Sermon Preached 24 March 1610, Sermon
A SERMON PREACHED IN St MARIES Church in Oxford, March xxiv. MDCX. at the ſolemnizing of the happy inauguration of our gracious ſoveraigne KING IAMES.
WHEREIN IS PROVED THAT KINGS DOE hold their kingdomes immediately from God.
By SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD D. of Divinitie Fellow of Corpus Chriſti College.
At Oxford, Printed by Joſeph Barnes. 1611.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, IOHN, BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, LORD BISHOP OF LONDON.
KIng Salomon, one of wiſdomes offſpring, (Right Reverend Father) hath ſaid, All rivers goe into the Sea. Some thinke they doe it to doe their homage, and pay tribute to that place, frō whence they receiued their beginning. May this little Sermon imitate thoſe rivers, it is all it careth for. It had beginning from your Lordſhip, when the fourth time you worthily bore the higheſt office in our Vniverſitie. For your requeſt (even then a commaund to me) gaue it being. It now returns as homager and tributarie to your Lordſhip, and is glad that it ſeeth the light through your favorable countenance. God almightie enlarge his graces vponupon your Lordſhip, and fill you with his ſtrength, that the Church of Chriſt here long enioying you, may reioice to ſee the pride of many her enimies through you abated. From my ſtudy in Corpus Chriſti College. Septemb. 9. 1611.
Your Lordſhips, in all duty and ſervice to be commaunded, SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD.
Pſal. 21. Ver. 6.
Thou hast ſet him as bleſsings for ever.
A King takes vponupon him his Subiects perſon, to ſing an foreign, a victoriall ſong, a gratulatorie ſong, a ſong of thankeſgiving for the manifold bleſſings derived from heaven by the King vponupon the Subiect. This King was David: his Subiects the people of Iſraell: his Song this Pſalme: the Bleſſings perpetuall.
Iob, for his ſeaven ſonnes, when their feaſting daies were, did earlyaIob. 1.5. every day offer ſeaven Holocauſtes, ſo many burnt offerings; for he thought, It may be, that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned, and blaſphemed God in their hearts: and might not David for his ſubiects offer vp his ſacrifices,bHoſ. 14.3. vitulos labiorum, the ſacrifices of praiſe & thankeſgiving vponupon the like thought? It may be that my people hauehave ſinned through their vnthankfulneſſe againſt God. God through my governement hath plentifully powred vponupon my people his bleſſings: it may be, that now waxen fat, they regard him not to giuegive him thankes; therefore will I for them offer vntounto him the ſacrifice of praiſe.
That Sacrifice was this Pſalme. A pſalme to bee vnderſtood not only of the civill Magiſtrate, as ſome affirme; nor only of Chriſt, as others; but of the civill Magiſtrate, with reference to Chriſt. David was a type of Chriſt, and his kingdome of Chriſts kingdome; his victories were but Praeludia, as preambles or fore-runners of Chriſts victories. Therefore ſpeaking of David, wee muſt ever hauehave an eie to Chriſt. And, as this people here acknowledgeth for their temporall eſtate, that the ſafetie of their king, was their ſafetie, and common ioy; ſo muſt it be acknowledged by vsus, that vponupon the victories of our head Chriſt, and his exaltation, dependeth our ſpirituall wellfare. Chriſts victories over ſinne, death, and hell, are our victories, and hauehave freed vsus from the curſe of the Law; his reſurrection is a cauſe of ours; his exaltation is our ioy.
This Pſalme thus vnderſtood (of David with reference to Chriſt, yet primarilie of David) hath 2. general partes. One is foreign, an Enumeration of thoſe many bleſſings, wherewith God had bleſſed David; and this part is continued for the firſt ſeaven verſes.
The other is foreign; a confeſsion, or acknowledgement of the power of God, whereby he diſſipateth, and bringeth to naught the counſells of the wicked. Let the wicked aſſiſted with all the powers of hell, band themſelues together to doe harme to the Lordes annointed; they ſhall find that there is a God,cPſal. 144.10. Qui dat ſalutem regibus, That giveth deliverance vntounto kings, and reſcueth David his ſervant from the hurtfull and cruell ſword. The right hand of the Lord ſhall find them out, and make them like a fierie oven in the time of his anger. This confeſſion of Davids people beginning at the eighth verſe, is concluded with an Epiphoneme in the 13. Be thou exalted, O Lord in thy ſtrength, ſo will we ſing and praiſe thy power.
