them to subject themselves to his Royal Scepter and Government Be wise now therefore O YE KINGS be instructed ye JUDGES of the earth Serve the LORD with fear and rejoyce unto him with trembling Kisse the Sonne a Ceremony used by Subjects fâ—â—datories to Kings Soveraign Lords when they kneeled down before swore Homage and Fealty to become their Men and Vassals from that day forwards of life limb or terrene honour and to be true faithfull bear faith and true allegiance to them continued in England till this day lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is 〈◊〉 but a little Blessed are all they that trust in him In all these Prophecies of Christs kingdome and Government under the Gospel in the Old Testament Christ 〈…〉 and set forth only as a KING and Soveraign Lord reigning and 〈◊〉 over his â—ubjects as a King not as a Priest or Prophet and his Church stiled described 〈◊〉 by the Name of a Church never once used throughout the Old Testament but only of a KINGDOM or of Mount Zion or Jerusalem THE CITY OF GOD where the House of the Lord was built his publike worship setled by David and Solomon the Metropolis of all Kings of the seed of David where they were crowned reigned and gave Judgement as Kings whence it was stiled THE CITY OF DAVID for there were set THRONES OF JUDGEMENT even THE THRONES OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID and the CITY OF THE GREAT KING in relation to Christ himself whence the Church under the Gospel 〈◊〉 likewise stiled The City of the living God and described in all her glory under the 〈◊〉 of A CITY Rev. 21. 13. to the end and ch 22. 1 to 27. wherein his Subjects serve and worship him as their LORD GOD KING and shall REIGN WITH HIM FOR EVER AND EVER All which considered infallibly demonstrate the Supreme Rule and Government of the Church on earth under the Law to be vested only in and exercised by the Kings and Soveraign Rulers of Gods people not in by the High Priests or Levites and under the Gospel in by Christ himself only as KING and Supream Lord thereof as it is his kingdom not as a Priest or Prophet and that his reign Dominion Jurisdiction in and over it is for ever appropriated to his Regal not Pontifical or Prophetical office 5ly As the Angel told Mary a little before Christs Conception the Grandeur stability perpetuity of his kingdom So the Wisemen which came to Jerusalem to worship him being the first-fruits of his Kingdom and Church under the Gospel inquired after him only as a King saying Where is he that IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him Whereupon he Chief Priests and Scribes being assembled by King Herod to inform him where Christ should be born answered At Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlehem art not the least among the PRINCES of Judah c. for out of thee shall come A GOVERNOR WHO SHALL RULE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL where these Wisemen finding him with Mary his mother they fell down and worshipped not his mother Mary with an Impera filio Monstra te esse matrem Jube benedicere c. as Popes and their disciples daily pray unto her even now in their Offices Primers Mass-books set forth by Papal authority but the Babe when they had brought forth their gifts they offered unto him Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe On which place Saint Cyprian first and others after him have this observation In auro REGEM in thure Sacerdotem in myrrha Incorruptibilem quamvis paâ—sibilum demonstrat In loco humili supellectile vili REX Regum DOMINUS Dominorum invenitur recognoscitur ab aliis adoratur And although Christ never claimed nor exercised any temporal Authority over the Kingdom of David to which he was born heir as Herod feared but only over his Spiritual kingdom which he affirmed Not to be of this world yet he owned himself to be A KING and Pilate himself positively professed it though the Jews would not by demanding of them when they cried out to have him crucified shall I crucifie your KING and fixing this written Title on his Crosse which he would not alter at the high Priests importunity in Hebrew Greek and Latin JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS to evidence his Kingship over his Kingdom the Church which none of the Princes of this world then knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord or King of glory as the Apostle and Psalmist stile him yea the very multitude of people proclaimed him a King when he rode into Jerusalem in regal Triumph by strowing their garments and boughâ— of trees in the way singing with a loud voice Hosanna Blessed be the King and kingdom of our father David that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest After which he went into the Temple and threw out them that bought and sold therein overthrew the Tables of the money-changers and them that sold Doves by virtue of his Regal not Sacerdotal power 6ly It is very observable that Jesus Christ whiles on earth was most usually stiled both by Mary his Mother all his Disciples especially by Saint Peter and by all sorts of persons who addressed themselves unto him by petition or otherwise Lord the Lord my Lord our Lord and his other Titles of Jesus Saviour Christ c. are very seldom mentioned throughout the New Testament by Angels Saints Evangelists Apostles or any others but with this addition Christ the Lord Jesus our Lord the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Lord God c. every tongue of Angels Saints yea of Devils and damned spirits confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord Lord of all Lord and Christ Lord both of quick and dead which Title many Hypocrites and the foolish Virgins reiterated saying Lord Lord open c. Which Appellation Christ himself resolved to be true You call me Lord Master so I am his Father having put all things in subjection under his feet especially his redeemed ones who professe this as an Article of their faith r But unto us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Now this Title Lord attributed to Christ in its eminentest sense denotes only his Regal Dominion Lordship and Soveraignty over them in and under the Gospel as their KING as the penitent Theefs speech to him on the Crosse LORD remember me when thou commest into THY KINGDOM the Apostles question to him LORD wilt thou at this time restore the KINGDOM to Israel Saints Pauls conclusion THE LORD will preserve me to his HEAVENLY KINGDOM with St Peters For so an entrance shall be ministred unto
maliciously brand them I shall now proceed to evidence the truth of my forecited Proposition which will for ever dissipate and overturn these their presumptuous groundlesse Claims and Titles to their forecited temporal and spiritual Universal Soveraignty The first Part thereof That Jesus Christ as Supream King Lord Head of his kingdom the Church whiles on earth never claimed nor exercised any Temporal Regal Jurisdiction over Kings or other Civil Magistrates or their Subjects much lesse deprived them of their Crowns Kingdoms Prerogatives nor ever gave unto St. Peter or to any other Apostle the least Dominion over them especially such as Popes now claim but both he and they submitted themselves to and ratified asserted not invaded their Supremacy and Regal Power in the highest degree I shall thus invincibly demonstrate 1. Jesus Christ himself though as many assert he had a temporal right to the temporal Crown and Kingdom of the Jews as right heir thereto of the seed of King David and therefore was thus inquired after by the Wise men Where is He that is Born King of the Iews Yet it is observable First That he never claimed nor seised on his earthly Kingdom then usurped by King Herod who sought to murder him to secure himself against Christs Title nor ever exercised the least Temporal Royal Jurisdiction therein 2ly That on the contrary when he perceived the people would come and take and make him KING by force he departed from them into a Mountain alone to prevent their designs 3ly That When he was arraigned before Pilate and accused as an Enemy to Caesar because he made himself A KING He twice openly professed in one breath My Kingdom is not of this World If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Jews But now is my kingdom not from hence And in his prayer to his Father for his Disciples a little before his passion he said They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Therefore doubtlesse since he neither challenged nor exercised any Temporal dominion as a King in his own proper Kingdom of Iudea much lesse took he away the Diadems Crowns Realms Soveraignty of any other Kings Princes nor exercised any Regal Jurisdiction in them This the antient Christian Poet Prudentius professed in his Hymn of Christ sung in the very Church of Rome till this day where he thus expostulates with Herod for fearing Christ would deprive him of his crown and murdering the innocent children upon that very account Herodes hostis impiè Christum venire quid times NON ERIPIT MORTALIA QUI REGNA DAT COELESTIA Why wicked Herod dost thou fear And at Christs comming frown The Mortal he takes not away That gives the Heavenly crown Which Claudian an antient Author in his Collectanea upon Matthew thus elegantly seconds That KING which is born doth not come to overcome Kings by fighting but to subdue them after a wonderfull manner by dying neither is he born to the end that he may suceed thee but that the World may faithfully believe in him For he is come not that he may fight being alive but that he may triumph being slain Nor that he may with Gold get an Army to himself out of other Nations but that he may shed his precious bloud for the saving of the Nations Vainly didst thou by envying fear him to be thy Successor whom by believing thou oughtest to seek as thy Saviour because if thou didst believe in him thou shouldest raign with him and as thou hast received a Temporal Kingdom from him thou shouldest also receive from him an Evelasting For the Kingdom of this Child is not of this World but by him it is that men do reign in this World He is the Wisdom of God which saith in the Proverbs By me Kings reign St. Augustin in his 115. Tract upon Iohn brings in Christ making this publike proclamation Audite ergo Judaei Gentes audi circumcisio audi pra putium audite omnia Regna terrena non impediam Dominationem vestram in hoc mundo Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo Nolite metuere metu vanissimo quo Herodes ille major cum Christus natus nunciaretur expavit tot infantes ut ad eum mors perveniret occidit timendo quam irascendo crudelior Regnum meum inquit non est de hoc mundo Quid vultis amplius Venite ad regnum quod non est de hoc mundo c. St. Ambrose in Luc l. 3. St. Hilary in Psal 2. Epiphanius Haeres 29. Eusebius lib 7. De Demonstration Evangelica St. Hierom in Jeremiam cap 22. Tom 5. St. Chrysostom Homil 82. in Johann Cyrillus Alexandrinus lib 12. in Johan c. 10. Fulgentius in Sermone de Epiphania Beda in cap. 11 Lucae Bernard Homil 4. Super missus est Luc. 1. with all other Fathers of the Church positively affirm That Christ neither claimed enjoyed nor exercised any temporal Kingdom or Dominion upon earth Which our Thomas Waldensis though a great asserter of the Popes and Bishops Supremacy above and over Kings in spiritual things asserts at large and thence inferrs and largely proves these conclusions pointblank against the forecited Papal pretensions 1. Regia Potestas prima sua origine a Deo est non a Sacerdote 2. Quamquam ministerio Episcoporum Râ—gibus imponantur Coronae insignia conferantur non est propterea dicendum Regiam illam dignitatem ortum habere à Sacerdote 3. Reges fuerunt ante Sacerdotes ad regnum evecti 4. Dicentes quod radix potestatis terrenae in tantum dependet a Papa ut ex commissione ejus executio derivetur in Principem errante Principe potest Summus Sacerdos negotium illud temporale administrare decipiuntur 5. Regia Potestas cedit Sacerdotali ubi de rebus divinis agitur Sacerdotalis verò cedit Regiae in negotiis terrenis In fine Cardinal Bellarmin himself is enforced to professe That Christ as man whiles he lived upon earth had neither Temporal Dominion neither did nor would he exercise any such temporal power I have read saith he the Books of the Fathers with what diligence I could and I have often read them to deny Christ to have a Temporal or Earthly kingdom but I have no where read them to affirm that he had such a Kingdom 1. That Christ had a Vniversal Kingdom of power as he was God 2 A Spiritual kingdom of Grace and a third which is an eternal Kingdom of glory I do read but that he had a fourth kingdom which is properly temporal such as other Kings here upon earth have I find not either in the Scriptures or Fathers yea I esteem such a Kingdom to be contrary to the poverty of Christ mentioned in the Scriptures and to savour of the errours of the Jewes and Hereticks Alvarus Pelagius with other Popish Parasites endeavour to
An Exact CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY AND FULL DISPLAY OF POPES Intollerable Usurpations Upon the antient just Rights Liberties of the Kings Kingdoms Clergy Nobility Commons of ENGLAND and IRELAND THE design of this Chronological History and Display being principally to remonstrate to the world by irrefragable Testimonies and Records the manifold unsufferable Vsurpations of the Bishops and See of Rome from time to time upon the antient indubitable just Rights and Liberties of the Kings Churches Nobles Commons of England and Ireland whiles they continued under their Foreign Jurisdiction More especially by Excomâ—unications Interdicts absolving Subjects from their Oathes of Allegiaâ—ce raising Rebellions dethroning our Kings enforcing them to resign their Crowns to become their sworn Vassals Tributaries exempting Bishops Clerks from their Homage Judicatures collating Bishopricks Monasteries Ecclesiastical Dignities Benefices by Provisions to Aliens or others translating swearing Bishops Abbots to them and their Papal See vacating due Elections at their pleasures Appeals to Rome Dispensations Tenths Procurations First-Fruits Bribes Symony Crossadoes varieties of Extortions Oppressions by their Legates and other Instruments To discover their originals progresse growth revivals suppressions with the manifold memorable Complains Letters Oppositions Writs Prohibitions Declarations against them both in and out of Parliament and the frequent Treacheries Usurpations of our Popish Prelates Spiritual Courts Officers upon our Kings just Rights Prerogatives Regalities Courts Subjects Liberties to the extraordinary dâ—â—ger mischief of the Crown Realm Church Christian Religion and peoples grievance And what Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction our Kings as Gods Vicars have exercised from King Lucius his Conversion Anno 183. till the total extirpation of the Popes usurped Authority by King Henry the 8. and Edward the 6. by Histories and memorable Records in the Tower and Rolls for the most part unknown to our greatest Clerks Antiquaries worthy publick view yea adding much light to our Ecclesiastical and Political Histories very defective in these Transactions of grand Importance I apprehended it absolutely necessary by way of Introduction like a Wise Builder to lay a deep sure Foundation whereon to bottom this Weighty Structure that so if any Floods shall hereafter come or Windes blow and beat upon it from Rome or other Quarters they may not be able to shake or overturn it because it is founded upon a Rock To this end I shall by Gods assistance in one intire Book Chronologically and Historically remonstrate and where necessity requires Polemically examine discusse the Original of Soveraign Jurisdiction in what Persons God himself hath setled the Primitive Right and Exercise thereof as well over the Churches Militant as Civil State from Adams Creation till Christs Ascension and from thence till this present age And irrefragably demonstrate by Scripture Heathen Philosophers Fathers Councils Ecclesiastical Histories Imperial Laws Edicts Popes own Epistles Decretals Bulls Archbishops Bishops Popish Divines School-men Canonists Protestant Writers Testimonies and Presidents in all ages That the Supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in governing protecting reforming the Church and people of God maintaining propagating the Orthodox Christian Faith the true publike worship of God suppressing all Heresies Errors Blasphemies Idolatries Schisms sinnes against both Tables in all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal taking care of the souls and salvation of men is originally vested by God himself in Kings Emperors or Soveraign Princes as Gods Vicegerents and Christs Vicars upon Earth as the principal part of their Royal Authority Office Trust not in High-Priests Priests Apostles Popes Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops or any other Ecclesiastical persons whatsoever who are all Subjects to and subordinate Ministers under them in the Churches Militant within their respective Empires Kingdoms Dominions as all inferiour Civil Magistrates Officers of Justice are in their Civil States Kingdoms Courts And that the received Distinction of two supreme Jurisdictions Powers specifically different from and independent on each other in their very essence nature by Divine Institution and at least ever since our Saviours Ascension immediately vested in two distinct callings professions of men to wit the Soveraign Civil Jurisdiction in and over all secular persons affairs in Emperors Kings and Temporal Powers alone the Supreme Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Jurisdiction in and over all Churches Militant Bishops Priests Church-Members Divine and Ecclesiastical affaires only in Popes or Patriarchs not Emperors Kings Secular Princes States is but a meer Popish Imposture Forgery Fancy Stratagem to cheat rob deprive all Christian Emperors Kings Princes of the richest Pearl Jewel chiefest Branch and Flower of their Diadems to exempt the Clergy from their Jurisdictions under this pretext and to subject both their Persons Crowns Kingdoms Subjects to the Antichristian Usurpations Tyrannies Exorbitances Oppressions of Ambitious Popes Prelates Priests as Ecclesiastical Histories evidence ever since this Heresie of two distinct Soveraign Authorities delegated by Divine Institution to two several Functions was first broached in the Christian Church being the same in substance with that of Duo Principia condemned by Popes themselves and the greatest Champions of their Universal Soveraign Monarchy as a most dangerous Heresie invented first by Marcion Manes Hermogenes and other Hereticks against whom Tertullian thus long since argued Quid erit unicum singulare nisi cui nihil adaequabitur Quid principale nisi quod super omnia nisi quod ante omnia in quo omnia Haec Deus solus habendo est solus habendo Deus est Si alius habuerit tot jam erunt Dii quot habuerint quae Dei sunt Quod summum sit Deus est summum autem non erit nisi quod unicum fuerit Unicum autem esse non poterit cui aliquid adaequabitur Veritas autem sic unum Deum exigit defendendo ut solius sit quicquid ipsius est Ita enim ipsius erit si fuerit solius Et ex hoc alius Deus non possit admitti dum nemini licet habere de Deo aliquid Ergo inquis nec nos habemus Dei aliquid Imo habemus habebimus sed ab ipso non à nobis Nam Dii erimus si meruerimus illi esse de quibus praedicavit Ego dixi vos Dii estis stetit Deus in Ecclesia Deorum sed ex gratia ipsius non ex nostra proprietate quia ipse est solus qui Deos faciat I may most aptly apply it to Emperors Kings who are Earthly Gods made such by God in their own Kingdoms as his Vice-roys The Soveraign Power Jurisdiction over all persons Churches causes as well Civil as Ecclesiastical within their respective Realms must be but one inâ—ire indivisible Soveraign Authority incommunicable unto any other subject or person whatsoever but by subordinate derivation and delegation by from or under them else they should presently cease to be Earthly Gods had Popes or Bishops a distinct Supreme Ecclesiastical Power within their Realms coequal with underived from or independent on them Whence St.
