resemblance of being the Principles of good Morality and Piety they know that Divine Will ought to Govern and Rule these Vertues and then they may believe and conclude that all practices established by Humour or by the Interest of Men are Ambiguous Incertain Indifferent or Criminal And that Prince who bears a good Mind as well as a good Sword may as well judg of Religion as of War St. Paul himself tells us that the Spiritual man discerns all things But without going to spiritual exactness I have seen Peasants brought up in the labour of the fields who being born with good Wit despise many Grotesque Devotions and could distinguish with a solid judgment There is much reason to believe that if his Majesty would imploy his excellent Wit about the two Religions exercised in his Kingdom he would discern with an exact clearness the Good from the Evil the Necessary from the Superfluous Divine from Humane the True from the Dubious the Hypocritical from the Sincere the Dangerous from the Useful the Material from the Spiritual and the Rational from the Brutal A regular mind easily seeth that which raiseth him to Heaven or that which amuseth him upon the Earth 24. It is certain that his Majesty may discern without any great difficulty the form of that Religion which falls under the knowledg of a good natural judgment but to satisfie himself more fully he may command experienced men who are capable of greater labours to represent to him chat which is Old and New Christian and Roman Apostolical and Pontifical to the end his Majesty may be able to discern what is established by the Antiquity of the Apostles and all that which is added by a Modern Antiquity This Representation cannot be done but by minds very laborious and knowing in both Religions and whose Souls are sincere and generous They ought also to consider the respect they owe to their Prince and repay his kindness with a solid sincerity by this means one shall find that nothing is more ancient than that which is most true and that which doth appear most true will be best maintained and defended 25. I consider in the Oeconomy of this Peace both Royal and Heavenly that the difficulty must be but mean upon the Propositions disputed in the Schools by Divines on either side as the mysteries of Justification the grace of Praedestination this Controversie may raise divers Opinions and yet leave men Friends But the worst Obstacle is of Practices Customs and outward Devotions which appear of great moment to the Vulgar when as they are looked upon but as low things and indeed but tricks by Wise men The Roman-Catholick doth not believe that there can be either Piety or Christianity where he finds not Images Ornaments Ceremonies Processions and Pompous Appearances He accounts nothing worthy enough for his Adoration nor real for his Salvation if one does not perswade him that Christ in the flesh is kept in a box in the Church He is much a slave to Custom and believes that the Sacraments and Service administred privately and in an unknown Language where they hear the voice only without understanding the words begets more Reverence His mind is so ill-dispos'd by this Custom that he imagines that all will be in a disorder if the King should declare himself next under God as well Protector of Religion as of Justice and because of the loud and continual bawlings of the Emissaries of Rome He imagins that God will not remain in France if the Pope should not be Mediator between Christ and the King to keep them Friends without thinking that St. Peter who writ plainly saith that he that honoureth the King sheweth his fear to God whereby he declareth the near Relation between God and the King for he writes Fear God and Honour the King Such is the disposition of the Roman-Catholick from whence follow such Practices Devotions and Customs which cannot be taken from it without its destruction and one feels as much pain when one plucks away an unprofitable and idle excrescence from the flesh as in cutting off a Member which is very serviceable to the body The Protestant hath a Soul inclined quite another way He seeks God with a Worship of Spirit and Truth He believes not his Faith divinely Established but by the Word of God nor the equity of his Conscience well regulated but only by the Law of God He seeks not the flesh of Jesus Christ upon the Earth but his Spirit and his Grace He Worships him as he is in Heaven not by the Image of his body but in respect of his Divinity he can easily pass by Images and Statues looking upon them as false Representations and very unprofitable to solid Pâ—etâ— If he esteems the Right of the Church and the Decency of it in the external practice of Religion he despises the multitude of Proud Ceremonies and the glittering of so many affected Ornaments He believes not that the Popes Authority is necessary for the French Church He saith confidently that the Gallique Church may stand without the Roman and that she can never render her self more just and happy than by banishing strange Power He