upon the first intimation of displeasure from the Internuntio De Vecchiis and their General Superiors beyond the Seas (E) History of the Irish Remonstrance p. 577 578. In England many Roman Catholiques were actually in Arms against King Charles the First His Majesty himself that had most reason to know informs us That great numbers of that Religion were entertain'd in the Army of the Rebels that others were seduced to whom he had formerly denied employment that twenty or thirty at a time of one Troop or Company had been taken Prisoners (F) See His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects in his Kingdom of Scotland But were not many of the Roman Catholiques in the Kings Army They were indeed but not so many as his Enemies would make the World believe His Majesty tells us in His Declaration That sometimes in a Month together there had not been one Papist near his Court I am sure he was not much beholden to them for their Company at any time His Majesty knew it was the Policy of his Enemies to hunt them into his Camp that they might bring an Odium upon the Royal Cause and confirm the People in that groundless Jealousie of the Kings adherence to Popery which made him by His Proclamation to inhibit all men of that Religion to repair to Him Besides we are told by one of the Roman Church That 't is a Maxim of the Jesuits who have long bore the greatest sway in England in the Quarrels of Princes and great Men to have some of their Fathers on one part and some for the contrary that they may work for their own Interests on both sides (G) The Author of the Jesuits Reasons unreasonable Printed 1662. And whatever boasts they now make of their Loyalty to the late King we have not yet forgotten how they pleaded to the late Usurpers That for the Preservation of their Lives they were forced to flee into the Kings Garrisons without ever acting against the State (H) The Christian Moderator printed 1652. p. 60. That a great part of them were never in actual Arms against the Parliament but only fled to the Enemies Garrisons for Shelter c. (I) Christian Moderator p. 18 But I have so much charity as to believe that some Roman Catholiques offer'd their Lives and Fortunes to the King upon more generous Motives that they served him faithfully and suffer'd for him because as a great Man of that Religion said of himself They valued the Favour and Esteem of their Country above all Earthly things or were true English men as to this World (K) The Earl of Bristol in his Speech made July 1. 1673. We have known some tempers that have conquer'd the malignity of Poyson and some men have a greater love for their King and Country than for their Priests and Confessors some have too much honesty and some too little zeal for Religion to be intrusted with the State-Mysteries of Jesuits and Bigotted Papists A reverend and learned Person of our Church hath divers times told the World in print (L) Dr. Du. Moulin Aus to Philanax Anglicus p. 56. Ed. 1679. This certain Intelligence shall be justified whensoever Authority will require it that the year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their whole party in England first to Paris then to Rome with this Question in writing That seeing the state of England was in a likely posture to change Government whether it was lawful for the Catholiques to work that change for the advancing and securing the Catholique Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie and p. 61. As for my being defied by the Papists I have defied them now seventeen years to call me in question before our Judges and so I do still That there was a Consult in England of the whole Faction of Jesuites about bringing his Sacred Majesty to the Block But what number of the Laity were privy to that execrable Design we are not able to learn But if ever the English Papists had any reason to boast of their Obedience to the Government it was under the late Usurped Powers For they basely flatter'd the most Infamous Rump (M) See the Petition of the Roman Catholiques to the Supream Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common wealth of England Christian Moderation p 59 60. p. 51. Divers Papists had taken the Oath of Abjuration and Engagement c. Part 2. p. 41. The Roman Catholiques have generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement c. Dr. Baily in the Life of B. Fisher as I find him quoted by Mr. Fowlis is very zealous in asserting the Loyalty of the Papists and yet at the same time bravely tells us what good Subjects they were to O. Cromwel Whereas saith he all other Sorts and Sects excepting those who are for all Sorts and Sects appear against the present Government like Aries Scorpio c. the Roman Catholiques like Pisces the Emblem of the Fisherman are contented to remain quiet under Foot They publiquely own'd them for the Supream Authority of the Nation and pleaded the Merit of their Fidelity to them And if generally to take and punctually to keep the Engagement if to flatter the great Tyrant if to offer that for a Toleration