Sovereign Power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is by God from God under God and God's Appointment irrevocable ordinance irrepealable The three last are the Apostles the first is Solomon's for the Septuagint read the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This variety and plurality of Expressions how Sovereignty is of God and Gods the Spirit of God hath used that none presume sacrilegiously to usurp upon God his Prerogative who hath reserved this peculiarly for himself that all Kings upon Earth should be his immediate Creatures and Deputies by his own Letters Patent authorized Our Adversaries have been much puzled with this Text if they give us a new Bible it is like enough either this Text will be left out or we will have a Gloss upon it to destroy the original Text. It hath so tortured them that I cannot tell you how many ways they have coyned to themselves to elude it I have observed five main ones which I purpose by by Gods Grace to examine and refute quaests 5. now I content my self to take off one in which they please themselves much They say the Apostle speaketh abstractly not concretely of the power it felf not of the person cloathed and invested with the Power it is an ignorant shift Barcley in his Book de Regno who hath deserved well of all Christian Monarchs hath learnedly and truly observed that Saint Paul writing to the Romans did keep the Roman usual Diction in this with whom it was customable and ordinary by Potestates powers in the Abstract to express the persons authorized with this power He refers his Reader to classical and good Authors as to Pliny lib. 29. c. 4. Iuvenal Suet. in Claudio c. 21. Modest. lib. 27. de Pignorib Vlpian lib. 17. SS penult de Aedil edict Tertullian contr gent. I content my self with the Dialect of Canaan in Scripture in which frequently Expressions in the Abstract express existents in the Concrete Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers By Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers uncontrovertedly Angels are meant that the Expressions are abstract is clear as the Sun-shine To say Angels were created in abstracto is to send us to search after Platonick Idea's This instance it may be is too sublime let us see then if we can hit upon one nearer us and more fitting for the Purpose in hand I pray them to cast their Eyes upon St. Peter 2. Epist. 2. 10. where giving a Character of the man with whom we have to do he saith That they despise Government are presumptuous self-willed and not afraid to speak ill of Dignities The fellow of this you have Iud. 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh despise Dominion and speak ill of Dignities In which Passages the words in abstracto Government Dominion Dignities without any Doubt do express the persons of Governours Lords and Kings It is worth your notice taking to consider how zealous St. Peter and St. Iude were for the honour and due of Sovereignty the ray of Divine Majesty upon Earth that they speak so passionately and bitterly against such as professed themselves Christians and did speak Evil of Cajus Caligula Nero monsters of men O with what a zeal would they be inflamed if living now a days they did see what we see and hear what we hear the pretended Levites expressing their Zeal to God Religion Church and State by railing against the Lords anointed the best of Kings in the World The Fathers do use the word so too St. Austin epist. 48. saith Potestas humana saepe est divinae potestati inimica humane power is too often contrary to the Power of God Almighty The holy Father was not so bad a Divine as to think that Potestas in abstracto that Government which is Gods own Ordinance can be in Opposition or Enmity with God St. Austin then infallibly by the word Potestas Power meant him or them who are authorized with power from above If this doth not content our Adversaries I would entreat them to look upon St. Paul's Text and I hope they will find that St. Paul meant by being subject to higher powers to be subject to him who is invested with the Power Doth not he term them v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers Higher Powers then and Rulers are with saint Paul equivalent terms Doth he not after call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministers immediate and peculiar Servants of God v. 6. and even Nero himself is Gods Minister for thy Good Doth he not say v. 4. That he beareth not the Sword in vain which is non-sense if you conceive it of higher Powers in abstracto The like may be said of paying Tribute c. God did fore-see by his eternal Omniscience how apt man was to coin Distinctions to deceive himself and to wrong Gods Ordinance that mercifully to us he hath expressed in Scripture that both