appertained to military affaires And so from the first establishing of the law of Moyses the Temple and Synagogue was committed to the Tribe of LEVI the scepter and regall Authoritie was giuen to the Tribe of IVDA in like sort in the law of Grace when the Church came to her greatest perfection Christ appointed particularly Apostles Doctours Ephes 4. and Pastours to gouerne the Church and confirmed Princes in their temporall Authoritie commanding that obedience should be giuen to the Pastour in spirituall matters and to the Prince in temporall Mat. 22 Rom. 13 2. VVherfore least in giuing one of these Potentates too much Mat. 22 I may do iniutie to the other I must follow our Sauiours Commandement and so giue to Cesar that which belongeth to him that I take not from God and his Church what appertaineth to them And although in giuing both but their due I may perchance displease one yet if I may haue that indifferent audience which the grauitie and equitie of the cause requireth I hope to offend neither and how soeuet it happen I had rather displease then do wronge or iniurie And wheras in our Iland by the sway of Authoritie and terrour of lawes it hath bene made High Treason to denie the Prince Authoritie in matters Ecclesiasticall I protest that what I shall say in this matter proceedeth not from any disloyall minde towards my Princes true Authoritie nor from any itching desire I haue to lay open the disgrace of my Countrie which I would rather couer if it were possible with my owne life and bloud and to discharge my self from all iust imputation of Treason I desire to haue the leaue to plead this onlie for my defence that if this be Treason in mee not onlie all Catholick Priests Doctours and Prelates of the Church but also all the ancient subiectes not onlie of England but of all other Christian Countries must incurre the same imputation with me because there was neuer Christians before our English Protestants that gaue Ecclesiasticall power to Princes and there was neuer King of England or of any other Countrie what soeuer that euer was so hardie as to challenge such Authoritie before King HENRIE the Eight which his Challenge seemed so preposterous and monstrous that all the World stood and to this day standeth amazed at it and euen our Puritanes at home and all the new sectes abroade do abhorre and derest it And I in this Chapter shall bring such Argumentes against it that I hope that euen our English protestants who hitherto haue adored it wil be ashamed hence forth to submitt them selues to so monstrous Authoritie 3. My first Arguments shall be drawen from scriptures them selues For if the King had any such Authoritie then no doubt scripture which â—s aboue wee haue seene so often inculcateth Princes Authoritie in matters temporall would neuer haue kept silent this Ecclesiasticall power if they had had any such this being the greater and more eminent but scripture neuer giueth Princes this Authoritie neuer commandeth Christians to obey them in Ecclesiasticall matters but rather giueth that Authoritie to Apostles Bishops and Pastours and Commandeth obedience in this kinde to them not to Princes ergo Princes haue no Authoritie to command in Ecclesiasticall matters The Minor Proposition in which onlie consists the difficultie I proue out of those places of Scripture which aboue I haue alleaged and here will bring in againe yet to another purpose For to S. PETER no Temporall Prince but an Apostle and Pastour was promised the headship of the Church and consequently the soueraintie and supreame power of the Church Tues Petrus super hane Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Mat. â—6 The Hebrew hathâ— Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church And seing that to PETER it was sayd Thou art a Rocke to him also and not to CHRIST the Chiefe and independent Rocke nor to the faith of Christ as our Aduersaries would haue it it must needs be sayd and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church because the Relatiue This hath relation to him that was spoken of imediatly before which was only PETER not CHRIST nor the faith of CHRIST and therfore the Rocke and foundation of the Church and Head being all one it followeth that PETER and consequently the Pope his successour for the Church after PETERS tyme had as much neede or rather more of a Head and Pastour as in PETERS tyme and none euer practized Authoritie ouer all the Church but the Pope as all Councels and histories do witnesse is the supreme Head of the Church and so not euerie King no not any King in his Kingdome Apostles Prophetes Euangelists Pastours and Doctours onlie CHRIST gaue to gouerne his Church as S. PAVLE sayth not Princes Ephes 4. Mat. 18 To Apostles it was sayd VVhat soeuer you shall binde vpon earth shall be bound also in Heauen and what soe-euer you shall loose vpon earth shall be also loosed in heauen Ioan. 20 Neuer to Princes To Apostles it was said VVhose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained Neuer to Princes Of Bishops and Priests it was sayd Neb. 13. Obey your Prelates and be subiect to them for they watch as being to render account for your soules of Princes neuer rather they by these wordes are commanded also to obey Act. 20. To Bishops it was sayd Take heedâ— to your selues and the whole flocke wherein the Holie Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church which he hath purchased with his owne bloud to Princes neuer To a Bishop it was sayd Tit. 1. For this cause I left thee in CRETE that thou thouldst reforme the things that are wanting and thouldst order Priests by Cities as I also appointed thee To Princes neuer 4. I will not denie but that Princes are to assist the Church by sword scepter and Power and to punnish at the Churches direction not onlie Theefes and murderers but also Hereticks as CONSTANTINE and other Emperours did I graunt that they are nourcing Fathers Isay 49. but no Superiours to the Church And therfore if we read ouer both the old and new Testament we shall neuer finde that any King as King medled in the gouernment of Ecclesiasticall persons and matters 5. Bilson when he was VVardon of VVinchester wrote a booke called The True Difference betwixt Christian subiection and Vnchristian Rebellion in which he striueth but in vaine to prooue that the Prince hath supreme Authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and gouernment of the Church And to prooue this he citeth Nabuchodonosor Darius Par. 2. pag. 191 the King of Niniue Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Manasses Iosias and Nehemias as though they had gouerned the Ecclesiasticall affaires of the Synagogue In Tortura Torti pa. 363. So doth also D. ANDREWES But if I should graunt them that all these were by God appointed Rulers of
against God and his Churches right and honour VVherfore seeing that by this oath the true and lawfull Authoritle of your chiefe visible head and Pallour is abiured as this booke will make plaine vnto you imitate the wise serpent expose bodie liuings libertie and all for the defence of your Head and if your zealous Pastour and Primat S. THOMAS of CANTERBVRIE indured banishment reuilings contumelies iniuries and at length death it self for the defeÌ„ce of the rights of the Church how much more should you constantlie endure for the defence of the Head of the Church 18. And although Widdrington telles you and as he would seeme as a freind and one that hath care of your temporall estates that you are not bound to loose any penny for the Authoritie of the Pope which this oath abiureth yet I desire you to coÌ„pare VViddrington to those Allens Card. Allan in his Answ to the libeller Hardings Sanders Bâ—istowes Stapletons who had as great a care of your temporall and more of your spirituall estates and yet wrote and taught that the Authoritie which this oath abiureth is to be defended with hazard of liuings and life To these I'desire you to adde the CouÌ„cels not only Prouincial but also General which in their decrees haue defined this authoritie the Popes so many so learned so holie who haue exercized it vpon rebellious Princes the Kings and Emperours though most herein interessed who haue acknowledged it the arguments also deducted out of Scripture and Principles of faith and Diuinitie which do conuince it all which this booke will make known vnto you and lastly the fatherlie admonition of your most Holie Father and chiefe visible Pastour PAVL by the Grace of God the fifte of that name who as by office he hath a generall charge and care of all Christian Nations so hath he a particular care not only of the spirituall but also of the temporall estates of all English Catholikes as our Colledges haue and do daiely experience and consequentlie would not expose your temporall estates to the furie of the persecutour by forbidding you this oath if as he telleth you it did not containe thinges which can not be sworne without euident and grieuous wronging of Gods honour and which are flat contrarie to faith and saluation Paulus 5. in Breu. And therfore seeing that hee like a wise and carefull Phisitian hath more care of your health then of contenting your tast and humour and VViddrington contrariewise permitteth you that which is pleasing to flesh and bloud not so much respecting how preiudicious it is to your soules health if you will preferre heauen before a temporall estate and the soule before the bodie you must also preserre your Holie Fathers counsel and admonition especiallie grounded in such authoritie before all the smooth and soothing prescriptions in the world warraÌ„ted by onlie Widdringtons and some few obscure Authors authoritie for although he alleadgeth often the Doctors of Sotbon and all the state of France yet by the late resistance made by the Clergie and nobilitie of France against the like Oath who seeth not how he abuseth his reader and iniureth that noble Monarchie 19. But put the case you should preferre VViddringtons counsel before your chiefe Pastours admonition and all the authoritie alleadged neither so what soeuer he beareth you in hand should you saue your temporall estates or decline persecution For to omitte that if you had at the first iointlie and couragionslie resisted the oath it is like you should neuer haue been so hoatlie pressed with it if now you should all resolue to accept of it neither so should you auoide persecution For as I haue tould you perchaunce your yeelding in this point hath prouoked your heauenlie Fathers wrath and induced him in this his so iustlie conceiued anger to vse or permitt still the rodd of persecution which otherwise he was readie to haue layed aside and the persecutour who proposeth this oath not seeking so much the Princes securitie which rather hereby as I haue shewed in the last chapter of this booke is more endaungered as the molestation of your Consciences and the pillage of your goods would not though you should accept of this oath surcease therfore from persecution but if he could not by this meanes molest your consciences and ruine your estates he would try other meanes as to compell you to their Churches or prophane Communion And this you may gather by his sorrow he shewed when in the beginning so many of you yeelded to take this oath and by this also that many who haue taken this oath can not so free them selues from molestation because nothing but your goods and miseries can satisfie the vnsatiable crueltie of bloudie persecutours And so by yeelding to this oath as you prouoke Gods greater anger so you moue the persecutour to no compassion rather you make him