Christ for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fignifies a Viceroy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Proconsul The Pope I say and all his Court take it to be a Religious Worship and an acknowledgment of his Almighty Power both in Heaven and Earth as being the Vicar of Christ or the Antichrist not as Enemy of Christ which the word fignifies also by the special Providence of God tho' he be such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know Travellers commonly have but a mean Idea of Religion and do this meerly out of a base Covetousness to get the Popes Golden Medal and fancy that 't is only a civil aspect which they pay to him as to a Temporal Prince and not a Religious one But it s a horrid mistake For the Pope pretends it is due to him by Vertue of a Prophecy in the Old Testament by which it 's said of the Messias That all Nations shall bow down and submit to him and lick the dust of his Feet Otherwise the Pope has no ground to pretend to that excessive and shameful Submission above so many Princes in the World who have a greater Temporal Power and Revenue are of a far nobler Pedegree and are infinitely better in all respects than he is So that all those Travellers who are guilty of that commit besides the sin against God a horrid baseness against ' emselves and Christianity and in truth I should think that those who will be so base hereafter as to stoop to that Villany for the Golden Medal would make no great scruple to prostitute themselves also for Money to the other Roman Prelates at Rome Muliebria pati There is nothing in my Opinion more capable of inspiring one with low and abased Thoughts of Mankind than to see Kings and Princes and their Counsels who ought to be the most clear-sighted and prudent of all Men as to what concerns the Welfare of their Dominions and People to suffer themselves to be led by the Nose by the most Vile and Abject Rascals in the World who have imposed such a Foolish and Shameful Religion upon them under pretext of which they pillage ruine and lay waste their Countries without their perceiving it or at least endeavouring to deliver themselves from that Yoke of Slavery The Church of Rome is not contented thus to treat those that she hath already brought under but would also swallow up all others and yet if you 'l believe her she is as I have said Infallible and there 's no Salvation to be hop'd for but in her Communion and by submitting to her Yoke which is all one as if the most dissolute Prostitute in a City should alledge that all the honest Women are debauched and cannot learn how to behave themselves except they come to her School Or just as if a multitude of Profligate Impious Debauchees Thiefs False Coiners and Murderers pretended to impose a new Religion upon Men to Administer Justice to all the World under pretence that some of their Ancestors from whom they claim a Direct and Legal Succession were honest Men and acted in those Stations a thousand years ago For it is just the same the Popes pretend to be Successors to the Bishops of Rome who were as they pretend the Successors of Saint Peter but what consequence can they draw from it if it were true seeing they are now all Idolaters Hereticks and the greatest Tyraâ—…s in the World and have been such for several Ages Is it not certain that Judas tho he was an Apostle himself forfeited his Right to his Office by betraying his Master how much more have the Popes and the Popish Church forfeited it who out-do him as much as the Prototype useâ—… to out-do it's Type Let 's suppose that the Mahometan 〈◊〉 who are a kind of Christians as well as the Popes since they acknowledge Christ for a great Prophet did pretend that they are the Successors of those Bishops of Asia to whom St. Iohn in his Revelation directs some Admonitions who had at least as much Right to pretend to be the Successors of the Apostles as the now Bishops of Rome Let us suppose I say that those muphtis did pretend now not only to have their Mission from Christ but to be the Center of Unity amongst Christians and under that pretence oblige us to 〈◊〉 Mahometans would the Popish Church think their Arguments good and yet they have as much Right to such Pretensions as the Pope and his Clergy who are more Antichristian than they The Pope then and his Clergy being without Controversy as I have demonstrated the greatest Enemies to Jesus Christ and to the Christian Church is it not a horrid piece of Impudence and Folly to pretend that they are or may still be the Fountain of the Ecclesiastical Mission and Ministry It is against God's Holiness Truth and Wisdom to think so and Blasphemy to speak so For did ever any wise Prince trust his Authority his Person and Family to Rebels and his greatest Enemies does not he on the contrary deprive them of all their Offices and of all his Favours for otherwise he should countenance their Rebellion and Crimes but when they have submitted and sworn Fidelity afresh then if he thinks fit to pardon them and give them their Offices again there must be new Patents and a new Commission on else he would be guilty of Folly against his own Crown and Dignity just the same as if our Lawful Sovereign King William did trust his Authority Person and People to the Irish who are in the late Kings Service in France and his own greatest Enemies and that they should exercise that Authority without renouncing Popery Idolatry and the late King This might justly be called a trusting the Sheep to the Wolves Unless Peter after the abjuring of his Master had repeated of that great sin and been also restor'd by his Master to the Apostleship by a thrice repeated Commission to feed his Sheep as he had three times abjured him Unless I say Christ had so sealed his Pardon and renew'd his Commission he had forfeited his Apostleship How much more then hath the Popish Church forfeited all her pretended Priviledges by the multitude of her Idolatries Heresies Execrable Morals and by her Tyranny over Princes and Nations It 's a Folly in Protestants to dispute seriously with the Roman Clergy and quote Scripture or bring Reason against them for they know very well that the Scripture is against them otherwise they would not prohibit the Reading of it nor speak with that disrespect of the same as they do it is just the same as if you would endeavour to dispute Highway-men or Prostitutes out of their way of Living which they have chosen before all others with a Resolution never to abandon the same It 's a Maxim in Logick that one ought not to dispute with those who deny Principles nor with those who impudently Controvert certain Truths
