeede the Supreame temporall Monarchy for which he entitles his Booke De Temporali Ecclesiae Monarchio By Rodulphus Cupers who saith that the Pope is deseruedly esteemed and is indeed Rex regum Dominus Dominantium the King of Kings and Lord of Lordes and that the direct Dominion of the Empire belongs to God and consequently to the Pope as being Gods Vicar who permits as he saith the power of the sworde Cui libeat to whom hee listeth By Aug. Steuchus who not onely challengeth Soueraignty and Dominion in many Kingdomes as in right belonging to the Pope particularly of Spaine Arragon Portugall England France Italy Denmarke Hungaria Croatia Dalmatia Russia Bohemia Suâ—…tia Norwegia and in a word of all the Westerne Kingdomes and Countries but as if all this were too small a Patrimony for the Pope he addes that this as he cals it most ancient and almost Omnipotent power is extended ouer all Kinges and Kingdomes and that the Pope rules the whole worlde and holdes the raignes of al kingdoms suffring other Kings and Emperors to raigne Modo Dominam ac reginam agnoscant fateantur but with this condition that they acknowledge and confesse an higher power or Soueraignty to bee in the Pope By the Romish Thâ—…asonicall Triumpher before mentioned who bragges that all Kingdomes in the world are beholden to the Pope because all do or ought to sweare to defend his Sea And to omit others you may see this most largely in Alexander Carerius the late controuler of Cardinall Bellarmine in the second of those his Bookes De Potestate Romani pontificis intituled by him against impious Polliticians and Haeretickes of this time but of purpose and at large refuting and that not without scorne their owne great Cardinall his position and Reasons Carerius there tels vs that as God so the Pope may be called a Temporall Lord and Monarch of the world that the Pope as Pope is such a Prince in whom is the top of Temporall Authority and therefore that as Pope hee may make ciuill lawes and may chaunge and correct thy Imperiall lawes Further out of Saucius one of their Byshops he affirmes that this is cum recta side tenendum to be held as an Article of the right faith Principaâ—…um Romani pontificis esse verum vnicum immediatum principatum totius orbis nedum quoad spiritualia sed quoad temporalia that the kingdome of the Pope is the true and the onely immediate principality or kingdome of the whole world that not onely in Spirituall but in Temporall causes In regard whereof he somewhat pleasantly cals the Pope Orbis viruÌ„ the husband or good man of the world which you may well thinke is indeed a fit wife for his holinesse As for Kings and Emperors they teach that their Authority is but Ministerial deriued from the Pope and dependant of him as the light of the starres depends of the Sun or as the body depends of the soule which receiues being vertue and all operation from it and out of Saucius he affirmes it to be Adiussum principâ—…tus Papalis nobileÌ„ reuocabilem corrigilem et punibilem the Kingly and Imperiall authority to be at the Popes pleasure and command moueable reuocable corrigible punishable they further to this purpose teach that Kings Emperors are but the Popes Ministers the Popes Commissioners or Deputies yea the Popes men or vassals swearing fealty to him as the Pope himselfe hath defined receiuing Crownes and holding their kingdomes from him and by his donation and being to vse their Temporall sword and Authority Ad nutum Pontificis at the Popes pleasure and sufferance as not onely Bozius but Pope Boniface the eight before him affirmeth In a word that other powers and Authorities à prima summi pontificis regiâ potestate pendent doe depend of that first Kingly Authoritie of the Popes But tell vs I pray you Is the Pope Lord onely ouer the persons or is he not Lord also of the goodes and posessions in the whole world Yes the Pope he is Lord of al. As the Dominion of the whole world was in Christ Ita in Papa idem esse fatendnm est so must it be confessed that the same Dominion is in the Pope saith Carerius And againe seeing the earth is the Lords all that is therein Et per consequens Papae sui vicaâ—…ij by consequent also this belongs vnto the Popes who is Gods Vicar and so the earth is the Popes and all that is therein The same teacheth Bozius seeing in Christ according to his humain nature by the Doctrine of Saint Thomas there was an absolute power of all things Erit itaque Pontifex omnium regionum iure potestate Dominus seu mauis dicere totius orbis therefore the Pope shall be the Lord both in right and in power of all Countries or if ye will rather say so of the whole world Whereupon it followeth that neither Constantine nor any other did neither can any man possible giue ought vnto the Pope for all is his owne already but they may restore vnto him what they vniustly do withhold and so did Constantine the great From this Soueraignty of Dominion and as the Triumpher truly cals it vnlimited power for so it is indeed by his description thereof as extending it selfe aboue the heauens and as low againe
