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Author: Pallavicino, Sforza, 1607-1667.
Title: 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.
Print source: 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.
Pallavicino, Sforza, 1607-1667.
London: printed by W. Godbid, and are to be sold by T. Flesher at the Angel and Crown in S. Pauls Church-Yard, and by R. Sollers at the King's Arms in Ludgate-Street, and by H. Bonwick at the Red Lion in S. Paul's Church-Yard, 1678.
Alternate titles: New politick lights of modern Romes church-government New Gospel according to Cardinal Palavicini.
Notes:
Anonymous. By Cardinal Sforza Pallavicino.
Text is continuous despite pagination.
Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.
Subject terms:
Catholic Church -- Government -- Early works to 1800.
Council of Trent -- (1545-1563) -- Early works to 1800.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A54815.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
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title page
THE PREFACE.
THE CONTENTS.
THE NEW POLITICK LIGHTS OF Modern Rome's CHURCH-GO∣VERNMENT. OR, The New Gospel according to Cardinal Palavicini, Revealed by him in his History of the Council of Trent.
The Design and Partition of the Work.
CHAP. I. The Necessity, the Utility and Ex∣cellency of Religious Policy; It renders men happy in this world and in the other.
ARTICLE I. According to our Cardinal, there is no∣thing more important for a Christian, than to be a good Polititian; and it was to instruct Christians in the Ma∣xims of the True Policy, that the Cardinal undertook his History of the Council of Trent: This Policy is that of the worldly wise, for the esta∣blishing of which, Jesus Christ preached the Gospel, that he might teach men to be happy in this World and in the other.
ARTICLE II. The Church may be considered in two manners; according to the Flesh, and according to the Spirit; and so these are two sorts of Felicity or Welfare of the Church; Jesus Christ had them both in view.
ARTICLE III. Jesus Christ came to establish the most commodious kind of Government for the Humane and Temporal Felicity of the Believing; yea, and that is the most Religious which is the most Commodious.
ARTICLE IV. The Measures and Rules of the Churches Government, according to the Wis∣dom of God, ought to be taken from the Publick Good; that is the End that Jesus Christ had in view.
ARTICLE V. For to know well the Common Good which Jesus Christ had in view, a man should judge thereof by the Doctrine of Aristotle, and other wise Heathens. Luther's Heresie had never happened but through his slighting of Aristotle.
ARTICLE VI. Through the slighting of Aristotle, Lu∣ther would not endure that Interest Humane and according to the Flesh, should have its share in Government of the Church; he is followed by cer∣tain zealous Ignorants: One ought to shun that their Excess.
ARTICLE VII. The Discernment of zealous and scrupu∣lous Ignorants is very different from that of persons that have experience of the World, and knowledge of the Times.
ARTICLE VIII. The Example of an Ideal extravagant Polititian in Pope Adrian VI. his Carriage.
CHAP. II.
ARTICLE I. Five Errors and poisoned Maxims of the scrupulous Policy of the zealous Igno∣rants according to the Flesh.
ARTICLE II. The first Errour of the Zealous Ignorants refuted: which is, That by the Laws of the Church, men ought to be obli∣ged to live as God's Love requires, and the Hope of Paradise, and the Fear of Hell; there ought to be grateful Laws made, and commodious for corrupted Nature.
ARTICLE III. The Second Errour of the Zealous Igno∣rants, That the best to be done, is the best to be commanded; 'tis better to command that which is according to Nature, than that which would be better to be done according to God.
ARTICLE IV. The Third Errour of the Zealous Igno∣rants; That Antiquity ought to serve for a Rule to guide the present Church; This Errour comes from the Instinct of the Devil; 'tis a folly to believe, that what is Ancient is best; the an∣cient Laws were in the Churches In∣fancy.
ARTICLE V. The Simplicity of the Ancient Councils opposed to the Courtliness and Regal, which the Legates Presidents at the Council of Trent shewed towards Philip II. To go about to re-establish the Ancient Simplicity, is to put men again to live upon Acorns. The Change that's made in the World, is not for the worse.
ARTICLE VI. The Fourth Error of the Zealous Igno∣rants refuted; That the Church ought to be governed by way of Councils, as She was Fifteen Hundred Years to∣gether. The Provincial Councils are hard to assemble; the National have always been abhorred by the Popes; and the General have none but ma∣lign Influences on the Church.
The First Politick Reason against the holding of Councils.
Reason II.
Reason III.
Reason IV.
Reason V.
Reason VI.
Reason VII.
Reason VIII.
Reason IX.