they would renounce the Interest of the Stuarts be Arguments of firmness of Loyalty to the Crown then I will grant That the Roman Catholiques are the Kings Most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects But I will conclude this Head with this Observation That Mr. White in the height of Olivers Tyranny set out a Book under the Title of The Grounds of Obedience and Government This moderate Roman Catholique as he is esteemed labours not only to disengage the People of England from all Obligation to his present Majesty then in Exile but his Majesty too from laying any further claim to his Crown but blessed be God the King was restored to his Government to which his Roman Catholique Subjects according to this Gentleman ought not to endeavour his Restitution CHAP. II. The Treasons and Seditions in other Countries especially the Bloody Wars in England and the Murder of King Charles the First charged upon the Protestants The Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England vindicated from this Imputation The King brought to the Block by a prevailing Faction against the Consent of the Nobility and People of England The Romish Faction had a great Influence on the beginning and progress of the Rebellion The Troubles in Scotland fomented by Cardinal Richlieu's Agents The Letter of the Scotch Covenanters to the French King The Design of the Papists against the King discover'd Ann. 1640. What Influence they had on the War which followed in England and upon the Kings death Two Propositions added to the foregoing Discourse 1. That the Grounds on which the War against the King was justified were first laid by
out a Postern-Gate After his Speech was ended the King produced the Original Letter which he intercepted as it was going to the French King and ordered it to be read (F) Impartial Collections p. 309 c. As to the later Insurrections in Scotland I will only observel That besides the Information of some Romish Priests being sent thither to prepare them for a Rebellion their very Declaration shews they were acted by a Popish Spirit for the Act of Supremacy was condemned and the Kings Authority in Ecclesiastical Affairs call'd an Vsurping Power But to return So true were the Romish Emissaries to their good Old Cause that having set the factious Party to work in Scotland they took advantage from that conjuncture to stir up a National Rebellion and barbarous Massacre in Ireland of which I have spoken already I cannot pass over the Conspiracy against the King in the Year 1640 because it gives some further light into the Designs of Cardinal Richilieu and the Jesuites Whilst his Majesty resided at York he was acquainted by the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Information he had received from Sir W. Boswel his Majesty's Ambassadour at the Hague By the discovery of this Plot it is evident that the Jesuitical Party exasperated the King and his Subjects one against another labouring to incense his Majesty against them as conspiring against his Crown and Government and them against their Soveraign as aiming at the subversion of their Laws Liberties and Religion That they stirred up the Scots to rebel hindred all accommodation between the King and them and endeavoured to bring his Majesty under a necessity of craving the Assistance of the Papists which he should neither obtain without yielding to their own terms nor refuse without the hazard of his life That for the compassing of their Ends Cardinal Barbarino was engaged fifty Scotch Jesuites were maintain'd in London Cuneus in quality of the Popes Legate Chamberlain Chaplain and Almoner to Cardinal Richlieu Sir T. Matthew a Jesuited Priest Captain Read a Secular Jesuite and that all the Papists in England did contribute to the carrying on the design Here was a Plot against the King and Kingdom and Protestant Religion of which he that desires a full account may consult Mr. H. Lestrange and Mr. Sanderson in their Histories Prinn's Romes Master-piece and others of later time What great numbers of Priests Jesuites and other Romish Agents afterwards flocked into England what various shapes they assumed how they insinuated into the Councils and Armies of the Kings Enemies Mr. Gatford Prinn Dr. du Moulin and others informs us to whom I refer the Reader And even some of the Members in the Long Parliament were sensible how active our Enemies of Rome had been in raising and fomenting the War as we learn from a late Writer who sate in that Assembly I will barely relate what he saith without making any Collections or Inferences from his words The Parliament Vote That which was done at York for a Guard to the King to be a preparation for War against the Parliament a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of his Government and all such as serve him there to be Traytors to the Laws of the Kingdom Upon the debate for raising an Army one of the Members declared his sense Our Enemies of the Popish Church have left no Evil Arts unessayed to bring us to our present posture and will yet leave