looks upon the King as the Head of Justice which is principally established by the Divine Laws that Sovereigns who are according to Gods own heart ought to know and cause to be observed the Law of God without turning either to the right or to the left hand with this disposition of mind so different between the Roman-Catholiques and French Protestants if divers Opinions remained in the mind only without breaking forth they would not produce dreadful Enmities and those Obstacles which are so hard to be overcome but when one endeavours to draw a Roman-Catholick from his painted Devotions and oblige a Protestant to conform to them they suffer frightful Vexations if they be constrained and can hardly take any Resolutions except they are brought to them by Reasonings and Perswasions 26. I have known the thoughts of many rational minds even of the Roman-Catholiques who believe that the King would do an act of Wise Bounty if he would permit without any reserve the satisfaction of Consciences without shewing any aversion either to Protestants or Papists provided that all would dwell in a mutual Peace without malediction or quarelling This State of Cessation would be a principle of Peace and all the World would be contented if his Majesty would not permit that any one of his Subjects should be debarred from bearing Offices and Honours that those of either Religion may live without trouble and disquiet in the Service due to his Majesty By this Liberty we should all have a Peaceable Conversation and a Charming Commerce the heats of disputes animated by Hatreds would cease they would become Conferences of Friendship by which every one might be Instructed Aversion which disorders the blood should have no more force against the calme lights of our minds and all would be so agreeably disposed to
see already you may conclude easily by the train of our Experiences that if his Majesty desires one only Religion in France he desires a very good thing 6. I cannot easily bear the Opinion of those who endeavour to maintain that it doth not belong to Kings to intermeddle with Religion as if Piety and Holiness were not used by great Ones This apprehension is False most Unjust and most Malicious it is the daughter of a wicked Politician of an interested Cabal or of down-right and crafty Tyrany Then Kings suffer themselves to be Cheated when they are perswaded that all that which has regard to Devotion is no part of their Empire nor subjected to their Government This Maxime appeares very sweet to those who would render themselves Monarchs over Kings by the pretences of Piety the least incroaching upon this matter stirs up and animates their jealousie The Cardinal of Perroun being yet but the Bishop of Everuse was in election to have publick conference with Du Plessis Mornay the Popes Nuntio Bishop of Modena went to King Henry the fourth and told him that this action of deputing Comissaries in the matters of Religion was of Ecclesiastique Authority and he beseeched his Majesty not to be surprised at the request which he made to him The King contented him with assuring him that no one should treat of the Fundamentals of Religion but of some little things only Popes have never been more stirred up against the Emperour Charles the fifth and consequently against Ferdinand his brother and Successor then by the cares which they had taken to reconcile the Estranged sentiments of Religion the Roman court maintained that these vertuous designs were ranked among wicked Enterprises and rebellious Rashness The shortness of a Letter will not suffer mee to write the Resolves of this Debate I will only tell you something of it to satisfy mine own mind as well as yours The first practises of the World let us see that the heads of Families were the Princes and Priests of them The two first sons of Adam who were Princes of the two great Families of the World were both Priests although by a secret of divine Providence that of Abel was extinguished in his person it was repaired by the birth of Seth continued by Enoch and by all those who were named the race or children of God After the ruine by the deluge Noah remained Prince of his Family did the office of a Preist and before that severe vengeance of the flood he is represented to us as a Herauld of justice who condemned the World by preaching against the wickedness of it Was not Abraham Father Prince and Priest of his Family he was found worthy to receive this praise in a strange Land by the principal men of the Countrey Thou art among us a Prince of God In the same Age the Prince of Salem bore the title Melchizedeck King of justice and he is signefied to us as a Priest of the most high God They say that God separated these two Governments after the going out of Egypt giving the politique to Moses and the care of holy things to Aaron This Objection is ill grounded for two Reasons the first is because Moses and Aaron were of the same Family and Brother-Germanes so these two Powers were in a manner in the same person and secondly