M*fcJ3 \iA

REMARKS Ok
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY VOL, V.

LONDON
Printed for BENJAMIN WHITE, at
Horace's Head, in Fleet-Street,
j»H>CCLXXu:.

[ »; ]

CONTENTS. Page
T EO the Emperor married
«* — ' # fourth wife contrary
to the Greek, canons i
Sergius III. Po^ i
The Normans embrace Chrifti*
anity £
John X. Pope 2
Trypho patriarch in confidence 3
John W., Pop*. 3
P#w/ /fo Monk - 3
-Sf. Bruno, Archhifhop of Cologne 4
^0/6« XII. Pope , 4
Theophilus the patriarch $
Otho 6
Edgar's Ecclejiaftical laws 7
a 2 Mayeul,

W CONTENTS.

MayeuJ, abbot of Clugnir re-
fufed being Pope J
Suidas 8
Chriftiamty eflabliffied ^among
the Ruffians 2
Mlfric ' , Sit 5*
Pope John XV. camnhes Ul-
dark I©
. Pope Gregory V- 10
Antipope John XVL 10
Fefiival of All Souls arrd wor-
fhip if the Virgin Mary ix, 34
Robert* King of France* ex-
communicated r< 1
Pope Sylvefler II. 1 2
Realifts and Nominalijls 13^ 4&0*
Kyrieelpifcti and Paralipome-
non fainted, and he who could
read; Greek pajfed for a Sor
cerer 1 4
'times of ignorance and fuper-
flition r4
A Saxon homily dgainft I'ran^
fubjtifntiation i<p
Leutardfet up as a- Prophetf 19 A Fa,

i~ u i\ i ji in 1 a.

V
Page

A Fanatic at Ravenna taught

/

that the Heathen poets jhould

be believed in 20

Many Heretics from Sardinia 21

Peter made Pope by name of

Sergius IV. 22
%~he Jews perfuade the Prince of
Babylon to dejlroy the church
of the Sepulchre at Jerufa-
lem 22
<Fhe Jews cruelly treated 23
Afalfe Pilgrim burnt 24
A new head af John the Bap"
tift 24
Bouchard Bi/hop ofJVorms 24
Manichaeans or Paulicians 25,
52>
2or, 231, 245,
251.
JohnXlX. made Pope by money 25
Council of Anfe rejeSt a plea of
privilege granted by the Pope 2 5
Simony miverfally praffiifed 25
Guido the mufkian invented the
gamut 26
Church bells faptfaed 26
a 3 Tenets
yi CONTENTS. PagS
Tenets of fome honejl converts , 27
Bloody rain 30
'TheophylatJ Pope, by name of "
Benedict IX. 3 1
Sylvefier III. 32
7/6? Emperor St. Henry, per-
fuaded to leave off a cruel
diver/ion 32
Cajimire, a Monk, King of
Poland 3 3
Abbot Richard 's pilgrimage 33
Gregory VI. Pop? 34
jLtfo IX. his letter to the Pa
triarch 3 5
Divifion of the Bible into chap
ters 35
Nicolas II. Pop<? 3^
Dominicus Loricatus 36
5~Wtf/ by1 fire ' 36
Alexander II, writes in favour
¦ of the Jews ' yj
Architects brought from Con-
fianiinople to Italy 37
Adam of Breme's hiftory of
Denmark 38
Hildebrand

CONTENTS. v\i
Page
Hildebrand Pope, by name of
Gregory VII. 3,8
Heretics called Patarini 4 2
Quarrels about invejlitures, or
right of patronage 42
An/elm^ Archbifhop of Canter
bury 44
Lambertus the Monk, an excel
lent writer 44
Hugo, Duke of Burgundy 44
Alexius Comnenus, Emperor of
Conflantinople 45
Ignis Gracus ufedinwar 46
Bogomili Heretics 46
Bajilius 46
Carthujian order founded by St.
Bruno 48
Rofcelinus's opinion of the Tri
nity . . 48
The Popes require the public
fervice to be in Latin 50
A cufiom for Priefls to pro
nounce the words of confecra-
tion in the Eucharijl fub-:
mifla voce 53
a 4 Croifadis

vpi CONTENT 9. Page
Croifades a,ndCkokfe% 53, 68,
71, 221, 227, 231, 247, 250,
353» 355> 358> 3&*> 372» 3^?
The corruption and ign-arance of
Ecctefqftics 57
Witnejfes of the truth 5$
Scholajiis and myjlic divinity <5i
Warm contentions between the,
Latins and Greeks &i
•The Pope and Patriarch ana
thematize one another 63
Berenga$ius , 63
Papa, h name gb&en to all Mi-
fhops 64
Ildebert^ Bifhop of Mans. 64
Trials by five, npabe* and cakes,
&c. 64
St: Nicolas- Feregfiinqs do
Sacrament received in both kinds 68
The Jews perfecuted by the-

Pranks, their kehav'i@qr> in the
Emperor's- dominions 70

Fleury's

CONTENTS. ix
Page
Fleury's Remarks on Ecclefi-
ajlical Hiftory, from the
year 600 to 1100 72 — 181
" Judgments on Rome for
" her crimes 73^
tl Declenfton of 'literature y$
" Falfe legends 78
" Temporal promifefto Princes 8 a
" Reliques and Impoftures 8 4
." Pilgrimages 88
" Eqftern Church 9 1
«' Clergy become hunters and
' fighters 9 8
Biflyops temporalities 99
" Alliance of epifcopacy and
"temporal dominion very
" mifchievous 105, 148
" Abujks in the Eqft 1 1 1
" Chafifticarii 1 1 2
" Wealth of Religious Ploufes 112
" Simmiacal contrasts 1 x 4 — 1 1 9
*' Impiety and contempt ofre-
" ligion 1 1 7
*' Marriage of Ecclefiajlics,
" #»i violence of the Laity r 1 9
«' Penances,

,x CONTENTS. Page
" Penances, cenfures, and
' ' compenfations 126
" Excommunication 1 30
" Popes depart from modera-
" Hon 136
" Gregory VII. 139, 146
¦ " Mifchiefs from the Pope's
" high notions 141
"Wifer maxims of antiquity 144
" Bijhops . 148
"Councils 150
"QbjeStsoffiudyandfchools 152
" Monafieries and Monks j 55, , 167
"Ceremonies 165
'¦'Tithes, 172 ,
" Divine fervice in the popu-
" lar language J 72
" .Re/#// 0/ "*/&«¦ Difcourfe" 1 77
Objervations on Fleury 182
T^ firength of prejudice and
education 1 83
Fleury builds on two pofitions :
1 , That the Church of Rome
cannot err ;
2. That it has not erred 184 Herefies

CONTENTS. xi
Page
Herefies of the Church of
Rome j 84
Infallibility, a dream 186
The Rights of the church and
fate 186
Church, the fenfe of that word
in Scripture and Antiquity 188
No one fond of excommunication,
but thofe who make a trade
- of it 190
Converfion of barbarous nations 190
Prefer John 191
Guibert 'writes an account of
the holy war 192
The regard paid to literature
and the liberal arts, owing to
the Emperor's munificence,
and vigilance of the Con-
fantinopolitan Prelates 192
v Schools and univerfities founded 194
Roman Law 196
Henry V. 197, 20a
Pope Pafchal abfolved by a
council 198
¦ excites Robert, Count of Flanders,

xii CONTENTS.

Page

Flanders, to make war with
Henry IV. uznd the Clergy '
of Liege 198
Robert D^Ahrifelles 200
The Life ef Henry IV. written
by an elegant Author 200
PafchaPs orders about the Eu-
charifi 202
Abelard condemned 202, 326
Con cor datum between f he Pope
and the Emperor, concerning
the eleSiion of Ecclefaftics so 2
Bifhops, in council, complain of
the Monks 202
Tanchelm, a wicked Heretic at
Antwerp 203
Guibert 's Treatife on Reliques
and the Tsoth ofChrifl 206
Otto converts the Pomeranians 208
Joannes Cremenfis 209
Knights Templars 209, 236,
247, 430, 467
Two Popes elected 2 10
William of Malmfbury 210 Tilts

CONTENTS. xii|
Page
Tilts and tournaments forbid by
the council ofRheims 211
Council of Later an 211
Pope Innocent II. compares
ecclefiaftical dignities to fiefs 211
The Canons of cathedrals claim
a right to eleSt their Bifhop 212
Arnold de Brejfe burnt 21 2
Controverftes about the im
maculate conception 212, 221
Mqfaliani, or Eueheta* 214
Waldenfes and Albigenfes 215, 2 1. 8 ,
344, 25.1, 348, 361
Cathari} or Puritans 216
St. Bernard, 223, zz&
Saracens, their cruelties ac
counted for 225
Gilbert, Bifhop of Poitiers 228
Eon, a French Heretic , 228
St. Hildegardis, a fanatical
Nun 228
King Frederic and Pope A-
drian's interview 228:
Gratjarts decree 229
Poreign Heretic* in England 230 Tranfub-

xiv CONTENDS, Page
Tranfubfiantiatiqn, that word
firfi ufed by Petrus Blefenfis .230* 359
Joannes Cinnamns 230
Demetrius .23°
Ifiland ofRugia 231
Suantovit, the idol, originally
St. Vitus ,232
Saxo Grammaticus 233
Alexander J II. ,Pope, makes.
peace with Frederic 234
 Pope chofen by the Cardi
nals under his decree -^15-
the firfi that proclaimed

•war againft Heretics 235
— added canonization to the

major caufes ; 235
exercifed the power of

creating Kings 235,
Thomas Becket 236
Afiajfins, a feci of Mahometans 236
Rabbins 240
Council at London . 240
Order of St. James 240
Petrus Comefior 240 t Coun*

CONTENTS. xv
Page
A Council of Later an forbids
exactions by Bifhops 241
A Council of Later an requires
an eftate as an Ecclefiajlical
title 24 1
 its canon about focieties
of Lepers - 241
— — condemns Peter Lom
bard's Herefy 242
The poverty of fome Bifhops 242
St. Laurence, Archbifhop of
Dublin 242
Manuel Comnenus, the Em
peror 243
Lucius III. eledied Pope 244
Philip of France expels the
Jews 244
The Latins in Conftantinople
majfacred 245
The Sicilians take Theffalonica 246
Euflathius 246
The Livonians converted 246
Saladin. takes Jerufalem 247
Jews in England majjacred 247
4 Ce I eft in

xvi CONTENTS. Page
Celeftin lit Pope 247
Stercotaria, the Pope's chaffs 248
Pope Joan's fiatue 249
Teutonic Kftig&ts- 25S, 364
Miracles very / common and
cheap 251
The Greeks erafe the fifrfil
writing on ancient manu-
fcripts, to write on the fame
parchment ag&in 250
Innocent III. P'bpt 2£r, 3 jp,
383
Order of the holy Trinity 251
Fefiival of Fools 252
The Pope threatens1 to excom
municate the Emperor of
Conftantinople ' 252
Heretics perfecttted 254
The manner of punifhing nn-
faithfulnefs in Germany 2^4
The corrupt fate of religion 2^4
Fleury* s Difcotirfe on Eccle-
fiaftical Hiftoty 262— 3#6V
« Cm/// #fw* « fatfe dr-
** fri/iA 363 * The

CONTENTS. xvii
Page
*' The Pope's confent not
" necejfary to Councils 26$
" Bifhops may he judged
" by Councils 268
" The Pope has no power
" oftranJlatingBijhopsz'jz
" The ereSiion of new Sees
" belongs to councils 273
«' Suppreffion ofBiJhoprics
" not in the Pope alone 275
The Pope's authority
" fupported by falfe de-
" cretals 276
Non-obftante c/tf#/c /»
" flfe Po/A Bulls 280
Ci Court of Rome , 281
" Gratian's decree 286
" Thomas Becket 288
*' Innocent III, A/j anfwer
" to the Emperor 289
" The falfe foundation of
" *fo Pope's temporal
"power 294
Vol. V. fo « J3#&g*

«<

»

xviii C O N T EN T S. Page
" Bifhops becoming Lords
" againfi the primitive
" inftitution 297
" No See but that of Rome
' * ' admits a plea for unit-.
li ing the temporal and
lifpiritual power 306
«c The. Pope's Legates 3 1 o
*' Cijfaiion of provincial
" Councils , 315
" The Pope's confirmation
" of Conventions 316
"* Pope's refidence and
«* fubfidies 317
" 7/fo ^«/y o/*£» hifiorian 319
" Tfo rigour of the church
" condemned 320, 330
" Moderation ceafed after
" /^e 8//6 century 328
" Penances changed 330
" Pecuniary mulcts 334
" Indulgences" 340
Strictures on Fleury' s dijferta-
tion 346 — 351
Pro-

CONTENTS. xix
Page
Proftration at the Hoft, and bells
ufed with it 351
The Pope elecls the Emperor
of Germany 352
The Italian, French, and Spa-
nifh languages fprang from
the Roman ruftic 352
Water mixed with wine at the
Eucharifi ; and difputes whe
ther changed into blood, and
•whether the body of Chrift in
the Eucharifi was received
corruptible or incorruptible,
and whether Chrift performed
natural aSiions 352
Hanging and burning Heretics
the univerfal practice 353
The Croifez take Conftantinople
and make a Latin Emperor 354
Louis IX. or St. Louis, his ha
tred of Heretics 356
St. Dominic 356, 3,64
The Curates at Paris had a
di/h from wedding dinners as
afee 357
b a St.

xx CONTENTS. Page
St. Francis 357' 3^°*
St. Clara 3*57
Innocent III. foretells the down
fall of Mahomet 358
Brunetto Latini fpeaks of ,the
mariners compafs 358'
Tranfubfiahiiation 359
King John of England like a
a vaffai to. Innocent 359
Impofiors 361
Louis. VIII. heads a Croifade
againfi the Albigenfes 361
Inqwfition 36.2, 363*
372> 387o"°3
Afiory of a rambling Jew 362
Gregory IX. Papal Impudence 362
The booh of the Old and New
Tefiament in the vulgar
tongue forbidden ^6^
Antony of Padua 364.
Clandeftine marriages 'declared
null 365
Bifijop Graft head 365
Gregory IX. forbids, the Greeks
. to fiew thS holy fire 366 Matt.

CONTENTS. xxi
Page
Matt. Paris 366
Jezvi/h booh burnt in France 367
Flagellantes 367, 384,
478, 489
Feafi of the Sacrament 367
Errors condemned at Paris 368
Pragmatic edict againfl Papal
oppreffion 369
Roger Bacon 3 20, 381
Communion in both kinds in
England 370
Jacobus ds Voragine, his legend
and tranfiation of the Scrip
tures 370
Joannes de Parifiis, his treat'fe
on the Eucharifi 370
A prodigy at Confiantinople 371
Raimond Lulle, an Enthufiafi 371
A Jew burnt for Jiabbing the
Hoft 371
Acre taken, and the Holy Land
loft 372
John Pecham Archbifioop of
Canterbury 372
Jews accufed without proof 372
b 3 Saracen

xxii CONTENTS. Page
Saracen principles better than
thofe of the Latins 375
Prevalence of the Arifotelic
philofophy ^ 377
The liberal arts cultivated by
European Princes 378
Frederic II. Emperor 378
Alphonfus X 378
School . at various places, and
.univerfity at Paris 379
Robert de Sorbonne founds a
college of divines 380
Philology did not keep pace with
other learning 380
Amoldus Villanovanus 382
Vices of Greek and Latin pre
lates 383
New monaftic orders 384
Fratricelli, or Beguardi,. and
other Seftarifts 384
Albertus Magnus, Thomas
Aquinas, Bonaventure 384
A necejfary caution in reading
authors of the f times 384

Cathar:,

CONTENTS. xxlii
Page
Cathari, Waldenfes, Petra-
brufiani, and others, perfe
cted 386
Abbots, their method of getting
riches 386
Bifhops and Archb'fhops, their
method of fighting 388
Fleury' s difcourfe on the Croi-
fades 388—458
" Their origin 389
** Indulgences 397, 416, 417
" Ecclefiqftics take up arms 400
" Diforders committed by
" the Croifez 403
«c Their arrival at and
" taking ofjerufalem 405
" Cm7 abufe of this fuc-
" «/* 4°5
" The fruits of this enter-
" pri%e 406
" 7fo Pope's exhortations
" cenfured 408
' * Thefecond Croifade 411
b 4 « 72?

xxiy . contents. Page
?e The fufpicion of the
«' Greeks juft ' 413
«' The Pope exc&mmunir
cates the Croifez, but
after their fuccefs
thinks God was for
" them > ' 41*3
" Mf chiefs from the tak-
** ^ ?/" Confiantinople
' ' .^ /<6<? Latins ¦ 413
?' iy^ty objeSts of the
" Croifade .' - 415
" Croifade s numerous ' 417
" Taxes for the Croifade,
*' and Saladin tenth 419 .
*' Quarrels between the
" /^(3/^ and chiefs 421
£' 7/5* Princes who took
" /&¦ ere/}, <ot*/ ^f
ii Pope quarrel 422
" Afcw Lor^j- /« //5<?
"£*/? 423
Latin Clergy of the
"Eaft' 423

it

((

a

t

CONTENTS. xxv
Page
" Military orders 428
Ceafing of canonical
" Penances 432
Wickednefs of the Croi-
"fez 435
" Compulfion cenfured 440, 449
" Temporal inter eft the
" motive in the Nor-
" them Croifade 444
; The lafi Croifade inconft-
" derable 448
Religion needs nothu-
il manfupport 449
*' The method to convert
*' Mahometans" 452

Obftacles to the propagation of
the Gofpel 458
Z^jy Chriftianity can receive
no good from Popijh mif-
fions 458
Chrifiians in general not quali
fied to make converts 460
Difficulties in converting Ma
hometans 461 h

xxvi CONTENTS. Page
It would be better to fend Phi-
lofophers and Students, than
MiJJionaries 463
Philip le Bel's anfwer to Boni
face VIII. 464
The Greek empire attacked by
Othman 464
Boniface VIII. efablifhes the
Jubilee 464* 481
Jews banifhed by Philip of
France 467
Annates, begun by Cle
mens V. 467
Apofiolical, a feci fa calleJ,
defrayed by a Bi/hop 469
The Knights of St. John take
Rhodes 469
Organs introduced into chur
ches 469
Henry VII. the Emperor, poi-
foned in the Hoft 470
An Arian Princefs poifoned in
the fame way 470
John. XX. 470 ^Jews

CONTENTS. xxvii
Page
Jews majfacred by the Paftour-
eaux 470
Marftlius writes like a Pro-
teftant in defence of the
Emperor 470
The Council of Avignon com
plain of the hatred of the
Laity 471
The procejfton of the Sacrament
introduced 472
Nicephorus Calliftus 472
Gulielmus Occamus 472
Lollards > 472, 479
Richard Bury, Bifhop of Dur
ham, his charaSler 472
Trinity Sunday eftabli/hed 476
Jacobus Furnerius, Pope, by
name of Benedict XII. 476
Innocent VI. 476
Urban V. 476
Petrarch 477
Quiet ifts 477
St. Catharine of Siena 477
John Blome digs in the mo-> naftery

xxviii CONTENTS. Page
nqftery of Glafton for Jo-
feph of Arimathea's bo-
. dy 477
Dancers, a feci 478
Antipopes 479
Wicklif 479
Fratres Albi 480
The Emperor Manuel's going
to Rome was of fervice to
Europe as to literature 481
Sawtre, the firfi that was burnt
for Herefy in England 481
John Hus, and Jerom of
Prague 482, 485, 487
At the Council of Pifa was
read Gregory' s . decree about
the procejfton of the Holy
Ghoft from the Father and
the Son. 483
Alexander V- gives the confe-
crated golden rofe to the
Marquis of Efie 483
Bur gin burnt for Herefy 484
Bifo op of Hildefhem , afory of
him 484
1 Jews

C O N T E N T-S. xxix
Page
Jews perfecuted 485
The adventure of the Owl 485
Lithuanian and Samogite Pa
gans converted 486
The Council of Conflance eftab-
lifihes the fuperiority ofCoun- •
cils over' the Pope 486, 489
— — - — the communion of one
kind 487
decrees againft fafe

condudts to Heretics 487
The Englifh Bifhops of Con-
fiance caufe a tragicomedy
to$e ailed 489
A Priefi faid to be miracu-
loufly converted. 489
Conftituticn of Martin V. in •
favour of the Jews 490
Adamites 490
A pretended union between the
Greeks and Latins 49 1
A contefi, whether the doBrines
of Plato, or Ariftotle, were to
be preferred 491, 49 6
Apneas Sylvius, afterwards Pope

xxx CONTENTS. Page
Pope Pius II. 491
Tab or it es 49 1
Nicolas V. Pope 492
Alphonfus 493
Mahomet II. ta/fof Confianti
nople,' and fecures the li
brary ; 493
Cyrillus Lucaris, the Patri
arch 494
Sixtus V. the Pope, ereSls a
bawdy-houfe at Rome 494
John II. .£/»§• of Portugal 494
T/6? Pope's power declines with
the revival of letters 49 J
7#<? vices of Popes and Eccle-
fiaftics 1 498
Hatred between the Greeks and
Latins • 498
Reflections on the Spanifh and
.Portugueze method of pro- ,
pagating the Gofpel 499
A lift ofperfons fuppofed to be
enemies* to all religion 500
The ufe of Philology and polite
Literature 50 1
Remarks

CONTENTS. xxxi
Page
Remarh on the Philofophers of
thefe times 502
Luther's attack obliges his ad-
verfaries to feek out new
methods of defence ' 503
Jefuits 503
Julius II. 504
Luther 504

REMARKS

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REMARKS O N
Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
H E Emperor Leo
j married a fourth wife,
which being an action
prohibited by the
Greek Canons, caufed much diftur-
ban,ce. If he had only kept a whore,
no noife would have been made about
it». A. 905. SergiusIII. was made Pope.
Theodora, a woman of a vile character,
ruled abfolutely in Rome. She had

Vol. V.

*¦ Fleury, xi. 637.
B

two

4 JRemarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory*
him ; Is this your averfion from worldly
glory \ Is this your love of filence and
folitude ? You are going to involve us
in a thoufand troubles. Our Monafte-
fy will be filled with men, women, and
children ; and what repofe mail we
have? If you intend thus to difturb us
with your miracles, tell us fo, and we
: will remove to another place, and then
you may work as many as you think
fit. After this remonftrance, the Saint
cured no more perfons in a public man
lier, though he continued to relieve
thofe who invoked his aid privately,
as he had done in his life-time f.
Saint BruiiOj Archbifhop of Cologne, ,
was a Prelate of extraordinary merit,
and uncommon learning, for thofe
days s.
Pope John XII. elected at the age of
eighteen, was a Monfter of iniquity.
He was accufed and convicted, in a
Council, of fimony, perjury, fornica-

' Fleury, xii. 107.
« Ibid. 81.

noh,

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 5
tion, adultery, facrilege, murder, incefr,
blafphemy, atheifm, &c. and depofed
for thefe exploits. But he recovered
his See, and depofed the Pope who had
been appointed in his room. His name
was Odbavianus, but he took that of
John XII. and was the firfi Pope who
introduced the cuftom of affuming a
new name. His end was fuitable to
his behaviour ; for being one night in
bed with another man's wife, he received
a blow from an unknown hand, of
which he died after eight days, without
any other viaticum than the knock on
the temples which did his bufinefs.
Baronius fays, from Luitprandus, that
it was the Devil who gave John that
blow ; but it feems not probable that
Satan would have ufed his good friend
in fuch a manner. It is more likely that
it might be the hufband of the adul-
terefs. About the time that John entered
into his See, died Theophilus, who at
the age of fixteen had been made Pa
triarch, of Conftantinople, and was
B 3 much

$ ' Remarks-dn Ecclefiafiical Hiftory.
much fuch another Saint as John. He
openly fold Bifhppricks and all Eccle^
jfiaflical offices. He loved hunting
and horfes even to madnefs ; he kept
two thoufand, and fed them with ail
fuch fort of rarities as they would eat.
On an Holy Thurfday, as he was at
Mafs, word was brought to him at
Church that his favourite mare had
foaled. He inftantly left the Church-
fervice in the midft, to pay her a vifit,
and then came back to make an end of
the fervice. He introduced the cuftom
of dancing in the Church on holydays,
with immodeft po.ftures, accompanied
with ridiculous ballads h.
A. 962. The Emperor Otho granted
many favours to the Pope ; but he re-
ferved to himfelf and. to his fucceffors
the fovereignty and fupreme jurifdi&ion
in Rome '.
A. 969. In the Ecclefiaftical Laws
of king. Edgar, there are very rigid pe-
Fleury, xii. 98. 125. 138.
Ibid, 119. nances

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 7
nances for offenders. But to foften
them, was introduced the commutation
and redemption of bodily penances.
Thus a perfon of great power and
wealth might be affifted by others, and
chufe out as many perfons to faft along
with him and for him, as fhould accom-
plifh in three days the fafts enjoined
him for feven years. But then much
money was alfo to be given to the poor,
or to pious ufes.
As to finners of low degree, they
were to bear their punifhment in their
own body, according to the Rule, Qui
nonfolvit ex crumena, luat in cute k.
Ar 973. Mayeul, Abbot of Clugni,
was greatly folicited by the Emperor
to accept of the Popedom : but he con
stantly refufed it. I know, faid he, that
I have not the qualifications requifite
for that dignity ; and the Romans and
I are as far remote from each other in
manners, as we are in place.
¥¦ Fleury,'xii. 254.
B 4 This

8 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
This refolution of mind, fays Fleu
ry ', is perhaps not the leaft of the mi
racles which he is reported to ! have
performed. A. 980. About this time lived Sui-
das, the Grammarian, a Compiler who
did not abound in judgment. ' How
ever, his Lexicon is very ufeful, and
the Learned know its value.
" They only, fays Le Cler'c m, who
are converfant with Greek Authors,
and fkjlled hi the language, are capa
ble of making proper ufe of Hefychius,
Suidas* Phavorinus, Julius Pollux, and
fuch fort of Dictionaries. I could name
an eminent Divine, who made ufe of
them to little purpofe, becaufe he had
not that fort of learning which was
Jleceffary.,' The Divine whom Le Clerc had in
view, was, as I conjecture, our Ham
mond.

1 xii. 191.
1 Bibl, Choif, x. 294. A.

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 9
A. 989. Chriftianity was eftablifhed
amongft the Ruffians or Mufcovites,*
who have always preferved the Greek
Rites in their religious ceremonies ".
A. 990. JEX&ic, a learned Englifh
Ecclefiaftic, recommended to all Chrif-
tians the reading, of the Scriptures in
the vulgar tongue, and condemned the
doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, which
was then creeping into the Church0.
A. 991. Arnoul, Bifhop of Orleans,
in a Council, made a very warm and
fpirited and judicious oration againft
the Popes of thofe days, reprefenting
them as moft execrable Monfters.
Fleury p did well, to give us this free
fpeech ; but he adds, with prudent cau
tion, that this honeft Prelate was rather
unguarded in his exprefiions, andfeemed
to bring the holy See into contempt.

» Fleury, xii. 254..
• Cave, ii. 108.
f gii. 268. .

