Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Introduction (1 of 4)

Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3 · Introduction (1 of 4)

p. 1A Brief, Neceſſary INTRODUCTION to An Exact Chronological Vindication, &c. wherein the Antient Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction claimed and exerciſed by our Chriſtian Britiſh, Roman, Saxon, Daniſh, Norman, and Engliſh Kings within their Dominions, is particularly ſtated; The Ʋſurped pretended Ʋniverſal Monarchy and Supream Authority of St. Peter, and Popes his imaginary Succeſſors in his Chair at Rome, as well in Eccleſiaſticals as Temporals; with their Claims, Titles to, and Grounds thereof, are conciſely related, and fully refuted, ſubverted, even by the contradictory Practiſes, Devotions, Reſolutions, Principles, Aſſertions of their Roman Church, Popes, Doctors, Votaries, concerning the Virgin Mary, and Chriſt; in oppoſition to our Reformed Proteſtant Churches and Religion.

THis Second Tome being brought forth to the Worlds View before the Firſt, I repute it not only convenient, but neceſſary, by way of Introduction to the Chronological and Hiſtorical part thereof, to preſent you with a Brief Account of theſe 4. particulars.

Firſt, What Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction it is, that our Chriſtian Kings and Monarchs, as Gods Vicars, have claimed, exerciſed over all Prelates, Spiritual or other perſons, cauſes within their Kingdomes and Dominions by an antient undoubted Right in all ages, from their firſt Converſion to Chriſtianity, as Supream Heads or Governors of them next under God, upon all emergent Occaſions, unleſſe when forcibly or fraudulently interrupted therein by Popes and Popiſh Prelates: and in what particular branches it principally conſiſts.

Secondly, What pretended claimes, the Popes or Biſhops of Rome of later ages have made, and ſtill make to the Supream, Ʋniverſal Eccleſiaſtical, and likewiſe to the Soveraign, abſolute Temporal Juriſdiction or Monarchy over all Patriarchs, Biſhops, Clergymen, Emperors, Kings, Princes, Nobles, Laicks, Churches, Empires, Kingdoms, Nations throughout the World, whether Chriſtian or Pagan; and particularly over our Kings, kingdomes, Iſtes of Great Britain and Ireland.

Thirdly, By what fictitious Titles, Deeds or Conveyances, they derive and appropriate this Ʋniverſal Eccleſiastical and Temporal Monarchy, wholly and ſolely to themſelves and their ſucceſſors in the See of Rome.

Fourthly, That the very Practiſes, Reſolutions, and eſtabliſhed Doctrines of their own Popes, Doctors, concerning the Virgin Mary, Chriſt, and Tranſubſtantion, refute, yea totally ſubvert this their pretended Title, Right, unto this their Soveraign Univerſal Monarchy.

For the firſt of theſe: The Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction claimed, exerciſed by our Kings, Monarchs, as Gods Vicats, over all Prelates, Perſons, Cauſes within their Kingdoms, and Dominions in all ages, from their firſt converſion to Chriſtianity, as Supream Heads or Governors of them next under God, upon all emergent occaſions▪ is aaSee Biſhop Jewels Defence of the Apology of the Church of England, part 1. ch. 2▪ diviſ. 3. part 6▪ ch. 11. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, Articles of Religion, An. 1562. Artic. 36. confirmed by the Stature of 13 Eliz. ch. 12. Articles of Ireland, n. 57, 58. B… Uſhers Speech in the Caſtle-Chamber at Dublin, 22 Nov. An. 1628. Concerning the Oath of Supremacy, Lond. 1634.not (as our Romiſh Antagoniſts would perſwade their ſeduced Proſelytes) an actual abſolute authority to Adminiſter the Word, Sacraments of Baptiſm & the Lords Supper, or confer holy Orders by their own actual impoſition of hands, or exerciſe the Prieſts or Biſhops peculiar miniſterial Offices; nor yet by their Laws, Edicts, or Royal commands to abrogate, repeal, contradict, or diſpenſe with any divine Lawes, Precepts, Ordinances, Inſtitutions, Duties, enjoyned or preſcribed by GOD himſelf to p. 2his Church or Chriſtians in the Old or New Teſtament; nor to ſet up or countenance any Idolatry, Hereſie, Sect, Falſe Doctrine, Worſhip, Superſtition, Innovation, Corruption, Vice repugnant to the Word of God; which all true Chriſtian Monarchs, Kings, how great ſoever, have utterly diſclaimed: but it bbSee Biſhop Jewel & Biſhop Uſher in (a) Sir Roger Twiſden his Hiſtorical Vindication of the Church of England, chap. 5. A learned pithy Treatiſe to this purpoſe.principally conſiſts in theſe enſuing branches, which will beſt define and explain it.

Firſt, in a Soveraign power by their Lawes, Edicts to command, enjoyn all Eccleſiaſtical and other perſons whatſoever within their Dominions, to ſerve, worſhip, profeſſe, fear, love, obey the only true God: to believe, embrace the Holy Scriptures, and Articles of Faith revealed in them; to obſerve, keep, uſe all Gods moral Commandements, Evangelical Precepts, Sacraments, Inſtitutions; perform all religious publike and private duties preſcribed to them in their reſpective places, callings, as Chriſtians, relating unto God, as well as to men; and to puniſh all ſuch by themſelves or their ſubordinate Eccleſiaſtical or Civil Magiſtrates, who ſhall obſtinately, willfully or ſupinely offend in any of the premiſes, with Eccleſiaſtical or Civil cenſures, according to the quality of their perſons and offences.

2ly. To prohibit, ſuppreſſe, and extirpate to their power all Atheiſm, Blaſphemy, Hereſie, Idolatry, Paganiſm, Irreligion, Falſe worſhips, Religions, Errors, Superſtitions, Sects, Schiſms, Prophanations, Crimes, tending to Gods diſhonor, the prejudice or ſcandal of the true Religion, the endangering of their Subjects ſouls, or diſturbance of the Churches as well as Kingdoms publick peace, by Laws, Edicts, and ſuitable puniſhments inflicted on all who are guilty of ſuch offences, as oportunity ſhall require.

3ly. To protect, maintain, countenance, encourage the Churches, Miniſters, and people of God committed to their care in the faithfull publick and private diſcharge of their Chriſtian duties both towards God and man.

4ly. To provide a competent number and ſucceſſion of pious, holy, learned, painfull, able Biſhops, Miniſters, Paſtors, diligently to preach, teach Gods Word, catechize, inſtruct both by Doctrin and Converſation; pray with, for, adminiſter the Sacraments duely, and perform all other Epiſcopal, miniſterial offices to them, and all their Subjects throughout their Realms; To provide competent maintenance for them: to enjoyn them diligently, faithfully to diſcharge their paſtoral duties; avoid all ſcandals, offences, exorbitances in Doctrine, Life: And to rebuke, correct, remove, deprive them for negligence, Hereſie, Sciſme, Simony, Scandalous Crimes, and other offences in, or againſt their ſacred places and Functions.

5ly. To preſcribe, inſtitute publike ſtanding Sacred dayes, Feſtivals, Faſts for Gods ordinary publike worſhip; and Church-meetings, extraordinary Feſtivals, Faſts, Humiliations upon extraordinary emergent Occaſions, (as Mercies, Victories, Dangers, Wars, Peſtilences or other Judgements) and ſee them religiouſly obſerved.

6ly. To erect new Churches, Chappels, Pariſhes, Biſhopricks, Archbiſhopricks, Colleges, Houſes of Religion; divide, unite, or diſſolve old; to tranſlate Biſhops Sees from one City to another; yea Abbies, Priories into Biſhopricks, & Biſhopricks into▪ Archbiſhopricks; To endow them with what Eccleſiaſtical Priviledges, Franchiſes, Juriſdictions, Exemptions they pleaſe: to limit the bounds of their Dioceſſes, Provinces; exempt what peculiars, Churches, Free Chappels, Religious Houſes, Societies they think meet from their Archiepiſcopal or Epiſcopal Viſitations, Juriſdictions, Cenſures; To ſettle their reſpective precedencies in all publike Councils, Solemnities, and determin all Controverſies concerning the ſame.

7ly. To elect, nominate, approve, confirm; (yea antiently to inveſt per Annulum & Baculum) all Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, and preſent to all Eccleſiaſtical Dignities, Offices, Benefices any ways belonging to their Crowns by patronage, lapſe, or other prerogative, upon vacancies by death, tranſlation, Simony, reſignation or deprivation. To grant Charters, Licenſes to Deans, Chapters, Covents or other perſons to elect Biſhops, Abbots, &c. yet ſo as to approve, or diſapprove their Elections, when made and tendred to them for their approbation, upon juſt exceptions; To alter the manner of ſuch elections for ſpecial reaſons: To command Archbiſhops, Biſhops, & other Officers by their Writs to ordain, conſecrate, inſtall, admit, inſtitute, induct them when elected, approved, or Clerks preſented by them, at ſuch convenient times, places as they ſhall preſcribe; and to puniſh them for their contempts or neglects therein: To remove, tranſlate Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, Prieſts, and other Religious Perſons; yea transfer their Temporalties, Revenues, Glebes, p. 3Tithes, Reliques at their royal pleaſures, from one Archbiſhoprick, Biſhoprick, Abbey, Priory, Benefice, Order, Church to another, upon juſt or neceſſary reaſons of piety, or ſtate polity for the publike good.

8ly. To ſeiſe, ſequeſter, and enjoy to their own proper uſes, the Temporalties, revenues of all Archbiſhopricks, Biſhopricks, and other Eccleſiaſtical dignities, during their Vacancies, with all incident profits any wayes belonging thereunto, till they in their piety, juſtice or prudence ſhall deem convenient to fill them with ſucceſſors.

9ly. To ſeiſe, ſequeſter, confiſcate the temporalties, real, perſonal eſtates; and indict, arraign, impriſon, out-law, judge, condemn, baniſh, execute the perſons of all Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Prieſts, or other Eccleſiaſtical orders, for their Contempts, Treaſons, Rebellions, Conſpiracies, Seditions, Murders, Felonies, or other civil Crimes againſt their Crowns and dignities, even in their temporal Courts, in as ample manner as any of their Lay-Subjects, notwithſtanding Papal exemptions.

10ly, To demand and receive for the publike defence of the Church, Realm, and ſafety of their Government, perſons, both Diſmes, Aydes, Subſidies, Firſtfruits, and Oathes of Homage, Fealty, Allegiance and Supremacy, from all their Prelates, Clergy; as well as from their Nobility or Commonalty.

11ly. To ſummon National, Provincial, Parliamentary Councils or Synods, at ſuch times and places as they ſhall deem convenient, upon all juſt occaſions; to compile out of the Scriptures, and publiſh formes of Creeds, Confeſſions of Faith, Articles of Religion, Liturgies, Laws, Canons, for the ſuppreſſion or reformation of Atheiſm, Blaſphemy, Hereſies, Schiſmes, Falſe Doctrines▪ Corruptions, neglects in matters of Religion, Doctrine, Divine Worſhip, Sacraments, Ceremonies, or circumſtances belonging to them; or concerning the manners, lives, good government, ordering, diſpoſing of all Eccleſiaſtical perſons, Fabricks, Glebes, Tithes, revenues, or other Church-affairs whatſoever, and reforming of any abuſes in them. To preſide in their proper perſons, or by ſuch as they ſhall appoint, in all ſuch Councils▪ Synods; to direct all their proceedings; to alter, reject, approve, or ratifie by their Edicts all or any of their Confeſſions, Articles, Laws, Canons, Votes, Deciſions, Sentences, as they ſhall ſee juſt cauſe, when preſented to them for their approbations: And to remove, prorogue, or adjourn ſuch Councils, Synods, & diſſolve them at their royal pleaſures.

12ly. To receive, hear and determine, by themſelves, their Aſſiſtants or Delegates, all final Appeals from, or Complaints againſt the irregular Proceedings, or unjuſt Sentences of any Eccleſiaſtical Councils, Synods, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Courts, or Juriſdictions whatſoever; (who have no more, nor other Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction nor conuſance of any cauſes whatſoever, commonly stiled **See 37 H. 8. c. 17. 1 E 6. ch. 2. Sir John Davis his Iriſh Reports, p. 96, 97, 98.Spiritual or Eccleſiaſtical, but what they by their Lawes, Charters, Conceſſions under their Great Seals have conferred on them; and what they derive by, from, under them, and execute in their rights, ſteads, names, by their authority.) To prohibit, reſtrain, redreſſe by their Prohibitions and other Writs from time to time (wherewith our Records abound) all ſuch illegal Ʋſurpations, Encroachments of Juriſdiction upon their Royal Prerogatives, Temporal Courts, Juriſdictions, Lawes, or the Properties, Rights, Liberties, Conſciences of their Subjects, by Eccleſiaſtical Conſtitutions, Canons, Viſitations, Courts, Inquiſitions, Oathes, Vexations, Interdicts, Excommunications, Sequeſtrations, Extorſions, Procurations, or any other Extravagances.

13ly. To prohibit any Eccleſiaſtical Prelates, Perſons, to reſort to General Councils beyond the Seas, unleſs ſpecially licenſed, elected, ſent, or permitted by them; or aſſemble in any Synods or Convocations within their Realms, without their ſummons; or to debate, conclude any thing in them to the derogation or prejudice of their Crowns or Kingdoms; or **See the Statutes and Cuſtomes of Clarendon, Tome 1. Book 2. ch. 12. p. 611, 612, to 616. Tome 2. Book 4. ch. 2. p. 799.excommunicate any of their Barons, Officers, Tenants in Capite, or any perſons inhabiting within their Cities, Burroughs, Caſtles, Manors, antient Demeſnes, without their precedent privity and licenſe, if within the Realm; or licenſe of their Lieutenants, Chief Juſtice, or the Chief Officers of ſuch Cities, Boroughs, Caſtles, Manors, or Demeſnes: And command them when they or other Subjects are unjuſtly or illegally excommunicated, to abſolve, and releaſe them too, if impriſoned upon a Capias Excommunicatum, **26 H. 8. c 3. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 31 H. 8. c. 1…. 36 H. 8. c. 17. 1 Edw. 6. c. 2. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 8 Eliz. c. 1.without any Oath at all, or pledges ad r…manendum, upon caution or pledges given, only to ſtand to the judgement of the Church.

