is the Judge who doth his Duty in judging according to this Word but exerciseth no Authority And St. Augustin Claves sunt discernendi scientia potentia qua dignos recipere indignos excludere debet Sacerdos a Regno Dei. The Keys saith he signifie no other thing than the Knowledge and Skill of discerning those who are Worthy and those who are Vnworthy that the Priest may Exclude them from the Kingdom of God. It is now time to examine the third passage which they alledge for the Primacy of St. Peter which you find in the 21 of St. John. Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep From whence they draw this Consequence that St. Peter was the Head of the Universal Church It is certain that he was one of the most excellent Pastors of the Church but notwithstanding that he was not a Pastor to any of the Apostles nor to any other Christians but as the other Apostles were For our Lord says to them all in common As my Father hath sent me so send I you and in another place Go then and teach all Nations c. Which is the same thing as if he had said to them all Feed my Sheep What is to Feed but to Teach Instruct and Edify as well by Speaking as Writing by Preaching and Explaining to men the word of God and its Truth accompanying that with a life conformable to that Holiness the Gospel requires Which is called pascere Exemplo verbo But they ask why our Lord repeated three times Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep St. Augustin answers that Redditur Negationi Trime Trina Confessio c. St. Cyril understands it also in the same sense Jure nunc ab eo Trina dilectionis Confessio petitur ut trina negatio aequali Confessionis numero Compensetur Ita quod verbis commissum fuit verbis curatur c. Dixit autem pasce Agnos meos Apostolatus ipsi Renovans dignitatem ne propter Negationem quae Humana infirmitate accidit labefacta videretur c. That is to say Our Saviour had reason to demand a three-fold Confession of his love towards him to Recompence in some measure Peters thrice denying him c. And he says unto him Feed my Sheep to renew unto him the Dignity of his Apostle-ship from which he might seem to have fallen by denying his Master St. Cyprian Pastores sunt omnes says he Sed grex unus ostenditur qui ab Apostolis omnibus unanimi Confessione pascatur Episcopatus unus est cujus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur They were all Pastors but he shewed them but one Flock which all the Apostles were to feed with an Vnanimous consent St. Augustin In Petro unitatem Commendavit multi erant Apostoli uni dicitur pasce oves meas c. Sed omnes boni pastores in uno sunt unum sunt Illi pascunt Christus pascit c. He recommended the unity in the person of Peter there were many Apostles he said nevertheless but to one of them Feed my Sheep c. But all good Pastors are in one and are but one They feed Christ feedeth c. The same Father says in another place In uno Petro figurabatur unitas omnium Pastorum sed Bonorum In Peter only was represented the unity of all Pastors but that is to say of all good Pastors Chrysostom tum ostensuâ—us es eximiam tuam Dilectionem in Christum cum paveris ejus gregem cum scriptum sit si diligis me pasce Oves meas Then said he to St. Basil thou wilt shew thy love towards Jesus Christ if thou feedest his Flock as it is written Lovest thou me feed my Sheep St. Peter himself explains to us these words and shews that he was himself far from pretending to the quality of Universal Pastor Excluding the other Apostles because he doth acknowledge that even the Priests are Pastors as well as himself and that the Flock of Christ is committed to their charge as well as to his which they ought to feed not out of a â—hameful desire of gain but by a disinterested Charity not in lording it over the Heritage or over the Clâ—rgy of the Lord But by giving themselves a good example to their Flock How many râ—proofs are â—ere in a fâ—w words agâ—inst the Pope and evil Priests These are the places of Scripture which they cite with the greatest colour for the papacy of St. Peter which as they explain them are I think sufficiently confuted One may say of them as heretofore the Council of Basil said to the Creatures of Pope Eugenius who also corrupted the Sence of these Passages Sunt Interpretationes Paparum fimbrias suas extendentium These are Interpretations of Popes that stretch out the Skirts of their Garments To these which I have already given I shall yet add some reasons drawn from the Gospel it self against this pretended Primacy and Rule of St. Peter I shall not repeat that we see nothing in the Gospel but Precepts of Humility of Charity of renouncing the World its Grandures Pleasures and Riches But I shall say that we read in the Acts of the Apostles that St. Peter was sent to Samaria by the other Apostles A Prince is not usually treated thus by his Subjects We see also that in another place having been accused by the others for misbehaving himself he justifies himself This looks not like a Soveraign Would the Pope endure this from the Bishops or from any other We see not that he gave Laws to others that he established any thing by his own private Authority without the other Bishops St. Paul says expresly that he was not inferior to the greatest of the Apostles In St. Matthew and St. John it is manifest that Jesus Christ gave to all his Apostles the same power And in the Epistle to the Galatians that Peter James and John gave their hands to each other as a mark of the Society that was between them Would the Pope give his in this manner to the other Bishops We see that at the Council of Jerusalem it was not St. Peter but St. James who presided and concluded We read in the Epistle to the Galatians that St. Paul and he agreed together that St. Paul should go and Preach to the Gentiles and St. Peter to the Jews If St. Peter had known that he had been the Head of the Church he would not in all likelihood have suffered that his Ministry should have been thus limited or that the Ministry or Power of St. Paul should have been of an extent an hundred times greater than his especially if he had been of the humour of our good Popes If any Bishop should pretend to govern the Church of France or Spain without them it is to be believed that it would not be very pleasing to them and from hence by the way one may judge that Saint Peter had nothing
Paul we alledg against them in the matter Rom. x. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed it does them no more harm than it does the Calvinists themselves who pray to their Ministers to pray to God for them altho they do not believe in him nor put their Confidence in him as God. That besides all this their Church does not teach that 't is necessary to pray to them and that 't is therefore a manifest Injustice to accuse them as Idolatrous on any such account And that after all we cannot deny but that the Invocation of Saints was very early in the Church I suppose this may be sufficient to satisfy any reasonable Man that tâ—is Author was indeed what he declares himself to be a true Member of the Church of Rome But if yet any further doubt should still remain this I hope at least will fully cleâ—r it that the Archbishop of Tholouse has lately thought fit to cause this very Boâ—k to be reprinted with a publick Permission so to do And now after what has been said concerning this worthy Author and who has hitherto mâ—t with a general acceptance from all those that prefer the Interest of Truth and the Peace of the Church before their own secular Ends and Advantages I hope it will not displease the Church of England-Reader if he meet with some things in the following Treatise that may seem to reflect a little hardly upon his Country and Communion For besides that they are not many he may please to remember that it was written by one who tho by God's Mercy he saw enough to detest some of the Extravagances of his Church yet in the rest continued still firm to the Communion of it And the Translator thought that he ought not to give those of the other side cause to complain of him by representing only what made against them and omiting that wherein he sometimes reflects upon us too As for the design it self The Conversion of all Hereticks and the Reformation of what is truly amiss in the Church How practicable it is I shall not undertake to determine This must be confess'd that it is certainly most worthy of a Christian's Thoughts and Endeavours And tho 't is much to be fear'd that through the Prejudices and Interests of Men we never shall see such a perfect Vnion among Christians as were to be wish'd yet I cannot doubt but that our Author has truly pointed out to us the chiefest Obstacle of our common Peace and which were it once removed we might by God's Grace soon proceed on all hands to a better understanding than we are ever like to arrive at without it Whilst Men not only continue insensible of their Errors but are carried away with an Opinion that they cannot possible fall into any Whilst instead of examining imparpartially where the Truth lies they magisterially assume to themselves an Authority to denounce Anathema's against their Brethren who would convince them of their Deviations it is in vain to hope that either Truth should prevail or Peace and Unity be established among us But would they once be perswaded to remove this Obstacle out of the way would they know themselves to be but Men and as such exposed to the same Frailties and Infirmities that other Christians are would they seriously implore the Blessing of Heaven upon their Endeavours and laying aside their vain Traditions joyn impartially with us in the search of Truth out of the alone certain and infallible Rule of it the Word of God why should we dispair but that the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ might yet so shine upon us as to guide our Feet into the way of Peace Now this is that which our Author here endeavours to draw all Men to He proposes that we should first do Justice to one another as to all those Points that we have falsly laid to each others Charge That then we should reform on both sides whatever we could discover to need a Reformation To this end he freely gives us up the Council of Trent and indeed in effect all the other Councils that have been held before it the Infallibility of the Church but especially the Authority of the Pope whom he proves in what we here publish to be an Vsurper and wishes all Men to separate from him as such He desires that the Cardinals might be reduced to their first Condition that the number of Bishops