THe solemnity of this most ioyfull day, and happy opportunity which God hath gi­uen vs to celebrate the same, to the glory of his holy name, to the honour of our most Religious Soueraigne, to the comfort of vs and all his loyall Subiectes, but to the confusion of those sonnes of Beliall, who hauing euill will at Sion, repine and pine away, to see the peace and [Page] prosperity of this most flourishing church and kingdome, and to heare of the myrth and melodie in our streets this day, hath mooued me to make choice of these wordes of the Queene of Sheba to King Salomon; wherein euery one may see both a fit correspondence to our Salomon, and a woorthy example of that loue wee all owe to him, and thankesgiuing vnto God, for this so great, and so incsti­mable a blessing.

In the wordes themselues, not to seeke any curious di­uision (which in an History you will not expect) obserue I pray you with me, foure seuerall pointes, which concerne foure seuerall parties.

The first, concernes King Salomon; wherein is set downe a singuler commendation of his wisedome, which excee­ded all reports. [ Behold the one halfe, &c.]

The second, concernes the people and Subiects of King Salomon; wherein is declared their blessed and happy estate, who had Salomon a wise King to rule [...]uer them. [ Happy are thy seruants.]

The third, concernes Almighty God, wherein is expres­sed a most Religious thankesgiuing vnto him, for placing Salomon, a wise King ouer his people. [ Bl [...]ssed bee the Lord thy God.]

In which third point, besides many other, two particu­lar branches are especially to be considered: the former, from whom Salomon had or held his kingdome, and that was immediately from God, who made him King ouer Israel, and placed him in his owne throne, and in his owne stead. [ To set thee on his throne.]

The latter, what moued or induced God, to graunt his people so wise a King; no merrits nor deserts, eyther of King or people, but onely his owne fauour and free loue to Israell. [ Because thy God loueth Israell.]

The fourth and last point, concernes the Queene of Sheba; wherein is set forth, a manifest and outward testi­fication of the honour and honourable respect shee bare toward King Salomon, in token whereof, s [...]e bestowed on [Page] him such royall and magnificent presents: six score talents of Gold, sweete Odours, and Precious stones. [ Then shee gaue the King.]

Of these seuerall pointes, by the most gracious and helpefull assistance of Gods holy spirit, and by your Ho­nourable and wonted patience and attention, wee are at this time (God willing) to intreat.

The first point, concernes the admirable, & (indeed) in­explicable wisedome of King Salomon, whereof God him­selfe is a most sufficient witnesse. Wisedome and knowledge is granted vnto thee, so that there hath not bin the like among the Kings which were before thee, neither after thee shall th [...]re bee the like. 2. Chron. 1, 12. And againe, God gaue Salomon wise­dome and vnderstanding exceeding much, He was wiser then any [...] 2 Chron. 9. 22. man, and ^a he excelled all the Kinges of the earth in wisedome, 1. Kings, 4. verse 29, 31. To goe no further then my Text, So famous was he for wisedome among all Nations, that there 1. Kings. 4. 34. came of all people vnto him, and all 2. Chron. 9, 23. Kinges of the earth sought to heare the wisedome of Salomon, which God had put into his hart. And though Fame bee not onely a swift messenger, but vsually an amplifier & multiplier of that which it doth re­port, as Saint Hierō saith, Hier. [...]om. [...]. Epis [...]. ad Furiā. ijdem authores, & exaggeratores, yet in this it was quite contrary. The report of this wise­dome was such, that it seemed incredible; and therefore this Queene confesseth she belieued it not: but when she had heard it her selfe, and bin an eye and eare-witnesse of all, as one amazed and astonished thereat, she breakes in­to this admiration thereof, set downe in my Text. Behold, the one halfe of thy great wisdome was not told mee, thou excee­dest the Fame that I heard.

Hauing spoken this of the wisedome of King Salomon, may I now presume to speake a word or two of the sacred Maiesty of my dread Soueraigne? It is not my purpose to make any paralell to Salomon, of whom God himselfe hath saide, that none should be like vnto him: nor take vppon me to set forth vnto you, any portraiture of that wisedom, which no Zeuxes nor Apelles can otherwise expresse, but [Page] onely, by drawing ouer it the vaile or Curtaine of Timan­thu [...], to import, it cannot be expressed. The wisedome of a man, much more of a King, is compared by Gods spirit, Prou. 18▪ 4. to deepe waters, and to a flowing riuer: who am I, to diue into that bottomelesse depth, or with my span to measure the depth and bredth of the maine Ocean?

Yet with all loyall submission, let mee thus much say, and say much lesse then I do conceiue: Neither can this present age, nor al the Chronicles (I say) not of great Brit­taine onely, but of all Europe, present vnto vs a King, indu­ed with such admirable gifts of Learning, Iudgement, and Memory; adorned with so many princely and Heroicall Vertues, Iustice, Clemency, and Wisedome; especially, with that Diuine and Heauenly wisedome, which is the Fountaine and foundation of all the rest; with Religion, Piety, Zeale, and constant Magnanimity to professe, maintaine, and vphold the truth of God, and of his Gos­pell.

Which report of mine, if any suppose to be too lauish, and with this Queene of Sheba beleeue it not, let him well consider, those many, and most Religiously wise speeches, vttered in a manner in the hearing of the whole Realme: Conferences, Disputations, free Monarchies, but spe­cially, that most learned Apologie, for the Oath of Alle­giance against the Popes two Breues, and that kingly gift, fit onely for a peerelesse King, to giue to a peerelesse Prince; all which are but some few sparkes of that euer­burning Lampe, or but small streames, of that euer and ouer-flowing spring, and then hee will bee forced euen with admiration, to professe and say with this Queene, as after the hearing and reading of diuers of them, my selfe with many others, haue often said, It was a true word indeed which I h [...]ard of thy sayings, and of thy wisedome; howbeit I be­leeued it not, vntill I came, and mine eies had seene it: and beholde, the one halfe of thy great wisedome was not told mee, for thou excee­dest the fame that I heard. With which true Testimonie of the wisedoms of both these Salomons, I end this first point, [Page] which concernes the King, and the admiration of his great wisedome.

The second point concernes the people and subiects of King Salomon, of whom the Queene heere saith, that they were blessed & happy, who had Salomon a wise king, to rule ouer them. Happy are thy people, and happie are thy Seruants.

Nor can there in truth be a greater comfort to any peo­ple, or greater safety to any kingdome, then to be gouer­ned by a wise and prudent King: By a man of vnderstanding and knowledge, a Realme indureth long. Prou. 28, 2. A wise man (much more a wise King) is as a fortresse and strong piller, to support euen an whole Realme: And better is wisedome, then weapons of warre. Eccles. 9, 28. Nay, a wise King, is not onely a safety, but euen an happinesse (as the Queene heere saith) to a kingdom, for so God himselfe doth witnesse. Eccl. 10, 17. Blessed art thou, ô Land, when thy King is the sonne of Nobles, that is by the Hebrew Filij sapientiae i. sapientes. Mat. 11. 19, Filij hominum, i. homines. Mar. 3, 28. sic [...] Achinos vocat Homerus. phrase, truely Noble, indued with Vertue, Piety and Wisedome, wherein alone consists true Nobility.

On the contrary, a foolish or childish king, is one of those heauy Iudgements and curses, which God in his wrath threatens to bring vpon a land. I wil appoint children to bee their Princes, and Babes shall rule ouer them. Isay 3, 4. And againe: Woe vnto thee (ô Land) whose King is a child, a child in knowledge, in wisedome, in vnderstanding. Ecclesiastes. 10, 16.

The reason of both which, is very euident. A Wise King, gouernes with Iustice and Equity, and the Kinges Throne is established by righteousnesse. Prouerbes 25, 5. And the King that iudgeth in Truth, his Throne shall bee established for euer. Prou. 29, 14.

Againe, a prudent and wise King, as he maintaines Iu­stice, so his principall and chiefe care is, to maintaine and aduance piety and godlinesse, the true & sincere worship of God throughout all his kingdomes. So did holy Dauid, of whom it is said, Psal. 78. 72. that he ruled thy people prudently with all his power. And wherein did his prudence appeare? he was no [Page] sooner set vpon the throne, but he assembled all the congregation of Israel, and they brought againe the Arke of the Lord, with singing and dauncing; with Vyols, with Cimbals, and with Trumpets, 1. Chron. 13, verse 2, and 8. The like did that most religious and wise King Iosiah, He made a Couenant before all the people, to walke after the Lord, and to keepe his Commandements; and be caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to that couenant, and he compelled all that were found in Israel, to serue the Lord. Whereupon it followed, that all the daies of Iosiah, the people turned not backe from the Lord. 2. Chron. 34, ver. 31, 32, 33. Such a blessing the Church and the whole king­dome hath, of a Prudent, Religious, and wise King.

On the other side, an irreligious, a wicked and vnwise King or Gouernor, by suppressing Iustice and equity, and making his Lust a Law; impiously saying with the Dona­tists, August. lib. 2. cont. Epist. Parmē. cap. 12 Quod volumus sanctum est: or as Iulia did to Ae [...]i. Spart. in vit. Anton. Caracal. in fine. Caracalla, Si libet, licet; what I list, thats a Law: Such an one is euen a trouble to the whole land, and to his owne people, as Eliah said to King Ahab, 1. Kings 18, 18. Thou and thy fathers house trouble Israel, in that you haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord: Nor onely trouble Israel by violent and tyranicall in­trusion into the Vineyards and lands of Naboth, but chiefely, by causing the people to forsake the Lord and his worship, and to follow Baal, or the Calues, as did Ieroboam, of whom it is therefore said, that he did euill aboue all that were before him; and why? For he did not onely sinne himselfe, but he did sin, and hee caused Israell to sinne, 1. Kings 14, verse 9. and 16.

You see now what an heauy iudgement and curse an vnwise King is vnto the Land and people: but that King­dome is happy, that people, and those Subiects are hap­py, ouer whom Salomon a wise and prudent King is pla­ced by the Lord.

I may truely heere say vnto you, your selues also being witnesse, and say it to the immortell praise of Gods name, to the honour of our Soueraigne, and to the ioy and com­fort of all his people, that in this happinesse, this renow­ned Kingdome, among all, and aboue all Nations of the [Page] earth is blessed this day. Happie O King are thy people, and [...]appie are thy Subiects or Seruants. It is not my meaning, nor is it fit, to make a panegericall Oration in this place at large, therein to recount and amplifie also those manifold blessings, which by the meanes of our SALOMON, we doe now enioy. Yet the more to stirre vs vp to magnifie and blesse Gods glorious name, and if it be possible, more also, to loue and honour that Sacred Maiesty whom God hath chosen to be his royall Instrument, whereby so ma­ny and great blessings are deriued vnto vs; I may not omit to mention some few which are most eminent, commen­ding the rest to your priuate & Religious consideration.

The first is our long tranquility and happie peace, with all the blessings and blessed fruites of peace. A blessing which God began to bestow on this land, at the ioyful en­trance of our late Soueraigne QVEENE ELIZABETH, whose Sacred spirite doth now rest and raigne with the Lord, but her memory shall bee blessed and eternized in the world for euer; when all those venomous Pars in his answere to the Apol. and Vipe­rous tongues (set on fire by hell) which now in vaine bark against her, and seeke to staine her spotlesse honour, shall rot, and be euen as the dung vpon the earth. Hauing en­ioyed long and happy peace, vnder her long and happy raigne, it was expected by the Agents and vassals of Anti­christ, that the day which ended her life, should haue en­ded all our comforts, and beene to vs a dismall day, a day of murthers and massacres, a day of warres, of tumult, and of vtter desolation; one of their owne false Prophets West, de trip. homin. [...]ffic. lib. 3. pag. 435. with a lying spirit in his mouth, foretelling of that day, Catholici quidem dimicabunt, at that day they will fight it out indeed.

Behold, hee that sits in heauen laught them to scorne, the Lorde had them in derision. Himselfe placed in his owne Throne, after Dauid, Saloman; A 1. Chron. 22. 9. man of rest and peace, sor God hath giuen him, and in him to vs, rest and peace from all his, and our Enemies, round about. And loe, this is now more then the fiftieth yeare, wherein the people of this [Page] lande, in abundance of peac [...] sat (as the Prophet Mich. 4. 4. saieth) Euery man vnder his owne Vine, and vnder his owne fig­tree without danger. Such, so long, and so happy peace, neuer did our Fathers nor Ancestors see before vs in this Land; nor haue any of all the Nations and neighbour­kingdomes enioyed the like, who in the meane time haue beene wearied and wasted, either with forraigne or with intestine warre. Yea, and this very day which they had cruelly designed to weeping, mourning and lamentation, God by the happy meanes of our SALOMON, hath tur­ned it (as we all now see) to a day of mirth and melodie; a day offeasting, singing, and reioycing; a day of praise and thankesgiuing to his blessed name, which be there­fore magnified and praised, and blessed for euermore.

A second blessing, which vnder our SALOMON this whole Empire enioyeth, is the sincere profession of Gods holy truth, the blessed continuance, yea the establishment also ther [...]of among vs.

