The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 1 · Part 31
The concluſion of the former protestation.
THeſe things therefore being thus ſet down, it remaineth that we conclude this reaſon: Séeing pope Sixtus the fift hath béen condemned by the moſt part of Chriſtendome, of ſeauen moſt gréeuous crimes, namely of impietie, of vſing tyrannie in the Church, of corrupt religion, ſacrilege, treaſon, rebellion, and forgerie: and ſéeing that hauing followed the inſolencie, boldnes, and crueltie of thoſe that went before him, he hath publiſhed this moſt mad decrée contrarie to all lawes diuine and humane, vſing falſe allegations, and that without any iudiciall order, yea fooliſhly, blockiſhly, & impudently, againſt the moſt excellent king of Nauarre, and moſt noble prince of Condie, and hath burdened them with filthie and geaſon reproches of words, foraſmuch as he called them ſonnes of wrath, obſtinate heretiks, notorious, relapſed, ſuch as lie tumbling in filth, rebels againſt the moſt Chriſtian king, perſecutors of the Church, a deteſtable iſſue, traitors againſt God and man: and did for theſe cauſes depriue them of their principalities, dukedoms, lordſhips, fées, and all honors, and of the right of lawfull ſucceſſion in the realme of France: and foraſmuch as this his old and outragious boldnes of abiudging and adiudging of kingdoms, doth plainly appertaine vntounto all kings, princes, and potentates of Europe, and it is to be feared leaſt thoſe that ſhall be deſirous of other mens kingdoms, will lay wait for peaceable and quiet princes héerafter, by this policie of excommunications or proſcriptions: for theſe cauſes the foreſaid princes proteſt, that the ſame pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted a wicked, periured, ſacrilegious perſon, a tyrant, an author of feigned religions, a cruell and bloodie murderer of the Church of Chriſt, an importunate and wicked enimie of religion, and to be moſt aſſuredly Antichriſt: and that al monarchs of Chriſtendome, kings, princes, potentates, and thoſe that hauehave any gouernment or lawful power, are to be requeſted and earneſtly intreated, that they will helpe theſe moſt roiall princes to ſuppreſſe the furie of this fierce tyrant, and to breake in péeces his cruell and furious aſſaults: and that they will lay their heads togither, and ioine togither their forces to extinguiſh that plague of mankind, and to deliuer the Chriſtian commonwealth from that monſtrous and deadly monſter. In the meane ſeaſon, that the foreſaid pope Sixtus the fift ought, for his intollerable reprochfull words, which he hath powred out againſt our foreſaid princes with a beaſtly mind, to be accounted and called of al Chriſtians, a moſt hidious monſter, a moſt filthy monſter, and a monſter not woorthie to be beſtowed euen in the fartheſt parts of the world, but ſuch a one as ought to be baniſhed out of the coaſts and borders of mans nature, as a moſt certaine, notorious, and manifeſt Antichriſt: to whoſe accurſed head all Chriſtians ought to wiſh an euill plague, ruine, and deſtruction, that ſo long as any breth ſhall remaine in his accurſed bodie, ſo long he may be to all the godlie Anathema Maranata, as ſaith the holie Ghoſt. And leaſt happily any of vsus do thinke this to be a new and vnwoonted kind of curſe, we will deſire the readers, that they will firſt of all remember thoſe places, which we cited before, ſpecially out of the books of Saint Bernard: where the papacie of Rome is flatly, plainly, by name called Antichriſt, the ſonne of perdition, the man of ſinne, a diuell not onelyonly of the day, but alſo of the noone day, who is not onelyonly tranſfigured into an angell of light, but is extolled aboue al that is called God, or that is worſhipped. Now Hierom calleth Rome Babylon, and the purpled whoore. Secondly, that they read and attentiuely conſider the moſt holie ſanction of the popes decrée *, where it is ordained, In c. 2. dist. 23. &c. ſi quis pecunia, dist. 79.that He which by monie, or fauor of men (ſuch as it is manifeſt this frier had in the weſt parts) or by tumult of the people, or by anie pollicie (that is, by ambition and euill arts) ſhall attaine to the papacie, let him be accounted not apostolicall but apostaticall, and let him togither with his fautors and followers be cast out of the bounds of the holie Church of God, being thence ſeparated, as Antichrist, and as an inuader and destroier of all Christendome. Whereto the canoniſts durſt with great conſent ſubſcribe, and openly profeſſe thus much, that The pope being choſen otherwiſe than canonically, is a diuell, and hath not the keies of heauen but of hell. For theſe be the words of Felinus *. Let them furthermore In c. Ego N. de iureiur.conſider, that all the popes, cardinals, and biſhops which hauehave borne rule in the church of Rome more than an hundred yéeres, came aſſuredly out of the ſeminarie of ſchiſmatiks and apoſtataes. For it is now almoſt an hundred and fiftie yéers