Hierarâ—hy for they are imployed therein â—y Councells by Popes by a world â—f Prelates yea and by the greatest â—art of Pastors themselues excepâ—ing onely some few who of late â—aue made noyse enough The Kings of France themselues haue commaunded this to bee obserued in their Dominions in such sort as that Saint Lewis layd a perpetuall sentence of banishment out of his Kingdome vpon that Doctor Gulielmus de Sancto Amore who alreadie had been condemned at Rome in full Consistory and whose booke was mis-liked and torne and yet worse vsed that booke which he had composed against the Cordeliers and the Iacobins and wherein he serued himselfe of the same Arguments in effect in the strength whereof men make such a hoo-bub in thesâ— dayes 13. But you will say perhaps thaâ— Pope Anicetus and others and thâ— Councells also and the Canons doâ— take that for the Hierarchy whicâ— Christ our Lord did first send namely his Apostles and then his Disciples by two and two whom thâ— Prelates and Pastors doe succeedâ— But it is one thing when they say that these latter succeede those former and another thing it is to affirme that none but they are in the Hierarchy of the Church For what will you say if other great Saintâ— make it good that you must ratherâ— take the Hierarchy by the Parable oâ— the Vine-yard which is the Churchâ— There indeede the first are my Lords the most reuerend Bishops and they who follow after are the venerable Pastors and Parsons and Curates but that they who are sent at the ninth â—d eleuenth houres are those Reâ—lars who are designed to Preach â—d receiue confessions c. as being â—me but towards the euening but â—ho yet neuerthelesse shall at the end 〈◊〉 the day bee passed for true labouâ—rs and shall also be well payd and â—ith the same coyne of those others â—hose eminent men to whom God â—ue his spirit for the assistance of â—oses and Aaron in their gouerneâ—ent of the people of Israel did â—ey trouble the Hierarchy Congrega Num. 11. â—ihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israâ— c. Et auferam de spiritu tuo traâ—mque eis vt sustentent tecum onus poâ—li 14. Let us yet come closer and â—y that since it belongeth to the â—icar of Christ our Lord to goâ—erne this Hierarchy and that hee 〈◊〉 the head thereof as that learned â—octor of the Sorbonne doth excellently De Monarchia prooue let vs see the motiuâ— which they aleadge when they senâ— the Regulars to know whether theâ— haue troubled the Hierarchy or elsâ— on the other side whether they hauâ— done it good and most faithfull seâ—uice I might cite a hundred Bullâ— but I will only choose three or fouâ— but yet such as shal be cleere strongâ— and which shall presse home and wiâ— haue great power vppon all theâ— mindes vpon whom truth and reâ—son will haue power as they are sure my Lords to haue vpon yours Pope Gregory the ninth in the Bulâ— Cum messis whereby hee giueth diuerse Priuiledges to the Minorite Fâ—ers and namely in the administraâ— of Sacraments hath three motiueâ— The first Cum messis multa sit operâ— rij verò pauci c. The second Quoâ— Ministerium vestrum diligentèr iâ—plentes vos operarios inconfusibileâ— exhibetis The third Vt qui spiritâ— â—uitis spiritu ambuletis de doctriâ— vestra conuersatione flores â—uctus proueniant gratiores Paul the third in the Bull Cum â—ter whereby hee granterh many â—riuiledges to the society of Iesus â—oth mention two motiues of that â—rant The first Ne gregi Dominico â—imarum cura de sit illum antiâ—us serpens indefensum inpraeparaâ—m inuadat The second attendentes â—d fructus vberes quos in domo Domiâ—i hactenus produxistis producere â—on de sinitis vestrae Religione integriâ—ate scientia doctrina moribus exâ—erientia c. Pius Quintus in the Bull Et si Menâ—icantium whereby hee confirmes all â—riuiledges of the Mendicant Fryers â—ayth Attendentes plerosque exveâ—erabilibus fratribus nostris Archiepisâ—opis Episcopis qui Ordines Menâ—icantium praecipuê tanquam fructiseâ—os in agro domini palmites colere adjuvare deberent non solumâ— exequi negligere vecumetiam Conâ— Tridentini decretis in pravum sensâ— retoris vos eorum quemlibit 〈◊〉 rijs afficere incommodis perturâ—tionibus eorumque Privilegijs 〈◊〉 modicum afferre gravamen conantâ— whereof hee recounteth diueâ— proptereá volentes praemissis acâ— similibus excessibus gravaminiâ— ex nostri Pastoralis Officij debito proâ—dere Attendentes etiam illos qui oâ—diei aestus tam in praedicatioâ—bus quam in caeteris spiritualibâ— muneribus quotidiè sustinent nisâ—tiam aliquantum piè subleventur facâ—fore ut oprressi à suis officijs omniâ— desistant ne in posterum â—is aliquoâ— inferatur gravamen c. omni sâ—gula Privilegia c. quomodo-libâ— concessa c. authoritate Apostoluâ— tenore praesentium perpetuò approbâ—mus confirmamus Alexander the fourth a long timâ— before this had the same motiue for â—he Cordeliers in the Bull of Nimis â—hereby hee protected them against â—he persecution of certaine Clarkes