by God's holy Spirit both for the building of the Temple and the ordering of the Priests and Levites for the Service of the Temple And as Jehu had the direction of the Prophet Elisha for the suppression of the Priests of Baal so had Ezechias the Prophet Esay to direct him in the puâ—ging of the Temple and Râ—formation of those abuses that had crepâ—â—â— into the Service of God To this we answer That as Joshua the Prince was required to go in Sol. and out at the word of Eleazar the Priest so we yield that the King ought to hearken to the counsel and direction of his Bishop and Priest as David here did consult with Nathan and Ezechias with the Prophet Esay And while Religion is purely maintained the people truly instructed and the Church rightly and orderly governed by the Bishops and the rest of the Ecclesiastical Governours the Prince needs not to trouble himself with any Reformation or to meddle with the matters of Religion But the King Prince and Supreme Magistrate ought to see that all the aforesaid things are so and if they be not to correct the Priest when he is careless and to cause all the abuses that he seeth in the Church and in Religion to be Reformed Because as S. Augustine saith In hoc reges Deo serviunt sicut Augustin contra Cresconium l. 3. c. 51. iis divinâ—tùs praecipitur in quantum sunt reges si in suis regnis bona jubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verumetiam quae ad Divinam religionem In this Kings and Princes do serve God as they are commanded by God if they do command as they are Kings in their Kingdoms those things that are good and honest and prohibit the things that are evil noâ— only in causes that do properly appertain to civil society but also in such thâ—ngs as belong and have referâ—nce to Religion and Piety And when they do so the Bishops and Priests be they whom you will should observe their Commands and submitt themselves in all obedience That the Bishops Priests ought to submit themselves to the lawful commands directions of their Kings civil Governours to their Determinations and censures For Moses was the civil Magistrate and the Governour of the people and as he received them from God so he delivered unto the people all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances that appertained to Religion and to the Service of God And when Aaron erected and set up the golden Calf to be worshipped and so violated the true Religion and Service of God Moses reproved and censured him and Aaron though he was the High Priest of God and the Bishop of the people yet as a good example for all other Priests and Bishops he submitted himself most submissively unto Moses the chief Magistrate and said Let not the anger of my Lord wax hot And I would the Pope would Exod 32. 22. do so likewise And therefore though we say the Judge is to be preferred before the Prince in the knowledge of the Laws and the Doctor of Physick in prescribing potions for our health and the Pilot in guiding his Ship which the King perhaps cannot do Yet it cannot be denied but the King hath the commanding power to cause all these to do their duâ—ies and to punish them if they neglect it So though the King cannot preach and may not administer the holy Sacraments nor intrude himself with Saul and Vzzia to execute the Office of the Priest or Bishop yet he may and ought to require and command both Priests and Bishops to do their duties and to uphold the true Religion and the Service of God as they ought to do and both to censure them as Moses did Aaron and also to punish them as Solomon did Abiathar if their offence so deserve when they neglect to do it and both Priests and Bishops ought like Aaron and Abiathar to submit themselves unto their censures CHAP. VII The Objections of the Divines of Lovaine and other Jesuites against the former Doctrine of the Prince his authority over the Bishops and Priests in causes Ecclesiastical answered And the foresaid truth sufficiently proved by the clear testimony of the Fathers and Councils and divers of the Popes and Papists themselves BUt against this Doctrine of the Prince his authority to rectifie the Obj. things that are amisse and out of order in the Church of God the Jesuites and their followers tell us Spirituales dignitâ—tes praestantiores â—sse secularibus seu mundanis dignitatibus That the Spiritual Dignities are more excellent than those that are worldly When as these two Governments Gen. 1. 16. Rom. 13 12. And though thâ— light of the Church be the greater yet that proves not but that the King should be the prime and chief Governoâ— of the Church the one of the Church and the other of the Common-wealth are like the two great Lights that God hath made the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night and the Government of the Church must needs be acknowledged to be the Day and to have the greater light to guide and to direct it The Apostle telling us plainly that now the Gospel being come and the Church of Christ established the night is past or far spent and the day is at hand and come amongst us And the Government of the Secâ—lar State is like the Moon that ruleth the Night and receiveth her cleerest light from the Sun as all Christian Kingdoms do receive their best light and surest Rules of Government from the Church of God which is the pâ—llar and the ground of truth But To these that thus make the Civil Government subordinate to that which is Spiritual as both the Papists and our Fanatick-Sectaries here amongst us like the old doting Donatists would do and so abridge and deprive the Christian Prince of his just right and jurisdiction over the affairs and persons of the Church I answer 1. That Symbolical propositions examples parables comparisons and Sol. similitudes can prove nothing they may serve for some illustrations but for no infallible demonstrations of truth 2. I say that Isidorus a popish Doctor preferreth the Government of the Isidorus in â—lâ—ssa in Gen. ut citatur In the Scourge of Sacriledge Kingdom before the Priesthood by comparing the Kingdom unto the Sun and the Priesthood unto the Moon 3. I say that Theodore Balsamon a good School-man saith Nota Canonem Dicit Spirituales dignitates esse praestantiores secularibus sed ne hoc eò traxeris ut Ecclesiastiâ—ae dignitates praeferantur Imperatâ—riis quia illis subjiciuntur You must note that when the Canon saith the Spiritual dignities are more excellent than the Secular you must not so understand it Balsamon in Sextâ— Synodo Canonâ— 7. as to prefer the Ecclesiastical Rule or Dignities before the Imperial State because they are subject unto it and so to be
and commanded to be paid unto them for their pains and service of his Church We are now to examine what their means and maintenance should be that God appointed for their wages And I say that he is a most bountiful Master that takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants as King David speaketh and therefore gives them a very largâ— reward which doth chiefly The two speciall portions of the Clergy 1. Tythes 2. Donations consist in these two things 1. The Tythes or tenth part of his peoples goods 2. The Free-will-offerings Oblations and Donations of the people The 1. He commandeth to be paid them And the 2. He alloweth to be given them and being given he requireth that they should not be alienated and taken from them no not by the givers themselves therefore much less by any other 1. That Tythes or the tenth part of our goods and substance are due to 1. The tythes are due to our Ministers them that discharge the service of God by the instruction of his people to Worship God as well under the New Testament as the Old it may be manifested by these Reasons 1. Whatsoever nature and Humane Reason teacheth to be justly due to 1. Reason any man or society of men the same doth the Scripture both the Law Ante legem datam Sacrificiorum impensis rebus aliis ad externum Dei cultum conservandum pertinentibus decimae applicabanâ—ur Fran. Sylvius and Gospel teach to be due and ought to be paid unto them Nam sicut Deus est Scripturae ita Deus est Naturae for as God is the Author of the Scripture so he is the God of nature and whatsoever is true in nature I speak not of defiled nature but of pure nature the same is true in Scripture And therefore Saint Augustine saith that as Contra-Scripturas nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo Catholicus No Christian will speak against the Scripture and no Catholick will gain-say the Church so Contra rationem nemo sobrius No sober man will deny what Reason avoucheth But the law of Nature and Reason teacheth that no pension which is indifferent and tolerable ought to be denied and detained from the Common use and the good of publick weale for so Plato and Cicero and many more that knew no more but what the light of nature shewed them do say We are born on that condition not only to provide for our selves and our off-spring but also for our private friends and especially for the publick good That every man is to do his best for the publick good of our Countrey which is the common parent of us all and the examples of Theseus the