14ly. To appoint Vicegerents general, or other Commiſſioners of their natural born Subjects, by their Letters Patents under the Great Seal, to viſit the Eccleſiaſtical State, perſons, and puniſh, correct, order and redreſſe by Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures p. 4in their rights and by their authority all Hereſies, errors, crimes, offences, contempts whatſoever, puniſhable by the Eccleſiaſtical or Spiritual Lawes of their Realms.

15ly. To nominate and appoint what Archbiſhop or Biſhop ſhould annoint, crown, or re-crown Them or their Queens, Sons; and at what times, places; notwithſtanding any pretences of cuſtom, or preſcription to the contrary.

16ly. To licenſe Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Clergy-men to make Wills, deviſe goods, Legacies; or to hold other Eccleſiaſtical promotions, benefices, (by way of Commenda) with their Biſhopricks; and exempt Clerks employed in their ſpecial ſervice from reſiding on their benefices during ſuch imployments and their royal pleaſures; without Epiſcopal coertion or cenſure for Non-reſidence…: To deraign or enable Monkes, Nuns, and other religious perſons, to purchaſe lands, or take farms, or ſue, elect, marry, upon ſpecial occaſions.

17ly. To prohibit the alienation of Lands from, by, or in mortmain, unto any Eccleſiaſtical or religious perſons, houſes; or the appropriation of any benefices to them, without their ſpecial Licenſe; or the ordination of the ſonnes of Villains by Ordinaries to be Prieſts, Deacons; or the admiſſion of them, or any Infants to be Monks or Nunnes, by Abbots, Priors, Abbeſſes, without their Lords or Parents previous aſſents.

18ly. To admit, inſtall, induct Clerks into Prebendaries and other Benefices, and collect Subſidies granted by the Clergy, by Lay hands, or other perſons particularly authorized by their Patents for that purpoſe, when Ordinaries, Archdeacons, Prebends, or other Eccleſiaſtical Officers neglect, or refuſe to do their duties therein.

19ly. To denounce Anathemaes, Execrations, and Excommunications by their own royal Charters, as likewiſe with and by their Biſhops, againſt all infringers or violators of their Charters, and the Donations, Priviledges, granted in or by them to Monaſteries, religious Houſes, or to the generality of their Subjects, by the Great Charters of the Liberties of England, and the Foreſt, and by other publike or private Charters; And to command their Biſhops to excommunicate all ſuch as ſhould take up arms againſt, or deprive them of their juſt Rights.

20ly. To prohibit all their Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Clergy, Subjects to own, acknowledge, or receive any perſon for Pope, (eſpecially in caſes of Schiſmes and pluralities of elected Popes) but ſuch as themſelves ſhould firſt receive, admit, and proclaim to be a lawful Pope, upon due examination of the legality of their Electors, claims in Councils or Synods ſpecially ſummoned by them for that purpoſe. To diſown them, their Papal authority, Legates, Bulls, when and whiles they oppugned, diſowned their juſt Regal Juriſdictions, Rights, Lawes, or requeſts: and To ſet up new Popes in oppoſition againſt them upon juſt occaſions.

21ly. To prohibit all Appeals to Popes or the Court of Rome: All reſort of any of their Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, or other Eccleſiaſtical perſons to the Popes preſence, Court of Rome, Councils upon ſummons or otherwiſe, without their ſpecial licenſe firſt obtained, under pain of High Treaſon, baniſhment, confiſcation of their eſtates, and other penalties: nor yet during Papal ſchiſmes or vacancies of Popes, to ſeek for any confirmations, Diſpenſations, or Faculties from Rome, but only from their own Metropolitans.

22ly. To permit no Popes Legate à latere, Nuncio, or Agent to come into their Dominions, unleſſe by their ſpecial previous requeſt, or licenſe; nor yet to enter, land in, nor paſſe through their Realms to Scotland, Ireland, or other places, without firſt taking a ſpecial Oath, or giving caution, to bring, receive, act or do nothing in their going, ſtaying, or returning, to the Kings or kingdoms prejudice, nor againſt the rights or prerogatives of the Crown.

23ly. To prohibit any Bulls, Letters, Meſſengers, to be ſent out of, to, or brought from Popes, or the Court, Agents of Rome, into their Realms or Dominions, (eſpecially in times of jealouſie, diſcord or variance between our Kings and Popes, Biſhops) under pain of impriſonment and other mulcts; and command all Officers of the Cinque-ports and other Havens, diligently to ſearch after and ſeiſe ſuch Bulls, Letters, and the importers or exporters of them, with care and diligence.

24ly. To prohibit their Papal Laws, Canons, Decretals to be read, uſed, taught, profeſſed or executed in their Realms, and order their books to be torn, burnt; p. 5the profeſſors of their Canon Lawes to be ſilenced, as inconſiſtent with, repugnant to the Lawes, Cuſtomes, Peace, Profit of the Realm; the Rights, Prerogatives of their Crowns; and oppreſſive, vexatious to their Subjects. To order all Canons made by their own Biſhops, Convocations, without or againſt their Royal aſſents and their Nobles in Parliament, or in derogation of their Lawes, Crowns, Rights, or Subjects Liberties, to be nulled, revoked, ſuppreſſed.

25ly. To prohibit under paines of Praemunire, and other ſevere puniſhments, all Papal Proviſions, or Donations of Biſhopricks, Eccleſiaſtical Livings, Dignities or Preferments; All Collections of Annates, Firſtfruits, Peter-pence, Croyſadoes, Procurations, Diſmes, Tenths, and other Extortions by Popes and their Agents; To baniſh their Legates, Nuncioes, Italian or other Merchants, Uſurers, Brokers, and other inſtruments of Rapine, Oppreſſion, Extortion; with their forreign beneficed Clergymen, (who devoured, tranſported the wealth, diſcloſed the ſecrets of their Realms, but ſtarved the ſouls of their Subjects,) out of their Dominions; Yea Popes themſelves, with their whole Papal uſurped Juriſdiction, Errors, Superſtitions, Innovations, repugnant to Chriſts inſtitutions, and the ſacred Scriptures.

In theſe reſpective Heads, and ſome other particulars of leſſe moment, which may be reduced under them, the Soveraign antient Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction claimed and exerciſed by our Kings from time to time, doth principally conſiſt, as our Hiſtories and Records atteſt beyond contradiction. Which (though ſometimes hindred, interrupted by the unchriſtian Interdicts, Excommunications, and antimonarchical Practiſes of inſolent Tyrannical Domineering Popes; ſeconded with the execrable Treaſons, Conſpiracies, Rebellions of their own Prelates, Subjects, or forreign potent Enemies excited by and confederating with theſe Roman Pontifs) they ſtill claimed and retrived at laſt.

For the 2^d. The Popes of Rome, (as St. Peters pretended Succeſſors in his wooden II.Chair reſerved at Rome (for which Pope aaRibadeniera Les Fleurs des Vies Saincts, Part 1. p. 150. De la Chaire de Saincte Pierre a Rome.Paul the 4th. Anno 1557. inſtituted an Annual ſolemn Feſtival to be celebrated by all the Catholick Church, on Jan. 18. and to which the Popes pretended Supremacy and Infallibility are annexed) and as Chriſts Ʋniverſal Vicars, Succeſſors, in his Regal and Sacerdotal Soveraign Power over all powers, creatures, both in heaven, earth, and under the earth;) do challenge to themſelves, a General Soveraign Monarchical Juriſdiction, as well in Temporal, as Spiritual and Eccleſiaſtical things, over all Churches, Empires, Kingdoms, Nations, Biſhops, Clergymen of what degree ſoever, and all Emperors, Kings, Princes, Potentates, Perſons throughout the World, as well Pagan as Christian; not only to feed and inſtruct them, as their Univerſal Paſtors, but likewiſe to root out, pull, or throw down, deſtroy, plant, build up, remove, depoſe, rule, correct them with Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal cenſures, bbSee Dr. Marta Pars 1. c. 17. n. 15 c. 23. nu. 1. 7. c. 24. n. 1. 9. 28. c. 42. n. 1. 17, 19, 23▪and to diſpoſe of, transferr, their Dominions, Crowns, Scepters, Biſhopricks, Benefices, as they ſhall ſeem meet, and give them to whomſoever they pleaſe; yea their uſurped power is ſo abſolute, that to uſe their own words, inſtances in ſome, not all particulars; ccDr. Marta De Juriſdictione, pars 1. c. 24. n. 40, 41. pars 4. Caſ. 79. n 33, 36. caſ. 93 n. 3. 14 Pars 2. c. 37. n. 2. 5Papa de plenitudine poteſtatis, poteſt declarare, limitare, et diſpenſare, contra Ius divinum, et contra Apoſtolum; Poteſt tol…ere jus poſitivum ſine cauſa. ddMarta, Pars 2. c. 43. n. 61. pars 3. c. 17. n. 4, 5. Pars 4. Caſ. 195. n. 14. 25. Caſ. 74. n. 1, 6, 7,Eſt ſuper omnia Concilia, quae interpretatur, tollit, corrigit et alterat. Poteſt omnes res Eccleſiae alienare, etiam ſi juraſſet non alienate, quia ſibi non poteſt imponere legem etiam jurejurando. Poteſt ultimas voluntates moriemium alterare et commutare, and that ſine cauſa, (againſt Gods and all other mens reſolutions, Gal. 3. 15.) In brief, eeMarta, Pars 4. Caſ. 56. n. 1… Pars 1. c. 15. n. 14. c. 18. … ▪ 34. c. 19. n. 6. c. 9. n. 9, 5.Papa eſt Iudex Ordinarius omnium hominum totius mundi, et poteſt citate et judicare quemlibet ubicunque exiſtentem. Papa omnia poteſt de plenitudine poteſtatis quam ſolus habet, caeterorum Principum nullus; Yea ejus ſententiae eſt ſtandum, etiamſi contradiceret Eccleſiae: For Papa ſolus poteſt ſententiam definitivam proferre in Epiſcopos totius orbis: Yet he alone is ſo ſupertranſcendently paramount all other perſons whatſoever, that ffAlvarus Pelagius de Planctu Eccleſ l. 1 c 14 to 79. Marta Pars 2. c. 37. n. 32, 33, 34.Sir 50:1Papa nec de, nec pro ullo crimine deponi, judicari, redargui, vel accuſari, poteſt etiamſi eſſet incorrigibilis, et perſeveret in peccato notorio, vel turbaret ſtatum Vniverſalis Eccleſiae, quoniam ſuperiori caret coram quo poſſet accuſari, et ex quo non poteſt ab alio judicari, fruſtra eſſet denunciatio et admonitio; none being obliged ſo much as to admoniſh him privatly for the moſt notorious ſcandalous crimes, but only thoſe Grandees qui circa ejus latus ſunt, ſed reverenter, non per modum correctionis, p. 6ſed per reverentiam charitatis: Yea, if hhDe Romano Pontifice …. 4. c. 15. See Ameſius Bellarminus Enervacus, l. 3. c. 6, 7.Cardinal Bellarmine may be credited, Si Papa erraret praecipiendo viti…, et prohibendo virtutes (as ſome Popes have done) tenetur Eccleſia credere vitia eſſe bona, et virtutes malas, niſi vellet contra conſcientiam peccare, nec de hac re dubitare, ſed ſimpliciter obedire: Or, if he ſhould ſend innumerable ſouls to Hell (by illegal Excommunications, or ſuch impious commands, his evil example, or abſolute will) yet, nemo poteſt illi dicere, Domine cur ita facis▪ And this muſt be believed, **Alvarus Pelagius de Planctu Eccleſ. l. 1. Art. 37. Marta pars 1. c. 9. n. 4.Sir 50:1de neceſſitate ſalutis, under pain of Hereſie and Damnation.

