of any one Reformed Church that concurred with them in promoting it It is now time to come to the Principles of the Jesuites and though I cannot find that the Divines and Casuists of other Orders are much more Honest and Loyal than they yet I shall confine my self to them because their Seditious and Treasonable Doctrines are maintain'd for the advancement of the Court of Rome and by a particular influence from the Holy See This is the richest most learned and active of all the Orders of the Roman Church they are under the strictest Vow of Obedience to the Pope have had more ample Charters and Bulls of Priviledges than all the other Orders they are best qualified to dive into the Councils of Princes and Statesmen and into the Consciences and Purses of the People they have almost devoured the Secular Clergy worn out the other Orders and engrossed the trade of hearing Confessions in England to their own Faction and whensoever there hath been any dangerous Attempt upon our Church or State they were the principal Contrivers and Agents the other Clergy is but their Tools and Instruments How much they have improved and refined these cursed Principles I cannot inform the Reader without transcribing a great part of the Works of Parsons Creswel Suarez Bellarmine Bouchier Mariana Fr. de Verone and others out of almost any one of which I could gather an entire Body of Commonwealth Divinity Nor can it be alledged that these are only the Opinions of private Doctors which are disowned by the Body of the Society for their Books are perused and approved either by the General or by other Superiours or by the most eminent Divines authorized and assigned by them And is it not expressed in most of the Licenses that there is nothing in them contrary to Faith or good Manners That they are profitable for all Casuists and Guides of Souls But that this may appear to be no uncharitable imputation I shall set down some of Bellarmine's Principles and then refer you to the other Authors as they are cited in the Margent by which you may see it is the glory of their Society to be obliged to a perfect Uniformity in Doctrine (M) Disput R. Bellarmini Lagduni 1610. Tom. 1. de R. Pontifice l. 1. c. 3. Regimentemperacum ex omnibus tribus formis c. 1. Then he informs you which is the best kind of Government Let not the Presidents of Provinces be the Kings Deputies or Annual Judges but true Princes who may both be obedient to the Command of the chief Prince and in the mean time govern their Province or City not as if it were another Mans but as their own By this means both Monarchy and Aristocracy may have place in the Commonwealth And if neither the Supream Prince nor the Inferior Princes acquire their Dignity by right of Succession but by the Election of the People this would be the best and most desirable form of Government (N) V. Constitut Soc. Jesconst 42. Doctrinae differentes non admittanturâ—… nec verbo in concionibus vel lectionibus publicis nec scriptis libris qui quidem edi non poterunt in lucem sine approbatione Consensu Praepositi Generalis A form of Government more Democratical by his own acknowledgment than that of Venice (O) L. 1. c. 2 p. 619. Respublica Venetorum est Aristocratia admixta Monarchiae 2. The Power is in the whole Multitude as in its proper Seat and Subject and that by Divine right and it dependeth on the consent and courtesie of the People to set either Kings or Consuls or other Magistrates over them and if there be a lawful Cause they may change the Government and turn a Monarchy into an Aristocracy as they please (P) De Laicis l. 3. c. 6. Sect. Secundo nota Quarto nota This he took to be the common Doctrine of their Divines but afterwards finding that some had written against it he comes to confirm it in the Recognition of his Works And first he proves it from Aquinas Dominicus à Soto Navarre c. then he confirms it by Experience For saith he the City of Rome was first governed by Kings then the People set up Consuls instead of them which kind of Government was therefore esteemed just because it seemed good to the People Afterwards he commends the saying of Navarre That the People do never so transfer their Power to a King but they retain it habitually in themselves and may in certain cases resume it into their own hands Lastly he proves from several Examples out of Scripture That it belongs to the People to set a King over themselves (Q) Recognitio l. 3. Qui est de Laicis 3. Kings are admitted to the Government under certain Conditions and Limitations which if they transgress the Subjects are discharged from all obligation of Obedience to them Princes are received into the Church with an express or tacit Compact That they shall submit their Scepters unto Christ defend and preserve the Faith under the penalty of forfeiting their Crowns therefore if once they fall into Heresie or become Enemies to Religion they may be judged by the Church and Deposed without any Injury to them (R) De R. Pont. l. 5. c. 7. Sect. Quarta ratio 4. It is lawful for the People in certain Cases to depose the King In Temporal Commonwealths if the King degenerate into a Tyrant though he be the head of the Kingdom he may be deposed by the People and another Elected (S) De Concil Auctor l. 2. c. 19. Sect. Ad alteram consequentiam If you object That the Primitive Christians did not depose Nero Dioclesian c. he answers They wanted strength they were bound to be subject for Wrath but not for Conscience sake for otherwise they might lawfully have set up new Kings and Princes over them as is evident from 1 Cor. 6. (T) De R. Pont. l. 3. c. 7. Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem c. id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis Id. de Excus Barclaii If you urge those Texts of Scripture which require Obedience to Kings and Princes T is true saith the Cardinal to disobey your King is against the Law of God but the Pope when he deposes a King doth not permit the People to disobey the King but makes him that was their King to be a King no longer (V) Idem in Earclaium If you demand Precedents out of Scripture Was not Uzziah deposed 2 Chron. ' 26. Was not Athaliah deposed and put to ' death 2 Chron. 23. (X) Id. de R. Pont. l. 5. c. 8. 5. He makes the Civil Government to truckle under the Ecclesiastical For the Civil Government is instituted by Men but the Church Government is from God alone and of Divine Institution (Y) Id. de Laicis l. 3. c. 6. Sect. Quinte nota Et. de R.
and yet after he had been some weeks at Constance the poor Man is contrary to his safe Conduct cast into Prison This being done in the Emperours absence he comes to the Council argues the case with them upon which they pass that In famous Decree contained in the 19th Session from which it is plain that in the case of Heresie no Prince is bound to keep Faith with any persons whatsoever And this Act of the Council so fully satisfied the Emperours Conscience that he looked on himself as discharged from his obligation and not only concurred in the Sentence against the Prisoner but gave order for his Execution J. of Prague was trepann'd by a safe Conduct granted by that Council and being unacquainted with their Arts and Treachery ventures to Conftance where understanding the Jugglings of his Adversaries he thought to shift for himself by flight but being taken was burnt to death Again The Council of Constance Excommunicates and deprives of all Secular honour and dignity all that should presume to hinder Sigismund from meeting with the King of Arragon whether they be Kings Dukes Princes c. as all men know which have been conversant in the Acts of that Council But I come to the Decree produced by his Lordship a Decree which some Roman Catholicks of these Kingdoms know how to make their advantage of when others of greater Authority and Eminency in the Roman Church that dare speak their minds freely acquaint us with the true Catholick meaning of it Tell them of the Council of Constance It meddles not saith one (D) Suartz def fid Cath. l. 6. c. 4. p. 417. with Heretical Princes Excommunicated and Deposed by the Pope or by the Commonwealth and States of the Kingdom A Lawful King ruling in a Tyrannical manner may be punished only by publick Authority saith a Second (E) Greg. de Valentia Tom. 3. disp 5. qu. 8. punct 3. In his resolution of this Question utrùm liceat privato cuilibet civi occidere Tyrannum that is by the Commonwealth as himself expounds it This Decree extends not to Tyrants which conspire against the Publick good or against the Roman Catholick Religion saith a Third (F) Verone Apol. par 2. c. 13. A Commonwealth that is oppressed by a Prince ruling Tyrannically may and ought to have recourse to a Superiour Prince as the Pope of Emperour for the punishment of him but if this remedy cannot be had without danger the Commonwealth may by her own Power pass Judgment on such a Prince and if he be incorrigible either depose him or put him to death saith a Fourth (G) Dom. Bannes Scholast Comment Tom. 4. p. 174. Ed. 1614. qu. 64. Act. 3. Another wrote a Book in the time of the French League (H) I mean Bouchier the French Jesuite in that Treasonable Book which I quoted before in the compiling whereof as he tells us in the Preface he was assisted by many Lawyers and Divines In this Book he asserts the lawfulness of putting a King to death after he is condemned by Publick Authority Lastly our Country-man Parsons justifies the Doctrine of Bouchier and because Mr. Morton is charged with misrepresenting his sense let us take Parson's Account of Bouchier's meaning (I) Parsons in his quiet and sober reckoning c. p. 318 319 321. He holdeth That a Private man may not kill a Tyrant which is not first judged and declared to be a Publick Enemy by the Commonwealth and he proveth the same by the Decree of the Council of Constance But Bouchier grants saith