A SERMON AT THE SOLEMNIZING OF THE HAPPIE Inauguration of our most gracious and Religious Soueraigne KING IAMES Wherein is manifestly proued that the Soueraignty of Kings is immediatly from God and second to no authority on Earth whatsoeuer Preached at Paules Crosse the 24. of March last 1608. By RICHARD CRAKANTHORPE Doctor of Diuinitie LONDON Printed by W. Iaggard for Tho Adams dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the blew Bell. 1609. TO THE RIGHT REuerend Father in God THOMAS Lord Byshop of LONDON my Honourable good Lord all Grace Prosperity and Happinesse THE manifolde and waighty Ecclesiasticall affaires wherein your Lordshippe is daily imployed and many times wearied partly in aduancing the sincere profession of Gods holy truth and partly in maintaining the happy tranquility of this most renowned Church haue often occasioned me to remember the words complaint of that learned father S. Augustin Though besides those innumerable Ecclesiasticall cares which hee sustained and of which he said that almost none would beleeue them but such as had experience of them he was daily incumbred also with the iudiciall hearing of verie many secular causes for which as he saith he was daily with al reuerence attended and saluted by the people yet some in that age most vniustly blamed both him other Bishops as being desidious and like the Pharisees tying heauie burthens on other mens shoulders which themselues would not touch with their litle fingers who can possibly escape that censure if the indefatigable industry toile of S. Augustine could not quit him thereof He then with a most serious and solemne protestation answered I call Iesus Christ to witnesse vpon my soule that I had much rather giue my selfe to reading praying and other spirituall exercises yea to daily handy-workes then indure the most tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes about their secular businesses either iudicially to end them or by perswasion to preuent them The cogitation heereof had almost perswaded me not to withdraw your Lordshippe so much as to the viewe of these my slender labours but that the seuerall bandes of duty which I owe vnto your Lordship ouer-swayed with me heerein at the last For hauing not onely beene called as from little Zoar to Ierusalem by that message which to me was no other then the voice of God though some younger Samuels may perhappes mistake it to bee Elias voice but further also in that straitnesse of time extraordinarily encouraged by your Lordship to this seruice the fruit of my labours therein if it be any I iudged it my duty to present to him by whose Authoritie and appointment they were first vndertaken Againe seeing my heartie and sincere desire heerein was to testifie my vnfaigned loue first to Gods truth and then to the peace of our Ierusalem in both which I expect no lesse then the seuerest censures of two in themselues opposite and both of them very rigorous aduersaries who contrary to the Apostles rule either follow not the truth or follow it not in loue I was emboldened in both these to intreat protection vnder your Lordships name as one who liuing vnder your Lordships both publicke and Domesticall gouernment haue and do daily see manie assured experiments of your Lordships zeal to the one and prudence ioyned with great moderation in the other Besides I must and do with thankefulnes acknowledge which I haue often heeretofore gladlie recounted a good part of that light with which God hath in mercie vouchsafed vnto me to haue bin receiued frō that faire burning lamp which many years in our Vniuersitie your L. verie often and happilie helde forth vnto vs then especiallie when in the last yeares of our late Soueraigne in those as some thought declining daies wherein the children of Babylon vpon some vainly conceiued hopes I know not what began somwhat insolently to insult At which most needfull time it cannot bee forgotten how the religious constant godly zeal of your L. being one most eminent in that place did animate incourage many others my selfe among the rest who then sat at the feet of Gamaliel and who by those words vttered in fittest time by the tongue of the learned found in our selues how truly the Wiseman saide The words of the wise are like goads and like nailes fastned by the maisters of the assemblies If in these respectes I present this small pledge of my dutie to your Lordshippe and with a willing heart offer this mite vnto the Lords Treasury let me in excuse of the slendernesse thereof vse those fit words of S. Ierom. Euery man offers in Gods Tabernacle according to his ability some offer Gold and Siluer and precious stones others bring Silke and Purple and Scarlet and fine linnen Nobiscum bene agitur si obtulerimus pelles caprarum pilos Howsoeuer it bee I gladly submit it to your Lordships graue wisedome and to the Church of God euen in those most submissiue words and maner which I long since learned of the most learned S. Austen and which beeing heere expressed in all my speeches and writings I earnestly desire to be vnderstood Domine Deus Quaecunque dixi de tuo agnoscant tui Si qua de meo tu ignosce tui Blacke Notley in Essex May 15. 