thy truths sake Be euer thankefull to God and then he will euer be mindfull of you to blesse you the Lord will increase his graces towards you euen toward you and your children therefore praise the Lord from henceforth and for euermore for he hath not dealt so with euery Nation and if our deseruing were put into the lottery of other people wee should bee rewarded with a blanke Gods loue and gracious fauour to vs is ignis accendens fire to set vs on fire Let our thankefulnesse to God be ignis accensus a fire flaming to God in all zeale loue duety thankes seruice and deuotion God hath set England as it were vpon an hill a spectacle to all Nations strengthened by sea and land ad miraculum vsque to the admiration of all people blessed it with an extraordinarie peace prosperity of long continuance we are the worlds enuie let vs not become their declamation Nothing but our vnthankefulnesse to God our licentiousnesse in life our disobedience to his Word our securitie in sin our contempt of good meanes and mercies offered can worke our ouerthrow and these if we doe not drowne them quickly in the riuers of repentance so one may breed and bring our wofull downefall The Lord hath blessed this land with great and gracious blessings in it the golden bels of Aaron are powerfully rung the word by faithfull teachers mouingly deliuered Oh let our perpetuall prayers praises and thanks ascend to heauen because Gods graces and mercies plentifully descend to earth Et si desint gratiae quia nos ingrati If any grace be wanting it is because we want grace to be thankefull for this our happy gouernment hauing a prosperous peace and that which is the procurer of peace with God and men that blessed passage of the Gospell Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid debeo pro me refecto saith a Father If wee owe God our selues for our creation what doe we owe vnto him for our regeneration preseruation and saluation We therefore that haue tasted of the great cup of Gods mercy let vs with Dauid take the cup of saluation giue thanks and praise the name of the Lord let vs praise God for these aboundant mercies and euer pray vnto him to preserue the happy instrument of manifold benefits and blessings to vs our most dread and deare Soueraigne duty bindeth vs to this taske our owne welfare mooues vs to this duety for his prosperity is our tranquillity his safety is our felicity the blessing redounds to vs and if he should miscarry which God forbid we should be partakers of his misfortunes Therefore be alwaies obedient and diligent to serue our royall Head golden in all vertues and princely perfections in all loyall and Christian dueties louing his Highnesse in our hearts which is the best earthly defence for a King Inexpugnabile munimentum est amor ciuium saith Seneca The loue of the people is an inuincible munition and as that great Rabbi of pollicie Machiauel hath set it downe for a sure rule Contra regem quem omnes magnifaciunt difficilis coniuratio oppugnatio irruptio Against that King whom all highly esteem and reuerence conspiracy or treachery is very difficult or if attempted seldome succeedes Let vs bee in pace Lepores but in praelio Leones in peace like Hares timerous to offend his Grace in any way of disobedience but like Lions fight for him against all his enemies with an vnwearied courage vndanted magnanimity ioyning with our fighting hands our feruent prayers to God like faithfull Israelites against all rebelling Amalekites Oratio coelos penetrat hostes in terravincit saith Origen Prayers pierce heauen and ouercome enemies on earth plus precando quam praeliando more by praying then by fighting Dauids encountring with Goliah in the name of the Lord was more powerfull then his fling and fiue stones Let vs make it one part of our daily praiers to God to keepe our King as the apple of his eye and hide him vnder the shadow of his wings to saue him from all enemies bodily or ghostly to consume them in his wrath consume them that they bee no more let them know that God ruleth in Iacob euen vnto the ends of the world beseeching God of his great mercie euer to prosper this most peaceable and puissant Monarchie of great Brittaine Arise vnto it as vnto thy resting place Turne not away thy face from thine Anointed who hath now happily to our immeasurable ioy worne the imperiall Diadem of great Brittaine these 15. * yeares Many more happie and prosperous yeares wee pray to be continued prolong his daies O Lord as the daies of heauen and grant that his Highnesse and his Princely posterity may in these kingdomes reigne so long as the world endureth Enlarge and enrich his royall heart with all Regall gifts and Diuine graces sutable for his high calling Saue and defend him from the tyranny or treachery of all forraine and Antichristian power and from the plots and proiects of domestical aduersaries Let them couer themselues with their confusion as with a cloake Blesse his most gracious spouse and bedfellow Queene Anne let thy Angels O Lord encampe about her to guide guard her in a safe protection and euer continue thy most heauenly hand of benediction vpon the high mighty Prince Charles the famous Prince of Wales the second ioy of great Britaine Lord looke vpon him from heauen Giue thy iudgements vnto the King and thy righteousnesse vnto the Kings Sonne Teach him O Lord in his tender yeares like a good Iosias to learne and loue thy true religion the way to winne the eternall Crowne of life Be gracious O Lord to the County Palatine of Rhene Fredericke Prince Elector and to his most vertuous and gracious wife Princesse Elizabeth with their Princely progenie O Lord preserue them with thy mightie and out-stretched arme giue them a most happy peace and prosperity in a Princely honor felicity all the daies of their liues O Lord scatter the deuices of the crafty that their hands may not accomplish any wicked thing they do enterprise Confound all them that haue ill will at Sion that repine at the peace of the Church the welfare of great Britaine the prosperity of his Maiesty his royall progenie that howsoeuer they haue shift of faces and maske vnknowne yet let vs pray that that stone which is cut without hands may breake the Images of such Traitors in peeces giuing him victory ouer all his enemies Cloath them all with shame but vpon him let his Crowne flourish and grant him an happy multiplication of many prosperous yeares to renew with many returnes these our cordiall and annuall Ioyes long to sit vpon his Throne and make his foes his footstoole And let high and low rich and poore young and old yea let Heauen and earth
Emperor who was a great Tyrant an Infidell and an enemy to Christianity who in the fift persecution after Nero troubled the Christian VVorld Saeuissima persecutione with most cruell persecution as some write yet teacheth that all Subiects should both Bene velle bene dicere bene facere wish well speake well and doe well for the Emperor the which three-fold Bene comprehends all loyall duties The first Ad Cor. 2. Ad Linguam 3. Ad opus as the Iesuite rightly teacheth in thought word and deed to be obedient So Iustin Martyr in the name of all Christians speakes to the Emperor Antoninus an infidell and a persecutor in these words Nos solum deum adoramus vobis in rebus alijs laeti inseruimus VVe worship onely God and in other matters are ioyfull to serue you So Saint Ambrose would not wish the people of Millan to disobey the Emperour Valentinian yet a fauourer and follower of the Arrian Heresie If the Emperor saith he abuse his imperial authority to tyrannize thereby here am I ready to suffer death we as humble suppliants flie to supplication if my Patrimony be your marke enter vpon it if my body I will meet my torments shall I bee dragged to prison or death I will take delight in both Oh Theologicall voice Oh Episcopall obedience These were the voices of the holy Fathers in the ancient times I but will some Popish Aduersary to the regall supremacy reply the times must be considered the people wanted power to resist No no that was not the matter when Iulian did dominere who was an Apostate and an Idolater as Austin yet his Souldiers who were for the most part Christians did obey him without resistance in all military matters and publike seruices yet they then had power to haue resisted him for most of Iulians Army did consist of Christians as their voices to Iouinian his Successor declare Omnes vna voce confessi sunt se esse Christianos as Ruffinus records it with a generall voice they all confessed themselues Christians So Constantius and Valens wicked Emperors and fauourers of the Arrian Heresie yet we doe not reade of any of the Orthodoxe Christianity that disobeyed them by rebellion or resistance Then Bellarmines doctrine was not in date Non est legitimum c It is not lawfull for Christians to tollerate an hereticall King his reasons I take to be as he writes because Reges coronas sceptra ab hominibus recipiunt adeorū placita tenent Kings doe receiue their Crownes and Scepters from men and hold them at their pleasures Strange stuffe for Kings receiue their Crownes from God as Ps 20. 3 and are enthroned by God By me Kings raigne Pro. 8. 