the Clergy OUGHT NOT to relieve the NECESSITIES of Cities or any other places no not even then when the Laicks are in want unless the Pope be first consulted 2. That all Decrees and Constitutions of Laymen laying such Taxes upon the Clergy are null and never can be made obligatory 3. All persons Excommunicated for such grievances laid upon the Clergy and their SUCCESSORS stand Excommunicated unless they make satisfaction within a Month. 4. And they tell us that all this is said for a fuller declaration of the Law in this Case that Novices may better understand it This is their own Exposition of the Canon in the most correct Body of their Canon-Law and they there tell us that it is the Canon of a General Council and then according to their Principles infallibly true and obligatory to all the Christian World So that by this Popish Law if any Lay-men the King and Parliament of England lay any Tax or by a Statute require any Subsidy of Clergy-men though in the Necessities of the Kingdom without the Popes leave such Statute is declared Void and Null and they and their Successors unless satisfaction be made Excommunicate Nor is it only some Inferior Magistrates or Officers who are thus Excommunicated but all Persons CUJUSCUNQUE conditionis Status aut DIGNITATIS And that we may know that such Excommunications are not a rash and inconsiderate Act of Urban the Fifth or some angry Pope they have been for some Ages past and still are solemnly publish'd at Rome every Year in that famous and impious Bulla Coenae Domini on Maundy-Thursday Even on that day in which our Blessed Saviour Instituted that Coenâ— Domini as a Sacrament of our Union with him by a lively Faith and of the Communion of all Christians amongst themselves by an unfeigned love and charity I say on this day the greatest part of the Christian World are Anathematiz'd and Curs'd at Rome by their Popes successively for no other reason but because they are for the Truth of the Gospel and against his without any reason or sense Usurp'd Greatness and Worldly Interest In that Bull the Anathema or Papal Curse Stilo Curiae is thus We Excommunicate all of what Dignity soever REGAL IMPERIAL DUCAL c. who impose any Tax Toll or Prestation upon any Ecclesiastiques or receive any Taxes so impos'd though the Persons on whom they are imposed would WILLINGLY pay them without the special and EXPRESS LICENCE of the Pope Now although this aforesaid were evidence enough to intitle the Church of Rome to such desperate Doctrine and Excommunications yet we have further and greater evidence I mean their Great Lateran Council consisting of above 1200 Fathers such as they were Synodically ratifying the same Doctrine and all this expresly confirmed by the Trent Council which tells us That this Immunity and Exemption of the Clergy is DEI ORDINATIONE Canonicis Sanctionibus Constituta and therefore Decrees and COMMANDS That all the Sacred Canons all General Councils and all Papal Constitutions in favor of Ecclesiastical Persons and the Liberties of the Church be and ought to be exactly observed and that as THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD and admonisheth the EMPEROR KINGS and PRINCES c. and obliges them to such Observation Nor is the Trent Council content with this but requires her Ecclesiastiques and many more of which anon to PROMISE SWEAR and VOW firmly and without all doubting to believe all the Canons and Councils before-mentioned especially the Decrees of the Trent Fathers By the Premises I think it evident that by the approved Doctrine and Principles of the Roman Church no Kings Princes or Parliaments nor any LAY-MEN how many or great soever can lay any Tax upon Ecclesiastiques no not in the greatest Necessity and Poverty of the Lay-Subjects without express leave first had from the Pope Now whether this Popish Doctrine if approved and believed be not very dangerous and pernicious especially to Protestant Princes do you judge Nor is this all for 4. Their approved and received Popish Principles do not only free them from taking Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and their Estates I speak of their Clergy from Taxes unless the Pope consent but their Persons also be their Crimes never so great from all Punishment by Kings or any Lay-Court or Magistrate of what State or Dignity soever This is a manifest and known Truth and needed no proof were it not that some who have an ungrounded courage to believe such Seditions Principles have also when it makes for their Interest a