The new politick lights of modern Romes church-government: or The new Gospel according to Cardinal Palavicini revealed by him in his history of the Council of Trent. Englished out of French.

The Design and Partition of the Work.

THis Work is divided into six Chapters. In the first, by the Cardinal's own Words will appear the Necessity, the Utility, the Nature, and the Excellency of that same Religious Policy which renders men happy in this world and in the other.

This Policy, to be true, ought to be, according to Aristotle, and according to the

Flesh, which distinguishes it from the false Policy of Mahomet, that's pure Tyranny; and from the indiscreet and scrupulous Po∣licy of certain zealous and weak Ignorants, who not believing that one may be happy in this world and in the other, carry the Virtue Policy into the excess of an ideal and extravagant Reformation, as Pope Adrian the 6th would fain have done, who in sooth was a most special Priest, but a very ordinary Pope; Ottimo Ecclesiastico, Pontifice mediocre.

In the Second Chapter are related and re∣futed five general Maxims of those zealous and scrupulous Ignorants who pretend that Religious Policy ought to found the Rules of its governing upon that which should be according to God, and not up∣on that which may be agreeable to the Flesh in the state of corrupt Nature, and who believe that what is best to be done, is also best to be commanded; following Anti∣quity, Councils and the Vote of a Commo∣nalty of private Bishops, which these zea∣lous people regard as little Kings Il volgo de' Rè, and as so many small Popes in their Di∣ocesses à guisa di Papi; whereas by Rules of the Policy indeed, the Pope cannot consider them otherwise than as little Bishops, picci∣oli Vescovi; Babies, Fanciulli; indiscreet Zealots, per indiscrezione di zelo; Imperti∣nents, impertinenti; Insolent, insolenti; Buffoons, i Buffoneschi; in a word, unruly headstrong Coach-horses, still ready to run

away with the Coach, Ʋna Carozza trata da Cavalli che volino; & Ignorants, who can∣not skill the manage of the Roman Court, inesperti di maneggio; all as these Qualities may belong to them some or others respe∣ctively.

In the Third, will be made evident, that the only Rule for politickly Governing the Church, is its felicity according to the Flesh in this World, and in the other, un∣der the Authority all-puissant of a King, sole Monarch of the whole Universe, who is the Pope, Signore del Mondo; of whom all his Christian Kings are Tributaries and Subjects; Molti Regni al loro Monarcao; whose Revenue is made up of the riches of the Uni∣verse; avendo per patrimonio le sustanze de' sud∣diti; & whose Honours and Pleasures make the splendor & carnal Felicity of the Church. That Jesus Christ hath merited this Church by the effusion of his Blood, to render it visible, perperual and remarkable, as the most happy according to the Flesh, of all other Republicks that are, that shall be, or ever have been upon Earth; questo governo disegnato da' Christo più felice che sia in terra.

In the Fourth, will be alledged Twenty Reasons proving the necessity of the Riches, Honours and Voluptuousnes of this Church, to make thereof a Gospel according to the Flesh, and a Vocation of all the World to her Faith, and part of that World to the

Ecclesiastick State: Without which Riches, Honours and Voluptuousness, the Church, having no reputation among them who fan∣cy those things would perish, not being able to subsist happy according to the Flesh, if her Ministers were poor as formerly, and if they had not vast Riches, as the glori∣ous Cardinals, who at this day are the Pope's Courtiers; Gloriosi Cardinali. Here also shall be shewn the unluckiness, the shame∣fulness, yea, and even the Vice of Poverty, whereof God in his Providence is no Au∣thor, but Sin, or only Fortune, who on this score may be accused as the Enemy of Virtue; poter' accusar la Fortuna come ne∣mica della virtù.

In the Fifth, will be related the Twelve most ordinary Means to enrich the Court of Rome, and to maintain the Splendor thereof according to this World, which is the most important and the most pious acti∣on of all the Religious Policy.

