See Pontif. Rom. p. 59. where you have the Oath it self which is taken by every Bishop at his Consecration and it is the strictest Oath of Allegience that ever was invented See the Bulls of Paul 3. 1549. Bullar tom 1. p. 687. of Julius 3. 1650. of Pins 4. 1564. Was there an infamous High Court of Justice set up in England There have been many such erected at Rome and as well deserving that name wherein Sovereign Princes have been condemned for not submitting to the Jurisdiction of the Court. From whom did the Rigicides learn That the Original of all Civil Power is from the People That it is deriv'd to the Sovereign by way of mutual Contract That he is no more but an Officer in Trust That the Duty of Subjects is only Conditional That the Commonwealth hath Authority to curb or restrain him to bring him to trial for Male-administration or Tyranny (a) Reynolds under the counterfeit Name of Rossaeus hath written De just a Christianae Reipublicae in Feges Impios Haeresicos Authoritare His Book was written at the request of the Leaguers in France and approved by the Papal See See Mariana L. 1. c. 8. Parsons under the name of Doleman and Bellarmine in many places Sober Reckoning pag. 424. Em. Sa. Aph. V. princeps with the whole Herd of the Jesuits Didsome wild Sectaries attempt to dethrone the Lord 's Anointed for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom These have done as much for his Vicar as they did for the Master Who was it that taught them That Religion is to be propagated with the Sword (b) This is the express Doctrine of the third and fourth Council of Lateran That Princes may be put to death for Tyranny or Heresie and in what method they are to be brought to the Block (c) Fr. Verone wrote an Apology for a Traytor one of the most desperate Villains in the World That infamous Book of Boucher a French Jesuit De justa Hen. 3. abdications is well known Bellarmine was a principal Actor in the French League Pope Sixtus the Fifth applauded the murder of Hen. 3. The General Council of Constance supposes it to be lawful in some cases to put a Prince to death See more of this Subject in Verone Rossaeus Mariana c. Let any man produce greater Enemies to the Rights of Princes then the Lawful Representatives of the Roman Church in their Holy Synods Let any man shew me a moâ—e pernicious Account of the rise of Civil Government then is to be found in the Epistles of Pope Gregory the Seventh Indeed I can hardly meet with any Treasonable Positions any Texts of Scripture or Arguments to maintain them in the Pamphlets of this last Age which are not expresly contain'd in the Writings of Popes and Jesuits or at least to be parallel'd in the most approved Authors of the Roman Church Who taught the English Rebels the distinction between the Authority and the Person of a King Who taught them to fight for the King whilst they shot against his Person and to kill the Tyrant without killing the King (d) This distinction was invented by the Jesuits and 't is their common Doctrine that after a King is deposed declared a publick Enemy by the Pope or the States of the Kingdom he ceases to be a King Were some of them Sainted by their own party and were not some of the Gunpowder Traytors preferr'd at Rome Is not Becket that lived and died a Traytor to his King honoured as a Saint and Martyr in the publick Offices of that Church (e) Breviar Rom. Hic est verè Martyr qui pro Christi nomine c. I know there are some that profess themselves to be Catholicks of the Church but not of the Court of Rome and I do verily believe that some of that Communion do as they pretend abominate the Usurpations of the Roman Court Interest in some and good nature in others have made them better Subjects then the principles of their Religion allow them to be Some of them have too much honesty others have too little zeal for the Catholick Cause to be entrusted with such a Mystery of Iniquity and many do not understand how much Pride and Covetousness lies at the bottom of the Church as well as of the Court of Rome But yet all the loyalty or peaceableness of these men depends either on their natural Dispositions or their private interests or their lukewarmness in Religion or their ignorance of the Doctrine of their own Church As to the Distinction it self that dare not shew its face at Rome though it be more talked of then understood in England I have two things to say 1. That such Doctrines as strike at the very root of our Religion and Government have been determined by the Roman Church in some of her General Councils I mean the Doctrines of Deposing Princes and absolving Subjects from their Allegiance to them (f) Besides the third fourth General Councils of Lat. see the General Council of Lyons in the Decree for the recovery of the Holy Land That the Sentence of Deposition against Frederick the Emperour was the act of the Council as well as of the Pope is proved by the Author of the Supplement to Parson's Discussion