A Pleasant Purge for a Roman Catholic, Epigram 92 – Epigram 96
On Popes right to interpret Scripture, and their ſtrange Gloſſes on ſundry Texts, to prove their Supremacy, and the Lawfulneſſe of depoſing and killing Kings, who diſobey them.
MUſt not the Pope interpret Scripture? yea
Good reaſon, elſe a Pope he could not be.
No Text him makes Chriſts vicar, Peter, Pope;
His Gloſſe muſt helpe here, elſe he had no hope
Of being either, that makes him theſe, more:
No reaſon then he ſhould this right give o're.
Popes qBellar. de verbo Dei. l. 3. c. 10. Gretzer. De…. c. 1. l. 1. De verbo Dei. p. 16.claime it as their proper right and due
To expound the Scriptures, which none doe ſo true,
So well as they, in all points, ſpecially
In defence of their owne Supremacy,
And right to judge, depoſe, kill Kings, here they
Such comments make on Texts, as will diſplay
Their learning, wiſedome, and unerring power;
For inſtance, they ſay, that our Saviour
Sayd unto, Peter,rJoh 21. 15 16. 17. Feede my ſheepe: therefore
The Popes Supreame head of Chriſts Church: nay more
They hence inferre, that they may judge, depoſe,
Kill Chriſtian Kings, & of their Crownes diſpoſe:
Feeding is killing now with Popes, and they
Good ſhepheards are, when they their flockes ſpoyle, ſlay.
Chriſt ſayd to Peter,tLuc. 5 4 lanch out from the ſhore
Into the deepe, and looſe your Nets; therefore
The Pope is ſupreame head, may Kings put downe
And looſe his Net, to catch their Kingdomes Crowne:
I doubt S. Peter never had one thought
Of catching ſuch Fiſh when he lanch't his boate.
Chriſt ſayd to PetervMat. 16. 19. whatſoever thou
Shalt bind, or looſe here upon Earth below,
Shall be bound, loos'd in heav'n, therefore Popes may
Kings Excomunicate, depoſe, judge, ſlay;
Nay looſe thoſe Subjects from their oathes, which tye
Them to obedience, truth, and Loyalty;
And bind Kings ſo, that they ſhall vaſſals be
To Popes, and ne're once ſtrive againſt Romes See▪
I feare this kind of binding, looſing fall
Beſides this text, which meant them not at all.
Once the Diſciples ſayd to Chriſt,xLuk. 22. 38. Pope Boniface interpreted it. De Major. & Obedientia. Unam Sanctam, &c. Behold
Here are two ſwords, upon which Chriſt them told,
That is enough; therefore both ſwords, with all
Soveraigne power, as well temporall
As ſpirituall doth appertaine of right
Unto the Pope; he may with both ſwords ſmite,
I thinke S. Peter did not then deſcry
That theſe two ſwords did ſo great power imply
As his ſucceſſors have ſince in them found;
Who on the ſword, not word their Empire ground.
No wonder if they ſlay, not Preach the Word;
They ſticke not to the Text, but to the Sword.
Chriſt ſaith yMat. 28. 18. Applied to Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lataran by Stephen Arch-Biſhop of Patracla.All things in heaven and earth to me
Are given of my Father; therefore the
Pope hath all power, Crownes, Kingdomes of meere right
Belonging to him, and by his owne might
May diſpoſſeſſe all Kings who them enjoy,
When he thinkes meete, if they him diſobey,
Yea hence they plead, zSee Officium B. Mariae ſecundum uſum Sarum the Rubrickes; there Pere Baſile his Declaration. c. 12. p. 61. &c.that the Keyes of heav'n, hell
And Purgatory [wherein they Chriſt excell]
Belong to Popes, who can redeeme, releaſe
Men from hell, Purgatory when they pleaſe,
Or ſend or keepe them there, or let in men
Or ſhut them out of Heav'n: They gods are then
I deeme this Text belongs to Chriſt onelyonly,
Its error then it to Popes to apply.
Chriſt ſayd to Peter,bAct. 10. 11. 12. 13. Ariſe, kill and eate;
[That is, ſuch beaſts, fowles onelyonly made for meate
Which he ſaw in a trance, from heav'n let downe
In a great ſheete:] Therefore Popes may uncrowne,
Depoſe, kill Kings, and Princes at their will,
If they refuſe their mandates to fulfill:
Nay ſend them ſoule and body unto h…ll.
