the King he was so gratious to the said Reymond by the treaty of peace as to restore it vnto him conditionally that it should returne to the said King if his said only daughter had not issue by Alphonse of France the Count of Poittou And when the same vniuersall Councell of Laterane which may worthily be called the most Vniuersal Councel for so much as besides the Pope and the foure Patriarkes of the East Matth. Paris in Ioan. adâ— an 1215. Magdeburg Cent. â—â— cap. 9. de Synod who were there present some in person as the Pope and the Patriarkes of Constantinople and of Hierusalem and the other by their legates as those of Alexandria and of Antioch there were seauenty Archbishops 412. Bishops and more then 800. Prelates and more then this all the Monarches and Kinges of Christendome were there assistant eyther by themselues or by their Ambassadours and the Emperour of the Fast the Emperour of the West the King of Hierusalem the King of France the King of England the King of Arragon the King of Castile and others When the Councell I say intended to prouide for the extirpation and rooting out of the Reliques of the Albigenses it ordeyned that the Princes who should become contemners of the Councell that condemned the Albigenses should be depriued of the obligation of their subiectes fidelity towardes them And this I remember not for an example to disturbe or trouble the publique peace and tranquillity sith the Heretikes be in so great a number as they make a notable part of the body of the Estate but to shew that we cannot hold that for hereticall which was pronounced and decreed 400. yeares since by the mouth of the Vniuersall Church For as touching them who for the frustrating of this decree do alleage and cite (a) Plat. in vita Innocen 3. what Platina and after him the (b) Suppl Chron. l. 13. ad an 1215. Supplement of the Chronicles affirme that the Councell proposed many thinges but resolued nothing they are more worthy of pitty then answere For who sees not that those Authors there speake of the preparatiues of the army for the warre of the holy Land and not of matters of Doctrine or Ecclesiasticall discipline Otherwise a man should impugne as false that therin was resolued the Article of Transubstantiation the Article of the Procession of the holy Ghost of the Father and of the Sonne the precept of annuall Confession to all the faithfull the condemnation of the errours of the Abbot Ioachim together with all the writinges of the Schoole Doctours alleaging these things the practise of all the Iurisdictions of France followed in the searching and finding out of heretikes We should impugne of falsity the Decretals of Gregory the ninth (c) Decret Gregor l. 5. tit 7. de haeret c. 13. Excommunicamus compiled twelue yeares after the Councell of Laterane where that decree is repeated at length vnder the title of the Councell of Laterane the writings of Matthew Paris (d) Math. Parisanâ—e ad ann 1215. a Writer of the same age and a great enemie of the Popes who sayth that the Councell of Laterane made 60. you must reade 70. Decrees the Bul of Pope Clement the 5. in fauour of King Philip the Fayre who returned the readers to the decrees of the Laterane Councell the Centuriators also (a) Acta inter Bonif. 8. Philip Pulch. who inserted all the 70. Articles of the Laterane Councell into their Centuries Finally we should impugne of falsity the coniunction of the County of Tholouse to the Crowne which was founded vpon that Councells Decree and the reasons and declarations of the Court of Parlament to King Lewis the Eleuenth touching the extinguishing of that pragmaticall Sanction or Decree where the Court prayeth the King to order the Elections according to the Councell of Laterane in these wordes In the Councell of Laterâ—ne saith the Court which (b) Refertur à Biblioth lib. 4. decret Eccl. Gall. was assembled held at Rome by Pope Innocentius the third in the yeare 1215. where were assistant and present 1333. Prelates there was prescribed a certaine forme of Election and thereunto was annexed that in case of the Electors negligence the right and power of prouision for the Church should fall to the Superiour Prelate Cap. (c) Cone Lateran c. 24. Quia propter Cap. (d) Ibid. 