ed ammirabile la nostra religione alli sguardi di tutti i Monarchi Maometani è Gentili And if instead of this Felicity of the Church which appears to them so they did but know how often all goes contrary against the Popes who have none for them but the Holy Spirit quoth our Cardinal they could not chuse but have Sentiments of Pity l. 5. c. 13. and 〈◊〉 Disdain to enter into the Pope's Communion Non ho potuto d'hora non compassionare i Pontefici conventi frà loro contrarii e tutti infesti al corso di lei eccetto l'aura dello Spirito santo Now if the Pope's having only God on their side make our Jesuit-Cardinal to pity them and should appear thus to be miserable in the eyes of others how should they ever be able to convert Mahometans there must needs be something else then besides the Spirit they speak of for Popes to work such like conversions and it would be great pity if a Pope should have but only that for him ARTICLE II. The hope of sharing the Riches Honours and Pleasures which belong to the Ecclesiastick state to be Pope and to possess by Resignation ones Kinsfolks Benefices these things do make a great and substantial Vocation for People to become Church-men EVery one knows how much the Ecclesiastick State is glorious to God the Splendor and Glory of this State is due to the Carnal Felicity wherewith it is invested l. 1. c. 25. se veramento vogliamo che la Regia spirituale sia frequentata da persone d'ingegno di lettere di valore di nobilità lasciando le patrie sottoponendosi al celibato ed all altre gravezze le quali induce la vita Ecclesiastica fà mestieri che possano sperare onori edentrate for would there be found so many persons of Wit of Learning of Worthiness of Noble Birth that would betake themselves to a single Life and other toilsomnesses which the Ecclesiastical Life obliges them to if they had not hopes by that means to gain Honours and Temporal Revenues Without doubt they ought to promise this to themselves and be content with their condition partly out of affection for Religion and partly through joy to see themselves reverenced and had in veneration as Church-men especially amongst their Kindred l. 17. c. 5. vivano contenti parte per affetto di religione parte per godimento di quella reverenza che in ogni famiglia sì suol portare alla toga Let a man consider what Glory it is for this Faith to see so many Noblemens and Princes Sons enter into Orders and consecrate themselves to the Service of God in quality of the Pope's Courtiers Should this be seen if the Church were poor and if the Piety of Christians had not afforded Means to the Pope to recompence magnificently all this Gang l. 1. c. 25. ciò senza dubio non seguirebbe la pietà de' Christiani non somministâ—asse à lui la commodità di rimunerarli altamente For in fine there is no private man that gives himself to serve the Pope and Court of Rome but may hope to become one day a Cardinal that is to say above Bishops and all Princes and an Equal for Kings that may not even hope himself or some of his to be one day Pope without doubt this thought cannot be but most pleasing to all people l. 1. c. 8. era giocondo oggetto al cuore di ciascuno ... habbiamo una Republica l. 3. c. 10. dove ogni plebeo puè divenir senatore ogni suddito principe The Court of Rome is a Court composed of persons of all Nations of the World where there is none of them but may through his Learning and Deserving be advanced to the most sublime Dignities and arrive either at the Soveraignty or to a participation of the Government and Revenues of the Church l. 3. c. 10. è una Corte composta di tutti i paesi Catolici nella quale ogn'uno con la dottrina e co'l merito può salire alle dignità più sublimi ed havere ò la sovranità ò la participazione del governo e del patrimonie Ecclesiastico But without flying so high may not every Nephew easily hope for the Benefice of his Uncle upon his Resignation And is it not a great comfort that an Uncle may hope one day to leave his Benefice to his Nephew or to some other of his Kin or to his Friend How many young men have been and are daily educated virtuously for the sake of this same carnal Expectance molti giovani sono educati nella virtù con la speranza d'haver sì fatte risegne di qualche vecchio sacerdote di loro parentado l. 23. c. 12. Even this same hope according to the Flesh makes the Incumbents more willing and careful to repair or beautifie their Churches out of the confidence they may be able to substitute in their places such persons as they bear a kindness to i beneficiati più s'affezionano al ristoro della Chiesa confidandosi di surrogarvi persona loro gradita Ibid. On the contrary take away these Expectations and Hopes from the Roman Court and leave her only the Spirit eccetto l'aura dello Spirito Santo it will be a great Pity and no Contentment she must have a better kind of Suckle to suck miglior sugo that is to say a Carnal Felicity so that there is none but may see that all these Reasons be puissant and yet mild means to make the Vocations either to this Faith or to this Clergyship efficacious and which is no impediment to the perfection of that State or Order ARTICLE III. The Hope of Carnal Felicity which the Church promises hinders neither its Perfection nor the perfection of the Ecclesiastick Order The Vices of Ambition and Worldly Glory are glistering bright and taking Vices These same Hopes of Carnal Felicity make all Virtues to bud come forth and grow up even to the perfection of the Contemplative Life THE Church setting before all the World an hope of possessing either the Royalty of the World or the Glory and Felicity of the Cardinalship of the Episcopacy or other Prelateship there is no question but the greatest part of them who do enjoy these Honours made their way thither through all the Virtues which this same carnal Hope made to spring up in them l. 8. c. 17. il far germogliare le insigni virtù se premii fossero pronti This was it which rendred the Cardinal of Mantoue so admirable in the time of the Council of Trent he did not desire or at least appear to desire as all others the Crown nor the Diadem of the Soveraign Pontificat l. 2. c. 6. illustrò lo Pontificato non desiderato ò almeno così temperamente nell interno che nulla apparisse di ciò nell'esterno This is a rare Example for Ambition is so glistering bright a Vice that it
ARTICLE II. The first Errour of the Zealous Ignorants refuted which is That by the Laws of the Church men ought to be obliged to live as God's Love requires and the Hope of Paradise and the Fear of Hell there ought to be grateful Laws made and commodious for corrupted Nature LAws are corrected and change according as they are approved by the People who make the trial of them l. 23. c. 11. non è stato mai al mondo alcun senato ne sacro nè profano le cui leggi non habbiano in qualche parte ricevuta la correzzione dalla proua Wherefore though even one should have hope enough of success yet before Laws be stablished 't is prudence first to try and see what may be grateful to the generality of the World in case ones Laws should take effect talora è prudenza il tentare eziandio con dubio dell'evento chiò che se riuscisse sarebbe grato al commune Ibid. So that the Rule to be given for making of Laws is the disposition of the people to receive them otherwise if they be not grateful to them it would be Ignorance and indiscreet Zeal to offer violence to corrupted Nature Now to judge of the inclinations of people we ought not to consider those which they would have had if their nature had remained sound but those which they have their nature being corrupted by Adam's sin in questa feccia d'Adamo Introd c. 8. For God will not tear out of our hearts those inclinations we brought into the world when we were born l. 1. c. 25. non vuole Iddio sveller da gli animi le innate inclinazioni for example men in the corruption of their nature have a dread of Poverty and of taking pains which doth accompany Poverty the poor being forced to labour to get their living men in their corrupt state love Idleness the dread then that they have of poverty l. 9. c. 9. ought to be kept up in the spirits of men in tal'manniera si mantiene l'horrore verso la povertà come compagna dello stento Look ye here is the inclination that the Religious Policy according to the Flesh ought for to nourish whence one ought to conclude that Riches making one part of mans Felicity 't is a sin not to seek to enrich ones self Likewise corrupted Nature is ashamed of Poverty she finds it a shameful thing this thought makes one afraid either for ones self or for ones posterity Ibid. turpis egestas temuta da lui ò in se stesso ò nella discendenza what should Religious Policy according to the Flesh then do should it disabuse men of these thoughts No on the contrary it ought to cherish these thoughts going along after them and accommodating Laws thereunto This is the very Cardinal's consequence If one would seek the reason of it 't is visible there can be no other but that corrupted nature in pursuance of this same horror this same shame and this same dread of Poverty will seek for to enrich it self and such seeking is a great virtue for that every Act that serves to a man's Felicity is an act of Virtue so that corrupted Nature will shun Idleness which is a sin contrary to the carnal Felicity of the Christian Republik which causes even the rich to fall into poverty which is opposite to their Felicity whereas if Religion on the contrary should teach people that labour and pains-taking far off from being dreaded is a thing enjoined even to be done by the rich that poverty far off from being a state of it self shameful is the first of the Christian Beatitudes as our Lord hath preached in his Gospel this same Belief would at least render the man indifferent both in regard of Riches and of Poverty and falling into poverty he would believe himself happy in that state of Humiliation that Jesus Christ chose for himself so that fear horror and shame would not oblige him any more to labour to shun poverty and get riches that Christian and Spiritual indifferency would make him less eager to work as well as to get more quiet and less careful of the Morrow which would not be profitable for the carnal Felicity of the Christian Republick nor by consequence conformable to Virtue The same would come to pass if the greatest portion of the Goods of the Church were employed for relief of the poor and not to enrich Priests and Church-men for what a thing would that be that Nature-corrupted-men as the poor be as well as others should find when they came to be poor such great Estates and abundance setled upon them l. 9. c. 9. che charebbe quando vedessero una provisione abondante e sicura per tutti i poveri This supposed then pursuant to the inclinations of Nature corrupted shall the Religious and Carnal Policy which is the true establish for Law that the best and biggest portion of Church Revenues be employed for relief of the poor Nay but to enrich Church-men and make their Felicity according to the Flesh If the Zealous maintain that the best and biggest share of Ecclesiastical Revenues ought to be employed for relief of the poor Ibid. che la prima e principal parte delle Ecclesiastiche entrate doverebbe applicarsi à poveri e non à ministranti the Religious and Carnal Policy will condemn that Maxim as directly contrary to the happy estate of that Republick Ibid. to the Institution of God and of Nature ed io affermo che ciò sarebbé un costume dirimpetto contrario al felice stato della republica ed à gl'istituti di Dio e della natura So too corrupted Nature loves Voluptuousness yea and she invites men to all their Actions by the Motive of some pleasure as for example to eat and drink to the end to taste what 's delicious in those Aliments l. 9. c. 9. la natura medesima c'ensignò questa prudenza invitando gli huomini à mantener la propria vita col diletto del cibo Corrupted Nature hates all that is less commodious and less delectable than that which she is wont to taste or enjoy in the life one uses to lead Intr. c. 10. all'orecchie loro suonera sempre molesta la vita men ' commoda e man dilettevole della passata and this affection is so natural to man that one may observe it practised even in Communities the most mortified and holy Ibid. e questo affetto è si naturale dell'huomo che suole sperimentarsi in ogni communità eziandio più mortificata e più santa What shall the Religious and Carnal Policy do then Shall it root out those inclinations of corrupted Nature to pleasure God does not will it l. 1. c. 25. Non vuole Iddio svellere dagli animi le innate inclinazioni Shall it teach a man that he is obliged in usage of things to have no
all the Canons indistinctly as the Council of Trent hath done in these terms Sciant Vniversi sacratissimos Canones exactè ab omnibus quoad ejus fieri poterit indistinctè observandos Sess 25. c. 18. There is no doubt but it is best to observe all the Canons but is it best to command it No because that that Law would take away from the Princes of the Church the power to derogate from those Canons and to shew favour therein to those whom they should judge fit l. 7. c. 2. derogando per ordinario alla lege prima de due qualità che massimamente son ' bramate del principe Now to derogate from Canons or Laws in favour of those which one would gratifie is the prime of those two Qualities desirable in a Prince and this ability is one of the most effectual that he can have to vitiate and ruine this Quality by taking that power from him is most pernicious il pessimo suole essere una corruzione dell'ottimo so that it is also manifest in this respect that it is a most pernicious Error That the best to be done is the best to be commanded This may be remarked in the Laws made by the Council of Trent for if the Pope should observe them and not shew favour when he judges it fit the Spring of at least half his Graces and Benefits would be at a stop Intr. c. 10. se'l Papa vuol'osservare quelle leggi il fonte della sua benefizenza asoiugasi per metà Now the power to do good is one of the two Hinges whereupon Veneration for Powers moves and is upheld l. 23. c. 3. la facoltà di benefacere e un de' due cardini sopra cui sostiensi la venerazione de Principati The respect that men have for Princes is the firmest Basis of their Empire and of their Authority quella venerazione ch' è la base del loro Imperio The Popes Authority is the Ground-work of the Church and of its Government according to the Flesh as according to the Spirit l. 1. c. 25. del qual governo la base è l'authorità del Pontefice So to follow the order of all these Truths and to conclude from first to last 't is manifest that to lay this Maxim that the best to be done is also the best to be commanded is to lay a Principle that destroyes the foundation of the Church and see here of what importance it is to disabuse humane understanding concerning the false Maximes of Zealous Ignorant men's Policy Vulgar Souls Slaves of Common Opinion That which is the best to be done is desirable must be agreed but more desirable than possible l. 19. c. 11. più desiderabili che possibili It is more desirable than commodious for mens conditions Nature it self hath a regard to what is convenient for the state of men and avoids that which is not sutable for them according to Tempers and Times wherein one is and with whom one lives non adattate alle condizioni degli huomini come fà la natura ed allo stato del mondo che portavano ì tempi Ibid. 'T is then very evident that the Laws of the Church ought to be grateful and accommodated to the inclinations of corrupt Natures such as they are and not such as they ought to be with relation to God To well govern the Church there needs but to observe how the present times go and after what fashion men live for if the Law hath man for its Object and as it were its Matter yet he also is as it were Agent in regard of the Law and upholds himself in all the inclinations which he hath brought into the world and in all the habitudes wherein he hath been engaged l. 6. c. 4. i quali hanno per attori e per soggetto gli huomini che sono di fatto al mondo e con l'inclinazioni e con l'usanza che di fatto hanno This is a reason why Right must be regulated by Fact and not Fact by Right Right is immoveable in its nature and he that would stay there should never do any thing and this is again one of the pernicious Errors of the Zealous Ignorants which we are a going to refute ARTICLE IV. The Third Errour of the Zealous Ignorants That Antiquity ought to serve for a Rule to guide the present Church This Errour comes from the Instinct of the Devil 't is a folly to believe that what is Ancient is best the ancient Laws were in the Churches Infancy THe Reverend Father Diego Lainer in that Famous Discourse which he made in the Council of Trent touching the Reformation of the Church l. 18 c. 15. voto famoso speaking of re-establishing Elections according to the ancient manner practised in the Church says That they which would renew those Usages and other like ancient Customs l. 21. c. 6. were moved thereunto by the instinct of the Devil Coloro che volevâ—no rinovare tali usi antichi muoversi per l'instinto del diavolo That the French were instant to have that old Usage re-established but he doubted the miseries of that Kingdom were a chastisement from God upon that Nation for having in some sort separated themselves since the time of the Council of Basil dubitar egli de Francesi come di tali che forsè erano gastigati da Dio ne ' presenti infortunii per qualche loro separazione fin dal tempo di Concilio di Basilea Their Reason l. 21. c. 6. quoth he is that it was wont to be thus done in the first Ages of the Church so that those Elections ought to be brought into use again Ibid. vsaronsi per gli antichi tempi adunque deonsi rimettere in usu And I replies that Father say the contrary it hath been wont to be so used therefore one ought not to set it up again più tosto seguirne il contrario This is the reason of it since it was wont to be so used it had never been left off if there had not been inconveniences observed in that Custom such there were observed to be in it and for that reason it was left off Ibid. and by the same reason it ought not to be revived percioche s'erano sperimentati loro inconvenienti e pero elle dimesse For why would the Church have quitted her ancient Customs of discipline if she had not perceived that Discipline followed with inconveniencies Is the World at this day less wise than it was at the beginning it would be a great folly to believe it 'T is in effect a great one quoth this our Cardinal to imagine that all that is old is best l. 23. c. 10. è gran ' folia il credere che tutto l'antico fosse megliore del moderno The Church had its Infancy l. 8. c. 17. infanzia per così dire della chiesa in that time she
the present times and not to the times past Why should they not have their Usages and Customs in Ecclesiastical affairs conform to the present times and why should they be obliged to follow the old Customs of their Grandsires gli huomini con l'inclinazione e con l'usanza che di fatto hanno Ibid. e non quâ—lli e non quali furâ—no à tempi andati Let no body say the World is at present worse than it was formerly such Discourse is the old Tune and the old Proverb of the Country Introd c. 8. these be complaints and lamentations of the Ignorant Vulgar il dire che'l mondo presente sia peggiore dell'antico sono proverbii delle comedie e querele del volgo to be surpriz'd thereat is a sign one is but meanly bred privo di erudizione che ciò credesse To hearken to these sorts of common Proverbs is to have ones mind enslaved as they call it with the Opinions of the Vulgar 'T is not true then that the later Ages are more corrupt than the former 't is true the number of the wicked is increased but that of the good is so also because the Church extends further than it did then And if any body says The Church had formerly more holy men one may answer again and say That at this day the present Church hath a greater number of believing saved Catholicks though not so holy indeed as formerly l. 1. c. 25. se questa più feconda di santi quella è più abondante di salvi These Truths being so evident though the reading of my Book quoth our Cardial produce no other fruit at least I assure my self it will disabuse the world of these kind of popular Errors l. 16. c. 10. Io mi confido che la lezione di questa mia istoria ove non partorisse altro frutto levarà uno scandalo assai commune da persone zelanti ma inesperte negli affari civili e nel corso del presente mondo politico ciò e perche i Papi non usino à nostra età di raunare i concilii come usavasi per altri tempi come persuadono i canoni for the Error of ruling the Church according to Antiquity is one of those Errors of the Zealous Ignorant of the same nature as is that of Government by way of Councils whereof we are going to examine the extravagancy ARTICLE VI. The Fourth Error of the Zealous Ignorants refuted That the Church ought to be governed by way of Councils as She was Fifteen Hundred Years together The Provincial Councils are hard to assemble the National have always been abhorred by the Popes and the General have none but malign Influences on the Church THe Reverend Father Diego Lainez in the Famous Discourse he made in the Council of Trent upon the Business concerning Reformation of the Church speaks thus of Councils As for Provincial Councils they cannot be assembled but with great difficulties Sinodi Provinciali congreâ—herebbonsi difficilmente l. 23. c. 10. But that which ought to make them to be apprehended is that they may easily degenerate into National Councils which would not be without great peril to the Church mà ben sì ne seeguerebbono ì Nazionali con grave rischio della chiesa The Popes also have alwayes abhorred all National Councils l. 14. c. 12. Concilio Nazionale sempre aborrito da Pontefici because that those sort of Councils are not proper but to excite Novelties among the Catholicks Ibid. atto fra Catolici à suscitarne novità Now although Novelties as we have seen ought not to be rejected and that Ancient things are not all good the Novelties that National Councils may produce are all bad and of all the Ancient Customs that of having National Councils ought above all to be looked upon as ill and that is a laudable Novelty no more to call any of them Now to discern well in Policy the good Novelties from the bad one needs but to observe the Rules which we have already laid down to accommodate ones self to Times Places Humors of Persons in a word to fit the Form to the Dispositions of the Matter But to come back to General Councils 'T is not fit quoth Father Diego Lainez that the precedent Council do set the time when another should follow as did the Council of Constance because that would give advantage to the stubborn to appeal from the Popes Sentences to the future Council and that would be to take away from the Church Obedience and Unity percie cio sarebbe data occasione a' contumaci d'appellar delle sentenze del Papa al futuro Concilio l. 24. c. 3. togliendosi l'ubidienza e l'unità del Christianesimo Moreover the Influences of a General Council could be no other but lamentable to the Church l. 16. c. 10. nel Cielo mistico della chiesa non si può imaginar conjunzione di più periculosa influenza che un Sinodo generale 'T is with the Mystical Heaven of the Church as with the Visible and Material Heaven where God hath placed that great number of Stars which we see but all far off and separate one from the other by considerable spaces If he should assemble them all in the same place would it not be to destroy all Nature and to confound it so in the Heaven Mystick of the Church The Prelates are as the Stars of different greatness all would be lost in the times wherein we are if they were assembled and it cannot be undertaken without manifestly tempting of God Ibid. sarebbe appunto un tentare Dio. It is good to see the particular Reasons thereof The First Politick Reason against the holding of Councils Where-ever the greatest Number be assembled there be many Opinions as well as many Heads and there be always differing Votes and Sentiments which produces Division Intr. c. 10. Dove sono più teste e più cuori ivi sempre è qualche discordia di pareri e di voleri Discordance in Sentiments and Councils is the Origine of Disputes and Contestations la discordia è l'origine del contrasto Intr. c. 10. and as in the humors of the Body so in the motions of the Spirit contrast is a cause of corruption Ibid. e ' contrasto così negli umori del corpo come dell'animo è origine della corruzione Councils then are but a Spring of Divisions Reason II. Every numerous Body of men how holy and sublime soever the order of them may be contains a deal of Ignorance and is a source abounding with a spawning of passions Introd c. 9. mi è noto che in ogni ordine numeroso di persone benche sacrosanto e sublime talora si addensa molta ignoranza ed alligna molta passione Though they be Bishops which compose Councils yea though the Bishops were Princes of their Diocesses though they were Kings thereof There is a
Peoples Veneration l. 12. c. 3. questo sapersi da Presidenti Ecclesiastici che il loro potere quanto all'effetto è tutto appoggiato alla venerazione de' popoli which is a warning to them to keep up this Veneration by an exemplary Life abstaining from all which hath the looks of excess Ibid. gli ammonisce à conservarsela con la vita esemplare e ad astenersi da ciò che habbia dell'immoderato ò del violento ARTICLE X. An Example of the Peoples Power in the Church in what passed at Milan and at the Council of Pisa under Louis XII THe Soveraign Authority of the People which renders it self Arbitrator even between Popes and Kings appeared in the People of Pisa and those of Milan under Pope Julius II and the King of France Louis XII Some Cardinals having a mind out of Ambition to be Popes under pretence of reforming the Church as well in Head as Members met in Council at Pisa The Inhabitants of that Town being Subjects of the Commonwealth of Florence were constrained through its Authority to receive into their Town these Cardinals and those of their Party but nevertheless they detested the Assembly of them as Sacrilegious come sacrilega they could not hold from giving them all possible marks of Slight and Abhorrency so that the Council was transferred to Milan The Cardinals of the Faction were received by the People in that Town not as Cardinals whose Dignity is in most great veneration in Christendom but as men infected with the Plague and as Cut-Throats mà come huomini pestiferi e scelerati and as boding Comets which foretel and cause Mischiefs to the Countries over which they appear The French at that time got the Famous Victory at Ravenna against Pope Julius and his Confederates The Popes Nuntio John de Medicis which afterwards succeeded Julius by the Name of Leo X was brought Prisoner to Milan In this condition a wonderful thing even the Souldiers of the French fide could not chuse but yield to their Prisoner as the Legate of the Vicar of Jesus Christ Marks of their utmost Veneration asking Absolution of him for having fought against the Church such power hath the force of Religion over the Spirits of Christian people l. 1. c. 1. tanta nel popolo Christiano è la forza della Religione Mean time what kind of man was this Pope Julius He was fierce-natur'd Ibid. una tal ferocia in whom the Vapors of adust Choler reigned so violently that they carried him out to Feats of War little agreeing with the Holiness of his Degree Ibid. eccesso militare non convenevole alla santità di grado da qualche vampa men regolata di bile accesa He had to do with Louis XII that good King sirnamed The Father of the People which is to say All yet the Subjects of such a King favoured such a Pope what would they have done then if this Popes Virtue had been as sublime as was requisite for him who ought to be adored by the Sirname of most Holy as Mediator between Heaven and Earth This only Example makes it at once to be seen how puissant a Pope is that 's revered by the People and how puissant the People is that is animated by a Spirit of Religion tanta nel popolo Christiano è la forza delle religione But on the other side this Example ought to teach Popes what they are to fear when they abuse their supernatural and divine Authority and do injury to the Secular Power for then the People changing their Veneration into Abomination they abandon his Holiness's Interest and in stead of remaining Superior he becomes slighted See here then the different Interests of Popes and Kings and the politick Reasons that these Powers which are superior of Right and by Authority have to conserve to themselves the succors of that of the People which is always at last the Soveraign by way of Fact and as to the execution and that same which obliges all these Powers to abide within terms of moderation the just temperament whereof makes the Politick Felicity according to the Flesh even in respect of the Christian Republick under the Monarchy of the Soveraign Pontife for to preserve which all the world by consequence is equally obliged through very Natural Love seeing that doth embrace the whole World for its Felicity ARTICLE XI The Pope is not Master of his Authority he is but the Depositary thereof and obliged to preserve it The most pious action of Christian people is to uphold it THe Popes do not reckon themselves Masters of the Apostolical power which is intrusted them they do not believe that they can release the Rights thereof of which they are nothing but Depositaries to hold them and keep them up together and not to permit the diminution of them Thus spoke Pope Clement VII of it l. 3. c. 12. Primato Apostolico di cui non era signore mà custode The Pope may dispose on good consideration of the Things and Persons whereof he is Lord though may be he cannot do it lawfully setting aside Honesty or other Virtues but for what concerns the Rights of the Holy See he cannot permit the diminution thereof neither lawfully nor upon any consideration whatsoever which is so true that Paul IV who thought he might do any thing and that all which he did by virtue of his Authority without having respect to Honesty or other Virtues became honest and lawful l. 14. c. 13. che tutta l'ampiezza del suo potero fosse anche la misura di saggiamente esercitarlo Nevertheless as to the Rights of the Holy See he made no difficulty to acknowledge that he was not absolute Master of them but only Depositary l. 13. c. 15. di quella dignità della quale non era padrone mà oustode And the reason is That the Pope's power in all the extent of it which we have been speaking of is the Publick Good and Felicity of the Church even according to the Flesh secondo la carne now the Publick Good of the Church even according to the Flesh is the greatest of all visible Goods and the most noble Object of all the Virtues and so the most noble action not only of Policy but of Piety that the Pope and Christian people can do is to uphold the Soveraign power of the Pope in the extent of his All-puissantness independant and infinite and to maintain it with vigilance and stoutness l. 5. c. 16. il custodir con intrepidezza e con vigilanza la sovranità del Pontificato è per mio aviso la più commendabile operazione che possa fare la Politica virtuosa perciò che di nessun ' popolo si procura con maggior lodevolezza il prò universale che del popolo più diletto da dio e sedele à dio It remains then to make it evident what it is that
