Guisanus from vpper Germany and Stephanus Tugius who remained at Rome All these of extraordinary learning and experience hauing bin Gouernors of Colledges or Schooles a long time in their seuerall Countries These were appointed by the Pope and Aqua viua to consult of the best manner of trayning vp yong men in the Seminaries They had consultations instructions and intelligences from other places a whole yeare together and doubtlesse concluded vpon the most politicke and likely course that humane wit could deuise to subdue the the world to their owne purposes Meane season there were entised or drawen out of diuers Nations by bookes published ee B. Bilson â—ifference of subiection and rebellion part 1. pag. 149. seq and other meanes many of the best wits such as wanted maintenance or had missed preferments in the Vniuersities or other places or were otherwise discontented or desirous of nouelties c. they were drawne by magnificall promises of preferment degrees honours imployment and most exquisite education in all manner of learning to come to the most bountifull Pope and receiue them And by this meanes shortly were furnished many Seminaries with Iesuite Gouernours and Readers and with plenty of hearers or students Seminarium Romanum Germanum Anglicum Graecum and Maronitanum or of the Inhabitants of Montlibanus to traine vp and make fit instruments in the shortest time to be sent againe into their Countries to put in practise the things they had learned and with all possible wit and diligence to recouer and restore the authority of the Roman Church where it was decayed and in all other places also to preuent such blowes and wounds as the Papacy had already otherwhere receiued To which purpose they had priuiledges contrary to other orders as times and occasions required to goe disguised not in Religious but Lay-mens habits like Gentlemen gallants or seruing-men Dialogue betweene a secular Priest a Gentleman pag. 90. One of their secular Priests reports that a Iesuite hath worne a Girdle Hangers and Rapier worth ten pounds a Ierkin worth as much and made himselfe three sutes of apparell in a yeare his horse furniture and apparell valued at an hundred pounds the better to insinuate into all Companies vnsuspected and creepe into their mindes with cunning perswasions ere they were aware and so goe forwards or fall off as hopes or feares should meete them And wheresoeuer they could finde or worke out entertainment they had priuiledges Buls and Faculties to heare Confessions to pardon sinnes to reconcile and receiue penitents into the bosome of the Church of Rome to instruct them that Princes not of the Catholicke Romish faith nor subiect to the pope were no Princes but had lost their authority rule gouernement and dominion their Officers no Officers their Lawes no Lawes their subiects were freed from obedience to them further then for feare or want of strength they might obey but when they had strength and power they might and ought by all meanes to put such Princes downe and set vp others such as the pope should like of That they should by no meanes come to the Protestant Churches or prayers but maintaine an irreconciliable hatred to all religious Acts and Doctrines of theirs seemed they neuer so good and as they should be able vtterly to extirpe them as people worse then Infidels And for their cunning and appearing sanctitie they became Confessors and Counsellours to Kings and Queenes and great personages and thrust themselues into counsels and actions of state gouernment intelligences and had such connexions amongst themselues as no kinde of men could goe beyond them in wit learning power or policy They nested themselues in places of best aduantage of Princes Courts chiefest Cities greatest men and where they could once place Seminaries or Colledges of their owne Society they made account that Countrey was their owne Their Colledges as it is obserued placed vpon the walles of Cities afforded them passage into the City or abroad into the world at pleasure to giue or receiue intelligence as occasion serued They haâ— their Generall at Româ— at the popes elbow as the aforesaide Claudius de Aqua viva and vnder him Prouincialles and Arch-priests in euery Countrey as George Blackwell Henry Garnet and after him George Bircot in England to giue order and directions to inferiour Iesuites and there to appoint them their limits and imployments call them to accouâ—t and send them when and whither they thought good And so erected a new Iesu ticall gouernment and clasped the Kingâ—ome as farre as was posâ—ible in their owne fists See the full discouâ—se hâ—re of in Mâ—â—â—â—to Gaâ—lobâ—lâ—iâ—o Daâ—tâ—cano anno 1607. pag. 67. It was wâ—ll discoursed to the Pâ—lonian Nobility assembled for Reformation of the troubles in the Land That the greatest enâ—mies to that other free estates were the Iesuites who had a Monarchicall policy fittest to mooue and act tyed to one head at Rome and tyed to their superiours in straitest forme of Obedience that the lower may not enquire into any no not the absurdest commands of the superiours but must yeeld ready obedience without knowing any reason of the equity or danger thereof Which blinde obedience hath brought forth many desperate audacious instruments and designes So that the Iesuites faction is a most agile sharpe sword whose blade is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of euery Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spaine So that the very life death and fortunes of all Kings Magistrates and Common-wealthes hangs vpon the horoscope of the Iesuites pleasures If the Iesuites be as lucky starres in the ascendent and culminant they may liue continue and flourish if maleuolent they perish but that Deus dominabitur Astris §. 5. See Rainold Hart. confeâ— cap. 1. din. 6 â—p 382. The great estate and authority of Cardinals was an especiall meanes to aduance and vphold the Papacy after that the parishes grew so populous that there needed morâ— Priests and Deacons then one in euery Parish and Ward in Rome the principall was called the Cardinall priest and Cardinall Deacon Bellâ—r Apolog. conâ—â—a praesat mâ—â—â—ortum Iacob Regâ—s cap. 4. paâ— 34. 38 39 Ibid. pag. 337. conâ— Latâ—ran cap. 1. and this honourable name was in time also giuen to the chiefe Bishops neere vnto Rome they were also called Cardinall Bishops as the Bishop of Alba Tusculum Preneste Sabine Portuesse and Ostia And vntill the yeare 1180. they all Bishops Priests and Deacons liued on thâ—ir owne charge and discharged it in their owne persons though also as nearest often imployed in the popes affaires But by Alexander the third Cerem Eccle. Rom. lib. 1. 3. August Triumphus dâ— potest eccl q est 8. art 4. Antonin Sum. part 3. tit 21. cap. 1. § 2. Ceremoniar Rom eccl s lib. 1. sect 8 cap. 3. Some fetch a prophesie of Cardinals from Samâ—ch Mâ—ther 1 Sam 2.8 where hâ— saith Doâ—ini suâ—t cardines terrae posunt super
many nay But the issues of these Ladies were very vnfortunate and many calamities proceeded from these marriages as he there reports Yet the pope dispensed with all this partly to bind the French vnto him and partly to bridle the Emperour whom he would not haue grow too great by addition of Britany to his State Besides he needed not much care for this present Emperour Maximilian a poore prince full of affaires and of small credit Yea Maximilian himselfe afterwards affected the popedome as Guicciardine reporteth But come we to the affaires of our owne Nation Pope Julius the 2. gaue a dispensation that King Henry the 8. of England might marry Katherine the wife of his brother Arthur deceased A marriage plainly condemned by the Scriptures Leu. 18.16 and 20.21 and Mat. 24.2 4. and by many learned Vniversities Afterwards pope Clement the 7. Hist concil Trid. lib. 1. pag. 68. at Henries sute sent Cardinall Campeggio into England framing a Briefe to dissolue the Kings said marriage with Katherine to be published when some few proofes were passed which he was sure would easily be made and to giue liberty to the King to marry another This anno 1524. but anno 1529. The pope thinking it better to ioyne with the Emperour who was sonne to Katherines sister sent another Nuncio to Campeggio with order to burne the Breefe and to proceed slowly in the cause For the popement to apply himselfe to his best aduantages but the King espying their iugling finally banished the popes authority out of England Annals ibid praepar pag. A. 3. Latin Apparat. p. xij But Queene Mary the daughter of Hâ—nry by the said marriage of Katherine perswaded her selfe that all the right that she had to the Kingdome of England was vpholden by no other meanes then by the power of the pope whose dispensation made that marriage lawfull and gaue sentence of her side after her father had declared her illegitimate and therefore she was bound to cleaue strongly to the Pope Also Charles the 5 Emperour procured a marriage betwixt Philip his sonne of Spaine and Mary Queene of England by a dispensation of pope Iulius the 3. because they were allied in the third degree and that Charles himselfe had contracted to marry her being then vnder age for time to come Ibid. pag. 5. sed â—atin pag. 4. After her death King Philip desirous to keepe England treated seriously of a marriage with Queen Elizabeth his late wiues sister with promise to obtaine a speciall dispensation from the pope Which the King of France fearing it would be granted by the pope laboured secretly to hinder but the hindrance of the marriage was from Queene Elizabeth her selfe Relation of Religion in the West pag. 34. 