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
not think it worth while to seek after a better Thus God by his withdrawing the Mobile from their Heathenish manner of serving him loosned the very Foundations of this Grand Machine and thereby destroy'd the Form and Superstructure thereof For the Ignorance and Credulity of the common People was the great Basis by which Paganism was alone sustained Sect. 9. After that the Christian Religion was communicated first to the common People as we have before shew'd the greatest Opposition it met withal was from the Roman Emperors for as in their Dominions it had taken the deepest Root and made the greatest Progress so was it there most cruelly Persecuted and Oppressed to which did not a little Contribute their Ignorance of this New Religion what its Principles and what its Design was to which Cause we may add the great Number of Proselytes daily gain'd by the Publishers of the Gospel who all of 'em openly contemn'd the Heathenish Rites and Ceremonies Besides The Emperors thought it much below 'em and a derogation from their Dignities to enter into a more particular examination of this Doctrine The first Christians also being for the most part very unlearn'd were not able to reduce their Religion into any Method or Form wherein to present it to those that were in Authority which was the occasion that the most malicious Lyes and Calumnies of their Enemies were taken up for great Truths even by those that cast an indifferent Eye on that Religion They were accus'd of practising all sorts of Debauchery and Immodesty in their secret Nocturnal Assemblies nay they did not stick to traduce them of holding private Cabals and Conspiracies against the State There were a great many that had an Aversion for all Innovations whose Argument was That since the Roman Common-wealth had so bravely subsisted with its Old Religion for so many Hundred Years Why could it not make the same shift still And 't was particularly against all Rules of Policy to suffer the Mobile to begin so great a Revolution as if they were wiser than their Lords and Rulers And that which lookt most suspicious was That the Christians had constituted among themselves a sort of Ecclesiastical Government which they consider'd as a Schism or Faction as if the Christians had design'd to erect a New Common-wealth upon the ruins of the Old one and by dividing the Forces of the Empire at last make themselves Masters of the whole Lastly Whilest the Heathen Temples began to be less frequented proportionably as the number of the Christians increased and that in the mean time the Grandeur of the Roman Empire was sensibly decay'd and weaken'd by the cruel shocks it had receiv'd from the Germans Farthians c. a great many of the People possess'd with Bigottry and Superstition could attribute it to nothing else but the contempt and neglect of their Gods by whose favourable Assistance Rome had seen its self Mistress of the World They fell therefore upon the Christians as wicked Atheistical Men and sworn Enemies to all Religions and because they refus'd to obey the Emperors Commands concerning the Adoration of Images and underwent all the Torments inflicted on them and Death it self with an amazing Tranquillity and Sedateness of mind they interpreted that as a malicious stubborness and hardness of heart and therefore raged more Tyrannically against them endeavouring by all sorts of Cruelties to maintain their Authority over these wretched People But what Reasons soever can be alledg'd in Justification of those bloody Persecutions exercis'd against the Christians by several Roman Emperors none can be sufficient to excuse them from the Title of unrighteous Tyrants and shameful Abusers of that High Power which God Almighty has entrusted them with For their Subjects had embraced this Religion by the express Commands of God which can neither be withstood or suspended by the Orders of any Earthly Soveraign since the Soveraigns as well as their Subjects are oblig'd to embrace this Religion the omission whereof is an high Sin against the Divine Majesty Besides They could not excuse themselves with the pretext of Ignorance for since it was a New Religion they were oblig'd with greater Care and Exactness to inform themselves of the Nature thereof and not so blindly to sentence poor innocent People for not obeying those commands which were not in the least Obligatory For I ought not to condemn any one to Death before I am fully inform'd of the Crimes whereof he stands accused Sect. 10. But since the Christian Religion did not owe its beginning to the Consent and Authority of the Soveraignâ— the Professors thereof found themselves oblig'd on their own Heads to establish their Religion and its external Administration after the best manner they could as it usually happens in all Societies that are founded in any State without the knowledge or permission of the Civil Magistrate where the Members of the same are necessitated to find out all the means that can best conduce to the advantage of their fellowship by chusing such Officers and making such Laws as are requisite to attain the ends they propose themselves 'T is true according to the Rules of the best Policy founded upon the Law of Nature the Administration and External Direction of Divine Worship as we had often repeated before does belong to the Soveraign but since he then neglected to perform that Function the Primitive Christians were forc'd to constitute Church-Ministers and to maintain them by the Alms of charitable People And when any Difference or Controversy arose amongst them which could not be determined by one Assembly alone they imparted it to another Assembly with which they kept Correspondence or else it was decided in a Convocation of the Neighbouring Ministers Now altho' it be against the Rules of Policy of all States to permit the erecting of Fellowships especially such as consist of any considerable Number of Persons to Subjects and Particulars yet it does not follow from thence that the Assemblies of the ancient Christians and their Synods were to be Interpreted seditious and unlawful Conventicles since they had no other prospect than the free Exercise of that Religion which God had imparted to 'em and against which no humane Constitutions were of any Efficacy For if the Soveraign does neglect his Duty and Care of his own Salvation it is not necessary that his Subjects should imitate him and reject the great Benefit that Heaven does offer to 'em because it is not accepted by their Soveraign nor can his Authority extend so far as to oblige them thereto And as each particular may take up Arms and defend himself when the Soveraign either cannot or will not afford him his Assistance and Protection so if he will not take care for my Soul I am so much the more oblig'd to watch over it my self as the Soul is of greater Consequence and Value than the Body and that another is less prejudiced by my Religion than by a violent tho' self-Defence since