more insolent and redouble your owne miserie But suppose you could thus shake of this hâ—auie yoke of persecution yet it beeing vnlawfull as your chiefe Pastour and â—earnedst Doctours teach you as hetherto rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis cognoscentes vos habere meliorem manentem substantiaÌ„ Heb 10 the spoile of your owne goods you haue taken with ioy knowing that you haue a better and permanent substance so do you perseuere and continue And if God permit the persecutour to prey not only on your goods but also on your liues yet nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus animam autem non possunt occidere c. Matt 10. feare not them that can kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and bodie into Hel. 10. Many thinges do make this oath vnlawfull as you will easilie perceaue by the briese examination which the last chapter of this treatise maketh of it but if there were nothing but this that it is an vncouth and vnwonted oath neuer yet proposed by any Prince vnto his subiects and proposed also by the professed Enemies of Gods Church all Catholikes that feare to offend God or to doe iniurie to the Church and her right and authoritie ought to holde it as suspected and as such to shunne it and auoyd it For it is no new thing for heretikes vnder colour of oathes of fidelitie and ciuil alleageance to deceaue the well meaning and nought-suspecting Catholike VVee read in the historie of the persecution of the Wandalles Victor Vticen lib. 3. de pers Vand. how Hunnericus proposed such an oath to the Catholike Bishops assembled together at Carthage preteÌ„ding onely therby to assure him selfe of their sidelitie towards him and his sonne that was to succeede him which if they would take he premised to send them home to their Churches The oath seemed â—â—rie reasonable and was no other then this Iurate si post obitum Domini nostri Regis eius filium Hildericum desideratis esse Regem vel si nullus vestrum ad Regiones
transmarinas epistolas diriget Sweare whether after the death of our Lord the King you desire that his sonne Hildericus should be King or that none of you will wrâ—â—e or send letters beyond the seas At this oath though in shew altogether lawfull the Catholike Bishops staggered and some of them suspecting all that cometh from the Enemies of Gods Church flatlie refused it others least the people should say that vitio sacerdotum qui iurare noluerunt non fuerint Ecclesiae restiturae by the fault of the Priests that would not sweare the Churches were not restored accepted of it But by and by appeared the hidden malice of the persecutour for he tooke aduantage thereby as well against those that swoare as those that refused to sweare To them that swoare his officers sayd VVhy against the commaundement of the Ghospell haue you â—Worne The King commaunded that you should neuer visit your Cities and Churchs againe but that being banished you should take lands to till colonatus iure by right of farmers and new Inhabitants yet with this condition also that you neither sing seruice nor pray nor carrie booke to reade nor Baptize nor giue orders nor reconcile any To them that refused to sweare they sayd quia regnum filii Domini nostri non optatis idcirco iurare noluistis c. Because you desire not that the sonne of our Lord the King should raigne after his Father therefore you would not sweare For which cause you are commaunded to be banished into the â—e of Corsica to hew trees for the Kings buildings So that in extraordinarie oathes the hereticall Magistrate hath sinister intentions and hidden meanings and vnder faire pretences coucheth malice and therfore all such oathes are by zealous Catholikes to be suspected much more this oath which in so plaine wordes abiureth the Popes lawfull authoritie which Councels and chiefe Doctors do giue him and which he hath practised so many yeares without contradiction of all sauing heretikes schismatikes and some few obscure authours ought to be houlden as suspected and as such of all timorous consciences to be auoided 21. VVherfore worthy Catholikes vse the benefit of persecution for that your good to which by God it is ordained or permitted let it serue for a winde to blow away your chaffe of Imperfections not to scatter the solid wheate of your faith charitie zeale feruour and constancie let it serue for a red sea to passe to the land of promise with the Israelites not to drowne you with the Aegiptians let it serue for a gale of wind to set you onward to the hauen of heauen not for a boysterous blast to driue you on the rockes of scandall let it serue for a blast to enkindle not to blow out your fier let it serue for a fire to purge you like gould not to melte and consume you like wax or lead to harden you as vessels sit to receaue Gods spirit and to carrie his name not to breake you in the heating And my dearest I vse S. PETERS words nolite peregrinari in feruore qui ad tentationem vobis sit quasi aliquid vobis contingat 1. Pet. 4. Thinke it not strauÌ„ge in the feruour which is to you for a tentation as though some new thing happened vnto you It is no new thing for the seruantes of God to suffer persecution but comfort your selues that in suffering for Instice you are companions to Christ the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Take heede that none of you suffer for disloyaltie or ill demeanour but whosoeuer suffereth as a true Christian that is as a Catholicke Romane for these two alwayes go together let him not be ashamed but let him glorine God 1. Pet. 2. for such suffering is but to purge him to try him to associat him to Christ and his faith to marke him for one of Christs souldiers to conforme and configurate him here to Christ patient that he may be coÌ„figurated in heauen to Christ triuÌ„phant VVherfore plucke vp your hartes and call to mynd your former victories hetherto you neuer encountred but you ouercame and prooued stronger theÌ„ all the Tibornes rackes and Gibbets then all the Engines and Ministers of crueltie doe not now by dastardie and cowardlike yeelding obscure your former glorie and mortifie your former merites but seing that you haue of humane frailtie yeelded in this one point let this your disgrace and foile receiued thereby serue for a busset of Satan to humiliate you with S. PAVL 2. Cor. 12. least the greatnes of your reuelations as it is a reuealed doctrine to count it honour and felâ—â—itie to suffer for Christ might extoll you let it serue for a memoriall to put you in mynd that heretofore by Christ and his graces not by your own force you ouercame let it serue as a Monitour to admonish you sitting in the triumphant chariot of your former victories that you are of your selues but mortall and frayle men let this fall make you rise with a rebounde to greater courage then euer that so all thinges euen falles may cooperate to your good Rom. 8. 22. But my zeale of your Honour VVorthie Catholickes hath transported me and made mee not only to exceede the limites of an Epistle but also to be more officious then perchaunce gratefull to some who may thinke that if I knew or at least fealt the miseries which they endure I should rather condesceÌ„d vnto them with VViddrington then vrge them so much to refuse this oath whose refusall is so daungerous to their persons and pernicious to their estates But I haue for such an answer in readines to wit that I am not ignorant of your extreame afflictions and that as I protest I neuer thinke of your sufferances seriouslie but I suffer with you sensiblie and would if so I might ease you spend my blood and hazard my life euen for a relaxation from your temporall miseries but being perswaded as I am and standing vpon so sure grounds as this Treatise will manifest vnto you as that Phisition were vnworthie his Profession that would prescribe onely such Phisick to his patient as is pleasing to his tast not caring how contrarie it be to his health so if I with a VViddrington would seeke to soothe and sute a worldlie humour and so my speeches be pleasing to flesh and bloud little regard the health and state of your soules and securitie of your consciences I were vnworthie the roome I fill the person I sustaine and the function of a Spiritual Physition which I haue vndertaken VVherfore if my Physick be distastfull refuse it not it being healthfull neither be you angrie with the Physition for prescribing so bitter a potion he therby intending your good and if my speeches seeme too plaine thinke they are sincere and spoken out of loue if sharpe and byting persuade your selues that meliora sunt vulnera diligentis quà m fraudulenta oscula odientis Prou. 27. Better are the wounds of him that loueth then the fraudulent kisses of him
that hateth This I am sure I giue you no other counsell then I would follow my selfe who haue that opinion of the vnlawfulnes of this oath that I would loose liuings libertie and life rather then take it not that I would not giue that to Caesar which is due to Caesar but that I would not take from God which appertaineth to God not that I neglect a temporal life and state but that I preferre the spirituall not that I despise the Prince to whom I acknowledge all tempor all obedience and honour but that I honour the Pastour who hath the rule of my soule not that I regard not the Common wealth but that I desire to liue and dy an obedient sonne of the Church not that I feare not them who can kill the bodie but that I feare God more who can kill the soule Matt. 10. 23. And my intention and proiect I protest of dedicating this Treatise vnto you was not to irritate any Prince but onlie to declare his Authoritie and office not to flatter any Prelate but onlie to defend his right not to increase your persecution but to ridde you of this Anathema which hath prolonged it not to adde affliction to affliction but courage to your fainting and comfort to your griefes to helpe them to rise that are sallen and to confirme them that stand that they may the better keepe their standing And this being my sincere intention I hope not onlie you but all others who shall peruse this booke will make their profit of it and interpret it in that good meaning which the Authour intended Our Lord IESVS for whose cause you endure either ease you of this burden of aduersities vnder which you grone or giue you strength to beare it comfort in bearing and make mee a follower of your rare examples an Imitatour of your patience and partaker of your merits as you shall euer be of my poore prayers and small labours A Preface To the Reader GEntle Reader I did not thinke to haue set out this little booke the second tyme much lesse did I intēd to adde any thing vnto it And although Widdrington in his New-yeares gifte hath of late here and there glanced against some words and speeches of myne where he imagined most aduantage yet I thought as I see other learned writers haue done to haue quite giuen him ouer and not to haue made the least replye as not being desirous to contend with such as are resolued not to yeelde hauing other businesses to many where with to occupie my self But the Printer who first tooke this booke in hād and other friends also īportuning me to let it come forth againe and alleadging that the copies of the first Edition were all spent and yet moe demaunded I was cōtent volens nolens yeelding herein more to importunitie then to myne owne inclination to publishe it once more and vpon this occasion of this new edition to adde here and there something either for a more ample explication or for answer to Widdringtons obiections I was willing I confesse