the effects thereof Luther appeals to a Council Par 27. Why Luther's Doctrine did not make greater advances a Schism among the Protestants the Protestants abuse the liberty of the Gospel of the Academy of Paris of Zwinglius and Calvin that Luther took a great many of the Romish Ceremonies that the riches of the Church have been one cause of the progress of Protestant Religion Par. 28. The Pope recovers from the fright which Luther had put him into that he now acts more cautiously than heretofore that Priests and Monks live more regularly at present of the reestablishing of Learning in the Church of Rome the ways of enticing Protestants to that Church that the House of Austria has mightily contributed to the Papal Grandeur Par. 29. Of the Temporal Dominions of the Pope of the Countries that are under his Jurisdiction of the Popes Militia of the Popes Interest in relation to Germany France and Spain that the Pope need not fear the Power of the other States in Italy Par. 30. Of the Popes Spiritual Dominions that the Pope has different Interests from those of other Princes the Foundation of the Papal Monarchy that the absolute Power of Popes can't be prov'd from Scripture nor from the example of the Apostles in General nor from that of St. Peter in particular how the Papists Answer these Objections Par. 31. Why the Sovereignty of the Roman Church could not well admit of any other Form than a Monarchical that there could not be invented a more regular Monarchy than that of the Popes why this Monarchy ought to be Elective why the Popes don't Marry of the Conclave why the Popes are generally Italians why they usually chuse an old Man for Pope why they don't chuse one of kin to the last Pope nor one that is too much devoted to the French or Spanish Interest of the Colledg of Cardinals of the Dignity of Cardinals of their Number of their Election that the Popes always endeavour to enrich their Kindred with the spoils of the Church of the Cardinal Patroon why the chief Ministers of the Pope are his Nephews Par. 32. Of the Celibacy of the Ecclesiastics of their great number the several sorts of Ecclesiastics Par. 33. That the Doctrine of the Church of Rome does very well square with the Popes Interests that it prohibits the reading the Holy Scriptures of Traditions of Venial and Mortal Sins of the Remission of Sins of Works of satisfaction of the merit of good Works of Works of Superrogation of Ceremonies and Feasts of forbidding the Cup of the Sacrament of Marriage of the forbidden Degrees of extreme Vnction of Purgatory of the Adoration of Relicks of the Invocations of Saints and of Canonisation other means that the Clergy uses to drain the Purses of ignorant People Par. 34. That Vniversities have been no small means of supporting the Papal Authority that the Professors were the Popes Creatures that the Philosophers were his Slaves of the Scholastic Divinity and Philosophy that the same Pedantry is yet in vogue Par. 35. Why Jesuits intrude themselves into the Government of Schools and Colleges the service they render thereby to the See of Rome that they have insinuated themselves into the Courts of Princes of the Censuring Books that the Romish Priests inspire their auditors with an ill opinion against Protestants of the false rumors they spread to their own advantage Par. 36. That the Excommunication of the Popes is not so terrible as it used to be Par. 37. The Reasons that oblige these People to stick to the Romish Religion that a great many of them do it for Interest others through ignorance why some of them are guilty of Atheism that there is Preferment in the Roman Church for all sort of People why the Princes of the Roman Religion do not abandon it Par. 38. Of those States whose Interest it is to maintain the Authority of the See of Rome of Italy of Poland of Portugal of Germany that Charles the Fifth neglected the occasion of making a Reformation in Germany what had probably happened if Charles had turned Protestant of Spain of France of the Formalities that the Nuncioes are oblig'd to observe in France a project of making a Patriarch in France that the Pope has an aversion for the French Monarchy of the principal support of the Popes of their conduct heretofore in respect of the Spaniards and also in respect of the French Par. 39. How the Popes stand dispos'd towards Protestants why they have favour'd them upon certain occasions Par. 40. If there are any hopes of an accommodation between the Pope and Protestants the Reasons of the Impossibility that such propositions are chimerical and dangerous of the strength of Protestants and Catholicks of the Protestant States Divisions between the Protestants other inconvenients of the Jealousie that reigns between the Protestant States of the Huguenots of France of Poland how strong the Protestants are in Germany if they are able alone to defend themselves without the aid of France and Swedeland that the security of the Protestant States