call God to witness I speak not what I say out of passion my desire is to see the Church in Charity and Union within it self for this is certain that violence and commination and force have no other effect upon the Hereticks than to exasperate and incense them All other applications are vain to remove the crudeties and ill humours in the Stomach inward Medecines are to be taken and those humours that tare and gnaw the very Bowels of the Church are to be removed before that which corrupts the habit and outward parts only if the Physician purges the body thoroughly within he is assured the outward part cannot remain ill The Governours of the Church the Prelats and the Priests are the Vitals and Interior parts of that Body let them be well purg'd of their Enormities and the Exterior will soon recover If Rome would Cure Rome the Hereticks would be cur'd by their example I have often said it and will assert it again that Hereticks do dayly repair from their several Countries to the City of Rome to observe the Conversation of the Catholicks and imbrace what they esteem most conducible But with what success They come forth Christians they return Turks they enter into Rome with a scrupulous and unsetled Conscience and they go out with a Diabolical they come forth with a desire to become Holy and they go back with a resolution to become Devils for in a word the most part of those that come thither return Atheists home again And all by reason of the innumerable Scandals and Transgressions they observe in the Ecclesiasticks so as there could be nothing more Charitable and Expedient for the Conversion of Hereticks than for the Pope and Cardinals in their great Prudence to begin and effect a thorough Reformation in their Clergy A certain Protestant of Bearne that had been long in Italy and was my particular friend would often tell me He would sooner choose to be a Devil in Hell than a Catholick in Rome and his reason was Because the Devils believe and tremble but the Catholicks did but laugh at it committing greater faults in the Church than they For my better satisfaction I intreated him one day to give me a clearer prospect of his Judgement which willingly he granted and deliver'd it in this manner Sir Homicide is forbidden in the Old Law by Gods express command and by Christs particular Order in the new in short God as God Christ as God and Christ all Laws both Divine and Humane both Natural and Celestial have forbidden Murther Non Occides Yet in Italy nay in Rome it self thousands of Murthers are committed and which is worse the Murderer has no more to do than to betake himself to their Churches I have seen my self some of those Homicides walking in State for their Recreation in those very Churches where but a while before the dead body of him that they had murther'd was bury'd and can any thing be found more Diabolical than this No and without doubt I have good reason for my Resolution of being a Devil rather than a Catholick I did not fail to suggest all the Arguments the Pope and the Church use for the defence of their Sanctuaries but to no purpose for he answer'd and not without passion That the Pope could not make the house of God a refuge for Murtherers expresly against his commands without making the world believe Gods Commandements were false And truly a good Conscience cannot be without some regret as often as he thinks upon Gods express command Thou shalt not kill and on the other side observes the Violators of that Law shelter'd and protected in his house as if the presence of Christ serv'd only chiefly to secure Murtherers I know there are many Divines that with great zeal will endeavour to defend it but I would to God there were fewer of them in the Church perhaps things would be better manag'd in the Service of God with their native simplicity whereas now the minds of poor Christians are confounded with the Opinion of this Divine and the Explication of the other Schism and Heresie and Schismatical Conventicles from whence had they their Original but from the brains and niceties of the Theologists But let them defend their Sanctuaries and argue against the Precepts of God as they please the Day of Judgement will come and they will have their reward Poor Princes must it needs be that the Arms of your Justice must be held and the safety of the people impugned by an Opinion that is without doubt Diabolical A certain friend of mine that had seen the world did use to call the Divines and Confessors the two Domestick Enemies of the Church and truly I cannot resolve my self which of the two are the least necessary in the Service of God Amongst scrupulous persons I know these words will be thought Heretical but certainly they are full of Pious Sentiment and Catholick The Divines that will be disputing beyond what the simplicity of Faith requires are Devils not Divines and the Confessors that make Sport and Comedy with the Confessions of their Penitents are the same The Theologists with their Arguments turn Unity into Schism and the Confessors on the other side turn the Confessions into Farces Were the Government of the Church instead of being Monarchical and dependant only upon the Pope as it is now Aristocratical and committed to the care and jurisdiction of such Cardinals as would serve the Church and not his Holiness the Divines would not be so quarrelsome nor the Confessors as prophane as the Divines But Confession now adayes is nothing but derision the Confessors drolling only and playing upon their Penitents and cheating both them and themselves And all this evil proceeds from the carelessness of the Bishops in Selecting fit persons for the taking Confessions I am confident there are in Italy at this time above two thousand Confessors that can neither read nor understand one verse in the Scriptures and yet most of them Masters or Batchelors of Divinity and God knows then how the poor Sinner is absolved Two instances I can give of their Capacities not Chosen or Select but taken up by chance out of a thousand more that I have heard The first is of a certain Merchant of Parma that went to Confession to a Bare-footed Fryer of the Order of St. Francis and had this Penance injoyn'd him That he should eat three Ounces of Chaffe To ease himself a little of the disgust he had taken at the indiscretion of his Penance he comes to me and tells me the whole story I had the curiosity to ask him what his sins were that he had confest and he protested to me nothing but that he had had an intention to have kiss'd his Maid Now I leave the Reader to be judge in this case what proportion there was betwixt the Sin and the Penance His heart should have been punish'd not his mouth because 't was that not this had offended But