might be encreased and their Diocesses no larger than what they could easily supervise That the Monasteries might be retrenched and the almost infinite number of the Clergy reduced to a juster proportion That for all this a free Council might be assembled in which the Laity as well as Clergy might be present as being the more likely of the two to bring things to an Accommodation That for those Points wherein we could not after all agree some way should be found out to tollerate one another As for instance that in the matter of the Eucharist neither should those of the Church of Rome require us to receive their Doctrine or to joyn in their Worship nor we them to renounce either But that continuing on both sides as we are we should nevertheless communicate together in the same posture of kneeling as is now done in the Church of England Finally that for all this it were to be wish'd some great Prince would begin to set this matter on foot for that without such a Concurrence it will be impossible it should ever be throughly effected This is as far as I can gather the design of this Author and which I have the rather put together here because it is not so fully expressed in what is now publish'd being only the first part of his Work tho all that he lived to bring to perfection For the rest which we find in the French Edition it is rather a Collection of Materials for a second part than any compleat Copy of what he had finish'd of it I shall not here enter into any debate either to vindicate or to censure this Project It will be time enough for us to deliberate on these things when those of the Church of Rome will be content in good earnest to quit their pretences to that Infallibility and Authority they have so long usurped to themselves and over all others and joyn in such a Christian Design as is here proposed with us And however we have been told that the present Pope was once inclined to submit the Council of Trent to a new revision yet if we may be allow'd to judg by his other Actions he does not seem to be at all disposed to give up the least part of his own pretences to the Churches Peace And therefore instead of pursuing such vain however pleasing Speculations let us make this present use of our Author's Arguments to confirm our selves yet more in opposition to those Pretences which we
plundering the Church they will perceive the Imposture and believe at length that the other Articles of Religion are no more Divine than that of the Papacy So that if it pleased God that this Tyranny were abolished in the Church this villainous Mask taken off from Religion it would be incomparably more loved and respected and the Impiety Ambition and Dissoluteness wherewith the Papacy hath infected all things would be banished from the Church and we should see all the Schismaticks and Hereticks range themselves under the Standard of the Church and even the Pagans and the other Infidels whose Princes are afraid of the Pride of Rome that would make them her Subjects and Tributaries and dispose of them and their States at her pleasure By this means all hopes would be taken away from the Hereticks of ever seeing the Catholick Religion ruined by it for I know their Ministers have from hence all their hopes and would be sorry to see the Papacy abolished without the Catholick Religion Wherefore it is absolutely necessary to fortifie the Catholicks against this danger and to teach them how to distinguish between the Wisdom of God which they ought always to stand firm to and the folly of men which they ought always to abhor and that this last whatever mixture it may seem to have with Truth by the art of men may never make them contemn the other and that the Truth may never make them receive the Inventions of humane Wisdom sharpened by Ambition and Avarice how specious soever they may appear I shall not be at all surprised if some men think I say too much and that there be many who will call me Extravagant for I know how gross and carnal Ideas they who read not the Scripture have of Religion having been one of that number who as well as others believed that the Church could not subsist without the Pope and that there ought to be a Universal and Visible Head of the whole Church But I shall have reason to think it very strange if people have not other Sentiments after the reading of this work All those who will penetrate and enter a little with me into the knowledg of the Disorders which that Authority causes among Christians will find that I have too much reason and that I speak with a great deal of Moderation if they have any zeal and love for the Church For my part I have been in three different tempers in regard of the Papacy When I first knew what it was I did nothing but sigh like another Heraclitus and afflict my self with grief for the Disorders that shook my Faith After this I fell into another frame wherein like Democritus I did nothing but laugh at the folly and vanity of men who under pretence of Religion suffer'd themselves to be so imposed upon Since that as my Understanding encreased I again fell into the Condition of Heraclitus being more perswaded than I was of the Truths of Religion and bearing a greater part in the calamities of the Church and in the salvation of my neighbour than before I did and this it was that moved me to put these my thoughts in writing So go the thoughts of men succeeding one another pro or con according as they are more enlightned Here I think it proper to represent by what Degrees I came to know the Imposture It is now more than 30. years since I was first at Rome There I began to perceive that there was nothing at all in what people had made me believe of the Pope and Cardinals I did never believe that every thing that was told me of them was true for people would have perswaded me that the Pope received news every 24. hours from Paradise and that he sent whomsoever he pleased to Heaven or Hell. But what I believed of him was his great Sanctity Infallibility and Impeccability in every thing he said as indeed it seems necessary it should be so if it be true that Christ hath given him the Employ that he pretends to a vast and almost infinite Knowledge a perfect abstraction from all frail and earthly things with a continual application for the salvation of all mankind And I believed as much in proportion of the Cardinals I found that to be very true which Tacitus says Major e longinquo Reverentia You must not come near a thing to have a value for it I had the leisure to consider the Maxims and Conduct of these people which I soon found to be contrary to all the Ideas I had formed to my self of them and I wanted but very little of running stark mad I was as full of indignation against those who gave me these impressions as against those who scandalized me I saw nothing throughout but an horrible Licentiousness both in the Court and in the Town without any appearance of the true Worship of God as I had observed in many honest people of France I heard of nothing any where but Horrors and Abominations of all kinds comparing this with the Sentiments that had been instilled into me in France I often cried out O quantum est in Rebus Inane O how the World is abused The mind of man is but vanity and I wished with all my heart that our poor French-men had but seen it that so they might be undeceived The greatest part of the men here pass half the day in the Churches to hear the Musick and the other half among the Curtesans and that was it which they at first commended to me the fine Churches and the fine Curtesans This Nation as well as the Spaniards hath found the secret of Associating their Devotion with a habit of the most enormous vices In one hand they shall hold a long Bead-roll and stick a Dagger into a mans body with the other or else commit the most horrible Impurities nor is there any justice for this nor for Sodomy which is more common there than simple Fornication in our Country nor for poysoning And from all these things the Cardinals and Court of Rome are no more free than others For the Popes their Age ordinarily frees them from these things I reasoned oftentimes thus with my self Is it possible that this here should be the man whom they call His Holiness who gives Pardons and Indulgences to others and who Canonizes Saints Is it possible that these should be the men and this the Court that gives Laws for Religion to the whole Earth I confess that my Respect for Religion sensibly diminished every day that I was tempted to believe that the Christian Religion was made only for them and that I doubted of its Divinity seeing and hearing nothing but inconceivable Dissoluteness every where even in the very Cloisters an Ambition and an excessive Vanity in all the Prelates who were promoted for no other merit than that of a Machiavillian Policy wherein the Disciples out-do their Master I knew not where I was Sometimes I cast my eye upon a person of
of their ingenuity in Defence of the Popes Authority and that I saw not well what Advantage they could draw from the Infallibility of the Church which they maintained with so much ardor that doubled my attention to sound the depth of the matter and I found that by the help of this Infallibility they would conceal every thing so as to save the Popes Authority and all the Temporal Advantages which flow from it and I made no further doubt of it when I saw they applied it particularly to the Clergy excluding all the people and many men to the Pope alone excluding all other Bishops Since these Discoveries I have always held it as a Maxim wherein I have never been deceived which is That when any practice or Custom in the Church brings profit or honour to the Ecclesiasticks I presently suspect and examine it At length having a long time reflected upon all the abuses of this Papal Authority and having observed the Deplorable condition to which it hath reduced the Christian Religion as well without as within the Church and seeing it was that which having driven the Greeks and Protestants out of the Church is still the cause why they return not again unto its Communion and that it even draws strange Persecutions upon the Church from these scattered sheep by reason of the attempts of the Court of Rome and its favourers I at last resolved to publish this little Treatise to disabuse mankind in respect of the unjust and criminal Devotion which they have for the Papacy and also to purge the Church of it as well as of all other vices and misfortunes it hath there caused being perswaded that an Infallible fruit of this Reformation would be the Conversion