and forward ynough the first tyme to write of this subiect For although as by an accident I was one of the last who wrote in the defence of this the chiefe visible Pastours Authoritie now in Englād impugned so I counted my selfe amongst the least yet as when an house is set on fire some carrie water others ladders and euerie one repayreth thether to shew at least his good will to extinguish it So in this Cōbustion in which not onlie Heretiques but also some of them who make profession of the Catholique name doe endeuoure to put fire euen to the secundarie foundation of God his Church to wit the chiefe vifible Pastours Authoritie I thought it the part of euerie zealous Catholicke to runne to the extinguishing of this fire for though all haue not the like dexteritie yet all may shew the like good will Which I hauing performed in the former Editiō of this little booke according to my abilitie I thought to haue surceased had not importunitie of friendes ouercome mee And therfore after this as I meane not to dispute any more of this point with thē with whōe as I gather by the repulse which greater men then my selfe haue receaued there is little hope to preuaile so I wish all Catholiques seing that they haue hearde their chiefe visible Pastours sentence to leaue of all Disputation touching this his Authoritie and simplie and humblie to obey his commādement and consequentlie to acknowledge the sayd Authoritie to refuse the Oath by him cōdemned and yet to obey the King our Soueraigne and Liege Lord in all ciuil and temporall causes to be faithfull to him and his Royall posteritie and to pray day lie for his maiesties longe and prosperous life that he may liue lōge to vs alwayes to God and so raigne longe in the Kingdome of England as he may raigne for euer in the Kingdome of heauen The Contents of the Chapters BY way of introduction it is shewed that there be two powers in the Church the one Ciuill the other Ecclesiasticall which are both necessary Chap. 1. Some Ciuill povver followeth immediatly from God and nature Regall povver proceedeth immediatly from the peoples election and Donation mediatly from Gods ordination Soe that after the election of the people and reception the king is superiour who may Command and bynde in conscience the people are subiects bound to obey Chap. 2. Ecclesiasticall power is also of God and is distinct from the Ciuill Iurisdiction which also all members of the Church are bound in conscience to obey Chap. 3. These two Iurisdictions and powers Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill are compared and conferred and the preeminence is giuen to the Ecclesiasticall Chap. 4. Ecclesiasticall and temporall Peeres and Princes are compared together and out of the Comparison is gathered that not only priuat laymen but euen temporall Princes though otherwise absolute are subiect to the Pastours of the Church and especially to the Supreme visible Pastour as is prooued by many arguments Chap. 5. That Princes Kings yea emperours haue no authority to gouerne the Church or to make Ecclesiasticall lawes neither are to be accounted heads or Superiours but subiects of the Church though protectours and defendours and therefore are modestly admonished of their duty and office Chap. 6. Although the Pope be not direct temporall Lord and Superiour of the world nor of any part therof by Christs expresse guift and donation but only of the patrimony of Sainct Peter giuen him by Constantine the Great and other Catholicke Princes and confirmed by the consent of the Christian world yet by the spirituall power which Christ gaue him in his predecessour S. Peter 10.21 he may dispose of temporall things and euen of kingdomes for the good of the church and conseruation of her and her faith right and the manner how and in what case he can thus dispose of temporalities is explicated chap. 7. By diuers places and
Which no man can denie but that it is spoken with the Emperours honour for what more honourable then that the Emperour should be called the sonne of the Church And then say I if he be a sonne he is a subiect no lesse then the sonne to the father The same Doctour in a booke wrote of Priestlie Dignitie sayth yet more Honor sublimitas Episcopalis sayeth he nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari Lib. de dignit sacerd cap. 2. Si Regum fulgori compares Principum Diademati longè erit inferius quà m si plumbi metallum ad auri fulgorem compares quippe cum videas Regum colla Principum submitti genibus sacerdotum exosculatis ecrum dexteris orationibus eorum credant se communiri The honour dignitie and Highnes of a Bishop cannot be equalized by any comparisons If thou compare it to Kinglie lustre and the diademe of Princes thou shalt say lesse then if thou shouldst coÌ„pare lead to the glittering gould for as much as thou seest Kinges and Princes neckes submitted to the knees of Priests and theÌ„ selues kissing their right handes to be waranted by their prayers Hom. 4. de verbis Isaiae S. CHYSOSTOME Regi corpora commissa sunt sacerdoti auima Rex maculas corporum remittit sacerdos autem maculas peccatorum Ille cogit hic exhortatur Ille necessitate hic consilio Ille habet armasensibilia bic arma spiritualia Ille bellum gerit cum Barbaris mihi sacerdoti bellnm est aduersus Daemones Maior hic Principatus propterea Rex caput submittit manui sacerdotis vbique in veteri scriptura sacerdotes inungebant Reges To the King bodies are committed to the Priest soules The King forgiueth the punishments of the bodie the Priest the blottes and blemishes of sinnes He compelleth the Priest exhorteth he by necessitie this by counsell he hath sensible weapons this spirituall he makes warre against the Barbares I the Priest am to wage battaile against the deuils Greater is this Principalitie and therfore the King inclineth his head to the hand of the Priest and euerie where in the old Testament Priests did annoint Kinges And againe SiquideÌ„ sacerdotiuÌ„ Principatus est Hom. 5. de verbis Isaiae ipso etiaÌ„ regno venerabilius ac maius c. Because Priest hoode is a Principalitie and that greater and more venerable then the Kingdome Speake not to mee of the purple and diademe and goulden robes these all be but shadowes and more vaine then springe flowers Speake not to mee of these thinges but if thou wilt see the difference betwixt a King and a Priest way the power giuen to them both and thou shalt see the Priest fitting much higher in dignitie then the Kinge For a though the Throne of a Kinge seeme to vs admirable for the pretious stones wherewith it is couered yet he hath allosted him onely the administration of earthlie thinges But to the Priest a throne is placed in heauen and he hath authoritie to pronounce sentence in heauenlie businesses Who sayth so Mat. 18. The King of the heauens him selfe What soeuer you shall bynde vppon earth shall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose vppon earth shal be loosed also in heauen What can be compared with this honour from earth heauen taketh the principall power of iudging For the iudge sitteth on earth our Lord folioweth his seruaunt and whatsoeuer he shall iudge heere below that he approueth aboue And a little after Eoque Deus ipsum regale caput sacerdotis manibus subiecit not erudiens quod hic Princeps est illo maior Siquidom id quod minus est benedictionem accipit ab eo quod praestantius est And so much God hathsubmitted the Kinges head to the handes of the Priest teaching vs that this Prince is greater then he for he that is lesse receaueth benediction from him that is greater Yea S. CHYSOSTOME giueth not only Bishops but also euen Deacons Hom. 33. in Matth hom 83. in eund Authoririe ouer Kings Si dux igitur quispiam saieth he si Consul ipse si qui diademate ornatur indignè adeat cohibe ac coërce maiorem tu illo potestatem habes If therfore any Capitaine or Consul if he that is adorned with a diademe approach vnworthilie keepe him backe and restrayne him thou hast greater power then he And to this purpose we read that S. Re. MIGIVS the Apostle of France Histoire de l'Eglise de Reins lib. 1. cap. 13. a little before his death commanded the Bishops to excommunicate the Kinges of France if they should waste or inuade the Churches But aboue all most forcible is the testimonie of Ignat. Epist ad Smyrn S. IGNATIVS an Apostles scholler who so extolleth Princelie dignitie that yet he giues the precedence vnto the Bishops authoritie Honora Deum sayth he vt omnium authorem Dominum c. Honour God as the Authour and Lord of all and the Bishop as the Prince of Priests bearing the Image of God and houlding his princedome of him and his Priesthood of Christ And after him you must honour also the King For none is to be prefered before God nor equal to him nor none more honourable in the Church then the Bishop exercising the Priesthood of God for the saluation of the world Neither is any equall to the King in the Hoste or Campe procuring peace and beneuolence to the other Princes vnder him For he that honoureth the Bishop shal be honoured of God and he that dishonoureth him shall of God be dishonoured For if any man rising against the King is worthie of damnation how shall be escape Gods Iudgements that attempteth any thing against or without the Bishop For Priesthood is the Chiefe and summe of all mans good which whâ— soeuer disgraceth dishonoureth God and our Lord IESVS Christ the Chiefe Priest of God 11. Sixtlie this I proue by Emperours and Kings proper confession who all of them haue acknowledged Bishops and especiallie the Chiefe Bishop of Rome their Fathers Pastours and superiours and those that haue supreame authoritie ouet them CONSTANTINE the Great in an â—ict of his shortely after his baptisme â—saieth thus Cap. CoÌ„stantinus 2. dist 96. Vtile iudicauimus c. vt sicut in terris Beatus Petrus Vicarius filij Dei videtur esse constitutus it a etiam Pontifices qui ipsius Principis Apostolorum vices gerunt Principatus potestatem amplius quà m terrenae Imperialis Nostrae Serenitatis mansuetudo habere videtur concessam à nobis nostroque Imperio obtineant Wee haue Iudged it profitable that as blessed Peeter is appointed the vicaire of the sonne of God in earth so also Bishops who are Vicegerents of this Prince of the Apostles should haue more amplie the power of principalitie graunted by vs and our Empire Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 2. then our terrene Imperiall Serenitie seemeth to haue And Russinus relateth how that when certaine Bishops assembled at
