to be more probable viz. that which was published at the Synode of Reignsburg by Everard Archbishop of Salsburg That the Pope by saying Errare non possum I cannot Erre doth say as much as if he had sayd plainly Deus sum in Templo Dei I sit as God in the Temple of God These Erring Paradoxes of the Popes unerring Prerogative to some other inferiour usurpations in the Church Directions are as the sonnes of Anak compared to the Grasse-hoppers Notwithstanding these may not be omitted Nec vox hominem sonat some part of Christs owne power is trenched into by these also Bishops are directours to the Church but Frier Hist Trent lib. pag. 599. Simon a Florentine sayd that every spirituall power dependeth on that of the Pope And that every Bishop might say I have received of hic fulnesse And he is Episcopus Episcoporum the Bishop of all Bâ—shops say their sacred Ceremonies Sacr. Cerem lib. 1. fol. 129. or the Great Wheele in the great worke of directing the Church without whose motion all the directive authority of all the Bishops in the world besides is plainly immoveable Finally the Councils have beene esteemed to have the chiefest authority of directing the Church next to Christ But now therein the Pope is to the Church as the Church is to the moone Rev. 12. 1. He keepeth it under his feet Besides what I have already delivered of this point to this purpose Heare the beginning of their great Trent Councill The Bishop of Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 133. Bitonto anno 1545 invited in his Sermon the whole world to submit it selfe to that Councill which if it did not then might it bee justly said That the Popes light is come into the world and men loved darknesse better than light Blasphemously mis-applying that to the Pope which the holy Ghost doth apply to Christ Iohn 3. 19. And at the end of the same Synode in the last Session it being propounded whether the Confirmation of that Councill did depend on his Holinesse All those holy Fathers did say Amen Three onely excepted Or if any mention the Creeds as a shorter directour or neerer to Christ than the Councills Know we moreover that the Pope hath composed a new Creed proposed it to the whole Church as necessary to salvation and imposed it on the Bishops especially by the obligation of an oath This was the Act of Pope Pius the fourth and is the History of Onuphrius in the Onuphr in Vit. Pij 4. lise of the same Pope Hence therefore from two propositions of one of our owne learned Countrymen implying Mr. Mountague his Appeale part 2. cap. 15. the assumptions of them fully cleared I will frame one conclusion which would God al our CountrymeÌ„ would take into their serious considerations To dissent from the Rule or to propose any thing as Credendum against the Rule is Antichristian Give me leave to insert this parenthesis and he who doth so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Antichrist But the Pope c. Ergo. Againe Mr. Mountagu Appeale part 2. cap. 3. the prerogative of Not erring doth advance a man into his Makers seat Therefore the Pope is advanced into his Makers seat Therfore The Pope is an Antichrist yea even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the phrase of my Text Hee as God sitteth in the Temple of God Secondly The Pope doth direct all yet is not direction all the Rule which the Pope usurpeth over the Church Directtion may be genile it perswadeth but direction by way of command it is coercive it constreyneth And this way also doth the Pope rule the Church Hence Turrecrem lib. 2. cup. 107. the Papists stile his See magistra mater fidei the mother and Mistresse of their Faith Againe the Evangelists command beleefe on the paine of damnation To imply the Papall command to be such the Pope is termed by one Humble Gabriel Evangelista 5 the fift Evangelist Baron to 6. appendice Capistr fol 1. ex Distinct 19. Cap. Sic omnis Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 3. ca. 10. Trent Hist lib. 7. Pope Clement 8 did not reject it Nay Baronius doth approve it Yea the ordinances of the Pope are to bee imbraced tanquam ipsius Dei as the ordinances of God himselfe And Bellarmine the industrious qualifier of all Popish paradoxes doth say Verbum Pontificis docentis è Cathedra est aliquo modo verbum Dei that is The word of the Pope out of the Chaire is in some sort the word of God But Laynez more plainly and peremptorily saith that that saying of Saint Matthew 18. 17. He who will not heare the Church is to be esteemed as an Heathen is to bee understood there of the Pope And that the suffrages of these Authors may not be shifted of as private opinions heare a full Councill that of Trent a Councill which was the mouth of the Pope as the Pope was the head of that Councill Omnibus Christi fidelibus interdicit ne posthaec de sanctissima Eucharistia aliter Concil Trid. Sess 3. sub Iul. 3. pag. 108. B. credere dicere aut praedicare audeant quam est in praesent hoc decreto definitum Such a command as Christ himselfe cannot give a greater The matter the Eucharist one point whereof the same Council coÌ„fesseth to be contrary to divine institution The manner to beleeve to command beleefe is proper to God The measure that they should not Dare to beleeve an imperious command And the men Omnibus all Princes and People Now to command all the Church not to dare to beleeve what God instituted I take it to be imperious without parallell And thus doth the Pope as Christ Rule in the Church of Christ Thirdly to direct and by way of command is to direct and command but man onely But to direct by way of countermand is to set his face against heaven and to controll God himselfe Now to make up this measure of sinne and to make plaine who is the man of sinne this doth the Pope also Herein observe what they say he can doe and what hee hath done That of the Canonists is common The whites way sect 30. p 1. 125. Pope hath fulnesse of power to dispence against the Apostles against the old and new Testament Trent Hist lib. 7. D. Cornelius in a disputation at Trent brought the authority of the said Canonists that the Pope may dispence against the Canons against the Apostles and against all the Law of God except the Articles of Faith and Laynez concludeth Trent Hist lib. 8. as roundly It cannot be denied that Christ had Power to dispence in every law therefore it must be confessed that the Pope his Vicar hath the Bell. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 14. same authority Bellarmine I acknowledge doth mince this point The Pope saith he non potest dispensare contra sed juxta Apostolum
such a thing by the authority of God and Saint Peter and Paul nostra and by mine owne authority Here were a complement of coequall commanding power betwixt Christ and his Vicar if the Pope would have used but one Rhetoricall flower one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which did once grow in his owne Cardinalls Garden and have sayd Ego Deus meus I and my God as hee once said Ego Rex meus I and my King Howsoever they going thus hand in hand and being apparelled in the same commanding power wee can hardly distinguish betwixt the Man and his Master hardly discerne the Vicar of Christ from the person of Christ if wee credit their owne positions we may conclude that the Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ Neither doe they much descend from this transcendent power in their ordinary positions The Papists doe ordinarily preach that Mason de min. Angl. lib. 4. ca. 3. the Church is like a City wherein there is but one Fountaine that Fountaine doth import to great rivers the rivers to the lesser brookes and the brookes to the channels and conduit pipes which disperse the water to the severall families through the citie but still with an Item that all the water runneth from that one Fountaine The Pope say they is the Fountaine the Patriarks Metropolitans and Archbishops those great Rivers the Bishops the lesser brookes and the little Channels and conduit pipes are the Priests Monkes and other inferiour Ministers yet so that salva semper Ecclesiae catholicae authoritate all Papists acknowledge that all their power is derived unto them from the Pope that singular Fountaine this also they explaine by distinctions Christ say they said unto Peter Matth. 16. Mason de Min. Angl. lib. 4. ca. 3. 19. To thee will I give the keyes of Heaven Marke say they Christ did not promise unto Saint Peter clavem a key but claves two keyes scientiae potestatis one of knowledge the other of power By the key of knowledge he doth open the doore of the Scripture absolving all mysteries and resolving all controversies By the other key of power he doth open the doore of the Church either by ordination admitting Pastors into it or by Iurisdiction commanding injoyning or correcting the inferiors in it or expelling the disobedient from it having power over them all in all cases both in foro externo in their Courts by Excommunication Absolution Dispensation and Injunction as also in foro interno in their consciences to remit or retaine sinnes Now what servant dare refuse to runne on the errand of such a master And surely so it is The Pope himselfe sitteth at Rome where at his feet are resident the Generalls of all Orders through the world The Generalls under them have severall Provincialls in all Kingdomes The Provincialls under them severall Priours in all Covents And the Priours have every person in their severall companies at their becks and instant behests Thus the Pope as the great wheele doth infuse or inforce a speedy motion into every nimble instrument Sic volo sic jubeo stat pro ratione voluntas The Popes Secretaries are called and there is written according to all which the Pope doth command unto the Lieutenants and Governors and Rulers over every Province of every people in the name of the Pope is it written and the Letters are sent by the Postes into all the Provinces and so forth as followeth Ester 3. 12 13. If ever there was a Sic dicit Dominus from God if ever an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from man this Papall injunction is the shadow of the one and the substance of the other No State in the world doth dispatch their Addresses through the world with like awfull severity and carefull celerity And this also doth shew that the Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ In the phrase of my text Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God This is sat is pro imperio The Pope doth command But may he not goe without Hee doth give injunction But doth he receive submission Incomparably The Obedience of the Romane Regulars was admirable if it were warrantable and conscionable Well may he be termed their Head for never were members so pliable to the Head as the Papists are to the Pope I admire their obedience as much as I do detest the drift thereof The Pope may truly use so much of the Centurions phrase Luke 7. 