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
the Holy Chair Sect. 39. As for those that have revolted from the Pope tho' he would not be sorry to find them reduc'd again under his Jurisdiction yet he does not desire that by their ruins any Prince should become so great as to render himself formidable to all Europe for 't is better to give my Enemy his Life than to seek to deprive him of it at the cost of my own thus we see how great fears and jealousies the Victorious Progress of Charles the fifth's Arms against the Protestants occasion'd at Rome since it oblig'd Pope Paul the third to recall those Troups which he had destin'd to the Emperor's Service and had Philip the second subdu'd England Sixtus the fifth would too late have repented his rash promoting that Catholick Design So Gregory the fifteenth in the War of the Valteline sided with the Grisons against the Spaniards tho' the first were of the Reform'd Religion nor was Urban the eighth displeas'd to see the House of Austria mortifi'd by Gustavus Adolphus King of Suedeland because the Emperor in the business of Mantua had shown as little mercy to the Catholicks as before to the Protestants and 't is said that when Ferdinand the second desir'd a sum of Money which the same Pope had promised him instead thereof he sent him and his Army a plenary Indulgence at the hour of Death that they might with greater confidence expose themselves to all dangers Nor was the Court of Rome less apprehensive some years ago when the French King made so great Progresses in the United Provinces that the ruin of the Republick seem'd inevitable But tho' the Pope does not desire the weakning of the Protestant party by which rough means yet it cannot be denied that he uses all sort of slights and devices to allure them from their Religion amongst which the principal are to maintain a discord amongst the Protestants to flatter the Princes of that perswasion and by giving them Popish Wives to place a Serpent in their bosom to entice the cadets or younger Brothers of great Families by Spiritual Dignities and fat Benefices by making all those extreamly welcome that go over to 'em and instead of amusing themselves unsuccessfully to write Books against the Protestant Divines to cherish those disputes and quarrels that are amongst them and it is visibly certain that the Romish Clergy have made very great progresses in this last Age and are in a condition of making greater comforting themselves with a malicious joy to see that their Adversaries by internal Schisms weaken and destroy each other Sect. 40. From what has been here said may easily be judged Whether ever any Accommodation can be expected between the Protestants and Papists whilst each Party abandoning some of their Tenents shall make such Advances as at last to agree in one common Confession of their Faith and leave the rest as obscure and useless to be disputed of in the Schools or else that both might keep their Opinions and that notwithstanding the difference of Religions they might live with one another as Brethren in Christ and Members of one and the same Communion Yet if we rightly examine the state of affairs and the Principles of the Popish Religion we must own that all such Accommodations are morally impossible for we do not only discover an extream jarring and contradiction of Doctrines but the Interests of each are quite opposite and contrary one to another For first the Pope would willingly re-enter into the possession of the Church-Goods but he will find it hard to get so sweet a Morsel out of the Protestants Clutches Then again the Pope would fain be acknowledged the Head of Christendom but the Protestants will never part with the jus circa sacra the choicest Jewel of their Soveraignty and it is a contradictio in adjecto to live in good intelligence and friendship with the Pope and not own him at the same time the supreme Monarch of the Church Just as if any Stranger should desire to be naturaliz'd and made a free Denison of England and yet refuse to acknowledge the King his Soveraign Lord. The Infallibility of the Pope is likewise the Corner-stone of the Popedom which if once taken away the whole Structure will fall to the Ground and therefore the Pope par raison d'etat cannot yield the least of those points which occasion the Division betwixt the Protestants and Papists for if the Pope should own that any the least part of that Doctrine which he has hitherto maintain'd is false he must grant at the same time that he is not infallible Can he therefore err in one point He may easily err in another But if the Protestants grant that one Article of the Pope's Infallibility they must also give him all the other controverted points Now 't is non-sence to imagine that the Protestants will ever retract all that they have written against the Pope and should the Laity be brought to do it what will the Clergy do Where will they dispose of their Wives and Children c. Therefore how good and how pious soever their Intention may have been who have propos'd any means of an Accommodation between the Protestants and Papists which they call by the name of Syncretism yet they are in reality nothing but pure Whimsies and serve only to furnish matter of Raillery and Diversion to the Papists who are also very well contented that the Protestant Divines should amuse themselves with such Chimaera's since they are sure to get by it but never lose any thing forasmuch as the Protestants do not only fall foul upon one another on the account of this pretended Syncretism but the common and united zeal which they heretofore bare against the Papists is thereby extreamly weakened for any one that does not understand the matter to the botom when he hears them talk of an Accommodation will easily be perswaded that the Difference betwixt us is not so great or capital as has been represented Now he that admits such thoughts will at the same time be apt to revolve in his mind the benefits and advantages he may find in the Roman Communion and then he 'll make no great scruple to bid adieu to the Protestant Religion for 't is with their Religion as with a Maiden-head or Town besieg'd which run a great risque of being lost when once they begin to parley Sect. 41. 'T is a quaere whether the Pope with the united help of all of his Perswasion can bring the Protestants by force under his Jurisdiction We answer That the Papists do considerably excel the Protestants in number for on the Pope's side is all Italy Spain Portugal France and the greatest part of Poland as well as the weakest Cantons of Switzerland In Germany are all the Austrian Provinces the Kingdom of Bohemia almost all Upper Hungary the Bishops and Prelates the House of Bavaria and Newburg the Marquesate of Baden and some other Princes of less consideration a great number of
