excommunicate before his Election neither is hee now but is both elected and setled in his throne both without any contradiction of the Pope and with his Iubet of all obedience and prohibet of deniall thereof All the Catholikes of this Kingedome applauded it as much as Protestants And his vnion and league with Catholike Princes and people abroad is sufficient answer that this is a malicious slaunder of holy Priesthood and proveth Catholikes innocent Protestants guilty and this man an vniust accuser The Argument retuâ—ned vpon Protestants with a recitaâ—l of their seditious doctrinâ— But for breuitie to passe ouer forraigne Protestants in this place I will put this disputer in minde of his brethrens dogmaticall principles and positions in this vnited Kingdome The Protestant Writers and Preachers of England defended that Wyat was no Traytor to Queene Mary And thus they wrote expresly It is lawfull to kill Kings and both by Gods law and mans law Queene Goodm pag 103 obed pa. 99. 113. Goodm pa. 99. Mary ought to be put to death what Priest of England did ever so write speake or thinke of any Protestant his Soueraigne she was a tyrant a monster a cruell beast And yet the purer sort of Protestants affirmd of Queene Elizabeth as his Lordship of Canterbury Hay an pag. 13 15. 23. Dâ—ing poliâ— pâ—g 133. 134. sup wiâ—nesseth That she was worse then her sister Many and they more suppressed by her then by the other They did write That she was not to be obeyed being against their proceedings and openly moued the greatest Subâ—egents in England to take armes against her affirming if they Suppliâ—aâ— to the gouer of Wales pa. 16. 36 37 38 39 Dâ—ng posâ—t lib 4 e. 3 4 Goodm p. 144. 145. Obed. pag 110. Knos hist pag. 37 â— Obed pag 99. 103. 104. Goodm pa. 99. Buchan iâ—â— â—â—g pag. 40. 58 Obed. pa. 111 refused it they ceased to be Magistrates These also insuing be more of their holy dogmaticall principles Euill Princes ought by the law of God to be deposed and inferior Magistrates ought to doe it cheefely It is lawfull to kill wicked Kings It were good that rewards were appointed by the people for such as kill tyrants as commonly there are for those that haue killed eyther woolues or beares or taken their whelpes The people haue the same power ouer their King that the King hath ouer any one person Iudges ought by the law of God to sommon Princes before them and to proceede against them as against all other offenders the people may arraigne the Prince the Ministers may Buchan pa. 62 Cartwr replic 2. pag. 65. Obed. pag. 115. 116. Bucha p. 70. excommunicate him any Minister may excommunicate the greatest Prince he that is excommunicate is not worthy to enioy any life vpon earth Whereby is euident the monstrous dissimulation of this people which sometimes for their aduantage will not be scrupulous to denie that with other articles of their religion and the cheefest and to say that they onely claime power to excommunicate not to depose and kill Princes And to testifie how easily Suru pretend holy Dâ—â—cipl pag. 283. 284. Buchan pag. 6 13. Obed. pag. 25 and for what ordinary offences Princes may be thus intreated the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury is witnesse that fornication drunkennesse swearing cursing fighting chiding brawling breaking of the Sabbath wanton and vaine words and the like be sufficient incitements and causes of such proceedings with them And they tell vs further That the people are better then the King and of greater authority the people haue right to bestow the Crowne at their pleasure the authority which Princes haue is giuen them from the people and the people may take it away againe as men may reuoke their Proxies and letters of Attorney Now I would demand of this obiector whether they be members of the Roman Catholike Church or the pillars of his Protestant Congregation that congregateth and gathereth together such monsters as holy children which teacheth a double prerogatiue ouer Princes one in the people when inferior Magistrates and not Magistrates may and must by their doctrine depose Kings and Soueraignes and likewise their ministery as before hath as ample or a more preeminent authority Which also concluded from these English Protestant principles If Magistrates transgresse Gods lawes themselues and commaund others to doe Goodm pa. 119. 139. the like then haue they lost that honour and obedience which otherwise their subiects did owe vnto them and ought no more to be taken for Magistrates but to be examined condemned and punished as priuate transgressors When Magistrates doe cease to doe their duties the people are as it were without officers and then God giueth the sword into their Pa. 185. 180. 