Philip King of Spain hearing of the strange defeat and ruine of his Fleet and seeing the Hand of Heaven in it said more soberly ...... That he did not send his Fleet to fight against God to whose Power and Providence he attributed the loss of it but against Men. 4. The Queen being dead Popish Conspiracies did not die with her the Pope and his Party continue as industrious and as to their Designs and Plots as impious as before They saw and knew that King James a Protestant was Legal Successor and Heir to the Crown of England yet used all Roman Arts to hinder his having possession of it and to this end Father Parsons the Jesuite writes a Book to prove what was evidently untrue and he could not chuse but know it That King JAMES had no just Title to the Crown of England though the whole Right of the Saxons and Normans and of the Houses of York and Lancaster were intirely and evidently united in him But when these Popish and Jesuitical Arts prevailed not having neither true Reason or Religion to further their Designs which were impious and irrational they contrive and resolve to execute such a Conspiracy as for barbarous and prodigious Villany neither Heathens nor Hell had till that time ever put in execution I mean the Gun-Powder-Treason which was not any ordinary or before-known Wickedness as the Killing a King or Poysoning a Prince c. but a black and unparallell'd Villany worthy Rome and a Jesuite the Blowing up of a whole Parliament King Lords and Commons the Murdering of a Kingdom in its Representatives and this in a moment before they could see or dream of any danger But though this for its impiety was a prodigious Conspiracy carried on with sworn secrecie and lay hid in the dark and under ground yet there is no Power or Policy against Providence nor concealing any thing from the All-seeing Eye of our God he saw and gratiously discover'd that horrid Popish-Powder-Treason to the Preservation of his People the Confusion of their Adversaries and nisi periisset pudor if they had any to the Eternal Shame of Papists and Popery their Religion which approves and encourages such abominable Impieties When King James slept with his Fathers and was translated to a better Kingdom out of the reach of such Popish Conspirators and whither without a serious and timely repentance of such inhumane Villanies they can never come their Designs slept not they prosecute their Plots and Conspiracies to ruine our Church and establish'd Religion as much in Charles the First 's as in his Fathers time And at last it came to this issue that other means failing the King and the Archbishop of Canterbury must be made away This was conceived the likeliest means to compass their Ends and bring in that Religion they miscal Catholique and Christian. For certainly such barbarous Murders and Assassinations may possibly promote Turcism and the Errors of Mahomet and if you will Popery but never were nor can be any just means to propagate true Christianity This Traiterous Conspiracy to Murder Charles the First and the Archbishop c. was discovered by an honorable Person to the English Ambassador in Holland and by him to the Archbishop and by him to the King And the Original Copy of the Discovery being found in the Archbishop's Library after his death was then publish'd and is in Print in many hands and amongst others in mine In the mean time our unhappy Civil Wars began and our Popish Conspirators animated by a belief of such Rebellious Doctrines and Principles as I have before mentioned and incouraged and assisted by the Pope are first in Arms and the bloody Rebellion and in Ireland murdered above 100000 Protestants in cold blood without any provocation given but to kill Heretiques which according to their impious and erroneous Principles was lawful and meritorious and thereby promote the Catholique Cause This is notoriously known to both Kingdoms England and Ireland And further when in the process of that fatal Rebellion carried on openly by English and covertly by Popish Rebels that good King was taken imprison'd with design to bring His Sacred Head to the Block for the distance is seldom great between a Princes Prison and His Grave our Popish Conspirators had a Council of Priests and Jesuites which sate in London and signifi'd the condition of their Affairs here to a Council of their Confederates at Paris and they transmitted the Case to Rome from whence Directions and Commands were return'd by the same way back again to London In short it was determin'd that it was for the Interest of the Catholick Cause that the King should die and accordingly their Council of Priests and Jesuites in London Voted His Death This is now Notoriously known to be true and in Print publish'd to the World by a Reverend and Learned Person who if any shall call him to an account for it is so convinc'd of the truth of what he writ that he in scriplis publickly offers and promises to make it good I do not hear that he has as yet been call'd to any account to prove what he publickly and in Print has profess'd and promised to do Nor do I think he will be call'd to any such account because I have reason to believe that he can and will produce such Proofs as will evidently demonstrate both their bloody Conspiracies and the undeniable truth of what he affirm'd 6. By the Premises it may sufficiently appear That the Rebellious Popish Principles and Practices have been very dangerous to all our Protestant Princes and their Loyal Subjects ever since the Reformation and had they taken that effect which they designed and with unwearied wickedness industriously endeavoured they would have proved destructive and both to Prince and People pernicious Nay which I have omitted while this whole Nation continued actually in the Communion of the Church of Rome when Henry the Eighth his Parliament and Convocation all Roman-Catholiques and far from being Protestants had deny'd and lege latâ taken away the Popes Usurped Supremacy that we may be sure the Pope's Practices are suitable to his pernicious Principles Pope Paul the Third Excommunicates Curses and Damns the King and all his Good Subjects Commands him to Abrogate and Null the Laws made against his Supremacy and to appear before him at Rome within Ninety Days and his Adherents and Favorers which were all his Loyal Subjects especially his Parliament and Convocation within Sixty Days They not appearing he Ratifies the Excommunication Deprives him of his Kingdom and Dominions Prohibits peremptorily the King or his Adherents if they die as they did before he Absolved them to have any CHRISTIAN BURIAL and declares them ETERNALLY DAMND Then he layes that most impious Interdict upon the whole Nation forbids all Publick Prayers Masses and Divine Offices Nor this only but he Deprives the Children of Henry the Eighth Born