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
Reconciliation Sect. 2. If we will ascend to the first causes of the thing we shall find that before our Saviour's Birth the whole World excepting the Jewish Nation was benighted in the darkest Ignorance of Divine Affairs For what they did hold forth in general concerning the Nature of their Gods c. consisted mostly in improbable and impudent Fables 'T is true some of the most Learned among the Heathens could Discourse more rationally of the Divinity and State of the Soul but it was so dubious imperfect and ill-grounded a Description they made thereof that they themselves scarce knew what they meant The most of them were well enough convinced that they were oblig'd to the Exercise and Practice of Virtue but they knew no farther Effects thereof than that Advantage and Honour which they enjoy'd thereby in civil Conversation for as for what the Poets held forth concerning the Rewards which the just and the Torments which the unjust were to expect after this Life those that would pass for the wisest Men laugh'd at it esteeming it nothing more than a witty Fable and Bug-bears invented to frighten the unthinking Mobile into their Devoirs The rest of the People liv'd without proposing to themselves any other ends and in that which the Heathens named Religion there was not to be found any Rules or Formularies including the principal Matters of Divinity The greatest part of their Divine Worship consisted in Sacrifices Ceremonies and certain Holy-Days which were more spent in Plays and Debauches than any inquiry into Divine things so that from such a Heathenish Religion one could neither receive any Edification in this Life nor any hopes of a future Happiness in the next Sect. 3. In those times the Jews were the only People to whom God vouchsafed to reveal the True Religion and means of Eternal Salvation But betwixt that and the Christian Religion the difference is very considerable not only in that the Redeemer of the World and the Fountain of Salvation was represented to the Jews by Types and Figures whereas the Christian Religion comprehends the reality and accomplishment thereof but forasmuch as the Religion of the Jews was dress'd up with abundance of tedious Ceremonies whereof the greatest part had respect to the Policy and natural Inclinations of that People which were great obstacles to the growth of their Religion and render'd it morally impossible to become Universal and serve for all the World 'T is true the other Nations were not so totally excluded that through Faith in Jesus Christ they could not likewise be saved to which end there were among the Jews some godly and zealous men that made it their business to convert the Heathens especially those with whom they had to do but it did not yet please the All-wise God to send out his Embassadors or Apostles honour'd with especial and extraordinary Gifts over all the Earth to turn all Nations to the Jewish Faith and the pains that some particulars took in the Conversion of the Infidels could not produce any great effects in relation to the whole World And forasmuch as the Jews in those times being the Select People of God had the advantage above all others and that the only Temple of the True God was amongst them they valu'd themselves highly therefore and despised all the rest of the World in comparison with themselves Besides They were oblig'd upon the Account of their Ceremonies to abstain from a too free and familiar Conversation with other Nations which produc'd an implacable and reciprocal hate betwixt them so that they were set against all the World and all the World against them and consequently destroy'd all hopes of the propagation of their Religion Again the Heathens could not easily be perswaded that when they would Solemnly pay their Adorations to God Almighty they must make a long Journey to Jerusalem as if they themselves could not build a Temple in their own Country which should enjoy the same privilege as that of the Jews To which prejudice we may add that those who were converted to the Jewish Religion were not so much esteem'd as the Natives of the Country so that a very few could resolve for Religion's sake to expose themselves to that contempt which is usually the fate of strangers to endure Sect. 4. But the Christian Religion has not only a much purer and clearer Light and other Advantages above the Jewish which we leave to be considered by the Divines but it is also free'd from those streightning Circumstances which render'd the Jewish Religion so particular and it has all the Qualities that are requisite to the composition of an Universal Religion upon which Account all men are oblig'd to embrace the same which ought especially to be observed by one that will enquire into the Nature and Genius of the Christian Religion for in this God has not set apart any particular Land or Country where he will more peculiarly be Ador'd nor endu'd any with a privileg'd Holiness above the rest so that the inconvenience and great distance of God's Temple can now no longer be a pretext to this or that People for in all Nations the offering of an humble and contrite heart is equally agreeable to the common Saviour of the whole World nor is there any one Temple where God is more present or our Prayers sooner accepted than in another No Nation professing the Christian Religion has such Advantages above the rest whereupon to value its self and undervalue its Neighbour There is no distinction of Jew or Greek Bondman or Free but we are all in Jesus Christ there is no particular Race or Family selected by God for the performing Divine Service as among the Jews but all other abilities concurring one has as much right thereto as another There is nothing in the Christian Religion that hinders us from maintaining a good Union and Correspondence with all men or to render one another those mutual good Offices which the Law of Nature requires from us The Christian Religion simply consider'd and in its natural Purity dispoil'd of all Worldly views and interests has not the least jarring or discord with the Laws and Civil Society in as much as they agree with the Dictates of right Reason but rather contributes much to the cementing and corroborating of the same tho' that is not its principal end or design There is nothing that does clash with the ends of Civil Government or that should hinder us from living honourably quietly and securely under the Protection of our Rulers so that every Christian may yield an exact and perfect obedience to every command of the Secular Power as long as such commands do not recede from the Law of Nature right Reason and the Necessities of the State as likewise he may fill every charge and employ that is necessary in a well govern'd Common-wealth On the contrary the Christian Religion is most fit thereto for it does require in us a strict observation of all the Precepts