â—nd sayth thus Nimis iniqua vicisâ—itudine largitori bonorum omnium respondetur dum ij qui de patrimonio Christi impinguati luxuriant damnaâ—iliter in eodem Christum patenter â—nfamulis suis non verentur acsi faâ—tus sit impotens Dominum vltionum c. Cumquè non desint plerique tam Ecclesiarum Prelati quam alij qui â—aeca cupiditate traducti propriae aviâ—itati subtrahi reputantes quicquid vobis fidelium pietas elargitur quieâ—em vestram multipliciter inquietant contra vos molestiarum varias occasiones exquirentes Volunt namque c. where he recounteth al those wrongs which the sayd Cordeliers had received of the sayd Clarkes Nè hujus modi gravamina vobis ab eisdem Preâ—latis vel eorum subditis vlterius inferantur authoritate praesentiâ— districtius inhibemus c. Gregorie the 14th in his Bul Ecclesiâ— Catholicae had also the same motiuâ— for many Priviledges which he gavâ— or confirmed to the Society of Iesuâ— 15. If men desire to see generall Councells for making an end of this proofe they may be easily brought but you know them better then I and therefore it would bee a superfluous discourse for you know as I say what the Councels of Viena of Lateran and of Trent affirme If therefore to haue shed so mucâ— blood for the maintayning of thâ— Christian Faith and of the Churcâ— over the whole World if to hauâ— sweate blood and water If 〈◊〉 haue fought against Heresie and Errors and Schisme if to hauâ— couragiously defended the Catholique Church even to the last breath of life if to haue Preached writteâ— so many bookes laboured night and day both in Cities and Countries â—hrough whole ages to haue served â—he whole World to haue obliged â—en millions of soules to haue sacrifiâ—ed their
which you haue to â—ake be set downe and infallibly â—hey shall be remedied without noise â—ithout dispute and without scanâ—all Might I be so bold as to aske â—hether they who giue you these imâ—ressions against vs be impeccable or â—o whether they commit any â—aults whether euer they fall into â—ny indiscretion If they confesse â—ot themselues like other men If â—hen you shall haue taken all the â—eligious away they of whom you â—eane to serue your selues shall not â—rop downe from heauen and be â—onfirmed in grace without so much â—s tripping at any time whether â—hey and you shall neuer be in any difference with one another notwithstanding rhat Saint Peter and Saint Paul had disputes betweene themselues and two Angels are found in Daniel to haue fought with one another more then twenty dayes Haue you no feare my Lords of the passage of that old Roman Exurgenâ— Tacit magis alij homines quam alij mores and that other Refodeo Antigonum and can you ever hope to meete with a whole commonalty yea or even with any one single man in whom in fine you finde nothing to be wished otherwaies and who may commit some indiscretion doe you judge of a whole bodie by some one part which is out of joynt and of a whole Order by one indiscreete man oâ— for some simple thing which perhaps hee may haue done without malice and with great innocency Diâ— Christ our Lord excommunicate all his Apostles because one of theâ— Iohn 6. was a Divell For so hee was named by Christ himselfe And doe you beleeue that of all those Oblati of St. Charles of whom you spoake but now no one did ever commit any fault If this be so shewe us our abuses if wee give you not contentment if wee alleadge not reasons which are to be of full weight and worthy of beeing receiued if wee doe nto produce as many Authenticall Bulls as can be desired wee shall at least bee ready to submit our selues to all kinde of satisfaction and to liue and dye at your feete and under those just lawes which you shal bee pleased to prescribe But first we must haue three words and they are these To Vnderstand to Consider and to Iudge And to keepe your selues from prejudging and to make supposition of nothing which may not be solidly averred and that after the parties be heard by word of mouth for otherwise there will never bee aâ— ende Onely you wil bee pleased to consider things maturely for you cannot condemne us without fault but by condemning Popes Councels Kings Cardinalls and the greater part of my Lords the Prelates of France your Predecessours whom you arraigne in arraigning us 8. Three great Arch-bishops all yet aliue and the chiefe of this Kingdome haue told mee more theâ— once that they haue never derived more honour and service from any then from Religious men A hundred Bishops haue sayd as much and I will make it good that there is no man who serveth and honoreth my Lords the Prelates with a better heart and with lesse interest then good Religious men doe nor who would imploy their liues and their heads more frankly for the service of God and of my Lords the Bishops â—f there were neede Never sayth S. â—ugustine did I see better people â—hen those who persever in Religious â—rders and neuer worse then those â—ho depart from thence Serue your â—lues of the former and leaue the â—tter since you haue so great assuâ—nce from so great a Bishop for â—ey being so good how can they be 〈◊〉 wicked as to disesteeme the Preâ—tes whom all the world doth eâ—eeme so much If Religious men doe wel why do â—ou put your selues in paine If they â—o ill command their Superiours to â—ke order with them and if they do â—t content you with reasons which â—e full of life and strength and in â—e if they doe not their duty but â—at they tollerate others faults vse â—u that power which God and the â—ouncell giueth you and when this â—albe done where is that contempt Conc. 