Athenian Demaratus the Lacedemonian Epaminondas the Theban Curtius Decius and Coriolanus the Romans and among the Jews Moses Aaron Gideon Sampson David Zorobabel and abundance more in all Nations that underwent all charge and exposed themselves to endure all adventures for the furtherance of the common good do sufficiently confirm this truth unto us But the tenth part or portion that we have from the Fruits and commodities The tenth the most indifferent part that we receive from the earth is of the most indifferent condition competent for the receiver and tolerable for the giver as being of a middle size neither too little for the one to take nor too much for the other to pay for the publick service of God And this will easily be confirmed if we compare this tenth part with the taxes and impositions that are of other nature and are required and payable in very many Nations for the men of Cholchi beside their subsidy of money were forced to deliver a hundred male Children and as many maidens by way of task or tribute unto their Princes And Heredot us writeth of very strange distributions that do arise from the waters of Nilus to the proper use of the Inhabitants about that River and of the mighty subsidies that do grow from thence unto the Kings And the Egyptians have been forced to pay the fift part of their estate unto their Kings and Diodorus Siculus The tenth compared with the taxes imposed upon the people in divers Nations saith that a certain King of Egypt gave the yearly custome of the fishes which were taken out of the pooles of his subjects to find rayment and other Ornaments for his Queen and that the same anâ—ounted to a Talent of silver for every day in the year And Dion in the life of Augustus relateth how he levied the twentieth part of every mans estate and of such Donations Legacies and Gifts as were bequeathed at the time of their death and said that he found some Records of that custome formerly used in the Registers of Caesar and it is written that the Thuringi exceeded this payment in the â—axes that were imposed upon them For they were forced to pay yearly to the Kings of Hungary not only the tenth part of their goods but also the tenth number of their children and yet they that are under the Tyranny of the Turks must indâ—re a Heavier yoke and a far greater slavery for they pay the fourth part of all their fruits and increase of the earth and of their labours in their several trades and they pay tole-money for every servant that they keep the which if their estates be not able to do yet must they make it good or â—ell themselves for â—slavâ—s to do it And now judge you what rational man comparing the tythes with these tributes and the taxes of other Nations will not conclude that the tenth part is the most equal just and indifferent portion that can be allâ—tted and adjudged fit to be given and paid for such a publick good as is the service of God and the Ministry of the Gospel without pressing too heavy upon the giver or paying too slight a portion to the receâ—ver 2. Whatsoever things have their foundation and introduction in the 2. Reason What natural Reason sheweth 1. That publick Ministers should be by the publick State mainâ—ained Law of Nature the same things ought still to be observed and continued but natural Reason suggesteth and telleth every man that is not voyd of Reason 1. That as they which serve the Common-wealth Kings Magistrates and Governours should live upon the taxes and Contributions of the Common-wealth so they that serve the Church of God as Bishops and Priests should be maintained by the Church and the Histories of the Gentiles do bear witness that all the Nations of the World have alwayes fully and sufficiently provided maintenance for their Priests For so Mâ—ha having Judg. 17. 5. set up his Temple and made an Ephod and his Teraphim consecravit ministerium unius â— filiis suis he made one of his sons to be his Priest and implevit manum ejus which consecravit ministerium signifieth saith Tremellius in his notes upon that place that is to give him an estate and the maintenance of
greatest Nobility Lords of the Council Senate Parliament or Pope for any cause compelling to Idolatry exercising Cruelty practising Tyranny or any other Pretext how fair and specious soever it seems to be to Rebell take Arms and resist the Authority of their lawfull King whom God will protect and require all the blood that shall be spilt at the hands of the head-Rebels And all the main Objections to the contrary are clearly answered By GRYFFITH WILLIAMS Lord Bishop of Ossory London Printed for Phil. Stephens the younger 1663. TO THE KINGS Most Excellent MAJESTY Most Gracious Sovereign I Have been long ashamed to see the Aegyptian locusts the emissaries of Apollyon and the sons of perdition under the name of Christ so much to abuse His sacred truth as to send forth so impudently and most ignorantly such lying Pamphlets so stuffed with Treason to animate Rebellion and to poyson the dutiful affections and the obliged loyalty of Your Majesties seduced Subjects and seeing we ought not to be sleeping when the Traytors are betraying our Master I have been not a little grieved to see so many able men the faithful servants of Christ and most loyal to Your Majesty either over-awed with fear or distempered with their calamities or I know not for what else to be so long silent from publishing the necessity of obedience and the abomination of Rebellion in this time of need when the tongue and pen of the Divine should aswell strengthen the weak hands of faithful subjects as the Sword and Musket of the Souldier should weaken the strength of faithlesse Rebels Therefore not presuming of mine ability to equalize my brethren but as conscious of my fidelity both to God and to Your Majesty as in my younger years I * Non sine meo magno mâ—lo fearlesly published The resolution of Pilate so in my latter age though as much perplexed and persecuted as any man driven out of all my fortunes in Ireland hunted out of my house and poor family in England and after I had been causelesly imprisoned and most barbarously handled then threatned beyond measure yet I resolvedly set forth this Tract of The Grand Rebellion and though it be plain without curiosity Qualem decet exulis esse Yet I do it in all truth and sincerity without any sinister aspect for my witnesse is in Heaven I had rather have all the estate I have plundred and pillaged my wife and children left desolate and destitute of all relief and my self deprived of liberty and life by the Rebels for speaking truth in defence of whom my conscience knoweth to be in the right than to have all the praise and preferment that either People Parliament or Pope can heap upon me for sewing pillowes under their elbows and with idle distinctions false interpretations and wicked applications of holy Writ hypocritically to flatter and most seditiously to instigate the discontented and seduced spirits and others of most desperate fortunes to rebell against the Lord's annointed I presume to present the same into Your sacred hands God Almighty which delivereth your Majesty from the contradiction of sinners and subdueth your people that are under You bless protect and prosper You in all Your wayes Your Royal Queen and all Your Royal Progeny Thus prayeth Your Majesties most loyally devoted Subject and most faithfully obliged servant Gryffith Ossory THE GRAND REBELLION PSAL. 106. 16. Aemulati sunt Mosen in Castris Aaron sanctum Domini CHAP. 1. Sheweth who these Rebels were how much they were obliged to their Governours and yet how ungratefully they rebelled against them I Am here in this Treatise to shew unto you a Monster more hideous and monstrous than any of those that are described either by the Greek or Latin Poets and more noysome and destructive to humane kinde then any of those that the hottest Regions of Africa have ever bred though this be now most frequently produced in these colder Climates The name of it is Rebellion an ugly beast of many-heads of loathsome aspect of great antiquity and as great vivacity for the whole world could not subdue it to this very day And this Rebellion the like whereof was never seen from the Creation of the World to this very time and I hope shall never be seen hereafter The greatnesse of this sin of Rebellion is seen two ways 1. From the Text. 2. From their punishment 1. Of the Text 4. Parts of the Text. to the day of Judgement is fully set down in the 16. of Numbers and it is briefly repeated in the words of the Psalmist Psal 106. 