those warres I will therefore speake judicio contemplativo not practico Sayrus Clavis Regia lib. 12. cap. 3. num 26. proceed to the Position and passe by the objections against the Persons It is I say absolutely unlawfull for subjects in the cause of Religion to take up armes against their Prince nay without their Prince bee the Warre offensive yea but defensive Suscipiendi belli authoritas penes Principem saith Saint Augustine August contra Faust lib. 22. cap. 75. it is the Prerogative of Princes to move Warre no subjects may usurpe upon it Nay though the persons be Religious and the cause Religion yet is it Rebellion or Treason to take up Armes against or without the Prince Damhouderius in prax Crimin cap. 82. Foure things say the Lawyers are required to make a warre just and warrantable justa causa recta intentio personarum idonietas authoritas Principum sine qua est laesa majestas there must say they concurre a just cause a right intention fit persons and the Princes authority without which the warre is high Treason Warre made by a subject is unjust though the cause be just for the justnesse of the cause cannot give lawfull power A just cause good intention power and jurisdiction must concurre to make such publike actions warrantable Warre we see without the Prince is unlawfull though for Religion but against the Prince though for Religion it is farre more unlawfull Take Saint Augustines judgement for the ancient Christians ye see said he to Marcellinus the Powers of this world August Epist 5. ad Marcel which once did persecute Christians in behalfe of their Images they are now conquered non a Repugnantibus sed à morientibus Christianis not by the Warres but by the patience and deaths of Christians Take Master Bezaes judgement Bezalibro Confess sidei cap. 5. sect 45. for the later Christians Quod autem ad Privatos Homines attinet concerning Subjects saith he â—â—juriam pati nostrum est it is their dutie to suffer neque ullum aliud remedium proponitur privatis hominibus tyranno subiectis praeter vitae emendationem preces laâ—rimas and though they bee subiects to a Tyrant they have no other remedy but amending their lives and commending their cause to God And the judgement of all Christians is recorded in that primitive perpetuated proverbe Arma Christianorum sunt preces lachryâ—â—e Prayers and teares are the onely weapons of Christians Their practice also hath made good their proverbe Valentius decreed to banish Eusebius from Samosata Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 14. the people tooke up Armes Eusebius appeased the people opposed not the Prince but submitted himselfe to banishment Valentiniane sent Calligonus his Chamberlaine to terrisie Saint Ambrose from his opinions by menacies of death and torments That holy man returned no resistance but this reply Deus permittat tibi ut impleas quod minaris Indeed saith he God may please to permit you to put in execution what you threaten Ego patiar quod est Episcopi tu sacies quod Spadonis I wil discharge the duty of a Bishop doe you the Office of an Eunuch It was the famous onset which the armed Christians gave to their Emperour though a Pagan Caesar oramus non pugnamus Sir our tongues beseech thee our hands shall not touch thee In generall From the passion Hist Papatus cap. 9. of Christ to the persecution of Dioclesian the poore Christians were savagely persecuted with intolerable innumerable incredible tortures 20000 put to death at once and whole nations extirpated yet it was never knowne that though they were of equall number and force ever they armed themselves against the Emperour any otherwise than with Patience To shut up all in the example of him who should be all in all Christ himselfe commanded Peter to put up his sword it is no proper weapon to defend his quarrell And in truth those that maintaine Warres warrantable in such cases of Religion they plucke the flower from the Garland or rather the Garland from the Head of the Church There will be no Martyrdome if private men may make resistance against persecutors The occasions of warre are either Proper or Accidentall the proper occasion is that which maketh men take up armes of it selfe without any other reason adioyned the accidentall is the occasion which concurreth but not of necessity Thus it is not lawfull for one Prince which is a Protestant to invade another who is a Papist as he dissereth in Religion but as hee is a Truce-breaker Incroacher or a Disturber of the Publike Peace c. Thus Constantine warred against Lucinius Danâ—us de Antichrist c. 29. his Colleague not because he was an Infidell but because he persecuted the Christians contrarie to their capitulations one Article of their league betwixt them being this to permit the Christians to live in Peace I say therefore I do not approve the shedding of Christian blood in the cause