A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered, Book 2 · Part 2

A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered · Book 2 · Part 2

p. 29The second part of this Treatise: Of the Noveltie of their Vsurpation:

CHAP. IX. And first the Negatiue proofe thereof.

THis much of the Matter of Vsurpation: Followeth—Ante p…a …eam hester num—…quā ipsanovellitas Praxea h…ster ni—Id esse verum, quodcunq…e primum & adulterinum quod cunque posterius. Tertul. advers. Prax. cap. 2 the noveltie of it. Our Lord Iesus Christ prescryved against the Errours of Scribes and Pharisees, by this that ab initio non fuit sic, it was not so from the beginning: And the Apostle Iude following that rule, calleth the Christian faith; fidem semel traditam, faith once delyvered; that needeth no addition of new articles. And the Ancients vsed this praescription against Hereticks, who could not pleade antiquitie, and praescription of tyme. So Tertullian (a) after that hee had set downe the summe of faith. That this rule (sayeth hee) hath runne from the beginning p. 30of the Gospell, even before former Hereticks, much more before thee Praxeas, who was yesterday: Both the latenes of Hereticks, and the Noveltie of Praxeas a yesterday-man will proue. Whereby it is equally prejudged against all haeresies, that that is true which is first: And that is false that is last. And Hilarius bbQuicquid a…ud te est pra ter vnam fidē persidia, non fides est. Hilar contr. Constā.against Constantius, what ever is with thee beside that one faith, it is perfidie, and not faith. They know the force of this prescription, and for eschewing of it, maintaine both a current, or ambulatorie faith, and an vnbounded power in their Church, to expone ddSpal. lib. 7 cap. 12Scripture according to time, ccScriptura secundum cur re…tē vniversalem ritum exponendia, Cusan. Epist. 2 ad Bohemosand their Mitigators helpe them in this straite with their new Maxime, that haeresis non est in excessu, sed defectu, that haeresie is not in excesse, but defect, as though it were not an heresie to hauehave mo Gods, but to deny the true God: Or as though it were no deformitie to a mans body to hauehave three or foure hands, but only to want one.

By this rule of prescription, wee finde their Vsurpation to be a Novaltie, and that both negatiuely and positiuely. Negatiuely, because it was not so from the beginning, for a thousand yeares, as shall bee seene in this induction. First, not before Christ, for then the high Priest (though a Type of Christ) and bearing the Vrim and Thummum was subiect to their Kings. Secondly, not in Christs tyme; for hee vsed no such temporall power, as they themselues confesse. In his Mothers wombe he sub…ected himselfe to the Emperours edict, and went to Bethleem, Luke. 2Luke 2and in that one Act fulfilled both his Fathers prophesie, to bee borne in Bethleem, and obeyed the Emperours Edict, in going to his Familie to bee taxed. After his birth, he yeelded to Herods cruelty, who sought to kill him and fled to Egypt, whereas hee might hauehave destroyed Herod, if hee pleased: Hee was subiect to his suposed Father, and commanded to giuegive to Caesar the things of Caesars, and payed tribute to himselfe.

p. 31Thirdlie, not by his Disciples, for they followed his example and command: Paul▪ commandeth everie soule to Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14Rom 13:1Titus 3:11 Pet 2:131 Pet 2:14bee subiect to superiour powers: Put them in minde to bee subiect to principalities and powers: And appealed to Nero, though hee was a tyrant: And Peter from whom they fetch all this power, commands vsus to bee subiect to authoritie for the Lords sake, whither it bee to Kings as supreme: And all of them submitted themselues to Princes, they neither inveyed against them, neither stirred vp people to rebell, but patientlie suffered Martyrdome.

Fourthlie, not the Primitiue Church, though we take it for the first Ages: They followed Christ and his Apostles in doctrine and practice; They suffered persecution, and did neither practise against their persons nor their estates: So Tertulian: Christians were never found Albinans, nor Nigrians, or Cassians, &c.—A Christian is enemie to no man, farrelesse to the Emperour, whom knowing to bee appointed of God; it is necessar that hee louelove, reverence, and honour him, &c. aaChristianus null…us est hostis, &c. Tertul. ad Scapul. c. 2And againe, wee incall the eternall the true and living God, for the saftie of Emperours. And thus these Fathers did both to approue themselues to God, & to cleare the Christian Religion from the calumnies of Pagans, who charged it with sedition and rebellion: bbNos pro sa lute Impera…orum, Deum in vocamus aeternum. Apol. c. 30But these godly Fathers let them see that Christ commanded his people subjection and obedience to authoritie. And so a zealous Papist ccGregor Tho los. de Repub. l. 26. c. 7 n. 10 Christianos se ab eo dicerent appellari, cujus sit Hoc pi…ssimum dog ma▪ vt Magistratui parea…t. Ibid.remarketh that from the death of Christ to Diocletian, for the space of three hundreth years, albeit the Christians suffred innumerable and cruel torments, so that twentie thousand were killed at once, and some times whole cities destroyed, yet it is no where red that Christians (albeit equall in number and power) did attempt any thing against the Lawes, or the Magistrate, or his Security, or any wayes rebelled, & by this argument shew that their Religion should bee embraced—And that they were called Christians from him whose holy precept was this to obey p. 32the Magistrate. And Tertullian long before him. Wee are forbidden to wish ill, doe ill, speake ill, to thinke ill of any Malèvelle—eo forsi… an ma jus nec in ip sum qui per Deum tantus est. Tertul. … pol. 36.—that which wee may not doe against any, farre lesse may wee doe against him (to wit, the Emperour) who is so great by Gods ordinance.

Fiftlie: Not the Fathers of the following Ages, who though they vsed popular comparisons of the Pastorall and princelie calling, that the Pastorall excelled the other as far as the Soule did the Bodie; Gold did Lead; and the Nazianzen. Chrysostom. Ambros.Heaven did Earth. Yet they never dreamed of the Popes abuse of their comparisons: But in their practice (how ever the Trueth held in the callings) Nazianzene, Chrysostome, See heereafter, chap. 21and Ambrose, were most obedient to Princes, Ambrose alone will serue in the two great instances of censuring the Emperour, and answering his vnjust command: For the first, hee abstained Theodosius rather than excommunicate him: For the second, hee refused to render the Churches of God to the Arians: In the first, heeRogam…s Auguste non pugnamus. did not depose Theodosius, or absolue people from his obedience as Popes doe. In the second, hee did not fight, but pray and request.

