are many more besides them that hold this negative to wit The Pope by virtue of his office hath not any power or authority to depose Princes or to dispose of their crowns or lives for any cause crime end or good whatsoever So that I think I may safely conclude That which is contrary to Scripture antient Fathers the Annals and Gests of our own Nation hath been attended with signal judgments (n) Qui Summi Pontificis omne de re qualibet judicium temerè ac sine delectu defendunt eos sedis Apostolicae authoritatem labefactare non sovere non firmare Cand. lib. 5. Quaest 5. and is disclaimed by moderate Papals themselves ought to be abjured But such is the Popish pretended power to depose the chief Magistrate c. Therefore it ought to be abjured But we shall have this more fully discussed in the next Article which is The Eighth Article I do sincerely testifie and declare That the Pope hath not any authority to discharge any of the people of these Nations from their obedience to the chief Magistrate or to give licence or leave to any of the said people to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to the persons of the said chief Magistrates or to the state or government of these Nations or to any of the people thereof Minist BY reason of cruel Positions and practises of Jesuits in the year one thousand five hundred eighty two it was made high Treason (a) Si non vis esse obnoxius Caesari noli habere qu◠sunt mundi si habes divitias obnoxius es Caesari Ambros in Lucam lib. 9. cap. 20. to disswade any Subject from (b) Dices Quid mihi Regi quid tibi ergo possessioni per jura Regum possessiones possidentur August in Johan Allegiance to their Prince and from the Religion that was established in England This Article intends the Abjuration of that which was then enacted as treasonable Gen. What difference is there betwixt this Article and the former it is not obvious to me easily to distinguish between them Minist They are principally differenced in this that the former Article excluded the Pope's authority to excite any forein power to annoy depose the chief Magistrate of these Nations or to dispose of his Territories This disclaims the Pope's power to arm Subjects against their Sovereign or being disobliged by him from their obedience to move commotions seditions or rebellions Gent. Doth the Pope arrogate by his pleni-potentiary power to stir up any forein Prince against another and collate their Dominions upon them Minist Yes (c) Papa Johannes nonus conspiratione facta cum Gallorum Regibus à Germanis Imperii Majestatem studebat transferre in Carolum Calvum deinde in Ludovicum Balbum ejus filium sed Imperium per vim retinuerunt Germani Carion Chronic. pag. 179. Pope John the Ninth atempted though in vain to translate the Romane Empire from the Germans to the French and first collated the Diadem upon Carolus Calvus and afterwards upon Ludovicus Balbus his Son Kings of France He encouraged at the last (d) Sicut Zacharias transtulit imperium á Graecis ad Teutonicos ita nos possumus illud transferre ab Alemannis ad Graecos Carion Chronic. pag. 179. Lewis Son to the French King to raise arms against John King of England In the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign Paul the Fourth being Pope Sebastianus Martignius could hardly be perswaded from entring England with a thousand foot and some horse afterwards he stirred up the Duke D'Alva against her and promised if need were to go himself in person against England and engage the goods of the Apostolick See It were too tedious to relate the Stories of the Scottish Queen the Duke of Norfolk Stucklie James Boncompagno Bastard-son to Gregory the Thirteenth Squire Babington Parry Lopez Tyrone the intended Invasion in Eighty eight by Pererius Guzmannus Duke of Medina the Gun-powder-Treason to invade or embroil this Nation as Bishop Carlton (e) Thankful Remembrance of God's Mercies by G. Carleton Bishop of Chichester hath faithfully discovered at large to whose Book I refer you Gent. I perceive by these Histories (f) Ecce in potestate nostra est ut demus illud cut volumus propterea constituti sumus à Deo super Gentes regna ut destruamus evellamus aedificemus plantemus Dictum Adriani Frederico Aventinus in Adriano iv 1154. Popes have been Incendiaries to stir up one Prince against another for advantage of their Romane Jurisdiction have they been as busy to unrivet the obediential tye of people to the chief Magistrate Minist Yes you cannot but have heard of their pragmaticalness also herein that Cornelius Agrippa one of your own saith (g) Cornelius Agrippa De vanitate Scientiarum cap 6. ex Camatensi Legati Romanorum Pontificum sic debacchantur in Provinciis ac si ad flagellandam Ecclesiam Satan egressus sit a facie Domini The Pope's Legates keep such Revels and Rackets in Kingdoms and Countries as if Satan were sent abroad from the face of the Lord to scourge the Church Witness that (h) Ipsam pratenso regni jure nec non omni quocunque dominio dignitate privilegióque privatam praecipimus interdicimus universis singulis Proceribus subditis populis nè illi ejusque monitis mandatis legibus audeant obedire qui secùs egerint eos simili Anathematis sententia innodamus Bulla Pii Quinti Bull of Pius Quintus fastened by that Ardelio Felton upon the Bishop of London's Palace-Gate wherein he makes it known that he had deprived Queen Elizabeth from the right she pretended to have in her Kingdoms and also from all and every her authority dignity and privilege charging and forbidding all and singular Nobles Subjects and people that they adventure not to obey her her Monitions Commands or Laws upon pain of his Grand Anathema or Curse Gent. They pretend great reason for this for (i) In Concilio Lateranen si sub Leone Decimo Sess 10. Stephanus Bishop of Patrica in our Laterane Council said In Papa est omnis potestas supra omnes potestates tam eoeli quam terrae All power is in the Pope above all powers as well of heaven as of earth and in the Ceremoniary it is written (k) Ceremoniat lib. 1. cap. 2. Moderatio Imperii Romani pertinet ad Papam Dei vices gerentem in terris tanquam ad eum per quem Reges regnant The Government of the Romane Empire belongeth unto the Pope being God's Vicar on earth as unto him by whom Kings rule Johannes Andreas compares the Pope to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moon and by Mathematical Proportion makes him seventy seven times greater then the greatest Prince Abbot Panormitan saith (l) Plenitudo potestatis sisperat omnem legem positivam Panormitan Extravag De constitut cap. 1. His. fulness of power passeth all positive
Knights whereupon the Nation was Interdicted the King excommunicated and not absolved without corporal penance And though Pope's Bulls were rampant in times of weak Princes or those that were embroyled with civil Wars as King John and Henry the Third yet those that were magnanimous and victoriously successful shaked them off with contempt as Edward the Third who in the fourtieth year of his reign (g) The King commanded that Peter's pence should no more be gathered or paid to Rome Saint Peter's pence is the King's alms observe not the Pope's due and all that had twenty penyworth of goods should pay that peny at Lammas Stow Chron. pag. 461. commanded that Peter Pence should be no more collected or paid to Rome Lastly The ejection of Papal jurisdiction out of England was disgraceful for (h) Stow Chron. pag. 1003. in the twenty sixth year of the reign of Henry the Eight it was enacted by Parliament at Westminster that the Pope with all his authority should be clean banished out of this Realm and that he should be no more called Pope which title he i Gesta Abbat Sancti Albini Regist. Monast Sancti Albini John Bale Onuphrius Giraldus Cambrensis borrowed of Jupiter but Bishop of Rome and that the King should be reputed and taken as supreme moderatour of the Church of England having full authority to reforme all errours heresies and abuses thereof with the appendage of First-fruits Tenths all spiritual Dignities and Promotions annexed to his Royal Dignity Gent. Can you vindicate this from extraordinary rigour That the Pope's jurisdiction confessedly possessed and enjoyed so many Centuries should be wholly ejected in one day out of all these Nations especially Ireland the regiment whereof was conferred upon (k) Sanderus in Secta Anglicana Henry the Second by Pope Adrian the Fourth conditionally to hold it of him Minist That the Pope could give that which he never had is a Paradox both in Logick and Politicks Lunatick Thrasilaus (l) Athenaeus claimed all the Athenian Ships The Cham of Tartary challenges to be Master both of substance and ceremonies to the whole Universe Therefore haing dined himself he causeth a Trumpet to be sounded that all other Princes through the World may dine Henry Plantagenet (m) The Kings c. with other Princes and Bishop submitting themselves and theirs to the King of England and his successours building him a great Palace at Dublin where he held his Christmas Stow Chron. pag. 207. compleated that conquest over Ireland which was begun by Strongbow Earl of Strigule not holding it of the Pope as the Jesuit Sanders pretends but of God and his sword for (n) Giraldus Cambrensis Radulph Cogshall Gervasius Dorob the King of Conach Devuntius King of Cork Morice King of Meâ—thâ— he King of Vriel Duvenald King of Ossery Duvenald King of Limerick with other Princes and Bishops submitted themselves unto him and his Successours not by virtue of the Pope's Charter but his prevailing army Gent. But I am not yet satisfied how the Pope could be lawfully dispossessed of that which he had so long possessed Minist The Pope's pretended jurisdiction is claimed either by Divine right or humane according to both claims even by the Principles of your own Scholemen and Canonists he was lawfully dispossessed Gent. How was he lawfully dispossessed if his jurisdiction was claimed by divine right that seems improbable Minist Supposing but not granting that Anti-Christian Principle that the Pope's universal jurisdiction was by divine right your own Sancta Clara confesses (o) Substractio ab obedientia non sedis Apostolicae seu authoritatis annexae illi sedi quantum est ad actum primum seu signatum sed solum quantum ad actum exercitum id est in quantum exercetur à tali persona cui pro tempore commissa est sedes illa Franciscus De Sancta Clara. pag. 335. that Substraction or withdrawing from obedience annex'd to the Apostolick See according to the actus exercitus as it is so qualified or is exercised by such a power to wit Heretical or Tyrannical is lawful And for proof of this he quotes Gerson once Chancellour of Paris who affirms (p) Hoc etiam practicum est per quoscunque Reges Principes qui sese substraxerunt abobedientia eorum quos isti vel illi judicabant esse Summos Pontifices quae tamen substractiones approbatae sunt per sacrum Constantiense Concilium quaedam expresse quaedam implicitè vel aequivalenter Gerson that It was practised by all Kings and Princes who withdrew themselves from the obedience of those whom they acknowledged to be Popes which withdrawings nevertheless were approved by the holy Council of Constance some expresly some impliedly and equivalently (q) Conclusum est per Concilium Turonense Principem posse ab obedientia Papae sese subducere ac subtrahere pro tuitione tantum ac defensione jurium suorum temporalium Concilium Turonense as also a Synod of Turon in France wherein it was concluded that a Prince may withdraw himself from obedience of the Pope for safeguard and defence of his temporal rights And if a Prince may withdraw from obedience for defence of his temporal rights how authentick a commission had our Princes when both temporal and spiritual rights were at the Stake The Church notoriously corrupted both in Doctrine and Manners Rome that Apocalyptical Babylon and the Romish Hierarchy Anti-Christian as is formerly evidenced Gent. You have made this clearer then I imagined if Princes and Nations may withdraw themselves from Papal obedience even supposing their jurisdiction were by divine right much more if the claim be but from humane grounds conquest consent pact prescription or the like Minist You say right for it will follow a majore ad minus from the greater to the less but the Pope's claim of jurisdiction in England was from none of these but was insinuated by subtilty continued by usurpation and enforced by tyranny For Harpsfield doth unanswerably demonstrate (r) Legibus autem nostruÌ„ fuisse concessum jus nominandi providendi de Beneficiis testatur post alios Harpsfield Saculo 14. fuisse etiam aliam consuetudinem immemorialem ex privilegio ortam causas Clericorum cognoscendi patet ex decisione Rotae 304. Sancta Clara pag. 330. Supreme Magistrates of this nation in all Ages to have enjoyed the right of nomination and provision of Benefices and taking cognisance of the causes of the Clergy Which even Suarez proves to be their just interest by divine and natural right seeing (s) Cui conceditur regnum necessariò omnia censentur concessa sine quibus regnum gubernari non potest regnum vero gubernari non posset nisi Principes hac potestate potirentur etiam in Clericos Suarez lib. 3. De primatu Summi Pontisicis Wheresover God collates a Kingdom he collates also all things necessary for the managerie thereof and without which government cannot be duely
ab aliis tanquam à majoribus sed contuli cum illis tanquam cum amicis paribus Glossa Ordinaria ad Galat. 2. I learned not of Peter and others as of my betters but I had Conference with them as with my equals and Friends So that this Distinction of extraordinary and ordinary Jurisdiction which gives Saint Peter a special Legislative Power is Scriptureless and a mere Popish Chimera Gent. Though there be no ground for it in Scripture yet it may be demonstrated from Tradition of the Church as the Cause from the Effect that St. Peter had this Power and delegated it to his Successours who without interruption have enjoyed it since Nil dat quod non habet as our Gerson once Chancellour of Paris avers saying (n) Sicut Christo collata est omnis potestas in coelo in terra sic eam Christus omnem Petro suisque Sucessoribus dereliquit Gerson De potestate Ecclesiae Consid 12. part 3. As all Power in Heaven and in Earth is collated upon Christ so Christ hath delegated it to Peter and his Successours Minist This is that third thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haereticum a notorious falsitie which Franciscus a Victoria a Friar of your own and once Professour of Divinity in the Vniversitie of Salmantica confesses saying (o) Victor De potestate Ecclesiae Relect. 1. Sect. 1. 