does not depend on Treaties of the Sovereign States of the Protestant Religion of the means of maintaining the Protestant Religion whether the Lutherans and Reformed may be brought to any accommodation of the Socinians and Anabaptists THE HISTORY OF Popedom THE POPEDOM may be consider'd Two ways First As it's Doctrine which is singular and different from that of other Christians does fall in with the Holy Scripture and does either impede or promote the means of our Salvation the consideration thereof as 't is taken in this Sence we leave to the Divines And Secondly As the Pope does not only make a very considerable Figure amongst the rest of the Italian Princes but does also pretend to the Soveraignty of Christendom at least in all Spiritual Affairs and does in effect Exercise such a Supreme Authority over all the States of Europe that have the same Sentiments in Religion with him 'T is this second Consideration which particularly and immediately belongs to the Politicians since such a spiritual Soveraignty does not only bridle the Supreme Power of every State but is altogether absurd and inconsistent with the nature of such a Power Hence is it That Religion is so confounded and intangled with the politick Interests of Rome that he who will understand the latter must be perfectly inform'd of the Rise of that spiritual Monarchy and by what means it is Arriv'd to so prodigious a Growth and what Intrigues are used to preserve its usurped Greatness For thereby will likewise appear what relation it has with the Controversies so rife at present among the Western Christians and how far one may attribute those disagreeing Sentiments of Religion either to different Interpretations of the Scriptures or to the prospect of Temporal Interests After a strict Examination of which we will leave it to the Judgment of Wise and Impartial Men to determine whether there can be any hopes of a
THE HISTORY OF Popedom Containing the RISE PROGRESS AND DECAY Thereof c. Written in High Dutch BY SAMUEL PUFFENDORFF Translated into English by J. C. LONDON Printed for Joseph Hindmarsh at the Golden Ball over against the Royal Exchange 1691. Imprimatur C. Alston October 2 d. 1690. To the Right Reverend Father in God HENRY Lord Bishop of LONDON Dean of the Chappel Royal and one of the Lords of His Majesties most Honorable Privy Council This TREATISE is most humbly Dedicated By John Chamberlayne CONTENTS Paragraph 1. POlitic Reflections on the Spiritual Monarchy of the Pope Par. 2. Of the Blindness of the Heathens in Matters of Divinity what they proposed to themselves by choosing the Paths of Virtue wherein their Religion consisted Par. 3. Of the Jewish Religion why other Nations did not embrace the Religion of the Jews Par. 4. That the Christian Religion is adapted to the humours of all People that it admits no Respect of Persons that it is not contrary to Civil Government that there is no other sort of Religion or Philosophy that can equal it why many of our Christians live like Heathens Par. 5. Of the External Government of Religion what is here to be understood by the External Government of the Christian Religion of the Ministry of the Church of the calling of the Apostles Par. 6. The Division of this Question that this necessity does not proceed from the nature of every Religion in general how the External Government of Religion was transmitted from the Fathers of the Family to the Sovereigns of each State Par. 7. That it is not inconsistent with the Christian Religion for the Sovereign to have the direction of it as to its External Government Par. 8. The First Progress of the Christian Religion the Divine Conduct in the Establishment of this Religion how the Jesuits Preach the Gospel to the Chineses why God called the Ignorant rather than the Wise and Learned Men. Par. 9. The Persecution of the Primitive Church the New Christians Slandered and Calumniated the Romans upon Reasons of State oppose their Religion the Roman Persecution condemn'd Par. 10. Of the Ancient Government of the Christian Religion Differences arising about Religion Terminated by Assemblies why the Authority of these Assemblies ought to be permitted under Heathen Emperours Par. 11. That the External Government of the Church by being lodged in the hands of the Primitive Christians has produced strange disorders that from hence some have supposed two Powers in the State that Ecclesiastics ought to receive their Call from the Sovereign of each State Par. 12. That it was not in Constantin's Power wholly to change the State of the Church how the Bishops and other the Ecclesiastics came to Vsurp the Sovereign Power that the Sovereign may preside in the Assemblies where Controversies are treated of the abuse of Councils Par. 13. The Jurisdiction of Bishops abused other Abuses concerning Marriages Ecclesiastical Discipline abused the Popes misuse the Power of Excommunication Par. 14. The Rise of the Popes Authority that Ignorance and the Barbarity