16. How great a sin it is and how odious unto God will appear if we examine 1. The particulars of the Text in the 16. verse and but view 2. The greatnesse of their punishment in the next verse 1. The Text containeth four special parts 1. Qui fuâ—re who the Rebels were that did this 2. Contra quos against whom they rebelled 3. Quid fecerunt what they did 4. Vbi fecerunt where they did it And in each of these I will endevour brevity for as the Poet saith Citò dicta Percipiunt dociles animi retinâ—ntque fideles Horat. Few words do best hold memory and a short taste doth breed the more eager appetite therefore as all the precepts of Christ were 1. Brevia so my desire shall be to do herein 3. Properties of Christs precepts 2. Levia so my desire shall be to do herein 3. Vtilia so my desire shall be to do herein First then Aemulati sunt they angred and who were they the Prophet 1. Part who the Rebels were Described by four notions answereth Vers 7. Patres nostri in Aegypto Our Fathers regarded not thy wonders in Aegypt And therfore they were 1. Their own Countrey-men the Israelites 2. Of their own Tribe as was Corah and his companions and of the Nobility of Israel as were Dathan and Abiram and their adherents 3. Of their own Religion such as had received the Oracles of God and did professe to serve thâ— same true and â—ver living God as the others did 4. Such as had obtained multa magna many great favours and benefits yea Beneficia â—â—mis â—opâ—â—sa and I may say very precious benefits from them For when God sent Mâ—ses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen these delivered them from bondage and brought them forth with silver and gold and there was not one feeble person among their Tribes saith the Prophet And yet these were the men that rebelled 1. They were their own Country-men of their own Tribe the seed of Abraham 1. Of the same Country and partakers of the same fortunes And therefore they should love and not hate they should further and not hinder rejoyce and not envie at one anothers happinesse for though wicked men of desperate fortunes care for none but for themselves Sibi nati sibi vivunt sibi moriuntur sibi damnantur yet not only the Heathen Philosophy of Natures
Schollers but also the Divine verity of Gods elected servants doth teach us that partem patria partem parentes vâ—ndicant the love of our Countrey and to our Country-men should be such as rather to spend our selves to relieve them then by â—ewd practices to destroy them when by our dissolute debauchment we have destroyed our selves 2. These Rebels were of their own Tribe of the Tribe of Lâ—vi and so 2. Of the same Tribe knit together indissolubili vinculo with the indissoluble bond of blood and fraternity and therefore they should have remembred the saying of Abraham their Father unto his Nephew Lot Let there be no dissention betwixt thee and me for we be brethren a good Uncle that would never drive his Nephew out of his house and home And we read that affiâ—ity among the Heathens could not only keep away the force and suppresse the malice of deadly foes but also retain pâ—gnora juncti sanguinis as Julia did Caesar and Pompey and as the Poet saith Vt generos soceris â—ediae junxere Sabinâ— Lucan Pharsal l. 1. And therefore why should not consanguinity and the bond of flesh and blood suppresse the envy of friends and retain the love of brethren But these prove true the old saying that Fratrum irae inter sâ— inimicissimâ— the wrath of brethren is most deadly as it appeared not only in Cain against Abel Romulus against Remus and all his brethren against Joseph but especially in Caracalla that slew his brother Geta in his mothers armes and therefore Solomon saith A brother offended is harder to winne then a strong City and their contentions are like the barrs of a Pallace Prov. 28. 19. not easily broken Nam ut aqua calefacta cum ad frigiditatem reducitur frigidissima est For as water that hath been hot being cold again is colder then ever it was before and as the Adamant if it be once broken is shivered into a thousand pieces so love being turned into hatred and the bond of friendship being once dissolved there accreweth nothing but a swift increase of deadly hatred So it happened now in the Camp of Israel that the saying of Saint Bernard is found true Omnes amici omnes Bern. in Cant. Serm. 33. inimici All of a house and yet none at peace all of a kindred and yet in mortal hatred And as Corah and his companions were so nearly allyed unto Moses of the Tribe of Levi so Dathan and Abiram were men famous in the Congregation noble Peers and very popular men heads of their families of the Tribe of Reuben A subtle practice of that pestiferous Serpent to joyn Simeon and Levi Clergy and Laiâ—y in this wicked faction of Rebellion the one under colour of dissembled sanctity the other with their power and usurped authority to seduce the more to make the greater breach of obedience And so it hath been always that we scarse read of any Rebellion but some base Priests the Chaplains of the Devill have begot it and then the Nobles of the people arripientes ansam taking hold of this their desired opportunity do foster that which they would have willingly fathered as besides this Rebellion of Corah that of Jack Cade in the reign of Henry the sixth and that of Perkin Warbeck in the time of Henry the seventh and many more that you may find at home in the lives of our own Kings may make this point plain enough But they should have thought on what our Saviour tells us that Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not stand What a mischief then was it for these men to make such a division among their own Tribe and in their own Camp Nondum tibi defuit hostis had they not the Egyptians and the Canaanites and the Amalekites and enow besides to fight against but they must raise a civil discord in their own house Could not their thoughts be as devout as the Heathen Poet 's which saith Omnibus hostes Reddite nos populis civile avertite bellum Luâ—an Pharsal lib. 1. And therefore this makes the sin of home-bred Rebels the more intolerable because they bring such an Ilias malorum so many sorts of unusual calamities and grievous iniquities upon their own brethren 3. These Rebels were of their own Religion professing the same 3. Of the same Religion faith that the others did Et religio dicitur à religando saith Lactantius and therefore this bond should have tyed them together firmer then the former For if equal manners do most of all bind affections Et similitudo morum parit amicitiam as the Orator teacheth then hoc magnum est hoc mirum that men should not love those of the same Religion And if the profession of the same trades and actions is so forcible not onely to maintain peace but also to increase love and amity as we see in all JACOB REX in Ep. to all Christian Monarchs Societies and Corporations of any mechanick craft or handie work they do inviolably observe that Maxim of the Civill Law to give an interest unto those qui fovent consimilem causam so that as birds of the same feather they will cluster all in one and be zealous for the preservation of them that are of the same craft or society why then should not the profession of the same Religion if not increase affection yet at least detain men from dissention For though diversities of Religion non bene conveniunt can seldom contain themselves for any while in the same Kingdom without Civil distractions especially if each party be of a near equall power which should move all Governours to do herein as Hannibal did with his army that was a mixture of all Nations to keep the most suspectâ—d under and rank them so that they durst not kick against his Carthaginâ—ans or as Henry the fourth did with the Brittains to make such Laws that they were never able to rebell so should the discreet Magistrate not root out a people that they be no more a Nation but so subordinate the furthâ—st from truth to the best professors that they shall never be able any wayes to end â—nger the true Religion yet where the same Religion is universally profâ—ssed excepting small differences in adiaphoral things quae non diversificant species as the Schools speak it is more then unnatural for any one to make a Schism and much more transcendently heynous to rebâ—ll against his Governours But indeed no sin is so unnatural no offence so heynous but that swelling pride and discontented natures will soon perpetrate no bonds nor bounds can keep them in and therefore Corah must rebell And ever since in all Societies even among the Levites and among the Priests the disordered spirits have rebelled against their Governours fecerunt unitatem contra unitatem and erecting Altars against Alturs as the Fathers speak they have