1. pag. 39. Glossatores Juris hoc Dominium dederunt Papae cum ipsi essent pauperes rebus doctrina The Glossers of the Canon-Law not Saint Peter gave the Pope this Dominion when they themselves were poor in estate and Petits in Learning Which Pope Zosimus (p) Zosimus in Concili Africano himself was conscious of when in that long contention with the Bishops of Africa touching his Supremacie he alleged not one word out of the Scriptures but only the Council of Nice which he himself had falsified And Meltiades (q) Meltiades in Epistola Ad Episcopos Hispaniae writing hereof to the Bishops of Spain claims it only by Custom not by Donation of Peter or Divine Right The Spring and Rise whereof Philip Mornay (r) Historia Papatus quibus gradibus ad id Fastigii enisus sit Philippus Mornaius Plessiacus in his Mystery of Iniquity or History of the Popedom discovers and is a Truth so clear that it extorts this Confession from Bellarmine (s) Bellarmin lib. 5. De Romano Pontifice cap. 9. Etiamsi nihil horum extaret abunde sufficeret praescriptio 800. Annorum nam etiam regna imperia per latrocinium acquisita tandem longo tempore fiunt legitima Though the Prescription of eight hundred years be sufficient for even Kingdoms and Empires gotten by robbery through continuance of time become lawfull Gent. This is a shrewd confession of so Learned a Cardinal and gives our cause a deadly blow There are four things wherein Supremacie consists First Reformation of the Church Secondly Calling of Councils and Synods Thirdly Promulgation of Church-Laws and Edicts Fourthly Receiving of Appeals and giving Decisions Have not Bishops of Rome exercised all these since the Apostles times According to Gerson (t) Sicut non est potestas nisi à Deo sic nec aliqua temporalis vel Ecclesiastica Imperialis vel Regalis nisi à Papa in cujus femore scripsit Christus REX REGUM DOMINUS DOMINANTIUM Gerson De potestate Ecclesiae Consider 12. part 3. As there is no Power but of God so neither any Temporal or Ecclesiastical Imperial or Regal Jurisdiction but of the Pope in whose Thigh Christ hath writ KING OF KINGS LORD OF LORDS Minist You shall finde upon Examination for all Gerson's Blasphemy that not one of these was exercised by the Bishops of Rome in the Primitive Times First Reformation of the Church by abolishing Idolatry Superstition and Heresie and placing of true Religion was practised by Constantine and all the godly Emperours his Successours The Emperour saith Eusebius (u) Tanquam communù Episcopus à Deo constitutus Eusebius De vita Constantini lil 1. cap 37. put down Idolatry established Christian Religion composed differences of Bishops suppressed Heresies and Schisms heard Causes of Religion and judged them in his own Person made Laws Decrees Edicts and Orders for Religion and all this as a common Bishop or Over-seer ordained of God This in special Constantine engaged to perform against the Fomenters of Arrianism and Fautours of Arrian Bishops saying (x) Pestium illarum audacia ministri Dei hoc est meá executione coercebitur Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 19. The Boldness of such Bishops and others shall be brought in order by the execution of God's Minister that is my self And the sixth Toletan Council speaking of Chintillanus the King saith (y) Concil Toletan vi cap. 14. Nefas est in dubium deducere ejus potestatem cui omnium gubernatio superno constat delegata judicio It is an heinous Offence to call his Power not the Pope's into Question to whom it is apparent that the Government of all is delegated by the Divine Decree Secondly Calling of Councils and Synods was by the Authority of Emperours not Bishops of Rome As the four first General Councils were called by four Emperours The Nicene Council against Arrius by Constantine The Council of Constantinople against Macedonius by Theodosius the Elder The Council of Ephesus against Nestorius by Theodosius the Younger The Council of Chalcedon against Eutyches by Martian The Council of Sardis by Constans and Constantine And many more for many Centuries after Christ and that not as Bellarmine (z) Bellarm. De Cenciliis lib. 1. cap. 13. saith Authoritate Rapae By the Pope 's Authority which appears in that Leo Bishop of Rome made Supplication (a) Supplicationi nostrae dignetur Imperator annuâ—â—c Leo. Epist 9. to Theodosius that he would call a Council in Italy but the Emperour called it at Ephesus and the Bishops of Italy could not come in time so that Eutyches his Heresie was there countenanced by means of Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria Then Leo made a second Supplication (b) Leo Epist 24. and alledged the Tears of all the Clergy for to obtain a Council it Italy Then he solicited the Emperess Pulcheria (c) Leo Epist 26. to further his Supplicaon to the Emperour he wrote (d) Leo Epist 23. to the Nobles Clergy and People of Constantinople to join with him in Supplication to the Emperour yet could not obtain it in the time of Theodosius When Martian succeeded by the favour of Pulcheria a Council was called not in Italy but at Chalcedon Then Leo made a fresh Suit (e) Leo Epist 43. that the Emperour would command the Bishops of the Council that the Faith of the Nicene Council might stand in full force unaltered which the Emperour did at his Request and the Emperour's Oration (f) Oratio Martiani in Concilio Chalcedoneusi to that purpose is extant Now if Supplication
Intercession of Friends Sighs and Tears of Priests be the Authority of the Pope let him in God's name use it still And as in the Calling so in the Subscription of the Council you may further see his Authority Because saith Leo (g) Leo Epist. 56. to the Emperour I must by all means obey your Sacred and Religious Will I have set down my Consent in writing to those Constitutions Here you see it is plain Councils were called by Princes at the Pope's Petition and subscribed at their Command Therefore when Ruffinus (h) Doce quis eum jusserit Imperator convocariâ—è Hieron in Apologia contra Ruffinum alledged the Canon of a Council against Saint Hierom his Answer was Shew what Emperour commanded this Council to be called I will shut up this Point with Socrates his words who giving a reason why in his Church-Story he made so often mention of Emperours saith (i) Propterea quòd ex illo tempore quo Constantini esse ceperunt negotia Ecclesiae ex eorum nutu pondere visa sunt atque adeò maxima Concilia de eorum sententia convocata faerunt adhuc convocantuâ— Socrat. lib. 5. in Prooemio Since Emperours became like Constantine Fathers of the Church the Causes of the Church have depended upon their ill and therefore the greatest Councils have been and yet are called by their Authority The third work of Supremacy is Promulgatio Legum Promulgation of Church-Laws and Edicts expedient for Ecclesiastical Government And this was performed by Kings and Emperours not Pope's as Church-Stories are pregnant Proofs Constantine made many Laws concerning Confessours and Martyrs Christians and Heathens Eusebius (k) Euseb De vita Constantini lib. 2. cap. 20 21 24 44. mentioneth two Laws one that abolished Idolatry Images Sacrifices and Divinations another concerning building and enlarging of Churches at the Emperour's Charge Theodosius made a Law against the Arrians occasioned thus Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium having been a long Suitour in vain used this Stratagem saluting the Emperour slighted his Son Arcadius newly Created Caesar which the Father interpreting as a Contempt of his Son grew angry till Amphilochius discovering himself said (l) Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 5. Art thou offended Emperour that I reverence not thy Son And thinkest thou that God is not offended with the Arrians that blaspheme his Son The Emperour overcome with these words Legem scribit made a Law against the Assemblies of the Arrians I will not enter particulars but refer you to the Titles (m) De summa Trinitate side Catholica De sacro sanctis Ecclesiis De Episcopis Clericis De Haereticis c. of the Civil Law which were promulgated by Justinian Theodosius Valentinian Honorius Arcadius and other Godly and Religious Emperours There is a Collection of Ecclesiastical Laws made by Charls the Emperour Lodovick and Lotharius gathered by (n) Ansegmus Anno 827. Ansegmus Of Charls his Laws there be an hundred sixtie eight of the Laws of Lewis and Lotharius an hundred fiftie seven In the Preface the Emperour Charls professeth (o) Quapropter nostros missos ad vos direximus qui ex nostri nominis authoritate una vobiscum corrigerent quae corrigenda essent that he hath directed his Commissioners here you see Princes Commissioners and Visitours are antient that shall joyn with others to redress those things which need Reformation according to his Canonical Constitutions in his name and by virtue of hiâ— authoritie Gregory the First (o) Gregor Epist Bishop of Rome wrote a submissive Letter to Mauritius the Emperour and another to Theodorus his Physician to intreat the revocation of a Law invented by Julian and that in a very humble Stile (p) Vtrolique ergo quod debui exolvi qui Imperatori obedientiaÌ„ praebuiâ— pro Deo quod sensi non tacui Gregor Epist 61. lib. 2. Ego quidem jussioni vestrae subjectus I your Servant and subject to your command have sent this Law to many parts of the World and now I write my opinion to your Majestie in both I have done my duty I have performed mine obedience to the Emperour and I have not concealed what I thought fit for God's cause And Saint Augustine saith (q) Hoc jubent Imperatores quod Christus jubet quia cùm bonum jubent nemo jubet nisi per eos Christus August Epist 166. of this power of Laws When Emperours command that which is good it is Christ and no man else that commandeth by them The fourth work of Supremacie is receiving of Appeals giving Decisions Restitutions and Deprivations and other punishments of Bishops for Causes Ecclesiastical which in Primitive Times fell to the judicature of Princes not Popes for when Donatus (r) Vide Optatum libr. 1. August Epist 162 166. had procured Cecilianus to be condemned by seventy African Bishops and had set up another Bishop in his See of Carthage he appealed to Constantine the Emperour and desired him to assigne him Judges Constantine by Commission extant in Eusebius (s) Eusebius lib. 1. cap. 5. delegated and authorised Meltiades Bishop of Rome to hear the cause who gave Sentence for Cecilianus upon a second Appeal (t) Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Constantine made a second Delegacy to Chrestus Bishop of Syracuse who likewise gave Sentence with Cecilianus upon the third Appeal Constantine appointed Elianus a Civil Magistrate to examine Felix who acquitted Felix also Then the Emperour called both Parties before him and gave final Sentence for Cecilianus and made a severe Law against the Donatists In which Passage I pray you observe First that Meltiades not as supreme Judg of all Controversies but as delegated by Constantine did judg of Cecilianus his Cause and Saint Augustine (u) August Epist. 162. defended him from usurpation upon the seventie African Bishops because the Emperour not Saint Peter appointed it Next the Bishop of Syracuse did judg the same Cause after Meltiades without any wrong to the See of Rome no man in that Age found fault with it And Thirdly It is apparent that Constantine was superiour to Meltiades and both made him his Delegate and Judge of his Sentence and Judgement which Saint Augustine (x) Vltimum Judicium ultra quod Causa pertransire non potest Augustin contra Parmenian lib. 1. cap. 6. calleth the last Judgement beyond which the Cause could not pass (y) Socrates lib. 5. cap. 10. Theodosius calling a Council of all Opinions where Nactarius and Agilius made the Confession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Consubstantiality Demophilus delivered up the Arrian Faith Eunomius the Eunomian Faith Eleusius the Macedonian Faith Then the Emperour alone separated from all Company saith (z) Tum solus separatus precatur Deum Socrates suprá Socrates made his Prayers to God to direct him in the Truth and then he read the several Faiths and condemned and rent all the rest that rent and divided
the same beat Saint Peter's Ship so impetuously that it began to hull or wallow upon the one side Platina saith (x) Platina in Marcello 1. Vices were so exalted and multiplyed that they hardly left any space for God's Mercy Macchiavel saith (y) Macchiavel Disp De Republ. lib. 1. cap. 12. pag. 73. There is no place wherein there is found so litle Pietie and Religion as in those people who dwell nearest Rome Espenceus saith (z) Espenc Comment Tit. cap. 1. pag. 71. that you have not onely imitated and matched but surpassed all the Avarice Ambition Lubricitie and Tyrannie that was ever heard of amongst the Heathens Sundry of your own part have written Volumes as (a) Alvares Pelag. De planctus Eccles Alvares Pelagius Nicholaus Clemangis Onus Ecclesiae containing the Narrations of the outragious wickedness which reigned among you Platina (b) Platina in Johanne xiii stiles your Grand-fathers Monsters of mankind In the Council of Constance (c) Concil Const Sess 11. Art 5. they are called the Dregs of Vice incarnate Devils Aventine saith (d) Aventin Annal. Boiorum lib. 3. pag. 211. Nothing was more luxurious covetous and proud then Priests they spent the Church's Patrimony in gluttonie riot upon Dogs and Queans and all their Preaching was to maintain their own licentiousness Matthew Paris saith (e) Matthaeus Paris Chron. in Henrico iii. pag. 535. The Prelats of Rome seek not to make people devout but to fill their Coffers with treasure They study not to win Souls but to encroach upon other mens revenues They oppress the Godly and impudently usurp other mens right They have no care of honestie or right King John of England from whom Pope Innocent extorted fourtie thousand Marks at once and twelve thousand annually to absolve his Kingdom being Interdicted said that (f) Matthaeus Paris ibid. Anno 1213. pag. 327. He had learned by wofull experience that the Pope was ambitious beyond all men living an insatiable Gulf and thirster after money and ready for hope of Gain like wax to be moulded to any thing kind or degree of wickedness Alvarez hath these words (g) Alvarez De planctâ—â— Ecclesiae lib 2. Artic. 5. literâ Aleph Vide SuriuÌ„ Tomo 4. Concil pag. 820 824 569 579. Abbatem Usperg anno 99. Luitprand Vit. Pap. lib. 6. cap. 6. Dionys Carthus Epist in sine Comment Apocal. Petrum Blesens pag. 39 40. The Mystical Sion the Church which in her Primitive state was adorned of her Spouse with such and so many Royal Graces is now clouded and eclipsed with the black mist of ignorance iniquitie and errour and we behold her cast down from heaven as a Desert uninhabited of virtue and if any godly people remain they are esteemed as Arabians and Sarracens The Prelates of the Church are an army of Devils potius depraedandis spoliandis scandalizandis hominibus quam lucris animarum operam dantes they rather labour to rob spoil and scandalize men then to win souls The consideration of which moved Cornelius Bishop of Bitanto in an Oration at the Council of Trent to express himself thus (h) Vtinam à religione ad superstitionem à fide ad infidelitatem à Christo ad Anti-Christum à Deo ad Epicurum velut prorsus unanimes non declinâssent Dicentes in corde impio ore imputencio non est Deus Epist Bitant in Concile Trident. O would to God they meaning the Romish Prelates and Dependants had not fallen with common consent and that altogether from true Religion to Superstition from Faith to Infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicurus saying with a wicked heart and shameless mouth There is no God Gent. This is a loud Out-cry and I am convinced that our Church was in a great part guilty but part of this might be kindled from Factions and Interests as at this present with you each Sect studies to disparage the other and render them ignominious Minist You might have said so if I had cited against you the Evidences of the Albigenses Waldenses Wicklifists Lollards Taborites Poor men of Lyons who were Dissenters from you in Judgement but the Authours I produced are unbiassed with Partiality and wholly your own bosom-Friends who out of a Sympathy bewailed the Rottenness in their own Bones No wonder if amongst us Civil Wars have untwisted the Cords of Discipline and that hath begot Liberty Liberty Diversity of Opinions Diversity of Opinions Difference in Affections hence every latter endeavours to rout the former as the Anabaptists whosoever went before them the Quakers would dismantle them It is as antient as Hostility for the prevailers to asperse and burthen the conquered as they please But even in calm Times the offences of your Church in this Nation were so outragious that Gulielmus Nubrigensis (i) Gulielmus Nubrigensis lib. 2. cap. xvi Roger Hoveden Anndl. part post an Historian of your own confesses that the Judges complained to the King that there were many Robberies and Rapes and Murders to the number of an hundred committed within the Realm by Ecclesiastical Persons in the Compass of one year And the very Tendency of your Romish Doctrine is to Licentiousness For saith Aventine (k) Quemcunque sceleris obnoxium Parricidio Incestu Sacrilegio pollutum continuò ubi cruciculam vesti assuisset solutum esse crimine poenâ dâ—clamitabant quippe ansâ—â— hinc acceptâ inimicos suos prius tollebant hinc in militiam sacram nomine dabant Aventin Annal. Boior lib. 7. pag. 530. they declare any man guilty of wickedness contaminated with Parricide Incest Sacrilege as soon as he hath sewed a Crucifix to his Garment to be quit from the Crime and Punishment which lays open a great Gap to Wickedness for many first murder their Enemies and then retreat into a Monastery for Sanctuary and under the covert of a Cowl secure themselves And your Sanctuaries are Harbours and Dens of Assassines and other enormous Delinquents tolerated and supported by your Church you openly maintain Stews and receive (l) Nam Mariscallus Papae de facto eximit â—â—â—butum à Meretricibus Constit Otho De concubitu Cler. yearly Tribute and part stake with Harlots Gent. I always disliked those Sanctuaries that were receptacles of Murderers and Assassines as also toleration of Stews But admit the Church of Rome be somewhat corrupted both in Doctrine and Manners yet I cannot conceive it is become so vile as to be that Apocalyptical Babylon which is your third Position because in Scripture Rome is never called Babylon Minist Whether Rome in Scripture be ever called Babylon is not much material though Jesuits for want of beter Arguments prove that Peter was at Rome from 1 Pet. v. 15. The Church which is at Babylon that is Rome say they saluteth you but Babylon is not taken here literally either for Babel in Aegypt called now Cairus or for that Babylon in Chaldee (m) Justin Histor.