〈◊〉 23. Ne pro defectu But I haue made to far a digression let vs returne to our Historie Wherefore when the Generall Councell of Lateran which represented all the Christian Common wealth both spirituall and temporall meant to prouide for the extinguishing of the reliques of the Albigensian heresy it conceaued made and published this (e) Conc. Later c. 3. Canon If any Prince neglect in his landes and territories to extirpate the heresy of the Albigenses let him be excoÌ„municated by the Archbishop of the Prouince And if he continue obstinate let it within the space of one yeare be signified to the Pope that he may absolue his subiects from their Oath of fidelity And when Pope Innocentius the 4. did at the Councell of Lions absolue the Subiectes of the Emperour Frederike from the fidelity they owed vnto him I dispute not now whether iustly or vniustly for so much as my scope drift and intention is not but to shew how the Kinges of France haue in such occasions carried themselues the King S. Lewis took vpon him the protecting of the Popes cause against the Emperour The King of France saith Paulus (a) Paul Aemil. in vita S. Ludouici Aemilius being come to Lions by zeale of office of Religion for the assisting of Innocentius and hauing made a protestation that both himself his forces and the Counsel of his Realme were ready to maynteyne defend the power and authority of his Holines added strength and dignity to Innocentius his cause And euen those who to make the Pope the king S. Lewis odious write that the Pope offered to cause Robert Count of Artois the Kinges brother to be elected chosen in place of Frederike but that the Barons of France refused it add that the Barons themselues protested that the Emperour could not be deposed if he erred not in faith You shall heare the Barons wordes be they true or be they faigned deliuered after many inuectiues against the Pope by Matthew Paris an Englishman (b) Matth. Paris in Hen. 3. ad an 1239. who fauoured the Emperour was the Popes heauy enemie and taken out of him by Vignier (c) Vignier en la 3. p. de la Biblioth hist Pan. 1239. who yeilded not a whit vnto him in that behalfe And thus he sayth But to the end we may not seeme to contemne the Popes commandement though it be euident that it came from the Church of Rome more vpon hatred to the Emperour then for a loue to our Nation we will send men of prudence on
the beginning of his Empire which continued but there yeares he called the Catholike Bishops home againe who had beene banished and sent into exile by Constantius his predecessour And in the end he had by fauours and his other carriage so gayned the souldiers of the Roman bands as they made almost all profession of Paganisme Whence it was that Iouian a Christian souldier being by them chosen after Iulian his death answered them that he would not commaund men who were not Christians For the answere which they made We are Christians was as much to say that all they made an outward profession of Paganisme to please Iulian yet in their heartes they continued still Christians By occasion whereof the feare of a greater ruine hauing hindered the Church from absoluing the Catholikes from the obligation of fidelity in behalfe of Iulian the Apostata they were still bound to do that which S. Austine sayth of them Aug in Psal 124. For the loue of the Emperour of Heauen they obeyed the Emperour of the Earth But some will say the Christians might well haue deposed the Emperour Valentinian for as much as they were the stronger in Millane when he would haue one of their Churches for the exercising of his Heresy therin It is true But to this the defendants of the affirmatiue part answere foure thinges The first that the memory of the Emperour Gratian his elder Brother and as it were Father and Tutor of the Emperour Valenâ—â—ar and slayne by Maximus the Tyrant and the most Catholike Prince and the greatest freind of S. Ambrose that euer was changed all the malice or euill that the Catholike people could haue had or carried towardes Valentinian into fauour and compassion and into a desire of assisting him for the reuenging of that murther and making away of his Brother The second is that Valentinian was yet so yong the sonne of so Catholike a Father as there was not any cause or ground to despaire of his conuersion which also followed within a while after and that with so great an Edification of the Church as S. Ambrose celebrateth him for one of the most Religious Emperours of his age The third that though in the beginning the people conteyned themselues within the simple boundes of petition gaue Valentinian to vnderstand We contend not O Emperour but we become Suppliantes vnto you yet when Valentinian had a meaning to proceed further the people held their owne resisted the Emperour and stood so resolute in the matter as he fearing a tumult and reuolt was constreyned to yeild vnto them Hence it is that they thought not that the commandment our Sauiour gaue to his disciples when they persecute in one Cittie to flie into another was an absolute perpetuall precept but rather a dispensation a permission accommodated to the tyme wherein the Christian people either were still vnder Pagan Emperours or had not yet the meanes to make resistance against persecutions by might and force The Fourth is that the Emperour