office prerogatives or dignitie which himself as an Apostle had received of the Lord Christ Moreover seeing the Lords Apostles were the Lords governours set over the rest of the ecclesiasticall Governours of the Church how unfit were it to conceive that the Successour onely of an Apostle should be Governour over any Apostle But some are of opinion that the Apostle Iohn remained long after the death of the Apostle Peter if therfore the successor of Peter haue a Vicariate power to governe and rule over all Christs Sheepe then must he be this to the Apostle Iohn but what manner unsufferable ambition this favours of I leave to the judgement of all men Let us therefore rather beleeve that if the Apostle Peter appointed his successour then yet he conferred not upon him neyther all the guifts by which himself was an Apostle nor all the power Ministeriall nor dignity which as being an Apostle and one of the chiefe among the Apostles he held and injoyed in the Church of Christ but onely as Paul upon Timothie and Titus he conferred a portion of power and charge such as a Successour might be capable of To conclude seeing no Apostle could conferr upon an other man all the guifts offices and dignity which himself injoyed as an Apostle therefore the successor must be a Minister of a farr inferiour rank dignity and charge of Government in the Church then was the Apostle Peter himselfe Now then why should not such a Minister though he be successour to that Apostle subject himself to the supreame goverment of Gods Kinges so witnessed unto by holy scripture as before I have showen Thus having answered this objection let us proceed to an other The second Obiection SOme peradventure may obiect saying The Kingdome of heaven comming in among the Gentiles by Apostles and Bishops it were a subiecting the Kingdome of Heaven to the powers of this world if we maintayn not the supreme Government to remaine in Bishops and specially in the Apostle Peters successour If any should thus object then I answer the kingdome of heaven comprehending all power as the Lord sayd Math. 28.18 All power is given me in heaven and in earth the power Apostolicall and Episcopall must not be taken for the Kingdome of heaven as if the kingdom of heaven had in it none other powers then it But you see that I haue showen before that there are the powers of Kings in the earth which it pleased God to allow and confirm accepting gratiously also of them as for his Ministers Now though in God the fountaine of power all power is alike as water in a fountaine yet in distributing of that Power into Ministeriall Streames the Lord may ordeyne which parte to which shal be subordinate therefore seeing afore I haue showen that the Apostle Paul calls the Ministers of the sword The Higher Powers and seeing I haue before proved that these powers are allowed by God as for his Ministers and consequently are to exercise such dignity and office in the Church as Gods Kings exercised in the Church under the Lawe And lastly seeing all the scripture shewes that those Kings were over all the Church exercising a supreame government over all ecclesiasticall persons therefore I say it is no subjecting of the kingdome of heaven to the powers of this world to subject the Bishops of the Church to Gods Kings and Soveraigne States Bishops are Ministers of the kingdome of heaven but they are not all the Ministers therof for Kinges also are declared by the Gospell to be Ministers of the same seeing God hath declared himself to accept of them as for his Ministers therefore to subiect one kinde of officer of a kingdome to an other officer is not to subiect the kingdome to an other kingdome Bishops preach the word to these to subdue them to Christ but being subdued by the word ministred Bishops may not say The kingdomes of this world are ours and we will dispose of them but they must say as Rev. 11.15 The kingdomes of this world are our Lordes and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore True it is that even the greatest Kinges are comprehended in that cōmandement Heb. 13.17 where it is sayd Obey them that haue the Oversight of you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give accompts that they may doe it with ioy not with griefe for that is unprofitable for you Therefore even the greatest Princes are subiected by Christian religiō unto spirituall Pastors in the things wherof they are Ministers but this may be without Bishops having the Supreme government For as a Lord of greatest authority in a kingdome must obey to every the meanest Constable of a kingdome within his precinct of charge in that wherein such Cōstable is indued with power authority from the King when yet this makes not such Lord to lose his superiority which in the kingdome he hath over such Constable so is it between a King and a Bishop God hath declared the Kings of the Gentiles for his Ministers therefore as Kinges were to Priestes under the Lawe so must they be to Bishops under the Gospell and on the cōtrary as Priests were to Kings under the Lawe so may Bishops be to Kings under the Gospell The King under the Lawe left the Priestly power and ministration to the Priest was obedient in all things when yet he ceased not hereby to be governour over the Priests even so are Kinges to doe under the Gospell The King that must submit himself to heare the