8 I have men under me and say to one goe and hee doth goe to another come and he doth come and to my Servant doe this and he doth it Take a taste of all their professours from the profession of one learned Papist They are the last words of Malvenda's long discourse concerning Malvenda lib. 11 cap. 9. Antichrist Nos totos ingenium cogitationes studia lucubrationes scriptionem hanc integram omnia nostra ad sacrosancti Apostolici Principis Christi Vicarij Successoris Petri Romani Pontisicis pedes sanctissimos submittimus venerabundi procumbimus My translation cannot expresse the emphasis of his devout submission Yet thus I translate it With all reverence I prostrate my learning and thoughts my day studies and night watchings all my writings all that I am and all that I have before the most holy feet of the thrice holy Pope the Successour of Peter the Vicar of Christ and the Apostolicall Prince Neither doth their practice give the lye to his promise If a precept come from the Pope by the Provincialls to any particular person they presently performe it As Luthers phrase is they are no Quaeristae they doe not examine but execute the Popes injunction To delay they esteeme disobedience to inquire curiosity to dispute insolence and to deny rebellion as the sinne of witchcraft Though it bee to take a journey into China or Peru. Nay a strange obedience If the Pope command to excommunicate a Queene he shall not want a Papist to publish it though he be hang'd for it If the Pope command to murther a King he shal have a Iacobine to stab him though he be tortured for it And if the Pope doth breathe out threatnings against a Church that he would blow up a Nation with a blast of Gun-powder Instantly Iesuites will abet it and Iesuited will act it though their quarters be poled up for a spectacle and perpetuall monument of their gracelesse obedience and matchlesse trechery And thus also doth the Pope as Christ yea more than Christ ever did Rule in the Church of Christ That is Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God But if these injunctions bee not obeyed but refused scrupulously or rejected resolutely what then Then such incurre correction insufferable with an awfull apprehension unutterable as it were under the hand even of Christ himselfe I take it to bee a principle in Popery to esteeme it so Hence at the Councill Trent Hist lib. 8. of
whether this be not a most partiall judgement Secondly wee all concurre that the sense of the Scriptures is more than the letter of the Scripture but the Pope giveth the sense thereof and God onely the letter Concerning the Scriptures therefore the Papists ascribe more to the Pope than they doe to GOD himselfe Which was wisely concluded at the conclusion of the Councill of Trent by Hugo Bishop Trent Hist lib. 8. Bestice that no law doth consist in the termes but in the meaning not in that which the Vulgar or Grammarians give it but in that which Vse Authority doe confirme that Lawes have no power but that which is given them by him who governeth and hath the care to execute them that he by his exposition may give them a more ample or a more straite sense yea a contrary vnto that which the words import This certainly cannot bee to love the Gospell but to use the Gospell to serve their owne turnes I retort their owne words on their owne Dutif Consid 3. cap. 2. persons It commeth to passe that that Word which was given as a Pillar of fire to direct lighten them in all Verity is turned into a Piller of Smoake so darkening and infatuating their Vnderstanding that they rush headlong into all kinde of Heresie As Areas the Spartan Generall by the smoake of Houses which Iust Hist lib. 24. Sect. 1. himselfe had fired blinded himselfe and his owne Souldiers Conspectum sibi suisque abstulit saith Iustin in that History Even so the Church of Rome rejecting the love of the Gospell being blinded with the love of their owne errours have cast themselves into the armes of Antichrist and are inextricably inthralled by the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse I have discovered the minde of those that embrace Antichrist they have the Gospell but they have no minde to it they doe not love the Gospell Next followeth the end why they love Antichrist but not the Gospell Negatively Ne salvi fierent the neglect of their salvation Their salvation doe they neglect not absolutely but comparatively As before they did not absolutely reject the Gospell but the love of the Gospell that is they did love some earthly commodity better then this heavenly treasure So here they doe not grosely reject their salvation but there is some Person Profit Pompe Pleasure or Preferment There is something which they preferre before it or the meanes thereof They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved To propose an authenticall exposition I will take the sense as it is expounded by a learned Papist Dr. Steuard on this place Saint Paul saith he doth speake of such men Steuartius in 2 Thes 2. at are mentioned by our Saviour Iohn 5. 44. How can yee beleeve which receive honor of one another seek not the honor which cōmeth of God only Quasi diceret Dominus perditionis multorum causam esse Ambitionem ne Christo credentes ad veritat is lumen pervenient That is Ambition is the cause that many receive not the Truth that they might be saved Which hee confirmeth out of Hilary Immoderati animi affectus saepe mentem de suo statu deijciunt ne veritatem agnoscant neque cognitam sequantur That is the immoderate affections such as Ambition doe put the minde out of frame that it cannot know the truth nor follow it being knowne To which wee may adde woefull examples Pappus de Haeresibus pag. 194. c. Thebutes refused the love of the truth and did spread his Errours in Iury Valentinus in Egypt Novatus in Affrica Aetius in Antiochia Donatus in Numidia and Arius throughout the World All forgetting Damnosum lucrum Erasmus in Luk. 4. est quod pietatis jactura emitur What advantage will it bee for a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his owne soule Mat. 16. 26. Yet to them was Honour what the Sparrowes dung was to old Tobit 2. 10. It put out their eies whereby they could not see or would not see the Truth at least the love of the Truth that they might be saved Such and so Ambitious is the See of Rome as any that ever the Sunne showne on To make this plaine ponder what the Pope was and what he is The Pope of Rome was a Bishop at first over many Ministers in one City next a Metropolitane over many Bishops in one Province after that a Patriarke over many Metropolitanes in one Diocesse for the Romanes had seven Provinces in one Diocesse Finally hee attained to bee Occumenicall Patriarke of the whole world But now hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 climed higher then the top of the Ladder Ecce duo gladij hic hee doth usurpe a double Supremacy both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall He will be Lord Paramount in all Causes and over all Persons under the cope of heaven Now when our English tooke Saint Domingo Cambden anno 1583. in India amongst many memorable things they sound in the Towne-house the Armes of the King of Spaine under them was painted an Orbe or Picture of the World with a pransing Horse spreading his fore-feet over the Verges thereof with this Motto Non sufficit Orbis that is the World is too little for me A Posie passing fit for the Pope Non sufficit Orbis the World cannot suffice his Ambition Nay the Latine appetite doth equall that Chrysin 1 Thes 1. 8. Gracian Dropsie even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a world of worlds cannot content him So that we may speak of the Pope what a Pope once spake of his Cardinalls Benedict the 12. being on a time moved to create more Cardinals answered that he was prest to performe their petition provided Si modo novum mundum creare posset provided that it were in his power also to create a new world for the world which now was would hardly suffice those Cardinals who were now In a word the world will not suffice the Popes Ambition This therefore I suppose sufficient to shew that the Pope is Ambitious To adde plenty of proofes to the plainnesse thereof I suppresse the grosse sayings of his Clawbacks and Canonists I will quote onely the Controversie-writers who we know can and doe blanch the most notorious absurdities of the Papacie Thus they speake Primatus Pontificis est Bell. de Rom. Pont. Praef. summa totius rei Christianae Bellarmine placeth the summe of our Christian Religion in the Superiority of the Pope Suarez doth professe Suarez Apol. Prooem as much in his Preface to his Apologie On the Popes dignity doth depend Salus Ecclesiae the safety of the Church Martinus Alphonsus M. Alphons Praef. Apol. Suaris a Mello raiseth this one note higher Sumi Pontificis est potestas supranaturalis it is saith he a Supernaturall power which wee must acknowledge to bee in the Pope Yea saith Lessius it Lessius de Ant. Dem. 14. is granted by the Princes