set before their Eyes We must also consider that the Rigor and Length of the last Persecution of France nay which continues still and hath been one of the longest and most cruel that ever the Christians endur'd since the Establishment of Christianity that grand Rigor I say and the continuance of the Persecution have giv'n occasion to all Persons of the Romish Communion who had not absolutely divested themselves of all Conscience and Humanity and become perfect Bruits to inquire into those Opinions â—…or which the Protestants have suffered and suffer still so many evils and have found them Reasonable and Christian contrary to what the Monks represented them to be and diverse of the honestest of their Clergy-men who were formerly very Ignorant have instructed themselves in them All of them have been terrified to find so much Courage Firmness Humility and surprizing Patience amongst an infinite number of Persons of all Sexes Ages and Conditions which made them to think that in all this there was something Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are also surpriz'd to find by the Zeal which those poor People discover at present when persecuted in diverse places with the utmost rage that they are less Papists than ever which occasions many thoughts of heart amongst those who have any Judgment Besides the bad success of that Persecution which hath been accompanied with this long and bloody War a violent Famine and the dethroning of the late King James with whom it was concerted and which in fine hath issued in the ruine of the Kingdom of France hath made it evident that it was not a WoÅ•k which God approv'd and that he did without all doubt avenge himself on the Nation for their perfidiousness and cruelty committed against his People at the Instigation of the Court of Rome and the Clergy of France and those who are not judicially blinded or have any Sense of God upon them understand and perceive clearly that God concern'd himself in the Cause of the Protestants and the Evils they Suffered Which ought to be another strong Argument to incline the Papists to embrace the Protestant Religion So that there 's no cause to doubt but the People of France have a mighty disposition to shake off the Popes Yoke and to embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel if the King of France would declare himself for it above half the business would be done Never Prince had nor can have so fair an occasion to acquire Immortal Glory and to render his People happy as the King of France has at present in putting that great Work in Execution for besides all the Dispositions thereunto abovementioned he hath the most Authority in his Dominions of any Prince in the World and hath the finest and most numerous Army that ever was seen in France and if he should sâ—…and in need of any assistance to carry on a Work so Glorious so Magnificent and Advantagious to Mankind there 's no doubt but the Incomparable William and other Protestant Powers would lend him their helpiâ—…g haâ—…d It seems that the present State of the Kingdom of France doth moreover indispensibly require this general Reformation and the abolition of the Papacy to the end the King may appropriate to himself all or at least the greatest part of the Riches of the Church which belong to no Body and whereof he might dispose for the â—…afety of the State without any Injustice by which means he would be enabled to pay his Debts to every one and to prevent a Civil War which seems to threaten France unavoidably if there come a K of lesser Authority than Lewis the XIV by reason of the desperate Condition into which People of all ranks are upon the brink of being reduc'd because of the ill condition of their Affairs All his Troops seem to require it also to prevent their being cashier'd for they must either perish in Foreign Countries or starve or be hang'd at home the great numbers of brave Officers and Noblemen ruined by the Kings Service do also require it and 't is a thousand times more just that they should be compensated by the Riches of the Church which belong to no Body but the King and State than that they should be enjoy'd by such an Herd of Scandalous and Unprofitable Ecclesiasticks The great numbers of others who have been forced by several ways to lend Money to the King or to buy Places or Letters of Nobility and must unavoidably be cashier'd and ruined or who have lost all they had by the Taxes do also require such a general Reformation that the King may be enabled â—…o pay or give them some Compensation and to furnish them Bread of which they have none left And besides those above-mentioned all ranks of People through the Kingdom in general require it that they may be delivered from those prodigious Losses that they suffer continually by Popery which amount as has been said to above 200 Millions per Annum that so they may be Re-established and Repeopled a little for which end the Monks Nuns and other Ecclesiasticks might be very useful if their Monasteries were dissolved The general Desolation of the Cities and Countries do also demand it that so that King may be in a condition to moderate