World belong to the Pope as a King whose Inheritance is the whole Universe there is no body but may see that the Carnal Felicity of the Church would be thereby more perfect at least no body can deny but that the Pope hath right to levy upon the whole Earth what is necessary to make a Carnal Felicity sutable to his Royalty to make him the richest the most glorious and the most happy even according to the Flesh of all the Kings and of all the Emperors of the Earth ARTICLE XIV It is sutable to the Pope to have his Kingdom and State apart and a Princes Court equal to other Kings superior to all Princes The Pope's Courtiers be called the Glorious Cardinals They be the splendor of the Roman Court. SUpposing then as it hath already appeared That 't is necessary for the Unity and Majesty of Church-Government that there be one Supream Head and Soveraign Ruler 't is convenient to the end he may be the common Father and not held suspected by any one as partial that he reside not in the States of other Princes but in his own That he have a Court and Courtiers such as the Grandeur of his Administration require l. 1. c. 25. or supposto che per l'unità del governo per la Maestà debba esser un Capo supremo e un supremo Rettor della Chiesa convien ch'egli affine di poter esser Padre commune non diffidente à veruno non habiti nello Stato d'alcuno degli altri Principi mà che habbia Stato proprio Corte propria Ministri proprii e quali richiedonsi alla grandezza della sua amministrazione If a man had regard but only to the Grandeur of this Administration and to its infinite power the whole Universe and 〈◊〉 the Kingdoms of the whole Universe should necessarily appertain to the Pope immediately in demean only if the Pope were immediate Lord of all Kingdoms without any other King upon Earth but him or that Kings in their Temporal concerns were as the Popes Vicars men would be ready to attribute Faith and the Conversion of the World to a humane awe that Folks had of this same King of the World and not to an affection for Religion See here then an admirable providence that the Pope hath a State little enough to give no place for any evil judgment that some might be ready to make disadvantageous to Religion on the other side if this State had been lesser the Pope would have been too openly exposed to Temporal Princes assaults wherefore he had one bestowed upon him big enough to defend himself in l. 1. c. 1. non è si grande che il culto del Christianesimo si possa ascriver ad umano timor e non ad affetto di religione non è si picciolo che possa di leggieri il suo possessore venir violentato dalla potenza di principi secolari There 's the reason then why the Pope is not immediate sole King of the whole Universe but this does not hinder but that he may be so in quality of Soveraign Lord Paramount as one may so say of whom all Kings are Tributaries and Tenants as hath been already been seen by the right he hath to compel them to pay him contribution for his maintenance suting the Grandeur of his administration questi rittratti si cavan da tutti i regni del Christianesimo l. 1. c. 25. Therefore they ought also to maintain him Courtiers in such State as may befit the Grandeur of their Elevation and these be the Glorious Cardinals l. 6. c. 4. l. 9. c. 10. Gloriosi Cardinali to whom all Bishops are Inferiors Prelati loro inferiori 't is clear that their Riches their Honours and their Pleasures their Glory their Splendor and in one word their Felicity according to the Flesh secondo la carne ought to be incomparably greater than that of the richest Bishops who in comparison of Cardinals are but little Prelats piccioli Vescovi This Degree of Cardinalship is the principal Splendor of the Roman Church l. 21. and of its Popes quella dignità ch' è il precipuo splendor della Chiesa Romana e de' suoi Pontefici and in effect 't is a great Glory for a Pope to be able to create Senators who in Priviledge and Honour are before all the Creatures of other Monarchs so that even the Children of the greatest Princes aspire to this Dignity l. 21. c. 4. mentre possono crear Senatori che in privilegii ed onoranze molto avanzino quelli d'ogni Monarca terreno si che aspirino à tal grado i figliuoli de' sommi principi Also at Rome one reckons that Cardinals are above all Princes that be not Kings l 9. c. 9. l. 13. c. 14. Cardinali che si stimano in Roma superiori ad ogni principe minor de' Rè predecessero cem ' era stato fin all'ora il costume à Principi del sangue reggio and in all parts of the Christian World men render to them the same Honours as they do to Kings l. 1. c. 8. tanti altri gran ' Senatori venerati con Reali onoranze da si grande e nobil parte del mondo Thus is it manifest That Cardinals being equal to Kings in Honour 't is sutable that they should be like unto them in Riches Pleasures and Voluptuousness according to the Flesh fecondo la carne and by consequence that the Pope may take out of all Christendom all necessary Tributes amply to recompence his Cardinals which could not be if the piety of Christians did not furnish out his huge expence l. 1. c. 25. ciò senza dubio non seguirebbe se la pietà de' Christiani non somministrasse à lui la commodità di remunerarli altamente ARTICLE XV. Besides the Glorious Cardinals the Court of Rome ought to be filled with an infinite number of small Prelates that are to be equal with Bishops and these be to lead no sad nor poor life but to be jocund and live in plenty OLtre alle innumerabili Prelature Ibid. dignità e prebende che in quella si compariscono il che fà godere molti con l'effetto e tutti con la speranza laqual forse in questa vita è da maggior godimento che l'istesso effetto Here is the Glory the Splendor and the Voluptuousness of the Roman Court according to the Flesh which consists in the actual possession of an Earthly Felicity or as to those who do not at present enjoy it at least it consists in the hope they have to arrive thereunto the Felicity of which expectation is many times even in this world not less than the actual enjoyment And that this Felicity may be sutable to the Popes Grandeur 't is fit he bestow Recompences on that his infinite number of Courtiers with advancements altamente without impoverishing his Treasure Royal
l'anima che tiene in unità tanti regni e costituisce i paesi à lei ubbedienti un corpo politico il più Formidabile il più Virtuoso il più Litterato il più felice che fia in terra Such is then the Fidelity and Glory of the Court of Rome according to the Flesh and such is the Temporal Felicity of that Church for this same Felicity according to the Flesh is a means most gentle and at the same time most efficacious to form the Temporal Greatness of the Church as will be seen in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. Twenty Reasons that prove the necessity of the Riches Honours and Voluptuousness of the Church to make thereof a Gospel according to the Flesh the Vocation of all the World to Faith and a part of that World to the Ecclesiastick Life without which Riches Honours and Voluptuousness the Church having no Reputation among them who fancy those things would perish not being able to subsist happy according to the Flesh if her Ministers were poor as formerly and if they had not vast Riches as the Glorious Cardinals who are at this day the Pope's Courtiers Here also shall be shewn the unluckiness the shamefulness and even the Vice of Poverty whereof God in his Providence is no Author but Sin or only Fortune which on this score may be accused as the Enemy of Virtue ARTICLE I. Corrupt Nature loves Riches Honours and carnal Pleasures if the Church had not of them to propose and bestow there would be but few Christians The Church is composed of three sorts of Persons The Magnificence and Stateliness of Rome is able to work the Conversion of the Mahometan Princes The Popes must have somewhat else to be for them beside God THe Pope's power being without Armed Forces cannot make Infidels to believe or to list themselves in the Churches Communion but through fair and gentle means but still efficacious by accommodating it self to Natures corrupted inclinations as hath been said for man seeing he does Idolize himself would never be ruled if he were not ticed and wheadled on by promises and recompences l. 1. c. 25. l'huomo ch' è l'idolo di se stesso non si coudurrebbe mai senon allettato dal premio Therefore it is that the Romanists are at so much costs for Stages or Theatres and in Shows or Spectacles of Devotion because people do naturally love Voluptuousness and will do any thing for its sake after the inclinations of corrupt Nature this corruption is such that if the Church had not the greatest of all Voluptuousness according to the Flesh to set before and propose to those which She calls to Her Faith the greatest part of Christians would go seek their Fortune out of the Church the Church would lose her Reputation and all her esteem l. 5. c. 10. which is the Basis that holds up all the Engines of her Policy la stima ch' è la â—ase di questo machine The better to conceive this kind of Verity we must make a distinction of Three sorts of people which make Three kinds of vocation to this Faith the first are those who live in the Faith only out of pure zeal di purissimo zelo l. 9. c. 9. and which serve the Church out of pure spirit and courage servon la Chiesa per solo spirito Ibid. and these be those which are the purely spiritual that would love God though there were no Temporal Goods to be hoped for because they slight all temporal things l. 8. c. 17. dispreggiatrici d'ogni cosa terrena The second be those which are made up of Flesh and Spirit and which are willing to enjoy besides God as much of the goods of the world as Law will permit Ibid. composti di Carne di Spirito desiderano per quanto la legge di Dio permette anche i beni di questa vita so they must have a Felicity composed of Spirit and of Flesh and they would not be so in love as they are with Religion if they did not give them hopes of worldly Goods l. 9. c. 9. non si nutrirebbe così universalmente l'affetto alla Religione The Third sort be those who are stark carnal and which are taken up more with those things that are seen than with those which are not seen these be the greatest number of all Ibid. molti ancora maggiormente s'affezzionano à quel che si vede che à quel che sicrede Now though this be an ill Quality the wicked being wicked only because they prefer the Goods of the Body before those of the Soul and Spirit l. 6. c. 12. i malvaggi sono malvaggi per che antepongono i beni del corpo à quei dello spirito nevertheless this disposition of theirs is in some sort not so bad then if having such a mind as they have after worldly Goods they should spend them in the Service of Jupiter and Mars rather than in the Service of Jesus Christ and his Church so that the Church accommodating it self to their corrupt inclination calls them to its Faith and its Communion by setting before them and proposing to them greater worldly Goods and greater Voluptuousnesses even according to the Flesh than they could have if they abode in the Service of Jupiter and Mars Ibid. ma pur servono al culto di Christo dove prima servivasi à queldi Giove e di Marte Look ye there then what it is that keeps the Church up in esteem even amongst people stark carnal l. 23. c. 3 per conservarla in estimazione anche presso gl'imperfetti Now this Esteem brings forth Veneration and Veneration is the Basis of the Churches Empire Introd c. 6. quella venerazione ch' è la base del loro imperio for without this great Veneration that the Carnal Ones have for the Church it were not possible to keep the people in nor to tame them and make them keep on the Yoke l. 2. c. 3. richiedendosi grand aiuto di venerazione per ch' egli si contenti di ricevere in bocca il freno the Veneration that these Imperfect Ones have for the Church being founded upon the Carnal Felicity which she puts them in hope of there 's no body but may see how greatly this Felicity is needful to make a Catholick and Universal Vocation of all the World to the Churches Faith without this Felicity the Church having but a small concourse of these Faithful Ones l. 15. c. 5. would fall into contempt poverâ— di concorso vile d'autorità but on the contrary the alone Magnificence of the Buildings at Rome since Two Hundred Years agon is able to strike admiration into all Infidel and Mahometan Princes and to convert them to this Faith l. 8. c. 17. tanto che tali opere pie fatte in Roma in solo due secoli bastarebbono per render venerabile
the Benefices which makes it appear That these splendid Vices be not so opposite to this Contemplative Life and yet at the same time a happy Life according to the Flesh and that the Church would be deprived of an infinite many of these blessed Contemplative men if she had not an infinite many fat Benefices to make thereof for them a corporal Beatitude for if the Church had been poor humane frailty is so great that she would never have had the Glory to have seen these Contemplative Barons invested in her Offices and in her Dignities whom she calls thither through the Hope which she gives them thereof l. 1. c. 25. il che per l'umana debolezza non così auvarebbe nella povertà della Chiesa From whence it appears That this Politick Prudence is not opposite to Piety l. 15. c. 6. la Prudenza politica non ripugna così alla Pietà Christiana The First of the Twenty Reasons why the Church makes use of the promise of Temporal Goods to call Lay-men into Orders The Excellency of the Angels is to have no need of Lackies that of Men to have a great many of them The perfection of a Magnificent Work is to have a deal more about it than it needs to the end it may appear more splendid for example the Magnificence of a Palace upheld by rich Columns is to have a many more of them than needs precisely to uphold it l. 13. c. 3 si come appunto ad un magnifico edificio si pone maggior numero di colonne ch' è sofficiente à sostentarlo Unto this marvellous neat Example the Reverend Father John Baptist Giatino the Jesuit who translated into Latin this same History of our Cardinal Printed at Antwerp in 1670 addeth another surprizing Example which is that of Lackeys A Great Lord quoth he hath need of some Lackeys there 's no doubt on 't then 't is for his honour to have a great many of them yea a many more than the number precisely necessary but on the contrary the Angels having no need of Lackeys 't is their excellency to have none at all Angelorum est praestantia qui famulis non indigent famulis carere sed hominum quibus sunt opus praestantia est supra quam indigeant iis abundare From whence that Father takes occasion to make this general Proposition That as for those things which have no need of supports their perfection is to have none at all but as for those which have need of support their excellency and their perfection is to have more of them than needs ita universè rebus quae fulcimentis non egent praestantiae vertitur fulcimentis vacare sed rebus quae fulcris indigent eis plus quam indigent abundare Now the Felicity according to the Flesh hath need of some Riches of some Honours and of some carnal Pleasures and by consequence the excellency and the perfection of that Felicity is to have a superfluous abundance of Riches of Honours and of Pleasures even according to the Flesh The Zealous will be ready to object That in the present Life 't is man's imperfection to stand in need of things and that it is a perfection to have no need of them The Cardinal-Historian answers them according to the Principles of the Religious Policy that Aristotle teaches the contrary for he says That the Arts which serve to help our necessities were first invented in the World and afterwards the Wit of man applied it self to those Arts which serve to the Felicity of Life l. 8. c. 17. insegna il filosofo prima essersi ritrovate le arti che sovengono alle necessità e dipoi rivoltò l'ingegno all'invention di quelle che servono alla felicità della vita So that according to Aristotle there is a carnal Felicity in the Christian Life and upon this Politick Rule of Aristotle the Church did presently in the first Ages provide things of Necessity afterwards she took care together self a Court-Royal-Universal which might have without impoverishing it self wherewithal to recompense a great number of Excellent persons that were to serve this Republick and consecrate themselves to God specially in that kind of Life which is led in the Pope's Court where their Virtues suck abundance of Milk out of her Breasts that is to say out of that Court 's Temporal Felicity according to the Flesh which cannot subsist but through abundance of Riches and Temporal Goods Ibid. dapoi che s' è supplito si ampiamente al bisogno non era forse oportuno di provedere anche ad una Corte e ad una Reggia universale laqual potesse alimentare e rimunerare gran ' numero d'huomini i quali servissero à quella Republica e si dedicassero specialmente à Dio in questa vita adunque l'abondanza di questi beneficii simplici è la mammella per nutrir la virtù nella Chiesa So that the abundance of Riches of Honours and of Pleasures making a Felicity whereof the Church is the Source and the Hope whereof makes the Vocation of the Ecclesiastical Estate yea and even their Vocation to the Faith the more one hath of these Goods the more one is happy with an Ecclesiastical Christian Felicity Now the more happy one is the more perfect one is yea one is the more perfect according as he hath more of this sort of the forementioned Felicity and ones Virtues are kept by it so much the more in better plight and are better bred Virtues if the Church then had remained poor should one have seen her Offices and her Dignities filled with so many Virtuoso's as now there be Great Wits and well-bred men no never for humane Frailty is so great that all this Glory of the Church would never have appeared l. 1. c. 25. if she had remained poor che per l'umana debolezza non così auverrebbe nella povertà della Chiesa If the Church had remained poor she would have remained unhappy according to the Flesh without Joyfulness Splendor or Honour and by consequence imperfect as well as unhappy and deprived of the Felicity of Aristotle Now Jesus Christ did not preach a Felicity contrary to the Doctrines of Aristotle so that this Felicity hath nothing contrary to Jesus Christ's it hath no thing which is not conformable with it but that therewith the Church may serve it self to make her vocation of the World in general unto this Faith and of some into Orders Reason II. Can any blame the carriage of the Church if in imitation of what God did under the Old Testament she accommodates her self to humane imperfections and makes use of earthly recompences as it were of an allurement to train on men to the Clergiship and to hold out the fatigues of the Ecclesiastical life without Marrying l. 9. c. 9. Possi pe ciò riprender la Chiesa s'ella ad imitazione di ciò che faceva Iddio vel
THE New Politick Lights OF MODERN ROMES CHURCH-GOVERNMENT OR THE NEW GOSPEL According to CARDINAL PALAVICINI REVEALED BY HIM In his HISTORY of the COUNCIL of TRENT Englished out of FRENCH LONDON Printed by W. Godbid and are to be Sold by T. Flesher at the Angel and Crown in S. Pauls Church-Yard and by R. Sollers at the King's Arms in Ludgate-Street and by H. Bonwick at the Red Lion in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1678. THE PREFACE NOthing appears to us with more disadvantage than when we have entertained our selves with great expectations of it for all that we can attain in this world must needs fall short of those fair Idea's we propose to our selves There was never any Instance which did more evidently demonstrate this than the expectations from the Council of Trent compared with the disappointment that followed when the Issue of it was found so disproportioned to the hopes were conceived about it When Pope Leo the 10th gave out his Thunders against Luther he appealed to a free General Council and the Princes of Germany that received his Doctrine pressed the Emperor much to procure one This was a Popular thing for from the Days of the Councils of Constance and Basil it was universally received both in France and Germany That Popes were subject to a General Council but all that depended on the Court of Rome look'd on this as a thing of dangerous consequence yet till the matter were laid to sleep it was not fit to hold a General Council out of Italy for there they were safe and the Pomp of a reconciliation with the Greek Church in the Council held at Ferrara and Florence through the Pageantry of which an ill informed Age could not see gave their Popes great credit they were sure of Italy that nothing could miscarry in a Council that sate on their side of the Alpes This appeared signally in the Council of Pisa which Lewis the 12th held against P. Julius the Second where the people though under the French power treated the Cardinals and Bishops so ill that they were forced to remove from thence to Millan and there their reception was not much better And as all feeble Attempts do confirm those against whom they are made so P. Julius drew great advantages from that opposition by a Council which he then held in the Lateran But now the Demand a Free Council out of Italy gave them no small terror the Riches and Greatness of their Court depended on so many Exactions Dispensations other Oppressions that it had been presumption to have expected that these things for which nothing could be pretended from Scripture or Tradition should have been defended or preserved It is true the Lutherans had no great reason to expect any thing from a Council nor is it to be imagined that they promised themselves much from it Generally all Bishops condemned their Opinions and they did so effectually beat down the Secular Interests of the whole Ecclesiastical State that nothing but the force of Truth joyned with great Sincerity could bring over any Aspiring or Dignified Church-men to their Party So that how much soever the Court of Rome might lose in such a Meeting they were not like to gain much But an Appeal to it was plausible they knew the Pope would not be easily brought to it Divisions were like to follow between the Court of Rome the Clergy beyond the Mountains and they knew that there could be no hopes of a Council truly called So that if such a one were called as former Councils had been they would not want good Reasons to justifie their declining these Judges A General Council was a Demand which upon so urgent a necessity a Pope knew not how to deny but they went about it with much caution Adrian the Sixth carried too much of an Outlandish Simplicity with him to Rome and without any difficulty promised a Council confessed there had been many corruptions in the Court that needed Reformation and set about it in good earnest but these Disorders were not so easily cured they were become necessary to the Court so he made but small progress The Distemper was too inveterate to be soon removed But if the Court was little edified with his Methods they found his Successor a man after their own heart he was well taught in all the Arts of the Court and knew how to dissemble and disguise things well and was as dexterous in turning about where his Interest led him as could be but it was not without difficulty that he always put off the motion for a General Council He once offered one within Italy but he knew the Germans would not accept of it The Effect of these Delays was That Luther's Doctrines got thereby more footing in Germany for there was not such a colourable pretence for proceeding against them as a Decision of a General Council would have furnished and the Emperor finding it necessary to close that starting-hole to which they always betook themselves at length procured one To which the Bishops chiefly of Spain and France went with very honest Designs hoping to carry on with their Determinations against Heresie some good Decrees for a Reformation yet that they chiefly looked at was to raise their own Dignity and to beat down the swelled and uneasie Pretensions of the Papal Authority But the Popes were too hard for them and as they bridled their Mouths with the Proponentibus Legatis by which no motion could be made but by the Legates so by their Intrigues with Princes by the pensions and preferments that were given by the Numbers of Italian Bishops and the great Dexterity of the Legats Matters were so carried that those who called for that Assembly suffered much by it the Popes who were very apprehensive of it gained more by it than by all the Meetings that ever they had had in the Lateran The Lutheran Tenets were all condemned and so there was now a better colour for proceeding against them The Bishops were much depressed and at best made but Delegates of the Apostolick See which did most effectually subject them to the Tyranny of that Court Some Abuses were put down but those were among the least of these that were complained of and the manner of putting them down did prove the most infallible way of setting them up with great advantage to the Court of Rome For in all these Condemnations the Prerogative of the Apostolick See was still reserved by which they plainly acknowledged a Power in the Pope to dispense with them and it was better for the Interests of that Court thus to condemn them than to have given a full allowance for them since these Decrees could have no other effect but raise the compositions for Dispensations higher which it has since done so successfully that soon after the conclusion of the Council it was found that all the Diseases under which the Patient long groaned were now redoubled by this unfaithful or unskilful Physitian It was
no wonder then if upon so great a Disappointment every body desired to see the secret Arts by which the Court of Rome had so successfully managed and turned so great an Engine the Lutherans published all that their Intelligence brought them but as that was not much so what came from them was generally suspected The French being also dissatisfied with some Decrees of Reformation which were thought contrary to their King's Prerogative and the Rights of the Gallican Church took great exception to these and published the Instructions Letters and Speeches of some of their Ambassadors and Bishops but that was a lame account and rather encreased than satisfied the curiosity people had At length the Famous History of that Council written by Father Paul of Venice appeared it was quickly carried beyond Sea from this City where it was first Printed and put in many other Languages The Style and way of writing was so natural and masculine the Intrigues were so fully opened with so many judicious Reflections in all the parts of it that as it was read with great pleasure so it was generally looked on as the rarest piece of History which the World ever saw The Author was soon guessed and that raised the esteem of the Work for as he was accounted one of the wisest men in the World so he had great opportunities to gather exact Informations he had free access to all the Archives of the Republick of Venice which has been now looked on for several Ages as very exact both in getting good Intelligence and in a most careful way of preserving it so that among their Records he must have found the Dispatches of the Ambassadors and Prelates of that Republick that were at Trent which being so near them and the Council being of such high consequence it is not to be doubted but there were frequent and particular Informations both of more publick Transactions and secreter Intrigues transmitted thither He had also contracted a close Friendship with Camillus Oliva that was Secretary to one of the Legates from whom he had many Discoveries of the Practices of the Legates and of their correspondence with Rome Besides many other Memorials and Notes of some Prelates that were at Trent which he had gathered together His Work came out within Fifty Years of the Conclusion of the Council when several who had been present there were still alive and the thing was so recent in mens Memories that few thought a man of so great Prudence as he was would have exposed his Reputation by writing in such a nice matter things which he could not justifie never was there a man more hated by the Court of Rome than he was and now he was at their mercy if he had abused the World by such Falshoods in matter of Fact as have been since charged on his Work but none appeared against him for Fifty Years The things were of such importance to the Church of Rome that every body concluded their concern in the Matter as well as their hatred of the Author would have engaged them to write against a Book that had represented an Assembly which they called an Holy Oecumenical and General Council whose Canons were to be received as a certain Standard of Faith to be but a company of cunning and ignorant men who many times understood not so much as the debates of the Friars that opened the Canons which they were to Decree That all was guided by Faction and Intrigue That the Legates took from them all the Freedom of any ordinary Meeting That the honest Motions of some zealous persons were alwaies check'd and suppressed That all Attempts at a true and effectual Reformation were crushed That they went on slowly or speedily as it served either the Emperor's Turn or the Pope's Ends That under a pretence of finding a Temper to reconcile Differences ambiguous Words were put in their Decrees which were afterwards perverted to such Senses as did defeat all the good Designs of some there and in a word a man shall find a great deal of Art and dextrous cunning in the Shufflings and Policies of the Legates but for any thing of Sincerity or that savoured of men that sought the Truth and depended on God for the direction of his Spirit to which they pretended so highly there is not so much as an appearance of it to cheat any body with though he had ever such a mind to be cousened Nor was it to be wondered that those whom they called Hereticks did not acquiesce in the Decrees of such a Meeting which a Writer of their own Communion had so exposed that every good Catholick as they call them knew not how to defend it any other way but by that common and cheap Answer That these were the Lies and Forgeries of a discontented Friar who either out of Faction or Interest designed to disgrace the Church This was easily said and very hardly answered for though it was not reasonable to reject a History that had so many Appearances of Truth in it without other Reasons but that unconquerable one That they would not believe it because it liked them not yet they were safe in this Incredulousness and there was no driving them from it till at length Cardinal Palavicini with great Art and much Industry did in a most infallible way give a confirmation instead of a confutation of that History Father Paul's Work lay Fifty years at quiet in the possession of the Belief of all that were disinteressed and though some Writers of the Court-party were now and then pecking at it yet none durst take it to task They could not pretend they despised it for the credit it was in set it beyond that At length one undertook it but dying before he had made any great progress the Cardinal entered the Field and that he might attain the Purple upon Merit resolved to vindicate the Council of Trent and the Court of Rome from the Aspersions of the former Historian It was indeed safe to write at so great a distance when the Third Generation from that Council was going off the Stage so that whatever a man designed for Preferment who could varnish all he said with fair and specious colours wrote of Transactions that were passed a hundred years ago vvas like to be vvell received and at least few could upon authentical grounds disprove it and such of Father Paul's Friends as perhaps knevv from vvhence he drevv his Informations and could go to them again were also dead So that here lay a great and just prejudice against the Cardinal's Work There was too much Art and Varnish in his Stile mixed with too many ingenious Apologies for things that could not be denied this must needs make the Reader see that his Design in writing was not to tell the Truth but to defend his Church So that he is rather to be looked on as an Apologist than an Historian It is true on some occasions he makes bold with Popes and not without
