A Defense of the Catholic Faith, Book 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Clergie and of their Liberties, and Exemption.
§ Tertia. Cleri…i non poſſunt a Iudice politico puniri, vel vllo modo trahi ad ſecularis magiſtratus tribunal.CArdinall Bellarmine cap. 28. of his booke De Clericis, ſayth, That Clergie men may not at any hand be puniſhed by the politique Iudge, or be drawne before the iudgement ſeat of the Secular Magistrate. He ſaith alſo that the cheife Biſhop hauing deliuered Clerkes from the ſubiection of Princes, § Reſpondeo ſummus Pontifex Clericos exemit a ſubiectione Principum, non ſunt amplius Principes clericorum ſuperiores.Kings are no longer Superiours ouer Clerkes. In the ſame place alſo he maintayneth that the goods as wel of the Clergy as of ſecular men, are and ought to be exempted from the taxe and tribute of Secular Princes.
§ Quarta. Bona Clericorum tam Eccleſiaſtica quam ſecularia libera ſunt ac merito eſſe debent a Tributis Principum ſecularium.Hereunto the King of great Britaine, ſpeaking to the Emperour, to the Kings and Princes of Chriſtendome, ſayth in this manner: And when the greateſt Monarches amongſt you will remember, that almoſt the third part of your Subiects and of your Territories, is Church-men and Church-liuings; I hope, ye will then conſider and weigh, what a feather he puls out of your winges, when he denudeth you of ſo many Subiects and their poſſeſsions, in the Popes fauour: nay, what bryers and thornes are left within the heart of your Dominions, when ſo populous and potent a party ſhall hauehave their birth, education and liuelyhood in your Countries, and yet owe you no Subiection, nor acknowledge you for their SOVERAIGNES? So as where the Church-men of old were content with their tythe of eueryevery mans goods; the Pope now will hauehave little leſſe then the third part of eueryevery Kings Subiects and Dominions.
To theſe words, ſo full of weight and euidence, Coeffeteau anſwereth very ſoftly and ſillily. He ſaith that Catholicke Kings, do not apprehend any ſuch calamitie, ſeeing that amongſt them Eccleſiaſticall Perſons liue vnderunder their Lawes and acknowledge their authority, euen the Pope himſelfe beeing aware of it: That in France the Cardinals and Byſhops performe vntounto the King, the Oath of Fidelity; cōmendeth the Kings for hauing giuē to Clerks great immunities, notwithſtanding which he ſayth that they doe not let to be bound to ciuill Lawes.
Theſe wordes are full of timerouſneſſe and lurking ambiguity. Anſwere. Hee ſaith that Clerkes indeede liue vnderunder the lawes of Princes, but hee doth not tell vsus, that in caſe of diſobedience the King may puniſh them; for otherwiſe there is no ſubiection. He ſayth that the Biſhops yeeld the Oath of Fidelity, but the queſtion now is not touching fidelity, but touching ſubiection and obedience. He ſpeaketh of immunities granted by Princes, but he doth not tel vsus what theſe immunities be; for this is one (as Bellarm. witneſſeth and we will ſhew hereafter) that Clerks are no longer ſubiects to Kings, & that the King is no longer their Superiour. Thus can we learne nothing of this Doctor.
So that indeede his Maieſties complaint is ſo iuſt, that if we holde our peace threin, the cauſe wil proclaime it ſelfe: EueryEvery man knoweth what a Diminution to the Crowne and greatneſſe of Kings, theſe immunities of Clergy men do bring; all which they couer and rabble vp vnderunder the Title of the liberty of the Church, vnworthily tranſporting this ſacred name of Chriſtian liberty, which ſignifieth in the word of God the deliuerance from the curſe and malediction, and from the yoake of ſinne, and from the heauy burthen of the ceremonies of the law; to ciuill pretences, and diſpenſations with that naturall duety which wee owe vntounto our Prince, vnderunder whom we had the happineſſe firſt to behold the Sunne.