15 They receiue their throne from God as Queene Sheba tels Salomon Diadema regis in manu dei Esay 62. 3 Sedebat Salomon in thron◠dei 1 Chro. 29. 23 Reges in solio collocat in perpetuum Iob 36. 7 the anointing is Gods With my holy oyle haue I annointed him Psa 89. 20. The Crowne the Scepter the Throne their annointing all from God stiled by God Vncti dei Gods Annointed Where is the Popes or Peoples claime what interest haue any except God in Kings Crownes who can remoue whom God appoints who can depriue whom God approues yet these absurd errors formenta romanae Cathedrae the corrupt leauen of Romes Pharises and Popes Parasites are moulded out by the mouthes of Cardinals that I may say with the Poet Iuuenal Adscelus atque nefas quodcunque est purpura ducit Sat. 13. The purple seruants or scarlet sinners of that purple woman are become as Trumpeters to the World to sound forth false alarums of disobedience to encourage peoples rebellion Tantum relligio potuit suadere malorum Quaepeperit scelerosa atque impia facta But to leaue these proud Cardinals enemies to Caesars who thinke their red Hat equall to a Regall Crowne who yet of late from a small beginning Origine parochi tantum sunt manipulus Curatorum or raysed specially by two Popes Innocentius the fourth and Paulus the second to such an height that now Capita inter sidera condunt They will write with Cardinal Wolsie Ego Rex I and the King and are too busie about Kings eyther to animate Traytors or alienate Subiects from obedience vnto Kings Let vs I say leaue them a while and listen to Salomon who was wiser then all of them My sonne saith he feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious for their destruction shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Let vs learne this lesson from our Sauiour to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars to giue loyall obedience for it is Caesars royall due So our Sauiour againe commands the multitude that they should obey the Scribes and Pharises who did sit in Moses chaire to obserue and doe what they did command In all things not repugnant to Gods Lawes we must and ought to obey Kings yet if they command contrary to Gods commands then wee must follow the Apostles rule and practise rather to obey God then man and to remember S. Austins counsell Si Deus aliud iubeat aliud Imperator quid iudicas maior potestas Deo da veniam ô Imperator tu carcerem ille gebennam minatur If God command one thing and the Emperor another thing what iudgest thou to be done Gods power is greater giue leaue ô Emperor thou dost threaten prison but God hell God that made these gods ought to be obeyed before them and duty bindes that God who is the King of Kings the maker and master of al Kings omnes Reges eius pedibus subiecti all Kings subiect subiects of that great King should be obeyed by them all and before them all Yet for all this we must not rebell against a King if he command contrary to Gods Lawes but imitate the three children obey in body and resist in spirit Regi qui potestatem habet super corpora nostra corporaliter subiaceamus siue sit Rex siue Tyrannus nihil enim hoc nobis nocet vt spiritualiter bene placeamus Deo spiritu saith Theophylact wee must prostrate our selues to the King who hath power ouer our bodies be he a King or a Tyrant for this nothing hinders vs spiritually to please the God of our soules Indeed it may happen that Potens the Ruler is not of God as the Lord complaines They haue set vp a King but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew them not As also the manner of getting Kingdomes is not alwaies of God as Aquinas vpon the 13. of the Romanes rightly determines it or as Aretius multa a Deo sunt quae tamen non confirmat sed quodammodo obiter ingrediuntur Deo tamen sic disponente at tamen non ordinat hoc est
vpon the regall Throne so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth Haec regnd tenere Et natos natorum qui nascentur ab illis That all his Subiects may euer pray for him obey him and honor him aswel in deeds as words heaâ—ts as tongues saying and praying God saue the King CHAP. VII THE fourth duty of Subiects to be duly rendred and tendered to their annointed Soueraignes is loyall and faithfull seruice thinking themselues as Tiberius said of his People Homines ad seruitutem nati Men borne to doe them seruice And therefore it was a commendable order as Melancthon records it that euery Citizen did sweare taking a corporall Oath Pugnabo pro sacris pro legibus pro aris focis solus simul cum alijs ne patriam meam deteriorem qua accepi posteris tradam omnibus viribus enitar I will fight for Religion for our lawes c alone with others and I will with all my might rather endeauour to better then to make worse my Countrey to posterity acknowledging themselues seruants to their Countrey and vowing their best endeauours to doe her faithfull seruice So all true subiects are bound by the Lawes of God and men to be faithfull seruants to their Soueraignes and if they neglect or reiect this duty I may say to them as Dauid did to Abner Ye be worthy to die because ye haue not kept your Master the Lords Annointed because you haue not been faithfull seruants to your anointed Soueraignes If any Bighthan or Teresh seek to lay hands on our gracious Soueraigne with faithfull Mordecai and Ester speedily preuent it by reuealing it If any King of Aram takes counsell with his seruants against the King of Israel with faithfull Elisha reueale it to your Caesar euen the words he speakes in his Priuy Chamber nay not onely reueale it but reuenge it In reos Maiestatis publicos Hostes omnis homo miles est saith Tertullian against Traytors and publike enemies euery man is a Souldier yea in this kind and sence we may and must in fortitudine nostra sumere cornua with Zedekiah make hornes of iron to push these treachercus Aramites vntill wee haue consumed them giue couragious resistance to treacherous violence vntill they may receiue deserued doome by Iustice And for the performance of this loyall seruice to their appointed Soueraignes no condition of men vnder the Sunne can pleade immunity neither Popes Priests nor People the Pope cannot pleade priuiledge if he will stand to his owne and old title Seruus seruorum A seruant of Seruants but he carries himselfe now adayes as if his Prentiship were out and would change his stile to be Dominus Dominorum A Lord ouer his Lord as the old Poet tels vs Roma tibi quondam fuerant Domini Dominorum Seruorum serui nunc tibisunt Domini For he disclaimes in action his old appellation the seruant of seruants neuer vses it but by way of equiuocation But to let him goe for Senex psittacus non capit ferulam He is too old to learne and happy are those Kings that haue least part of his seruice but if it please the Pope to be like the High Priests and I thinke that title is high enough for him they were content to call themselues seruants vnto Kings as Abimilech accounted himselfe Sauls seruant Let not the King impute any thing vnto his seruant c. And Zadocke the High Priest called by Dauid his seruant So Aaron to Moses Ne indignetur Dominus meus Let not the wrath of my Lord waxe fierce In a word Summi sacerdotes regibus subdebantur saith their Iesuite Their chiefe Priests were subiects and seruants to Kings in the Law and the chiefe Apostle euen Saint Peter from whom they would fetch their Pedegree of Primacy enioynes all in the Gospell to submit themselues for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superior So that their freedome from seruice to the Princes of the Earth hath no warrant except from the Prince of the Ayre to whom Rome dedicates her scepter and seruice And this loyall seruice of the members vnto the royall and Princely Head ought to be dutifull faithfull and perpetuall that is the happy seruice which comes from an hearty obedience many things may seeme so in apparance which are not so in eslence It is the practise and very prayers of the wicked to cry thus Hor. 1. Epist 16. Da mihi fallere da iustum sanctumque videri Noctem peccatis fraudibus obijce nubem If they seeme trusty in shew though treasonable in heart they care not like bad seruants not in singlenesse of heart but with seruice to the eye as men-pleasers obey they their regall Masters This Age is full of such treacherous hearts as deceiptfull as Ioab to Amasa who tooke him aside to speake with him peaceably and smote him vnder the fift rib that he died or like Dalilah to Sampson with faire words and weeping to betray him to the Philistines No treason but in trust Decipimur specie recti The fained voice of Fowlers catcheth the Partridges Plouers The Mother of Error puts on her maske to bee taken for the Daughter of Time truth The Wolfe in sheeps cloathing scarce knowne from the sheapheards dogge Ptolomie the sonne of Abusus vnder a faire vizard of loue and kindnes feasting Simeon and his two sonnes killes them in his banquetting house Herod when he would play the wolfe he counterfetted a Foxe Goe and search diligently for the Babe and when ye haue found him bring me word that I may worship him his meaning was to worrie him So Iudas comes with his Aue Rabbi Haile Master betraying him with a kisse Do'i non sunt doli nisi astu celas Plautus So many a perfidious Traytor will cry Aue Caesar God saue the King but it is with such an affectioÌ„ as Antoninus Caracalla said of his brother Geta Sit diuus modo non viuus Let him be a Saint or a King in Heauen so he be not a King on Earth Beware of dissemblers parasites and equiuocators His nomina mille mille nocendi artes Such are full of fraud full of villany beleeue them as the people of Rome belieued Carbon swearing neuer to credit him They are like to Polypus haue various shapes changing themselues into Angels of light but Malus vbi se bonum simulat tunc est pessimus A bad man when he counterfetteth to be good is worst Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas A counterset holinesse is a two fold wickednesse Let vs performe according to our place faithfull hearty and trusty seruice to our dread Soueraigne and though the wicked labour to darken with a cloud of slaunder our faire and faithfull seruice yet at last that eclips of enuy will vanish of it selfe and our owne innocency