of Religion But this I adde if the Pope shall proceed to maintaine them who maintaine these Traiterous positions such as Bellarmine Baronius Becanus Suarez c. That the Pope hath power either directly or indirectly to take away the subiects Crownes or Lives of any Princes I say then these Princes may iustly take armes to defend themselves and to invade their adversaries Yea more as Hanibal invaded Rome but the Romanes setched him home by aâ—saulting his Charthage So when it is apparent that Rome sendeth forth advice and agents to raise Rebellions or Invasions against Protestant Princes then may Protestant Princes justly raise forces to raze that Citie which is the shop of Treason and to ruine Rome it selfe This wee may conjecture to be the foretelling of that prophecie of Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henr. 3. nec liberabitur Ecclesia ab Aegyptica servitute nisi in ore gladij cruentandi the Church said that Bishop of Lincolne shall not bee free from that Aegyptian slaverie but by effusion of blood And this we may conceive to bee the fulfilling of Saint Iohns prophecy Revel 18. 6 8. Rome shall be burned even by those Princes in whose territories the Pope hath kindled many combustions Mornâ—us myst Progres 65. Hence Lewis the twelfth King of France caused to bee disputed in a Synode at Tours Num liceret Papae absque causa Principi bellum inferre whether it were lawfull for the Pope on no cause to make warre on any Prince and when it was answered negatively that it was not lawfull Hee propounded a second question Num non tali Principi pro sua desensione fas sit eum invadere whether it were not lawfull for such a Prince thereupon to invade the Pope their suffrages did returne the conclusion That it was lawfull Hence also the same King commanded these words to bee stamped on his coine PerdaÌ„ Babylonem I will destroy Babylon Without these limitations the Sword which we must use against the
I referre you Onely for honour to the Author I will relate one miraculous legend out of Bellarmine Saint Lewis King of France Bellar. de officio Princip in vita â—â— Ludovici like Ieremy in his prayers and pious exercises thirsting for a fountaine of teares in a familiar conference with his Confessour hee did acknowledge unto him that sometimes as hee was praying such a heavenly dewe of teares was miracuously poured downe upon him that his teares would trickle downe his cheekes and so runne into his mouth wherewith the sweetest taste which can be imagined did affect his heart yea and delight his mouth also I beleeve Bellarmines mouth did runne over when he did chronicle this royall wonder Moreover to shew that these men are wise in their generation they doe not onely pretend old Miracles but they produce new miracles to perswade their Popery There are six points in Popery which I suppose doe most support the Papists and most scandall the Protestants and are most senselesse in themselves Pilgrimages Prayers for the dead Purgatory Invocation of Saint Adoration of Images and Transubstantiatâ—on I adde a seventh the Primacie Now for these Flectere cum nequeunt superos Acharonta movebunt because they cannot prove them by the Oracles of God they will prove them by the miracles of the Devill They urge many wonders lying wonders to avouch them First for Pilgrimages Not long since at Sheldon Motive 5. pag. 78. Saint Omers in the Iesuites Church there was an Image much frequented in a poore Church in the same City was the Picture of the Virgin Mary which having stood a long time in an obscure place suddenly it was bruited that That Image had removed it selfe into another place the principall of the Church and fitter for Adoration Presently was the picture frequented by some superstitious people and the Miracle defended by some Iesuites but the forgerie was discovered by the Magistrates and the Clerke of the Church punished for his knavery The Papists fable also that Saint Mary of Loretto so called from the Hill Loretto Rollech in 2 Thess 2. 9. was transported by Angells out of Galilie into Italy Out of which they sucked no small advantage Italy thereby becomming the centre to which the motion of infinite Pilgrimes Bell. de officio Principis lib. 3. vita S. Stephan doe tend Bellarmine it seemeth would have the Pilgrimes to travell into Bohemia too to which purpose he telleth that the whole body of their Bohemian Saint Steven is mouldred in dust onely his right hand skinne flesh nerves Bellar. de cultu Sanct. lib. 3. c. 8. c. is there fresh and faire without any corruption or alteration And the same Author in another booke tells us another storie to the same purpose out of Sulpitius That at Hierusalem in the place whence Christ ascended into heaven the Print of his feet are to bee seene at this day and although every one of those infinite Pilgrimes who addresse their confluence