This is a thing that belongeth euen to the law of Nations: and beſides that is authoriſed by the word of God, that eueryevery perſon be ſubiect to the Soueraigne Magiſtrate. But here now ſee, how in one kingdome, as in Fraunce, there will be found aboue three hundred thouſand perſons, who vnderunder the title of Clergy-men hauehave ſhaken off the yoake of the Princes authority; yea euen children that are entred Nouices into that Body, exempted from all obedience towards their parents:
This body of the Clergie hath its Iudges and officers & their priſons likewiſe apart. Their cauſes are not called to be anſwered before Royall Iudges; but receiue hearing and determination in the great State chamber at Rome called La Zuota or in the conſiſtorie.
There is a third parte of the Lands of this kingdome in the hands of Clergy men to the great preiudice of our kings. For it often commeth to paſſe, that the proprietarie owners and poſſeſſors of lands doe ſell their inheritances; whence accureth profite to the Prince, by the Kings fine which ariſeth of eueryevery firſt part, or firſt prime, of ſuch fales and other rights belonging to the cheefe Lord; which Rights are loſt when once immoueable goods, enter into the poſſeſſion of the Clergy. The king doth alſo loſe his right of Aubaine, which is an eſcheate to the king of all ſuch goods, as any ſtranger dying in Fraunce is poſſeſſed of, alſo the right of confiſcation, and in caſe of deſertion when a man doth quit his owne eſtate. The Clergy being a body that neuer dyeth, that neuer confiſcateth, and in which body inheritances dye by Mortmaine: VponUpon whom the ſecular perſons conferre eueryevery day new Donations; but we neuer ſee the ſharing of Eccleſiaſticall goods made to the profite and behoofe of any Lay-man: for goods finde many gates open to enter into the Clergy, but neuer a one to get our from thence, like thoſe footings of the wilde beaſts, which all turned inward towards the Lyons denne, but there appeared no trace of any that euer returned from thence. And hence it commeth to paſſe, that as in mans body, the thighs and armes grow leſſe and leſſe by how much the bigger the belly ſwelleth through exceſſe: ſo in the body of a Common wealth. The Nobility and the Commonalty, who are as the armes and legges of that State, they are brought low by the increaſe of the Clergy.
To this end alſo they hauehave obtained that the Church ſhal alwayes be held in non-age and in her minority, that if ſhe ſhall at any time hauehave made promiſe or contract, that may turne to her diſaduantage, ſhe may vnderunder that pretence be releeued. And whereas in common courſe of law, thirtie yeeres are ſufficient to keepe poſſeſſion by way of Preſcription:De Praeſcript. Cap. 2. in Serto. Contra ipſam Romanam Eccleſiam Centenaria. vel contra alias Eccleſias quadragenaria preſcriptro Legitima ſit completa. Againſt the Church of Rome, and againſt the Templaries no Preſcription can be of force vnderunder one hundred yeares; which is in effect as much as that againſt them there is no Preſcription. The other Churches and Orders hauehave fortie yeares Preſcription.
This ought alſo moreouer to be added, which is a thing that doth greatly redound to the weakening of the power of kings. And that is, that al Fee-farms and lands of the moſt noble Tenure, aſſoone as they enter into the Poſſeſſion of Eccleſiaſticall perſons, they become exempted from all charges and payments, as well in regard of their perſons as of their goods, being no longer bound to that perſonall ſeruice, which the poſſeſſour formerly owed vntounto the Prince. Whence it came to paſſe that our auncient kings were able within leſſe circuite of Countrey, to leuie Armies of an hundred thouſand men, whereas now a dayes within a farre larger extent, fewer troupes are gathered, becauſe there is a third part of the lands of Fraunce, which contribute nothing to publique neceſſities. And yet notwithſtanding, naturall reaſon requireth that they who enioy the fruite and benefite of peace, ſhould contribute toward the warre; that thoſe that liue at caſe, ſhould cheriſh and releeue them that fight for their conſeruation. Wherefore then whiles the Nobility and the third State, do oppoſe themſelues to the inuaſion of ſtrangers, whiles the King doth fortifie his Frontiere Townes; doth intertaine Gariſons, dooth appoint Officers as well for ciuill gouernement as for diſcipline of warre; why ſhould not Eccleſiaſticall perſons, who by theſe meanes doe quietly enioy the fat and beſt of the Kingdome, why ſhould not they, I ſay, contribute to the publicke neceſſity: why ſhould their increaſe be a deminution to their Princes forces, who watcheth ouer them for their quiet?
