the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church This Proposition proved from Gregory 1. Zachary Gregory the 7th c. From Parsons Creswel Suarez Bellarmine Bouchier Mariana Fr. de Verone Reynolds They which have written in defence of the War or of the Kings death go upon the same Principles 2. That in the Reign of King Charles the First the Pope animated his Subjects to rebel and sent over divers Bulls to that purpose STaffords Memoires p. 12 13 To the Instances given of Popish Malice and Bloodiness (A) This resers to the printed Tryal of the late Lord Stafford P. 9. from former Examples he answers That by the same reason and to as good purpose the traiterous Seditions and Outrages in Germany France Bohemia and Holland authorized and fomented by Calvin Zuinglius Beza and other Reformers the late bloody Wars in England the almost yesterdays Remonstrances and Practises in Scotland but above all that never to be paralell'd hellish Murder of the Lords Anointed our Glorious Soveraign Charles the First in cold blood by outward form of Justice on pretence of Reformation might be imputed to the Protestant Religion for all these horrid Villanies were committed by Protestants Protestants who gloried in being more than ordinarily refined from Popish Errors and Superstitions If it be said as most justly it may the Churth of England never taught such Practises the same say and protest the Papists in behalf of their Church Let this Author bestow as hard names as he pleases upon the Contrivers and Actors in these horrid Villanies and let that Religion if so wicked a thing must be called Religion which gave encouragement to them go as it deserves for Infidelity and Irreligion I am sure there are no greater Enemies to the Christian Religion than those which endeavour to pretend to promote it by such ways as are contrary to the very Nature and Design of all true Religion Indeed our Adversaries of the Roman Communion lay as bad things to the charge of the Protestants as we can do to their Church and Religion and as often as we put them in mind of the Fifth of November they are ready to reproach us with the Thirtieth of January And that I may not make any cause or persons look either better or worse than they are I shall make a faithful representation of the Doctrines and Practises of both sides so far as they are pertinent to the present Debate viz. Whether the traiterous Seditions and Outrages in England and other Parts of Christendom may be imputed to the Protestant Religion with as much reason as the Instances of Popish Malice and Bloodyness from former Examples may be to the Roman Church and Religion Some years ago was published a Seditious Libel under the Title of Philanax Anglicus wherein the Author taxes not only some Protestant Reformers but the very Reformation it self with Rebellion charges the English Reformers with Treason against Queen Mary and with a Roman boldness asserts That the Seditious Doctrines are allow'd by the generality of them that call themselves Protestants But this Book having had a solid and substantial Answer by Dr. Du Moulin I will not trouble my self or the Reader with any thing which he hath written in vindication of the Protestant Religion and the Reformed Churches and Divines abroad But I cannot but take notice of the ignorance or rather the Malice of the Author of the Controversial Letters out of whom the substance of the present imputation is taken who tells us He doth not know that the Church of England hath proceeded so far as the Roman Church hath done in the Council of Constance or condemned those Errors by any Authentick Censures And our Author is not afraid or ashamed to say that some Roman Catholiques are most remarkable peradventure of all others for firmness of Loyalty I shall endeavour therefore with as much brevity as the Subject will allow to vindicate the Honour of the Reformation of our own Church and Nation from this unjust and malicious Charge 1. The Confessions of the several Reformed Churches abroad are so full and clear in asserting the Obedience of Subjects to their Princes that I do not find our Adversaries of Rome have much to say against them (B) V. Corpus Syntagma Confessionum c. Aurei Allob. 1662 V.G. The Bohemian the Helvetian the French the Augustine the Saxon the â—…gick Confessions in the Articles concerning the Civil Powers We are told that the Protestants of France had towards the beginning of the War resolved upon a Declaration against the Parliament and Subjects of England taking Arms against the King and hâ—… published it if it had not been dasht by Cardinal Richlieu 〈◊〉 Englands Complaint by L. Gatford Printed 1648. pag 10. And 't is observable That upon the reprinting of all the Confessions of the Reformed Churches at Geneva An. 1654. it was moved That instead of the 39 Articles of the Church of England which do with the greatest plainness and sincerity assert the Duty of Subjects to Princes they would insert the Confession of the Assembly of Divines but the motion was utterly rejected by the University Senate and Church of Geneva and the 39 Articles put in as before (C) Durell vind Eccles-Angl c. 2. As to the Sayings of particular Doctors of the Reformation I cannot indeed I need not defend them they are no Pillars of our Faith nor do their Writings bear the stamp of publick Authority And since none of our Adversaries have proved that any of the Reformed Churches have by any Authentick Act approved of Seditions and treasonable Principles as I shall prove the Roman Church doth they cannot be imputed to the Protestant Religion with the same reason that we charge them upon the Roman Church Let the Papists say and Protest that their Church never taught any Seditious Practises yet I shall sooner trust my own Senses than such men as by the Principles of their Religion are under no Obligation of speaking Truth 2. No Church under Heaven did ever more expresly declare against all Seditious and Disloyal Practises than the Church of England Our Reformation was begun and carried on in a peaceable and legal manner and our Reformers proposed to themselves that excellent Rule of our Saviour They restored to God the things that were Gods and to the Kings the full exercise of their lawful Power We are Members of a Church whose just Glory it is not only to have constantly taught the Duty of Subjects to their Princes but suffered for her Loyalty to them Our Kings and the Church of England have always rejoyced and wept together and none ever forsook the Royal Cause in its Distress which had not first forsaken the Church or at least lost all their Zeal and Affection to her In Fine our late Royal Martyr declared That he died for maintaining the true Protestant Religion he acquitted not only the Church of England but all the true Sons of the Church from
the Guilt of his Blood scarce any one of which he said had been a Beginner or an active Prosecutor of the War If then by the Protestant Religion our Author mean the Christian Religion as it is professed in the Church of England or in the best reformed Churches abroad his Charge is most unjust and malicious if he mean any thing else by it he might better have called it the Popish or Fanatick than the Protestant Religion What a potent Faction of men which they may call Protestants as they call themselves Catholiques did in these Kingdoms all men know But of all men living the Romanists have the least reason to call them Traitors and Rebels as I shall shew afterwards But though the King was arraigned in the name of the Commons of England yet it was well observed by his Majesty at his Tryal That they never asked the Question of the tenth man of the Kingdom much less of the major part of the Nation They had no consent of the House of Peers the Ordinance for trying the King being rejected by the Lords They were no free or full House of Commons for that House being freed from the Insolence of the Army resolved upon a Treaty with his Majesty recalled their Votes of Non-Addresses and voted that he should be in Honour freedom and safety And after the major part of the House had voted the Kings Concessions to be a sufficient ground for Peace the Army Officers seized and committed some of the Members as they were coming to the House accused others of inviting the Scots the last Summer and required that they might be excluded Thus many of the Commons being forced out and others absenting themselves they restored the Votes of Non-Addresses and voted the drawing up a Charge of Treason against his Majesty This is that Venerable Assembly a mere unparliamentary Juncto which in obedience to these Masters damn'd all former Votes in Favour of the King and brought him to the Block against the Laws of the Kingdom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy the Sense of the Church of England of the House of Peers and of the greater part of the House of Commons But if we trace the Footsteps of this Rebellion as far as we can it will appear that the Romish Faction had a great Influence both on the first Beginnings and Progress of it What is it that they have more maligned than the Government and Constitution of this Church and Kingdom Or how could the Roman Conclave find out a safer if not a quicker way to ruin the Protestant Religion than by breaking in pieces that Church which is the Strength and Beauty that Kingdom whose Soveraign was under God the Defender of the Reformation It was the Judgment of Bishop Bramhall That the Popes Privy Purse and Subtle Councils helped to kindle our Civil Wars which ended in the Tragical Murder of the Lords Anointed The intemperate Heat of the Seditious Spirits in Scotland had fermented a great part of the Kingdom but before they broke out into open Hostilities they made secret Applications to Cardinal Richlieu the great Minister of France and Favourite of Rome which made use of all his Interest and Policy to embroyl his Majesties Affairs in that Kingdom This great Statesman knowing that it was the Interest of England to hold the Ballance even between France and Spain and that his Majesty had in the year 35 hindred the French from making themselves Masters of the Spanish Netherlands resolved to blow the Coals in Scotland and practise upon the Male-contents whom he found so well prepared for an Insurrection To this purpose he sends Chamberlain a Scot to exasperate the Confederates against the King appoints one of his Secretaries to reside among them to be present in their Councils of War and to direct their Proceedings and some of the Covenanters had free access to Con the same Countryman whilst Chamberlain was Negotiating for the Cardinal This is certain the Court of Rome and the Jesuites those inveterate Enemies of our Religion and Government could not have thought of a more effectual and easie Method to bring us to ruin than by making us do their Work for them and the Cardinal who had formed those vast Designs of enlarging the French Monarchy observing if not raising the Tumults in that Kingdom laid hold of the Advantage which men of ambitious and restless Spirits had put into his Hands Ann. 1639. came to light a Letter of the Scotch Covenanters written to the French King wherein they desired his Protection and Assistance The Lord Lowdon being by the Kings Command examined about it confessed it was his hand-writing and that it was framed before the Pacification which being agreed to the Letter he said was never sent (D) The Memoires of D. Hamilton And The Memorials of the English Affairs ad an 1639. The late Author of the Impartial Collection hath furnished us with a more exact Discovery of the secret Influence which those Foreign Councils and Assistances gave both to the Scottish Commotions and English Rebellion The Letter to the French King is set down by him in English (E) An Impartial Collection of the great Affairs of State c. vol. 1. Published 1682. p. 276 277. which I will here transcribe SIR YOur Majesty being the Refuge and Sanctuary of afflicted Princes and States we have found it necessary to send this Gentleman Mr. Colvil to represent to your Majesty the Candour and Ingenuity as well of our Actions and Proceedings as of our Intentions which we desire to be engraved and written to the whole World with a beam of the Sun as well as to your Majesty We therefore most humbly beseech you Sir to give Faith and Credit to him and to all that he shall say on our part touching us and our Affairs being most assured Sir of an Assistance equal to your wonted Clemency heretofore and so often shewed to this Nation which will not yield the Glory to any other whatsoever to be eternally Sir your Majesties most Humble most Obedient and most Affectionate Servants Subscribed by divers of the Principal Covenanters At the Meeting of the Parliament in England Apr. 13. 1640. the Lord Keeper in his Speech to both Houses acquaints them Since his Majesty came from Berwick it came to his certain knowledge That they the Scots have addressed themselves to Foreign States and treated with them to deliver themselves up to their Protection and Power as by Gods great Providence and Goodness his gracious Majesty is able to shew under the Hands of the prime Ringleaders of that Faction than which nothing could be of more dangerous consequence to this and his Majesties other Kingdoms Whosoever they be that do or shall wish England ill they may know it to be of too tough a complexion and courage to be assailed in the Face or to be set upon at the Fore-door and therefore it is not unlikely but they may as in former times find
of England have done Have they not always been the Principal I had almost said the only Champions in this Nation to maintain the Protestant Cause Did they when under the Heaviest Persecution ever truck with the Papists for a General Toleration Or have they since the Kings Return endeavoured to procure an Indulgence or Abolition of the Laws against them Did they not boldly and honestly give the Nation Warning of the Danger of Popery before the breaking out of the Popish Plot I remember that a few Years since some Eminent Dissenters from the Church of England instead of joyning with us against the Assaults of a Common Enemy spoke very kindly of the Common and Innocent Papists as they were pleased to stile them And yet God forbid I should either charge this on the Body of Dissenters or say those very persons were Popish or Popishly affected I pray God open their eyes to see the Danger of Joyning with the Papists for a General Toleration and taking the same Course to keep out Popery which the Papists do to bring it in (R) Since the Declaration of Indulgence a little Book was drawn up by one Man but with the Consent of several Non-conformists with a Design to present it to the Parliament and published under this Title The Peaceable Design or an Account of the Non-conformists Meetings by some Ministers of London An. 1675. In this Book an Objection is put But what shall we say then to the Papists The Answer is The Papist in our Account is but one Sort of Recusants and the Consciencious and Peaceable among them must be held in the same Predicament with those among our selves that likewise refuse to come to Common Prayer But as for the Common Papist who lives Innocently in his Way he is to us as other Separatists and so comes under the like Toleration This Book was reprinted an 1680. and with some small Alterations Since the breaking out of the Plot Mr. Baxter as I find him quoted in the forementioned Book called The unreasonableness of Separation part 2 tells us Mr. H. is a Man of Latitude and tyeth himself to no Party or Opinions of other men and I so little fear the Noise of the Cenlorious that even now while the Plot doth render them most Odious say freely 1. That I would have Papists used like Men. I hope this Adrice is needless to English Protestants 2. I would have no man put to death for being a Priest 3. I would have no Writ De Excommunicato Capiendo or any Law compel them to our Communion and Sacraments 2. You cannot have forgotten That they which first joyned Popery and Prelacy quickly saw the Romish Papacy and Scottish Presbytery linked together Presbytery is Babylon Egypt a Limb of Antichrist a Tyrannycal Lordly Government a worse Bondage than that under the Bishops ' Antichristian Tyranny under the name of a Christian Presbyterian Church-Government ' An Episcopal Tyranny exchanged for a Presbyterian Slavery The Presbyterian is a Bloody Vnpeaceable and Persecuting way Presbytery is more Tyrannical than Episcopacy because one Tyrant is not so bad as many together The Divines of the Assembly are Anti-Christian Romish Bloody Baals Priests c. This was the Language of the Sectaries in the late Times 3. Have you never heard what Advantage Parsons Kellison and others have made of such Calumnies as these to the disgrace of the Reformed Religion Is not this the Way to gratifie the Romish Faction Will they not be emboldened in their Attempts against us and our Religion when the Governours of our Church and the Body of the Episcopal Clergy are represented as their Secret Friends or at least as not Hearty and Zealous in the Protestant Cause Sure it must raise their Hopes of reducing the Romish Religion to hear that they are now marching towards Popery which used to be looked upon as their most Formidable Adversaries But so much of this unreasonable and groundless Charge I will now sum up this whole Argument as briefly as I can You that dissent from the established Church of England are concerned in good earnest as I believe many of you are to maintain the Reformed Religion against the Abominations of Popery I would then offer to your consideration That you cannot reasonably hope to keep out Popery without a National settlement for how can a multitude of petty Sects and divided Interests maintain their ground against the Roman Forces that according to the Principles of the present Separation a National Settlement can hardly be expected V. G. If things Indifferent are unlawful in the Worship of God the same Objection will for ever lie against any Constitutions that should succeed in the room of ours and you must divide and subdivide to the Worlds end The same Principle which first led Men to the decrying of Kneeling at the Sacrament wearing a Surplice and the Cross in Baptism afterwards led them into Independency Quakerism c. They which cryed out against the Impositions of our Church could never set up a better or any Established Church or agree upon one way of Worship and Government among themselves Some of the Dissenters did ingenuously confess in the late Times that upon the pulling down the Establishments of our Church more Sects and Heresies sprang up within a very few years than were ever known in the Kingdom before But I will only appeal to the Testimonies of two Eminent Persons of the Presbyterian Persuasion some of whose words I have transcribed in the Margent (S) Gangraena by Th. Edwards Ed. 3. 1646. In the Epistle Dedicatory to the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament You have most Noble Senators done worthily against Papists Prelates and Scandalous Ministers in casting down Images Altars Crucifixes throwing out Ceremonies c. but what have you done against other kinds of growing Evils Heresie Schism Disorder against Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Libertines and other Sects You have made a Reformation but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation and worse things come in upon us than ever we had before Were any of those Monsters heard of heretofore which are now common among us as denying the Scriptures pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and Worships yea for Blasphemy and denying there is a God You have put down the Book of Common Prayer and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures c. You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Cross kneeling at the Lords Supper and we have many cast out the Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper c. If Schism Heresie c. be let alone and rise proportionably for one year longer we shall need no Cavaliers nor Enemies from without to destroy us Mr. Baxter's Preface to the Cure of Church Divisions I have long stood by while Churches have been