Moses who according to this opinion was in the quality of King to govern the Politique did he not meddle with that of Religion He who censured Aaron vigorously after his sinfull compliance to the Golden-Calfe who caused the Idol to be broke to Pouder and made it be disesteemed by those who had adored it who received and gave all the orders for the building of the Tabernacle and for the regulating of the Sacrifices and who condemned and punished him who was found carrying wood on the holy day of Rest Moses took these cares and these Authorities In the process of time the Kings of Judah who have had the knowledg and zeal of Religion have they not medled with it Joash Ezekias Aza and Josias did they not break the Idols to pieces cause the Law of God to be searched for and re-establish the true service of the antient Religion appointed by the voice of God himself 7. But to come to the times of the Gospel Jesus head and finisher of our Faith did not take his birth according to the flesh in the Tribe of Levi but in that of Judah and in the house of David where is found the Royal Dignity of the Hebrews and he who ought to be eternal Priest according to the order of Melchizedeck hath willed that his Pontifique grandeur be in some manner ingrafted upon the Royal they published his Birth they took off the shame of his Death by the title of King himselfe taking the quality of it when he answered those who asked him Art thou King c. Yes I am It is then true that the care of Priests and Kings cannot be judged incompatible but it behooveth us to take singular notice of this splendid Alliance and of the miraculous conduct of God in it We find not that Priests have become Kings and presumptiously sought after Empires but we find that Princes by their Birth or by the Election of Divine Providence have been ordained Priests God hath not permitted that high Priests should be made Kings to increase their Vanity but that Princes or Sovereigns should take upon them the Pontifical care and title to enlarge and crown their Piety Paganisme it self never saw the Roman Priests raised to an Empire but the Emperours were bound with the Title and Authority of Priests we may see in ancient Medals they did Engrave Tib. Nero Pont. Max. Traj Imper. Pont. Max. Heliogabalus summus sacerdos in Rev. 5.10 he hath made us Kings and Priests 8. I do not pretend to maintain that all Kings ought to joyn to their soveraign Empire all the actual performances of the Ministry of God but I cannot but believe that they ought to have a most diligent care to maintain it with Purity or to re-establish it after any introduced Corruption Joshua was neither of the Family nor of the actual office of Priests nevertheless from that very time that the holy History represents to us his Employ which was to conduct the people in War it gives us also to know the commandment which God gave him to study the divine Law without ceasing and to turn neither to the left nor right Hand he performed consequently all the actions of a Prince who took care of Religion he said to the Peoples Sanctifie your selves he ordered all the preparation for the Ark and the Priests in going to Jordan he commanded them by order from God himself that they should raise up a heap of Stones for a Pious Memorial of Gods Goodness and he Ehxorted the People to to serve God with thankfulness After that Christianity had tasted the Pleasure of Quietude for some Years did not
Punishments which make the People fear the effects of its violence judg consequently what is the Conclusion of the interested hypocritical Party who leave the Princes but a mean power of making themselves to be obeyed in taking away from them the care of Godliness which is the strongest and most sure power The fear of Punishment may hinder the riseing of rebels but true Religion will stifle the design and not admit a thought of it 11. When a Monarch understands that a good Conscience is the strongest and most assured Principle to hold the Subjects in a sweet obedience and when he is perswaded that minds which are Led or conducted by true Piety stifle all the motions of Rebellion by the fear of the judgments of God his own interest with the publique peace will engage him to take care to establish Religion which hinders them from committing actions of disobedience The well fare of his State and the quiet of his Person ought to make him act so judiciously as not to permit that pretence to Religion should imprint in the minds of his People a false Godlyness which inclines them to despise his Person and Ordinances under pretence of revengeing Gods quarrel and protecting the interest of the Church The Age in which we live as well as those which have gone before us have proved what dreadfull effects false interested Piety have produced against our Kings and on the contrarie the holy History and some Chronicles of State shew us how much a good Conscience and true Religion are respectfull to their King even in the hearts of those Subjects who are harshly treated by them David