Treatise of Civil Policy, Treatise · Question 52
QUEST. XLII. Whether all Chriſtian Kings are dependent from Chriſt, and may be called his Vicegerents?
THe P. Prelate taketh on him to prove the truth of this: but the The King not the Vicegerent of Chriſt, as mediator.queſtion is not pertinent: it belongeth to another head, to the Kings power in Church matters. I therefore only examine what he ſaith, and follow him.
P. Prelate. Sectaries have found a Quere of late, that Kings are Gods, not Chriſts Lieutenants on earth. Romaniſts and Puritans erect two Soveraignes in every State; The Jeſuite, in the Pope; the Puritan, in the Presbyterie.
Anſ. We give a reaſon why God hath a Lieutenant, as God; Becauſe Kings are Gods, bearing the ſword of vengeance againſt ſeditious and bloody Prelates, and other ill-doers. But Chriſt, God-Man, the Mediator and Head of the body the Church, hath neither Pope nor King to be head under him. The ſword is communicable to men; but the Headſhip of Chriſt is communicable to no King, nor to any created ſhoulders. 2. The Ieſuite maketh the Pope a King: and ſo this P. Prelate maketh him, in extent, the Biſhop of Biſhops, and ſo King, as I have proved. But we place no Soveraigntie in Presbyteries, but a meere miniſteriall power of ſervants, who doe not take on them to make Lawes and Religious Ceremonies, as Prelates doe, who indeed make themſelves Kings and Lawgivers in Gods houſe.
P. Prelate. We ſpeake of Chriſt as Head of the Church. Some think that Chriſt was King by his Reſurrection, jure acquiſito, by a new title, Right of merit. I think he was a King from his conception.
Anſ. You declare hereby, that the King is a miniſteriall Head ofThe King not the head of the Church. the Church, under the head Chriſt. All our Divines diſputing againſt the Popes headſhip, ſay, No mortall man hath ſhoulders for ſo glorious a head. You give the King ſuch ſhoulders. But why are not the Kings, euen Nero, Iulian, Nebuchadnezzar, Belſhazer, Vicegerents of Chriſt, as Mediator, as Prieſt, as Redeemer, as Prophet, as Advocate, preſenting our prayers to God his Father? What action, I pray you, have Chriſtian Kings, by office, under Chriſt, in dying, and riſing from the dead for us, in ſending down the Holy Ghoſt, preparing manſions for us? Now it is as proper and incommunicably reciprocall with the Mediator, to be the only Head of the body the Church, Col. 1. 18. as to be the only Redeemer and Advocate of his Church.
2. That Chriſt was King from his conception, as Man borne of the Virgin Mary, ſuteth well with Papiſts, who will have Chriſt, as Man, the viſible Head of the Church; that ſo as Chriſt-man, is now in heaven, he may have a viſible Pope to be Head in all Eccleſiaſticall matters. And that is the reaſon why this P. Prelate maketh him head of the Church by an Eccleſiaſticall right, as we heard▪ and ſo he followeth Becanus the Ieſuite, in this, and others his fellowes.
P. Prelate. 1. Proofe. If Kings reigne by foreign per, in and through Chriſt, as the Wiſdome of God, and the Mediator: then are Kings the Vicegerents of Chriſt, as Mediator. But the former is ſaid, Prov. 8. 15, 16. as D. Andrewes, of bleſſed memorie.
Anſ. 1. Denies the major: All beleevers living the life of God The prelates reaſon proveth all creatures to be the vicegerents of Chriſt, as Mediator.ingrafted in Chriſt as branches in the tree, Job. 15. 1. 2▪ ſhould by the ſame reaſon be Vicegerents of the Mediator: ſo ſhould the Angels, to whom Chriſt is a head, Col. 2. 10. be his Vicegerents; and all the Iudges and Conſtables on earth, ſhould be under-Mediators, for they live and act in Chriſt: yea, all the Creatures, in the Mediator, are made new, Rev. 21. 5. Rom. 8. 20, 21, 22.