Returne we to the Enumeration of the bleſſings wherewith God had bleſſed David; and wee ſhall behold the kingdDeut. 33.23 filled with bleſsings from the Lord. He was filled with ioy of heart for the ſtrength and ſalvation of God, verſ. 1. Whatſoever his heart could wiſh, or lippes requeſt, that was graunted him, v. 2. Hee was prevented with liberall bleſsings, v. 3. A crowne of pure Gold was ſet vponupon his head, v. eod. Life was given him, a long life, v. 4. Glory, dignitie, & honour in deſpite of his foes, were heaped on him, v. 5. Hee was appointed for bleſsings vntounto his people, v. 6. and was made glad with the ioy of the coūtenance of the Lord, eod. And why was David thus filled with bleſſings from the Lord? Was it for any merit of his own? No. The 7 verſe will tell vsus why it was. It was for the ſure truſt & cōfidence he had in God and his mercies. Becauſe the king truſteth in the Lord, and in the merciemercy of the moſt high, he ſhall not ſlide.
Out of this abundance of bleſſings, firſt ſetled vponupon K. Davids head, & thence like Aarons ePſal. 133.2.ointment deſcending, and ſending forth ſweet odoures of peace and proſperitie to the loweſt of his people, much might be brought to fit this daies Solemnitie. This day hath God given vsus opportunitie of meeting now the eighth time to celebrate it, to the glory of his holy name, to the honour of our religious Soveraigne, and to the comfort of his loiall ſubiects. To which purpoſe out of Davids ſtore of bleſſings, I hauehave made choiſe of that which is in the former part of the ſixt verſe, Thou haſt ſet him as bleſsings for ever.
The words you may call Davids exaltation. I obſerue in them 4. Circumſtances. The 1. is the authour of this exaltation; God. The 2. the exaltation it ſelfe; David appointed king over Iſraell. The 3. the ende of the exaltation; Bleſſings to his people. The 4. the continuance of the bleſſings; For ever.
Thou haſt ſet him as bleſsings for ever.] Thou; there is the authour. Haſt ſet him; there is the exaltation. As bleſsings; there is the ende. For ever; there is the continuance.
I will with all the ſpeede I may, paſſe through theſe circumſtances, that I may ſpeake ſomewhat to the generall doctrine iſſuing hence; namely, that kings hold their kingdomes immediately from God. Whereof when I ſhall hauehave made ſome vſe, it wilbe time to conclude. Till then I commend my ſelfe to God his gracious aſſiſtance, and your Chriſtian patience.
Thou haſt ſet him as bleſsings for ever. The firſt circumſtance is the autor of Davids exaltation. The autor is God called in the firſt verſe of this Pſalme by his honourableſt title, Iehovah, God! Excedit ſupereminentia divinitatis vſitati eloquij facultatem, ſaith S. Auſtin de Trinitate, lib. 7. ca. 4. The ſupereminency of the Deity paſſeth mans vtterance; and therfore it is immediatly added, Meliùs cogitatur quàm dicitur; we can better thinke then ſpeake of God. Yet whē we conſult with our deepeſt thoughts, we come ſhort of apprehending that incomprehenſible Maieſtie. That of S.fLib. de patris & filij unitate, if that booke be S. Hilaries. Hilarie is as true as vulgar, Certè hoc eſt Deus, quod & cum dicitur, non poteſt dici; cum aeſtimatur, non poteſt aeſtimari; cum comparatur, non poteſt comparari; cum definitur, ipſe ſuâ definitione creſcit. Out of doubt, whoſoever ſhall goe about to ſearch into the ſecrets and eſſence of the will of God,gProv. 25.28. opprimetur à gloriâ, and feare and ſhame ſhalbe his covering.
To ſuch curious ſearchers, who to get themſelues a name aboue their neighbours, wil ſeeme to be Gods coū ſellours, I commend the wiſe adviſe of Sirachs ſonne, c. 3. ver. 22. Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither ſearch the things raſhly, which are too mighty for thee; but what God hath commanded thee, thinke vponupon that with reverence, and be not curious in many of his workes; for it is not needfull for thee to ſee with thine eies the things that are ſecret. Such curioſity may further be ſuppreſſed by that of Elihu, Iob. 36.26. Behold, God is excellent, and we know him not: and by that of Ieremy, cap. 32.19. as the vulgar Latine makes him ſpeake, Incomprehenſibilis cogitatu, our thoughts comprehend him not: and by that of S. Paul, Rom. 11.33. foreign; his waies are paſt finding out.
