Pont. l. 1. c. 7. Sect. Praeterea principatus c. The Cognizance of Church Matters belongs not to Secular Princes they have no judgment in Ecclesiastical Matters because Civil Peace and Tranquility is the proper object of their Care If they do not their duty they are to be brought under the Lash and be compelled to it by Excommunication The Ecclesiastical Power is to the Secular as the Spirit is to the flesh which rules moderates and sometimes restrains it but the Flesh hath no command over the Spirit neither can it direct or judge or restrain it in any thing (A) L. 1. c. 7. tit Quod non sit Ecclesiasticum regimen penes Principes Seculares Vid.l. 5. c. 7. de Clericis l. 1. c. 29. Sect. Alterum Argumentum c. Et Bellar. contra Barclaium 6. Though the Cardinal hath not in express Terms asserted the lawfulness of putting Kings to death and I know very few of any Perswasion that have expresly asserted it yet he hath furnished the Regicides both with Precedents for their practice and Warrants for their Doctrine For he teaches That the Church may exercise a Coercive power over Kings and Princes by any ways and methods that are necessary for the good of the Church That Kings may be Deposed and there is no great difference as I shall shew afterwards between Deposing and putting them to death He proves his Doctrine from the practice of Jehoiada the High Priest that commanded the Souldiers to put Athaliah to death not only for Tyranny but for adhering to a false Religion (B) Id. de R. Pont. l. 5. c. 7 8. In his Book against King James he commends the Murther committed by J. Clement on Henry the Third of France calls the Regicide a Sacred Person and admires the miraculous Providence of God in bringing him to death (C) Bell. in Torto p. 71. Ed. 1608. Deus ultus est Christum suum dum per alium sacratum virum alioqui militiae imperitum inermem Regem tundem non sine manifesto divinae Providentiae miraculo intersecit But what if Heaven will not work a Miracle for them The Cardinal is so well skilled in the Art of King-killing that he can dispatch a Prince with less hazard to his own Party He would not have Ecclesiastical Men put them to death with their own hands but the Pope must first admonish them then deprive them of the Sacraments next absolve their Subjects from the Oaths of Allegiance and if need be deprive them of their Royal authority The Execution belongs to others (D) Id. contra Barclaium Thus I have given a short account of the Antimonarchical Principles of this great Man that was first Reader of Controversial Divinity at Rome afterwards sent by Pope Sextus the Fifth into France with his Legate Cardinal Cajetan where he stir'd up the People to a Rebellion against their Sovereign (E) Qui Lutetiae egit per illos annos publici furoris totius conjurationis Ligam vocant approbator fautor fax perpetua Is Casauboni ad Fr. Duc. Epistola p. 21. and was advanced to the dignity of a Cardinal by Clement the Eighth (F) Alegambe Bibl. Script Soc. Jes p. 410 411. I might now shew that these are the common Principles of the Society but this would afford matter enough for an entire Discourse (G) See Parsons under the counterfeit name of Doleman in his Conference about the next Succession to the Crown of England part 1. Creswel under the name of Philopater and Reynolds under the name of Rossary De justa Christianae reipublicae in Reges impios haereticos autoritate He was no Jesuite but of the same Principles Suarez Def. fid Cath. c. A Book written against King James Bouchier de justa Hen. 3. abd è Francorum Regno A small Book but almost every page is full of Treasonable Principles Mariana de Rege Regis Institutione or as some call it Institutio principum occidendorum Fr. de Verone Apol. pro J. Chasiello A Book that if it be possible outstrip Mariana's in Villany To which I could add Endem Johannes Molina Lessius Em. Sa Greg. de Valentia Tolet. c. Whether Junius Brutus was a Protestant or no is not certain I find King James suspects the Book was set out by a Papist The Positions of Knox and Buchanan are summed up by B. Bancroft in his dangerous Positions l. 1. c. 4. The later Patrons of these Principles are well known These are the Men that furnish'd the leading Faction amongst us with Principles and precedents with Arguments and Texts of Scripture as will appear to any one that compares the Books cited in the Margent with the Speeches Declarations and Pamphlets of the late Times Out of them they either did or might have derived the grounds of the War against the King of erecting an High Court of Justice and of bringing him to the Block Out of them I could easily deduce all the Materials of that Bloody Ordinance to erect an High Court of Justice for the Trial of the King the Impeachment against his Majesty in the name of the Commons of England the Speech of Bradshaw President of that Mock-court of Justice and Milton's Vindication of the Proceedings against the King But because Bellarmine did not in express terms justifie the putting of Kings to Death I will add That Mariana doth not only defend the lawfulness of a formal and aggressive War against a Soveraign Prince but also sets down a Method of destroying him either with or without the Formality of Justice His Book was written An. 1599. which was divers years after he had read Tho. Aquinas in the University of Paris (H) Alegambe p. 258. It was approved by Aquaviva the General of the Jesuites by Hoyeda Visitor of the Society in the Province of Toledo by divers other grave and Learned Jesuites It was commended or justified by Ribadeneira Scribanius Gretser and Becanus of the same Society It was ordered to be burnt by the Parliament of Paris but F. Cotton could never be induced to write against it The Authors of the Apology publish'd at Paris in the name of the Society soon after the Murder of Henry the Fourth durst not plainly and honestly condemn it and whatever some credulous People are now made to believe neither the Pope nor Superiours of the Jesuites ever passed any publick Censure upon this most pestilent and Treasonable Book But to return 1. Suppose there be a competent Strength and interest then the readiest and safest way (F) Mariana Edit Moguntie 1605. p. 58 59 c. is for the People to meet in a publick Assembly to deliberate by publick Consent what is to be done and then to keep inviolably that which is agreed upon by Common consent The Prince must first be admonished and exhorted to amend but if he refuse the Remedy and there be no hopes of his amendment the Sentence being