27. See the whole Tract pag. 25. seq By such dispensations from the pope marriages in the house of Austria haue been so neere that they remaine still as brethren all of one family and as armes of the selfe-same body Keeping their dominions vnited still together without distraction Philip the second of Spaine might call the Archduke Albert both brother cozen nephew and sonne being vncle to himselfe cozen-german to his father husband to his sister and father to his wife Such marriages made lawfull onely by the pope dispensing with the Law of God must needs binde both the parties and issue thereof to be firme to the Papacy and to maintaine that authority by which themselues stand maintained and honoured So searched and penetrant is that Sea of Rome to strengthen it selfe more by vnlawfull marriages of other men then euer Prince yet could doe by the most lawfull marriage of his owne And thus the Pope by some one act ties vnto himselfe the fauour of many friends and many generations Yet may this be thought fit onely for blinded or ill-minded Princes The well-sighted or well-minded need no such cloake nor will make vse of any such for any otherwise vniustifiable courses But if they through their owne ignorance or their Ancestors vniust proiects haue been inuolued in such nets as their conscience now mislikes they may after our King Henries example by Gods booke and the counsell of godly wise and learned men alter their courses abolish his authority that alters Gods Lawes or deludes them and establish their state by more sound meanes Humanum est errare perseuerare diabolicum §. 9. VI. Other dispensations See Verdunt discourse anno 1563. Mense Febr. in hist conc Trid. lib. 7. pag. 676. See Tortura Torti pag 57. for diuers things hurtfull to the Church States and People but very profitable to the Pope and Court of Rome are ordinary About which one Iohannes Verdun spake freely and iudiciously in the Councell of Trent Dispensations saith he are accounted dis-obligations from the Law but Gods Law is perpetuall and remaineth inuiolable for euer The Pope is not Lord and the Church his seruant to bestow fauours as a master vpon his seruants Hee is but a seruant at the best to him who is Spouse of the Church neither can he by dispensing vnbinde any that is bound but onely declare to him that is not bound that he is exempted from the Law Indeed humane Lawes through the imperfection of the Law-makers and Cases not foreseene may admit dispensations in sundry occurrences as exceptions from the generall Law where it may be iustly thought the Law-makers would haue made exceptions if they had foreseene those Cases but where God is the Law-giuer from whom nothing is concealed and by whom no accident is not fore-seene the Law can haue no exception but all his Law is equity it selfe perpetuall and immutable Hist conc Trid. lib. 4. pag. 321. The King of France anno 1551. in a Printed Manifest published to his subiects that they were not to regard the Popes dispensations which were not able to secure the conscience and are nothing but a shadow cast before the eies of men which cannot hide the truth from God Euen in mens lawes Dispensationes sunt legum vlnera Dispensations are deepe wounds In Gods Lawes deadly wounds both to the lawes and to the dispenser for lawes often wounded haue little life left in them and he that wounds them hath little feeling of conscience Christ came not to dissolue the Law but to fulfill it Matth. 5.17 the Pope comes not to fulfill the lawes but to dissolue them He vnbinds subiects oathes to Princes yea bindes subiects with oathes against Princes both against Gods Law binding where he should loose loosing where he should binde as Anti-god and Antichrist He bindes his Catholickes for a time while they want strength they shall not stirre getting strength then they are loosed then stirre killâ— and massacre Thus Gregory the 13. interprets the Bull of Pius the 5. And thus Princes of the old Christian faith that they liue and reigne are beholden to the Catholickes of the new stampe not for their faith but for their weakenesse Hist conc Trent lib.
them and safe comming to them and freedome of voyces were all taken away If things be thus carried what needes any Senate of the whole Church when a Senate of present Cardinals either can doe all or must doe all Therefore this inuention state and choyce of Cardinals is a powerfull politicke deuice to maintaine the Papacy and keepe off the strongest opposition §. 6. See relation of Religion in these Western parts §. 13. c. Monasteries also as now they are vsed are great vpholders of the Papacy in binding many thousands fast vnto it for their owne maintenance For there is entertainement for all sorts of people Men Women Nobler baser in the higher or lower places They are Hauens or finall Refuges to receiue men of discontented humours or despairing passions or vnfortunate or vnfit for other Trades or disgraced or crossed in the world or distasted with the world or tyred out with enemies or wanting maintenance there they may be discharged of toyles and cares and prouided for without charge to their parents or friends to the great ease of parents and better portions of their other brethren who are all bound to the Abbeyes and Papacy for this benefit And there are such diuersities of orders and degrees of Monasteries in strictnesse or slacknesse of their rules that in one or other euery humour may receiue contentment the more deuout and melancholicke in the more seuere and austere orders the looser in orders of greater liberty All of them for present maintenance without care and protection without feare and for hope of rising to higher and higher places among such multitudes and diuersities must needs loue and defend to the vttermost of their powers the authors of their welfare And though they haue frequent fastings and prayers c. yet with a little vse they can endure it well as matters nothing comparable to the benefits they receiue these are but physicke to keepe them aliue against the diseases which else their ease and fulnesse at other times would breed And their delights are many to content them and the rest of the world inward hope that all their outward courses highly please God and they liue in a state of perfection farre aboue the best of ordinary Christians meriting heauen many blessings both for themselues and others their benefactors they haue their legends and familiar relations of visions miracles apparitions and reuelations much pleasing the credulous superstitious and phantasticall they haue their sweet Musicke glorious showes beautifull Images rich vestments variable ceremonies for the admiration of the simple Their Cities and great places abound in all varietie both of things and times and orders to content and delight the seuerall humours of all their baits to allure their hookes to retaine all kinde of people One day all Maskes Playes and lollity another day all Processions Fasting and whipping themselues vpon one doore an Excommunication casting downe to Hell all trangressors vpon another a Iubile or Pardon from all transgressions on one side of the street a house of vailed Nunnes on the other side an house of open Curtezans and the Stewes allowed for a pension payed to the pope as well as the Nunnes Neuer was any state in the world so strangely compacted of infinite varieties to please variety of humors and so strongly combined to maintaine the Master-piece Neuer was any prince so able to preferre his seruants and followers and that at other mens cost as the pope nor so able quickly and easily to take deepe reuenge of his enemies His authority is so great so setled in base peoples hearts his power so strong and adherents so many his agents so quicke to execute his will that any sinne against him is vnpardonable and on the other side any sinne either against God or Nature or prince or State by intercession to him and respectiue attendance on his Officers may be dispensed with or pardoned or passed by without disturbance §. 