anger of men whereas the Catholicks having greater liberty in Protestant Countries wherein they find no such rigour against themselves grow careless of their Religious Observances insomuch that many times they will ask for good Capons on Friday or Saturday although they may have plenty of good Fish If you ask a Catholick why he commits such faults as these he presently answers you Dum fueris Romae c. Whilst one is at Rome one must live as they do there out of Rome as in other places Nor are the Protestants unprovided of the same answer when they reside in Catholick Countries And this is the miserable case of Religion Yet I will not pronounce this Depravation general because I have known many Catholicks live with great modesty and exemplary piety in the Countries of Protestants as do also many of these in the Countries of Catholicks insomuch that many Catholicks do very much approve of and are edifi'd with the manner of living of the Protestants and these likewise with theirs but they are such Catholicks and Protestants as have not study'd the abovemention'd Axiom of Rome This last Easter I saw a certain Catholick a friend of mine in a Protestant Country and asking him why he went not to Mass which was celebrated not above a mile off he answer'd me That when he Travell'd he carry'd no Religion at all along with him Which a Protestant who was present over-hearing reply'd You are a gallant man I take the same course But in my judgement the thing most to be consider'd concerning this point of Religion is the dayly transition and change of Christians from the Catholick to the Protestant Church and from the Protestant to the Catholick and this by persons who oftentimes know not the cause either why they leave the one or embrace the other but run like Goats up a precipice whilst they behold others fall down from it at the same time Yea some Christians have left the Religion wherein they were born to take up another in which they know not whether it will be fit for them to dye or no inasmuch as they go upon no other account but the seeing others go before them Nor is it an extravagante to compare such Christians to Brutes since there is no greater Brute than that man who lives without the Instructions of Religion without knowing the Obligations of Christianity or the duty of his own Conscience The Protestants are so easie to admit those that leave the Catholick Church to embrace theirs they receive them so blindly sometimes in some places that they do not so much as examine them concerning the Principal Grounds and the Essential parts of the Christian Faith I know not whether they do thus as judging it better than to leave the Sheep to wander in the Desart or else to populate their Church the more but 't is certain that for the most part they find themselves deceiv'd by receiving ravenous Wolves instead of gentle Lambs Being at first not a little scandalis'd at such stories I had the curiosity to enquire the reason of this slight proceeding in a matter of so great importance from a Protestant Minister who answer'd me in the following words Sir We do like them in the College of Valenza in France who give the Doctoral Cap even to Asses sub spe futuri Studii But 't is true being now adayes well aware of this Error lest they should be mistaken in Wolves they let go the Lambs also or at least they turn and wind them so about with multiplicity of questions that they cool their desire of changeing their Fold On the other side the Catholicks not only readily receive both Wolves and Lambs but moreover they endeavour to draw from the Protestant Flock the most infected Animals of all by promising them gifts and presents with a large hand in order to compass the more easily the end of their purpose and because Wolves commonly run with a more greedy appetite to the prey than Lambs by this means they get Wolves and not Sheep who after they have devour'd the prey return back to their first Herd more savage than before There are some Missionary Priests for I except those who are full of true zeal who admit to the Catholick Religion any wild-headed indocible and debauch'd persons who think of nothing less than of leading a Christian life and so likewise some Protestant Ministers I speak with reverence to the good who receive to their Communion such people as have nothing of Man besides the shape being otherwise as to what concerns the Conscience and Soul Devils incarnate I could here insert a Story as long as curious on this occasion and demonstate by good proofs and examples the Errors which the Catholicks commit in forcing Protestants to change their Religion and likewise the failings of Protestants in receiving amongst them fugitive Catholicks But I have neither will nor time to rub the soars of the one or the other only it would be great Prudence and Charity in both parties to use greater circumspection and to have their eyes a little more open that Christianity might not be subverted by Hypocrisie and the Lambs expos'd to the discretion of the Wolves In Italy accounted the soundest part of Christendom yea in Rome it self and the Papal Dominions Bishops and Superiors of Monastick Orders have indeed the title of Masters but scarce any power to correct any of their refractory Subjects for no sooner are reproofs us'd towards them but the Scandalous Priests and Friers have a common custom to retort insolently these express threatnings to their Superiors Per Dio per Dio che me ne andero a fare Heretico I will turn Heretick But these Varlets oftentimes find themselves deceiv'd for the Hereticks sift them so much and examine them so with multitude of questions that they make the Fugitives themselves confess the cause of their flight after which confession they find themselves oblig'd not without great shame to return back with more hast than they departed I say not from their Religion because such wretches know not what Religion is but from their Country for proof of which it will not be amiss to subjoyn here a short but very true and fresh instance A certain Italian who affirm'd himself born of one of the most Eminent Families of Tuscany although his garb spoke him rathera Hedge-bird having nothing but the Impudence of a Fryar and the pronuntiation of a Florentine I know not out of what Caprichio took a resolution to relinquish the Catholick Religion to no other end but to go to Geneva and live there as he said like a very good Heretick Being arriv'd at Geneva he imparted his purpose to a certain man there who might indeed have claim'd alliance with him for he was not inferior to the most subtle Snap of Siena After some discourse and questions concerning his resolution the Inhabitant of Geneva ask'd this new-commer What Art he was skill'd in whereby to get a
they became forc'd to encounter the Heresies of Menander the Samaritan Ebioni and Cherinthus obstinate Hereticks and perverse Adversaries to the Apostles and so popular they denominated their parties with their own several Names and gave the Church great trouble and perplexity But St. John who writ his Epistles about that time though he was at a great distance by the assistance of some of his Disciples refuted their false Doctrine and silenc'd them After them succeeded Carpocrates of Alexandria and Epiphanes his son the Authors of the damnable Heresie of the Gnosticks and the Jews were about the same time routed out of Jerusalem and St. Mark made Bishop thereof about the year 137. In the year 161. Marcion the Heretick gave great disturbance to the Church but he was encounter'd and partly convinc'd by Bardesanus and Rodosianus two learned men and well skill'd in the Holy Scriptures but he was totally refuted by Musanus and Modestus who writ against Tatianus the Syrian an impious Heretick and a great sower of dissension amongst young Christians In the year 174. there sprang up a new Heresie by the means of Montanus Phrygius which was afterwards call'd the Cataphrygian Heresie and there were some worse Hereticks than himself joyn'd with him but it pleas'd God by opposing the Learning and Sanctity of Irenaus Bishop of Lyons against it to stop the violence of that torrent with the Books he writ in 184. Against which Artemonus one of the greatest Hereticks of that age writ also And in the year 246. there were new Hereticks broach'd in Arabia that were call'd Arabians but they were in a short time suppress'd by the industry of St. Origen The Clergy being divided Novatianus the Roman was by faction created Antipope in opposition to Cornelius which was the occasion of the first Schism in the Church besides