Forbid all the Peers People and Subjects of England to dare to give any Obedience to the Queen her Monitions Commands or Laws And if any do otherwise we involve them in the same Sentence of Anathema and Excommunication Whence it evidently appears 1. That the Pope in this Authentique Bull and Decretory Sentence does so far as he is able Depose the Queen 2. Absolve all her Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance 3. And under pain of Excommunication command and require them contrary to their Natural Allegiance to give no Obedience to their undoubted Soveraign Nor is this all for 6. When he had done all this he gave away the Queens Kingdom and Dominions to Philip the Second King of Spain as is notoriously known and ingeniously confess'd by an honest Roman Catholick Father R. Caron an Irish Priest Many more such impious Bulls there are in the Roman Bullary in all which Kings and Princes and Anathematiz'd and deposed by the Pope and their Subjects absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance on pretence of that vast and extravagant Supremacy and Dominion over all the World which they challenge by Divine Right though without any and against all Reason even over Kings and Emperors For instance the Excommunication and Deposition of the Emperor Henry the Fourth who was twice Anathematiz'd by Gregory the Seventh Of Frederique the Second By Gregory the Ninth and Innocent the Fourth Of our King Henry the Eighth by Pope Paul the Third And to omit all others we have an Excommunication of all Heretical Kings and Princes and Heretiques in general in that famous Bullà Coenae wherein on Maundy-Thursday an Anathema is solemnly denounced against all Heretiques even Emperors Kings Dukes and all of what Dignity soever and this Anathema is repeated every year So that amongst others our Gracious King and all his Protestant Subjects are Anathematiz'd and Curs'd once every year at Rome as if their Mons Vaticanus were become Mount Ebal from whence all Curses were to come Now whether this Doctrine and Practices of Popes be not dangerous and pernicious to Kings let the World Judge Well but if all this will not do if the Testimonies of their own Writers which both for learning and dignity in their Church are most eminent nor their receiv'd and establish'd Laws and Canons nor their Authentique Papal Bulls and Decretal Constitutions I say if all these be not evidence enough to intitle the Church of Rome to this Seditious Impious and to Kings especially if they be Protestants Pernicious Doctrine yet the Decrees and Canons of their own General Councils which by their own Principles and Confessions are Representatives of their whole Church and Infallible I say the Decrees of such Councils if there be any such will and must be undeniable Evidences of what I have said in this particular And that their approved General Councils have approved this Doctrine of the Popes Power to depose Kings and Emperors and absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance I shall give you two or three evident Instances I. In the General Council of Lions for a General Council they do universally acknowledge it Pope Innocent the Fourth deposed the Emperor Frederique the Second That he deposed him in that Council is undeny'd by any I have yet met with and that it was after diligent deliberation had with his Brethren and the Council appears by the form of the Excommunication registred and upon Record in the Body of their Canon-Law Where 1. He deprives him of all his Honor and Imperial Dignity 2. And then absolves all his Subjects from their Oaths of Fidelity 3. And Excommunicates all who should acknowledge him King or Emperor or should counsel assist or favor him II. In the great Lateran Council for so they commonly call it in which if they misreckon not there were no less than 1215. Fathers it was Synodically and Categorically concluded That the Pope might depose Kings absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance and give away their Kingdoms The Series and Sum of the Canon is this First It is decreed That all Secular Powers shall expel all whom the Pope and his Party shall call Heretiques out of their Dominions and they were to be admonish'd to do this Moneantur seculares potestates c. Secondly But in case they obey'd not that Monition they were to be COMPELL'D And not only the Lateran but the Trent-Council a most Apocryphal Conventicle as I shall when required make evident to you useth the same Saucy Language to Princes and Supreme Powers even Emperors Kings Princes and all other of what State or Dignity soever for all these are COMMANDED to observe all the Sacred Canons and ALL GENERAL COUNCILS and so even the Lateran Council and this Canon we are speaking of which are in favor of Ecclesiastical Persons and the Liberties of the Church and they are to observe all these and ALL OTHER PAPAL SANCTIONS as the PRECEPTS OF GOD and DIVINE ORDINATIONS And the Lemma or Title to that Chapter is this ..... COGANTUR c. LET ALL CATHOLIQUE PRINCES and much more Heretical be COMPELL'D to observe ALL the SANCTIONS concerning Ecclesiastical Liberty c. And this is the common and usual Language of their most eminent Writers of their Popes and Councils as you may see to omit all others in Cardinal Tuschus the life of Pope Gregory the Seventh by Platina and in the Lateran Council under Leo the Tenth where the Pope in his Monitory against the Gallican Pragmatical Sanction faucily says .... We PEREMPTORILY COMMAND KINGS c. Secondly Well then by this Lateran Council and Canon we are speaking of Kings are to be COMPELL'D by the Pope to do their duty and that is as the Canon tells us to expell all Heretiques out of their Kingdoms And if you ask Who or What Heretiques those are The same Canon tells you That it is all those whom the Pope and his Party shall be pleased to call Heretiques Thirdly And they Kings and Princes must be COMPELL'D to take an OATH and swear they will Expel such Heretiques and this Oath they must take publickly that all may see and know that Princes obey the Pope for the words of the Canon are .... Praestent JURAMENTUM PUBLICE quod universos Haereticos AB ECCLESIA NOTATOS exterminare studeant Fourthly And if any King or Prince neglect this duty and when it is tendred refuse the Oath or to expel Heretiques out of his Dominions Then the Metropolitan and the Bishops of his Province must Excommunicate him Fifthly And then if he persist contumacious and refuse to give satisfaction by expelling all Heretiques they must signifie it to the POPE that he may DEPOSE HIM ABSOLVE HIS SUBJECTS FROM THEIR OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE and GIVE HIS KINGDOM TO CATHOLIQUES So the Canon So that if the Pope and a
deposition seeing Gelasius was dead above 240 years before Chilpericus or Childericus they write him both ways came to be King of France But they say the words of this Canon are found in the Epistles of Pope Gregory the Seventh and therefore they do rightly refer them to him as the true Author of them Now whether it were Gelasius or Gregory the Seventh it is all one as to my present business it is by them confess'd that a Pope was Author of that Rebellious passage Gratian refers it into the Body of their Canon-Law and Pope Gregory the Thirteenth approves and together with the whole Body of the Law the Gloss and Annotations confirms and ratifies it Whence we may rationally conclude that this Doctrine of the Popes Power to depose Kings and absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance though impious and rebellious is so far from being disown'd or detested by all Papists as some now pretend that the Supreme power of that Church has not only approved but establish'd it for Law By the way though you see that Gratian and Pope Gregory say that Pope Zachary was the Man who deposed the French King Hildericus yet an Historian of more Antiquity and Credit than either of them notwithstanding Gregories Infallibility tells us that it was Pope Stephen Zacharies Successor who deposed him So that all agree that A Pope it matters not which was Author of that impiety 3. When the Canon says that the French King was deposed by the Pope because he was INUTILIS c. the Gloss gives you the meaning of that word ...... Non intelligas INUTILS id est INSUFFICIENS tunc enim ei dari debuit Coadjutor sed