a part of the Kingdom than a Cancer is which devours the Body that it seizes on or thaâ—… a Palsie which renders diverse of the Members of the Body useless can be a part of the same and this is so much the truer that the Clergy as I have already said acknowledge the Authority of and have sworn Obedience to another Sovereign Prince who must of necessity be a natural Enemy to France because of the Usurpations that he hath made and designs to make oâ—… that Kingdom in which he cannot maintain his old nor make new Usurpations without eâ—…feebling the Kingdom from time to time proportionably as he sees its power and the Authority of the Kings Increase and to this end he serves himself of his Ecclesiasticks who under a Cloak of Religion have attain'd a mighty Credit and are maintain'd on the Fat of the Land at the Expence of others and that which is a wonderful thing have their Generals in great number and Garrisons in all Ciâ—…ies consisting of diverse Regiments of diâ—…erent Liveries that is to say the different Orders of Ecclesiasticks who under Spiritual Pretences enjoy the Temporal Estates of the Kingdom keep Princes and Subjects under the Popes Yoke and so Constitute one formidable Empire within another Imperium in Imperio It is certain tho' it can't be denied that the Taxes in France are excessive that if the Clergy had contributed proportionably to their Revenues with the rest of the People the Kingdom had been worth one half more than 't is except the King had augmented the Taxes in proportion and in that case he would have almost doubled his Revenues If the Clergy had paid the share they ought to have paid of the Impositions the Kingdom would have been much less harras'd and ruin'd than it is so that this Article reaches a great way throughout the Kingdom That we may the better understand it suppose that any Man has two Slaves or two Carriage-Horses of equal streâ—…gth in his possession capable of working or carrying considerable burdens it is certain if he work them equally and load neither of them above their ability that both of them may hold out a long time but if he overcharge the one excessively to ease the other that which is overloaded cannot hold out but must languish by degrees and become unable either for Work or Carriage except it be little or nothing and does quickly die Suppose then that it does not hold out above half the time that it might have done had it been treated as the other or that it does not work half so much as it might have done otherwise there is one half lost or if it hold not out or work not above a 4th part that is three fourths loss Thus it is with the people of France they are much less profitable to the King and State than they would be if the Clergy bore one hâ—…lf of the charge of the Kingdom as they ought to do I believe this Article may amount to forty or fifty Millions per Annum for besides the Taxes from whence they are exempted they are not subject as I have already said to any of the Vexations which are committed in the Levying 'em nor to quartering of Soldiers nor are they pillag'd by Civil Officers Farmers general and their Underlings but on the contrary they pillage them Article XV relates to their Practice and Morals I mean those of the Clergy this occasions an infinite number of Crimes which are committed without Scruple nay they think they merit Heaven by the Commission of them for they Act them by a Principle of Conscience The Mischiefs which they have committed on the Account of their pretended Religion are to be ascribed to their Morals They have Consecrated and Canoniz'd Perfidiousness Cruelty Murther the Ravishing of Matrons and Virgins and the Stealing of Children and Estates It is not easie to compute this loss in Money but all people of Sense must needs perceive that this does ruin or very much incommode Trade Arts Manufactures Navigation and all sort of Handy-labour for the Persecutors as well as the Persecuted suffer incredibly thereby without mentioning the value of the Men and Women whom they Massacre and Kill in a hundr'd manners either all at once or gradually This doth moreover occasion a general and incredible Corruption in the whole Nation for people perceiving that the Crimes committed on the account of Religion which of all things in the World ought to be the most Sacred are not punish'd but applauded and rewarded by the Clergy or at their Suggestion by those who govern them they readily conclude that if it be lawful to Commit such things for the good of the Church it is more lawful to Commit them for other ends By this means the people become desperately wicked at the heart and if they were not afraid of Secular Justice would become a meer Society of Thieves and Robbers That we may the better understand this let us suppose that the Civil Magistrate should approve Crimes in the same manner promise Heaven to the Criminals and reward them also in this life as the Clergy have compensated those who were the most Zealous in committing all sorts of Cruelties and Indignities against the Protestants I say if the