the fall of two Bishops Basilides Astaniansis and Martialis Emeritensis and therefore to remedy and reconcile those disturbances that gave great scandal to Christendom it was thought necessary a General Council should be call'd In the year 258. Noetus and Sabellius appear'd Hereticks both of them in their Doctrine and arrogant in their Lives In 270. Paulus Samosatenus discover'd himself who was so much the more scandalous in his Heresie by how much he had been formerly a stout propugnor of the Faith But he was convinc'd by Machion a Priest of Antioch a learned man and one that writ several things with great judgement towards unity in the Church The second Schism began in Africa and was call'd the Schism of the Donatists Antro a Priest of Alexandria from whom the Heresie of the Arrians had its original began to preach it up in the year 324. and to prevent the spreading of those execrable blasphemies a General Council was call'd because this Heresie of the Arrians allowing I know not what liberty in their lives had perverted and debauch'd several Bishops from the Church of Christ And indeed the Church was never in that danger of being swallow'd up and submerg'd as in the dayes of Arrius in so much as there was nothing but tears to be seen in the eyes of the Saints that stood firm according to that expression Ingemiscens orbis terrarum Arrianum se esse miratus est The third Schism was betwixt Damasus and Vrsicinus in the year 366. and though that also had perverted the good orders in the Church yet it was inconsiderable in comparison of what the Church suffered in the year 407. there being then Heresies on foot and Rome sack'd at the same time by Alaricus King of the Goths who gave shelter and protection to those Hereticks that afflicted the Church About this time Venice was begun to be built by those that fled from the fury of the Goths and particularly of Attila whose actions were so barbarous he was call'd and glory'd in it Flagellum Dei as if by laying the foundation of Venice God Almighty intended to demonstrate the effect of his Divine Providence raising up as it were by Miracle a Republique that should be a bulwork of defence not to the liberties of Italy only but of all the Church of Christ and indeed her actions have express'd her so ever since having been alwayes ready to spend the blood of her dearest Citizens in defence of Christendome According as Heresie protected by several Princes and embrac'd by several great Cities did propagate and increase and according as any new and more dangerous sprung up the Church apply'd all seasonable and miraculous remedies to repell their audacity but in spight of all that could be done they were forc'd to call a general Councel at Constantinople to suppress the Heresie of the Monothelites which they condemn'd there and made many good Laws for the better regiment of the Church In short 't is not to be comprehended by humane imagination with how many sorts of Heresies and Schisms the Church of God in those dayes was afflicted and torn being for eight hundred years together in perpetual perplexity during which time several Councels and Synods both general and particular were call'd more especially two at Rome one at Antioch two at Carthage one of them to determine whether Hereticks that repented and would return again to the Church were to be rebaptiz'd or not the other to conclude upon the manner of baptizing of Infants in cases of necessity two more there were in Asia one in Licaonia the other in Phrygia to consult upon the manner of receiving such Hereticks into the Church again as had a desire to return which cost great argument and dispute before it could be concluded During these eight hundred years the Church was expos'd to several Persecutions under the Tyranny of several Emperours but nine of them were more bloody than the rest for thrusting and tearing into the very bowels of the Church the poor Saints were constrained either to lay themselves down as Sacrifices at the feet of their Persecutors or to fly from their barbarity to the protection of the Woods But that just God who had promis'd the Gates of Hell should never prevail against the Glory of his Church sent Charles the Son of Pipin King of France as a special gift from Heaven to command the Empire of the West Which being found and acknowledg'd by the Romans they ordered these words to be publiquely Proclaim'd thorough all the Streets in Rome To Charles the Great the most Pious and Peaceful Emperour Created by God be Life and Victory The Church that for so many years had been afflicted with Heresies and Schisms Wars both Intestine and Foreign Ecclesiastick and Civil found not only ease and protection under the Government of this great Emperour but was propagated exceedingly most of all the Cities of Europe especially in Italy and France abounding with multitudes of new Christans won by the example of Charles who thought the Christian Faith more glory to him than his Crown by the force of his Arms and the zeal of his Heart
the examination of New Bishops was instituted by Clement the eight of happy memory who examin'd several persons himself especially if they were towards the Law for the Professors of Divinity were examin'd by Bellarmine only This Congregation is held alwayes before the Pope in the presence of eight or ten Cardinals a certain number of Prelates and some Theologists of several Opinions in which all persons the Pope intends to promote to Bishopricks are examin'd but it is to be understood the Bishopricks belonging to the Church in Italy for the rest are not subject to the jurisdiction of that Court The Person examin'd kneels upon a Cushion before the Pope and all that are present in the Congregation have power to examine him after he is examin'd and approv'd it is entred into a Book that the Secretary of that Congregation keeps that that person has been examin'd and if it happens he be remov'd to any other Church he need not be examin'd again If one has been Bishop in some Foreign Province never so long and by accident is translated to some Bishoprick in Italy he must submit to the examination of that Congregation except he be a Cardinal for they are exempt from all examination when they are admitted to any Church But here it is to be understood that though they be examin'd and approv'd they are not immediately Bishops The person design'd makes profession first of the Catholick Faith before the Cardinal chosen by his Holiness to propose him to the rest of the Cardinals that done they give an Oath to the Witnesses that are to be examin'd about the State of that Church and about the quality extraction and custom of the person design'd to be Bishop of that Church that past the Cardinal gives order to his Auditor to make Protess which is presently drawn up either by the Cardinal Vicars Notary or the Auditor of that Chamber whilst they are drawing the Process the person recommended is to produce the Testimonies of his Doctorship and after that what other privileges he has as Patents Depositions or Testimonials from him that Ordain'd him which are very proper and will much facilitate his dispatch After the Testimonies they are to swear they were born in lawful Marriage and that their Parents were not suspected for Hereticks and that he is above thirty years of age according to the Canons of the Councel of Trent After this there are other Witnesses examin'd about the State Revenue and quality of the Sea in what Province the City is whether it be immediately subject to the Apostolick Sea or the Suffragan of some Arch-bishoprick what Lands or â—owns there are within its Diocess how many thousand