Sive Suarez Apol. lib. 5. 6. 17. nu 7. vere sive falso sive metaphorice be he a true false or metaphoricall god such as Princes are said to be saith Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omne quod colitur sive superstitiose sive religiose either religiously or superstitiously saith the same Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum extollendi Suarez Apol. lib. 5. c. 17. nu 11 significat excessum arrogantiam usurpationem by exalting is meant an excessive arrogant usurpation over God and all things belonging to God According unto which our English Rhemists seeme to state the question and controversie Rhemists in 2 Thess 2. 4. Sect. 11. betwixt us Who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped That is Antichrist shall abolish all religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians and shall suffer none no not God but himselfe to bee worshipped alone A most grossely absurd exposition as it may be made manifest foure wayes First it contradicteth reason in reason if a seducer should plainly professe and proclaime himselfe to be greater than God would any be so stupide and senselesse to be seduced by him If a mortall wretch should exalt himselfe above the great and true God men would rather deride him for his folly imprison him for his phrensie and stone him for his blasphemy than to follow such a foolish frantick and blasphemous Impostor Secondly it doth contradict his name who is named Antichristus that is The Adversary of Christ and not Antitheus that is the Adversary of God which should be his proper name if directly or expressely to exalt himselfe above the true God were his true propertie Thirdly this is contrary to their owne popish positions Antichrist say the Papists shall be a Iew how then shall he abolish the Iewish religion Againe they affirme that he shall be a Magician and that hee shall worship the Devill Therefore Antichrist shall not exalt himself supra omnem Deum above every God not above the god of this world And finally this interpretation is contrary to this very Text. The superlative of all his excessive properties is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he shall rule as God and shew that he is God this is the height of his audacious incomparable arrogance but that incredible impossible unlimited insolence that a man shall exalt himselfe above God we must leave this as a phrensie and fiction to wave the imputation of other franticke and fabulous paradoxes which they are unwilling to acknowledge much lesse to reclaime Having rejected their exposition we proceed to our owne Above all that is called God in the originall some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every thing which is called God and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person which is called God The first reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errour of the Printer contrary to the most Greeke copies as it is acknowledged by M. Beza himselfe With the warrant Beza in â— Thâ—s 2. 4. therefore of the most copies we follow the latter reading and the interpretation of our late Soveraigne now with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex Iacobus Praemonit the persons whom the Scriptures doe call Gods are Princes and Magistrates Psal 82. 6. Dixi Dij estis I have called you Gods Which exposition is affirmed by a learned French Bishop Pater omnium Deus dâ—citur est at Irenâ—â—s lib 3. cap. 6. non super hunc extolletur Antichrist us sed super eos qui dicuntur quidem sed non sunt dij The Father of all things saith he is called God and is God but Antichrist shall not exalt himselfe above him but above them who indeed are called gods but are not in deed Which Exposition is also confirmed by as learned an English Bishop Ecqua nervosior consequentia quam ut dicantur Andrewes Apol. cap. 9. Dij ab Apostolo quos Deus ipse dixit dâ—os in Psalmo Can there be a more strong consequence than to collect that those are called Gods by Saint Paul in this Text whom God himselfe doth call gods in the Psalmes And if the Apostle had not alluded unto some whom the Scripture doth call gods hee might with like facility have written that Antichrist should exalt himselfe supra omne quod est vel saltem supra omne quod vel est vel dicitur Deus above all that is or at least above all that either is or that is called God Here then S. Paul saith not that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is God to wit by nature but above all which is called God to wit in title which is proper unto Kings The meaning of the first member of this distribution is this Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God that is above all Kings and Princes The second member is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is worshipped which indeed doth signifie quod colitur the object of any kinde of worship or thing worshipped as Altars Idols c. as it is rightly rendred by Bellarmine out of the Acts Bell. de Pont. Rom. 314. 17. 23. and Wisdome 15. 17. This acception of the word though it be true yet it is improper to this place because the letter doth run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra omnem qui dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every person not above every thing which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in the text I take to bee a synonima signifying the same thing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 25 of the Acts 21 and 25. where it is expounded Augustus The sense being that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe above the Emperor For he speaketh of such an exaltation whereby Antichrist should be revealed as he was to be hindered for a time by the Romane Emperour The sense of all is this Antichrist exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is Antichrist doth exalt himselfe above all Kings and above all Emperours Such an one is the Pope if there ever was is or shall bee such an one under Heaven But in so plaine a cause to deale freely with them This sense I say is true yet their owne interpretation may exactly be fitted to the Pope First take the name of God metaphorically for Bishops and Kings The Pope is avouched by all Papists to be Episcopus Oecumenicus the universall bishop of the World and by some to be solus Episcopus the Onely bishop And Suarez Apolog. li. 5. ca. 17. nu 12 his authority over Kings and Emperours Suarez calleth jus suum his right and proper indowment For false Gods those of the Heathen had power limited the Pope unlimited With them Neptune ruled the Sea Ceres the Earth Iupiter Heaven and Pluto Hell But the Pope hath three Crownes to shew his power in three places in Heaven Earth and Hell And for the
provided that they did not deny the Principles that is the Primacy of the Apostolike See c. Pius 4 did offer the Cambd. Annal. anno 1 560. p. 59 same to England by Parpalias Abbot of St. Saviours And Pope Paul 4 did tender unto Tort. Torti pag. 142. Queene Elizabeth leave and liberty to use all the points of Religion as wee then did and now doe enjoy them Modo in Primatum ipsius consentire velletâ—â— onely if shee would give place to his Primacy Consonant to which is Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 164. that Caveat which Paul 3 gave to his Legates at the Councill of Trent that they should by no meanes permit the Popes authority to be disputed of Thus the maine drift of the Pope is to advance the Papacy I may therefore advance him to one Title more He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that advanceth himselfe more than all the world beside The Act we finde apparent that the Pope doth exalt himselfe The object followeth to be inquired after over whom doth hee exalt himselfe Over all but first over Kings in the phrase of my Text above all that is called God Concerning which consider we their Positions and their Practice Their Positions I thinke none can deliver more truly than their most learned Cardinall Bellarmine Who doth plainly professe both what authority the Pope doth take from Princes and also what authority hee doth exercise upon Princes Which is exaltation enough above Kings and all that is worshipped We say Bell. de Pont. Rom. lib 2. c. 26. saith Bellarmine that the Pope cannot be judged by any Prince or Prelate on the earth â— neque ab omnibus simul in concilio congregatis no not by all the Princes Prelates in the world though in a Councill Asserimus it is our position saith Bell. lib. 5. cap. 6. initio he againe that although the Pope hath no meere temporall power yet in ordine ad bonum spirituale for a spirituall purpose hee hath Power disponendi de temporalibus omnium ChristianoruÌ„ to dispose of the temporalls of all Christian persons And that wee may not mistake him let Bellarmine expresse his owne meaning Potest mutare regna uni auferre ac alteri conferre the Pope saith he hath power to dispose Bell. de Pont. Ro. lib 5. cap. 6. versiâ—a sinem of Kingdomes to give them to some and to take them away from others Or let a Pope confirme the position of their Cardinall Nos Dominus inter Principes imo supra Principes sedere voluit judicare de Principibus saith Pope Innocent Innocent 3 lib. 2. epâ—st 188 3 that is It is Gods will that the Popes should sit among Princes yea above Princes and to bee Trent Hist lib. 4. 314. Trent Hist lib. 5. 395. Iudges of Princes Anno 1551 Iulius 3 told the Embassadour of Henry 2 if the King tooke Parma from him that he would take France from the King Paul 4 at his Table publikely said Hee would not have any Prince for his Companion but all subject under his feet So hee sayd striking his foot against the ground Which is as nobly seconded by Becanus in his Treatise Novus Homo pag. 133. termed Anglicana Controversia the Pope saith he is universall Shepheard of the Church according Ioh. 21. 16. to the Scripture Pasce â—ves feed my sheepe Per Canes intelligantur Reges and the Kings are the Dogges of that Shepheard Therfore so long as those Dogges or Kings are watchfull Pastori ad maâ—â—me esse debent they must waite upon the Pope or Shepheard But if they become idle the Shepheard But if they become idle the Shepheard may turne theÌ„ away ab officio submovendi sunt Againe which is lesse materiall but more authenticall a Taxa Caâ—era Apostolicae part 2. cap. 9. Queene may not adopt a child nor a King exact contributions from his Cleargy without a Licence from the great Clearke of Rome and their Synode of Trent 1563 returned this answer to Trent Hist lib. 8. the French Embassadours saying that Kings are given by God that his was Hereticall and condemned by a Pope Bonifacius 8 in this Extravagant unam sanctam If he did not distinguish that they were from God but by the mediation of his Vicar Finally Carerius concludeth all these premises Carer de Potest Rom. Pont. lib. 1. cap. 3. with an egregious Comment upon Ieremy 1. 