the Synagogue yet could it not thence be inferred that Princes are to gouerne the Church of Christ For first the Synagogue was more terrene and Lesse perfect then the Church and so as their sacrifices and Priests were terrene in respect of ours so God might haue giuen them terrene Princes for their chiefe Ecclesiasticall superiours which manner of gouernment is not to be made a patterne for the gouernment of the Church of CHRIST this being a more perfect common wealth more spirituall gouerned by more spirituall Pastours enriched with a more spirituall sacrifice and Sacraments Secondlie if Princes then were rulers of the Synagogue it was by Gods speciall and Indiciall law and seing the Iudiciall and Ceremoniall lawes are abrogated they can not binde Christians or if Bilson will needs haue it that Christian Princes must now gouerne the Church because they then ruled the Synagogue one might inferre that the Ministers of England must be circumcized and must offer Caldes because then the Iewish Priests did so VVherfore that law as Ceremoniall and Iudiciall being abrogated we must looke to the new law in which not withstanding there is no one Text or example that giueth Princes the rule of the Church Thirdlie I answere that none of all the Kings alledged by D. Bilson and D. Andrewes did gouerne the Synagogue in Ecclesiasticall matters but did onlie assist the priests that gouerned and punnished Malefactours and transgressours of the law Suarez according to the prescript of the law interpreted by the Priests as Suarez in his answere to our soueraine hath learnedlie declared 6. The second argument against Princes spirituall supremacie shall be this If a Prince hath authoritie to gouerne the Church of his Kingdome either he hath it preciselie because he is a King or because he is a Christian King but by neither of these waies he hath it ergo by no way he hath it Not because he is a King for Kinglie power only medleth with temporall and humane matters and therfore Kings are called Humanae Creaturae 1. Petri. 2. humane creatures and they haue their authoritie from the people in manner afore sayd which people can giue no Ecclesiasticall power that being spirituall and supernaturall yea if Kings as Kings had this Authoritie then the Kinges which raigned in the Apostles time though Infidels should haue been Heads of the Church although they were no members at all and consequentlie NERO should haue been Head of the Church and all the Apostles and the sheepe of Christ had bene committed to a Rauening Wolfe which though it be most absurd to imagine yet TOMSOM as BECANVS in his booke entituled the English Iarre reciteth is not ashamed to auouch it saying Omnes Principes etiam Pagani obiectiuè habent supremam potestatem in omnes omnino personas suorum subditorum generatim in res ipsas siue ciuiles sunt siue sacrae All Princes euen Paganes obiectiuelie haue supreme Authoritie ouer all the persons of their subiectes and generallie ouer their goods whether they be Ciuill or holy Not because he is a Christian King because Baptisme by which he is made a Christian and member of the Church giueth the King no new power no more then it doth to others that are baptized And therfore if before Baptisme he be no Head of the Church neither is he after Baptisme rather Baptisme as aboue we haue seene maketh him a subiect to the Church wheras before he was not and only giueth him a new charge to obey serue and assist the Church VVherby it may appeare how fowlie Doctour ANDREWS was deceiued when he sayd That an Ethnick King when he becommeth a Christian gaineth and getteth a new right and power ouer the Church and Spirituall matters for these are his wordes Quin Rex quiuis Tortura Torti pag. 40. cum de Ethnico Christianus fit non perdit terrenum ius sed acquirit ius nouum in bonis Ecclesiae spiritualibus Yea euery King when of an Ethnike he becometh Christian doth not loose his terrene right but getteth a new right in the spirituall goods of the Church And Citing Bellarmine he sayth Omnia haec Dominus tuus totidem verbis All those things thy Master Bellarmin in so many words affirmeth Bollar lib. 5. de Pont. ca. 2. 3. as though Bellarmine had affirmed that a Pagan King were Head of the Church and had right and power in spirituall matters whereas Bellarmine is too learned to make so grosse an errour and only affirmeth That Pagan Kings are true Princes and Lords of their Countries 7. But perchance they will say that the Prince hath this Authoritie by a speciall Graunt from God him self This they may say but with how little reason may appeare by that which alreadie I haue handled in this Chapter for I haue prooued out of scripture that Christ gaue all Authoritie concerning the gouernment of the Church to his Apostles and their successours and not any at all to Kings and Princes VVhich because our state pleasers perceaued well enough they are enforced to play the Iewes and to alledge examples out of the old law as D. Bilson and D. ANDREWS do which examples not witstanding as I haue shewed do not firt their purpose for they knew and D. ANDREWS confesseth saying Exemplum inde nobis snmendum est Tortura Torti pa. 363. cum in Testaemento nouo nullum habeamus Thence wee must take an example since in the new Testament we haue none that there is not one text or example in the new Testament that giues Princes any power ouer the Church but rather giueth it from them vnto the Pastours 8. Thirdlie if Princes were supreme Commanders in Ecclefiasticall matters and gouerment of the Church the gouernment of the Church should not be Monarchiall which yet is the best gouernment Aristoâ— l. 8. Eth c. 1â— Plato in Poli. Senec lib. 2. de Benef Plut. in opusc â—a de re Homer 2. Iliad Iustorat ad gent. Athan. orat ad Idola Gypr lib. de vanit IdoloruÌ„ Mat. 16. Ioan. 21. as Aristocle with all the best Philosophers and auncient Fathers do affirme and was in deed chosen by Christ for his Church as the writers of this time prooue out of scripture and especiallie out of those wordes spoken to S. Peter Thou art Peter and on this Rocke will I build my Church and those also Pafce oues meas seede my sheepe but rather if Kinges were euerie one head of the Church in their Kingdomes the gouernmeÌ„t of the Church should be Aristocraticall because the Church should be gouerned by diuers Princes which were most inconuenient in the Church and subiect to schismes and tumultes For if euerie King be supreme Head in his Kingdome when a Generall Councell should be called as his Maiestie of England desireth I demand who should call it The Emperour the Kinges of England Spaine and France though they giue him precedence in place and honour yet they pretend by prescription and
is a temporall thing and yet the high Priest could depriue euen a King of the same and if he may dispose of this Temporall thing why not of other Temporall things though they be Kingdomes Secondly cohabitation or at least power and right of cohabitation societie is essentiallie included in Kingly power or at least necessarille annexed vnto it For a King is he that hath supreme power to gouerne his subiects And seing that gouernment necessarilie requireth yea importeth possibilitie or right to cohabitate and conuerse with subiects for how can he gouerne them if he cannot conuerse with them or his officers if the King might by the Priest be depriued of all right to cohabitate and conuerse he might be depriued also of his Kingdome Thirdlie OZIAS disobeyed the high Priest and notwithstanding his reprehension and expresse commandement to the contrarie did burne Incense to our Lord and so AZARIAS might haue caused him to haue bene killed for this disobedience in so great a matter Deut. 17 as appeareth by the law of God in Deuteronomie where MOYSES sayth He that shal be proued refusing to obey the commandement of the Priest which at that time ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the Iudge that man shall die and thou shalt take away the euill out of Israel Hence I make this deduction AZARIAS the High Priest might haue pronounced sentence of death against King OZIAS for disobeying in so great a matter much more might he haue deposed him and depriued him of his Kingdome for death which is depriuation of life is a greater penaltie then depriuation of a Kingdome and includeth also that because a dead man cannot be King and if AZARIAS could depriue OZIAS of his Kingdome it is like that in separating him from cohabitatiō with the people he did in deed depriue him And certes this the Scripture in the same place insinuareth saying Fuit igitur OZIAS c. 2. Paral. 26. OZIAS therfore the King was a leper vnto the day of his death and he dwelt in a howse a part Moreouer IOATHAN his sonne gouerned the Kings house and iudged the people of the Lord. Which last words insinuate that his sonne raigned and was King in his place and consequentlie that he was deposed Lib. 9. Antiq. cap. 11. And so IOSEPHVS seemeth to haue vnderstood the matter when treatinge of this fact of OZIAS and the issue thereof he sayeth Et cum aliquādiu extra vrbem vixisset filio IOATHANO rempnblicam administrante moerore tandē confectus obijt and for some tyme he had liued out of the Citie his sonne IOATHAN administrating the cōmon wealth Hom. 4. de verhis Isai at last he was killed with sorrow The same doth also S. CHRYSOSTOME auouch saying Cumque sacerdotium sibi vellet sumere hoc quod habebat perdidit And when he would take vpon him Priesthood he lost that Kingdome which he had Barron an Christi 31. Tiberij 15. To this may be added that which Baronius well obserueth in his Annales to wit that the Iewes had a Councell called Synedrin or Sanedrin which consisted of 72. persons and succeeded the 72. who assisted Moises Num. 11. which Councell had authoritie to iudge of the Law of the Prophet and of Kinges and ouer this Councell the High Priest had supreame authoritie This Councell was of such credit that it summoned Herod to appeare and to answer to Hircanus and the Iudges vnder him to that which was to be obiected against him And when he appeared in his purple and with a stronge troupe Sameas one of the Iudges reprehended this his māner of comming and told him that he came in that manner Ex Iosepho lib. 14. Antiq 6.17 vt si capitalem iuxta leges sententiam in eum tulerimus nobis mactatis ipse euadat illatâ vi legibus that if we according to the Lawes should pronounce sentence of death against him he vsing force against the lawes and killing vs might escape By which it is plaine that this Councell and consequentlie the High Priest had authoritie to Iudge of the Law Prophet and Kinge and that therfore Azarias had Authoritie to pronounce sentence of death and much more of deposition against Ozias and seing he might depose him it is like the fore sayd circumstances considered that he did depose him 3. I confesse that our aduersaries may answer that this example doth not conuince that Ozias was deposed but only that he not actually gouerning his sonne gouerned for him he remaining still King till his death But yet if this fact be not taken barelie but with the law also of Leuiticus and the argument deduced out of it with other insinuations of scripture Losephus S. Chrysostome and the Authoritie of the Councel of Sanedt in it is sufficient to prooue that the high Priest did or might haue deposed him I confesse also that our Aduersaries might answer Deut. 2. that there was in the old law an expresse statute to put to death those that would disobey the High Priest in matters pertaining to the law and that therfore the High Priest might pronounce sentence of death and consequentlie of depriuation against a King but in the new law there being no such expresse law and the new law also being a law of sweetnesse and Charitie not of feare and rigour the case is not the like This they may say But yet seing that it made much for the honour of the Synagogue and her securitie to haue had such a power if the Church bee the veritie the Synagogue but the figure and as farre inferiour to the Church as the law and Priesthood and sacrifice of CHRIST is Superiour to that of MOYSES no honourable nor profitable power and authoritie graunted to the Synagogue is to be denyed to the Church and therfore seing it is an honour to haue Authoritie to depose Princes and that it is many tymes necessary for the conseruation of the Church her right and faith for many times admonitions yea commandements and excommunications will take no effect with proud and rebellious Princes if such power were graunted to the Synagogue it is not to be denied to the Church 4. Another example which Diuines vse to alleadge is 4. Reg. 11 2. Par. 22. 23 that of Queene ATHALIA who as we read in the fourth booke of Kings was by the Commandement of the high Priest depriued first of her Kingdome and afterwards of her life and that also after shee had raigned six yeares And although it may seeme that he only sett the right King Ioas in his Throne and displaced an vsurper who had killed all the right Kings sonnes sauing IOAS Bellarminus Becanus alij who was secretlie reserued and still liuing yet many learned Authours affirme that she was before her deposition true and lawfull Queene because though she entred by tyrānicall vsurpation yet raigning so long peaceably it is verie like that she was receaued