objects about which they are exercised not in their original subject or power it self Before I proceed to the next Proposition it will be necessary to answer 4. principal Arguments Presidents out of the Old Testament before and under the Law produced by Popes and their Parasites to evidence their pretended Universal Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction too over the Persons Crowns Kingdoms of all Kings Princes and the Emperor himself to dispose of them at their absolute Wills as derived only from and held under them which my Chronological Method confines me here to propound and answer in their order The first is that alleged by Pope Innocent the 3d. the first Pope who interdicted the Realm of England Excommunicated King John and by force and frauds induced him to resign his Kingdoms of England and Ireland to and resume them from him under an Annual rent and to do Homage to him for them as his Vassal This Pope in an Epistle to the Emperour of Constantinople useth this Argument before Adams creation to maintain his Temporal Monarchy Moreover you ought to know that God hath made two great Lights in the firmament of heaven the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night both of them great but the other greater Ad firmamentum igitur Coeli hoc est Universalis Ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria c. Therefore God hath made two great lights to rule the firmament of heaven to wit of the Universal Church that is he hath instituted TWO DIGNITIES quae sunt Pontificalis authoritas Regalis potestas which are The Pontifical Authority and the Regal Power But that which ruleth in the day that is in Spiritual things major est is the Greater but that which in carnal things minor is the Lesser ut quanta est inter Solem Lunam tanta inter Pontifices Reges differentia cognoscatur mark it that it might be known there is as great a difference between Popes and Kings as there is betweeen the Sunne and Moon How great this difference is this Pope defines not But some illiterate Canonists and Glossers on this Text not well versed in Astronomy resolve the Sunne to be 47. times greater then the Moon whereas Johannes Clavius and other Astronomers determine it to be no lesse then 6529. degrees greater then it and by consequence the Pope to be so many degrees greater then the Emperor by this Popes Resolution in his over-erring chaire He subjoyns If his Imperial Highnesse would prudently consider these things he would not make or permit the Patriarch of Constantinople a great and honourable Member of the Church to sit on the left side near his Footstool when as other Kings and Princes sicut debent AS THEY OUGHT reverently rise up to and assign them a venerable Chair next them on their right hand Nos autem etsi non increpando scripserimus potuissemus tamen rationabiliter increpare Mauritius de Alzedo a Spanish Doctor of the Canon Law in his highly approved and applauded Book De Praecellentia Episcopalis dignitatis concludes from this Popes Text That there is as vast a difference between the Episcopal and Regal dignity not Papal only as there is between the Sun and Moon quoting many Canonists Divines Politians and Cardinal Bellarmin himself in his Apologia pro Responsione ad JACOBUM REGEM ANGLIAE averring it Yet Pope Sixtus the 5. was so angry with Bellarmin for not asserting the direct but oblique dominion of Popes over Kings in all Temporal things in this Apology that he purposed to have burnt and totally abolished this his Book AS HERETICAL And that upon reading of Alex Carerius his Book purposely written against Bellarmins Adversus Impios Politicos Haereticos hujus Temporis branding all for impious Hereticks who denyed the Popes direct Universal Dominion in Temporal things though they acknowledged it obliquely in-order to and absolutely in all Spiritual things In this applauded Book Carerius asserts There is that proportion between the Pope and the Emperor as is between the Sun and Moon not only in Magnitude but Splendor too For as the Sun is far more excellent and eminent then the Moon seeing she borrows her splendor and light of the Sun SO IS THE POPE THEN THE EMPEROUR seeing his Authority depends on the Pope and is derived from him Our own Thomas Waldensis alluding thereunto professedly asserts against Wickliffs defence of our Kings Supream Jurisdiction over Priests and Prelâ—tes That Priests as well as Bishops ARE TO BE PREFERRED BEFORE ALL OTHER EARTHLY PRINCES WHATSOEVER and the Priesthood before the Kingship as far as the Flesh before the Spirit Gold before Lead the Soul before the body and Heaven BEFORE EARTH in proof whereof he spends two whole Chapters and Alvarus Pelagius above forty Articles To all which I answer 1. That God created the Sunne to Govern the day and the Moon the night by a direct divine inviolable and irrevocable Institution observed from the Creation till now when Pope Innocent and his flatterers can produce any such divine Law and constitution made either by God at the creation or by Moses for the Jews High Priests Supremacy or by Kings Princes or Christ himself under the Gospel to convince any rational Christian that Popes and Prelates are the sole Universal Governours in the Church but Kings and Emperours only in the World That Popes or Bishops were ever typified by the Sunne and Moon the Church and Earthly kingdoms by Day and Night That there is as vast a difference between the Amplitude of Jurisdiction and Splendor of Popes Bishops Kings and Emperours as is between the Grandeur and Brightnesse of the Sunne and Moon That Kings and Emperours derive all their Regal Authority Crowns Kingdoms Splendor Excellency in the world from Popes Miters or Bishops Crosiers not God himself as the Old and New Testament Paul and Peter the first pretended Bishop of Rome it self dogmatically resolve as the Moon borrows her light and splendor from the Sunne as some assert but others rationally deny being both made at once by God on the fourth day two days before Adam the first man was created and some thousands of years before Popes Prelates the Grecian or Roman Emperours were extant in the world and so could not typifie either of them as these Pontificians dream Or when they can evidence that God hath constituted Popes to rule govern and give light to the whole World by day only and to the Emperour alone not Pope by night as the Sunne and Moon govern alternis vicibus without encroaching on one the others turns when as Popes Prelates usurp the Temporal Rights of all Emperors Kings as well as Ecclesiastical all the year long I shall then subscribe these Popes and Doctors conclusions as Catholick verities whereas yet I cannot but conclude them strong Antichristian delusions lyes which few sober men will
Non-sequitur 6ly The Kings of England France Spain Hungary Poland Denmark Sweden Bohemia Scotland Cyprus and others have been usually anointed crowned by their own Bishops the Kings of England most frequently by the Archbishops of Canterbury yet some times by the Archbishop of York or Bishop of London or Winchester Are therefore these Bishops that crown anoint them Kings thereby intituled to be their Soveraign Lords in all Temporal and Spiritual things and advanced above all other Archbishops and Bishops in their Realms not present at their Coronation Consecration and may dispose of their Bishopricks Crowns kingdoms at their pleasures If not I hope the Roman Pontifs will from henceforth disclaim this grand Argument for their Supremacy as most false and absurd The rather because none of the Jewish high Priests Priests ever pretended to much lesse exercised such a power over any of their most impious idolatrous Kings as Popes both claimed and exercised over pious Christian Kings Emperours to their eternal infamy And because Kings are actual Kings by desent or election before their Coronations The 3d. and principal warrant from the Old Testament which Popes and their Parasites insist on for their Supream Athority over all Christian Pagan Kings and Emperors Persons Crowns Kingdoms to dispose depose root out destroy them at their wills is that Text of Jeremy 1. 10. The Lord said unto Jeremiah See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over kingdomes to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Whence they thus argue Jeremiah the Priest to whom this power under the Law was given was but a Type of the Popes Christs Vicar General his absolute Dominion power under the Gospel of whom this Text was principally meant Therefore Popes may pull down root out destroy and throw down all Kings Emperors Kingdoms at their pleasures and dispose of them at their wills Thus Pope Gregory the 7th in his Confirmation of his Execration of Henry the Emperor Pope Innocent the 3d. Pope John the 22d Ostiensis Alvarus Pelagius Augustinus Triumphans Caspar Scoppius Carerius Radulfus Cupers Lelius Zecchus Bozius Marta Bellarmine and other Romanists conclude with very great Confidence from this Text. But to dismount these aspring Roman Bishops and Rooks I shall desire them to demonstrate first how Jeremiah only one of the private Priests of Anathoth not the high Priest of the Jews was in this and this alone a Type of the Pope or Peter If not then their pretences argument are false If yea then let them produce some Scripture warrant for it 2ly How Jeremiah and the high Priest too from whom they claim their power can be both Types at once of the Pope and his Papal pretended prerogatives 3ly Whether the High Priest had any such Supremacy vested in him as Jeremiah here received If not then Jeremiah was paramount him in Jurisdiction and might remove extirpate him at his pleasure as well as whole Nations Kingdoms being a Member of the Israelitish Nation and Realm and so the High Priest not Supream as they formerly argued If yea What need of any such special Commission from God to Jeremiah alone without the high Priests privity or delegation to the prejudice of his inherent high priesthood 4ly Whether this transcendent power was given only to Jeremiah as an extraordinary Prophet of God sanctifyed in and called from the womb or as he was an ordinary Priest If as an extraordinary Prophet only as the Text expresly resolves then Popes can lay no Title to it till they can prove themselves such extraordinary sanctifyed called Prophets as Jeremiah and produce the like special divine Commission to each of them from God himself as he received If as to an ordinary Priest alone then every ordinary Priest among the Jewes heretofore had and by like consequence every ordinary Masse-priest in the Church of Rome hath as absolute a Soveraign power over all Kings Emperors Nations Kingdoms of the world as the high Priest or Pope himself pretends to from this Text and then where is his sole Monarchy over them when equally and intirely divided amongst so many inferiour Priests or any Kings or Kingdoms safety 5ly Whether it extends to Kings there being not a word of Kings but only of Nations Kingdoms in this Text 6ly Whether Jeremiah by virtue of this Commission did either challenge or exercise any such Soveraign Authority over Amon Jehoiakim or Zedekiah Kings of Iudah their kingdom under whom he lived though very wicked and idolatrous by deposing them from their thrones absolving their Subjects from their allegiance and setting up other Kings in their steads If not it is infallible then this was no Commission for such a rooting out destroying pulling and throwing down as these Pontificians dream of but of far different Nature to wit only by denouncing Gods judgements against them that if they persevered in their sins God himself would root out and destroy pull and throw them down but if they repented upon his menaces he would build and plant them This God himself declared to be his only meaning even to Ieremiah himself and to us ch 19. 5. to 11. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in my hand O house of Israel At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it If it do evil in my sight that it obey not my voice then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I frame evil against you and devise a devise against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your wayes and your doings good This way of working out pulling down building up and planting Kings and kingdoms and no other he useth throughout his prophecy especially ch 25. 17. to 38. where God commands him to take the wine cup of his fury at his hand and to make all the Kings and kingdoms of the world to drink it that so they may spue and fall and rise no more and become a desolation for their sins if they repented not This was the rooting up and pulling down which Samuel exercised towards Saul the first King of Israel and his kingdom when he thus publikely menaced them But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be destroyed both you
you abundantly into THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ and our Saviours own asseverations Not every one that saith LORD LORD shall enter into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven necessarily evince 7ly After our Saviours resurrection and ascention when God his Father highly exalted him and gave him all power both in heaven and earth his Soveraign Regality and Dominion in and over his Church and Kingdom are frequently set forth in these transcendent expressions decyphering only his Regal not Prieâ—tly or Prophetick Offices and Administrations Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the earth whom God the father of glory hath set at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to his Church which is his body The fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Goa hath by the extraordinary greatnesse of his mighty and glorious power delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Sonne who is the first-born of every creature For 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 all things were created by him and for him And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in or amongâ—â— all things he might have the preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell Compared with his other Gospel titles Thou King of Saints and the united praises prostrations acclamations of the Angels with the four beasts and the 24. Elders and all the Saints and Redeemed ones before Christ who sitteth on the throne before whom they all fall worship and cast down their Crowns saying Worship and honour and thanks and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne for ever and ever worthy art thou O LORD to receive glory and honour for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were and are created All these recited Texts resolve that Christ is Supream head of his Kingdom the Church not in his Priestly Propheticall capacity or office but only in his Regal and reigns in it as a King Lord not as Priest or Prophet 8ly As in the Old so in the New Testament the Church Militant as well as the Triumphant is usually stiled the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of heaven Christs Kingdom my Kingdom his Kingdom the ever lasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a Kingdom which cannot be removed c. The very Gospel it self the Gospel word and mysteries of the Kingdom yea shall the Kingdom of God and heaven it self The mighty power of God to salvation scepter of his Kingdom His Saints shall eat drink sit reign with him in his Kingdom He sits and reigns for ever in his Church as a King on a Royal throne clothed with royal Majesty and glory His rewards are all Regal A crown of righteousness of glory thrones Inheritances in his kingdom reigning with him as Kings royal Robes Honour Glory His punishments Regal Exclusion from his kingdome everlasting death infernal chaines destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the Glory of his POWER His judging of quick and dead at his appearance and comming Yea all his administrations Regal in prescribing Lawes to his Church rescuing them from the power of Satan Hell and all other Enemies protecting them from all evils treading Satan under their feet Guarding them by his Mighty power unto salvation in his heavenly kingdom compared with this fulfilling of the procies of Christs kingdom in the Old Testament thus recorded as accomplished in in the New Rev 11. 15. There were great voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdom not Church of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev 12. 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ 1 Cor 15. 24 25. Then cometh the end when Christ shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he shall put down all enemies under his feet All and every of these Texts and considerations joyntly and severall demonstrate more clearly then the Morning Sunne That Christs Government of his Kingdom the Church under the Gospel is only Kingly and Monarchical as even Bellarmin himself and most Pontificians professe argue grounding the Popes Universal Monarchy upon it not Pontifical or Prophetical and that the Supreme Government thereof is for ever intirely annexed to his Regal not Priestly or Prophetical Office and these Offices of his united to his Regal Office as Supream not his Regal to his Sacerdotal or Propheticall as subordinate to them This being an unfallible Gospel-truth not hitherto so fully cleared and insisted on by the Oppugners or Asserters of Popes Universal Monarchy as was necessary which induced me to expatiate in its probation The second and sole Question will be Whether Christ himself did ever delegate by any Commission recorded in Sacred History all his Regal Power and Jurisdiction or any branch thereof to Saint Peter or any other Apostles Bishops Presbyters Evangelists or Ministers of the Gospel Or whether they or any of them ever justly claimed enjoyed exercised this his Royal Dominion Office Government in or over his Church on earth If yea as most Popes and their Parasites confidently affirm without the least shadow of Scripture or Verity let them produce the Commission or Texts to evidence it to every mans conscience in the sight of God and to all Kings Kingdoms Nations in the world If not as shall be evidenced in the ensuing Chapters past all contradiction I and they may then safely cry out mightily with a strong voyce as the Angel prophetically doth Babylon the great Rome is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues with violence shall she and her triple-crown'd Pontif be thrown down from the pinacle of her usurped super-transcendent power and shall be found no more at all Before I take leave of this Proposition to avoid mistakes and clear up the Truth it will be necessary to distinguish
is but one God incommutable so there is but one his Vicar General upon Earth Cui omnes Angeli i. homines debent esse subjecti in omnibus obedire to whom all Angels that is Men ought to be subject and to obey in all things whose Ship is stable and immutable For thus the inferiour Hierarchy accords with the superiour when all men serve and obey his Vicar in earth as all Angels serve and obey God in heaven but when they grow proud and resist the inferior is disturbed and the superiour Hierarch is offended Gratian caus x. qu. 3. All things are put under the Popes feet except God alone who hath put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. In another article he asserts That the Pope is King of Kings of the Emperor and Spiritual Kings and every Member of the Church Militant who ought Iure Divino to be subject to him That he hath a plentitude of all Temporal and Spiritual power in him in several respects 1. Because it is a universal power No person in the Militant Church nor Infidel in some sense being exempted from but subject to it 2ly Because all temporal and spiritual power whatsoever ordained by God for the government of christians or men is comprehended in his power 3ly Because all power in the Church is derived from his and ordained for it and he is the beginning and end of any power whatsoever Therefore every human power is DE JURE subject to him 4ly Because it is not exceeded nor overcome by any other human power but overcomes and exceeds all other powers 5ly Because it is limited or ordained or judged by no other power but it limiteth ordaineth judgeth all other powers 6ly Because it is not restrained nor bound by any Lawes made by the Pope himself for it may act mediately by other powers or immediately by it self whatsoever it shall think sit It may likewise act both according to the Lawes it sets down and besides them when it shall judge convenient And for this cause his Power is said to be Sine Numero Pondere et Mensura Without number because it extends to innumerable persons even all men in the world whether Beleevers or Infidels Without weight because it is not confined to one place but extends it self to all Churches throughout the world And without measure as to the act and manner of acting because it is after a sort Immense both in acting and in the manner of acting For as the Spirit was given to Christ man without measure John 3. and to others it is given only according to the measure of the gift of Christ 1 Cor 12. Eph. 4. Rom 12. So to Christs Vicar the Pope is given a Power without measure to wit in a certain Immensity Exâ—rav de Major Obedientia Solita c. Nos autem But to others is given a power according to their measure of participation of this Immense Power And although this Power of Christs Vicar is without Number Weight or Measure yet notwithstanding it determinates to other powers Number Weight and Measure Causa xv qu. 1. pervenit 13. qu. 1. c. 1. Therefore this power is deservedly called FULL proper quod multum veneranda metuenda est wherefore it is much to be Reverenced and Feared And indeed all Kings Princes Kingdoms Churches of the World had need to fear yea to keep watch and ward against it and for ever to abandon it as our and other Kings Kingdoms Churches have both justly and prudently done and more are now about to do For haec plenitudo potestatis est plentitudo potestatis est plenitudo tempestatis I omit his other Passages to the same effect in above 30. Articles more Upon these pretences of the Popes transcendent plentitude of power Pope Gregory the 7. that impious Hildebrand and pest of the world in his generation in his ratification of the Emperor Henry the seconds Excommunication presumed to make this most impious Antichristian appeal to Peter and Paul themselves Go to now O ye blessed Apostles do you confirm what I have done that all men may know that if you being in heaven can bind and loose that I also here on Earth can give and take away Empires Kingdomes Principalities quicquid habere mortales possunt and what ever Mortals can possess And two of his late Successors new-named Paul when crowned Popes with their Parasites are of the same judgment with their predecessors point-blank against Saint Pauls doctrin evidencing them to be the very Antichrist man of Sin decyphered by him 2 Thess 2. which they demonstrated by their two late Portraitures cut and printed in Brasse-pieces prefixed to two Books dedicated to them printed in Italy it self Permissu Superiorum to wit Benedicti à Benedictis Jacula Ecclesiae Catholicae Bononiae 1608. Caraffae Theses Neapoli 1609. in one of which as the Noble Lord Morney observes Pope Paul the 3d is Pourrayed with this blasphemous Inscription Paulo 3. Opt. Max. in terris Deo And in the other Pope Paul the V. with this Motto Paulo V. Vicedeo Christianae Reipublicae Monarchae Invictissimo et Pontificiae Omnipotentiae Conservatori acerrimo In both which Pourtraitures under their respective Papal feet the Scepters Crowns of Kings and Emperors are prostrated and Princes Kings Emperors themselves stand pourtrayed by them bare-headed excommunicated astonied and adoring these Pontifs One of them having this inscription over his head Vultu Imperium portendit Besides these sacred Texts are engraven round about them Jer 27. intended only of King Nebuchadnezzer the great subverter persecuter of Gods Church Kings Kingdoms whom the Pope it seems will now succeed as his Vicar General rather then Christs That Nation and Kingdom which will not serve him will I punish saith the Lord with the sword and with the pestilence untill I have consumed them by his hand Dan 7. 14. The Lord hath given to him Power and a kingdom and all people shall serve him his power is an everlasting power which shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Isay 49. 23. Kings and Queens shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet The two last texts pertain to Christ alone as King of his Church You have seen a pretty full View of Popes and their parasites blasphemous claims of an unlimited Universal Supremacy in all causes and over all persons whatsoever throughout the world yea over the Persons Crowns Scepters Kingdoms Empires of all Kings Princes Emperors vested in Christs pretended Vicar General S. Peters Successors the Pope enough to awaken alarum all Monarchs Realms Churches throughout the Universe as well Papal as Pagan to keep watch and ward against and for ever to exterminate such Antichristian Antimonarchical Usurpers out of their Dominions as all Protestant Kingdoms Churches have done upon very good grounds without the least guilt of Schisme wherewith they