confidence to deny them But seeing some of the Popish Party do deny it I shall endeavour to bring such Authentique and evident Proofs as will I hope satisfie you and might convince the Gainsayers if they can and will impartially judge of the Truth of the aforesaid Popish Position The Proofs I mean shall be drawn from the clear Testimonies of their own eminent and learned Writers their Canon-Laws approved and received in and by their Church their Popes Decretals and their own General Councils And here 1. An eminent Popish Casuist tells us That ALL MAGISTRATES whoever they be Kings and Princes not excepted who interpose in Judicature against Ecclesiastical Persons in ANY CRIMINAL CAUSE whether it be MURDER or HIGH TREASON are to be Excommunicated And this he proves out of their Canon Law and the Constitution of Pope Innocent the Second in a General Council own'd and approved by them 2. We have a Canon of a Council at Paris referr'd into the Body of their Law publish'd by the Authority of Pope Gregory the Ninth which determines the case thus No SECULAR JUDGE may distrain or condemn ANY CLERGY-MAN without the PERMISSION of the POPE and if he do he is to be excommunicate and to continue so till he acknowledge and mend his fault You see this Seditious Popish doctrine is established by the Council of Paris and the General Council in the Lateran and by 3 Popes Innocent the Second Gregory the Ninth and Gregory the Thirteenth and so must be the Doctrine of the Roman-Church For it is Law with them That NO MAN must be permitted to RETRACT or QUESTION any Papal Sentence And their Law says further That ALL the Popes Decrees are IRREFRAGABLY to be observed and that so far and undoubtedly as if St. Peter had confirm'd them with his own mouth and Gratian cites Pope Agatho for it 3. Nay further all Secular Magistrates are at Rome every year solemnly Anathematiz'd and curs'd who call any Ecclesiastical persons to their Tribunals Courts Chancellaries Councils Parliaments c. or any way molest them directly or indirectly for it is but six or seven years since Pope Clement the Tenth did solemnly curse all secular Magistrates and all Courts even Parliaments who should any way trouble the Clergy or punish or take any cognizance of their crimes So that by
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
POPERY OR THE Principles Positions Approved by the CHURCH OF ROME When Really Believ'd and Practis'd Are very Dangerous to all and to Protestant Kings and Supreme Powers more especially Pernicious And Inconsistent with that Loyalty which by the Law of NATURE and SCRIPTURE is Indispensably due to SUPREME POWERS In a LETTER to a Person of Honor By T. L d Bishop of LINCOLN Rev. 18. 4. Jer. 15. 6. Come out of her my people least ye be partakers of her Sins and Plagues In the SAVOY Printed by Tho. Newcomb for James Collins in the Temple-passage from Essex-street MDCLXXIX FOR MY Honored Friend L. N. P. SIR I Received and read your Letter and this comes to bring my humble Service and tell you so In your Letter you tell me First Of an Inhumane and Bloody Design and Popish Plot a Traiterous and Roman-Catholick Conspiracy as you call it against the Sacred Person and Life of our Gracious KING whom GOD preserve and many more by them design'd for Ruine and for the Subversion of the true Religion Establish'd by Law and introducing Papal Tyranny Superstition and Idolatry A Design not only Unchristian but Inhumane and Barbarous beyond all examples of Turkish or Pagan Cruelty nor has it in any story any parallel Impiety unless perhaps that Bloody French Massacre or the Gun-powder-Treason all contriv'd and carry'd on by Men of the same desperate Principles and though with the blood and ruine of many thousand innocent persons to advance the Papal Interest Secondly You say That the Popish Party decry this Impious Conspiracy as a State-Trick without truth or reallity to make Catholicks as they commonly miscall themselves odious to the People and this whole Nation This I believe and know they do As their Plots and Conspiracies so their Impudence to deny or lessen them when discover'd is monstrous and were not their Persons and Principles known incredible So they did where and when they durst and still do call the Gun-powder-Treason A State-Design to make them though they were innocent seem guilty and Criminals Thirdly Lastly you say that several Papists tell you in excuse of Popery and their Party That if indeed there be such a Plot and Conspiracy as is pretended yet it is the only