184 hands And such was the vniuersall practise of all protestants especially Caluenists in all places of their holy preaching Germany Heluetia Denmarke France England and Scotland with others in foâ—mer times and at this present the Protestants in Hungary Transiluania Sweueland and the Low Countries in actuall sedition and rebellion against their Soueraignes Emperour King and Princes are instance Concerning that spirituall supremacy which the lawes of England The Kings supremacy denyed by all Puritans and eâ—ther denâ—ed or doubted of by al english protestant writers atrribute to his Maiestie it can be no question but all Puritans doe deny it which not onely teach a superior power both in people and Ministers to which the rest of the Protestants of the same congregation as before must needes consent But also in this regard that the gouernment of their Eldership or Bresbitery incomposible with Princes Supremacy is the cheefest article of their religion and distinctiue note of their reformed Church Then to come to the present Protestant writers anâ— their designements the Archbishop of Canterbury is the man which maketh Suru of preâ— Diâ—cipl relation that this was a common proposition Princes haue no more to doe with matters of the Church then the Ministers haue with the affaires of the Common-wealth And there it is alleaged that such gouernment by Princes is worse then by the Pope for diuers reasons Pa. 25â— 253. 254 255 â—â—6 c. sup there recited and not confuted by any Protestant I will recite the sentences of the principall Protestants of this time Doctor Fulke in plaine termes acknowledgeth D Fulke hâ—br c 13 â—ect 9. 1. peâ—r 2. v. 13. â—â—ct 5. Ioh. c. 21. 1. petr 5. Mat. c. 16. Bell. moâ—iu lib. 2. fol. 78 79. 80. 81 Suru part 3. c. 10 pa. 426. 1. part pag 34. Whitâ—ker contra Bellar controu 1. q 8. D. 〈◊〉 li. de concil that Emperours and Kings owe obedience to the Clergy and cannot prescribe laweâ— of Religion to Bishopâ— by their iudgements Maister Bell writeth the Ecclesiasticall affaires to be in the Cleâ—rgy as to decide controuersies and that the King hath only charge and authority to command the
this Dominion and your most fauoured be therein in the same case with your Suppliants that ancient faith and religion which wee defend cannot be cause to such offence for so all Catholikes in the world that be and euer were were to be censured by their Princes with such measure To professe that religion in a Protestant regiment cannot breede such variance for so all other Catholike subiects in all protestant Countries were in the same case And if one and the same religion can by any not appearing reason be feared by some subiect to suspitions at home which theiâ— politicke wisedome may suppose no forraigne protestant gouernment hath so sufficiently attended and considered we haue in the sincerity of our soules without all aequiuocation or doubtfull sence purged our selues from all jealosie of those opinions pretences or practises which our enemies could discouer worthy to bâ— obiected In answer whereof we haue both made manifest proofe that we doe not otherwise esteeme of the Protestants of this nation then our selues and those of the same faith with vs in all ciuill societies and communications that we giue the sâ—me temporall dutie loyalty and obedience to our Soueraigne honour to Nobles and loue to all that although we differ in religion yet we are so farre from making Protestants odious and vnworthy of mutuall communications in ciuill affaires that we defend their dignities magestâ—acy and rule against men of their owne profession We doe not assigne any soueraigne mere ciuill power ouer Princes as the Protestants in all places haue taught and practised neither any spirituall preeminence in any externe Prelate preiudiciall to Princes right as our opposers doe in Presbiteries and priuate Ministers we haue not denied either election or succession of Protestant Princes as our aduersaries haue done both to Catholikes and Protestants for their owne aduanâ—age our doctâ—ine denieth no obedience to you which was euer giuen to any Christian Prince of England from the first vnto the last King Henry the seuenth by whom and whose eldest Catholike Daughter your Highnesse is inthroned We doe not suggest the discouerers obiected forcible deposition of elected Princes Protestants haue depriued more in this short being of their Gospel by their popular mutenies and priuate authoritie than all Popes in all ages of christian religion with publike consent of Princes and people haue condiscended vnto Protestants haue taken Armes and raised generall rebellions more often against Princes not to be condemned than all Popes haue imposed censures by publike complaint against those which are noted in histories for extraordinary impious If any hath otherwise proceeded no Catholike may defend it wee doe not nor may not by our religion intend designe or practise iustifie or defend the murther of Princes or professe rebellions the discipline of the holy Church and generall Councells rules in our religion denie it for lawfull what priuileges protestancy claimeth what it hath taught and practised in that point Hungary Transiluania Germanie Bohemia Denmarke Heluetia Flanders Sweueland France Emâ—en