him Infallible which point is stretched to the utmost by the Jesuits because if that stands fast all the rest is soon proved Wherefore what has been taught formerly and if I am not mistaken is taught even to this Day by the Doctors of the Sorbon viz. that the Councils are equal to or rather above the Pope is destructive to the very fundamental Constitution of the Popish Monarchy since this Doctrine smells strongly of a Democracy which is directly contrary to a Monarchy And it is not easily to be reconciled how the Pope who pretends to have such great Prerogatives above all others should be subject to the Censure of his Cretures and Vassals For as they will have it whatsoever either the Holy Scripture or the antient Fathers have attributed to the Church ought altogether to be applied to the Pope in like manner as what is spoken of a whole Kingdom is commonly to be understood of the King The Laiety has been debarred from reading the Holy Scripture by which means not only the Authority of the Clergy is maintained among the People as if the Priests were the only Men that have a privilege to approach to the Divine Oracles but also the Laiety is thereby prevented from finding out those points in the Scripture which are repugnant to the Interest of the Clergy For if the People should once get a true Understanding of the Scripture they would not be so forward to follow so blindly the Instructions of the Priests They also by this means prevent the Laiety from diving too deeply into Divinity which they pretend belongs only to the Clergy and for this reason it is that they attribute the Power of explaining the Scripture to the Pope only that nothing may be brought to light which may in any ways be prejudicial to the spiritual Monarchy For the same reason the Pope pretends to have the sole Authority of deciding all Controversies whatsoever It is also given out among the People that the Holy Scripture is imperfect which must be explained by antient Traditions whereby they gain this point that if they invent any Doctrine for the Interest of the spiritual State whereof there is not the least footsteps to be found in the Holy Scripture they without any other proof may only have recourse to the antient Traditions The distinction betwixt Venial and Mortal Sins as also what is alledged de casibus reservatis is barely invented for the benefit of the Clergy That infinite number of Books of Confession enough to fraight whole Fleets withal is not published with an intention to correct Vices but that by laying a Tax upon the same the Clergy may the better be able to maintain their Grandeur and satisfie their Avarice The most comfortable Doctrine of remission of Sins has wholly been accommodated to the Interest of the Clergy For because it would not have turned to the profit of the Clergy if every one who truly repented should obtain remission of his Sins only by Faith in the Merits of Christ it has been the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that it was an essential piece of penitence and the means to obtain forgiveness of Sins if a most exact and precise account of every individual Sin committed was given to the Priest By which means they not only keep the People under their Devotion and make such impressions upon them as are fitting for their purpose but they also come thereby to the knowledge of all Secrets Counsels Designs and Inclinations of the People which they make good use of for their benefit notwithstanding that they are under an obligation not to reveal any thing that is told them by way of Confession for else it would be impossible for them to persuade the People to act against the natural Inclination of all Mankind The Priest has also a Power to command works of satisfaction to be done whereby he commonly has his good share For tho' certain Prayers Pilgrimages Fasts Flagellations and the like are often imposed upon them for Penances yet they also very often condemn some and especially the richer sort in a good sum of Money to be given instead of a Penance to a certain Monastery Church or the Poor among whom are the Mendicant-Fryars These honest Fellows call themselves minimos fratrum according to the 25. Chap. of St. Matthew that they may have a fair shining pretence to fill their Purses For by this Interpretation the Christains have got this benefit that they are obliged to feed and maintain 100000 lazy idle Fellows Besides this the first sort of Penance may be redeemed with Money if you think it too hard to be performed And who that is wealthy would not be civil and liberal towards his Father-Confessour to oblige him to a mitigation of the Penance or because he has already shewed himself favourable before Why good Works have been made meritorious and the means of obtaining Salvation from God Almighty is easily to be guessed For when they were to give a definition of good Works they were sure to put in the first place that the Pople ought to be liberal towards the Clergy Churches and Monasteries and to perform every thing which is commanded them by the Pope and his adherents tho' never so full of Superstition and Hypocrisy Neither must this be forgot that they also have taught that the Monks are not only able to perform good Works sufficient for themselves but that also they have an overplus of Merits which they can fell to the Laiety And out of this overplus they have laid up an inexhaustible store very profitable to the Clergy which costs them nothing