THE LOYALTY OF Popish Principles EXAMIN'D In Answer to a late Book Entituled STAFFORD'S Memoirs With some Considerations in this present Juncture offer'd to Protestant Dissenters By ROB. HANCOCK Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge and Rector of Northall in Bedfordshire LONDON Printed by S. Roycroft for Thomas Flesher at the Angel and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1682. The PREFACE to the Christian READER IT may be expected that I should according to Custom say something towards the Recommendation of the following Discourse to the perusal of the Reader and tell him what Motives I had to undertake this work But the truth is I have neither studied nor ever seen any great Effects of this kind of Courtship I know the Weight and Importance of the Subject the Honesty and Charitableness of the Design the Truth and Evidence of the Matter the Importunity of Friends and the Authority of others whose Judgment we value above our own are the common heads of Excuse in such Cases If any or all of these will serve for an Apology I hope I have some right to them if they will not it must undergo the Readers Censure However I shall acquaint him with the Scope of the whole Treatise viz. To make a Faithful Representation of such Principles and Designs as under a colour of Religion do naturally tend to disturb the Publick Peace Settlement of this Church and Kingdom subvert the true Reformed Religion Destroy Christian Charity by fomenting Intestine Commotions or Foreign Vsurpations And if there be such a thing in the World I am loath to call it Religion as teaches men to advance it self by Treason and Bloodshed by Falshood and Treachery it is our Duty and Interest to detect the Fraud and Hypocrisy of it In the treating of this Subject 1. I have not only justified the Charge of Disloyalty and Cruelty against the Court and church of Rome but also examined and confuted the most plausible Arguments of Romish Loyalty and Charity 2. Because the Doctrines and Practises of some reputed Protestants have given a deep Wound to the Reputation of our Religion and some most horrid things have been taught and acted in this Nation out of a real or pretended zeal for the Protestant Cause I have vindicated the Honour Peaceableness of the Reformation and shewed from whence the most Fanatick Sectaries derived their Principles by whom they were Influenced and whom they gratified in that management of them 3. I have given a brief account of Comprehension and Toleration so far as they fell within the compass of the late Lord Staffords Design and I am sensible it would have been an Argument of weakness or arrogance in me to have entred upon a larger Discourse upon those Heads so soon after the late Proposals of a great and learned Man for the satisfaction of Dissenters (A) Preface to the unreasonableness of Separation printed 1681. Lastly I have concluded with such Important Considerations to all sober Dissenting Protestants whom I distinguish from wild Fanaticks as I believe are necessary for the keeping out of Popery In the Prosecution of the whole Argument I have neither made any uncharitable Reflections nor charged any persons with the remote Consequences of their Doctrines And though I will not answer for all little Mistakes or Inadvertencies in the Writing or Printing I have neither taken any Quotations upon trust nor misrepresented the words or sense of the Authors which I make use of But I must here informe the Reader that in my Animadversions upon Staffords Memoirs I have not meddled with the Life and Actions the Charge or Arraignment of the late Lord Stafford the Depositions of the Witnesses or the Observations upon them For I am not angry with the person of any Roman Catholick nor do I love to trample upon the Grave of a dead man besides it doth not become me to go out of my own Profession or discuss such matters as do not concern Religion And yet I think I may safely say that I have not omitted any thing which looks like an Imputation in the Reformed or a Vindication of the Roman Church and Religion If this Book should fall into the Hands of any of that Communion I confess I have not much hope of convincing them who by the very Principles of their Religion are bound to disbelieve their own Senses If any of the Dissenting Protestants shall please to look into it I have only this kindness shall I say or justice to beg of them that they would read the two last Chapters with the same sincerity and freedom from Passion with which they were written and then let them judge whether those Considerations and Advices are not as necessary to their own as to our Safety Farewel The Contents CHAP. I. THe Principles of the R. Church and Religion destructive of piety and vertue Three Cases wherein it is possible for R. Catholiques to be better than their Religion inclines or allows them to be Of the Principles and Practises of his Majesties R. Catholique Subjects in the time of the late Rebellion Of their Rebellion in Ireland and the Advantage which the Kings Enemies in England made of it Since his Majesties Restauration they refused to give him any reasonable security of their Allegiance for the future Many Papists actually in Arms against King Charles the First in England many others did him no Service Vpon what Motives the rest adhered to him A Consult of the English Jesuits about taking away his Life Of the Principles and Behaviour of the R. Catholiques under the Usurped Powers Of Mr. White 's Book CHAP. II. The Treasons and Seditions in other Countries especially the Bloody Wars in England and the Murder of King Charles the First charged upon the Protestants The Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England vindicated from this Imputation The King brought to the Block by a prevailing Faction against the Consent of the Nobility and People of England The Romish Faction had a great Influence on the beginning and progress of the Rebellion The Troubles in Scotland fomented by Cardinal Richlieu's Agents The Letter of the Scotch Covenanters to the French King The Design of the Papists against the King discover'd Ann. 1640. What Influence they had on the War which followed in England and upon the Kings death Two Propositions added to the foregoing Discourse 1. That the Grounds on which the War against the King was justified were first laid by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church This Proposition proved from Gregory 1. Zachary Gregory the 7th c. From Parsons Creswel Suarez Bellarmine Bouchier Mariana Fr. de Verone Reynolds They which have written in defence of the War or of the Kings death go upon the same Principles 2. That in the Reign of King Charles the First the Pope animated his Subjects to rebel and sent over divers Bulls to that purpose CHAP. III. Doctrines and Principles of the Roman Church 1. The Doctrine of Deposing Princes
This is the Doctrine of all the approved Writers of that Church Of their General Councils of their Publique Offices and Breviaries An Account of those persons who have appear'd against the Deposing Doctrine 2. The King-killing Doctrine It is a necessary consequent of the Deposing Doctrine The Roman Divines equivocate in this Question The Jesuites generally assert it divers of the Popes and the Canon Law approve of it 3. Of destroying mens Lives for Religion The true State of the Question The Church of Rome damns all Haeretiques All Protestants are Haeretiques in her account She enjoyns all Christians to endeavour the Extirpation of them All Bishops of her Communion sworn to destroy them The Laws of the Church deliver them up to the Secular Power to be put to death 4. Of absolving his Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance CHAP. IV. Testimonies of the Loyalty of the Roman Church and Religion considered The first from St. Math. 22.21 The second from the Decree of the General Council of Constance The third from the Annotations of the Divines of Rhemes on Rom. 13. The fourth from the Censure of the Doctors of the Faculty of Sorbon against a Book of Sanctarellus CHAP. V. The Fifth Testimony of the Loyalty of the Roman Church from a late Treatise of a Romish Priest The Principles of that Treatise examined Of the Principles and Authority of the General Councils of that Church Of licensing men to lie and forswear themselves Of the Doctrine of Aequivocation and mental Reservation with a brief Account of the Propositions lately censured at Rome Of the Simplicity and Godly Sincerity of the Roman Church Of the Design of dividing the Papists Of the Distinction between the Church and the Court of Rome the grounds of that Distinction examined and confuted Of Dispensations c. CHAP. VI. Of the late Lord Staffords Declaration and Address to the House of Peers concerning a Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants and a Toleration for the Papists 1. Of the Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants Three Propositions concerning Comprehension 'T is neither the Duty nor Interest of any Roman Catholicks continuing true to their Principles to promote a firm and lasting Vnion of Protestants What Influence the Romish Agents had on the first Separation from our Church Of the late Declaration of Indulgence 2. Of the Toleration for the Papists Of their endeavours to procure a Toleration under Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First the late Vsurped Powers and his present Majesty What the Design of that Faction is in endeavouring to procure a Toleration They have been the worse for Favour and Indulgence as is evident from their Behaviour towards Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First and his present Majesty This Chapter concluded with the Protestation of King Charles the First CHAP. VII A short Reflection on the foregoing Discourse Some things offered to all such as desire to prevent the Designs of the Papists 1. Beware of Seditious Doctrines and Practises A brief Account of them This Consideration recommended to all Protestants especially to the Dissenters from the Established Church of England Of the Secluded Members and of the Solemn League and Covenant 2. Beware of being Instrumental to the weakning or subverting of the Church of England Popery can never enter into our Church so long as the Established Articles Liturgy and Government are maintained The Difference between the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome and those of the Church of England Three Considerations to them that charge our Church and Episcopal Clergy with Inclining to Popery Some other things propounded to the Dissenters by way of Consideration and Advice The Conclusion of the whole CHAP. I. The Principles of the Roman Church and Religion destructive of Piety and Vertue Three Cases wherein it is possible for R. Catholiques to be better than their Religion inclines or allows them to be Of the Principles and Practises of his Majesties R. Catholique Subjects in the time of the late Rebellion Of their Rebellion in Ireland and the Advantage which the Kings Enemies in England made of it Since his Majesties Restauration they refused to give him any reasonable security of their Allegiance for the future Many Papists actually in Arms against King Charles the First in England many others did him no Service Vpon what Motives the rest adhered to him A Consult of the English Jesuits about taking away his Life Of the Principles and Behaviour of the R. Catholiques under the Usurped Powers Of Mr. White 's Book THe ensuing Treatise is not intended for those weak and credulous persons that suffer themselves to be charmed with specious Titles and flattering Prefaces and therefore without any reflection on our Author's Arts of Insinuation I shall come to the Matter of the Book called by an odd kind of Antiphrasis A Brief and Impartial Account c. So far as it falls within the Compass of my Design The former Part of the Book is for the most part made up of Allegations in proof of the Plot in general and Reflections on the Depositions The Process against the late Lord Stafford in particular with the Evidence against him and his Lordships Exceptions the Observations of the Managers of the Tryal and the Papists Answers to them the Consideration of all which I leave to others But that I may not seem to pass over any thing which looks like a Proof of the Loyalty and Peaceableness of the Roman Church or of his Majesties Roman Catholique Subjects I shall fairly set down all such Passages as are material to that purpose Staffords Memoires p. 2. His Lordship was ever held to be of a generous disposition very Charitable Devout addicted to Sobriety inoffensive in his Words and a Lover of Justice During the time of the last bloody Rebellion he suffered much for his Loyalty to the King Of the Popish Plot he saith p. 8. This Plot must be managed by persons of Quality most remarkable peradventure of all others for firmness of Loyalty Again The whole Body of Roman Catholiques men before this hour of known worth vertue integrity and unblemished Reputation must all be involved by Vows and Sacraments in a Design so black and execrable that God and Nature abhor to think on p. 52. Certain I am Catholiques Roman Catholiques he means both taught and practised Principles of Loyalty at a time when the King and Kingdom felt the dire Effects of contrary Persuasions That I may proceed with all possible clearness in my Answer to these bold Assertions I shall reduce what I have to say to two Debates I. Concerning the Piety and Vertue of Roman Catholiques II. Concerning their Principles and Practices in the time of the late Rebellion I. I begin with the Piety and Vertue of Roman Catholiques That the Principles of the Roman Church and Religion do naturally tend to make men wicked and disloyal I shall prove in the following Discourse And yet I freely grant That some men of that