Wherefore that we be not illicitè curioſi, more curious then meete is, abſteine we from ſearching into ſuch ſecrets as God hath reſerved vntounto himſelfe; yet that we be not damnabiliter ingrati, as S.hDe vocation. Gentium lib. 1. c. 7. Amhroſe ſpeaketh, condemned for ingratitude, let vsus vſe our beſt diligence to vnderſtand what God hath revealed of himſelfe. For howſoever the ſecret things belong to the Lord our God, yet the things revealed belong vntounto vsus and our children for ever. Witneſſe the word of Truth, Deut. 29.29.
It is revealed of God, the Father, Sonne, & holy Ghoſt, who isiChemnit. Loc. Theol. part. 1. cap. 3. pag 62. unus at que trinus, as S. Auſtin ſtyles him, unus naturâ, trinus in perſonis, a Trinitie in Unitie, and a Unitie in Trinitie; that he is akDeut. 10.17 God of Gods, and Lord of Lords; a God moſtlEcclus. 43.29 wonderfull, verymDeut 10.17 great, mighty, & terrible; a God thatnEcclus. 43.31. cannot be expreſſed by word, nor conceaved by thought;oAuguſt. Soli loq. cap. 24. of whom all the Angells in heaven do ſtand in feare, whom all Dominations and Thrones doe adore, at whoſe preſence all powers doe ſhake. A God in greatneſſe infinite, in goodneſſe Soveraigne, in wiſdome wonderfull, in power almightie, in counſels terrible, in iudgements righteous, in cogitations ſecret, in workes holy, in merciemercy rich, in promiſe true, alway the ſame; eternall, everlaſting, immortall, vnchangeable. Thus hauehave yee the author of Davids exaltation. The exaltation it ſelfe followeth.
Thou haſt ſet him bleſsings for euer. The Greeke bookes hauehave, foreign, or, foreign, Thou wilt giuegive him a bleſsing. So hath S. Hierome, ſo hath S. Auſtin. Such ſupereminēt lights of the Church cannot want their followers. But I may not forſake the fountaine. The Hebrew words doe thus ſound, Thou wilt put him, or, thou haſt put him (for the Enallage or interchange of thoſe tenſes is very familiar to that holy tongue) Thou haſt put him bleſsings. Poſuiſti eum benedictiones. Supply the Ellipſis of the Prepoſition, and it will be, Poſuiſti eum in benedictiones. And whats that?
Some doe expound it by the contrary, Poni, Dari, Eſſe in maledictionem, may be ſaid of one who is become ſo odious,Moller. in Pſ. 21. and execrable, ut nomen eius ſerviat imprecationibus, & diris, as if when you wiſh the extremitie of evill to another, you ſhould ſay, God doe to him as hee hath done to ſuch a one. I need not alleage Homers foreign, nor any imprecations of the Poet againſt his Ibis, for inſtance. In volumine libri, in the ſacred volumes we hauehave an example. The phraſe we hauehave Ierem. 24.9. where concerning Zedechiah, king of Iudah, and his Princes, thus ſaith the Lord, Dabo eos, I will giuegive them for a terrible plague to all the kingdomes of the earth, and for a reproch, and for a proverbe, and for a common talke, & in maledictionem, for a curſe. I will giuegive them for a curſe. This is explicated, cap. 29.22. where thus ſaith the Lord of hoaſts, the God of Iſrael; They of the captivitie of Iudah that are in Babel, ſhall take vp this curſe, and ſay; The Lord make thee like Zedechiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babel burnt in the fire.
If this be the meaning of Poni, Dari, or, Eſſe in maledictionem, by the law of Contraries we may determine what it is Poni, Dari, or, Eſſe in benedictionem. Poni, Dari, Eſſe in benedictionem, may be ſaid of one who is ſo happy, ſo proſperous,Moller. ut ſub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if when you would wiſh all good to your friend, you ſhould ſay, ſo God doe to thee as he hath done to ſuch a one. So did Iſaac ſay to Iacob, Gen. 28.4. God all ſufficiēt bleſſe thee, make thee to encreaſe, multiplie thee, and giuegive thee the bleſsing of Abraham. God giuegive thee the bleſsing of Abraham; as hee bleſſed Abraham, ſo bleſſe he thee. According to this expoſition, theſe words, Poſuiſti eum in benedictiones, doe carrie this ſenſe, that ſuch was the happy and proſperous eſtate of king David, ut ſub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if praying for our King, we ſhould ſay, God giuegive vntounto him the bleſsings of David.