of the Law of Nature and especially those the breach whereof is not obnoxious to the punishment of any Civil Laws and does recommend to every one the performance of his charge as far as it concurs with the Laws of Nature and Honour with the greatest Zeal and Fidelity imaginable so that there is no sort of Philosophy in the World nor any other Religion whatsoever that can compare with the Christian in those points as may be seen at first sight by any one that will take the pains to make a parallel of them together so that it is not only the obligation of every particular man in as much as he is one day to give an account to God for his Soul to embrace the Christian Religion but all those whom God has entrusted with the Supreme Power are particularly bound for reasons before mentioned to introduce and maintain it in their States and that by an obligation which does necessarily follow the exercise of their Office Now tho' these effects are not every where equally visible among Christians and that there are found some who lead as irregular and disorderly lives as the worst of Turks and Infidels the blame is not to be laid upon the Christian Religion but is to be imputed to the malice and perverseness of mankind who only hide their impiety under that Sacred Veil and do little trouble themselves to put in practice the most excellent Lessons which the bestof Religions does continually suggest to ' em Sect. 5. But as all these things cannot be doubted of by the more Learned sort of Men so there occurs here a very considerable question namely Whether the Christian Religion does indispensibly require that the external Direction of it should depend of any other than those who have the Supreme Power and Administration of Affairs in every State Or which is the same in effect Whether the external Government thereof should reside conjointly in the Priests and Clergy or in any one of them without any dependance on the Supreme Secular Powers Or else Whether there must be but one Soveraign Director of the Christian Religion whom all other Christian States shall blindly obey All which Quaeries as some think do finally terminate in this Whether each State ought to regulate its self according to its own Interest and Advantage Or Whether all other States ought to make themselves Slaves to one and seek to render it great and flourishing by their own Loss and Destruction By the external Government or Direction of the Christian Religion we understand such a Power which exerts it self in the choice it makes of certain Persons to be employ'd in the publick exercise of Divine Service reserving to its self the Jurisdiction and free Liberty of enquiring into the Carriage and Demeanour of those Persons The Administration and Disposal of all such Goods as shall be Consecrated to Religion and Pious Uses by Enacting such Laws as shall be thought necessary for the Support and Maintaining of Religion in deciding all Differences and Disputes that upon any occasion may arise among the Clergy and other things of the like nature And we distinguish this external Direction from the Minister of the Church which consists in Teaching Preaching and Administring the Holy Sacraments which beyond all dispute does alone belong to the Clergy but this question is to be understood de Ecclesia jam plantata constituta non de adhuc constituenda plantanda of the Church which is already Established and not of that which is yet to be founded For the Christian Doctrine originally proceeding from the Divine Revelation and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost no Human Power can be admitted to the Direction thereof before that it be manifested and laid open by those that are immediately Authoriz'd by God for that purpose So likewise when our Saviour after his Resurrection sent out his Disciples as his Apostles and Embassadors over all the World to promulge and introduce the Doctrine of the Holy Gospel they did not receive this Commission and Plenipotential right of Preaching here and there from the Supreme Magistrate but from God alone to which therefore the King was as much oblig'd to submit as the meanest of his Subjects they being the immediate Messengers of God and to receive their Doctrine with all humility and obedience Besides it would be very unreasonable and ridiculous to aspire to the Direction of Affairs whereof they had not the least Cognizance From whence it does also necessarily follow that this question is to be understood of those Supreme Powers which themselves do profess the Christian Religion and not of Infidels or Hereticks for to commit the Care and Direction of our Religion to such were to set the Wolf to keep the Sheep Sect. 6. This question may be consider'd three several ways 1. Whether such a Necessity does arise from the Nature of each Religion in general Or 2. Whether it be a peculiar Effect of the Christian Religion And Lastly Whether it is grounded on any positive Command and Order of God That such should proceed from the common and universal Nature of every Religion we can in no wise perceive Nor can a sensible man be easily brought to believe That to serve God rightly he must of necessity make a Schism in the State and introduce two jarring Powers independant of each other Such a Division or Composition of the Soveraign Power in the same Republick is the ready means of fomenting an unquenchable Fire of Distrusts Fears and internal Jealousies whereas on the contrary there is no absurdity or contradiction in serving God and committing the external Direction of Divine Service to the Soveraign Powers with this restriction that the Soveraign will not undertake to impose any False or Heretical Opinions on us In like manner as every one is naturally oblig'd to serve God so he likewise has the Power of Instituting such external Signs of his Adoration as he is perswaded to be most pleasing and agreeable to God But so soon as Mankind set themselves to the forming and composing of civil Societies they abandon'd all their right and power to those to whom belong the direction and management of the whole Society The ancient Patres-Familias or Fathers of the Family before the construction of any Republick have this right solely seated in themselves and which from them was wont to descend to the first born of the Family as Haereditas Eximia the more Excellent and Eminent Part of their Inheritance But so soon as men with one common accord united themselves into civil Societies and Common-weals this Power was transferr'd from the Head of each Family to the Head of the Republick and this was done upon very weighty reasons for if it had been left to every mans fancy and pleasure what sort of Ceremonies he would observe in the external Adoration of God the strange and contrary varieties of serving God would have produc'd nothing but Hate Contempt and irreconcileable Dissentions amongst the