the Impositions and Taxes with which they are overwhelm'd at present and will continue so to be Without this all Arts Manufactures and Husbandry will infallibly decay more and more and the Art Military will come to nothing in France where it hath flourished so much in this Reign The Interest of the Church of France as they call it and all the honest Ecclesiasticks among them seem also to require it because if after the present King and Dauphin there should happen to come a weak Prince the Kingdom also being so much weakned as 't is at present and as it will continue to be still may be for ever ruin'd unless this general Reformation be set about speedily If I say a weak Prince should happen to come to the Crown at such a time the Popes will treat France in a more Tyrannical and Cruel manner than ever because of the fears they have laboured under that France would shake off their Yoke and of the attempts which they will pretend have been made upon their Authority in this Reign which they will never pardon Then the Pope will Establish the Inquisition in France deprive the Gallican Church of that she calls her Liberties rob the King of his Regale oblige him to restore the Seculariz'd Estates to the Church and certainly despoil the Bishops of their Lawful Jurisdiction over the Regular Clergy Then they must believe the Infallibility of the Pope or at least pretend to do so both in Matters of Fact and Right his Almighty Power in Heav'n and Earth his Superiority over Councils his Absolute Power over the Temporal Rights of Kings and their Lives as well as in the matters of their Salvation and the like over their Subjects The Pope
the Monks and the Jesuites will render themselves Masters of all under a weak Prince and the Kingdom will be more expos'd to the Cheats Impostures and Scandalous Vices of the Clergy than ever The King of France should hereby gain the Affection of all Protestant Princes and States intirely which would be much more useful to him than that of the Popish Princes because they are honester in their Treaties and at present much more powerful especially by Sea and more able to hurt or help him And moreover France cannot subsist without Commerce with them and the King knows very well that they have no thoughts of regaining any thing from France as the Popish Princes have because she hath never taken any thing from them nor have they any thoughts of making Conquests upon him as being more Sage and Judicious than that comes to Neither has he any reason to fear that the Court of Rome will employ them to do Mischief to France as they have imployed and may still imploy Popish Princes to do But if France neglect such a fair opportunity as this is to shake off the Yoke of Popery when there is such an Indispensible Necessity â—…o do it for the fafety of the Kingdom which must otherwise perish after having seen so evidently that Popery is the ruin of States and by consequence a false Religion all the World will have reason to believe that His Majesty does not only hate the Protestant Religion but the very Persons of all Protestants especially if he does not Re-establish his Subjects of the Reformed Religion in the free Exercise of the same and in a full and entire Liberty in all Respects as his other Subjects and with all possible Assurance for time to come seeing no Man can reproach them with Disloyalty towards the King nor on the account of their Doctrine which the most Learned of the Papists themselves acknowledge to be very Sound and Conformable to the Scripture and make their boasts that they believe the same things as they do having nothing else to reproach them with but only that they don't believe enough because they don't believe Transubstantiation nor fifty other Fooleries of the like Nature nor adore the half of one of the two Sacraments which has not so much as the Honour to be Bread but is only an Elil Elilim a Nothing an Idol which according to St. Paul is a meer Nothing of this number of Learned Men is the Bp. of Meaux as appears by his Exposition of the Catholick Doctrine Without â—…his Reformation France will become as desolate in 30 years time as Spain and Portugal is at present though there should be a continued Peace all that while For the Women and Girls who are at present three thirds of the People of France will for the most part be dead without Children because there are not Men enough at present to Marry them so that this want of People will be much more apparent then than now It may very well be said that the Kingdom of France hath for 30 or 40 years had a great Ascendant over all the other Nations of Europe by means of the Kings Vigour and Absolute Power But the Kingdom will lose that Ascendant come to nothing and be despicable to all the World and especially to the Court of Rome without hopes of being ever able to recover it self if such a Reformation be not made And I dare venture to say that without this the Kingdom is in danger to be torn into pieces by Civil Wars ere it be long or involved in short in another new War on the account of Religion by the Jesuites at the secret Suggestion of the Pope who are still afraid of that Kings great Authority tho his Kingdom is ruined There 's no other Method left as I have intimated already to put the King in a condition to pay his numerous Debts but this Evangelical Reformation and because diverse Persons of great Merit have desir'd of me to give some Account of the Ways and Means they take to find Money to borrow and Places to sell in a Kingdom so much ruined as France I could not refuse to obey them in imparting what is publickly known of that Matter in France therefore I shall here make a little digression We must observe then that the Court entertains a great number of People in Provinces and Towns who make it their business to discover those who have yet any Money left ' em Whereupon the Intendant