7. See Relation of Religion in the West §. 17. See B. White against Fisher pag. 186. c. Auricular confession pretended for repentance reformation direction and comfort of sinners and might with some cautions be profitably vsed to those purposes yet by the abuse doth yeeld to the Romish great benefit for the managing of affaires since thereby they pry into the hearts dispositions consciences and humours of all men Nobles and inferiours in euery Country whereby the more wise and politicke sort which are confessors to great men may come to know many secret carriages of businesses and also who are the fittest instruments to be imployed either in furthering or crossing their designes and by enioyning penance may make great vse of the dispositions which by such confessions are discouered Beside the gifts which they may wring from them vpon their death-beds or other sicknesses Of all which I wish there were no examples or practises §. 8. As we find the former policies make principally for the popes greatnesse strength and honour setting him vp aboue all the world Clergy and Laity so wee find many others notably contriued to furnish him and his agents with treasure answerable to so great a State Beside his temporals giuen by great Princes or won from them and others by power or policy his commings in are great from Abeyes Bishopricks and Benefices their Institutions Inductions Inuestitures palles first fruits tenthes subsidies and other impositions vpon occasions or at his pleasure And by sutes to the Court of Rome of Controuersies from all Countries and by appeales reseruations exemptions Relation of Religion in the West §. 38. pag. 98 99. dispensations and other rich inuentions Abbeyes many of them haue extrordinary faculties granted them whereby they gather much money but the pope vseth them as spunges to drinke what Iuice they can from the people that afterwards he may wring them out one by one into his owne Cesterne When Religious houses and Bishopricks waxe rich his Holinesse lets them blood in their ouer-full veines The masses of money were infinite that from all Countries of Christendome came in this way so that their temporals which should haue been their principall was then but an accessory addition to their greatnesse The people likwise payed their Peterpence Vsher de succes eccle cap. 7. §. 8 9 10. which in England was confirmed by W. Conqueror and made an yearely tribute although the same King denied to take the oath of fidelity to the pope §. 9. Purgatory is a most politicke deuice as it is now held to bring in great store of treasure to the popes cofers The pope hath the keyes of that terrible burning prison wherein soules must frye which haue not on earth satisfied for their sinnes vntill they haue payed the vttermost farthing except the pope by Masses Pardons Pilgrimages Offerings and such like let them out Which helpes are not to be affoorded without payment of money testifying their repentance But vpon good payments to his Holinesse and the Churches
King Edgare made a wise religious speech to the English Bishops which Alred Abbot of Rhieuall published in writing Abrod Rhieval in Genealogiâ— Dauidis Regis Scotiae MS. I must say saith hee that which good men lament and wicked laugh at they melt away in gluttony and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse that now the houses of Clerkes are accounted the Brothels of Whores and Synods of Iesters their Dicing their Singing and dancing their sitting vp till midnight with clamour and horror Thus thus yee waste the Patrimony or Kings the almes of Princes and which is more the price of his most precious bloud Did our Fathers exhaust their treasures to this end Vsher ibid. § 33 Polydor. lib 6. Hist Angl. Aâ—l. fric serm ad sacerdotes MS. colleg Benedict Cantabrig Joan. Stella Sacerdos in vita Bâ—nedicti 4 Papae 122. inquit Acciderat illi aetati quod omnis virtus tam in capite quaÌ„ in membris ex hominum iganvia consumpta fuerit I haue Constantines you haue Peters sword in our hands Let vs ioyne hands and swords that the leprous may be cast out of our Tents and the Lords Sanctuary may be purged Doe it carefully that wee may not repent of what we haue done and what we haue giuen finding that it is consumed not in the seruice of God but in the luxury of wicked man with vnbridled liberty The couetous rauin and tyranny both of Monkes and Priests most scandalous beyond all lay men at those times is described and lamented by Polydore Vergil Aelfricus Joannes Stella and others §. 8. Vsh ibid. cap. 3. §. 1. c. After the great secular yeare of Christ 1000 after his Incarnation the Christian faith much decayed from the ancient vnity and inundation of all wickednesse ouerflowed the world by the descriptions and lamentations of Wernerus Glaber Rodulphus Lupus Episcopus Guilelmus Archiepiscopus Tyrensis c. and wonderfull prodigies and terrours appeared from aboue and below were plagues famines earthquakes c. spoken of by Sigonius Hector Boethius Hepidamus Rupertus Wernerus Glaber Sabellicus Sigebert Nangiacus Vincentius Bellevacensus Antonius Florenticus Archiepiscopus Joannes Nanclerus as proclaymers of Antichrists comming for many beleeued that Antichrist was then borne as Baronius recordeth 1001. § 1. 4. §. 5. by the testimony of Abbo Floriacensis of the time presently after the thousandth yeere of Christ which opinion had continued from the times of Hippolitus Cyrill and Chrysostome In the thousandth yeare after Christs birth Vsh ib. cap. 4. Benno in viâ—â— Hilâ—hbrandi Platina in vita â—jus Siluester the second was Bishop of Rome and sate 4 yeares he was before named Gerbertus He entred by the Diuels aide saith the Cardinall Benno and by the deuils deceit was quickly destroyed And anno 1033. which was the thousandth after Christs death Benedict the ninth a childe of ten or twelue yeares old was made Pope by money not by merit and sate 12 yeares Hee was also cunning in Magicke and diuelish in Arts and wrought much mischiefe to the Church and Common wealth saith Benuo he was homo ignavus nullius pretij saith Platina and Stella Probrosus infamius saith Volateran Nefarius saith Baronius and he was chosen by the Deuils in the woods saith Benno In his time Cardinals began to be in some estimation a Baron anno 1061. §. 9.16 And in Nicolas the seconds time anno 1059. they had the first voyces in chusing Popes Now they doe all they are created by these words b August triumph de potestat eccles quaest 8. art 4. Ballar Apolog. contâ—a Iacobum Regem cap. 4. pag. 34 35. adedit Romae 1610. Estote fratres nostri principes mundi The Pope creates them and they create the Pope Bellarmine saith This dignity is not new since it hath beene 500 yeares But surely that is new which came into the Church after Satans loosing In which respect Wiclife saith Cardinals were the inuention of the Deuill For in stead of lots directeâ— by the Lord in the election of Matthias Acts 1. Now whomsoeuer the Cardinals chuse be he fit or vnfit Wicâ—f art 40. in concil Constan sess 8. in speculo milit eccle cap. 10. Cameraâ— Cardinal lib. de Reforâ— Eccle. he is straight Beatissimus Pater Immediatus Christi vicarius Wicliffe was indeed condemned in the Councill of Constance yet many in that Councell held with his opinion saith Cameracensis that such choise of the Pope by Cardinals was vnprofitable and hurtfull to the Church and was vsed without resonable cause burdensome to the Church and fit to be abolished Howsoeuer they are dignified with most glorious and transcendent titles Clemang de corrupto Eccle. statu § 26. whose office was at first saith Clemangis to carry out the dead and bury them §. 