2. D. Andrewes name is a curſe on the earth, his writings prove him to be a Popiſh Apoſtate.
P. Prelate. 2. Chriſt is not only King of his Church; but in order to his Church, King over the Kings and Kingdomes of the earth, Pſ. 2. 5. 8.
3. Math. 21. 18. To him is given all power in heaven and earth; ergo, all Soveraigntie over Kings.
Anſ. 1. If all theſe be Chriſts vicegerents, over whom he hath obtained power; then, becauſe the Father hath given him power over all fleſh, to give them life eternall, Ioh. 17. 1. 2. then are all beleevers his Vicegerents, yea and all the damned men and Devils, and Death and Hell are his Vicegerents: for Chriſt, as Mediator, hath all power given to him, as King of the Church, and ſo power Kingly over all his enemies, to reigne while he make them his footſtoole, Pſ. 1 10. 1. 2. to break them with a rod of iron, Pſ. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25, 26, 27. Revel. 1. 18. 20. v. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And by that ſame reaſon, the P. Prelates 4. and 5. Argument fall to the ground, He is heire of all things, ergo, all things are his Vicegerents. What more vaine? He is Prince of the Kings of the earth, and King of Oggs, of Kings, of his Enemies; ergo, Sea and Land are his Vicegerents.
P. Prelate. Kings are nurſe-fathers of the Church, ergo, they hold2 Reaſ. p. 58. their crowns of Chriſt: 3. Divines ſay, that by men in ſacred Orders Chriſt doth rule his Church mediately, in thoſe things which primely concerne ſalvation; and that by Kings their ſcepter and power, he doth protect his Church, and what concerneth externall pompe, order and decencie. Then, in this latter ſenſe, Kings are no leſſe the immediate Vicegerents of Chriſt, than Biſhops, Prieſts and Deacons, in the former.
Anſ. Becauſe Kings hold their Crownes of Chriſt, as Mediator and Redeemer, it followeth by as good conſequence, Kings are ſubmediators and under-Prieſts, and Redeemers, as Vicegerents. Chriſt, as King, hath no viſible Royall Vicegerents under him.
2. Men in holy Orders ſprinkled with one of the Papiſts fiveThe King no mixed perſon, or half Clergie man, in the externail government of the Church, as the P. P. dreameth. bleſſed Sacraments, ſuch as Antichriſtian Prelates, unwaſhed Prieſts to offer ſacrifices, and Popiſh Deacons, are no more admitted by Chriſt to enter into his ſanctuary as governours, then the Leaper into the Campe of old, and the Moabite and Ammonite were to enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deut. 23. 3. therefore we have excommunicated this P. Prelate, and ſuch Moabites out of the Lords houſe. 2. What be the things that doe not primely concerne ſalvation, the P. Prelate knoweth, to wit, Images in the Church, Altar worſhip, Antichriſtian Ceremonies, which primely concerne damnation.
3. I underſtand not what the P. Prelate meaneth, that the King 1 Parl. King Charles, a…. 1633.preſerveth externall Government in order and decency, in Scotland, in our Parliament, 1633. the preſcribed Surplice, and he commanded the Service-booke, and the Maſſe-worſhip. The Prelate degradeth the King here, to make him onelyonly keep, or preſerve the Prelates Maſſe-Clothes: they intended indeed to make the King but the Popes ſervant, for all they ſay and do for him now.
4. If the King be vicegerent of Chriſt in preſcribing Laws for the externall ordering of the worſhip, and all their decent ſymbolicall Ceremonies: What more doth the Pope, and the Prelate in that kinde? He may, with as good warrant Preach and Adminiſtrate the Sacraments.
P. Prelate. Kings have the ſign of the Croſſe on their Crowns.
Anſw. Ergo, Baculus eſt in angulo. Prelates have put a croſſe in the Kings heart, and croſſed Crown and Throne to, Really. Some Knights, ſome Ships, ſome Cities and Burroughes, do carry a croſſe; are they made Chriſts vice-gerents of late? By what antiquity doth the Croſſe ſignifie Chriſt? Of old it was a badge of Chriſtians, no Religious Ceremony; and is this all. The King is the vicegerent of Chriſtians. The Prelates we know, adore the Croſſe with Religious worſhip: ſo muſt they adore the Crown.
