cles., sascul, xvii., p. 735. There are also
extant other proposals for union, made known
at the German courts in the year 1660, by
the elector of Mayence, by order and author
ity (as it is said) of the Roman pontiff: and
which Jo. Dan. Gruber has published, in the
Commercium Epistolicum Leibnitianum,
torn, i., p. 411-415: add, p. 426, &c.
[ Christopher Rojas, (Roxas, Rohas, or Ror-
has) de Spinola, was a native Spaniard, and
first came to Vienna in 1666, as confessor
to the Infanta Margaretha Theresa, the first
wife of the emperor Leopold. In the year
1668, he was made bishop of Tina in Croa
tia; and in 1685, bishop of Neustadt Wie-
nerisch, in Lower Austria. While bishop
of Tina, his bishopric affording him little
employment, he travelled about Germany,
with the approbation of pope Innocent XL,
as a negotiator with the Protestants for their
return to the church of Rome. The emper
or Leopold also employed him in civil nego
tiations ; and in 1691, empowered him to ne
gotiate with his Protestant subjects in Hun
gary and Transylvania, a reconciliation with
Rome. The terms he offered the Protest
ants were, (I.) The suspension of the decrees
of Trent ; and the assembling a new coun
cil, in which the Protestants and Catholics
should each have an equal number of voters,
and the decisions of Trent undergo a new
and impartial investigation. (II.) The ac
quittal of the Protestants from the charge of
heresy, provided they would cease to call
the pope Antichrist. (III.) Communion in
both kinds; marriage of priests ; continuance
in their possession of church property ; abo
lition of auricular confession ; and public
worship in the vernacular tongue. In re
spect to the authority of the pope, and tra
ditions, he did not express himself clearly.
The archbishop of Mayence, who had been
active in promoting the peace of Westphalia,
ifter sending an envoy to Rome, and con-
electors >f Treves and



held several meetings with the German Cath
olics who were solicitous for the peafce ol
the country, at Mayence, Treves, Darmstadt,
Rome, and elsewhere ; and then made the
following proposals to the Protestants at
Ralisbon. 1. That twelve Lutheran and
twelve Catholic divines should meet togeth
er, swear to act honestly and in good faith,
without fraud or subterfuge, as they should
answer it to God. 2. That they should ex
amine the religious disputes, and decide
them according to the Bible only. 3. That
to enable them to agree, they should first
make a new translation of the Bible. 4.
That whatever a majority of them agreed to,
should be considered as valid articles of
faith. 5. That both the decrees of the coun
cil of Trent and the Augsburg Confession,
should be examined, article by article, and
judged of according to the Scriptures. As
preliminary articles, it was proposed to yield :
1. Worship in the German language. 2.
Marriage of bishops and the secular clergy,
but not of monks and nuns. 3. The aboli
tion of auricular confession in Germany and
the other Protestant countries ; but not in
Spain and Italy, where for certain reasons it
was esteemed necessary. 4. Every one to
be at liberty, to pray to the saints or not.
5. Purgatory no longer to be an article of
faith. 6. Communion in both kinds, to be
allowed. 7. The pope no longer to be re
garded as universal judge, but only as the
first priest and bishop of the church. Diffi
cult questions of conscience may be laid be
fore him ; but none shall be compelled to fol
low his decisions. 8. Christians to be here
after divided into two classes, the Ancient
Catholics, and the Reformed Catholics ; who
should regard each other as brethren. Car
dinals to be taken from both classes, and an
equal number from each. To these propo
sitions, the Lutheran courts raised many ob
jections ; and the whole project was soon
abandoned. See Schrocckh s Kirchengesch.
seit der Reform., vol. vii., p. 98, &c., aoj
SchlcgeVs note here. TV.]



HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH. 297

versy between the two communities were not of such magnitude, as to for-
bid all union. Among the French Reformed, Lewis le Blanc, a man oth.
erwise possessed of discernment, together with his disciples, fell under a
suspicion of this fault.(38) It is more certain, that Theophilus Brachei
MHletierre, and Huisseaux a divine of Saumur, Tanaquil Faber and some
others, were chargeable with this conduct. (39) Among the English. Wil
liam Forbes especially, showed himself ready to compromise a grea . part
of the controversies which separate us from the Romanists. (40) Among
the Dutch, no man of information can well be ignorant, how much Hugo
Grotius was disposed to unite all sects of Christians together, and espe
cially to excuse and to give favourable views of the papists. (41) But
these and the others, (whom we omit to mention), obtained only this re
ward for their well-intended labours, that they offended both parties, and
drew upon themselves a great weight of odium. To this class of divines
who burned with a preposterous zeal for union with the Romanists, many
reckon George Calixtus, a very learned professor in the university of
Helmstadt ; that is, the very man, than whom no one perhaps in this age,
more learnedly and lucidly demonstrated the errors and defects of the
papal church ; and no one more uniformly affirmed that the decrees and
the denunciations of the council of Trent, destroyed all hope of healing
the division. The reason why he was thought to lean towards this class,
was, that he used softer language than was customary respecting some con
troversies ; and that he believed, the first principles of the Christian reli
gion were not absolutely subverted by the Romanists, but only loaded and
deformed by a great multitude of intolerable opinions.

15. This band of pacificators, which was illy marshalled and weak
from its own discords, was easily put to flight by a moderate effort : but
stronger forces were necessary, to withstand those among the papists who
devised new modes of warfare. These have usually been called Method
ists : and they were chiefly of that ingenious nation the French, whom
perpetual conflicts with the very learned Huguenots (as the Protestants of
France are called) had rendered extremely fond of disputation, and ;;!so
expert in it for that age. They may very suitably be divided into r.vo
classes. The first class imposed hard and unreasonable laws of argurnen-

(38) See Baylc s Dictionnaire, tome i., highly extolled by Jo. Ern. Grnbc, in his
p. 484, &c. [art. Beaulieii. See also note notes to BuWs Harmonia Apostolica, p. 19.
(29) above. His whole name was Louis le Nor were his probity and very exemplary
Blanc Sieur de Beaulicu. Tr.] life, unworthy of praise. Yet the wiser

(39) Concerning MHletierre, see Bayle, among the English, cannot but admit that
Dictionnaire, tome iii., p. 1982, [and note he favoured the Romish party too much.
(29) above.] Concerning Huisseaux and See Gilbert Burners History of his own
his pacific propositions, see Rich. Simon, times, vol. i., p. 22. He was of course much
Lettres Choisies, tome iii., p. 14, and Jac. commended by the papists. See Rich. Si-
Aymon, Synodes Nationaux de Eglises Re- man s Lettres Choises, tome iii., lettr. xviii.,
tormees en France, tome ii., p. 765. [Jo. p. 119. He was undoubtedly one of those
Quick s Synodicon in Gallia Reformata, vol. who did most to persuade the English,
ii., p. 544, ccc. Tr.] On Faber s attempt, (whether right or wrong), that king Charles
see Dan. Gco. Morliqff, Polyhistor.,tome i., I. and William Laud had designs of again
p. 295. restoring the Romish religion in England.

(40) His considerations modestae et pa- (41) Here may be consulted with advan-
cif.cse controversiarum de jnstificatione, pur- tage, though he is partial to Grotius, the an
jzatorio, &c., were published, Lond., 1658, thor of the bock : Grotii manes ab iniquia
Wvo, and in Germany, with corrections by obtrectatoribus vindicati, torn ii.. p. 542.
Jo. Fabricius, a divine of Heimstadt. He is 826, &c.

