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.

Reason XX.

'Tis a pernicious Maxime for the Church to hold that the chief and better part of her Riches would be better employed on the necessities of the Poor, then to make the carnal felicity of Prelates, but 'tis the property of seditious tempers to scatter, that they may please the People,* 1.1 discourses marked with popular Zeal, è proprio de' seditiosi spar∣ger i concetti mascherati di zelo popolare accet∣to à poveri; and that under pretence that our Lord did speak in favour of the Poor, and that even amongst the marks, which he gave to make it known, that he was the Messias, he bid them take notice, that he preached the Gospel to the Poor: For in fine, it hath been made out, that the po∣verty of the Church, and the destruction of the Church, are the same thing. And af∣ter nineteen Politick Reasons, which have made it appear, here's one more at least, to which there's no reply.

The Court of Rome, is the Soul which re∣unites all the Catholick Kingdoms, under one and the same Unity. Without Unity there's no Church. Then without the Court of Rome, both the Unity of the Church, and the Church it self are destroyed. Now with∣out Courtiers, there's no Court, without wealth no Courtiers that will serve the Church for God's sake without wealth, then there's no Unity, nor no Church. Here's

a Politick demonstration, that hath not all its like in all the Gospel! Here look ye is the foundation of this demonstration, that the Court of Rome, is the soul of the Church and of its Unity,* 1.2 una corte laquale è quell'anima che tiene in unità tanti regni e co∣stituiss e un corpo politico il più formidabile, il più virtuoso, il più litterato, il più felice che sia in terra.

That which hinders even the Peoples re∣belling against Kings, and Conspiring a∣gainst their persons, is the veneration which the People have for the Court of Rome, which is the prop of the power Monarchical.

That which hinders Wars, either civil or foreign, is the multitude of Church-men, which be Gown-men, and for Peace: and that which makes the multitude of Church-men is the multitude of Benefices and good Revenues. Take away then from the Church, it's great Wealth, and all will be full of Wars and Conspiracies, as on the other hand, the power of Kings could not subsist with that insolence, wherewith it would let it self be transported, if it had not above it, the power of the Pope, and the Court of Rome,* 1.3 which makes a tempe∣rament so equal between all extremes, that if Aristotle, and Plato, were living, they would be glad to yield themselves to the beautifulness of this project of a Republick, and to confess that their Policy understood nothing herein. Such a design could not be moulded, but only by the eternal Wis∣dom

and a light, whereunto humane sagaci∣ty could never arr ve,* 1.4 per che l'intelletto deg∣li antichi savii ad assai più basse cose non gi∣unse che non è l'econnomia della sapienza Incar∣nata nell'istituzione della sua chiesa. All which things being considered, the greatest Act of Christian Piety consists in defending this Politick government to the last drop of ones blood, aswel as all that which is neces-to the keeping it up, how opposite sover it seems to be to the Canons, and particular∣ly to those of the Council of Trent; because that Council having submitted all to the Po∣litick prudence of the Pope, not to obey the Ordinance of the Council, to the end to obey the Pope, is truly to follow the Council, and more perfectly to hit the meaning of the Council.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 9. c. 9.
• * 1.2

  l. 3. c. 10.
• * 1.3

  l. 12. c. 3.
• * 1.4

  Ibid.