Natious accept and approue Ius pendendi vectigalia apud omnes gentes fuit semper receptissimum saith the same Hiperius The Law and right of paying Tribute among all Nations hath euer beene accustomed for how could Kings maintaine their States defend their Countries reward their faithfull seruants vndergoe so manifold expences which belong to a regall reckoning vnlesse their Subiects with Tributes Taxes and Subsidies helpe to sustaine the common charge And therefore Caluin writes well that Tributes and Taxes are the lawfull reuenewes of Princes which serue to maintaine their royalty and the Common-wealths tranquility Tributa necessaria sunt reip sine eis nec quies nec arma haberi possunt saith Tacitus Tributes are so necessary for the Common-wealth that neither peace nor warre nor weapons can be without them for warre cannot be maintained without men nor men without money which is Neruus belli The sinew of warre Tributis vectigalibus nulla resp aut imperium nedum magnum carere potest saith the same Tacitus No Countrey or Kingdome be it neuer so great can lacke the payment of Tributes c. In regnis bene constitutis certum constitutum est Tributum saith Herodotus In wel gouerned Kingdomes there is certaine Tribute to be paid Augustus Caesar taxed all the World that is all the Regions and Prouinces then subiect to the Romaines as the learned interpret it and this was as Caluin notes Annuum Tributum sed non quotannis fiebat descriptio A yeerly Tribute though not euery yeere put in wrighting And the Iewes though at first they did aegre ferre mentionem discriptionis Hardly away with this yeerely taxing Non tamen reluctatos esse pertinaciter as Iosephus writes They did not obstinately resist it but by the perswasion of their High Priest they suffered themselues to be taxed Salomon could not haue beene so rich if his people had not payed him Tribute but the weight of gold they brought to Salomon in one yeere was sixe hundreth threescore and sixe Talents of Gold This duty of paying Tribute Subsidies and Taxes c by the subiects to the Soueraigne is by the law of God and lawes of men and common customes of most Nations commanded and approued and that for foure principall causes First to maintaine that royall estate which God hath giuen to Kings the glorious patternes of Kings magnificence may be fully seene in royall Salomon Looke but vpon his Throne 2 Chro. 9. 17 and you may iudge of all the rest of his royalty Secondly To defend the Common-wealth both in peace and in warre which requires a great Treasury A great Bird had need of a great neast That High Head which cares for all the politicke body and night and day studies to preserue their welfare must participate of their wealth without which the publike peace and security cannot be effected for it is Status insolidus qui earet solidis Thirdly To contestate and acknowledge their homage and subiection to their Soueraigne for Tributum dare est imperatori subiici signum seruitutis say the Canonists nonists to pay Tribute is to be subiect to the Emperour and a signe of seruitude confessing all duty and loyalty to be due to their annointed Soueraigne who hath power to command them their goods lands liues for the seruice of the Kings and Countries preseruation Looke vpon the Israelites when King Saul was dead comming to elect and annoynt Dauid in Hebron to be King ouer Israel Behold we are thy bones and thy flesh meaning as I take it that their liues and all were at his seruice and commandement for Tribute is not onely of money but Sudor sanguis populi The sweat and blood of the people if such need require to defend their King and Countrey is a Tribute due from them willing and ready to aduenture their liues and limbes to giue repulse and resistance to forraine or domesticall violence Fourthly To testifie their gratefull affections to their gracious Princes in thankefulnesse for the great benefits by their prudent prouident and politicke gouernement reaped and receiued So Dauid in lamenting Sauls death remembers the benefits his subiects receiued by him in his life time Ye Daughters of Israel weepe for Saul which cloathed you in scarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon your apparell So Ieremy of the good King Iosiah lamenting his death The breath of our nostrels the Annoynted of the Lord was taken in their nets of whom we said Vnder his shadow we shall be preserued among the Heathen A good King brings many blessings benefits vnto his people and therefore when such as are in authority be righteous the people reioyce saith Salomon A King by iudgement maintaines the countrey By a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a Realme endureth long saith the same Salomon yea as wise Plato well said Beatas fore resp cum aut Philosophentur reges aut regnent Philosophi When as Kings were Philosophers or Philosophers Kings then such Common-wealths should be happy And indeed all earthly happinesse which is deriued to the members proceeds from the Head next vnder God the primary Author of all good things by whose direction discretion circumspection care counsell and continuall vigilancy they are preserued in peace and prosper in plenty for there are sixe externall earthly helpes necessary for the temporall prosperity of any Kingdome 1. A King to rule 2. A Law to iudge 3. Pollicy to guide 4. People to inhabite 5. Power to defend 6 Riches to maintaine it and which is the Alpha and Omega of all and aboue all and before all the Lord and King of all to prosper and preserue all without whose protection these must come to ruine all Except the Lord keepe the City the keeper watcheth but in vaine Except the Lord gouerne and guide the shippe of State it runnes vpon the rocke Therefore Prince and people ought duly to say with the Psalmist Thou art our King O God send helpe vnto Iacob Through thee haue wee thrust backe our enemies through thee haue wee trodden downe them that rose vp against vs c. Rise vp for our succour and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake Well Tributes Subsidies Taxes c are a good meanes to help to support the state of Kingdomes and as they bee the publike Tribute of the Common-wealths so should they bee imployed about the publike tranquility Let no Theudas herein deceiue you or any Iudas of Galile who in the dayes of the Tribute drew away much people as Gamaliel speakes delude you for he perished and all that obeyed him Si quis putat non esse vectigal soluendum aut tributum aut honorem exhibendum in magno errore labitur saith Austen If any one thinke Imposts Tribute and honour ought not to be paid to them he falles into a great errour Iure debemus nisi facimus
of the Land who are the eyes and eares of this politicke Body who well know Scita patrum leges iura fidemque deosque To you I may dedicate and appropriate these our labours whose places and paines serue to this purpose to serue the King and Countrey and to helpe to preserue the welfare of the King and Kingdome Your publike paines and priuate prayers speake to the World these words God saue the King You are sworne to this seruice and sweat in it neuer more Malefactors in this kind and as Paul tels Timothy In the last dayes shall come perillous times for men shall be Traytors heady high-minded c. You know the Nilus where these Crocodils are bred and fed vse all good diligence to catch them spread your nets not Vulpina retia Foxes nets but Regni retia The Lawes of the Land if you can take them you shall doe God and the King good seruices Spare none of this kind who dare lift vp their hand against the Lords Annointed for they are worthy to die Bonis nocet qui malis parcit He hurts the good which spares the bad yea in all your loyall and legall seruice let neither feare or fauour flattery or bribery blind your eyes or deafe your eares remembring that you exercise not the iudgement of man but of God and thinke vpon this verse in your Iudgement seate Hic locus odit amat punit conseruat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina iura bonos Farre bee that leprosie from