Submit your selves therefore Regi praecellenti as this Innocent would have Peter vary it it would have extended only to one King alone then most eminent or to Christ whereas now it relates to all Kings and Governours too who have Regal or supream Authority and the addition after it as Supream is so far from extenuating the Kings Supremacy that it more fully emphatically asserts it not with a forsitan as he mistakes which would have made the Supremacy disputable but with a quasi or sicut supereminenti which puts it out of question like that of Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not sicut Deus as God which last clause as God adds lustre yea Divine Glory to his Deity which it identically not comparatively sets forth and asserts His 4th evasion that this precept extends only to Lay-christians as to Kings and Governours civil power not to Bishops Priests especially to Popes exempt from above all human judicature is most false For this Epistle is general to all the elect of God to whom he directs it whereof some no doubt were Elders and Ministers of the Church as himself informs us c. 5. 1 2 3. 2ly He gives this command in precise terms To all who came unto Christ the living and precious stone and were built up on him not Peter as lively stones a spiritual house an Holy and Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God I hope Popes Popish Prelates and Masse-priests dare not assert that Lay-Christians only are this Holy and Royal Priesthood since they wholly appropriate it to themselves as no wayes belonging to the Laity though St. Peter equally extends it to both without distinction Therefore this precept most belongs to them 4ly They of all others have in all ages most invaded oppugned the temporal magistratical Supremacy of Kings and Emperors Therefore they were principally intended by Saint Peter who would not presse that submission only on the Laity from which himself all Bishops and Clergymen their guides and presidents of obedience were totally exempted 3dly St. Peter makes no such distinction as Popes now do between Lay-Christians and Clergy-men yea he defines those now stiled the Laity to be Cleri the Lords Clergy or Heritage 1 Pet 5. 3. not the Elders nor between himself Popes Prelates and other Presbyters as Popes and others since make yea such a distinction would have not only verified but aggravated the calumnies accusations of the Pagans against the Christians For had he informed those to whom he writes and the Roman Pagan Emperors Kings Governors then ruling that all Lay Christians ought to be subject to them as Supream in all temporal things held of them but that himself and all Christian Bishops Elders Ministers were totally exempted from their power and had the sole Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction originally in themselves by virtue whereof they could root up and pull down build up and plant them their Empires Kingdoms Nations at their pleasures and were set over them for that very purpose as Jeremiah was in this Popes sence not Gods This certainly would have incensed all Emperors Kings and Governours against them to their total and final extirpation as the archest Traytors Rebels that ever the world produced This Popes distinction therefore was as farr from St. Peters meaning as he was from his humility 6ly St. Peter in this very Epistle as he stiles himself only an Elder yea fellow Elder not Christs Vicar Viceroy Head of his Church c. as Popes since have done so he exhorts the Elders of the Church only as his fellows not commands them as their Lord to feed the flock of Christ which is amongst them neither as being Lords over Gods heritage as Popes now make themselves but being ensamples to the flock Therefore those Kings and Governors to whom he enjoyned them to submit themselves not Peter nor these Elders as Supream were Supream over them in all temporal and ecclesiastical Causes as well as over their flocks to whom they were to be examples herein as well as in other particulars 7ly Bellarmin affirms Saint Peters first Universal Epistle to be written from Rome from this salutation in the cloze thereof The Church which is at Babylon saluteth you affirming this Babylon to be Rome to prove Peters being Bishop thereof and his Universal Supremacy as Christs Vicar since devolved unto Popes Wherein he makes the Church of Rome a true Antichristian Babylon and mother of confusion in perverting this Epistle from Rome so pregnant for the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Supremacy of Kings and Temporal Magistrates over all their Christian subjects as well of the Clergy as Laity so far as to give the Pope an absolute Supremacy over Kings and Emperors themselves which never entred into St. Peters heart nor was ever claimed or exercised but abominated by him and thus Decreed against in his unerring chair Yet Alvarus Pelagius concludes with Pope Innocent from this very Text of Peter ex praedictis clarè patet Papa est Universalis Monarcha totius populi christiani denuo totius mundi ita quod velit nolit quicunque viator Papae de jure subjicitur ut Praelato 6ly Saint Peter in his second Vniversal Epistle chap 2. gives a most lively character of Popes Apostacy ambition covetousnesse uncleannesse injustice and presumption more especially in despising all Dominion over them by Emperors Kings and Magistrates in speaking evil of Dignities without fear of God or Man in defiance of his first Epistle and bringing many railing accusations against them as they do in their Epistles Decrees Bulls Books against their Supremacies whereas Angels who are greater in power and might dare not do it Yet these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of those Dignities they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousnesse as many Popes Popish Prelates Rebels Regicides have done both in the field and Courts of Justice for maintaining the Popes Unchristian Usurpations over the Crowns kingdomes persons lives of their Lawfull Emperors Kings and Princes Therefore Popes must henceforth either for ever renounce their Universal Vicarship Soveraignty as neither enjoyed exercised owned but professedly and eternally subverted by St. Peter himself from whom alone they derive it or else St. Peter will eternally disclaim them by these General Texts and Universal Epistles to be either his Successors or Christs Vicars but meer Antichristian Impostors 7ly St. Paul the first real Apostle and sole Bishop of Rome to whom he only writ if any Apostle was so at least joynt Bishop with Peter if ever Bishop there as Epiphanius Eusebius and others attest even in his very Epistle to the Saints and Church of Rome it self hath put in an eternal Bar against the pretended Supremacy of Popes as St. Peter did in his Epistles from it Rom 13. 1 to 3. where he gives a
Servant above greater then his Lord and the Vicar then the Master 9ly Christ himself together with Paul and Peter do from the 5th Commandement most frequently presse and inculcate all due subjection and obedience by Wives unto their Husbands Children to their Parents and Servants to their Masters in all things and that with fear and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart and with good will doing them service as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the LORD they shall receive the Inheritance for herein they serve the Lord Christ Therefore there is the self-same relation obedience due to Kings and Magistrates the politick Husbands Parents Masters of the Realm people by all Members of the body politick as there is by Wives children servants to their Husbands Parents Masters 10thly It is very observable that Christ himself with his Apostles Peter and Paul do in the New Testament more frequently punctually energetically inculcate this duty of subjection obedience honor paying Tribute to Emperors Kings and Civil Magistrates though then all Pagans unbelievers yea for all Wives Children Servants to obey fear and reverence their Husbands Parents Masters in the flesh on all sorts of Christians under the Gospel then ever they were urged or reiterated in the Old Testament before or under the Law and that for these ends and upon these accounts as I humbly apprehend First to evidence That all Kings Supream Civil Magistrates Parents under the Gospel enjoy the selfsame Soveraign Jurisdiction over all Civil Ecclesiastical persons things and their children under the Gospel as they did before or under the Law in the Old Testament and that the Kingship Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel did no wayes diminish nor eclipse much lesse abolish or transfer to Apostles Bishops Presbyters or Chapters any part of their antient Temporal or Spiritual Authority before and under the Law 2ly To make the free passage for the preaching and reception of the Gospel among all Nations Kingdoms Republikes in the world as consistent with and no wayes opposing but advancing rarifying their respective Civil Governments by prescribing every soul to yeeld all chearfull obedience subjection to their Civil Governors Lawes for the peace and tranquility of their Kingdoms 3ly To stop the mouthes of Pagans and all Enemies of Christian Religion and Christians who traduced and accused them as opposites and Enemies to rebels against Emperors Kings Magistrates their Government and Lawes 4ly To take away all pretences from Libertins and yoaklesse Christians under pretext of Christian Liberty and the priviledges of Christianity to disobey contemn all Kings Magistrates Lawes and Civil Government as exempted from their power 5ly To lessen and controll the Antichristian Usurpations of the Popes Prelates Clergy of Rome it self and their Confederates elsewhere upon the Crownes prerogatives rights and kingdoms of Christian Kings and Emperors which should embrace the Gospel All which reasons are expressed or intimated in the Gospel it self Pauls Epistle to the Romans and St Peters 11ly St Paul in his second Epistle to Timothy a Bishop as all Popes Bishops assert in relation to his spiritual warfare layes down this universal Maxim which every good Souldier of Jesus Christ must observe No man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Soldier If then no Bishop or good Spiritual Souldier of Jesus Christ must so much as once entangle themselves with the affairs of this world and life that so they may discharge their duties as to please Christ who hath chosen them to be his souldiers then certainly neither Christ nor his Apostles ever gave or committed to any Apostle Pope Bishop or Minister of the Gospel any Supreme Temporal Jurisdiction over all or any Kings Kingdoms or Civil Corporations in the world which require continual attendance and would totally avocate them from their spiritual warfare 12ly The Apostles themselves though inspired from Heaven what to preach without much study when there was a complaint made to them that the widows and poor were neglected in the daily ministration calling all the multitude of Disciples to them sayd It is not Reason that we should leave the World of God and serve Tables wherefore Brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selves continually unto the Ministry of the World And the saying pleased the whole multitude who thereupon chose Stephen and 6. more Deacons to attend the poor whereupon the word of God increased the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly If the Apostles then thought it against reason that they should once or twice a day serve Tables and the poor though an act of charity and piety as being inconsistent with their Apostolical Office Ministry and thereupon ordained Deacons to discharge the trust Then certainly it cannot but be against Reason and Scripture to assert That Christ gave or any of his Apostles by divine right and institution ever had claimed exercised or ought to enjoy any the least Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion in the world much lesse such as Popes pretend to from St. Peter who was present at and assenting to this institution of Deacons it being wholly inconsistent with their Spiritual function 13ly Christ himself assured his Apostles That no man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Therefore when Christ called his Disciples to follow him they forsook their worldly imployments and all they enjoyed that they might apply themselves wholly to their Apostolical and Ministerial functions And when He called Barnabas and Paul to be Apostles he said Separate me Barnabas and Paul to the work I have appointed them Which Paul thus expresseth Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle Separate unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ being wholly taken off from all secular imployments as incompatible with their Apostolical Function Upon which Account he giveth this charge to all other Ministers He that hath the gift of the ministry let him wait on the ministry and he that teacheth in teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation He that ruleth as a Magistrate let him do it with diligence Whence sundry Fathers Councils Popes Decretals Canonists Schoolmen have prohibited all Bishops Priests and Clergymen to intermeddle as Judges Advocates Proctors or Sollicitors in any secular affairs as inconsistent with their spiritual function under pain of deprivation Therefore it is most certain That Christ never gave to Peter or any other Apostle Bishop Minister any Temporal Jurisdiction over Kings kingdoms or in temporal
duty office of a King Quid sit Regis officium 〈…〉 Regem Quantum ad officium ita sit Rex in Regno sicut ratio in corpore et anima et sicut Deus in mundo quae si diligenter consideret Rex ex altero in eo justitia accenâ—itur dum considerat ad hoc se pâ—â—um ut loco Dei iudicium in regno exerceat Caus 24. qu. 5. Regum ex alâ—â—ro vero clementiae 〈…〉 lenitatem acquâ—raâ— dum 〈◊〉 singulos qui suo subsunt regimini sicut propria 〈…〉 Augustinus ad Marcellinum Comitem â—â—ple Christiane Judex pii Patris officium sic succensere iniquitati memmeris ut non in peccatorum acrocitatibus exerceas ulcâ—cendi libidinem sed peccatorum vulneribus curandi adhibeas voluntatem noâ— perdere paterâ—â—â— diligentiam quam in ipsa inquisitione servasti Officium autem principale Regum est mark it dirigere suum regimen in finem bonum qui est beatitudo aeterna Vnde sic debent suos subditos in hoc mundo peregrinos regere ut efficiantur Cives et Domestici Dei Eph. 2. Qui◠〈…〉 in corpore peregrinamur a Domino 2 Cor. 5. Sed quia finem 〈◊〉 divinae homo non consequitur per virtutem humanam sed divinam quia gratia Dei 〈…〉 Rom. 6. perducere ad illum ultimum finem non est humani per se regiminis sed diviâ—i Ad illum ergo Regem hoc pertinet principaliter qui non solum est homo sed etiam Deus scilicet Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum qui homines Dei filios faciens in coelestem gloriam introducit propter quod non solum Sacerdos sed et Rex in sacro eloquio nominatur Hier. 23. This then being the principal end office of Kings according to my Proposition I now proceed to evidence the truth thereof which will appear 1. By Col. 1. 16. For by him Jesus Christ were all things created that are in heaven 〈◊〉 that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him that is to promote his honor glory kingdom Gospel worship interest Compared with Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure or service they are and were created Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself that is to set forth his glory service worship praise Isay 43. 7. 21. Ps 95. 6 7. Therefore much more Kings who as they reign by him Prov. 8. 15. upon that account they should and ought principally to raign and rule for him his glory worship service their subjects salvation 2ly By Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God tho powers that are are ordained of God c. Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same For he is the Minister of God to thee for good that is for thy eternal good and salvation as well as temporal good but if thou doest that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil to reclaim him from his evil and others by his punishment thereby to bring him and others to repentance and save their souls as Chrysostom Haymo Theophylact Paraeus Willet Grotius Soto with other Commentators on the Text and Grotius De Jure Belli Pacis lib. 2. cap. 20. de Poenis resolve 3. By 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3 4. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions thanksgivings be made for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may live a quiet and peaceablelife in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth The chief end of Kings and Magistrates institution by God being to advance godlinesse in and among all their subjects in the first place and then quietnesse peace honesty in the second 4ly By Rev. 21. 24. Where St. John describing the glory and beauty of the heavenly Jerusalem to wit of Christs Church and its glory under the Gospel subjoyns And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honor to it this being the principal end for which they were made Kings to contribute all their Regal Honor Power to enlarge the bounds of Christs Church kingdom promote Gods honour worship glory and salvation of the Nations people committed to their Government 5ly Natural Parents as well under the Gospel as Law are enjoyned to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and knowledge of the Scriptures Ephes 6. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And natural Husbands are obliged to instruct and sanctifie as well as love and nourish their wives 1 Cor. 7. 14. c. 14. 35. Therefore Kings and supream Christian Magistrates the Politick Fathers and Husbands of the Commonwealth are also obliged to bring up their Children Wives Subjects in the fear and admonition of the Lord to see them instructed in Gods word and endeavour their real sanctification and salvation To these Arguments evidences out of the New Testament I shall accumulate many more out of the Old 6ly That memorable Speech of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 8. most punctual and observable to our purpose And she said to the King Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God because thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made he thee a King over Israel to do judgement and justice In which speech even of an Heathen Queen from the very light of Nature there are these memorable particulars 1. That the Thrones of all Kings are not their own but Gods alone 2ly That it is God himself who sets Kings upon his throne 3ly That the grand end thereof is To be Kings for the Lord their God who hath set them on his own throne to be his Viceroyes to promote his Glory worship honour kingdom interest in the world as Solomon did and suppresse what ever is opposite thereunto 4ly To establish their Subjects people for ever by setting up establishing Gods true Worship Ordinances Statutes Gospel amongst them for their eternal salvation and by executing Judgement and Justice over them to the encouraging piety holinesse vertue godlinesse all good works and cutting off all the wicked of the Land from the City of God left they should corrupt others and dishonor God by impunity 7ly This is most apparent by
supplicantem pro Imperatore Hoc erit crimen ubi veritas Dei devotio est Adeo lati nunc sumus Imperatori mentiti vota quae diximus ad evadendum scilicet Plane proficit ista fallacia Admittitis enim nos probare quodcunque defendimus Qui ergo putas nihil nos de salute Caesarum curare Inspice Dei voces literas nostras quas neque ipsi supprimi omnes plerique casus ad extraneos transferent Scitote ex illis praeceptum esse nobis ad redundantiam benignitatis etiam pro inimicis Deum orare persecutoribus nostris bene precari Qui magis inimici persecutores Christianorum quam de quorum Maiestate convenimus in crimen Sed etiam nominatim manifeste Orate inquit pro Regibus pro Principibus Potestatibus ut omnia tranquilla sint Vobiscum enim concutitur imperium concussis etiam caeteris membris ejus utique nos licet extranei a turbis aestimemur in aliquo loco invenimur Est et alia major necessitas nobis orandi pro Imperatoribus etiam pro omni statu imperii rebusque Romanis quod vim maxtimam Vniverso Orbi imminentem ipsamque Clausuram seculi acerbitates horrendas comminantem Romani Imperii commeatu scimus retardari Itaque nolumus experiri et dum precamur differri Romanae diuturnitati favemus Sed quid ego amplius de Religione et pietate Christiana in Imperatorem quem necesse est suspiciamus ut eum quem Dominus noster eâ—egerit ut merito dixerim noster est magis Caesar ut a nostro Deo constitutus Itaque ut plus meo plus ego illi operor in salutem c. Idem sumus Imperatoribus qui et vicinis nostris Male enim velle male facere male dicere male cogitare de quoquam exaequo vetamur quodcunque non licet in Imperatorem id nec in quempiam quod in neminem forsitan magis nec in ipsum qui per Deum tantus est And Adversus Marcionem l. 1. who maintained two distinct Gods and Principles of equal power He thus determines Summum magnum par non habere Par autem non habere uni competit in duobus esse nullo modo possit Rer enimetsi summum magnum est in suo solio usque ad Deum tamen infra Deum comparatus autem ad Deum excidit jam de summo magno translato in Deum Nec inter Reges plurifarium videre potest summum magnum sed unicum singulare apud eum scilicet qui Rex Regum ob summitatem magnitudinis subjectionem caeterorum graduum quasi culmen dominationis excipitur It being an impossibility and contradiction as he there proves at large to have two Supream heads in one kingdom or any equal to the King who is only inferiour to God the King of Kings when compared with him Clemens Alexandrinus describing the offices and parts of a King both in times of Warre and Peace addes Regnandi autem scientiae una pars quidem fuerit divina cuiusmodi est quae est ex Deo et Sancto eius filio a quibus et quae ex terra bona sunt et quae externa et perfecta suppeditatur foelicitas c. Finem ad pieta tem Deique cultum referens sic enim virtute utentibus prudentia est quae ordinat Divina autem sapientia politica seu regendorum Civitatum scientia Rex itaque is est qui imperat ex legibus qui est praeditus scientia imperandi volentibus cujusmodi est Dominus qui eos qui in ipsum et per ipsum credunt admittit Omnia enim tradidit Deus et omnia Christo subjecit Regi nostro c. Origen flourishing within 230. years after Christ thus answers Celsus his objection against the Christians Postremo hortetur nos Celsus ut opem feramus Imperatori totis viribus geramus ejus auspiciis justa praque bella neque detractemus militiam si res ita postulat Respondemus feremus Imperatori auxilia suo tempore sed divina ut ita loquar nimirum armatura fretos non humana Idque facimus Apostoli monitis obedientes cujus haec verba sunt Obsecro vos primum ut faciatis deprecationes orationes interpellationes gratiarum actiones pro omnibus hominibus pro Regibus omnibus in potestate collocatis Et quo cujusque est pietas major eo majorem opem Imperatori fert magis quam stantes in procinctu milites et occidentes quotquot possunt ex hostibus Possumus etiam sic respondere alienisa nostra fide ad militiam pro Republica caedesque hominum nos urgentibus Ecce vestrum quoque numinum Sacerdotes delubrorum custodes dextras servant puras a sanguine causa sacrorum ut incruentis in pollutisque caede manibus victimas offerant solenniter iis quos habetis pro Diis nec ullo bello dolectos habetis eâ— sacrificorum ordine Hujus moris si vobis constat ratio quanto magis caeteris militantibus non contemnenda est nostrorum hominum militia manus quidem puras servantium decertantium autem fusis ad Deum precibus pro legitimo Imperatore et pium justumque bellum gerente milite ut destruatur quicquid est juste facientibus adversarium Itaque precibus nostris profligantes omnes bellorum excitatores Daemones ac perturbatores pacis ac faederum plus conferimus Regibus quam qui arma gestant pro Republica Laboramus autem pro imperio Romano dum inste viventes vota pro eo facimus exercentes jus in contemnendis voluptatibus nec sinentes nos ab eis quovis pertrahi sic nos praealiis pugnamus pro Imperatore et licet cum ipso non militemus habemus tamen Castra propria pietatis auspiciis rem deprecationibus gerimus Et plus beneficiorum a Christianis confertur in Patriam quam a reliquis hominibus dum Cives erudiunt ad pietatem erga Deum tutelarem Patriae praesidem ejusque viam ad coelestem quandam Civitatem Dei muniant moâ—o recte vivant vel in exiguis Civitatibus Which holy life he concludes to be the chief end of Governors Governments as well as of private Christians And in Epist ad Romanos c. 13. l. 9. He asserts that God will have all crimes whatsoever temporally punished Non per Antistites Principes Ecclesiae sed per mundi Judices to whom he hath delegated the sword as the higher powers ordained by him to which every soul must submit Therefore Popes and Prelates as well as others To passe by St. Cyprians Dionysius and Arnobius their passages of Christians constant Prayers even for their Pagan Kings Emperors and their kingdoms as constituted by God Coelius Lactantius treating of the end of the world and mans creation resolves Quid plenius argumentum proferri potest et mundum