〈◊〉 Sess 21. 〈…〉 and diminution of your authoritiesâ— 9. If you find that it be a chargâ— of conscience to you that they takâ— Confessions at Easter I say if it bâ— but for that I wil easily deliver youâ— the scruple for I will shew you by aâ— by that there is no conscience 〈◊〉 this I say none at all and perhapâ— there is more obligation of conscâ—ence not to hinder it as I shall shâ— in the due place It is said in diviâ—ty that if a man hath two or thrâ— good Authors for an opinion 〈◊〉 may follow it with a good consâ—ence and without any feare at 〈◊〉 Now they will alledge you mâ— then twelue Popes more then a hâ—dreth Prelats more then two hundreth Authors to shew that 〈◊〉 both may and ought to be doneâ— good conscience and that perhâ— otherwise one may do more 〈◊〉 then good to soules And therefâ— by this occasion nothing at all of 〈◊〉 authority of my Lords the Prelates do perish nor of the right of the Pastors and Parsons and Curats nor euen of their profit And wherein is then the contempt 10. But some man preacheth too licentiously and words fall impertinently from him to the scandall of Bishops This indeede is without all excuse stoppe you therefore his mouth take his Pulpit from him get his Superiour to send him from thence let his indiscreet zeale be punished there is nothing so reasonable as this For if there be any thing in Prelats to be wished otherwise it is not in publicke that we must proclaime it and so begin to mangle the reputation of my Lords the Prelats Their name and their life also ought to be as the Sunne which is euer crowned with beames and glory and a man must neuer be so aduenturous as to interpose the Moone of any passion or indiscretion to eclipse these faire lights of the world It is not euery bodies casâ— to say as Saint Bernard did long agoe Clauditis nobis ora vtinam Ep. 42. ad Hon. Archl. oculos claudatis c. Some one will haue giuen himselfe leaue and will haue spoken indiscreetly and fifty others will haue esteemed it to bee their tryumph to speake well of you Alas must so many honest men suffer for the indiscretion of some one and must the head be cut off because the little toe is not right 11. But perhaps you would faine see if the Blessed Sacrament bee well and decently conserved and kept iâ— there be nothing in it but that doe but vouchsafe one day to goe thither to say Masse and giue the Communion and you shall see all at your case if it be upon some other motiue that serues for the glory of God since Popes Councels Canons Custome and possession do so oppose it Good God how many great and holy Preâ—ates who are gone before you did â—eaue the world as they found it They â—ived and
one day to Father 〈…〉 Maldonatus that in very truth theâ— Church had formerly beene in such â—ermes that shee had had necessitie â—hat Religious men should come into the World to helpe her to re-establish Ecclesiasticall discipline but now said hee when all goes so well we have no more neede thereof and therefore let them suffer vs euery one to follow his occupation I would to God hee had said true and that the World were in so present state as that Religious men had no more to doe but to say their prayers Alas and what could we desire more then this But in conscience my Lords are wee now growne to be in such case as this and is France so well sanctified both in City and Country 6. The wish of a certaine worthy Prelate of this Kingdome is much more worth the making hee useth these very words and for all kindes of reason his testimony is worthy to bee received both with affection and with honour hee beeing such as hee is leading such a life as all the World doth know and admire Lord how happy a thing it is when the Ecclesiasticall men who are of the Clergy and when the men of Religious Orders be in good accord and maintaine good intelligence for the seruice of those soules which haue cost the Sonne of God so much blood When these Hurs and Iosuahs hold up the arme of these Moses that is to say of the ordinary Pastors to whom the government of soules committed to their charge doth belong How great benedictions grow from this holy vnaminity and correspondâ—nce But on the other side what confusion springeth forth when they who both by their Character of Priest hood and by a Reguler life ought to be in Order doe encounter and oppose one another For if the