French nation, that the edicts of the popes
arc held in immense veneration, that the
Jesuits have imbued the minds of the mon
archs and of the leading men in the govern
ment, with excessive attachment to the Ro
mish views, that vigilance is used against all
those who wish to see the opinions of their
ancestors prevail, that the tribunal of the In
quisition is gradually introduced, and other
tilings of this sort. But I am persuaded that
more reliance is placed on these representa
tions, than ought to be, arid that the rights
of the French people are still in the same
state as formerly : nor am I able at all
to discern those triumphs of the pontiffs
over the French, which many excellent men,
who with the French are too indignant, es
pecially the Jansenists and the Appellants,
think they can clearly see. As the general
policy of the French government is much
more artful and crafty, in the present age ;
so the machinations of the pontiffs are thwart
ed, by more silent and artful methods, than
in the preceding more rude age. The same
conflict is kept up as before : but it is now
managed in a very different way. And this
new and politic course, does not meet the
views of many of the French ; who are of an
ardent temperament, and who think they
ought to contend in open manly warfare, in
the manner of their fathers. H j nce those



sighs, and lamentations over the rights of
the nation invaded and almost annihilated by
the craftiness of the Jesuits. If these per
sons could check those passions, with which
Frenchmen are so prone to be agitated, and
would carefully examine the history of their
country, they would certainly learn, that their
liberties are not extinct ; nor are they neg
lected by their monarchs, but are only main
tained with more caution and foresight,
France, I am aware, is full of persons who
basely flatter the pontiffs, and seem inclined
to become slaves, for the sake of gain or of
honours. But the number of such, was no
less formerly, than it is now ; as might be
proved by numberless examples. Nor is it
common for states to be ruled and governed
by such characters. The Jesuits are in high
authority ; and they sometimes cause things
to be done, which cannot but be grievous to
the friends of the ancient Gallic liberties ;
things of this sort occurred also in those
times when there were no Jesuits : and on
the other hand, very many things occur, con
tinually, which are most adverse to the wish
es of the Jesuits, and which undoubtedly
give much disquietude to the pontiffs. Those
who contend learnedly for the opinions of
their ancestors, sometimes scarcely escape
without punishment : those who dispute with
warmth, not unfrequently suffer for it, and
are either imprisoned, or sent into exile : and
the most modest writers receive no reward
for their labours. True ; it is so. Yet the
cause which these men defend, is not disap
proved of, nor is it deserted ; but their man
ner of supporting it is disliked. For the
monarchs and their friends, in reality, choose
to have the machinations of the pontiffs re
sisted, without noise and clamour, rather
than by publications and disputation, which
often produce parties in a nation, excite the
passions of men, disturb the public peace,
and exasperate the pontiffs and alienate them
from the French nation. At the same time,
the public teachers are at full liberty to in
stil into their pupils the ancient principles
of the nation, and to explain fully in the
schools those views, by which the Romish
lust of power has usually been for ages re
pressed. Some things take place, which
are inconsistent with these principles ; and
restraint is laid upon those who think it very
hard to depart from the customs and prac
tices of their fathers ; yet this is almost never
dene, unless either necessity, or the prospect



303 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII.- SEC. II. PART I. CHAP. [.

22. The first of these contests occurred in the time of Alexander
VJI., and originated from the temerity of the pontiff s Corsican guards
who, in the year 1662, ventured to insult the king s ambassador, the mar-
quis Crequi, and his lady, at the instigation as it is reported, of Alexan-
der s nephew. The French monarch determined to avenge the insult by
a war : but on the pope s imploring his mercy, he granted him peace in
1664 at Pisa, on the following conditions among others ; that he should
send his nephew to Paris, to ask pardon, and that he should brand the Cor
sican nation with infamy by a public edict, and erect a pillar in the Far-
nesian market, on which this crime and the punishment of it should be in-
scribed for future generations. But this contest of the king, was not so
much with the pontiff as head of the church, as with Alexander considered
as a prince and a temporal sovereign. (79) With the pontiff in his proper
character, the monarch had controversy in 1678 and the following years
when Innocent XI. filled the Romish see. The subject of this controversy
was, the right which the French call Regale ; according to which, when a
bishop dies, the king is allowed to collect and enjoy the revenues of the
see, and in some respects to act in the place of bishop, until the see is fill-
ed by the accession of a new prelate. Lewis wished to subject all the sees
in his kingdom to this right : but Innocent would not permit it, determining
that the king s power in this particular should extend to no more sees than
formerly. This contest was carried on with great passion on both sides.
To the many admonitions and epistles of the pontiff, the king opposed se
vere laws and mandates : and when the pope refused his approbation to
the bishops appointed by the king, the latter by his regal authority, caused
them to be inducted into office ; thus showing publicly, that the Gallic
church could get along without a pope. On the other hand, the high-spir
ited and persevering pontiff denounced the vengeance of Heaven against
the king ; and omitted nothing which might show, that the ancient power
of the pontiffs was not yet extinct. (80) The king, offended by this reso-