Prieste and commandement of the Emperour And therfore when S. AMBROSE sayth Dolere potero poteroflere c. I may be sorie I may weepe I may groane Against armes souldiours and the Gothes my teares are my weapons For such are the armes and defences of the Priest Other wise I neither must nor can resist VVhen I say S. AMBROSE saith that he hath no other armes but teares and prayers hee meaneth only that the ordinarie weapons of the Church are Spirituall but denieth not but that in an extraordinarie case the Church and Chiefe Pastour may vse Temporall armes when spirituall weapons are not sufficient CHAPTER X. The same verity is confirmed by the practise of the Church in punishing heretickes temporally with losse of goods liberty and liues 1. THe Church is a Citie on a Hill Matt. 5 and therfore so illuminated by the Sonne of Iustice that no cloud of errour can obscure or endarken her Mat. 16. Shee is builded on a Rocke so surelie that the gates of hell heresies can neuer preuaile against her 1. Tim. 3. Shee is the pillar of truth and therfore can not maintain any vntruth Shee is the Spouse of Christ Osee 2. and so priuie to all his secrets Shee is so guided by her Head Christ Iesus so directed by his and his Fathers spirit the Holy ghost that she can not erre either in her definitions or generall practises and customes and therfore S. AVGVSTINE saith that to call in question quod tota per orbem frequentat Ecclesia Aug. ep 118. that which the whole Church through out the world practiseth is insolentissima insania most insolent madnes Amongst other of her practises one is and that verie auncient and generall to punish by sword or fire or els by Temporall mulctes an obstinate Hereticke And therfore to doubt whether it be lawfull or no August ep 48. 50. l. Mâ—nichaeos l. A riani l. quicunque C. de haeret Cap. ad abolendam Ca. vergentis c. excoÌ„municamus 1. 2. de haeret is by S. AVGVSTINES rule most insolent madnes This practize I know pleaseth not hereticks no more then the execution of Iustice is liked of Malefactours And therfore the a August li. 2. contra epist Parmen ca. 7. lib. 2. contra lit Petil. cap. 10. lib. 2. coÌ„tra ep GaudeÌ„t cap. 17. 26. Donatists and b Ioan. Huss art 14. Constantia damnat Hussits in times past and of late c Luth. in Assert a. 33. Luther to saue their owne skinnes stifly stand to it that the Church cannot punish hereticks Temporally especially with death and the same d In Assart art 33. Luther in one of his articles condemned by LEO the Tenth sayth haereticos comburi estcontra voluntatem spiritus that heretickes should be burned is against the will of the spirit To whom not withstanding Caluin in practise subscribed not for he caused Michael Seruetus to be burnt reseruing for him selue his goulden Chaine as e Resp pag. 54. Restius reporteth both he and Beza by and by published in print that it is lawfull to vse the Temporall sword against Hereticks which also Benedictus Aretius alloweth in his historie De supplicio Valentini Gentilis And certes that Hereticks may be temporally punished by the Church I haue alreadie prooued by many places of scripture especiallie out of the olde Testament out of which I may argue for the Churches practise with S. Ciprian Cypr de Exhort Martyrij cap. 1. Si ante aduentum Christi circa Deum colendum Idola speruenda haec praecepta seruata sunt quaÌ„to magis post aduentum Christi sunt seruanda quando ille veniens non verbis tantum nos hortatus sit sed factis If before the Comming of Christ those precepts were obserued touching the worshiping of God and reiecting of Idols how much more are they to bee obserued after the coming of Christ seing that hee coming hath not exhorted vs onlie by words but also by deeds Aug ep 48 et 50. S. AVGVSTIN speaking of the hereticks of his time sayth Videte qualia faciunt qualia patiuntur Occidunt animas affliguÌ„tur in corpore See what things they do and what they suffer they kill soules and are punished in bodie they kill sempiternally Lib. 2. coÌ„tra lit Petil â—a 7. li. 1. contra Parm. cap. 7. Concil Calced Act. 1. Anton. 3. pâ—tit 19. c. 1. §. 4. and suffer Temporall deathes And in diuers other places he prooueth that they may be punished Temporally though once he was of opinion that they should not be forced by the sword but persuaded onlie by the word Dioscorâ—â— Bishop of Alexandria in the first Action of the Councell of Calcedon Si Eutyches praeter dagma Ecclesiae sapit noÌ„ solum paenâ dignus est sed igne If Eutyches thinke otherwise then the Church teacheth he deserueth not onely to be punished but also to be burned VVhereupon S. Antonine reporteth that in the time of INNOCENTIVS the Third no lesse then a hundred and fourescore Hereticks of the Albigenses were burned for obstinat and pertinacious maintaining of their damnable sect Concil Constat sess 15. art 14. And in the Councell of Constance IOHN HVS and HIEROM of Prage were condemned to the same death In praem Concil Nicen. Sozom. li. 1. c 20 Sòcr li. 1 cap 6 Niceph. li. 8. cap. 18. can Ipsapietas 23. qu. 3 l. Quicunque C de haeret Et ca. ad abolendam ca. vergeÌ„tis c. excom municamus v. c. absolutos de haret Concil Lateran sub Innâ—c 3. can 3. l. Cuncti l. Ariani l. Manichaeos C. de heret and ended their miserable life by fire VVhere also Hvs his fourtenth Article in which he affirmed coÌ„trarie to this practise that the Prelats of the Church in deliuering Hereticks to secular power were like to the Scribes and Pharisees who procured Christs death and yet said Nobis non licet interficere quenquam It is not lawfull for vs to kill any was condemned Certes in the Councell of NICE ARRIVS bookes were commanded to be burnt vnder paine of death as he and his followers were banished In THEODOSIVS the Emperours time hereticks were mulcted and punished in their purses And after MARTIAN and VALENTINIAN decreed punishment of death against them The Common law also is full of Temporall punishments prescribed for hereticks They are deliuered vp to the secular power to be punnished according to the Emperours lawes their goods are confiscated Aduocates and Notaries that fauour them are sufpended from their offices and made by the law infamous for euer They are depriued of the right of making their last Will and Testament or succeeding by Testament and are condemned to perpetuall prison Finally those that were bound to Hereticks are freed from their bonds 2. If VViddrington answer that this Argument prooueth onlie that Hereticks may be punished yet not by the
must be skilfull in that art or science which Trithemius him selfe knew and therefore leaueth this question vndiscussed Secondly I answer that Trithemius speaketh of HENRIE the fourth Emperour who though he had committed many insolences against the Pope and Church and had set vp an Antipope c. which his enormities Trithemius calleth scelera inaudita yet he professed him selfe a Catholicke and so the Schoole Diuines to wit Ocham Almainus and such others as I haue related for others VViddrington can not alleage disputed whether he could be deposed he being or pretending to be no hereticke as appeareth by his Epistle to GREGORâ—E the seuenth aboue alleaged and what they resolued we haue seene 14. Widdr. In his Newyearesgift pag. 46. Disput Theol. c. 3. sec 3. num 13. Petrus Pithaeus God libert Ecc. Gallicana Petrus Pithaeus sayth VViddrington a man as Posseuin sayth trnlie learned and a diligent searcher of Antiquities affirmeth that the libertie of the Church of Fraunce is grounded in this Principle which Fraunce hath euer held for certaine that the Pope hath not power to depriue the French Kinge of his kingdome or in any other manner to dispose thereof and that notwithstanding any whatsoeuer monitions or monitories excommunications or Interdicts which by the Pope can be made yet the subiectes are bounde to yeeld obedience due to the King for Temporalles neither therin can they be dispensed or absolued by the Pope And in his Disput Theologicall Cap. 3. sec 3. num 13. he sayth that Pithaeus out of a generall Maxim which Fraunce that is as he putteth in the margent the greater part euer approoued deduceth this particular proposition that the Pope can not depriue the French Kinge of his Kingdome But first here we see VViddrington ascribeth two thinges to Pithaeus which seeme to imply contradiction for in his Newyearesgift he makes him say that the libertie of the Church of Fraunce is grouÌ„ded in this Principle that the Pope hath not power to depriue the Kinge of his Kingdome And in his Theologicall Disputation he sayth that Pithaeus out of a certaine generall Maxim deduced this particuler proposition that the Pope can not giue the Kingedome of Freunce into prey nor depriue the Kinge of it And so he maketh this position That the Pope can not depriue the King of Fraunce both a generall Maxime in which the libertie of the Church of Fâ—aunce is grounded and also a particuler proposition deduced out of a generall Maxim which he nameth not which two thinges how they cohere let VViddrington looke And certes I can not imagin any Maxim receaued in Fraunce out of which either VViddrington or Pithaeus can deduce that the Pope can in no case depriue the King And if there were any such Maxim receaued in Fraunce that learned Prelat Cardinall Perone in his eloquent oration made in the Chamber of the Third estate not onlie in his owne name but also in the name of all the Nobilitie and Clergie of Fraunce would neuer haue dared before such curious Auditours to vtter these wordes following now if those who haue of set purpose laboured in fauour of the oath of England he putteth in the margent VViddrington to find out Authours who haue affirmed that in case of heresie or infidelitie the subiects could not be absolued from the obligation that they owe to their Princes could not find out any one and if those who haue since written of the same subiect in Fraunce could neuer find out in all FrauÌ„ce note these wordes since the time that Schooles of Diuinitie haue been instituted and sett open till this day one onlie Doctour neither Diuine nor Lawier nor Decree nor Councell nor determination nor acte of Parlament nor Magistrat either Ecclesiasticall or Politicke who hath sayd that in case of heresie or infidelitie the subiect can not be absolued from the oath of fidelitie which they owe to their Princes on the contrarie if all those who haue written for the defence of the Temporall power of Kinges haue euer excepted the case of heresie and Apostasie from Christian Religion how is it that they can without enforcing of Consciences make men not onlie to receaue this doctrine that in no case the subiectes can be absolued from the oath of Allegeance they owe to theire Princes for a perpetuall and vniuersall doctrine of the French Church c. Thus he whereby it is manifest that there is no such receaued Maxime in Fraunce out of which Pithaeus or Widdrington can deduce that the Pope in no case can depriue