being unjustly persecuted by his prince Saul might have found an occasion to take away his life secretly in the darkness of a Cave but his good Conscience obliged him to respect an unjust enemy of whom he might have rid himself if he had not feared to offend against the justice of God after the mischance or rather the decree of the judgment of God that caused Saul to perish Conscience alone produced and governed by a true Religion obliged David to weep for it and to reveng the death of that wicked Prince whom God himself had rejected Religion truly Christian counsels such practices of patience and goodness with which he King ought to be satisfied but that Religion which perswades co contrary maximes is dangerous and the King may render himself judg of it at least he may believe himself master in his own house without being subject to those who would limit his power and who teach the common people to watch for an opportunity of revolting and disobedience Charles the 8th being at Rome in the time of Pope Alexander the 6th of the house of Borgir who became an odious hated wicked man was intreated by all the Cardinals except two to defend the holy Church against the violence of that Pope who was rather a successor of Judas then of St. Peter and given more to the Alcoran than to the Gospel There are no true and natural French men who will contest with the King the power of repressing the boldness of those pretended Devoto's who teach that Kings Excommunicated by the Pope are no more Kings and that they are no more any thing to their subjects being nothing to the Pope I dare not Speak the rest it being so full of horror see the Censure of Sorbonne against Vernant and Guimenaeus Can one believe that Lewis the 12th had no right to suppress the wicked doctrine and hector like piety off Julius 2d who committed so many wickednesses against the quiet of this excellent Prince that he caused to be stamped upon his coin I will destroy the whore of Babylon The King of Navar John 2d deposed by the same Pope ought he in his condition to detest or adore the Religious thoughts of this very Pope told him by a Spanird in these words I must aid the King of Spain and employ my two Swords both Spiritual and temporal against France and Navar who are enemies to all honest people Pope Sixtus the 5th was resolved to Excommunicate Henry King of Navar and Henry Prince Conde his Bull said that he would draw the sword of Vengeance against Henry late King of Navar and Henry Prince of Conde a Bastard and Detestable Generation that he did declare them and their Successors to be deprived of all their Lordships Lands and Dignities Had not these Princes some right to resist this violence and cause to be Preached one to his Subjects and the other to his Vassals that Religion and Conscience obliged them not to follow the Passions and Usurpations of this Roman Bishop Royal Dignity is of a larger extent than vulgar thoughts can apprehend and beyond the limits which the Ambitious and Covetuous men do prescribe it for their own advantage by an affected or ignorant malice This Royal greatness is joyned to the Pontifical by a kind of necessity from which it cannot be parted neither by Reason nor Conscience and though the King doth not execute actually the functions of it yet he ought to render them so really effected that true Judgment and Power should maintain them and put them in good order The animated heats against my Proposition opposeth the punishment of King Hozias when he offered Incense upon the Altar of perfumes but those who consider his crime will find that he offended by neglect or by Pride against an express order Established by Divine Authority which ordained that the Levites only should serve in the Ministry excluding every other Family and Person whether Royal or not If this Prince had commanded the Sacrifices and Incense to be performed as God had ordered him I do not believe that he had been reproved either by God or Man My notion proves it self by the words of the high Priest which attributes to the King only the sin of contradicting Gods order in these words 2 Chron. 26.18 It appertaineth not unto thee to burn Incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are Consecrated to burn Incense in the 4. Chap. of Numb you may see the Law expresly So Uzza not being of the Family of Levi was stricken by God because he stretched forth his hand to touch and bear up the Ark 1 Chron. 13.9 These examples cannot prove but that a Christian King may have the care of Religion and of the Law of God The Head and Finisher of our Faith Jesus Christ the Son of the living God hath not bound the exercises of Religion to some particular people conditions all those who have Authority do not sin if they imploy it in the Service of the all-powerful God if a Father oweth this justice to his Children a King certainly is ingaged to it for his Subjects Do you think that the King doth commit an Injustice against God when he causeth Justice to be Executed among men 12. Since all which I have shewed proveth that the King may and ought