abuse his Power to the hurt of the Church and Commonwealth If he be deposed for his Sins against God and man by the Pope or the Estates of his Kingdom Then he ceases to be a King any longer he is to be used as a publique Enemy the Tyrant the man of Blood the Apostate the Haeretique may be put to death without killing the King And to do them Justice I confess some of them are so kind to a King that they will not allow any private person to put him to death but he that is Commissionated by the Pope or Subordinate Magistrates is no private person in the sense of these men This is the Divinity of those Politicians and Divines which either promoted the hellish Murder of the late King or afterwards wrote in Vindication of it And there are scarce any Treasonable Positions or Distinctions Presidents or Arguments to be found in their Books or Pamphlets which are not either expresly contain'd or at least to be parallel'd in the Works of the Jesuites and other Romish Doctors They are not for killing a King but before they put him to death they will be sure to Un-King him and he shall suffer not as a King but as a Malefactor They will not resist the Authority of a King but if he betray the Trust reposed in him the wicked Person placed in Authority may be punished not as a King but as a Tyrant To look for an express determination of this Point in the General Councils of the Roman Church is to seek it where there can be no reason to expect it but the General Councils have taught the World the distinction between the Kings Person and Authority and according to their Principles a lawful Prince doth by his Wickedness or Misgovernment fall from his Authority and cease to be a King (B) Concil Gen. Ludg. Conciliorum Tom. 28. p. 431. Memoratum Principem Fredericum qui se imperio regnis omnique honore ac dignitate reddidit tam indigaum quique propter suas iniquitates à Deo ne regnet vel imparet est abjectus c. And Milton speaks not only the sense but the very words of the Jesuites Pro pop Angl. def p. 103. Jus Populi communi ab injusto Regum dominatu assererem non id quidem Regum odio sed Tyrannorum c. P. 104. Evincere potestis non vos amentia aut furore percitos Regem trucidasse sed amore libertatis religionis justitiae honestatis patriae Charitate accensos Tyrannum punisse If the Councils speak doubtfully or in general terms Whom should the People resort unto for Instruction but their Confessors What Books should they consult but such as are published with Authority and approbation of the Governing part of the Church And as the Roman Church hath left the particular Directions for Conscience and Practise to the Practical Divines and Casuists so above all others the Jesuites have for many years been entrusted with the conduct of Mens Souls and bore the greatest sway in his Majesties Dominions At their first coming over which was about an hundred years ago they quickly insinuated themselves into the Affections of some of the prime Nobility and of multitudes of the Common People (C) Sanders de Schism Angl. p. 188. Within twenty years after they had almost devoured all the Secular Clergy (D) See the Important Considerations by the Secular Priests An. 1601. And since his Majesties happy Restauration they made their boasts That many of the Roman Catholick Nobility and Gentry were Penitents of the Society (E) See the Jesuites Paper presented to divers Persons of Honour and printed 1662. I know one of the Jesuites not long since Executed for High Treason did with his dying breath declare That the King-killing Doctrine was falsly charged upon the Jesuites In Answer to which bold Assertion I will only say these two things 1. That most of the Divines of that Order which have had occasion to treat of this Argument do expresly teach That a lawful Soveraign Prince may in some cases be put to death i. e. If he fall from the Faith and endeavour to pervert his Subjects If he abuse his Power and Rule in a Tyrannical manner If he be Excommunicated and Deposed by the Pope or declared a publick Enemy and deprived by the Estates of his Kingdom 2. That amongst a great number of Books written by Jesuites and Licensed according to the Rules of the Society I could never meet with one which hath freely and sincerely condemn'd this Doctrine But saith Cardinal Perron never any Pope went so far as to give consent or Counsel for the desperate Murdring of Princes 1. And yet the first Christian Bishop that ever approved of the Murder of a lawful Soveraign Prince was Gregory the first 2. The Fundamental Principles of Treason against Kings and Princes were laid by Zachary Gregory the Seventh c. 3. The Rebellion against Henry the Third and Fourth of France was encouraged and abetted by the Bishops of Rome (F) Cambden Eliz. par 2. p. 13. ed. Lond. 1627. Cum Rex problem non haberet nec habiturum spes ulla esset regnum Navarro post Condeo Reformatae religionis propugnatoribus jure deberetur Pontificii Principes Pontifice Hispano consciis conjurationem pernitiosam oecultè inierunt sub Religionis Catholicae tuendae velo nomine S. Unionis sive Ligae ad Regem pissundandum publicam in illum invidiam accendendo ad Reformatam religionum funditùs extirpandam praevertendo legitimam in regno successionem For the Leaguers in that Kingdom under a pretence of Zeal for the Roman Catholick Religion entred into a wicked Combination against their Soveraign And Gregory the 13th hearkned to their Proposals with much reaediness (G) Davila An. 1576 P. 452. But Sixtus the Fifth Excommunicates the next Heir of the Crown declares him uncapable of the Succession absolves his Vassals from their Oaths and Excommunicates all such as adhered to him This Declaration of the Pope pierced Henry the Third very deeply without whose Privity it had been propounded in the Consistory subscribed by the Cardinals posted up and published (H) Davila l. 7. p. 574 575. Three years after his Holiness writes Letters to the Duke of Guise the Head of the League full of infinite Praises compares him to the holy Macchabees the Defenders of Israel exhorts him to fight for the advancement of the Church and total extirpation of the Hugonots (I) Davila l. 9 An. 1588 p. 715. Afterwards the Pope publishes a Monitory against the King (L) L. 10 p. 811. And that infamous Regicide which embrued his hands in the Royal Blood Murdered Henry the Third without killing the King which was now un-King'd by the Pope Upon the News of the Kings Murder the Pope makes a Panegyrick Oration and solemn Thanksgiving in the Consistory and in his Canting Sermon perverts the Holy Scriptures admires the