A ſecond expoſition followeth; Poni, Dari, Eſſe in benedictionem, may be ſaid of one, who is full and aboundeth with ſo greate plentie of all good things, that God may ſeeme to hauehave beene willing to poure out at once all his beneficence vponupon him. Turne your eies which way you will, and behold that man, you ſhall ſee nothing but as it were a mirrour of Gods bountie very liberally powred out. To this ſenſe it is ſaid of Chriſt his flocke, Ezech. 34.26. I will ſet them as a bleſsing evē round about my mountaine. Ponā eas benedictionem: the abſtract is put for the cōcrete. I will ſet them as a bleſsing, that is, I will make thē bleſſed. Eſai 39.24. it is ſaid of Iſrael, that it ſhall be a bleſsing; In paraph. in Pſal. 20.and there the Abſtract is for the Concrete. It is Ianſenius his obſervation, Iſrael erit benedictio, id eſt, erit benedictus, vel benedictione plenus: which conſtruction of his well ſorteth with the verſe following, v. 25. where it is further added of the ſame Iſrael, The Lord of hoaſts ſhall bleſſe it, ſaying, Bleſsed be my people. According to this expoſition, theſe words, Poſuiſti eum benedictiones, doe carrie this ſenſe; God hath ſo appointed David, that he may be perpetually bleſſed, both in reſpect of God who endoweth him with immortalitie, and alſo in reſpect of men, of whom hee ſhall for ever bee praiſed.
There is a third expoſition; Poni, Dari, or, Eſſe in benedicti…nem, may be ſaid of one, who is bleſſed not only in him ſelfe, but is made alſo a bleſſing vntounto others, by whome others alſo are bleſſed, and ſo account themſelues. To this ſenſe God ſaith vntounto Abraham Gen. 12.2. Thou ſhalt bee a bleſsing; that is, thou ſhalt be not only bleſſed thy ſelfe, but by thee ſhall others alſo be bleſſed: for ſo it followeth, v. 3 I will bleſſe them that bleſſe thee, and in thee ſhall all families of the earth be bleſſed. According to this expoſition, thoſe words, Poſuiſti eum benedictiones, doe carrie this ſenſe; God tooke David from a poore and meane eſtate, from a ſheepheards life, from following ewes great with young, Pſal. 78.70.71. and exalted him to be king over Iſrael, and placed him in that throne for this ende, that he might be for bleſſings to Iſrael his people. The ende then of Davids exaltation, is bleſsings to his people, and it was my third circumſtance.
Thou haſt put him bleſsings] Bleſsings, not foreign, as the 70 hauehave it, nor Benedictionem as the vulgar, a Bleſsing, but foreign bleſsings, in the plurall number, to note the wonderfull abundance of Gods graces beſtowed vponupon the people through the king. The bleſſings beſtowed vponupon Iſraell through David, may bee reduced to three heads; one is the worſhip of God reinſtituted in its puritie. 2. Deliverance from forraine enimies. 3. The reſtitution of iudgement and iuſtice. The worſhip of God was reinſtituted in its puritie when David brought the arke of the Lord from the houſe of Obed-edom the Gittite, into the citie of David, 2. Sam. 6.12.
The deliverance from forreine enimies was wrought when David ſmote Aram, 2. Sam. 8.12.and Moab, and the childrē of Ammon, and Edom, and the Philiſtines, and Amalec, and Hadadezer the ſonne of Rehob king of Zobah, and tooke from out their hand the bridle of bondage, 2, Sam. 8.1.
That iudgement and iuſtice were reſtored by him, its not obſcurely delivered, 2. Sam. 8.15. where it is ſaid that David reigned ouer all Iſraell, and executed iudgment and iuſtice to all his people. In theſe three heads conſiſteth the office of a good and godly King. GiueGive ſuch a King, a King that ſhall promote the worſhip of God according to the word of truth; that ſhall bee victorious over all his enimies, that ſhall maintaine his ſubiects through iudgement and iuſtice, in peace and tranquilitie: GiueGive ſuch a king (ſuch a king you enioy) and he ſhal be a parallel for our David here, and may as well bee ſaid Poni à Deo in benedictiones, to be placed by God in his throne for this ende, that he may be for bleſſings to vsus his people; and that foreign for ever, which is the continuance of the ende, and my laſt circumſtance.
Thou haſt ſet him bleſsings for ever. foreign. In the Arke of Noe it is rendred aeternitati, or, in aeternum; in the 70 foreign; in the vulgar Latine, in ſeculum ſeculi, for ever. Some take it to ſignifie for a long ſeaſon, as Pſal. 18.50. Great deliverances god giveth vntounto his king, Wilcox in Pſ. 21.6.and ſheweth mercy to his annointed, even to David, and to his ſeed for ever. For euer, that is, faith an expoſitour, for a long time, if you refer the words to David and his poſteritie; but if you referre them to Chriſt, and thoſe that appertaine to him, then it is put for all eternity. So here, Thou haſt ſet him bleſsings for euer: vnderſtand theſe words to be ſpoken of Chriſt, and, For ever, is, For all eternitie: vnderſtand them to bee ſpoken of David, and, For euer, is, For a long ſeaſon. I hauehave hitherto expounded theſe words as they are appliable to David; and accordingly doe take this laſt word foreign, For ever.