10. Behold I have set thee over Nations c. This saith he doth the Prophet speake in the person of Christ unto the Bishop of Rome that if Kings be wicked he may punish and correct them Of whom I may truly say Plus quam regnare videtur cui it a liceat censuram agere regnantium Monarchomach part 1. Tit. 2. pag. 89. Certainly the Pope is more than a Prince who taketh upon him so to censure Princes The text doth frame him a fit title it is the Pope who doth exalt himselfe above all that is called God All which premises are come to a complement The Quarrels of Paul 5 lib. 4. pag. 206. and complete conclusion in our age Anno 1606. in the contentions betwixt Pope Paul 5 and the State of Venice the current doctrine and consent of the Romane writers concurred in this That the Temporall power of Princes is subordinate to the power Ecclesiasticall and subject to it Consequently that the Pope hath authority to deprive Princes of their estates for their faults and errours which they commit in their government Yea though they have not committed any fault when the Pope shall judge it fit for the good of the Church This is related and avouched by a Venetian who was no ProtestaÌ„t but lived and dyed in the outward communion with the Church of Rome Their Practice doth make good these Positions Hist Albing lib. 1. cap. 3. About 1209 the Legate under Pope Innocent 3 commanded Remond the Earle of Toulouze to performe a penance for the Murther of Frier Peter de Chateancuf whom hee neither killed nor caused to bee killed in forme following He commanded the same Earle to strippe himselfe starke naked onely having linnen breeches without the Church of St. Giles Then he put a stole about his necke by which he led him nine times about the grave of the said Fryer Afterward he scourged him in the presence of many Earles Barons and Prelates And finally having forced him to abâ—ure the Relâ—gâ—on of the Albingenses he constrained the miserable man to goe Captaine over the Souldiers of the Crosse against those poore persecured Protestants in Beziers The vsage of a more noble man than this Dr. Beard de Antich pag 76. was yet more ignoble Francis Dandalus Duke of Venice was chained like a Dogge and did eate meat with the Dogges under the Popes Table Anno 1563 Pius 4 cited Ioane Queene of Hist Trent lib. 8 Navarre to appeare within sixe moneths to
in this that the Emperors must sweare to be subâ—ect to the Pope Thus was it taken by Lewis the sonne of Charles the great to Paschal the first by Otho the first to Iohn the twelfth by Henry the fourth to Gregory the seventh by Fredericke the third to Nicholas the fifth by Charles the fifth to Clement the seventh and finally by our King Iohn to Pope Innocent Adde hereunto that the Emperour doth Sacreâ— Cerem lib. 1. fol. 26 35 54 56 113 120 163 c. perforce serv le offices to the Pope Hee must beare up his Traine when the Pope doth walke Hold his Stirrup when he doth ride hee must support his Chaire with his shoulder when hee is caried poure water on his hands when hee doth wash and when he doth eate the Emperour must bring in the first dish and present the first cup to his Holinesse his Highnesse wee may terme it for he doth Exalt himselfe above the Emperors in an high measure And as the Pope doth testifie his exaltation historically to our â—ares so doth he represent it also emblematically to our eyes The Pope hath a Triple Diadem Dr. Sheldon Mot 4. pag. 51. which some say doth signifie that the Romane Emperor doth receive three Crowns from him one of Iron at Aquisgrave another of Silver at Millane and the third of Gold at Rome I may censure this action of the Pope in the phrase of a servant of the Pope Too many crowns Monarchomach part 1. Tit. 5. so purchased to expect any in Heaven Innocent the second caused his owne and the Emperors Picture to be set up in the Laterane Palace himselfe sitting in his Pontificall Throne and the Emperour kneeling before him and holding up his hands with this inscription Rex venit ante fores jurans prius Vrbis honores Post homo sit Papae sumit quo dante Coronam That is When the King of the Romanes is elected he attendeth on the Pope who first administring him an Oath to become his man or servant doth afterwards give him the Imperiall Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. sect 4. fol. 48. Trent Hist lib. 8. Crowne But his prime insolence is without peradventure that oath of Allegiance Hence I conceive it came to passe anno 1563 that Ferdinand the King of the Romanes demanded the words of the Oath which when he had perused he refused saying that Thereby he should confesse himselfe to be the Vassall of the Pope This is the universall insolence of the Pope to bring under both Kings and Emperours That is to exalt himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped I will deliver plainly what answer the Papists shape to extenuate this shamelesse usurpation of the Pope over Kings Emperors three waies three sorts of Papists assay to build up this Palace of Babel Some by negation some by dissimulation and the third sort by qualification For the first All Papists doe concurre that the Pope hath supreme power over the soveraigne Majestie of Kings and Emperours But concerning the nature of that power they are divided into three severall opinions The first is of Carerius and other popish parasites who affirme Alex. Câ—rerius de Potest Rom. that the Pope hath power absolute over the whole world both in things Ecclesiasticall and Civill Pont. lib. 2. c 9. Bellarm. de â—â—rt Rom. lib. 5. cap. 6. The second is of Bellarmine and his followers who maintaine that though the Pope hath not meere Temporall power over Kings directly yet he hath supreme authority to dispose of the Temporalities of all Kingdomes by an indirect prerogative tending in ordine ad spiritualia to the advancement of the spirituall good The last is of Barclaius and the moderate Papists Barclaius lib. cap 3. that the Pope hath Spirituall power to excommunicate Kings but no temporall authority to meddle with their Persons Subjects or Dominions To all these assertions let me propose these inevitable consequents So many as defend the first opinion declare themselves to bee ipso facto actuall Traitours against the Crowne of those Princes under whom they live The supporters of the second are habituall Traitors being alwayes disposed to execute the sentence of deposition if the Pope please to command it They have no Obex but dum desunt vires no hindrance but the want of Ability and Opportunity And the third howsoever indeed it is not perpitious to the Soule of the Estate to take away the life of the King yet is it dangerous to the estate of the Soule to invest a man with a power which is not compatible to any pure creature with a faculty of Occumenicall Excommunication I know not how to terme it otherwise than a paradox dangerous and in some sort damnable also But in truth this opinion thus blanched is not absolutely popish nor they absolute Papists who do maintaine it I suppose that there are many moderate Papists even in our owne Land who are of this last opinion that the Pope hath no temporall power over Kings But what is the opinion of the Romish Church did not the Iesuites persecute Blackwell and his partakers because they would not be Iesuited in this point and was not learned Withrington disgraced if not excommunicated by the Pope for confuting that damnable opinion of Suarez That the Pope can command Kings to be killed c And finally are not they themselues esteemed Schisinatickes for this opinion as appeareth by Barclaius confuted by Bellarmine for avouching this assertion Others dissemble this usurpation by the title of Servus servorum Such an apology is that which Lessius doth frame The Popes saith Lessius de Ant. Dem. 7. he doe call non se solum servos Dei themselves not onely the servants of God sed etiam servos servorum Dei but moreover the servants of those that are the servants of God I wonder saith he what secular Prince did ever use such an humble title in his Letters and Addresses I answer Non minuit fâ—stum sed auget hypocrisin This humble title doth not suppresse their pride but rather expresse their hypocrisie For it followeth in the very next lines No Catholike is so grosse as to thinke that the Pope is to bee adored pro Deo propriè dicto as God himselfe although by some he be termed Deus in terris their God on earth Quia in terris est supremus because he is the highest of all the earth We see then the same Iesuite avoucheth the Pope to be the Soveraigne of the whole World notwithstanding the pretext of his humble Title that he is called the Servant of the servants of God They make it yet more cleare by their owne distinction The Pope saith Baldus cited by our M Higgons myst Babylon Serm. 1. The Pope saith Baldus cited by our learned Convert and truely converted Country-man He is Dominus Dominorum quoad potestatem the Lord of Lords in regard of his Power though Servus servorum quoad
promoting the Papacy when he laid claime to the double power both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall In insinuation whereof at his solemne Iubilie one day hee appeared unto the people in his Pontisicalibus or Popelike apparell but the next attired like the Emperour And finally more solemnly and arrogantly Extra Tit de majoritate minor obedientia C. unam Sanct. Ecclesiaâ—â— subesse Romano Pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis he pronounceth it as his definitive sentence that No creature can be saved who is not subject to the Clementin unica de jurament Pope Anno 1325 Iohn 22 or 23 did not desire that the light which he added to the Popish blasphemous usurpations should bee put under a bushell when hee made his additions to the Decretalls and in his Extravagants or Constitutions wherein he claimeth authority superior to the Emperour and little inferiour unto God All these particular Popes have proclaimed themselves to be Antichrist and all the Papists in their generall popish Councill of Constance cry Concil Const Sess 13. Amen Etiamsi Christus instituerit administraverit sub utraque specie Sacramentum Although Christ did institute and administer the supper of the Lord in Bread and Wine Nonobstante Notwithstanding Pro lege habenda sit The Church of Rome doth command it as a Law that no Lay man shall receive it but in one kind onely Thus about the fourteene hundredth yeare of the Lord did the Man of sinne who sate in the Temple exalt himselfe to the top of the Temple Afterwards Pius the second and other active Popes did adde as it were certaine scaffolds to raise their Monarchy a little higher Especially that Pius plotted how to Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcarum anno 1532. bring the Turkes also under the Popes authoritie To which purpose he presented their Emperour Mahomet with a large laboured learned letter but the barbarous Prince was not capable of such a transcendent mystery of Christianity His predecessor Eugenius the fourth attempted a little lesse and atchieved a little more when anno 1438 at the Florentine Pless Myst progress 62. Concil Florent Sess ult Synode he enforced Ioseph Patriarch of Constantinople to kisse his feet and enticed Palaeolagus the Emperour with some few Greeke Bishops to acknowledge the Pope to be the Head of the universall Church The deniall whereof Pope Pius made the maine cause of the irreconciliable Epist Pij 2. ad Princ. Turcar. Hist Papatus cap. 7. schisme betweene the Graecian and the Romane Churches The memoriall whereof I conjecture to bee the cause of that triumphant posture which the Popes to this day usurpe in their Chappell setting their feet on the brasse picture of the Constantinopolitane Patriarch But in the 1500 yeare and time of Leo the tenth the Papacy was mounted up to the pinacle of the Temple Then was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the uttermost of their growth and highest pitch of all the Papall exaltation as may appeare by these particulars Then it was disputed in his Schooles An Papa possit abrogare quod scriptis Apostolicis traditum Erasmus in 1 Tim. 1. sit Whether the Pope could abrogate what was decreed by the Apostles An posset statuere quod pugnet cum doctrina Evangelica Whether the Pope can command what is contrary to the Gospell An possit novum articulum sidei condere Whether he can make a new article of faith whether hee had equall power with or a greater than Peter Whether he can command the Angells to dissolve Purgatorie and whether he were a pure man or participated of two Natures like Christ Then was it preached before him Psal 72. 