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
is not allowed their people to read either their Writings or Refutations Besides some have observ'd that the scandalous Lives of the Popes having been extreamly prejudicial to the Romish Religion because they were expos'd to all the World by the Writings of the Protestants they do now endeavour to retort the same Reproaches on the Protestants not only by declaring the Faults and Oversights of some few particulars but by charging them with the most scandalous Vices and desiring them afterwards to prove the contrary whereby they prepossess their Followers with notions extreamly disadvantageous to the Protestant Religion They have likewise Impudence enough to cry up the Miracles and Exploits of their Martyrs done in very remote Countries by which they acquire a great credit at least with the more simple sort of people Which Trick of theirs amongst many others is exactly remarked by Edwin Sands an English Gentleman in his View of the Religions of Europe Sect. 36. But there are yet more violent ways which the Pope uses to support the Majesty of his Character amongst which the chiefest was that terrible Ban or Excommunication whereby whole Countries have been forbidden the exercise of their Religion and Kings and Emperors have been forced to truckle to the Mitre but now a-days these Arms are no longer so dreadful as they were heretofore unless it be to some of the petty Princes in Italy But in Spain and Italy they have erected a singular Tribunal which they christen Officium Sanctae Inquisitionis wherein they enquire and proceed against such as are any ways suspected of Heresie the worst of which is that which destroys the Credit Doctrine and Decrees of the Pope By which means the people are kept in an intolerable Slavery And the Pest is not so dreadful to the Inhabitants of those Countries as is this sort of Justice which is so rigorously put in execution that he who falls into the Inquisitor's hands shall not escape without the loss of a great many Feathers Sect. 37. Now though the Direction and Administration of the Popish Religion together with other means which we have already shown are sufficient to keep the People in the Bounds of their Duty especially since the Romish Clergy do so well manage the business that they can content every one and that most of those that live under the Pope's Jurisdiction credulously swallow for great Truths all that their Priests tell them nor have they any opportunity of knowing the contrary Yet I really believe that the most politick and learned among them plainly see how matters go and would never continue under so ridiculous and intolerable a Yoke without a great many worldly Prospects and if I may pronounce my Judgment in the case I fansie that most of 'em are kept back from declaring against it because they are unable to oppose it alone nor are they willing to ruine a good Fortune which they enjoy amongst the Papists and to go over to the Protestants where they are to expect nothing but Poverty and Contempt which is too sharp a trial of their Faith and therefore they think it is enough if they believe in Jesus Christ and his Merits and that thereby alone they shall be saved And as for the other Opinions which are the additamenta religionis they yield an external compliance to them but think they may believe as much of them as they please Whether the common people and Women who are usually delighted with strange and incredible things believe them in good earnest or not is of no great importance Besides there are without doubt a great many that are not able to distinguish what there is of Divine in their Religion and what the Clergy for their own Interests have added therefore if they happen to discover the Impostures of the last they look upon all the rest as a meer Fable but are forced to conceal their Atheism from the World for fear of bringing themselves into trouble And let any wise man judge how easily an Italian or Spaniard that has never read the Bible nor any good Protestant Book may fall into such impious Thoughts so soon as he begins to discover the Cheats of his Clergy 'T is likewise certain that since Luther's time the Popedom has put on another face and does proceed much more cautiously than heretofore Besides there are a great number of People of all Conditions that find their Advantage in the Romish Communion either by entring into several Orders of Knights or but putting themselves into Convents which is oftentimes a great ease and sometimes the aggrandizing of a whole Family and at the least the superstitious Parents are very well contented therewith and think they merit not a little by an early dedication of their Children to God In fine such as can't make their Fortune in the World have no more to do than to cast themselves into a Cloister and there they are provided for all their life which Advantage they could not enjoy if the Papacy should be exterminated and the Ecclesiastical Goods confiscated to the State The Popish Doctrin is also so deeply rooted in those Countries where it does at present reign that if any should undertake to abolish it he could never attain his ends whilst the Priests would not fail to move Heaven and Earth against him or find a Clement or Ravaillac to shorten his days but most of the Princes find it their Interest to maintain the establish'd Religion or at least they find no profit but rather a great deal of danger in beginning a change Sect. 38. But Italy especially has no small Advantage in maintaining