say that our Lord God the Pope might have decreed otherwise then he hath decreed is Heretical And that they Deifie him these blasphemous Panegyricks may let you see (o) Si Papa suae fraternae salutâ—s negligens innumerabiles secum ducat catervas in Geheunam hujusmodi culpam nullus mortalium praesumat redarguere Distinct 4. cap. Si Papa If the Pope secure of his own and others Salvation should carrie with him innumerable Souls by heaps into Hell no mortal man may presume to reprove his faults And That (p) Quòd facta Papae excusantur ut HomicidiuÌ„ Sampsonis Furta Hebraeorum Adulterum Jacobi Distinct 40. The evil deeds of the Pope are to be excused as the Self-murther of Sampson the Theft of the Hebrews and Adulterie of Jacob. Gent. All the Characters are manifestly convertible with the Pope yet I wonder that there was no more notice taken of it in former Ages if he be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signal Anti-Christ Minist What greater notice could be then that both Heathens and Christians have marked it nigro carbone with black Obelisks Sibylla said (q) Sibylla Oraculorum cap. 8. He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 white-headed so the Bishop of Rome weareth solemnly on his Head a white Miter of Silver adorned with three Crowns and Pretious Sones or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having many heads as by Saint John the Beast of seven Heads That he should be called by a Name much like Pontus which suits with his Title in Latine PONTIFEX and That the Seat of his Empire should be upon the Banks of Tyber Irenaeus speaking of the number of the Beast's Name six hundred sixtie six saith (r) Irenaeus lib. 5. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde verisimile est Anti-Christ very likely will be a Latine or Italian Tertullian saith (s) Babylon apud Joannem Romanae urbis Figura est perinde magnae de Rege suo superbae Sanctorum Dei bellatricis Tertull. Contra Marcion that Babylon in Saint John is a Figure of the Romane Citie very great and proud of her King Anti-Christ a Persecutour of the Saints of God Gregory who was immediate Predecessour to Boniface the Third from whom till Pompey's subduing of Syria to the Romane Empire were six hundred sixtie six Years saith (t) Rèx superbiae prope est quod dici nefas est Sacerdotum et exercitus praeparatur Gregor lib. 4. Epist 38. The King of Pride is at hand and which is irreverent to say an Armie of Priests is made readie for him In the Abbey of Saint Edmonds-Bury in Suffolk the Storie of Anti-Christ was Painted and he Pictured in a Glass-Window in the Habit of the Pope wearing his Triple Crown attended with Monks Friers Priests and Cardinals stopping their Ears against Enoch and Elias and persecuting them that hearkened to their Preaching a Transumpt of which was to be seen in Sir John Croft's House of Saxham near Bury Thetgand Bishop of Trevir above seven hundred Years ago calls the Bishop of Rome Anti-Christ a Wolf an Vsurper of Dominion a Deceiver of Christendom and Rome he calls Babylon Joachim an Abbot who lived almost four hundred Years since said (x) Joachim Abbas in 2 Thess ii Anti-Christus jamdudum natus est in Roma altius extolletur in Sede Apostolica Anti-Christ long since is born in Rome and shall be advanced yet higher in the Apostolick Seat Francis Petrarch Arch-Deacon of Parma who lived in the thousand three hundred and fiftieth Year compares (y) Petrarch Epist 5. 14 17 18 19. the Pope to Judas who betrayed Christ with a Kiss his Clergie to the Jews who said Ave Rex Judaeorum his Prelates to the Pharisees who in mockery clothed him in Purple and after Crucified him and again Deny if thou canst that thou art She whom Saint John saw sitting upon many Waters thou art She and none other that Babylon the Mother of Whoredoms of the Earth drunken with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus thou art She who hast made all Kings of the Earth drunken with the cups of thy poyson The like Oration (z) Sub Pontificis Maximi titulo Pastoris pelle lupum saevissimum nisi caecisimus sentimus Romani Flamines arma habent in omnes Christianos audendo fallendo bella ex bellis ferendo magni facti oves trucidant In Synodo Reginoburgensi lib. 2. cap. 5. Doctour James in his Epistle Dedicatorie before his Book Of the Corruption of the Fathers c. was delivered by a Bishop against the Pope in the Synod of Reginoburg part thereof being Anti-Christ's Description was In cujus fronte Contumeliae nomen scriptum est In whose forehead the Pope's the word MYSTERIE the mark of the Beast was in those days written By this I hope you see That the Church of Rome is neither the Catholick Church nor the Head thereof That Communion with Rome is not necessarie That the Romane Church is not the Mother Church That neither our British no nor our Saxon Church ows her conversion to her That Communion with Rome is not lawfull in so much as she is not a sound Member of the Catholick Church as being notoriously corrupted in Doctrine and Manners That Rome is that Apocalyptical Babylon and the Romish Hierarchie Anti-Christ Gent. You have so evidently declared this out of authentick Authours void of exception that I have no more to say but desire you to proceed to the third Article The Third Article And That there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord 's Supper or in the Elements of Bread and Wine after Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever Minist THis is identically the same with the twentie eight Article of the Church of England wherein is expressed That The Transubstantiation of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist cannot be (a) Non potest per ullam Scripturam probari Joann Fisher Contra Captivit Babylon proved by Sacred Writ but is contrarie to (b) John vi 51 53 54. evident Testimonies of Scripture and overthrows the nature of a Sacrament and gives occasion of many Superstitions Gent. Is Transubstantiation contrary to Scripture when Christ in the institution thereof saith expressly Matth. xxvi 26. Take eat this is my Body whereupon your own Casaubon confesses (c) Casaubon Respon ad Caedinalem Peton pag. 399 400. Praesentiam credimus non minus quam vos veram We Protestants believe a presence no less true then you Minist Real or true presence is twofold Either by Faith whereby the true Body of Christ in the Sacrament is eaten spiritually not corporally By reason of the relative union between the Elements and things signified this is a real presence as Cajetan (d) Manducatur verum corpus Christi in Sacramento sed non corporaliter sed spiritualiter spiritualis manducatio quae per animam fit ad Christi carnem in Sacramento existentem pertingit Cajetan Tom. 2. Tract
had he thus tartly to inveigh against introduction of Images Minist He might and we have sufficient reason First The Canon of the Old Testament is diametrically opposite to Image-Worship Exod. xx 5. Levit. xxvi 1. Deut. v. 9. Psal cvi 9. Isai xxviii Micha v. 13. that the best-learned among your Romish Rabbies are forced to confess it was prohibited to the Jews The Angelical Doctour saith (u) Prohibitum est in veteri Lege nè Imagines flerent ad adorandum Aquin 3. Sent. Dist 9. q. 2. The making of Images to be worshipped was interdicted in the Old Law The same is affirmed by (x) Alexand. Hales pa. 3. q. 30. m. 3. Art 3. Alexander Hales (y) Albert. 3. Dist 9. Art 4. Albertus (z) Bonavent 3. Dist 9. Bonaventure Marsilius Gerson Abulensis and vouched by the modern Schole-men to wit Soto Corduba Cabrera Palacius Tapia Oleaster amongst whom the Jesuit Vasques shall bring up the Rear who declares That (a) Lege veteri non fuisse vetitam omnem similitudinem aut effigiem quomodocunque sed omnem cultum adorationem ipsius atque adeo quoque omnem Imagmem seu effigiem modo accommodato adorationi erectam aut constitutam Vasques De Ador. lib. 2. Dis 4. cap. 6. In the Old Law every Image and Portraicture was not forbidden but every Worship and Adoration of Images and therefore every similitude or representation erected or constituted by way of application to Adoration was prohibited Secondly The Brazen Serpent was a figure of Christ John iii. 14. was formed by God's Commandment Numb xxi 9. yet the worship thereof being as Vasques (b) Vasques De Ador. lib. 2. Dis 4. cap. 5. saith cultus qualem etiam imaginibus deferre nos consuevimus no other then such as Romists use towards their Images was unlawful 2 Kings xviii 4. Thirdly The Scriptures of the New Testament neither expresly nor by consequence maintain the worship of Images neither is there in all the Apostles Doctrine any abrogation of the negative Precept delivered to the Jews concerning the worship of Images and therefore the same Law is (c) Morale simpliciter quod omni tempore ab omnibus servandum est Alexand. Hales 4. q. Art 1. moral and obligeth Christians as it did the Jews Fourthly The worshipping of Images was not practised or held lawful by the Primitive Fathers as Cassander (d) Quantum veteres initio Ecclesiae ab omni veneratione Imaginum abhorruerunt declarat unus Origenes adversus Celsum Cassand Consult De Imag. Simulachr gathers out of Origen against Celsus and Gregory the Great six hundred years after Christ condemned the same for writing to a Bishop he useth this Suasive (e) Gregor lib. 7. Epist 109. lib. 9. Epist 9. Tua fraternitas ab earum adoratu populum prohibere debuit Your Brother-hood ought to hinder the people from worshipping of them and adorare imagines omnibus modis devita avoid the worshipping of Images by all means The Council of Frankford seven hundred ninety and fourscore years after Christ opposed the Definition of the second Nicene Synod concerning worshipping of Images as Ado saith (f) Ado Chron. atatis 6. fol. 181. Pseudo-Synodus quam septimam Graeci appellant pro Imaginibus adorandis abdicata penitus The false Synod which the Greeks call the seventh for worshipping of Images was wholly disclaimed And our Historian (g) Carolus Rex Francorum misit librum Synodalem ad Britanniam in quo libro multa inconvenientia verae fidei contraria maximè imagines debere adorari quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Roger Hoveden Annal. part 1. pag. 232. col 2. Roger Hoveden though a Papist informs us that Charles the French King sent a Book of the Synod to Britain in which Book many Inconveniences and contrary to the true faith were asserted especially that Images ought to be adored which saith he the Church of God altogether execrates And this was done even with the authority of the Pope for saith Cassander (h) Cassander Consult De Imagin Cum Legati Romani Pontificis interfuerunt c. When the Legates of the Bishop of Rome were present by uniform consent of Fathers that Synod the second Nicene so far as it judged Images to be adored was condemned as contrariant not onely to Scriptures and the antient tradition of Fathers but also to the custom of the Roman Church Agobardus the Bishop of Lyons who lived as Ado saith about the year 815 in his Book De Picturis Imaginibus avers that (i) Nullus antiquorum Catholicorum unquam eas colendas vel adorandas existimavit nemo se fallat quicunque aliquam picturam vel fusilem adorat statuam non exhibet cultum Deo c. Agobard Bibliothec Patr. edit Colon Tom. 19. p. 598. None of the antient Catholicks thought that Images were to be worshipped or adored and delivering his own judgement he saith Nemo se fallat c. Let no man beguil himself whosoever worshippeth any Picture or carved Statue neither honoureth God himself nor Angels or Saints but Idols Fifthly Many modern Pontificians have condemned the worship of Images according as the same was practised by the vulgar and maintained by Aquinas and other prime Scholemen Holcoth saith (k) Holcoth in dibr Sap. cap. 13. pag. 524. Nulla adoratio debetur Imagini nec licet aliquam Imaginem adorare No adoration is due to an Image neither is it lawful to worship any Image Cassander writeth in this manner (l) Sanioribus Scholasticis displicet sententia Thomae qui censeat imaginem eadem adoratione colendam qua res ipsa colitur c. Cassand Consult De Pictur The Opinion of Thomas Aquinas who holdeth that Images are to be worshipped as their samplers is disliked by sounder Scholemen and they affirm that it is not very safe unless it be qualified with favourable interpretation among these is Durand and Holcoth Gabriel Biel reports the Opinion of them to be more sound which say that an Image neither as considered in it self materially nor yet according to the nature of a sign or Image is to be worshipped Peresius Ajala saith m All Scholemen n Omnes ferè Scholastici in hoc sunt quôd imago Christi Sanctorum adorari debent c. neque Scripturam neque traditionem Ecclesia neque communem sensum Sanctorum neque Concilii generalis determinationem aliquam adducunt Peres De Trad. part 3. De Imag. in a manner hold that the Images of Christ and the Images of Saints are to be worshipped with the same adoration that their samplers but they produce so far as I have seen no sound proof of this Doctrine to wit neither Scripture nor Tradition of the Church nor consent of Fathers nor the determination of a general Council nor any other effectual reason sufficient to perswade believers Gent. But we finde that the Crucifix or the sign of the Cross was in great
