Power even in Temporal matters This Opinion so common doth not I say in effect and practical consideration any-wise differ from the former but onely in words devised to shun envy and veil the impudence of the other Assertion for the qualifications by reason of the Spiritual Power and at least indirectly are but notional insignificant and illusive in regard to practice it importing not if he hath in his keeping a Sovereign Power upon what account or in what formality he doth employ it seeing that every matter is easily referrible to a Spiritual account seeing he is sole Judge upon what account he doth act seeing experience sheweth that he will spiritualize all his interests and upon any occasion exercise that pretended Authority seeing it little mattereth if he may strike Princes whether he doeth it by a downright blow or slantingly § IV. That such an universal and absolute Power hath been claimed by divers Popes successively for many Ages is apparent from their most solemn Declarations and notorious Practices whereof beginning from later times and rising upwards toward the source of this Doctrine we shall represent some The Bull of P. Sixtus V. against the two Sons of wrath Henry K. of Navarre and the P. of Conde beginneth thus The Authority given to Saint Peter and his Successours by the immense Power of the Eternal King excels all the Powers of earthly Kings and Princes It passes uncontrollable sentence upon them all And if it find any of them resisting God's Ordinance it takes more severe vengeance of them casting them down from their Thrones though never so puissant and tumbling them down to the lowest parts of the earth as the ministers of aspiring Lucifer And then he proceeds to thunder against them We deprive them and their posterity for ever of their Dominions and Kingdoms And accordingly he depriveth those Princes of their Kingdoms and Dominions absolveth their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegeance and forbiddeth them to pay any Obedience to them By the Authority of these presents we do absolve and set free all persons as well jointly as severally from any such Oath and from all duty whatsoever in regard of Dominion Fealty and Obedience and do charge and forbid all and every of them that they do not dare to obey them or any of their Admonitions Laws and Commands P. Pius V. one of their Holiest Popes of the last stamp who hardly hath scaped Canonization untill now beginneth his Bull against our Q. Elizabeth in these words He that reigneth on high to whom is given all Power in Heaven and in Earth hath committed the one H. Catholick and Apostolick Church out of which there is no Salvation to one alone on earth namely to Peter Prince of the Apostles and to the Roman Pontife Successour of Peter to be governed with a plenitude of Power This one he hath constituted Prince over all Nations and all Kingdoms that he might pluck up destroy dissipate ruinate plant and build And in the same Bull he declares that he thereby deprives the Queen of her pretended right to the Kingdom and of all Dominion Dignity and Privilege whatsoever and absolves all the Nobles Subjects and people of the Kingdom and whoever else have sworn to her from their Oath and all duty whatsoever in regard of Dominion Fidelity and Obedience P. Clement VI. did pretend to depose the Emperour Lewis IV. P. Clement V. in the great Synod of Vienna declared the Emperour subject to him or standing obliged to him by a proper Oath of Fealty P. Boniface VIII hath a Decree extant in the Canon-Law running thus We declare say define pronounce it to be of necessity to Salvation for every humane creature to be subject to the Roman Pontife The which Subjection according to this intent reacheth all matters for he there challengeth a double Sword and asserteth to himself Jurisdiction over all Temporal Authorities for One Sword saith he must be under another and the Temporal Authority must be subject to the Spiritual Power whence if the Earthly Power doth go astray it must be judged by the Spiritual Power The which Aphorisms he proveth by Scriptures admirably expounded to that purpose This Definition might pass for a Rant of that boisterous Pope a man above measure ambitious and arrogant vented in his passion against K. Philip of France if it had not the advantage of a greater than which no Papal Decree is capable of being expresly confirmed by one of their General Councils for We saith P. Leo X. in his Bull read and pasâ—ed in the Laterane Council do renew and approve that H. Constitution with approbation of the present H. Council Accordingly Melch. Canus saith that the Laterane Council did renew and approve that extravagant indeed extravagant Constitution and Baronius saith of it that all do assent to it so that none dissenteth who doth not by discord fall from the Church The truth is P. Boniface did not invent that Proposition but borrowed it from the School for Thomas Aquinas in his work against the Greeks pretendeth to shew that it is of necessity to Salvation to be subject to the Roman Pontife The which Scholastical Aphorism P. Boniface turned into Law and applied to his purpose of