Counsels and Practises of the said King and all other his Adherents and against the breach of Publique Faith committed by him at Bloys to the prejudice of the said Roman Religion and Edict of Holy Vnion and the natunal Liberty of the Assembly of the three Estates of that Kingdom After mature deliberation upon the said Articles it was concluded nemine refragante That the said People were discharged from the said Oath of Allegiance and that they may with asase Conscience unite and Arm themselves against the King Moreover the said Faculty thought fit to send their Decree to the Pope that it might be ratified and confirmed by the Authority of the Holy Apostolick See (P) Davila l. 10. And Fowlis History of Romish Treasons Ed. 1671. p. 530 551. In the same year the Loyal Doctors of Sorbon declared their Approbation of the damnable Doctrine of King-killing For a short Paper was drawn up containing the Reasons of taking up Arms against the King in the Conclusion of which it is said That because Childerick King of France had caused one Bodille to be publiquely whipped the said Bodille took occasion thence to kill the King for which he is commended by Historians and therefore may not the injury done to a better than Bodille viz. to a brave Prince Guise be also avenged The Doctors of Sorbon having read over the Tract approved it affirming that nothing was in it contrary to the Roman Church About the same time it was Decreed by the Sorbonists That the Name of Heary the third should be dashed out of all publique Prayers and that if any of the Faculty of Paris agree not to it they should be Excommunicated Accordingly instead of those Prayers for the King others were drawn up for the Catholique Leaguing Princes (Q) Fowlis p. 537. An. 1590. The Royalists had spread abroad such Propositions as these That Henry of Bourbon the lawful Heir of the Crown might or ought to be King that the People might with a safe Conscience adhere to him and pay him Tribute That the Pope had no Power to Excommunicate the King That an Haretique though relapst and put out of the Communion of the Church may have right to the Crown of France All which Propositions were presently condemned by the Faculty of Sorbon (R) Spondani Contin Baronii tom 2. ad An. 1590. p. 860. par 3. Sorbonici Theologi in publicis turbis ad rerum instantium statum vota sua accommodare coacti rogatu Faederatorum Cajetani impulsu nec non Cardinalis Montalti ipsiusquemet Pontificis literis ad fidem religionem tuendam unionem confirmandam incitati partes suas interponentts congregati sanxerunt propositiones quae passim a pluribus seminabantur viz. Henricum Borbonium regis titulo infigniri posse aut debere tuta conscientia es adbarere ac decimas vectigalia persolvere debere c. Has tjusmodi enuntiationes damnantes c. An. 1629. They publish a Decree That for the Future the Ancient and Laudable Practise be revived that every Batchelour of Divinity swear to observe the Decrees of the Popes of Rome (S) Spondani Contin Baronii Tom. 2. p. 982. ad Ann. 1629. par 10. An. 1647. The Sorbonists in Answer to a Question sent to them in Writing from the Jesuites in England resolved that it was Lawful for the Roman Catholiques to work the Change in the Government by making away the King (T) Du Moulin Answ to Philanax p. 59. I know P. Walsh hath printed from the Originals six Declarations of the Divines of Sorbon presented to the French King An. 1663. which seem more worthy of that Society than these which I have produced But however significative they might be of their Loyalty to the French King they do not reach the Case of his Majesties Roman Catholique Subjects For in France the King is of the same Religion His Kingdoms are under no Ecclesiastical Censures the Pope challenges no direct Temporal Right to them But I need say no more of them than F. Walsh himself doth These Declarations of Sorbon did neither protest against Equivocation nor descend to the particular Cases either of Excommunication or the pretended Exemption of Clergymen or Condemnation of the Contrary Doctrines c. (V) Hist of the Irish Remonstrance p. 662 663 and 678. And now let all men judge whether the Doctors of Sorbon were not as good at irritating the People of France as the most Seditious Preachers and Pamphleteers were at Animating those of England against their King CHAP. V. The Fifth Testimony of the Loyalty of the Roman Church from a late Treatise of a Romish Priest The Principles of that Treatise examined Of the Principles and Authority of the General Councils of that Church Of licensing men to lie and for swear themselves Of the Doctrine of Aequivocation and mental Reservation with a brief Account of the Propositions lately censured at Rome Of the Simplicity and Godly Sincerity of the Roman Church Of the Design of dividing the Papists Of the Distinction between the Church and the Court of Rome the grounds of that Distinction examined and confuted Of Dispensations c. P. 46. MY Lords Fifth Testimony was taken from a little Treatise writ as my Lord said by a Priest of the Church of Rome and entituled Roman Catholique Principles in reference to God and the King (A) In the printed Tryal p. 53. There is lately come out a Book written by a Priest of the Church of Rome tried for his life for being in the Plot but acquitted c. The chief Contents of which Treatise because it in short explains the above-named Principles and clears the Objections usually made on this Subject I shall here insert in the Authors own Words In answer to which I shall briefly examine all the Passages of this little Treatise which may seem to vindicate the Romish Faith and Religion from the imputation of Disloyalty In the beginning he tells us We abhor we renounce we abominate such Principles Of Treason Rebellion Murder c. But of this I shall speak in its proper place That a Priest of the Church of Rome should before God and the World deny the plainest matters of Fact is an Argument either of the grosseft Ignorance of his own Religion or which I rather suspect of the most exact skill in the Arts of Prevarication V. G. I have been instructed saith he in the Articles of my Faith and I acknowledge the lawful Authority of General Councils yet I profess I never learnt or sound asserted in any of them any such Principles A Speech of so much assurance that were it not for dis-believing my own Senses I might be apt to give credit to it But I would fain know how he proves that there are any such things in the world as the Decrees and Canons of Councils Or that Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind were ever taught in any of them Or that these