Mr. Morton That when the Commonwealth hath condemned and declared any Tyrant for a publick Enemy he may be slain by a private Man Whereunto I Answer That then he is no Private man for that he doth it by the publick Authority of the Commonwealth as doth the Executioner that cutteth off a Noble-mans Head by Order and Authority of the Publick Magistrate These are not the Opinions of private Doctors their Books are Licensed according to the Order of the Roman Church and approved by Divines of great Learning and Authority they prove the Orthodoxy of their Doctrine from this very Decree of the Council of Constance which is now alledged as an Argument of Roman Catholick Loyalty And are not Kings and Princes wonderfully beholden to this Council They must be put to death with a little more solemnity than other Mortals and fall by the Sentence of a Papal Consistory or of an High Court of Justice 'T is not lawful for a common Parricide to Stab or Pistol the Lord 's Anointed of his own head No but his Holiness may hire Souldiers against him with Mony or with Indulgences He may invade his Country with his own Armies or with the Forces of Catholick Princes he may stir up a Rebellion within his Dominions or Authorize his own standing Army of Jesuites Monks and Friars to kill him with the approved Catholick Weapons with Pistol or Poyson Lastly the Common-wealth by its own or the Popes Authority may try and pass sentence upon him These things considered I cannot but conclude that it was a poor Security which the Irish Remonstrants offered to his Majesty since his Restauration by declaring against the killing of Kings by any private Subjects (L) We do hold it impious and against the Word of God to maintain That any private Subject may kill or murder the Anointed of God his Prince though of a different Belief and Religion from his And we abhor and derest the practise thereof as damnable and wicked Irish Remonstrance in F. Walsh his History p. 8. 3. P. 45. My Lords third Testimony was taken from the Annotations upon Rom. 13. in the English Catholick Edition of the New Testament set forth by the Colledge of Divines at Rhemes The words are these upon the Text He that resisteth c. ver 2. Whosoever resisteth or obeyeth not his lawful Superior in those Causes wherein he is subject to him resisteth Gods Appointment and sinneth deadly and is worthy to be punished both in this World by his Superiour and by God in the next life for in Temporal Government and Causes the Christians were bound in Conscience to obey even the Heathen Emperours And upon v. 4. some Protestants of our time care neither for the one the Prince nor for the other the Prelate though they extol only Secular Power when it maketh for them The Catholicks only most humbly obey both according to Gods Ordinance the one in Temporal Causes and the other in Spiritual In the Rhemish Testament it is the not some Protestants of our time c. A mighty Testimony of Roman Catholique Loyalty You are not to resist your Lawful Superior But if a Prince be lawfully deposed then he is no longer your Lawful Superior If you be Clergymen then he is none of your Soveraign and you are none of his Subjects In those Causes wherein you are Subject to him But what if a King challenge as
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
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 STaffords Memoires p. 12 13 To the Instances given of Popish Malice and Bloodiness (A) This resers to the printed Tryal of the late Lord Stafford P. 9. from former Examples he answers That by the same reason and to as good purpose the traiterous Seditions and Outrages in Germany France Bohemia and Holland authorized and fomented by Calvin Zuinglius Beza and other Reformers the late bloody Wars in England the almost yesterdays Remonstrances and Practises in Scotland but above all that never to be paralell'd hellish Murder of the Lords Anointed our Glorious Soveraign Charles the First in cold blood by outward form of Justice on pretence of Reformation might be imputed to the Protestant Religion for all these horrid Villanies were committed by Protestants Protestants who gloried in being more than ordinarily refined from Popish Errors and Superstitions If it be said as most justly it may the Churth of England never taught such Practises the same say and protest the Papists in behalf of their Church Let this Author bestow as hard names as he pleases upon the Contrivers and Actors in these horrid Villanies and let that Religion if so wicked a thing must be called Religion which gave encouragement to them go as it deserves for Infidelity and Irreligion I am sure there are no greater Enemies to the Christian Religion than those which endeavour to pretend to promote it by such ways as are contrary to the very Nature and Design of all true Religion Indeed our Adversaries of the Roman Communion lay as bad things to the charge of the Protestants as we can