A. 993.

i o Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
A. 993. Pope John XV. at the head
of a Council, placed Uldarjc amongft
the Saints. This is the firft authentic
Act of a Canonization in form, though
the word /itfelf was not yet ufed *.
This fame John was a vile wretch,
who fold every thing, to make money
pf^it ; . a true fucceffor of Simon Ma
gus. He condemned a whole Coun
cil of Bifhops, becaufe they had de
pofed a wicked Prelate, and elected
another, without afking his leave : but
Archbifhop Gerbert fet his Decree at
defiance, and reafoned very well againft
the exorbitant authority claimed in
thofe days by the Bifhops of Rome r.
A. 996 Gregory V. nephew to king
.Otho, was made Pope, aged only twen
ty four, and the firft German who was
raifed to the See of Rome. A year af
terwards, an Antipope was rriade, called
John XVI.* who had his tongue and his
1 Fleury, xii. 283. Molheim, p. 374.
' Fleury, xii. 283. 314. nofe

Remarh on Ecclefdfiical Hiftory. 1 1
nofe cut off, and his eyes put out, and
then was flung into prifon s.
Alfric, Archbifhop of Canterbury,
compofed a Grammar and a Dictio
nary, and tranflated fome books of
Scripture into the Saxon or Engiifh
tongue '.
A. 998. The Feftival of All Souls
was eftablifhed, and the worfhip of the
Virgin Mary was carried to an high
degree of folly and fuperftition, which
yet hath been increafing from that time
to thefe later ages u.
Robert, king of France, married
Bertha, his coufin germaii ; for which
he was excommunicated, and remained
fo for two or three years. No one
would converfe with him, except two
fervants, who waited upon him; and
even they flung into the fire the remains
of his victuals, and all the veflels out
* Fleury, xii. 314. 320.
1 Ibid. 394.
* Moiheira, p. 377.
Of

1 2 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.- i
of which he ate or drank. So fays Pe
trus Damianus, who adds that frorri
this marriage there Sprang forth a Mon-
fter, with the head and neck of a goofe.
But Damianus was the truer Goofe x.
Towards the latter end of this Cen
tury, Pope Silvefter II. endeavoured to
excite the Christians to recover the holy
Land, and made the firft attempt of a
Croifade. At the fame time the foundations of.
the Turkifh Ernpire began to be laid,
and the Turks prevailed over the' SaT
racens. In this age, though dark and igno
rant, a fubtle queftion was Started, re
lating to Dialectics, concerning Univer-
fals y, as they were called, or the genera
and fpecies rerum, whether they were
realities and fubfiances, or mere names.
.Thence aroSe the Sects of the Realifts and
' Fleury, xii. 333.
y As, for example, Man, Horfe, Dog, &c. fignifying
apt this or that, in particular, bift all in general. '
the

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 1 3
the Nominalifts. This controversy was
warmly agitated for many ages, and
caufed furious contentions amongft
Divines and Philofophers.
Pope Silvefter II, was a learned man
and Skilled in the Mathematics for
thofe times, and compared with his
contemporaries; for which he paffed,
in the. opinion of the Monks, for a con
juror and a Magician. What he knew
of thefe things, he had learned from
the Arabs, or Saracens, particularly
thofe of Spain, to whom was entirely
owing the knowledge of Phyfic, Phi-
loSbphy, Aftronomy, and Mathematics
in that age, and in the age that en-
fued. The Prelates and the Clergy were in
general as ignorant and as profligate as
can well be conceived ; and the Pope?
were not men, but Devils. The reign
ing vices of the Clergy were fornica
tion and Simony. The Paulicians or
Manichaeans increafed. Some Arians Still

r4 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory '«
ftill remained in Italy % and fdme An-*
thropomorphites ¦*.
Thefe were times in which, as Some
body hath obferved, Kyrieeleifon and
Paralipomenon were accounted two emi
nent Saints of the Church ; arid he*
who could read Greek, palled for a
Sorcerer. Notwithstanding this general depra
vity, fome fober and ferious Christians
were remarkable for acts of charity, or
almfgivirig ; and though thefe donati
ons might be often not judiciouSly ap
plied, they feem to have been honeftly
defigned. " From the writers of this age it
manifestly appears that the eSTential
doctrines of Christianity were either
grofsly mifreprefented, or quite ob-
fcured with a mixture of falfe and fool-
iSh opinions. Both the Greek and the
Latin were agreed in this, that the
very foul and fpirit of religion con-
"* Mofceim, p. 3^9, 360. 393. 4.$.;. 464. 472. 478.
2 lifted

1 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. i $
Sifted in worshiping Images, in honour
ing dead Saints, in collecting and pre-
ferving Reliques, and in enriching
Monks and Priefts. No one dared to
ad/lrefs himfelf to God without having
obferved thefe preliminaries. As to the
zeal Shewed in Searching after Reliques,
it was carried to perfect frenzy ; • and
if you will truft to the veracity of
Monks, the Divine Providence was
principally employed in revealing to
dreaming old women and to baldpate
Friers the graves where the bones of
holy Perfons lay repofited. They were
all miferably afraid of the fire of Purga
tory, and dreaded it, more than the tor
ments of Hell; for thefe they thought
might eafily be efcaped, if they departed
this life enriched with the prayers
and merits of the Monks and the Clergy.
The Priefts, difcerning the great pro
fits which arofe to them from thefe
terrors, contrived to augment them daily
by their difcourfes upon the fubjedt, by
fables, and by falfe miracles. The

1 6 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory*'
The controversies which had been
warmly carried on in the preceding
century concerning Divine Grace and
the Eucharift, were now fallen aSleep.
For, as it might be proved by many
testimonies, each party left the other at
liberty either to retain their opinion or
to relinquish it. Nor were they curi
ous in this unlearned age to inquire
into the fentiments of learned Doctors
in thefe and other points. It would
therefore be eafy to produce from
amongft thofe who at this time were
perSbns of fome note, followers of Au-
guftin, and followers of Pelagius ; and
alfb fome who thought that the true
natural body and blood of Chrift was
exhibited in the Lord's Supper; and
others who judged it to be a doubtful
matter, or who were of opinion that
Chrift was only received after a Spiri
tual manner. Yet it muft not be
imagined that this mutual moderation
and forbearance Should be afcribed to
the prudence and virtue of thofe times. .
It

Remarks onfLcclefi 'aftidal Hiftory. ty
it was mere ignorance and incapacity of"
reaSbning, which kept the peace, and
deterred them from entering into de
bates to which they were unequal.
It might be Shewed by innumerable
testimonies and examples, that fuperfti-*
tion reigned triumphant through the
whole Chriftian world, accompanied
with a multitude offrivolous andfenfelefs
notions, which the Priefts induftnoufty-
cherifhed for the fake of lucre. But of1
all thefe opinions adopted by theLa,-
,tins, to the difgrace and difturbance of
the times, none produced worfe effects
than a perfuafion that the laft Day was*
at hand. This doctrine had been*
broached in the preceding centurv,;
grounded Upon the. Revelation of St.-
John a ; and now was generally taughfj
and received in Europe, and produced-
an exceffive terror in the minds
of the people. For the Apoftle,
as it was taken for granted, had clearly
foretold that after the tenth Decad of
a xx. 3, 4.
Vol. V. C years

1 8 Remarks 6n Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
years from the birth of Chrift ten times
repeated, Satan would be let loofe, An*
tichrift would come, and the destruc
tion of the earth would enfue. Hence
it came to pafs that an innumerable
multitude, leaving their pofleffions, and
giving them to Churches or Monaste
ries, repaired to Palasftine, where they
thought that Chrift would defcend from
heaven to judge the world. Others
lolemnly devoted themfelves and all
their goods to Churches, to Monasteries,
and to the Clergy, and entered into
their fervice as bondflaves, performing
a daily taSk. Their hope was that the
Supreme Judge would be favourable to
them, if he found them thus occupied
in the fervice of his fervants. Hence,
when there was an eclipfe of the fun,
or moon, they fled to rocks and caverns,
to hide themfelves. Hence others con-
fecrated a great part at leaft of their
effects to God, and to his Saints, that
is, to Priefts and Friers. Hence in many
places they fuftered both their own
houfes and the Sacred edifices to go to
ruin,

Remarh on Ecdejiajlical Hiftory. i§>
ruin, or even pulled them down them
felves, concluding that they Would foon
he of no ufe. Some wife men there
were, who oppofed this vulgar error j
but it could not be fupprefled before
the end of the century b.
A Saxon Homily, written in this cen*
turyj-in the reign Of Ethelred II. Shews
to a demonstration that the English
Church at that time oppofed the doc*
trine of Tranfubftantiation. Sec it in
t
Rapin c.
A. iooo. One Leutafd, a poor ig
norant man} in the Diocefe of Chaalons
in France, fet up' for a prophet, and fe-
duced many perfohs. He had been
labouring in the field ; and falling aSleep*
he imagined that a fwarm of bees en
tered irfto him at the back door, and
came out at his mouth, with a great
buzzing, that they Stung him, and tor
mented him a long time, and then be-
c Molheinj, p. 372. Bibl. TJnir. tt. is*
b '• Hi-
C 2 gan

20 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
gan to fpeak to him,, and commanded
him to do Strange and impoffible things.
Plagued with this vifion, he returned
home, and quitted his wife, pretend
ing that the Gofpel required him fo to
do. He went then into a Church to
pray, and feizihgona Crucifix he brake
it to pieces. The byftanders were
frightened, and fuppofed him to be out
of his fenfes ; but as they were Simple
and credulous peafants, he perfuaded
them that he acted by infpiration. He
told them that only a part of the Scrip
tures was to be received, and the reft
to be rejected as ufelefs, and that they
were under no obligation to pay their
tithes. The Bifhop of the Diocefe had
a conference with him, and confuted
all his frivolous pretenfions, and con
vinced his followers that they had been
feduced by him ; upon which the poor
wretch, finding himfelf confounded and
deferred, went and flung himfelf into a
well. About the fame time another Fana
tic Started up at Ravenna, who was by
profeffion

Remarh on Ecclefiaflical Hiftory. 21
profefiion a Grammarian. One night
he dreamed that the three Poets, Virgil,
Homer, and Juvenal appeared to him,
thankinghimforthe pains which he took
to illuftrate their writings, and promis
ing him a Share of their glory. Puffed
up with this vifion, he began to dogma
tize, and to teach things contrary to the
Chriftian faith, and to maintain that all
things contained in the Poets were to
be believed. He was condemned as an
heretic by the Archbifhop; and many
being found up and down in Italy in
fected with the fame error, they were
extirpated by fire and fword. At the
fame time many heretics came forth
from Sardinia, and corrupted feveral
Chriftians in Spain, and were alfb des
troyed by the Catholics. This inun
dation of errors was fuppofed to be the
accomplishment of St. John's prophecy
in the Revelation, that after a thou
sand years Satan Should be let loofe d.
d Fleury, xii. 372.
C 3 A. 1009.

22

Remarks on Eccleftaftieal Hjftory.

A. 1009. Peter was made Pope, and
took the name of Sergius IV. He is,
£he firft Pope, by birth a Roman, whq
changed his name %
A. ioiof The Prince, of Babylon
had deftroyed the Church of the holy
Sepulchre at Jerufalem ; and it was a.
confirmed opinion in France that it
was done by the inftigatipn of the Jews.
Glauber, the Monk, relates it thus;
The Jews were filled with indignation
-to fee the innumerable multitude of
Christian Pilgrims, who repaired to the
holy SepulchreT The Jews at Orleans,
who were numerous and bold, gained
over by bribes a runaway Servant from
a Monastery, who travelled about in
the guife of a pilgrim, and gave him
a letter to the Prince "of Babylon, ad
monishing him that if he did not fpee-
dily deftroy that place fo venerable in
the Sight of the Christians, they would
Come and take away his dominions*
e Fleury, xii. 385. •
The

Remarks on Eccleftaftieal H ft ory. 23
The Prince took the alarm, and fent
men to Jerufalem, who totally demo
lished the Church, and endeavoured
with iron bars to break the Grotto of
the Sepulchre, but could not. This
was the fecond time that the Church
was deftroyed : it had been burnt by
the Perfians in the year 613.
It was foon generally known that
this difafter was owing to the malice of4
the Jews ; and the Chriftians with
one confent refolved to expetl them.
They became objects of public hatred,
they were driven out of the cities, many
were drowned, and put to death various
ways, and Some killed themfelves ; So
that few of them appeared in ChriSten*
dom. The BiShops forbad all Chrifti
ans to 'hold any communication with
them, except they were converted.
Many therefore of the Jews received
baptifm, through fear of death, and
afterwards relapfed to their old cuf-
toms. C 4 This

«4 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
The falfe pilgrim returning to Or^
leans was difcovered by another piL
grim, and being feized and tortured,
confeffed Lis Crime, and was burnt. —
Not long after this, King Henry drove
the Jews from Mentz. The Greeks
relate the thing in a different manner,
&c. One head of John the Baptift (for
there are many, and John was at laft
§tieijovjaKe<(>ciKai) was found at the Mo
nastery of St. John of Angeli in Sain-*
tonge s-.
A. 1022. Bouchard, Bifhop of Worms,
was accounted one of the moft learned
Prelates in his time, and of a fober and
exemplary life and conversation. When
he died, the Inventory of his worldly
goods and chattels confifted of an hair-
ihirt, an iron chain which ferved him
for a belt, gnd in money three deniers,

f Fleury, xii. 386*
£ Ibid, ^.41.

Times

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 25
Times are altered, and with them the
Inventories of Bifhops.
Some, both Ecclefiaftics and Lay
men, being difcovered to be Manichae-
ans, were burnt at Orleans, and others
fit Touloufe *.
A. 1024. John XIX. a Layman,
was made Pope by dint of money.
A. 1025, Some Monks had pleaded
an exemption from Epifcopal jurisdic
tion, by virtue of a privilege granted by
the Pope. But the Council of Anfe
rejected their plea ; which Shews that
the Prelates of thofe days did not think
Popes to be above the ancient Canons
and Constitutions of the Church !.
Simony at this time was univerfally
practifed, particularly in Italy. St. Ro-
mualdus exerted himfelf, and preached
againft it with vehemence. But fays Da
mianus, the Writerof hisLife, (who was
h Fleury, xii. 426. 433.
3 Ibid. 464, a Bifhop)

26 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
a Bifhop) «* I much queftion, whether
he ever reformed one man : for this
poifonous herefy is the moft ftubborn
and difficult of all to be cured, efpeci*-
ally amongft the Clergy of higher rankr
They promife amendment, and they
defer it from day to day ; fo that it is
eafier even to convert a Jew than a
BiShop k."
A. 1027. The famous MuSician Gui*
do of Arezzo, a Monk, invented the
Gamut, and the fix Notes, UT, RE, MI,
FA, SOL, LA, by the help of which
a young perfon could learn to chant in
a few months, better than many men
had been able to do in as many years,
Thefe Syllables he took from the three
firft lines of the Hymn to St. John,
UT queant laxis, &c. l
A. 1030. It was now a cuftom to
baptize Church-bells, and alfo to add
oil and chrifm m.
k Fleury, xii. 466. xiii. 51.
1 Ibid. xii. 473.
, * Ibid. 491.
<« They

Remarks on Bcclefiaftical Hiftory f 2 7
«c They were well meaning and ho
neft, but ignorant and illiterate men,
whom Gerhard, BiShop of Cambray
and Arras, converted and brought over
to the Church, at a Synod held in the
year 1030. They had received their
tenets from fome^Italians, and believed,
as they themfelves acknowledged, that
the whole of religion confifted in a pi
ous difpofition, and a behaviour fuita*.
ble to the divine precepts, and that all
external worShip was to be Slighted. In
particular ;
' i? They rejected baptifm, especially
of infants, as a rite pf no utility towards
falvation. 2, For the fame reafon, they rejected
the Lord's Supper.
3. They held that temples were not
more fapred than private hpufes.
4. They faid that Altars were only
an heap of ftpnes, and worthy of no
honour. 3 5- They

2 8 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
5. They condemned the ufe 'of in-
cenfe, and of confecrated oil, in religi
ous rites;
6. They alfo rejected the ufe of
Bells. 7. They denied the divine institution
of BiShops, PreSbyters, and Deacons, as
Minifters of the Church, and faid that
the order of Doctors was unneceflary in
a Christian Congregation.
8. They faid that funeral rites were
invented to gratify the avarice of the
Priefts, and that it mattered not whe
ther a man were buried in holy ground,
or any where elfe.
9. They affirmed that Penitence, as
it was then understood, namely, volun
tary fufferings undergone to expiate
paft offences, was of no utility.
10. They denied that the fins of
thofe who Suffered in Purgatory might
be remitted by means of Mafles, alms,
and vicarious penances j and doubtlefs
they rejected alSb the doctrine of a Pur
gatory. 1 1 . They

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 29
1 1 . They condemned marriage, as^
pernicious and unlawful".
12. They allowed fome worShip, or
honour to be paid t to the Apoftles and
Martyrs, but would not grant the fame
to ConfeSfors, meaning thereby all thofe
who were called Saints, but had not
Suffered death for the fake of Chrift.
They faid that their bones were not
more facred than thofe of other peo
ple. 13. They held that Chanting of
Pfalms or Hymns in Churches and re
ligious aSfemblies was fupferftitious and
unlawful. 14. They faid that the Crofs was not
more holy than another piece of wood,
and that no reverence was to be paid
to it. 1 5. They affirmed that the Images
of Chrift and of the Saints ought to be
, h I think it very improbable that this fliould have bee»
one of their do&rines. removed

36 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
removed put of the Churches, and by no
means to be adored.
1 6. Laftly , They condemned a diver
sity of degrees and of authority amongft
the Minifters of the Gofpel.
Whofbever Considers the corrupted
condition of religion in thefe times,
will not think it Strange that multi
tudes of , perfons all over Europe, who
had a fenfe of piety and morality,
Should have gone into thefe and into
fuch like opinions c."
But rather for want of knowledge
than of houefty, whilft they rejected
many abominahle corruptions, they
alfo ran into fome oppofite extremes.
Dutn vitant vitla, in contraria currunt.
Robert, King of France, informed
Gualiri, ArchbiShop of Bourges, that in
fome parts of his kingdom it had
rained blood, which was of fuch a
nature, that if it fell upon flefh, clothes,
;or Stones, it could not be waShed off ;•
• Molheim, p. 438. but

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftoiry* 3 1
but if it fell upon wood, the ftaki was
eafily got out. He aSks him if there
was any inftance to be found of^iich-a
rain. The Prelate anfwered him that
this prodigy portended a civil war, and
he relates diverfe examples of the fame
kind taken from Hiftory ; to which
he adds fome myftical reafons p.
A. 1033. To John XIX. fucceeded
Theophyladt his nephew, aged only
twelve years, and chofen by bribery.
He was called Benedict IX. and occu
pied the See eleven years and fome
months, dishonouring his Station by his
moft infamous life. Thus Simony
reigned triumphant at Rome, for the
Space of twenty five years.
He made himfelf daily more and
more odious by his wicked behaviour,
and by the rapines and murders which
he committed. The Romans, no lon
ger able to fuffer them, expelled him
from Rome, and from the Pontificate V
P Du Pin, T. viii. P. ii. p. 6*
% A. 1044.
and

3 % Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
and chofe Silvefter III. in his room.
But neither did. Silvefter acquire the,
Popedom gratis, nor did he hold it more
than three months ; for Benedict, who
was of the family of the Counts of
Tufculum, by the affiftance of his re--
lations fo harraifed Rome, that, he re*
Covered his Station. But as. he conti
nued his fcandaloiis courfe of life, and
found himfelf defpifed and., detefted
both by Clergy and Laity, he agreed'
to retire, and to abandon himfelf more
freely to his pleafures. Stipulating
therefore to receive a fum of money,
he refigned his place to Gratianus, cal
led Gregory VI. and went to live in his.
own territories r. .
The holy Abbot Poppo waited "upon -
the. Emperor Saint Henry, to procure
fome favours for his Monastery. He.
gained the good graces of this Prince :
he alfo perfuaded him to renounce a
diversion in which he ufed to take plea
sure. It was to expofe.to the bears a
1 Fletiry7xii. 515", &c.
naked

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory I 3 3
naked man fmeared all over with ho
ney. He fo effectually convinced the
Emperor and his Nobles of the barba
rity of this Shew, that hecaufed it to be
abolished s.
A. 1039. Cafimir^e, fon of a king of
Poland, being a Monk, who had made
his vows, and was in Deacon's Orders,
obtained from the Pope a difpenfation to
accept the crown of Poland, and to take
a wife. But the Pontif wifely Stipu
lated a certain annual rent to be paid to
his holinefs t.
— — — — Rem facias', rem
Si poJfis,re£te;fi non, quocumquemodo rem.
A. 1041-. The Abbot Richard went
on a pilgrimage to Jerufalem, and being
there on Saturday, in the holy week,
he aSIifted at the ceremony of the new
fire, which in thofe days was thought to
defcend miraculoufly into the holy Se
pulchre u.
• Fleury, xii. £ij.
* Ibid. 519.
u Ibid. 533.
Voz,. V. D Maun-

34 Remarh fan EoeleftafiiceA H^lorp
Maundfel, if I remember right, ahdf
other modern travellers have defcribed
this ridiculous ceremony.
A. 1044, Gregory VI. Carried his
martial- rage fo far, under pretenee of
defending the Church, that he acquired
the name of the Bloody j and even his
Cardinals admonished him, when- he
was dying, not to caufe Himfelf to be
buried in St. Peter's Church, with rils
predecefTors *.
, About this time was instituted! the
Feftival of Ah Souls, or Prayers and
Commemorations for the benefit. of the
Dead 5".
h A. 105 1. Some Manichaeans were dis
covered, and put to death2.
A. 1053. Leo IX. disputing in a let
ter with, the Patriarch of Conftantiho>
ple, fays;
* L'Enfant,- Conc.-di P. ii. $0*
y Fleury, xii. 561.
a Ibid. 600.
« Ygts

Remarh on \ Ecclefaftical 'Hiftory. 35
*' Yoii take Eunuchs, and ordain
them BiShbps, which hath given Occa
sion to a Common report, that a wo
man hath fat in the See of Conftanti
nople : But this is a crime fo abomina
ble, that we cannPt give credit to it."
Thi3 reproach, fays Fleury, makes it
probable that the fable of Pope Joan
was not yet invented : for She is placed
between t,eo IV: and' Benedict III.
about two hundred years before Leo IX.
Humbert, in an anfwer to the ob
jections of the Greeks, cites the twelfth
and thirteenth chapter of Exodus, and
the twenty third of Leviticus; which
Shews that the prefent divifion of chap
ters was then established \
A. 1059. NidblasII. endeavoured to
feftrain the privilege of electing Popes
to a certain number of Cardinals ; which
was accomplished in the next Century
by Alexander III b.

a Fleury, x-iii. 10.
!} Molheim, p. 398.

D 2 A. 1062,

$6 Remarh on Ecclefaftical H'iftory.
A. 1062. Petrus Damianus wrpte
the life of his, friend Dominicus, called
Loricatus, whofe aufterities and flagel
lations were childifh, fuperftitious, afto-.
niShing and Shocking, But fuch was
the piety of thofe times. I find, fays
c Fleury, no examples of thefe volun
tary and Severe flagellations before this
eleventh. century, when they began to
grow common. But it is not in the
writings of Damianus that we muSi
Seek for judgrrient and reaSoning.
A. 1067, We have a Strange Story
of a trial by Sire,, through which, one
Peter a Monk pafled unhurt, to prove-
that the Bifhop of his Diocefe was
guilty of Simony d.
A. 1068. Alexander II. wrote a letter
to all the BiShops of Gaul, in which he
Says ;
We have heard with pleaSure that
you have protected the Jews who dwell

e Xlll. 102. Zl£.
i Ibid. 187.

amongft

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. yj
amongft you, that they might not be
(lain by thofe who weflt to! fight the
Saracens in Spain. Thus St. Gregory
declared formerly that it was an impiety
to attempt to exterminate them ; fince
God by his merciful providence hath
preferved them to live difperfed over
the earth, after having loft their coun
try and their liberty, for the punish
ment of the crime of their-forefathers*
Their cafe is very different from that
of the Saracens, againft whom war is
juft, becaufe they perSecute the Chrifti
ans, and drive them from their habita
tions and their cities ; whilft the Jews
every where Submit to Servitude %
A. 1 07 1. The Abbot Defiderius un
dertaking to build a magnificent Mona
stery at Monte CaSIino, Sent perfons to
Constantinople, who procured archi
tects, and workmen in marble and mo-
Saic; for thefe arts had been loft in Italy
iibove five hundred years f .

e Fleury, xiii. 190.
[ Ibid. Z07.

D 3 A, 1072.

38 Remarh1 on JZcckfiaftkal ffifipry,,
A. 1072. Adam of Breme, anHifto^
rian of great Sincerity, wrote the Anti
quities and the Hiftory of Denmark,
Sweden, Norway, and the neighbour
ing ISlands s,
A. 1 o73.The execrable tyranHHilde-
brand was made I?ope, and called Gre
gory VII. This was the firft man who
jfubyerted all the ancient privileges of
Kings and Princes, of Councils and Bi
fhops, of Clergy and Dtity, and efta-
blifned the dominion of the Pope, as
King pf Kings, and Lord of Lords.
He made Severe laws agaiuft Simony,
and againft the Concubinage or Matri
mony which almofi univerfally pre
vailed amongft Ecclefiaftics. He and
his Succeffors would not allow the Cler
gy to keep either wives or concubines.
It was expected of them that they Should
content themfelves venere yulgivagd,
with fornication, adultery, &c. But a
violent opposition was made to tjieie
i Fleury, xiii. 227,
wicked

Remarks mBcelefiaftical Hiftory. 39
picked decrees, , especially by the Sober
and fenfible part of the Clergy, who
were married men*
*e Hildebrand was a man of an high
.Spirit, equal -to the greateft undertake
jngs, intrepid, quick of understanding
and judgment; but beyond meaSure
-proud, Stubborn, intractable, vehement,
and void of all piety and religion, the
moft haughty and audacious of all the
Popes. The Roman Church worfhjps
him amongft the Patrons and Intercef-
fors in the Court of Heaven, although.
he hath not been canonized in ., due form.
Paul V. in the beginning of the feven.-
teenth century, dedicated an holy-day
to him on the twenty-fifth of May,
But the European Princes, particularly
the Emperor and the King of France,
will not permit himr to be enlifted
amongft the Saints of the Calendar,
and publicly worshiped in their domi
nions ; and in our days there have~been
£ontefts about it with Benedict XJIJ V'
t Biloflieim, p. 400— r4i 2,
T> 4 TO?