of the Greeks Protestants Pagans Jews and Mahometans not to mention the Honour it would do to all the Catholick Princes whose Majesty and Greatness are vilified by this shameful subjection to and dependance on the Popes which make them to be despised by other Princes who have freed themselves from their Tyranny A Senator of Sweden told me one day a very good saying of Tacitus to this purpose Viri muliebria patiuntur Men act the parts of women which is as much as to say they are the Catamites of the Popes However since it is in their power to treat those as Hereticks and Enemies of the Church who oppose their Ambition and Interest I prepare my self against it and that doth not at all discourage me It is more Honourable to be hated by such people than loved Illi maledicent at tu Domine Benedices I know the Reader will in this Work of mine presently look after the Caracters of either Jansenist Calvinist or Lutheran or lastly of a man who could not be promoted to Benefices and many times he will think he hath found me As for Benefices I might perhaps have had one if I had had a mind to it but by the Grace of God I will have none nor have I need of any nor was I ever designed for it The Jansenists are as yet too much Papists to speak ill of the Papacy As for the Calvinists and Lutherans I wish they could be brought to own the opinions which I do and which I have no mind to betray in this my Book It is true they have both written often against this power but not with design that the Catholick Religion should be the better for it to which this Work wholly tends Whatever men will judg I think I ought not to renounce any truth because the Hereticks know it nor to put my eyes out rather than see the Injustice of the Papacy because the Hereticks see it If I had not here drawn the Picture of the Jesuits Religion it may be those they call the Jansenists would have suspected them to have been the authors of it as the present times go and for the Calvinists I am sure that in many places they will say that I do but gild over the Pill that they may the more easily swallow down the poyson as some people have said of the Book of Mr. de Condom they may judg of it what they please I have followed the sentiments which the reading of the Holy Scripture hath inspired me with and in which I am confirmed the more by reading the Fathers and the Ecclesiastical History and by making reflection upon all that I have seen in foreign Countries and upon what I see every day here If the Romanists hear this Work spoken of they will say without doubt as heretofore at the Council of Trent when Mr. de Faber made Remonstrances on the Kings behalf concerning the disorders of the Church Gallus Cantat they cried I have no better answer than what he made them Vtinam ad Galli cantum Petrus resipisceret let them come and renounce the Dominion and Tyranny they exercise over the Church and over the World and let our Bishops for time to come behave themselves like worthy Successors of this Apostle This Work shall be divided into Three Parts which will contain so many Chapters In the first I shall prove that the Papacy hath no foundation in the Word of God and shall shew the vanity folly of those arguments which they pretend to draw from the Gospel In the second I shall make it appear that the Primitive Church never knew it and that in the darkest Ages there were ever some who opposed it and I shall confute many human reasons which for want of the Scripture and of the Fathers are made use of for its defence And in the third and last I shall examine all the pretended advantages which this Authority procures to the Church or to States and I shall shew that 't is so far from bringing any real good to the Church or to Catholick States that it is the cause of the Desolations of the Church and of the greatest part of the Disorders among all Christians of Ignorance Heresies Schisms and Irreligion that reign No man ought to be surprised that I conceal who I am in so perverse an age as we live in where Truth and Honesty as well as those who profess it are exposed to cruel Persecutions and wherein I shall have as many mortal enemies as there are worldly Catholicks and Papists and people in possession of Benefices without mentioning the Monks I have no reason to flatter my self with any great success this Book may have by reason of the extream disorder and irreligion of the Age and I do it more to discharge my self of the load lying upon me and for the consolation of my own mind than for any other thing as heretofore Petrarch said upon a like occasion Haec scribo non tam ùt saeculo meo prosim cujus tam desperata miseria est quam ut me conceptis onerem Animum scriptis soler I write these things not so much to profit the age I live in whose misery is so desperate as to unburthen my self of my own thoughts
and to refresh my spirit with writing I have written for my self Haec mihi cecini Musis si nemo Alius Audierit I have sung these things to my self and the Muses tho no body else should hear them Sure and Honest Means TO CONVERT ALL HERETICKS CHAP. I. That the Papacy hath no Divine Title The vanity and nullity of those which it draws from the Gospel WHosoever shall read the New Testament will there find that Jesus Christ alone is established as Head of the Church and that it is not said of any other that she should be his Body or Believers his Members that belonging to none but Jesus Christ who is also the only Spouse of the Church which would be adulterous should she submit to another and this other could not be but an evil person and a reprobate since that in taking the quality of Spouse of the Church he must renounce that of Son of the Church and so could not have God for his Father according to the Maxim That he who hath not the Church for his Mother hath not God for his Father Now no one person can be the Head the Spouse and Son of the Church at the same time Nevertheless it is certain that the Popes do assume these Titles to themselves by a vanity which exceeds all folly and without being able to produce any reason for it Divine or Humane But let us see what they say to maintain their pretensions They say that among the Jews one man only viz. Aaron had the conduct of Divine Service and was Head of the Levites and that by consequence there ought to be in the Christian Church an Authority like unto this Established over the whole Church and that the Bishops of Rome perform the Functions of this charge Whereupon there are many things to be said First of all it was not difficult for Aaron to acquit himself of this in so little a State as Judea and in one only City of this State which was Jerusalem and in one only Tâ—mple of that City for it was not allowed to perform Divine Service nor to Sacrifice elsewhere whereas Christianity is at this time spread over the whole world and therefore one single person only cannot perform these Functions every where It is as if a man should say that because France is well governed by one King he might as well govern all the States of the habitable Earth and yet it would be much more easie for him to do it than for one Bishop to govern the whole Church because as it is well known the Ecclesiastical Ministry cannot inflict Corporal punishments upon Delinquents as the Civil Government may and does Besides Aaron was no way the Figure of the Bishops of Rome for then the Type would have been more excellent than the Original but he was the Figure of our Great and Soveraign High Priest Jesus Christ. Furthermore Aaron was not the Monarch of the Levites but as the Doge is at Venice for according to all the Talmudists he was subject to the Jurisdiction of the Great Sanhedrim and to their Censure whereas the Popes pretend to be not only the Monarchs of the whole Earth but particularly of all the Clergy And besides all this there was an express institution of God for this charge and for the person of Aaron and of his Successors Whereas there is nothing like it for the Papacy nor for the persons of those who exercise it We see in the Old Testament the Institution of Aaron's Charge with many Ceremonies for his Installment and for his anointing many Ordinances for the Exercise of this Charge and for the Succession many Chapters which speak of the Subordination of Priests and Levites But on the contrary we find not one word in the Gospel of this pretended charge of Universal Head of the Church of Vicar-General of Jesus Christ and Successor of St. Peter nor any thing that hath any relation to it and yet it ought to have been there clear and evident since that this Ministry was to be of an extent a thousand times greater and the thing in it self is prodigious and appears quite contrary to the nature of the Messias his Kingdom and to the Gospel We see several Orders of Ministers of the Gospel there often spoken of but not one word that can any ways relate to the Pope when surely that was the place to have spoken of it especially if it be necessary to Salvation to be subject to him as they would have it and if he hath the power as they would perswade us as well over the Temporality as the Spirituality of the whole world St. Paul who without question was of as great ability as the Pope was not of these peoples humour who pretend to govern the whole Church since he who had not the thousandth part of Christians to take care of as the Pope would have according to their supposition declares that no Mortal man was sufficient to perform every thing that was necessary to be done in it and that he was himself overwhelmed with the care he took for all the Churches Nor had St. Peter the courage of our good Popes who believe themselves capable of governing the whole Church and they might do it without difficulty after the method they take since he agreed with St. Paul that St. Paul should go toward the Gentiles and he towards the Jews and so they parted the Ministry between them At least the Popes after Aarons example ought to meddle only in Ecclesiastical and not in Secular affairs as they do pretending to Lord it over the whole world for we see that Aaron applied himself only to the Functions of his Charge and that in things Temporal and Civil he was subject to Moses and left the Absolute direction of them to him Instead of imitating Aaron the Head of the Levites in his Modesty the Popes pretend to be Lords not only of the Temporality but of the Spirituality of all the States of the world and will in this be Vicars of Jesus Christ tho he declared that his Kingdom was not of this world tho he taught his Disciples that he among them who would be the first should be the last though he fled away when they would have made him a King tho he payed Tribute to the Princes of the world when he was himself Lord both of Heaven and Earth tho he expresly forbad his Disciples to bear rule over any one whatsoever The Popes notwithstanding this will govern and pretend that our Saviour did amiss when he spoke thus and that they know better than he how to improve the rights of his Prerogative For my part I believe that such a King as Jesus Christ who holds the Earth in his hand according to the Prophet's expression who upholds all things by the power of his word as St. Paul says who knows the hearts of all men and governs the motions of all the creatures who is Almighty who knows and sees
