this case Ambitious Persons would reason with themselves much after the same manner as he did formerly who said Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum est If it be lawful to break through Law in any case it is lawful to do it for a Crown and a Scepter The Heart of Man is universally and at all times the same Let us suppose that some Ambitious Prelate had Authority enough among the Proâ—…estants to Form such Designs as were those of the Bishops of Rome to raise themselves in the first place above other Bishops and Priests and afterwards over Princes and People they would go near to make use of the same methods as the Popes and their Clergy did and as they should receive opposition from time to time from those that would endeavour to restrain and tie them up to the Laws of God and Men if they and their Successors should overcome those Oppositions they would by degrees suppress the Holy Scripture overâ—…throw all Morality and introduce an Universal dissoluteness of Manners so that the Protestant or Christian Religion without changing its Name for that to be sure they would not do should become in the first place like that of the Church of Rome in Government and Discipline and next in Doctrine and Worship that is to say a perfect Brigandage or Robbery and that Protesâ—…ant Pope should become a Tyrant over Protestant Princes and People by calling himself their Common Father and should likewise become Master of the States Honour and Repose of their Subjects without any hopes of Reformation but by a Miracle wrought by the Almighty They would also Establish an Inquisition and infinitely multiply the number of their Ecclesiasticks that is to say their Guard-men and would neither spare Perfidiousness nor Cruelty to accomplish their Designs and to maintain and augment their Authority They would pretend to Infallibility as well as the Pope and claim as much Right as he to change the Law of God and to make that sin which is no sin and sin to be accounted Duty They would pretend to all power in Heaven and Earth and would labour incessantly to divide Protestant Princes amongst themselves and with their Subjects weaken them by all means that they might keep a curb in their Jaws and hold them in dependance upon themselves They would raise wars for them without number massacre those that should oppose their Impieties and Ambition from time to time nor would they be wanting if they found it necessary to have Orders of Clergy-men resembling the Monks and Jesuites or worse than those if they could under other Names and would likewise Assemble Councils wherein they would Establish and Make Decrees like those of Constance Lateran and Trent Et totus Orbis Protestantium miraretur se esse Antichristianum so that the whole Protestant World should wonder at its being become Anti-christian So that while the Pope and the Romish Clergy are possessed of a power of Dominion and Rule and that they will always be unless God stir up some great and potenâ—… Prince to bring that rascally Crew to themselves as I hope he will but until that time they must always of necessity be cruel and perfidious by their Principles and Maxims and pretend to Infallibility in their Doctrine Worship and Moralâ—… because they have neither Titles nor Foundation for their Usurpations which are palpable and gross for if they had they could no more be charg'd with Usurpations and Injustice and if they were not Usurpers they would not maintain their own Rights nor Gods as they impiously pretend by committing so many Crimes and pretending to Infallibility with so much Impudence as they do when they find no other way to colour their Impieties There 's none but unjust and barbarous Usurpers who can make use of those pretences as they do The most clear sighted Protestants ordinarily look upon the Church of Rome in regard of its Doctrine as a Medly of Idolatries Heresies Superstitions Errors and Blasphemous Doctrines and in regard of their Morals as a Composition of Perfidiousness and Infideliy Cruelty Impurity and Pride and they Judge that all those together constitute and make up the esâ—…ential Form of that Church and they are not deceived But at the bottom it is Ambition alone as I have said which hath produc'd and maintains all those things and is the Soul of their Church One proof of this is that there 's no Men who do less believe their Doctâ—…ines than the Men of Parts amongst themselves who govern all but chiefly the Court of Rome In their Civil Conversation among other Men they don't appear much worse than they as has been said already and there 's no room to doubt but if the Pope and his Clergy could be assur'd by the Orthodox Church that in case they would embrace the pure Christian Religion of the Protestants they should have the same Dominion and Power over the Kings Princes and People of the Earth and the same Revenues Dignities and Means to advance all those who adhere to them there 's no doubt I say but they would prefer it how wicked so ever they may be because it is more conformable to Scripture Reason and the Natural Light of Conscience which oft pinches them notwithstanding their profound and inveterate Habits of Error and Crimes I confess that it were impossible for their Tyranny and Authority to subsist with that Religion which is pure Christianity and the only Religion becoming the Excellence of Man and therefore they were obliged to root it out of the Church of Rome that so they might reign in it But they have at least so much Equity that Men of Sense among them who would perswade others to embrace their Communion don't demand that they should believe their Doctrines which they have no esteem of themselves but only that they should go to their Church and for other things permit them to believe as they please It must then be purely and simply Ambition and a desire of Dominion which hath ruined the Church of Rome or the Clergy and which continues to