Governour or other Chief Men of the Place have orders either to call for such Persons or to go to their Houses and tell them that the King has a mind to sell such and such new Places or Augmentations of Salleries to all Civil Officers who are already in Place or Letters of Nobility to Commoners or some other Priviledges or to create Rents upon the Town-House of Paris or to alienate the Revenues of the Post-Office or some part of his Demain c. Then they are acquainted Civilly that they will oblige the Court to lay out their Money on such thingâ—… and do a piece of good Service to the State that their Principal and Interest will both be sure and their gain considerable If they answer that they have no Money after being desir'd thus to lay it out then they find it to be as Tacitus says Preceserant sed quibus resisti non poterat They were Prayers indeed but such as they could not resist Those Officers inform themselves more particâ—…larly of the Staâ—…e of their Affairs from Scriveners and Notaries who are oblig'd to tell all they know of it After this they proceed to threaten the Persons that so they may squeeze Money out of them But there are few who let it come to this extremity because they see so many Examples before them of People ruined by such Refusals for either they are tax'd extraordinarily as rich Persons or are accused that either they themselves or their Friends whose Estates they Inherit robb'd the Publick when they were in Office and thereupon despoil them of their Estates Otherwise all the Actions of their whole Life are Canvass'd or if that fail the Conversations of their Children and other Relations are enquired into on purpose to vex them and their Tenants are over-whelm'd with Impositions or Quartering of Soldiers There are a hundred other such Methods and their Children and Relations are never advanc'd neither in the Church in the Army nor otherwise And they are besiâ—…es accounted at Court Enemies to the Government sometimes imprisoned and if they have any Suit at Law the adverse Party is sure to find favour c. It 's true there are some who are known to be extreamly Rich or in great business â—…hat prevent â—…he Court on purpose â—…o gain Favour and lend their Money upon the Town-house of Paris nor do they know how to dispose of their Money otherwise Trade being quite ruined Houses and Land being of no value and all people almost being
certain rate but all these would be worth nothing if Real Estates were in Mainmort because there could be neither Industry Commerce Revenue nor Money c. As for Example I have valued elsewhere the Revenues of all the Estates Real and Personal of France and the Fruits of the Peoples Industry altogether at 1000 Millions of Livres per Annum and the whole Stock therein comprehending the people at 20000 Millions at 20 years purchase And likewise in England I have valued the same Stock and product at 550 Millions of Livres per Annum and the whole Stock therein comprehending the people at 11000 Millions at 20 years purchase But if all those Estates were in Mainmort they would not be worth the 10th nay the 20th part so much nor indeed worth any thing but the present enjoyment of the people who would be very few in number as I have already said and like so many Savages having neither Commerce Arts Manufactures Sciences nor Money as has been often said for no Man would work but for himself and his Family and that too but from hand to mouth These and many more are the Inconveniencies that would follow upon having all Estates in Mainmort Lands and Houses are in a State when they can pass from one hand to another like Bills of Assurance or good Security which are worth as much or more than Gold and Silver when those things can pass by way of Commerce there 's less need of Gold and Silver and other personal Effects and if this were not so there would be an immediate Obstruction of Commerce and the State must fall into a Consumption Herein it is that the want of Publick Registers in England is very prejudicial to the Trade of the Nation because for want of this those who would Traffick with diverse persons that have Estates which might be purchased dare not venture â—…pon it for fear that those Estates are already engaged to others which for a time has the same effect to those particular persons as if their Estates were in Mainmort so that the Publick and the Proprietors lose abundantly by this means besides the numerous Suits which are thereby occasioned so that 't is neither easie to sell them nor to borrow Money upon them And hence it is observed that in the Town of Taunton where there are Publick Registers for Lands and Houses thereon depending and for such Estates as are Morgag'd or not Morgag'd that that Town is in a flourishing Condition for that very Reason But tho' the want of Publick Registers be a very great disorder in England yet it comes far short of that which is occasioned by Estates being in Mainmort in Popish Countries For in the first place this may be remedied when the Nation pleases whereas in Popish Countries the Pope and the Clergy who tyrannize there and make their own advantage of those disorders would rather over-turn a Country than sufâ—…er any Reformation as to that Head unless Princes of great Power and Authority such as the present King of France undertakes it In the next place those dubious Funds in England are not perhaps the 20th part of those in the Kingdom neither are they constantly left out of Commerce as are those of the Popish Ecclesiasticks And last of all it 's well known that this is no effect of the Protestant Religion as the disorder whereof we now speak is certainly an effect of the Romish Religion in France But some perhaps may say that Entails are allowed in all Countries which hinders those that enjoy such Estates from alienating them so that they cannot enter into Commerce so long as the Entail lasts