Civil Government should thus countenance the Destruction of Honest and Substantial Men all humane Society must be forthwith dissolv'd and unable to subsist Or otherwise let us suppose that a multitude of Villains should prevail over Mankind and commit all imaginable crimes out of a principle of Conscience in order to oblige Men to say that they believe an Onion a Tree a Stone or an Horse are adorable and deserve the Worship which the Papists call Dulia and Latria as well as God and force them in effect to Invoke and Adore those Creatures and that this numerous multitude of Villains should call themselves Infallible at the same time and by all sorts of Cruelty and Torture force people to acknowledge them as such and that none durst oppose them on pain of losing their Liberty Estate Honour and Life what unspeakable disorders would this occasion in a State For honest Men who would not be guilty of such unbecoming unmanly practices should be outragiously persecuted put to death by their Orders and the multitude would think themselves oblig'd to take party with those Villains to avoid their own Ruin and for fear of becoming suspected to those Wretches become as wicked themselves But the Divine Providence hath not permitted humane Justice to be deprav'd to that height as is the Religion of the Church of Rome which is abundantly more wicked than the most wicked of Men and herein it is directly opposite to other Religions which tho' they be wicked in themselves do nevertheless teach better Morals than those of the people that profess them whereas on the contrary the Laicks of â—…he Church of Rome are more honest and less Villainous than their Religion I think it
proper also to observe in this place that setting aside the Interest of that which they call their Religion and their Church which relates wholly and finally to the Profit or Ambition of the Ecclesiasticks the Clergy of the Church of Rome consider'd as to their Civil Life are not much wickeder than their Laymen as I have already said which proves that the Devil Reigns principally in that Church in regard of the Legislative Authority of Popery as it relates to the Affairs and Interest of their Religion and Church that is to say of the Pope and his Guard of Pensioners or Catchpoles This excepted I have known many honest enough Men of their Clergy nay even of the Jesuites whose conduct as to Civil Life was near the matter as good externally as those of their honest Laicks And there are diverse Persons who assure me that how abominable soever the Court of Rome may be in general as their Principles and Maxims have been for several Ages yet there are Prelates nay even Cardinals among them who have very good Moral Qualities and are persons of Merit Article XVI relates to that Spirit of Despotical Government with which the Church of Rome inspires Princes in regard of their Subjects This is it that hath produc'd the Severity of the Government of France which hath so much contributed to the Desolation of that fine Kingdom The Jesuites especially do infuse it in Princes who are ruled by them not only in matters of Religion but likewise in Affairs of Political Government by advising them to make use of the most Absolute Authority because that how much the more the Princes whom they govern are Authoriz'd and Fear'd of their Subjects so much the more are the Jesuites their Tutors Authoriz'd and Dreaded also France smarts at present under the Effects of this and England has but lately escap'd the like danger That Spirit of Tyranny which makes up a great part of the Essence of Popery is yet more peculiar to the Society of the Jesuites than to any other in Popery and it is known that the Principles of their Order as they call it do give their General an Absolute and Unlimited Power to Command and to do what he lists wherein they are to render him a Blind-fold Obedience It 's also known that they look on the Popes pretended Monarchy over the Universal Church and World to be the most perfect Pattern of Government in assuming to himself the Authority to destroy all Nations and Persons in Soul and Body that oppose his temporal Interest The Church of Rome reaps great advantage from this Despotical Power of the Princes of her Communion for those Princes being govern'd by their Confessors who are govern'd by Rome the more Authority those Princes have the more the Pope hath over all the Kingdom and then this great Authority of the Princes is imploy'd to oppress those they call Hereticks both within and without their Dominions and to purchase more Slaves to the Pope or otherwise they ingage them in War for humbling some Popish State that the Court of Rome would have brought low and many times with a design to ruin that very Prince whom they so engage in War For it is highly the Interest of the Court of Rome that their Neighbouring Nations be kept poor because that Spirit of Bondage Slavery and Ignorance which is so useful and agreeable to the Religion which they impose is not consistent with the Liberty of a rich people and the Popes are constantly affraid