ruin them still take but that Vice away from them their Tyranny will cease Christian Morality would reassume its place they would neither be Idolatrous Superstitious nor Heritical Cruel nor Perfidious Transubstantiation and the Infallibility of their Church and all other monstrous Opinions would fall their Discipline Observations Customs and Usages so pernicious to the Welâ—…are of People and Countries should be abolish'd and we sâ—…ould see Industry Arts Manufactures Commerce Agriculture Sciences flourish every where and their Clergy themselves would become Christians upon the matter and honest Men. Though there never was any Religion in the World more contrary to the Gospel and Reason than that of the Pope in regard of Doctrine and Worship yet I will adventure to say that it is still more detestable in regard of the Tyranny which is exercised therein by the Pope and his Clergy For the better understanding
of this I maintain that if it were possible there were but two Religions in the World one whose Doctrine was well Founded on Scripture and Reason but the Morals Impious and the Maxims of Ecclesiastical Government Tyrannical and tending to the Oppression and Ruin of Princes and their Dominions And that on the contrary the Doctrines of the other were Abominable contrary to Scripture and good Sense but its Moral Practise Good and its Ecclesiastical Government tending to the advantage of Sovereigns and their People to make Countries Flourishing Rich and Populous and maintaining Peace and Tranquillity in them There 's no Man of Sense but would confess the second Religion would deserve the Protection of the State better than the first So that if the Protestants should become Idolaters and Hereticks teach Transubstantiation Purgatory the Invocation of Saints Adoration of the half of one of the two Sacraments and that of Statues and Images or such like Doctrines their Morals and Maxims of Ecclesiastical Government remaining the same as they are at present that is to say allowing to God Princes and People all their Rights as to what relates to Morals and the Government of Church and State their Religion should better deserve the Protection of the State than that of a Church which should detest Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and at the same time by their Maxims Observations and Tyranny fill the World with Desolation and Vice and ruin Princes and People as the Roman Religion does So that it appears hence that the Church and Religion of Rome are yet more abominable by their Tyranny and Morals than by their Idolatries and Errors The Pope and his Clergy are more Antichristian by the Tyranny that they Exercise over the Souls and Bodies the Estates Honour Life and Repose of Princes and People than in regard of their Speculative Impieties and Worship But I confess that the one cannot be without the other Where there is such an horrible Tyranny Religion cannot long remain pure in Doctrine and where the Opinions are so monstrous their Morality and Church-Government must needs become detestable and tend to the ruin of States I confess that in relation to God it is equally impossible according to Scripture for private Idolaters and those that practise a Morality destructive to Society to be sav'd So that in that respect the matter is equal but it is not so with reference to the State Experience teaches us that there are Idolaters who are Morally Honest as to Dealings betwixt Man and Man and good Country-men who deserve the Protection of Magistrates and that there are ill Men amongst the Orthodox who deserve to be cut off or chastised severely as Murderers Fornicators Robbers c. As to Sovereigns and all Magistrates the good of the State is always preferr'd to that of the Church as Nature in order preceeds Grace and the Light of Reason that of Faith For the Church cannot subsist without the State but the State can subsist well enough without the Church hence it follows that Disturbers of the Publick Peace and those that plunder and ruin People deserve better to be cut off or banished out of a Country than Idolaters or Hereticks that don't trouble the State And that the Church of Rome who is guilty of both that is to say ruines States and is Idolatrous deserves more to be destroyed upon the former account than the latter History informs us that the Spirit of Domineering and Tyranny began first in the Church of Rome after which Vice and Ignorance and next Idolatries and Herefies infected her in Crouds and destroyed all her Doctrine and Worship For the Popes did first attack the Temporal Rights of Sovereigns and People before they made any attempt upon the Publick Worship Had they been chastis'd for their Ambition and kept undâ—… as they ought the Christian Religion had not been destroyed utterly among 'em and People and Princes would have preserved their Rights It is the Natural Order of the Ambition of the Popes and their Clergy that in order to promote their Designs upon the Temporal Rights of Sovereigns and People they make use of what they call Spiritual Methods to attain their end Whence it follows that Sovereigns ought to abhor them more for their Ambition and Tyranny than for their Doctrine tho' the one cannot subsist without the other and they ought not to delay one moment the exterminating of such a Religion out of their Dominions when it is so clearly demonstrated to 'em as I have done that it lays them desolate in such a terrible and amazing manner After so great a number of Political Reasons which so manifestly prove the falshood of the Romish Religion the Papists who henceâ—…orth continue obstinate must find out other Methoâ—…s to palliate it and not apply themselves to refuâ—…e all our Arguments from Scripture Reason and Sense against their Opinions and pretended Mysteries but to prove if they can that all the reâ—…sons I have broâ—…ght agâ—…inst them are false and that the XVIII Articles by which I â—…ave