the King of Fraunce And what the opinion of the most Christian Kingdome of Fraunce at this present is may well appeare by this that all the nobilitie and Clergie the two most worthie Partes and members of that Realme in the yeare 1615. reiected an oath like to the oath of England as pernicious cause of Schisme the open gappe to heresie as our most Excellent and learned King in his Preface to his declaratioÌ„ for the right of Kinges set forth in FreÌ„ch the same yeare confesseth though in a coÌ„plaining manner and as it is to be seene in the Oration of the sayd Cardinall sent to our sayd Soueraigne And although the Tierce estate proposed an oath like to that of England yet that was but one and the lowest of the three estates and as Cardinal Perone affirmeth they had their lessons giuen them from England 15. He alleageth also out of Bochellus the Testimonie of Cardinall Pelue and other Prelates who in an assemblie at Paris 1595. reiected the Decree of the Councell of Trent sess 25. cap. 19. by which it is forbidden Kinges to permitte Duelles vnder payne of loosing the citie or place in which they permitte a Duelle Concilium TridentiuuÌ„ inquiunt excommunicat priuat Regem ciuitate illâ vel loco in quo permittit fieri duellum Hic Articulus est contra authoritatem Regis qui non potest priuari suo dominio temporali respectu cuius nullum Superiorem recognoscit The Councell of Trent say they excommunicateth and depriueth a Kinge of that Citie or place in which he permitteth a duelle to be made This Article is against the Authoritie of the Kinge who can not be depriued of his temporall Dominion in respect of which he acknowledgeth no Superiour I answer that it is not credible that Cardinall Pelue and those Prelates would thus reiect the Councell of Trent or affirme that the Pope can not depriue the King and least I may seeme to doe iniurie to Bochellus in not crediting him I shall giue reasones for it Cap. 3. pag. 111. for first as Schulkennius sheweth he thrustes into the Decrees of the Church of Fraunce and reckeneth amongest her liberties many scandalous thinges and to omitte many of them which Schulkennius noteth I will note onlie two or three of his absurdities which I haue seen in his book In his Preface to the Reader he sheweth him selfe no good Catholicke in carping vniustelie and saucilie
the Societie of Iesus relateth William Occham Iohn of Paris Dante 's Aligerius Ioannes Almainus c. do follow Who I say reading these wordes in VViddrington could thinke otherwise then that these two Authours which VViddrington produceth for the second opinion be produced for his Authours though out of Azorius as well as the other Authours But it seemeth he is loath altogether to refuse these two Authours and therefore he sayth Azorius maketh Occham a Classicall Authour and Gabriell and the Nominalles follow him as the Prince of the Nominalles and Suarez and Vasquez do ofte alleage him for theire opinion but what doth all this prooue but onlie that Occham in respect of his skille in Logicke and Philosophie and Schoole Diuinitie was a principall Doctour amongst the Nominalles and in that respect is often alleaged by Catholicke Doctours yet notwithstanding this euen Azorius Suarez and Vasquez do condemne Occhams bookes which VViddrington so esteemeth to wit those which he wrote against the Pope and his Authoritie And touching Dante 's he sayth Trithemius affirmed that Dante 's was most studious in Holie Scriptures But be it that Dante 's after Poetrie and Humanitie studied Scriptures yet he presuming to studie Scriptures without groundes in Diuinitie as Erasmus Laurentius Valla and others did might fall into erroures as well as they and certainlie who so pleaseth to reade his Monarchie shall perceaue in it more Poetrie Poeticall inuentions and slight and superficiall Philosophie then solid Diuinitie Whereas he reiecteth Bartolus censure of Dante 's as I haue no leisure so will I not wrangle with him about that This shall suffice me that both of these two Authours are censured in the Index expurgatorius set forth by Authoritie of the Councell of Trent and diuerse Popes And although Widdrington sayth that the compilers of the Index are not the Catholicke Church and that he knoweth not for what cause diuerse bookes in the Index are condemned wherin he sheweth little respect to Superiours yet at least those bookes which are censured in the Index can be no lesse then scandalous and the Authours no lesse then infamous and so no fit witnesses nor Authours to make an opinion probable So that let Widdrington choose what he will Either he will haue these Authours or he will not if he will they can giue no credit to his opinion they hauing none them selfes if he will not he hath two Authours fewer and by the same reason may reiect diuerse others yea all the other Authours and so vae soli woe to him that standeth post alone But he sayth that he produced not thē alone but with manie other Catholicke Godlie and learned Authours I answer that what the most of his Authours be I haue alreadie shewed and whereas he alleageth Tertullian S. Ambrose S. Hierom and others Schulkennius hath answered him that they are by him misconstrued Tertullian in his Apologeticut sayth Emperours are second to God and vndes his onlie power I answer that then Emperours were Pagans and so not subiect to the Church but to God onlie I answer secōdly that the Emperour and euerie absolute King Christian hath no temporall Superiour but God yet as Widdrington dareth not deny but that there is a spirituall power and Authoritie in the Chiefe Pastour aboue him which may punish him spirituallie so I say this power can in some case decree temporall punishment against him when spirituall punishment doth not preuaile Wheras S. Ambrose S. Hierom In Apol. n. 5. sequentibus Gregorius Turonensis alleaged by TViddrington say the Kinge is subiect to no lawes nor punishment but of God they meane that he is not subiect to his owne or any Tēporall Princes lawes and punishment but deny not but that he is subiect to Ecclesiasticall lawes power and may by that power be chastised by spirituall Censures and also temporall when the spirituall Censures are contemned In Apol. num 8. And whereas S. Augustine Pope Nicholas others alleaged by widdrington affirme that the Pope and Church hath no materiall or Temporall sword I graunt it because they by a materiall sword vnderstand temporall Authoritie to vse it and that the Pope hath not by Christs gift yet he hath from Christ as I haue aboue prooued a spirituall power by which he may commaund the Temporall sword as Widdrington him selfe acknowledgeth In Apol. n. 196. 197. and by this power he can decree temporall punishmentes when the spirituall censures will not take place though neither he nor the Church doth execute these temporall punishmentes especiallie of death and bloud it being a thing not beseeming the Church S. Leo ep 93. ad Turibiū Asturien Episcopum parum ab initio according to that of S Leo Ecclesiastica lenitas cruentas refugit vltiones The Ecclesiasticall lenitie escheweth bloudie reuenges And thus much cōcerning Widdringtons authours the examinatiō of which authours although it was not altogether necessarie Schulkennius hauing alreadie examined them yet I thought it some what requisit partlie because Schulkennius examination being in latin it cā not see easilie nor so generallie be made knowné to English men partlie because I haue examined diuerse Authours which Schulkennius did not and I haue added here and there something as facile est inuentis addere for more ample explication and now also vpon occasion of the sight of Widdringtons Appendix in which he answereth to Schulkennius Examination I haue brieflie refuted some of his Answers to Schulkennius touching his Authours Out of all this I gather that seing that WIDDRINGTONS Authours either make not for him or are of no or cracked credit or are quite opposite to him which it seemeth he him selfe now seeth and therefore in his Appendix reiecteth two of them and defendeth not the rest though prouoked by Schulkennius I may say that Widdrington amidst all his Authours standeth post alone and he but one opposeth him selfe not onlie to his Chiefe Pastours Censure but also against the current of all Catholicke and renowned Doctours and Authours CHAPTER XIIII By the doctrine and practise of heretikes the same against them is demonstrated and thence is inferred that the question betwixt vs and them is not so much whether the Pope hath any such authority as whether the Pope or they haue it 1. See The Protestats Apologie tract 3. sect 2. Gretser in comment exeget c. 7. The book of dāgerous pesitiont Sleidan lib. 18. hist fol. 263. li. 22. fol. 345 Osiander in Epit. Cēt. 16. pag. 526. Caluin in Dan. cap. 6. LAstlie I prooue this by the Protestantes and Reformers owne confession and practise alleaged by the Authour of the Protestants Apologie and many other authours To begin with Lutherans Sleydan and Osiander affirme that the Magdeburgians and other Lutheran Ministers defended resistance against the Magistrate and Prince as lawfull for defence of their Religion and therby excused the Rebellion which the Lutheran Princes made against the Emperour And if it be lawfull to resist
by warre a Prince that persecureth Religion it is lawfull to kill him and consequentlie to depose him because the end of iust warre being peace all things in it are lawfull which are necessarie to obtaine peace and if vnles the Prince be taken away that iust peace cannot he had that also is lawfull 2. The Caluinists are not behind them in this point Caluin saith that earthlie Princes do bereaue them selues of Authoritie when they erect them selues against God yea that they are vnworthie to be reckened in the number of men and therfore we must rather spit in their faces then obey them Beza in ep dedic Noui Testam an 1554. epist 34. 37. Can. 3. an 1572 Beza in his Epistle Dedicatorie to his New Testament defendeth Rebellion against Princes of a different Religion if they permitt not but rather persecure Caluinisme The Hugonots of France in a Councell of Ministers at Berne haue decreed that euerie citie shall sweare that they and their posteritie will obserue firme and inuiolate the thinges following of which one is can 40. that vntill it please God in whose hands are the harts of Kings to change the hart of the French Tyrant so they call him in the meane time euerie Citie shall choose a Mayor to gouerne them as well in warre as in peace Another Canon is that all Captaines leaders neuer lay downe weapons as long as they shall see them persecute the Doctrine of Saluation Caluinisme and the Disciples of the same Caluinists Another is If it please God to raise vp some Christian Prince to take reuenge of their sinnes and to deliuer his people let them subiect them selues to that Prince as to another Cyrus sent to them from God And this doctrine of the same Hugonots was practised in France to the ruine of many cities and Churches and the slaughter of many thousands as The Historie of the Ciuill warres of France printed at London anno 1591. and Crispinus in his booke of the Estate of the Church and others haue written and to this day France remembreth yea feeleth it The like practise the hereticks in the lowe Countries haue vsed as Osiander confesseth and all the world witnesseth Moreouer Osiander sayth that the states there deposed their Prince Osiand in Epit. histor Eccles Cent. 16. pag. 941. Belgici publico scripto Domino Regi suo Philippo obedientiam subiectionem renunciant They of the low Countries renounce all obedience and subiection to their Lord and King Philip and consequentlie they depose him because there is no King without subiects Yea an Edict of this deposition is extant in their Historie printed at Francfort in the yeare 1583. in which they declare him to haue lost all right and title by his Tyrannie and forbid all vse of his name and seale 3. Zuingl in explaÌ„ art 42. fol. 84. Idem lib. 4. ep ad Conhardum c. pag. 868. 