but one Consistory and can almost doe all that God can doe Clane non errante Hauing an heauenly arbiterment able to change the nature of things Substantialia vnius rei applicando alteri de nihilo potest aliquid facere Applying the substantiall parts of one thing to another and of nothing make something His Doctors according with his decrees and boasting with Pope Nicolaus that Constantine the Emperour sitting in the generall Councell of Nice called the Prelates of the Church all Gods If Prelates by Constantines voice bee Gods what is the Pope the Prince and primate of all prelates aboue all Gods So that his vsurped exaltation hath verified Saint Pauls prediction Boasting himselfe aboue all that is called God dispensing with Gods precepts making it no murder to kill them that bee excommunicate dispensing with Matrimony in prohibited degrees and such like Antichristian power in papall dispensation which cases and causes may be found in his darling Hostiensis de effi◠Legit. So that by the immodest and immoderate extolling of himselfe seconded by his Canonicall Parasites of old time glosing vpon the Popes decrees and corrupt constitutione enacted in the ignorance of times and arrogance of Popes to magnifie the man of sinne the pragmaticall and dogmaticall Antichrist the succession of Popes making Emperors to hold their bridles and stirrups and Kings going before them and to surrender their Crownes vnto them crowning them with their feet and to kisse their toes and to kisse their Legates knees and to waite vpon them at their Pallace gates bare footed to excommunicate Kings to depriue them of their Soueraignty and to absolue their Subiects from Allegiance with such like Pope-like pollicy haue beene the stratagems to exalt the papall Chayre aboue the Imperiall Throne and at first vnder the femblance of humility haue ascended to this sublimity temporizing with the world being darkened with the mist of ignorance yet affected to a blind deuotion and charmed to this Chayre of superstition haue made this Serum Seruorum A Seruant of Seruants to bee Dominus Dominorum a Lord of Lords making Kings his vassayles and doe him homage debasing the Lords Annointed deposing them at his pleasure and disposing of their Kingdomes freeing their Subiects from all obedience and exciting them to violence and villany in rebelling which hath been the cheefe procurer of the shedding of much royall blood the massacres of men and mischiefs and miseries of most Times which wee shall elsewhere more plainely demonstrate I will in the next place touch a little which yet hath beene handled by elaborate and accurate pensels this point of Popes deposition of Kings the very fountaine of Treason founder of Rebellion and confounder of Religion where it is practised or beleeued I will very briefly wright of it least I should seeme to make Iliads after Homer CHAP. IX THE Romane Church or rather Court of Rome wholly degenerated and arrogating a temporall Monarchy swelling with a forged puffe of pride and primacy appropriated to the Papall Chaire challenge an exorbitant and vsurped power of deposition of Kings and of absolution of Subiects from alleagiance to them which two-fold power is termed the principall warders of Saint Peters Keyes without which the Church could not haue beene well shut or opened This power of excommunicating deposing and depriuing Kings and of absoluing Subiects from obedience to them they principally assume from a pretended primacy belonging to the Pope ouer all spirituall and temporall men or matters deriued to them as they pleade from a supremacy in Peter whose Successorship hath intitled them to such a power and priority two points oft alleadged yet neuer proued yet this primacy of Popes as their Bellarmine saith is the chiefe point of Catholike Faith and the foundation of all Religion For which power the Champions of Rome stoutly stand and among the rest the statizing Cardinall Romes-Rabbi Bellarmine the most expert Gamester at the Popes Primero in seuerall workes yet specially in his fift Booke De Romano Pontifice The whole summe of it containing arguments and examples to proue that the Pope may by his Imperiall power though indirectly and in order to the Spirituals depose Princes from their States and Thrones And as the same Bellarmine personating Tortus saith Conuenit inter omnes posse Pontificem maximum iure deponere It is agreed vpon among all that the Pope of Rome may by right and law depose Princes which speech was too generall for many popish Doctors doubt of it and denie the papall intrusion into Caesars Chaire and some that did hold it haue recanted it as Tanquerellus commanded so by the Court of Paris Florentinus Iacobus and Thomas Blanztus the two last holding this for a proposition Pontificem in omnes habere temporalem potestatem That the Pope hath a temporall power ouer all but they came to recantation nay Hart an hearty louer of the Pope yet his opinion different from Bellarmines Whosoeuer make the Pope aboue Kings as a temporall Lord Nihil habere rationis aut probabilitatis to haue neither shew of reason or probability saith he Yet I confesse the generall voice of moderne Papists and among the rest the Iesuites who dispositiuè naturally are inclined to disobedience and pragmatically and dogmatically declare the same These are the chiefe Instruments but Treason consummatiue comes from the Pope first deposing then commanding and warranting disloyalty and conspiracy against them Augustinus Triumphus saith The Emperor of Heauen may depose the Emperor of the Earth in as much as there is no power but of him but the Pope is inuested with the authority of the Emperor of Heauen hee may therefore depose the Emperor of the Earth and as the same saith The Emperor is subiect to the Pope two wayes 1. By a filiall subiection in all spirituall things 2. By a ministeriall subiection in his administration of temporall things for the Emperor is the Popes Minister by whom he administers temporall things so he In like sort saith Aluarus Pelagius that the Pope hath vniuersall Iurisdiction ouer the whole world not onely in spirituall things but in temporall things albeit he exercise the execution of the temporall sword and iurisdiction by his sonne the Emperor as by his aduocate and by other Kings and Princes of the world The Pope may depriue Kings of their kingdomes and the Emperor of his Empire So he Capistranus agrees with him The Emperor if hee be incorrigible for any mortall sinne may bee deposed and depriued the sentence of the Pope alone without a Councell is sufficient against the Emperour or any other It is manifest therefore how much the Popes authority is aboue the Imperial celsitude which it translates examines confirmes or infringes approoues or reiects if hee offends he punishes deposes and depriues him So he Thomas of Aquine in this is also very popish Any man sinning by infidelity may be adiudged to
comfortable In a spirituall sense impious and vnfaithfull men are vsurpers I meane by a spirituall right for godlinesse hath the promises of this life yet haue they a ciuill and sure title among men by birthright succession election or other acquisition by which titles such rights are deuolued to them that we say with Saint Austen Qui dedit Mario ipse Caesari He that gaue dominion to Marius the same gaue it to Caesar he that to Augustus the same to Nero he that to gentle Vespasian the same to bloody Domitian he that to Constantine the Christian the same to the Apostate Iulian for the Kingdome is the Lords and hee ruleth among Nations the most High hath power ouer the Kingdome of Men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men saith Daniel and suffereth for the sinnes of the people a Kingdome to be translated from one people to another yea an hypocrite or infidell to reigne ouer them neither must man seeke to displace or dispossesse an Infidell King but say with Dauid Either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or hee shall descend into battell and perish knowing the saying of the sonne of Syrack to be true Tyranny is of small indurance and he that is to day a King to morrow is dead 3. Heresie is not sufficient to depriue a King of his temporall Inheritance Popish Diuinity is herein knowne let Bellarmine be the mouth of all the rest Christians are not bound nor may with the euident danger of Religion tollerate an vnbeleeuing King when Kings and Princes become heretickes they may be iudged of the Church and bee deposed from the gouernement neither is there any wrong done them if they be deposed If any Prince of a sheepe become a wolfe that is to say of a Christian become an Hereticke the Pastor of the Church by excommunication may driue him away and withall command the people that they follow him not and so depriue him of his dominion ouer his Subiects so farre goes the Cardinall Now who are Heretickes All those Kings which decline from the Papacy and denie his Supremacy The Cardinall thinkes as much Regnante Constantino florebat fides Christiana c. While Constantine reigned the Christian Faith flourished when Constantius ruled Arrianisme when Iulian Ethnicisme when Henry the eighth and Edward the sixth Luthenarisme when Elizabeth Caluinisme prospered All Protestant Princes by the verdict of the Pope and his Parasites be Hereticks and so consequently to be deposed if this their heresie which yet is the Catholicke verity and sincere and sound profession of the Gospell be accompanied with the Popes excommunication and yet it is a great question and neuer yet proued by the Scripture that Kings are subiect to this censure of excommunication it is disputed much both wayes and let it be yeelded for argument sake Ex abundante That Saint Ambrose did iustly with Theodosius in that abstention for I doubt whether it was a complete excommunication for a King is subiect to the presbyteriall Cure not Court to be informed in his conscience in the Pulpet not to be corrected in the Consistory by punishment to be directed not iudged or remoued from the company of his faithfull Subiects much lesse to be deposed or depriued of his regiment ouer them yet let it bee granted for argument sake that Princes may be subiect to the censure of excommunication which yet is sparingly to be vsed against Princes as Austen counselleth yet though the sentence of excommunication be direfull making them for a time as Ethnicks Sit tibisicut Ethnicus saith our Sauiour Let him be vnto thee as an Heathen Man or Publicane It is tanquam nonplusquam as an Heathen man not worse then an Heathen Man Loyalty and obedience to Ethnicke Kings is to be performed as the precepts and presidents of Christ and his Apostles plainly teach all The spirituall sword onely depriues of spirituall rights to depriue him of the Sacrament not of the Scepter shuts out of the Kingdome of Heauen not meddles with the Kingdome of Earth Excommunication is not an extirpation it serues not to take away any mans temporall goods of body or life or Kingdome on Earth it hath power ouer sinnes not ouer possessions as Bernard to Pope Eugenius It serues to tame the soule not to terrifie or destroy the body it cannot bind Kings that they should not reigne or absolue Subiects that they should not obey or depose Kings from their regall authority by which pretence of diuellish pollicy in challenging a spirituall power of Kings excommunication the Pope hath plagued the World with many temporall rebellions 4. Apostacy takes not away Soueraignty Iulian an apparent Apostate and wicked Idolater as Saint Austen cals him yet as the same Father speakes of it Milites Christiani seruierunt huic Imperatori