Souls how many Monasteries there are how many Reliques of Saints how much the Church yeilds yearly how many Clerks how many Canons how many Colledges or Schools how many Covents of Monk how many Priests how many Steeples Bells and such like things The Presentation being finish'd the Cardinal Ponente which is he the Pope chose to present the person subscribes it and then gives it to the three principal Cardinals of that Order who having perus'd it subscribe it in like manner and return it to the Cardinal Fonente where it remains In the next private Consistory he publishes it and in the next he presents him and recites in a short Latin Speech the whole contents of the Process but before the Cardinal Ponente assigns his Church the Provost gives two blanck Schedules to the Auditor of the Sacred Colledge at the instance of the person Elected in which he promises to pay the Cardinal Ponente the Sacred Colledge the Reverend Chamber and all the Officers of the Chancery all that is due to them for the dispatch of that business The day before the Consistory for determining the Cardinal Ponente sends a memorial to all the rest of the Cardinals in which he succinctly recites the manner of the whole Process to the end that if any Cardinal could make any exception he knew against whom he was to speak and as soon as the Presentation is over by the Cardinal Ponente the Pope turns to the Cardinal Deacon and demands if he has any thing to say to the contrary if he has any he declares it if not he rises up sayes no and approves what the Cardinal Ponente has done and so his Holiness decrees and gives the person that Church which is enter'd immediately into a Note by the Cardinal Vice-Chancellor and Seal'd with his Seal Upon this Decree the Cardinal Ponente draws up a Schedule Subscribes it with his own Hand and Seals it with his own Seal and by virtue of this Schedule and another which they call the Counter-part under the Hand and Seal of the Cardinal Vice-Chancellor the Bull is immediately dispatch'd The Cardinal Ponente receives ordinarily as his Right fifteen Ducats per Cent. out of the Chamber of all the Revenues of that Church that person is recommended to if he be presented by the Pope himself the said sum is to be paid to the Colledge of the Apostolick Secretaries if one be presented by a Cardinal that has not been formerly in Rome the Cardinal is to pay the fifteen per Cent but if the Cardinal be present or has been in Rome he is freed from that payment The person presented stirs not out of his house that morning but shaves his head and after Dinner puts himself into his Pontifical Habit like a Bishop with his black Hat Hat-band and a green welt about the brims After this he is to go into the Popes Pallace where introduc'd by the Master of the Chamber he is to kiss the Popes foot who with his own hands puts his Rochet over him such a one as the Bishops are wont to wear of their own The new Bishop is then to visit the whole Colledge of Cardinals and without any order or precedence he may visit them next he thinks most convenient provided he begins with the Cardinal Deacon Those that are presented to any See out of Italia are oblig'd to all these things but examination and if they be absent they do all per procuratorem The Cardinal Deacon is head of the Congregation de negotii Consistoriali but having no particular business only such things as his Holiness particularly refers to them which are usually renuntiations of Bishopricks the Taxes of the Church and such things they meet but seldome This Congregation is call'd by the Cardinal its head and held in his house In all the aforementioned Congregations there are several Cardinals sometime more sometime fewer as we have said but the greatest number of all is in the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars where there are sometime four and wenty present Every Congregation has its particular Secretary whose care it is to draw up the Orders exactly to the Decrees that are made in full Congregations every Cardinal Subscribing them and Sealing them with his own Seal But it is to be understood that when
Highness And this I know that a certain Secretary of State having receiv'd a Letter one day directed from a Cardinal to his Prince with no other Title but Excellence he sent it back again with this writ in a Note My Master receives no Letters from him that knows not his Merit And a Prince receiving a Letter that was sent to him from a Cardinal that is now alive without the Title of Highness having read the Superscription he return'd it to the person that brought it and told him That the Cardinal had a drunken Secretary and one that did not know what Titles Princes deserv'd I could instance in several examples of this kind but I forbear left it should render my History too prolix it is enough to let you know that the Cardinals to prevent the loss of the Title of Eminence which had been already deny'd them by many did find themselves oblig'd to give the Princes the Title of Highness I had spoke of the Chamberlains of the Holy Colledge when I spake of his Holiness his Chamberlains but I thought it convenient to discourse of it in particular but with brevity It is to be understood then amongst the Cardinals there is alwayes one of them Chamberlains of the Sacred Colledge which is altogether distinct from the other Chamberlain I mention'd among the Offices belonging to the persons of the Cardinals The chiefest difference lyes in this that the Popes Chamberlain is for life but this of the Sacred Colledge but for a year the Cardinals that are present in the Court succeeding one another according to their Seniority His business is to take care of the the Revenue of the Sacred Colledge and at the years end when he is to resign up his Office he gives every CArdinal his proportion but those that are absent enjoy their share but for 6. months after their departure from Rome There are many other things I could have inserted sufficiently pertinent to the Cardinalship but that would be to ingulf my self in an Ocean too far off from any Port for the Majesty of the Cardinals being really so ample and so considerable in the Church it follows by consequence that they must have an infinity of considerable particularities however I think what is spoken already sufficient to give the Reader full satisfaction For the abbreviation therefore of my History I shall pass to the particular of the Divines which the Cardinals have alwayes about them and indeed it is a point of no small concernment Before we proceed therefore to find out the cause why the customs of keeping Champion Divines was first introduc'd it is to be understood that the Cardinals are oblig'd by the nature of their dignity to defend the Church from all those Heretical molestations with which it has from its infancy been disturb'd and are besides bound to propugne and maintain the excellence of the Roman Religion with such arguments as are necessary for the conviction of all contrary opinions And forasmuch as to a small number of learned Cardinals as is mentioned in another place there is a much greater number of ignorant ones that are not only unable to defend the Church of Christ but to understand the Essence of the Religion they possess to prevent any danger that might occurr they do keep their several Divines ready upon all occasions in their behalf with the two Swords of their Tongue and their Pen to justifie the verity of the Catholick Faith that it be not swallow'd up and overwhelm'd with Heresie But to speak the truth all this is but a Ceremony whilst the Cardinals instead of choosing learned persons and exemplary for their