869. Zuinglius and the Zuinglians iumpe with them in the same opinion Quando Reges Principes Magistratus perfidè extra Regulam Christi egerint possunt cum Deo deponi When Kings Princes and Magistrates behaue them selues perfidiouslie and do against the rule of Christ they may with God be deposed And againe That Kings may be deposed Saules example doth teach manifestlie And againe Permittendum est Caesari officium debitum si modò sidem nobis permittat illibatam We must permitt due obedience to Caesar so that he permitt vs to enioy our faith inuiolate Coclaeus in Actis Luth. an 1531 And according to this doctrine the Tigurines molested the Catholicke Cantones sowed sedition and rebelled but afterwards in fiue battailes though moe in number and Artillerie they were ouercome and slaine and in the first battaile Zuinglius him self was slaine and afterwards burnt 4. See Sutcliffe in his Answere to a libell supplicatorie c. pag. 192. 193. Sutcl in his anwere to a libell c. pag. 95. Knox in Appellat ad nobilitatem populum Scotiae Buchan li. de Iure Reg. et li 7. hist Scot. I could alleadge Goodman who in his booke which in Queene MARIES time was printed at Geneua and is commended by Whittingham in his Epistle before the saied booke affirmeth that it is lawfull to withstand the Princes in case of Religion and that therfore VViat who rose against Queene MARIE was no Traytour The like was the doctrine of Knox and Buchanan Sutcliffe auoucheth that Knox said Noblemen Gouernours c. Iudges ought to reforme religion if the King will not If the Prince will not yeeld to his Nobles and people he armeth them with power to depose him If Princes be tyrants against God and his truth their subiects are freed from their oathes of obedience And with him accordeth Buchanan teachinge that the people is more excellent then the King and hath right to bestowe the Crowne at their pleasure That the People may arraigne the King c. That Reward should be giuen to them that kill Tyrants to wit those who persecute Religion And what sedition this doctrine raised in Scotland against that worthie and virtuous Queene MARIE his Maiesties mother and against his Maiestie him selfe all the world knowes and he best him selfe So that the question betwixt vs and our Reformers who so storme at this opinion of Catholicks which teacheth that Popes in some case exâ—taordinarie may depose Princes is not so much whether the Pope can doe it as whether he or rather a Luther Zuinglius Caluin Beza Knox or Buchanan can do it nor so much whether a Generall Councell can doe it but whether such a Councell rather then a Consistorie or Heard of Ministers can 5. And thus much I haue discoursed concerning this question whether the Pope can in any case depose a Rebellious Prince and who otherwise cannot be corrected not for that I honour not Princes or acknowledge not obedience due vnto them for I haue aboue prooued that they are in Temporall matters to be honoured and obeyed vnder paine of mortall sinne I haue also confessed and declared that so long as they conteine them selues with in their bounds and that their Temporall sword is not necessarilie to be drawne for the Churches defence they haue if they be absolute Superiours no superiour on earth in Temporall matters but only this I haue done to satisfie my conscience to discharge my dutie to Christ his Church and so to giue to Caesar and Temporall Princes what belongeth to them that I take not from God and his Church what is due to them 6. Wherein I hope I derogate no more from the Prince then many Catholicks do from the Pope who teach that in case of Heresie to which as a priuate man though not as a publike person they thinke him to be subiect he may be a Councell of Bishops and Prelates be deposed And therfore as Popes take this doctrine in good parte so ought Princes not to take it so haynously that we
sayth he let none of you suffer as a murderer or a chiefe or a rayler or coueter of other mens thinges but if as a Christian Catholique let him not be ashamed 1. Pet. 2. Bee you therfore Subiect to euerie humane Creatur for God whether it be to the King as excelling or to rulers as sent from him whether it bee to the Prelate or to the Prince Church or Common wealth it hauing been my onlie intention and the onlie drift of this booke that Prelate and Prince should both haue their due neither should bee iniuried 78. And therfore I exhort you to refuse the Oathe of pretended Allegeaunce because your Chiefe visible Pastour hath forbidden it and for that his Authoritie and Right therin is interessed and yet I would haue you also obey the King in all Temporall and Ciuill causes because such obedience Gods Law commaundeth and consequentlie to defend his Royal parson euen with hazard of your goods Landes and liues to pray for him and his Royall posteritie that he may liue and raigne long in his own person and after in a long posteritie that he may soe gouetn his Kingdome of England heere as he may not loose but gaine a greater Kingdome of Heauen herafter 79 And I most humblie also desire his most Excellent Maiestie An humble petition to the Kings maiestie out of his rare wisdome deepe Iudgement and long experieÌ„ce not to esteeme those his onlie faithfull Suhiectes who are best Temporisers because as many of these men serue not so much the King as the tyme and in it their own turnes so if tyme Fortune chauÌ„ge they also like the Fishe Polypus which taketh the hewe and colour of the stone to which it cleaueth will chaunge and varie The noble CONSTANT vs Father to CONSTANTINE the Great will be vnto his Maiestie a good President in 〈◊〉 Kinde Hee on a tyme to trye who were like to prooue his most faithfull Subiectes commaunded as EVSEBIVS relateth that all those of his Court Euseb li. de vita CoÌ„stan tini non longe ab initiâ— who would enâ—oy his frendship or participate of any his Honours and Dignities which he vsed to bestowe should sacrifice to the Goddes and that they who would not should be expelled the Court and depriued of all honour and fauour At which commaundement some of them loath to loose their honorable places and Dignities obeyed the King and forsaking Christian Religion sacrificed to the Idolles others fearing God more then the King and more him that can kill soule and bodye in hell then him that can kill onlie the body Mat. 10. but can not touch the soule left the Court and all hopes of preferrement rather then they would leaue their Religion or do any thing against their conscience which when the King Sawe he called backe those constant Christians and reiected from his Courte and companie those-false harted Temporizers saying that they whoe were not faithfull to God would neuer be sure and trustie to the King and that they who would not for any thing the world could afforde forsake God or their Religion or do any thing against conscience were most like to prooue most faithfull freinds and Subiectes to their Prince Which President if 〈◊〉 Maiestie our Soueraigne respect accordinglie he will deeme and shall by experience find that those his Catholique Subiectes who out of Religion and Conscience stand most constantlie for their faith the Church and her chiefe Visible Pastour will out of the same Religion and conscience which are the most strong and forcible bondes stand most stiffelie when occasion shal be offered for their King and Soueraigne and will prooue his most obedient peaceble and faithfull Subiectes The Printer to the Reader Although the Authour gentle Reader by publishing this his Treatise so late This is spoken of the first Edition may seeme to haue obserued no oportunitie of time yet I can assure thee that it was two yeeres since readie for the presse and much against his will hath all this while vppon some occasions been differred But seeing that the Oath is still proposed by the Magistrate and by some few also who feare more the losse of a Temporall then an eternall estate taken and moreouer defended he shall not be like to that Phisition who prescribeth Phisick after the disease is cured but rather to him who expecteth till the disease coÌ„meth to maturitie and ripenesse that so shewing it selfe more euidently he may apply the better remedie Receaue it therefore how late soeuer it come and vse it for thy good according to the Authours desire and sincere intention FINIS FAVLTS ESCAPED IN PRINTING PAg. 7. lin 10. bath corrige hath selue cor selfe p. 8. l. 11. 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Englisch cor English p. 270. l. 2 Azorins cor Azorius p. 272. l. 2. cafu cor casu lin 22. edministrare cor administrare lin 28. propoaetion cor proposition l. 30. ne cor one p. 276. l. 21. aud cor and. p. 2â—8 l 22 trulie cor trulie p. 279. l. 16. Freunce cor Fraunce p. 284. l. 3. Councell co Councell p. 29â— l. 23. murout cor mirrour p. 288. l. 13. subiectes co subiectes l. 18. Queene cor Queene l. â—2 thc co the. p 290 l. 2. where cor were l 28. Thirdlie and lastlie cor Fourthlie and lastly p 297. l. 32. leisnre cor leisure p. 298. l 31. vndes cor vnder p. 2â—9 l 12. TViddrington cor VViddrington lin 24. beeause cor because p. 300. l 13. see cor soe p. 312. l. 32. os cor of p. 330 l. 21. Fot cor For. p. 334. l. 2â— saferie cor safetie Pag. 351. in marg dele Anton lib 4. and lib. cor l. pag. 353. lin 26 adde before if yet pag 353 lin 30. depose cor depose also pag 465. l last dele of excommunication denounced pag. 361 lin 10. abolendum cor abolendam pag. 368. l. 25. coe correct condemned pag. 368. l. 26. and cor but practised and. pag. 400. l. 23. perswaded cor perswade End