quia DISSOLUTUS erat cum MULIERIBUS EFFOEMINATUS so that by this Papal Law we see that if the Pope please the greatest Prince may be deposed for a very small matter 4. When this Canon says the Pope deposed the King of France the Gloss notes ..... Ergo Papa deponit Imperatorem And least we should not take notice of it these words in their best Editions of the Canon-Laws corrected purged revised and whatever wicked men had put into the Text or Margent contrary to the Catholick Faith by Pope Gregories command expunged I say notwithstanding all this these words are put in the Margent ....... IMPERATOR POTEST A PAPA DEPONI Whence it is evident that in Pope Gregories Opinion this impious Doctrine and Position though contrary to the true Christian is not contrary to THEIR ROMAN FAITH being expresly in those Glosses and Canons in which their Supreme and Infallible Judge says There is NOTHING CATHOLICAE VERITATI CONTRARIUM Nor is this Pope Gregories singular opinion that the Pope may depose Kings For seeing it has been approved by their Popes and their General Councils as you shall see anon and for some Ages received amongst their Sacred Canons as they call them it is become a necessary part of their Creed and no Salvation without the belief of it to which all their Secular Clergy Archbishops Bishops and whoever has any cure of Souls and all their Regulars at least the Heads and Governors of them are solemnly sworn For they swear promise and vow without all doubtings to receive and profess ALL THINGS defined and declared in the SACRED CANONS and General Councils and so far as they are able to make others receive them too So that all their Ecclesiastiques especially all who have any Cure of Souls do not only believe this impious Doctrine of Popes Power to depose Kings but they swear both to BELIEVE and PROFESS IT and as far as they are able make others do so too How pernicious to Kings and Princes such Principles and such Persons sworn to Profess and Promote them heretofore have been the many sad and Tragical Examples of deposed Princes in the six last Centuries can abundantly witness and assure us And how pernicious for the future they may be unless with care and prudence they be prevented we or our Posterity may unhappily and too soon see Dirum omen misericors qui solus potest averruncet Deus 5. Lastly If we consult Cardinal Turrecremata a very great and learned person who well understood their sacred Canons and in what sense the Roman Church received them he in his Commentary on the Canon before-cited affirmes and endeavours to prove these following Propositions I. The Pope may DEPOSE the Emperor or a King not subject to the Emperor II. The Pope may LAWFULLY absolve Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance III. The Pope may depose Counts Dukes and other Barons without the Consent of the Emperor or those Kings whose Subjects they are IV. Subjects if they have the Popes consent which they are sure to have if it make for his interest may depose their Kings This he farther proves and adds ..... That if the King be a manifest Heretick as all Protestants are with them then THE CHURCH may depose him The Premises consider'd it will highly concern all Protestant Kings and Princes to look to it who as Hereticks are all damned and Anathematiz'd once every year on Maundy-Thursday in their Bulla Coenae Domini For had they of Rome power to act according to their Principles Pretences and Interest they would make short work a speedy and thorough Reformation and compel all Protestant or as they constantly miscall them Heretical Kings and Princes to quit their Religion or their Realms and Kingdoms Be it concluded then that according to the Approved and Received Doctrine of the Roman Church Kings and Princes may be deposed and their subjects absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance And for the truth of what I here say we have the Precept and Practice of three Popes Zachary Gregory the Seventh and Urban the Second and three Canons grounded on that Papal Authority received into the Body of their Canon-Law which when you have occasion you may for further satisfaction consult Now if you inquire for what Crimes Kings may be deposed by the Pope whether for Heresie onely for that 's universally agreed on or for other Crimes also John Semeca Author of the Gloss on Gratian gives us a full and Categorical Answer For 1. He proposes the Question Pro quo peccato potest Imperator deponi For what Sin can the Emperor be deposed That he may be deposed is in that Law no Question but an undoubted truth the Question onely is for what Crimes it may be done And the Answer is .......... That he may be deposed for ANY SIN if he be INCORRIGIBLE and not onely for his sins but if he UNPROFITABLY manage that Regal Power And this he proves out of another Canon This is the sad condition of Kings and Emperors by the Popish Canon-Law they may be deposed if they be incorrigible for ANY SIN and sometimes for no sin at least as the principal cause of
their deposition Whereas by the same Law if the Pope be so prodigiously impious that he not onely damn himself but carry INNUMERABILES POPULOS innumerable people to hell with him yet there is no deposing or Judging him This not only the Canon in Gratian but a long Annotation lately added since Gratians time approves and confirmes and Pope Gregory the Thirteenth approves both the Canon and Annotation in his Bull I have so often mention'd So that according to this Law If the Emperor or any King will not be good Boyes and obey their Grand Maister Dominum DEUM NOSTRUM as they call him the Pope if they will not be corrected by him and amend what he thinks amiss for he is Supreme and Sole Judge of the Crime and Punishment Then the Pope may and if he have ability and opportunity we may be sure he will depose them Thus much and may be too much for the Canon-Law that Sink of Forgeries Impiety and Disloyalty For I scarce know any Book wherein are more forged Writings under good names sometimes for bad purposes or more Impious Doctrines and Positions own'd and authoriz'd for Law and that by one who pretends though without and against all reason to be Christ's Vicar and Infallible or any Book which has more Seditious and Rebellious Principles of Disloyalty This I onely say now but when I have what now I want time and opportunity I can and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will make it good How dangerous and when believ'd and practis'd how pernicious to Kings and Princes the Principles of that Law are you may in part see by the premises if you desire more you may at your leasure consult and consider those Places here mention'd in the Margent with the Gloss and Case upon them together with Cardinal Turrecremata's Commentary on Gratians Decree and Panormitan on the Decretals to omit all other Canonists you will find Evidence more than enough to convince you out of their own Testimonies that the Principles of their own Law as explain'd by their greatest and best Interpreters are not onely Dangerous but Destructive of the Right of Kings and inconsistent with that Loyalty which by the Lawes of Nature and Scripture are really due to them 3. But besides these Testimonies of particular Writers of their own Church and their Approved and by Puplick Authority Establish'd and Received Canon-Law we have greater and more Authentick Testimonies that in the Popish Church they both profess and practice this impious and rebellious doctrine of Anathematizing and Deposing Kings and Emperors of giving away their Kingdoms to others and