The extinguishing of this most glorious light, hath bin often wished, by most malicious and diuellish deuises at­tempted, and at the chaunge of our late Soueraigne, was vndoubtedly expected. But the wisedome of our SALO­MON, knowing that Piety and Religion is the surest prop to a kingdome, (like Constantine Euse [...]. lib. 2. de vit. Const. cap. 25. & seq. & cap. 44. the great) made it his first care, by his most Religious Edicts and Lawes, Stat. Iam. an. 1. cap. 4. & an. 3. cap. 4, 5. to establish Gods truth, and true worship in the land. Assu­ring further, & protesting his ardent zeale for euer to vp­hold and maintain the same: and that so often, in so many Honourable and publicke Assemblies, with such vehe­mency of speech, in so many Learned and Diuine wri­tings, published to the view of the world, with so Religi­ous and royall promises, nor this onely for himselfe, but in assured hope also of the most happy braunches of that most happy Vine: that now, Blessed bee God, that cur­sing Balaam, and his cursed Priests of Baal, which ere this, hoped, and vaunted in their hopes, to haue seene Baal, or Moloch, or the Queene of heauen, and the whole hoast [Page] thereof; Nay, the very abhomination of desolation set vp in our Temples, do now gnash their teeth at this our fe­licity, and their hearts doe euen languish, and faint, and pine away, to see the truth o [...] God so sincerely professed, so constantly maintained, both by King and people, so assuredly setled, and as we may iustly hope, and do harti­ly pray, euen for euer established in this Land.

The greatnesse and indeed the happinesse of this bles­sing, my tongue cannot possiblie expresse vnto you, nor can our s [...]allow hearts sufficiently conceiue thereof. We neuer saw those Marian and bloudy dayes, wherein for the people of God to haue beene acquainted with the Vid. Regist. Ioh. Lōgland. E­pis. Lincol. apud Fox. fo. 822. & seq. Gospell and word of God, was Haeresie, not to haue falne down before the Calfe, and adored the Beast, was no lesse then fire and Faggot, and what else the rage and furie of that beast could adde vnto it.

We neuer felt nor knew those Antechristian, and more then barbarous Inquisitions, Vid. Reginal. Gonsal. lib. de Sanct. Inquis. Hispa. crtibus & Emaen. Me­tar. hist. Belg. lib. 234. to the tyranny and vnex­pressable torments whereof, the Bull of Phalar [...]s, the Al­ter of Busiris, and those primitiue persecutions vnder Heathen Tyrants, were almost but Ludus & iocus; Death it selfe, euen a pleasure to the rage of that beast, which needs not learne of Caligula, Sueton. in vit. Calig. cap. 30. I [...]a feri vt sentiat se mori, tor­ment them so, that they may sensibly feele death, and yet not die.

And yet all this is as nothing to their spirituall bon­dage. They may not buy, Ap. 13, 16 17 nor sell, nor liue, nor breath, vnlesse they receiue the marke of the beast. They may not teach Trid. sinod s [...]ss. 25. de resor. cap. 2 ought, they may not beleeue Non alij in nu­mero fidelium ha­bentur, nisi qui per verbum Aposto­lorum. 1. ecclesiae, magistrorum qui ipsis successerunt, crediderint. Stapi l. 8. doctrin. prin [...] cap. 10. pa. 287. ought, no not so much as the Scriptures Scripturae tra­ditio, & omnia plane dogmata, a testimo [...]io eccle­siae pendent. Bellar lib. de Eccles. mi­lit. cap. 10. §. Adh [...]c. & Eccle­siam interpretantur Papam. Non abnno. Gretz. Defens. Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 10. pa. 1451. et Mentitur Cal­uinista. Per ecclesiam enim (quando dicimus Ecclesiam esse omniū controuersiarum fidei. iudicem) intelligi­mus Pontisicem Romam [...]m, qui pr [...] tempore prasens ecclesiam gubernat. ibid. pa▪ 1450. to bee the word of God: no, not that there is a God, vnlesse the Beast say so, and what soeuer the Beast saith, that without all scruple must be re­ceiued as an Oracle ^z of God, and an vndoubted Article of their Faith.

[Page]Consider but in one point what themselues doe teach and professe, concerning Rome, which is the Sea of that Beast. They cannot indure Bell. lib. 3. de P [...]nt. Ro. ca. 13 to heare it called the seate of Antichrist, but yet they willingly professe, and found­ly proue Rome to be that Babylon, Io [...]annes in A [...]ocalipsi pas­s [...]m Romā [...] ­cat Bab [...]io [...]. Bell. l [...]b. 2. de p [...]ntif. Rom. cap. 2. §. prae­terea et Iohan­nes Apoc. 17. dicit decem [...] habitu ro [...] pu [...]puratam [...], id est, [...] Bel­lar. lib. 3. de [...] Rom. [...]. 1. § Secun [...]. Ego non [...] ar­gument. [...], vt [...], c [...]nseci [...] noms ne Romā iudi­c [...]ri in Epist. Petri, & in [...]. R [...] ­bera [...] com ment. in cap. 14. Apoc. pa. 374. whereof S. Iohn pro­phesieth; that very Babylon I say, which is the ^c Mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth, which ^d hath made all Nations drink of the wine of her fornicati­ons, and her selfe is drunk ^e with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs, whose destruction and vtter desolation is fore-shewed by the Apostle. ^f Thus much themselues professe and prooue concerning Rome.

Now, though some of ^g them, very childishly indeed, haue supposed onely the old and Heathnish Rome, to bee meant thereby; yet who fo pleaseth to read Ribera the Ie­suite, in his Commentarie vpon the 14. of the Reuelation, shall see him by many euident and vndeniable demonstra­tions, declare and proue; first, Rome to be that very Baby­lon ^h where of Saint Iohn speaketh; and secondly, euen that Rome ⁱ to be Babylon, which shall remaine neere vnto the end of the world. Of his large Treatise, let mee alledge some few wordes of his. Quoniam dubium non est; because (saith he) ^k there is no doubt, but that Babylon is the ve­ry shop and Store-house of al Idolatry, and of all wicked­nesse: If we haue already proued (as before he had) Rome to be Babylon, dubitari non potest, quin Roma prope finem saeculi haec omnia habitura sit, it cannot be doubted, but that Rome [Page] toward the end of the world, shall leaue all these; to wit, all Idolatries, and all abhominations. And againe, that Rome shall be Rib. ib. p. 381 burned and consumed with a mighty fire, not onely for her old sinnes, when it was Heathnish, but for those also, which in Extremis illis temporibus cō ­missura est. the last times it shall commit, Ad [...]o perspicue cognoscimus. We know it (saith he) so eui­dently by the words of this Reu [...]lation, Vi ne stultis [...]imus quidem negare possit, that the veriest foole cannot deny it. And yet their great Cardinall Bellarmine and the Rhemistes, blush not to denie it; whose sentence and doome, their owne Iesuite hath (as you see) pronounced. And then citing the words of the Apostle, Apoc. 18. 2. Babylon the great Citty is falne, which hath made all Nations drinke of her for­nications; hee addes, Rib. pag. 381. Haec qui leget, who so reades these things, may thinke them to be spoken of those, who liued before S. Ioha, or in his time; and this is true: but they are also spoken of those, qui extremo mundi tempore [...], & cum ea fornicabuntur, who shall liue (at Rome) in the last time of the worlde, and commit fornication with her. Whereof hee giues a cleare proofe out of the Apostle, Apoc. 18. 19 The Marchants and louers of Babylon (that is, of Rome) shall weepe and waile, and say; Alas, alas, the great Cit­ty in one houre is made desolate, Vtrum illi lugebunt; whe­ther (saith Ribera) Rib. ibid. vt supra. shal they lament thus, which are dead a thousand yeares since and more, An qui tunc viuent et vi­debunt fumum incendij eius? Or they, who shall then liue, (when Rome is consumed) and shall see the smoake of her fire? Ex quo manifeste p [...]rspicitur, by which it is manifestly perspicuous, that the sinnes which Rome shall perpetrate in the last times, shall bee altogether like those, which it committed vnder the Heathen Emp [...]rors; that is, as him­selfe Rib. pa. 383. expoundeth it, there shall bee then in Rome, Summa Idolatriae omnis, & omnium peccatorum licentia, the greatest licence or allowance of all Idolatry, and of all sinnes, and so turned In nefariorū scelerum senti­nam conuerte­tur. Rib. p. 182. into a very sinke of nefarious mischiefes. Thus writes their owne Iesuite Ribera.

Seeing then it is not Rome Heathnish, which many [Page] hundreds of yeares since is out of date, but that Rome which as yet is to fal, and to be burned with fire, & which shall remaine neare to the end of the world, as Ribera tru­ly doth demonstrate, which the spirit of God calleth Ba­bylon, & whose eternall destruction is foreshewed by the Lord: Seeing againe, as Bellarmine Bel. lib. 4. de pont. Rom. ca. 4. of purpose proueth, and saieth, [...] §. Quod. that it is Pia et probabilissima sententia, a pi­ous and most probable sentence, that Peters chaire cannot be seperated or remoued from Idem probari potest ex eo, quod Deus ipse iussit Romae figi Apostolicam Petrisedem: quae autē iubet Deus, mittari ab hominibus non possunt. Bellar. ibid. §. secundo. Rome, and that therefore the Roman Church, euen the particular Church of Rome absolute, Non possit [...] nec deficere, absolutely cannot erre, not faile, nor cease, but Rome shall continue Chri­stian, yea Popish, professing their present Popish Faith, vnto the very end Ne (que) obstat quod tempore Antichristi Ro ma desolanda & cremanda videatur, vt d [...] ­ducitur ex cap. 17. Apoc. nam hoc non fiet nisi iu [...]ine [...]. Bel. ibid. §. ac­cedit. and destruction thereof: which by the calculation of this worthy Prognosticator, must pre­cisely fall out within three Antichristus non apparebit, ne (que) regnare in­cipiet nisi tri­bus annis cum dimidio ante fi­nem mundi. Bel lib. 3. de Pont. Rom. ca. 9 §. Deni (que) ▪ & An­tichristus odio habebit Romā & cum ea pug­nabit, eam [...] de solabit & incē ­det. ibid. cap. 13 § Tertio. yeares and an halfe of the end of the worlde: It is hence euidently and ineuitably consequent, that the present Popish Rome, professing their present Popish Faith, from which, as the Cardinall saith, it shall neuer faile nor fall away, is that very same Babylon, which is the mother of Idolatries and all abho­minations, & which shall most vndoubtedly receiue those iudgements of desolation & eternall condemnation from the Lord.

What a wofull and miserable thing is it then, to bee a Papist, a member of the Church of Rome, or (which is all one) of Babylon? Especially, seeing God himselfe hath foretolde, Apocalipse 18, 4. that they who per­take of her sinnes, shall receiue also of her plagues. And againe, Apocalipse 14, 9, 10. If any receiue the marke of the Beast, (that is subiection vnto him) the same, vnlesse hee repent Apoc. 18, 14 and goe out of Babylon, shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God, and bee tormented in fire and Brimstone, before the holy Angelles, and before the Lambe.

Thinke now with your selues, what a blessing and hap­pinesse wee do all inioy, who vnder the most Religious [Page] raigne of our Soueraigne, are freed and secured from that Iron, and more then Babylonish Captiuity: who in aboun­dance of peace and tranquility, liue to serue God in Be­thel, and at IERVSALEM, in the house of God and Cit­ty of peace, not in BETH-AVEN, not in BABYLON, in the house of vanity, of confusion and vtter desolation.

Let me say yet one thing more: whereas the Spirite of God hath fore-told, Apoc. 17, 16▪ that sundrie Kings and Kingdomes loathing and detesting the abhominations and Idola­tries of Babylon, which is confessed to bee Rome, shall not onely forsake the Whore, but hate her, and make her desolate and naked, and burne her with fire; which Prophesie is in part begunne [...]reui occupa­ [...] (Lutheri [...]) non solū multa reg na in partibus septent [...]ionali­bus, sed etiam vs [...] ad Indos excurrere ausa est B [...]l l [...]b. 3 de Pont Rom. cap. 23. § simili [...]u­do. & Nostris semporibu [...] Ro­mana sedes magnam Ger­maniae partem amis [...]t, Suetiā, Gothiam, Nor­wegiam, Dania vntuersam bonā Angliae, Galliae, Hei [...]etiae, Polo­niae, Bohemiae, ac [...] par­tem. Bel lib. od. cap. 21. §. At postea. to bee fulfilled, but in due time shall be fully accomplished. Though I am no Pro­phet, nor sonne of a Prophet, that I can deuine, yet as one of those who expect and pray for the performance of Gods promise, and full deliuerance of all his people, from that miserable thraldom, Apoc 6, 10. crying; How long Lord, holy and true, doest thou not auenge our blood. It may well I say be hoped, considering the piety, Zeale, and magna­nimity of our most Religious Soueraigne, that either him­selfe, or some of his most happy and Religious off-spring, shall be the very Generall, the first and chiefe Leaders of the Armies of the Lord of Hoastes against Babylon, and so not onely giue cause to all the people of God, with end­lesse ioy to sing that triumphant song for the ruine there­of foretold by the Apostle. Apoc. 18, 20. O heauen re­ioyce of her, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets reioyce, for God hath giuen your iudgement of the Whore; but purchase also to themselues, that blessing and happinesse, which God hath promised, ^d & wil vndoubtedly performe to the ruinaters & destroyers thereof. O daughter of Ba­bylon, wasted with misery, happy shal he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs, Blessed shall hee bee which taketh thy children, & dasheth them against the stones.

To this blessing of Piety and Religion, let me adioyne another of neerest affinity, and which is also a speciall [Page] meanes to continue the former happines vnto vs; to wit, the peaceable and happy setling of the Ecclesiasticall go­uernment and affaires of our Church.