do to their Church and Religion and as often as we put them in mind of the Fifth of November they are ready to reproach us with the Thirtieth of January And that I may not make any cause or persons look either better or worse than they are I shall make a faithful representation of the Doctrines and Practises of both sides so far as they are pertinent to the present Debate viz. Whether the traiterous Seditions and Outrages in England and other Parts of Christendom may be imputed to the Protestant Religion with as much reason as the Instances of Popish Malice and Bloodyness from former Examples may be to the Roman Church and Religion Some years ago was published a Seditious Libel under the Title of Philanax Anglicus wherein the Author taxes not only some Protestant Reformers but the very Reformation it self with Rebellion charges the English Reformers with Treason against Queen Mary and with a Roman boldness asserts That the Seditious Doctrines are allow'd by the generality of them that call themselves Protestants But this Book having had a solid and substantial Answer by Dr. Du Moulin I will not trouble my self or the Reader with any thing which he hath written in vindication of the Protestant Religion and the Reformed Churches and Divines abroad But I cannot but take notice of the ignorance or rather the Malice of the Author of the Controversial Letters out of whom the substance of the present imputation is taken who tells us He doth not know that the Church of England hath proceeded so far as the Roman Church hath done in the Council of Constance or condemned those Errors by any Authentick Censures And our Author is not afraid or ashamed to say that some Roman Catholiques are most remarkable peradventure of all others for firmness of Loyalty I shall endeavour therefore with as much brevity as the Subject will allow to vindicate the Honour of the Reformation of our own Church and Nation from this unjust and malicious Charge 1. The Confessions of the several Reformed Churches abroad are so full and clear in asserting the Obedience of Subjects to their Princes that I do not find our Adversaries of Rome have much to say against them (B) V. Corpus Syntagma Confessionum c. Aurei Allob. 1662 V.G. The Bohemian the Helvetian the French the Augustine the Saxon the â—…gick Confessions in the Articles concerning the Civil Powers We are told that the Protestants of France had towards the beginning of the War resolved upon a Declaration against the Parliament and Subjects of England taking Arms against the King and hâ—… published it if it had not been dasht by Cardinal Richlieu 〈◊〉 Englands Complaint by L. Gatford Printed 1648. pag 10. And 't is observable That upon the reprinting of all the Confessions of the Reformed Churches at Geneva An. 1654. it was moved That instead of the 39 Articles of the Church of England which do with the greatest plainness and sincerity assert the Duty of Subjects to Princes they would insert the Confession of the Assembly of Divines but the motion was utterly rejected by the University Senate and Church of Geneva and the 39 Articles put in as before (C) Durell vind Eccles-Angl c. 2. As to the Sayings of particular Doctors of the Reformation I cannot indeed I need not defend them they are no Pillars of our Faith nor do their Writings bear the stamp of publick Authority And since none of our Adversaries have proved that any of the Reformed Churches have by any Authentick Act approved of Seditions and treasonable Principles as I shall prove the Roman Church doth they cannot be imputed to the Protestant Religion with the same reason that we charge them upon the Roman Church Let the Papists say and Protest that their Church never taught any Seditious Practises yet I shall sooner trust my own Senses than such men as by the Principles of their Religion are under no Obligation of speaking Truth 2. No Church under Heaven did ever more expresly declare against all Seditious and Disloyal Practises than the Church of England Our Reformation was begun and carried on in a peaceable and legal manner and our Reformers proposed to themselves that excellent Rule of our Saviour They restored to God the things that were Gods and to the Kings the full exercise of their lawful Power We are Members of a Church whose just Glory it is not only to have constantly taught the Duty of Subjects to their Princes but suffered for her Loyalty to them Our Kings and the Church of England have always rejoyced and wept together and none ever forsook the Royal Cause in its Distress which had not first forsaken the Church or at least lost all their Zeal and Affection to her In Fine our late Royal Martyr declared That he died for maintaining the true Protestant Religion he acquitted not only the Church of England but all the true Sons of the Church from