thither transport with them some part of that dust yet there appeareth no diminution of the sand But to save them some labour Dr. Featly Confer Preface in so long a voyage our English are invited into France by a strange miracle that Saint Denis caried his head in his hand three miles and rested at each of the posts that are betwene Paris and Saint Denis This is a taste of their miraculous arguments and allurements unto Pilgrimages To perswade the living to pray for the dead Bellar. de Ponti Rom. lib. 3 c. 15. Greg. dialog lib. 4. cap. 40. Bellarmine to this purpose doth alleage out of the same famous Legend fathered upon the same Gregory the miraculous apparition of Paschasius his Ghost beseeching Saint Germanus to pray for him Augustine the monke did a feat as merry as miraculous in saying of one Masse he raised two ghosts out of their graves one of a layman who dyed excommunicated for not paying his tithes an hundred and fifty yeares before and another of the Priest who had excommunicated him who at the honest monkes â—â—lation of the Religion in the West sect 38. holy request absolved the poore ghost and so both returned in peace unto their Grave within our age at Luca a wealthy Citizen dying and according to his will being buried in the night without their ringing tapering censing c. he had a rumour presently spread on him by the Friers that he was haunted by Rats on his death bed Finally Costerus doth urge it Coster â—nchirid cap. 16. dâ— Purg. Gregory Dialog lib. 4. Beda Hist lib. 4. 5. as a maine argument for the benefit accruing to the dead by the prayers of the living from the manifold miracles related by Gregory in his Dialogues and Beda in his Histories Yet it seemeth this argumeÌ„t is not catholically convincing if that story bee an historie which is mentioned by my reverend friend and Collegiate Dr. Beard For when a certaine peasant Dr. Beard de Antichr part 3. cap. 1. of Burgundâ—e neere unto a towne called Chascule was praying unto a Crucifix for the soule of one newly deceased and for whom the bels rang the Crucifix instead of making unto him a signe by nodding his head by the weight of him that was behinde it fell downe right upon him and so crushing the poore man that the ringers were faine to leave the bells and cary him to his house halfe dead where hee lay sicke a long time After which sicknesse returning to the Church and seeing a faire yong Crucifix with a smiling countenance in place of the old which had broken his necke in the fall he could not forbeare but say thus unto it What good countenance soever thou dost cast upon me yet I will never trust thee for if thou live to be an old man thou wilt be as wicked as thy father who thought to kill me Notwithstanding these arguments appeare to be unreasonable and ridiculous to men of reason yet are the same urged againe by Bellarmine Bell. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3. c. 13. seriously for Purgatorie also And indeed all their miraculous apparitions are framed especially for the establishing of this point Damascene in his discourse de defunctis declareth devoutly that a dead mans skull spake to Damast cone de Defunctis Marcarius saying when thou dost offer Prayers for the dead then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. then doe wee feele some little consolation But certainly Damascene was a little deceived when he sayd those soules in Purgatorie did receive but a little consolation For it is said to have beene the common allegation of many Popish preachers to confirme their Croysados Dr. Beard de Antich part â— cap. 2. sect 3. that when the living gave money to the Priests for the dead the soules which were in Purgatorie hearing the sound of the money ting in the Bason fell a laughing for joy of their deliverance Moreover it seemeth that
Martyrologist concerning Pope Iulius the Marshall who cast the Keyes into Tyber and laid his hand on the Sword The succession of Popes for many yeares have made use of both to erect their Monarchy The Keyes 3 waies they have made their Picke-lockes to enter at the Posterne of the Church and as many waies they have used the Sword to cut down all opposition which shall interrupt 〈◊〉 Entrance and usurpation To which I will adde two more and then their projects are eight in number Excommunication Indulgence or dissimulation and Appellation are the acts of the keyes in regard of all which it seemeth Saint Peters keyes have hanged at the Popes girdle The Sword also they have permitted establishing and raising the Papacy by warres into which they suffered Christendome to fall Sometimes the Sword they submitted and secretly sowed discord in Christendome out of which they have sucked no small advantage And many times the Sword they have immitted and sheathed in the sides of their Soveraignes and other Princes whom they assaulted by