to haue any iurisdiction power superiority preeminence or authority Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme if he digest this then see how one thing draweth on another all our former differences are at once and in this one compounded also for if the Pope being a forraigne Prelate or Potentate be excluded from hauing any Ecclesiasticall power or Spirituall authority within this Realme Then our question of his preheminency or jurisdiction in repressing the exorbitant and pernicious excesse of great men as an Ecclesiasticall Iudge or Supreame Pastor direct or indirect is at an end clearely determined I doubt not but his excellent Majesty of his Princely care to bring home so many lost sheepe and to bosome them againe in his dearest loue will affoord them that fauorable interpretation which this there Aduocate and Orator requireth in their behalfe In the meane space not to loose what we haue got I returne vnto P. R. the like charge of making good of his word touching the Oath of Supremacy in the sence and distinction afore mentioned and therewithall might thinke it not reasonable any further to stricke a yeelding aduersary that by so voluntary an offer cleareth the cause from any further controuersie But remembring the nature and quallity of our adversary and the many winding and intricaking trickes he is vsed vnto in the canvassing of this or the like controversies I feare that this our reconciliation is rather seeming then substanciall and will suddainly vpon a small touch fall a sunder againe to as great a discrepance for howsoeuer he doth so franckly yeeld vnto his Majesty a supremacy of the Church in Ecclesiasticall causes as touching outward preseruation onely let him be but sifted a little in his meanings it will breake from him that he neuer purposed to strengthen the state and authority of our Soueraigne with any such power of absolute defence and protection which shall presently appeare by ministring vnto him some few questions I pray you Sir what Church and what Ecclesiasticall causes doe you consent to be within the Kings Royall preseruation is it incident and appropriate to his Princely Scepter to mayntaine the religion now established in his Dominions by making Lawes for enforcing subjects to an vniforme allowance and profession thereof by punishing Recusants according to Iustice and by employing all his powers to suppresse the oppugners or Conspirators against the same Dareth he to abide by this will he henceforth justifie this preseruation and that by his religious oath which hitherto the impoy-soned pens of these Iesuited spirits haue not spared odiously to tearme a cruell persecution wee haue shaked him already from his attonement with vs in this poynt He will tell vs plainely That the Church and Ecclesiasticall cause which he authorized the Prince to protect and preserue is onely the Catholike Church and Religion and then as if orbs and vrbs were all one that the Catholike is the Romish so that vnlesse the King will turne Leigeman with a kinde of vazilage to the Sea of Rome his right of Supremacy in the outward preseruation of the Church which this man dareth assure vs that all Catholikes in England will easily accord vnto must be denied him as not due and proper to the Title of his Regality Papacy is the pole-starre of all their contemplations It is the Centure whereunto are carried and cleaueth fast all their drifts and disputations And no further shall any Prince hold power especially in Ecclesiasticall causes which are all bosomed vp in the breast of his Holinesse then the same shall serue in a sub-ordination to the advancing and exaltation of that most imperious Romish Hyerarcy Nay their temporall authority also must be kitbed stinted and subjugated by that vntollerable yoake of Popish vsurpation except it should be made plyant ranged and accommodated In ordine ad dominum Papam Then not regarding P. R. his assurance of the voluntary submissions and subscriptions of all Catholikes of England to the Kings Supremacy according to the limitation or interpretation aforesayd we may well assure our selues that no English Papists finding this supremacy of defence and preseruation to tend to the subversion and extirpation of their idolatrous Religion will euer yeelde oath to keepe fayth thereunto Yet hauing closed with him in a full consent vnto this position that euery Prince hath Iure divino the supremacy of outward preseruation of the Church and Ecclesiasticall causes within his Territories and Dominions let it be remembred that he neuer hereafter scandalize the proceedings and execution of Iustice in England against the refractaries and treacherous oppugners of the Religion established in this Realme sith the same is the lawfull and necessary act of a well warranted and acknowledged Supremacy from which our publicke profession of Fayth is to receiue protection and preseruation I cannot but conceiue that this Clearke P. R. wil be shent and receiue some checke for his Doctrine For out of question if his Holinesse and Cardinall Bellarmine haue enkindled their displeasures against Mr. Blackwell the Arch-Priest for allowing the Oath of Alleagiance which contayneth onely an acknowledgment of the hereditary rights of temporall Soueraignity whereunto naturall duty in respect of relation doth bind each subject How much more heynously will it be taken that this Arch-Iesuite as if both their Arches had slipped from them at once should so confidently condiscend to this artickle of Spirituall Supremacy in the sence qualification or moderation before expressed He cannot escape the blame of forgetting or forsaking of his principles neyther can he euer salue his offence by any wily Interpretation or beguiling distinction His direct and indirect his absolute and conditionall his mediate and immediate his simpliciter and secundum quid or quatenus and the like which in all his discoursiue argumenting doth make his way for him through many Obstacles whilst he treadeth out vnto vs his maze of Circuler shifts and manifold euasions can touching this his confession or protestation haue no place or serue him to any stead because knowing aforehand how the case standeth in euery circumstanciall or considerable perticularity he hath to the King of England within his seuerall Dominions adjudged the Supreame gouernment of causes Ecclesiasticall as in the office and care of preseruing the Church with the fayth and Doctrine thereof from all wronges or corruptions Forraigne or Domesticall I encroach not vppon him by inferences and constructions I onely take that which he so fully and clearely gyueth and do challenge him that what he hath deliuered vnto vs for his judgement and resolution and that in high termes and vanting and flaunting of his aduantages therein He will notwithstanding any reprehension or retreite from the Pope or Bellarmine still with the like brauery and constancy mayntaine vnto the end but shall I disclose a secret or rather a wonder vnto the World What if the very same Author who so boldly assumeth and assureth at this time for all Catholikes the Title of Spirituall Supremacy
