was 25. years Bishop of Rome and actually transferred that Power to his Successor there or that our blessed Saviour ever had or exercis'd such a terrene and temporal power as they pretend the Pope as his Vicar has from him I say let them make all or any one of these Pariculars appear from Scripture and I will confess and retract my error Nor is the Condition unjust or unequal when I require Scripture proof For they themselves constantly affirm that the Pope has Right to his Monarchical Supremacy Jure Divino by the Constitution of our blessed Saviour and Divine Right and this their Popes Canonists and Divines with great noise and confidence but no reason endeavour to prove from Scripture miserably mistaken and misapply'd I know that their late Jesuitical Methodists so much magnify'd by their Party require of Protestants to confute their Popish Doctrines Transubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory c. by express words of Scripture not admitting of Consequences however deduced from plain Texts as Premisses This method of theirs being irrational and demonstrated so to be I shall not tye them too But if they can prove any of the aforesaid Positions by the express words of Scripture or by good Consequences deduced from it or what they pretend to Vniversal and Apostolical Tradition I shall admit the proof Nay I shall make our Popish Adversaries two further and if that be possible fairer offers 1. Let them prove by any just and concluding reason whatsoever that any Christian Church in the World acknowledg'd or the Church of Rome her self assumed and publickly pleaded for such a Papal Supremacy as now they pretend to for 1000. years after our B. Saviour and for my own part I will confess and retract my Error 2. Let them prove by any such concluding reason that any Church in the World Eastern or Western Greek or Latin did acknowledge what now the Pope and his Party so earnestly and vainly contend for the Popes Infallibility and his Supremacy over all General Councils for 1500. years after our blessed Saviour and for my part Cedat Jülus Agris manus dabimus captivas I will retract what here I have affirmed and be what I hope I never shall be their Proselyte To Conclude I have no more to say my Adversaries will think I have said too much save only to desire the Readers who sincerely and impartially desire truth and satisfaction to read and consider the Margent as well as the Text. In this they have my Positions and the proofs of them in plain English In the Margent the Authorities and Authors I rely upon in their own words and the Language in which they writ and I have for the Readers ease not my own cited not only the Authors and their Books but the Chapter Paragraph Page and mostly the Editions of them That so the Reader may with more ease find the places quoted and judge whether I have cited and translated them aright It is notoriously known that our Popish Adversaries have published many forged Canons and Councils many spurious Decretals and supposititious Tracts under the names of Primitive Fathers and ancient Bishops that they have shamefully corrupted the Canons of Legitimate Councils and thousands of other Authors making them by adding and substracting words or Sentences say what they never meant or not to say what indeed they did both mean and say and this they themselves have without shame or honesty publickly own'd in their Expurgatory Indices and after all this fraud and falsification of Records these Apocryphal Books and supposititious Authors are continually produced by them for proofs of their Errors against Protestants who well know and as many sober men of their own Communion justly condemn such impious Roman Arts Nec tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis Christus eget Truth needs no such forg'd and false Medium's to maintain it nor will any honest man use them Sure I am I have not in this Discourse built the truth of my Positions upon the Testimonies of our own Protestant Authors knowing that our Adversaries would with scorn reject their Testimony nor of any supposititious or spurious ones The Testimonies and Proofs I have quoted and rely upon are drawn from Scripture the genuine Works of the ancient Fathers and Councils or which ad hominem must be valid from their own Councils the Popes Bulls their Canon Law their Casuists Schoolmen Summists the Trent Catechism the Book of the Sacred Ceremonies of the Rom. Church their approved and received Publick Offices such as their Missal Breviary Ritual Pontifical c. which Authorities if I do not misquote or mistake their meaning are and to them must be just proofs of those Positions for which I have produced them But let the Evidence of the Testimonies and the Authority of the Authors quoted be what it will I have little hope that they will gain any assent from our Adversaries so long as they believe the Infallibility of their Pope and Church and their Learned Men are solemnly sworn firmly to believe their new Trent Creed the whole Body of Popish Errors to their last breath and to Anathematize and Damn what Doctrine soever contradicts it For while they are possess'd with these Principles it may be truly said of them what was said of the Luciferian Hereticks in St. Hierome Facilius cos Vinci posse quam persuaderi you may sooner bassle then perswade them They will in despite of Premisses hold the Conclusion nor shall the clearest demonstration overcome their blind Zeal and Affection to their Catholick Cause However that God Almighty would be graciously pleased to bless us and them with a clear knowledge of Sacred Truth with a firm belief and in dangerous times upon undanted and pious profession of it is and shall be the Prayer of Oct. 3. 