I ſhall inſtance in more conſiderable branches of the Popes Monarchical Power, inſiſted on by Dr. Marta and others quoted by him, to wit, iiMarta, Pars 1. c. 41. n. 1. 19, 20, to 36.Papa poteſt excommunicare et privare omnes Reges et Principes ſua dignitate, et abſolvere eorum ſubditos a Sacramento, ne eis fidelitatem obſervent, recuſantes ſtare capitulationi pacis, of Popes preſcribing: et poteſt Regna, Civitates, vel Caſtra interdicere, vel auferre uni et dare alteri, pro bono pacis: et propter pacem publicam, poteſt remittere omnia damna et injurias ſubditorum. **Marta Pars 1 c. 9. n. 14. &c. c. 15. n. 12. c. 16. n. 7. c. 17. 6. c. 29. n. 16. Pars 4. caſ. 56. n. 3. caſ. 198, 199.Appellandum eſt ad Papam ex tranſmarinis Eccleſiis, ab Epiſcopis totius Drbis, a Conciliis, ab Imperatore et Regibus, et ab omnibus poteſtatibus, et eorum ſententia ad Papam: Sed non a ſententia Papae ad Imperatorem, vel Concilium eſt appellandum. llIdem Pars 4. caſ. 56. n. caſ. 59. n. 1, 5, 11.Statutum vel Privilegium a Papa conceſſum, nullo modo poteſt prohibere, ne habe atur recurſus vel appellatio ad Papam, quia Pontifex Summus eſt Iudex Drdinarius omnium hominum totius mundi, et Eccleſia Romana eſt Refugium omnium oppreſſorum. Sed a Iudicibus Laicis appellatur ad Papam, quando injuſtitia Imperatoris vel Regis, aut aliorum Principum non recognoſcentium ſuperiorem, eſt notoria. Non ſolum ratione peccati commiſſi propter notoriam injuſtitiam, vel quia ejus cauſa poteſt turbari pax univerſalis; ſed etiam ratione propriae temporalis Iuriſdictionis quam Summus Pontifex habet in Univerſo. Yea, mmIdem Pars 4. Caſ. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10 20. Caſ. 61 n. 17. & Pars 2. c. 44.Leges Principum Secularium etiam ad publicam utilitatem et neceſſitatem conditae, nullo modo ligant Eccleſiaſticos, niſi fuerint a Pontifice confirmatae. Clerici et Eccleſiae, etiam volentes et cum Epiſcopi auctoritate, non tenentur ad onera publica, vel ſubſidia, vel annona, vel tributa, niſi conſulto et approbante Romano Pontifice: That the Pope (and Biſhop too) may repeal, null all Laws of Emperors, Kings, kingdoms, against the Priviledges, Canons, Conſtitutions of the Church or Clergy; Et quod poſſit praecipere Laicis, ut caſſent hujuſmodi ſtatuta de libro Statutorum, alias ſubmittere locum interdicto. Yea Biſhops, Clergy mens perſons, lands, eſtates, goods, are ſo wholly exempt fró any Secular Juriſdiction by the Laws of God (as they ſtile their Canons) & the Church, that nnIbid. Pars 4. caſ. 42.Nullus Clericus etiam in flagranti crimine repertus, vel de fuga ſuſpectus, poteſt ullo modo capi, vel prehendi per Laicus, vel Laicos Principes aut Judices. Yea ſuch is their malice to Chriſtian Emperors, Kings, Princes, and temporal Judges, (to whom they will allow no Juriſdiction at all in or over Eccleſiaſtical perſons or things) that they reſolve, ooIdena, Pars 4. Caſ. 11. n. 13. caſ. 10. nu. 6. caſ. 64. n. 4, 5, 6. Pars 2. caſ. 6.Quod ipſe Papa (by all his omni potent boundleſs Soveraign Papal power, which they attribute to him) non poteſt concedere alicui Principi Iuriſdictionem judicandi in Eccleſiaſticos, nec totum ordinem Clericalem, nec cauſas Clericorum ſubmittere Iuriſdictioni Laicorum: becauſe forſooth, Clerici ſunt majores Laicis, etiam Principibus, et exempti a Deo de Iuriſdictione Imperatoris et Principum, et ad Dei ſolius judicium reſervantur. Item, quia reputantur privati, reſpectu Iuriſdictionis Clericorum, cum nullam in eos exercere poſſunt. Ergo non poſſunt Principes urgere conſuetudines, vel Privilegia acquirere Iuriſdictionem in Clericos. Propter quam rationem ita deciſum eſt pluries in Rota Romana (ut deciſ. 2. de Conſuetudine in antiquioribus; & deciſ. 10. eodem Tit. in antiquis) ubi conſuetudo Anglicana (in the Controverſie between p. 7King Henry the 2. and Becket Archbiſhop of Canterbury) quod Rex habeat Iuriſdictionem cognoſcendi in Clericos, non valet: Et hanc opinionem tenet Innocentius in c. poſtulaſti de foro compet. Archid. in c. 1. n 2. gloſſa eodem, tit. l. 6. Richus de Curte, in tract. de conſuetudine, ſect. 5. nu. 31. Rebu…us, ſuper concordat is Franciae, in tit. de protectione concordatorum, col. verſ. fin. Tertio infertur, Stephan. Aufrer. in Addit. ad Capit. Thol. dec…ſ. 126. And which is yet farr more, Popes and Popiſh Canoniſts aſſert, Statutum puniens Concubinas Clericorum a Marta Pars 4. Caſus 44.(made by Chriſtian Kings or Emperors) non valere: Et, Iudices ſeculares nullo modo poſſe animadvertere in Concubinas Clericorum, niſi in ſubſidium, implorati prius pro brachio ab Eccleſiaſticis; Quia Concubinae Clericorum, etiam reſpectu concubinatus ſunt de foro Eccleſiaſtico, et nullo modo illarum animadverſio reſpectu dicti concubinatus pertinet ad Iudices Laicos: Quia ratione adjuncti, concubinatu patrato per Clericum, Concubina efficitur de foro Eccleſiae, et ad Eccleſiaſticum judicem eſt remittenda: quia Concubinae Clericorum dicuntur deorum familia, et idem privilegium habet **And by like conſequence all Sodomites, Murderers, Traytors, Theeves, Malefactors, if received into Biſhops or Prieſte families.familia quod Dominus. Nec poſſunt Principes aut Iudices Laici punire Concubinas Clericorum ob negligentiam Iudicis Eccleſiaſtici, quia hoc non eſt jure Canonico diſpoſitum, et regula incurtendae Excommunicationis (which they muſt incurr by puniſhing them, even in caſe of their wilful neglect) eſt in contrarium. For which Dr. Marta cites Antoninus de Prato, Ʋbertinus de Carreggio, Stephanus Aufrerus, Boſſius, Ioannes de Arnono, Alciatus, Menochus, Socinus, Sapia, Andreas S…culus, Socinus Iunior, Bartolus, Pariſius, Panormitanus, Goffredus, Ferrarius, Beomond (in tractatu de Concubinis)Nota. Riminaldus ſenior, Riminaldus junior, Follerius, and the Bull of Pope Leo the 10. de publicis Concubinis, reſolving, Cognitio istius criminis Clericorum & eorum Concubinarum pertinet ad ſolos Eccleſiae Praelatos; Et Pontifex Leo prohibet per haec verba Secularibus, ne ſe intromittant circa hujuſmodi animadverſionem; Praeterea inhibemus omnibus Secularibus viris, etiam ſi regall praefulgeant dignitate, ne ullum qualecumque inferant impedimentum, quocunque quaeſito colore, Praelatis, qui ratione officii ſui, adverſus ſubditos ſuos pro hujuſmodi concubinatu, et aliis cauſis, ſibi a jure (Canonico) permiſsis, procedant; (by puniſhing them by their Lav Judicatures) Nulla ergo voluntas Chriſtianiſſimi Regis praeſumi poteſt in ferendo legem, in animadvertendis Clericorum Concubinis, quod cum jure Canonico, tam ſpecialiter per ipſum Pontificem inhibitum fuerat. Statutum itaque, de puniendis Concubinis Clericorum per Iudices ſeculares nullo modo valere poteſt, (though convicted thereof, per ſententiam, aut confeſſionem in jure factam, ſeu per rei evidentiam, quae nulla poteſt tergiverſatione celari) quia eſt contra libertatem Eccleſiae. Prima ratio est, quia cum haec cognitio (as well as ſornicatio) pertineat ad Eccleſiam, hoc ſtatutum eſſet de directo contra Eccleſiae Iuriſdictionem, et ita libertatem illius infringeret; it a in terminis hujus Statuti probat Felynus in Eccleſia Sanctae Mariae, n. 102. de Conſtit. Secunda ratio est valde notabilis Petri de Ancharan in Conſ. 196. n. 4. Quia per hoc Statutum detegerentur crimina Clericorum, et **Their own ſins, not their puniſhments, detect and defame them, 1 Sam. 2. 12… to 18. 29, to 36. Mat. 2. to 10. Jer. 23. 1… to 33.1 Sam 2:12–181 Sam 2:29–36Matt 2Jer 23:1–33infamarentur ſaltem de facto, et in mentibus fidelium ſcandalum generaretur, as Iacobus Bertochinus, Iaſon, Rebuffus, Io. de Anania and Felynus (in their Texts there cited) conclude; et conſuetudo et ſtatutum emanans ad opprobrium Cleri (as they ſtile it, though in truth for their honor and reformation, ſpringing meerly from the Piety and Juſtice of every Chriſtian Emperor, King, State, to puniſh the Incontinency, adultery, Whores, Concubines of any Prieſts, Prelates, though Popes and Biſhops connive at, or neglect to puniſh them) Non tenet: as Pope Leo and all the forecited Popiſh Doctors, (or rather Panders for the Romiſh leacherous Clergy) magiſterially reſolve: And that with this further addition, in derogation of the Temporal as well as Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction of all Chriſtian Emperors and Kings; bbMarta pars … Caſ. 28. n. 7. Caſ. 58. n. 9.Laici non poſſunt corrigere jus Canonicum, nec derogare juri Canonico, in this or p. 8any other particular: Laicusfactus Clericus poſt delictum, non eſt amplius de juriſdictione ſeculari, ſed eſt de foro Eccleſiae, eriam de delicto ante commiſſo: (be it murder, theft, or any other Civil crime, as well as whoredome, adultery, or ſodomy:) Et factus Clericus poſt judicium inchoatum coram judice Laico, non tenetur comparere coram eo, nec poteſt amplius a judice Laico multari vel judicari. After all which they ſuperadde; ccMarta pars 4. Caſ. 33. n. 14. Caſ. 64. n. 19. Caſ. 117. n. 6, 7, 8. Caſ. 141. n. 4. Caſ. 176. n. 1.Laici non poſſunt facere teſtimonium contra Clericos in cauſa criminali, quia Laici ſunt ſuſpecti, infeſti et odioſi Clericis. And all this by the Popes, Biſhops, Clergies tranſcendent Soveraign Juriſdiction, who by their Canons and Conſtitutions may null and controle all Kings, Princes penal Laws, againſt their crimes, vices, perſons, eſtates, or pretended Priviledges; eclipſe, reſtrain, ſuſpend, abrogate their Regal Eccleſiaſtical and ſecular Juriſdictions, and render them meer cyphers at their pleaſures; reſolving further by their Canons; ddMarta pars 4. Caſ 101. n. 8, to 15. & Caſ. 64. See 37 H. 8. c. 17.Laici ſunt omnino incapaces juriſdictionis Eccleſiaſticae, nec longa conſuetudine, nec temporis cujuſcunque decurſu, nec praeſcriptionibus etiam immemorabilibus, neque ex ſcientia et tolerantia Summi Pontificis, ſive conſenſu tacito, aut privilegio, juriſdictio in Eccleſiaſticos, vel eorum bona acquiretur, quae Principibus prodeſſe non poſſunt. Statuta Laicorum non ſunt ſervanda in Curia Epiſcopi, nec ligant Eccleſiaſticos, niſi fuerint expreſſe approbata per Papam: no though, edita in patrocinium Clericorum, ſi ſtatuta ſint per modum legis. And yet not only Biſhops, Prieſts, but all Emperors, Kings, and ſecular Judges muſt rigorouſly obſerve and obey all their Antimonarchical Canons, Laws; eeMarta Caſ. 4. & Caſ. 50.Imo in foro ſeculari, et ibi cauſae juramenti, et ſimiles decidendae ſunt ſecundum jus Canonicum. Theſe with ſundry other Antimonarchical particulars you may read aſſerted at large in Franciſcus Bozzius Eugubinus, De Temporali Eccleſiae Monarchia, lib. 5. printed Coloniae Agrip. 1602. dedicated to Pope Clement the 8. in Thomas Bozius, De Temporali Eccleſiae Monarchia, Coloniae 1602. Jacobus Almayn, De Temporali Poteſtate & Eccleſiaſtica, Pariſiis 1526. Joſephus Stephanus, De Poteſtate Coactiva Romanae Pontificis, Romae 1586. & De Adoratione Pedum Summi Pontificis, Romae 1588. Alvarus Pelagius, De Planctu Eccleſiae, l. 1. Artic. 14, to Artic. 79. Venetiis 1560. Augustinus Triumphus, De Poteſtate Eccleſiae; Robertus Bellarminus Cardinalis, De Romano Pontifice; De Poteſtate Papae in Temporalibus, adverſus Barclaium, Coloniae 1610. Reſponſio, & Apologia pro Reſponſione ſua ad lib. Jacobi Magnae Britanniae Regis; & Apolog. pro Jurament. fidelitatis, Coloniae 1610. Alexander Carerius, De Poteſtate Romanae Pontificis, Coloniae 1601. in ſundry Popes, Cardinals, Popiſh Schoolmen, Doctors, Canoniſts cited by them; and to name no more, by Dr. Marta, a Neapolitan Lawyer and Advocate in the Court of Rome, Tractatus de Juriſdictione, per & inter Judicem Eccleſiaſticum & Secularem exercenda, Moguntiae 1609. & Genevae 1620. dedicated by him, Sanctiſſimo & beatiſſimo Patri & Domino nostrò Paulo Quinto, Pontifici Optimo Maximo; to whom he renders this reaſon of its dedication to him, in his Epiſtle. Et ſane cuinam potius tot luſtrorum Iuriſdictionis lucubrationes debentur, quam Tibi, qui et Vicarius Dei in terris, et e quo emanat omnis Iuriſdictio, unicus in Orbe Pontifex, Imperator et Rex, omnium Principum ſuperior, rerumque et perſonarum Supremus et Dominus; as he endeavours to evidence him, his predeceſſors, and ſucceſſors, eſpecially in the firſt and laſt part of this his Folio Treatiſe. Hear only ffCommentar. ad cap. oporter, Diſtinct. 79. n. 13, 39, 64.Radulphus Cupers his aſſertion of the Popes tranſcendent Univerſal Monarchy; Papa non ſolum Regibus et Caeſaribus, ſed omnibus ſub coelo et ſupra coelum poteſtatibus exaltatur. And this paſſage in the Oration of ggSurius Concil. Tom. 4. p. 658, 659.Stephanus Patracenſis Archiepiſcopus, 4 Maii 1515. to and before Pope Leo the 10th. and the Council of Lateran in Rome; Ipſe Magnus Conſtantinus à divina gratia afflatus deſuper, cognita aeternitate Regis gloriae & poteſtate in Regno ſuae Eccleſiae, et ſe poſſeſſorem malae fidei in mundi Principatum poſt reſurrectionem illius ex mortuis advertens, Sceptrum Imperii Orbis et Vrbis, ac Monarchiam Vniverſi, p. 9vero ac proprio Domino, et omnium Creatori Victori Deo, et homini in ſede ſua Romana Sylveſtro Pontifici Maximo, in jure primario et naturali Chriſti aeterni Sacerdotis, ſecundum ordinem benedicti patris plene ceſſit, et Chriſtum Regem magnum in ſuo Vicario per obedientiam adoravit, (the forgery and falſity whereof ſundry others and my ſelf have **See Tom. 1. Book 2. ch. 3. p. 56, to 64.elſewhere refuted) aliamque ſedem juſſu illius et conceſſione Apoſtolica quaeſivit, et ſub obedientia ſedis Apoſtalicae in Byzantio erexit. After which he ſubjoyns; Quapropter Bernardus, ad Eugenium, tanquam ad ſummuni Hierarchicum in coelo Eccleſiae virum, in quo erat omnis poteſtas ſuper omnes Poteſtates tam coeli quam terrae, recte ſcripſerat, Tibi data eſt omnis poteſtas, in qua qui totum dicit, nihil excludit. Thus have you heard the altitude, univerſality, and extent of this their Papal ſupertranſcendent power in general.