P. Prelate. Grant that the Pope were the Vicar of Chriſt in ſpirituall things, it followeth not: Ergo, Kings Crowns are ſubject to the Pope; for Papiſts teach, that all power that was in Chriſt, as man, as power to work miracles, to inſtitute Sacraments, was not tranſmitted to Peter and his ſucceſſors.
Anſw. This is a baſe conſequence, Make the Pope head of the Church: the King, if he be a mixed perſon, that is, half a Churchman, and Chriſts Vice-gerent; both he and Prelates muſt be members of the head. Papiſts teach, that all in Chriſt as man, cannot be tranſmitted to Peter, but a Miniſteriall Catholike Headſhip (ſay Bucanus and his fellows) was tranſmitted from Chriſt as man, and viſible head, to Peter and the Pope.
P. Prelate. I wiſh the Pope, who claimeth ſo neer alliance withThe P. Prelate prayeth for the Pope. Chriſt, would learn of him to be meek and humble in heart; ſo ſhould he finde reſt to his own ſoul, to Church and State.
Anſw. The ſame was the wiſh of Gerſon, Occam, the Doctors of Paris, the fathers of the Councels of Conſtance and Baſil; yet all make him head of the Church.
2. The Excommunicate Prelate is turned Chaplain to Preach to the Pope: the Soul-reſt that Proteſtants wiſh to the Pope is, That the Lord would deſtroy him by the Spirit of his mouth, 2 Theſ. 2. 8. But P. Prelates, This wiſh is a Reformation of accidents, with the ſafety of the ſubject, the Pope, and is as good as a wiſh, That the Devill remaining a Devill, may finde reſt for his ſoul, all we are to pray for; as having place in the Church, are ſuppoſed members of the Church. The Prelate would not pray ſo for the Presbytery, by which he was ordained a Paſtour, 1 Tim. 4. 14. though he be now an Apoſtate: It is gratitude to pray for his lucky father the Pope. What ever the Prelate wiſh, we pray for, and beleeve, that deſolation ſhall be his Soul-reſt, and that the vengeance of the Lord, and of his Temple, ſhall fall upon him, and the Prelates his ſons.
P. Prelate. That which they purpoſe, by denying Kings to be Chriſts Vice-gerents, is to ſet up a Soveraignty Eccleſiaſticall in Presbyteries, to conſtrain Kings, repeal his Laws, correct his Satutes, reverſe his Judgements, to cite, convent, and cenſure Kings; and if there be not power to execute, what Presbyteries decrees, they may call and command the help of the people, in whom is the underived Majeſtie; and promiſe, and ſwear, and covenant to defend their fancies, againſt all mortall men, with their Goods, Lands, Fortunes, to admit no diviſive motion; and this Soveraign Aſſociation maketh every private man an armed Magiſtrate.
Anſw. You ſee the Excommunicate Apoſtats tuſles againſt theThe Power of Presbyteries Miniſteriall. Presbytery of a Reformed Church, from which he had his baptiſm, fiath, miniſtery.
1. We deny the King to be the head of the Church.
2. We aſſert, that in the Paſtors, Doctors, and Elders of the Church, there is a Miniſteriall power, as ſervants under Chriſt, in his authority, and name, to rebuke and cenſure Kings; that there is revenge in the Goſpel againſt all diſobedience, 2 Cor. 2. 6. and 10. 6. The rod of God, 1 Cor. 4. 21. The rod of Chriſts lips, Iſai. 11. 4. The Scepter and Sword of Chriſt, Revel. 1. 16. and 19. 15. The Keyes of his Kingdom, to binde and looſe, open and ſhut, Matth. 18. 17. 18. and 16. 19. 1 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3. 2 Theſ. 3. 14, 15. 1 Tim. 1. 19. and 5. 22. and 5. 17. And that this power is committed to the Officers of Chriſts houſe, call them as you will.