9. When a thousand yeeres was expired after the destruction of Jerusalem still greater miscries fell vpon Christendome Romanus Diogenes Emperour of the East was assayled by Warre and taken Prisoner by the Sultan of the Persians and Assyrians troden vpon in despight of the Christian religion and returning home had his eyes put out by his owne Nobles and reiected The Sultan subdueth many Countries great Antiochia Celosyra both the Calicias Isaurio Pamphilia Lycia Pisidia Lycaonia Cappadocia Galatia both the Pontuses Bythinia Matt. Paris hist anno Dom. 1072. and part of the lesser Asia c. And in the West the negligence and wickednesse of the Clergy was so outragious that some published letters as sent from Hell by Satan and all his infernall powers giuing thankes to the Ecclesiasticall orders that they failed in nothing to do him pleasure but sent or suffered so many soules to descend to Hell as neuer any Ages had done before Anton. in Chro. tit 16. cap. 1. § 21. Segebert chron an 1088 The Shismes of Anti-Popes and Anti-Cesars encreased this euill the Crownes and the Crosiers dissenting one excommunicating another and one contemning anothers censure and treading down both authority and equity vnder their feet And then began that Nouity not to call it heresie that to euill Princes subiection was not due and though men had sworne fidelity to them Onuphr Vita Greg. 7 ex libro 4. de varâ—a creationâ— Rom. Pontif yet they ought them no fidelity and that whosoeuer rose against the King was not periured but he that obeyed the King was to be accounted excommunicate This saith Sigebert was a Nouity if not heresie But Onuphrius saith that hence did arise perniciosissima seditio haeresis omnium pestilentissima And Auentinus saith Then false prophets false apostles Aventin Annal. Boâ—er l. 5. false priests came out and deceiued the people with counterfeit Religion and seeking to establish thier own power and dominion quenched Christian charity and simplicity and then all good open iust ingenuous and plaine people thought the kingdome of Antichrist began for they saw that was come to
Church and magnifying the largenesse dignity wealth and dowry of his Bride apud Vsserium De ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 9. initio pag. 255. See also B. Carlton Consens contr 2. de ecclesia cap. 1. pag. 156. and D. Field of the Church lib. 5. cap. 41. pag. 267. where he answereth Bellarmines arg libri 2. de Rom. pont cap. 31. Ex nominibus quae Romano Pontifici tribui solent verse 18. so plaine that that the Iesuites cannot doe not deny it our Rhemists say it was Rome vnder Nero c. but later Iesuites Ribera and Viegas Suarez confesse it must needs be Rome towards the end of the world wherein Antichrist shall sit make hauocke of the Church and be finally destroyed CHAP. 5. §. 5. II. As the Pope challengeth a superiority ouer all Christians so much more particularly ouer all the Clergy who must all deriue their both Orders and Iurisdiction from him as from the vniuersall Pastor of the Church in whom all power of Orders and Iurisdiction originally resideth So that Bishops pay to the Pope great summes of money for their ceremonies at their entrance and Priests also their first fruites and yearely tenths with other payments to fill the Popes Cofers by exhausting Christian Kingdomes and all Bishops and Priests become the popes subiects exempted from the Iurisdiction Lawes and penalties of the Princes in whose Countries they liue both their persons goods and lands which is a double iniury to Christian Princes and Common-wealthes First that the Princes and State haue no dominion ouer the persons or bodies of the Clergy or ouer Monkes Fryars Nunnes or other Regulars or Votaries they cannot be punished by the Kings lawes be they adulterers murderers robers traitors or tainted with other villanies except the popes officers will degrade them make theÌ„ seculars Which was the Controuercy betwixt King Henry the second Read this whole story in our Chronicles especially in Speeds and Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury who would not yeeld the King any authority to punish Clergy malefactors as being none of his subiects Secondly that the Princes and State haue no aide subsidies or reuenues out of the goods or lands of Church-men or Abbies whereas the goods or lands of such men may arise to a quarter or a third part of the whole Realme yea and they continually increase from Age to Age by gifts bequests and purchases and are neuer alienated to the great impairing of publicke reuenues and publicke force For which the Venetians and other Common-wealthes haue been compelled to make Lawes of restraint lest they should in time be swallowed vp by the Clergy This is against Diuinity equity and antiquity Christ was not exempted from the Magistrates power he acknowledge Pilat to haue power to crucify him Iohn 19.10 11 power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue He payed tribute to Caesar for himselfe and his Saint Paul acknowledged Caesaer to be his lawfull iudge And taught all men both for conscience sake Mat. 17. end Act. 25.10 Rom. 13.1 c. 1 Pet. 2.13 Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnis anima tum vestra quis vos excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere and in equity for the good we receiue from the Magigstrates to be subiect to the ciuill Magistrates that beare the sword Saint Peter doth the like Saint Bernard writing to a Bishop tels him he is not exempted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Father Paul of Venice in his Considerations vpon the censure of Pope Paul 5. pag. 39. shewes how the Exemptions of the Clergy came in peece-meale by the priuiledges of Princes and not jure diuino Anno domini 315. Constantine the great exempted their persons from publicke and Court seruices And Constant and Constance his sonnes added their exemption from illiberall or sordid actions and from Impositions 308 Valens and Gracianus 400 Arcadius and Honorius 420 Honorius and Theodosius 2. c. put the tryall of the Clergy to the Bishop if both parties were willing otherwise to the secular Magistrate which was confirmed by Gracian also anno 460. and by Leo. 560 Iustinian put the Clergy in ciuill causes to the Bishop and in criminall to the secular Iudge 630 Heraclius exempted the Clergy both in ciuill and criminall causes from the secular Magistrate yet euer reseruing entire the Princes immediate Deputies and substitutes But the popes in following Ages challenged these priuiledges as due to them by diuine right and abused these Emperours bountifulnesse to their great disturbance and dishonour And in these last Ages wherein priests and Iesuites are so busie with State matters to the great disquiet and danger of Princes making Religion a Maske to couer and closely conuey treasons and rebellions these exemptions and priuiledges are not tollerable §. 6. III. The Popes authority staies not here in the general Fatherhood of the Church or dominion ouer the Clergy exempting from the secular powers These are but staires to an higher ascent In the first and best times of the Church the gaining of soules to God was the principall end and wealth a poore inferiour meanes to maintaine them selling their lands to relieue the poore Christians Acts 2.45 and 4.34 c. Now it seemes greatnesse and wealth are the chiefe ends and a shew of Religion is a meanes to get them Christs kingdome was not of this world Iohn 18.36 The Popes is Doctor Sanders calls it Sanderi libri de visibili monarchia The visible Monarchy of the Church a Monarchy ouertopping all other yea practising to depose dispose transpose all other Christian Potentates as shall seeme good to the Pope to giue Henries Empire to Rodulph sending to him a Diadem with this Inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodulpho authorizing him like Zimri to kill his Master and raigne in his stead To giue England from King Iohn to Philip of France our Henry the eigth his Kingdome to whosoeuer could take it by force Queene Elizabeths to the King of Spaine to omit many others Pope Celestinus crowned Henry 6 and his Empresse See Tortura Torti pag. 264. 262. Baronius approued not Alexander 3. act annot 177. for he thought the story not true But Celestinâ—s fact he commends and defends B. Andâ—ews in Tortura Torti pag. 263. with both his feet and cast off his with one An Emperours Crowne is but the popes football Gregory 7 made Henry 4. attend bare-footed foure dayes in Winter before his gates Alexander 3 trode vpon Fredericke Barbarosaes necke reciting the verse of the Psalme 91.13 Thou shalt treade vpon the Lyon and Adder The yong Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample vnder thy f et These things the world cryed shame vpon and Bellarmine blusheth at some of them and laboureth to weaken the credit of the Reporters but our Bishop Andrewes reckons aboue 20 Authors of diuers Nations reporting them Christ would not