1609. Your Lordships Chaplaine in all duty most humbly to be commanded RICHARD CRAKANTHORPE 2. CHRON. CHAP. 9. Verse 5. ANd shee saide to the King It was a true word which I heard in my owne Land of thy sayings and of thy wisedome 6. Howbeit I beleeued not their report vntill I came and mine eyes had seene it behold the one halfe of thy great wisedome was not tolde mee for thou exceedest the Fame that I heard 7. Happy are thy men and happy are thy Seruants which stand before thee alway and heare thy wisedome 8. Blessed bee the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on his throne as King in stead of the Lorde thy God because thy God loucth Israell to establish it for euer therefore hath he made thee King ouer them to execute Iudgement and Iustice. 9. Then she gaue the King six score Talents of Gold and of sweet Odours exceeding much and precious stones THe solemnity of this most ioyfull day and happy opportunity which God hath giuen vs to celebrate the same to the glory of his holy name to the honour of our most Religious Soueraigne to the comfort of vs and all his loyall Subiectes but to the confusion of those sonnes of Beliall who hauing euill will at Sion repine and pine away to see the peace and prosperity of this most flourishing church and kingdome and to heare of the myrth and melodie in our streets this day hath mooued me to make choice of these wordes of the Queene of Sheba to King Salomon wherein euery one may see both a fit correspondence to our Salomon and a woorthy example of that loue wee all owe to
him and thankesgiuing vnto God for this so great and so incstimable a blessing In the wordes themselues not to seeke any curious diuision which in an History you will not expect obserue I pray you with me foure seuerall pointes which concerne foure seuerall parties The first concernes King Salomon wherein is set downe a singuler commendation of his wisedome which exceeded all reports Behold the one halfe c. The second concernes the people and Subiects of King Salomon wherein is declared their blessed and happy estate who had Salomon a wise King to rule â—…uer them Happy are thy seruants The third concernes Almighty God wherein is expressed a most Religious thankesgiuing vnto him for placing Salomon a wise King ouer his people Blâ—…ssed bee the Lord thy God In which third point besides many other two particular branches are especially to be considered the former from whom Salomon had or held his kingdome and that was immediately from God who made him King ouer Israel and placed him in his owne throne and in his owne stead To set thee on his throne The latter what moued or induced God to graunt his people so wise a King no merrits nor deserts eyther of King or people but onely his owne fauour and free loue to Israell Because thy God loueth Israell The fourth and last point concernes the Queene of Sheba wherein is set forth a manifest and outward testification of the honour and honourable respect shee bare toward King Salomon in token whereof sâ—…e bestowed on him such royall and magnificent presents six score talents of Gold sweete Odours and Precious stones Then shee gaue the King Of these seuerall pointes by the most gracious and helpefull assistance of Gods holy spirit and by your Honourable and wonted patience and attention wee are at this time God willing to intreat The first point concernes the admirable indeed inexplicable wisedome of King Salomon whereof God himselfe is a most sufficient witnesse Wisedome and knowledge is granted vnto thee so that there hath not bin the like among the Kings which were before thee neither after thee shall thâ—…re bee the like 2. Chron. 