Lastlie: Not the Popes of the first Ages, for they all gaue odedience as Bellarmine confesseth. When the Emperours were Heathen, the Pope was not their Iudge but contrariewise subiect to them in al civill causes, no les than other men. aaQuo tempore Principes erant Ethni…i &c Bell. Rom Pont. l 2. c. 29And after that Emperours were Christians, the Popes gaue them that same respect. As Leo the …, zealous enough for greatnesse, writing to the Empr…s Pulcheria, I intreate thee that thou wouldst daigne to present our Supplication to the most clement Emperour. bbSupplicatio onem nostram &c Leo epist. 26.And againe, to Eudoxia, I hauehave most humbl…e supplicate. ccSuppliciter postulav…. …dē ad Eudoxia…And to Martianus (d)(e) Omnibus modis paren… est piet… te vestra. Leo. Epist. 44 By all meanes wee ought to obey your Pietie. And he praiseth his zeale for the Christian Faith, and that hee found a princelie affection in a most Christian Prince. Hee craveth also the gathering of the Chalcedon Councell, eeEpist. 7and that hee p. 33would compell a Bishop to returne to the profession of his faith▪ (f) Epist. 58(e) And that hee would vse his power in matters of Religion ggEpist 75In like manner to Leo the Emperour. I received the Letters of your Clemencie which I am willing to obey. hhEpist …5And acknowledge in a word, that per vos in totius Ecclesiae salutem operatur Spiritus Sanctus. iiEpist. 78 Serenis…me Domine quod ad me att…net jussionibus o be…entiam pr…beo. Lib. 4 Epist. 32 Lib 7 Epist. 1 Si c…de hominum v…ndica re me voluis sem. Aut haec non legunt, &c Erasm in scho …d Ctefiphon O…m aurei sacerdotes ligneis ministra bant vasis. &c Gratian de Consecrat▪ Can Vasa in quibus. Gratian ca…s. 23 quest. 5. c. 24. Hieron tit. c. 2 Qui non est subiectus - in nullo fidem bonam extendit.That by you the holy Spirit worketh for the saftie of the whole Church. And Gregorie the first, to Mauritus: Most glorious Lord, so far as concerneth mee, I giuegive obedience to your commandements. And speaking of the Longobards, who were but vsurpers: If I would hauehave revenged my selfe by the slaughter of men, the Longobards this day had not beene extant. I must say to usurping Popes, as Erasmus did to the Sophists of his ti ne concerning Ieromes graue censure of such, who spiced and powdred divinitie with Philosophie. Either they read not these things, or else preferre their owne opinion vntounto Ieromes. So say I, that the later Popes, either read not these speeches of the olde Popes, or else prefer their judgement to theirs.

Why then hauehave the later Popes departed from the example of the former and better times, and of their own predecessours? They can giuegive none other reason, but to acknowledge their Donatisme or Anabaptisme. Therefore as their Canon Law spake of the Eucharist, old golden priests did minister in treene vessell, but treene priestes Minister in golden vessell: So wee may say, that of old golden Popes were subiect to Emperous: But now idole and treene Popes usurpe on Emperours. If Gratian affirme rightly out of Ierome that to obey Princes is a demonstration of faith, it will follow that the Popes Usurpation over them, is a demonstration of persidie. The olde Popes spake, and did like Protestants and Christians in this point: But the later Popes hauehave taken vp an Antichristian style and practice.

p. 34CHAP. X. Of their exceptions against the Practise of the primitiue obedience.

THis practice of the former times torments them; and therefore they preasse to elide it by fiue shifts. The first is, That the Apostles and Fathers of the first times had the same right, but lacked power to vse it, and were affrayed to make sturres in the Estate. aaQuod Chri stiani olim nō deposuerant Neronem,—id fuit quia deerant vires temporales, &c. Bel. Rom Pont. l. 5. c. & contra Barcl. cap. 6I might answere Bellarmine with his owne words: That it is rediculous to giuegive a right, and not a power to vse it: bbBellar. Ibid. Ridiculū est tale ius dedisse, & non facultatem vtendi.And the forenamed blasphemies of Suarez, Bertrandus, Rodericus, serue to stoppe their mouths. But I answere directlie: That this exception is false in it selfe; for these first times had sufficient power to represse enemies, but had no will. So Tertullian ccExterni s…mus, &c. Tertull. Apologet. 37.Wee are strangers, and hauehave filled all your places, your Townes, Yles, Castles, Villages, meetings, your Camps, Courts, Palaces, Senat and Market. Wee hauehave left to you the Temples onelie—If wee had taken from you such a multitude, the losse of many Citizens had confounded your Impyre, and had punished you with destitution. Doubtlesse you had beene ashamed at your solitude. In like manner, Eusebius ddEuseb. hist Eccles lib. 8telleth that innumerable multitudes of Christians assembled eueryevery where, even in the time of Diocletian. And in another place: That Diocletian and Maximinian saw that almost all mortall men forsooke the worshippe of the gods, and ioyned themselues to Christians. And most clearelie Augustine. eeEt haberet agmina populorum, &c. Civit. lib. 22 c. 6. LudViv. ibid fuisse.Although Christs citie had infinite multitudes of people, yet shee fought not against her wicked persecuters, &c.

And Iulians instance is peremptorie, both for the obedience of Christians, & their power: For the first, he was an Apostate; hee persecuted the Christians, and specialie p. 35Athanasius, whom hee called, the enemie of the gods, aaIulian pag 259 & 258.he charged the Religion with madnesse, that it destroyed all, bbIbid. 159Hee discharged Schoole-masters to expone Greek Authours to Children, vnlesse they would worshippe these gods whom the Poets and Philosophers did worshippe. ccIbid p 304As Augustine observeth. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 5. Hee tooke away violentlie the Christians riches, and said sco…finglie, he would helpe them to obey their wonderfull Law, in making them readie to goe to Heaven. ddPag. 300Hee mocked the people of Alexandria, that they vvere so farre degenerate as to serue the Hebrewes, whose fathers in Egypt were slaues to theirs. eePag. 300Heere was a matter to provocke the Christians. And next, for their Forces, they were most powerfull, for Constantius before him, had cassered all the heathen(f) Pagani di cti quasi eodē fonte potantes, Baron▪ Martyrol. Ianuar. 21 from the wars, and setled thein Villages, or Pages neere vntounto wells, wherefra they are called Pagani or Pagans vntounto this day. So they had force enough, when the remnant bodie of the Armie were all Christians. And for Captaines, they had Iovian who succeeded him, and Valentinian whom hee banished, for refusing to offer incense to idoles, and other religious Captaines to set vp against him, and yet there was not in all his ReigneIulian. any such atempt; They bare their crosse patiently, and left the flying cloud to Gods punishment.

Next, this exception chargeth the Primitiue Church with many faults: As Ignorance, that they knew not their right: And Feeblenesse, that they drust not vse it: Of Prevarication, that they neglected to plead that greatest Article of Faith, And of Infirmitie, that they neither knew the right, nor had power to maintaine it. And so putteth it many degrees behind the Church in latter times. And if they commend their wisedome in ceasing from the vse of their power, for feare of sturres, that convinceth them, for there was as great sturres in Hildebrands time, as would hauehave beene before, if Christians had vsed p. 36their power. And what sturres see wee presentlie in Europe for the vrging of their Monarchie? It were wisedome in them to follow Augustines counsell, which they hauehave put in their Canon Law. aaNon potest esse sa lubris correptio, &c. Au gust contra e pist. Parmen lib. 3 c 2. Canon. Non po test. 23 quaest 4 Eudaem Apol. Garnet p. 170that Correction cannot bee profitable, but when hee who is corrected hath not a multitude ioyned vntounto him This shift discovereth them that they want not will, but power and occasion to worke mischiefe, and that the peace they gaue to Princes and Protestants is but rebus stantibus ut nunc. Some times they turne their f…ct in a right, some times their power, and so proclame to the world, that crueltie not equitie ruleth them.

Their second shift is, that these first times called them more to Martyrdome, than to represse Princes, aaEa tunc erant tempora vt potius ad Martyriū sub e…ndem, &c. Romul. vel potius Bel cōtra Barclatū. c. 6But that convicteth them also, for if these auncients did well in suffering, rather than to raise vproares: Why doe not they the like? It is onelie their earthly minde that teacheth them this Martyrifugium by Regicidium, to flee Martyrdome by massacring Kings: And by their owne confession they choose to bee milites potius quam Martyrs, Souldirs rather than sufferers, and so hauehave neither that same Religion that these Auncients had, nor that same disposition.