What particular claimes, Titles, Popes and their Advocates for them, have made to the City and Empire of Rome, Germany, the Iſles and Dominions of Sardinia, Corſica, Canaries, Nigraria, and all other Iſlands whither the light of the Goſpel hath been diffuſed; the Indies and New World, the Dukedome of Loraign, Switzerland, the reſpective Kingdoms of Aragon, Bohemia, Caſtel, Croatia, Dalmatia, Denmarke, France, Granada, Hungary, Jeruſalem, Italy, Lyons, M…j…rca, Minorca, Naples, Navarre, Poland, Portugal, Ruſſia, Sicily, Spain, Tranſylvania, Vallachia, and particularly to our Kingdoms of England, Ireland, and Scotland, you may read at leiſure in Dr. Marta, De Juriſdictione, pars 1. cap. 26. Gregorius Papa 7. lib. 1. Epiſt. 8, 13, 28. Auguſtinus Steuchus, De Donatione Conſtantini, p. 199, &c. Carerius, l. 3. cap. 3. Polydor Virgil Hiſt. l. 17. Baronius Annal. Anno 1097. nu. 18, &c. Anno 1173. nu. 9, 10. Henricus Spondanus, Epitom. Annal. Baronii, An. 740. nu. 30. 775. nu. 7. 847. nu. 8. 1135. nu. 4. 1159. nu. 3. 1172. nu. 2. in Matthew Paris, Matthew Weſtminſter, and Walſingham, An. 1155, 1213, 1214, 1301, 1302. and Dr. Richard Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, cap. 1.

For the third particular, by what fictitious and perverted ſacred Charters PopesIII. claim this their tranſcendent power and Univerſal Monarchy, the premiſed Authors will informe you, and I have **Book 1. ch. 2, 4, 5.elſewhere at large related. The Texts they principally inſiſt on are Gen. 1. 16. Jer. 1. 10. Pſal. 2. 8. Pſal. 72. 8. Iſa. 9. 6, 7. Pſal. 45. 16. Pſal. 89. 27, 37, 38. Dan. 2. 44. c. 4. 3, 34. c. 6. 26. c. 7. 14, 27. Mich. 4. 7. Epheſ. 1. 20, 21. Luke 1. 23. Mat. 16. 14, 18, 19. John 21. 15, 16, 17. All which the premiſed Popiſh Authors and others blaſphemouſly or abſurdly apply and appropriate to St. Peter and themſelves, as pretended ſucceſſors to Chriſt, in his Kingly and Prieſtly Soveraign power. I ſhall only mention and inſiſt on two Texts more, as propereſt for their purpoſe.

The firſt is Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. where our Saviour Chriſt, immediately before his aſcention into heaven, after his triumphant reſurrection from the dead, ſpake thus to his eleven Diſciples joyntly, (not to Peter alone) ſaying, All power is given unto me, both in heaven and in earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, &c. and lo I am with you alwayes, unto the end of the world. Whence they thus **Thomas Bozzius, De Temporali Eccleſiae Monarchia, l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c, 16▪ l. 3. c. 14. l. 4. c. 14. Marta de Juriſdictione, pars 1. c. 4. ſi, 36, 37. c. 8, to c. 14. Alvarus Pelagius de Planctu Eccleſ▪ l. 1. Artic. 37. and ſundry others.Sir 50:1inferre by head and ſhoulders; Ergo all this power in heaven and earth then given to Chriſt, was immediately at his corporal aſcenſion into heaven, transferred to, appropriated by him wholly and ſolely to St. Peter, and his Succeſſors at Rome, (not Antioch his firſt See) as Chriſts immediate Succeſſors or Vicars in his Regal and Sacerdotal Soveraignty. For anſwer hereunto, I would here ſeriouſly demand of any ingenious Papiſt, or religious Votary to the See of Rome, whether there be one ſyllable, or the leaſt implication in this Text, 1. That this Soveraign Power was then given to our Saviour, only on purpoſe to delegate the immediate right or exerciſe of it both in heaven and earth, to any other perſon or perſons? Or 2ly, That it was transferred wholly and ſolely to St. Peter, but not to the reſt of the Diſciples, to whom Chriſt then joyntly ſpake theſe words, and as much to any other of them as to Peter; with this ſuperadded precept and promiſe, inferred and deduced from this his power; Go ye (in the plural number, not thou Peter, or Peter only) therefore into all the world, &c. And lo I am with you (all, not with Peter alone, and his Roman Succeſſors) alwayes, even unto the end of the world. Or 3ly, What ſhadow of evidence can they produce, that St. Peter ever claimed or exerciſed p. 10ſuch a Soveraign power, as then delegated to him by Chriſt; which himſelf profeſſedly ſeveral times diſclaimed, both in words, deeds, and writing, as Acts 2. 34, 35, 36. ch. 4. 10, 11. ch. 5. 31, 32. ch. 8. 14. ch. 10. 25, 36, 42. ch. 11. 2, to 19. 1 Pet. 2. 6, 7, 13, 14, 17. ch. 5. 1, to 7. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 10. ch. 3. 2, 15. directly and infallibly aſſure us, againſt this Pontifical whimſey. Or 4ly. What irrefragable proof, that St. Peter ever ſate an actual or ſole Biſhop of Rome, or fixed his Soveraign Epiſcopal Chair or See for ever in it? which the Sacred and Evangelical ſtory ſeems to aaSee Centur. Magd. 2. c. 7. col. 518, to 530.contradict. Or 5ly. That ever Chriſt himſelf, or St. Peter, transferred or perpetually appropriated this Soveraign Univerſal Kingly and Prieſtly power, to any or every the Biſhops of Rome that ſhould ſucceed him in that See, (in caſe he ever ſate there) to the end of the world, though an Heretick, Schiſmatick, Adulterer, Sodomite, Nicromancer, Symoniack, Childe, Tyrant, or the moſt ambitious, avaritions, vitious, flagitious, luxurious, impious, atheiſtical Prelate ever breathing in the world, as many of them have been, or a notorious ſtrumpet, (as Pope Jone) as their bbBenno Cardinalis, Platina, Stella, Martinus Polonus, Sabellicus, Faſciculus Temporum, Volaterranus, & Barnes, Balaeus, Centuriae Magdeburgenſis, and others in their lives, & Book 1. ch. 5. Theodoricus à Niem, & Marius de Schiſmate.own & other Hiſtorians atteſt; to omit the frequent plurality of Popes at once, condemning, excommunicating, murdering, degrading one another, as antichriſtian and uncanonical. Till all theſe with other particulars be fully demonſtrated by Scripture, or other irrefragable Authorities, not by their own Teſtimonies in their own caſes, this Text (to which themſelves entitle the Virgin Mary, as Queen, Empreſſe of heaven and earth) will no more evince St. Peters or the Popes Ʋniverſal Monarchy, then thoſe premiſed.

Their ſecond claim and ccFranciſcus Bozzius de Temporali Papae Monarchia, l. 4. c. 14. Antonius de Roſellis Monarchia, pars 1. c. 18. Arnoldus Carnotenſis, Tract. de Laudibus Virginis.Title to it, is Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, (Chriſt Jeſus, not Peter) and given him (not Peter or his Roman ſucceſſors) a Name above every Name; that in the Name of Jeſus (not Peter or the Pope of Rome) every knee ſhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue ſhould confeſſe that Jeſus Chriſt (not Peter, not the Pope) is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, (not of St. Peter or his ſucceſſors at Rome.) But how this Text (which they likewiſe alledge for the Virgin Maries Univerſal Monarchy) can with any colour of truth, or without higheſt blaſphemy, injury to Chriſt, be applyed, appropriated by Popes and their Paraſites to Mary, or to Peter and themſelves, as Chriſts Vicars upon earth, let all who have judgement or conſcience diſcern: Since St. Paul the Apoſtle hath appropriated it to Jeſus Chriſt alone, ddSee Eph. 1. 20, 21, 22. Rom. 8. 34. Hebr. 10. 12, 13.Eph 1:20Eph 1:21Eph 1:22Rom 8:34Heb 10:12Heb 10:13as highly exalted to, and ſitting down on his Fathers throne, at the right hand of his Majeſty, in the higheſt heavens, as his words expreſly reſolve; and it is altogether incommunicable to St. Peter, much more to Popes, as every ſyllable in the Text, context, and the illative Wherefore, infallibly demonſtrates. They muſt therefore for ever diſclaim any colour, right or Title to this their Univerſal Soveraign Monarchy, or any other miſ-alledged Texts, which I have eeBook 1. ch. 2, 4.elſewhere anſwered at large, and ſhall not here inſiſt on.

The original baſis, ground-work, reaſon of St. Peters and the Popes Ʋniverſal Monarchy, in Temporals and Spirituals, is thus laid down by ffDe Juriſdictione, pars 1. c. 22 n. 1, to 10. Hoſtienſis in cap. ſuperbis, de voto, D. Antoninus in 3. parte Summae, Tit. 3. cap. 2. Jac. Almayn de Poteſtate Papae, c. 8. Carerius, and others.Titus 3Dr. Marta and other Pontificians: Duo tempora conſiderantur in Chriſto. Alterum ante paſſionem; & tunc propter humilitatem judicare recuſavit. Nam Lucae c. 12. dixit, Quis me conſtituit diviſorem inter vos? & Joan. c. 18. Regnum meum non eſt de hoc mundo. Alterum verò poſt reſurrectionem, & tunc dixit; Data eſt mihi omnis poteſtas in coelo & in terra: Mat. ult. & Joan. ult. Sed poſt reſurrectionem dedit poteſtatem Petro, eumque conſtituit Vicarium ſuum: (transferring all this his Soveraign Power both in heaven and earth, to him and the Pope of Rome.) Ergo ex poteſtate Domini, metimur poteſtatem Vicarii. Et Pontifex Romanus ſimilem habet potestatem divinorum, & juriſdictionem in temporalibus & ſpiritualibus, quam habuit Chriſtus Dominus noſter, ut perfectus homo: Et ex ordinatione divina conſtitutus eſt ſuper gentibus & regnis, & habet utramque poteſtatem de & per ſe, & poteſt juriſdictionem temporalium temporaliter, non autem directivè tantum exercere. So as by their determinations, St. Peter and Roman Popes had neither any Temporal Soveraign Regal or Pontifical Univerſal power over all Kingdoms, Nations, Churches, Monarchs, Biſhops in the world before, but only from and after Chriſts reſurrection and aſcenſion into heaven, when he both received all Power in heaven and earth formerly promiſed, and then given him by his Father, and immediately tranſmitted the right and exerciſe thereof to St. Peter, and Popes ſucceeding him at Rome, (not Antioch his firſt See) as his ſole Succeſſors and Vicars, to manage both his Kingly and Prieſtly offices on earth, during p. 11his perſonal abſence from his Church, by reaſon of his corporal reſidence at his Fathers right hand in heaven, untill his ſecond coming to Judgement; he having no need of a Vicar general, or Succeſſor to repreſent his perſon, or ſupply his corporal abſence from his Church, and exerciſe his Kingly or Prieſtly offices whiles bodily preſent upon earth, and therefore inſtituted none till he aſcended into heaven. So as Chriſts corporal abſence from the earth, upon his departure to heaven in his humane nature, and bodily preſence; and the neceſſity and conveniency (as they hold) of one Ʋniverſal Vicar and Viceroy, to ſupply his bodily abſence, and ſucceed him in the execution of theſe his offices in the Church Militant throughout the world, are the ſole reaſon, ground, foundation of St. Peters and the Popes pretended Temporal and Eccleſiaſtical Monarchy. And if this baſis thereof be once ſubverted, the whole ſuperſtructure muſt preſently fall to the ground, and come to ruine. I ſhall therefore in the 4th. place addreſſe my ſelf to undermine this foundation, with all convenient brevity: 1. By expreſſe Scriptures. 2ly. By the Reſolutions, Canons, Decretals, Doctrines, Practices of the Church, Councils, Popes, Cardinals, Schoolmen, Caſuiſts, Canoniſts, Civilians of the Church of Rome, in oppoſition to thoſe of the Proteſtant Religion, relating to the Virgin Maries Monarchy, and Chriſts corporal preſence ſtill on earth, which utterly ſubvert St. Peters and Popes pretended Regal and Pontifical Supremacy depending on it.

