390 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
hath " power to take away empires, kingdoms, and principalities, or whatever a mortal man may have ; " as Platina records it in his life. As also, Pope Nicholas II., in his Epistle ad Mediolanens., asserts that the rights both of the heavenly and earthly empires are com- mitted unto him. And he that hath but looked on the Dictates of the forenamed Gregory, confirmed in a council at Rome, and de- fended by Baronius, or into their Decretals, knows that you give both swords to the pope, and that over and over; whence Carerius, lib. i. cap. 9, affirms that it is the common opinion of the school divines that the pope hath " plenissimam potestatem," plenary power, over the whole world, both in ecclesiastical and temporal matters. And you know the old comparison made by the Canonists, cap. de Major, et Obed., between the pope and the emperor, — namely, that " he is as the sun, the emperor as the moon,'' which borrows all its light from the other. Bellarmine, and those few whom he follows, or that follow him, maintain that the pope " hath this power only indirectly, and in order unto spiritual things." The meaning of which assertion, as he explains himself, is, that besides that direct power which he hath over those countries and kingdoms which, on one pretence or other, he claims to be feudatory to the Roman see, which are no small number of the chiefest kingdoms of Europe, he hath a power over them all, to dispose of them, their kings and rulers, ac- cording as he judgeth it to conduce to the good and interest of the church ; — which as it really differs very little from the former opinion, so Barclay tells us that Pope Sixtus was very little pleased with that seeming depression of the papal power, which his words intimate. But the stated doctrine of your church in this matter is so declared by Hosius, Augustinus Triumphus, Carerius, Schioppius, Marca, and others, all approved by her authority, that there can be no question of it. Moreover, to make way for the putting of this indirect power into direct execution, you declare, —
4. That the pope is the supreme judge of faith, and his declara- tions and determinations so far the rule of it, as that they are to he received, and finally submitted unto. Not to do so, is that which you express heresy, or schism, or apostasy. About this principle also of your profession there have been, as about most other things amongst you, great disputes and wranglings between the doctors and props of your church. Much debate there hath been whether this power be to be attributed unto the pope without a council, or above a council, or against one. About these chimeras are whole volumes filled with keen and sulitile argumentations. But the pope's personal, or at least cathedral determination, hath at length prevailed. For what- ever some few of you may whisper, unto your own trouble and disad- vantage, to the impeachment of his pei'sonal infallibility, you are
POWER OF KINGS IN MATTERS ECCLESIASTICAL. 391
easily decried by the general voice of your doctors ; and, besides, those very persons themselves, wherever they Avould place the infallibility of the church that they fancy, are forced to put it so far into the pope's hand and management, as that whatever he determines, Avith the necessaiy solemnities, in matters of faith, is ultimately at least to be acquiesced in. So yourself assure us, averring that he who doth not so " forfeits his Christianity," and consequently all the privileges which thereby he enjoys; and we have reason sufficient, from former experience, to believe that [if] the pope have the ability unto his will, [he] is ready enough to take the forfeiture. Whether upon a prince's falling into heresy, in not acquiescing in your papal determinations, his subjects are discharged, " ipso facto," from all obedience unto him, as Dominicus Bannes and others maintain, or whether there needs the denunciation of a sentence against him by the pope for their ab- solution, you are not agreed. But yet, —
5. You affirm that in case of snch disobedience unto the poj^e, he is armed with power to depose kings and princes, and to give away and bestoiu their kingdoms and dominions on others. Innumerable are the instances whereby the popes themselves have justified then- claim of this power in the face of the world ; and it were endless to recount the emperors, kings, and free princes that they have attempted to ruin and destroy (in the pursuit of some whereof they actually succeeded), with the desolations of nations that have ensued thereon. I shall mention but one, and that given us in the days of our fathers, and it may be in the memory of some yet alive. Pope Pius V. takes upon him, contrary to the advice and entreaties of the Emperor of Germany and others, to depose Queen Elizabeth, and to devote her to destruction. To this end he absolved all her subjects fi'om their allegiance, and gave away her kingdoms and dominions to the Spaniard, assisting him to his utmost in his attempt to take posses- sion of his gi'ant; and all for refusing obedience to the see of Rome! You cannot, I presume, be offended with my mention of that which is known unto all ; for these things were not done in a corner. And is it not hence evident that all the power which you grant unto kings is merely precarious, which they hold of your pope as tenants at Avill? and should they not appear to do so, were his force, wit, and courage answerable to his will and })retence of authority ? But be it that because you cannot help it, you suffer them to live at peace and quietness in the main of their rule; yet you still curb them in their own dominions; for, —