holding that euen priuate men may destroy Kings P. R. yeeldeth vnto the point of the Kings Supremacie in that sence as we doe accept the same P. R. driuen to fall from that which he had yeelded The Pope and Bellarmine will dislike as much of P. R. for yeelding to the Kings Supremacie of preseruation as they do of M. Blackwell for taking the Oath of Allegeance P. R. thought to be the author of the Letter which replyeth to the Apologie of the Oath He cannot yeeld Supremacie in all causes in his owne sense and yet main aine the Popes power of deposing The maintaining of the Popes temporall power and the denying of the Oath of Allegeance is all one He ought to haue shewed particular matter to be disliked in the seuerall parts of the Oath the true cause why he doth not His foure reasons whereby he would proue matter of Religion in the Oath be examined and refuted All limitting of the Popes power is not matter of Faith The allowing to the Pope a power to depose the King cannot stand with Allegeance A short answer consisting of two parts to the whole Booke Written against Sir Edw. Coke concerning the Popes Authoritie in this Kingdome Difference in the case of subiects vnder Catholike Kings the subiects of this kingdome between the now subiects those of former times vnder 〈◊〉 Kings of England The distinction of the Popes Authoritie direct and indirect 〈◊〉 Reasons to induce the Catholike subiects not to refuse the Oath That sundry Papists haue taken the Oath willingly and that the Gent. Wrongeth them in making a doubt thereof vpon any allegation of constraint by feare That the Law containeth not any compelling or vnlawfull meanes to make any to sweare vnwillingly That they haue also sworne faithfully and that the equiuocating sence which the Gent. deuiseth was not vsed by them nor ought to be vsed by any being sencelesse and against the Oath directly The Gent. rage and threats for enforcing of the Oath His Theologie controlled concerning the ministring of an Oath vnto such as hee that ministreth the same suspecteth will forsweare himselfe That amongst the Papists there be greater enforcements to make men abiure Opinions yea vnder paine of death as is confessed And that the answer to maintaine the same by the title of Ius acquisitum is idle and friuolous A wish for eternizing the memorie of the Gunpowder Treason in answer of their anger for our so often iterating or vpbraiding to them that most abhorred Conspiracie FINIS AN EXAMINATION OF a Position published by P. R. in the preface of his treatise tending to mitigation concerning the lawfullnesse of the Popes Power ouer Princes with a defence of the oath of Allegiance IT pleased the Right Honorable the Earle of Salisbury in his exactly written and necessary published answer to certaine scandalous Papists prouoking him by occasion and in fashion vnsufferable to protest against the insolency and malignity of the Romish Church out of the bosome whereof so many Treacheries Conspirases and Immanities of the foulest kind haue bin vented into the world tending to ouerule or ruinate whatsoeuer authority not submitting the necke to the yoake of that vsurping power in the very first passage of that his Appologetticall declaration which enuie it selfe could not passe ouer without attribution of highest praise hee was carried by the contemplation of so many dangerous designes and complotting practises dayly pretended and contriued against the safetie and dignitie of temporall Potentates to a more vehement expressing of himselfe in the zeale of words following I haue been a long time sorry that those which imploy so many seditious spirits dayly to instruct the vnlearned Catholikes in these mysteries of deposing Princes haue not by some publike definitiue sentence Orthodoxall in which it is supposed the Pope cannot erre made some cleere explication of their assumed power ouer Soueraigne Princes as not onely those which acknowledge his superioritie might bee secured from feares and iealousies of continuall treasons and bloody assassinates against their persons but those kings which doe not approoue the same and yet would faine reserue a charitable opinion of her subiects might know how far to repose themselues in their fidelitie in ciuill obedience howsoeuer they seem to be deuided from them in point of conscience To which his Lordsh. so honourable desire this good father offereth and endeauoureth to giue satisfaction Aman if we mistake not his sheepemarke of some fame and note of that side placed in a degree of preheminence graced with more then ordinary gifts confidently conceited of himselfe and daring to vndertake matters of highest nature not withstanding obseruation is made of him that his boldnes much ouerbalanceth any other his best worth His said preface of the importune exasperations vsed by diuers to increase our diuision and disagreement about matters of Religion is very presumptuous and altogether censorious wholly spent in taxing and traducing not onely the particular speeches or writings of some especiall men of excellent desert in this state as if whatsoeuer they haue vttered out of the abundance of iust griefe in detestation of the late execrable treason did wholly proceede from exasperation exulceration aggrauation exaggeration and calumniation for in those high sounding tearmes he beareth his stile aloft but also the administration of iustice the vprightnes of our regiment the newly enacted penall lawes as making the state of English Catholikes vnder Protestant gouernement more miserable and intolerable than that of the Iewes vnder any sort of Christian Princes that of the Grecians or Christians vnder the Turke or Persian or that of bond Subiects vnder the Polonians Suetians and Muscouites onely he confesseth that in two mens writings he findeth more moderation The one is his Maiestie in his speeches both in Parliament in Proclamations whereunto yet he giueth some dash or wipe of exception The other is my Lord of Salisbury in his said answer to that fond menacing letter or rather franticke commination which yet hee saith wanteth not his sting piercing euen to the quicke After hee hath thus throughout his many licentious leaues braued it with exorbitant and exulting phrases at the last he falleth in hand with this piece of doctrine occasionally drawne thereunto by the consideration of his Lordships said desire and forsooth he is the man that must instruct and settle my Lords iudgment by his profound resolues seeming to be moued with pitty that his Honour in a matter not appertaining properly to his facultie or profession hath beene misled or misinformed by his diuine Before he lancheth into the maine of the matter he disposeth himselfe malepertly to make a crosse or quaere of the truth of such threatnings and scandalls expressed in the said leters For ◠he pauseth vpon the matter with his parenthesis if any such were and after infinuateth his suspition that the same came from the forge of some such as altogether with a blowe to be thereby giuen to all