The Scriptures I ſhall cite are theſe. The firſt is, Epheſ. 4. 8, 11, 12. When he (to wit Chriſt) aſcended up on high, (to heaven) he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And he gave ſome (not Peter alone) to be Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors, and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, and for the edifying of the body of Chriſt: Compared with 1 Cor. 12. 28, 29. And God hath ſet ſome (not one) in the Church; first Apoſtles, (not Peter to be firſt or ſole Apoſtle) ſecondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, (not Peter to be ſole or ſupreme Governour) diverſity of tongues. Are all Apostles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all ſpeak with tongues? do all interpret? Here St. Paul by the ſpirit of God, enumerates what ever gifts Chriſt at his aſcenſion into heaven beſtowed on his Apoſtles, Church, or men in general. In which Texts it is obſervable; Firſt, That there is not one ſyllable of any peculiar gift, much leſſe of all his Regal and Sacerdotal power in heaven and earth, then beſtowed on Peter or any of his ſucceſſors, as his ſole Univerſal Vicars or ſucceſſors in both; which being a matter of ſo grand moment to his Church, as Popes and Pontificians deem it, would certainly have been ſpecified, and not pretermitted by St. Paul; yea by all the four Evangeliſts, the Penmen of the Acts of the Apoſtles, and by St. Peter himſelf in his large Oration to the Apoſtles, in his firſt Sermon to the Jews and ſtrangers at Jeruſalem, immediately after Chriſts aſcenſion, Act. ch. 1. & 2. & 3. & 4. in his Sermon to Cornelius Act. 10. and in both his own Epiſtles generall, wherein there is not the leaſt mention or intimation of any ſuch gift or power beſtowed on him by Chriſt, but **1 Pet. 2. 9, 13, 14, 17. c. 2▪ 7, 9, 13, 14. c. 5. 1… to 7. 2 Pet. 1. …. c. 3. 15.1 Pet 2:91 Pet 2:131 Pet 2:141 Pet 2:172 Pet 1the contrary. 2ly. That the firſt gift he then beſtowed on men, was Apoſtles, or Apoſtleſhips; not worldly Empires, Kingdoms, Nations, Crowns, Scepters, Principalities, Dominions; and that upon all the eleven Apoſtles, not St. Peter alone, in the ſelfſame equality and degree, at the very time of Chriſts aſcenſion, and immediately after on Matthias, choſen in the place of Judas; as is undeniable by Chriſts giving all the Apoſtles the ſelf-ſame Apoſtolical miſſion and Commiſſion, when he declared to them, that all power was given unto him both in heaven and in earth, Mat. 28. 16, 18, 19, 20. by St. Peters and the other Apoſtles own reſolutions, Acts 1. 15▪ to the end; eſpecially verſ. 22, 23, 25, 26. Act. 5. 31, 32. c. 10. 38, 41, 42. 1 Pet. 1. 1. c. 5. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 1, 16. c. 3. 2, 15. Gal. 2. 7, 8, 9, 11. and by the Holy Ghoſts deſcending equally on them all in cloven tongues, and giving them all equally the gifts of tongues, within few dayes after Chriſts aſcention, Acts 2. 1, to 10. 3ly. That both the Commiſſion, and all gifts Chriſt gave to the Apoſtles joyntly, or to others at his aſcention, were only Miniſterial, not Imperial, Judicial, or Magiſtratical; to wit, **Epheſ. 4. 11. 12. 2 Cor. 1… ▪ 4, 24. c. 5. 20.Eph 4:11Eph 4:122 Cor 1:42 Cor 1:24for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt; not to be Soveraign Ʋniverſal Monarchs over all Empires, Kingdoms, Nations, Churches of the world; to root out, pull or throw down, deſtroy, build, plant them at their pleaſure, or to exerciſe Soveraign Dominion p. 12over the Lords Churches, heritage, or other Chriſtians faith; expreſly prohibited them by Chriſt, and diſclaimed both by St. Paul and Peter, Mat. 20. 25, 26. Luke 22. 25, 26. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14. c. 5. 1, 2, 3, 5. 2 Cor. 1. 24. Rom. 13. 1, to 7. Tit. 3. 1.

The ſecond ſort of Texts are, Acts 2. 34, 35, 36. where St. Peter himſelf in his firſt Sermon to the Jews and Gentiles at the feaſt of Pentecoſt, ſoon after Chriſts aſcenſion into heaven, aſſerts and proclaims with the higheſt confidence that can be, both to all Jews and Gentiles, that Chriſt did not transferre his Soveraign power which God conferred on him, after his triumphant reſurrection, unto him, or his ſucceſſors at Rome, but reſerved it entirely in and to himſelf, till the end of the world; in theſe obſervable expreſſions. For David himſelf ſaith of Chriſt (in reference to his aſcending into heaven) **Pſal. 110. 1.Ps 110:1The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, ſit thou at my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy footſtool: Therefore let all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly, That God hath made the ſame Jeſus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt. Which he thus ſeconded, both before the Councel and High Prieſt of the Jews, Acts 5. 31, 32. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſſe of ſins; and we are witneſſes of theſe things. And in his Sermon to Cornelius, Acts 10. 36. he addes; He (not I) is Lord of all. Which St. Paul (whom he ſtiles, Our beloved brother and fellow Apoſtle, and whoſe Epiſtles he voucheth as concurring with his own, 2 Pet. 3, 15, 16.) thus amplifies, 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25, 26. For Chriſt muſt reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet; the laſt enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed, is death: Then cometh the end, when he ſhall deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he ſhall have put down all rule, and all authority and power: Compared with Epheſ. 1. 20, 21, 22. Col. 1. 17, 18, 19. Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11. 2 Tim. 5. 14, 15, 16. And St. John thus thirds, Rev. 11. 15, 16, 17. And there were great voices in heaven, ſaying, The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt, and He (not St. Peter, or the Pope his pretended ſucceſſor) ſhall reign for ever and ever. And the twenty four Elders fell upon their faces and worſhipped God; ſaying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, waſt, and art to come; becauſe thou haſt taken to thee (not delegated to the Pope, or St. Peter) thy great power, and haſt reigned. And Rev. 19. 6. I heard as the voyce of a great multitude, and as of mighty thunderings, ſaying, Allelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent (not Pope) reigneth. Moreover, David in relation to the Kingdom & Kingſhip of Chriſt, after his reſurrection and aſcenſion, aſſures us, Pſal. 29. 10. The Lord ſitteth King for ever. Pſal. 97. 1. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoyce, let the multitude of Iſles be glad thereof. Yea Dan. 2. 44. c. 4. 3, 34. c. 6. 26. c. 7. 14, 27. Luke 1. 33. It was propheſied and predicted of Chriſt, That his Kingdom ſhall never be deſtroyed; that his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and his Dominion an everlaſting Dominion, from generation to generation, (without any inter-regnum or ſucceſſion) and ſhall be even unto the end, and ſhall not paſſe away, (or be transferred) and ſhall not be left to other people, (therefore not to St. Peter, or Roman Pontiffs of ſeveral Nations) and all Dominions ſhall ſerve and obey him, (not St. Peter or Popes:) Compared with Mich. 4. 7. And the Lord (not Popes) ſhall reign over them for ever. Iſa. 9. 6, 7. Luke 1. 38, 39. And the Lord God ſhall give him the throne of his Father David, and the government ſhall be upon his ſhoulders, and he ſhall reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom, and of the encreaſe of his government there ſhall be no end. Therefore by the concurrent verdicts of St. Peter himſelf, backed by St. Paul, St. John, and all theſe ſacred Texts, it is infallible, that Chriſt neither at his aſcenſion, nor at any time elſe, ever transferred the right, exerciſe, dominion of his Kingdom, Church, or government thereof, much leſſe of all Kingdoms, Nations, Monarchs in the world, to St. Peter or his Roman ſucceſſors, but intirely reſerved it to himſelf, as perſonal and untransferrable to any other. And ſo they muſt bid farewell for ever to St. Peters pretended Univerſal Monarchy and Patrimony, as Chriſts Succeſſors or Vicars, by the Teſtimony of all theſe ſacred Texts, whereon they would gladly found and eſtabliſh it.

The third Texts are ſuch as deſtroy both St. Peters and all Popes Titles to Chriſts Univerſal High Priesthood, or Shepherdſhip over the Catholick Church, as the precedent do their Kingſhip. The firſt is St. Peters own expreſſion, 1 Pet. 5. 2, 3, 4. Feed the p. 13flock of God which is amongſt you; neither as being Lords over Gods heritage, but being enſamples to the flock: And when the Chief Shepherd (Chriſt) ſhall appear; (therefore Chriſt, not he, was then Chief Paſtor of the Sheep) you ſhall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away. The next is that of St. Paul, Hebr. 13. 20. Our Lord Ieſus Chriſt brought again from the dead, is the Great Shepherd of the Sheep▪ to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen; compared with Hebr. 7. 21. to the end, ch. 10, 12. 15, to 22. and Pſal. 110. 4. The Lord ſware and will not repent, (in relation to Jeſus Chriſt and his Prieſthood) Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchizedech: And they truly were many Prieſts, becauſe they were not ſuffered to continue by reaſon of death; but this man, becauſe he continueth ever, hath an unchangable (or untransferrable) Prieſthood, (that paſſeth not to another by ſucceſſion or delegation; therefore not to St. Peter, or any other Roman Pontiff) Wherefore he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by Him, (not by Peter, Mary, or the Pope) ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them. For ſuch an high Priest became us who is holy, harmleſſe, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, and made higher then the heavens, (are any Roman Pontiffs ſo qualified?) and who needed not daily, (as theſe Prieſts did, and all Popes and Maſſe-Prieſts too) to offer up ſacrifice for their own ſinnes, and then for the peoples; for this he did **Therefore … is not reitera…d daily in their Maſſes.once, when he offered up himſelf, and is conſecrated for evermore: For by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us: After he had offered one ſacrifice for ever, he ſate down at the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footſtool; for by one offering he hath perfected for ever thoſe that are ſanctified: And having him an High Prieſt over the Houſe of God (not St. Peter, nor his ſucceſſors) let us draw near with a pure heart in full aſſurance of faith. Popes therefore and their ſeduced Pontificians, muſt now bid adieu to their Antichriſtian Titles of Pontifex Optimus Maximus; Pontifex Summus, Sanctiſſimus, Epiſcopus Vniverſalis, Oecumenicus, Paſtor ſummus, Paſtor Paſtorum; and to their Vicarſhip, and ſucceſſion in Chriſts Vniverſal High Prieſthood, as well as to his Kingſhip, unleſſe they will renounce all theſe Canonical Scriptures, Ʋnking, Ʋnprieſt our Saviour Chriſt, and uſurp both his Royal Throne and Chair, upon Chriſts pretended Donation of them to St. Peter at his aſcention; (who never heard of, claimed, but profeſſedly diſavowed any ſuch Gift; and all Popes of Rome too for ſome hundreds of years:) Of no greater Credit or Validity then their forged Donation of all Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Soveraignty and Dominion from **See Tom. 1. Book 2. ch▪ 3. c. 56, to 64.Conſtantine the Great, which refute and deſtroy each other.

Now becauſe the ſacred Scriptures are of little or no Authority in the Church ofII. Rome, but as they are gloſſed, interpreted from time to time by Popes themſelves in their own cauſes, for their own advantage, I ſhall in the next place, ſubvert the foundation of their pretended, Univerſal Monarchy, by their own eſtabliſhed, Romiſh Devotions, Practiſes, Doctrines, directly or conſequentially contradicting, overturning each other by a divine infatuation: I ſhall reduce them to theſe two general heads.

1. Such Practiſes, Devotions, Doctrines of the Roman Church and its members, as directly invalid, diminiſh, ſubvert the Soveraign Univerſal, Kingly, or Prieſtly offices of Chriſt himſelf; and by conſequence St. Peters and the Popes, which they derive from him. 2ly. Such as ſubvert the Popes alone.

To begin with their Practiſes and Devotions, as they deem them; The Romanists (as you heard before) acknowledge, that our Saviour Chriſt, as God and Man, did not receive the actuall poſſeſſion or exerciſe of his Univerſal Kingly power in earth or heaven, (eſpecially in Temporals) till after his reſurrection, and his aſcention in his humane body and nature into heaven, to the Throne of his Majeſty; not whiles he was a ſucking babe in his mothers arms, or hanging nayled on his Croſſe, or intombed in his ſepulcher; the lowest acts, parts of his humiliation, antecedent to his actual Soveraign Exaltation and Regal Power; as Phil. 2. 1, to 12. Epheſ. 2. 19 to 23. Mat. 28. 18, 19. Lu. 24. 26. Acts 2. 23, to 27. c. 5. 30, 31. c. 13. 33, 34. Heb. 1. 3. c. 12. 2. Rev. 3. 21. c. 5. 12, 13. reſolve.