the Iudges of our Land which so corrupted them in Ciceros dayes that he could say His iudicijs quae nunc sunt pecuniosum hominem non posse damnari In these iudgements which are now a monied man cannot be condemned But bribery foules not your hands who to corrupting Simons say with Symon Peter Thy money perish with thee Neither let any of Agesilaus letters moue you who writ to a Iudge for his fauourite in this stile Si causa bona pro iustitia sin mala pro amicitia absolue If his cause be good dismisse him for Iustice sake if bad for friendship sake Let Iustice be vnpartially executed yet tempered with lawfull pitty thinke vpon that Christian caueat Duo sunt nomina peccator homo quod peccator corripe quod homo miserere These are two names an offender a man as an offender punish him as a man pitty him be not too seuere with Draco Ne superet medicina modum Least the medicine exceed the malady nor too remisse with lenity for that is a kind of cruelty Tam omnibus ignoscere crudelitas quam nulli saith Seneca To pardon all is cruelty as well as to pardon none But Sus mineruam You know best to keepe the meane and Medium tenuere beati So shall you performe laudable seruice to God King and Countrey if you execute Iustice punish disobedience which is the falling sicknesse of a corrupt Common-wealth Command all to giue * Caesar his due represse all his enemies by force of lawes and cut them off with the sword of Iustice that their exemplary punishments may terrifie all others from such attempts and bee like monitors and remembrancers to all people crying Discite iustitiam moniti non temnere diuos Virg. Let others harmes admonish thee and learn not to despise these supreame powers for which offence so many Traytors dies Seauenthly to the Common-wealth Last of all to you the inferior yet sound members of the supreame Head the natiue and nationall children of our common Mother whom I may fitly compare to the hands and legges of this politicke body to fight and stand strongly for the defence and welfare of our King and Kingdome To you I hope this little Booke will be welcome and therefore say to you as the Angell said to Iohn Take this little Booke and eate it and if you be good Subiects it will be sweet in your mouthes and not bitter in your bellies for you cannot be true Christians vnlesse you be true Caesarians there is no true Religion in that heart which entertaines a motion to rebellion it is a rotten member that will not be obedient to the regall Maiestie And consider with your selues the happy blessings you enioy by the mercifull prouidence of God in giuing to this Realme so godly and gracious a Soueraigne to reigne ouer you and it will make you cry forth with the Psalmist Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord and his blessing is vpon the people O Lord how fauourable hast thou beene vnto our Land in placing ouer vs so religious and renowned a King so absolute and compleate a Prince in wisdome learning and religion and it will stirre vp all thankefull hearts to say with the Psalmist Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Sing prayses to God sing prayses sing prayses vnto our King for hee hath chosen our inheritance for vs euen the glory of Iacob whom he loued If we be not truly thankefull for so great benefits it may be truly verified of vs which was said of Canaan Bona terra sed gens mala A good Land but in it there be bad people O vnthankefull and vngratefull Britaines if euer you forget so great blessings Vae vobis propter ingratitudinem Woe be vnto you for your ingratitude Ingrata patria Vngratefull Countrey it is an infamous name odious to nature and Nations Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Giuing of God thankes for fauours receiued is a kind of supplication and inuitation to obtaine more The Anatomists tell vs that euery creature hath foure muscles about the eyes but a man fiue foure serue to turne about the eyes the fifth serues to lift vp the eye and looke vpward to Heauen Man should not with other brutish creatures looke altogether vpon the earth but lift vp his eyes hands and heart to Heauen to giue God due and true thankes for his daily and fatherly fauours and mercies bestowed vpon him The Oxe knowes his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib yea the Riuers are tributary to the Sea from whence some say they first come and againe returne All Creatures seeme in their kind to be gratefull debtors to their curteous Benefactors except the Swine whose mast makes him forget the tree from whence the Acornes fall or the Moon which being at the full by interposition of the earth darkens the Sunne from whence yet shee borrowes all her light It was Israels sinne vnthankefulnesse I pray God it be not Englands sicknesse vngratefulnesse to God Woe vnto vs if we scant God of our fruits who hath not scanted vs of his fauours Bring presents to the King of glory giue vnto the Lord glory due vnto his Name worship the Lord in his glorious sanctuary Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glory for thy louing mercy and for
in such examples In profane histories there is a cloude of witnesses to verifie the punishments of Traytors Brutus and Cassius who killed Caesar neuer enioyed good till bloud was requited with bloud VVe reade of Eugenius that rebelled against the Emperor Theodosius whose rebellious army the Lord dismaid so that Eugenius was forced to fall downe at the feete of Theodosius and had his rebellious head cut off from his shoulders So of Procopius who rebelled against the Emperour Valens who being taken had for reward his two legges tyed to two young trees growing neare together bowed downe by strength which being suddenly let rise rent the body of Procopius who would haue rent the body of the kingdome So of Magnensius who rebelled against Constans the Emperor who neuer enioyed good day after till hee was destroyed by Constantius the Emperors brother Annibal Bentiuolus chiefe Ruler of the Bononians was killed by Cannensis who conspired against him but presently the multitude were stirred vp with the sight of that bloudy fact and destroyed with death all that stocke and family The same Author tells vs of the bloudy and treacherous murder of that butcherly Monster Oliuerot who sending letters to Iohn Foglianus that he might be honourably receiued at Firmanis and beeing nobly entertained treacherously pretends a great Feast inuiting Foglianns and the chiefe men of the City after the banquet by his Souldiers appointed in secret places kils them all that were present a most barbarous and diuellish stratagem but afterwards he payd the price of bloud for his throat was cut and so hee died Miserè pereunt qui malè perdunt Bloud calls for bloud Caines Conscience so prickt for murder that he thought euery man that met him would haue killed him if they escape which yet is rare the hand of man neuer the hand of Diuine Iustice Herod no parricide or Regicida but Puericida a murderer of children from two yeeres olde and vnder by his greatnesse scapes mortall reuenge but not Diuine Iustice on earth for hee died most miserably and I will set it downe in Theophylacts words Amara morte perijt Herod febri dysenteria scabie podagra putredine verendorum generatione vermium spirandi difficultate tremore contractione membrorum malam absoluit animam Alike was the end of that bloudy Tyrant Antiochus whom the Lord punished with the paine of the bowels that was remedilesse and sore torments in the inner parts and all his members bruised with a great fall so that wormes came out of the body of this wicked man in aboundance and his flesh fell off for paine and all his army grieued at the smell so that no man could beare him because of his stink no not his owne selfe Thus that murderer suffered most grieuously and as he had intreated other men so he died a miserable death for with what measure men mete it shall be measured to them againe This is so cleare a Truth that murder neuer goes vnpunished on earth by God or Man as that diuine humane histories common experience affords pregnant proofes and examples then how much more will the Lord reuenge the murder of his owne Vicegerents whom hee hath giuen a generall precept not to touch them no not to curse them in thought much lesse to hurt them in deed as Traytors doe or desire Hor epod 7. Quô quô scelestiruitis aut cur dexteris Aptantur enses conditi What meane you ô ye monsters of men are you not afraid to put forth your hands to destroy the Anointed of the Lord Can you lay your hands vpon them and be guiltlesse Remember Ignatius godly counsell No man euer remained vnpunished which lifted vp himselfe against his Prince Though they want power to accomplish their bloudy actions yet are they odious Traytors in the eyes of God and man Looke vpon the tragedy of those Traytors whom Heldebrand the Pope stirred vp against Henry the fourth the Emperor First he stirred vp Rodulphus then Hermannus and afterward Ecbertus all seruants and subiects to their Lord and Master the Emperor And when these failed his successour Pope Vrbane raised vp Conradus and Henricus the Sonnes against the Father all laboured to their power in