by an inuisible blowe reached him from God perished most miserably d Earon tom 7. au 561. BELLISARIVS Iustinians Generall ouer his Armie to whome he was so deare that his pourtraict was printed in the one side of Iustinians Coyne with this Title Bilisarius Romanorum decus Bellisarius the glorie of the Romans for his molestation of SILVERIVS to grarifie therby THEODORA the Empresse had for suspicion of conspiracie against IVSTINIAN his eyes pulled out was despoiled of all his dignities and forced in fine to begg e CedreÌ„ in Anna Paul Diac. li. 20. reruÌ„ Roman Baron tom 8. an 713. Anast in Vital Baro. an 668. Paul Diac. lib. 19 reruÌ„ Rom. PHILIPPICVS for his contempt of CONSTANTINE Pope and propagating of heresie was depriued of his Empire and his eyes also f CONSTANS for persecuting THEODORVS Pope and violently carying away Pope MARTIN from Rome was slaine in a bathe g Fascie Temp. in Iust 2. Martin Pol. in Iust 2. IVSTâ—NIAN the second for infringing the Eight Synod and molesting of SERGIVS Pope who refused to consent to his heresie was depriued of his Empire and besides that of his nose and tongue h Baron tom 11. an 1080. HENRIE the Fourth Emperour excommunicated and deposed by GREGORIE the seuenth as we haue seene was by his owne sonne persecuted holden in prison and at length made a miserable end out of his owne Countrie i Neubr li. 4. c. 13 Palmer 〈◊〉 in ChroÌ„ an 1189 FREDERICK the first was drowned miserablie in a riuer of Armenia for punishment of the schisme he raised against ALEXANDER Pope as our NEVBRIGENSâ—S recordeth k Fascic Temp. in Frider. 2 Matt Westm an 1245 FREDERICK the Second after he was excommunicated and deposed by INNOCENT the Fourth Pope of that name was strangled by his owne sonne and dyed without Sacraments l Geneb lib 4. Chron. anno 2294. in Bonifacio 8. PHILIP le BEL King of France after he was excommunicated and deposed by BONIFACE the Eight neuer prospered as Genebrard la FreÌ„ch man writeth And after that BONIFACIVS was taken vnawares by the deceipts which PHILIP vsed a holy Bishop said The King is glad he hath BONIFACE Pope in holde but no good thereby will happen to him and his posteritie which Prophecie saith m Genebr lib 4. Chron. anno 1315. Genebrard was shortlie after fulfilled for the King perished by reason of a Boare that rushed betwixt his horses legges three of his sonnes that raigned after him dyed one after another in a short space their Queene 's dishonoured them with their infamous adulteries and the Issue of PHILIP fayling the contention betwixt our EDWARD the third sonne of the Daughter of PHILIP le Bel and PHILIP de Valois the sonne of CHARLES de Valois PHILIP le Bel his brother arose which contention cost France verie dearely And to spare our times as God threatned by his Prophet Isai 60. that the Kingdome that shall not serue the Church shall perish as we see all Greece is lost by their heresies and schismes against the Romane Church and England Germanie and Holland and other Countries know not what punishment hangeth ouer their heads so whosoeuer shall obserue the course of times and Histories shall finde that few Princes haue long prospered who haue persecuted the Romane Church and faith or haue been by her excommunicated or deposed 26. Wherfore Kings and Princes that contemne and despise the Church remember you are Men and that your Kingdome is subiect to a higher state of the Church Feare her glaiue that striketh euen the soule and spirit And if you will raigne long and prosperouslie here imitate those Constantines Martians Theodosius Pipins Charles the Great Lewis and others who were more glorious for amplifying the Churches Immunities and Demaines then for exteÌ„ding their Empire more renowned for the Churches and Monasteries they founded theÌ„ for the Cities and Castels they builded who by obeying honouring and enriching the Church strengtned and enriched their Kingdomes and haue prospered in all their warres and battailes But I will end with S. BERNARDS Counsell which he gaue to CONRADVS King of the Romanes Bern. ep 183. ad Conrad Regem Romam Rom. 13. desiring all Christian Princes to followe it Legi quippe Omnia anima Potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit c. Quam tamen sententiam cupio vos omnimodis moneo custodire in exhibenda reuerentia summae Apostolicae sedi I haue read indeed Let euerie soule be subiect to higher powers and he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God which sentence not withstanding I desire and by all meanes warne you ô Princes to keepe by exhibiting reuerence to the highest and Apostolicall seat CHAPTER VII Although the Pope be not direct Temporall Lord and Superiour of the world nor of any part therof by Christs expresse guift and donation but only of the patrimony of Sainct Peter giuen him by Constantine the Great and other Catholicke Princes and confirmed by the consent of the Christian world yet by the spirituall power which Christ gaue him in his predecessour S. Peter Io 21. he may dispose of temporall things and euen of Kingdomes for the good of the Church and Conseruation of her and her faith right and the manner how and in what case he can thus dispose of temporalities is explicated 1. HAuing shewed by manie Arguments in the former Chapter that the Prince neither hath any spirituall Authoritie neither can by his Temporall power entermeddle him self as a Superiour in matters Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall It remaineth that we discusse and examine whether contrarie wise the Pope haue any temporall power or can by his Spirituall power dispose of temporall things A thing I confesse odious to some Princes who can hardly brooke it that you should meddle with their Crownes and Regalities thinking their Crownes so fast sett on their Heads that none but God can plucke them of and imagining they holde their scepters so fast that none vnder God can wrest them out of their hands But yet this question is odious only to such as sett little by the Churches Authoritie or at least preferre the state before Religion and the Temporall aduancement of the Common wealth before the Spirituall good of the Church for otherwise as guiltie malefactours only crie out of the Princes lawes Tribunals good subiects embrace and reuerence them so those Princes only whose consciences accuse them of some disloyaltie towards the Church or who desire to preferre their owne wils before the Churches commandement or to extend their Empire with encroaching on her Demaines and to rule so independentlie as they may not be controlled such Princes I say can not abyde to heare of any Authoritie in the Pope or Church which may restraine them Other Kings who counte it their honour to be obedient Children of the Church and who desire not to raigne ouer their subiects but so as God and his Church
may raigne ouer them are content that this opinion of the Popes authoritie be taught in schooles and published in printed bookes And therfore of late his Catholike Maiestie with three Bishops of his Counsell and the Inquisition of Spaine authorized the printing and setting forth of a booke of this subiect composed by a learned Diuine Franciscus Suarius intituled Defensio fidei Catholicae Apostolicae aduersus Anglicanae sectae errores c. in which the Authoritie of the Pope in deposing Princes who by their tyrannie against the Church make them selues vnworthy of their honourable roome and place is largelie and learnedlie defended and prooued 2. I confesse that the Popes Temporall Authoritie which he hath in ROME and ITALIE proceeded not from the immediat guift of CHRIST but rather commeth to him by the a Cap. Cōstantinus d. 96. c. Ego Ludouic d. 63. ca. futuram 12. q. 1. Naucler gen 13. Magd. Cent. 4. c. 7. Petr. Damian disp cum Reg. Aduoc Anselm li. 4 c. 32. Iuo Carn p. 5. Decr. cap. 49. Genebr lib. 3. Chron. Abrahā Leuita in ca. 11. Dan. Donation of CONSTANTINE PIPIN CHARLES the Great LEWIS the Godlie and other Princes as is testified partlie by the Canon law partlie by the Actes of SILVESTER partlie by other auncient writers I graunt also that Christ made him no temporall Prince but only Pastour of the Christian world For although many b Ostiens in cap. quod super his de voto voti Redemp Anton. 3. p. tit 22. cap. 5 §. 13. Silu. V. Papa V. Legitimus Canonists affirme that the Pope is Temporall Lord of the whole world yet c Henr. quod lib. 6. q. 23. Turrecr lib. 2. Summ◠cap. 113. Caiet tom 1. Opusc tract 2. cap. 3. 2.2 q. 43. art 8. passim recentiores Diuines stand against them in this point and not without good reason For looke what power the Pope hath by Diuine right he hath from the Apostles And seing that CHRIST made his Apostles Pastours Ephes 4. Ioan. 21 Mat. 16. not Princes and gaue them a Church to rule not a Kingdome bestowed on them the Keyes of heauen not of Cities Mat. 18. Act. 20. Mat. 28. gaue them power to bind and loose the soule not the bodie to teach and baptize all Nations not to subiugate them and built his Church vpon an Apostle not vpon any King or Prince It followeth euidently that the Pope by Christs donation hath no title to Kingdomes and Empires 3. True it is that many Diuines and those also of note are of opinion that Christ as man was Temporall King ouer all the world which is the expresse opinion of S. a Anton. 3 p. tit 3. cap. 2. Antonine b Almai tract de potest Ecc. c. 8. Almainus c Turrec lib. 2. Summae cap. 116. Turrecremata d Ostiēs in cap. quod super his de voto voti redemp Ostiensis e Duran tract de Iurisd Eccl qu. 43. Durand f Nauar. in cap. Nouit de Iudiciis not 3. n. 8. 130. Nauar and others which they also prooue out of diuers places of scripture as Apoc. ◠Princeps Regum terrae Prince of the Kings of the earth Apoc. 19. Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords Act. 10. Hic est omnium Dominus This is Lord of all Psalm 8. and Heb. 9. Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius Thou hast subiected all things vnder his feet Matt. vlt. Data est mihi omnis potestas in Coelo in terra All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth Yet most Interpreters expound these places as meant of Christs spirituall and Priestlie Power by which he was spirituall King of the world And though it be verie probable 1. Vasq 3 p. disp 87. ca. 3. as the Leardned Vasquez sheweth that Christ in deede as man was Temporall King of the world and had that Regall dignitie not by election or descent but only by Hypostaticall vnion which did so eleuate and dignifie his humane nature that it gaue him Authoritie euen as man ouer all the Kings of the earth by which he might haue commanded them euen in Temporall things and might haue depriued them of their Crownes Yet this it not so certaine because many Diuines also holde that Christ as man was no Temporall King But howsoeuer all allmost do agree that Christ neuer vsed any Regall power nor did actually raigne as King ouer any Countrie much lesse ouer all the world And therfore he sayd Ioan. 18 Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo My Kingdome is not of this world Because although his spirituall Kingdome the Church be in this world yet it is not of this world in respect of the spirituall authoritie and graces of the Church which are from heanen And although it be probable that he had Kinglie authoritie which is called Ius regnandi A right to raigne by which he might haue raigned and ruled temporallie in the world yet as I haue said he neuer actually raigned neither did he exercise any Kinglie act of his Kinglie Power and so hauing sayd that his kingdome is not of this world Ibidem be giueth a reason thetof saying Si enim ex hoc mundo esset Regnum meum ministri vtique decertarent vt non traderer Iudaeis For if my Kingdome were of this world my Ministers verily would striue that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes Which is a good reason if you vnderstand by his Kingdome the actual exercise of his Kinglie authoritie for otherwise one may be a true King in respect of his right as Kings driuen by force out of their Kingdomes are and yet haue no souldiers nor ministers to fight for them Ioan. 2. I know some Authours contend that he did actually exercise the Temporall power of a King when with a whippe he chased buyers and sellers out of the Temple yet that he did by the office of a Redeemer and Prophet whose part was to correct sinnes and abuses Others say that he vsed Kinglie Authoritie when he cast the Deuils into the Hogges and them into the sea Matth. 8. and when he withered the Figgetree Mat. 21. Mar. 11. Otherwise saye they he had done iniurie to the owners But all this an other Prophet might haue done though no King much more CHRIST the Prophet of Prophets and yet should he haue done no iniurie to the owner seing that what Prophets do miraculously they do by authority from God who is supreme Lord ouer life goods and all And because CHRIST did not actually raigne therfore Emperours and Kinges were absolute and were not vicaires or delegates to CHRIST and CHRIST tooke neither crownes nor scepters from them according to that of the Hymne of the Epiphanie In 1. Vesp Epiph. Hostis Herodes impie Christum venire quid times Non eripit mortalia Qui