of some great advantage, warrants it. Be- thus far, lest those who read the bitter corn-
sides, the public authorities take good care, plaints and declamations of the Jansenists and
that the pontiffs shall derive no great benefit Appellants, should put entire confidence in
from such condescensions to them. That them ; which many Protestants have done,
this was the fact in the affair of the Bull and particularly those who are not well ac-
Unigenifas, in which many things occurred quainted with the world,
not agreeing with the ancient customs and (79) See Jo. Wolfg. Jceger s Historia EC
opinions of the French, will be readily seen, cles., ssecul. xvii., decenn. vii., lib. ii., cap.
by those who will examine carefully the ii., p. 180, &c. Voltaire s Siecle de Louis
whole transaction, and compare the public XIV., torn, i., p. 131, &c. The French also
decisions with the actual state of the coun- published some tracts, in which the history
try. It was judged best, frequently to admit of this contest was related. Memoirs de la
a less evil, in order to avoid a greater. In Heine Christine, torn, ii., p. 72, &c. [Jo.
short, the kings of France are wont to treat Gifford s History of France, vol. iv., p. 379.
the sovereign pontiff as the ancient heroes 7V.]

who descended into the infernal regions, (80) See Jo. Henr. Heidegger s Historia

treated the dog Cerberus that guarded the Papatus, period vii., cccxli., &c., p. 555.

gate of that dark world, (no offence is intend- Voltaire, Siecle de Louis XIV., torn, ii., p.

ed by this comparison), sometimes throwing 210, and numerous others, who either pro-

him a cake, when he growled, and sometimes fessedly or incidentally, treat of the right of

awing him with their brandished swords, as Regale, and of the disputes that grew out of

occasion and circumstances demanded ; and it. Henry Noris discusses very copiously

both for the same object, namely, that they the history of the origin and progress of this

might freely march on in their chosen way. right, in his Istoria delle investiture Eccle-

These remarks I thought proper to extend siastique, p. 547, &c., in his Opp., vol. v



HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH.



303



jute behaviour, in the year 1682, assembled at Paris that famous conven
tion of his bishops, in which the ancient opinions of the French respecting
the power of the pontiff, as being exclusively spiritual, and inferior to that
of councils, were stated in four propositions, unanimously adopted, con
firmed, and set forth as the perpetual rule for all the clergy as well as for
the schools. (81) But Innocent received this blow also with manly cour
age. (82) This violent contest was soon after followed by another. In



[See also Gilbert Burnct, in his History of
the rights of Princes in the disposing of Ec
clesiastical Benefices and Church lands, re
lating chiefly to the pretensions of the crown
of France to the Regale, and the late con
tests with the court of Rome ; Lond., 1682,
8vo. TV.]

(81) [This convention was composed of 8
archbishops, 26 bishops, and 38 other cler
gymen ; who all set their names to the four
following propositions :

I. That, God has given to St. Peter, and
to his successors, the vicars of Christ, and
to the church itself, power in spiritual things,
and things pertaining to salvation ; but not
power in civil and temporal things : Our Lord
having said, My kingdom is not of this
world; and again, Render unto Ccesar the
(kings that are Casar s, and unto God the
things that are God s. And therefore, that
injunction of the apostle stands firm : Let
every soul be subject to the higher powers.
There is no power, but is from God ; and
.he powers that be, are ordained of God.
Therefore, in temporal things, kings and
princes are subject to no ecclesiastical power
of God s appointment ; neither can they ei
ther directly or indirectly, be deposed by au
thority of the keys of the church ; nor can
their subjects be exempted from fidelity and
obedience, nor be absolved from their oath
of allegiance. And this principle, which is
necessary to the public tranquillity, and no
less useful to the church than to the stare,
ought by all means to be held fast, as being
consonant to the word of God, to the tradi
tion of the fathers, and to the example of
the saints.