40 Remarh on Eccleftaftical Hiftory i
This Wretch, who perfecuted the
married Clergy without mercy, who de
pofed the Emperor and gave hisking-
dom to another, who made him Stand
barefoot and fafting in froft and fnow,
and covered with a piece of woollen,
for three days, before he would admit
him to his prefence, defended his con
duct by, various arguments, the. folly,
•futility and impudence of which Fleury
hath fairly enough expofed.
Otho, a Bifhop who lived in the next
century, and was too much attached to
the Popes and to their authority, yet
owns in his Hiftory of thofe times that
the whole Empire was fcandalized at
this innovation. I examine again and
again, Says he, the Hiftory of the Ro
man Emperors, and I cannot find that
any one of them was ever excommuni
cated and deprived of his kingdom by a
Pope. In truth this Pontif had all the marks
of Antichrift upon him, and his reli
gion was nothing more than grimace. He

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 41
He wrote a very complaifant letter
to a Mahometan Prince, in which he
fays to him ; You and we adore one
and the fame God, though in a different
manner. I wifh you everlafting hap-
pineSs in Abraham's boSom. Good I
Great was the intimacy and friend-
Ship between Gregory and the CounteSs
Matilda. This foolifh Princefs gave
her dominions to the Pope, and to the
See of Rome, which were no lefs than
all Tufcany, and a great part of Lom-
bardy, referving to herfelf only the ufe
and profits of them during her life.
The enemies of Gregory, of whom he
had plenty, accufed him of a criminal
correspondence with this Lady. Lam-
bertus the Historian Says that it was a
mere calumny, and gives this admira
ble proof, that Gregory wrought many
miracles, and therefore could not be a
Fornicator. He would not fuffer the Bohemians
to celebrate the divine Service in their
own language, which was the Sclavo- nian.

£2 Remarh m Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
man. Fleury condemns this .decision
of the Pope.
|Ie .died in the year 138-5, .and many
miracles were wrought at his tomh,
•Pope Anaftafius IV. had him paintedin
a Church of Rome, amongi|.;Ofehe^
faints, about 60 years after his death.
In the year 1,584 his name was inferred,
in the Roman JVlartyrolqgy, cprrected
by order of Gregory XJlfc And Paul
V. by arBrief in the year 1 609, permit
ted the Archbifhop and the Chapter of
Salernum to honour him as a Saint in a
Public Service \
At this time Heretics in general were
called Patarini; and violent quarrels
arofe about Inveftitures, or the right of
Patronage in the Laity, which Gregory
VII. was refolved tp take from them ;
and this caufed the war between the
Pope and the Emperor Henry IV. ajid,
* Cave, ii. ip. Fleury, xiii. 251. 334. 383. xiv.
48. Du Pin, viii. 31. jBjbl. Univ. ix. 20. Bibl. A.
& M. viii. where le Clerc hath given \js his Life. .Bayle,
Gregoirejvi. Barbeyrac, Mor. ties Peres, p. 118. Sub-

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Bifiwy. 43;
Subsequent contefts between the Church
and the State.
" If I am not mistaken, the terrible
Contentions between the Emperors and
the Popes about the inauguration of
BiShops and Abbots would not have
been carried on with, Such bitterneSs, or
have continued for fo long a time, if
men of a liberal education and a gene
rous mind had prefided over the Church.
Put for the Space of fifty years the
Church was governed by a fuceeSEon of
five Monks, men of an obfcure and
mean birth, of brutiih manners, and
incapable of compliance, infected with
jhe true Spirit of Monkery, that is,
with an inflexible obstinacy. As Soon
as ever perfons of an ingenuous and
enlarged mind afcended St. , Peter's
throne, a different face of things ap
peared, and a fair proSpedt of peace k."
A. 1076. AnSelm, afterwards Arch
bifhop of Canterbury, drew up a De-
* Molheim, p.458. monftratioa

44 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
monftration of the being of God in the1
Metaphyfical way. His zeal for the
See of Rome procured him the title of
Saint1. A. 1077. Lambertus, a German
Monk, was the belt writer at that time
in the Christian world. He was author
of a General Hiftory, of which. Jofeph
Scaliger fays ;
Equidem miror in fieculo tarn barbaro
iantam hominis etin loquendo puritatem, et
in temporum putatione folertiamfuijfe, ut
Chronologis nofri temporis pudorem aliquem
exprimere poffit, fi aliquem fenfum harunt
rerum haberent.
Barthius alfo calls him a Writer,
0$uo fcriptor nemo politius, inter Ve-
teres, res Germania Uteris commift m.
A. 1079. Hugo, Duke of Burgundy,
an excellent Ruler, embraced the Mo*-
naftic State. Gregory VII. was much,
1 Fleury, xiii. 361. Rapin, i. 219.
K See Cave, ii. i£3. difpleaSed

Remarh on Eeckfaftical Hiftory. 45
difpleafed at it ; and in a Letter to the
Abbot who had admitted him he fays;
You have received a Duke into your
Monaftery, and you have deprived an
hundred thoufand Chriftians of a Pro
tector, arid expofed them to all kind of
evils. We have plenty of good Monks,
and of good private perfons; but a great
Scarcity of good Princes.
The Pope's judgment in this point
was juft and right, and ought to be ce
lebrated, as it is the only good thing
that can be faid of him n.
A. 1 08 1. "Alexius Comnenus was
made Emperor of Conftantinople. His
ingenious daughter Anna Comnena hath
written his Life, or his Panegyric. He
is grievoufly accufed by the Latins of
having betrayed and ufed them very ill
in their Expedition to the Holy Land.
But in truth he had juft reafon to fear
arid to abhor fuch aSfifters arid visiters,
who had God in their mouth, and the
» See Fleury, xiii. ,383.
B See Coufin, Hift, de Conjl. faertijenynt, T. iv.
Devil

46 Remarh ¦ oii£ccUjtVtftittilt
Devil in their heart, wRo'were rierfect
Ruffians, and the fcum arid filth of the
Wefterh world, aridift' point of morals
and religion not one j6t' better than the
Infidels, arid who afterwards, inftekdof
fighting the Mahometans* took Cofr-
ftantinople; and Set up! avLatin Empe
ror. p Anna Comnena mentions an arti
ficial Sire, or the Ignis Gracus, which
burned with great violence, and. was
ufed in war. It was made, Says She, of
the gum of pines arid of other trees
that are ever-green, mixed with ful-
phur, and reduced to a powder.
In the days of Alexius, there werei
heretics called Bogomili, and SuppoSed
to be a Sort of Manichaeaiis. Their"
leader, called Bafilitts, was condemned'
to be burnt, and had declared that the
fire would npt hurt him* The Greeks*
who carried him to execution, firft toolc
off his cloak, and flung it into the fire,'
to try whether it would prove income
f xiii, zt buflible.

Remarh on Ecvlefttiftted Hiftory. 4y
buftible. Whilft it. was burning, the
poor Fanatic cried out, Dp .you' not See
that my cloak is untouched, and carried
away in the air ? Upon which they caft
him ahV irito the fire, where he was
Soon conSumed'to aShes^.
Bogomilifuerunt Ariani. — Eorum pra>-
ciptius hyperafpites Baflius- combuftus dici-
tur ab Alexio Comneno Imperatore^ pofi-
quani quinquaginta duobusannis fradi-
ccffet non ejfe Trinitatem, et Chriftum
fuiffe Archangelum Michaelem. — Alias
etiam difii Bulgari,^«Bulgares, velmore
GallicO' corrupte, Bugares ; et hodie Galli
jocofe utuntur affetlatione Bougre, eofenfw
quo Helvetii RaetSer feu Gazari abutun-
fur — Porro • ficut Bulgari nomen cejftt in
abufum, ita et Boni Hommlsappellatio-
(Ariani enim in Gallia fe Bonos Homi
nes vocabant) hodie in Gallia et Teutonia
denotat Cornutum, fortqjfts propter pa-
tientiam horum temporum Haereticorum r.
* CouCn, xv. 9. Fleury^ xiv. 144,
s Sandius, Hift. Eccl.p. 386.
A. 1084. 6

48 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
A. 1084. The Carthufian Order, one
of the moft rigid Monaftic Institutions,
was founded by St. Bruno, a Fanatic.
It hath leaft of any degenerated from
its primitive rigour, and it hath, mad®
its way in the world much Slower than
other Orders. There are. only a few
Carthufian Nunneries, and in thofe few;
there is a relaxation of Some feverities,
particularly of a perpetual Silence, which
dpub.tleSs was too heavy an imposition
upon the Fair Sex '.
A. 1089. " A difpute of a fubtle na
ture was Stirred up in France by Rofce-
Knus, Canon of Compiegne, a consi
derable Logician of thofe times, and
the Head of the' Sect of the Nomina-
lifts. iHe denied that it was poffibleto
conceive, how the Son of God could
take upon him the human nature, fe-
parately from the Father and the Holy
GhoSt, unlefs the three Divine Perfons
were three things, or natures Sepa
rately existing, like three Angels, or
* .Molhehn, p. 408. Fleury, xiii. jijj. xiv. 38. three

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 49
three Souls ; although thefe three Di
vine Exiftences had one power and one'
will. Being admpnifhed that by af*
firming this, he made three Gods,, he
frankly replied, that if the expreSTiori
might be permitted, it would be true
to affirm that there were three Gods.
He was compelled to retract this pofi*
tion, in a ta French Council. But the
danger being blown over, he refumed
it again : for which he was baniShed;
Taking refuge in England, he again
caufed new commotions, for he vehe
mently contended that the fonsof priefts*
\vho were bom out of lawful wedlock,
ought by no -means to be admitted into
holy Orders ; which in thofe- days was
a moft odious doctrine. So beingex-
pelled from England, he returned tp
France, and living at Paris renewed the
old quarrel.—
If I am not miftaken, this whole con
troversy took its rife from the violent
contentions between the Realifts and the
Nominalifis. The former feem to have
u A. 1092.
Vol. V. E deduced

50 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
deduced this confequence from the doc
trines of the latter, amongft whom
Rofcelinus was eminent. If, faid they,
according to you, Univerfal Subfiances
are mere names, and the Dialectic Art
hath for its object words alone, it will
follow that the Three, Perfons alfo in
the Deity are in your opinion, not
things, but names. Not fo, faid
"Rofcelinus; the Father* the Son, and
the Spirit are not mere names, but be
long to the clafs of Things, or Beings,
or Realities. But our Logician by avoid
ing Scylla fell into Charybdis ; for
his adverfaries from his concessions
concluded that he had adopted 7W-
theifin x.
Difficult indeed it was both for Rof
celinus and Sor his Antagonists to Steer
between Tritheifn and Sabellianifn.
" The Popes would not Suffer thofe
Of their community to ufe any tongue
but the" Latin in their public fervice.
* 'Mofheim, p, 439. Fleury, xiii. 553. Cave, ii. 17?.-
Whilft

Remarks' on Ecckfidfiical Hiftory . 5 r
Whilft the Latin language prevailed
ampngft all the nations of the Weft,
or was unknown only to a few, there
was no considerable reafoxi why it fhould
hot have been kept up in the religious
aSfemblies of Chriftians. But when the
language together with the dominion of
the Romans, declined by degrees, and
at laft was quite loftj it was juft and fit
that every nation 'Should make ufe of
its own in celebrating divine fervice.
Yet this favour could not be obtained
from the Popes in this and the follow-.
mg ages, and the Latin Ritual was ob
truded upon the common people, who
underftood it nOt< Various caufes for
this perverfe behaviour have been af-
Signed by various perfons, and fome of
their conjectures feem to be too refined
and farfetched. The principal reafon was
undoubtedly a fuperftitious refpect for
Antiquity. From the fame motive the
Eaftern Chriftians -fell into the fame
fault, of whom the Egyptians in their
religious fervice retain the old Coptic,
the Jacobites and Neftorians, the Sy-
£ 2 riaet

5 2 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
riac, and the Abyflines the iEthiopic
language, although they be quite ob
solete and unintelligible to the Vul
gar y.
" TheManichsansor Paulicians, who
dwelt in Bulgaria and Thrace, were
perSecuted by the Greeks. They Spread
themSelves in Italy, and in other parts
of Europe ; and then the Popes waged
war with them.: They were called
Paterini, Cathari, Albigenfes, Bulgari,
Boni Homines, &c. Some of them were
burnt for their herefy; but many of
them feem to have adopted very little
of the Manichasan Syftem.
The Manichsans of Orleans were
Myftics, who deSpifed the external wor
ship of God, allowed no efficacy to rites
and ceremonies, or even to the Sacra^
ments, accounted true religion to con-
fift in contemplation, or in elevating
the mind to God and to divine things,
and philofophized concerning the Deity
and the three Perfons in God with too
y Moiheitn, p. 434,
much

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 53
much refinement, and with more fub-
tilty than that age would admit. Thefe
Refiners, who arofe in Italy, in fubfe-
quent times were diffufed through Eu
rope, and in Germany, were called Fra*
tres liberi fpiritus, Free-thinkers, and in
other provinces Beghardiz."
A cuftom was introduced for the
Priefts in the Latin Church to pro
nounce the words of confecratioh in the
Eucharift in fo low a voice, that none
of the Congregation Should hear them.
The Council of Trent hath anathema
tized all thofe who prefume to condemn
this Stupid and ridiculous practice :
Si quis dixerit Ecclefia Romance ri->
turn, quo fubmiffa voce verba confecrati-
onis proferuntur, damnandum ejfe, Ana
thema ft a.
In this century began the Croifades,
attempted by Gregory VII. carried into
execution, at the instigation of Peter
the Hermit, by Urban II. in the year
7 Mofheim, p. 437.
»¦ J?allani9, De Cult. Lot. p. 1021—1050.
E 3 1095.

54 Remarh on -Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
1095. In the following year eight
hundred fhoqfand men went forth on
this pipus expedition.
"The principal motive which ex
cited Urban and other Pontifs to wage
this holy war, arofe in my opinion
from the fuperftitious ignorance of the
times and the corrupted State pf reli
gion. It was thought a difgrace tp
Christianity to Suffer a land, confecrated
by the footfteps and the blood of Jefus
Chrift, tp be left in the ppffeSfipn of his
enemies; and pilgrimages to holy places
were accounted meritorious acts of de
votion k, though at the fame time the
Mahometan poffeflbrs of Palaeftine had
reafon enough to be alarmed at them,
To this motive for a Croifade was added
a dread left the Turcomans, who had
already conquered a great part of the
Greek Empire, Should pafs over into
Europe and invade Italy. There are
learned men who think that the Pope
Stirred up this war with a view to in-
creafe his own authority, and to weaken
the power of the Latin Emperors, and.
Kings $

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. $$
Kings ; and that the European Princes
concurred with him, hoping to fend
away the moft powerful and warlike of
their fubjects, and to Strip them of their
lands and riches. Thefe are ingenious
conjectures, but they are no more than
conjectures. As Soon indeed as the Pon-
tifs, Kings, and Princes learned by ex
perience what great profits accrued to
them from thefe wars, the defire of ac
quiring power and wealth were new in
ducements added to the former.
Yet from thefe wars, whether juft or
unjuft, innumerable evils of every kind
enfued, both in Church and State, the
remains of which are Still felt. Europe
was deprived of the greateft part of her
inhabitants, an immenfe quantity of
money was carried away to remote re
gions, and many illuftrious and weal
thy families either perished entirely, or
were reduced toobfcurity and beggary;
for the heads of fuch houfes had pawned
or fold their eftates, to fupport them
felves with neceflaries for their journey.
Other Lords impofed intolerable taxes
E 4 on

56 Remarh on Ecclefaftical ffiftory.
on their Subjects or vaffals, who being
terrified by Such exactions, chbfe rather
to leave their farms and houfes, and
join in the Croifade. Hence arofe the
utmoft confuSion and diforder through
all Europe. I paSs over the pillages,
murders and maffacres committed in all
places with impunity by thefe pious
Soldiers of God and of Jefus Chrift, aS
they were called, as alfo new apd pei>
nicious rights and privileges to which
thefe. wars gave rife and ocCafion.
Nor did Chriftianity fuffer lefs than
the State from thefe miferable wars,
The Roman Pontif gained a vaft accef-
SiOn of power and dignity. The wealth
of Churches and Monasteries was many
ways considerably encreafed. The
Priefts and the Monks, whilft their Bi
Shops and Abbots, were gone into Afia,
led lawlefs and fcandalous lives, and in
dulged themfelves in all forts of vices,
without control, Superftition, which
was exceSfive before, became Still more
prevalent amongft the Latins : for the
catalogue of Tutelar Saints, already
3 very

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 57
yery numerous, was augmented with a
crew of Eaftern Saints, unknown be
fore in the Weftern world, and fome
of them unknown even at home. An
amazing cargoe of Reliques was alSb-
imported; for all who returned from
Afia, came loaded with this fort of
traSh, bought at a great price of cheat
ing and lying Greeks and Syrians, and
either prefented them to Churches and
Religious places, or laid them up in
their own houfes, to be preferved there
as an invaluable treafureb."
«* The Ecclefiaftics of the Latin
Church were at this time corrupted to
the laft degree ; thoSe of the Greek
Church were not quite fo bad, becaufe
the diftreSfes and calamities of their
Empire checked them in Some meafure,
and Stifled thofe enormities which plen
ty and eafe and lazinefs produce in ill—
difpofed minds.
The Monks of the Weft, moft igno
rant and profligate wretches, had great
? Mofheim, p. 383. Fleury, xiii. 615. xiv. 47.
power

58 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
power and wealth, and were leagued
in Strict union with the Popes, and ex
empted in a great meafure from all
other fuperior jurisdiction,
Some attempts however were made
to reftore literature, which had funk fo
low in the preceding century c."
Mathew Paris fays of the Clergy of
thofe days ; Adeo liter aturd carebant, ut
ceteris fiupori ejjet qui Grammaticam di-
dicijfet.
From the days of Gregory VII, we
find in fome regions of Europe, parti
cularly in Italy and France, manifeft
indications of thofe perfons who by the
Proteftants are commonly called Wit-
heffes of the Truth, namely of -Serious
and pious people who deplored the cor
rupted State of religion, and the vices
of the whole Ecclefiaftical Order, who
oppofed the exorbitant claims of the Pope
and of the Prelates, and who, fome
openly and fome fecretly, attempted to
bring on a reformation. For how rude
c Molheira, p. 394. 414. Soever

Remarh on Ecclefajlical Hiftory. 59
Soever and illiterate and ignorant of
Revealed Truths the age might be, yet
thofe few fragments of the Gofpel
which were propofed to the multitude
were Sufficient to inform the loweft of
the vulgar that the Religiori commonly
received was not the Religion of Jefus
Chrift, and that he required quite
other things from his followers than
the Popes Bifhops and Priefts either
taught pr practifed, that they made a
vile ufe of their power and revenues,
and laftly that the favour and bleffing
of God was not to be obtained by
empty ceremonies, by liberal oblations
to temples and priefts, by building and
endowing Monasteries, but by purity
of heart and an upright behaviour.
But they who thus undertook the ar
duous tafk of healing the diftempers of
the Church were frequently unequal to
fhe attempt, and by Shunning one fault
fell into another. They all difcerned
the corrupted ftate of the Religion
commonly received, but none or very
few of them were acquainted with the
true

6o Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
true nature and Spirit of the Gofpel ;
which will not feem Strange to thofe
who duly confider the infelicity of the
times. Therefore with fome opinions
which were right, they often mixed
many which were erroneous. Plainly
perceiving that moft of the enormous
crimes of the Priefts and BiShops arofe
from a Superfluity of wealth, they
thought that the Church could hardly
be too neceflitous, and accounted a vo
luntary poverty to be the principal vir
tue of a pious Teacher. They all held
the primitive Church to be an eternal
pattern which the Christian world was
obliged Strictly to follow, and the
conduct and condition of the ApoStles to
be an invariable rule for the Clergy.
Many of them being grieved to fee the
people place their hopes of falvation
in certain ceremonies and in outward
rites, inculcated the oppofite notion,
that true religion was only that of the
mind, and confifted in a contemplation
on divine things, and defpiSed and re
jected all external worfhig, temples,
religious

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 6 1
religious ASfemblies, Doctors, and Sa
craments ,d"
Certain it is that if too much plenty
hath a tendency to make the Clergy
vicious, extreme want will make them
contemptible. Berengarius, Lanfrancus, and An-
felmus gave rife to the Scholaftic The
ology, by applying Logic and PhiloSb-
phy to Divinity ; and Syftems or Bodies
of Divinity were now firft drawn up.
Nor were the Myftical Divines unem-.
ployed in their way e.
The contentions were warm between
the Latins and the Greeks, fomented
by the Popes and by the Patriarchs of
Conftantinople, the firft wanting to be
Supreme, the latter wanting to be In
dependent. " The Greek Emperor, Conftantinus
Monomachus, defiring to pacify this
quarrel at its rife, entreated the Roman
d Moftieim, p. 422.
e Ibid. p. 423. Pontif

6 s RerHdrh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory*
Pontif to fend Legates to Constantino
ple, to treat about terms of a reunion*
The Pope fent three Legates, and gave'
them letters to the Emperor and to the
Greek Patriarch. ' But the event of this
embaSSy was extremely unfortunate,
although the Emperor, for political
caufes, was more difpoSed to Savour
the Latins than the Greeks. For the
letters' of Leo IX. full Of pride and ar
rogance, alienated the mind of the Pa
triarch Cerularius, and the Legates
themfelves plainly Shewed by many in
stances that their errand was not to re
ftore concord, but to bring the Greek
under an abfolute Subjection to the Ro
man Church. Thus all attempts to
bring about a pacification being dropped,
the Roman Legates proceeded to an
action than which nothing could be
more unSeaSonable, imprudent, and im
pudent. They openly, in the temple
of St. Sophia, f anathematized the Pa
triarch, with Leo Acridanus,: and all
hi? adherents, and having laid a copy of
1 A., 1054. this

Remarks on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 6$
this folemn execration upon the princi
pal altar, they Shook the duft off from
their feet, and departed. By this abo
minable procedure all hopes of a recon
ciliation were loft, and the fchifm be
came incurable. The Greek Patriarch
returned the affront, and in a Council
condemned the Legates, and all who
took their part, declared them unwor
thy of Chriftian communion, and by
the Emperor's order caufed the copy of
the excommunication which the Le
gates had laid upon the altar to be pub-
lickly burnt. Then followed a litera
ry war, and writings on both fides full
of infult and contumely, which fur
nished new fuel to keep up the fire s. "
Berengarius wrote againft the corpo
real prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament,
and held only the Spiritual eating and
drinking of him. He feems to have
had the fame opinion which was after
wards that of Calvin. For this he was
perfecuted, excommftnicated, condemn-
s Moflieim, p. 425. ed,

64 Remarks oh Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
ed, and compelled to recant : but it is
thought that he never quitted his firft
opinion. The audacious and infolent
Pope Gregory VII. was much inclined
to favour and protect him. Lanfranc,
afterwards Archbifhop of Canterbury,
wrote in defenfe of Tranfubftantiation
againft him ; and fo did Guimondh.
In ancient times the name Papa,
Pope, was given to all Bifhops, and it
is only Since Gregory VII. that it hath
been appropriated to the BiShop of
Rome. A. 1090. Ildebert, BiShop of Mans,
accufed of high TreaSbh by William
Rufus king of England, offered to un
dergo the trial by fire, but was diffuad-
ed by Ivo BiShop of Chartres, fuch an
action being contrary to the Canons.
Yet Pope Eugenius II. not only ap
proved but introduced the trial by cold
water. They .uSed. alio to Say MaSs
over a cake of unleavened barley bread,"
h Molheim, p. 428. Fleury, xii. £77. xiii. 70. Cave, ii.
130, Bibl. Univ. ix. 10. 38. Du Pin, T. viii. P. ii. p. 6.
and

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 65 ,
arid a piece of cheefe iriade of Sheep's
riiilk, to difcover thofe who were ac-
cuSed of theft. It was believed that
when Mafs was faid over them, the
cake which was laid upon the altar
would turn round of itfelf, if the per-
Sbn was guilty, and he wouldnot be able
to Swallow the bread and cheefe ; and
from this cuftom, as Du Cange thinks,
arofe an imprecation Still common
amongft the vulgar ; May this morfel
choke me.
Menage hath given us the Mafs which
was faid on this Occafion, and Shews to
what lengths fuperftition was carried in
thofe ages of darknefs.
There was alfo an exorcifm ufed, to
drive the Devil out of the bread and
cheefe, left1 he Should. hinder the effect
of the conjuration ; and two prayers,
to befeech God that the mouth of the
thief might Swell, and that he might
foam and cry, and that the morfel
might not pafs through his throat, tilL
he owned himfelf guilty; &C.
1 Bibl. Univ. v. 40Z.
Vol., V. F A. 1094.

66 Remarks on Ecclefaftical 'Hiftory.
A. 1094. Saint Nicolas called Pere-
grinus was famous in Apulia. He was
a Greek, born in Atfica. His parents
were poor, and he had not learned' tp
read, or heen bred to any trade. When
he Was eight years of age, his mother
Sent him out to take care of the Sheep.
From that time he began to Sing aloud,
Kyrie ele'ison, which he did night and
day; ,an.d this act of devotion he per
formed all his life long. His mother
not bemg able to rriake him leave it off,
thought that he was poflefled of the
Devil, and carried him to a neighbour
ing Monastery, where the Monks' Shut
him up and chaftifed him, but could
not hinder "him from Singing his Song.
' He Suffered puniShmeHt patiently, and
immediately began again. Returning
to his mother, he took a hatchet and a
knife, and clambering up a mountain,
he cut branches of : cedar, and made
croffespf them, which he Stuck up in
the highways,and in places inacCeSSible,
praifing God continually. Upon this
mountain he built himfelf a little hut, and

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 6 7
and dwelt there fome time all alone,
working perpetually. Then he Went
to Lepanto, where a Monk joined him
felf to him, and never forfook him.
They pafled into Italy, where Nicolas
Was taken fometimes for an holy man,
and fometimes for a madman.' He
fafted every day till evening ; his food
was a little bread and water, and yet
he did not grow lean. The nights he
ufually pafled in prayer, Standing up
right. He wove only a Short veft,
reaching to his knees, his head, .legs
and feet being naked. In his hand he
carried.a light wooden crofs, and a Scrip
at his fide, to receive the alms which
were given him, and which he uSually
laid out in fruit, to distribute tp the
boys who went about with him, Singing
along with him Kyrie ele'ison. His od
dities cauSed him to be ill uSed Some
times, even by the orders of the Bifhops.
H|e .performed various miracles, and
exhorted the people to repentance. At
Jaft falling fick, and vifited by multi
tudes who came to beg his bleSfing, he
F 2 -died,

68 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
died, and was buried in a Cathedral
with great Solemnity ; and according to
cuftom, a great number oS miracles
was wrought at his tomb k.
It was ftill the cuftom at this time to
receive the Sacrament in both kinds1.
A. 1096. The CroiSez, or pious
Pilgrims, Set out in vaft numbers for
the holy war. All were not animated
with the fame fort of zeal. Some
went, becaufe they would not leave
their • friends and companions; fome,
who were military men, becaufe they
would not paSs for poltroons ; fome
through levity and the love of rambling;
fome who were deeply in debt, that
they might efeape from their creditors.
Many Monks flung off the frock, and
took up arms, and an army of women
accpmpanied them, dreSfed like men,
and carrying on the trade of proftitutes.
Not long after, a fecond hoft fet
forth, in number two hundred thou-
k Fleury, xiii. £86.
1 Ibid. 611. Sand,

Remarh on Ecclefafiical Hiftory. 6 9
Sand, without a commander, and with
out difcipline. Thefe pilgrims refolved
to fall upon the Jews, wherefoever
they found them, and to deftroy them.
They did fo, particularly at Cologn,
and at Mentz. At Spire, the Jews
fled to the royal palace, and there de
fended themfelves, being affifted by
the Bifhpp, who afterwards put fome
Chriftians to death upon that account.
At Worms, the Jews purfued by the
Chriftians, repaired to the BiShop, who
reSuSed to protect them, unleSs they
would receive baptifm. They defired
fome time to confider of it ; and enter
ing into an apartment in the Bifhop's
houfe, whilft the Chriftians Staid with
out, in expectation oS their anSwer,
they all Slew themfelves.
The Jews at Treves Saw the CroiSez
coming upon them. Some of them
took their own children and Stabbed
them, faying that it was better to Send
them thus to Abraham's bofom, than to
expofe them to the cruelty of the Chrif
tians. Some of their women fled , to
F 3 fJit

7*o ' Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
the river, and loading themfelves with
Stones leaped into the water. Others,
faking their goods and their childreriV
retired to the Palace, which was a
Sanctuary, and the habitation of the
Archbifhop Egilbert : with tears they
beSought his protection "; and he laying
hold on the occafion, exhorted them to
be converted, promising them Safety,
if they would receive baptifm. Their
Rabbin, Micaiah, prayed the Arch
bifhop to inftruct them in the elements
of the Christian faith. The Bifhop did
So ; and then both the Rabbin and the
reft of them profeffed Christianity, and
were baptized by the BiShop and by his
Clergy. But Micaiah alone perfevered
in his profeilion : the reft apoftatized a
year afterwards"1.
A. 1097. The Emperor Alexis was
terrified at this inundation of Franks,
and thought that their defign was to
Seize on his dominions. He therefore
treated their Leaders with much re-
*¦ Fleury, xiii. 634. - : r
fpect?