Valentinian his owne souldiers thought not themselues so bound in way of fidelity vnto him as they belieued they could not be dispensed with when he should perseoute the Catholikes For when the tumult began to be hoat they caused it to be signified vnto him that if he would come vpon the Place he should come thither accompanied for as much as they would assist and help him if they sawe him conioyned and to take part with the Catholikes els they would put themselues in company with the troupes that held with Ambrose But the propugners of the negatiue part recurre to the Analogy of other practises of the Church say that for Heresie the owners are not depriued of their goodes and consequently much lesse Princes should be spoyled of their estates To this agayne the maynteyners of the affirmatiue part bring two answers The one is that in this our Realme Heretikes loose not their goodes and the cause is for that the execution of the lawes made against Heretikes is suspended for the conseruation of the publique peace and tranquillity But if there should creep forth some third sect in France should begin to growe and were not come to be so great and to make a notable part of the body of Estate as Arianisme or Nestorienisme it is questionles that the other two would â—udge them who should make such profession worthy to be depriued not only of their goodes but of their liues also For this is practised at Geneua where Caluin caused Seruetus to be burnt and it is the practise at this day in England where the Most Renowned moderne King of Great Britany punisheth the Arians with losse of goodes and of life The other answere is that there is a great difference between the power that owners haue ouer their goodes and that which Princes haue ouer their Estates For goodes are made for their Maisters and Princes contrariwise for their Estates neyther haue goods any soule nor can be compelled by force or by example or by perswasion of their Maisters to loose life euerlasting as subiectes may be by their Princes by meanes whereof the preiudice of the one doth not make any consequence for the other And if this question be no where found certainly decided neither by scripture nor by the decrees of the ancient Church nor by the Analogy of other Ecclesiasticall proceedinges how is it that lay persons will of their owne authority and without light and president of any generall Councell of any Oecumenicall Synod of any vniuersall Assembly of the Church yea against the greater part of the rest of the Church coÌ„uert this doctrine into an article of faith and make the Clergie to sweare it is conformable to Gods word cause them to abiure the other as a doctrine contrary to the word of God impious and detestable It is fiue and twenty yeares since those of your Order caried away by the tumult and trouble of the tyme laboured in the full Assemblie of Estates to establish one Fundamentall Law of Estate cleane contrary to that article of yours And now you propose another Fundamentall Law intituled of Estate and of Religion quite contrary to that former And will you not you but those by whose inspiration and aduise these clauses be crept into your Bill that the Laytie cause the Clergie to sweare it That the Laytie exact of the Clergie an Oath in matter of faith That the Laytie impose the Lawes of Religion vpon the men of the Church O reproach and shame Oscand all O gate set open to all sort of Heresies And shall our faith then be subiect to the varieties and inconstancy of the affections of the people who chaung euery fiue and twenty yeares And shall the flockes then be guides to their shepheardes Luc. 16. Hebr. 13. and Pastors And shall the children teach their Father And shall that then be frustrated that our Lord hath cryed aloud The scholler is not aboue the Maister And
AN ORATION MADE ON THE PART OF THE LORDES SPIRITVALL In the Chamber of the Third Estate or Communalty of France vpon the Oath pretended Of Allegiance exhibited in the late Generall Assembly of the three Estates of that Kingdome By the Lord Cardinall of PERON Arch-bishop of Sens Primate of Gaule and Germany Great Almenour of France c. Translated into English according to the French Copy lately printed at Paris by Antoine Estiene Whereunto is adioyned a Preface by the Translatour Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XVI THE PREFACE OF THE Translatour to the Reader THOVGH worldly men whose soules are swallowed vp in sense be content to make their purse of gold their God by occasion wherof S. Paul thought good to say that couetousnes was no beter thē a kind of sacrifice to Idols yet such as are not wholy deafe to the voyce of reason may heare it protest that as man is compoūded of flesh spirit so his spirituall goods are incōparably superiour to the corporall