A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

I shall give you a brief account of their thoughts in this whole matter.

First, They say, that the King is the supreme Governor over all Persons whatever, within his Realms and Dominions, none being exempted on any account from subjection unto his Regal Authority. How well you approve of this Proposition in the great assignations you pretend unto Kingly power we shall afterwards enquire. Protestants found their persuasion in this matter, on the Authority of the Scripture both Old Testament and New, and the very Principles constituting Sovereign Power amongst men. You speak fair to Kings, but at first dash exempt a considerable number of their born subjects owing them indispensable natural Allegiance, from their jurisdiction. Or this sort are the Clergy. But the Kings of Judah of old were not of your mind. Solomon certainly thought Abiathar though High Priest subject to his Royal Authority, when he denounced against him a sentence of death, and actually deposed him from the Priest hood. The like course ⟨p. 405⟩did his successors proceed in. For neither had God in the first provision he made for a King amongst his people, Deut. 18. nor in that prescription of the manner of the Kingdom which he gave them by Samuel, once intimated an exemption of any persons, Priests or others from the Rule or Authority of the Prince, which he would set over them. In the New Testament we have the Rule, as the practice in the Old, Rom. 13. Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers, the power that bears the sword, the striker. And we think that your Clergy men have souls (at least pro sale) and so come within the circumference of this Command and Rule. Chrysostom in his Comment on that place is of our mind, and prevents your pretence of an exception from the Rule by special Privilege, giving us a distribution of the universality of the Persons here intended into their several kinds. [Greek or Hebrew]. He showeth that these things are commanded unto all, unto Priests and Monks, and not to secular persons only, which he declareth in the very entrance of his Discourse, saying Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers; whither thou be an Apostle, or an Evangelist, or a Prophet, or whatever thou be. For subjection overthrows not Piety. And he saith not simply, Let him obey, but let him be subject. The very same instances are given by Theodoret, Oecumenius, and Theophilact. Bernard, Epist. 42. ad Archiepisc. Senonens.