of the Age contributed much thereto the causes of this Ignorance that ignorance help'd much to the Establishing of the Popedom the Introduction of Pedantry into the Schools that the Politiques of the Greeks and Romans were contrary to Monarchy two dangerous effects of the ignorance of Politiques Par. 15. Why the Monarch of the Romish Church has chosen Rome for the place of his Residence how the Pope Establish'd his Hierarchy of the Metropolitan Bishops how the Bishops of RomeVsurp'd the Preheminence Reflections on the Popes Power Par. 16. How the Pope came to Domineer o'er all the Western Part of the World of the Confirmation of Bishops by the Pope Decisions of the Pope Dispensations of the Popes Vicar in France of the Monk Winifred the Pope makes him his Vicar he advances the Grandeur of the Popes of the Annates the Popes annul the Decisions of Provincial Synods they force the Bishops to swear Fidelity to them Par. 17. The Riches of the Church and how first gotten the Avarice of the Church-men and divers effects thereof the Institution of the Crusado a stratagem of Popes Par. 18. Of the great number of Ecclesiastics the Original of Monks and other Religious Orders of the Multitude of Monasteries of the Order of Begging Friars why they chose that sort of Life the Reasons that induce men now adays to choose a Monastic Life that Monks have been very prejudicial to other Church-men that they alone hinder the Bishops from opposing the Pope 's Authority that a great many Bishops would be glad to shake off the Yoke of Rome that it is the Interest of Bishops to submit to the Pope Par. 19. How the Church has shaken off all Temporal Jurisdiction how the Bishops of Rome slipt their Neck out of the Emperours Collar Par. 20. The Pope implores the French Kings Protection against the Lumbards the French enter Italy they bestow the Exarchat on the Pope that the Popes did heretofore hold those Countries under them of the Emperour Par. 21. The Popes Establish an Ecclesiastical Sovereignty Pope Gregory Excommunicates the Emperour Henry the Fourth the Pope endeavours to Domineer o'er the Emperour a quarrel between the King of England and his Bishops that succeeding Emperours have in vain endeavoured to regain their lost Authority Par 22. The Pope exalts himself above all Temporal Powers the use he made of his Excommunicating Power how the Pope colour'd his usurpations the Pope takes upon him the cognisance of Matrimonial Affairs that the Pope allur'd the most knowing Men into his service the unbounded Ambition of Pope Boniface the Eighth Par. 23. The Popes find their Authority oppos'd that the great Schisms in the Church have much weakened their Authority the first Schism the second Schism the third Schism the fourth and last Schism that the Pope has not been able to Lord it over Councils the Confession of several Popes concerning the Authority of Councils that Popes have been Depos'd by Councils Par. 24. The removal of the Popes Seat from Rome to Avignon that it was prejudicial to the Pope 's Authority the Pope reduces to his Obedience the City of Rome the History of Caesar Borgia natural Son of Alexander the Sixth the Ecclesiastical State reunited to the Popedom Par. 25. That the Papal Authority receiv'd a terrible blow by the Doctrine of Luther the Virtues and Vices of Leon the Tenth of Indulgences Luther Preaches against them and against the Power of the Pope Par. 26. That Luther's opposition met with a seasonable juncture of the times the miserable State of Christendom at that time the ignorance of Luther's adversaries Erasmus favours Luther that his silence alone was very prejudicial to Luther's adversaries that the Princes of Germany were unsatisfied with the Pope why Charles the Fifth was willing that Luther's Doctrine should make some progress the Popes ill conduct in the Business of Luther the imprudence of Cardinal Cajetan
no man by submitting himself to any Civil Government does renounce the Care of his Body and Soul For otherwise if it had pleas'd God to have begun the propagation of his Religion from the Conversion of Kings and Emperors without doubt they would have seconded by their Edicts the Preaching of the Apostles abolish'd the Temples of their Heathenish Gods prohibited the Exercise of Paganism and by the Apostles Advice they would have assum'd and manag'd the external Direction of Religious Affairs and forever afterward have reserv'd it in their own hands as we find it put in practice in some Countries where the Christian Religion was first embraced by the Princes thereof Sect. 11. In the mean while the external Government and Disposition of Holy Things by the negligence of the Civil Magistrate being devolv'd upon the Primitive Christians was found too late to be of a very dangerous Consequence for from hence some have pretended to infer that the Election of fit Ministers and the Management of Church-Affairs does naturally and originally belong to the common People as they are