to refute the Errour of the Canonists and others who hold that Directum Dominium the direct and primarie power supream whether Civil or Ecclesiastical is in the Pope as Christs Vicar upon earth immediately from Christ derived unto him and from Him to all Kings whatsoever mediately by Dependence and Subordination The Jesuits are ashamed of this and therefore will have the Pope only to have Indirectum Imporium an Indirect Directive and Coercive power over all Kings and States in ordine ad Spiritualia as civil Power and Businesses are related to Religion and Salvation It is a curious subtle quirk and nicity of Scholastick Invention and a jugling Trick to bring all Kings Christian at Least Kingdoms and States into Subordination and Subjection to the transcendent and extravagant power of the Pope nor doth this Expression differ from the other in re in the matter or extent of the Power but in modo rei in the manner of the thing as they claim it And cometh fully home that the Pope by this indirect Right of his related to Religion by which any civil Act or Business whatsoever with his School Formalities he may qualifie with such an Ordination and Relation to Spirituals that directly by this indirect power he may King and Unking at his Pleasure Our Presbyterians if they run not fully in this way they are very near to it I wish we were so happy this time as that we had not to do with other Impugners of Sacred and Royal Authority but Jesuits and Canonists That which we have proposed to our selves in this short ensuing Treatise is to consider the main grounds by which the Jesuit and Puritan endeavour by no less spurious than specious Pretexts of Liberty of the People and Subject of the reforming of Religion purging it from Error preserving it in Purity to rob Kings of their Sacred and divine Right Prerogative making them Derivatives from the People in whom they will have all Supream Power originally and radically primarily seated So that if Kings fail in Performance of their Duty the People may supply it at least in some cases may do it of themselves Nay that Kings are accountable to them as to their Superiours censurable punishable and dethronable too By which the Copy-hold of a Crown is no better than Durante beneplacito plebis or communitatis during the good Will of the Community for by these mens Principles the People are made Judges and may find exigents which will warrant them to resume and to exercise this power Puritan and Jesuit in this not only consent and concur but like Herod and Pilate are reconciled to crucifie the Lords anointed A thousand pities it is that our Sectaries pretending such a Zeal against Popery and who no less maliciously than confidently rub upon sound Protestants the Aspersions of Popery and Malignancy do joyn with the worst of Papists in the worst at least most pernicious Doctrines of Papists But ten thousand times more pity it is that the true reformed and sound Protestant Religion should suffer by such miscreants that sound Protestants should be charged with these Heresies in after Ages We will be forced to disclaim them and say with St. Iohn They were amongst us but were not of us and they have gone out from us It is not warrantable to be so large in our charitable Defence of any as to prejudice the inviolable and sacred Truth of Almighty God Our work is to examine and discuss some new devised State-principles set on foot in this distempered Age which have robbed Church and State of Peace and Happiness which these Kingdoms of late and long Continuance have plentifully enjoyed under the Government of our blessed King and his Predecessors to the Envy of other neighbour Kingdoms and States These may all of them be reduced to five great ones 1. First that Royal Authority is originally and radically in the People from them by Consent derived to Kings immediately mediately only from God That the Collation or Donation of the Power is from the Community The Approbation only from God 2. The second that God is no more Author of Regal than of Aristocratical and Democratical Power of Supreme than of Subordinate and that Dominion which is usurped and not just while it remains Dominion and till it be legally again divested refers to God as to its Author and Donor as much as that which is hereditary 3. The third that Sovereignty and Power in a King is by Conveyance from the People by a Trust devolved upon him and that it is conditionate fiduciary and proportioned according as it pleaseth the Community to entrust more or less 4. The fourth that Royal Power in a King is not simply supreme but in some cases there is a co-ordinate Power or collateral nay that in some cases the King is subordinate to the Community 5. The fifth and last is that the King in some cases may be resisted and opposed by Violence Force and Arms at least in a defensive way These are the main Foundations upon which all those impious Courses are built and which have had such Influence upon disaffected and less knowing Subjects to raise and cherish these Distempers and Rebellions for which all sound-hearted and good Subjects mourn Yet to add the more Lustre to them there be couched under them or added to them a number of specious general Maxims apt to ensnare the popular Faction which we shall by Gods help clear and demonstrate to be Untruths and popular Sophisms as they offer in their own proper place The contrary of what they aâ—firm we hold to be sound Divinity agreeable to the Truth revealed in Scripture consonant to the Tenets and Practice of the ancient Christian Church and grounded upon sound Reason deducted out of nature and the best Institutions of Policy and Government That we may the more orderly proceed we sum up all into five Questions whereof the first is this Whether or not Sovereignty or the Royal Power of a King be independent from all Creatures solely and only dependent from God immediately from him and neither from the Community the diffusive collective representative or vertual Bodie of the People In which by Gods grace we will make it appear that the King is the derivative of the primative King who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The second is Whether or not God is no more Author of Royal Power than of Aristocratical or Democratical Of supreme than subordinate Of usurped and not just than of just Government and Regal In which it will appear that by Gods Institution Regal is graced and authorised above others that Aristocracy Democracy and Monarchy are not Species univocae regiminis sed analogicae not univocal Kinds and Species of Government but equivocal at best analogical are howsoever tolerable and not so perfect some way defective and that they degenerate from the true and most perfect Species of Government Monarchy in which is formalis completa gubernandi
School-terms in many places as namely de corrept grat c. 14. De Civit. Dei l. 4. c. 33. l. 5. c. 21. passim And to the very same purpose see Suarez lib. 3. contr Angl. Sect. err c. 2. although in his Application he erreth foully do teach us A thing may be said to be immediately from God three wayes 1. The first is when it is so solely from God as it is from no other and presupposeth no thing ordinary humane or created previous or antecedent before the obtaining of it Such was the Power Moses and Ioshua Saul and David had Such were the Apostles all of them were by God and Christ immediately instituted constituted designed to and invested with Power from above 2. The second way that any thing is said to be immediately from God is when the collation of the Power and investing of the Person in and with such Power is from God as the immediate Author and Donor although there be presupposed or interposed aliquod signum creatum some previous or antecedent Act humane or created The Power Apostolical in Matthias and appointing him to be an Apostle was immediately from Christ although some humane Acts did precede and were interposed before his Constitution as that the Apostles put two apart and did cast lots Neither of these two acts severally nor both joyntly had either vertually or formally in them that efficacy or efficiency to collate upon him the Apostolical Power and Preeminence A world of Instances may be made in this kind A man baptized by Baptism obtaineth Remission of Sins and the Grace of Regeneration yet none is so weak as to say that the immersion in or aspersion of Water effecteth or produceth these excellent Effects of Remission of Sins and Regeneration Lewis the twelfth King of Fraence authorized the Parliament of Paris when one of their number diâ—d or was removed to make choice of another in his place yet none will deny that the Authority and Power of a Judge and Senator is immediately collated upon the Person chosen by and from the King of France A King giveth to a well-deserving Servant the Favour to name any man fitted for Honour to be a Lord Baron or Earl after the Servant to whom the Trust is committed hath designed the Person or man he is made a Lord Baron or Earl Who is so stupid to aver that the Honour of a Lord Baron or Earl is from the Servant a fellow-subject immediately And who dare to deny the Honour is from the King the Fountain of all Honour This is easily discerned for when the act interposed and presupposed to the Production and working of such an Effect is such that of its own Nature it hath no natural Contingency with the effect produced but what it hath by some Resemblance or Constitution We must run to an higher and more eminent Cause of such a Work and Effect of which see more infra c. 13. where we prove that the interposing of an humane Act in the Constitution of a King as Election Succession or Conquest impedeth not the constitution and making of a King to be immediately from God 3. The third way is When titulo creato mediante a mans Right to any thing he hath power of by some ordinary humane Right or Title intervening by which he is invested with a just and full Right to that is collated upon him and the Approbation or Confirmation of this Right is immediately from God so that the possessour in possessing what he hath just Right recognosceth or acknowledgeth in the right of Propriety no Superiour but Almighty God Now to apply this for the first way we maintain not that Sovereignty is in a King immediately from God by extraordinary Revelation without any humane Act or Sign created intervening This was peculiar only to some few The second way we hold that all Kings really so are immediately from God for although some Signum creatum some humane and created act as Election Succession Conquest or what else in that kind is imaginable and possible interveneth to the Designation of the Person yet the real Constitution the Collation of Sovereignty and Royalty is immediately from God for the Act or Condition presupposed or interposed containeth not in it that power to collate Royal and Sovereign Power only by Gods appointment it is inseparably joyned with it or infallibly followeth after it so that it referreth to God as the proper donor and immediate Author As in Baptism if there be nothing repugnant in the Suscipient the baptized hath from God immediately Remission of Sins and Grace of Regenerrtion Or as in Sacred Orders the Designation of the person is from men and an humane Act but the Endowment with supernatural power to act do and exercise supernatural Acts is immediately from God and Christ Matthias his person was designed by the Apostles but Christ only made him truly and really an Apostle Just so in the Constitution of Kings Election Succession Conquest or what else is only Potestas designativa personae but the power of Royalty and Sovereignty is primarily formally and immediately from God That we may conceive things aright in this case we must distinguish three things 1. First The Sovereignty or Royal Power which is forma quaedam the specifick and formal Essence constitutive of a King 2. Next The Person of the King which is Subjectum the seat or that wherein this Sovereignty is inherent 3. Thirdly The Conjunction of the Sovereignty with the Person or the Application of Royal Power and Sovereignty to the Person The first that is Regal Power and Sovereignty is immediately from God and Christ. The second that is the individual Person taken absolutely in its specifick and individual Essence and Existence is from its natural Causes constituent But qua talis considered as a King and such a one that is as Supreme and Sovereign the Deputation or Designation of such an individual person for such a Power is by Election Succession Conquest or any other lawful way by which God in his Providence doth manifest it The third that is the joyning of the Authority to the Person is immediately from God and Christ. Election Succession or Conquest may be said in some Sense remotely and improperly to make or constitute a King although they are not the proper efficient and constituent cause of that Power To say in the third Sense that Sovereignty in the King is immediately from God by Approbation or Confirmation only it is too flat an Expression and doth not sort well with the magnifick Expressions of Holy Scripture as By me Kings reign Prov. 8. 15. The Powers that are are ordained of God Rom. 13. 2. I have said ye are Gods Psal. 82. 8. All Power is given from above John 19. God hath spoken it once twice have I heard it all Power belongeth unto the Lord Psal. 62. 11. According to this Opinion the Sense of those and other such places must be Kings have their
will read their Distinction in answering the very same Objection that Zacharias the Pope both in the Deposition of the one and Constitution of the other had a hand consensivè not authoritativè by â—a naked Assent not by authoritative interposing or Right in this Act. To shut up all this I refer you to one place by viewing of which you shall have explicitly three Iacobus Almayn Iohannes de Parisiis and Ockam all of them Doctors of Paris and breathing the same thing with the Patavin Doctor Marsilius Almayn hath it who writ for Ockam and in the words alledgeth Iohannes de Paris verbatim de Supr Pot. Eccles. Laic q. 2. c. 5. where with Ockam he grants that the Pope for Heresie may depose a King and the people for transgressing against the Commonwealth But that you may conceive all aright he saith Non licet Papae nec propter civile nec propter spirituale crimen deponere nisi de per accidens Et non pertinet ad Papam sententÃaliter deponere Imperatorem licet spectet sententialiter excommunicare finaliter per censuram Excommunicationis eos qui habent Authoritatem deponendi cogere ut illum deponant Et sic de per accidens deponit solummodo non directè The Sense is It is not proper nor lawful to a Pope to depose an Emperour either for any civil or spiritual Crime for Errors in Policy or Religion but only accidentally The Pope may sentence the Emperour with Excommunication but not with Deposition and so upon the bye may move the people or the multitude who have Authority over him to dethrone him And this is done by the Pope not properly but improperly not effectively but consecutively The like he subjoyns concerning the Emperours power over the Pope that if the Pope abuse the power he hath to the Disturbance and Hurt of the civil State the Emperour may forfeit his State confiscate his Goods and so indirectly make move and force those who have power above the Pope which in their Opinion is the whole Church or the Representative which is an oecumenical Council to depose the Pope and institute another To these I might add Gerson and others I refer you to Gerson's Considerations and amongst these that you will read the seventh I have insisted on this especially for two Reasons the one is that you may see these Tenets came not into the World with Luther and Calvin but were long before there was any Word of a Reformer Ioannes de Parisiis lived and taught at Paris in King Philip sirnamed Pulcher and Boniface the eighth's time about the year of our Lord 1296. Willielme Ockam an English born and Regius Professor in Paris who writ his Dialogue at the Request of King Philip and after his Death fled to the Emperour Lewis the fourth died as some think about 1320. Gerson Chancellor of the University of Paris lived in the time of the Council of Constance and died about 1420. And Almayn the first and chief Professor in Sorbon who took upon him the Defence of Willielme Ockam if you will believe Flaccius Illyricus wrote Anno 1512. a book against Cajetan for the Power of a Council above the Pope which was printed Coloniae 1514. All these were prior to Luther or Calvin Our Rabbies then have drawn these Doctrines out of their polluted Cisterns The other Reason is because some too charitably and to the prejudice of Verity interpret the Authors above cited and their Kinsmen If any man will take and hold them to the better Sense I will not be contentious though I profess I cannot see it yet will it appear otherwise that those are not the Tenets of the reformed Catholick Church but the Foppery of Popery See Thomas Aquinas 1. de regim princ c. 6. where he saith Si ad jus multitudinis pertineat sibi providere de rege non injustè ab eadem Rex institutus potest destitui si potestate regni tyrannicè abutatur in which Passage you have that people may make Kings unmake them in case of Tyranny This Book is suspected and for many just and pregnant Reasons not to be Thomas Aquinas's and therefore I refer you to the genuine Thomas 1 2. q. 90. art 3. q. 97. art 3. 22 ae q. 10. art 10. And if I be mistaken of his Sense blame one of his acutest Scholars who avers it Suarez l. 3. defens orth fid adv Sect. Angliae ca. 2. And long before Thomas Aquinà s Pope Zachary taught the French this Doctrine as you may read Avent l. 3. Annal. Boiariae Princeps saith he Populo cujus beneficio possidet obnoxius est Quaecunque n. habet potentiam honorem divitias gloriam dignit aâ—em à populo accipit plebi accepta referat necesse est Regem plebs constituit eundem destituere potest He practised this about the middle of the eighth Age and for ought I know is the first Divine or Pope of Rome either that said so or writ so Some charitably plead for him and shew how averse he was from giving his Consent that at first he writ to disswade them from wronging Childerick who had his Right from God and writ thus to wash his hands in Innocency I will not take pains to vindicate him I leave that Labour to the Popes parasites yet it is worth our noting that when Pipin and his Complices were about this Treason to rob Childerick of his Crown although all things were in him that might perswade to such a Course Childerick being but a weak King a silly man drowned and buried in ease and pleasures childless nor any near to him yet at this time notwithstanding of all those Circumstances the like whereof never I think occurred before so odious a Crime it was to depose and set a King by his Throne though alâ—o all France had almost conspired with him yet fearing that the whole Christian World would cry fie upon them for such an Impiety they had Recourse to the Pope that by a specious shew of his Holiness and the Authority of that holy Church this great Impiety and Treason might be countenanced and go current This President was made a leading case in after Ages both for popish and popular Usurpation to intrude nay to invade upon the Sacred Right of Sacred Kings Nay our Puritans have from hence learned to colour and lustre their ugly Treasons and Seditions with the Cloak of Religion and Righteousness With the intimating of another Opinion of some who make regal Power resident in the People and from thence derived to the King I will close this Chapter Some do hold that all Sovereign power is primarily and naturally in the universitate civium multitude from it derived to the King immediately and mediately from God Who intending the Good Peace and Safety of Mankind which cannot be obtained without preservation of Order hath commanded and by an inviolable Ordinance and Institution appointed all to submit and subject themselves to