that if the Dominions of those States and Princes that are subject to him be very populous and rich they will at sometime or other shake off their Yoke This is it they had in view by inspiring the French King with a design to ruin his Protestant Subjects so manifestly contrary to the true Interests of France and the Kings Honour That same was the reason of their engaging him in a War against so many Potentates all at once to the end they might weaken him and prevent his setting his thoughts upon Enterprizes a thousand times more great glorious and profitable such as that of delivering his own Kingdom from the Slavery of the Pope and so many foolish Superstitions of Popery of which the honest Papists themselves are ashamed and also that they might prevent his pushing on his Conquests on the side of Italy where he might have made War with much more success and advantage than against so many powerful States and strong Towns as he had to rencounter elsewhere Article XVII relates to the Incontinence and Whordom of the Romish Clergy which is a large Field and much might be said upon it but many Authors have enlarg'd on this Head already It 's known to every Body by Experience that the Celibacy of that wretched Clergy is the source of an Universal and Loathsom Impurity among them and that the least Crimes committed by those of that Order are Fornications and Adulteries It 's well enough known that their Divines teach that Sins against Nature of every sort don't render an Ecclesiastick Irregular but Marriage does and that their Casuists do continually cram their Books with Extenuations of those Crimes and add more and more Fewel to the impure Flames by their obscene Questions and the Niceties and Subtleties they have found out to advance and encrease those impure pleasures It is also known that the Pope Authorizes Publick Stews and Protects them in order to draw a considerable Revenue from them but it is not so universally known that to advance the Reputation of that Crime which indeed is not accounted any by the Court of Rome the Popes will not suffer any Women to prostitute themselves unless they be Christians and therefore by order of his Holiness Jewish Pagan and Mahometan Women who have a mind to set up that Trade at Rome must first be Baptized This makes it the more relishing to Anti-christ to think that Jesus Christ is thereby the more offended But seeing the Church oâ—… Rome is already branded in the Holy Scriptures with the Name of Sodom and the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth both upon the account of her Corruâ—…tion and because of her Idolatries Hereâ—…ies and Blasphemies we have no reason to doubt that she is so and therefore I shall not insist upon this as a Vice which is so much favoured and nourished by that Church but only in relation to the infinite number of Mischiefs which it occasions in humane Society It many times happens that the Popish Princes are no better in this respect than the Clergy that hath corrupted them or don 't teach 'em their duty in this matter so that being wholly given up to Unchastity themselves the Subordinate Magistrates and Officers are corrupted by their Example and consequently take no care to suppress that Vice which ruins and lays wast Nations and fills them with all sorts of Crimes for experience teaches us that this one Crime draws all others after
or suffered a Religion so ridiculous and ruinous to Sovereigns and their People and so contrary to good Manners to take place and be the Religion of the State This Treatise which proves so evidently and in a Method suited to the Capacity of the most Ignorant and Unlearned Persons thé Falshood and Transcendent Malignity of the Church of Rome and her Religion and which I defie all or any of them ever to answer will hence-forward take off the Mask from all the Hypocritical Clergy of that Church who though they believe nothing of their Religion themselves yet they pretend to be sincerely of her Communion under a Counterfeit Allegation that the Holy Scripture is Obscure and that the said Church is Infallible whereas they are in good earnest retain'd in her Communion meerly by their Love of Ease and the World and a Spirit of Profanity that they may enjoy the Sensual Pleaâ—…ures and Carnal Delights which are the Lot or Inheritance of the Romish Clergy So that henceforward the Popish Clergy can't but be understood ev'n in Popish Countries themâ—…elves to be the greatest Enemies of the State and of Mankind And henceforward we shall have reason also to look upon all the other Papists who can read or have heard those Reasons Disâ—…ours'd of as Impious Profane People without Religion and that Love nothing but the World if they still continue in the unhappy Communion of that great Harlot seeing her Shame and Uncleanness cannot in any wise be conceal'd We shall moreover have more Reason now than ever to look upon all Protestants Great or Small Princes or Subjects that renounce the Reformation or rather Christianity to embrace Popery as declared Enemies of the State seeing Popery