hominis et hominem sua causa Deum fecisse quam quod ex omnibus animantibus solus ita formatus est ut oculi ejus ad coelum directi facies ad Deum spectans vultus cum suo parente communis sit quasi porrecta manu allevatum ex humo ad contemplationem sui excitasse Propterea igitur coli se Deus expetit honorari ab homine tanquam Pater ut virtutem et sapientiam teneat quae sola immortalitatem parit Idcirco mundus factus est ut nascamur ideo nascimur ut agnoscamus factorem mundi ac nostri Deum ideo agnoscimus ut colamus ideo colimus ut immortalitatem pro mercede capiamus quoniam maximis laboribus cultus constat ideo praemio immortalitatis afficimur ut similes Angelis effecti summo Patri ac Domino in perpetuum serviamus et simus aternum Deo Regnum Haec summa rerum est hoc arcanum Dei hoc mysterium mundi Yea this is the sum mysterie of all the Kings and kingdoms in the world instituted by God for these only ends that all the kingdoms of the world might thereby become the temporal kingdoms of God and of his Christ on earth and his eternal kingdom in heaven All these recited Fathers lived under Heathen not Christian Emperors Kings to whom they Addressed their Apologies Appeals Defences of the substance truth of the Christian Religion they professed under them as the highest powers on earth the properest Judges of Religion and bound in duty to protest both it and them in the true profession thereof When the Roman Emperors and other Kings became Professors Protectors and Propagators of Christianity the Fathers Councils Bishops Clergy and Christians under them thus set forth their Supremacy in and over all Ecclesiastical and Religious affairs persons as well as temporal To pretermit the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction attributed to and exercised by Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperor which I shall insist on in the First Chapter of the 2d Book Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria as he constantly prayed to God in publike for Constantius the Emperor though an Arrian with all expressions of Loyalty duty and dedicated a special Apology to him in Justification both of his faith and loyalty useth this expression therein If I were accused to others I would appeal to your Majesty as Paul did to Cesar but seeing they accuse me unto you ad quem a te appellare potero nisi ad Deum There being none paramount the Emperour to Appeal to neither Pope nor Council but God alone How this Emperor Constantius twice removed and banished Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria and Paulus Bishop of Constantinople from their Bishopricks and placed Gregory and George two Arrian Bishops in their Sees and how upon their Complaints and Appeals to his Brother the Emperor Constans reigning in the West who summoned their accusers to appear before him which they did they were restored to their Bishopricks by the advice and decree of the Council of Sardis Anno 350 summoned by both these Emperors Edicts at the requests of Athanasius and Paulus to hear and decide their cause referred to them by the Emperors and the special Letters of Constantius sent to Athanasius What Creeds or forms of Christian faith both the Arrian and Orthodox Bishops compiled in the Councils of Antioch Sardis Jerusalem Smyrna Millain Arimino and Seleucia all summoned by the Emperors Edicts presented to the Emperors for their approbations and ratifications as Supreme Judges Moderators in such cases are at large recorded in Socrates Scholasticus Ecclesiast Hist l. 2. cap. 7 to 44. Nicephorus Calixtus Eccles Hist l. 9. c. 20. to 44. Sozomen Eccles hist l. 2. Cent. Magd. 4. cap. 8. and sundry others to whom I referr the Readers for brevity sake Only I shall recite the memorable requests of the Orthodox Bishops in the Council of Arimino to the Emperor Constantius in their second Epistle to him Wherefore we humbly request your Majesty of your gracious Favour and wonted Clemency to accept this our Message That you admit no novelty to creep into the Church of God to the contumely of such as are already departed this life but that you grant us your license and lawfull favor firmly to persevere in those things which our Ancestors have decreed in as much as it is evident to all men that whatsoever they did it was through well advised counsel prudent consideration and the aid of the holy Ghost Also We humbly request that the exiled Bishops which wander in farre and foraign Regions grievously afflicted by reason of great years and the misery of want and necessity may by your safe conduct return home from exile to the end the Churches remain not desolate and desolate of their Bishops being thus farr asunder Last of all Our humble sute is to your Majesty that nothing may be diminished from or added to the Old and Antient Decrees but that all whatsoever have been observed unto this day through the godly procurement of your Father may henceforth be of force strength and virtue and that hereafter there may arise no molestation to us about those things and that you suffer us not to be banished our Churches c. Saint Hillary Bishop of Poictiers wrote thus to this Arrian Emperour Constantius not long after At hanasius in the Orthodox Christians behalf We beseech your Clemency to permit that the people may have such teachers as they like such as they think well of such as they chuse and let them solemnize the divine mysteries and make prayers for your safety and prosperity In which Book to this Emperor he acknowledgeth his Supremacy in and over all Ecclesiastical persons causes though he justly censures his force imposed on them in their Councils to make them vote against their wills and the Orthodox faith in behalf of the Arrian Hereticks The Godly Western Bishops assembled by this Arrian Emperor Constantius his Edict to the Council of Ariminum and there long detained by him from their Cures wrote two supplicatory Epistles to him from thence to dismisse them to their Bishopricks before the cold Winter approached In the first they thus petitioned them We beseech your Majesty that you cause us not to be banished nor stayed from our Churches but that the Bishops together with the people may live in peace and tranquillity and may humbly pray for your health kingdom and safety in which the Divine Majesty long preserve you Pro tua salute Imperio prolixo So Nicephorus renders it but others thus Supplicantes Deo pro pace tui Imperii pariter et salutis quam tibi Dominus in perpetuum largiatur They concluded their second Letter to him with this Supplication For this cause we beseech your Clemency the second time most religious Lord and Emperor that you command us to depart to our Churches if it so please your Godlinesse before the sharpnesse of Winter come That we
Augustine thus resolves Sicut terreni Imperatoris auctoritas currit per omnes ut in omnibus ejus sit reverentia Ita Deus instituit ut ab ipso Rege Dei auctoritas incipint et currat per cunctos Quamvis frequenter mundus hoc non intelligit alii se subjiciat in potestate positus quam debet tamen institutio est ut unus sit qui timeatur Ubi ergo haec institutio non est ibi Cathedra pestilentiae reperitur as it is at Rome Nusquam enim unius Dei auctoritas abjicitur nisi apud eos qui multorum Deorum praedicant metum From hence our Thomas Waldensis thus concludes Ecce ab ipso Rege incipit auctoritas currit per cunctos executores justitiae hoc instituit Deus non ergo instituit Deus ut inciperet à Summo Sacerdote sola executio potestatis manaret in Principem Ecce inde est Imperator unde homo antequam Imperator unde homo antequam Imperator nisi à Deo Quamvis a Deo per Sacerdote Christianus homo tamen nec homo nec Christianus homo nisi a Deo Ita nec Imperator nec Christianus Imperator nisi a Deo quamvis per Pontificem fidelis sit Imperator a Christo et inde potestas illi unde et spiritus et nunquid spiritus illi a Pontifice Tertullianus intendi Quod non sed a Deo profecto ergo non potestas illi a Sacerdotio provenit a cujus dono animam non accepit Potestatis Regiae primum initium in ipso Rege a Deo et ab ipsius auctoritate manat in subditas potestates as well Ecclesiastical as Civil as I shall here demonstrate against all Papal or Pontifical pretences to the contrary For methods sake I shall digest the sum of my First Book into these 5. Propositions 1. That from Adams creation till the Law given by God to Moses and by him unto the Israelites his peculiar people the Supreme Paternal Regal Magistratical with that now stiled Spiritual Pontifical Ecclesiastical Authority or Jurisdiction both in and over the Family State Church Militant was by Divine and Natural Right vested united in one person not many to wit First in Adam himself but after his decease in the First-born unlesse disinherited by God for sin or in the Patriarch or Master of the Family Tribe who was both King and Priest having the Priesthood annexed to his Paternal or Regal Office not these to his Priestship 2ly That God after the Israelites deliverance from the Aegyptian bondage when he first new-modelled them into a Commonwealth and afterwards into a Kingdom setled both their State and Church-government dividing the Priesthood from the Supreme Civil Magistracy Kingship vesting the one in Moses Josuah David Solomon and their Royal Successors the other in Aaron his Sons and Tribe of Levi left the Soveraign Ecclesiastical Power Jurisdiction over all persons causes still annexed to the Kingly or Supreme Magistratical Office and residing in the King or chief Civil Officer as before transferring to Priests only the Ministerial Priestly Offices not the Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction the same in kind with a real part of and various dispensation only from the Civil Supremacy 3ly That the Supreme Government of the Church Militant after Christs Incarnation under the Gospel was vested in Jesus Christ himself God and Man only as he is the King not Priest or Prophet of the Church his Priestly and Prophetical Offices being united to his Kingly as the first highest in dignity and order not his Regal to his Pontifical or Prophetical Offices 4ly That Jesus Christ as Supreme King Lord Head of his Kingdom the Church whilst on Earth never claimed nor exercised any Temporal Regal Jurisdiction or Magistratical Authority over any of his Subjects much less over Emperors Kings Kingdoms Nations or Soveraign Civil Powers nor ever deprived any of them of their Crowns nor absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance nor cast down pulled or rooted up their Kingdoms nor gave them to whomsoever he pleased Neither did he either before at or after his Passion Resurrection or Ascension derive any such Superlative Power to St. Peter as his sole universal Vicar or Viceroy nor to any other Apostle Bishop Priest or Pope whatsoever Nor yet delegate to them his supreme Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Kingdom in this world the Church Militant and all the Members of it but only the Ministerial part of his Prophetical Office his High Priesthood being personal untransferrable incommunicable to any other to wit preaching the Gospel publickly to all Nations administring the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper according to his Institution and Command feeding his sheep with the sincere milk of his Word teaching them as his Apostles Ministers Servants to obey whatsoever he hath commanded them beseeching intreating them as his Ambassadors in his stead to be reconciled unto God to declare pronounce them absolved from their sins by God himself upon their sincere Repentance and to denounce damnation against them in case they do not repent and believe in Christ 5ly That Gods principal end and intention in ordaining Kings and supreme Civil Magistrates in the world was not the bare external administration of Justice between man and man the protection of their Subjects from violence oppression the preservation of them in worldly peace plenty prosperity the punishment of Malefactors the rewarding of Well-doers encouragement of Arts Vertue Trade Industry or fighting their Battels in times of War against Invading Enemies though considerable parts of their Regal Office and Soveraign Authority But the advancement of Gods honour worship service glory and spiritual Kingdom whose Viceroys they are the suppression of all Idolatry Blasphemy Heresie schisme sin wickednesse the promotion of the eternal salvation felicity of their people and to be Kings for the Lord their God by advancing his interest all they can Upon which ground in order to effect these ends God himself as well under the Gospel as Law hath delegated the supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction only to Kings and other Soveraign Temporal Potentates not to Popes Bishops Priests who are subordinate to them as their Subjects Ministers not Copartners with them in their Soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in point of Interest nor yet in its actual execution no further then they are pleased by their Laws or Commissions to delegate it to them as their Substitutes When I have Chronologically evidenced and fully demonstrated the truth of these five Conclusions in so many distinct Chapters in this First Book I shall then wholly addresse my self to my intended Chronological History in relation to the Kings and Crown of England from Lucius our first Christian King Anno Dom. 183. till the Popes extirpation concluding my First Tome thereof with the reign of King Henry the third Anno 1273. THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. Proposition 1. That from Adams Creation till the Law given by God to Moses and by
him unto the Israelites his peculiar people the Supreme Paternal Regal Magistratical together with that now stiled Spiritual Pontifical Ecclesiastical Authority or Jurisdiction both in and over the Family State Church Militant was by Divine and Natural Right vested united in one person not divers to wit First in Adam himself but after his decease in the First-born unlesse disinherited by God for some crime or cause or in the Patriarch or Master of the Family Tribe who was both King and Priest having the Priesthood annexed to his Paternal or Regal Office not these to his Priestship _â—O evidence the truth of this Proposition so far as the light of Scripture or Nature in the first remote obscure age of the world have revealed it for the Readers satisfaction I find it generally acknowledged by all or most Divines and Christian Authors who have written of the Church or the Original of Republikes Jurisdictions or Chronologies 1. That as God the Original of all power at the very Creation gave Adam a Soveraign Dominion over the fish of the sea over the foul of the ayr and over all the earth the cattle and every creeping thing therin to which he gave their several names as a badge of his Soveraignty over them by Gods own direction So he likewise ordained him as well after as before his fall to be both a King and Priest over the little world his family posterity issuing from him during his life not only to govern correct them when they transgressed but to offer sacrifices prayers to God for and instruct them in his Worship Laws fear Hence Cedren makes Adam the first KING Governor and that with reason enough as Mr. Selden notes because he governed and commanded all mankind as long as he lived who by the Law of Nature and Fifth Commandement are enjoyned To honor and obey their Father in the flesh and he not only obliged to provide for protect defend and correct as a Father but likewise to * instruct and educate them in the fear and admonition of the Lord as a Priest Now Adam being a King and Lord not only over all Creatures but Eve his wife before he was a Father and over his Posterity by his Paternal right before they were capable of instruction And the Title of King being alwaies prefixed before that of Priest as most honourable and first in order when ever mentioned and meeting together in one person as in Melchisedec Christ Others who were both Kings and Priests and the High Priests alwayes inferiour subordinate to the Chief Civil Governors and Kings of Judah and in Heathen Nations It thence most clearly follows that the Priesthood and Spiritual Jurisdiction in Adam was at first united and subordinate to his Kingly Soveraign Magistratical Office and Authority and so continued whiles residing in one person from the Creation till the Law given in mount Sinâ—i 2ly That Cain Adams first-born having forfeited his birthright and life too by the murther of his Brother Abel and thereby Seth becomming his first-born when Adam deceased his Kingship and Priesthood descended first to Seth and after him successively to the Patriarchs who were not only the Princes and Chief Governers of their Families Tribes to rule protect and correct them when they offended but likewise their Priests to erect Altars and Houses to God for his publique worship to offer Sacrifices prayers vows to God for them to blesse them in his Name to teach them his Lawes Fear and the Covenants made by God to them and their seed and commanded them to put away their strange gods and idols as Jacob did All which is evident by the examples of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. c. 9. 25 26 27. Abraham Gen. 12. 7. c. 13. 4 18. c. 17. 1 2 8 c. 23 to 27. c. 18. 19 23 c. c. 20. 7. 17. c. 21. 23. c. 22. c. Melchisedec both King of Salem and Priest of the most High God Gen. 14. 18 19. Heb. 7. 1. Isaac Gen. 26. 23 24 25. â— 27. 21 28 to 41. of Jacob Gen. 28. 8. to the end c. 31. 54. c. 32. 9 to 13. c. 33. 20. c. 35. 1. to 16. c. 43. 14. c. 46. 1. c. 47. 7. 10. c. 48. 3. to the end c. 49. 1. to 33. Heb. 11. 21. and affirmed by St. Jerom the Ordinary Glosse with most other Commentators on these Texts Alexander Alensis and other Schoolmen Bishop Jewel Dr. Field Jacobus Bouldoc De Ecclesia a Mundi principio usque ad Mosen Salianus in his Annales Ecclesiasticae and other Annalists in the times before the Law 3ly Upon this account after the Law given and Priesthood vested in Aaron and the Tribe of Levi the firstborn though they lost this priviledge of exercising the Priests Office as before yet they were still the Lords to redeem themselves with an oblation of five shekels by the poll for their exemption from the Priesthood because God had taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel which redemption was given to Aaron and his Sonnes who officiated in their steads 4ly That upon this original right priviledge of Primogeniture Christ himself as Gods firstborn was not only made Higher then the Kings of the Earth King of Kings Lord of Lords but likewise Head over all the Church that in all things he might have the Preeminence And had like the First-born before the Law the Supream Priestly Office and Power united to his Kingly Yea in some sence Christ hath fully restored this antient Right to all who are spiritually Gods First-born and the First-fruits of his Creatures as the Gospel stileth them having the First-fruits of the Spirit growing in them whom he hath MADE KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD HIS FATHER as the Marginal Texts resolve 5ly That the very Gentiles and Pagan Nations by the Law and Light of Nature vested the Supream Ecclesiastical Authority and oft times the Priesthood it self in their Kings and chief Temporal Magistrates who erected consecrated Temples Altars Groves constituted by their particular Lawes the several Orders Offices of Priests the Number Worship Services of their Gods and the Sacrifices Ceremonies and whole manner of their Worship To instance in some particulars Fanus the antientest of the Kings in Italy was the first who brought in thither the form of Religion He cousecrated Groves erected Temples from whom they were called Fana ordained Priests and Sacrifices Evander his next Successor introduced many other Ceremonies in the Worship of the Gods Anius as Virgil relates was at once REX IDEM HOMINUM PHAEBIQUE SACERDOS After Rome was built Romulus the first King thereof and Numa Pompilius who succeeded him made several Lawes concerning the whole Worship Service Holy-dayes Ceremonies of their Gods instituted their distinct Orders of Priests as highest Priest
14. 9. 16. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth and in that day shall there be One Lord and his name One. And it shall câ—me to passe that every one that is left of all the Nations that came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosits To which I shall subjoyn these prophecies of King David himself concerning the Kingship and kingdom of Christ Gods Son of his seed Psalm 2. 6 7 8. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod or Scepter of Iron c. â—salm 10. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever c. Psalm 29. 10 11. The Lord sitteth King for ever The Lord will give strength uâ— to his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace Psalm 24. 7 8 9 10. Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of Glory shall come in Who is this King of Glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel The Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory c. Psalm 47. 6 7 8. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises For God is the King of all the earth sing ye praises with understanding God reigneth over the Heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holinesse Psalm 96. 9 10 c. 98. 6 9. 99 1 2. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse fear before him all the earth Say among the Heathen that the Lord reigneth the world also shall he establish that it shall not be moved he shall judge the world uprightly With trumpets and sound of a Corn it make a joyfull noise before the Lord the King c. For he cometh to judge the earth with righteousnesse shall he judge the world and the people with equity More especially Psal 95. 3. 99 to 2. The Lord is a great God and a Great King above all Gods The LORD REIGNETH let the people tremble The Lord is great in Sion and high above all people The KINGS strength also loveth judgement thou dost establish equity thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Jacob. Psal 149. 2. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Sion be joyfull in THEIR KING Let them praise his name in the Dance c. Psalm 89. 18. 34 35 36 c. For the Lord is our defence and the holy one of Israel is our King Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David His seed King Jesus shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sunne before me It shall be Established for ever as the Moon and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven In all these Texts of sacred Story to omit others Christ is still prophecyed of and promised to his Church only under the stile of a King Lord or Great King of the Seed of David sitting upon his Throne righteously judging and reigning over his people as a King and he is sometimes stiled David their King he being a Type of Christ his Supream government of them being attributed annexed only to his Kingship not to his Priesthood or Prophetical office as it was in King David his Father and the forecited kings 3ly That as the Scripture prophecied of and promiseth Jesus Christ in the flesh under the Title of a King so it stiles the Church and Saints he should reign over under the Gospel a kingdom wherein and over which he sits and reigns as a King for ever This is evident by all the last recited Texts and those I shall adde unto them 2 Sam 7. 13. 29. 1 Chron 28. 7. I will establish his kingdom for ever 1 Chr. 29. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the praise for all in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord thou art exalted as head above all as a King not Priest or Prophet both riches honor come of thee and thou reignest overall and in thin hand is Power and Might to â—ake great and to give strength to all Psal 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven and his kingdom ruleth over All Yea the contemplation and discourse of the Glory and excellency of Christs everlasting kingdom over his Church and Saints is thus prophecied of by David as one principal part both of their and all other Christians duty and felicity upon earth Psal 145. 10 11 12 13. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speak of the Glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious maiesty of his kingdom Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth through all Generations In pursuance of which duty King David himself penned two special Psalms of praise Ps 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things I have made for the King c. Gird thy sword not Peters or the Popes keyes upon thy thigh O most mighty with thy glory and thy majesty and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meeknesse c. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy kingdom not Peters keyes is a right Scepter Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows Hearken O daughter and consider c. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him The King daughter 〈◊〉 the Church is all glorious within c. She shall be brought unto the King Christ Jesus in rayment of needle work they shall enter into the Kings passage c. To which he addeth many Psalms of like nature especially two begenning thus Psal 97. 1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the 〈◊〉 and ours amongst others be glad thereof Psalm 99. 1. The Lord reigneth let the earth tremble c. The Prophet Daniel presents us with this excellent description and prediction of Christs Kingdome Dan 2. 41. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consum all these Kingdome and it shall stand for ever Thus farther illustrated Dan 4. 3.