Gospell preached by the Bishop to receive of his hand Gods Sacraments to use him as Gods Priest to pray for him and other like yet is such a Minister for God over such Priest as that such Priest preaching false doctrine or ministring the sacraments otherwise then according to Gods institution or doing any thing otherwise then as Gods word in scripture prescribes in stead of obeying such Priest he is over him to take vengeance on him in Gods stead as for an evill doer So likewise the King that doing evill is subiected to the Priests proceeding against evill doers whether it be to discipline of humiliation or shaming to sequestration or excommunication is yet such a Minister for God over the Priest that the Priest doing this upon uniust cause or pressing unjust ends or effects of such discipline the King in stead of obeying must punish such Priest as for an evill doer The Pope is one of these wicked Priests for even for obedience to the true word of God and for ordering things according to its direction he useth the sword of the Church against men yea against Kings and not onely so but having excommunicated any he teacheth that subiects should not acknowledge nor obey their excommunicate Kings childrē their excommunicate Parents nor wives their excommunicate husbands and the like but with what peace of conscience shall a man break Gods word to doe according to this word of
THE RIGHT OF KINGS CONTEYNING A DEFENCE OF THEIR SUpremacy over all persons and in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as civill within their severall Dominions HEREWITHALL IS PROVED BY TESTIMONY of Holy Scripture That Christian Kinges are to haue such Dignity and execute such Office in the Christian Church as Gods Kinges had and exercised in the Church under the Lawe WHICH PART OF THE MYSTERIE of Gods Will as it hath been wickedly under Poperie shut up from Men so it is in our tymes right needfull that the same be opened to all Christian Nations Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subiect to the Higher Powers Printed 1621. The epistle to the Reader WHo that considers the evills done unto the Sonne of God by Kings Who that considers that most cruel persecution of the Church by Kings in the primitive tymes this also for about three hundred yeares of continuance yea who that considers the Churches persecution by Kings in these last tymes wherein our Princes being miss-led by the delusions of the Romane Bishop haue persecuted them who suffered their faith and service of God to be instructed and ordered by the word of God who I say that considers these things would not expect that the Lord even our most blessed God should utterly reject them denying them any dignity or office in his Church upon earth But the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Righteous beyond our apprehension and mercifull beyond all expectation hath contrarywise reveiled from heaven by his word and witnessed unto it with miraculous power that the Kings among the Nations of the Gentiles are accepted by him for his Ministers unto whom as unto Kings allowed by God all Christians must be subiect By how much the lesse therefore their desert hath been by so much the more is this Grace of God to be magnified By how much the lesse their desert of this grace hath been by so much the more are they bound to attend diligently to the due execution of the will of God Is it not sufficient that Kings being miss-lead partly by Heathenisme before their conversion to Christianity partly by Poperie after their conversion haue heretofore bloudily persecuted and slaine those who haue yeilded obedience to the word of God Shall the Saints euen to this day also be butchered by their power when the Lord is so gratious as to mainteyne the right of Kings will not they doe right to the children of God how long shall a falfe word misslead the most of them how long will they be before they by the light of the word of God discerne the Lords sheepe from others Blessed be God who hath opened the eyes of many of them and moved their harts to be Protectors of his flock His Flock are those who if not fully yet most neerely conforme their faith their life and conversation to the reveiled will of God as it is preserved in the sacred scriptures As therefore the Lord is mercifull to Kings so ought they in duety to God by the word of God in scripture to discerne and discerning to protect the people of the Lord. Much of the Lords people are miss-lead by Teachers who teach evilly in some things and hardly finde we any wholly conformable to the instruction of the Lords word in Scripture but yet difference is to be put betweene those who in the greatest part obey the word of the Lord those who in the greatest part walk in disobedience And my hope is that as by this Treatise I move Gods people to consider advisedly the great Dignity and Office of Princes so Princes will be gratious to those who most neerely Beleeve and live as becommeth Saints Neyther would I haue my Reader here to expect that I would iudge who or who are lawfully Kings but onely that these who are Kinges by the permission and grace of God may be put in minde of their Dignity and Office in the Church be also obeyed by those of the Church as God by his instruction reveiled to the Church gives direction This is the end of my writing this following Treatise this