the Laws of Society not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake not only whilst they enjoy Peace Plenty Justice and Protection by the Benefit of Governours but also whilst they do suffer under some Inconveniences or accidental Abuses The Reason of which Obligation they make to be this because we cannot enjoy nor reap the sweet Fruits of established Government unless by compact we submit our selves to some possible and accidental Inconveniences from which grounds they extract these Consequences and Consectanes 1. First That after a people have by Contract Compact or Covenant divested themselves of that Power which was primarily and natively in them they cannot without manifest violation and breach of inviolable divine Ordinance and without Breach of publick Faith resume that Authority which they have placed in a King that being united in one it may be enabled sufficiently to protect all and to exert and exercise all necessary acts of Government 2. The second is that it were high Sin to trench upon Sovereign Authority to rob it of its Essentials and native Constitutions 3. Thirdly this ordinance of God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not without just and urgent Reasons 1. First for if that the primary and native Power which is in all and every one were not united entirely and sovereignly in one it could not have Strength enough to protect all and every one and to do all Acts and parts of necessary Government 2. Next this Ordinance of God is necessary to prevent those fatal and too too ordinary Divisions which attend Multitudes or many endued with equal Power where almost every one upon real or fancied Injuries undertaketh to right himself The Authors of this Opinion add That although before positive Constitution this is not absolutely unjust yet Reason informeth us that it must be fit by some Condition and Agreement to part with this native Right entirely for a greater good which will ensue and to prevent greater Evils which without this cannot be avoided and to restrain our selves from being our own Judges 3. Thirdly that either to resume any part of this Power of which the people have totally divested themselves or to entrench usurp upon or limit it contrary to its Nature is not only to disable Sovereignty from Government and Protection but also to loosen â—he Sinews of all Society no less than of Government by receding from that Compact which subtle disconâ—ented and disaffected men for their own private ends perswade others they might have made more to their own Advantage I was sometime in Love with this Opinion nor do I much condemn it for it enableth Sovereign Authority of a King with an entire and sufficient Power it maketh the Person and Office of the King sacred and inviolable it determineth that it is Sacriledge to denude or divest the King of any part of sacred Royalty and that the attempt or practise of any in this kind is a bad president nay a warrant for the Violation of all Contracts howsoever just upon any pretence whatsoever advantagious it reserveth Kings to the Tribunal of God only it preventeth by the law of Nature the Appointment of God all Seditions and Treasons declaring vim civium in Regem semper injustam all Opposition by force resisting of Kings by Arms whither in a defensive or offensive way to be against God and unlawful How fair soever this Opinion be yet I dare not to aver it nor maintain it for I can never see where holy Scripture or reverend and pious Antiquity hath seated this Sovereignty in the multitude or universitate civium originally or radically tanquam in subjecto primo as in its first Subject Scripture and Fathers speak it clearly frequently that Sovereignty refers to God as to its immediate Author and Donor but that it is underivedly primarily and natively in the Community from thence transferred to the Prince Ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem Lucilianum not one syllable I wish from Scripture or Fathers they would make it appear that after the Peoples Constitution there is a supervenient accessory Ordinance to secure the Prince his Person and Function I leave this and come to prove by Scripture CHAP. II. That God is the immediate Author of Sovereignty in the King and that he is no Creature of the Peoples making WHen we say that Kings are constituted immediately by God and that Sovereignty is by immediate Donation and Collation from God and not from the People conceive us not to mean so grosly that this is by any special Ordinance sent from Heaven by the Ministry of Angels or Prophets The Observator if he conceive there is no other way but this whereby the Original of Royalty may be referred to God as the immediate Donor he will grant that there were but some few such as Moses Saul David c. But if he know not that some thing may immediately proceed from God and be his proper work without a Revelation or Manifestation extraordinary from Heaven he is as empty a Divine as I fear in the end he 'll prove a Politician I hope he will grant that howsoever the Designation of a person to Consecration for a sacred Function be by the Church and man yet the power of preaching administrating the Sacraments binding and loosing of Sins is immediately from Christ. To say this Power were derived from any other is not only unsound but blasphemous This Power in its nature is divine spiritual and supernatural and consequently cannot be but from such an efficient The designation of the Person to an holy Function is from man or men but the collation of the Power is immediately from God and Christ and yet this is not by any special Ordinance sent from Heaven by the Ministry of Angels and Prophets That the Apostles are of God and Christ's immediate Constitution none doth deny That Matthias was one Who will controvert That he was designed by men is clear Acts 1. Two were set apart the Decision was by Lots and yet I pray you was not Matthias an Apostle by immediate Constitution from Christ But where read you where find you any special Ordinance sent from Heaven by the Ministery of Angels or Prophets To come to Natural things If the Observator believe with the most part of Divines that the Soul of man is by Creation and Infusion not by propagation and traduction although Man and Nature begetteth the Body disposeth and prepareth it as a fit matter to be conjoyned with the Soul that the Father may well be said to have begotten the Son yet will he acknowledge that the Soul is immediately from God and believe it to be so without any special Ordinance sent from Heaven It were good for our Adversaries to consider that as the Schools see Iac. Almayn de Suprema potestate temporali quaest 2. c. 1. alibi See Gerson Ioannes Parisiensis and others and see St. Austin in re in effect saying the same although not in
or State who that hath read Scripture or by Experience hath remarked the Temper and Constitution of the Multitude can believe that Almighty God hath committed such a Trust to them Is there one of a thousand if you trust Iob or Solomon amongst them of understanding Was ever any act done by them but in a tumultuary way And is not their Reformation attended with Fury and Violence Impiety against God sacred Persons sacred Places sacred Things Have not these mis-called Reformations been acted prosecuted with open and crying Injustice not only against innocent but well deserving men Secondly I desire them to shew me in Scripture or in Ecclesiastical and authentick Story any popular Reformations of Church or State happy and successful what they alledge in this last Age are the Instances controverted and till they give instances extra propositum not questioned by their Favour they only beg the Question When God established both Policy and Church after the Deliverance of his People from the House of Bondage he would not do it but by Moses his Sovereign Viceroy King of Ieshurun Deut. 33. Ioshua did the like Ios. 24. The Judges raised by God as they delivered the people from their Slavery so they rectified what was amiss in Church and State What Desolations were there in Church and State in Saul's Reign Both State and Church in the Solemnity and Sincerity of the Worship in the days of David came to their Zenith to their highest Perfection aâ—d Beauty Read you I pray you of any doing in it but by David the King with the Advice and Direction of some Church-men Afterwards when it was corrupted who made the Reformation None but he who was King or Sovereign as Ioash 2 Chron. 24. Ezechias 2 Chron. 29 30 31. Iosias 2 Chron. 34. 35. Ezra Esd. To make Covenants against King or Sovereign pretending or intending if you will so the Reformation of Religion where read you it The first Covenant of a people formed into a politick Body is that you read Exod. 34. Had either the Community the collective or representative Body any other hand in it than to obey as Moses King of Ioshurun commanded Ioshua made another Iosh. 24. consider the place and see if either Tables or Parliament framed it urged it You have another 2 Chron. 15. but it is done and pressed by the royal Authority of Asa the King You have another 2 Chron. 34. but it is the Act of Iosiah the King The like you read of Esdra Esd. 10. If any object the Covenant of Iehojada in the Non-age of Ioash Let them be pleased to remember that this was the High Priests act not as High Priest but as Governour to the King By the same Power he did it by which he dethroned Athaliah armed the Subjects and enthroned Ioash Shew me one Covenant in the book of God which was made without the King except it be a Covenant with Hell and Death or as Iudas covenanted with the Iews to sell and betray his Master Or such a Covenant as the Prophet Hosea speaketh of Chap. 10. vers 3 4. For now they shall say we have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do unto us They have spoken words swearing falsely in making a Covenant thus Iudgment springeth up as Hemlock in the furrows of the field Lastly Reflect upon Popular acts invading Sovereignty and attempting Reformation and you will find them as sinful as little successful as Kings of Popular Election It is recorded in Exodus that Moses the Sovereign of the People of Israel being absent forty dayes in the Mountain with God the People notwithstanding that they had lately sworn a lawful Covenant forced Aaron to make them Gods a molten Calf and forsake the true and living God Exod 11. Here you have a glorious popular Reformation in Religion Take another Reformation in the State and see if it be better The People of Israel living under the happy Government of David by the suggestions of Absalom and his fellow-Traytors possessed a Prejudice of David and his Government that Justice was not done and the State might be better ordered assemble without Warrant of the King a Treason if any thing else if we look on Scripture to Absalom under pretence of a Vow shake off David and acknowledge themselves Subjects to Absalom the Traytor the Usurper 1 Sam. 15. The ten Tribes after the death of Solomon supplicate Reboboam for a Redress of their Grievances not answered to their mind rebel against Rehoboam To strengthen their Kingdom and Policy they set up a new Religion make new Priests of their own Their Religion is the same their Fathers attempted in the Wilderness Exod. 32. and this is the second glorious Reformation of Calvesworship what was the issue I pray you it pursued them to their utter extirpation What can be said oâ— that abominable act of the Iews who to save themselves condemned Christ Are not Communities subject to dangerous Inclinations from private Incitements Are not their Representatives subject to mis-leading Factions and ambitions of private ends They are too much transported with the love of a popular estate who can so over-rule their Understandings as to force themselves to think that Communities or their Representative bodies are not molested or transported with corrupt judgments and affections for private ends To conclude Seeing then to establish the People to be the last and best Remedy to rectifie all Errours in State in Church establisheth so many Absurdities and Paradoxes and hath no warrant by Scripture sound Reason or Experience we can neither believe it nor approve it for to aver and affirm that a Community diffusive collective or representative is a perfect Republick to preserve it self and to right what is amiss abstracting the notion of a Republick from the Sovereign Governour or Governours is a notion not imaginable nor ever used by any who ever wrote or spoke right in Policy It secureth the multitude from Errour both in matters concerning Church and State There is neither Precept nor Practice in Holy Writ to warrant that the multitude have such a superintendent Power above their Sovereign Nay Scripture commandeth us the contrary not to assume this Power or to resist the Higher Powers under no less pain than Damnation This Maxim resolves into infidelity that we trust not God can do it or will do it and into Impatience that we will not wait patiently till he do it Christian obedience and Sobriety teacheth us to reserve the rectifying of the Sovereign and his Errours in Government to God himself We must not serve God against his Will nor without an express Warrant for our doing so By doing as our new Statists warrant us we run into Rebellion and lose a good Conscience in dutiful obedience and humble submission and prejudice God of that glory he expects by our tryals We must not do evil that good may come of it nor upon pretences of good intentions and good effects
