Apostle calls the Kings and Princes among the Gentiles The Higher powers and declares them for Gods Ministers for the wealth of them that doe well and punishment of evill doers the likenes therefore in these particulars argues Gods approving that they should be like his former Kings in their Ministration As therefore the church under the Lawe tooke example for her King frō the Kinges of the Gentile Nations so God approving of the Kinges among the Gentiles they are to take example for their Ministration from that which with Gods approbation Kinges did in the Church under the Lawe This I press the more because the Pope of Rome admits easely of Kings as of hang men to punish the Clergy of the Church for evill doing when he shall give up such Clergy to be executed or punished by the sworde but at no hand will admit that they should exercise such Ministration as Gods Kinges with Gods approbation exercised in and over the Church under the Law This is one of his delusions this one of his presumptions against the ordinances of God and of Christ and by this he worketh to the Christian world not a little mischiefe But now unless the Christian Nations will make the Pope of Rome their Apostle they ought to beleeve concerning this matter according to the revelation of the will of God by the Apostle Paul neither shall they be guiltlesse before God if they beleeve the Popes word the same being diverse from the word of Gods true Apostle To conclude seing God approves of Kinges as Kings for his Ministers they are boūd as they will answere it to God to exercise such kingly Ministration as with Gods allowance his Kings before time exercised for seing Christian Religion allowes not of all things done by Kings among the Gentile Nations whilst they were Infidells it must needs be that the Kings of the Gentiles are not to doe all that which they as Infidels did but such things as with Gods allowance his Kings before time did so faire forth as Christian Religion permits This I add here because of the abolishing of Sacrifices for sinnes which under the lawe were offred by Kinges as also because that under Gentilisme Kinges were both Kinges and Preists whereas Gods Ordinance under the Christianity as under the Lawe permits not this But now having proved that God accepts of the Kings of the Gentiles as Kings for his Ministers having showen you they are to take example for the same frō Gods Kings in the Church under the Law I think fit in the next place to put you in minde of two speciall things 1. That under the Lawe the worde of God was given to the King 2. That it was given to him as to a Iudge That the worde of God was given to the King may appeare by the testimony of our blessed Saviour who Ioh. 10.35 saith If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God was given c. for though Priests are comprised under the Name of these Gods yet Kinges are not excluded seing none can deny Kings to be Princes And here I would haue you to note that this manner speaking of our Lord argues a kinde of trust as if God intrusted the keeping of his word unto Kings and Priests for when it is sayd that the word is given to them it implies that God trusteth them with his word But to this scripture we may add another Deut. 17.18 where the charge of God to the Kinge is given in these wordes saying And when he shall sit upon the throne of his Kingdome then shall he write him this Lawe repeated in a book by the Preists of the Levites And it shal be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of this Lawe and these Ordinances for to doe them That his heart be not lifted up aboue his brethren and that he turne not from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left Here observe first That not what the Priest will deliver for Lawe but the Lawe its selfe This Lawe he hath right yea and charge also from God to take Secondly that this Lawe is given to him as to a King therefore as to to a Minister and not as to a private Person therefore also it is not given him for his private direction onely what to beleeve and doe for his owne salvation but it is given him for a direction of his Ministration for what is given to an Officer as an officer is given for a direction what to doe in his office Therefore Kings haue a charge of Gods word aswell as Priests and they are to be directed by it in their Ministration so that they may not content themselves to say I doe this and this in my Office by the teaching of the Priests but they must reade and meditate in the word its selfe of God by it to be instructed what to doe There is difference to be put betweene the Minister revealing primarily the word of God and the Minister of the word already reveiled of the first the greatest Kinges are subjected to receive the word as they deliver it but the word once so delivered the King is to take it and to reade and meditate in it and is not bounde to take onely the interpretation or word of him who is but the Minister of the word already reveiled Therefore also the King is interposed betweene God and the Minister of the worde already reveiled as having right to take the word its selfe reveiled and not whatsoever the Minister of the worde already reveiled will deliver as for that word Would God that Christian Princes did duely consider this gratious