from their sins by God upon their sincere repentance and to denounce damnation against them in case they repented not and believed not in Christ I Have here enlarged this Proposition abridged in my Prologue the clearing whereof will prove fatal to St. Peters and the Popes pretended Universal Regal Supremacy and Pontifical Jurisdiction over Kings Emperors Kingdoms Nations as well in temporals as spirituals and over Christs Kingdom the Church Militant on Earth as Christs sole Viceroy or Vicar General to whom all his Regal and Sacerdotal power in heaven and earth is assigned by Christ himself if we believe their own Papal or their Parasites claims which I shall here preâ—â—ise in their own words that so their Antichristian Usurpations Blaspemies Impostures may more visibly appear to all Christian Kings and the whole world who cannot but abominate and be jealous of them though never so much devoted to the Papacy Pope Nicholas the 2d writes thus to those of Millain who refused to obey the See of Rome and acknowledge the Popes Universal Supremacy Christ alone hath founded built the Roman Church upon the rock of the faith newly born and hath committed to Saint Peter the Key-bearer of eternal life TERRENI SIMUL IMPERII CAELESTIS JURA the Rights both of the earthly and heavenly Empire Therefore not any terrene Sentence but that word by which heaven and earth were built by which faculty all the Elements were made hath founded the Roman Church Certainly she enjoyeth her privileges from him by whom she is supported Therefore IT IS NOT TO BE DOUBTED that he who endeavoureth to take away from the Church of Rome the Priviledge granted her by the very chief head of all Churches HIC PROCVLDUBIO IN HAERESIN LABITUR HIC EST DICENDVS HAERETICVS He without doubt falls into Heresie he is to be called an heretick because he violates the faith who acts against her who is the mother of faith and is found contumacious to him who is known to have advanced her above all Churches On which Text Bartholomeus Buxiensis and Ioannes Thierry make this Glosse Papa habet utrumque gladium scilicet Spiritualem Temporalem transtulit Imperium Pope Leo the 9. in one of his Epistles writes thus This ought to satisfie you That both the Earthly and Heavenly Empire yea the Royal Priesthood is given to the Apostolick See Divinitus by God himself and not by men Pope Boniface the 8. in his Letters to Philip the French King told him That the Pope is Lord through the whole world both in Temporal and Spiritual Matters And that he judged it HERETICAL for any to think the contrary This Pope boasting that he had the power of both swords declared it by his actions riding Anno 1300. on the first day of the Great Iubilee in triumph in his Pontificalibus as Pope and the next day in his IMPERIAL ROBES adorned with THE IMPERIAL CROWN having a naked sword carried before him and one proclaiming ECCE HIC DUO GLADII behold here the Spiritual and Temporal Swords given to me quantum ad jurisdictionem at least though non per executionem generaliter as some of their soberest Canonist distinguish The like Soveraign power is claimed by all their * Successors and inserted into their Book of Sacred ceremonies ratified by Sixtus Quartus and other Pontifs which records That when the Pope gives or sends a consecrated sword to the Emperor or any King usually hallowed on the night of Christs Nativity he is prescribed to say This Pontifical sword doth betoken SUMMAM TEMPORALEM POTESTATEM as well as Spiritual A CHRISTO PONTIFICI COLLATAM according to that saying All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth and according to that also He shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the floud unto the worlds end Pope Innocent the 3. and Adrian the 4th their forecited passages are to the like effect with sundry other Popes forged or real Decrees to the same purpose recorded in Gratian and the Extravagants The Pope as Augustinus Triumphans asserts is greater then any King or Emperor as well in Temporal as in Spiritual Matters and as God is the Lord of all by Universal Jurisdiction so is the Pope his Vicar greater then any King or Emperor both in spiritual and temporal things The power of Jurisdiction in temporal and in spiritual matters is immediate in the Pope alone Yea the Son of God hath declared the altitude of Ecclesiastical power in the Pope to be above all principalities and powers that unto it every knee should bow both in heaven in earth and under the earth Franciscus Bozius affirms The Supream temporal Jurisdiction throughout the whole world belongs to Peters successor so that he is both Hierarch and Monarch of all things and that by the divine Law expressed in the Scriptures That Peter and the Pope succeed to Christ as well in his Kingdom as in his Priesthood and that Peter and the Pope is both King and Priest according to the order of Melchisedech which Cardinal Baronius and Aquinas with others likewise assert Stephanus Patracensis Archiepiscopus in his Oration 4 Maii 1515. before Pope Leo the 10th in the Council of Constance averred In the Pope the Supream Hierarch in the Church there is omnis potestas super omnes Potestates tam Coeli quam Tarrae Tibi data est omnis potestas in qua qui totum dicit Nihil excludit Ralulphus Cupers impudently proclaims God hath committed to the Pope the rights both of the terrene and heavenly kingdoms The direct dominion of the Emperor belong unto God and by consequence to the Pope his Vicar who is deservedly accounted the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Lord hath so magnified the Church which he expounds to be the Pope that he hath preferred it not only to Kings and Cesars sed omnibus sub coelo supra coelum existentibus but to all that are either under Heaven or above Heaven Cardinal Hostiensis asserts Papa Christus faciunt unum consistorium ita quod excepto peccato potest Papa quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Whence some Canonists stile him Dominus Deus noster Papa and yoak God and him together as equals Quis audet dicere Deo et Papae the plenitude of his Papal power being such as Abbot Panormitan resolves that Super omnem legem positivam sufficit quod in Papa sit pro ratione voluntas in dethroning Kings and Emperors The like Antichristian blasphemous assertions are professedly maintained in solemn discourses as you may read at leisure in their Azorius Antoninus Alexander Carerius Francis Bozius Lelius Zecchus Marta Rodericus Sancius Gaster Scoppius with other Pontifician Parasites And Cardinal Bellarmin himself informs us That the Pope Jure divino hath power over the whole world as
well in temporal as in Ecclesiastical matters is also taught by Augustinus Triumphans Alvarus Pelagius Hostiensis Panormitan Silvester and divers others Yea Hostiensis teacheth That Christ by his comming translated all the Dominion even that of Infidel Princes unto the Church and that this Dominion so resides now in the Pope Christs Vicar That he may give by his own Right the Kingdoms of Infidels as well as Christians to whomsoever he will Alvarus Pelagius seconds all these with most Hyperbolical passages and blasphemies which I cannot pretermit Christ writes he had all power given unto him both in Heaven and Earth being ascended in his humanity to his Father lest he should leave his flock without a Shepheard he left the care thereof to Peter and his Successors as his Vicar General Now the Father is Almighty the Son Almighty even in Earth Therefore every Pope his Vicar upon Earth hath all power in Earth which Christ had not as very God but as very Man To this purpose is that which Zacharias saith of Christ Zech. 8. His power shall be from Sea to Sea And Ps 72. 8. He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea from the River unto the ends of the Earth Whence Ecclesiasticus speaking of the power of the Pope saith Eccles 17. God hath given him power of those who are upon the Earth For in this the Pope is Successor to Adam the first man for God the Son hath autonomatically and typically formed the Pope his Vicar after his own image and likenesse Gen. 1. For the Pope truly represents Christ on Earth so that he who sees the Pope with a contemplative and faithfull eye may see even Christ himself Whence even for this cause he said to Peter Mat. 18. Thou art Peter taken a Rock from me Distinct 21. 1. Hunc enim in consortium individuae Trinitate assumptum id quod ipse erat c. For Peter being assumed into the Fellowship of the individual Trinity is become that which Christ himself was that is from that which he was namely a Rock the Lord would have him to be called and named Peter Whence according to this Papa non est homo simpliciter sed Deus id est Dei Vicarius Whence according to this the Pope is not simply a Man but a God that is The Vicar of God Item Christ as a man was a King Zach 9. Mat 21 27. Lu 24. John 19. Psal 72. Rom. 2. 7. God shall raise up a Kingdom c. But of this universal Kingdom the Emperor is not Christs Vicar because there are not two Vicars as is plainly proved Therefore the Pope is his Vicar because there is no other Vicar and the Kingdom of the world is not without the Vicar of God He thence inferrs and asserts in another Article Although in this life the Pope should do injury or injustice to any man or some men as he confesseth he may he hath no Iudge over him neither is he obliged to chuse Iudges or arbitrators to whose Sentence he may subject himself neither can he directly or indirectly be condemned for it is impossible that the Pope himself should constitute another Superiour Prince or Iudge or another ArchPope above or equal to himself sicut nec Deus Trinitas possit super se alium Deum constituere vel aequalem as neither God the Trinity can constitute another God above or equall to himself He thus proceeds in another Article The Church or Pope are not from the Empire but the Empire from the Church and the Pope is before the Emperor which he endeavours to prove by 25. Arguments I shall only touch upon some of them As the Moon receives her dignity and her Light from the Sunne so doth the Moon the Emperor the dignity of his altitude from the Sunne the Pope As much as the spiritual life is worthier then the earthly the spirit then the body gold more precious then silver so much doth the spiritual power exceed the temporal or secular power in dignity honor worth splendor and the order of Priests is so much higher then the Regal power to which all Emperors and Kings ought to subject themselves every of them being subject suo simplici Sacerdoti qui ipsum solvit ligat judicat All power in earth both spiritual and temporal is given to the Pope Christs Vicar as it was to Christ himself Mat 28. for in him resides the fulnesse of the Regal or Imperial Dignity that is to take from one and conferr unto another the right of chusing the Emperor to examine anoynt consecrate and crown him when elected and by consequence to approve and reject him all which of right belong to the Pope That the Pope out of the plenitude of the power and keyes given to him by Christ with this Commission Feed my Sheep hath a power and jurisdiction over all men upon earth de jure although not de facto which he may exercise when ever he is able or willing by which power he may lawfully punish all Pagan Heathenish Kings Nations and Idolaters in the world as well as Christians for breach of the Law of Nature only and command all Infidels who are subject to his Jurisdiction in earthly things to admit the preachers of the Gospel and punish them if they do not obey him yea the Pope alone and none other of right can contend with and denounce war and invoke the secular power against them Christ was a true temporal King and by consequence the Pope his Vicar He that in this point will exclude from himself the darknesse of understanding must consider the Pope non hominem sed Deum quodammodo qui non puri hominis sed Veri Dei vicem gerit in terris As Christ is God and Man most perfectly participating both Natures and God and Man are both one Christ perfect God and perfect Man So his Vicar General and Singular the POPE participat cum Christo quodammodo naturam Divinitatis quoad Spiritualia humanitatis quoad temporalia participates with Christ after a sort the Nature of the Divinity as to Spiritualities and of the Humanity as to Temporalties As by force of the Orthodox faith it is heretical to lay down two Beginnings 24. Quaest So it seems to be heretical to make two several Vicars equals to each other in earth in point of right As therefore no believer doubts Jesus Christ was both King and Priest and King of heaven and earth because all things were made by him one person in two Natures So no Catholick ought to doubt but his Chief Vicar General on Earth hath likewise both Powers Yea it would not be farr from Heresy pertinaciously to affirm the contrary because this would be as it were to deny the Son of God to be the Maker of the Earth and a King and so to make Duo principia That therefore thou mayst not seem an Arch Heretick let this be thy Catholick Faith that as there
men as to the execution of their offices as these next words as those who are sent by him to wit by the LORD for whose sake you ought thus to submit unto them as Rom 13. 1 2 4 6. and the sense resolve not by me or my Vicars and that to be Supream Governors over you 2ly Because sent by God only for the punishment of evil doers as well Christians as Pagans Popes Priests as Lay-christians if you do ill as the Gentiles accuse you to be Evil doers v 12. c. 3. 16. and so subject to their Jurisdiction only and not to mine or your own Pastors if proved such 3ly Because they are also thus sent for the praise of them that do well so that they by your honest conversation and good works which they shall behold and submission to their power and Government will not only praise you but glorify God in the day of their visitation and become Christians too 4ly For so is the will of God that you should thus submit to them as Supream and with well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who falsly accuse you to pretend an exemption from all Secular power A◠free yet not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousnesse but as the servabts of God 5ly He thence inferts Honor all Men that is all Supream Governours to whom Honor is due Rom 13. 7. Fear God Honor the King in a more signal manner as Supream and Gods Vice-Roy upon Earth the honoring of whom for the Lords sake will evidence to the world and your own consciences that you fear God when your disobedience to exempting your selves from and advancing your selves above them will discover that you fear him not Pope Innocent the 3d. with other Popes and their Parasites to evade Saint Peters text assert 1. That it extends only to those who receive temporal things from the Emperor who in temporal things is Supream which yet he and his Successors elsewhere contradict but not to spiritual things wherein Pontifex antecellit which excell temporal things as much as the soul doth the body 2ly That it is not said simpliciter Subjecti estote but with this addition propter Deum which extenuates and qualifies it 3ly Neither is it purely written Regi praecellenti sed interpositum Forsttan non sine causa 4ly Ad vindictam malefactorum extends only to those qui utentes gladio ejus sunt Jurisdictioni subjecti not to Priests whose Promotion of Priesthood advanceth them above Kings and kingdoms totally to root up and to destroy and to build and plant them To which evasions I answer 1. That St. Peter makes no such distinction of Temporalties and Spiritualties nor that the King or Emperor is supream in the one but himself Popes Prelates only in the other as this Pope doth 2ly He acknowledgeth the King Supream in both it being Heresy as they assert to hold two Supream heads and two Principles of power in and over one body 3ly Peter writes this Epistle to all the Elect Saints as Gods peculiar people heritage a Royal holy Priesthood and an holy Church Nation unto God enjoyning them upon this consideration only not as meer worldlings to submit to Kings and Governors as Supream without one word of his own his Successots or others supremacy over them therefore it extends to spiritual as well as to temporal Supremacy 4ly This Pope acknowledgeth the Emperor to be Supream in Temporal things which he bestowes on others who receive them But Popes as themselves and flatterers confesse have received all their temporalties and St. Peters Patrimony from the Gifts of Emperors as Constantine Charles the Great and others Therefore they ought to acknowledge him Supream in temporal things at least notwithstanding all their recited vaunts and passages denying it 5ly St. Peter and Bishops had then neither Silver gold nor temporal possessions at all nor yet those Strangers scattered by persecutions through Pontus Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia to whom he writes who all sold their possessions and were spoyled of their goods when he sent this Epistle to them Therefore Saint Peter rather intended Kings and Governours to be supream in ecclesiastical matters in rewarding praysing and encouraging them in good works and in a Christian honest pious conversation and punishing them for sins contrary to and scandalizing their Christian profession then for temporal matters 2ly His 2d evasion doth not deny nor diminish but fortifie Kings Supremacy For if he had commanded them to submit to Kings and Governors as supream by the bare Ordinance of men alone this had been no strong obligation in point of conscience to them but when he adds for the Lords sake this superadds divine authority to this humane Ordinance and binds them in point of conscience towards God and as they are Christians to this submission to them Josephus relates that in his time not long before this Epistle written there rose up a crafty arrogant sect of the Pharisees et interdum Regibus quoque infestum ut eos etiam aperte oppugnare non verentur necnon cum tota gens Judeorum fidem suam jurejurando obligasset Regi et Caesari hi solum non iuraverunt being above six thousand men in number hoc nomine à Rege mulctatis and pretending to know secrets by divine Revelations they openly proclaimed like some of our late Republicans and Fanaticks in relation to the King and his Royal family Decretum esse a Deo regnum ablatum ab Herode et eius progenie transferre ad Pheronem uxorem ejus communes liberos And they with others held That being Abrahams seed and Gods people they ought not to be in subjection or pay Tribute to the Roman Emperor and Pagan Kings Hereupon the Jewish and other Christians were then suspected accused to be enemies to Kings and Cesar yea to deny subjection tribute and an Oath of Allegiance to them as supream chief Governours as these Pharisees did To take off this slander Saint Peter and Paul too did in their Epistles as well as Sermons most earnestly and particularly presse Christians subjection obedience to Emperors Kings Princes and all Secular powers even for the Lords and conscience sake as ordained and sent by God himself and a duty enjoyned them by the very Will and Gospel of God as Chrysostom Haymo Soto Calvin Gualther Willet Pareus Perrerius most other Commentators on the place and Bellarmine himself acknowledge To which Doctrine practise nothing could have been more diametrically contrary then to set up such a Universal Temporal Monarchy and Ecclesiastical Supremacy in Peter and his pretended Successors in the See of Rome it self then the seat of the Roman Emperors as they now pretend to inconsistent with the Emperors Supremacy and all Kings Government Regal power here knocked down and crushed in the shell by St. Peters own hand keyes and sacred pen. This Pope his 3d evasion is most absurd For had it been