motions and springs by which other Princes carry what they desire from the Assemblies of their several States and I dare safely challenge any that has read that History to shew me any step or motion that is different from all other Secular Councils or that does not clearly shew that they not only did not expect an infallible Direction but knew they had it not and therefore were to supply that defect by other Political Arts and it is an undertaking well worthy of a Jesuit's Candor to perswade the World that the Holy Ghost was among them when their own deportment shews they themselves knew there was no such thing There is another Observation on the Cardinal's History which is the chief Subject of the following Reflections That he knowing most of the abuses in the Court of Rome which from thence have spred over their whole Church were things that could not be denied and that it was no less evident that all the Decrees about Reformation made at Trent have been ever since neglected by the Popes goes about the excusing of that which he could not deny The Scheme he lays down is this That Christ designed a Temporal Monarchy in his Church That men being but a composition of Flesh and Blood we must not expect any high Reformation nor raise things to that pitch that only holy and good men will enter into the Service of the Church That to maintain this Monarchy and invite Great persons into the Interests of the Church there must be vast Dignities and great Preferments That these must be supported by some things that taking things simply seem corruptions but as men are must be not only born with but encouraged therefore Non-residences Pluralities Dispensations Indulgences Priviledges Exemptions with a Thousand other Abuses in the Datary must still be kept up since they are necessary for bringing in that Revenue which must support the Monarch of the Christian Church and his Princes the Cardinals who if they lived in the simplicity and poverty of the first Ages of Christianity could not attract that Esteem and Reverence from a Carnal World which keeps up their Greatness and Authority It is true Christ and his Apostles took other methods and by their wonderful Holiness and constant Labours planted the Gospel But the Church was then in its Infancy and needed Milk but now that it is grown up to a full Age it requires stronger Food and Motives that prevail more on the Appetites and Interests of frail men It were to be wish'd that good things were well done and that the Church were cleansed from all Abuses but these are the Idea's of Speculative persons who know not men and understand not Business and therefore all Reformations that are not practicable and cannot well consist with mens corrupt Interests are to be rejected and those who promote them are either weak though zealous or factious and discontented persons who design to beat down the Greatness of the Papal Monarchy by withdrawing from it those necessary Supports And may not such a Scheme of Maxims be well called a New Gospel proceeding from New Lights This the Witty and Judicious Author of the following Reflections thought was so great an injury to that Church of which himself was a Member being as I am credibly informed of the Sorbon that he would needs expose it which he thought might be better done by bringing the Cardinal's Maxims under some Heads and laying them together with the Consequences that naturally flow from them than by any laboured or learned Confutation of them And indeed they do at first view discover such an opposition to the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel that no man who has a right taste of the one but must see it in the other The Reader will be easily able to judge whether a Church founded upon and governed by such Maxims be liker to be a Babel raised up and carried on by humane Arts and carnal Policy or a Jerusalem built on the Foundation of Christ and his Apostles And indeed the Cardinal has fully satisfied us That whatever respect the Court of Rome pretends for Tradition and the Doctrine of the Ancients that is only because they think in some points of Controversie to have the better of the Protestants with that Weapon yet in their hearts they despise the Rules Opinions of the Fathers as the fond conceits of Christianity in Childhood far short of their Refinings in Policy and therefore though there are many things practised and encouraged among them which the Ancients not only knew nothing of but hated with a perfect abhorrency yet their Sentiments are not of sufficient Authority to make them throw out any thing that brings them in advantage and any Objection from the Fathers get no better Answer than this That the Church was then but in its Infancy but as she grows older she becomes wiser than Christ or his Apostles were These are excellent Arguments to perswade men to hold the Decisions of that Council or the Practices of the Roman Court in high estimation In all this Palavicini was much to be pitied for both by other parts of that Work and some other of his Treatises it seems he had good Notions both of Virtue and Devotion but it was his Misfortune to undertake a Work which could not be finished without touching it in several places with such a Pencil It is observed of men bred all their Life in Schools or Cells who have never gone without their Precinct nor conversed in the wide World That when they appear in publick they mix their Works or Discourses with many Conceits which they think witty and fine but appear extravagant antick and ridiculous to the World who vouchsafe them no better Name than Pedantry So fares it with one bred at or about Rome all his Life where the Abuses of that Court through a long practice are legitimated and easily coloured over with some slight excuse which passes there because either men dare not speak out what they think or the want of Ecclesiastical Learning and of a deep sense of the Pastoral Charge makes them soon satisfied with any Answer since they understand not the weight and force of the Objections that lie against those Abuses But whatever operation such things may have about Rome when they once pass the Mountains and are seen by men more disinteressed and awake they appear so foolish and childish that no man needs to be at the pains to confute them it is enough to read or hear them The following Discourse was with much care suppressed beyond Sea yet found its way into England and fell into the Hands of one who was so Generous as to oblige the Nation by putting it into their Language His Translation as far as I have compared it is exact and true the only Fault that I found in it is from his great care to be faithful which has made him follow the French phrase too near in some Passages But for a Translater
more pernicious nor no Crime rendring men greater Villains than false and corrupt Policy La quale è il piu scelerato de vizii because 't is contrary to the greatest of all Goods l. 5. c. 16. Si come contraria à quel prestantissimo Bene So that there is nothing more important than well to distinguish between Policy taken in the vulgar sense di huomini volgari Ibid. Ibid. and the true Policy of Knowing and Learned men Trà la politica vera intesa da ' scienziati for false and corrupt Policy is accursed Ibid. Questa Politica essecranda The reason is That that Policy instead of proposing for its End the Good of all men and how to render them happy in this World and in the other either proposes to it self but the welfare of one single man only whom it makes all men beside to serve rendring them miserable to hatch out of their Misery the Felicity of that one man like the Turks Policy throughout the whole Extent of his Dominion l. 5. c. 16. Qual è la Politica del Dominio Turchescho Or else in proposing to it self the the welfare and felicity of all Particulars it sets awork to arrive thereunto nothing but extravagant Conceits Introd c. 10. Concetti stravaganti such as are the Thinkings of some zealous and scrupulous Ignorants without Experience l. 16. c. 10. Personne zelanti mà inesperte Therefore there is nothing more imports than to enlighten the Understanding of man Introd c. 1. which alone makes up the man che solo e l'huomo and to make him better by giving him knowledge of the most important Truths that is to say those Truths which compose the Policy of the Learned Per migliorare l'intelletto co'lla notizia d'importantissime verità per ammaestrare il lettore nella Politica Proem By the Learned or Knowing I mean quoth the Cardinal those who skill the World l. 1. c. 5. Periti del Mondo The Design then that the Cardinal hath proposed to himself by setting forth this History of the Council of Trent is to defend and maintain the Catholick Religion by the Policy and according to the Policy of those who skill the World l. 22. c. 5. Quest opera ch' è una diffesa della Catolica Religione and to make you see that the Policy of the Catholick Religion according to the World is that which is true because that by following its Maxims a man is happy here below and in the other Life Wherefore quoth he I do undertake to defend the Judgments given by all the Earth Assembled in the Council of Trent Introd c. 2. Però diffendendo i◠nel giudicio del Mondo and therein I maintain goes he on the Cause not of one private Client but of the whole Catholick Church Non un privato Cliente mà tutta la Chiesa Catolica So he pretends to make you see in the Proceedings and in the Decrees of the Council of Trent that the present Government of the Church being formed according to the Rules of worldly Policy and being the most profitable to the true common Good that one can imagine according to the Flesh in this world and in the other is that Government which Jesus Christ himself who is the Wisdom Incarnate came to establish upon the Earth and for which he hath shed his precious Blood Questo governo disignato da Christo l. 1. c. 25 ARTICLE II. The Church may be considered in two manners according to the Flesh and according to the Spirit and so these are two sorts of Felicity or Welfare of the Church Jesus Christ had them both in view TO comprehend perfectly the Mystery of this Religious Policy of the worldly wise know ye that the Church may be considered in two manners quoth Father Diego Lainez Second General of the Jesuits the first according to the Flesh the second according to the Spirit secondo la Carne l. 23. c. 3. secondo lo Spirito according to the Spirit quoth he the Church is the Temple of Charity Stanza di Carità according to the Flesh she is the Fountain-head of all temporal profit Fonte di utilità temporale Ibid. So that according to these two Considerations of the Church a man may conceive two sorts of common Good and Felicity the first according to the Spirit the second according to the Flesh The Felicity after the Flesh is that of the World which consists in Riches Honours Pleasures Glory Splendor and carnal Delights The Felicity after the Spirit is Divine l. 8. c. 17. and works a supernatural course of Life La vita supraumana This Felicity is the Object of Heroick Virtues Vertù eroica l. 1. c. 25. The Felicity according to the Flesh is humane civil and temporal Felicità civile l. 24. c. 8 10. l. 1. c. 25. l. 8. c. 17. l'umana felicità de fideli che rendono felice la Republica interra and the hope of this Felicity makes all civil and humane Virtues to bud and spring out fa gergmogliare le insigni virtù Ibid. and renders man happy according to the Flesh in this world Whereupon it follows that true Religious Policy ought also to be carnal because it ought to have for Object the making the Church happy not only according to the Spirit but according to the Flesh and to bestow on her a Felicity not only Divine and of the other Life but humane temporal and earthly in this world now there be none that can better judge what that true Felicity is than those that be Sages after the Flesh that is to say worldly wise periti del mondo secondo la Carne and so for to know well what is the true Policy of Jesus Christ one needs but to know what that is of the People of the world not of the Vulgar ' but of the knowing and enlightned World whose Maxims our Learned Cardinal goes on here to teach us ARTICLE III. Jesus Christ came to establish the most commodious kind of Government for the Humane and Temporal Felicity of the Believing yea and that is the most Religious which is the most Commodious LEt us suppose quoth the Legate Alexander sent by Pope Leo the Xth to the Diet at Worms That Jesus Christ were ready to change the Government of the Church and to fit it to our convenience Fingiamo che Christo fia pronto di matar ' la fua chiefa a commodo nostro do ye think he should change it from that which we see it at present Surely no So then we ought to conclude that Jesus Christ hath fitted his Church with such a Government that there can be none imagined more conform to humane Felicity after the wish of the worldly wise and after the Flesh Now it is certain that the desire of all after the Flesh is to be happy in this world as well as in the other so then
conformably to this Wish hath Jesus Christ formed his Church Che Christo hà formata la sua Chiesa in quel modo eti ' è più conforme eziandio all'umana felicità l. 1. c. 25. Also the same Pope Leo to extinguish Luther's Heresie gave in charge to his Nuncio's to represent to the Emperour Charles V. That it was necessary to destroy that Heresie for Three Reasons First In regard of the eternal Salvation of the Flock of Christ There 's the Divine Reason that respects the Life to come Per l'eterna salute del grege Christiano The Second For the Quiet of the Politick Government Per la Tranquilità del Governo Politico There 's the Humane Reason and the Humane Interest of this Life The Third For the Preservation of the Apostolical Principality l. 1. c. 23. Per la Conservazione del Principato Apostolico There 's a midling Reason betwixt Divine and Humane for that the Pope is Mediator betwixt God and Man betwixt Heaven and Earth Il mezzano frà il Cielo la Terra l. 1. c. 1. that is to say a Mediator that knows perfectly well how to make agree together the two Wisdoms that of God and that of the World that which is spiritual and that which is temporal and 't is even in this that the perfection of Religion consists and which by consequence makes up the height or top of Religious Policy which tends to make men happy in this World here and in the other ARTICLE IV. The Measures and Rules of the Churches Government according to the Wisdom of God ought to be taken from the Publick Good that is the End that Jesus Christ had in view 'T Is certain that the Common Good being the End and Object of Policy is the Measure of all the Judgments of all the Laws and of all the Actions of that Policy for example to judge wherein consists true Honour even temporal and according to the times we must fall to examine what is profitable for the Publick Good for there is no other true Honour So that the Common Good is the measure of all Politick Judgment l. 1. c. 26. Il vero onore di cui è misura il ben publica And the Policy that is guided by this End is that of the truly Learned and Knowing men l. 5. c. 16. Politica vera intesa da scienziati On the contrary 't is Popular Judgment that is not guided by the Common Good but forms its Conclusions upon another Principle The good which popular judgment proposes to it self either for Principle or End is not a true Good but an Idol l. 1. c. 16. that witless and unruly Heads forge and work up according to their Fancy Onore popolare ch' è un Idolo fabricato da ingegni stolidamente feroci l. 1. c. 26. Now for to discern well what is the true common Good of the Church there needs no more but to mark what is the common Good that Jesus Christ had in view when he instituted the Government of his Church for the end is the measure whereby we judge what is good and fit to be done in all actions l. 2. c. 2. fine ch' è la misura dell'opportuno in tutte le azioni through knowledge of the true common Good a man ought to judge of true or false policy The true is founded upon Virtue and upon Zeal the false upon Fraud and private Interest Ibid. i fondamenti nella virtù e nel zelo ò nella fraude e nell'interesse By means of these politick Virtues a man arrives to the politick Felicity of this Life which is the recompence of them and which consist in Riches Honours and Pleasures ARTICLE V. For to know well the Common Good which Jesus Christ had in view a man should judge thereof by the Doctrine of Aristotle and other wise Heathens Luther's Heresie had never happened but through his slighting of Aristotle IF Jesus Christ had taken for the End of his Policy only the common Good after the Spirit and not according to the Flesh and temporal Convenience without doubt it would not have been safe to consult Aristotle and the wise Heathens to know the Nature of that common Good which Jesus Christ had in view and the Qualities thereof but Jesus Christ having it in view to fit up the Government of his Church on humane Felicity whereof it is capable in the judgment of the worldly wise 't is not possible that he should teach contrary to the Teachings of Aristotle and the Heathen Sages l. 7. c. 9. come si la chiesa di Christo predicasse ch' e contrario non dico à l'insegnamenti d'Aristotele mà d'ogni tolerabil'republica de' gentili Jesus Christ was the Wisdom Incarnate the Source of all true Wisdom be it never so Paganish so then he did establish the Government of the Church the best that could be in the judgment of the worldly wise though Pagans He never prescribed her a Government to be changed for a better for can any body be perswaded that Jesus Christ did form a Government that was not the best of all l. 8. c. 7. dovremo noi persuadere che la sapienza incarnata istituisse la sua chiesa con un governo il qual non fosse de' megliori To judge then what 's the Government that Jesus Christ established one needs only to judge what is the best of all Governments according to those that be Sages of this World for one Wisdom never opposes another Wisdom the Fountain is no enemy to its own Streams The Philosophers were Sages according to Sense according to Flesh according to humane Reason thereafter they knew the common humane Good and what was best for Common-wealths it is not possible then that Jesus Christ having the same Good in view should lesson us contrary to the Teachings of the Philosophers And in effect there is no doubt but if Plato and Aristotle lived in our dayes they would experience that there was never Commonwealth more civil more politick better improved more noble and more virtuous than the Catholick l. 12. c. 3. se Platone ò Aristotele vivessero à nostri giorni esperimentassero che nessuna Republiqua è ò fù maì più culta più nobile più virtuosa che la â—atolica It follows then that the common Good of the Church considered according to the Flesh hath nothing that is contrary and which is not extreamly conform to the Publick Good such as the Philosophers set it forth All the Difficulty that they had in their times was to find out means to establish that publick Good and to make it practicable and this is that which Jesus Christ hath done in a manner which the Philosopher would have been very capable of and very much satisfied with It chanced that Luther not being willing in his Doctrine and Practice to follow the Maxims of Aristotle slighting that
Philosopher through that slight his Heresie gained ground which as it was contrary to the Principles of Aristotle so did Luther endeavour to destroy the reputation of that Prince of Philosophers l. 1. c. 8. mà perche sì fatta doctrina appariva contraria à principii della retta filosofia insegnatasi da Aristotele procurò d'estinguer la stima di questo filosofo come d'huomo che scrivesse molti errori contro alla fede Slighting of Aristotle hath also caused that Luther's Sect never had any Writers of a much elevated Genius l. 1. c. 17. il disprezzo à ' Aristotele fece che frà sui sequaci appena può annoverarsi scrittori di relevato intendimento Those Hereticks laught at that Philosophers Arguments so full of Learning reducing all they taught to the understanding of the Greek and Hebrew Tongues l. 1. c. 23. ridendosi degli argomenti scietifici diquanto insegnavo Aristotele il tutto reducevano all'intendimento della lingua greca dell'ebrea Carlstad cursed Aristotle whose Doctrine said he corrupted Divinity l. 3. c. 13. Carlostadio malediceva Aristotele la cui dottrina havesse corotta la Teologia and as for Luther he plotted to ruine that Philosophers Reputation machinava d'abattere Aristotele nella filosofia l. 1. c. 3. Here was that then which destroyed them they did not know how to piece the Policy of Jesus Christ and that of Aristotle together for at last let them say what they will it is certain that if Aristotle had not writ and so taught the Church to distinguish well she would have lacked at this day a many Articles of Faith for which she is beholden to that Prince of Philosophers di ciò sidovevain gran parte l'obligazione ad Aristotele l. 8. c. 19. id quale sè non si fosse adoperato in distinguer accuratamente i generi delle ragioni noi mancavamo di molti articoli di fede Paul Soave thinks Aristotle to be jeered by this Discourse but our Cardinal-Historian doth indeed approve of Aristotle and not jeer him and makes the Truths of Aristotle admirably to appear ARTICLE VI. Through the slighting of Aristotle Luther would not endure that Interest Humane and according to the Flesh should have its share in Government of the Church he is followed by certain zealous Ignorants One ought to shun that their Excess 'T Is neither permitted nor expedient said Martin Luther to regulate Divine things by Humane Interests non esser nè lecito nè spediente regolar le cose di Dio con gli umani interessi l. 1. c. 27. He rejected not this conduct of Affairs but only because it did plainly shew that Kings might be stirred up by the Motive of humane respects as well as by that of God's Interests to set themselves against that Heresie che per rispetti così divini comè umani possono muovere i Rè i Regni Christiani à persegnitar l'eresia l. 1. c. 25. Now Humane respects be those we call Humane Reasons which have for Object humane Felicity according to the Flesh Jesus Christ had in view this Felicity as well as Aristotle and their Sentiments make up a judgment the most humane imaginable and opposite to that Censure forsooth of those same zealous ones which is a Resolve Ideal and impossible in the Practice contrary to Experience and which doth not proceed but from Ignorance of the things of the world This Censure or Opinon cries nothing but Reformation Reformation which is nothing but Idea and Extravagance Intr. c. 10. quella riformatione ideale per cui gravada il zelo imperito di persone per lo più non esperte concetti stravaganti Thus 't is plain that the Government of the Church ought not to be regulated by the judgment of those who have not experience of the World 'T is properly this Experience that makes up that which is called Knowledge of the World after the which also Jesus Christ did form the Government of his Church ARTICLE VII The Discernment of zealous and scrupulous Ignorants is very different from that of persons that have experience of the World and knowledge of the Times 'T Is certain there be such zealous persons without experience of Civil Affairs and the present course of the Politick world l. 16. c. 10. personne zelanti mà inesperte negli affari civili e nel corso del presente mondo politico who have none of those Lights which afford that experience l. 1. c. 23. niente illuminato da peritia This sort of zealous Folk have their minds enslaved to vulgar Opinions l. 1. c. 25. intelletto schiavo delle opinioni volgari on the contrary there be that skill the world l. 1. c. 4. l. 1. c. 2◠periti del mondo able for practice un huomo pratichissimo negli assari del mondo which are none of your retired people that are wont to feed themselves with Idea's and Speculations Ibid. un ideale ritirato speculativo These People being no strangers to the Court-breeding at Rome have thoughts exalted above those vulgar ones of others concetti non volgari Introd c. 6. prattiche della corte Romana these be persons of business and intelligence l. 21. c. 4. persone prattiche ed intendenti Their eyes are vers'd in and used to the affairs of the world l. 17. c. 10. occhi periti delle facende civili The difference that is between the sights of these two sorts of persons is that the first are still on all occasions poring on Idea's and are ravished in contemplation of abstracted forms and Universals which have not any proportion with the dispositions of the matter and which by consequence are incapable to come to good But the others give close heed to those particular circumstances which are wont to meet in the success of things and to make them take effect the first propose nothing but speculative regulations and ideal reformations the success whereof is impossible riformatione ideale non riuscibile Intr. c. 10. the others propose regulations and reformations discreet possible and likely to come to good Introd c. 9. l. 1. c. 25. riformatione discretta che poi successe e che la prudenza de' padri stimò riuscibile Censura umana e non ideale Whereupon the Cardinal concludes in these terms Let 's leave them to Plato his Idea's and let 's go upon practice lasciamo à Platone l'idea l. 12. c. 13. veniamo alla prattica But in fine the better to make it be comprehended what one ought to understand by those Idea's that a zealous indiscreet and ignorant person would have to be followed in Government One cannot tell how to give a better Example on 't than that of Pope Adrian VI. related by this Cardinal-Historian ARTICLE VIII The Example of an Ideal extravagant Polititian in Pope Adrian VI. his Carriage 'T Is certain
famous Court such as be those of Italy l. 8. c. 17. senz ' affinarsi nell'excellente scuola della frequenza As this is a point of the utmost import so ought the general Maxims of those zealous Spirits to be related that a man may keep from them as a pernicious poison of the publick Tranquility l. 17. c. 14. concetti stravaganti veleni della publica tranquilità CHAP. II. ARTICLE I. Five Errors and poisoned Maxims of the scrupulous Policy of the zealous Ignorants according to the Flesh THe first pernicious Error of the zealous Ignorants is to pretend that one should live in the Church as one ought to live according to God and that the Laws of the Church were regulated and formed by that Principle The contrary Maxim is that the Laws of the Church ought to guide men according to the Flesh and commodiously having regard to the corrupt inclinations of their Nature The Second pernicious Error is That that which is best to be done is best also to be commanded The opposite Maxim is That the best to be commanded is that which can be done commodiously according to the Flesh and not that which should be the best to be done according to God The Third pernicious Error of the zealous Ignorants is That the Church ought to be governed according to the Rules of Antiquity The opposite Maxim is That the Church ought not to be governed according to the Rules of Antiquity The Fourth pernicious Error is That the Church ought to he governed by the way of Councils The opposite Maxim is That the Church ought not to be governed by the way of Councils The fifth Error is That the Church ought to be governed by every Bishop in particular according to the portion of the Episcopacy fallen to him which makes in all the Bishops but one and the same Unity of Episcopacy in solidum The Fifth opposite Maxim is That this Opinion is seditious and that the Church ought to be governed by one only Bishop King and Monarch of all others 'T is true quoth the Cardinal if one would take the measure of Good from the Idea of what it ought to be the Church in the condition wherein we see her would appear most dreadfully deformed Introd c. 8. vero è che se vogliamo prendere la misura del bueno dall'idea di quello che doverebbe essere la difformità â—â—nza dubio rimane grandissima Now it is from the Idea of what ought to be that the Zealous take the measures of their Policy and they would fain have Laws made to oblige the Church to live as it ought to live for example that Charity should be regulated by that which Gods Love requires and as the hope or fear of an eternity of Heaven or Hell requireth Introd c. 8. daciò che merita un Diò e un eternità di paradiso ò d'inferno They will not by any means that things should rather be regulated according to that which one man can in reason no more but expect in the times wherein we are who are as it were the Dregs of Adam's corruption where our Republick to be governed is not composed of any that be perfect but of so many Millions of the imperfect Believing of the old and new world Ibid. e non più tosto da quello che può sperarsi in questa feccia d'Adamo The true Religious Policy according to this Cardinal doth lay it then for a general Maxim that for to make Laws one should be guided by the disposition of the people who being imperfect ought to be regulated according as God and Nature hath set them into the world in these our times l. 9. c. 9. dovendo governare gli huomini quali Iddio e la natura gli producono al mondo and a Form must be proposed proportionate to the dispositions of the Matter that is to say propose Laws accommodated to peoples humors and not introduce Idea's founded upon what ought to be having relation to God dignè Deo as S. Paul speaks From hence this Cardinal leaves it to be concluded that the Laws of the Church ought not to be such as they should be for example if one were obliged to love God by an Act of Love as a Divine Virtue if one were obliged to tend to the perfection of that Love if one were cursed doing the work of the Lord negligently Intr. l. 10. This is ignorant Folks Zeal zelo imperito d'alcuni to confound what 's best to be done with what 's best to be ordained as if one was the other Ibid. che confondono l'ottimo à farsi con l'ottimo à commandarsi not perceiving that Laws are then worst when they prescribe what 's most excellent that is to say a perfection impossible l. 1. c. 25. le leggi tal ora son ' pessime quando prescrivono l'ottimo ciò è una perfezion inosservabile Thus to make Laws according to the true carnal Policy one must take great care if one would bring it to good to cause that they be observed Intr. c. 10. che poi successe looking out first to see if there be any likelihood of success in the Reformation pretended riformation riuscibile for on the contrary if Laws be made where there is no apparence they will bring in the Reformation proposed those Laws become a poison in the Policy 'T is important then that one be instructed how to take well his measures to make Church-Laws that the success thereof may be infallible for one ought not to imagine with the Zealous Ignorants that Antiquity must be followed l. 21. c. 6. Vsaronsi per l'antichi tempi adunque deonsi rimettere in uso Antiquity ought not to serve for a rule to the present Church neither ought she to be governed by Councils and Bishops assembled on the contrary there is no conjunction of Stars whose influence can be more perillous to the Church than that of Councils is l. 16. c. 10. non si può imaginar congiunzione di più pericolosainfluenza che un synodo generale The Church ought not to be governed by Bishops every one according to his share of Episcopacy as if it were all but one Episcopacy in it self common to the Bishops and the Pope it is a seditious Doctrine to pretend this solidity Ibid. quella sediz sosa dottrina This Cardinal busies himself in the following course of his History to confute these Errors and to establish the opposite Maxims to purge the poison of these Errors out of the Religious Policy of the Church and he concludes very well from thence the necessity of a Monarch that may be the Head of the Church Emperor and King of the whole Universe who is as the Soul and the Form of the Church to inform it animate it and direct it according to the Laws of true Policy which is that according to the Flesh secondo la carne