11. Concil Lateran Sess 9. Omnes Reges terrae adorabunt cum inservient ei all Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall doe him service And that hee was Leo detribu Iudae the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda Concil â—ater Sess â— Saciar Cer. lib. 1 sect 1. c. â— Lib. 1 sect 1. c. 4 Lib. 1 sect 2. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 3. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 5 c. 1. â— Lib 1. sect 6. c. 3. Lib. 1. sect 7. c. 6 Then was that Synopsis of Blasphemies dedicated to him the Booke of Ceremonies wherein he is termed the Prince of all Christians the governour Vrbis Orbis of the whole world that de facto the Emperour must hold his stirrup and Kings carry him on their shoulders that Emperours and Kings must wait at his Table that the Emperor must sweare fealty unto him that Emperours and Kings must kisse his feet that hee can give a full indulgence for all mens sinnes that Dominabitur à mari usque ad mare à slumine usque ad terminos orbis that is His dominion shall be from one sea to another and from the floud unto the worlds end which was spoken of Christ Psal 72. 8. and that Omnis potestas mihi data est All power is given to me on earth and in heaven which was spoken by Christ Mat. 28. 18. and so it proceedeth in like senselesse endlesse Blasphemies Then was it concluded for him by a Councill that of Lateran Papam esse Ecclesia Whitaker contr Bell. Contr. 4. Quaest 5. generali Concilio majorem That the Pope is greater than a Generall Councill or than the whole Church And that we may collect out of the abundance of what hearts these mouths did speake Then it was said of him that it should Pless Myst Progress 65. Pless Myst Opposit 68. be said by him that the Gospell of Christ was a Fable nullum esse Deum secredidisse and that he did beleeve that there was no God Let now any incredulous English Protestant who doth deride it as an incredible paradoxe to affirme that the Pope is Antichrist let any such imagine how their imaginary Antichrist can say and doe more Antichristianly than this man And then will I revoke this assertion which I yet apprehend to be an incontroulable truth The Pope is Antichrist but personally Leo decimus was Decumanus Antichristus In the yeare 1500 hee attained to the pitch of Antichristianity above all other Since that time the Papacy hath beene somewhat eclipsed in the lustre thereof yet so as Antichrist appeareth through his actions to this day as the Sunne doth through a thinne Trent Hist lib. 2. pag. 260. cloud at noone day An hundred yeares since the prerogative of Antichrist was nobly established when their last and great Councill of Trent was transacted with these two cautions Proponentibus Legatis salva semper authoritate Ecclesiae Apostolicae that nothing might be propounded but by the Popes Legates and nothing concluded against the Popes authority Whereby that great Councill was made but an engine to fortifie their Papall greatnesse Much about that time the Pope imitating the magnificence of his Father who would have
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
this the singular querk of any one particular papist but the solemne definitiue sentence of the Pope himselfe Romano Pontifici Onuphriâ—â— in Vita Pij beati Petri Apostolorum principis successori ac Iesu Christi vicario veram obedientiam spondeo ac iuro Obedience to the Pope of Rome the Pope of Rome Pius 4. did exact it from the Clergie Papists by oath and did impose it on all papists as an article of their faith extra quam nemo salvus esse potest without which there can be no salvation The fruit whereof at this day is this Quarrels of Paul 5. lib. 4. In Italie it is an universall approved axiome that the Pope cannot erre or faile because hee hath the assistance of the Holy spirit and therefore it is necessarie to obey his commandements whether they bee just or injust That to him appertaineth the clearing of all difficulties So that it is not lawfull to depart from his Resolution nor to make reply though his resolution be unjust That though al the world differ in opinioÌ„ from the Pope yet it is meet neverthelesse to yeeld to him And hee is not excused from sin who followes not his advice though all the world judge it to bee false Thus farre the learned Authour which is the verie application of my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the papists are under a strong delusion That of Cupers I have alreadie quoted MancipiuÌ„ Romana Ecclesiae he calleth himselfe the slave of the church of Rome A slave is servile enough to any profession Malvenda notwithstanding Malvenda de Antichristo lib. 4. cap 5. doth protest himselfe yet more Slavish Moderetur Sacer ipse Romanus dictator cujus pedibus caput submittimus wee saith he doe lay our head under the feet of that Dictator of Rome Our owne countreymen Lewis Owen of the English Colledges 16. erre not from the same marke The English students at Rome did once professe that they were ready to suffer martyrdome for the Popes sake that thereby his authoritie might bee inlarged his power increased and his kingdome inriched Wee are yours said they both Bodies and Soules by our lives to do you obedient service and by our deaths to doe your Holinesse honour By name english Throckmorton Dr Prideaux Conc. in 1 Sam. 14. 26. is a miraculous instance of the monstrous delusions in these bewitched Popelings who is reported at his last gaspe to have refused the giving up the ghost untill hee had intreated leave of his superiour And indeed for all our Trent Hist lib. 5 English Papists me thinketh I heare our seduced countrymen of the laity to speake out of the mouth of the French nobleman This is the storie recorded by the authour of the Trent historie Francis of Guise concerning the point of Religion said hee referred himselfe to the judgement of the learned But protested that no councill should have so great authoritie with him as to make him decline one jote from the old beleef And that the forenamed English monkish delusion may not bee monasticall and walke alone I present you with a paire of Italian instances out of Bellarmine who per saxa perignes Bell. de Mon. lib. 2. cap. 21. waded through Fire and Water to bee pliable to their Imperious deluders One at the Lordly command of a Lord abbot did thrust himselfe into a burning Oven and the other upon the like injunction three yeeres together day and night fetched water two long miles to water a dry stick that it might grow onely because his superiour did command it I would that from these particulars I could not frame a generall conclusion Malvenda mentioneth two hundred thousands of the followers Malvenda lib. 1. cap. 8. of an impostor called Barchosba who had every man abscissum digitum a stubbe-finger Because at their admission by way of probation every of them did cut off a finger to tender an infallible testimonie how resolute they were to doe him any service I feare the Pope hath the same number of the same nature 200000 even an armie who will cut off their hands yea and pluck out their eyes too and grave in their hearts what was the poesie of Erasmus his King nulli cedo an obstinate Papist will yeeld to no man They faile not to practise that precept Abbot in â—â—udaâ— c. 6. of a Pope Pius 5 as I take it who sent his Agnus Dei s into England unto our English Papists with this inscription Fili da mihi cortuum sufficit O my sonne give mee thy heart and it is sufficient To give man Gods portion Proverbs 23. 26. as I conceive it is a potent delusion Which is a sufficient warrant unto mee to retort their owne words upon their owne deluded obfirmation Infoeliâ— hominum c. a Eudemon in Abbot epist miserable generation of men are they in whom errour hath taken so deep root that their minds being blinded with the hatred of the truth they do not onely not acknowledge those things which they themselves do read write and preach But which is farre more miserable de suâ sibi miseriâ blandiantur they flatter themselves in their owne miserie Thus goe they on deceiving and being deceived Behold the plaine accomplishment of this prophecy in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong delusion When our eyes looke on a curious webb our eares cannot but listen after the Artists who have woven it together so cunningly Here Poperie is the one and the Pope the Other The Pope hath drawne and doth detaine the Popish in this foresaid strange obstinatnesse Whom may wee suppose to lock up mens hearts in obstinatnesse rather than him who hath the keyes for his embleme And whom may wee suspect to inclose a world of obstinate people intangled in errours rather than him who hath the net for his cognâ—sance In which errours and delusions the Pope doth insnare his people and proselytes both by the osâ—entation of miracles by the subtletie of sophisticall doctrine First by miracles for it is said there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that they shall deceiue if it were possible the verie Eleci Matth. 24. 24. And experience hath long since taught us how pliable the minds of people are to bee transported with miracles The old Gentiles were confident Herod in Thaleia that there was a dâ—vine power in Iupiter because the Lord permitted the Divell to raise a mightie slorme of wind to overblow and overthrow with sand the armie of Cambâ—ses which went to Pentapolis on purpose to spoile the Temple of Iupiter Of these delusions for the promoting of poperie I have discoursed alreadie I proceed to the second The Popish obstinatenesse I may describe in the very description which the Papists themselves have given of the obstinatenesse of other men Malvenda thus putteth the case The cause saith hee of the obstinatenesse of the Chineses that