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. y i
reSpe£t, but was reSolved tp do them all
the hurt that he could. And, to Say
the truth, they gave him too much
cauSe Sor it. Their troops, encamped
near Conftantinople, demolished all the
beft houSes in the country, and un
roofed the Churches, and fold the lead
that covered them to the Greeks them
felves. They acted no better in Afia,
pillaging and burning houfes and
Churches D.
A. 1098. TheCroifez took Antioch,
and one of their Ecclefiaftics found
there, by revelation as he pretended,
the Spear with which Chrift was
pierced. Some time after, Some of the
Croifez called the genuinenefs of the
fpear in que*ftion ; and a difpute arifing,
Peter Bartholomew, Sor he was the
finder, offered to juftify himSelf by the
Fiery Trial. A large fire was made,
and he holding the fpear in his hand
pafled through it, unhurt, as it was
thought. But though he had been in,
? Fleury, xiii'. 644.
F 4 g°od

72 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
good health before, he died a few
days after. Thus the credit of this holy
Relique remained dubious °.
A. 1 09 9. The Croifez took jerufalern.
by Storm, and maflacred all the Infidels
that they found there, in number about
twenty thoufand. Immediately after
this inhuman and bloody work, they
repaired to the holy Sepulchre with
moft aftonifhing zeal and devotion ?.

A Difcourfe on the Ecclefaftical Hiftory
_from the year 600 to to the year 1 100.
By Fleury.
" THE fair days of the, Church are
paSfed away : but God hath not rejected
his people, nor forgotten his promifes.
Let us view with a religious fear the
temptations with which he permitted
his Church to be exercifed during the
• Fleury, xiii. 664.
f Ibid. 686. five

Remarks on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 7 j
five ages which followed the fix firft ;
and let us confider with gratitude the
methods which his Providence made
ufe of to fupport it. They are fubjects
worthy of our attention.
Rome Pagan fpotted with fo many
crimes, and drunk with the blood of fo
many Martyrs, was to be punifhed,
and the divine vengeance was to be ma-
nifefted upon her in the fight of all na
tions.-^- Accordingly iri due time Rome
ceafed to be the Capital of the Empire,
when Conftantine had transferred the
Seat of power to Byzantium; and after
the divifion of the Empire, the Empe
rors of the Weft refided at Ravenna, at
Milan, and in any place, except Rome.
Thus She loft by degrees her fplendor,
her riches, her numbers. We have feen
the deplorable reprefentation of her con
dition, as made by St. Gregory. Yet
was She taken and pillaged by the Bar
barians, who ravaged and ruined the
Weftern Empire. " This inundation of
Barbarians I count for the firft external
femptation befalling the Church, fince the

74 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
the perfecutions of the Pagan Emperors.
For thefe Savages, in the beginning of
their Irruptions, filled all places with
(laughter, burned whole cities, mafla-
cred the inhabitants, or led them away
captives, and Spread terror and defola-
tion all around them. The moft cruel
perfecutions under Rome Pagan were
neither continual nor universal. The
Pagans had the fame language with
their countrymen the Christians ; they
often listened to the doctrines of the
Chriftians, and were daily converted.
But where no rational creatures are to
be found, there are no Churches ; and
how was it poffible to inftruct and con
vert brutifh Ruffians, always in arms,
always plundering, and Speaking g,
Strange language?
Moreover, the Barbarians, who ruined
the Roman Empire, were either Pagans
or Heretics ; fo that after their firft fury '
was Somewhat allayed, and they were
So far humanized as to converfe with,
thofe whom they had invaded, they
Still detefted the Romans, on account of

Remarh on Ecelefqftical Hifiory. 75
pf the diverfity of religion. You have
Seen the cruel perSecutions carried on
by the Vandals in Afric.
Thefe Barbarians, it is true, became
Orthodox Christians, fome fponer, fome
later ; in whofe conversion God Shewed
forth his mercy, as in the punifbment
pf the Romans he had Signalized his;
juftice. But thefe Barbarians, by be
coming Chriftians, did not totally quit
their former manners. They ftill re
mained for the moft part fickle, change
able, violent, impetuous, acting more
by paffion than by reafon. You may
have obferved what fort of Chriftians
were Clovis, and his children. Thefe
people continued defpifers of arts and
literature, bufied only in hunting, or
in fighting. Thence enfued grofs ig
norance even amongft their Roman
Subjects ; for the manners of the ruling
Nation will always predominate ; and
Studies languish, unlefs Supported by
honours and emoluments. We

j6 Remarks' on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
We fee the declenfion of literature in
Gaul, from the end of the Sixth cen
tury, and about an hundred years after
the eftablifhment of the Franks. We
have a fenfible exarnple of it in Gregory
of Tours, who owns that he had not
muchapplied himfelf to Grammar and
Humanities. And if he had not faid
it, he Shews it Sufficiently by his per
formances. Yet the leaft of his defects
in his writings is that of ftyle. There
is in them neither choice nor method.
It is a coiifufed jumble of Ecclefiaftical
and Secular Hiftory ; facts of no im
portance, accompanied with frivolous
circumftances unworthy to find a place
in ferious Hiftory, together with an
exceffive credulity about miracles. Thefe
defects I afcribe. rather to a bad educa
tion than to a bad difpofition ; elfe we
muft SuppoSe that Sor many ages toge^
tlier there was not a man born who had
naturally good SenSe and Sound judg
ment. Bat the beft difpofitions eafily
follow the prejudices of education, and
pf .vulgar opinions* when men have not
cultivated

* Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. jf
cultivated the art of reafoning, and co
pied aSter good models. Learned ftu-
dies did not entirely fink with the Ro
man Empire : Religion preferved them;
but the only Students were Ecclefiaftics,
and their Studies were extremely imper
fect. I fpeak of human fciences; for
as to the doctrines of Religion, in thofe
they followed the certaiii authority of
Scripture and Tradition. Pope Agatho
testifies it in a Letter which he trans
mitted by his two Legates to the Sixth
Council. We fend them not to you,
fays he, for any reliance that we place
in their abilities and erudition. For how
Should perfect fcience be found amongft
people who live furrounded with Bar
barians, and with labour earn their
bread by the work of their hands? Only
with pious Simplicity of heart we pre-
ferve the faith v^hich our Ancestors
have tranfmitted to us.
In the following ages, the moft en
lightened men, as Bede, Alcuin, Hinc-
mar, Gerbert, felt the contagion of the
times. Endeavouring to embrace the
whole

7 $ Remarks on Ecclefafiicdl Hiftory.
Whole circle of Sciences, they maftered
none, and knew nothing exactly. What
they moft wanted was critical Skill to
distinguish SalSe from genuine tracts.
For even then many works were fabri
cated, and afcribed to illuftrious names,
not only by Heretics, but by Catho
lics, and with an honeft intentiom
Thus Vigilius of Thapfus owns him
felf that he borrowed the name of St*
Athanafiusj with a view to obtain an
hearing^from the Arian Vandals* In like
manner, when they had not the Acts of
a Martyr, to read publickly on his Holy
day, they cOmpofed Acts the moft pro
bable, or rather the 'moft, marvellous
that they could devife ; and by theSe
means they -thought they could beft
keep up the piety of the common peo
ple. Thefe falfe Legends were princi*
pally eonapofed on occasions of theTran-
Slations of Reliques, fo frequent in the
ninth century. They alfo made Deeds
and Records, either to fupply the place
of true ones which were loft, or abso
lutely fictitious^; ,as the fampusDona-
2 tion

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 79
tion of Conftantine, which was received
without the leaft doubt in France, in
the ninth century. But of all the
Spurious pieces, the moft pernicious
were the Decretals aScribed to the Popes
of the fou^ firft centuries, which have
given ar/ incurable wound to Ecclefi-
aitical pifcipline, by the introduction
of new maxims concerning the judg
ments of Bifhops, ' and the authority of
the Pope. Hincmar, though a con
siderable Canonist, could nevsr clear up
this point. He knew well that thefe
Decretals were unknown to the prece
ding ages, and it is he who informs us
when they firft made their appearance :
but he was not Critic enough to difcern
the -proofs of the forgery, plain and
Strong as they were; and he himfelf
cites the Decretals, when they favour
him. "
Another effect of ignorance is to make
men credulous and fuperftitious, for
want of certain principles of belief, and
an exact knowledge of the duties of
religion. God is omnipotent, and his
Saints

80 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Saints have great prevalence with him*
Thefe are truths which no Catholic
will contefi. Therefore I ought to be
lieve all the miracles which are aferibed
to the InterceSfion of Saints. This in
ference is not juft. The proofs of thefe
miracles mult be examined ; and So
much the more accurately, as the facts
are more incredible and important* For
to atteSt a falfe miracle is no lefs than
what St. Paul calls bearing falfe witnefs
againft God, as Damianus judicioufly
remarks. So far therefore is Piety
from inducing us lightly to give credit
to them, that it obligeth us to fift them
with the utmoft rigour. The fame
holds true as to revelations, apparitioris
of Spirits, operations of the Devil by
the miniftry of forcerers, or otherways ;
in a word, all Supernatural facts. Every
fenfible and religious perSon ought; to
be extremely reServed in giving credit
to them.
And Sor this cauSe I have mentioned
very Sew out of innumerable miracles
related by the writers of thefe darker ages.

Remarks on EccJtffyftical Hiftory. 8 r
ages. It hath appeared to me that a-
mongft them the tafte for the Marvel
lous was far more predominant than the
love of truth ; and I would not war
rant that fometimes there were not at
the bottom certain felf-interefted mo
tives, either to attract profitable obla
tions from the , belief of miraculous
Cures, Or to fecitre the goods of the
church by Spreading the fear of divine
judgments* To thefe purpofes tend
moft of the Stories related in the Col
lections of the miracles of St* Martin,
St. Benedict, and other famous Saints.
As if they who became Saints by de-
fpifing riches upon earth, were become
fond of them after they were in hea
ven, and employed their credit with
God to revenge themfelves on thofe
who plundered the treafures of their
Churches ! I Can difcern the pernicious
motive which induced them fo zealouf->
ly to fupport fuch pretended miracles.
They thought to reftrain at leaft by
the fear of temporal judgments thofe
who were little moved by the dread of
Vol. V. G future

82 'Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
future punifhments. But they did not
perceive that this was introducing a
dangerous error, by reafoning upon a
falfe principle, that God ufually pu-
niSheth the wicked -in- this -life. This
was, to bring the Gofpel back to the
State of the old Law, wherein the pro
mises and threatnings wereof the tempo
ral kind : this was, to expofe the au
thority of Religion to contempt, by
grounding thefe menaces upon it j fiif.ce
they were often confuted by experience,
and the ufurper-s of the revenues of the
Church might be- Seen every day en
joying impunity, and paffing their lives
in health and prosperity.
And indeed this was not the doctrine
of mpre enlightened Antiquity, and St.
Auguftin hath folidly proved the con
trary, &c.
This doctrine "(of the promifcuous
and unequal distribution of good and
evil in the prefent ftate) Seems to have
been quite forgotten, when the Bifhops
and Popes fo audaciouSly employed temporal

Remarh oh Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 83
temporal promiSes to engage Princes to
protect them ; as amongft others, Pope!
Stephen did, when he wrote a letter to
the French King, in the name of St.
Peter. Thefe promifes and menaces
may for a feafon impofe upon the ig
norant ; but when they are plainly
feen to be void of effect, as it moft
ufually happens j they are only fit to
feandalize men* and to weaken their
faith, by inducing them to doubt alfo
concerning the promifes and threat-
nings relating to the life to come. Yet
this old prejudice and illufion hath con
tinued even in thefe later ages ; and I
can never fufficiently wonder that fo
knowing a man as Baronius fhould in-
Sift fo much upon the evils which have
befallen the enemies of the Churchy
efpecially of the holy See* and repre-
fent them constantly as divine judg-
mentSj and on the other hand, Set
forth the prosperity of pious Princes
as fure proofs that they were maintain-
ers of a good eaufe. Arid yet the plain
truth of Hiftory often eompells us' to
G 2 have

84 Remarks on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory.
hive recourfe to the myfterious depths-
of the divine Providence, in the mif-
fortunes which have been the portion
of the moft zealous Catholics ; and the
Cardinal doth not difcern that a proof
which is not always conclusive, is never
conclufive. I return to the effects of ignorance
and exceSfive credulity. Under this
head we muft place an eafinefs t ^ re
ceive Reliques; the examination of
which requires, in due proportion, ju-
diciouSneSs and precaution, as well as
of miracles. Certain it is that, in ge
neral, the Reliques of the Saints de
ferve to be honoured ; and this appears
in the practice of the earlieft ages of
the Church, in the moSt authentic Acts
of the Martyrs, and in the Writings of
the Fathers. Remember, ampng/t o-
ther inftances, what St. Auguftin fays
concerning the reliques of St. Stephen,
and the miracles wrought by them.
;But he alfo testifies that even then, in
his time, SalSe reliques Were obtruded;
and it is no eaSy matter always to dis
tinguish

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 85
tinguifh SalSe frond true ones. Never
would there have been any deception in
the cafe/ if- the wiSe precaution had
always obtained, not to touch the
graves of the Saints, but to leave their
bodies entire, and deep under ground,
as are Still at Rome the bodies, of the
holy Apoftles. You have feen with
what firmnefs St. Gregory refufed to
oblige the Emprefs with the head of
St. Paul. It was thought fufficient to
fend, by way of reliques, fome pieces
of linen or of tapeftry which had cover
ed them or their altars.
It was in the Eaft that the practice
began of Separating and fendirig about
reliques ; and this gave occafion to im-
poftures. For, to be Satisfied of the
genuinenefs of thefe Remains, it would
have been neceflary to trace them ex
actly up tp the beginning, and to
know through what hands they had
pafled ; which at the fir$ might not be
So difficult. But after many ages, it
was more eafy to • impofe not only on
$ie common people, hut on the Bifh,-
G3

86 Remarks 'on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
ops alfo, who were grown leSs en<
lightened ^tnd lefs attentive. And after
it was eftablifhed, as a rule, to confe-
crate no Churches or Altars without
reliques, the want of them proved a
iftrong temptation not to be over-cu
rious in, examining them: and then
afterwards the profit gained by attract
ing offerings and pilgrimages, which
enriched the Churches and the Cities,
proved a temptation pf fhe grpSfer and
rneaner kind.
I pretend not by thefe general re
flections tp raife fufpicions of any par
ticular Relique. I know that tfiere are
many allured ones, as thofe pf the
Patron-Saints of the cities in which they
died, and which have . been honoured
ever fince, as at Paris, St. Denis, St,
Marcel, and St. Genevieve. For though
they were removed in the time of the
Norman ravages, they were never lpft
put of fight. For the reft, I leave the
examination of them to the prudence of
each Bifhop ; apd I only add that this
examination Should be more rigid, with
relation

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 8 7
relation to thofe which, after having
laid concealed for many ages, made
their firft appearance in ignorant times;
or which are pretended to have been
brought from very remote regions, and
preferved no one can tell how, and by
whom. Yet I believe that God, who
knoweth the heart, accepts the devo
tion of thofe who, having no other in
tention than to honour him in his
Saints, revere with a good difpofition
Reliques which for many ages have
been held forth to public veneration.
We muft then diftinguifh what is of
faith, namely the utility of the Inter
cession of Saints, and of the veneration
of Reliques, from the abufes which ig
norance and humarf paffions have graft
ed upon it, not only erring in matters
of fact, and honouring falfe reliques
for true ones, but laying too great
a ftrefs orr the true ones, and consider
ing: them as infallible instruments to
draw down on individuals and on whole
cities all kind of benedictions temporal
and Spiritual. If we liad thofe very
G 4 Saints

88 Remarks on 'Ecclefaftical Hiftory '.'
Saints living and conversing with us,
their prefence Surely could not be^more
advantageous than the prefence of Jefus
Chrift himSelf. Now he exprefly de
clares in the GoSpel ; Ye Shall Say to
the JVlafter of the family, We have
eaten arid, drunk in thy prefence, and
thou haft, taught in our Streets. And
he Shall fay to you, ' I know you not.
The life of reliques is to remind us of
the Saints, aiid to think of their vir
tues ; elfe the prefence of the reliques
and of the holy places will no more
Save us, than they faved the Jews, who
are reproached hy the Prophet for con
fiding in lying words, faying, The
temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord, without amending their manners,
Pilgrimages were the confequence of
the veneration of holy places and of re
liques, efpecially before the translation
pf reliques began. They were more
eafily perforrned under the Roman Em
perors, by the conflant commerce be
tween the Provinces ; yet they conti-r
nued to be extremely frequent under the

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 89
the government of Barbarians, and after
the erection of new kingdoms. 1 am
of opinion that the manners of thofe
people contributed to it ; for being
occupied only in hunting and fighting,
they were ever in motion. And thus
pilgrimages became the univerfal devo
tion of Subjects, Kings, Clergy, Bifh
ops and Monks. I will be bold to fay
that tKis was a very fftall appendage to
the eSfentials of Religion, when a BiShop
left his Diocefe for whole years, to
ramble from the extremities of France
or England to Rome or Jerufalem;
when Abbots and Monks quitted their
retirement ; when women, and even
Nuns, expofed themfelves to the perils
which attend long voyages. You have
feen by the complaints of St. Bonifa-
cius the deplorable confequences ; and
doubtlefs there was more to be loft than
to be gained by it ; and I look upon
thefe indifcreet pilgrimages as on one
of thefources of the relaxation ofdifci-
pline. Indeed they were complained of
as fuch from the beginning of the ninth
century.

go Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
century. But it was the discipline of
Penance which fuffered moft by them.v
Before this, they ufed to Shut up the
penitents in Deaconries, and other
places hear the Church, to remain there
in filence and recollection, remote from
occafions of rglapfing. You have feen
this in the Sacramentary afcribed to
GelaSius, and in^a letter of Gregory
III. But. from theeighth century a con
trary fyftem was introduced, and noto
rious Sinners, were ordered to go into
banishment, and lead a vagabond life
like Cain. The abufes of this rambling
penance foon appeared, and it was for
bidden to Suffer fuch frightful fellows' as
under this pretence ufed to roam about
the world, n,aked and loaded with
irons. Yet it remained a cpmnion prac
tice to impofe by way of penance fome
famous pilgrimage ; and this gave rife
to the Croifades.
The abufe of the veneration of rer
liques degenerates into fuperftition, of
which the ignorance of the middle ag$S
produced enormous examples ; as that fort

Remarh on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 91
fort of divination called the Lots of the .
Saints, of which Gregory of Tours
produces fo many examples, and that
with a folemn ferioufnefs to induce us
to think that he really believed in them.
Such were the Proofs called the Judg
ment of God by water, by fire, and
by fingle combat, which Agobard ve
hemently condemned, but which Hinc-
mar juftified, and which for a long
time continued in vogue. Such was
Aftrology, an object of common belief,
efpecially as to the effects of Eclipfes
and Comet?. Thefe fuperftitions at the
bottom were remains of Paganifm, as
were fome other, and Still more crimi
nal, which Stand condemned in the
Councils of thofe times. In general, the
worft effect of vain ftudies is a fancy
that we know what we know not ; and
jthis is Still worfe than mere igno
rance, fince it is adding to it error,
and often prefumption.
Hitherto we have only fpoken of the
Weft : but the Eaftern Church had
alfo its temptations. The Greek Em pire,

9 i Remarh. on Ecclefaftical. Hiftory.
pire, though not totally deftroyed,
was reduced to very narrow bounds, on
the one Side by the conqu'efts of the
Arabian Mahometans, on the other by
thofe Of the Scythians, Bulgarians and
RuSiia'ns. The two latter received'
Christianity, arid their domination pro-
duceth much the fame? effect's 'as that of
other Barbarians in theNorfh. But the
Mufulmans pretended to convert others,
and to juftify their cohquefts by a zeal
to eftabliSh. their own religion all over
the earth. It is true, they tolerated
the Chriftians ; but they employed all
poffible means to pervert them, except
open perfecutipn ; and herein, they Were
more dangerous than the Pagans. More
over their religion had in it Something
that was plaufible. They preached up
the unity of God ; they1 abhorred Ido
latry ; they imitated Christian practi
ces, as prayer at Stated hours, a month's,
faft, and Solemn pilgrimages. Their
indulgence of a plurality of wives and;
concubines was an allurement tp fen-
Sual minds. They employed, amongft
6 other

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 93
other things, an artifice extremely per
nicious to Christianity. Syria abounded
with Neftorians, and iEgypt with Eu-
tychians, who were, the one and the
other, enemies to the Patriarch of Con
ftantinople, and to theEmperors, whom
they accounted their perfecutors. The
Mahometan & made their advantage of
this difcord, protecting the Heretics,
and depreSIing the Catholics, whom
they fufpected on account of their at
tachment to the Emperors of Constan
tinople, and who thence had the name
of Melehites, that is to fay, Royalifts,
in the Arabian language. Hence it' is
that thefe old herefies fubfift even to
this day, and that the Eaftern Christi
ans have BiShops and Patriarchs of thefe
different Sects, Melehites, Neftorians,
and Jacobites or Eutychians.
By thefe various ways, the Maho
metans, without totally extingufhing
Christianity, greatly diminished the
number of true Chriftians, and reduced
them to grofs ignorance Jby a Servitude
which deprived them of the heart and the

94 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory '.
the means to profecute any learned flu-*
dies. The change of language contri
buted to the Same end. The Arabian,
which was the language of the Rulers,
became that pf all the Eaft, and is fo
Still. The Greek was preferved only
by the Christian religion, and that only
amongft the MelchitesT for the Nefto
rians had their divine fervice in Syriac,
and the Jacobites in Coptic, or the old
^Egyptian. And thus, the old Sacred
and profane hooks being in Greek, it
was neceffary either to have them tran
slated, or to learn Greek, which made
erudition difficult to be acquired. Hence
it came to pafs that immediately after
the conquefts of the Mufulmans we
loSe fight of thofe ancient Churches of
./Egypt, Palaeftine, and Syria, once fa
flourishing, and that for want of writers
I have not been able to trace out their
SucceSfions, as in the Soregoing ages.
The Hiftory of Eutychius, , Patriarch
of Alexandria^ is a proof of my afler-
tion. Though a Melchite, he wrote
it in Arabic, and it is full of fo many
7 fables

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 95
fables and inaccuracies, even in the
tranfaclions of his own times, that it
Shews the low ebb of literature amongSt
the poor Christians. It decreafed con
siderably even amongft the Greeks, whe
ther by their commerce with their bar
barous neighbours, or by the govern
ment of Emperors as ignorant and bru
tish as were the nations from which
they fprang, as Leo Ifaurus, and his fon
Copronymus, and Leo the Armenian.
The herefy of the Iconoclafts, which
thefe Princes fupported with fuch vio
lence, proceeded from grofs ignorance,
which caufed them to look upon the
worfhip of Images as upon Idolatry,
and to be influenced by the reproaches
of the Jews and the Mahometans. They
confidered not that this worfhip had
been received in the Church by an im
memorial Tradition, and that the Church
cannot err ; which is the grand proof
made ufe of by the Fathers of the Se
venth Council.
But the Acts of this fame Council
are an evident proof of the declenfion of

96 Remarh on Ecclefaf'tcalfliforyi
Of literature, by the great number of
dubious, not to fay fabulous, histories
and fufpicious records which ' are cited
in them, and which Shew- that the
Greeks were no better Critics than the
Latins ; Which yet makes nothing- to
the material part of the queftion, be
caufe they produce authentic' evidence
of the worfhip paid to Images, arid
found their decisions upon the infallibi
lity of the Church. Another notorious
example of the want of Critical -Skill
in the Greeks is that facility With which
they fwalloWed the writings afcribed
to Dionyfius the Areopagite. In the
time of Juftinian they were rejected ;
and an hundred years afterwards they
were not contested, when produced by
the Mohothelites, who laid a great
ftrefs upon' them to eftabliSh the Thean-
dric operation mentioned by" that Dio
nyfius. The persecution carried on by the;
Iconoclafts had almoft extinguished li
terature in the Greek Empire, which
' revived a little under Bafiliils-Macedo, by

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. yi
by the induftry of the learned Photius,
and continued under Leo the Philofo-
pher, and his fucceflbrs. Yet the writers
of thefe times are far inferior to thofe of
ancient Greece. Their language is to
lerably pure, but the Style is affected.
They deal in common places, vain de
clamations, an oftentation of erudition,
and ufeleSs reflections. The moft fla
grant example of all thefe blemifhes,
and the moft appofite to my purpofe, is
that of Metaphraftes, who hath Spoiled
fo many Lives of the Saints, by endea
vouring to embellish them, as even his
admirer PSellus confefleth.
Amongft the Greeks, at leaft full as
much as amongft the Latins, one fees
the love of fable and of fuperftition,
both of them the offspring of Igno
rance. As to fables, I Shall only cite
the Hiftory of the miraculous Image of
EdeSI'a, of which the Emperor Con-
ftantinus Porphyrogenitus hath given
us fo copious a relation. As to Super
stitions, the Byzantine Hiftory fur
nishes us instances in every page. No
Vol. V. H Emperor

98 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Emperor afcends the throne, or quits if>
without prefages and predictions. There
is always fome Reclufe in an ifland*
famous for the aufterity of his life,
who promifes the Empireto fome great
Officer, and then the new Emperor
makes him Bifhop of a considerable See.
But thefe pretended prophets were of
ten mere impoftors. I now return to
the Weft.
Another effect of the government of
Barbarians, was that the Bifhops and
Clergy became- hunters and fighters, as
well as the Laity. Yet this change did
not arrive very foon; for in the begin
ning, the Barbarians, though they re
ceived Chriftianity, were not admitted
into the Clerical Order. Befides, their
ignorance, their ferocity, and their
natural levity and reftlefs inconftancy
made them unfit to be trufted with the
administration of the Sacraments, and
the care of fouls. It was hardly before
the feventh century that they entered
into Orders, at leaft as far as I can judge
from the names of the BiShops and Ec-
eleSiaftics,