1213. and 1220. §. 4. The twelfth Chapter sheweth there were many of the Waldenses Religion in England Matth. Paris in anno 1174. some burnt in anno 1174 saith Math Paris and in King Henry the second his time many were grieuously persecuted in England saith Thomas Waldensis an English man Waldens de Re sacram lib. 6. tit 12. cap. 10. Wiclife taught their very doctrine and greatly spread it in England Also in Saxony and Pomerania and in the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany ib. cap 11. were many Waldenses they had twelue Pastors knowen besides the vnknown Yea as Trithenius reports they were in such numbers and so spread in Germany that they could trauell from Colen to Milan in Italy and euery night lodge with hostes of their owne profession §. 5. The thirteenth Chapter shewes many in Flaunders the fourteenth in Poland Sigonius de Regno Italiae lib. 17. Rainer in summa fol. 18. the fifteenth in Paris it selfe the sixteenth in Italy as writeth Sigonius Rainerius saith in anno 1250. The Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Millan Romagnia and also in Vicence Florence and Val Spoletine Anno 1280. there were many Waldenses in Sicilia saith Du Haillan Roger Haillan in the life of Philip. 3. Sigonius lib. 17. King of Sicilia made constitutions against them and Pope Gregory the ninth persecuted them in Jtaly especially in Millan as saith Sigonius So did Honorius and Boniface the 8. The seuenteenth Chapter sheweth Rainerius de forma haereticor fol. 10. an 1250. the Waldenses had Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Slavonia Bolgaria Digonicia by the testimony of Rainerius and they were spred into Livonia and Sarmatia Vignier histor Biblio thec part 3. pag. 130. as Vignier sheweth Sectionis 3. Subsectio 4. § 1. The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Lutherrs time and after § 2. Jn England by meanes of Wiclife § 3. His doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines § 4. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires § 8. and 9. The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Caluin c. Antiquus Enough Sir of their spreading but except you shew also their succession and continuance till Luthers rising you can haue no hope to satisfie Antiquissimus I haue shewed Councels consultations persecutions massacres and mighty warres against them whereby many thousands of them haue beene burnt slain rooted out banished wasted Vsher ib. cap. 10. §. 64. but yet the maruellous hand of God still appeared in preseruing multitudes of them in diuers and many places in the middest of all their grieuous and continuall persecutions their doctrine was still preserued preached beleeued spred continued and deliuered to posterity Your a Thuanus hist sui temporis in praefatione Thuanus writing but the other day saith Supplicia parum profâ—cerunt Persecutions or punishments preuailed little They were slaine banished spoyled of their goods and dignities and scattered into diuers Countries rather then conuicted of errour or brought to repentance Surely as the persecution of the Apostles at Ieruâ—alem quenched not the Gospell but b Acts. occasioned the spreading thereof in Samaria and remoter parts so did the persecutions of the Waldenses in some parts of France occasion their spreading into other parts and other Countries as Germany Bohemia Polonia Livonia c. as c Thuanus ib. Thuanus there sheweth §. 2. In Britany or England the Waldenses doctrine was quickly receiued by many Haply by means of the entercourse of the English people with the great Earle of Tolous his subiects by reason of the d Before subs 3. §. 4. affinity betwixt those Princes for in the yeere 1174 and in Henry the seconds time there was persecution and burning of them as e Subs 2. § 6. Mathy Paris and Thomas Walden haue recorded But that doctrine was more generally receiued and had fuller passage in King Edward 3 raigne when f See Archb. Abbot against D. Hill Reason 1. §. 25 Fox iâ—â—ita Wicl â—â— Iohn Wiclife a learned Doctor of Diuinity g Bailiol Colledâ—â— Master of a Colledge in Oxford and publike Reader of Diuinity in that Vniuersity taught it there with the great liking applause of the hearers and approbation of the whole Vniuersity For the Vicechancellour Proctors diuers Preachers and Batchelors of Diuinity tooke part with him And when Buls came thicke from Rome against him and his Doctrine First from Gregory 11. anno 1378. And afterwards from Gregory the 12 whereby he was to be condemned for an Hereticke The whole Vniversity gaue a testimony in fauour of him vnder their seale in their Congregation house in these words among others h Anno 1406. Octob. 5. God forbid that our Prelats should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an Hereticke c. §. 3. This mans doctrine as the said Bulles of the two Popes did say agreed with the doctrine of Marsilius Patavians and Johannes de Ganduno i Abbot ib. This Marsilius a very learned man in that Age about the yeere 1324 had written a booke entituled Defensor Pacis in defence of the Emperor Lewis of Bauier who was mightily laid at by three Popes successiuely demoÌ„strating the supreme authority of the Emperour and beating down the iniquity of the Popes vsurpations ouer Christian Princes and generall Councels shewing that things are to be decided by the Scriptures that learned men of the Laity are not to be debarred voyces in Councels that the Clergy and pope also are to be subiect to Princes That the Church is the whole company of the faithfull that Christ is the foundation and head of the Church hath not appointed any one to be his Vicar that Priests may be married as well as other Christians that S. Peter was neuer at Rome that the Popish court or Synagogue is a denne of theeues that the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to euerlasting destruction The popes being informed that this was also Wiclifes doctrine must needes condemne him or yeeld themselues guilty Many other positions were attributed vnto him also some bad enough and vndoubtedly false as had been before to the Waldenses and the Primitiue Christians but what hee truely held may be seene in his owne workes that remaine and in Mr. Foxe writing his life and in Catalogo testium veritatis lib. 18. Gabr. Powel De Antichristâ— In Prafatione n. 25. The summe whereof Mr. Gabriel Powel a diligent searcher and obseruer deliuereth thus Hee taught that there ought not to be one supreme Bishop in the Church that the pope is not only not Christs Vicar but also that he is Antichrist that his priuiledges bulles dispensations and indulgences are not onely idle and vnprofitable but also wicked and impious that to spirituall men is not to be giuen the politicke Dominion
many great men and Bb. were alienated from him which bred so great troubles in the Empire and proceeded so farre that the Princes of Germany meant to create another Emperour if Henry were not absolued by the Pope from his curse Whereupon hee was compelled sore against his will to goe and submit himselfe to the Pope and finding the Pope at Canusium put off his kingly robes and waited three daies barefoot in very cold weather at the Popes gate crauing pardon for his deeds a spectacle to men and Angels and a mocking stock to his proud enemies At last by mediation of the Empresse his mother Matildis his kinswoman and at the earnest intreaty of all his people crying for pitty with much difficulty hee obtained absolution from his Anathema This storme thus blowne ouer raysed another for many condemned Henry for basenesse in himselfe and wrong to them whom he had brought into trouble and now made his peace with their enemy so bad a man an enemy to all religion and goodnesse when hee should haue beene a protector of his friends and followers and a reuenger of Ecclesiasticall lawes violated Thus the Princes and Bishops of Italy raised hatred to the Emperour with purpose to chuse Henries sonne though young and to goe with him to Rome and to set vp another Pope who should presently consecrate the Emperour and nullifie all the acts of this apostate Pope This Caesar hearing of sent to appease their minds excusing all by necessity and promising henceforward to right all things amisse But Caesars enemies chose Rodulph Duke of Sueuia to