Soveraign Princes in that Decree or not is not material for since the Rights of Inferiour Princes are properly their Soveraigns to absolve Subjects from their Allegiance without asking the Soveraigns leave is to deprive the Soveraigns of their due That this Power hath been challenged and executed by divers Popes upon Soveraign Princes as well as Subordinate Lords and particularly upon Henry the 8th and Queen Elizabeth is notorious to all the World and they did no more than the Laws of the Roman Church allow (E) Decret par 2. caus 15. qu. 6. c. 4. Nos Sanctorum c. Decret Greg. l. 5. tit 7. c. 16. I know not why the Roman Catholiques should call this an Usurpation of the Popes when they are entrusted by the General Councils with the Interpretation and Execution of all their Decrees But what need I insist on the proof of this Proposition When his Lordship in the printed Tryal declared He could not say the Church of Rome does not hold it only he never beard it did And a learned Author of that Church in Answer to this Charge saith ' As to the Popes Power of absolving Subjects I beg leave is wave such curious Controversies (F) See Dr. Stilling fleets Answer to several late Treatises 1674 in the Preface where his words are cited Thus I have endeavoured to give a clear and satisfactory Account of these four great Questions and proved my Assertions by as good Law as any is in the Roman Church at this day I know nothing that can invalidate the Testimonies which I have produced unless they can shew either that I have misquoted any of the Laws or mistaken the Sense of them that they have been condemned or abrogated by some publique Act of the Church binding to all persons of that Communion or else that the same Principles which oblige the Roman Catholiques to receive the other Articles of Faith wherein we differ from them do not also oblige them to receive these Canons and Decrees But if none of these things can be proved then let all men judge Whether the Treasons and Seditions in other Countries especially the late bloody Wars in England and Hellish Murder of the Lords Anointed may by the same reason be imputed to the Protestant Religion as Queen Mary's Cruelties the Powder Plot the Irish Barbarism the French Massacre and many other Instances of Popish Malice and Bloodiness from former Examples may be charged on the Roman Church and Religion CHAP. IV. Testimonies of the Loyalty of the Roman Church and Religion considered The first from St. Math. 22.21 The second from the Decree of the General Council of Constance The third from the Annotations of the Divines of Rhemes on Rom. 13. The fourth from the Censure of the Doctors of the Faculty of Sorbon against a Book of Sanctarellus LEst this might seem a meerly extorted Profession of a despairing Man p. 44. My Lord endeavoured to prove by several convincing Testimonies he had ever been Instructed and Educated in the same Sentiments as the established Doctrine of the Roman Catholick Church 1. His first Testimony was taken from places of Holy Scripture particularly that of St. Math. 22.21 Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars c from the plain and clear sense of which and other Texts of Holy Writ nothing he said in this World was able to remove him That we are bound to render to all Men their dues and to Caesar the things that are Caesars is not disputed among any sort of Men that I know But how shall a Roman Catholick understand which are the Rights of Caesar or by a just and equal distribution give to God what is Gods and to the King what is the Kings The Holy Scriptures indeed have told us with all plainess and sincerity what we are to give to Caesar but the lusts and interests of Men have perverted the clearest Texts and made them serve their own Pride and Covetousness I believe his Majesty will hardly stand to the determination of the Rhemish Divines by whom his Lordship saith he was instructed in the Principles of Faith and Loyalty For our Blessed Savior commands us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and his own practice was a Comment on his Precept But the Rhemists in their Annotations outhat Text are afraid to speak plain as Men that mean honestly should do They are more afraid of giving too much than too little to Caesar (A) See the Rhemists Annotations on St. Math. 22.21 In their Annotations on St. Math. 17. they roundly tell us that Caesar hath no right to any payments from the Clergy (B) Rhem. Annot 8. St. Mat. 17.26 Though Christ tò avoid scandal paid Tribute yet indeed he sheweth that himself ought to be free from such payments as also his Apostles and in them the whole Clergy c. Which Exemption and Priviledge being grounded upon the very Law of Nature it self c. And in Hebrews 5.1 in all Matters touching God his Service and Rellgion the Priest hath only Charge and Authority as the Priest Temporal is the Peoples Governour Guide and Sovereign in the things touching their worldly Affairs And one of the Holy General Councils of the Roman Church tells us and pretends to prove it from Scripture too that Secular Princes ought not to require any Tribute from the Clergy (C) Conc. Lat. 3. c. 19. p. 455 456. Ne Laici imponant Ecclesiis onera And in the Margent we have Gen. 47. quoted 2. His second Testimony was taken from the Authority of the General Council of Constance to which all Roman Catholicks are bound to submit the 15th Canon and definition of which Council is Quilibet Tyrannus potest debet licitè meritorie occidi c. Every Tyrant lawfully and meritoriously may and ought to be killed by any Vassal or Subject whatsoever even by hidden Treacheries and subtle Flatteries or Adulations notwithstanding any Oath given or confederation made with him without expecting the Sentence or Command of any Judge whatsoever Which Clause is added in regard of the right of Supream Temporal Monarchs over Inferiour Princes subordinate to them This Doctrine the Synod declares to be erronious in Faith and Manners and the same as Heretical condemns c. The Council condemned this Proposition And would not an Assembly of the old Heathen Philosophers have done as much Had the same Proposition been brought before them and upon the same occasion I am confident as far as we can judge by their Writings they would have made a better provision for the security of Princes than the Fathers at Constance did But since it is acknowledged That all Roman Catholicks are bound to submit to this Council of Constance I will fairly represent some of the Doctrines of it That damnable Doctrine of breaking Faith with Hereticks was notoriously Patronized and put in practice by this Council For the Emperour had granted a safe Conduct to J. Husse
by the Word of God he may the Supream Government in all causes Ecclesiastical and Civil In those Causes you are not Subject to him for doth not the Pope claim the Supremacy in all Ecclesiastical and even in Temporal Causes at least in ordine ad Spiritualia Let the Rhemists complain that the Protestants extol only the Secular Power We acknowledge the King to be Supream Governour in all Causes and over all Persons within his Majesties Dominions for this is all that we attribute to the Secular Power and 't is the Glory of our Church to have taught and suffered for this Doctrine But for the Loyalty of the Rhemish Divines I refer the Reader to some of their Annotations as they are cited in the Margent (M) The Rhemish Testament was see forth by that Traiterous Seminary of English Papists and printed at Rhemes An. 1582. See the former part of their Annotations on ver 4. of this 13th Chapter to the Romans where they complain That now all is given to the Secular Power and nothing to the Spiritual which expresly is ordained by Christ and the Holy Ghost The exemption of the Clergy is asserted Annot. on S. Matth. 17.26 The Popes Infallibility Annot. on S. Luke 22.31 And in the Margent they say Popes may err personally not judicially or definitively The Popes Supremacy Annot. on S. John 21.17 And on 1 Pet. 2.12 They say Although all Power be of God and Kings Rule by him yet this is no otherwise than by his ordinary Concurrence and Providence He that desires to see a true Character of the English Seminaries may consult a Treatise penn'd by the direction of one of the greatest Statesmen and wisest men of his Age under this Title The Execution of Justice in England c. Reprinted An. 1675. My Lords 4th Testimony was taken from the Censure of the Doctors of the Famous Faculty of Sorbon against a Book of Sanctarellus particularly against the 30th and 31th Chapters In those two Chapters these Propositions are contained That the Pope can punish Kings and Princes with Temporal Penalties and depose and deprive them of their Kingdoms for the Crime of Haeresis and free their Subjects from their Obedience and that is hath been always the Custom in the Church and for other Causes also as for Faults if it be Expedient if the Princes be Negligent for the insufficiency and unprofitableness of their Persons Likewise That the Pope hath Right and Power over Spirituals and all Temporals also and that both the Powers Temporal and Spiritual are in him by Divine Right That it was to be believed that Power was granted to the Church and its Chief Pastors to punish with Temporal Penalties Princes the Transgressours of Divine and Humane Laws especially if the Crime be Haeresie Likewise that the Apostles were subject to Secular Princes de facto non de jure by Fact not by Right Moreover that as soon as the Pope is installed all Princes begin to be subject to him Lastly That he expounded the Words of Christ Whatsoever ye shall bind upon Earth c. to be understood not only of the Spiritual but of the Temporal Power c. The Faculty after mature deliberation disapproved and condemned the Doctrine contained in these Propositions and other like Expressions in the same Chapters as new false erroneous and contrary to the Word of God Given in the Sorbon Apr. 4. 1626. In Answer to all which I have many things to say but that I may not exceed my intended brevity I shall reduce them to the following Heads 1. That this Book of Sanctarellus was revised and approved by persons of greater Authority in the Roman Church than the Divines of Sorbon (N) Alegambe Bibl. script soc Jes in the life of Sanctarellus gives us this Character of him Vir moribus apprimé religiosis modestissima mansuetudine The Title of the Book is A. Sanctarelli soc Jes Tract de Haeres c. Ed. Romae 1625. In the License of the Master of the Sacred-Palace are these words In eo omnia religioni consona atque utilia adinvenerim In another of the Licenses In quo nihil reperi quod Sanctae Fidei aut bonis moribus adversetur It was printed at Rome permissu Superiorum approved by three Divines of the Society licensed by the General of the Order by the Master of the Sacred Palace and several other Divines By which we see what kind of Divinity was then in request at Rome But it may be the Divines of the Roman Church have one Conscience at Rome and another at Paris as was once said of the Jesuites 2. Since the breaking out of the Popish Plot in England when so many of that Religion were in danger of their Lives the Pope thought fit to condemn 65 Propositions as I shewed before but did not speak one word against the Power of deposing Princes though it was asserted in the same Divines and Casuists with the 65 Propositions And whether the Judgment of his Holiness or of the Divines of Sorbon be of greater value with Roman Catholiques let all men judge 3. Why do the Church and Court of Rome suffer an hundred as bad Books as this of Sanctarellus in which the same or worse Propositions are maintained to pass not only without Censure but with publique Anthority and Approbation 4. There are no Propositions in the places censured by the Sorbonists which he might not justifie by the Principles of the Bishops of Rome the most correct Editions of the Canon Law and in the Sentence of Excommunication and Deprivation of Frederick the Emperor with the Approbation of a General Council the Pope expounds the words of Christ as Sancturellus since did not only of the Spiritual but of the Temporal Power also (O) In the General Council of Lyons Concil tom 28. ut supra Innocent the 4th with the consent of the Council denounces Sentence of Deprivation against Frederick the Emperor Nobisque in B. Petri Apostoli persona sit dictum quodcunque ligaveris c. S. Marth 16. Also M. Paris ad An. 1245. p. 672. 5. What hath Sanctarellus said more than the Doctors of the Famous Faculty of Sorbon did both before and since the Publishing of his Book I know that Ancient College of Sorbon did for many years keep up a great reputation and was esteemed the Bulwark of Regal Authority but ever since the rise of the Jesuites many of their Determinations have been carried by Interest and Faction An. 1589 a little before the Murder of Henry the third of France the People of that Kingdom proposed these two queries to the Divines of Sorbon 1. Whether the People of France may not be discharged and set free from their Oaths of Allegiance made to Henry the Third 2. Whether they may not with a safe Conscience Arm and Vnite themselves collect and raise Money for the Defence and Preservation of the Roman Catholiques in that Realm against the wicked
him who is Obliged before God is to teach men to prefer their own Conscience before the Authority of the Church (Z) History of the Council of Trent l. 8. And Laynez was so far from being call'd to an Account for that bold Assertion that he was Honoured and highly complimented by the Fathers of that Council In short The Bishops of Rome have presumed to alter the Nature of Things to absolve in some Cases from the Obedience of God himself to grant Pardons for the greatest Sins against the Divine Majesty and to License Incestuous Marriages against the Law of God and Nature But the High-Priest did not use to let out Goliahs Sword but upon Extraordi-Occasions It may be these Dispensations are not very commonly and frequently sent over hither for many Papists do not need them some are not fit to be trusted with them and 't is not always for the Interest of the Roman Church and Religion to grant them CHAP. VI. Of the late Lord Staffords Declaration and Address to the House of Peers concerning a Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants and a Toleration for the Papists 1. Of the Comprehension for the Dissenting Protestants Three Propositions concerning Comprehension 'T is neither the Duty nor Interest of any Roman Catholicks continuing true to their Principles to promote a firm and lasting Vnion of Protestants What Influence the Romish Agents had on the first Separation from our Church Of the late Declaration of Indulgence 2. Of the Toleration for the Papists Of their endeavours to procure a Toleration under Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First the late Vsurped Powers and his present Majesty What the Design of that Faction is in endeavouring to procure a Toleration They have been the worse for Favour and Indulgence as is evident from their Behaviour towards Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the First and his present Majesty This Chapter concluded with the Protestation of King Charles the First P. 52 53. MY Lords Declaration before the House of Lords after his Condemnation That there had been at divers times endeavours used and Overtures made to obtain an Abrogation or at least a Mitigation of Severities against Catholicks but this to be procured no otherwise than by Legal and Parliamentary means That he himself went to Breda whilst the King was there and propounded 100000 l. in behalf of the Catholicks to take off the Penal Laws That after the King came in there was a Bill brought into the House in Favour of Catholicks but it was opposed by my Lord Chancellor Hide With some later Proposals and Expedients c. These he avouched were the chief and only Designs he ever had or knew of amongst Catholicks for promoting their Religion In his former Address to the Court p. 41. he declared That it was ever indeed his Opinion that an Act of Comprehension for Dissenting Protestants and a Toleration for Roman Catholicks yet so as not to admit them into any Offices of Profit or Dignity would much conduce to the Happiness of the Nation but this not otherwise to be procured or desired than by a free Consent of the King Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That he never read or knew of Coleman 's Letters or Consultations for Tolerations till he saw the Letters themselves in the Printed Tryal In the Printed Tryal p. 201. My Lords I believe that after that all of all Religions had Meetings amongst themselves to endeavour to get that Toleration which they proposed humbly to your Lordships there I will never deny that my Opinion was and is That this Kingdom can never be happy till an Act of Parliament pass to this effect It was my Opinion then and I did endeavour it all I could that the Dissenting Protestants might have a Comprehension and the other those of the Church of Rome a Toleration But how comes a zealous Papist to have so much kindness for Dissenting Protestants Were I a Dissenting Protestant I should very hardly be persuaded That those men which ever since the Reformation have endeavour'd to undermine the Foundations of our Religion are now become Friends to the Protestant Interest I should call to mind Coleman's Declaration after Sentence given against him That possibly he might be of an Opinion that Popery might come in if Liberty of Conscience had been granted I should be afraid of helping to break in pieces the established Religion and Government lest when they have gotten the Power into their Hands they should betake themselves to their old Arguments of Fire and Fagot But to return I shall take occasion from his Lordships Declaration to give a brief Account of the Comprehension for Dissenting Protestants and the Toleration for the Roman Catholicks so far as they of the Romish Party are concerned in them 1. I begin with the Comprehension for Dissenting Protestants If by Comprehension be meant such a Settlement as tendeth to a firm and lasting Union of Protestants and is consistent with the Security of the Reformed Religion the Honour of our first Reformers and the establishment of the Church of England in short such a Settlement as may shew that the present Terms of Communion with our Church are not unlawful I say if this be the meaning of Comprehension let it be considered 1. That Private Persons of how great Eminency soever can only make Proposals to their Lawful Superiors for the Laws are still in force and cannot be altered by any Authority less than that by which they were Enacted 2. That divers very Eminent Persons of the Church of England have made the most fair and equal Proposals for the Satisfaction of all wise and peaceable men which are consistent with the Honour and Safety of the best established Church in Christendom 3. Since the Alteration of the Established Laws concerning the Preservation of our Church and Religion is one of the weightiest Considerations in the World since it is impossible to gain all Parties without receding too far from the first Principles of the Reformation there is something to be done by the Dissenters before they can reasonably hope for an Alteration of the present Constitutions I mean it should be known what kind of Alteration is desired and for whom what sort of men will be gained by it and what number of them When they which make such loud outcries and passionate Expostulations for Vnion have gone thus far then may our Governours understand what Measures are fittest to be taken i. e. Whether it be expedient to make any Alterations and if it be how far to Alter for the sake of Peace and a firm Vnion of Protestants Private Persons may judge of the Lawfulness of things imposed by Authority but it is an Argument of Pride and Immodesty for private persons to think themselves Competent Judges of the necessity or expediency of Laws But this is not the Design of the leading Faction of the Roman Church I grant they may be for promoting a seeming Union among