Trent Laynez the Iesuites Generall delivered it for a generall conclusion that the Pope and Christ have the same Tribunall and the same Authority and the same assertion is avouched by Capistranus The first degree of Capistran so 124 correcting their disobedient is by way of Excommunication Concerning which this is the opinion of Withrington a moderate Papist in Withring◠of the Oath of Allegiance preface his Admonition to the Reader concerning the Oath of Allegtance The Church saith he hath power to impose a Temporall punishment by way of command if it bee necessary for his soules health not by way of coertion So that if hee will not obey the command of the Church imposing such a temporall punishment on him she can onely for our disobedience punish finally with spirituall punishments as by inflicting censures not by depriving our lands or lives This is the judgement of Withrington our learned and excepting his errours our honest Adversary He calleth himselfe a Romish Catholike I am sure his opinion in this point is Catholike but not Romish And I am perswaded if Rome did sway the Land where hee doth live he should feele the Romish fire for this Catholike opinion Howsoever the first punishment for disobedience is Excommunication But we esteeme this to be but brutum fulmen the Protestants reject the Popes Excommunications like Sampsons cords like a threed of tow which toucheth the fire What do they to such From such if they be in their power he taketh away their liberty they cannot buy and sell in safety as I feare some of our owne Merchants have found it Next hee raketh from them their lands forcing them to flie their native country as the poore French have felt in our dayes Then their lives as our wofull English could witnesse in Queene Maries reigne And finally he will take from them that which is dearer unto them then their lives their Names Thus did the Papists to Calvine whom they published to have died desperate when as many years he survived that presumptious calumny Yea hee will saevire in cineres punish their carkeises and command their bones to be raked out of their graves as he did to Paulus Fagius Neither shall Kings disobey the Pope uncorrected For he hath authoritie to take away their Scepters and lives also sayth Suarez in the sixt booke of his Apology But for that fatall Inquisition It is a correction like the fourth Beast in the seventh of Daniel and the seventh verse It is dreadfull and terrible devouring all but it hath no Name Although Gonsalvius hath in some sort discovered it yet I am perswaded that none living but the tormentours and the tormented can fully tell what the intralls are of that Bull of Phalaris it is the very embleme of Hell none returne from thence to tell the torments thereof And certainly whosoever is caught within the compasse of that engine of cruelty if he bee fortified with courage from Heaven in a rare measure hee may alter the Prayers of the old Leturgie they prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Save us by those unknowne torments these may pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Lord save us from those unknowne torments And thus doth this Tyrant both usurpe out strip the correcting power of a King The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ in the phrase of my Text Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God I adde briefly Me thinkes the Empire of Christ in his Church is most briefly and emphatically expressed by Christ himselfe Iohn 14. 6. Ego sum Via Veritas Vita that is saith Calvine I am the beginning the meanes and the end of saving knowledge Or as Saint Augustine Christ is Via sine errore the Way without errour Veritas sine falsitate the Truth without falshood Vita sine morte the Life without death Others interpret these words otherwise that Christ sheweth the meanes descryeth the things and giveth the end concerning eternall felicity All these doth the Pope usurp First that he is Via the Way that hee cannot erre a property of Christ never communicated but to some persons and at some times onely Secondly that he is Veritas the Truth His Councill of Trent commanded all credere to beleeve that and only that to be Truth which he taught And lastly he arrogateth himselfe to bee Vita to be the Life No salvation except a man bee a member of the Church say Christians not unlesse he be a member of the Pope say the Papists And therefore Bellarmine in his third Booke de Ecclesia and the second Chapter maketh the Pope to be an essentiall part in the definition of the Church So No Pope no Church and no salvation but in the Church and under the Pope Hence some beginne to thinke that the name of a Papist is more honourable than the name of a Catholike because the last doth imply a communion but with the Body but the first with the Head And how farre this Tyranny hath prevailed on the consciences of the blinded Papists you may perceive by this proverbe which they say is familiar in Italy I beleeve God and the Pope And thus doth hee dominiere in the highest nature The Pope as Christ doth rule in the Church of Christ that is Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God Thus hath the Pope exalted himselfe Give me leave to exalt him one step higher and in the words of a Papist Qui desiderat Primatum interris inveniet confusionem in coelis that is He that will reigne as Christ on earth shall never reigne with Christ in heaven This is the period of the Popes primacy and this is the censure of Stella upon Luke 9. 48. Can notwithstanding all these premises any protest with Cupers that he is mancipium Romanae Ecclesiae that he is a professed Slave of the Church of Rome inthralling himselfe by a servile inflexible obedience in any case and against any person where a spirituall Soveraignty Tyranny doth command man and countermand God imposing injunctions uncontroulable exacting subjection unutterable or inflicting correction unsufferable ruling in the Church of Christ as Christ urging his owne Lawes with more severity than Christs Lawes I hope I know No servant of Christ will bee can be such a slave to Antichrist This truth have I delivered plainly painfully impartially even in the sight of a great God and of an innocent conscience I have done my duty I have delivered it For your duty to beleeve it I must leave that to him who is the Author and finisher of your faith Now the God of all truth give you all his holy Spirit that you may fulfill all his holy will SERMON X. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. Shewing himselfe that he is God Antichrist shall not call himselfe the true God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God The Pope doth shew himselfe to be God plainly THis fourth verse containeth three properties of Antichrist
2 Thess 2. 7. saith the same English Author on the same place as an House is long a squaring and preparing in private but at length it is joyned and reared in publike The sense of the text the mystery of iniquity doth already worke is this There is a Diabolicall stratagem under the show of Religion secretly and cunningly to undermine and overthrow Christs true Religion which hath beene working even from the Apostles time to our time That Poperie is this mystery this is the point which by Gods assistance I undertake to make plaine at this season That your understandings and memories may follow my discourse the more easily I will chalke out the way by which I meane to lead your attention First I will shew you their quaerere and then how they did parta tueri the meanes of their gaining and of their retaining the Papall greatnesse Which two stratagems are two great mysteries In their retaining it which for our time involveth the inlarging of the Papacy also they use one mystery to inveagle men and another to intangle men they have their baits to catch them and their hookes to hold them Both which they practise by a secret undermining and by a subtle countermining of their opposites Each of those exploits is like the woman Revel 17. 5. the word Mystery is written in the very forehead thereof For the first how Saint Peter poore Peter rich indeed in spiritualls but poore in temporalls so poore that he was imprisoned by a Romane Magistrate Act. 12. 3. Crucified by a Romane Emperour and certainly the basest Romane subject would have spit in his face and trod on his necke if hee should have dared to have lift up his finger against the Romane Empire Eusebius lib. â—â— 25. Moreover that the Bishops of Rome his successors did succeed and exceed him in povertie they had more ordinary frailties but farre fewer extraordinarie abilities than Peter the whole succession was so poore that they were persecuted aboue 300 yeeres and so persecuted above 200 yeares that they met in cryptis in caves corners conventicles and had not so much as one Church for their religion Calixtus about the yeere 222. did build the first Church Platina in Calixto Discours des temps depuis les Apotres anno 222. for publike Christianity Now according to the parable propounded to the triumphant Tyrant how the Naile which was in the bottome of the Wheele should sensim sine sensu by a motion insensible and incomprehensible climbe to the top and bring the loftie Naile to the Counterpoint How the Romane Church which was vnder foot should rise up and bring down the loftie Lordly Lording Romane Empire to be her underling and the whole Church of Christ together with it This is a wonder and this is the secret and the Mysterie which Saint Paul saith did worke even in his time For the framing of this plot which they have so admirably effected at this day it is generally said that the Heresies which were sowne in the Apostles times were the seed thereof And indeed so they are in generall but I suppose that the more particular prosecuting of their plot was by the publishing of those two doctrines of Devills mentioned Read the 19 Sermon 1 Tim. 4. 