1680. Thy Friend and Servant in Christ T. L. The Damnation and Excommunication of Elizabeth Queen of England and her Adherents with an Addition of other Punishments Pius Bishop Servant to God's Servants for a perpetual memorial of the matter HE that reigneth on High to whom is given all Power in Heaven and in Earth committed one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church out of which there is no Salvation to one alone upon Earth namely to Peter the Prince of the Apostles and to Peter's Successor the Bishop of Rome to be governed in fulness of Power Him alone he made Prince over all People and all Kingdoms to pluck up destroy scatter consume plant and build that he may contain the faithful that are knit together with the band of Charity in the Unity of the Spirit and present them spotless and umblameable to their Saviour Sect. 1. In discharge of which Function we which are by God's goodness called to the Government of the aforesaid Church do spare no pains labouring with all earnestness that Unity and the Catholick Religion which the Author thereof hath for the trial of his Children's
Faith and for our amendment suffered to be punished with so great Afflictions might be preserved uncorrupt But the number of the ungodly hath gotten such power there is now no place left in the whole World which they have not assayed to corrupt with their most wicked Doctrines Amongst others Elizabeth the pretended Queen of England a Slave of Wickedness lending thereunto her helping hand with whom as in a Sanctuary the most pernicious of all men have found a Refuge This very Woman having seized on the Kingdom and monstrously usurping the place of Supream Head of the Church in all England and the chief Authority and Jurisdiction thereof hath again brought back the said Kingdom into miserable destruction which was then newly reduced to the most Catholick Faith and good Fruits Sect. 2. For having by strong hand inhibited the exercise of the true Religion which Mary lawful Queen of famous memory had by the help of this See restored after it had been formerly overthrown by Henry the Eighth a Revolter therefrom and following and embracing the Errors of Hereticks she hath removed the Royal Council consisting of the English Nobility and filled it with obscure men being Hereticks oppressed the Embracers of the Catholick Faith placed impious Preachers Ministers of Iniquity abolished the Sacrifice of the Mass Prayers Fastings choice of Meats unmarried Life and the Catholick Rites and Ceremonies Commanded Books to be read in the whole Realm containing manifest Heresie and impious Mysteries and Institutions by her self entertained and observed according to the Prescript of Calvin to be likewise observed by her Subjects presumed to throw Bishops Parsons of Churches and other Catholick Priests out of their Churches and Benefices and to bestow them and other Church Livings upon Hereticks and to determine of Church Causes prohibited the Prelates Clergy People to acknowledge the Church of Rome or obey the Precepts and Canonical Sanctions thereof compelled most of them to condescend to her wicked Laws and to abjure the Authority and Obedience of the Bishop of Rome and to acknowledge her to besole Lady in Temporal and Spiritual matters and this by Oath imposed Penalties and Punishments upon those which obeyed not and exacted them of those which persevered in the Unity of the Faith and their Obedience aforesaid cast the Catholick Prelates and Rectors of Churches in Prison where many of them being spent with long languishing and sorrow miserably ended their lives All which things seeing they are manifest and notorious to all Nations and by the gravest Testimony of very many so substantially proved that there is no place at all left for Excuse Defence or Evasion Sect. 3. We seeing that impieties and wicked actions are multiplied one upon another moreover that the persecution of the faithful affliction for Religion groweth every day heavier heavier through the instigation and means of the said Elizabeth because we understand her Mind to be so hardned and indurate that she hath not only contemned the godly Requests and Admonitions of Catholick Princes concerning her healing and conversion but also hath not so much as permitted the Nuncios of this See to cross the Seas into England are strained of necessity to betake our selves to the Weapons of Justice against her not being able to mitigate our sorrow that we are drawn to take punishment upon one to whose Ancestors the whole State of Christendom hath been so much bounden Being therefore supported with his Authority whose pleasure it was to place Us though unable for so great a burthen in this Supream Throne of Justice we do out of the fulness of our Apostolick power declare the aforesaid Elizabeth being an Heretick and a favourer of Hereticks and her Adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incurred the sentence of Anathema and to be cut off from the Unity of the Body of Christ. Sect. 4. And moreover we do declare Her to be deprived of her pretended Title to the Kingdom aforesaid of all Dominion Dignity and Priviledge whatsoever Sect. 5. And also the Nobility Subjects and People of the said Kingdom and all others which have in any sort sworn unto her to be forever absolved from any such Oath and all manner of Duty of Dominion Allegiance and Obedience As we also do by Authority of these presents absolve them and do deprive the same Elizabeth of her pretended Title to the Kingdom and all other things abovesaid And we do Command and Interdict all and every the Noblemen Subjects people and others aforesaid that they presume not to obey her or her Monitions Mandates and Laws And those which shall do the contrary We do innodate with the like Sentence of Anathema Sect. 6. And because it were a matter of too much difficulty to convey these presents to all places wheresoever it shall be needful our will is that the Copies thereof under a publick Notaries hand and sealed with the Seal of an