Refharh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 99
clefiaftics, who till then were ufually
Romans* And it is only fince that timej
that we find the Clergy forbidden by
the Councils to wear arms, to hunt,
and to keep hounds and hawks for their
diverfion. Now the violent exercife of
thefe fports, the retinue and the ex-
pence which they draw after them,
agree not well with Clerical modefty,
Study, prayer, attendance on the poor,
instructing the people, and a regulated
and mortified life.
The exercife of arms is Still more re
mote from it % and yet it became in
fome meaSure neceffary to the Bifhops,
becauSe of their Ecclefialtical pofleffi-^
Ons : for about that time Fiefs were
eftablifhed. Under the two firft races
of our French Kings, and pretty far in
the third, wars were not waged with
regular troops enlifled and paid, but
by the affiStance of thofe to whom
Princes and Sovereign Lords had given
lands' under thefe tenures. Every one
knew how many men, horfes, and arms
he was to furnifh, and he was to head
H 2 them,

1 oo Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
them, when he was required. Now as
Churches in thofe times poffeffed ex-
tenfive lands, the BiShops were often
engaged to ferve the State,' as well as
the other Lords. The BiShops, I fay ;
for all the Ecclefiaftical goods of each,
Diocefe were Still administered in com-,
mon under their authority; only the
goods of Monasteries, were feparate.
The portions affigned to each Clerk,
which we call Benefices, were not as
yet diftinct ; and what we now call
Benefices were either Fiefs given to
Laymen, or the UfusfruSlus of fome
Church lands granted to a Clerk by
way of recompence, or on other ac
counts, on condition that at his decease
it Should revert to the common Stock.
The Bifhops had their vaffals, obliged
to do them fervice on account , of the
Fiefs which they held under them;
and when the Bifhop was Summoned by
the King, he was himfelf fo march at
the head of his troops. Charlemain,
finding this right eftablifhed, confented
to remit it, at the requeSt of the peo ple,

Remarh on Ecckfafica^ Hiftory. I o r
pie, and excufed his Prelates from ferv-
ing in perfon, provided they fent their
vaffals. But this regulation was ill ob-
ferved, and we find, after him as, well
as before him, Bifhops armed, fighting,
killed or taken in battle.
Independently of war, temporal Lord-
Ships became to the BiShops a continual
fource of avocations. Lords had a con
siderable Share in State affairs, tranfadted
either in general afiemblies, or in the
private councils of Princes ; and Bifhops,
as being men of literature, were more
Serviceable there than Lay Lords. They
were therefore ..obliged to be for ever
journeying; for neither the Court, nor
the Prince, nor the Afiemblies or Par
liaments, had any fixed place. Charle-
main for inftance was fometimes on this
fide, fometimes on that fide of the
Rhine, then in Italy, then in Saxony,
now at Rome, snd a few months after
at Aix la Chapelle. He. always had in
his Retinue a great number of Bifhops,
who were followed by their domeftics
and vaffals. What distraction! what
H 3 lofs

102 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
loSs of time ! what leifure to vifit their
DioceSes, to preach,- tp Study ! The Par
liaments and general ASfemblies were,
indeed Councils at the Same time ; but
not thoSe Sorts of Councils which had
been wifely eftablifhed in each Pro
vince, for neighbouring Bifhops tp con
fer together. They were national Coun
cils of the whole Empire of the Franks,
where were tp be found together the
Archbishops of Cologn, Tours, Nar-
bpnne, and Milan, and the Bifhops of
Italy, Saxony, and Aquitain. The re
gulations made by fuch Councils were
indeed the more uniform ; but fhenon-
refidence of the Prelates hindered them
from being put in execution. Thefe
ASfemblies were designedly Parliaments,
and occasionally Councils, from the op
portunity offered by the meeting of fp
many Prelates. The principal objects
therefore were temporal, and affairs of
State ; and the Bifhops could not avoid
taking part in them, being called for
that purpofe, as other Lords. Hence
came the mixture of things temporal a,nd

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 103
and Spiritual, So pernicious to Religion.
I have, as occafion Served, produced the
maxims of the Ancients concerning the
distinction of the two Powers, Eccle
fiaftical and Secular; amongft the. reft,
the Letter of Synefius, and the famous
words of Pope Gelafius, fo often infiited
upon afterwards. You have feen that
thefe celebrated Doctors were perSuaded
that although before the coming of
Chrift thefe two powers had been fome
times united, Almighty God, knowing
human weaknefs, had fince entirely Se
parated them; and that as fovereign
Princes, though appointed of God, have
no Share in the Priefthood of the New
Law ; fo BiShops have received from
Chrift no power in things temporal. In
this refpect they are entirely Subject" to
their Princes ; as the Princes are equally
Subject to Bifhops in things Spiritual,
Thefe are the maxims of pious Anti
quity, which we fee maintained in the
eighth Century, in the Second Letter of
Gregory III. to Leo Ifaurus. Pope Ni-
£plas I. addreffed them again in the fol-
H 4 lowing

104' Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
lowing century to the Emperor of
Conftantinople. Before the coming of
Chrift, fays he, thefe were Kings who
alfo were Priefts, as Melchifedeck. The
Devil hath imitated this in the perfon
of Pagan Emperors, who were Sove
reign Pontifs. But after the coming of
him who is truly both'King and Hig'h-
¦prieft, neither hath the Emperor' ai-
Sumed the rights of the Pontif, nor the
Pontif the rights of the Emperor. Jefus
Chrift hath Separated thefe two powers,
that Christian Emperors might Stand in
need of the Pontifs" for their Spiritual
concerns, , and that the Pontifs might
be affifted by the Imperial laws for then-
temporal concerns. Thus Spake Nico
las, who can by no means be charged
with neglecting the rights of his See.
But after BiShops became Lordsvand
had a Share in the government of the
State, they imagined that as Bifhpps
they poSfeSfed the rights which they
only had as Lords. They pretended to
judge kings, not only in their Peniten
tial Tribunals, but ^n, their Councils; and

Remarh on EcclefiafiicahHiftory. 1 05
and the Kings, little Skilled in their own
rights, fubmitted to this ufage ; as I have
Shewed in Charles le Chauve, and in
Louis d'Outremer. The ceremony of
Coronation, introduced after the middle
of the Eighth Century, ferved alfo for
a pretext; and the Bifhops, by crown
ing theKing, Seemed to give him the
kingdom, by an authority derived to
them Srom God.
Even before this, I find a notable
attempt on the Royal dignity, which I
account to have been the firft. It was
the depofing of Vamba, King of the
Vifigoths in Spain, in the twelfth Count-
cil of Toledo, in the year 681, under
the pretence that he had been con
demned to do penance, and to put on
the Monaftic habit, though without his
own knowledge, a diflemper having at
that time deprived him of his fenfes.
The fecond famous example is the pe
nance of Louis the Debonaire, after
which the Bifhops, who had impofed
it upon him, pretended that it was not
lawful for him to refume the royal dig
nity.

106 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
nity. St. AmbroSe did not draw Such
ConSequences from the penitence of
TheodoSius,. Shall we fay that this il-
luftrious Saint wanted courage to en
force the authority of the Church ? or
that he was lefs enlightened than the
Gothic Prelates of the feventh, or the
French Prelates of the ninth Century ?
1 Count Bonifacius, Governor of Afric,
diftrefled by the enemies that he had at
Court, took up arms for his own fecu-
rity, and confulted his friend St. Au-
guftin. This holy Doctor gave him
Salutary advice for the regulation of his
morals, and for the right exercife of his
power : but as to the war that he had
undertaken, he plainly declares that he
had no counfel to give him on that
point, and would not meddle with it.
I le knew how far his own duty extended,
and would not go a Step beyond it. Our
French Prelates, much bolder than he,
declared themfelves againft Louis the
Pebonaire, in favour of his children,
find excited them to a civil war which
ruined the. French. JLmpire. Specious pretexts,

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 1 o y
pretexts were not wanting ; Louis was
a weak Prince governed by his feeond
wife ; and the Empire was all in con
fuSion, But they Should have forefeen
the fatal confequences, and not have
prefumed to fubject a Sovereign Prince
to do penance, like a little Monk.
The Popes, having reafon to believe
that they had as much of this authority
as the BiShops, and more, foon under
took to regulate the differences amongft
Sovereigns, not by way of mediation
and interceffion, but by authority;
which in reality was to difpofe of
Crowns. Thus Adrian II. forbad Charles
le Chauve to feize on the kingdom of
his nephew Lotharius, and was highly
offended when Charles took poffeSfion
of it, notwithstanding his injunctions.
But you have faen with what vigour
Hincmar anfwered the reproaches of the
Pope, telling him, in the name of the
French Lords, that the kingdoms of
this world are acquired by wars and
victories, and not by Papal and Prela-
ticai Excommunications : and after
wards ;

108 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Wards ; Defire the Pope, fays he, to
confider that he cannot at the fame
time be a King and a Bifhop, and that
his predeceffors governed the Church
and not the State. And again ; It be
longs not to a Bifhop to excommuni
cate, in order to give or to take away
temporal dominions ; and the Pope Shall
never perfuade us that we cannot enter
into the kingdom of heaven, unlefs by
receiving the King whom he thinks fit
to give us here upon earth.
Such were the great inconveniencies
of this pretended alliance of Epifcopacy
and temporal dominion. In thefe darker
ages it was thought that to be BiShop
and Lord' was better than to be only a
Bifhop : but it was not considered how
much the Lord hurts the Bifhop, as
we ftill fee too plainly in Germany and
Poland. In this cafe the axiom of old
Hefiod is a good one, that Half is better
than the whole. But why Should we
cite Hefiod, when we have the autho
rity of Chrift hin^felf, who teaches us.
that

Remarh on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 109
that Virtue all alone is more excellent
than Virtue with riches ?
In this confufed Slate of the two
Powers, the Seculars made encroach
ments alfo on their fide. Often the
Lords, without the concurrence of
the Bifhops, appointed Priefts to the
Churches fituated in their territories,
and our Kings of the firft race pretended
to difpofe of Bifhopricks, although at
the fame time, in the Councils held
with their permiflion, the liberty of
Elections was always recommended,
and the Shew of it always obferved.
The learned Florus, Deacon of the
Church of Lions, remarks very juftly
that under the Chriftian Emperors of
Rome, neither the Emperors nor the
Magistrates ufually meddled with the
election of BiShops, or the ordination of
Priefts. For the Bifhops then had no
temporal power, as they never had at
any time in the Greek Empire. /But in
the kingdoms formed out of the diflb-
lution of the Weftern Empire, the Bi
Shops werefo powerful, that it was the
intereft

lio Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
intereft of Sovereigns to be Secure of
them ; and therefore, even in the moft
Canonical Elections, the content of the
Prince was rieceffary. In this matter
we muft not pretend to eftabliSh rights
upon facts often irregular, but upon
Canons, Laws, and authentic Acts.
What we have faid of BiShops is
proportionably to be understood of Ab
bots. Though they were Monks, they
became Lords, on account of the lands
belonging to their Monasteries; they
had vaffals, and forces which they led
out to war; they were often at Court,
and were Summoned to Councils of
Princes, and to Parliaments. We may
judge, from this diffipated life, how
difficult it was for them to obferve the
rules of their Order, and not only for
them, but for their Monks, fome of
whom they always had in their retinue.
What a relaxation of discipline muft
have been caufed by their abfence, and
what diffractions, at their return, in
their Monasteries ! Thefe Lords- Abbots
wanting large revenues to defray their
voyages,

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 1 1
voyages, and their other expences, made
ufe of their credit at Court to obtain
many Abbeys, and held them all with
out fcruple.
The abufe went Still farther. Mo-.
nafteries were given to BiShops and to
Clerks, although, not being Monks,
they were incapable of being Abbots :
for Commendams were not introduced
till the later ages. Then Kings pro
ceeded to give Abbeys to mere Laics,
Or to take them for themfelves ; and
this abufe was common from the eighth
to the tenth century. The Lords, with
out any other formality than the per
mission of the Prince, went and lodged
in Monasteries, with wives, children*
vaffals, domeftics, hounds and hprfes,
devouring the moft part of the reve
nues, and leaving a fmall pittance to a
few Monks, who were permitted to
dwell there, for faShion's fake, and who
became more and more relaxed in their
behaviour. The fame abufe reigned in the Eaft ;
but the origin of it was more Canonical.
2 The

ii2 Remdrh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
The Iconoclafts, f worn foes to the Mo
nastic profefSion, had ruined the greateft
part of the Monafteries. To re-eftablifh
them, the Emperors and Patriarchs of
Conftantinople appointed the Bifhops or
the powerful Laymen to take care of
them, to preferve the revenues, to re
cover the alienated lands, to repair the
decayed buildings, and to recall the feat*
tered Monks. Thefe Administrators
were called Charifticarii : but from cha
ritable Protectors they foon became fel-
fifh Tyrants, who treated the Monks
like flaves, feized upon almoft all the
revenues for themfelves, and transferred
or fold to others the rights which they
unjuftly claimed in the Monasteries.
Such are the effects of the wealth of
Churches and of Religious Houfes. In
all times it hath been a temptation to
excite the ambition of the Clergy, and
the avarice of- the Laity, efpecially
when the former do not by their beha
viour attract the love and refpect of the
Public, when they appear to be rather
a burden than a bleffing to the people,? and

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 113
and when they apply their revenues to
no good purpofes. Needful it is that
there Should be -funds- for the fupport of
Chriftian focieties, asof other focieties,
for the fubfiftetoce of the Clergy occu
pied in Serving them, for the construc
tion a«d reparation of the buildings,
for the purchafe of proper ornaments,
and above all, for the relief of the poor.
In the earlieft ages, and under Pagan
Emperors, the Church ppffeSfed Im
moveables, befides the voluntary con
tributions which were her firft fund,
But it had been well if the BiShops had
always accounted temporal poffeflions
as a mere encumbrance, as did Str
Chryfoftom, and had been as referved in
acquiring new ones, as was , St. Au-
guftin. Our Bifhops of the ninth century
were not fo difinterefled; as we learn
from the complaints made againft them
in the time of Charlemain, that they
perfuaded filly people to renounce the
world, that the Church might get their
cftates, to the prejudice of their lawful
' Vol. V. J. heirs.

U^,Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
hejrs. . Even, without employing wicked
means, I _ find fome BiShops, allowed to
bp holy men, whpo were top Sedulous,
in my opinion, about augmenting the
revenues. TJie Life of St. Meinverc of
Paderborn, under,, the Emperor St.
Jlenry, is chiefjy.fjlledwith an enume
ration pf fb.e lands which he acquired
for his Church.
The trea,Sures of the Churches, I
mean plate, Shrines, arid other precious
ornaments, were So many baits which]
attracted the Infidels to pillage, as the
Normans in France, and the Saracens
in Italy; the lands and Seignories ex
cited the cupidity of wicked Chriftiaris
either to Seize uppn them by operi force^
after the finking of the Royal authority,
pr to ufurp them under the pretence of
Serving the Church, Hence alSp came
intrigues and Simoniacal Contracts, as
the only vocation to Ecclefiaftical dig
nities. But here let us not be Scanda
lized at the enormities pr'adtifed during
the tenth century, particularly at Rome.
The Son of God, when he promiSed to
affift'

Remarh on fLcdefiqftical Hiftory. \ r 5
iaflift his Church to. the end of the
world, did not promife to exclude
wicked members from it,. On the con
trary, he foretold that there Should be
always a mixture of fuch perfons, till
fthe final feparation. Hehathjiot pi;o-
mifed holinefs to all the Minifters and
jPaftors of bisjChurch, not even to the
Head : he hath only promifed Super
natural powers to all thofe who Should
enter into the holy ministry according
to the forms which himfelf hath pre-
fcribed. Thus as in all times had men
have been found, who without a Sincere
conversion, and other neceflaiy difpofi-
tions, have received baptifm and the
eucharift ; there have been alfo, who
without a call having received Ordina
tion and impofition of hands,, became
Priefts and Bifhops, though to their
x»wn destruction, and often to that of
their flock. In a word, God hath not
engaged to put a flop in a miraculous
¦way to facrilege, any more:than to other
crimes. Therefore we muft not fcruple
to acknowledge as lawful Popes a Serr
I 2 gi^s

1 1 6 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
.gius III. or a John X, or others whofe
Scandalous life was a difgrace to the
holy See, if they were ordained, accord
ing to form, by Bifhops. But it muft
be oWiied that it Would have been more
advantageous to the Church to have
been always in a State of poverty, than
to have been expofed to Such Scandals.
TheSe enormities were alSo partly
owing to ignorance, when it had taken
deep root. After the finking of litera
ture, good manners and the practice of
Chriftian virtues fubfifted Still for a
time, by the influence of example and
education. So they lived at Rome, un
der Pope Agatho, towards thet conclu
sion of the feventh century. But igno
rance daily increasing, a neglect enfued
of thofe religious practices, the grounds
and reafons of which were no longer
known, and corruption came to that
height in which you have feen it to
wards the end of the ninth century,
after Nicolas I. and Adrian II ; infp-
much that, tp raife up again the Roman
Church, it was need/ul, in the middle of

R emarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. tij
of the eleventh century, to call in from
Germany men of more erudition, as
Gregory X. and Leo IX. Ignorance
moft afluredly is good for nothing; and
I know not what is meant by a pre
tended Simplicity tending to promote
good morals. This I know, that in the
darkeft times, and amongft the moft
ignorant nations, we find the moft abo
minable vices triumphant. I have given
fome proofs of this on proper occafions.
I did hot think it right to produce them
all, and I dare not fpecify them more
precifely. There is a root of concU-
pifcence in all men, which brings forth
its wretched effects, unlefs it be checked
by Reafon aSfifted with Grace.
There is a kind of crime, of which
in thefe ages we find examples only in
the Eaft ; namely, Impiety, or an open
contempt of all religion. You have feen,
and doubtlefs with horror, the facrile-
gious fports of the young Emperor
Michael, fon of Theodora, who went
about the Streets of Constantinople with
his comrades in debauchery, clothed in
1 3 religious

w8 Remarks' on Ecckfiafhcal Hiftory.
religious habits, mimicking the procef-*
fions and other Ceremonies of the'
Church, and everi the holy EuchariSL-
Photius- the Patriarch Saw aft this and'
bare with it; Spr which- he was* x&-
proachedin the Eighth Council ; which
IheWs that he Was evCn more profane
'than the Emperor/ For this Prince
was a young mad fool, often drunks
and always a Slave to his paffions: but
Photius acted calmly, and with deep-'
consideration, was the greateft genius,-'
and the moft learned man. of the age.
He was a complete hypocrite, talking
like a faint, and acting like a knave,*
He Seems to have been the author of
another fort of impiety, of having Car
ried flattery to faeh ail excefiras even to^
canonize Prinzes who had done nothing
to defefve it, to dedicate Churches, and'
to appoint Feftival-days to their ho
nour ; as he did to Conftantine;"' eldeft
fon of Bafi'lius Mac'edo, to comfoit
that Emperor for the lofs of his child ;
thus imitating the authors of Pagan
Idolatry. Conftantius 'Monomachus" wanted?

Remarks oh Ecclefaftical Hiftory. i r 5}
Ranted to do as much for Zoe, to
.Whom he owed the Empire;
The three vices which in thofe un
happy times did the moft mifehief in
the Weftern world, were the incon
tinence of the Clergy, the pillages and
violences of the Laity, and the Simony
.of bPth; all three the genuine effects
Pf ignorance. The Clerks had forgot
ten -the .dignity of their profeffion, and
"the weighty reafp'ns fot this difcipline
oS continence. They knew not that
from the; beginning of Christianity this
Angelic virtue waS its glory, and was
held forth to the Pagans as one of the
moft Striking proofs of its excellence.
As then the Church always had a great
number of perfons of both fexes who
confecfated themfelves to God by a
perfect continence, nothing was more1
reafonable than to chufe its principal
fruniSters out pf this purer part of the'
flock. The Chrirch was therefore the'
better Served by men who, difengaged
from domestic and Samily cares* were'
not divided between different objects*
I 4

120 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
and only thPught, 4s St. Paul Says, to
pleaSe God ; applying- themSelves en
tirety to pray, to Study, to inftruct,
and to perform works of charity. Ac>
cordingly, you have Seen that this holy
diScipline oS the Superior Clerks . was
always obSeryed in- the Church, though
with more or lefs exaclneSs, according
to times and places . ;
But our ignorant Ecclefiaftics of the
ninth and tenth centuries accounted this
law to be an'irifupportable yoke. "Thejr
' functions were almoft reduced' to fing-
irlg PSalms which they uriderftood not,
and fp practising external ceremonies.
Living in other reSpedts like other peo
ple, they eafily perSuaded themfelves
that like them alfb they ought to have
'-wives'; and'themultitude of bad exam
ples' induced them to Iridic upon celibacy
as irnpoffible, and consequently upon
the law that impoSed it, as an insup
portable tyranny. The Greeks We're
the firft, who 'at the* end oS the Se
venth century Shook off this Salutary yoke,

Remarh on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 1 2 1
yoke, by a Canon of the Council in
Trullo, which permitted the Priefts to
retain their wives ; and by Way of pre
text, they pleaded a Canon of Carthage
wrongly understood, and the fcandals
which were now too frequent amongft
the Latins. But the firft formal exam
ple in the Weft, is that of the Curate
in the Diocefe of Chaalons, who mar
ried publickly, and at whom all good
men were offended, as they would be
this day. Such was the horror at this
innovation. The pillages and outrages were re
liques of the barbarity of the Northern
nations. I have Shewed their origin in
the weak government of Louis the
Debonaire, and their progrefs under
his fucceflprs. Strange it is that Chris
tians Should have been ignorant, to
fuch a degree, pf the very elements of
Religion and Policy, as to think it law
ful to right themfelves, and to take up
arms againft their own countrymen,
juft as againft foreigners. The foun
dation of civil Society is to give up pri
vate

iii Remarh on Ecclefiaftical ' fMfidrfy.
vate revenge, to Submit tp the laws,-
and to judges as the executors ,pf ,th$
laws; and the very eSSerice pf Christiani
ty is charity* which obligeth notonly
'to do do.no harm to our, neighbour,. but
.to do him all the good that We can.
What Sort of Christians then were theferf
.Christians ever, ready to revenge thern-
-felves upon their .brethren bymurders
and devastations, and whoSe juft ice lay
;iri the point of their Sword !
You have 'Seen the ufeleSs complaints
and remonfttances againft thefe flagrant
,. disorders, which ,were made :i'm the
A Aflembjies of Bifhops and, Lords : , and
r thefe were another prpof oS the igno
rance pf .the- times ; for a .man nraft.
;have been Simple ,indee;d,vto imagine
that » exhortations enforced Jby citations
pfrScripture and pf the Fathers .could
Vwreft the Sword out , of, the hands of
Ruffians aecuftpmed to blood and plun
der.' The remedy Should; have been
fo eStabliSh a new Set of , Laws, like
thoSe .pf the ancient^ Greeks, andj Ro^
mans, and other gohfbed.and disciplined nations'.'

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 232
Mtions. But where could Legislators1
be found at that time, wife enough to
draw up Such Inftitutions, and eloquent
enough to perfuade the observance of
them ? In the mean time, the Disci
pline of the Church was expiring, and
i*s morals corrupted more and more.
The Nobles, ported each in his own
eaftle, came no more to the Churches,.
to receive the instruction of the BiShops.
They affifted at the Service performed
in fome neighbouring Monastery, or
had it performed by their own Chap
lains, or by the Curates of their vaffals j
and even thefe Ecclefiaftics they put in
and put out, as they thought fit. Often
they appropriated to themfelves the
tfithes and revenues of the .Churches.
The Bifhops could not correct thofe
Friefts^protected by their Lords, much
lefs the Lords themfelves, nor vifittheir
Diocefes, mor aSfembletogether to hold
Councils ? ..and fometimes they were
mider a neceffity. to take arms, and to:
defend the Church lands againft the
Nobles. 7 I ac-

1 24 Remarh on Ecclefaftical ' Hifibry*
I account Simony alSp as the refult
of ignorance. A; man enlightened,
arid perfuaded of the Truth of the
Christian religion, will never think to
ufe it as a trade to get money. He
will know that it is of a fuhlimer na
ture, and that it propofeth bleffings,.of
a different kind. Simon himfelf offer
ed money to St. Peter, becaufe he
knew nothing concerning the heavenly
doctrines," and 'Pnfy wanted to receive
a power of Communicating miraculous
gifts to others, ' that he rnight thereby
obtain refpect and riches. "The more
SenSual^ and ignorant men are, the more
they are affected With things temporal,
and difpoSed. to account them the'chief
good. Things Spiritual and invisible
feem to Such perSons mere fictions ;
they deride them, and think nothing
to be Solid which they cannot graSp
with their hands. : Accordingly, I See
no age when Simony reigned in So
barefaced a manner as in the tenth
and the eleventh century. * The Prin
ces, who for a long time had made
them-

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 125
themfelves mafters of elections, fold
BiShopricks and Abbeys to the beft
bidders; and the BiShops reimburfed
themfelves by degrees of what they
had expended in the lump, ordaining
Priefts for money, and requiring fees
for confecrating Churches, and for
other functions of their ministry. See
the difcourfe of Sylvefter II. to the
Prelates on this Subject. To men who
have no religious feelings it feems an
extraordinary exploit, a kind of creating
power, a turning of nothing into fome-
thing, to amafs riches by only Speaking
a few words, and performing a few ce
remonies. They think themfelves much
more fubtle than they who do fuch
things gratis.
Now Simony hath been in all times
the bane of Christian difcipline and of
Chriftian morals ; for the firft Step to
wards piety and virtue is the contempt
of riches, and a renunciation, at leaft
in the difpofition of the heart, even to
the goods which we poffefs. "'» But who
fhall teach this fublime morality ; when they

f a& Remarh o» Ecclefaftical Hifkry.
they who ought to be the ia£txuctof$
,of others- feel and know nothing at alj
(Of it ; when the Salt of the earth is it
self corrupted? Wbp on the contrary
doth not make hafte to be rich, whe$.
Jae fees plainly that neither learning nor
virtue raifes men to the higher Stations
•of the Church, hut only money an$
favour ? Thus, by an unhappy circula
tion, Ignorance and Corruption of hear£
produce Simony, and Simony nouri-
fheth Ignorance, and a Contempt of
Virtue. It was alfo thefe three disorders, Si
mony, the lawleSs violence of the
Nobles, and the incontinence of the
Clergy, which the holy men of the
-eleventh Century principally attacked
•with, the moft zeal. But an ignorance
of the ancient difcipline caufed a mif?-
take in the application of the remedies,.
They were of two forts ; Penances fef
the obedient, and Celifures for the rer
fradtory. The Canonical Penances
were Still in vigour at the end of the
eleventh century; J have produced ex
amples