the aime of my heart which having now showen in this epistle I think fit to put an end to the same and to proceed to the Treatise it selfe Yours in the Lord Thomas Proctor A TREATISE OF SUPREMACY Wherein is proved by testimony of sacred Scripture that Kings or independant civill powers or States are by Gods Ordinance to be supreame Governours over all persons and in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as Civill within their severall Dominions IT hath been of long time and in too many Nations of Christendome still is an errour of no small importance to think That Kinges are not to judge in things perteyning to the Church of God nor to order the offices and affaires of the Church nor to governe over all ecclesiasticall persons within their severall kingdomes or Dominions From which errours possessing the mindes alwell of Princes as of private persons strange troubles haue arisen to the church of God both Princes and private persons mistaking their dueties and so Princes not doing in the church what God appoints them others and even of their subjects haue been scourges unto them by practising against them things farre differing from the teaching of Christian Religion Alas how much innocent blond haue Princes shed whilst guided by a false word of the Romane Bishop they haue neglected to meditate in the word of God and to Iudge and Governe according to its directions and so haue butchered the Saincts of God in all Nations and on the cōtrary haue exalted them who most haue troden under foote the sacred word and ordinances of the living God What should therefore be more deare to Princes then to know the dignity and true office wherein God by his Ordinance hath set them Or what greater honour can be done them then when some wicked Bishop would depresse their right herein God by his word declares his wickedness and by his strange and mervailous Acts in our times raiseth his Princes will or nill that Bishop and all his Adherents to their true dignity and office in the Church Verily we see in these times how God tendereth the rights of Christian Princes when under the Reformation as he on the one hand hath freed them frō the usurpations and bondage of the Romane Bishop so on the other hand he hath preserved their right against all who under any pretences whatsoever haue indeavoured to deprive them thereof It is therefore dangerous for any aswel for Princes as for people to doe oughts against the will of God as he hath revealed the same by his word preserved in scripture True it is that many are not suffered to be informed hereof because by such information that Bishop of Romes delusions and his insufferable abusions would be discovered But fitter it is that Princes know their Right and people their dueties then that the consciences of both being missinformed they be led thereby into the
fierce wrath of God by their doing things contrary to his sacred Minde The consideration wherof provoked me to the writing of this Treatise that so I also with others before me may helpe to satisfie the consciences of men in this great point of Christian Religion concerning the Supremacy and governement of Kings in the Church upon earth Thus having showen you the Aime Occasion and End of this writing I will proceed to prove this pointe by testimonyes of holy scripture that so as there is no safer direction for men what to beleeve herein then the directioÌ„ of Gods own word so men may rest satisfied in Conscience with that which truely is made manifest therefrom In the epistle to the Romanes chap. 13. verse 1 we thus read Let every soule be subiect to the Higher Powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves iudgement For Princes are not to be feared for good workes but for evill wilt thou then be without feare of the power Doe well so shalt thou haue praise of the same for he is the Minister of God for thy wealth But if thou doe evill feare for he beareth not the sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth evill Wherefore ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake for for this cause yee pay also Tribute for they are Gods ministers applying themselves for the same thinge In this portion of scripture given us as a declaration of the will of God concerning this matter I wish you to observe 1. To whom the Apostle giveth this charge concerning subjection 2. Of what kinde of powers he here speaketh Concerning the first of these we shall doe well to observe both the direction and also the close of this epistle for by them will appeare to whom the Apostle gives this charge concerning subiection The direction of the epistle hath chap. 1. verse 7. these words To all you that be at Rome beloved of God called to be Saincts c. The Close of the epistle is chap. 16.3 where wee finde a number saluted by name of whom we may well beleeve that some were of the Clergy and this the rather also because verse 7. the Apostle saith Salute Andronicus and Iunia my cosens and fellow prisoners whiâ—h are notable among the Apostles were in Christ before me for we may well thinke that they who were notable among the Apostles were of the Clergy yea of the chiefe among the Clergy Moreover seing this epistle was written in a tyme of good growth of the Christian Church for it was written after Paul had been a prisoner ch 16.7 should we think that the Church at