David was à Deo poſitus in benedictiones: he was ſet for bleſsings vntounto his people. Bleſsings temporall and ſpirituall: temporall, as deliverance from forreine enimies, and the execution of iudgement and iuſtice for the peace, & quiet of his people: and ſpirituall, as the reeſtabliſhing of the true worſhip of God, whereby his people might become Citizens of the Saints and of the houſhold of God. Epheſ. 1.19.In reſpect of the former, For ever, is for a long ſeaſon, for Davids life time, which was Dauids Ever; ever, whileſt he ſwaied the ſcepter of Iſrael. In reſpect of the latter, For euer, is for all eternitie; for ſpirituall bleſsings continue after this life; foreign even for ever.
Thus hauehave I paſt over my foure circumſtances; the Author of Davids exaltation, which was God; the exaltation it ſelfe, David placed in the throne of Iſrael; the ende of his exaltation, that he might be for bleſſings to his people; and the continuance of this end, For ever.
Was God the author of Davids exaltation? Did he appoint him to be king over Iſrael? Hence then ariſeth this doctrine which before I promiſed to ſpeake vntounto, Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediatly from God.
A truth ſo vnmoueably grounded vponupon the word of truth, that it is ſtrange it ſhould bee controverted. The proofes of ſcripture that do concerne it, are either generall or particular.
A generall proofe we hauehave Rom. 13. In the firſt verſe it is ſaid, foreign, The powers that be, are ordained of God. Therefore the power of a king; of whom it is twiſe ſaide, ver. 5. that he is foreign, Gods miniſter; gods lieuetenant, for thy wealth if thou do well; for vengeance, if ill. The like proofe may be taken from Daniel 2.21. where not only the taking away of kings, but alſo the ſetting of them vp, is avowed to be gods owne worke. The voice of wiſedome crieth alowd, Prov. 8.15, 16. By me kings raigne, and Princes decree iuſtice; by me Princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth. Theſe proofes were generall.
The particular do conſiſt in God his immediate deſignement of diverſe vntounto kingdomes. Of Saul, 1. Sam. 10.1. Samuel tooke a viale of oile, and powred it vponupon Sauls head, and kiſſed him, and ſaid; Hath not the Lord annointed thee to be governour over his inheritance? Of Hazael, and Iehu, 1. Kings, 19.15, 16. The Lord ſaid vntounto Elias; Go annoint Hazael king over Aram, and Iehu the ſonne of Nimſhi ſhalt thou annoint king over Iſrael. Of Nabuchodonoſor, Dan. 2.37. O king, ſaith Daniel, thou art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdome. Of Salomon, 2. Chron. 8.9. The Queene of Sheba ſaith vntounto him, Bleſſed be the Lord thy God which loved thee to ſet thee on his throne as king. And to omit others, of David in my text, of whom it is alſo ſpecially ſaid, 1. Chron. 28.4. That God did chooſe him, and delighted in him to make him king over Iſrael: and ver. 3. Pſal. 21. that the Lorde did ſet a crowne of pure gold vponupon his head. Theſe proofes generall or particular, ſtanding vponupon ſo ſoveraigne autoritie, as Gods word is of, doe make good my propounded doctrine, namely, that kings do hold their kingdomes immediatly from God. Whereto I doubt not but I hauehave your full aſſent.
What neede then is there of any further inſiſting vponupon this point? Surely none; were there not a generation of men, bearing in their foreheads the ſtampe of Chriſtians, that cannot brooke any proofe taken out of Scripture for the maintenance of any doctrine that may diſtaſt the biſhop of Rome, or want his allowance. Tel ſuch that by ſcripture it is plaine that kings hold their kingdomes immediately frō God; their reply wilbe; what tel you vsus of ſcripture? Set aſide the autority of the Church, the autoritie of the Pope, & we take ſcripture to be no better thē a qColloqium Wormat. apud Lubbert. de princip. lib. 1. cap 5.doubtfull, vncertaine, and leaden rule; then a rColloq. Ratiſbon. Rungqu 2.matter of debate; then a ſColloq. Wormat. vbi ſupra.booke of diſcord; then a poore tHoſius de expreſſo Dei verbo.kind of element; then a uPighius cō trov. 3. de Eccleſia.dūb iudge; thenxLudov. Canon. Lateran. dead inke; thenyEckius. inken diuinity; then a zPighius Hierar. l. 3. c. 3.noſe of wax; thenaHoſius, Gretſer. &c. Aeſops fables. Impious wretches: had they not wiped all ſhame from their faces, they would never hauehave laid ſuch load of diſgraces vponupon Gods holy worde. Their Cardinall Hoſius ſtaies not here; he proceedes a degree farther. He coines a diſtinction of ſcripture, as it is vſed by themſelues, whom they call Catholikes, and as by vsus, whom they call Heretikes. His words are in the end of his third booke againſt Brentius his Prolegomena. The ſcripture, quomodo profertur à Catholicis, verbum eſt Dei; quomodo profertur ab haereticis, verbum eſt diaboli: as it is alleadged by vsus, ſo muſt it bee forſooth the word of the Devill; but as by them, ſo only ſhall it be the word of God.