ago, ſithence the councel of Baſill was kept and held with the great deſire & will of all Chriſtian eſtates. It is well knowen that neuer any councell was called, had, and kept in the church of Rome with greater ſolemnitie, than this. For it was both called by the decrée of two popes, namely, of Martin the fift, and Eugenius the fourth, and alſo it was held, their legates being preſidents. Eugenius being cited and called out of the ſame councell after that they had ſolemnly heard the cauſe, he was at length conuict of fraud, iuglings, craftie conueiances, and factions againſt the libertie of that councell, and ſo put from the popedome, and diſgraded as a ſchiſmatike and reuolt, togither with all the cardinals and biſhops, which tooke his part. And Amedaeus duke of Sauoy was put in his place. Let vsus heare what maner end this tragedie had. Soone after the ſame Eugenius being condemned, depriued, diſgraded, was through the fauor of certain princes reſtored to his ſea, and he likewiſe reſtored with him all the cardinals and biſhops that tooke his part. And Amedaeus, hauing (though againſt his will) a cardinals hat giuen him, did reſigne his popedome. Let graue men and ſuch as are of courage now conſider, whether according to that moſt holie function of the popes decrée, wherof we ſpake euen now, they be to be counted apoſtolicall or rather apoſtaticall: whether they hauehave the keies of heauen or of hell, who ariſing out of that ſeminarie of the Eugenians beare rule in the church of Rome in theſe times. Which, that it may more commodiouſly be iudged, it is woorth the labor to heare and knowe the opinions of the doctors and lawiers, who hauehave written ſomewhat touching this matter, and firſt of all of Ludouike of Rome, who was preſent at the councell of Baſill, where he wrote the laſt councell, whoſe words are theſe *: If the num. 15.ſhepheard of ſhepheards offenſiuely gouerning, and inordinately handling the church, being admoniſhed by the church, do not foorthwith repent, yea continue in his inſolencie of gouernment, he may and ought to be put from his office. For ſeeing he honoreth not the church, admoniſhing him wholeſomly; neither ſhall he then deſerue to be honored of the church: ſo that it ſhould tollerate him gouerning offenſiuely, and being incorrigible: being an argument of that which the orator Domitius ſaith: and Hierom reporteth in his epistle to the Neopolitanes, ſaieng thus: Why then ſhould I count thee as my prince, ſeeing thou dost not take me for a ſenator? * Therefore the truth is, that the pope dist. 95. c. esto ſubiectus.offending the church notoriouſlye with his crimes, and remaining incorrigible, may be accuſed to the church, and by the ſame be vncaſed of his popedome. Which concluſion is ſhewed farther thus: The pope ſtanding in a notorious crime that offendeth the whole church, and being vnwilling to ceaſe of, falleth into ſuſpition of hereſie *. He that liueth rebelliouſly, and refuſeth c. nullus. dist. 38. ſic dicente.to learne and do good things, is ſhewed to be a member rather of the diuel than of Chriſt: and he is ſhewed to be rather an infidell than a beleeuer. Thus ſaith Ludouike of Rome, who, as we ſaid, was preſent at the councell of Baſil with great authoritie. Where be thoſe that diſpute, that they are and ought to be counted heretiks, which ſet themſelues againſt the popes tyrannie? Which thinke that his outragious boldnes in proſcribing kings ought not any longer to be borne with? Which deteſt the impietie of Sixtus the fift, in maintaining the feined religions of Bernardo and Dominick? But now let vsus cite another authoritie of the ſame notable man out of the ſame councell: for ſhortly after *, he num. 17.ſaith thus: If naturall reaſon tell vsus, that an incurable member that infecteth the whole bodie ought to be cut off for the ſafetie of the whole bodie: in like ſort ciuill reaſon ought to tell vsus, that an incurable member that infecteth the whole mistical church, must be cut off, that the rest of the bodie be not infected or offended: and conſequently the pope: (let vprightnes of minds be vſed in reading theſe things, and let theſe words of Ludouike of Rome be compared with that our curſe and deteſtation:) who though he be a principall part of the church, yet is he alſo a member of the bodie of the church, according to the gloſſe. * Alſo the reaſon of the ſcripture of God in c. ecce, 93. dist.perſuadeth this, approouing the aſſeueration of Caiphas the chiefe priest, who ſaid: It is expedient that one man die for the people, and that all the people do not periſh: ſeeing that though he were pope placed to gouerne the people, yet ought he not to be their ruine: ſaith text. 11. q. 3. ita corporis. Yea he is worthie of as manie deaths, as he ſendeth ouer examples of deſtruction to his ſubiects, ſaith text. eadem cauſ. & q. in c. praecipuè. For as it is a laudable and diſcreet thing to giuegive reuerence and honor to ſuperiors, ſo it is a point of