synecdochical and tropical Speech it is so usually spoken Nor is it unusual to the Spirit of God in Scripture to speak this way for it is said 1 Cor. 6. The Saints judge the World Now it is certain that the Judgment of the Saints is only by approving or consenting to Christs Judgment which is his only authoritativ◠properly and their act in that great Judgment at the last day is only to approve or consent rather to the righteous Judgment of their Lord yet Scripture standeth not to say The Saints shall judge the World To judge by Authority is only proper to God the Father by the Son to whom the Father hath given all Judgment and this leaveth no place no Power to the Saints to dissent The like holdeth in the Instance proposed That this is to be conceived so which is our sixth Argument to confirm that Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately from God is more than apparent that Almighty God in Scripture vindicateth to himsel◠all the Acts real and imaginable which are necessary for the making of Kings If the Iesuit make much of the Letter of the Text Deut. 17. where it 's said The Lord should chuse the King and the People set the King over them Let us consider how the Practice interprets the Letter of the Law it is an infallible Maxim with Jurists Praxis optimus Legis interpres Practice is the best Commentary of Law and it is no less a ruled case that the first president is a ruling case to all following in that kind Come then take the first Instance in Saul the first elected and constituted King by the Tenor of this Law In the practice the Phrase is varied and turned over the Election is given to the People the Constitution to God 1 Sam. 12. 13. Behold the King saith Samuel whom you have chosen and desired and behold the Lord hath set a King over you This Election of the People can be no other but their Admittance or Acceptance of the King whom God had chosen and constituted as the words Whom you have desired imply Scripture telleth us that Saul's Election and Constitution was 1 Sam. 9. 17. when God said to Samuel Behold the man whom I spake to thee of the same shall reign over my people and when Samuel took a Viol of Oyl powred it upon his head kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance 1. Sam. 10. 1. Where you have Samuel as Priest and Prophet anointing doing Reverence and Obeisance to him and ascribing to God that he did appoint him Supreme and Sovereign over his Inheritance The same again is totally given to God 1 Sam 12. 13. The Lord hath set a King over you The Expression and Phrase is the same with that you have of Christ and his Kingdom Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I am confident none will be so sacrilegiously impudent as to give to Church to man or Angel Creature or Creatures any share in any act of constituting Christ King over his Church and for his Church and in order to it over all the Kingdoms of the World By what is said of this first practice it is more than evident that God in that Law of making Kings Deut. 17. did vindicate as proper and peculiar to himself the Designation of the person of the King and the investing of him in royal Power and Sovereignty The People then were only to admit and accept of their King by God so designed and constituted and to yield all Reverence Obedience and maintenance necessary It was not arbitrary to them to admit or reject Saul so designed so constituted by God himself immediately reject him they could not Yet God in his wise prudent Dispensation of all things judged it expedient to complete and consummmate this Work by the Acceptation Consent and Approbation of the people Vt suaviori modo that by the smoother way he might thus encourage Saul to the undergoing of this hard Charge and make his People the more heartily without grumbling or scruple Reverence and obey him As by his Providence he doth all things powerfully so he disposeth of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the good of man in a sweet and mild way This Admittance possibly added something to the Solemnity of Saul's investing but nothing to the essential or real Constitution as the Intimation of a Law which in Laws I think hath more Interest than this Admittance here it hath no Influence upon a Law made by supreme Power yet it is useful it Puts the Subjects in mala fide makes them inexcusable if they contravene Or this Admittance was and is as the Imperialists say truly of the Popes Confirmation of the elected Emperour good ad pompam but not requisite ad necessitatem Or if you will speak with the Romanists that the confirmation is of the Pope once elected is ad solennitatem not ad necessitatem for the Solemnity not simply necessary Or to come more near and with more certainty and truth it is like the Coronation of an hereditary King which is only for solemnity not for Necessity for before that Ceremony and Solemnity his Title is as good as after it and any act of royal Power and Jurisdiction done before his Coronation is as valid as any done as after his Coronation Or if you will it is like the Enthronization of a Bishop or installing of a Canon o◠Prebend in a Cathedral Church Scripture maketh this Good plentifully elsewhere for it punctually ascribeth all Acts essentially constitutive of Kings immediately to God In one full word the making of a King is given to God 1 Kings 3. 7. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father The providing of a King is given to God 1 Sam. 16. 1. I have provided me a King The King in a proper and peculiar way is called Gods King Psal. 18. 50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King God exalteth them Psal. 89. 19. I have exalted one chosen out of the People Not the People but God findeth Kings out ibid. vers 20. I have found David my Servant Neither Priest nor Prophet nor People really anoin◠Kings God anointeth them ibid. vers 20. With mine holy Oyl have I anointed him That we conceive them not to have their Prerogative from Pope or People Priest or Prophet not they but God adopteth them ibid. vers 27. I will make him my first-born That he may cry unto him Thou art my Father my God vers 26. To shew their nearer and straiter Alliance they are taken in societatem nominis numinis potestatis into a communion of his Majesty his Name Power it is said Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods To shew their Generation their Procreation their Derivation there is a dixi to this too I have said ye are all of you the Children of the most High
if it be not blasphemous against God and the King to fix as in its first seat and receptacle an underived Majesty in the Community where there is not one of a thousand an intelligent and knowing man It is certainly high Treason against God and the King A world of Reasons to prove that Kings are independent from all and solely dependent from God may be brought from Scripture but because we intend brevity and haste to other things we point at some few to be considered and enlarged by the judicious Reader himself As first to whom can it be more proper to give the Rule over men than to him who is the onely King truly and properly of the whole World 2. Next God is the immediate Author of all Rule and Power that is amongst all his Creatures above or below why then should we seclude him from being the immediate Author of Government of Empire amongst men 3. Thirdly Man in the state of Innocency in his first Creation received Dominion and Empire over all the Creatures below Gen. 1. 28. Replenish the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth Again after the Fall Gen. 9. 2. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the Earth and upon every Fowl of the Air upon all that moveth upon the Earth and upon all the Fishes of the Sea into your hand are they delivered Can we be so stupid as to acknowledge the dominion over all the Creatures below is given to man immediately from God and to deny that the most noble and excellent Government by which man hath Power and Empire over men is not from God by his Institution and Constitution but by the Compact and Contract the Composition and Constitution of men 4. Fourthly To demonstrate their immediate derivation from God that their Power is immediately from him is more than apparent by this reason They who exercise the Judgment of God must needs have their Power to judge from God But so it is that Kings by themselves and their Deputies exercise the Judgments of God The Proposition is sure and is both confirmed and illustrated by considering how that Church-men are rightly said to have received their Ministerial Power from God and Christ because God by them reconciles the World to himself and saves mankind 2 Cor. 5. 17 18 19 20. 1 Tim. 4. 16. How is it imaginable that they can be said to judge in God's place and not receive the Power from God The assumption is as evident by express words of Scripture see Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6. Let no man stumble at this that Moses in the one place and Iosaphat in the other speak to subordinate Judges under them this weakeneth no wayes our Argument for it is a ruled Case in Law Quod quis faâ—cit per alium faciâ— per se all Judgments of inferiour Judges are in the Name Authority and by the Power of the Supreme and are but communicatively and derivatively from the Sovereign Power 5. Fifthly Not onely their Power is of God their Iudiciaria potestas but the very Execution of it They are the Ministers of God in the execution of their Charge and Power ergo their Charge and Power is immediately from God All the testimonies of Scripture wherein they are called Gods confirm the Antecedent and especially those where the Supreme Governour is called the Servant the Minister the Angel the Publick Servant of God Doth not this Argument hold in the Ministry Doctors and Preachers of the Church discharging their Charge are called the Ambassadours the Legates the Ministers of God and from hence we conclude necessarily that the Ministry is from God and Christ. The Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 13. 4 5 6. calleth the Supreme Magistrate thrice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pregnantly expresseth that the King in the execution of his Charge is doing Service to God vers 4. He is the Minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain Again He is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Again vers 6. For they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well rendred attending continually and is in its nature Active and so looketh to the execution of his Charge properly In the Book of Wisd. cap. 6. 5. The Author attributeth to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Kings and Rulers the Ministery onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There can be no Argument better to prove that both their Sovereign Power and execution of it is from God than that properly and primarily God Almighty is King and all Kings related to him are onely equivocally so for he is Rex regum Dominus dominantium 1 Tim. 6. 15. Revel 1. 5. 21. 27. 19 20. 17. 14. He is King of Kings and Lords of Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly so Kings upon Earth are only such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more in Resemblance than Reality and betwixt the one and the other the Kings of Heaven and Kings on Earth no more proportion than is betwixt Heaven and Earth a thing finite and infinite For this cause Scripture Mark 10. 41. speaketh no better of Kings and Princes on Earth than that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much truly men that have Empire and Rule as such that appear to be so from whence then shall we derive Sovereignty and Royalty but from that true Royalty and Sovereignty in God alone 6. Sixthly the Power and Grace by which they are inabled for so high a Charge and Employment is only from Almighty God then by necessary Consequence the Charge must be solely and only from him The Connexion is natural for in right Reason to whom can it be due to give a Charge of this Concernment properly but only to him who is able to give the Endowments and hability for that Charge Now that the Endowment is from God immediately the sacramental Ceremony of anointing sheweth it and that exactly they are called the Lords Anointed We need not use symbolical Arguments seeing the Schools allow them no convincing force the Holy Spirit hath given it to us in plain and natural Terms right down Of Otâ—niel the first Judge after Ioshua it is said Iudges 3. 10. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel The like you have spoken of Saul after that he was anointed and appointed King of Israel 1 Sam. 10. 11. and elsewhere The same is said of David 1 Sam. 17. Very knowing men in Divinity interpret the Passage Prov. 20. 12. The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them that the Facility to rule well and the Grace to obey
Rulers both of them are of God immediately by the hearing Ear understanding the actual Obedience of the Subject and by the seeing eye the actual Government and Empire of the Sovereign the interpretation is according to the analogy of sacred and divine Truth If any be contentious to hold it is not the native Sense of the Text we will not contest or contend unnecessarily seeing we have plain places to the same Purpose David professeth and acknowledgeth that the Subjection of his People to him was the immediate Work of God Psal. 144. 2. The like see 1 Sam. 10. 26. when Saul was constituted King some despised him but those whose hearts God had touched followed and reverenced him 7. Seventhly where Sovereign power is as in Kings there is Authority and Majesty a ray of divine Glory But this cannot be found in people they cannot be the subject of it whether you consider them joyntly or singly If you consider them singly it cannot be for this is not to be found in every individual and according to our Antimonarchical Sectaries all by native Right are equally equal born with a like Freedom If it be not in the People considered singly it cannot be derived from them being considered joyntly for all the Contribution in this compact and Contract which they fancie to be humane Composition and voluntary Constitution is only by a Surrender of the native Right every individual hath in himself from whence then can this Majesty and Authority be derived Again where the Obligation is amongst equals by Compact and Contract Violation of the Faith plighted in the Contract cannot in proper Terms be called Disobedience or Contempt of Authority it is no more but a receding from and Violation of that which was promised as it may be in States or Cantons confederate Nature Reason Conscience Scripture teach that Disobedience to sovereign Power is not only Violation of Truth Breach of Covenant but also high Disobedience and Contempt That this Authority is in Princes it is evident by sense by Experience by Scripture by the Confession of the Heathen The passage we did alledge before proveth this 1 Sam. 10. 26. To that Passage add that cap. 11. that when Saul hewed a Yoke of Oxen in pieces and intimated that whosoever came not forth after him so it should be done as to his Oxen such was the Authority that the Text saith The Fear of the Lord fell on the People and they came out with one Consent 1 Sam. 11. 7. This is well expressed by Iob cap. 12. vers 18. He looseth the Bond of Kings and girdeth their Loins with a Girdle By the first Expression He looseth the Bond of Kings Iob meaneth that when God is to cast off Kings and to throw their Honour in the dust He looseth their Authority and bringeth them and it in Contempt By the other Phrase and girdeth their Loyns with a Girdle Iob intimateth that when he is to preserve Kings and their Rights that he strengthneth them with Authority and maketh people reverence them That this is the meaning you may conceive it by what he saith v. 21. He poureth Contempt upon Princes and weakneth the Strength of the Mighty By this Authority and Majesty Solomon invested in Royalty dissipated Adonijah and all his treacherous Complices The Heathen have observed that in Princes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something divine above the reach of man which cannot be derived from them If we may believe prophane Story this Majesty was so eminent in Alexander the Great that it was a Terrour to his Enemies a Power strong enough to compose seditious Counsels and Attempts a powerful Load-stone to draw the Counsels of his most experienced Commanders to imbrace and obey his Counsels his Commands Some Stories write that this Majesty was resplendent upon great Exigents in the Eyes of Scipio What was that which kept Pharaoh from lifting up his hand against Moses who charged him so boldly with his Sins denounced and brought so terrible so great Plagues upon him What was 〈◊〉 I pray you but this Authority and Majesty resplendent in him which was a curb to the Tyranny of his Malice and Power When Moses did speak face to face with God in the Mount and when he came down that his Face shined so that the People could not behold it till it was covered with a Veil what else was it but this resolendent Glory of Majesty Exod. 34. What else was it that repressed the Fury of the People enraged against Gideon for destroying their Idol but this Majesty Iudg. 6. And as by Gods Ordinance we set that the Fear and Terrour of man is upon all the Creatures living below Gen. 9. So what else can this Fear and Reverence which is innate in the Hearts of all Subjects towards their Sovereigns be but the Ordinance unrepealable of God and the natural Effect of that Majesty in Princes with which they are endowed from above 8. Eighthly this seemeth or rather is an Argument unanswerable to prove sovereign Power to be independently and immediately from above That Sovereign Power is armed with Pâ—â—estus vitae necis Power of Life and Death which cannot flow or issue from man for no man hath it None can lay claim to it but the living God the Author of Life who killeth and giveth Life again That Sovereign Power hath this power is so certain as it cannot be denied Gen. 9. in the restoring of the World after the Flood 1. First God reiterates the Blessing of increasing and multiplying v. 1. The same which in his Bounty he bestowed on Adam and Evah Gen. 1. 28. 2. Next he establisheth mans Sovereignty over the Creatures here beneath v. 2 3. 3. Thirdly he establisheth the civil Government v. 5 6. where first he challengeth the Power to himself in one main thing explicitly in the punishing or shedding of mans Blood to Death but implicitly in all Government for the parts of Government being all homogeneous of one kind we must refer all to one Origine which is God The words are v. 5. Surely the Blood of your Lives will I require at the hand of every Beast will I require it and at the hand of man and at the hand of every mans Brother will I require the Life of man In which words clearly it is told the Right is Gods primarily properly thrice in the words God vindicates it I will require it I will require it I will require it Lest any should think that God is to do it immediately by his own hand and not otherwise v. 6. it is added Who so sheddeth mans Blood by man shall his Blood be shed again for in the Image of God made he man Here is the Institution of Sovereignty and here the Sovereign is invested as Gods Deputy to punish the Slayer of man by Death I hope none will conceive it so that any man whatsoever may do this and is invested with this Power This were a mighty disorder and Confusion