Upon this ground and diſtinction of theirs, I doubt not but that blaſphemousbApodix. 1. Theſ. 8. p. 131 Dorhoff, hath made an alteration in the beginning of our Creede, and in ſteede of, Credo in Deum, patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli & terrae, hath ſubſtituted, Credo in Diabolum, carnificem, orcipotentem, corruptorem coeli & terrae. For if ſcripture alleaged by vsus, be verbum Diaboli, what is our beliefe? What our religion?
You ſee of what validitie proofes drawne by vsus from holy Scriptures for the confutation of any popiſh point, are in the eſtimation of ſome Papiſts. They hold vsus for Heretikes; and conſequently the ſenſe of ſcripture which we bring, to be no ſenſe of ſcripture.
Hence is it that the Author of the ſhort Narration, how Henrie the IV. (late) king of France and Navarre, ſent his Embaſſadours to Pope Clement the VIII. for abſolution from his hereſie, tels vsus, that though ſome doe mainetaine the king to hold his kingdome immediately from God, yet that at Rome this is accounted a very ridiculous matter. It is evident to be ſo by Cardinall Bellarmin, who in his firſt book de Romano Pontifice, cap. 7. parag. Poſtremo, diſtinguiſhing betweene ſecular and eccleſiaſticall ſoveraignty, affirmeth that the Eccleſiaſticall is à ſolo Deo, & de iure divino, from God alone, and by the law of God; but the ſecular is from mans inſtitution, and de iure gentium, by the law of nations. If we marke the antitheſis, and oppoſition betweene the lawe of God & the law of nations, as alſo between the ſoveraigneties Eccleſiaſticall, and ſecular, we muſt needs acknowledge it for Bellarmines opinion, that kings holde not their kingdomes immediatly from God. This his opiniō is more clearely ſet downe in his booke de Clericis, cap. 28. parag. Ad confirmationem. His expreſſe words there are; Regna non ſunt de iure divino, ſed de iure gentium, & proinde mutabilia ſunt. Kingdomes are not by Gods law, but by the law of nations, and therefore are changeable; wherevpon dependeth his treaſonable doctrine delivered in his fift booke de Rom. Pontif. cap. 8. where among other things, Parag. Praeterea, he affirmeth, that not only Princeps Epiſcoporum, the Pope, but Epiſcopus quilibet, every Biſhop, though but the Popes vaſſall, may vſe temporall power over kings; and inforce them to make lawes, yea and for ſome cauſes depoſe them too, as appeareth by the precedents of that chapter. But this and other like proditorious aſſertions there, and elſewhere broached, and defended by Bellarmine, & others of that faction vponupon this ground, That kings do not holde their kingdomes immediately from God, I now let paſſe.