made it appear that they lay Countries desolate are supposititious or of â—…o 〈◊〉 But tho' they should be able to do it They will not find it easie to 〈◊〉 themselves from the Argumenâ—…s 〈◊〉 â—…aid dowâ—… which are so 〈◊〉 and obviouâ—… to Sense It will â—…e to no purpose for them to alledge the Iâ—…fallibility of their Church as they have successfully done to maintain Transubstantiation for here their Sophisms câ—…nnot so much as impose upon a Servant-Maid who of her self may Judge of my Arguments which relate to matters of Fact that they themselves touch and manage are visible and plain and proportioned to the Capacities of the most Ignorant and which may all be examined to the bottom in a very little time There 's no need of understanding Hebrew Greek or Latine for this nor Divinity and Philosophy nor so much as to read the Old and New Testament or those they call the Fathers The discussion of this Point is not â—…edious and it will be to no purpose for the Papists to alledge Prescription in this no more than it would be for a Troop of Highway-men Pickpockets or False Coiners who had been accâ—…stomed to the cutting of Purses without being taken Notice of or had for a long time cheated and ruined a senseless People who did not observe that their Money was Couâ—…terfeited The Mischiefs are too great and maniâ—…est not to have a remedy attempted assoon as possible when ever they are discovered otherwise Princes and People who are so much concern'd therein must have lost their Senses It appears plain by what I have said that so many Peâ—…sons who for diverse Ages have pass'd â—…or greaâ—… Ministers of State and Politicians in Popisâ—… States and Kingdoms were in reality nothing but on the contrary mean spirited Men that either did not perceive those Disorders of opery which are obvious to every Mans view nay as I may say leap on his Face
Treatise 3. No Man can exceed bounds in expressing his Abhorrence of Popery provided he forbear reflecting upon innocent Persons as I have carefully done for certainly the Malignity of tâ—…e Romish Religion and Clergy goes beyond all Expression or Idea and if I have Reason on my side as it appears I have all honest Papists will think theâ—…selves obliged to me foâ—… disabusing them and if they can convict me of a Mistake I am wiâ—…ling to bear the reproach of it The Wits of this Age will perhaps find fault with my Stile and manner of Expression and complain that it is dull and not genteel for most People now a days look for a fine Stile in Books But besides that my Matter will not admit of a flâ—…urishing Stile nor sallies of Fancy I freely own that I am none of those who are fond of the Title of a fine Wit an Orator or Polite Writer I am concent if I can discover in my rude Method such things as are of the highest Importance and Use to Men and Christians which no body else hath taken notice of And I hope that those who love Solid and Important Discoveries and the Order and Good of the Commonwealth will do me Iustice. Those that have finer Pens tâ—…an I may perhaps Handle this Subject better after me Correct my Faults Supply my Defects and Add to my Discoveries it being a Maxim as true â—…s common Facile est inventis addere For my own part I must confess that I expect more from Works of this naâ—…ure towards the Destruction of Popery than from all the Books of Controversies that shall be writ henceforward Great Men never Read them and for the most part they govern themselves meerly by sensible Reasons and Visible Interest Those that I propose here are Uncontrovertible beyond all Exception and Intelligible to People of the meanest Capacities if they have but patience to hear them so that all that remains to be Controverted is the degree of the Mischief occasioned by Popery and whether it be so great as Ihave represented it or not I have chosen to insist on the Instance of France to prove the infinite Malignity of the Romish Religion rather than on that of any other Popish State because that Country is best known to me and that last year I undertook to make it appear that the Ruin of France proceeded mostly from Popery so that â—…is Treatise is an Appendix of that I am forced contrary to my inclination to represent the Mischiefs of the Government of France but what I say is the Truth and with no design to offend any Man my intention being only to display the desperate Malignity of Popery I own that those who Govern in France are endowed with many greaâ—… and rare Qualities but Popery striveth continually either to Stiste them or to Employ tâ—…em to base and pernicions Ends. There is nothing more certain than that all would do well there were it not for the Popish Clergy and especially the Iesuites whâ—… carry the chief Sway in that Nation I propose â—…o other end to my self in this but to serve the Church of God and my present Country the Kingdom of England in which I have hitherto found some Bread and where I hope I shall not be suffered to starve in time to come Whereas on the contrary I have been robb'd of all in France for serving Goâ—… according to my own Conscience and it 's probable that if I and others â—…ad slaid there till now we should not only have been dâ—…riev'd of our Lives but had the same endeavours us'd to ruine our Souls that have been made use of to ruine those of others And moreover it may be easily evinced that all I say might be of infinite advantage to France if she knew how to make use of it seeing she might thereby become abâ—…ndantly moâ—… Rich Poâ—…ent and Happy than ever she was So that in tâ—… respect I discover a thousand times more Love for France than those do who Govern her or than indâ—…d she discovers for her self THE Translator's Letter TO THE Book-Seller SIR THE following Book being now Traâ—…slated must take its Faâ—…e in the World The Worthy Author hath performed his part to Admiration and as it became a Grandson of the Greâ—…t du Plesfis Mornay though