THE LOYALTY OF Popish Principles EXAMIN'D In Answer to a late Book Entituled STAFFORD'S Memoirs With some Considerations in this present Juncture offer'd to Protestant Dissenters By ROB. HANCOCK Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge and Rector of Northall in Bedfordshire LONDON Printed by S. Roycroft for Thomas Flesher at the Angel and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1682. The PREFACE to the Christian READER IT may be expected that I should according to Custom say something towards the Recommendation of the following Discourse to the perusal of the Reader and tell him what Motives I had to undertake this work But the truth is I have neither studied nor ever seen any great Effects of this kind of Courtship I know the Weight and Importance of the Subject the Honesty and Charitableness of the Design the Truth and Evidence of the Matter the Importunity of Friends and the Authority of others whose Judgment we value above our own are the common heads of Excuse in such Cases If any or all of these will serve for an Apology I hope I have some right to them if they will not it must undergo the Readers Censure However I shall acquaint him with the Scope of the whole Treatise viz. To make a Faithful Representation of such Principles and Designs as under a colour of Religion do naturally tend to disturb the Publick Peace Settlement of this Church and Kingdom subvert the true Reformed Religion Destroy Christian Charity by fomenting Intestine Commotions or Foreign Vsurpations And if there be such a thing in the World I am loath to call it Religion as teaches men to advance it self by Treason and Bloodshed by Falshood and Treachery it is our Duty and Interest to detect the Fraud and Hypocrisy of it In the treating of this Subject 1. I have not only justified the Charge of Disloyalty and Cruelty against the Court and church of Rome but also examined and confuted the most plausible Arguments of Romish Loyalty and Charity 2. Because the Doctrines and Practises of some reputed Protestants have given a deep Wound to the Reputation of our Religion and some most horrid things have been taught and acted in this Nation out of a real or pretended zeal for the Protestant Cause I have vindicated the Honour Peaceableness of the Reformation and shewed from whence the most Fanatick Sectaries derived their Principles by whom they were Influenced and whom they gratified in that management of them 3. I have given a brief account of Comprehension and Toleration so far as they fell within the compass of the late Lord Staffords Design and I am sensible it would have been an Argument of weakness or arrogance in me to have entred upon a larger Discourse upon those Heads so soon after the late Proposals of a great and learned Man for the satisfaction of Dissenters (A) Preface to the unreasonableness of Separation printed 1681. Lastly I have concluded with such Important Considerations to all sober Dissenting Protestants whom I distinguish from wild Fanaticks as I believe are necessary for the keeping out of Popery In the Prosecution of the whole Argument I have neither made any uncharitable Reflections nor charged any persons with the remote Consequences of their Doctrines And though I will not answer for all little Mistakes or Inadvertencies in the Writing or Printing I have neither taken any Quotations upon trust nor misrepresented the words or sense of the Authors which I make use of But I must here informe the Reader that in my Animadversions upon Staffords Memoirs I have not meddled with the Life and Actions the Charge or Arraignment of the late Lord Stafford the Depositions of the Witnesses or the Observations upon them For I am not angry with the person of any Roman Catholick nor do I love to trample upon the Grave of a dead man besides it doth not become me to go out of my own Profession or discuss such matters as do not concern Religion And yet I think I may safely say that I have not omitted any thing which looks like an Imputation in the Reformed or a Vindication of the Roman Church and Religion If this Book should fall into the Hands of any of that Communion I confess I have not much hope of convincing them who by the very Principles of their Religion are bound to disbelieve their own Senses If any of the Dissenting Protestants shall please to look into it I have only this kindness shall I say or justice to beg of them that they would read the two last Chapters with the same sincerity and freedom from Passion with which they were written and then let them judge whether those Considerations and Advices are not as necessary to their own as to our Safety Farewel The Contents CHAP. I. THe Principles of the R. Church and Religion destructive of piety and vertue Three Cases wherein it is possible for R. Catholiques to be better than their Religion inclines or allows them to be Of the Principles and Practises of his Majesties R. Catholique Subjects in the time of the late Rebellion Of their Rebellion in Ireland and the Advantage which the Kings Enemies in England made of it Since his Majesties Restauration they refused to give him any reasonable security of their Allegiance for the future Many Papists actually in Arms against King Charles the First in England many others did him no Service Vpon what Motives the rest adhered to him A Consult of the English Jesuits about taking away his Life Of the Principles and Behaviour of the R. Catholiques under the Usurped Powers Of Mr. White 's Book CHAP. II. The Treasons and Seditions in other Countries especially the Bloody Wars in England and the Murder of King Charles the First charged upon the Protestants The Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England vindicated from this Imputation The King brought to the Block by a prevailing Faction against the Consent of the Nobility and People of England The Romish Faction had a great Influence on the beginning and progress of the Rebellion The Troubles in Scotland fomented by Cardinal Richlieu's Agents The Letter of the Scotch Covenanters to the French King The Design of the Papists against the King discover'd Ann. 1640. What Influence they had on the War which followed in England and upon the Kings death Two Propositions added to the foregoing Discourse 1. That the Grounds on which the War against the King was justified were first laid by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church This Proposition proved from Gregory 1. Zachary Gregory the 7th c. From Parsons Creswel Suarez Bellarmine Bouchier Mariana Fr. de Verone Reynolds They which have written in defence of the War or of the Kings death go upon the same Principles 2. That in the Reign of King Charles the First the Pope animated his Subjects to rebel and sent over divers Bulls to that purpose CHAP. III. Doctrines and Principles of the Roman Church 1. The Doctrine of Deposing Princes