your Maiesties kingdomes and your selfe haue beene witnesses for many yeares We doe not allow in opinion or may practise in act aequiuocation concealed double or secret sence in affaires of Common-weale and iuridicall interrogatories and profession of religion They be Protestants which defend and practise it in such causes not iustifiable in true diuinitie Our Priests neither vnder that reduplicatiue formalitie as Priests nor otherwise maintaine by our religion any position or pactise seditions or not obedient if any particular men for want of learning haue seemed to speake or thinke or for want of grace dealt or practised in other sence no religion made all men Saints religion did not teach it and Catholikes generally condemne it Therefore our confidence cannot but continue that the Royall promises of your highest Authority of Lenitie of no bloud for Religion shall not be recalled The demerritt of a fewe is no generall impediment The Scriptures instruct vs anima quae peccauerit ipsa moriatur one man must not be are the burthen of others sinnes All Schooles agree that no man can condignelie meritte first grace to any other though but one then the transgression of one or fewe cannot be demeritte for innocents to be afflicted great is the difference of the members in a naturall and ciuill body in this cause though the first doe suffer in some sence together by connexion in nature yet in the second the case and reason is different Remember most worthy Prince not only how grieuous but how generall the penalties against your Catholiques be enacted And yet new threatnings be made that new and more straunge as nec inter gentes shall be ordained The bodies honours reputations and riches of husbands to be punished for their wiues religion and soules to which they are neither husbands nor superiors Children to be taken from Parents Parents to be depriued of theiâ— education which Catholike Princes doe not and in conscience cannot offer to the Iewes themselues though in some opinion the slaues of Christians Children seruants kinsmen and neighbors are to be made hired Espialls to betray their parents masters kinred friends in things as vnlawfull which the whole Catholique world honoureth for holy and they venture their soules and fempitermtie that they be such commendable Artes Functions of phisicke c. which haue not connexion with Religion are to be put to silence in Catholikes The seuere penaltie for not monethlie professing the Protestant faith in Churches when in all diuinitie the precept of Profession of true and vndoubted faith in se and ex se bindeth but seldome is to be increased And others of such condition too many here to be mentioned and too grieuouâ— and vnnaturall we hope in your Princelie opinion to be concluded by a Kings consent Therefore vnder sauour for all I instance in one most heauie and generall in those of our deceased Queene All Priests though neuer so dutifull or obedient be censured for Traitors equally with the greatest offendor in sinne of Treason when many guiltlesse soules of that sacred order would not for thousands of worlds once consent to any such or a farre inferior offence A thing most straunge and beyond all example that men in respect only of their calling and function and that function so reuerenced by all our forefathers should without further cause be condemned as guilty of so a detested crime We defend holy priesthood to be a sacrament which being ordained by God cannot be changed by man Pope Prelate or humane power but remaineth in al things substance and doctrine the same which in those dayes when it was so honorably esteemed of all your christian progenitors when our mother Church kept her first integrity by your Highnesse iudgement as we are ready to make defence And if your Maiesty should decree the like law against any degree or profesâ—ion of your other subiects or the king of France or other Prince in other estate of men should enact by
Parliament that all Ministers in his Dominions made contrarie to the Romane vse approued in his Territories should be Traitors the pulpits of England would not be silent to reproue it of great absurdity We â—ope therefore that the rare example of one Queene wil not ouer ballance so many your holy and wise Progenitors and all Princes of the world in this point And if one against so many hundreds coulde carrie against so manie reasons equiuolent motiue of imitation yet wee trust as you doe not inheritte by Queene Elizabeth or King Edward the sixt or King Henrie the eight whose next line and life rather suspended your Title then gaue you the Diademe of these vnited dominions but by Queene Margaret and Queene Marie of Scotland Catholike pâ—inces and King Henrie the seauenth of England of the same Religion with all their and your common Auncestors so you rather will inheriâ—te the steppes of them so many and holy in this path which left you so great a Title both to heauen and earth then followe the lone example of one woman or the father