goodness and mervailous favour of God towards them for if they duly considered this it would much provoke them to reade themselves the revealed word of God and not to leave this to the reading of Priests onely How will they answer it to God if being Kings as by Gods ordination they neglect this charge given by God to his Kings Ah the evils which the false word of an evill Priest hath brought upon them through their neglecting themselves to read the word of God in Scripture But now as I have before proved that Gods accepting of the Kings of the Gentiles as kings for his Ministers serves both as for Gods gracious election made of them and also as for a warrant that they should serve God in the kings ministration approved of by God in the hands of his kings under the law so it may now appeare unto them that the charge of God given to his kings in the Church under the Law serves also for a charge unto them And seeing this charge is given to the kinge as kinge it proves that his charge is that he see all the ordinances of God observed by all for this use of this charge made the good kings in the Church under the law as
THE RIGHT OF KINGS CONTEYNING A DEFENCE OF THEIR SUpremacy over all persons and in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as civill within their severall Dominions HEREWITHALL IS PROVED BY TESTIMONY of Holy Scripture That Christian Kinges are to haue such Dignity and execute such Office in the Christian Church as Gods Kinges had and exercised in the Church under the Lawe WHICH PART OF THE MYSTERIE of Gods Will as it hath been wickedly under Poperie shut up from Men so it is in our tymes right needfull that the same be opened to all Christian Nations Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subiect to the Higher Powers Printed 1621. The epistle to the Reader WHo that considers the evills done unto the Sonne of God by Kings Who that considers that most cruel persecution of the Church by Kings in the primitive tymes this also for about three hundred yeares of continuance yea who that considers the Churches persecution by Kings in these last tymes wherein our Princes being miss-led by the delusions of the Romane Bishop haue persecuted them who suffered their faith and service of God to be instructed and ordered by the word of God who I say that considers these things would not expect that the Lord even our most blessed God should utterly reject them denying them any dignity or office in his Church upon earth But the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Righteous beyond our apprehension and mercifull beyond all expectation hath contrarywise reveiled from heaven by his word and witnessed unto it with miraculous power that the Kings among the Nations of the Gentiles are accepted by him for his Ministers unto whom as unto Kings allowed by God all Christians must be subiect By how much the lesse therefore their desert hath been by so much the more is this Grace of God to be magnified By how much the lesse their desert of this grace hath been by so much the more are they bound to attend diligently to the due execution of the will of God Is it not sufficient that Kings being miss-lead partly by Heathenisme before their conversion to Christianity partly by Poperie after their conversion haue heretofore bloudily persecuted and slaine those who haue yeilded obedience to the word of God Shall the Saints euen to this day also be butchered by their power when the Lord is so gratious as to mainteyne the right of Kings will not they doe right to the children of God how long shall a falfe word misslead the most of them how long will they be before they by the light of the word of God discerne the Lords sheepe from others Blessed be God who hath opened the eyes of many of them and moved their harts to be Protectors of his flock His Flock are those who if not fully yet most neerely conforme their faith their life and conversation to the reveiled will of God as it is preserved in the sacred scriptures As therefore the Lord is mercifull to Kings so ought they in duety to God by the word of God in scripture to discerne and discerning to protect the people of the Lord. Much of the Lords people are miss-lead by Teachers who teach evilly in some things and hardly finde we any wholly conformable to the instruction of the Lords word in Scripture but yet difference is to be put betweene those who in the greatest part obey the word of the Lord those who in the greatest part walk in disobedience And my hope is that as by this Treatise I move Gods people to consider advisedly the great Dignity and Office of Princes so Princes will be gratious to those who most neerely Beleeve and live as becommeth Saints Neyther would I haue my Reader here to expect that I would iudge who or who are lawfully Kings but onely that these who are Kinges by the permission and grace of God may be put in minde of their Dignity and Office in the Church be also obeyed by those of the Church as God by his instruction reveiled to the Church gives direction This is the end of my writing this following Treatise this the aime of my heart which having now showen in this epistle I think fit to put an end to the same and to proceed to the Treatise it selfe Yours in the Lord Thomas Proctor A TREATISE OF SUPREMACY Wherein