to do at Rome nor was he ever there as they imagine There is yet somewhat of greater weight then all this That is that St. Paul tells us he withstood St. Peter to his face because he deserved reproof This looks as if St. Paul had had some Authority over St. Peter We hear not that he reproached him for his Arrogance nor that he Excommunicated him It must be acknowledged that here is a great difference between the proceedings of the Pope and those of St. Peter For it is certain that if a Bishop should at this day dare to displease the Majesty of the Pope he should be soon swallowed up and destroyed by his glory I believe that Origen might have an eye to St. Paul's thus correcting St. Peter when he said that St. Paul was the greatest of all the Apostles Paulus Apostolorum maximus or else he might also have regard to the great extent of St. Pauls Ministry or to what he himself says that he took more pains than all the other Apostles And all the Fatheâ—s looked upon him as he who among all the Apostles wrote the most profoundly and with the greatest light This is what St. Augustin says of him St. Chrysostom looks upon him as the first of all the Saints and if there had been any Preheminence among the Apostles he should have been preferred before any other We may say then that the Popes in that Authority which they usuâ—p have nothing common with St. Peter nor can they be compared together but in one thing which is that as St. Peter being come into Pilates-Hall denyed Christ three times the Popes since they have taken upon themselves the Authority of Pilate and of worldly Princes have denyed him not three times but once for all Vna sol volta in Corte di Pilato entro est Petro e tra rinego Christo. Thus we see that in the Holy Scripture there is not one word that can in the least authorize the Popes Supremacy And we may compare those who establish it there to poor Heralds who to get a little money do very frequently make people meanly descended to derive from the Ancient Greek and Roman Emperors because the Cullyes havâ— gotten an Estate and are become rich tho most usually 't is only by Rogueries and Robberies And it is not difficult thus to deceive people who always admire those that are rich and able to do them a kindness They never enquire how they came by it as the Spaniard says Alcansados los honores quedam Borrados los passos pordende se subio a ellos Since then that the new Testament doth not acknowledg this Authority of the Popes but absolutely condemn it it hath no lawful Institution for a Doctrine of that Importance as the Primacy of the Pope is whereon they make the whole Government of the Church Religion it self and the Salvation of all Christians to depend being not to be found in Scripture cannot be but false For though it be true that there are some Customs and Ceremonies in the Church which are not to be found in Scripture and which the Protestants are greatly in the wrong obstinately to reject because that Tradition and the use or practise of the Church have so long since given them sufficient Authority as they themselves acknowledg yet that cannot be said of this Article which according to the Popes and the greatest part of the Doctors is Capital and so Capital they would willingly perswade us that without it the rest signifies nothing It was very impiously said of Cardinal Palavicim in his Third Book of his History of the Council of Trent Chap. the 15. That the Christian Religion hath no more sure and immediate certainty than the Popes Authority Quella Religione i cui Articoli Vnitamente considerati non hanno Altera Certezza prossima immediata che l' Autorita del Pontifice We see clearly that if this Authority were laid aside they would renounce the profession of Christianity as piety hath been already renounced by them CHAP. II. That the Primitive Church knew not the Papacy The Vanity of some Humane Reasons by which for want of the Scriptures and the Fathers they would establish it LET us now see if the Primitive Church did acknowledg a power in the Church like to that of the Popes Altho that which hath been already alledged from the Holy Fathers proves sufficiently that they knew not the Papacy let us however examine the thing a little more particularly We are told then that St. Peter was Head of the Church that he was at Rome that he was a Bishop there that he died there that he resigned that Charge of Head of the Church and of Bishop but not that of an Apostle to a Successor which Successor he either chose or the Church of Rome did it after his death by the power which he had given her which things are all of them very difficult to prove and certainly very false for a thing of this consequence ought not to be founded upon conjectures of meer probabilities but we ought to have as certain and as exact a knowledg of it as of any other Article of our Religion And yet we see that they who have spoken of St. Peter's coming to Rome and of his Death there have said it upon such miserable grounds and say so many contradictory things as well of it as of his pretended Successor that there is nothing more uncertain in all Antiquity But besides this none of them ever believed no nor so much as suspected that St. Petâ—r was Head of the Universal Church And the contradiction and little certainty that is in these Authors shews sufficiently that in the Primitive times it was not believed that this was necessary to be known nor did they in the least suspect that ever any body would endeavour to lay upon it the foundation of that horrible Authoâ—ity which the Popes do Exercise To give you some Instances of their Contradictions I need only to shew you that some say it was Linus who succeeded Peter others Clement and lastly others say it was Anacletus some will have it that St. Peter founded this Church and was the first that Preached at Rome Others maintain namely Dorotheus that it was Barnabas Barnabas primus Romae praedicavit And St. Paul shews us clearly that it was he himself who founded that Church for he complains that coming to Rome he found that the Jews there who had embraced Christianity were but very little instructed in the Doctrine of the Christian Religion Who can believe that if St. Peter had been there and had founded this Church he would not have instructed them better And what is yet more St. Paul says expresly in another plaâ—e that he would not go and preach whâ—re others had preached before him because he would not build upon the Foundation of others As for the manner of his Death some say he was Crucified with St. Paul Others that he was
of France hath maintained it self against all their endeavours without being divided and hath still kept some small Remains of Liberty which they daily attempt to rob us of The second device was to engage Princes and great men and those who were very rich in the Croisadoes and Expeditions of the Holy Land and to make them take the Cross which besides the vast Treasures which the Popes got by it augmented greatly their Authority for from hence they invented Indulgences from whence the Court of Rome hath drawn unspeakable Advantages as well in Riches as in Authority The third was by introducing neatly under the pretence of ignorance and the weakness of Princes the use of Cardinals of divers Nations in the Election of the Pope for by this these Nations are for the Spiritual â—art become subject to the See of Rome the Clergy and people of Râ—me as well as the Emperors have lost the Right of Electing the Bishop All these States have thought that the Bishop of Rome was greater than another Bishop and that they had great Interest in his Election and the Popes have gotten many Creatures in all these States It is true that at this time they are almost all Italians because they have of late so well bridled all these Countries by the Infinite number of their Monks and by many other Inventions that they now fear not their casting off the yoke After that Henry the Fourth had been Deposed and the Right of Investing Bishops taken from him the Successors of this Gregory pretended that the Ecclesiasticks were exempt from all Jurisdiction and power of â—ecular Princes even in Civil Affairs And besides that that the Bishop of Rome could Dâ—pose Kings if they did not submit to all his Orders and to fortifie this came forth the Decretals of many Popes of which these people at last made so good use to compose their Bull de Caena Domini and the Directory of the Inquisitors But say they all this does not hinder the Bishop of Rome from being Head of the Church for we see that the Laws and Rules and Roman Discipline have been followed by the other Churches It is true that in the West as there was no other Patriarchal See and as in most places thee Christian Faith had been received by means of the Roman Churâ—h the woâ—ld had a great respect for it and beâ—ides it was by reason of the Dignity of this City As in France we always consult the Sorbonne at Paris concerning matters of Religion not that for this reason the other Universities or Churches depend upon it But it is false that all Christians or the greatest part of them have received the Rules and Discipline of Rome The Greek Churches never owned them nor any of those who are in Asia or in Africa as the Armenian the Ethiopian and others And what we have already alledged from many of the Fathers and Councils from the Gallican Church from the Churches of Ravenna Milan and Toledo who with so much difficulty received the Roman Office even in the Eleventh Century shews sufficiently that they had no dependance on the Bishop of Rome I could bring a thousand other proofs did I not fear being too tedious to the Reader Aventin relates that Gregory the Second sent one Winefred towards the Countries lying upon the Rhine to reform the Churches there and to set them on the Roman bottom