THE HISTORY OF Popedom Containing the RISE PROGRESS AND DECAY Thereof c. Written in High Dutch BY SAMUEL PUFFENDORFF Translated into English by J. C. LONDON Printed for Joseph Hindmarsh at the Golden Ball over against the Royal Exchange 1691. Imprimatur C. Alston October 2 d. 1690. To the Right Reverend Father in God HENRY Lord Bishop of LONDON Dean of the Chappel Royal and one of the Lords of His Majesties most Honorable Privy Council This TREATISE is most humbly Dedicated By John Chamberlayne CONTENTS Paragraph 1. POlitic Reflections on the Spiritual Monarchy of the Pope Par. 2. Of the Blindness of the Heathens in Matters of Divinity what they proposed to themselves by choosing the Paths of Virtue wherein their Religion consisted Par. 3. Of the Jewish Religion why other Nations did not embrace the Religion of the Jews Par. 4. That the Christian Religion is adapted to the humours of all People that it admits no Respect of Persons that it is not contrary to Civil Government that there is no other sort of Religion or Philosophy that can equal it why many of our Christians live like Heathens Par. 5. Of the External Government of Religion what is here to be understood by the External Government of the Christian Religion of the Ministry of the Church of the calling of the Apostles Par. 6. The Division of this Question that this necessity does not proceed from the nature of every Religion in general how the External Government of Religion was transmitted from the Fathers of the Family to the Sovereigns of each State Par. 7. That it is not inconsistent with the Christian Religion for the Sovereign to have the direction of it as to its External Government Par. 8. The First Progress of the Christian Religion the Divine Conduct in the Establishment of this Religion how the Jesuits Preach the Gospel to the Chineses why God called the Ignorant rather than the Wise and Learned Men. Par. 9. The Persecution of the Primitive Church the New Christians Slandered and Calumniated the Romans upon Reasons of State oppose their Religion the Roman Persecution condemn'd Par. 10. Of the Ancient Government of the Christian Religion Differences arising about Religion Terminated by Assemblies why the Authority of these Assemblies ought to be permitted under Heathen Emperours Par. 11. That the External Government of the Church by being lodged in the hands of the Primitive Christians has produced strange disorders that from hence some have supposed two Powers in the State that Ecclesiastics ought to receive their Call from the Sovereign of each State Par. 12. That it was not in Constantin's Power wholly to change the State of the Church how the Bishops and other the Ecclesiastics came to Vsurp the Sovereign Power that the Sovereign may preside in the Assemblies where Controversies are treated of the abuse of Councils Par. 13. The Jurisdiction of Bishops abused other Abuses concerning Marriages Ecclesiastical Discipline abused the Popes misuse the Power of Excommunication Par. 14. The Rise of the Popes Authority that Ignorance and the Barbarity of the Age contributed much thereto the causes of this Ignorance that ignorance help'd much to the Establishing of the Popedom the Introduction of Pedantry into the Schools that the Politiques of the Greeks and Romans were contrary to Monarchy two dangerous effects of the ignorance of Politiques Par. 15. Why the Monarch of the Romish Church has chosen Rome for the place of his Residence how the Pope Establish'd his Hierarchy of the Metropolitan Bishops how the Bishops of RomeVsurp'd the Preheminence Reflections on the Popes Power Par. 16. How the Pope came to Domineer o'er all the Western Part of the World of the Confirmation of Bishops by the Pope Decisions of the Pope Dispensations of the Popes Vicar in France of the Monk Winifred the Pope makes him his Vicar he advances the Grandeur of the Popes of the Annates the Popes annul the Decisions of Provincial Synods they force the Bishops to swear Fidelity to them Par. 17. The Riches of the Church and how first gotten the Avarice of the Church-men and divers effects thereof the Institution of the Crusado a stratagem of Popes Par. 18. Of the great number of Ecclesiastics the Original of Monks and other Religious Orders of the Multitude of Monasteries of the Order of Begging Friars why they chose that sort of Life the Reasons that induce men now adays to choose a Monastic Life that Monks have been very prejudicial to other Church-men that they alone hinder the Bishops from opposing the Pope 's Authority that a great many Bishops would be glad to shake off the Yoke of Rome that it is the Interest of Bishops to submit to the Pope Par. 19. How the Church has shaken off all Temporal Jurisdiction how the Bishops of Rome slipt their Neck out of the Emperours Collar Par. 20. The Pope implores the French Kings Protection against the Lumbards the French enter Italy they bestow the Exarchat on the Pope that the Popes did heretofore hold those Countries under them of the Emperour Par. 21. The Popes Establish an Ecclesiastical Sovereignty Pope Gregory Excommunicates the Emperour Henry the Fourth the Pope endeavours to Domineer o'er the Emperour a quarrel between the King of England and his Bishops that succeeding Emperours have in vain endeavoured to regain their lost Authority Par 22. The Pope exalts himself above all Temporal Powers the use he made of his Excommunicating Power how the Pope colour'd his usurpations the Pope takes upon him the cognisance of Matrimonial Affairs that the Pope allur'd the most knowing Men into his service the unbounded Ambition of Pope Boniface the Eighth Par. 23. The Popes find their Authority oppos'd that the great Schisms in the Church have much weakened their Authority the first Schism the second Schism the third Schism the fourth and last Schism that the Pope has not been able to Lord it over Councils the Confession of several Popes concerning the Authority of Councils that Popes have been Depos'd by Councils Par. 24. The removal of the Popes Seat from Rome to Avignon that it was prejudicial to the Pope 's Authority the Pope reduces to his Obedience the City of Rome the History of Caesar Borgia natural Son of Alexander the Sixth the Ecclesiastical State reunited to the Popedom Par. 25. That the Papal Authority receiv'd a terrible blow by the Doctrine of Luther the Virtues and Vices of Leon the Tenth of Indulgences Luther Preaches against them and against the Power of the Pope Par. 26. That Luther's opposition met with a seasonable juncture of the times the miserable State of Christendom at that time the ignorance of Luther's adversaries Erasmus favours Luther that his silence alone was very prejudicial to Luther's adversaries that the Princes of Germany were unsatisfied with the Pope why Charles the Fifth was willing that Luther's Doctrine should make some progress the Popes ill conduct in the Business of Luther the imprudence of Cardinal Cajetan
no man by submitting himself to any Civil Government does renounce the Care of his Body and Soul For otherwise if it had pleas'd God to have begun the propagation of his Religion from the Conversion of Kings and Emperors without doubt they would have seconded by their Edicts the Preaching of the Apostles abolish'd the Temples of their Heathenish Gods prohibited the Exercise of Paganism and by the Apostles Advice they would have assum'd and manag'd the external Direction of Religious Affairs and forever afterward have reserv'd it in their own hands as we find it put in practice in some Countries where the Christian Religion was first embraced by the Princes thereof Sect. 11. In the mean while the external Government and Disposition of Holy Things by the negligence of the Civil Magistrate being devolv'd upon the Primitive Christians was found too late to be of a very dangerous Consequence for from hence some have pretended to infer that the Election of fit Ministers and the Management of Church-Affairs does naturally and originally belong to the common People as they are understood in opposition to their Soveraign or Rulers 'T is true one ought not to force upon the vulgar a Minister whom they extreamly dislike especially if they have any probable reason of their aversion against him for such a man with all the Preaching in the World can never Edify his unwilling Auditors yet it does not follow from hence that the Mob have any original right thereto because they once enjoy'd it by provision whilest the Soveraign omitted the performance of his Duty and Function herein For otherwise it would have been as little in their Power to call and appoint Ministers in their Churches as it ever was to dispose of Civil Offices and Employs in the State Therefore if it happens that in this Country or another the common People have any Right or Privilege therein 't is to be understood that they enjoy it by the permission and connivence of their Soveraign whom we presuppose to be an Orthodox Christian There are some also who would from hence conclude That the external Government of the Church must necessarily be consider'd as something separate and distinct from the Supreme Civil Government and therefore ought to be Soveraignly Administred by the united Body of the Clergy or by some one chose from amongst them and that so in every Christian State there must needs be two Different and Independent Bodies of which one was be named the Body Politick and t'other the Body Ecclesiastick and both Soveraign and Independent of each other But this is absolutely false and it is most certain that that Power and Authority which was provisionally usurp'd by the People when that negligence of the Prince by which it was forfeited ceases does justly devolve again upon the lawful Soveraign nor does it follow that the Power which the Apostles had in the establishing the Church can be challeng'd by the Ministers of the Church now established for the Apostolary Function was something particular and different from the ordinary Church-Ministery as this is from the external Direction of the Church and therefore as one that is chosen for a Minister is not strait an Apostle so neither does a King in assuming the Government and Protection of the Church immediately become a Priest thereof Now tho' the Christian Religion is originally Divine and therefore not to be comprehended by weak Humane Intellects yet that does not hinder the King or whosoever is Supreme from the Direction and Administration thereof provided that he make use of the Counsel and Assistance of those men who are best vers'd in such Affairs From what has been now said we may likewise draw this conclusion that we are not oblig'd precisely to follow the Praxis of the Primitive Churches in relation to the external Direction of the Church or to observe it as a general Rule for Church-Government in those States where the Soveraign is an Orthodox Christian For that Praxis is wholly founded on the Circumstances of those times which can have no place in those States where both the Supreme Magistrates and the Common People are united in one Faith Why therefore should we make a Schism in the State when there is none in the