Their third shift is from Merite: That these Auncients were not oblidged to obey infidell Princes, so that their obedience was meritorious, and that they who did the worke manfullie in resist…g Princes, doe no lesse merite: aaEt si maximè fuit opus meritorium, ad id tamen non tenebantur. Iesuit. Si carius. c. 12.It is a strange n…erite that hath such a latitude in one thing both to obey and disobey: And more that the command to obey these Princes, was not ordinar to bind at all times, but extraordinar as the command given to the Israelites, to borrow silver and gold of the Egyptians. But the Apostles giuegive commandements for obedience, binding all persons, and at all times: bbMandatū per …eremiam vt subij…iant se Regi. &c. Ibid. cap. 13And it is as strange how they who boast of Merites, and hauehave devised Counsels to inlarge p. 37the matter of Merite and Supererogation, doe shift so great a command of patient suffering, where according to their Doctrine, they may hauehave great Merite.

Their fourth shift is, that there was no matter, or subiect of the vse of their power, because then there was no Christian Emperours. aaSuarez. de…en 43. c 23 n. 4 Non fuit materia vsus.But Bellarmine refuteth this, because there was then Philippus a Christian Emperour: Lucius a Britaine King, and Donald the first Christian King of this Nation bbBell cōtra Barcl▪ c. 17There was no such processing of these Christian Princes as now. Shall wee thinke that infidell Princes were a guard to these Christian Princes? Or rather that Rome is now become insolent to abuse Christian Princes more, because their number is now greater in Europe.

Their last shift is made by Alcaser the Iesuite. That these Fathers did dissemble in a private habite. ccDissimula tioni se accom modantes & tempori ser vientes. Alca ser. Apoc l. 19This is like Bellarmines censu…e of Gregorie the first, that his subiection to Maurice the Emperour was partly compelled of humilitie. partlie of necessitie, and that it was not of due, but compelled. ddObedientia quam S. Gregor. Mau ritio exhibebat non fuit debita, sed coacta Bellar. recog. p. 25. 16VValdensis also hath the like censure of him, that hee honoured the Emperour, but by way of complement, and for the fashion. This is worse than anie of the former shifts, to damne the Pietie and humble obedience of the Auncients, vnderunder the name of dissimulation.

They rubbe on these Ancients their owne doublenesse, who like Solomons whoore can suffer the Babe to bee divyded, and that not in obedience only, but in religious worshippe: For Pope Pius 5. sent Medalls to the English recusants, with this Circumscription, Da mihi fili mi cor tuum, & sufficit, My sonne giuegive me thy heart, and it sufficeth. He gaue them libertie to bee present at the exercise of our Religion,Regem sibiver bo …euus praeposuit Waldens. lib 2. art. 3. cap 75 if they keeped their heart to him and his Masse. Heerein also they trode vnderunder foote the Godlinesse of Gregorie, the first to hold vp the pride of Gregorie the seventh, p. 38and to preoccupie the Reader, least the grace of these ancients should condemne the ambition of their Successors. If Gregories obedience was but dissimulation, how deeper hypocrisie is theres, who borrow his stile of Servant of Servants, and yet trode vponupon Princes? If for his learning and pietie hee bee called Gregorie the Great; what degree shall they hauehave, who in Ignorance, Pride, and profainesse, are contrare to him? Heerein also they show, how little they count of Fathers: They crie everie where in their wrytes, Patres, Patres, the Fathers, the Fathers, & yet they accuse them of dissimulation, praevarication, &c. Cham covered his Fathers nakednesse; but they call that nakednesse in Fathers, which is their glorie; and declare what Duraeus spake of their doctrine, Neque enim Patr…s censentur, cum suum aliquod quod ab Ecclesia Duraeus lib. 5 pag. 140non acceperunt, vel scribunt, vel docent: That they are not to bee counted Fathers, when they write, or teach any thing of their owne, which they hauehave not receaved from the Church of Rome. In like manner Gretzer speaking of Bertrame, Hee who feedeth not the Church with wholesome foode, is not a Father, but a bbNon pater sed Vitricus est, Gretzer▪ de lur prohibent. lib. 2. c. 10.Step-father. This is it that Gregorie ccMutis a mici, …oque…tib… adversarij Quo modo po test malus litigator lauda… re judices qui bus …udicanti… b…s …ic…us …st.sayeth of Hereticks, that are they friendly to them that are dumbe; but enemyes to them when they speake. Wee neede no more proofe of their contempt of the Fathers, than Sixtus Senensis Bibliotheck. But I close this point with S. Augustine against the Donatists, How can an evill pleader praise the Iudges, by whose iust iudgement hee is over come?

But they might borrow a better shift than these from Gratian: aaGratian. distinct. 63. C. Qu…a.speaking of the Election of former Popes, done by Emperours, but now by the Popes creatures in the Conclaue: That the Church hath authoritie to abrogate such customes as in former times were without fault, but afterward turned to errour or superstition. So be like the subiection of old Popes (as the brasen Serpent) was turned p. 39in abuse, and therefore must bee turned in rebellion. And Azorius telleth as much, that Gregorie called Mauritius his Lord, and was subiect to him not of right but of force, sicuti Paganis olim subiecti erant Sacerdotes Christiani. aaAzor▪ part. 2. lib. 10 c. 6. in …ine.In the meane time wee hauehave gained this point of them, that in the first Ages their Usurpation was neither in doctrine nor practice: And that wee who obey Princes proue the successours of these pious and obedient Fathers, VVhile they proue successours of the Heathen Priests, who on everie miscontentment cutted off their Princes.

CHAP. IX. Of the proofe of their positiue NOveltie: Or of Hildebrands contention.

FOlloweth that wee proue positiuely the Noveltie of this Usurpation, which wee affirme to hauehave begunne with Hildebrand: They call it old indeede: This Theologie of the Iesuites is not new, but most auncient: aaTheologia haec Iesuitarum, non est nov…, sed antiquissima. Bell. Apol. c. 6. pag. 90.And the Iesuits in their Apologie againe the Behemians, rest not on that indefinitenesse, but affirme their Doctrine to hauehave stood 1610. yeares. bbLau. Aust. pag. 44But when hee commeth to muster his forces to proue that Antiquitie, hee beginneth at Gregorie the seventh ccPrimus ig…tur prodeat S. Gregorius 7. Bellar cō tra Barcla… um pag. 6who entred to the Popedome about the 1073. and so at the first encounter hee passeth a thousand yeeres and more: Hee stumbleth in the threshold of his dispute, and seeth not a contradiction in that his first reason; primus prodeat septimus, first let the seventh come foorth: The seventh in order argues not a prioritie, but a posterioritie and a noveltie. Though hee had begunne at Gregorie the first, it had not proven true Antiquitie, yet seeing hee passeth sex Gregories in silence, he telleth that they were named by that watchfull name in p. 40vaine, in betraying the Ecclesiasticke libertie, and that[c] Lego▪ & relego Roma norum▪ &c. Lib. 6. c. 10 this seventh Gregorie, did first a wake to defend it.

The next proofe is Otho Frisingensis, I read and read over againe (saith hee) the doings of the Emperours, but I finde none of them excommunicate or deprived of their Kingdome by the Pope, before Henrie the fourth. This Bellarmine ddBell. cōtra Barcla…umpresseth to refute, but in vaine: For Onuphrius eePrimus omnium Rom Pont Gregor. 7 &c. O…uph l. 4. de Car. creat. Res ante ea secula inaudita.as zealous for the Pope as hee, and a better antiqua…ie confirmeth it, Gregorie the seventh, the first of all the Popes, trusting to the forces of the Normanes, &c. Beside the custome of the Auncients contemning the authoritie of the Emperour, was so bold as to excommunicate Caesar himselfe, and depriue him of his Kingdome. A thing not heard of before that time. And where their best reason to proue the practise of it before Hildebrands time, is taken from some practise against Arcadius, Anastasius, and Leo Emperours. Onuphrius sheweth the vanitie of that alledgeance in calling them fables not to be respected. In like manner Eberhardus, as he is alledged by Aventine. ffHildebran. priv… specie religionis An tichristi imperij fundamen ta jecit. A vēt lib. 7 p. 684.Hildebrand before an 170 yeares, was the first who layed the foundation of Antichrists Impyre vnderunder colour of Religion.