understood in opposition to their Soveraign or Rulers 'T is true one ought not to force upon the vulgar a Minister whom they extreamly dislike especially if they have any probable reason of their aversion against him for such a man with all the Preaching in the World can never Edify his unwilling Auditors yet it does not follow from hence that the Mob have any original right thereto because they once enjoy'd it by provision whilest the Soveraign omitted the performance of his Duty and Function herein For otherwise it would have been as little in their Power to call and appoint Ministers in their Churches as it ever was to dispose of Civil Offices and Employs in the State Therefore if it happens that in this Country or another the common People have any Right or Privilege therein 't is to be understood that they enjoy it by the permission and connivence of their Soveraign whom we presuppose to be an Orthodox Christian There are some also who would from hence conclude That the external Government of the Church must necessarily be consider'd as something separate and distinct from the Supreme Civil Government and therefore ought to be Soveraignly Administred by the united Body of the Clergy or by some one chose from amongst them and that so in every Christian State there must needs be two Different and Independent Bodies of which one was be named the Body Politick and t'other the Body Ecclesiastick and both Soveraign and Independent of each other But this is absolutely false and it is most certain that that Power and Authority which was provisionally usurp'd by the People when that negligence of the Prince by which it was forfeited ceases does justly devolve again upon the lawful Soveraign nor does it follow that the Power which the Apostles had in the establishing the Church can be challeng'd by the Ministers of the Church now established for the Apostolary Function was something particular and different from the ordinary Church-Ministery as this is from the external Direction of the Church and therefore as one that is chosen for a Minister is not strait an Apostle so neither does a King in assuming the Government and Protection of the Church immediately become a Priest thereof Now tho' the Christian Religion is originally Divine and therefore not to be comprehended by weak Humane Intellects yet that does not hinder the King or whosoever is Supreme from the Direction and Administration thereof provided that he make use of the Counsel and Assistance of those men who are best vers'd in such Affairs From what has been now said we may likewise draw this conclusion that we are not oblig'd precisely to follow the Praxis of the Primitive Churches in relation to the external Direction of the Church or to observe it as a general Rule for Church-Government in those States where the Soveraign is an Orthodox Christian For that Praxis is wholly founded on the Circumstances of those times which can have no place in those States where both the Supreme Magistrates and the Common People are united in one Faith Why therefore should we make a Schism in the State when there is none in the Religion Sect. 12. Now tho' by the conversion of Constantine the Great to the Christian Religion the Church assum'd a New Form for as much as the Soveraign was then capable of Administring the Function of external Governour of the Church yet this could not be done so easily or commodiously as if the Soveraign had always from the beginning been Head of the Christian Church but there remain'd so many Relicks of the preceeding Provisional-Government that they afterwards occasion'd innumerable errours and abuses in the Western or Latin Churches Besides the People could not be brought to consent that the Emperours whom they as then look'd upon to be meer Novices in Matters of Religion should immediately acquire the Supreme Direction of Ecclesiastick Affairs in prejudice of the Bishops and Clergy who could not see themselves without a great deal of unwillingness and regret dispoil'd of so considerable an Authority Whereas the Emperours on the contrary their Subjects being mostly Christians were forced to depend on their Priests and caress them continually if they desir'd to have their Throne settled and themselves secure from falling To which Reason we may add That the first Christian Emperours having as yet in their Service a great many Heathenish Officers it was not reasonable that the Government of the Church and the Affairs thereof should be taken into consideration or deliberated of in the Imperial Councils where Pagans were always present From thence it came that in the Institution of Bishops and other Ecclesiasticks the customs and manners introduced in the times of the Heathen Emperours were generally observ'd and that not only the decision of Controversies in Matters of Faith but also all Laws serving to the external Direction and Government of the Church as also all other Differences arising amongst the Chiefest