3. forbidding of meates and mariage which we see at this day to be the two pillars of Popery in truth the Iachin and Boaz the very strength and establishing of the Romane Monarchie 1 Reg. 7. 21. Notwithstanding I conceive the maine engine for this stratagem to bee another point the point of the Primacie which was an hammering in the Apostles times Not onely that of Diotrephes who loved preheminence in the Church as Saint Iohn taxeth him in his third Epistle Nor that of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 12. where some were for Paul and some for Peter there called Cephas But principally the Primacy attempted by the Church of Rome Rom. 11. 10. Be not high minded and in the 22 verse otherwise thou shalt be cut off For this instruction against Pride though it bee generall to the Gentiles yet is it more speciall to the Romanes And Saint Paul in the same place seemeth to me to Prophecie in two fashions first by way of instruction telling what they should then eschew secondly by way of prediction foretelling what afterwards would be their ruine Now let us briefly ponder how this project of Primacy hath beene prosequuted to this present age Wee see that the seeds of ambition were sowne in S. Pauls time But the power and persecution of the Romane Empire cut downe the blades thereof that their aspiring was fruitlesse for many centuries But at length the harvest of their pride became ripe and they have reaped their Primacy or rather supremacy by these degrees and devices The first which I finde to appeare in promoting Hist Popatus cap. 4. Euseb lib. 5. cap. 22 23 24. the Romane Primacy was Victor Bishop of Rome about the yeare 194 who ordained that Easter should be celebrated by all on the Lords day but therein he was instantly opposed by Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus and by Narcissus Bishop of Hierusalem and others Victor notwithstanding confirmed his decree by a Councill held at Rome anno 196 yet so Bardus Pavin in Chronico anno 196. Histor Papatus cap. 4. as that it was received onely within the Romane Diocesse About 240 yeares after Christ Fabius Bishop of Rome called a Councill at Rome and condemned Novatiane herein hee did somewhat goe beyond the bounds of his Bishopricke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4. 15. Novatus and Novatiane being both Africans but the piety of the Bishops and the persecution of the Emperours of that age cut off all jealousie suspition or scruple that any Primacy was affected And the godly Christians were glad that Schisme might be composed by any men or meanes Two hundred and fifty yeares after Christ Steven Bishop of Rome incroched a little more Pless Myster progress 2. and more plainly upon Spaine where Basilides Bishop of Asturia and Martial of Melida being deposed because they had sacrificed to Idolls for feare of persecution Steven writ to the Churches of Spaine peremptorily for their restitution Three hundred and fourteene yeares after our Saviour Silvester obtained from the Emperour Constantine to build Churches and many other priviledges Whence his Successors plead also the donation of Constantine that hee gave unto the Pope Rome and a great part of Italy under the name of S. Peters patrimony Although Iohannes Diaconus in the Charter of D. Collins in Eudam part 3. cap. 46. Otho the third is discovered to have beene the father of that memorable fiction Anno 336 Athanasius being condemned by a Baronius anno 34â— sect 5 6. Councill of the Arrians at Antiochia sought for succour from Iulius then Bishop of Rome who intertaining a good cause under the pretence to advance the authority of the Church of Rome
above the Easterne Churches commended the same to the patronage of the Emperour Constance But the Easterne Bishops wrote unto Iulius not to support Athanasius Iulius replyed that all might have recourse to Rome for succour as to the Superiour This they utterly disclaimed by divers Epistles to that purpose Notwithstanding Gratiane the Monke out of those selfe-same Epistles composed those Hist Papatus cap. 4. Canons whereby hee laboureth to prove the Popes Superiority Foure hundred yeares after Christ godly men to prevent tedious Law-suits chose Bishops their Arbitrators to compose such Controversies as arose amongst them Which arbitrary courses the Emperours Arcadius and Hist Papatus cap. 4. Honorius did not onely approve but moreover they authorised the arbitraments of those Bishops definitively to conclude all controversies first in causes of Religion afterwards in Civill Causes also ex consensu with the consent of both parties Hist Papatus cap. 4. In processe of time Iustinian assigned the Bishops to judge causes as Commissioners to the Emperour So long did the Emperours give leave till the Bishops did take leave to judge and by those priviledges to wrest the authority of Iurisdiction from the prerogative of the Imperiall Majesty Anno 413 Apiarius a disordered Priest of D. Sharp Dogmaticus Antich pag. 273. Africa being deprived by Vrbane his Bishop appealed unto Sozimus Bishop of Rome who sent three Legates to require the right of appellation from those African Bishops that hee might decide the controversie To which purpose his Legates alledged a Canon of Nice which those Bishops avouched to be forged because they had a Copie of that Councill For a full satisfaction they sent to Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria and to Atticús Bishop of Constantinople to conferre with their copies of that Councill but it was onely a copy of the Romish Bishops countenance such a Canon could not be found extant in neither Whereupon the Councill of Carthage consisting of 207 Bishops and S. Augustine one of them did condemne Apiarius and rejected the authority of the Bishop of Rome Neverthelesse Romish parasites have coined a strange fiction that certaine Canons of that Nicene Councill were burned by the Arrians Anno 450 Leo did persist in the promoting Leo â— in Anni ver die Assampâ— Serm. 2. of that Primacy to which purpose hee did strongly insist on that Tu es Petrus Thou art Peter Matth. 16. 18. Petrus saith he Petra dicitur dum fundamentum pronunciatur Peter is called the Rocke to shew that he is the foundation Whence he frameth a conclusion for his owne purpose and person stiling himselfe Papam Ecclesiae Catholicae The Bishop of the Leo epist 12. ad Theodos whole Church omnium Episcoporum Primatem the chiefe of all the Bishops Anno 533 the Emperour honoured Iohn Baronius the second with a solemne Embassage and by it with an obsequious protestation that he travelled Omnes Sacerdotes universi Orientis tractus subjicere unire SaÌ„ctitati vestrae To cause the union and compasse the submission of all the Clergy of the whole Easterne Country to the Bishop of Romes Holinesse But about 606 Pope Boniface the third Dounam Derens de Antichristo lib. 2. c. 8 sect 5. so now I must stile the Bishops of Rome by that name for this Boniface the third was the first to whom the name Pope was appropriated I say this Boniface in that yeare upon the murther of Mauritius apprehended an occasion to insinuate Pless Myst Progress 21. Aimoinus lib. 4. cap. 61. himselfe in the favour of bloudy Phocas who gratified him with the title of Vniversall Bishop About 740 Pope Zacharies judgment being demaÌ„ded whether best deserved the kingdom of France either he who had the Name only or hee who day and night spent himselfe in the service of the Commonwealth the Popes definitive sentence being pronounced for the latter as the better worthy of the Scepter Hence did France take occasion to depose their King translating the Crowne from Chilpericus unto Pipine And hence Rome did take occasion to claime power to dispose of that kingdome as this very example is alledged to that purpose by Suarez Apol. lib. 3. cap. 23. nu 15. Suarez in his Apology Towards the eight hundreth yeare Steven the third and Adrian the first joyned with Carolus magnus to expell the Graecian Emperour out of his Latine Dominions which being Pless Myst Progress 27. effected and so one good turne requiring another Charles being made Emperour of the West by the Pope the Pope received from Charles the Confirmation if not the donation of the City and Seigniory of Rome Thus far these Popes proceeded to some purpose Notwithstanding still the Pope was Histor Papatus cap. 4. subject to the Emperour till he beganne to incroach by a meere accident Anno 817 Paschal being constrained by the people to be Pope sent Legates to the Emperour to excuse that election The Emperour Ludovicus Pius being according to his name a sweet natured courteous Gentleman did easily admit of satisfaction yet with a check to the Clergy and to the people for their audacious act adding a caveat that they should no more dare to incroach upon his Royaltie Howbeit the clawbacke Library-keeper inserted this clause Ludovicus Pius did remit the power of electing the Pope unto Paschal the first Since which time the Popes have proceeded by more generall jugglings As namely by proposing preferments promotions and brave incouragements attractive Loadstones to invite the prime learned of the whole world unto Rome Keeping publike Registers of all the Benefactors unto Peters Patrimonie praying for the soules of such charitable persons being deceased One while trumpetting out the charity of the Popes another time sowing discord betwixt Princes that they might fish in troubled waters These made some pretty additions to their greatnesse till about 1080 Gregory the seventh so advanced himselfe against the Emperour that his successours have advanced themselves above the Emperour The Emperours at this day acknowledging themselves confirmed by the Pope and tendering a kinde of fealty to the Pope as the Sacrar Cerem l. b. 1. sect 5. c. 7. forme of their Oath is authentically extant written by Marcellus Archbishop of Corcira to Leo the tenth And thus Giges-like hath the Pope invisibly advanced himselfe into the Throne of his Master Having heard the History or Matter That the Church of Rome is made a Monarchy heare we next the Mystery Manner or the Meanes whereby this miracle was effected Which was so politikely prosequuted by such secret plots and super-subtle projects that their cunning cariage and cleanly conveyance of their purpose doth merit the title of my Text to be termed the Mystery of Iniquity The meanes which these politicians used as they were invisible so were they innumerable also I will reduce them to eight heads onely It is a memorable fact mentioned by our Fox Mart. tâ—m 1 1505. pag. 860.