Religion Sect. 12. Now tho' by the conversion of Constantine the Great to the Christian Religion the Church assum'd a New Form for as much as the Soveraign was then capable of Administring the Function of external Governour of the Church yet this could not be done so easily or commodiously as if the Soveraign had always from the beginning been Head of the Christian Church but there remain'd so many Relicks of the preceeding Provisional-Government that they afterwards occasion'd innumerable errours and abuses in the Western or Latin Churches Besides the People could not be brought to consent that the Emperours whom they as then look'd upon to be meer Novices in Matters of Religion should immediately acquire the Supreme Direction of Ecclesiastick Affairs in prejudice of the Bishops and Clergy who could not see themselves without a great deal of unwillingness and regret dispoil'd of so considerable an Authority Whereas the Emperours on the contrary their Subjects being mostly Christians were forced to depend on their Priests and caress them continually if they desir'd to have their Throne settled and themselves secure from falling To which Reason we may add That the first Christian Emperours having as yet in their Service a great many Heathenish Officers it was not reasonable that the Government of the Church and the Affairs thereof should be taken into consideration or deliberated of in the Imperial Councils where Pagans were always present From thence it came that in the Institution of Bishops and other Ecclesiasticks the customs and manners introduced in the times of the Heathen Emperours were generally observ'd and that not only the decision of Controversies in Matters of Faith but also all Laws serving to the external Direction and Government of the Church as also all other Differences arising amongst the Chiefest of the Clergy were deliberated of in Synods and General Assemblies where the Prelates pretended that they alone had right to Preside and give their Suffrages Whereas the right of calling Synods or other Assemblies together was the Prerogative of Soveraigns alone and in all other times did indisputably belong to them besides that that it was but reasonable that they should preside and have the Direction of such Assemblies let the matter be what it would that was there Treated of where their Consent was absolutely necessary to the ratification and passing into a Law of what was there determined 'T is true in those Conventions neither the Soveraign nor the whole Body of the Clergy have any Power or Right to form new Articles of our Belief or to interpret the Scriptures after their own Fancy but since the whole Duty of a Christian what he ought to do and what he ought to believe is contain'd in the Holy
Arles into a Metropolis over seven Provinces the Pope made the Arch-Bishop thereof his Vicar General in France out of fear that the said Bishop might take an occasion to make himself Patriarch of the whole Kingdom and he was very well contented to enjoy such a precarious Power over the seventeen Provinces into which France was at that time divided rather than have the right in himself and an independent Authority over seven Provinces alone And to render the charge committed to him more awful and respected he omitted no opportunity of enlarging and extending the Papal Jurisdiction Afterwards in the eighth Century when the Ecclesiasticks and Monks were become very infamous for their exorbitant and irregular Lives one Winefred an English Monk afterwards nam'd Boniface being mov'd with an extraordinary zeal took upon him to reform the manners of the Clergy as also the introduction and plantation of the Christian Religion in some parts of Germany and more especially in Turinge and Freezland this man to give a greater lustre and credit to his Work devoted himself entirely to the Seat of Rome from whence he first receiv'd a Bishop's Mantle and afterwards was qualifi'd with the Title of Arch-Bishop of Mentz and by Gregory the Third was constituted his Vicar who gave him a plenary Authority of assembling Councils and making Bishops in those Countries which he had converted with Recommendations to the People and to Charles Martel Great Master of France that they should take him under their protection which they did with a very good will And when Charlemain his Son signifi'd to Boniface that he was very desirous of establishing the Church-Discipline he readily took that employ upon him to the no small advantage of the Romish Chair to gratify the same Charlemain he held a Council in Germany and several Synods in France at the request of King Pepin and presided in all those Assemblies tanquam Legatus Sedis Romanae And in the first Council the Clergy sign'd a Confession of Faith whereby they oblig'd themselves not only to persist in the Catholick Faith but they join'd themselves as Members to the Church of Rome and vow'd an eternal respect and obedience to St. Peter's Successours 'T was this same Boniface too that perswaded the Bishops of Germany to accept of the Pallium from the Pope who afterwards sent the same into France to bind them thereby the faster to his Interests and so soon as he had once accustom'd them to serve themselves of that sort of Robe he afterwards made it a necessary obligation and forbad them the exercise of any Episcopal Function before they should receive that Garment from Rome The Popes likewise pretended That they only had the Power of removing a Bishop from one See to another and oblig'd all the Western Bishops to receive their Confirmation from them for which they must pay some little Gratification that was afterwards converted into the Annates Besides this they took away the Authority of the Provincial Synods and annull'd their Decrees which at last was the occasion that no more were call'd when they perceiv'd that it was all in vain whilest the Pope abrogated all their constitutions according to his fancy without hearing their Reasons and Justifications At last Gregory the Seventh forced all the Bishops to swear Allegiance and Fidelity to the Romish Chair and made a Decree that no Prince or Soveraign should presume to condemn any man that made his Appeal to the Pope They forgot not likewise to send their Nuncio's or Legates in all Countries who exercis'd in the Pope's Name that Power and Authority which they had ravished from the Arch-Bishops and Provincial Synods and were double diligent in the advancement of their Master's Interests Sect. 17. This Ecclesiastical Supremacy daily increasing was extreamly prejudicial to the Civil Powers whilest the Clergy by their tricks and devices attracted infinite Riches and by their Riches a great number of idle Priests and lazy Monks 'T is true the Church ow'd the greatest part of its Riches to the Charity and pious Intentions of Kings Princes and others who were wheedled into a belief That to bestow great Largises and Donations on the Church was a most pleasing and acceptable Sacrifice to God and this their liberality was afterwards much more promoted when the people were perswaded That by good Works amongst which the Donationes ad pias Causas held the first rank Heaven and Happiness were to be purchased And whereas the Avarice of the Clergy increasing with their Riches could not be satiated by the free and generous liberality of the people they practised all sort of inventions to squeeze Money out of 'em upon which account they instituted a great number of Fopperies and unnecessary Ceremonies for which the Laity must dearly pay 'T was this their cursed Avarice that was the occasion of Masses without number to be said and sung as well for the living as the dead of Purgatory Indulgences Dispensations Pilgrimages Jubilees and a thousand other Bagatelles Besides they took a special care to insinuate themselves into the good wills of dying persons who were so much the less sollicitous how they dispos'd of their temporal Goods the desire of which did oftentimes make their Heirs think them too long liv'd and ante diem Patrios inquirere in Annos And at last if all means fail'd they were not asham'd to fall to down-right begging Amongst other devices to get Money the Popes serv'd themselves very advantageously in the eleventh and twelfth Century of the Crusado when the People mov'd with a godly itch of reconquering the Holy Land let themselves be mark'd with a Holy Cross for the Popes challeng'd to themselves the management and oversight of such sort of Ghostly expeditions and receiv'd into their more peculiar protection the Goods and Persons of all those Zealots that took the Cross upon them so that they could not be proceeded against neither Civilly nor Criminally until their return from the Holy Land whereby they had an occasion of promoting the commerce of their Indulgences and Dispensations more than ever Their Legates had the administration of all the Alms Collections and Legacies which were given to that end and from hence they took a pretext of obliging all the Clergy to pay them Tenths nay they very imperiously forced Kings Princes and great Lords to take upon them the Crusado which Arms they afterwards turn'd against all such as they accus'd condemn'd for Schism and Heresy declaring their Goods confiscated and void of all lawful Possessors distributing and dividing them to such as had rendred them any considerable Service and this Authority they exercis'd without asking the leave of Princes and States under whose Civil Jurisdiction they were who werel likewise aw'd into so slavish an obedience that they durst not oppose themselves against these Investitures tho' they easily perceiv'd the injustice of ' em Sect. 18. The Riches of the Church increasing the number of the Ecclesiasticks was likewise