3. For reverſing of Laws made for the eſtabliſhing of Popery,P. Prelates deny Kings to be ſubject to the Goſpel and Diſcipline of Chriſt. we think the Church of Chriſt did well to declare all theſe unjuſt grievous decrees; and that woe is due to the Iudges, even the Queen, if they ſhould not repent, as Iſai. 10. 1. And this P. muſt ſhew his teeth in this, againſt our Reformation in Scotland, which he once commended in Pulpit, as a glorious work of Gods right arm. And the Aſſemble of Glaskow, 1637. declared, That Biſhops though eſtabliſhed by Acts of Parliament, procured by Prelates onelyonly, Commiſſioners, and Agents, for the Church, who betrayed their truſt, were unlawfull, and did ſupplicate, That the enſuing Parliament would annull theſe wicked Acts. They think God priviledgeth neither King, nor others from Church-Cenſures: the P. Prelates impriſoned, and ſilenced the Miniſters of Chriſt, who preached againſt the publike ſins, the blood, oppreſſions, unjuſtice, open ſwearing, and blaſphemy of the holy Name of God, the countenancing of Idolaters, &c. in King and Court.
4. They never ſought the help of the people, againſt the moſt unjuſt ſtanding Law of authority.
5. They did never ſwear and covenant, to defend their own fancies, For the Confeſſion and Covenant of the Proteſtant Religion, tranſlated in Latin to all the Proteſtants in Europe and America, being termed a fancie, is a clear evidence, That this P. Prelate was juſtly excommunicated for Popery.
6. This Covenant was ſworm by King James, and his houſe, by the whole Land, by the Prelates themſelves. And to this fancy, this P. Prelate by the Law of our Land was obliged to ſwear, when he received degrees in the Univerſitie.
7. There is reaſon our Covenant ſhould provide againſt diviſive motions. The Prelates moved the King to command all the Land to ſwear our Covenant, in the Prelaticall ſenſe, againſt the intent thereof, and onelyonly to devide, and ſo command. Iudge what Religion Prelates are of, who will have the Name of God prophaned by a whole Nation, by ſwearing fancies.
8. Of making private men Magiſtrates, in defending themſelves againſt cut-throats. Enough already: Let the P. Prelate anſwer if he can.
P. Prelate. Let no man imagine me to priviledge a King from thePag. 65. direction, and juſt power of the Church, or that like Uzzah he ſhould intrude upon ſacred actions, exviordinis, in foro interno conſcientiae, to Preach or Adminiſtrate Sacraments, &c.
Anſw. Uzzah did not burn Incenſe, ex vi ordinis, as if he had been a Prieſt, but becauſe he was a King, and Gods anointed. Prelates ſit not in Councell and Parliament, ex vi ordinis, as temporall Lords. The Pope is no temporall Monarch, ex vi ordinis; yet all are intruders. So the P. P. will licence Kings to adminiſter Sacraments, ſo they doe it not Ex vi ordinis.
P. P. Men in ſacred Orders in things intrinſecally ſpirituall, have immediatly a directive and authoritative power, in order, to all whatſoever, although miniſteriall only, as related to Chriſt; but that giveth them no coercive civill power over the Prince, perſe, or per accidens, directly or indirectly, that either the one way or the other, any or many in ſacred Order, Pope, or Presbytery, can cite and cenſure Kings, aſſocîate, Covenant or ſweare to reſiſt him, and force him to ſubmit to the Scepter of Chriſt. This power over man God Almighty uſeth not, much leſſe hath he given it to man, Pſ. 110. His people are a willing people, Suadenda non cogenda religio.
Anſ. 1. Paſtors have a miniſteriall power (ſaith he) in ſpirituall The Miniſteriall power of Paſtors what.things, but in order to Chriſt, ergo in order to others it is not miniſteriall, but Lordly. So here a Lordly power Paſtors have over Kings, by the P. P. way. We teach it is miniſteriall in relation to all, becauſe Miniſters can make no Lawes as Kings can doe, but only as Heralds, declare Chriſts Lawes.
2. None of us give any coercive Civill power to the Church, over either Kings, or any other, it is Eccleſiaſticall; a power to rebuke and cenſure was never civill.