is so evidently prov'd to be the Bane of all Countries where it is the obtaining Religion Nor can we in particular entertain any more favourable Opinion of those English â—…rotestants who continue Jacobites though they do not change their Religion This should also make such Protestants blush who entertain or rather would bring others to entertain a good Opinion of the Church of Rome as if it were still a True Church and comparable in any degree to the Church of England or other Reformed Churches whereas there 's no more comparison to be made between them than between Christ and Belial the Temple of God and that of Idols I hope also by this way of writing to deliver the World from abundance of Disputes and Vain Questions about the Popes Supremacy whether he be the Center of Unity the Source and Fountain of Ecclesiastical Ministry that is of the Mission of all Bishops and Ministers to which Pretensions he has no more Right than the Muphti as also about the Insallibility of the Pope and his Church Transubstantiation Invocation and Adoration of Saints and Angels and a thousand Inanimate Creatures in which Vain and Foolish Disputes the Protestants lost abundance of Time in endeavouring to convince the Popish Clergy of the Folly and Falshood of those Opinions which they themselves know to be False as well as we and without Foundation and laugh at us in their sleeve that we should think them so simple as to believe those nonsensical and ridiculous Opinions If they believed their own Doctrines and pretended Mysteries they would not prosaâ—…e them as they do forcing People by a thousand torments to go to their Mass and to swallow down their pretended God of Bread which the Protestants profess publickly to abominate as they do their other Mysteries By this means I hope I have also delivered our Divines from a sort of Necessity they lay under by reason of their Controversies with the Papists to read again and again those Books call'd the Fathers Ecclesiastical History the History of Councils the School-Divines Canonists and Decretals of the Popes c. which are all of 'em Vain Studies for the most part yet they were oblig'd to spend a great deal of time in following them which might have been better improved in applying themselves only to Meditating and searching out the Meaning of the Holy Scriptures which haâ—… been much better understood since the Reformation than in all the Ages preceding and is the only Study in which a Mans whole Life can be profitably spent Hence we may also perceive of how little consequence it is to us in regard of our Controversies with the Church of Rome to know which of the two Histories of the Council of Trent is the Truest and most Faithful viz. that of the Incomparable Fra. Paolo or that of the Profane Candinal Pallavicini call'd of a long time his New Gospel which does not deserve to be read seeing we have a thousand other stronger Proofs of the Impiety of the Court of Rome and their pretended Religion than that History of Father Paolo though excellent in it self as to the Matter of Fact We may very well say that the Council of Constance and Lateran did Evidence and Establish as great Impieties as the Council of Trent diverse Ages before it That which was most fatal to Christianity in that Impious last Council was that all the Idolatries and Heresies of the Church of Rome as also her Tyranny were therein Consecrated and Established in Form of Laws with Anathemas so that if there were any remainder of Christianity in that pretended Church before the Council of Trent which is indeed very much to be doubted it was absolutely destroyed thereby especially if we consider that by Vertue of the Decisions of that pretended Council where the Protestants could not assist because it was not free and all was done therein by Bribes Violence and Treachery against the Protestations of almost all the Princes of Europe even Papists who had demanded a Free Council By Vertue I say of the Decisions of that Profane and Impious Assembly the Pope and his Clergy did afterwards put in practise all the Cruelties and Barbarities imaginable in order to quench the Light of the Gospel in the Blood of the Reformers and did also highly raise the fury of their Inquisition which Tribunal alone proves the absolute Reprobation of the Romish Church better than any thing that was done in the Council of Trent The Church of Rome has retain'd nothing of Christianity but the Name and some small Appearances of it in order to enrich her self by them just as the Rouers of Algiers who put out a Christian Flag when they design to enslave and swallow up the Christians for at the bottom there 's nothing in the Church of Rome but Idolatry Perfidiousness Cruelty and Tyranny It would seem reasonable also that after so many and so evident prooss that the Pope is the greatest Enemy of all the Christian States and of Christianity it self that Protestant Travellers should be more scrupulous to kiss the Popes Foot when they are at Rome For 't is not as a Temporal Prince that the Pope imposes upon them such as Ignominious and Abject Submission but as the Antichrist or Vicar of
