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.

ARTICLE I. According to our Cardinal, there is no∣thing more important for a Christian, than to be a good Polititian; and it was to instruct Christians in the Ma∣xims of the True Policy, that the Cardinal undertook his History of the Council of Trent: This Policy is that of the worldly wise, for the esta∣blishing of which, Jesus Christ preached the Gospel, that he might teach men to be happy in this World and in the other.

ARistotle saith, That a man who sins and commits, for example, Murder or Adultery, believing that those Actions are good, does more mischief to humane

Society by his Error, than if he knew those Actions to be ill, and yet would not leave off committing them:* 1.1 Secondo Aristotele sa∣rebbe più nocivo al commercio umano chi ucci∣desse e adulterasse, persuaso tali attioni esser buone, che consapevole della lore malizia.

Which makes one perceive that there is nothing of greater import, than to instruct the understandings of men, and cure their Errors; but chiefly those Errors opposite to true Policy; because Policy is the first and supream of all the Moral Virtues;* 1.2 la quale è la suprema delle virtù morali: the reason of this Virtues excellency is, for that it hath for Object the common Good, which is the noblest of all Goods:* 1.3 Essendo ella uno studio del ben' commune ch' è il più nobile di tutti beni.

Hence, according to the same Aristotle, it being so that the corruption of the grea∣test Good brings forth the greatest Evil, Il peggior Vileno risulta dalla corruzione doll'ottimo, it follows,* 1.4 that there is no Error more pernicious, nor no Crime rendring men greater Villains, than false and cor∣rupt Policy; La quale è il piu scelerato de vizii; because 'tis contrary to the greatest of all Goods:* 1.5 Si come contraria à quel pre∣stantissimo Bene: So that there is nothing more important, than well to distinguish between Policy taken in the vulgar sense, di huomini volgari,* 1.6 and the true Policy of Knowing and Learned men; Trà la politica vera intesa da' scienziati; for false and cor∣rupt Policy is accursed.* 1.7 Questa Politica es∣secranda.

The reason is, That that Policy, instead of proposing for its End the Good of all men, and how to render them hap∣py in this World and in the other, either proposes to it self but the welfare of one single man only, whom it makes all men beside to serve; rendring them miserable, to hatch out of their Misery the Felicity of that one man; like the Turks Policy, throughout the whole Extent of his Domi∣nion:* 1.8 Qual è la Politica del Dominio Tur∣chescho: Or else in proposing to it self the the welfare and felicity of all Particulars, it sets awork to arrive thereunto, nothing but extravagant Conceits;* 1.9 Concetti strava∣ganti; such as are the Thinkings of some zealous and scrupulous Ignorants, without Experience:* 1.10 Personne zelanti mà inesperte: Therefore there is nothing more imports than to enlighten the Understanding of man,* 1.11 which alone makes up the man; che solo e l'huomo, and to make him better by giving him knowledge of the most impor∣tant Truths; that is to say, those Truths which compose the Policy of the Learned: Per migliorare l'intelletto co'lla notizia d'im∣portantissime verità per ammaestrare il lettore nella Politica.* 1.12 By the Learned or Knowing, I mean, quoth the Cardinal, those who skill the World;* 1.13 Periti del Mondo. The Design then that the Cardinal hath propo∣sed to himself by setting forth this Histo∣ry of the Council of Trent, is to defend and maintain the Catholick Religion by the Po∣licy,

and according to the Policy of those who skill the World;* 1.14 Quest opera ch' è una diffesa della Catolica Religione; and to make you see that the Policy of the Catholick Religion according to the World, is that which is true; because that by following its Maxims, a man is happy here below, and in the other Life. Wherefore, quoth he, I do undertake to defend the Judgments given by all the Earth Assembled in the Council of Trent;* 1.15 Però diffendendo i•• nel giudicio del Mondo; and therein I maintain, goes he on, the Cause not of one private Client, but of the whole Catholick Church; Non un privato Cliente mà tutta la Chiesa Ca∣tolica. So he pretends to make you see in the Proceedings and in the Decrees of the Council of Trent, that the present Govern∣ment of the Church being formed accord∣ing to the Rules of worldly Policy, and being the most profitable to the true com∣mon Good, that one can imagine according to the Flesh, in this world and in the other, is that Government which Jesus Christ himself, who is the Wisdom Incarnate, came to establish upon the Earth, and for which he hath shed his precious Blood, Questo governo disignato da Christo.* 1.16

Notes

• * 1.1

  H ior. del Conc. di Tr. l. 14. c. 13.
• * 1.2

  l. 5. c. 16.
• * 1.3

  Ibid.
• * 1.4

  l. 1. c. 13. & l. 7. c. 2.
• * 1.5

  l. 5. c. 16.
• * 1.6

  Ibid. Ibid.
• * 1.7

  Ibid.
• * 1.8

  l. 5. c. 16.
• * 1.9

  Introd. c. 10.
• * 1.10

  l. 16. c. 10.
• * 1.11

  Introd. c. 1.
• * 1.12

  Proem.
• * 1.13

  l. 1. c. 5.
• * 1.14

  l. 22. c. 5.
• * 1.15

  Introd. c. 2.
• * 1.16

  l. 1. c. 25