1 12. And againe God gaue Salomon wisedome and vnderstanding exceeding much He was wiser then any man and a he excelled all the Kinges of the earth in wisedome 1. Kings 4. verse 29 31. To goe no further then my Text So famous was he for wisedome among all Nations that there came of all people vnto him and all Kinges of the earth sought to heare the wisedome of Salomon which God had put into his hart And though Fame bee not onely a swift messenger but vsually an amplifier multiplier of that which it doth report as Saint HieroÌ„ saith ijdem authores exaggeratores yet in this it was quite contrary The report of this wisedome was such that it seemed incredible and therefore this Queene confesseth she belieued it not but when she had heard it her selfe and bin an eye and eare-witnesse of all as one amazed and astonished thereat she breakes into this admiration thereof set downe in my Text. Behold the one halfe of thy great wisdome was not told mee thou exceedest the Fame that I heard Hauing spoken this of the wisedome of King Salomon may I now presume to speake a word or two of the sacred Maiesty of my dread Soueraigne It is not my purpose to make any paralell to Salomon of whom God himselfe hath saide that none should be like vnto him nor take vppon me to set forth vnto you any portraiture of that wisedom which no Zeuxes nor Apelles can otherwise expresse but onely by drawing ouer it the vaile or Curtaine of Timanthuâ—… to import it cannot be expressed The wisedome of a man much more of a King is compared by Gods spirit to deepe waters and to a flowing riuer who am I to diue into that bottomelesse depth or with my span to measure the depth and bredth of the maine Ocean Yet with all loyall submission let mee thus much say and say much lesse then I do conceiue Neither can this present age nor al the Chronicles I say not of great Brittaine onely but of all Europe present vnto vs a King indued with such admirable gifts of Learning Iudgement and Memory adorned with so many princely and Heroicall Vertues Iustice Clemency and Wisedome especially with that Diuine and Heauenly wisedome which is the Fountaine and foundation of all the rest with Religion Piety Zeale and constant Magnanimity to professe maintaine and vphold the truth of God and of his Gospell Which report of mine if any suppose to be too lauish and with this Queene of Sheba beleeue it not let him well consider those many and most Religiously wise speeches vttered in a manner in the hearing of the whole Realme Conferences Disputations free Monarchies but specially that most learned Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance against the Popes two Breues and that kingly gift fit onely for a peerelesse King to giue to a peerelesse Prince all which are but some few sparkes of that euer-burning Lampe or but small streames of that euer and ouer-flowing spring and then hee will bee forced euen with admiration to professe and say with this Queene as after the hearing and reading of diuers of them my selfe with many others haue often said It was a true word indeed which I hâ—…ard of thy sayings and of thy wisedome howbeit I beleeued it not vntill I came and mine eies had seene it and beholde the one halfe of thy great wisedome was not told mee for thou exceedest the fame that I heard With which true Testimonie of the wisedoms of both these Salomons I end this first point which concernes the King and the admiration of his great wisedome The second point concernes the people and subiects of King Salomon of whom the Queene heere saith that they were blessed happy who had Salomon a wise king to rule ouer them Happy are thy people and happie are thy Seruants Nor can there in truth be a greater comfort to any people or greater safety to any kingdome then to be gouerned by a wise and prudent King By a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a Realme indureth long Prou. 28 2. A wise man much more a wise King is as a fortresse and strong piller to support euen an whole Realme And better is wisedome then weapons of warre Eccles. 9 28. Nay a wise King is not onely a safety but euen an happinesse as the Queene heere saith to a kingdom for so God himselfe doth witnesse Eccl. 10 17. Blessed art thou ô Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles that is by the Hebrew phrase truely Noble indued with Vertue Piety and Wisedome wherein alone consists true Nobility On the contrary a foolish or childish king is one of those heauy Iudgements and curses which God in his wrath threatens to bring vpon a land I wil appoint children to bee their Princes and Babes