Would to God that tumult in the Church, might ne­uer be remembred, but buried in eternall obliuion, which the new Donatists of this age haue made: who In hoc tota est controuersia quod putent nul lamibi esse ec­clesiam vbi haec politia non est c [...]nstituta, aut non eo quo decet modo exercetur: nec illic homini Christians lice­re caenam reci­pere, eo (que) prae­textu sese ab eccle [...]ijs segre­gant in quibus verbum Dei pure annunciatur, volentes & inquiunt eius pollutionis participes esse, qua commaculantur ij, qui flagitiosos & sceleratos non relegant. Cal [...]in. Institut. aduers. Anabap. Artic. 2. pa. 576. & duae fuerunt haereticorum sectae, alteri Cathaeci, id est Puri, alteri Donatistae, vtri (que) in eodē errore fuerunt, quo isti somniatores, Eccl [...]siam quaerentes in qua nihil possit desiderari. ibid. p. 581. Forsomuch as these assemblies stand in a false constitution, euen in Apostasie, it is as cleere as the Sunne, that all men ought vpon paine of damnation without delay, to depart out of them. Franc. Iohns. Treatise of the Minist. of England, whether it be to be separated from or no. pag. 62. None may haue any spirituall communion therewith. Ibid. pag. 105. Their Church-assemblies are not congregations of faithfull men, but a confusion o [...] all manner of people (though neuer so wicked and prophane) holds of all soule spirits. Fr. [...]. ans. to H. Iac. Except. 1. pa. 6. They are not to be iudged true Christians, nor [...]rue constituted Chur­ches of Christ. ibid. pa. 23. And that name of Conuenticles is to light and contemptuous for those meetings (of them of the Separation) for therin is to be considered for what cause they departed which was, through the mislike of that which Antichrist had brought in. T. C. Reply 2. to B. Whitg. pag. 38. and the gouernment, ministerie, offices, and ceremo­nies in England, are contrary to Gods word: simply euill. Hen. lac lib. 4. assertion, dedi­cated to King Iames, An. 1604 pa. 1. & 4. & seq. and Whet [...]al pa. 66. 67. [...]8. like those ^f in Saint Austens time can abide no spot nor wrinckle in the Church: who cry vnto others; Depart, ^g depart ye, go out from thence, and touch no vnclean thing, or stand ^h apart, and come not neare vs, wee are holier then you; and who glorying, as S. Austen ⁱ sheweth in these words of the Apostle. ^k Take away euill from among you, Ad sacrilegium scismatis, & occasionem praecisionis vsurpant: They abuse those Apostolicall words, to make a Scisme, which is Sacriledge, and for an occasion of Praecision, of cutting off, and seperating themselues from the true Church of God, which by a late learned man ^l is condemned for [Page] Diabolicall, though otherwise a man liue an Angelicall life.

But alas, it is too apparent to the world, & the church which hath felt the smart thereof, hath grieued and groned to see her owne children, whom she hath nouri­shed, and tenderly brought vp, to rebell against her, and with Corah, Dathan and Abyram, to go apart, and make a faction against Moses and Aaron, and with disdainefull insolency to say Num. 16, 3. vnto them, Moses and Aaron, ye take too much vpon you, seeing all the congregation is holy, wherefore lift ye vp your selues aboue the congregation of the Lord.

Nay though the Church out of the tendernesse of a mothers compassion, would willingly couer and conceale all these wronges, yet are they too well knowne in Gath, and published in the streets of Askalon; and the vncircum­cised Philistims by these mens occasion, haue and do daily blaspheme the name of God, and his glorious truth and Gospell, which we do professe: who reioycing in our dis­cordes, and saying among themselues; There, there, so would we haue it, do euen laugh and triumph, to see how those who should haue turned their edge against Ama­lecke and Babylon, the enemies of the Lord, haue bin most sharpely whetted, and seditiously backed also, to wound their owne mother; and those, who in the church are like Eliah, 2. King. [...], 11 the very Chariots and Horsemen of Israel.

It is not my purpose at this time to intreat, eyther of the dignity, or of the Diuine and Sacred authoritie of those most reuerend Fathers of the Church, which in ano­ther very learned and Academicall assembly, I haue some yeares Praelect. I. in epist. ad Tit. Oxon. I. Iul. 1605. since at large demonstrated, to haue an assured and vndeniable warrant, not onely from all antiquity and the renowned practise of the whole Primitiue Church, but euen from the Apostles themselues, and from the di­uine institution and ordinance of the Lord.

Nor is it my purpose at this time, to make euident vn­to you, how that Imperious, nay rather Imperiall, pres­biteriall [Page] Consistory, which those new builders had fanci­ed; besides that, it wants all ground of Scripture and of Antiquity, is in truth, and in experience would prooue, a very Seminary of sedition, and a Sanctuary to euery tur­bulent and seditious Gracchus, both in Church and king­dome. Nor was it possible, that a fancy so repugnant to Scriptures, Fathers, and all Antiquity, so contrary to the peace and Tranquility both of Church and kingdome, could euer haue found like entertainment, if the maintai­ners and abetters thereof had not bin guided, nay blinded with two most dangerous affections both for Church and Common-wealth, affectation of Singularitie, and of Po­pularity.

That which I would onely mention at this time, is the great blessing, which by the happy meanes of our Salo­mon we now enioy; who seeing, and grieuing to see a rent in Gods Church, himselfe like Psal. 106, 30 Phinees, stood in the gap, and with more then Princely Clemency and Moderation, made vp the breach, appeased those affaires, and remoued that shame and reproach from Israel, which the vnquiet­nesse of contentious spirits, had brought vppon it. Who being wise as the Angell of the Lorde, according to the aboundance of that admirable and Diuine wisedome, wherewith God hath extraordinarily filled his Royall heart, hath firmely setled and established the Arke of the Lord vpon those holy Mountaines of Sion, on which, euen from the most pure and primitiue dayes of the Church, and from the Apostles themselues it had euer rested. Which if their fancy might haue preuailed, had long since not onely beene remooued from Sion, but placed also as did the Philistims place it. 1. Sam. 6, 11. most basely and totteringly, and disgracefully euen set vpon a Cart.

In the happy establishing whereof, though some fewe as the Eckronites 1. Sath. 5▪ 10, 12. haue bin iustly smitten of the Lord, be­cause they neither had right, nor bare sincere loue to the Arke of God, whose cure also hath beene sought, & that with most tender and fatherly care and compassion: but [Page] such is the zeale of opposition, and predominancy of Po­pularity and contentious humors, that by no demonstra­tions of reason will they be perswaded, no, not when they are indeed perswaded; by no authority will they be mo­ [...]ed, no, not by that Sacred and Soueraigne, which God himselfe hath appointed in many of those affaires, to bee the very Canon and rule of right: though some fewe of these, I say, may repine heereat, yet shall it euer be the ho­nour, yea, the felicity and safety also of our Soueraigne, to haue those holy Aarons to support his Princely hands: and this shall euer be reckoned as a speciall, and as it is in truth, euen a rare blessing of God vpon this Church and Kingdome, by all those, whosoeuer not in shew, but in sincerity and truth, wish to see peace in Sion, and prospe­rity in Ierusalem.

I must in silence passe by many other and great bles­sings, which by the meanes of our SALOMON, are hea­ped vpon vs. But let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth, if I forget that one most memorable happinesse, which wee all receiued by him on that fift of Nouember. That one day shall be for euer a most glorious. Tro▪ haeum, and euerlasting Monument, both of his most blessed and vnspeakable Wisedom, and of the infinit blessings which by him we haue all receiued. By it, wee enioy not onely our Goods, our Lands, our Liuings, our Liberty, our Re­ligion; but euen this, that we liue and breath this day, we owe it to him, and to his wisedome.

It was not the Loue nor Loyalty of his, though most louing and Loyall Subiects, which preuented that sud­den and secret blow, that should at once haue dispatched and blowne vp all. It was not the Prudence and vigilan­cie of those thrice-Noble woorthies of King Dauid; the Golden pillers of Israel, though a most wise, and a most Honourable Senate. All may, and all willingly doe dis­claime the praise of that day. The whole honour of that most wonderfull, and withall, most happy deliuerance, must bee giuen first to thee, O most glorious, and most [Page] gracious God, and next after thee to thine annointed a­lone. Thou didst fill his hart, as thou didst sometime the hart of thy holy Prophet Daniel, with wisedome frō aboue to Dan. I. 21. 22 Discouer the deepe and secret thinges, and to know what is in darknesse. And he being full of thy Spirit, to the endlesse comfort of this Empire, and of all his loiall subiectes, dis­couered indeede that darke and secret speech, that darke and secret Vaut, that darke, secret, and hellish treason, & so kept off that imminent blow, which would haue proued fatall to him, to vs, and to all his kingdomes.

The happinesse of that day, & of thy wisedome (O gra­cious King) our Histories and Chronicles shal commend, our Lawes and Statutes shall record to all eternity. Euery Citty, Towne, and Village, euery Church in this Land, euery degree of thy people, from the tallest Caeder, to the very Shrubbe, shall sing and sound foorth thy Noble praise. And as the Israelites did Zach. 12, 12, 13. in honor of Iosiah, euery Tribe and family shall praise thee apart, and their Wiues apart: The royall and princely Tribe of Iuda shall prayse thee apart, and the holy Tribe of Leuie shall praise thee a­part: The Nobility shall praise thee apart: the Gentry & Commons shall praise thee apart: The Students of a [...]pro­fessions shal praise thee apart: the Men of Warre, and the Men of Peace shall praise thee apart: yea, euery House, & euery Family throughout all Israell shall praise thee apart.

We in this age will speake of thy praise to our Children, & our Children, to their Childrens Children, vnto all ge­nerations. And if it were possible that we or our posteritie could bee silent herein, yet the Magnificent and princely buildings and Monumentes, in these two famous and re­nowned Citties, the very wood and wals of these houses, & stones in these streets, euen with their dumb eloquence, would sing aloud, and sound foorth thy Noble praise: all which in their kinds are pertakers of that happines, which vnder thee, and by thee, we then all receiued.

Iudge now with your selues, if besides many and great blessinges which I haue purposely omitted, for these so [Page] great and indeed inualuable blessings which by the happy meanes of our SALOMON we doe enioy, we may not all most iustly say to him, as did the Queene of Sheba to King Salomon: [ Happy O King are thy people, and happy are thy Seruants.]

Shall I further here adde, whereof this Queene is silent in that King of Israel, that the wisedom of our SALOMON is an happinesse, not onely to his owne people and Sub­iectes, but euen to strangers also? The gracious beames there of like those of the Sunne, spreading themselues to far and forraine Countries; yea, to the vtmost Coastes of this and the other world.

To omit many other and euident proofes hereof, euen that which beeing the chiefe, if time would suffer ought not to bee omitted, that with such constancy and zeale, himselfe holds forth a glorious Lampe of Piety, and true Religion vnto all Christian Kings and kingdomes, perfor­ming heerein that which Gods spirite hath noted Eccle. 12. 9. as the greatest part of wisdome, the more wise the King was, the more he taught them knowledge, & caused them to heare: But omitting these, let the honourable expedition now happily intended for Virginea be a witnesse: enterprised, I say not auspicijs, but by the most wise & religious direction and protection of our chiefest Pilot, seconded by so many honorable and worthy personages in this State and king­dome, that it may iustly giue encouragement with alacri­ty and cheerefulnesse for some to vndertake, for others to further so noble & so religious an attempt. I may not stay in this straightnes of time, to mention, much lesse set forth vnto you, the great and manifold benefits which may re­dound to this our so populous a Nation, by planting an English Colony in a Territory as large and spacious al­most as is England, and in a soyle so rich, fertill, and fruitefull, as that besides the sufficiencyes it naturally yealds for it selfe, may with best conuenience, supply some of the greatest wantes and necessities of these Kingdomes. Of these and such like particulars I will [Page] not now intreat, though I could commend them by more then ordinary and vulgar report vnto you.

But that happinesse which I mentioned, is an happie and glorious worke indeede, of planting among those poore and sauage, and to be pittied Virginians, not onely humanitie, instead of brutish inciuility, but Religion also, Piety, the true knowledge and sincere worship of GOD, where his name is not heard off: and reducing those to Faith and saluation by Christ▪ who as yet in the blind­nesse of their Infidelity and superstition, doe offer Sacri­fice, yea, euen themselues vnto the Diuell.

This being the Religious and honourable intendment of this enterprise, what glory shall heereby redound vn­to God? What Honour to our Soueraigne? What com­fort to those his Subiects, who shall be the meanes or fur­therers of so happy a worke, not only to see a new BRIT­TAINE in another world, but to heare also those, as yet Heathen, Barbarous, and Brutish people, together with our English, to learne the speech and language of Canaan: and next after their Hymnes and Alleluia [...]es vnto God, to sound forth the honour and happinesse of our Soueraigne; not onely saying with this Queene of Sheba, Happy are thy people, and thy Subiects, but happy are wee and others, that were strangers to you; yea strangers and aliants to God, happy are we by thee, and by thy wisedome.

And this be spoken of the second generall point, which concernes the people and their happinesse, by hauing Sa­lomon a wise and prudent King to rule ouer them.

The third generall point concernes almighty God, and containes a thankesgiuing to him, for setting Salomon a wise King to rule ouer his people. Blessed bee the Lorde thy God which set thee on his Throne.