of the Clergy were deliberated of in Synods and General Assemblies where the Prelates pretended that they alone had right to Preside and give their Suffrages Whereas the right of calling Synods or other Assemblies together was the Prerogative of Soveraigns alone and in all other times did indisputably belong to them besides that that it was but reasonable that they should preside and have the Direction of such Assemblies let the matter be what it would that was there Treated of where their Consent was absolutely necessary to the ratification and passing into a Law of what was there determined 'T is true in those Conventions neither the Soveraign nor the whole Body of the Clergy have any Power or Right to form new Articles of our Belief or to interpret the Scriptures after their own Fancy but since the whole Duty of a Christian what he ought to do and what he ought to believe is contain'd in the Holy
Arles into a Metropolis over seven Provinces the Pope made the Arch-Bishop thereof his Vicar General in France out of fear that the said Bishop might take an occasion to make himself Patriarch of the whole Kingdom and he was very well contented to enjoy such a precarious Power over the seventeen Provinces into which France was at that time divided rather than have the right in himself and an independent Authority over seven Provinces alone And to render the charge committed to him more awful and respected he omitted no opportunity of enlarging and extending the Papal Jurisdiction Afterwards in the eighth Century when the Ecclesiasticks and Monks were become very infamous for their exorbitant and irregular Lives one Winefred an English Monk afterwards nam'd Boniface being mov'd with an extraordinary zeal took upon him to reform the manners of the Clergy as also the introduction and plantation of the Christian Religion in some parts of Germany and more especially in Turinge and Freezland this man to give a greater lustre and credit to his Work devoted himself entirely to the Seat of Rome from whence he first receiv'd a Bishop's Mantle and afterwards was qualifi'd with the Title of Arch-Bishop of Mentz and by Gregory the Third was constituted his Vicar who gave him a plenary Authority of assembling Councils and making Bishops in those Countries which he had converted with Recommendations to the People and to Charles Martel Great Master of France that they should take him under their protection which they did with a very good will And when Charlemain his Son signifi'd to Boniface that he was very desirous of establishing the Church-Discipline he readily took that employ upon him to the no small advantage of the Romish Chair to gratify the same Charlemain he held a Council in Germany and several Synods in France at the request of King Pepin and presided in all those Assemblies tanquam Legatus Sedis Romanae And in the first Council the Clergy sign'd a Confession of Faith whereby they oblig'd themselves not only to persist in the Catholick Faith but they join'd themselves as Members to the Church of Rome and vow'd an eternal respect and obedience to St. Peter's Successours 'T was this same Boniface too that perswaded the Bishops of Germany to accept of the Pallium from the Pope who afterwards sent the same into France to bind them thereby the faster to his Interests and so soon as he had once accustom'd them to serve themselves of that sort of Robe he afterwards made it a necessary obligation and forbad them the exercise of any Episcopal Function before they should receive that Garment from Rome The Popes likewise pretended That they only had the Power of removing a Bishop from one See to another and oblig'd all the Western Bishops to receive their Confirmation from them for which they must pay some little Gratification that was afterwards converted into the Annates Besides this they took away the Authority of the Provincial Synods and annull'd their Decrees which at last was the occasion that no more were call'd when they perceiv'd that it was all in vain whilest the Pope abrogated all their constitutions according to his fancy without hearing their Reasons and Justifications At last Gregory the Seventh forced all the Bishops to swear Allegiance and Fidelity to the Romish Chair and made a Decree that no Prince or Soveraign should presume to condemn any man that made his Appeal to the Pope They forgot not likewise to send their Nuncio's or Legates in all Countries who exercis'd in the Pope's Name that Power and Authority which they had ravished from the Arch-Bishops and Provincial Synods and were double diligent in the advancement of their Master's Interests Sect. 17. This Ecclesiastical Supremacy daily increasing was extreamly prejudicial to the Civil Powers whilest the Clergy by their tricks and devices attracted infinite Riches and by their Riches a great number of idle Priests and lazy Monks 'T is true the Church ow'd the greatest part of its Riches to the Charity and pious Intentions of