Baronius also confesseth as much, when hee prefaceth that contentioun: Gregorie (sayeth hee) began aaGregorius … constantianimo &c. Baron. Spalat. lib. 6 c 7. …. 59a controversie with a constant mynde, (although hee knew all Christian Princes would bee his a iversaries) yet with a mightie Spirit that could not yeelde, hee enterprised a matter verie hard, and which could not bee compassed by humane power. If it was so hard a worke, (as he truely calleth it) then it was not ancient, for long practise would hauehave made it easie. Lessius bbApud Wi thring▪ discuss. p …90.would make vsus belieue, that Kings and Emperours followed that doctrine without any doubting. But Azorius ccMagnam semper fuisse …er …mperatores, &c. Azor▪ part. 2 apud Witbrig pag. 65.contradicteth him, affirming▪ that there was ever a great controversie amongst Princes, and the Popes concerning their power in depryving King…. So Azorius expoundeth the cause of Baronius difficultie, to bee p. 41the opposition of Princes. And Baronius confessed difficultie proveth the noveltie of the matter: Hee insinuateth also the same in his Votum, to Paul the fifth, against the Venetians, when ddExulto spiritu, videns &c. Baron. vot. ad Paul 5hee testifyeth his ioy, because Exulto Spiritu videns—vindices collapsa libertatis.hee saw in Peters chaire another Gregorie the seventh, or Alexander the third, who were the chiefe defenders of Ecclesiasticke libertie.

But the contentioun it selfe will cleare the matter: forContention of Hildebr. with the Emperour. there is not in al the storie a more remarkable poynt, than this fearefull collision of these two powers, in Henrie the fourth, and Hildebrand. When they respected others in louelove, they were comfortable to other, as in Constantine and Sylvester, Maurice and Gregorie, &c. But when they rubbed one other, both Churches and Policie smarted. They had sundrie other rubbes in former times, but never one like that. The Emperour thought that the question was no lesse, than the standing or ruine of the Impire, aaImperij enim velonium no tollendi▪ &c. Onuph. vit. Gregor. 7. And Gregorie thought lykewise of the standing, or ruine of the Church. The Emperour pleaded Prescription, because from the dayes of Charles the great, vnderunder threescore Popes and moe, it was in vse: And Necessitie because by loosing the Investures, hee would lose a great of the Impyre; for when Charles the great gote that priviledge, the Pope and Prelats were poore: But thereafter both Kings and Emperours enriched the Church, because they had the investiture in their owne hands. Besides when Princes had investitures, scarcely could Prelates be keeped in Subjection; but if they were put in the Popes hands, they would make many Enemyes in the Impire: so Onuphrius stateth the question.

But in the multitude of so many Historians affected to one of the parties, this much may bee gathered; That the Emperour beside his personall faults gaue occasion to Hildebrand, to make some sturre bbEpiscopatus totius Germaniae in aula sua partim venales▪ partim predae expositos habuit. Calvin. Inst. l 4 c 10 n 33.. Hee abused the power of investiture, in passing by the voice of the Church, and giving p. 42Prelacies and Dignities to the vnworthie, whom flatterie or bryberie; or such by respects commended vntounto him Hee gaue them as rewards for bygone service, or ingagements for service to come. And at his Court, Church benefites were either saleable, or exposed to prey. Heereof Hildebrand tooke occasion to worke, that hee had long desired, hee made a strong faction both of Church men, and Politicks against the Emperour, and draue him in that straitPlat. vita Gregorr. 7. to make such a foule agreement at Canusium, as no man can patiently reade of, and thereafter put all Europe in dissention and blood.

They divyded the trueth, and each of them had both The quaestion betwixt them.right and wrong on his side: The Emperour had right to the Investitures, but erred foully in their abuse; and brought in ignorant and fleshlie men, in the chiefe places of the Church, who overthrew both Religion and State: The Pope had iust cause to quarrell that abuse, but no right to clame the investitures, and farre lesse to oppose seditiously, and trode downe the Emperour. This was a consequent of too large dotations: The Dotars were Patrons of the Church rent, and some, abusing the Patronage, did marre the spiritualitie of the entrie of the Pastours: So the Benefice drew the office after it, and the Investiture the Daughter of Donations bred this strife, and corrupt entrie in some. But wise Princes hauehave made some provision against such corruption, in giving the Church her place in election, and it is best when Church and Patrons goe together. The mysterie of iniquitie was then comming to rypenesse, and Sathan had provyded one to hatch that egge of Antichrist, whose seedes were layed in the Apostles times, and that omnious accident in Rome of a Bird that layed an egge with a Serpent, was so expounded… l. 5 by many, that the Apostolicke Sea had hatched the Cokatrice egge, and brought out a Serpent to destroy the Impyre.

p. 43Wee may passe the things imputed to him by his enemies: aaBenn… Cardinalis. Sigibert Gemla…. Matth. Paris. Waltran.As his fornication with Mathildis, the great vrger of Chastitie, to bee familiar with that Countesse, (lik Cremensis the Popes Legate, vrging Chastity in a Synode at London, was found at night in a Borthell) Or his impietie, in casting the Hostie in the fire: Or his Nacromancie, whereof hee gaue a proofe in that Response: That an vnjust King would bee killed that yeare; hee tooke this to be Henrie the Emperour, but it fell on Rudolph the Vsurper. But even his friends bbLambert Ge…ochus. Binius. Baronius. Platina.charge him with great sinnes: As his dissimulation, stirring vp Rudolph in Germanie, while Henrie the Emperour was at Rome, fulfilling his injoyned pennance. ccNaucler. Generat. 37 Abbas. Stad. Anno 1076His idolatrie in incalling the Apostles and blessed Virgine, and commanding them speedilie to execute his decreete against the Emperour.ddPlatin. Gregor. 7 Aventi…. Platin.

VVhen hee saw that this made him odious to men; he devysed some courses to mitigate their hatred: Hee sent Apologeticke Letters to excuse him to all men, and pretended the zeale of God, in defending the liberties of his Church, which was nothing, but a fleshlie pride of his owne broyling Nature. Hee tooke the lesson from Stephanus, (e) Inductum est, vt Rom. …ontif &c. Azor part. 2 lib. 5▪ c. 43who sat a little before him in the Chaire, beeing a Brother of the house of Lorraine, and offended with the Emperour, for hurting of his House, hee tooke that Gentilitious enimitie into Peters Chaire, and made it Peters quarrell: And his Successours finding it there, followed it out as the cause of the Church: Even as they tooke in the Armes and …nsignes of their Families.

Next, he pretended great puritie and holinesse and vrged the Chastitie of the Cleargie: This was a faire colour both to cover his too …reat homlinesse with the Countesse Machildis, & to make the world think that all was good that came from such an one; but it was a libertie proclamed to Church men, for sundrie of them yeelded to want one wife, that they might meddle with many. Hereby p. 44Europe was filled with troubles, and the SacramentsV… liceret sexcent as …n…re. …vent 7 Naucler. Ge norat. 36. 37 ministred by married Priestes were trod vnderunder …ote. This was to vrge and promone the doctrine of divels.