the hand of Treason and open Rebellion To which adde their corrupting of Bookes and abusing of Favours received from Princes and Prelates as precedents of their right and we have the intire number of all the old Popish Mysteries I meane to instance in at this season First Excommunications of Princes especially have beene very advantageous for the advancing of the Papacy The first that I finde who made use of it in this kinde was Pope Platina Onuphâ—ius in vita Constantini Constantine who did excommunicate the Greeke Emperour Philippicus under the pretence of the heresie they termed Iconomachy or opposing Image worship which produced so fatall an effect that Arthemius incouraged thereby rebelled and deposed the Emperour anno 716. And then this audacity became afterwards hereditary many Popes excommunicating many Emperours and many other Princes Sigonius lib. 3. de Reg. Ital. By this meanes Gregory the second raised Ravenna and Venice in rebellion against Leo and expelled the Greeke Emperor out of the Italian territories By this Gregory the seventh caused those tragicall commotions against that noble Germane Emperour Henry the third Bar t. 9. an 726. Artic. 34. Pless Myster Opposit 40. which ended not but with his life I need not travell farre for examples our owne Princes Iohn Henry c. are the wofull patternes of this wicked subtlety Nor was the feare of those Princes in those dayes causelesse for probably the Popes excommunications caused three notable consequents First the Clergy would either withdraw themselves out of the Country or with-hold the execution of their Calling Hence the people yea and Peeres also would murmure yea and mutinie also that they were deprived of the exercise of their Devotions And finally their neighbouring Princes from this pretence had a faire cloke for their ambition and colour for their invasion Princes therefore in those dayes were compelled to keepe correspondence with the Popes for dread of their excommunications Secondly the hiding away of the keyes did sometime helpe them to keepe the stollen goods of the Primacy Thus Phocas having murthered Pless Myst Progress 22. his Master Mauritius being disallowed and deserving to be excommunicated by Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople the holy connivence of honest Boniface the third salved all and well was he rewarded for it For it he atchieved his glorious title of Vniversall Bishop Bastlius also having murthered Michael his Master who had assumed him into the societie of the Empire Photius the Patriark of Constantinople rejected the traiterous parricide from the Lords Table but hee was instantly Anastasius in Adriano 2. Baronius anno 869. Articulo 81 82. countenanced by Pope Adriane the second And verily he also had his reward for his sake Basilius called the eighth Vniversall Councill into which every man was inhibited entrance by his Imperiall authority unlesse hee did first subscribe to the point of the Popes Primacie 3. The third is neere of kinne to this second particular Vice or the vicious discord of the Clergie hath beene the cause of Appellation a prerogative so highly esteemed by them So the improbity of Apiarius and the Heresie of Caelestius a condemned Pelagian disordered Antonie Bishop of Fussala who was deprived by his comprovincialls in Africa and damned Eutiches himselfe all these ranne to the Church of Rome for refuge and found it a Sanctuary Zozimus Boniface Caelestine Dr. Sharp Papae speculum pag. 273. Pless Myst Oppos 10. 11. and Leo did not reject them but the last onely excepted they did accept incourage and defend those Appellants These are three wayes therefore the Pope hath used the Keyes whereby he hath entred into the Temple of God and there now Hee sitteth as God shewing himselfe that hee is God 4. Tam Marte quam Mercurio the Popes have not beene so cunning with the Keyes but they have beene as couragious with the Sword Full politikely did this prudent generation permit Princes to bleed under the Sword of their over-potent Adversaries that so they might be constrained to cast themselves into the armes of the Bishop of Rome for succour The Greeke Emperours were in a manner confined to the East either by the invasion of the Sarasins or by domesticall insurrections which did cause them not onely to use connivence to but to seeke and sue for correspondence with the Popes in the West Hence Iustinian the first did professe such Novel lib. 8. cap. de Sum. Trinitate Baron tom 7. Anno 533. Artic 31. c. Pless Myster Progress 26. Pless Myster Progress 27. solemne honour to the See Apostolike and to the holinesse of Pope Iohn the second And Iustinian the second communicated his owne majesticall honour to the entertainment of Pope Constantine that by his assistance and countenance hee might recover his Throne and revenge himselfe on his Rebells In the West