God and requite no more from the people but what God himself requireth then the people give to Caesar and to God that justice and obedience which is due to them by one and the same act because Caesar desires all and only that which GodS Wills 15. When the vulgar speak of the uniting of the two Religions in France they speak of a thing impossible because they consist of Propositions which are named Contradictories of which the first are necessarily false if the Opposites are true in this condition they can never be united as may be seen by these Examples one maintaining that the body of Christ in his very Flesh Blood and Bones is really present in the Sacrament the other saying that there is no reality of flesh though there be a real presence and spiritual grace Can these two Notions unite and be conjoyned one saith the souls separated from the bodies being in a state of grace burn in a fire under-ground to satisfie for their sins the other holds that souls justified by grace have no obstacle which can hinder them from possessing or injoying glory One affirmeth that the Pope is Monarch of all Kings and Bishops with the same power which Christ had when he was upon the Earth the other is perswaded that this Bishop hath not this power and that he can neither maintain it without error nor exercise it without Tyranny these propositions can never agree and if one would speak rightly of the design of his Majesty we must interpret it a unity of good Society which may be effected but not a unity of Conformity which can never be 16. I believe that according to the Kings will those of both Religions may agree in the same thoughts and make but one Religion both good and pious In the fourth Age all Christendom was divided upon the Propositions of the Divinity of Christ these two Propositions viz. Christ is God in substance and Christ is not God in substance but by resemblance are discourses and notions never to be reconciled In a word after many unjust Fends of the one and other Party all did agree after the Truth was justly known and sincerely sought after We might experiment the same unity if minds would cease to be prae-possess'd by Interest or Custome Let us search with sincerity the will of God and the reality of his thoughts and then we shall easily be of one mind piously following that which God bids us 17. This Union of Minds in the same apprehensions of things cannot be done with fatisfaction if as some pragmatically say the King should use his absolute Authority without suffering any disputes about it One I Will is not enough to perswade the profound Reason of the Soul One I Will not cannot root out the first Impressions all the effects that these commands can produce is terrour or dissembling one may study to hide one self for fear of anger for the respect one ought to have for his Majesty but every one will keep those thoughts which he thinks necessary for his Salvation What pleasure can the King have to see his Realm full of Dissemblers who fear his Anger or of miserable ones if he should use Violence 18. They rank that which you told me of the Embassage to Rome to obtain a permission for a Conference about Religion Amongst the ill news we hear His Majesty hath too much knowledg of the practices of the Romish Court to expect that the Pope should give him liberty to argue against him and his Universal Power Dare the Signiorle of Venice ask the King of Spain the power to debate whither the Dutchie of Milan and the Kingdome of Naples belong to him by a Ligitimate Right Can one believe that Romane Polity hath ever been so civil to praise Catholick Majesty to ordain a conference upon the posession of Sicily and that it hath ever asked the liberty to publish the Bull in canâ Domini in the Lords Supper by which that King is Excommunicated The King is not under Age let him govern his Subjects in the fear of God even from the bottom of our Souls we all desire it and those who would not have it so are neither Rational nor French-men Can we be in a better hand than that of a King who speaks our own Language whom Nature engageth to cherish his Country whose Inclinations are agreeable to our Climate which is his and whose Interests are necessarily tyed to ours Let the King freely take his own let no body dispute it in his Kingdome let no Stranger rule over us It is one of the most horrible punishments which God hath brought upon his people of which the Hebrews complain most bitterly and which may be compared to the crime of which the Lord himself complains in Jerem. 2.25 But thou sayest there is no hope no for I have loved Strangers and after them will I go and in Jerem. 