divers of them to Places of Trust and Honour But for a Testimony of their prodigious Ingratitude I refer you to that Royal Author The King himself avowed it to the whole Christian World That such was his Mercy and Clemency to them as not only the Papists grew to that height of Pride in confidence of his Mildness as they did directly expect and assuredly promise to themselves Liberty of Conscience and Equality with other of his Subjects in all things but even a Number of the best and faithfullest of his Majesties Subjects were cast in great Fear and Amazement of his Course and Proceedings ever Prognosticating and justly Suspecting that Sowre Fruit to come of it which shewed it self clearly in the Powder Treason How many did I honour with Knighthood they are his Majesties own Words of known and open Recusants How indifferently did I give Audience and Access to both sides bestowing equally all Favours and Honours on both Professions How free and continual Access had all Ranks and Degrees of Papists in my Court and Company How frankly and freely did I free Recusants of their Ordinary Payments My General Pardon extended to all convicted Priests in Prison whereupon they are set at liberty as good Subjects and all Priests that were taken after were sent over and set at Liberty there after a Proclamation That all Priests that were at Liberty might go out of the Country by such a Day But time and Paper will fail me to make Enumeration of all the Benefits and Favours that I bestowed in general and particular upon Papists in recounting whereof every Scrape of my Pen would serve but for a Blot of the Popes Ingratitude and Injustice in meating me with so hard a measure for the same (N) King James his Works p. 253. Grant them an Indulgence they will move for an open Toleration Give them a Toleration they will aspire to an Equality with other Protestant Subjects and then all the Art and Policy of Rome shall be employed to get the Power into their own hands I know nothing that could exasperate them under King Charles the First his Majesties Goodness and Clemency to them gave occasion to a wicked and malicious Imputation of his being popishly affected and what requital they made his Sacred Majesty I have already shew'd Since his Majesties Blessed Restauration they have enjoyed as great a measure of Peace and Liberty as ever any People did under a Prince of a different Religion As his Majesty was very tender of their Lives and Fortunes so his Protestant Subjects have been so far from thirsting after their Blood that they never gave them any disturbance which was not necessary for their own Safety till the breaking out of Plots and Designs against the Government awakened the sleeping Laws Let us appeal to the Testimony of the late Lord Stafford his words in the printed Tryal p. 200. are Since his Majesties Happy Restauration I do conceive and I think I may safely say it for you all know he was Gracious and Good to all Dissenters particularly to them of the Romish Church they had Connivence and Indulgence in their Private Houses and I declare to your Lordships I did then say to some that were too open in their Worship that they did play foul in taking more liberty upon them than was fitting for them too and that brought the Misfortune upon me which I will not name And now a man might wonder at the continual and loud Complaints of Persecution for their Religion and Consciences and their Restless Endeavours to procure Liberty of Conscience as they call it by any Means at any Price If ever they wanted Liberty since the Reformation they may thank themselves for it They have generally enjoyed the Private Exercise of their Religion but this is not the meaning of Liberty of Conscience in the stile of our times From these Instances it is evident That if Kindness and Lenity were the way to oblige the Roman Catholicks of these Kingdoms we had never heard of a Spanish Armada a Gunpowder Treason of an Irish Rebellion or of a Plot against his Sacred Majesty whom God long preserve they would have been indeed what they falsly pretend to be His Majesties Loyal and Dutiful Subjects But I wish they had not taken an effectual Course by the many Conspiracies within this last hundred Years and by this of equal or greater Horror than the rest to convince us how easily a Popish Zeal can break through all Obligations of Religion and Gratitude I will conclude this Chapter with the Judgment of our late Royal Martyr concerning these men and their Religion An. 1642. he call'd God to Witness That he would never Consent upon what Pretence soever to a Toleration of the Popish Profession or Abolition of Laws then in force against the Recusants This Solemn Protestation was made by his Majesty who had too much reason to understand their Tempers and Principles and though I find it quoted by his Enemies yet I cannot meet with any Proof that ever he alter'd his Mind in this Matter CHAP. VII A short Reflection on the foregoing Discourse Some things offered to all such as desire to prevent the Designs of the Papists 1. Beware of Seditious Doctrines and Practises A brief Account of them This Consideration recommended to all Protestants especially to the Dissenters from the Established Church of England Of the Secluded Members and of the Solemn League and Covenant 2. Beware of being Instrumental to the weakning or subverting of the Church of England Popery can never enter into our Church so long as the Established Articles Liturgy and Government are maintained The Difference between the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome and those of the Church of England Three Corsiderations to them that charge our Church and Episcopal Clergy with Inclining to Popery Some other things propounded to the Dissenters by way of Consideration and Advice The Conclusion of the whole THus far I have endeavoured to lay open the Mystery of Iniquity and Rebellion as it hath been carried on under a pretence of Zeal for God and Religion I have fairly represented those Doctrines and Principles which strike at the very root of our Established Religion and Government with the Arts and Instruments which have been used by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church for the Subversion of them And I know no stronger Argument against the Truth and Goodness of any Religion than that it supplants Moral Righteousness and serves to be a Bond of Conspiracy allows of Sedition and Treachery Injustice and Cruelty For how can that Religion be from God which maketh Men unlike to God as bad or worse than if they were left to the Principles and Inclinations of their own Natures I have proved That there are no Doctrines or Rules of the Reformed Religion which enjoyn or countenance any Seditions or Bloody Practises for the Propagation of it and there is no reason why those Faults of Ill Men should
be imputed to Religion which proceed either from the Ignorance or the Want of it The True Reformed i. e. Christian Reiigion is the strongest Bond of Humane Society the best Friend in the World to Civil Government 't is a better Security to the Throne of a King than all his Treasures and Magazines all his Guards and Armies It never licensed any Treasons or Murders any Insurrections or Massacres though it were for the best Ends for God and Religion and why should such a Religion suffer in our esteem for the Doctrines or Actions of men which under the disguise of Zeal against Popery have weakned the Reformation Of the Church of England I will only say It hath established the Righth of Kings upon such sure and unalterable Foundations that it is the Interest as well as the Duty of the Civil Power to support and defend it But I cannot dismiss this Subject without offering some things by way of Consideration and Advice to all such as out of a just regard to the Honour of God and the Tranquillity of this Church and Kingdom desire to prevent the Designs of our Enemies and transmit the True Religion to Posterity I speak to Men that have seen or heard of the Ways and Means by which the Monarchy and Church of England were once overthrown to men that have felt both the Calamities of an Intestine War and the Happiness of a long Peace and therefore I need not trouble the Reader or my self with those things which are fresh in our Memories We have of late been alarm'd with the Apprehensions of Popery and we are loth to put our Necks under that Yoak which our Fathers were not able to bare But do we detest Popery for the sake of the Church and Kingdom as well as our own Estates and Liberties Do we hate Popery for the Immorality as well as the Destructiveness of its Principles Are we Zealous for the Reformed Religion because it teaches us to fear God and honour the King to be just and merciful to our Brethren humble and obedient to our Lawful Governours If these be not the Motives of our preferring the Protestant before the Romish Religion we better deserve the name of Hobbists than of Protestants Protestants and no Christians Protestants only because 't is against our Humour or Interest to be Papists But if we have indeed a greater regard to our Souls than our Fortunes if we value the honour and security of our Religion above our temporal Concernments and the common cause of the Reformation above our private Fancies and Passions then we shall be infinitely fearful of giving any Advantages to our Enemies of Rome of serving the Designs of the Papists really and eventually to use the words of a late reverend Author though not designedly and intentionally 1. Then let us beware of those Seditious Doctrines and Principles which were first set on foot and have been since kept up by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church What Doctrines were taught by some of the Popes before the breaking out of an avowed Design for an Universal Monarchy I have shewed already But for the last six hundred years all things have been contrived and carried on for the setting up a Kingdom in the Church to which all the Princes of the Earth are to submit The Bishops of Rome have usurped upon the Crowns of Kings and Emperors under the pretence of a direct or indirect Supremacy over them Excommunicated and deposed them for Tyranny and Heresie absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance and animated them to take up Arms against them The General Councils of that Church have established Treason by a Law their Decrees are entred into the Body of the Canon Law alledged by their Schoolmen justified by their Divines and Casuists refined and improved by the Jesuites And 't is said that Buchanan transplanted those Antimonarchical Doctrines which he had learnt of one of these Masters from the Church into the State but with this difference only that he invested the People with that Authority over Princes which the other had placed in the Pope But to omit many particulars of lesser moment these are properly Popish Principles and Jesuitical Tenents and they have been the main Pillars to support the Papal Interest That the Original of all Civil Power is from the People and derived from them to the Prince by way of Mutual Compact That a King is the Peoples Trustee and their duty to him only Conditional That his Person and Authority are separable and that the Cognizance of Ecclesiastical Matters belongs not to him That the Church hath Power to Excommunicate the King and in certain Cases to denounce Sentence of Deprivation against him that it is lawful for Subjects to enter into Confederacies and take up Arms against him for their Religion and Liberties and that the Commonwealth may curb and restrain him bring him to Tryal and Condign Punishment I can hardly meet with any Seditious Antimonarchical Doctrines or any specious Arguments to maintain them in the Pamphlets of the last Forty years but they are either expresly contained in the Writings of the Popes and Jesuites or at least may be parallell'd in the approved Divines and Canonists of the Roman Church Certainly the Enemy hath sown these Tares in the Field (A) St. Math. 13.28 The implacable restless Enemy of Rome hath cunningly sown these Principles of Sedition amongst us and industriously fomented such Practises as are consonant to them And now let all men which call themselves Protestants consider That it was not the least part of the Design of our Reformers to assert and retrieve the Ancient Rights of the Crown and how can it be for the Honour of the Reformation to maintain such Doctrines as naturally tend to the weakning or subverting that Authority which they Established They have left us a more holy and peaceable Religion than that of the Papists and if we would shew our selves true Protestants our Doctrines and Practises must protest against Popery and prove us better Christians and better Subjects than they If you are Protestants of the Church of England as it is established amongst us I need only put you in mind that you have been Educated in a Faith of Loyalty and Obedience and you can never be tempted by any the most plausible pretences to desert it without either forsaking or being false to that Church whereof you are Members If you are Dissenters from the Church of England I know not how it can consist with your Zeal against Popery to contribute any thing towards the breaking in pieces that Government which you acknowledge the present as well as former Designs of the Papists are levelled against You glory in the Name of Protestants but where do you find any one Protestant Church in the World that hath by any publick Act asserted any of these Doctrines I speak not either to Hobbists and Libertines or to furious and wild Fanaticks but only to men of Conscience
and Sobriety to such as I believe have a real tho misguided Zeal for the protestant Religion for their King and Country To such as have not forgotten that a War was raised for the Preservation of Religion and Liberty but ended in the ruin of them both That an Army turned their Arms against them from whom they received their Commission (B) Prinnes Epistle before his Speech of Decemb. 4. 1648. It is clear that the very Officers and the Army being not our Masters but Servants particularly raised waged and engaged by Solemn League and Covenant among other things to protect and defend the Parliaments and Members Rights Priviledges and Persons from all force and violence whatsoever in such manner as both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdoms should approve cannot pretend the least shadow of Reason or Authority from the Law of God or Man thus traiterously to seize imprison and seclude 〈◊〉 without the Houses License before any particular Charge against â—… That a Covenant was first entred into for the Defence of the King and afterwards to the astonishment of many that had taken it made use of by others against his Person and Authority (C) See the Declaration of the Army at St. Albans Novemb. 16. 1648. presented to the House by the Army Officers wherein they demand the bringing the King to a speedy Tryal In this Remonstrance they say Whereas It might be objected that by the Covenant they were obliged to the Preservation of his Majesties Person and Authority it was with this Restriction In the Preservation of the True Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom So that considering Religion and the Publick Interest were to be understood the Principal and Supream Matters engaged for and the Kings Person and Authority as Inferior and Subordinate thereto And whereas the Preservation of his Person and Authority was not consistent with the Preservation of Religion and the Publick Interest they were therefore by the Covenant obliged against it The Clause in the Covenant to which they refer is Art 3. On the other side the Secluded Members remind the Army Officers of the Solemn League and Covenant by which they say they were obliged to preserve the Kings Person and Dignity from violence and give this among other Reasons for their Voting the Kings Answer Satisfactory c. I know 't is unreasonable to charge men with all the Consequences of their Principles when they not only declare against those Consequences which are charged upon them but also protest against them by their Practise as many Gentlemen did especially after they were surprised with the Votes of No further Addresses to the King And therefore I shall not here enquire into the Nature and Tendency of the Covenant Declaration Remonstrances c. of those times which have been so often quoted both for and against adhering to the King However all men of Conscience and Loyalty may from hence learn how easie it is for a Leading and Potent Faction to strein the Consequences of things and how little all Arguments signifie to them them that have gotten the Sword into their Hands (D) Mr. Baxter in his Preface to the Cure of Church-Divisions I have seen how confidently the Killing of the King the Rebellious demolishing of the Government of the Land the killing of many thousands of their Brethren the turnings and overturnings of all kinds of Rule even that which they themselves set up have been committed and justified and prophanely Fathered upon God To conclude this Head Let it be the peculiar honour of Papists and Turks to propagate their Religion with Sword and Bloodshed Let us regulate our Zeal with Prudence Obedience and Charity which make up the truly Christian Temper of English Protestants Let no private Passion or Interest transport us beyond the bounds of our Duty to God and our Allegiance to our Soveraign For if they do we shall convince all Impartial men that we have as little sense of True Religion as ous Adversaries of Rome You have seen the Operation of these Principles in the inciting and animating the People to Tumults and Commotions Evil Principles brought forth Seditious Words and they were quickly followed with Seditious Practises against the Government But those Holy Scriptures which blessed be God you have in your own Language forbid you To curse the King in your thought (E) Eccles 10.20 To despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities (F) St. Jude ver 8. They command you to pray for the King and for all that are in Authority (G) 1 Tim. 2.1 and to be Subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake (H) Rom. 13.5 2. As we desire to keep out Popery and strengthen the Interest of the Reformation let us beware of contributing any thing towards the subverting of the Church of England A Church which is the most Impregnable Bulwark of the Protestant Cause A Church which hath the Support of Scripture and Antiquity of purity of Doctrine and Piety of Devotion and therefore the busie Factors for the Roman Religion have made use of more Arts and Instruments for destroying this than any other Church in Christendom But whether will the misguided Zeal of some men transport them Whilst one Faction labours to break it in pieces as the most probable means of introducing Popery the other strives to overthrow the Constitution of it out of Zeal against Popery Our Liturgy for they have not much to say against our Articles of Doctrine is but the Masse-Book translated into English Our Church-Government Antichristian and our Ceremonies but Popish Trumpery And yet the Compilers of our Liturgy the Bishops and Episcopal Divines suffered Martyrdom by the hands of the Papists they had the Substance of our Liturgy the same kind of Episcopacy the same Rites and Ceremonies with us I do not say That no Constitutions of our Church are capable of being explained or amended for what Church under Heaven is perfect in all matters of Doctrine and Worship of Order and Discipline But did we lay aside all Prejudices and groundless Disaffections did we allow to them the same Favour shall I say or Common Equity which is allowed to all other things of Humane Composure we should not only be freed from the loud clamours of Antichristianism and Popery but we might assure our selves that Popery can never enter into our Church whilst the Established Doctrine and Liturgy Government and Order are preserved For 1. Doth the Church of England impose any other Doctrines as necessary to Salvation besides That Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Is our Creed swelled of late by the Addition of any of the new Articles of the Roman Church (I) See Article the 6th Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scripture for Salvation 9th Of Original Sin 11th Of the Justification of Man 14th Of works of Supererogation 15th Of Christ alone without Sin 19th and 20th Of the Church 21st Of the Authority of