Absolving their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity For their Popes who are their Supreme and Infallible Judges testifie as much in their Breves and Bulls and those not forged or corrupted by Hereticks but Publish'd by themselves and Printed at Rome in their own Vatican Press Where to omit others we have 1. The Bull of Pius the Fifth against Queen Elizabeth The Title prefixed to that impious Bull is this DAMNATIO Excommunicatio Elizabethae Reginae Angliae eique ADHAERENTIUM Where in one breath and Bull he Damns that Innocent Queen and all her Loyal Subjects Protestants and Papists Where by the way it is to be consider'd That if any Papists be Loyal as by the Law of God and Nature they ought to any Heretical King or Prince and at Rome our Gracious King and all Protestants are such it is reputed their Crime and they Damn'd at Rome for it For it is not only OMNES SINGULOS HAERETICOS QUOCUNQUE NOMINE CENSEANTUR All and singular Heretiques of what sort soever but also all those who RECEIVE FAVOUR or DEFEND them So that if any Roman-Catholick Favour or according to his Natural or Sworn Allegiance Defend his Prince who is a Protestant and so a Declared Heretique he is under the same Anathema and Condemnation And this Anathema and Condemnation of all Heretiques and all those who Favour or Defend them is solemnly renewed every year at Rome and lately referred into the Body of their Canon-Law But to proceed In this Bull of Pope Pius the Fifth which contains the Anathema and Damnation as 't is called in the Lemma prefix'd to that Bull of Queen Elizabeth which proved BRUTUM FULMEN the good and most gracious GOD blessing what the Pope impiously cursed we have these Particulars very considerable 1. The extravagant Power the Pope assumes when he tells us That our Blessed Saviour did constitute Peter and by consequence Him as St Peter's Successor .... ... SUPER OMNES GENTES OMNIA Regna PRINCIPEM ut EVELLAT DESTRUAT DISSIPET DISPERDAT c. These are the words of God to Jeremy not Peter or his Successors miserably misunderstood and misapplyed by this Pope and his Predecessors Here is a pretence to a vast and destructive Power and though it be a bare pretence and without any just ground irrational and ridiculous yet let Princes look to it For when the Popes had Power they did and when they have they will make use of it 2. This premised he proceeds to his Damnatory Sentence in these words We saith he by the Plenitude of Apostolical Power declare the said Elizabeth an Heretick and both her and her Adherents to have incurr'd the Sentence of Excommunication and to be all cut off from the Unity of the Body of Christ. But this is not all He proceeds very unlike a Christian and what he would be thought Christ's Vicar to depose her from all her Royal Dignity and all that Dominion to which she had by Birth the Law of God and the Land a just Right in the following Form 3. And we Deprive her of her pretended Royal Right and all Dominion Dignity and Priviledge whatsoever He calls it Her PRETENDED Royal Right because according to their Rebellious and Impious Principles she being an Heretick as they miscall'd her for that Crime she had lost her Royal Right even before her actual Excommunication Nor is this all he proceeds 4. And further we Absolve all the Nobility Subjects and People of England and all others who have any way Sworn to her from such Oath and we declare them FOR EVER Absolved from any Obligation of Allegiance or Obedience to her and we do by these Presents Absolve them So that here so far as was able he Absolves all her Subjects from the Obligation of the Oaths in which they had sworn Allegiance But because there is as the Lawyers truly say A Natural as well A Sworn Allegiance for by Birth they who never swore it owe a Natural Allegiance to their Prince being born Subjects lest after their Oath was null'd they should Obey the Queen and upon the Principle of Natural Allegiance think themselves bound so to do He goes on to declare this Natural Bond Null and frees them from any Obligation of it Thus 5. We Command and
DEATH he pleaded no exemption from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate in a Criminal Cause as now every Popish Bishop does as by their Law they may but he confesseth the Superiority of the Civil Power and Appeales to it I APPEAL TO CAESAR sayes he 'T is evident that all Appeales are from an Inferior to a Superior Judge and one who has Jurisdiction over the Apellant and cognizance of the crime and therefore Paul appealing to Caesar does ipso facto acknowledge him his legal and superior Judge So far was St. Paul from believing those Popish and Rebellious Principles and from Disloyalty or Disobedience to that Imperial though Pagan Power under which he lived that he publickly acknowledged and humbly submitted to it 2. Nor was he onely in his own person obedient and a loyal subject to the Emperor but Writing to the Romans he did as an Apostle of Jesus Christ command them also to be Loyal and Obedient Let every Soul every Man be subject to the higher the Supreme Powers c. And then he adds That they should render to them TRIBUTE CUSTOM FEAR HONOR and ALL THEIR DUES By supreme powers here he means men possessing Supreme Power and the Supreme power under which he and the Romans then were was Nero a most impious Pagan and persecuter of Christ and Christians and yet every soul within his Empire even Peter as well as Paul was by â—the Law of God and the Gospel to be subject to him to fear honor pay him Tribute and Loyally obey him As by the before-said Examples and precepts of St. Paul and our blessed Saviour evidently appears Now your Popish Doctrine and by them Approved Principles contradicts all this and let St. Peter Paul and our blessed Saviour say or do what they will let them acknowledge Caesars Supreme Power and command obedience to him though a Pagan and submit to his power themselves yet at Rome they acknowledge NO SUPREME POWER but the POPE whom as I have before shew'd they makeâ—astly superion and greater then Kings so that when he thinks fit he may depose a King or Supreme Prince and command their Subjects upon pain of Excommunication and an Anathema to pay them no Tribute Fear or Honor nor OBEY ANY OF THEIR COMMANDS For such is the stile of their Anathema's and Damnatory Bulls particularly of that wherein Pope Pius the Fifth deposeth Q. Elizabeth quoted in the Margent This premised as evidently certain be you judge whether it be not a great crime and crying sin for any subjects to believe this rebellious and Popish doctrine against the express command of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles in the Gospel And if it be as undeniably it is then it is as certain that the belief and practice of such doctrine and principles is not onely dangerous but without repentance pernicious and damnable to those miserably deluded Souls who do so believe and practice it And it is considerable and undeniably certain that their Popish Doctrine and received principles do not onely approve the Excommunication and Deposition of Kings the Absolution of their Subjects from their Oathes of Allegiance their Prohibition of them to obey the Laws or Commands of their Princes so deposed that they may take Arms and innocently Kill all Heretiques Princes or People But they are encouraged to do this by their Popes Decretals approved and received for Law in the Body of their Canon-Law in the last and as they say the most correct Editions of that Law approved and established by the Bull and Authority of Gregory the Thirteenth