Subjects of the same State And altho' among Gods People the Jews the publick Administration of Divine Service was become hereditary and tied to one certain Family yet the Soveraign inspection and care of the Priests did only belong to them who had the Soveraign Authority in the Civil Government The same thing has likewise been observ'd by almost all the other Nations Sect. 7. Nor can we perceive that such a Direction must necessarily belong to any other than the Soveraign of each State or the necessity thereof be prov'd from any Identity or particular quality of the Christian Religion as far as it does comprehend in its self something more than is suggested to us by the Light of Nature concerning the Divine Worship Whilest we always take it for granted That the Soveraign by Virtue of that external Direction neither can nor will introduce any thing contrary to God's Holy Word nor hinder the Ministers from the performance of their Office according to the Divine Precepts Besides There can no reason be given why the Supreme Powers should be incapable of ever attaining those Qualifications which are requir'd to this external Care and Direction of the Church or at least that they should not be able to commit this Direction to some of their Subjects that are beyond exception qualifi'd for such an employ After the same manner as other parts of the Soveraignty are often Administred by the Subjects So no body presumes to deprive the Soveraign of his Legislative Faculty or pretends a better Right tho' 't is certain that every Doctor and Professor of Law ought to be infinitely better vers'd therein than any King can be who as in all other Important Affairs ought also herein to make use of their Counsel and profit himself of the Fruits of their long Study and Experience For a Brave and Wise King far from making it his Interest that his Subjects should acquit themselves ill of those Offices he has entrusted 'em with may rather conformably to his Duty extract incredible Advantages from the good and faithful management of what he has committed to them For the more Diligent and Zealous he is in the Maintenance and Support of the Christian Religion the more capable his Subjects are of serving him and the more assur'd is he of God's Help and Assistance Besides caeteris paribus 't is impossible to give any Reason why God Almighty should not grant his Grace and Assistance to an Orthodox Christian King as well as to any other in the good and laudable Administration of such a Direction Lastly Whilest the Christian Religion in no other point does encroach upon the Civil Laws and Ordinances so far as they fall in with the Law of Nature we ought not to believe that it breaks its bounds in this unless we had a formal and positive assurance thereof from God himself Those therefore that will persist in the Defence of such an Absurdity are oblig'd to demonstrate where the Holy Scripture in express Terms deprives the Supreme Civil Magistrate of this Direction to bestow it on another independent and not acknowledging any Earthly Superiour In the mean while we will proceed to examine how and by what steps such a Spiritual Soveraignty has attain'd to so monstrous a Degree in the Western Churches Sect. 8. When the Apostles after our Saviour's Ascention had begun to Preach the Holy Gospel to all People being appointed thereto by their Master 's immediate Commands they did in a short time gain an incredible number of Proselytes as well amongst the Jews as Gentiles and especially of the common People then oppress'd with a miserable Ignorance and leading a wretched and beastly Life They therefore embraced this Doctrine with a great deal of Joy wherein they found unspeakable Comforts against the inconveniences and desperate Sorrows of this temporary Life Besides The Apostles being themselves of low Birth and as to outward appearance making a very inconsiderable figure found an easier Access and could better insinuate their Opinions into the minds of their equals Whereas the great Men and the most Learn'd slighted this upstart Religion in the beginning nor thought it worth their while to make any exact inquiry into the Mysteries thereof If men may presume to examine the Reasons of the Divine Wisdom and why it was pleas'd to make use of such means in the first Introduction of the Christian Religion the most probable seems to be that God forbore to make use of Power or the Authority of the Supreme Magistrate lest the Purity of the Gospel might be mistaken for a Politick Device or a Philosophical Speculation Whereas if a man compares the inconsiderable beginning with the wonderful Progress he will easily observe that there is something more than Humane in it especially considering that the most Learned among the Heathens with all their Subtilties with all their Helps of Art and Nature could but slightly and superficially penetrate into the Reason and Causes of Divine Things and that the Great Socrates amongst the rest tho' he clearly discover'd the blind Superstition and Ignorance of his Age yet had not Power enough to introduce a better but as a Reward for his good Design suffer'd Death as an Heretick and Innovator of the Establish'd Religion Whereby we are given to understand That the Wisdom of the World is but Folly with God who could perfect a work by the means of poor ignorant Fishermen which all the united Wits of the greatest Philosophers were not able to set on foot Besides The Apostles manner of acting seem'd very odd to the more rational sort of People they thought it strange to hear a Crucified Jesus the greatest Subject of their Sermons and that they should name him the Son of God and Saviour of the World who was born among a People derided and despised as the scum of the Earth and the abject of all Nations nor was this Jesus in any great Repute in the World nor had he signaliz'd himself by any Famous Heroical Actions or by a great many Years Preaching and Teaching spread his Name abroad among the People but on the contrary was cut off in the Flower of his Age by a most scandalous and shameful Death Wherefore the Jesuits in their endeavours of planting the Gospel amongst the cunning Chineses do not begin it from the Passions of Christ but do first Reason and Discourse upon Natural Religion and then after a long round about fall upon the Articles of the Christian Faith which whether they can by these devices and politick Methods better insinuate into those unbelievers than the Apostles I shall not now examine One may also add That it seem'd good to God to deliver first the most simple and the meanest of the People out of that Heathenish Blindness since they were maintain'd and kept under in a continual Superstition by the great ones who tho' they easily perceiv'd the cheat and vanity of Paganism yet with-held by their Interest and Worldly Considerations did