the Papal Dignity because that Land is become very considerable by the continual Residence of the Pope and by that Prerogative it has that the Pope must always be an Italian and because there is no Noble Family in all Italy that does not receive some profit from the Pope As in Poland the Bishopricks and richest Prebendaries are possessed by the Nobility of that Country who there enjoy likewise the Soveraign Power they have great Interest in the Popedom since the Bishops as Senators of the Kingdom are there in great Credit In Portugal the Clergy is also very Powerful and would easily embrace the Spanish Faction if their Prince should go about to make any Innovation in the Religion and therefore we have seen in this last Age that the Portugueze have not dar'd to mutter against the Pope tho' he in favour of Spain has us'd 'em very scurvily about the Collation of New Bishopricks and given them reason enough to slip their Necks out of so uneasy a collar In Germany several of the States of the Empire stick close to the exercise of the Popish Religion and amongst the Imperial Cities Collen as well as some other of less Importance swarms with idle Priests and Monks and amongst the Counts and Orders of Knighthood all such as have any prospect of attaining to Ecclesiastical Charges and Benefices among the temporal
Bible which God has equally given to all men and not as the Oracles of the Sybils committed only to the Care of the Priests and that all other men as well as the Ecclesiasticks can understand as much thereof as is necessary for Salvation it does not therefore in the least seem unreasonable that the Soveraign should preside in all such Conventions where they debate and dispute about the apparent Contradictions and different Interpretations of the Holy Scriptures where the Presence and Authority of the Prince might serve to moderate those Heats and Passions which usually arise from disagreeing Opinions in things of that nature where he might hinder all Calumnies and Reflections upon Persons spightful and malicious Interpretation of Words and finally awe them from pronouncing Anathema's without a very just reason against innocent and well meaning Persons But whilest the first Christian Emperors neglected this their right or could not conveniently maintain it from hence it came that things were very confusedly deliberated of and determined by Councils and that afterwards the Popes usurping a Power above all the other Western Bishops and Councils themselves pretended a right of determining in all Matters of Faith and of introducing Canons or Ecclesiastical Laws wherein their own Profit and Advantage was their chiefest prospect and have at last assum'd the Supreme Jurisdiction in all Spiritual Matters and thereby have withdrawn themselves from that obedience which they ow'd to their lawful Soveraigns the Roman Emperors Sect. 13. Besides It was the Custom in the ancient Churches that the Primitive Christians according to the Advice of St. Paul would very rarely plead their causes before the Gentile Tribunals but when any Controversy arose amongst them they referr'd it to the decision of the Bishop least the Heathens should be scandaliz'd thereat and take occasion to revile the Name of Christ Besides it would have a very ill grace to see them so greedily plead for temporal things which they pretended so much to slight and contemn Now this in it self and at that time was a very laudable and useful design but at last whilest the Christian Emperors far from abolishing this Custom confirm'd it more and more and the Tribunals were fill'd with Christian Judges the Bishops usurp'd a formal Jurisdiction which did not alone encroach upon the rights of the Civil Magistrates but did also distract the Bishops themselves from the exercise of that Charge which did peculiarly belong to them 'T was likewise the Custom of the Primitive Christians when in their Marriages any scruple arose concerning the Proximity or nearness of Blood to refer themselves to the Priest and acquiesce in his Sentiments who also in all quarrels between Man and Wife interpos'd his Authority to which we may add his Assisting always in the Celebration of Marriages with his Prayers and Blessings from all which Customs tho' as we said before naturally innocent and good in themselves very pernicious Errors and Abuses have been deriv'd since the Pope has from hence taken occasion to draw all Affairs of Matrimony which occur circa statum hominum Divortia nullitates Matrimoniorum Sucessiones Haereditates and all others of the like Importance into his Forum or Tribunal and to colour his abuses the better he has made a New Sacrament of Matrimony The Primitive Christians by the Innocence and Holiness of their Lives endeavour'd to stir up a desire in the Heathens of embracing so laudable a Religion and therefore they very severely punished those Calumnies and Slanders which the Civil Laws of the Gentiles did not reach so that in their Churches when any by a notorious ill Life had given Scandal and a bad Example to the Brethren there was some publick Ecclesiastical Pennance or other enjoin'd him which never exceeded a temporal or total Exclusion from the Congregation which Custom could not but be very profitable in the present Christian States provided that the Direction thereof resided wholly in the Soveraign's hands whose Duty it would be to prevent that such Ecclesiastical Censures be not the effects of malice private passions and self-interests especially when such Censures operate so