5. You shall serve Strangers in Lament 2. Our Heritage hath been overturned by Strangers Is not the King a Christian and The most Christian King is he not a Sacred person is he not the Lords Anoynted ought he to ask the Pope leave to search the true Law of God and to offer it naked to his people Let the King speak as the generous Henry le Grand for his Marquisdome of Salus he answered to all the cunning devices of Pope Clement the 8th and the addresses of Cardinal Aldobrandin and the Artifices of the Duke of Savoy with these words I will have my Own It is the Kings right to propose the Law of God as t is his duty to search and meditate it hath not he as well as the Prince of Rome both Moses and the Prophets the Holy History the Doctrine of the Apostles and the Confession of Faith of the Council of Nice hath he not as much Ingenuity and as Penetrating a Wit as the Pope to discern Good from Evil Truth from Falshood and Sincerity from Interest hath he not more Zeal or more Natural Inclination for the good of his Subjects than a Stranger who appears to all reasonable men to make no Conscience of any thing if he can but raise never so little his glory and advantage by it Will he take measure from the Pope to oblige the French to give their Souls to God rendring their Respects to their King can any one believe that France hath no body in it who is enlivened with a Zeal by a sincere and unspotted Soul and by an inlightened Piety Can his Majesty expect Know ledge and Conscience from Italy to make us Famous and Conduct us 13. Believe Sr. that if the King hath designed that of which we discourse he hath too much Grandeur and Light in his Mind to commit it to the Pope or acquaint him with it 19. If the Pope should admit of this Conference he would never suffer that any thing should be concluded on to his disadvantage no one hates his own Flesh The Council of Trent was
a mighty Assembly whither the French sent Eminent Men but Rome never permitted that any one should propose any thing whereby his Glory or his Interest should be Touched This Conference which you speak of will give something or nothing to that Religion which is not approved of by Rome if it gives any thing it will certainly be disowned by the Pope and perhaps Excommunicated If it denies every thing to the Protestants of France it will be very unuseful to the Kings design who will not without doubt ruine his Kingdom by violence but make a peaceable and voluntary agreement 'T is then most certain that if an Assembly depends upon the Pope and if those who compose that Assembly are pre-admonished or tied to manage the interest of the Pontifical Court suspition or hatred will accompany its Birth stubbornness its Progress and bitterness its End 20. Rather than be hindred by the delayes of Rome and choice of a Deputy for this Conference all France should unite with an unanimous Consent beseech the King that he would inform himself of the differences of the two Religions pitch upon a certain Form since Heaven hath made him to be looked upon by all the World as a Prince who hath a most just Genius a most solid Judgment and Parts not Confused in any thing he undertakes one cannot think that his Majesty can charge his Memory or weary his Eyes with the Mysteries and Wranglings of Controversies but after some Love to and some Practice of the Sacred Books where the Law of God is found so much recommended to Princes by holy People his Majesty may distinguish exactly enough what Religion is most proper to be Allowed and to tie the Soul to God without Violence Confusion and Hypocrisie Hath not the King who is very judicious discerned that the form of Administring justice would defer the proceeding and that introduced Corruption followed by Custome had need to be Corrected hath not these Thoughts made his Majesty be Approved Blessed by all the reasonable disinterested People when he made his Commands to be published and kept which among the common sort are Named Le code Louis The King can very well distinguish whether the Counsel and Advice which they give him does bear the Character of Freedom the Principle of good Meaning and be useful for his Designe When he pleases to bow himself a little from his Majestique Grandeur to converse the easily knows whether he be a man that expresseth himself by a heap of unprofitable and windy Words or whether he useth Neat Clear and apt Expressions he need not study much to understand the Air of an affected Woman who defires to appear fine by fading and ridiculous ornaments by the same Genius his Majesty without trouble understands the comliness of a well-made Woman who appears in her own Colours without Paint or Disguise with the Characters of a generous Vertue This judicious Prince who considereth all that he seeth who weighs every thing that he apprehends and apprehends every thing that comes before him can with ease exactly judg of the Interest Fraud Amusements affected Pomps Artifices Politique Interests industrious Covetousness and the h pocritical Characters of Religion 21. If the King would lessen his Trouble he may Command any one to give him an Account what was demanded in the Council of Trent to reform the Abuses introduced in Religion and particularly his Majesty may please to take notice what the French Embassadors Treated of in former Complaints of Protestations or Demands of which