Sovereignty and the person cloathed with Sovereignty are of him by him and from him immediately and this that both the one and the other may be reverenced by us as sacred and inviolable The Apostle speaketh in abstracto Be subject to the Higher Powers The Powers that are are ordained of God He that resisteth c. Again the Spirit of God by Solomon saith In concreto with the Connotation of the Subject By me Kings reign I have said you are Gods c. What shall we judge then of this new-coyned Distinction to make a Difference betwixt the King and his Authority betwixt his personal Will and his Royal and Authoritative Will to pursue his Person with a Cannon-bullet at Edge-hill and to preserve his Authority at London or elsewhere These Fig-tree Leaves will not cover our Rebellion and Treason in the day of our Accounts before the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Remember his strait Charge Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophet no harm CHAP. III. The same Truth is proved by more Arguments from Holy Scripture THE Scripture hath not delivered any truth more purposely more apertly more frequently than this The Spirit of God knew well that if the Sacred Sovereignty of Kings be not preserved Religion Justice and Peace cannot be maintained This is the reason St. Paul gives to perswade us to pray for Kings That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. It is observable that Solomon Prov. 8. speaketh first of the establishment of Government before he speaks of the Works of Creation to intimate it is better not to be at all than to be without Government For the same reason God fixed Government in the Person of Adam before Evah or any else came into the World and how Government shall be and we enjoy the happy fruits of it it is not conceivable except we preserve
Kings in what proportion they please by a fiduciary trust View the fourth Chapter of Daniel's Prophecy and there you will find it in four-squared Letters Nebuchadnezzar for a time is un-kinged how I pray you By the Watcher by the Holy One one sent by him from Heaven commanded by him to hew down the tree to cut off his branches shake off his leaves scatter his fruit vers 13. 14. And to what purpose is this That Nebuchadnezzar and all living may know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men vers 17. All this is the Decree of the most High vers 24. And Nebuchadnezzar was driven from men to live and eat with beasts till he should know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will vers 25. It was told to the proud King swelling in Pride in his Palace that the Kingdom was departed from him the Messenger was a Voice from Heaven vers 31. After his Repentance and acknowledging this Truth that Dominus dat aufert regna that God giveth and taketh away Kingdoms his Kingdom was established unto him his Counsellors and Lords sought unto him and excellent Majesty was added unto him Whosoever is not over-ruled with the Spirit of Errour and readeth and considereth these Passages aright must confess the Truth we maintain God open our eyes to see it and give us hearts to believe 〈◊〉 that Loyalty Royalty may have their Place and Right The same Truth is delivered to us again Dan. 5. 5. A hand from Heaven a miracle it is to confirm this Truth writeth upon the Plaster of the Wall that Belshazzar the King and his Nobles may inquire after it That God had taken the Câ—own from him He did not acknowledge that he did hold his Crown of the King of Heaven to this Ingratitude he added Sacriledge and prophaned the Golden and Silver Vessels of the Temple For these sins his Crown was taken from him So horrible a Sin is Sacriledge and in Kings especially that it will throw them into Contempt cast their Crowns into the dust and bring greater Judgments in the world to come if they repent not Nor can this Repentance be sound and saving without Restitution Here that rule of the Holy Father holds good Non dimittetur peccatum ni restituatur ablatum Daniel reading and interpreting this miraculous Writ recalleth to Belshazzar's Memory Gods dealing with his Father v. 18. O thou King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy Father a Kingdom and Majesty and Glory and Honour what more can any conceive in a King than is here expressed And for the Majesty he gave him c. v. 19. mark it well it is not said that the People gave it he swelled in Pride was unkinged for a time till he acknowledged that the most high God ruleth in the Kingdom of men and that he appointed over it whomsoever he will v. 21. After this Daniel bringeth home his Application to Belshazzar prudently checking him that he had not made right use of that befell before his Father but had trode in the same way of Pride and added to his Fathers Sin the prophaning of Sacred things that for this cause he and his are extirpated Root and Branch The writing was Mene Mene Tekel Vpharsin The Sense is he was found Light in Gods-Ballance his Kingdom was numbred and finished and divided or given to the Medes and Persians Who in executing this Vengeance against an ingrate and sacrilegious King were nothing else but the Instruments the Axe and Rod of God as you may read Isaiah 45. and 44. 