I feare the Pope expounds this text not well,
Sith there was no King, man within the ſheete,
Bu… creeping things, foules and beaſts with fowre fe…e.
If Popes from hence will kill Kings, they muſt eate
Their fleſh likewiſe. O'tis a royall meate.
ChriſtbMat. 21. 1. 2. 3. Ma…. 11. 1. 2. 3. two Diſciples ſent, and bad them looſe
An Aſſes colt, and bring him [can you chooſe
But laugh at this rare gloſſe?] the Pope therefore
Hath right to all mens goods, both rich and poore:
Yea, to Kings Crownes, & may them binde, unty;
Depoſe; free ſubjects from their Loyalty,
Oathes of Allegiance, fealty, even as
Chriſts two Diſciples did untie the Aſſe:
Popes are hard driven when they muſt repaire
Unto this Aſſe, to prop up Peters chaire.
Chriſt ſayd, cJoh. 12. 32.if I be lift up from earth, I
Will draw all things unto me: Popes hereby
All Kingdomes, Crownes, things of right to them draw
And claime them as their due, by Chriſts own law.
But ſince Chriſt drawes al things to him, on high,
Not to the Pope, on Earth, I muſt deny
This Roman gloſſe, till Popes can make it cleare
That Chriſt ſpeaks of them, of Crowns not Soules
dCe…. 1. 1.In the beginning [not beginnings] God
Created Heav'n and earth [note here Popes odde here.
Gloſſe and deduction;] Therefore there's but one
Beginning, Monarch; who? the Pope alone,
Whence all Kings, Princes, Prelates, Prieſts powre ſprings;
And Popes may make, judge, ſway, depoſe, kill Kings.
In this beginning Popes were not at all;
This text then to their ayde they cannot call.
eGen. 1. 16.God two great Lights created, the great'ſt Light
To rule the day, the leſſe to rule the night:
Hence fD…cretalium l. 1. de Majoritate & obedientia Tit. 33. c. Solitae.Innocent the third, writes, the greater
Light is the Pope, the leſſe the Emperour;
And then concludes moſt learnedly from hence,
That there's as great and vaſte a difference
Betweene the Pope and Emperor, as is
Twixt Sunne and Moone: which hisgGloſſa Ibidem. Gloſſer in this
Sort manifeſts; That as the Sunnes greatneſſe
And magnitude exceeds the Moones, no leſſe
Than forty ſeven [nay fifty ſixe] times; ſo,
The Pope in greatneſſe, might, power, doth out-goe
Him, no leſſe than forty ſeven times; and as
The moone no luſter, nor light in it has
But what the Sunne derives to it: ſo Kings
And Emperours power, luſtre from Popes ſprings;
Whereas in truth, the Popes authority,
And greatneſſe washMatthew Weſtm. An. 609. p. 209. Jean C…ſpin Leſta…, d… L… gliſe. p. 1…. 184. Platina, Balaeus, and others in the life of Boniface the 3. deriv'd from them onelyonly.
But ſith the Sunne, not Pope, was this great light
Here meant, I doubt the Gloſſe is falſe, not right.
Chriſt ſayd thatiJohn 1. 42. Peter ſhould be cal'd Cephas;
That is, an head ſaithkSermo in Feſt Greg. Papae, & ſenno. …. in feſto S. Petri. Innocent, whereas
Chriſt there interprets it to be, a Stone
Whence he inferres, that none but Popes alone
Are heads of Chriſts Church and Lords Paramount
To Kings, and may them cenſure, kill, diſmount.
This Gloſſe was made but by an Innocent,
Who underſtood not what this Cephas ment,
Nor what's the duty of an head, to lEpheſ. 4. 15. 16. c. 5. 22. 23. 24. 29.guide
Not kill the members, or them rule with pride.
Chriſt ſayd to Peter,mMat. 26. 52. Put thou up thy ſword
Into the ſeabbard; from which very word
PopenDe Major. & Obed. unam Sanctam, &c. Boniface the eight moſt learnedly
Reſolves, the temporall ſword doth rightly
Belong to Popes; and that the Temporall
Sword ſubject is to the Hierarchicall.