The acknowledgement in this Queene, of the true God of Israel, of his Diuine prouidence, and omnipo­tent power in placing Salomon in his owne Throne; of his goodnesse and loue to Israel, whom hee would esta­blish for euer; of his righteousnesse, in that hee would [Page] haue his people gouerned by Iustice and Iudgement; spe­cially this her Religious thankesgiuing vnto God, for this blessing bestowed on his people; all these are so ma­ny euident demonstrations of her true knowledge of God, of her loue to God, and Gods Children, of her sin­cere Piety, and Religious seruing of God; & that though by Nature she was a Gentile, and aliant from God, yet was she by his speciall grace one of those Primitiae gentium, which were ingrafted into the true Oliue, and made per­takers of the fatnesse thereof, and of those heauenly bles­sings stored vp in Iesus Christ.

But I purposely omit all these particulers. The onely point which I would now commend vnto you is, what a motiue and prouocation this ought to bee for vs all, to laud and magnifie the Lord, for placing so wise and Re­ligious a King ouer vs and all these kingdomes.

King Salomon was but a stranger to this Queene, who yet as you see is so thankfull to God: He so farre from be­ing a stranger to vs, that we may say as did the Tribes of Israel to King Dauid. 2. Sam. 5, 1. We are thy bones, and thy flesh.

She being but a soiourner for a very short time in that kingdome, could not long pertake the benefit of his in­structions, nor of peace and protection by his Iustice and Iudgement: But we from our SALOMON, receiue con­tinuall influence of his Diuine both Sacred and Politicall Wisedome, continuall protection vnder his sacred shield, continuall tranqu [...]lity vnder his most iust, equall, and wholsome Lawes, both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill: How much more then should our mouths be filled with praises and blessings vnto the Lord our God? And how Religi­ously should we say as she did; Blessed be the Lord thy GOD, which loued thee, to set thee on his Throne.

I doubt not, but for these blessings of the Lord, often times in your priuate houses and Chambers, ye sing Hymnes and Psalmes with a grace in your heartes vnto the Lord. But because for these publicke and extraordi­nary [Page] blessinges, GOD lookes for publicke and ex­traordinary praises at our hands; because we are now as­sembled in this place, as at the Temple of Ierusalem, of pur­pose to offer the sweet Sacrifice and Incense of our lippes vnto God, and this day both before men and Angels, to testifie our thanksgiuing vnto God, our loue and▪ loyaltie to our Soueraigne. Let euery one of you prouoke & stirre vp another, and suffer me as one of the Trumpeters of the Lord to excite vs all, and stirre vp your prepared hearts, and Religious affections, for all and euery of these bles­sings, to laud and magnifie the glorious name of God, and if it be possible, by some extraordinary straine of our vni­ted thankes, to pierce the very skies, and giue an eccho to those Celestiall Quires, singing Halleluiah, Halleluiah, ho­nour, and praise, and glory, be vnto God, & to the Lamb for euermore.

First, for that aboundance of our continued and happy peace, let vs say with the Prophet, Psa. 147, 12, 13. Praise the Lord, O Ierusalem, praise thy God, O Sion, for he hath made fast the barres of thy gates, and blessed thy children within thee: He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the flower of Wheat.

For establishing togither with this peace, his holy Tem­ple and Sanctuary among vs, and in it the true and sincere worship of his holy name, O that wee could expresse the like ioy, as did the Israelites for their Temple which Salo­mon built and established among them! All the congre­gation assembled therein, the Leuites and singers of all sortes, of Asaph, Heman, and Ieduthun, being clad in fine Linnen, stood with Cimbals, with Vyols, & with Harpes, at the East end of the Altar, and with them an hundered and twenty Priests blowing with Trumpets, & they were all but as one man, and made but one sound to be heard in praising the Lorde. 2. Chron. 5, 12, 13. But because the pompe and beauty of the second Temple, is euen as no­thing to the first, let vs yet with the best Trumpets of our hearts and tongues, and with all our most solemne Instru­ments [Page] of musick, sing that Psalme of Thanksgiuing, which they then did vnto God; Praise the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy indureth for euer. Praise the Lord.

Like ioy and thankesgiuing let vs all shew for the Arke of the Lord, which by the meanes of our SALOMON, ac­cording to Gods owne ordinance is established on those holy Mountaines of Sion, of which the Lord hath saide, Heere will I dwell, for I haue a delight therein.

Yea, let vs for these blessings, not onely sing and re­ioyce, but with the Kingly Prophet, 2 Sam. 6. 14. 15. euen shoute, and daunce with all our might before the Lorde. For which, howsoeuer some Michols of Babylon, or of the house of Saule, shall scoffe and scorne, and tauntingly say vnto vs. O how glorious are you for the Temple, and for the Arke this day! yet this is our comfort, and shall for euer bee our honour, that in vprightnesse of heart, we can truly say with that man of God: It is before the Lord, who hath chosen vs, and not your Fathers house, and who hath commaunded vs to rule ouer the people of God: and therefore will wee sing, and play, and daunce; yea, and be more vile also then thus before the Lorde. And euen of those maide-seruants of Israel, of whom you spake, that is, of the holy Church of God, shall we be had in honor. But for those scoffing Michols of the reiected house of Saule, and those blaspheming Rabsekaes of Assyria, they shall be as chaffe scattered before the Winde, and as dung swept away from the presence of the Lord, and from the face of the earth.

But what can we render vnto God, or say vnto him for that most rare and woonderfull deliuerance? Let vs say with the Israelites, after the like deliuery from the Iawes of Pharaoh and the red sea. Exod. 15, ver. 1, 2, 11. We will sing vnto the lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. Who is like vnto thee O Lord; glorious in holines, fearefull in praises & doing wonders: the lord is my strength & praise, & is become my saluation: he is my God, and I will praise him▪ he is my fathers God, and I will exalt him. Or let vs [Page] sing that Psalme Psal. 124. of the whole Church. If the Lord him­selfe had not beene on our side, may Israel now say. They had swallowed vs vp quicke when they were so wrath­fully displeased at vs. The Waters; nay, the raging Fires had deuoured vs, the flames had gone ouer our soule. Praised bee the Lord, which hath not giuen vs ouer for a prey vnto their teeth.

Lastly, for all these, and for all other the blessinges of the Lord; specially, for his Sacred Maiesty, vnder whom, and by whom wee liue, and liue to enioy them all; let vs with one heart and minde sing that last Psalme of the Prophet: O praise God in his holinesse, praise him in the firmament of his power; praise him in his Noble actes, praise him according to his excellent greatnesse: Praise him in the sounde of the Trumpet, praise him vppon the Lute and Harpe, praise him in the Cimbals and Daunces, praise him vpon the strings and Pipe: praise him vpon the well-tuned Cimbals, praise him vpon the loud Cimbals. Let euery thing that hath breath, praise the Lord.

And this be spoken of the thankesgiuing to God, for placing Salomon a wise King ouer his people.

In this Thankesgiuing, we before obserued two parti­cular Branches. The former was, from whom King Salo­mon had and held his kingdome. Of which it is heere she­wed, that he had it neither from the Priest, nor from the people, but immediately from God; and therefore, it is expressely heere said, [ God made thee King ouer Israel and He set thee on the Throne] not the Priest, not the people, but God made him King, and God set him on the Throne. For further euidence whereof, it is heere added that Salo­mon was set in the Throne, neither of the Priest, nor of the people, but he was set in Gods owne Throne, as King, & set there in Gods steed, as one immediately represeuting Gods owne person among them, and beeing his immedi­ate Vice-gerent, or Lieutenant ouer all Israel.

To this purpose, the Scriptures, not onely in generall call Kings the Ministers or Lieutenants of God, Rom. 13, [Page] 4. and saith, that God sets vp Kinges and giues kingdoms, Daniel 2. 21. 37. but particularly also noteth this immedi­ate designment of God in many of them: as of Dauid, The Lord chose him to be King, and delighted in him to make him King ouer all Israell. 1. Chron. 28, 4. Of Saul, The Lord hath annointed thee to be Gouernor ouer his inheritance, 1. Sam. 10. 1. Of Hasael and Iehu, God saide vnto the Pro­phet, annoint Hasael King ouer Aram, and Iehu shalt thou annoint King ouer Israel, 1. King. 19, 15. and to omit others of Salomon, whom our Text mentioneth: God chose Salo­mon to sit vpon the Throne, and he said of Salomon; I will stablish his Kingdome for euer. 1. Chron. 28, 5, 7.

The describer Author libel­li, cui inscripti [...]: Breuis n [...]rratio quomodo Hen­ricus 4. Fra [...] ▪ [...]c Nauar. Rex a­pud Clem. 8. humiliter per le­gatos egerit, ac s [...]pius s [...]pplex factus, tandem h [...]reseos, abso­lutionem obti­nuerit. Anno. 1596. of the victory and glorious tryumphe, as he Idē Author, pa. 3. De autho­ritate & poten­tia Rom. Ponti­ficis, victoriâ (que) Clementis 8. de Henrico 4. Glo­riose triumpl [...]ā ­tis. calles it, which Pope Clement 8. got ouer Henry 4. The present French King, at his vnhappy reuolt and sub­iection to the Man of sin, among other Pageants of that tryumph tels vs, that whereas some curious French Politi­tians (as he ^c tearmes them) doe maintaine, the King to ^d hold his Kingdome immediately from God, that this H [...] ­beatur res maximè ridicula Romae: Is at Rome accounted a ri­diculous, Nay, a most ridiculous matter.

Indeed it is no newes nor maruell, that the sacred truth of God should bee blasphemed, and made a very iest and laughing-stocke at Rome, which is the Mother of abhomi­nations, as themselues ^e professe, and which hath a Name of Blasphemie ^f in her fore-head, and hath inlarged her mouth to blaspheme God and his Tabernacle. Where if any Doctrine distast the Beast, or want his allowance, not this onely, and such like sacred truthes, but euen the sa­cred Scriptures themselues shall bee made a iest, and no [Page] better esteemed then are Aesops Fables, as you may per­ceiue both by Car linall Hosius, Scripturas va­lere quantum A [...]sopi fabulas, si [...] authoritate Ec­clesiae: potuit il­lud pio sensu di [...]i, &c. Etiam quae pie dict [...] esse scis in sensu n impium deto [...]ques. Hosi­us de author sa­cr. scrip. lib. 3. cōtr. B [...]ent. Pro­leg. sol. 148. and by Gretzer, Quod quidem Wo [...]fangus Her­manus dixit, Scripturas tan­tum valerequā ­tum valent Ae­sop [...] sabulae nisi accedat ecclesiae testim [...]iam [...]ō a leo absurde dictum est vt mereatu [...] stig­mati illo muri. O impium & blasphemum os. Loquitur enim &c. Iaco [...]. Gretz. Append. 2. ad lib. 1. Bel­lar. pa. 396. the late defender of Bellarmine, the most scurrile Writer that this or the former Age hath seene; who shames not to excuse that very speech and comparison, from falsity, from impi­ety, and from blasphemy.

But howsoeuer this Doctrine be by the Romanists Be [...]lar. lib. de laicis. ca. 5. & Rhemist. Tes [...]ā. annot in 1. Pet. 2. 13. con­demned, and in these dayes counted at Rome most ridicu­lous, yet both in it selfe it is most sacred, being grounded as you haue seene vppon the word of God, and as most sa­cred hath it beene esteemed in the primatiue Church, a­mong the ancient Fathers, and godly Writers of all Ages.

It was most sacred in the daies of Tertullian, who liued in the next age to the Apostles. In his Booke Ad Scapu­lam, ca. 2. Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo secundum, et quicquid est à Deo consequutum, & solo Deo minorem▪ We Chri­stians (saith hee) doe honour the Emperor as a Man, next or immediate vnto God, inferior to none but God, and whatsoeuer he hath (in respect of his Imperiall authority) he hath it from God. And againe, most excellently in his Apologeticall against the Gentiles, Cap. 30. Christians (saith he) doe know, who it is that giues the Empyre vn­to Caesars; euen God alone: In cuius solius potestate su [...]t, vnder whose onely power and authoriry they are: à quo sunt secundi, post quem primi, ante omnes & supra omnes Deos, at (que) ^l homines: From which God, Emperors are the second, after whom they are the first; before all, and aboue all o­ther, both Gods and liuing men. Inde est Imperaetor, vnde est & homo antequam Imperator, inde potestas illi vnde et spiritus: He makes him Emperour, who made him a man before he was Emperor; from him hee hath his Scepter, from whom he hath his Soule. What could be spoken more diuinely? What more eloquently? What more effectually for the imperiall authority of Kinges, immediatly and onely deri­ued from God, immediatly depending of God, and of [...] Sentiunt eum Deum esse solū. God alone? And all this was spoken in those ancient and [Page] primitiue dayes of the Gospell, not in the person of Ter­tullian onely, but as the iudgement and iust defence of all the Christians, and of the Church, as at that time; yea, euen of the whole Church of R [...]me it selfe, then Ca­tholike and Apostolicall, where Tertullian liued and writ this, though the very same Doctrine in the present Apo­staticall, Antichristian, and Babylonish Rome bee made a very iest, and accounted as you haue heard a most ridicu­lous matter.

It was sacred to Optatus, Bishop of Meliuis, who in his 3. Booke Page 85. against Permenian, most diuinely saith: Super Imperatorē non est nisi Deus solus, qui s [...]cit Impera [...]orē: there is none at all aboue the Emperor, but God onely who made the Emperour.

