884 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
a very special manner concern the peace and welfare of their subjects, and the distribution of rewards and punishments among them. Of this sort are all things that concern the authoritative public conven- tions of church officers, and differences amongst them about their interests, practices, and public profession of doctrines; collations of legal dignities and benefices, by and with investitures legal and valid; all ecclesiastical revenues with their incidences; the courts and juris- dictions of ecclesiastical persons for the reglement of the outward man by censures and sentences of law, with the like. And as this whole matter is sufficiently confirmed by what was spoken before of the power of kings over the persons of all their subjects, and (for to what end should they have such a power, if in respect of many of them, and that in the chief concernments of their rule and govern- ment, it may never be exerted ?) so I should tire your patience if I should report one half of the laws, instances, and pleas, made, given, and used by the ancient Christian kings and emperors in the pursuit and for the confirmation of this their just power. The decrees and edicts of Constantino the Great, commanding, ruling, and disposing of bishops in cases ecclesiastical; the laws of Justinian, Charles the Great, Ludovicus his son, and Lotharius his successor, with more in- numerable to the same purpose, are extant and known unto all. So also are the pleas, protestations, and vindications of most of the king- doms of Europe, after once the pretensions of Papacy began to' be broached to their prejudice. And, in particular, notable instances you might have of the exercise of this royal power in the first Chris- tian magistrate invested with supreme authority, both in the case of Athanasius, Socrat. lib. i. cap. 28, and cap. 84, Athan. Apol. 2, as also of the Donatists, Euseb. lib. x. cap. 5, August. Epist. 162, 1G6, and Advers. Crescon. lib. iii. cap. 1 7; whereunto innumerable instances in his successors may be added.
8. Protestants teach unanimously that it is incumbent on kings to find out, receive, embrace, and promote the truth of the gospel, and the worship of God appointed therein, confirming, protecting, and de- fending of it by their regal power and authority; as also, that in their so doing they are to use the liberty of their own judgments, informed by the ways that God hath appointed for that end, inde- pendently of the dictates, detenninations, and orders of any other person or persons in the world, unto whose authority they should be obnoxious. Heathen kings made laws for God, Dan. iii. vi. ; Jonah iii. And the great thing that we find any of the good kings of Judah commended for is, that they commanded the worship of God to be observed and performed according unto his own a^^pointment. For this end were they tlien bound to write out a coi)y of the law with their own hands, Deut. xvii. 18, and to study in it continually.
POWER OF KINGS IN MATTERS ECCLESIASTICAL. S85
To this purpose were they warned, charged, exhorted, and excited Ly the prophets; that is, that they should serve God as kings. And to this purpose are there innumerable laws of the best Christian kings and emperors still extant in the world.
In these things consists that supremacy or headship of kings which Protestants imanimously ascribe unto them, esj)ecially those in Eng- land to his royal majesty. And from hence you may see the frivolous- ness of sundry things you object unto them, —
As, first, of the scheme or series of ecclesiastical power which you ascribe to prelate Protestants and the laws of the land, from which you say the Presb}iierians dissent; which you thus express: —
" By the laws of om' land, our series of govern- ment ecclesiastical stands thus :
God,
Christ,
King,
Bishop,
Ministers,
People.
f God,
' The Presbyterian pre- J Christ, dicament is thus : 1 Minister, [ People.
" So that the minister's head, in the Presbyterian predicament, toucheth Christ's feet immediately, and nothing intervenes. You pretend, indeed, that hereby you do exalt Christ. But this is a mere cheat, as all men may see with their eyes; for Christ is but where he was : but the minister indeed is exalted, being now set in the king's place, one degree higher than the bishops, who by law is under king and bishops too."
If I mistake not in my guess, you greatly pleased yourself with your scheme, wherein you pretend to make, forsooth, an ocular de- monstration of what you undertook to prove ; whereas, indeed, it is as trivial a fancy as a man can ordinarily meet withal. For, — 1. Neither the law, nor prelates, nor Presbyterians, ascribe any place at all unto the king's majesty in the series of spiiHtual order; he is neither bishop, nor minister, nor deacon, or any way authorized by Christ to convey or communicate power merely spiritual unto any others. No such thing is claimed by our kings, or declared in law, or asserted by Protestants of any sort. But in the series of exterior government, both prelate Protestants and Presbyterians assign a supremacy over all persons in his dominions, and that in all causes that are inquirable and determinable by or in any court exercising jurisdiction and authority, unto his majesty. All sorts assign unto him the supreme place under Christ in external government and jurisdiction. None assign him any place in spiritual order, and merely spiritual power. 2. If you place bishops on the series of exterior government, as appointed by the king and confirmed by the law of the land, there is yet no difference with respect unto them. 3. The question, then, is solely about the series of spiritual order, and thereabout it is confessed there are various apprehensions of Pro-