But ſince Chriſt ſayd, put up, not uſe this ſword,
This Text no ſuch concluſion will afford.
God ſayd to Jeremie the Prophet, See
IoJer. 1. 10. over Nations, Kingdomes have ſet thee
To roote out, pull downe and deſtroy [namely
By threatning judgements for their ſinnes onelyonly:]
Therefore ſaypSerm. in feſto Greg. Papae. Extran. de Ma…oritate & Obedientia. …. unam Sanctam. Innocent and Boniface
[Two learned Popes] the Pope hath power, right, place,
Over all Monarch's and their Kingdomes, Crownes
All ſubject to him, and within the bounds
Of his Grand Empire; and he may at will
Deſtroy all Kingdomes, Kings dethrone, judge, kill.
This, not to Peter ſpoke, but Jeremy
Makes little for the Popes Supremacy:
And ifqDe Conſid. ad Eugenium. l. 2. c. 6. Ruſticani magis ſudoris ſchemate quodam labor ſpiritualis, expreſſus eſt, &c. S. Bernard rightly gloſſe the place,
Confounds, not proves the Popes, ſtate, power and grace.
Its writ of Chriſt, rPſal. 91. 13that he ſhould tread upon
The Lyon, Adder, yea the young Lyon
And eke the Dragon trample under feete:
sJean▪ Creſpin, L'eſtat. de L'eſgliſ. p. 357 Balaeus & Platina in Alexandro. 3. Grimſtons imperiall Hiſtory. in Fred. 1.Pope Alexander the third, thought it meete
And lawfull for him, from this text, his foote
On Fredericke the firſt his throate to put,
And tr…mple on him, uttering this clauſe,
Whiles he … on him with his Papall Paws.
ThetRev. 12. 4. to the end. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Devill and his power is meant onelyonly
By Adder, Lyon, Dragon, certainely
In this Text, not the Emperour, therefore
This Pope miſ-gloſt, abus'd it heretofore.
v1 Cor. 9. 4.Have we not power to eate and drinke? ſaith Paul:
Popes hence have right to all things temporall,
And may diſpoſe of Kings Crowns, as ſome write,
Then all men ſure may claime the ſelfe-ſame right
Sith they have power to eate and drinke; but yet
Not Kings, Crownes, Kingdomes, but their drink and meate.
Store of ſuch learned gloſſes every where
In PopesxExtran. De Major & Obedientia. In Concil. Lateran. ſub. L…o. 10. p. 671. Anton. Sum. parte. 3 Tit. 22. c. 5. Pope Innocentius the 3. his workes. In Popes Epiſtles in Aventine. & in Papiſts who defend the Popes ſupremacy. decrees, Epiſtles, workes appeare;
Which I omit, ſince theſe doe well deſcry
That Popes all elſe excell, in gloſſery,
And can from any text, high Treaſon draw.
Good cauſe then they alone ſhould gloſe Gods Law
On the Popes Supremacy, and Soveraignety Over Kings, Emperours, and Kingdomes.
THe Emperours,ySee Platina, Creſpin. Balaeus & Volateran de vitis Pontificum Romanorum Eutorpius: Grimſtons Imperiall Hiſtory, Morney his Myſtery of Iniquity, Abbas Uſpergenſis Volateranus, the Century writers, Carolus, Moluiaeus, with others. nine hundred yeares, and more
Romes Popes confirm'd, choſe, judg'd, ruld heretofore;
Who ſwore them homage and fidelity
As their Supreme Lords, who did ſummon, try,
Cenſure, depoſe them oft for crimes, as we
By Hiſtories of former times may ſee.