Now how do Popes, Popiſh Churches, Councils, Cardinals, Biſhops, Doctors, Prieſts, Monks, Nonnes, Laicks, and the whole Church of Rome picture, repreſent our Saviour Chriſt to the eyes of their bodies and mindes, either in all or moſt of their publike or private aaa Miſſale Romanum, Salmanticae, 1588 p. 16, 17, 21, 36, 39. 465. Miſſa Votiva de Sancta Maria, p. 59, 60, 61, 62. Horae Beatae Mariae ſecundum uſum Sarum, Pariſiis 1509. Title page, & f. 10. and all other Offices, Primers of our Lady. The Office of the Virgin Mary, St. Omers, 1631. Title page, & p 36, 56. Our Ladies Primer in Latin & Engliſh, Paris 1538. p. 55, 65, 74. The Epiſtles and Goſpels, f. 56. and others.Maſſe-books, Breviaries, Offices, Pſalters, Primers, Proceſſionals, p. 14Manuals, Roſaries, or other Books of Devotion, and Religion; in all their Collegiate, Cathedral, Parochial Churches, Chappels, or private Oratories, Monaſteries, Colledges, Cells, Cloſets, or Croſſes which they erect, and in their publike or private Maſſes, Proceſſions, devouteſt prayers, and addreſſes to him, when they moſt implore his grace or aſſiſtance; Not as a moſt glorious, triumphant Soveraign King of Kings, or head of all Principalities and Powers; or as their only high Prieſt, Advocate, Mediator, ſitting in Heaven on the Throne of his Majeſty and glory, at his Fathers right hand, there making perpetual interceſſion for them, to reconcile and bring them to his Father; But rather as a deſpicable ſucking babe or infant lying, in his ſwadling clouts in his Mothers arms, lap, boſom, breſt; or at her feet, in a cratch or manger; as if he were ſtill an infant, and not grown to his manly stature: Yea they make him ſuch a frail, deſpicable infant, that his very bones (and limbs too) may now be eaſily broken and knocked off from his body, (contrary to John 19. 33. 36. Pſ. 34. 26. A bone of him ſhall not be broken) and he tumbled down out of his mothers armes to the ground; witneſſe this famous Legend recorded for a moſt certain miraculous truth, by our bbChron. Gervaſii, col 1499, 1500.Gervaſius Dorobernenſis. Anno Gratiae 1187. King Henry the 2^d being in Castello Radulphi in Provincia Bituricenſi, wherein the French King intended to beſiege him: Eſt ibidem Coenobium Monachorum habitus nigri, in honore beatae virginis Mariae dedicatum. Quo cum Braibanceni Regis Angliae ſtipendiarii festinarent, ut ea quae in eadem Eccleſia repoſita erant, abſportarent, Lemovicenſis Vicecomes armatus acceſſit, eorumque ab ingreſſu Eccleſiae cohibuit furorem, fugatoque tandem latronum Cuneo, remanſerunt quidam ex ipſis in ipſo atrio Eccleſiae teſſara ludentes. Cum ergo quidam ex ipſis, ut moris eſt, ſorte perderent, alii vero lucro inhiantes eos qui perdebant probris irritarent, hi qui perdebant furore ſuccenſi, in Deum et beatam ejus genetricem nefandas blaſphemias jactitabant, ac ſi ecr…m eſſet culpa quod hujuſmodi infortunia eis accidebant, Ʋnus autem ex eis inſanior caeteris, arrepto lapide, ad imaginem Sanctae Virginis Mariae in lapide ſculptam projecit, quo infantem feriens, ejus manum dejecit in terram. Qua ruente, ipſe quoque puer e gremio lapſus eſt inferiuſque ſolito reſedit. De brachio autem pueri ſimul et manu quae jam in terram lapſa eſt ſanguis uberrime manavit, ac ſi viventis hominis vigor eſſet in lapide. (It ſeems this ſtatue of their Saviour was tranſubſtantiated into his very body and blood, as well as the Hoſtia) Ipſa vero Imago Mariae ac ſi ſuo compateretur filio, conjectis manibus ad humeros proprios Veſtimentum lapideum abrupit, et corpus proprium fere uſque ad mamillas detexit. Hic vero qui lapidem jecerat, abſque mora corruit et expiravit, caeterique amentes effecti ſunt, (as madd as they who forged and believed this Legend) Vicecomes autem Lemovicenſis accurrens manum pueri ſanguine madidam apprehendit, magnumque defenſionis proemium laetabundus abſportavit. The like miracles wee have recorded of abundance of blood iſſuing out of the little Images of our Savior, wounded or crucified by Iewes ſince his aſcention into heaven, publikely read in the Roman Church, recorded for truths by Sigebertus; yea by Baronius himſelf and Henricus Spondanus his Epitomizer, Anno Chriſti 446. nu. 3. Anno 560. nu. 1. Anno 765. nu. 2. which blood they **See Thomas Beacon his Reliques of Romereſerve and ſhew to the people, who adore it, as the very blood of Chriſt himſelf in ſeveral places; Yea our **col. 444. See Baronius & Spondanus, An. 765. nu. 2.Radulphus de Diceto in his Abbreviationes Chronicorum, Anno 765. out of Sigebertus and others, ſtories. Judaei Imaginem Jeſu Salvatoris noſtri invenientes in domo Judaei ibi relictam à quodam Chriſtiano, eam deponunt, & omnia opprobria quae Judaei Jeſu Chriſto intulerunt, imagini ejus inferebant; tandem lancea latere ejus aperto, exivit de eo ſanguis et aqua. Quod illi ſuppoſita ampulla ſuſcipientes, omnes infirmos in Synagoga ſua collectos ſanabat. Quod cum vidiſſent Judaei, baptizati ſunt omnes (when as the ſhedding of Chriſts blood, and ſight of the miracles wrought at his Paſſion converted no one Jew) and in memory hereof, Paſsio autem Dominicae Imaginis, celebratur ſingulis annis 5 Idus Nov. (the day of our Gunpowder Treaſon) apud Beretham in Syria, where this Image was crucified: So as they had two good Fridayes, the one for the Paſſion of our Saviour, which is moveable, changing every year; and the other for the paſſion of his very image, which is certain; p. 15Or 2dly. They repreſent and adore him as a di…inutive, deſpicable babe or dwarfe, whoſe real natural glorified body born of the Virgin Mary (if they believe bbGratian De Conſecratione, Diſtinct 2. & their Gloſſers thereon, Peter Lombard, Sententiarum l. 4. Diſtinct. 9, 10, 11, 12. & Alexander Alenſis, Albertus Magnus, Pe…ius de Alliaco, Ant, Andreas, Aquinas, Jo. Bachon. Gabriel Biel, Bruliſer, Dionyſ. Carthuſianus, Capreolus, Durandus, Eſtius, Faber, Faventinus, Aegidius de Roma, Gorichem, Holcot, Hervaeus Brito, Media Villa, Ockam, Jo▪ Duns Stotus, Jo de Rada, Henr. Tamarit, Henricus de V…rumaria, & other Schoolmen theron, Summa Angelica, Summa Roſella & other Canoniſts, tit. Euchariſtia, Paſchatius, Radbertus de Corpore & ſanguine Domini c. 14. Concil. Lateranum ſub Innocentio 3. Anno 1215. cap. 1. & Concil. Tridentinum, Seſſ. 13, De Sanctiſſimo Euchariſtiae Sacramento.their own Popes, Councils, Doctors, Churches reſolutions, which they deem infallible) is now conteined in, or under the narrow ſpecies and circumference of every ſmall conſecrated Host, Chalice, yea in every part thereof, without its organical parts and corporeal dimenſions locally diſtinct from each other, yet appearing ſometimes miraculouſly (as they relate) upon the Altar, and in the ſacred Hoſt or Chalice to ſome of their Prieſts and other Saints, either in the form of a petty infant, lamb, or morſel of fleſh, or ſome drops of blood, for confirmation of their Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation; (though he never knew nor taught it) but never in the ſhape or proportion of his full-growen humane body in which he ſuffered on earth, and with which he aſcended into heaven, which body St. Peter himſelf, and all Creeds reſolve, ccActs 3. 20, 21Acts 3:20Acts 3:21the Heavens muſt receive, until the time of the reſtitution of all things, and his comming to judgement; and other Texts define, to be ddActs 2. 27. 30, 31. Pſal. 16 10. 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43. to 49. 53, 54, 57.Acts 2:27Acts 2:30Acts 2:31Ps 16:101 Cor 15:421 Cor 15:43–491 Cor 15:531 Cor 15:541 Cor 15:57incorruptible; being prepared and given him only by God, when he was eeJohn 1. 14. Gal. 4. 4. Heb, 2. c. 10. 5. … See Miſſale Romanum Salamanticae p. 187, 204. Miſſa Votiva de Sancta Cruce, p. 50, 54. Officium ſecundum uſum Sarum, f. 14, 57, 86, 154. The Primer of our Lady, Paris 1538. f. 90, 91. The Epiſtles and Goſpels.John 1:14Gal 4:4made fleſh, and born of a woman; and was never corporally preſent but in one place at once: Or, in ſuch an inglorious, inhuman, unkingly, deſpicable body, as wants both the form, lineaments, accidents of a human body, appearing in and under the form, ſpecies, accidents, dimenſions of meer bread and wine; which every Communicant worthy or unworthy, doth not only actually receive into his mouth, but chew with his teeth, ſwallow into his belly, (yea rats and mice may devour) in conſecrated wafers; and which the meaneſt, vileſt Prieſt can make, and create at his pleaſure, as well as the greateſt, holieſt Pope, Biſhop, and then lift up and down, turn or overturn, impriſon under lock and key in a Pix, and ſend abroad to every ſick perſon, carry about in proceſſion, or devour at his pleaſure; Or in ſuch a ſtrange body, as is really, corporally, inſenſibly preſent in above ten thouſand Hoſtia's, Altars, Pixes, Chalices at once: which yet they ſolemnly adore with Latria, as their very Lord, God, Saviour, Creator; and doom all for Hereticks who comply not with them herein. Or 3ly. They picture, carve, repreſent, pray to, and adore him, ff62. Molanu… SS. Imaginum Hiſt.as ſtill hanging on, yet nailed to, but not taken down from his Croſſe whereon he ſuffered (their moſt uſual repreſentation of him in all their Crucifixes, Churches, Chapels, Colledges, Croſſes, Cloſets, Miſſals, Breviaries, Offices, Litanies, Manuals, or Books of Devotion, Caeremonials, Proceſſionals, Statues, Pictures, and Good Friday Devotions) as if he were not yet riſen again for their juſtification, or ſitting at Gods right hand to intercede for them as their advocate. Or 4ly. As yet lying in his grave in their Good Friday ggSee Ludovicus Vives Notae in Auguſtinum de Civit. Dei, l. 1. c. 29. Didacus de Tapia in Tertiam Partem Thomae, Artic. 8. 546. Will. Lindanus Apologeticus in Germanos Tom. 3. n. 75.Enterludes: wherein they not only re-crucifie, but re-interre him in his Sepulcher, as if not formerly crucified, dead, buried: And not only ſo, but in the famous City of Venice in Italy, (as hhEuropae Speculum, London, 1638. p. 19, 20.Sir Edwin Sands an eye-witneſſe aſſures us) they have erected a ſtately Sepulcher of Chriſt, whereon is written, Hic ſitum eſt Corpus Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti; with verſes annexed, Conditur hoc tumul…; as if his crucified body were there yet actually interred, and never aſcended into heaven; where there is likewiſe hanging in a printed Table a prayer of St. Auſtin, with Indulgence for no leſſe then fourſcore and two thouſand years; granted by Pope Boniface the eighth, and confirmed by Benedict the eleventh, to whoſoever ſhall ſay it (before his Tombe and interred Body) and that for every day toties quoties; which is very obſervable, for that in a few dayes a man may provide for a whole million of worlds pardon, if they did laſt no longer then this hath done hitherto: But if Chriſts body be ſtill interred in that Venetian Sepulcher as the inſcriptions atteſt, or elſwhere, S. Paul aſſures both them and us, 1 Cor. 15. 12, to 20. that their faith, preaching, (and this their prayer and indulgence too) are vain, yea, they are yet in their ſins, are of all men moſt miſerable; and their deceaſed Roman Saints and anceſtors, are likewiſe periſhed. In this inglorious, unkingly manner do they now uſually repreſent, pray to, and adore our glorified Savior Jeſus Chriſt, the King and Lord of glory.

On the contrary, how do the Churches, Popes, Prelates, Prieſts of Rome▪ and all their Members uſually paint, portray, repreſent, ſtile, invoke, adore, and blazon abroad the Soveraign Imperial and Regal Authority of the Virgin Mary over all Angels, p. 16Creatures, Perſons, powers both in heaven, earth, purgatory, hell; **See Biſhop Uſhers Anſwer to the Jeſuite… Challenge, p. 481, 482, 483.yea over God himſelf, and Chriſt her ſonne, to the derogation, ſubverſion both of Chriſts Soveraign Univerſal Monarchy, Prieſthood, and chief branches thereof, if not of his Prophetical office; and of St. Peters and all Popes pretences, Rights, Titles to them: which becauſe not hitherto preſſed againſt them in this kind, or to this end by any of our Proteſtant Writers; I ſhall the more largely and fully charge againſt them.

1. They uſually Carve, pourtray, paint the Statues, Pictures of the Virgin Mary, (as viſible experience atteſts, paſt contradiction) and repreſent her by them to their eyes, thoughts, when they pray unto her, in all their iiSee p. 14, 15. before, & Bernardini de Buſti his Mariale, Pars 12. De Cooronatione Mariae, Sermo 1 & 2. Michael Lochmair Sermo 6. 75, 76.Offices, Primers, Pſalters, Howers, Roſaries, Miſſals, Breviaries, Books of Devotion, Churches, Chapels, Monaſteries, Altars of our Lady, eſpecially on all their publike Feſtivals dedicated to her honor, in greateſt State, Majeſty, Crowned with a Crown, or Rayes of glory, as the Empreſſe, Queen, Lady of heaven, earth, and all creatures in them, but Chriſt her ſonne only in the form or ſhape of a ſmall ſucking infant, lying in her lap, boſom, arms, or at her feet.

2ly. They ſtile, pray to, invoke, worſhip, adore her in all their publike Liturgies, Offices, Howers, Roſaries, Crowns, Anthems, Pſalters, Primers, and private Devotions,k Officiu… Mariae, ſecundum uſum Sarum, Pariſ. 1509. f. 38, to 44. Our Ladies Primer in Latin & Engliſh, Pariſ. 1538. f. 85, 86. Breviarium Romanum Pii 5. Rothomag. 1600. p. 482. A Manual of Prayers, St. O. mers 1625. p. 283, 284, 285. The Litany of our Lady of Loretto, to be ſaid on Saturdayes. Bernardin, de Buſti, Mariale Pars 3. Sermo 3. & 4. quarta Excellentia Nominis Virginis, Pars 11. Sermo 1, 2. Pars 12. Sermo 1, 2. throughout, and elſewhere, S. Bernardi Sermo de Aſſumptione Beatae Mariae, Anſelmus Cantuarienſis. Michael Lochmair, Sermo 6. 75, 76. The Roſary of our Lady. and in their Poſtils, Sermons, Writings, proclaim, aſſert her to be, in reſpect of her Regal Vniverſal Monarchy; Imperatrix, Auguſta, Regina et Domins Coeli coelorum, Mundi, Terrae, et Totius Orbis, ac exercituam cunctorum Angelorum et Martyrum; Imperatrix or Regina Angelorum, Patriarcharum, Prophetarum, Apoſtolorum, (therefore of St. Peter, and his pretended ſucceſſors of Rome) Confeſſorum, Virginum, et omnium Sanctorum, yea, Imperatrix, Regina, & Domina, or at leaſt, Ferulae Diabolorum; ipſa enim contrivit Diaboli potentiam, ſicut praedictum fuit Gen. 3. dum ipſi Diabolo Dominus ait, Ipſa conteret caput tuum, confunditque ejus aſtutiam; juxta illud Judith 14. Vna mulier Hebraea confuſionem faciet in Domo Nabuchodonoſor. Item dejecit ejus maliciam, juxta illud quod ipſius in perſona dicitur, Judith, c. 9. Erit memorialis. primus tui cum manus foeminae dejecerit eum. And if this be not ſufficient, llBiſhop Jewel, p. 336. Hiſtory of the Council of Trent.Ambroſius Catherinus in the Council of Trent, ſeſſio 2. ſtiled her, Fideliſſima Dei et Chriſti Socia: Cardinal Bembus in his Epiſtle to the Emperor Charles the 5th. calls her Dominam et Deam noſtram, our Lady and Goddeſſe. And mmBernardin. de Buſti Mariale, pars 3. Sermo 5. praerogativa 1, 8.others, Dea Dearum, The Goddeſſe of Goddeſſes.