Sacred to S. Chrysostome, who speaking of Theodosius the great, in his 2. Homilie, ad Pop. Antioch saith of him: Parem non habet vllum super terram, summitas & caput omnium super terrā hominū: The Emperor hath not his Peere or equal vp­on earth, he is the highest, and head of al men vpon earth.

Sacred to Saint Ambrose, who in his Apologie of Dauid Nullis legibus tenebatur huma­nis. ca. 4. Rex. v­tique era [...] nullis ipse legibus tene­batur qui [...] liberi sunt Reges a vin­cul [...]s delictorum. ibid. ca 10. saith; that Kings are not subiect, nor obnoxious to any humaine Lawes, Tuti Imperij potestate, beeing freed by the highnesse of their Imperiall authority, but yet they are subiect to God, vnto whom King Dauid said: To thee on­ly haue I sinned.

Sacred to S. Austen, who often saith, August. lib. 4. de ciuit. d [...]i. ca. 33 that it is God who giues earthly Kingdomes, whether to good or bad: and when kings command that which is good, Per illos non iubet nisi Christus, none commaunds by them, but onely Christ. Epist. 166. and yet had Kinges depended on any superior power, their commaunds should haue beene both Christs, and his also to whom they had beene subiect.

Sacred to their owne Pope Gregory the first; great I con­fesse for learning, but in acknowledgement of this truth, which is now at Rome so ridiculous, farre greater. In his 2. Book of Epist. ca. 100. He thus writes of Mauritius the Em­peror. Potestas super omnes homines, dominorum meorum pietati [Page] caelitus data est. First, he cals the Emperor his Lord, then he faith, power and authority is giuen vnto him, but from whom? Caelitus, euen from GOD, and from Heauen. I, but perhaps with a subordination or mediation of some other. No (saith Pope Gregory) it is giuen him aboue, and ouer all other persons whatsoeuer; and therefore without any dependance of men, who are all inferiors to him, & so immediately depending and deriued from God, who a­lone (as this Pope truely saith) is aboue the Emperour.

Omitting the succession of other ages, let me adioyn to these, two other most memorable examples, and of far la­ter times: the one in the Roman, which is electiue; the o­ther, in our English, which is an hereditary Kingdome.

About 300. yeares since, when some depressed the im­perial authority, as depending on some other besides God. Lewes of Bauare then Emperor, not onely by his edict de­clared and proued, that the Empire was held à solo Imperator non habet imperium a Papa s [...]d a solo Deo. Et concludit quod potestas im­perialu est imme­ditate a Deo De­cret. Lud: Caesar▪ aduer. pont. builā apud Na [...]cler. an. 1338. Deo, et immeditate à Deo; From God alone, & immediately from God, which out of their owne Canon Imperator ha­bet priuilegia sua potestatis quae di­uinit [...]s co [...]sequu­tus est. Dict. 96. ca. Si Imperator. vbi glossa sic. ait. Diuinitus, non er­go a Papa, nam imperium a solo Deo est. V [...] 20. q. 3. ca quaesitum. Law hee further proueth, as may be seene in the history of Nauclerus, vpon the yeare 1338. But further, Legem sanciuit, the Emperour made and published a law, & that most deliberately; Omni ambiguitate per sacra [...]um literarum Antistites maturè solerterque discussa: all doubts and ambiguities beeing leisurably and soundly discussed: some part of which imperial law being worthy not the reading onely or hearing, but ingrauing in golden letters vpon the wals of our houses, & posts of our doores, I haue thought requisite to recite vnto you.

De consi [...]io et consensu, By the counsell and consent of the E­lectors and other Princes we declare: Imperialem dignitatē et potestatem à solo D [...]o pendere, That the Imperiall dignity & authority depends only of God. And whosoeuer shall presume to affirme, or consent to others, affirming ought against this decree, we depriue them, and hereby do decree them iure et facto, both in right, and indeed to be depriued of al their freeholds Omnibus feudi [...]. or farmes, & of all their priuileges which they hold of the Empire, Et insuper eos crim [...]n laesa Mai [...]sta­tis [Page] incurrisse: And further wee decree and declare, such to haue incurred the crime of high Treason, and to be subiect to all those punishments which are infflicted vpon traitors.

These are the very words of that imperiall Law, as you may see them set downe, and much more to this purpose. In Hieron▪ Balbus, one of their owne Popish Bishops, in his Booke De Coronatione, dedicated vnto Charles the fift, the Emperor. Pag. 39. and 40. of that Booke.

The other Testimony is an Authenticall record also of no lesse moment, and somewhat of a later time. A statute made in the 16. yeare of King Richard 2. Cap. 5. of purpose to keepe sacred and inuiolable the Soueraignety and Re­gality of this Kingdome. It was therein declared, that the Crowne of England hath beene so free at all times (not then onely, but which is specially to bee remembered at all times) that it hath beene in subiection to no Realme, but Immediately subiect to GOD, and to none other, in all thinges touching the Regalty of the same. These are the words in that statute, besides diuers other tending hereun­to, In defence of which statute they in the Parliament then assembled, promised to liue and die, as it is there noted.

By al which it is euident, that this doctrine which now at Rome is counted most ridiculous, is in it self most sacred, as being grounded on the scriptures of God; and as most sa­cred hath bin embraced by all the Christians in the primi­tiue Church; taught and maintained with a generall con­sent by the ancient and godly fathers in their seuerall ages and successions: constantly defended by whole kingdoms and Empires, and that vnder paine of high Treason to the gainesayers thereof, euen in those later times also, when superstition had dimd, I cōfesse, but not quite extinguished and put out the truth, and (which is far worse) the loue of the truth, as it may iustly be feared, it hath done at this day in Rome, and in those of their sect, who to error and heresie haue added not onely obstinacy, but blasphemy, like new Lucians scoffing the sacred truth of God, accounting it a most a ridiculous matter.

[Page]May I with your patience proceed a litle further in this argument, to consider (which is in truth worthy your con­sideration; seeing these men will not allow Kinges and Emperours to hold immediately from God, which being the most Honourable, is most fit to bee a Regall Tenure) to whom else they would haue them bee beholden, and to doe homage and fealty for their Crownes and King­domes.

And to whom else thinke you but to the vtter enemie of God, to that man of sinne, and sonne of perdition, who exalts himselfe indeed, as the Apostle 2. Thes. 2. 4. saith, and whom they also haue exalted aboue all: Exalting him first from a Christian Byshop, to an Antichristian Pope, and then from a Pope or Pastor, to a Temporall King & supreame Monarch of all, whose Soueraignty must be ouer al Kings and people, and his Dominion ouer all Lands, goods, and possessions in the whole world. Euen of this man of sinne, must all Kings hold their Crownes and Kingdomes, and that in the most base & seruile tenure that can be deuised, holding thē as Tenants at will, Ex Pontificis mero fauore & gratia, by the meere fauor & good wil of the Pope; as the vaine Triumpher Breuis narrat. victor. Clem. 8. de Hen. 4. glo­riose triumphā ­tis. affirmes of the Kingdome of France.

These to be their resolued positions, you may cleerely perceiue by Franciscus Bozius, who professedly sets down, and vndertakes, by the helpe of God and Saint Peter, to proue thus much, Fr. Boz. lib. 1 de tempor. ec­clesiae Monar­chiae ca. 3. p. 52. Supremam iurisdictionē temporalem esse penes Petri. successores ita vt idem sit Hierarcha, et Monarcha in omnibus, that the supreame temporall iurisdiction belongs to the Pope, so that hee is both an Hierarch, and a Mo­narch ^x ibid. cap. 20. pa. 210. in all things: affirming Fr. Boz. lib. 1 de tempor. ec­clesiae Monar­chiae ca. 3. p. 52. againe his Arguments, to shew that to the Pope belonges indeede the Supreame temporall Monarchy, for which he entitles his Booke, De Temporali Ecclesiae Monarchio: By Rodulphus Cupers, who Cup. [...]ō. ad ca. oportebat dinct. 79. pa. 43. nu. 39. merito cen­seatur, re (que) ip­sa existat. saith, that the Pope is deseruedly esteemed, and is indeed, Rex regum & Dominus Dominantium, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lordes; and that Ibid. pa. 257 nu. 62. the direct Dominion of the Empire belongs to God, and consequently to the Pope, [Page] as being Gods Vicar, who permits (as he saith) the power of the sworde, Cui libeat, to whom hee listeth. By Aug. Steuchus, lib. de donat. Const. who not onely challengeth Soueraignty Haec Romana sacro-sancta ec­clesia supremiā absolutum (que) ha­bet principatum ac potestatem. lib. 2. sol. 236. and Dominion in many Kingdomes, as in right belonging to the Pope, particularly [...]u. Steu. lib. 2. fol. 237. & seq. of Spaine, Arragon, Portugall, Eng­land, France, Italy, Denmarke, Hungaria, Croatia, Dalmatia, Russia, Bohemia, Su [...]tia, Norwegia, and in a word, of ( Quid superest in occidente sp. ape▪ te non sit sedis apost [...]licae?) all the Westerne Kingdomes and Countries: but as if all this were too small a Patrimony for the Pope, he addes; that this Quid plura prosequar vt comprobitur retustissimā, ac fere omnipotē ­tem, ecclesiae Ro manae super om­ni bus regnis ac regibus potesta­tem. Sten. ibid. fol. 238. (as he cals it) most ancient, and almost Omnipotent power, is extended ouer all Kinges and Kingdomes, and that the Pope rules Totum orbem terrarum Im­perij [...] modera­bantur habenas omni [...]m terra­rum tenentes. ibid. the whole worlde, and holdes the raignes of al kingdoms, Steu. ibid. fol 238. suffring other Kings and Empe­rors to raigne, Modo Dominam ac reginam agnoscant & fate­antur, but with this condition, that they acknowledge and confesse an higher power or Soueraignty to bee in the Pope. By the Romish Th [...]asonicall Triumpher ( Brev. Nar. de Hen. 4 & Clem. 8. before mentioned, who bragges that all ⁱ Kingdomes in the world are beholden to the Pope, because all do, or ought to sweare to defend his Sea. And to omit others, you may see this most largely in Alexander Carerius, the late ^k con­trouler of Cardinall Bellarmine, in the second of those his Bookes, De Potestate Romani pontificis, intituled by him against impious Polliticians and Haeretickes of this time, but of purpose, and at large refuting, and that not without scorne their owne great Cardinall, his position and Rea­sons.

Carerius there tels vs, that as ^l God, so the Pope may be called a Temporall Lord and Monarch of the world, that the ^m Pope, as Pope, is such a Prince, in whom is the top [Page] of Temporall Authority, and therefore that as Pope, hee may make ciuill lawes, and may chaunge and correct thy Imperiall lawes. Further, out of Saucius one of their By­shops, he Car. lib. 2. ca. 9. §. Sequitur. affirmes, that this is cum recta side tenendum, to be held as an Article of the right faith, Principa [...]um Romani pontificis esse verum, & vnicum immediatum principatum totius orbis, nedum quoad spiritualia, sed quoad temporalia, that the kingdome of the Pope, is the true, and the onely immedi­ate principality or kingdome of the whole world, & that not onely in Spirituall, but in Temporall causes. In regard whereof, he somewhat pleasantly cals the Pope Ibid. cae. 15, § Argumentum. Orbis vi­rū, the husband or good man of the world, which you may well thinke, is indeed a fit wife for his holinesse.

As for Kings and Emperors they teach, that their Au­thority is but Pro exacta hu­ius rei notitia, ob­seruandum est, quod Potestas est Immediata, & in Ministerium da­ta. Prima est in solo Papa, vt uni­uersalis iurisdictio omnium spiritua­lium & tempora­lium. Altera est i [...] imperatore, Re­gibus & principi­bus saecularibus qui iurisdictionem super talia adeo mediante Papa accipiunt. Carrer. lib. 2. cap. 14. §. Hinc. Ministerial deriued from the Pope, and de­pendant ^f of him, as the light of the starres depends of the Sun, or as the body depends of the soule, which receiues being, vertue, and all operation from it: and out of Sauci­us he affirmes it to be, Adiussum ( ^g) princip [...]tus Papalis nobi­lē, reuocabilem, corrigilem, et punibilem, the Kingly and Impe­riall authority to be at the Popes pleasure and command, moueable, reuocable, corrigible, & punishable: they fur­ther to this purpose teach, that Kings & Emperors are but the Popes ( ^h) Ministers, the Popes ⁱ Commissioners, or Deputies; yea, the Popes men ^k or vassals, swearing fealty to him, as the Pope ^l himselfe hath defined, receiuing ^m [Page] Crownes, and holding their kingdomes from him, and by his donation and being, to vse their Temporall sword and Authority, Ad nutum Pontificis, at the Popes pleasure and sufferance, as not onely Bozius, Caeteri docto­res Canonistae i­dem docent, as­serentes vtrum­que gladiū esse penes Pontifi­cem, sed vnum immediate per ipsum exercen­dum, alterum in quibusdam casibus, aut cer­te ad nutū pon­tificis per alios. Boz. lib. [...]. ca. 2. pa. 31. but Pope Vterque ergo est in potestate Ecclesiae, spi­ritualis scilicet gladius et ma­terialis. Ille sa­cerdotis, is ma­nu regum et mi litum, sed ad nutum et pati­entiam sacerd [...] ­tis. Bon. 8. ca. v­nam sanctam. Extr. de maior. & obedient. Boniface the eight, before him affirmeth. In a word, that other powers and Authorities Car. l. 2. ca. 7. § Haec. à prima summi pontificis regiâ potestate pen­dent, doe depend of that first Kingly Authoritie of the Popes.