down-right terms that the Princes did depend on his Holiness in meer Worldly Affairs yet he thought that that absolute power which he had acquir'd in Ecclesiastical Matters did sufficiently Authorize him to judge of their Actions whether they were good or bad to advise and correct them and in fine to forbid what he thought unfit and to command what he approv'd of Thus when at any time the Princes were in War with one another the Pope made use of his Authority to command a Cessation of Arms and that they should bring their Quarrel before him and expect his decision thereof threatning the obstinate not only to Excommunicate their persons but likewise to Suspend through their whole Kingdom the exercise of Divine Worship and use of the Holy Sacraments whilest he imagin'd that it belong'd to him only to remove all occasions of Scandal in Christendom to succour the oppressed and in short to administer Judgment and Justice to the whole World therefore he willingly hearkned to and took upon him to redress the injuries of all such as made their complaints to him nay he proceeded farther taking cognizance of those injustices which Princes did to their own Subjects as also of the new impositions that were laid on them and forbad sometimes their proceeding any farther under pain of Excommunication Sometimes the Pope declar'd confiscated the Goods of such as he had excommunicated and lawful prize for the next that should lay hands on them exposing thereby their lives to very eminent Dangers and dispensing their Subjects from all Oaths of Allegiance under the pretence that it was not fit to leave the Government of Christian People to Princes that should rebel against the Church and such Hellish Maxims several Popes have dar'd to maintain and put in execution against Crowned Heads and to render more plausible these their execrable Designs amongst the ignorant people they serv'd themselves of a forg'd Decretal whereon they began to found a new Jus Canonicum which ascrib'd to the Pope an unlimitted Power over all Christians and impower'd him as common Father to command or forbid the Faithful the exercise of whatsoever had any relation to their Salvation and good of the Religion and to punish such as refus'd to obey And the reason why the Predecessors of Gregory the seventh did not exercise such a power over the Emperors was say they either because the Emperors liv'd so well that there was no need of it or that the Popes lead so bad a life that they ought rather to be corrected by others than think of correcting others And to give the more Authority to the Pope's pretensions the did not fail to quote what St. Ambrose had done against the Emperor Theodosius and that the Bishops of Spain had oblig'd their King Wamba to submit to so extraordinary a Pennance as the renouncing of his Kingdom as also That the French Bishops had depos'd Lewis surnam'd the Godly who afterwards durst not re-assume the Crown without the Consent of another Assembly of the Bishops That Fulk Arch-Bishop of Rhemes had threatned Charles the Simple to Dispence his Subjects of that obedience they ow'd unto him in case he proceeded to make any Alliance with the Normans who at that time were Heathens Now no body could doubt but that the Pope's Authority extends it self farther than all the Bishops since it had no other bounds than what the Canons of the Councils and Decrees of the Popes themselves prescribed it which had never forbid them to depose Kings but their Predecessors could not prevent that which they could not fore-see nor did they ever dream that they should arrive to such a height of impudence And since the Popes had taken upon 'em to bestow the Royal Title and that there were found Princes who either out of a motive of Ambition or Superstition did seek their Confirmation from Rome they imagin'd they had no less a right to deprive those of their Crowns whom they esteem'd unworthy to bear them They could not a little incommode the Princes likewise by their forbidding all Marriages within the seventh Degree of Consanguinity and the fourth of Affinity for whilest among great People there can seldom any Match be propos'd where one of those Degrees will not occur they were in continual fear of the Pope's troubling their Negotiation if they did not humbly crouch to him and implore his Dispensation so that let it happen how it would they found themselves oblig'd to dance after his Pipe Lastly The Popes by the great number of Affairs to be dispatch'd in their Courts allur'd the greatest and most learned Men of Europe to them who came with a design either of procuring themselves some employ or else to accomplish themselves in this great School to be able to serve their Countries at home Now as most of these expected their Fortune from the Pope they devoted themselves entirely to his will as well as all the Clergy who unanimously own'd him their Head and General And this Pope Boniface the eighth did very evidently demonstrate by the Jubilee which he publish'd in the year 1300. where he appear'd first in the Habit of an Emperor then in his Pontificial Robes ordering two Swords to be carried before him as Marks of his Authority in all Civil as well as Ecclesiastical Affairs Sect. 23. In the mean while the Popes could not long enjoy this usurped and intolerable power without a great deal of opposition so that they were forced more than once to change their Notes and to manage their pretensions more slyly and cautiously 'T is true in the Quarrels which they had with the Emperors Henry and Frederick they often got the better yet sometimes they met with cruel rubs and were forced to hear things which were not much to their credit and from which the impartial may judge That it was not the Glory of God but Worldly Honor and Advantage that were the ends of all their Designs But when Boniface the eighth would have play'd some of his tricks with Philip the Fair of France he oppos'd himself so seasonably against the Popes encroachments and defended his rights so courageously that that dispute turn'd wholly to the shame and confusion of the Pope And Philip that he might not give any occasion of scandal by his prosecuting and revenging himself on Boniface gave out that he did not attack him as the Vicar of Jesus Christ but as a wicked Prelate who by unlawful ways had usurp'd the Papal Chair and therefore desired the calling together of a General Council to deliver the Church of so unjust an oppressor But the Schisms which afterwards follow'd made a much greater breach in the Popes Authority when by the division of the Cardinals two Popes were at the same time elected who excommunicated and anathematized one another and the better to maintain themselves in the Papal Chair they were forced to flatter and caress the Kings and tacitly own thereby that they could not subsist without their
not think it worth while to seek after a better Thus God by his withdrawing the Mobile from their Heathenish manner of serving him loosned the very Foundations of this Grand Machine and thereby destroy'd the Form and Superstructure thereof For the Ignorance and Credulity of the common People was the great Basis by which Paganism was alone sustained Sect. 9. After that the Christian Religion was communicated first to the common People as we have before shew'd the greatest Opposition it met withal was from the Roman Emperors for as in their Dominions it had taken the deepest Root and made the greatest Progress so was it there most cruelly Persecuted and Oppressed to which did not a little Contribute their Ignorance of this New Religion what its Principles and what its Design was to which Cause we may add the great Number of Proselytes daily gain'd by the Publishers of the Gospel who all of 'em openly contemn'd the Heathenish Rites and Ceremonies Besides The Emperors thought it much below 'em and a derogation from their Dignities to enter into a more particular examination of this Doctrine The first Christians also being for the most part very unlearn'd were not able to reduce their Religion into any Method or Form wherein to present it to those that were in Authority which was the occasion that the most malicious Lyes and Calumnies of their Enemies were taken up for great Truths even by those that cast an indifferent Eye on that Religion They were accus'd of practising all sorts of Debauchery and Immodesty in their secret Nocturnal Assemblies nay they did not stick to traduce them of holding private Cabals and Conspiracies against the State There were a great many that had an Aversion for all Innovations whose Argument was That since the Roman Common-wealth had so bravely subsisted with its Old Religion for so many Hundred Years Why could it not make the same shift still And 't was particularly against all Rules of Policy to suffer the Mobile to begin so great a Revolution as if they were wiser than their Lords and Rulers And that which lookt most suspicious was That the Christians had constituted among themselves a sort of Ecclesiastical Government which they consider'd as a Schism or Faction as if the Christians had design'd to erect a New Common-wealth upon the ruins of the Old one and by dividing the Forces of the Empire at last make themselves Masters of the whole Lastly Whilest the Heathen Temples began to be less frequented proportionably as the number of the Christians increased and that in the mean time the Grandeur of the Roman Empire was sensibly decay'd and weaken'd by the cruel shocks it had receiv'd from the Germans Farthians c. a great many of the People possess'd with Bigottry and Superstition could attribute it to nothing else but the contempt and neglect of their Gods by whose favourable Assistance Rome had seen its self Mistress of the World They fell therefore upon the Christians as wicked Atheistical Men and sworn Enemies to all Religions and because they refus'd to obey the Emperors Commands concerning the Adoration of Images and underwent all the Torments inflicted on them and Death it self with an amazing Tranquillity and Sedateness of mind they interpreted that as a malicious stubborness and hardness of heart and therefore raged more Tyrannically against them endeavouring by all sorts of Cruelties to maintain their Authority over these wretched People But what Reasons soever can be alledg'd in Justification of those bloody Persecutions exercis'd against the Christians by several Roman Emperors none can be sufficient to excuse them from the Title of unrighteous Tyrants and shameful Abusers of that High Power which God Almighty has entrusted them with For their Subjects had embraced this Religion by the express Commands of God which can neither be withstood or suspended by the Orders of any Earthly Soveraign since the Soveraigns as well as their Subjects are oblig'd to embrace this Religion the omission whereof is an high Sin against the Divine Majesty Besides They could not excuse themselves with the pretext of Ignorance for since it was a New Religion they were oblig'd with greater Care and Exactness to inform themselves of the Nature thereof and not so blindly to sentence poor innocent People for not obeying those commands which were not in the least Obligatory For I ought not to condemn any one to Death before I am fully inform'd of the Crimes whereof he stands accused Sect. 10. But since the Christian Religion did not owe its beginning to the Consent and Authority of the Soveraignâ— the Professors thereof found themselves oblig'd on their own Heads to establish their Religion and its external Administration after the best manner they could as it usually happens in all Societies that are founded in any State without the knowledge or permission of the Civil Magistrate where the Members of the same are necessitated to find out all the means that can best conduce to the advantage of their fellowship by chusing such Officers and making such Laws as are requisite to attain the ends they propose themselves 'T is true according to the Rules of the best Policy founded upon the Law of Nature the Administration and External Direction of Divine Worship as we had often repeated before does belong to the Soveraign but since he then neglected to perform that Function the Primitive Christians were forc'd to constitute Church-Ministers and to maintain them by the Alms of charitable People And when any Difference or Controversy arose amongst them which could not be determined by one Assembly alone they imparted it to another Assembly with which they kept Correspondence or else it was decided in a Convocation of the Neighbouring Ministers Now altho' it be against the Rules of Policy of all States to permit the erecting of Fellowships especially such as consist of any considerable Number of Persons to Subjects and Particulars yet it does not follow from thence that the Assemblies of the ancient Christians and their Synods were to be Interpreted seditious and unlawful Conventicles since they had no other prospect than the free Exercise of that Religion which God had imparted to 'em and against which no humane Constitutions were of any Efficacy For if the Soveraign does neglect his Duty and Care of his own Salvation it is not necessary that his Subjects should imitate him and reject the great Benefit that Heaven does offer to 'em because it is not accepted by their Soveraign nor can his Authority extend so far as to oblige them thereto And as each particular may take up Arms and defend himself when the Soveraign either cannot or will not afford him his Assistance and Protection so if he will not take care for my Soul I am so much the more oblig'd to watch over it my self as the Soul is of greater Consequence and Value than the Body and that another is less prejudiced by my Religion than by a violent tho' self-Defence since