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 1 j
amples of this ; and Chriftians were So
far frPm complaining of their Severity,
that complaints were made of certain
new unauthorized Canons which had
considerably weakened them. But it
>was imagined, I knpw not on what
grounds, that each repeated fin of the
lame kind required its own penance,
and that if a murder, for example, was
to be expiated by a penance of ten
years, ten murders required a penance
pf an hundred years ; which made the
penances impoffible, and the Canons
ridiculous. The ancient Chriftians did
pot understand the tblngin that manner.
I believe indeed that a repetition of Sins
of the fame kind added to the rigour of
the penance, which yet Was always Sub
mitted to the discretion of the BiShops*
But after all, it was rneafured in pro
portion to human life, and a penance
till death was only required for the
moft enormous crimes.
When penances by being multiplied
were made impracticable, they were
obliged to have recourfe to corirpenfa- tions

128 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
tions or commmutations, as we find in
the Decree of Burchard, and in the
works of Petrus Damianus. Thefe were
PSalms repeated^ genuflections, Scourgr
ing, almSgiving, pilgrimages, all of
them actions which may be performed
without a conversion of mind. He
therefore who by repeating of PSalms,
or Scourging himfelf, redeemed in a
few days the penance of many years,
did not receive the benefit which z.
proper penance would have produced,
namely Sentiments oS compunction ex
cited and Sortified by long and frequent
reflectioris, and the extirpation of evil
habits by keeping for a long time put
of the way of temptations, and by prac*-
tifing for as long a time the contrary
virtues. Genuflections and vocal prayers
would not produce this change; and
much lefs penances performed by ano
ther perfon ; and the difcipline which
fome religious Monk endured in behalf
of a Sinner was not an healing penance
to the Sinner. For fin is not like a pe
cuniary debt which another may pay for

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 129
for the debtor in the fame Species of mo
ney, pr in an equivalent, and So get him
difcharged : it is a perfonal difeafe, of
whjch the man himfelf muft bfe cu
red ; and accordingly, an English Nar
tional n Council condemned thefe pe
nances performed by proxy, and gave
this rernarkable, reafon, that by Such
methods the Rich might be Saved more
eafily than the Poor, contrary to the
expreSs words of the Gofpel.
Forced penances were another abufe.
I find fuch in .Spain, even in the feventh
century. Afterwards the Bifhops meet
ing with many offenders who would
not Submit to penance, complained of
them in Parliaments, and requested the
Princes to compel them by the fecular
arm. This was a grofs ignorance of
the nature of repentance, which con-
Sifts in pious forrow and conversion of
heart. This was changing the State of
a Sinner, who to prevent the effects of
divine JuStice voluntarily condemns and
» A. 747.
Vol: V- K afflicts

13° Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hifdry*
afflicts himfelf^ into the ftate of a ma
lefactor whom human juftice punifheth
againft his inclination.
Amongft, the forced penahces I ac
count the prohibitions of eating flefh,
wearing linen, going on horfeback, and
the like, impofed by, the BiShops upon
uhrepenting offenders. If thefe finners
complied With Such commands, I mar
vel at their docility : if they did not
comply, I marvel at the fimplicity Of
the Prelates.
The other remedy for the difbrderly
practices of the tenth century was ex-
(Cpmmunicatibn, and Ecclefiaftical Ceii-
Sures. The remedy was good in itfelf,
but by ill management and misapplica
tion it became unprofitable. Cenfures
are punishments to thofe only who
Stand in awe of them: for to what pur-
pofe were it to forbid a Jew or a Maho
metan to come to Church, and to
receive the Sacraments? When there
fore a Chriftian is wicked enough, to
defpiSe the cenSures, and powerSul enough

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 131
enough to defpiSe them with impunity,
they Serve rather to irritate than to
amend him ; being founded on faith
and reverence for the authority of the
Church. It is not fo of temporal pu
nishments ; every man naturally dread
ing the lofs of goods, of liberty, and of
life. It is on thefe principles that the An
cients had fo wifely regulated the ufe
of Spiritual corrections. Never was the
difcipline fo Strict as in the times of
diftrefs and perfecutiori. As they who
then received Christianity, entered into
the Church Sincerely, and after a long
trial, they were tractable and teachable,
and fubmiffive to their fuperiors. If
any of them would not be obedient, he
was at full liberty to depart, and return
to Paganifm, without being restrained
from apoftafy by worldly motives ; and
the Church got rid of him. But even
in thofe times, they avoided by all
means, as far as it was poffible, to
come to Such extremities, and the
Church tolerated even bad Paftors, ra-
K 2 ther

132 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
ther than to run the rifque of breaking
the bond of Unity.
But, When Chriftians were become
more numerous, the Church grew Still
more referved in exerting all her autho
rity ; and St. Auguftin informs us, not
as a new difcipline, but as the old tra
dition, that She tolerated the Sins of the
multitude, and employed her correc
tions only againft individuals. When a
bad perfon finds himfelf as if were
alone, amongft a great number of thofe
who are obedient and regular, it is pro
bable that he will fubmit, or that all
will rife up againft him : but, Says he,
when the finner is powerful enough to
draw the Many after him, or when it
is the multitude that is guilty, nothing
remains but to mourn before God, and
.to ufe general exhortations, -Seizing on
the occafions when the people are beft
diSpofed to humiliation, as in public
•calamities. Following thefe wiSe maxims, Pope
'Julius undertook the defence of St.
'Athanafius, who was perfecuted, and
wrote

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 133
wrote letters in his favour ; and Pope.
Innocent did the fame in behalf of St.
Chryfoftom : but they took care to re
frain from either deppfing or excommu
nicating the Bifhops who had unjuftly
condemned thefe holy Prelates, well
knowing that they would not have
been obeyed, and would only have ex-
pofed their own authority to contempt.
Much more did they think it neceffary
to abftain from excommunicating Em
perors, though heretics and perfecutors
of the Church, fuch as Coriftatitius
and Valens. On the contrary, St.
Bafil received at the altar the oblations
of the latter. For it was clearly dif-
cerned that a different conduct would
have only irritated them more. It is
true that St. Ambrofe forbad Theodo-
fius to come into the Church, becauSe
he well knew the pious diSpofitions of
that Prince, and judged that by fuch
rigour he Should bring him to a Saluta
ry repentance.
But I cannot conceive what Pope
Nicolas I. could pretend to obtain by the
K 3 haughty

134 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
haughty and harfh letters which he
Wrote to the Emperor Michael, the
protector of Photius, and above all, by
his threats that he would publickly
burn the Emperor's letter at a Rome.
Did he not know that Michael was a
frantic impious youth ? To what pur-
poSe were his cenSures denounced a-
gainft Photius, of whofe audacioufnefs
and power he could not be ignorant ?
Even at that time, towards the middle
of the ninth century, they had forgot
ten the difcretion and caution of wifer
Antiquity ; as if they had nothing, to
do but to blu'fter and talk big, without
regarding the confequences. The or
dinary forms of Excommunication be
ing enfeebled and worn out, as it were,
by too frequent ufe, new ones were
added, to make the thing more terri
ble ; and they employed the names of
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and Judas
Ifcariot, with all the maledictions in
the hundred and ninth Pfalm, accom
panied with the putting out of candles,
and the ringing of bells. Methinks I
fee'

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 135
fee a feeble old man, whp, finding him-
SelS deSpiSed by his children, and not
able to get out of his bed, to chaftize
them, as formerly, flings at them every
thing that he finds under his hand, to
Satisfy his jrhpotent anger, and, railing
his voice, loads them with all the im
precations that he can devife. But in
the tenth and eleventh centuries, they
departed more and more from the mo
deration of earlier times. The BiShops
Considered not the effects of their cen-
Sures, but only their own power, and
the utmoft rigour of their rights ; as if
by a fatal neceffity they had been obli
ged to pronounce Canonical pains and
penalties againft all thofe who had de-
ferved them. They faw not that fuch
Spiritual thunder-claps affect not thofe
who fear them not ; that this, inftead
of correcting, only hardens them, and
provokes them to commit new crimes ;
that cenfures, inftead of being profita
ble, become pernicious to the Church,
drawing on the greateft of all evils,
which is fchifm, and depriving hep of
K 4 here

1^6 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
her Spiritual weapons by thus lavishing
them away ; in a word, that to cut off
all finners from the Church, is to act
like a Prince, who, finding moft of his
Subjects to be guilty, Should put them
all to the fword, and run the rifque of
depopulating his own dominions. We
fee too plainly in the enfuing times the
effects of this behaviour.
, . The Popes, it muft.be, confefl'ed,
followed the prejudices of their own
times, and carried farther than others
the exercife. of cenfures, becaufe of the
authority of their See, great in itfelf, and
extended beyond, its, ancient bounds by
the falfe Decretals. The moft eminent
Popes, and the moft zealous to re-efta-
..blifh the discipline of the Church and
the honour of the holy See, after the
diforders of the tenth century, departed
more and more from the ancient mode
ration, of Which they were ignorant,
or which they judged not fuitable to
their own times ; and at laft Gregory
VII. augmented the Vigour of cenfures
beyond any thing that had been pradtifed '
before.

Remarks on E'cclefiafi'rcal Hiftarj/. 137
before. This Pope, naturally bold and
daring, and bred up in a Strict Mona
stic discipline, had an ardent zeal to
purge the Church of all' the vices with
which he faw it infected, particularly
of the SimPny and incontinence of the
Clergy. But in an age of darknefs he
had not all the knowledge that was re
quisite to regulate his zeal ; and taking
falfe appearances for folid truths, he
without hesitation deduced from them
the moft dangerous confequences. His
grand principle was, that a fuperior is
obliged to /punrfh all the crimes that
come to his cognizance, under the pe
nalty of Being himfelf an accomplice by
his forbearance ; and in his letters he
is ever repeating the words of the Pro
phet; Curfed is he who doeth the work
of the Lord deceitfully ; and curfed is
he Who keepeth back his fword from
blood : that is, who doth not execute
the commands, of God in punifhirtg
God's enemies. On this foundation,
when a BiShop was accufed to him, as
guilty of Simony, or of fome other
crime*

138 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
crime, he immediately cited him tq
Rome. If he failed of appearing, for-
the firft time, he fufpended him ; if for
a Second time, he excommunicated him;
if he perfifted^ contumacious, he der.oied
him, forbad his Clergy and his flock to
obey him under pain of excommunica
tion, commanded them to chufe ano
ther, and if they failed to do it, ap
pointed another himfelf. Thus he pro
ceeded againft Guibert Archbifhop of
Ravenna, who paid him in 'kind* and
caufed himfelf to be elected Pope by
King Henry. I am terrified when I fee
in the Letters of Gregory cenfures
poured out fo proSuSely all around
him, and Such a multitude of Bifhops
depofed every where, in Lombardy, in
Germany, in France,
The worft of all was that he would
needs enforce his fpiritual with tempo
ral punifhments, which were no part of
his office. Others had tried this, and
I have obferved to you how the BiShops
had implored the aid of the fecular
arm, to compel finners to penance, and
how

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 139
how the Popes, above two hundred
years before, had begun their attempts
to regulate by their own authority the
rights of crowns. Gregory VII. fol
lowed thofe new maxims, and pufhed
them much farther, openly pretending
that as Pope he had a right to depofe
all Sovereigns who rebelled againft the
Church. Thefe pretentions he grounded
principally upon the power of excom
municating. Excommunicated perfons
are to be Shunned, no commerce is to
held with them, and it is not lawful
to fpeak to them, or even to bid them,
God fpeed, as fays the Apoftle. There
fore an excommunicated Prince is to be
abandoned by all the world, none muft
obey him, receive his orders, or even
approach him. He Stands excluded from
all fociety with all Chriftians. It is true
that Gregory never made any decifion
upon this point : the providence of God
did not permit it. He never pronounced
in form, in any Council, or by any De
cretal, that the Pope hath authority to
depofe Kings. But he took it for granted, as

140 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
as he did many other maxims equally
groundlefs, arid began by acts and deeds.
Acknowledged it muft be that thefe
maxims being generally received, the
defenders of Henry took refuge in af
firming that a fovereign Prince could
not lawfully be excommunicated. But
it was eafy for .Gregbty to Shew that
the powers of hinding and Ibofing were
given to the Apoftles in general terms,
without exception of perfons, and there
fore comprehended Kings as well as
other Chriftians. The mifchief was
that he carried his inferences beyorid
all bounds, contending that the Church
having a right to judge Of things Spiri
tual, had certainly Still more right to
judge of things temporal; that the
Smalleft Exorcift was Superior to an
Emperor, Since he exercifed authority
even over evil Spirits ; that Regal domi
nion was the work oS the Devil,
founded upon human pride, but that
Priefthood is the work of God ; laftly
that the loweft virtuous Chriftian is
more truly a King than any wicked
Monarch,

Remarh on ' Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 141
Monarch, becaufe fuch a Prince is not
a King but a Tyrant ; a maxim advanced
by Nicolas I. and borrowed, it Should
feem, from the Apocryphal Bookof the
Apoftolical Constitutions, where it is
found in exprefs words. A tolerable
SenSe might be put upon it, if it were taken
for a hyperbolical expreffion, as when
we fay of a very wicked man, that he
is not a man. But hyperboles are not
to be reduced to practice. Yet upon
fuch grounds as thefe Gregory pre
tended that according to the rules of or
der it belonged to the Church to distri
bute Sceptres, and to fit in judgment
upon 'Princes ; and in particular, that
all Chriftian Kings were vaffals to the
Church of Rome, arid obliged to take
an oath of allegiance to her, and to pay
her tribute. Such --were h>s proofs to
fupport his pretenfions over the Empire,
and almoft over all the kingdoms of
Europe. Now let us view the confequences
of thefe principles. A- Prince is found,
who is unworthy of his Station, and
6 charged

142 Remarkson Ecclefiaftical Hiftory 4
charged with Several Crimes, as Henry
IV, King oS Germany,; for I pretend
not to juftify him. He. is cited to
Rome, to give an account of his con
duct. He appears not. After many
citations, the Pope excommunicates
him. He defpifes the cenfure. The
Pope pronounces him fallen from his
royal State, abfolves his fubjects from
their, oath of allegiance, forbids them
to obey him, permits, or rather, com
mands them to chufe another King.
What enfues ? Seditions and civil wars
in the State, and fchifms in the Church.
This depofed king Shall not be fo far
deferted as not to have a party, an army,
and fortified places. He Shall wage war
with his competitor for the Empire,
as Henry did with Rodolphus. Each
King Shall have BiShops pn his fide,
and the Prelates whp oppofe the mea
sures of the Pope Shall not want pre
tences to accufe him as unworthy of
his See. They Shall depofe him, be it
right or wrong, and elect an Antipope,
as Guibert, whom the King his patron fhajl

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 143
fhall place in the Chair by force of
arms. Let us go farther ; A depofed king
is no longer a king : if he prefumes to
act as fuch, he is a Tyrant, that is, a
public enemy, againft whom every hand
ought to be lifted up. Let there be
found a Fanatic, who having read in
Plutarch the Life of Timoleon, or of
Brutus, accounts it a moft glorious ex
ploit to be the deliverer of his country;
or who, wrefting the examples recorded
in Scripture, thinks himfelf raifed up
like Ehud, or like Judith, to fet at li
berty the people of God ; here is the
life of this pretended Tyrant expofed to
the caprice of a frantic Vifionaire, who
fhall think that he performs an heroic
action, and gains the crown of Martyr
dom. Alas! there are too many fuch
examples in the hiftory of thefe later
ages, and God hath permitted thefe
dreadful confequences of extravagant
opinions concerning excommunication,
to undeceive us, at laft, by woful ex
perience. Return

144 Retnarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Return we then to the maxims of
wifer Antiquity. A Sovereign may be
excommunicated, as well ' as a private
perfon. Be it granted : yet prudence
will hardly ever permit this right to be
executed. Suppofe the poffibility pf
fuch a cafe ; the power Would belong to
pther -BiShops as much as to the PopC;
and the effects would be only oS the
Spiritual kind ; that is to Say, it would
he no longer permitted to the excom
municated Prince to participate of the
Sacraments, or to join with Christians
in the public worShip of God, or for
them to exercife fuch religious acts
along with him. But his fubjects would
not be the lefs obliged to obey him in
all things not contrary to the law of
God. Never was it pretended, at leaft,
not in the more enlightened ages of
Christianity, that even a private perfon
by being excommunicated loft his right
to his own goods, chattels, and fer-
vants, or his paternal authority over
his children. Jefus Chrift, when he
eftabliShed his Gofpel, did nothing hy
violence,

Remarks On Udclefafical Hiftory '. 14^
violence, but all by perfuafion, as St*
Auguftin obferves. He Said that his
kingdom was not of this world, and he
would hot even act as an Arbitratpr be
tween two brethren. He commanded
to give to Caefar the things that were
Ca?far's, although this Csefar was Ti*
berius, not only a Pagan, but one Of
the vileft of mankind. In a word, he
came to reform the world by convert
ing mens hearts, without changing the
courfe of human establishments. His
Apoftles and their Succeflbrs followed
the fame plan, and always preached to
Subjects an obedience to Magistrates and
Princes, and to Slaves a SubmiSfion to
their own mafters, good or bad, be
lievers or infidels. It was not till a
thouSand years afterwards, as you have
feen, that Chriftians took it into their
heads to Sorm a new Syftem* to turn
the Head pf the Church into a fove*
reign Monarch, Superior to all Sove
reigns even in things temporal. For if
he hath a power to~ raife them up and
to pull them down, in any one cafe
Vol. V. L what-

14$. Remarh on Qcclefiaftical Hiftory.
whatfbever, and in any manner and me
thod, . direct or indirect, he is, to fay
the plain truth, the only real Sovereign
upon Carth, arid the Church for a thou
fand years tpgether knew not or exerted
not her own rights.
. Gregory VII. Suffered himfelf alfo to
be led away by a prejudice already
adopted, that God muft Shew forth his
juftice in this world. Hence it is that
in his letters he promifes to thofe who
will be faithful to St. Peter temporal
profperity, befides eternal life, and me
naces the rebellious with the lofs both
of the former and the latter. Infomuch
that in his fecond Sentence of excom
munication againft King Henry, ad-
dreffing himfelf to St. Peter, he prays
him to take away from that Prince
profperity in war, and victory over his
enemies, that all the world may know,
fays he, that thou haft all power both
in heaven and on earth. Doubtlefs he
imagined that God, who knew the
goodneSs of his caufe, and the upright -
nefs of his intention, would anfwer his
prayer.

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 147"
prayer. But God, doth not work mi
racles according tp the fancies of vain
rrien, and feemed fo have purpofely
confounded the raShhefs of this pfoprie-.
Cy. For a few months after, a bloody
battle was fought, in which King Ro-
dolphus was Slain, though the Pope had
promifed him fuccefs, and King Henry,
Curfed as he was, came off victorious.'
Thus Gregory's maxim was turned a-
gainft him, and if we are to judge by
events, thereWas reafon to Suppofe that his
behaviour was not agreeable in the fight
of God. Far from correcting Henry,
he only gives him occafion to commit
new crimes; he excites cruel wars,
which fet all Germany and Italy at va
riance ; he'caufes a fchifm in the Church,
he is befieged himfelf in Rome, and
obliged to fly, and to go and die an
exile at Salernum.
Might one not have faid to him, If
you are the fovereign difpofer of tem
poral profperity, why do you not take
a Share of ityourfelf? If you are not,.
Why do you promife if, to others? Chufe
L 2 whicfe

1 48 Remarks on ¦Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Which perSon you will act, the Apoftle,
or the Conqueror. The firft hath no
grandeur and power, except that which
is inward and Spiritual ; externally he is
all weakneSs and Sufferings : the Second
muft have at command the instruments
of this world, kingdoms, armies, and
treafures to fupport them. You cannot
make an alliance between two States fo
oppofite ; nor reap any honour from the
afflictions which your own ill-concerted
enterprizes bring upon you.
Hitherto I have principally considered
the relaxation of the ancient difcipline,
and other temptations with which God
permitted his Church to be affaulted
from the Sixth to the twelfth century.
Now let us fee the means by which he
preferved it, to accomplifh his promife
that he would be always with it, and
never Suffer it to fink under the powers
pf Hell.
The fucceflion of Bifhops hath con
tinued without interruption in moft of
the Christian Churches from the, firft
eftablifhrnent.

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. t^g
cftablifhment. We b.ave the feries of
Bifhops in each See, in the Collections
entitled Gallia Chriftiana, Italia Sacra*
and the like. Many Churches havg .
their own particular histories, in other,
authentic Acts and Monuments. This
is a proof of the traditionary kind : for,
in all the places where we find a BiShop,
it is certain that there was a Church, a
Clergy, the exercife of the Chriftian re
ligion, a Chriftian School; and we
have a right to Suppofe that the fame
doctrine was taught there as in otheir
Catholic Churches, as long as we find
this Church hplding communion with
them. The unworthinefs of their paS-
tors did not interrupt this tradition. Let
the BiShop have been Simoniacal, co
vetous, ignorant, and debauched; fo
long' as he was neither heretick nor
fchifmatic, the faith and the rules of
difcipline would Still be preferved in his
Church, although his own bad exam
ple might be hurtful to particular
perfons.

t £ This

},JQ. Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
This hath been principally the caSe
at- Rome. God permitted that during
the tenth century the primary See
Should be filled with the moft unworthy
occupants, either through the infamy
Pf- their birth, or their perfonal vices :
but he did not permit any error againft
Sound doctrine to Slide in, 'or the indig
nity of the perfons- to hurt the authori -
ty Of that See. Thofe time?, wretched
as they were in other- -r-efpedts, had np
fchifm; and thofe PopCs, So, contemp
tible in themSelves, were acknowledged
as Heads of the Univerfal Church; "iri
the Eaft, as Well as in the Weft; and
in the remoteft provinces of the Nbrth.
The Archbifhops requested thV'Fall
from them,' and addrefles weremade'tb
them, as to their predeceflbrs, for the
translations of Bifhops, the erection of
new Churches, and the grants of privi
leges. Under: thefe rihworthy Popes
"Rome ceaSed hot' 'to* be the centre of
Catholic, unity.
During the five centuries which we
^re^Suryeying Councils were continued to.

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 151
to be held, and even General ones,' as
the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. True
it is that Provincial Councils were not
fo frequent as in the firft Six ages, prin
cipally in the Weft, where the consti
tution of the State temporal did not fa
vour them, both on account of the
incurfions of Barbarians, and the civil
wars, and the more private wars amongft
the Nobles. But Still it was never for
gotten that they ought to be held, and
the ordinance of the Nicene Council
was often cited, that they fhpuld be
called together twice every year. Of
this the Popes took care to fet an exam
ple, and ordinarily had one in Lent,
and another in November, as we .fee
under Leo IX, Alexander II, aridGre-r
gory VII ; the laft of whom, jealous
as he was of his own authority, yet
never acted without the concurrence of
a Council. I have marked out the inconvenien
ces of the national Councils, whether
in Spain under Gothic Kings, ' or bf
France under the .Second race of theit
L 4 Kings;

15.2 Remarh on Ecelef aft ical Hiftory.
Kings; but yet, Councils they were,/
The Bifhops met together, difcourfed
together concerning their duty, con*
Suited and instructed one another. ' Ec
clefiaftical affairs were there diScuffed,
and judgment proiiounced even upon
BiShops. The Scriptures and the Ca
rious were the regulators of thefe judg
ments, arid they were cpnSulted, before
they opined upon each article. Of this
you have feen numberlefs instances.
Although the learned were Scarce,
and Studies imperfect, this advantage
they had, that the objects of thofe in
quiries were good. They Studied the
doctrines of religion in the Scriptures,
and in the Fathers, and its difcipline
in the Canons. There was little cu-
riolity and invention, but an high
efteemof the Ancients. To Study them;
%q copy them, to compile them, to
abridge them, this was their main
view ; this is what we find in the wri
tings of Bede, Rabanus, and other Di
vines of the middle ages : they, are only
.Compilations out of the Fathers of the
a ^

Remarh oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 153
fix firft centuries ; and this was the
fureft method to preferve Tradition.
The manner of teaching alfo refem-
bled that of the firft times. The Schools
were in the Cathedrals, or in the Mo
nasteries. It was the BiShop himfelf
who was the teacher, or under his
orders fome Clerk, or Some Monk dis
tinguished by his learning ; and the
diSciples, whilft they were acquiring
Ecclefiaftical Science, were trained up
under the eyes oS the BiShop to good
morals, and to the functions of their
Ministry. The principal fchools were
ufually in the Metropolis ; yet it often
times happened that there were more
able maftersin fome particular Churches,
and then it was allowed to Students tp
be admitted under them. Now I look
upon it as a matter of importance to
wards the proof of Tradition, to point
out how Studies have paffed fucceffively
from one country to another, and which
have been from time to time the moft
celebrated fchools of the Weft. Till
the tjme of St, Gregory, I find none
more

r$4 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
"fnpre illuftrioUs than that of Rome/.
But it funk from that very age, as the
Sincere acknowledgment of Pope Aga
tho teftifies. Yet St. Auftin the Monk,
and others whom St. Gregory had fent
to plant the faith in England,, formed
a fchool there, which preferved litera
ture whilft it was declining in all the
•other parts of Europe, in Italy by the
ravages of the Lombards, in Spain by
the invafion of the Saracens, in France
by the' civil wars. From this EngliSh
School came forth St. Bonefacius, the
•Apoftle of Germany, founder of the
School of Mentz, and of the Abbey of
Fulda, which was a Seminary for that
Church.. England afterwards gave to
France the learned Aleuin, who in his
School at Tours formed thofe excellent
Difciples whofe names, works, and
fucceffors I have given in this HiStory.
Thence came the School in the palace
of Charlernain,, very^ famous ftill under
Charles ,Le Chauve, thofe of St. Ger
main of Paris, of St. Germain of Aux-
erre, and of Cbrbie ; that pf Reims under
Hincmar

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 1 5 5-.
Hincmar and his fucCeflbrs ; that of
Lions at the fame time. The Nor
mans afterwards defolated all the ma
ritime provinces of France, and letters
were then preferved in the remoter
Churches and Monafieries towards the
Meufe, the Rhine, the Danube, and
beyond, in Saxony and in the fartheft
parts of Germany, where Studies flou
rished under the Otho's. In France
the School at Reims was Still kept up, as
we fee by Flodoard and Gerbei\t; and I
hope one day to Shew the continuance
of it till the beginning of the Univer
sity of Paris.
Moft of the Schools were in Monas
teries, and even the Cathedrals were
ferved by Monks in certain cPuntries, as
in England and in Germany. The
-Canons, whofe institution began in the
middle of the eighth century by the
rule of St. Chrodegang, led almoft a
Monaftic life, and their houfes were
alfo called Monafieries. Now I account
Monafieries to have been one of the
principal means of which Providence made

i$6-I$entarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
made ufe, to preferve Religion alive in
thofe miferable times. They were
Sanctuaries for learning and piety, whilft
an inundation of ignorance, vice, and
barbarity overSpread. the face of the
earth. The ancient tradition was there
preferved both for the celebration of
divine fervice, and for the practice of
Chriftian virtues, of which the younger
might behold living examples in the
Elder. .The writings of many ages
were there repqfited and tranfcribed, for
that wafe the occupation of the Monks,
and we Should have had few books pre
ferved, had it not been for the Libraries
of the Monasteries.
The fenfible •• Reader cannot be too
much upon his guard againft the pre*
judices of the Proteftants and of fome
libertine Catholics, with relation to the
Monaftic profeflion. With thefe peo
ple, the very name of Monk is thought
a fufficient caufe to deprefs the man
who bears it, and to account him void
of all good qualities. In like manner,
amongft the ancient Pagans the bare
name