Otho was the first Emperour that ever was sworn to the Pope Therefore it was a just judgment that he should be ejected for this usurpation first attempted nine hundred thirty eight years after Christ whereas all Romish Prelats had been ever subject to the Emperour before Gent. You have made good according to promise both by Scriptures and Fathers that Civil Princes de jure ought to have and de facto have had power over the Bishop of Rome till the tenth Century let me hear your third proof taken from the (b) Tangit illam pervetustam quaestionem an Anglia sit Feudatoria Papae Franciseus de Sancta Ciara pag. 33â— Annals and Gests of this Nation as applicable to us Minist (c) De regione libera per chartam lugubrem ancillam fecit feudatoriam summo Pontisici Matthaeus Paris Matthew Paris and Matthew Westminster two Popish Chroniclers both witness that King John in the twelve hundred and thirteenth year of Christ made England which was a free Nation to be subject and in fee to the Pope by a sorrie Charter The occasion why and the manner how this was performed to the Pope's Legate Pandolph our Historians (d) Stow. Chronicl pag. 243. Cogshal are pregnant This continued not long e're his Son Henry (e) Henricus ejus silius in Concilio Lugdunensi huic reclamavit praecipuè Episcopus Can natiensis ut testatur Walsingham ad annum 1245. postea Cancellarius Angliae Episcopus Eliensis in publicis regni Comitus consentiâ—ntiius tribus ordinibus parriae reclamavit non obstante privata sponsione Johannis ut testatur Harpsfield ad saeculum 14. cap. 5. imo et armis se à temporali jurisdictione Papae desensuros protestabantur the Third in the Council at Lions reclaimed it and especially the Bishop of Canterbury as Walsingham witnesseth in the year 1245. and afterwards it was revoked and cancelled at the instigation of the Bishop of Ely Chancellour of England by act of Parliament the three orders of the Nation Lords Spiritual Temporal and Commons generally consenting notwithstanding John 's private promise and protestation made That they would defend themselves by force of arms from the temporal jurisdiction of the Pope Here you may observe three things First That it was above twelve hundred years after the Incarnation before the Papal power was manifestly attempted to be obtruded over Princes in this Nation Secondly That King John out of weakness without his lawful Council being embroyled with the Barons War was the first that basely submitted unto it Thirdly That it was protested against as unlawful in a Provincial Council and revoked by an act of Parliament with a National engagement to maintain the antient rights by force of arms Gent. When then began the Bishop of Rome to be so rampant as to invade Imperial rights and to trample their Diadems under his feet or to attempt their deprivation Minist Above a thousand years after the Ascension Then Gregory the Seventh alias Hildebrand (f) Tandem in hane catastrophem abiâ—t haec Traegoedia quòd Caesar ipse à summo Pontifice non est excommunicatus solûm sed et reliquis Principibus mandatum est ut Imperatorem alium designarent Carion Chronic. pag. 202. about the year one thousand seventy three deprived Henry the Fourth of his Imperial power and conferred it on Rodolph Duke of Suecia sending him a Diadem with this Inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho (g) Lego relego Romanorum Regum Imperatorum gesta nusquam invenio quenquam eorum ante hunc a Romano Pontifice excommunicatuâ— vel regno privatum Otho Frisingens lil 9. cap. 35. I have read and read again saith Otho Frisingensis a grave Historian who lived in the succeeding age the gests of Roman Kings and Emperours and never finde any of them before this Henry excommunicated by the Roman Bishop or deprived of their Kingdom Gent. What was the issue and event of this for God is oftentimes seen in his Judgments (h) Seneca Medaea Tragoed Raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo Wickedness is attended commonly with signal judgments proportionable Minist By the tragical ends of those prime agents who had a hand in confederating against this Emperour Romane Prelates might be discouraged from such attempts for the future if their hearts were not feared with more then Pharaoh's hardness for Rodolph whom by the instigation of Gregory some Princes of Germany had chosen Anti-Emperour having in battel against his liege Lord lost his right hand by reason of which and other wounds when he was about to give up the Ghost (i) Abscissam dextram intuitus ad Episcopos qui fortè aderant graviter suspirans dixit Ecce haec est manus qua Domino meo Henrico fidem sacramento firmavi Uspergensis anno 10â—0 looking upon his hand that was cut off he spake unto the Bishops and standers by with a grievous groan Lo this is the land with which I swore fealty to Henry my Lord as Vspergensis hath it And Hildebrand himself while he was busied about deposing the Emperour was by the Votes and suffrages of his Romans ejected from the Popedom and brought to extream miserie and calling to him one of the Cardinals whom he loved more intimately then the rest he confessed as Sigebert (k) In extremis positus ad se vocavit unum ex Gardinalibus quem muliùm diligebat prae caeteris confessus est Deo sancto Petro teti Ecclesiae se valdè peccasse in Pasiorale cura quae ei ad regendum commissa erat suadente Diabolo contra humanum genus iram odium concitasse Sigebert Anno 1084 1085. saith to God and St. Peter and the whole Church that he had greately sinned in his Pastoral charge which was committed unto him and by the perswasion of the Devil had stirred up wrath and hatred against mankind And this crime saith Otho Frisingensis of Hildebrand deposing Henry like a whirlwinde or tempest striking all things down before it (l) Tot mala tot schismata tot animarum ouam corporum pericula involvit ut solum ex persecutionis immanitate ac temporis diuturnitate ad humanae miseriae infelicitatem sufficeret comprodandam Otho Frisingens 1. â— â— cap. 33. involved so many miseries so many Schisms so many perils both of souls and bodies that it alone by the barbarousness of the persecution and the continuance thereof were sufficient to prove the infelicity of humane misery Gent. This truth is written in so clear Characters of Scriptures Fathers our own Historians and sealed with signal and stupendous judgments that I am convinced and I wonder that more of our profession are not touching this Article Minist You heard the Vniversity of Paris with the Sorbonists condemned Sanctarellus (m) Read the Bishop of Rochester De potestate Papae cap. 8. qui multos citat autores and there
Laws Minist It is true your modern Court Parasites have fawned upon the Pope with such Blandishments of fulness of power yet as Baldus saith this plenitudo potestatis est plenitudo tempestatis fulness of power is fulness of tempest or disorder And your own barbarous Gloss confesses (m) Imperator in Temporaelibus habet potestatem a solo Deo imperium fuit antequam Apostolus esset Extravag De Majoritate Obedientia The Emperour in temporal things hath his authority not from the Pope but from God onely and the Emperour was before the Apostles were The Emperour Ludovicus the Fourth asserted his own right thus (n) Mea potestas non pendet a Papa sed a Deo immediaté vanum quod dici solet Papam non habere superiorem Paralipomena Uspergensia in Ludovico iv My power hath no dependance of the Pope but immediately of God alone and it is a vain tale that they say The Pope hath no superiour Johannes Major your own Colleague saith (o) Bonifacius Octavus multùm apparenter definivit quòd Romanus Pontifex est supra Reges in Temporalibus quod tamen oculatissimi Theologi dicunt esse falsum Johannes Major 4. Sent. 20. q. 2. Pope Boniface the Eight hath defined many things with great shew of reason that even in temporal causes the Pope is above Princes but I may tell you saith he the wisest Divines say it is false And your Romish Ceremoniary you so confide in declares to the world Ante Carolum Magnum neminem Imperii Romani coronam ex manu Romani Pontificis Romae suscepisse That before the Emperour Charles the Great that is for the space of eight hundred years after Christ no man ever received the Crown of the Romane Empire at Rome by the hands of the Bishop of Rome Therefore Bernard though an Abbot living in the mists of Popery tells Pope Eugenius without mincing (p) Esto ut alia quacunque ratione tibi vendices non tamen Apostolico jure nec illud tibi dare quod non habuit Petrus potuit Bernardus De Consideratione ad Eugenium lib. 2. Be it he may claim this pretended right by some other means yet by Apostolical right he cannot claim it neither could Peter give him that right he never had Gent. But to your Testimonies which I approve be pleased to add some reasons why the Pope hath not any authority to discharge any of the people of these Nations from their obedience to the chief Magistrate Minist The reasons are two First (q) Colimus Imperatorem ut à Deo secundum quicquid est a Deo cousecutum solo Deo minorem Tertull. ad Scapulam The chief Magistrate receiveth his authority onely of God and may acknowledge none above him within his Territories but God Secondly The Ty or Obligation whereby people are obliged in Duty to the chief Magistrate is perpetual indissoluble and may not lawfully be broken The former will be pertinent to this Article the latter will fall in in the next And that not only primitive Fathers and Protestants but even moderate Papists maintain this Doctrine appears by those (r) Primò Rex statum suum non nisi à Deo gladio suo debet recognoscere Secundò Rex solum Deum mortalem verò neminem in regno suo superiorem agnoscit Tertiò Papa non potest nec Regem nec regnum ejus supponere Interdicto seu Sacris interdicere nec subditis relaxare Sacramentum fidelitatis ei debitae propter quamcunque causam occasionem Alphonsus de Vargas pag. 123. three Articles agreed upon by the French Parliament at Paris and subscribed unto by the Sorbonists and other Divines First That the King or chief Magistrate ought to hold his state of none but God and his Sword Secondly He acknowledges onely God but no mortal man superiour in his Kingdom Thirdly That the Pope cannot interdict or excommunicate the King or his Kingdom or absolve his Subjects from the Oath of Allegiance for any cause or pretext whatsoever Gent. Make good your former reason which you say pertains to this Article That the chief Magistrate receiveth his authority onely of God and may acknowledg none above him within his Territories but God Minist The latter Branch of this Proposition That the chief Magistrate may acknowledge none above him within his Tertories but God alone is partly proved already but that all scruple may be removed I will add two Texts of Scripture more with the Fathers descant upon them and then proceed The former 2 Sam. xii ii where the Prophet Nathan having convinced David of his murder and adultery and using this Preface Haec dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord onely as Leo (s) Haec dicit Dominus monuit Regem Davidem ut per poenitentiam peccata sua expiaret non tulit in eum sententiam quae tanquam Adulter Homicida juxta Legem morti addiceretur Leo Quartus 2. q. 7. cap. Non si competenter saith admonished him to expiate his sins by repentance but passed no sentence upon him that as a murderer or adulterer according to the Law he might be put to death Hence we may collect if Nathan a Prophet extraordinarily commissioned by God was not impowered to sentence David the chief Magistrate or stir up his Subjects against him much less may a Roman Prelate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put his sickle into another's harvest and out of his Diocess molest Princes Potentates and States Gent. Perhaps Nathan who was an extraordinary Prophet had an extraordinary dispensation to spare David who was an extraordinary Prince Minist No the other Text I shall produce relating to the same History overthrows that which is Psalm li. 4. Tibi soli peccavi Against thee thee onely saith David unto God have I sinned St. Ambrose gives the reason (t) Rex utique erat nullis ipse legibus tenebatur humanis neque enim Reges ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imporii potestate homini ergo non peccavit cui non tenebatur obnoxius Ambros in Apolog Davidis cap. 4. lib. 2. ep 7. He was saith he a King or supreme Regent and so subject to no Law of man for Princes beeing freed by Royal Prerogatives of Imperial power are not punishable by humane Laws he therefore sinned not to man to whom he was not subject With him agrees Euthymius in these words (u) Cùm sim Rex te solum commissorum à me scelerum judicem habeam tibi soli peccasse videor hoc est tibi soli judici subjicior caeterorum enim omnium ego Dominus sum ob potentiam meam licere mihi videtur quaecunque libuerit Euthym. in Psalm li. Seeing I am a King and have thee onely my Judg over my sins I seem to sin onely to thee that is I am subject onely to thee as to my Judg for I am Lord over all others and in regard of my power
and Majesty whatsoever pleaseth me seemeth to be lawful for me Lyranus his Note is concentrick with the former (x) Lyranus in Psal li. Tibi soli peccavi scilicet tanquam Judici punire potenti peccaverat enim contra Uriam alios occasione hujus interfectos tamen quia erat Rex non habebat Judicem superiorem qui posset eum punire nisi Deum To thee onely have I sinned that is to say To thee onely as to my Judg and to him that can punish me for he had now sinned against Vrias and others whom he caused to be murdered by that occasion yet because he was a King or supreme Magistrate he had no superiour Judg that could punish or controll him save God alone With these accord Saint Hierom Arnobius Cassiodorus Beda Didymus Cyril and Nicetas Gent. Perhaps all the Antients brought in their verdict that none of his Subjects were competent Judges to punish or controll him this makes nothing against the Pope's jurisdiction Minist It makes against all alike especially any pretended authority above Supreme Magistrates which even your Ordinary Gloss upon this Psalm confesses saying (y) Rex omnibus superior tantùm à Deo puniendus est Glossa Ordinaria in Psalm li. The King or Regent is above all and he can be punished by none but by God alone If that suffice not hear a Romane Cardinal to thee onely saith (z) Tibi soli quia non est super me alius quà m tu qui possit punire ego enim sum Rex non est aliquis praeter te super me Hugo Cardinalis in Psal li. Hugo because there is not any above me but thy self alone that hath power to punish me for I am a King and so besides thee is none above me And if my Sophister with Bellarmine shall say There was none above Kings under the Law but now his Holyness of Rome is above Emperours and Dynasts under the Gospel Gregory himself a Roman Pope shall decide the controversie for thus he writes to the Emperour (a) Ego quidem jussioni vestrae subjectus eandem legem per diversas terraruÌ„ partes transmitti feci quia lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minime concordat Ecce per suggestionis nicae paginam serenissimis Dominis nuntiavi Vtroâ—â—… ergo quod debui exsolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui pro Deo quod sersi minimè tacui Gregor lib. 2. Epist 61. cap. 100. I being your subject and at your command have caused the same Law to be sent through divers parts of the Land and because the Law it self doth not accord to God's will behold I have signified so much unto Your Majesty by my Epistle and so I have discharged my duty in both respects as having rendred mine Obedience to the Emperour and have not concealed what I thought in God's cause Gent. Nothing is more clear then this yet Pope Adrian thus advanced himself above the Emperour Frederick By means of us saith (b) Imperator per nos imperat unde habet imperium nisi à nobis ecce in potestate nostra est ut demus illud cui volumus Aventinus lib. 9. pag 616. he the Emperour hath his Diadem for whence hath he his Empire but of us behold it is in our power to bestow the Empire upon whom we list Minist Emperours Kings and all Chief Magistrates by what title soever they be called receive their authority onely of God not of any Roman Priest which is the former branch of the Proposition I engaged to prove It is I saith (c) Psalm lxxxii 6. God not any Creature that have said Ye are Gods It is he (d) Daniel iv 32. the most High that ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth them to whomsoever he will (e) Job xxxvi 7. It is his omnipotent hand as the Vulgar Edition hath it qui Reges collocat in solio places Kings upon their Throne (f) Proverbs viii 15. by whom Kings reign and Princes decree Justice He that said by Nathan to David (g) 2 Sam. xii 7. I have anointed thee King over Israel He by whom Solomon confesseth he was (h) 1 Kings ii 24. established and set on the Throne of David his Father In whose name the Prophet Ahias said to Jeroboam (i) 1 Kings xi 31. I will give unto thee ten Tribes who challenges (k) Psalm xxi 3. Crowns (l) Psalm lxxxix 20. Anoynting Scepters and (m) 2 Paral. 