bee King of Romans taking order that the Empire should thenceforward goe by election and not succession Whereupon grew mighty troubles Nation against Nation Bishops against Bishops euery one thinking they were in the right Henries side as Emperour by birth and long continuance Rodulphs side as autorized to kill the excommunicate and all his fauourers For the Pope had againe vpon new discontentments excommunicated Henry and all his fauourers and sent a Crowne to Rodulph with this inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho This Rodulphus after some bloody battels with Henry at last lost his right hand and being brought to Mersburge said to the Bishops and great men present that this was a iust punishment due to his periury because with that hand he had sworne feaulty to his Lord and at their perswasion had broken it Henry then hastens towards Rome with his army to regaine the Popes fauour but being denyed it except hee would resigne his Crowne and Empire into the Popes hands he besieged the City and did much harme to it and to the Country about for two yeeres at last the good Pope that had brought them all into misery and danger left them wrapped therein and fled and the people repenting their rebellion with much money purchased that the City should not bee destroyed Henry enters shewes openly the iniuries of the Pope causeth a new Pope Clemens to bee elected by whom Henry was consecrated Emprrour with the good liking of all and hauing established all things well departed into Germany Anno 1085. B. Carâ—ton iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Sigebert anno 1085. Florent Wigorniens anno 1084. Math. Paris anno 1086 Specul historial lib. 25. cap. 82. And Hildebrand wandring like a vagabond without comfort without help without hope though brought to a most pittifull estate yet pittied of no man trauelling vnder the vnsupportable burthen of a restlesse conscience he died for griefe at Salernuâ— confessing that hee had greatly sinned in the Pastorall charge committed vnto him and by the Diuels perswasion had stirred vp hatred and wrath against mankind This was the end of Hildebrand whom the Germans alluding both to his name and conditions called Hell-brand the Dutch tongue and the English sounding much alike as if he were a firebrand fetcht from Hell to kindle a fire in the Church to consume temporall estates which is not yet quenched Antiq. The euill liues of some few Popes is a Theame that you Protestants take great pleasure in speaking of and wee Catholikes exercise our patience in vnwilling hearing of it I assure you I haue suffered much in holding out to heare this your discourse Antiquis Good friend we should not onely patiently but diligently and gladly heare try and examine out the truth in matters of such weight Antiq. But I make a question whether your relation be the truth or no for learned Baronius and many other Catholiks doe much praise Pope Gregory 7. and account him a Saint Antiquis For the truth of my relation I cite your owne Authours who liued and wrote in those times or neere vnto the times wherein the things were done who set downe the whole substance of the story and it is not reasonable to thinke that late writers men of yesterday such as Baronius knew the truth of these things better then they But that the Italians and moderne Catholikes doe much commend Gregory I maruell not It behoues them to say with Demetrius and the craftsmen of Ephesus Acts 19. Sirs you know that by this meanes by the Popes Supremacy and the mainetayners thereof we haue our liuing our wealth and honour let vs cry downe this Paul and all that speake against it and still perswade the world that Great is Diana of the Romans §. 6. Antiq. Well I let passe your mirth and will suppose that some of the Popes liues haue beene very faulty but the faults of the person must not take away the good vse of the office This height of Supremacy might be of excellent vse to knit all Christian Princes in perfect vnity amity not only to liue happily among theÌ„ selues but to ioyne all their forces together against the common enemy the Turke And while the Pope was in reuerend esteem and authority with Christian Princes many worthy matters were performed and much more might haue beene done had it not been thwarted Antiquis You speake by imagination and fancy what might bee done but reade the histories of the Emperours Princes and Popes liues and see what was doâ—e and you shall finde all contrary to your imagination Our late learned and iudicious King Iames shewes by the issue and euent that the expeditions to Ierusalem were a deuice and inuention of the Pope K. James his Remonstrance to Peron p. 61. whereby he might come to be infeoffed in the kingdomes of Christian Princes for then all such of the French English or Germans that vndertooke the Croisado became the Popes meere vassals all robbers adulterers and bankrupts once crossed on their Cassoks or Coat-armors were exempted from the secular or ciuill power and their causes sped in consistorian courts whole Countries were emptied of their Nobles common souldiers the Nobles were driuen to sel their goodly Manors and ancient demeanes to the Church men at vnder prices the very meanes of Church and Church-mens reuenues growing to so great height And then his bountifull holinesse
of ioyning with the Emperour and Easterne Christians against the Saracens directly tooke occasion to disable them against the Saracens and to encrease the scandall for his owne priuate ends to the great ruine of the Empire and hurt to all Christendome Now he saw the Empire decayed in the West and by the Saracens sore shaken in the East and encombred also with a ciuill warre and the greatest part of Italy seized vpon by the Lombards the Exarchate of Rauenna and the Dutchy of Rome onely left to the Emperour and those but weakely guarded now he thought was the time for him to play his prizes he gripes the occasion cals a Councell declares the Emperour heretike for defacing holy Images forbids his Rescripts or Coyne to be receiued or to goe currant in Rome and his Statue or Armes to stand in the Temple The tumult groweth to height promoted principally by the Pope and the Exarch of Rauenna loseth his life But this tumult at last being appeased and Rome for ought the Pope could doe remaining firme to the Emperour about twelue yeeres after Palmerius ebrâ— anno 726. when the Emperour Leo Isauricus began sharpely to prosecute Image-worshippers Pope Gregory the second seeing him haue his hands full elsewhere and Rome weakely guarded with men and munition found meanes by helpe of the Lombards to make the people rebell and so the Pope quickly became master thereof And saith Nauclerus Such authority then had the Popes decrees that first the Rauennates Naucler 2. gen 25. B. â—arâ—ton iurisdiction c. 6. §. 7. after that the Venetians did rayse an open rebellion against the Emperour and this rebellion proceeded so farre that euery City and Towne put downe the Emperours Exarches and created proper Magistrates to themselues whom they called Dukes and thus as at a great shipwracke euery man catches a piece so euery City made her owne Duke and the Pope was carefull that his part should not be the least Not long after this Ado Viennensis in Chronico Trithemius Annals when the Cities of Italy began to prey one vpon another the stronger vpon the weaker and the Pope and the Lombards being the strongest of all who had agreed in conspiring against the Emperour now fell out about diuiding of the spoyle the Pope hauing made vse of the Lombards to oppresse the Emperour vseth still the same Art to call in Pepin the Constable of France into Italy to suppresse the Lombards and settle the Pope in that which both had gotten from the Emperour Anno 742. which was done And shortly after the States and Peeres of France by the counsell of Zachary the Pope put downe King Childerike as a man too weake to gouerne and made Pepin King of France Thus the power which the BB. of Rome had receiued of the Emperor and other Christian Kings they now turned against them as the Iuy that is supported and riseth aloft by the Oake in the end decayes and spoyles the Oake it selfe This was a great steppe to the Popes Supremacy but yet it was not come to the height Emperours were not yet deposed by Popes not cut downe but some of their branches cut and pruned off B. Carlton ib. cap. 6. §. 