THE Political Mischiefs OF POPERY OR Arguments Demonstrating I. That the Romish Religion Ruines all those Countries where 't is Establish'd II. That it occasions the loss of above 200 Millions of Livres or 16 Millions Sterling per An. to France in particular III. That if Popery were Abolished in France that Kingdom would become incomparably more Rich and Populous and the King's Revenues would Advance above 100 Millions of Livres or 8 Millions Sterling per Annum IV. That it is impossible that France should ever be Re-established whilst Popery is their National Religion By a Person of Quality a Native of France Author of The Desolation of France demonstrated LONDON Sold by J. Harris at the Harrow in Little Britain 1698. TO The Honourable THE House of Commons THIS Treatise which I take the Liberty to Dedicate to your Honours with all imaginable Respect was published sometime ago in French and by several Persons of Great Judgment thought not Unworthy to be presented to your view in English because of the Importance of the Matter and the Profit which they thought might from thence redound to Church and State The design of it is to prove by Political Arguments a Method New and Extraordinary that the Romish Religion is the Falsest of any that hath hitherto appeared in the World because it is the destruction and plague of all Countries where it is Established and Ruins Nations more than any other False Religion that we have yet heard of This I demonstrate by the Instance of France and make it evident that Popery occasions the loss of above 200 Millions of Livres per Annum to that Kingdom whence it follows that even as to Temporals the Kingdom of England reaps unspeakable Advantages by the Reformation which hath delivered her from that Cruel and Unsupportable Yoke I have so much the greater Reason to hope that this Book will not be unacceptable to your Honours because it tends more and more to confirm the Protestant Religion in this Kingdom for the defence of which against the Tyranny of Popery you have on all occasions testified an ardent Zeal The tender Care and great Charity which you have manifested towards the poor Refugees who suffer for the said Religion but above all the Courage and Zeal you have discover'd in this last War by sparing nothing that was necessary for the preservation of the Protestant Interest have made it gloriously appear to all the Nations of the Earth that you value neither your Treasures nor your Blood when there 's a necessity of spending them in defence of your Religion And in effect there was no less at Stake than the loosing or preserving it for your selves and your Posterity nay I may say for the whole Protestant World and together with that you must have lost your precious Liberties and all that is dear to you as Men and Christians That it would please God that by your Genenerous Example and Sage Resolves you may transmit to all succeeding Parliaments that same Prudence Magnanimity and Zeal for the Mainteâ—…ance of the Protestant Religion and your Publick Liberties against all Attempts of Popery is and shall be the constant Prayer of him who is with all possible Submission and profound Respect Your Honours Most humble and most Obedient Servant De Soulignê Grandson to M. Du Plessis Mornay THE PREFACE TO THE READER ABout a Year ago I published a Treatise for the Service of this Nation upon the present State of France Entituled The Desolation of France Demonstrated And there in short I made it evident That Popery was the principal Cause of all the Misery and Ruin that hath befall'n that Kingdom The Book was pleasing to this Nation in general but some were apt to think I had aggravated Matters and that the Condition of France was not so bad as I had represented it Amongst others a certain Gentleman of great Parts was pleased to write a Manuscript upon that Subject full of Wit and diametrically opposite to what I had advanced but did not think fit to publish it The Events that happened since have confirmed in part what I then said whereupon that Ingenious Person hath acknowledged in a curious piece lately published That I had Reason on my side for what I had writ in general as to the Condition of France But diverse other Persons of Worth having wished that I would justifie the Proposition which I had advanced in the same Book viz. That Popery occasions the loss of 200 Millions per An. to France which to them seem'd a Paradox I thought my self obliged to saâ—…isfie their desire To this end I publish'd what I had writ upon that Subject sometime ago in French that by the Iudgment which others gave upon it I might be the better enabled to conjecture what was proper to be Added or Corrected in the English Edition which I nâ—…w present to the Publick with several Additions and had done it sooner but for some Reasons not fit to be here related But I supposed besides that People will have more Inclination to Read such Pieces now the War is over during which they lov'd to hear of nothing but bloody Battles