But his third and most politick devyce was the holie warre, which iustlie may bee called, a profaine warre. Hee made faire pretexts to recover these places where Christ was borne: aaVbi Christi…s operatus est salute… in medio terrae. Bin tom. 3. part 2. col. 418 Baron. Anno 1 …5 n 34And lived and wrought our salvation. And to make the matter more plausable, they fained that Petrus Eremita got a Letter from Heaven, bbB…n. vbi supra. Buron. ibid. n: 34. 51 Tyr▪ de bello sacro. lib. 1. … 11. & 12written by Iesus Christ, to stirre vp Christians to that warre, though others are shamed of that fiction, and said, Hee got it by Revelation.

The motiues were as powerfull …o a superstitious Age. They offered to all that would goe to that warre. First, Securitie from all troubles vnderunder the Apostolicke protection Secondly, Exemption from all pennence. bbB…n. vbi supra. Buron. ibid. n: 34. 51 Tyr▪ de bello sacro. lib. 1. … 11. & 12Likwise the going to that warre shal be reputed for all Pennance. Thirdlie▪ Rem…ssion of all their sinnes. ccSub Ecclesia defensione▪ &c. Bar. 1095 n. 41. 50For their wages who are in that warre, they shall receiue pardon of all their sinnes. ddItem illud pro omni pae…tentia repu… tetur, Concil. Claramont. Can. 2. …yrius lib. 1. cap. 15 B…n…us vbi supra. 416. 419. 683. 687.Lastlie, Life eternall what ever their former life hath beene. eePro stipen… d…, &c Bar. 1095. n. 41.This hee learned of Mahumet, who bade his fellowers defend his Religion by force, promising Paradise to good warriours, whether they were killed or not.ffFructum …terne mercedis senon dub… …āt habi…uros.

In all this businesse of the profaine holy warre, they obtained their ends both over Church and Policie: Over the Church; they sought to establish their Monarchie over the Patriarkes of the East, as they had done in the West. Over the Policie; because they diverted peoples mindes from prying in their tyrrannie over Princes, and gaue them another matter of talking. They found an errand to send away the most wise and valorous Spirits, of whom they feared greatest opposition at home, as Gottofred the chiefe Counceller and commander of the Emp…rours Ar…ies: That emptying the land of such spirits, they might securelie encroach on emptie Kingdomes. And all ranne to their maine purpose, to proue p. 45their supperiority over Princes, in that they vrged them to Co…cil▪ Late …an. sub Inn… cent 3 apud B…n. 696vow a iourney in Syria, and forced them to obey vnderunder the feare of excommunication: And so in this new devised fansi… of an holie warre vsurped an absolute dominion over their consciences and crownes.

At his death he repented the wickednesse of his course, as Sigebert aaSigibert Anno 1076. Matth. Paris. pag. 16and others testifieth▪ when hee was at the last gaspe, hee called to him a Cardinall whom hee loved much, and confessed to God—that hee had sinned greatly in his pastor all charge—and by Sathans instigation had stirred vp hatred and wrath against mankind—And therefore sent the foresaid Confessour to the Emperour and Church to get pardon. Not withstanding of this declaration, yet they denie that Repentance bbBaron. An. 1085. n. 24saying, That Sigeberts lie of Gregories repentance, for persecuting of the Emperour, is elided, Comentum Sigeberti de paenitentia Gregorij, de eo quod Henricum fuerit persecutus, eliditur: And they affirme that hee dyed ratifying his former violence. This is the imp…nitent & pertinatious humour of the Roman Church they will neither repent themselues, nor let it be knowne that their predecessiours repent their wickednesse; least they should grant the Pope may erre and their Successours bee forced to forsake the wickednesse of their Ancestours.

As they cannot shew vsus a Practice before Hildebrand soMatth. Tortus. not any sanction of counsell before the Laterane, in Innocent the thirds time, Bellarmine calleth it maximum & celeberrimum concilium, because it was all for the Popes Monarchie:Bellar. Apo. But that statute proues the noveltie of vsurpation for if it was a constant practice before, what needed it then a sanction: But the truth is, the practice was new, and craved a confirmation by a posteriour sanction. A lawlesse practice craved a lawlesse order, first to doe, and then by law to confirme it as right; a direction which Machiavell giveth to his tyrant. That Councell ought p. 46to be called as well as the other foreign or a councell of Brigands wherein they were both judge and partie, to confirme their owne tyranie.

This was a fitte time to worke such wickednesse, because great darknesse had over whelmed the Church in those Ages, And their Cardinall aaEcce s…culum inselex. Bellar. Chronol. ann 970cryeth out on these times, Behold, an vnhappie Age, wherein are no famous Writters, no Councells. And Sigebert expresselie, bbHaec novitas nondum in mundo emerserat, Sigibert ann 108…. Baron. ann. 859. Idem. 845:This noveltie was not as yet risen in the World. And when Bardas had erected Schooles in Constantinople, they could not finde so many learned men as to teach in them: And in a conference betweene the Greeke and the Romane Church many things were done ignorantlie and confusedlie, because there was but one Interpreter, for all the Colloquutors. The Histories then writtē were full of visions, aparations of spirits, translations of Relicts, to tell that the Religion was dead in the living, when the living were seeking pietie and devotion from the dead.

Therefore this doctrine is justie called by the iudicious, ccK Iames Eliensis. Casaub. Spalato.Doctrina Hildebrandina, an Hildebrandine doctrine, because Hildebrand was the perfecter of it: And though they would fetch it from former times, yet they say as much as wee, when they ddBaron. Martyrol. Maij 25.call him the most keene defender of Ecclesiasticke libertie. And Onuphrius eeTotius libertatis defesorem vnicum Annot. Plat. ad Gregor 7. Vestan. de ose ped. cap. 17calleth him the onelie defender of all the Ecclesiasticke libertie. And when as a Dictator hee set downe his Dictatus, as a platforme of that tyrannie, hee declared that it was his owne device.

Wee neede no more against them than Baronius ffBaron. ann. 1097. … 21, 28 29. 30arguments in his long digression against the Monarc…ie of Sicile: From the weakenesse of the Charter, From the noveltie that it was vnheard in the Church: That the Authoritie of the Apostolick Sea was pretended against itselfe: That there could not bee two Monarchs in the Church, because of a deformitie of that bodie: All those arguments p. 47doe militate more for vsus against the Popes Monarchie. But Tertulian his challenge is pertinent for vsus. Where is Religion? Where is Reverence aue to the Auncieunts▪ You hauehave everie way renounced them. You praise ever Tertul Apolog. cap. 6.Antiquitie, and yet yee liue newlie. Whereby it is manifest while yee depart from your forefathers institutions, that yee doe keepe the things which ye ought not, since yee keepe not the things which yee ought.

I close this point of the Noveltie of their Vsurpation, with aaVos dicitis licet, &c. Optat M…leadvers. Par menian. lib 5Optatus Milevitanus, as hee spake of the Donatists question: Yee say, it is leasome, wee say, it is not leasome, betweene your leasome and our no leasome, the mindes of people stagger, so say wee to the Papists. Yee say, the Popes may depose Kings, wee say, hee may not. Let Scripture bee Iudge betweene vsus as the onelie Testament of our Father, as that same Optatus speaketh: And ex abundanti, wee offer the challenge not for six hundreth yeares onelie as reverend Iewell did in Dogmaticke points, but for a thousands yeares. Ye hauehave neither Dogmatical positions, nor assasinate practices before Hildebrands time. Neither hauehave yee sanction of Councels before that Laterane Councell vnderunder Innocent the third. This is farre from true bbIllud veri… us quod prius, &c. Tertul. advers. Marcion. lib. 4.Antiquitie, for that is true that is first and that is first that is from the Apostles: And that Martyre ccMih… antiquitas Iesus Christus Ignat ad Philadsaid right, Christ is my Antiquitie, But least they bee thrust from all notion of Antiquitie, wee shall grant them such as the …esuite Turselline clames to the transporting of the Virgines Chamber from Nazareth to Dalmatia, and from thence to Loretto: Hee calleth that fablous miracle, an auncient faith. And yet when hee commeth to[d] Tam vetustam fidem. Tursell. hist, Lauret. praefa… the proofe, hee findeth nothing of that transport in the first a…d thirtteenth hundreth yeares: Such Antiquitie is but Noveltie, We hauehave proved our proscription against[e] …bid lib. 1. c. 2. & 6. this Noveltie, that ab initio non fuit sic, It was not so from the beginning. If Panciroll had medled with divine remarkes, p. 48hee might hauehave put among his Vetera deperdita the humble obedience to Princes lately left off by Popes; and their proude Usurpation over Princes among his nova reperta.