infideli quando dicebat producite aciem iâ—…ra illam gentem statim obtemperabant The Christian Souldiers serued this Infidel Emperor and when he called to produce the Army or to goe against any Nation they presently obeyed not because they wanted power to resist for his whole Army for the most part were Christians as their voices to Iouinian Iulians Successor testifie Omnes vna voce confessi sunt se esse Christianos They all confessed with one accord that they were Christians but their obedience grounded vpon Saint Austens reference Subiectes fuisse propter Dominum aternum Domino temporali Subiect to their temporall Lord for the eternall Lords sake And though some of the great Diuines of Rome say that the Apostles were subiect to Infidell or apostate Princes and many Martyrs obedient because they wanted power to resist and that they might haue lawfully resisted if they had had strength when rather I may say with Tertullian that they had power but might not lawfully resist The Apostles were no Temporizers to command to pray for Nero if the time and not the truth had not moued them to doe it for conscience sake Shall Subiects for Heathen or wicked Kings be enioyned to poure forth prayers supplications and withall be willing if they haue power to poure out their Soueraignes blood The Prophet Ieremy exhorted the exiled Iewes to offer vp their prayers for the life of the King of Babylon hee would not haue willed them to haue prayed for their persecutor if it had beene a duty contrary to Christian profession or for lacke of power to fall to supplication VVhen King Assuerus had made a decree to kill and destory all the Iewes both yong and old children and women in one day what doe they rebell or rise vp in armes to resist with violence No no sorrow and fasting weeping and mourning sackecloth and ashes are their weapons When Iulian the Apostate threatned the Christian World Lachrimae vnicum medicamentum aduersus eum saith
temporalties which he writes as his Preface speakes against the Politicians and heretickes of the Time and indeed specially against a greater Clerke then himselfe Bellarmine both temporizers to flatter Popes with power in temporalties To omit all the rest of this ranke who inclineto this opinion That the Pope hath a direct ordinary and inherent power in Temporalties let vs on the other side behold these Madianites or Cadmeyes Brethren warring and wrangling with an opinionate opposition and contradiction The principall and Coriphaeus of all the rest is the Cardinall Bellarmine who ouerthrowes that ordinary direct and inherent gouernement of the Pope in temporalties as left by Christ with scripturall arguments very soundly and sufficiently yet to gratifie the Pope like a good seruant he restraines it to limitations and distinctions Although saith he the Pope be not Lord of all Temporalties directly neither hath inherent and ordinary authority as he is Pope to disthronize temporall Princes yet he is Lord of the Temporalties indirectly in order to the Spirituals Bellarmines vsuall phrase and hath an extraordinary and a borrowed authority as he is cheefe spirituall Prince to alter Kingdomes to take them from one and to giue them to another if it bee necessary to the saluation of soules i. in order to the Spiritualties Wherein obserue how politicke these papall Parasites be disputing about a power of Popes in disposing Temporals or Regals one fort deriuing this power directly and ordinarily from Christ and Saint Peter the other side indirectly and onely in order to the Spirituals when as their Pope neuer had any direct or indirect power in that kind from God and from Saint Peter But marke how the sonnes ' of this Kingdome be diuided The Pope hath either ordinary and direct power to depose Kings as he is Pope or he hath no authority at all faith Carerius But he hath no direct and ordinary as he is Pope by Bellarmines opinion Ergo He hath none at all Thus their diuision hath made a true conclusion that their Pope hath neither ordinary or indirect power in disposition of Temporals but least Bellarmine should proue an Hereticke in this point and be vngratefull to his great Master the Pope of whom he is graced with the purple hat hee comes with his qualification and modification That the Pope is Lord of the Temporalties indirectly in order to the Spirituals which strange distinction hath no foundation for Peter could transferre no power but ordinary and the Pope is no otherwise cheefe spiritual Prince but as he is Pope so that if he cannot depose Princes ordinarily from their Temporalties as Pope he cannot depose them extraordinarily and indirectly as cheefe spirituall Prince which Carerius enforces Either saith he hee is not the vicar of Christ or else he deposeth inferior powers as Pope but he deposeth them not as Pope saith Bellarmine he is not therefore the vicar of Christ by Carerius conclusion Thus Bellarmine hath depriued his Pope of the Temporalties and his opposite Carerius hath not left him Lord of the Spiritualties The one denies him a deposing Pope the other inferres vpon it no Deputy or vicar of Christ both assertions very true though they deliuer them by way of altercation Thus these wrangling spirits haue brought their Popes imaginary power in great hazard to be lost The one making their Pope Sathans Asse loading him with a boundlesse burthen of power too heauy for any to beare to haue the direct dominion of all the Temporalties in the world absolutely and ordinarily Onus Aetna granius A burthen heauier then the weight of the Mountain Aetna Iethro said that Moses his task was too heauy for him and Iob Curuantur qui portant orbem They that support the world are crooked yet these Ingrossers of greatnesse would lay vpon their Popes shoulders the vnsupportable weight of the dominion of the world to be Lord of all the Temporalties directly and ordinarily The other giues him not so much weight of authority yet giues him too much To depose Kings if need require taking a middle course denying the infinite power of Inherent and ordinary gouernement yet reseruing an indirect and borrowed authority belonging to the Pope yet not as Pope but as the cheefe spirituall Prince conditionally if Kings become tyrannicall hereticall or apostaticall then the Pope is to coniure them into the circle of religion by counsell and admonition and after if they proue refractary to confine them out of their dominionby depriuation and deposition and all this is pretended to be done by power of a spirituall right indirectly to the temporalties yet to a spirituall end and in order to the spiritualties The first to all mens eyes appeare most grosse and egregious parasites besotted with palpable folly and flattery but Bellarmine more smooth and cunning long acquainted with dissimulation the very Genius of Romes Court-Cardinals bedawbes his workes with oyly morter with holy hony if it bee for the saluation of soules in order to the spirituals tending to spirituall good then Si meruere Pater tunc dira tonitruamitte Percutient summos reges nec fulmina cessent If they deserue let Papall thunder cleaue These Regall Cedars and of Crownes bereaue These are Boanerges sonnes of thunder yet would seeme Barnabasses sonnes of comfort tempering and qualifying their fiery thunderbolts of depriuation with a pretence of spirituall good tending to soules saluation But there is a third sort of Papists on the other side men of more humble mindes disliking this statizing Iesuitisme and papall intrusion into Caesars chaire confessing that the Pope hath no temporall power ouer Kings directly as Gul. Barclayus de authoritate Papae against whose opinion herein Bellarmine writes a Treatise De potestate summi pontificis contra Gul. Barclayum Watson in his Quodlibeticall Booke Sheldon in his generall reasons Roger Widdringtons humble supplication to Paul the fift Pope which worke a late Decree of Romes Cardinalls prohibited repining to see Popes temporall incroachments by Romanists contradicted good reason therefore to clap their hand vpon his mouth and to commit him to the dungeon of suppression Stephen Gardiners booke Bishop of VVinchester De vera obedientia with a preface of Bishop Bonners adioyned to it De summo absoluto Regis imperio published by M. Bekinsaw Devera differentia regiae potestatis Ecclesiae Bishop Tonstals Sermon Bishop Longlands Sermon Tonstals letter to Cardinall Poole and many others in Latine and English in this kinde of Romane Catholickes all ouerthrowing this point of moderne Popery Thus as many Papists openly deny and I presume many of the other doe inwardly beleeue being acquainted with their equiuocations and mentall reseruations so it may make all men maruell who are not prepossessed with preiudicate opinions or preposterous affections vpon what sufficient yea probable inducements and motiues they might build this Pontifician power eyther of spirituall much lesse of temporall authority ouer Kings
moue them to such cruelty One of the specials of them Percy a Pensioner in an honourable place the others with worship wealth in the Common-wealth no penall Lawes vrged vpon them with many other prouocations to peace and amity Quorum si singula duram Flectere non poterant potuissent omnia mentem If some of these could not yet all conioind Might well haue turnd to loue a Lyons mind But all could not for howsoeuer they made a shew of obedience it was counterfeit Ore tenus Honouring with lippes not hearts They surely had receiued the Present of their Pope long agoe sent to his deare Children here namely the fiue wounds of Christ with this poesie Fili da mihi car tuum sufficit My sonne giue me thy heart and it sufficeth Rome had their heart England their hate and wee might of them haue complained had not the Lord helped with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast made the Land to tremble and hast made it to gape heale the breaches thereof for it is shaken Thou hast made vs to drinke the wine of giddinesse Yet these could flatter with Iudas Auc Rabbi Haile Master or Master is it I Yet for all Syren-songs let vs looke to our selues for Viâ— fidus affectus quorum diuersa fides saith Chrysostome VVhose faith is different their fidelity is doubtfull Their words sweeter then hony yet Vnlpina cauda semper prominet rictus rugitus Leonem prodit The Foxe may be knowne by his taile the Lyon by his iawes clawes and roaring By their fruits ye shall know them Trust not their iugred speeches for they haue learned the language of the Low-Countries I meane of hell their art of equiuocation to speake one thing and meane another and you know by equiuocation Iudas and Iesuits may be taken for honest men And how can their fidelity be good I meane them of their Clergy for as euery popish Bishop is sworne obedience to the Pope and Sea of Rome and to defend to death Rogalia Sancti Petri The Regalities of Saint Peter so in the English Colledge of Rome it is a Statute-Law or papall constitution that whosoeuer doe enter into it hee is bound to sweare after certaine yeeres being perfectly Iesuited to returne into England for the defence of the Catholicke Faith and there publikely or priuately to preach the same Now their Faith which they call Catholicke granteth to their Roman Church power to free subiects from all duty of obedience as doth appeare in the foureteene section and seuenth Chapter of their late Councell of Trent from which fountaine flowes Tâ—… So that they will not submit themselues to any Protestant King in any loyall and faithfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as did in somelately appeare in refusing the Oath of Alleagiance wherein