IF any one perchance make doubt, that the ends of the world are come upon us, as the Apostle speaketh,1 Cor. 1. let him but consider these latter times, and compare them with the former, and hee will then acknowledge, that the enemy of mankinde hath left nothing unattempted, which might serve not only to hurt, but also to cleane overthrow both the Ecclesiasticall, and also the Civill policie. There have beene wicked men, who presuming to blaspheme against Heaven, have imployed their pens, and swords against the Church, the Spouse of CHRIST IESUS. But some witlesse men per­ceiving, that it is not without reason, that the Se­cular power be armed with the sword, have assaul­ted the Civill Policie by an other way; and have at­tempted to extirpate, and annihilate hereby execra­ble bookes, putting in execution by such ambus­cado's more covertly their pernicious designes. The marke which S. Iude propoundeth to us to know these men by; is, that they despise Dominion, and blaspheme Majesty. And would to God, that they had rested content only with despisall, and re­viling speeches; but so great is their fault, that con­trariwise these damnable Writers, under a pre­tence of establishing in the Church, a certaine tem­porall [Page 10] power, doe teach, and affirme; that it is in the power of those, who have in their hands the government of Ecclesiasticall affaires, to depose Kings from their Thrones, and the same for very small and ridiculous causes, and to put in their pla­ces other Supreme Magistrates either Annuall, or Iournall; as they shall thinke good. For this cause the Theologicall Facultie of Paris perceiving, that they intend to overthrow by this meanes all Civill Policies, especially this of the French Mo­narchie, which is governed by our most Christian, most Clement, and most Iust KING, Lewis the XIII. To follow the steps of Her Predecessour, in testifying the affection, which Shee beareth to His Majesty, and the whole Realme, and to satisfie also the generall desire of all good men, hath cho­sen out among other bookes one newly come forth, intituled, Antonii Santarelli Iesuitae de Hae­resi, Schismate, Apostatia, &c. And in the Gene­rall Congregation held extraordinarily the sixe­teenth day of March last past Shee committed to certaine Doctours, whom Shee particularly named, to read, and examine the same. But for as much as it treateth of many things, which doe no way appertaine to that, which principally is now que­stioned, Shee thought good, that they should exa­mine only two Chapters, to wit, the thirtieth and thirtie one of the Treatise de Haeresi.

Therefore the first day of April, 1626 af­ter Masse of the HOLY GHOST the As­sembly being kept after the accustomed manner in the Hall of the Sorbon Colledge, hath read the rela­tion of the Doctours appointed by the Facultie, [Page] who have declared, that in those two Chapters are contained these propositions following: That the Pope can punish Kings, and Princes with temporall punishments, depose, and deprive them of their King­domes for the crime of Heresie, and free their Sub­jects from their obedience, and that this hath ever been the custome in the Church. And not only for Heresie, but also for other causes; to wit, for their sinnes. If also it be expedient: If Princes be negli­gent: If they bee unable, and unprofitable. More­over, that the Pope hath power ouer spirituall things, and also over all temporall. And that by the Law of God there is in him both spirituall, and temporall power. That we must beleeve, that to the Church, and her Supreme Pastour power is given to punish with temporall punishments, Princes who offend against divine, and humane lawes, especially if the crime be Heresie. They said also, that the same Santarellus affirmed in that booke. That the Apostles were subject to Secular Princes de facto, but not de iure. And also, that as soone as the Pontificall Dignitie was ordained, all Princes began to bee subject to it. To be short, they related, that he expoundeth those words of CHRIST, Whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth, Matth. 16. &c. Not only of spirituall, but also of temporall power. And that he corrupteth the text of Saint Paul in cutting of the negation [Not] and imposeth upon Authours things,2 Cor. 10. Our Lord hath given us power to edification, and not to de­struction. which they never thought of. And they concluded, that as well these things, as many others, which they related, doe worthily deserve the Correction, and censure of the Facultie.

Wherefore the matter being by Monsieur the [Page] Deane brought into deliberation, after the opini­ons of all the Doctours were heard, and their voi­ces collected, the Facultie hath disproved, and condemned the doctrine contained in these propo­sitions, and the conclusions of the said heads, as new, false, erroneous, contrarie to the word of God; making the Pontificall dignitie to be odious; opening the way to Schisme; which dependeth only upon God, hindering the conversion of Infidell, and Hereticall Princes, disturbing the publike peace, and overthrow­ing Kingdomes, States, and Common-wealths, and in briefe, with drawing Subjects from the obedi­ence, which they owe to their Soveraignes, and indu­cing them to Factions, Rebellions, and Seditions, and to attempt against the lives of their Princes. Made in the Sorbon, the day, and yeare above na­med, and reviewed the fourth of April, 1626.