was in Saint Bernard who saith If all the world should conspire against me to make me complet any thing against the Kings Majesty yet I would fear God and not dare to offend the King ordained of God I might fill a Volume if I would collect the testimonies of our best Serenissimus Rex Jacobus de vera lege liberâ— Monarchiae Writers I will adde but one of a most excellent King our late King James of ever blessed memory for he saith The improbity or fault of the Governour ought not to subject the King to them over whom he is appointed Judge by God for if it be not lawful for a private man to prosecute the injury that is offered unto him against his private adversary when God hath committed the sword of vengeance onely to the Magistrate how much lâ—sse lawful is it think you either for all the people or for some of them to usurp the sword whereof they have no right against the publique Magistrate to whom alone it is committed by God This hath been the Doctrine of all the Learned of all the Saints of The obedient example â—f the Martyrs in the time of Queen Mary God of all the Martyrs of Jesus Christ and therefore not onely they that suffered in the first Persecutions under Heathen Tyrants but also they that of late lived under Queen Mary and were compelled to un dergoe most exquisite torments without number and beyond measure yet none of them either in his former life or when he was brought to his execution did either despise her cruell Majesty or yet curse this Tyrant-Queen that made such havock of the Church of Christ and causelesly spilt so much innocent blood but being true Saints they feared God and honoured her and in all obedience to her authâ—rity they yielded their estates and goods to be spoyled their liberties to be infringed and their bodies to be imprisoned abused and burned as oblations unto God rather then contrary to the command of their Master Christ they would give so much allowance unto their consciences as for the preservation of their lives to make any shew of resistance against their most bloody Persecutors whom they knew to have their authority from that bloody yet their lawful Queen And therefore I hope it is apparent unto all men that have their eyes Numb 24. 15. Gen. 19. 11. open and will not with Balaam most wilfully deceive themselves or with the Sodomites grope for the wall at noon-day that by the Law of God by the example of all Saints by the rule of honesty and by all other equitable considerations it is not lawfull for any man or any degree or sort of men Magistrates Peers Parliaments Popes or whatsoever The conclusion of the whole you please to call them to give so much liberty unto their misguided consciences and so farre to follow the desires of their unruly affections as for any cause or under any pretence to withstand Gods Vice-gerent and with violence to make warre against their lawful King or indeed in the least degree and lowest manner to offer any indignity either in thought word or deed either to Moses our King or to Aaron our High Priest that hath the care and charge of our souls or to any other of those subordinate callings that are lawfully sent by them to discharge those offices wherewith they are intrusted This is the truth of God and so acknowledged by all good men And what Preachers teach the contrary I dare boldly affirm it in the name of God that they are the incendiaries of Hell and deserve rather with Corah to be consumed with fire from Heaven then to be believed by any man on Earth CHAP. X. Sheweth the impudencie of the Anti-Cavalier How the Râ—bels deny they warre against the King An unanswerable Argument to presse obedience A further discussion whether for our Liberty Religion or Laws we may resist our Kings and a pathetical disswasion from Rebellion I Could insert here abundant more both of the Ancient and Modern Writers that do with invincible Arguments confirm this truth But the Anti-Cavalier would perswade the world that all those learned Fathers Anti Cavalier p. 17 18 c. and those constant Martyrs that spent their purest blood to preserve the purity of religion unto us did either belye their own strength * Yet Tertul. Cypr. whom I quoted before and Râ—ffiâ— hist Eccles l. 2. c. 1. and S. August in Psal 124. and others avouch the Christians were far stronger then their enemies and the greatest part of Julians army were Christians or befool themselves with the undue desire of over-valued Martyrdome but now they are instructed by a better spirit they have clearer illuminations to inform them to resist if they have strength the best and most lawful authority that shall either oppose or not consent unto them thus they throw dirt in the Fathers face and dishonour that glorious company and noble army of Martyrs which our Church confesseth praiseth God and therefore no wonder that they will warre against Gods annointed here on Earth when they dare thus dishonour and abuse his Saints that raign in Heaven but I hope the world will believe that those holy Saints were as honest men and those worthy Martyrs that so willingly sacrificed their lives in defence of truth could as well testifie the truth and be as well informed of the truth as these seditious spirits that spend all their breath to raise arms against their Prince and to spill so much blood of the most faithful subjects But though the authority of the best Authours is of no authority with them that will believe none but themselves yet I would wish all other men to read that Homily of the Church of England where it is said that God did never long prosper rebellious subjects against their Prince were they never so great in authority or so many in number yea were they never so noble so many so stout so witty and politique but alwayes they came by the overthrow and to a shameful end Yea though they pretend the redresse of the Common wealth which rebellion of all other mischiefs doth most destroy or reformation of religion whereas rebellion is most against The Homily against rebellion p. 390. 301. all true religion yet the speedy overthrow of all Rebels sheweth that God alloweth neither the dignity of any person nor the multitude of any people nor the weight of any cause as sufficient for the which the subjects may move rebellion against their Princes and I would to God that every subject would read over all the six parts of that Homily against wilful rebellion for there are many excellent passages in it which being diligently read and seriously weighed would work upon every honest heart never to rebell against their lawful Prince And therefore the Lawes of all Lands being so plain to pronounce them Traytors that take arms against their Kings as you may see in
do admire that the wisdom of the Kings Counsel but that they which as the Apostle saith are not ignorant of the devices of Satan are not permitted by these men to be of His Councel could not espy what mischief might lurk under this fair shade or what might be the Consequences of such a Parliament that is inconsistent with a Monarchy and therefore must in a convenient time be ended or else will make an end of all Monarchical Government Why then might not a year or two or three or more so the years were limited suffice to determine all businesses but that the life of this Parliament should be endless and the continuance thereof undetermined This is beyond the age of the Counsel of Trent that they say lasted above forty years for I presume if some of What the faction could be contented with Complaint p. 19. the contrivers of this Design might have their desires the youngest of us should hardly see the Dissolution of this Parliament Til the earthly Houses of our Tabernacles be dissolved for it is likely they could be well contented as one saith to make an Ordinance that both Houses should be a Corporation to take our Lands and Goods to themselves and their successours and when any of that Corporation dieth â—oties quoties the surviver and none else should choose a successour to perpetuity so they should be Masters of our Estates and disposers of all we have as they are now for ever And therefore this was a Plot beyond the Powder-plot and beyond the device of Semiramis that with a lovely face desired her husband she The plot of Semiramis might rule but three daies to see how well she could mannage the State and obtaining her request in the first thereof she removed all the Kings Officers in the second she placed her own minions in all the places of Power and Authority as now the faction would do such as they confide in in all places of strength and in the third day she cut off the Kings head and assumed the Government of all the Kings Dominions into her own hands for not three daies nor three years will serve their turn for fear they shall not have ability in so short a space to finish all their strange intended projects and therefore that they might not be hindered their request is unlimited that the Parliament should not be dissolved till both Houses gave consent which they were contented should 〈◊〉 Gracas Calendas Yet God that knew best what punishments were due to be inflicted for their former Actions and for all the subtle Devices of their hard heâ—rts gave way for this also that this third Impediment of their projects might be removed that so at last their sins like the sins of the Amorites by little and little growing unto the full might undergo the fulness of Gods vengeance which as yet I fear was not fully come to pass for till the Parliament was made perpetual the things that they have done since were absolutely unimaginable because that while it How the faction hath strengthened it self was a dissolvable body they durst not so palpably invade the known rights either of King or Subjects whereas now their Body being made indissoluble they need not have the same apprehension of either having strengthened themselves by a Bill against the one and by an Army against the other and therefore all the dissolutions of Parliaments from the beginning of them to this time have not done half that mischief as the continuance of this one hath done hitherto and God