his Maiesty specially aimed Separare pretiosum à vâ—… As the Lord by Ieremy to separate the precious from the vile to discerne and distinguish the Pseudocatholickes of this Climate from others of his sound and faithfull subiects And how I pray you was this oath impugned by the Popes Briefes by Bellarmine and others accounting it vnlawfull prohibiting all Popish Sectaries to accept it which oath yet specially touched their alleagiance to the King against the Popes primacy pretended in temporall things and but little the supremacy in spirituall things so that they who are thus rooted and vnmoueably grounded in all the mysteries of the Church of Rome beleeuing the Pope the supreme Head of all hauing power to excommunicate Kings to depriue them to absolue subiects from alleagiance to giue authority to kill Kings and accounting such deeds done meritorious are Clancularij proditores Clancular Traytors Schoole-Traytors who though they liue Vespertilionum instar Like the night-birds in obscurity and neuer reduce their Theoricke into Practick yet are they Traytors in Esse though not in Actu But to leaue these and to returne againe to our Powder-men Traytors both in fore and fieri Claneular at first their Chamber was a Mine vnder the Earth but being discouered then they shewed themselues Damonesmeridiani Noone day Diuels and were Sagittae volantes in die Arrowes that flie by day for perceiuing their purpose discouered and treachery preuented and disappointed of their priuate blow and blast which should haue beene acted in secret now they resolue to runne a desperate race and practise a publicke rebellion And so gathering their Catholicke Company and pretending the quarrell of Religion which they thought had had the vertue of a snow ball to encrease their number by tumbling vp and downe and hauing gotten such prouision of Armor Horses and Powder as time would permit they ranged about as open and auowed Rebels The story whereof I omit to rehearse because it is vulgarly knowne and in a Booke at large rehearsed Well the Catholicke cause moued these to this cursed Treason in which impiety behold their policy for if their villany had succceded which God in his mercy preuented they had deuised to haue laid all the blame vpon the Puritans The poore Puritans must haue the shame of Papists impurities and impieties Here in they shewed themselues to be Neroes brats who when he had set fire on the City laied the fault vpon the Christians as Tacitus writes of him or as in old time in the dayes of the ten persecutions of the Primitiue Church if any thing had befallen the world euen by Gods hand as plague or famine c. all reproaches were put vpon the Christians and crying out Christianos ad Leones Cast the Christians to the lions A shamefull and shamelesse shift to translate the infamy of so odious a fact vpon the innocent but it verifies the Prouerbe Hoc calciamentum consuit Hystiam Aristagoras induit Hystaus hath sowen the shooe and Aristagoras puts it on but thankes be to God Inciderunt in foueam quam fecerunt The fact and fault was knowne to be their owne and brought these delinquents to a shamefull fall Another policy they had pretended appointing an hunting match against the time of this treacherous designe thinking with Esau to haue brought dainty Venison to their Father not Isaacke but Antichrist and to haue surprized the person of the Lady Elizabeth now the Princely wife to the County Palatine of Rheine Thus they shewed themselues right Nimrods who was a mighty hunter and in name also Nimrod-like who is by interpretation a Rebell rebellious hunters or rather Fowlers to lay such snares but yet all may say with the Psalmist The Lord hath deliuered vs from the snare of the hunter praised be his goodnesse for euer But to passe ouer their policy in this worke of impiety painted ouer vnder a pretence of restauration of religion Is murder and massacres the seed of Rome from which these seedes-men would fetch Religion will the darnell of death produce the seed of life For the publike good Gods seruants haue wished themselues to be
peccamus in iustitiae regulam saith Aretius We owe them by right if wee doe not pay them wee offend against the rule of Iustice Nay to pay them is so necessary for all as the same Aretius there Nisivelint fortunis bonis adeoque ipsa salute spoliari Vnlesse they would be depriued of their fortunes wealth and welfare Therefore pay it truly and doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men not grudgingly as if compelled by necessity but cheerefully and voluntarily in humble testimony of your hearty fidelity loue and loyalty But herein may arise a question The Laity ought to pay Tribute to their Soueraigne Kings but whether the Clergy And the chiefe pillars of Popery haue already passed their verdict that they ought not to pay Tribute and he that was then foreman of the grand Iury I meane Boniface the 8 came not forth with an Ignoramus but with a Definitiue Decreuimus Decreeing that no Clergy man should pay tribute And since a late Iury of Popish Doctors that haue beene empannelled vpon that case haue passed their verdicts that Clergy men are exempted not onely from Tributes but also from all trials or punishments to be inflicted by secular Courts So Baronius in his Paraenesis to the Venetians writes Senatum venetum contra sacerdotes vel enormissime delinquentes nullam habere iurisdictionem quia scriptum est Tu quis es qui indic as alienum seruum c. The Senate of Venice hath no iurisdiction against Priests neuer so fouly offending because it is written What art thou that iudgest another mans seruant he stands to his Master or fals and the Venetians doing contrary he compares to be Instar monstri portenti Luciferi Like that monstrous portent of pride Lucifer Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels So Baronius So Bellarmine sing the same song that Church-men that are borne and inhabite in soueraigne Princes Countries are notwithstanding not their Subiects and cannot be iudged by them although they may iudge them And againe that the obedience which Churchmen giue to Princes euen in the meanest and meere temporall things is not by any necessary subiection but onely out of discretion and for obseruation of good order and custome These two Cardinals like Sampson sweate in the Philistians mill to grinde to powder the power of Princes ouer the Clergy thereby the more to aduance the vsurped might of the Papall Miter What should I record the paltry verdicts of others who liue vpon Bellarmines Baronius scraps and fragments as the Poets did vpon Homers Bason and will wright and fight yea Iurare in verba Magistri Sweare to defend the foulest errors of their false Oracles Quos penes arbitrium est ius norma loquendi If Bellarmine and Baronius the one in controuersies the other in Histories men indeed deep and famous in knowledge if it were sanctified if they haue once beate their braines about any point then the Ignatian brood a society like to Hannibals Army gathered Ex colluuie omnium gentium Of the drosse and dregs of euery Nation will tooth and nayle defend it as if Chrysippus had bred them who vsed to boast That if once he had the opinion he neuer wanted arguments to defend it Reade but Mariana de rege regis instit lib. 1 c. 10 pag. 88 or Francis Bozius de temp Eccl Monar lib. 2 c. 1 pag. 264 265 or to be briefe Catechis Iesuit lib. 2 c. 26 pag. 235 you shall find how they concurre and conspire like Simeon and Leui to draw the Clergy out of the yoke of obedience from secular Powers to inthrall them to a base bondage to the Pope indeed it was a pollicy vsed long ago among the Popes the better to raise the pontificall Hierarchy by degrees to decree Clericall Immunities from secular Authorities as we reade in diuers places Nullus iudicum saecularium Presbyterum Diaconum aut Clericum vllum sine permissu pontificis condemnare praesumat c. Let no Iudge Secular presume to condemne Priest Deacon or Clerke without leaue of the Bishop if he doe let him be sequestred from the Church Donec reatum emendet Till he hath mended his fault And againe Episcopi Diaconi quilibet Clerici siue in criminali siue in ciuili negotio seculare iudicium non possunt subire Bishops Deacons or any Clerkes may not vndergoe iudgement either in any criminall or ciuill businesse or proceeding And so againe Ecclesiasticis mandatur sub depositionis poena vt laicis imperatoribus regibus principibus comitibus c. Talias collectas nec sub adiutorij mutui aut subsidij vel doni nomine licet promissas soluant It is commanded Ecclesiasticall men vnder paine of deposition or depriuation that they shall not pay to Lay Emperors Kings Princes or Rulers Taxes or Tenths vnder the name of helpes lendings subsidies or gratuities although promised What a cautelous decree is this as if it were like sacriledge to pay tribute to Kings as Christ did or to giue them any thing by way of gratuities which all may doe without controule Eugenius I was one of the first that did Potestatem gladij ciuilis rapere Snatch into his hands the power of the ciuill Sword for he decreed that Episcopi haberent carcerem ad plectenda delicta clericorum Bishoppes should haue a prison to punish the faults of Clerkes And so Hadrian the first Ne clerici extra suum forum in iudicium traherentur That Clerkes should not be drawne out of their owne Courts And so Syluester Laicis clericum in ius vocare interdixit He interdicted Laycks to call Clerkes into their Courts So Fabian decreed Sacerdotes causam dicere mulctari in sacro non prophano foro debere That Priests ought to pleade their cause and to be punished in the sacred not prophane Courts So Iulius the first decreed Ne sacerdos alibi quam apudiudicem Ecclesiasticum dicat That no Priest should pleade his cause but before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge And so many other Popes Anacletus Alexander the first and second Eusebius Gregory 7 called Heldebrand and since him all haue rightly Heldebrandized arrogating the spirituall and temporall Sword as Boniface did who when Albert the first sent to him to confirme his election hee refused saying that he was both Emperor and Pope and so in that present Iubile did shew himselfe the first day in his Pontificall robes and the next day in the habite of an Emperour saying Behold here are two swords and euer since they haue vsed all their skill plots and pollicies to claime a supremacy ouer Emperors Kings and Princes not onely in spirituall but also in temporall matters Reade but Bozius Booke De temporali Monarch who there labours to defend that the supreme temporall iurisdiction belongs to the Pope so that hee is the vniuersall Monarch of