ARTICLE VII. These Reasons did presently make the Council of Trent dreadful to the Roman Courtiers. These Reasons hinder Princes also from Assembling the Estates of their Kingdoms. It would be to tempt God, to be for∣ward to call a Council: The unprofi∣tableness thereof appears by the little or no Good that came of the Council of Trent.
ARTICLE VIII. The Council of Trent it self hath ac∣knowledged, That the way to govern the Church, is no longer that of Coun∣cils; and that the Laws which it made were submitted to a Superior Authority.
ARTICLE IX. Refutation of the Zealot's Fifth Errour, That Episcopacy is but one and the same thing in all Bishops: This is a Seditious Opinion, and destroyes the Allness and Soleness of the Monar∣chy Ecclesiastick.
Reason I.
Reason II.
Reason III.
Reason IV.
Reason V.
ARTICLE X. From these Reasons it results, That these Bishops Jurisdiction comes to them only from the Pope. The Opinion that Episcopacy is but one and the same thing in all Bi∣shops, is nothing but a Platonick I∣dea.
CHAP. III. The only Rule of the Politick Church Government, is, its Felicity ac∣cording to the Flesh, in this World, and in the other, under the Au∣thority of one sole Monarch of the Universe, who is the Pope, of whom all his Christian Kings are Tributaries and Subjects, and who hath, or ought to have for his Inheritance or Demean the Riches of all the World, whose Honours and carnal Pleasures make the Churches Splendor and Felicity. Jesus Christ hath merited them for her by the effusion of his Blood, to render her Visible, Perpetual, and Remarkable, as the most happy according to the Flesh, of all other Republicks, that are, that shall be, or that ever were upon Earth.
ARTICLE I. Jesus Christ hath instituted in his Church the most excellent kind of Govern∣ment. Monarchical Government is the most excellent.
ARTICLE II. That Emperors and Kings have acknow∣ledged the Pope.
ARTICLE III. The Popes Monarchy over the World is necessary for the Church.
ARTICLE IV. The Power of the Pope is Independent from every Creature, and without Limits: The Riches of the World are his Revenue.
ARTICLE V. The Pope may compel Kingdoms to pay him Tribute: To dispute this Power with him, is Treason.
ARTICLE VI. The Pope's Authority is conformable to Nature; according to Aristotle, the Pope ought not to give reason for the using of his Power; it hath no other Limit, nor other Reason, but, Such is our Pleasure.
ARTICLE VII. 'Tis not to be feared that the Pope will abuse his Power, and that for divers Reasons.
ARTICLE VIII. Difference betwixt the Pope's Policy and the Turk's. Kings need not to fear the Pope's Power, but in case of Rebellion against God, or his Viceroy upon Earth.
ARTICLE IX. Of the Peoples Soveraign Power in the Church.
ARTICLE X. An Example of the Peoples Power in the Church in what passed at Milan, and at the Council of Pisa, under Louis XII.
ARTICLE XI. The Pope is not Master of his Authority, he is but the Depositary thereof, and obliged to preserve it: The most pious action of Christian people is to uphold it.
ARTICLE XII. The Pope must have Means and an E∣state suting with all these Quali∣ties. To deny this Truth, is a Trea∣sonable Crime. Humane Felicity ac∣cording to the Flesh, ought to be found in him as its Source.
ARTICLE XIII. The Pope is the Stomach of the Churches Body, which disperses shares of Nou∣rishment to all his believing ones, that be Members of his Body.
ARTICLE XIV. It is sutable to the Pope to have his King∣dom and State apart, and a Princes Court equal to other Kings, superior to all Princes. The Pope's Courtiers be called the Glorious Cardinals: They be the splendor of the Roman Court.
ARTICLE XV. Besides the Glorious Cardinals, the Court of Rome ought to be filled with an infi∣nite number of small Prelates that are to be equal with Bishops, and these be to lead no sad nor poor life, but to be jo∣cund, and live in plenty.
ARTICLE XVI. The Glory and Felicity suting with this Court, subsist through her Magnifi∣cence in Buildings, Theatres, Spe∣ctacles or Sights, of Piety, Processi∣ons, Regales, Politick and Warlike Ex∣peditions.
CHAP. IV. Twenty Reasons that prove the ne∣cessity of the Riches, Honours, and Voluptuousness of the Church, to make thereof a Gospel accor∣ding to the Flesh, the Vocation of all the World to Faith, and a part of that World to the Eccle∣siastick Life, without which Riches Honours and Voluptuousness, the Church having no Reputation a∣mong them who fancy those things, would perish, not being able to subsist happy, according to the Flesh, if her Ministers were poor, as formerly, and if they had not vast Riches, as the Glorious Car∣dinals, who are at this day the Pope's Courtiers: Here also shall be shewn the unluckiness, the shamefulness, and even the Vice of Poverty, whereof God in his Providence, is no Author, but Sin; or only Fortune, which on this score, may be accused as the Enemy of Virtue.