28. and Ier. 51. 11. Isaiah 13. 17. In the Passages adduced consider First who is the Author I mean not the Principal for without controversie it is the holy Spirit Daniel a man eminent and excellent in Court Credit and Preferment But this is not so considerable consider him therefore as one of the Prophets of most rare Endowments for Wisdom and extraordinary Revelations Secondly Next reflect your Thoughts a little how this Truth is manifested It is from Heaven but how I pray you By Dreams By Voice by a crying Voice by Writ from whom from the most high God from the holy one from the Watcher from the God of Heaven to whom To Nebuchadnezzar the Emperour of the Assyrians and Babylonians to Belshazzar his Son and all the way miraculous The Dream is forgotten to Daniel it is miraculously revealed with no less wonder interpreted It is written miraculously Interpreted and read as wonderfully and all this in the wise Dispensation of God that Kings and all may acknowledge that Kings and Kingdoms are of God Before this Truth be not known to Kings and all he will reveal it extraordinarily miraculously by Dreams by Voices by Cries by Writings from Heaven and that all may take notice of it the Dream is forgotten Magicians are sought to because they cannot find it out Death is decreed against them yet God will not have it to go unknown to his Servant he reveals it all the Empire take notice of it all admire it To confirm it yet more the King must live like a Beast till he believe he confess he profess this Truth This Truth is not once spoken but twice it is seen it is heard The Babylonians had forgotten it Belshazzar had slighted it neglected it When he his Counsellors his Lords are feasting carrowsing a finger from Heaven writes it None can read it Daniel is sought he reads it interprets it that all may take Notice of it The Father for not acknowledging this Truth but sacrificing to himself of a King is made a Beast but Repentance restores him The Son hath harder measure He is dethroned rooted out for ever And a way is made that Cyrus in his succeeding to the Empire may acknowledge that his Kingdom was of God which he did truly as we told before Where can you shew any Truth of this kind in Scripture so revealed so manifested by such miraculous extraordinary and admirable ways I think it is hard to hit upon a parallel to it God knew well before How apt we are to rob Kings of their due Right and Honour nay rather how prone corrupt man is to intrude upon God and invade his Right If any will be pleased to consider seriously Daniel's Prophecies What are they but Predictions that all Empires Kingdoms Majesty Royalty and Sovereignty are of Gods immediate Donation They are not disposed of by the composed Contracts of men but by the immediate hand and work of God All Ancients and Moderns for the most part acknowledge here in Daniel to be the clearest the most distinct Prophecies Predictions of the four great Empires If you will cast your Eyes upon the historical part of Daniel's Book there is no Truth which is so much treated spoken of as this Truth as that Kings and Kingdoms are dependent
God and do not from this fear preserve the Right of God and his Church protect and promote the Ordinances of God and advance the Worship and its Solermity Nor will bad Counsellors excuse them in the Day of their Accounts nor will the Counsellors escape just Judgment and it is like God will make the same People a Rod to scourge them whom they have followed and given way to with the loss of a good conscience and offence against God As Princes the Sons of the most High and Vicegerents of Christ upon Earth are bound to Piety in their personal carriage above other and to procure and protect it in their publick Government so they are bound in their private and publick Conversation and Government to be excellently righteous The Derivative naturally resembleth its Primitive God from whom they are by immediate Derivation hath no pleasure in wickedness neither doth evil dwell with him Psal. 5. 4. Kings hold their Scepters from Christ The Scepter of Christ's Kingdom is a right Scepter He loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness Psal. 45. 6 7. They are by generation from the Father Psal. 89. They issue from the thigh of Christ Rev. 17. 14. 19. 