Kings Princes and others who were wheedled into a belief That to bestow great Largises and Donations on the Church was a most pleasing and acceptable Sacrifice to God and this their liberality was afterwards much more promoted when the people were perswaded That by good Works amongst which the Donationes ad pias Causas held the first rank Heaven and Happiness were to be purchased And whereas the Avarice of the Clergy increasing with their Riches could not be satiated by the free and generous liberality of the people they practised all sort of inventions to squeeze Money out of 'em upon which account they instituted a great number of Fopperies and unnecessary Ceremonies for which the Laity must dearly pay 'T was this their cursed Avarice that was the occasion of Masses without number to be said and sung as well for the living as the dead of Purgatory Indulgences Dispensations Pilgrimages Jubilees and a thousand other Bagatelles Besides they took a special care to insinuate themselves into the good wills of dying persons who were so much the less sollicitous how they dispos'd of their temporal Goods the desire of which did oftentimes make their Heirs think them too long liv'd and ante diem Patrios inquirere in Annos And at last if all means fail'd they were not asham'd to fall to down-right begging Amongst other devices to get Money the Popes serv'd themselves very advantageously in the eleventh and twelfth Century of the Crusado when the People mov'd with a godly itch of reconquering the Holy Land let themselves be mark'd with a Holy Cross for the Popes challeng'd to themselves the management and oversight of such sort of Ghostly expeditions and receiv'd into their more peculiar protection the Goods and Persons of all those Zealots that took the Cross upon them so that they could not be proceeded against neither Civilly nor Criminally until their return from the Holy Land whereby they had an occasion of promoting the commerce of their Indulgences and Dispensations more than ever Their Legates had the administration of all the Alms Collections and Legacies which were given to that end and from hence they took a pretext of obliging all the Clergy to pay them Tenths nay they very imperiously forced Kings Princes and great Lords to take upon them the Crusado which Arms they afterwards turn'd against all such as they accus'd condemn'd for Schism and Heresy declaring their Goods confiscated and void of all lawful Possessors distributing and dividing them to such as had rendred them any considerable Service and this Authority they exercis'd without asking the leave of Princes and States under whose Civil Jurisdiction they were who werel likewise aw'd into so slavish an obedience that they durst not oppose themselves against these Investitures tho' they easily perceiv'd the injustice of ' em Sect. 18. The Riches of the Church increasing the number of the Ecclesiasticks was likewise
Followers would not conform themselves in every point to his Sentiments but pretended that they had likewise something to say for themselves Hence did arise several Differences and Disputes among them which whilst there was no body whose Authority was sufficient to decide 'em and each one obstinately persisted in his Opinion quickly occasion'd Schisms amongst them and made them forgetting their Common Enemy to fall foul upon one another This gave the Papists a very fair occasion to say The Hereticks were confounded amongst themselves not knowing what they should believe and were wandring in an inextricable Labyrinth since their falling away from the Romish Church Hereto did not a little contribute those who abusing the Name of the Holy Gospel led an impious and scandalous life as if the Gospel-Freedom consisted in the abandoning themselves to all sorts of Debauchery This their ill Conduct gave occasion to the Pope's Followers to blacken the Doctrine of Luther because he had so severely reprehended the scandalous Lives of their Clergy and thereby had gain'd himself a strong Party And it was likewise a great misfortune that a very little after the preaching of Luther there sprung up great swarms of Phanaticks as the Anabaptists and such-like and that the Bores in Germany made a dangerous Insurrection all which Disturbances were by the Pope's Creatures attributed to Luther's Doctrine so that a great many Princes began to suspect it as if it were the Introducer of all sorts of Licence and Irregular Liberties amongst the Mobile which they esteem'd a greater Evil than the Oppression of the Clergy So that they oppos'd themselves with all their might against this new and seemingly seditious Doctrine of Luther Some are of opinion That the Academy of Paris had a great share herein for Luther imagining that the French Clergy were discontented with Leon the Tenth upon the account of the Pragmatick Sanction concerning the Election of their Bishops and therefore would not let slip so fair an occasion of revenging themselves