By what right then do Romes Popes now of late
Themſelves, 'bovezSee Aventic. Annal. Boyorum. Emperours, Kings elevate,
And them elect, confirme, crowne, judge, depoſe,
Kill, excommunicate, their Crownes diſpoſe,
Their Kingdomes interdict, abſolve, untye
Their ſubjects from their Oathes, faith, loyalty,
And ſtir them up to fight, revolt, rebell
Againſt their lawfull Princes, them to quell,
Exempt all Clergie mens goods, perſons, lands
From publicke taxes, and Lay-Judges hands?
aMat. 17. 24 26 27Christ, Peter, tribute did to Caeſar pay,
And charged all tobMat. 22. 21 give Caeſar alway
The things that are Caeſars; yea bleſſed Paul
Writing unto the Romans, ſaith,cRom. 13. 1. to 9. Let all,
Or every Soule be ſubject to obey,
The higher powers, and to them tribute pay,
Not out of feare but conſcience, ſince they be
Ordain'd of God. The like precept reade we
Saint Peter gives to all;d1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. 15. Your ſelves ſubmit
To the King, as ſupreame, why ſo? for it
Is the will of God, and for the Lords ſake
You muſt this doe; Here Popes Peter forſake,
And quite abandon: his Divinity
They now at Rome condemne foreSee Balaeus & Benno in vita Greg. 7. with Abbas Uſpergenſis, & Grimſton in the life of Fredericke Barberoſſa and Henry the third. Hereſie.
The Jewiſh high-Prieſts to their Kings of old
Did ſtill ſubmit, and were*1 King. 2. 26. 27. judg'd, rul'd, controld
By them; nay fMat. 26. & 27.Chriſt himſelfe,gAct. c. 25. & 26. & 27. & 28. 2 Tim. 4. 16. 17. Paul, Peter, all
Th' Apoſtles untohSee Doctor Crakenthorpe of the Popes Temporall Monarchie. Caeſars tribunall
Appeal'd, ſubmitted; if Popes Vicars be
To Chriſt, or Peters Succeſſors, their See,
Goods, perſons, Lands, they muſt to Emperours
And Kings ſubject, as did their Anceſtors;
They muſt no longer them judge, kill, depoſe,
Accurſe, command, nor of their Crownes diſpoſe;
Elſe they will prove the Devills Vicars, who
All earthly Kingdomes claim'd, [as Popes now doe
In ſundryhSee Doctor Crakenthorpe of the Popes Temporall Monarchie. Printed bookes] and ſaydiMat. 7. 8. 9. Luk. 4 5. 6. all theſe
Are mine to give unto whom I ſhall pleaſe;
But neither Devill, Pope have right to one
Kings Crowne or Kingdome, but kProv. 8. 15. Pſal. 22. 28. Dan 4. 25. c. 2. 21. c. 5. 21. 22. Job. 9. 5. to 13. 2 Chron. 2…. 6. 7. c. 9, 8. 1 Tim. 6. 15. Rev. 17. 24 c. 19. 16.Chriſt, God alone;
And Kings from under them immediately.
If Popes lay claime to any, certainely
They from the Devill muſt their right derive,
And ſuch bad Title, doubtleſſe will not thrive;
Which if they looke not well unto, I feare
The Devill will at laſt them to hell beare
For their encroachments on his royalties.
Popes than forbeare this claime, if ye be wiſe;
Chriſt, Peter did nolJoh. 18. 36. earthly Crownes poſſeſſe,
Therefore Popes claimes to them are vaine, groundleſſe.
On Popiſh …mages.
PApiſts in Lent (a time of moſt devotion)
Their ImagesmDeclaration du Pere Baſil. p. 72. ſtill hide of their free motion
In all their Churches; So that none can eye
Them when they pray. This practiſe certainely
Is an undoubted ſigne that Images
And pictures placed, us'd in Rome Churches
Doe hinder mens devotion, ſince they hid…
Them thus in Lent: than lay them quite aſide
At all times elſe, ſince no Saints heretofore
Had Images in Churches, or before
Them us'd to pray, bow, kneele, or worſhipped
Them as Romes Creatures of late have learned
To doe; who Pagan like ſtockesnCaſſandri Conſul…atio. Artic. 21. Hieron. Lamas Sum. Pars. 3. 2. Adeo Gens affecta eſt truncis corroſis & deformibus Imaginibus, ut me teſte, quoties epiſcopi decentiores po…ere jubent, veteres ſuas p…tant plorantes, &c. deiſie,
And after them when loſt like Pagans cry,
As ſome of late have done in Spaine; 'twere well
Therefore if Images were damn'd to Hell,
Wherewith Romes flocke as groſſe Idolatry
Commits, as Pagans with theirs anciently.
On Romes Doctrine and Practiſe of Equivocation.