the pretext of establishing the Affairs of the Church and setting them in good order to which end the Bishops began to Lord it over the ordinary Priests and to observe even a kind of Subordination amongst themselves and to such as were Bishops of the Capital Cities in each Province they appointed the Care and Inspection over the rest of the same Province and nam'd them Metropolitans who about Eight Ages afterward took upon themselves the Name and Title of Arch-Bishops amongst these there were four that had the preheminence above all the rest namely the Bishop of Rome Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria those being the most considerable Cities of the Roman Empire to which we may add Jerusalem Famous for its ancient Holiness And altho' the Emperor Phocas out of the hatred he bore to the Bishop of Constantinople who had refus'd to approve of the Murder of the Emperor Maurice had given the preheminence to Boniface the Third Bishop of Rome who thereupon took the Name of Oecumenical or Universal Bishop yet this Prerogative did only consist in a simple preference and did not carry along with it any Power or Jurisdiction which none of the other Patriarchs would ever yield to him And we read that the Bishops in Africa when he of Rome would have oblig'd them to truckle to his Power alledging to that intent a falsifi'd Canon of the Nicene Council did very vigorously resist and baffle that his design Besides in the whole frame of the Papal Supremacy we find nothing Divine but all built upon Humane Institutions and there is no more reason to be given why the Bishop of Rome has the first place than he of Antioch the third And forasmuch as one State has no power to prescribe Laws to another wholly independent of it therefore those privileges which have been granted to the Popes by the Roman Emperors and the ancient Councils which were nothing else but a Congregation of the Clergy of the Roman Empire cannot oblige any other State to obedience nor extend themselves farther than the bounds of the ancient Empire And if perhaps in succeeding times some few Christian States have given the Pope any Authority in Ecclesiastical Matters within their Dominions they did it without doubt either because they knew upon what grounds that pretended Power was founded or else they were surpriz'd and cheated into obedience If it be the first there is no other probable reason to be given for it than that it originally proceeding from some Covenant or Agreement made betwixt those States and the Bishops of Rome whilest the former imagin'd that their Churches could not be well govern'd till they abandoned the Care and Direction of 'em to the latter Now such an Agreement primarily depending on the free will and consent of any Republick according to the nature of all other obligations is ipso facto void and of no effect when it turns to the extream disadvantage of the Republick or when the Popes abuse that Power which is granted to them But if this Papal Supremacy be introduc'd dolo malo by the tricks and cheats of the knavish Priests then the abus'd and miss-led States as soon as they can discover how they have been impos'd on may lawfully cast off so unjust a yoke and have right to pursue the cheater and oblige him to refund all the Damages they have sustain'd by his usurpations Sect. 16. But it was not all at once that the Bishop of Rome was able to lay so heavy a yoke on all the Western Churches on the contrary he found himself oblig'd to insinuate this his usurp'd Authority by little and little and steal it insensibly by divers Slights and Artifices and where once he happen'd to fasten his Claws 't was impossible to make him lose his hold till he had carried away a good share of the prey Besides the Bishops of Rome never were wanting to serve themselves very advantageously of a good occasion of which the most advantageous to 'em in my opinion was the Emperours leaving Rome and chusing other Cities for their Residence whereas if they had always continued to have maintain'd their Authority in that place the Bishops thereof would have never had the confidence to have erected themselves into Soveraigns as we see that the Bishop of Constantinople who perhaps had no less vanity and itching after Gevernment than he of Rome was never able to raise his Authority to so high a flight The division of the Roman Empire into several new Kingdoms founded by the Heathen and unlearn'd People did no less contribute to the aggrandizing the Bishop of Rome for these People being all converted by the Prelates of the Romish Church thought themselves therefore very much oblig'd to honour and respect them and paid a deference to them as the most ancient and most considerable Christians of the West It is not our design here to deduce all circumstances at length 't is enough that we represent the most remarkable in haste as it were and en-passant but one thing we can't let slip unobserv'd that the Bishops beyond the Alps after the Fifth Century were us'd to go in Pilgrimage to Rome to visit there the Graves of St. Peter and St. Paul either out of Superstition and Biggottry or else in sign of their approving and following those Apostles Doctrine which voluntary piece of Devotion was afterwards chang'd into an act of necessity so that as many as afterwards neglected that Voyage were excommunicated from which Custom without doubt the Popes have pretended to oblige all Bishops to receive their Confirmation from Rome The other Bishops too and Churches had often recourse to that of Rome as Novices to their Superiours in all weighty Affairs consulting their advice in the use and explication of the Canons now when the Bishops of Rome perceiv'd that their answers were receiv'd as absolute Decisions they began to make Decrees and Orders before e'er they were desir'd to do it under the pretence that Rome being the first and chiefest Seat of Christendom it was the Right and Office of the Bishop thereof to see that the Canons and Ecclesiastical Laws were put in execution thereupon they constituted immediate Judges of the Differences amongst the other Bishops encroached upon the Jurisdiction of the Metropolitans depos'd the Bishops which were either not rightly Ordain'd or that were accused of any great Crime and forced them to come to Rome to plead their cause in person after which all such as desir'd to enjoy any prerogative or exemption from the ordinary Canons went to Rome where they were always well receiv'd and gratifi'd in their request that so the Popes might there erect a general Office of all sort of Dispensations Those also that had lost their Cause before the ordinary Magistrates were wont out of spite to appeal to Rome where they were always welcome and seldom fail'd of a good exit Thus the French Historians tell us that when the Emperor Honorius had erected the City of
proportionably augmented whilest there were not a few that were glad to be fed by a fat Kitchin and make good cheer without taking any care for the provision thereof and it was not enough that each Church had its ordain'd Priests Chaplains and other necessary Servants but the most considerable must have an addition of Canons and Prebends which places consisting of so great profit and so little pains were soon fill'd by men of all sorts and sizes and thus the inconveniences of a single life which the Popes not without a great deal of pains and opposition had introduc'd in the eleventh and following Centuries were sweetned by the Honours and large Revenues of these Charges which they so quietly enjoy'd Besides all Christendom swarm'd with a prodigious number of Monks and Nuns which springing up in the times of Persecution in the fourth and fifth Centuries have afterwards strangely increas'd These sort of people at the first were content to get their living by their own Industry many of 'em gave all their goods to the poor without being in the least oblig'd thereto and liv'd under the care and inspection of the Bishops according to the Discipline that was prescrib'd them in the Canons In the seventh Century through all the Western Empire was the Monastical way of living extreamly in fashion and all places were fill'd with Cloysters in the founding of which the Princes and Great Men did seem to vie with each other but after that their Liberality was as it were quite exhausted by the Endowments and Gifts made to so many old Monasteries and that there was not place enough for such as desir'd to be receiv'd into those Orders There was at length in the thirteenth Century form'd an Order of Mendicants or Begging Monks which made a greater show of Holiness forasmuch as they would not be thought to go into a Cloyster in hopes of a plentiful and lazy Life but renouncing all the pleasures of the World they would live by Alms and the Beggars-Basket The Fancy of a singular Merit and Supererrogative Holiness induced the People to this Austerity and Hardship of living or rather an unbounded Ambition and Pride so natural to all mankind that not contented to live up to the Commandments of God and barely to fulfil what he prescribes they had rather deserve Heav'n than accept it as a pure Gift of their Creator or purchas'd for them by the Merits of their Redeemer and the desire they have of Superiority and Preference above the rest does even extend it self to the other life To the embracing of this single and solitary Life some are carried by despair others out of a prospect of ease and laziness others are thrust into Cloysters by their Parents and Relations either out of a motive of Religion or Poverty or else for fear of ruining their Family by the division of their Goods amongst a great many Children From these Monks has the Pope form'd his Pretorian Band or Regiment of Guards whom he has not alone quarter'd as troublesome Companions upon the Laity but does make use of 'em also as spies over the actions of the Bishops and rest of the Clergy Therefore it is that