with the Promise of Heaven and Eternal Life if they die in the War against the Enemies of the Roman Faith Heretiques and Infidels This was a fair promise but Pope Innocent the Third Popes having for some Ages been liberal in promising what they had no power to give promises more for besides a Plenary Remission of Sins he promises not only Heaven but a greater degree of Glory in it to the Crusado's the Crucisignati Soldiers marked with a Cross who as it was pretended were raised to recover the Holy Land from the Saracens but they or some with the like indulgence imploy'd to Murder the poor Waldenses which with barbarous and inhumane cruelty they did Now how dangerous to the Soul Sin so encourag'd must be a weak-sighted Man may easily see without Spectacles or further proof Be it concluded then such Popish Principles when believ'd and practic'd are not only dangerous to the Soul but pernicious and without repentance destructive of Salvation 2. But besides that such Popish Doctrines and Principles in point of Conscience are dangerous to the Soul and without true repentance destructive of Salvation they are also if consider'd in Civil Prudence dangerous and pernicious to Princes and Supreme Powers depriving them when put in execution of all their Honors Estates and Lives too The truth of this is without further proof notorious by the sad and miserable Ruines of many great Princes caus'd by Popes and their Party who approv'd and practic'd such Rebellious Popish Principles as we are speaking of I say the ruine of great Princes 1. Before the Reformation who were no Protestants and some since who were Papists too 2. Since the Reformation who were indeed Protestants or as such or favorers of them Excommunicated and deprived of their Crowns and Kingdoms though the Excommunications did prove bruta fulmina vain and ineffectual and did not that mischief which their impious Author intended for which we are to thank the good Providence of Heaven and not the Pope 1. For the first Authentique Stories tell us that Pope Zachary Deposed Childerick or Chilperick King of France about the middle of the Eighth Century 2. Gregory the Seventh Deposeth Henry the Fourth and causeth great and miserable Rebellions and Bloodshed in the Roman Empire in the Eleventh Century 3. Pope Sylvester the Third in the Twelfth Century Excommunicates the Emperor Henry the Fifth Et Magnas turbas in Germania excitat says Urspergensis 4. Pope Innocent the Third Excommunicates Otto the Fourth in the beginning of the Thirteenth Century 5. Innocent the Fourth in the same Century Deposed the Emperor Frederick the Second In short to omit many others the barbarous Murders of Henry the Third and Fourth of France have been and most justly were and will be imputed to these Popish Principles in the belief of which those impious Assassins were confirm'd and Catechiz'd Sure I am that Pope Sixtus the Fifth did approve and highly magnifie the impious Fact of Jaques Clement the Dominican who was the Murderer of Henry the Third in that famous and impious Speech of his made to his Cardinals no doubt as well pleased as the Pope in the Consistory and afterwards Publish'd and Printed at Rome An evident Argument that they were not though great reason they should have been asham'd of it for certainly they would never have Printed
and DECREE HIM TO BE ERETNALLY DAMND And for this he cites Pope Gregories own Epistles who best knew his own mind and the meaning of his own Decree So that in the Popes and Cardinals Judgment such an Excommunication is a definitive sentence and a Papal Decree whereby the persons Excommunicate are consign'd and doom'd to Eternal Damnation Whence we may understand the meaning of the Titles usually prefix'd to such Damnatory Bulls of Excommunication such as these .... DAMNATIO Excommunicatio Hen. 8. by Pope Paul the Third DAMNATIO Excommunicatio Elizabethae by Pius the Fifth where it seems by what the Pope and Cardinal before told us that it is not any temporal or not that only but the eternal damnation of Soul and Body which is intended and desired by them in their uncharitable and impious Anathema's and Excommunications Whence also it manifestly follows that all Protestants Kings and Subjects Princes and People who by many Papal Bulls and Anathema's stand actually Cursed and Excommunicated are in a damnable condition and if they die as they do and should without Popish Absolution by this Roman Uncharitable and Unchristian Divinity they are eternally damn'd This I say not that I think such Papal Bulls and Excommunications either have or can have any such effects or bring such danger to Protestants Kings or Subjects as is pretended for I believe and know that they are bruta fulmina insignificant Squibs of false Fire which can neither hurt their Souls here nor hinder their Salvation hereafter But notwithstanding this they may prove dangerous and pernicious to Protestant Princes as they may be and are great incouragements to their Popish Subjects to rebel and disobey their Soveraigns and securely as to any thing of Conscience or Injustice in it act any thing to their ruine For they who believe the Popes pretended Power that he can deprive their Prince of all Royal Power and Dignity and that he has actually done it that he has absolved them from all Obligations of Allegiance and Fidelity due to him that he is a Member of the Devil here and surely to be damn'd hereafter and that to kill him is no Murder I say those who submit to the Pope and believe these Erroneous and Impious Doctrines as all must who believe the Pope or the Roman Church Infallible have too much incouragement not only to disobey and rebel but when they have power and opportunity to take away their Princes Life as being a Person odious to God and Man and by the Pope their Infallible and Supreme Judge by their approved Laws and their General Councils declared to be such especially seeing that if they miscarry in that attempt and while they seek their Princes Life lose their own yet their Names shall in Red Letters be Register'd in the Calendar and they by their Party shall be reputed Martyrs as all know that Campian Garnet and our Powder-Traytors are An honor I am so far from envying them that I should be very glad and so would many thousands more to see our present Conspirators according to their merit referr'd into their Calendar amongst such Martyrs that so we might be freed from the fears of those Prodigious Villains and mischiefs they intended and indeavoured to act here against their Gracious Soveraign the Church and State and there is too much reason to believe that while they live and have ability and opportunity they will prosecute those Black Designs Dirum omen misericors qui solus potest averruncet Deus These are the known Positions and Doctrines of the Church of Rome approved and received by the Supreme Authority of that Church which in Thesi when they are believ'd may be very dangerous and when in Praxi put in execution and they who believe such impious Doctrines act accordingly pernicious to all Kings Princes and People especially Heretiques as they miscal them who imbrace not all their Popish Errors in which number all Protestants Kings and Subjects are by them always included And that the Popish Party especially Jesuits since their unhappy appearing in the World as also their Ecclesiastiques Secular and Regular with their adherents have acted according to those Principles for some Ages last past and what Barbarous Murders Depositions of Princes and Fatal Tragedies have been the sad consequences of such belief and