on him 'T was in these Thoughts that Luther was so willing to submit to their decision his Disputes with Eckius but unfortunately for him for they condemn'd his Opinions in very rude and jocquant terms Spain too found it to be her Interest to take into her protection the Chair of Rome and therefore violently oppos'd the Protestant Religion and so vigorously supported the solemn League in France that Henry the Fourth to gain the Crown was absolutely forced to abjure his Religion Some have likewise observ'd that the advancement of the Protestant Religion was not a little retarded first by Zuinglius and afterwards by Calvin who introducing a too great and hasty Reformation as well in things relating to the external form of the Church as in the essential points of Faith fell from one extream into the other Now Luther had chang'd very few of those things to which the People had been accustomed for he left in the Church the Ornaments Bells Organs and Candlesticks and retain'd likewise the greatest part of the Mass excepting that he added thereto several Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue so that he was look'd upon by the greatest part as a Reformer only of some Abuses that had slipt into their Religion But just as it appeared that this Revolution was like to be universal Zuinglius interven'd in Switzerland and Calvin in France who instead of observing Luther's method began immediately to preach against the Presence of Christ's Body in the Eucharist abolisht entirely all sort of Ornaments and Ceremonies broke in pieces the Altars and Images extirpated all sort of Order in the Hierarchy or Government of the Church and despoil'd the Religion of all that which might serve to attract the Eyes and the external Senses Whereupon the common People conceiv'd a great aversion against them and cleav'd with much more zeal and attachment to the Religion which they received from their Ancestors The Riches of the Church did also not a little contribute to the progress of Luther's Doctrine whilst several laid hold on the opportunity of appropriating them to themselves and perhaps did no less hinder it whilest most of the great Prelates stuck fast to the Church of Rome who perhaps would have ventur'd to have shaken off the yoke if the fear of losing their fat Benefices had not kept them faithful to their Masters Interests as we see that it happen'd in France where the Prelates themselves as well as the common People before the Reformation did mightily despise the Pope's Authority but afterwards were great sticklers for the Chair of Rome and stirr'd up the peoples hatred against the new Doctrine as soon as they perceiv'd that if that prevail'd they must out Sect. 28. But after that the Pope and his Creatures were a little recover'd out of the terrible consternation so puissant an opposition had put them in and that his Adversaries began to fall out among themselves he establish'd his Affairs in a much better condition than at first and stood so vigilantly upon his Guard that the Protestants are not only incapable of doing him any more mischief but he does proceed every day to get signal advantages over them for that which Luther took an occasion to hurt him most by is now quite taken away or at least is more prudently and modestly practis'd by him si non castè saltem cautè And the Weapons which Luther us'd against the Pope are now by the same advantageously turn'd against their Master for the Popes do no longer so impudently insult over Soveraign Princes as they were wont to do but use them with much more civility and moderation 't is true in the last Century Paul the fourth did handle the Spaniards something roughly as Paul the fifth in the Age wherein we live did deal with the Venetians much after the same rate but their differences were quickly termined by a prudent mediation before the business came to be too high and the Popes have been since convinced that such heats are very prejudicial to their States as in effect Paul the fifth was immediately brought to reason when the French Ambassador made him believe that the Venetians had sent for Ministers from Geneva and that he should shortly hear they were all turn'd Protestants Besides the Papal Chair has no more been fill'd by such notorious Debauchees as Alexander the sixth or by any of so Martial and fighting an humor as Julius the second but on the contrary they endeavour to put their plots in execution with less noise and more cunning and by appearing outwardly very zealous for the peace and quiet of Christendom The scandalous Merchandizing of Indulgences and a too gross Simony is by them suspended whilest they endeavour to drain the Peoples purses by more honourable and plausible means the Bishops likewise in general are much mended and comport themselves with more modesty and gravity than they did before Luther's time and there is now to be found amongst their Clergy very Wise and
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