Rome was not at this time provided of Clergy as other Churches then planted were To conclude seing the Apostle writeth to the Saints at Rome it argues he wrote to the Church at Rome therefore also the charge concerning subiection is given to All that were then in the Church at Rome Wherefore unlesse we will be disobedient to this charge of the Apostles or unless we wil preferr the now Bishop and Clergy of Rome to these who were notable even among the Apostles of the Lord we ought not to exempt the now Clergy of the Church of Rome froÌ„ yeilding submission to the Higher powers Thus having showen to whom this charge concerning subjection is given proceed we to consider of what kinde of powers the Apostle here speaketh The kinde of power which the Apostle here speaketh of is noted and declared unto us by two things first by bearing the sword secondly By receiving tribute but in those times Bishops bare not the sword nor received Tribute but Kings and independant Civill powers onely did this therefore the powers wherof the Apostle here speaketh were not Bishops of the Church but Kinges or independant Civill powers To conclude then seing the Apostle writing to the Church coÌ„mands all in the same to be subject to the Higher Powers and seing by those Higher powers he meanes those who bare the sworde and received Tribute that is the Emperour Kings and other Civill powers therefore the powers ecclesiasticall at that time at Rome were subjected to the Emperour and to them that bare the sword and received Tribute that is Kinges and Soveraigne Princes It is therefore the manifest will of God that the powers of Christian Churches should be subject to Kinges and Soveraigne Civill States as to the Higher powers by the Ordinance of God for this Rule of the Apostle here set downe must be taken for a Rule unto all Christian Churches and not as serving for the Church of Rome onely and onely for that present tyme. If it be objected that by this Rule I subject the Sonne of God also to Kings and Princes I answere seing the Lord paid tribute Math. 17.24 and seing the Apostle makes the paying of Tribute an argument of subjection Rom. 13.6 therefore there was one part of our Lords Humiliation that he was made as inferiour to Angels Heb. 2.7 so subject to Kinges and Princes Thus having written of these two things proceede we now to consider further 1. The Supremacy of Kinges 2. Some particulars of their Office here mentioned by the Apostle The Supremacy is noted unto us by the Apostles styling them The Higher Powers for they are called here Higher Powers in respect of the Churches powers and ministrations to which the Apostle wrote I conclude therefore that seing the Apostle writing to a Christian Church coÌ„mands subjection to some as to Higher powers therefore of the two powers that of the Church I meane and that of Princes the power of Princes is the Higher by the Ordinance of God And this is answerable to the Custome of Scripture which speaking of the two Powers of Kings and Priests preferreth that of Kings to that of Priests saying Rev. 5.10 Kinges and Priests not Priestes and Kings Both are powers of great excellence but in the matter of preferring powers to powers ministrations to ministrations it is fit we follow the Teaching of God rather then the vaine word of a puffed up Bishop Lastly seing the Apostle saith let every soule be subiect to the Higher Powers this plainly proves the Supremacy to be in those powers for subjection to any as to the Higher argues Supremacy in the Higher though every subjection proves not a Supremacie in him to whom an other is subjected for even Kinges are subjected to be obedient to Priestes when yet they obey not them as Higher then themselves Thus having written of the Supremacy proceed we to such particulars of the Kings Office as are here mentioned The particulars here mentioned are two first That they are appointed for the wealth of them that doe well secondly That they are to take vengeance on him that doth evill Now then if
they be Gods Ministers to punish him that doth evill how is any evill doer exempted from this Ministers sword and if none then no Bishop doing evill but is subjected by God to be struck by the sworde of these Higher powers as Gods Ministers to take vengeance on him for doing evil Moreover what is well doing but the observation of Gods commandement or ordinance and what is evill doing but the violation of the same therefore in asmuch as this Minister is to punish evill his punishment must stretch unto evill of all kindes aswell euills of the Church as evills of the Common wealth for the Commandements or Ordinances of God stretch to both If therefore any Teachers teach wholesome doctrine according to the will of God reveiled this is to doe well and such are to be cherished and defended by this Minister of the sworde but doe any teach false doctrines contrary to the teaching of Gods will revealed this is to doe evill and such Teachers are to be punished by this Minister as evill doers Againe doe any ecclesiasticall Officers doe the duetyes ordeyned by God to their offices this is well doing and such Officers are to be cherished and rewarded by this Minister but doe any neglect the proper duties of their Ministration giving themselves to doe other things rather and leaving them to be done by others this is evill doing