all the World and that the Emperour holds his Empire of the Church of Rome and may be called the Popes Vicar or Officiall as Iacobatius Writes Agreeable to the doctrine and propositions of Bellarmine that Kings are subiects to Popes and haue degraded Emperors and thereupon they challenge both swords and striue to free themselues and Dragon-like with their taile would draw the third part of the starres from all obedience and allegiance from the Kings of the earth denying all suites and seruice tributes trials or secular punishments to be inflicted vpon them exempting all their Cleargy from temporall subiection Contrary to the Precepts and practise of the Priests and Prophets of the Law and Christ and his Apostles in the Gospell yea contrary to the practise of the purer times euen in the Church of Rome when as their Bishops acknowleged their seruice and fealty to Caesars and paied them tribute Episcopi dederunt tributa potestatiregiae non resistentes c. saith Eusebius The Bishops paid their Tributes not resisting regall power yea let their Pope Vrban speake tribute was found in the mouth of a fish Peter fishing Ecclesia tributum reddidit then the Church paid Tribute yea Tributarium nummum debetis dare quo vos indicatis obedientiam vestram You ought to pay tribute mony by which you ought to declare your obedience But peraduenture they will alledge King Artaxerxes commission giuen to Esdras in which it pleased the King to command that no Tribute or taxe of the Priests Leuites holy Singers Porters Ministers of the Temple or workemen of the Temple should be taken or any had power to taxe them in any thing the answere is easie First this immunity proceeded ex mera gratia beneplacito from the meere fauour and pleasure of the King the better to incourage them in their worke at Ierusalem Secondly they possessed no lands but liued by oblations and sacrifices being herein like the Druides among the Frenchmen who payed no Tribute as Caesar writes the reason was because they had nothing and where nothing is the King loses his right Thirdly a particular fauour or example makes not a generall law Indeed Iustinian the Emperor hath granted to the Cleargy speciall priuiledges and freed them from military or martiall imployments personall officers and from many exactions but all this proceeds ex beneplacito out of an Emperiall fauour and royall grace which all vertuous Kings beare vnto Gods Ministers non ex praecepto or praxi for practise Christ himselfe payed Tribute for himselfe and Peter and by precept Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars telling his Disciples The Lords of the Gentils had dominion ouer them And S. Paul commands euery soule to be subiect to the higher Powers to pay Tribute and to giue Tribute to whom they owe Tribute To them therefore that challenge immunity from the performance of these publicke debts of tributarie duties to their Liege Lords and Kings I may say to them as Dioclesian to the Philosopher Thy profession differs from thy petition thy profession teaches thee to giue Caesar his due and not to rob him of his right Bishop Latimer calls such theeues that rob the King of his due debt Subsidies Tributes or Taxes Rather imitate that Ambrose the famous Bishop of Millan who teacheth thee a better lesson Si tributum petit Imperator non negamus agri Ecclesiae soluant tributum si agros desiderat Imperator potestatem habet vendicandorum tollat eos si libitum est Imperatori non dono sed non nego If the Emperor demand Tribute we doe not denie it your fields of our Church shall pay tribute If the Emperor demand the fields he hath power to challenge them let him take them I neither giue them nor denie them in no case arguing obedience in ordinary or extraordinary exactions agreeing fully with Luther If thy substance bodie or life should be taken from thee by the Magistrate thou maist say thus I doe willingly yeeld them vnto you and acknowledge you for ruler ouer me I will obey you but whether you vse your power and authority well or ill see you to that For Kings must one day giue account of all their workes to the King of Kings and if they haue abused their power by Tyrannie crueltie or any bad gouernment an hard iudgement shall such haue that beare such rule for then abides the sorer triall as the Sonne of wisedome speakes The power is from God the abuse of it from themselues and they will finde it when God and it cals them to reckon The chaine of gould is not made the worse because an harlot weares it about her necke it is Luthers comparison in this case so still Kings must be obeyed for conscience sake if not commanding contrary to Gods commandements Let vs in these follow the steppes of faithfull Fabricius of whose fidelity Pyrrhus boldly speakes Difficilius Fabricius a legalitate quam sol a suo cursu vertipossit Let the Sunne first turne from her course then we from the course of loyall obedience and allegiance alwaies remembring that Christian saying of the Martyr Ignatius No man euer liued vnpunished which lifted vp himselfe against his betters superiours his Princes disobedience brings infamie disgrace death yea hatred after death that the sorrowfull Sonne may say of his treacherous sire Ye haue troubled me and made me stinke among the inhabitants of the land as Iacob said of Simeon and Leui. Let vs alwaies from the bottome of our heartsâ— pray for the Kings safety corporally for his saluation spiritually and preseruation politically Let vs obey him because hee is the Lords annointed appointed by God to be his vicegerent representing the person on earth of the King of Kings in heauen Let vs honor him not with lips onely but with hearts truelie because he is the Father of our Countrie the constant Defender of the Faith and so worthy of double honour Let vs be ready to performe at his command our best seruice being his natiue and naturall Subiects born and bound by Allegiance to all Christian dueties of subiection Let vs be willing to pay Tribute a publike purse must helpe the publicke peace Multorum manibus grande leuatur onus Yet let vs pay him his duty Tribute to him for we owe him Tribute Custome to him for we owe him Custome Feare Honor Obedience Seruice and all other loyall seruices and performances of duties belonging to good subiects in their seuerall degrees and places humbly to tender them and render them vnto our gracious and high Soueragine Lord the King whose Sword Crowne Scepter Throne and Person iustly requires all these duties the Sword exacts obedience Crowne commands honor Scepter seruice Throne tribute and Person prayer alwaies powring forth to God this prayer and petition God saue the King Corporally Spiritually Politically CHAP. IX First Corporally
their royall Master and Soueraigne should say to them as Pharaoh to Ioseph Thou shalt be ouer my house and at thy word shall all my people be armed onely in the Kings throne will I be aboue thee yet that will not content them yea though they should be raised so high that as Seneca Nihil foelicitati eorum deest nisi moderatio eius Nothing is wanting to their happinesse but moderation and discretion to vse it yet still ambition eggs them with Dulce regnare O what a sweet thing it is to rule to be second to none to command all and therefore to obtaine this affected Soueraignety vse all desperate and diabolicall policies yea many giuing ouer themselues to Necromancy and to contract with the Deuill to haue his helpe to come to regall authority and at last like Lucifer are brought low Thy pompe is brought downe to the graue the worme is spred vnder thee and the wormes couer thee Quem vidit veniens dies superbum Hunc vidit fugiens Dies iacentem To day all knees bow and reuerence Haman and loe shortly Haman was hanged on the gallowes that he prepared for Mordecai neque enim lex iustior vlla est Quà m necis artifices arte perire sua A iuster Law there cannot be Then punish blood in like degree These ambitious climers seldome escape without a fall and then as well a Father Non est tanti gaudij excelsa tenere quanti moeroris est de excelsis corruere It is not so great a ioye to be exalted as to be againe deiected and especially by their owne action and ambition And therefore O ye noble and promoted Peeres beware of this bewitching Circe a false and vnfortunate Syren Ambition which would euer tempt and temper with you to aspire higher which infirmity is incident to greatnes as Tully Est in hoc genere hoc molestum quod in magnanimis munificis saepius incidit potentiae cupiditas In this kinde this is most troublesome that in great men valiant and liberall this desire of power rule is incident which aspiring fancy hath ouerthrowne many a noble family when as others content with their lot be it prope or procul a Ioue haue beene procul a fulmine accepting with thanks their roome and ranke allotted to them haue finished their race on earth in a comfortable peace with God and men And surely if men had eyes in the hinder part of their head as they haue before to obserue how many inferiours they haue who would be glad to be blessed with the tithe of their fortunes they would not be ambitious or haue enuious eyes to repine to haue a few superiours but would thankefully say with the Psalmist My lot is fallen vnto me in a good land I haue a goodly heritage and would neuer beat their braines or flatter their soules with ambitious dreames and charmes of pride like him who said I will exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I will ascend aboue the height of the clouds I will be like the most High or crooke in their nayles to keepe them sharpe for a day hoping by some commotion to come to promotion or enterprize to vndermine King and State by treachery hoping by some strange stratagem to intrude into Caesars chaire and though they should possesse it but an howre yet would aduenture all to sit one howre in a regall throne O caecas hominum mentes ô pectoracaeca But the shame of such treacherous and vaine glorious spirits haue euer exceeded their glory and their punishment greater then their aduancement In a word if you affect true honour enter the gate of humility and passe the gate of vertue and that is the right way to honor aspire by honourable and commendable meanes and let your merits make you exalted be not ambitious with proud Icarus to mount too neere the Sunne lest your wings bee scorched for pride goes before destruction and an high minde before the fall therefore let him that standeth take heed lest hee fall CHAP. VI. I Might in the next place propound Pride as chiefe mouer of Treason which as Hugo writes rides in a Coach drawen with foure horses Ambition Vaine-glory Contempt and Disobedience all ready to run the race of Treachery if the reynes be loose Or I might mention Enuy Discontentment of minde vpon some inward corruption or outward vexation or desire of reuenge misliking the punishment or disgrace of their most affected friends or some other sinister causes which some traitors may harbour in their hearts and if I had Momus wished window to looke into their breasts I might the better discouer and discourse of them But to pretermit these and many others which might be alleadged I will onely insist vpon one because I will be the larger in it the very radicall and efficient cause of cursed treachery in these latter dayes namely the seditious doctrine or rather heresie of Iesuiticall and moderne popery teaching that the Pope may depose Kings absolue subiects from Allegiance or to vse the words of their owne Carerius Papa habet potestatem remouendi reuocandi corrigendi puniendireges c Et hoc tenendum vera fide tanquam naturalis moralis diuina lex Dei The Pope hath power to remoue reuoake correct and punish Kings and this is to be holden with a true beleefe as the very Naturall Morall and Diuine Law of God and therefore the Iesuites haue made it an Article Doe you beleeue that the Pope can put the Queene from her authority Ans I doe beleeue it From the seed of this serpentine doctrine the Doctrine of Deuils it is That the Pope can excommunicate Kings depose them from their Thrones free Subiects from obedience and if they doe excidere fall from them the next is occidere to kill them for deponere a throno is exponere periculo to depose them from their throne is to expose them to deadly perill capitis diminutio to depriue them of their kingdome is as much as capitis obtruncatio to cut their throats Si Paparegem deponat ab illis tantum poterit expelli vel interfici quibus ipse id commiserit saith the Iesuite Suarez If the Pope depose a King of them onely hee is to be expelled or killed to whom the Pope shall commit that businesse and addes after That if the Pope shall declare a King to be an heretike and fallen from his kingdome without further declaration touching the execution then the lawfull successor beeing a Catholicke hath power to doe the feate or if he refuse it it appertaineth to the body of the kingdome The cruell Cannibals may become prentises to these Iesuites the Masters to teach rules to murther Kings the ring leaders of rebellion and trumpeters of treason telling and teaching the people That Subiects are released from the oath of Allegiance giuen to Princes