3ly. They poſitively aſſert that the Virgin Mary, (not St. Peter) during the time of Chriſts paſſion, and from his aſcention into heaven, was the ſole Queen, Miſtreſs, and Inſtructer of his Church on earth; nnBernardini de Buſti Mariale Pars 3. Sermo 3. De tertia Excellentia Nominis Virginalis, quae dicitur Regalis O. P. See Anſelmus Cantuarienſis De Laudibus Mariae. Alexand. Fabricius Deſtructorium Vitiorum, pars 4. c. 38. Michael Lochmair, Hildephonſus, Auguſtinus Leoniſſa, & others de Aſſumpt. B. M. Bernardinus Senenſis, ſer. 51. & 61.Quod ipſa eſt Regina coelorum, et totius orbis, de qua Propheta inquit, Pſ. 44. Aſtitit regina a dextris tuis, &c. Sicut ergò Regnum Regina gubernat, ſic beata Virgo quando Rex Chriſtus per mortem ſe abſentavit, Eccleſiam Dei in illo triduo Rexit, quia fidem illibatam ſola ſervavit. Similiter quando Rex Chriſtus ad coelum aſcendit, (let Popes and their advocates for St. Peters Supremacy and Rule over the Vniverſal Church from the time of Chriſts aſcenſion, obſerve it) ipſa tanquam ſoeli Regina Eccleſiam gubernavit, quia totius Eccleſiae Magiſtra permanſit (not St. Peter.) Similiter, quando Rex Chriſtus alicui faciem ſuam maxime abſcondit, tunc ipſa Regina miſericordiam ſuam maxime oſtendit; quando homo ad ipſam cum devotione cordis recurrit. (A ſtrange poſition, ſeconded with this obſervable inference.) Ideo illuo quod vanae mulieres dixerunt de Luna, nos exponerepoſſumus (verè) de iſta virgine, quod haebetur Jer. 44. 17, 18, 19. ſcil. Sacrificemus Reginae coeli, & libemus ei libamina, ſicut fecimus nos & patres noſtri, & faciamus ei placentas ad colendam eam: Nam ex eo tempore quo ceſſavimus ſacrificare Reginae coeli indiguimus omnibus, & gladio & fame conſumpti ſumus; quando autem ſacrificavimus ei ſaturati ſumus panibus, & benè Nobis erat, malumque non vidimus. An evidence that the Romaniſts imitate thoſe Idolatrous Jewes both in their Idolatry and obſtinacy, in adoring their Queen of heaven now, upon the ſelf-ſame grounds, as they did their Queen of heaven in the Prophet Jeremies dayes.

p. 174ly. To enable Mary to be a Compleat Soveraign Miſtreſſe, Governeſſe, and Inſtructor of the Church on earth after Chriſts Paſſion and Aſcention, as well as Queen and Empreſſe, they further add, ooBernardinus de Buſti Mariale Pars 12. Serm 1. pars 1.Ipſa virgo ſicut nunc eſt Regina coeli, ita etiam cum viveret eſſet Regina mundi, (therefore not St. Peter, or the Pope) vel ſaltem regni Judaici: Nam ipſa virgo benedicta recta linea deſcendit de genere David, & ei debebatur regnum Judaicum quod fuerat ab Herode uſurpatum; & omnes dignitates & nobilitates reſpectu ſanguinis, habuit Christus à ſola matre ſua; Hanc autem Regiam dignitatem, quod vere eſſet Rex Judaeorum (quamvis noluit adminiſtrare regnum temporale, imò fugerit, Joan. 6.) tranſmiſit in ipſum mater ſua, quae fuit filia David, et Regina ſui Regni, &c. Item ipſa erat ſponſa Dei; Deus autem eſt Imperator coeli & terrae; et conſequenter ipſa erat Imperatrix mundi dum adhuc viveret. Praeterea cum Imperans mundo debeat per electionem promoveri, in electione autem electores tenentur eligere meliorem et ſapientiorem at que ſufficientiorem: cum que ipſa benedicta virgo eſſet omnibus puris hominibus quae unquam fuerunt ſapientior et ſufficientior, et plena donis Spiritus Sancti; Ergo ad ipſam ex electione fienda pertinebat Imperium et gubernatio totius mundi: Praeterea Chriſto ſecundum humanitatem dedit Deus Imperium & Monarchiam totius mundi, unde ip…e ait Mat. ult. Data eſt mihi omnis poteſtas & in coelo & in terra; ſed filio ſine liberis morienti ſuccedit mater. Ergo ipſa (not St. Peter or his Roman ſucceſſors, as they pretend from this Text of Matthew, by their own Doctors reſolutions, ratified and approved by ſundry Popes, without obſerving how fatal it would be to their Vniverſal Monarchy) erat Imperatrix totius mundi; immediatly upon Chriſts aſcention into Heaven; O igitur Regina noſtra ſereniſsima profecto tu dicere potes illud, 1 Eſdr. 1. Omnia regna terrae dedit mihi Dominus. (Ergo, not to St. Peter, nor the Pope, without diſſeiſing, dethroning this their Queen & Empreſs of Heaven, and of the whole world, both before as well as after her Aſſumtion.) Yea they further aſſert, ppBernardin. de Buſti Mariale, pars 2. Sermo 1. De pars 3. quae dicitur ſignificationis T.Item Maria illuminata fuit ſuper Platonem, ſuper Ptolomaeum Regem Aegypti; ſuper Moyſem, ſuper Stephanum, qui vidit coelos apertos, Act. 7. ſuper Paulum, qui raptus fuit uſque ad tertium coelum, & audivit arcana quae non licet homini loqui; ſuper David, qui fuit eximius Prophetarum; ſuper Joannem Baptiſtam, qui plus fuit quam Propheta, ut ait Salvator, Mat. 11. ſuper Joannem Evangeliſtam, de quo Auguſtinus inquit; Si paulò altius intonaſſet, totus mundus eum capere non potuiſſet, quando dixit, In principio erat verbum. Et breviter concludo, Habuit omnem ſcientiam atque cognitionem (as well in Naturals, Morals, Politicks, as Divine myſteries) quam unquam aliquis hominum habiterit vel habebit. Habuit ergo intellectum magis elevatum et illuminatum quam aliqua unquam habuerit pura creatura; Habuit etiara tantam cognitionem Creatoris, ut verificaretur illud Pſalmi, In lumine tuo videbimus lucem. Hereupon they thus ſalute her with new Aves, which the Angel Gabriel never knew;qqOfficium beatae Mariae ſecundum uſum Sarum 1509. f. 41. Ave Maria, promiſsio Prophetarum, Ave Maria, Regina Patriarcharum &c. Ave Maria, Magiſtra Evangeliſtarum, Ave Maria, Doctrix Apoſtolorum, &c. Yea they aſſert, That Chriſt when he aſcended into Heaven, left his Mother Mary behind him, and did not aſſume her with him ſoul and body into heaven till Anno Chriſti 48. (14 years after his own Aſcenſion, as rrBaronius & Spondanus, An. Chriſti 48. who largely diſcourſe hereof. Ribadenier… in Feſto Aſſſumptionis Mariae. Bernardini de Baſti Mariale, Pars 11. pars 6 Michael Lochmaii, Sermo 74, 75. S. Brigittae Revelat. l. 4. c. 23. l. 6. c. 71, 72. Bernardini de Buſti Mariale, Pars 11. Sermo 1. De Aſſumptione Mariae, Pars. 3. quae dicitur Cauſationis 9. Michael Lochmair Sermo 74. S. Brigittae Sermo Angelica, De Virginis Excellentia, Sermo 2, 3, 4. Revelat. l. 1. c. 8, 9, 10.Baronius, Spondanus, and moſt accord, though they much differ and contradict each other herein, both in the time, manner, circumſtances, and reality of her Aſſumption, of which there is little or no mention in any old Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians or Fathers of the Church.) Primò igitur Christus demiſit matrem ſuam in terris poſt ſuam aſcentionem reſpectu conſolationis, reſpectu fidelium remanentium, ſcil. Apoſtolorum, & aliorum fidelium. Solatium viſibile quod de corporali ejus praeſentia habebant fidelibus ſuis ſubtrahere jam voluit; et idcirco matrem Eccleſiae Conſolatricem VICE SVA (not St. Peter) dereliquit. Demiſit ergo Chriſtus matrem ſuam in terris, & noluit eam adducere ſecum in coelum, quia Apoſtolis nimis durum fuiſſet ſimul privari praeſentia Solis et Lunae. Secundo p. 18dimiſit eam in terris poſt ſuam Aſcentionem, ratione inſtructionis, reſpectu ſcribentium, ut ſcilicet fideles inſtrueret de rudimentis fidei, maxime de his de quibus nulii mortalium niſi ipſi conſtare potuit. Quamvis autem Evangeliſtae Spiritu Sancto ſ Maria poſt Aſſumptionem docebat Apoſtolos, Tho. Waldenſi… Doctrinnalis Fidei, l. 2. Artic. 3. c. 73. p. 374.diſtante Evangelia ſua ſcripſerint, nihilominus credi poteſt, et veriſimile eſt, quod de talibus cum ipſa Virgine conferebant. Similiter, et alii legentes Evangeliſtarum ſcripta ab ipſa quaerebant, ſi haec ita ſe habebant. Et non eſt dubitandum, quin Spiritus Sanctus plura beatae Virgini revelanda ſervaverit. Quis enim melius ſcire potuit de Magis venientibus, cum Stella, de fuga in Aegyptum, de Angelica ſalutatione, & verbis inter ipſum & Archangelum Gabrielem factis, de nativitate Christi, & de circumciſione ejus, & de oblatione ipſius in templo, & de reliquis ad filium ſuum pertinentibus, quam ipſa, quae ſingula fuit experta, & cuncta Chriſti opera per triginta & tres annos oculis propriis aſpexit? unde dicitur Luc. 2. Maria autem conſervabat omnia verba haec conferens in corde ſuo. Et ob hoc fortè Lucas plura de Chriſti infantia ſcripſit, tanquam familiarior Virgini, nam Capellanus ejus aſſeritur fuiſſe. Reliquit ergo Dominus matrem ſuam Magiſtram Apoſtolorum, et omnium fidelium; Therefore not St. Peter, nor his pretended Roman ſucceſſors.