the heart of man at the Creation so was it also reduced and comprised by the Wisedome of God into the Tables of the Morall Law in the which for as much as we haue an expresse commandement of honor and obedience to gouernors that must remaine fixed in our hearts to hold vs firme in the Bond of allegiance Then let P. R. and all his conjoyned Catholikes as hee vaunteth make it plaine vnto vs that eyther Nature hath implanted or the Commandements of God haue enioyned therepressing or deposing of such Princes vppon any exceptions surmizes or accusations whatsoeuer As for the Law of Nations because that is but secundary and derivatiue from the other what hath beene averred of the one holdeth the same respect and certainty as doth the roote it selfe from whence it issueth yet before wee depart from this Argument of Natures working I haue to note that this cunning and curious Composer of Bookes and Contriuer of cases doth in this his chiefe proposition worke himselfe quite out of the question and putteth the Pope cleane out of the doores for the question being of the power of the Pope that is of the power authority and iurisdiction of a Forraine Commander and Iudge he telleth vs that God and Nature hath left some sufficient authority in euery Common-wealth c. which directly maketh the Popes preheminency with vs altogether needelesse and a very nullity sith by his owne sayings and that more agreeable to reason there is sufficient authority within the Land not requiring any his 〈◊〉 or vsurpations to the gouerning of that body which is of it selfe compleate and liueth by the vigor spirit and powerfull opperation of his owne soule his lawfull Soueraigne Thus is the Pope as touching the first reason drawne from the Law or Right of Nature or Nations either left out by him or cast out by me from repressing of Princes or 〈◊〉 himselfe within these our Countries or Territories The second reason bringeth a better Commission that will make way through all repugnances it is inforced in the name and authority of Christ himselfe and it is thus chayned together for impregnable strength Christ was to found is Common-wealth of Christians the farre more perfection then other states had before been establishe subjecting temporall things to spirituall and appointing a Supreame Vniuersall gouernour in the same with a generall charge to looke to all his sheepe without exception of great or small people or Potentates Therefore hee inferreth that the Supreame care iudgement direction and censure of the matter in question was left by Christ vnto the sayd Supreame 〈◊〉 or Pastor of his Church and Common-wealth But it was doubted whether this power was committed to the supreame Pastor directly and immediatly or indirectly and by consequence The Canonists out of the Commission vnto St. Peter Pose ones meas do hold the direct and immediate authority charge and ouersight in temporallities The Catholike Diuines vpon whom the brunt and pressure by 〈◊〉 must bee sayed haue thought it safer to chuse the indirect and consequentiall which they expresse in this manner When the gouernment of spirituall affaires is impugned by any temporall Gouernors so as the sayd spirituall Commission cannot be executed without redresse or remedy 〈◊〉 and in such cases the said Supreame Pastor is to haue authority to proceede against the temporall gouernors Also for the defence and preseruation of his spirituall charge but both parts fully are agreed that there is such authority left by Christ in his Church for remedy of vrgent causes otherwise he should not haue sufficiently prouided for the necessity thereof Here is goodly building of Castles in the ayre Castles did I say Nay of the Tower of Babell in the steede of the City of God Christ sayth hee was to found his Common-wealth of Christians in farre more perfection then other states c. why Christs intentions erections and perfections were all to saue sinners and to bring them vnto Heauen what proofe is this that hee was to found the Popish Hyerarchy or the Antichristian Monarchy and what is this farre more perfection c. Is it an outward pompe or power to chayne and fetter Princes vnder a temporall obedience of a Spirituall Vsurper What is this same subjecting of temporall things to spirituall is it to make a Minister or Bishop of Heauenly matters tyrannous and rampant ouer the temperall states setting their imperiall feete vppon the neckes of Lyons and Dragons what is the nature end and eminency of the spirituall Kingdome of Christ is it any other then the Preaching of the Gospell the way of salvation and the possessing of euerlasting life Then what straightnesse what extractions doth the Limbeckes of their braines bewitched with temporall vanities make of a worldly rule and Dominion He was to appoint one Supreame and 〈◊〉 Gouernor c. we on the other side constantly denying this their principle doe easily bring them to the end of their wits yet wee will pocket vp one confession in this place which hee is likely to forsake and not acknowledge another time In more perfection sayth hee then other states had before beene established acknowledging thereby that vnder the Law and in the old Testament the temporall was not subject to the spirituall Hath hee not well collected and conected his propositions to bring out this grand conclusion of superiority ouer Princes doth he not neede a distinction of proofe to make these parts that cleaue like sand to hold together against the breach which wee are to make vppon him His distinction of direct or indirect shal be directly anoyded and his great Mace which hee beareth vp in his March of state of Ordine ad Deum must bee directed and ordered to a better sence and his commission of pasce shall bee examined how farre it can authorize him to assume the pretented power If hee will but thanke me for it I will befriend him a little with my directions I will chalke him out his way with a straight line by the which hee must be brought and passe along if he desireth to come right vppon the conclusion I will distribute his journey into seuerall baytings or reposes otherwise called common places I doubt it will prooue a long labour and very troub esome to carry his commission along with him hee is like to venture himselfe in many straights and hazardable passages and will be often stayed by the Kings Watch but more often foundred by the rubs and roughnesse of the way which hee is to walke through He must begin and set forth at this poynt 1 That Christ purposing to found his Common-wealth of Christians in farre more perfection c. hath appoynted the same to be an absolute Monarchy vnder one supreame and vniversall Governour visible eminent and knowne as the head on earth in all causes of Christs kingdome 2 Next who that individuall person is whom Christ appointed to be such a Monarche and by what commission is he assigned thereunto and
