Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	age_n	church_n	time_n	1,732	5	3.5963	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45953	The intrigues of the conclave, at the choosing of a pope as also a particular relation of what past at the election of Sixtus V, and Clement VIII : to which is added an historical essay, to demonstrate that according to the principles of the Church of Rome, there has not been, nor can be, any true and lawful pope since the election of Sixtus V / written by a gentleman of Rome.	Gentleman of Rome.	1691 (1691)	Wing I277A; ESTC R1571	26,250	36

THE INTRIGUES OF THE CONCLAVE At the Choosing of a POPE AS ALSO A particular Relation of what past at the Election of SIXTUS V. and CLEMENT VIII To which is added An Historical Essay To Demonstrate That according to the Principles of the Church of Rome there has not been nor can be any True and Lawful POPE since the Election of SIXTVS V. Written by a Gentleman of Rome LICENS'D J. F. March 4. 1690 1. LONDON Printed for Largley 〈◊〉 at Sir Edmonbury Godfrey's Head near 〈◊〉 Bridge MDCXCI THE INTRIGUES OF THE Conclave c. THE Doctrine of the Pope's Infallibility upon which hang almost all the Articles of the Romish Religion is a Banter of that Nature that I think the Assertors of it who are generally well enough acquainted with the Court of Rome are much more to be wondered at than the Soothsayers were by Cato if they hold their Countenance when they look upon one another I am sure nothing can equal their Impudence who pretend to be serious in maintaining such a Cause but the Impertinence of those who by Dint of solid Argumenrs endeavor to confute them since there is no considering Person but must know that it is impossible that they themselves shou'd believe what they wou'd fain Put upon the rest of Mankind When we shall here take a View of the CONCLAVE where this Infallible Pope is Forged and behold what scandalous Qualifications generally recommend Persons to St. Peter's Chair as they call it What base and detestable Practices are used by the Managers of the several Parties and Factions to promote those whom they think likely to prove subservient to their private and commonly wicked and abominable Designs I am sure none will imagin that they who are concern'd herein tho' their Blasphemous Cant is all the while of nothing but Divine Inspiration can think their Proceedings to be influenced by the Holy Ghost or indeed desire they should For the better understanding of the following Relation and for the Reader 's satisfaction I shall before we go any further give a short Account of the Manner of the Election of Popes in former Ages together with a more particular Description of the Proceedings of the Conclave in our Times But by the way I cannot forbear taking notice of a very Formal Story that is told us in the Book of the Sacred Ceremonies now used by the Church of Rome which says that St. Peter whil'st Bishop of that See instituted a College of Four and twenty Senators who afterwards in the time of Pope Sylvester were named Cardinals that is Princes of the Church These and no other were to have a Vote or Suffrage in the Election of their Bishop and if any other usurped that Right it was by Intrusion or Violence Now I wou'd fain know whether all those Popes which by the Confession of the said Book itself were chosen either by the Clergy and People in general or nominated by the Emperors for so many Ages together are to be accounted more duly Elected than they that are stiled Schismaticks and Antipopes If not what will become of that uninterrupted Succession which of late Years has been so much boasted of It is certain that for the first Five Centuries the Bishops of Rome were Chosen by the joint consent of the Clergy and People to whom they were accountable for their Administration and so far were they from arrogating that unlimited Authority over the Church which the Popes of the later Ages have pretended to that they were subject in matters of Faith to the Censures of the Clergy of their own Diocess by whom Eugenius the First was interdicted from Celebrating Divine Service until he had renounced the Heresie of the Monothelites After the Death of Simplicius Odoacer King of the Heruli makes a Law under pretence of remedying the Disorders that often happen'd at the Elections of Popes by which he forbad both People and Clergy to proceed to the Choice of any until they first knew his pleasure concerning the Person that was to be Elected This Law was Twenty Years afterwards abolished at the Fourth Council of Rome by the consent of Theodorick King of the Goths But this Arrian Prince toward the later Years of his Reign was so far from preserving those Priviledges which he had restored to the Romans that he took upon him to Create the Popes himself Felix the Fourth deriving his Authority wholly from his Nomination The Gothish Kings that succeeded him followed his Example herein only sometimes they were content to approve of the Person whom the Clergy recommended to them When Justinian had driven the Goths out of Italy he retain'd the same Power over the Popes that they before had assumed both he and his Successors obliging the New Elect to come and demand a Confirmation from them for which they were to pay a round Sum of Money before they could exercise even their Spiritual Function And because of the Distance between Constantinople the then Seat of the Empire and Rome the Exarch of Ravenna had often power delegated to him to enquire into the Merits of the Person Nominated and if he found nothing Objected against him he was to approve of his Election Thus Isacius the Exarch made a Journey on purpose to Confirm Severinm This Custom continued until Constantine the Emperor Sirnamed Pogonatus out of the great Veneration he had for the Sanctity of Benedict the second sent him a Decree wherein it was established That he whom the People and Clergy of Rome should Chuse should for the time to come be forthwith acknowledged for St. Peter's Successor without expecting the Authority of the Emperor or his Exarchs But this Decree was never as I can find much regarded by that Emperor's Successors for the Popes were never Consecrated without their Consent and Approbation When the Empire of the West fell into the hands of Charles the Great he retain'd the same right still and transfer'd it to those of his Race The German Emperors kept it as long as they could but when they grew weak and feeble the Popes instead of submitting to their Approbation pretended that they had a Right to dispose of even the Empire it self so that at last tho' not without a great deal of Squabling it was carried and Decreed by Nicholas the Second That the Election of the Popes should entirely remain in the power of the Cardinals This Canon was afterwards confirmed by several Popes and Councils Alexander the Third ordained That he only should be esteemed Canonically Elected that had the Votes of at least Two Thirds of the College of Cardinals and this is that way of Election that has obtain'd ever since and which we are now going to describe After the Funeral Rites of the Deceased Pope are Celebrated the Cardinals enter the Conclave which is held for the most part in the Vatican where in a long Gallery are erected small Apartments called Cells hung with Purple Cloth for the reception of every Cardinal