Champions they many times choose such as are more ignorant than themselves and like those that have read Divinity in the Kitchin having nothing but the Beard and the Conscience of a Divine Yet it is true there are some of them so prudent notwithstanding that they will oftentimes withdraw themselves from disputes under pretence of some Office they are to recite for the dead so that instead of giving the Hereticks a sight of their Errours they suffer them to diffuse and disseminate their false Doctrines even in the very Court of the poor Cardinals who are guilty of no other fault than to have receiv'd such a generation of people into their Service Ordinarily these Divines are of the Regular Orders and sometimes Priests and Secular Canons but whether they be of the one side or the other they know very well to make the best use and perhaps too much of the charge that is given them not for their merit for that is but little regarded in Rome and that in the very Election of the Pope also but for some great and violent recommendation which is that which prevaâ—â—â— most now adayes amongst Christians and Ecclesiasticks in all Europe but especially in Rome where this Proverb is very frequent Che gli offici fanno glâ— amici And from hence it comes that the charges of Divines are most commonly bestow'd upon ignorant insolent proud vain-glorious and perverse persons because the virtuous modest worthy and good ones will not prostitute their deserts but choose rather to lye languishing in their Cells believing the merit of their virtue and other good qualities will some time or other knock at the door of the Cardinals Consciences to demand them but they dye in their Errours for living too much in that hope and why so Because the most ignorant are privately conscious of their ignorance and will not have it expos'd to the eyes of all the world nor suffer their insufficiency to be too far known besides being refractory and untractable as it is the nature of ignorant people to be they endeavour what they can to free themselves from the obedience of the Cloister in consideration of some respect that is given to them or to their pretended office They run up and down from morning to night at all hours whatsoever traversing of Rome and the greatest part of the Princes Courts in Christendom to get Letters of recommendation and they are mightily deficient if it goes no further than Prayers the worst is they promise this Secretary a dozen of Silk Stockings and that Major Domo a purse of Gold stoln out of the Almes of the poor Cloyster of which they boast themselves to be Sons which Son-ship is oftentimes purchas'd notwithstanding With these ways they obtain their desir'd Offices under the shelter of which they commit a thousand enormities either out of ignorance or malice all of them falling heavy upon the reputation of the Cardinals who deserve to be pay'd by such people in such coin that is for so easily believing a bundle of recommendations in matters of that importance This office of Cardinals Divine were it exercis'd by some true and able School Divine with its just decency and decorum and not rudely and ignorantly by those Kitchin Divines certainly it would be honourable to the person that executed it profitable for the
the third Heaven gives this plain Advice to Inquisitive Spirits Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere sed sapere ad sobrietatem Which Doctrine if receiv'd by the more speculative sort of Christians with the same lowliness of mind wherewith the Apostle writ it would undoubtedly free the minds of men bewildred in those perplexities wherein even the most learned have been inextricably intangled by too nice and curious Contemplation But so deeply rooted in our Nature is the Insatiate Desire of Knowledge that we are continually climbing above our own Level though besides the trouble of the Endeadeavour we run a hazard of falling from the Precipice and of loosing the eyes of our minds by tyring them in a prospect of things Invisible Nature hath allotted to Birds a light body fit for flying to Oxen a heavy one accommodate to the slower motion of progression the former being design'd to adorn the Region of the Air and the latter for Labour and Service on the Earth Mankind not content to enjoy the Measure of Understanding given them by Divine Providence seek to raise their heavy clods beyond their assigned Sphere by speculations of things incomprehensible as if it were free for them to out-do Nature and make a new Creation of Spirits Many admire and amidst the confusions of their admiration ask why God speaks no more to men since the Incarnation of our Saviour as he did in old time to the Israelites But for my part I wonder more that Men in these times cannot understand the Language of God as the Israelites did in times past and this wonder makes me sometimes pour out very pathetical complaints To the Israelites God spoke seldome few were the words and many times 't was on the tops of very high Mountains from amidst thick Clouds and darkness sometimes in profound sleeps cloath'd with Robes of invisible Air and sometimes with a Voice only deliver'd by some Celestal Messenger Now this Seldomness enhanc'd the wonder and Surprise in the Israelites themselves whilst they observ'd how they were favour'd at times and places by measure and proportion and they were not a little proud of these favours Those who doubt at present whether it be true that God speaks no more to Men have all the reason of the world to change that doubting thought if they will but seriously consider that God speaks now not from Mountains but from Pulpits not by Night but by Day not in Sleep but to men Awake not in the Air but in the Church not seldome but often not at some definite times but continually So that if they hear him not they are either deaf to the Voice of God or else nautiateth the great plenty of Celestial favours The Israelites boasted that God writ the Divine Law in Tables of Stone in order to the better preservation of the same and why should not Christians glory of the H. Charter written by the Apostles and Evangelists by the assistance of the H. Ghost for the propagation of Christianity God Almighty writes every day in Characters so legible that those who cannot read them may deservedly be called blind But which is worst those that are thus blind are the very same that take up a belief that in these dayes God neither speaks nor writes as he did in former Ages Whoso would understand the Divine Speakings and Desires to read the Characters of Heaven let him not be at distance with the H. Scripture inasmuch as this is the Key of Paradise and the H. Ghost hath left the same to us to declare to men what the Language of Heaven is in the New Testament The H. Scripture is the Book wherein God spoke to the Israelites and speaks still to Christians And 't is so replete with sweet expressions and wholsome discourses that 't is not possible to go away hungry from so plentiful a Table nor sick from so efficacicious a Medicine That wretched Impostor Mahomet who to blind others made himself blind forbad the Translation of the H. Scripture into the Turkish Language under severe penalties as doubting lest the Doctrine thereof being so pure and holy as it is should purifie and sanctifie the minds of such as should read it And the Roman Church permit it not in any other Language but the Latin as if the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets had written for a few and not for all men for some peculiar persons and not for the Universal Church Where can Christians of all sorts and conditions better spend the most precious Laws of