by what words thereof can he challenge the obedience of all the subiects or Christians in that Common-wealth 3 Whether if St. Peter be affirmed to be the said Monarche what can be alledged for his Superiority that is not equally communicable to the rest of the Apostles ioyntly or severally by the like authorizement 4 Whether St. Peter was more especially appointed the chiefe Apostle for both Iewes and Gentiles If for the Iewes how came it that St. Paul reproved him for misleading the Iewes If for the Gentiles why was St. Paul by a publike consent and Counsell nominated to be the Apostle of the Gentiles who at Rome planted the Church and from whom the succession is most proper 5 Whether St. Peter ever came at Rome sith there is evident demonstration by computing the times and places of his abode during his life after Christs ascension that he could not be there at all by any coniecture as by the Epistles of St. Paul is evicted 6 Allowing that St. Peter was at Rome was he not there as an Apostle and so no more appropriate to that place then to the whole world 7 Being an Apostle how came he to be chiefe yea the vniuersall Pastor over both Iewes and Gentiles except such his Pastorship were rather Apostolicall then Episcopall If his 〈◊〉 were Apostolicall then all the Apostles had interest thereunto as well as he If Episcopall did he renounce or relinquish his Apostleship to erect a new state or seate of an 〈◊〉 Bishop neuer mentioned in the Scripture and of a larger extent and dominion then the Apostleship and by what warrant and authoritye did he so 8 If he did found any such Episcopall eminencie vniversall over all the Churches of the world and that invested in his owne person why may it not be thought that such his Episcopall function was setled vpon him rather at Antioch where his chiefest abode was after his departure from Ierusalem then at Rome 9 Whether in case he preferred Rome before Antioch Ierusalem and other places whereof there is no apparant proofe or certainty is that successive seare established at Rome of the like and the same power vertue and veritie as was conferred on his owne person 10 Whether such supposed succession were afixed to the place or aplied to the persons 11 Whether if the succession were applied to the place was it not cut off and discontinued when there was no vniuersall Bishop refiant at Rome which for some hundreths of yeares after Christ and since the vsurpation Papall for a long time together hath come to passe 12 If the succession were in the persons did not the abominable wickednes of life or the open profession of Atheisme Arianisme Coniuration and contracting with the Deuill damnable doctrines of all sorts and hereticall positions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by such persons yeain their Cathedra dissolve the said succession and what 〈◊〉 they make for Pope Ioane whose stay standeth vnrefuted 13 Moveover he 〈◊〉 me what became of this 〈◊〉 and where that Common-wealth of Christians as they will needs calbit that they may make themselues common wealths men could finde there one 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Governor when there were two three or 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at once 14 Yet we haue not done questioning with him This great 〈◊〉 of doubts must resolve vs how it commeth to 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 persian 〈◊〉 Russian 〈◊〉 and other 〈◊〉 Churches haue not beene made 〈◊〉 with this 〈◊〉 mentall part of doctrine that Christ hath ordayned the Bishop of Rome the supreame and vniuersall Pastor of the whole Common-wealth of Christians which he hath 〈◊〉 and founded 15 He is also to 〈◊〉 himself of an answere to another question Whether the succesors of S. Peter were it once agreed vppon who they were Clement Linus Cletus or 〈◊〉 did over hold or exercise any ditivation of authority from St. Peter over 〈◊〉 and other Apostles that survived St. Peter in the Church or did they or any of them striue for Superioritye with them yea rather did they not yeeld vnto them 16 Besides this 〈◊〉 diving determinor in Divinity doubts must take into his consideration what warrantize of any lawful vocation election and ordinatiō the succeeding Bishops of Rome can avow or maintain sith no man may take on him any 〈◊〉 ministery or 〈◊〉 but in that regular and 〈◊〉 manner And whether such their calling to their Ministeriall offices and Pastorall charge were ordinary or extraordinary the difference in the admissions and choyce of such Bishops which sometimes was by substitution of the proceeding Bishop sometimes by election of the people and in later times by the suffrages of Cardinals and sometimes by meere intrusion giveth cause to move this question 17 What reasons can be pretended or alledged why if both Christ and St. Peter intended the succession of Bishops onely in that Sea of Rome 〈◊〉 there hath new Titles beene taken vp of Patriarke 〈◊〉 and then of Supreame head of the Church and then of Papa or Pope which seemeth to inferre an alteration or else an augmentation of the power or charge first conferred by Christ or St. Peter vppon that Sea and so consequently a question whether the latter diuised Titles be likewise authorized from Christ 18 Doth it not behoue that this so pregnant a Patron of Papacy doe cleare all causes touching the interruption and discontinuance of the supposed succession of Popes whereof some hauing before beene propounded it shall not be amisse to cast him one bone more to whet his teeth or witt vppon I would know whether after cannons and constitutions made by his Holinesse and ratyfied by Councells touching the lawfull election and admittance of the Bishop of Rome if a Pope enter vnduly and contrary to such orders and Cannons by simony bribery faction yea with strong hand or any other corrupt courses may notwithstanding be held and reputed a lawfull Pope and the acts by him done the carnalls by him made and the decrees or trans-actions of his time shall bee adiudged as to stand in the right of Christs Vicar on earth Are not in such cases the linckes of the chaine tying together the succession broken or let loose sith in the particulers in whom the same should be continued such elections and ordinations are adiudged intrusions and vsurpations yea vtterly voyde and very nullities 19 Yet I must make him a little more worke with other questions what is the cause that for so long a space of 600. yeares after Christs Assention this position of the Romish Supremacy and vniuersall head-ship if it were so evident and demonstratiue from Christs owne appointment as this bold bragger would haue vs to beleeue was neither by the Fathers of the Primitiue Church nor by any generall Councels approoued or ratified 20 I am disposed to offer him another objection like a blocke to stumble at which neuer any Papist yet well passed ouer but he brake his shin against it and that is the opinion and censure of Gregory the