exercising domination over Princes offering in virtue of it to deprive King Philip of his Kingdom The Appendix to Mart. Pol. saith of P. Boniface VIII Regem se Regum Mundi Monarcham unicum in Spiritualibus Temporalibus Dominum promulgavit That he openly declar'd himself to be King of Kings Monarch of the world and sole Lord and Governour both in Spirituals and Temporals Before him P. Innocent IV. did hold and exemplifie the same notion declaring the Emperour Frederick II. his Vassal and denouncing in his General Council of Lions a sentence of Deprivation against him in these terms We having about the foregoing and many other his wicked Miscarriages had before a carefull deliberation with our Brethren and the H. Council seeing that we although unworthy to hold the place of Jesus Christ on earth and that it was said unto us in the person of Saint Peter the Apostle Whatever thou shalt bind on earth the said Prince who hath rendred himself unworthy of Empire and Kingdoms and of all Honour and Dignity and who for his iniquities is cast away by God that he should not reign or command being bound by his sins and cast away and deprived by the Lord of all Honour and Dignity do shew denounce and accordingly by sentence deprive absolving all who are held bound by Oath of Allegeance from such Oath for ever by Apostolical authority firmly prohibiting that no man henceforth do obey or regard him as Emperour or King and decreeing that whoever shall hereafter yield advice or aid or favour to him as Emperour or King shall immediately lie under the band of Excommunication Before him Pope Innocent the Third that
Have they not challenged propriety in both Swords Ecce duo Gladii How many Princes have they pretended to depose and dispossess of their Authority Consider the Pragmatical Sanctions Provisors Compositions Concordats c. which Princes have been forced to make against them or with them to secure their Interest Many good Princes have been forced to oppose them as Henry the Second of England King Lewis the Twelfth of France that Just Prince Pater Patriae Perdam Babylonis nomen How often have they used this as a pretence of raising and fomenting Wars confiding in their Spiritual Arms interdicting Princes that would not comply with their designs for advancing the interests not onely of their See but of their private Families Bodin observeth that Pope Nicholas I. was the first who excommunicated Princes Platina doth mention some before him But it is remarkable that although Pope Leo I. a high spirited Pope Fortissimus Leo as Liberatus calleth him was highly provoked against Theodosius Junior Pope Gelasius and divers of his Predecessours and Followers Pope Gregory II. against Leo Vigilius against Justinian c. yet none of them did presume to excommunicate the Emperours All these dealings are the natural result of this Pretence and supposing it well grounded are capable of a plausible justification for is it not fit seeing one must yield that Temporal should yield to Spiritual Indeed granting the Papal Supremacy in Spirituals I conceive the high flying Zelots of the Roman Church who subject all Temporal Powers to them have great reason on their side for co-ordinate Power cannot subsist and it would be onely an eternal Seminary of perpetual discords The quarrel cannot otherwise be well composed than by wholly disclaiming the fictitious and usurped power of the Pope for Two such Powers so inconsistent and cross to each other so apt to interfere and consequently to breed everlasting mischiefs to mankind between them could not be instituted by God He would not appoint two different Vicegerents in his Kingdom at the same time But it is plain that he hath instituted the civil Power and endowed it with a Sword That Princes are his Lieutenants That in the ancient times the Popes did not claim such Authority but avowed themselves Subjects to Princes 9. Consequently this Pretence is apt to engage Christian Princes against Christianity for they will not endure to be crossed to be depressed to be trampled on This Popes often have complained of not considering it was their own insolence that caused it 10. Whereas now Christendom is split into many parcels subject to divers civil Sovereignties it is expedient that correspondently there should be distinct Ecclesiastical Governments independent of each other which may comply with the respective civil Authorities in promoting the good and peace both of Church and State It is fit that every Prince should in all things govern all his Subjects and none should be exempted from subordination to his Authority As Philosophers and Physicians of the Body so Priests and Physicians of the Soul not in exercising their Function but in taking care that they do exercise it duly for the honour of God and in consistence with publick good otherwise many grievous inconveniences must ensue It is of perillous consequence that foreigners should have authoritative influence upon the Subjects of any Prince or have a power to intermeddle in affairs Princes have a natural Right to determine with whom their Subjects shall have intercourse which is inconsistent with a Right of