14. They degenerate then if they be not righteous If Kings live and govern piously and justly their Thrones shall be established their Crowns secured and their Posterity be blessed Prov. 25. 5. By righteousness the Throne is established The good of this will redound to the whole Kingdom Prov. 29. 4. The King by Iudgment establisheth the Land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Foelix Respublica in qua qui imperat timet Deum See God's charge to Kings Ier. 22. 1 2 3. Execute ye judgment and righteousness and deliver the oppressed c. vers 4. For if ye do this thing indeed then shall there enter in by the gates of this House Kings sitting upon the Throne of David riding in chariots and on horses he and his servants and his people vers 5. But if you will not hear these words c. vers 7. I will prepare destroyers against thee c. David the King knew this Psal. 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host How then vers 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy He practised it Psal. 61. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings The meaning is his constant purpose and practice should be holy and just and to advance Piety and Righteousness from this issueth that confidence he subjoyneth vers 6. Thou wilt prolong the King's life and his years as many Generations vers 7. He shall abide before God for ever O prepare Mercy and Truth which may preserve him See Psal. 72. wholly Prov. 20. 8. 29. 4 14. 16. 12 13. This Truth believed by Kings that they are immediately sent from God and Vicegerents upon Earth is a ground of great Confidence in God in their greatest Troubles which usually are great and frequent for as the tallest Cedars they are exposed to the Violence of greatest Tempests their only way is to run to God for Protection and Deliverance They may lay claim to it more than any God is the Principal they only Lieutenants and subordinate more favour is allowed to them greater Protection promised to them Psal. 89. 26. He that is the King shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation Also I will make him my first born David Psal. 44. 4. approacheth to God in this Confidence Thou art my King O God command Deliverance for Jacob. A Subject claimeth Protection from the King as his Due so may the King from his Lord and Master Solomon upon this ground that God had set him upon the Throne of David begged Government and Judgment to go out and in before his People 1 King 3. The Lord did not refuse it but in his Bounty supererogated what was fit for his more Magnificence God hath a secret and unknown way in directing and guiding Princes and no less admirable a way in guarding their Persons and delivering them out of all their Troubles Prov. 21. 1. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters He turneth it whithersoever he will Psal. 18. vers ult Great Deliverances giveth he to his King and sheweth Mercy to his Anointed c. The Heathen have acknowledged in Kings some Heroici impetus some strange and extraordinary Inspirations and Directions seconded with as admirable Successes and Protection that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them something extraordinary above that God in his ordinary Providence by Direction or Protection vouchsafeth upon others I refer you to read and meditate what you have written 2 Kings 19. 25 27. and Isai. 42. 1 27. and you will doubt no more of this Truth This day is this Truth fulfilled in our Ears we have before our Eyes such a wonderful over-ruling Direction and Protection of our Sovereign in this Rebellion that we must acknowledge it is the Lords work and marvellous in our Eyes Psal. 118. This Truth is a strong Motive to perswade Subjects to all Duty First to honour reverence and obey the King next to God and above all others The Fear of God and the King are immediately conjoyned and enjoyned together in Scripture Prov. 24. 21 22 23. My Son fear God and the King c. 1 Pet. 11. 17. Fear God honour the King See Tertullian to this purpose in the places we cited before and Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 20. which is a funeral Oration for Basil the great The Moral Law hath mixt to the duty we owe to God in the first Table placed in the first place Honora patrem Honour the King What Divinity then can it be which this miserable unhappy Age hath invented and vented that the Fear of God and the King are inconsistent and the best Badge of a Christian is to oppose the just and lawful Demands and Commands of Kings This is none of Christs his Apostles nor ancient Christians and Martyrs Doctrine What Christian heart can be so hard as not to mourn for this and cry out with that holy Martyr Polycarp Good Lord for what times hast thou reserved me Again this Truth that Kings are Gods Vicegerents sent by immediate Commission from him tyed us to maintain our Kings in Honour Wealth and Power proportioned to so high a Calling This the word Honora patrem honour thy Father naturally in the Diction and Dialect of the Scripture imports 1 Tim. 5. 17 21. Almighty God although his Immensity be attended with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an able sufficiency and all Felicity yet hath he sequestrated and set a-part some persons peculiarly for his sacred Service some place for his publick Worship and some Quota of our Revenues and Industry that all men may acknowledge