This is the Doctrine of all the approved Writers of that Church Of their General Councils of their Publique Offices and Breviaries An Account of those persons who have appear'd against the Deposing Doctrine 2. The King-killing Doctrine It is a necessary consequent of the Deposing Doctrine The Roman Divines equivocate in this Question The Jesuites generally assert it divers of the Popes and the Canon Law approve of it 3. Of destroying mens Lives for Religion The true State of the Question The Church of Rome damns all Haeretiques All Protestants are Haeretiques in her account She enjoyns all Christians to endeavour the Extirpation of them All Bishops of her Communion sworn to destroy them The Laws of the Church deliver them up to the Secular Power to be put to death 4. Of absolving his Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance CHAP. IV. Testimonies of the Loyalty of the Roman Church and Religion considered The first from St. Math. 22.21 The second from the Decree of the General Council of Constance The third from the Annotations of the Divines of Rhemes on Rom. 13. The fourth from the Censure of the Doctors of the Faculty of Sorbon against a Book of Sanctarellus CHAP. V. The Fifth Testimony of the Loyalty of the Roman Church from a late Treatise of a Romish Priest The Principles of that Treatise examined Of the Principles and Authority of the General Councils of that Church Of licensing men to lie and forswear themselves Of the Doctrine of Aequivocation and mental Reservation with a brief Account of the Propositions lately censured at Rome Of the Simplicity and Godly Sincerity of the Roman Church Of the Design of dividing the Papists Of the Distinction between the Church and the Court of Rome the grounds of that Distinction examined and confuted Of Dispensations c. CHAP. VI. Of the late Lord Staffords Declaration and Address to the House of Peers concerning a Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants and a Toleration for the Papists 1. Of the Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants Three Propositions concerning Comprehension 'T is neither the Duty nor Interest of any Roman Catholicks continuing true to their Principles to promote a firm and lasting Vnion of Protestants What Influence the Romish Agents had on the first Separation from our Church Of the late Declaration of Indulgence 2. Of the Toleration for the Papists Of their endeavours to procure a Toleration under Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First the late Vsurped Powers and his present Majesty What the Design of that Faction is in endeavouring to procure a Toleration They have been the worse for Favour and Indulgence as is evident from their Behaviour towards Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First and his present Majesty This Chapter concluded with the Protestation of King Charles the First CHAP. VII A short Reflection on the foregoing Discourse Some things offered to all such as desire to prevent the Designs of the Papists 1. Beware of Seditious Doctrines and Practises A brief Account of them This Consideration recommended to all Protestants especially to the Dissenters from the Established Church of England Of the Secluded Members and of the Solemn League and Covenant 2. Beware of being Instrumental to the weakning or subverting of the Church of England Popery can never enter into our Church so long as the Established Articles Liturgy and Government are maintained The Difference between the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome and those of the Church of England Three Considerations to them that charge our Church and Episcopal Clergy with Inclining to Popery Some other things propounded to the Dissenters by way of Consideration and Advice The Conclusion of the whole CHAP. I. The Principles of the Roman Church and Religion destructive of Piety and Vertue Three Cases wherein it is possible for R. Catholiques to be better than their Religion inclines or allows them to be Of the Principles and Practises of his Majesties R. Catholique Subjects in the time of the late Rebellion Of their Rebellion in Ireland and the Advantage which the Kings Enemies in England made of it Since his Majesties Restauration they refused to give him any reasonable security of their Allegiance for the future Many Papists actually in Arms against King Charles the First in England many others did him no Service Vpon what Motives the rest adhered to him A Consult of the English Jesuits about taking away his Life Of the Principles and Behaviour of the R. Catholiques under the Usurped Powers Of Mr. White 's Book THe ensuing Treatise is not intended for those weak and credulous persons that suffer themselves to be charmed with specious Titles and flattering Prefaces and therefore without any reflection on our Author's Arts of Insinuation I shall come to the Matter of the Book called by an odd kind of Antiphrasis A Brief and Impartial Account c. So far as it falls within the Compass of my Design The former Part of the Book is for the most part made up of Allegations in proof of the Plot in general and Reflections on the Depositions The Process against the late Lord Stafford in particular with the Evidence against him and his Lordships Exceptions the Observations of the Managers of the Tryal and the Papists Answers to them the Consideration of all which I leave to others But that I may not seem to pass over any thing which looks like a Proof of the Loyalty and Peaceableness of the Roman Church or of his Majesties Roman Catholique Subjects I shall fairly set down all such Passages as are material to that purpose Staffords Memoires p. 2. His Lordship was ever held to be of a generous disposition very Charitable Devout addicted to Sobriety inoffensive in his Words and a Lover of Justice During the time of the last bloody Rebellion he suffered much for his Loyalty to the King Of the Popish Plot he saith p. 8. This Plot must be managed by persons of Quality most remarkable peradventure of all others for firmness of Loyalty Again The whole Body of Roman Catholiques men before this hour of known worth vertue integrity and unblemished Reputation must all be involved by Vows and Sacraments in a Design so black and execrable that God and Nature abhor to think on p. 52. Certain I am Catholiques Roman Catholiques he means both taught and practised Principles of Loyalty at a time when the King and Kingdom felt the dire Effects of contrary Persuasions That I may proceed with all possible clearness in my Answer to these bold Assertions I shall reduce what I have to say to two Debates I. Concerning the Piety and Vertue of Roman Catholiques II. Concerning their Principles and Practices in the time of the late Rebellion I. I begin with the Piety and Vertue of Roman Catholiques That the Principles of the Roman Church and Religion do naturally tend to make men wicked and disloyal I shall prove in the following Discourse And yet I freely grant That some men of that