and that by the same reason the Popish Clergy may also enjoy Estates that are inalienable without any great inconvenience I Answer That those Entails don't take place but where Men can't do better that it is an inconvenience and not an indifferent thing but besides it is not usual for the Entail to be perpetual only for a little time for assoon as the Children in whose favour it is made become Masters of the Estate it returns again into the Publick Commerce and may be Morgag'd and Alienated and pass from one hand to another either in whole or in part 2. There is not perhaps the 200th part of any Country so entail'd all at once and there 's no reason to doubt but in a well-govern'd State where the Governours have sufficient Authority they would find a Remedy for those Entails if there were too many of them and that they would find out some other Method for ensuring the Estate to Infants or Heirs without having the Estate cut off from the publick Commerce 3. But besides that this is not so common it must be agreed that there 's much more reason to have regard to poor innocent Children whom a Father that 's an ill Husband might ruine and who may one time or other be very useful to the Publick who are moreover recommendable for the sake of their Grandfathers Grandmothers or other Ancestors whose Memory is dear to the Publick I say there 's more regard to be had to those Infants to whom that Estate ought Naturally and Lawfully to be transmitted by Hereditary Right than to Ecclesiasticks who have no Natural nor Acquir'd Right to those Estates and who are besides unprofitable for the most part to a State scandalous Persons and iâ—… whose hands and those of their Successours the half or more of the Wealth of a Nation is always to remain cut off from Publick Commerce But perhaps some Opinionative Persons may say that to carry on the Trade of a Nation 't is enough that the half of the Wealth of a Country is not in Mainmort which is just as much as if he should say that it is as good to have half the Body Paralitick and depriv'd of the use of half of its Members as not to be so at all because they still live in that condition But who is it that does not perceive that it is a distemper'd and a languishing condition and that in such a case a Man cannot do half the business that he might do if he were in perfect health It cannot be reasonably denied that the more vigorous a Body is the better it does work so that the more Credit there is in a Nation the more all its effects are in Motion the more Arts Industry Agriculture and Commerce flourish there and the Country becomes Populous in proportion What a mighty disorder then does it occasion that all those Monks and Priests who are the Subjects of a Foreign Prince seeing they have taken the Oaths to him and who is moreover of necessity the Hereditary Enemy of the State should be thus with all their Wealth sequestred from the State in respect of all those things wherein they might be useful to it viz. in regard of Imposts and the Charges of the State and Trade as also in regard of Propagation and Obedience to their Sovereign as other
proper also to observe in this place that setting aside the Interest of that which they call their Religion and their Church which relates wholly and finally to the Profit or Ambition of the Ecclesiasticks the Clergy of the Church of Rome consider'd as to their Civil Life are not much wickeder than their Laymen as I have already said which proves that the Devil Reigns principally in that Church in regard of the Legislative Authority of Popery as it relates to the Affairs and Interest of their Religion and Church that is to say of the Pope and his Guard of Pensioners or Catchpoles This excepted I have known many honest enough Men of their Clergy nay even of the Jesuites whose conduct as to Civil Life was near the matter as good externally as those of their honest Laicks And there are diverse Persons who assure me that how abominable soever the Court of Rome may be in general as their Principles and Maxims have been for several Ages yet there are Prelates nay even Cardinals among them who have very good Moral Qualities and are persons of Merit Article XVI relates to that Spirit of Despotical Government with which the Church of Rome inspires Princes in regard of their Subjects This is it that hath produc'd the Severity of the Government of France which hath so much contributed to the Desolation of that fine Kingdom The Jesuites especially do infuse it in Princes who are ruled by them not only in matters of Religion but likewise in Affairs of Political Government by advising them to make use of the most Absolute Authority because that how much the more the Princes whom they govern are Authoriz'd and Fear'd of their Subjects so much the more are the Jesuites their Tutors Authoriz'd and Dreaded also France smarts at present under the Effects of this and England has but lately escap'd the like danger That Spirit of Tyranny which makes up a great part of the Essence of Popery is yet more peculiar to the Society of the Jesuites than to any other in Popery and it is known that the Principles of their Order as they call it do give their General an Absolute and Unlimited Power to Command and to do what he lists wherein they are to render him a Blind-fold Obedience It 's also known that they look on the Popes pretended Monarchy over the Universal Church and World to be the most perfect Pattern of Government in assuming to himself the Authority to destroy all Nations and Persons in Soul and Body that oppose his temporal Interest The Church of Rome reaps great advantage from this Despotical Power of the Princes of her Communion for those Princes being govern'd by their Confessors who are govern'd by Rome the more Authority those Princes have the more the Pope hath over all the Kingdom and then this great Authority of the Princes