effectually in foro vita civ li as in the Eighth Century when no man would converse with an excommunicated Person Now the Soveraign Exercise of such a Power can reasonably belong to none but the Supreme Magistrate in every State without making a division in the Government But how the Popes in following times have abus'd and how far they have extended these Censures is plainly enough laid open by all Historians when they neither spar'd Emperors Kings or Common-wealths that refus'd to Dance after their Pipes but in excommunicating them they forbid them to assist at Divine Service dispens'd their Subjects of their due Allegiance gave away their Kingdoms to others and finally oblig'd them to consent to the most disadvantageous and unreasonable things in the World In the mean while these Abuses have not spread themselves so wide in the Eastern Churches whilest the Emperours of Constantinople did at least keep up their Authority so far that the Clergy there durst never incroach upon it nor had any of the Eastern Bishops that opportunity of lifting himself above his Colleagues and assuming the Title of Head of the Church for the Bishop of Constantinople himself had only the first place and privilege of preceding all those that were not of his Diocess but had no Jurisdiction over them Sect. 14. But in the Western Churches the different circumstances of things altered quite the Scene whilest the Bishops of Rome had projected and begun to exercise a peculiar sort of Government and Supremacy and which at the last they have brought to its highest point and perfection A Soveraignty that in all the World cannot finds its parallel being built upon quite different Foundations and maintained by ways extreamly disagreeing from the policy of all other States Therefore after having made an exact enquiry into its rise and constitution we will lay open its Intrigues and describe the influences it has had the Power it has usurp'd and maintain'd for so many Ages in all the Affairs of Europe and with what zeal and fierceness this up start Soveraignty has been attacked by some and defended by others to which we will add the reasons of that cruel blow was given to it in the last Age and how it has recover'd its almost lost credit in this Age and is like to keep up it self in a very good posture From which the Wise may judge what hopes there remain of any accommodation or union of the Protestants with the Papists One of the Causes tho' something remote which has not a little contributed to the monstrous growth of a Power so pernicious to all the other Soveraigns of Europe was the Barbarity and Ignorance of Sciences after the decay of the Western Empire for counterfeit Wares are best sold and put off by dim weak Lights and an ignorant man is easier impos'd on with bagatelles and
must receive their vim obligandi à confirmatione Papae In the mean while let a man say what he will it is certainly the Interests of the Bishops to truckle to that power which they at first permitted the Pope to exercise over them for it is certain that if they should withdraw themselves from his obedience they would fall into the hands of the Secular Power especially since they could never be able to make good their party against the Pope without the Protection of their Soveraign who must be a very powerful Prince to afford it them therefore of two evils 't is best that they chuse the least Sect. 19. But altho' the Church had been never so rich and populous yet to the erecting of a Spiritual Monarchy it was absolutely necessary that the Pope should in no wise be subject to any temporal Jurisdictions and that he should hold his Residence in such a place which being free from obedience to all other Potentates should depend on and own no other Master but him as also to be possest of such Revenues as might enable him to live honourably and splendidly and not be ruin'd by the dismembring of his State and where his Partizans when at any time pursued by their offended Soveraigns might find a secure and certain Refuge but before he could compass all these advantages it has cost him a world of pains time and a powerful Resistance besides a thousand secret Practices and Intrigues 'T is true the Bishops of Rome whilest the Empire of the West flourished and as long as the Kingdom of the Goths lasted in Italy had no opportunity to think of much less to put in Execution these their ambitious designs but after that the Goths were driven out of Italy by the Emperor Justinian and Italy with Rome reduc'd to a Province of the Graecian Empire the Pope could not let slip so fair an opportunity of freeing himself from the Jurisdiction of the Emperors to which did not a little contribute the contempt of the Imperial Authority in Italy partly caus'd by the ill Gouernment of the Exarchate or Vice-Roy of Ravenna and partly by their weakness whilest the Lumbards were much more powerful in Italy by the continual quarrels of the Emperors about the time of Justinian the second to which reasons we may very well add the Eastern Emperors prohibiting the adoration of Images for Leo Isaurus threw them out of all the Churches whilest the respect that was paid 'em did degenerate into open Idolatry and the People began to be perswaded that a greater Reverence was due to their Saints than to God himself Against this Reformation Pope Gregory the second violently oppos'd himself and defended the Image-Worship with a great deal of zeal partly because it was one of the chiefest Heads of the Romish Superstition and did bring in no small gain to the Pope's Coffers and partly because it vex'd him extreamly that the Emperors should meddle with Ecclesiastical Affairs without his knowledge and against his consent whilest he was employ'd in the Introduction of his Spiritual Monarchy And besides this seem'd a very fit time for him to shake off the Authority of the Grecian Emperors In short it was by his Instigation that the Romans and Italians who till then had been very faithful to the Emperor refus'd to pay Tribute to him any longer and there happening about that time a tumult at Ravenna which was the Seat of the Exarch he himself defending the rights of the Emperors was kill'd in the Tumult And thus ended the Rule of the Grecian Emperors in that part of Italy which ever since has been free and in subjection to none Sect. 20. 