ouer the night So in the firmament of the vniuersall Church God hath set two great dignities the authority of the Pope and Emperor of the which two this our dignity is so much the weightier as that we must giue account to God for the Kings of the earth and for the Lawes of men Wherefore know ye Emperors that ye depend vpon the iudgement of vs and we must not be reduced to your will for looke what difference there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so great is the power of the Pope ruling ouer the day that is ouer the spiritualty aboue Emperors and Kings ruling ouer the night that is ouer the Laity Now seeing then the Earth is seauen times bigger then the Moone and the Sunne eight times greater then the earth it followes that the Popes dignity many degrees doth surmount the estate of Emperors And although Constantine the great writing to a Pope alleadged the words of Peter 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selues to euery humane creature as to Kings c. Yet in their Decretals they expound the minde of Peter to exhort all subiects and not his successors to be subiect proouing the Priesthood to be aboue Kings by the wordes of Ieremy Behold I haue set thee ouer Kings and Nations c. Neyther must Kings and Princes thinke it much to submit themselues to my iudgement for so did Valentinianus the Emperour and also Carolus For my power is not of man but of God who by his celestiall prouidence hath set me Master and gouernour ouer his vniuersall Church whereby all criminall causes as well of Kings as all other to be subiect to my censure For my Church of Rome is Prince and head of all nations the Mother of the Faith the foundation cardinall whereupon all Churches doe depend as the doore doth vpon the hinges The first of all other seates without spot or blemish Lady mistresse instructer of all Churches a glasse and spectacle to all men to be followed in all whatsoeuer she obserues Against which Church of Rome whosoeuer speakes any euill is forthwith an hereticke yea a very Pagan a witch an Idolater and Infidell hauing fulnesse of power onely in her owne hands in ruling deciding absoluing condemning casting out or receiuing in To which Church of Rome it is lawfull to appeale for remedy from all other Churches although it was decreed otherwise in the Councell of Carthage that no man should appeale ouer the Sea vnder paine of excommunication yet Gratians glosse can helpe that with a limitation Nisi forte Romanam sedem appellauerint Vnlesse they appeale to the Sea of Rome Of the which Church of Rome the Pope is Head the Vicar of St. Peter yea not the Vicar of St. Peter properly but the Vicar of Christ and successor of Peter Rector of the vniuersall Church and directer of the Lords vniuersall flocke chiefe Magistrate of the whole world Lex animata in terris A liuing Law in the earth hauing all Lawes in the chest of my breast Yea Nec Deus nec homo quasi neuter inter vtrūque Being neyther God nor man but the admiration of the world and a middle thing twixt both The Pope hath both swords in his power both of Temporall and spirituall iurisdiction able by his owne power alone without a Councell to depose the Emperor to transferre his kingdome and to giue a new election as hee did to Fredericke and diuers others to whom Emperors and Kings bee more inferior then lead is to gold for doe you not see the neckes of Kings and Princes bend vnder our knees yea and think themselues happy and well defenced if they may kisse our hands What doe wee talke of Kings The Pope is aboue Angels as his Clarke Antoninus writes That hee is greater then Angels in foure things 1 In iurisdiction 2 In administration of Sacraments 3 In knowledge 4 In reward And so in Bulla Clementis the Pope commands the Angels of Paradise to absolue the soule of man out of purgatory and to bring it into the glory of Paradise Who is able to comprehend the greatnes of my power and seate For by me onely generall Councels take their force and confirmation and the interpretation of the said Councels and of all other causes doubtfull must stand to my determination yea my Letters and Epistles Decretall are equiualent to Generall Councels and whereas God hath ordained all causes of men to be iudged by men he hath only reserued me that is the Pope of Rome without all question of men vnto his owne iudgement and whereas all other Creatures be vnder a Iudge onely I which am Iudge of all can be iudged of none neyther of Emperor nor the whole Cleargy nor of Kings nor yet of people For who hath power to iudge vpon his Iudge so that I differ in power and maiority and honor reuerentiall from all degrees of men For the better declaration of it the Canonists make three kindes of powers in earth 1. Immediata which is mine immediately from God 2. Deriuata which belongeth to other inferiour Prelates from mee 3. Ministralis belonging to Emperors and Princes to minister for me for the which cause the anointing of Princes and my consecration differ for they are annoynted in the arme or shoulders and I in the head This order of Priests Bishops Archbishops Patriarkes and Cardinals the Church of Rome hath instituted following the example of the Angelicall Army in heauen and the Apostles on earth For among them there was a distinction of power and authority albeit they were all Apostles yet it was granted to Peter they all agreeing to it that hee should haue superiority ouer them all and therefore had his name giuen him Cephas that is say they head or beginning of the Apostles whereupon the order of Priesthood first in the new Testament began in Peter to whom it was said Thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church Math. 16. 18. And I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth c. v. 19. Seeing then such power is giuen to Peter and to the Pope in Peter as his successor who is then in all the world that ought not to be subiect to my Decrees which haue such power in heauen in hell in earth with the quicke also the dead whereupon Pope Clement in his Bull of lead sent to Vienna granted to all such as died in their peregrination to Rome that the paine of hell should not touch them And all such as tooke the holy Crosse vpon them should euery one at his request not onely be deliuered but also deliuer 3. or 4. soules out of Purgatory And againe Christ said to Peter I haue
Nazianzene Teares the onely medicine against his mischeefe teares were their Speares Orizons their weapons They knew that they that resisted power resisted the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation These had not beene catechized in the Popes Schoole teaching Subiects that the Pope hath power to depriue Kings if they be defectiue in their regiment or not pliable to his commandement but were obedient as the Apostle exhorts Propter conscientiam for conscience sake Oh but will Master Parsons reply We hold this point that a Prince is to be obeyed Propter conscientiam for conscience sake but not Contrae conscientiam Against his conscience And he is so stiffe in this assertion that he saith If one authority example or testimony out of Scripture Fathers or Councels contradict it we then speake to purpose VVe answer Against Conscience rightly instructed and warranted by the word It is true but there is Asinina lupina or leprosa conscientia A foolish woluish or leprous conscience which vicious or erroneous conscience is not rightly called conscience but error and peruersenesse and therein it failes If a King command things expressely contrary to Gods word the Apostles rule then is plaine VVe must obey God rather then men yet not fall to violence or outward resistance in body but in spirit submitting our bodies to suffer with patience what shall bee inflicted like the three Children to Nabuchadnezar but in our soules to shew our selues more then Conquerors for our Conscience sake Thus doe we see that the foure forenamed crimes Tyranny Infidelity Heresie Apostacy yet great and greeuous sinnes are not sufficient to depriue a King of his regall Inheritance or to free his Subiects from their obedience CHAP. XI I VVil in the next place briefly consider the goodly Harmony of the holy Doctors of Rome in the managing and maintaining of this new Doctrine of deposition of Kings by making their Pope an absolute Lord of all Temporalties and of the Spiritualties by vertue of which vaste omnipotency of power as being the Supreme spirituall and temporall Prince of all and ouer all they ascribe vnto his Holinesse this plenitude of power to haue the iurisdiction of both swords and so may passe against Kings if they bee faulty by tyranny infidelity heresie or apostacy or not Roman Catholickes Sentences of Excommunication Breues of Interdiction Depriuation Buls of Absolution of Subiects from Alleagiance yea giue Licence and Indulgences of pardon to misereants to murder them and yet this is not to be counted King-killing for a King excommunicated or deposed is no King in Popery Let vs see the consent of these Doctors or rather heare the confusion of their tongues in building of this Babell Some of the cheefe pillars of Popery defend the direct ordinary and inherent authority of the Pope whereby as Lord of the whole VVorld in all temporall matters hee may at his pleasure depose Emperors and Princes The cheefe of these is Cardinall Baronius and to alleadge his reasons I omit his Bookes are common and extant in the world And this opinion that the Pope is Lord of all the Temporalties and that the supreame Iurisdiction both in temporall and spirituall matters belong to Peters Successors which was the brainelesse assertion of old blockish Canonists and exploded of all sober Papists is now renewed and passeth for Catholick Doctrine Your Francis Bozius defends it that the Pope is directly Lord of things temporall and is the Ruler and Monarke of the whole world So Rodericus Sancius a Bishop of theirs goes further It is to be holden according to the naturall morall and diuine Law wth the right Faith that the Lordship of the Roman Bishop is the true and onely immediate Lordship of all the world not as concerning spirituall things onely but also as concerning temporall things and that the imperiall Lordship of Kings dependeth vpon it and oweth seruice and attendance thereunto as a meanes minister and instrument and that by him it receiueth institution and ordination and at the commandement of the papall Lordship it may be remoued reuoked corrected and punished In the gouernement of the world the secular Lordship is not necessary either of pure or meere or expedient necessity but when the Church cannot Resoluing this Article therefore we say That in all the world there is but one Lordship and therefore there must be but one Vniuersall and Supreame Prince and Monarke who is Christs Vicar according to that of Daniel He gaue him dominion and honour and kingdome and all people and languages shall serue him In him therefore is the Fountaine and originall of all Lordship and from him the other Powers flow so farre goes this Popish