is imploy'd to oppress those they call Hereticks both within and without their Dominions and to purchase more Slaves to the Pope or otherwise they ingage them in War for humbling some Popish State that the Court of Rome would have brought low and many times with a design to ruin that very Prince whom they so engage in War For it is highly the Interest of the Court of Rome that their Neighbouring Nations be kept poor because that Spirit of Bondage Slavery and Ignorance which is so useful and agreeable to the Religion which they impose is not consistent with the Liberty of a rich people and the Popes are constantly affraid that if the Dominions of those States and Princes that are subject to him be very populous and rich they will at sometime or other shake off their Yoke This is it they had in view by inspiring the French King with a design to ruin his Protestant Subjects so manifestly contrary to the true Interests of France and the Kings Honour That same was the reason of their engaging him in a War against so many Potentates all at once to the end they might weaken him and prevent his setting his thoughts upon Enterprizes a thousand times more great glorious and profitable such as that of delivering his own Kingdom from the Slavery of the Pope and so many foolish Superstitions of Popery of which the honest Papists themselves are ashamed and also that they might prevent his pushing on his Conquests on the side of Italy where he might have made War with much more success and advantage than against so many powerful States and strong Towns as he had to rencounter elsewhere Article XVII relates to the Incontinence and Whordom of the Romish Clergy which is a large Field and much might be said upon it but many Authors have enlarg'd on this Head already It 's known to every Body by Experience that the Celibacy of that wretched Clergy is the source of an Universal and Loathsom Impurity among them and that the least Crimes committed by those of that Order are Fornications and Adulteries It 's well enough known that their Divines teach that Sins against Nature of every sort don't render an Ecclesiastick Irregular but Marriage does and that their Casuists do continually cram their Books with Extenuations of those Crimes and add more and more Fewel to the impure Flames by their obscene Questions and the Niceties and Subtleties they have found out to advance and encrease those impure pleasures It is also known that the Pope Authorizes Publick Stews and Protects them in order to draw a considerable Revenue from them but it is not so universally known that to advance the Reputation of that Crime which indeed is not accounted any by the Court of Rome the Popes will not suffer any Women to prostitute themselves unless they be Christians and therefore by order of his Holiness Jewish Pagan and Mahometan Women who have a mind to set up that Trade at Rome must first be Baptized This makes it the more relishing to Anti-christ to think that Jesus Christ is thereby the more offended But seeing the Church oâ—… Rome is already branded in the Holy Scriptures with the Name of Sodom and the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth both upon the account of her Corruâ—…tion and because of her Idolatries Hereâ—…ies and Blasphemies we have no reason to doubt that she is so and therefore I shall not insist upon this as a Vice which is so much favoured and nourished by that Church but only in relation to the infinite number of Mischiefs which it occasions in humane Society It many times happens that the Popish Princes are no better in this respect than the Clergy that hath corrupted them or don 't teach 'em their duty in this matter so that being wholly given up to Unchastity themselves the Subordinate Magistrates and Officers are corrupted by their Example and consequently take no care to suppress that Vice which ruins and lays wast Nations and fills them with all sorts of Crimes for experience teaches us that this one Crime draws all others after
this case Ambitious Persons would reason with themselves much after the same manner as he did formerly who said Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum est If it be lawful to break through Law in any case it is lawful to do it for a Crown and a Scepter The Heart of Man is universally and at all times the same Let us suppose that some Ambitious Prelate had Authority enough among the Proâ—…estants to Form such Designs as were those of the Bishops of Rome to raise themselves in the first place above other Bishops and Priests and afterwards over Princes and People they would go near to make use of the same methods as the Popes and their Clergy did and as they should receive opposition from time to time from those that would endeavour to restrain and tie them up to the Laws of God and Men if they and their Successors should overcome those Oppositions they would by degrees suppress the Holy Scripture overâ—…throw all Morality and introduce an Universal dissoluteness of Manners so that the Protestant or Christian Religion without changing its Name for that to be sure they would not do should become in the first place like that of the Church of Rome in Government and Discipline and next in Doctrine and Worship that is to say a perfect Brigandage or Robbery and that Protesâ—…ant Pope should become a Tyrant over Protestant Princes and People by calling himself their Common Father and should likewise become Master of the States Honour and Repose of their Subjects without any hopes of Reformation but by a Miracle wrought by the Almighty They would also Establish an Inquisition and infinitely multiply the number of their Ecclesiasticks that is to say their Guard-men and would neither spare Perfidiousness nor Cruelty to accomplish their Designs and to maintain and augment their Authority They would pretend to Infallibility as well as the Pope and claim