Ecclesiastical Prelate or of his Court shall carry altogether the same credit with all people Judicial and Extrajudicial as these presents should do if they were exhibited or shewed Given at Rome at St. Peters in the Year of the Incarnation of our Lord 1570. the Fifth of the Calends of May and of our Popedom the Fifth year Damnatio Excommunicatio Elizabethae Reginae Angliae eique Adhaerentium cum aliarum poenarum Adjectione Pius Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei ad perpetuam Rei memoriam REgrans in Excelsis cui data est Omnis in Coelo in Terra Potestas unam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam extra quam nulla est salus soli in terris videlicet Apostolorum Principi Petro Petrique Successori Romano Pontifici in Potestatis plenitudine tradidit Gubernandam Hunc unum super omnes Gentes omnia Regna Principem constituit qui evellat destruat dissipet disperdat plantet aedisicet ut fidelem populum mutuae Charitatis nexu constrictum in unitate Spiritus contineat salvumque incolumem suo exhibeat salvatori Sect. 1. Quo quidem in munere obeundo Nos ad praedictae Ecclesiae gubernacula Dei Benignitate vocati nullum laborem intermittimus omni operà contendentes ut ipsa Vnitas Catholica Religio quam illius Auctor ad probandam suorum fidem correctionem nostram tantis procellis conslictari permisit integra conservetur Sed Impiorum numerus tantum potentia invaluit ut nullus jam in Orbe locus sit relictus quem illi pessimis doctrinis corrumpere non tentârint adnitente inter caeteros flagitiorum servâ Elizabeth praetensâ Angliae Reginâ ad quam veluti ad asylum omnium infestissimi profugium invenerunt Haec eadem Regno occupato supremi Ecclesiae capitis locum in omni Angliâ ejusque praecipuam Auctoritatem atque Jurisdictionem monstruose sibi usurpans regnum ipsum jam tum ad Fidem Catholicam bonam frugem reductum rursus in exitium miserum revocavit Sect. 2.
Hereticks Pope Julius II. afterwards confirms this Constitution of his Predecessor as to all the Punishments contain'd in it Excommunicates and Curses all Persons Ecclesiastical and Secular of what Dignity soever though Kings who shall offend against that Constitution and Decrees that they shall have their Portion and Damnation with Dathan and Abiron The Damnation then intended and threatned in this Impious Bull of Pius V. as in other Papal Bulls of the like nature is not only some Temporal loss and damage though that also be included and expressed but the Eternal Damnation of Body and Soul Which further appears by that Famous or indeed Infamous Erroneous and Ridiculous Constitution of Boniface VIII wherein having said That there is but one Catholick Church out of which there is no Salvation and that our Blessed Saviour made Peter and his Successors his Vicarij Vice-Gerents and Heads of that Church he adds That whoever are not of that Church and in Subjection and Obedient to the Pope can have no Salvation And Pius V. in this very Bull expresly says the same For 1. He says That out of the Apostolick Church he means evidently his own Roman Church there is no Salvation 2. He Declares Queen Elizabeth an Heretick that she and all her Adherents had Incurr'd an Anathema and Malediction were Excommunicate and cut off from the Body of Christ. So that Queen Elizabeth and all her Loyal Protestant Subjects who never were nor could be as without great Error and Impiety they could not subject to the Pope nor Members of his Apostolical Church are by this Bull Eternally Damn'd 4. But this is not all for we have greater Evidence that by the word Damnation in their Bulls wherein all Hereticks Protestants you may be sure who without Truth or Charity they call so are Curs'd and Excommunicated they do and must mean Eternal Damnation For 1. Pope Leo. X. in the Lateran Council which with them is General and Oecumenial innovates and establisheth with the Approbation and Consent of that Council the aforesaid Doctrine and Constitution of Pope Boniface VIII 2. The Trent Council does so too and absolutely Anathematizes and Damns all those who do not believe their whole new Creed in which there is not one true Article but all Erroneous many Superstitious and Impious and tells us It is the Catholick Faith without the belief of which no man can be saved and swear firmly to believe it to their last breath and Anathematize all who do not And which is further very considerable and pertinent to confirm what is abovesaid they do in that Oath promise vow and swear to receive and imbrace All Things delivered defined and declared in their General Councils and All the Constitutions of their Church For these Particulars are parts of that new Creed to the Belief and Profession of which they are sworn And the Trent Council it self as well as the Pope in that Creed requires that they make such a Profession Whence it evidently follows that all their Bishops all Regulars of what Order soever who are provided of Monasteries Religious Houses c. All Canons and Dignitaries in their Church all who have any Cure of Souls and all who profess and teach any of the Liberal Arts c. for all these are required to take that Oath are sworn to receive believe and profess all the Desinitions of the Lateran Council under Leo. X. and the Constitution of Pope Boniface VIII which denounces Damnation to all those who submit not to the Pope and imbrace not their Popish Religion and hence it further and as evidently follows that not only Queen Elizabeth but all good Protestants then and ever since who neither did nor without great Error and Impiety could so submit to their Popes or believe their New Creed are by their Papal and uncharitable Divinity Eternally Damn'd So that it is not only some Temporal mischief or loss but the Eternal Damnation of Body and Soul which is threatned and Declared to be the Effect and Inevitable Consequence of this against Queen Elizabeth and