ALL Rome for a falſe Church ſhould damne, flye, hate,
Becauſe ſhe teacheth to oSee Moſ… of Equivocation.equivocate;
The worſt of all p….Lies, cheates, that is; no truth
Can be in Rome, who this defends, purſu'th.
How can men pin their faith on Romes Church ſleeve,
Whoſe doubling faith, words, oathes none can beleeve.
They may more faith, truth finde in Devills, then
In moſt of Romes Popes, Jeſuites, Clergie-men;
Whoſe ſtrange Equivocations, Lyes, ſhould make,
All them, and their falſe Church quite to forſake.
On Papiſts blaſphemous Aſſertions touching the Virgin Mary, to the diſhonour of God the Father, and Chriſt his Sonne.
qMarial. part 3▪ Serm. 3. Excellent 4. Gabriel Biel in Cen. Miſſae. Lect. 80. Joan. Gerſon. Tract. 4. ſuper Magnificat.BErnard de Buſti, and ſome Romaniſts
Since him, record, that Gods Kingdome conſiſts
Chiefely in theſe two, Iuſtice and Mercy:
That God this laſt hath reſign…d to Mary
As his Kingdomes beſt halfe; whence all who by
Gods Juſtice griev'd are, may appeale and flye,
From God to her, as men here commonly
From Courts of Law, appe…le to Chancery:
Who by her Mercy, will them ayde, releeve
Againſt Gods Juſtice when ere it them grieve.
So that if God in juſtice men condemne
Her Mercy, mauger God, will abſolve them,
And free from condemnation; if this be
True, God's but halfe a God; no God but ſhe:
God hath nought left but Juſtice, which damnes all;
Not one for Juſtice, all for Mercy call:
Mary hath all Gods Mercy; is all grace
Nay Mercies rFons Miſericordiae, mater Miſericordiae, &c. So is Mary ſtiled in moſt Offices, Primers, Houres and Popiſh Maſſe-bookes: as if all Gods mercy were derived from her.Fountaine: all then will embrace
Her for their onelyonly Goddeſſe; all will flye,
Sue, pray to her, not one to God will cry;
Nor yet to Chriſt, who being juſt as well
As mercifull, doth oft delay, repell
Poore ſinners ſuites (writes sDe excellentia. B. Virginis.Anſelme,) when Mary
Compos'd of nought but mercy, clemency,
Heares and grants all mens ſuites without delay,
As ſoone as they unto her ſeeke or pray.
So as all thoſe who their ſuites would obtaine
With ſpeede, muſt unto her reſort, complaine.
Which (if true Doctrine) all to her will run,
And Chriſt, as Mediator, be undone,
Since all will ſue to her, who doth firſt grant,
And ne're demand of God one thing they want
For Chriſt his Interceſſion, but ſeeke all
From her, whom they theirtEia …rgo ADVOCATA NOSTRA. Officium. B. Mariae ſecundum Uſum Sarum; & in all other Offices Ancient and Moderne. ADVGCATE oft
If theſe write truth, the Virgin hath undone
Un-Godded both the Father and Sonne:
Ingroſt their Mercy, Office, Di…ty,
And made herſelfe Romes onelyonly god: Truely
Then well might Bonaventure, in his Pſalter
Our Lord unto our Lady vSee Biſhop Vshers Anſwere to the Jeſuites challenge, p. 490. 491.change and alter
Throughout the Pſalmes: and thexPſa. 110. 1 Lord ſayd to my
Lord, ſit thou at my right hand untill I
Thine enemies make thy footeſtoole; tranſlate;
The Lord ſayd to ouryPſal. 71. 1. 2. 3. Lady, ſit thou at
My right hand, untill I thine enemies
Thy footeſtoole make: And in like ſort diſguiſe,
yPſal. 71. 1. 2. 3.O Lord in thee have I put my truſt, let
Me never be confounded, and to ſet
It thus: O Lady I my truſt in thee
Have put, O never ſuffer me to be
Put to confuſion: in thy righteouſneſſe
Deliver me, for thou art my fortreſſe:
With ſundry ſuch like: This groſſe Blaſphemy
Which Romes Popes Church approve, uſe, juſtifie,
To Gods and Chriſts diſhonour, ſhould now make
All them quite to abandon and forſake.