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
be free especially whilst it seem'd very strange to them that the Pope who was a Clergy-man should likewise be a Temporal Prince 't was upon this Account that Rome took up Arms and drove out of their City Pope Leo the third who betaking himself to Charlemain was by him Re-establish'd in his Popedom But on the other side the Pope conjointly with the People of Rome declar'd Charlemain Emperor whereby he became Sovereign over the Exarchate of Ravenna and other places of Italy which had rais'd themselves into free States out of the Ruins of the Western Empire so that afterwards the Pope himself held those Lands dependently of the Emperor who was likewise named Advocatus et Defensor Ecclesiae which lasted till the time of the Emperor Henry the fourth Sect. 21. But at last this Advocacy or Protection of the Emperor began to seem tedious to the Popes because they could not be elected without the Emperors consent and confirmation who us'd likewise to curb them when they grew insolent and proceeded even sometimes to the deposal of them Now to shake off this heavy Yoke of the Emperor the Popes left no stone unturn'd and took a wonderful deal of pains before they could attain to their desire 'T was therefore they labour'd so earnestly to give the Emperors their hands full of work sometimes in Germany sometimes in Italy thereby to weaken their power and authority To which the German Bishops did not a little concurr who were not well pleas'd to be under the Subjection of the Emperor and receive their Bishopricks at his hands Therefore they conspir'd with the Pope to establish an absolute Sovereignty in the Church And to put this their design in Execution they found no time more convenient or proper than the Reign of Henry the fourth who by reason of his dissolute life and Government was in perpetual dissention with his States of Germany Therefore when Gregory the seventh who was before nam'd Hildebrand ascended the Papal Chair being a proud ambitious and resolute man he began to exclaim against the Emperor giving out that the distribution of Ecclesiastical Benefices did not belong to him because he made a scandalous Traffick of them selling them to people of an ill repute and installing them therein before they had taken Holy orders and because the Emperor undertook to defend his just Rights the Pope thunder'd out an Excommunication and animated the Bishops and the other Sates of Germany against him and gave him so much trouble and vexation that at last he was fain to abandon his Right of bestowing the Bishopricks and leave them wholly in the Pope's disposal But the Pope's main aim was not so much to free the Bishops from the Emperor's jurisdiction as to make himself Supreme in Italy and to bring all the Princes in Subjection to the Papal Chair And some are of opinion that he might at last have effected what he had begun whilst Europe at that time was divided into so many little Lordships and most of 'em had weak and inconsiderable Princes and a great many of them either out of devotion or else for fear of being swallow'd up by the Great Ones chose freely to submit themselves to the Papal Chair and to pay him Tribute So that if there had but succeeded three or four Popes as Couragious and cunning as Gregory covering their design with the veil of Religion and taking the specious pretext of Defending the peoples interest against the oppression of their Princes they had made themselves temporal as well as Spiritual Monarchs And the Pope did not only pretend to slip his neck out of the collar and free himself from the Emperor's power but he did likewise endeavour to make him take his turn and to submit him to his own Authority for he made himself Judge of the Emperor's Actions summon'd him to appear before his Tribunal and answer to the Complaints which his Subjects made against him and by reason of his Non-appearance he declar'd him Excommunicated and fallen from the Empire and altho' his Son Henry the fifth endeavour'd to recover what the Popes had squeez'd out of his Father and seizing upon Pope Paschal obliged him to restore to him his right of investing the Bishops yet the Clergy of Europe were so discontented therewith and teas'd him continually till they had forced him in the Year 1122. to resign for ever that Right to the Pope Not long before the same dispute arose in England which at last in the Year 1107. was thus adjusted The King should no longer insist upon his Right of investing the Bishops and they in acknowledgment of that Favour should do him Homage which Article was not very pleasing to the Pope who had been better contented if they had refus'd to pay any sort of submission to their King as he did effectually forbid the Bishops of France to do but Lewis the sixth and his Successors stood up so stoutly in defence of this their Right that the Pope was forced with shame to quit his pretensions Besides fearing to draw upon his Head two Powerful Monarchs of Germany and France he thought it better to keep in with one whom he in time of need might oppose against the other especially whilest it was not so much his interest to weaken the French King with whom he had not so many Feathers to pluck as to humble the Emperor who was then very Powerful in Italy and endeavoured to bring into subjection the City of Rome besides he knew that Germany was not so streightly United as France and whilest the other Princes were jealous and apprehensive of the Emperor's Greatness they easily agreed with the Pope to humble him a little which design they palliated with the pretence of Protecting the Papal Chair and the Church's Authority 'T is true Frederick the first and the second used all their efforts to re-establish the Imperial Power o'er the Pope but ineffectually whilest Italy was divided into the two Factions of the Guelphs and Gihelines the former of which held with the Pope the latter with the Emperor and caus'd so obstinate and implacable quarrels that it was impossible for the Emperor to reduce Italy to a perfect Obedience And after the death of Frederick the second whilst all things were in a strange confusion by reason of the long Interregnum that then Succeeded the following Emperors thank'd God that they could maintain themselves Peaceably in Germany without troubling their Heads any more with the affairs of Italy so that the Popes have quietly exercis'd their Sovereignty as well personally as in respect of the Goods of the Romish Church Sect. 22. But this Greatness could not terminate the Pope's Ambition but was the occasion of his starting another Doctrine which serv'd to extend his power far beyond that of all other Princes for it maintain'd a sort of an indirect Authority right of examining and animadverting on the actions of all the temporal Soveraigns and tho' it was not said in