which does not grow musty nor ever decays and which cannot be returned upon their hands when the Buyer finds out the Cheat. Their Religious Exercises are so full of Ceremonies so many superfluous Feasts and Processions are instituted so many Chapels are Altars erected only to employ so great a number of Clergymen who else would appear like so many idle Fellows whereas now it turns all to their profit which is also the reason why they have encreased the number of Sacraments of seven since they know that none of them can be administred but the Priest gets by it The Mass without Communicants has been introduced and proclaimed a Sacrifice both for the dead and the living that they might have an opportunity to put both the dead and the living under Contribution For no body undertakes any thing of moment but he has a Mass sung first for the good success of the thing in hand No body of wealth dyes but he orders a good store of Masses to be sung for his Soul all which brings grist to the Priest's Mill. On the other hand after it once was become an abuse that the Laiety did receive the Sacrament without partaking of the Cup it was made into a Law And tho' the contrary was very evident both by the Institution of Christ and
year presents the Pope with a white Horse and some thousands of Ducats What other Pretensions the Court of Rome makes are out of date For the rest these Countries are indifferently Populous and Fertile having several Cities of Note out of which the Pope receives a Revenue of two Millions per annum And the Popes Ministers take effectual care that their Subjects may not be overgrown in riches Perhaps there might be a considerable number of good Soldiers maintained out of the Ecclesiastick Estate but his Military strength is scarce worth taking notice of since he makes use of quite other means to preserve his State than other Princes do He maintains about twenty Gallies which have their Station at Civita Vecchia The chief State maxim of the Pope as a Temporal Prince is that Peace may be preserved in Italy and that Italy may remain in the same State as it is now and especially that there may not be introduced any other Sovereign Power which might prove so formidable as to domineer over the rest He must take great care that the Turks may not get footing in Italy and in case of an Invasion from the Turks not only Italy would be obliged to join against them but also whole Christendom must be called in to help to chase out these Barbarians since no Christian Prince would be contented that this delicious Country should fall into their hands The Pope has nothing to fear more from the German Empire as long as it remains upon the same Foundation But if it should fall under the Government of an Absolute Monarch it is likely he might attempt to renew the Antient Pretensions Spain and France are the two Kingdoms which are most formidable to the Pope Against them the Pope makes use of this Maxim that he either sets them together by the Ears or at least keeps up the Ballance betwixt them that one may not become quite Master of the other I am apt to believe that the Pope would be glad with all his heart that the Spaniards were driven out of Italy especially out of the Kingdom of Naples But it is scarce to be supposed that he should be able to do it by his own strength and to make use of the French in this case would be to fall out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire Therefore all what the Pope can do is to take care that Spain may not encroach upon others in Italy and there is no question but if the Spaniards should attempt any such thing France and all the other Italian States would be ready to oppose their design Neither can it be pleasing to the Pope if the King of France should get so much footing in Italy as to be able to sway Matters there according to his pleasure which the Pope ought to prevent with all his might The Pope need not fear much from the other States of Italy For tho' some of them are under hand his Enemies and dread his Spiritual Power some of them also have been chastised by the Court of Rome nevertheless they must at least in outward appearance pay to the Pope a due Veneration neither dare they as much as devise to make any Conquests upon the Pope Notwithstanding this they would not look with a good Eye upon the Pope if he should pretend to make any Conquests upon his Neighbours and enlarge his Dominions this refined Nation being extreamly jealous and desirous to keep up the ballance betwixt the States of Italy § 30. But if we consider the Pope secondly as the Spiritual Monarch of Christendom and the Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth we meet in this Spiritual State with such surprising and subtile pieces that it must be confessed that since the beginning of the World there has not been set up a more artificial Fabrick than the Popish Monarchy It has required the more sagacity to erect and sustain this Structure the more the ends of this Sovereignty are quite different from the ends of all other States in the World and the more feeble the Title appears upon which it is founded For it is the main end of other Commonwealths to live in Security and Peace for the maintaining of which the Subjects contribute a share out of their Goods and Possessions nay venture their lives that they may sufficiently provide against the attempts of malicious People and live in security and without danger from their Enemies And