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.

TWo things saith our Cardinal do make the soveraign Power of the Pope ardently desirable, The great Wealth where∣of he is Master, and The great many means, which he hath to oblige men,* 1.1 due beni percui foli appar desiderabile, il principato dell'oro dell'obligo. The Policy of the Roman Court to uphold it self in this possession uses the fol∣lowing means to inrich it self. The first is the Annates or Yearly Pensions, that the Clergy pay to the Pope, but to judge well of the Justice by which they as well as the other means which follow are established, 'tis good we remember the Rule of Pope Paul IV, who to guide his Wisdom had only but this, viz. To use his Spiritual power

in its full extent,* 1.2 s' auvisò che tutta l'ampiez∣za dello spiritual suo potere fosse anche la mi∣sura di saggiamentte esercitarlo. That is to say, That all that a Pope does is done wise∣ly: whosoever hath but any insight into pub∣like affairs, quoth our Cardinal, knows that the government of this is famous, for having been the excellent Model of a rare Pontifical prudence,* 1.3 chiunque ha tintura d'affari pub∣lici sà ch'il suo governo riman famoso per idea di pontificia prudenza. So that the means to get Rich or Great, which have no other Principle, other Reason, nor other mea∣sure, but the all-Puissantness of the Pope, be those which come the neerest to this ex∣cellent Idea of the Pontifical Government,* 1.4 and curious fine and neat Policy, fina pruden∣za. The Annates or Yearly Pensions are one of these means found in this all-Puissant∣ness, so do they suffice without other Proof to make it appear that the Pope is the sole Pa∣triarch of the West, because all the Western Churches pay them and to him only,* 1.5 anzi ricevendo di fatto il Papa da' soli Occidentali bastarrebbe à giustificare eziandio il solo Patri∣arcato dell'Occidente. Besides the Pope hath right to receive Annates or yearly Pensions of all the Churches of Christendom as taken instead of Tenths or Tythes, due by the Bishops and lesser Ecclesiasticks to the so∣veraign Pontife,* 1.6 si riscuotono da' beneficii di tutto la Christianità in luogo di decime dovute per sostentazione del somma sacerdote dagli altri minori Ecclesiastici. For the soveraign Pon∣tife, for the good of Christendom, ought to

keep up his Court full of Nobility. Il quale per bene del Christianesimo dée mantener le sua Corte di molti ufficiali Nobili, besides so many other expences which he is obliged to make, as hath been shewed.

It might seem Simony to give mony for the Bulls to a Benefice, but the Pope does not receive Annates or yearly Pensions, but on∣ly for a temporal thing which is linked to a Spiritual Grace. Now what hurt is it that the suiter who obtains a fat temporality, should give a small part thereof to him which grants it? On the contrary is there any thing more reasonable then this?* 1.7 Qual cosa più rag∣gionevole e più consueta e più soave, che si con∣tribuisca qualche rigaglia al conceditore dall'im∣petratore delluogo, all'oro que questo riceve la nuova grazia, perciò che in un tale acquisto non gli è grave quella piccoila spesa.

Indeed if the Pope gave nothing but Spi∣ritual as the Bishops do when they give Or∣ders, one might finde more appearance of Si∣mony for such a grace,* 1.8 per le ordinazione le quali danno unagrazia meramente spirituale era convenevole qual si fosse temporal pagamento, e pero santamente constituirono i Padri Tridenti∣ni, che i vescovi nulla prendessero. 'Tis ma∣nefest then according to humane equity that the Tax or Impost of Annates, or Yearly Pen∣sions is just,* 1.9 stabilitasi l'equità secundo t'uma∣no discorso. Now it is another Principle, that when the humane equity of a business is once famed to be settled, divine equity as hath been shewen, willeth that the Pope should guide the

Church according to Natural inclinations: So that there can be no divine Reason to for∣bid what humane equity permits, no more than that which is permitted by the Do∣ctrine of Aristotle and forbidden by any o∣ther; but to comprehend yet more neatly, in what, that which is called Simony con∣sists it must be known, that when the Pope takes Money for granting Spiritual Graces, which serve for example unto the Peoples Salvation, this is no Simony to give it unto him,* 1.10 the Pope grants it, in primo del dena∣ro donato à Dio. But if the Pope gave Mo∣ney, or relinquished his temporal interests to win People to their Salvation, this would be Simony in him, thus to buy with Money the Poeples Salvation, and in the People to consent to their Salvation, which is spiritual, to get the Popes Money, or any other temporal benefit,* 1.11 far una specie di Si∣monia vendendo al Papa la ricuperazione dell'anime á prezzo d'entrate e di giuridizioni ritolte della chiesa. Temporal revenues and other rights annexed to the Authority not only of the Pope, but of other Ecclesiasticks, are the best Juice and the most pure to nou∣rish up the Church,* 1.12 miglior sugo: This Au∣thority to suck and drain this Juice from all parts of the Univers is of divine Institution. Jesus Christ hath instituted this power, when he came down upon Earth for the Salvation of the World, ufficio istituito da Dio quando scese in terra per la salute del mondo.* 1.13 So that Jesus Christ hath given power to the Pope,

to take Money, and Milk the People for the Salvation of the World, but not to the People to suck the Popes Temporalities for their Salvation, nor to the Pope to give them his Temporalities for to save them. This would be the utmost Simony, the first is none. Mark ye here how important it is to know well the Rules of right Policy, and how far the Pope's power reaches, for he can do all ex∣cept relinquishing the least part of his power for the sake of Peoples Salvation, because he is but the Guardian of his all-puissantness,* 1.14 and not the master, non essendo egli abitro e padrone della sua maggioranza costituita da Christo, & pero non potendo farle alcun pregiudicio.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 4. c. 9.
• * 1.2

  l. 14. c. 9.
• * 1.3

  l. 3. c. 17.
• * 1.4

  l. 13. c. 10.
• * 1.5

  l. 14. c. 9.
• * 1.6

  l. 4. c. 8.
• * 1.7

  l. 19 c. 9.
• * 1.8

  Ibid.
• * 1.9

  Ibid.
• * 1.10

  l. 1. c. 2.
• * 1.11

  l. 2. c. 10.
• * 1.12

  l. 2. c. 10. & l. 6. c. 7.
• * 1.13

  l. 2. c. 10.
• * 1.14

  l. 12. c. 15.