more but what 's precisely necessary for him to do a virtuous action and not to do that virtuous action by the alone Motive to find pleasure therein according to carnal sense 'T is visible that if Christian Religion should establish these Maxims Christians Lives would be a continual Mortification and all that eagerness which makes men bustle to advance themselves enrich themselves and enjoy humane Felicity according to the Flesh would be deadned This would be the ruine of our Carnal Policy which is the most excellent of all Moral Virtues whose Object is carnal Felicity Riches Honours and Voluptuousness what ought this Religious Policy then to do See ye here what it ought to do according to our Cardinal The Heathen they set before corrupt Nature Voluptuousness which nourishes Vices which are ever linked to Idolatry the Church ought to set before Christians such pleasures as may serve for remedy against Idolatry and as pleasure for pleasure if it were equal on both sides so corrupted is Nature that she would prefer Idolatry before the Worship of the true God The Church ought in such sort to deal that in the voluptuousness which she presents to the people there may be more and greater Dainties and of that which tickles the Appetite and Senses than in that which is tasted out of her Communion that the pleasure may be greater in what she makes use of to cure Vices than in any voluptuousness which Paganism or Heresie can make use of to nourish them ed è conforme non solo alla pietà l. 1. c. 23. ma eziando alla politica il far che i teatri più sontuosi e più dilettevoli sian quelli dove il vizio si medica non dove si nutre for example quoth Nuntio Alexander the People will have Stage-plays and Sights they love the pleasure thereof vuole il populo i teatri shall the Church then make Laws against Stage-plays Comedies and the love of Pleasure No she will accommodate her self to that natural inclination of the people and bring it so to pass that there shall be more pleasure in the Shews she sets forth for Christians than ever were in the Pagan Shews Here is that called true Religious Policy according to the Flesh to cure the love of Pleasure by bestowing more carnal pleasure upon a man within the Church than one should have had remaining out of its Communion This is the Religious Policy that Jesus Christ came to establish in his Church quoth this our Cardinal to signalize his people upon Earth by the Prerogatives of their pleasures questo governo dissegnato da Christo per signalare in terra con manifesta prerogativa il suo popolo l. 1. c. 25 't was for the establishing of this Policy that he died Here look ye the felicity and common Good of the Church according to the Flesh is the Object of this Virtue the first and most excellent of all the moral Virtues 'T is through this Religious Policy that the Church of her great Revenues of her Honours and of her carnal Pleasures even makes the vocation of all men to her Faith and a vocation to the Clergy-ship of as many as she pleases to call it as shall be seen by and by Instead of amusing her self to make Laws contrary to the esteem of Riches of Honours and of carnal Pleasures she establishes that Maxim of true worldly Policy to guide men according to the Inclinations of their Natures dovendo governare gli huomini l. 9. c. 9. quali Iddio e la natura gli producono al mondo for God and Nature bringing them forth such as they be there 's no more to do but so for to govern them ARTICLE III. The Second Errour of the Zealous Ignorants That the best to be done is the best to be commanded 't is better to command that which is according to Nature than that which would be better to be done according to God IT would be better to observe the Laws that are made for Law is a Rule which in the time it was made was esteemed the very best to govern well by la legge l. 7. c. 2. il che vuol'dire la regola riputata la migliore per buon governo and the Zealous Ignorants would have that a general Law which enjoyns the observation of the Laws already made because it is the best thing that can be done This was also one of the Demands which the French Ambassadors made at the Council of Trent to wit That that and former Councils Orders might exactly be observed without being infringed by Dispensations This was a request quoth the Cardinal that tended to no less than to undermine the Churches Monarchy l. 19. c. 11. che le costitutioni fatte da Concilii non cadessero sotto dispensazioni la qual domanda tendeua ad abbattere la Monarchia This in effect was the 28th of the 34 Articles of Reformation which the Ambassadors proposed to the Council That there might be no dispensing with the Canons which forbid Marriage within the Degrees prohibited unless in favour of Kings and Princes for the publick Good 'T is very easie to make the Poison of this Error manifest That what is the best to be done is the best to be commanded whether one considers it in relation to Divine Laws that direct the inward affections of the heart or whether one considers it in relation to the Humane Laws of the Church which can but direct exterior actions it is wholly throughout pernicious As for the inward Affections God being the great invisible Good of man it is certain that to love him by an act of Love as a Virtue Divine would be the best as also to set ones affection more upon that invisible Good than upon that which is seen but is it best to say that God hath thus commanded it No because that that Command would not be accommodate to the condition of the most part of men which are within the Church who set their affections more upon what is seen l. 9. c. 9. than upon what is not seen molti maggiormente i s' affezzionano à quel che si vede che à quel che si crede This same Law of Love would not be grateful to them being corrupt as they are Likewise to be willing and endeavour to arrive to a perfect actual Love of God would assuredly be best but would it be best to preach that men are thereunto obliged by Commandment No without doubt by the same reason of this same Cardinal so to say that he which does the work of God negligently is cursed one sees clearly the venom of such like Doctrine and how many persons it would cast into despair here 's what regards the Divine Laws which regulate the motions and affections of the inward man As to the humane Laws of the Church which can regulate but outward actions suppose one should make a Law obliging Christians to observe
was little and the number of the Faithful was not great as since the believing persons are become Ibid. quando il numero de' fedeli non era ancora ben cresciuto Now that which is thought and that which is done in Childhood hath not the advantages that Age is wont for to bring so that that which is ancient now is but that which was thought and done when the World was but young and as one may say l. 23. c. 10. a Child l'antico era pensato e fatto del mondo ancora moderno but that which is new is done and thought in the World 's ripe and full-grown Age Ibid. e per contrario il moderno del mondo già divenuto antico So that it is an Errour which would fain set up again the ancient Customs of the Church and of her Discipline such as were in the Apostles times and in the first Ages 'T is as one may say to make the Church fall back again into Childhood nell'infanzia della chiesa Now is there any man grown up to years that would fain be for the Teat again to live as he did when he was a Child l. 1. c. 25. nè il giovane potrebbe tornare al vitto che usò bambino Is it not ridiculous then to think the same may be done in a Body Politick as that of the Church is Ibid. così parimente accade ne ' corpi politici So that the present Policy of the Church ought to be regulated not upon that which the ancient Popes did heretofore but upon that which in likelihood may be brought to pass in the present state wherein she is l. 1. c. 25. misuriamo quel che può riuscire secondo il presente stato del Christianesimo non quel che i Pontefici hanno fatto altre volte ARTICLE V. The Simplicity of the Ancient Councils opposed to the Courtliness and Regal which the Legates Presidents at the Council of Trent shewed towards Philip II. To go about to re-establish the Ancient Simplicity is to put men again to live upon Acorns The Change that 's made in the World is not for the worse 'T Would be a ridiculous Blindness and an Extravagancy never to be justified if it should be proposed to retain the Wonts and Ancient Simplicity of the Church in its Councils l. 6. c. 4. onde saria schiocchezza derisa ritener lo stile de l'antica simplicità nell'Ecclesiastiche radunanze For as in the Councils of our Times the greatest Princes of the Earth have concernments and are therein interessed Ibid. di cui sono partecipi i maggiori principi della terra Should it be a vanity blameable and criminal to use a little of it as the Legats of the Council of Trent did towards Philip the Second when he passed through that Town to go into Spain and he was there magnificently regaled by those Presidents of the Council As for me quoth our Cardinal I do not believe I can be taxed of vanity if I recite in my History the Ceremonies of that Feast nè par mi dannabile di vanità il narrar le ceremonie che vi seguirono l. 11. c. 13. For after many other Feasts in the Honour of that Monarch the Legates caused to be erected 300 paces from the Town in a little Isle upon the River of Adige a Palace of excellent wood-work hung within with rich Tapestry adorn'd with Painting and excellent Statues In this place they gave him a most magnificent Feast accompanied with charming Musick at the end of the Meal according to the custom of Germany began the Ball the Prince danced there and the Ball was follow'd with diverse Tiltings and Plays where were represented the principal Feats of Chivalry described in Ariosto whose Poem came forth a little while after Ibid. seguirono le danze eve ballò il principe stesso There was never seen the like in the Times and Places of the ancient Councils Did Constantine dance and lead the Ball at the Council of Nice Theodosius at the first of Constantinople c. What apparence mean while or likelihood should there be to make the Church at this day go back again to that Ancient Simplicity and hinder Princes for example from leading the Ball at Councils I shall be asked perhaps quoth Alexander Nuntio of Pope Leo the 10th in the Diet of Worms But did they live so in the first Age l. 1. c. 25. Come si viveva ne ' primi secoli I shall answer quoth he that by the same Reasoning one might undertake to perswade men to live upon Acorns because they say that in the primitive times of the World men made their Meals thereof Ibid. mà con questa forma d'argomentare si potrebbono ridurre gli huomini à cibarsi di ghiande perche liggiamo che cosi negli antichi tempe si viveva By the same reason continued the Nuntio one might undertake to perswade Princes to live like the first Founders of States without Guards about their Persons without Anti-Chambers in their Palaces i Principi à star senza guardie Ibid. senza anti-camere one might exhort Princesses and their Daughters to wash Boucks and in Sope to spin and sew as whil'om did Augustus his Daughters with their Mother that Master of the World not being willing to be cloathed but with the Stuff they had spun with their own hands Ibid. le figliuole de' Rè à lavar i panni But does not one know that Humors change with Age Ibid. chi non sà che si come ne ' corpi humani si mutano le complessioni e bisogni secondo l'età It would shew finely if one should follow this day in Building the Rules of Architecture 400 years ago l'architettura di quattro cento anni sono l. 6. c. 4. as if a Body should sing or as if one draw the Images that are adored in our Churches after the Model of those times Ibid. la pittura di quel tempo nell'adorate imagini degli altari la musica di quel tempo nell'armonia sacra del coro The Maxim then that one ought to oppose to that of the Zealous Ignorants who do not know the World is to tell them in general Change of Times change of Customs altri tempi l. 23. c. 10. altri costumi The World being at this day refined or at least much changed Civil Commerce and Policy hath also received changes and 't is as by a common consent that change in Policy hath brought in the same proportionably in treating Ecclesiastical affairs l. 6. c. 4. Essendosi adunque ò affinato ò almeno mutato il sentimento degli huomini e il commercio civile è convenuto che à proporzione di quello si mutino ancora le maniere di trattar gli affari Ecclesiastici In good deed men at present have their inclinations conform to
Padri estimò riuscibile Nevertheless if the Pope should observe strictly this moderate Council all would be lost this troubled Alexander VII at his coming to the Popedom for at that time he was very zealous and desirous to re-establish Discipline and retrench Abuses he called to Council the ablest men of the Dattery periti delle facende della Dateria and speaking to them about the Dispensations for Marriages within the prohibited Degrees which were granted so commonly at Rome against the express Prohibition of the Council of Trent he told them he wondred much at so frequent a going against the Decisions of the Council asking them how it could possibly be that it had so passed into a Custom l. 23. c. 18. come passasse questa contrarietà usitata in Roma allo statuto Tridentino That so frequent a contravention against the Judgment of that Venerable Assembly appeared to him little praise-worthy pareva poco lodevole che si frequentemente si repugnasse al giudicio di questa veneranda assemblea They answered him That this Custom began in the time of Pius V a Pope of a signal and severe Goodness and a religious Observer of the Council and that there was no other Reason but that of experience of the Fact Ibid. che la ragione di questo discostamento del decreto Sinodale era stata l'esperienza del fatto He had seen that from the Decree of the Council of Trent ensued great and very considerable inconveniences in practice and therefore that holy Pope made no difficulty to dispense therewith even without having any other cause therefore Thus the Council of Trent for all its Prudence and Moderation suffered it self to be carried too far away with its Zeal and went too far into an Ideal Reformation whereof mischievous inconveniences might have followed if the Prudence of the Popes had not brought a Cure What can be hoped for then from all the other Councils wherein there was never found so much Prudence and Moderation as appeared in this last Council There be a-many other Articles besides that of Marriage wherein there is need that the Pope should give ease against the severity of the Council for example in that which concerns plurality of Benefices if the Pope should not still dispense therewith the Cardinals would have nothing to live on and the Court of Rome would turn Desart l. 12. c. 13. Senato Romano privo di quelle badie rimanerebbe privo del vitto One may see of what importance it is for keeping up the Church to keep up the Splendor of the Court of Rome yet the Council of Trent made no reckoning of it so that what can one hope for from any other Council whatsoever In fine The Council of Trent declared That all the World was obliged to observe its Canons indistinctly and that none should be dispensed with but when there was urgent and just cause urgens justaque ratio and then the Dispensation should be given freely gratis otherwise the same should be null Aliterque facta dispensatio subreptitia censeatur Sess 25. c. 18. But now these Dispensations are not given gratis at the Court of Rome where a great deal is given for them sine causa without any reason but that they pretend that the Money that is gotten thereby contrary to the Council of Trent is a just and pressing consideration for to grant them out l. 23. c. 8. Anzi essere in verità gran ' cagione per dispensare quella grossa multa che l'impetrante si contenta di pagar in aiuto de' poveri e dell'opere pie It is manifest then that even the Reformation of the Council of Trent would be Ideal and of no success riformazione ideale e non riuscibile if it were not judiciously reformed by the Politick Prudence of the Roman Court so that nothing is less useful than Councils and less necessary for governing the Church ARTICLE VIII The Council of Trent it self hath acknowledged That the way to govern the Church is no longer that of Councils and that the Laws which it made were submitted to a Superior Authority THe best one can say of the Council of Trent is That it had the Prudence to insert in its Decrees beginning and ending That it meant in all things that the Authority of the Apostolick See should remain inviolate l. 23. c. 3 8. salva in tutto l'autorità della Sede Apostolica Wherefore quoth our Cardinal I will not quite blame the Fathers of that Council for Decreeing against Plurality of Benefices ne per tutto ciò si vogliono biasimare i padri Tridentini for they had no intention by that Decree to bind his Supremacies Hands whom they had declared all along to be left at full liberty l. 23. c. 11. per ciò che il decroto non intese d'annodar quelle mani supreme che il Concilio si nel principio come nel fine delle sue leggi dichiarò di lasciar disciolte But as in all Policy Sacred or Profane 't is the approbation which the People give unto a Law by their usage thereof that determines the force and the Merit of that Law and when it is doubtful what success it may have 't is prudence to try first if the greatest number will be pleased therewith l. 8. c. 11. è prudenza il tentare ezandio con dubio dell'evento ciò che se riuscisse sarebbe grato al commune It follows that there must be a Superior Authority to derogate from the Laws of a Council or to dispense with them according as usage may require therein or thereabout and this the Council of Trent hath very well acknowledged in declaring it meant not in any sort to tie up the Popes hands insomuch that through an effect of a singular Policy though there should not be so much as one Decree of the Council of Trent observed yet if that were so by the Pope's Order it would be found That nevertheless the Decrees of that Council were kept because he would be obeyed to whom the Council hath left absolute power which reaches as far as to impower him to derogate from the Council's Orders After this fashion is it that our Cardinal maintaining That the Church ought not to be governed by way of Councils and that That of Trent hath upheld the Pope in an Authority over its own doth defend the Judgment of the whole Christian World Assembled in that Council and thus he defends the whole Catholick Church and this is the Ground he hath to call his Book Diffesa del Sacro Concilio di Trento Proem ARTICLE IX Refutation of the Zealot's Fifth Errour That Episcopacy is but one and the same thing in all Bishops This is a Seditious Opinion and destroyes the Allness and Soleness of the Monarchy Ecclesiastick THe Difference about Episcopacy is not concerning the Bishop's power of Order for that 's common to all Bishops of Divine Right There
place it would follow that the Pope could not without cause dispose of things belonging to the Jurisdictions of Bishops senza cagione for example l. 19. c. 6. he could not of absolute authority reserve to himself the Collation of a Benefice in another Bishop's Diocess he could not send Prohibitions to the Ordinary or exempt an Inferior from the Jurisdiction of his Bishop or even translate a Bishop from one Diocess to another unless for Reasons contained in the Canons Ibid. ò trasferir un vescovo da una catredrale all'altra These Reasons hindred the Question from being decided Ibid. questi risguardi facevano che molti ne consentissero à diachiarare ch' i vescovi fossero immediate da Christo Which makes it evident how important it is in the Church when one would think there is no more but a Question about Terms or Words to take good heed if the Question be not about something indeed and not to think that Questions which appear to be only about Terms be of such slight Importance especially in Matter of Church-government Reason IV. There is a deal of difference between the largeness of the Pope's Power and the Power of Bishops The Pope who is chosen is ordinarily pious and sage ordinariamente suole eleggersi pio e savio he has remorse of Conscience hai rimorsi della coscienza he has Sentiments of honour e dell'honore which being so 't is a less evil as it may sometimes happen though some of his commands be unreasonable which is seldom and his Subjects be obliged to obey them possa tal'ora obligare i soggetti exandio con qualche irragionevole ordinazione than that he not being Prince and Monarch as he is of all Bishops who are his Subjects should be made subject to their over-looking and to their passionate Votes and Judgments to which they are so subject Reason V. But the great Reason which decides the Question beyond Reply and makes the Juggle of the contrary Opinion appear is That in effect if the Bishop's Jurisdiction were of Divine Right they are obliged not to obey the Pope when his Decrees are not grounded upon just cause they could not use the Dispensations which he gives them when they are not granted after the manner prescribed by the Canons for the Canons do forbid plurality of Benefices it confounds quoth the Council of Trent the Church-Order that one person alone should take upon him the Offices of many persons All are obliged to observe the Sacred Canons without any distinction indistinctè Sess 25. c. 19. unless they be dispensed therewith for just and urgent cause and which may redound to the Churches greater profit and that the Dispensation be granted cost-free in default whereof 't is to be reckoned surreptitious Now almost all the Bishops have plurality of Benefices and they have the Pope's Dispensation for it which is not grounded upon any urgent or just cause nor given to them cost-free they make use of these Dispensations they be conformable to these Decrees the Pope then has a right to rule over them even without reason and since they obey him they acknowledge that their Jurisdiction is not of Divine Right otherwise they could not in conscience possess a many Benefices they could not in conscience be translated from one Bishoprick to another the Dispensation that is granted them is by right null according to the Canons in maniera qualora volesse trasferir un vescovo da una Catedrale all'altrá l. 19. c. 6. gli potesse muovere sempre questione di nullità con allegare il difetto della sufficiente cagione But if it be so that the Pope has no power to dispense without a cause where be the Bishops for either they have Consciences or they have none if they have none and that being transported with passion for a Benefice or Bishoprick more fat or honourable they will needs be translated thereunto l. 23. c. 8. accade che la violenza della passione accenda talmente gli affetti che ove non si dispensasse cadderebbono in grave peccato and that they will frame false and coloured causes to obtain their Dispensations which is rather to get by stealth than to obtain such Dispensations granted upon false considerations are null rubando per questo mezzo le concessioni mille and so they will continue even unto their Death in a sort of sacrilegious incestuous Marriage with their Churches Ibid. continuando poscia in maritaggi sacrileghi fin ' alla morte unless they had rather keep all their life-time in one condition against their minds and lead a miserable kind of life con repugnanza di cuore con infelicità di vita If they have any Conscience then if that Conscience be in the least tender it will never let them be quiet while they reflect upon those just and reasonable causes allowed only by the Canons non quietarsi interiormente mai thereupon a thousand scruples either concerning Substance or Circumstances will be still returning upon them ripullulando loro sempre n'el cuore varii scrupoli intorno alla verità ò nella sustanza ò nelle circonstanze della ragione esposita which will keep them in perpetual torture without any Remedy il che gli fà stare in un perpetuo tormento senza rimedio and will make them in danger to commit many sins through an erroneous Conscience e con pericolo che per coscienza erronea tommettano molti peccati that in fine they will fall into despair of their salvation l. 23. c. 8. e cadano indesperazione della salute Now to avoid such terrible and dangerous extremities which might put all the Bishops into a damnable condition a man sees there 's nothing safer than the Doctrine that maintains against the Zealous Ignorant That Bishop's Jurisdiction is not of Divine Right ARTICLE X. From these Reasons it results That these Bishops Jurisdiction comes to them only from the Pope The Opinion that Episcopacy is but one and the same thing in all Bishops is nothing but a Platonick Idea FRom all before alledged 't is easie to conclude That there 's an infinite difference between Episcopacy in the Pope and Episcopacy in Bishops because the Bishops not holding their Jurisdiction but of the Pope he shares out to them no more thereof than he pleases they being the Inferior Order l. 18. c. 13. di cui egli fa parte à minori Prelati as Father Diego Lainez said but it is wholly in him as the Source because he is the Soveraign Vicar of Jesus Christ tutta come in suo fonte nel summo Vicario di Christo per cui descendesse negi ' inferiori Prelati l. 24. c. 12. l. 2. c. 27. in effect their Rank and their State is a State inferior minore stato Prelati minori vescovi minori quoth S. Charles they be small Bishops and small Prelates for which reason