13. And Charles the sonne of Pepin who still further subdued the Lombards enioyed the power by the Popes kinde grant which ancient Emperours held before him to chuse Popes and inuest Archbishops and Bishops in all the prouinces of his gouernment Sanders l. â— de clauib Dauid But of this strange purchase of Rome by the Popes from the Emperours D. Sanders writes that it is to be accounted one of the greatest wonders of the world that the Roman Bishops without any power or armies haue remoued the Roman Emperours from the Tower of the Empire and made themselues Lords of the Pallaces of Caesars and turned the whole City into their owne power Indeed it is a wonder that men pretending holinesse peace comfort and blessings to the world should vse such wicked detestable rebellious treasonous courses to depriue their Soueraignes of their Rights Cities Lands and Honours by such audacious fraud and damnable policies §. 10. Of Gregory 7. that first attempted absolutely to depose Kings I haue spoken before It seemes he tooke heart at the successe of his Predecessors to goe beyond them seeing Leo Iconomachus as they called him the warriour against Images cast downe and Childerike of France cast downe and K. Pepin set in his place From these and such like facts other Popes and especially Gregory 7. deriued a Ius a right and from these workes of darknesse tooke light making them the rules of their vnruly gouernment and therefore after this the world could neuer take rest for the Popes Then the Kings set vp in place of the deposed must needs bee firme to the Pope and so must others that hoped by the Popes authority to enlarge their dominions and encroach vpon others and they againe must be honoured by the Pope and one mutually support another how bad soeuer the liues either of Popes or Princes were and thus the best minded quiet and best were beaten downe and one Tyrant strengthened another Sir Iohn Hayward reckons vp a number of Popes Sr. Iohn Hayâ— Supremacy p. 56. seq that raised other Princes or Subiects against their own Emperours or Soueraignes Iohn the 3. raised Berengar and Adalbar against Otho the Great Iohn 18. raysed Crescentius against Otho 3. Benedict 9. stirred Peter K. of Hungary against Henry the blacke Gregory 7. Rodulph against Henry 4. Gelasius 12. raised many against Henry 5. Innocent 2. set Roger the Norman against Lothaire 12. The same Innocent raised Guelphus of Bauier against Conrade 3. Hadrian 4. raised Millan and the other Lombards against Frederike Barbarossa Alexander 3. stirred the Dukes of Saxony and Austria to disquiet Almaine Innocent 3. thrust Otho D. of Saxony into bloody warre against Philip brother to Henry 6. Pope Honorius 3. raysed the Lombards against Frederike 2. Clemens 5. opposed Robert King of Sicilie against Henry 7. Iohn 22. opposed Frederike of Austrich and Lewes of Baâ—ier to fight for the Empire Clemens 6. opposed Charls 4. King of Bohemia against the said Lewes Eugenius 4. raised tragedies against Sigismond specially to impeach the Councell of Basil Paul 2. raised stirres against Fredericke 3. to chase him out of Italy When eight Emperours had beene scorched with excommunications of the Popes and their dominions set on fire and potent enemies enflamed against them and many of them consumed the rest afterwards grew coole and were content with what holy water the Popes vouchsafed to sprinckle vpon them those eight were Frederik 1. Frederik 2. Philip Conrade Otho the fourth Lewes of Bauaria Henry 4 and Henry 5. §. 11. Antiq. I am glad yet that these troubles reached not to our English Kings Antiquis If you thinke they did not you are much deceiued Reade our histories and enforme your selfe better you shall finde
Religion in this point Antiq. I must needs doe so and I doe not thinke them true Catholikes that hold and practise this point of Supremacy Papists they may bee as you terme them for so holding with the Pope but Catholikes they cannot be for this Doctrine is not Catholike §. 14. Antiquis Doe you not see also how greatly you shake the Popes authority by this meanes and ouerturne the foundation of his Supremacy for your Popes haue both claymed and practised this full authority as well in ciuill and temporall things as in Ecclesiasticall and vpon the same grounds And your learned Doctors thinke their grounds as firme for the one as for the other Your Great Bellarmine vpon whom you so much rely saith o Bellarm. de Pont. Rom l. 5. cap. 6. initio Although the Pope as Pope hath not any more temporall power which other Doctors say he hath yet so farre as it may make for the spirituall good he hath supreme power to dispose of the temporall things of all Christians And p Ib. cap. 7. hee labours to proue that the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their kingdomes if he finde it good for the Church as a sheephard may deale with Wolues and vnruly Rammes and other sheepe And many of your Doctors haue the like as Eudaemon Ioannes Sidonius Suarez Becanus Mariana Grotzerus Costerus Baronius Sanders Allen and thousands more Antiq. I am very sorrowfull that so great learned men should hold such an opinion I hold them erroneous and euill Antiquis Then you must confesse that the Church of Rome may erre and that in a maine point both of doctrine and practise to the great hurt of the Catholike Church and many mens destruction both of body and soule in being traytors and rebels against their Soueraignes and murderers of people of which crimes your Popes and Doctors are guilty Antiq. I must needs grant that some haue erred in the Church but not the whole Church neither I hope hath any Pope taught this Ex Cathedra Antiquis This some is a large some the greatest part of your Church and I thinke the Pope teacheth it Ex Cathedra when hee decrees it out of his Pontificall iudgement and authority and sends out his iudiciall excommunications vnder seale against Princes to depose them as Pius 5. did against our Queene Elizabeth and Breefes to forbid his Catholikes to take the oath of ciuill Alleagiance as Paulus 5. did to our English Now consider well what you grant in effect that the greatest part of the Church yea the most conspicuous and eminent men in the Church and the Pope also may erre in some great and dangerous point and yet because some few inferiour and obscure persons hold the truth the true Church is still sufficiently visible and illustrious This you had not wont to yeeld to the Protestants See card Perons oration in the third inconuenience In K Iamâ—s his Remonstrance p. 183. 187. c. Cardinall Perone dare not grant it but saith this would proue the Church of Rome to be Antichristian and hereticall and to haue ceased to be the Spouse of Christ for a long time and to haue taught many points without authority as Transubstantiation auricular confession c. for these he ranketh with the Popes power to depose Kings and if the Scriptures yeeld no ground for the one no more doe they for the other These and diuerse other points which they hold different from vs haue no other ground but the authority of that Churâ—h which is found to erre in great and dangerous matters See this in B. Whites answer alleadged p. 87 Your owne learned Iesuite Mr Fisher vpon whose iudgement your English Roman Catholikes doe much relye saith Thâ—t if the Church could deliuer by consent of Ancestors together with truth some errors her Traditions euen about the truth were questionable and could not be beleeued vpon the warrant of her Tradition and this he proueth substantially Neither doe we receiue doctines vpon the Churches warrant only as Doctor White there largely learnedly sheweth but vpon their agreeing with the holy Scriptures Now we may assume The Church of Rome doth deliuer by consent of many Ancestors from Gregory 7. time to our times some errours as this concerning her power to depose Kings and dissolue oathes of Alleagiance c. Ergo her traditions or teaching are questionable and cannot be beleeued vpon the account of her Tradition Consequently all other her doctrines not grounded vpon Scripture are questionable and our subiection to her iudgement vnnecessary Antiq. Truly if I grant the former doctrine of her power to depose Kings c. to be erroneous as I must needs grant I know not how to auoyd this reason 1 Booke 1. cap 1. And therefore not to trouble you longer at this time Since you haue shewed me 1. that your Chuch differeth nothing from the Romish Church in the old true doctrine which it continueth but onely in some corruptions which it hath added and that 2. corruptions may in time come into any particular Church the Roman not excepted 2 cap. 2. but warned thereof by the Scriptures 3. 