that their heart is in the hand of the Lord as a Boat in the Rivers of Waters how God sendeth them in their Expeditions their Wars maketh them in his day his appointed day to set their face against Ierusalem or otherwise casteth his hook in their nostrils to bring them back with shame To this Argument may be referred that when God is to bless a People he sendeth them good Kings the Sons of Nobles when he is to scourge them naughty Kings weak children c. The Testimonies of Scripture for all these are infinite many and obvious which we remit to the Reader 's memory or dilligent search 10. Tenthly Nor is to be passed by that the Sovereign immense Majesty of God is expressed by stiling and denominating him King and his Supreme glory is represented by sitting on a glorious Throne See Isaiah see Daniel and the Prophets Let us beware then that we make not God a Derivative too of the People and a Creature of mens making 11. Eleventhly In the Scripture we read that onely three kinds of men were anointed Kings Priests Prophets Let any give an instance of a fourth besides those three It is granted of all that Priests and Prophets have Sacred Charges and are Sacred Persoâ—s of God's immediate making and Constitution why then shall not Kings have the same Prerogative to be immediately from God Sacred in themselves Sacred in their Charge by Divine Ordinance and Appointment 12. Lastly To close up this first part of our Proof from Scripture it is a strong Reason to perswade Sovereignty Authority and Majesty to be from God immediately and independently from any others in what consideration soever that the irreverence disobedience contempt rebellion or any wrong whatsoever offered to their Persons to their Authority is wrong and contempt offered to God himself See 1 Sam. 8. This made David say Who can touch the Lords Anointed and be innocent This made the Apostle say Rom. 13. 2. Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist receive to themselves damnation The like Phrase to the first you have of the Sacred Ministry in the Apostles 1 Thess. 4. 8. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God When the People murmured against Moses and Aaron in the Law you have They murmure not against you but me The like you have in Samuel The result of all is That as the Sacred Ministry is by Collation immediately or independently from God although the designation of the Person may be by men and the Church so Kings may be personally designed and deputed to Royalty and Sovereignty by Election Succession Conquest or any other lawful possible way but their Sovereignty and Power is by Donation and Collation immediately and solely from God and refers to him as the only Donor and Author Again as the Person and Function of such as are lawfully invested with Sacred Power and in Sacred Orders is Inviolable and Sacred so are the Persons and Sovereignty of Kings Our order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise chargeth us now to produce our Proofs from Reverend Antiquity But I must beg leave of the Christian Reader to discover the weakness and wickedness of a new-devised trick of our Sectaries That the King is God's but not Christ's Vicegerent CHAP. V. All Christian Kings are dependent from Christ and may be called his Vice-gerents WHereas hitherto by express Scripture and by Arguments from thence by necessary consequence deduced we have proved That Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately dependent from God and dependent from no other Conceive it not so that hereby we seclude Christ and him considered not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personally as the Second Person in the Trinity but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Capacity as God-man the Saviour and Redeemer of the World Our Sectaries have found out a quirk or trick rather of late to hold and argue That Kings are Gods not Christ's Lieutenants upon Earth Their purpose is the same in substance with the Romanists although they differ in something for the Romanists and Puritans both of them erect in every Kingdom another Sovereign not onely besides the true Sovereign but also above In this they agree and are like Sampson's Foxes who have their Tails knit together and do carry this Fire-brand to consume Church and State In one other they differ extremely for the Romanist and Iesuit will have it to be the Pope the Puritan and Sectaries fix this Sovereignty in the Presbytery We believe with warrant of Scripture and sound Antiquity that all Crowns and Scepters Kings and States are dependent from Christ the Son of God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man the Saviour of the World and Head of the Church We intend not at this time to discuss that curious Question Whether or not by Hereditary Right Christ was born King of the Iews We are speaking at this time of Christs Kingdom as the Head of the Church in order to all the Kingdoms of the World The Kingdom we speak of is not what was due to him as the Son of David but as he was the Saviour and Redeemer of David and all the World The right to which he had by Hypostatical Vnion and his perfect Merit and plenteous Redemption Some very Learned men do hold that Christ was not entitled to this Kingdom till his Resurrection and that then he had Ius quaesitum as the Jurists speak There is not much danger to hold this or deny it but with reverence to their great Parts and humble submission to better Reasons I dissent from them and do think however it may be granted that then he came to exercise it fully and perfectly or if you will that a new Title and Right did accrue to him that what he had before by Hypostatical Vnion onely now he had it by another supervenient Right of Merit and so had it duplioi Titulo as Saint Bernard saith of him in another case yet for any thing I could yet see I am of the mind from the first instant and moment of his Incarnation as God-man the Head of his Church By the grace of Hypostatical Vnion he was King of Kings and Lord of Lords It cannot be denied that while he was in the form and state of a Servant in statu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the state of Humiliation as by the no less mysterious than admirable and wise Oeconomy of God the Glory of his Deity did not conspicuously and ordinarily shine thorow the veil of his Flesh no more did this Majesty and Glory of his Sovereignty and Kingdom shine forth to the Eyes of men God in his unsearchable Wisdom having appointed that the Kingdom of God should not come with observation and that the Iews might be rectified in their judgment who did not expect a spiritual King and Deliverer but a Messiah to reign temporally over them and by him to enjoy all external Plenty Peace and
Course who are invested with sacred power to determine Truth in Controversies and Mysteries of highest Concernment in Councels to establish Canons to prescribe a Form of Worship a Catechism to have the power of the Keys in all censures Ecclesiastical in sum in all things Ecclesiastical to have no less power no less a Voice not only deliberativè but decisivè than Priests or Ministers as they are pleased to call them these Lay Elders are debarred from nothing but only publick Preaching and Administration of the Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist it is expected if the independent Ministery another Head of this Hydra become the prevalent part they will justle the Presbyterian out of this and restore all the Laity who in their Divinity are no less the Lords anointed than Prince Priest or Prophet There is some hope I say that these Lay Elders a non ens in Scripture and never known to Antiquity will curb them that they shall not have way for such a vast Immunity finding already by sad and feeling Experience what a measure of Patience is required to bear their Insolency and what Prudence is necessary to disappoint their ambitious and pragmatical ends There is enough said to lay open the weakness and wickedness of this Antichristian tenet that Kings are God's but not Christ's Vicegerents They cry out much against the Pope to whom they do better service than they are aware of I pray God they were as real and true Enemies to Popery as moderate and Orthodox Protestants are whom the Pope feareth more than them and with just reason and seeing I have not much hope that what is said will work much upon them let me tell them that in their Tenet and Practice they are worse than the good Popes were and I dare say all to Gregory the Great hear it from his mouth and startle not at it he was a better Christian than any of your Sect or Sectaries thus he writeth Lib. 3. Epist. 61. to Maurice the Emperour Dominus meus fuisti quando adhuc Dominus omnium non eras Ecce pro me respondebit Christus dicens Ego te de notario countem excubitorum de comite Caesaerem de Caesare Imperatorem feci Sacerdotes meos manui tue commisi tu à servitio meo milites tuos substrahis Ego quidem jussioni vestrae subjectus legem vestram per divers as terrarum partes transmitti feci Et quia lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minimè concordat ecce per suggestionis meae paginam Serenissimis Dominis nuntiavi utrobique ergo quae debui exolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui pro Deo quod sensi minimè tacjii And in another Epistle written to Theodor. Epist. 64. He saith Valdè mihi durum videtur ut ab ejus servitio milites suos substrahat qui ei omnia tribuit dominari non solum militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit Maurice was no bad Emperour and Gregory certainly was a good Bishop yet Maurice had commanded that none serving in his Wars or any Officer whatsoever accountant unto him should be admitted either to Sacred Orders or a Religious Monastical Life without his special Warrant Reason may plead for the equity of this charge because by the Bounty and Beneficence of Christian Emperours men in sacred Orders and Religious Persons had admirable Priviledges which might make his Armies weak by flying to sacred Orders and Religious Life and exempt Accountants from doing what was due in civil Justice ex Indulto Imperatorum not ex jure Divino by the gratuite concession of Princes and no direct Warrant from God or his Word Whatever this was in it self which Maurice commanded Gregory to keep and to intimate to all his Suffragan Bishops and to be published in all Churches within the verge of his Jurisdiction certain it is in St. Gregory's judgment it was unlawful and sinful for he saith Lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minimè concordat and again Valdè durum mihi videtur yet what did he He made this Ordinance of the Emperour 's to be published throughout all his Churches here is Obedience and although it did belong properly and peculiarly to him as Bishop to admit any qualified by God Almighty to sacred Orders He submits to the restraining Ordinance of Sovereign Authority and I am confident did not transgress He pleadeth for no immunity to any sacred Person in sacred Orders nay he bringeth in Christ himself saying Sacerdotes meos manui tuae commisi I have committed to thy trust to thy power my Priests and in this case which is Spiritual enough and necessary enough for ought I can conceive at least that part of it of admitting of able men to sacred Orders he humbly obeys he pleads not that he was Christ's Vicegerent and Maurice only Goâ—'s he objects not Vzzia's attempt to sacrifice he â—onfesseth or rather bringeth in Christ speaking thus He calls him not onely His Lord but Dominus omnium the Lord of all without restraint he averreth that not onely he had by God Dominion over Souldiers but over all sacred Persons in sacred Functions Ei omnia tribuit dominari non solùm militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit He knew no remedy else but per suggestionis paginam by humble supplication submiss admonition to tell the Emperour it was not right he professed his obedience and that not by compulsion an extorted a coacted one Quod debui exolvi Imperaâ—ori obedientiam praebui as he was bound he obeyed and for his humble Remonstrance he speaketh no less rightly than modestly Et pro Deo quod sensi minimè tacui He knew no more lay upon him than in humility and submiss freedom with Reverence to tell and admonish what he thought fit The poor man knew not that as Christ's Vicegerent in Christ's Kingdom he was to oppose to supplicate petition and if there were not a recalling a repealing of the Imperial Edict that they might excite the People to covenant swear and at last to present a Petition upon the point of a Pike by right as he was Christ's Vicegerent This holy man knew not this Divinity it was never heard of in his age nor any since the World began it sprang not up till many Ages after that that malicious one did sow Popple among the good Wheat of Christ's Field for a thousand years after Christ the independent Sovereignty Ecclesiastical of the Pope was never known in the Christian Church The Presbyterian Sovereignty not â—till fifteen hundred and above were run out The Parochian Pope or independent Sovereign in every Parish Christ's Vicegerent except Almighty God right in mercy what is disjoynted in Church and State is like to put the Presbyterian and Pope out of doors I may add a world of Testimonies of the Fathers who expresly call Kings Christs Vicegerents upon Earth Athanasius in the Sermon of the Blessed Virgin explaining that of the Psalm Et regnabit in domo Iacob in
subsist nor act what is fitting and convenient to its Nature In this Subordination do we not see that from the lowest we ascend to a Superiour from one Superiour to another till at last we come to One Supream which receiveth nothing to better it from any Inferiour at all but only due Reverence and Obedience and notwithstanding hath a powerful and benign Influence upon all beneath it From whence I pray you is this but from the sacred and inviolable God of Nature The impartial may judge how much this pleadeth for the Excellency of Monarchy and how like it is to that Order God hath established in the Vniverse Look up to Heaven consider those blessed and happy Angels in the Heavens is there not there this established Order with this Subordination and probably is consummated at last in an excellent one supereminent to all For this I will not contentiously contend Order and Superiority with Inferiority I am confident no intelligent moderate Divine will deny How can it then be conceived that God hath left it to the simple Consent and Composition of man to make and establish a herauldry of Sub and Supra of one above another which neither Nature nor the Gospel doth warrant To leave it thus arbitrary that upon this presupposed Principle mankind may be without Government at all which Paradox cannot be maintained seeing without Order which naturally and intrinsecally includeth in it a Priority and Posteriority a Superiority and Inferiority a Sub and Supra neither Being nor happy Being can be preserved which Happiness is more requisite for man by that he is a rational Creature and more necessary for us here than for the intellectual Spirits of Angels in Heaven who have the Presence and Direction of Almighty God in whose Presence they stand and whose Commands they expect and perform Nor is it probable to my poor thinking that when God Almighty in the Government of all things under the Cope of Heaven I mean bodily hath made the Superiour to have by his established Ordinance a native inherent Superiority with a powerful and benign Influence upon its â—nferiour which is no ways derived from the Inferiour by Communication in what proportion it will and resumable upon such Exigents as the inferiour listeth hath left to the multitude the Community the Collective the representative or virtual Body to derive from it self and communicate Sovereignty whether in one or few or more in that measure and Proportion pleaseth them which they may resume at Pleasure at least in such exigent Cases which sometimes really may be but oftner are fancyed to be such because upon these Grounds presupposed Reverence and Obedience cannot but be uncertain and the Sovereign disabled from giving and Communicating that Influence which is necessary for the Preservation of all and every Inferiour I humbly entreat those who are contrary minded to consider seriously how Almighty God in the Creation of man before the Woman was made of him and for him and before he had any Child or Subject to govern fixed Authority and Power for Government in the person of Adam This to aver that Government was fixed in a Governour before he had over whom he was to bear rule is no Paradox in Philosophy if I pleased to insist philosophically to clear it nor a more strange thing to consider than when a Posthumus one born after the death of his Father by right inheriteth his Fathers Honour and Revenues Is it not very considerable that God did not make Evah of the Earth as he did Adam but made her of the man and declareth too made her for man It is more than probable then God in his Wisdom did not think it fit that he was able to do it I hope none dare to deny to make two independents and liked best of all Governments of Mankind The Sovereignty of one and that with that Extent that both Wife and Posterity should submit and subject themselves to him If Adam had not fallen Divines doubt not but Government had been Government without Subordination is not conceivable nor Subordination without the real Relations of Superiority and Inferiority It is not to be controverted if Adam had never fallen Aristocracy or Democracy or mixed Government had never been existent or apparent in the world What spece of Government had been then I pray you tell me it Et eris mihi magnus Apollo If then in statu instituto in the State of Innocency and Perfection God Almighty did establish Government and fix it in Adam before his wife was created or a subject born is it not by this evident that God judged it in his Wisdom better that neither Woman nor Posterity should be than that one should not be to rule all The Argument concludes à minori ad majus from the less to the more if it was necessary in the state of innocency to establish it thus by Gods own Decree how much more in statu pâ—ccati in our decayed and corrupted state by Sin And yet more to assure us that this Sovereignty was not personally fixed in Adam nor that it was lost by Adam's Fall or that the state of Sin requireth as more convenient for it another spece of Government by more than one after the Fall it is declared transmissible from Adam to the first-born Gen. 4. Sub te erit appetitus ejus dominaberis ei Let any man judge then whether or not with reason it can be said that this establishment of Sub and Supra Subject and Sovereign be the onely constitution of man And withal by the way let any indifferent man judge what may be said for Monarchy its excellency and conveniency above other species of Government of which anon Quest. 