under a much greater Disadvantage than he Thâ—… Grandfather when he wrote his Books which have eterniz'd his Fame was one of the chief of the Protestants of France then a flourishing and formidable â—…ody and abounded in all things necessary for his Undertaking but the Grandson on the contrary hath had much ado to escape with his Life and is cast upon our Island as part of the valuable Wreck of that once renown'd Protestant Church Yet in that forlorn Condition with little encouragement from Men and as little help of Books he hath given us many proofs of his Zeal and Abilities to serve the Protestant Interest His Book Entituled The Desolation of France demonstrated c. met with deservâ—…d Applaufe and if the dignity of the Subject depth of Thought and strength of Argument have any influence upon Mankind there 's no Reason to think that this he now offers to the Publick can meet with less As for the Translation which is my own part you know I have performed it duâ—…ing a hurry of other business so that if it be passable English it is as much as you can expect The Author will bear me witness that I have kept to his Sense and indeed as there is something uncommon in his Thought there is the same in his manner of Expression which is more adapâ—…ed to inform the Judgment than to please the Fancy and therefore to have attempted to set off or rather to disguise by flourishes of Stile what the Author designed should be intelligible to every one would have been an injury to the pattern he hath set me I have nothing to add but that as in the last Century God raised up many great Men â—…o discover the False Doctrines of the Râ—…mish Church which made such People as had any due regard to their Salvation to come out of her Who knows â—…ut that he same Providence by raising up others to disâ—…over the Pâ—…li ical Mischiefs of that Religion to Kingdoms and States mâ—…y thereby stir up the Kings and Princes of thâ—… Earth to hate the Whore and burn her flesh with fire That this mâ—…y be one of the effects of this Book the best if nâ—…t the only Treaâ—…ise that ever was writ upon the Subject and that it maâ—… Aâ—…swer your Expectâ—…tion and Procure the Author that Reâ—…pect and Esteem which he deserves â—…rom all good Men is the unfeigned wish and hearty desire of Your humble Servant G. Ridpath ERRATA PAg. 2. line 27. less read more p. 56. l. 34. r. Flesh-meat p. 59. l. 27. r. bought in Lent p. 60. l. 7. VIOLENC r. Violence p. 113. l. 5. r. But when shall they be able to do it p.
cursed sort of Politicks into the same quite contrary to that which the Law of God prescribes but suited indeed to her owâ—… Doctrine and Morals by which after she hath blinded the Eyes of Princes and People she leads them whither she pleases It is certain that if Princes and Magistrates applyed themselves as they ought if it were no more but for their own Temporal Interest and the good of the State to make the Laws of God to be observed by punishing Delinquents severely and if the Church concurring with the Magistrates did her best by Doctrine Example and Discipline and if every particular Person would also do their Duâ—…y they would see their Dominions Provinces Cities and Families flourish otherwise than ever they did hitherto If it were thus no Body would do to another what they would not have done to themselves Every one would have his own Industry and Diligence would be much more in Vogue than 't is Injustice which Reigns so much at present in Courts of Judicature and elsewhere Rapine Robbery Idleness Imposture Cozenage and Deceit in Matters of Religion which have rendred the Popish Clergy so powerful by the Ruin of the People Bankrupts Coiners Murders Knights of the Post Lying Unfaithfulness all of them so contrary to the Repose and Prosperity of Countries would be banish'd in a great measure Cruelty and Perfidiousness so essential to the Church of Rome Incontinence which at this day makes such a Ravage amongst Men and is look'd on as a meer trifle without Punishment or Publick Censure tho I make bold to say it is the root of all other Crimes and occasions more Disorders at present than Murder and Robbery both because those are in some measure punished Drunkenness Unfaithfulness in Treaties and publick and private Contracts the Spirit of Tyranny in Princes towards their Subjects the Rebellion of Subjects against their Princes the Disobedience of Children to their Parents c. all of them so contrary to Commerce Propagation and the Repose of People should be exterminated for the most part In a word Vice being either banished or repressed by the method of this true Policy Vertue would take place by which Nations should prosper at another rate than they do and Princes would be incomparably more Potent In this case also Men would be abundance more long-liv'd healthful and vigorous Marriages would become more numerous by which together with the mildness of the Government the Industry and Diligence of all sorts of People Countries would become infinitely more populous Once more still I will adventure to say that it is in the Holy Scriptures alone that those wise Politicks are to be found which are capable of enriching a Nation and making it potent So that the false Politicians of the World have sought for it in vain elsewhere for so many Ages and all of them complain that they could never hitherto find it This does not hinder but the Wisdom of God out of his profound and just Judgment suffers Tyrants sometimes to prosper in their wicked Designs by contrary Maxims as may be seen by the example of the Popes who making use of the Credit that they had acquird in the Quality of Bishops of Rome to domineer over Sovereigns and their People under pretence of Religion have subjected both the one and the other by Millions of Crimes of all sorts This is so far from destroying what I have said that it confirms the same for if they have rais'd themselves by those wicked methods