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 IV.

A government is not to be blamed, if through hope of Booty the Souldiers be stir∣red up to forrage a Country, to conquer it, and kill their Enemies, capi militari con spe∣ranza della preda e del sacco stimolano gli eser∣citi á l'espugnazione del paese nemico.* 1.1 Booty and pillage are the pincipal ends that Soul∣diers purpose to themselves,* 1.2 il principale nel∣guerra rispetto al Soldato, è il botino. Should a man do evil to exhort Souldiers by this hope? Now then do but suppose that Clergy∣men

may have for the principal Motive of their functions carnal felicity,* 1.3 which is the recompence thereof, il principale nè' Mini∣sterii sacri sia il temporale & non lo spirituale. Can the Church be blamed to set before them the carnal Motive of this same felicity, and to offer fat benefices to those, which she invites to the toilsomness of the single life and to be Clergymen, to make the condition more desirable and more supportable?

The Zealous will object here, that the Church should teach Clergy-men that carnal pleasure is not right humane felicity, and that if they believe that riches be able to make their felicity the right even as to their flesh, which is baptized, their faith is false as∣wel as their pretended felicity, they renoun∣ced that pretended felicity when they recei∣ved Baptism: for that which may be the cause of Eternal damnation can never be the right felicity, no not even according to the flesh, which is redeemed and sanctified to be saved.

According to the Principle of the Religi∣ous Policy of this same our Cardinal; one an∣swers, that these be discourses in the Air, let's leave off discourses, and come to matters that be practiced, lasciamo i discorsi,* 1.4 poniamo il ne∣gozio in prattica. 'Tis a matter of fact ac∣cording to the Cardinal's principles, that most part of men are more taken with that which is seen, than with that which is believed,* 1.5 molti ancora maggiormente s' affettionano à quel che si vide, che à quel che sicrede. All this multitude of folks here in the

World would never have left off worshipping of Jupiter and Mars, and to betake them∣selves to the worship of Jesus Christ; if this same Church had not told them that she had more carnal felicity to reward them with all than they could ever expect from Mars or Jupiter. Why should any one be loath then, that the Church should begin the preaching of her Gospel, upon that point; that from thence she may begin their vocation to the Faith? If she went about at first to disabuse them, and tell them that the felicity of the senses is no true felicity, and that all the de∣light thereof is but errour, and false felicity; who in these times wherein we live would believe such a Gospel? Here are your demonstrations as they be call'd in the affair of Politick Religion. But when one at very first doth preach thus to the People, viz. That the Court of Rome is a Theatre, and a Trea∣sury set open with the deservingness of all men, without distinction of any Nation, a Treasury and a Theatre common to all the learned and to all the persons of merit of Christendom,* 1.6 un erario ed un teatro commune al valore, alla dottrina, al merito di tutti li Christiani. That in this Court is every subject may become a Prince,* 1.7 and every Prince King of the Universe, ogni plebeo può divenir Sena∣tore, ogni suddito Principe... ogn'uno può selire alle dignità più sublime ed havere ò la soverani∣ta ò la participazione del governo e del patrimo∣nio Ecclesiastico. Who is it now that would not become a Christian, if he have but never

so little belief in the words of these Apostles, and love for their carnal felicity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 9. c. 9.
• * 1.2

  Ibid.
• * 1.3

  Ibid.
• * 1.4

  Ibid.
• * 1.5

  Ibid.
• * 1.6

  l. 24. c. 20.
• * 1.7

  l. 3. c. 10. Ibid.