fault of those persons concern'd in it not of Popery or their Religion the Principles and Doctrine of their Church giving no ground or incouragement to such impious and Anti-Monarchical practices This I believe too because I find them making the same Apology for themselves to take off the guilt of the Gun-powder-Treason For without all truth or modesty they tell us in Print That the Gun-powder-Treason was MORE THAN SUSPECTED to be the CONTRIVANCE of Cecil the great Politician TO RENDER CATHOLICKS ODIOUS and that there were but VERY FEW of that Religion AND THOSE DESPERADOES TOO detected of it c. All sober Catholicks detesting that and all such Conspiracies Now these things premis'd you desire to know of me whether I think these their Allegations and Apologies true or if I think them untrue and insignificant as you may be sure I do that I would give you some reasons why I do so In obedience therefore to your command and to satisfie that Obligation that lies upon me so far as I am able to Vindicate Truth and my Mother the Church of England though I have little time and few Books here being absent from my own save what I borrow of friends I shall endeavour to say something which may I hope be pertinent towards the conviction of our Adversaries and your satisfaction And here I shall plainly set down I. The Position I undertake to make good II. The Proofs and Reasons of it I. The Position is this ...... The Doctrine and Principles of Popery own'd by the Church of Rome when believed and practised are not onely dangerous but pernicious to Kings especially to those who are Protestants prejudicial to the just rights of Monarchy and inconsistent with that Loyalty which by the Laws of Nature and Scripture is due to them and particularly to our Kings by the establish'd and known Laws of England made antiently even by Popish Kings and Parliaments against Papal Usurpations and Anti-Monarchical Practices And here because it is impossible distinctly to shew how Popish Principles are dangerous to our Kings and prejudicial to their Just Rights and Royal Prerogative unless we first know what that Prerogative and those Rights are I shall inquire 1. What the Jura Coronae the Rights and Prerogatives of the Imperial Crown of England are as to our present concern 2. How Popish Doctrines and Principles may be dangerous or pernicious to them 1. For the First That England is a Monarchy the Crown Imperial and our Kings SUPREME Governors and SOLE SUPREME Governors of this Realm and all other their Dominions will I believe I am sure it should be granted seeing our Authentick Laws and Statutes do so expresly and so often say it In our Oath of Supremacy we Swear that the King is the ONLY SUPREME Governor SUPREME so none not the Pope above Him and ONLY SUPREME so none co-ordinate or equal to Him So that by our known Laws our King is Solo Deo minor invested with such a Supremacy as excludes both Pope and People and all the World God Almighty only excepted by whom Kings Reign from having any Power Jurisdiction or Authority over Him For this Soveraignty and Supremacy belonging to our Kings and the Imperial Crown of England is asserted not only by the Statutes of Q. Elizabeth King James and Charles the Second Protestant Princes but even those Statutes made by Popish Princes and Parliaments declare the same I instance only in Richard the Second Henry the Eighth and Q. Mary though all the Statutes of Provisors were pertinent to this purpose That Richard the Second and His Parliament were Roman-Catholicks is manifest and it is as certain That Henry the Eighth and His Parliaments when the Statutes cited were made were so too For 't is evident that those Statutes were made Anno. 24. and Anno. 25. Hen. 8. that is Anno. Dom. 1532. and 1533. when neither He nor His Adherents were Excommunicate but actual Members of the Roman Church then and for some years after For though Pope Paul the Third was angry and about it Anno. 1535. yet he did not actually Excommunicate him or his Adherents before the year 1538. which was six years after Henry the Eighth and His Popish Parliament had Vindicated the Rights of the Imperial Crown of England against the irrational and unjust Pretences and Usurpations of the Pope and declared that the Supremacy both in Ecclesiastical and Civil Things ever did de Jure belong to the Imperial Crown of England not to the Pope's Mitre He having no more to do in England Jure proprio or by any Law of God or Man than Henry the Eighth in Italy And that Parliament of Queen Mary