is proved by testimony of sacred Scripture that Kings or independant civill powers or States are by Gods Ordinance to be supreame Governours over all persons and in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as Civill within their severall Dominions IT hath been of long time and in too many Nations of Christendome still is an errour of no small importance to think That Kinges are not to judge in things perteyning to the Church of God nor to order the offices and affaires of the Church nor to governe over all ecclesiasticall persons within their severall kingdomes or Dominions From which errours possessing the mindes alwell of Princes as of private persons strange troubles haue arisen to the church of God both Princes and private persons mistaking their dueties and so Princes not doing in the church what God appoints them others and even of their subjects haue been scourges unto them by practising against them things farre differing from the teaching of Christian Religion Alas how much innocent blond haue Princes shed whilst guided by a false word of the Romane Bishop they haue neglected to meditate in the word of God and to Iudge and Governe according to its directions and so haue butchered the Saincts of God in all Nations and on the cōtrary haue exalted them who most haue troden under foote the sacred word and ordinances of the living God What should therefore be more deare to Princes then to know the dignity and true office wherein God by his Ordinance hath set them Or what greater honour can be done them then when some wicked Bishop would depresse their right herein God by his word declares his wickedness and by his strange and mervailous Acts in our times raiseth his Princes will or nill that Bishop and all his Adherents to their true dignity and office in the Church Verily we see in these times how God tendereth the rights of Christian Princes when under the Reformation as he on the one hand hath freed them frō the usurpations and bondage of the Romane Bishop so on the other hand he hath preserved their right against all who under any pretences whatsoever haue indeavoured to deprive them thereof It is therefore dangerous for any aswel for Princes as for people to doe oughts against the will of God as he hath revealed the same by his word preserved in scripture True it is that many are not suffered to be informed hereof because by such information that Bishop of Romes delusions and his insufferable abusions would be discovered But fitter it is that Princes know their Right and people their dueties then that the consciences of both being missinformed they be led thereby into the
office prerogatives or dignitie which himself as an Apostle had received of the Lord Christ Moreover seeing the Lords Apostles were the Lords governours set over the rest of the ecclesiasticall Governours of the Church how unfit were it to conceive that the Successour onely of an Apostle should be Governour over any Apostle But some are of opinion that the Apostle Iohn remained long after the death of the Apostle Peter if therfore the successor of Peter haue a Vicariate power to governe and rule over all Christs Sheepe then must he be this to the Apostle Iohn but what manner unsufferable ambition this favours of I leave to the judgement of all men Let us therefore rather beleeve that if the Apostle Peter appointed his successour then yet he conferred not upon him neyther all the guifts by which himself was an Apostle nor all the power Ministeriall nor dignity which as being an Apostle and one of the chiefe among the Apostles he held and injoyed in the Church of Christ but onely as Paul upon Timothie and Titus he conferred a portion of power and charge such as a Successour might be capable of To conclude seeing no Apostle could conferr upon an other man all the guifts offices and dignity which himself injoyed as an Apostle therefore the successor must be a Minister of a farr inferiour rank dignity and charge of Government in the Church then was the Apostle Peter himselfe Now then why should not such a Minister though he be successour to that Apostle subject himself to the supreame goverment of Gods Kinges so witnessed unto by holy scripture as before I have showen Thus having answered this objection let us proceed to an other The second Obiection SOme peradventure may obiect saying The Kingdome of heaven comming in among the Gentiles by Apostles and Bishops it were a subiecting the Kingdome of Heaven to the powers of this world if we maintayn not the supreme Government to remaine in Bishops and specially in the Apostle Peters successour If any should thus object then I answer the kingdome of heaven comprehending all power as the Lord sayd Math. 28.18 All power is given me in heaven and in earth the power Apostolicall and Episcopall must not be taken for the Kingdome of heaven as if the kingdom of heaven had in it none other powers then it But you see that I haue showen before that there are the powers of Kings in the earth which it pleased God to allow and confirm accepting gratiously also of them as for his Ministers Now though in God the fountaine of power all power is alike as water in a fountaine yet in distributing of that Power into Ministeriall Streames the Lord may ordeyne which parte to which shal be