actings both our own and Forreign Historians abundantly testifie And here 1. I shall pass by the horrid Murders and Massacres of the poor Waldenses who upon prosecution of the foresaid Principles have been persecuted with Fire and Sword Armies and Inquisitions and very many thousand nay infinite numbers of them as some of their own Writers testifie have been inhumanely murdered Causà indictà inaudita many times especially in France to say nothing of other Countries 2. I desire you to consider that barbarous and prodigious Villany the great Massacre of Protestants in France Ann. 1572. where and when above 30. or 40000. Innocent Protestants in Paris and other parts of France were suddenly and inhumanely Murdered by Papists acting upon such Popish Principles as I have before mentioned And this Horrid Villany was so far from being publickly disapproved and damn'd by the Church of Rome or the Impious Actors punish'd that the news of it was received at Rome with great Joy and giving Thanks to God for it Quasi author consors sceleris fuisse Deus nor was it so at Rome only but in other places too Papists received that news with great joy An evident argument that they approved both that Impious Doctrine and the pernicious effects of it 3. To omit the many Seditions and Rebellions in the time of Henry the Eighth after he had deny'd the Popes Supremacy and Edward the Sixth caused by such Persons and Principles it is notoriously known that the same Party in prosecution of the same Principles and Popish Interest did in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth continually conspire and endeavour to take away the life of that good Queen by Poison Pistol and such other impious and to persons of such Principles usual ways of Assassination to raise Rebellions and Armies having the Popes Assistance and Blessing to incourage them to that Villany to destroy her and her Religion And when all this would not do Heav'n Blessing what Rome Impiously Curs'd Pope Pius the Fifth gives the Kingdoms of England and Ireland to Philip the Second King of Spain and he with the Popes Assistance and Blessing sends his as he and his Holiness imagin'd Invincible Armado to take possession But that vast Armado and the Popish Impious Design were utterly defeated not so much by the Queens Fleet which was very inconsiderable as by great storms and tempests the immediate Hand of Heaven and a most Gracious and Miraculous Providence And this was so evident that the Admiral of that Armado the Duke of Medina Sidonia blasphemously swore That he feared Jesus Christ was turned Lutheran But
such Principles as these be not dangerous inconsistent with Loyalty and to Protestant Princes pernicious let the World judge Sure I am our Kings and Parliaments knowing by sad experience the fatal and pernicious Consequences of such Popish Principles have publickly declared this their sense and detestation of them I shall give an Instance or two 1. Our Gratious King in a Proclamation having spoken of the Intestine Divisions amongst us it follows ....... Which are CHIEFLY OCCASIONED by the Undermining Contrivances of POPISH RECUSANTS whose Numbers and INSOLENCIES are of late GREATLY increased and whose RESTLESS PRACTICES threaten SUBVERSION to the CHURCH and STATE The restless Practices are the mischievous Consequents of their impious Principles 2. A full Parliament and a Popish one too takes notice of and condemns the Papal Usurpations in taking upon them to dispose of inheritances and Kingdoms in these words .......... The Pope CONTRARY to the inviolable Grants of Jurisdictions BY GOD IMMEDIATELY to Emperors and Kings hath PRESUMD to invest who should please him to inherit in other Mens Kingdoms and Dominions which we your Loyal Subjects SPIRITUAL and TEMPORAL ABHORRE and DETEST Such were the Popes Usurpations then but as in Parliament they confess abhorred and detested by Clergy and Laity But now as evidently appears by the lately discovered damnable Conspiracy the Pope and his Party take upon them to Murder our Gratious King whom God preserve and dispose of His Kingdoms Which Practices and Principles which cause and encourage them I do and justly may call Dangerous and when they take effect which I hope they never will Destructive and Pernicious And here further because many of our Popish Party seeing the horridness of this Damnable and Hellish Conspiracy and in reality I hope or at least seem to condemn both it and the Authors of it laying the blame upon the Persons only of some few and with great confidence to give it no worse name denying the Roman Church to approve or receive any Principles which can encourage such Conspiracies or prove pernicious or dangerous to Princes their Persons or Government I shall briefly give you an account of some more of their received Doctrines and Principles besides those already named which have been and while they are believed ever will be prejudicial to Princes and the Peace and Quiet of their Subjects and Dominions For instance 1. The Church of Rome expresly declares it unlawful for Secular Princes to require any Oath of Fidelity or Allegiance of their Clergy and as expresly forbids all their Clergy to take any such Oath if it be required ...... Nimis dâ— Jure DIVINO quidam LAICI Usurpare cenantur cum Viros Ecclesiasticos nihil temporale continentes ad praestandum sibi FIDELITATIS JURAMENTUM compellunt ...... Sacri Authoritate Concilii PROHIBEMUS ne tales CLERICI personis SECULARIBUS praestare cogantur hujusmodi Juramentum c. This is the Constitution of their great and Oecumenical Council under Innocent the Third and is referr'd into the Body of their Canon Law by Pope Gregory the IX and remains in the best Editions of it commended and confirm'd by Pope Gregory the XIII So that by the Popish Canons and their approved and received Laws no Secular Prince may require any Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity of any of the Clergy or Ecclesiastiques nor are the Clergy to take any such Oaths And if a Clergy-man should take any such Oath it is by their Canon-Law for several reasons declared null and not obligatory For 1. They tell us That no Oath which is against the Ecclesiastical Utility and Benefit of the Church is valid and binding Nay the Law it self there says That all such Oaths against Ecclesiastical Utility are not Oaths properly but Perjurics And the case is put in their Law of a Prince who fearing some CONSPIRACY against him took an Oath of some that they should not for the future be in any Conspiracy against him They who had taken this Oath desired to know how far they were bound by this Oath And that Law and Innocent the Third gives this Answer That they were not so bound by that Oath but that they might stand against the Prince to whom they had so Sworn in the lawful defence of the rights and honors of the Church and their own Now 't is certain that the Pope with them is the sole Supreme Judge in all Ecclesiastical Causes and such this is concerning the Rights and Honors of the Church and therefore if he Judge as we are sure he will that our Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy be against the Rights and Honor of that Church of which he pretends to be the Head neither those nor any such Oathes will be obligatory to any of his party at least they will think them not to be so and so they will think that notwithstanding any such Oath they may for the benefit of the Church and the Catholique Cause oppose and conspire against their Prince 2. It is a Rule in their Law and in reason too That in all Oathes it must be