Bishop And diuers others agree with him It is iudged that no Christian Monarke hath his Crowne wholly giuen him from Heauen vnlesse it receiue firmenesse and strength also from Christs Vicar the Pope so Possevine Christ committed to Peter the Key-keeper of eternall life the right of earthly and heauenly gouernement and that in his place the Pope is the vniuersall Iudge the King of Kings the Lord of Lords saith another yea the holy Writer in the old law made the Priesthood an adiectiue to the Kingdome but Saint Peter made the Kingdome an adiectiue to the Priesthood faith the same writer Carerius a Doctor of Padua in his Booke De potestate Romani Pontificis which he made specially to confute Bellarmine who denied the ordinary and direct power of the Pope in the Temporalties doth in many places and pages maintaine that all dominion as well in spirituall things as in temporall is fetcht by Christ and the same is committed to Saint Peter and his Successors that Christ was Lord of all these inferior things not onely as he was God but also as he was Man hauing at that time dominion in the Earth and therefore as the dominion of the world both diuine and humane was then in Christ as man so now it is in the Pope the vicar of Christ That Christ is directly the Lord of the world in temporall things and therefore the Pope Christs vicar is the like and this power giuen to Peter is set out by the sole comming of Peter to Christ vpon the water for vniuersall gouernement is signified by the Sea As God is the Supreme Monarke of the world productiuely and gubernatiuely although of himselfe he be neither of the world nor temporall so the Pope although originally and from himselfe he haue dominion ouer all things temporall yet he hath it not by any immediate execution and committeth that to the Emperor by an vniuersall iurisdiction It would weary a man to reade ouer this worke of Carerius wherein he sweates and toyles himselfe striuing with arguments and laying a curse vpon his aduersaries that shal gainsay him or denie the ordinary direct power of the Pope in the
eyther directly or indirectly by way of deposition of Kings or disposition of their kingdomes The Basis or pillar of this power yea pride they fetch from a primacy as they say of Peter which is diuolued to the See of Rome by right of succession in both of which points they haue beene lamentably soyled and it were folly in me to rub ouer the incureable wounds they haue receiued in this conflict I will stand but as a spectator or relator of this skirmish first in Peters primacy First wee request them to choose out a place for the foundation of it And the Cardinall Contarenus answereth That in his iudgement it was chiefly giuen in the 16. of Mathew when the keyes were giuen him But his Brother Bellarmine the Rhemists deny this and say The koyes were not then giuen but onely promised and with the keyes the supremacy the Gift was in the 21. of Iohn where Christ said Feede my sheepe But 〈◊〉 Contraâ—… replies againe Let not the subtilty of some more ye that say thus for they speake more subtilly then truely thus in the very â—ore from they begin to stagger and vary among themselues But because the place of Math. 16. commonly alleadged to prooue Peters supremacy is their most euident place there we insist and obiect that heerein Peter had no more giuen him then the other Apostles and all made equall with him for Peter had no more but to be the rocke and to receiue the keyes but this is common to the other ergo c. For all the power of the rocke and keyes is included in binding and loosing retaining and remitting sinnes as themselues teach but this power was giuen to all the Apostles Math. 18. 18. Iohn 20. 21. Therefore all the power of the Rocke and Keyes common to the other To reconcile this point and dissolue this knot they skirmish among themselues Some denying that the keyes containe more then binding and loosing Others that Christ in the 18. of Matthew gaue not the Apostles the whole power of the keyes making a threefold sort of keyes of Primacie of Order of Iurisdiction But Bellarmine condemnes that saying It was neuer heard that there were more keyes in the Church then two of Order and of Iurisdiction by which assertion in giuing the other Apostles the same keyes of Order and Iurisdiction hee confirmes our conclusion The highest authority that can be assigned is contained in the keyes say they and the keyes were giuen the other Apostles Math. 18. Iohn 20. 23. as well as Peter therefore Peter hath no supremacy by the Text or by their expositions The common answer of them is That albeit the Apostles had the same keyes and power that Peter had yet with a difference that Peter had it before them and as their Ordinary but they after him as his Legates and subiects which is vntrue for in the 20. of Iohn 21. they all had their power and commission from Christs own mouth not from Peter And Christ said to all Goe ye and preach the Gospell to euery creature so that seeing they had all their Commission immediatly from Christs mouth it doth imply a contradiction to say they had it vnder and from Peter herein they implicate themselues in diuers turnings some say they receiued all their authority from Christ immediately but this was because it pleased Christ by speciall priuiledge to exempt them wherein marke how they contradict themselues first saying they had their authority from and vnder Peter and presently they should haue had it but that by speciall grace they were exempted 2 Sort say the Apostles had two offices first of Apostleship secondly of Bishoply dignity the former they had from Christ but the latter by through Peter Victoria saying They receiued all the power they had immediately from Christ in that he made them all Apostles for to the Apostleship belong three things first authority to gouerne the beleeuers secondly faculty of teaching thirdly power of miracles inferring that all the Apostles had the authority of Order Iurisdiction immediately from Christ And Henriquez saith There is no likelihood in their opinion that say the Apostles receiued their Iurisdiction of Peter other determine the doubt thus That the difference of Peters power from the rest was that hee alone might vse the keyes but the rest might not without him and Saunders saith The other Disciples had the same keyes but after Peter to teach them that Peter had them by ordinary right as Prince of all but they by Christs speciall delegation extraordinarily Gregory of Valence otherwise that Peter had the keyes from Christ and ouer all the Church for euer to continue in his successors which the other Apostles had not Victoria decides this power into foure parts 1. That Peters power was ordinary the rest extraordinary 2. That it was to continue in the Church the others not 3. His power was cuer them their 's neyther ouer him nor ouer one another 4. Their power was subordinate to his so that hee might ouer rule it Caiâ—tan cuts it into fiue points 1. In the manner Peter receiued the power ordinarily they of speciall grace 2. In the office Peter Christs Vicar they but delegates 3. In the obiect hauing power ouer all they not ouer one another 4. In continuance Peters perpetuall theirs determined with their life 5. In the essence Peters preceptiue to command their 's executiue to doe what hee commanded Senensis deuides it into three parts 1. of Order 2. of Apostleship 3. of Monarchy What a weake and doubtfull foundation is heere to build vp Peters Primacy which they make an Article of their Faith so inuolued with nice distinctions and perplexed with difficulties and mutuall contradictions But perchance some Papist may reply and say the chiefe place to proue Peters primacy is Iohn 20. 16. where Christ said thrice to Peter Feede my Sheepe why doth hee examine Peter of his loue more then the rest but that hee intended him more authority No such matter Peter had thrice denied Christ which none of the other had done and therefore he had a threefold confirmation and made a threefold confession for his former abnegation Oh but some of them haue againe argued Feeding is ruling with fulnesse of power but the other Apostles were part of Christs sheepe therefore he must feede them Ansâ— Feeding is to edifie by the word and example so Peter fedde the Apostles and the Apostles fedde Peter as Paul fedde him at Antioch by reproofe So all Christs Ministers are commanded to feed the slock of Christ which is as large as feed my sheepe but the Pope doth not thus feede the sheepe but rather feede vpon the sheepe Non pascit oues sed pastus ouibus in this point Peter and the Pope are no more alike then an Englishman is to a blackeamoore they agree better in fishing then
confessed his intimate conference with Iesuites men dangerous to Kings and States his plausibility with the people an harbinger of ambitious thoughts These with other practises hee vsed as being addicted to Magiche are like the bleating of sheepe in Samuels eares and may all say What meane these things wee may coniecture something yet determine nothing for this Traytor was a Politician who held this Maxime That he was not a wiseman who hauing intended the execution of an high and dangerous purpose did communicate the same to any but himselfe Thus we see how the Lord verifies Dauids words Hee forsaketh not his Saints they shall be preserued for euermore but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off Great deliuer ances giueth he vnto his King and sheweth mercy vnto his Annointed And if all antiquity should awake it could not relate a more Diuine deliuery in so dangerous and deadly extremity And it doth minister immortall and immatchable motiues of perpetuall praises and thankes giuing to God to sing with Dauid Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible Generation shall praise thy workes vnto generation and declare thy power The Lord preserueth all them that loue him but he will destroy the wicked This day the fift of August the commemoration day of this Conspiracy and Deliuery commanded by regall authority to be religiously obserued wherein wee should doe that which the Lord spake to Moses after Israels victory ouer Amalek Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder Heauen And Moses built an Altar and called the name of it Iehoua-Nissi that is the Lord my Bauner So the great King of Kings hauing giuen the King of our English Israel an happy victory ouer Amalâ—k put out the remembrance of them from vnder heauen All from the King in his Throne to the poorest member and Subiect of great Britanny should write in the tables of thankefull hearts the best booke of remembrance this most happy and heauenly deliuerance and goe to the publike Altar the house of prayer and offer vp a seruice and sacrifice of humble and hearty prayers and praises as sweet Incense vnto the Lord singing and saying Iehoua-Nissi the Lord is my Banner The Lord is our strength and praise and is become our saluation Thy right hand O Lord hath bruised the enemie Therefore will I praise thee O Lord among the Nations and will sing vnto thy name Hee is the Tower of saluation for his King and sheweth mercy to his Appointed euen to Dauid and to his seed for euer All glory honour thankes and praise bee giuen to God alone The Father Sonne and Holy ghost three seuerally in one Laus Deo Amphitheatrum Scelerum OR THE TRANSCENDENT OF TREASON For the fift of Nouember THE DAY OF A MOST Admirable Deliuerance of our King Queene Prince Royall Progeny the Spirituall and Temporall Peeres and Pillars of the Church and State together with the Honourable Assembly of the representatiue Body of the Kingdom in generall from that most horrible and hellish proiect of the Gun-powder Treason PSAL. 11. 