but that they vigorously opposed him and many Bishops called him the Author of Lyes and corrupter of the Christian Faith. In the first Tome of the Councils we have a Letter of Damasus Bishop of Rome to Hierome a Priest where we find these words which do sufficiently confute the pretences of our people I intreat Brother thy charity to send us the Greek Psalter with the Notes by which they sing them These are the words Peto charitatem tuam ut Graecorum Psallentiam ad nos dirigere tua Fraternitas delectetur For adds he we are so simple that upon Festival days we do nothing but read a Chapter in the Epistles or in the Gospel and we have no custom of singing Psalms nor is the Grace and Glory of Hymns to be found in our mouths Observe these words Charitas tua and Fraternitas tua from a Bishop of Rome to a Priest and how far they were from endeavouring to make other Churches subject to their Laws since that on the contrary they did correct their own faults by the good example of others We find also at the end of St. Gregory's Works that about the year 593 he sent a Monk called Austin into England who passing through France was surprized to see there another manner of Divine Service than he had seen in Italy with Ceremonies quite different that when he wrote to Gregory he asked him how it came to pass that since there was but one Faith the customs of Churches were so different and that the custom and manner of Masses was not the same at Rome as in France To which St. Gregory answered You know Brother what is the custom of the Roman Church wherein you have been educated But my opinion is that if you find any thing be it in the Roman Church or the Gallican or in any other which may be more agreeable to God you should prâ—fâ—r it for we ought not to love the things for the places but the places for the good things we find in them There are some people also who would make an advantage of this that the Church of Rome is by the Fathers called the Apostolick See. In truth as the Pharisees sat in the seat of Moses as our Saviour says so do the Bishops of Rome also â—it upon the Seat of the Apostles But it is certain that the other Bishops who teach the Doctrine of the Apostles and imitate their example are more Apostolick than they You must know that all the Churches founded by the Apostles were honoured with this Title and particularly famous and Metropolitan Cities which were looked upon as the Mothers of other Churches tho sometimes they had embraced Christianity after others that were less considerable because there Resided the Civil which drew after it the Ecclâ—siastical Jurisdiction And because there were many in the East where Christians were far more numerous than on this side none of those Churches ever raised it self above the others but in the West there being but one which was the Roman and no other having been since erected tho the Germans Spaniards French and othâ—r Nations have embraced the Christian Religion since those times yet Rome alone hath had this Glorious Title and the others have had great respect for it without any manner of dâ—pendance on it however at the beginning as hath already been shewed But that hindereth not but that other Orthodox Churchâ—s may also have it consult Tertullian he says that all Churches that follow the Faith of the Apostles are Apostolick And Pope Pelagius confirms the same
when he pleases who may restore that happy Equality among the Bishops under which the Church was heretofore so flourishing and Christianity made so great Progress which would also re-establish Peace among all Christians much better than the Equality of Turkish Politicks of which they say Ittichat Khoga Kopatmas Equality produceth no Wars They mean the Equality of Poverty that is to say that great men are not to be suffered in a Nation and that being all miserable they would make no commotions Whereas the Equality which I speak of would produce not only a firm and lasting Peace but also the abundance of all Spiritual and Temporal Goods There are also some People who pretended that if we acknowledg a necessity of having Arch-bishops and Primates who take their Places above Bishops instituted by Jesus Christ tho the Dignity of Arch-bishops or Primates is not so in like manner for Orders sake we may have a Pope That might pass if the Popes did not pretend to be of another Order if they exercised no Authority over their fellow-brethren if they were not Temporal and Mighty Princes if the Clergy did not absolutely depend upon them if they had nothing but a Pre-eminence of Place over the other Bishops in Assemblies and in Councils if there were One of them in every Christian State who should solicite the Prince for the assembling of Provincial Synods every year to whom he should be subject as the other Bishops and should entertain Communion with the other Patriarchs or Catholick Popes and with whom he should keep Correspondence that they might altogether by the Consent of their Respective Princes cause General Councils to be assembled when they should be necessary which should be held sometimes in one State and sometimes in another and wherein should preside men of the greatest Understanding and the greatest Merit without exception of Persons or else every Patriarch in his turn Thus was the Church anciently governed without Tyranny by this means did Religion spread it self abroad with great success in all Countries and not by a pretended Bishop who is a Worldly Prince and hath ruined the Church We see that heretofore among the Pagans Kings have been Sacrificers and Ministers of Religion Amongst the Jews also at the beginning we find that the Heads of Families who were Soveraigns did take upon them the offering of Sacrifices and performed Divine Service but before these latter times which is the Sink of all Ages it was never seen that Priests plaid the Princes and that People who ought to employ themselves only in Prayers and Sacrifices and whom Jesus Christ and all the most pure Canons of the Church do forbid to meddle in Secular Affairs should compare themselves with and raise themselves above Kings Is it not a comely sight to behold a Temporal Prince wearing Three Crowns one above the other sitting in a throne covered with Gold and precious Stones having the Arms both of Sea and Land many Attendants following him who are equal to other Princes Such a Prince as this I say to be the Vicar of Jesus Christ He is then a Carnal Messias and such a one as the Jews do at this day look for He is then a King of Concupiscence and of Iniquity If it be so the Jews had reason to accuse him for endeavouring to supplant Caesar the Romans would have been in the right to put him to Death and so he would not have been the Redeemer of Mankind This Pretension of the Popes as we see is a horrible Blasphemy and which yields the Cause over to the Jews against us and tends to justifie every thing they did against our Lord Jesus and utterly to overturn Christianity The pretence also which they have that Ecclesiasticks ought not to be subject to their Natural Prince and are freed from Obedience to him by Jesus Christ This is to renew against our great Saviour the impious Accusation which the Jews brought against him That he would have made himself a King and perswaded others to Rebellion There are others who pretend that the evil is not so great that there is a Pope as that General Councils are no more assembled and so they say that we should rather speak of assembling a Council than talk of exterminating the Papacy because they think that a Council would limit the Pope and hold the Reins shorter over him But this Papacy subsisting how shall a General Council be called but that they 'le have a hand in 't And if they have what will this Council tend to The End of it will be like that of Trent sad and miserable And put the case there might be found a Prince zealous strong and prudent enough to cause a General Council to be assembled by an agreement of other Christian Princes in spight of the Pope what would this Council do against the Pope who would have all the Bishops for him both by the Oath which they have taken to him and by Twenty Millions of Revenue which he hath and which he would employ to corrupt all the World What would you do with the Monks who would be all for him it being their Interest to maintain the Authority and Infallibility of the Pope because the Priviledges which he hath given to many of them which are as ancient as their first Institution are not confirmed by any Lawful Council and so are null And how long should the good condition of this Prince's Affairs last or his good Correspondence with other Princes to make the Laws of this Council be obeyed and that the Pope who will be all or nothing shall not hinder the Execution of his Decrees and continue his Tyranny And how will you in the mean time keep the Papacy with its hands tied and what will this signifie It is certainly better to cast off the Yoke all at once than to let it continue without being sure that it shall do no more mischief Tutius est perire non posse quam juxta periculum non periisse says a certain Author We have the sad Example of the Councils of Trent and Constance from that of Trent we could not hope for any great matters but even that of Constance which seemed well inclined to a Reformation as well as that of Basil found such horrible resistance in the Court of Rome and among the Ecclesiasticks that it never could re-establish the ancient Discipline And that shews us that we must wholly eradicate this Papacy and that it is not enough to assemble a free Oecumenical Council but that it must be some powerful zealous and resolute Prince who fears nothing but God and not the Court of Rome who must begin continue and vigorously end the thing without hearkening to pretended moderate Councils which tend only to the Churches ruin The Proverb here signifies nothing That it is better to preserve the Commonwealth as it is than to have none at all For I maintain that here is no Common-wealth but a perfect Anarchy and that