such other Excommunications of those whom they call Hereticks 4. In the beginning of this Impious Bull we are told by the Pope That our Blessed Saviour committed the Government of His Church with all plenitude and fulness of Power to Peter and his Successors And that we might know how great the Power was over all Kings and Kingdoms he miserably misapplies a Text in Jeremy and says That our blessed Saviour did Constitute Peter alone a Prince over All Nations and All Kingdoms to Pull up and Throw down to Dissipate and Destroy to Plant and Build in Ordine ad Spiritualia in Order to the Salvation of his Faithful People so that if we may believe this Infallible Expositor the same Power which God gave Jeremy over all Nations and Kingdoms to pull up and destroy them the very same did our blessed Saviour give to Peter and his Successors Nor is Pius V. the only Pope who makes use of that Text to prove their extravagant Papal Power over Kings Pope Alexander III. having told some of his Brethren how the Emperor held his Stirrup when he mounted his Palfrey In his next Constitution having said That the Diligence of the Bishops and Pastors was necessary to pull up and cut off Hereticks and wicked men in the Church he Cites the place of Jeremy to prove it and says That the Power over Nations and Kingdoms to pull up cast down and destroy was Given to Jeremy and In Him to the Evangelical Priest to Peter and his Successors as he there expresly explains it And Pope Paul III. tells us That he was Vicar of Christ our blessed Saviour and plac'd in the Throne of Justice Above All Kings in the whole World According to the Prophecy of Jeremy And then Cites the words of Jeremy before mention'd And to omit others Pope Boniface VIII Cites the same Text though to as little purpose to the same end to prove the Popes power above Kings so as to punish and depose them And before him Innocent III. in his wild and irrational Epistle to the Emperor of Constantinople Cites the same Text of Jeremy and another Gen. 1. 16. more impertinent if that be possible to prove the vast Power of Popes above all Kings and Emperors By all which Papal Bulls and Constitutions as by many others of the like nature it may evidently appear that they challenge a Power to depose Kings and that they bring the Text of Jeremy as a ground and proof of it But although their Popes brag That they have all Laws in the Archives of their own breasts and that they are Supream and Infallible Judges in all Controversies of Faith yet their whole Discourse and Deductions from the Text of the Prophet Jeremy is inconsequent and indeed ridiculous and no way concerns either Peter or any of his
body else can do to free the Pope from being the great Antichrist For if either Caligula or Simon Magus who have been dead this Sixteen hundred years and more be that Antichrist then unless you will have two or three such Antichrists The Pope is secure and wrong'd by those who call him so miscall'd Antichrist Sed salva res est there is little danger from such extravagant Opinions they will neither be beneficial to the Pope nor prejudicial to his Adversaries to believe and prove him to be Antichrist That Caligula or Simon Magus was that great Antichrist none or if any very few believe The Reformed Churches say that the Pope is Antichrist and have great reason to say so many of the Propheties and Predictions of him in Scripture being now actually fulfilled and so the truth of the Prediction made Evident and easie to be understood by the Event On the other side the Popish Party say that Antichrist is not yet come and so neither Party does believe Caligula or Simon Magus to be Antichrist because it is a Novel and Apocryphal Hypothesis take which of the two you will without truth or probability Sure I am that the Reasons those two Learned Persons bring for their Opinions are evidently Illogical and Inconsequent For 1. If Grotius his proofs for Caligula be cogent and concluding then Dr. Hammonds for Simon Magus are Inconsequent and if Dr. Hammonds be Good those of Grotius are not Whence 't is evident that all the proofs of the one Party at least are Impertinent and to prove his Position Insufficient 2. But indeed all the Reasons they both bring to prove their several Positions are as I said Illogical and Inconsequent That this may not be gratis dictum I say 1. That both their proofs are built and rely upon the same ground they take not all but only some of the Characters and Marks of Antichrist which the Apostles give him in Scripture 2. They indeavor to accommodate and apply those Marks to Caligula or Simon Magus and think they make it appear that such Marks are really found in Caligula or Simon Magus 3. And hence they Argue and Conclude thus Such Marks of Antichrist are to be found in Caligula or Simon Magus Ergo They the one of them at least are that Antichrist Or which is all one Magus and Antichrist agree in some things Ergo They are the same 4. Now such Arguing is miserably Illogical and Inconsequent and no better then this A Duck and a Goose do agree in many things each of them has one Head two Legs two Eyes a flat Bill or Beak and sometimes Feathers of the same colour c. Ergo A Duck is a Goose. Or thus Sempronius and Titius agree in many things they have the same Father and Mother Romans both born in the same Hour being Twins bread at the same School both good Scholars c. Ergo Titius is Sempronius The Reasons those Learned men bring to prove their several Antichrists prove no more then those I have given that is just nothing 5. The reason of such Inconsequence in such Arguments is this Young Sophisters in the University can tell you out of Porphyrie Aristotle and their Scholiasts That every individual person or thing is made up and does consist of such Properties and Qualifications Quorum Collectio nunquam in aliquo alio Eadem esse potest It is certain that