out a Postern-Gate After his Speech was ended the King produced the Original Letter which he intercepted as it was going to the French King and ordered it to be read (F) Impartial Collections p. 309 c. As to the later Insurrections in Scotland I will only observel That besides the Information of some Romish Priests being sent thither to prepare them for a Rebellion their very Declaration shews they were acted by a Popish Spirit for the Act of Supremacy was condemned and the Kings Authority in Ecclesiastical Affairs call'd an Vsurping Power But to return So true were the Romish Emissaries to their good Old Cause that having set the factious Party to work in Scotland they took advantage from that conjuncture to stir up a National Rebellion and barbarous Massacre in Ireland of which I have spoken already I cannot pass over the Conspiracy against the King in the Year 1640 because it gives some further light into the Designs of Cardinal Richilieu and the Jesuites Whilst his Majesty resided at York he was acquainted by the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Information he had received from Sir W. Boswel his Majesty's Ambassadour at the Hague By the discovery of this Plot it is evident that the Jesuitical Party exasperated the King and his Subjects one against another labouring to incense his Majesty against them as conspiring against his Crown and Government and them against their Soveraign as aiming at the subversion of their Laws Liberties and Religion That they stirred up the Scots to rebel hindred all accommodation between the King and them and endeavoured to bring his Majesty under a necessity of craving the Assistance of the Papists which he should neither obtain without yielding to their own terms nor refuse without the hazard of his life That for the compassing of their Ends Cardinal Barbarino was engaged fifty Scotch Jesuites were maintain'd in London Cuneus in quality of the Popes Legate Chamberlain Chaplain and Almoner to Cardinal Richlieu Sir T. Matthew a Jesuited Priest Captain Read a Secular Jesuite and that all the Papists in England did contribute to the carrying on the design Here was a Plot against the King and Kingdom and Protestant Religion of which he that desires a full account may consult Mr. H. Lestrange and Mr. Sanderson in their Histories Prinn's Romes Master-piece and others of later time What great numbers of Priests Jesuites and other Romish Agents afterwards flocked into England what various shapes they assumed how they insinuated into the Councils and Armies of the Kings Enemies Mr. Gatford Prinn Dr. du Moulin and others informs us to whom I refer the Reader And even some of the Members in the Long Parliament were sensible how active our Enemies of Rome had been in raising and fomenting the War as we learn from a late Writer who sate in that Assembly I will barely relate what he saith without making any Collections or Inferences from his words The Parliament Vote That which was done at York for a Guard to the King to be a preparation for War against the Parliament a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of his Government and all such as serve him there to be Traytors to the Laws of the Kingdom Upon the debate for raising an Army one of the Members declared his sense Our Enemies of the Popish Church have left no Evil Arts unessayed to bring us to our present posture and will yet leave none unattempted to make our breaches wider well knowing that nothing will more advance their Empire than our Divisions Our Misery whom they account Hereticks is their Joy and our Distractions will be their Glory and all Evil arts and ways to bring Calamities upon us they will esteem Meritorious (A) Memorials of the English Affairs ad An. 1642. Sanderus de Schism Angl. 1585 p. 188. Quo Haereticorum ut fit bello Catholici indies plures constantioresque in fide fiunt Campanella de Mon. Misp Amst 1641. p. 204. Jam verò ad enervandos Anglos nihil tam conducit quam dissensio discordia inter illos excitata perpetuóque nutrita quod citò occasiones meliores suppeditabit P. 207. Verum ab alia parte instiget primores Comitiorum aut Parliamenti ut Angliam in formam reipublicae reducant Nor did the design of Cardinal Richlieu die with him it was vigorously pursued by Mazarine to whom he left his Instructions at his death and what an intimate Correspondence was maintain'd between him and the Grandees of Derby House we are told by the Author of the History of Independency (B) Hist of Indep p. 114 115. His words are these To negotiate which the detaining of the Prince in France the Grandees of Derby House and the Army have an Agent lying Lieger with Cardinal Mazarine the great French Instrument of State who is so well supplied with Money and so open handed that it hath been heard from Mazarines own Mouth That all the Money the Queen and Prince have cost the Crown of France hath come out of the Parliaments Purse with a good advantage It is likewise said Mazarine hath an Agent here to drive on the Interests of France in England To all