only knowes what is to succeed hereafter But seeing themselves have publickly acknowledged in their Declarations that they were too blame if they undertook any thing now which they would not undertake if it were in His Majesties power to dissolve them the next day and they have since used this means which was given them to disburthen the Common-Wealth of that debt which was thought insupportable to plunge it irrevocably into a far greater What many wise men do say debt to the ruine of the whole Kingdom to change the whole frame of our Government and subjecting us to so unlimited an arbitrary power that no man knows at the sitting of the House what he shall be worth at the rising or whether he shall have his liberty the next day or imprisonment Many wise men do say they see no Reason that this trust being forfeited and the faith reposed in them betrayed the King may not immediatly re-assume that power of dissolving them into his own hands again and both our unjustly abused King and our much injured people declare this Act to be voyd when as contrary to their own Faith and the trust of the King they abuse it to overthrow the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom though I could heartily wish that because it still carrieth the Countenance of a Law the faction would be so Wise to yield it to be presently dissolved by a Law CHAP. IV. Sheweth the abilities of the Bishops the threefold practice of the Faction to exclude them out of the House of Peers and all the Clergy out of all Civil Judicature THere was one stop more that might hinder or at least hardly suffer The fourth impediment of their design their plots to succeed according to their hearts desire and that is the Bishops Votes in the Vpper House nay they cannot endure to call it so but in the House of the Lords for they rightly considered therein these two special things Which are two main things to stop and hinder many evils For 1. Their Number 2. Their Abilities 1. They had Twenty six Voyces which was a very considerable number and might stop a great gap and stay the stream or at least moderate the violence of any unjust prosecution 2. They were men of great Learning men of Profound knowledge both in Divine and Humane Affairs and men well educated à â—unabulis that spent all their time in Books and were Conversant with the dead that feared not to speak the truth and have wearied themselves in reading Histories comparing Laws and considering the Affairs of all Common-wealths The abilities of the Bishops and so were able if their modesty did not silence them to discourse de quolibet ente to untie every knot and to explain every riddle and being the immediate servants of the living God set apart as the Apostle speaketh to offer Sacrifice and to administer the Sacraments of God to prepare a people for the Kingdom of Heaven it ought not and it cannot be otherwise imagined by any child of the Church that is a true believer but that they are men of Conscience to speak the truth and to do justice in any cause and betwixt any parties more then most others especially those young Pardon me good Lords for so plainly speaking truth Lords and Gentlemen whose years do want experience and the course of their lives some in Hawking and Hunting and others in Dâ—cing and
happiness we would buy Arms and be Voluntiers and every Town being too wanton would needs train and put themselves into a posture of defence as they termed it to be secured from their own shadows and though the King told them often there was no cause of their Jealousies and therefore forbade these disloyalties yet just like the Jews they were willing to be deceived by this miserable faction that contrived that Act whereby they have perfidiously over-reached both our good King and the rest of our wel-meaning brethren either to perfect their Design or else to make themselves perpetual Dictators and to betray the felicity of all our people under the name of Parliament which though as I said before I honour and love as much as any of the truest Patriots of either House both in the institution and the right prosecution thereof that is as it was constituted to be the great Council of the Kingdom graciously called by his Majesties-writ confidently to present the grievances of the people and humbly to offer their advice and counsels for their Reformation yet I do abhor those men that would abuse the word Parliament only as a Stalking-Horse to destroy all Acts of Parâ—iament and I hate to see men calling the Fanatick actions of a few desperate seditious persons the proceedings of Parliament and others making an Idol of it as if their power were omnipotent or unlimitted and more than any Regal Power their judgment infallible their Orders irreprehensible and themselves unaccountable for their proceedings to be so besotted with the name of it that this bare shadow without the substance for it is no Parliament without the King and the Major part of both Houses is either banished or imprisoned or compelled to reside with his Majesty should so bewitch us as Master Smyth blushed not to say Nothing could free us Ingeniosus ad blasphemiâ—â— from our dangers but the Divinity of a Parliament out of our own happiness to become more miserable then heretofore this Kingdom hath ever been by any Civil War for if you will consider the Treasons and Rebellions the Injustice Cruelty and Inhumanity the Subtilty Hypocrisie Lying Swearing Blasphemy Prophaneness and Sacriledge in the highest pitch and many other the like fearful sins that have been committed since the beginning of this Parliament by the sole means of this Faction and observe the ill Acts that have been used by them to compass things lawful the wicked Acts that have been daily practised to pâ—ocure things unlawful when by blood and rapine and the curses of many Fatherless and Widdows they have gotten the Treasure of the Kingdom and the Wealth of the Kings loyal Subjects into their hands and wasted it so that their wants are still as notorious as their crimes we may admire the miracles of Gods mercy and the bottomless depth of his goodness that the stones in the streets have not risen against them or the fire from Heaven had not consumed these Rebels that thus far and thus insolently had tempted Gods patience and provoked him to anger with such horrible abominations 5. As Jerusalem justified Samaria so this Faction hath justified all the 5. Mischief Romanists and shewed themselves worse Christians less Subjects and viler Traytors than all the Papists are for these factious Rebels justify their Rebellion and to the indelible shame of their Profession they maintain that it is not only lawful but that it is their duty to bear Arms and to wage War against their King when the King doth abuse his Power whereas the Doctrine of the Church of Rome * Christoâ—herson tract contr rebell Rhemist in Nov. Test p. â—01 Goldastus de Monarchia S. Imp. Rom. tom 3. Dr. Kellison in his Survey Aquin. de Regim Princip â— 6. Concil Constan Sess â—5 Stephan Cantuar anno 8. H. 3. Tolet. in summa l 5. c 6. Gr. Valentia p. 2. q 64. Bellar. Apol. c. 13. Lessius l. â— c. 9. Serrarius Azorius c. utterly denieth the same and concludes them no Children of the Church that do it and Doctor Kellison giveth this reason for it because Faith is not necessarily required to Jurisdiction or Government neither is Authority lost by the loss of Faith therefore it is not lawful for any Subjects to Rebel against their King though their King should prove a Tyrant or should Apostate from the Faith of Christ so that now the Papists boast they are better Subjects than these Rebellious Protestants and thefore I fear that this Faction Defendens Christum verso mucrone cecidit by their unjust Design to propagate the Gospel have most grievously wounded the Faith of Christ and given a more deadly blow to the Protestant Religion than ever it had since the Reformation when it is impossible that the true Religion should produce Rebellion And therefore seeing we are free born Subjects and persons interessed in the good and safety of this Kingdom as well as any of them we must crave liberty to express our grievances and to crave redresses and seeing my self am called to be a Preacher of Gods Word and a Bishâ—p over many of the souls of my Brethren for which I must render an account to my God both for my silence when I should speak and speaking any thing that should not be spoken I resolved to fear my God and neither out of flattery to the King and his party nor out of hatred or malice to those factiâ—us men but as I am perswaded in my Conscience fully satisfied and guided by Gods Truth to set forth this Discovery of these Mysteries what danger soever I shall undergo and if I shall become their Enemy for speaking Truth I shall fare no worse than Saint Paul did and it shall be with them if they do not repent as it was with the Israelites When their destruction cometh they shall seek peace and shall not have it but calamity Ezech. 7. 25 27. shall come upon calamity CHAP. XV. Sheweth a particular recapitulation of the Reasons whereby their Design to alter the Government of the Church and State is evinced And a pathetical disswasion from Rebellion ANd thus I have set down not any thing to render these men more odious If I have been misinâ—oâ—med of any thing that shall appear false I shall not blush to retract it by an ingâ—nuous confession than they are or to abuse my Reader with falshood or uncertainties but to report what I knew and what I collected out of the present writings of best credit and attested by men of known truth and integrity whereby it is most apparent to any discerning eye That the Faction of Anabaptists and Brownists and some other of the subtilest heads in the House of Commons had from the first Convention of this Parliament secretly projected this Design and insensible to the rest of their well-meaning Brethren prosecuted the same to alter and change the ancient Government both of the Church and Kingdom which the Author of Sober-Sadnâ—ss