2. Yet for all this let none misconstrue me as though I condemn Aristocracy and Democracy as unlawful Governments I am certainly assured that when the Apostle said The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 2. and the emphasis the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is authoritativè as we told before he recalleth us to the first order and establishment of Almighty God mentioned in Scripture And by this we may be led on to consider how Monarchia fundatur in paterno jure how Monarchy is founded in paternal Sovereignty and the best way to find out jura Majestatis the Sovereign's Prerogative is to consider well what in Scripture what in Nature we find to be the true and natural right of a Father onely probably because of mans corruption and untowardness by reason of Sin it is like God hath allowed more to Sovereign Power to enable and secure it Again To enlarge our selves a little more to clear this Point seeing it is possible nay not onely possibly but actually it hath fallen out so that because of mens sins and by Gods Judgments following Sin a multitude may be divided from their natural Sovereign be dispersed by a War a Persecution or some other necessity imaginable and
yet meet in a strange Land or some Territory not inhabited this case presupposed I demand Whether or not this Populus inconditus would not condescend presently and necessarily to some Sovereign Power to govern and protect them who can deny it Again if all these were descended from one or sprung up from one root and their common Father were with them would Nature Equity and Humanity necessitate them to submit to him and that from him it should be hereditarily transmitted to his first-born and so forward who doubteth of this Well I change the case take them not onely as inconditus populus a disordered People which is conceivable where a Head is but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without one common Ruler that is when they are a farrago Naetionum and diversarum familiarum a confused mixture of more Nations more Families when they have not one common Father If they condescend that one shall have Sovereign Power over all and so by consent shall be surrogated in the place of the common Father and that this Sovereignty shall be transmitted to his eldest Son and so forth From whence is this Power Necessity forceth them to a Government without it they can have neither Society nor Safety nor Peace nor Happiness but all their part is onely to design or declare the man which is onely potestas designativa potestas deputativa but the Power is onely from Almighty God the potestas collativa the Authority the Sovereignty is of God from God God's The reason is evident the Substitute must have it by the same hand by the same means he had it in whose place he was substituted By what is said he cometh in the place of a common Father and the Father's right is immediately from God and of God I am ashamed to resume again that the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eminent Powers that be are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ordinances the authoritative Establishments of God no less than the Authority of a Father above his Son or of a Wife above her Husband is of God and from God immediately and do not refer to the Wife or Children as their immediate Donor and Author God hath spoken once twice have I heard it that Power belongeth to the Lord Psal. 62. 11. If you love to hear St. Chrysostom speak read his words in a proper place upon Rom. 13. where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sum and sense of all is this Because paritie in Honour and Power always worketh War and Contention God to prevent this Mischief hath ordained many kinds of Powers and as many kinds of Subjections as the man to have Power over his Wife a Father to have Power over the Son a King to rule and Subjects to obey And this is not only apparent amongst men but also in the very body of every man where some members are superiour to other in Worth and Power to command the Inferiour This established Order hath place amongst irrational Creatures as Bees and Cranes do follow one Flocks and Herds do the same In the Sea this is to be seen where many Fishes do follow one as King war with him against others and go following him to places far distant from home Anarchy the want of Order and Government is altogether and always evil the Mother and Cause of all Confusion and Mischief The Result of all is Government is necessary as for the Subsistence of all Creatures so especially for the good and comfortable Society of men This is not left arbitrary to men but is by the inviolable Ordinance of God established Now if it fall forth so that a multitude disordered dispersed by any unavoidable Necessity be without Government nature over-ruled by Gods inviolable Ordinance forceth them to submit and subject to some to govern them and to have Sovereignty over them whether they resolve upon one upon some few or many The Designation of the person or persons is from this disordered rout but it is God who investeth them with the Sovereign Power We clear it thus as Posito generationis fundamento when a Father begetteth a Child consequitur ex ordinatione divina institutione vel naturali vel morali subjectio filii ad patrem it is necessary by the inevitable Ordinance of Almighty God that the Son begotten be subject to the Father So it is by moral divine Institution that when any People have deputed and designed the Person or Persons of the Government or Governours the Collation and Donation of this Power and Sovereignty is from God effectivè effectually and from the Community but consecutivè because consequitur ad electionem populi ex divina ordinatione collatione it followeth and is inseparably conjoyned by God and his Appointment Take the like A woman marriageable in her own Power maketh choice of a man to be her Husband her Choice and Consent giveth not to him marital Power but this Right and Prerogative of the Husband is from Almighty God for who dare say that in the woman is primarily and radically marital Power Consider yet a little more the King elected to be a Sovereign to such a headless a disordered Multitude as we presuppose is surrogated in the place of a common Father to the whole Community over which he is to bear rule The Scripture expresseth him so Exod. 20. Command 5. Honora patrem Honour thy Father The Heathen conceived it so See Aristotel Ethic. lib. 8. c. 10. and Polit. lib. 1. c. 2. Homer Odys 1. from which two Consequents unavoidable are deduced 1. First as the natural Father suppose that Adam were living had he not just Title to the Monarchy of the World receiveth not any paternal Right Power or Authority from his Posterity or those are come of his Loyns but hath this from God and the ordinance of Nature which is jus divinum as we have said no more can the Father surrogated in the place and power of the natural Father he said to receive his Right his Power his Sovereignty from the Community 2. The second Consequent and Consequence is that according to the maxim of the Law Surrogatus gaudet privilegiis ejus cui surrogatur and Qu◠succedit in locum succedit in jus the Person surrogated hath all the Power the Priviledge the Person had Right to in whose place he is surrogated When a man hath no Son by Nature or Issue of his own a Son adopted is entituled to all the Right Power Revenue was transmissible to a Son begotten of his own Body A base born Son legitimated is invested with all the Right Title Honour Inheritance was due to a lawful begotten Son The reason is evident is pregnant both the one and the other the adopted Son and the base Son legitimated are surrogated into the place of the lawful and natural begotten Son Why then I pray you shall not should not the surrogated Father by Election enjoy the Priviledges and
grounded upon a good cause for proof see Bellarmin de translat Imper. and Suarez in his Book which we have often cited in this little Treatise It is easie to bring a great many more Arguments to destroy this erroneous Tenet pernicious to mankind it self onely because we are weary of it give me leave in the Close to shew you that it is morbus complicatus a Disease a Distemper made up of the confluence of many together and that it hath involved within or adherent to and coherent with it a great many Absurdities contrary to Truth in Sacred Scripture revealed to sound Reason and Policy I shall onely point at them and leave the enlarging of them to the judicious Reader 1. First it is absurd to say and maintain in true Philosophy that the Community is primum subjectum the first Seat and Subject in which Sovereignty is immediately fixed How can it be said so seeing in them it was never found never actuated never exercised Vana est potentia quae nunquam reducitur in actum 2. Next this Principle presupposeth the most excellent of Creatures Men to be like Cadmus off-spring de terrâ nati sprung out of the Earth Iuvenes aquilone creati or which is worse in origine like to the most imperfect of living Creatures Animalia de putredine orta Creatures coming from Corruption it self which Paradoxes how well they sute with the Excellency of humane Condition and which is more with the Goodness and Wisdom of God in the Creation of all and lastly how consonant to sacred Truth in Scripture revealed if these be well considered then I am hopeful our new Statists will forsake their Errour 3. Thirdly this Tenet of our Sectaries presupposeth that all men coming into the World are Iure or privilegio naturae by the Right and Priviledge of Nature originally born equal independent one from another without desparity or Difference one from another This is contradictory to the word of God that teacheth God did fix Government in Adam before the Woman was made or Children begotten by him Is not every one that cometh into the World begotten of a Father Is he not thus by the Law of God and Nature to submit and subject himself in Reverence and Obedience to his Father Is he not then so far from having original Power inherent in himself that he hath not his own Original being in the Capacity of Nature but from his Father How then can he be freed from Subjection to his Father And if his Father be subject to another is he not by the same Law subject to his Father's Superiour Who can make this Subordination void except he will ranverse the Ordinance of God and Nature Where then is the Truth of this deceiving Maxim which worketh so much mischief Quisque nascitur liber every man is born a free-man in the Forrest Are they not subordinate subject to their pre-existent Father and to his Superiour too if he have any Is not the Female Sex by the Ordinance of God and Nature inferiour and subordinate to the male Doth not Nature teach that the Wife by the Law of Nature is subject to the Husband If you will believe Aristotle in his Politicks he telleth you that a man of weak Understanding is subject to him who is more intelligent and prudent and if I forget not that he is naturâ servus 4. Fourthly this ground presupposeth Anarchy to be de facto pre-existent really and actually before Order and Government Christians must believe that as God created all things in numero pondere mensurâ in a compleat Perfection of all things every Creature having its own intrinsecal Weight and Worth not only in it's own due Proportion and measure but in a measure orderly disposed for it's Accord and Being with the Universe and must believe accordingly that he hath disposed of all things in that Order which establisheth an unrepealable Government by which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Universe and every spece and individual in the Universe is preserved and continued in it's happy natural Being Who then can be so stupid to think that God Almighty sends man in the World destitute of this Order and Government which is necessary for the happy Being of the Abridgment of the World for whom it was made in a secondary respect If the whole world without this Order could not but return to a confused Chaos and Mass and from thence to an Annihilation what other can be the Condition of Mankind without order established to preserve it See Chrysostom's Testimony upon Rom. 13. cited above If they will speak philosophically they must confess Habitus est naturâ prior privatione the Habit in nature is presupposed to be existent before the Privation How come we then from our new-state-Philosophers to hear that Anarchy was in Nature was in the world before Government 6. Fifthly by the same Ground by Consequence it will as necessarily follow that Ius paternum jus maritale the lawful Authority of a Father over his Children and a Husband over his Wife are derived from the Children and Wife and that Children and Wife in some cases may resume their Power derived from them and their native Liberty If any aver so he is Flagris dignus to be cudgelled not to be answered 6. Sixthly this Tenet if it be not blasphemous it is certainly sacrilegious for to say that Power is radically originally fundamentally inherent in the Community or as the observator saith that in the people is an underived Majesty robbeth God and Christ of his Glory Scripture declareth them to be the immediate Authors of all Sovereignty Glory and Majesty as we proved above Doth not Scripture express the immense Sovereignty of God and Christ over the World and Church by the Compellation of King If you will have Kings then to be the Derivatives of the People take heed you make not God and Christ the Derivatives of Derivatives which any pious mind will be loth to think 7. Seventhly when the King 's Right is made to be such that the same Sovereign Power is habitually retained in the People and the Power in some cases is resumable How can you make the King's Title complete Law is against it when the Donor is dans retinens as Jurists speak giving a right yet retaining it he maketh not over a full and entire Right nor can the Donee lay just claim to it It is a maxim without Exception among them Nulla obligatio consistere potest quae à voluntate promittentis statum accipit the Donor is not tyed to make his Bond and Gift good if at pleasure he may resume it as we spoke before 8. Lastly leaving many Absurdities more untouched in the last place we place it which in our Judgment moveth us most to abhor it that you which believe this Tenet must either give us new Bibles or find out new Commentaries to the Bible for what you say is right down opposite and contradictory to