The immediate dependencie of kings, and their kingdomes vponupon God (howſoever at Rome it be ridiculouſly entertained) hath already bin prooved, and warranted ſufficiently to ſuch as do beleeue the ſcriptures. Unbeleevers I much heede not. Yet if any will that the autority of the ancient fathers be produced, let ſuch know thataAd utilitatē gentiliū terrenum regnū poſitum eſt à Deo, ſed non à diabolo, &c. Irenaeus in his 5. booke aduerſus haereſes, &bChriſtianus nulliꝰ eſt hoſtis, nedū Imperatoris; quem ſcien à Deo ſuo cō ſtitui, neceſſe eſt ut & ipſū diligat & revercatur, & honoret, & ſalvum velit cum toto Romano Imperio quouſque ſeculum ſtabit.— Colimꝰ ergo & Imperatorem ſic, quomodo & nobis licet & ipſi expedit, ut hominem à Deo ſecundum, & quicquid eſt, à Deo conſecutum, & ſolo Deo minorem. Hoc & ipſe volet. Sic enim omnibus major eſt, dum ſolo vero deo minor eſt. Et Apologet. cont. gent. cap. 30. Sciunt [Imperatores] quis illia dederit imperium, ſciunt quà homines, quis & animam. Sentiunt enim Deum eſſe ſolum, in cujus ſolius poteſtate ſunt, à quo ſunt ſecundi, poſt quem primi, ante omnes & ſuper omnes deos. Quid-ni? Cum ſuper omnes homines qui ubi que vivunt, & mortuis antiſtant. Tertullian in the 2. cap. of his booke to Scapula, &cSuper Imperatorem non [eſt] niſi ſolus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem. Optatus in his 3. booke againſt Parmenian, and S. dLaeſus eſt [Imperator] qui non habet parem ullum ſuper terram, ſummitas & caput omnium ſuper terram hominum.Chryſoſtome in 2. Hom. ad Pop. Antioch. and S. Ambroſe in hiseCap. 4. Qui tenentur legibus, audent ſuum negare peccatum, dedignantur rogare indulgentiam, quam perebat [Rex David] qui nullis legibus tenebatur humanis. & ibid. cap. 10. Rex utique erat, nullis ipſe legibus tenebatur, quia liberi ſunt reges à vinculis delictorum. Ne que enim ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imperij poteſtate. Homini ergo non peccavit cui non tenebatur obnoxius. Apolo. of David, and S. fDeus igitur ille faelicitatis autor & dator, quia ſolus eſt verus Deus; ipſe dat regna terrena & bonis & malis, &c.Auſtin in his 4. booke de Civ. D. cap. 33. and Pope gLib. 2. cap. 100. indict. 11. Mauritio Auguſto; Ego verò haec Dominis meis loquens, quid ſum niſi pulvis & vermis. Sed tamē quia contra autorem omnium Deum hanc intendere conſtitutionem ſentio, Dominis tacere non poſſum. Ad hoc enim poteſtas ſuper omnes homines Dominorum meorum pietati coelitus data eſt, ut qui bona appetunt adjuventur, &c.Gregorie the firſt in an epiſtle of his to Mauritius the Emperour, do all ſtand very effectually for the imperiall authority of kings immediately derived from God.
How this point hath beene mainetained for theſe laſt 500 yeares by Venericus Vercellenſis in his booke de unitate Eccleſiae conſervanda; by the Leodienſes in their epiſtle againſt Paſchalis the ſecond; by Parrhiſius in his treatiſe de poteſtate regiâ & papali; by Babenbergius, by Dantes, by Cuſanus, by Theodoricus de Niem, by Franciſcus de Zabarellis, and others, they, who hauehave pervſed that profitable volume ſet out by Simon Schardius concerning Imperiall Iuriſdiction, authority, and praeeminence, cannot but ſee. And how it is in this our age vpholden againſt all gaineſayers, not only here a line and there a line, but booke vponupon booke publiſhed by the now-Mirrour of kings, by our Biſhops, & by others (eminent for their learning) as well within this land, as without, ſhall make it well knowne to the childrē that are yet vnborne: who in their day (moved by the ſame evidence of Gods word, whereby wee are moved) ſhall ioine their aſſent to ours, & teach their children alſo, that Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediately from God. You hauehave my doctrine.