you may see a small Abridgment drawn from the History of the Council which learns us the Negotiations of Amiot Pibrac Ferrier Lansac and of the Cardinal of Lorain who appeared for France At diverse Times and at divers Conclusions of this Synod they Demanded That the Sacrament should be Celebrated with the Cup according to the Order of Jesus Christ and the Ancient Customes of the Church That their might be Abolished many Abuses Introduced by Images Reliques Pilgrimages and other such-like Devotions That they would Reform the Abuses committed by the Mendicant Fryers That they would Permit Ecclesiastiques to Marry That they would receive no Pastors without having a Flock and without being able to Preach the Gospel That Divine Service be read in a Tongue understood by all That they would reduce the Monks to their first institution which obligeth them to work with their Hands and not to meddle with Ecclesiastical Affairs unless they be specially employed by the Bishops That Pastors should be Resident at their Churches That Eclesiastical Donations be employed and distributed according to the just intention of those who gave them for the Poor for Schools and for the preachers of the Gospel That they should not give to Tradition the same Authority as to the Gospel That before the Administration of Sacraments they should expose with Clearness their Establishment their Use and their Force in a vulgar Language understood by the most Ignorant Other Embassadors demanded many other things for their Princes and Nations as the Abolishing of first Fruits the reducing the Papal Authority to that which St. Peter seemed to have taken over the other Apostles Queen Katharine of Medices particularly demanded the Abolition of the Feast of the Sacrament of the Eucharist which appeared to be instituted rather for Pomp than Piety Read the seventh Book of the History of the Council there you will see all these Requests which testify that the King of France other Princes desire to Establish one only Religion in their Nations suppressing the Abuses of that which was in use of which Abuses they have taken a pious and just Account that they might separate the good from the Evil. 22 None can believe that it doth not belong to Kings to judg of Religion since the Embassadours of whom I have already spoken had their Instructions from the Soveraigns to whom they were Servants they proposed the Thoughts and Designs of their Princes who were so far from consenting to the Orders of Rome that they Deliberated Determined and Propounded against them Reason and judicious Piety makes Kings see the multitudes of Abuses 23. What rational Minds can ignore that our true judgment may very easily discern the Thoughts of a thing of which we have no practical Experience since we know some general Principles of it I do not profess Physick yet I know very well that excess of Wine is dangerous for one in a Fever Although I am no Farmer yet I know that a bad Husband-man who never Sows shall never Reap and that he who breaks the Stalk when the Ear is formed doth very ill dispose of his Crop I never was a Servant yet I know that he who will do that which pleaseth himself only being a Servant does not his business and runs the danger of being Chastised or turned away And by the same Consequence those which have not School-Divinity have that of Reason to discern that which hath the
Constantine the Great order the Bishops to assemble at Nice where he himself sate President in person the Bishops of those times made no Scruple of proposing Eclesiastiques to the Prince since they presented him with an Account of all their Disputes and though he would not judg of them but cast the Writings into the Fire yet his great Discretion was a prudent Management of his Grandeur either to Confound or Convert them Those that shall read that which passed in the Churches some Ages after will see that the Sovereign-Authority of Princes hath regulated the conduct of Synods after they had assembled them the Emperour Arcadius sent Count Candigian to Rule in his Name the Synod at Ephesus that of Chalcedon had for its Soveraign President the Emperour Mortian or the Commissaries whom he Deputed and that of Constantinople held in the Imperial Palace was governed by the order of Constantine Le-Barbu the Emperour The celebrated Author of the History of the Councel of Trent specified all these passages to draw this conclusion in the second Book that it was a custom very proper where they governed with Liberty which was when the world was without a Pope il che come e un uso molto proprio diove si Governa in Liberta quale era all hora quando il mondo era senza Papa When the Empire of the West was governed by the house of France Charlemaing the Emperour preserved his Power Gloriously which his Successors have lost by too much yielding The Acts of the Council of Mayence held in the Year 813 under the Authority of that Emperour began with these Words to Charles Augustus Governor of the true Religion and Frotector of the Holy Church