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 III. The Second Errour of the Zealous Igno∣rants, That the best to be done, is the best to be commanded; 'tis better to command that which is according to Nature, than that which would be better to be done according to God.

IT would be better to observe the Laws that are made; for Law is a Rule which in the time it was made, was esteemed the very best to govern well by, la legge,* 1.1 il che vuol'dire la regola riputata la migliore per buon, governo; and the Zealous Ignorants would have that a general Law, which en∣joyns the observation of the Laws already made, because it is the best thing that can be done. This was also one of the De∣mands which the French Ambassadors made at the Council of Trent, to wit, That that, and former Councils Orders might exactly be observed without being infringed by Di∣spensations: This was a request, quoth the Cardinal, that tended to no less than to undermine the Churches Monarchy,* 1.2 che le

costitutioni fatte da Concilii non cadessero sotto dispensazioni, la qual domanda tendeua ad ab∣battere la Monarchia. This in effect, was the 28th of the 34 Articles of Reformation, which the Ambassadors proposed to the Council; That there might be no dispensing with the Canons which forbid Marriage within the Degrees prohibited, unless in favour of Kings and Princes for the publick Good.

'Tis very easie to make the Poison of this Error manifest, That what is the best to be done, is the best to be commanded, whe∣ther one considers it in relation to Divine Laws, that direct the inward affections of the heart, or whether one considers it in re∣lation to the Humane Laws of the Church, which can but direct exterior actions, it is wholly throughout pernicious. As for the inward Affections, God being the great in∣visible Good of man, it is certain, that to love him by an act of Love, as a Virtue Di∣vine, would be the best; as also to set ones affection more upon that invisible Good, than upon that which is seen; but is it best to say, that God hath thus commanded it? No, because that that Command would not be accommodate to the condition of the most part of men which are within the Church, who set their affections more upon what is seen,* 1.3 than upon what is not seen, molti mag∣giormente i s' affezzionano à quel che si vede che à quel che si crede. This same Law of Love would not be grateful to them, being

corrupt as they are. Likewise to be wil∣ling and endeavour to arrive to a perfect actual Love of God, would assuredly be best; but would it be best to preach that men are thereunto obliged by Command∣ment? No, without doubt, by the same reason of this same Cardinal: so, to say, that he which does the work of God negligently is cursed; one sees clearly the venom of such like Doctrine, and how many persons it would cast into despair; here's what regards the Divine Laws, which regulate the mo∣tions and affections of the inward man.

As to the humane Laws of the Church, which can regulate but outward actions, suppose one should make a Law obliging Christians to observe all the Canons indi∣stinctly, as the Council of Trent hath done, in these terms, Sciant Ʋniversi sacratissimos Canones exactè ab omnibus & quoad ejus fieri poterit, indistinctè observandos; Sess. 25. c. 18. There is no doubt but it is best to observe all the Canons; but is it best to command it? No, because that that Law would take away from the Princes of the Church the power to derogate from those Canons, and to shew favour therein to those whom they should judge fit,* 1.4 derogando per ordinario alla lege; prima de due qualità che massimamente son' bramate del principe: Now to derogate from Canons or Laws, in favour of those which one would gratifie, is the prime of those two Qualities desirable in a Prince, and this ability is one of the most effectual

that he can have: to vitiate and ruine this Quality, by taking that power from him, is most pernicious, il pessimo suole essere una corruzione dell'ottimo; so that it is also ma∣nifest in this respect, that it is a most perni∣cious Error, That the best to be done, is the best to be commanded.

This may be remarked in the Laws made by the Council of Trent; for if the Pope should observe them, and not shew favour when he judges it fit, the Spring of at least half his Graces and Benefits would be at a stop,* 1.5 se'l Papa vuol'osservare quelle leggi, il fonte della sua benefizenza asoiugasi per metà.

Now the power to do good, is one of the two Hinges whereupon Veneration for Powers moves and is upheld,* 1.6 la facoltà di benefacere e un de' due cardini sopra cui sostiensi la venerazione de Principati,

The respect that men have for Princes, is the firmest Basis of their Empire and of their Authority, quella venerazione ch' è la base del loro Imperio. The Popes Authority is the Ground-work of the Church and of its Government according to the Flesh, as according to the Spirit,* 1.7 del qual governo la base è l'authorità del Pontefice.

So to follow the order of all these Truths, and to conclude from first to last, 'tis mani∣fest, that to lay this Maxim, that the best to be done, is also the best to be commanded, is to lay a Principle that destroyes the foundation of the Church; and see here

of what importance it is to disabuse hu∣mane understanding concerning the false Maximes of Zealous Ignorant men's Policy, Vulgar Souls, Slaves of Common Opi∣nion.

That which is the best to be done, is desirable, must be agreed, but more desi∣rable than possible,* 1.8 più desiderabili che possi∣bili. It is more desirable than commodious for mens conditions; Nature it self hath a regard to what is convenient for the state of men, and avoids that which is not sutable for them according to Tempers and Times wherein one is, and with whom one lives, non adattate alle condizioni degli huomini come fà la natura ed allo stato del mondo che porta∣vano ì tempi.* 1.9

'Tis then very evident that the Laws of the Church ought to be grateful and ac∣commodated to the inclinations of corrupt Natures, such as they are, and not such as they ought to be with relation to God. To well govern the Church, there needs but to observe how the present times go, and after what fashion men live; for if the Law hath man for its Object, and as it were its Matter, yet he also is as it were Agent, in regard of the Law, and upholds himself in all the inclinations which he hath brought into the world, and in all the habitudes wherein he hath been engaged,* 1.10 i quali hanno per attori e per soggetto gli huomini che sono di fatto al mondo e con l'inclinazioni e con l'usanza che di fatto hanno. This is a reason

why Right must be regulated by Fact, and not Fact by Right: Right is immoveable in its nature, and he that would stay there, should never do any thing; and this is again one of the pernicious Errors of the Zealous Ignorants which we are a going to re∣fute.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 7. c. 2.
• * 1.2

  l. 19. c. 11.
• * 1.3

  l. 9. c. 9.
• * 1.4

  l. 7. c. 2.
• * 1.5

  Intr. c. 10.
• * 1.6

  l. 23. c. 3.
• * 1.7

  l. 1. c. 25.
• * 1.8

  l. 19. c. 11.
• * 1.9

  Ibid.
• * 1.10

  l. 6. c. 4.