John the 23 d. of Benedict the 13 th and Gregory the 12 th and even to give encouragement to all other Princes to do as he had done and he had much less cause to do it than we have at this time You see his reasons in the Letters of the University of Paris in Theodore a Nyem which were that they would not consent that the disorders of the Church should be regulated by a free Council and that they would not submit themselves to the Decisions of the Church Are not we now again just in the same condition since the Councils of Constance and of Basil For those which have been Assembled since deserve not the name of Councils because there was no liberty in them and every thing was there done by the Inspiration not of God but the Popes France did but half free it self from this yoke for quickly after we suffered our selves to be drawn in and have been like to have been undone many a time since by it Nor do I make any great account of the Conduct of the Venetians which is so highly commended who after having known the nature of the Papacy and the Genius of this power have but half freed themselves from this slavery nay less than half They have behaved themselves in this according to their ordinary custom following moderate Councils where excess was not to be feared and where it could not be committed Consilia media quod inter ancipitia deterrimum est nec ausi sunt satis nec providerunt For they have still this Viper in their bosom which they stupifie as much as they can but he may some time or other revive and devour them They have every day a thousand difficulties with these cunning Romans who will be always spying out occasions to destroy them and to reduce them absolutely under their yoke They should renounce perfectly and for â—ver all dependance upon this See and thus shall they be better able to regulate their Clergy which is as licentious as that of Rome which they dare not reform because it would be to be feared that to maintain themselves in this Roman Libertinism they should give assistance to the Pope to oppress the Republick that they might always enjoy the full liberty of the children of the See of Rome Vulgo dissoluta gratior est quam Temperata vita vivere ut quisque velit permisit quoniam sic magna erit tali Reipublicoe faventium Magnitudo Et hoc Humanitas vocabatur ac ne pars servitutis esset c. Will any man still say Ought we not to be of the Roman Church People are not contented with being in the Catholick and Apostolick Church if they are not in the Roman they seem desirous of having a share in the Abominations of this City and of this Court but the Romans are not at all desirous to be of the Gallican Church I would fain know for what reason we should be rather of the Roman Church than the Romans of the Gallican Church Rome is not as heretofore it was the Seat of the Empire and tho it were we hold no longer of the Empire and it is a contradiction for a man to be in the Catholick Church in the Gallican and in the Roman Churches both together for the first is the General and the other two are particulars You may always have Communion with all the Romans who live in the fear of God with the Pope of Rome himself if he be a Christian but not to depend upon him nor upon Rome You shall be as the Christians of the Primitive Church were for more than six hundred years You shall pay no more Annates you shall buy no more Bulls nor Dispensations You shall be much more Catholick than before for then you may hold Communion with the Greeks and Protestants by drawing them home to the Faith of the Church whereas the See of Rome is at this time a wall of Separation between them and us CHAP. III. That the pretended Authority of the Papacy hath never done any good to the Church A Confutation of whatever is said to the advantage of this Power to prove it necessary to the world by shewing at the same time that it hath been the cause of all the Evils of the Church THEY maintain that the Papacy hath heretofore done and still doth a great deal of good to the Church and to the world this I can confute all at once by a thing which the world knows which is that we have in no place so many true Christians as in those Catholick Countries where this power is least known as in France Flanders and Germany But let us see particularly what good the Papacy doth It is a common saying that there is nothing so bad but that you may make some use of it either in its nature or in conjunction with other things Let us then examine the usefulness of the Papacy omitting nothing that can be said to its advantage It is says Cardinal Perron The Center and the root of Chriâ—tian Vnity These are fine words I confess but we shall find but very little sense in them if we a little consider them for I ask him In what this Unity doth consist and how the Pope is the center and the root of it If this Unity be in the pure service of God methinks that God should be the center of it and not the Pope and that it is also God who is the root of it that is the influencing principle over the will and strength of men to serve him and to do well If this Unity be for doing what is evil it is then but a conspiracy and I do confess that in regard of wicked Clergy-men who are the members of the Pope he is the source of all their Impiety Ambition and Dissoluteness and he is the center of the Unity of these people who belong all to him and as for themselves he is the center of their worship and would be so to all other men Palavicini says that the union and submission of all Catholicks to the Pope makes a band a life perfectly Politick Vna conjunctione di vita perfâ—tta mente Politica He says not a Christian but a Politick life and according to him it is the same thing And in another place he says the Church is the most happy Body Politick in the world Corpo Politico il piu felice che sia in terra This Unity as I said before consists only in their obedience to the Pope whom they all honour for thâ—ir profit looking upon him as the source of Riches of Honours and of all the pleasures whiâ—h they have according to the flesh Secondo la carne This Unity is in the conformity of judgment which they all make of the riches of the Churches Patrimony which is that they are good It is certain that it is not in their opinions for what Clergy-man is there who cares for the Popes
the Laws of God and makes others of his own head He defiles all things he robbâ—th he deceives and murthers Honorius Bishop of Autun speaks of him after the same manner Turn says he toward these Citizens of Babylon and behold what thâ—y are c They contrive at all times to do evil c. and instruct others to do the same They sell Holy things and buy off Crimes that they may not go alone into Hell They defile the Priesthood by their Impurity they seduce the People by their Hypocrisie they reject all the Scriptures whereby we obtain Salvation Consider also the Monks they deceive men by their Habits despising God and provoking his Wrath by their Hypocrisie Behold also the Convents of Nuns they learn Immodesty from their Childhood c. And Peter of Blois Take away Lord the Idol from thine House and bruise the Hâ—rns of this man of sin They pervert every thing at Rome and give all sorts of liberty to the Monks who give themselves over to all the Excesses of Sensuality for which they have Absolution for a yearly Pension which they pay Thus doth the Prince of Sodom govâ—rn himself as well as his Disciples who are sate in the Seat of Pestilence c. And St. Bernard who cries out speaking of Popish Tyranny O misâ—rable Spouse says he who art committed to such kâ—epers They are not thine Husband's Friends but Rivals We see all Hâ—nours heaped up upon them and they are loaden with the Riches of the Lord and yet they do him no Hâ—nour From hence come all these Ornaments of the Whore these Actors Hâ—bits this Royal Equipage c. The Plague of the Church is within its Bowels and incurable A shameful Traffick hath been also made of Ecclesiastical Offices and Dignities nor doth any body value thâ—m but for their profit It is not the Salvation of Souls that they look after but how to enrich themselves 'T is for that they are shaved frequent the Churches and say Masses And in another place It looks Lord Jesus as tho all the Christians had conspired against thee and they themselves are the first to persecute thee that seem to have the Primacy in the Church And the like in many other places He observes in his 91 st Epistle that the Popes did already spoil every thing that was done in the Councils which made him say That he passionately wished to see a Council where Traditions were not defended with so much Obstinacy nor obsâ—rved with Superstition because the Popes brought in great Abuses under the Pretext of Tradition Ad illud Concilium toto dâ—sidâ—rio feror in quo Traditiones non obstinatius defensentur aut superstitiâ—sius obsâ—rventur Recedant a mâ— cui dicunt nolumus esse meliores quam Patres nostri These were not Oecumenical Councils but such as Leo the Tenth assembled from which the Sorbon appealed by reason of the Abuses which were there established and wrote to him That his Council was not assembled in the Spirit of God in the Name of the Lord. See what our Probus says who was Bishop of Toul under Honorius the Fourth He cries out Alas how long shall these Vultures of Romulus abuse our Patience or rather Dullness And the Great Petrarque Who I pray is there that ought not to detest this Babylon which is the miserable Habitation of all sorts of Vice and Wickedness c I know it by Experience that in it there is no Piety nor Charity nor Faith nor Fear of God nothing Holy nothing Just c. It is now above a thousand years since that Isidore Pelusiota commended a Priest for having refused to be made a Bishop by reason of the great difference between the Bishops of his own time and those of former Ages because says he the Dignity of sweetness of Humour and of Civility was changed into Tyranny For in former times they suffered Death for the Salvation of all now they cause the Death of their Flocks not by cutting their Throats which would be a less heinous Crime but by giving Scandal to the destruction of Souls They then gave their Goods to the Poor but now they turn to their own profit the very Portion of the Poor They then mortified their Bodies by fasting now they soften them by Luxury Then they honoured Virtue now they persecute the Lovers of Piety They then spoke greatly in commendation of Chastity but now I will not say any thing of the odious c. He here holds his peace and gives you the liberty to think what he cannot with modesty express Alvarez Pelagius a Portugal Bishop after having made an honourable mention of the first Bishops of Rome complains thus of their Successors It is now a long time since their Successors have raised themselves in Authority but they are very different in Hâ—liness getting themselves in to be Bishops of Rome would to God that this intrusion were made without a Devillish Agreement before-hand enriching and raising their Neighbours living themselves deliciously conferring Dignities upon their