operateth with his Ordinance and by his Influence supervenient of his Grace and Power effecteth that which Baptism in its nature abstractly cannot produce So as remission of sin and regeneration consequitur ad Baptismum followeth with and is conjoined with Baptism The School giveth us the way to discern it when it is so and that is whensoever Signum creatum the interposed act or previous disposition hath no natural contingency with the effect the work wrought must be produced by some supervenient extrinsecal more eminent agent which is God Schoolmen do confess that the Sacraments do not confer grace Vi naturali Physicâ inhaerente by their natural intrinsecal and inherent Power but Vi morali supernaturali superveniente extrinsecâ but by some extrinsecal supervenient Power The like you may observe in sacred Orders it is confessed amongst all understanding and sound Divines that by Admission into sacred Orders the admitted receiveth a supernatural Power in supernatural things for supernatural ends This is not done without the interposing of an humane Act the Imposition of the Bishops hands and yet it is most certain this is not done by the Bishops act it is the Power of God concurring and cooperating with his own Ordinance In moral things you may see the like a man marrying a woman becoming her head and Lord there precedeth this Power and Right a created humane Act the voluntary Consent of the Woman yet it cannot be said that her Consent endoweth or investeth the man with this marital Right it floweth from and followeth immediately the inviolable Ordinance of Almighty God and this tye is so strict so perpetual by the same Ordinance that it cannot be made void but by God himself No man can put asunder whom God hath joyned together This holds in the Constitutions of Kings Some humane act as Election Succession or Conquest is interposed but none of them hath any natural Contingency with Sovereignty and Majesty that by their intrinsecal Power they can collate it produce it work it or effect it The Collation must necessarily then be immediately from God and the same way as in sacred Orders This was the Sense of the ancient Church who ordinarily institute a Parallel betwixt Prince and Priest that as the Priest hath his sacred power spiritual immediately from God so the Prince hath his sacred Sovereign temporal power independently from any other and solely dependent from God Hear them speak it in their own words Hosius spoke so to Constantius the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Athanas. epist. ad Solit. vit agent The Sense is Hosius acknowledgeth that Kings and Emperours have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sovereignty and Royalty as independently as immediately from God as Bishops and Priests have the trust which is peculiar to them ex vi ordinis and averreth that it is no less Intrusion upon God surreptitiously to invade the Kings Right his Prerogative than for any not called to the Ministery to intrude upon the sacred Function and Charge of Bishop or Priest The Passage is excellent 1. Kings are Kings quà Kings reduplicativè immediately from God and by his Donation of Power 2. As Priests have a Power incommunicable to any besides so Kings have their Sovereignty incommunicable to Subjects or any else 3. That to rob or surreptitiously to steal from Kings their sacred Prerogative is sacrilegious Usurpation presumptuous Intrusion upon God himself no less if no more than for a Lay-man to intrude upon the holy Function and Charge of Bishop or Priest Neither Athanasius nor Hosius nor any Father else understood but that Princes had their Power as immediately from God as Church-men in sacred Orders To the Greek Fathers joyn the Latin Saint Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 4. cap. 33. saith Solus verus Deus dat regna terrena bonis malis c. neque hoc temere neque fortunâ Sed pro rerum ordine ac tempore occulto nobis notissimo sibi It is the only true God none else man nor Angel that giveth Kingdoms and that not only to good but to bad Kings And this is not done casually by hap-hazzard but in Wisdom conform to the Exigency of the time of men living in the time How it cometh that sometimes bad men are Kings sometimes good men it is of his Wisdom in a secret Dispensation most evidently known to himself hid to us but for all this always just I wish our Sectaries would hear and believe this Lecture of Saint Austin's certain I am the holy and learned Father knew they came not to their Crowns but by some interposed act of Election Succession Conquest c. notwithstanding he will have all their Sovereignty Majesty and Power solely from God Symmachus the Pope writing to Anastasius the Emperour speaketh thus Tu defer Deo in nobis nos deferemus Deo in te which words formally and explicitly imply that Royalty in Kings is to be reverenced and obeyed as in Gods immediate Vicegerents upon Earth as God is to be obeyed in Church-men his immediate Vicegerents in the work and supernatural Acts and Effects of the Gospel To this Patriarch add the Suffrage of another great one Cyril of Alexandria lib. 11. in Ioh. cap 13. where amongst other things to this purpose he saith Et homines quidam à Deo accipiunt ut aliis possint dominari Review again that excellent Passage of the Council of Paris lib. 2. cap. 5. Constat ergo quia non actum non voto neque brachio fortitudinis humanae sed virtute iâ—â— occulto judicio dispensationis divinae regimen confertur terrenum It is in the opinion of these Fathers in this Council assembled that no act humane whatsoever which is interposed in the Constitution of a King maketh him King but only virtus occultum judicium dispensationis divinae the Power the secret and incomprehensible Judgment of God in his unsearchable Dispensation Review the Passage 1 Sam. 12. v. 11. And the Lord sent Ierubbaal and Bedan and Iephtah and Samuel c. Here you see the sending of Iephtah to be Judge is no less given to God than the sending of Gideon and Samuel whose calling was by extraordinary Revelation Compare this Passage witâ— Iudges 11. There you will find that Iephtah came to be Judge by a Covenant made betwixt him and the Gileadites Here you have an interposed Act and a great one that seemeth to serve much for your purpose you have a Covenant a Compact Yet notwithstanding the Lord to shew this Act this Compact this Covenant contributed nothing to make him Judge the Lord himself in authorizing him as Judge vindicateth it no less to himself than when extraordinarily he authorized Gideon and Samuel 1. Sam. 12. v. 11. a place an Argument unanswerable which bringeth home two Conclusions the one that the Authority and Power is from God the other that whatsoever act intervening if it were a Covenant it contributeth nothing to Authority cannot weaken it
Jesuits all for ought I know do ascribe this to the Community The Sectaries do differ infinitely some warrant any one Subject any individual Person to make away a King in this case and that such a work is no less to be rewarded than when one killeth a ravenous Wolf Some will have it in the whole Community with the Jesuit Some will have it in the Collective Body but how not met together by the Warrant or Writ of Sovereign Authority but when necessity which is often fancied and imaginary of reforming State and Church calleth them together Some will have the Power in the Nobles and Peers of the Land Some in the three States assembled by the Kings Writ Some in the inferiour Judges In sum every one fancieth it to himself as he resolveth to Idol or serve corruptly the humour and state of the People where he liveth When these Classical Authors agree in one they will make us think their Tenets â—ounder and their courses more warrantable which I never hope to see because this Spirit of Discord God hath put as a Judgment upon all Masters of Errours I dispute not whether this Power be in the Community or in the Collective Body or in the Peers and Nobles or in the inferiour Judges or in the Parliament or where else you can imagine it for I know no where it is to punish or curb Sovereignty but in Almighty God Onely I demand of the Jesuit and Sectary that seeing wheresoever they put it they make it the last remedy the onely remedy to supply all Defect to redress all Wrongs to set aright whatever is dis-joynted in Church or State The Subject of this superintending Power must be secured from errour in Iudgment from errour in Practice and how happy are we now that in these late dayes we have a Pope in Temporalibus who is no less assisted and endowed with the gift and grace of Infallibility than the Pope of Rome determining ex Cathedra He is too much in love with a Community or with Nobles or with Parliaments or with inferiour Judges c. who thinketh or judgeth that they or any of them are secured from Errour in the reformation of State or Church But on the other side if the Multitude the Peers the Judges the Parliaments are liable to Errour and many times actually do err when they err in this glorious work of Reformation of Church and State doth not the perfect condition of a perfect Republick require that there be some authorized with a superintendent Power to rectifie their Errours and to punish their misdemeanours otherwise God hath left Church and State remediless they must name this Remedy and by all appearance this must be the Sovereign again and so Impius ambulat in circuitu If they will say that to eschew such a ridiculous regress and circle betwixt King and People and People and King and to shun Ne detur progressus in infinitum that if the Community or Parliament err the remedy is to be left to the Wisdom and Justice of God Why will not the Sectary acknowledge that it is as fit when the Sovereign transgresseth against the right Rules of Government that People and Subjects submit in Patience and wait till God send a Remedy either rectifying or removing the bad Governour Where ever you place this Superintending Power above a King I care not much for it is but an Idea by this same Power they who are authorized with it by God and Natures Right may call a King to account censure and punish him for any errour or misdemeanour whatsoever for any one act of injustice Why might not the People of Israel or Peers or Sanhedrim c. have convented David before them judged and punished him for his Adultery with Bathsheba and his murther of Vriah The Romanists and greatest part of Antimonarchical new Statists do acknowledge no case lawful but either in Heresie or in Apostasie or in Tyranny the first two the Romanists would have it to the Popes Power and at his Discretion the last of Tyranny all of them do qualifie thus Vt sit universalis manifesta cum obstinatione that it be in such Tyranny onely which is intended endeavoured attempted for the whole and total destruction of the Publick which cannot fall into the thoughts and attempts of any but a mad man What is recorded in story of Nero his wish in this kind may be rather judged the expression of a transported Passion than a fixed Resolution Next this case must be evident and clear as the Sun-shine at Noon-day Thirdly it must be joyned with such pervicacy and obstinacy that it is inseparable and invincible by any ordinary humble Remonstrance and Supplication to the contrary Although we give it that it were lawful in a case so qualified for the Community or any else to resume their Power and use it to remedy themselves and to rectifie what is amiss which we cannot grant we are very confident that all the Wit of the Opposites cannot make it appear that their case is such at this time Upon their grounds we see not how by sound reason not onely in such case as is expressed onely but also in every case of male-administration whatever it be they who have this pretended and fancied Power may not use and exercise this superintendent and transcendently extravagant Power I pray you if this Superintending Power in the People Peers or Parliament c. resumable in the exigent of great necessity be the onely means and last remedy allowed and so necessary that without it neither Church nor State can be preserved in their integrity how cometh it to pass that we have neither Precept nor Practice for it in Holy Writ Deus Natura non desunt in necessariis God and Nature are not deficient in things primely necessary Nothing can be conceived more necessary for State and Church than such a Remedy If then we cannot hit upon express and clear warrant by Precept or Practice in Scripture for a matter of so high and necessary concernment who can be so stupid in a Pythagorean way to believe this upon an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon your Rabbies bare assertion or trust it upon an Anabaptistical Enthusiasm There is nothing more certain than that there is not any thing in Scripture tending that way If it be our Adversaries are bound to produce it for affirmanti incumbit probatio He that affirms it to be so is bound to make his proof appear Next this tenet argues too great a confidence of our selves as if to be left to our own natural Providence were the onely sufficient competent and perfect means of Safety and Redress of Church and State We hereby presume upon our own strength that by our selves we are able to rectifie and preserve both Church and State It is Arrogancy too for hereby we are puffed up with an overweening conceit of our own Piety and Integrity as if our Judgment were so sound as that it
to follow upon such courses prove our selves to be proud Masters and forsake to be Gods humble Servants In all Deliverances God bestowed upon his own People in his wonderful Providence he effected them either by his own immediate hand or by some other hands not permitting or allowing to his People any share in the work foreseeing how we would make it if it had been otherwise a bad president for rebellious courses Popular Reformations are neither warrantable nor successful The multitude are most of all unfitted for preserving Church or State In Scripture we have no Reformations recorded but only such as have been acted by the authority of the Sovereign Many popular tumultuary courses we find attempted and effected by the People to the hurt and ruine of Church and Commonwealth Wherefore let every one and all of Subjects be subject to Superiour Powers in obedience to that is good and in Patience suffering what is evil waiting patiently till God in his appointed time send relief and deliver his Church and us from pressing and oppressing Evils CHAP. XVI Wherein is examined that Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto And the other That the People may be without a King but a King cannot be without People THis vulgar Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto was one of the Laws of the XII Tables It was made for a Democracy and hath in it a good and warrantable sense if it be rightly taken in its proper meaning But as it is abused and perverted by our Miso-monarchical Statists and Sectaries it hath been the Mother of much mischief The Sectaries who abuse it understand it so largely at least make the People conceive so that all Government and Superiority in Governours and Superiours is primely nay only for the Subjects and Inferiour's good This holds not for some Government and Governours are by God and Nature appointed for the mutual and inseparable good of the Governour and Governed of the Superiour and Inferiour as in maritali regimine in paterno as in the marital and fatherly Government Some Governments are primely principally and properly for the good of the Superiour and Governour as in herili dominio in the Government of a Lord and Servant where the good and benefit of the Servant is but secondary and consecutively intended it is not the principal end but the external and adventitious as the gain that cometh to a Physician by his Practice is not the proper internal and principal end of his Art Science and Practice but consequitur ad medicinam it followeth and attendeth his Skill and Practice What can our Adversaries say of a Title acquired to a Kingdom by lawful Conquest That such a Title is good and a King may be lawful King by Conquest meerly without the consent of the People is so evident in Scripture as it cannot be denied In this case the good and benefit of the Conquerour is the prime thing and principal The Conquerour may dispose of it at pleasure for his own good as Solomon did give Cabul to Hiram Moreover according to the Jesuit's and Puritan's grounds as a man may render himself totally under the Power of a Master without any conditions or limitations or bounds whatsoever why may not the Body of a People do the like to have Peace and Safety surrender themselves fully into the Power of a King May not a Lord of many great Mannors and Lands if the Laws of the Countrey do not forbid it admit no man to live and gain by living within his Territories and Countreys but upon condition of a full surrender of himself his Posterity and all belonging to him into his Lords power Doth not Tacitus tell us that anciently amongst the Germans every Head of the Family was Father King and Priest and that all the Tenants of his Territories had no more corn for meat no more number of Flocks no more for use of cloaths than it pleased their Lord to allow them Suam quisque familiam suo penates regis frumenti modum dominus aut pecoris aut vestis colono injungit servus hactenus patet May not a disorderly multitude without order and government or any subordination at all this is impossible but let us take it as probable because imaginable conceiving Safety and Good to themselves totally surrender themselves into the power of one to rule over them hereditarily Or may not a people in a formed and framed politick Body upon the Receit of a great Benefit as Deliverance by one from a mighty Oppression surrender themselves thus totally to their Deliverer and his Successors It is not improbable that the Israelites did offer some such Condition to Gideon and his Posterity for the great Deliverance they had from the Midianites by his Sword Iudges 8. Did not the Campani in this way if we may trust Livie subject themselves totally to the people of Rome Populum Campanum saith he in the words of their chief Heads Vrbemque Capuam agros delubra deûm divina humanaque omnia in vestram P. C. ditionem dedimus O noble Senators we surrender and give up unto your Dition and Power the people of Campania our City Capua our Lands the Temples of our Gods and what divine and humane things are ours By what is said it is more than apparent that this Salus populi suprema lex esto Let the Good and Safety of the People be the supreme Law is not an universal Dictate of Nature a paramont Law which is universally verified of all Government and Governours This Speech is as much abused when by these new Statists it is applied to Monarchy I most heartily grant that the Preservation of the Peace and Safety of Subjects and People is the prime end in the Constitution of all Government but it is not the sole and adaequate end The complete adaequate and perfect end of Government in Monarchy is Salus Regis Populi the Safety of King and People Notwithstanding the Safety and Good of the people may be called the prime and principal end in the Constitution of Monarchical Government because it is most agreeable with the joynt Interest of King and People It is a word exceeding well beseeming a King to say Salus Populi suprema lex esto let the Safety of the People be the Paramont Law There is no Doubt that the King ought to proportion all his Laws to this end this is just this is necessary this is honourable this is advantageous to the King who that is wise will not provide as much as he is able for the Good Safety Plenty and Peace of those in whose happiness is his Glory and in whose Destruction his own is involved And on the other hand it becometh Subjects well to say Salus Regis suprema lex esto and to proportion all their Obedience Endeavours and Actions for the Safety Honour Power Happiness and Glory of their King It is impossible the Subject can have Peace or Safety where the Sovereign and his