happy braunches of that most happy Vine that now Blessed bee God that cursing Balaam and his cursed Priests of Baal which ere this hoped and vaunted in their hopes to haue seene Baal or Moloch or the Queene of heauen and the whole hoast thereof Nay the very abhomination of desolation set vp in our Temples do now gnash their teeth at this our felicity and their hearts doe euen languish and faint and pine away to see the truth oâ—… God so sincerely professed so constantly maintained both by King and people so assuredly setled and as we may iustly hope and do hartily pray euen for euer established in this Land The greatnesse and indeed the happinesse of this blessing my tongue cannot possiblie expresse vnto you nor can our sâ—…allow hearts sufficiently conceiue thereof We neuer saw those Marian and bloudy dayes wherein for the people of God to haue beene acquainted with the Gospell and word of God was Haeresie not to haue falne down before the Calfe and adored the Beast was no lesse then fire and Faggot and what else the rage and furie of that beast could adde vnto it We neuer felt nor knew those Antechristian and more then barbarous Inquisitions to the tyranny and vnexpressable torments whereof the Bull of Phalarâ—…s the Alter of Busiris and those primitiue persecutions vnder Heathen Tyrants were almost but Ludus iocus Death it selfe euen a pleasure to the rage of that beast which needs not learne of Caligula Iâ—…a feri vt sentiat se mori torment them so that they may sensibly feele death and yet not die And yet all this is as nothing to their spirituall bondage They may not buy nor sell nor liue nor breath vnlesse they receiue the marke of the beast They may not teach ought they may not beleeue ought no not so much as the Scriptures to bee the word of God no not that there is a God vnlesse the Beast say so and what soeuer the Beast saith that without all scruple must be receiued as an Oracle of God and an vndoubted Article of their Faith Consider but in one point what themselues doe teach and professe concerning Rome which is the Sea of that Beast They cannot indure to heare it called the seate of Antichrist but yet they willingly professe and foundly proue Rome to be that Babylon whereof S. Iohn prophesieth that very Babylon I say which is the Mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth which hath made all Nations drink of the wine of her fornications and her selfe is drunk with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs whose destruction and vtter desolation is fore-shewed by the Apostle Thus much themselues professe and prooue concerning Rome Now though some of them very childishly indeed haue supposed onely the old and Heathnish Rome to bee meant thereby yet who fo pleaseth to read Ribera the Iesuite in his Commentarie vpon the 14. of the Reuelation shall see him by many euident and vndeniable demonstrations declare and proue first Rome to be that very Babylon where of Saint Iohn speaketh and secondly euen that Rome to be Babylon which shall remaine neere vnto the end of the world Of his large Treatise let mee alledge some few wordes of his Quoniam dubium non est because saith he there is no doubt but that Babylon is the very shop and Store-house of al Idolatry and of all wickednesse If we haue already proued as before he had Rome to be Babylon dubitari non potest quin Roma prope finem saeculi haec omnia habitura sit it cannot be doubted but that Rome toward the end of the world shall leaue all these to wit all Idolatries and all abhominations And againe that Rome shall be burned and consumed with a mighty fire not onely for her old sinnes when it was Heathnish but for those also which in the last times it shall commit Adâ—…o perspicue cognoscimus We know it saith he so euidently by the words of this Reuâ—…lation Vi ne stultisâ—…imus quidem negare possit that the veriest foole cannot deny it And yet their great Cardinall Bellarmine and the Rhemistes blush not to denie it whose sentence and doome their owne Iesuite hath as you see pronounced And then citing the words of the Apostle Babylon the great Citty is falne which hath made all Nations drinke of her fornications hee addes Haec qui leget who so reades these things may thinke them to be spoken of those who liued before S. Ioha or in his time and this is true but they are also spoken of those qui extremo mundi tempore 〈◊〉 cum ea fornicabuntur who shall liue at Rome in the last time of the worlde and commit fornication with her Whereof hee giues a cleare proofe out of the Apostle The Marchants and louers of Babylon that is of Rome shall weepe and waile and say Alas alas the great Citty in one houre is made desolate Vtrum illi lugebunt whether saith Ribera shal they lament thus which are dead a thousand yeares since and more An qui tunc viuent et videbunt fumum incendij eius Or they who shall then liue when Rome is consumed and shall see the smoake of her fire Ex quo manifeste pâ—…rspicitur by which it is manifestly perspicuous that the sinnes which Rome shall perpetrate in the last times shall bee altogether like those which it committed vnder the Heathen Empâ—…rors that is as himselfe expoundeth it there shall bee then in Rome Summa Idolatriae omnis omnium peccatorum licentia the greatest licence or allowance of all Idolatry and of all sinnes and so turned into a very sinke of nefarious mischiefes Thus writes their