the day where refresh themselves in afflictions where enrich themselves in poverty than in reading of the Volume of Divine Laws The Political Books of the Heathens which contain nothing but Secular Maximes cannot furnish us with other than Worldly Knowledge But the H. Volume which descended from Heaven brings Celestial Instruction with it whence those that read the same with great ardor find consolation in it amidst their greatest calamities end miseries The holy pure clean and simple Doctrines of Christian Religion give solace and comfort not only the most ignorant who live by direction but even the most learned who give directions to others or to express my self better they refresh and relieve not only the most learned who teach but even the most ignorant who are taught The Catholicks think to be sav'd by going to Maâ—s and the Hereticks by hearing Sermons Some of these to appear good Christians read the H. Scripture sing Psalms and say Grace at Table and divers Catholicks make Confessions to a Priest go in Pilgrimage and receive Indulgences and all this to avoid being pointed at by others by which manner of living they intimate the difference of Religion consists in nothing but in an outward and as I may say constrain'd appearance The Protestants deny not but that there are many in their Communion who lead Atheistical Lives making every thing lawful to themselves and stretching liberty of Conscience to a liberty of Sinning So likewise the Catholicks confess that many of themselves too live as if there were neither God nor Christ nor Law nor Faith in the World In this matter of Religion I find one Evil of which the Catholicks are more to be blam'd than the Protestants themselves and 't is this When Catholicks go into the Country of Protestants they not only accommodate themselves to live with the liberty of the place but assume a greater liberty of Conscience and abstain as well from some Exercises of Religion which are not forbidden as from such as are In like manner the Protestants in Catholick Countries not only abstain from reading the H. Scripture singing of Psalms and frequenting Sermons but besides making a medley of Omissions they forbear to pay their Devotions to Almighty God both when they go to sleep in the Evening or rise from bed in the Morning 'T is true the Protestants well knowing the extreme rigor of the Inquisition find themselves necessitated to dissemble their Religion for avoiding the
Roman Court not only Bishopricks and Masterships but even Cardinalships too But those Missionaries who have wit in their heads and zeal in their hearts go in another road and do things with more maturity of judgement For remedy of such disorders as these 't were fit some persons of authority had inspection into the promoting of Religion otherwise the ordinary Clergymen either through ignorance passion or humour spoil all break a sunder what ought to be joyn'd together and joyn what ought to be separated and bring things into confusion and ruine The Roman Church having resolv'd to assume to its self both a Spiritual and a Temporal Dominion and to make Cardinals precede Princes and Priests Magistrates hath thought fit for the more easie preservation of its Grandeur that not only the Cardinals but the Priests too should keep up a certain Majesty and eminent decorum which intention been so diligently pursu'd that they run even into excess without which excess I believe things would not proceed so agreeably to their humour On the other side the Protestants that is to say the Ministers and Ecclesiastical Pastors for the better preserving their Religion in its due decorum are contented to live with modesty suitable to their Pastoral Charge that is to administer the Sacraments to Preach to visit the Sick to instruct the people in the power of the H. Scripture referring Command Authority Temporal Dominion and even the Protection of Religion to the secular arm of Magistrates and Princes and teaching all to know by proofs both Holy and Political the Preheminence of the Majesty of Soveraigns above the Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical and the obligation incumbent upon Ecclesiasticks to obey the Temporal Power And indeed the Protestant Religion flourishes more and shines with more decency in those places where the Magistrates and Secular Governours have their eyes most open over the people taking cognisance of their actions not only so far as concerns the duty of a Subject towards his Prince but also in reference to Spiritual matters and this not only by the assistance of the Pastors but also by their own proper office which suffers not any to exercise their Spiritual Function but by derivative power from the Magistrate as he that is chosen by God to preside in the midst of his people to the end they may not run headlong without such a stay and guide into irremediable and dangerous errors The Magistrates and Princes study and endeavour as much as possibly to advance their Soveraignty more and more above the Jurisdiction of Churchmen but these aware of the design which might prejudice their independency are not asleep in the mean time but strive not only to preserve but likewise to promote their jurisdiction beyond what they have already if it be possible and they would effect it did not Princes and Magistrates make use of Policy whereby without prejudicing the Church's Interests they restrain the ambition which in these dayes seems natural to all the Churchmen of the world to say no more The Ecclesiasticks who take it in disdain when they see Magistrates intermeddle with their Assemblies the Elections to Spiritual Charges and the Orders of Spiritual Functions have no reason at all to complain of a thing so reasonable because to speak truth Churchmen are in these dayes so farr respected by the people as the Magistrates cause them to be respected by their secular power and the people are so farr inflam'd with zeal for their own Religion as they see the Magistrate zealous for it and the preservation of the Common Liberty For my part I firmly believe there can be no better course to destroy the Protestant Religion than to sow discord between the Clergy and the Magistrate and to bring it to pass that the Ecclesiasticks not contented with the degree and limits of their proper charge may rise against the Princes and Governours an instance whereof is to be seen in a certain Kingdom which perhaps bewails the effects of that Policy even to this day But the thing were impossible in these times inasmuch as the Magistrates well aware of the project have provided remedies against it in such sort that the Churchmen glory in their Loyalty and Obedience towards them if for no other reason yet at least to avoid the involving of Religion in some Schism or other and the bringing of themselves into a Labyrinth hard to get out of without first undergoing the consequences wont to arrive upon civil broils In short the Roman Religion continues such as it is that is good for the Church-men and bad for the Laity on this account that the Ecclesiasticks make use of an absolute and independent authority in Spirituals and very much likewise in Temporals and on the contrary the Protestant Religion is so far Protestant as the Magistrates have the supremacy both in Spirituals and Temporals If Liberty of Conscience which is so much talk'd of amongst the Protestants and the principal point of the Reformation should any wise come to be molested by the Supreme Authority upon the Ecclesiasticks ambition and invasion of the same there would no longer be a Liberty but a Slavery for People seeing themselves commanded by the Ecclesiasticks would