upon the first intimation of displeasure from the Internuntio De Vecchiis and their General Superiors beyond the Seas (E) History of the Irish Remonstrance p. 577 578. In England many Roman Catholiques were actually in Arms against King Charles the First His Majesty himself that had most reason to know informs us That great numbers of that Religion were entertain'd in the Army of the Rebels that others were seduced to whom he had formerly denied employment that twenty or thirty at a time of one Troop or Company had been taken Prisoners (F) See His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects in his Kingdom of Scotland But were not many of the Roman Catholiques in the Kings Army They were indeed but not so many as his Enemies would make the World believe His Majesty tells us in His Declaration That sometimes in a Month together there had not been one Papist near his Court I am sure he was not much beholden to them for their Company at any time His Majesty knew it was the Policy of his Enemies to hunt them into his Camp that they might bring an Odium upon the Royal Cause and confirm the People in that groundless Jealousie of the Kings adherence to Popery which made him by His Proclamation to inhibit all men of that Religion to repair to Him Besides we are told by one of the Roman Church That 't is a Maxim of the Jesuits who have long bore the greatest sway in England in the Quarrels of Princes and great Men to have some of their Fathers on one part and some for the contrary that they may work for their own Interests on both sides (G) The Author of the Jesuits Reasons unreasonable Printed 1662. And whatever boasts they now make of their Loyalty to the late King we have not yet forgotten how they pleaded to the late Usurpers That for the Preservation of their Lives they were forced to flee into the Kings Garrisons without ever acting against the State (H) The Christian Moderator printed 1652. p. 60. That a great part of them were never in actual Arms against the Parliament but only fled to the Enemies Garrisons for Shelter c. (I) Christian Moderator p. 18 But I have so much charity as to believe that some Roman Catholiques offer'd their Lives and Fortunes to the King upon more generous Motives that they served him faithfully and suffer'd for him because as a great Man of that Religion said of himself They valued the Favour and Esteem of their Country above all Earthly things or were true English men as to this World (K) The Earl of Bristol in his Speech made July 1. 1673. We have known some tempers that have conquer'd the malignity of Poyson and some men have a greater love for their King and Country than for their Priests and Confessors some have too much honesty and some too little zeal for Religion to be intrusted with the State-Mysteries of Jesuits and Bigotted Papists A reverend and learned Person of our Church hath divers times told the World in print (L) Dr. Du. Moulin Aus to Philanax Anglicus p. 56. Ed. 1679. This certain Intelligence shall be justified whensoever Authority will require it that the year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their whole party in England first to Paris then to Rome with this Question in writing That seeing the state of England was in a likely posture to change Government whether it was lawful for the Catholiques to work that change for the advancing and securing the Catholique Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie and p. 61. As for my being defied by the Papists I have defied them now seventeen years to call me in question before our Judges and so I do still That there was a Consult in England of the whole Faction of Jesuites about bringing his Sacred Majesty to the Block But what number of the Laity were privy to that execrable Design we are not able to learn But if ever the English Papists had any reason to boast of their Obedience to the Government it was under the late Usurped Powers For they basely flatter'd the most Infamous Rump (M) See the Petition of the Roman Catholiques to the Supream Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common wealth of England Christian Moderation p 59 60. p. 51. Divers Papists had taken the Oath of Abjuration and Engagement c. Part 2. p. 41. The Roman Catholiques have generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement c. Dr. Baily in the Life of B. Fisher as I find him quoted by Mr. Fowlis is very zealous in asserting the Loyalty of the Papists and yet at the same time bravely tells us what good Subjects they were to O. Cromwel Whereas saith he all other Sorts and Sects excepting those who are for all Sorts and Sects appear against the present Government like Aries Scorpio c. the Roman Catholiques like Pisces the Emblem of the Fisherman are contented to remain quiet under Foot They publiquely own'd them for the Supream Authority of the Nation and pleaded the Merit of their Fidelity to them And if generally to take and punctually to keep the Engagement if to flatter the great Tyrant if to offer that for a Toleration they would renounce the Interest of the Stuarts be Arguments of firmness of Loyalty to the Crown then I will grant That the Roman Catholiques are the Kings Most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects But I will conclude this Head with this Observation That Mr. White in the height of Olivers Tyranny set out a Book under the Title of The Grounds of Obedience and Government This moderate Roman Catholique as he is esteemed labours not only to disengage the People of England from all Obligation to his present Majesty then in Exile but his Majesty too from laying any further claim to his Crown but blessed be God the King was restored to his Government to which his Roman Catholique Subjects according to this Gentleman ought not to endeavour his Restitution CHAP. II. The Treasons and Seditions in other Countries especially the Bloody Wars in England and the Murder of King Charles the First charged upon the Protestants The Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England vindicated from this Imputation The King brought to the Block by a prevailing Faction against the Consent of the Nobility and People of England The Romish Faction had a great Influence on the beginning and progress of the Rebellion The Troubles in Scotland fomented by Cardinal Richlieu's Agents The Letter of the Scotch Covenanters to the French King The Design of the Papists against the King discover'd Ann. 1640. What Influence they had on the War which followed in England and upon the Kings death Two Propositions added to the foregoing Discourse 1. That the Grounds on which the War against the King was justified were first laid by