9. 8. Thrones as his peculiar and stiles them (n) 2 Sam. xiv 17. Angels of God and (o) Psalm lxxxii 6. Sons of the most High whom he empowers Gent. But it is said (p) 1 Sam. xi 15. All the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul King before the Lord And (q) 2 Sam. ii 4. The men of Judah and Elders of Israel anoynted David over Judah and Israel how then received they their authority from God Minist (r) 2 Sam. v. 3. The Elders of Judah and Israel anoynted David not as Masters of the substance but of the ceremony not making him but declaring him to be King whom by (s) 1 Sam. xvi special command God had designed before And Saul was first anoynted by the Lord (t) 1 Sam. x. 1. Captain over his inheritance chosen immediately of him by lots as Matthias (u) Acts i. 26. was so that he had all his jura regalia from God not the people who are also said to have (x) 1 Sam. xi 15. made Saul King because they approved the election made of God and admitted him into the (y) Constituere Regem est Verbum tertiae Conjugationis quod cùm esserat duplicem actionem propriè significat facere tenare regnate est regiam exercere potestatem quasi diceret Fecerunt ut regiam potestatem exerceret Jesuita Pineda De rebus Solomonis possession and administration of the Kingdom whom the Sons of Belial impiously by contempt had rejected For the Jews had a special command Deut. xvii 15. to set him King over them whom the LORD their God should choose And as in spiritual things (z) 1 Cor. iii. 7. Paul may plant Apollos water yet it is God that gives the whole encrease So it is his sole act to set on high whom he pleases though the votes and suffrages of the people may be subservient and obediential instruments Gent. But Government and Principality sometimes descends by Succession or are conferred upon victorious Commanders as Trophies of their Conquests lawfully atchieved how then are they immediately conferred of God Minist Order of Succession and victorious event of lawful war are onely qualifications preparative or concomitant to the Investiture of Government but are not the principal or conjunct cause of it as heat cold moysture dryness with the Crasis or Temperature that crises of the mixture of them are dispositions prerequisite in an organized humane body to the receiving of the
Soul which as Saint Augustine (a) Creando infundituâ— infundendo creatur Lombard 2. Sent. Distinct 17. saith is created by Infusion and infused by Creation but are not the causes of Creation or Infusion of it for that is God's peculiar Prerogative qui format animas in medio eorum Even so that of constituting Rulers and Governours as Tertullian saith (b) Indè ille potestas unde spiritus Tertul. in Apologeâ— cap. 30. Thence is their power from whence is their Spirit or Soul and Irenaeus (c) Cujus jussu nascuntur homines ejus jussu constituuntur Principes Irenaeus lib. 5. Contra Haeres By whose command men are born by the same power are Princes or Governours made which is onely Gods This the Romish Extravagants approve determining that (d) Imperator non habet gladium a populo sed imperium est a solo Deo Extravag De Majoritate Oledientia Dist 96. The Emperour hath not his Sword of the people but the Empire is onely from God Gent. I see it perspicuously evident by Scriptures Fathers and Imperial Constitutions that Chief Magistrates receive their Authority onely of God and that None is above them within their Dominions but God What say the antient Laws of our Nation to this Minist Bracton who executed the office of Lord Chief Justiciarie for twenty years together under Henry the Third treating of the antient rites and customs of England saith that (e) Sunt sub Rege liberi homines servi ejus potestati subjecti omnes quidem sub eo ipse sub nullo nisi tantum sub Deo Iâ—émque râ—â—sus Si ab eo peccatur cùm Breâ—e non currat contra ipsâ—m locus erit supplicationi quod factum suum corrigat emendeâ— quod quidem si non feâ—â—rit satis erit ei ad poenam quod Dominum expectet ultorem nemo enim de factis suis praesumat disquirere â—ouâ—â—o minus contra factum suum venire Bracton De lege consuetudine Angâ—â—â—â— lib. â— cap. 8. num 5. Under the King are Freemen and Servants subject to his power and all are under him and he under none therefore not the Pope of Rome but onely under God and iâ— he offend seeing no Brief can issue out against him much less a Romish f This is to be understood either in relation to the Pope onely or of them which are alsolutely supreme in legislative and executive power whether Monarchs Optimates or Senate which is to be referred to the Laws of every Nation as His Majesty is supreme with us both in legislative and executive power Bull there is onely place for Supplication that he would correct and reform his Errour which if he will not do it is sufficient punishment for him that he must expect God will revenge for none may presume therefore not the Pope judicially to enquire into his actions much less to make insurrection against him Gent. I understand that not onely the modern but antient Laws of this Nation are against Papal Jurisdiction if not expresly yet consequently but at this present you need not fear his annoying the Chief Magistrate State or people of this Nation Minist There was never more cause of fear then now and unless you dissemble you must confess the (g) Regno privare atque etiam interficiendos atque populos subjectos relaxato juris jurandi vinculâ— potestate eorum eximere atque ab obedientia sidei debito liberare ipsum regnum alteri Principi donare armis invadendum sibique subjugandum permittere Regem a Papa sive Haeret cum sine alià s vitiâ—sâ—m auâ— inuâ—â—lem judicaâ—um ac propterea per sententiam ejus velut superioris regni jure privatum jam jus authoritatem imperandi amisisse nec ultra Regem esse sed Tyrannum a quovis de populo occidi posse Clericos etiam nequaquam ulli Regum esse subditos ac propterea nullam ab eis laesae Majestatis crimen commiâ—â—â— etiamsi rebellionem in Reges moliaâ—â—ur monitis atque exemplo populos rebellare obedientiam fidelitateÌ„ tribuluÌ„ omnia obsequia Principibus negare doâ—eâ—t Apostolos Regibus de facto tantum non etiam de jure subjectos fâ—iâ—se Sanctarel apud Alphonsum de Vargas pag. 117 118. Brood of Ignatius Loyola were never more active then now at this present That Romish Argus in the Apocalyptical Beast full of eyes he rides upon is intensly vigilant to widen the breaches he hath made taking advantage of our distractions haud tanto cessabit cardine rerum I will give a glance of his attempts in this kind since Queen Elizabeth's Inauguration In the fourth year of Her Reign Arthur Pole of the Race of George Duke of Clarence and Fortescue his Brother-in-Law conspired by an army in Wales to proclaim the Queen of Scots Pope Pius the Fifth in the year 1569. sent out an Excommunication against her absolving all her Subjects from the Oath of Allegiance By him and the King of Spain the Duke of Norfolk was excited to stir up what Forces he could and to join with the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland who were seduced by Nicholas Morton a Priest sent from his Holyness The same year Johannes Mendoza was sent out of Spain to inflame the Rebellion begun in Ireland by Edmund and Peter Botelers Brethren to the Earl of Ormond In the year 1570. Don John of Austria disappointed of the Kingdom of Tunis practised secretly with the Pope the overthrow of England Gregory the Thirteenth promised a Cruciata as was used in the Holy Wars if the Spaniard and Stukeley an Englishman whom he had furnished with men and ammunition would turn their Forces against England Sanders and Allen two Popish Priests with Power Legantine a consecrated Banner and Letters of Commendation came to Spain from thence to Ireland with three Ships and a few Soldiers to stir up Commotions In the year 1580. these Emissaries House Main Nelson Sherwood Campian Parsons all Romish Priests taught that Queen Elizabeth was an Heretick and therefore worthily deposed The Jesuits by their seditious Libels encouraged Summervile and Arden to attempt the Queen's death Anno 158â— And Bernardinus Mendoza the Spanish Embassadour was thrust out of England for secret Conspiracies against the State At Venice Parry a Doctour of Civil Law had communication with Benedictus Palmius a Jesuit who recommended him to Campegius the Pope's Nuncio and Campegius to the Pope so that Letters of Credence were sent to him by the Cardinal of Come and he excited to attempt the Queen's death by a Stab which they called special service for the Catholick cause which he consented unto having got a plenary indulgence by Ragazonius the Pope's Nuncio Ballard a Rhemish Priest perswaded Babington with Chernock and other of his Complices to assault Her Majesty commending the Scots who had lately intercepted their King at Sterling and Gerard the Burgonian who killed the
Prince of Orange In the year 1587. Sir Aribespinaeus the French Embassadour would have perswaded one Stafford a young Gentleman to take away the Queen's life Pope Sixtus Quintus sent Cardinal Allen into Flanders and renewed the Bull of Pius Quintus and Gregory the Thirteenth to encourage the Spanish Armado to invade England in Eighty eight Doctour Lopez the Queen's Physician was hired by the Romish Rabbies for fifteen thousand Crowns to poyson Her Whalpool a Jesuit in confession imposed upon Squire to poyson the Queen's Saddle which he attempted accordingly Tyrone by the instigation of the King of Spain and the Pope moved the Irish Subjects to Rebellion Watson and Clark two Romish Priests perswaded Lord Cobham Lord Grey Sir Walter Rawleigh and others by surprising of King James in the first year of His Reign to force him to a Toleration in Religion Father Creswell a Lieger Jesuit in Spain Don Pedro Frankesa Secretary of State and the Duke of Lerma did all negotiate with the Pope and his Cardinals for the advancement of the Powder-plot and all upon this ground (h) Solus Papa est Dominus Temporalium ita ut possit auferre ab alio quod alias suum est tenet factum ejus licèt peccet sed Praelati caeteri Principes non sunt Domini sed Tutores Procuratorâ—â— Dispensatores Johannes de Parisiis De potestate Regia Papali cap. 5. That Princes being Hereticks or excommunicated may be deposed their Subjects disobliged and all the sinews of Government disjointed if the Pope send out his Bull to bellow against them Gent. I utterly detest and abhor these and all such Machinations as pernicious and destructive to Church and State Minist You will not onely detest them but the very Ground and Basis upon which they are founded if you considerately and conscientiously weigh the next Article which is The Ninth Article And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure their damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes Rulers or Governours which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may by virtue of such Excommunication or Deprivation be killed murdered or deposed from their Rule or Government or any outrage or violence done unto them by the People that are under them or by any other whatsoever upon such pretense Gent. WHat differs this Article from the former what Acts or Objects in them are remarkably distinguished Minist The two former dismantled the Pope's power justly to arm either forein Princes or homebred Subjects against their Native Sovereign This abjures those Heretical Principles upon which this practical Doctrine is bottomed Gent. What are those Principles which sustain the Superstructure of all the Romish Hierarchy and Grandeur Minist Their name is Legion because they are many First That (a) Constituti sumus à Deo super gentes regna ut destruamus evellamus aedificemus plantemus Aventin lib. 6. pag. 636. The Pope is placed by God over Nations and Kingdoms that he may destroy and pluck up and build and plant Whence as Matthaeus Hieromonachus (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthaeus Hieromonachus hath it The Consistorial Conclave gave in Decree and Commandment to all Lords and the Senate of the Empire That the Bishop of Rome and the Successour of St. Peter chief of the Apostles have authority and power in all the world more then that of the Empire is and That he be honoured and worshipped more then the Emperour and That he be Head of the four Patriarchal Seats and That things appertaining to the right Faith be of him judged and determined Gent. Where do they lay the ground of the proof of this Doctrine whether upon Divine Oracles or Imperial Decrees and Constitutions Minist Some challenge it from Divine Revelation which you have heard refuted by Scripture Antients and Romists themselves The most father it upon the Donation of Constantine So expressly your own Champian Doctour Harding The first Christian Emperour Constantine the Great being fully instructed of the godly and learned Bishops of the time thought good by his Imperial Commandment and Decrees to confirm ratifie and for his own person to yield unto blessed Sylvester then Pope and to his Successours Bishops of Rome the same Authority and Superiority not onely over Bishops and Patriarchs but also Power and Honour higher and greater then that of Kings and Emperours Gent. What think you of this Donation or Charter of Constantine Johannes de Parisiis saith (c) Volunt aliqui quòd ratione hujus doni Papa est Imperator Dominus mundi quòd potest Reges instituere destituere sicut Imperator Johannes de Parisiis De potestate Papae Some are of opinion that by force and virtue thereof the Pope is the Emperour and Lord of the world and that hereby he hath power both to set up and also to put down Kings as an Emperour Minist Because my thoughts are not so authentick with you I will tell you what your own chief friends Schole-men Historians Canonists think Platina Cardinal Cusanus Marsilius Patavinus Laurentius Valla Antonius Florentinus Otho Frisingensis Hieronymus Paulus Catalinus Volaterranus Nauclerus Capnion Mallinaeus and others have discovered the forgery of it to the world as ashamed of such a fiction I will alledg one or two in place of many Cardinal Cusanus confesseth that (d) Donationem Constantini diligenter expendens reperi ex ipsamet scriptura manifesta argumenta confictionis faelsitatis Cusanus De concordantia Catholica lib. 3. cap. 2. while he advisedly weighed this Donation or Grant of Constantine whereby the Pope challengeth all his temporal power even in the penning thereof he found manifest tokens of false-hood and forgery And in Gratian the Pope's own Register it is found onely in the Palea and not in the Original allowed Text and in many old Books that have no Gloss it is not found and in the Gloss upon the same it is noted thus (e) Palea ista non legitur in Scholis in qua continetur PrivilegiuÌ„ quod Constantinus concessit Romanae Ecclesiae scilicet ut Primatum inter omnes Ecclesias obtineret Gratian Distinct 98. Glossa eodem loco This patch is not read in the Scholes wherein is contained the Priviledge that Constantine the Emperour granted to the Church of Rome that is that the said Church should have Sovereignty over all Churches Pope Pius the Second himself saith (f) Dicta Palea Constantinus falsa est Pius in Dialogo It is false which Felinus his Canonist further declares saying (g) Invehit contra miseros Legistas qui laborant in disputando an valuerit id quod nunquam fuit Felinus De Majorit Obedientia He inveighed earnestly against the poor Lawyers for that they take such pains to reason whether that thing may be good and available in Law which never was made And those Authours who own the truth of it