think their Consciences enslav'd and not free it being proper to Churchmen to proceed with too much Zeal or too much Ambition and to be displeas'd when they see that they are not obey'd like Angels although in their commanding they remember not that themselves are but men And indeed the Protestants desire to serve God not according to the Orders and Precepts of men but according to the Divine Laws registred in the H. Scripture which they daily read in their Assemblies publick and private and therefore they reverence their Ministers as men who are contented to preach without commanding The Protestants doubt I conceive lest the Ecclesiasticks being addicted to study and speculation in case the Supreme Authority should be united in them they would reverse the old Model which is Christs and impose a new one upon them of their own and of a plain Ecclesiastical Ordinance make a new Divine Precept and therefore they are very well pleas'd to see the Magistrate use such great care and diligence for the preservation of that Religion which they pretend to be of Divine Institution without any additions of humane invention although the Catholicks accuse them of pinning their Faith upon Luther and Calvin which is false for neither Luther not Calvin instituted any new Religion The Catholick Religion or rather the Roman as we call it in the Primitive times when the piety of Pastors was as conspicuous to their Flock as the Sun went almost in the same order whilst the Emperors manag'd Ecclesiastical Elections and the Magistrates not only preceeded the Churchmen but besides in case of deficience oblig'd them to their duty and constrain'd them to be diligent in feeding the flock of Christ with Charity yea they permitted them not to exercise any publick Function but
Bishops and the Regulars This Congregation meets the Friday in every week in the Cardinals house that is head of that Congregation and that with no small trouble for they have so many Letters of complaints sometimes it is scarce possible to read them The Congregation of the Councel has the power of interpreting the Orders and Decrees of the Councel of Trent so that if any difference happens in Christendome about that they apply themselves to this Congregation which gives them all seasonable resolution It is held in the antientest Cardinals house though the head be another Cardinal and that he has the power of assembling them they meet ordinarily once a week that is on Sunday or Thursday if it be no Holyday The Congregation of the Ecclesiastical immunities was instituted by Vrban the eight who having had many controversies of that nature whilst he was Nuntio and before he was Pope he took an Oath as soon he was created to erect this Court to prevent those inconveniences for the future Which Congregation has power to resolve such doubts as happen in the confusion and diversity of offences and to determine who are and who are not to enjoy the privileges of the Church This Congregation meets every Tuesday in the eldest Cardinals house in which there are present several Cardinals one Auditor di Rota one Clerk of the Chamber one out of each Signature and a Secretary that uses to be a Referendary to one Signature or the other The Prefect of this Congregation has for his Pension about seven hundred Ducats a year and the keeping of those Seals that are necessary In the Congregation of State all those Cardinals that have been Apostolical Nuntioes are present and the Secretary of State to his Holiness with them and it is generally held before the Pope or the Cardinal Nephew The Congregation de propaganda fide was erected by Gregory the fifteenth of happy memory to investigate and find out all possible wayes for the propagating the Catholick Faith in all parts of the World and to advise what may be conducible to so profitable a work It uses to meet on Mundays once a moneth before the Pope and many times in the Palace de propaganda fide There are present several Cardinals the Apostolick Protonotary his Holiness his Secretary of State one Judge that uses to be Referendary of one of the Signatures the Assessor of the Holy Office the Secretary of the same Congregation who has built a Palace of no ordinary greatness in the Piazza della Santissima Trinita di monti for the entertainment of all those that have receiv'd the Catholick Faith and come to see Rome besides that they lodge several poor Bishops there and provide them with all things necessary for a livelihood There is a Press in this Congregation also for all Foreign Languages where they print daily their Missals Breviaries and such other Books The Jurisdiction of the Congregation of Rights respects the differences in Rights Ceremonies Preceedencies Canonization of Saints and such like affairs The antientest of the deputed Cardinals is head of this Congregation and has power to convene them in his own house once a month or oftner as he pleases and it is to be observed that all Congregations are conve'd by their Heads The Congregation del Acque has the care of all Rivers Bridges and such things The antientest Cardinal is head of it and calls it upon occasion at his own house there being no precise or determinate day appointed The Cardinal Chamberlain is head of the Congregations di fonte di strade and there being no fix'd day he calls them too as he thinks it convenient but they meet in the antientest deputed Cardinals house alwayes and being assembled they consider of the Aquaducts and Conveyances of water into Rome and the manner of distributing it thorough the whole City as also the Commodities of the Streets The Congregation del Judices hath Jurisdiction in over-seeing the Press in printing and correcting of books it has a Cardinal to its head who assembles them at his own house as occasion requires though there be a day appointed There is the Congregation della Consulta for the Government of the Church and the head of that is the Cardinal Nephew of the present Pope they meet twice a week in his house viz. Tuesdays and Fridays There are present six Cardinals six Prelats a Secretary that uses to be a great Confident of the Nephews in this Congregation they consult of the Government of the Church all Deputies Prefects Governours Provosts and other Officers whatever directing their accounts thither of any thing considerable that happens in their Governments and this Congregation deliberates and decrees what is to be done in the case The Secretary draws up the Order and the Cardinal that is head subscribes it first and then the rest of the Prelats that are present The several Provinces are divided amongst them and every one reads the Letters in the Councel that come out of their particular Provinces but it is to be understood the Legat of Avignon the Governour of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples and of the City of Ceneda in the Dominions of the Venetian being all free Governments are not subject to the Decrees of this Councel the Governour di Fermo and that State and the Governour of Spoleti are exempt likwise The Prelats of this Congregation have three parts of the Palace and each of them a thousand crowns a year entertainment and the Secretary two thousand that is Roman crowns The Cardinal Nephew to the Pope is head also of the Congregation of Grace and good Government the Communities upon any grievance or oppression repair thither for remedy with other Subjects for present relief and determinations in writing manu Regia This Congregation meets on Sundays at the same place where the Congregation della Consulta meets by turns that is the Congregation for good Government one Sunday and the Congregation for Relief another There are five or six Cardinals present alwayes seven or eight Prelats one Secretary which is alwayes the same with the Secretary in the other Congregation all the Letters or Orders that pass in this Congregation are sign'd by the Cardinal Nephew all the Prelats have the same Emolument the Prelats of the Congregation della Consulta have they are habited in Purple and have the Title of his Holinesses familiar and Domestick Congregation The Congregation of the Treasury have a particular Jurisdiction over all Moneys to be coyn'd in that State as likewise of Foreign Moneys to observe which way they may be spent in the Territories of the Church There are present four Cardinals chosen all of them at the discretion of the Pope and some Officers of his Chamber The head of them is he the Pope thinks good to depute and that head has power to assemble them at his own house as oft as he pleases for there is no set day appointed The Congregation for