General Councils 22d Of Purgatory 24th Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understand not 25th Of the Sacraments 28th Of the Supper of the Lord. 29th Of the Wicked c. 30th Of both Kinds 31st of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross 32d Of the Marriage of Priests 34th Of the Traditions of the Church 36th Of the Consecration of Bishops and Ministers 37th Of the Civil Magistrate And Sancta Clara that went about to reconcile our Articles with the Doctrine of the Church of Rome might as well have attempted to reconcile the Masse-Book with the Alcoran 2. As to the Liturgy How many uncertain Stories and Legends Responds Verses vain Repetitions Commemorations c. have our Reformers cast out How many Anthems and Invitatories have they cut off which did break the continual course of reading the Scriptures How many of the principal points of Popery are countervened in our Liturgy (L) V. G. The Cup in the Holy Eucharist restored to the Laity The Mediation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Holy Apostles and Saints departed the Merit of our good Works the Sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation and the Adoration of the Host five of the Romish Sacraments Prayer for the Dead and the Superstitious Ceremonies of Baptism expresly excluded But they that make this Objection I suppose to say no worse never read either the Popish or our Service-Book (M) See the former part of the Morning Prayer the Liturgy Communion Service c. 3. To come to the Episcopal Government of the Church of England It is very well known saith B. Sanderson in the Preface to his Sermons to many what rejoycing the Vote for pulling down of Episcopacy brought to the Romish Party how even in Rome it self they sung their Io Paeans upon the Tidings thereof and said triumphantly Now the Day is Ours now is the Fatal Blow given to the Protestant Religion in England A thing little considered by them that were for Reforming the Church by the Extirpation of Popery and Prelacy and opposed the Roman Cause by the Abolition of that Government which the Strength and Policy of Rome have been so long employed against Do not all Historians agree That as the Monks and Friars were found to be more serviceable to the Papacy than the Prelates so the Popes enlarged their Priviledges granted them Exemptions from Episcopal Jurisdiction and all the Opposition of the Bishops against them have signified little in the Court of Rome so long as their Interest and Grandeur were maintain'd by those Creatures and Vassals of the Roman See V.G. Gregory the 9th published two Bulls forbidding all Bishops to exercise any Jurisdiction over them (N) Greg. Dicret l. 5. tit 31. c. 16.17 Greg. 9. Universis Ecclesiaâ—am Praelatis The following Popes confirmed their Priviledges and though some of them wearied with the Complaints of the Bishops confined them within certain Limits yet others revoked their Constitutions granted them new and more ample Charters nulled all former Bulls of Restriction and Decreed that they were immediately Subject to the Pope and to none else This Design was all along aimed at in the Institutions of the Regular Clergy and the Popes and Court of Rome always appear'd in it as much as they durst But the Complaints of the Bishops and Secular Clergy became so Universal that at length they fixed upon a new project set up the Order of the Jesuites or Spiritual Janizaries by whom they have ever since exercised an absolute Tyranny over the Bishops as well as the Parochial Clergy and People The Immunities and Privileges conferr'd upon them are such as these To Preach hear Confessions open their Schools without License of the Bishops or Vniversities to administer Sacraments and instruct Youth to Correct Interpret Expunge and Burn such Books as they dislike c. (O) V. Bullar Cherub tom 1. p. 653 154. Where the several Bulls or Charters of Priviledges are enumerated Thus were the Bishops in the Roman Church stript of their Authority the Government of the People committed to mere Priests and a Jesuite by Delegation from the Pope may ordain Priests too as well as the Bishops We see the Pope and Court of Rome are no great Friends to a Popish and do you think they have more kindness for a Protestant Episcopacy By whose means did Cranmer and Ridley Hooper Farrar and Latimer suffer Martyrdom Did not those Holy Men exercise the same Power and Jurisdiction then which our Bishops do at this day Is the same kind of Episcopacy Popish in our Times that was Heretical in theirs Were they esteemed by the Papists their most formidable Enemies and are their Successors become their Secret Friends In Fine How can you give credit to the Popish Plot and at the same time brand those very persons with the Infamous Names of Papists and Popishly affected which were to be made Examples of Popish Cruelty Hath not the first Discoverer of the Plot acquainted you with the Names of them which were to be put into their Places But I cannot pass over that memorable Passage of B. Hall in his Speech to the House of Peers Speaking of the base and scurrilous Libels and Pamphlets wherewith the Governours of the Church had been over-born and in which Papists and Prelates like Oxen in a Yoke were matched together O my Lords I beseech you to be sensible of this great Indignity do but look on these Reverend Persons do not your Lordships see here sitting on these Benches those that have spent their time their Strength their Bodies and Lives in preaching down and writing down Popery and which would be ready if occasion were offered to sacrifice all their old Blood that remains to the maintenance of that Truth of God which they have taught and written And shall we be thus â—…spightfully ranged with them whom we do thus professedly oppose (P) B. Halls â—…eech quoted â—…late Book â—…led The 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 art 1682. p. 4 5. But the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England are Popish and Superstitious And yet we have no Adorations of Saints Angels or any other created Beings no Superstitious Consecrations of Bells Candles Salt Water c. Hath not our Church put a manifest Difference between Naked Ceremonies and Superstitious Parts of Divine Worship Don't She reject all Opinion of Merit and Spiritual Efficacy and expresly declare that they are Things in their own Nature Indifferent and Alterable In short Would those men which make this Objection apply their Minds to the Study of the Popish and Protestant Doctrine I believe we should hear no more of this Groundless Calumny But to them which fasten this Odious Imputation upon our Church and Church-men I will only say these three Things 1. It is the highest Injustice and Uncharitableness For did ever any Order of men write with more Learning and Judgment with more Zeal and Vigour against Popery than the Episcopal Clergy
divided and subdivided one Congregation of the Division labouring to make the other contemptible and odious and this called The Preaching of Truth and the Purer worshipping of God I have seen this grow up to the height of Ranters in horrid Blasphemies and then of Quakers in disdainful Pride and Surliness and into the way of Seekers that were to seek for a Ministry a Church a Scripture and consequently a Christ I have lived to see it put to the question in that which they called the Little Parliament Whether all the Ministers of the Parishes of England should be put down at once ' Two ways especially said Mr. Baxter since the Restauration of the King and the Church of England Popery will grow out of our Divisions 1. By the Odium and Scorn of our Disagreements Inconsistency and multiplied Sects they will persuade People that we must come for Vnity to them or else run mad and crumble into Dust and Individuals Thousands have been drawn to Popery or confirmed in it by this Argument already and I am persuaded that all the Arguments else in Bellarmine and all other Books that ever were written have not done so much to make Papists in England as the multitude of Sects among our selves c. 2. Who knoweth not how fair a Game the Papists have to play by the means of our Divisions Who is so blind as not to see their double Game and Hopes viz. That either our Divisions and Alienations will carry men to such distances and practices as shall make us accounted Seditious Rebellious and dangerous to the Publick Peace and so they may pass for better Subjects than we or else that when so many Parties under Sufferings are constrained to beg and wait for liberty the Papists may not be shut out alone but have Toleration in the rest And shall they use our Hands to do their works and pull their freedom out of the fire We have already unspeakably served them both in this and in abating the Odium of the Gunpowder-Plot and their other Treasons Insurrections and Spanish Invasion c. (T) Defence of the Cure c. p. 52 53 54. Printed 1671. But we cannot joyn with the Church of England as now Established with a safe Conscience and we ought not to provide for the security of our Religion by sinning against God I Answer Since you are under Laws and Government 1. You may with a safe Conscience submit to all such conditions of Communion as you do not believe to be sinful And either all the Gospel Precepts of Obedience signifie nothing at all or they signifie thus much That you ought to come up to Authority as far as you can without disobeying the Commands of God 2. You may with a safe Conscience make the most favourable construction of all doubtful things which they are fairly capable of 3. You are not bound in Conscience to affront the Established Religion and Government 4. You are bound to make Conscience of one Duty and one Sin as well as another Are not the Obedience and Peaceableness doing Justly loving Mercy and walking Humbly with God matters of Duty Are not Spiritual Pride and Censoriousness False Accusations and Slanderings Schism and Sedition forbidden by the Law of God Could Men be perswaded thus far and there is all the reason in the World that they should they would seek out for Information and not take up Objections upon trust they would proportion their Zeal to the nature of things and yield to a restraint of their liberty in all things not sinful for the Peace of the Church the number of Dissenters would be lessened and they would joyn with us in opposing the Common Enemy they would take the most effectual course to incline their Superiours to pity them and secure the Peace of their own Consciences But it is time to draw to a Conclusion of the Whole Let us not express our Zeal against Popery by Swearing and Hectoring against it by Cursing and Drinking to its Confusion by Sedition and Faction by Vices or Immoralities of what kind soever for these are the ready ways to bring it in But as the Piety and Zeal of our first Reformers banished Popery out of our Confessions of Faith and Publick Offices so let us banish it out of our Hearts and Lives and particularly let us sincerely put in practise those Vertues which the Reformed Religion teaches as opposed to Popery viz. Serious Devotion to God and inflexible Loyalty to our Soveraign Christian Meekness and Charity Truth and Fidelity toward all Men. Let us first make use of all lawful Means for the Divine Providence supposeth the use of all honest Means for the prevention of impendent Dangers and then make our fervent and constant Addresses to the Throne of Grace for a Blessing upon our just Endeavours But what good and wholesom Laws are fit to be made for the strengthning the Protestant Interest and the keeping out of Popery doth not become Persons of a private Capacity too nicely to determine I am not speaking to Law-Makers but to such as are tied up to the Laws in being nor do I think my self able to determine what further Laws may be made for the securing the Church and Kingdom against all future Machinations of the Papists or promoting a firm and lasting Union amongst our selves These Considerations are to be left to Authority In fine Let us lay aside all private Animosities and secular Ends in matters of Religion and study the true Celestial Wisdom which is first pure then peaceable mild and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good works without partiality and without hypocrisie So shall we confute the Calumnies of the Romish Emissaries and adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour engage the Divine Providence to take care of us and our Religion and be rewarded with the fruit of Righteousness which is sown in peace for them that make peace ERRATA Pag. 37 lin 27. read Murderer p. 49. in the Margent Roffaeus p. 63. in the Marg. Cherubini p. 67. in the Margent Spondanus p. 70. l. 29. Men p 78. l. 6. after must add not FINIS
Communion may have a great and just Sense of their own Honour and that Duty which they owe to their King and Country They may be better Men and better Subjects than the Principles of their Church and Religion do either incline or allow them to be This may come to pass any of these three ways 1. When they do not understand the Sense of the Roman Church or the natural tendency of the Principles of their Religion for the Confessors and Guides of Souls which have the Faith and Consciences of the Laity in their keeping do not think fit at all times and in all places to instruct their Disciples in such Doctrines 2. When their natural Tempers and Dispositions are stronger than the Principles of their Church and Religion For I do not think the worst Religion in the World can root out all common Reason and natural Conscience all good Nature and Humanity and make all men Bloody and Disloyal whom Nature hath made Kind and Peaceable Some men have more of the Generosity of the English Man than of the Treachery of the Papist the very names of Murder and Treason strike a kind of Horror into the minds of men and natural Conscience if it be not bribed or biassed by a bad Religion or a vicious Life will startle at the thoughts of Assassinations and Rebellions the violation of Oaths and Contracts 3. When they have not much Zeal for Religion For if men be cool and indifferent in that Religion which they profess they may be over-ballanced with the Love of their King and Country And yet after all no man knows just how much ignorance good-nature or indifferency in Religion will serve to ballance the Fury of a misguided Zeal II. I come to consider the Principles and Practices of the Roman Catholiques in the time of the late Rebellion And though I would not lessen the Services which some persons of that Religion have done to his Majesty or Royal Father of Blessed Memory yet I must say there are many things which overthrow all the Pretences of Loyalty to the Crown that are made by the main Body of Roman Catholiques That this is no uncharitable Surmise will appear if we look back as far as the Irish Rebellion wherein the Roman Catholiques of that Kingdom were almost universally engaged I know the Seditious Practices of such as called themselves Protestants were by so much the more inexcusable by how much Protestant Principles are more inconsistent with Religion than these of the Papists But the Tumults in Scotland were now in a great measure suppressed and the King had by some Acts of Grace and Additions of Honour to the Malecontents of that Kingdom quieted if not obliged his Enemies when he was surprized with the news of a desperate Rebellion and barbarous Massacre of many thousand Protestants in Ireland And as his Majesties Affairs were hereby put into a much worse condition than before so the Parliament in England became more unreasonable in their Demands more resolute in their Answers than otherwise they either would or durst have been For the King conjures them by all that is or can be dear to them or him to take into consideration the case of his distressed Protestant Subjects but to use his Majesties own Words The Distractions and Jealousies here in England made most men rather intent to their own Safety or Designs they were driving than to the Relief of those who were every day inhumanely butcher'd in Ireland (A) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 printed 1649. p. 92. The Parliament in England pass a Vote That the Kingdom be forthwith put into a posture of Defence and soon after another That the Ordinance for the Defence of the Kingdom is not prejudicial to the Oath of Allegiance They Vote That what was done at York for a Guard to the King was a Preparation for War against the Parliament a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People c. (B) Memorials of the English Affairs printed 1682. ad an 1641 1642 But to return to Ireland Here was a Plot and Design against the Crown and Government of which his Majesty expressed the greatest Abhorrence and Detestation and offer'd to go in Person to reduce the Rebels to Obedience A Plot in which the main Body of the Papists and no others were actually concerned (C) In the Preamble to the Bill of Settlement in Ireland an 1662. it is called An Unnatural Insurrection against his Majesties Royal Father his Crown and Dignity which first broke out Octob. 23.1641 and afterwards spreading it self over the whole Kingdom it became a formed and almost National Rebellion of the Irish Papists And in an Act of Parliament for keeping the 23d of October as an Anniversary Thanksgiving It is said That many malignant and rebellious Papists and Jesuits Seminary Priests and other Superstitious Orders of the Popish pretended Clergy most disloyally treacherously and wickedly conspired to surprize the Castle and City of Dublin and all other Cities and Fortifications of that Realm and that all Protestants and English throughout the whole Kingdom which would not joyn with them should be cut off c. See the late History of the Irish Rebellion in Folio And F. Walsh in the Dedication of his History of the Irish Remonstrance tells us of an Universal Rebellion or Insurrection of all the Catholiques in Ireland a very few excepted against his Majesties Laws Authority and Deputies of that Kingdom An. 1641. Of their Confederacy formed and a War continued by them for many years after of two several Peaces the first 1646. the second 1648. with his Majesties Lord Lieutenant in that Interim scandalously violated by the prevailing party among them Yea to that prodigious height did the Insolence of the rebellious Faction arise that at length they banished his Majesties Lieutenant and took the Royal Authority upon themselves But it may be since his Majesties happy Restauration they have repented of their former Wickedness Repented of a Rebellion that was Blessed and Sanctified by the Pope A Catholique Army for so they stiled themselves repent of fighting for the Catholique Cause They were so far from repenting that the Popish Clergy of that Kingdom assembled in a National Synod Ann. 1666. refused to petition the King for Pardon though there were at least thirty then present and above five hundred more of them alive which were obnoxious to the Laws for their carriage during the late Wars of the Roman Catholique Confederates (D) History of the Irish Remonstrance p. 667 671 672. Indeed since his Majesties Return some of the Irish Clergy and Laity agreed to present such a Remonstrance to his Majesty as might seem to give him some tolerable security of their Loyalty for the future But the whole number of Ecclesiastical Subscribers was only Sixty nine the Opposers being two thousand or thereabouts besides all others in the Irish Colleges and Seminaries abroad And of these few Subscribers some fell off immediately