understood that the right of the Superior is excepted and must be preserved So if a Tenent Swear Fealty to his Landlord how great soever so he be a subject it must be salvo jure dominii principalis the Royal Rights of his Prince must not cannot be prejudiced by that Oath This is true in Thesi. Now we know that the Pope and his party who acknowledge him thinks that he is far superior to all Kings and therefore if he think and declare as we know he has done that our Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy are prejudicial to his rights then neither he nor his party will think them binding 3. If they were confess'd to be obligatory yet they of the Popish Church believe he can dispence with them and null the obligation This is the constant Tenet of the Canonists who tell us That the Pope does usually and easily dispence with Involuntary but not with voluntary Oaths yet if he do dispence with voluntary Oaths it is valid Nor is it any wonder if the Pope dispence with Oathes voluntary or involuntary if it be true which John Semeca the Glossator there tells us ....... That the Pope can dispence against the LAW OF NATURE and against the APOSTLE And that we might take notice of it those words in the old Editions of the Canon-Law are put in the Margent ..... Papa contra Apostolum dispensat the Pope dispenses against the Apostle And in the latter Editions of that Law with the Gloss even those confirm'd by Pope Gregory the Thirteenth as most Correct and purged from Errors they are so far from disowning that irrational and impious Gloss that in a Note there in the Margent they explain and justifie it ... It is not absurd sayes the Author of that Note for the Pope to dispence
Ecclesiastiques Secular and Regular are in the opinion of ALL ROMAN CATHOLIQUES by the LAW OF GOD so exempted from the Jurisdiction of all Secular even SUPREME POWERS that they can neither Judge nor punish them Whence it evidently follows 1. That the Popish Clergy where-ever they are especially in England and Protestant Kingdoms are no Subjects of that King in whose dominions they live because they are by the Law of God exempt from all Secular Jurisdiction It being a contradiction to say that any Man is a King in respect of those over whom he has no Jurisdiction And 2. It follows that this impious and traiterous Doctrine and Position is not the opinion of some one or a few private persons but of ALL ROMAN-CATHOLIQUES and so of their Popish Church and then their Church by their own Confession is guilty of maintaining and approving such dangerous and to all especially Protestant Kings Pernicious Principles Q. E. D. 5. But we have greater Authority than that of the Colledge of Bononia to manifest the truth of what we say when we accuse the Popish Church for approving and maintaining this impious and pernicious Doctrine That their Ecclesiastiques are not the Kings Subjects I mean the Inquisitors of Spain and Portugal c. who finding in the Index of Chrysostome words expressing this proposition PRIESTS BY THE LAW OF GOD ARE SUBJECT TO PRINCES they knowing that Position to be inconsistent with the Exemptions of their Popish Clergy damn that Proposition and command it to be blotted out Deleantur illa verba say they though Chrysostome say the very same thing in the place to which the Index refers Now it is evident that they who damn this Proposition as erronious PRIESTS by the Law of God are subject to Princes must of necessity approve and affirm the contradictory That Priests by the Law of God ARE NOT subject to Princes which is that rebellious Position with which the Church of Rome is justly charged 6. Lastly the principal Authorities I have brought to prove this or any of the former Rebellious Doctrines charg'd on the Church of Rome have been 1. Their approved and by Publick Authority of their Church received and establish'd Laws 2. Their Popes Bulls Decretals and Constitutions 3. Or the Canons of their Provincial National or General Councils All which are approved innovated and confirm'd expresly in their Trent Council as was before mentioned and all their Secular Clergy all who have any Cure of Souls the chief of their Regulars all Graduates Professors and Readers in their Universities all Physitians c. are solemnly sworn to approve receive and without all doubting to profess all those Canons and Papal Constitutions and to Anathematize Reject and Curse all contrary Opinions and to endeavour as much as in them lies that all committed to their care shall constantly hold and teach the same The Premises impartially consider'd I think two things may and will evidently follow 1. That the Principles and Positions before mention'd are not only dangerous but pernicious to all Supreme Powers especially to Protestant Kings and Princes and that in one thing omitted before that is That Faith is not to be kept with Heretiques but that any competent Ecclesiastical Judge may condemn and execute Heretiques or those who are reputed such notwithstanding any SAFE CONDUCT given them BY THE EMPEROR KINGS or SECULAR PRINCES though confirm'd by OATH and this impious and to Supreme Powers pernicious Doctrine approved and publickly declared and profess'd not only by particular and private persons but by their own General Council of Constance which condemn'd and executed Jerome of Prague and John Hus notwithstanding the Emperors Safe Conduct without which they would not have come to that Council To which we may add that those Fathers of Constance it will highly concern Protestant Princes to consider it Synodically define and declare That all Heretiques that is all they call and commonly miscal Heretiques all their defendors or favourers c. of what dignity soever Kings and Queens and Dukes c. shall be Excommunicated and deprived of all their Goods and Secular Dignities This in Thesi is their impious Doctrine and Principle and in Praxi they are now endeavouring to put it in execution here in England as evidently appears by their Popish and Hellish Conspiracy by the Gracious and Powerful Providence of Heaven lately and happily discovered I take it then to be evident that the aforesaid Popish Doctrines and Principles are exceeding dangerous and to all Supreme Powers especially Protestant Kings and Princes pernicious 2. And from the Premises it will as evidently follow that the aforesaid Popish Principles are not the private Opinions of some particular Persons only seeing 1. They are profess'd and vindicated by the Jesuites Canonists and generally by other great Writers of that Church in their Books publish'd with the Approbation and Commendation of Authority 2. Establish'd in their approved and received Canon-Law 3. In the Authentick Decretal Epistles and Papal Constitutions 4. In their General Councils those I mean which they acknowledge to be General 5. And to say no more all their Clergy and Ecclesiastiques who have place in those Councils have taken a Solemn Oath to maintain all those Canons and Papal Constitutions and this Oath required and taken by the Authority and Command of the Council of Trent and the Pope who is acknowledged to be their Supreme Judge and since the Councils of Pisa Constance and Basil declared by Pope Leo the Tenth and his Lateran Council which they account a General Council to be above all General Councils and this Declaration that all might know it is Law and Obligatory has lately been referr'd into the Body of their Canon-Law Now these things being undeniably true that their Popes and General Councils the Supreme Authority of their Church have approved and received the aforesaid Principles and Positions and caused their Ecclesiastiques solemnly to swear That they do believe and will constantly profess them and so far as they are able make all committed to their charge do so too it evidently follows that they are Roman-Catholick Doctrines own'd and approved by their Church and not only by private and particular persons So that if any who knows and has impartially considered the Premises deny it I shall not call him Impudent but I may and must say he has a hard Forehead and a little thing will not make him blush To conclude If that Priest or Popish Gentleman you mention who so confidently denies the Church of Rome to approve such Principles as I have laid to her charge can as to the sum and substance of the Testimonies here cited for I neither need nor will undertake for every particular Circumstance or Typographical Error either shew 1. That I have misquoted the Authors and Books I cite and that such Passages do not occur in the places quoted 2. Or