ARTICLE I. Corrupt Nature loves Riches, Honours and carnal Pleasures; if the Church had not of them to propose and bestow, there would be but few Christians. The Church is composed of three sorts of Persons. The Magnificence and Stateliness of Rome is able to work the Conversion of the Mahometan Princes: The Popes must have some∣what else to be for them beside God.
ARTICLE II. The hope of sharing the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures which belong to the Ec∣clesiastick state to be Pope, and to possess by Resignation ones Kinsfolks Benefices; these things do make a great and sub∣stantial Vocation for People to become Church-men.
ARTICLE III. The Hope of Carnal Felicity which the Church promises, hinders neither its Perfection, nor the perfection of the Ecclesiastick Order. The Vices of Ambition and Worldly Glory are gli∣stering, bright and taking Vices: These same Hopes of Carnal Felicity, make all Virtues to bud, come forth, and grow up, even to the perfection of the Contemplative Life.
The First of the Twenty Reasons why the Church makes use of the promise of Temporal Goods to call Lay-men into Orders. The Excellency of the An∣gels is, to have no need of Lackies; that of Men to have a great many of them.
Reason II.
Reason III.
Reason IV.
Reason V.
Reason VI.
Reason VII.
Reasons VIII & IX.
Reason X.
Politick considerations upon that which is cal∣led fortune or misfortune.
Reason XI.
Reason XII.
Reason XIII.
Reason XIV.
Reason XV.
Reason XVI.
Reason XVII.
Reason XVIII.
Reason XIX.
Reason XX.
ARTICLE IV. The most noble act of the Pope's Policy, is to inrich himself and the Roman Court. To dye for this Monarchy is the worthiest act of any Christian's zeal.
CHAP. V. Here are related the Twelve ordinary means, inriching the Court of Rome, and maintaining the splendor there∣of, according to the flesh, which is the act of all Religious Policy, the most pious, and the most important. The Twelfth and most efficacious of those means, to teach every where the Gospel according to the Flesh, and this Religious Policy accor∣ding to the Doctrine of Aristotle, to whom the Church is beholden for many Articles of Faith; is to establish Colleges of Jesuites, with power to set up the Inquisi∣tion, and to be high Commissioners in that Holy Office; to make out process against all them who shall differ from the sentiments of that Philosopher. And that these Je∣suites shall have a general grant of all Privileges granted to the other Monastical Orders; although St. Ber∣nard hath blamed those privileges; for on the other hand they be ap∣proved by Nicholas Machiavel.
ARTICLE I. The first means of inriching the Court of of Rome, are the Annates, which be a sort of yearly Tythes, or Pensions. A curious distinction about Simony.
means 1
The second and third means are Pensions, and Commendams, the Residence of the Commendaries suplied by the good turns of the New Monastical Orders.
The fourth and fifth means. Plurality of Benefices, and the absolute disposal of those Benefices.
The sixth and seventh Means. The cal∣ling back of greater Causes, and the reservation of Cases.
The Eighth Means. Frequent Jubilees, and Indulgences.
The ninth Means. Dispensations granted for money.
The tenth Means.
The eleventh Means. Privileging the Monastical Orders.
The twelfth Means. The establishment of Colleges of Jesuits, and of the Holy Inquisition.
CHAP. VI. Here be related the Interests and different sentiments of the Ca∣tholick Christian Crowns and Republicks, according as they are more less favourable to this same Religious Policy accor∣ding to the flesh. And tis made appear that there's none more opposite then those of the Crown and of the Church of France, which proposed no less at the Council of Trent, then to throw down the Churches Mo∣narchy and Empire, and to take away the Splendour of the Court of Rome.
ARTICLE I. The Estates, whose Politick Maxims are favourable or opposite to this same Roman Policy.
ARTICLE II. The Italian Policy favours that of the Court of Rome.
ARTICLE III. The Spaniards are not favourable to the Cardinals, nor other Officers of the Roman Court.
ARTICLE IV. The Policy of France quite and clean opposite to the Roman Court.
ARTICLE V. Wherein the Policy of France is not favourable to that of Rome.
rebuttal 1
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI
The Four and thirty Articles proposed by the French Ambassador at the Council of Trent for Reformation of the Church.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
discussion
The Conclusion of the Work.