of any one Reformed Church that concurred with them in promoting it It is now time to come to the Principles of the Jesuites and though I cannot find that the Divines and Casuists of other Orders are much more Honest and Loyal than they yet I shall confine my self to them because their Seditious and Treasonable Doctrines are maintain'd for the advancement of the Court of Rome and by a particular influence from the Holy See This is the richest most learned and active of all the Orders of the Roman Church they are under the strictest Vow of Obedience to the Pope have had more ample Charters and Bulls of Priviledges than all the other Orders they are best qualified to dive into the Councils of Princes and Statesmen and into the Consciences and Purses of the People they have almost devoured the Secular Clergy worn out the other Orders and engrossed the trade of hearing Confessions in England to their own Faction and whensoever there hath been any dangerous Attempt upon our Church or State they were the principal Contrivers and Agents the other Clergy is but their Tools and Instruments How much they have improved and refined these cursed Principles I cannot inform the Reader without transcribing a great part of the Works of Parsons Creswel Suarez Bellarmine Bouchier Mariana Fr. de Verone and others out of almost any one of which I could gather an entire Body of Commonwealth Divinity Nor can it be alledged that these are only the Opinions of private Doctors which are disowned by the Body of the Society for their Books are perused and approved either by the General or by other Superiours or by the most eminent Divines authorized and assigned by them And is it not expressed in most of the Licenses that there is nothing in them contrary to Faith or good Manners That they are profitable for all Casuists and Guides of Souls But that this may appear to be no uncharitable imputation I shall set down some of Bellarmine's Principles and then refer you to the other Authors as they are cited in the Margent by which you may see it is the glory of their Society to be obliged to a perfect Uniformity in Doctrine (M) Disput R. Bellarmini Lagduni 1610. Tom. 1. de R. Pontifice l. 1. c. 3. Regimentemperacum ex omnibus tribus formis c. 1. Then he informs you which is the best kind of Government Let not the Presidents of Provinces be the Kings Deputies or Annual Judges but true Princes who may both be obedient to the Command of the chief Prince and in the mean time govern their Province or City not as if it were another Mans but as their own By this means both Monarchy and Aristocracy may have place in the Commonwealth And if neither the Supream Prince nor the Inferior Princes acquire their Dignity by right of Succession but by the Election of the People this would be the best and most desirable form of Government (N) V. Constitut Soc. Jesconst 42. Doctrinae differentes non admittanturâ—… nec verbo in concionibus vel lectionibus publicis nec scriptis libris qui quidem edi non poterunt in lucem sine approbatione Consensu Praepositi Generalis A form of Government more Democratical by his own acknowledgment than that of Venice (O) L. 1. c. 2 p. 619. Respublica Venetorum est Aristocratia admixta Monarchiae 2. The Power is in the whole Multitude as in its proper Seat and Subject and that by Divine right and it dependeth on the consent and courtesie of the People to set either Kings or Consuls or other Magistrates over them and if there be a lawful Cause they may change the Government and turn a Monarchy into an Aristocracy as they please (P) De Laicis l. 3. c. 6. Sect. Secundo nota Quarto nota This he took to be the common Doctrine of their Divines but afterwards finding that some had written against it he comes to confirm it in the Recognition of his Works And first he proves it from Aquinas Dominicus à Soto Navarre c. then he confirms it by Experience For saith he the City of Rome was first governed by Kings then the People set up Consuls instead of them which kind of Government was therefore esteemed just because it seemed good to the People Afterwards he commends the saying of Navarre That the People do never so transfer their Power to a King but they retain it habitually in themselves and may in certain cases resume it into their own hands Lastly he proves from several Examples out of Scripture That it belongs to the People to set a King over themselves (Q) Recognitio l. 3. Qui est de Laicis 3. Kings are admitted to the Government under certain Conditions and Limitations which if they transgress the Subjects are discharged from all obligation of Obedience to them Princes are received into the Church with an express or tacit Compact That they shall submit their Scepters unto Christ defend and preserve the Faith under the penalty of forfeiting their Crowns therefore if once they fall into Heresie or become Enemies to Religion they may be judged by the Church and Deposed without any Injury to them (R) De R. Pont. l. 5. c. 7. Sect. Quarta ratio 4. It is lawful for the People in certain Cases to depose the King In Temporal Commonwealths if the King degenerate into a Tyrant though he be the head of the Kingdom he may be deposed by the People and another Elected (S) De Concil Auctor l. 2. c. 19. Sect. Ad alteram consequentiam If you object That the Primitive Christians did not depose Nero Dioclesian c. he answers They wanted strength they were bound to be subject for Wrath but not for Conscience sake for otherwise they might lawfully have set up new Kings and Princes over them as is evident from 1 Cor. 6. (T) De R. Pont. l. 3. c. 7. Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem c. id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis Id. de Excus Barclaii If you urge those Texts of Scripture which require Obedience to Kings and Princes T is true saith the Cardinal to disobey your King is against the Law of God but the Pope when he deposes a King doth not permit the People to disobey the King but makes him that was their King to be a King no longer (V) Idem in Earclaium If you demand Precedents out of Scripture Was not Uzziah deposed 2 Chron. ' 26. Was not Athaliah deposed and put to ' death 2 Chron. 23. (X) Id. de R. Pont. l. 5. c. 8. 5. He makes the Civil Government to truckle under the Ecclesiastical For the Civil Government is instituted by Men but the Church Government is from God alone and of Divine Institution (Y) Id. de Laicis l. 3. c. 6. Sect. Quinte nota Et. de R.
declared That he never heard any of the Church of Rome speak a good word of it (S) In the printed Tryal p. 53. The truth is there is nothing to defend such a Master-piece of Villany but the Sword what the English Papists speak of it concerns not me to enquire but was not the rise of that Horrid Treason from the Breves of Pope Clement the 8th in which he required the Roman Catholiques not to admit any but a Catholique to the Crown Did not the same Pope by a Bull sent to the Superiors of the Regulars for bid them to make use of any thing revealed in confession to the benefit of the Secular Government and is it not at least highly probable that the said Bull had a particular respect to the Gun-powder Treason (T) See The Case put by Delrio the Jesuit Disqu Mag. c. I. sect 2. Did not Sir E. Digby call it the best Cause Was not Garnett's name inserted into the English Martyrology Was not one of the Conspirators made the Popes Paenitentiary and another a Confessor in St. Peters at Rome 2. He saith That the Plot was owned by the Traytors themselves at their death But did not Garnette and Tresham deny it with the most bitter Imprecations make the most solemn Protestations of their own Innocency and avow the Lawfulness of denying and forswearing any thing whereof they were guilty in case either the Judges be incompetent or the Proofs against them defective And 't is observable that Garnette never owned any thing which was laid to his Charge till as himself confessed the clearness and unexpectedness of the Proofs made him ashamed to persist any longer in his Denial (V) If. Casauâ—…ni Ep. ad Fr. Duraeum p. 117 118 120 121 122 c I have now done with the Court of Rome and its Adherents Of the Doctrines of the Church of Rome and General Councils I shall speak in the next Chapter by which it will appear whether the Instances of Popish Malice and Bloodiness are Justifiable by the Principles of the Roman Church and Religion CHAP. III. Doctrines and Principles of the Roman Church 1. The Doctrine of Deposing Princes This is the Doctrine of all the approved Writers of that Church Of their General Councils of their Publique Offices and Breviaries An Account of those persons who have appear'd against the Deposing Doctrine 2. The King-killing Doctrine It is a necessary consequent of the Deposing Doctrine The Roman Divines equivocate in this Question The Jesuites generally assert it divers of the Popes and the Canon Law approve of it 3. Of destroying mens Lives for Religion The true State of the Question The Church of Rome damns all Haeretiques All Protestants are Haeretiques in her account She enjoyns all Christians to endeavour the Extirpation of them All Bishops of her Communion sworn to destroy them The Laws of the Church deliver them up to the Secular Power to be put to death 4. Of absolving his Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance I come now to his Lordships Principles of Faith and Loyalty as they are called p. 44. But first he declares As to the damnable Doctrine of King-killing if he were of any Church whatsoever and found that to be its Principle he would leave it Doubtless saith our Author the thing which most weighed to my Lords Prejudice c. was a prepossest Opinion of wicked Principles supposed to be held and practised by my Lord as the matter of his Faith and Religion It is by many taken for granted the Papists hold it an Article of Faith that to depose and murder Kings to Massacre their Neighbours and destroy their native Country by Fire and Sword when the interest of their Religion requires it are Acts dispensable by the Pope and meritorious of Heaven Now what thing so wicked however slenderly proved will not easily be believed against men so principled My Lord therefore to clear himself and his Religion from this heavy and as the Papists say injurious Aspersion pretested and declared in the presence of God and their Lordships his hatred and detestation of such Principles That he acknowledged the King his lawful Soveraign and knew no Person or Authority on Earth could absolve him from his Allegiance From hence I shall take occasion to discourse on the following Heads 1. Concerning the Doctrine of Deposing Kings 2. Concerning the Moctrine of King-killing 3. Concerning the Massacring of their Neighbours and destroying their Native Country when the Interest of their Religion requires it 4. Concerning his Lordships acknowledging the King to be his Lawful Soveraign and that he knew no Person or Authority on Earth could absolve him from his Allegiance And here I shall fairly represent the Doctrines of the Roman Church and then leave all men to judge of the natural Tendency of them 1. I begin with the Doctrine of Deposing Kings Where I shall prove these three things 1. That it is the Doctrine of all the Approved Writers of the Roman Church 2. That it is the Doctrine of their General Councils and lawful Representatives of the Roman Church 3. That this Doctrine is taught in the Breviaries and publique Offices of the Church 1. That it is the Doctrine of all the Approved Writers of the Roman Church And here to do our Adversaries right I acknowledge that there are some things wherein they agree and some wherein they differ That Soveraign Princes may in some cases be deprived of their Crowns and Dignities is a Doctrine wherein their Divines are so universally agreed that I do not know any Book published according to the Order of the Roman Church which hath plainly and honestly condemned it But they are not agreed whether by vertue of a direct temporal Power over all at least Christian Princes the Pope may depose them at his pleasure or whether he hath only an indirect power whereby he may depose them when it is necessary for the good of the Church The former Doctrine is current at Rome and hath been avowed by many Popes and their Creatures The latter is Matter of Faith as many of their own Writers prove by as good Arguments and Authority as any man can produce for Transubstantiation it self (A) Of the former l. sacr Caeremon Aed Romae 1560. p. 36 col 1. Figurat Pontifical is hic gladius potestatem summan tomporalem a Christo ejus Vicario collatam And this Power was challenged by Pope Gregory the 7th as of Divine right Platina de vitis Pontificum Colon. 1568. p. 176. By Boniface the 8th id p. 247. By Paul the Third in his Damnatory Bull against Henry the 8th King of England Bullarium Cherubinis Tom. 1. p. 619. Ed. Romae 1632. By Pius the 5th in his Damnatory Bull against Queen Elizabeth Tom. 2. p. 304. Both which Bulls begin thus Regnans in excelsis c. bunc unum super omnes gentes omnia Regna Principem constituit qui evellat deftruat dissipet c. To which I
General Councils and by the Publique Breviaries And this is no mere Speculative Doctrine but a kind of State-Engine fitted to raise and support the Papal Monarchy Have not the Bishops of Rome made use of it as often as it was in their Power and served their Interest Have they not trampled on the Necks of Princes and absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance Disposed of their Crowns and Dominions animated their own Subjects and other Princes to take up Arms against them Cast them out of the Church and out of their Kingdoms Yea so true have they been to this Principle that not only such as were very Prodigies of Pride and Tyranny but even the more prudent and moderate Popes have so often put it in practise that the troubles and Confusions the Wars and Treasons which have followed in Christendom make up a great part of the History of some Ages (Z) See the Catalogues of Princes excommunicated and deposed by Popes in their own Authors V.G. Bellar. de R. Pont. l. 5. c. 8. Bzovius de Pont. Rom. c. 46. p. 613. to 620. Paul the third Excommunicated and deposed our Henry the Eighth Bullarium tom 1. p. 619. Pius the Fifth Excommunicated and Deposed Queen Elizabeth tom 2. p. 305. Clement the Eighth sent two Breves into England to debar King James from succeeding to the Crown See King James his Works p. 257. And yet after all the Complaints and Sufferings of Princes under this Usurped Power not the least care is taken either by the Church or Court of Rome to secure their Rights Why did not the Council of Trent make a plain and Honest Explication of the Popes Power and the Rights of Princes when they had so fair an opportunity to vindicate themselves and their Religion And in what request this Doctrine is at Rome may appear from hence that since the breaking out of the Popish Plot in England the present Pope was pleased to condemn sixty five Propositions but as great a Scandal as their Religion lay under amongst us could not find in his heart to speak one unkind word of this Doctrine (A) A Decree made at Rome March 2. 