they have done incredible Mischiefs to Mankind which is just the same as in every Country and City there are Villains who succeed in Robberies and Injustice though they be look'd upon with horror as the plagues of Society who violate the Laws of God and the State and deserve to be totally rooted â—…ut This is it which hath oblig'd the Popes in order to cover their Injustice as I have already said to corrupt and change the Law of God and to conceal the Scriptures from the People and after having established Morals contrary thereunto to over-turn the Doctrine of the Faith that so there might be a proportion betwixt the Maxims of their Government and their Opinions and that their Tyranny might not be discovered by the inequality betwixt them This is it that brought forth the Fine Doctrine of Transubstantiation of the Sacrifice of the Mass the Inâ—…allibility of the Church and many others For if they had not over-turn'd the Rights of God and Man in their Doctrine and Worship as well as in the Government and Discipline of the Church and if they had not extinguished all the Light of Revelation as well as that of Reason the Light that should have remained in the Doctrine would have discover'd their Tyranny and Injustice and the intention they had to make themselves Masters of the World and bring the same under their subjection So likewise if their Ecclesiastical Government their Maxims and Practice had been conformable to the Scriptures and good Sense and had contain'd nothing contrary to good Order and the Prosperity of People and Nations and that together with this the Doctrine and Worship of their Church had been extravagant and senseless as they are at present Men would have still preserved one of their Eyes and not have been altogether so blind but must have perceived the falshood and injustice of the one or the other that is to say either of the Doctrine which the Popes had impos'd upon them or of their Conduct in the Government of their Church and so would either have demanded a Reformation or shook off their Yoke so that it 's visible that it was absolutely necessary for the Interest of the Church of Rome that their Morals and also the External Government of their Church and in one word their whole Tyrannical Economy and their Doctrines should answer one another It is nothing but Ambition at the bottom w ch hath occasion'd all these Disorders and that also by degrees for no one Man could form the project thereof all at once but during the many Ages that this Mystery of Iniquity has been at work the Court of Rome has improv'd all Occasions and the Circumstances of Time Place and Persons All this is apparently come to pass very naturally and by the little that we know of the Corruption of Mens Hearts we may perceive that those who are very Ambitious are able to commit insensibly and by degrees proportionably to the Opposition they meet with whether it be by the Established Laws or by Men millions of Crimes and trample under Foot all Laws Humane and Divine We have all of us those Seeds of Injustice and Pride and if God did not restrain us by his Providence but presented such opportunities unto us as he hath done to the Popes to become Masters of the World we should by degrees become as wicked as they Nemo repente fit turpissimus No Man arrives to the height of Wickedness but by degrees and in
or suffered a Religion so ridiculous and ruinous to Sovereigns and their People and so contrary to good Manners to take place and be the Religion of the State This Treatise which proves so evidently and in a Method suited to the Capacity of the most Ignorant and Unlearned Persons thé Falshood and Transcendent Malignity of the Church of Rome and her Religion and which I defie all or any of them ever to answer will hence-forward take off the Mask from all the Hypocritical Clergy of that Church who though they believe nothing of their Religion themselves yet they pretend to be sincerely of her Communion under a Counterfeit Allegation that the Holy Scripture is Obscure and that the said Church is Infallible whereas they are in good earnest retain'd in her Communion meerly by their Love of Ease and the World and a Spirit of Profanity that they may enjoy the Sensual Pleaâ—…ures and Carnal Delights which are the Lot or Inheritance of the Romish Clergy So that henceforward the Popish Clergy can't but be understood ev'n in Popish Countries themâ—…elves to be the greatest Enemies of the State and of Mankind And henceforward we shall have reason also to look upon all the other Papists who can read or have heard those Reasons Disâ—…ours'd of as Impious Profane People without Religion and that Love nothing but the World if they still continue in the unhappy Communion of that great Harlot seeing her Shame and Uncleanness cannot in any wise be conceal'd We shall moreover have more Reason now than ever to look upon all Protestants Great or Small Princes or Subjects that renounce the Reformation or rather Christianity to embrace Popery as declared Enemies of the State seeing Popery is so evidently prov'd to be the Bane of all Countries where it is the obtaining Religion Nor can we in particular entertain any more favourable Opinion of those English â—…rotestants who continue Jacobites though they do not change their Religion This should also make such Protestants blush who entertain or rather would bring others to entertain a good Opinion of the Church of Rome as if it were still a True Church and comparable in any degree to the Church of England or other Reformed Churches whereas there 's no more comparison to be made between them than between Christ and Belial the Temple of God and that of Idols I hope also by this way of writing to deliver the World from abundance of Disputes and Vain Questions about the Popes Supremacy whether he be the Center of Unity the Source and Fountain of Ecclesiastical Ministry that is of the Mission of all Bishops and