Sacro-sancta Regum Majestas OR THE SACRED and ROYAL Prerogative OF Christian Kings Wherein Sovereignty is by Holy Scriptures Reverend Antiquity and sound Reason asserted by discussing of five Questions AND The Puritanical Jesuitical Antimonarchical Grounds are disproved and the untruth and weakness of their new-devised-State-principles are discovered Rom. 13. 1 2. The Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Powâ—â— resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist â—â—all receive to themselves damnation Dei Gratia Mea Lux. London Printed for Tho. Dring over against the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street 1680. TO THE DUKE of ORMOND MY LORD PIety and Policy Church and State Prince and Priest are so nearly and naturally conjoyned in a mutual Interest that like to Hippocrates his Twins they rejoyce and mourn flourish and perish live and dye together Sound Reformed Catholick Protestants deny justly such a Subordination of the Prince to the Priest as by any direct or indirect over-ruling Power the Crown and Scepter are under any coactive directive we acknowledge over-ruling Power of the Mitre and that Kings by any Church-man or men whatsoever Pope or Presbytery are censurable dethronable deposable Notwithstanding it is certain Religion hath a mighty Influence upon State Governour and Government that from the happiness and quiet of Religion issueth forth necessarily the happiness and quiet of the Civil State The Heathen did see this that Religion rightly ordered is the Base and Bottom upon which King and State are founded Religion is the cement of all Societies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it bindeth Families together and Cities too and is their greatest splendour and ornament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That one saith Religion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a Christian to the same purpose Religio timor Dei solus est qui custodit hominum inter se Societatem Religion and the Fear of God and nothing else preserveth all Societies amongst men Religion teacheth Kings how to rule and Subjects how to obey maketh Obedience complete universal entire in all things not partial in some things onely it teacheth our Reverence Service and Obedience not to be outward with Eye-service but sincere for Conscience sake as in the sight of the Lord. Religion hath a powerful influence upon Laws the Heathen who termed Religion the Cement of all Society calleth it too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cement the Strength the Vigour the Life of all Laws This made Zoroaster authorise the Laws by Horomasis Zamolxis by Vesta Trismegistus by Mercurius Minos by Jupiter Charondus by Saturnus Draco and Solon by Minerva and Apollo and Numa Pompilius by Aegeria Religion is the Nurse of the Quiet of State and Common-wealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If all living in one Society and Kingdom were pious and religious none would wrong themselves or others Take it more fully from a Christian Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Religion be preserved in Peace it rights and facilitates all the rest of the Government Religion is the Walls Strength and Safeguard of King and Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Overthrow me Sion Civitatem Veritatis Sanctitatis and you cannot but overthrow Ierusalem Civitatem justitiae all this is much more and solely verified of the Christian Religion a strange Wonder then it is that so many Achitophels and Achans in the World should promise to themselves undertake to Christian Kings by sacrificing the Church undoing the Solemnity of the Service and Worship of God destroying Christ his Ordinances robbing him of his Patrimony and Right to establish King and Kingdom Peace and Quiet in the Land How is it probable or possible Religion being the Base and Bottom upon which all Happiness of King and Kingdom are grounded and founded the Cement and Bond that tieth all together the Rule of Right ruling the Mother of entire and hearty Obedience the life of Laws the use of Quiet and Strength of all Defence that it being disordered King Kingdom and State can be well and enjoy any kind of