Furthermore no man can be ignorant but that this is a thing greatly threatning the dammage and impoueriſhing of the Kingdome, that a third part of Fraunce ſhould be tributary to a ſtranger, vnderunder a title of Annates, Dates, Diſpenſations, Abſolutions and caſes of marriage. Againſt all which biting extortion our auncient Kings prouided by the Pragmaticke Sanction; being angryed and agreeued to ſee the faire pence of the Kingdome to paſſe ouer the Alpes vnderunder a Religious kinde of pillage, and to enter into the purſes of thoſe who made a mocke at our ſimplicity.
But aboue all, this is that which is moſt pernitious to Kings and their eſtates, that ſo many perſons are exempted from iuſtice, and from the arme of the ſecular power. For by this meanes if a Clerke doe himſelfe vndertake, or doe abet another to attempt againſt the life of his Prince, if he coyne falſe money, ſet fire on a towne, or entertaine ſecret intelligence with ſtrangers; or if hee infect the common people by the example of his lewde manners. The Prince for all this cannot lay handes on him without leaue from his Biſhop, and hee ſhall not dare to touch him, vntil he be firſt degraded, in ſuch ſort that the King hath in his kingdome an infinite number of perſons, who are Lords of the faireſt and beſt choyce of his Countrey, and who are not his ſubiects, but do acknowledge another for their Superiour out of the kingdome.
This is verily one of the boldeſt wiles and the ſubtileſt ſleights of the myſtery of iniquity, to hauehave found out a meanes whereby to make a king by ſufferance to giuegive way to another, to eſtabliſh an eſtate within his owne eſtate, and in the end to thanke him for it too: and to thinke himſelfe beholding to him for the ſame. Who will then maruell hereupon, if the king of great Britaine whom God hath freed from ſo heauy a yoake, doe looke with compaſſion vponupon thoſe other kingdomes, who yet do groane vnderunder this burthen, and as ſtanding ſafe on the ſhoare, giueth aduiſe and counſell to his brethren whom he ſeeth weather-beaten with theſe ſurges, and carryed away with the current of an olde inueterate cuſtome.
Now here I proteſt againe, as heretofore I hauehave done, that I doe not ſpeake of the perſons, but of the rules and orders of the Church of Rome. I know that in this great body of the Clergy there is a great number that would willingly dye for the ſeruice of their king: in whom their Prieſtly character of ſhauing, hath not made them forget that they are borne ſubiects. In whoſe ſpirits nature hath more force then their habites, and the louelove of their Countrey more then the Maximes of Italy: but they are beholden to their owne good diſpoſitions for this, and not to the rules of the Church.
Some to colour this abuſe, ſay that Clerkes are exempted from the power of Princes not by Gods law, but onelyonly by mans poſitiue law: whereunto I ſay that firſt they contradict not onelyonly Bellarmine himſelfe, who in his booke of the exemption of Clerkes,Eccleſiae Eccleſiaſticae que perſonae ac res ipſa…um non ſolum iure humano, quinim mo, & diuino a ſecularium perſonarum exactionibus ſint immunes. hee doth exempt them by Gods diuine Law: but alſo Pope Boniface the eight, who ſpeaketh in this maner in the Title, De Cenſibus in Sexto: The Churches and Eccleſiaſticall perſons & their goods, let them be exempt from the exactions of ſecular perſons not onelyonly by mans lawe but alſo by Gods Diuine law.