in such Officers and they are to be punished by this Minister Lastly doe any Christians of what sort or condition soever beleeve according to the instruction of Gods word and live in their lives and conversations accordingly this is well doing and such are to be cherished and defended by this Minister but doe any refuse to Beleeve according to wholesome doctrine or to live in life and conversation according to Gods Commandements this is evill doing and such are to be punished by this Minister as for evill doers Thus having briefly shewed the thinges most evident in this Scripture I proceede to a yet further opening of this Scripture unto you You see here that Princes whose office properly it is to beare the sworde and to receive Tribute are declared by the Apostle to be Gods Ministers for so the Apostle saith He is the Minister of God for thy wealth and againe He is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doeth evill Now Princes bearing the sword and receiving Tribute are Kings or independant powers or States whom God not any Bishop nor the Church ordereth to this independancy or Soueraignety in power for so the Apostle would haue us to understand when he saith there is no power but of God therfore whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgement And it is the Apostles strong argument that because Princes are allowed of by God as for his Ministers therefore of conscience towards God not for feare of wrath onely we must be subject Now then seing God gratiously accepted of the Kings among the Gentiles as for his Ministers what ministration is approved of in their hands by the Lord but the Kingly For God accepting of them as Kings and not as private Persons onely he declares himself hereby to approve of their exercising upon earth the Kingly Ministration for he that accepts them as for Ministers allowes in them a ministration and what ministration allowes he in Kings but the kingly Therefore it is a point of Christian faith necessary to salvation to beleeve of the Soueraigne Kinges and Princes which the Gospel found among the Gentiles that God accepted of them as for his Kings to serve him in the kingly Ministration It was commanded to the Church under the Lawe Deut. 17.14 that if it would set a King over it it should not then take liberty to its selfe to set this or that person over its selfe but should waite upon God to set him over it whom the Lord should chuse for so we read there in these wordes when thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shalt possesse it and dwell therein if thou say I will set a King over me like as all the Nations that are about me Then thou shalt make him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse It is no small matter therefore to the Church of God to yeild its selfe to any as for its King for if it waite not upon Gods election it surely transgresseth grievously against God Therefore the Christian Church also as it was not hand over head at its pleasure to set Kinges over its selfe so it was to acknowledge and obey the Kings and Princes already reigning over the Nations whereinto it stretched as for kinges already provided for it by the ordering and Ordinance of the Lord. This approving therefore of the kinges and Princes which the Gospell found reigning over the Nations of the Gentiles serves as Gods election or choise made by him of who the Church should take and acknowledge as for her kinges and Princes set Over her by Gods providence They then arose and fell on subverting another now the army now the City now the Nations now the Emperors chusing who should Rule over the Nations here and there and yet for all this Gods disposing hand was busy ordering such to Soveraignety as he would haue to manage the power of the sworde here and there and the Church was subjected to receive and acknowledge those whom God permitted to atteyne to Soveraignety in this Nation or in that Princes therefore may by diverse Meanes attayne to Soveraignety and the Nations may here and there change from one to another as occasion shall be given but the Church as the Church must not set over its self a kinge or kinges but must waite upon God acknowledging them that attayne to the Soueraignety of power here or there But now Gods approving of the Kinges which the Gospell found reigning over the Nations of the Gentiles as for his Ministers what followes but that he approves in them an exercising the kingly Ministration And what can be more truely the kingly Ministration then that which Gods Kings before time allowed by God exercised in the Church under the Lawe for where there is no new description of the Ministration there the same Ministration before approved of by God in his Kinges serveth for an example of the kingly Ministration Wherefore seing God accepts of Kinges as Kinges for his Ministers it necessarily followes that those Kings exercise such Ministration as with Gods approbation Gods Kinges before tyme exercised I conclude therefore that the Kings or Soueraigne States or Powers among the Gentiles were now declared by Gods Apostle to haue right to exercise such Ministration as Gods Kinges exercised with Gods approbation under the Lawe And you see that as under the Lawe Kings had the Supremacy and were Gods Ministers for the wealth of them that did well and for the punishment of evill doers so the