besides this it is the Duty of every Subject to take care that he may be able to maintain himself out of his own Revenues or by his Labour and Industry But the Popish Monarch's chief design is that the Popes and the Clergy may live in Plenty and Splendour in this World all which is to be maintained at the Cost and Charge of other People who must be perswaded to part with their Money by several shining Arguments and artificial Persuasions And whereas other States are fain to maintain their Forces and Garrisons with great Expences the Pope on the contrary entertains his Militia without any Charge but rather with Profit to himself And whereas it is also a State Maxim among the wiser Princes not to extend their Conquests too far the Pope has no occasion to imitate them in this point since it is neither dangerous nor troublesome to him tho' he extends his Jurisdiction over the East and West Indies The Rights of Sovereignty are founded upon evident and undeniable Principles and divine Institution since without it it is impossible that mankind should live honestly securely commodiously and decently But to find out the same necessity and foundation of the Pope's Sovereign Authority and to demonstrate that as the Peace and Welfare of Mankind cannot subsist without a supreme Civil Power so the Christian World cannot be without a supreme Ecclesiastical Power is in my mind impossible to be done He that is unwilling to believe this let him find out a demonstrative proof and he will be the miracle of the World But if the Pope's Champions pretend to a positive Command from God Almighty they are obliged to prove by clear and evident proofs and that in all its clauses and determinations out of the Holy Scripture that our Saviour when he sent his Disciples all over the World to preach the Christian Faith did give them full Power not only to propagate the Christian Doctrine among all Nations and not to be dependent on any humane Power in their Office so as thereby to be hindered from preaching or forced to add or retrench any thing from their Doctrine which Power is unquestionable But also that they had a Power granted them to put into the Ministry of the Gospel and that without the Consent of the Magistrates tho' the same professed the true Christian Religion as many and whom they pleased that they also might grant to these again full Power to increase their Order to such a number as they should think fit themselves without having any regard to the
Universities but they have also engrossed to themselves the Instruction of the Youth in the Schools that they might have all the opportunity so to guide and direct them in their Studies that they might not only not prove prejudicial but rather advantageous to the Kingdom of Darkness For by this way of managing the Youth they have not only acquired vast Riches and Authority to their Order but also have been very instrumental in maintaing the Popish Monarchy which they are bound to do by a particlar Vow above all the other Monks They make it their business to imprint into the tender minds of the Youth a Veneration for the Pope and so to guide their inclinations as they think it most profitable to the State of the Church They use the young people from their infancy to persist obstinately in their conceived Opinions and that no Reasons ought to prevail against them whereby they render them incapable of ever attaining the knowledge of Truth They have also an opportunity throughly to investigate and discover the Capacities and Inclinations of their Disciples which they make good use of to their advantage whenever these are imployed in State Affairs But such as they find of an extraordinary Capacity or abounding in Wealth they endeavour by all means to draw into their Order So that the main intention of their School Discipline which is so famous throughout the World is to uphold the Pope's Sovereignty They boast of extraordinary methods to teach the Latin Tongue to young people but they take a particular care that they do not let their Disciples grow too wise except such as are to be received into their Order And because they have by this management of the Youths brought a great many able Men over to their Order and are besides this very gentile and civil in their Conversation in which point they are far above all the other Monks who are most of them full of Incivility and Pedantry they have found means under pretence of being Confessours to creep into most Courts and to insinuate themselves into the very Secrets of the State so that in a great many Courts they have the greatest sway in the Councils And there you may be sure they will never be forgetful of the Popes and their own Interest Nevertheless by their insatiable Avarice and forwardness of medling in all Affairs they have made themselves odious in some places And because the Jesuits have trespassed upon the Authority and advantages of the other Monks who are of more antient Orders these are grown jealous of them to the highest degree Neither ought it to be passed by in silence that the Pope and his adherents pretend to have a right of Censuring and Licensing all Books whatsoever whereby they may easily prevent that nothing may come to light which might prove prejudicial to them And in Censuring of Books they are so impudent as not only to strike out of the antient Authors when the same are to be reprinted at pleasure such passages as they dislike but also they do not stick to insert