Secondly I ſay that it little importeth Princes vnderunder what title men take away their dues, ſeeing that they are eyther way alike riffeled and deſpoyled. And it goeth againſt the heart of him that hath been robbed to pay himſelfe with a diſtruction, certaine it is that if this be graunted, that the exemptions of Clerkes is founded onelyonly vponupon mans lawes: yet if a Prince ſhould goe about to clippe the priuiledges of Church-men, and ſhould continue on, to draw thoſe rights and dues vppon their lands which he had vponupon them whiles they were yet in the hands of ſecular men; ſuch a Prince I ſay, ſhall be neuer a whit the more excuſed: nay, rather he ſhall be curſed and banned as blacke as a coale, and ſhall be ground to powder with hote excommunications, as a perſecutor and diminiſher of the liberty of the Church. And if any Ieſuite ſhould come to ſuffer death in any ſuch quarrel, he ſhould be put in the Kalendar of Saints and Martirs, as was Thomas of Canterbury, who ſuffered only for this very ſubiect.
And indeede it is a thing very eaſie for vsus to prooue that Clerkes hauehave exempted themſelues from Taxes and Subſidies and Contributions, and from ſubiection to the ſecular ſword, not onelyonly without all law, both of God and man, but directly contrary to Gods Diuine law. For S. Paul, Rom. 13. will hauehave eueryevery ſoule ſubiect to the higher powers. He that will exempt Clerkes from this rule, ſaith by a conſequent that they hauehave no ſoule. Now if they be ſubiect, then doe they owe Tribute: for S. Paul addeth, that this ſubiection conſiſteth in paying of tribute: For this cauſe (ſayth he) you pay tribute, becauſe they are the Miniſters of God. foreignWheruppon Saint Chryſoſtome in his Commentary on that place ſpeaketh roundly to the purpoſe; The Apostle (ſayth he) enioyneth this to all, euen to Prieſts and Solitary Monkes, and not to Seculars onelyonly. And that which is yet more, he addeth, Be thou an Apoſtle, be thou an Euangeliſtor a Prophet, or whoſoeuer. Whence appeareth that if the Pope be an Apoſtle (as indeed he calleth his charge an Apoſtleſhip) notwithſtanding by S. Pauls rules he ſhould be liable to taxes and rallages, and ſubiect to the ciuill Magiſtrate.
Now becauſe ſome perhaps may vſe this exception,This is Bellarmines owne exception, cap. 3. de exemptione Clericorum. That Chriſtian Clerks were forced of neceſſity to be ſubiect to Paynim Princes, to pay them taxe and tribute, to appeare before their Ciuill and Criminal Iudges for feare of drawing (by ſuch their refuſall) perſecution vponupon the whole Church: but vnderunder a Chriſtian Prince Clerkes ought to be exempt from this ſubiection.foreign. The ſame Chryſostome addeth in the ſame Sermon, That if the Epoſtle eſtabliſhed this law, at what time Princes were Paynims; How much more then ought this to be vnderunder beleeuing Princes? Si omnis, & veſtra. Quis vos excipit ab vniuerſitate?Likewiſe S. Bernard in his two and fortieth Epiſtle to the Archbiſhop of Sens: GiueGive honour to whom honour belongeth: Let eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect to the higher powers; if eueryevery ſoule, then yours alſo, for who can except you from that which is vniuerſall? Si quis tentat excipere conatur decipere. He would daceiue you that would except you. This worthy perſonage had a ſenſible feeling of the exceſſiue abuſes which, alleadged in his time, were growne vp in theſe exemptions. S. Ambroſe in his Oration of ſurrendering vp Churches, ſaith,De tradendis Baſilicis. Si tributum petit non negatur. Agri Eccleſiae ſoluūt tributum. Ʋeri miniſtri Dei legibus noſtris ſubij ciunt…r. If the Emperour demaund