the Popes have with so much zeal maintain'd the privileges of the Monks especially when in the thirteenth Century they would have forc'd themselves from the Bishops Jurisdiction and subjected themselves immediately to the Pope and the Pope has found out the way to carry himself so evenly with them that altho' there are great Jealousies betwixt their Orders as for example betwixt the Franciscans and Dominicans yet he holds the Balance always so even and dispenses his Favours so impartially that one Order cannot be oppress'd by the other nor has reason to complain of the Pope's injustice These Monks are very prejudicial to the ordinary Priests insomuch as they attract to themselves the greatest part of the Alms Legacies and Gains proceeding from the Burials of the Rich besides the Direction of Consciences and Administration of the Sacraments which has drawn upon them the immortal hatred of the Bishops and Secular Priests which those other don't much value whilest they are under the care and protection of the Pope and besides when a Bishop at any time oppos'd the Pope the Monks like so many Blood Hounds were immediately after his heels and by their bawlings and exclamations soon made him lose his Credit with the People by whom their Hypocrisy and pretended Sanctity made them much respected so that the Bishops were forced to truckle to the Pope's Authority because the People would afford them no Support or Assistance thus the Monks were set as so many spies over the Conduct of the Bishops which when they found blamable they did not fail immediately to signify to the Generals that resided always at Rome so that the Pope might make a timely opposition against their practices In short these Monks were not the least cause of the Bishops not resisting the growing Power of the Pope for finding it always in vain they were forced with the rest to yield to the mighty Torrent Tho' there were a great many of 'em likewise that were well enough contented to submit to this slavery in hopes of sharing the Prey with their Chief and because they were thereby freed from the Jurisdiction of their Temporal Princes whose power they more dreaded than that of a distant Tribunal the Judges whereof being of the same Trade as they were not so terrible to them for one Crow will not pick out its fellow's Eyes In the mean while 't is most certain that a great many Bishops especially of this side the Alps do with a great deal of impatience groan under the yoke of Rome which did appear sufficiently in the Council of Trent where the French and Spanish Bishops did with great earnestness endeavour that it might be declar'd quod Residentia Episcoporum sit Juris Divini or that by the Divine Appointment each Bishop is oblig'd to reside in his own Church as all the Jansenists of France and the Low-Countries do maintain Now the wisest could easily penetrate what lay hid under this specious Doctrine for if God has commanded that it must necessarily follow that he would afford the way and means of putting it in practice qui dat jus ad finem dat jus ad media and then by consequence it is no longer needful to run to Rome and buy the permission of exercising their charge And it cost the Pope a great deal of pains and a great deal of fears before he could oblige the Council of Trent to desist from a design which extreamly shook his usurp'd Authority and therefore we may be assur'd that that shall be the last General Council nor will the Pope ever more venture his Authority in such like Assemblies which besides will be but very useless things as long as the Jesuits and others teach That the Pope is above the Councils and That he cannot err and That the Councils themselves
Support and such a Schism was a very evident Mark that it was not the Holy Ghost but devilish Intrigues that presided in those Elections and therefore the most prudent of the Clergy were of opinion that neither of 'em ought to be admitted to the Papal Authority but that they should proceed to a new Election which afterwards was practis'd by the Council of Constance The first Schism as I take it happened in the year 1134 or as others reckon 1130. when after the Death of Henry the fifth two Popes Innocent the second and Anacletus were chosen both together and tho' the first had gain'd the most partizans yet the latter was vigorously maintain'd against him by the King of Sicily and the Duke of Aquitain But he dying his Friends chose a third in his place nam'd Victor whom Innocent brought to an Accommodation so that he at last ceas'd from his pretensions and freely submitted himself to Innocent But after the Death of Adrian the fourth there were again two Popes elected Alexander the third and Victor the fourth with the first held England France and Sicily with the latter Frederick the first all Germany and most of the Clergy of Rome and after his Death his followers chose three others successively in his place who were all out-liv'd by Alexander now all these curs'd and excommunicated one another after the most infamous manner in the World and each of 'em were forc'd to shew more Obedience than Authority to their Protectors But the greatest and most scandalous Schism was that which arose after the death of Gregory the eleventh when in like manner two Popes were chosen one of which kept his Residence at Rome and the other at Avignon and this lasted amongst their Successors at least Forty years whilest both Parties vomited out all the injuries imaginable against one another The Pope of Avignon was maintain'd by France Scotland Castile Savoy and Naples but the rest of the Christian States held with the Pope of Rome both of 'em bragg'd of the Great and Holy Persons they had of their side as likewise the Revelations and Miracles which Heaven in their Favour had produced and so many reasons were brought in the Favour of each of 'em that there was no other way to be found than to Cite them both before the Council of Constance where they were forc'd to Renounce their Popedoms and a new Pope was elected The last Schism happen'd in the Year 1433 when the Council of Basil depos'd Eugenius the fourth and chose in his place Pope Foelix the fifth But the first refus'd to submit to their Authority and the Dissention lasted till after the death of Eugenius when Nicholas the fifth being chosen Foelix desirous of Peace yielded all his pretensions to him on very good Conditions about the Year 1438. Now 't is easy to imagine how much these Schisms and Quarrels expos'd the Pudenda Paparum whilest the Councils were oblig'd on these occasions to interpose their Authority and Bridle the Irregularities of the Pope to which people began to appeal from the Pope as to the Higher Powers so that when the Popes began at any time to be unruly there was no such Bug-bears as to threaten them with a Council 'T is plain that the Popes could not lord it over the Councils since Gregory the seventh himself when he had renew'd the old quarrel betwixt him and the Emperor Henry the fourth declar'd that he would call a Council in a place of Security where both the Friends and Enemies Ecclesiastick as well as Secular might come without any danger and judge whether he or the Emperor had violated the Peace and to propose means for the re-establishing of it The same Protestation was made by Pope Gelasius the second in his quarrel with Henry the fifth to which he added that he was contented to stand to the Decision of his Brethren the Bishops whom God himself had made his Judges in the Church and without whom he durst not take in hand an affair of so Great Importance Innocent the third declar'd also that he durst not undertake to judge of the Marriage betwixt Philip August and Ingeburg of Denmark without asking the Opinion of a General Council and if he should presume to do it he should be in danger of losing his Charge and Dignity whereby he seem'd to own that a Pope by the abuse of his Office might Lawfully be depriv'd of the same But when the Princes in following times insisted upon those Confessions of the Popes all the answer and satisfaction they could have was that truly their Predecessors had us'd such sort of Expressions but they were onely Complements and bare Ceremonious words and that the Modesty which they had shown in that matter ought not to be prejudicial to them Thus in the Year 1409. The Council of Pisa depos'd the two Antipopes Benedict the twelfth and Gregory the twelfth and in their place chose Alexander the fifth but the Council of Constance did not only confirm the Election of the said two Popes but also depos'd John the twenty fourth who succeded Alexander the fifth The Council of Basil proceeded in like manner against Eugenius the fourth and made a Decree beside That neither at Rome nor in any other place should there be any Expedition-Money given for Ecclesiastical Matters All which Proceedings struck at the very Foundations of Papal Government and therefore 't is no wonder that the Popes were afterwards so shy in calling the Council of Trent and that they then us'd so many Artifices to impede its decreeing any thing prejudicial to their Authority and that since that time they have bidden an Eternal adieu to all Councils Sect. 24. Amongst all these Schisms the Translation of the Papal Chair from Rome to Avignon did not a little weaken their Authority the First that began it if I am not deceiv'd was Clement the fifth at the perswasion of Philip the Fair King of France who had quarrell'd with Boniface the eighth and was Excommunicated by him the effects of which he design'd to prevent if he could but once oblige the Popes to reside in France especially whilest thereby most of the Cardinals should be chosen out of the French Nation and indeed the Pope did reside in that City more than seventy year without reckoning the time of the Anti-popes which became very prejudicial to the Papal Soveraignty for till then amongst other pretences on which the Popedom was founded one of the Chiefest was That St. Peter having been Bishop of Rome by his personal Residence there had communicated a particular Advantage and Holiness to that City which whether the Popes could transport to Avignon was very much doubted of so that from thence the Pope found himself very often oblig'd to dance after the French-man 's Pipes and to be wholly at his Devotion tho' the French who did then much brag of the prize they had got do now complain that by the Residence of the Court of Rome in