c. See also M. Paris p 666 667 668. The Council of Trent though it was then no time to speak plain passed such a Decree Sess 25. as was sufficient to keep up the claim to this power of breaking Faith with Hereticks (g) Conc. Const Sess 19. of rooting them out with Fire and Sword (h) Conc. Lat. 3. c. 27. Conc. Lat. 4. c. de Haereticis And this Doctrine was put in practice by the General Council of Constance and of the exemption of the Clergy from the Jurisdiction of Secular Princes (i) Conc. Lat. 3. c. 14. Conc. Lat. 4. c. 43. And the Council of Trent confirmed the same Doctrine of which see more in the excellent History of that Council These are the Orthodox Doctrines of the most Loyal and Charitable Church of Rome 2. Though there might be some plausible pretence for this distinction before the Reformation yet the Council of Trent the great Oracle of the present Roman Church hath utterly destroyed it as to those purposes for which it is produced For the Reformers having asserted the Rights of the Church against the Usurpations of the Papal See and appealed to a lawful General Council the Fathers at Trent gave up the Cause espoused the Interest of the Court of Rome and made its Judgment absolute and unappealable But I will conclude this Part of my Discourse with two Inferences 1. It may serve for an Antidote against some late Books and Pamphlets of the Romish Emissaries They complain of the uncharitableness of Protestants they inveigh against us meerly for believing our own Senses I mean That the Catholick Religion the Roman Catholick they should say allows of Trayterous Principles
destructive to Peace and Government That Catholicks hold it an Article of Faith I speak their own words that the Pope can depose Kings and absolve Subjects from their Allegiance I stand amazed at the ignorance or dishonesty of some of them that profess to the World they never found any such Principles asserted in any of their General Councils As if we had out-done them in their old trade of Forgery As if the General Councils of Lyons and Trent the third and fourth Councils of Lateran were meer fictions of the Protestants I am sure either these are the Doctrines of the Church of Rome or Transubstantiation itself is none of them either these are her Doctrines or she hath none at all 2. I might from hence take occasion to vindicate the peaceableness and loyalty of the Reformed Religion that excellent Religion which is the best Friend in the World to Kings and Princes And yet it suffers in the esteem of some men for the Crimes of those that with as much reason arrogate the Name of Protestants as the Papists do that of Catholicks to their own party I know no Protestant Church in the World that hath by any publick act maintained any treasonable Principles 'T is certain we have been educated in a Faith of Loyalty and Obedience and I hope we shall never be tempted by any though never so specious pretences to desert it Whether there be amongst us a sort of men that under the disguise of zeal against Popery labour to undermine the Government I know not but if there be they are either Papists in Masquerade or at least such as serve the interest of Rome though against their wills as truly as the Pope's own Creatures I am sure neither the Church of England nor the best Reformed Churches in Christendom will own them God deliver us from the sad effects of a fiery seditious Religion whether of an Enthusiastick or Roman Catholick Spirit 2. I should now come to shew what we are to contribute towards the peace of the Church the composing or suppressing our religious quarrels which have almost eaten out the life and soul of Christianity among us But having already spent most of the time allotted for this Exercise I shall only recommend to you these two things wherein every one that hears me is concerned 1. I doubt not but a right understanding of the nature of Christianity would go a great way towards the abating our contentions about it It must needs put an end to some of our controversies and secure us from the sad consequences of the rest of them if we had a true notion of the difference between such things as are essential to Religion and such as are at a great distance from it Now true Religion consists in the imitation of the Divine perfections Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect (k) St. Matth. 