foreigners to govern or judge them in any case without their leave Every Prince is obliged to employ the power entrusted to him to the furtherance of God's Service and encouragement of all good works as a Supreme power without being liable to obstruction from any other power It would irritate his power if another should be beyond his coercion It is observable that the Pope by intermeddling in the affairs of Kingdoms did so wind himself into them as to get a pretence to be Master of each Princes being his Vassals and Feudatories 11. Such an Authority is needless and useless it not serving the ends which it pretendeth and they being better compassed without it It pretendeth to maintain Truth but indeed it is more apt to oppress it Truth is rather as St. Cyprian wisely observeth preserved by the multitude of Bishops whereof some will be ready to relieve it when assaulted by others Truth cannot be supported merely by humane Authority especially that Authority is to be suspected which pretendeth dominion over our minds What Controversie being doubtfull in it self will not after his Decision continue doubtfull his Sentence may be eluded by interpretation as well as other Testimonies or Authorities The opinion of a man's great wisedom or skill may be the ground of assent in defect of other more cogent Arguments but Authority of Name or Dignity is not proper to convince a man's understanding Men obey but not believe Princes more than others if not more learned than others It pretendeth to maintain Order but how by introducing Slavery by destroying all Rights by multiplying Disorders by hindring Order to be quietly administred in each Countrey It pretendeth to be the onely means of Unity and Concord in Opinion by determining Controversies which its Advocates affirm necessary But how can that be necessary which never was de facto not even in the Roman Church Hath the Pope effected this do all his followers agree in all points do they agree about his Authority Do not they differ and dispute about infinity of questions Are all the points frivolous about which their Divines and Schoolmen dispute Why did not the Council of Trent it self without more adoe and keeping such a disputing refer all to his Oracular Decision Necessary points may and will by all honest people be known and determined without him by the clear Testimony of Scripture by consent of Fathers by General Tradition And other points need not to be determined That he may be capable of that Office he must be believed appointed by God thereto which is a question it self to be decided without him to satisfaction His power is apt no otherwise to knock down Controversies than by depressing Truth not suffering any Truth to be asserted which doth not favour its Interests Concord was maintained and Controversies decided without them in the ancient Church in Synods wherein he was not the sole Judge nor had observable influence The Fathers did not think such Authority needfull otherwise they would have made more use of it A more ready way to define Controversies is for every one not to prescribe to others or to prosecute for then men would more calmly see the Truth and consent It pretendeth to maintain Peace and Unity But nothing hath raised more fierce Dissentions or so many bloudy Wars in Christendom as it It is apt by tyrannical administration to become intolerable and so to break the
to himself In the tumults against our King John he struck in and would have drawn the Kingdom to himself He would watch opportunity to quarrel with Princes upon pretence they did intrench on his Spiritual Power as about the point of the investiture of Bishops and receiving homage from them Gregory VII did excommunicate Henry III. Anno 1076. Calixtus II. Henry IV. Anno 1120. Adrian IV. Frederick Anno 1160. Celestinus III. Henry V. Anno 1195. Innocent III. Otho Anno 1219. Honorius III. and Gregory IX Frederick II. Anno 1220. Innocent IV. in the Ludg. Conc. 1245. 18. The ignorance of times did him great service for then all the little Learning which was being in his Clients and Factours they could instill what they pleased into the credulous People Then his Dictates would pass for infallible Oracles and his Decrees for inviolable Laws whence his veneration was exceedingly encreased 19. He was forward to support factious Church-men against Princes upon pretence of spiritual Interest and Liberty And usually by his importunity and arts getting the better in such contests he thereby did much strengthen his Authority 20. He making himself the Head of all the Clergy and carrying himself as its Protectour and Patron did ingage thereby innumerable most able heads tongues and pens who were devoted to maintain whatever he did and had little else to doe 21. So great a Party he cherished with exorbitant Liberties suffering none to rule over them or touch them beside himself 22. He did found divers Militias and bands of spiritual Janisaries to be Combatants for his Interests who depending immediately upon him subsisting by his Charters enjoying exemptions by his authority from other Jurisdictions being sworn to a special obeisance of him were entirely at