once pronounced it will be lawful for the Commonwealth to deny Obedience to him And because a War must necessarily follow the Counsels how to maintain it must be sit down Arms must be quickly provided and Taxes laid upon the People to defray the Expences of the War And if it be requisite and the Commonwealth cannot otherwise maintain it self it will be lawful both by the right of Defence and more by the Authority proper to the People to declare publiquely the King to be the common Enemy and then to kill him with the Sword The Commonwealth from which the Royal Power hath its Original may when the case requires it bring the King to Judgment and deprive him of his Soveraignty for the Commonwealth hath not so transferr'd the Right of Power to the Prince but it hath reserved a greater Power to it self 2. But if there be no opportunity for the States of the Kingdom to assemble in this case of necessity they may dispense with the Formalities of Law any man may do that which the Commonwealth is supposed to desire should be done the common voice of the People shall be his Warrant that cuts of the Kings Head 3. But what if this be like to endanger the Traytors Neck Then he may take away the King by conveying a strong and subtile Poyson into 〈◊〉 Garment or Saddle as the Moors have kill'd their Enemies with poysoned Presents But 't is time to draw to a conclusion of this Head J. Goodwin in one of his Pamphlets hath this remarkable expression As for offering violence to the person of a King or attempting to take away his Life we leave the proof of the lawfulness of it to those profound Disputers the Jesuites c. And one of his Adversaries in a Letter to him declares that J. Goodwin is for ought he knows the first and only Minister of any Reformed Church that ever was of that Jesuitical Opinion as himself stiles it (L) Nethersole in a Letter to J. Goodwin Printed Jan. 8 1648. And though I will not undertake to make good that Assertion yet to the Positions of any of our Sectaries I can oppose the Authorities of a whole Herd of Jesuites and other Divines of the Roman Church But to all these Observations I will only add one more That as a Preparative to the Murder of King Charles the First a Book was printed An. 1648. licensed by G. Mabbot bearing this Title Several Speeches delivered at a Conference concerning the Power of Parliaments to proceed against their King for Misgovernment The Heads upon which these Speeches are pretended to be made and the very Matter and Expressions excepting only some few not material Passages are wholly taken out of the Book of Parsons an English Jesuit the great Design of which was to baffle the Title of King James to the Crown of England animate the People to Rebellion and introduce the Roman Catholique Religion All the difference is Parsons published his Book by way of Dialogue these turned it into Speeches This Parsons was Rector of the English College at Rome missed very narrowly of a Cardinals Cap of how great esteem he was at Rome may be gather'd from that famous Inscription on his Monument (M) Aligambe p. 413 414. And he hath furnished the Seditious Spirits amongst us with Arguments and Precedents for their Practises against the King This false new Title they are the words of Mr. Prinne ' published at this Season intimated to the World that this Discourse of a Jesuit for which he was condemned of High Treason was nothing else but Speeches made by some Members of the Commons House at a Conference with the Lords of which Book though himself and divers others complained there was nothing done to vindicate the Houses from this gross Imputation (N) Prinne's Speech in the House of Commons Decemb. 4. 1648. p. â—00 By all which we see that the Popes and Jesuites though at a distance contributed very much to the late Bloody Wars in England and the dismal consequences of them All the difference I can find between the Heads of both Factions is only this Whether the Power of Deposing and Chastising Kings belongs to the People or to the Pope The Fanatique Sectaries allow the People by their Representatives to resume the Power into their own hands whereas some of the Popish Fanatiques reserve this Power to the Pope as the Common Father of Christendom Some I say for the greater part of them invest the Commonwealth with this Authority And so much of the first Proposition 2. In the Reign of King Charles the First the Pope stirr'd up his Subjects of the Roman Communion to Rebel forbad them to take the Oath of Allegiance and absolved them from their Obedience In the beginning of his Majesties Reign the Pope by his Bull strictly forbids the taking the Oath of Allegiance (O) Urban 8. Dilectis filiis Catholicis Angliae Romae Maii 30. 1126. An. 1642. The Pope persuades Eugenius Oneal to give proofs of his Valour in joyning with the Irish Catholiques against the Haeretiques grants to him and all his Adherents the Apostolical Benediction and Plenary Indulgence (P) In a Bull dated Octob. 8. 1642 to Eugegenius Oneal An. 1643. he grants a Bull of Plenary Indulgence to all the Roman Catholiques of Ireland who had joyned in the Rebellion began in the year 1641. (Q) This Bull is dated May 25 1643. all which Bulls are extant in the Histories of those times and therefore need not be transcribed When the Irish Papists submitted to the King subscribed and swore to the observation of the Articles agreed upon the Pope absolved them from their Oath took upon himself to be their General in the person of his Nuntio assumed the exercise of the Regal Power imprisoned those Roman Catholiques and threatned to take away their Lives who had promoted the Peace and desired to return to their Allegiance to his Majesty And 't is observable That soon after the most Infamous Rump had crowned all their Wickedness with the Murder of his Sacred Majesty they nulled the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and so made themselves as Innocent as the Child unborn (R) Feb. 9. The House voted that the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy should be Null and Void Memorie 's of the English Affairs ad an 1648. Thus I have proved with as much brevity as a Discourse of this consequence would admit That neither the Reformed Churches abroad nor the Church of England gave any encouragement to the late Bloody Wars in England or the Murder of the Lords Anointed and I have shewed what Influence the Principles and Practises of the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church had upon them I have omitted nothing that deserves our Consideration except the Gunpowder Treason which having been the Subject of many Sermons and Books I shall pass it over only with these two Observations 1. The late Lord Stafford at his Tryal