Friends building of Towers and Palaces in Babylon that is to say Rome according to St. Hierom kindling of Wars keeping up of Parties in Italy tho there be but one Church embezelling the Goods of the Church putting unworthy Men into Offices vaunting themselves in their Chariots Elephants Horses Costly Apparel and their great Train of Guards and Worldly Power invading many times the Power of Temporal Princes taking no care for the Salvation of Souls and what not wholly minding the desires of the Flesh. Besides these Subjects of Complaint which are of great importance there is yet another which cries more loud to God for Vengeance which is That the Papacy is an Obstacle unto the Piety of those Christians who are subject to its Yoke We are not of our own Nature virtuous but on the contrary we are born in sin and without the particular Grace of God there is in us always a strong Disposition to do evil If then men are not furnished with means to resist these ill Inclinations it is evident that they will let themselves be carried away by them But if instead of furnishing them with these means they have greater occasion given them to do evil there is no doubt but we shall be so far from inspiring them with the love of Virtue that we shall engage them in sin Now the Papacy according to the state wherein it now is and for many Ages hath been hath such ill qualities that it takes away from Christians the Occasions of doing good and offereth them others of doing evil It is one of the Properties of our Mind to be led very much by Example especially by those who make a figure in the World and have Authority over others Thus the behaviour of the Monks and of the Priests savouring scarce of any thing but Covetousness and Ambition the Natural Dispositions which we have to these Vices are by this
Barbary are concerned for the preservation of the Town and Pirates of Algier because they taste of their Riches and have all a share in their Robberies The further insist for the Popes Advantage that they have built a great many fine Churches at Rome whose admirable Structure doth greatly edify Believers and is of it self capable to convert the Infidel Princes as Palavicini says Tali opere basterebbeno per render ammirabile la nostra Religione alli sguardi di tutti i Monarchi Mahometani e Gentili Such Works as these are enough to make our Religion be admired by all Mahometan and Gentile Monarchs He makes Religion to consist in these Buildings It is the same thing that they say who pretend that the fine Musick of the Churches the fine Ceremonies and the costly Ornaments are capable of converting People I am bold to say that if any Man be converted by these he is a Fool and I know that upon People of Understanding who apply themselves to solid things and grow in Spirit and Truth this hath a contrary Effect for these things do debauch the Mind and set it on wandering The enquiry is about seeking God and finding him in those places and it is not the sight of the fine Gilding or the excellent painting of an Edifice nor the hearing of a sweet Harmony but rather the lifting up of our Minds above sensible Objects and separating them as much as possibly we can from Sense and Imagination it is the fixing the Eyes of our Understanding with a Religious Attention upon that invisible Spirit upon that Sun of Justice and when we do it with that Love and Reverence that is due to it we shall never fâ—ll of seeing and hearing the most delightful things we there sâ—e lumen in lumine we there also hear that sweet Voice that says My Son thy Sins are forgiven thee But for the fine Churches of Rome the Popes in building them have built their own House and these Material Temples have ruined the Spiritual Temples of the Church Palavicini does acknowledg it The Fathers were of Opinion that Antichrist should one day seize upon the most magnificent Temples of the Christians this was the Opinion of St. Hilary and of St. Hierom this last mentions the very Rock of Tarpeius Therefore the Popes ought not to glory overmuch in their Buildings since Antichrist shall one day place himself in them I know not whether other Men are of the same Mind as I am I like well enough to see such fine things as these but I confess that I have more Devotion in a little Church without Magnificence or rich Ornaments then I have in such places I find that my Devotion does insensibly divide and that Sense does sometimes carry away a part of my Mind and transport it to sensible Objects which do not deserve it and that my Affection is thereby weakened whatever care I take to gâ—ther it up and unite it This hath a much more dangerous Effect upon the common People who have no Knowledg and whose Religion lies only in their Eyes and Ears they do in horrible manner fasten on these things which are only obvious to their Sense and go no higher There was much more Piety heretofore when the Churches were not so mâ—gniâ—icent which in my Opinion does more harm than good Dicite Pontifices in sacris quid facit aurum There was infinitely more Zeal in the time of Pope Zephirin who ordained that the Blood should be consecrated in a Chalice of Glass and St. Hierom does inform us that in his time Exuperus Bishop of Thoulouse did consecrate the Holy Sacrament in Calice vitreo vimineo canistro in a Chalice of Glass and a wicker Basket. Then it was as Gregory the Great says that the Bishops were of Gold but now their Chalices are of Gold they themselves are become Wood cum aurei essâ—nt Sacerdotes Calices habuerunt ligneos nunc cum lignei sint Sacerdotes Calices volunt habere aureos That is to say within for withoâ—t they want no Gold It is only the Gold of the true Faith which they somâ—timeâ— wâ—nt but they look upon that as a small matter Having then proved as I hâ—ve done that the Popes are good for nothing that they are the cause of the Churches Desolation and of the Damnation of so many Millions of Souls which daily perish as well by Heresy as by Ignorâ—nce and Vice theâ—â—â—â—mainâ— nothing more for me to prove but that it is the indispensible Duty of Christian Princes who are the Protectors of the Faith and to whom God hath committed the Defence of his Church to deliver this same Church from the Papacy that destroys it This is what they owe to God to the Church to their Subjects to themselves and also to Húman Society In regard of GOD we know that Princes were commanded under the Law to take care that nothing should be received against the pure Service of God and we also see that good Kings as Josias and Jehosaphat were so careful in this Point as to depose the High-priests themselves who were instituted by God which the Popes are not And now under the Gospel they are the Guardians of the two Tables of the Law as the Council of Paris says so that whether the Discipline of the Church be augmented or delayed God will call Kings to an account for it to whose care he hath entrusted it and according to this the Emperours did depose the Bâ—shops of Rome as well as others when they neglected their Duty Leo the first Bishop of Rome does not deny it when he wrote to the Emperour in those times Debes incunctanter advertere regiam Potestatem tibi non solum ad Mundi Regimen sed maximè ad Ecclesiae praesidium esse colâ—atam You ought always to râ—member that the Regal Power is gâ—ven to you not only for the Government of the World but chiefly for the Safeguard of the Church As for the Church if they are the Protectors of it as they ought to be and without doubt are if the Church be trod under foot if Ambition Luxury and Ignorance seize upon the Ecclesiastical Ministry if the Bishops neglect their Duty are incapable of teaching and look after nothing but spoiling and turning all to their own particular Profit if they will make the Church a Den of Thieves if they sell Holy Things and keep the Price to themselves shall not Princes punish such Villanies Shall they bear the Sword without being able even for the Good of the Church to make use of it against the Popes who do all these things It is in this says St. Austin that Princes are well pleasing to God in doing those things which none but Kings can do In hoc ergo serviunt Domino Reges cum ea faciunt ad serviendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi Reges According to this they did heretofore depose the Popes they made
of Vicars of Jesus Christ which they insolently assume have cast the Church into the most deplorable Desolation and have ravaged all Christian Kingdoms who authorise all sorts of Vice and Disorder both in the Church and in the World dethrone Kings the anointed of God tread upon the Necks of Emperours dispence with the Oaths of Allegiance in their Subjects dispence with the Laws of God and his Gospel hinder Christians from reading the holy Scripture without which we cannot be Christians and unmercifully murther Men for their Religion by their Inquisition ought it to be questioned whether such People as these should be exterminated Pope Innocent himself and many others are of Opinion that we may destroy those that sin against Nature And St. Augustin says Opinantur scelera facienda decerni qualia si quis terrena Civitas decerneret genere humano decernente fuerat evertenda Seneca hath also a fine saying upon this Si non Patriam meam impugnat sed suae gravis est sepositus a meâ gente suam exagitat abscidit nihilominus illum tanta pravitas animi In fine no Man can doubt whether those who curse their Father and Mother and tread them under their Feet or those that live upon Humane Flesh or Pirates upon the Sea without Commission from any Prince ought to be extirpated and whether all Princes have not a right to destroy them if they can I maintain that the Popes do all this and worse I have already shewed it in what I have related But besides all this what can a Man think of these Men who call themselves their Holinesses which is a Title that belongs only to God and is one of the most excellent of all his Attributes who call themselves Vicars of Jesus Christ to dethrone Jesus Christ from his Church and govern it at their own fantasy who say that they are infallible and above the Councils that they can open Heaven and shut up Hell put out the Fire of Purgatory when they please save and damn whom they please who make themselves be called God and the Divine Majesty and cause themselves to be worshipped I demand whether there be any thing like this in the Crimes of others the most vile and miserable Creatures and that which is the most terrible of all is that the Popes do every day cast down many Millions of Souls headlong into