cited in the Margent although a Popish Parliament yet declares fully for the Queen's Supremacy which to some may seem strange for that Act expresly says 1. That the IMPERIAL CROWN of this Realm with all its Prerogatives Jurisdictions c. was descended to the Queen 2. That she was the SOVEREIGN and SUPREME Governor of all Her Dominions in AS FULL LARGE and AMPLE MANNER AS ANY OF HER PROGENITORS therefore in as ample a manner as Her Father Henry the Eighth 3. That by the MOST ANCIENT LAWS of this Realm the punishment of ALL OFFENDERS against the Regality and Laws of this Realm belong'd to the King c. So that even a Popish Parliament acknowledges and declares the Kings of England possess'd of such a Supremacy over all Persons and that by our MOST ANCIENT Laws that He may punish ALL OFFENDERS Clergy or Laity against the Laws and His Regality How contradictory to this the Trent Council and the Doctrine of the Roman Church is you shall see anon But for the Supremacy of the Kings of England according to our Ancient and Later Laws I refer you to the Learned in those Laws who will give you a clear Declaration of this Supremacy and a just Vindication of it from those impertinent and seditious Objections brought against it by some who inslaved to Rome have cast off Loyalty to their King and Love to their Country And lastly As for the Supremacy of Kings so far as it concerns the Laws of God Natural or Positive and Divines to determine it I refer you to the Answerâ— of the University of Oxon to a Letter of Henry the Eighth requiring their Judgment in that Point To the Articles of Edward the Sixth Of Queen Elizabeth The Articles of Ireland The Injunctions of Elizabeth The Canons of 1. Jacobi And the Canons sub Carolo Martyre 1640. besides the Writings of many particular Learned Men In which you may see the Judgement of the Church of England concerning Supremacy and the Loyalty due to our King clearly and fully express'd and in the late unhappy Rebellion more truly profess'd and practic'd by Her Sons than Papist Presbyter or Fanatique though some of them vainly brag of their Loyalty can with any just reason pretend to If you desire further satisfaction and evidence for the Supremacy of Kings particularly of our Kings and the Roman Emperors even in Ecclesiastical Matters you know and at your leisure may consult the Collections of our Saxon and the Imperial Laws where you may have sufficient and abundant evidence that as to matter of Fact never questioned in those days those Emperours and Kings made many Laws and Constitutions in Ecclesiastical Matters which concern'd the Church as well as Civil which concern'd the State And if you desire it I can shew you an Original MS. agreed upon and approved by the Convocations of both Provinces Canterbury and York and subscribed by both Archbishops and several of each Province wherein it is clearly shewn so far as Scripture and other Records of those times mention them that Kings from the beginning of the World till our Blessed Saviours time did and de Jure might exercise an Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Jurisdiction and Supremacy especially the Kings of the Jews his own People which Monarchy was of Gods own and perticularly Divine Institution These things premis'd I come now to shew you in the second place how dangerous and when and where they have power to put them in execution how pernicious Popish Principles are to the Persons of Kings and their just Rights and Prerogatives And here I say 1. That many of their Popish Principles and generally approved and received Doctrines are not only dangerous but destructive to and inconsistent with the just Soveraignty and Supremacy of Kings Because they generally say and in a thousand Books writ to that purpose industriously endeavor to prove it That all Kings and Emperors are so far from being Supreme that they are Subject to the Pope as to their Superior Lord to whom they owe Service and Fidelity That this may appear consider 1. The Emperor when he comes into the Popes presence as soon as ever he sees him he must His Hat off and bare-headed bow till his Knee touch the ground and worship the Pope and coming nearer must bow again and when he comes to the Pope he must how a third time and DEVOUTLY Kiss the Popes Foot The Emperor must WORSHIP the Pope with the Incurvations or bowings of Body even to the ground and then bare-headed and on his Knees DEVOUTLY Kiss the Pope's Foot Execrable and prodigious Pride The Pope without all truth or