'T was thus the Popes shook off the Jurisdiction of the Grecian Emperors but were in danger of falling into the clutches of a new Lord whose yoke would have been much more insupportable than that of the far distant Emperors for the Kings of the Lumbards endeavour'd to possess themselves of those Lands which were fallen off from the Emperor and consequently to render themselves Masters of all Italy and in effect they seiz'd upon Ravenna and several other places so that there was no body in Italy that could withstand their usurpations thereupon the Pope knew not to what refuge he should betake himself unless to the Kings of France who endeavour'd first to adjust the differences amicably and by fair means and because the Lumbards refus'd to hearken to any accomodation they resolv'd to oblige them thereto by force and they took upon them the Protection of Italy the more willingly not only because the Pope Zacharias had approv'd of Pepins's deposing his lawful Soveraign and from Great Master making himself to be declar'd King of France but also because they found thereby so good an opportunity of making New Conquests in Italy a Country which had often made the French Mouths water Now whilest Pepin and after him Charlemain made War very successfully against the Lumbards and had reconquer'd the whole Kingdom of Italy they presented the Pope with all that part of it which was comprehended under the Exarchate which fat Donation That they might more peaceably retain the Popes in after Ages gave out that it was the gift of Constantine the Great which sham past very easily upon the ignorance of those barbarous times In short the French Kings were much oblig'd to the Pope for the Reasons already mention'd and therefore by this gift they sought to express their Gratitude especially whilest by a present of what was none of their own they could acquire a great reputation of Charity and Holiness which in these times was valu'd according to the Liberalities and Donations made to the Clergy insomuch that the Kings themselves endeavour'd to free their Foundations and Settlements on the Church from all sort of Subjection or Homage and to assure to the Clergy the free possession of what they had given ' em Now these too extravagant Donations have not been the least reason why the Clergy has taken so much pains to shake off the Royal Supremacy whilest they justly apprehended that the Successors of those that had been so liberal to them coming to see their Errour should recall all that had been given to them and from hence it is that the Politicks have made this remark That Kings by the Concession of too great Privileges and immunities have made themselves more Enemies than Friends whilst the Receivers live in a continual fear and suspicion of the Givers least they should one day recall or retrench their immoderate Liberalities and therefore to prevent that Inconvenience they are never quiet till they have tied them so fast that it shall not be in the King's Power if it were in his will to deprive them of ' em The most Impartial of the learned are of the opinion that the Popes did heretofore design to erect into a Soveraignty those Lands which were thus bestowed on them but that their people oppos'd it desiring rather to
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
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
shall find convenient to impose them now these bring no small profit to them for tho' the impos'd pennance mostly consists in Prayers Pilgrimages Fastings Whippings and such like yet the rich are always condemned to some pecuniary mulct which must be converted to the Benefit of the Convents Churches and the Poor under which they comprehend the Begging Friars who therefore them themselves minimos Fratrum according to the fifteenth of St. Matthew that their bag might be the better fill'd Now this interpretation of the Scripture has burthened Christendom with more than an hundred thousand idle Bellies Besides The first sort of Penitence may easily be redeem'd by Money if they on whom 't is impos'd should find it too grievous and in effect What rich man is there that would not shew himself respectful and liberal to his Holy Father that he may be merciful to him and make his pennance more light and easy 'T is no hard matter to guess why good works are reckoned amongst the means of obtaining Salvation for as soon as they proceeded to give the definition of good works they placed in the first rank all Gifts and Liberalities bestow'd on the Clergy Churches and Convents and other acts introduc'd by the Pope and his Creatures out of a principle of Hypocrisy and Superstition to which they added this Doctrine That the Monks and Friars could not only satisfy