VOL. HI. PP



298 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART I. CHAP. I,



taiion upon the Protestants ; and resembled those generals who concen,
trate their troops in fortresses, and surround themselves with ramparts, to
enable them more easily to resist the assaults of their foes. Of this clase
was Francis Veronius, a Jesuit ; who supposed the enemies of the Romish
religion ought to prove their doctrines by explicit declarations of the holy
scriptures, and therefore preposterously forbid their resorting to any infer
ences, necessary consequences, or argumentation ;(42) Barthold NiktutU9 9
an apostate ;(43) the brothers named Walenburg and others, who deeming
it easier to defend their cause against attacks than to demonstrate its jus-
tice, threw the whole burden of proof on their adversaries, assuming the
ground of mere respondents and defendants ; Armand Richelieu, who rec
ommended neglecting the various objections and complaints of their ad-
versaries, reducing the whole controversy to the single article of the church,
and placing the divine majesty and authority of that beyond all cavils by
means of conclusive arguments ; and some others. (44) The other class
preferred the plan of those generals, who to avoid a protracted war, re
solve to stake all upon the issue of a general battle, instead of wasting
time in sieges and a series of skirmishes ; that is, they thought best not to



(42) Jo. Musaus, de usu principiorum
rationis in comroversiis Theologicis, lib. i.,
cap. iv., p. 22. Gco. Calixtus, Digressio
de arte nova, p. 125, &c. Rich. Simon,
Lettres Choisies, tome i.,p. 276. [The fa
mous controversial preacher Verun, who
under the protection of the French court,
travelled about challenging the Huguenots
to public disputation and conference, from
the year 1622 onward, composed a book with
the Thrasonic title : Methodus nova, facilis
et solida, hneresin ex fundamento destruendi,
et refutandi confessionem Gallicam, Augus-
tanam, Saxonicam, libros denique omnes
Theologorum Protestantium, &c. Sckl.~]

(43) Peter Bayle, Dictionnaire, torn. Hi.,
p. 2096, &c. [art. Nihusius]. This vain and
half-learned man was formally confuted by
Gco. Calixtus, in his Digressio de arte nova
contra Nihusium ; a book very well worth
reading ; Helmst., 1634, 4to. [Nihusius
was a Lutheran divine, educated under Ca
lixtus at Helmstadt. But he turned Catho
lic about the year 1614; after which he be
came an abbot and a bishop, and wrote nu
merous letters and tracts in support of po
pery. He died in 1657. His principal
work was entitled : Ars nova dicto sacra3
Scripture unico lucrandi e Pontificiis pluri-
mos in partes Lutheranorum, detecta nonni-
hil et suggesta Theologis Helmstetentibus,
Georgio Calixto prsesertim et Conrado Hor-
ncio. Nihusius assumed, that the church
of Rome was an ancient church, and in pos
session of a system of doctrines which she
had held unmolested for ages ; of course,
she was not to be ousted of her possession



ants, or upon the innovators on the estab
lished religion. At the same time, he forbid
their reasoning from Scripture by way of in
ference ; and required them to bring direct
and positive proofs. Reasonings he said,
were human ; positive declarations of the
Bible were divine. Moreover in reasoning
from the Bible, men differed so widely, that
there was no knowing what to believe, unlesa
we admitted and confided in an infallible in
terpreter, namely the pope. When it was
objected, that the popes had for centuries
been such dissolute and base characters,
that it could not be supposed they were the
moufh of God to men ; he replied, that the
same might be said of some of the writers
of the Bible, David for instance, &c. See
Baylc, loc. cit. TV.]

(44) For a somewhat fuller account of
these matters, see Frederic Spanhcim, Stric-
turze ad expositionem fidei Bossueti, in his
Opp., torn, iii., pt. ii., p. 1037. Jo. Henr.
Heidegger, Historia Papatus, period vii., ^
ccxviil., p. 316. Jo. Geo. Walc.h, Introduc
tion to Religious Controversies ; written in
German ; vol. ii., p. 191, &c. Christ.
Eberh. Weismann, Historia Eccles., sascul.
xvii., p. 726, and various others. [Peter
and Adrian von Walenburg were two broth
ers, born at Rotterdam, who abandoned their
country and their religion, and lived at Co
logne. The first was a titular bishop in
Mysia, and suffragan to Cologne ; the other
was the titular bishop of Adrianople, and
suffragan to Maycnce. Their works, con
sisting chiefly of controversial pieces against
the Protestants, were printed together, undei



by any new claimant, unless that claimant the title of: Fratrum Walenbur^icorum op-
could "make good his title. In this way, he era, 1670, 2 vols, fol. Schl.]
threw all the burden of proof on the Protest-



HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH. 299

weigh one point after another, and answer in detail all the arguments of
opposers, but to overwhelm the Protestants at once, by certain grc % at prin
ciples or general arguments involving the whole subject, or by what are
technically called pr&judicia. The glory if not of inventing, yet of per-
fecting this method and of displaying it with great eloquence, is enjoyed
by Peter Nicole a Jansenist, who was neither a bad man nor an obtuse
reasoner.(45) After him, many others supposed there was so much power
in this method, that they believed a single argument of this kind, if wisely
and properly managed, was sufficient to overthrow the whole cause of the
Protestants. Hence, some opposed the Protestants with the single princi
ple of prescription; others supposed our case would be desperate, if it
could be made to appear, that the principal reformers were vicious men
and destitute of virtue ; many believed, they should divest their antagonists
of all means of defence, on the ground that religious separation or schism
is the greatest of all evils, if they made it appear, that the fathers of the
reformed churches were the authors of so great a calamity. (46) Prc-cmi-
nent among these, for the felicity of his genius and the copiousness of his
eloquence, but not for his discernment, was James Benignus Bossuet;
who endeavoured to demonstrate from the disagreements among the Prot
estant doctors, and from the frequent changes their church and doctrines
had undergone, that the church established by Luther was not a true church ;
and from the perpetual uniformity of the Romish church, that it was the
true church and of divine origin. (47) This appears very surprising, as
coming from a learned man, who could not be ignorant that the pontiffs are
very subservient to times and places and to the opinions of men ; and still
more as coming from a Frenchman, whose fellow-citizens contend with so
much zeal, that modern Rome differs as much from ancient and primitive
Rome as lead does from gold.

16. So many and various efforts of the patrons of the Romish church,
occasioned indeed the Protestant doctors not a little labour, but produced
very slender effects. Some of the princes and a few learned men, were
induced to embrace again the Romish religion which their fathers had re
nounced ; but no one nation or province, could be persuaded to follow their
example. Of the highest order of persons, Christina queen of Sweden, a
lady of great spirit and genius, but precipitate, and one who preferred her

(45) He is generally supposed to be the gest bulwarks. And they may continue to
author of that book, confuted by vast num- exult in this their great champion and de-
bers, entitled, Prcjugez legitimes centre les fender, if they choose ; but if they are not
Calvinistes, Paris, 1671, 8vo, and afterwards beside themselves, and wish to preserve the
reprinted several times. [" This method head of their church safe, they must be ex-
certainly was not the invention of Nicolle, ccedingly desirous that Bcssuct s great prin-
for it seems to differ little, if at all from the ciple, that whatever church frequently modi-
method of cardinal Richelieu. We may ob- fics and changes its doctrines has not the
serve farther, that Richelieu seems rather to holy Spirit, may never be believed true, by
belong to the second class of Methodists any one who is acquainted with the course
than to the first, where Dr. Mosheim has of events at Rome. [Against Bossuet, James
placed him." Mad. ] Basnage wrote his famous Histoire dea

(46) Fred. Spanhcim, Diss. de Prsescrip- Eglises reformees ; Rotterdam, 1690, 2 vols.
tione in rebus fidei adversus novos Metho- 8vo. And as Bossuet replied to this, in
distas ; in his Opp., torn, iii., pt. ii., p. 1079. his Defense de PHistoire des variations:

(47) His Histoire des variations des Egli- Basnage composed his great work : Histoire
ses Protestantes, Paris, 1688, 8vo, is very de PEglise depuis J. O. jusque a present;
generally known. To this day, the papists Rotterd., 1699 9 vols. fol. SchL]
confide in it, and place it amor.g their stron-