3 cap. 3. shewing also the time when they grew obseruable and notorious in the Roman Church 4 cap. 4. and 4 that they were opposed from time so time and reformation called for 5 cap. 5. shewing also 5. the principall points wherein the difference consists and that you hold all necessary doctrines 6 cap. 6. 6. misliking many policies by them vsed to maintaine their new corruptions And further haue shewed mee Booke 2. that this your Church for the substance of the doctrine thereof hath alwayes beene visible 7. as all one with the Primitiue Church 7 cap. 1. and the Greeke and Easterne Churches and the Waldenses that separated from the corruptions of the Papacy yea and with the Roman Church it selfe excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof although in some 8 8 cap. 2. ceremonies and priuate opinions both you and the Romish haue departed from fome Fathers wherin 9. 9 cap. 3 also there was difference among themselues as there is also still among the Roman Doctors And further you haue shewed mee 10. 10. cap 4. a Rule to iudge all Churches and Christians by By which Rule iudged right by the Roman Doctors you approue your selues to hold all things necessary to saluation and thereby to be the true Church of God and agreeing therein with all true Churches that are or euer were in the world yea and that 11. 11 cap 5. your Bishops and Ministers haue as good succession from the Apostles as any other in the world although 12. 12 cap. 6. 13. cap. 7. you admit not the B. of Romes Supremacy ouer al Churches and Christians in the world neither 13. his Infallibility both which you proue to be vnknowne and vnreceiued of the Ancients and 14. 14 cap. 8. both vnprofitable and
and at their pleasure changed the Seas gaue Bishoprickes and brought their louers or Harlots Amasios suos into Saint Peters seat as false popes that in those times Christ slept in the ship which was ouerwhelmed with the waues and there was none to awaken him For bad popes set vp bad Cardinals bad Bishops bad Priests as nothing is more common then for like to beget his like And for the liues of the Romish Religious in generall Gerbertus said The Gerbert epist 40. Romanorum mores mundus perhorrescit citat ab Vsserio cap. 2. § 32 33. Romans manners are abhorred of the world Werner fasc temp aetat 6. circa an 944. Sanctitatem Papas dimisisse ad Jmperatores accessisse Wernerus that holinesse had forsaken the popes and betooke it selfe to the Emperours Cameracensis Petrus de Alliaco Cardinal s Cameracensis De Reform Eccle Ad hunc statum venit Ecclesia vt non esset digna Regi nisi per Reprobot Vsher c. 7. §. 7. The Church of Rome is come to this state that it is not worthy to bee gouerned but by Reprobates Naâ—ele vol. 3. geâ—cra 39. pag. 220. Nauclerus reports out of Joannes Flatzboricosis that pope Adrian 4 said No man was more wretched then the pope of Rome and Onuph de Vitis Pontifâ—n vita Marcell 2. addit ad Pla inam pa 359. Onuphrius testifieth that Marcellus sitting one day at dinner after long silence remembring the words of Adrian 4 speaking of the troublesome bitter and miserable liues of the popes and the difficulties of managing their estates at last striking his hand vpon the table said Non vidio quomodo qui hunc locumallissimum tenont salvari possunt I see not how those that hold this high place of the popedome can be saued As if there were a necessity imposed vpon the pope to be a wicked man that his place required it and that otherwise he could not maintaine his estate This Genebrard chrono lib. 4. pag. 753. Marcellus liued anno 1555. In our Queene Maries time and dyed the 22 day of his popedome not without suspition of poyson as Genebrard saith because some doubted hee would proue too good Quod nimbum rectus quibusdam futurus videretur Guicci ardin lib. 16. pag. 586. lat edit Basil 1567. Tunc in Pontifice probitas laudatur cum caeterorum hominum nequitiam non excedit Guicciardine describing the dissembling and vnpriestly prankes of pope Leo the tenth who began his raigne anno 1513 saith he was counted a good Prince for then honesty is praised in a pope when he exceeds not all other men in wickednesse Sarith in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. Vsher de statu suc Eccl. cap. 7. § 6. Joannes Sarisburiensis saith The Church of Rome shewes her selfe Not a Mother but a stepmother There sit the Scribes and Pharises laying heauy burdens on mens shoulders but touch them not with their least finger There Iustice Piety and Verity are set to sale They hurt most commonly and herein they imitate the deuils which then are thought to doe well when they cease to doe no hurt except a few which performe the name and office of Pastors Yea euen the Roman Bishop himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Thus write their owne Authors Pope Gregory the 7. So saith Onuphrius in vita Greg 7. Aventine Otto Frisingensis Gotfridus Viturbiensis Trithemius Sigebert and many other Catholicke historians See their allegations and words at large in B. Vshers booke De Eccles successione statu cap. 5. alias Hildebrand who liued in the tenth Age and began his raigne anno 1073. when Sathan was let loose Reu. 20.7 was the first that set vp the popes earthly kingdome instead of Christs Heauenly and raised it in wealth Maiesty and authority aboue all secular Princes and Emperours which their successors haue continually encreased mauger the world mauger the Emperours and haue brought into subiection both hie and low terrifying all with their thunders and embroyling the Christian world with insurrections warres and miserable vexations setting the subiects against their Princes sonnes against their fathers and making the Christian world worse then the Heathen a very Shambles of Christian blood Very many saith Aventine Plerique cryed out against Hildebrand and cursed him saying That vnder the Title of Christ he acted the businesse of Antichrist and ouerthrew Peace and Piety and to hide his execrable ambition deuised Fables corrupted Histories and adulterated the very Scriptures interpreting them falsly to serue his owne affections Sir Iohn Hayward of Supremacy pag. 61. he made blinde people beleeue that it was not sufficient to know and embrace the Catholicke faith vnlesse it were with subiection to the Pope and that all that fought against the Pope drew their swords against heauen and maâ—e offer like those Giants of whom the Poets write to scale the skies and to pull God out of his throne And that to fight for the Pope euen against their owne gouernours and naturall Princes whom the pope iudged to be his enemies was to fight for the Church and for God was a meritorious worke and the most sure vndoubted way to heauen When this opinion was once planted in euery state by that opinion any state might be supplanted Hist of the Councell of Trent lib 5. pag. 437. It was well obserued by the Chancellor in an Assembly of the States of France at Orleance that Religion is the potent weapon ouercommeth affâ—ctions and charity and is the surest bond of humane society that Kingdomes are more bounded and more diuided by Religion then by the Confines themselues that he that is moued with Religion contemneth wife children and kinred This he said of Religion whether it be true or false The more potent weapon Religion is the greater care is to be had that people be instructed in right and true opinions For where people haue beene rightly instructed they haue for conscience sake obeyed their Princes Rom. 13 5. and princes haue preuailed against many popes Sigebert anno 1088. Haec sola nouitas redicam haresis nec dum in mundo emerserat c. Vsher ib. c. 5. § 3 But when the popes had setled that strange nouâ—ty or rather intollerable heresie in the hearts of men that subiects owe no subiection to euill princes to wit whom the popes account eu ll and though they haue sworne fidelity vnto them yet they owe none neither are periured that fight against the King but they must be taken for Excommunicants that doe not sight against him at the popes command and doing so are absolued from all sinne of iniustice and periury and doe highly merit at Gods hand when this I say is settled in mens hearts the popes may vnsettle and ouerthrow what prince and state they list They neen no other Armies not treasure while they haue mens consciences at their commands let them but thunder out their threats and Excommunications of such as disobey them and set their Agents to publish