By this we may understand in what condition Protestants are, by the Laws of the Romish Chuich, and how Papists are obliged to look upon us, and demean themselves towards us. No Protestant from the (*)Prince to the meanest Subject, has any Title to Lands, Houses, Money, or any thing else which they possess; or can justly call it their own. All rules of Righteousness, which concern property, are void: Papists owe them no observance. In reference to us, we are not capable of Injury upon this account; whatever they do against us, in respect of our Estates, they wrong us not, they sin not, for we have no Title. If they take from us any thing, or all we have, they steal not ought from us, they rob us not, because they take nothing from us that is our own. If they burn our Houses over our heads, and fire Towns and Cities (as they have done, and their famous (a)Simanca says they may do) they ⟨p. 364⟩do us no injury, they sin not on this account, because the Houses and Goods consumed, are none of ours. If they deprive a Protestant Prince of his Throne and Dominions, they sin not; he is by their Law and doctrine but an Usurper, and had no just (b)title to his Crown. If they draw any of his Subjects into war against him, at home or abroad, they do him no wrong; for they are (c)not his Subjects, no more than the Popish Clergy, who are sworn to another Sovereign. Or if he intrust them with the commands of Forts (d)or Garrisons, they may betray them to the Romanists, and not wrong him, because they were not his. If they take all (e)places of trust, or profit, from Nobles or Commons, they do them no wrong, because they had no right to them, nor have their Children after them any, for some generations. If they pay no (f)Debts to Protestants though they were not only under the obligation of a promise, but of solemn Oath, they may justify it, they owe them nothing. If Trust be reposed in them, or any thing be (g)deposited in their hands, or they borrow any thing of us, they may detain it; they need not restore it, for they have nothing of ours. In a word, there can be no Parliaments, or Convention of the three Estates of a Nation, because there are none in that capacity. As there are no persons ⟨p. 365⟩of Honour for Peers, all being (b)infamous, so can there be no Free-holders to choose, or to be chosen for Commons, since there are no Proprietors.
By this we may understand in what condition Protestants are, by the Laws of the Romish Chuich, and how Papists are obliged to look upon us, and demean themselves towards us. No Protestant from the (*)Prince to the meanest Subject, has any Title to Lands, Houses, Money, or any thing else which they possess; or can justly call it their own. All rules of Righteousness, which concern property, are voyd: Papists owe them no observance. In reference to us, we are not capable of Injury upon this account; whatever they do against us, in respect of our Estates, they wrong us not, they sin not, for we have no Title. If they take from us any thing, or all we have, they steal not ought from us, they rob us not, because they take nothing from us that is our own. If they burn our Houses over our heads, and fire Towns and Citys (as they have done, and their famous (a)Simanca says they may do) they ⟨p. 364⟩do us no injury, they sin not on this account, because the Houses and Goods consumed, are none of ours. If they deprive a Protestant Prince of his Throne and Dominions, they sin not; he is by their Law and doctrine but an Ʋsurper, and had no just (b)title to his Crown. If they draw any of his Subjects into war against him, at home or abroad, they do him no wrong; for they are (c)not his Subjects, no more than the Popish Clergy, who are sworn to another Soveraign. Or if he intrust them with the commands of Forts (d)or Garisons, they may betray them to the Romanists, and not wrong him, because they were not his. If they take all (e)places of trust, or profit, from Nobles or Commons, they do them no wrong, because they had no right to them, nor have their Children after them any, for some generations. If they pay no (f)Debts to Protestants though they were not only under the obligation of a promise, but of solemn Oath, they may justifie it, they owe them nothing. If Trust be reposed in them, or any thing be (g)
- (*)A Constitution of Pope Paul 4. subscribed by all the Cardinals, declares that all Prelates and Princes, even Kings and Emperors fallen into Heresy, should be, and should be understood to be deprived of all their Benefices, States, Kingdoms and Empires, without farther declaration, and uncapable to be restored to them, even by the Apostolic Sea•; and their Goods, States, Kingdoms, and Empires shall be understood to be common, and to belong to those Catholics who can get them, Hist. of Counc. of Tr. lib. 5. p. 409.A Constitution of Pope Paul 4. subscribed by all the Cardinals, declares that all Prelats and Princes, even Kings and Emperors fallen into Haeresy, should be, and should be understood to be deprived of all their Benifices, States, Kingdoms and Empires, without farther declaration, and uncapable to be restored to them, even by the Apostolick Sea•; and their Goods, States, Kingdoms, and Empires shall be understood to be common, and to belong to those Catholicks who can get them, Hist. of Counc. of Tr. lib. 5. p. 409.
- (a)Institut. Cathol. Tit. 45. Sect. 13.
- (b)Tenens regnum contra formam juris & mentem papae dicitur tyrannus, Mascon. de imper. Reg. pars. 1. c. 2. Propter haeresin rex non solum regno privatur, sed & filij ejus a succession regni pelluntur. Simanc. ibid. tit. 9. Sect. 259. Post latam sententiam declarativam de crimine haeresis, injuste princeps possidet regnum, & principatum, & excercet jurisdictionem in subditos: tenenturque subditi eximere se ab ejus obedientia, & bellum gerere contra illum, si virus illis suppe•ant, Bannes in 22. q. 10 p. 614. Yea, Bannes says, it is the more common opinion with Aquinus and his followers, that before the sentence declaratory, Subjects may lawfully, if they have strength, exempt themselves from the power of the Prince. p. 590.Tenens regnum contra formam juris & mentem papae dicitur tyrannus, Mascon. de imper. Reg. pars. 1. c. 2. Propter haeresin rex non solum regno privatur, sed & filij ejus a successione regni pelluntur. Simanc. ibid. tit. 9. Sect. 259. Post latam sententiam declarativam de crimine haeresis, injuste princeps possidet regnum, & principatum, & excercet jurisdictionem in subditos: tenenturque subditi eximere se ab ejus obedientia, & bellum gerere contra illum, si vir•s illis suppe•ant, Bannes in 22. q. 10 p. 614. Yea, Bannes says, it is the more common opinion with Aquinus and his followers, that before the sentence declaratory, Subjects may lawfully, if they have strength, exempt themselves from the power of the Prince. p. 590.