and Princes Dethron'd according to the humour of the Romans in Horace his time as he expresseth it in the following Lines Pugnas exactos Tyrannos Densum humeris bibit aure vulgus I doubt not but some people will say That I write with too much heat against Popery To which I reply 1. That those Persons don't know Popery well enough nor have they ever examined it throughly They are misled by some common Prejudices and judge of that Religion not according to its essential Principles and constant Practise but only by the external Behaviour of some that profess it as Laicks who are sâ—…metimes as well Polished Civilized Learned and Honest in outward appearance as Protestants and here those People stop withâ—…ut consulting the Scripture or considering that the Dâ—…ctrine Morals and Tyranny of the Romish Clergy are more becoming Devils than Men. I confess that they are Men and Women as well as others and that there are People morally Honest among them as there are among Pagans Iews and Mahumetans and even among the Romish Clergy there are sone who are honester as to the matter of Society than their Religiâ—…n obliges them to be But those Gentlemen I speak of think there 's no hurt in their Idolatry nor don 't consider the Mischiefs their Religion does to ail Mankind in general because they think it never did them any so that according to this Maxim of theirs all Religions should be alike for there are Rational and Moral People of all Perswasions 2. I may Reply That there was never any Protestant that had more Reason than my self to write sharply against Popery there having been no Man hitherto who hath studied that Point so thoroughly as I have done in Regard of the infinite Mischiefs which it occasions to States as wiâ—…l appear by the following
Authority only being excepted Besides such an Inconsiderable Change as this the rest of the Popish Religion being continued would neither have been Advantagious for the Salvation of Men Glorious to the King nor Profitable to the State For Idolatry and the other Heresies remaining there would have always been an Impossibility of being saved in that Religion and the greatest part of the Oppression attending it being also continued the people would have had but little relief by it nor would the King of France have reap'd the fourth part of the Advantage which he might expect from a thorough Reformation Neither is it to be thought that so small a change could be solid and durable for at the bottom it 's certain that it 's the Popes who have made the Religion of the Church of Rome to be what it is either by corrupting the Doctrine of the Apostles or Adopting the Idolatry and Worship of the Pagans or by Forging now and then new Articles of Faith for their own private Interest and that of their Clergy And it is certain that their Religion is founded on no other Authority but that of the Pope and therefore Cardinal Pallavicini had reason to say in his History of the Council of Trent call'd by some his New Gospel Tutti gli Articoli della Religione unitamente considerati non hanno altra certezza prossima ed immediata che l'Autorita del summo Pontefice i. e. that all the Articles of their Religion considered together have no other certain and immediate foundation but the Authority of the Pope So that if we reason consequentially from this Principle the Popish Religion cannot be preserved but by the preservation of the Papal Authority from which it derives all the Authority that gives it any value in the eyes of the World It is also probable that if a greater Reformation were not made immediately upon the Creation of a Patriarch the Popes Authority would be again Re-established â—…or he should without doubt have always a great Party in the Kingdom under the â—…avour of that horrid Darkness which must have continued therein if it had been no other but for the Jesuites and Monks who would be constantly Jealous that the Patriarch would pair their Nails One Party of the Nation would always have entertained a Correspondence with the Popes Friends being united by their Communion in the same Religion excepting the Opinion of the Authority of the Pope tho'some would have made semblance of rejecting that too for fear of their King yet they would effectually endeavour the Re-establishment of the Papal Authority And so much the more that the Court of Rome would have been prodigal of their Treasures and have spar'd nothing on this occasion to maintain their Tyranny And moreover iâ—… the King who had created a Patriarch should come to have died before the Reformation should have been compleated and a Prince of less Authority had Succeeded there would have been an end of the Patriarchat This erecting of a Patriarch would not have pleased the Popish Princes neither so that they would have joyned with the Pope and the Party that adher'd to him in France and would either have stirr'd up Civil Wars there or have made War upon it themselves Nor could this imperfect Change have satisfied the Protestant Princes who would always have look'd upon France as Idolatrous and