CHAP. XII. Of the causes of this Vsurpation.

IT is a matter of astonishment to judicious men, to consider either the insolencie of Popes in affecting; or the weakenesse of Princes in suffering such Vsurpation; and some …esuites also hauehave professed no lesse, aaFatues fuisse veteres …eratores, & …perij nostri ordinis …ui sibi tanto eum dedecore or… sublini a Papis sustini… r…nt. Iesuit a …ud G…dast. Replic.that olde Emperours and states of the Impyre were foolish, Who suffered their mouths to bee wyped by Popes: By this wondering they make a greater wonder to the world, because they maintaine and pursue that same quarrell, at whose iniquitie they wonder: But the reasons of it are these especiallie.

First: an universall corruption in all Estates, and everie one winking at the sinnes of other: Princes preferred ignorant and wicked men to bee Popes and Prelates: And winked at the corruptions they brought in the1. Corruption in all estates. Church, in Doctrine worshippe and manners: And Popes on the other hand winked at the grievous sinnes of Princes: The Popes to make them strong against Princes gained their Cleargie, not onelie by pleading their Immunitie from Princes, but likewise giving them Impunitie for their scandalous liues: And the Cleargie finding that fleshlie libertie vnderunder the Popes, assisted them against Authoritie: So that when good Princes intended to reforme abuses in the Church, they found the faction of Pope and Cleargy so strong that they could neither vendicate them selues, nor the Church from the tyrannie of the Pope. As Princes then were not tymouslie zealous of Gods glorie, p. 49so hee suffered Popes to treade their honour in the dust.

Next, Sathans malice, who seeing what good the spirituall2. Sathans malice. and temporall powers wrought into man, and how their concord made a barre against him: Therefore he divyded them, and turned the pride of his suppost against the ordinance of God in Princes.

Thirdly, the decaying estate of the Impire offered occasion3. Decay of the …mpire. to the Pope, which hee greedily imbraced: It was then come to a great weaknesse, when Rodolph of Suevia was able to make a faction against the lawfull Emperour: And that small remainder was obnoxious to the Pope, by his pretended power over their entrie. Princes also were taken vp with great and heavie warres, and had no tyme to thinke on the Church, or redresse it: And the Pope with his Cleargie on the other side turned these distractions in opportunities, to doe what they pleased. Besides the long, and farre absence of the Emperour from Rome, gaue 4. The Romane …eper. …the Pope libertie to misguide all at his pleasure. For when the lik Ambition breakout in Michael the Patriark of Constantinople, a little before Hildebrands time, the Greeke Emperour dwelling in Constantinople, did soone crush the egges of that vsurpation: But the Emperours abyding in Germanie, made the Pope a free working at Rome.

Fourthly, wee may finde some cause in the Romaine aaLibido dominandi …ne rat vnivers… populo Romano. Aug. Civit. 1. 30.temper, which was ever set for pride and domination as Augustine marketh; that the lust of governing was in the whole people of Rome: And Bernard bbQuid tam notum saculis quam protervia & fastus Romanorum?—Gent insue ta paci tumul tui assueta—vsus que adeo subdi nese…a nisi cum non valet resistere. Bernard de consid lib. 4more fully, what is more knowne to the World, than the pride and partnesse of the Romaines? A Nation not acquaint with peace but with warre: A Nation fierce and intractable; that can not bee subiect, but where they can not resist. And the Greeke Church objected ever to them, supercilium Italicum, the Italian, or Romane pride: And the African councell in Augustines tyme, Typhum saeculi, fleshly and worldly ambition. They hauehave this temper from Romulus, and not p. 50from Christ, for a thousand yeares it ever vexed it selfe in affecting a Monarchie: But when a period was fixed to the Monarchie, that pride ren ained, and changed only the object and ranne out first vponupon a Kingdome or Hierarchie vntill Hildebrands tyme; and thereafter iovned both in one, in affecting an Hierarcho-Monarchie: You shall as soone twinne a Romaine and his life, as twinne him from his ambitious aspyring, and vsurping humour.

Fifthly, too great respect superstitiously given to the Pope: For hee had now seased himselfe as God, in the house of5. Superstitious respect of the Pope. God, and possessed the consciences of people by ignorance and superstition, so that all his words were as Oracles to them, and therefore as in Religion they thought he could not erre, so in policie they thought all was right that he did; and to assist his most ambitious incroaching on Kings, was nothing lesse than to honour Christ himselfe. Moreover of these grounds, hee made himselfe a partie in the Impyre, by fostering factions amongst Princes, and while they weakened other, everie one of them depended on him; either for feare of hurt, or hope of gaine. Hee had also his Cloisters, Convents▪ and Chapters; as also many Garisons in the heart of Kingdomes, and his volant forces of preaching and begging Friers, who are now both succeeded, and exceeded by the Iesuits.

Lastlie the great difference betweene the policies of Princes and Popes. In the Impire the government was ever6 Vnequall policie in Church and …mpyre. raw and greene, and as mortall as the person of the Emperour. Hee was not ever of one house, and when hee dyed, his counsell seemed to die also; his designes and proiects, with all the meanes, for prosecuting were buryed with him: A new Emperour had a new Councell, and a new councell had new grounds to lay, new ends to intende, and new meanes to choose: Their witts were taken vp with the noveltie of the preferment of their Master, and the first occurrent difficulties, and gote not libertie to pry in p. 51the deepe of the Estate: So they were ever Novices, and Strangers in arcanis imperij and if any of them saw any thing therein, touching the Popes tyrannie, they durst not enter into that quarrell, wherein so many excellent Princes were overthrowne; but choosed by obsequie to provyde peace for themselues, and favour to their heires. But Poperie was sweyed with a constant and standing councell, Poperie a cōstant plot.though an Hildebrand, and Alexander dyed, their intentions and designes dyed not, but that same end remained, and the platforme of their courses was followed out by their successor, in whom also their decessors lived All things mortall in the Impire but in a sort immortall in the government of Poperie made the one to outreach the other, as farre as it did out-liue it. A Pope might die, but his consistorie dyed not, nor the mysterie of iniquitie, nor the odd… Thess 2 knacks of knaverie to performe it. Therefore hee is called a Man, the Man of sinne &c. not for vnitie of number, but of mynde: A succession of Men of one intention, one course: Having one worke or mysterie in hand, whereof the seedes were in the Apostles tyme. It grew secretlie in following Ages: It was perfected in Hildebrand thereafter discovered by the Gospell, and decayeth till it bee destroyed.