owne Iesuite Ribera Seeing then it is not Rome Heathnish which many hundreds of yeares since is out of date but that Rome which as yet is to fal and to be burned with fire which shall remaine neare to the end of the world as Ribera truly doth demonstrate which the spirit of God calleth Babylon whose eternall destruction is foreshewed by the Lord Seeing againe as Bellarmine of purpose proueth and saieth that it is Pia et probabilissima sententia a pious and most probable sentence that Peters chaire cannot be seperated or remoued from Rome and that therefore the Roman Church euen the particular Church of Rome absolute Non possit 〈◊〉 nec deficere absolutely cannot erre not faile nor cease but Rome shall continue Christian yea Popish professing their present Popish Faith vnto the very end and destruction thereof which by the calculation of this worthy Prognosticator must precisely fall out within three yeares and an halfe of the end of the worlde It is hence euidently and ineuitably consequent that the present Popish Rome professing their present Popish Faith from which as the Cardinall saith it shall neuer
Angell of the Lorde according to the aboundance of that admirable and Diuine wisedome wherewith God hath extraordinarily filled his Royall heart hath firmely setled and established the Arke of the Lord vpon those holy Mountaines of Sion on which euen from the most pure and primitiue dayes of the Church and from the Apostles themselues it had euer rested Which if their fancy might haue preuailed had long since not onely beene remooued from Sion but placed also as did the Philistims place it 1. Sam. 6 11. most basely and totteringly and disgracefully euen set vpon a Cart. In the happy establishing whereof though some fewe as the Eckronites haue bin iustly smitten of the Lord because they neither had right nor bare sincere loue to the Arke of God whose cure also hath beene sought that with most tender and fatherly care and compassion but such is the zeale of opposition and predominancy of Popularity and contentious humors that by no demonstrations of reason will they be perswaded no not when they are indeed perswaded by no authority will they be mo◅ed no not by that Sacred and Soueraigne which God himselfe hath appointed in many of those affaires to bee the very Canon and rule of right though some fewe of these I say may repine heereat yet shall it euer be the honour yea the felicity and safety also of our Soueraigne to haue those holy Aarons to support his Princely hands and this shall euer be reckoned as a speciall and as it is in truth euen a rare blessing of God vpon this Church and Kingdome by all those whosoeuer not in shew but in sincerity and truth wish to see peace in Sion and prosperity in Ierusalem I must in silence passe by many other and great blessings which by the meanes of our SALOMON are heaped vpon vs. But let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I forget that one most memorable happinesse which wee all receiued by him on that fift of Nouember That one day shall be for euer a most glorious Tro haeum and euerlasting Monument both of his most blessed and vnspeakable Wisedom and of the infinit blessings which by him we haue all receiued By it wee enioy not onely our Goods our Lands our Liuings our Liberty our Religion but euen this that we liue and breath this day we owe it to him and to his wisedome It was not the Loue nor Loyalty of his though most louing and Loyall Subiects which preuented that sudden and secret blow that should at once haue dispatched and blowne vp all It was not the Prudence and vigilancie of those thrice-Noble woorthies of King Dauid the Golden pillers of Israel though a most wise and a most Honourable Senate All may and all willingly doe disclaime the praise of that day The whole honour of that most wonderfull and withall most happy deliuerance must bee giuen first to thee O most glorious and most gracious God and next after thee to thine annointed alone Thou didst fill his hart as thou didst sometime the hart of thy holy Prophet Daniel with wisedome frō aboue to Discouer the deepe and secret thinges and to know what is in darknesse And he being full of thy Spirit to the endlesse comfort of this Empire and of all his loiall subiectes discouered indeede that darke and secret speech that darke and secret Vaut that darke secret and hellish treason so kept off that imminent blow which would haue proued fatall to him to vs and to all his kingdomes The happinesse of that day of thy wisedome O gracious King our Histories and Chronicles shal commend our Lawes and Statutes shall record to all eternity Euery Citty Towne and Village euery Church in this Land euery degree of thy people from the tallest Caeder to the very Shrubbe shall sing and sound