circumference of the world but restraineth it to the Confines of one City because (r) Hieronymus adversus Vigilantium Non solum unius urbis sed etiam totius orbis erant Episcopi They were the Bishops not onely of one City as Rome but of the whole world Gennadius together with the Council of Constantinople writeth thus to the Bishop of Rome (s) Curet Sanctitas tua universas tuas Custodias tibique subjectos Episcopos Gennadius Ad omnes Metropolitanos ad Papam Rom. Let Your Holyness see unto not all the world but all Your own charge and such Bishops as be subject unto You. Gent. But these were but the Speeches of private Doctours not of any general Council whose Definitions if you can produce I shall submit Minist It was the Definition of the Council of Constantinople That (t) Definimus sedi Constantinopolitanae paria jura privilegia cum sede veteris Romae Concil Constantin 2. cap. 36. The See of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have the Rights and privileges equal with the See of Rome And that (u) Vt liquidiùs appareat Papam non imperare aliis omnibus Episcopis legatur sextus Canon Synodi Nicenae quo disertè praecipitur ut aliis Ecclesiis Alexandrinus aliis Romanus aliis Antiochenus praesit ut non liceat alteri alterius Provinciam invadere Nilus De Primatu Romani Pontisicu it may well and plainly appear that the Pope hath no power or government over other Bishops Nilus bids us read the sixth Canon of the Nicene Council where it is expresly commanded that the Bishop of Alexandria shall have rule over certain Churches and the Bishop of Rome over certain and the Bishop of Antioch likewise over certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that it shall not be lawful for any one of them to invade the Jurisdiction of another Whereupon it was declared by the Emperour Justinian that Ecclesia urbis Constantinopolitanae Romae veteris Praerogativa laetatur The Church of the City of Constantinople enjoyeth the Prerogative of antient Rome And that none may think this is spoken of the Churches and not of the Bishops thereof Nicephorus saith (v) Romano Constantinopolitano Episecpo ex aequo paria sunt dignitatis praemia honorum jura Nicephor lib. 12. cap. 13. The title of dignity and right of honour given to the Bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Constantinople are one and equal Whereupon Pope Liberius as if he were inferiour writeth in this submissive stile to Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria (x) Epistola Liberii ad Athanas Quaeso ut huic confessioni subscribas ut ego securior efficiar tua mandata inhaesitanter obeam I beseech you to subscribe to this confession that I may be out of doubt and do your Commandment without delay Gent. I perceive that the Bishop of Rome is not the universal Bishop which Gregory disclaimed in himself and reproved in John Bishop of Alexandria yet the Catholick Church was divided into those four Patriarchates of Rome Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch with whom Jerusalem had shared were not we of this Western part of the World under the Roman Patriarchate and so subject to the Bishop of Rome Minist No for at the Council of Nice when this division of Patriarchates was made England neither was nor ever had been under the Romish jurisdiction But the Metropolitan here was accounted alterius orbis Patriarcha a Patriarch of another World This Nation received the Christian faith the second year of Claudius as you have heard the fourty fourth year after the Incarnation by the ministery of Simon Zelotes (y) Simon Zelotes peragrata Mauritania Afrorum regione praedicat Christum tandem in Britannia ubt crucifixus occisus sepultus est Dorotheus in Synopsi and others nigh an hundred and fifty years before Constantine in whose time the Council of Nice was held which distinguished the Patriarchs jurisdictions And the Romish jurisdiction was never attempted to be imposed upon the Church of Britain till three hundred years after that Augustine the Monk laboured with sword to force it upon them that as Galfridus Monumothensis (z) Mille ducenti coruns in ipso die martyrio decorati regni coelestis adepti sunt sedem Galfrid Monumothens lib. 8. cap. 4. saith a thousand two hundred Religious men or Students were in one day honoured with Martyrdom and obtained a seat in the Kingdom of Heaven and (a) Erant septem Episcopatus Archiepiscopatus religiosissimis Praesulibus muniti Abbatiae complures in quibus grex Domini rectum ordinem tenebat Galfrid ibid. seven Bishopricks and an Arch-Bishoprick possessed with many Godly Prelates and many religious houses in which the Lord's flock held the right religion were heavily persecuted and by degrees subjugated to the Roman slavery yet so as (b) Stow. Chronic. pag. 91. Augustine received from the free Charter of King Ethelbert not Pope Gregory the City of (c) Rex dedit licentiam praedicandi manisionem in Civitaete Dorovernensi id est Cantuaria quae imperii sui totius erat metropolis Beda Histor lib. 1. cap. 25. Canterbury and the ruins of a demolished Church which he repaired for his Cathedral and dedicated it to our Saviour Gent. It is confessed then that England and the associated Nations and Dominions were once subject to the Pope's jurisdiction how came he to be ejected and loose possession Minist As was said of Pope Boniface (d) Captus est Bonifacius Octavus in carcere periit atque hinc est quòd dicitur de eo Intravit ut Vulpes regnavit ut Lupus mortuus est ut Canis Carion Chron. pag. 228. that he entred as a Fox tyrannized as a Lion died as a Beast So the insinuation of Papal jurisdiction into these Nations was subtile the continuation tyrannical and the ejection disgraceful of which I will give you a glance referring you for the more exact and particular discovery hereof to our National Annals and municipal Laws First The insinuation was subtile taking advantage of the superstitious devotion of Ina King of the West-Saxons and in a manner Monarch of England who having builded the College of Wells and Abbey of Glastenbury before resignation of his royal dignity and retiring to Rome caused Peter-pence to be paid to the Pope Secondly The continuation was tyrannical as appears by the Gests of (e) Stow Chronic. pag. 204 206 207. Thomas Becket Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who with other Bishops and Barons having abjured the Pope's usurped jurisdiction at least in part appeals and repairs to the Court of Rome for an absolution creating King Henry the Second (f) Daniel History of Henry the Second many troubles at length restored to his Episcopal See by the mediation of Pope Alexander and Lewis of France and continuing his turbulency was slain by William Tracy Baron of Brayns Reignold Fitz-urse Hugh Morvilt and Richard Briton
noxa injustitiae perjurii absolvatur Sigebert Anno 1088. teach the people that they ow no subjection to wicked Princes and that although they have taken the Oath of Fealty yet do they ow them no Allegiance neither are they perjured that think ill against their Supreme Majesty yea he that obeyeth the King or Supreme Magistrate is reputed an excommunicate person and he that taketh part against him is absolved from the crime of injustice and perjury From this Diabolical Principle it was that Pope Boniface the Third absolved Phocas from his fealty to the Emperour Mauritius Pope Zachary assoiled Pipine and other Frenchmen of their Oath of Allegiance and fidelity made to Childerick King of France (c) Caesar â Summo Pontifice non est excommunicatus solum sed reliquis potentioribus Principibus mandatum est ut Imperaterem alium designarent Carion Chron. lib. 3. pag. 202 Pope Hildebrand or Gregory the Seventh dispensed with Rodolph Duke of Suecia for his Oath he had taken to the Emperour Henry the Fourth his liege Lord. Histories are as full of such examples as the Deserts of Arabia of Quick-sands or dangerous wilde Beasts Gent. There are very few Catholicks but are convinced that Bishops of Rome have transgressed in the frequency of their Absolutions and misapplication of their Pardons and Dispensations yet this prejudices not the Papal power to grant Absolutions and Dispensations when there is just cause Minist There can be no just cause for absolving Subjects of their Oath and ty of fealty to their Sovereign for the reason formerly assigned that I engaged to insist upon in this last Article which was (d) Vinculum illud officii quo majestatis suae subditi ad ipsum teneantur perpetuum esse solvique sine piaculo non posse Andreros The Bond and Obligation whereby people are obliged in duty to their chief Magistrate is perpetual indissoluble and may not lawfully be broken In so much as it is grounded upon the fifth Commandment and so the Law of Nature which even your own Angelical Doctour acknowledgeth to be out of the reach of Papal absolution or dispensation as being (e) Naturale jus ab exordio rationalis creaturae nec variatur tempore sed immutabile permanet Aquinas 1. 2. Quaest 94. Art 5. immutable from the very beginning of the rational Creature and that moral Commandments are such as they are altogether (f) Praecepta Decalogi sunt omnino indispensabilia Aquin. 1. 2. q. 100. Art 8. in Decreto Dist 5. indispensable by any power Gent. What if Supreme Magistrates be Tyrants Infidels Hereticks Apostates or Renegadoes from the truth may not the Pope absolve their Subjects from former Oaths and Engagements To what end serve those Arrows of Dispensation Excommunication the Seal of Confession if they may not be levelled at such Marks Minist Even Tyrants Infidels Hereticks Apostates are so harnessed with the Panoplie of the Law of Nature and the Moral Law that they are impenetrable by these pretended Papal Darts maugre the Romish Conclave which I shall demonstrate in order First Tyrants are shot-free as appeareth by Saul who injuriously hunted David's Soul sought his life 1 Sam. xxiv 12. 1 Sam. xxii 23. who was faithful amongst all his Servants 1 Sam. xxii 14. recompensed him good for evil 1 Sam. xxiv 18. who commanded Doeg to fall upon the Priests of the Lord and slew fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen Ephod and smote Nob the City of the Priests with the Edg of the Sword both men and women children and sucklings 1 Sam. xxii 18 19. with a conflux of many other crimes which importuned the Lord to revenge yet David though no private man but designed to a Kingdom and General of the King's Army durst presume of no dispensation from the High Priest to disingage himself to Saul when he had him at an advantage but out of tender touch of conscience cryed out when his Servants pressed him to lay violent hands upon him The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the Anointed of the LORD Which signal Loyalty presidential to all Posterity Optatus elegantly describeth saying (g) Occasionem victoriae David habet at in manibus incautum securum adversarium sine labore poterat jugulare sine sanguine constictu multorum poterat bellum mutare in caedem pucri ejus occasio sua debant ad victoriam opportunitas hortabatur stringere jam caeperat ferrum tre jam caeperat armata manus hostium in jugulos sed obstabat plena divinorum memoria mandatorum hortantibus se puerts occasionibus contradicit tanquam hoc diceret Sine causa mr Victorit provocas frustrà me in triumphuÌ„ invitas voleâ—am hostâ—â— vincere sed prius ost divina praecepta serva re non inquit mutam manum in Vnctum Domini repressit cum gladio manum dum timuit o'cum servabat inimiâ—um Optatus lib. 2. Adversits Parmenianum David had the opportunity of victory in his hands he might have slain his unwary and secure Adversary without labour have changed War into Slaughter without Blood and Skirmish of many both his Servants and the occasion perswaded the opportunity encouraged to Victory now he began to draw his Sword now his armed Troops began to make at the Enemies throats but the perfect Remembrance of God's Countermand did hinder he checks his Servants and occasions that egged him on as if with this Soliloquie O Victory thou causelesly provokest me thâ—â— invitest me to triumph in vain I am willing to conquer mine Enemie but more willing to observe the precepts of the Deity I will not saith he lay mine hand upon the Lord 's Anointed He plucked back his hand with his Sword and while he feared the Oil he preserved his Enemy Gent. David and Saul lived under the Law it may be pretended that the Bishop of Rome the Evangelical High-Priest hath more superlative Power then the Legal High Priest had Minist A pretense indeed but groundless for the Apostle Saint Paul bids every Soul be subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the higher Powers which was then the Tyrannical Emperour Nero and his Commissioners Tertullian adviseth to submit to the Emperour Severus who was the (h) Severus quintâ post Neronem severissima Persecutione Ecclesiam excruciavit Anno Christi 205. Orosius Baronius fifth Persecutour of Christians after Nero for having declared that (i) Malè velle malè facere malè dicere malè cegitare de quoqudin ex aequo vetdri quod in neminem licet cò forsitan magis nec in ipsum qui per. Deum tantus est licere hoc est Imperatorem Tertul Apol. 1. cap. 36. we are interdicted by the word to do evil speak evil think evil of any he gathers that we are much more interdicted to act any of these things