which we may add That the King having assented in the Isle of Wight to pass five strict Bills against Popery the Jesuites in France at a General Meeting there resolved to bring him to Justice by the power of their Friends in the Army And this resolution of the Fathers was agreeable to the sense of the Roman Conclave For the Question being sent to Rome from the whole Party of Jesuites in England the year before the Kings death whether considering the present posture of Affairs it was lawful for the Catholicks to work a change in the Government by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie It was answered affirmatively (C) Answer to Philanax Anglicus p. 59 65. To what I have said upon this Argument I will add these two Propositions 1. That the grounds on which the War against the King was maintain'd so far as it was maintained under a colour of Religion were laid by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church and the most dreadful effects of Fanaticism which were the consequents of it may be justified by their Principles And here I could make it evident That the same Maxims of Political Divinity the same Arguments and many times the same Phrases and Expressions are to be found in the heads of both Factions I know it is disputed whether the Ring-leaders of Sedition amongst us poysoned the Jesuites or the Jesuites them but I do not envy the Bishops of Rome the honour of having first poysoned them both with Antimonarchical Doctrines If Milton the great Oracle of one of the Factions had owned himself to be a Papist there had been no reason to wonder at the Impiety of his Doctrines which he
wonderful Providence of God in the death of his Anointed compares the Bloody Fact to the Mystery of the Incarnation and extols the Traytor above Eleazar (M) Thstanus l. 96. p. 461. This Speech was printed at Paris An. 1589. by the Authority of the Holy League and with the approbation of three Doctors of the Loyal Colledge of Sorbonne Our Countryman Parsons though he will not own the Speech which goes about under the Popes name acknowledges that Sixtus in a secret Consistory upon the first News of the Fact did utter a certain Speech in admiration of the strange Providence of God in chastising by so unexpected a way so foul and impious a Murder as that King had committed upon a Prince and Cardinal without any form of Judgment (N) Parson's discussion of the Answer of Mr. Barlow printed 1612. permissu Superiorum And Bellarmine who could not be ignorant of what passed in the Consistory at that time when it was urged against him by King James first endeavours to shilt it off but without any positive denial and at length does what he can to vindicate it (O) Resp ad Apol. c. How the Popes assisted the Leaguers with Men and Mony against Henry the Fourth may be seen in Davila whom I cited before 4. Since Cardinal Perrons time a Pope and his Counsel as a Reverend Author of our own Church assures us (P) Du Moulin Answ to Phi lanax c. P. 59. gave Consent and Council for the taking away the life of an Excellent Prince King Charles the First 'T is indeed below the dignity and policy of the Popes to do the drudgery of putting Kings to death or venturing their Necks for the Good old Cause but they can fight against Princes with Bulls and Anathema's hire Souldiers with Mony or with Indulgences invade their Dominions with their own Souldiers or with the Forces of Roman Catholick Kings stir up Insurrections within their Kingdoms or authorize their own standing Army of Jesuites Monks and Friars to kill them with the approved Catholick Weapons with Pistol or Poyson And if to bless God for exalting a Regicide to his Masters Throne if to furnish Rebels with Principles and Presidents if to sanctifie Rebellious Leagues if to extol the Murderers of Princes and to give Advice for the cutting them off do not prove that the Doctrine of King-killing is the Principle of Popes or Heads of the Roman Faith then we may quit the Rebels in the late times and even the most infamous High Court of Justice Lastly by the Authentique Laws (Q) Decret par 2. Can. Excom Caus 23. qu. 5. Non eos homicidas arbitramur quos adversus Excommunicatos zelo Catholicae matris ardentes aliquos corum trucidâsse contigerit The Title of the Cannon is Non sunt homicidae qui adversus Excommunicatos zelo matris Ecclesiae armantur of the Roman Church any furious Zealot may kill an Excommunicate person and if it come into the Popes head to let his Thunder-bolts flee abroad then that which we call High Treason may deserve a Crown of Martyrdom Whether his present Majesty be by name Excommunicated at Rome or not I am not concern'd to enquire but I am sure he lies under the General Excommunication of the Bulla coenae (R) Of this Bull see Cherub Bullar Tom. 3. p. 250 251. and Tom. 4. p. 354 355. Filliutius quest Mor. Tom. 1. Tract 16. and 't is a received Rule That the Supream Power may in great necessity