sallogize against himselfe All power is giuen to mee in Heauen and in Earth but my Kingdome to bee of this World is such a power Ergo my Kingdome is of this same World Now obserue also his witty and substantiall reconcilement hee had a Kingly temporall power in this life but hee renounced the vse and priuiledge of the same Or thus hee had no direct Dominion vppon temporall things yet indirectly for preseruation of his spirituall Dominion hee had and might haue vsed the same and in that sence left it to his successour Is not this most shamelesse and direct abusing of Christ and his most Sacred Word When hee sayd at another time that the Foxes had holes and the Birds of the Ayre had nests but the Sonne of man had no place to hide his head If these expositors had then beene knowne to his Apostles they would haue replyed Sir you haue places of refuge but you renounce the vse and priviledge thereof or albeit you haue not any place directly yet indirectly for the necessity of your function you haue all palces at your Command or if you haue not in your owne indiuiduall person yet in your Successors you must needes haue else how should they maintayne the hauing and inhabiting of such Royall and Magnificent edifices wherein they keepe such stately and more then imperiall Courts What is this else then to tell Christ hee wotteth not what hee sayth and to enter him like a Novice in their new Schooles of equiuocation to learne their falatious mentall preseruations But admit it to be incident into their Offices to interpret Christ as themselues listeth How doth it happen that the rightfull successors of Christ doth not also succeede him in his modestye humilitye povertye and meekenesse especially beeing commaunded to learne of him and so in like sort as Christ did renounce the vse and priviledge of Temporall Power or whence haue these successors their so plenarye and direct preheminence when from Christ they could convey it but indirectlye and by consequence Or can they make any demonstration or playne proofe of the stint and circuite of time at the periode or expiration whereof that Temporall Dominion which in Christ was Indirect and Potenticall should become vnto the Pope Direct and Ordinarye Or was there not as vrgent cause that Christ in respect of the many letts impeachments and impediments which he met withall should for the preservation of his Spirituall Dominion directly or indirectly in some sort or other betake himselfe to his Temporall Authoritye Except they will say that hee was in his owne person militant and suffering but in these his successors triumphant and glorious Let mee then bee answered Whether such a Succession hath any image or representation of that first type or patterne which sayde Learne of mee To manifest yet more discerningly the idlenesse the fraude and vnfit applying of this distinction let them know that is not to be trusted vnto because it will serue their adversaries as well as themselues for where the question may be propounded and disputed whether temporall Princes may suppresse or remooue Popes if the authorities alleadged out of Gods Word and the Histories of the Church shall not suffice to giue in evidence for any such direct and vndoubted preheminence in Princes then we may make bold of this their make-shift distinction that Princes haue euer had such a power annexed and proper to their governing charge though they haue forborne the vse and preuiledge thereof or that indirectly and by consequence for the vpholding of their states and keeping of their people in obedience which by so many Popish practises is dayly perverted they may and ought to exercise and execute the same Moreouer let it be examined how and from what originall this distinction draweth his pedigree what bosome or heate did first hatch it and what causes of weight doth still nourish and continue the same Mr. P. R. hath fully acquainted vs with the certainty thereof For if Christ sayth he should not haue left such an authority in his Church for remedy of vrgent causes hee should not haue sufficiently provided for the necessity thereof It is maruaile that this our Moderator and mollifying Mittigator did not vse the word of conveniency in the stead of necessity to haue avoyded the disadvantage of the stricktnesse of that word can there concerning the subsistance and stability of the Church any more vrgent causes to be imagined for the vpholding thereof then there was in the first times of the primitiue purity or is the vsurping power of the supreame Pastor his ouer awing or over peering of Princes his correcting and repressing of them by alienating subiects and egging enemies against them any constitutiue causes or essentiall necessities of the Church I will not deny but that the height and eminency wherevnto the Bishops of Rome haue aspired by encroching vpon the rights and vndermining the states of temporall Gouernors as indeede to be provided for and maintayned by this presupposed necessity But the purity the poverty the simplicity the feruency of the first fathers and propagators of the faith and Church of Christ needed none of these humaine and worldly additaments none of these temporall encountrings or conflicting with Potentates no such foreseeing perpecations to affront all occurting causes nor any such politiciall circumventings and fortifications for defence and offence against Princes They conquered powers and principalities but with the spirituall Armor of God they beate vppon them with the hammer of the word they cut deeply into the secrets of their soules with the sword of the spirit they prayed for their peace and prosperity they embrased the very persecutions with obedience and for the countenancing fauours by giuing them respit from affliction and the sunne shine of liberty they honoured them as the nursing fathers of the Church when I contemplate the composute and frame of the Popish Monatchy and the linking together of so many cunningly contrived positions tending all of them to the encrease of gaine and advance of Honor to the Sea of Rome I wish that some excellent Scholler extraordinarily endued would out of his many obseruations collected exhibite vnto the world in imitation of Matchauell who made the shames and vices of the house of Florence the patterne of a perfite Prince this Antichrist of Rome as a true president of Tyranny and Vsurpation by publishing with an apt resemblance as well the vilde and vnchristian practises as also the false and pernicious articles whereby he hath atchived so strange matters and attained vnto so vnmeasurable greatnesse which my desire is the more increased the more I consider how the webs of that worke hath ensuared if not enthralled Christian people euen in the carriage of this controversie I haue traced the foot-steps of many politicke reaches and now in the closing vp of the matter a faire traine is layd to catch and lay hold vpon an easie follower which we must not so suddenly passe by as