a Collection of all the Properties and Qualifications which Constitute any Individual person cannot be in any other person whomsoever though it is as certain that some of them may Now had Grotius or Dr. Hammond taken a Collection of all the Characters and Marks of Antichrist given him in Scripture and made it appear that all those Marks had been really found in Caius Caligula or Simon Magus their proofs had been Logical and Consequent This they neither did nor could But their accommodation and applying only some of the Marks of the Beast to Caius or Magus and thence Concluding that they were Antichrist such deductions are evidently Illogical and Inconsequent And so much the more Inconsequent because even those marks of Antichrist which they indeavour to prove to be really in Caligula or Simon Magus never were in either of them in that sense and extent in which they were and since his coming are to be found in Antichrist If any man censure me as may be some will for contradicting those two Learned Persons Dr. Hammond and Grotius all the Apology I shall make for it needs none is only this It is as lawful for me to contradict them in defence of evident truth as it was for them to contradict each other and the Christian World in defence of a manifest Error 9. The Pope in this his Impious and Lying Bull declares the Queen to be what he really was and she was not a Slave of Sin a Heretick and a favourer of Hereticks And then with a prodigious Antichristian Pride and Impiety pronounceth his Penal Sentence against her of Damnation Excommunication Deprivation c. And here it is further to be observed 1. What this Papal Power is and whence he has it which he pretends to inable and authorize him to sit Judge and pass such Damnatory Sentences against Princes and Supream Powers for Heresie 2. What that Heresie is and who the Hereticks who by the Pope are so severely damn'd for it 3. What those punishments are which they pretend they may and actually do Inflict upon such Hereticks 1. For the first Pius the Fifth in the beginning of this Impious Bull tells us that this Papal Power is Divine For he says That our blessed Saviour did Constitute Peter and his Successors the Popes of Rome Princes over all Nations and Kingdoms with a Plenitude of Power to Pull up Dissipate and Destroy c. Thus he and so others in their Damnatory Bulls but with some variation and if it were possible in such words as are more Extravagant Erroneous and Impious I shall only Instance in one Paulus the Fourth who was next Predecessor save one to Pius the Fifth who in his Bull against Hereticks and Schismaticks and their Favourers expresses his power to damn them thus The Pope of Rome here in Earth is Vicar or Vice-Roy of God and our Lord Jesus Christ and has Plenitude of Power over Nations and Kingdoms and is Judge of All men and not to be Judged by any Man in the World And that you may see that they are not asham'd to pretend to and usurp such an Antichristian Power for none but Antichrist ever pretended to it This Bull of Pope Paul the Fourth is referr'd into the Body of their Canon Law almost One hundred years ago dedicated to Cardinal Cajetan and lately publish'd again as a part of their Law without any Contradiction and therefore with the approbation of the Pope or his Party That this their Opinion of the Papal Power is far from truth
trust and diligently examin Things till we be assured of truth yet his pretended Vicar with an Antichristian Pride and Impiety Contradicts this and Commands the contrary He forbids all Examination Those under his Tyranny at least the unlearned and Common people must believe as the Church believes that is all that he proposeth though it be Transubstantiation or any thing evidently repugnant to their Reason and Senses too They must renounce their own Reason and if he say that is white which they see black they are to believe what he says and not their own Senses All means for the People to examin whether it be truth or error which the Pope and his Church proposes is prohibited and deny'd them nor is it only the Books of Protestants which write of Religion but the Bible and Sacred Scripture too even the whole Law of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ in any vulgar Language which the People can understand come amongst prohibited Books and damn'd at Rome and the reason they give of such prohibition is impious and blasphemous For they say horresco referens the reading of the Holy Scripture by the People in any vulgar Tongue is more pernicious then profitable and brings more loss then benefit to the Reader Although this Doctrine be as I said impious and against God and his Holy Word blasphemous yet it is publickly own'd amongst those Rules for prohibited Books contrived by a Deputation or Committee of the Trent Fathers according to the Decree of that Council and afterwards approved and confirmed by Pius the Fourth Sixtus the Fifth and Clemens the Eighth as the Title of the Trent Index assures us After them that we may be sure they continue their Antichristian Tyranny to prohibit and damne the Bible and all Books which make against them Gregory the Fifteenth and Urban the Eighth do further approve and confirm the Impious Rules and Doctrine afore-mention'd and both of them expresly declare and in the same words 1. That it is known that the Reading prohibited Books the Bible is one of them brings great detriment to the Professors of the sincere Faith Roman Errors and Popery they mean which they miscall sincere Faith And what they say is most certain for there is no Book under Heaven so destructive of their Popish Superstition and Idolatry which they call sincere Faith as the Bible as it has been truly explain'd and preached by Protestants since Luther ' s time Which is evident in this that so many Kingdoms and Provinces by the help of Scriptures and Knowledge of the