the Church to be not of least esteem in the Civil State but judging it most convenient that they whom God had intrusted with the Soules of men should with all confidence with their personal Actions and with the Imployments of the greatest trust 2. With compâ—tent means in some sort answerable to support their Dignities 2. With Maintenance without which means as the Poët saith Virtus nisi cum re vilior algâ— so honourable Titles without any subsistence is more contemptible then plain Beggery therefore out of their piety to God and bounty to the Church they have conferred many faire Lordships and other large Endowments upon the best deserving Members of Christ's Ministers But as the good Husbandman had no sooner sown his pure Wheat but immediately Matth. 13. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 4. Inimicus homo the evil and envious man superseminavit zizania sowed his poysonous Tares amongst them so God had no sooner thus honoured his Servants but presently the Devil which is * the God of this World began to throw dirt in their faces and to deprive them of both these honours for 1. He stirred up ignorant men of small learning but of great spirits of no fidelity but of much hypocrisie that as Pope Leo wrote unto Thâ—odosius Leo Papa Epâ—st 23. What the factious Preachers pretended Privatas causas pictatis agunt obtentu and under a faire pretext did play the part of Aesop's Fox who being ashamed that his taile was cut off began to inveigh against the unseemly burthensome tailes of all the other Foxes and to perswade them to cut theirs off that so by the common calamity he might be the better excused for his obscenity for so they cryed down all Learning as prophane they raised at the Scholemen they scorned the Fathers and esteemed nothing but that nothing which they had themselves and although they professed to the Vulgar that they aimed at no end but the purity of the Gospel they desired nothing but the amendment of life and reformation of Ecclesiastical Discipline and hated nothing but the pride and covetousness of the Bishops and the other dignified Prelates which stopped their mouthes and imprisoned the liberty of their Conscience yet the truth is that because their worth was not answerable to their ambition to enable them to climbe up to some height of honour their envy was so great that they would fain pull down all those that had ascended and exceeded them And therefore with open mouthes that would not be silenced they exclaimed against Episcopacy and as the Apostle saith spake evil of Dignities imploying all their strength like wicked birds to defile their own nests to disrobe us of all honour and to leave us naked yea and as much as in them lay to make us odious and to stinke as the Israelites said to Moses in the What the Factious aim at Plutarch in lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eyes of the people Then 2. As Plutarch tells us that a certain Sicilian Gnatho and Philoxenus the son of Erixis that were slaves unto their gâ—tts and make a God of their bellies to cause all the other guests to loath their meat that they alone might devour all the dainties did use Narium mucum in catinis emungere so do these men spit all their poyson against the Revenues of the Bishops and that little maintenance that is left unto the Ministers and are as greedy to devour the same themselves as the dogs that gape after every bit they see us puâ— into our mouths for so I heard a whelp of that litter making a bitter invective in the House of Commons against Bishops Deans and Chapters and the greatness Doctor Burges of their Revenue and concluding that all they should be degraded their means should be sequestred and distributed all without any dimination of what they now possessed but with the restitution of all Impropriations unto himselfe and the rest of his factious fellow Preachers which speech as it pleased but few in the latter clause so no doubt it had fauters enough in the former part when we see this little remnant of our sore-fathers bounty this testimony of our Princes piety is the onely mote that sticks in their eye the undâ—gested morâ—â—ll in their stomacks and the onely bait that they gape after for did our King yeild this garment of Christ to be parted among their Souldiers and this revenue of the Church to be disposed of by the Parliament I doubâ— not but all quarrels about the Church would soon end and all other strife about Religion would be soon composed What many men would willingly undergo to procure peace But would this end all our civil Wars would the unbishoping of our Prelates bring rest unto our Prince and the taking away of their estates settle the State of the Common-wealth and bring peace and tranquillity unto this Kingdom If so we could be well contented for our own parts to be sacrificed for the safety of the people for though we dare not say with Saint Paâ—â— that we could wish our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separated from â—hrist for our Country-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9. 6. yet I can say with a syncere heart that I believe many of us could be well contented our fortunes should be confiscated and our lives ended so that could pâ—ocure the peace of the Church which is infinitely troubled redeeme His Majesties honour which is so deeply wounded and preserve this our native Country from that destruction which this unparallel'd Rebellion doth so infallibly threaten The abolishing of Episcopacy would not satisfie the Factious but the truth is that the abolishing of Episcopacy root and branch the reducing of the best to the lowest rank and the bringing of the Clergy to the basâ—sâ— condition of servility to be such as should not be worthy to eate with the dogs of their flock as Job speaketh will not do the deed because as the Satyrist saith nemo repentè fit turpissimus but as virtues so vices have their encrease by use and Juven Sat. 2. progression primum quodque flagitium gradus est ad preximum and every heynous offence is as iron chain to draw on another â—or as Senâ—ca saith nunquam usque adeò temperatae cupiditates sunt ut in co quod contigit desinant sed gradus Seneca de Clem lib 1. à magnis ad majora fit spet improb ssimas complectuntur insperata assecuti our desires are never so far temperated that they end in that which is obtained but the gaining of one thing is a step to seek another And therefore cùm publicum jus omne positum sit in sacris as Plato saith how can it be that they which have prophaned all sacred things and have degraded their Ministers should Plato de legibus lib. 12. not also proceed to depose their Magistrates if you be diffident to believe the same let
Where the Puritans place the authority to maintain religion 1 In the Presbytery which have neither right to own it nor discretion to use it and that is either 1. A Consistory of Presbyters or 2. A Parliament of Lay men For 1. These new Adversaries of this Truth that would most impudently take away from Christian Princes the supreamo and immediate authority under Christ in all Ecclesiastical Callings and Causes will needs place the same in themselves and a Consistorian company of their own Faction a whole Volume would not contain their absurdities falsities and blasphemies that they have uttered about this point I will onely give you a taste of what some of the chief of them have belched forth against the Divine Truth of God's Word and the sacred Majesty of Kings Master Calvin a man otherwise of much worth and Calvin in Amos cap. 7. worthy to be honoured yet in this point transported with his own passion calleth those Blasphemers that did call King Henry the eight the supreme Head of this Church of England and Stapleton saith that he handled the King himself Stapl. cont Horn. l. 1. p. 22. with such villany and with so spiteful words as he never handled the Pope more spitefully and all for this Title of Supremacy in Church causes and in his fifty fourth Epistle to Myconius he termed them prophane spirits and mad men that perswaded the Magistrates of Geneva not to deâ—rive themselves of that authority which God hath given them Viretus is more virulent for he How Viretus would prove the temporal Pope as he calleth the King