probability vainly and ridiculously only pretends to be Christ's Vicar and so if it were true is less than his Master and yet our blessed Saviour never requir'd nor had such Adorations Incurvations or Kissings of his Toe of any much less of Kings or Emperors Nor would any Man require such but the Man of Sin who exalts himself takes that greatness which God never gave him above all that is call'd God or worshipped That is above all Kings and Emperors Well but does not the Pope in this Case shew some respect and civility to the Emperor Does he not uncover his head or bow his body c. No for the same Authentick Book of the SACRED Ceremonies of the HOLY Roman Church tells us .... That the Pope never gives any reverence to any MORTAL whomsoever either by rising up apparently or by uncovering or bowing his head Onely sayes that Ceremonial when the Emperor has kiss'd the Foot of the Pope sitting in his Chair he riseth up A VERY LITTLE to him and so he does sometimes to GREAT PRINCES Whether this can stand with that Supremacy which by Divine Law Natural and Positive is due to Kings to be so far subject and slaves to the Pope let Kings who are most concern'd and the World Judge And it is to be consider'd that the Book I cite for those passages concerning the Pope is no Apocryphal or Non-licenc'd Pamphlet containing the inventions of some private person but it contains the SACRED Ceremonies of the ROMAN CHURCH collected by Marcellus ARCHBISHOP of Corcyra dedicated to POPE LEO the Tenth printed at ROME and highly approved and commended by their eminent Writers 2. But this is not all the poor Emperor must do the Pope his great Superior and Master more service and be his Groom or at best Gentleman of his Horse He must hold the Popes Stirrup till he get on Horseback and then lead the Horse for some paces ..... Caesar traditis sceptro pomo uni ex suis praevenit ad equum Pontificis TENET STAPHAM quoad Pontifex equum ascenderit deinde accepto equi fraeno per aliquot passus ducit equum Pontificis and the Emperors have de facto executed this mean Office which was impious and prodigious pride in the Pope
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-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
or to be Born of Queen Anna and all the Children of his Adherents and their Descendents none excepted of all their Rights Priviledges and Goods Moveable and Immoveable and makes them for the future incapable and deprived of all Dignities Honors Offices Rights Fees c. which otherwise they might have obtain'd and this he does knowingly and by the Plenitude of his Power Then he goes on and declares the King and his Adherents and Descendents to be Infamous Persons disabled to be Witness to make any Will or Testament or to receive any Legacy or Benefit by the Testament of any other Forbids all Men to have any Conversation Commerce or Trade with them on pain of Excommunication and loss of all their Goods c. And further Commands all Christian Princes quacunque dignitate Imperiali aut Regali fulgeant Kings and Emperors no way to favour the King and his Adherents and Nulls all Oaths Compacts Treaties c. made or to be made to or with the King or in favour of him or his Adherents and gives Authority and express COMMAND to all Christian Princes and their Armies by Sea or Land to turn their Arms against the King and his Adherents and compel them to return to the Unity of the Church and Obedience to the Pope And whoever acknowledges Henry the Eighth to be King or any way Obeys him and will not in Obedience to the Popes Command expel him and them out of the Kingdom and their Dominions all their Goods Moveable and Immoveable Moneys Merchandizes whether within or without England are to be seiz'd on and by the Popes Authority possess'd and kept by any who can catch them And he there gives them such Thieves and Robbers full power to enjoy and possess such Plunder'd Goods of the Kings or his Loyal Subjects as in their own Right and Propriety And if they take any Inhabitants in England Native or Alien who Obey the King and Disobey the Pope then all so taken are to be Slaves to those who take them So that impious Bull in contradiction to the Laws of Nature and Scripture Reason and Christian Religion Our Blessed Saviour the Prince of Peace came not to destroy but to save not to Depose Kings and Emperors Absolve their Subjects from the Obligations of their Natural or Sworn Allegiance or to Arm them against Governors and as his pretended Vicar does promise them a Reward Remission