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
Learned Men. They have likewise in the Romish Church made a great Reformation amongst the ordinary Priests and Friars and that brutality and ignorance which heretofore was so common amongst them is now no more to be seen The brave and learned Sermons of Luther was that which at first procur'd him and his Disciples so great a concourse of people they edified a great many by the excellent Books which they put out in their Mother tongue to excite them to Meditation Piety Prayer and Spiritual Exercises both which the Papists have since imitated and there are found amongst them a great many good Preachers and wholesome Books of Prayer and Meditation so that at present the Protestant Clergy have no longer reason to reproach the Romish with their want of that modesty and excellent conduct which they observe in the external Service of God They are also well versed in all Controversies and are ready with whole dozens of distinctions for every objection made against them for example whereas there is nothing can be more ridiculously invented than the Pope's distributing out Indulgences for twenty or thirty Thousand Years they give it a colour with the distinction of intensivè and extensivè potentialiter and actualiter wherein the young Students take a great deal of pleasure and the ignorant imagine some great Mysteries to be invelopt therein whereas also in Luther's time the ignorance of the Clergy and their hatred to Learned Men was so prejudicial to the Popedom those of that Communion and especially the Jesuits have since found remedies for that inconvenience for the Jesuits have not only taken upon them the Information and Instruction of the youth but in the Countries where they are establish'd they have as 't were made a Monopoly thereof so that learning is now so far from being any longer prejudicial to 'em that it procures them great advantages Lastly They desisted from the propagation of their Religion with Fire and Sword and endeavour'd to allure the chiefest of the Protestants with good Words great Promises and effectual Preferments Those that will go over to 'em if they have any parts and capacities are sure to make their Fortunes to which upon the account of their Church's Riches they have the best opportunity in the World Whereas on the contrary if any one of them would turn Protestant and does not bring means along with him or is not of a more than ordinary understanding he has nothing but contemptible poverty to expect Lastly The House of Austria has much contributed to the raising up and restoring of the Popedom by driving out the Protestants not only out of its hereditary Lands but likewise from Bohemia and the depending Provinces and lately out of all Hungary or else by obliging them to embrace the Romish Religion Sect. 29. From what has been said before may easily be understood how and by what means this Spiritual Monarchy has insinuated it self in the Western part of Christendom but that you may the better conceive the structure and all the resorts of this Machine 't would not be amiss if we consider'd the Pope two ways first as he is one of the Princes of Italy and secondly as the Ghostly Soveraign of the Occidental Churches As to the first we say That the Pope may very well pass for one of the greatest Lords in Italy but under this consideration must he yield to most of the Potentates of Europe his Territories are the City of Rome with its Dependances on both the sides the Tyber the Dutchy of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples of Spoletto Urbin and Ferrara the Marquisate of Ancona several places in Hetruria as also the Romaniola or Flaminia containing the Cities of Bolonia and Ravenna in France he has the County of Avignon Parma is a Fee of the Church which Paul the third invested his Son Peter Lewis Farnesse with tho' since that time it has been resolv'd that for the future it shall not be in the Pope's power to alienate the vacant Fees nor invest any one with the Church-Lands for fear of weakning the Papal State and to the end that the Pope might have wherewithal to maintain his Court if it should happen that any part of his Foreign Revenues should fail or come short The Kingdom of Naples is likewise a Fee or Copy-Hold of the Church in acknowledgment of which the King of Spain does yearly present the Pope with a white Hackney and five Thousand Ducats As for the Pope's Pretensions upon other Lands they are now no longer passable All these Countries are peopled and fertile enough and do comprehend a great many considerable Towns and Cities from whence the Pope does yearly draw about two millions of Gold and his Officers are very careful that the People may not grow too rich Though there are good Souldiers enough to be found in the Pope's Dominions yet his Militia is not very considerable whilst the means he uses to maintain his Countries are quite contrary to those of other Princes He keeps ready equipp'd about Twenty Gallies which usually lie at Civita Vecchia The politick Maxims of the Pope which he as temporal Prince puts in practice do mostly consist in the maintaining of the Peace in Italy and retaining it in the same posture and condition as it is at present and especially in suppressing any upstart Power that may give Laws to all the rest Besides 't is his peculiar Interest to hinder the Turk from getting footing in Italy and in case of any Invasion to unite not only all the Italian Princes but likewise all Christendom against him who likewise ought not to suffer that this noble Country fall into the hands of those Barbarians The Pope has now no reason to be alarm'd by Germany as long as it does continue in its present form of Government But if it should happen to fall under an Absolute Monarchy it might easily revive its old pretensions Spain and France are those which can only give the Pope his hand full of business and therefore in respect of those it is the Pope's Interest to foment a continual Division betwixt them or to balance them so equally that neither may be able to trample upon the other I don't doubt but the Pope wishes with all his Heart that the Spaniard were not so near a Neighbour to him in Italy and would not be sorry to see him driven out of Naples but there 's no probability that he could effect that himself and to call in the French to drive out the Spanish were to leap out of the Frying-pan into the Fire Therefore the Pope must be contented to hinder the Spanish from making any greater Progress in Italy and if at any time Spain should attempt it France and the rest of the Italian Princes would soon be upon their backs Nor is it less the Pope's Interest to hinder France from getting so sure footing there as to be able to sway the Affairs of that Country according to its own will