300 BOOK IV. CENT. XVIL SEC. II. PART I. CHAP. I.

ease, pleasure and liberty, to all other considerations ;(48) Wolfgang Wil
Ham, count Palatine of the Rhine ;(49) Christian William, marquis of
Brandenburg ;(50) Ernest, prince of Hesse ;(51) John Frederic, duke of
Brunswick ; (52) and Frederic Augustus, king of Poland,(53) subjected them,
selves to the Roman pontiff. Of the men of genius and erudition, the il
lustrious Jo. Christian baron of Boisneburg, privy counsellor to the electoi
of Mayence, and a noted Msecenas in that age ;(54) Christ. Ranzovius, a
knight of Holstein ;(55) Caspar Stioppius ;(56) Peter Bertius ;(57) Chris-



(48) Of this queen, and the causes of her
defection to the Romish church, there is a
very full account in Arkenholz, Memoires de
la Heine Christine ; which is a very interest
ing and useful book. [This vain and rash
woman, who probably had no fixed religious
principles, became weary of the cares of gov
ernment ; resigned her crown in 1654, and
retired to Italy, to enjoy the refined society
of that country. Asa preparatory step to a
comfortable residence at Rome, while on
her way thither, she changed her religion.
TV.]

(49) [This prince, at his solemn renuncia
tion of Protestantism in the year 1614, as
signed as his reasons, the common arguments
used by Catholics to prove the truth of their
religion, and the falsehood of the Protestant.
But it was believed at the time, and even by
Catholic historians, that a principal motive
with him was, to secure the favour of the em
peror and of the Spanish court, in order to
make sure his heirship to the duchy of Ju-
lian-Cleves. See Sckroeckh, Kirchengesch.
seitder Reform., vol. iv., p. 370, and Schie-
geVs note here. TV.]

(50) [At the capture of Magdeburg by
the imperial troops in 1630, he was taken
prisoner, and carried to Vienna, where his
conversion took place. The grounds of it,
which he published, were chiefly, that the
Protestants had no legitimate priesthood.
See Schlegel s note here. TV. ]

(.51) This very learned and good prince
was converted in 1651, by the celebrated
Capuchin monk, Valerius Magnus. See
Gruber s Commercium Epistol. Leibnitia-
num, torn, i., p. 27, 35. Memoires de la
Reine Christine, tome i., p. 216. But it is
manifest from the writings of Ernest him
self, that he, as well as Anth. Ulric duke of
Brunswick, and many others, did not go over
to bich a Romish church as actually exists,
but t.) a very different one, which has long
rince ceased to be, and of which his imagi
nation formed an idea.

(52) [He put entire confidence in his fa
vourite preacher, Henry Julius Blum ; and
when solicited to apostatize, refused, unless
Ihe Catholics could first convert Blum. The
Jesuits then applied themselves to Blum, and



offered him an income of 2000 dollars annu
ally, if he would turn Catholic. Blum con
sented. A dispute was held between them
in presence of the duke. For a considerable
time Blum answered all tie arguments oi
the Jesuits triumphantly ; but at length they
adduced a new argument, which Blum could
not withstand, and which, he told the duke,
was unanswerable. Of course he now open
ly yielded to popery ; and the duke followed
his example. This was in 1654. Blum
obtained his pension, and at length was
made vice-president of the supreme court
of appeals at Prague. See SchlegcVs note
here. TV.]

(53) [He was the elector of Saxony, and
to qualify himself for the throne of Poland,
made profession of the Catholic religion in
the year 1697. See Schroeckh s Kirchen
gesch. s. d. Reform., vol. vii., p. 74, and
Henke s Kirchengesch., vol. iv., p. 559
TV.]

(54) He apostatized to the Romish church
in 1653, following the example of Ernest,
prince of Hesse ; and was indeed a man of
great distinction, but rather a man of letters
than a sound reasoner or philosopher. See
Grubcr s Commercium Epistol. Leibnitia-
num, containing his and Coming s Epistles,
torn, i., p. 35, 37, 39, 48, 56, 60, 70, 76, 93,
&c.