and violent way of writing was not altogether approv'd by him Now the bare silence of Erasmus was extreamly disadvantageous to Luther's Opposers for whilst Erasmus at that time was look'd upon to be one of the most learned Divines of Europe it was universally believ'd that he would engage himself in this Quarrel against Luther had he not perceiv'd that he had reason of his side for when he afterwards put forth his Book de Libero Arbitrio it did not meet with many Partizans whilst it was very remarkable that he writ it more at the Sollicitations of others than as his own real Belief and Perswasion Besides it was a thing which had but little reference to the matter in hand And moreover it was very solidly and pertinently answered by Luther Then again the German Princes and States were very much disgusted with the Court of Rome upon the account of the manifold unreasonable Exactions laid on them for they saw well that the design was only to fool them out of their Money and thereby to support the Pope's extravagant Pomp and Magnificence The imminent danger of War with the Turks did not a little contribute to the good success of Luther's Affairs And the Divisions and Quarrels happening between Charles the Fifth Francis the First and Harry the Eight made so great a bustle in the World that no body was at leisure to mind the petty Disputes of the Clergy Some are of opinion that Charles the Fifth was not sorry to see the Doctrine of Luther make so great a Progress in Germany for thereby the Empire being divided into Parties he might the more easily oppress the States and build an absolute Monarchy upon their Ruines for otherwise he could not have found the least difficulty or opposition had he undertaken to stifle the upstart Doctrine in its infancy and in the year 1521 had seiz'd upon Luther at Worms which might have past for an excellent Coup d'etat But for all that I can't believe that this Doctrine had been so easily supprest though Luther had been put to death against the Imperial Promise and safe Conduct which was given him But 't is much more probable that the Emperor being then a young Prince could not penetrate into the consequence of the Affair and besides did not think it convenient to oppose the Elector of Saxony who was then in great credit and the Wars with the Turk and French King hindred him from attempting any thing against the Princes of Germany whilst Francis began to make Leagues and confederate himself with ' em Though 't is most certain that he serv'd himself afterwards of the Pretext of Religion to make War upon the Protestant States that by their fall he might make himself a way to universal Monarchy But tho' Fortune smil'd on him at the Battel of Smal-kald he could not perfect the so-luckily begun design whilst the assistance of the German Princes was so necessary to him both against the Turk and French and whilst he design'd to place the Imperial Crown on his Son Philip's Head In short the Pope himself Paul the Third did so much dread the Fortune of the Emperor that he excited the French to oppose his growing Greatness and to hinder the total ruin of the Protestant Party Nor did he scruple to use the Turkish help thereto so mightily was he afraid of a Reformation in his Court. In fine the Pope had prejudic'd himself and his own Affairs by his ill Conduct for it was a great oversight in Leon the Tenth so violently to support the Cause of the Indulgence-sellers as also his Decision by a Bull in the Month of November 1518. of the questions which were begun to be disputed on whereby he cut off all means of an Accommodation and depriv'd Luther of his hopes of Pardon or Reconciliation Whereas he had done much more prudently had he declar'd himself Neuter and impos'd in the mean time Silence on both Parties till he could have found out some expedient to appease Luther So likewise the Cardinal Cajetan acted very imprudently at Ausburg in the following year 1519 in handling Luther so roughly and not embracing his reasonable Proposition of Silence on condition that the Cardinal would oblige his Adversaries to do the same for he forced him thereby to Extremities which perhaps he had never otherwise thought of and to fly into an open Rebellion against the Papal Authority But nothing would satisfie unless he retracted all his Writings whereas they might have easily granted him That there was a great Corruption of Manners that he might desist from the Reformation of their Doctrine Besides whilst the Pope was very instant with the Elector of Saxony that he would deliver up Luther he found himself more and more engag'd into a Proof of the Pope's Injustice as also to shew upon what grounds his Cause was founded that so he might induce the Elector to shut his Ears to the Pope's Request But when Luther afterwards appeal'd to a Council the Pope rendered himself very much suspected whilst he temporiz'd and spun out the Affair into a great many delays for it was very visible that he could never be able to defend his Cause if it came once to be examined by impartial and uninterested men It happen'd likewise very unluckily that the Pope embroil'd himself not long after with Harry the Eight who to revenge himself of the Pope opened the Door to the English Reformation As also the House of Navarr did mightily contribute to the introducing and establishing of the same Religion in France out of hate as some think to the Pope who had excited Ferdinand the Catholick to seize upon and possess himself of that Kingdom To all which we may add That there were a great many honest men among the Papists who were not sorry to see the Pope a little curb'd and check'd as Luther us'd him Thus all things wonderfully concurr'd to the executing the Divine Will and Decree of the Almighty Sect. 27. But why Luther's Doctrine has not made a greater progress nor overthrown the whole Popedom there may be several strong and weighty Reasons given thereof For first you must take notice That so soon as several States had renounced the Pope's Authority the chief direction of Ecclesiastick Affairs must necessarily devolve on the Supreme Magistrate For though some of them would have assum'd the Authority over the rest that were of the same Belief and Perswasion the others that thought themselves quite as good and as fit thereto would never give their consent which did much weaken their Union and hindred them from acting so unanimously against the Pope as he could do against them Besides at the first they did not proceed deliberately to a Reformation as if they would after a mature consideration form a new state but they fell into this Change insensibly and unexpectedly and the business was carried underhand and went on very slowly and though Luther was the Bell-weather of the Flock yet his
Followers would not conform themselves in every point to his Sentiments but pretended that they had likewise something to say for themselves Hence did arise several Differences and Disputes among them which whilst there was no body whose Authority was sufficient to decide 'em and each one obstinately persisted in his Opinion quickly occasion'd Schisms amongst them and made them forgetting their Common Enemy to fall foul upon one another This gave the Papists a very fair occasion to say The Hereticks were confounded amongst themselves not knowing what they should believe and were wandring in an inextricable Labyrinth since their falling away from the Romish Church Hereto did not a little contribute those who abusing the Name of the Holy Gospel led an impious and scandalous life as if the Gospel-Freedom consisted in the abandoning themselves to all sorts of Debauchery This their ill Conduct gave occasion to the Pope's Followers to blacken the Doctrine of Luther because he had so severely reprehended the scandalous Lives of their Clergy and thereby had gain'd himself a strong Party And it was likewise a great misfortune that a very little after the preaching of Luther there sprung up great swarms of Phanaticks as the Anabaptists and such-like and that the Bores in Germany made a dangerous Insurrection all which Disturbances were by the Pope's Creatures attributed to Luther's Doctrine so that a great many Princes began to suspect it as if it were the Introducer of all sorts of Licence and Irregular Liberties amongst the Mobile which they esteem'd a greater Evil than the Oppression of the Clergy So that they oppos'd themselves with all their might against this new and seemingly seditious Doctrine of Luther Some are of opinion That the Academy of Paris had a great share herein for Luther imagining that the French Clergy were discontented with Leon the Tenth upon the account of the Pragmatick Sanction concerning the Election of their Bishops and therefore would not let slip so fair an occasion of revenging themselves on him 'T was in these Thoughts that Luther was so willing to submit to their decision his Disputes with Eckius but unfortunately for him for they condemn'd his Opinions in very rude and jocquant terms Spain too found it to be her Interest to take into her protection the Chair of Rome and therefore violently oppos'd the Protestant Religion and so vigorously supported the solemn League in France that Henry the Fourth to gain the Crown was absolutely forced to abjure his Religion Some have likewise observ'd that the advancement of the Protestant Religion was not a little retarded first by Zuinglius and afterwards by Calvin who introducing a too great and hasty Reformation as well in things relating to the external form of the Church as in the essential points of Faith fell from one extream into the other Now Luther had chang'd very few of those things to which the People had been accustomed for he left in the Church the Ornaments Bells Organs and Candlesticks and retain'd likewise the greatest part of the Mass excepting that he added thereto several Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue so that he was look'd upon by the greatest part as a Reformer only of some Abuses that had slipt into their Religion But just as it appeared that this Revolution was like to be universal Zuinglius interven'd in Switzerland and Calvin in France who instead of observing Luther's method began immediately to preach against the Presence of Christ's Body in the Eucharist abolisht entirely all sort of Ornaments and Ceremonies broke in pieces the Altars and Images extirpated all sort of Order in the Hierarchy or Government of the Church and despoil'd the Religion of all that which might serve to attract the Eyes and the external Senses Whereupon the common People conceiv'd a great aversion against them and cleav'd with much more zeal and attachment to the Religion which they received from their Ancestors The Riches of the Church did also not a little contribute to the progress of Luther's Doctrine whilst several laid hold on the opportunity of appropriating them to themselves and perhaps did no less hinder it whilest most of the great Prelates stuck fast to the Church of Rome who perhaps would have ventur'd to have shaken off the yoke if the fear of losing their fat Benefices had not kept them faithful to their Masters Interests as we see that it happen'd in France where the Prelates themselves as well as the common People before the Reformation did mightily despise the Pope's Authority but afterwards were great sticklers for the Chair of Rome and stirr'd up the peoples hatred against the new Doctrine as soon as they perceiv'd that if that prevail'd they must out Sect. 28. But after that the Pope and his Creatures were a little recover'd out of the terrible consternation so puissant an opposition had put them in and that his Adversaries began to fall out among themselves he establish'd his Affairs in a much better condition than at first and stood so vigilantly upon his Guard that the Protestants are not only incapable