To be short, Queen Elizabeth doth, as did Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, as Constantine, Valentinian, Gratian, Theodosius, Arcadius, Honorius, and other godly Emperors have done. God hath given charge to her of both Tables. In the first she hath charge of Religion, in the other, of Civill causes. By the Prophet Isaiah God promiseth to his Church,1 Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and Queens thy Nurses. And David saith:2 Be wise therefore ye Kings, be learned ye Judges of the earth, serve ⟨p. 52⟩the Lord in fear. Upon which place, the learned father Augustine saith:3 Quomodo ergo Reges seruiunt Domino in timore, nisi •a quae contra jussa Domini fiunt, religiosa severitate prohibendo atque plectendo? aliter enim seruit quia homo est: aliter quia rex est. Quia homo est, ei seruit vivendo fideliter: quia verò etiam rex est, seruit ei leges justa praecipientes, & contraria prohibentes conuenienti rigore sanciendo, sicut seruivit Ezechias, &c. Howe then do Kings serve the Lord in fear, but in that they do forbid, and in a religious severity punish such things as are done against the Lords commandments? for he serveth after one manner, as a man, and after another, as a Prince: as a man he serveth the Lord in living faithfully: but in that he is also a King, he serveth him by making Laws, which command the things that are right, and which with convenient rigour forbid the contrary. as Hezekiah served the Lord, when he destroyed the Woods, and Temples of Idols, and those high places, which were built against the commandments ⟨p. 53⟩of God, as JOSIAH served, doing also the like: as the King of Nineveh served, gathering together all his City, to appease the wrath of the Lord: as DARIUS served, giving authority to DANIEL to break the Idol, and casting his enemies into the Lions: as NEBUCHADNEZZAR served, of whom we spake before, who by a terrible Law forbade all within his kingdom, to blaspheme God. In ho• ergò (saith he) seruiunt domino Reges, quando ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi, quae non possunt facere nisi Reges. Herein therefore do Kings serve the Lord, when they do those things to serve him, which none may do but Kings. The Pope therefore writeth unadvisedly. We know not any so mom strous & unlawful doing. It is her office, it is her duty. I trust God will give her grace to discharge the same to his glory.
To be short, Queene Elizabeth doth, as did Moses, Iosua, Dauid, Salomon, Iosias, Iehosaphat, as Constantine, Valentinian, Gratian, Theodosius, Arcadius, Honorius, and other godly Emperors haue done. God hath giuē charge to hir of both Tables. In the firste she hath charge of Religion, in the other, of Ciuill causes. By the Prophet Esay God promiseth to his Church,1 Kings shall be thy noursing Fathers, and Queenes thy Nursses. And Dauid saith:2 Be wise therfore ye Kings, be learned ye Iudges of the earth, serue ⟨p. 52⟩the Lord in feare. Upon which place, the learned father Augustine saith:3 Quomodo ergo Reges seruiunt Domino in timore, nisi •a quae contra iussa Domini fiunt, religiosa seueritate prohibendo atque plectendo? aliter enim seruit quia homo est: aliter quia rex est. Quia homo est, ei seruit viuendo fideliter: quia verò etiam rex est, seruit ei leges iusta praecipientes, & contraria prohibentes conuenienti rigore sanciendo, sicut seruiuit Ezechias, &c. Howe then doe Kings serue the Lord in feare, but in that they doe forbidde, and in a religious seueritie punish suche things as are done againste the Lordes commaundementes? for hee serueth after one maner, as a man, and after another, as a Prince: as a man he serueth the Lord in liuing faithfully: but in that he is also a King, he serueth hym by making Lawes, which commaunde the thinges that are right, and whiche with conuenient rigour forbid the contrarie. as Ezechias serued the Lord, when he destroyed the Woodes, and Temples of Idolles, and those highe places, whiche were builte againste the commaundements ⟨p. 53⟩of God, as IOSIAS serued, doing also the like: as the King of Niniute serued, gathering togither al his Citie, to appease the wrath of the Lord: as DARIVS serued, giuing auctoritie to DANIEL to breake the Idol, and casting his enimies into the Lions: as NABVCHODONOSOR serued, of whome we spake before, who by a terrible Lawe forbad al within his kingdome, to blaspheme God. In ho• ergò (saith he) seruiunt domino Reges, quando ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi, quae non possunt facere nisi Reges. Herein therefore do Kings serue the Lord, whē they do those things to serue him, which none may do but Kings. The Pope therefore writeth vnaduisedly. We know not anye so mō strous & vnlawful doing. It is hir office, it is hir dutie. I trust God will giue hir grace to discharge the same to his glorie.
- 1Isaiah. 49.Esay. 49.
- 2Psalm. 2.
- 3Epist. 50. ad Bonifaciū Comitem.Epist. 50. ad Bonifaciū Comitem.