and that riches are to be held of the meanest lowest ranke among all such benefits as God Almighty hath vouchsafed to mankind For as those thinges which men haue any colour to account their owne are eyther plenty of fortune health of body glory of reputation or lastly the soule it selfe so who is he that will not empty his purse to recouer his health or saue his life What man of worth will not despise his life to preserue his honour And who doubteth but that the respect of honour should yeild vnto the care which a man ought to haue of his soule Hereupon may be grounded amongst others two apparent truthes The one that for the soule a man is to despise all other things the other that except the soule there is nothing so deare as reputation Now if reputation be so precious for as much as concerns the morall man what accompt ought Christians to haue it in since scandals are often giuen and taken vpon the aboundance or defect thereof and sometimes vpon the credit of a few dependeth the saluation of very many The enemy of mankinde who knowes how true this is hath continually laboured to rob Gods seruantes of so great a Iewell yea and hath presumed to infame God himselfe beeing made man for vs sometimes tempting men to traduce him as a Coniurer sometimes as a Samaritane which did import a Schismatike and sometimes as a trayterous and seditious person The same stile he held with the Christians of the Primitiue Church and we English Catholikes of this age whose cause is the same with theirs haue lyen groaning long vnder the same burthen and felt with vnspeakable griefe though with vndaunted courage the poysoned arrowes of this kinde which he hath beene dayly shooting into our sides Those Aduersaries of our cause who beleeue in God but for fashion-sake at least conceaue that it importes not after what fashion he be serued think they do vs a fauour when they call vs fooles for exposing our selues to persecution vpon the differences of Catholike and protestant Religion Such Protestants as in good earnest belieue that Religiō which they professe are wont to traduce vs for superstitious and Idolatrous persons vnder the pretence of our doctrines which concerne the Reall presence and the reuerent vse which we make of Images But they who vse their Religion no more then for a seruant or rather slaue to their absurd reason of state and know well inough that if they should persecute vs vnder the only title of Heretikes they must be faine both to disclayme from the Society of al ancient Christians and should be forced to deserue the censure of sauage cruelty for presuming to condemne that faith to which their auncestours and ours were conuerted from Paganisme they I say are the men who giue out that we are not vniustly persecuted for our religion but iustly punished for our faction disobedience and treason For the painting ouer of which discourse how many industries haue beene vsed how many Iewels and Cupbordes of plate to forraine Princes Ambassadours haue beene presented how many crafty and cruell lawes haue beene at seuerall times procured enacted and lastly what a couple of daungerous and detestable Oathes vnder the authority of the aforesaid lawes haue with extreme rigour without distinction of sexe or age byn propounded exacted The first of these Oathes is that of the Kings Supremacy deuised heretofore by our Aduersaries for the making of all Catholikes expresse Traytours and executed for a while with great seuerity though afterwardes they grew halfe ashamed therof And the vse which it affoardes at this day is chiefly to distinguish such persons as adore the present state of thinges from others who are more indifferent and so we see it is ordinarily ministred but to such as either pretend to make Lawes by voice in Parlament or els to cary Office in the Common wealth or Church Alwaies that Oath serued rather to other endes then to make diuision or procure mutuall scandalls among English Catholikes since we all agree in the cleere detestation therof and for this later purpose the other Oath which is called of Allegiance was set on foot by the instigation of some Ministers immediatly after the powder-treason as if euery one that did refuse to take it were guilty of that prodigious plot Withall it was couched in such cunning and mysty termes as some Priestes yea euen since the Pope condemned it haue not beene ashamed to take it and more lay Catholikes haue beene led on by their bad example This action of theirs hath implied a kind of disloyalty in them that refused the same and the State hath not beene a little carefull to publish the brute therof both within and without the Realme to the extreme disaduantage and discomfort of all sincere and solide Catholikes There hath not beene a greater meanes towardes the strengthning