of Sins here and an higher place in Heaven hereafter for Rebellion and Murdering their Brethren Fellow-Subjects and Christians for believing and maintaining that Truth which by the Pope and his Party should be miscall'd Heresie No he was the good Shepherd who laid down his own life for his Sheep and when they stray'd and err'd from his Fold he did not hire and send Dogs or Wolves to worry them but with infinite Patience and Mercy went himself to seek them and being found though erring and out of his Fold laid them on his own shoulders and with great love and labor brought them home to his Fold from which as his Sheep may and yet not cease to be his Sheep they had erred We read indeed that our Blessed Saviour gives Peter Commission to FEED HIS SHEEP and his LAMBS But we never read that he whose Kingdom was not of this World gave any Commission to Peter or his pretended Vicar to raise Armies to kill and indictà causà to Murder them Though I know there are some who from pasce oves with bad Logique and worse Divinity conclude that the Pope has Power to kill Heretiques Like that Monk Erasmus mentions who with great Zeal for the Catholique Cause and greater Ignorance endeavoured to prove that the Church might kill Heretiques from that passage in the Apostle HAERETICUM DEVITA that is says the Monk who had no Greek and little Latine DE VITA TOLLE take him out of this life that is kill him Sed è diverticulo in Viam 7. From the aforesaid reasons I think we may with good consequence conclude that the Pope and his party ever since Henry the Eighth de facto assum'd the Supremacy which de jure was his before have been in a perpetual Conspiracy against the Lives and Religion of our Protestant Princes at least till the Happy Return of our Gracious Soveraign whom God preserve who being by the good and Miraculous Providence of Heaven Restor'd to His Fathers Throne His own Right and Inheritance a blessed Peace and all the happy effects of it did immediately follow to the great comfort and benefit of the whole Nation The Government of Church and State before shatter'd and ruin'd by a horrid Rebellion Begun Incourag'd and Promoted by the Pope and his Jesuitical Party was happily Restored and by Law establish'd the Just Rights and Liberties of the Subjects assured to them and confirm'd a Gracious Act of Oblivion and Pardon of Illegal Seditious and Rebellious actions against the King and His Laws granted and the blessing and benefit of all these extended to Papists as well as other So that beside their Obligation to Obedience and Loyalty by their Natural or Sworn Allegiance there lay upon them an Obligation to Gratitude for those signal favors they received from the goodness of a gratious Prince So that it was the beliefe and hope of some that the foremention'd Popish Principles and Practises had been forgot or laid aside and that the Roman Catholiques as both in words and writings they publickly pretended would be very Loyal Subjects But these were vain hopes for notwithstanding all obligations to obedience and gratitude even since His Majesties Happy Return the Popish Party have carried on their Plots and Conspiracies against their gracious Prince the establish'd Religion and the Peace of our Church and State with as much industry and impiety as formerly Which now evidently appears by their impious Conspiracy by the blessing of God very happily though lately discover'd That you may in the General know what this Plot is and that I do not miscall it when I say it is an Impious Conspiracy I shall give you two Authentique Testimonies I. Our gratious King calls it A BLOODY TRAITEROUS design of POPISH Recusants against His MAJESTIES Sacred PERSON the GOVERNMENT and the PROTESTANT RELIGION II. The House of Commons in a Vote of that House approved by the Lords say thus ........ Resolved c. That this House is of Opinion that there HATH BEEN and STILL IS a DAMNABLE and HELLISH PLOT contrived and carried on by POPISH RECVSANTS for horresco referens ASSASSINATING and MURDERING THE KING and for SUBVERTING the GOVERNMENT and rooting out and DESTROYING the PROTESTANT RELIGION By what is already said I suppose you may see what the Roman-Catholick or Popish Principles and Practises have been are and while there is a Pope and a Party to believe and incourage such Practises ever will be and how dangerous such Principles are and when put in execution how pernicious they
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
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