3. A religious Covenant to ſwear to reſiſt, that is, to defend our ſelves is one thing, and a lawfull Oath, as is cleare in thoſe of Iſrael, that did ſweare Aſa's Covenant, without the authority of their owne King, 2 Chron. 15. 9, 10, 11, 12. and to ſweare to force the King to ſubmit to Chriſts Scepter is another thing; the Presbytery never did ſweare or covenant any ſuch thing: nor doe we take Sacrament upon it, to force the King. Prelates have made the King ſweare, and take his Sacrament upon it, that he ſhall roote out Puritanes, that is Proteſtants, whereas he did ſweare athis Coronation to roote out Heretickes; that is, (if Prelates were not traiterous in adminiſtring the Oath) Arminians and Papiſts, ſuch as this P. P. is knowne to be; but I hold that the Eſtates of Scotland have power to puniſh the King, if he labour to ſubvert Religion and Lawes.
4. If this Argument, that Religion is to be perſwaded, not forced, which. P. P. uſeth, be good, it will make much againſt the King for the King then can force no man to the externall profeſſion, and uſe of the ordinances of God, and not only Kings, but all the people ſhould be willing.
P. Prelate. Though the King may not preach, &c. yet the exerciſePage 65. of theſe things freely within his Kingdome, what concerneth the decent and orderly doing of all, and the externall man, in the externall government of the Church, in appointing things arbitrary and indifferent, and what elſe is of this ſtraine, are ſo due to the prerogative of the Crown, as that the Prieſts without higheſt Rebellion may not uſurpe upon him; a King in the State and Church is a mixed perſon, not ſimply civill, but ſacred too. They are not only profeſſors of truth, that they have in the capacity of Chriſtians, but they are defenders of the faith as Kings, they are not ſonnes only, but Nurſe-fathers, they ſerve God, as Auguſtine ſaith, as men, and as Kings alſo.
Anſ. If yee give the King power of the exerciſes of Word andThe P. Prelate maketh the King a Churchman. Sacraments in his Kingdome, this is deprivation of Miniſters in his Kingdome (for ſure he cannot hinder them in another Kingdome) you may make him to give a Miniſteriall calling, if he may take it away. By what word of God can the King cloſe the mouth of the man of God, whom Chriſt hath commanded to ſpeake in his name? 2. If the King may externally governe the Church, why may he not excommunicate, for this is one of the ſpeciall acts of Church Government, eſpecially ſeeing he is a mixed perſon, that is halfe a Church-man, and if he may preſcribe Arbitrary teaching Ceremonies, Surplice to inſtruct men in the duties of holineſſe required of Paſtors, I ſee not, but he may teach the Word. 3. Dr. Ferne and otherThe P. Prelate giveth an Arbitrary power of government, in Chriſts-Church to the King. Royaliſts deny Arbitrary Government to the King in the State, and with reaſon, becauſe it is Tyranny over the people, but Prelates are not aſhamed of commanding a thing Arbitrary and indifferent in Gods Worſhip, ſhall not Arbitrary Government in the Church be tyranny over the conſcience? But (ſay they,) Church-men teacheth the King what is decent and orderly in Gods Worſhip, and he commandeth it.
Anſ. Solomon by no teaching of Church-men depoſed Abiathar▪ David by no teaching of Church-men appointed the forme of the Temple. 2. Hath God given a Prerogative Royall to Kings, whereby they may governe the Church, and as Kings they ſhall not know how to uſe it, but in ſo farre, as they are taught by Church▪ men? 3. Certainely we ſhall once be informed by Gods Word, what is this Prerogative, if according to it, all the externall worſhip of God may be ordered. Lawyers and Royaliſts teach, that it is an abſoluteneſſe of power, to doe above, or againſt a Law, as they ſay from 1 Sam. 8. v. 9. 11. and whereby the King may oppreſſe, and no manPrelates extend a lawleſſe prerogative to the government of the Church. may ſay, What doſt thou? Now, Good P. Prelate, if by a plenitude of tyranny the King preſcribe what he will in the externall worſhip and government of Gods Houſe, who can rebuke the King, though he command all the Antichriſtian Ceremonies of Rome, and of Turkey, yea and the ſacrificing of children to Molech? (for abſoluteneſſe Royall will amount to ſhedding of innocent blood) for if any oppoſe the King, or ſay, Sir, What doe you? he oppoſeth the Prerogative Royall, and that is higheſt Rebellion, ſaith our P. Prelate.