Ministers to which Pretensions he has no more Right than the Muphti as also about the Insallibility of the Pope and his Church Transubstantiation Invocation and Adoration of Saints and Angels and a thousand Inanimate Creatures in which Vain and Foolish Disputes the Protestants lost abundance of Time in endeavouring to convince the Popish Clergy of the Folly and Falshood of those Opinions which they themselves know to be False as well as we and without Foundation and laugh at us in their sleeve that we should think them so simple as to believe those nonsensical and ridiculous Opinions If they believed their own Doctrines and pretended Mysteries they would not prosaâ—…e them as they do forcing People by a thousand torments to go to their Mass and to swallow down their pretended God of Bread which the Protestants profess publickly to abominate as they do their other Mysteries By this means I hope I have also delivered our Divines from a sort of Necessity they lay under by reason of their Controversies with the Papists to read again and again those Books call'd the Fathers Ecclesiastical History the History of Councils the School-Divines Canonists and Decretals of the Popes c. which are all of 'em Vain Studies for the most part yet they were oblig'd to spend a great deal of time in following them which might have been better improved in applying themselves only to Meditating and searching out the Meaning of the Holy Scriptures which haâ—… been much better understood since the Reformation than in all the Ages preceding and is the only Study in which a Mans whole Life can be profitably spent Hence we may also perceive of how little consequence it is to us in regard of our Controversies with the Church of Rome to know which of the two Histories of the Council of Trent is the Truest and most Faithful viz. that of the Incomparable Fra. Paolo or that of the Profane Candinal Pallavicini call'd of a long time his New Gospel which does not deserve to be read seeing we have a thousand other stronger Proofs of the Impiety of the Court of Rome and their pretended Religion than that History of Father Paolo though excellent in it self as to the Matter of Fact We may very well say that the Council of Constance and Lateran did Evidence and Establish as great Impieties as the Council of Trent diverse Ages before it That which was most fatal to Christianity in that Impious last Council was that all the Idolatries and Heresies of the Church of Rome as also her Tyranny were therein Consecrated and Established in Form of Laws with Anathemas so that if there were any remainder of Christianity in that pretended Church before the Council of Trent which is indeed very much to be doubted it was absolutely destroyed thereby especially if we consider that by Vertue of the Decisions of that pretended Council where the Protestants could not assist because it was not free and all was done therein by Bribes Violence and Treachery against the Protestations of almost all the Princes of Europe even Papists who had demanded a Free Council By Vertue I say of the Decisions of that Profane and Impious Assembly the Pope and his Clergy did afterwards put in practise all the Cruelties and Barbarities imaginable in order to quench the Light of the Gospel in the Blood of the Reformers and did also highly raise the fury of their Inquisition which Tribunal alone proves the absolute Reprobation of the Romish Church better than any thing that was done in the Council of Trent The Church of Rome has retain'd nothing of Christianity but the Name and some small Appearances of it in order to enrich her self by them just as the Rouers of Algiers who put out a Christian Flag when they design to enslave and swallow up the Christians for at the bottom there 's nothing in the Church of Rome but Idolatry Perfidiousness Cruelty and Tyranny It would seem reasonable also that after so many and so evident prooss that the Pope is the greatest Enemy of all the Christian States and of Christianity it self that Protestant Travellers should be more scrupulous to kiss the Popes Foot when they are at Rome For 't is not as a Temporal Prince that the Pope imposes upon them such as Ignominious and Abject Submission but as the Antichrist or Vicar of
And can any Society be more guilty of this than the Church of Rome who orders those of her Communion to violate all the Commandments of God all the Maxims of Christianity and all the Laws of Nature and Society to Convert Men as she calls it to her Religion Can there be any thing more effronted and impudent than that pretended Church when in her Debates with us she asserts also as I have said already her own Infallibility in Pillaging Ruining and laying Desolate those Nations that submit to her Yoke and likewise by denying that there was any Persecution in France or that their pretended Sacrament is Real Bread c. To what purpose is it to Dispute of Religion with such a Church which for several Ages hath impudently Anathematiz'd those who Communicate in both kinds though she own'd at the same time that Jesus Christ commanded we should do so when he instituted that Sacrament and that the Apostles and Primitive Church did the like It exceedingly delights the Popish Clergy so find the Protestants seriously Disputing against their Ridiculous Doctrines for they value themselves upon it as having Wit enough to make all their Extravagancies seem Problematical at least For it requires as much ingenuity to put a fair colour on their Follies as if a Man should undertake to prove that the Devil loves Truth Justice and Holiness or that that which is call'd Truth and Holiness is False and Sinful What delight would not the Devil take to hear Men Disputing whether he is to be Worshipp'd and Religiously Served as well as God This comparison is not too harsh for in many places of the Scripture the Adoration of Creatures both Animated and Inanimated such as the Papists are