Horses of Kings Emperors but their Crowns and kingdoms too which Christ never commissioned nor sent Peter or any other Disciples to demand or take from Kings and bring them unto him 6ly Those Disciples were sent only to loose a meer natural Asse and Colt for Christ to ride upon not Emperors Kings Princes on whose backs Christ never rode on whose heads crowns he never trampled whiles prostrate at his feet as Antichristian Popes have frequently done neither had he Emperors or Kings to hold his stirrop bridle when he ascended on the Asses back as Popes have made Emperors and Kings to hold theirs 7ly No argument for the Popes Supremacy can be deduced hence but only that Peter was here an Asse-driver not a Shepheard that his Keyes were now transformed into a halter or bridle to muzzle Asses that Emperors and Kings are now metamorphosed not only into Sheep Wolves Dogs as Becanus formerly asserted but into Popes Asses too which have no understanding This his great Champion Gastar Schioppius is not ashamed with greatest impudency directly to proclaim to all the world in this most scurrillous passage in allusion to this Text. Ecclesia est Mandra sive Grex aut multitudo jumentorum sive Aunorum clitellariorum seu sagmariorum c. The Church he means the Roman and see the Members thereof how observe it is a great fold or stable of Beasts or Asses of which some are Pack-Asses some are Dosse-Asses and others Burden Asses Then relating cuiusmodi Auni sunt nos Catholici what sort of Asses we the Roman Catholicks are We writes he must be beasts which have understanding and reason to obey the Bishops with all humility and patience for they are the men they the Muleters and Asse-drivers they must yoak bridle and saddle us put halters about our necks load drive us For others they are like to beasts but tame moderate beasts such as must do what they are commanded for a good understanding Asse is he that honoureth and followeth the direction and command of the Mulettier He addes Reges Catholici sunt Asini cum tintinnabulis Catholick Kings are Asses with Bells about their necks as being the Fore Asses leading the way to other inferior Asses Then much commending Charles the Great he writes That Charles was a farr greater and wiser Asse then those Kings that cast off the Popes yoak for Charles being tantus Asinus so great an Asse cryed or rather brayed out with a loud voyce Vniversae Asinorum mandrae to the whole fold of Asses that is to the whole Church in this manner For the memory of St. Peter let us honor the Roman Church and though the yoke which the Pope imposeth be such as we can hardly bear yet let us fall down under the same Ex quibus verbis verum Issachar agnoscas de quo Gen. ch 49. Issachar Asinus fortis From which words of Charles thou maist know he was a very Issachar of whom it is said Gen. 49. Issachar is a strong Asse Thus Schioppius Is not this fine Catholick Divinity enough to enamour all Christian Kings Princes with the Church of Rome which is now become a fold of Asses instead of a flock of Sheep and their Popes Bishops Muleters and Asse-drivers instead of Shepherds I shall not waste Ink and Paper to answer the other pretended Commissions given by Christ to St. Peter on which Popes and their Parasites likewise ground their universal Supremacy as Launch out into the Deep Loose thy net Christ entred into Simon Peters boat Strengthen thy brethren c. Nor to answer this profound Argument and passage of St. Bernard urged by Tho Waldensis to prove Saint Peters Universal Supremacy over the Church from Christs entring into his Boat Beatus etiam Bernardus sic loquitur de Navicula una Petri Lib. 2. Ad Eugenium Discipuli Navigabant Dominus apparebat in littore quodque jucundius erat in Corpore redivino sciens Petrus quod Dominus est in Mare se misit sic venit ad ipsum aliis Navigio pervenientibus Quid istud Nempe signum singularis Pontificii Petri per quod non unam Navem ut caeteri quique suam sed ipsum saeculum susceperit guvernandum Mare enim saeculum est Navis Ecclesia Inde est quod altera vice instar Domini Petrus gradiens super aquas unicum se Christi Vicarium designavit qui non uni populo sed cunctis praeesse deberet siquidem aquae multae populi multi Itaque cum quisque caeterorum habeat suam tibi unae commissa est gravissima Navis facta ex omnibus ipsa universalis Ecclesia toto orbe diffusa Haec Bernardus Rather by way of jear to others who thus descanted on it then in seriousnesse Yet Waldensis gravely infers thence Quam synceriter quamque subtiliter enucleat pater Bernardus eminentiam summi Sacerdotis fastigium Christi Vicarii ab ipsis medullis Evangelii rutilantis making a large descant on them But the repetition of these crazie enthusiastical arguments and aiery conceits to evidence the Popes Supremacy from such impertinent texts or rather blasphemies is a sufficient refutation of them 6ly When all these Commissions to the Apostles Peter and forecited Texts will not prop up the Popes tottering Universal Supremacy they then flye to his Sword as to their Triarii and last refuge yet with very ill successe if the Texts and inferences from them be well examined Our Saviour being near his Passion used these words to his Disciples Luke 22. 34. to 39. When I sent you without purse or scrip or shoes or staves lacked ye any thing And they said Nothing Then sain he unto them But now he that hath a purse let him take it and likewise his scrip and he that hath no Sword let him sell his garment and buy him one And they said Behold here are two Swords And he said unto them It is enough conjoyned with Matth. 26. 51 52. John 18. 10 11. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it and smote the high Priests servant and cut off his right ear Then said Jesus unto Peter Put up thy sword into the sheath or into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword the cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink From which Texts Popes and their Paralites have drawn these strange Conclusions universally embraced by most as infallible Oracles 1. That these two Swords here mentioned were the Supream Ecclesiastical and Temporal Swords of Authority and Jurisdiction here instituted and distinguished by Christ himself 2ly That those two Swords are distinct in their own Natures the one originally put into the hand of St. Peter and his Successors of Rome alone and derivatively by and through him into the hands of the other Apostles Bishops Priests incommunicable unto any Temporal Kings or Princes The other put into the actual
himself did almost despair And then induced him to use his utmost endeavours to reform them by the forecited smitings of them with the sword of the Spirit And in case of their final incorrigibility not to excommunicate interdict or anathematise them but desert them totally and by a voluntary exile to remove to some other City to exchange Rome for the World or any other part thereof which was farre better then it there to preach the Gospel and discharge his Pastoral office committed by Christ to Peter and through him to himself by seeding his sheep which he defines only to be the preaching of the Gospel to them concluding in these words Evangelizare pascere est fac opus Evangelistae et Pastoris opus implesti Upon all which considerations I hope the most zealous Pontificians will henceforth be satisfied That the Civil and Spiritual swords have not their distinction distribution nor any foundation at all on Peters single sword or the other Apostles two material swords and that the only spiritual sword belonging to Popes and the Church is not their usual Ecclesiastical Censures thunderbolts but the meer word of God incessantly preached applied in season and out of season to all sorts of sinners especially the most obdurate wherewith the City and Court of Rome are so stuffed that Popes have most reason to brandish this sword and all other swords or keyes they claim from St. Peter only there not in other Princes Bishops Diocesses and Dominions much lesse against Emperors and Kings themselves 2ly If St. Peters the Apostles Priests and Ministers commissions forecited will neither warrant support their Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction challenged pretended to much lesse will their several Titles do it Before I enter upon the Positive Titles given to them in Scripture I shall desire you to take notice 1. That neither St. Peter nor any other Apostle Minister or Presbyter is ever once stiled by Christ or any Apostle in relation to his office either a King Prince Caesar Lord or the higher Powers but only earthly Kings and temporal Magistrates Alvarus Pelagius the Popes Grand Advocate doth not only ingenuously acknowledge but renders these folid reasons for it First because Kings and Lords do frequently abuse their Regal and Lordly power to tyranny and great oppression of their Subjects which Popes and Clergymen would be likewise apt to do if dignified with these Titles 2ly Because the name of a King aliquando superbum sonat and is apt to puff men up with pride and arrogance therefore inconsistent with the humility and meeknesse of Christs Disciples Ministers 3ly To put a distinction between Civil and Ecclesiastical Governors Inter spirituales temporales Reges sicut est discretio in potestatibus sic debet esse in nominibus Principes itaque seculares nomen Regis quod commune est sibi a proprietate retinent praesertim quia ante constitutionem spititualium Regum officium Regis nomen plures habuisse leguntur Principes autem spirituales aliis nominibus nuncupantur quae non fastum sed actum pietatem insinuant Et propter hoc ait Petrus Pastoribus Ecclesiae 1 Pet. 5. 2. 3. 95 Distinct Esto Neque ut Dominautes in Clero Christus dixit Discipulis Lu. 22. Reges Gentium dominatur eorum vos autem non sic Mat. 20 Yea he draws this memorable inference from hence Et secundum hoc videretur dicendum quod licet Christus sit Rex Sacerdos tamen ejus Vicarii scilicet Apostoli eorum successors non sunt Sacerdotes et Reges imo solum convenit eis potestas Sacerdotalis vel Pontificalis ex concessione Christi Si autem aliquibus eorum convent potestas Regia hoc est ex concessione Principum terrenorum sicut ex concessione Constatini habet Romanus Prontifex Imperialem potestatem Distinct 96. Constituimus Which though Alvarus prima facie grants to be rationabiliter dictum for others yet he spends several Articles to assert That the Pope is not only a spiritual but temporal King and Lord yea King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that not only Popes but even Bishops and Priests too have a power and jurisdiction above all Kings Emperors Princes in the world even to excommunicate depose and put them from their Thrones Kingdomes Empires as you heard before at large 2ly Neither Christ nor his Apostles after his Ascension in any of their Epistles or Gospels ever gave St. Peter or the Pope any of these swelling Titles now claimed or Attributed to them by their flatterers as Christs sole Viceroy his sole Vicar General on Earth sole head of the whole Catholick Church God Vice-God Christ Christs Omnipotentiary or Plenipotentiary indued with a plenituds of all power both in heaven and earth the life of the world or any of those Titles which St. Bernard by way of irony censure only gives to Pope Eugenius as others did in good earnest Age indagemus adhuc diligentius quis sis quam geras videlicet pro tempore personum in Ecclesia Dei Quis es Sacerdos magnus Summus Pontifex Tu Princeps Apostolorum tu Primatu Abel Gubernatu Noe Patriarchatu Abraham Or â—ine Melchisedech dignitate Aaron auctoritate Moyses indicatu Samuel potestate Petrus unctione Christus Tu es cui claves traditae cui over creditae sunt Sunt quidem alii coeli janitores gregum pastores Sed tu tanto gloriosius quanto differentius utrumque prae caeteris nomen haereditasti c. If none of these ambitious Titles were ever given by Christ or other Apostles to Peter himself in this magnificent mannerâ— or to any other Apostle How comes the Pope now to appropriate them to himself in Peters right who doth not own but quite disclaim them 1 Pet. 1. 1. c. 5. 1 2 3. Wherefore pretermitting them as late Papal fancies invented by Popes and their Parasites I shall proceed to St. Peters particular Scripture Titles peculiar to himself whereon Popes and their flatterers bottom his and their own pretended transcendent Supremacy The 1. is his very Sirname Peter Mat. 16. 18. I say unto thee thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church Whence they infer That Peter is not only supreme head of Christs Church but the very stock and foundation on which it is built I answer 1. That he had this very name Peter given him either before he was called by Christ to be an Apostle or at leastwise he was named Peter by Christ upon his very first calling to be his Disciple Mat. 4 18. c. 8. 14 15. Mar. 3. 16. Lu 3. 16. Lu 6. 14. Jo 1. 41 42 If then his first sirname Peter gave him no such supream Jurisdiction Lordship over all the other Apostles and whole Catholick Church as certainly it did not Christ himself being then the supream head thereof on earth for some years after This repetition or confirmation of this his former
fratres erant nondum Presbyterii gradu potiti ac verisimile est illud idem in aliis locis fieri quamvis nobis obscurum et minime cognitum Not long after this Aedesius and Frumentius two godly Christian Merchants trading among the Indians occasionally preached the Gospel to them and converting them to the Christian faith exhorted them to meet together and celebrate divine Mysteries which they exhibited to them Upon their return from thence and reporting the Indians conversion to the faith by their means Athanasius thought sit to give them Orders make them Bishops and send them again to the Indians for their further instruction and conversion to compleat that work which God had so happily began by them Neither can Popes nor Popish Prelats decry this for Bart. Buxiensis Dr. Thierry with other Glossers upon Gratian Panormitan Angelus de Clavasio and most Canonists resolve That the Pope Bishops yea and Priests too may license a meer Lay-man to preach to the people and excommunicate Priests themselves yea authorize women to preach against Saint Paul resolution 1 Cor 14. 33 34. 1 Tim. 2. 11 12 13. Upon which ground about the year 1620. there sprang up a new order of Iesuitesses or She-Iesuites in Italy Germany and other places who took upon them to preach publikely and privately to others of their sex and under pretext of promoting the salvation of souls alia opera permulta sexus et ingenii imbecillitati modestiae muliebri virginali praesertim pâ—dori minime convenientia aggrediantur The scandal whereof grew so great that Pope Vrban the 8. by his Bull dated in Ianuary 1630. was enforced utterly to suppress their Congregation Order Houses Pope * Gregory the 13. Anno Domini 1584. by a speciall Bull granted this special Priviledge to the whole Society of the Jesuites and their Emissaries to preach in all places without interruption though not in Orders Explaining and ratifying the Bull of Pope Paul the 8th which as Gregories Bull recites had granted them this Priviledge Ex illo concessionis hujusmodi tempore etiam Scholares alii Religiosi vestri sacris Ordinibus nondum initiati alias tamen idonei ad praedicandum verbum Dei passim ubique mittuntur Verum quia nonnullis dubitatio curiosius incessit anâ—dictum privilegium praedicandi etiam eos comprehendat qui ad Ordines ipsos nondum ascenderunt Nos quemcunque hoc scrupulo eximere volentes praesentium authoritate declaramus ac etiam decernimus vestrum unicuique etiam ad sacros Ordines praedictos non promoto praedicationis munus in vim privilegii hujusmodi exercere potuisse posse Vobis insuper concedentes ut etiam Clerici vestri prima tantum tonsura insigniti prout hucusque fecerunt valeant deinceps ipsum Dei verbum ubique populo praedicare Districtius inhibentes universis singulis locorum Ordinariis quibusvis aliis quacunque dignitate Authoritate fungentibus quemquam vestrum quovis pretextu praemissorum occasione impedire vel molestare audeant quoquo modo Non obstantibus Apostolicis ac in generalibus provincialibus Conciliis edâ—ctis generalibus vel specialibus constitutionibus ordinationibus caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque Therefore this Title of an Evangelist or Preacher can derive no supream Jurisdiction power to the Pope who seldom preacheth or any other in and over the Church of God since every Jesuit though not in Orders may preach This Liberty of preaching indulged by this Popes Bull to Lay-Jesuits in all places without controll hath been one cause of the growth of such Preachers during our late Confusions many of these disguised Jesuits having bin preachers among us of the prodigious increase of the Jesuites beyond all other Orders of the Roman Church through the extraordinary favours assistances of the Pope and King of Spain they being the most active Instruments to promote the Popes Vniversal Monarchy over the Church and Spaniards Universal Monarchy over the whole world worthy our special Observation Their Order Society by Ignatius Loyola his sollicitation the Founder thereof was first ratified by the Bull of Pope Paul the 3d. October 5. 1540. their Number at first not being above 15. or 16. increasing by Degrees was ordered not to exceed 60. at most but 3. years after the Pope left it free to Ignatius and his successors to admit so many as they pleased into their Society Whereupon they increased so exceedingly that Petrus Rabadeniera Anno 1608. and Aubertus Myraeus Anno 1620. published a Catalogue of the Number of their Colleges Houses Cells in all quarters of the world and of the fellowes of their Society therein besides their Novices and Scholars Their Domus Professae then within the compasse of 80. years announted to 21. their Colledges to 371. their Domus professae separatae to 43. their Houses and Residentiaries to 103. in all 538. and their Socii or Patres societatis in them to 13010. The Numbers of these Locusts being then so augmented that Claudius Aquaviva their General boasted That he could raise an Army sooner then any Christian King and in the time of the Venetian Interdict when Pope Paul the 8th was in some danger covenanted to raise him an Army of forty thousand men upon this condition that whosoever was slain in that war should be reputed a martyr In the year 1640. being their Jubile or 100. year from their Societies institution they published in print new Tables of their Houses Colleges Cells then printed at Antwerp with additions to the former wherein Ignatius was pourtrayed lying along on the ground with an olive-tree springing out of his Loyns as the root of Jesse spreading it self over all parts of the world Europe Asia Africa and America with the names of every Colledge House Cell in every leaf of this tree in the Province whether its branches extended they then amounting in the total to 935. Houses Colledges Cells and their Socii societatis in them to no lesse then 15591 their Scholars Novices and others admitted into their Society being ten times more in number Amongst these they enumerated no lesse then 15 private Houses Colledges Cells in Provincia Anglicana in the Province of England wherein they had then 267. Socii sociâ—tatis besides 4. Colledges of English Jesuites in forreign parts one of them in Rome it self another at Lovain another at Audomar in the Netherlands and the fourth at Valladolid in the Kingdom of Castel in Spain Moreover they had then in Ireland and elsewhere 8. Colledges of Irish Jesuites two of them at Salmantica and Compostella in Spain in Scotland some Residences of Scotish Jesuites who had besides two Colledges in forraign parts the one of them in Rome it self being so many seminaries or professed Traytors against our Kings Church State Ribadeneira a Spanish Jesuit informs us Collegia Seminaria Jesuitarum esse Hoereticorum exitia Apostolicae sedis
holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests God and of Christ From which Texts Tertullian thus argued Nonne Lalci Sacerdotes sumus Regnum quoque nos et Sacerdotes Deo Patri suo fecit St. Ambrose resolves Omnes filii Ecclesiae Sacerdotes sunt St. Hierom determines Genus Sacerdotale Regale sumus omnes qui baptizati in Christo Christi censemur nomine Which St. Chrysostom thus backs Et tu in baptismo Rex essiceris Sacerdos Propheta adding St. Peter calls the whole Church of Christ A Kingly Priesthood St. Augustin concludes Hoc Sacerdotio Regali consecrantur omnes pertinentes ad corpus Christi Summi veri Principis Sacerdotum Omnes sunt sacerdotes quia membra sunt unius Sacerdotis Yea St. Bernard most Commentators and all Protestant Divines from these Texts resolve That every faithfull Christian is after a spiritual and ghostly manner both a Priest to offer up spiritual Sacrifices unto God and likewise a King to rule over his sins and corruptions Therefore Mr. Hardings inference from this Text of Peter That the Pope being a Bishop may be a King But on the other side a King may in no wise be a Bishop or Priest That the Priesthood which is the greater may contain the Kingship being the lesse but not è converso And Dormers inference thence You are a Kingly Priesthood as who should say the Priesthood before was not Kingly for that their Kings under the Law ruled over Priests but now is the Priesthood Kingly for that to it be subiect even Kings themselves So that unlesse the Pope yea every Popish Priest may rule over Kings and Princes as their Lords paramount and that in Temporals as well as Spirituals and all the world at their pleasures they think they are no Kingly Priestood must needs vanish into smoak since not only every Christian King but private Christian is as much as really a Spiritual Priest and King too by St. Peters and St. Johns resolutions as the Pope or St. Peter himself Especially if we believe Johannes de Parisiis his decision Sacerdotium dicitur Regale a Regno non hujus mundi sed coeli and the Glosse on Gratian from St. Cyprians resolution Christus actibus propriis Dignitatibus distinctis potestates utriusque discrevit Hinc est argumentum as the Glosse resolves quod Papa non habet utrumque gladium or at least it evidenceth that every private Christian being both a Spiritual King and Priest hath both swords as well as the Pope who upon this account can have no superiour Spiritual or Temporal Jurisdiction over them since Par in parem non habet Imperium To cloze up this Chapter I can discover upon serious disquisition nothing in all or any of the Evangelical Commissions or Titles given to the Apostles or Ministers of the Gospel that can invest St. Peter or any other Apostle Pope Bishop Presbyter Minister Priest with Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction or Dominion much lesse advance the Pope to such a transcendent superiority over the whole Church all Bishops yea Emperors Kings themselves as now they exercise prescribe expect by their very Caeremoniale wherein they inform us Papa nemini omnino mortalium reverentiam facit assurgendo manifeste aut Caput inclinando aut detegendo Such is his Antichristian pride But on the other side the Emperor himself when he is to be crowned by the Pope ut primum videt Pontificem detecto capitc illum genu terram contingens veneratur iterum cum appropinquat ad gradus sedis genu flectit Demum ut ad Pontificis pedes pervenit illos in reverentiam Salvatoris who never received nor required any such reverence from Emperors or Kings devote osculatur Yea the Empresse Imperatrix Coronata mox osculatur pedem Pontificis Moreover the Emperor himself like a Groom of the Popes Stable or Footman must hold the Popes stirrop and lead his horse as Pepin did to Pope Stephen and Frederick to Pope Hadrian and as Constantine the Great did to Pope Silvester if we credit Mr. Harding If more Kings be present then the more worthy King must lead the Popes horse on the right side and the other on the left And if he be not pleased to ride then four of the greatest Kings whereof the Emperor to be one if present must bear the Popes chair on their shoulders and the Pope sitting therein At his feast the Emperor or greatest King must bring water to wash his hands they must carry the first dish of meat and set it on his Table At his Coronation two Cardinal Deacons must hold up the sides of his Pluviale or loose upper Garment and the Emperor or in his absence two of the chiefest Kings must hold up the tayl thereof If they happen to offend the Pope they must dance attendance barefooted at the Popes gates as did Henry the 4th the Emperor and that for divers dayes and nights and in a cold frosty snowy sharp season Or they must be whipped with rodds on their naked body as was Henry the 2d of England who received three stripes on his naked body from many religious persons and from others 4. or 5. who in great numbers resorted to his pennance Or else suffer the Pope to trample on their necks as Pope Alexander the 3d. did on the neck of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa justifying this his proud insulting over him by a blasphemous wresting of this sacred Text Thou shalt tread upon the Adder and the Basiliâ—k And when the Emperor replyed He shewed this humility Non tibi sed Petro this insolent Pope retorted et Mihi et Petro Yea Caelestine the 3d. when he crowned Henry the 3d. Emperor and had set the Imperial Crown on his head which he bowed down to him the proud Pope sitting in his chair Statim pede in terram excussit presently struck the Crown off his head with his foot to the ground designans per hoc quod ipse Papa haberet potestatem coronandi Imperatorem si meruerat dejiciendi si demeruerit Antoninus averrs Non minor honor debetur Papae quam Angelis Vnde Papa recipit a fidelibus yea a Regibus et Imperatoribus Adorationes Prostrationes et Oscula pedum quod non permisit Angelus a Iohanne Evangelista fieri Therefore he learned this humility and prostration not from this good Angel but the Apostate Angel the Devil who usurped a power to give all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them to Christ if he would thus fall down unto him and worship him as Kings and Emperors do to the Pope who though he stiles himself Servus servorum Dei in his Epistles yet displayes himself to be Rex superbiae Rex Regum Dominus Dominorum in and by this his
Antichristian Pride actions and Kings villain service It is St. Bernards instruction to Pope Eugenius Bonus fundus humilitas in quâ—â—mne aedificium spirituale constructum crescit in Templum sanctum in Domino Nulla splendidior gemma in omni praecipue conatu Summi Pontificis Quo enim celsior caeteris eo humilitate apparet illustrior in seipso And it is the determination of Thomas Waldensis a great Patron of the Popes Supremacy Petrus sicut in Apostolatu primus erat sic etiam in humilitate I wish Popes who pretend themselves to be St. Peters successors disclaiming all their premised Luciferian Ceremonies Services Exorbitances with all other Bishops and Clergy-men may from henceforth demonstrate themselves to be Christs real Disciples Apostles successors exceeding all others in humility by preaching diligence in the Ministry not in the usurpation of such Ecclesiastical Authority for which they have neither precept nor president in the Gospel as the premises demonstrate I shall cloze up this Chapter with St. Bernards words to Eugenius which I cordially desire all ambitious Popes and Prelates seriously to consider En quis es sed noli oblivisci etiam quid Quid desinas intueri quod non desiisti esse Hoc ergo consulo consideres maxime quod maximus es hominem videlicet quod natus es Tolle ergo nunc haereditaria haec perizomata ab initio maledicta Dirumpe velamen foliorum celantium ignominiam nec plagam curantium Dele fucum fugacis honoris hujus malae coloratae nitorem gloriae et unde es nude nudum consideres quia nudus egressus es de utero matris tuae Nunquid infulatus nunquid micans gemmis aut floridus sericis aut coronatus pennis aut suffarcinatus metallis Si cuncta haec veluti nubes quasdam matutinales velociter transeuntes cito pertransituras dissipes exsuffles a facie considerationis tuae occuret tibi homo nudus pauper miserabilis Homo dolens quod homo sit erubescens quod nudus sit plorans quod natus sit murmurans quod sit Homo natus ad laborem non ad honorem Homo natus de muliere ab hoc cum reatu brevi vivens tempore ideoque cum metu repletus multis miseriis ideoque cum fletu vere multis quâ—â— corporis animae simul Proinde si consideras quantus es cogita etiam qualis maxime Haec te sane consideratio tenet in te nec te avolare sinit nec ambulare in magnis neque in mirabilibus super te In te consistito non infra dejici non attolli supra non evadere in longius non extendi in latius Tene medium si non vis perdere modum Locus medius tutus est Medium sedes modi modus virtus Omnem extra modum habitationem sapiens exilium putat BOOK I. CHAP. V. That Gods principal end and intention in ordaining Kings and Supream Civil Magistrates in the world was not the bare external administration of Justice between man and man the protection of their Subjects from violence oppression the preservation of them in wordly peace plenty prosperity the punishment of Malefactors rewarding of well-doers encouragement of Arts Virtue Trade industry or fighting their battels in times of War against Invading Enemies though considerable parts of their Regal Office and Soveraign Authority But the advancement of Gods Honor Worship Service Glory and spiritual Kingdom whose Vice-royes they are the suppression of all Idolatry blasphemy sinne wickedness the promotion of the eternal salvation felicity of their people and to be Kings for the Lord their God by advancing his interest all they can Vpon which ground in order to effect these ends God himself as well under the Gospel as Law hath delegated the Supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction only to Kings and other Soveraign Temporal Potentates not to Popes Bishops Priests who are subordinate to them as their Subjects not Copartners with them in their soveraign Ecclesiastical Authority in point of Interest nor yet in its actual execution no further then they are pleased by their Laws and Commissions to delegate it to them as their Substitutes With a specification of the chief particulars wherein this Supream Ecclesiastical Power of Christian Kings and Emperors consists THE Grand Engin by which Popes and Popish Prelats have robbed Christian Emperors Kings Princes Magistrates of their Supream Ecclesiastical Authority and monopolized it to themselves alone is this grosse Paradox and Imposture That God and Jesus Christ under the Gospel have committed to their trust care only the Administration Government of the Commonwealth and Secular not of the Church and Religious affairs of the bodies temporal estates of their Subjects not of their Souls for which they are not to give any account at all to God That the Government care reformation of the Church Religion divine Worship and their Subjects souls are by Christs institution wholly and solely delegated to Popes Bishops Priests and other Ecclesiastical persons not to Emperors Kings or Supream Civil Magistrates Upon which notorious Forgery and Mistake they have First usurped engrossed to themselves alone the Title of The Church when as the definition of a Church whether Militant Triumphant National or Provincial accords not with them but their flocks people rather and is no where given to them in Scripture and the stile of Churchmen Ecclesiastical sacred persons Clergy-men which Titles they deny to all others not in sacred Orders stiling them The world secular persons the Laity popularity prophane vulgar unconsecrated persons as if they were no members of the Church when as the Scripture stiles them the Church Members of Christs body the Church and so Church-men Ecclesiastical persons as well as Bishops Priests Saints sanctifyed holy consecrated persons yea an holy Priesthood being made such by their very calling the Sacrament of Baptism and the Lords Supper their internal sanctification by Gods holy Spirit and washing away of their sins by the bloud of Christ far nobler consecrations then their bare Clerical Orders which no Protestants esteem a Sacrament and St. Peter himself defines them to be Gods Clergy Heritage as well as much as any Popes Prelates Priests how great soever 2ly They have forged two distinct incompatible Swords Jurisdictions The one Ecclesiastical peculiar to Popes Bishops Priests and those they stile Ecclesiastical persons not belonging to Emperors Kings or secular Princes The other Temporal exercised about secular things and affairs belonging only or principally to Emperors Kings and Secular powers yet subordinate to the command of Ecclesiastical persons when they shall require or desire its protection or assistance to enforce their Ecclesiastical censures 3dly That every Pope Bishop Priest as he is an ecclesiastical person is as far above all Emperors Kings Secular persons of what quality or dignity soever as the soul is above the body heaven
Lord their God which brought them and their fathers out of the land of Egypt c. Whereupon all the people resolved and answered again and again The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey and they made a statute ordinance and covenant before the Lord to perform it compared with Joshua 22. 11. to 34. 4ly By King Davids manifold exhortations and precepts to his Subjects to this purpose throughout the Psalms especially Psalm 34. 37. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints Come ye children and hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it dwell for evermore c. And by his charge to his son Solomon all his Princes Officers and Congregation of Isrel 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keep and search for all the commandements of the Lord your God that ye may posses this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth the imagination of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou shalt forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Seconded with this his publike prayer to God for them 1 Chron. 29. 18 19 20. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee And give unto Solomon my Son an understanding heart to keep thy commandements thy testimonies and statutes and to do all these things and to build the house for which I have made provision Which ended David said to all the Congregation Now blesse the Lord your God And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowâ—d down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the King 5ly By Ecclesiastes 1. 12 c. 12. 9 10 11. recording that Solomon King of Israel was also a Preacher and taught the people knowledge and that which was upright even words of truth for their everlasting welfare 6ly By 2 Chron. 15. 12. to 19. Where King Asa made the people to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul and that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether great or small whether man or woman To omit all other particular examples of this nature already touched From these Texts it is apparent That the primary office duty end of Kings especially Christian is to promote the honour worship service fear love of God true religion eternal salvation of their Subjects souls and suppresse what ever is repugnant thereto 12ly That which was Gods principal end design in creating the World it self redeeming mankind by the bloud of Jesus Christ and the King of Kings giving both the Law and Gospel to men must certainly be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Governors the eminentest chiefest of men to be his Viceroyes to rule over men of inferiour rank or quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magistratical office duty Now Gods principal end and design in creating the world and men the Lords of all other Creatures redeeming mankind by the bloud of Christ and giving both the Law and Gospel to them was only this that all mankind might worship adore fear honor praise blesse obey love and glorify him according to his word and will whiles they live on earth that Jesus Christ might rule in and reign over them as his kingdom Church Saints and they might reign with and enjoy perpetual felicity in by under him in his heavenly kingdom for all eternity as the Scripture resolves Therefore it must necessarily be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Magistrates the eminentest choicest of all men to rule over those of inferiour quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magisterial office trust duty upon which Account among others God specially enjoyned the Kings of Israel to have a Copy of the Book of his Law alwayes in their custody and to read therein all the dayes of their lives the better to observe it themselves and to enjoyn all their subjects to observe obey and do nought against it yea God himself with greatest majesty enacted this Royal Law by King Davids own mouth for all Kings Rulers to square their Government by He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God which he can never do without taking special care to maintain promote the true Worship service fear love obedience of God according to his word among all his Subjects for Gods glory and their temporal and eternal felicity as David did 13ly This I shall evidence even from the very light of nature and practice among the Heathen Nations Plato in his Book De Regno asserts That the King hath Universae humanae Societatis curam that Regia cura ut quae principalis in omnes homines ars est consisting not only in this that Rex est humanus Curator but also Divinus Pastor over all his Subjects That the chief care of Religion Worship of the Gods and feeding of the people belongs to Kings they being a kind of Priests Quare in Egypto neque imperare licet Regi absque Sacerdotio Sed si quis ex alio genere per vim Regnum invasit postea tamen necesse est cum hoc genere initiari Quin et in multis locis apud Graecos Summis Magistratibus maxima sacrificia demandata esse quis compererit et sane etiam apud nos non minus clarum est quod dico Ei enim qui Rex sorte creatus est augustissima et maxima patria vetera sacrificia huic attributa esse tradunt Hos itaque sorte creatos Reges simulque Sacerdotes considerare convenit c. Aristotle his Scholar resolves us that in the heroical times Reges provinciam habebant bellorum et sacrorum nisi forte ad Sacerdotes attinerent Postea autem partim quidem ipsis Regibus omittendis partim vero populis recusantibus apud quasdam Civitates sacra solis Regibus relicta sunt Rex autem et Dux belli et Iuder erat rerum divinarum moderator And among the Romans themselves as their Historians and others relate their antient King and after that their Emperors were both Kings and Priests and had the chiefest hand in performing the Rites and Ceremonies of