22. Forloe the wicked bend their bowe and make ready their arrowes vpon the string that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart For the foundations shall be cast downe and what hath the righteous done By SAMVEL GAREY Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE for HENRY FETHERSTONE and IOHN PARKER 1618. TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS and Right Honourable Lords Spirituall and Temporall the renowned Peeres Prelates and Counsellors to the High and famous Court of Parliament SAMVEL GAREY an vnworthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST with his most deuoted obseruance humbly offereth this short Treatise in a perpetuall remembrance of all dutifull thankfulnesse to Almighty God for your Graces and Honours happy deliuerance from the intended Gun-powder Treason Nouember the fifth Anno Domini 1605. Most Reuerend Honorable and right Noble Lords MAy it please your Graces and Honors to behold the wofull picture and lamentable protect of your earthly Downefall intended the contemplation and cogitation whereof can neuer cause you to bury it in obliuion wherein the professed enemies to God King and Country endeauoured and attempted with one blow and blast to make your Mittimus and send you all to another world But Gods most admirable mercy disappointed their most abhominable mischiefe and doth moue your Graces and Honors to say thankfully with the Psalmist Thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries and hast put them to confusion that hate vs Therefore will we praise God continually and will confesse thy name for euer In which prodigious practise and mercilesse Massacre your Graces and Honors may behold your selues how you should haue Purgatory-Vulcans could bring one sparke to enkindle it still the Regall Sunne and Moone shines with a bright and beautifull lustre in the Royall firmament who by these foule monsters and fiery Meteors should haue beene finally eclipsed Charles-wayne is still in our Horizon and God grant it may be said of our King Iames as Iacob said of his Iuda Sceptrum non auferetur à Iuda Gen. 49. 10. Your Graces and Honors the fixed starres of Church and State still keepe your station and retaine your powerfull influences who by these Miscreants should haue bene sent from the stately Parliament to the starry firmament and though not then your mortall limbes yet your immortall soules should haue flowen higher But loe * The Lord was with you while you were with him and preserued you in safely as reserued instruments for his further seruice and glory to the vnspeakeable comfort of his Church and happy welfare of great Britanny Which incomparable worke of Gods infinite mercy in this most gracious and generall deliuerance as it can neuer beforgotten so it cannot be too ofr reuined which poore oblation a commemoration of your Graces and Honours preseruation as it is very seasonable for the time Nouember the 5. against which day it was and is prepared as a yearely present and poore Tribute of true thankefulnesse so I heartily wish it weresatable to merit your most honourable acceptance Yet Cum desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Your renowned worthinesse will I hope accept my willingnesse and protect this Treatise the Transcendent of Treason vnder the fauourable countenance of your most honourable patronages so shall it be safe from all backbiting vermine and vipers of our Church and Country And as some say The Sea-Vrchin armes himselfe with some stones against a tempest so I against all the windy tempests of ill tongued Iesuites and railing Popelings who take things with the left hand which are offered with the right as Ariston once said will I suppose contemne and condemne this worke wherein their treasonable practises and precepts are in part discouered yet being armed
Lucifer Vincent Cyrin c. 6. * Gregory the first said To consent to this wicked name what is it else but to lose the faith lib. 4. cp 39. b Ep. ad Procap pag. 346. c Turrecrem sum de eccl lib. 3. c. 60. Panorm de elect elect pot Significa * Dr Willet Synop. Cen. 1. err 33. Dr White in his Way to the Church lib. 2. c. 47. d Rom. 13. 1. c In defence of Kings and independency of their Crownes f Pro Athan. lib. 1. pag. 65. g Lib. 3. cap 35. h In Anno 1085. Chron. i In Anno 1088. p. 129. Auent p. 4. 70. k In spec hist lib. 1â— cap. 84. l Gregor 7. epist 21. lib. 8â— apud Souer ad Conc. * Or as some write by Gregory the fift m Vrsperg in anno 718. Sigebert in Anno 731. * Ecclesia Romana est priuatiua non primitiua A King is not bound to giue an account to Popes or people but God n Psalm 51. 4. o De potest regia papali c. 10. Otho deposed John 22. Pope c. p Quae. 2. de potest eccl Laic c. 12. q c. 9. 10. 11. The Scripture recites 19. Kings of Israel and 14. of Iudah who brake the couenant made with the Lord yet none deposed by Priest or Prophet for that cause r Defens Angl. Catho c. 5. 2 Chron. 26. 2 Chro. 26. 20. Visa lepra Sacerdotes regem leprosum ad festine egrediendum monent Caietan in 2. Paral. 26. V. 16. Sacerdotis est tantum arguere non mouere arma c. Chrysost 18 Leuitic 13. 2 Kings 11. a 1 Sam. 24. 12. b 1 Sam. 22. 14. c 1 Sam. 24. 18. d 1 Sam. 22. 18. 19. e 1 Sam. 24. 7. f 1 Sam. 26. 9. g Lib. 2. coÌ„tra Parmenianum Volebam hostem vincere sed prius est diuina praecepta seruare c. Ibidem Optatus Their vnction makes them sacred so that their fatall touch makes the Subiect sacrilegious h Reade Tollett de occidendo Tyranno lib. 5. c. 6. Mariana Fra de Veron c. l In the former Booke c. 5. of Britan Vota Vid Quaest Armenic lib. 10. c. 4. k 1 Tim. 4. 8. l De ciuit dei lib. 5. c. 11. m Psal 22. 28. n Dan. 4. 14. o Ecclesiasticus 10. 8. p 1 Sam. 26. 10. q Ecclesiasticus 10. 10. 11. r De Rom. Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 7. Heretickes are depriued of all right of rule either naturall oecoâ—…cal or ciuill Fr. Ouand 4. d. 13. p. 347. * Subiects are freed from all obedience and allegiance to them Turrecr Sum. de eccl lib. 2. c. 11. 4. s Theod. histor Eccles lib. 5. c. 18. t Contra. Epist Parmen lib. 3. c. 2. u Math. 18. 17. * De Consid ad Eugen lib. 2. x Aug. in Psal 124. y Ruff. lib. 2. hist cap. 1. z Aust vb supra * Ala. contra execut Angl. iust pa. 167. Bellar. de rom pontif lib. 5. cap. 7. * Tertul. in Apologet a 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. b Ester 3. 13. c Ester 4. 3. d Orat. 1. in Iulianum e Rom. 13 2. f Rom. 13. 5. g In his censure vpon the Apology * Acts 3. 19. h Dan. 3. 21. * Quem penes arbitrium ius norma regendi * Such Kings may bee killed when it please the Pope Baron Ann. 1089. 〈◊〉 11. i Baron Annal. Tom. 1. An. 57. pa. 423 433. k De temp Eccl. Monarch li. 1. 1. 3. fol 98. l Episc Zamo alleadged by Carerius De potest Ro. pontif pag. 131. m Dan. 7. 14. Which place is proper onely to Christ the Bishop expounds of the Pope n Posseuir bibâ— othec select 〈◊〉 17. o Isid Mos de Maiest milit Eccl. pag. 27. p Isid Mos pag. 22. de Maiest milit Eccl. Pag. 9. Pag. 111. Pag. 112. Pag. 151. Pag. 145. Vide Saund. visib Monarch de claue Dauid Melina tract 2. de Institut Becanus c. De rom pontif lib. 5. c. 6. Non potest papa vt papa ordinariè temporales Principes deponere etiam iusta de causa tanquam Iudex ordinarius nec ordinariè iudicare de temporalibus * Extraordinaria potestas non transit iâ— Successorem * Am not I thine Asse which thou hast ridden vpon since thy first time vnto this day Numb 22. 30. Exod. 18. 18. â—…anto oneri ceruix 〈◊〉 sufficit vlla â—…apa sed non vt â—…pa habet aliquo â—…odo sed modo indirecto potestatem quandam tempoâ—alem sed non meâ—è nec absolutam â—…d ad aliquid relaâ—… nec perpetuâ—… sed casualem 〈◊〉 Eliens toâ—â—tus â—â—tus pag. 27. De pont lib. 5. c. 6. * In ordine quideÌ„ ad bonum spirituale c. Vide Ioh. Maior Doctor parisi dist 24. quaest idem Comment in l. 4. sent dist 24. fol. 214. b 8. Arti. 7. 8. c Condemned in that Decree which was chiefly intended against the Archb of Spalato The Vniuersity of Paris and the Sorbone Schoole acknowledge the Popes nullity of power in temporall authority ouer Kings Vide Tract inscript le Franc. discours An. 1000. The nullity of Papall power in the Temporalties and Regalities of Kings will fully appeare in the 6. Volume of the Archb. of Spalatos Book de rep ecclesiastica Marsilius and Occbam did write against this Popes pretneded supremacy d De sacram Chr. leg l. 3. p. 103. e D. Pontific lib. 1. c. 12. f Rhem. Annotat. Job 21. 17. Jansen Concord c. 14◠〈◊〉 Vbi supra p. 104. h Locus valde illustris vbi Christus cam authoritatem verbis amplissimis D. Petro promisit Greg. Valent. tom 3. pag 185. i Bell. de rom pontif li. 1. c. 12. §. verum haec Iansen harm c. 66. k Caiet Tract de instit pontif c. 5. Sad primum Greg. de Valent. tom 3. p 109. l Vbi supra m Per claues supremam potestateÌ„ gubernandi ecclesiam Christi c. Iansen concor cap. 66. Eman Sa. Annot. Math. 16. 19. Rhem. annot Mat. 16. 19. If that were true the Apostles should haue bouÌ„d and loosed in Peters name n Mark 16. 15. o Caiet de autho pap concil c 3. Oportet mendaces esse memores p Staplet Prin. doctr lib. 6. c. 7. p. 215. Dom Iacobat de concil lib. 10. art 7. r Sum. mora p. 403 Dom. Ban. in 22. Tho. p 234. s Bosius de sign eccl lib. 18. c. 1. t Visib Monar lib. 6. c 2. pag 153. u Tom. 3. p. 191. * Relect. 2. de potest eccl nu 11. pag. 87. x De autho pap concil c. 3. y Bibl sanct 1. 6. Annot. 269. Cum Petro dicitur ad omnes dicitut amas me passe oues meas Aug. de agon Christi c. 30. z Gal. 2. 11. * Deus doeuit Petrum per posteriorem Paulum Aug. cp 28. * Baron tels Pope Paul that there is a two fold ministery in Peter Feed my sheepe and kill and eat *
lose the right of Dominion as also sometimes for other faults and againe So soon as any one for apostacy from the Faith by iudgement is denounced excommunicate ipso facto his Subiects be absolued from his gouernment and from the oath of Allegiance And the Cardinall Tolets Glosse vpon his wordes Note that albeit Thomas named onely an Apostata yet the reason is all one in the Princes case that is excommunicated for so soone as one is denounced or declared as excommunicate all his subiects be discharged of their obedience which exposition his brother Cardinall Allen applaude in these words Thus doth this notable Schooleman write neyther doe we know any Catholicke Diuine in any age say the contrary Simone Pacensis ioynes forces with these fellowes saying If Kings or other Christian Princes become heretickes forthwith their Subiects and vassals are freed from their gouernement If any Prince bee vnprofitable or make vniust Lawes against religion or against good manneraâ— or doe any such thing to the detriment of spirituall things the Pope obseruing due circumstances may apply a fit remedy euen by depriuing such a King of his gouernment and iurisdiction if the cause require it Gregory of Valence is harping vpon the like notes If the crime of heresie or apostacy from the Faith be notorious that it cannot be couered then euen before the sentence of the Iudge the aforesaid punishment meaning depriuation from his dominion is in part incurred so far that the subiects may lawfully deny obedience to such an hereticall Lord. Where note by the way that now many of them doe hold that all hereticall Kings and such they account all protestant Rulers are depriued of their dominion before their Pope in his deâ—…itiue sentence hath so denounced Indeed their owne Caiâ—tane in this was not Catholike denying Subiects to be absolued before sentence publickely denounced and therefore