and agreeable to the Catholicke grounds He further setteth foorth the receiued opinion of the Church to be that it is lawfull for Subiects when the King resuseth to be reformed and after sentence against him to renounce their Obedience to consult for the leuying of a necessary Warre to taxe the people with the charge thereof and with armed force and weapons in such case of necessitie to set vpon him to kill him and destroy him and then descendeth to this conclusion Eademque facultas esto cuicunque priuato qui spe impunitatis abiecta neglecta propria salute in conatum iuvandi rempublicam ingredi voluerit Let any private man which casting aside all hope of impunity and carelesse of his owne safety will adventure to enterprise his endevors to relieue the Common-wealth take vnto him the same liberty Hath he not soundly and definitively declared the doctrine of the Church of Rome and the very secresies and misteries of the Iesuites profession to the apparant conviction of this Mittigators fained attestations And to the foresaid Councell of Constance which is produced to impugne this position of the practises or attempts of private men against lawfull Soveraignes hee also maketh answere in this manner First that no Decree of any Councell standeth good and holy without the consent of his Holinesse thereunto Then that this Decree was neuer approved by Pope Martin the 5th neither would Eugenius or his successors euer ratifie the same and after declareth also that the Fathers of that assembly did chiefly intend that their Session and consultation against the Hussits who maintained that Princes for crimes by them committed did forfeit their estate and that thereupon they might lawfully be by any man deprived of that power which they vniustly held or obteined Againe that in perticuler and properly they then purposed to opugne the proposition of Iohannes Parvus a Divine of Paris who vnder colour of this defence that it was lawfull by private authority to kill a Tirant endeavored to justifie the fact of the Duke of Burgundie in slaying of the Duke of Orleance In which case there were these diversities from that rule Here was betweene these persons equallitie and no inferioritie there was a solemne oath violated and broken and here was no attending for the sentence or direction of the Superior Here we see two Iesuites in two different opinions in a matter of greatest moment both of them founding vpon the faith of the Church both approved permissu superiorum by the allowance of the superiors Thus hauing buckled together two principall Iesuites to lugg and tugg each other by the eares I will only thus far giue my verdit of their variance That the Spanierd Mariana dealeth plainly and constantly to the practize of Popery and the ratificacions and afirmacions of the Popes themselues who will not endure any abridging of their prerogatiue power of proceeding against Princes in what sort soeuer And our English P. K. hideth the sting would conceale deepe dissembled treacheries by protesting termes to secure vs from suspicions till the venome of malice hath pierced all the veines of the state and seazed our very hart and life-blood by surprizes vnthought of hauing brought vs into a carelesse and deceitfull securitie P. R. hath beene very curious and copious in trying and examining his aduersaries allegacions interpretacions falsificacions translacions and applicacions seeming so watchfull and diligent in that kind of animaduersion as if he accounted it a shame and foile to omit any line or sillable vnanswered for indeede the whole bulke of his booke in this businesse is fraught with no other stuffe then with such wrangling matter of misavouching and misconsterings of quoted allegacions But that it may appeare how his deadly hooke resting in the beliefe of his heart is covered over with an honied bait beguiling vs with fairer speach I shall be bold to trouble him with one question What is the cause that Mr. Mortons publication of the solemne Oration made by the Pope Xixtus the 5. in the Consistory of the Cardinalls in the commendation of the notable rare and memorable act of the braue Monke that killed the French King and the inferrence by him made and vrged against the Pope for his maintenance of Conspiracy and Treason is both by the modrate answer first and after by this mitigating replier layed aside in silence and not once handied or glanced at by any seeming answer The truth is they were enwrapped with a dilemna to allow the fact was against their pretence in their position and to disallow the Pope was against their faith in their religion they must defend by argument what for outward carriage is giuen them in charge sith it tendeth to their aduantagious purpose and they may not without dispensation either presume to censure or vndertake to oppugne what his Holinesse approveth lest they betray and shake the foundacion of their Supremacy By this time I trust his well cloaked dubble iniquity is discovered to his very nakednesse were it not now very strange that hee and I whom our former contencions haue so farr devided afunder should part reconciled and well accorded In his sixt Chapter of corruptions and falsificacions hee taketh hold of Mr. Morions exposition That the Imperiall and Kingly Authority in Spirituall causes reacheth no farther then as to outward preservation and not to personall administration Hereupon he assureth vs that if this be really ment all the Catholikes of England will presently take the oath of Supremacy requiring with an earnest challēge that as this is publikely printed and that by Authority so it may have publike allowance performāce to make it good whereby as touching that poynt there may be an attonemēt I feare that the man in the heate of his sudden apprehension and without the wary consideracion which his pen hath been accustomed vnto doth overshoote and forget himselfe Shall I thinke that he hath never read or vtterly forgotten the Oath of Supremacy He hath so scanned and canvased the Statutes of Henry the eight Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeth picking at every mote thereof and making a beame of the same though with a left eye and a left hand that I cannot so much as surmize but that he hath had every threed of this question betweene his fingers Therefore if his former subtillity hath not suddenly betrayed him and exposed him to derision as I must admire that he is so easily reformed in Iudgement so I shall be content to embrace the occasion of a well gained agreement And will P. R. the Iesuite and the rest of the English Catholikes of the Romish faction abide by this word in good earnest that if the Kings Maiestie doe not claime or assume vnto him personall administration in cause Ecclesiasticall the Oath of Supremacy shall no further be stood vpon or refused Then let him bethinke himselfe of this part or clause of the Oath That no forraigne Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought
to appertayne to the Crowne Imperiall of this Land doth after in another set Treatise published purposedly or rather maliciously to traduce and discredit our gouernment and to vphold the Popes and Cardinall Bellarmines censures concerning the Oath of Allegiance like a very Changling fall quite away from this his former so earnestly pro ferred and promised conformity declareth himselfe to be so farre from affoording his Majesty by oath his supremacy of preseruation in causes Ecclefiasticall as that he holdeth it vnlawfull for a Catholike conscience to take the oath of Temporall Allegiance as repugnant to the Religion of the Church of Rome will not euery man of vnderstanding admire how the same person can refuse to sweare Allegiance Temporall that hath so readily and hotly granted a Supremacy Spirituail To induce me to beleeue that it is all one person that hath so vndertaken to act vnto vs two so repugnant parts I haue besides fame and report and a kind of idempnity in the phrase and stile some very approveable probabilities his mencioning of the powder-treason in these weake and tender tearmes of that headlong action of a few Catholike Gentlemen and such other lamenting speeches for the euill cariage or miscarying of the enterprise without any one apt or right expressing word to denotate or condemne the foulenesse thereof is certainely moulded with the soft hand of this our countersetting kind-hearted mitigator his shaping and propounding of the generall question concerning the Popes authority over Princes is conceaved even in the same words which this P. R. hath vsed in delivering and expressing the same and then acquainteth vs with his supposall That it was never the meaning of such Catholikes as tooke the Oath of allegiance to deny simply and absolutely That the Pope as supreme Pastor of the Catholike Church hath any authority left him by Christ either directly or indirectly with cause or without cause in neuer so great a necessitie or for neuer so great and publike vtilitie of Christian religion to proceede against any Prince whatsoever temporally for his restraint or amendment Is not this the very same water of the same Cesterne He yet goeth further for better proofe and confirmacion of his said supposall by the selfe-same reasons set forth Verbatim for that they should thereby contradict the generall consent of all Catholike Divines and confesse that Gods providence for the conservacion and preservacion of his Church and kingdome vpon earth hath beene defectuous for that hee should haue left no lawfull remedy for so great and excessive an evill as that way might fall out I had set the print of my fingers vpon all and every of these words before so that by that brand they were presently knowne vnto mee and their Author or owner apparantly discovered howsoever as a Iesuite he stileth himselfe Gent. who bound to no order may assume any shape Then presupposing vpon these likelyhoods that in the pursute of this my slippery adversary Iesuite or Gent. I haue met with him againe as at a new turning I must not let him escape vntill hee make mee a good answere how he can affirme for the King a Supremacy Ecclesiasticall for preserving of the Church and yet alledge against the oath of allegiance a more supreame power in the Pope to suppresse and annihilate that Supremacy and that in a course of Temporall Supereminency I ever tooke Supremacy to be such a superlative as admitteth no superior I never heard of any subalternate supremacy it hath too harsh and absurd a sound but that any temporall Prince absolute of himselfe vndependent vppon any higher on earth immediate to God Almighty should be over-awed or over-topped by the pretended primacy of a Luciferian Prelate and that by the brandishing of a temporall sword and imploying forces coercians temporall what can be more vnsensible to be conceaved more vnreasonable to be maintayned or more impious to be practized Yet the only cause and couler why the Pope commandeth and the Cardinall adviseth the Catholikes of England to forbeare and refuse to take the oath of allegiance is this That in the said oath is couched and included the derogation and renunciation of the sufficiency and absolutenesse of the Popes authority over or against his Majestie claymed by vertue of his high office of supreame Pastor whereby he is enabled to proceed against any Prince whatsoever temporally for his restraint and amendement or to permit other Princes to do the same So that the question of the lawfulnesse of this oath and the question argued in these few leaves of my labor concerning the Popes arrogant Vsurpation hath not any threed of difference sorting both alike to one and the same purpose Therefore if vnto my former refutation of the Mittigators immoderate attribution of power vnto the Pope I shall ioyne some few animadvercions vpon the epistoling Gentlemen also an alter idem of P. R. for the better observing and discovering of his deceitfull and disloyall cariage in the reproving of that oath it will be a continuance of the same skirmish and the like battering of the same bulwarke which the pride of Rome hath erected and endeavoreth to fortifie against the dignity of Kings and the truth of God First I observe that howsoever he vndertaketh in generall tearmes to make good the Popes desision touching the refusall of that oath on the part of his Maiesties Catholikes subiects yet in his perticuler arguing thereupon as if he were also another Pope whom as a iudge it becommeth not to dispute he discusseth not the severall parts to be disliked in the oath or setteth forth plainly and contradictorily the words which hee will hold or maintaine to be vnlawfull or cumbersome to the squemish conscience of their pretended Catholikes whereby a true state or issue of the matter in question might be taken in consideration but in stead of such expresse and positiue mentioning of the disliked parts of that oath glideth away in his glosing fashion wiht bare affirmation of dangerous doctrinall clauses conteining matter of faith craftely conioyned together with the exacting of civill duty preiudiciall to the integritie and purity of Catholike religion This kind of handling a controuersie is rather resoluing then reasoning and more Pope like in determining as a Iudge then Scholler like in demonstrating as a Disputer Why doth hee not to euery branch of the sayd oath affixe and oppose his negatiue without any such faynt plea or fumbling and broken speeches cut of with c. Will the distinction of direct and indirect as he maketh it to serue the Pope for actions and authorities so serue his turne also in speaking and argumenting standeth it with any Logicall rules to induce or inforce conclusions indirectly by conception and application which ought to be produced directly in a full opposition to the questioned proposition Then where the oath hath these plaine words that the Pope hath not any power or authority to depose the King or to dispose any his Maiesties