Tribute, we doe not refuſe it. In the fourth booke of Theodorets Story, cap. 7. Valentinian the elder, writing to the Biſhops of Aſia, he ſaith, That the true Miniſters of God are ſubiect to the lawes of Emperours. And it is in the very ſame Emperour, who being ioyned with Valens, made that law, of which*Pudet dicere, Sacerdotes ido lorum & aurigae mimi & ſcorta haereditates capiunt: ſolis Clericis & monachis hoc lege prohibetur, & probbetur non a perſecutoribus ſed a principibus Chriſtianis. Nec de lege conqueror ſed dol…o cur meruimus hanc legem. S. Ierome ſpeaketh in his Epiſtle to Nepotian, which did forbid Eccleſiaſticall perſons to receiue any heretages, or to take any thing from women: which law is found in the Code of Theodoſius, in the title De Epiſcopis & Clericis: Whence appeareth that the Emperiall lawes did in thoſe dayes ſubiect Clerkes to many things; from which the ſeculars themſelues were exempted. Which was not reckoned any Tyranny, ſeeing that S. Ierome ſayth in the ſame place, that he doth not complaine of that law, but rather of the Auarice of the Clergy, who had worthely deſerued to be curbed and repreſſed by that law made. VVhat ſhall I ſay more? Pope Vrban and the Romane Decree, in the Cauſe 23. Queſt 8. in the Canon Tributum, ſpeaketh in this manner:❀De exterioribus ſuis quae palam cunctis apparent Eccleſia tributum reddit. The Church payeth her tribute of all her outward goods. Againe,*P…o pace & quiete qua nos tueri & defenſare principes debent, imperatoribus perſoluendum eſt We muſt pay to Emperours in recogniſance of the peace and quiet, in which they ought to maintaine and defend vsus. Let a man read the Canon†Pont…ſices procurſu tempor alium rerum imperialib is legib… vterentur. Quoniam, and the Canon De Capitulis, in the tenth Diſtinction: and there a man ſhall ſee how much the Popes do acknowledge themſelues ſubiect to the Emperours, and bound to obey no other lawes then the Imperiall, in temporall affaires.
In Sigonius his fift booke, Ansbert Archbiſhop of Pauia crowned Carolus Caluus King of the Romanes, ſaying vntounto him, Wee hauehave choſen you with ioynt conſent, Protector, Lord and King, and we yeelde our ſelues your ſubiects with all our bearts.
As touching the puniſhment of crimes it is found at large in the*De Epiſcopis & Cler…cis. Code of Theodoſius, that about the yeare 315. Conſtantine diſcharged certaine Clerkes from publique functions which they had executed in perſon, and yet without diſcharging their poſſeſſions. But as well he, as his ſucceſſours retayned and reſerued to themſelues the puniſhment of crimes: For in the twentieth chapter of the firſt booke of the Story of Theodoret, he ſent Euſtathius Biſhoppe of Antioch into baniſhment. The Emperour*Sulpitius Seuerus in the ſecond booke of his Story. Maximus put certaine Biſhops to death; for hauing beene infected with the Herefie of the Gnoſticks, contrary to the counſel of S. Martin who did not approue that cruelty. But S. Martin doth not reprehend him for hauing ſet in his foote ouer the Clergy, or for that hee had thruſt himſelfe in injuriouſly to the iudgement of their crymes: yea about the yeare 1560 the Emperour Iuſtinian eſtabliſhed a law,Iuſtinianus in Nouellis 79. & 83.123. by which he permitted Eccleſiaſticall perſons in ciuill cauſes to proceede before their owne Biſhop: but in criminall matters his pleaſure is, that they ſhould vndergoe the juriſdiction of ſecular Magiſtrates: the indulgence of the ſucceeding Emperors hath exempted them from al ſecular juriſdiction, contrary to the dignity and ſecurity of the Empire, yea and contrary to the rules and examples of the worde of God it ſelfe.