1679. condemning some Opinions of the Jesuites and other Casuists I know some private persons and some Assemblies of Church-men of the Roman Communion have at some times taught the contrary Doctrine but it concerns them not me to reconcile their Determinations with the Doctrine of their Church However I will say these three things 1. They have been such as were over-awed by Princes or in expectation of Favours and Preferments from them 2. They have been censured and excommunicated by the Teaching Governing part of the Church and as much as in them lay shut out of her Communion 3. Where Princes Excommunicated and deposed for other real or pretended Crimes have procured any Advocates to plead for them yet they have either excepted the case of Haeresie or not undertaken to prove the Unlawfulness of deposing Princes for it 2. The next thing to be considered is the Doctrine of King-killing Concerning which the late Lord Stafford did indeed declare That if he were of any Church whatsoever and found that to be its Principle he would leave it But this Patron of the Roman Cause did not think fit to acquaint us with that expression of his Lordship in the printed Tryal p. 53. As to the Doctrine of King-Killing and absolving Persons from their Allegiance I cannot say the Church of Rome does not hold it I never heard it did hold it it may be it does it may be not I say not one thing or other From which words we may learn these two things 1. That his Lordship knew not that the Church of Rome had any where condemn'd this wicked Doctrine 2. That the English Priests and Confessors do not plainly and honestly difavow and condemn it or instruct their Proselites in the Principles of Loyalty Indeed the Church of Rome hath not in express terms asserted the Lawfulness of putting Kings to death but there is so little difference between the deposing and putting Kings to death that whosoever allows of the one can be no Enemy to the other if he understand the Consequences of his own Doctrine For when a King is deposed by any lawful Authority he is a King no longer If he take up Arms to recover his Dominions you may fight against him with as good a Conscience as against an Usurper And will a King be so tame as to lay down his Crown at the Popes or his Peoples Feet Will he suffer himself to be stript of his Royal Dignity without striking a stroke or solliciting the Assistance of other Princes I would not imitate the uncharitable Spirit of the Roman Church whilst I am writing against it nor dare I charge all men with the Consequences of their own Doctrines but I am sure many of the greatest Divines and Casuists of that Church have both seen and vindicated them and I do not find that the rest are able to confute them But saith Cardinal Perron in his forecited Orations a King deposed being once Reformed and become a new Man may be restored to the lawful use and practise of his Regality And what if he will not reform what if he be more hardned in disobedience than Childerick was and prefer his own Honour and Conscience above the Bull of a Pope or the Act of a Rebellious Faction in his own Kingdom truly then he may lose his Head as well as his Crown notwithstanding any care the Church of Rome hath taken of him If he take the Field so may his Enemies it may be they have been before hand with him But suppose the poor disarmed man a King you cannot call him if he have no right to the Crown be not able to raise Forces and therefore resolves to trudge to his Holiness and there bare-headed bare-footed as we know who did humbly beg Absolution of the Pope Perhaps he may be in a good Humour grant him Absolution upon such terms as he did Henry the 4th that he submit himself to the Judgment of an Assembly of the States But what if it be now too late to reforme It may be his Kingdoms are already given away to another for the Popes are free enough in giving what is none of their own or perhaps the Estates of the Kingdom have turned it into a Commonwealth In Fine Princes deposed from their Soveraignty are liable to so many hazards that they have seldom survived their deprivation unless it were in exile or in a Prison But I must pass over the Jugglings and Equivocations of men of King-killing Principles Ask them if it be lawful to kill a King They tell you no and many of them call God to Witness the Integrity of their Hearts and Loyalty of thier Practises But if a King fall from the Faith and become an Enemy to Gods Church and People If he do regis personam exuere turn Tyrant and
wonderful Providence of God in the death of his Anointed compares the Bloody Fact to the Mystery of the Incarnation and extols the Traytor above Eleazar (M) Thstanus l. 96. p. 461. This Speech was printed at Paris An. 1589. by the Authority of the Holy League and with the approbation of three Doctors of the Loyal Colledge of Sorbonne Our Countryman Parsons though he will not own the Speech which goes about under the Popes name acknowledges that Sixtus in a secret Consistory upon the first News of the Fact did utter a certain Speech in admiration of the strange Providence of God in chastising by so unexpected a way so foul and impious a Murder as that King had committed upon a Prince and Cardinal without any form of Judgment (N) Parson's discussion of the Answer of Mr. Barlow printed 1612. permissu Superiorum And Bellarmine who could not be ignorant of what passed in the Consistory at that time when it was urged against him by King James first endeavours to shilt it off but without any positive denial and at length does what he can to vindicate it (O) Resp ad Apol. c. How the Popes assisted the Leaguers with Men and Mony against Henry the Fourth may be seen in Davila whom I cited before 4. Since Cardinal Perrons time a Pope and his Counsel as a Reverend Author of our own Church assures us (P) Du Moulin Answ to Phi lanax c. P. 59. gave Consent and Council for the taking away the life of an Excellent Prince King Charles the First 'T is indeed below the dignity and policy of the Popes to do the drudgery of putting Kings to death or venturing their Necks for the Good old Cause but they can fight against Princes with Bulls and Anathema's hire Souldiers with Mony or with Indulgences invade their Dominions with their own Souldiers or with the Forces of Roman Catholick Kings stir up Insurrections within their Kingdoms or authorize their own standing Army of Jesuites Monks and Friars to kill them with the approved Catholick Weapons with Pistol or Poyson And if to bless God for exalting a Regicide to his Masters Throne if to furnish Rebels with Principles and Presidents if to sanctifie Rebellious Leagues if to extol the Murderers of Princes and to give Advice for the cutting them off do not prove that the Doctrine of King-killing is the Principle of Popes or Heads of the Roman Faith then we may quit the Rebels in the late times and even the most infamous High Court of Justice Lastly by the Authentique Laws (Q) Decret par 2. Can. Excom Caus 23. qu. 5. Non eos homicidas arbitramur quos adversus Excommunicatos zelo Catholicae matris ardentes aliquos corum trucidâsse contigerit The Title of the Cannon is Non sunt homicidae qui adversus Excommunicatos zelo matris Ecclesiae armantur of the Roman Church any furious Zealot may kill an Excommunicate person and if it come into the Popes head to let his Thunder-bolts flee abroad then that which we call High Treason may deserve a Crown of Martyrdom Whether his present Majesty be by name Excommunicated at Rome or not I am not concern'd to enquire but I am sure he lies under the General Excommunication of the Bulla coenae (R) Of this Bull see Cherub Bullar Tom. 3. p. 250 251. and Tom. 4. p. 354 355. Filliutius quest Mor. Tom. 1. Tract 16. and 't is a received Rule That the Supream Power may in great necessity dispense with the Formalities observed in ordinary cafes If it be notorious that a King is an Heretick and an obstinate Favourer of Hereticks then secret and summary proceedings against him are warrantable and the issuing out of Bulls and Citations would but alarm a Prince and expose the Romish Faction to the severity of the Laws But since all those matters of form are only circumstantial since the design of the Law is to bring Heretical Princes under the consequences of the Churches Censures there can be no reason why the Circumstantial parts of it may not be superseded upon extraordinary Emergencies Thirdly I proceed to the Massacring their Neighbours and destroying their Native Country with Fire and Sword when the interest of their Religion requires it When the interest of their Religion requires it But what if they be not able to root out the Haeretiques The Roman Catholique Religion is so good natur'd and kind to us shall I say or themselves as to let us live when they are not in a Condition to destroy us (S) See Bellar. de Laici◠l. 3. c. 22. Cum autem in particulari c. Philop. Sect. 2.160 Si vires habeant ad hac idoneas c. Greg. 13. Facultates concessae R. Personio E. Campiano pro Anglia Ap. 14. 1580. Túdemúm quando publica ejusdem Bullae Executic fieri poterit And Ribadeneira de Principe l. 1. c. 26. p. 178 179. Ed. 1603. We have not forgotten the Memorable Saying of Henry the Fourth of France Henry the third that was but a Favourer of Haeretiques or at most haeretically affected after the issuing out of the Popes Monitory against him fetcht a Deep Sigh and said It was a hard case that he which had fought for Religion should be excommunicated because he would not suffer his own Throat to be cut by his Rebellious Subjects when they that bad sackt Rome and kept the Pope Prisoner had never been brought under that Censure Sir said the King of Navarre but they were victorious Let your Majesty endeavaur to conquer and be assured the Censures shall be revoked but if we be overcome we shall all die condemned Heretiques (T) Davila l. 10. An. 1589. p. 811. Again It must be noted that there are other ways of rooting out Haeretiques besides Fire and Sword What think you of rooting them out by degrees without noise or tumult by demolishing their Temples seizing on their Estates perverting their Children forcing thousands of them to leave their Native Country and exposing the rest to Violence and Rapine (V) It was Campanella's Advice to the King of spain then aspiring to the Monarchy of the West to proceed in this method against Haeretiques cap. 11. p. 69 70. Contzen the Jesuite was of the same mind Coutzen polit c. 18. p. 103. c. Ed. 1629. The Book is dedicated to Ferdinand the Emperor under this Head Modus reducendae verae Religionis But these things being premised for the right stating of the question let us come to the resolution of it And is there indeed such a Religion to be found in the World that teaches men to Massacre their Neighbours and destroy their native Country with Fire and Sword A Religion which transformes men into Wolves and Tygers A Religion which teaches men to kill their Brethren for Gods sake and please God by doing the works of the Devil I speak it with grief and shame that Popery abstracted from
Counsels and Practises of the said King and all other his Adherents and against the breach of Publique Faith committed by him at Bloys to the prejudice of the said Roman Religion and Edict of Holy Vnion and the natunal Liberty of the Assembly of the three Estates of that Kingdom After mature deliberation upon the said Articles it was concluded nemine refragante That the said People were discharged from the said Oath of Allegiance and that they may with asase Conscience unite and Arm themselves against the King Moreover the said Faculty thought fit to send their Decree to the Pope that it might be ratified and confirmed by the Authority of the Holy Apostolick See (P) Davila l. 10. And Fowlis History of Romish Treasons Ed. 1671. p. 530 551. In the same year the Loyal Doctors of Sorbon declared their Approbation of the damnable Doctrine of King-killing For a short Paper was drawn up containing the Reasons of taking up Arms against the King in the Conclusion of which it is said That because Childerick King of France had caused one Bodille to be publiquely whipped the said Bodille took occasion thence to kill the King for which he is commended by Historians and therefore may not the injury done to a better than Bodille viz. to a brave Prince Guise be also avenged The Doctors of Sorbon having read over the Tract approved it affirming that nothing was in it contrary to the Roman Church About the same time it was Decreed by the Sorbonists That the Name of Heary the third should be dashed out of all publique Prayers and that if any of the Faculty of Paris agree not to it they should be Excommunicated Accordingly instead of those Prayers for the King others were drawn up for the Catholique Leaguing Princes (Q) Fowlis p. 537. An. 1590. The Royalists had spread abroad such Propositions as these That Henry of Bourbon the lawful Heir of the Crown might or ought to be King that the People might with a safe Conscience adhere to him and pay him Tribute That the Pope had no Power to Excommunicate the King That an Haretique though relapst and put out of the Communion of the Church may have right to the Crown of France All which Propositions were presently condemned by the Faculty of Sorbon (R) Spondani Contin Baronii tom 2. ad An. 1590. p. 860. par 3. Sorbonici Theologi in publicis turbis ad rerum instantium statum vota sua accommodare coacti rogatu Faederatorum Cajetani impulsu nec non Cardinalis Montalti ipsiusquemet Pontificis literis ad fidem religionem tuendam unionem confirmandam incitati partes suas interponentts congregati sanxerunt propositiones quae passim a pluribus seminabantur viz. Henricum Borbonium regis titulo infigniri posse aut debere tuta conscientia es adbarere ac decimas vectigalia persolvere debere c. Has tjusmodi enuntiationes damnantes c. An. 1629. They publish a Decree That for the Future the Ancient and Laudable Practise be revived that every Batchelour of Divinity swear to observe the Decrees of the Popes of Rome (S) Spondani Contin Baronii Tom. 2. p. 982. ad Ann. 1629. par 10. An. 1647. The Sorbonists in Answer to a Question sent to them in Writing from the Jesuites in England resolved that it was Lawful for the Roman Catholiques to work the Change in the Government by making away the King (T) Du Moulin Answ to Philanax p. 59. I know P. Walsh hath printed from the Originals six Declarations of the Divines of Sorbon presented to the French King An. 1663. which seem more worthy of that Society than these which I have produced But however significative they might be of their Loyalty to the French King they do not reach the Case of his Majesties Roman Catholique Subjects For in France the King is of the same Religion His Kingdoms are under no Ecclesiastical Censures the Pope challenges no direct Temporal Right to them But I need say no more of them than F. Walsh himself doth These Declarations of Sorbon did neither protest against Equivocation nor descend to the particular Cases either of Excommunication or the pretended Exemption of Clergymen or Condemnation of the Contrary Doctrines c. (V) Hist of the Irish Remonstrance p. 662 663 and 678. And now let all men judge whether the Doctors of Sorbon were not as good at irritating the People of France as the most Seditious Preachers and Pamphleteers were at Animating those of England against their King CHAP. V. The Fifth Testimony of the Loyalty of the Roman Church from a late Treatise of a Romish Priest The Principles of that Treatise examined Of the Principles and Authority of the General Councils of that Church Of licensing men to lie and for swear themselves Of the Doctrine of Aequivocation and mental Reservation with a brief Account of the Propositions lately censured at Rome Of the Simplicity and Godly Sincerity of the Roman Church Of the Design of dividing the Papists Of the Distinction between the Church and the Court of Rome the grounds of that Distinction examined and confuted Of Dispensations c. P. 46. MY Lords Fifth Testimony was taken from a little Treatise writ as my Lord said by a Priest of the Church of Rome and entituled Roman Catholique Principles in reference to God and the King (A) In the printed Tryal p. 53. There is lately come out a Book written by a Priest of the Church of Rome tried for his life for being in the Plot but acquitted c. The chief Contents of which Treatise because it in short explains the above-named Principles and clears the Objections usually made on this Subject I shall here insert in the Authors own Words In answer to which I shall briefly examine all the Passages of this little Treatise which may seem to vindicate the Romish Faith and Religion from the imputation of Disloyalty In the beginning he tells us We abhor we renounce we abominate such Principles Of Treason Rebellion Murder c. But of this I shall speak in its proper place That a Priest of the Church of Rome should before God and the World deny the plainest matters of Fact is an Argument either of the grosseft Ignorance of his own Religion or which I rather suspect of the most exact skill in the Arts of Prevarication V. G. I have been instructed saith he in the Articles of my Faith and I acknowledge the lawful Authority of General Councils yet I profess I never learnt or sound asserted in any of them any such Principles A Speech of so much assurance that were it not for dis-believing my own Senses I might be apt to give credit to it But I would fain know how he proves that there are any such things in the world as the Decrees and Canons of Councils Or that Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind were ever taught in any of them Or that these