guilty of is call'd The Adoration of Devils to drink the Cup of Idols is call'd a drinking the Cup of Devils to Sacrifice to Idols as the Papists do when they Invoke and Adore so many Creatures in Heaven or Earth and when they offer the Sacrifice of their Mass to pretended Saints who are dead and meer Idols that 's call'd in Scripture a Sacrisice to Devils the Adoration of Images of Gold and Silver is joyn'd with the Adoration of Devils And several Doctrines which seem to be none of the most Impious of the Romish Church are call'd the Doctrines of Devils such as is their prohibiting their Ecclesiasticks to Marry and eating such and such sorts of Meat c. I mention all this by the by without quoting the places of Scripture because I am no Divine but those who read the Scriptures know what I say is true They know also that the Romish Church is call'd in Scripture by the Names of Sodom Egypt and Babylon as if the Spirit of God had fought for the harshest Terms to denote to us in some degree the infinite Malignity of the Romish Church which is beyond all Expression and Idea Their Clergy I say take a great delight to see our Divines busied in confuting their Opinions as those who undertake the Apology of Folly do when they see others seriously confuting their foolish Arguments If it were not for the Riches of Popery and the Princes and the numbers of People who follow that Beast and false Prophet according to the Prophecies of the New Testament it would appear to the Judgment of the Papists themselves the most Execrable Religion that ever was and I hope there will come a time when all the World will be amazed to understand by History that there hath ever been in the World such a Portentous and Monstrous Religion as that is I promis'd at the beginning of this Work to demonstrate the great Advantages which the King and Kingdom of France might reap by abolishing Popery in order to shew by that single example what Advantage other Popish Nations might reap by the same and the great ones that England and other Protestant Countries enjoy by the Reformation I shall therefore now say that should it please God to put it into the heart of the K. of France who Reigns at present and who of a long time seems to a great many people to be destin'd to do great things to deliver his Kingdom from the Tyranny of the Pope he would reap abundance of more true glory from it before God and Man than he would have done had he been able to conquer the whole World That would be an Action truly Heroick infinitely greater than any thing he hath done hitherto and would be a clearer demonstration to the World that he â—…ath a Great and Noble Soul This return to God to Himself and to his People would compensate for all the past Miscarriages of his Reign and preserve those great Titles which have either been given him by others or assum'd by himself as also the Glory of all the great things that he may have done Then indeed he would deserve the Title of Most Christian King which can never be properly given to a Popish Prince because Popery and Christianity are Antipodes to one another at least as much as darkness is to ligâ—…t It is well known that ever since he ascended the Throne the honester sort of Papists in that Kingdom have entertain'd hopes that this great and glorious Prince would deliver it from the Popes disgraceful Yoke by creating a Patriarch But the Court of Rome by the pernicious Counsels of her Clergy who have sold themselves to Iniquity diverted him from that design by inspiring him with false Ideas of the Glory and Grandeur he would acquire by extirpating the Protestant Religion which they call Heresie out of his Kingdom that is to say to persecute such True Christians as were in the same with all manner of Fury in order to subject them to the Pope instead of making War upon that Grand Enemy of Jesus Christ the greatest that ever he had or can have It must be confessed that the design of establishing a Patriarch in France was very considerable seeing by that means they had design'd to deliver the Kingdom from a Foreign Yoke as ruinous as possible but it must be acknowledged on the other hand that it would be abundantly and more assuredly Glorious and Advantagious to Reform the National Religion entirely from so many frightful Errors in Doctrine and so great a number of Customs and Superstitions that are pernicious to the State and were introduc'd into the same under the favour of that profound darkness which the Tyranny of the Pope hath spread therein and which in their turn maintain and support that Tyranny For if we consider things duly that horrid Darkness and Ignorance could not have been dissipated by the meer Creation of a Patriarch for notwithstanding that most of those ruinous Disorders represented in the forementioned 18 Articles would still have continued because they are the natural Dependances and Necessary Consequences of the other Principles of the Romish Religion which would have remain'd entire notwithstanding the Creation of a Patriarch the Abolition of the Papal
