A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

You cannot but know that this one Concession would ruin the whole Papacy, as being expressly destructive of all the foundations on which it is built. Nor did ever any Pope proceed on this ground in his interposures in the world about matters of faith; that such things indeed belonged unto others, and were only by them remitted unto him for their ease. 6. Whether you do not include Kings themselves in you• general Assertion, pag. 55. That they who after Papal decisions remain cont•nacious forfeit their Christianity? And if so, whether you do not at once overthrow all your other Splendid Concessions, and make Kings absolute Dependents on the Pope for all the Privileges ⟨p. 415⟩of their Christianity, and whether you account not among them, their very Regal Dignity it self? Whereby it may easily appear how much Protestant Kings and Potentates are beholding unto you, seeing it is manifest that they live and rule in a neglect of many Papal Decisions and Determinations. 7. Whether you do not very fondly pretend to prove your Roman Catholics acknowledgement of the power of Princes to make Laws in Cases Ecclesiastical, from the Laws of Justinian, p. 59. whereas they are instances of Regal Power in such Cases plainly destructive of your present Hildebrandine faith and Authority: and whether you suppose such Laws to have any force or Authority of Law, without the Papal Sanction and confirmation? 8. Whither you think indeed that Confession unto Priests is such an effectual means of securing the peace and interest of Kings as you pretend, p. 59. and whether Queen Elizabeth, King James, Henry the third and fourth of France had cause to believe it; and whether you learned this notion from Parry, Raviliac, Mariana, Clement, Parsons, Allen, Garnet, Gerard, Oldcome, with their Associates? 9. Whether you forgot not your self when you place Aaron and Joshua in government together? p. 64. 10. Whether you really believe, that the Pope hath Power only to persuade in matters of Religion as you pretend? p. 65. and if so; from what Topics he takes the Whips, Wires and Racks that he makes use of in his Inquisition? And whether he hath not a right even to destroy Kings themselves, who will not be his Executioners in destroying of others? I wish you would come out of the clouds, and speak your mind freely and plainly to some of these enquiries.

You cannot but know that this one Concession would ruine the whole Papacy, as being expresly destructive of all the foundations on which it is built. Nor did ever any Pope proceed on this ground in his interposures in the world about matters of faith; that such things indeed belonged unto others, and were only by them remitted unto him for their ease. 6. Whether you do not include Kings themselves in you general Assertion, pag. 55. That they who after Papal decisions remain contnacious forfeit their Christianity? And if so, whether you do not at once overthrow all your other Splendid Concessions, and make Kings absolute Dependents on the Pope for all the Priviledges