The Mystery of Iniquity UNFOLDED: Or the Reason why all those Jesuits, Priests, and others, of the Romish Church, that have been lately executed for High Treason, in Conspiring the Death of the KING, the Subversion of the Government and the Protestant Religion, have so impudently declared their Innocency of all and every the Matters laid to their Charge, even to the last Gasp: And why the same may be very well expected from all that shall follow them of the like Principles. By way of Reflection upon their Last Speeches. I Shall divide their Speeches into two Parts or Branches: 1. Their flat Denial of those Crimes and Matters laid to their Charge: viz. The Conspiring of the Death of the King, the Subversion of the Government and the Protestant Religion. 2. Their Protestations against all manner of Pardons, Absolutions, or Dispensations for Lying, Swearing, or Equivocating, etc. As to the first part, viz. The Denial of those Crimes, etc. I think it may be answered, and the reason given, without any manner of difficulty. 1. That it hath been their Doctrine and Practice in all Times to hold, The Deposing of Princes, Murdering of them and their Subjects, and Disposing of their Dominions, to be lawful; is sufficiently proved by that Worthy Prelate the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, by numerous Examples out of their own Authors; and also see the Jesuits Catechism. 2. That the King of England was actually deposed, and his Dominions disposed of (according to their real apprehensions and understanding) hath been proved before the Parliament; where it was sworn, That the Pope in the Congregation De Propaganda Fide, held about December 1677, declared His Majesty's Dominions St. Peter's Patrimony, as forfeited to him for the Heresy of Prince and People; and so to be disposed of as he pleaseth. To this end he appointed Cardinal Howard, as his Legate, to take Possession of England in his Name. And that at a Consult held in May 1678, by the Provincial and Society of Jesuits, They declare the King an Heretic, they depose him and condemn him to be murdered: And at some other Consults, They appointed the Chief Officers of State, as the Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasure, etc. By which it appears, That from that time our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second hath not been King of England, but his Holiness the Pope, and the Government his. Now this being granted (according to their Conclusion) they cannot be guilty of those Crimes laid to their Charge; viz. The Conspiring the Death of Charles the Second King of England, and Subversion of his Government, etc. 1. Because there is no such Person, The Pope being King. 2. There being no such Government, it being the Popes. So that I think it is plainly made out the reason of their Denial of the Crimes, etc. according to the first part of their Speeches; wherein they all concur and agree. And that notwithstanding Mr. Gavon was pleased to say, That there was not one Jesuit except Mariana the Spanish Jesuit, that allows of King-killing Doctrine; it is fully evidenced to the contrary. Now as to the second Part of their Speeches, which consists of Protestations against all manner of Pardons, Absolutions, or Dispensations for Lying, Swearing, etc. Asserting also, That no Power on Earth can Authorise any body so to do. It is true, It is very strange to us that are Protestants, that there can be any Salvo for such horrid Impieties, As the making of such Solemn Protestations at the very Brink of Death, and in such Comprehensive Terms too, That the Art of Man could never invent more, to make the matter more obvious to common understanding; and yet all most notoriously false: as hath been sufficiently proved, according to their Doctrines; which allow, That they may Swear, Forswear, Lie, and Equivocate, in Defence of the Right, and for the Utility and Benefit of the Church: For which see the Bishop of Lincoln, where he tells you out of their own Authors, That the Pope can and does usually dispense with Oaths, and that he can dispense against the Law of Nature, and against the Apostle. So that Papists may take as many Oaths as they please, yet the Pope (when he pleases) can dispense with them, and set them free. And he says further, That if all these ways of Nulling the Obligations of Oaths fail, yet the Pope's Janissaries the Jesuits, had a new way to prevent all such Obligations of Oaths without any Dispensations; and that is by Equivocations, Rectifying Intentions, and their Doctrine of Probabilities: Pernicious Errors, destructive of Humane Society: And (saith he) so notoriously known to the World, That he need not go about to prove them, or show the pernicious Consequences of them. They teach, That a Man may swear to Positive Untruths, by the Law of Directing the Intention. And therefore Father Southwell (a Jesuit) taught a young Gentlewoman, That if she were examined, If the said Mr. Southwell were at her Father's House? She might swear No, with this Intention to herself, That he was not there, so that she was bound to tell them. In time of the Plague a Man cometh to Coventry, at the Gates he is examined by the Officers upon his Oath, Whether he came from London, or no? The Traveller, though he came directly from London, may swear positively he did not come from London: The Reason is, Because he knew himself not infected to endanger Coventry by his Entrance; which answereth the final Intent of the Demand. If you be sworn to any thing contained in such a Paper; you may safely swear to them (let them be never such Untruths) and that you do believe all things written in the Paper to be true; meaning the Paper in your Bosom: where you must write what you intent to swear to. That Father Garnet (a great Master in this Faculty) upon his Arraignment being asked by the Court, Whether he did well, to swear upon the Holy Evangelists, That he had neither writ or sent to the Jesuit Tesmond; which he knew to be false? He replied, That he swore so lawfully enough, because he did not think that his Letters had been discovered; and so they could not have disproved him. That the Use of Equivocation is held a good sort of Prudence, and that they ought to be prized highly, who knew to make use of it rightly, and to serve themselves of it. And Gregory de Valencia calls this Science a Prudent Defence, and doth much commend the Practice of it. See The Practical Divinity of the Papists, destructive to the Souls of Men. As for Indulgences and Pardons for Lying, Swearing, Forswearing and Equivocating; it is most certain they are granted by the Church of Rome; Nay for all manner of Sins: Of which take some few Instances. At St. Peter's Church in the Vatican, from the Ascension Day to the Calends of August, in every day Pardons for 14 years are granted. In St. Paul's Church in every day Pardons granted for 18 years. And so in divers other Churches for a certain number of years. And for a better provision for Sinners, when a less number of years are expired, the Holy Roman Catholic Church, out of her tender regard toward Sinners, hath enlarged her bounty to Thousands of years. As in St. John's Church in the Lateran, is a Chapel called Sancta Sanctorum, not far from which is an Ascent of 33 Steps; and if a Man shall ascend them, for every Step he shall have 1000 years' pardon; in all 33000 years. And so in divers other Churches for a great number of years. The Rates of all which Pardons are set down in the Taxa Sanctae Cancellariae Apostolicae: Viz. Absolution for Him who lieth with a Woman in the Church, and committed other Crimes, is rated at 6 Grosso's. A Grosso is about Four pence farthing English. If a Priest keeps a Concubine, he must for his Absolution pay 7 Grosso's. And Absolution for Perjury is but 6 Grosso's. For all which see Jesuits Catechism. Abundance of Variety of Examples are mentioned, of which I have only given you a Taste, and recommend you to my Authors for a fuller satisfaction; where you will find all their Books quoted. I shall therefore conclude with this (which I intent only as a Breviate) That, notwithstanding all that ever these Gentlemen have said with their last Breathes to the contrary (which indeed were enough to startle and amaze any one that hath not known or heard any thing of their Principles) it is most evident, That the Doctrine of the Church of Rome does allow of Lying, Swearing, Forswearing and Equivocating: And also that the said Church does grant Pardons, Indulgences, and Absolutions for the same. FINIS.