such new passages as are suitable to their intentions If any Book is to be published in their Territories first the same is exactly revised and corrected And if it should happen by chance that something should be overseen in the first Edition which does not suit with their Interest it is marked in an Index made for that purpose that it may be omitted in the next Edition But the Books of their Adversaries are prohibited nay the reading of them is not allowed but to some particular persons and that not without special leave and these are such as they know to be thorough-paced and intirely devoted to their Interest By so doing they may lay to their Adversaries charge what they please since their Subjects never get sight of the others Refutation It has been a general observation that since the scandalous life of the Monks had not only been very prejudicial to the Popish Monarchy but also that the Protestants had set out their Vices in their natural colours The Papists have bespattered the Protestant Ministers with the same Vices as they were charged withal and have not only representedthe infirmities of some particular persons to the World but also have laid to their charge the most heinous crimes they could invent and afterwards have challenged their Adversaries to prove the contrary which Calumnies have such influence at least upon the simple and common sort of People that it gives them a great aversion to the Protestants They also do not want impudence to set out at a high rate their Miracles Martyrdoms and other great Feats which generally are transacted in far distant Countries by which means they gain a great Credit at least by the inconsiderate multitude Among others Edwin Sandys an English Knight has discovered abundance of these tricks in his Treatise concerning the State of Religion § 36. The Pope also makes use of more violent means to maintain his Authority In former Ages his Excommunication was a most terrible thing when whole Countries were forbidden the exercise of Religious Worship by which means the Popes have often obliged Emperours and Kings to come and creep to the Cross But now adays this Weapon is not frightful to any body except to some petty States in Italy Nevertheless in Spain and Italy they have set up a certain Court which is called the Office of the Holy Inquisition where Information is taken and all such proceeded against as have in any ways tendred themselves suspected of Heresie And it is counted the worst sort of Heresie if any one attempts any thing against the Popish Law and Doctrine or against the Pope's Authority This serves for a Bridle to curb the People withal and to the Inhabitants of those Countries is as terrible as the Plague since matters are transacted with so much severity in this Court that scarce any body that falls under the Inquisition escapes their hands without considerable loss § 37. Though the Supreme Direction and Administration of the Romish Religion together with their other rules which serve to uphold it and have been alledged by us here are a sufficient awe upon the People And besides this the Popish Clergy know how to manage their Affairs with that dexterity as to give some satisfaction to every one so that I am apt to believe that a great many who live under the Popish subjection are verily persuaded to believe what the Priests tell them to be real since they want means and opportunity of being better instructed Nevertheless it is very probable that a great many of the more learned and wises sort are sufficiently convinced in what manner things are carried on among them and that therefore it is in respect of same particular considerations that they do not free themselves from this Yoke I am apt to believe that most are kept back because they do not see how to remedy this Evil And yet they are
first Church The Calumnies against the Primitive Christians The Politick Reasons of the Romans against it The first Church Government What persuasions arise thence Constantine could not quite alter the former State of the Church Of making Bishops Of Presiding in Councils Abuses in the Councilâ— Of the Episcopal Jurisdiction Concerning Marriages Concerning Excommunication The Origin of the Authority of the Popes Barbarity and Ignorance contributed to it The Causes of this ignorance S. Hierom's Dream The Pedantry introduced into the Schools The Greek and Roman Polititians prejudicial to Monarchy Why Rome was made the place of Residence of the Ecclesiastical Monarchy Metropolitans Patriarchs Of the Popes Power Further Increase of the Ecclesiastical Sovereignty What contributed to it The Popes Confirmation of Bishops Of the Monk Winifred Annals Riches of the Church The Policies of the Popes in the Croisade Multitude of Ecclesiasticks Fryars and Nuâ—â— Mendicants The Motives to embrace this manner of Life Prejudicial to the regular Clergy How the Church was freed from all Power over it How the Popes withdrew themselves from their subjction to the Emperours The Pope seeks for Protection in France The Pope withdraws himself from the Obedience of the Emperours and establishes an Ecclesiastical Sovereignty Pope Gregory excommunicates Hen IV. The Pope endeavours to subject the Emperour 1122. Disputes in England about the investiture of Bâ—shops 1107. The Pope prâ—tends to a Power over Princes even to depose them How they colour over this Power The Papal Authority opposed The Schisms much weakned their Power 1433. Hence an