II. That, plenary power in spiritual things
so exists in the apostolic see, and in the suc
cessors of Peter, the vicars of Christ, that
at the same time, the decrees of the holy
ecumenical council of Constance, approved
by the apostolic see, and confirmed by the
practice of the Roman pontiffs and of the
whole church, and observed by the Gallican
church with perpetual veneration, respecting
the authority of general councils, as contain
ed in the fourth and fifth sessions, must also
be valid, and remain immoveable. Nor does
the Gallican church apnrove of those, who
^fringe upon the force of these decrees, as
f they were of dubious authority, not



fully approved, 01 who pervert the words of
the council, by referring them solely to a time
of schism.

III. Hence, the exercise of the apostolic
power is to be tempered by the canons,
which the Spirit of God dictated, and which
the reverence of the whole world has conse
crated. The rules, customs, and regulations
received by the Gallic realm and church, are
also valid, and the terms of the fathers re
main immoveable : and it concerns the maj
esty of the apostolic see, that statutes and
usages confirmed by the consent of so great
a see and of such churches, should retain
their appropriate validity.

IV. In questions of faith, likewise, the su
preme pontiff has a principal part, and his
decrees have reference to all and singular
churches ; yet his judgment is not incapable
of correction, unless it have the assent of
the church.

These propositions, approved by Lewis
XIV., and registered by the parliament of
Paris on the 23d of March, 1682, were or
dered to be publicly read and expounded in
the schools from year to year, and to be sub
scribed to by all clergymen and professors in
the universities. See Jac. Benig. BossucCs
Dcfensio Declarationis Cleri Gallicani ; the
documents at the beginning of vol. i. TV.]

(82) These four propositions, which were
extremely adverse to his wishes, the pontiff
caused to be opposed both publicly and pri
vately. The most distinguished person that
defended the cause of the pontiff,was cardinal
Cclestine Sfondrati ; who, under the assumed
name of Eugene Lombard, published : Re
gale sacerdotium Romano Pontifici assertum
et quatuor propositionibus explicatum, 1684,
4 to. The form of the types shows, that the
book was printed in Switzerland. Next to
him, in the multitude of Italians, Spaniards,
and Germans, who supported the tottering
majesty of the pontiff against the French,
Nicholas du Bois, a doctor of Louvain, stood
conspicuous. He published some books on
the subject, which are mentioned by Bos-
suet. But all these were confuted by the
very eloquent bishop of Meaux, Jac. Benign.
Bossuet, in a learned work composed by
order of the king, but which was not publish
ed, till long after his death, entitled : De-
fensio declarationis ce joerrimae, quam de



iJlO BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART i CHAP. t.

the year 1687, Innocent deprived the ambassadors resident at Rome, anj
among others the French ambassador Lavardin, of the right of asylum ;
because it often rendered criminals secure of impunity. The king em.
ployed all the means his angry feelings could suggest, to induce the pontiff
to restore the right he had taken away : but the Tatter met the king with
an open front, and coulJ by no means be persuaded to put on even the
semblance of yielding.(83) This long conflict, which was injurious to
both the parties, was at length closed by the death of Innocent. The sub
sequent pontiffs were more pliable, and therefore more ready to remove the
principal causes of contention : yet they were not so careless, as to forget
the dignity of the Romish see. The right of asylum was abrogated, with
the consent of the king : the controversy respecting the right of Regale,
was adjusted by a compromise. (84) The four celebrated propositions re
specting the power of the pontiff, without objection from the king, were
gilded over by some bishops, in private letters to the pope ; but they were
by no means given up. To the present day, they maintain their place
among the laws of the realm.