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
And Sanders saith that in England Elizabeth did exercise the function of Priest in Preaching and teaching Master Sanders was Mr Slanders and Sand. de Visib Mon l 6 c. 4. Bellarmine a Iesuite to outface us with such a Brazen Brow and shining lye A fairer probability of which foule imputation wee can fasten on the Church of Rome A lay Prince at Sacra Cere l. 2 Sect. 1. c. 7 8. a publike Masse doth exercise the proper function of a Priest and hath the precept and presence of the Pope to warrant him The Emperour Frederick 3. before Paul 2. 1468. at Rome in a Surplice Hood Pluviali and habit of a Bishop did read the Lesson and a Sermon Homiliam Shew the shadow of such a Clerkly action in our Queene or King either Now you must know that we can throw the same Dirt in the faces of our Adversaries not as they have done to us by the hands of Bolsecus Coclaeus Sanders and Campian notorious Apostates and Traitors But by the hands of Petrarke Platina Bellarmine and Baronius their owne and approved Authors Neverthelesse I refraine from this retribution My God and my King command mee not to returne evill for evill and to suffer not to offer Personall reproaches And indeed the Truth of our cause will bee little the Whiter by unmasking the Aethiopian countenance of their blacke conversation I therefore passe the slanderers onely concerning the slandered concerning them all concerning her especially I must conclude in the phrase of the Angel to the Devill Iud. 9. Increpet te Dominus these are hellish lies and the Lord of Heaven rebuke them These slanders are uncharitable but yet they seeme somewhat tolerable because they take not all excuse from us Nowithstandtng these premises impartiall people might extenuate our guilt and say Gens mala religio bona though our Persons be bad yet our Profession is good But this have their Pamphlets painted out in such colours that if they said true wee had no colour but to confesse our Church the most execrable that ever professed CHRIST or ever prophaned Christianity by their profession What can bee said of those who have neither Sacrament nor Government neither Preachers nor Scriptures neither obedience to man nor obedience to God What can be said of such but that they bee Rebels Atheists and Pagans the shame and scumme of Christendome And such the Papists trumpet us Protestants to bee Their bookes are fraught with these forged Calumnies 1. As a Preface to these Malvenda proclaimeth Malv l. 2. c. 6. it that Multitudes of us turne to bee Turkes every day Would God wee had no more turned Papists than turne Turkes and then let them lye on to their satiety But for our Sacraments Nullum nullum non duo non vnum Christe Sancte O Christ the Protestants Camp Rat. 8. have no Sacraments not two not one not one Sacrament have they cryeth clamoureth Campian Furthermore their impudent imputations force faith on the prejudicate and credulous that we doe not only Heathenishly and prophanely reject the Sacraments in our owne Church but that wee damnably and diabolically prophane them in their Church where by force of Armes wee can make any intrusion The reformed in France say the Romish in Flanders in a furious impiety trampled Frar p. 56. the most holy body of Christ under their feet threw it into the water cast it into the fire and slabbed it with their weapons The Protestants in other Frar p. 58. places say other Papists like Hellish Harpies did disburthen their filthy paunches into the water consecrated for the holy Sacrament of Baptisme turned the sacred Fonts into nasty Close-stooles Pius 2. ep Morbisano I will answere these Papists in the phrase wherein a Pope did answere the Turke Corruptionem imprimis sacrarum literarum obijcitis hoc ei probandum fuerat qui sactum asserit nobis satis erit negare factuÌ„ That is You deeply declaim against our impioas rejection barbarous prophanation and beastly pollution of the blessed Sacraments The Papists who report it should prove it it is enough for the Protestants to deny it and to detest such desperate caluâ—nies 2. Secondly because they are like the Todestoole all head therefore they would perswade the world that we are like the Acephali no head an absolute Anarchie without any government That the Church of England is like the Common-wealth of Israel Iudges the last that there is no King amongst us but everie man doth that which seemeth right in his owne eyes Amongst the Protestants every private person is guided by his private spirit thus are we Less de Antich part 2. Deâ—â— â— charged by the Iesuite Lessius Conciliorum quidem authoritatem non admittitis and for the Councils ye admit not of their authoritie saith Eudaemon They presume that they are Eud. de Ant l. 1. sect 10. taught without the Ministery of the Church that dutifull considerate subject durst tell his Dut. Consid Cons 3. c. 1. Soveraigne so much in his dutifull considerations Lately one with a Gagge cryeth out with Gagge of the Gospell preface open mouth that wee preferre the private interpretation of a Cobler before Saint Chrysostome of a Baker before Saint Basil and of a Tinker before Tertullian Nay they charge us so to detest the Government of the Church that in detestation thereof wee hate the Governours of it both alive and dead Hence say they â—rar â—r Levan 1565. did the French Protestants at Lyons rake open the graves of those Saints and holy Bishops Irenaeus Pictavius and Hilary and after a scornefull abuse they burned their bodies to ashes 3. Our Preachers say they ordinarily are Eud. dâ— Antich l. 3. Stel. in Luk. c. 9. ordinary Cerdones and Sartores Tradesmen Handecrafts-men Coblers Taylors c. which they seeme to translate out of Harding Your Ministers Hard. â—ons Ap. 2â—9 bee Tinkers and â—apsters Fidlers and Pipers And another of our owne Countreymen Dut. Consid Cons 2â—1 doth imply that we have no at least use no Preachers He is so inspired that if you beleeve him he needeth no direction no further instruction Finally that they may rase the very foundation of our Church downe with it downe with it even to the ground with virulent lying tongues they have set their violent hands to the Pillars thereof reporting it for Champ. in Praef. Disâ—ns Sacrobosâ— de Invest Eccl. Christi c. 4. a Catholike certainty of our Primitive reformed Bishops that Iuell Sands Scory Horne Grindall c. were made Bishops or Consecrated in a Taverne by name at the signe of the Nags Head in Cheapside Where is the crediblenesse Kellison Repl. to Dr Sutcliff p. 31. of the cause or credit of the Authors Can malice imagine them so foolish to bee Consecrated in priuate when by publick allowance they had an Archbishop Parker of Canterburie of 25. â—â— 8. c. 20. their owne
the Pope may indeavour to destroy the Church I goe not then so farre as Bellarmine if I conclude It is probable that the Pope may erre Our Countryman Sanders commeth yet Sand. de Antich Demonstr 15. closer to the point It is saith hee so farre from being lawfull for the Pope to change the lawfull degrees of his predecessours in expounding the Articles of faith and principles of nature that if any Pope shall attempt to doe it publikely and to that purpose shal interpose the authority of the Apostolicall Sec for that very attempt he is to be censured to have fallen from his Apostolicall power tanquam deficiens a fide as a man who hath fallen from the faith and thereby become an Infidell cuâ— pertinaciter in errore suo and if he shall obstinately persist in his error he must be deposed from being Pope This man putteth it as a probable and possâ—ble case that the Pope may oppose the decrees of his predecessors interpose his Apostolicall power to confirme what is false fall from the faith become an Infidel persist in an errour yea and be deposed from his papacy This I hope will warrant my conclusion as probable that the Pope may erre Still there remaineth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one undeniable testimony In their sacred treatise of their sacred Ceremonies it is solemnely pronounced Sacr. Cerem l. 1. Sect. 1. c. 4. that Romanus Pontifex canonice institutus fiat haereticus that is an absolute Pope may turne an absolute heretike and if the Pope may be an Heretike his Conclusion may bee hereticall Doubtlesse then verity is not in the Church of Rome as they brag victory was in the Empire of Rome They have not so clipped the Iuel Ap. pa. 163 wings thereof but that they still feare that truth may flie from them Now to build their faith an a man whom they themselves confesse may erre This appeareth to mee a strong delusion and that these men doe beleeve a lye To dispute ex ore from our adversaries confession is a strong argument but the argument which is drawne a facto from their action is yet stronger Therefore to strengthen this assertion I will propose infallible instances that the Popes have fallen actually from their infallibilitie Their Translations of the Scriptures are testimonies that the Pope hath erred Sâ—xtus 5. set out one and Clemens 8. revised it and set it out againe It must follow that the Edition of the second is superfluous or rather the Edition of the former Pope was erronious Ex ungue Leonem take a taste of such errours Genesis 3. 15. Ipsapro ipse She shall â—iblia saâ—ra Sixti 5. Pontif. Maximi bruise the Serpents Head for He shall bruise the Serpents head I thinke it is so translated by one Pope I am sure it is defended by many papists Malv de Ant. l. 8. c. 11. Iohn 21. 22. Sic volo eum manere donec venero So will I have him remaine till I come for If I will have him remaine till I come This is the traÌ„slation warranted by those two Popes Sixtus 5. and Clemens 8. May not I say that they lye who give the lye to our Saviour who saith plainely in the next verse That he said not that Iohn should tarry till he come Next I have law for what I say The Canonists Duar. de Benificijs praef say Totum jus Canonicum his voluminibus continetur All the Canon Law is comprised in these three volumes The first whereof was composed by Gratiane 400 years agoe which consisteth of Canons and Sentences collected out of the Fathers and is called the Decrees which is indeed a very profitable Treatise in eo tamen desiderent eruditi yet the learned complaine of some wants in it The second is set out by Pope Gregory 9. coÌ„taining divers Epistles of several Popes are called the Decretals in which there are many things much degenerating a prisca illa disciplina froÌ„ the primitive integrity The third is the Constitutions of Pope Boniface 8. which are reported to have beene rejected in France because they were inacted in hatred of Philip King of France and invented for the commodity of the Church of Rome Collect there being but three Volumes of the Canonicall constitutions and the first the Decrees are defective the second the Decretals degenerated from the Decrees and the third the Constitutions of Boniface 8. were passionate against the King of France and partiall for the Court of Rome This instance justifieth my inference The Pope hath erred de facto and therefore is not infallible Againe the solemne Decrees of the Popes Eras in 1 Cor. 7. pronounced judicialiter definitively have been directly contradictory as it is instanced in those of Iohn 22. of Nicholas of Innocent 3. Caelestine of Pelagius Gregory That learned Lord du Plessis recordeth another famous exaÌ„ple Pless Myst Progr 36. 897. Iohn the tenth solemnly in a synode at Ravenna of seventy foure Bishops demanding every mans opinion severally published his definitive sentence in these words The Synod celebrated by our predecessour Steven 6. in which the carkeise of Formosus the Pope is drawn out of the Sepulchre we utterly abrogate Here wee have a Synode and an Antisynode the Decrce of one Pope abrogated by another Pope and decree also The illation is evident A second Pless My. Pr. 55 famous example I will transcribe out of the same famous Authour About the yeare 1300. Peter Moron an Hermit being chosen Pope and called Clemens 5. was thus abused by Benedict that cunning Cardinall of Cajeta hee suborned divers who by a trunke privily conveyed it into his eare by night as if it had beene a warning from heaven Caelestine Caelestine demitte papatum si vis salvus sieri negotium est supra vires that is Caelestine Caelestine give over the papacy if thou meanest to be saved it is a burthen beyond thy strength The simple man thus deluded intended nothing but to resigne the papacy if this scruple could be removed that he might do it with a good CoÌ„science wherein Benedict gave him easie satisfaction and caused a Decretall to bee passed That the Pope might lawfully give over his charge And not long after this when himselfe had atchieved the papacy and was stiled Boniface 8. he digested another like decretall which we finde in Sexto Quod Papa papatui libere renunciare potest that the Pope might freely resigne the papacy although when Caelestine was dead he passed another that it was Scelus imexpiabile an unpardonable crime for the Pope to resigne the papacy Before we had Decree against Decree here Decretall against Decretall There a Pope abrogating the definitive sentence of another Pope here the same Pope abrogating his owne Both concurring in one conclusion these contradictions cannot issue from one and the same unerring infallibility Another instance is added by that solidly Dr Crakenth in Spalat c. 72. acute