The consequences of not opposing them. who govern, and those who are governed. 95 This is the CASAUBON DE LIB. ECCL. common cause of all princes; for this liberty of the Church falsely so called, oppresses the liberty of them all. Oppresses PREFACE. do I say? yes whole kingdoms are taken from their lawful possessors, under the pretence of this liberty, and claimed for the pope; and that with so much vehemence, with such bitterness and sharpness of words, as nothing can be more. Pray read but that one most accurate digression of Cardinal Baronius, in his eleventh book' of Annals, by which he en-1 [rather deavours to recover the kingdom of Sicily from the catholic "volume."] king. You will wonder that Charles V., an emperor most worthy of immortal praise, with his son and grandson the two Philips, catholic kings of Spain, should by the fierce defenders of the apostolic see be no otherwise accounted of than as certain vile robbers of the world, and enemies to the Church'. But by what right? by that of this liberty of the Church; the name whereof is repeated so often in every page by that author, that it almost turns your stomach. And now let princes go, and bestow their riches, their kingdoms, and themselves in defence of that liberty. Nor is it of any moment, that some of them seem to be in no danger at present from this doctrine; for if once by their neglect they suffer the foundations of their dominion to be weakened in the minds of their subjects, it is altogether necessary that the dominion itself and their empire decay, totter, and fail at the root. Consider, most prudent counsellors, that he threatens all princes, who does injury to one. Consider, that it was most wisely said by Pope Felix III. " : "An error which is not opposed, is approved; and a truth that is not defended, is oppressed: for to neglect a perverse opinion, when you are able to overthrow it, is nothing less than to encourage it." Consider, that you are those politicians, the [Baronii Annales Ecclesiastici ad ann. 1097, num. xviii.-cxliii. tom. xi. col. 881-927. Mogunt. 1606. This Excursus is also contained in the first editions published at Rome; it was omitted in the edition Antw. 1608, tom. xi. col. 662, being proscribed by Philip III. It was published as a separate tract "de Monarchia Siciliæ" at Paris, in 1609, with Cardinal Ascanius' observations, and Baronius' reply, and his letter to Philip III. In the edition of the Annals, Lucæ, 1724, it is [Ibid., num. cxxxix.] m[Error, cui non resistitur, approbatur; et veritas, quæ minime defensatur, opprimitur. Negligere quippe, cum possis deturbare perversam opinionem, nihil est aliud quam fovere.Felicis Pape III. (al. II. A.D. 483.) Epist. i. ad Acacium, ap. Concilia, tom. v. col. 145, D.] NO. VI. APPENDIX. name of which is so odious to the first authors of that sect. Take care therefore that they may effectually experience, that you understand the meaning of the name, and are truly skilful in civil policy; that you are careful of the future, and look with great sagacity, as well forward as backward; and that which the sage Megalopolitan (Polybius") teaches to be the property of wise men, that you do not trust to fortune, but to those counsels which right reason dictates. I shall only add, that I entreat and beseech all those in whose hands these papers shall come, that if in this dissertation any thing shall happen to fall from me, expressed with a little too much freedom, it may not be imputed to any ill will or irreverence towards the holy order whom I profess to regard with all due honour and veneration; but that they would ascribe it all, whatever it may be, partly to the love of my country, which I shall never conceal to be in me very vehement; partly to the love of truth, to which that a chief regard is to be had in all disputes, can be doubted by none that considers himself as a man born to a share of right reason. So may the Lord Jesus, who can neither deceive nor be deceived, hear my prayers when I call upon Him. Farewell, most prudent and noble counsellors, and administer well by God's help. THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT". THIS Small tract was composed by the advice and command of some great men in France, upon occasion of the disputes between the pope of Rome and the republic of Venice. But things being changed, and the difference composed while it was in the press, and the 264th page was printing at Paris in the year of our Lord 1607, in octavo, Henry IV., king of France, forbid the printing any more of it, and commanded, that what was already published should be suppressed": therefore the work remained imperfect. A very few copies that were begun, came abroad without Casaubon's name. Melchior Goldastus inserted copy that came into his hands, in the first tome of his Monarchia S. Romani Imperiic, p. 674, et seqq. I thought it would be a public service to give the world a new edition of this book, that is so very scarce. How learned in ecclesiastical antiquities Casaubon was is very easily shewn, both from this specimen and from his Exercitations upon Baronius's Annalsd. [Observatio Editoris (Almeloveen) ap. Epist. Is. Casauboni, tom ii. p. 165. Roterod. 1706.] [Vita Isaaci Casauboni p. 43, ibid. tom. ii. See the note at the end of this treatise.] c [Monarchia S. Romani Imperii sive tractatus utriusque jurisdictionis. Francof. 1621.] d [Isaaci Casauboni de rebus sacris et ecclesiasticis Exercitationes xvi. ad Card. Baronii Prolegomena in Annales &c. fol. Lond. 1614.] HICKES. THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS BOOK OF THE LIBERTY OF THE CHURCH. I. The cause and occasion of this treatise. The explication of the word libertas. Various kinds of liberty. That Christian liberty given by God is often mentioned by the ancient fathers, but not ecclesiastical, or the liberty of the Church. A mistake of the interpreters of the canon law in defining the liberty of the Church. A particular enquiry into its definition. II. What, and of what kind the liberty of the ancient Church was from its first rise to the times of Constantine the Great. A comparison of both powers ecclesiastical and civil, and concerning the right of each, as well ordinary as extraordinary. III. What, and of what kind the liberty of the Church was from the times of Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great, pope of Rome". IV. What, and of what kind the liberty of the Church was from the times of Gregory the Great to those of Hildebrand, or Pope Gregory VII. [V. What, and of what kind the liberty of the Church was from Gregory the Seventh to the council of Trent. VI. What, and of what kind the liberty of the Church is which is now taught and defended: who are its chief defenders, and what their object is".] VII. That the liberty of the Church, which is now defended, does root up the very foundations of all civil power. VIII. Some examples of those fallacies and sophisms, by which this present ecclesiastical liberty is defended. IX. That the defence of this liberty has drove its defenders to affirm things which are absurd, enormous, and impious. X. That Cardinal Baronius has, in maintenance of this ecclesiastical liberty, writ many things that are contrary to truth. A confutation of his Parænesis. Remarks upon his Annals. XI. That it would be useful as well as decent, particularly for the Church of Rome, to set bounds to this ecclesiastical liberty. The conclusion of this treatise. [The work breaks off in the third chapter.] [The contents of the fifth and sixth chapters which were omitted by Hickes are here suppied from the original.] |