Hell. Do not such things as these deserve the Vengeance of Princes here on Earth The Insensibility and Stupidity of Christians must be very great this their Lethargy to me appears monstrous and certainly there must be in it somewhat supernatual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hippocrates says of some strange Diseases which are wholly unknown If the Interest of God and his Church were here only concerned it would not be so surprising for usually Princes seldom trouble themselves with that they cry Deorum injuriae diis curae but here where they are robbed of their Majesty to dress up a pack of Rascals with it where they are made Tributary where their Authority is limited where part of their Subjects are withdrawn from them by Exemptions and base Laws which make them contemptible as well to those who thus plunder them as to others who secure themselves under the Covert of this Tyranny It is unconceiveable that Princes should have so much Patience for tho the Primacy of St. Peter could be proved that he was Bishop of Rome and left there his Succcessours either as he was an Apostle or a Bishop must I say such People as these be his Successours and make all these Crimes their common Practise and go still unpunished They shall as soon make me worship the Devil as believe it And I really believe that it would be no hard matter to make them who adhere to the Papacy both receive and serve him They would soon relish the Reasons of the Manicheens who said that there were two Principles the one good and the other bad or the Argument of those Indians who believed they ought to worship the Devil because he could do them hurt and that God being all good of himself could do them none and so it is not necessary to adore him This now looks very amazing but they who are so much in love with the Papacy would soon receive it if any Man of Sense would give a little colour to it and there were good Benefices to be hoped for by it which could not otherwise be obtained if they might have fine Churches and re-establish the fine Ceremonies of Numa Pompilius if their only care might be to divert the Eyes and Eares of the People with Musick and rare Shews as heretofore they did to those miserable Jews who brought their Children to Moloch and whilst they burned they played upon all sorts of Instruments and entertained them with the most delightful Musick that they might not hear the Cries of their poor Children Can we think it strange as things go that the Protestants are not converted There would be in my Opinion greater reason to wonder if they should embrace the Catholick Religion whilst the Pope should exercise this horrible Tyranny for I do maintain that there is no Man of Honour that hath any Modesty or Sense of Christianity that can digest this Article of the Almighty Power of the Pope if at least it hath not been riveted in him from his Childhood and he been brought up in this Opinion all his Life-time without ever making any Reflection upon it But for the Protestants we must never pretend to make them believe that the Popes are Heads of the universal Church established by Jesus Christ to govern it as it is governed there is no Man of Sense will ever be perswaded to believe this But it may be said that the great Truths which the Catholâ—ck Religion teaches give us so great an advantage over the Hereticks that they ought to make no difficulty of passing over such an Error as this to enter into the Communion of the Church For my part I am of Opinion that a Man's Conversion is a work supernatural and from the hand of God who filling the Heart of Man with Light and Courage makes him overcome Darkness and his natural Weakness and that a true Conversion is always accompanied with Zeal towards God and Charity towards our Neighbour This being supposed I maintain that they who are converted by these Principles do in effect embrace with their whole Heart the Catholick Truths but that their Charity and the Zeal towards God which animates them shall always make them resist and oppose to the utmost of their Power all Impostures and Falsities whatsoever that they shall chearfully lose their Estates and Lives to deliver the Church from so miserable a Slavery as the Papacy is It is a great unhappiness that the Protestants have separated themselves not from the Pope but from the Church and that they have invented Novelties to fortify their Schism which at
contra Charitatem militare That which is made for Charity 's sake ought not to militate against Charity The Lawyers say that sacra alienari non possunt Holy things cannot be alienated And what is there more sacred than the Zeal with we ought to have for the Glory of God for the Propagation of the Faith and the spiritual good of the Church So that there is no Oath Treaty nor Agreement but ought to give place to the good and safety of the Church and the Salvation of our Souls This is lâ—ke the Oath which Pirates or Robbers on the High-way force them to swear whom they take Prisoners who to save their Lives promise to be faithful to them and to tâ—em what Service they can The Lawyers do maintain that these Oaths are not binding A piratis aut latronibus capti liberi permanent Qui a latronibus captus est servus latronum non est nec postliminium illi necessarium est It is an undisputable Maxim Non posse Deum obligare creaturam ad non obediendum sibi The Lawyers also say that a Man cannot renounce the Right he hath to defend himself which is natural much less a Prince Thus there is no Reason Divine nor Humane but doth indispencibly ingage Princes to renounce the Papacy and to re-establish the Church in that Liberty which Jesus Christ hath left to it But as for the Papacy it is like the ancient Idols of Paganism which when the Christians did renounce they knâ—w well their Vanity when they examined into the thing but they still reserved a certain trâ—mor fatuus leporiâ—us fear and impliâ—iâ—e respect as Gersâ—â— says for them because that from their Infancy they had their Minds greatly aâ—â—ected with the Power of these Idols It is just the same thing with us and the Pope â—er still Idolum nihil â—st in Mâ—â—do And I am perswaded that we should have a great deal of difficulty before we could turn him briskly away It were to â—e wished that he would do himself Justice and give Glory to God but what liâ—â—lihood is there of that They will always keâ—p the Titles of Hâ—ad and Spouse of tâ—e Church if they would be contented with the latter there might be found out a way to be rid of them which would be for the French Church to give them once for all the same Portion as Pâ—ilip the Second gave to his Eldest Dâ—uâ—htâ—r whâ—n he married hâ—r to the Duke of 〈◊〉 he gave her a Cruâ—iâ—â—x anâ— an Iâ—age of our Laâ—y but upon condâ—tion that he shâ—uld never hâ—ar her speak â—f aâ—y tâ—ing â—ore and that shâ— shoâ—lâ— renounce for ever all other Pretâ—nsiâ—ns â—oth fâ—r her sâ—lf â—nd all â—â—r 〈◊〉 as this Princess did but if thâ—y will not â—e the Spouse at thiâ— Pâ—iâ—câ— the sureâ—t way is absolutely to â—reak with thâ—m and to â—â—nd them to the Whoâ—e of Babylâ—n lâ—st aâ— length Gâ—d câ—nsume us alsâ— in thi◠〈◊〉 FINIS The design of this undertaking The necessity of a Reformation acknowledged by many of the Church of Rome Testified in writing by some of their most eminent Authors See the Preface to the Discourse of the Holy Eucharist in the two great Points of the Real Presence and Adoration of the Host. The present Treatise an Instance of it That the Author of this Book was indeed of the Roman Religion The occasion of his first searching into the Truth of his Religion That he continued in many things to the last in opposition to the Protestants Instances of it That the Ch. of R. is the visible Ch. of Christ. Moyons surs c. part 2. pag. 92 93. Edit de Cologne 1681. 2. Corporal Presence Ibid. pag. 103. Ibid. p. 105 107. P. 109. 3. Communion in one kind Ibid. p. 99 100 109 110. 4. Invocation of Saints Ibid. p. 112. Pag. 113. Pag. 114. His Book reprinted by the A. B. of Tholouse See le Jansonist convainca de vaine sophistiquerie pag. 91. He is therefore to be excus'd if he sometimes speak against us The design of his undertaking the Conversion of all Hereticks The method he has taken the most likely to do this 2 Cor. iv 4· Luke i. 79. The sum of his Project No likelihood that the Papists will ever consent to it What use we are to make of it Ephes. iv 14. Jude 3. 2 Pet. iii. 18. * Aeneas Silv. in Gest. Conc. Basil. * â—otus Orbis se Arianum esse miratus est Hieron * Origen in Mar. chap. 16. Tract 1. ‡ Cypri de simplicitate Praelat * Ambr. in Epist. ad Eph. cap. 2. †Ambr. in Psal. 32. ‖ Hieron in Psal. 40. * Idem in Mat. 8. * August in Johan Tract 124. * August de Verbo Dom. Serm. 60. ‖ Chrysost. in Matth. 16. * Chrysost. in Sermone de Pentecost * Gregor Nyss. lib. de vita Mosi◠†Sal. 13. Tom. 1. lib. com in Epist. Pauli * Cypr. de Unitate Ecclesiae †Origen in Math. Tract 1. * St Hilary lib. 6. de Trinitate in the Council of Ephesus there is an Epistle of the Council of Alexandria where are these words Petrus Johannes aequales sunt ad alterutrum dignitatis †Hieron contra Jovian lib. 1. cap. 14. * Hieron in Mat. 16. ‡ August in Joh. Trac 118. Id. in Epist. Joh. Tract 10. * August in Joan. Tra. 124. †Idem in Joan. Tract the 10. Theoph. in Mat. chap. 16. †Leo in Anniver die assumptionis suae ad Pontif. Sermone 3. †Palavicini lib 4. c. 6. * Marsilius Patav. p. 2 c. 15. ‡ Hierom in Math. cap. 16. * Idem in Esaiam cap. 14. * St. Amb. cap. 4. lib. 2. de Cain Abel †August in Johan tract 124. †Aug. in Johan tract 123. cap. 210. St. Cyril in Joh. lib. 12. cap. 64. * Cypr. de unitate Ecclesiae * St. Aug. de Pastor Idem in sermone de Petro Paulo * Chysost lib. 2. de sacerdote St. Peter the 1. c. 5. v. 1.2.3 * Conc. Basil apud Aene. Sâ— in gestis Concil †Acts cap. 8. v. 14. * Acts 11. v. 1. * 1 Corin. chap. 11. v. 5. †Math. 28. v. 20. * John 20. v. 22.23 ‖ Gal. 2. v. 9 Gal. 2. v. 7. * Origen in Numeros Hom. 3. * Dorot. Tyrensis in Synopsi ‡ Hierom in Matth. cap. 23. lib. 4. Lyran in 1 Petri. (a) Caus. 84. q. 5. Can. rogamus (a) Clem Epis. 1. Fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum c. * Lib. 1. Recognitionum ubi Petrus (b) Iren. apud Eusebium lib. 5. cap. 26 27. (a) Cusan lib. 1. cap. 14. * Amb. de Incarnatione c. 14. (b) Cyprian in Conc. Carth. sive de Sent. Episcoporum (b) Cyprian lib. 3. Epist. 21. (c) Id. Ep. 30. (d) Idem de Aleatoribus (e) Idem ad Puppienum Ep. 66. (f) Idem in Epist. 55. (g) In Conc. Africano Art. 6. (h) Concil â—icen Can. 6. (i) Cusan de Coâ—cord