this proiect of rebellion marke the issue and end First their Author ghostly Father in this Treason the Romane Achitophel Gregory the seuenth alias Heldebrand not like Achitophel hanged himselfe but for his bloudy bestiall life was forsaken of his people eiected out of his Popedome and died in sorrow misery and infamy Secōdly Rodulph had his right hand cut off in a skirmish fetching deepe sighes ready to giue vp the ghost said to certaine Bishops Behold this is the right hand wherewith I swore fealty to Henry and lo now I leaue his kingdome and my life Thirdly Hermannus had his treacherous head by a great stone cast downe by a woman deadly broken so that his braines dasht in peeces running about his eares which did affright his army and scattered them with feare Fourthly Ecbertus did flie out of his Throne into a sinkehole and hoping to saue his life lost it Fiftly Conradus the elder sonne rightly dis-inherited did end his daies miserably Sixtly Henry the younger sonne by periurie and cruell treachery against his Father gate the Crowne but with little comfort And since many of the Popes of Rome haue Heldebrandized raising vp Subiects to rebell against their Soueraignes whose successe hath bin sutable to their attempts The Chronicles of euery Nation haue too many examples of Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen and others of inferiour sort prouing Traytors to their annointed Gouernours whose treacherous acts haue found tragicall ends Traytors are odious euen to their Abettors and Maisters who first moued them to that villany and as it was said of Antoninus Odit Tyrannum non tyrannidem They may like the treason but they loath the Traytor Alexander the Great as Iustin saith at his Fathers obsequies commanded publike iustice to be done vpon those whom he had before secretly imployed to kill him And Nero the monster of men as Tacitus saith disauowed his Commissiō giuen to asouldier to kil Agrippa Such agents are abhorred of their Adiutors and if possibly they can they will be their executioners for feare they should disclose their conspiracy for both are Traytors both worthy of death Some desperate wretches who for loue of the trencher or for hope of reward or for some other respects will be wagered and hired to enterprise hellish and horrible designes who being debosht vassals bankrout of grace and goodnes to purchase loue or liuing as they hope of them of whom they haue dependance whose hearts are died in a deepe tincture of disobedience will hazard life lands yea hell it selfe to atchieue the proiects of their animating superiours So said Restalrig that
lose the right of Dominion as also sometimes for other faults and againe So soon as any one for apostacy from the Faith by iudgement is denounced excommunicate ipso facto his Subiects be absolued from his gouernment and from the oath of Allegiance And the Cardinall Tolets Glosse vpon his wordes Note that albeit Thomas named onely an Apostata yet the reason is all one in the Princes case that is excommunicated for so soone as one is denounced or declared as excommunicate all his subiects be discharged of their obedience which exposition his brother Cardinall Allen applaude in these words Thus doth this notable Schooleman write neyther doe we know any Catholicke Diuine in any age say the contrary Simone Pacensis ioynes forces with these fellowes saying If Kings or other Christian Princes become heretickes forthwith their Subiects and vassals are freed from their gouernement If any Prince bee vnprofitable or make vniust Lawes against religion or against good manneraâ— or doe any such thing to the detriment of spirituall things the Pope obseruing due circumstances may apply a fit remedy euen by depriuing such a King of his gouernment and iurisdiction if the cause require it Gregory of Valence is harping vpon the like notes If the crime of heresie or apostacy from the Faith be notorious that it cannot be couered then euen before the sentence of the Iudge the aforesaid punishment meaning depriuation from his dominion is in part incurred so far that the subiects may lawfully deny obedience to such an hereticall Lord. Where note by the way that now many of them doe hold that all hereticall Kings and such they account all protestant Rulers are depriued of their dominion before their Pope in his deâ—…itiue sentence hath so denounced Indeed their owne Caiâ—tane in this was not Catholike denying Subiects to be absolued before sentence publickely denounced and therefore Allen contradicts him saying iâ—se facte Kings be depriued so soone as they doe appeare hereticall followed also by Philopater saying it is an opinion of the Faith agreeable to Apostolicall doctrine that euery Christian Prince if hee fall from the Catholike religion falls presently from all his power and dignity by the force of Gods Law and 〈…〉 and that before sentence of the supreame Pastor denounced And the fiery Foâ—e Guâ— Reynoldâ— approues the murder of Henry the third the French King because bee fauoured Heretickes before any excommunication published his reason is Publicke griefes doe not attend for legall formes Simancha goes further That a secret hereticke not onely is to be excommunicated but his sonne also his reason is Heresie is a leprosie and leprous sonnes begotten of leprous parents and therefore seemes to inferre not onely a depriuation but also a depriuation of all succession Atque patrem prolem inre priuare suo I need not recite the generall verdict of popish vassals according with these to maintaine the Popes infolency in attempting the deposition of Kings repugnant to his lawes and liking Who knowes not that haue reade the workes of these Saunders visib Monar Suarez def fid catho adv Angl. sect err lib. 6. Francisc Victor relect Depotestate ecolesiae Becanus Rossaeus Bellarmine Allen Ferron Parsons Creswell with many dozens of prostituted hirelings who being fed fatte at the Popes high Altar and gaping for or gaining the purple Hat haue studied to extoll the papacy which they could not doe more pleasingly to the Pope or profitably to themselues then by ascribing to the Pope a power ouer Kings to depriue them if they breake their good behauiour to him and to free subiects from allegiance to them being blasted with the fulminations of excommunication making their master Pope an absolute Lord of the Temporals turning the Crosier staffe into a Scepter yea a commaunder of Scepters making their Church an humane body politicke to ouer-rule all yet vnder a painted pretence of Peters primacy to ouerthrow all Princes supremacy Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla tulistis Thus this spurious spawne of the olde Serpent by this serpentine policy erecting the papall primacy of Popes aboue Kings the Diana of Romes religion haue raised the Pope to this pontificiall domination But the chiefe pillar whereof they boast would build this point of the power of Popes deposition of Kings if they be not Catholike Kings of the Romane size is the Decree of the Laterane Councell held about three hundred yeares since consisting as they say of seuenty Patriarkes Archbishops and foure hundred and twelue Bishops and eight hundred other eminent Prelates who did decree that the Pope had this power ouer Kings To which wee answere Thar the Decrees of men ought not to take from Kings that power which God hath giuen them But the Lateran Councell was a Conuenticle of Mercenary men and vassals to the Pope who to please Innocent the third their Lord and great Master were willing to gratifie his Holinesse with vnholy Decrees yet we may doubt of that too if Platina be credited who faith That in that Councell many things were offred to consultation yet nothing determined because the Pope suddenly departed to pacifie a sedition then raised and died in his iourny Yet grant it were a lawfull Councell and this matter so there decreed what of that shall a few proud Prelates assembled to flatter the Pope infringe the Lawes of God commanding obedience and subiection to Kings shall Gods commands be countermanded by Councels which so oft haue erred nay haue confirmed heresies as the Councell of Arimium held with the Arrians yea Ephesus Seleucia and Remino concluded with them which made Saint Hierome complaine The whole world groaned and wondered to see it selfe Arrian The error of the Councell of Carthage in rebaptizing is well knowne The Councell of Chalcedon fowlly erred giuing to Leo then Bishop of Rome the title of the Vniuersall Bishop which name he reiected though others embrace it In a worde the late Councell of Trent brought foorth to light a world of errors that I may say with Nazianzene hee neuer saw any Councell haue a good end Yea as their owne writers say Councels haue erred and may erre which in these latter times must needes be so when as the Pope is both party and Iudge which matter of the erring of Councels hath so oft and so soundly beene by our Diuines manifested that I need not insist vpon it But how vaine it is to obtrude for vndoubted proofe the erroneous decrees and nouell opinions of clawbacke Papalines parasites to the Pope to infringe the power of Kings giuen them in Gods word commanding euery soule to be subiect to these higher powers which place of Saint Paul the Champions of the Popes power to depose Kings as their Cardinall of Perron pleades for them doe expound to be a prouisionall precept or caution accommodated to the times A strange error of stout Champions and as the royal