Gospel have clearly seen the Errors of Rome and justly abhorring her and them are come out of Babylon 2. All Licences to read any prohibited Books whosoever gave them to whomsoever they were given they recall cassate and declare null 3. Then they Command under severest punishments that all those who have any prohibited Books the Bible is one if it be in any Vulgar Tongue they are to bring them to the Bishop or Inquisitor and they are presently to Burn them 4. And then they declare That no man shall have any Licence for the future to read or have any prohibited Book no Bible or Protestant Book concerning Religion in any Vulgar Tongue save only from the Congregation of the Sacred Office the supream Office of the Inquisitors which sits every week before the Pope at Rome By the Premisses I think 't is certain that these Papers of mine are in Antecessum and already prohibited and damn'd at Rome and if their Papal Constitutions be obligatory and obeyed not to be read or had by any Papist save only such as have a faculty and licence from the Congregation of the Sacred Office as they call it the Roman Inquisitors and we may be sure that those watchful Fathers who guard the Capitol and industriously study to preserve and promote the Papal Greatness and Interest on which their own depends will give licence to none to read such Protestant Writings save to those who for fidelity to their Catholick Cause and Learning they judge able and willing to Answer and Confute them That is None shall have Licence to read such to them dangerous and damned Books save such as have solemnly Promised Vow'd and Sworn firmly to believe and constantly to hold and profess to their last breath and to the utmost of their Power indeavour that others under them do so too their new Trent-Creed and so the whole Mass of their Popish Errors and Idolatries contained and commanded in it The Case being evidently this that if their Papal Constitutions be obligatory and obey'd none are to read or have these Papers save such as have promised vow'd and sworn never to believe them as I have little reason to desire or hope for their favour so be it known unto them I do as little fear their Confutation or what I am like enough to have their Calumnies 4. Although I well know to say nothing of others that all our English Papists both in their Words and Writings do constantly call themselves Catholicks and Roman Catholicks yet they must pardon me if in these Papers I neither do nor justly can call them so Papists I do call them and I hope they will not be offended or take it ill that I do so For Baronius their great Cardinal and Annalist having said That the Hereticks we know whom he means call'd them Papists he adds That we could not honour them with a more glorious Title then that of Papists and therefore he desires that they may have the honour of that Title while they live and that after death it may be writ upon their Tombs and Sepulchral Monuments For my part so long as they believe and profess their new Trent-Creed and the Popes Monarchical Supremacy I shall according to the Cardinal's desire call them Papists and if it be so honourable a Title as he saies it is let them have it I shall not envy them that honour but pity their error who glory in that which is indeed their sin and shame For the other Title of Catholick which our Adversaries without and against reason appropriate to themselves we grant and know that anciently it was and when rightly used is a word of a good sound signification when it was applied to persons as a Catholick Bishop or Catholick Doctor c. it signified such persons as were 1. In respect of their Faith Orthodox who intirely believed and profess'd the true Christian Faith rejecting all pernicious and dangerous errors and so were no Hereticks 2. In respect of their Charity such as were in Communion with the Church of Christ without any uncharitable Separation from it and so no Schismaticks Now that our Adversaries of Rome are as they pretend such Catholicks is absolutely deny'd not only by Protestants but except themselves by all Christians in the World and that upon evident and great reason Considering
Supream Princes are Subjects may totally and absolutely depose and deprive them of all their Dominions and right to Govern 4. When the Pope has pass'd such Sentence and deprived them of their Dominions if afterwards they meddle with the Government they become every way Tyrants both Titulo Administratione And then 5. After such Sentence pass'd by the Pope such Kings or Supream Princes may be dealt with as Altogether and Every Way Tyrants and Consequently may be kill'd by Any Private Person 4. And though these be Prodigious Errors Unchristian and indeed Antichristian Impieties such as neither ours nor any Language can fully express yet this is not all The Jesuite further declares That though Pagans anciently had and still have Power to Depose their Tyrannical Kings yet in Christian Commonwealths they have such dependence upon the Pope that without his Knowledge and Authority they should not depose their King For he may Command and Prohibit the People to do it And he gives Instances when People have consulted the Popes and by their Counsel and Consent Deposed their Kings So he says Chilperick was Deposed in France and Sancius Secundus in Portugal And to make up their Errors and Impieties full he further tells us That all Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths do so far depend upon the Pope that he may not only Counsel the People and Consent to their Deposition and Assassination of their Tyrannical Princes But he may Command and Compel them to do it when he shall think it sit for avoiding Schisms and Heresies That is indeed for the rooting out and ruine of the true Protestant Religion and establishing their Roman Superstition and Idolatry And to conclude he further declares That in