Happiness If neither the Dictate of Nature nor sacred Truth revealed in holy Word should confirm this Truth the sad and doleful Experience we find we feel this day in the Acheldama of these Kingdoms has laid it open to our Eyes in Letters of Blood that he that runneth by may read it Consider how since the Sacred Hierarchy the Order instituted by Christ for the Government of his Church constituted by the Apostles and continued against any prevalent Opposition for fifteen Ages and upwards without Interruption hath been opposed that in some places it is totally overthrown in other places disgraced weakened and threatned with Abolition of Root and Branch what is the Condition of Sovereignty and Subject You shall find that the Course against it hath been a preparatory Destructive to Royalty to the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject Many are deceived and think it skilleth not what Government be in the Church it is enough if the Essentials and Fundamentals of Faith and Worship be preserved They are infinitely deceived no Society can subsist without Government and if you destroy the Government neither can the sound Faith nor the true Worship be long maintained The Apostle intimateth this Col. 11. 5. that he joyed to behold their Order and the stedfastness of their Faith in Christ. First their Order then the stedfastness of their Faith in Christ implying where right Order is non maintained stedfastness of Faith in Christ cannot continue A Holy Father to this purpose saith well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order is the Mother and Security of the Being of all things that have Being Do we not see that the Order and Government of the Roman Church doth this day preserve their Humane Inventions and unwarrantable Superstions in such Safety that alas Truth doth not prevail much upon them are within her Communion and on the other part our Disorder and not setled Government maketh us lose too too much and gain too too little Look a little upon the Parallel and consider how since Episcopacy hath been infested and way too much given to a prevalent Faction what malign Influence this course hath had upon Sovereignty and it will make it appear that the Mitre cannot suffer and the Diadem be secured It was maintained that Episcopacy was none of Christ's Institution it was onely the positive constitution of man Hath not Royalty been thus entertained Do not our Sectaries impudently maintain that Kings are the onely Extract of the People having their Being and Constitution by derivation from them Do they not hold that howsoever Episcopacy is a tolerable government of the Church yet it is mutable at the pleasure of the Church And do they not answerably aver that the collective or representative Body of the Community may upon any real or fancied Exigent mould themselves into an Aristocracie or Democracie Others more desperately have reached higher and give out that the Sacred
verified of the Iewish Kings but of the Assyrian Persian Roman and all others besides Fourthly Saint Austin knew not this new devised quirk of potestas in abstracto â—oncreto of Power abstractly considered from the Person in which it is fixed but in concreto he averreth that both the Power and Person invested with the Power are of God Fifthly it is worth our notice taking that the holy Father specifieth only Empire and Monarchy Sixthly the Extent is most observable this Conclusion or Maxim of Saint Austin's holds well of all Kings whatsoever they be Heathen or Jewish or Christian if Christian bad or good sound in the Faith or Hereticks if Heathen whether good moral men or Persecutors See and consider how wisely and fitly he makes a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a coupling together 1. of Marius and Caius Caesar. 2. Of Augustus and Nero Flavius the Father and Titus the Son with Domitian 3. Of Constantine the sound Christian and Iulian the Apostate Seventhly lastly it 〈◊〉 â—ost observable that he will have all of all sorts to be entirely given to God Non tribuamus nisi vero Deo dandi regni atque imperii potestatem This non nisi vero Deo admits no sharer no copartner He is not content to say it once but resumeth it again and with an Emphasis a greater Strength of Expression Haec planè Deus unus verus regit gubernat ut placet It is unus verus Deus and the way of bestowing ut placet This holy Father is most plentiful for this Truth for Brevities sake I refer you to his 2. Tom. Epist. 