5.48 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation (l) 1. Pet. 1.15 that is so far as we are capable of being like to the most excellent Being in this faln and imperfect State And this consists in the mortifying of our Lusts and Passions in living a Life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Patience Peaceableness Sobriety Chastity and because in many things we offend all (m) St. James 3.2 through ignorance or inadvertency or weakness when we have done our best we are to trust in the Merits of Christ for the pardon of our sins and the acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness These are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are agreed however we differ about other matters Did we make conscience of these as we ought to do we should soon find by happy experience that they are infinitely more for the honour of God the peace of the Church and the good of one another then an hot and fiery contention about speculative indeterminable and unprofitable Questions Could men be perswaded to a greater care and study of this Catholick Christianity the minding of it would take up so much of our time and pains that we should hardly be at leisure to raise or foment differences Yet if any Disputes should arise about lesser matters yet we should all agree in obeying our Superiours where we are not sure of the unlawfulness of their commands in loving praying for doing good to one another Now since these things are so let us bring our Opinions and Practices to this trial 1. As to matters of Doctrine or Opinion it is too evident that the Articles of Faith are monstruously swelled of late in the Roman Church I mean by the addition of 12 new Articles of Pius the fourth not one of which is to be found in the Scriptures or the Creeds of the Primitive Church I cannot mention without horror the dreadful Anathema's they denounce against all that presume to deny any of them but to the honour of the Church of England let it be said whatsoever is imposed on us as necessary to the Salvation of all men is contained in the Apostles Creed This is the Faith of the first and best times of Christianity the Faith into which we are baptized and the belief of this Creed hath a direct influence on our Christian practice which is the great business of Religion Let us therefore contend earnestly for this Faith which was once delivered to the Saints (n) Jude v. 3. Let us not entertain any other Opinions which invalidate the necessity of an holy life let us not propagate our private conceptions with the breach of the publick peace order then we shall have no reason to quarrel with one another for simple invincible Errors 2. Let us judge of matters of practice by the same rule and then we shall lay the greatest stress upon such things as bring us to the nearest conformity to God we shall not build our hopes of Salvation on any outward observances or abstinences about the mode of our Worship but on the great indispensable Duties of Christianity We shall comply with the Injunctions of Authority in all things about which Christ hath not left us any standing Law For since many things done by Christ and his Apostles were occasional and temporary fitted to the circumstances of those times but not of ours since they were not founded on any moral reason nor have we any command for the continuance of them since there is no Law in Scripture about these things there can be no transgression in the practice or disuse of them otherwise then as they tend to the dividing the Church the contempt of Authority or the scandalizing our Brethren But this brings me to the second thing 2. Let us remember that we are under Christian Laws and Government and from hence we shall learn these three things 1. That we ought not to provide for our own safety or the
the Author of Sin (k) Lev. c. 21. Lib. and Nec in divers places That the Law of the Civil Magistrate is the only obliging Rule of Just and Vnjust and that the New Testament is not a Law of any place where the Commonwealth hath not made it so (l) Lev. c. 42. That the Obligation of Subjects to their Sovereign lasteth no longer then the power lasteth by which he is able to protect them (m) Lev. c. 21. 2. What is the consequence of the Practical Divinity of the Romish Divines and Casuists about Repentance Purgatory and the efficacy of the Sacraments in conferring Grace but the subverting the necessity of an Holy Life 3. There are some malignant Doctrines that have a more immediate influence on Kingdoms and Governments and they are such as these That Dominion is founded in Grace That the Obligation of Oaths and Promises may be taken away by some Authority on Earth That it is lawful to make use of Equivocations and mental Reservations That Church-men are exempted from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Power That a Sovereign Prince is either the Pope's Subject or the Peoples Trustee That he is accountable for Heresie or evil Government to his Holiness at Rome or to some Assembly of Church-men or Inferiour Magistrates within his own Dominions 4. I wish the Libertines Antinomians and other Carnal Gospellers of this Age had not furnisht us with another Catalogue of Licentious Doctrines The chief of them are these that follow That the Moral Law is abrogated by Jesus Christ That the Covenant of Grace is absolute and unconditional and that no man ought to work for Salvation much less for the fear of Hell That the Torments of Hell are not properly Eternal That a good Moral Man is further from the Kingdom of God then a