Popish General Council very great for number but as for Learning and Loyalty little enough consisting of 1215. Fathers I say if these may be Judges Kings and Princes are Subjects and Slaves to the Pope who may COMPEL them to expel as many of their own Subjects as he shall call or miscall Heretiques out of their Dominions and impose an Oath upon them to bind them to obedience and unless they obey such Papal commands the Pope may depose the Prince who disobeys absolve his Subjects from all Oaths of Allegiance and his Kingdom forfeited to the Pope by his disobedience may be given away to any to whom the Pope shall please to give it Now whether such impious and rebellious Positions approv'd and own'd by the Roman Church in her greatest General Councils which she believes at least would have us believe infallible be not dangerous and pernicious to Princes and destructive of their just rights let the World Judge I know that although the Jesuites and Canonists publickly approve and own the Doctrine of this Canon and the Lateran Council and the consequences of it yet some more sober Papists do not And therefore two Answers or insignificant shifts are brought by some to evade or mollifie and lessen the impiety of those consequences which are by Protestants inferr'd from it 1. First then say they that the Lateran Canon is to be meant only of Feudatary or Subordinate not of Absolute or Supreme Princes But this is an evident mistake of the meaning of the Lateran Canon and in terminis contradicts the express words and sense of the Canon For 1. By the Canon All Princes Supreme and Subordinate and Feudatary if they refuse to expel all Heretiques out of their Dominions are to be Excommunicated by the Metropolitan and the Bishops of his Province and then Depos'd by the Pope but with this difference express'd in the Canon When any Subordinate Prince was Deposed it was with a Salvo or Proviso for the Rights of his Superior Lord. The Inferior Lord Deposed loses only what was his own proper Right his Superior Lord loses nothing If the Inferior Lord was to pay any Rents or ought any Services to his Supreme Lord those he did not forfeit but those remain'd due as before to the Supreme Lord. But on this condition That the Supreme Lord himself did not concur to hinder the expulsion of all Heretiques out of the Dominions of the Feudatary or Inferior Lord that is if he hindered not the Execution of the Popes commands For if he did then even he the SUPREME LORD must be Deposed too as well as the Inferior Lord. The Law and Decree of that Council involves both the Inferior and Supreme Lords if both be guilty and negligent in expelling Heretiques in the same Punishments of Deposition and loss of their Dominions For the Canon says ...... That THE SAME LAW MUST BE OBSERVED CONCERNING THOSE who have and have no SUPERIOR LORDS That is the Supreme Lords be it King or Emperor if they Obey not the Pope's command and effectually expel all Heretiques out of their Dominions they must by this Canon be Deposed 2. But admit which is evidently untrue that the Canon meant only Feudatary and Inferior Princes should be Deposed by the Pope The mischief and injustice is less as a Subordinate Prince is less than the Supreme but very great and even upon this false Supposition this Power challenged by the Pope and approved by the Lateran Canon and Council will be not only dangerous but pernicious to Subordinate and Feudatary Princes This is too plain to need any further proof The second Answer some bring to what we urge against Rome from the Lateran Canon is this They deny that Council to be a General One or if it were that it made any Canons and therefore the Doctrine of that Canon whatever it be cannot be imputed to the Church of Rome as Approved by it But this is as void of Ground or Truth as the former For this Lateran Council and the Canons of it have been and are universally received in the Church of Rome the Council as Oecumenical and the Canons attributed to it as Genuine and not Supposititious and Spurious That this may appear consider 1. That all their Writers de Conciliis which I have hitherto met with do universally acknowledge it to have been a General Council and commonly call it Concilium Lateranense Magnum and cite the Canons attributed to it as Genuine 2. All the Popish Writers who have publish'd the Councils or Epitome's and Sum of them as Crabb Surius Binius Joverius Caranza c. publish it as a General Council And Joverius confidently says .... That he cannot see with what Face any Man dare deny it to be a General Council 3. In their last and best Editions of their Canon-Law there is in the beginning a distinct Catalogue of their General and Provincial Councils acknowledged to be such and this Lateran is ever reckoned amongst those which they admit as General 2. There is a commonly received distinction amongst their Writers de Conciliis wherein they tell us That Concilia Generalia sâ—nt 1. Approbata 2. Reprobata 3. Partim approbata partim reprobata 4. Nec approbata nec reprobata of which last sort they make the first Council of Pisa. Now this Lateran Council we are speaking of they always reckon amongst the General Councils of the first Order or those which are approv'd by their Church Though this distinction of Councils be ridiculous and inconsistent with Truth or their own Principles as were it my business now or pertinent might evidently be proved yet by it it manifestly appears that the Lateran Council was in their Opinion and Judgment a General Council which is that for which I produce it But further I say 5. In their own Canon-Law and as in others before so in a late and approved Edition of it this Lateran Council under Pope Innocent the Third is acknowledged to be a General or Oecumenical Council For in the Decretals publish'd by the Authority and Command of Pope Gregory the Ninth for the common benefit and with command that they and none else without Papal Authority should be used by all Judges in Judicature and by Readers of Law in the Universities and all this confirm'd by a Bull of Gregory the Thirteenth In the very first Chapter of those Decretals the Lemma or Title prefix'd to it is thus Innocent the Third in a General Council And that we may be sure 't is the Lateran Council he means a great Lawyer in his Annotations subjoyn'd to that Bull of Gregory the Ninth before mentioned tells us That this Council was held at Rome in the Lateran in the Year 1215. in the Eighteenth Year of Innocent the Third The Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople and the Bishops of almost the WHOLE WORLD