subordinate therefore seeing afore I haue showen that the Apostle Paul calls the Ministers of the sword The Higher Powers and seeing I haue before proved that these powers are allowed by God as for his Ministers and consequently are to exercise such dignity and office in the Church as Gods Kings exercised in the Church under the Lawe And lastly seeing all the scripture shewes that those Kings were over all the Church exercising a supreame government over all ecclesiasticall persons therefore I say it is no subjecting of the kingdome of heaven to the powers of this world to subject the Bishops of the Church to Gods Kings and Soveraigne States Bishops are Ministers of the kingdome of heaven but they are not all the Ministers therof for Kinges also are declared by the Gospell to be Ministers of the same seeing God hath declared himself to accept of them as for his Ministers therefore to subiect one kinde of officer of a kingdome to an other officer is not to subiect the kingdome to an other kingdome Bishops preach the word to these to subdue them to Christ but being subdued by the word ministred Bishops may not say The kingdomes of this world are ours and we will dispose of them but they must say as Rev. 11.15 The kingdomes of this world are our Lordes and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore True it is that even the greatest Kinges are comprehended in that cōmandement Heb. 13.17 where it is sayd Obey them that haue the Oversight of you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give accompts that they may doe it with ioy not with griefe for that is unprofitable for you Therefore even the greatest Princes are subiected by Christian religiō unto spirituall Pastors in the things wherof they are Ministers but this may be without Bishops having the Supreme government For as a Lord of greatest authority in a kingdome must obey to every the meanest Constable of a kingdome within his precinct of charge in that wherein such Cōstable is indued with power authority from the King when yet this makes not such Lord to lose his superiority which in the kingdome he hath over such Constable so is it between a King and a Bishop God hath declared the Kings of the Gentiles for his Ministers therefore as Kinges were to Priestes under the Lawe so must they be to Bishops under the Gospell and on the cōtrary as Priests were to Kings under the Lawe so may Bishops be to Kings under the Gospell The King under the Lawe left the Priestly power and ministration to the Priest was obedient in all things when yet he ceased not hereby to be governour over the Priests even so are Kinges to doe under the Gospell The King that must submit himself to heare the Gospell preached by the Bishop to receive of his hand Gods Sacraments to use him as Gods Priest to pray for him and other like yet is such a Minister for God over such Priest as that such Priest preaching false doctrine or ministring the sacraments otherwise then according to Gods institution or doing any thing otherwise then as Gods word in scripture prescribes in stead of obeying such Priest he is over him to take vengeance on him in Gods stead as for an evill doer So likewise the King that doing evill is subiected to the Priests proceeding against evill doers whether it be to discipline of humiliation or shaming to sequestration or excommunication is yet such a Minister for God over the Priest that the Priest doing this upon uniust cause or pressing unjust ends or effects of such discipline the King in stead of obeying must punish such Priest as for an evill doer The Pope is one of these wicked Priests for even for obedience to the true word of God and for ordering things according to its direction he useth the sword of the Church against men yea against Kings and not onely so but having excommunicated any he teacheth that subiects should not acknowledge nor obey their excommunicate Kings childrē their excommunicate Parents nor wives their excommunicate husbands and the like but with what peace of conscience shall a man break Gods word to doe according to this word of
the Popes Excommunication indeed changeth condition in the Excommunicate but not in this measure nor to this effect for then we must not doe as the scripture commands in obeying the King Honouring our parents and yeelding one to another due benevolence And truly of all the wicked Priests that ever were in the Church the Pope of Rome is the wickedest changing Gods Ordinance and the effects of Ecclesiasticall Discipline so that it is a wonder that he is suffred sure I am Gods Kings shall answer for it to God if they as Gods Ministers take not vengeance for God upon him for this Thus having answered this Objection also I will now conclude this Treatise with an exhortation to subjects An Exhortation to Subiests SEeing God reveiling his will by his Apostle declares himself to accept gratiously of the Kings and Princes already among the Gentiles as Kings and Princes already provided for the Church among the Gentiles and confirmed as ordeined by him And seeing Kings being so accepted of confirmed are to take example for their regall dignity and Government frō the approved of dignity and government of Gods Kings in the Church under the Lawe therefore it behoveth all men to yeild them due subjection obeying thē willingly as Gods Ministers in all things wherein wee finde Gods Kings under the Lawe obeyed with the Lords approbation As under the Lawe therefore Kings were over the Priests exercising Authority over them both in setting them to their due Offices if they neglected them and also in punishing them for evill doing 1. Chron. 