Observator and others gives unto this Maxim which how they cohere with what we have brought from Scripture and said by its warrant I humbly submit to the intelligent to the impartial Reader and come to consider the no less lame than extravagant consequences the Observator deduceth from this mis-understood and abused Maxim They be four which when we look upon them inwardly are such as never Saint of God nor sound Politician thought of before we shall follow him in his order The first Consequence that he knits with this Antecedent The Safety of the People is the Supreme Law is an Ergo The King is bound in duty to promote all and every one of his Subjects to all happiness Certainly there is more in the Conclusion than is vertually included in the Premisses for when Salus Populi the Safety of the People to which the King is tied to conclude omnis foelicitas populi all happiness of the People and with that large extent to all and every one may well be answered with a non sequitur that the Consequence is lame the reason is clear Salus populi may subsist without Foelicitas Populi Foelicitas dicit quid majus the Safety of the People may subsist without the Felicity of the People for Felicity of the People is the Safety of the People and somewhat more I demand of the Observator and his Complices who ever heard that either by the Law of God Nature or common Equity the King is bound to promote all and every of his Subjects to all Happiness God is not so rigorous a Task-master nor is the notion of the word protect either in it's native or used Sense to which the King is bound so large as to tye him to promote all and every Subject to all happiness It is not imaginable the tenderest-hearted Father or Mother can do this to their best beloved Child nor doth God or Nature require it Doth the Observator by such Consequences intend to make a Kings charge intolerable God injust to impose it a King unable to do it and resolves to condemn all Kings who do not so provide for the Happiness of all and every one of his Subjects in the highest measure Who will deny but every King is bound to level all his Actions Intentions and Endeavours for the Peace Plenty and Safety of his Subjects in common But to put this Burthen on the King which neither he nor his Fathers were able to bear is too hard a measure We may expect this from his Goodness and Bounty we cannot charge it upon him as necessary and incumbent to him of Duty Are not all and every one of Subjects by Duty and Oath tyed to Salus Regis to provide for his Safety Honour Wealth and Power Are not we sworn to it in the Oath of Allegiance to assist and defend all Priviledges Preeminences and Rights belonging to His Highness his Heirs and Successors or annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm If all have not taken this Oath all born in his Majesties Dominions are bound to it of all it may be actually exacted and the Statute 5. Eliz. cap. 1. ordains that all Barons Knights Citizens Burgesses elected for the Parliament who shall not take the Oath of Allegiance made 1. Eliz. at their Entry in the Parliament House shall have no Voice in Parliament but be construed as if they had never been elected and suffer such Pains and Penalties as if they had presumed to sit in Parliament without Election Return or Authority By this Oath mentioned in the Statute they are bound to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the Queens Highness her Heirs and lawful Successors and to their Power assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preeminences and Authorities belongging to the Queens Highness her Heirs and Successors or united and annexed to the imperial Crown of this Realm or likewise by their Oath 3. Iac. being bound to defend him and his lawful Successors to the uttermost of their Power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his Person Crown and Dignity by reason of any Sentence or Declaration flowing from the Pope or otherwise and to their best Endeavour to discover and make known to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors all Treasons and trayterous Conspiracies which they shall know or hear to be against him or any of them Here you see all Subjects and every one to the uttermost of their Power are bound to assist and defend the Kings Right and Prerogative and that none can enter the Houses of Parliament till actually they swear it will it therefore from hence follow that all and every one of his Majesties Subjects at least such as have entered the Houses of Parliament all and every one of them are for-sworn who have intended or attempted any thing besides or who intending or doing it hath not raised him to the highest degree and pitch of Honour Glory and Power In this case I am hopeful the Observator like Iudah will be more favourable to himself and his Patrons than he is in the other to his Sovereign Who before these new Statists that ever wrote the Charge of a King bound him to promote all and every one of his Subjects to all kind and highest Degree of political and temporal Happiness Is it in the Power of the most puissant Monarch upon Earth to advance all his Subjects capable and deserving men to the highest pitch of Happiness and Honour Parcius ista viris c. To shut up all that concerneth this first absurd Consequence drawn from this abused Maxim I intreat the Observator to remember that Almighty God did never judge it fit to entrust the People with their own Safety but in a subordinate way hath committed this Trust to his Anointed his Vicegerent upon Earth from whence issueth this Consequence that Salus Regis est salus populi The Safety of the King is the Safety of the People as Salus Animae is salus Corporis the Safety of the Soul is the Safety of the Body The Fathers judged it so see Iustin Martyr quaest resp ad Orthod q. 138. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This holy Father knew no other case of a Kingdom than that the King is the Soul and the Subjects the Body Let the Observator judge then where the Safety is most considerable and learn from Salust Animi imperio corporis servitio utimur or from Tacitus Nempe iis that is Imperatoribus dii Imperium dedere nobis obsequii gloria relicta est And the Heathen will learn him to acknowledge that the Honour and Safety of the King his Glory and entire Prerogative is the Transcendent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Politicks the paramont Law that giveth Law to all Laws concerning private men their Lives Estate and Honour and that all Subjects are to promote the Sovereign Right and Prerogative to the utmost of their Power as the publick Soul of the Kingdom and the Breath of their
If a Canker be in Hand or Foot before it Gangrene the whole Body we will condescend to the cutting of them off In this sense which we have explained Salus populi suprema lex esto is a Law that hath no Iniquity in it but hath a good just and equitable Sense Yet it is not to day onely or yesterday that this Maxim hath been abused to work much mischief This mis-understood Principle or Law put Christ to death The Scribes and Pharisees High-Priests and Sanhedrim avouched It was necessary that one should dye for the People the High-Priest spoke it not knowing how in a Prophetical sense it was necessary but meaning that Salus populi required it the whole Land and all of them were in danger And in this case with the influence of this Law it was enough to alledge their authority and unanimous coâ—sâ—nt They were not tied to proofs They had a Law of which they were Interpreters or if not they had a Legislative power by which for Salus Populi Christ must dye When Pilate found him innocent their answer was sufficient If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Salus populi or nothing else was the Law the Paramount Law the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Politicks to which Pilate's Power delegate from the Romans was subservient But what was the effect of this work wrought by this Paramount Law It wrought the utter extirpation of them and their Posterity The over-ruling voices of the High-Priests Scribes and Sanhedrim forced Pilate to crucifie the God of Glory against his heart his Conscience This was high Injustice in him he acknowledged Christ's Innocency and knew that for Envy they delivered him up Ioh. 19. 6. Matth. 27. 18. He knew besides that without his Authority he could not be condemned If we could or would seriously look upon this Example and make right Use of it it would deter us from making too much of such deceitful and deceiving Maxims which in the end will lead us to our total destruction and overthrow It was this Salus populi that made Saul to spare against Gods command Agag and the Amalekites It was this that seduced Zedekiah made his Lords over-rule and over-awe him and clap up Ieremiah in the Dungeon It is a great mistake in which a great and Learned man in this Age doth gather from the words of a King to his Nobles Behold he is in your power for what is the King that he can do any thing against you That the Kings of Iudah by some Power equal to them or above them might be counter-manded The expression is de facto not de jure intimating that the good King was so over-awed by his Lords that he could not protect the Lords Servant the Prophet Ieremiah although he knew he was bound to it and willing too When a good King is put in such a case the state of King and Kingdom are in greatest danger There is enough said to discover the grand Impostures of this abused Maxim Salus populi suprema lex esto for by what is said it appeareth 1. That it is not to be conceived in that large sense as if all Governours and Government were principally for the good of those are governed it holds not in Marital nor Despotical nor in Royal Government by Conquest 2. Next it taketh as granted in the sense of our Adversaries that the compleat and adequate end of Government is Salus populi which is an Errour for it is Salus Regis populi and Salus Regis hath the first place without which Salus populi cannot be It hath the Prerogative like to the first Table and Salus populi as the second To destroy the Prerogative and Royal Power is to bring ruine to our selves 3. Thirdly it is spoken in ordine ad alias Leges non ad Regem in order to other Laws not to prove the King the Extract of the People or that by them he is coerced But that in case of extreme necessity the King for his own and the Kingdoms Safety may break thorow all other Laws as he thinketh fit in his Discretion to preserve himself and Kingdom 4. Fourthly in the sense our Adversaries use it it cannot but disquiet King and Kingdom upon real or fancied Fears and Jealousies 5. Fifthly misapplied and misunderstood it hath been the Mother of much mischief 6. Lastly let every Subject and Christian within his Majesties Kingdoms consider and remember how he is bound by Nature and Grace to Salus Regis to maintain the Kings Right Priviledges and Prerogatives besides that all of any Quality and the better sort have taken an Oath to maintain it With which how any can dispense I profess I see not I know not We need not spend much time or pains in taking off that other abused Principle A King cannot be withâ—ut the People but the People may be without a King with its Consequence Ergo the People are more excellent than the King for what is already said taketh away the strength of this Argument and Consequence for if they will resolve their Antecedent thus or frame their Argument thus The People may be without a Governour or Government Ergo c. The Antecedent is most false and so can bring home no Conclusion at all We have proved already better not to be at all than to be without Government and for this cause God fixed Government in one and appointed a Governour before ever there were People in the World to be governed Cicero doth tell us this lib. 3. de Legibus Nihil porro tam aptum est ad Ius conditionemque Naturae quam Imperium sine quo nec domus ulla nec civitas nec geâ—s nec hominum universum genus stare nec rerum natura omnis nec ipse mundus potest I know what the Sectary and Jesuit will rejoyn the People may be under Aristocracie or Democracie in a happy condition Ergo without Monarchy or a King I do not blame Aristocracie or Democracie as unlawful Governments God sorbid for then all their acts of lawful Government could not chuse but be sinful but that they are univocal species of Government with Monarchy I can never be induced to believe as by Gods Grace we will demonstrate it Quaest. 2. Governments they are but defective If man had never fallen into Sin Aristocracie had never been known nor Democracie seen in the World nor were they at first It was the corruption of Monarchy produced them into the world Monarchy by God in Scripture is much countenanced magnified of Aristocracie or Democracie you have not one Word in Holy Writ to commend them That a People under Aristocracie or Democracie may have some tolerable subsistence I deny it not but that they can be in an happy condition I doubt of it especially for the Church whose condition can never be happy under any Government but Monarchy for proof I appeal to all by-gone Ages in the Christian