of doing him any more mischief but he does proceed every day to get signal advantages over them for that which Luther took an occasion to hurt him most by is now quite taken away or at least is more prudently and modestly practis'd by him si non castè saltem cautè And the Weapons which Luther us'd against the Pope are now by the same advantageously turn'd against their Master for the Popes do no longer so impudently insult over Soveraign Princes as they were wont to do but use them with much more civility and moderation 't is true in the last Century Paul the fourth did handle the Spaniards something roughly as Paul the fifth in the Age wherein we live did deal with the Venetians much after the same rate but their differences were quickly termined by a prudent mediation before the business came to be too high and the Popes have been since convinced that such heats are very prejudicial to their States as in effect Paul the fifth was immediately brought to reason when the French Ambassador made him believe that the Venetians had sent for Ministers from Geneva and that he should shortly hear they were all turn'd Protestants Besides the Papal Chair has no more been fill'd by such notorious Debauchees as Alexander the sixth or by any of so Martial and fighting an humor as Julius the second but on the contrary they endeavour to put their plots in execution with less noise and more cunning and by appearing outwardly very zealous for the peace and quiet of Christendom The scandalous Merchandizing of Indulgences and a too gross Simony is by them suspended whilest they endeavour to drain the Peoples purses by more honourable and plausible means the Bishops likewise in general are much mended and comport themselves with more modesty and gravity than they did before Luther's time and there is now to be found amongst their Clergy very Wise and
attaining to the same Dignity and that the Pope who governs may not by a too long sitting at the Helm change the Maxims of State nor transferr too much Power or Riches on his own Family nor make so many Creatures as to render the Popedom hereditary thereto As to the rest the Vigour of youth is not in the least necessary to the exercising all the Functions of this charge for they are not required to head an Army or make any Campaigns but only to set a grave and starch'd face on the matter The Conclave in the Election of the Pope does likewise take care to chuse such a Successor that is not too nearly alli'd to him that preceded him for fear that all the Ecclesiastical Benefices should fall into one Family and to the end that the succeeding Pope may more earnestly redress those abuses and grievances that have crept into the Government in his Predecessor's time Lastly They willingly make choice of such a one as is not too much in the French or Spanish Interests nor that is hated by either of those Nations as in effect both those Crowns do usually propose him that they most desire to be excluded from the Papal Dignity but it often happens that he who was least thought on arrives to this Honour when the Cardinals are weary of disputing and intriguing and are glad with all their Heart to get out of the Conclave It often happens also that they find the same person when possest of the Papal Chair much different from what he was whilst Cardinal Nevertheless they do not prescribe him any Conditions before he enters upon his Government since it would not be handsome to tie up his Hands with Humane Laws and Ordinances who is supposed to have so extraordinary a measure of the Holy Ghost alwaies residing in scrinio pectoris Yet the College of Cardinals is like a perpetual Senate of the Ecclesiastical state whom the Pope consults in all important Affairs though he and his Nephews don't alwaies follow their Counsel but do what seems best in their own Eyes The chiefest Privilege of the Cardinals is the power of chusing a Pope who must be one of them and one that has liv'd long and is well vers'd in all the Affairs of the Court of Rome their usual number is Seventy tho' seldom compleat Vrban the Eight first gave them the Title of Eminentissimi being only nam'd before Illustrissimi which Title grew very mean and common in Italy but since the Cardinals have augmented their Titles the Princes of Italy would ape them and instead of being contented with Excellenza's as they were ordinarily stiled they must now be call'd Altezza's or Their Highnesses The Election of the Cardinals is wholly in the power of the Pope who has usually regard therein to the Recommendations of France Spain and other Potentates The Flatterers of the Papal Chair are not asham'd to maintain That the Dignity of a Cardinal is equal to that of a King at least they challenge the Precedence of the German Electors Since the time of Sixtus the Fourth in the year 1471 the Popes have particularly endeavoured to enrich their Friends and Relations at the expence of the Church As for example Sixtus the Fifth in five years left to his Family more than three millions of Ducats Gregory the Fifteenth in 27 Months time more than three millions of Crowns in Goods besides ready Money The Barbarini after the Death of Urban the Eighth were left in possession of 227 Charges and Benefices each amounting from three to five eight and ten thousand Crowns So that the Riches of that Family were valued at about thirty millions of Crowns And though a great many were scandalized at this way of proceeding yet if we rightly consider it 't is not so blame-worthy for since the whole Popedom is founded on the Riches and Authority of the Clergy 't would be great Imprudence in the Pope to stifle that natural Inclination he has to his own Family and not to promote the Grandeur thereof as long as it is in his power to do it and nothing is more common than to see Favourites and such as Fortune smiles on envied by those who are only desirous of the same condition But for the rest 't is certain that the Popes would not know what to do with their Money without that way of bestowing it since the Charges of their Militia is very inconsiderable Since the time of Urban the Eighth it has alwaies been the Custom to make one of the Pope's Nephews chief Minister of State under the Title of Cardinal Patroon Amongst the Motives that induced the Pope to intrust his Nephew with the sole Management of his Affairs these are the most weighty First because nothing is more natural than to seek the Advantage and Preferment of ours before that of any other and secondly because the Person of the Pope is thereby much more secure which is otherwise expos'd to far greater dangers than that of Hereditary Princes is whose death their Successors are wont to revenge and we may from hence guess how much the Popes stand in fear of being poisoned forasmuch as the Chaplain whenever the Pope communicates must taste both of the Bread and Wine before he gives it his Master The Government of the Pope's Nephews has yet this farther advantage That the other Governours and Ministers of State who were us'd to heap up great Riches by an impudent and scandalous Sale of Offices and by the supplanting of each other were thereby kept in greater awe and modesty Besides the Nephews being inconsiderable as to their number are therefore the more easily satisfy'd Nor will they let the other Officers squeeze and oppress the Subject whilst all the Hate must fall upon them They are also more necessary to the Pope because by them he is more truly and exactly inform'd of the Interests of the Princes than he is by his ordinary Ministers who are not so much devoted to the Pope's Service as are his Nephews whose Interest it is likewise to take good care for the Government for fear lest they should be one day call'd to an account And 't is upon that account that they more particularly endeavour to oblige one Prince who in case of need may yield them a secure Refuge In a word by their means the Pope's Secrets are better kept and it is most certain that without them he must be oblig'd to depend on the Cardinals who are mostly partial receiving Pensions and Benefices at the hands of other Princes Sect. 32. The Subjects of this Spiritual Monarchy may be divided into two Classes Under the first we comprehend the Clergy under the second all other Christians that make Profession of the Romish Religion whom they commonly name the Laity The first of these we may compare to the standing Forces of any Princes who having made great Conquests does thereby maintain them and keep the conquered from shaking off their Yoke The others are poor
Universities have not a little Contributed to the establishment of the Pope's Authority which have been sounded partly by the Pope and partly by other Princes yet after such a manner that most of 'em must receive their Confirmation from Rome and the Pope has arrogated to himself the chief management of them and the consequences of such a Polity are plain enough whilst the Professors who are all the Pope's Creatures do not only establish the opinions of Rome during their Life but do likewise perpetuate them by leaving such Successors as are debauch'd and corrupted with the same Doctrine Hence is it that the Academies and the Studies exercis'd therein have been accommodated as much as possible to the Pope's Interests So that the Professors of Divinity who challenge the first rank in the University were not alone the Pope's Creatures but the Professors also of the Canon-Law were very zealous in defence of the Pope's Authority and mingled his Decrees that he had forced upon Christendom with the Chicane of ordinary Processes for 't is the Canon-Law that has caus'd that tediousness of Law-Suits since the Clergy have usurp'd so great a Jurisdiction the better to satiate their eternal Avarice with the Bribes and Presents which both Parties fee their Advocates with The most part of the Philosophers were also the Pope's Partizans so that no one of 'em durst examine the business seriously for fear of being oppos'd by the others Besides the Divinity and Philosophy which was taught in the Schools was not taught with the design of rendering the Auditors more knowing and learned but that they might amuse and blunt the more penetrating Wits with a parcel of silly non-sensical terms and by that means be hindered from acquiring a fundamental knowledge of those things which might enable them clearly to discover the Papal Cheats Their School-Divinity did not consist in the search and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures but mostly in the decision of unprofitable questions propos'd by Peter Lombard Thomas Aquinas Scotus and other such Patriarchs of fulsom Pedantry That likewise which they name Philosophy is nothing else but ridiculous Chymerical Propositions consisting of barbarous Latin and inexplicable terms the understanding of which was more prejudicial than profitable to the young Students So that all knowledge consisted in knowing nothing rightly And they have had the confidence to teach these Bagatels and idle Speculations not only in barbarous ignorant times but even at this present that all Arts and Sciences are in their Meridian is that leaven spread