of fowle aspersions vpon vs then the confidence which our Aduersaries the Ministers haue vsed in protesting that we English Catholikes who refuse the Oath are controlled by many great partes of Christendome euen Catholike where men would vndoubtedly say they haue taken such an Oath as this if they were required thereunto by their seuerall Princes In particuler the example of France hath beene euery day obtruded to vs as if the Catholike parte of that Kingdome were wholy of the English Protestant faith in this particuler◠And although this vndertaking of theirs were knowne to be impudent and most vntrue by the industry of some English Catholikes who informed themselues of the Sorbon which is the Diuinity Schoole of Paris and found that it abhor'd the Oath yet partly by the confident asseuerations of our aduersaryes partly by the corrupt beliefe in that point which some one of the Ambassadours of that Countrey residing heretofore in England was faln to and the flattering discourse which for hope of reward he was wont to hold so it is that the ordinary sort of Protestants conceaued
the dishonoring and abusing of his Church to giue the greatest contribution that could be wished to the Dignity and Maiesty of the same Who knowes not that the holding of these Estates in France was pursued only in effect by certaine irreuerent semi-Catholikes who loue nothing lesse then the splendour and vigour of Ecclesiasticall discipline and â—urisdiction Who knowes not that as soone as the said Estates were opened that rotten member which tooke the name of the Third Estate discouered that Canker which hath been feeding gredily vpon it especially since the introduction of heresy into that Kingdome by plodding vpon some course how to make an Idâ—ll of the temporall power of Kinges in respect of the reuerence due to Popes and so far to abuse the authority of the Apostolike Sea as that they would redoubt it no more then a meere Scarcrow or Chymera And yet we see God hath fetcht the Treacle of which I haue spoken from the poyson that grew in the festred bowells of his Enemies for if that French Oath had not been propounded by those Lawyers the contrary doctrine and beliefe of the Church of France had not beene protested by those Prelates Shall the prouidence therefore of God be able to watch so fruitfully ouer the Catholike Church of France and shall the narrow seas be broad inough to keepe him from shewing his power in England to our comfort and the confusion of such as either know him not or care not for him nay rather let vs learne by this that when our persecuting Ministers do most conspire our ruine then shall we be surest of Gods present help when the graue shal be finished wherin they hope to bury vs aliue incident in foueam quam fecerunt it is then that they are likeliest to die in the same ditch which they made for vs. Courage therfore is that which we are to beg at the hands of God who knowes not how to forsake but such as confide not in him It was said long ago by one who had no supernaturall â—ssistance wherby his crosses were to be asswaged Si longus leuis si magnus breuis but we haue infinitly more reason to assure our selues then he that if our persecution linger on it wil be lightned if it increase it wil be shortned Nor ought we be without hope but that it may be both short and light when his Maiestyes Excellent Iudgment shall haue obserued which in all likelihood he hâ—th already done by he ensâ—ing Oration and other bookes that his Catholiâ—e subiects hoâ—d no other opinions in fauour of the Sea Apostolike but such as are common to those Cathoâ—iâ—es that are accounted euen the most remisse iâ— Europe That there is no Protestant Church which hath declared this proposition to be true That a King can neuer be deposed by any authority vnder heauen nor his subiects be absolued from the Oath of Allegiance which once they made for any incorrigible crimes whatsoeuer That on the other side rebellions of sâ—biects against their naturall Princes haue growne familia since â—rotestancy brake loose and haue been as it were haâ—cht by that sect in England Scotland Holland Sweueland Germany Switzerland Geneua and most often in France wherof truâ— histories makâ— particuâ—e mention And 〈◊〉 that should not be able to read or vnderstanâ— a booke might see the matter verified euen at this instant in the Kingdome of France where the Prince Protestant of them all is vexing his King by all the power he hath either of credit or other meanes hauing drawne to his lure many others of both Religions That since his Maiesty hath beene ill counselled and vâ—ged by Ministers amongst all whome there hath nâ—uer yet beene any one good man of State he hath gotten nothing lesse then that they aymed at which was That Regall Authority now