l. 19. c. 12. the name of Vicar of Jesus Christ hath not continued to them non essersi lasciato il nome di Vicario di Christo à vescovi minori they are nothing but a great multitude of petty Bishops l. 1. c. 21. una moltitudine immensa di piccioli vescovi Now for a small Bishop small Power and small Business Wherefore the Pope hath reserved to himself all the great Affairs of consequence leaving to the Bishops only the small ones as to grant Licenses for ordinary Marriages to issue out some forts of Monitories to visit Nunneries or the like or many times to avoid contest he permits them to act as Delegates of the Holy See For the Pope being distracted with the great affairs of the whole Universe he cannot tend to muse on trifling petty matters l. 5. c. 16. quella giurisdizione à particulari Prelati la qual è profitevole che sia in loro per non costrigner i Christiani d'andare à Roma in ogni mediocre affare e perche alcuni negozii meglio son terminati da chi gli vede con occhio occupato in que pochi soli che da chi gli ode con orecchio distratto ad una immensità d'altre cure The Bishops have not the power to dispense with plurality of Benefices because it was not fit to trust their discretion with so imimportant a part of the Government of their Dioceses as that was l. 23. c. 11 al cui giudicio non era convenevole il permetter And as for the chusing of Parish-Priests the Council hath not given the Bishops liberty to do that for it obliges them to follow the judgment of certain Examiners appointed thereunto l. 23. c 3. sono obligati à seguir le sentence degli esaminatori and the Council enacts That those Examiners be approved by the Clergy of the Diocese at a Synod qui Synodo satisfaciant ab ea approbentur Sess 24. c. 18. Which makes it appear that even those small affairs which the Bishops have left them were by the Councils Order not to be done but in a Synod and with the Synod's advice So that no man which hath not a mind to feed himself with Fancies will ever approve that opinion of an entire Episcopacy being one and the same in all Bishops but will look upon it as a Chimera impossible in practice l. 6. c. 3. ogni huomo capaci d'affari civili auvisera per impossibile in prattica questa per così dire ideal Republica di Platone dove tutta la giurisdizione fosse di ciascun ' presidente Aristotle hath confuted this imaginary Government by Reasons very evident Ibid. e pure una tal Republica con evidentissime raggioni vien rifutata da Aristotele Now that which is contrary to most evident Reasons of Aristotle cannot be conformable to the Institution of Jesus Christ l. 9. c. 9. come si la chiesa di Christo predicasse ch' è contrario à l'insegnamenti d'Aristotele 'T is a very Chimera una chimera impossibile l. 6. c. 3. a false and fraudulent invention Ibid. una invenzione bugiarda a Chaos of confusion l. 1. c. 15. un caos di confusioni a right Babylon con verità Babylonia CHAP. III. The only Rule of the Politick Church Government is its Felicity according to the Flesh in this World and in the other under the Authority of one sole Monarch of the Universe who is the Pope of whom all his Christian Kings are Tributaries and Subjects and who hath or ought to have for his Inheritance or Demean the Riches of all the World whose Honours and carnal Pleasures make the Churches Splendor and Felicity Jesus Christ hath merited them for her by the effusion of his Blood to render her Visible Perpetual and Remarkable as the most happy according to the Flesh of all other Republicks that are that shall be or that ever were upon Earth ARTICLE I. Jesus Christ hath instituted in his Church the most excellent kind of Government Monarchical Government is the most excellent A Man should not doubt that the Wisdom Incarnate did not institute in his Church the most excellent kind of Government l. 8. c. 17. dovremo noi persuadere che la sapienza incarnata istituisse la sua Chiesa con un governo il qual non fosse migliore Now Monarchical Government is the best of all even among Christians essendo l'ottima forma del governo spirituale fra' Christiani l. 1. c. 25. la monarchia l. 5. c. 16. So that it must needs be that the Pope was instituted by Jesus Christ King of the Church and Monarch of the whole World adunque la necessità del governo monarchico si palesò per esperienza l. 8. c. 7. 17. Therefore it is that the Popes do reign at Rome l. 2. c. 9. regnare in Roma and their Kingdom is call'd the Kingdom of the Vatican regno di Vaticano l. 2. c. 7. and the Pope is called God's Viceroy and our Cardinal-Historian calls Pope Alexander VII l. 24. c. ult Vicerè d'istraordinario valore He hath the Seignory of all the world l. 6. c. 4. il dominio de l'intero mondo Christiano He is the Monarch and Lord thereof l. 6. c. 3. Monarca e Segnor del mondo Insomuch that the whole World is the Empire whereof he is the Emperor whose puissance is upheld by the veneration of Emperors and all other Kings who be his Subjects Intr. c. 16. quella venerazione ch' è la base del loro Imperio ARTICLE II. That Emperors and Kings have acknowledged the Pope 'T Is this Soveraign Puissance Ecclesiastick of Popes superior to the Secular that the Kings and Emperors of the Earth have acknowledged by kneeling down before them l. 12. c. 3. l'Ecclesiastica è suprema in authorità perche ad essa i Principi secolari s'ingenocchiano Monarchs do not only kneel before the Pope but they kiss his Feet in token they acknowledge his Soveraign Authority as Vicar of Jesus Christ Ibid. inducendo tutti Principi à riconoscerli come vicarii di Christo basciando i loro piedi They acknowledge him as the chief Magistrate over all men l. 7. c. 14. Magistrato supremo umano They adore him as most holy in that quality and too as Mediator between Heaven and Earth l. 1. c. 15. chi dev'essere adorato con sopranome di santissimo e mezzano frà il cielo e la terra and as Mediator between themselves and Arbitrator of their Differences to hinder the Insolencies of some of them and the plottings of others otherwise States would never endure his medling in their Matters l. 12. c. 3. il principato non è durabile con l'insolenza rimosso l'ostacolo dell'autorita spirituale e perciò molto minor numero di congiure e di ribellioni
Therefore Kings and People adore the Pope's hands l. 24. c. ult l. 14. c. 10. adorato sua mano they adore his Crown corona Pontificale and his Diadem l. 1. c. 25. si tratta di mantenir l'adorato diademate nel fronte al mio principe In fine they regard him as their Lord nostro Signore l. 21. c. 6. ARTICLE III. The Popes Monarchy over the World is necessary for the Church THe Church is a Body composed of all the Catholick Kingdoms and Republicks of the World which be the Members thereof And in every State or Republick all the Dioceses with their Bishops are also Members of that Body And as in compounded natural Bodies there be many particular Forms because every Member hath its own Form so every Diocese and every Kingdom and Republick hath its particular Form that is to say its Bishop its King or its Superior and Head in whom resides the particular superior power But as in the compounded Natural Body 't is impossible that diverse Forms which have no order nor relation among themselves can be able to govern because they would separate Unity So it is impossible that Church-Unity can subsist unless all the particular Forms of her Members have relative Order among themselves-and be subject to a Form Total and Superior to be as it were the Head and Soul of them from whence the Particulars may fetch all their direction and force l. 8. c. 17. non possono molte forme trà loro non ordinate dominare in un composto If the Church had not such a Soul viz. a Soveraign Power that gave her Form and whereby she might be directed she would not any longer deserve the name of Church non meriterebbe più la Chiesa nome di Chiesa l. 1. c. 25. cioè di congregazione mentre fosse disgregata per tante membre senza haver l'unità da un anima che le informasse e le reggesse It would be but a Crowd of men without Order not a Body Organick and Formed unless it received the Unity of a Form total proper to animate it and rule it Ibid. numero aggregato accidentale s'ella non riceve l'unità con una forma che la indirizzi e la governi Now then supposing that the Pope is the Head and Soul of that Body that stretcheth it self through the World whereof all States and Dioceses of the Universe are Members the union and submission of these Members to this their Head who is the Soul of them forms the perfect band of the Life Politick l. 3. c. 10. una congiunzione di vita perfettamente politica The Pope's Authority is the Basis the Band and the moving Intelligence of this Body's Government l. 1. c. 25. del qual governo la base il legame e l'intelligenza motrice è l'aurità del Pontifice So that what ought not a man to suffer rather than let himself be separated from this good Soul from which one draws all his Being his Unity his Direction his Motion and Intelligence per non separarsi da quest ' anima l. 3. c. 10. for what can the hands and feet in man's Body do if they do not receive all their direction and force from one sole Head che potrebbono li mani ed i piedi se non ricevessero tutta la direzione e tutta la forza d'un solo capo ARTICLE IV. The Power of the Pope is Independent from every Creature and without Limits The Riches of the World are his Revenue THe Popes Soveraignty being then so vast it extends through all Countries as the Soul does through all parts of the Body un principato vasto e di varie nazioni l. 23. c. 11. and like as the Soul in the most raised operations of her Intelligence depends not of her Members so the Pope's power is independent from every Creature and unlimited autorità illimitata ed independente l. 8. c. 17. 'T is a power more than humane and which as such ought to be adored l. 24. c. ult con debito d'adorarla che impone la sopra umana sua dignità 't is as it were a divine state l. 1. c. 2. stato quasi divino And as the Members obey the Soul without asking it a Reason so every one is bound to obey the Pope even when his Orders be unreasonable Indeed he doth sin when he ordains any thing against Reason but he that obeys him doth not sin ende peccaben in concederle l. 21. c. 60. non i famigli inferiori in usarle In this Quality of King and absolute Soveraign he has for Revenue and Inheritance the Goods of all his Subjects to wit of all the Kings of the World and of all their Subjects l. 1. c. 1. havendo per lor patrimonio le sustanze de' sudditi he hath power to dispose thereof even against their will l. 6. c. 3. con autorità à di commandare alle persone e di maneggiar le robbe per raggion propria ed eziandio con altrui repugnanza And by consequence Kings and their Kingdoms be Tributaries to him and that with Reason for every Parish finds its Parson and furnishes him with all that 's necessary for his Ministry l. 1. c. 25. ogni terra gli somministra à suo piovano Every Diocess does likewise so in respect of its Bishop proportionably and as 't is meet for the Rank that he holds in the Church above Parish-Priests Ibid. ogni Diocese al suo vescovo Every State does the same proportionably towards its Prince Ibid. ogni stato al suo Principe Thus 't is manifest That all the Prelates and Kings of the World do owe to their Monarch the same Contributions proportionably Ibid. molti stati e regni insieme al loro Monarca As the Pope is Monarch of the whole World it is clear That his Revenues be laid and set out for him upon the whole World Ibid. questi ritratti si cavan da tutti i regni del Christianesimo ARTICLE V. The Pope may compel Kingdoms to pay him Tribute To dispute this Power with him is Treason THat which is considerable herein is That as the Soul hath power to oblige the Body to render it the service it ought because all the service which the Body owes to the Soul has no other End but the common Good of the one and the other So the Pope who is Soul of the Universal Body of the Church having no End but the common Good of the Church hath power to constrain all the Communities which make Parts of his Body to pay him the Tributes due to him sutable to the Grandeur of his Administration l. 1. c. 25. quali richiedonsi alla grandezza di sua amministratione 'T is for their own Good that he may oblige them to it for one must do good to Communities as one does to Children even against their wills
l. 17. c. 10. qual più tritto proverbio che quello à fanciulli e à communi convien fare il bene contra lor voglia He that hath power to bring to the End hath power to levy the means as for example the Church hath power to constrain people to receive the Sacraments 't is necessary then that she should have power to compel those things which be necessary to that end l. 17. p. 10. se la chiesa può costringere i fedeli à pigliar i Sacramenti li può costringere à tutto il necessario per l'amministrazione di essi Now the prime thing that is necessary for the Administration of the Sacraments is a competent maintenance for the Ministers Ibid. com' è in primo luogo la sostentazione de' Ministri So the Pope being prime Minister of the Sacraments and of the Government Ecclesiastick there 's nothing more plain than the power he has to constrain the whole Catholick Christian World to pay him Tribute this Demonstration is most clear Ibid. questa chiarissima dimostratione This supposed who is it that can deny it to be Treason to say one ought not to pay to a Prince the Tributes which be due to him l. 23. c. 3. si come verrebbe accusato di lesa Maestà chi affirmasse doversi levare à Principi secolari i loro tributi In greater Reason then it must be a greater crime for him that would take away from the Prince of the Church and Vicar of Jesus Christ the Fruits that are due to him from particular Churches according to Reason Ibid. Equity and Custom così di molti più grave delitto è reo chi vuol'torre al principe della chiesa e Vicario di Christo li frutti che à lui son ' debiti dalle chiese particolari secondo la ragione l'equità e la consuetudine For the Revenues for example which come of Indulgences and other like Graces are as his Gables l. 9. c. 3. il medesimo in tutte le Gabelle Imposts being necessary in all sorts of Government l. 16. c. 8. in ogni principato essendo necessarie le imposizioni ARTICLE VI. The Pope's Authority is conformable to Nature according to Aristotle the Pope ought not to give reason for the using of his Power it hath no other Limit nor other Reason but Such is our Pleasure VVE have seen how the Union and Submission of the whole Body of the Church to its Head and its Soul which is forsooth the Pope makes the perfect Band of the Life Politick and that the end of this Life is the common Good of the whole Compound to which it is natural according to Aristotle that all the Members do contribute This Philosopher hath made no difficulty to say That as a Hand which doth not serve the Interest of the Body from whose good estate the good even of every particular Member derives it self could not be called a Hand unless in an equivocal sence so the man which serves not the common Good of the whole Body of the Commonwealth but hath his particular Interests for his Ends cannot be called a man unless in an equivocal sense l. 3. c. 10. la qual congiunzione è sì naturale che Aristotele hebbe à dire che si come la mano che non serve à l'intero corpo dal cuibuono stato ridonda il bene di ciascuno membro dicesi equivocamente mano cosi l'huomo che habbia per fine il privato suo prò e non il commune dal quale deriva ogni ben privato chiamarsi equivocamente huomo Now he that is but a man in an equivocal sense cannot be a faithful Christian Prince nor King but in an equivocal sense and no other this is the essential Reason that all Princes and People have to be the Pope's Subjects if they will remain true Princes or true Christians he is not obliged to give you the reason for his power having power in quality of Soveraign to dispose l. 6. c. 3. according to his liking of persons and of Goods as he thinks fit con autorità di commandare alle persone e di maneggiare le robe per raggion propria ed eziandio con altrui repugnanza If it were otherwise a man might upon every occasion contest all his Orders and Commands as null under pretence that they were not reasonable l. 19. c. 6. gli si potesse muover sempre questione di nullità con allegare difetto della sufficiente ragione and of Prince as the Pope is Ibid. he would be made subject to his Subjects Orders che sarebbe costituirlo di principe ch'egli è soggetto al giudicio de' suoi soggetti For avoiding then all these kinds of contradictions he may order it and every one is obliged to pay him all that he demands senza esprimer veruna ragione l. 23. c. 8. there 's no need for him to alledge any other cause unless Such is Our Pleasure 'T is Pleasure that is the Rule of all Natural Equity and all that is done against this good Pleasure is but Violence l. 3. c. 13. violento facendosi contra il gusto del Papa In fine the Pope himself is his own Law l. 20. c. 5. il Pontefice esser legge à se stesso for example suppose that the Pope had no other reason for granting his Pardons but the Money he gains thereby and the Income which rifes thereof this only Reason is sufficient to justifie all his Orders essere in verità gran ragione quella grossa multa l. 23. c. 8. Nevertheless this is said with respect to his boundless power and in it self independent illimitata ed independente taking it abstracted from honest Decorum and other Circumstances which do moderate the Pope in the usage of his Power and causes that one needs not to fear he will commit any abuses in the execution thereof for setting these aside he may do all through the plenitude of his Power l. 14. c. 14. è libero con la pienezza dell'autorità but honest decorum hinders him from doing sometimes things he could and might Ibid. l'onestà richiede che non facesse da se medesimo These were the Sentiments of Pope Pius IV. writing to the Emperor Ferdinand in which he was contrary to Pope Paul IV. Caraffa who was perswaded that his Wisdom had no other Rules for acting but those forsooth of his infinite power che tutta l'ampiezza del suo potere fosse anche la misura di saggiamente esercitarlo ARTICLE VII 'T is not to be feared that the Pope will abuse his Power and that for divers Reasons THere is no fear the Pope will abuse his All-puissancy 1 He is Elected by a Senate of Cardinals l. 1. c. 25. da un Senato di Cardinali whose lives for the most part Ibid. are very exemplary tanta esemplarità in
molti del Senato Apostolico 2. They Elect him ordinarily from among themselves Ibid. fra un senato di Cardinali They chuse him when he is old and a tried one l. 12. c. 15. huomo vecchio provato the most pious and the wisest which they think fit for the place pio e savio l. 19. c. 6. 3. The Pope hath Sentiments of humane Honour per senso d'onore umano l. 1. c. 25. 4. He hath Remorse of Conscience i rimorsi della coscienza l. 19. c. 6. 5. Being good judicious and experienc'd 't is morally impossible that he should not govern the Church either right well or at least in tolerable manner he is aided by able Ministers l. 1. c. 25. and with Motives of Honour and Policy si può sperar che si elegga quasi sempre tale che per giudicio per bontà per esperienza e quando tutte mancasse per aiuto di Ministri e per senso d'onore umano governi ò bene ò tolerabilmente la chiesa 6. 'T is his Policy to do so for his Empire not being able to stand without the peoples Veneration and Devotion 't is of utmost consequenee to him to do nothing that may cause him to lose that Devotion which maintains his Power Intr. p. 6. ed in risguardo eziandio d'interesse umano il dimostra sarebbe un tal modo troppo dannoso à quella venerazione ch' è la base l. 23. c. 5. del loro imperio .... questa podestà la quale non hà altri littori che la divozione de' sudditi ARTICLE VIII Difference betwixt the Pope's Policy and the Turk's Kings need not to fear the Pope's Power but in case of Rebellion against God or his Viceroy upon Earth THe Grand Seignor's ultimate End is his own Felicity and his means to arrive at it is to make his People miserable l. 5. c. 6. qual è la Politica del dominio Turchesco but the Pope's end is the Publick Felicity of the Church which is his Body and whereof he is the Soul the Head and the common Father The Grand Seignor is free and all his Subjects are Slaves e teene loro in miseria per ch'egli goda which is an execrable Policy as Slaves he commands them with Sword in hand being obeyed out of dread The Ecclesiastick Power of the Pope l. 12. c. 3. is a Power unarmed la podestà goduta dal summo Pontefice pure è disarmata Whence it is though of right the Pope has power to compell Peoples Obedience to his Authority yet having no force joyned to his Supreme Authority all its Power as to its execution depends on the inclination of the People on their Veneration and their Piety therefore it is that the Pope for to succeed in his Designs ought to accommodate himself to the Peoples inclinations l. 9. c. 9. though corrupt dovendo egli governare gli huomini quali Iddio e la natura producono al mondo The Great Turk never informs himself concerning the inclinations of his People he does all by force by Authority and through a Spirit of Domination so that there 's nothing more execrable than the Turk's Policy nothing more mild more natural than the Pope's there 's no Republick in the World more happy even according to the Flesh than that which lives under his Empire l. 3. c. 10. un corpo politico il più felice che sia in terra The Kings and Princes of the World have nothing to fear from the Pope's Power except in case of a declared Rebellion against God l. 12. c. 3 tal che non può temere ne de forze ne dalle volontà di si fatti huomini se non in caso d'un aperta sua ribellione contra Dio that they attack God through Heresie or else his prime Minister and Viceroy General upon Earth to suppress his power in these Cases the Secular Powers indeed have great reason to be apprehensive of the Ecclesiastick for that their People through veneration for the Pope and through Sentiments of Religion would rise in Rebellion if not always at least often enough against such their Princes being once declared Enemies by the Pope la secolare hà gran raggion di temerla perche se non sempre Ibid. almeno spesso la venerazione de' popoli e'l rispetto della Religione muove i sudditi à sollevarsi contra'l principe temporale quando egli vuol'supprimere la podestà spirituale Or else when Kings do publickly violate Justice as Henry VIII King of England By example of that King all others may observe how fast the Pope holds that when a humor takes Christian Princes to violate Justice and Religion without being by any means to be brought back to their Duty they are alwayes to apprehend the Arms of the Vatican l. 3. c. 15. Si è mantenuto il possesso che tutti i principi Christiani qualunque volta disegnino di violare incorrigibilmente la giustizia e la Religione Ibid. temano l'armi del Vaticano L'e sempio di lui non può dar ardimento à potentati Catolici d'esser ' impii senza terrore After this Example there is no Catholick Prince who ought not to tremble when he dares but think of becoming impious ARTICLE IX Of the Peoples Soveraign Power in the Church THe Cardinal assures us at last That it is the People have the Soveraign power in the Church if not of right and in reason l. 1. c. 9. yet at least in fact and by force il quale volgo finalemente hà la suprema potenza e però se non di raggione almeno di fattò è il supremo de' tribunali the people quoth he l. 2. c. 4. is more powerful than all the Laws essendo il popolo più potente d'ogni legge So there needs the utmost skill to hold them in and without the succors of great respect and of some Love 't is hard to make them to like the yoke of Obedience Ibid. e pero richiedonsi gran ' destrezza nel frenarlo e grand'aiuto di venerazione e d'amore perch'egli si contenti di ricevere in bocca il freno 'T is by the greatest number that at last things are decided and at bottom this is the greatest Potentate of the world l. 1. c. 24. imperciò che la moltitudine finalmente è il maggior potentato del mondo for the Multitude have more hands than the small number of their Superiors and when all those hands unite they make a power that renders its self Mistress of the World l. 9. c. 9. perche hanno più mani le quali quando s'accordano sono le padrone del mondo The Ecclesiastical Superiors ought above all to be perswaded of this Politick Maxim That all their power as to its effect and execution is upheld by the
is sutable for the Grandeur of the Pope according to that Degree of Soveraignty which he is advanced to in the Church in quality of Vicar of Jesus Christ Viceroy of God Emperor of the whole Universe Lord and Monarch of the World King of Kings and Lord of Lords Vice-God and a God himself by the most excellent participation of God that is visible upon Earth ARTICLE XII The Pope must have Means and an Estate suting with all these Qualities To deny this Truth is a Treasonable Crime Humane Felicity according to the Flesh ought to be found in him as its Source THe Pope being King of Kings and of the whole Universe the Estates and Goods of all Kings and of the whole Universe are his Inheritance otherwise if the Temporalities of Kings were not the Pope's Inheritance the Subjects Estates would not be the Inheritance of their Kings 'T is the part of Kings to consider if they will renounce this new Right which the Religious and Carnal Policy of our Cardinal-Historian doth offer them but as for the Pope he is not Master of his he is but Depositary wherefore in quality of King and for that very reason it is unlawful quoth the Cardinal to abate the Pope his Rights or any of that which is fit or sutable to the support and maintenance of his infinite and unlimited Grandeur l. 23. c. 3. non essendo lecito di sostrare i suoi diretti e ciò che richiedesi per la sua convenevole sostentazione al Pastor universale de tutta la Chiesa So you see that to stop his Revenue or force him from it is a crime more treasonable than that of those who would deny to those Kings who are the Pope's Subjects to pay them Gabels It is a General Order established of God That all things should be conveniently ordered convenevole according to the Degree and Rank which they hold in the Universe for example That a Cardinal have the Authority that is sutable to his Purple l. 20. c. 3. and not that pitiful little power that sutes only with an ordinary Bishop tal bassezza d'autorità qual convenisse ad un ordinario Vescovo e non ad un nobilissimo porporato And generally speaking The Church hath power to exact from her Believing Ones whatever is necessary for the maintenance of her Ministers l. 17. c. 10. li può costringere à tutto il necessario com' è in primo luogo la sostentazione de Ministri So that she hath power to levy from the whole Universe Contributions necessary and proportionable to the Grandeur of her Ministry quali richiedonsi alla grandezza della sua amministrazione .... questi tributi raccolti da ogni paese Christiano l. 1. c. 25. l. 2. c. 6. queste contribuzieni di tutto illo mondo Christiano Now that which sutes the Grandeur of the Apostolick Principality sutes it as it is the Source of all Temporal Profit and Felicity l. 23. c. 3. even according to the Flesh fonte d'utilità temporale secondo la carne in quel modo ch' è più conforme eziandio all'umana l. 1. c. 25. felicità then must needs this humane felicity be found in the Pope as in its source Now Felicity according to the Flesh consists in Riches Honours Pleasures and in all besides which the World loves esteems and admires to the end that the Pope may afterwards convey it as it were in several streams or veins all the World over wherefore the Pope is compared not only to the Soul or Head from whom the Body derives Being and all the Felicity it is capable of but he is also compared to the Stomach ARTICLE XIII The Pope is the Stomach of the Churches Body which disperses shares of Nourishment to all his believing ones that be Members of his Body 'T Is true that all the Tribute which the Pope levies upon the World seems to tend to enrich only the Vassals of his Temporal Domain or his home-born Subjects questi tributi raccolti da ogni paese Christiano paian colare ad arrichir solo i vassali del dominio temporale l. 2. c. 26. nevertheless in truth it is not so in verità non è poi così But to make the thing better understood we must use the Fable which whilom Menenius Agrippa made use of when the people of Rome revolted against the Senate and refused to fight for it This sage Polititian told them that one day the Members made a revolt against the Stomach and refused to contribute towards its nourishment but incontinently they perceived that they all fell to languish One may say 't is the same thing with the Pope who as the Stomach does not digest for himself only the Goods which he possesses but to distribute out to those Believing Ones that be his Members That which ought then to be so much the more stronger in application of this Similitude concerning that of the Body Natural is this The other Members which labour for the Stomach can never be the Stomach so they have not that particular reason to maintain the Stomach's Interests but in the Mystick Body of the Church there is no Member but that may one day become Stomach l. 3. c. 10. no faithful Catholick but may hope to become Pope habbiamo un corpo dove ogn ' altro membro si può convertire in stomaco si come chilo in sangue e poi questo in carne So that all these faithful Catholicks have a particular Interest to contribute to the Pope's Felicity according to the Flesh because this Felicity returns back again to them according to the share they have in the distribution made by him after his having digested it as the Stomach of the Church and besides they or some of theirs may one day arrive to this quality of Stomach and then shall they too digest all the Goods of the World first for themselves and afterwards for others It should follow from hence may some say that in time all the Riches of the World will flow to Rome to enrich the Pope's Court but though it should be so l. 24. c. 10. fingiamo che con longo giro di secoli questi beni colassero nella corte what hurt would there be in it that all the Goods of the Earth that now pass from one to the other by way of Inheritance at a venture without regard to merit should be distributed by the Pope to every one according to Justice Ibid. and according to their Merits Pongasi mente se verun disconcio arrechi alla felicità civile che molti beni passino da esser dono del caso nell'heredità del sangue ad esser distribuzione della giustizia nel riconoscimento del merito So that although all the Goods of the World should actually pass by distribution of the Pope as Victuals do through the Stomach and as of right all the Goods of the