foorth thy Noble praise And as the Israelites did in honor of Iosiah euery Tribe and family shall praise thee apart and their Wiues apart The royall and princely Tribe of Iuda shall prayse thee apart and the holy Tribe of Leuie shall praise thee apart The Nobility shall praise thee apart the Gentry Commons shall praise thee apart The Students of a◅professions shal praise thee apart the Men of Warre and the Men of Peace shall praise thee apart yea euery House euery Family throughout all Israell shall praise thee apart We in this age will speake of thy praise to our Children our Children to their Childrens Children vnto all generations And if it were possible that we or our posteritie could bee silent herein yet the Magnificent and princely buildings and Monumentes in these two famous and renowned Citties the very wood and wals of these houses stones in these streets euen with their dumb eloquence would sing aloud and sound foorth thy Noble praise all which in their kinds are pertakers of that happines which vnder thee and by thee we then all receiued Iudge now with your selues if besides many and great blessinges which I haue purposely omitted for these so great and indeed inualuable blessings which by the happy meanes of our SALOMON we doe enioy we may not all most iustly say to him as did the Queene of Sheba to King Salomon Happy O King are thy people and happy are thy Seruants Shall I further here adde whereof this Queene is silent in that King of Israel that the wisedom of our SALOMON is an happinesse not onely to his owne people and Subiectes but euen to strangers also The gracious beames there of like those of the Sunne spreading themselues to far and forraine Countries yea to the vtmost Coastes of this and the other world To omit many other and euident proofes hereof euen that which beeing the chiefe if time would suffer ought not to bee omitted that with such constancy and zeale himselfe holds forth a glorious Lampe of Piety and true Religion vnto all Christian Kings and kingdomes performing heerein that which Gods spirite hath noted as the greatest part of wisdome the more wise the King was the more he taught them knowledge caused them to heare But omitting these let the honourable expedition now happily intended for Virginea be a witnesse enterprised I say not auspicijs but by the most wise religious direction and protection of our chiefest Pilot seconded by so many honorable and worthy personages in this State and kingdome that it may iustly giue encouragement with alacrity and cheerefulnesse for some to vndertake for others to further so noble so religious an attempt I may not stay in this straightnes of time to mention much lesse set forth vnto you the great and manifold benefits which may redound to this our so populous a Nation by planting an English Colony in a Territory as large and spacious almost as is England and in a soyle so rich fertill and fruitefull as that besides the sufficiencyes it naturally yealds for it selfe may with best conuenience supply some of the greatest
as is hell from hence I say proceedes that absolute and vncontroulable Authoritie which he claimeth to giue to take away not onely smaller quillets but as the Pope himself expressely affirmes Empyres and Kingdomes Et quicquid habere mortales possuÌ„t and whatsoeuer mortall men can possesse or haue yea take kingdomes away from some Quamuis nihil omnino demereantur as saith Carerius though they commit no fault at all and giue them to those who haue no right vnto them So did Pope Gregory the tenth with the Empire of the East Abstulit Baluino vero domino dedit Michaeli qui nihil iuris habebat he took it from Balwin the second who was the true owner thereof and gaue it to Michael Palâ—…ologus who had no right at all vnto it But tell vs further by what right and Title hath the Pope so large and faire a Patrimony as is the Monarchy and Soueraignty ouer the whole world and in all both ciuill Ecclesiastical causes He hath it say they euen Iure diuino by the very Law of God I but perhaps this is but your priuate opinion onely no sentenced decreed Doctrine among you Yes saith Carerius it is the coÌ„mon iudgment of our Deuines yea of our greatest deuines wherof he there expresly nameth 26. It is further the coÌ„mon iudgement of the Canonists some of them boldly avouching the contrary opinion to bee Haereticall More then so it is saith Bartolus the sentence or iudgement of their holy Mother the Church And lastly which is all in all it is approued by the Decrees and determinations of the Popes themselues by name of Innocentius the third cap. per venerabilem and cap. Solitae de Maioritate obedieÌ„tia to whom may be added Innocentius the fourth who thus defines the Popedome Papatus est principatus tam in temporalibus quam