The Twelfth and most effectual of these Means is the establishing of Colleges of Jesuites, to teach the New Gospel, and this same Religious Policy, all according to the Doctrine of Aristotle, with power for them to set up the Inquisition, and to be High Commissioners in that Holy Court, making out Process against all them who shall differ from the Sentiments of that Philosopher. And over and besides, with a general Con∣cession to them of all the Priviledges grant∣ed

to the other Religious Orders, although found fault with by S. Bernard, Non sodis∣fece pienamente à San' Bernardo; because on the other side they are approved by Ma∣chiavel, per Confessione dello stesso Nicolo Ma∣chiavelli.

In the Sixth, will be discoursed the In∣terests and the different Sentiments of the Catholick Christian Crowns and Republicks, in relation to this same Religious Policy, according as they are more or less favoura∣ble or opposite thereunto, it will be made apparent that there is none of them more opposite than those of the Crown and of the Church of France; la qual tendeva ad abbatre la Monarchia e levar lo splendore e l'imperio della Corte Romana.

The Conclusion will be, That the Coun∣cil of Trent ought to be taken and interpret∣ed after the sense and meaning of this same Religious Policy according to the Flesh, that makes men happy in this world and in the other, not in the sense and meaning of those zealous Ignorants, who would have all obser∣ved that is ordain'd by that Council, & would thereby establish their Ideal Reformation. But in the sense and meaning of those who would follow the Doctrine of this our Car∣dinal; according to which, by leaving to the Pope full and whole power in the Shop or Office of Dispensations, Sopra la bottega di dispensazioni, to grant them as he pleases, and even to derogate from the Canons, it will clearly be seen, that that Council

brings incomparably, more advantages to the Church, than the Heresie either of Luther or Calvin have caused Losses or Mis∣chiefs to it; maggior accresimento di bontà per mezzo del Concilio che non fù scemato dell'istessa Eresia; because being taken in that sense, it teaches men a Policy and a Gospel according to the Flesh, with the means to be happy in this World and in the other. This will be henceforward, as our Cardi∣nal promises to himself, an invincible De∣fence of the Catholick Religion against all the Hereticks, Infidels and Atheists who may have the presumption to write against it, or against the Council of Trent: For it can be no longer doubted but that the Ho∣ly Ghost assisted in a special manner at that Council, to hinder that it should ordain nothing but what might be profitable to the Church; the Hereticks themselves ha∣ving taken up and owned those words of Monsieur de Lansac, the French Ambassa∣dor, which are since become so famous throughout the World; That the Pope sent every day from Rome the Holy Ghost to Trent in a Cloak-bag; Lo Spirito Santo venia portato nella valigia: For, though at first blush these words seem impious, yet by means of the Scholastick interpretation that this Cardinal bestows upon them, he makes subtilly to appear that their sense is exactly true, solid, Catholick, and that there are no longer any but Ideots that are able to perceive in those words any shadow

or appearance capable to startle their weak and ignorant Devotion. Lo how it hath steaded the Cardinal to have passed a Master in School-Divinity, and Aristotle's Philoso∣phy; and Lo wherein this Philosophy is profitable to the Church! for he that knows well how to handle it, turns against the Hereticks themselves the Shot which they thought to discharge against her. And in fine, from what they say, that the Holy Ghost was sent by the Pope in a Cloak-bag to that Council, one proves the assistance of the Holy Ghost in that Council; so then the Hereticks must own they are over∣come. And whoso does not approve the Government of the Church, such as it is this day under the Pope's Royalty, accor∣ding to the Rules of this our Cardinal's Policy, must manifestly be either a Fool or a Seducer; Chi per approvare una forma di Republica non si contenta di questo, ò è in∣sano, ò è seduttore. And so all good reli∣gious Politick Christians ought to pray God, quoth the Cardinal, that it would please him to cause the Spirit of S. Peter to live still in all his Successors, as it lives now at this day in him that reigns. Preg∣hino Iddio che faccia vivere stabilmente com' oggi vive lo Spirito di San' Piedro* 1.1 ne' succes∣sori.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Alexand. VII.