because the greatest Evil and the most remediless Want in a Community is a scarcity of Recompences when one cannot bestow them without impoverishing the Publick nel vero il più dannoso e il più irremediabile mancamento della communità è la scarsezza de' guiderdoni non potendosi dar quest senza impoverire il publico l. 8. c. 17. Whereby one may judge of the opulency and abundance of the Court of Rome and of the Piety of all Christians which contribute thereunto to render it sutable to the Glory of the Universal King and Lord of all the Earth for it is an Object of Joy for all pious Christians to see the Glory the Abundance and the Felicity according to the Flesh of that Universal Court of Christendom Ibid. era giocondo oggetto al cuor di ciascuno il ritrovarsi una Corte universale nel Christianesimo la quale abbracci con indifrenza tutti li fedeli e senza molta distinzione di patria ò di nascimento vi elegga il supremo Principe A Court wherein indifferently the Soveraignty of the World an infinite many Dignities equal to those of Bishops are exposed to the hope of all and the enjoyment of those which get them Was there ever formed a finer Politick Idea Yea this is the Government designed by Christ to render his people remarkable all the Earth over by Prerogatives so apparent l. 1. c. 25. questo governo disegnato da Christo per segnalare in terra con manifesta prerogativo il suo popolo Now what is the Soul the Basis the Band the moving Intelligence of this Government but the Pope's Authority del qual governo come vedete la base il legame Ibid. l'intelligenza motrice è l'autorità del Pontefice Have not all the Kingdoms of the Earth then a notable instance to maintain the greatness of their King the Pomp and Glory of his Royal Court of his Royal City the Mistress of the Universe the Court of all Religion Regia della Religione l. 1. c. 2. l. 8. c. 17. una regia Ecclesiastica the Royal Ecclesiastical Court una corte una regia universale patria commune Ibid. regia commune which cannot be maintained in a manner agreeing with its Institution without Contributions vast Riches Torrents of Gold and Silver l. 4. c. 5. torrenti di pecunia ARTICLE XVI The Glory and Felicity suting with this Court subsist through her Magnificence in Buildings Theatres Spectacles or Sights of Piety Processions Regales Politick and Warlike Expeditions ADd to all this the Magnificence in Buildings What prodigious abundance of Means must one have to bestow thereon though there were for example no other Building but that of S. Peter's Church whose Structure alone astonishes so great and vast it is l. 1. c. 1. il nuovo edificio della stupenda basilica da san Pietro Add to that so many other Churches and Palaces which make an admirable Ornament of the Royal City and Mistress of the Universe are not these pieces of Workmanship wholly glorious Ibid. Opere gloriose the work thereof is immense and the Millions be numberless that were fain to be collected for only Building of St. Peter's A work worthy of the Monarch of the World and Soveraign Pontiffe Ibid. affin d'adunare tanti milioni quanti ne assorbiva l'immenso lavoro di quella Chiesa opera di sommo Sacerdote mà insieme di sommo Principe It was for this that the Indulgences under Pope Leo X were Published which gave ocasion to Luther's Heresie the Sum of Money that arose of them was not sufficient non bastino l. 1. c. 25. it did furnish but a little to the expence of building that glorious Fabrick the prime Temple of the World qual fabrica più gloriosa che quella del primo tempio che sia nel mondo l. 1. c. 3. To this sort of Expence we may join that of Sights or Spectacles of Devotion Theatres Perfumes Musick Ornaments Lights and other parts of the Glory and Magnificence of Publick Feasts for in fine the People will have Theatres and Spectacles whatever they be the World bestowed such upon them as nourished their Vices through Voluptuousness Is it not then the Christian Pietie's and the Christian Policie's part to bestow such as be more voluptuous upon them to the end that by so entertaining them it may draw them to Virtue Vuole il popolo i Teatri l. 1. c. 25. ed è non solo conforme à la pietà ma eziandio alla Politicá il far che i Teatri più sontuosi e più dilettevoli sian quelle dove il vizio si medica non dove si nutre Magnificenza di spettacoli l. 24. c. ult trionfo della Religione non pompe della vanità The diverse Nunciatures and the Apostolick Legations that must be sent from time to time about the World must not be forgotten l. 2. c. 8. Il qualo per bene Christianesimo dêe non solo mantenere lo sua Corte composta di molti ufficiali nobili mà dar sussidio à pove Cardinali provisionar tanti nunzii ajutar tanti bisognosi e premiar tanti benemeriti The Regale that must be made to Nephews and Kindred l. 24. c. ult rigaiglie del parentado other costs and recompences of Officers and other persons Services either Noble or Learned or Poor whom the Pope keeps the secret Alms which the Pope bestows as for example at the Council of Trent to so many poor Bishops which had not wherewithal to maintain themselves there Introd c. 4. secrete limosine à Vescovi bisognosi the Money that was fain to be sent to Alexander to quiet the German Spirits l. 1. c. 25. i mandati e la pecunia These be all heads of Charge or Articles of expence and Examples whereby one may judge of such like others but above all the charge of Wars against the Hereticks and the Turks the Succours that the Pope gives at all times to Christian Princes there needs no more but to read what our Cardinal-Historian relates of it in the Tenth Chapter of his Third Book there one shall see the Torrents of Gold and Silver that go perpetually forth of Rome to succour Kings and Christian Princes ' torrenti di pecunie l. 4. c. 5. Could these Torrents go out thence if they had not first come in there Now all this can be done only by means of the huge Revenues which the Piety of Christians ought to furnish for maintenance of the Royal Court of the Monarch of the Universe whose Court is the Soul that re-unites under one and the same Unity so many Kingdoms and which of all Countries of his obedience constitutes one Body Politick the most Formidable the most Virtuous the most Learned l. 3. c. 10. and the most Happy that is upon Earth una Corte la quale è
vecotuo Testamento s'accommoda all imperfezione umana ed alletta eziando con premii terreni à pigliar i legami dello stato Chiericale e le fatiche de' ministerii Ecclesiastici Let the Zealous object that God did never propose to his People temporal goods as necessary to their felicity even temporal and fleshly All the true felicity of the Flesh being in those times only the hope of Eternity according as God did will that even the Flesh after it's capacity should partake of caro mea requiescet in spe All other carnal felicity being a sin condemned of God in the Old as well as in the New Testament Yet the Cardinal according to the principles of his Policy maintaines that these idea's which seem fine in Speculation are some of those forms which have no consistence with the dispositions of their matter for in fine the Jewish People did believe that temporal goods did make a true felicity according to the flesh for them they loved them as such and so did they beg them of God and he did grant them Ay but the Zealous will reply God indeed did grant them to that People but not as they did make a true felicity no such felicity being the true one but only that which comes from the hope of Eternity spe gaudentes But granted them temporal goods telling them that they were not their felicity warning them not to cosen themselves to believe they were such nor to look after them as such nor to pray for them as things making a kinde of true felicity for them and that all their prayers made through this false faith were sin and their Sacrifices abomination before him that Job upon the Dunghill saying with that his very flesh which was then full of sores he should see his God and his Saviour after he was risen again from the dead was more happy even according to the flesh in that hope than ever Solomon was in all his false carnal felicity To all this the Cardinal saith that these be Platonick Ideas Ibid. lasciamo i discorsi poniamo il negozic in prattiqua These be fine discourses but let us fall upon practice Hath Jesus Christ as to the Government of his Church taught any thing contrary to the lessons of Aristotle and the other wise Heathens Did God the Father teach his People things contrary to what his Son hath taught Ones wisdom is not opposite to the others Aristotle and all the Pagan Legislators won upon People through hope they gave them of carnal felicity Is it possible that the Church can teach any thing else l. 9. c. 9. come si la Chiesa di Christo predicasse ch'è contrario non dico á l'insegnamenti d'Aristotele ma d'ogni tolerabil Republica de' gentili As if a carnal felicity for being Pagan or for being Jewish could not be Christian The Church is a Corporation the most happy that ever was and the most happy that is upon Earth il corpo più felice che sia in terra Then her felicity according to the flesh that is to say the happiness of riches honours and carnal pleasures ought to be greater and more abundant in all those goods that if it were yet a Jewish or a Pagan felicity For what should oblige men to part with either their Paganism or their Judaism to become Christians or Prelates in the Church if the Church were not able to assure them that by entring into its Communion they should be richer and more voluptuous than the Jews or the Pagans Reason III. Nature it self doth it not teach men this prudence to act through motives of temporal good as of riches honours and pleasures la natura medesima c'insegna questa prudenza When for example she invites them to eat does not she propose pleasure for the Motive and that which is pleasing in the food l. 9. c. 9. invitando gli huomini non che ad altri azioni honeste á mantener la propria vita co'l diletto del cibo The Zealous will reply that t is even in this that the corruption of Nature consists to take pleasure for the Motive of its actions whereas it ought not to consent to pleasure but as unto a repose till its force return again the better to fall on again to its business and that even Aristotle was no ignorant in this Doctrine Within the large compass of our Cardinals principles 't is easie enough to reply hereupon that if it be in this that the corruption of Nature consists The Church to the end her Laws may take effect is obliged to accommodate them to the imperfections of corrupt Nature and to suffer a less evil to shun a greater The greatest of all evils would be to see the Church and the Ecclesiastical Principality to perish Now t is certain that this Principality would perish and all the Church with it in condition which things are now in if she had not riches honours and carnal pleasures to nourish the virtues of her Priests togliendosi The Milk and the Dugs of the Church being once taken away the Church would be destroyed l. 8. c. 17. because the carnal felicity of the Court of Rome would be brought to nought cio che sarrebbe peâ—gio mancherebbe il principato Ecclesiastico che mantiene in unità in regola ed in decoro tutta la Chiesa Now is it possible that any greater evil should happen than that same No certainly For to hinder this there needs no more but to set up in the Church carnal felicity that may be pleasing to corrupt Nature and serve for a motive to receive its Faith and to undergo the toilsomness of a Clergy man's life if this be a corrupt Motive yet this same corruption serving as the remedy of so great an evil it ought to be regain'd l. 23. c. 3. as a very great good minimo male massimo bene It would be very good t is to be granted l. 17. c. 10. if all were done through the Motive of piety and not of gain per affetto di pietà e non di guadagno But if the Church tending only after this same goodness did propose no Motive of gain this very thing would become the foundation of the greatest evil fondamento del male for the Church would have no more a Court of Rome nor an Apostolical Principality which upholds the whole Church So that this good becoming the ground of evil Ibid. would become worser than if it were an evil in its own Nature con divenir fondamento del male riesce peggior che se di natura sua fosse male What must be done then according to right Policy Why set this same kind of goodness forth of the Church which is only for proposing Piety for the Motive to bring men to the service of God and would be for imploying Church riches for to relieve the Poor rather than to make carnal felicity for Churchmen this heroical
than Jupiter or Mars do promise Reason VI. In a good action may be considered the interiour Piety which God recompenseth with Eternal felicity and the exteriour pains which suteably God is to recompence with temporal reward for humane incommodities ought to be rewarded with humane pay convien che nel culto divino l'umane incommodità siano ricompensate con altri umani vantaggi l. 1. c. 25. Is it not a rugged task to be obliged to pray to God every day an hour and an half l. 8. c. 17. or thereabouts Interno ad una ora e mezza d'orazione cotidiana The urgent instances which the German Priests made at the Councel of Trent for leave to Marry do not they leave witness how troublesome it is to lead the Clergy's single life and that their continence is very painful Ibid. Le istanze perpetue della Germania pe'l matrimonio de' sacerdoti testificano se resti una gravissima pensione à beneficiare Can all these incommodities be enough recompensed with all the Benefices of the Church Vertue quoth the Zealous is recompence great enough of it self and divine rewards do far out go all that be humane and as for temporal conveniencies they are due in Justice to those which labour not as recompences to make up humane felicity for them otherwise then so far forth as they may be necessary means to make them to live in the service of God l. 8. c. 16. non in pagamento mà in sostentamento 'T is only hopes of Heaven that makes humane felicity even here upon Earth spe gaudentes all other humane felicity is false But these Zealous Persons may please to consider that God hath undertaken to root up out of man's heart his Natural inclinations l. 1. c. 25. non voule Iddio sveller dagli animile innate inclinazioni Now corrupt Nature believes that there is a civil Politick humane felicity such as Aristotle and the Philosophers were acquainted with which consists not in the hopes of Eternal welfare which is supernatural but in the injoyment of Riches Honours and carnal pleasures corrupt Nature following this belief hath an inclination for this felicity God came not to root out inclinations so Natural To believe that the hope of Eternal welfare is the only felicity of this temporal life and to follow that faith is an heroik Vertue 'T is not God's design to make a general infusion of this Faith Ibid. and of this heroick Vertue in all Christians non vuole Iddio infunder universalmente una virtù eroica So that according to our Cardinal the Gifts and divine Virtues of the Holy Spirit are not heroical Vertues because they be common to all Christians who be in the state of grace and ought to be saved but Christians may be saved without this same Faith and heroical Vertue whereof he speaks We are no longer in the times of Heroes nor of their combats against Tyrants we are in a time of Peace and humane Vertue which is nourished by and finds its felicity in humane rewards In the time of persecution and of Heroes there were more Saints than in this present time of humane Virtue but on the other side there were fewer then that were saved On the contrary in these times there are more saved and fewer Saints because the Heroes times were times of Victories and of combats to get to Heaven l. 1. c. 25. but ours is a time of facility and easie Devotion Se questa con vittoria della difficoltù è più feconda di santi quella con l'acuto della facilità è più abondante disalvi Here now as 't is called is demonstration in Politick Religion After which no man may doubt that the Church hath not right to call men to the Faith through the hopes of Riches Honours Pleasures and all carnal and humane delights which are enjoyed in her Communion in this happy time of humane felicity Reason VII The People could not live without carnal felicity according as every one's gust requires to please his sense wherefore they will have Theatres and Stage-Plays vuole popolo i teatri they are set upon it obstinately to love this felicity it is necessary then to govern them according to this obstinate inclination of corrupt Nature Why should not the Church then bestow and allow them Stage-Plays and Sights and Theatres But to furnish People with these pleasures and to flatter their senses with these satisfactions the Prelates themselves must have Riches and Pleasures and in such great abundance that they may be able to give them out abroad in large measures for no body can give forth what he hath not The Zealous will say that this is to uphold Peoples errours who find in the pleasing of their senses a delight which they call felicity That the delight of the senses in this cannot without errour be called felicity nor be loved as such without sin and that 't is never permited to contribute to any sin how little soever it be under pretence to avoid a greater thereby che sia sempre illecito il fare mali And therefore that the Church cannot make use of those Pomps and Ceremonies which she reckons necessary to refresh the sences and procure attention which the Soul ought to have for divine things the right felicity of senses regenerate being to serve God according to and in the perfection of Christian regenerated Souls all other carnal felicity being false and all love of false felicity sin and an errour in the heart which the Church ought not to cherish under colour of avoiding greater thereby To this it is answered according to our Cardinal That the common Proverb among them which have Law business l. 6. c. 3. is that an Ounce of Fact is more worth to win your cause than many Pounds of Argument essendo commun ' proverbio che à vincer i liti più vale un ' oncia di fatto che molte libre di raggione and the fact is constant and apparent that the Church gives the People Theatres and Spectacles of Devotion l. 1. c. 25. to give them pleasure and a felicity humane sensual Devout confederando il piacer con la divozione She does it to cure the fondness which they have after other sensual and indevout delights wherein they might set up a false felicity to themselves Now this fact being notorious to what purpose all this reasoning against fact It will be replyed again that the Church doth not pretend to cherish Peoples errours who would feign find their humane felicity in sensible delights that if in Church showes or sights the Ministers go into an excess and beyond that which is necessary to keep the People attentive upon God the Church is neither guilty nor answerable for those excesses she condemns them in her Canons l. 18. c. 6. s'interdisse ne ' suoni e ne ' canti qualunque mistura di lascivo e d'impuro and
at last some such vertuous Poor there are how small soever their number be 't is then necessary to cast forth this Maxime out of the Religious Policy for if Poverty goes for Vice or the mark of Vice without exception to hear their generally speaking all the poor are disgraced except the Monks who make a Vow of Poverty whereof we say nothing here so that if a man should seek after Ecclesiastical Benefices and should be put by he will be disgraced which would extreamly trouble the Commonwelth's repose because no body would be able to suffer a putting by or a putting after another with so manifest a shame perciò che nessun potrebbe tolerare d'esser posposto con si manifesta vergogna l. 1. c. 25. The opposite Maxime then is more convenient which admits a fortune which presides in its turn over the distribution of temporal goods and which regards this same Fortune as the enemy of Vertue This Maxime being established all the unfortunate may be able to cover the shame of their poverty by accusing Fortune the enemy of Virtue which set her self to persecute them and this kind of accusation will be a Puissant lenitive to their grief Ibid. è un ottimo lenitivo il poter accusar la fortuna come nemica della virtù This consideration is from an Author profound in feat of Policy he proves that this recourse to an unjust Fortune is necessary to keep up the Publick quiet Ibid. l. 2 c. 10. l. 3. c. 16. l. 12. c. 3. è alta osservazione di qualche serittore che si fatti abbagli siano necessarii per conservar la quiete nella Republica After this manner also did the Nuncio Alexander reason in the Diet at Worms whom our Cardinal also approves and who upon this Principle did observe amongst the causes of Poverty misfortune as the fifth il disastro l. 9. c. 9. that is to say the Disgrace of Fortune enemy of Vertue Now the Providence of God cannot be enemy of Vertue so that what one calls Fortune in right carnal and Religious Policy is not according to the Principles of our Cardinal the same thing as divine Providence Also he does not fear to say that it would be better if the Pope were in actual possession of all the Riches of the Universe that he might make distribution of them to every one according as he deserved then to see them distributed as they be by way of inheritance without any discretion and to go from Father to Son at hap-hazard l. 24. c. 10. esser dono del caso nell'eredità dcl sangue The Estates which go from Fathers to Children by way of inheritance go to them according to his reckoning by hazard and not by divine Providence otherwise he might say it would be better that they went by the Order of the Popes Providence then by that of the Divine Thus in general it is true to say according to him that Fortune hath a great share in distributing Estates nel conseguire i gran ' beni suol haver parte la fortuna and that ordinarily the events of Fortune do concur to make Vertue honoured and Vice hated gli auvenimenti della fortuna concorron tutti con fare che per lo più la bontà sia onorata ed amata e'l vizio vituperato e odito l. 3. c. 8. Which comes to pass because the goodness of divine Providence corrects when it pleases malignity of Fortune Virtues enemy or else the industry of man surmounts Fortune's malignity for 't is upon this account we say That many times a man is the Artifice of his own Fortune l. 9. c. 19. onde per lo più è vero il detto che eiascuno è fabro della propria fortuna But when it is not so this malignity of Fortune doth not fail to show it self and to make it appear that sometimes and in her turn she presides alone over these events Thus it was to Fortune that our Cardinal attributeth for example the event of the Regency of Queen Catharine de Medicis in France l. 14. c. 3. dalla fortuna fù riserbata ad havar la corona di Francia e l'assoluto imperio di quella Monarchia So the Kingdom of England being reconciled to the Church under Queen Mary who preceeded Queen Elizabeth he concludes thereupon That there are vicissitudes of Fortune vanquished by Vertue which fill mortals with admiration though without reason Inconstancy being so Natural in the World that the greatest of all marvels would be if inconstancy did not rule therein vicende di fortuna ch' empiono di maraviglia i mortali On the contrary the advancement of Elizabeth and the Heresies reestablishment he attributes to Fortune Victorious rather than to the Spirit of that Queen l. 14. c. 8. in ciò più adoperasse la fortuna che l'accortezza But then there are some things which according to our Cardinal God never leaves to Fortune l. 14. c. 10. as for example the Election of a Pope divina providenza la qual non vuole che un Papa si elegga à caso which makes it appear according to the Cardinal that there be then some events which God leaves to hazard and fortune such for example as the dying of a child without baptism when by chance there 's no water to be found l. 9. c. 8. è caso fortuito che non si trovi acqua or when the Child dyes in its Mother's Belly Ibid. è coso fortuito che'l fanciulli moia nel ventre For then nothing hinders to admit a state wherein 't is possible the Child may be saved provided it come by accident Ibid. ove non sia naturale ma accidentale For God was able to leave these sort of accidents to Fortune without providing for them in his Providence toltine gli auvenimenti fortuiti Ibid. 'T is even the same in distribution of temporal Goods Honours Riches Pleasures when 't is made with injustice that is when the vertuous have the least share thereof for then it appears that this event can have no other cause but that enmity which Fortune exerciseth against Vertue when by hazard that enmity becomes Victorious The establishing of this Politick and Religious Maxim hath been very important according to our Cardinal as we have seen here before for Publick repose and quiet whereas on the contrary the Zealous who refer all to divine Providence attribute events to it altogether unjust they overwhelm the Poor with shame and confusion so that they can find neither lenitive for their quiet nor a vail for their shame which fills all with confusion and makes it appear how dangerous it is under the pretence of Piety to be ignorant or to forsake the Rules of the right carnal and Religious Policy which hath the repose and Worldly felicity of People for its object prudenza politica laqual habbia per oggetto la
quiete è la felicità mondana de' popoli l. 14. c. 8. Reason XI Quoth the Cardinal I willingly allow that those heaps of excessive Wealth in one sole Person is an offence against distributive justice l. 8. c. 17. aggiungo che i medesimi eccessi dell'entrate Ecclesiastiche i quali cadono quivi in una persona stessa con offessa della giustitia distributiva 'T is a sin 't is true but a sin which is turned into good for an infinite company of men convertonsi in beneficio d'innumerabili Because remorse of Conscience and desire of reputation put together spur on Rich Prelates to undertake Magnificent works of Piety which bring great honour to God great relief to the Poor setting them on work for the Ornament of the City and Royal Ecclesiastical Court in so much that such very buildings are enough to make Converts of Infidel and Mahometan Princes nel sollevamento delle povertà Ibid. l. 23. c. 11. nel fomento della virtù nel esecuzione di pie opere grandi All this would never be if Prelates were not rich and if the chief and best Portion of the Churches goods were distributed among the Poor and there would be a great evil in the Church whereof this pretended Charity for the Poor would be the ground Now that which is the ground of so great an evil is worse than a sin according to our Cardinal so that this pretended Charity for the Poor which would hinder the carnal felicity of Churchmen would be worse according to him than sin Reason XII The Prelates will not reduce themselves to as strict a life as Monks l. 9. c. 9. non vogliono ridursi à quel rigore di vita But yet through their Riches they be the props of those Holy Academies of Ecclesiastical perfection Ibid. sono il sostegno di queste santo palestre di perfezione Ecclesiastica So that this can be no less than the Churches great Zeal and great Wisdom gran zelo e gran saviezza nella chiesa that hath setled so many Millions of Rent throughout all the extent of Christendom to imploy only for rewarding of those which labour in the perfection of others which the Prelates themselves will not attend to l. 9. c. 9. il costituir tanti milioni di rendite ù mercede solo di questi Ministri Reason XIII Put case quoth our Cardinal that all Benefices were infructuous bringing in no Revenue to the incumbents siano ministerii infruttiferi what would come out One should see presently fall to ground the Ecclesiastical Order upon which depends the exercise the knowlege and the Port or stateliness of Religion tosto vedremo cader quell'ordine dal quale dipende l'esercitio la notitia e'l mantenimento della Religione For no body would undergo the Clergy's single life and other fatigues of their Order for pure love's sake towards God Reason XIV The Cardinals being deprived of these vast Riches could not live l 23. c. 11. l. 12. c. 13. non potrebbono vivere i Cardinali il Senato Romano rimanerebbe privo del vitto The Roman Senate would be deprived of lively-hood Reason XV. Without these excessive Riches the so glittering splendour of the Roman Court would be extinct therefore the instructions of the French Ambassadour at the Councel of Trent containing Articles which tended to impoverish the Court of Rome one sees cleerly that France by that its proposed Reformation went about to take away from the Court of Rome its splendour and soveraign Authority l. 16. c. 10. i quali tutti si riducevano à torre al Pontefice la collazione de' benefici la riserbazione delle pensioni la riscossione degli emolumenti ed in somma à levar lo splendore e l'imperio della Corte Romana Reason XVI If the Riches of the Romish Prelates were not excessive the Principality of the Apostolick See would fall to nought l. 8. c. 17. mancherebbe il principato Ecclesiastico che mantiene in unità in regola ed in decoro tutta la Chiesa And the Reason is that the Roman Court is the most excellent School wherein all men's Wits who may be fit to rule in the Church ought to be refined that they may be capeable thereof otherwise they would remain ignorants in Policy Ibid. senza affininarsi in dottrina ed in senno nell'excellente scuola della frequenza like to your petty Bishops or Prelates which are confined to scurvy little Places and are obliged to stick to the exercises of their Proper Functions of the Altar and the Quire l. 17. c. 10. confinarsi in piccioli luoghi all'esercizio privato dell'altare e del coro For unless the Courtiers of Rome had hopes of great rewards Ibid. Rome would have no Courtiers for God's sake non rimanesse in piede una Reggia universale della Chiesa i cui stanziali ed ufficiali potessero sperar gran ' premii Now if the Roman Court were no more in the bravery and splendour wherein now it is and big through the concourse of so many Barons and Princes which through their Birth or Dignity are the Columns of the Church and which are not come thus together to Court but only out of hopes of great and mighty Riches whereunto they aspire what would become of the Church The Court of such a Monarch is a most excellent Workhouse where every thing that is an Artifice in the World and the most cleaver shifts are woven and wrought dexterously and by consequence one learns there more perfectly to know them and toward them off with address l. 1. c. 23. Corte d'un Monarcha ciò e una di quelle officine dove i più fini artificii sà come perfettemente si lavorano così sottilmente si riconoscono There it is that one may say humane understanding is perfected and becomes refined to the supream Degree in all the subtilties of Religious Policy Intr. c. 3. raffinatissimo in tutte le sottilezze dell'umana politica If then the Church were deprived of her Universal Court where the sleights of all other Courts might be as it were refined what would become of her Unity her splendour and all the Rules of her Discipline wherein she is upheld by the Roman Court What would become of this Roman Court without vast Riches Which as t' were by way of circulation flow to her from all the parts of the Churches Body to be sent forth again from thence and to carry life up and down 'T is evident then that Riches are the blood of the Church and that her Soul and life are in this blood Wordly goods and pleasures are the best juice which the Roman Court as a mystick Vine sucks from all parts of the Universe and by means whereof she keeps life Unity l. 6. c. 7. and vigour in all branches of the Church that are planted and flourish all Christendom over il miglior