that it is imployed in their defence should be as superstitiously adored as in Queene Maries dayes both of England and Scotland when their religion receaued a check it was irreligiously decried and disgraced For now insteed of being held a kind of Diuinity vpon earth which notion mens mindes were fitter for before they were opened by such Oathes they are growne to lookeâ— abroad vpon that light which they were wont to be afraid would dazell their eies and at last are come so neere vnto it as that they touch and handle it by the discourse of reason and experience which tells them that Kingly Authority cannot come immediatly from God to any man but by miracle That all the Kinges whome we know do either rule by force of conquest and in that case the authority of the CommoÌ„ wealth if it be vsurped may be resumed or by Donation Election Marriage or Succession of bloud in which cases Kings forfait by not performing the conditions vnder which either they or their first auncestors did enter whether they were expressed or necessarily implied Necessarily I say implied for supposing that a people who was without question the first owner of supreme authority vpon earth should cause a King to gouerne them without obliging him in particuler to do this or that it were a Barbarous conceipt to thinke that it were in his law full power to Tyrannize ouer them at his pleasure without hauing respect either to their defence in time of warre or the administration of Iustice in tyme of peace for which only respectes they made him King If this discourse be true in case of Kinges euen by the Law of Nature and of Nations how much more shall it be so amongst Christian Kinges who in their Baptisme do their homage to the Faith of Christ and at their Coronations do sweare the mayntenance of Religion and Iustice which are the conditions expressed whereupon the progenitours of the most absolute Christian Kinges were placed in their Royall Throne These thinges I say are growne into the consideration of men and strikes the reasonable part of their soules with such an euidence and demonstration of truth as no formulary of an Oath though perhaps for feare or fashion sake they may chance to accept therof will euer be able to wipe out Some questions there may be betweene men of different Religions as hath beene toucht to whom the iudgment ouer Kings for their offences may belong some holding that this Iurisdiction resides in the Church some in the Common Wealth some in both together and some others other seuerall opinions which are not so much worth the specifying but all the Christian Congregations of all Religions in the world do agree in this that all Kinges for hideous crimes may fall from their dignity and their subiectes may be absolued from their Oath of fidelity Nay I haue not heard euen in England where our Oath of Allegiance was enacted nor in France where the like was offered that when the generall propositions which were conteyned in both the formularies were well deduced into particulers men would be drawne to subscribe and sweare thereto otherwise then forced by feare
better witnesses then the English writers (a) VVidrington Apol. pro Iur. Prine who haue put their hand to pen for the defence of the Oath made by the present King of England against the Pope For hauing vsed all their endeuour to find some doctours in particuler French who had held their opinion before these last troubles they could hitherto bring forth neuer any one neither Diuine nor Lawyer who saith that in case of Heresie or Apostacie from Christian religioÌ„ the subiects could not be absolued from the Oath of Allegiance On the contrary the French men whome they haue cited as Iohn of Paris (b) supra pag. 47. Iohn Maior (c) Io. Maior in 4. sent dist 24. Iames Almain (d) Io. Alma supra pag. 48. Peter Gregory (e) Petrus Greg. supra pag. 52. alwaies except the cases of Heresie or of Apostacy from Christian religion And as for Strangers and Forrayners as Occham (f) Occ. supra pag 47. Antony de Rossellis (g) Ant. de Rossell Monarch part r. c. 56 and Vulturnus (h) Vultur lib. de Reg. mundi they affirme the same For as touching Marsile of Padua they were not so hardy as to alleage him for so much as he is well knowne for an heretike by the vniforme consent of all Catholiques as hauing denied that the Pope was head of the Church iure diuino and S. Peters Successour which the Councell of Constance (i) Concil Costant sess 8. in condem art VVicaf bindeth to beleeue as an Article of faith and vnder payne of Anathema In so much as for this very cause the Emperour Charles the Fifth caused his bookes to be burned publiquely Moreouer they durst not alleage the Epistle of the Chapter of Liege against Pope Pascalis during the contentions of the Popes and of the Emperour Henry