But tell vs I pray you: Is the Pope Lord onely ouer the persons, or is he not Lord also of the goodes and posessi­ons in the whole world? Yes, the Pope he is Lord of al. As the Dominion of the whole world was in Christ, Ita & in Papa idem esse fatendnm est, so must it be confessed, that the same Dominion is in the Pope (saith Carerius.) Lib. 2. ca. 5. § Praeterea. And againe, seeing Idem. ca. 21. § Respondebite. the earth is the Lords, & all that is there­in, Et per consequens Papae sui vica [...]ij, by consequent also this belongs vnto the Popes, who is Gods Vicar; and so the earth is the Popes, and all that is therein. The same tea­cheth Bozius, Boz. lib: 1. ca. 2. pag. 31. seeing in Christ, according to his humain nature, by the Doctrine of Saint Thomas, there was an ab­solute power of all things, Erit itaque Pontifex omnium re­gionum iure & potestate Dominus, seu mauis dicere totius orbis, therefore the Pope shall be the Lord both in right and in power of all Countries, or if ye will rather say so, of the whole world.

Whereupon it followeth, that neither Constantine, ^r nor any other did, neither can any man possible giue ought vnto the Pope, for all is his owne already, but they may restore vnto him, what they vniustly do withhold, and so did Constantine ^s the great.

From this Soueraignty of Dominion, and as the Trium­pher truly cals ^t it, vnlimited power, for so it is indeed, by [Page] his description thereof, as extending it selfe aboue the heauens, and as low againe as is hell: from hence, I say, proceedes that absolute and vncontroulable Authoritie, which he claimeth, to giue, to take away, not onely smal­ler quillets, but as the Pope Gregor. 7. In Execratione cō ­tra Henr. cuius exemplar cita­tur a Platina in vita Greg. 7 vt omnes intel­ligant in terra, Imperia, regna, principatus, & quicquid habe­re mortales pos­sunt, auferre & dare nos posse. himself expressely affirmes, Empyres and Kingdomes, Et quicquid habere mortales possūt, and whatsoeuer mortall men can possesse or haue; yea, take kingdomes away from some, Quamuis nihil omnino de­mereantur, as saith Carerius, Car. lib. 2. ca. 19. § Denique. though they commit no fault at all, and giue them to those who haue no right vnto them. So did Pope Gregory the tenth, with the Empire of the East, Abstulit Car. ibidem. Baluino vero domino, & dedit Michaeli, qui nihil iuris habebat; he took it from Balwin the second, who was the true owner thereof, and gaue it to Michael Pal [...]o­logus, who had no right at all vnto it.

But tell vs further by what right and Title hath the Pope so large and faire a Patrimony, as is the Monarchy and Soueraignty ouer the whole world, and in all both ciuill & Ecclesiastical causes? He hath it (say they) Summus pon­tifex iure diui­no habet plenis­simam potesta­temin vniuer­sum orbem ter­rarum tum in rebus ecclesia­sticis, tum in po liti [...]s. Car lib. 2 ca. 9. § Tertia &, Diuino re­uelato, & na­turali iure, His potissimum ti­tulis convenire ecclesiae, M o­narchiam ostē ­demus. Boz. lib. 1. ca. 2. pa. 38. euen Iure diuino, by the very Law of God.

I, but perhaps this is but your priuate opinion onely, no sentenced & decreed Doctrine among you. Yes (saith Ca­rerius ^b) it is the cōmon iudgment of our Deuines, yea, of our greatest deuines, wherof he there expresly nameth 26. It is further the cōmon iudgement of the Canonists, ^c some of them boldly avouching Hinc factum est vt audacter dixerit Bane­lus, maturi vir iudicīj, opinionem contrariam esse haereticam. Car. lib. 2. cap. 10. §. Doctores. the contrary opinion to bee Haereticall. More then so, it is ^e (saith Bartolus) the sen­tence or iudgement of their holy Mother the Church. And lastly, which is all in all, it is approued by the De­crees and determinations of the Popes Es [...] plurium Patrum, Theologorum, Canonistrarum & Pontificum sententia, Boz. lib. 3. cap. 6. pa. 4 [...]6. themselues, by [Page] name, of Innocentius Innocentius ca. licet de foro competenti, ex­presse [...]ult, vice christi successisse in regm & sa­cerdotio Petrū & eius successo­res. Boz. lib. 1. cap. 2. pa. 30. the third, cap. Ex quibus colligite, Primo in summo Pon­tifice apicem v­triusque pote­statis reperiri. Sec. Papam in toto orbe Chri­stiano habere temporale domi­niū. Carl. lib. 2. cap. 11. § vt. per venerabilem, and cap. Ex ijs veritas dicti cap. So litae intacta manet, Imperialem sci­licet potestatē, à pontificali po­testate, sicut lu­men lunae à lu­mine Solis, quo­ad temporaliū administratio­nem proficisci. Car. lib. 2. cap. 12. § Respondetur. Solitae, de Maioritate & obediētia: to whom may be ad­ded Innocentius the fourth, who ^k thus defines the Pope­dome, Papatus est principatus tam in temporalibus quam in spi­ritualibus. The Popedome (saith he) is a Prince-hood or Soueraignty, as well in temporall, as in spirituall matters. Boniface the eight, who ^l in token of his right to both the swords, at the solemnity of the Iubile, by him first institu­ted, Solenniter ostentauit, with great pomp and ostentation, shewed himselfe the first day in his Pontificalibus, like a Pope, and the next day in his Imperiall Robes like a tem­porall Monarch, and causing a naked sword to be carried before him, proclaimed vnto al, Ecce duo gladij hic: behold the two swords are heere: who further made ^m a Decree or constitution wherein he affirmed, that the Pope is Do­minus in spiritualibus & temporalibus in vniuerso mundo, the Lord both in spirituall and temporall causes, and that in the whole world, iudging it Haereticall, as saith Martinus, to speake; nay, Sentire contrariū, to thinke the contrary, & that he might subiect all others to this Soucraignty, defi­nitiuely determining ⁿ it as a needfull thing to saluation for euery humaine creature to bee subiect to the Pope: Iohn the 22. who expressely also affirmeth ^o that to the Pope, Terreni simul & caelestis Imperij iura Deus ipse commisit, God himselfe hath giuen the right both of the earthly & of the heauenly kingdome, that is, both the Temporal and Ecclesiasticall Monarchy. And to omit other particulars, lastly, may bee added the generall consent of all later [Page] Popes, who Sacrar. Cerē. san. Rom. eccles lib. 1. sect. 7, pa: 85▪ yearely on the night of Christs Natiuity, bestowes an hallowed sword of some great Prince, whom it pleaseth him, the Mystery of which gift, as the Pope himselfe explaines it, is to betoken thereby, Potestatem summam temporalem à Christi pontifici collatum, that the su­preame Temporall power is giuen to the Pope by Christ, according to those scriptures (which most blasphemously the Popes apply to themselues) all power is giuen to mee in heauen, and in earth. And againe, hee shall rule from the one Sea to the other, and from the floude vnto the worlds end.

Thus teach Carerius, Bozius; together with their Popes and Popish Confederates, whose very wordes, in so im­portant a cause, I haue now more at large, and expressely alledged.

You do now euidently perceiue, that these men who thought it a most ridiculous matter, for Kinges to holde their Crownes immediately from God, do teach and de­fine it to bee a matter of Religion, of Piety, of Consci­ence; yea, of saluation, to holde the same immediately from the Beast, that is in truth, from the verie Deuill; for of the Beast, (the Apostle saith) Apocalipse 13, 1. that the Draggon, which is the Diuell, gaue the Beast his power, and his Throne, and his great Autho­ritie.

These are the fruites of Popish Religion, and this the verie HELENA for which they so earnestly fight and contend. Of which Positions, (though I might iustly say as did Saint HIEROME Hier. epist. ad Ctesiph. ad­uer. Pelag. to. 2, pa. 260. in another cause, Sen­tentias vestras prodidisse, superesse▪ est, patet prima fionte blasphemia. To haue recited your assertions, is enough to refute them, they are stamped with Blasphemy in the verie fore-heade; yet as you haue willingly heard the iust defence of Regall Soueraignty, so suffer me to speake somewhat also at this time against him, who shewes himselfe in his colours, to be Hostem humani generis, the enemie not of one or two Kingdomes, or some people [Page] and sort of men, but the enemy of all mankind: who most violently intrudes himselfe into the rightes and regalities of all Kings, Christian and Heathen, and like a wild Boare inuades the lands, goods, and possessions of all men in the world; yea, most sacrilegiously challengeth vnto himselfe that which is the peculiar prerogatiue (and as I may say▪) one of the Royalties of God, Domini est terra, The Earth is the Lords, and all that is therein. Psal. 24, 1.

I shall not neede to prooue that this priestly Monarchy was not known in the time of the old Testament: of which not onely Aquina: In veteri testa­mento regnum praeeminebat sacerdotio, Ideoibi regnū, hic sacerdotiū in substan tiuo ponuntur, eo quod ibi ex reg no, hic ex sa­cerdotio quasi subsista: religio Aqui. com. in 1. Pet 1. and Stapleton, Stap. doct. princ. lib. 5, ca, 22. but Carerius himselfe expresly confesseth, In▪ veteri Te­stamento Rex super sacordo­tes potestatem habebat, cos (que) pro crimine occidere, mul­to magis offi­cijs et dignita­tibus spirituali­bus eos priua­te poterat. Ca­rer. l. 2. ca. 18▪ Respondeo. that the King had then power ouer the Priestes, and might for their offences, not onely haue depriued them of their spirituall offices, but haue kild thē also: that in the time of the old Testament ^m the Kingdom was the Substantiue or superior, & the Priesthood was thē but an Adiectiue, as depending in good congruity vpon the other, though the Pope since hath altered that most congraeous Grāmer rule, that seeing in the Old Testament the promises were onely temporall, but in the New are e­ternall, Mirum ⁿ minime videri debet, si in veteri testamento sū ma potestas fuerit Temporalis: It must not seeme strange as he saith, that the temporall power in the time of the Olde Testament, was the Supreame. So then, though they pre­tend ^o for this Soueraignty the Law of Nature, yet by this expresse confession, and cleare wordes of Aquinas and Ca­rerius, it is euident, that this priestly Monarchy was not heard of, for the first ^p foure thousand yeares almost of the world.

In the New Testament what in duty ought first to bee performed by the Apostles and their successours, let the holy Apostle, or the Spirite of God by his mouth speake▪ [Page] and determine. Let euery soule (saith Rom. 13. 1. he) be subiect to the higher powers: which himself in that place expounds to bee those seculare Kinges and Princes, who beare Ib. V. 4. 6, 7. Ter repetit prin cipes saeculares quibus tribuca redduntur esse ministros dei. Bell. lib. de laic: ca. 3. §. Praete­rea. Vt absurde detorqueathaec verba, ad prae­sules Ecclesia­sticos lib. 2. de pont. Rom. ca. 29. §. Respon▪ deo tam. the Sword, and to whom tribute is due. Now this precept was directed and giuen to the whole Omnibus qui Romaesūt, de­lectis dei. Rom 1, 7. Church of Rome, e­uen at that time also when Saint Peter by their Doctrine Bell l▪ 2. de pont. Ro. ca▪ 2 & 5. was Bishop of Rome: and therefore the spirit of GOD commaunding euery Soule (particularly in that Church) to bee subiect to the secular powers and Princes, without all doubt inioynes obedience and subiection, euen to S. Peter himselfe, and to all his successours; yea, much rather vnto them, who were to be Ensamples 1 Tim. 4. 12 to the rest, both in word and in conuersation.

A truth so cleare, that Claudius Espenseus, Comment. in ca. 3. Epist. ad Tit. dig [...] 10 one of their owne and a learned Bishoppe, not onely confesseth thus much, but confirmes it further out of Theodoret, Theophi­lact, Oecumenius, and others; specially out of Saint Chryso­stome, who expresly Chrys. in cap 13. ad▪ Rom. mentions the Apostles themselues, to be included in that precept. Etiam si Apostolus sis, though you bee an Apostle, though an Euangelist, though a Pro­phet, (and which I thinke will reach to the Pope) Etiam si quiuis alius fueris, or what else soeuer you bee, euery Soule must be subiect to those higher and secular powers.

Or if any notwithstanding this euidence of truth and such a Cloud of witnesses, wil yet exempt either the Pope, or any other from this duty, it may most iustly be replyed vnto him, with the wordes of Saint Barnard, in his 42. E­pist. Si omnis anima, et vestra: If euery Soule bee subiect, then must yours, Who hath exempted you from this vni­uersality? Si quis tentat excipere, conatur decipere. If any goe about to exempt you, he goeth about to deceiue & tempt you. And again, do ye despice seculare powers? Seculiarior nemo Pilato, none was more secular then Pilot, before whō Christ himselfe stood to be Iudged, and of whom he con­fessed: Potestatem super sefuisse caelitus ordinatam: That Pilate had power ouer him, and that giuen from God.

What in duty then ought to bee done for the whole [Page] time of the New Testament, by this example of Christ, and precept of Gods Spirit, is most euident. And as subie­ction is commaunded by God, so was it practised and per­formed by the Apostles, by the primitiue Bishops; yea, e­uen by the Popes themselues, for many hundreths of years together.