2.26 so if Kings in the Christian Church doe likewise Christiā people ought to acknowledge that the King is by Gods ordinance thus to doe Againe if Christian Kings take care of doctrine also seeing to it that Bishops and Teachers teach according to Gods word or if they order the divine service according to the wil of God reveiled in his word and in a word if they see the Ordinance of God observed aswell in ecclesiasticall as civill affaires punishing also aswell the Cleargy as others offēding we ought to acknowledge that the King is by Gods ordinance such a Minister as hath right to use this Ministration in the Church of God within his owne dominions Let not men being led away of that Romish delusion by which Kings are debarred from exercising in the Church the dignity Office of Gods Kings in the Church under the Law disobey their Princes in their using their authority in these things seing in all these things the Scriptures witness that Gods Kings under the Law exercised their authority but rather let men with comfort of conscience acknowledge this Supreame dignity and office in Kings that so they be not found resisters of the Ordinance of God If any say should we not make conscience of things as our Teachers teach us then I answer That if you by evill Teachers be led to doe evill in disobeying the lawfull things done by your Kings it will not serve for defence of the evill to say your Teachers taught you so for by what meanes soever you doe evil the King is Gods Minister to punish you for evill doing You must beware therefore of false Teachers that you be not lead by them as their Disciples into errour Act. 20.30 And you haue a charge giuen you by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 15 that you be not moved by any from that which in Scripture is received from the Apostles Remember how the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.15 exhorts you saying Let none of you suffer as an evill doer But are you not evill doers if you deny your Kings such Dignity and Office as God by his word hath conferred upon them If therefore your King see to the Reforming of Religion according to the instruction of Gods word and see the word to be purely preached and the sacraments rightly administred unto you are not you evill doers and resisters of Gods Ordinance if you will not come to the word so administred nor partake of the Sacramēts rightly ordered What would you thinke of those in Iudah and Israell who when Hezekiah or Iosiah or Iehoshaphat restored pure religion by the instruction of the Lawe preserved in scripture or tooke away offensive things or ordered the Preists and Levites to their due ministratiō or the like would not then be obedient in such Reformation were they notevill doers think you were they not worthy to be punished by the King for evill doers As you therefore would not fall into the like error and danger so ought you to obey unto the Reformation of doctrine and of the Church confirmed by Gods Minister the King so long as by the word of God you cannot prove any thing taught or done to be against the reveiled will of God Think not to plead your conscience seeing that your conscience ought to admit of Information and there hath now long time of information passed wherein you ought to haue beene instructed by the Truth Neither thinke that the sword must of duty stay till the worde haue prevailed to convert you for the Minister of the sword must punish you for evill doing and is not bound save in shewing mercy for a tyme to stay his hand till you obey the word and convert from your errour One Minister cannot warrant you against an other the Priest against the King nor the King against the Priest because God hath subiected you to obey unto both of these therefore nothing but the true word of God its selfe will serve to be alleaged for your disobeying of eyther If therefore you neglect your selfe to reade or heare read unto you the worde of God in scripture by which Meanes also you might come to know it Or if you when your Bishop or Priest declares plainely the word of God out of the Scripture unto you you then will follow an other Priest who shewes you not plainly the word of God for that which hee teacheth you so following his word be it right or wrong not caring to know the worde of God then goe you a wrong course and as neglecters of the word of God are ready for that judgement 2 Thes 2.10 of being giuen up to a strong delusion that you should beleeve lies And truly a very strong delusion hath the Popes pretended Supreame Vicarship been leading thousands into errour and producing in some very pernicious effects But now seeing I haue showen you by the word of God that such Generall and Supreame Vicarship is contrary to the express teaching of the word of God in holy Scripture make conscience henceforth to hearken to the word of God and to be guided by it in your faith that so obeying the Truth you may be saved with the children of Truth * ⎠*