54. ad Maced and to his 6. Tractat. upon St. Iohn's Gospel Tom. 9. passim The ancient Popes and Bishops of Rome lived and died in this Faith See Anastasius Epist. unic ad Anastas Imperat. Liberius's Testimony is above cited Symmachus writing to Anastasius the Emperour saith Memento te hominem esse ut possis rectè uti concessa tibi divinitus potestate Remember saith the holy Bishop that thou art but a man that thou mayst use aright that power which God hath given thee Leo in his Epistle to Leo the Emperour which in the Tomes of the Councels is 73. Magnum ergâ— vobis est ut diademati vestro de manu Domini addatur corona fidei de hostibus Ecclesiae triumphetis c. Leo knew no better but that his temporal Diadem was no less set upon his Head by the hand of God immediately than the Crown of Faith and that God made him to triumph over the Enemies of the Church yet because a cavelling Spirit such as our Sectaries are inspired with may cloud this Passage by an amphibolous Construction I gave you a plain one Epist. 13. writing to Pulcheria the Empress where he saith Sicuti Spiritu sancto didicistis illi per omnia potestatem vestram subjicitis cujus munere protectione regnatis Saint Leo knew not that there was any co-ordinate Power with the Emperour He knew he was solely and immediately subordinate to God to whom he ought of due to submit and subject himself and that with good reason because by his immediate Gift and Collation he had the Empire and by his Power was protected in his Government The holy Bishop raiseth this so high as to intimate it is a Doctrine taught by the Holy Spirit let the World and good men judge then what Spirit teacheth the different or contrary Doctrine Stephanus the sixth writing to Basilius the Emperour saith that He carried the Image of Christ himself upon Earth vide Baron Tom. 10. Anno 885. n. 11. It is like enough the Church then did not stand to call Emperours Christ's Vicegerents In brief in sum Was it not the usual Benediction the holy Popes of Rome used writing to Emperours and Kings to wish to them Grace all Health and Happiness In eo per quem Reges regnant in God and by God by whom Kings onely reign It were easie for us to adduce numbers of Councels to prove this truth The Councel of Toledo Tolet. 6. c. 14. Nefas est in dubium ejus deducere potestatem cui omnium gubernatio supremo constat delegata judicio It is an impious thing and unlawful to call in question his Power to whom to rule over all is by Divine Judgment and Decree collated Amongst the Councels of Paris you have one which after that it hath produced many Testimonies of Scripture and namely some of those we cited above to prove the immediate constitution of Kings by Almighty God concludeth thus Constat ergo quia non actu non voto neque brachio fortitudinis humanae sed virtute imò occulto judicio dispositionis divinae regnum confertur terrenum This expression is worthy to be set in Letters of Gold the Fathers there met together will not have the coming at Kingdoms to be from any act humane any desire or endeavour humane any Power humane but from the Power of God and the wise the secret disposing of God in his over-ruling Providence If it could add any thing to what is said we might have a cloud of Witnesses of Humane and Heathen Writers who have been more consonant to sound Divinity in this Tenet than Puritan or Jesuit or our new Sectaries They never imagined Majesty to be of so low a Birth as to be begotten of any thing below see Ovid. Fast. lib. 5. Homer calls all Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter is little enough in his conceit to be their Nurse-father Plautus termeth all Kings Humanos Ioves Plutarch not unlike Saint Paul in this calleth the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Minister of God not the Servant of the People Elsewhere he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Image of God upon Earth the image of his Power his Wisdom his Sovereignty Dio lib. 33. of a King speaketh thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio knew no subordination to any or many he did think a King was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that over himself and all and controulable by no Law that he was not to be called to an account by men Because I value not these Testimonies at that rate as to sway the Judgment where better Proofs are not from Holy Scripture and Church leaving them and having sufficiently by Authority Sacred and Ecclesiastical proved our Conclusion and overthrown the Principle of Jesuit and Puritan I come to see whether Reason pleadeth more for them or for us CHAP. VII That the Government of mankind is established by God and is necessary de Jure Naturae is proved by Reason against those that hold that all Government is Arbitrary of the voluntary constitution and composition of men THE Jesuit doth willingly acknowledge that Government in thesi in genere in its abstract and generical conception is de jure Divino de jure Naturae is by God's establishment and by the necessary and uncontroulable dictate of Nature howsoever it is