For the first three hundreth yeares after Christ, while Kings and Emperours were Paganes and Persequutors of the Church, it is confessed both by Bellarmine Quo tempo­re principes e­rant Ethnici, nō erat Pontifex iudex illorum, sed è contrario illis subiectus erat in omni­bus ciuilibus causis non mi­nus quam cae­teri homines. Bel lib. 2. de pontif. Rom. cap 29. §. Re­spōdeo, primo. and Care­rius, Carer. eadem verba habet quae Bell. lib 2 ca 23, §. Re­spondetur. that for all that time, the Apostles and Bishops of Rome were subiect tō Emperours, as all other Christians were: and this subiection was Bel. ibid. §. Quod Carer▪ loc. citat. both De iure, & de facto, both indeede performed, and in right to be performed.

What? And shall wee thinke (which they without all shame would perswade) that their conuersion to the faith, was the ouerthrow and aeuersion of their temporall domi­nions? And that the gaine of Christ, was the losse of all their Crownes and Kingdomes? Nor onely so, but that of Soueraignes they became subiects euen, to those, who be­fore while they were Paganes, were de iure & facto, subiect vnto them?

I will not say what an effectuall dissuasion this might haue beene vnto them, and others also, neuer to haue em­braced the Fayth: What a motiue it may yet bee to turne Heathen and Paganes againe. I will not enforce that true Maxime, approoued both ( ^d by Bellarmine and Ca­rerius: Lex Christiana neminem suo iure et dominio priuat: Chri­stianity ^c At vero cum principes facti lunt Christiani, continuose tā ­quam oues pa­stori, et mem­bia capiti, eccle siasticae hierachiae Praesidi (i. Papae) subiecerunt, et proinde ad illo iudicari, non illum de­inceps iudicare debent. Bell. et Carer locis citatis depriues no man of his right, nor of his dominion: as is confessed in that Hymne of Se [...]lius, Non cripit morta­lia, qui regna dat caelestia: O wicked King Herod, why art thou affraid of Christ! He giues an heauenly Kingdome, he takes not away an earthly, he ^e perfects vs in that want, [Page] he depriues vs not of that we had.

Consider of many but some few examples, & those euen of the Popes themselues, who haue testified and recorded their subiection to Christian Emperors. With what lowli­nesse and humility did Pope Leo the first, foure Leo caepit. an. 443, prosp. hundreth and odde yeares after Christ, sue Leo cpist. 9. et 24. vnto the Emperor The­odosius the younger, that he would call a generall counsell in Italy, and yet preuailed not. How submissiuely did hee againe entreate the like of Marcianus the Emperour? I ^h Leo Epist▪ 43 beseech our Lord Iesus: Qui regni vestri est author & re­ctor: Who is the Author and Ruler of your kingdome, that ye would not suffer the ancient Faith: Quasi dubiam retra­ctari: To be called into doubt and question againe, Illud (que) potius iubeatis, and that ye would rather commaund the de­crees of the Nicene Counsell to be kept. How religiouslie doth he professe his subiection and obedience to the same Emperour? I haue willingly (saith the Pope) Leo Epist. 59. added my consent or sentence: Quia omnibus modis obediendum est pie­tati vestrae religiosissimae (que) voluntati: Because by all means we must obey your sacred and religious will.

Pope Gregory the great is euen admirable in this point. Who am I that speake to my Lord, but Dust and Ashes? said he Greg. lib. 2. Epist. ca▪ 100. to the Emperor Mauritius. It Greg. l. 4. E­pist. ca. 78. well beseemes a religious Prince Vt ista sacerdotibus praeciperet, to commaund Bishops in such matters: And that particular was an Ec­clesiasticall cause also, betwixt Pope Gregory himselfe, and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople, in which the Pope confesseth, that it well beseemed a Christian Prince to command, not onely other Bishops, but euen the Bishop of Rome him­selfe. And as it was fit for the Emperour to commaund, so the same Pope iudged it his duty, and fit for him to obey. Vobis Greg. l. 4. E­pist. ca▪ 76. obedientiam praebere desidero, I am desirous to yeald obedience vnto you, I am Ego iussioni subiectus lib. 2 ca, 100. subiect to your commaund. Ego Lib. 4, Epist, ca. 76. Impera­tori obedienti­am praebin▪ lib. [...], ca. 100. dominorum iussionibus obedientiam praebens: I am obedi­ent to the commaunds of my Lord, and of the Emperour. How often and vsually doth he giue the Emperour those Titles which are witnesses of his loyalty and subiection [Page] vnto him, My Lord, my gratious Lord, my sacred Lord, and the like? And such were Popes sixe hundereth yeares after Christ, at which time Greg prim us obijt an. 604. Palm. in sup­plem, Eu [...]eb. this Pope Gregory liued.

To these I wil adioyne but one more, Leo the fourth, who liued Leo 4. caepit an. 847, Palm. aboue eight hundreth yeares after Christ. Whose loyall subiec­tion to two Emperors, Lotharius and Lewes his Son, their own Ca­non Law hath for euer recorded. First, to the Father De capitulis et praeceptis▪ im periabbus i [...]re­fragabiliter custodiendis, quanto valui­mus, et vale­mus, nunc et in aeuum nos cō ­seruatuios mo­dis omnibus profitemur. Leo 4. Lothar. August. Di­stinct 10. ca. d [...] capitulie. Lotharius, this Pope most solemnly promised, that as much as in him lay, he would for euer & euery way be obedient to his, and his predeces­sors Imperiall praecepts. Afterwards, when complaint was made to Lewes the sonne, of some disorders in the Popes gouernment, this Leo the fourth writ vnto cau. 2, q. 7. cae [...] Nos si incom­petenter. him in this manner. If we haue done ought amisse towardes those that are vnder vs: Vestro admissorum nostrorum cuncta volumus emendare iudicio, Wee will amend all our faults, not by your aduice or admonitiō, but Vestro iudicio, by your Iudgement: beseeching the clemency of your highnes, to send such as may narrowly sift all thinges, and that not onely these, but all matters, Siue minora, siue etiam maiora, both greater and smaller, that all may be iudged and ended Sint de nobis iudicata nego­tia. by them. Thus were Popes in all matters, greater and smaller, yea euen in Ecclesiastical causes, as by these you doe perceiue, how much more in ciuill, subiect to the Emperors, as to their Lords, to their Iudges, to their Soue­raignes, almost for nine Leo 4. obij [...] an. 853 Palm▪ in supp. Euf. hundreth yeares after Christ.

As yet was not knowne, this new found Monarchy and Soue­raignety ouer all Kings and Kingdomes; as yet had neuer bin seen his authority in deposing Kings, and disposing their Kingdomes and Empires. Nor long after this, vntill about two hundereth yeares after Leo the fourth, Pope Hildebrand, the very fire-brand of Christendome (though they haue Sainted him in their Calen­dare) first of all tooke vppon him to put in practise that transcen­dent, and most extrauagant authority, deposing the Emperour Henricum re­gē imperatori [...] administratio ne regia (que) deij­ci, & Chri­stianos omnes imperio subie­ctosiuramento illo absoluo, quo fidem ve▪ ris regibus pr [...] stare consueuerūt. Form. Abrog. Pontif. apud Plat. in vita. Greg. 7. et Henrico regiāpotestatem adimo▪ interdicoque Christianis omnibus, ne Henrico vlla in re obtemperent, Rodulphum in regē suscipian [...] Execc. Greg, 7. apud Plat. Saxones rebellant instinctu Hildebrandi papa. Imperatorem abiurant, Ro­dulphum regē statuunt corona et à Papa missa, cui erat inscriptū, Petrae dedit▪ Petro, Petrus deadem▪ Rodulpho. Sigebert in an. 1077. Henry the 4. and giuing his Empire to Duke Rodulph: Of which act of his, Otho Frisingensis, a worthy Historian near to those times, thus writeth. ^y Lego et relego: I read, and read ouer againe the acts of the Romain Kings and Emperours, and I no where finde any of [Page] them to haue been excommunicated or depriued of his kingdome by the Pope, before this Henry.

This was the first Hactenus san­ctissimi patres quemadmodum Christus et le­gatieius fecerūt et alios docut­runt, Caesaresin terris à Deo se­c [...]ndos, anteom nes mortales, pri mos. i supremo numine dat [...]s, diuinitus con­stitutos renera­bantur, Hilde­brandus vtrā (que) personā sibi im­positam à Chri­sto, omnem po­testatem in se transferre: Cae­sares, reges, Au­gustos, et preca­rio regnantes flocci sacere▪ &c Auent. Annal. li. 5. p. 446. 447 time, and that was more then a thousand yeares after Christ, when the Popes Buls began to push at Kings and Kingdomes. But with such vnhappy successe both to the gi­uer and receiuer, as might iustly haue affrayed all others, eyther to giue or take the like againe.

Hildebrand the vniust Doner of the Empire, by a general Hildebrandum papam vnanimiter abdicarunt. Abb. Vesperg. in an. 1083 et Sigeb. in an. 1084. Hilde­brandus tanquam lupus fur ac latro relat [...] persidus transfuga, o [...]ium desertor, gregi [...] pro­ditor, charitatis o­s [...]r▪ ommū consen­s [...] abdicatur, A­uent. an▪ lib. 5. pa▪ 462. con­sent, being put from the Popedome, died in Sige. et Abb. ves. in an. 1085. banishment at Sal [...] in Normandie: and at his death (as Sigebert relateth) confessed to God and the whole Church, that hee had grieuously offended in his pastorall Office, Et suadente diabolo, contra human [...]m genus, odium et iram con [...] ▪ asset: and that by the perswasion of the deuill, he had stirred vp strife and hatred against mankind: and withall sent his confessor to the Church & to the Emperor, vt optaret ei iudulge [...]iā, to aske forgiuenesse in his behalfe. This was the end of the Pope Hildebrand: In quē clamat sanguis Ecclesiae, against whom (saith Cardi­nal Benno) the bloud of the church crieth vnto God for vengeance.

Rodulph the vniust receiuer of the Empire, some three yeares af­ter▪ he had got the same, in a battel against the deposed Emperor, had his right hand cut off, & at his death gaue a memorable war­ning, reported in Abbas Abb. ves. in an. 1080. Vespergensis, to all violators of theyr oaths and alleigiance, and to all vsurpers of Kingdomes, vpon a­ny such Title, for being in Extremts at the point of death, looking vpon the stump of his maimed arme, and fetching a deepe sigh, This (quoth he) is the hand wherewith I sware alleigiance to my Lord the Emperor Henry, and behold I now leaue both his king­dome, and with it my owne life.

Thus you see how Sathan, who as the Apostle foretold, Apoc. 20. 2. was chained & bound for a thousand yeares, as soone as he got loose, at the end ^f of those years, began shortly after in Pope Hildebrand to bestirre himselfe, and prepare a way: for this papall Monarchy. And indeede he onely made way vnto it, laying as it were the foundation thereof, though I confesse he layed that low enough, euen as low as is the pit of Hell. But for the stately buil­ding d Ben. apud Abb­vesp. in an 1077 of his Monarchy, it was not erected diuers hundereths of yeares after Hildebrand. In the daies▪ of Pope Eugenu [...]s the thirde, al­most [Page] an Circa an. 1150. Palm. hundreth years after Hildebrand, when some were excee­ding busie in this building, Saint Barnard with great courage and constancy opposed himselfe vnto them, and oppugned this papall Monarchy. Disce sarculo tibi opus esse non sceptro, said he to Barn. lib. 2. de consid▪ ad Euge. Pope Eu­genius. A Shepheards staffe is fit for you, not a Kinges Scepter▪ S. Peter could not giue you Dominion or Soueraignety, hee had it not, Quod habuit hoc dedit, That which he had he gaue you, solli­citude and care ouer the Church, not Dominion. Nay, this is the very forme and order of the Apostle, Dominatio interdicitur, indici­tur i Bar. l 3: de c [...] ­sid. ad Eug. ministratio, Domination and Soueraignety is forbidden, mini­stration and seruice is inioyned. And again, Dispensation is com­mitted vnto you, not the possession of the world: Si pergis vsurpa­re & hanc, contradicit tibi, qui dicit▪ Meus est orbis. If you go forward to vsurp or claime this dominion of the world, God himselfe wil controule you, The earth is mine, and al that is therein. Thus and much more to this ende, writ Saint Barnard in those daies, aboue eleauen hundreth yeares after Christ.