the 4. First for that the Bishop of Liege vnder whome it was written was the Emperours Chaplaine and one of his faction (a) Vâ—sperg in Chron. very passionate against the Pope as hauing beene created Bishop by the Emperour by the Anti-pope Secondly for that at what time it was writteÌ„ the Emperour resided actually in Liege (b) Ibid. Thirdly for that the Chapter of Liege hath since (c) Ibid. abrogated it razed it out by the pardon they craued of the Pope for hauing taken part with the Emperour And fourthly that the same Emperour doth recall it when he wrote to Pope Gregory the seauenth the third Pope after Paschalis saying (d) Inter Epist Hen. â— Protest edit That it was the tradition of the Fathers that he could not be deposed if he erred not in faith Which Cusanus (e) Cusan l. 3. concord Cath. c. 7. the Imperialist writing for the CouÌ„cell of Basil against the Pope hath since auowued and auerred in these words If the Pope finde that he who hath beene chosen Emperour erreth in faith he may declare him not to be Emperour They well alleage indeed Sigebert (f) Sigeb in chro anno 1088. who saith that it was a nouelty not to say heresy to teach the people that they did not owe any subiection to bad Kinges But besides that this Sigebert was a man no lesse passionate for the part of the Emperour then was the Bishop of Liege what he sayth doth not any way touch the case brought by the exception which is of Kinges Heretikes or Infidells Now if those who haue of set purpose laboured in fauour of the Oath of England (g) VVidring in Apol pro iur Princ. to finde out authors who haue affirmed that in case of Heresy or of Infidelity the subiectes could not be absolued from the obligation that they owe to their Princes could not finde out any one And if those who haue since written of the same subiect in France could neuer finde out in all France since the time that Schools of Diuinity haue beene instituted and set open til this day one only Doctour neither Diuine nor Lawyer nor Decree nor Councell nor determination nor Act of Parlament nor Magistrate either Ecclesiastique or Politique who hath said that in case of heresie or of infidelity the subiectes cannot be absolued from the oath of fidelity they owe to their Princes On the contrary if all those who haue written for the defence of the temporall power of Kinges against Popes haue euer excepted the case of heresy and of apostacy from Christian Religion how is it that they can without inforcing of coÌ„sciences not only make men to receaue this doctrine (a) Artic. of the third Estate that in no case the subiects can be absolued from the oath of Allegiance they owe to their Princes for a perpetuall and vniuersall doctrine of the French Church But also to cause all the Bishops Abbots and other Ecclesiasticall persons to sweare it as Doctrine of faith and to condemne the contrary as impious peruerse and detestable And how can we endure a propositioÌ„ to passe for a Fundamentall Law of the Estate of France which came to light was borne in France more then an eleauen hundred yeares since the State of it was founded And when there shal be found as many persons who shall haue followed it in France as there be found who haue followed the contrary what shall they be able to inferre more other nations contradicting then to hold it for problematique in matter of faith and not to cause men to take and sweare it as conforme to Gods word and necessary to saluation and to abuse the other as contrary to the word of God impious peruerse detestable But this is inough for this point Let vs passe to others and endeuour to handle them all in as full worthy maÌ„ner as this Audience doth deserue THE SECOND INCONVENIENCE that I haue bound my self to shew in this Fundamentall PropositioÌ„ is that not only it giueth vnto Lay persons power authority to iudge of thinges of Religion and to decide the doctrine that it contayneth to be conformable to the word of God and the contrary to be impious peruerse and detestable But also it giueth these men authority to impose a necessity vpon the Ecclesiastical persons to sweare preach and teach the one and by Sermons and writinges to impugne the other And who seeth not that this is to make the Church like vnto that woman of whome S. Epiphanius speaketh (a) Epiph. hares 59. quae est Cathar who did put her head-tyre vpon her feete and her shoes vpon her head which is as much to say as to commit the commaund and authority of the Church to the parties that should obey and to put obedience vpon the parties whose office it is to commaund And what is this but to open a gate to all heresy What is it but to turne vpside downe to ouerthrow the Churches authority What is it but to tread vnder foote the respect of Iesus Christ and of his ministery To be short