It may ſerue to check that man of ſinne who intrudes himſelfe into Gods right, and takes vponupon him the Sovereigntie over all kings and people; and claimes abſolute and vncontroleable autoritie, to giuegive & to take away (imperia, regna, principatus, & quicquid habere mortales poſſunt) to giuegive and to take away empires, kingdomes, principalities, and whatſoever mortall men can poſſeſſe or hauehave. This was the expreſſe challenge of Pope Gregory the 7. in his execration againſt the Emperour Henry the 4. as it is ſet downe by Platina in that Popes life. Were his ſucceſſours leſſe arrogant? I ſuppoſe not. See but the Bull of Pope Alexander the Sixt, containing his donation of the weſt Indies to Ferdinandus king of Caſtell and Leon, and to Iſabella his Queene: we de noſtra mera liberalitate, of our meere liberalitie, and of the fulneſſe of our Apoſtolicall power, doe giuegive vntounto you, your heires, & ſucceſſours, kings of Caſtell, and Leon for ever, all Ilands and firme lands detected or to be detected from one hundred leagues beyond the Acores towards the weſt and ſouth, togither with all their dominions, citties, caſtles, places, farmes, rightes, iuriſdictions, appurtenances whatſoever. This was a largeſſe ſo tranſcendent for the vanitie thereof, that (ascHiſt. Nov. orb. l. 3. c. 3. p. 281. Benzo writeth) an infidell king Attabaliba, king of Peru could by the eie of reaſon diſcover it, and giuegive it this cenſure, Pontificem inſigniter fatuum, & impudentem eſse, eo facilè prodi, quòd aliena tam liberalit…r largiatur: that the Pope was paſſing fooliſh & impudent, ſo liberally to giuegive that which was none of his owne. A like vanitie did Sanctius brother to the king of Spaine, and elect Generall for the warre againſt the Saracens of Aegypt, taxe in another Biſhop of Rome, asdDe rob. Memorand. lib. 2 tract. 3. c. 22. Petrarch affirmeth. The biſhop of Rome cauſed it to be proclaimed in his conſiſtory; that hee beſtowed the kingdome of Aegypt vponupon Sanctius. Sanctius vnderſtanding by his interpreter this favour, for requitall commaunded that the Pope ſhould by and by bee proclaimed Great Caliph of Baldach. So perfumed he the ſonne of pride with his owne ſmoke; for he knew full well that the Pope could no more make him a King, then he could the Pope a Caliph. But Popes, and Popiſh Divines, and Canoniſts, and all Clawbackes of that See, maintaining that the Pope hath even iure divino, by the law of God, ſo large and faire a patrimonie, as is the Monarchie, and Soveraigntie over the whole world, in all cauſes, both Civill & Eccleſiaſticall, they all ſtand convicted of falſhood through the truth of this ſacred doctrine; Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediately from God.
Immediately from God? Let then the honour be Gods; and let our hearts be powred out to giuegive due thankes to him for placing over vsus our Gratious King, King IAMES: of whom we may as truely ſay as the Iſraelites did of their David, foreign. Thou haſt ſet him bleſsings for ever. Aged Leontius Biſhop of Antioch (as it is recorded by Sozomen Eccleſ. hiſt. lib. 3. c. *In verſione Chriſtophorſoni, & Grynaei, cap. 19.20.) pointing to his gray and white haires, ſaid vntounto ſome that were preſent with him, foreign when this ſnow is melted, much mire will follow: he meant ſedition and trouble. But God hath done better by vsus. The white ſnowie haires of our late aged Soveraigne were in her full time diſſolved. But God his wonderfull providence, contrarie to the deſires and expectation of many, ſo ordered matters then, that no trouble followed. The Lord left vsus not as ſheep without a ſheepheard.eNumantius ad Scipionē apud Plutarc. Apophtheg. Rom. foreign; we are the ſame ſheep ſtill to be lead forth to the waters of comfort, though there be another ſheepheard. The Lord did ſet King IAMES to be vntounto vsus bleſsings for ever: bleſsings temporall and ſpirituall. Temporall; for through him wee are delivered from all feare of forraine enimies, & iudgement, and iuſtice are executed to vsus for the quiet of vsus all. And ſpirituall; for the worſhip of God is every where within his dominions promoted according to the word of truth. And this bleſſing is foreign, for ever: for hereby are we fitted to that eternall inheritance in the higheſt heavens. I will not now make a panegyricke to extoll his Maieſtie for his Clemencie, Equitie, Bountie, Pietie, Learning, Theory, and other kingly parts: the time forbids me, and bids me to conclude. My concluſion ſhall be no other, thē a prayer for his Maieſtie, that God would be pleaſed to giuegive him vitam longam, regnum proſperum, prolem foelicem, vitam aeternam, a long life, a proſperous raigne, a happy progeny in this world, and in the world to come life eternall.
Holy Lord, ſtabliſh the good worke, that thou haſt wrought in him: viſite him as thou diddeſt Moſes in the buſh, Ioſhua in the battell, Gedeon in the field, Samuel in the temple. Be thou vntounto him in his counſell wiſdome, and in all his waies his rocke, his fortreſſe, his deliverer, his God, his strength, that the hand of violence, of rebellion, of treaſon touch him not. So ſhall we vnderunder his governement lead a quiet, and a peaceable life in all godlineſſe and honeſtie: wherein whē we ſhal hauehave finiſhed our race with cōfidēce we looke to be delivered from this bondage of corruptiō into the glorious libertie of the ſonnes of God; at what time our vile bodies ſhall be changed, & ſhalbe faſhioned like vntounto the glorious body of our Lord & Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Even ſo bee it bleſſed Father, for the ſame Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, to whom with thee in the vnitie of the holy Spirit be aſcribed all praiſe and power, might & maieſtie, dignitie, and dominion for evermore. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Sebastian Benefield, Sermon Preached 24 March 1610 (1611)