5. I ſee not how the King is a mixt perſon, becauſe he is Defender of the Faith, as the Pope named the King of England, Henry the eighth: he defendeth it by his Sword, as he is a Nurſe-father, not by the ſword that commeth out of his mouth.
6. I would know how Iulian, Nebuchadnezzar, Og, and Sihon, were mixed perſons, and did all in the externall government of the Church; and that by their office, as they were Kings.
7. All the inſtances that Auguſtine bringeth to prove that the King is a mixt perſon, proveth nothing but Civill acts in Kings; as Hezekiah caſt down the high places, the King of Nineve compelled to obey the Prophet Ionah; Darius caſt Daniels enemies to the Lyons.
P. Prelate. If you make two Soveraignes, and two Independents, there is no more peace in the State, then in Rebeckahs wombe, while Jacob and Eſau ſtrove for the prerogative.
Anſ. 1. What need Iſrael ſtrive, when Moſes and Aaron are two Independents? If Aaron make a golden Calfe, may not Moſes puniſh him? If Moſes turne an Achab, and ſell himſelfe to doe wickedly, ought not 80 valiant Prieſts and Aarons both rebuke, cenſure, and reſiſt?
2. p. 65. The P. P. ſaid, Let no man imagine we priviledge the King from the direction and power of the Church, ſo he be no intruding Ʋzzah. I pray, P. P. what is this Church power? Is it not ſupreme in its kinde of Church power? or is it ſubordinate to the King? If it be ſupreme, ſee how P. P. maketh two Supremes, and two Soveraignes.Two Supremes under Chriſt; one in the Church, another in the State, are not abſurd. If it be ſubordinate to the King, as he is a mixt perſon, the King is priviledged from this power, and he may intrude as Ʋzzah; and by his prerogative, as a mixed perſon, he may ſay Maſſe, and offer a ſacrifice, if there be no power above his prerogative to curbe him. If there be none, the P. P. his imagination is reall, The King is priviledged from all Church power. Let the P. P. ſee to it; I ſee no inconvenience for reciprocations of ſubjections in two Supremes; and that they may mutually cenſure and judge one another.
Object. Not in the ſame cauſe; that is impoſſible. If the King ſay Maſſe, ſhall the Church judge and cenſure the King for intruſion? and becauſe the King is alſo Soveraigne and Supreme in his kinde, he may judge and puniſh the Church for their act of judging and cenſuring the King; it being an intruſion on his prerogative, that any ſhould judge the higheſt Judge.
Anſ. The one is not ſubiect to the other, but in the caſe of maleadminiſtration: the innocent, as innocent, is ſubject to no higher puniſhing; he may be ſubject to a higher, as accuſing, citing, &c. Now the Royaliſt muſt give inſtance in the ſame cauſe, where the Church faileth againſt the King and his Civill law; and the King in the ſame cauſe faileth againſt the Church-canon; and then it ſhall be eaſie to anſwer.
P. Prelate. Religion is the bottome of all happineſſe, if you make theP. 66, 67, 68. King only to execute what a Presbyterie commandeth, he is in a hard caſe, and you take from him the chiefeſt in Government. Eccleſiaſticall power hath the ſoule in ſubjection; the Civill Soveraigntie holdeth a dead dominion ever the body. Then the Pope and Presbyterie ſhall be in better condition then the King. Cic. in Ver. Omnes Religione moventur: Superſtition is furious, and maddeth people, that they ſpare neither Crown nor Mitre.
Anſ. Cold and dry is the P. P. when he ſpendeth foure pages in declamation for the excellencie of Religion; The madneſſe of Superſtition, nothing to the purpoſe.