he permitted Aistulphus King of Lumbardy to expell the Greeke Emperour out of Italie and afterwards excited Pipine to drive AISTVLPHVS out of Lumbardie not omitting his owne commoditie that part of his conquest should bee rendered to Saint Peter for his Patrimonie Sigonius de regno Ital. lib. 5. Platina in Sergio Pipine thus gratifying the Pope Steven 2 was rewarded in his off-spring by Pope Sergius the second who nourished the Papacy by nourishing discord betwixt Charles Lewis and Lotharius brethren till that the French were expelled out of Italy and the Empire translated to the Germanes And how the Germane Emperours have beene wearied with warres in the Holy Land and worried with warres in Christendome it is superfluous to relate The effect is this by them they are reduced to the meere shadow and bare name of the Romane Empire but the Romane Pope thereby hath substantially advanced his Primacy 5. If they cannot prevaile permittendo by permitting the sword to devoure such as being in peace might oppose them then submittendo did their subtlety assay secretly to send a sword
the Parisian French King or Charles our Kentish English Innocentius 3 Extra de Excessu Prâ—lat Soveraigne Nay it is the saying of the Pope Articulos solvit Synodumque facit generaleÌ„ thatis the Pope hath power to call a generall Councill and to disanul every particular Article Thus farre hee fareth for the opposing of the old Creed then for the composing of a new Though some affrighted with the absurd audacity of this assertion doe seeme to mince it yet the whole Church of Rome concur in the conclusion The Pope hath power Edendi novum Aquin. 22 â— â— artic 10. Symbolum saith Aquine to publish a new Creed Condendi to compose a Creed writeth Vigâ—erius Ordinandi novum Symbolum to ordaine or authorise a new Creed quoth Gabriel Biel. Finally what these and other Papists have avouched in words Pope Pius the fourth maketh good de facto in deed by whose authority the Trent Creed is published with Pij 4. Bulla annâ— 1564. twelve articles also as a parallell to the Apostles Creed and urged with as authenticall injunction First to beleeve the doctrine of traditions 2 The authority of the Church of Rome to expound the Scriptures 3 that there are seven Sacraments 4 all the points concerning originall sinne and justification as they are defined by the Councill of Trent 5 The Masse and that it is offered a propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead 6 Transubstantiation and that the Lords Supper is to be received but in one kind 7 Purgatory and prayer for the dead 8 Invocation or praying to the dead as also worshipping of Saints and their Relâ—ques 9 The adoration of Images 10 Indulgences 11 The Popes Supremacy namely that the Romane is the mother mistres mater magistra of all Churches and that the Pope is Peters successour and Christs Vicar and finally to beleeve all the definitions of all Oecumenicall Councills but especially of their last of that of Trent And that these are the Catholike faith extra quam nemo salvus esse potest which except a man do beleeve he cannot be saved The subscription running as peremptorily as if they were the very Dictates of the Apostles or of Christ himselfe Profiâ—â—or spondeo voveo juro that is I professe I doe beleeve promise vow and sweare that I will obey all these Articles of the Catholike faith This man therefore who contradicteth old Lawes maketh new Lawes and breaketh all lawe I thinke I may lawfully call him lawlesse and conclude him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very Antichrist Thus these lawes of God both of constraint and consent both Scripture and the Creed are infringed by this man of sinne without impediment with like facility doth this hornet break through those cobwebs humane lawes be they oecumenicall for all nations or oeconomicall for all families Those lawes of nations are of two sorts when faith is either contracted betwixt equals by an oath or exacted from inferiours by Allegiance Each way is no way to bind the Pope who is everie way boundlesse and lawlesse The law of oathes is so generall amongst nations as that all nations observe them as most sacred and inviolable in so much that Pagans would not infringe them Regulus would be rather tortured than perjured though he could have escaped by breach of oath It was Aristotles saying that he who did double in his oath for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sweare with a mentall addition Arist Rhetor. 