as much Right as he to change the Law of God and to make that sin which is no sin and sin to be accounted Duty They would pretend to all power in Heaven and Earth and would labour incessantly to divide Protestant Princes amongst themselves and with their Subjects weaken them by all means that they might keep a curb in their Jaws and hold them in dependance upon themselves They would raise wars for them without number massacre those that should oppose their Impieties and Ambition from time to time nor would they be wanting if they found it necessary to have Orders of Clergy-men resembling the Monks and Jesuites or worse than those if they could under other Names and would likewise Assemble Councils wherein they would Establish and Make Decrees like those of Constance Lateran and Trent Et totus Orbis Protestantium miraretur se esse Antichristianum so that the whole Protestant World should wonder at its being become Anti-christian So that while the Pope and the Romish Clergy are possessed of a power of Dominion and Rule and that they will always be unless God stir up some great and potenâ—… Prince to bring that rascally Crew to themselves as I hope he will but until that time they must always of necessity be cruel and perfidious by their Principles and Maxims and pretend to Infallibility in their Doctrine Worship and Moralâ—… because they have neither Titles nor Foundation for their Usurpations which are palpable and gross for if they had they could no more be charg'd with Usurpations and Injustice and if they were not Usurpers they would not maintain their own Rights nor Gods as they impiously pretend by committing so many Crimes and pretending to Infallibility with so much Impudence as they do when they find no other way to colour their Impieties There 's none but unjust and barbarous Usurpers who can make use of those pretences as they do The most clear sighted Protestants ordinarily look upon the Church of Rome in regard of its Doctrine as a Medly of Idolatries Heresies Superstitions Errors and Blasphemous Doctrines and in regard of their Morals as a Composition of Perfidiousness and Infideliy Cruelty Impurity and Pride and they Judge that all those together constitute and make up the esâ—…ential Form of that Church and they are not deceived But at the bottom it is Ambition alone as I have said which hath produc'd and maintains all those things and is the Soul of their Church One proof of this is that there 's no Men who do less believe their Doctâ—…ines than the Men of Parts amongst themselves who govern all but chiefly the Court of Rome In their Civil Conversation among other Men they don't appear much worse than they as has been said already and there 's no room to doubt but if the Pope and his Clergy could be assur'd by the Orthodox Church that in case they would embrace the pure Christian Religion of the Protestants they should have the same Dominion and Power over the Kings Princes and People of the Earth and the same Revenues Dignities and Means to advance all those who adhere to them there 's no doubt I say but they would prefer it how wicked so ever they may be because it is more conformable to Scripture Reason and the Natural Light of Conscience which oft pinches them notwithstanding their profound and inveterate Habits of Error and Crimes I confess that it were impossible for their Tyranny and Authority to subsist with that Religion which is pure Christianity and the only Religion becoming the Excellence of Man and therefore they were obliged to root it out of the Church of Rome that so they might reign in it But they have at least so much Equity that Men of Sense among them who would perswade others to embrace their Communion don't demand that they should believe their Doctrines which they have no esteem of themselves but only that they should go to their Church and for other things permit them to believe as they please It must then be purely and simply Ambition and a desire of Dominion which hath ruined the Church of Rome or the Clergy and which continues to ruin them still take but that Vice away from them their Tyranny will cease Christian Morality would reassume its place they would neither be Idolatrous Superstitious nor Heritical Cruel nor Perfidious Transubstantiation and the Infallibility of their Church and all other monstrous Opinions would fall their Discipline Observations Customs and Usages so pernicious to the Welâ—…are of People and Countries should be abolish'd and we sâ—…ould see Industry Arts Manufactures Commerce Agriculture Sciences flourish every where and their Clergy themselves would become Christians upon the matter and honest Men. Though there never was any Religion in the World more contrary to the Gospel and Reason than that of the Pope in regard of Doctrine and Worship yet I will adventure to say that it is still more detestable in regard of the Tyranny which is exercised therein by the Pope and his Clergy For the better understanding
Authority only being excepted Besides such an Inconsiderable Change as this the rest of the Popish Religion being continued would neither have been Advantagious for the Salvation of Men Glorious to the King nor Profitable to the State For Idolatry and the other Heresies remaining there would have always been an Impossibility of being saved in that Religion and the greatest part of the Oppression attending it being also continued the people would have had but little relief by it nor would the King of France have reap'd the fourth part of the Advantage which he might expect from a thorough Reformation Neither is it to be thought that so small a change could be solid and durable for at the bottom it 's certain that it 's the Popes who have made the Religion of the Church of Rome to be what it is either by corrupting the Doctrine of the Apostles or Adopting the Idolatry and Worship of the Pagans or by Forging now