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory^ 157
name of Chriftian ftripped the man of
all his virtues. Such an one, faid they,
is an honeft man, it is pity that he is a
Chriftian. We form to ourfelves a ge
neral notion of a Monk, as of a man
ignorant, credulous, fuperftitious, felf-
interefted and hypocritical ; and upon
this falfe idea we pafs a raSh judgment
on the greateft men, we difdain to read
their lives and their books, and we give
a malicious turn to their moft commen
dable actions. St. Gregory was an il
lustrious Pope; but he was a R^onk.
They whom he firft fent to England to
preach the faith to that nation, were
Apoflelical men ; but alas, they were
Monks. You have feen in this Hifto
ry their conduct and their doctrine:
judge for yourfelves what opinion you
ought to have of them. Remember
what hath been Set beSore you concern
ing St. Antony and the Monks of
^gypt. Remember that St. Bafil and
St. Chryfpftom recommended and prac
tised the Monaftic life, and think whe
ther th'ey were weak and filly creatures. I know

1*58 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory t
I know that in all times there have
been bad Monks as well as other bad
Chriftians. It is the imperfection of hu
manity, and not of the profeffion. God
alfo from timeto timeraifed upgreatmen
to retrieve andraiSe theMonaflicftate,as
in the ninth century a Saint Benedictus,
and in the tenth the firft Abbots oS
Clugni. It is from this pious congre
gation that came forth the brighteft
lights of the Church for the Space of
two hundred years ; it was there that
piety and literature flourished. If they
were not altogether fuch. as they had
been five hundred years before, if thefe
honeft Monks did not fpeak Latin as
well as St- Cyprian and St. Jerom, if
they did not reafbn as accurately arid
clofeiy as St. Auguftin, it was not be
caufe they were Monks, it was becaufe
they lived in the tenth century. But
fhew me other men of thefarne age
who furpaffed them. However, I con-
fefs that the moft perfect Monks of
thefe later times did not equal the firft
Monks of iEgypt and Paleftine; and 1^
find

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 1^9
find two reafons for it, their riches,
and their literary ftudies. The former
were not only poor as individuals, but
as a community. They inhabited, not
wafte forefts which might be improved
by cultivation, but dry fandy defarts,
where they built for themfelves ,poor
huts, and lived by the work of their
hands, that is, by making mats and
baSkets, which they carried to fell at
the neareft villages. See what I have
faid of them from the report of Caffian
and of others. Thus they found out
the fecret of avoiding the inconvenien
ces both of riches and of beggary, to
depend upon none,' and to aSk alms of
none. Our Monks of Clugni were poor;
as individuals, but rich as a Commu
nity. They had, like all the Monks
for Several ages, not only lands and
cattle, but flaves and and vaffals. Now
the pretence of the good of the Order,
or Community, is one of the fubtleft
illufions of Self- love. If St. Odo or St.
Mayeul had refufed a part of the great
donations prefented to them, the Church had

1 60 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifiory.
had been more edified, and their fuc
Ceflbrs hadlcept up regularity for a lon
ger time. St. Nilus of Calabria is of
all perfons of that age. the man who
feems to me to have beft comprehended
the importance of Monaftic poverty. In
effect, great revenues bring with them
great cares, and difputes, and conten
tions with neighbours, oblige the pof-
SeSfors to Solicit the Judges, and to
feek the protection of the Great, and
fometimes to purchafe it withcomplai-
fance and flattery. The Superiors of
the Houfe, and the Procurators who act
under their orders, are more encum
bered with bufinefs than many fathers
of families. The Community muft
alfo be confulted, -at leaft, about the
more important affairs ; and thus many
fall back into all the worldly cares
which they had renounced, especially
the Superiors, who yet ought to be the
moft contemplative, recollected, and
foiritualof them all.
Moreover, great riches bring on a
temptation to great expences. A mag
nificent

Remarks oh Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 6 1
hificent Church muft be built ; it muft
be Splendidly adorned and, furniShed;
thereby God will be the morehonoured.
Suitable buildings muft be adjoined,
that the Monks may have all conve
niences for obferving the rules of their
Order ; and thefe buildings muft be Spa
cious and Solid, Sor theuSe oS a Com
munity which is both numerous and
perpetual., Yet this is a check to hu
mility, and it is natural Sor all this ex
ternal fhew to make, a Monk think too
highly of his'own perfon ; and a young
man, who finds himfelf ?11 on a
fudden magnificently lodged, whp
knows that he hath a Share in an im
menfe revenue, and who fees multitu
des beneath him, is tempted to imagine
himfelf a more considerable perfon than
he was whepjbe lived in the world,
difregarded, indigent, and perhaps of a
very mean birth. When I reprgfent to
myfelf the Abbot Defiderius, occupied
for five years toge her in building a
Sumptuous Church at Monte, Caffino,
fetching his marble pillars from
Rome, and his artificers from Con-
Vol. V. , M ftantino-

1 6 2 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hift&ry.
ftantinople ; and on the other hand, St.
Pachomius dwelling in a little hut
made of reeds, and entirely occupied in
prayer, and in forming the inward
difpofition of his Monks ; it feems to
me that the latter went more directly
towards the one thing needful, and that
God was more honoured in his humble
habitations. The attachment.- to literature made
alfo a wide difference between the an
cient and the more modern Monks.
The ancient ftudied only Chriftian mo
rality by a continual meditation on the
holy Scriptures, and by the practice of
every virtue. For the moft part, they
-were fimple Laics,- many of whom
could not even read. Our Weftern
Monks were for the moft part Clerks,
from the feventh century, and conse
quently men of letters ; and the igno
rance of the Laity obliged the Clergy
to profecute all kind of ftudies. The
firft Abbots of Clugni were the moft
learned men of the times, and their
erudition caufed them fo be fought after by

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory, 1 63
by the Bifliops, by Popes, and even by
Princes. All the world confulted them,
and they could not avoid taking part in
the moft important affairs of Church
and State. The Order gained by it;
Pofleffions were augmented; Monaste
ries » were multiplied; but Regularity
fuffered, and the Abbots with all thefe
external avocations could not have the
fame application to things internal as
was found in St. Antony and St. Pa-
chomius, who had no other affairs on
their hands, and who never quitted their
folitudes. Befides ; Study interrupted bodily la
bour, for which a Sufficient time could
no longer be allowed, eSpecially after
the Monks to their Liturgies had added
that of the Virgin Mary, together with
a multitude of Pfalms. Now the la
bour of the hands contributes more
than literature to the prefer vation of
humility, and when the greateft part
of the feven hours, allotted to working
by the Rules of St. Benedict, are re
trenched, it is no longer his fyftem.
M 2 A good

164 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
A good regulation it may be ; but it is'
no more the fame.
Yet it was in thefe Monasteries that
the Ceremonies oS Religion were the
moft Saithfully preferved, which are
one of the principal means made ufe
of by Providence to perpetuate them,
through all ages, as fo many fenfible
proofs of the objects of faith contained
in the Scriptures. The celebration of
Chriftmafs and oSEafter. will always re
mind even the moft Ignorant that
Chrift was born for our falvation, and
that he died and rofe again. Whilft
fhe Form of Baptifm is continued in
the name of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, faith in the Trinity will
be preferved. As long as Mafs is faid,
a belief wiil be profeffed in the myStery
of the Eucharift. The forms of prayer
are fo many profeffions of faith in the
doctrine of Grace, as St. Auguftin hath
fo well Shewed. Pfalmodyy and the
LeSfons which' enter into the divine
Service, neceflarily ' engage us to pre
serve' the Books pf the holy Scriptures-, and

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 6$
and to learn the language in which
they are publickly read, ever Since it
hath ceafed to be -the vulgar tongue.
And moft certain it is that it is Religion
which hath preferved the knowledge of
the dead languages. We fee that, by
the State of Afric, where Latin is now
abfolutely unknown, although in the
days of St. Auguftin it was Spoken
there as in Italy. It is then by an ef
fect of Providence that a reverence for
Religion hath caufed the ancient tongues
to be preferved. Elfe we Should
have loft the originals of the holy
Scriptures, and of other ancient Au
thors, and Should not be able to know
whether the verfions of them were
faithful. Ceremonies alfo are a bar to innova
tions ; they are publick protefts againft
them, which at leaft put a Stop to
Prefer iption, and warn us of the whole-
fome practices of Antiquity. Thus the
office of Septuagefima Shews us how
we ought to prepare ourfelves for Lent ;
the ceremony of ASh- WedneSday re-
M 3 preSents

1.66 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
prefentsto us the laws of Penance; the
whole Lent-fervice Shews us with what
care the Catechumens were prepared
for baptifm, and the Penitents for ab
solution, &c> — The office Sor the day
beSore Eafter is intended to remind us
that we ought to Spend in a religious
manner the night before the Refurrec-
tipn. If thefe forms had been abolish
ed, we Should be ignorant of the fervour
of the ancient Chriftians, a fervpur ca
pable of overwhelming us with a faluta-
ry confufion. And who knows whether
in happier times the Church may not
re-eftablifh thofe holy practices ?
The firft Authors who have treated
of Religious Ceremonies lived in the
ages which I am reviewing ; but they
all fpeak of them as of moft ancient in
stitutions ; and if in their time any new-
ones had been introduced, they would
not have failed to obferve it. To thefe
Ceremonies they affign myftical mean
ings, of which every one may form
fuch judgment as he thinks fit. A*
leaft they aSfure us pf a matter of fact $
and

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 1 6 7
and we may be certain that they wer9
practifed in their times, fince they pre
tend to affign the reaSons of them. This
in my opinion is the chief ufe of thefe
Writers. But you have feen in the firft
fix ages proofs of our Ceremonies, at
leaft of thofe which are moft eflential.
Laftly, Thefe middle ages have alfo
had their Apoftles, who founded new
Churches amongft the Infidels at the
expence of their blood ; and thefe A-
poftles were Monks. Amongft the
chief I -count St. Auftin of England,
and his companions, fent by St. Gre
gory, who though they did not Suffer
martyrdom, had the merit of it, by
the courage with which they expofed
themfelves in the midft of a nation, as
then, barbarous. Nothing is more
edifying than the hiftory of that infant
Church, which Bede hath preferved to
us, where we See virtues and miracles
worthy of the firft ages, And indeed it
may be faid that every age hath had its
primitive Church. That of England
proved the fruitful fource of the Nor-
M 4 then*

1 68 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory ,
thern Churches. The Anglo-Saxons,
becoming Chriftians, had compaffipn
on their brethren the ancient Saxons
refiding in 'Germany, and. addicted to.
Idolatry. Withan active zeal they un
dertook to carry the- Lamp of the Gof-
pel through thofe vaft regions. Thence
came the miflion of St. Villebrod in
Frifia, and of St. Bonifacius in Germa
ny. It is fomewhat furprifing. that for
the fpace of feven hundred years fo
many pious BiShops of Cologn, Treves.
Mentz, and other cities of Gaul on
the confines of Germany fhould not
have undertaken to convert the people
beyond the Rhine. Doubtlefs they
Saw in the attempt unfurmountable dif
ficulties, either from the diverfity of
language, or the ferocity of thefe na
tions fo remote from Chriftian mild-
neSs, as I have endeavoured to Shew
eliewhere. But, without presuming tp
penetrate into the. defigns pf God, cer
tain, it is that he did not think fit to make
himfelf known, to the Germanic natit
pns, till about the middle of the eighth
century \

Renitifh on Ecckfi rfiical Hiftory. 1 69
century j. aiuithat in this he Shewed
more favour to .them than to the In
dians and othets whom he hath left to
this day under the >darknefs of Idola-.
try. Now I find fome remarkable cir-;
oumftances in the foundation of thefe
Churches. - Firft, they who undertook
the labour - of this Miniftry, always
received a Miffion from the Pope,
though in the earlieft times, every Bifh
op thought himfelf privileged to preach
to- his neigbouring Infidels. Jiuf it is
to be fuppofedthat in the later. ages
the Pope's appointment might be ne-
ceffary, to remove diverSe obftacles ;
and in Sadt I find that St. Ronifacius
had to contend with certain indepen-j
dent and irregular Priefts up and down
in Germany, who acknowledged the
jurisdiction of no Prelate.; 1 find alfo
that this holy Martyr neglected not to
fecure the -. temporal protection of
Charles Martel, and of Pepin, to prevent
his infant Church from being Stifled in
the cradle.-- I fee that afterwards fuch
Mifiions. continued to be Supported by
Princes,'

170 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Princes, as that of Saxony by Charle
rnain, that of St. Anfcarius in Denmark
and Sweden by Louis the Debonaire,
and by the Kings of thofe countries ;
and fo proportionably by others. Thefe
affiftanCes were doubtleSs neceSfary in
Such nations : but the converfions inthe
firft ages, brought about by mere per-
Suafion, were certainly more Solid and '
Stable. As it was conceived that no
Churchy could Subfift without a BiShop,
the Pope always conferred this dignity
on the principal Miffionary, whether
he confecrated him himfelf, or whe
ther he permitted it to be done by
others. But he made him BiShop of
the nation in general, as of the Saxons,
or the Sclavonians ; leaving it to his
choice to fix his See in the place that
fhouldfeem to him the moft convenient:
for as yet the Sormality oS the titles
In Partibus was not invented. To this
firft Bifhop the Pope gfave the Pall, with
the title and powers of a Metropolitan,
that when the number of the Faithful
Should be augmented, he might confe-
2 crate-

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 171
crate BiShops for his fuffragans, out of
whom his fucceSfor might be chofen,
without the neceffity of recurring to
Rome. Of this we have given Several
examples. To Strengthen theSe new Churches,
they founded Monasteries amongft them
from the beginning, as Fulda, near
Mentz, Corbeia in Saxony, and Mag
deburg which became a Metropolis.
Thefe were Seminaries where the chil
dren of the country had their education,
were instructed in religion and letters,
formed to virtue, and made capable of
Ecclefiaftical functions. Thus in a
Short fpace of time, thefe Churches
were able to fupport themfelves without
Standing in need of Strangers. The
Monks alfo.were ferviceable in Germa
ny, even in things temporal. By the
labour of their hands they began to
clear and till vaft forefts which covered
the whole land, and, by their induftry
and wife oeconomy, grounds were cul
tivated, the vaflals who inhabited them
were multiplied, the monasteries pro
duced

ifi Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory
dtfced' large towns, and their depen*
derices became Provinces.
True,, it is that in thefe young
Churches the care oS things temporal
was not advantageous to things Spiri
tual ; too much hafte was made to grow
rich, and particularly -by the exacting
of tithes. You have Seen the revolt pf
Turingia upon this account againft the
ArCbiihop of Mentz, that of Poland,
and that pf Denmark, which caufed
the Martyrdom of their King St. Ca
nute. It Should Seem that more regard
ought to have been Shewed to the weak-
ncfs of thefe new-made Chriftians, and
more care not to render religion odious
to "them, I alfo marvel that a conde-
fcenfion 'was not ufed in permitting
them . to - have the divine Service per
formed in their own native tongue, as
it was the practice irt the firft ages. You
may have- obServed that the Offices of
the Church were then in the language
moft ufed in each country, that is to fay,
ih Latin through all the Weft, in Greek
through all the Eaft. except in the re-
«aot.er

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. l f$
moter Provinces, as in Thebais where
the ^Egyptian was fpoken, and in the
Upper Syria where Syriac was ufed;
infomuch that even the BiShops did not
understand Greek, as it appears at the
Council of Chalcedon, in the procefs
againft Ibas, and in the anfwers of the
Abbot Barfumas, Who could only fpeak
Syriac. See alfo the Subfcriptions of a
Council held at Conftantinople under
Mennas. The Armenians have from the
very beginning performed divine fer
vice in their own tongue. If the na
tions were of a mixed kindi there were
in the Church interpreters to explain
what was read ; and St. Proeopius the
Martyr, according to the relation given
by Eufebius, performed this office at
Scythopolis in Palaeftine. Inthe fame
country, St. Sabas and St. Theodoftus
had in their Monasteries many Churches,
wherein the Monks of different nations
had their Liturgy each in his -own lan
guage. As to the German nations, Valafridus
Strabo, who wrote in the middle of the
ninth

1 74 Reniarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
ninth century, testifies that the Goths
from the beginning of their conversion
had tranflated the Sacred books into'
their language, and that in his time co
pies of thofe books were extant. It muft
have been the verfion of Ulphilas, whofe
tranflation oS the Gofpels we have ftill.
Valafridus adds, that amongft the Scy
thians of Tomos, divine Service was ce
lebrated in the Same tongue. When the
Goths, Francs, and other Germanid
people were Spread through the Roman
Provinces, they were found So few in
number compared with the old inhabi
tants, that it feemed not neceflary for
their fakes to change the language of
the Church. But when Religion was
carrried into nations where the language
of the country was the predominant, or
gather the Sole, language, I think they
Should haVe had every thing granted to
them that conduced to inftruct and con
firm them in the faith,
And yet I cannot imagine that St.
AufKn of England and St. Bonifacius
pf Mentz wanted either prudence or
charity*

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 175
charity. They had a nearer view of
things, and perhaps they feared that the
people would remain too much Sepa
rated Srom the reft of the Chriftians, if
they were not united with them by the
Latin tongue, and principally with
Rome, the centre of Ecclefiaftical unity.
Perhaps alfo they feared the difficulty
of translating not only the Scriptures,
where mistakes are dangerous, but other
books needful for the instruction of
Chriftians. We find indeed as early as
the feventh century, in England, and
the eighth, in Germany, verfions of the
GoSpel; but this was rather for the
confolation of particular perfons than
for the public ufe of the Church. I find
alfo that in the Councils of Tours and
of Rheims, called A. '813, it was order
ed that each BiShop Should have, for the
instruction of his flock, fome Homilies
which all could understand. The Scla-
vonian language was Still more favour-*
ed ; St. Cyril and St. Methodius, Apof
tles of that people, gave them in their own

176 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory
own tongue both the holy Scriptures
and the Liturgy. It is true that Pope
John VIII. was offended at it ; but bet
ing better informed, he approved it^
and although Gregory VIL forbad it
'again, the uSeof it remained in fome
.places. Imuft8 corifeSs, I am not moved by
the reaSon ailedged by Several moderns*
that Such prohibitions tend to 'keep up
a due reSpect for Religiori. A blind re
spect Suits only a SalSe Religion' Sounded
on fables, and frivolous SuperStitions;
True religion, 'the better- it is known*
the more it will be reverenced. On the
contrary, ever fince the populace hath
been accuftorned to hear prayers at
Church in a language unknown to them*
they have loft the defire of receiving
instruction; and their ignorance hath
even taught them to think that they
Stand in need of no instruction ; whilft
they, who though ignorant have good
natural abilities, are tempted to enter-
• An honeft confeffion, which deferves to be com
mended. tain

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. i ?j
tain no favourable opinion of the things
which are fo induftrioufly concealed
from them.
Of this whole Difcourfe the refult irt
my opinion is, that the ages which we
ufually account to have been the moft
obfcure and wretched were not al^
together So deplorable as we ima
gine, and were neither -deprived of
knowledge or of virtue. But we muft
in every age feek religion "where it is
to be found, and not be terrified to find
both vicey and ignorance in the moft
eminent Sees.
In the feventh and eighth centuries
Religion declined in France and Italy,
but it gathered firength in England. In
the ninth, it recovered itfelf in France;
in the tenth, in Germany. Whilft it
fuffered fuch great loffes under the do
minion of the Muffulmans in the Eaft,
Afric, and Spain, it made them up by
new conquefts in Saxony, Denmark,
Sweden, Hungary, and Poland. There
we behold a renewal of the wonders of
the firft ages : thefe nations- have their
Vol.V. N Doctors,

178 Remarh on,Ee'cIefiaftieal Hiftory.
Doctors,- and their Martyrs ; and evens
the afflicted^Churches of Spain and of
theEaft have theirs, alfo. Let us then-
admire the conduct of Providence, which-
makes alt things, coricu-r to Serve its de
signs, and Srom the greateft evils brings
forth the' greateft bleffings. In Spite of
the redoubled incurfions of Barbarians,,
the overthrow of empires, and the con-
cuflion of the whole earth,, the Church
founded on a rock remains ever firm,,
ever viiible,' like a city built on a moun
tain ; its Succeffi.on of Paftors is never
interrupted; it hath always had its
Doctors, its Virgins, its Profeflors of
voluntary poverty, and its Saints of a^
reSplendent virtue.
I know what it is that hath brought
into Such contempt the ages of which
we have been difcourfiiig; it is the prer
judice of the Humanifts of fife-fifteenth?
century, of a Valla, a Platina, a Poli-
tiari. TheSe pretended Scholars and Cri
tics, who had a greater Share of litera
ture than of piety and good SenSe, and
who dwelt upon the SurSace of things^ could!

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. iyy
could reliSh nothing befides the writings
of ancient Rome and ancient Greece.
Thence they had a Supreme contempt
for the performances of the middle ages,
and accounted that all was loft when
pureLatinity and ancient elegance was
gone, This prejudice pafled from them
'to the Proteftants, who looked upon
the revival of letters as upon the fource
of the Reformation. They pretended
that the defolation and ruin of the
Church was the genuine effect pf Igno
rance, and that the reign of Antichrift
and the Myftery of Iniquity grew and
profpered under the protection of Dark"-
rieSs. Ill this DifcourSe I have not dif-
fembled fhe ftate of the obfcurer cen-^
turies, nor the caufes and effects of that
ignorance. But have you found any
thing there that ftruck at the vitals of
Religion? Did they ever ceafe from
reading and Studying the Scriptures arid
the ancient Doctors? Did they ceafe to
believe and teach the doctrine of the
Trinity and Incarnation, the neceffity
ef divine Grace, the immortality of the
N 2 foulj

180 Remarh on Ecclefiafiidal Hiftory.
foul, and the life to come? Did they
ever ceafe to offer up the facrifice of
the Eucharifi, and to adminifter the Sa
craments ? Was ever a morality con
trary to that of the Gofpel taught with
impunity ? Nothing can be fairly ob
jected from the irregularities of parti
cular perfons, and from abufes which
were always condemned as Such.
What matters it, after all, if men
fpeak and write ill, fo they believe and
live well? God regardeth only the heart;
impoliteneSs of language and rufticity
of manners is nothing in his fight. There
is in Chrift Jefus neither Greek nor Bar
barian, neither Bond nor Free. See how
they who found grace in the fight of
God are commended in the Scriptures.
Noah was a juft man, Job was a man
of Simplicity and uprightneSs, MoSes
was the meekeft and mildeft of men. A
great and juft encomium! On the con
trary, Scoffers are detefted and curfed in
numberlefs paffages of Scripture, al
though for the moft part they affect and
cultivate elegance pf Speech, and po-
liteneSs

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 1 8 r
litenefs of manners. And indeed, Who
would not chufe rather to have to do
with a man of Strict probity, under a
rough demeanour, than with a moft
genteel and agreeable perfon upon whom
no confidence could be placed ? We ex-
cuSe children when they are ftruck
with Splendid appearances : a man of
fenfe loves Virtue under whatSoever
garb it is found.
Hitherto then you have feen how
Jefus Chrift hath accomplished his pro
mife in preferving his Church, in Spite
of all the weaknefs of human nature,
and of all the efforts of the Powers of
darknefs ?