In the dayes of Lewes the 4. Duke of Bauare the Emperour, who liued almost three Obijt Lud. u 4 an. 1346. Palm hundred yeares after Hildebrand, it was ad­iudged high Treason by the Imperiall Lawes, as before I decla­red, and little lesse in this our Kingdome, in the daies of King Ri­chard the second, either to affirme, or to assent to others, affirming either of these imperiall kingdomes to bee helde of Quia nonnul­li in assertiones detest [...]biles prorumpant, as­serentes faila­citer Imperialē potestatem esse à Papa, Coast. Lu [...]u. 4. apud Balb. Episc. Gurc. lib. de co­ron. ad Carol. 5. pa. 39. Contra nos, et Imperia­lem authoritatē dignitatem, po­testatem, et ius Imperij allega­tur, quod pote­stas et authori­tas imperialis est à papa. Decr Lud. 4. apud Naucl. in ann. 1338. the Pope, which were then declared to be immediately held of God, and of none other, which part of those imperiall Lawes beeing in truth most sacred and diuine, when, by whom, & by what i [...]st autho­rity it was euer repealed or adnulled, wil be very hard, I suppose, to declare: and this was about foureteene Rich. 2. reg­nare desijt ann. 1399. Stow. hundreth years after Christ. Let me now discend but one step lower, euen to our owne times, and to these daies, wherein though the workmen and mai­ster builders of Babylon, incessantly labour night and day to raze this Papall Monarchy like the Tower Gen. 11. 7. of Babylon, that the top thereof may reach vnto Heauen, yet to this day is it not erected: God by his vnsearchable wisedome and goodnesse, so infatuates and confounds the builders thereof, as he did Ib. r. 7. 9. of old▪ that what some of them by their craft and great cunning erect and set vppe, others of their owne sect, with might and maine doe pull downe [Page] the same: diuers Citati a [...] ud Bell. lib. 5. de p [...]utif. R [...]m. ca. 1. §. Tertia. & by Gear. Black­well in his large Examin. an. 1607. of their chiefe men, among whom is Cardinall Bellarmine, with many euident demonstrations confirming, that Bellar. lib. 5. de pont. Ro. ca. 2 Pas am non esse dominum totius mundi. the Pope is neither the Lord of the whole world, neither so much as Lord of the Christian world; yea further, Bell. ibid. ca. 4. & Pontificē vt pontifice [...] nō habere directe et immeditate vllam tempora­lem potestatem ibid. ca. §. Ter­tia. directe or iure diuino non habere vllam temporalem iurisdictionē, that directly, or by the Law of God, the Pope hath no temporall iurisdiction of any place in the world. So that notwithstanding the common iudgment of their greatest Diuines: the cōsent of their Canonists; the sentence of their holy Mother the Church; the decrees and determinati­ons of the Popes, in which Bozius and Carerius triumphe, as if the field were won: notwithstanding, all this I say, euen to this day as you see, that is, more then sixteen hundreth yeares after Christ, ^r Papam non es­se Dominum to­tius orbis Chri­stiani. Bell, ib. cap. 3. this Papall Monarchy is not erected.

Did I say, it is not erected? I say more, This Tower of Babylon neither can, nor euer shalbe erected. Not so much because by gods▪ iust iudgment, the tongues and trowels of those builders are most strangely confounded, but because they build it in pride to Gen. 11, 4. get thēselus a name, & that they may say as did old Babylon in the Pro­phet, I say 47, 7, 8. Apoc. 18. 7. I sit as a Queen, I shallbe a Lady for euer, I am & none else; now this is Gods honour and decree, Isa. 23. 9. to stain the pride of all glory, and bring to contempt al them that be glorious in the earth: And chiefely because they built it, as we haue now decla­red, against the will and the eternall word of God, whose trueth shall stand firme for euer: nay, which is worst of all, they builde it euen in contempt and despight of the Lord, who hath said, A­poc. 18. 2. Babylon shall fall, yea, for Praeterito vti tur profuturo vt certissimum esse sciamus quod dicit. Ri­ber. in ca. 14. Apoc. pa. 373. certainety thereof, Babylon is fallen: & therefore howsoeuer for ruinating thereof, the means in mans eye be most weak and vnlikely; howsoeuer again for vp­holding and erecting thereof, all craftes, deuises, and meanes be vsed, which in mans iudgement are most strong and vnconquera­ble, yet shall Babylon fall, because true is the God who hath saide it, and Apoc. 18. 8. strong is the Lord of hosts who will effect it: and there is no wisedom, nor vnderstanding, nor counsel against the Lord. Pro. 21. 30. My conclusion of this whole point, is that, which if the time had permitted, I purposed more at large to haue hande­led. Though these men striue, and like a Cadmean or▪ Midianitish Iudg. 7. 22. generation, fight among themselues, and sheath their swordes [Page] in theyr owne fellowes bowels, quarrelling about the nicetie of that our poore distinction, Directe and Indirecte, whereof, whether soeuer be said, to vs, and for the truth it skilleth not: yet seeing they all Carer. et quos il­le citat. l. 2, ca. 9. Bellar. et quos il­le citat. lib. 5 de pont. Rom. co. 1. et ca. 6▪ 7. 8. ioyntly professe, & resolutely defend such a soueraignty in the Pope, as that his Iudgement, and his commaund, must be the last and most certaine rule, both of faith, and of al obedience: As there can bee no true: faith in them▪ seeing they relye on so fallible and sandy a foundation, as is the Iudgement of man; yea, of one man, and him euen the man of Sinne: So cannot that pos­sibly bee true loyalty, nor sincere obedience, which euer atten­ding to an-higher command▪ includes in it, as in a Troian. Horse▪ that condition of ( Petatur inter­pretatio Bullae pij. 5 contra Eliz. vt obliget Catholico, nullo modo rebus sic stantibus, sed tum demum quando publica e­iusdem Bulla exe cutio fieri poterit. Ha [...] pradictas gra tias concepit su­mus Pontisex pa­tri Rob. Parso­nio, & Edmundo Campiano, in Angliam profec­turis, die. 14. A­pril prasente patre Oliuerio Manario assistente, Facult. comc. Parso. & Camp. Rebus sie stantibus; durante beneplacito, or the like, which must euer stand or fall at the Popes becke and plea­sure; and out of which if ( Si principes co­nentur averter [...] populum a side, omnium consensu, possunt & debent priuari suo domi­nio: & tenentur Christiani nō pa­ti super se talem Regem. Quod si Christiani oli [...] non deposueru [...] Neronem Diocle­sia [...]m valentem Arrianum & si­miles; id suerat quia de [...] ▪ vires temporales Chri­stiauis▪ Bellar. lib 5. de pont. Rom. cap. 7. 6. proba­tur. & §. Quods strength▪ and opportunity might serue (as I pray and hope in God that it shall neuer) or if Rebus sic stan­tibus, were once changed into Rebus cadentibus; those Romishi Si­nons, can easily and with a ready ginne, let out whole Armies and troops of armed mē, sodenly to surprise both church & kingdom.

True Loyalty (which I doubt not but you do performe, and to the constant and continuall performance whereof, I earnestly ex­hort you all this day) is to looke at our Soueraigne, as at one pla­ced immediately by God, placed in Gods owne Throne, pla­ced in the steede of God himselfe among vs: And then to loue, honour, and obey him, not for other respects, but for that Loue, Religious dutie and conscience, which wee owe vnto God, who placed him in his own throne, and in his own stead to gouerne vs.

To honour and obey him for fear, is seruility and basenesse; to obey for gaine or profit, is selfe-loue; to obey with that imply­ed condition, is Implicite, Rebellion, and Antichristian; to loue and honour him (as wee all ought) for his owne Piety, Vertue, and goodnesse, is Christian Charity; but to loue and obey him for Gods owne cause, who set him in his owne Throne, to rule in his own steed, is true and Christian Loyalty, true and most loy­all Subiection. And this be spoken of the first particular braunch proposed; Namely, from whom the King had or held his king­dome, euen immediately from God, who made him King, who set him in his Throne, and in his steed ouer the people.

[Page]The other particular; Namely, what moued or induced God to place Salomon ouer his people, which was no desert of theirs, either King or people, but his owne fauour and free loue vnto them, I purposely omit, and in that short remainder of the allow­ed time, intend to speake a little of the last point, and then com­mend you all to the grace of God.

She gaue the King six score Talents of Gold, and of sweet Odours excee­ding much, and precious stones] These great, magnificent, and prince­ly gifts bestowed by this Queene on King Salomon, as the like al­so from other Princes sent vnto him. 1. Kin. 10, 25. was not for any want or necessity at all, for Siluer was nothing esteemed in Salomons dayes. 1. King. 10. 21. he gaue Siluer as stones, verse 27. and exceeded al the Kings of the earth in riches, ver. 23. But they were outward & euident testimonies of that reuerence & loue, & of that louing & honorable respect, which both she and they had to King Salomon.

The like customes of giuing presents, hath bin vsuall from sub­iects also, thereby to testifie, not only their loue, as did strangers, but their loyalty also to their Soueraignes. Suetonius In vir. Aug. cap. 57. 58. reportes, that the Romans by their Strenae or annuall presents, testified their loue to Augustus, whom they honoured as Patrem patriae. Of King Iehosaphat it is said. 2. Chron. 17, 5. that in token of their loue and loyall affections, All Iudah brought presents to Iehosophat. On the contrary, it is said of those wicked men, sonnes of Belial, and vn­dutifull Subiects of King Saule, the wicked men despised him, and brought him no presents 1. Sam. 10. 27.

It is not my purpose to speak of this particular vnto you, though I might truely compare the willingnes and readinesse of the sub­iectes of our SALOMON, to those of Constantius Clorus, father vnto Constantine the Great. Of whom Eusebius saith, Abiecta om­ni cūctatione, mature, auro, argento & a­lijs opum ge­neribus aeraria eius complete laborant. Stu­dio quodam & ardore inter se, quo alius a­lium in largi­endo supera­ret, vehemen­ter contēdunt. Euseb. in vit. Const. lib. 1. cap. 10. that they did striue, and vehemently contend among themselues to fill the Emperours Treasury, reioycing greatly, that now they had that long wished for opportunity, to witnesse their beneuolous harts and minds vnto the Emperour. Whereupon he truely and excel­lently saide, That the loue of the people is the richest and safest Treasury of the Prince.

But for the generality, which is the outward testifying of loue and loyalty, In ▪ust needs say thus much, that it is the honour of [Page] our Religion, and the honour of so religious a people, and no doubt, it is also the ioy and comfort of our Soueraigne, to haue [...]eeretofore so often seene, and daily, especially on this day, to [...]ehold euery where so many, so manifest & publick, so solemn & [...]o religious testifications, both of the loue and loyalty of his people vnto him.

At his happy Inauguration, whereof this day is but a resemblāce and a rememberance vnto vs, how did not onely all the people throughout the land, of all sorts, sexe [...], & degrees, reioyce in that blessing of the Lord, but (as this day also) euen our Temples, our houses, our streets, did witnesse and proclaime that publicke ioy: No otherwise then did the people of Israel, at the Inauguration of their Salomon, 1. Kings. 1, 39▪ 40. All the people ran after him, [...]iping with Pipes, blowing Trumpets, & reioycing with so great [...] ioy, that the earth rang with the sound thereof; and crying with all their might, God saue King Salomon.

The people to testifie their loue, vsed to celebrate some festiual dayes in honour of their Emperor. Sometimes Natalem ortus, the day of the Emperors birth, as the Romans in Suetonius Natalem e­ius sponte, bi­duo semper celebrarunt. Suet. in. vit. Aug. cap. 57. of their own [...]ccord, obserued two dayes euery yeare for the byrth of Augustus: Sometimes Natalem Imperij, the day of their Inauguration, when they first came to the Empire, as did the people in Aelius Natalē Im­perij statuit ce­lebrandum. Spart. in vit. Adrian. Spartia­tus, in honor of Adrian. their Emperor. Somtimes Natalem salutis, [...]he day of the Emperours preseruation or deliuerance from some great & imminent danger. So did the Romans, when they heard of the safety and recouery of Germanicus, whom they expected to succeede Tiberius; they were so admirably ( S [...]et. in vit. Calig. cap. 6.) affected with ioy thereat, that euen in the night time they ra [...] with Lampes & Sa­crifices to the Capitoll, Ac pene reuu [...]sae templi fores, and for hast they had almost burst assunder▪ the gates of the Temple, euerie where with shouts and ioyfull exclamations, singing and crying, Salua Roma, salua patria, saluus est Germanicus, the City, the coun­try, and all is safe in the safety of Germanicus.

I may truely say, that as wee haue far greater cause, so haue we and the whole people of this land expressed farre greater ioy, both for the most happy birth, the most happy Inauguration, and those two most strange and most happy deliuerances of our most gracious Soueraigne. Those festiuall dayes obserued as a statute▪ [Page] in Israell, and euen this day, shall witnes to the whole world, and to all succeeding Ages, that as no people is more blessed of the Lord, so is none more thankfull vnto God, none more louing or loyall vnto their Soueraigne; In whose happinesse and safety, we most iustly may sing on this, and all our festiuall daies, Salua Bri­tanni [...], the Empire of great Brittaine is safe and happy, nay the Church of God is safe and happy, we and all the people of these kingdoms are safe and happy, in the safety & happinesse of KING IAMES. For whose continuall safety and felicity, wee will pray as did good Nehemiah, Nehe. 2, 3. God saue the King for euer.

I haue now according to my slender ability, handled those foure [...]euerall points, which in the beginning I proposed. The successe of al which, I earnestly commend to the grace of God, not doub­ting but that he, whose word 2. Sam. 1, 21. Isa. 55, 16, 11. like the Bow and Arrowes of Io­nathan, neuer returnes empty, will graunt some [...] of his blessings vpon them. Howsoeuer, this shall be my comfort, that God hath first, though very vnexpectedly called, and thus far as you see hath now inabled me, on this so ioyfull & solemne a day, in this so frequent and honourable an assembly, to performe some seruice vnto God, in testifying vnto you that truth wherein yee now constantly stand: In offering this day at his Temple, not a­ny [...], but the sweet smelling sacrifice of many hundreth, ye [...] many thousand religious and thankfull harts vnto God, in testi­fying my loue and duty to Sion, and to the peace of [...]: and lastly, in expressing, as ye haue al done with me this day, an hum­ble and most loiall affection to our most gracious Soueraigne, the annointed of the Lord.

And now for conclusion of all, let vs once againe and continu­ally pray, in those few, but most feruent and affectionate wordes of Nehemiah: God saue the King for euer, and let all the people say, Amen.

Laus Deo, vni, trino, in s [...]cula.