none unattempted to make our breaches wider well knowing that nothing will more advance their Empire than our Divisions Our Misery whom they account Hereticks is their Joy and our Distractions will be their Glory and all Evil arts and ways to bring Calamities upon us they will esteem Meritorious (A) Memorials of the English Affairs ad An. 1642. Sanderus de Schism Angl. 1585 p. 188. Quo Haereticorum ut fit bello Catholici indies plures constantioresque in fide fiunt Campanella de Mon. Misp Amst 1641. p. 204. Jam verò ad enervandos Anglos nihil tam conducit quam dissensio discordia inter illos excitata perpetuóque nutrita quod citò occasiones meliores suppeditabit P. 207. Verum ab alia parte instiget primores Comitiorum aut Parliamenti ut Angliam in formam reipublicae reducant Nor did the design of Cardinal Richlieu die with him it was vigorously pursued by Mazarine to whom he left his Instructions at his death and what an intimate Correspondence was maintain'd between him and the Grandees of Derby House we are told by the Author of the History of Independency (B) Hist of Indep p. 114 115. His words are these To negotiate which the detaining of the Prince in France the Grandees of Derby House and the Army have an Agent lying Lieger with Cardinal Mazarine the great French Instrument of State who is so well supplied with Money and so open handed that it hath been heard from Mazarines own Mouth That all the Money the Queen and Prince have cost the Crown of France hath come out of the Parliaments Purse with a good advantage It is likewise said Mazarine hath an Agent here to drive on the Interests of France in England To all which we may add That the King having assented in the Isle of Wight to pass five strict Bills against Popery the Jesuites in France at a General Meeting there resolved to bring him to Justice by the power of their Friends in the Army And this resolution of the Fathers was agreeable to the sense of the Roman Conclave For the Question being sent to Rome from the whole Party of Jesuites in England the year before the Kings death whether considering the present posture of Affairs it was lawful for the Catholicks to work a change in the Government by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie It was answered affirmatively (C) Answer to Philanax Anglicus p. 59 65. To what I have said upon this Argument I will add these two Propositions 1. That the grounds on which the War against the King was maintain'd so far as it was maintained under a colour of Religion were laid by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church and the most dreadful effects of Fanaticism which were the consequents of it may be justified by their Principles And here I could make it evident That the same Maxims of Political Divinity the same Arguments and many times the same Phrases and Expressions are to be found in the heads of both Factions I know it is disputed whether the Ring-leaders of Sedition amongst us poysoned the Jesuites or the Jesuites them but I do not envy the Bishops of Rome the honour of having first poysoned them both with Antimonarchical Doctrines If Milton the great Oracle of one of the Factions had owned himself to be a Papist there had been no reason to wonder at the Impiety of his Doctrines which he
be imputed to Religion which proceed either from the Ignorance or the Want of it The True Reformed i. e. Christian Reiigion is the strongest Bond of Humane Society the best Friend in the World to Civil Government 't is a better Security to the Throne of a King than all his Treasures and Magazines all his Guards and Armies It never licensed any Treasons or Murders any Insurrections or Massacres though it were for the best Ends for God and Religion and why should such a Religion suffer in our esteem for the Doctrines or Actions of men which under the disguise of Zeal against Popery have weakned the Reformation Of the Church of England I will only say It hath established the Righth of Kings upon such sure and unalterable Foundations that it is the Interest as well as the Duty of the Civil Power to support and defend it But I cannot dismiss this Subject without offering some things by way of Consideration and Advice to all such as out of a just regard to the Honour of God and the Tranquillity of this Church and Kingdom desire to prevent the Designs of our Enemies and transmit the True Religion to Posterity I speak to Men that have seen or heard of the Ways and Means by which the Monarchy and Church of England were once overthrown to men that have felt both the Calamities of an Intestine War and the Happiness of a long Peace and therefore I need not trouble the Reader or my self with those things which are fresh in our Memories We have of late been alarm'd with the Apprehensions of Popery and we are loth to put our Necks under that Yoak which our Fathers were not able to bare But do we detest Popery for the sake of the Church and Kingdom as well as our own Estates and Liberties Do we hate Popery for the Immorality as well as the