such Cases the Popes Command to Murder a Deposed King is so far from being any Crime that it is Superlatively Just. I might here cite Cardinal Tolet Guliel Rossaeus and a hundred such others who approve and in their Publicks Writings Approved and Licenced according to the Decree of their Trent Council by the Auhority of their Church justifie this Impious and Antichristian Doctrine of Deposing and Assassinating Heretical Kings but this I conceive a needless work For 1. Suarez himself declares it to be the received Doctrine of their Church and cites many of their Eminent Writers to prove it which any may see who is not satisfied with those before cited 2. The Licencers of Suarez and his Book are for Dignity in their Church and for Learning so great and for Number so many and the Commendations they give Suarez and his Work so high that there neither is nor can be any just Reason to doubt but this Doctrine was approved at Rome and by the Ruling part of that Church the Pope and his Party believed and incouraged as a Doctrine asserting the Popes Extravagant and as they call it Supernatural Power and so their Common Interest Let the Reader consult the Censures prefix'd to Suarez his Book and he will find all these following to Approve and Licence it First Three great Bishops all of them Counsellors to his Catholick Majesty 2. Two Provincials of the Society one of the Jesuites in Portugal the other of those in Germany 3. Academia Complutensis the University of Alcala de Henares approves it too 4. Lastâ—â— the Supream Senate Court or Congregation of the Inquisitors do also approve and licence it and this they do by Commission from Peter de Castello Vice-Roy of Portugal and in Matters of Faith Supream inquisitor The Premisses impartially consider'd I think we may truly say That it is not only Suarez or some particular or private Persons but the Church of Rome and her Ruling part which approves this Impious and Trayterous Doctrine Which may further appear besides their Approbations and Licences from the great Commendations they give Suarez and his Book and Doctrine And here 1. For Suarez They say That he was a Contemner of Humane things and a most Valiant Desender only of Piety and Catholick Religion And for his Excellent Wisdom the Common Master and another Augustine of that Age. That for his great Zeal for the Catholick Faith he was a most Famous Author and a most Eminent Divine That he was a Most Grave and most Religious Writer whose Works the World the Popish World does Honour Admire and Love c. 2. And for his Book and the Doctrine contained in it They say That all things in his Book are Religiously Consonant to Sacred Scripture to Apostolical Traditions General Councils and Papal Decrees this last we admit and they profess it to be true And hence if they may be believed who expresly affirm it themselves it evidently follows That this Traiterous Doctrine is approved by the Pope and is Consonant to his Decrees And those Publick Censors of Suarez his Book severally add That they find Nothing and therefore not the Assassinations of Kings in it against the Orthodox Faith the Roman Faith they mean but many things which do defend the Faith The University of Alcala de Henares to omit the rest more fully testifies That they read Suarez his Book with all possible Diligence and found Nothing in it repugnant to the Catholick Faith nor was there Any Thing in it which ought not to be Approved and Commended And then add that we may be sure they spoke cordially and deliberately That there was Nothing in that whole Work which All of them did not approve so that they were All of the same Mind and Judgment Nay we are further told That he had Composed that Work by More then Human Helps and therefore they Judge it Most Worthy to be Published for the Publick and Common Benesit of the Whole Christian World and a Signal Victory of their Faith over Heresies Such are the Commendations of Suarez his Book and Doctrine so that we may be sure that it is Approved and Received at Rome And here let me further add that when King James had Published his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance and Sir Henry Savil Translated it into Latin the Latin Copy was by the Popish Party immediately sent to Rome and by the Pope Condemned there as Impious and Heretical From Rome it was sent to Suarez who by the Popes Command was to Confute and Answer it He undertook and finished the Answer sent it to Rome where it was highly approved and afterwards Printed and Published with all those Approbations and Commendations before mention'd But these Positions need no further proof that they are own'd and publickly approved by the Pope and his Party I shall only add When King James had charged Bellarmine and the Church of Rome with this Rebellious and Impious Doctrine of deposing Kings absolving Subjects from all Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity c. Gretser in his Answer has these memorable words We do not deny says he
but freely Profess that the Pope upon just cause and he is Judge of that may Excommunicate and Depose Princes and Absolve their Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance And then he adds That the Subjects are bound in Conscience to Obey the Popes Sentence not only in the Cases mentioned But in All other of the like Nature And this impious and traiterous Doctrine of Gretser is not only approved by the Provincial of the Jesuites in Germany and the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ingolstade but his whole Book and so those mentioned and many more such Rebellious and Impious Positions Was Approved at Rome by the Suffrage of Most Learned Divines This the said Provincial of the Jesuites and the Rector of the University of Ingolstade expresly testifie in their Publick and Printed Approbations of Gretsers Book The Premisses and Traiterous Popish Principles