18. ad Alex. hath neither feare of Gods vengeance nor shame of mans reproofe and Dionysius in Plutarch was condemned by all whose saying was that children were to be mocked with toyes and men with oathes Surely it shall be easier for those Pagans at that day then for some Christians Some Christians said Matchiavell make oaths Matchiav Hist Flor. lib. 3. obligations not equall to profit they use oaths not to observe them but rather to deceive those that put their trust in them And I take it that no one thing hath done such harme and brought such shame to Chriâ—â—â—â—dome as this particular Simancha teacheth very solemnely Simancha Inâ—â—it Cath. cap 4. art 14. edit Hiss Fides data haereticis non est servanda nec a privato nec a magistratibus quod exemplo Concilij Constantiensis probatur Nam Iohannes Huss Hieromus legitima slamma concremati sunt quamvis permissa illis securitas est Promises quoth he are not to bee kept with Heretikes neither by private men nor yet by publike Magistrates He proveth it by a precedent froÌ„ the Councill of Constance by whom Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage were legally burned although from theÌ„ they had received a safe conduct Trâ—nt Hist lib. 1. And the same had beene practised on Luther also at the Diet of Wormes in the yeare 1521 had not the noble disposition of Charles 5 the Emperor and the plaine opposition of Lewis the noble Elector Palatine preserved him Finally Becanus doth avouch Perjury by a maxime juramentum non est vinculum iniquitatis that is an oath is no obligation of iniquity iniquitie he esteemeth it for a Papist to performe his promise to an Heretike or a Protestant although hee sealed it by swearing an oath which all sober men suppose to bee the surest and most solemne obligation of all others yet of all others the Popes themselves are the most remarkeble patternes and patrons of perjurie About the yeare 1080 Rodolphus duke of Saxony instigated by Pope Hildebrand or Gregory 7 to rebell against Henry 3 the Emperor joyned battell with him wherein having his soldâ—â—â—s cut in peeces and his hand Pless myster Opposit 40. cut off Loe said he to his friends and followers with this hand I plighted my troth to my Leige Lord Henry but the Popes authority importunity urged me to the breach of that oath and now in the same hand I have received my deaths wound and so be dyed On the two and twentieth of May 1526 Trent Hist lib. 1. there was a confederacy betwixt Pope Clemens 7 Francis 1 of France and the Princes of Relation of the Religion in the West Sect. 15. Italy against Charles 5 the Emperor under the name of the most Holy League wherein the King was absolved from his Oath taken in Trent Hist lib. 5. Spaine And some thinke the Pope had promised the King to dispence with that Oath before hee made it vpon the hope whereof hee also tooke it Anno 1556 Paulus 4 by Cardinall Caraffa perswaded Henry 2 of France to breake his league and oath made with Spaine though the Princes of the Blood and the Grandies of that Kingdome abhorred the infamie of oath-breaking yet he received absolution from the Pope and such an overthrow from the Spaniard at Saint Quintin that it made his whole Kingdome to tremble and totter Instances are infinite I will adde onely two one most remarkable the other most miserable The first
the height of disobedience rebellion and to the height of rebellion perjurie Morn Myst Progres 41. persidie and parricide Mathilda was instrument to Pope Vrbane 2 whereby Conradus was incited to an insurrection against the Emperour Henry 3 anno 1091. And about Morn Myst Progres 42. 1100 the same Henry 3 had another sonne afterward Henry 4 instigated by Pope Pascal 2 who surprised him at a treatie permitted his Father to begge a Clerkeshâ—p in Saint Maries Church at Spire whereof himselfe had beene the Founder of the Bishop of Spire to whom he had beene Patron by whom he was most churlishly rejected Through the griefe whereof and of other occurrences the noble Emperour died And his sonne Henry 4 Paulus Deacon â—ib 4. cap. 38. though he kâ—lled him yet could not bury him but he lay without a grave for many yeeres together for so the Pope did injoyne it Concerning Mariage from marying they are inhibited if maried divorced such as are under the Popes Iurisdiction I will give one instance to affirme each and a third to avouch both Gregory 7 was infinitely incensed Sigonius lib. 9. de Reg. Italiae that Mathilda was wedded to Atestanus the Marquesse of Azan and the next yeare divorced her under pretence of neernesse of kindred whereas nothing was more common with him than to dispence with degrees of neerer affinitie Innocent 3 divorced Ralph Earle of Vermandois from his first wife that he might assume a second Petronilla the sister unto the Queene of France Of which lawlesse act Saint Bernard did complaine God saith he did Bernard Epist 216. ad Innocent joyne Ralph and his wife by the Ministerie of the Church Quo modo quos Ecclesia conjunxit Cumera disjunxit How could the Popes Chamber put a sunder those whom Gods Church hath joyned together Bernard might have satisfied his demand out of Saint Paul in this Text. The Pope did doe it because hee was and