Heretical and ready to return again to wallow in that mire whence she had made some Effort to get out and begun to lift up her head so that they would never put any confidence in her It should happen to France in this case as it always happens to Neutral Princes in the quarrels of Neighbouring Potentates their Neutrality does not reconcile them with their Enemies nor yet procure â—…hem any Friends Neutralitas neâ—… Amicos pariâ—… neque Inimicos tollit saith Tacitus In such cases we must be either t'one or t'other and avoid that which is call'd Consilia Media Such a faint Reformation would have serv'd for nought but to awake all the Malice of the Pope and the Mischievous Ecclesiasticks of the Kingdom who would have reap'd the same Advantage from this that a strong Man does from the Impotent Menaces of his Enemy which serve only to put him on his Guard and set him at Work to prevent the threatned Mischief according to the Italian Proverb Le Minaccie sono l'Armi del Minacciaâ—…o Threats sound an allarum to the threatned Man to take Arms either to deâ—…end himself or offend his Enemy as occasion requires Whereas if the King of France did not do things by halves but should together with his Subjects renounce all at once the false Doctrines Worship Superstition and Abuses of the Church of Rome and Free his Kingdom from that Tyranny by Establishing the light of the Gospel to enlighten his People amongst whom it is hid under a Candlestick he might assure himself that such an Evangelical Reformation would be followed by unexpressible Advantages to himself and his People both in regard of Temporal and Eternal Life Some may perhaps object that such a compleâ—…t and sudden Reformation must needs shake the Kingdom of France and that there 's no passing so suddenly from one Extream to another without danger that is to say from the thick darkness of Popery to the bright shining light of Christianity and therefore it muâ—…t be done gradually as our Saviour did when he restored sight to the Blind they did not at first see all Objects disâ—…inctly but Men walking like Trees and that God does not make us pass from the dark night to the bright day but by the dawning of the Morning and therefore according to that Wisdom it were proper first to Establish a Patriarchat in France before they endeavour a Gospel-Reformation To this I answer That as to the Authority of the Pope which the Creation of a Patriarch would have over-turn'd all the Parliaments of France and amongst others that of Paris all Persons of Learning Sense and Honesty ev'n amongst the Clergy themselves do not acknowledge that Authority in their heart nay they despise all other Doctrines contrary to those of the Protestants as being evidently false or unprofitable The Kings Authority and the Respect or Fear that they have for him are the only Ties which retain them lest he should destroy or ruine them if they did â—…urn Protestants They have had many Doctors of a long time who have opened their Eyes in regard of the Popes Authority and diverse other such Doctrines as the Chancellor Gerson and the Drs. Richer de Launoy the Author of the Book call'd Les Moyens Seurs Honnetes Sure and Honest Methods Elias Du Pin and many other without mentioning the Books of Protestants and besides the Jansenists the New Philosophy and the present Quietists do something of that Nature And there 's ground of hope that all the Nation will be moved at the infinite number of Mischiess which Popery occasions in the State when they are
the Monks and the Jesuites will render themselves Masters of all under a weak Prince and the Kingdom will be more expos'd to the Cheats Impostures and Scandalous Vices of the Clergy than ever The King of France should hereby gain the Affection of all Protestant Princes and States intirely which would be much more useful to him than that of the Popish Princes because they are honester in their Treaties and at present much more powerful especially by Sea and more able to hurt or help him And moreover France cannot subsist without Commerce with them and the King knows very well that they have no thoughts of regaining any thing from France as the Popish Princes have because she hath never taken any thing from them nor have they any thoughts of making Conquests upon him as being more Sage and Judicious than that comes to Neither has he any reason to fear that the Court of Rome will employ them to do Mischief to France as they have imployed and may still imploy Popish Princes to do But if France neglect such a fair opportunity as this is to shake off the Yoke of Popery when there is such an Indispensible Necessity â—…o do it for the fafety of the Kingdom which must otherwise perish after having seen so evidently that Popery is the ruin of States and by consequence a false Religion all the World will have reason to believe that His Majesty does not only hate the Protestant Religion but the very Persons of all Protestants especially if he does not Re-establish his Subjects of the Reformed Religion in the free Exercise of the same and in a