and then new Articles of Faith for their own private Interest and that of their Clergy And it is certain that their Religion is founded on no other Authority but that of the Pope and therefore Cardinal Pallavicini had reason to say in his History of the Council of Trent call'd by some his New Gospel Tutti gli Articoli della Religione unitamente considerati non hanno altra certezza prossima ed immediata che l'Autorita del summo Pontefice i. e. that all the Articles of their Religion considered together have no other certain and immediate foundation but the Authority of the Pope So that if we reason consequentially from this Principle the Popish Religion cannot be preserved but by the preservation of the Papal Authority from which it derives all the Authority that gives it any value in the eyes of the World It is also probable that if a greater Reformation were not made immediately upon the Creation of a Patriarch the Popes Authority would be again Re-established â—…or he should without doubt have always a great Party in the Kingdom under the â—…avour of that horrid Darkness which must have continued therein if it had been no other but for the Jesuites and Monks who would be constantly Jealous that the Patriarch would pair their Nails One Party of the Nation would always have entertained a Correspondence with the Popes Friends being united by their Communion in the same Religion excepting the Opinion of the Authority of the Pope tho'some would have made semblance of rejecting that too for fear of their King yet they would effectually endeavour the Re-establishment of the Papal Authority And so much the more that the Court of Rome would have been prodigal of their Treasures and have spar'd nothing on this occasion to maintain their Tyranny And moreover iâ—… the King who had created a Patriarch should come to have died before the Reformation should have been compleated and a Prince of less Authority had Succeeded there would have been an end of the Patriarchat This erecting of a Patriarch would not have pleased the Popish Princes neither so that they would have joyned with the Pope and the Party that adher'd to him in France and would either have stirr'd up Civil Wars there or have made War upon it themselves Nor could this imperfect Change have satisfied the Protestant Princes who would always have look'd upon France as Idolatrous and Heretical and ready to return again to wallow in that mire whence she had made some Effort to get out and begun to lift up her head so that they would never put any confidence in her It should happen to France in this case as it always happens to Neutral Princes in the quarrels of Neighbouring Potentates their Neutrality does not reconcile them with their Enemies nor yet procure â—…hem any Friends Neutralitas neâ—… Amicos pariâ—… neque Inimicos tollit saith Tacitus In such cases we must be either t'one or t'other and avoid that which is call'd Consilia Media Such a faint Reformation would have serv'd for nought but to awake all the Malice of the Pope and the Mischievous Ecclesiasticks of the Kingdom who would have reap'd the same Advantage from this that a strong Man does from the Impotent Menaces of his Enemy which serve only to put him on his Guard and set him at Work to prevent the threatned Mischief according to the Italian Proverb Le Minaccie sono l'Armi del Minacciaâ—…o Threats sound an allarum to the threatned Man to take Arms either to deâ—…end himself or offend his Enemy as occasion requires Whereas if the King of France did not do things by halves but should together with his Subjects renounce all at once the false Doctrines Worship Superstition and Abuses of the Church of Rome and Free his Kingdom from that Tyranny by Establishing the light of the Gospel to enlighten his People amongst whom it is hid under a Candlestick he might assure himself that such an Evangelical Reformation would be followed by unexpressible Advantages to himself and his People both in regard of Temporal and Eternal Life Some may perhaps object that such a compleâ—…t and sudden Reformation must needs shake the Kingdom of France and that there 's no passing so suddenly from one Extream to another without danger that is to say from the thick darkness of Popery to the bright shining light of Christianity and therefore it muâ—…t be done gradually as our Saviour did when he restored sight to the Blind they did not at first see all Objects disâ—…inctly but Men walking like Trees and that God does not make us pass from the dark night to the bright day but by the dawning of the Morning and therefore according to that Wisdom it were proper first to Establish a Patriarchat in France before they endeavour a Gospel-Reformation To this I answer That as to the Authority of the Pope which the Creation of a Patriarch would have over-turn'd all the Parliaments of France and amongst others that of Paris all Persons of Learning Sense and Honesty ev'n amongst the Clergy themselves do not acknowledge that Authority in their heart nay they despise all other Doctrines contrary to those of the Protestants as being evidently false or unprofitable The Kings Authority and the Respect or Fear that they have for him are the only Ties which retain them lest he should destroy or ruine them if they did â—…urn Protestants They have had many Doctors of a long time who have opened their Eyes in regard of the Popes Authority and diverse other such Doctrines as the Chancellor Gerson and the Drs. Richer de Launoy the Author of the Book call'd Les Moyens Seurs Honnetes Sure and Honest Methods Elias Du Pin and many other without mentioning the Books of Protestants and besides the Jansenists the New Philosophy and the present Quietists do something of that Nature And there 's ground of hope that all the Nation will be moved at the infinite number of Mischiess which Popery occasions in the State when they are