his devotion ready with all their might to advance his Interests and to maintain all the pretences of their Patron and Benefactour These had great sway among the People upon account of their religious guises and pretences to extraordinary heights of sanctimony austerity contempt of the World And learning being mostly confined to them they were the chief Teachers and Guides of Christendom so that no wonder if he did challenge and could maintain any thing by their influence They did cry up his Power as superiour to all others They did attribute to him titles strangely high Vice-god Spouse of the Church c. strange attributes of Omnipotency Infallibility c. 23. Whereas Wealth is a great sinew of Power he did invent divers ways of drawing great store thereof to himself By how many tricks did he proll money from all parts of Christendom as by Dispensations for Marriage within degrees prohibited or at uncanonical times for Vows and Oaths for observance of Fasts and Abstinences for Pluralities and incompatible Benefices Non-residences c. Indulgences and Pardons and freeing Souls from the pains of Purgatory Reservations and provisions of Benefices not bestowed gratÃs Consecrated Presents Dei's Swords Roses c. Confirmations of Bishops sending Palls Appeals to his Court. Tributes of Peter-pence Annates Tithes introduced upon occasion of Holy Wars and continued Playing fast and loose tying knots and undoing them for gain Sending Legates to drein places of money Commutations of Penance for money Inviting to Pilgrimage at Rome Hooking in Legacies What a mass of Treasure did all this come to what a Trade did he drive 24. He did indeed easily by the help of his mercenary Divines transform most Points of Divinity in accommodation to his interests of Power Reputation and Gain 25. Any pretence how slender soever will in time get some validity being fortified by the consent of divers Authours and a current of sutable practice Any story serving the designs of a Party will get credit by being often told especially by Writers bearing a semblance of gravity whereof divers will never be wanting to abet a flourishing Party 26. The Histories of some Ages were composed onely by the Popes Clients Friars and Monks and such People which therefore are partial to him addicted to his interests and under awe of him For a long time none dared open his mouth to question any of his pretences or reprehend his practices without being called Heretick and treated as such 27. Whereas the Pope had two sorts of Opposites to subdue temporal Princes and Bishops his business being to o'ertop Princes and to enslave all Bishops or to invade and usurp the rights of both he used the help of each to compass his designs on the other by the Authority of Princes oppressing Bishops and by the assistence of Bishops mating Princes 28. When any body would not doe as he would have them he did incessantly clamour or whine that Saint Peter was injured 29. The forgery of the Decretal Epistles wherein the ancient Popes are made expresly to speak and act according to some of his highest pretences devised long after their times and which they never thought of good men did hugely conduce to his purpose authorising his encroachments by the suffrage of ancient Doctrine and Practice a great part of his Canon-law is extracted out of these and grounded on them The Donation of Constantine fictitious Acts of Councils and the like counterfeit stuff did help thereto the which were soon embraced as we see in Pope Gregory II. As also Legends Fables of Miracles and all such deceivableness of unrighteousness 30. Popes were so cunning as to form grants and impute that to Privileges derived from them which Princes did enjoy by right or custome 31. Synods of Bishops called by him at opportune seasons consisting of his Votaries or Slaves None dared therein to whisper any thing to the prejudice of his Authority He carried whatever he pleased to propose without check or contradiction Who dared to question any thing done by such numbers of Pastours styling themselves the Representative of Christendome 32. The having hampered all the Clergy with strict Oaths of universal obedience to him beginning about the times of Pope Gregory VII did greatly assure his power 33. When intolerable oppressions and exactions did constrain Princes to struggle with him if he could not utterly prevail things were brought to composition whereby he was to be sure for that time a gainer and gained establishment in some Points leaving the rest to be got afterward in more favourable junctures Witness the Concordates between Henry II. and P. Alex. III. Anno 1172. Edw. III. and P. Greg. XI Anno 1373. Henry V. and P. Mart. V. Anno 1418. 34. When Princes were fain to curb their exorbitances by Pragmatical Sanctions they were restless till they had got those Sanctions revoked And when they found weak Princes or any Prince in circumstances advantaging their design they did obtain their end So Pope Leo X. got Lewis XI to repeal the Pragmatical Sanctions of his Ancestours 35. The power he did assume to absolve men from Oaths and Vows to dispence with prohibited Marriages c. did not