sugo ond'ella quasi mystica vite mantien l'unità e'l vigore ne ' palmiti delle Chiese Christiane 'T is by means of these Riches that the Court of Rome keeping it self up in reputation and authority it gives Laws l. 16. c. 8. and even Being to all the Body of the Church whereof it is the Head corte Romana la quale è il capo che non solo da le leggi ma l'essere a questo corpo Reason XVII In every natural Body animate and liveing there must be two distinct sort of humours one courser as the blood flegm the two biles yellow and black now in the Body of the Church the Prelates be as these humours The other humours are subtile and are called Spirits which are most purified and the most active parts of the blood these be the Instruments which serve the Soul to give the Body all its motion The Monks and Religious Orders in the Church are as the Spirits They live purified from all love and esteem of things of the Earth l. 8. c. 17. dispreggiatrici d'ogni cosa terrena These two sorts of humours in the Body are so necessary the one to the other that he that should go about to separate the Spirits from the grosser humours and to keep nothing but pure Spirits upon pretence that they be the purest and contribute most to action would quickly see those Spirits to fail and evaporate for lack of matter to vegetate them and feed them gli spiriti soli nell'animale fanno le funzioni vitali adunque direbbe taluno l. 9. c. 9. e che servono tanti umori più grossi Servono à molto senza questi non formerebbono e non si conserverebbono gli spiriti cosà accade nel proposto nostro If you ask to what purpose then do Cardinals Arch-Bishops and Bishops and other Prelates full of felicity according to the flesh serve You will be answered they are very useful because without their carnal felicity the Priests which are bred up in the Seminaries or in the Religious Orders and which be in the state of perfection would not be maintained protected or directed as they be and upheld by the Prelates who govern the Church and who nevertheless cannot or will not bring themselves to live like them Ibid. un tal numero di sacerdoti perfeti si va formando nelle scuole ò degli ordini religiosi ò de' Seminarii chiericali e questi non durerebbono al mondò se non fossero alimentati da ' Prelati che governano la chiesa i quali non possono ò diciamo ancora non vogliono ridursi à quel rigore di vita Thus then as there would be no Priests perfect in the World if there were no Rich Prelates able to maintain them it is evident that the perfection of the Church who is the Body of Jesus Christ and his Holy and altogether pure Spouse is totally founded upon the vast Riches of the Roman Court and upon those sweet gentle and yet efficacious means which she is able to invent to heap them up After a Body hath well considered these two sort of Persons which make up the Church the Priests Spiritual who are animated with zeal altogether pure di purissimo zelo l. 9. c. 9. and the Rich Prelates who are carnal and who would not serve God if they were not very Rich because they have no mind to strain up themselves unto the Priests perfection One ought to conclude that these two parts of the Church have need one of the other In somma chi ben considera ogni parte di quella republica l'una è bisognosa dell'altra Ibid. And as it would be an Atheistical impiety seeing the Body even but of a fly to maintain that all the parts which compose it came together after that fashion casually or by chance neither can it be any less but impiety Ibid. to have such like thoughts of the Body of the Church s'è impietà d'ateista il tener che sia casuale il corpo naturale d'una mosca non sarà il creder tale il corpo civile della chiesa So that 't is clearly to be an Atheist to be perswaded that the carnal felicity of the Court of Rome is not conformable to the intention of God or that t' were better for the Church to convert the cheif and best part of its vast riches for relieving the poor and miserable rather than before all things to found the felicity according to the flesh of the Roman Court. Reason XVIII There is not seen in any part of the World where ever it be a Republick that keeps up the Nobility so flourishing and in such great number as the Christian Republick l. 1. c. 25. nessun ' altra republica come la Christiana conserva in tanto numero ed in tanto fiore la nobilità Nobility is the Nurse of civility Honourableness Vertue and Wit che vuol dire la nutrice della creanza dell'onorevolezza della virtù dell'ingegno How does the Church do to keep up her Noblemen thus fashion Why here 's the Secret 'T is by means of her Riches because that having great Dignities and great Revenues to set before all Noblemen who to have them will but keep themselves unmarried she wins them after this manner and they thereupon resolve to profess continence to possess what the Church proposes to them ciò auviene perche allettando nella Republica Christiana con le dignità e con l'entrate i nobili à professar Celibato Ibid. Hence it comes to pass that the younger Nobility have no need to share Estates with their elder Brothers Inheritances by this means are kept from being dismembred without which the Rent charges upon the elder Brothers Ibid. would be intollerable succede che gli patrimonii delle famigli si mantengono uniti là dove per altro gli usi della primogeniture rinscirebbono intolerablii Now would all these great goods come to pass if Church-means were bestowed on the poor Is it not plain that this policy is worthy of a God incarnate and of the blood which he shed to merit this carnal felicity for his Church il governo disegnato da Christo l. 1. c. 25. l. 1. c. 9. il thesore della Chiesa essersi acquistato da Christo If the Church were poor should one see the flower of the Nobility of litterature and of Virtue consecrate themselves to the service of the Altar if the Pope had not such ample rewards to bestow Would the Church be honoured with that soveraign splendour which Noblemen bring her by serving her l. 1. c. 25. di sì ampii guiderdoni che dispensa il Pontefice risulta alla Religione quel sommo splendore mentre il fiore della nobilità della dottrina della virtù si consecra agli altari di Christo All these Noblemen do not love God
enough to make themselves Churchmen gratis they bargain with God and give themselves to him to have the glory and carnal felitity of the Church which could never come to pass if the Church were poor l. 1. c. 25. il che per l'umana debolezza non così auverrebbe nella poverta della chiesa because that this kind of trading in Religion seeks perpetually its advantage questo mercato della-religione sempre opera à suo vantaggio Reason XIX It was this kind of Government that Jesus Christ instructed to make his People recommendable upon Earth and to make his Church lovely to all Nations by these manifest Perogatives of carnal felicity and of force which do render her happy civil politick vertuous and formidable above any other Republick that is upon Earth l. 1. c. 25. Questo governo dissegnato da Christo per signalare in terra con manifesta perogativa il suo popolo del qual governo la base il legame e él'intelligenza metrice è l'autorità del Pontefice Now all the Authority of the sovereign Pontife is founded upon the Veneration of People l. 12. c. 3. il loro potere quanto ad effetto è tutto appoggiato alla venerazione de' popoli The Veneration of the People is upheld by Reason of the splendour of the Court of Rome The splendour of the Court of Rome is maintained by the Riches Honours and carnal delights of its Cardinals and Prelates so that all the Christian Religion does not subsist but upon this carnal felicity It was to merit this that the Word became flesh and shed his blood and to say the contrary is a piece of Atheism l. 1. c. 9. il tesoro della Chiesa essersi aquistato da Christo Reason XX. 'T is a pernicious Maxime for the Church to hold that the chief and better part of her Riches would be better employed on the necessities of the Poor then to make the carnal felicity of Prelates but 't is the property of seditious tempers to scatter that they may please the People l. 9. c. 9. discourses marked with popular Zeal è proprio de' seditiosi sparger i concetti mascherati di zelo popolare accetto à poveri and that under pretence that our Lord did speak in favour of the Poor and that even amongst the marks which he gave to make it known that he was the Messias he bid them take notice that he preached the Gospel to the Poor For in fine it hath been made out that the poverty of the Church and the destruction of the Church are the same thing And after nineteen Politick Reasons which have made it appear here 's one more at least to which there 's no reply The Court of Rome is the Soul which reunites all the Catholick Kingdoms under one and the same Unity Without Unity there 's no Church Then without the Court of Rome both the Unity of the Church and the Church it self are destroyed Now without Courtiers there 's no Court without wealth no Courtiers that will serve the Church for God's sake without wealth then there 's no Unity nor no Church Here 's a Politick demonstration that hath not all its like in all the Gospel Here look ye is the foundation of this demonstration that the Court of Rome is the soul of the Church and of its Unity l. 3. c. 10. una corte laquale è quell'anima che tiene in unità tanti regni e costituiss e un corpo politico il più formidabile il più virtuoso il più litterato il più felice che sia in terra That which hinders even the Peoples rebelling against Kings and Conspiring against their persons is the veneration which the People have for the Court of Rome which is the prop of the power Monarchical That which hinders Wars either civil or foreign is the multitude of Church-men which be Gown-men and for Peace and that which makes the multitude of Church-men is the multitude of Benefices and good Revenues Take away then from the Church it 's great Wealth and all will be full of Wars and Conspiracies as on the other hand the power of Kings could not subsist with that insolence wherewith it would let it self be transported if it had not above it the power of the Pope and the Court of Rome l. 12. c. 3. which makes a temperament so equal between all extremes that if Aristotle and Plato were living they would be glad to yield themselves to the beautifulness of this project of a Republick and to confess that their Policy understood nothing herein Such a design could not be moulded but only by the eternal Wisdom and a light whereunto humane sagacity could never arr ve Ibid. per che l'intelletto degli antichi savii ad assai più basse cose non giunse che non è l'econnomia della sapienza Incarnata nell'istituzione della sua chiesa All which things being considered the greatest Act of Christian Piety consists in defending this Politick government to the last drop of ones blood aswel as all that which is neces-to the keeping it up how opposite sover it seems to be to the Canons and particularly to those of the Council of Trent because that Council having submitted all to the Politick prudence of the Pope not to obey the Ordinance of the Council to the end to obey the Pope is truly to follow the Council and more perfectly to hit the meaning of the Council ARTICLE IV. The most noble act of the Pope's Policy is to inrich himself and the Roman Court. To dye for this Monarchy is the worthiest act of any Christian's zeal RIches then being the ground whereupon the soveraignty of the Pope subsists and the splendour of the Roman Court and the carnal felicity of the Church it is visible that the most noble act of the noblest of mortal Vertues which is Policy is to inrich the Court of Rome and to uphold with vigilance and stoutness the soveraignty of the Roman Pontife as it hath been represented l. 5. c. 16. il custodir con interpidezza e con vigilanza la sovranità del Pontificato è per mio auviso la più commendabile operatione che possa fare la politica virtù 'T is true the worship of God is preferable before this Court if one came in competition with the other But after the worship of God the most worthy act of a Pope's zeal is the keeping up of his Monarchy which cannot subsist but by wealth nessun a cura toltane la propagazion del culto divino è più degna e zelante in un Papa che il mantenimento illoso die questa Monarchia and to make it appear with what zeal with what vigilance and what stoutness one ought to uphold it there is an example of it to be seen in the Person of Alexander Nuncio of Pope Leo X at the Diet of Worms Lo how he
spirituale era convenevole qual si fosse temporal pagamento e pero santamente constituirono i Padri Tridentini che i vescovi nulla prendessero 'T is manefest then according to humane equity that the Tax or Impost of Annates or Yearly Pensions is just Ibid. stabilitasi l'equità secundo t'umano discorso Now it is another Principle that when the humane equity of a business is once famed to be settled divine equity as hath been shewen willeth that the Pope should guide the Church according to Natural inclinations So that there can be no divine Reason to forbid what humane equity permits no more than that which is permitted by the Doctrine of Aristotle and forbidden by any other but to comprehend yet more neatly in what that which is called Simony consists it must be known that when the Pope takes Money for granting Spiritual Graces which serve for example unto the Peoples Salvation this is no Simony to give it unto him l. 1. c. 2. the Pope grants it in primo del denaro donato à Dio. But if the Pope gave Money or relinquished his temporal interests to win People to their Salvation this would be Simony in him thus to buy with Money the Poeples Salvation and in the People to consent to their Salvation which is spiritual to get the Popes Money or any other temporal benefit l. 2. c. 10. far una specie di Simonia vendendo al Papa la ricuperazione dell'anime á prezzo d'entrate e di giuridizioni ritolte della chiesa Temporal revenues and other rights annexed to the Authority not only of the Pope but of other Ecclesiasticks are the best Juice and the most pure to nourish up the Church l. 2. c. 10. l. 6. c. 7. miglior sugo This Authority to suck and drain this Juice from all parts of the Univers is of divine Institution Jesus Christ hath instituted this power when he came down upon Earth for the Salvation of the World ufficio istituito da Dio quando scese in terra per la salute del mondo l. 2. c. 10. So that Jesus Christ hath given power to the Pope to take Money and Milk the People for the Salvation of the World but not to the People to suck the Popes Temporalities for their Salvation nor to the Pope to give them his Temporalities for to save them This would be the utmost Simony the first is none Mark ye here how important it is to know well the Rules of right Policy and how far the Pope's power reaches for he can do all except relinquishing the least part of his power for the sake of Peoples Salvation because he is but the Guardian of his all-puissantness l. 12. c. 15. and not the master non essendo egli abitro e padrone della sua maggioranza costituita da Christo pero non potendo farle alcun pregiudicio The second and third means are Pensions and Commendams the Residence of the Commendaries suplied by the good turns of the New Monastical Orders Their end who attact Pensions and Commendams is to suppress all benefices that are exempt from residence and by stronger Reason Pensions l. 17. c. 10. fine sarebbe ill torre affatto ogni Beneficio non allaciato à residenza e molto più le pensioni This would be to ruine in the Church the Universal Court Royal whose Courtiers could no longer hope for great recompences and they would be obliged to confine themselves to scurvy little places and be reduced to the poor functions of the Altar and the Quire In the mean time without Pensions Ibid. senza il sussidio delle Pensioni the Cardinals could not live i Cardinali non pottrebbono vivere l. 23. c. 11. Without Abbeys and Commendams they would not have bread l. 12. c. 13. Senato di Roma privo di quelle badie rimanerebbe privo del vittio So that it is evident that the Institution of Pensions cannot be but good for if this Institution had not been how many Noblemen which do not make themselves Ecclesiasticks for God's sake would there have been retained in the service of the Church l. 23. c. 3. 11. Harrebbe ritenuti molti nobili dalla vita Ecclesiastica 'T is true all these Noble men do not reside and 't is manifest that non-residence is a great evil But since this evil begun let a man consider the swarm of those of the Monastical Orders which God hath sent to labour about the Salvation of Souls and then see if there be any comparison between the good which they do and what one of these non-resident Noblemen would do l. 9. c. 9. if he should keep resident fatto parangone all'opera di ciascun residente la quale per una tal mala esecutione sia si tolta al cultivamento dell'anime Iddio hà restituito centenaia di Regolari che abondano in ogni loco And without doubt we shall see that the Church profits by Pensions in every respect both according to the flesh and according to the Spirit The fourth and fifth means Plurality of Benefices and the absolute disposal of those Benefices The disposal of a many Benefices all Christendome over being a great means for the Pope to do good is one of the things whereupon the Apostolical principality moves Intr. c. 6. la disposizione di molti Beneficii in varie parti del Christianesimo e pur la facoltà di benefacere è un de' due Cardini sopra cui sostiensi la venerazione ch'è la base del loro imperio This power of conferring Benefices being formerly more extended over more Nations then it is drew then to the Court of the King of Kings a world of strangers which posted thither from all Quarters to be known and to get Benefices l. 23. c. 3. quella frequenza che le portava il concorso di tanti stranieri Ecclesiastici i quali dovessero farsi quivi conocere per ottenere i Beneficii The Zealous will say that a man is unworthy that thus crouds in for himself but these be Ideas which were good in the time of the Churches Infancy Intr. c. 6. nell'infanzia della Chiesa They will say that these be worldly and humane considerations for Popes to act by il risguardo eziando dell'interesse umano But is not the humane felicity of the Court of Rome of divine Institution and will not God have his Church governed according to humane inclinations This is all can be said for Plurality of Benefices for to look only upon the divine institution and setting aside humane interest this is a business able to confound Ecclesiastick Order to give to one alone the duties and functions which cannot be discharged but by diverse Ecclesiasticus ordo pervertitur Sess 24. c. 17. Sess 14. c. 9. Conc. Trid. Which made the Council condemn this plurality herein the Fathers of the Council are not quite
to blame l. 23. c. 11. ne per tutto ciò si vogliono biasimare i Padri Tridentini But this kind of Reasoning though Natural and Divine ought to give place according to Religious Policy to the interest of the humane felicity of the Court of Rome which can't subsist without this Plurality and the Church must be guided not according as God willeth but according as corrupt Nature desireth as it hath been shown Likewise the Fathers of the Council have declared that they do not mean to tie up the Popes hands and though they would have pretended to it 't is Policy that there should be an head in the Church that may dispence with Canons and even derogate from them as hath been shewed before and that there be a Head whose all-puissantness may be the Rule of Wisdom according to Paul the Fourth's Maxime whose Government was the Sampler of Pontifical prudence and who upon that account was chosen Pope by an unanimous Election which could never have come to pass l. 3. c. 17. if a Pope so Elected had not been of eminent Vertues il che non può conseguirsi senza un eminente virtù The sixth and seventh Means The calling back of greater Causes and the reservation of Cases Four Reasons make Popes to reserve certain Cases to themselves and to retain the greater Causes The First is ignorance of Bishops whether it be about regulation of the Conclave for the election of a Pope in very deed it was not left to the Council of Trent to deliberate thereof l. 22. c. 7. perche ne ' Vescovi non era veruna perizia di tal facenda because the Bishops were ignorant of those kind of matters or whether it be about Reformation of the Cardinals the Legats in Council found that business was a Gulph where the Bishops would have been lost having no skill in those affairs parue à Legati che ciò sarebbe stato eutrare in un nuovo e vasto pelago del quale Pochissimi de' Padri haveano perizia l. 23. c. 7. The Second Reason is That whatever skill the Bishops may have they are not refined for the practice of the Court of Rome as hath been seen here before The Third is That being Secular Princes Subjects they are liable to act out of fear hope or other humane Considerations as was observed The Fourth is to make the Sovereign Power of the Pope over Bishops be acknowledged from hence 't is that the Popes limit even the Bishops Power that in such certain Cases falling within their Dioceses they shall not proceed but they are referred to the Pope l. 12. c. 11. ed usano di limitar aneche à Vescovi la libertà di riserbare As to greater Causes they do not leave them to the Cognizance of Bishops being they are smaller Prelates to whom they only leave smaller Causes which would be too troublesom for Suiters to go to Rome about but of all that be of importance the Popes reserve to themselves the Cognizance because Justice cannot be better administred than by the Sovereign Power la giustizia non può universalmente procedere l. 23. c. 13. e con vigore e con sincerità se non dove sia tal preeminenza di stato nel superiore sopra à suddito che nel primo non possa cader nè timore nè competenza even so much as for nominating Parish Priests to Parishes the Bishops are bound to follow the Counsel of Examiners appointed l. 23. c. 13. or agreed on by a Synod of their Clergy as hath been shewn before The Eighth Means Frequent Jubilees and Indulgences The Council of Trent desires that the usage of Indulgences may be reformed by those ancient and rigorous rules made about that matter l. 24. c. 12. Che si tornasse all'antica severità But 't is not to be understood that one should quite return to that ancient severity l. 24. c. 12. non volle significare che vi si ritornasse in tutto but that herein one should use prudence according to time and places Ibid. fin à quel segno che la condizione de tempi è de luoghi cansiliava which depends on the Pope's prudence that is to say That the account upon which the Pope grants it be such that the Pope in granting it commits no imprudence and yet that the reason therefore in it self appear little considerable As for Example When the Pope grants a full Indulgence to him that shall visit St. Peter's Church or stay to take the Pope's Blessing in a publick place the Cause in it self does not appear so great that it should merit Indulgence or a Pardon but in the same thing we must distinguish what that thing is in it self and what it is as to its End for to attend for Example the Pope's Blessing in a Publick place is not an Act that appears in it self important but yet 't is very much so when it is considered as to its end which is thereby to make publick profession of Belief of the Unity of the Church and the Worship which is due to the Sovereign Pontifice as Vicar of Jesus Christ l. 2. c. 4. far co'tali opere che fia una professione universale esibita da Christiani sopra l'unita della chiesa è sopra il culto che rendono al Romano Pontefice come Vicario di Christo So that to make profession of this Worship is an act that 's worth as much as all the ancient severity of Canonical Penances and this is the sense that one should understand the Council of Trent in when it desires that the ancient simplicity should be returned unto wherefore the least actions being capable to be thus exalted through their End though it were only to manifest the all-puissantness of the Pope it would bee rash if from the small Importance which is found in those actions one shoulld conclude therefrom a nullity in the grant of Indulgences saremo temerarii se della tenuita delle azioni conchiuderemo la nullità delle concessioni l. 2. c. 4. Adde to this the vast profit which comes in to the Pope from these Indulgences As in Pope Leo the tenth's Time who granted them when Luther Preached against them to help build St. Peter's Church for he wanted for that a vast summe of money richiedendosi all'opera denaro immenso l. 1. c. 2. Wherefore he had recourse to this efficacious remedy of Universal Indulgences adding Liberty also to it to eat Cheese and Milk on Fasting-days and to chuse what Confessour one listed This was in truth a great scandal to Christendom to see the Revenue of these Indulgences let out to him that would give most as temporal Princes do farm out Imposts but it is certain also as Princes would get little by their taxes if they were to leavy them themselves by their own immediate Officers so the Pope would get as 't were nothing
by Indulgences if he did not find people to farm them at a Rate and Price l. 1. c. 3. qual Principe non è costretto ad usar il medesimo in tutte le Gabelle che impone It s further true that those Indulgences which were leavied upon the people to build St. Peter's Church a material Temple have been the cause of the ruine of a great part of the Churches Spiritual Temple quel edificio materiale di San ' Pietro rouino in gran ' parte il suo edificio spirituale because that for leavying so many Millions which the vast work of that admirable Church was to take up the Pope was constrained to publish those Indulgences whereof Luther's Heresy took beginning which hath impoverished the Church a many more Millions of Souls that are seperated from her Communion l. 1. c. 1. percioche affin d'adunare tanti milioni quanti ne assorbiva l'immenso lavoro di quella chiesa convenne far ciò d'onde prese origine l'eresia di Luthero che à impoverita di molti più milioni d'anime la chiesa But yet this hinders not but the building of that material Temple which is the first Temple of the World and which draws the greatest veneration to the Pope was a very sufficient cause for granting those Indulgences because that which is most important in the Church after the Worship of God is the Worship of the Pope and it would be Simony in the Pope to relinquish his Rights under pretence of buying thereby the salvation of Souls The ninth Means Dispensations granted for money It is necessary in every Principality well regulated to draw forth some Imposition from the Graces which the Prince accordeth l. 16. c. 17. essendo necessario inogni Principato le imposizioni sopra le grazie 'T is also one of the sources which nourishes the abundance and lustre of the Court of Rome and keeps up at the same time the All-puissantness of the Pope who grants the Dispensations both with and without Cause This money which comes thereof in great quantity to the Coffers of his Holiness is an All-puissant like means to uphold his grandeur l. 8. c. 17. Omnipotenza del ' oro For as our Cardinal saith Money is all things in vertue and in power pecunia è ogni cosa vertualmente and he that hath Money hath all and may do all with an efficacious Power By granting Dispensations and Graces for money the Pope doth thereby punish those who sue them out and this is an industrious and new means to keep up as one may say Discipline and the Canons by breaking them If the Bishops take Money for Dispensations they be null quoth the Council of Trent but when 't is the Pope that grants them for Money they be good and which is most admirable that even they would be null if he did not take money because they would be given without any cause as hath been observed for the money which the Pope takes for them is the great Consideration and a good cause why he grants them so that there are few things forbidden which the interest of establishing the All puissantness of the Pope to enrich and keep up the splendour of his Court doe not make lawfull For this purpose he is not only permitted to take money for dispensations but to derogate from the Laws of Councils that he may fulfill them in a more perfect manner since this is to exercise his all-puissantness which after God is the principal end whereunto all Councils ought to have regard The tenth Means Experience teaches every Superiour that his faithfullest and most obedient Subjects be those which doe immediately subject themselves to his grandure and to his power without any semblance of going Cheek by Jole with him l Esperienza dimostra ad ogni superiore che i sudditi più sicuri e più ossequiosi sono i sudditi immediati non grandi Hereupon 't is that the Pope's interest is grounded when he exempts Chapters in Bishopricks to depend upon him and be be independant from their Bishops therefore the instances that the Bishops made at the Council of Trent To have their Chapters again under their yoke was prejudicial to the Apostolick See l. 8. c. 17. prejudiciale alla sede Apostolica Besides the Bishops being as we said before Ignorants in policy seditious interessed timorous and subject to temporal powers they are facil and ready to fall into heresy which the Chapters are not To this the Council of Trent had respect as to Germany where a many Bishops fell into heresy which no Chapter was found to doe ponendo in Considerazione quei di Germania l. 23. c. 3. dove avevano mancato molti vescovi mà niun Capitolo And as for those of France the Cardinal of Lorrain told it out that there were heretick Bishops who forbid Catholick Preachers to preach ibid. riferi che alcuni vescovi eretici in Francia havean vietato il predicare á Catolici Whereupon he went on and said that in case the objection of Prebendaries were to be made according to the Canons that the Bishops should doe nothing therein without the consent of their Prebendaries ibid. piacerli che i Veseovi nulla potesser fare senza i Capitoli quando i Canonici s'eleggessero come si doveva di raggione In the four and thirty Articles of reformation which the Ambassadour of France brought to the Council The seaven and twentieth ran that the Bishops be obliged according to the Canons to treat of all the affaires of their Dioceses according to the advice of their Prebendaries and for that reason the Prebendaries be obliged to reside continually at their Cathedrall l. 19. c. 11. dovendo i i Vescovi secundo i Canonitrattare i negozii col parere del Capitolo si procurasse che i Canonici fossere assidui alle Catedrali Because that being exempt from the jurisdiction of their Bishops and governing the Dioceses with them their exemption was a bridle which the Pope put upon the Bishops very fit to keep them from prevaricating whether in regard of faith or of government l. 23. c. 3. anzi l'esenzione de Capitoli se riconosceva per un gran freno in bocca à Vescovi di non prevaricare ò nella fede ò nel governo This makes the infinite difference to be seen between Episcopacy in the Pope and that which is by participation in the Bishops For I. The Pope is not subject to Ignorances nor heresies as the Bishops are II. He is not bound to follow the Counsel of his Cardinals because he is King of the Church and the Bishops are not Kings of their Chapters no more then of their Dioceses III. No body can be exempt from the Jurisdiction of the Pope and there 's no need they should as there 's need Prebendaries should be exempt from the jurisdiction of their Bishops that the Bishops may be thereby bridled and though