VnderUnder the Law the Leuites had no priſons apart, nor Iudges apart; they were ſubiect to the Kings, who ſometimes chaſtiſed the high Prieſts themſelues, as Salomon depoſed Abiathar from the Prieſthood Ieſus Chriſt appeared before the iudgement ſeat of Pilate, Io. 19.11.and he giues this teſtimony that it is giuen him of God, to be Iudge in this cauſe. S. Paul did not appeale to S Peter, but to Caeſar, Act. 23 11. and he doth it by the counſel of the holy Ghoſt; to the end that men ſhould not thinke, that it was an euaſion, which hee followed out of neceſſity, without approuing it as lawfull. S. Paul himſelfe doth ſubiect eueryevery ſoule to the powers that beare the ſword, and by conſequent he dooth ſubiect them alſo vntounto corporall puniſhments.
Some perhaps will ſay; I graunt you that the Clergy hauehave now a dayes many more exemptions then they hauehave had in former times. But the Emperours and Kings hauehave giuen them immunities and freedomes which now are irreuocable.Concil. Chalced can. 9. Si Clerieus aduerſus …lericum negotium habeat non relinquat Epiſcopum ſuum & ad ſecularia Iudicia non recurrat. I anſwere, that if Kings hauehave giuen to Clergy men ſuch immunities, they may take them away from them againe, when they ſhal ſee it to be neceſſary for the preſeruation of their State. So, all that men are wont to alleadge out of the auncient Councels, authoriſing theſe exemptions, may ſerue indeede to exhort Clerkes to addreſſe themſelues to their Biſhops to compoſe their differents in Eccleſiaſticall matters. But now a dayes to exempt Churchlands from paying taxe and Subſidy; nor to take from the Magiſtrate the power of puniſhing any Clerke that is a wicked man, and attaynted of ſome cryme which is puniſhable by the law.
Secondly, I ſay that Clerkes cannot be iudged by the validity of their owne exemptions, ſeeing they are made altogether in fauour of them, and to their owne profite. And being Iudges and parties, they will take heed, I trow, of condemning themſelues.
I ſay further; for I mayntaine this truth, That Princes cannot free Clergy men from their ciuill ſubiection and obedience, ſeeing that God himſelfe hath ſubiected them thereunto. So a father cannot free his children from that due obedience which they owe vntounto him: Neyther can he by any damnable induldence and facility toward his children, looſe thoſe bands of nature which God moreouer alloweth and authorizeth in his word. That good indeed, or that good turne is iniurious, that byndeth a man to doe ill, or that exempteth him from well doing. And not to ſpeake but of Magiſtrates only, I ſay, that God hauing commanded the Iſraelites to ſubdue the Cananites and Amorrhites, and to make them their ſeruants: They ſhould hauehave offended God if they had let them goe free and at liberty.
I leaue this alſo to any mans iudgement, whether a Prince may take any Donations, by the which both himſelfe and his Succeſſors may looſe the third part of their Dominion. If any man be an angryed with his money, he may giuegive it away, and make hauocke of it if he pleaſe, but he cannot binde his poſterity to the like humour. Neyther can his perſonall liberalities make vniuerfall Lawes: Eſpecially when by experien…e it is knowne to be true, that thoſe perſons on whom the good deedes hauehave beene done, doe waxe the worſe by them, and the benefites extended towards them, corrupt in their owne boſomes. For, not to ſpeake of thoſe manyfold vices which hauehave thronged in at this gate by troupes, Clergy-men are become very ill acknowledgers of thoſe good deedes which Princes hauehave conferred on them: For now they maintayne, that theſe immunities belong vntounto them by Gods law, and by Diuine right; and that they holde all this from God and not from man, and that the Pope hauing exempted Clergy-men from the ſubiection of Princes, they are no more their ſubiects, neyther are Princes any longer their ſuperiours. This doctrine is conſtantly vpheld in Rome, and mayntayned by all the Doctors that are of any marke in that Church. But about all, by the leſuites; diuers of whoſe teſtimomes, touching this point, we hauehave heretofore produced.