Authority only being excepted Besides such an Inconsiderable Change as this the rest of the Popish Religion being continued would neither have been Advantagious for the Salvation of Men Glorious to the King nor Profitable to the State For Idolatry and the other Heresies remaining there would have always been an Impossibility of being saved in that Religion and the greatest part of the Oppression attending it being also continued the people would have had but little relief by it nor would the King of France have reap'd the fourth part of the Advantage which he might expect from a thorough Reformation Neither is it to be thought that so small a change could be solid and durable for at the bottom it 's certain that it 's the Popes who have made the Religion of the Church of Rome to be what it is either by corrupting the Doctrine of the Apostles or Adopting the Idolatry and Worship of the Pagans or by Forging now and then new Articles of Faith for their own private Interest and that of their Clergy And it is certain that their Religion is founded on no other Authority but that of the Pope and therefore Cardinal Pallavicini had reason to say in his History of the Council of Trent call'd by some his New Gospel Tutti gli Articoli della Religione unitamente considerati non hanno altra certezza prossima ed immediata che l'Autorita del summo Pontefice i. e. that all the Articles of their Religion considered together have no other certain and immediate foundation but the Authority of the Pope So that if we reason consequentially from this Principle the Popish Religion cannot be preserved but by the preservation of the Papal Authority from which it derives all the Authority that gives it any value in the eyes of the World It is also probable that if a greater Reformation were not made immediately upon the Creation of a Patriarch the Popes Authority would be again Re-established â—…or he should without doubt have always a great Party in the Kingdom under the â—…avour of that horrid Darkness which must have continued therein if it had been no other but for the Jesuites and Monks who would be constantly Jealous that the Patriarch would pair their Nails One Party of the Nation would always have entertained a Correspondence with the Popes Friends being united by their Communion in the same Religion excepting the Opinion of the Authority of the Pope tho'some would have made semblance of rejecting that too for fear of their King yet they would effectually endeavour the Re-establishment of the Papal Authority And so much the more that the Court of Rome would have been prodigal of their Treasures and have spar'd nothing on this occasion to maintain their Tyranny And moreover iâ—… the King who had created a Patriarch should come to have died before the Reformation should have been compleated and a Prince of less Authority had Succeeded there would have been an end of the Patriarchat This erecting of a Patriarch would not have pleased the Popish Princes neither so that they would have joyned with the Pope and the Party that adher'd to him in France and would either have stirr'd up Civil Wars there or have made War upon it themselves Nor could this imperfect Change have satisfied the Protestant Princes who would always have look'd upon France as Idolatrous and Heretical and ready to return again to wallow in that mire whence she had made some Effort to get out and begun to lift up her head so that they would never put any confidence in her It should happen to France in this case as it always happens to Neutral Princes in the quarrels of Neighbouring Potentates their Neutrality does not reconcile them with their Enemies nor yet procure â—…hem any Friends Neutralitas neâ—… Amicos pariâ—… neque Inimicos tollit saith Tacitus In such cases we must be either t'one or t'other and avoid that which is call'd Consilia Media Such a faint Reformation would have serv'd for nought but to awake all the Malice of the Pope and the Mischievous Ecclesiasticks of the Kingdom who would have reap'd the same Advantage from this that a strong Man does from the Impotent Menaces of his Enemy which serve only to put him on his Guard and set him at Work to prevent the threatned Mischief according to the Italian Proverb Le Minaccie sono l'Armi del Minacciaâ—…o Threats sound an allarum to the threatned Man to take Arms either to deâ—…end himself or offend his Enemy as occasion requires Whereas if the King of France did not do things by halves but should together with his Subjects renounce all at once the false Doctrines Worship Superstition and Abuses of the Church of Rome and Free his Kingdom from that Tyranny by Establishing the light of the Gospel to enlighten his People amongst whom it is hid under a Candlestick he might assure himself that such an Evangelical Reformation would be followed by unexpressible Advantages to himself and his People both in regard of Temporal and Eternal Life Some may perhaps object that such a compleâ—…t and sudden Reformation must needs shake the Kingdom of France and that there 's no passing so suddenly from one Extream to another without danger that is to say from the thick darkness of Popery to the bright shining light of Christianity and therefore it muâ—…t be done gradually as our Saviour did when he restored sight to the Blind they did not at first see all Objects disâ—…inctly but Men walking like Trees and that God does not make us pass from the dark night to the bright day but by the dawning of the Morning and therefore according to that Wisdom it were proper first to Establish a Patriarchat in France before they endeavour a Gospel-Reformation To this I answer That as to the Authority of the Pope which the Creation of a Patriarch would have over-turn'd all the Parliaments of France and amongst others that of Paris all Persons of Learning Sense and Honesty ev'n amongst the Clergy themselves do not acknowledge that Authority in their heart nay they despise all other Doctrines contrary to those of the Protestants as being evidently false or unprofitable The Kings Authority and the Respect or Fear that they have for him are the only Ties which retain them lest he should destroy or ruine them if they did â—…urn Protestants They have had many Doctors of a long time who have opened their Eyes in regard of the Popes Authority and diverse other such Doctrines as the Chancellor Gerson and the Drs. Richer de Launoy the Author of the Book call'd Les Moyens Seurs Honnetes Sure and Honest Methods Elias Du Pin and many other without mentioning the Books of Protestants and besides the Jansenists the New Philosophy and the present Quietists do something of that Nature And there 's ground of hope that all the Nation will be moved at the infinite number of Mischiess which Popery occasions in the State when they are