there were no other reason for exemption of Chapters but to show the Popes Royal Sovereignty which is the foundation of the Church for it appears that it is a most puissant means to establish the Popes power and the gallantry and riches of the Roman Court. The eleventh Means Privileging the Monastical Orders One of the Principal advantages which comes to the Church by the exemption of the Regulars is maintaining the authority of the Apostolick See according to the institution of Jesus Christ and the general good of the Church l. 12. c. 13. jo non nego che un de profitti che arreca l'Ezenzione de Regolari degli Ordinarii sia il mantener l'autorità della sede Apostolica secundo l'istituzione di Christo e'l ben della chiesa Because we see that all Monarchical Government for the keeping up it self without suffering diminution had need to have in every Province some powerful Body of Subjects independant from those who be the ordinary and perpetual Superiours or Magistrates there ibid. veggendo noi che ogni governo Monarchico per conservarsi illeso hà bisogno d'haver in qualunque provincia qualche nervo prevalente de sudditi independenti da chi è quivi superiore immediato e perpetuo Yet as mens opinions be divers these priviledges to the Monastical Orders which make the force of the Church and the principal sinew of the Pope's Power did not quite please St. Bernard questa raggione però come son ' varie le opinioni degli huomini non l. 8. c. 17. sodisfece pienamente à San ' Bernardo because he feared that the desire of exemption came from some hidden sentiment of Pride l. 8. c. 17. il quale dubito che il desideriò d'esenzione dal proprio Vescovo potesse nascere da occulto Spirito superbia But on the other side Nicholas Machiavel remains agreed of the profitableness of these Exemptions and that t' was in them that the Prophecy was fulfilled which said that the Monks should uphold the Church of St. John of Lateran ready to fall that is to say the whole Church non in altro modo i predetti ordini sarebbou valuti à sostenar la crollante basilica di Laterano cioè la Chiesa Catolica profezia auvera ta per confessione dello stesso Nicolo Machiavelli Here 's then the advantage of the Politick conduct of every well-govern'd Monarchy to have certain persons in places distant from the Sovereign which have power without limits as for example the Romans gave it to their Generals ibid. percio che ad impresse grandi e in regioni lontane dal supremo richiedesi autorità illimitata ed independente quale usarone di dare i Romani à lor condottori All the religious Orders are every man as it were so many Generals of the Popes Army throughout the Earth and as so many Roman Chieftains who living above an humane life would not uphold such a Monarchy as the Pope's if it were tyrannical which makes it appear that this same Monarchical all-puissantness of the Pope is of Jesus Christ's institution But that wherein the religious Orders serves yet further to advance the splendour of the Court of Rome is that making profession of single Life they quit their paternal Estates to their brethren and Kinsfolk una utilità delle grandi che riceve la Republica per la felicità civile dell'istituti Religiosi l. 4. c. 6. their kindred becoming rich by that means they become the Pillars of the Temple and the Columns of the Church l. 9. c. 9. l. 17. c. 9. che per altezza de sangue sono i Pilastri del tempio Il chiericato mantien la richezza e'l decoro delle stirpi e per conseguente la nobilità è gli spiriti d'onore One's piety makes t'other get a great Estate hence comes forth Abbeys which are afterwards put in Commendams and they become great Benefices whose revenues stream forth even to Rome to be digested in the stomach of St. Peter And thus it is that all the members of the Church serve to enrich the Court of Rome and to uphold its bravery thus it is that that Court is the Churches soul and its moving intelligence The twelfth Means The establishment of Colleges of Jesuits and of the Holy Inquisition It hath been seen that Policy is the prime and most excellent vertue of all the moral vertues because her Object is the happiness of the Common-wealth not onely according to the spirit but according to the flesh secondo la carne Now the corruption of the greatest Good produces the greatest Evil il pessimo esser suol una corruzione de l'ot timo l. 17. c. 2. l. 1. 13. It follows then that the greatest of all the Churches Evils is Ignorance of Policy It hath been seen that private Bishops doe not skill this excellent virtue because the excellent school where this Science is learned is the Roman Court where a man is refined in this virtue That 's the shop or workhouse where all the sleights of Policy are learnt and where cunning prudence may be gotten and subtlety of Wit sottile ingegno fina prudenza l 13. c. 10. The privy Counsellours of temporal Princes Courts are enough refined in temporal affaires but commonly they do not know what Religion is nor what is the onely Base which upholds it it and renders it immovable l. 16. c. 10. huomini di stato i quali spesso non ben intendono che cosa sia la Religione e qual sia l'unica Base che possa mantenerla non vacillante that is to say to speak fine and plain They do not know the mystery nor the Extent of the Pope's onely universal Monarchy whereof all Kings are subjects and all Catholick Kingdoms the demean lands with an all-puissantness to dispose of all things etiam sine causa as it hath been explained It was upon the principles of this Ignorance that the instructions of Monsr de Lansac the French Ambassadour at the Council of Trent were framed these instructions were composed of four and thirty Articles all opposite to that which makes for the Popes Royalty in the Church and his absolute Empire over the whole Universe and which in conclusion tended to throw down the Roman Court both splendour and Empire thereof l. 16. c. 10. tutte contrarie al Pontefice ò puì tosto al Pontificato e contenute nella sua istruzione i quali tutti si riducevano à levar lo splendore e l'imperio della Corte Romana What specifick remedy for such a disease doubtless there could not be a better then for all Bishops yea even for Parish Priests to be educated and refined in the excellent school of the Court of Rome But that is not done in default thereof it could be wished that at least all the Heads of Houses in Universities had studyed there but that 's against their
there needs no more but to represent the Interests and the Sentiments of these States which take up those parts of Europe ARTICLE II. The Italian Policy favours that of the Court of Rome ACcording to the Testimony of our Cardinal Lib. 21. Chapter 4. the Italian Bishop had no other end in the Council of Trent but the upholding and aggrandizing of the Apostolick See non mirava ad altro oggetto che al sostentamento ed alla grandezza della sede Apostolica and therein they thought they did the duty of good Christians and Italians at once e pero ch' essi in tal opera facesser ad un ora le parti di buoni Italiani edi buoni Christiani Because 't was the honour and the advantage of their Country to be the abode and ordinary residing Place of the King of Kings and of the Lord of all the Lords of the Earth ARTICLE III. The Spaniards are not favourable to the Cardinals nor other Officers of the Roman Court. THE Spanish Bishops being for the most part great Lords very considerable either for the great Extent of their Dioceses or by reason of their great revenues through their high birth and illustrious families or through their great learning hardly could endure the preeminence of the Cardinals and above all few of those Bishops could ever hope to arrive at that dignity and it was no lesse unsufferable to them to see themselves subjected so much as they are to the Pope's Officers and be Dependants of the Roman Tribunals wherefore they thought it would be exceeding good for the Church to bring back the Cardinals to their first rank and to restore those rights to the Bishops which they enjoyed anciently and for this purpose they had a mind to disable the Cardinals to possesse Bishopricks and oblige them to reside at Rome and rule the parishes whereof they are the Titulary Parsons or Priests and withall they would have taken away dispensations whereby persons or causes are exempted from the Bishops Jurisdiction and thereby make the Bishops in their Dioceses as so many Popes onde fossero à guisa di Papa nelle loco Diocesi which would have much diminished the splendour of the Roman Court and sapped the foundation of the Church ARTICLE IV. The Policy of France quite and clean opposite to the Roman Court. AS for the French Bishops they have less of jurisdiction because the Usages of that Kingdom look most at enlarging the temporal power and this also causes that they are less incommoded with the Roman Tribunals and don 't complaine so much of wrong that the Scarlet does to the Mitre but all their thoughts tend to set bounds unto the Pope's Monarchy according to the sentiments of the late Council of Basil approved by them l. 21. c. 4. erano rivolti à moderar la Monarchia del Pontefice secondo in sensi del moderno Concilio di Basilea da loco approvato Germany is so canton'd out that t is difficult to mark the point wherein those people may be said to accord some of them are of the Italian minde others of the Spanish others of the French As for the several Princes they are each of the several minde as his Bishop is i Principi almeno i loco politici chi più chi meno inclinavano à sodisfare i Prelati di lovo Natione because that the preferring of their Bishops who remaine still their Subjects gives them lesser jealousy then the Pope's grandeur and power They were brought over to this in the time of the Council of Trent by the abuses which they saw in the Roman Court. Christian Policy hath then its choice betwixt that of France and that of Spain which of the two may be the most favourable to the all-puissantnesse of the Pope to take that side and favour it carefully and stoutly l. 5. c. 16. con intrepidezza e con vigilanza now it is not very hard to see that the French Policy is lesse favourable to that of Rome then the Spanish which made Fryer Thomas Stella Bishop di Capo d'Istria a great creature of the Popes in the Council of Trent for to say that all mischief came out of the North l. 19. c. 9. ogni male dall'Aquilone ARTICLE V. Wherein the Policy of France is not favourable to that of Rome THE First Article is that of a Council being above a Pope according to the Council of Basil which is a seditious opinion quoth our Cardinal sedizioza and overthrows absolutely the Pope's Monarchy sediziosa l. 6. c. 13. l. 19. c. 11. l. 16. c. 10. questione della maggioranza trà lui el Concilio i quali capi si riducevano à levar lo splendore e l imperio della Corte Romana 't is an erroneous opinion Erronea Pestiferous l. 9. c. 16. l. 6. c. 7. Ibid. Pestilente che nonsolo abatterebbe il trono pontificale mà disordinerebbe la Spiritual Hierarchia II. 'T is not the Doctrine of France that the Pope is King of Kings Lord of Lords So that the Crown-Lands of Kings should be his Inheritance III. 'T is not the Doctrine of France that the Pope is Infallible nor that he can make Articles of Faith unto which if Kings do not yield he may declare them Hereticks and give their States to the first occupant IV. 'T is not the Doctrine of France that 't is Treason to hinder Money from being carried to Rome V. 'T is not the Doctrine of France that Bishops hold their jurisdiction from the Pope l. 16. c. 10. questa sedizioza dottrina VI 'T is not the Doctrine of France that the Pope may dispence without cause or derogate from the Canons of Councils l. 19. c. 11. see mons de Marco Concord l. 3. c. 13. § 2. la quod tendeva ad abbatere la Monarchia che le costituzioni fatte dal Concilio non cadessero sotto dispensazioni But the better to know wherein the Doctrine of France and its Policy is opposite to that of Rome one need but to read the Thirty four Articles contained in the Instructions of the French Ambassadors at the Council of Trent on occasion whereof Cardinal Simonetta Pope Pius IV. his great confident in the Council of Trent said That the Physick of Reformation ought to be like that which old Physicians prescribe which is always gentle al Cardinal Simonetta parea che à guisa de'Medici vecchi l. 18. c. 4. cauti non formasse ricette senon leggiere and that the receipts of the French Reformation were too strong The Four and thirty Articles proposed by the French Ambassador at the Council of Trent for Reformation of the Church I. THat the Age of Priests be an Age of Maturity and that they have a good testimonial from the people Against this Article Lainez l. 21. c. 6. This Article would hinder the multitude of Churchmen who are exceeding useful to all States and Conditions according
to our Cardinal l. 17. c. 9. II. That Vacancies be supplied according to the Canons III. That none be ordained without some Office or Benefice against this Article Lainez l. 21. c. 6. Palavicin l. 16. c. 9. IV. That every one ordained be obliged to perform his Function V. That none meddle with other business than the Functions of his Order Against this demand l. 8. c. 17. one hath reason to complain of the temporal Princes quoth our Cardinal when they don't imploy Eclesiasticks in State affairs le doglienze sarebbon giuste quando escludessero del maneggio gli Ecclesiastici VI. That none be made a Bishop if he be not capable to instruct and do all his Functions in person VII The like also as to Cures or Parish Priests VIII That none be made an Abbot or Prior Regular that hath not taken his Degrees and taught Divinity in some famous University IX That Bishops Preach all Festival days and Sundays Advent and Lent either in person or by some other for them X. That the Cures or Parish Priests do the same XI That in Abbies and Priories the ancient studies and exercises and hospitality be again set up XII That he which cannot through some disability after his admittance perform the Functions of his Benefice himself either quit it or take a Coadjutor XIII That Catechizing be used XIV That Plurality of Benefices be taken a way and no distinction made of Compatible and Incompatible unknown to antiquity and which is an occasion of many mischiefs in the Church that Secular Benefices be given to Seculars and Regular to Regulars Against this Chap. 5. art 4. XV. That he which hath many Benefices keep only one of them or incur the pains of the ancient Canons XVI That it be so ordered that every Curé or Parish Priest have means enough to keep two Clerks and maintain Hospitality XVII That the Church Prayers Psalms and Gospel be sung and uttered in French at the Mass XVIII That the Communion be given in both kinds XIX That in administring the Sacraments the vertue of them he explained in French XX. That no Benefices be given neither to Strangers nor unworthy persons otherwise the Collation to be void XXI That Expectative Graces Regresses and Commendams of Benefices be abolished in the Church as contrary to the Canons XXII That Resignations in favour persons named by the Resigners be also declared null because 't is forbidden by the Canons that none should seek or chuse a Successor Against this Palavicini Cap. 4. Art 2. XXIII That the single Priories be re-united to the Benefices with cures of Souls from which they were separated XXIV That there be no Benefice without Cure of Souls Against that Art 3. Cap. 5. XXV That Pensions be abolished Against that see Art 2. Cap. 5. Palavicin lib. 23. cap. 11. XXVI That Jurisdiction be restored to the Bishops excepting over the Covents Heads of Orders and others subject to them and which make General Chapters and such as have privileges by ancient Charters notwithstanding all which let them be subject to correction XXVII That Bishops do no business without the advice of their Prebendaries as 't is ordered by the Canons according to which also the Bishops ought to be assiduous at and in their Cathedrals and not less aged than Five and twenty years XXVIII That the Degrees of Kindred be observed in marriages without permitting any dispensation except between Kings and Princes for the Publick good la qual tendeva ad abattere la Monarchia lib. 19. cap. 11. XXIX That the True Doctrine touching Images be taught and Superstitions taken away XXX That the publick Penances for publick Sins be re-established as well as publick Fasts and Mournings in the Church to appease the wrath of God XXXI That Excommunications be not pronounced in the Church but for most grievous Sins and after the second and third admonition in case the Sinner be obstinate XXXII That suits for Benefices with the distinctions of petitory and possessory be taken away and that the Bishops never bestow Benefices upon them who sue for them but upon those which shun them and so render themselves worthy of them by avoiding of them Against this Palavicin Art 4. c. 5. XXXIII In case where a Benefice is litigious let the Bishop send one to supply the Cure who shall give no account to him for whom judgment goes because the Revenues of Benefices belong not but to him that does the Duties XXXIV That every year a Synod of the diocess shall assemble and every three years a Provincial and every ten years a General Synod Against which see Chap. 2. As for the National Synods our Cardinal calls them Abortions in the Church l'aborto d'un Concilio Nazionale l. 4. c. 9. The most important of these Articles being manifestly opposite to the absolute Monarchy of the Pope and to his All-puissantness l. 16. c. 16. contrarie al Pontificato to the splendor of his Court and to his felicity according to the flesh It now appears in what sense Father Lainez said That the French had in a sort made a Schism since the Council of Basil's time and that perhaps 't was a punishment for that Sin that so many miseries had come upon them And this he said upon occasion of the Canonical elections which the French required should be re-established l. 21. c. 6. dubitar Egli de' Franchesi che ciò chiedevano come di tali che forse erano gastigati da Dio ne ' presenti infortnnii per qualche loro seperazione fin dal tempo del Concilio di Basilea And he made no difficulty to say that all those which would renew all those kinds of like ancient usages were moved thereunto by the instinct of the Devil Ibid. coloro che volevano rinovare tali usi antichi muoversi per istinto del Diavolo From hence one ought to infer that the Jesuites having this sentiment of the Policy of the Gallican Church First It 's necessary that the Roman Court do imploy them for to combat effectually in that Kingdom against the Maxims of Reformation that the Spirit of the Devil according to them inspires into those which have governed it since the Council of Basil's time and now again since the Council of Trent which all tend to nothing but to the overthrow of the Roman Empire of the whole splendour of it's Court and of it's Carnal felecity Secondly It concerns the Roman Court to deal in such sort that the reputation and the Doctrine of Aristotle may subsist with approbation in France for the project of Felicity according to the Flesh and of the Universal Monarchy of the World which are the two cardinal points of the new Policy of our Historian being particularly established and upheld upon the Doctrine of that Philosopher and that Prince of Philosophers having already bestowed a many Articles of Faith upon the Church the last effect of his Doctrine ought to be to make these Articles be
received in their full extent as Articles of Faith Viz. That of the Universal Monarchy as our Cardinal hath explained it and that other of Felicity according to the Flesh necessary to the Church for then one might well approve those words of our Cardinal di ciò si doveva in gran parte l'obligazione ad Aristotele l. 8. c. 19. il qualc se non si fosse adoperato in distinguer accuratamente i generi delle cagioni noi mancavamo di molti Articoli di Fede For if once one could but come to make in the Church Articles of Faith out of the Maxims of our Cardinals Policy which have been related and are approved even by Nicholas Machiavel then one might well say with our Cardinal That the Councils of Ephesus of Calcedon and all those which have followed as well as all the Fathers which assisted thereat had never been able to make their Decisions if they had not imbibed Graecian Philosophy and that 't is easy to see among their Oracles how much of the Stagyrite and of Athens they have mingled with them because that if Aristotle or Philosophy had not given us common notions of things we could not have been able by the aid of Divine Revelation to apply them to supernatural objects l. 8. c. 19. The Conclusion of the Work BY all that hath been said it appears That Religious Policy is the most excellent of all moral vertues and the most necessary to Salvation That all this Policy is reduced to two principal points the First is the Royalty of the Pope over the whole World the Second is the carnal felicity of his reign because it serves to bring Christian Religion in Reputation amongst imperfect and carnal men which have no pure Love toward God l. 23. c. 3. per conservarla in estâ—mazione anche presso gli impertetti which set their affections more upon what they see then upon what is believed maggiormente s'affezzionano à quel che si vede ch'à quel che si crede From whence it comes that the carnal felicity of the Church is a Vocation to Faith for all the World and to the Clergyship for Lords and Gentlemen who make the Churches Glory and her to be signal over all the World 'T was this temporal glory of the Pope's Royalty that Jesus Christ came to establish and did merit by the effusion of his bloud and to set up which he came down from Heaven upon Earth l. 2. c. 10. Vfficio istituito da Dio quando scese in terra per salute del Mondo 'T is the spirit of this carnal Monarchy which he shed forth upon the whole Church according to our Cardinal the fulness whereof was in St. Peter and he hath derived it since as from a source unto his Successors proportionably according to the progress of their studies in the science of Policy as it appears at this day that this Spirit of St. Peter is liveing quoth the Cardinal in his Successor Alexander VII comme hoggi vive lo spirito di san ' Pietro ne ' successori l. 4. c. 5. Wherefore having at the beginning of his work an Example of an ordinary Pope viz. Adrian VI. who by consequence according to him had not the Spirit of St. Peter though he had all his Apostolical vertues because that according to our Cardinal he had not his fine policy He now on the contrary for the conclusion of his work represents Pope Alexander VII as one of the perfect Copies of this great Apostle according to the maxime of this same refined Policy You are quoth our Cardinal l. 24. c. ult speaking as to Alexander VII The Sun that bears rule in the Hemisphere of the Church Light cannot suffer any darkness to obscure it You have been created Pope according to the desire and the Heart of the Holy Ghost alla voglia del Spirito Sancto the Hereticks themselves have born witness thereof Other men are oft-times praised for their success in which fortune did more then they but you deserve a Praise no wise equivocal The actions of your life are all yours and fortune hath no part therein si piglia da fatti che tutti son suoi e niente della fortuna Whereby it does yet again appear that our Cardinal does admit a Fortune distinct from divine Providence as it hath been explained to us in the Politick consideration upon Fortune For he would not say that divine Providence had no share in the actions of Pope Alexander VII He goes on in these Terms The pontifical officiatings which your Holiness hath performed at Seasons with so much order and Devotion have made the most lively image of Paradise to appear upon earth that ever can be seen But what shall I say of your Holinesses Nephews and near kindred which you have left a whole year together at a distance from you to try them before you called them to the Participation which they ought to have in the government and the carnal Felicity of his reign To be absented a whole year together from the top of the perfection and the carnal felicity of the Church what a tryal What a long time for a principal Nephew so learned of so ripe a Wit and of an integrety of life so worthy of all the Ecclesiastical and religious voluptuousness of the Roman Court so known as was then the life of Cardinal Chigi your Holinesse's principal Nephew which you called to you for the solace rather then the burthen of the people I am of a Religion that does not permit me to lye mi ritrae dal mentire Introd c. 8. but though that were not so yet if what I say could be satisfied by the publick knowledge would not it be for me my self to destroy my own reputation to lye so openly sarebbe infamator da se stesso chi narrasse dal suo principe vivente fatti particolari smentiti dalla notizia commune Those magnificences which your Holiness caused to be represented in the shows which you gave the people to honour a Queen which took off the Crown from her Head to lay it at Jesus Christ's Vicar's feet were not they Triumphs of Religion rather then Pomps and Vanities Thus then adorable Holy Father 't is with these praises of your Holiness that I mean to conclude my work which is a defence of the Faith and of the Holy See whereof your Holiness is the infallible Master and Supreme President essendo questa una diffesa di quella fede e di quella sede di cui elle è infallibil Maestro e supremo Precidente 'T is to uphold this Infallibility that the later Popes causing from all parts of the World the Holy Ghost to be brought to them in a Clokebag as formerly from Rome to the Council of Trent to the end nothing might be pronounced as it were blindly or in the dark l. 16. c. 10. per non sentenziare alla cieca
affectation censures their Actions but this is a common Artifice to seem ingenuous in lesser matters that upon greater occasions one may cozen others with a witness yet those that read him will find that he is very cautious in his censures and takes great care not to blame any of the former Popes for the faults that were too apparent in his Patron P. Alexander the 7th About this one that lived in Rome at that time has published a very pleasant thing Pope Alexander did the first years of his Reign declare loudly against a Nipotismo and had solemnly sworn that he would never admit his Kindred into the Government nor so much as bring them to Rome but when Flesh and Blood grew too strong for these Resolutions he made a shift to satisfie his Conscience about his Oaths and brought them to Rome and put the Government in their hands which they managed with as many scandalous excesses as any had done who had gone before them in that nearness to the infallible Chair But before this was done the first Volume of the Cardinal's History was finished and in it he had laid most of the faults of former Popes on their raising their Families and Kindred and putting the Affairs of the Church in their hands and all this tended to raise the esteem of his Patron who had resolved to root out that Abuse from whence all the rest seem'd to be derived yet the Volume was not publish'd when the Pope had brought his Family to Rome therefore Palavicini finding that what he had intended to set out for the Pope's Honour would tend to his Disgrace and would also draw the Indignation of his Family upon himself suppressed that whole Impression and printed that Volume over again leaving out all the severe reflections he had made on a Pope's raising his Family He vouches his Relations from the Memorials of many of the Prelates and Friars that were at the Council of Trent which he says are to this day preserved and tells in what Libraries they are to be found and offers very fairly full satisfaction to all persons who desire a further information about them If these were lying in Paris or Venice or any other indifferent place some would perhaps adventure to examine these Vouchers but few will hazard on it at Rome Besides there is untoward Jealousie got into the minds of people that they are not over-ingenuous at Rome The forging of the Decretal Epistles and the Donation of Constantine the Great with many other things has given the World such prejudices against what they bring forth of that nature that few will give credit to things that tend much to the advantage of that See and are discovered at Rome when men think they both lie for God and his Vicar and for Preferment too it will be hard to restrain them especially if they be of an Italian temper and of Jesuits principles which to say no worse are not very severe in the matter of Candor and Sincerity We know what a Trade the Monks and Friars drove many Ages by Lies and Forgeries If any thing might either raise the honour of their Order or of the House wherein they lived a miraculous Story was first contrived and either a Writing or some Relick was laid under ground and then another dreams a Dream that such a Saint appeared to him and told him to dig in such a place for such a thing This being published with great ceremony they made a solemn Search and the credulous Rabble were thus cheated It is said of Thieves and Robbers who have driven the Trade long that even after they are discovered and in the Jayl they cannot give it over but must be still practising their old Arts. So Rome has been so long used to Forgeries that after all the Discoveries that are made they cannot hold their hands and this in a great part lessens the Authority of those Journals and other Memorials that have been hid and unknown about a hundred years and at length have appeared to serve a turn But there are two things in the Cardinal's Work which have given great advantages to those who are not much disposed to any high esteem for that Council The one is That though in some circumstances and less material things he has said much to shew that Father Paul's Informations were not just nor exact yet upon the matter he represents the transactions as full of Intrigues Artifices and Faction as the other did only with this Difference That Father Paul laid the heaviest load upon the Legates and the Court-Party and the Cardinal lays it sometimes on the one sometimes on the other Faction but generally on the Party that was for Reformation In a word no man that is not quite blinded with prejudice can think after he has read the Cardinal's History that the Holy Ghost had any special influence on the prevailing Vote in that Council and it is as easie for a man to believe that the Success of a Session of Parliament and those Acts that are carried by the Authority of the Prince the policy and dexterity of the Ministers and the zeal and industry of some Patriots flow from the special direction of the Holy Ghost as that the Council of Trent according to Palavicini's Relation was conducted by the Infallible Spirit of God in making their Canons and Decisions for we plainly see the same Intrigues and Practices the same Arts either to take off or satisfie the opposite party and the same Conduct and Method in the one that is in the other The Resolving the House in a Grand Committee was the ordinary practice of that Council for a General Congregation was the Council in a Grand Committee and this was an excellent Demonstration of the Legates great Distrust of the Holy Ghost For they would never put any thing to the hazard of a Vote in a Session till they were sure of it by putting it to the Vote in a Congregation and if it went not there as they had a mind it should be then they were to practise a little longer till they had made the major Vote sure and then when it passed in a Congregation the Legates held a Session He would be looked on as a man of great extravagance who would study to impose on any body that is acquainted with the Methods of holding Parliaments That there is any other Direction of God's Spirit than that Universal Providence that watcheth over and orders all humane Actions accompanying or governing their Proceedings Men are not so tame as to suffer such Mistakes to pass and he that would make use of his Wit or Eloquence to perswade any to such an Opinion would be so generally cried down that people would not hear him in patience What must we then judge of those who would make us believe that the Council of Trent was infallibly directed when we plainly see by the Historian of their own Court that it was managed with the same secret