Besides these reasons, two other things advanced thisPretended holinesse a cause of the Popes greatnesse. tyrannie: Pretended holinesse, as a specious colour, and Excommunication as a terrour. For Holinesse: the Popes gaue themselues out to the world, as most holy, and men counted so of them: whē they were holy indeed, they neither exacted adoration of Princes, neither vsurped; but o beyed them: But being mōstrously profaine they boastof holines & oppressed princes. There is nothing now but his Title Sanctissimus, most holy; & as thogh that Superlatiue were a Diminitiue of his worth, he must hauehave it in abstracto, sanctitas, holinesse it selfe. Men would thinke that hee claimed this name, in the proper notion of infused p. 52and habituall holiness▪ in his person▪ as a speciall Grace of the holy Spirit: But their wickednesse doeth witnesse so against them, that they take it in another Nation▪ and expone it of a comparatiue, a respectiue, a t…ular and putatiue holinesse.

First, A Comparatiue holinesse: Because he is holie in respect of people: But this is both a base clame, for him hat will bee called a Vice god, a god on …a…th▪ the head of the Church by whom shee hath influence: And it is falseBellar. Chro …ol 126. also, because many Princes and people both, were holyer than vsurping Popes as Bellarmine confesseth.

Secondlie, A respectiue holinesse: In respect of their Office, For there bee two sorts of gifts of the Spirit saith Becane? aaBeea… O pus Tom. 5. p. 500. Duplicia sunt dona Sp. sancti—ad secundum genus pertinet illud quod agnos…imus in Pontifice.One for salvation in true righteousnesse, and holynes: The other is given to helpe others to salvation and holinesse and this is common both to good and evill; and of this kind is that holinesse wee acknowledge in the Pope: And when Gardius objected to him, that some Popes were ignorant and flagitious, hee answereth that, bbNon …mpedit assistentiam & directionem Spir▪ sancti. Ibid. Matth 7. 23Matt 7:23that did not stay the assistance of the holie Spirit in those things that was necessar to the Popes holines, because Balaam was a flagitious mā & these workers of iniquitie, to whom Christ will say, I know you not, depart from me. This is true indeed, we hold him at his word, for it is a poore pleading, to sure no more holines for their Pope, than to Balaam or false prophets.

Thirdlie, A titular holinesse, given for a title, andAntiqu… est consuetudo▪ vt R. P. dicatur sancti…simus, & beat…ss… mus Azor. Moral part▪ 2. lib. 5. c. vlt. col. 941. made passant through long custome: (a) As the Emperours were called Augusti, from Augustus▪ and Optimi from Traian, though they were infortunat and diss…lute as Nero, Heliogabalus, and Galien, &c. So because some Popes were holie▪ that …a…e passed as a Title to their Successoures, without any respect of their personal▪ qualification. This Azo…ius confesseth that it is an …l…e custo…e that the Pope be…alled most holie, and most blessed, &c. So hee contenteth him with a custome.

p. 53Fourthlie, A putatiue or presumed holinesse▪ when men thinke him to be holie, though he …e a monster indeede: So Hildebrand in his owne cause. aaMeritis be at… ▪ Petri ind…bitanter sanctus effici tur▪ Gregor. 7 dictat 23 Sufficiunt quae a loci decesso▪ re praestantur. Gratian. distinct. 40. Non nosIf the Pope bee Canonicallie ordained vndoub…dlie he is made holy by the merites of S. Peter. And who can doubt s…id Symmachus. …ut hee is holy whom the toppe of so great dignitie extolleth. In whom if they lacke merites of their owne, the merites furnished by their Predecessours will suffice. For this place either exalteth them who are excellent, or maketh them excellent who are exalted. Let the World judge whither they or wee put pillowes of se…uritie vnderunder men… head since they come so easilie to merite. But their Councel of Basile is bb…u…icit reputare San ctum vnde nō refertur san ctitas ad eum, sed ad ast…mationem subaitorum Apud Bin par▪ 4 colum. 367more cleare, & giveth vsus three sorts of this putati…e holinesse. The first is of his State that hee be reputted holie, so that holinesse is not referred to him, but to the estimation of people, as honour is in honoran…e non in honorato. The second holinesse is religious. The third is the holinesse of publicke Iustice. But the Pope as Pope is the highest degree of all these sorts, therefore hee may be called most holy▪ albeit he be of a wicked life, so long as he is not iudged to be so, but tolerate by the holy Church. This like their State-sanctitie or holinesse of their religious orders, which is contrair distinguished to true holines▪ ccBellar. de Monach. lib. 1. cap. 2.For a man may be truelie perfect and not in a religious state, and in a religious state, but not perfect. I admitte their distinction, but why tye they Evangelicke perfection to that state, except they meane such a perfection as is their holinesse, and that is but a fansie? They mo…ke the Imputation of Christs righteousnesse, when the godlie applie it by …ith, Christ alloweth it▪ and the Father imputeth it: And …et they content themselues with a putatiue holinesse borrowed of man, and i…puted by …an: So in their Priests absolution of the penit…1nts and in this their holinesse of Popes.ddEm. Sa▪ Aphoris …it. absolu…to

It argueth an evill cause, in so great a clame, to bee p. 54content with so base a portion: in the strife for a Monarchie, they outrack all the notions of the words that signifie power, Supremacie, &c. But in the clame of holinesse theyOctava nota sanctitas doctrin…. Bellar. de nota Eccl. c. 11 Idem recog. pag. 51.Eccl 11 decline the proper Notion and retrinches all to a Titular and putatiue sense. This maketh their Patrone when hee disputs his eight note of the Church, to wit holinesse, to shift it from persons, and applie it to doctrine. And in another place to craue no more respect to their Pope, than Caiaphas had, though hee was a false Priest and wicked, and such respect as Iudas had among the Disciples. This is a great change, that hee who t…rusteth himselfe aboue Kings, yet among the Cleargie is content to bee ranked among Caiaphas and Iudas.

This their not our wickednesse seemeth to bee the secretChange of their name. cause of the change of their Name, whē they enter the Popedome. The most part beginneth at Sergius the second, who beeing ashamed of his name (Swynes-mouth) called himselfe Sergius. But Baronius ascriveth it to Sergius Bar an. 844. num. 1the third, Who beeing first called Peter, would not retaine that name, for the reverence hee bare to S. Peter: But here is the mysterie, they hauehave no part of the holinesse of S. Peter. & therefore tak not his name: And moreover, among all who tooke other names, as of Paul, Iohn &c. yet never one tooke the name of Peter, albeit some had that name before their Papalizing, as Innocent the fourth, formerlie called Petrus of Tarentasia, and Paul the fist, formerlie called Petrus Carafa. This is not of humilitie, but of conviction of conscience, not taking his name to whom they are opposite.

So long as Sancta Catholica stood in the Creede, thereRomes holinesse is profainesse. was some holinesse amongst them, but since they thrust Romana on it, they hauehave lost holinesse: Romane holinesse is but by Equivocation, and in end resolues in monstruous profainnesse for at Rome it is all one to bee called a Christian, as in other places to bee called an Asse. The head of p. 55their Church may be a Monster & to be a member of that Church, faith & inward vertue is not required, but onelie a Subiection to the Pope: aaNon requ… vllam in ternam v…rt… te… sed tan tum externa professionem &c Bellar de Eccles. milit. lib 3. cap. 2So their Church in the head & members are by Equivocation, their holines by Equivocation, & all of them in the Church, but secundum apparentiam exteriorem & putative: Campian needed n…t boast vsus, ad Ecclesiae nom…n rostis expalluit. bbCampiaem Rat. 3.As though it were to vsus as G…rgons head, to make vsus astonished, but if they hauehave any remnant ingenuitie, they should bee ashamed of their excrementitious Church, for they craue none other place for it, but as haires, and nailes, and evill humours in the bodie. ccNostra defi… compre hendit capillos vngues, malos humores, Bel vbi supra. Civit. 1. 33and their excommnnication is not a curse, but a blessing, to bee separate from such a Synagogue. All heere agree, such an head, such members: And this was the fruite of their Monarchie; when the Romanes wanted Carthage, and other emulous Republickes they ranne head-long to all …vices, & stantibus maenibus mores ruebāt, while their wals stood strong, their liues we…e diss…lute. So when the Popes had trod downe all competitours, they loosed themselues to all profainesse.