abroad and propagated with all the industry and cunning imaginable On the contrary good and solid Sciences are oppress'd and especially such as serve to open our Eyes in humane affairs as chiefly the so necessary Doctrine of Morals which is quite spoil'd by them and turned into a Labyrinth out of which it is impossible to disentangle ones self which they make use of to ensnare People and load their Consciences with so many doubts and uncertainties that being no longer able to regulate their Actions by clear and evident Principles they must let themselves be guided by the Will of an interested Confessor Sect. 35. But because it was observ'd that in Luther's time the study of Letters did not a little diminish the Pope's Authority the Jesuites being the faithful Guards of the Papal Chair did afterwards take upon them the management of all Schools and Colleges but not content therewith usurp'd likewise the Instruction of little Children to the end that they might so form their Studies as not only not to prejudice the Kingdom of Darkness but rather to promote and advance the Interest thereof And indeed the Education of Children has not only enrich'd their Society and brought it into great credit but is also a mighty prop to the Papal Authority to which they are more devoted than all the other Orders for thereby they inspire the tender and flexible Youth with Sentiments of an extraordinary respect and veneration for the Pope as also with any other Inclinations that may render them serviceable to their Interests and therefore accustom them from their Youth to an obstinate persistance in the Opinions which they have once embraced and a resolution of never yielding to contrary Reasons so that they are incapable of ever attaining to the knowledge of the Truth The Jesuites also learn from thence the Constancy and Affections of their Scholars of which knowledge they serve themselves very efficaciously when these come to be employ'd in State affairs but those that are dear to them either on the account of their Wit or Riches they most industriously endeavour to draw into their own Order by which means the famous Discipline of their Schools only tends to the supporting of the Pope's Authority and though they are fam'd for an excellent method of teaching Children Latin yet they are very cautious of rendering their Scholars too learned unless they are destin'd to their Order Besides that as the Jesuites by the Government of Colleges have had occasion to draw into their Society a great many learned men and that in their Conversation and way of living they are extreamly civil and polite differing much from the courseness and rebutting Pedantry of the other Monks under the pretence of Confessors they have insinuated themselves into most of the Courts of Europe and by cunningly arrogating to themselves Intrigues of State they sway the Councils of Princes and direct them to their own advantages which as they are inseparably annext to the Pope's so is his never forgot by them Yet nevertheless in some places they have made themselves extreamly odious by their insatiable Avarice and earnestness of interposing in all sort of matters And they are no less envied by the old Orders of Monks as having much encroach'd on their Rights and Authority One of the means which are also us'd to maintain the Grandeur of the Chair of Rome is the Power which the Pope and his Creatures have attributed to themselves of censuring all Books so that nothing may appear in print that is contrary to their Interests which Censure they use with so much rashness and impudence that they do not only retrench what they dislike in old Authors when they are reprinted but they have the confidence to insert whole passages which may be serviceable to their designs If any new piece happen to be written and printed in the Pope's Territories 't is presently taken into a strict examination and whatsoever has slipt in that is contrary to their Interests 't is put into the Index expurgatorius that in the second Edition it may be quite omitted But the Books that are written by their Adversaries are absolutely forbid to be introduced into their Country Nor may any man read them without a special permission or such alone as are so much prejudiced against them that they do not fear will be debauch'd So that by this means they may brand their Adversaries and blacken them as they please since it
Princes the Elector of Bavaria has always persisted obstinately in his Religion in hopes of aspiring one day to the Imperial Dignity of which he would be totally frustrated if he should abandon the Pope's Interest and why some Protestant Princes have return'd unto the Romish Yoke is I think very well known That the Bishops and Prelates of Germany are so good Catholicks is no wonder because 't is a much sweeter and agreeable Life to be a rich Prince than a poor Preacher Besides they are deterred from any thoughts of change by the example of two Electors of Collen whose designs were very unhappy and fatal to them In Charles the fifth's time Spain by its Intrigues impeded the progress of the Reformation and since the loss of so fair an opportunity the Emperor par raison d'etat cannot abandon the Pope's Interests tho' he should desire to do it and the Ecclesiastical Princes are forced to hold with him that they may have a support against the temporal ones but if the Emperor should really design to leave the Pope 't is most certain that he would first have all the Clergy upon his back nor could he be assur'd that the Temporal Princes would stand by him especially whilst the Princes of the most Ancient and Noble Families whose Religion is the only Bar of their Pretences to the Empire might then with as much right aspire to it as any and openly rival the House of Austria the Pope too would move Heaven and Earth against the accomplishment of a design so terrible and pernicious to his Dignity nor would the French King let slip so good an occasion of advancing himself to the Imperial Dignity to which in such a juncture the Clergy would not fail to invite him The Spaniards would pass for the most zealous Defenders of the Holy Chair but the true reason is because the Pope's Favour and Protection is absolutely necessary to the peaceable maintenance of their Kingdom of Naples and Dutchy of Milan and thus we see them usually cloak their enterprizes with the pretext of defending and propagating the Catholick Religion but unsuccessfully for the most part I will not speak here of the intolerable Greatness of the Spanish Clergy nor of the strange things which they make the people believe are contain'd in the Doctrine of the Protestants France does not outwardly appear so passionately to espouse the Interests of Rome nor have the Popes been able to perswade the French Church to so absolute and slavish a submission as most other Churches have yielded them so that when they endeavour'd to infringe or encroach upon their privileges the Parliament of Paris did presently take Cognizance of the Affair and the Sorbon has likewise often rejected several unreasonable Propositions advanced by the Flatterers and Sycophants of the Pope they likewise spy the Nuncio's Conduct and will not allow him too great a liberty who when he comes out of Rome bears his Crosier erected but so soon as he Arrives on the French Frontiers he carries it Reversed till he obtains leave from the King to exercise his Function and then too they are forced to promise him that they will use it no longer nor no otherwise than he shall think fit Besides they are obliged to make use of French Secretaries and when they go away to leave a Roll of their Negotiations and their Seal behind them and to use several other such Formalities without which all their Proceedings would be null and void of effect so that the French say the Pope's Nuncio receives his Commission as well from the King as the Pope and that it is Precaria ad Nutum Regis revocabilis hence it is that the Nuncio lays aside his Crosier if he happens to come where the King is as if his Jurisdiction were dissolv'd by the Presence of the King Nay in Richlieu's time 't was debated of whether or no they should make a Patriarch in France which design tho' in my opinion could not have been very advantageous for France for the Clergy would never have been brought to consent thereto having reason enough to fear lest the King upon such an occasion should considerably retrench their fat Revenues Besides if the French King should ever have any thoughts of aspiring to the Empire his separation from Rome would be very disserviceable to him for should so powerful a Prince as the French King is become Master of the Empire he would not only revive the pretences of the ancient Emperors which are now as 't were buried in oblivion of which most depend on Rome but also the Defence of the Romish Church would be a very specious pretext of claiming several rights and privileges which the Popes have suffer'd to be lost On the contrary the Pope has a terrible aversion and fear of the French Monarchy since it is not to be doubted but upon such an occasion France would make a great Reformation in the Court of Rome and bridle the Pope's Authority so much that he would signify no more than a simple Patriarch and he must attend the same fate if Spain should aspire to the Universal Monarchy in the mean while it would go very ill with the Protestants and from hence we may conclude that the greatest Support of the Papal Chair is the Jealousy and Aequilibrium which Rome wisely maintains between the two Crowns of France and Spain and therefore 't is the nearest and dearest of the Pope's Interest to hinder any one of those Kingdoms from trampling on the other or aspiring to the universal Monarchy of Europe which also is easy to be observed from the Pope's Conduct for several Ages for when France was extreamly low and weakned after the Death of Henry the second the Pope was forc'd to declare himself for the Spanish Interests to which the Spaniards were resolv'd to oblige him both by fair means and by foul They gain'd the Pope's Nephews who were glad to enrich themselves during the short Life of their Uncle and willingly devoted themselves to Spain whilst they could receive large Pensions Benefices and considerable Charges and in case they did not render themselves very serviceable to those from whom they receiv'd pay they were sure to be cruelly persecuted after their Unckle's Death they also us'd all their efforts to exclude from the Succession any Cardinal that they suspected to be enclining to their Adversaries Interests but so soon as France began to lift up its head again the Popes resumed their former Indifference and Liberty and would shew themselves no more favourable to either party than as they were serviceable and addicted to the Papal Interest and therefore Guichard declar'd publickly in a Sermon at Paris in the Month of July 1637. that the War which France made then against Spain was a Holy War and in Defence of the Religion for had not the French King made use of that means to bring Spain to reason the King of Spain would certainly have placed his Almoner in