23. That the faults, which had long characterized the bishops and
some of the inferior clergy in the Romish church, were rather increased
than diminished, no good man even of that community will deny. The
bishops every where owed their elevation, rarely to their piety and merit,
generally to personal friendships, to services rendered to individuals, to si
mony, to affinities and relationships, and often even to their vices. And
the greater part of them lived, as if they had been hired with their great
salaries, expressly, to exhibit before the people examples of those very vices
which the Christian religion condemns. (85) If there were some (as there
doubtless were) who endeavoured to benefit their flocks, and who set them
selves against both ignorance and wickedness, they were either put down
by the enmity and hatred of the others, or at least fell under neglect, and
were hindered from effecting any thing great and laudable. And nearly
the same things were experienced by those clergymen of inferior rank, who
exerted all their powers in behalf of truth and piety. These however, if
compared with those whom voluptuousness, ambition, and lust for wealth
drove headlong, were exceedingly few. Some indeed of the pontiffs of this
century should not be defrauded of their just praise, for attempting to cor
rect the morals of the clergy by wholesome laws, and to bring them to ex
hibit at least common decency in their lives. Yet it is strange that these
sagacious men should not see, that the very constitution of the Romish
church and its whole interior structure, were insuperable obstacles to all
such good designs ; and that a pontiff, even if he were inspired, unless he
also possessed more than human power and could be present in many

potestate Ecclesiastica sanxit Clerus Galli- 248, &c. For Christina engaged in this

canus, xix. Martii, 1683, Luxemburg!, 2 contest, and took sides with the king of

vols., 1730, 4to. For the king forbid the France.

publication of the Defence, because, after (84) See Claude Flcury, Institutio Ju .s

the death of Innocent, there seemed to be a Eccles. Gallici, p. 454, &c , of the Latin

great prospect of peace ; which in fact soon translation.

followed. (85) See a multitude of proofs, collected

(83) See J&gcr, loc. cit., decenn. ix., p. from the most celebrated doctors of the Ro-

19, &c. The Legatio Lavardini, which was mish church, in the Memoires de Portrayal,

published, 1688, 12mo. But especially, Me- tome ii., p. 308.
>noires de la Reine Christine, tome ii., p.



HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH. 311

places at the same time, could never reduce such a heterogeneous mass of
people to good order.

24. The monks, though in many places more decent and circumspect
in their lives than formerly, yet for the most part were extremely negli
gent of the rules and regulations of the founders of their orders. In the
beginning of the century, as learned and good monks themselves admit^
the state of all the monasteries was still lamentable. But as the century
advanced, some wise men, first among the Benedictines in France and then
also in other countries, endeavoured to reform certain monasteries ; that
is, to bring them back in some degree to the rules and laws of their or
der. (86) Their example was afterwards followed by other religious
houses of the Cluniacensians, Cistercians, Regular Canons, Dominicans, and
Franciscans. (87) At this time therefore, the monks of the Romish church
became divided into two classes ; namely, the Reformed, who abandoning
their licentious and profligate manners, lived more decently and more con
formably to the rules of their order ; and the Unreformed, who disregarded
the precepts of their founders, and chose to live as they found it convenient
and pleasant, rather than austerely and according to the laws by which they
were bound. But the number of the Unreformed, far exceeds that of the
Preformed : and moreover most of the Reformed not only depart widely
from the mode of living prescribed by their rule, but are also in one place
and another gradually relapsing into their former negligence.

25. Among the Reformed monastic associations, certain Congregations
of Benedictines surpass the others, partly in the beauty and excellence of
their regulations, and partly in the constancy with which they observe their
rules. The most famous of these is, the French Congregation of St.
Maur ;(88) which was formed under the authority of Gregory XV. in 1621,

(86) Le Bozuf, Memoires sur 1 Hist. orders in this century. Clement XIV. in
d Auxerre, tome ii., p. 513, &c., where there his bull for suppressing the order of Jesuits,
is a list of the first Reforms of this century, mentions the Congregation of the Reformed
Voyage litteraire de deux Benedictins, pt. Conventual Brethren, which Sixtus V. ap-
ii., p 97, &c. proved, but which Urban VIII. abolished,