for their own sins but that they had also an inexhaustible stock of Supererrogatory Merits remaining to be bestow'd for the use and service of the sinful Laity from which Superfluity they have erected a Magazine of an extreamly profitable Merchandice which cost them nothing either to stow or keep which neither grows mouldy nor musty by length of time which never diminishes and which in a word cannot be restor'd by the buyer tho' he should afterwards chance to discover the insignificancy and unprofitableness thereof They have likewise burthen'd the exercise of Religion with so many unnecessary Ceremonies Holy-Days and superfluous Processions built so many useless Churches Chapels and Altars only that the swarming drones of the Clergy may have just something to do and not seem to be always and wholly idle and to the end that they may still get a little by these and the like Fopperies This is likewise the reason of their multiplying the Sacraments to the number of seven since the administration of each one brings in grist to the Priest's Mill They have introduc'd the Mass without Communicants baptizing it a Sacrifice for the Living and for the Dead to the end that the Dead as well as the Living may be put under Contributions Besides nothing of Importance is taken in hand by a pious Catholick till he has made a Mass be said for his good success There is no Man of Quality that dies without ordering a good number of Masses to be said for his Soul for which the Priest must be well greas'd in the Fist It happen'd once by chance or forgetfulness that the Cup was not administred to the Laity afterwards it became a Law and tho' the Institutions of Christ and the practice of the Church for several hundred Years together was directly contrary to this encroachment yet they obstinately persisted therein lest it might be said the Church has err'd and that the Clergy might enjoy a Prerogative above the Laity nay so far their impudence proceeded that as if they design'd to mock both GOD and Man they give the Laity the unblest Cup which in a scornful manner they name the Washing Cup as if they had eaten some unclean thing and must wash their Mouths after it Marriage must be turn'd into a Sacrament tho' it seem never so absurd and ridiculous that the Clergy alone may take cognizance of all Affairs thereunto belonging which being almost innumerable are very profitable to them and of no less consequence for thereon depend the Estates Inheritances and Successions not only of private Persons but many times of Kingdoms also hence it was that Mary the first Queen of England found herself oblig'd to re-establish Popery in her Kingdom whilst without the Pope's Authority she could never have past for Legitimate thus Philip the third King of Spain saw himself indispensably engag'd to espouse the Pope's Interest because amongst other obligations it was not the least that he permitted him to be born of his Father's Sister's Daughter which could hardly have receiv'd a Dispensation amongst other Christians Now the same Religion that scruples not to dispense with the nearest Bonds of Consanguinity has introduc'd an endless Roll of forbidden Degrees and likewise forg'd a new sort of spiritual Affinity Why To afford the Priests a more frequent occasion of Dispensations which brings in an inestimable Revenue In the extream Unctions the Clergy have found out a very proper expedient of giving the dying person a friendly admonition to make some pious Legacies all which tends to their profit Nor is there any other design in the Fiction of Purgatory than to wheedle those that are just departing and who then little value the goods they must leave to others to give a good part thereof to the Clergy to the end that by their Prayers and Masses they may the sooner get out of a place so terribly hot and thirsty The adoration likewise of Relicks does not make the least part of the Clergy's Revenue for with an old rotten knuckle-bone they will reward the greatest Services that the Pope's most faithful Creatures shall have rendred to him The Invocation of Saints has furnish'd them with a very fair and specious pretext of building so many the more Churches of Instituting more Holy-Days of providing more Priests to officiate and of extorting more Money from the Laity to maintain them Besides the Canonization of Saints which depends on the Pope's breath does contract a greater respect and admiration of his power as if he could dispose of Charges and Offices in Heaven and that God Almighty were oblig'd to receive all the Candidates the Pope should present him by which means he can dispose of the wills of other Princes Subjects offering so considerable a Reward to their Ambition and Credulity on condition that they will maintain his Interests to the very last To which we may add That since Superstition has got the upper hand none but Ecclesiasticks have been admitted into the number of Saints and especially such of them who by some rare Master-piece of Hypocrisy and a false and affected Devotion have render'd themselves Famous o'er the World And if this Honour has at any time been granted to a Secular Person either he or those that sollicited it for him must have merited it by no common Services As to the rest I shall not trouble my self to particularize how the Clergy have cheated poor simple people of their Money by the invention of Miracles Images Apparitions Exorcisms Indulgences Jubilee-Years forbidden Meats and a thousand such like Tricks and Devices Sect. 34. After these means the