vprightnes, and the feare of God, not to cast behind vsus by any diſſimulation the things that are in them, and need any correction: least the diſeaſe go through the whole bodie, if the ſicknes be not cured in the head, ſaith text. 2. q. 7. c. ſicut inquit. This concluſion is alſo prooued by the text. in c. in canonibus, 16. q. 1. and in d. c. ſed illud. So likewiſe he ought to be baniſhed out of the church, who is not amended by the admonition of the church: as the Lord ſaith, Take away euill from among you. For thoſe wounds must be launced, which feele not the ſoftening of the medicine *argum. de iudic. c. cum non ab hom.. Thus writeth 82. dist. c. quia aliquanti 1. q. 1. c. reperiuntur.Ludouike of Rome word for word. Wherby, being compared with that our deteſtation, vpright readers may iudge, whether iuſtly or vniuſtly we hauehave ſo boldly accurſed the tyrannous boldnes of that pope. Moreouer, to that complaint of Ludouike of Rome agrée thoſe things which cardinall Zabarella wrote about the yéere, M. ccccvj. in his treatiſe of ſchiſme, num. 20. For eueryevery notorious crime of the pope, ſaith he, if he cannot be reformed, and do offend the church, he may be accuſed, bicauſe he is accounted as an heretike *in c. olim. col. pen. extra. de reſcrip.: for this incorrigiblenes not. in gloſſ. 40 dist. c. ſi papa.concerneth the cauſe of faith: as in the ſame gloſſ. And if it ſo fall out, that theſe men defend themſelues by their temporall power, they may be bridled for the fact, euen by ſecular power *. Thus ſaith Zabarella. But Baldus * writeth more bréefly thus: Against the pope abvſing his authoritie, we must first vſe words (that is, admonitions:) then herbs, (that is, threatenings:) thirdly ſtones: and that where the nature of vertue is not ſufficient, the aid of armes must be of force there. And to the like effect writeth Iaſon in his 95. councell, requiſitus. col. 4. It is lawfull, ſaith he, to reſist the pope when he offendeth the church, and he is not to be borne with *c. etſi illa, 1. q. 7. &c. ſunt. quidam. 25. q. 1.. Alſo Innocentius *in c. inquiſitionis, de ſent. excom. & in c. quanto, de conſuetud.. And the Abbat *in c. cum teneamur, de appellat.. Alſo Hierom ſpeaking of the pope *in c. non omnes epiſcopi. 2. q., ſaith: that Vnſauerie ſalt is good for nothing, but to be cast out at doors, & to be troden vnderunder foot of hogs. Thus writeth Iaſon, with as good corage it ſéemeth, as either Ludouike of Rome, or Zabarella: though notwithſtanding they wrote theſe things in Italie, and in ſo great darknes of the church of Chriſt. And to the ſame effect ſpeaketh Philip Decius in his councell, 151. maximi ponderis num. 4. vol. 1. When ſaith he, the pope is incorrigible in any notorious crime, by reaſon whereof the church is offended. glo. in terminis in c. ſi papa. 40. diſt. he holdeth that the pope may be accuſed: and out of that gloſſe there was a great foundation laid against Eugenius the fourth, in the councell of Baſil: and that gloſſe is commonly holden by all: as the abbot ſaith in c. ſignificaſti: *de elect. & in diſput. epiſcopus quidam & rector.where he ſaith, that the whole world approueth that gloſſe, and Ludouicus of Rome approoueth that gloſſe by many reaſons. *in concil. 523Firſt bicauſe the pope that perſisteth in a notorious crime, and will not be reformed, falleth into ſuſpicion of hereſie. *38. dist. c. fin. 86. dist. c. ſi qui ſunt. &c. fin. de poenit.But the pope may be accuſed for hereſie *d. c. ſi papa.. Therfore for ſuch a crime. Secondlie bicauſe a biſhop is remooued from a particular church, that the offence may be taken away, as Innocentius noteth: *in c. cum pridem, de renun.it ſeemeth we may ſaie the ſame of the ſtronger in the highest biſhop, in whom the vniuerſal church is in danger. Thirdlie by the authoritie of the Goſpell. If thine eie or thy foote offende thee. Whereupon the text ſaith finelie, in c. illud ſanè, 24. q. 3. For it is expedient that one man die for the people, and that all the people do not periſh. Therefore let that pope that cannot be reformed die ciuilly, that all the church do not periſh, bicauſe the pope being ſet to gouerne the people, ought not to be their fal: as the text ſaith *11. q. 3. in c. ta corporis.. For he is woorthy as manie deaths, as he ſendeth examples of perdition to thoſe that are his *11. q. 3.. Which things ſéeing they are ſo, we conclude againe without delay, that not onelyonly the excommunication of the foreſaid pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted as nothing, by reaſon of the inſufficiencie of the raſh iudge, the allegation of a falſe cauſe, the want of iudiciall order, and the follie of the ſencence conceiued: but alſo to the end the curſes of the ſame pope Sixtus may turn vponupon his own pate, he is conuict of ſeauen moſt heinous faults, and that by moſt aſſured teſtimonies, and therefore ought to be héerafter accounted of all Chriſtians, an execrable and deteſtable Anathema Maranata.
Amen.