consider'd which are received and believed at Rome though men may wonder at the Beast the Pope and his Party and that any who would not only be thought Christians but the only Catholicks in the World should maintain and publickly justifie such Principles yet we need not wonder that such Persons should practise and act according to such Principles and continually indeavour especially after the Anathema of Pius the Fifth by Rebellions at home and Invasions from abroad to rob Queen Elizabeth of her Crown and Kingdoms and of her Life too by Roman and Mahometan Assassinations I say we need not wonder at this For let the aforesaid Doctrines which they approve and constantly contend for be granted That the Pope is Supream Judge and Monarch of the World directè or indirecte that all Kings and Emperors are His Subjects that he has Power to Depose and Deprive them of their Kingdoms that when he has Judicially deprived them any Private Person may Murder them that he has Power to Absolve their Subjects from all Obligations and Oaths of Allegiance and to Command them upon pain of an Anathema never to obey any of their Princes Laws or Commands that the People may depose their King with His Consent and Counsel and that he may Command and Compel them to do it and this so oft as he shall Think it Good for the Spiritual Health of the Kingdom Prodigious Error and Impiety as if Rebellion Assassinations and Murdering their Kings conduc'd to the Salvation of the Subjects I say these Erroneous and Impious Doctrines granted and as they are at Rome believ'd it is certain that so far as they have opportunity and ability they will as they ever have done prosecute their Interest and practise according to those Principles and all Christian Kings will be in perpetual danger to loose their Crowns their Kingdoms and their Lives too unless they can please the Pope and become his dutiful Servants and indeed Slaves to his Anti-Christian Tyranny I say no Christian King Tros Tyriusve Papist or Protestant can be out of eminent Danger where such Doctrine is by such Doctors maintain'd We have sad and certain Instances of this Truth For 1. Henry the Third and Fourth of France were neither Calvinists nor Lutherans but declared Sons of the Roman Synagogue yet because they did not Comply with the Popish Interest in that degree and measure the Pope and his Party expected they fatally fell by the Traiterous and Prodigious Villany of bloody Assassins Ridente gaudente Roma The Pope and his Jesuitical Party with an Extasie of Joy Approving and Commending the Treason and in their Writings and Pictures Canonizing the Traitors 2. For Protestants and as they call them Heretical Princes their danger proportionable to Romes hatred of them is greater They may by the Power and Gracious Providence of God want ability but they neither do nor unless they renounce their Erroneous and Impious Principles ever will want a desire and indeavour to ruine those they call Hereticks either by open Hostility and Rebellions or by Poyson Pistols and private Assassinations Their many known Plots and Conspiracies against Queen Elizabeth King James Charles the Martyr and his Gracious Majesty now Reigning whom God preserve are undeniable Demonstrations of this Truth The Ark of God and Dagon Light and Darkness Truth and Error the Bible and Popish Bullary Protestancy and Popery cannot possibly Consist and be in Peace Nothing is or can be so destructive of Darkness and Error as Truth and Light And 't is evidently known to this Western World That the Evangelical Light and Truth which the Protestants have haphily and clearly discovered to the long deluded Church of God have awakened thousands to a detestation of that Superstition and Idolatry under which they formerly lay to the dishonour of God and ruine of their Souls and to a shaking and great diminution of the Papal Monarchy and Tyranny so many Kingdoms forsaking Rome and shaking off the Heavy and Intollerable Yoke of Sin and Popish Servitude Et hinc illae Lacrymae Hence it is that the Pope and his inraged Party when they cannot by any probable pretence of Reason confute what they call Heresie the Protestant Religion they indeavour to Confound and by Fire and Sword Consume the Hereticks Aeterna bella pace sublatâ gerunt Jurant odium nec prius hostes esse desinunt quam esse desinunt They excite and incourage Princes of their Profession to persecute and destroy all Protestants in their Dominions and their barbarous and bloody Poet has told us how they desire it to be done Vtere Jure Tuo Caesar Sectámque Lutheri Ense Rota Ponto Funibus Igne neca Use thy Power Caesar let Lutherans be slain By Fire Rack Halter Sword or drown'd i th' Maine DAMNATIO ET EXCOMMUNICATIO Henrici VIII REGIS ANGLIAE EJUSQUE FAUTORUM Cum aliarum ADJECTIONE POENARUM Paulus Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei Ad futuram Rei Memoriam EJVS qui immobilis permanens sua Providentia Ordine mirabili dat cuncta moveri disponente Clementiâ vices licet immeriti gentes in Terris in Sede Justitiae Constituti juxta quoque Prophetae Hieremiae vaticinium Ecce Te Constitui super Gentes Regna ut evellas destruas aedisices plantes praecipuum super Omnes Reges Vniversae Terrae cunctosque populos obtinentes Principatum ac illum qui pius misericors est vindictam ei qui illam praevenit paratam temperat nec quos Impoenitentes videt severa ultione Castigat quin prius Comminetur in assidue autem peccantes in peccatis perseverantes cum Excessus Misericordiae sines praeteriunt ut saltem metu poenae ad Cor reverti cogantur Justitiae vires Exercet imitantes Incumbenti Nobis Apostolicae solicitudinis studio perurgemur ut cunctarum Personarum nostrae Curae Coelitùs Commissarum salubri Statui solertius Intèndamus ac Erroribus Scandalis quae hostis Antiqut versutia imminere conspicimus propensius obviemus Excessusque Enormia ac scandalosa