(87) There is an account of all the con- by his bull of Feb. 6, 1626, because the
vents both Benedictines and others, which above-named brethren did not yield spiritual
submitted to a Reform of any kind, in Hipp, fruits to the church of God ; nay, very many
Hclyot s Histoire des Ordres, tome v., vi., disagreements had arisen between those Re
vii., &c. To whose account however, nu- formed conventual Brethren, and the Unre-
merous additions might be made. Of the formed conventual Brethren: and he allowed
Reformed congregation of Clugni, which them to go over to the Capuchin brethren of
commenced in the year 1621, the Benedict- St. Francis, or to the Observant Franciscans,
ines have treated expressly in their Gallia According to the same bull, the order of
Christiana, torn, vii., p. 544, &c. They Regulars of St. Ambrose and St. Barnabas
also treat of the Reformed Canons Regular ad nemus, was suppressed by the same pon-
of St. Augustine, in torn, vii., p. 778, 787, tiff. And in the year 1668, Clement IX.
790. For an account of the Reformed Cis- abolished the three regular orders of Canons
tercians in France and Germany, see Jo. Regular of St. Gregory in Alga, of Hieron-
Mabillon, Annal. Benedictin., torn, vi., p. ymists de Fesulis, and of Jesuates, estab-
121, &.c. Voyage litteraire de deux Bene- lished by St. Jo. Columbanus ; because they
dictins, tome i., p. 7, 8, tome ii., p. 133, were of little or no use to the church, and had
229, 269, 303. The Reformed Cistercians loaned their revenues to the Venetian rcpub-
v.-uh great zeal attempted a reformation of lie, to be applied to war against the Turks.
their whclc sect in this century ; but in vain. Schl.]

See Mcaupou, Vie de 1 Abbe de la Trappe, (88) See the Gallia Christiana ; not the

tome i., p. 192, &c. I omit other notices, old work of this name, but the new ana ele-

as requiring too much room. [I find no gant production of the Benedictines of thi*

more suitable place, to notice s^^e abolished same Congregation of St. Maur; vol. vii



312 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART I. CHAP. I.



and endowed with various privileges and rights by Urban VIII. in 1627
This association does not indeed consist of genuine followers of St. Bene
dict, nor is it free from every thing censurable ; yet it has many excellen
ces which raise it above ail others. Of these excellences the first arid
the most useful is, that it devotes a certain number of persons of superior
genius to the cultivation of learning, both sacred and civil, and particularly
to the study of history and antiquities ; and that it furnishes them abundant-
)y with all the helps they need, to prosecute their business with advan
tage. (89) Those who are acquainted with the history of learning, need



p. 474, &c. Hipp. Hdyofs Histoire des
Ordres, tome vi., cap. xxxvii., p. 256. The
bull of Gregory XV. approving the society
of St. Maur, is severely criticised in all its
parts, by Jo. Launoi, that scourge of the
monks even the best of them, in his Examen
privilegii S. German!; Opp., torn, iii., pt. i.,
p. 303. He also treats of the dissensions
and commotions in this order, soon after its
institution, (though with considerable preju
dice, as is usual for him when speaking of
monks), in his Assertio Inquisit. in privileg.
S. Medardi, pt. i., cap. Ixxvi., in his Opp.,
torn, iii., pt. ii., p. 227. [This Congrega
tion consists of more than 180 Abbies and
Conventual Priories, which are divided into
six provinces ; (extending over the greatest
part of France) ; and it is governed by a
General, two assistants, and six visiters,
who are elected, as are the superiors of the
several cloisters, every three years, in a gen
eral chapter of the order. As it is the object
o{ this Congregation, to revive the spirit of
St. Benedict, in the observance of his rule ;
so special care is taken to train up the young
religious according to it. Hence, in each
province one or two houses for novices are
erected, from which, those to be admitted to
profession are removed to other cloisters,
where they are trained for two years to vir
tue and to acts and exercises of worship.
After this, they study human learning and
theology five years ; and then spend one
year in collecting their thoughts, and thus
prepare themselves for orders and for more
assiduity in their spiritual offices. In some
cloisters there are also seminaries for the
education of youth. SchL]

(89) The Benedictines talk largely of the
great services done by this Congregation, in
various ways ; and among other difficult en
terprises, they mention numerous cloisters
of monks, which had collapsed and become
corrupt, recovered and restored to order and
respectability. See Voyage de deux Re-
ligieux Benedictins de la Congreg. de St.
Maur, tome i., p. 16, tome ii., p. 47, and
nearly throughout that work. And a person
must be much prejudiced, who can look
upon all these statements as fictions. There
we however in the 1? }mish community , per



sons who for various reasons dislike this so
ciety. First, some of the bishops are un
friendly to these learned Benedictines. For
after these monks had thrown great light
upon ancient history and upon diplomatics,