salt be unsavory with what shall any thing be seasoned If Order be disordred by what meanes shall the extreame corruptions of disorder be remoued If the rule be not streight with what shall one be able to measure the dimensions of any building O how truly doth the poore Church indure by these debates other manner of torments then Rebecca suffered by the combate of her Children I confesse it carrieth difficulty with it for two men to runne in a Tilt-yard at the same time and in the same way against one another without justling but that againe grows very easie when there is a partition which cutteth the length of the carrier in the middle and in the same manner is it easie for divers to labour in the same Vine-yard without contestation where the businesse is so great and the labourers so few euery one seeking not his owne interests there but the interest of Iesus Christ provided alwaies that they passe not the limits which the Sonne of God hath prescribed c. And a little after hee sayth thus The Church which is the seamlesse Coat not of Ioseph but of Iesus Christ is torne by these Schismes nothing indeede beeing so contrary to it as internall divisions which doe afflict it more then externall hereresie c. 7. That the first honours be rendred to my Lords the Bishops and the second to the Pastors and Parsons or Curats of Churches is out of all dispute Let them be great in dignitie and eminency let them commaund let them governe let them triumph They shall never be either so great or so holy but that all good Religious men will wish that they may be so more and more and that they may see them also many St. Charleses That which Religious men desire is neither greatnesse nor honour nor revenew nor precedence nor any thing which carrieth lustre and noyse with it That which they desire is but to sweat blood and water to labour day and night to serue and comfort the whole World to Preach to take Confessions to visite Hospitals and Prisons and must this be for troubling the Hierarchy The Orientall Church is so far off from euer having had this beleefe that even in these dayes they scarce make any Patriarke Arch-bishop or Bishop but such as are Religious of the Order of Saint Basil And still this Hierarchy of the Church must needs haue a head who may gouerne and range it as is fit Since therefore fiftie Popes without interruption one after an other haue sent these Regulars in ayde and succor of the Hierarchy who will presume to say that so many Popes and after them so many Cardinalls and great Prelates haue troubled the Order of the Church together with so many Kings who haue desired them sent for them honoured them and who would needes appoint by their expresse commandements that they should haue imployment in their Dominions and in fine who haue served themselues of them in their owne soules 8. A very learned Doctor in Paris hath obserued in the relation which hee makes of those Hierarchies of Heauen to those on earth that the Prelates or Gouernors of Religious men are as the Principalities of Heaven in the Hierarchy of the Church on earth Is this to trouble the Order of the Church and to bring in coniusion The Cardinals sayth hee answerâ— to the Seraphins the Bishops to the Cherubins the Parsons and Curates to the Arch-angels the Abbots and Superiours of Regular men to the Principalities c. If now wee should examine this businesse by the fruite which both the one and the other doe produce in the Church there would bee much to be sayd but this would bee odious It is better that you be pleased to imploy your memories upon that which hath beene sayd already and to retaine that in your minds which was delivered by two Holy Prelates speaking in these wordes Petri Successor pia prouidet saluti S. Coâ— l. c. animarum in nullo praejudicat authoritati Pontificum tanquam ornans non deornans Ecclesiasâ—â—um Hierarchiam dum mittit Religiosos Vnde Sanctus Gregorious ecce mundus Sacerdotibus S. Greg. in Past. plenus est tamen in Dei messe rarus operarius inuentiur This great Pope and this great Cardinall when they speake these wordesâ— do they thinke they trouble the Hierarchy of the Church 9. If these Regulars did intrudâ— themselues and as Tertullian saythâ— Si quis missus est a seipso If they made hauocke where they goe and disturbed the Order of the Church iâ— would indeede be inexcuseable and punishable But beeing inspired by Almighty God authorised by Councells sent by Popes approoved by the Bishops of all times and of all Countries in the World hauing biâ— in possession of so many ages and succeeding their predecessours who haue lost their liues in cultiuating the Vine-yard of Iesus Christ Alas shall this be called a trouble to the Hierarchy of the Church Hierarchicha opera non peragunt authoritate sua sed Ordinariorum potissimê summi pontificis 〈…〉 l. c. Saith this great Cardinall cujus dispositionis authoritas positiua â—urae transcendit For these are his very words 10. It is