can pretext so specious Causes as is the restauration of the Catholick Religion and Goods of the Ecclesiasticks they must have quite lost all knowledge of preceding times besides the Treaty of Nimmigen has shewn how vain and fruitless all such Projects are The Independent Protestant States need not fear being oblig'd to abandon their Religion by any violent means for as the uniformity of Religion cannot remove the Jealousies of State which is notoriously evident from France and Spain England and Holland so neither can the difference of Religion produce this effect that in case any potent State of the Romish Perswasion should undertake to oppress a neighbouring Protestant all the Papists should forsake the one and immediately join with the other especially if they had any Interest in the preservation of the State that should be in danger of ruine The lastingness and conservation of the Protestant Religion in those States where it is profess'd does chiefly consist in the care that is taken to maintain it within the Country whereto they have no need of such subtile and artificial Devices as are us'd in the support of the Popedom but the most simple and ordinary means are sufficient for it mostly consists herein That the Schools and Churches be provided of learned and pious Teachers That the Clergy by a sound Doctrine and virtuous Life give a good Example to their Flocks That every one be easily grounded in the true Fundamentals of their Religion and especially such as are to be employed in Affairs of State that they may be able to defend themselves against the Artifices of the Papists chiefly when they happen to travel in Popish Countries And lastly That the Clergy qualifie themselves so as to be able to baffle their Adversaries and refute all their Quirks and Sophistical Arguments Some are of opinion that it would be no small advantage to us if the two head Parties of the Protestants which only differ in some particular opinions whilst the Interests of their Religions is one and the same could be brought to an accommodation and union under one head the which they imagine to be very feasible if we would lay aside all Hate Animosities Self-Love Pride Opiniatrety and unreasonable Preventions But if we examine well the Genius and Humor of most of the World we shall find this postulatum to be extravagant for if a man should consider the Controversies written on the subject of Religion impartially and unprevented he would stand amaz'd to see how the writers turn and wind themselves on all sides to maintain the opinion they have once laid down without having the least regard to its Agreement or Repugnance to the Scriptures And how often they renew Disputes and Questions which have been refuted a thousand times Besides It can never happen that one opinion should be thought as good as the other for such an indifference in any one point would shew that they did not much matter all the rest Furthermore 't would be very dangerous to make those Articles wherein we cannot agree problematick nor can I tell by what Authority we presume of our own Heads to make any Article Fundamental or Problematick Some are likewise of the mind that we should draw up a Scheme of all the points in which both parties agree and try if from thence may be form'd a perfect System of Divinity which from the beginning to the end should be compos'd ad formam justae Artis So that if this project could succeed altho' there should remain some different opinions yet if they did not dissolve the union and continuity of the whole body we should in the main agree concerning the means of attaining Eternal Happiness and all the rest would not be sufficient to hinder us from uniting in one Church But to judge rightly of this opinion one ought first to see a model of such a projected System For my part I know no better means than to commit the matter wholly to Divine Providence which in its own time will perhaps furnish expedients that the Wit of Man could not have imagin'd For 't is certain that unseasonable means will only serve to create new Schisms and Divisions In the mean while both parties notwithstanding the diversity of their Sentiments ought to unite against the common Enemies and to be really perswaded that the Pope is no better a Friend to the Lutheran than to the Calvinist As for what belongs to those little Sects of Socinians Anabaptist and such like 't is impossible to hope for any reconciliation with them whilst those believe that the Christian Religion is nothing but a Philosophy purely Moral and these know not what to believe themselves to which we may add That these last have filled their Heads with a sort of a new Polity which would render them very dangerous to a State where they had the upper hand but whether the Socinians have the same Sentiments I cannot well determine since they are not as yet become so powerful in any Republick as to be able to occasion any Troubles or Revolutions THE END Laus Deo