dispense with the Formalities observed in ordinary cafes If it be notorious that a King is an Heretick and an obstinate Favourer of Hereticks then secret and summary proceedings against him are warrantable and the issuing out of Bulls and Citations would but alarm a Prince and expose the Romish Faction to the severity of the Laws But since all those matters of form are only circumstantial since the design of the Law is to bring Heretical Princes under the consequences of the Churches Censures there can be no reason why the Circumstantial parts of it may not be superseded upon extraordinary Emergencies Thirdly I proceed to the Massacring their Neighbours and destroying their Native Country with Fire and Sword when the interest of their Religion requires it When the interest of their Religion requires it But what if they be not able to root out the Haeretiques The Roman Catholique Religion is so good natur'd and kind to us shall I say or themselves as to let us live when they are not in a Condition to destroy us (S) See Bellar. de Laici◠l. 3. c. 22. Cum autem in particulari c. Philop. Sect. 2.160 Si vires habeant ad hac idoneas c. Greg. 13. Facultates concessae R. Personio E. Campiano pro Anglia Ap. 14. 1580. Túdemúm quando publica ejusdem Bullae Executic fieri poterit And Ribadeneira de Principe l. 1. c. 26. p. 178 179. Ed. 1603. We have not forgotten the Memorable Saying of Henry the Fourth of France Henry the third that was but a Favourer of Haeretiques or at most haeretically affected after the issuing out of the Popes Monitory against him fetcht a Deep Sigh and said It was a hard case that he which had fought for Religion should be excommunicated because he would not suffer his own Throat to be cut by his Rebellious Subjects when they that bad sackt Rome and kept the Pope Prisoner had never been brought under that Censure Sir said the King of Navarre but they were victorious Let your Majesty endeavaur to conquer and be assured the Censures shall be revoked but if we be overcome we shall all die condemned Heretiques (T) Davila l. 10. An. 1589. p. 811. Again It must be noted that there are other ways of rooting out Haeretiques besides Fire and Sword What think you of rooting them out by degrees without noise or tumult by demolishing their Temples seizing on their Estates perverting their Children forcing thousands of them to leave their Native Country and exposing the rest to Violence and Rapine (V) It was Campanella's Advice to the King of spain then aspiring to the Monarchy of the West to proceed in this method against Haeretiques cap. 11. p. 69 70. Contzen the Jesuite was of the same mind Coutzen polit c. 18. p. 103. c. Ed. 1629. The Book is dedicated to Ferdinand the Emperor under this Head Modus reducendae verae Religionis But these things being premised for the right stating of the question let us come to the resolution of it And is there indeed such a Religion to be found in the World that teaches men to Massacre their Neighbours and destroy their native Country with Fire and Sword A Religion which transformes men into Wolves and Tygers A Religion which teaches men to kill their Brethren for Gods sake and please God by doing the works of the Devil I speak it with grief and shame that Popery abstracted from
the Observation of that Canon (P) Concil Constant Sess 39. p. 577. tom 29. Et Conciliis Generalibus provisione erga futura schismata quem terminum lice at summo Pontifici de fratrum suorum S. R. Ecclesiae Cardinalium Consilio ob emergentes forté casus abbreviare sed nullatenús prorogetur but how easily the Court of Rome hath eluded the force of their Decree all the World knows 2. Suppose a General Council should be called yet according to present Constitution of the Roman Church it cannot act in opposition to the Court of Rome For not to insist on the great Numbers of Monks and Friars of Canonists and such like Creatures and Vassals of the Papacy with which their Councils are filled all the Bishops who have Decisive Votes in Councils are under an Oath of as absolute Allegiance to the Pope as any Subject in Christendom is to his Natural Prince For proof hereof I appeal both to the Roman Pontifical where the Oath is to be seen (Q) Pontif. Rom. p. 59 60. and to F. Walsh himself to whom the Catholicks of the Church of Rome refer us (R) F. walsh in the Dedication of his History p. 19. All the Bishops bind themselves at their Consecration Liege-men to his Holiness by the strictest Oath that could be sworn or penn'd especially being the Pope himself is the only Interpreter thereof See also the History part 1. p. 513. In this Oath among other things they swear to defend the Roman Papacy and the Regalities of St. Peter to observe with all their might the Rules of the Holy Fathers the Apostolical Decrees and Commands by which are undoubtedly meant the Popes Canons and Commands They are bound by this Oath to observe at least all the Canons that