Counts Lords Free Knighthoods and Imperial Cities besides a great many in Protestant Countries which all together according to my Estimate will amount to two thirds of Germany In Holland we find a great many Papists and there were a great many of the same leaven in England though God be thanked since the Happy Coming of Their Present Majesties to the Crown the Land is pretty well scowr'd of them On the other side we reckon among the Protestants the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland with all their dependences Suedeland Denmark Holland the most of the Temporal Electors and Princes together with the Imperial Cities of Germany The Protestants of France are at present disarm'd those of Poland are not in a condition to undertake any thing the Cities of Prussia and Curland have enough to do to maintain the free exercise of their Religion Transylvania can do but little And the Papists have besides this advantage above the Protestants That they all of 'em own the Pope for Supreme Head of their Church and do at least with their Mouth and externally profess one and the same Faith But on the contrary the Protestants have no visible Spiritual Head but are miserably divided amongst themselves for not to mention those little Sects of Arminians Socinians Anabaptists and the rest their Body is divided into almost two equal parts of Lutherans and Calvinists amongst which a great many are as much imbitter'd against one another as they are against the Common Enemy the Papists Besides there is no general Policy or Government in the Religion amongst them but in every state the particular Soveraign regulates the Affairs thereof according to his own will and pleasure Nor can it be denied that commonly speaking the Papists do with more Zeal Labour and Industry promote the advancement and propagation of their Religion than do the Protestants who have mostly in view how they may conveniently subsist by their Benefices as the chiefest prospect of Handicrafts-men is how to get their Living by the Trade to which they apply themselves So that the search of the Kingdom of God is as the reserve and the last thing they take care for Whereas the Monks and Jesuites on the contrary have brought themselves into great repute by their Missions both into the East and West Indies and though in the relations they give us thereof they intermit a thousand fabulous reports yet the thing in it self is extreamly laudable In fine there is such an irreconcileable Jealousie among the chiefest of the Protestant States that it is morally impossible ever to perswade them to submit to one Head As for example Betwixt England and Holland Suedeland and Denmark not to mention the rest Though again it must be owned too that there are no less Jealousies between France and Spain which will scarcely permit them to act unanimously against the Protestants So that notwithstanding the great inequality in strength that there is between the Protestants and Papists the former need never apprehend the Oppression of the latter In the mean while there is a great difference between the Protestants that form an Independent State and those that are under the Yoke of Popish Lords for these are not half so well assur'd of the maintenance of their Religion as are the others Thus the Security of the French Protestants depends on the bare word of the King and the Edict of Nantes so that they would be in a sad condition if the French King should at any time be possest with a Spanish or Austrian Zeal Yet I don't believe he will ever undertake to force them in the matter of Religion as long as they live peaceably and contented with that Liberty he allows them especially if he considers the good Service they rendered to his Grandfather Henry the Fourth and that he himself without their assistance had never arrived to the Crown of France Nor can Poland easily suppress the exercise of the Protestant Religion in Curland and Prussia as long as Dantzick enjoys its Liberty In Germany the Protestants are strong enough So that if they were united under one Head they would make a formidable Kingdom but the great number of their Chiefs the diversity of their Interests and their distance from one another diminishes their Strength very considerably so that the Emperor in the space of an hundred years had twice reduc'd them to such a condition that their Religion and Liberty which are so inseparably annex'd that the loss of one would have been a necessary consequence of the other's loss had both been ruin'd without the assistance of France and Suedeland 'T is true of late years some have pretended to hold forth this new Maxim That the Protestants in Germany are able to subsist and maintain their Liberties without the help of those two Crowns and that Brandenburg is very fit to have the management and direction in Chief of all their Affairs And 't is indeed the real Interest of the House of Austria that such an Opinion should prevail among the Protestants 'T is with this Pretext that the Brandenburger and the House of Lunenburg cover the desire they have of putting themselves in possession of those Lands which the King of Suedeland has in Germany whilst they give out They are as well able to maintain them in the enjoyment of their Liberty and Religion as the other Protestant States Yet it is most certain that if these two Houses should attain their ends their additional Grandeur would render them less formidable to the Emperor than they are at present whilst back'd and supported by the King of Suedeland And they are no less deceived if they think to find as sure a Support from Denmark or Holland as they have received from France and Suedeland And thirdly Should the Emperor once attain to his desire and dispossessing those two Crowns of what they have at present in Germany introduce again the Spanish Faction and mortifie the States by the maintenance of a standing Army and other Inconveniences of War who at such a time could oblige the Emperor to disband his Victorious Troops And if for example the Emperor could find no Pretext to keep his Army together and to oblige the Protestants to maintain it at their cost will Brandenburg and Lunenburg make head against him And fourthly If in case the Protestant States should not find themselves equal to so vast a Work Whether those two Crowns would at their Call come and help them And whether their own Affairs would permit them to undertake so important a design Or lastly Whether there would fall down from Heaven another Gustavus Adolphus to redeem them from the very brink of Destruction and make as great a progress as that mighty Conqueror once did And as for such as believe that the Security of the Protestant Religion can consist alone in Parchment and Seals or that the Emperor will not attempt the Soveraignty of Germany if ever a fair occasion presents it self whilst he