full and entire Liberty in all Respects as his other Subjects and with all possible Assurance for time to come seeing no Man can reproach them with Disloyalty towards the King nor on the account of their Doctrine which the most Learned of the Papists themselves acknowledge to be very Sound and Conformable to the Scripture and make their boasts that they believe the same things as they do having nothing else to reproach them with but only that they don't believe enough because they don't believe Transubstantiation nor fifty other Fooleries of the like Nature nor adore the half of one of the two Sacraments which has not so much as the Honour to be Bread but is only an Elil Elilim a Nothing an Idol which according to St. Paul is a meer Nothing of this number of Learned Men is the Bp. of Meaux as appears by his Exposition of the Catholick Doctrine Without â—…his Reformation France will become as desolate in 30 years time as Spain and Portugal is at present though there should be a continued Peace all that while For the Women and Girls who are at present three thirds of the People of France will for the most part be dead without Children because there are not Men enough at present to Marry them so that this want of People will be much more apparent then than now It may very well be said that the Kingdom of France hath for 30 or 40 years had a great Ascendant over all the other Nations of Europe by means of the Kings Vigour and Absolute Power But the Kingdom will lose that Ascendant come to nothing and be despicable to all the World and especially to the Court of Rome without hopes of being ever able to recover it self if such a Reformation be not made And I dare venture to say that without this the Kingdom is in danger to be torn into pieces by Civil Wars ere it be long or involved in short in another new War on the account of Religion by the Jesuites at the secret Suggestion of the Pope who are still afraid of that Kings great Authority tho his Kingdom is ruined There 's no other Method left as I have intimated already to put the King in a condition to pay his numerous Debts but this Evangelical Reformation and because diverse Persons of great Merit have desir'd of me to give some Account of the Ways and Means they take to find Money to borrow and Places to sell in a Kingdom so much ruined as France I could not refuse to obey them in imparting what is publickly known of that Matter in France therefore I shall here make a little digression We must observe then that the Court entertains a great number of People in Provinces and Towns who make it their business to discover those who have yet any Money left ' em Whereupon the Intendant Governour or other Chief Men of the Place have orders either to call for such Persons or to go to their Houses and tell them that the King has a mind to sell such and such new Places or Augmentations of Salleries to all Civil Officers who are already in Place or Letters of Nobility to Commoners or some other Priviledges or to create Rents upon the Town-House of Paris or to alienate the Revenues of the Post-Office or some part of his Demain c. Then they are acquainted Civilly that they will oblige the Court to lay out their Money on such thingâ—… and do a piece of good Service to the State that their Principal and Interest will both be sure and their gain considerable If they answer that they have no Money after being desir'd thus to lay it out then they find it to be as Tacitus says Preceserant sed quibus resisti non poterat They were Prayers indeed but such as they could not resist Those Officers inform themselves more particâ—…larly of the Staâ—…e of their Affairs from Scriveners and Notaries who are oblig'd to tell all they know of it After this they proceed to threaten the Persons that so they may squeeze Money out of them But there are few who let it come to this extremity because they see so many Examples before them of People ruined by such Refusals for either they are tax'd extraordinarily as rich Persons or are accused that either they themselves or their Friends whose Estates they Inherit robb'd the Publick when they were in Office and thereupon despoil them of their Estates Otherwise all the Actions of their whole Life are Canvass'd or if that fail the Conversations of their Children and other Relations are enquired into on purpose to vex them and their Tenants are over-whelm'd with Impositions or Quartering of Soldiers There are a hundred other such Methods and their Children and Relations are never advanc'd neither in the Church in the Army nor otherwise And they are besiâ—…es accounted at Court Enemies to the Government sometimes imprisoned and if they have any Suit at Law the adverse Party is sure to find favour c. It 's true there are some who are known to be extreamly Rich or in great business â—…hat prevent â—…he Court on purpose â—…o gain Favour and lend their Money upon the Town-house of Paris nor do they know how to dispose of their Money otherwise Trade being quite ruined Houses and Land being of no value and all people almost being