Heerein they seeme to walke in an evill Conscience, both in plunging ignorant men, and flattering the Pope. They plunge the ignorant, while they affirme, that the salvation of all Christians dependeth on the holinesse, vertue, and example of the Popes. ddIn eorum sanctitate sa lus omnium Christianorū posita est. Ve stan de oscul. ped Po…t. p. 153.And Salianus an Iesuite writting to Paul the fi…t, saith, Ut per unum te & in communione tantum tua, vis omnis, ac vigor gratiarum & sanct…atis in omnia membra diffundatur. That Christ hath thee for his Vicar, and as the necke, vnderunder such an Head, that by thee alone▪ and in thy communion onelie, all power and vigour of grace and holinesse may be diffused throgh all the members of his most sacred bodie. eeNeminem …oss… etiamsi ve…t …ubesse Christo—qui non su…est ontifici, &c Bel. ubi supra▪ cap. 5.And to this s…m… sens. Bellarmine affirmeth, that no man (although …ee would) can bee subiect to Christ, and communicate with p. 56the heavenlie Church, except hee bee subiect to the Pope. aaVnam …s…nctam De Eccles 3. 9Eccl 3:9this is more than Boniface his extravagant, for… that did onelyonly tye men to bee subiect to the Pope, but this bindeth Christ also that hee cannot communicate his Grace, but by the Popes Mediation. And in a word, an exalting of the Pope aboue God and man. But since hee sayeth, that Christ the Head of the Chruch, is sanctus sanctorum, I demand what necessitie hath hee of the MediationBee. Man…, 1 4 of an vsurping Pope, who is profanus profanorum. But Becane is more circumspect, than Salianus and Bellermine, while hee draweth the influence of that Head no further, than the externall governement.

Their flatterie of the Pope is cleare, for they know his wickednesse should bee abhorred, and yet they will defend it: And Canus bbOculos nos erudi…os habe mus. l. c ult▪(otherwise modest) will tell vsus that they hauehave learned eyes, and cover the Popes faults as Shem and Cham did Noahs nakednesse: But that is impudencie and not modestie: For Noahs nakednesse came of infirmitie, and was private within the Tent, but the Popes wickednesse is affected, and scandalouslie open to the World: It were good for the Pope and them both to vse Bernards libertie, in not sparing the Pope but telling him his faults freely, that God might spare him; but heerein they are more like Varro ddHaec Var r… non credidit, &c August. Civit. 18. 10who dissembled the vallenies of the gods, lest he should beleeue thinges vnseemelie to them.

But if they must bee called holy, let them hauehave it, in that sense, as Paul the fourth called sanctissimum officium inquisitionis, most holy office of the inquisition eeOruphrius in vita Pauli 4.. Or as Tertullian ffArchi gal lus ille sanctis simus. Tertul. Apol. 25. Mater magna sacris suis non magnitudine numinis, sed crimini…. August. Civit. lib. 5 cap. 26.scornefully calleth Archi Gallus Cybel… Priest sanctissimus, whose service was so abhominable, that reason was ashamed to expresse it. because that goddesse was great not in the greatnesse of goodnesse, but of wickednesse. Or shall wee say, that they make that title sanctissimus, to signifie contrare things, both most holy, and most profaine, p. 57as the Hebrew Kadosh is holy, and Kadesh is scortum mus culum: All holds in the Pope, safe only that contrate significations in the Hebrew are of diverse things, bu… heere both agree in him, the good notion putatiuely, but the ill both really and properly.

They might hauehave lurked long vnderunder this ambiguitie, had not their Analist aaVidisti du… extrema Ep… scopum sanctis simum▪ & pon tificem perditissimum Ba▪ ron. an. 960. num. 7.discovered all; for where as others hauehave made reall profainesse, and titular holinesse compatible in the Pope; he hath set them as two extremes and cont…ares, and ascryved true holinesse to Dunstane, and profainesse to the Pope; to tell that holinesse is more to bee found in others than in Popes, yea that Popes compared to them are but Monsters.

To close this point, their holinesse is the Court holines of Rome, which (as Bernard bbTotum ho… nor…, nihil san ctitati datur. Bernard. consid. lib. 4.speaketh) giveth all to honour, but nothing to holinesse; and so they fall vnderunder his just censure in another place: That it is ccMonstrosa res gradus sū mus, & ani mus infimus &c. Ibid l. 2a monstruous thing, to see in one the highest degree of the Church, and lewdest life. And I would advise them to follow Ambrose ddNomen congruat actions▪ &c Ambros de dign. sacerd. c. 3. Apon in Cantic. lib 1 O miserandā Ecclesiam tali creditampa ranympho. Bernard. Consid 3. Al…ac. de reso▪direction, to shew what they are rather by action than profession, that their Name agree with their life, and their life answere to their Name, least it bee a vaine name, and an odious cryme: Least it bee an high honour, and a deformed life; least it bee a divine profession, and an vnlawfull action,—because as there is nothing more excellent than a good Bishop, so there is nothing more miserable than a scandalous Bishop; for great sublimitie should hauehave great circumspectnesse. Let him reade his dittay and doome from Aponius: If hee neither liue holily, nor teach right, hee shall drinke the bitter fruits of his wickednesse: And I must say of his Church with Bernard, O miserable Church committed to such a Paranymph; and with Cardinal Aliaco, It is lamentable when the Church of God is come to this estate, that it is not worthie to bee ruled, but by reprobates.

The second furtherance of their tyrannie was excommunicatiō p. 58of Princes: It had a shew to cut them off from the Church:Excommunication the terrible motiue of their greatnesse. but was more terrible by the consequence in loosing people from their obedience. The olde Romaines were not so cruell, for when their Lawes of twelue tables appointed punishment to everie cryme, yet to impretie they appointed none, but referred the guiltie to the revenge of the Gods: TheAzorius. greatest force it had, was from Princes themselues: For as everie one was ambitious, or greedie of his neighbours Kingdome, hee sought no more but to bee an executioner of the Popes curse, for so hee found a title to the Kingdome, that was exposed to prey, and to conquere it by the Subiects, who were readie either to forsake their natiue Lord, or take armes against him: As the Subiects of Navarre beyond the Pyrenes, at the excommunication Oratio ingenua ad Regem Christaniss.of Iulius the second, deserted their natiue King, and tooke them to the King of Castile. So Princes for their private ends gaue strength to that blow of excommunication, and made it a matter of ruine to them all. This was his policie to beare downe Kings, by yoaking them by the eares, and making them breake one another. Hee overthrew them whom hee hated; and ingaged the other who was his instrument, to himselfe for the benefite of an ill conquered Kingdome. Heere were both craft and crueltie: they not only stirred vp other Kings against the excommunicate King, but also his owne Subiects, who should hauehave beene his guard: They possessed their superstitious credulitie, to make them thinke him execrable, and that it was good service to GOD to cutte him off▪ Heerein the Pope proved a Monster, in blowing at once both hote and cold: cursing good Kings; and with an Apostolicke benediction, conferring their Kingdome on some other King: This is to hauehave the hornes of the Revel. 13. 11 Platin. Aventin.Rev 13:11Lambe, but to speake like the Dragon. Thus Hildebrand verifieth what was said of him: That hee was terrore pot… quàm Religione magnus. Great by terrour rather than Pietie