sunt intelligenda praecepta Decalogi ideò praecepta Decalogi sunt omnino indispensabilia Aquinas Prima Secunda Quaest 100. Art 8. The Law of Nature Moral Law and lawful Oaths admit of no dispensation If the High Priest or any pretended power had interposed when David said I have sworn to keep the judgments of thy righteousness they could not have made void that solemn Oath proportionably if any Christian in pious imitation of David shall out of conscience swear inviolably to observe those commandments of not committing Adultery of obeying Parents and Magistrates the Pope's Dispensations are so far ineffectual that whosoever presuming upon his Absolution should adventure to violate them would be found guilty both of Rebellion and Adultery Therefore Durand confesseth Olim Papam dispensando errasse That the Pope hath formerly been mistaken in his Dispensations as when Emmanuel King of Portugal was dispensed withall to marry two Sisters Ferdinandus King of Naples to marry his Aunt Catharine Queen of England to marry two Brothers Pope Martin the First gave Dispensations to marry with a natural Sister against which even Antoninus (u) Reperitur Papa Martinus dispensesse cum quodam qui contraverat consummaverat Matrimonium cum quadam ejus germana Anton. 3. part Tit. 1. cap. 11. a Popish Arch-Bishop exclaims Gent. But if not Papal Dispensations may not the Anathema of Excommunication whereby they are rendred as Publicans and Heathens unbrace the Ty of Subjects to their Sovereign Minist Bellarmine the late Romish Cardinal is bold to broach this pestilent Doctrine saying (x) Si ergo Princeps aliquis ex Ove aut Ariete fiar Lupus id est ex Christiano fiat Haereticus poterit Pastor Ecclesiae eum arcere per Excommunicationem simul jubere populo nè eum sequantur ac proinde privare eum Dominio in subditos Bellarmin lib. 5. De Romano Pontif. cap. 7. col 824. If any Prince of a Ram or Sheep become a Wolf that is of a Christian become an Heretick the Pastour of the Church may cast him out by Excommunication and at once command the people not to follow him and thereupon deprive him of Dominion over his Subjects But the Holy Ghost speaks another Language as knowing that Excommunication though denounced for contempt of the Church makes not one worse then an Heathen now the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul as is formerly evidenced seriously exhorts us to perform obedience to Pagan and Vnchristianed Princes The same therefore is as due to Christian Magistrates when excommunicated And if we consult the Romish erroneous Oracles themselves we shall finde the resolution given from their own impure Shrines that (y) Aquinas in Sap. Quaest 23. Tolet. Instit Sacerd. lib. 1. cap. 9. Excommunication neither exempts Servants from the dominion of their Masters nor Children from observance to their Parents Supreme Magistrates are Lords their Subjects Servants so David stiles Saul his Lord and himself his servant 1 Sam. xxiv 11. They are Fathers their people are Children so King Hezekiah calls the Priests who were spiritual Fathers to their charge his Sons 2 Chron. xxix 11. Deborah was a Mother in Israel Judg. v. 7. But for the most part the Pope's Excommunications are unjust and always relating to these Nations where he hath no jurisdiction and his Canon Law tells us (z) Qui illicitè alium excommunicat scipsum non illum condemnat Quaest 24. Art 3. Comperimus rubri He that unlawfully excommunicateth another condemneth not the party but himself And St. Augustine (a) Quid obest homini si eum de illa tabula delere velit humana ignorantia quem de libro viventium non delet iniquae conscientia Augustin Ad Clericos Hipponenses What is a man the worse if humane ignorance rase him out of the Book of the Church whom an evil conscience wipes not out of the Book of life Gent. Are then the chief Rulers of these Nations no whit impeached by the Pope's Excommunications nor the People privileged by his Absolutions and Dispensations Minist Our chief Rulers are no more impeached by Papal Excommunication then Christ and his Apostles were when they were cast out of the Synagogue by the chief Priests then the faithful Christians were when they were excommunicated by Diotrephes who first claimed Papal Primacy 3 John 9. It is fore-prophesied that Antichrist shall excommunicate all them that will not adore the Image of the Beast Rev. xiii 17. (b) Quid sibi velit emendi vendendi Interdictum jam antè ostendi nempe Papalem excommunicationem notari in quam qui incidunt reliquorum civium consuetudine commercio arcentur Mede Comment Apocalypt p. 213 for by prohibition of buying and selling there is meant Papal Excommunication into which censure whosoever fell were driven from all commerce and fellowship with other Citizens So that Canon of the Lateran Council set forth against the Waldenses and Albigenses signally prohibits under the penalty of the great Anathema (c) Nè quis eos in domo sua vel terra tenere vel fovere vel negotiationem cum iis exercere praesumat Tomo 4. Concil edit Romae pag. 37. That none should presume to keep them within their Precincts or harbour them in their houses or negotiate or traffique with them The Synod of Tyron doth the like (d) Nè receptaculum quisquam eis in terra sua praebere aut prasidium impertive prasumat sed nec in venditione aut emptione aliqua cum iis communio habeatur Apud Reverend Armachan De Successione Ecclesiae pag. 239. interdicting all to afford them any shelter or receptacle to supply them with any relief or have commerce with them in buying and selling Neither are the people more privileged by the Pope's Absolutions and Dispensations to attempt disloyalty then the Soldiers and Jewish rabble were to crucifie Christ by the High Priest's delivering him up unto Pilate Gent. But if neither Papal Excommunications Absolutions or Dispensations privilege the Laity from subjection to their Sovereign yet some conceive that the holy Seal of Confession exempts (e) Sacerdos Dei vices sustinet nec aliter quà m ipse Deus humiles ac devotas peccatorum confessiones audiat Aquinas in Sap. Quaest 11. Art 1. Priests from former Oaths or Engagements because they are bound by their order and the Laws of the Church to conceal whatsoever is disclosed unto them by Auricular Confession though it should tend to the prejudice and ruine of Princes Minist That pretended Canon and Law of the Church is no ancienter then Innocent the Third being one of the Constitutions inserted in the (f) Omnis utriusque De poenitent remission Decretals But admit it had antiquity and authority of the whole Church it amounts to no more then an Ecclesiastical Ordinance which must veil Bonnet to the Moral Law which provideth by all means the safety and security of Supreme Magistrates which those French Priests knew
well though of the Romish stamp when they discovered unto their Prince treason made known unto them onely by Auricular Confession whereupon the Plotters were executed and they for their Loyalty rewarded (g) Nobilis quidam Normannus cùm propositum habuisset Regem Franciscum occidendi consilium illud suum Fratri cuidam Minoritae inter confitendum aperuit qui rem totam ad Regem detulit qua Judicilus Curiae Parisiensis communicata reus ipse capitis damnatus est Sacerdote qui denuntiaverat nulla violati Sacramenti poena ab Ecclesia mulctato Bodinus lib. 2. De Republica cap. 5. A Nobleman of Normandy having confessed to a Minorite Fryar that he had a purpose to murder the King of France of which he repented and received Absolution yet so as the Fryar discovered all to the King which being examined by the Judges of the Court of Paris the Noble-man was sentenced to death and the Fryar honourably dismissed without Misprision or Irregularity Gent. But if no power derived from the Pope or Church of Rome can absolve or grant Pardons or Dispensations from Oaths is there no other power can do it for it is further asserted in this Article Nor any other person can absolve me from this my Oath Minist No single person can nor any society or corporation who interpretatively in Law make a person can absolve or dispense with an Oath that Subjects have justly made to their chief Magistrate while according to the intention of the Legislative power it was obligatory In that the People of Athens and Sparta were discharged from obedience to their Princes and Governours it was because the Areopagites had the chief legislative and executive power in the one and the Ephori in the other as the Senate of Venice hath over their Dukes at this present But where in the fundamental Laws of any Nation one person whether Emperour Sultan King or by what Title soever is declared Sovereign or Supreme Magistrate as the King with us and subject to no superiour Legislative and executive power all Dispensations and Absolutions from Oaths that were taken to such a Prince are in vain That confession of Henry the Third was declared by a succeeding Parliament to be unlawful and extorted by force That (h) Liceat omnibus de regno Nostro contra Nos insurgere ad gravamen Nostrum opem operam ferre ac si Nobis in nullo tencantur 15. Parliamento Henrici Tertii Londini ordinat inter Record Civitatis Londinensis Charta Originalis sub Sigillo It might be lawful for all his Subjects to rise against him and to annoy him with all their power as if they were tyed in no bond of Allegiance unto him Sed vela reprimam I love not to launch into this tempestuous Sea it is enough for our purpose to know in general (i) Non minorem injuriam Deo faciunt potestatem de Regibus judicandi quam ipse sibi soli reservavit ei praeripientes quà m Regibus ipsis solius Dei judicio subjacentibus magna metiam injuriam faciunt fidei qui eam putant salvam esse non posse nisi Regum jus pereat gentium jura subvertantur Parisiensis Academia as propriè Sorbonicum Theologorum Collegium apud Alphonsum de Vargas that no Papal or any other subordinate power can absolve from Oaths legally taken to the Supreme Magistrate leaving it to the discussion of the Fundamental Laws of every Nation in particular who are Supreme Magistrates as the King is doubtless here But if neither the Pope nor his Conclave nor any inferiour Priest by delegated authority from them can dispense with this Oath of Abjuration which I think is the purport of this Article you may rest satisfied Gent. I am fully satisfied in this and all the precedent Discourse if one inconvenience be met withall which is this If the Ty and Oath of Subjects to their Sovereign be so sacred and inviolable that no Papal or other subordinate power can dispense with it if Supreme Magistrates turn Tyrants and make havock of Church and Common-wealth what remedy is left Minist Persecuting and Idolatrous Princes like Nero and Julian may project the ruine of the Church but in vain because Christ hath builded it upon a Rock against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail Matth. xvi 18. Oppugnare possunt expugnare non possunt The onely defensive and offensive Weapons we have against such raging Monsters are Prayers and Tears bewailing our sins which have exposed us to this calamity and importuning him in whose hands the hearts of Kings are as Rivers of water that he would turn them Prov. xx 1. You may remember the visible Church before the Incarnation was confined onely to the Nation of the Jews who while they were under the captivity of the Persian King a Decree went out by the procurement of Haman to destroy to kill and to cause to perish all Jews both young and old little children and women in one day Esther iii. 13. Thus una litura with one wipe the whole Church was to be blotted out now (k) At quid illi non seditionem movent non ad arma convolant non Assuerum aut Hammanem veneno tollendi consilium capiunt non ad libertatem suam vindicandam Sicartos quaerunt parricidines Andreros what course take the people of God to countermine such an Hellish Plot They move no seditions take up no Arms contrive not the death of Haman suborn no Assasines to vindicate their liberty by blood or poyson Haec panoplia this is their whole Magazine in every Province whither soever the King 's Commandment and his Decree came there was great mourning among the Jews and fasting and weeping and wailing and many lay in Sack-cloth and Ashes Esther iv 3. that they might humble themselves under the mighty hand of God and divert his heavy wrath ready to be executed by the merciless hand of the Barbarous Tyrant And under the Gospel Primitive Christians have followed the same president for when Julian the Apostate had projected the extirpation of the Christian name as Gregory Nazianzene (l) Cùm Julianus Apostata totius Christiani nominis cladem atque internecionem minaretur inoibitus atque repressus est Christianorum lacrymiâ— quas multas multi profâ—derunt hoc unum adversus persecutorem medicamentum habentes Nazianzen Orat. i. in Julian saith He was hindered and repressed by the tears of Christians which many in abundance poured out having this onely remedy and Preservative against the Persecutour As often therefore as any shall finde themselves ready to be swallowed up of the deluge of Persecution issuing from the hand of Supreme Authority it is the counsel of (m) Ad patrocinium clementiae Dei humiliati confugiant puras manus levantes ad Dominum devotis precibus stagellum quo asstiguntur avertant Peccata enim delinquentium vires sunt Tâ—rannorum Sarisb lib. 8. cap. 23. Sarisburiensis a man who lived in the thick mists of Popery with humility to fly for Sanctuary to the Divine protection and lifting up of pure hands to the Lord by devout prayers to divert his scourge that afflicteth us for the Sins of Transgressours are the Arms of Tyrants Gent. But what if after many tears and prayers and addresses to the Throne of Grace God shall leave us under the scourge Minist That is the onely remedy in this case not any Papal Dispensation which St. Augustine of yore spake of The rod saith (n) Sentitur virga peccatorum super sortem justorum sed non in aeternum veniet tempus quando unus agnoscetur Deus veniet tempus quando unus Christus in claritate sua apparens congreget ante se omnes gentes dividat eos sicut dividit pastor haedos ab ovibus oves ponet ad dextram haedos ad sinistram videbis ibi multos servos subditos inter oves multos Dominos ac Principes inter haedos è contrá Augustin in Psalm cxxiv he of sinners is felt upon the back of the righteous but not for ever the time will come when one God will be acknowledged the time will come when one Christ appearing in his brightness shall gather all Nations before him and divide them as the Sheepherd divides the Goats from the Sheep he will place the Sheep on his right hand the Goats on his left There you shall see many Servants and Subjects among the Sheep many Lords and Princes amongst the Goats and again many Lords and Princes amongst the Sheep and many Servants and Subjects amongst the Goats If all humane relief be denyed us look for a Crown of Martyrdom to be reveiled that day when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes till then wait with patience leaving vengeance to him whom it concerneth to repay and take not the Sword out of his hand or use inordinate means as Papal Excommunications Pardons Absolutions or Dispensations with Oaths much less popular Insurrections Gen. Well Sir by the demonstrative clearness of your Arguments I am convinced of the legality of this Oath of Abjuration as also of Allegiance and Supremacy and am willing to conform to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England especially under so gracious a Sovereign who is truly the Defender of the Faith Minist You have reason to say so if you consider his Restauration which was more then miraculous his Constancy which renders him a Confessour his Sufferings a Martyr his Piety and unparallel'd Virtues which make him a peerless Paragon of the present Age and a President unimitable to posterity whose Sacred Majesty God long preserve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS
Christ said to Peter thrice Feed my Flock in relation to his threefold Denyal that he that abjured him thrice might be adjured to Fidelity in his Pastoral Charge by this Advice repeated thrice He said it in the Presence of the Apostles that they that were scandalized with his fall might be confirmed by his Establishment and make use of the Instruction which also concerned themselves (b) Haec velut ad Petrū dicta sunt omnium communia Orig. in Matthaeum Tract 1. These words being spoken as it were unto Peter are common to all the Apostles saith Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely in St. Matthew and Homer but in Plato (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato lib. 1. De Legibus who also useth the same words signifieth to rule but is as Budeus saith Pastorum more gubernare curare gregem To rule and take care of the Flock Pastour-like As the Father of Hippo emblazons it (d) Non te pascere cogita sed oves meas sicut meas pasce non sicut tuas gloriam meam in illis quaere non tuam Dominium meum non tuum lucra mea non tua August in Johannem Tract 123. Think not to feed thy self feed my Sheep feed them as my Sheep not as thine own seek mine Honour in them seek not thine seek my Dominion and not thine seek my Gains and not thine own No man ever denyed this Feeding this ruling of the Flock to St. Peter nor did Peter himself ever deny it to any other Pastour but said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed or if you will for it is the same word rule the Flock of God which is among you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 1. Pet. v. 2 3. taking the Oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind neither as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over-ruling or being Popes over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock Where you see St. Peter yields that to every Pastor which Christ yields to him But says Boniface Christ said to St. Peter Feed my Sheep Therefore he committed all his Flock to him What sequel more then in this Peter said to all Pastours Feed the Flock Therefore he committed the whole Flock to all Pastours Bishop Jewel (f) Defence of the Apologic of the Church of England page 92. Bishop Jewel challenges the Romanists to produce the Authority of one antient learned Father that ever made this Collection but ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem yet we deny not but St. Peter had Commission to feed and rule the whole Church but it was a joint Commission with the rest of the Apostles upon whom Christ breathed alike saying (g) John xx 22. 23. Receive the Holy Ghost whose Sins ye remit they are remitted and whose Sins ye retain they are retained gave them mission and commission alike in the same extent and latitude (h) Matthew xxviii 19. Go teach all Nations c. Whereupon St. Hierom (i) Hierom. Contra Jovinianum lib. 1. saith All the Apostles received the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Stability of the Church was built equally upon them all Gent. But though I should be forced to relinquish my hold from these Texts and the antient Commentaries and Glosses thereupon yet it is undeniable that the Fathers give St. Peter Primacy over the rest of the Apostles for St. Chrysostom (k) Chrysost in Matthaeum Homil. 83. Homil 87. Homil. 55. calls him Verticem Apostolorum the Head of the Apostles the Head and Pastour of the Church the Master of the World Ruler over all the World Minist So doth the same St. Chrysostom (l) Chrysost ad Rom. Homil. 18. call Elias Caput Prophetarum the Head of the Prophets yet had not Elias Primacy over Moses and all his Collegues He gives Paul (m) Nullus Paulum antecedit de ea re nemo omnium dubitat Chrysost de laudibus Pauli Chrysost in Genesin Homil. 7. in Genesin Homil. 11. Preheminence over all the rest over the World Paulus Magister Orbis Paul the Master of the World And from Generalities condescends to induction of particulars (n) Paulo tribuitur cura omnium Ecclesiarum non unius vel duarum vel trium sed omnium quae sunt in toto orbe Chrysost in Johan Homil. 11. in Act. 53. Paulo tribuitur cura omnium Ecclesiarum non unius vel duarum vel trium Vnto Paul the charge of all Churches is given not of one or two or three Churches but of all the Churches that be in the world Gregory (o) Gregor 1 Reg. lib. 1. cap. 4. a Roman Prelate himself stiles Paul caput Nationum the Head of Nations Eleutherius (p) Epistola Eleutherii ad Episcopos Galliae Stow Chronic. another Bishop of Rome writing to the Bishops of France says Vniversalis a Christo vobis commissa est Ecclesia The Vniversal Church is committed to you by Christ Chrysostom (q) Chrysost in Epist ad Phil. Homil. 13. calls the Women of Philippi caput Ecclesiae the Head of the Church and salutes Theodosius the Emperour (r) Chrysost ad populum Antiochen Homil. 2. with this Encomium Summitas caput omnium supra terram hominum the Height and Head of all men upon Earth Yet neither had St. Paul nor the Gaulish Bishops nor the Women of Philippi nor Theodosius the Emperour Primacy over the Apostles or Superintendency over the whole Church Gent. But St. Ambrose saith (s) Ambros in locum cap. 24. Christus Petrum amoris sui veluti Vicarium reliquit Christ left St. Peter as the Vicar of his love which Attribute and Elogy is not given to any of the Apostles Minist He saith not expressly his Vicar but as his Vicar which Tertullian being Judge is the Holy Ghost's peculiar who speaking of Christ saith (t) Misit vicariam vim Spiritus Sancti qui credentes agat Tertull. De praescriptione adversùs Haereticos He sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father instead of himself sent the power of the Holy Ghost as his Vicar to direct them that believe But if St. Peter in a borrowed Sence may be termed Christ's Vicar the Stile is but the same Eleutherius of Rome gave Lucius first King of Britain And that Eusebius gives not onely the Apostles but all Ministers saying (u) Eusebius Episcopus Romanus Epist 3. 2. Cor. 5. Caput Ecclesiae Christus est Christi autem Vicarii Sacerdotes sunt qui vice Christi legatione funguntur in Ecclesia Christ is the Head of the Church and his Vicars are the Priests that do their Embassage in the Church in place of Christ Now the Collection would be wilde Eleutherius stiles King Lucius and Eusebius calls all Priests Christ's Vicars Therefore Lucius had and all Priests have Supremacy over the whole Church But I beseech you if it should be granted that Peter was Christ's Vicar in some peculiar
Sense supposito sed non dato what makes it for the Pope's Supremacy and Authority over the Catholick Church in general which is the Question Gent. It makes in this That Peter fixed his See at Rome and delegated his Plenipotentiary Power to the Bishops his Successours there that what Power he had he left it in Fee and hereditary to them Minist You speak much in little for this is (x) 2 Thess ii 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of that wicked one wherein is touched (y) Doctour Sclater upon Thessal pag. 94. First Temerarium a rash avouchment that Peter fixed his Episcopal See at Rome Secondly Erroneum a palpable mistake that he could delegate his Apostolick Power to Successours Thirdly Haereticum a notorious falsity little less then Fundamental that he actually invested the Bishop of Rome with his Apostolick Power derivative to all Posterity Gent. Will you deny that Peter fixed his Episcopal See at Rome when the Fathers so frequently call Rome the Seat of St. Peter Minist (z) Gildas pag. 2. Epist De excidio Britanniae So Gildas the Wise calls Britain St. Peter's Seat telling the British Priests Quod sedem Petri Apostoli inverecundis pedibus usurpassent that They had usurped the Apostle St. Peter 's Seat with unreverent Feet I hope you will not conclude hence that St. Peter fixed his Episcopal See in Britain which is as genuine Logick as the former That Peter was ever so much as at Rome you have neither Scripture Proof nor Presumption (a) Vellenus printed by Illyricus Vellenus with many others proves the contrary Consider but these Reasons impartially Whereas Peter is said to come to Rome the (b) Secundo anno Claudii Petrus Apostolus Romā venit qui annos aliquot anteà Antiochiae praedicaverat hic initium sumit Romana Ecclesia Carion Chronic. lib. 3. pag. 122. second year of Claudius and to reside there twenty five years which is till the last of Nero why doth St. Paul writing his Epistle to the Romans the last year of Claudius or first of Nero make no mention of Peter saying Rom. 1. 5 6. that They were called of Jesus by his Apostleship amongst all Nations Secondly In the last Chapter he greets and salutes near thirty eminent Saints at Rome with their Families and names not Peter which had been an irreverent oversight if he had been resident as Primate there Thirdly Claudius banished all Jews from Rome Peter was a (c) Galat. ii 7 8. Jew Fourthly (d) August in Epist ad Galat. cap. ii The Gospel of Circumcision that is to preach to the Jews wheresoever scattered was committed unto Peter but the Romans were Gentiles Vncircumcised Lastly The Antients that averr Peter's residence so many years at Rome contradict the Stories of the Acts of the Apostles and amongst themselves vary speaking the confused Language of Babel But admit Peter was at Rome will it follow he was fixed as Bishop there Gent. Doth not St. Augustine give a lineal Succession from Damasus who was Bishop at Rome in his time till St. Peter And Doctour Pocklington (e) Pocklington Sunday no Sabbath one of your own glories that he can derive his Pedigree from Augustine the Monk Bishop of Canterbury and from thence ascend the Scale of Primitive Succession till St. Peter Minist Not from Saint Peter as Bishop of Rome but as an Apostle who with his Collegues or Fellow-Apostles ordained Elders and Bishops of their times they succeeding Pastours and Teachers to the world's end Thus the Apostles divided the earth amongst them Saint Paul ordained Timothy at Ephesus Titus at Crete Saint John Polycarp at Smyrna and other Bishops of Asia Saint Bartholomew had his Successours in India Saint James in Spain yet Paul was no Bishop of Ephesus or Crete John of Asia Bartholomew of India or James of Spain The Apostleship was an Extraordinary Office which expired in the Twelve and was incommunicable to Posterity and would have been disparaged by Confinement to a particular Charge Thus Irenaeus (f) Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. Contra Haereses It is easie saith He for all men to see that will see the Truth the antient Traditions of the Apostles in the Church through the whole World and we can reckon those that were ordained Bishops of the Apostles themselves and their Successours also even until our selves Gent. (g) Confutation of the Apology of the Church of England Harding against Jewel page 95. Apostolick Power was twofold either extraordinary common to Saint Peter with the rest of the Apostles this expired in them and was incommunicable to Successours or ordinary which was Saint Peter's peculiar Privilege and this he bequeathed to his Successours Bishops of Rome Minist This is that Erroneum palpable Mistake maintained by Petrus de Palude who said (h) Nullus Apostolorum praeter Petrum factus est à Christo Episcopus alii Apostoli nullam potestatem jurisdictionis à Christo receperunt specialiter post Christi Ascensum fuit collata eis à Petro. Petrus de Palude De potestato Apostolorum Art 2. That None of all the Apostles save onely Peter was Bishop by Christ and that The rest of the Apostles received no Power of Jurisdiction at Christ 's hand but that specially after Christ 's Ascension it was given unto them by Peter Blasphemy worthy of tearing of Garments as highly prejudicial to Christ's Prerogative and contradictory to Scripture as Paul declares Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father Whereupon Saint Chrysostom (i) Paulus nihil opus habebat Petro nec illius egebat voce sed honore par erat illi nihil hic enim dicam ampliùs Chrysoft in Epist ad Galat. cap. 1. Comments thus Paul had no want of Peter nor had any need of his Suffrage or Allowance but in honour was his equal here I will say no more meaning he was in some Sense his Superiour And Saint Augustine (k) August in Epist ad Gal. cap. 2. makes Peter without any distinction Fellow and equal with the other Apostles avouching that Christus sine Personarum acceptione hoc dedit Paulo ut ministraret Gentibus quod etiam Petro dederat ut ministraret Judaeis Christ without any respect of Persons gave the same Authority to Paul to minister among the Gentiles that he gave to Peter to minister among the Jews Whence is gatherable that rather Saint Paul who writ to the Romans preached at Rome lived and dyed there should have had this ordinary Delegation if any then Saint Peter who was designed the Minister of Circumcision which he himself knew well when he said (l) Galat. ii 9. James Cephas that is Peter and John who seemed to be Pillars gave to me and Barnabas the right Hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Fellowship that is aequalitatis of equality saith the Gloss and further (m) Non didici