A DEFENCE OF THE RIGHT OF KINGS WHEREIN THE POWER OF the Papacie ouer Princes is refuted and the Oath of Allegeance iustified WRITTEN FOR THE VSE OF ALL English Romanists more especially for the Information of those Priests or Iesuits which are by Proclamation commanded to conforme themselues or depart the Kingdome By EDWARD FORSIT Esquire LONDON Printed by B. A. for Nathaniel Butter and are to be sold at his shop at the Pyed Bull neere Saint Austens Gate 1624. TO THE MOST HIGH AND POTENT MONARCH IAMES OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND KING DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God GEORGE by the Diuine Prouidence Lord Bishop of LONDON my singular good Lord. THE whole Church and Kingdome of England Right Reuerend Prelate hath a long time together taken notice of that continuall neerenesse into which it hath pleased his Maiestie who does all things vpon Iudgement to admit your wisedome and faithfulnesse in matters of aduice especially which be most proper to your sacred Function Which Grace of your Lordships with so wise and learned a Prince hath perswaded me that as you were the fittest so you would be the willingest to doe our Great Master this seruice for so I hope this Office will proue if your Lordship wil be pleased that this Boke may by your hands haue accesse vnto his Maiestie It treats of a Royall Argument and therefore euen of dutie to be dedicated to a King as a thing due vnto Caesar And due vnto our King especially whom God hath raysed vp in Brittaine as the Fort Royall of Princes to amate that Tower of Babel that prowd Castle of S. Angelo And therefore as his Maiestie himselfe hath first of all and best of all written in this kind and giuen the ablest directions vnto others to prosecute the Argument so it might seeme presumption if any thing of this subiect should come abroad without his Royall assent His Maiesties example together with this Gentleman 's owne zeale to the Cause did at first no doubt encourage this learned Author to vndertake this present Worke who as he still is by his place a Iustice of Peace so hath he here done Iustice vpon that sawcie Medler with the Rights of Princes Parsons the Iesuit and those two seditious Bookes of his one comming our vnder the name of P. R. the other of a Catholike Gentleman both which he hath here made to keepe the Kings peace The Title will I hope find gracious acceptance and the Booke honourable approbation with his sacred Maiestie Which hope of mine hath emboldened me to offer it vnto your good Lordship as a testimonie of my most hearty and humble thankfulnesse for those fauors which I haue receiued from your goodnesse the remembrance of which shall euer bind me to be at your Lordships seruice most faithfully Nathaniell Butter TO THE READER OCTAVIVS the Emperour did rather chuse to violate the will of Virgil then to consume those laborious AEneids of his in the flames of Obliuion Why then should not this example of his excuse me from blame of the Author of this following Worke for attempting to commit to the Presse and commending that to others in publike which he but lent to me in priuate since good things are best knowne by their vse and well considering how acceptable it may prooue to our hopefull times The end of his 〈◊〉 when hee first began this Treatise I am well assured was onely to satisfie his owne priuate Iudgement esteeming it through his too much Modestie so farre vnfit for the publike view as for the space of tenne or twelue yeeres since the finishing of it hee suffered it to rest obscure amongst his other priuate Labours wherein his industrie and abilitie may appeare to be made yet more transparent in his owne vnder-valuing of what hee hath so exactly performed Which comming thus accidentally to my hands and viewing the matter it treated of and the malicious slanders it retreated I could not chuse but euen blame the vnkind Author that would haue made the very Wombe of this his seasonable Off-spring the Tombe and giuen it at one and the same time both life and dissolution together I haue therefore aduentured my Endeuors without his knowledge beyond his expectation and I am afraid against his desire for the publishing of that which I knew might prooue so vsefull which remaining obscure and in silence neither should the Cause nor the Parsons be vindicated nor yet the soueraigntie of this Antidote against that dispersed Poyson haue beene discernable or serued for publike benefit And though the man opposed be as I conceiue vncapable of defence yet there remaine many of his Labors that like the Vipers brood haue suckt a stronger Poyson from his death Nor want there many of his Iesuited Disciples who may yet doe him right if they thinke him iniuried though it be true Vni Caesari multi insunt Marii All I desire is pardon from the Author vpon whose Worth so well knowne and Loue so often tryed by me I haue thus farre presumed not doubting but the publike good that may ensue his owne Labour will ouer-sway his resolued retyrednesse As for thy acceptance I doubt it not because the benefit is thine owne and accounting it reward enough to my selfe that I am but the Instrument of communicating this to others Farewell F. B. PARTICVLAR MATTERS discussed in this Treatise THe occasion of this Question concerning the Popes power The mitigations of P. R. touching the Powder-treason His mangling and omitting of my Lords words Whether the Pope cannot erre with the manifold distinctions of the Papists therein How the true estate of the Question concerning the Popes power is hidden by a cunning forme of words Whether this point be generally agreed vpon amongst Catholikes and how dangerous the same is to the State How he minceth and mitigateth the matter in question The true Question and how largely it extendeth The reasons made for the position and the same answered and that there neither is nor euer was any standing Authoritie to depriue Kings No reason for the Popes power in nature Whether the vniuersall Pastorship be instituted by Christ and what points must be prooued before that come to be made good The Iesuites busie entermedling in State-affaires The proofe from the word Pasce Oues examined and Baronius his expositions and inferences in this matter Other strange arguments for the Popes temporall power The Pope no rightfull successor of S. Peter but wrongfully pretendeth his Authoritie or Primacie The Pope no successor or imitator of Christ. Their distinction of Authoritie direct and vndirect examined What necessitie there is of this Pastorall power and how it is qualified Politike reaches in Poperie to aduance the Authoritie aforesaid The Pope may reduce all causes to his Cognizance and how farre he may extend the power of Seculare Brachium the Sccular Arme. The Doctrine of the Iesuits concerning the deposing of Princes