5ly. To make her yet a more compleat and competent High Prieſt, Governor and Inſtructer over the Church on earth as well as in heaven, they further aſſert of the Virgin Mary, ttBernardinus de Buſti Mariale, Pars 4. Ser…o …1. Pars 3. H. & Albertus there cited.Licet Sacramentum ordinis non recepit, tamen quicquid dignitatis vel gratiae ordinibus confertur, in ipſa excellentiſſimè fuit. In ordinibus enim confertur ſeptiformis gratia Spiritus Sancti; haec autem omnifarie gratia repleta fuit. Ita cum tria ſint in Sacramento ordinis, dignitas ministerialis, potestas ſpiritualis, & administratio executionis. Haec omnia beatiſſima virgo aequipollenter et excellenter in ſe habuit. Miniſtri enim Eccleſiae habent dignitatem beneficialem per characterem excellentiae; beatiſſima autem virgo habet Coronam regiam Eccleſiae militantis et triumphantis; (not St. Peter, nor the Pope) unde et Summus Miniſtrorum Papa dicitur, Servus ſervorum Dei; haec autem appellatur, Regina et Domina Angelorum, et Imperatrix totius mundi. Item in Miniſtris Eccleſiae eſt poteſtas Spiritualis vel Epiſcopalis delegata a Domino, vel ſubdelegata et Vicaria. In ipſa autem eſt plenitudo poteſtatis coeleſtis perpetua, ex authoritate ordinata. Item, in Miniſtris eſt executio ligandi et ſolvendi per uſum Clavium. In ipſa autem eſt Dominandi legitima poteſtas ad ligandum et ſolvendum per Imperium, et ſic quicquid eſt dignitatis et gratiae in ordinibus in genere, conſtat in beatiſſima virgine minime difuiſſe. Haec Albertus. Et ne videatur virtutes ſive dignitates generales habuiſſe, **ſpecialibus.ſpiritualibus caruiſſe, dicimus ipſam ſingulorum ordinum dignitates et gratias per aequipollentiam et cum excellentia poſſediſſe. Habuit namque cum Exorciſtis, Daemonum expulſionem. Nam de illa praedictum fuerat, Gen. 3. Ipſa conteret caput tuum. Figurata quoque fuit per Heſter quae vicit Aman; & per Judith quae Olofernem interfecit, Judith 13. Cum oſtiariis habuit introductionem mundorum, & immundorum excluſionem. Ʋnde Ezeck. 44. dicitur, Porta haec clauſa erit▪ & non aperietur; ſed Dominus ingredietur per eam. Porta haec principem & imitatores ſuos introducit, & indignis clauſa erit. Habet etiam cum Acholytis illuminotionem. Ʋnde Num. 24. dicitur, Orietur ſtella ex Jacob. Habuit cum lectoribus omnium Prophetiarum expoſitionem ad literam in ſeipſa, de qua ſcriptum est Eſa: 7. Ecce virgo concipiet, &c. Habet cum Subdiaconis Doctrinae Apoſtolicae conſervationem, unde per Arcam, in qua erat Deuteronomius & manna, & divina ſapientia. Ideo de ipſa dici potest illud, Sap. 8. Doctrix eſt enim Diſciplinae Dei. Habet cum Diaconibus verbi Domini ſervationem, et aliis adſcribendum narrationem, et Conſiliorum Domini perfectam impletionem. Unde Luc. 2. dicitur, Maria autem conſervabat omnia p. 19verba haec, &c. **Pars 4. Sermo 11.Habet cum Sacerdotibus Dominici corporis per ſe▪ ipſam formationem, tractationem, et communicationem. Hoc eſt quod Corpus Dominicum mediante ejus verbo et conſenſu de Carnibus et ſanguinibus ipſius formatum fuit, et ipſum familiariſsime et diutiſsime tractavit, et in cibum et potum nobis communicavit, et per hoc nos omnes ad jugum ſuum ſuave, et onus leve Charitatis ligavit, et ab omnibus culpis et poenis abſolvit, et vitam nobis aeternam contulit: juxta illud Salvatoris, Jo: 6. Qui manducat me, & ipſe vivet propter me. Habet quoque cum Epiſcopis, et Clericorum ordinationem, Praebendarum collationem, Templorum conſecrationem, ac ſacrarum virginum velationem. Ordinat enim Epiſcopus Sacerdotes per Sacramenti collationem, beatiſsima autem virgo per continentiae obligationem juxta illud, Iſa: 52. Mundamini qui fertis vaſa Domini. Confert etiam Epiſcopus Praebendas instituendo, beatiſsima autem virgo Praebendas faciendo. Conſecrat quoque Epiſcopus templa corporalia dedicando, beatiſsima autem virgo templa ſpiritualia Caſtimonia inſpirando, et ſibi illa ſpecialiter vendicando. Conſecrat etiam Epiſcopus Virgines exterius benedicendo▪ beatiſſima autem virgo conſecrat virgines interius virtutibus adornando, et eas filio ſuo deſponſando, & non tantum opprobrium ſterilitatis eis auferendo, ſed eas ſibi ſpiritualiter in filias adoptando, ad divinimi cultum dedicando, et ad ſtatum digniſſimum exaltando, juxta illud, Sap: 6. Incorruptio facit eſſe proximum Deo. Habet etiam cum Papa beatiſſima virgo (let Popes and their Advocates obſerve it well) omnium Eccleſtarum ſollicitudinem: quia Papa eſt Pater Patrum; ipſa vero eſt Mater omnium Chriſtianorum, immo omnium bonorum: Juxta illud, Sap. 7. Qui… omnium bonorum mater eſt. Habet etiam excellentius Papa poteſtatis plenitudinem; Omnes enim dignitates Eccleſiae introductae ſunt in ſervitium, Mar. 20▪ Beata virgo non fuit aſſumpta in Miniſterium, ſed in ſalutis auxilium, et Regni conſortium, et in coadjutorium, juxta illud Gen. 2. 18. quia non fuit Vicaria, ſed Socia, et particeps in regno, &c. (Note it well,) Papa enim ſolum habet eam in vita iſta, ſed non in coelo, nec in purgatorio, nec in inferno; ſic habet virgo. Sicque patet quod quicquid eſt dignitatis vel gratiae in Sacramentis Eccleſiae, hoc totum virgo benedicta habuit plenarie; cui ſit ſempiterna Gloria per omnia ſecula ſeculorum, Amen. Yea they aſſert, Maria habuit omnium artium * Bernardinus de Buſti Mariale pars 4. Sermo 9. D. …. to Z. Gratiis Mariae.ſcientiam. Scivit enim artes mechanicas, et omnes artes liberales. Item ipſa Imperatrix fuit et Leges condere potuit, et Legis interpretatio penes ipſam fuit. Scivit etiam Theologiam et excellentiſsimam et elevatiſsimam Theologiae habuit ſcientiam. Scivit Librum Sententiarum: et totam Bibliam, et omnia purae creaturae ſcibilia intellexit; Iura quoque Civilia et Canonica, ac Leges et Decreta ſciviſſe in ſummo, probat Albertus ſuper Miſſus eſt, c. 138. Scivit etiam Philoſophiam, Medicinam, Mathematicam, Muſicam, & Juris prudentiam. And they adde, that ſhe alone (which no unerring. Popes ever yet did) deſtroyed all hereſies; **Sermo 51. De feſtivitate D. Mariae, Artic. 3. c. 4.Ideo de ed Eccleſia dignè canit (write Bernardixus Senenſis, Bernardinus de Buſti, and others) tu cunctas haereſes ſola interemiſti in univerſo mundo, quoniam totam veritatem Dei ſic concepit, quod eſſet ipſius genetrix veritatis. Yea ſhe had, Gratiam Sanitatum, operationem Virtutum, Spiritam Prophetiae, in ſuch abundance, that ſhe was Summa prophetiſſa; habuit etiam diſcretionem ſpirituum, genera linguarum, Interpretationem ſermonum, et gratiam Apoſtolorum, Evangeliſtarum, ac Paſtorum, in the higheſt perfection, as Albertus, ſuper Miſſus eſt, Bernardinus de Buſti, and others aſſert▪ **Bernardinus de Buſti, Mariale, pars 12. Sermo 2. pars …. H.Et fuit coronatae corona praedicatorum, quia in ipſa ſola remanſit fides de filio Dei, quam aliis praedicavit, & eos in fide roboravit. If then the Virgin Mary had all the Dignity, Power, Juriſdiction and Grace that the Sacrament of Orders could conferre upon her, and of every Particular Order in the Church of Chriſt, or Rome, yea all p. 20in farre greater fullneſſe and perfection then ever St. Peter or any Popes of Rome, or other Biſhops, Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Prophets had, and ſuch large knowledge in all theſe Arts, Lawes, eſpecially in Divinity, and all theſe ſeveral kindes of Graces, as the premiſes averre, which enabled her both to inſtruct, govern the Apoſtles, Church Militant, and all beleevers, when our Saviour left the earth, and committed to her the care and government of them at his Aſcention into Heaven; How St. Peter or his Succeſſors can lay the leaſt claim or Title to their Univerſal Monarchy and Prieſthood over it, as Chriſts ſucceſſors or Univerſal Vicars therein, without any aſſignment, claim, or Charter from the Virgin Mary, (to which they never pretend) or without deveſting her of this Soveraign power derived to her from Chriſt her ſon; let Popes & Pontificians reſolve their own conſciences, and all their ſeduced Proſelytes, when they are able: Eſpecially if we adde to this, the remaining reaſons they render why Chriſt left his Mother behinde him upon earth: **Bernardin. de Buſti Mariale, Pars 11. De Aſſumptione Mariae, Serm. 1. pars 3.Tercio eam demiſit, ratione confortationis, reſpectu patientium. Quarto demiſit eam, ratione honorationis, reſpectu obviantium. Nam cognoſcens Dei filius matrem ſuam virginem glorioſam eſſe inter omnes creaturas precioſam, prius voluit ei locum praeparare precioſum & amaenum, in quo ipſa ſublimaretur, et poſtmodum de coelo deſcenderet ad ipſam aſſumendam. To which reaſon **De Excellentia B. Virginis, c. 7.Anſelmus Archbiſhop of Canterbury▪ ††Mariale pars 11. Sermo 1. De Aſſumptione Mariae, pars 3. quae dicitur Conſolationis, M. Sebaſtianus Barradius, Jeſuita Concord. Evang. l. 6. c. 11.Bernardinus de Buſti, and ſome others, blaſphemouſly adde: Fortaſſe Domine (Jeſu) hoc agere voluiſti, ne tuae Curiae (coeleſti) veniret in dubium, cui potius occurreret; tibi ſcilicet Domino ſuo primo in aſſumpta carne coelum petenti; an ipſi matri, ſimiliter in ipſum regnum materno jure tecum aſcendenti. Prudentiori ergo et digniori conſilio praecedere illam volebas, quatenus ei locum immortalitatis in regno tuo praeparares; et ſic comitatus tota Curia tua feſtinans illi occurreres, eamque ſicut decebat matrem tuam per teipſum exaltares. Which aſſertions of theirs, approved, ratified by Popes, ſundry of their Doctors, and publickly printed, preached, believed in the higheſt and ſolemneſt Feaſt of the Virgin Maries Aſſumption, infallibly contradict, refute, ſubvert the very foundation of St. Peters, and conſequentially of the Popes Univerſal Temporal or Eccleſiaſtical Monarchy, ſuppoſed to be transferred to him by Chriſt himſelf at his aſcenſion, as his only Succeſſor, or Vicar General.

6ly. They poſitively aſſert, that Chriſt hath aſſumed her ſoul and body into heaven, and placed her therein, far above all orders of Saints or Angels, even at his own right hand, in the very throne of the Trinity: That on the day of her Aſſumption, (which they obſerve as a double Feſtival, with grand devotion in the Church of Rome) aaSt. Bernardus Sermones deAſſumptione beatae Mariae, Bernardinus deBuſti Mariale pars 11. Sermo 2. DeAſſumptione Mariae, pars 3, 4, 5, 7. pars 3. Sermo 3. De 3, 4, 5. Excellentia Nominis Virginalis, Anſelmus Cantuar. DeAſſumptione Mariae, & De Excellent. Mariae, S. Brigittae Sermo 1, 2, 3, 4. Divinitus Revelata, De Excellentia B. Virginis, & Revelationum, l. 1. c. 8. Michael Lochmair, Sermo 6, 75, 76. Bernardinus Senenſis, Sermo 51.aſſumpta eſt cum honorabili ſocietate, & cum ineffabili jocunditate, & cum mirabili claritate, & cum terribili potestate: Non tantum Dominus Jeſus Chriſtus laureatus, corpore glorificato, occurrit ſuae benedictae matri cum toto Angelorum exercitu, omniumque Sanctorum comitiva, ſed etiam ipſe Rex aeternus Deus trinus et unus, poteſt dici huic ſacratiſſimae virgini triumphaliter obviaſſe, non motu locali ſed complacentia familiari, et glorificationis influentia principali. Hanc ergò ſponſam coram tota coelesti Curia aeternus Pater recognovit, Matrem unigeniti ſui, et regni ſui conſortem; & dixit illud, Eſ. 40. Domum Majeſtatis meae glorificabo. Sicque benedicta virgo quaſi altera Heſter de triclinio foeminarum, id est, de Eccleſia militante adducta est, per Filium ſuum in gloria Majeſtatis, et per totam militiam coeleſtis Curiae ad Cubiculum ſupernae Regis, et ad Thronum Dei Patris vehitur, et ipſius ſede Trinitatis ad Chriſti dextram collocatur: Et illud figuratum fuit, Heſter 2. Et tunc donavit illi Deus, fontalem foecunditatem ad generandum ſpiritualiter omnes electos, et etiam ad laetificandos ipſos Angelos in aliquo guſtu et gradu, et experientia divinorum. Ipſa igitur virgo ex hoc accepit a Patre rationem paternitatis et ſublimitatis Regalis ac Imperialis ſuper omnem creatam naturam. Nihil tibi aequale, O Domina, nihil comparabile. Omne quod eſt, aut eſt ſupra te, aut infra te: Supra te ſolus Deus, infra te omne quod non eſt Deus: (Therefore p. 21Peter and the Roman Pontiffs.) Yea they adde; bbBernardinu… de Buſti, Mariale pars 12. Sermo 1, 2.Ieſus Rex aeternae gloriae in gloria ſuae Majeſtatis reverentia filiali ipſam adoravit; non ut quamlibetcunque matrem, ſed ſingularis ſufficientiae, magnificentiae, & diligentiae; et ſublimis Deus eam ut ſuam reverendiſſimam matrem reverenter adorat, et ad eam venerandam honore inextimabili corporaliter ſe inclinat. O ſtupendum prodigium et inauditae altitudinis faſtigium! ut a muliere Dei filius recognoſcat ſuum eſſe humanum! Quid non deberet virgini concedere quam tantum voluit honorare? Profecto iſto reſpectu honoris non reſpiceret Dei filius milleſies mille millia Seraphin, et infinities (ſi dici liceat) infinitos: (much leſſe then of St. Peters or Popes.) Sic ergo tota Trinitas umformi ac concordi voluntate, hanc ſacratiſſimam Virginem oſtendit eſſe ſuam ſponſam incommunicabilis charitatis, inattingibilis dignitatis, mundi Dominam imperceptibilis poteſtatis, electorum omnium generatricem piam inexplorabilis pietatis, omnium Dei hoſtium conculcatricem triumphantiſſimam, inſuperabilis ſtrenurtatis, omnium coeleſtium the ſaurorum diſpenſatricem largifluam pro ſuae complacentia voluntatis, omnium ſuperiorum delitiarum et conſolationum guſtatricem affluentiſſimam in triclinio divinae Majeſtatis. Super hunc dilectum ſuum in…ititur mater illa foeliciſſima, et in aureo reclinatorio divinae Majeſtatis reci…nbeus, inter ſponſi, imo Filii ſui brachia requieſcit. O quanta dignitas, quam ſpecialis gloria inniti ſuper illum quem reverentur Angelicae poteſtates! Whence they inferte; Abſurdum ergò est, ut tam glorioſam Virginem non venerentur linguae hominum, quam tota Trinitas ſic honorat tamque veneratur ſublimitas Angelorum, &c. Yea they make this an Article of their Faith; ccSermo Hieronymo a…tril … ▪ Michael Lochmair, Sermo 76 DeAſſumptione Mariae, P. Bernardinus de Buſti, Mariale pars 11. Sermo 1. pars 6. D. and ſundry orbers in their Poſtils and Sermons of her Aſſumption▪ d…Bernardinus de Buſti, Mariale pars 11. Sermo 2. De Aſſumptione, pars …. P Q. R. See Yldephonſus & Anſelmus Cantuar. De Aſſumptione Mariae.Crediturque, quod ipſe Salvator per ſe totus feſtivus, cum tota militia coelorum genetrici obviam occurrerit, et cum gaudio eam ſecum in throno collocaverit, alias quoque non impleſſet quod in lege ipſe mandavit, Honora Patrem tuum & Matrem tuam, &c. They further adde; a Maria fuit aſſumpta ſublimiter, quia ipſa apparuit in coelo impyreo ſuper omnes ordines Angelorum, juxta illud Pſal. 8. Elevata eſt magnificentia tua ſuper coelos. Item apparuit in coelo tanquam Regina in throno ad regnandum cum Filio, ſecundum figuram 3 Reg. 3. Elevata eſt ad culmen triplicis dignitatis; ſcilicet, Altiſſime, ſuper coelos, id est, ſuper Angelos univerſos: Latiſſime, ut ſit regnum ejus latum, ut elevetur thronus ejus (ſicut David) ſuper Judam et Hieruſalem, non ſolum a Dan uſque Berſabet, ſed a mare gratiae uſque ad mare gloriae, et a flumine influxuum divinorum, uſque ad terminos orbis terrarum, regnans ſuper omnem creaturam: (Therefore over St. Peter and Popes themſelves.) Tertio elevatur ad culmen dignitatis firmiſſime: Ipſius dignitas eſt ſuper omnes ſublimiſſima, et latiſſima, et firmiſſima, ita ut non poſſet moveri ſublimitas montis quamdiu durat firmitas lapidis, nec regnum matris, quamdiu durat Imperium prolis: Dan. 7. Tanta autem excellentia exaltavit Dei Filius Matrem ſuam ſuper omnes Choros Angelorum, quod ſi ibi ubi ipſa refedit eſſet multitudo, novam conſtitueret Hierarchiam, as ſhe doth a new Quaternity, inſtead of a Trinity of Perſons, if this be Catholick Divinity.