1. The King hath a chiefe hand in Church affaires, when he is a Nurſe-father, and beareth the Royall ſword to defend both the Tables of the Law, though he doe not ſpin and weave Surplices, and other baſe Maſſe-cloaths, to Prelates, and ſuch Prieſts of Baal: They diſhonour his Majeſtie, who bring his Prerogative ſo low.
2. The King doth not execute with blind obedience, with us,The King not the ſervant of the Church. what the Pope commandeth, and the Prelates; but with light of knowledge what Synods diſcernes: and he is no more made the ſervant of the Church by this, then the King of Iudah, and Nebuchadnezzar are ſervants to Ieremiah and Daniel, becauſe they are to obey the Word of the Lord in their mouth. Let them ſhew a reaſon of this, why they are ſervants in executing Gods will in Diſcipline, and in puniſhing what the Holy Ghoſt by his Apoſtles and Elders decree, when any contemne the Decree concerning the abſtinence from blood, things ſtrangled, &c. Act. 15. rather then when they puniſh murther, idolatrie, blaſphemie, which are condemned in the Word preached by Paſtors of Chriſt: and farther, this objection would have ſome more colour (realitie it hath not) if Kings were only to execute what the Church miniſterially in Chriſts name, commandeth to be done in Synods: but Kings may, and doe command Synods to conveen, and doe their duty, and command many duties never Synodically decreed; as they are to caſt out of their Court apoſtare Prelates, ſleeping many yeares in the Devils armes, and are to command Trencher-Divines, neglecting their flock, and lying at Court, attending the falling of a dead Biſhop, as Ravens doe an old dying horſe; To goe and attend the flock, and not the Court, as this P. P. did.
3. A King hath greater outward glory, and may doe much more ſervice to Chriſt in reſpect of extenſion, and is excellenter then the Paſtor, who yet, in regard of intenſion, is buſied about nobler things, to wit, the Soule, the Goſpel, Eternitie, than the King.
4. Superſtition maddeth men; but it followeth not, that true Religion may not ſet them on work to defend ſoule and body againſt Tyrannie of the Crown, and Antichriſtian Mitres.
P. Prelate. The Kingdome had peace, and plentie in Prelates time.
Anſ. A belly-argument. We had plenty, when we ſacrificed to the Queen of Heaven. 2. If the Traveller contend to have his purſe againe, ſhall the Robber ſay, Robberie was bleſſed with peace? The reſt, to the end, are lies, and anſwered already. Only his invectives againſt ruling Elders, falſly called Lay-Elders, are not to purpoſe. Parliament-Prieſts, and Lay and Court-Paſtors, are Lay-Prophets.
2. That Presbyteries▪ meddle with Civill buſineſſe, is a ſlander;Ruling Elders not Lay-men. They meddle with publike ſcandals that offendeth in Chriſts Kingdome. But the Prelate, by office, was more in two elements, in Church and State, then any Frogs even in the Kings Leaven-tubs ordinarily.
3. Something he ſaith of Popes uſurping over Kings; but only of one of his fathers, a great uncleane ſpirit, Gregorie the Great: But if he had refuted him by Gods Word, he ſhould have thrown ſtones at his own Tribe; for Prelates, like him, doe, ex officio, trample upon the neck of Kings.
4. His teſtimonies of one Councell, and one Father, for all Antiquitie, proveth nothing. Athanaſius ſaid, God hath given Davids Throne to Kings: What, to be Head of the Church? No, to be the Miniſter of God, without foreign to tutour the Church. And becauſe Kings reigne by Chriſt, as the Councell of Arimin ſaith; therefore it may follow, a Baily is alſo Head of the Church. It is taken from Prov. 8. and anſwered.
5. That Presbyteries have uſurped upon Kings, more then Popes, ſince Hildebrand, is a lie: all ſtories are full of the uſurpation of Prelates, his own tribe; The Pope is but a ſwelled fat Prelate; and what he ſaith of Popes, he ſaith of his own houſe.
6. The Miniſters of Chriſt in Scotland, had never a conteſt with King Iames, but for his ſinnes, and his conniving with Papiſts, and his introducing Biſhops, the uſher of the Pope.