occasion taken to bridle the Popes Power by general Councils Concerning the Seat of the Popes being transferred to Avignon Luther gives a great blow to the Grandeur of the Pope The Vertues and Faults of Leo. Luther opposes Indulgences Afterwards the Popes Power The Circumstances of these times The Ignorance of Luther's Adversaries Erasmus favoured Luther The Princes of Germany dissatisfied with the Pope The ill Conduct of Leo and Cardinal Cajetan Why the Doctrine of Luther was not spread farther Divisions among the Protestants The Licenciousness of some Protestants The University of Paris Zwinglius and Calvin The Popish Sovereignty recovered The Bishops Priests and Monks more Regular and Learn'd than heretofore How they make Converts The House of Austria most Zealous for Popery The Temporal State of the Pope His Dominions His Forces How he stands with relation to Germany Spain and France Particular Constitution of the Popish Monarchy as Spiritual Why the Popish Sovereignty was to be exercised in the Form of a Monarchy Way it must be an elective Monarchy Why the Pope was to live in a State of Celibacy The Conclave What Qualifications are necessary for one that is to be chosen Pope College of the Cardinals The Popes enrich thâ—ir Kindred Cardinal Patroon Concerning the Celibacy of the Popish Clergy Their Number The Popish Doctrine suted to the Sâ—â—e As that of the Popâ—â—s Power The prohibition of the Laietya reading the Scripturea Traditions Venial and Mortal Sins Penance Merit of good Works Ceremonies Half Communion Marriage made a Sacrament Extreme Unction Purgatory Reliques Prayers to Saints The Universities have promoted the Popish Sovereignty Why the Jesuits have taken upon them the Education of the Youth Licensing of Books Excommunication and Inquisition Some Reasons why the People remain in the Communion of the Church of Rome What States are tied by a particular Interest to the Church of Rome Italy Poland Portugal Germany Spain France Formalities observed by the Nuncio ' s in France The main Pillar of the Popish Monarchy The Pope's Inâ—lination towards the Protestants No Peace is to be exspected betwixt the Roman Catholicks and Protestants Strength of the Protestants and Papists Divisions of the Protestants Other Inconveniencies The Hugonoâ—s of France to Protestants of Poland Of Germany The best way to preserve the Reformed Religion Whether the Lutherans and those of the Reformed Religion are likely to agree Socinians and Anabaptists Sweden the most antient Kingdom in Europe First Founders of the Gothick Nation Othin or Woden Frotho Battel fought near Brovalla Ingellus Bero. A. C. 829. The Christian Doctrine first taught in Sweden Amund Olaus A. C. 853. Ingo A. C. 890. Erick Erick Seghersell Stenchill the Mild. Olaus The Swedes and Gothes united in one Kingdom Amund Amund Slemme Haquin the Red. Stenchill Ingo the Pious Halstan A. C. 1086. Philip. Ingo A. C. 1138. Ragwold Knaphofde Swercher II. Erick the Holy A. C. 1154. 1160. Charles the Son of Swercher 1168. Cnut Erickson Swercher III. 1207. 1208. 1210. Erick Cnutson 1219. Erick Lespe Celibacy of Clergy introduced in Sweden 1250. Waldemar 1251. 1263. 1266. 1275. Magnus 1279. 1288. 1290. Birger II. 1292. 1298. 1303. 1305. 1308. 1317. 1319. Magnus Smocck 1357. 1361. 1363. Albert Duke of Mecklenburgh 1364. 1365. 1371. 1376. Margaret 12. Sept. 1388. The Battel of Talâ—oping 1394. 1395. Erick Duke of Pomerania Union made at Calmar betwixt Sweden Denmark and Norway 1396. 1410. 1412. Charles Cnutson 1436. 1437. Christopher Duke of Bavaria 1439. 1448. Charles Cnutson Christian I. 1458. 1464. Erick Axelson 1466. 1468. 1470. 1471. 1481. John II. 1497. 1503. 1504. 1511. Steen Sture the younger 1512. 1513. 1520. Gustavus I. 1523. Reformation begun in Sweden First Translation of the New Testament into Swedish 1527. Church Lands reduced in Sweden 1528. The Protestant Religion Established in Sweden 1533. 1542. 1544. The Kingdom of Sweden made Hereditary and the Popish Religion abolished 1556. 1559. Eriâ—k XIV 1561. The Titles of Earls and Barons introduced John III. 1568. 1571. War with the Moscovites 1577. New Liturgy introduced 1582. 1587. 1592. Sigismund 1594. 1598. 1599. 1600. Sigismund deposed 1604. Charles IX Warbetwixt the Swedes and Poles in Livonia 1611. Gustavus Adolphus 1613. Peace with the Muscovites 1617. 1617. 1620. 1626. The War carried on against the Poles in Prussia 1627. 1629. Truce with Poland German War 1626. 1623. 1630. Charles Gustave lands with his Forces in Germany 1631. Alliance made with France The City of Magdeburgh taken by the Imperialists 10 May. Battel near Leipzick 7. Sept. 1637. Battel near Lutzen Nov. 6. King Gustave Adolfe killed Christina 1633. 1634. Aug. 27. Battel of Nordlingen Truce prolonged with the Poles War betwixt the Swedes and Elector of Saxony 1637. 1638. Alliance with France 1641. May 10. 1642. Battel fought near Leipzick Oct. 23. War with Denmark 1644. 1645. Peace with Denmark 1643. July 16. Peace made at Munster and Osnabrug 1654. Jun. 6. Charles Gustave The War with Poland renewed 1656. War with Denmark 1658. Siege of Copenhagen Battel in Tuhnen 1666. Charles IX Peace made with the Poles May 3. May 23. Peace made with Denmark 1674. The Swedes routed by the Elector of Brandenburgh 1678. The nature and qualification of the Swedish Nation Condition of the Country and its Strength Neighbours of Sweden Muscovites Poles Germany Denmark France Holland England Spain and Portugal