of God Another Council held at the same Place gave the same Title to Lewis the Emperour surnamed the Debonair and in the Records of the Synod named Francisque we may read the procedings of Carloman under the title of Duke Prince of the French who spoke in this manner we have ordained Bishops in every City and have Established over them the Arch-Bishop Boniface All those who have any knowledg in History know that the Bishops of Rome whom they give out and believe at present to be so soveraignly Soveraign have written to the Emperours as to their Masters and asked Pardons or Favours intreated to have Synods in the stile of humble Suppliants We read that the Emperour Charlemaign took without contradiction the liberty of chusing the Bishops of Rome The Books of Stella Platin and of Sigonius testify that this right was preserved a long time after When the Empire passed into the house of Saxony Otho deposed Pope John the Thirteenth and put Leo the Eighth in his Place and another Otho caused the Eyes of John the Seventeeth to be put out because he resisted Bruno a Germane named Gregory the Fifth which the Emperour had chose Bishop of Rome Let the Wise and Prudent search over the Antiquities in the Hebrew and Christan Churches and they will find that Princes have never made any scruple to regulate Religion 9. If Authority upholds my thoughts reason either natural or politique will be advantagious to them since that Monarchs cannot as sure themselves of the wellfare of their Countrey the dignity of their condition nor the quiet of their minds if they take no care in the government of Religion Let us consider the condition of Sovereigns without having any respect to the practice of Religion we cannot deny that they are established in the conduct of two things which appears more important in the politique state the first is War against a forreign enemy the second is Justice against the wicked men in his own nation These two actions which ought to take up all royal Authority obliged the Hebrewes when they demanded a King to say that we also may be like all the nations and that our King may judg us and go out before us and fight our battels Sam. 1.8.20 But since one cannot reject the thoughts of St. Paul when he saith that righteousness is profitable for all things one ought to believe that war is an unhappiness and that justice cannot subsist without true Piety from whence it was that the generous and wise Joshua seeing himself ready to make war against the Infidels heard these Words Streng then thy self and be not dismaied the Lord is with thee whither thou goest And when he went to do justice to Hacon he said to the People Sanctify your selves for to morrow and say to the sinners give I pray you glory to the God of Israel Joshua 7.19 17 from whence I conclude that the King who will succeed well in both his politique Employs ought necessarily to take a special care to establish the true Religion and to rule his conduct he ought to remember that which God said to Joshua Fortify thy self more more to the end thou mayst take care to do according to all the law which Moses my servant hath commanded thee and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left that thou mayst prosper whither soever thou goest Josh 1.7 He ought to remember the command of God which orders that the King sitting upon the throne of his Kingdome should take a Copy of the written Law and read it every day that he might learn to Fear the Lord Let not his Heart be lifted up above his brethren let him not turn from this Law neither to the right nor left hand Let his dayes be long and let him reign him and his Posterity in the midst of Gods people I know not how one can maintain after this reason confirmed by Sacred Authority that the King doth an unjust Action if he takes care of Religion is it not the perfect Equity of the divine Law which conducts principally the orders of War and rules of Justice and cannot one easily prove that War is a tyrannick usurper or a savage beastliness if not bridled by Religion is it not true that without Piety which begets the fear of God the Authority of the Magistrate is barbarously Executed unprofitably Established for without Religion men would be as imaged Lions but Justice would destroy them all if she were strong enough but where she suffers all she is found weak if then the King is the first Captain and the first Magistrate of his Kingdome he may name himself and ought to appear the principal Bishop 10. The King may find a great advantage in the words of St. Paul who speakes very Christianly when he ordered that Subjects should be held under the Powers Authorized by God not only to shun the violence of anger but to acquit themselves also of the duties of conscience This Doctrine establisheth obedience in the Subject more strongly by Religion than by Force If then the King will preserve himself in a just and full Authority his care must be to endeavour to Establish true Religion which tyeth the Subjects more to his will than Force or