(55) See Jo. Holler s Cimbria Litterata,
torn. i.,p. 520. [He defended Lutheranism
at Helmstadt in 1649. But the next year,
at Rome, the splendour of the Jubilee, and
the arguments of Lucas Holstenius over
came him. See JHcnke, Kirchengesch., vol.
iv., p. 300, &c. TV.]

(56) [He was a German, learned, ardent,
restless. He became a papist about A.D. ,
1600 ; fell out with the Jesuits ; and fought
much against the Protestants. See Bayle,
Dictionnaire. vol. iv., art. Scioppius. TV.]

(57) [Berlins was rector of the theologi
cal college of Leyden. Being an Arminian.
he was censured by the synod of Dort, and
afterwards excommunicated. He retired to
France, became a Catholic, was a professor
at Paris, historiographer to the king, and
died in 1629. See Rces Cyclopedia, arti
cle Bcrlius.Tr.~[



HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH.



301



lopker Besoldus ;(58) Ilelfr. Ulr. Hunnius ,-(59) Nich. Stenonius, a cele.
brated Danish physician :(60) Jo. Phil. Pfeffer, a professor at Konigs-
berg;(61) Lucas Holstenius.(6 2) with his kinsman, Peter Lamlccius ;(63)
Henri/ Jui. Blum, professor at Helmstadt, a learned but vain man ;(64)
Daniel Nessel ;(65) Andrew Fromm ;(66) Bartholt Nihusius, Christ. Hell,
wig, Mattli. Pratorius ;(67) and some others of inferior note and standing,
revolted to the Romish party. But if you except from among them, all
such as we are abundantly assured were led to this change by their domes-
tic misfortunes, by their desire to advance their rank and glory, by their
inordinate love of wealth and worldly advantages, by their fickleness of
mind, by their imbecility of intellect, or by other causes of no better char
acter, you will reduce the whole number to a few persons, whom no one
will greatly envy the Roman Catholics. (68)

Italy, where he was in high esteem ; was
made librarian to the pope, and came near to
being a cardinal. He died 1661, aged 65.
He was one of the most learned men of his
age, and a sincere Catholic, but not bigoted.
See Jo. Matter s Cimbria Litterata, vol. i.,
p. 257, and vol. iii., p. 321-342. Tr.]

(63) [Lambccius was a countryman and
nephew of Hoist emus, and a rector at Ham
burg. But he had a bad wife, and besides
fell also into ill fame as a teacher of false
doctrine. He therefore abandoned his
country, office, wife, and religion, and be-
came a librarian at Vienna. SchL This
very learned man, and voluminous writer and
editor, died in 1680, aged 52. See Jo. Mol-
ler, Cimbria Litterata, vol. i., p. 323, and
vol. iii., p. 391-414. Tr.]

(64) He apostatized in 1654. [See above,
note (52). 7V. ] See Jac. Burckard s H is-
toria Biblioth. Augustas, pt. iii., p. 223,
233. Grubcr s Commercium Epistol-Leib-
nitianum, torn, i., p. 41, 95, 135, 137, 379,
388, 410, &c. In these Epistles, he is
usually called Florus.

(65) [He was the son of Martin Nessel, a
rector of Bremen, and studied law. He and
his father both turned Catholics, in 1667.
Daniel succeeded Lambccius, as librarian at
Vienna, and died A.D. 1700. See Henke a
Kirchengesch., vol. iv., p. 302. TV.]

(66) [He was a provost at Berlin, and
from the year 1662, laboured much to unite,
the Protestants and Catholics. His aposta-
cy took place at Prague, in 1667. See
Henke, loc. cit., iv., p. 303 ; and Schickel s
note here. TV.]

(67) [Concerning Nihusius, see above,
p. 298, note (43). Pratorius was noticed
also, p. 294, note (32). Hellwig was a phy
sician, and son-in-law to J. P. Pfei/er, men
tioned in note (61). He apostatized with
his father-in-law, A.D. 1694. TV.]

(68) Of these men, and others of a similai
character, an account is given by God r
Arnold, Kirchen-und Ketzcrhistorie, r. .. i



(58) [Bcsold was a learned and excellent