Allen contradicts him saying iâ—se facte Kings be depriued so soone as they doe appeare hereticall followed also by Philopater saying it is an opinion of the Faith agreeable to Apostolicall doctrine that euery Christian Prince if hee fall from the Catholike religion falls presently from all his power and dignity by the force of Gods Law and 〈…〉 and that before sentence of the supreame Pastor denounced And the fiery Foâ—e Guâ— Reynoldâ— approues the murder of Henry the third the French King because bee fauoured Heretickes before any excommunication published his reason is Publicke griefes doe not attend for legall formes Simancha goes further That a secret hereticke not onely is to be excommunicated but his sonne also his reason is Heresie is a leprosie and leprous sonnes begotten of leprous parents and therefore seemes to inferre not onely a depriuation but also a depriuation of all succession Atque patrem prolem inre priuare suo I need not recite the generall verdict of popish vassals according with these to maintaine the Popes infolency in attempting the deposition of Kings repugnant to his lawes and liking Who knowes not that haue reade the workes of these Saunders visib Monar Suarez def fid catho adv Angl. sect err lib. 6. Francisc Victor relect Depotestate ecolesiae Becanus Rossaeus Bellarmine Allen Ferron Parsons Creswell with many dozens of prostituted hirelings who being fed fatte at the Popes high Altar and gaping for or gaining the purple Hat haue studied to extoll the papacy which they could not doe more pleasingly to the Pope or profitably to themselues then by ascribing to the Pope a power ouer Kings to depriue them if they breake their good behauiour to him and to free subiects from allegiance to them being blasted with the fulminations of excommunication making their master Pope an absolute Lord of the Temporals turning the Crosier staffe into a Scepter yea a commaunder of Scepters making their Church an humane body politicke to ouer-rule all yet vnder a painted pretence of Peters primacy to ouerthrow all Princes supremacy Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla tulistis Thus this spurious spawne of the olde Serpent by this serpentine policy erecting the papall primacy of Popes aboue Kings the Diana of Romes religion haue raised the Pope to this pontificiall domination But the chiefe pillar whereof they boast would build this point of the power of Popes deposition of Kings if they be not Catholike Kings of the Romane size is the Decree of the Laterane Councell held about three hundred yeares since consisting as they say of seuenty Patriarkes Archbishops and foure hundred and twelue Bishops and eight hundred other eminent Prelates who did decree that the Pope had this power ouer Kings To which wee answere Thar the Decrees of men ought not to take from Kings that power which God hath giuen them But the Lateran Councell was a Conuenticle of Mercenary men and vassals to the Pope who to please Innocent the third their Lord and great Master were willing to gratifie his Holinesse with vnholy Decrees yet we may doubt of that too if Platina be credited who faith That in that Councell many things were offred to consultation yet nothing determined because the Pope suddenly departed to pacifie a sedition then raised and died in his iourny Yet grant it were a lawfull Councell and this matter so there decreed what of that shall a few proud Prelates assembled to flatter the Pope infringe the Lawes of God commanding obedience and subiection to Kings shall Gods commands be countermanded by Councels which so oft haue erred nay haue confirmed heresies as the Councell of Arimium held with the Arrians yea Ephesus Seleucia and Remino concluded with them which made Saint Hierome complaine The whole world groaned and wondered to see it selfe Arrian The error of the Councell of Carthage in rebaptizing is well knowne The Councell of Chalcedon fowlly erred giuing to Leo then Bishop of Rome the title of the Vniuersall Bishop which name he reiected though others embrace it In a worde the late Councell of Trent brought foorth to light a world of errors that I may say with Nazianzene hee neuer saw any Councell haue a good end Yea as their owne writers say Councels haue erred and may erre which in these latter times must needes be so when as the Pope is both party and Iudge which matter of the erring of Councels hath so oft and so soundly beene by our Diuines manifested that I need not insist vpon it But how vaine it is to obtrude for vndoubted proofe the erroneous decrees and nouell opinions of clawbacke Papalines parasites to the Pope to infringe the power of Kings giuen them in Gods word commanding euery soule to be subiect to these higher powers which place of Saint Paul the Champions of the Popes power to depose Kings as their Cardinall of Perron pleades for them doe expound to be a prouisionall precept or caution accommodated to the times A strange error of stout Champions and as the royal
pen of our sacred Soueraigne taxing the Cardinall for robbing the Scripture of authority by making Gods precepts temporary prouisoes laies downe an infallible rule That Apostolicall instructions which informe maners are not changeable but giue a standing and perpetuall rule permanent for all people and not fashionable to the quality of Times But the Romane Church which teach disloyalty and disobedience against Kings deposing Kings from their thrones and then authorizing subiects to take Armes against them had need accommodate Text to time whose obedience to Princes is temporary that is till they haue a fit season and place as a vault vnder a Parliament house and then as Aeneas Syluius said of the Monkes Non audet stygius Pluto tentare quod audet Effraenis Monachus Then they are without humanity vnnaturall impious cruell murderers as Lucifer Calaritanus to the Arrians and I may say to Iesuited Priests beeing bloudy minded and deceitfull men and therefore many of them doe not liue out halfe their daies dying bloudy deaths for acting or affecting bloudy deeds Let vs in the next place obserue how before these latter times I meane before Popery was Heldebrandized and Iesuited whether this point of Papall power to depose Emperors or Kings was eyther broached or belieued in the Church CHAP. X. IT should seeme not to be belieued or broached by their owne writers for Otho Frisingensis saith Rego relego c. I haue read ouer and ouer the Acts of Romane Kings and Emperors and I can finde none before Henry the fourth Emperor excommunicated by the Bishop of Rome or deposed which was first assayed by Gregory the seauenth called Heldebrand Anno Dom. 1066. And Vrspergensis saith That the Bishops that had taken armes with the said Gregory against the Emperor were cast out of their Bishoprickes by the Synode of Mentz where the Popes Legates were present And Sigebert saith This nouelty that I may not say heresie did not as yet appeare in the world that Priests should teach the people that they ought to shew no obedience to wicked Kings and though they haue taken an oath of Allegiance yet owe no fâ—alty neyther are to be called periured if they haue such mindes against Kings And Vincantius Lirinensis agrees with him in the same words Yea many eminent Romane Catholickes did vtterly dislike Gregories deposition of Henry the fourth and denied the authority of the Apostolike See to depose him or to absolue his subiects from their oath of obedience yea the Bishop of Mentz Gregories friend and fauourer writ to the said Pope to furnish him with those reasons wherewith hee was moued to depose the Emperor to prouide him with answers against all gaine sayers Yea the Bishops of Rome themselues in the purer times acknowledged all obedience to Emperors and Kings challenging no such prerogatiue to meddle with their Crownes or persons and for 300. yeares vntill Siluester they performed passiue obedience to Heathen Emperors and so before and after Boniface for 500. yeares they performed actiue obedience to Christian Emperors submitting themselues vnto them in all loyall subiection and acknowledging them as their owne Bishop Meltiades did to Constantine the Great to be supreame Head not onely in Temporall but also in Spirituall things as Eusebius records it lib. 1. c. 5. But peraduenture some Papist may reply and say that I doe not reckon aright in making Gregory the seauenth the first Pope that deposed an Emperor which yet is affirmed by their owne writers for Leo the third Emperor was excommunicated by Gregory the second and depriued of all his Temporalities hee held in Italy and the Greeke Emperors were remoued from the Empire by Leo the third Bishop of Rome and so of some others Which obiection is so frequently answered by our Diuines who haue written about this point of the Popes power in this kinde that for breuity I will passe it ouer in a worde That Gregory the second did not depriue Leo the third Emperor of his temporalities but onely was an agent or as the head of rebellion in the reuolt of the Italians from the Emperor not by his vniuersall authority now claimed but by a popular sedition then raised And to the second That the Greeke Empire was translated by Leo the third to the Germanes is much doubted for some historians write it was translated by a Decree of the people of Rome not by the Popes keyes yet probably he might haue his head hand and heart in it for as Pope Adrian the sixt said All mischiefe came from the chiefe Bishop of Rome into the whole Church and by his Legate Cleregatus promised reformation to the Germanes The Popes of Rome haue a long time laboured to rise to this primacy of pride by degrees first aboue Bishops as in Boniface the third after aboue Kings and Emperors specially in Gregory the seauenth and his successors yet those aspiring wings clipt by Councels Wormes Papia Brixis Mentz till at last two of the worst Councels the Laterane and Tridentine did lift vp the Pope to the top of the pinnacle not onely aboue Kings and Councels but aboue Gods counsels the sacred Scriptures Tantae molis erat Romanum surgere papam But let vs a little look vpon this question which yet is like a Spirit sooner raised then put downe of the papall power of Kings deposition A spiritual power in the Pope of primacy I know none temporall much lesse but this same pretended priuatiue power least of al for it is not in any place to be found that God hath giuen to the Pope yea to any man power to make or vnmake temporall King 〈◊〉 for hee that can depose a King must bee aboue a King but regall power is the highest power on earth post Deum secundus est solo Deo minor as Tertullian of Kings next after God and inferiour to none but God Super quem non est nisi solus Deus as Optatus Mileuitanus aboue whom there is none but God alone So King Dauid Tibi soli peccaui against thee onely haue I finned So that I may say with Iohn of Paris In the Emperour is inuested a power to depose the Pope as formerly many haue beene if he abuse his power because he is his superiour but not in the Pope for he is and ought to be his inferiour and with this Iohn Maior agree many other Almaine and Occam as Almaine alleadges Occams opinion and makes it his owne conclusion That the Pope hath no power eyther by excommunication or by any other meanes to depose a Prince ftom his royall dignity and further affirmes with Occam saying The Emperour is not bound to sweare allegiance to the Pope but the Pope if he hold any temporal possessions is bound to sweare allegiance to the Emperor and to pay him tribute But the Champions of the Popes power in this kinde alleadge some presidents of the Priests in