comfortable In a spirituall sense impious and vnfaithfull men are vsurpers I meane by a spirituall right for godlinesse hath the promises of this life yet haue they a ciuill and sure title among men by birthright succession election or other acquisition by which titles such rights are deuolued to them that we say with Saint Austen Qui dedit Mario ipse Caesari He that gaue dominion to Marius the same gaue it to Caesar he that to Augustus the same to Nero he that to gentle Vespasian the same to bloody Domitian he that to Constantine the Christian the same to the Apostate Iulian for the Kingdome is the Lords and hee ruleth among Nations the most High hath power ouer the Kingdome of Men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men saith Daniel and suffereth for the sinnes of the people a Kingdome to be translated from one people to another yea an hypocrite or infidell to reigne ouer them neither must man seeke to displace or dispossesse an Infidell King but say with Dauid Either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or hee shall descend into battell and perish knowing the saying of the sonne of Syrack to be true Tyranny is of small indurance and he that is to day a King to morrow is dead 3. Heresie is not sufficient to depriue a King of his temporall Inheritance Popish Diuinity is herein knowne let Bellarmine be the mouth of all the rest Christians are not bound nor may with the euident danger of Religion tollerate an vnbeleeuing King when Kings and Princes become heretickes they may be iudged of the Church and bee deposed from the gouernement neither is there any wrong done them if they be deposed If any Prince of a sheepe become a wolfe that is to say of a Christian become an Hereticke the Pastor of the Church by excommunication may driue him away and withall command the people that they follow him not and so depriue him of his dominion ouer his Subiects so farre goes the Cardinall Now who are Heretickes All those Kings which decline from the Papacy and denie his Supremacy The Cardinall thinkes as much Regnante Constantino florebat fides Christiana c. While Constantine reigned the Christian Faith flourished when Constantius ruled Arrianisme when Iulian Ethnicisme when Henry the eighth and Edward the sixth Luthenarisme when Elizabeth Caluinisme prospered All Protestant Princes by the verdict of the Pope and his Parasites be Hereticks and so consequently to be deposed if this their heresie which yet is the Catholicke verity and sincere and sound profession of the Gospell be accompanied with the Popes excommunication and yet it is a great question and neuer yet proued by the Scripture that Kings are subiect to this censure of excommunication it is disputed much both wayes and let it be yeelded for argument sake Ex abundante That Saint Ambrose did iustly with Theodosius in that abstention for I doubt whether it was a complete excommunication for a King is subiect to the presbyteriall Cure not Court to be informed in his conscience in the Pulpet not to be corrected in the Consistory by punishment to be directed not iudged or remoued from the company of his faithfull Subiects much lesse to be deposed or depriued of his regiment ouer them yet let it bee granted for argument sake that Princes may be subiect to the censure of excommunication which yet is sparingly to be vsed against Princes as Austen counselleth yet though the sentence of excommunication be direfull making them for a time as Ethnicks Sit tibisicut Ethnicus saith our Sauiour Let him be vnto thee as an Heathen Man or Publicane It is tanquam nonplusquam as an Heathen man not worse then an Heathen Man Loyalty and obedience to Ethnicke Kings is to be performed as the precepts and presidents of Christ and his Apostles plainly teach all The spirituall sword onely depriues of spirituall rights to depriue him of the Sacrament not of the Scepter shuts out of the Kingdome of Heauen not meddles with the Kingdome of Earth Excommunication is not an extirpation it serues not to take away any mans temporall goods of body or life or Kingdome on Earth it hath power ouer sinnes not ouer possessions as Bernard to Pope Eugenius It serues to tame the soule not to terrifie or destroy the body it cannot bind Kings that they should not reigne or absolue Subiects that they should not obey or depose Kings from their regall authority by which pretence of diuellish pollicy in challenging a spirituall power of Kings excommunication the Pope hath plagued the World with many temporall rebellions 4. Apostacy takes not away Soueraignty Iulian an apparent Apostate and wicked Idolater as Saint Austen cals him yet as the same Father speakes of it Milites Christiani seruierunt huic Imperatori infideli quando dicebat producite aciem iâ—…ra illam gentem statim obtemperabant The Christian Souldiers serued this Infidel Emperor and when he called to produce the Army or to goe against any Nation they presently obeyed not because they wanted power to resist for his whole Army for the most part were Christians as their voices to Iouinian Iulians Successor testifie Omnes vna voce confessi sunt se esse Christianos They all confessed with one accord that they were Christians but their obedience grounded vpon Saint Austens reference Subiectes fuisse propter Dominum aternum Domino temporali Subiect to their temporall Lord for the eternall Lords sake And though some of the great Diuines of Rome say that the Apostles were subiect to Infidell or apostate Princes and many Martyrs obedient because they wanted power to resist and that they might haue lawfully resisted if they had had strength when rather I may say with Tertullian that they had power but might not lawfully resist The Apostles were no Temporizers to command to pray for Nero if the time and not the truth had not moued them to doe it for conscience sake Shall Subiects for Heathen or wicked Kings be enioyned to poure forth prayers supplications and withall be willing if they haue power to poure out their Soueraignes blood The Prophet Ieremy exhorted the exiled Iewes to offer vp their prayers for the life of the King of Babylon hee would not haue willed them to haue prayed for their persecutor if it had beene a duty contrary to Christian profession or for lacke of power to fall to supplication VVhen King Assuerus had made a decree to kill and destory all the Iewes both yong and old children and women in one day what doe they rebell or rise vp in armes to resist with violence No no sorrow and fasting weeping and mourning sackecloth and ashes are their weapons When Iulian the Apostate threatned the Christian World Lachrimae vnicum medicamentum aduersus eum saith
Nazianzene Teares the onely medicine against his mischeefe teares were their Speares Orizons their weapons They knew that they that resisted power resisted the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation These had not beene catechized in the Popes Schoole teaching Subiects that the Pope hath power to depriue Kings if they be defectiue in their regiment or not pliable to his commandement but were obedient as the Apostle exhorts Propter conscientiam for conscience sake Oh but will Master Parsons reply We hold this point that a Prince is to be obeyed Propter conscientiam for conscience sake but not Contrae conscientiam Against his conscience And he is so stiffe in this assertion that he saith If one authority example or testimony out of Scripture Fathers or Councels contradict it we then speake to purpose VVe answer Against Conscience rightly instructed and warranted by the word It is true but there is Asinina lupina or leprosa conscientia A foolish woluish or leprous conscience which vicious or erroneous conscience is not rightly called conscience but error and peruersenesse and therein it failes If a King command things expressely contrary to Gods word the Apostles rule then is plaine VVe must obey God rather then men yet not fall to violence or outward resistance in body but in spirit submitting our bodies to suffer with patience what shall bee inflicted like the three Children to Nabuchadnezar but in our soules to shew our selues more then Conquerors for our Conscience sake Thus doe we see that the foure forenamed crimes Tyranny Infidelity Heresie Apostacy yet great and greeuous sinnes are not sufficient to depriue a King of his regall Inheritance or to free his Subiects from their obedience CHAP. XI I VVil in the next place briefly consider the goodly Harmony of the holy Doctors of Rome in the managing and maintaining of this new Doctrine of deposition of Kings by making their Pope an absolute Lord of all Temporalties and of the Spiritualties by vertue of which vaste omnipotency of power as being the Supreme spirituall and temporall Prince of all and ouer all they ascribe vnto his Holinesse this plenitude of power to