in spiritualibus The Popedome saith he is a Prince-hood or Soueraignty as well in temporall as in spirituall matters Boniface the eight who in token of his right to both the swords at the solemnity of the Iubile by him first instituted Solenniter ostentauit with great pomp and ostentation shewed himselfe the first day in his Pontificalibus like a Pope and the next day in his Imperiall Robes like a temporall Monarch and causing a naked sword to be carried before him proclaimed vnto al Ecce duo gladij hic behold the two swords are heere who further made a Decree or constitution wherein he affirmed that the Pope is Dominus in spiritualibus temporalibus in vniuerso mundo the Lord both in spirituall and temporall causes and that in the whole world iudging it Haereticall as saith Martinus to speake nay Sentire contrariuÌ„ to thinke the contrary that he might subiect all others to this Soucraignty definitiuely determining it as a needfull thing to saluation for euery humaine creature to bee subiect to the Pope Iohn the 22. who expressely also affirmeth that to the Pope Terreni simul caelestis Imperij iura Deus ipse commisit God himselfe hath giuen the right both of the earthly of the heauenly kingdome that is both the Temporal and Ecclesiasticall Monarchy And to omit other particulars lastly may bee added the generall consent of all later Popes who yearely on the night of Christs Natiuity bestowes an hallowed sword of some great Prince whom it pleaseth him the Mystery of which gift as the Pope himselfe explaines it is to betoken thereby Potestatem summam temporalem à Christi pontifici collatum that the supreame Temporall power is giuen to the Pope by Christ according to those scriptures which most blasphemously the Popes apply to themselues all power is giuen to mee in heauen and in earth And againe hee shall rule from the one Sea to the other and from the floude vnto the worlds end Thus teach Carerius Bozius together with their Popes and Popish Confederates whose very wordes in so important a cause I haue now more at large and expressely alledged You do now euidently perceiue that these men who thought it a most ridiculous matter for Kinges to holde their Crownes immediately from God do teach and define it to bee a matter of Religion of Piety of Conscience yea of saluation to holde the same immediately from the Beast that is in truth from the verie Deuill for of the Beast the Apostle saith Apocalipse 13 1. that the Draggon which is the Diuell gaue the Beast his power and his Throne and his great Authoritie These are the fruites of Popish Religion and this the verie HELENA for which they so earnestly fight and contend Of which Positions though I might iustly say as did Saint HIEROME in another cause Sententias vestras prodidisse superesse est patet prima fionte blasphemia To haue recited your assertions is enough to refute them they are stamped with Blasphemy in the verie fore-heade yet as you haue willingly heard the iust defence of Regall Soueraignty so suffer me to speake somewhat also at this time against him who shewes himselfe in his colours to be Hostem humani generis the enemie not of one or two Kingdomes or some people and sort of men but the enemy of all mankind who most violently intrudes himselfe into the rightes and regalities of all Kings Christian and Heathen and like a wild Boare inuades the lands goods and possessions of all men in the world yea most sacrilegiously challengeth vnto himselfe that which is the peculiar prerogatiue and as I may say one of the Royalties of God Domini est terra The Earth is the Lords and all that is therein Psal. 24 1. I shall not neede to prooue that this priestly Monarchy was not known in the time of the old Testament of which not onely Aquina and Stapleton but Carerius himselfe expresly confesseth that the King had then power ouer the Priestes and might for their offences not onely haue depriued them of their spirituall offices but haue kild theÌ„ also that in the time of the old Testament the Kingdom was the Substantiue or superior the Priesthood was theÌ„ but an Adiectiue as depending in good congruity vpon the other though the Pope since hath altered that most congraeous GraÌ„mer rule that seeing in the Old Testament the promises were onely temporall but in the New are eternall Mirum minime videri debet si in veteri testamento suÌ„ ma potestas fuerit Temporalis It must not seeme strange as he saith that the temporall power in the time of the Olde Testament was the Supreame So then though they pretend for this Soueraignty the Law of Nature yet by this expresse confession and cleare wordes of Aquinas and Carerius it is euident that this priestly Monarchy was not heard of for the first foure thousand yeares almost of the world In the New Testament what