worse then the spiritual Pope resembleth them not to mad men as Calvin did but to white Devils because they stand in defence of the Kings authority and he saith they are false Christians though they cover themselves with the clâ—ke of the Gospel affirming that the putting of all authority and power into the Civil Magistrates hands and making them masters of the Church is nothing else but the changing of the Popedome from the Spiritual Pope into a Temporal Pope who as it is to be feared will prove worss and more tyrannous then the Spirituall Pope which he laboureth to confirme by these three reasons 1 Reason 1. Because the Spiritual Pope had not the Sword in his own hand to punish men with death but was fain to crave the aid of the Secular power which the Temporal Pope needs not do 2. Because the old spiritual Popes had some regard in their dealings of Councils 2 Reason Synods and ancient Canons but the new Secular Popes will do what they list without respect of any Eâ—clesiastical Order be it right or wrong 2 Reason 3. Because the Romish Popes were most commonly very learned but it happeneth oftentimes that the Regal Popes have neither learning nor knowledg in divine matters and yet these shall be they that shall command Ministers and and Preachers what they list and to make this assertion good he affirmeth that he saw in some places some Christian Princes under the title of Reformation to have in ten or twenty years usurped more tyranny over the Churches in their Dominions then ever the Pope and his adherents did in six hundred years All which reasons are but meere fopâ—eries blown up by the black Devil to blast the beauty of this truth for we speak not of the abuse of any Prince to Viretus his scandalous reasons answered justifie the same against any one but of his right that cannot be the cause of any wrong and it cannot be denyed but an illiterate Prince may prove a singular advancer of all learning as Bishop Wickham was no great Scholler yet was he a most excellent instrument to produce abundance of famous Clerks in this Church and the King ruleth his Church by those Laws which through his royal authority are made with the advice of his greatest Divines as hereafter I shall shew unto you yet these spurious and specious pretexts may serve like clouds to T. C. l. 2. p. 411. hide the light from the eyes of the simple So Cartwright also that was our English firebrand and his Disciples teach as Harding had done before that Kings and Princes do hold their Kingdoms and Dominions under Christ as he is the Son of God onely before all Worlds coequal with the Father and not as he is Mediator and Governour of the Church and therefore the Christian Kings have no more to do with the Church government then the Heathen Princes so Travers saith that the Heathen Princes being converted to the saith receive no more nor any further encrease of their power whereby they may deale in Church causes then they had before so the whole pack of the Disciplinarians are all of the same minde and do hold that all Kings as well Heathen as Christian receiving but one Commission and equal Authority immediately from God have no more to do with Church causes the one sort then the other And I am ashamed to set down the railing and the scurrilous speeches of Anthony Gilby Gilby in his admonition p. 69 Knox in his exhortation to the Nobility of Scotland fol. 77. against Hen. 8. and of Knox Whittingham and others against the truth of the King 's lawful right and authority in all Ecclesiastical causes For were it so as Cartwright Travers and the rest of that crew do avouch that Kings by being Christians receive no more authority over Christ his Church then they had before * Which is most false yet this will appear most evident to all understanding men that all Kings as well the Heathens as the Christians are in the first place to see that their people do religiously observe the worship of that God which they adore and therefore much more should Christian Princes have a care to preserve the religion of Jesus Christ For it cannot be denyed but that all Kings ought to preserve their Kingdoms The Gentilee Kings preâ—ervers of religion and all Kingdoms are preserved by the same means by which they were first established and tâ—â—y are established by obedience and good manners neither shall you finde any thing that can beget obedience and good manners but Lawes and Religion and Religion doth naturally beget obedience unto the Lawes therefore most of those Kings that gave Lawes were originally Priests and as Synes ep 126. Vide Arnis part 2. pag. 14. Ad magnas reipubl utilitates retinetur religio in civitatibus Cicero de divin l. 2. Synesius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Priest and a Prince was all one with them when the Kings to preserve their Laws inviolable and to keep their people in obedience that they might be happy became Priests and exercised the duties of Religion offering sacrifices unto their Gods and discharging the other offices of the Priestly Function as our factious Priests could willingly take upon them the offices of the King or if some of them were not Priests
Counsellours how our late Canons came to be annulled that it is the Kings right to admit his Bishops and Prelates to be of his Council and to delegate secular authority or civil jurisdiction unto them proved by the examples of the Heathens Jewes and Christians OUt of all this that hath been spoken it is more then manifest that the king ought to have the supreme power over Gods Church and the Government thereof and the greatest care to preserve true Religion throughout all his Dominions this is his duty and this is his honour that God hath committed not a people but his people and the members of his Son under his charge For the performance of which charge it is requisite for us to know that God hath granted unto him among other rights these two special prerogatives 1. That he may and ought to make Lawes Orders Canons and Decrees for the well governing of Gods Church Two special rights and prerogatives of the King for the government of the Church 1. To make Laws and Canons 2. That he may when he seeth cause lawfully and justly grant tolerations and dispensations of his own Laws and Decrees as he pleaseth 1. Not onely Solomon and Jehosaphat gave commandment and prescribed unto the chief Priests and Levites what form and order they should observe in their Ecclesiastical causes and methode of serving God but also Constantine Theodosius Justinian and all the Christian Emperours that were careful of Gods service did the like and therefore when the Donatists alleadged that secular Princes had nothing to do to meddle in matters of Religion and in causes Ecclesiastical Saint Augustine in his second Epistle against Gaudentius saith I Aug. l. 2. c. 26. have already proved that it appertaineth to the Kings charge that the Ninivites should pacifie Gods wrath and therefore the Kings that are of Christs Church do judge most truely that it belongeth to their charge to see that men Rebel not without punishment against the same because God doth inspire it into the Idem ep 48. ep 50. ad Bonifac mindes of Kings that they should procure the Commandments of the Lord to be performed in al their Kingdomes for they are commanded to serve the Lord in fear and how do they serve the Lord as Kings but in making Laws for Christ as man he serveth him by living faithfully but as King he serveth him in So they are called the kings Ecclesiastical Lawes making Laws that shal command just things and forbid the contrary which they could not do if they were not kings And by the example of the king of Ninive Darius Nebuchadnezzar and others which were but figures and prophesies that foreshewed the power duty and service that Christian kings should owe and performe in like sort to the furtherance of Christs Religion in the time of the New Testament when al kings shall fall down and Worship Christ and all Nations shall do him service he proveth that the Christian Psal 72. 11. Aug. cont lit Peul l. 2. c 92 Idem in l. de 12. abus grad grad 2. kings and Princes should make Laws and Decrees for the furtherance of Gods service even as Nebuchadnezzar had done in his time And upon the words of the Apostle that the king beareth not the sword in vain he proveth against Petilian that the power and authority of the Princes which the Apostle treateth of in that place is given unto them to make sharpe penall Lawes to further true religion and to suppress all Heresies and Schismes And so accordingly we finde the good Emperours and Kings have ever done The good Emperours have made Laws for the government of the Church Euseb in vita Constant l. 2. 