by the Word of God he may the Supream Government in all causes Ecclesiastical and Civil In those Causes you are not Subject to him for doth not the Pope claim the Supremacy in all Ecclesiastical and even in Temporal Causes at least in ordine ad Spiritualia Let the Rhemists complain that the Protestants extol only the Secular Power We acknowledge the King to be Supream Governour in all Causes and over all Persons within his Majesties Dominions for this is all that we attribute to the Secular Power and 't is the Glory of our Church to have taught and suffered for this Doctrine But for the Loyalty of the Rhemish Divines I refer the Reader to some of their Annotations as they are cited in the Margent (M) The Rhemish Testament was see forth by that Traiterous Seminary of English Papists and printed at Rhemes An. 1582. See the former part of their Annotations on ver 4. of this 13th Chapter to the Romans where they complain That now all is given to the Secular Power and nothing to the Spiritual which expresly is ordained by Christ and the Holy Ghost The exemption of the Clergy is asserted Annot. on S. Matth. 17.26 The Popes Infallibility Annot. on S. Luke 22.31 And in the Margent they say Popes may err personally not judicially or definitively The Popes Supremacy Annot. on S. John 21.17 And on 1 Pet. 2.12 They say Although all Power be of God and Kings Rule by him yet this is no otherwise than by his ordinary Concurrence and Providence He that desires to see a true Character of the English Seminaries may consult a Treatise penn'd by the direction of one of the greatest Statesmen and wisest men of his Age under this Title The Execution of Justice in England c. Reprinted An. 1675. My Lords 4th Testimony was taken from the Censure of the Doctors of the Famous Faculty of Sorbon against a Book of Sanctarellus particularly against the 30th and 31th Chapters In those two Chapters these Propositions are contained That the Pope can punish Kings and Princes with Temporal Penalties and depose and deprive them of their Kingdoms for the Crime of Haeresis and free their Subjects from their Obedience and that is hath been always the Custom in the Church and for other Causes also as for Faults if it be Expedient if the Princes be Negligent for the insufficiency and unprofitableness of their Persons Likewise That the Pope hath Right and Power over Spirituals and all Temporals also and that both the Powers Temporal and Spiritual are in him by Divine Right That it was to be believed that Power was granted to the Church and its Chief Pastors to punish with Temporal Penalties Princes the Transgressours of Divine and Humane Laws especially if the Crime be Haeresie Likewise that the Apostles were subject to Secular Princes de facto non de jure by Fact not by Right Moreover that as soon as the Pope is installed all Princes begin to be subject to him Lastly That he expounded the Words of Christ Whatsoever ye shall bind upon Earth c. to be understood not only of the Spiritual but of the Temporal Power c. The Faculty after mature deliberation disapproved and condemned the Doctrine contained in these Propositions and other like Expressions in the same Chapters as new false erroneous and contrary to the Word of God Given in the Sorbon Apr. 4. 1626. In Answer to all which I have many things to say but that I may not exceed my intended brevity I shall reduce them to the following Heads 1. That this Book of Sanctarellus was revised and approved by persons of greater Authority in the Roman Church than the Divines of Sorbon (N) Alegambe Bibl. script soc Jes in the life of Sanctarellus gives us this Character of him Vir moribus apprimé religiosis modestissima mansuetudine The Title of the Book is A. Sanctarelli soc Jes Tract de Haeres c. Ed. Romae 1625. In the License of the Master of the Sacred-Palace are these words In eo omnia religioni consona atque utilia adinvenerim In another of the Licenses In quo nihil reperi quod Sanctae Fidei aut bonis moribus adversetur It was printed at Rome permissu Superiorum approved by three Divines of the Society licensed by the General of the Order by the Master of the Sacred Palace and several other Divines By which we see what kind of Divinity was then in request at Rome But it may be the Divines of the Roman Church have one Conscience at Rome and another at Paris as was once said of the Jesuites 2. Since the breaking out of the Popish Plot in England when so many of that Religion were in danger of their Lives the Pope thought fit to condemn 65 Propositions as I shewed before but did not speak one word against the Power of deposing Princes though it was asserted in the same Divines and Casuists with the 65 Propositions And whether the Judgment of his Holiness or of the Divines of Sorbon be of greater value with Roman Catholiques let all men judge 3. Why do the Church and Court of Rome suffer an hundred as bad Books as this of Sanctarellus in which the same or worse Propositions are maintained to pass not only without Censure but with publique Anthority and Approbation 4. There are no Propositions in the places censured by the Sorbonists which he might not justifie by the Principles of the Bishops of Rome the most correct Editions of the Canon Law and in the Sentence of Excommunication and Deprivation of Frederick the Emperor with the Approbation of a General Council the Pope expounds the words of Christ as Sancturellus since did not only of the Spiritual but of the Temporal Power also (O) In the General Council of Lyons Concil tom 28. ut supra Innocent the 4th with the consent of the Council denounces Sentence of Deprivation against Frederick the Emperor Nobisque in B. Petri Apostoli persona sit dictum quodcunque ligaveris c. S. Marth 16. Also M. Paris ad An. 1245. p. 672. 5. What hath Sanctarellus said more than the Doctors of the Famous Faculty of Sorbon did both before and since the Publishing of his Book I know that Ancient College of Sorbon did for many years keep up a great reputation and was esteemed the Bulwark of Regal Authority but ever since the rise of the Jesuites many of their Determinations have been carried by Interest and Faction An. 1589 a little before the Murder of Henry the third of France the People of that Kingdom proposed these two queries to the Divines of Sorbon 1. Whether the People of France may not be discharged and set free from their Oaths of Allegiance made to Henry the Third 2. Whether they may not with a safe Conscience Arm and Vnite themselves collect and raise Money for the Defence and Preservation of the Roman Catholiques in that Realm against the wicked