Out auncient Kings neuer heard of any ſuch propoſitions in their dayes. And without doubt that which now-a dayes is called in our law, Le droit de Regale, and L'appell comme d'abus, and likewiſe the Inhibition of the Annates, by the pragmatical Sanction (of which there remayneth no more now-a-dayes then the bare name) theſe are the reliques of the auncient power of our Kings, by the which they did diſpoſe of Eccleſiaſticall mens goods, as well as of Secular perſons. But now-a-dayes after a lamentable manner of ſpeaking, and iniuri ous to our Kings, theſe things are called Priuiledges of the Gallicane Church. As if for a man not to be robbed or riffeled, were a priuiledge vntounto him. Or as if it were a ſpeciall grace graunted by the Pope, that a man ſhould hauehave power to be Maſter in his owne houſe, Non eſt Priuilegium ſed prauilegium. And yet this priuiledge is not obſerued.
And hereupon I beſeech the Reader to conſider how handſomely Cardinall Bellarmine doth carry himſelfe in this poynt, who in the eight and twentieth chapter of his booke of Clerkes,§ Secunda. to the end to gratifie Princes with ſomething, he will, that Clerkes ſhould conforme themſelues, to ciuill lawes in certaine menial ſmall things, as in the buying of any Merchandize, or not to go abroad in the night without a Lanthorne. But within a ſhort ſpace after, he plucketh backe, all that which before he had giuen, willing them to be ſubiects indeede,Fol. 128. Obligatione non coactiua ſed ſolum directiua: by Obligation of direction, not of coertion. That is to ſay, that they may be commanded, but not conſtrained to yeeld obedience: they ſhall obey as farre as themſelues liſt: and this is not to be a ſubiect in any regard. That law is no lawe that onelyonly hath reference to their diſcretion for whom it is enacted. A law that wants his annexed puniſhment, is ridiculous, and ſhould bee called an entreatie, or good counſaile rather then a command. And farther obſerue, that the matters wherein he maketh the clergie ſubiect to the law, are trifles, and things of no moment. But to be vigilant for the ſafetie of his ſoueraigne; or to mayntaine the peace of the Countrey, or to ſhunne priuate intelligence with forrayners, or to be puniſhed for robbing, or rauiſhing, or for treaſon, are matters wherein hee doth not ſubiect them to the power of Kings. So he dazels the eyes of Princes with Schoole-diſtinctions, of Directiue, and Coactiue, flatly denying the while, that Princes hauehave ſuperiority ouer their Clergy.Lib. de. exemp. Cler. cap. 1. And he maytaines that Kingdomes are not held by a Diuine right,§ Ad confirmationem. that is, are not immediately appoynted by God, nor eſtabliſhed by Gods ordinance: directly croſſing the Apoſtle Saint Paul, ſaying, That there is no power but of God, Rom. 13.and the powers that be, are ordained of God. By this meanes taking from ſubiects all religious regard due to Princes, whom in a wicked diſdayne he calles Prophane perſons; toward the end of the ſecond Chapter of his booke of the exemption of the Clergy, in theſe wordes:*Quis dicere audeatius eſſe profane homini in ea quae ſancta ſanctorum id eſt ſanctiſſima dici meruerunt. Is there any that dares auerre, that …rophane man hath any power ouer matters that deſer… to be ſtiled Sancta ſanctorum, that is, moſt holy? He giues alſo this title to Eccleſiaſticall goods; ſo that if the mony of a Kingdome be ſwept away vnderunder colour of Indulgences: If ſinnes be leuyed vponupon the Curtyzans of Rome: If any of the common people doe robbe their children to enrich the Fryers, this wealth, and theſe poſſeſſions are the holy of holies, things moſt holy. O groſſe abuſe, and open mockery! O enmity with God himſelfe! Thus is our ſimplicity ſeduced. Theſe then are the men, that to ſhake off the yoake of Kings, call them Prophane perſons. Kings, who are the annointed of the Lord, Gods image vponupon earth, the nourſing fathers of the Church, the Princes of the people of God, of whom the very Angels ſpeake not without reuerence. Well may their glory be aduanced, and the kingdome of the ſonne of God eſtabliſhed in their gouernment; but let all thoſe be caſt downe, that ſcandalize their ſacred perſons, or exempt themſelues from their authority.