Destructiveness of its Principles Are we Zealous for the Reformed Religion because it teaches us to fear God and honour the King to be just and merciful to our Brethren humble and obedient to our Lawful Governours If these be not the Motives of our preferring the Protestant before the Romish Religion we better deserve the name of Hobbists than of Protestants Protestants and no Christians Protestants only because 't is against our Humour or Interest to be Papists But if we have indeed a greater regard to our Souls than our Fortunes if we value the honour and security of our Religion above our temporal Concernments and the common cause of the Reformation above our private Fancies and Passions then we shall be infinitely fearful of giving any Advantages to our Enemies of Rome of serving the Designs of the Papists really and eventually to use the words of a late reverend Author though not designedly and intentionally 1. Then let us beware of those Seditious Doctrines and Principles which were first set on foot and have been since kept up by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church What Doctrines were taught by some of the Popes before the breaking out of an avowed Design for an Universal Monarchy I have shewed already But for the last six hundred years all things have been contrived and carried on for the setting up a Kingdom in the Church to which all the Princes of the Earth are to submit The Bishops of Rome have usurped upon the Crowns of Kings and Emperors under the pretence of a direct or indirect Supremacy over them Excommunicated and deposed them for Tyranny and Heresie absolved their Subjects from their Allegiance and animated them to take up Arms against them The General Councils of that Church have established Treason by a Law their Decrees are entred into the Body of the Canon Law alledged by their Schoolmen justified by their Divines and Casuists refined and improved by the Jesuites And 't is said that Buchanan transplanted those Antimonarchical Doctrines which he had learnt of one of these Masters from the Church into the State but with this difference only that he invested the People with that Authority over Princes which the other had placed in the Pope But to omit many particulars of lesser moment these are properly Popish Principles and Jesuitical Tenents and they have been the main Pillars to support the Papal Interest That the Original of all Civil Power is from the People and derived from them to the Prince by way of Mutual Compact That a King is the Peoples Trustee and their duty to him only Conditional That his Person and Authority are separable and that the Cognizance of Ecclesiastical Matters belongs not to him That the Church hath Power to Excommunicate the King and in certain Cases to denounce Sentence of Deprivation against him that it is lawful for Subjects to enter into Confederacies and take up Arms against him for their Religion and Liberties and that the Commonwealth may curb and restrain him bring him to Tryal and Condign Punishment I can hardly meet with any Seditious Antimonarchical Doctrines or any specious Arguments to maintain them in the Pamphlets of the last Forty years but they are either expresly contained in the Writings of the Popes and Jesuites or at least may be parallell'd in the approved Divines and Canonists of the Roman Church Certainly the Enemy hath sown these Tares in the Field (A) St. Math. 13.28 The implacable restless Enemy of Rome hath cunningly sown these Principles of Sedition amongst us and industriously fomented such Practises as are consonant to them And now let all men which call themselves Protestants consider That it was not the least part of the Design of our Reformers to assert and retrieve the Ancient Rights of the Crown and how can it be for the Honour of the Reformation to maintain such Doctrines as naturally tend to the weakning or subverting that Authority which they Established They have left us a more holy and peaceable Religion than that of the Papists and if we would shew our selves true Protestants our Doctrines and Practises must protest against Popery and prove us better Christians and better Subjects than they If you are Protestants of the Church of England as it is established amongst us I need only put you in mind that you have been Educated in a Faith of Loyalty and Obedience and you can never be tempted by any the most plausible pretences to desert it without either forsaking or being false to that Church whereof you are Members If you are Dissenters from the Church of England I know not how it can consist with your Zeal against Popery to contribute any thing towards the breaking in pieces that Government which you acknowledge the present as well as former Designs of the Papists are levelled against You glory in the Name of Protestants but where do you find any one Protestant Church in the World that hath by any publick Act asserted any of these Doctrines I speak not either to Hobbists and Libertines or to furious and wild Fanaticks but only to men of Conscience