haue the iurisdiction of both swords and so may passe against Kings if they bee faulty by tyranny infidelity heresie or apostacy or not Roman Catholickes Sentences of Excommunication Breues of Interdiction Depriuation Buls of Absolution of Subiects from Alleagiance yea giue Licence and Indulgences of pardon to misereants to murder them and yet this is not to be counted King-killing for a King excommunicated or deposed is no King in Popery Let vs see the consent of these Doctors or rather heare the confusion of their tongues in building of this Babell Some of the cheefe pillars of Popery defend the direct ordinary and inherent authority of the Pope whereby as Lord of the whole VVorld in all temporall matters hee may at his pleasure depose Emperors and Princes The cheefe of these is Cardinall Baronius and to alleadge his reasons I omit his Bookes are common and extant in the world And this opinion that the Pope is Lord of all the Temporalties and that the supreame Iurisdiction both in temporall and spirituall matters belong to Peters Successors which was the brainelesse assertion of old blockish Canonists and exploded of all sober Papists is now renewed and passeth for Catholick Doctrine Your Francis Bozius defends it that the Pope is directly Lord of things temporall and is the Ruler and Monarke of the whole world So Rodericus Sancius a Bishop of theirs goes further It is to be holden according to the naturall morall and diuine Law wth the right Faith that the Lordship of the Roman Bishop is the true and onely immediate Lordship of all the world not as concerning spirituall things onely but also as concerning temporall things and that the imperiall Lordship of Kings dependeth vpon it and oweth seruice and attendance thereunto as a meanes minister and instrument and that by him it receiueth institution and ordination and at the commandement of the papall Lordship it may be remoued reuoked corrected and punished In the gouernement of the world the secular Lordship is not necessary either of pure or meere or expedient necessity but when the Church cannot Resoluing this Article therefore we say That in all the world there is but one Lordship and therefore there must be but one Vniuersall and Supreame Prince and Monarke who is Christs Vicar according to that of Daniel He gaue him dominion and honour and kingdome and all people and languages shall serue him In him therefore is the Fountaine and originall of all Lordship and from him the other Powers flow so farre goes this Popish Bishop And diuers others agree with him It is iudged that no Christian Monarke hath his Crowne wholly giuen him from Heauen vnlesse it receiue firmenesse and strength also from Christs Vicar the Pope so Possevine Christ committed to Peter the Key-keeper of eternall life the right of earthly and heauenly gouernement and that in his place the Pope is the vniuersall Iudge the King of Kings the Lord of Lords saith another yea the holy Writer in the old law made the Priesthood an adiectiue to the Kingdome but Saint Peter made the Kingdome an adiectiue to the Priesthood faith the same writer Carerius a Doctor of Padua in his Booke De potestate Romani Pontificis which he made specially to confute Bellarmine who denied the ordinary and direct power of the Pope in the Temporalties doth in many places and pages maintaine that all dominion as well in spirituall things as in temporall is fetcht by Christ and the same is committed to Saint Peter and his Successors that Christ was Lord of all these inferior things not onely as he was God but also as he was Man hauing at that time dominion in the Earth and therefore as the dominion of the world both diuine and humane was then in Christ as man so now it is in the Pope the vicar of Christ That Christ is directly the Lord of the world in temporall things and therefore the Pope Christs vicar is the like and this power giuen to Peter is set out by the sole comming of Peter to Christ vpon the water for vniuersall gouernement is signified by the Sea As God is the Supreme Monarke of the world productiuely and gubernatiuely although of himselfe he be neither of the world nor temporall so the Pope although originally and from himselfe he haue dominion ouer all things temporall yet he hath it not by any immediate execution and committeth that to the Emperor by an vniuersall iurisdiction It would weary a man to reade ouer this worke of Carerius wherein he sweates and toyles himselfe striuing with arguments and laying a curse vpon his aduersaries that shal gainsay him or denie the ordinary direct power of the Pope in the
temporalties which he writes as his Preface speakes against the Politicians and heretickes of the Time and indeed specially against a greater Clerke then himselfe Bellarmine both temporizers to flatter Popes with power in temporalties To omit all the rest of this ranke who inclineto this opinion That the Pope hath a direct ordinary and inherent power in Temporalties let vs on the other side behold these Madianites or Cadmeyes Brethren warring and wrangling with an opinionate opposition and contradiction The principall and Coriphaeus of all the rest is the Cardinall Bellarmine who ouerthrowes that ordinary direct and inherent gouernement of the Pope in temporalties as left by Christ with scripturall arguments very soundly and sufficiently yet to gratifie the Pope like a good seruant he restraines it to limitations and distinctions Although saith he the Pope be not Lord of all Temporalties directly neither hath inherent and ordinary authority as he is Pope to disthronize temporall Princes yet he is Lord of the Temporalties indirectly in order to the Spirituals Bellarmines vsuall phrase and hath an extraordinary and a borrowed authority as he is cheefe spirituall Prince to alter Kingdomes to take them from one and to giue them to another if it bee necessary to the saluation of soules i. in order to the Spiritualties Wherein obserue how politicke these papall Parasites be disputing about a power of Popes in disposing Temporals or Regals one fort deriuing this power directly and ordinarily from Christ and Saint Peter the other side indirectly and onely in order to the Spirituals when as their Pope neuer had any direct or indirect power in that kind from God and from Saint Peter But marke how the sonnes ' of this Kingdome be diuided The Pope hath either ordinary and direct power to depose Kings as he is Pope or he hath no authority at all faith Carerius But he hath no direct and ordinary as he is Pope by Bellarmines opinion Ergo He hath none at all Thus their diuision hath made a true conclusion that their Pope hath neither ordinary or indirect power in disposition of Temporals but least Bellarmine should proue an Hereticke in this point and be vngratefull to his great Master the Pope of whom he is graced with the purple hat hee comes with his qualification and modification That the Pope is Lord of the Temporalties indirectly in order to the Spirituals which strange distinction hath no foundation for Peter could transferre no power but ordinary and the Pope is no otherwise cheefe spiritual Prince but as he is Pope so that if he cannot depose Princes ordinarily from their Temporalties as Pope he cannot depose them extraordinarily and indirectly as cheefe spirituall Prince which Carerius enforces Either saith he hee is not the vicar of Christ or else he deposeth inferior powers as Pope but he deposeth them not as Pope saith Bellarmine he is not therefore the vicar of Christ by Carerius conclusion Thus Bellarmine hath depriued his Pope of the Temporalties and his opposite Carerius hath not left him Lord of the Spiritualties The one denies him a deposing Pope the other inferres vpon it no Deputy or vicar of Christ both assertions very true though they deliuer them by way of altercation Thus these wrangling spirits haue brought their Popes imaginary power in great hazard to be lost The one making their Pope Sathans Asse loading him with a boundlesse burthen of power too heauy for any to beare to haue the direct dominion of all the Temporalties in the world absolutely and ordinarily Onus Aetna granius A burthen heauier then the weight of the Mountain Aetna Iethro said that Moses his task was too heauy for him and Iob Curuantur qui portant orbem They that support the world are crooked yet these Ingrossers of greatnesse would lay vpon their Popes shoulders the vnsupportable weight of the dominion of the world to be Lord of all the Temporalties directly and ordinarily The other giues him not so much weight of authority yet giues him too much To depose Kings if need require taking a middle course denying the infinite power of Inherent and ordinary gouernement yet reseruing an indirect and borrowed authority belonging to the Pope yet not as Pope but as the cheefe spirituall Prince conditionally if Kings become tyrannicall hereticall or apostaticall then the Pope is to coniure them into the circle of religion by counsell and admonition and after if they proue refractary to confine them out of their dominionby depriuation and deposition and all this is pretended to be done by power of a spirituall right