is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawlesse and therefore not tyed to give an account of his actions Finally foure hundred yeares after that anno 1556 Pope Paul 4 sent a monitorie to Dame Ioan of Arragon wife of Ascanius Columna that she should Trent Hist lib. 8. not marry any of her daughters without his leave or if shee did the matrimony though consummated should be made void Some peradventure will here interpose a diminution that though the Pope bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is he withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though hee outleapeth the Lawes of God and man yet he will consine himselfe to his owne Constitutions to those conclusions which himselfe hath established either privately in his Conclave or publikely in the Councils Bee it so this is no hedge to his lawlesse out-leapes for in bâ—th these hee will leave a gappe for his free egresse The Councills are proponent ibus Legatis salva semper authoritate sedis Apostolicae with caution not to touch the hemme of his Primacie And for the Conclave it is a Quarrells of Paul â— with Veniâ—e lib. 1. thing without doubt quoth that judicious Author of that Venetian story in the Court of Rome that the Cardinalls voices are taken in Consistorie onely in appearance and by way of ceremony in as much as they are never informed of the affaires wherof they are to treat so that the Popes goe with assurance to propound in Consistorie whatsoever is to their humour grounded upon the custome which is amongst the Cardinalls to consent to al that is proposed which is openly derided in the Court of Rome changing the latine word by the figure of agnomination assentiri into assentari Howsoever were the Popes Conclave and Council-conclusions faire and farre from fraud when they are constituted yet are they but twine-threeds to their Prerogative they cannot binde it In that contention 1605 betwixt the Pope and Venice The Venetians The quarrels of Paul 5 with the Venetians pleaded for their action the Law of Nature Possession for a 1000 yeares and the Popes approbation by his owne Breves extant in their publike Archiues This threefold cord was easily broken and Paul the fift commanded the revoking of that Venetian Law although the Popes owne Breves did establish them Neither are their Councills any thing stronger Sigonius do Reg. lib. 6. Baron An. 897. Artic. 2. Pope Formosus was by Pope Steven in a Councill digged out of his grave condemned and censured about 900. After whom Pope Iohn 10 in another Councill at Ravenna did abrogate that act of his predecessour and that Councill which concurred in the countenancing and commanding that action Finally the Pope himselfe Paschal the second shall determine this question who said if Aventine Avent lib. 6. say true debere homines pro legibus habere quae dicat that men ought to esteeme The Popes words to bee their Lawes As much is here said by the Pope as I can say of the Pope although I give him that name which Saint Paul giveth to Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lawlesse person From hence let understanding men conceive what manner of arguments the Papists can vse to perswade them to their parties Doe they dispute from the Scriptures Alas the Pope doth dispence with the Scripture and make his Decrees equall to the Scriptures Doe they plead an Article of Faith The Pope doth contradict the old Creed and hath made a new Creed May persons prevaile with thee their reverend and learned Priests the best of them if an absolute Papist is but the Popes creature and like Balaam Num. 22. 38. He hath power to speake nothing but what his God the Pope doth put in his mouth Doth thy child intreat thee or thy wife intice thee The Pope can cancell the bonds of Nature and of wedlocke His agents can make thy wise undutifull and thy childe unnaturall Or doe those awefull motives to an honest heart oathes move Alas alas if thou couldest see all the blood which the Pope hath caused to be shed by breaking of oathes the Thames would seeme to bee but a Channell compared to that Ocean In a word when thou canst trust a man who neither obeyeth the scripture nor keepeth an oath then beleeve the Pope and Popish â— ill then my Tongue shall tell you what my heart doth pray for you The Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who breaketh all Lawes Humane and Divine Therefore From that lawlesse awelesse faithlesse gracelesse Man of Sin Good Lord deliver us SERMON XV. 2 THESS 2. 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming The Destruction of Antichrist The beginning of Reformation Poperie may return into England Popery may not be put downe by force of Armes The finall destruction of the Pope uncertaine Popery shall not be extinguished till the last day The destruction of Rome THis part of this verse containeth the third part of this Discourse