and Mary than of Christ and that they out of their Fear and Weakness not able to do better did flee Herod and his malicious intent If any think so let him consider that he hath not learned as yet that all Christ's Actions and Passions are full of Mysteries and nothing acted or suffered by him in which there was not an over-ruling wonderful Providence of God in Mercy and Wisdom and withal let him consider that all his Acts and Sufferings are our Instructions But leaving this Did he not in his Ministry teach and practise it Teach it when he commanded to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars when he convinced the Iews who would gladly have shaken off Caesar and his Right arguing that they were by God's Law bound to pay Caesar Tribute because he was their King and this he proved by their Coin which with all sound knowing Politicians is inter jura Majestatis which was printed with Caesar's Face and Superscription Again in his Death Did not our Saviour Christ acknowledge Pilate's Power that is the Roman of which he was Deputy to be from above Did he not rebuke Peter who with his Sword would have in a Defensive way saved him from those bloudy Persecutors Did he not tell him He that killeth by the Sword shall perish by the Sword that is Peter although thou think thou hast a good cause that thou wilt defend me and by resisting open force preserve me thy Master thy Saviour deceive not thy self it is not lawful by Arms in the best Cause for my Cause for my Life to resist Lawful Authority if thou kill in my Defence thou art worthy to suffer Death by the Sword by him that beareth the Sword not in vain When Peter over-reached himself in this distempered zeal cut off Malchus his Ear Christ before that Offence should have been done by any of his in his company for his Cause will be at the pains to cure this wound miraculously Would God Pope and Papeling Jesuit and Sectary Puritan and Presbyterian would fix their hearts upon these Practices of Christ by a singular Wisdom of God so clearly and fully recorded practised in Christ's Nativity Childhood practised and taught in his Ministry practised and taught when he was a dying when he was looking Death in the face at which time the most sinful man will neither dissemble nor temporize I doubt much if in any act of Christ during his coming into the World and his going home again to his Father you can instance any to parallel this to exceed it sure I am you cannot And what I pray you can the Pope challenge more than to be Minister Evangelii a Minister of the Gospel as our Lord was Circumcisionis of the Circumcision He shall never be accounted with me the true Vicar of Christ who teacheth contrary to Christ and practiseth contrary to his Practices Me thinketh he looketh more like and hath nearer alliance with the man mentioned 2 Thes. 2. Who exalteth himself above every thing is called God It is very considerable likewise that in the Apostolical Creed which is so full so brief and nothing in it but what is necessary to be believed to Salvation that I say in this short Creed Pontius Pilate whose memory is accursed by the Spirit of God which ruled his Church in setting this down is recorded It is not for his Honour certainly but for our good and edification that there it is said Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate that we may learn if we expect Salvation by Faith in Christ we must submit to Authority by obedience to what they command if it be lawful and submitting humbly and suffering if Authority urge that which is unlawful and against God And that this we are bound to although the Magistrate be as opposite to Christianity as a Heathen and the Cause for which we suffer be for Christ and his Church We will never help Christ nor his Church by Arms against Authority or Religion by Rebellion If our Sectaries give us a new Creed it will concern them near with the expunging of Christs descent to Hell and the Communion of Saints to raze out this He suffered under Pontius Pilate If their Practices be so contradictory to Christ's they cannot but consequutivè by consequence be destructory of the Christian Faith where the Reward of those are to be expected you know too well It were better for you not only to expunge Christ's Descent into Hell but to annihilate Hell it self which by a close Committee you may resolve upon if your omnipotent power can be able to do it I mean your fansied coordinate power which you have of late erected against Sovereignty fixed in the Lord 's Anointed as in the Church you have erected Altar against Altar God open your Eyes to see your monstrous Sins and Errours and to give to you and to us all true Repentance that the fearful vengeance of God overtake us not and in the World to come be forced by sensible eternal and horrible pains to acknowledge the Truths which now we reject although plainly in Scripture declared in the most Authentick Apostolical Creed determined and by the current and not interrupted suffrage of the Fathers above seven hundred years believed Lord have mercy upon us and turn his Wrath and fearful Indignation from us I dare not to express what I fear when I look upon these outrages committed against Sacred Truth How God and his Word are abused His Sanctuary defiled His Ordinances repealed Mischief framed by the Law Sacred Persons violated and the Lords Anointed fearfully rebelled against My resolution is to dissolve unto Tears and Prayers and with my Master say daily say hourly Lord forgive them for they know not what they do The weakness of this Assertion that Kings are not Christ's Vicegerents we have as we hope sufficiently proved It is high time now to discover the wickedness of it The purpose they have by this and the like Assertions is to reserve the managing of all Religious Affairs in their largest latitude to themselves vindicating it as peculiar and proper quarto modo to their Conventicles Presbyteries and Assemblies This Sovereignty they make so Sovereign and Independent that all Kings and Sovereigns whatsoever must submit to it This Sovereignty Ecclesiastical may restrain and constrain the King at pleasure It may repeal his Laws correct his Statutes reverse his Judgments It may establish its own urge Obedience Cite Convent and Censure in case of Disobedience And if they be not of Power to execute what they decree they may call for or command the help and assistance of the People in whom is that underived Majesty and to this purpose may promise covenant swear to stand to the maintenance of their Fancies against all whatsoever and to defend each another contra omnes mortales with their Goods Lands Fortunes Honours Lives to admit no divisive motion which is real and to be such if the Authority of this Church declare it
such whatsoever to suppress whatsoever is contrary to the good intended in this Covenant and association if it be in their power so that this Sovereign maketh every man armatum magistratum to be armed with Power and the way left to himself for ought we know it may be Ravilliac's way or Guido Faux's way Surely here is a Despotical Sovereignty and more than ever was challenged by any the Turk or King of Spain without Europe This is to tyrannize over mens Souls for no man must be suffered to live or enjoy any Freedom or Life there who dissenteth in the least point of their voluminous Greed from them and if he assist not with his Monies his Arms his Hands to the loss of his Life for his Religion he is either Prelatical or Papistical and for his affection to the States a word incompatible with Monarchy and of highest Treason he is at best a Malignant At pleasure of this Sovereignty every man must give the Quota this Sovereignty prescribeth the Twentieth the Tenth the Fifth part c. must give loan of what moneys they have by them or upon Bank for the good Cause upon security of the Publick Faith a non ens which is like if God prevent it not to ruine the Reformed Orthodox Catholick Faith and moral Faith and Truth amongst men or what other they specifie and ordain What a vast Sovereignty is this the extent of it is immense for nothing shall be without the Sphere of this Power which hath no motion but eccentrick no Person without the verge of this Scepter And good reason for all this for this is God and Christ's Institution this Sovereignty is the indâ—vidual companion of the Gospel the holy discipline the discipline of Christ half the Kingdom of Christ the undoubâ—ed Note of the Church the eternal Counsel of God it is 〈◊〉 Scepter of the Son of God You see the Effect of it whâ—aâ— happy what a glorious Reformation it hath brought with it the like was never seen since the Apostles dayes this Reformation will pull down Antichrist from his Throne the hearing of the beginning of it how it enlarges it self now to be sworn too in England will make the Pope of Rome and his Cardinals knees smite one against another Quid verba audiam cum facta non videam Judge of the Tree by its Fruits as our Master hath taught us and we will find all their good words are as Jurists say Protestatio contraria facto solemn Protestations liberal Promises you know whose custom this is but slack Performances Would to God that had been allâ— no a world of mischiefs have followed upon it and it is to be feared that what is past is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginnings of troubles The most glorious Church amongst the Reformed the staff and strength of Reformed Religion is broken in shivers where all things are lawful except to serve God and all Sects all Schisms allowed except the Orthodox Truth and Ordinances of God This Reformation is written in Letters of Bloud acted with the greatest Cruelty against not onely Innocent but Deserving men with Calumnies Rapine Robbery Cruelty that Father Mother and young ones if they have not been starved with hunger and cold have been exposed to extreamest indigency contempt and mockery I dare to say no Persecution that ever was can parallel this Persecution for Impiety Injustice and Cruelty What heart bleedeth not to see these Kingdoms happy before to the Envy of other Kingdoms and States to be the mocking-stock of the World that the Canaanite and Perizzite rejoyceth to look upon our Misery to see the Desolation standing in the Holy place and those Kingdoms of late the desire of all the Earth turned into an Akeldama and no other fruit of this glorious Reformation but to kill Christians for Christ's sake and to plunder for Religions sake Lord forgive them for Christ's sake and remove our Sins and those fearful Judgments and I beg pardon of the Reader for this Digression or Regret which I have poured out with a sad heart and wish them no worse than speedy Repentance For all we have said of this Antichristian Sovereignty whereby the Puritan and Factious would exalt the Presbytery and Representative Body above all that is called God Let no man imagine that we ran to the other Extreme to privilege a King from the direction and just Power of the Church or that we would encourage him or set him on like Vzziah to intrude upon Sacred actions proper to Ecclesiastical Persons Ex vi ordinis In direction by the Word administration of the Sacraments binding and loosing in interiori foro conscientiae or in exteriori by the Spiritual Censures annexed to the Keys Sure I am no pious or knowing King as blessed be God our Sovereign is will by right of his Crown which he holdeth immediately of Christ usurp upon this but on the contrary as a Son of the Church will submit to the Church his Mother or rather Christ in Church-men reconciling him to God Elsewhere by Gods Grace if God give us Life and Leisure in a several Treatise by it self we intend to lay open this point In sum briefly we say that men in Sacred Orders In rebus purè spiritualibus in things meerly and intrinsecally of themselves Spiritual have from Christ immediately a directive and authoritative Power in order to all whatsoever although ministerial onely as related to Christ But this giveth them no Coercive Civil Power over a Prince either per se or per accidens either primarie or secundarie either principaliter or consecutive directâ— or indirectè simple or absolute that either the one way or the other directly or indirectly absolutely or respectively by it self or in ordine ad spiritualia any or many in sacred orders Pope or Presbytery can convent cite censure in case of Defailance Supply and in case of not obeying what God in Scripture hath commanded to covenant associate swear and take Sacrament upon it to resist him oppose him and force him to submit to the Scepter of Christ. This Power over man God Almighty useth not much less hath he given it to man Psal. 110. His People are a willing People Suadenda non cogenda religio nihil minùs Religionis quà m Religionem cogere Nor doth that spiritual Power which entirely we give to Bishops Priests and Deacons rob the King as he is the nursing Father of the Church of the power Christ hath endowed him with as a Christian King in externa gubernatione Ecclesiae We must not look on Kings as on others of the Flock of Christ although we may neither preach nor administer the Sacraments nor bind nor loose nor give sacred Orders nor excommunicate these are things only proper to Priests Primi secundi ordinis of the first and second Order and Degree Yet the exercise of these things freely within his Kingdom what concerneth the decent and orderly doing of all and what concerns
cannot repeal it By Scripture then and Antiquity it is clear that the interposed act humane whatsoever it be whether Election Succession Conquest or any other lawful way doth not collate the Power but design or declare the person and letteth not the Power to be of immediate Collation from Almighty God as when the Church designeth or declareth a man for a sacred Function it is God only who bestoweth the supernatural Power Faculty and Ability Or it is in some case like to that when our King sendeth the honourable Order of the Garter to a Duke or Prince abroad by the hand of a Gentleman the Gentleman intimateth it to the person honoured but the bestowing or collating of the honour is from the power of the King the sole and proper Fountain of that Honour Let this suffice to remove their first scruple we come next to examine that which both Jesuit and Puritan make much of that is A private and individual Person may make away his own native and proper Liberty and enslave himself to a Lord and Master from hence they conclude Ergo a Community or Multitude may surrender their own native Liberty to one or more to rule over them See Bellarmine pressing this Argument lib. de Laicis cap. 6. and Suarez lib. 3. defens Doctr. Orthod cont Sect. Anglic. If we would grant all this yet this much we will gain that as a singular Person when he hath made away his Liberty to another he cannot resume it no although he hath made his bargain in a hard condition disadvantageous to himself then although we give that their consequence is good which we will never grant it will by as necessary consequence follow that when the People have devested themselves of that Power naturally inherent in them and invested one or more with it they cannot resume it no not though they have made it to their own disadvantage It may be they will tell us Argumentum à simili in dissimili non concludit that an Argument built upon a Similitude concludeth not in the point of Dissimilitude We will yield to them this with both our hands and upon the same ground we rejoyn that there is a wide disparity and difference betwixt the two 1. First because it is certain Nemo nascitur naturâ servus None by Nature cometh in the World in the condition of a Slave Nature in this is equally Indulgent to all But on the other side it is as true Nemo nascitur liber ab Imperio No man is born in that condition to be free from Government but with his natural Being cometh into the World subject to some Every man is born subject to his Father of whom immediately he hath his Existence in Nature and if his Father be the subject of another he is born a Subject to his Father's Superiour 2. Next there is another great difference Every man by Nature hath an immunity and liberty from despotical and herile Empire and in this may say Possum facere de meo quod volo I have this privilege by the Law of God and Nature that I am enslaved to none and consequently without his own voluntary act making away this native and natural liberty he cannot be devested of it and in his bargain and covenant may more and less enslave himself but on the other side God and Nature have laid a necessity upon all men coming into the World subesse imperio to be subject to Government Again because this Government this Empire this Sovereignty cannot protect us sufficiently to make us enjoy the sweet fruits of happy Government Peace Righteousness Plenty Godliness and Honesty except it be entirely endowed with Sovereign Power to act its Duties preserve it self protect us Almighty God as he investeth the Sovereign with entire Sovereignty so hath he set the bounds of it defined it otherwise such is the corruption and natural repugnancy of every one to it that forthwith it should be rent in pieces It is accidental to any to render himself a Slave it is occasioned either by Force as when one is taken by an Enemy he is Mancipium Servus or otherwise some extreme necessity and indigency forceth one to enslave himself to sell his Liberty to redeem him from Debt Death or any ignominious and intolerable condition to state himself in a more tolerable one In brief it is some supervenient necessity that forceth man to make away his native and natural Liberty à servitute but subesse imperio to submit and subject to lawful Government congruous to the condition of man and necessary and convenient for the happy Being of man is natural is necessary by the inviolable Ordinance of God and Nature This answer to their second Sophism cleareth the sense of their Maxim so much cryed up and so much abused Quisque nascitur liber every one is born a free man that we need not insist much upon it yet to make the general sense of the Maxim appear and to discover their adulterate and bastard sense we say it is most true that Quisque nascitur liber à servitute Every man is born a free man from slavery but Nullus nascitur liber ab imperio none is born exempted from the subjection of lawful Government without a subordination and subjection to a Superiour Christ as man was not exempted from this It is recorded in Scripture Luke 11. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did subject himself to Ioseph his putative Father and Mary his true Mother the word in the original is the same which the Apostle useth Rom. 13. 1. commanding obedience and subjection to Higher Powers It were very fit our opposites would consider what Power the Father had over the Children by the Law of God and Nature that to redeem himself from Debt from any distressed state and condition he might have enslaved his Children begotten of his Body If this Power was not by the right of Nature by the warrant of God I can see no other for it could not be by a mutual and voluntary act of Father and Children To shut up all in few words give me leave to put you in mind that the Stoicks observe three Notions of servitus of Service and Subjection 1. The one is when a man contrary to native and natural Liberty is made a Slave to a Lord or Master this they call servitutem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man hath power to command use dispose another man's Person as his other Goods at pleasure for this cause the Scripture standeth not to call a Servant his Master's Money 2. The other is when a man's Person is confined or committed that he is deprived of living at liberty as he lists as Criminals or Debtors this kind of servitude they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the liberty of going where we will or doing what is lawful at pleasure is taken from us 3. The third is a Servitude as they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisting in Subordination in