indirectly to the temporalties yet to a spirituall end and in order to the spiritualties The first to all mens eyes appeare most grosse and egregious parasites besotted with palpable folly and flattery but Bellarmine more smooth and cunning long acquainted with dissimulation the very Genius of Romes Court-Cardinals bedawbes his workes with oyly morter with holy hony if it bee for the saluation of soules in order to the spirituals tending to spirituall good then Si meruere Pater tunc dira tonitruamitte Percutient summos reges nec fulmina cessent If they deserue let Papall thunder cleaue These Regall Cedars and of Crownes bereaue These are Boanerges sonnes of thunder yet would seeme Barnabasses sonnes of comfort tempering and qualifying their fiery thunderbolts of depriuation with a pretence of spirituall good tending to soules saluation But there is a third sort of Papists on the other side men of more humble mindes disliking this statizing Iesuitisme and papall intrusion into Caesars chaire confessing that the Pope hath no temporall power ouer Kings directly as Gul. Barclayus de authoritate Papae against whose opinion herein Bellarmine writes a Treatise De potestate summi pontificis contra Gul. Barclayum Watson in his Quodlibeticall Booke Sheldon in his generall reasons Roger Widdringtons humble supplication to Paul the fift Pope which worke a late Decree of Romes Cardinalls prohibited repining to see Popes temporall incroachments by Romanists contradicted good reason therefore to clap their hand vpon his mouth and to commit him to the dungeon of suppression Stephen Gardiners booke Bishop of VVinchester De vera obedientia with a preface of Bishop Bonners adioyned to it De summo absoluto Regis imperio published by M. Bekinsaw Devera differentia regiae potestatis Ecclesiae Bishop Tonstals Sermon Bishop Longlands Sermon Tonstals letter to Cardinall Poole and many others in Latine and English in this kinde of Romane Catholickes all ouerthrowing this point of moderne Popery Thus as many Papists openly deny and I presume many of the other doe inwardly beleeue being acquainted with their equiuocations and mentall reseruations so it may make all men maruell who are not prepossessed with preiudicate opinions or preposterous affections vpon what sufficient yea probable inducements and motiues they might build this Pontifician power eyther of spirituall much lesse of temporall authority ouer Kings
kind A fearefull example worthy to make vs more thankefull to God more dutifull in our liues more carefull of Gods Lawes who out of his infinite loue and mercy preserued vs from this generall and diabolicall massacre And as I haue read how the Romanes in detestation of the name of proud Tarquinius who tyrannized ouer them banished a good Citizen onely because he had that name so let the name of the Powder Treason worke such detestation in the hearts of all Papists that they may neuer hereafter thinke of any treasonable plots against King or Country but banish for euer all such intentions or inuentions out of their hearts which I pray God giue them grace to doe And let all from high to low fall downe vpon the knees of humble and thankfull hearts and cry with Dauid Praise the Lord of Lords for his mercy endureth for euer let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for euer who deliuered his people when like Izaacke almost the knife at their throats and when they had prepared their fire wood powder to offer vp Prince Peeres and People like Isaacke as a burnt offering when they purposed to persecute their soules and take them to tread our liues downe vpon the earth and to lay our honour in the dust then did the Lord arise in his wrath and lift vp himselfe against the rage of our enemies so that they who made a pit and digged it fell into it themselues their mischiefe returned vpon their owne heads and their cruelty fell vpon their owne pates The wicked are snared in the worke of their owne hands and may moue all to cry aloud Come and behold the workes of the Lord he ruleth the World with his power his eyes behold the Nations the rebellious shall not exalt themselues Praise our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard Praise him in his mighty Acts praise him according to his excellent greatnesse let euery one that hath breath praise the Lord for this great and gracious mercy in the meanes of our maruellous and mercifull deliuery CHAP. III. The discouery of the Plot IN the discouery of this Archtrayterous plot I may truly repeate Liuies words who in a great case of ioy saith Maius gaudium suit quà m quod vniuersum homines caperent It was a greater ioy then men are able to comprehend by an vnusual discouery to haue a generall deliuery from so dismall Tragedy For when they had thought and writ that God and Man had concurred to punish the wickednesse of the time God and Man consented to reueale the wickednesse of their treason and makes vs hope well of that Prophecy we do reade in Telesphorus Antichristus non poterit subiugare Venetias nec Parisios nec Ciuitatem regalem Anglia Antichrist shall not be able to sub due Venice nor Paris nor the Kingly City of England London The principall instrument and humane meanes of the discouery of this diuellish treachery was a letter like Dauids letter to Ioab which Vriah carried for his owne death sent some ten dayes before the Parliament should haue begunne priuily and cunningly conueyed by an vnknowne man to one of the Footemen of that Right Honourable Lord worthy of perpetuall honour for his fidelity the Lord Mount-Eagle charging him to put that Letter into his Lord and Masters hands which Letter that thrice-honoured Lord receiuing wondring at the strange contents thereof and perplexed what construction to make of it like a most dutifull Subiect and diuine Eagle concluded not to conceale it but for all the latenesse and darkenesse of the night repaires presently to his Maiesties Pallace at White-Hall and there deliuered the same to the late deceased Earle of Salisbury Sir Robert Cecil a very vigilant Counsellour and wise Statesman then his Maiesties principall Secretary which said Letter being afterward vpon the Kings returne to White-Hall presented to his Maiesty euer fortunate in his Princely iudgement in clearing obscurities and doubtfull mysteries did vpon the instant interprete and apprehend by the darke phrases yet contrary to Drammaticall construction that it must be done by blowing vp the House of Parliament by Gunpowder commanding a search to be made by which the matter discouered and Agents were apprehended Whereas if his Maiesty had not accommodated his interpretation to this kind of danger no worldly prouision or preuention could haue put backe this lamentable destruction So that is here verified which Salomon deliuered Diuination in labijs Regis A diuine sentence shall be in the lippes of the King The glory of God is to conceale a thing secret but the Kings honour is to search it out In this Gunpowder Treason our King was Regi◠〈◊〉 Kingly Prophet inspired by God in deciphering and declaring the darke meaning of their ambiguous and mysticall Letters It was the Lords mercy to put into the Kings mind the darke meaning of this dangerous mischiefe for Ibi incipit diuinum auxilium vbi deficit humanum When humane helpes are ready to faile God will come in the very point and article of time to deliuer his seruants and will raise vp some meanes either ordinary or extraordinary to discouer and defeate the deuices of the wicked As indeed did diuinely appeare in this deliuerie first that a Letter should be writ secondly a glosse or commentary made vpon it by the King contrary to common construction yet that was the second meanes vnder God whose might and mercy was aboue all of our preseruation Telenus prophecied to Cyclops his eye should be put out but he was incredulous to beleeue it contemned this aduertisement Risit o vatum stolidissime falleris inquit So some might haue thought this letter to haue beene the euaporation of an idle braine but our Teltroth Cassandra sacred Soueraigne presently presaged the truth knowing Traytors to be like Sampsons Foxes to haue fired tayles and to be firebrands of fury presupposed it to be a plot of fire for Traytors are Flagellarci◠Flabella seditionis scourges of Common-wealths Bellowes of sedition to inkindle fireworkes of destruction they are like cruell Surgeons that alwayes launce and seare and vse the cutting knife and fire no gentle Remedies as their heads like the head of Nilus vnsearchable so their hearts in cruelty insatiable and hands in execution infatigable as their bloody heads hearts and hands appeare in this bloody businesse These gunpowder Traitors plotting so abhorred a Particide though God frustrated their inhumane attempts and brought the wheele vpon themselues yet were they most accursed murtherers in the sight of God Saul a murtherer in mentall affection in hunting after Dauids life though he failed in manuall action and execution So Hamax in plotting the death of innocent Mordecai was a murderer in heart and had a murderers reward Neuer drop of innocent blood-shed but it cries for vengeance therefore