the Catholicks was alwayes ready drawn against it But one may ask here how it comes to pass that the zeal of the Princes is grown so cold seeing that for a hundred and fifty years last past they have been more ready to persecute the interest of the Popes than to defend the Faith of Christ To this it may be answer'd That the Princes are grown cold because the Popes are so whilst they were zealous for the good of the Church so were the Princes but since they began to throw Religion behind their backs and give themselves over to the aggrandizement of their Nephews since they began to empty the Coffers of the Church to fill the bags of their own Kindred the Princes are fallen off as not conceiving it prudence to strip themselves of their Clothes to cover the nakedness of that Church that is robb'd and dispoil'd by the Popes her Governours or to supply their Nephews who are Enemies to the Princes It would certainly be ridiculous not only to the Infidels but to the Christians themselves should the Princes suffer the Nephews of the Popes in Rome to batten with the Blood of Christ and they consume the Treasure of their Subjects in making War upon those that do not so much mischief to the Popes as their Nephews do to all Christendom When the Knights of Malta took the Grand Sultaness which was the occasion without doubt of the War with the Venetian I was present in Rome where they discours'd generally that the Turks would not fail to be reveng'd to the detriment of all Christendom And one day above all the rest as they were talking in this manner a certain Roman adventur'd to say in these very words I would to Heavens the Turks would take Rome for 't is most certain the Slaves in Constantinople are better treated by the Grand Signiour than the poor free born Romans are in Rome And another discoursing likewise upon the same subject in the company amongst the rest of a Prelate that was discontented and talking that there was a necessity of the Princes joyning in a firm League against the Turk the Roman reply'd That it would be a better deed to drive the Nephews out of Rome than the Turk out of Constantinople because the Turk had never done so much mischief to Christendom as the Nephews had done to the Church A Friend of mine had the curiosity to calculate the Money that has been given to the Nephews and he began at the year 1500. and after a great deal of pains he found issuing from the Treasury of the Church above seventy Millions of double Ducats all deliver'd into the hands of their Kindred and this is to be understood of visible Moneys for of private and invisible sums there may perhaps be twenty Millions more And those Romans that are within the Town and have more time to cast up what has been extorted from them if they would take the pains to examine it more strictly I am satisfi'd would find it much more Now if these seventy Millions of double Ducats had been spent in persecuting Hereticks or in making War upon Infidels where would any Infidels be where would any Hereticks be Those seventy Millions would have been enough to have over-run all Asia And which is of importance too the Princes would have contributed as much more had they seen the Popes more tenacious against their Kindred and more free to the Souldiers that were fighting for Christ The Protestants apply all this to a Miracle of the Divine providence for God Almighty say they began to send Popes that were zealous and passionate for the enrichment of their Kindred from the very time the Reformists began to appear to the end that the Popes having given all to their Nephews and wanting money they should have no mind to assist those Princes that would willingly have made War against the Reformists and hence it was that it was said by the Minister that read the Gazet That he desir'd that God would put it out of the minds of the Cardinals to oblige the Pope to turn the Nipotisme out of Rome And not without reason as fearing those great Sums that have been robb'd from the Church and hoarded up by the Nephews should be imploy'd afterwards to their ruine and destruction I leave it to the zeal of the Cardinals to make reflection who if they cannot obtain from the Popes that no more moneys of the Church be given to the Nephews let them at least prevail so far as that they would pretend no longer to any Wars with the Hereticks and Turks which would be more reputation to the Church and give less scandal to the Catholicks Who are engag'd upon any tydings of War with the Hereticks and in that rapture cry out How a Devil should we make War with the Hereticks whilst the Nephews run away with the means applying that money to their private use that was given by the Faithfull for maintenance of the Christian Religion and the destruction of the Enemies of Christ. Hundreds of Examples we have to confirm these opinions What Succours were sent to the Emperor Ferdinand who was then fighting against the Protestants in Germany by Pope Vrban plenary Indulgences hortatory Epistles and dilatory Excuses Yet it is certain there never went in all the times above 200000 Crowns in ready money and most of that was kept in the hands of the Nuntioes or Merchants and whenever his Imperial Majesty demanded supply he was answer'd with pittiful Remonstrances and tedious Representations of the miserable Estate of the Church the poverty of the people and the emptiness of their Treasury However the Barbarini were in Rome at the same time and enjoy'd an annual rent of 400000 Crowns and yet in a War of that importance to the Catholick Religion they could not find above 40000. But oh God! I speak it with tears in my eyes against the most Catholick Princes of Italy whole Millions were nothing they could turn the Cross into a Sword to revenge their particular injuries but in relief of the Emperor who was vindicating the Christian Faith against the Enemies thereof they could not find so much as a few Hundreds Innocent the tenth to satisfie the fancy of a Kinswoman spent a hundred thousand Crowns upon a Fountain yet with great difficulty could scarce find 40000 for the supply of the Emperor who seeing himself abandon'd by his Holiness in his Wars with the Protestants he was forc'd to patch up a Peace with no small disadvantage to the Catholick Religion And yet this good Pope could leave to his Cousin to the House of Pamphilia and other Houses allied to that above eight Millions of Crowns with which sums they flourish in Rome to this very day The same story is reported of the King of Poland besieg'd as one may say by the Protestants of that Kingdom and brought to a necessity of loâ—ing that Crown from the Catholicks or the Catholick Religion from that Crown And yet