3. for Constantine caused the idolatrous religions to be suppressed and the true knowledge of Christ to be preached and planted amongst his people and made many wholsome Lawes and godly Constitutions to restrain the sacrificing unto Idols and all other devillish and superstitious south sayings and to cause the true service of God to be rightly administred in every place saith Eusebius And in another place he saith that the same Constantine gave injunctions to the chiefe Ministers of the Churches that they should make speciall supplication to God for him and he enjoyned all his Subjects that they should keep holy certain dayes dedicated to Christ and the Sabboth or Saturday which was then wont to be kept holy and as yet not abrogated by any Law among the Christians he gave a Law to the Ruler of every Nation that they should celebrate Idem de vita Constant l. 1. 3. 4. c. 18. the Sunday or the Lords day in like sort and so for the dayes that were dedicated to the memory of the Martyrs and other festival times and all such things were done according to the ordinance of the Emperour Nicephorus writing of the excellent virtues of Andronicus son to Immanuel Niceph. in praefation Eccles bist Palaeologus and comparing him to Constantine the Great saith thou hast restored the Catholique Church being troubled with new opinions to the old State thou hast banished all unlawfull and impure doctrine thou hast established the truth and hast made Lawes and Constitutions for the same Sozomen speaking of Constantines sons saith the Princes also concurred to Sozomenus l 3. c. 17. the increase of these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewing their good affections to the Churches no less then their father did and honouring the Clergy their servants with singular promotions and immunities both confirming their fathers Lawes and making also new Lawes of their own against such as went about to sacrifice and to worship Idols or by any other means fell to the Greekish or Heathenish superstitions Theodoret tells us that Valentinian at the Synod in Illirico did not onely confirme the true faith by his Royall assent but made also many godly and sharpe Lawes as well for the maintenance of the truth of Christ his doctrine as also touching many other causes Ecclesiastical and as ratifying those things that were done by the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sent abroad to them Theodor. l. c. 5 6 7. that doubted thereof Honorius at the request of Boniface the first made a Law whereby it might Distinct 7 9. siduo appear what was to be done when two Popes were chosen at once by the indiscretion of the Electors Martianus also made a Statute to cut off and put away all manner of contention about the true faith and Religion in the Councell of Calcedon The Emperour Justinus made a Law that the Churches of Heretiques should be consecrated to the Catholique Religion saith Martinus Poenitentiarius And who knowes not of the many Laws and Decrees that Justinian made in Ecclesiasticall causes for the furtherance of the true Religion for in the beginning of the Constitutions collected in the Code of Iustinian the first 13 titles are all filled with Laws for to rule
fight our battails Out of which two places we finde two special parts of the King's government 1. Principatum bellorum the charge of the wars in respect whereof the Sigon l. 7. c. 1. Kings were called Captains as the Lord said unto Samuel concerning Saul Vnges eum ducem thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my people 1 Sam. 9. 16. Israel 2. Curam judiciorum the care of all judgments in respect whereof David 1 Reg. 3. 9. Psal 72. 2. Arâ—isaeus de jure Majest l. 2. c. 1. p. 214. and Solomon and the other Kings are said to judge the people So Arnisaeus saith Majestatis potest as omnis consistit vel in defendenda repub vel in regenda all the power of royalty consisteth either in defending or in governing the Common-wealth according as Homer describeth a perfect King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad â— And so you see the two principal parts of the King's government are the Offices 1. Ducis in bello gerendo 2. Judicis in jure reddendo 1. Part. In the time of War Ordo ille naturalis mortalium paci accommodatus hoc poscit ut suscipiendi belli autoritas atque consilium apud principes siâ— Aug. cont Faust l. 22. 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 5. p. 345. Plato de legib lib. 2. 1. Of a Captain in the time of War 2. Of a Judge in the time of Peace 1. Then it is the proper right of the King and of none but the King or he that hath the regal and supreme power to make war and to conclude peace for Plato in his Common-wealth ordained that Si quis pacem vel bellum fecerit cum aliquibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Julian Law adjudgeth him guilty of High Treason Qui injussu principis bellum gesserit delectúmve habuerit exercitum vel comparaverit that either maketh War or raiseth an Army without his Kings command And to this part of the regall government which consisteth in the Militia Luc. 14. 31. 32. Aristot Polit. l. 7. c. â— Arâ—is l. 2. c. 1. in Armes for the defence of the Kingdome pertaineth 1. The proclaiming of War which our Saviour properly ascribeth unto the right of Kings when he saith not what State or Common-wealth but What King going to war with another King c. 2. The concluding of Peace which our Saviour ascribeth also unto the King in the same place 3. The making of leagues and confederacies with other forraigne States 4. The sending and receiving of Ambassadors 5. To raise Armes and the like which the Lawes of God and of all Nations justifie to be the proper right of Kings and to belong onely unto the supreame Majesty But then you will say did not the Judges Moses Joshua Gideon Jephta Judges 11. 11. Barac Samson and rest make war and yet they were no Kings Why then may not the Nobles make war as well as Kings I answer that they do indeed make war and a miserable wretched war but I speak of a just war and so I say that none but the King or he that hath the Kings power can do it for though the Judges assumed not the name of Kings nor Captains sed à potiore parte vocati sunt judices but from the sweetest part of the Royall government were termed Judges yet they had the full power ducendi judicandi populum both of war and peace saith Sigonius and so the men of Gilead said unto Jephthe veni esto princeps noster and they made him their head by an inviolable covenant And of Moses it was plainly said He was King in Jesurun and when Deut. 33. 5. there was no Judge it is said there was no King in Israel for I stand not about Judges 17. 6. 18. 1. 19. 1. words when some were called Kings for the honour of the People and yet had no more power then Subjects as the Kings of Sparta and others had not the name of Kings and yet had the full power of Kings as the Dictator and the Emperour and the great Duke of Muscovie and the like But when a war is undertaken by any Prince how shall we know which party is in the right for to make an unjust war cannot be said to be the right of any King yet as the Poet saith Quis justius induit arma Lucan lib. 1. Scire nefas summo se judice quisque tuetur Every one pretends his cause is just he fights for God for the truth of the Gospell the faith of Christ and the liberty and Lawes of his Countrey how then shall those poore men that hazard their lives and their fortunes yea and soules too if they war on the wrong side understand the truth of this great doubtfull and dangerous point I answer all the Divines that I read of speaking of war do concur with Dambaud in praxi criminal cap. 82. what Dambauderius writeth of this point that there must be foure properties of a just war 1. A just cause Foure properties of a just War 2. A right intention 3. Meet Members 4. The Kings authority Sine qua est laesa Majestas without which authority the Warriours are all Traytors And I would to God our Rebels would lay their hands upon their hearts and seriously examine these foure points in this present War 1. What cause have they to take Armes against their King and to kill and 1. A just cause murder so many thousands of their own Brethren they will answer that they do it for the defence of their Liberty Lawes and Religion but how truely let God himselfe be the Judge for His Majesty hath promised and protested they shall enjoy all these fully and freely without any manner of dimunution and we know that never any rebellion was raised but these very causes were still pretended And therefore 2 A right intention 2. Consider with what intent they do all this and I doubt not but you shall finde foul weeds under this fair cloak for under the shadow of liberty and property they took the liberty to rob all the King 's loyal Subjects that they could reach of all or most of their estates and to keep them fast in prison because they would not consent to their lawless liberty and to be Rebels with them against their conscience And under the pretence of Lawes they aimed not to have the old Lawes well kept which was never denyed them but to have such new ones made as might quite rob the King of all his rights and transfer the same unto themselves and their friends so he should be like the King of Sparta What Lawes and Religion the Rebels would fain have a Royal Slave and they should be like the Ephori ruling and commanding Subjects And for the religion you may know by their new Synod which are a Synod not of Saints but of Rebels what religion they would fain have not that which was