lucro tuo et vano nomine Tu es abhominabilior Iudaeis Ipsi crucifixerunt corpus meum solum Tu autem crucifigis et punis animas electorum meorum quibus malicia tua et transgressio amarior est omni gladio Et ideo quia tu similis es Lucifero injustior Pilato immitior Iuda abhominabilior Iudaeis ideo merito conqueror super te After which she there brings in Christ himself by S. Peters advice passing this sentence against the Pope Haec autem est vera justitia ut primus qui sedet in sede tua et opera habet Luciferi amittat cum contemptu sedem in qua praesumpsit sedere as Luciferian Pope Hildebrand did et particeps sit poena Luciferi Then she introduceth Christ himself swearing thrice by God the Father his own body and the holy Ghost quod faciam justitiam super hos and passing this memorable Judgement upon the Pope his Ministers Members Vicars adhering to him Gladius meae severitatis in corpus tuum intrabit qui a superiori capitis ingredietur et sic profunde et valenter infigetur ut nunquam extrahatur Sedes tua mergetur quasi lapis ponderosus qui non subsistat antequam venerit in novissimum profunâ—i Digiti id est assessores ardebunt igni sulphureo et inextinguibili Brachia tua id est Vicarii ad animarum profectum extendi deberent sed extenduntur ad utilitatem mundi et honorem judicabuntur poena quam dicit David Piant filii ejus orphani uxor ejus vidua alieni recipiant substantiam ejus Quae est uxor ejus nisi anima quae relinquetur a gloria coelesti et erit vidua Deo Filii ejus id est virtutes quas habere videbatur simplices mei qui sub ipsis erant separabuntur ab eis dignitas eorum bona ad alios devolventur et ipsi pro dignitate aeternam confusionem haereditabunt Deinde ornatus Capitis eorum demergetur in lutum inferni a quo nunquam consurgent Vt sicut hic per honorem et superbiam super alios ascenderunt sic in inferno prae aliis demergentur ita profunde ut impossibile sit eis resurgere Let all proud Popes chew the cud upon it Having thus presented you with Hildebrands Antichristian practises in his life hear Benno Cardinalis Sigebertus Gemblacenfis both living in that age Anno 1085. Mat. Paris Historiae Angl. Anno Domini 1084 1086. Vincentius Speculum Hist l. 36. c. 82. Floreutius Wigorniensis Anno 1106. Antonin Chron. Tit. 16. cap. 1. sect 21. Magnum Chronicon Belgicum p. 124. Dr. Barns Balaeus and others in Vita Greg. 7 Cent Magd. 11. c. 8. 10. Chronicon Joannis Bromptoâ— col 978. Henricus de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 3. Lambertus Schafnaburgensis Histor Anno 1074. c. Cuspinian in Henrico 4. learned Philip de Morney Dr. Crakenthorp Bishop Usher Dr. Beard Bishop Downham Dr. Squirâ—â— with sundry others out of them who give us this account of Hildebrands last words repentance absolution of the Emperor and all others Excommunications at his death Hildebrandus Papa qui Gregorius VII apud Salernium exulans moritur Volumus vos scire qui Ecclesiasticae curae solliciti estis quia Dominus Apostolicus Hildebrandus qui et Gregorius nunc in extremis positus ad se vocavit unum de xij Cardinalibus quem prae caeteris diligebat et confessus est Deo et Sancto Petro et toti Ecclesiae se valde peccasse in Pastorali cura quae ei ad regendum erat commissa seque suadente Diabolo contra humanum genus iram Dei et odium concitasse Postea vero sententiam quae in orbe terrarum effusa est pro augmento Christianitatis revocasse dicebat Tunc demum misit praedictum Confessorem suum ad Imperatorem et ad totam Ecclesiam ut opraret ei indulgentiam quia finem vitae suae aspiciebat et jam cito induturus erat angelicam vestem et dimisit et dissolvit vincula omnium bannorum suorum Imperatori et omni populo Christiano vivis et defunctis Laicis et Clericis et jussit suos abire de domo Theodorici et amicos Imperatoris ascendere I have more largely related this History of Pope Hildebrands Antimonarchical as well as Antichristian proceedings upon these considerations 1. Because he was the first visible founder erecter of that Antichristian Papal Soveraignty Tyranny which his ambitious Successors have since presumed to claim exercise over Christian Emperors Kings Kingdoms Churches Prelates The first who attempted to excommunicate depose interdict the Roman Emperors give their Crowns Kingdoms to others to absolve all their subjects from their Oathes of Allegiance to them and excite Subjects to rebell and take up arms against their rightfull Kings to dethrone them for not obeying their Papal Decrees 2ly Because he was the chief contriver before after his intrusion into Peters pretended Chair how to deprive the Roman Emperors of their antient hereditary Soveraign Ecclesiastical right of electing ratifying investing confirming Popes Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops and to defraud robb all other Christian Kings Princes Nobles Lay-Patrons of their Patronages Presentations Collations to Bishopricks Benefices or any other Ecclesiastical dignities under the false pretext of Simony Heresie Sacriledge Idolatry wherewith he branded it on purpose to monopolize the sale and disposal of them to himself and his Successors to make all Bishops Clergymen and Religious Orders sworn Vassals Feudatories Votaries Servants to and sole Dependants on the See of Rome but perfidious Traytors Rebels to their own natural Kings Princes as exempted from and having no Dominion over them nor engagements to them 3ly Because he was the first Pope who violently persecuted married Priests prohibiting all Laymen to hear their Masses c. unlesse they were totally divorced from their wives in obedience to his Papal Decrees Which Antichristian Usurpations Innovations of his being the Original ground president of all his Successors intollerable Encroachments on proceedings of like nature against our English Kings and their Soveraign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and the Emperor Henries oppositions against him and his encroachments a grand encouragement to our Kings vigorous oppositions against his successors usurpations of like nature in England the chief Subject of my ensuing History I deemed it not only expedient but absolutely necessary to present the world with a full and faithfull Narrative of his Hildebrandian Antimonarchical Sentences Decretals Proceedings the opositions made against them which have ever since infested all Christian States Churches with high contests schisms wars between the Crown and Miter And before I procceed to his Successors I shall give you this further Account of these 3. particulars beginning with the Original ground of the quarrel Investitures and Simony I have formerly discovered how some of Hildebrands immediate Predecessors by his advice and instigation made
Ideo cumulatis precibus exoro ne vos Reverende Pater scriptum praesens exasperet aut velitis de necessitate praesumptionem figurare Etenim necessitate scripsi eodem quo sum laesus jaculo laedi metuens Ecclesiae sospitatem Bonam spem in sinu meo gero quia scribens pro justitia gratiam Patris non avertam Quaslibet igitur Appellationes in Romana vigere et suscipi Ecclesia cis Alpes auditum non est nec ex sacris traditum institutis Quod si forte hujusmodi emersit novitas ut placeat omnem indifferenter admittere Appellationem Pontificalis censura peribit et omnino conteretur Ecclesiasticae robur disciplinae Quis enim raptor ad solam Anathematis comminatinem non statim Appellabit Quis Clericus aut Presbyter frustratoriae Appellationis refugio non putrebit aut etiam sepelietur in stercore suo Quis Episcopus habebit in promptu non omnem dico sed aliquam ulcisci inobedientiam Ejus virgam quaevis Appellatio quassabit solvet constantiam severitatem emolliet adducens et illi silentium et reis impunitatem delictorum sic fiet ut sacrilegia ac rapinae fornicationes ac adulteria pernicioso inundent incremento cum Praesul ad superfluas Appellationes clauserit ora et desierit persequi piorum persecutores locorum cum viduarum injurias desierit ulcisci et Orphanorum Dilatione nimirum censurae facinora fovebuntur et venient in profundum iniquitatis impune delinquentes super quos Evangelicum illud implebitur praeceptum Exi cito in plateas vicos Civitatis pauperes ac debiles caecos claudos introduc huc Quis vel caecum vel claudum intrare compellat si caecus cum compelletur appellet Denique pro delicto Heli nullus Pontificum punietur quoniam Appellationis excusatione suam quisque defenderet offensam Exempla quaedam censurae semper vivent aemulatores autem ejus quaelibet Appellatio sepelicet vivos Sane parva est materia exilis scientia quae si juxta Job Inter aquilas in praeruptis lusitantes cum pullis earum sanguinem lambit satis est Non erubesco meam attendere profiteri mensuram Inter caeteros tamen Sacerdotes ad me pervenit quas Appellationes Cisalpina susceperit Ecclesia quas et sine offensione sedis Apostolicae renuit et abjecit Accepi enim universitas Ecclesiae praedicat quod gravatis judicio subventus Appellationis debeatur Accepi quod suspectos habens judices aut infestos aut formidans vim temerariae multitudinis eodem remedio possit debeat relevari Vnde etiam in Decretis Cornelii Papae taliter Ecclesiae traditum est Si quis Judicem adversum sibi senserit vocem Appellationis exhibeat quod nulli oportet negari Item in eodem Nullus Sacerdotum causam suam alieno committat judicio nisi ad sedem Apostolicam fuerit Appellatum sed unusquisque comprovinciales Judices notos habeat nisi aliquem vim temerariae multitudinis illic timuerit aut infestos vel suspectos Judices ibi habuerit pro quibus causis ad majoris authoritatis Judices ad alias provincias appellare venire concessum est Andivi etiam alias quoque Appellationes esse sed moratorias nec aliquando recipiendas de quibus in sacris legibus his legimus verbis Quicunque non confidentia justae causae sed causa afferendae morae ne contra eum sententia proferatur Appellaverit si de facto suo confessus ne addicatur Appellare voluerit hujusmodi Appellationes non recipiuntur Et quidem videri mihi plures talium Appellationum species quas prudens Judex ita necesse est discernat ut circa Judicandos debitam in omnibus servat aequitatem Porrò ea quae Praerogativam obtinent sicut parvitati meae ministravit authoritat perstrinxerit quae si plura sunt etiam usque ad ipsius Cathedrae vestrae sedem Apostolicam incurrere vigilantia confiteor non transgrediendos esse terminos quos posuerunt Patres nostri Moratorias autem Appellationes omnino a vestra relegandas esse audientia nec sustinendum in horto Domini plantari toxicum mortis toxicum quo subventus afflictorum morietur quo justitia in nihilum reverteretur incrementum suscipiat ubertas delictorum Vale. This Bishop being violently taken and detained in prison by Earl Hubert thereupon writ this Epistle to H. Sagiensi Episcopo not to the Pope to excommunicate him till he should release him Duos in coena fuisse gladios hoc quoque legis intelligis Vnum quidem Petrus in Malchum vibravit dum Malchus in Christum manus extenderet alter verò eductus fuisse non legitur Aptè profecto inventus est uterque apud Discipulos Christi quia adhuc uterque ostenditur in membris corporis Christi Membrum enim Christi Rex membrum Christi Sacerdos Scienti loquor nosti gladium Regis nosti gladium Sacerdotis Gladius Regis censura Curiae Gladius Sacerdotis Ecclesiasticae rigor disciplinae Hos Evangelistam signasse legisti dicentem Domine ecce gladii duo hic Si esset qui in gladio Regni liberaret me non peteretur educi gladius Sacerdotii propter me Caeterum vides quia jam Potestas sine causa gladium portat in vagina reconditus est pellibus mortuorum animalium tectus est in Christum Malchus in vasa Templi Balthasar impunè manus extendit Nemo est quem Zelus Domus Domini comedat nemo est qui cum Moyse minetur dicat Inebriabo sagittas meas sanguine gladius meus devorabit carnes Bonum est ergo sperare in Domino quam sperare in Principibus c. In Angelis ejus reposita est spes mea collacata anchora mea ne mergatur procellis fragilis navicula mea Angeli Domini Pontifices ejus Angeli Domini Sacerdotes ejus Mal. 2. Si ergo Angelus Domini es imò quia Angelus ejuses Illum geris gladium qui apud Joannem de ore Angeli bis acutus exiit Hunc tu quod absit sine causa portabis nisi seces tradas Sathanae filium mortis nisi claudas obseres reliquis Adae Paradisum Domini Dei tui Hoc autem non dico tanquam mortem peccatoris desiderans sed ut ostendas peccatori cauteriatam conscientiam suam sed ut ei cum Propheta dicas Arguam te et statuam contra faciem tuam In which passage it is remarkable 1. That this famous Bishop and Archbishop one of the first who wrested the two swords in Luke 22. to typifie only the temporal and ecclesiastical Swords of Jurisdiction directly resolves the sword that Peter used in cutting off Malchus his ear to be the Temporal sword belonging to the King not Spiritual which was then hid amongst the other
Apostles but not drawn forth by Peter or Christ against those who laid violent hands upon and crucified him How then this later sword can belong to Peter Popes or Prelates alone by divine right let Pontificians resolve the world when they are able 2ly That he asserts the King to be the Supreame Member in the body of Christ to whom St. Peters sword appertains not the Pope Bishops or Priests who have only that sheathed sword which Peter and the other Apostles did not then draw forth 3ly That so long as the Kings sword is drawn exercised in and for the Church or its Members the Spiritual sword of Excommunication ought not to be drawn or used 4ly That the Ecclesiastical Sword equally belongs to every Bishop Angel Priest of God as much as to St. Peter or the Pope who may lawfully draw it out when ever there is occasion without the Popes Commission License Permission 5ly You may hence observe how much this Text hath been perverted by Popes and their Advocates to maintain the Popes title to the Supreame Temporal and Spiritual swords of Authority Jurisdiction in over all Christian Kings Kingdoms which as I have formerly evidenced make nothing at all for these two Metaphorical Swords Jurisdictions or St. Peters or his pretended successors Title to them For if we believe St. Ambrose and others these two swords which the Apostles then had and Christ resolved to be enough were only the Old and New Testament which Saint Peter and the other Apostles were to draw forth open explain and preach to all Nations for their instruction the slaying of their sinnes errors corruptions pricking them at their hearts arming them against all the assaults of the Devil and for the edification conversion defence and salvation of their souls Which exposition of theirs is warranted by Luke 24. 25 26 27. Rom. 1. 1 2 16 17 c. 10. 6. to 21. c. 16. 25 26. Eph. 2. 17 to 22. c. 3. 5 to 12. Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15 16. compared with Eph. 6. 17 19. Hebr. 4. 12 13. Rev. 1. 16. c. 2. 12 16. c. 19. 14 15 16 21. Ps 45. 3. Ps 149. 6. Isay 49. 2. Mat. 10. 34. Duo Gladii unus veteris alter novi Testamenti quibus adversus Diaboli armamur insidias dixit Satis est quia nihil deest ei quem utriusque Testamenti doctrina munierit Gladius Sermo Domini Servatoris ideo anceps quoniam duo contineat Testamenta is the general and genuine resolution of St. Ambrose Augustine Chrysostom Jerome Beda Cassiodor Bruno Lyra Hugo de Sancto Victore the Ordinary Glosse most Orthodox Interpreters Old and New on these Texts This is the only sword proceeding out of Christs mouth which he came to send into the world which himself brandished or made use of whilst on earth committed to his Apostles Ministers Peter or the Roman Pontiffs admitting them to be his genuine Successors after his death and resurrection not the Supream Spiritual or Temporal Coercive Sword of Jurisdiction in and over all Persons Churches Kingdoms causes whatsoever as Popes and Pontificians most blindly inferr from hence against the Letter true scope of this Text Exposition of the Fathers and their own learned Expositors 6ly These words But now he that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one c. And they said Lord Behold here are two swords And he said they are enough are thus interpreted by the Fathers St. Ambrose hath this Meditation on these words in St. Peters name O Domine cur emere nos jubes gladium qui ferrire me prohibes Cur habere praecipis cum vetas promi nisi fortè ut parata sit defensio non ultio necessaria videar potuisse vindicari sed noluisse Lex tamen referire me non vetat ideo fortasse Petro duos gladios offerenti sat est dicit quasi licuerit usque ad Evangelium ut sit in Lege aequitatis eruditio in Evangelio bonitatis perfectio Multis hoc iniquum videtur sed non iniquus Dominus qui cum se possit ulcisci maluit immolari St. Chrysostom hath the like Cum illi dixissent Duos se gladios habere Christus satis esse respondit Cur igitur habere permisit ut facilius crederent quod tradetur Propterea dixit eis emat gladium non ut percutiant animat sed ut proditionem per hoc declararet Propterea Petrus gladio usus comminatione quidem vehementi repraehenditur Which Beda Theophylact Hugo de Sancto Victore Lyra Erasmus Aretius Calvin Beza Marlorat Heinsius Walaeus and others on this Text recite yea second and Origen before them Tract 35. in Matth. gives the like interpretation thereof The summe scope of which words they resolve to be this 1. To give a further check to the Disciples ambitious spirit and contest for precedency or worldly grandure which he had reprehended immediately before by minding them of the persecutions and hardships they should suffer after his passion ascention and thereby advising them to provide against them 2ly To instruct them that in times of persecution they might lawfully buy a sword to defend their persons against private violence but not to resist the publike Authority of persecuting Princes or revenge themselves 3ly That the Disciples misapprehending Christs meaning imagining he commanded each of them personally to buy a sword to defend him from the band of men armed with swords staves that should apprehend and put him to death they in their simplicity thought two swords sufficient to effect it when as not twelve nor two hundred swords much lesse two would be sufficient for that purpose Whereupon he replied It is enough either by way of Ironie as some hold Dominus ironia dixit Quia duo gladii sunt omnino multi sunt sufficiunt nobis contra multitudinem quae venit super nos Or else rather by way of diversion to some other discourse as Theophylact thinks Haec enim opinor aenigmaticè propterea dicebat ut postea recordantes intelligentes utilitateÌ„ capiant quoniam tunc adeo insipientes erant ut dicunt Domine hic duo gladii at ipse quia vidit ipsos non intellexisse inquit Satis est tametsi nequaquam sufficerent si humano auxilio contra honicidas illos uti oportuisset neque omnium gladii sufficissent si autem hoc â—oluissent diviniore subsidio opus erat superstui fuissent duo Veruntamen Dominus noluit eos arguere utpote nihil intelligentes sed dixit satis est processit Sic igitur etiam nos quando cum quodam conversantes vidimus cum non intellexisse quid diximus dicimus Bene dimitte quamvis non sit bonum sed ne conturbaremus remittimus Facit hic Dominus quando videt discipulos non intelligere dictum transit eventum rerum explicare dictorum intelligentiam c. 4ly That Christ by this