and son a child from whom no such preeminens is or can be deriued It is the honor of our King in Heauen most mightie Soueraigne for which we continew in combatte that Religion which the whole Catholique world in all generall Councelles Popes Doctors and learned men hath euer professed wherein this Nation as our Protestants acknowledge one thousand yeares since Ioh. Bal. l. de Script Angl. in August monach Will. Tetrastyl was conuerted all our Christian auncestry embraced and which all Princes in the schoole of Christ of whome your Maiestie is descended maintained in themselues and subiects That which is so generall cannot be surrendred by a small number of one kingdome It is not in the power of Man to resigne the honor of God Protestants and Puritans which haue turnes and changes for all occasions which communicate in spirituall things with so many different in profession which can subscribe and sweare to Parliament articles and yet renownce them take oth of Princes supreamacy yet speake preach and print against it communicate in Churches seruice and sacraments with them which they say be infidells and that none going to their Churches can be saued submit their faith and religion to stand or be changed as pleaseth Princes which had not any Church Chappell Prince or subiect of their religion vntill the daies of Luther and now is the same no further then in one time or Country may without great losse to themselues damage to others or new dishonour to God change as the winde serueth their spirit suggesteth or appetite desireth Such men may easily and onely condiscend to change their right and relinquish their interest being such as the Apostle thus describeth Alwaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge 2. Timoth. 3 v. 7 of truth Yet neuerthelesse dread Liege if it will please your Maiesty to vouchsafe vs licence to request and grace to obtaine that your owne princely sentence and censure may stand that we ought not to depart further from the Roman Church our mother Church by your iudgement than she hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her best and flourishing state And that the time of Constantine was incorrupted in religion we humbly againe offer triall before your Highnesse with equall câ—nditions of Schooles agenst the most selected chosen Protestant Bishops doctors of your dominions to proue or defend any or euery substantiall article which we now professe to be agreeable vnto and not discenting the knowne publike Catholike doctrine of that mother Church in those your mentioned incorrupâ—ed daies of Christianity And seeing the disfauour and penalties against lay Catholikes are grounded vpon their Recusancy to be present at your protestant Seruice wee humbly beseech it may be called to memory how they haue protested in seuerall supplications one to your Maiesty before the end of the last Parliament and the other to Queene Elizabeth in the seuen and twenty yeare of her raigne to be builded onely vpon feare of offending God To which their so long and manilold disgraces losses imprisonments and sufferings are sufficient witnesse and for further triall thereof haue offered to repaire to your Protestant Churches and Seruice without further exception if the learned of your religion can and doe proue to the learned of their profession that it may be performed without offence to God which is so much in the opinion of all diuines as any christian subiects can offer in this cause In which minde as I doubt not but they still continue so I am assured that the Priests of England will giue like consent This if your Protestant Cleargy doe refuse or doe not satisfie so Christian a request we hope your Maiesty being wise learned iudicious and gratious will perceiue that the seuerity of the lawes against them for that cause is not to be put in practise These things in most humble manner we commend to your highest and mercifull consideration And so desiring of the Almighty to grant all happinesse and prosperity to your Maiesty and posterity we conclude in all dutifull subiection with that antient Father We will faithfully serue you in your Pallace we will accompanie other your subiects in the market wee will ioyne with them in the field against your enemies onely to you we leaue the Churches FINIS Fauls escaped In the Epâ—ste or are tam cum Chap. 1. Rogesr Rogers Chap. 2. Haereticus Haereticis manimenta munimenta not aboue foure or fine not many the Prophets and Priests of Iuda deposed vnder the Prophets and Priests of Iuda were deposed not now and are not now Chap. 4. Philopatre Philopater which which is Chap. 5. and it was and that it was if it Chap. 6. natum nutum violatore violatorem approue reproue Chap. 9. vermia Austrae vienna Austriae Canickname a nickname 100000 1000000. Inns Irons Chap. 10. vindice iuridieé mentire mentiri naturall consciences internall consciences a semiplea a semiplene statish Protestants Scottish Protestants Caluinianum caluinianam Chap. 11. punished promised