loose Liver That justifying Faith consisteth in believing that a man is perdestinated to Eternal Life That Sins are pardoned before they are committed and that God sees no Sin in his People To this Head I might reduce all such Notions of Christian Liberty as destroy the necessity of Obedience in all lawful things All such Notions of God and his Decrees as make him the Author of our Sin or Misery or set up the Decrees of God in opposition to his Laws or one of his Attributes in opposition to another All such Notions of Jesus Christ as set up his Person in opposition to his Gospel or make us righteous with Christ's Righteousness whilst we continue in any Course of Sin But thus much may suffice to have spoken of the first thing 2. We have reason to be apprehensive of the effects of our unnatural Contentions and Animosities as well as of our open and notorious Vices Certainly never any People enjoyed more excellent means of Peace and Unity never any People laboured more under the Calamities of Rebellions and Factions never was any People assaulted with more bloody implacable more subtle and industrious Enemies then we are It is therefore the Duty and Interest of all Loyal Subjects and good Christians to endeavour to correct that Spirit of Sedition and Division that is working among us and to promote the Security and Establishment both of our Government and Religion 1. I begin with the Civil Government You have blessed be God the Scriptures in your own Language and if you read them without partiality and prejudice you will soon learn those indispensable Duties of Peace Humility and Obedience They will teach you to pray for the King and all in Authority under him (n) 1 Tim. 2.1 To be subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake (o) Rom. 13.5 They will plant in you all those dispositions which are essential to the support of Government and Society they will subdue all those Passions and mortifie all those Lusts which are the Parents of Strifes and Quarrels of Confusions and Treasons besides you are Members of a Church whose just glory it is to assert the Rights of Princes with so much plainness and sincerity that no man can be true to the Church of England whilst he is false to his Sovereign This holy and peaceable Religion will teach you to beware of and suppress all others of what Communion soever that vent any seditious Doctrines or allow of such practices as are consonant to them I know the most horrid things have been taught and acted among us under the disguise of Religion but of all men living the Romanists have the least reason to charge any of our Sects with Treason and Sedition For the most barbarous Villanies that were committed in these Kingdoms may be justified by the principles of that Faction and the most Antimonarchical Doctrines that ever came from the Pulpit or the Press either were or might be derived from the Canon Law the Popes and Councils the most approved Casuists and Guides of Souls Let Pope Sixtus the Fifth have the honour of being either the first inventer or polisher of the Fanatick Art of Canting and perverting the Scriptures admiring the providence of God in the murder of a lawful King and the truth is the first Thanksgiving Sermon that I find on such an Occasion was preacht by his Holiness in the Roman Consistory (p) See his Panegyrick Oration on the murder of H. 3 of France It was printed at Paris An. 1589 with the approbation of three Doctors Nor do I envy the Roman Church the glory of sanctifying Rebellions and Murders Perfidiousness and Cruelty by the Authority of some of her General Councils 'T is no wonder if the same power which transforms bread and wine into the substance of Christs natural body and blood do also transform Christians into Wolves and Tygers Did some of our Sectaries abuse Curse ye Meroz and other parts of Scripture to the carrying on the blackest Designs So did Alexander the third (q) Ep. Alex. 3. Conc. Bin. tom 7 par 2. pag. 656. so did Pius the fifth those (r) Bullar Cherub tom 2. pag. 305. printed at Rome 1617. words of God I have set thee over Nations and Kingdoms c. Did not Innocent the Fourth prove his power of deposing Princes from that Text Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth c. (s) See Pope Innocent the Fourth's Sentence of Deprivation against the Emperour Ferdinando in the Council of Vienna Have you never heard of the incomparable Interpretations of Rise Peter kill and eat Feed my Sheep Vpon this Rock will I build my Church It were no hard matter to give you a Specimen of the Divinity of Popes and Cardinals men of greater Learning and Authority but of as little Conscience and Loyalty as the Authors of our most pestilent Sermons and Pamphlets Are any of these under unlawful Oaths and Engagements So are all the Bishops Jesuits Monks and Friars of that Church under Oaths of absolute Allegiance to the Pope or of blind Obedience to their Superiors that are his Creatures and Vassals (t)