conscientious persons is only this That we may hope they do not yet know their Churches Sense in this matter at present they do not know the repugnancy between their Duty to Princes and the Principles of their Communion And if so how we shall discover whether these men think themselves more obliged to their Duty to their King and Country than to the Judgment and Interest of their Church I am yet to learn But I cannot without too great a digression enter upon this Debate which would afford matter enough for an entire Discourse And yet I cannot pass by a very plausible pretence which some Roman Catholiques of late have very much insisted upon to vindicate themselves and their Religion A Roman Catholique Peer maintain'd a Distinction some years ago in the House of Lords between the Catholiques of the Church and those of the Court of Rome part of whose Speech I will here transcribe My Lords Give me leave to remind you what kind of Catholick I am that is a Catholick of the Church of Rome not a Catholick of the Court of Rome A distinction if I am not much deceived worthy of your memory and reflexion whenever any severe Proceedings against those whom you call Papists shall come in question since Catholicks of the Court of Rome do only deserve that Name (H) E. of Bristols Speech in the House of Peers March 15. 1673. The Publisher of his Lordships Speech refers us to the Dedication of Peter Walsh his History for a Proof of the Reasonableness of this Distinction And if this Distinction be just and reasonable as they say it is then it must be acknowledged that a man may be a true Son of the Roman Church that he may understand and act according to the Principles of that Religion and yet abhor the Abominations of the Court of Rome of its Adherents and Flatterers I am therefore obliged to examine the Grounds of this Distinction because it is inconsistent with the Principles laid down in the beginning of this Treatise For though I do not involve every person of the Romish Religion in the guilt of those horrid Doctrines and practises yet I charge them on the Roman Church and all such as both understand and act in conformity to her Principles I have perused and considered the Dedication of F. Walsh his Book and yet I cannot see that we are beholden to that Church for the Goodness and Loyalty of any Roman Catholicks but either to their Lukewarmness in Religion or to their Ignorance of the natural Tendency of its Principles either to the prevalence of common Reason and Christianity or of their natural Dispositions above their Religion Nor can I understand what they mean by the Church of Rome distinct from the Court where this Church is to be found What Judge of Controversies she hath established what Judicatory she hath erected to which an Appeal may be made from the Court of Rome or how they can maintain an external Communion with the Church if they lye under the Censures of the Court of Rome I speak of such times when no General Council is to be had and according to the present constitution of the Roman Church we are not like to see another so long as the World endures But waving these difficulties I shall endeavour to make the whole Matter obvious to a common Understanding Let us therefore put that very Case which we find in the Dedication of F. Walsh his History It is too evident from the Dedication and History of his Remonstrance that they which offer his Majesty the least Pledge of their Duty and Allegiance are in danger of being Censured and as much as lies in the Court of Rome cast out of the Communion of the Church The Irish Remonstrance was condemned in formal Terms as Vnlawful Detestable Sacrilegious yea in effect as Schismatical and Heretical by the publick Letters of the Internuntioâ—'s and of the Roman Cardinals de propaganda Fide They have not ceased for many years last past to persecute and defame the few remaining constant Ecclesiastical Subscribers they have kept them in continual châ—ce with Monitories Citations Depositions Excommunications and even publick affixion or Posting of them Of all which there was no Cause pretended but a manifest Design to force them to renounce their Allegiance (I) F. walsâ—… Ep. Ded. p 2 3. And though some Romanists in Ireland continued Loyal to the King during the late Rebellion in these Kingdoms yet they were all Excommunicated for their Honesty by the Popes Nuntio and his Irish Clergy (L) The Popes Bull against the Loyal Irish Catholâ—… was dated Rome Augâ—… 1665. by which they are required to do publique Penance their Obedience to the King Walsh Ep. Ded. p. 31.32 And that Sentence being judicially ratified at Rome we were very lately assur'd that many of them then continued under it (M) Considerations touching the true way to suppress P c. Ed. 1677. p. 44. Besides The Author of the Controversial Letters in his 8th Letter acknowledges That the Court of Rome and its Dependents are so diligent in suppressing all Books written against the Popes Power that a private man cannot write without hazard of a Censure on his Book and possibly on his Person Were not Barclay and Widdrington formerly condemned at Rome for opposing the Popes Power of Deposing Princes And have not those few English and Irish Writers which have since had the boldness to speak the Truth been branded and censured for that unpardonable Crime And now I shall bring this whole Matter to a short Issue 1. The Church Diffusive is no Body Politick nor can do any Act as such It can neither judge of Persons or Causes but as assembled in a Council and what if a General Council after all the Complaints of the injured Parties be hindred or deferred for many years and for many more sometimes assembled sometimes dissolved as the Council of Trent was During the Intervals of Councils there is no Authority that doth or can act in contradiction to the Court of Rome for neither the Church Representative nor the Authentick Laws of the Church have entrusted any Judicatory Independent on that Court with the Exposition or Execution of the Canons and Decrees of the Church No Council can be called but by the Popes Authority (N) Decret par 1. dist 17. c. 5. The Title is Non est Concilium sed Conventiculum quod sine sedis Apostolicae auctoritate celebratur And in the Intervals of Councils all matters of Importance are to be referred to the Papacy by the Laws of the Roman Church (O) Decret par 1. Dist. 17. c. 5. Majores vero difficiliores quaestiones ut sancta Synodus statuit beata consuetudo exigit ad sedem Apostolicam semper referantur I know the Council of Constance decreed That General Councils should for ever be held once in ten years and made as they thought a sufficient Provision for
the Observation of that Canon (P) Concil Constant Sess 39. p. 577. tom 29. Et Conciliis Generalibus provisione erga futura schismata quem terminum lice at summo Pontifici de fratrum suorum S. R. Ecclesiae Cardinalium Consilio ob emergentes forté casus abbreviare sed nullatenús prorogetur but how easily the Court of Rome hath eluded the force of their Decree all the World knows 2. Suppose a General Council should be called yet according to present Constitution of the Roman Church it cannot act in opposition to the Court of Rome For not to insist on the great Numbers of Monks and Friars of Canonists and such like Creatures and Vassals of the Papacy with which their Councils are filled all the Bishops who have Decisive Votes in Councils are under an Oath of as absolute Allegiance to the Pope as any Subject in Christendom is to his Natural Prince For proof hereof I appeal both to the Roman Pontifical where the Oath is to be seen (Q) Pontif. Rom. p. 59 60. and to F. Walsh himself to whom the Catholicks of the Church of Rome refer us (R) F. walsh in the Dedication of his History p. 19. All the Bishops bind themselves at their Consecration Liege-men to his Holiness by the strictest Oath that could be sworn or penn'd especially being the Pope himself is the only Interpreter thereof See also the History part 1. p. 513. In this Oath among other things they swear to defend the Roman Papacy and the Regalities of St. Peter to observe with all their might the Rules of the Holy Fathers the Apostolical Decrees and Commands by which are undoubtedly meant the Popes Canons and Commands They are bound by this Oath to observe at least all the Canons that are already set forth and enjoyned and are not many of those Canons destructive of the Rights of Princes Is there the least notice taken in this Oath of the Obedience due to them And though the Papal Usurpations have been for some Ages lamented and complained of by the better part of the Christian World yet the Church of Rome hath not used any effectual means to prevent them as she was bound both in Prudence and Conscience to do if she had no mind to let the Pope keep up their Pretensions to them Besides when it was desired that the Pope would dispence with this Oath at the Council of Trent and leave the Bishops to the freedom of their Consciences the Motion was rejected as not only F. Paul but Cardinal Pallavizine himself acknowledges (S) Pallavi Hist. Cone Trid. Tom. 2. p. 366.367 Ed. 1670. 3. If any Decrees of General Councils should chance to prove prejudicial to the Papacy they shall signifie no more than his Holiness please For if the Pope think fit to dispense with them or to interpret them according to his own mind who can help it Was not the Order of the Jesuites set up against a Decree of one of their General Councils (T) Bullar Cherub tom 1 p. 654. Paul the third in his Bull of approbation of that Order hath this expression Non obstantibus Generalis Concilii Faelicis recordationis Gregorii Papae 10. acquibusvis aliis Constitutionibus Ordinationibus Apostolicis caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque The Council to which he refers is that of Lateran under Innocent the third c. 13. De Novis Religionibus prohibitis where 't is expresly said firmiter prohibemus ne quis de caetero novam Religionem inveniat c. Are not all men by the Laws of the Church bound to resort to the Pope for the Sense of their Decrees (V) Decret par 1. dist 17. c. 4. Quoties aliqua de Universali Synodo aliquibus dubitatio nascitur ad recipiendam de eo quod non intelligant rationem aut sponte ii qui salutem animae suae desiderant ad Apostolicam sidem pro recipienda ratione conveniant aut si forté it a obstinati contumaces exteterint c. 4. To put this matter out of all doubt I add That whatever pretences there might be for this Distinction between the Church and Court of Rome before the Council of Trent yet they are utterly destroyed by that Great Oracle of the present Roman Church For the Fathers of that Council tamely gave up the Cause betrayed their own and their Churches Liberties abetted the Usurpations of the Court of Rome took away the Legality of Appeals from that Court to a General Council and the Superiority of their own Power to that of the Papacy they enjoyned all the Beneficed Clergy to take an Oath of Obedience to the Pope made him the Judge and Interpreter of all their Decrees provided that all Writers should either speak for the Court of Rome or be silent What was the Issue of this goodly Convention but the confirming the Pope in his Usurped Power the enslaving the Consciences of the Clergy and leaving the whole Christian World of that Communion under an impossibility of ever having a Free General Council (X) History of the Church of Trent by F. Paul l. 8. an 1563. Conc. Trid. Sess 25. Decret de Ref. c. 2. c. 5. c. 21. de libt prohibit reg 10. c. And Card. Pallavizine Hist. Conc. Trid. tom 2. p. 367. And now let al Wise and Impartial men judge whether the Distinction between the Church and Court of Rome be not utterly insignificant as to those purposes for which it is commonly produced Object Hereunto some Persons stick not to say That Dispensations and I know not what Indulgences and Pardons whereby to legitimate the Crimes of Lying and Forswearing when the Interest of our Church requires it are a main part of our Religion and by Consequence the Denial of our Principles is no sufficient Justification of our Innocence I have not leisure to discourse of their Dispensations Indulgences and Pardons But that Dispensations have been granted from Rome to legitimate these Horrid Crimes we are assured by Persons of unquestionable Credit Whether the Generality of the English Papists in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign had any Dispensations for the Dissembling their Religion and coming to our Churches I know not but not long after The very Dispensations were intercepted in Scotland and shewed to the King by which they were allowed to Promise Swear Subscribe and do what else should be required of them so as in Mind they continued firm and did use their Diligence to advance in secret the Roman Faith (Y) Spotswoods History of the Church of Scotland ad an 1580. p. 308. And sure it was not without Reason on the Irish Remonstrants part That they left out that Clause in their Formulary which was contained in the Oath of Allegiance viz. That the Pope cannot dispense with this Oath We know no less Person than Laynez the General of the Jesuites declared in the Council of Trent That to say the Pope cannot by Dispensations disoblige
Protestants call it by what name you please but it must be such a one as will only serve a present turn and is inconsistent with a lasting Settlement such a one as tendeth not to the lessening but the encreasing our Differences and will in the conclusion ruin the beauty if not the very being of the Church of England (A) See the Letter of Advice given to F. Young concerning the best way of managing the Popish Interest in England upon his Majesties Restauration The first Advice is To make the Obstruction of Settlement the great Design especially upon the Fundamental Constitution of the Kingdom The Letter is cited by the Dean of S. Pauls in his Preface to the Unreasonableness of Separation A Church against which as their Attempts have been more frequent so they have been carried on with more Art and Industry than against any Church in the Christian World A Church that is free from Impostures and Innovations from Superstition and Enthusiasm which are the principal Ingredients of Popery A Church that endeavours to reduce all things to their Antient Limits and so long there can be no room for Papal Usurpations And I appeal to all wise men Whether it be either the Interest or Duty of the Romish Faction continuing true to their Principles to strengthen or repair such a Church as this which they are bound to pull down or break in pieces All the Service that I could ever find they did the Church of England was to raise and support Sects and Factions amongst us to creep in among them under various disguises to weaken the Government to lay us open to the Assaults of Foreign and Domestick Enemies and to bring us into such a disorder and confusion as was more likely to end in Atheism or Popery than in the Vnion of Protestants If we look back as far as the first beginning of the Separation from our Church we shall see many strong probabilities that the busie Factors for Popery the Jesuites and Jesuited Papists had a great Influence on it and what advantages they have ever since made of our unnatural Heats and growing Schisms we are not wholly ignorant They knew the safest though not the quickest way to reduce their Religion was by fomenting domestick Factions And when some of the Exiles in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign returned home with a dislike of some things in our Church they laid hold of this Opportunity of dividing the Protestants and enflamed the differences in hope of making them destroy one another and fall a Prey to the common Adversary Whilest Harding Sanders and others of the Roman Communion attacked our Church on one side saith a learned and faithful Historian Coleman Butten Hallingham and others were as busie on the other And it hath been lately published to the world from the Lord Burleighs Papers that Faithful Commin a Dominican Friar and Thomas Heath a Jesuite were employed by the Pope and Jesuites under the disguise of zealous Protestants to draw men off from the Communion of the Church of England Such wonderful Friends are the Emissaries of Rome to order and unite amongst English Protestants But I will conclude this Head with the Declaration of Indulgence An. 1671 2 concerning which the Author of the Letter from a Person of Quality to his Friend in the Country tells us That when the War was to be made with Holland the Lord C. advised to quiet all Dissenters in Religion at home with granting the Declaration of Indulgence and the E. of S. though a man of Principles and Interest opposite to the other presently closed with his Advice And Coleman own'd that the Fatal Revocation of this Declaration for Liberty of Conscience was that to which the Papists owed all their late Miseries and Hazards We all know that from this time Licenses were accepted and Meeting-houses built People were withdrawn from the Parochial Assemblies and Books written to justifie their Practises upon such Principles as naturally lead to endless Separations and the destroying the very being of our Church Whole Herds of Priests and Jesuites have lurked in these Kingdoms and the Roman Church hath had a most plentiful Harvest amongst us If this be called the Vniting of Protestants it must be by the same Figure by which the destroying mens Rights is call'd the defending their Liberties 2. I come to consider the Endeavours which have been used by the Roman Catholicks to procure a Toleration for themselves At Queen Elizabeth's first coming to the Crown the Pope threatned to Excommunicate her the Emperor and other Foreign Princes moved by their Ambassadors for a free and open Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion (B) Cambden Eliz. ad an 1558. In King James his time Cardinal Bellarmine roundly tells his Majesty That if he desired to consult his own and his Peoples Safety he must give Liberty to their Religion (C) Bel. Resp. ad Apol. Ed. Câ—… Agripp 1610. p. 21. Si â—ex secure regnare vitae suae ac suorum consulere cupit sinat caâ—…os frui antiqua possessione religionis suae And the Lord Herbert in a Letter to the King An. 1623. tells him The Pope will never grant his Consent to the Marriage of the Prince with the Infanta of Spain unless his Majesty grant some not able Privileges and Advantages to the Roman Catholicks in his Dominions He adds The King of Spain would never insist on obtaining these Privileges but that he desires to form a Party in your Majesties Kingdoms which he may always keep obsequious to his will c. (D) Cabala printed 1654. In the beginning of King Charles the First his Reign the Irish Papists taking advantage of the Emptiness of the Kings Treasury proffered to maintain Five Thousand men at their own Charge if they might enjoy a Toleration but that Motion was crushed by the Bishops The Project failing in Ireland the English Papists offer'd but with no better Success to buy the free Exercise of their Religion at the expence of maintaining a certain proportion of Ships (E) Fullers Church History l. 11. p. 128 129. It is well known how that restless Faction fed their Disciples with continual expectations of a Change and though these two Excellent and Pious Princes did inviolably maintain the established Protestant Religion yet they gained this mighty Advantage that notwithstanding all the Writings and Speeches Declarations and Protestations of King James against Popery the Fears and Jealousies of his Subjects occasioned only by some short Relaxations were never cured in his days And in the Reign of King Charles the First whatever Indulgence either the Gentleness of his own Disposition prompted him to or the necessity of his Affairs extorted from him was looked upon as the Effect of his Majesties Inclination to Popery For though the War was raised by discontented covetous and ambitious men and carried on by a leading Faction yet it was necessary to make Religion a Stalking Horse to their