are already set forth and enjoyned and are not many of those Canons destructive of the Rights of Princes Is there the least notice taken in this Oath of the Obedience due to them And though the Papal Usurpations have been for some Ages lamented and complained of by the better part of the Christian World yet the Church of Rome hath not used any effectual means to prevent them as she was bound both in Prudence and Conscience to do if she had no mind to let the Pope keep up their Pretensions to them Besides when it was desired that the Pope would dispence with this Oath at the Council of Trent and leave the Bishops to the freedom of their Consciences the Motion was rejected as not only F. Paul but Cardinal Pallavizine himself acknowledges (S) Pallavi Hist. Cone Trid. Tom. 2. p. 366.367 Ed. 1670. 3. If any Decrees of General Councils should chance to prove prejudicial to the Papacy they shall signifie no more than his Holiness please For if the Pope think fit to dispense with them or to interpret them according to his own mind who can help it Was not the Order of the Jesuites set up against a Decree of one of their General Councils (T) Bullar Cherub tom 1 p. 654. Paul the third in his Bull of approbation of that Order hath this expression Non obstantibus Generalis Concilii Faelicis recordationis Gregorii Papae 10. acquibusvis aliis Constitutionibus Ordinationibus Apostolicis caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque The Council to which he refers is that of Lateran under Innocent the third c. 13. De Novis Religionibus prohibitis where 't is expresly said firmiter prohibemus ne quis de caetero novam Religionem inveniat c. Are not all men by the Laws of the Church bound to resort to the Pope for the Sense of their Decrees (V) Decret par 1. dist 17. c. 4. Quoties aliqua de Universali Synodo aliquibus dubitatio nascitur ad recipiendam de eo quod non intelligant rationem aut sponte ii qui salutem animae suae desiderant ad Apostolicam sidem pro recipienda ratione conveniant aut si forté it a obstinati contumaces exteterint c. 4. To put this matter out of all doubt I add That whatever pretences there might be for this Distinction between the Church and Court of Rome before the Council of Trent yet they are utterly destroyed by that Great Oracle of the present Roman Church For the Fathers of that Council tamely gave up the Cause betrayed their own and their Churches Liberties abetted the Usurpations of the Court of Rome took away the Legality of Appeals from that Court to a General Council and the Superiority of their own Power to that of the Papacy they enjoyned all the Beneficed Clergy to take an Oath of Obedience to the Pope made him the Judge and Interpreter of all their Decrees provided that all Writers should either speak for the Court of Rome or be silent What was the Issue of this goodly Convention but the confirming the Pope in his Usurped Power the enslaving the Consciences of the Clergy and leaving the whole Christian World of that Communion under an impossibility of ever having a Free General Council (X) History of the Church of Trent by F. Paul l. 8. an 1563. Conc. Trid. Sess 25. Decret de Ref. c. 2. c. 5. c. 21. de libt prohibit reg 10. c. And Card. Pallavizine Hist. Conc. Trid. tom 2. p. 367. And now let al Wise and Impartial men judge whether the Distinction between the Church and Court of Rome be not utterly insignificant as to those purposes for which it is commonly produced Object Hereunto some Persons stick not to say That Dispensations and I know not what Indulgences and Pardons whereby to legitimate the Crimes of Lying and Forswearing when the Interest of our Church requires it are a main part of our Religion and by Consequence the Denial of our Principles is no sufficient Justification of our Innocence I have not leisure to discourse of their Dispensations Indulgences and Pardons But that Dispensations have been granted from Rome to legitimate these Horrid Crimes we are assured by Persons of unquestionable Credit Whether the Generality of the English Papists in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign had any Dispensations for the Dissembling their Religion and coming to our Churches I know not but not long after The very Dispensations were intercepted in Scotland and shewed to the King by which they were allowed to Promise Swear Subscribe and do what else should be required of them so as in Mind they continued firm and did use their Diligence to advance in secret the Roman Faith (Y) Spotswoods History of the Church of Scotland ad an 1580. p. 308. And sure it was not without Reason on the Irish Remonstrants part That they left out that Clause in their Formulary which was contained in the Oath of Allegiance viz. That the Pope cannot dispense with this Oath We know no less Person than Laynez the General of the Jesuites declared in the Council of Trent That to say the Pope cannot by Dispensations disoblige