I have here given a translation Of
this Diflertation of Fleury, on account
of the ingenious and ufeful remarks,
befides the hiflorical narrations which
it contains. It is drawn up, for the moft
part, with a decency and moderation
rarely to be found in the Ecclefiaftical
Writers of his Church, except Du Pin ?.
f See a Diflertation of .Da Pin de Antiqua tcclefice Hip-
eiplina ; or an Extract from it in the Bill. Univ. vi. 1 2 7.
N 3 Fleury,

i'Sz Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory:
Fleury, like Du Pin, was a zealou§
affertor of the temporal rights of Kings,
and hath not Scrupled to expoSe the
crimes and encroachments of the Popes^
for which doubtleSs he was held in exe
cration by the JeSuits, and by the See
pf Rome.
As to his polite and artful insinuati
ons to reconcile us Proteftants to his
Church ; the Remarks which I have
given on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory are, I
conceive, a full and Sufficient preferva-
tive againft them. One important ufer
maybe made of his Difcourfe: it Shews'
moft evidently the utter impossibility of
any re-uiiion between us and thePapift§,
even upon the more i moderate plan laid
down, by this Author, and by fome
others. Between us and them there
muft be Sor ever
Litora liioribus cantraria &c.
I fhall not here go about to combat1
thafhaffled Syftem of Superftition and
Iniquity, which hath been confuted a
5. See JjiU. Un.lv. v. 448.
thoufand

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 1 83
thoufand times, arid which perhaps no
Author ever attacked, without giving jt
a- mortal wound. Strong indeed are the
prejudices of education, and the attach
ment to a Church in which we were
horii and bred, and to the miniftry of
which we have devoted ourfelves; and.
candid allowances ought ever to be
made for them. E-lfe it would Seem
jfnpoffible for a man of letters, a man
verfed in Ecclefiaftical Hiftory and in
the Scriptures, a man of probity and
good fenfe, to admit the Pope's Spiritual
authority over- the Christian world, -the
infallibility of Popes or Councils, the
celebration of the Eucharifi in one kind,
Tranfubftantiation, celibacy impofed
Upon the Monks, the Nuns, and the Cler-*'
gy, the worfhip of Images and Reliques,*
the ufefulnefs of Monafieries, the mi
racles afcribed tp I.mpoftors, Fanatics,
and Lunatics, arid a multitude pf othetj
things fp contrary to Religion and to
cerrimon SenSe,
Fleury's Ecclefiaftical Syftem is built
upon two pofitions :
N 4 Firft

184 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Firft, it appears a priori that the
Church Catholic (that is, the Church
of Rome) cannot err, having a promife
of infallibility from Jefus Chrift :
Secondly, it appears d pofieriori that
in fact the Church hath not erred; and
tjiat Popes and Councils, ignorant and
wicked as they were, have not directly
eftablifhed any falfe dpdtrine or herefy.
To the Second pofition I anfwer ;
In the ages from A. 600 to A. 1 100,
to which Fleury's Differtatipn is con
fined, The worfhip of the Virgin, the
Saints, Angels, Reliques, and Images
was carried to the utmoft excefs, and
maintained by violence, by lying mira-r
cles, and falfe revelations ;
Popes, Prelates, and Councils took
upon them to excommunicate Kings,
and depofe them, and give their do
minions to others, and abfolve tthe
Subjects from their oaths of allegiance ;
' The

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hifiory. 18$
The marriage of Ecdefiaftics was
flrictly condemned, as no better than
fornication or adultery ;
The doctrine of murdering Heretics
was eftabliShed by a general confent,
and put in execution ;
Chriftians were not permitted by the
See of Rome to have divine Service in
their own language ;
The doctrine of Tranfubftantiation
began to be eftabliShed ;
Indulgences and pardons were given
to the vileft of mankind, on condition
that they would go and cut the throats
of Heretics and Mahometans.
In the Credenda, or Articles of Faith,
things were required to be believed
as neceSfary to Salvation, which, to
fpeak in the mildeft and moft moderate
manner, were abfolutely unintelligible.
If thefe be not Herefies, there is no
fuch thing as Herefy in rerum natura ;
it is a word without a meaning; un-
4pfs we define it to be a doctrine received by

1 86 Repiarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
by the minority, and condemned by
Pppes, Prelates, and Councils.
To Fleury's firft pofition I fay that
the pretence of Infallibility is a Dream
from the Ivory Gate. All that is pro
mifed of this kind is, that there fhall .
always be a Church of Chrift upon
earth, that is, 'a number pf 'perfons, or
focieties, who Shall profefs a belief in
Chrift, and an adherence to his" religion,
in opposition to all other" religions ;
though thefe Chriftians may err more
or lefs in doctrine and in practice. If
in the middle and lower ages of the
Church you want to find men who had
the fewefl dangerous errprs, you muft
feek them, not amongft the Catholics^
but amongft the Heretics.
As to the rights of the Church and
tKe State, which Fleury hath diScuSSed^
the caSe Seems tp Stand thus;
In a Chriftian nation every Subject
bears two perfon?, or Characters ; thaf
of Citizen, and that of Chriftian. The*

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 187
^ . The civil Magistrate alfo bears twp
.character's -"that of Ruler, and that of
Christian. Considered; i therefore as Chriftians,
they all coriftitute one religious Society.
hi" ' '. . V " ',''':.
In.^hts Society, which at the Same
tjLme is bpth Religious and Secular ; the
Civil Magistrate, with the conSent and
concurrence of the Subjects, hath a
right, or, rather, hatji an. obligation tp
take, care,
That the publick worShip of God,
according to the Gofpel, be eftabliShed ;
That, as tp points of belief, no other
jterms -of Chriftian Communion be re
quired, than/are plainly and- positively
contained in the New Teftament, as
Articles of Faith, required by Chrift
and his Apoftfes ;
That Ministers and Paftors of the
people be appointed ;
That they have a Sufficient mainte
nance ; That

1 88 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. •
' That there be a toleration of thoSe
who approve not the religious establish
ment, if they be peaceable Subjects,"
arid maintain no immoralities.
When Fleury talks of the rights and
alliance of Church and State, it is im-
poffible without Smiling (for rt is too
ridiculous to make one angry) to fee
that by the Church he means the Bifhops;
as though the Laity, the Deacons, and
the PreSbyters were mere cyphers, mere
bond Slaves, quibus fola relicla,.eft gloria
obfequii. And indeed all the Writers,
who by the Church mean Prelates, or
Ecclefiaftical Councils and Convoca
tions/ or the Body of the Clergy, ufe'
the word; Church in a fenSe utterly un
known to Scripture arid to primitive
Antiquity. But Fleury in other places allows the
Catholic Church to mean the whole
Body oS Chriftians. To reconcile!
theSe things, we muft Supppfe. that he
considered the Church in two views.; the

Remarh on Kcclefaftical Hiftory. 1 8 ^
'the Church Governing, that is, the
BiShops ; and the Church Governed, that
is, the reft of Chriftians; or as fome
call it, Ecclefa Reprafentativa, and
Ecclefia Univerfalis.
As.to Excommunication, which Fleu
ry hath alfo taken into consideration,
it Seems, properly Speaking, to be
neither a part of Chrift.ian Saith, nor of
Chriftian morality, but a mere matter
of difcipline, and consequently mutable,
in its own nature, and to be exerclfed np
•farther than the common intereft re
quires. Whenfoever it is found to pro
duce more, harm than good (and how
often that is the cafe I need not fay) it
may be dreaded, but it cannot be re-.
verenced. Kings, considered as Chriftians, are
doubtleSs as much obliged as any of
their Subjects to conform themfelves to
the Precepts of Jefus ChriSl. Yet Fleury
himfelf is wifely of opinion that r Kings
Should not be excommunicated, on ac-
f SeeDxPip, in the Biih Univ. \\, 188. 196. count

iGc> Remarfs on Exclefaftka-i Hiftory;
count of the terrible evils which it; pro-
duceth iri Civil Society ; and it is too*
well known, to require any proof, thai;
ho one practice hath been more curfedly
abufed, and hath produced more perni
cious effects than Excommunication. No
man therefore can be very fond of it ;
thofe excepted who confider it as a Traded
which turns to a good account, and by
which dominion or money are to be got.
A. 1 1 01. Some barbarous nations
Were converted (if it may be called a
conversion) to Christianity ; and ufuafc
ly by mere violence.
" It may' feem hardly neceSfary tc*
repeat what we have obferved before,
that the Savage Nations which were thus
converted to Christianity were rather
Nominal than Real Chriftians. The
religion itfelf which was inftilled into
their minds, was not that pure and Simr
pie difcipline which our Lord eftabliSh
ed, but a certain Art of appeafing the
Deity by ceremonies and bodily, exey-
cifes, and in many reSpects reSemblirig
i the

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 191
the old fuperftitions which they had
been competed to renounce. Take
away the Hiftory and the name of
Chrift, the fign of the Crofs, a fet of
prayers, and a diverfity of rites, and
there would remain no great difference
between their ancient and their new
religion. Many practices were ftill permitted
to them, which were entirely oppofite
to the nature of Chriftianity, and mere
impieties ; for the Priefts, a few ex
cepted, took no care to reconcile
them to God, but employed their pains
in Seeking their own profit, and hi es
tablishing and augmenting the domi
nion of the Pope*."
* In the ASiatic Tartary, nearCathaia,
a powerful 'Prince being dead, a NeS-
torian Prieft, called John, got the
kingdom and Succeeded him. This is
he who is called PreSbyter John, or
Prefter John, of whom many Strange
things have been related, and many
diSputes have been raiSed- His SucceS-
* Moiheim, p. 44.Z. fotf

192 , Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
for was conquered and Slain by Ginghiz-*
can, towards the end of this -century '.
Guibertus, or Gilbertus, a French
Abbot wrote an account of the Holy
War, or, Gefta Dei per Francos : .The
title of his book would have been better
chofen if it had been, Gefta Diaboli per
Francos. "Amongft the Greeks,' notwith
standing the moft calamitous flate of the
times, perpetual revolutions in the go
vernment, and inteftine wars, great
regard was ftill paid to literature and
the liberal arts. This was to be afcri-
bed, not only to the favour and the
munificence of the Emperors, particu
larly of the Comneni, but alfo to the.
vigilance of the Conftantinopolitan Pre
lates, who feared that the Greek eaufe
would want Skilful advocates againft the
Latiris, if their Clergy gave themfelves
up to ignorance and floth. The Com
mentaries of Euftathius of Theffaloni-
ca, who hath moft learnedly explained
* Mofhefcn, p. 444. 449. Fieuiy, xiv. 610. xv. 436.
Homer

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory . 1 9 3
Homer and DiOnyfius, fhew the fuc-
cefsful indufiry of ingenious men in
cultivating humariities and preferving
ancient knowledge ; arid many Histo
rians of thofe times, as Joannes Cin-
namus, Michael GlyCas, Joannes Zo-
naras, Nicephorus Briennius, andotbers,
are proofs that there were not wanting
perfons difpofed to oblige pofterity
with an account of paft transactions,
and able to record them in a Style and
manner by no means contemptible.
As to philofophical knowledge, no
Oiie encouraged it more than Michael
AnChialus, Patriarch of Conftantinople.
His philofophy feems to have been the
Ariftotelic; for this was the prevailing
tafte of the Greeks in thofe days, as it
appears both from other records, and
from the Interpretation given by Eu-
flratius of the Ethics and Analytics'pf
that Philofopher. Nor yet was the
Platonic Syftem quite neglected; for
We find that many, especially they
who favoured the Myftics, preferred
it by far to the Peripatetic doctrines,
Vol. V. O and

194 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
?md were of opinion, that Plato fuited
beft the Honeft and Pious, and Arhto-
tle the Vain-glorious and the Wranglers-.
This diffent of judgrnerit produced after
wards the famous cpntroverfy, who
ought to have the preference, Plato or
Ariftotle. In the greater part of the Weftern
world an incredible zeal was kindled to
cultivate and advance every branch of
literature. Some of the Pontiffs, Kings,
and Princes, who faw the Signal fer
vice which redounded to the State from
the encouragement given to letters, ex
erted their authority and their liberality
on this occafion. Hence were formed
Colleges or Sodalities of men of letters,
who taught arts and Sciences, and drew
together a concourfe of youths defirous
¦•*»f instruction; and thus by degrees
thofe larger Schools were erected, which
in the next age were called Univer
fities. Paris fiirpaffed all the cities of
Europe in learned Profeffors, Schools
of various kinds, and the number of
Students 3 fo that this city, about the
middle

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 195
middle of this century, exhibited the
firft pattern of our prefent Univerfities,
rough indeed and imperfect, but after-
Wards improved and polifhed. About
the fame time an illuftrious School was
founded at AnjOu* by the care and di
rection of Ulger, the Bifhop of the
place, for various ftudies, but princi
pally for Jurifprudence. There was
already at Montpellier a famous Aca
demy for Civil Law and for Phytic. A
like School of great reputation was in
Italy, at Bologna, whofe origin feems
to have been elder than this century, and
it was chiefly frequented by thofe who
ftudied the Roman and the Canon Law,
efpecially after the Emperor Lothariu&
II. had re-eftablifhed and honoured it
with new privileges. In the fame pro
vince the Salernitan School for the
Study of Phytic, which had before
been in high reputation, attracted a
multitude of difciples. Thefe various
Academies arifing in Europe, Alexan
der III. in a Council at Rome, A. 1 179,
decreed that there fhouldbe new Schools
O 2 founded,

196 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
founded, or old ones re-eftablifhed in
the Monasteries and the Cathedral
Churches ; for thofe which had for
merly been there were either entirely
dropped, or extremely Sunk. But the
Superior merit and Splendor of Acade
mies and Literary Societies kept thefe
lower Schools from making a figure,
and rendered the Papal Decree of Small
effect. The authority and dignity of the an
cient Roman Law flourished in Italy,
and prevailed over the other Laws,
after the time when under the Empe
ror Lotharius II. A. 1 137, at the tak
ing of Amalfi, the celebrated Code of
the Pandects or Digefts, which for
many ages had been hardly known,
was found and fell into the hands of
the PiSans, &c u." "
A. 1 104. Henry V. waged war
With his father Henry IV, and de
pofed him, on pretence of religion, arid
of defending the Papal power ; and Pope
u Mofheim, p. 450. Pafchal

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 197
Pafchal II. releafed this rebellious fon
from his duty and allegiance to his fa
ther and his king. It was the excom
munication of Henry IV. that gave his
fon an opportunity to rife up againft
him, and he was excited to this im
piety by letters from the Pope, who ex
horted him to fuccour the Church of
God. What made his crime ftill black
er, was that his father had fhared his
authority with him, and had made
him king.
This young Prince appeared at a
Council, Shewing great modefty and
humility, and the moft profound reve
rence towards the Prelates. With tears
in his eyes, he called God and all the
Court of heaven to witnefs that he had
no defire to reign, or tp See his Lord
and his father depofed. On the contra
ry, faid he, I have been deeply afflicted
at his difobedience and obftinacy ; and
if he will fubmit himfelf to St. Peter
and to his Succeflbrs the Popes, I am
ready to Surrender up the kingdom to
b.im, and to obey him even as the low-
O 3 eft

198 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
eft of his fubjedts. This godly and
meek behaviour of Henry V. drew tears
from the whole aflembly. So admira
bly did the young Rafcal play the
hypocrite! Pafchal afterwards had quarrels and
contentions with this Prince, and was
driven to grant him fome privileges,
and to make peace with him on difad-
vantagepus terms; for which being fe-
yerely cenfured, he called a Council,
v and fubmitted himfelf entirely to the
determination of the Prelates. They
therefore refeinded the agreement ber
tween the Pope and the King, and
abfolved their Pontiff from his contract
and his promifes. Thus the Pope, tp
get out pf the toils, fairly acknowledg
ed the fuperior authority pf Councils x.
A. j 105. Pafchal exhorted Robert,
Count pf Flanders, to make war with
Henry IV, and with his adherents, the
Clergy of Liege ; and promifed him
and his foldiers the remiffion of fins,
' Moiheim, p. 457, &c. Fleury, xiv. 71, &"c.
and

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 199
and a manfion in the heavenly Jeru
salem. The Clergy of Liege on this occa
sion drew up an excellent Apology, ad-
dreffed to all Chriftian people. They
declare themfelves firmly attached to the
unity of the Church, and to Pafchal as
to the Head of the Church. They hold
themfelves to be unjuftly excommunica
ted for rendering unto Caefar the things
that are Caefars, according to the Gof
pel; and in oppofition to all novel tra
ditions. Having taken an oath of alle
giance to their King, they cannot
violate it without perjury. The dif-
penfing with Such oaths is an innova
tion introduced by Pope Hildebrand
(Gregory VII.). He is the firft, fay
they, who drew the murdering tem
poral Sword againft Sovereign Princes,
and by his example taught his SucceS-
fbrs to do the like. He is the firft who
abSolved finners from all their fins paft,
prefent, and to come, if they would
but fight againft the Emperor, without
j\eouiring from themconfeffion, repeh-
O 4 tan£e

200 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
tance and amendriierit ; thus binding
and loofing in a way unknown to Scrip-
ture and pious Antiquity, and fetting
the door wide open to all kind of ma
lice and wickednefs, &c y.
A. 1 1 06. Henry IV- taken prifpner
by his rebellious fon, was obliged tp
renounce the kingdom and Surrender
it up to him ; and died Soon aSter %.
Robert D'Arbriffelles, a wild enthuT
fiaft and field preacher, and the Sounder
ofaMonaftery, made no fmall noife in
thofe times. He drew after him a mul
titude of female Saints, with whom he
ufed tp lie in bed, but never touch them,
by way of felf-denial and mortification.
His enemies have charged him with
thefe practices ; and indeed aufler'ities
of this kind feem to Suit the Fanatical
tafte a.
An Anonymous Author, who flou
rished at this time, wrote the Life of
Henry IV. He is an Hifiorian of fingu-
— y Fleury, xiv. 78.
* Ibid. 82.
? Ibid, xiii. 622. xiv. 97, lar

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 201
Jar integrity and of no lefs elegance,
who,having recorded the things relating
to Henry with impartiality and vera
city, chofe rather to conceal his name,
than to expoSe himSelf to malice and
perfecution. In this writer, Says Cafaubon, I am
at a lofs what to adrriire moft, ' the ele
gance of Style, which for thofe times
is aftpnifhing, or the dignity and im
portance of his remarks, or the piety
which is confpicuous through the whole.
If he had lived in an happier age, I
fhpuld haye judged him not inferior to
any Greek and Latin Author, and his
work not lefs to be efteemed than the
Life of Agricola by Tacitus" b.
A. in 4. Some Heretics, called Ma-
niChaeans, were feized and imprifoned
at Soiflons, and burnt by the enraged
populace c.
A. 1 1 18. Amongft the Letters of
Pafchal II. we 'find one in which he
k Cave, ii. 189.
f Fleury, xiv. 194. orders,

202 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
prders, in the Communion, to give the
two kinds feparately, and not the bread
dipped in the wine, as it was practifed
at Clugni. He makes an exception for
Children and fiek perfons, who could
not Swallow the bread. Hence it ap
pears that the |iucharift was then given
to infants d.
A. 1 121. Abelardwas condemned in
a Council, for a Treatife which he had
written on the Trinity e.
A. 1 1 22. A Concordatum, Pr Agree-
ment, was made between the Pope and
the Emperor concerning the election pf
EcclefiaSlics, which ftill fubfifts f.
A. 1 1 23. The Bifliops in a Council
make heavy complaints againft the
Monks. Nothing more, Say they, re
mains Sor the Monks to attempt, unT
leSs it be to take our jurisdiction frorf)
us, and to exerciSe it themSelves. They
d Fleury, xiv. 237.
c Ibid. 306. Bayle, Abelarb.
f Mofheim, p. 459- ppffeSs-

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hifiory. 203
aoflefs Churches, lands, caftles, tenths,
oblations of the living and of the dead.
The glory of the Canonical Order and
of the Clergy is obfcured, Since the
Monks, forgetting all heavenly views,
engrofs the Epifcopal rights with an
infatiable ambition, inftead of leading
quiet and retired lives, according to the
intention of their founder St. Benedict.
The city of Antwerp, though large5
and populous, had only one Prieft be
longing to it, and he had no authority,
becaufe he kept his niece for his con-
cubine. An heretic called Tanchelm
took this occafion to feduce the people.
He was a very profligate man, but cun
ning and eloquent. He Set at nought
the Pope, the BiShops, and the Clergy,
and faid that he and his followers were
the only true Church. He made ufe of
the women whom he had corrupted, to
infinuate his errors, and by their help
he gained the hufbands. When he had
drawn over a multitude of people, he
preached in the.country, arrayed like a
king, and attended with guards who
carried

204 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
carried before him a Standard and a
fword ; and the befotted populace heark
ened to him as to an Angel fent from
God. He Said that the Churches were
houSes of prostitution ; that the Sacra-.
mepts were profanations, particularly*
the Eucharift, and of no efficacy for.
Salvation; and he maintained that the
virtue of the Sacraments depended upon
the holinefs. of the Minifters. He told
the people, not to pay tithes, and he
found no difficulty to perfuade them in
this point. In general, he preached fuch
doctrines as he thought would be moft
acceptable to the audience, and attracted
them not only by his eloquence, but by
feafting them with good cheer. He
had in his retinue three thoufand men,
armed and ready to cut the throats of
all who Should refift him.
1 Puffed up with this fuccefs, he afcrib-
ed Divinity to himfelf, faying that he
had as good a title to it as JeSus Chrift,
having received the fulnefs of the Spi
rit. So infatuated were his followers,
'as to drink the water in which he had
bathed

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical H'fiory. 205
bathed himfelf, and to keep it as an
holy relique. He lay with girls in the
prefence of their mothers, and with
wives before their bufbands. This he
called a fpiritual work, and the females
who were not admitted to this honour
accounted themfelves unhappy. One
day he contrived a new fcheme to en
rich himfelf. He produced before the
multitude an. Image of the Virgin Mary,
and taking it by the hand, repeated the
Office of Matrimony. Then he added;
You fee that I have efpoufed the Vir
gin : you muft make us nuptial pre
sents. He ordered two coffers to be
placed on each Side of the Image, one
for the men, the other for the women,
and faid, We fhall fee which of the
two fexes hath the moft affection for me
and my fooufe. Every one made his
offerings liberally, and the women put
in even their necklaces and ear-rings.
After this wretch had propagated his
doctrines in various parts about Utrecht
and Cambray, he was at laft demolished by

206 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hifiorjfi
by a\Prieft, who broke his fcull, &4
they were together in a boats.
The man was either quite mad, or a
confumma'te villain, if the things with
which his.adverfaries charge him were
true. But as he vehemently inveighed
againft the Clergy, they might perhaps
calumniate him by way of revenge h.
Guibert, Abbot of Nogent, wrote a
Treatife on the Reliques of the Saints,
.occasioned by a Tooth of Jefus Chrift,
which the Monks of St. Medard pre
tended to have. He allows that we
ought to honour the Reliques of the
Saints, in order to imitate their exam
ple, and obtain their protection: but
he obferves that we ought firft to be
well aSfured both of the fanctity of thofe
whom we honour, and of the genuine-
nefs of their Reliques. He is of opi
nion that miracles alone are not a fuffi-
cient proof of fanctity ; and he informs
us, by the way, that it was in his time
a common opinion that the Kings of
S Fleury, xiv. 336.
*¦ Molheim, p. 485.
2 France

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 207
France -Cured the King's evil. He Says'
that the inventors of falfe miracles de-
Served the fevereft punishment, becaufe
they aScribed to God what he had not
done, and as Sar as in them lay, made
him a liar. He mentions many exam
ples oS fictitious Lives oS Saints, and of
falSe Reliques ; and to Shew the caution
and reServedneSs of the Church with re
lation to uncertain facts, he fays that
fhe dares not affirm the refurrection of
the holy Virgin, how Strong foever may
be the arguments which fupport it, and
that She only permits us to think fo.
He blames the practice of taking the
bodies of Saints out of their graves, to
remove them, or to divide them, aS
being contrary to ancient ufage, and
furniShing opportunities to impofe upon
the world by falfe Reliques.
Proceeding to the pretended Reliques
of our Saviour, he fays that we ought
to feek none, except the holy Eucha-
rift, in which Chrift hath left us, not
' Some Sragments of himfelf, but, his
whole body. And here he defends the
real

208 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
real bodily prefence againft Berenge*'
andothersi, As to the tooth of Chrift, which was
faid to be one of his young teeth, he
ranks this Relique with that of his na
vel, which others pretended to have1.
He rejects them, as contrary to the
Chriftian faith, which holds that Jefus
Chrift at his refurrection re-affumed his
whole body : befides Which, it is highly
improbable that the Virgin Should have
laid up fuch things, any more than her
own milk, which was fhewed at Laon.
Thefe fentiments of Guibert are the
more remarkable, becaufe both in this
and in other of his works he Shews him
felf extremely credulous about mira
cles '.
A. 1 124. The Pomeranians were
converted by Otto, BiShop of Bamberg.
He knew that in Pomerania, beggars
were defpifed and hated, and that fome
Missionaries having appeared in that
form, could not even obtain an hearing,
5 Fleury,, xiv. 340.
and

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 259
¦and were rejected as poo'r vagabonds,
Who drily wanted to get a maintenance.
He refolved therefore to cpme to them
as a rich man, to Shew thefe Barbarians
that he did not feek to get their money,
but to Save their fouls'. He took with
him men of abilities, with fufficient
• provisions for the journey, Miflals, and
other books, chalices, arid prnarrients
for a Church ; with Splendid robes, and
fine clothes; to prefent to the principal
men of the nation k:
. v> A.. 1 1 25. Joannes Creirienfis, the
Pope's Legate; who had published a
Law> iri a Synod at London, againft
the Clergy that kept cbhcUbines, on the
fame night, after the celebration of the
' MaSs^ Was found in bed with a whore,;
'-&c '.
A. 1 128. The Order of the Knights-
Templars, the firft Military Order, was
eftabliShed. St. Bernard gives a moft
excellent character to thefe fighting
k Fleury, xiv. 346.
1 Cave, ii. 263.
•VoLj V. $> Saints*

2 1 o Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Saints. How well they deServed it, the
Lord knows. He obServes, which makes
the wonder ftill greater, that theSe
Saints had been for the moft part de
bauched, impious, perjured, facrilegi-
ous thieves, murderers, fornicators,
adulterers, ravifhers, who now joined
to the innocence of the Lamb the cou
rage of the Lion™.
A. 1 1 30. Two Popes were elected,
and a SchiSm enfued. Such Schifms
oSten happened afterwards ".
At this time flourifhed our William
ofMalmfbury.
Inter vetufiffmos rerum nofrarum Aucla-
res, et narrationisjide & judicii maturitate
frincipem locum tenet Gulielmus Maknfibu-
rienfis, homo, ut, erant ea tempora, literate
doSlus, qui feptingentorum phis minus an-
norum res tanta fide et diligent ia pertexuify
ut e nqftris prope folus Hjftorici munus ex-
plejfe videatur °.
1,1 Fleury, xiv. 387. 479. Bibl. Univ. xix. 508.
n Moftieirh, p. 4^9.
0 Saville.
A. 1 1 13.

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.

211

A. i 1 2 1. A Canori of the Council of
Rheirris forbids Tilts arid Tournaments,
On account Pf the great danger which
arifeth from them both to the body
.arid to the foul. Chriftian burial is re-
fuSed to thoSe who die in theSe cord-
bats, though abSohitiort and the viati-
( cum is granted them, if they live long
enough to requeft it; But it appears not
that thefe Ecclefiaftical prohibitions,
though often reiterated^ could put a
flop to theSe practices, which continued
to be frequent for four hundred years p.
A. 1 139. Pope Innocent ll. held a
Council at Lateranj where were aflem-
bled about a thoufand Bifhops. In his
Speech to f herii he Said ; You all know
that Rome is the Capital of the world,
and that all Ecclefiaftical Dignities are
held and received by permiffion of the
Roman Pontiff, as by a Fief; and with
out his leave cannot be lawfully pof-
fefled.
* Fleury, xiv. 428L
P 2 This

212 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
This is the firft time that, we find
Ecclefiaftical ftatioris compared to'Piefs,.
which are altogether of a, different ma
ture 'q.
It appears that at this time the Ca
nons of Cathedral Churches claimed a
right of electing their BiShop, exclud
ing not only the Laity, but the Curates,
and all the Clergy both fecular and re
gular; which was contrary to the an
cient laws and practices r.
Arnauld de Brefle, having declaimed
violently againft the vices of the Clergy,
was Silenced by this Council of Late-
ran, which is accounted to be the' tenth
General Council. He was afterwards
condemned by the Clergy, and burnt
alive at Rome s.
"A. 1 140. A Controversy arofe about
fhe Immaculate Conception, as it was
called, of the Virgin Mary. Sortie French
•• Fleury, xiv. 5 28.
' Ibid. 529.
8 Ibid. xv. 8-.
Churches-

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Wfiory. 213
Churches began to celebrate a Feftival
dedicated to this Conception, which
the EngliSh had obferved before, upon
the authority, as they faid, of Anfelm
ArchbiShop of Canterbury. Amongft
the more eminent Churches, that of
Lyon was the firft, or one of the firft,
which adopted it. St. Bernard hearing
of this, feverely reprimanded the Ca
nons of Lyon, for the innovation, in an
Epiftle addreffed to them, and alfo at
tacked the doctrine itfelf. Hence arofe
a diffentioii, fome favouring the Eccle-
fiaftics of Lyon, and adopting their
fentiments, others defending Bernard's
opinion. But after the Dominicans had
1 fettled themfelves in the Academy of
Paris, the difpute grew much more vi
olent, whilft the Dominicans Sided with
Bernard, and the Academy with the
Clergy of Lyon.
' The doctrine of the Immaculate Con
ception foon grew prevalent, as more
agreable to the fuperftitious devotion
and blind zeal of the age, in which a.
P 3 vene-

2t 4 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
veneration for the Virgin Mary had al
ready exceeded all hounds.
The Greeks and other Eaftern Chrifj
tians were engaged during this century
in a fierce contention with Fanatics of
yaripus forts, whp' are reported to have
believed in a twofold Trinity, rejected
matrimony, andflefh-meat, deSpiSedall
public worShip of God, as alfo Baptifm
and the Lord's Supper, placed the Sum
of Religion in prayer alone, and taught,
as it is Said, that an ewil Daemon dwelt
ip every man, arid was to be expelled
by continual prayer.
Certain it is that both in this, and in
many preceding ages, there were a-
mongft the Greeks' and Syrians, espe
cially amongft the Monks, Such Sort of
men', not profligate, but crack-brained.
The accounts which are given concerrir
ing them are not entirely to be credited.
It is rather highly probable, and many
things make ip fo, that in this detefted
number there were Several pipus and re
ligious perSons, who incurred the ha
tred of the Greeks, becaufe they op-
poSed

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 215
pofed the arbitrary dominion and the
vices of the Priefts, and derided the vile
fuperftition which was eftabliShed by
public authority. The Greeks and their
Eaftern neighbours gave all to thefe
people the common and invidious de
nomination of Majfaliani, or of Euche-
ta% juft as the Latins call thofe in ge
neral Waldenfes or Albigenfes, who were
enemies to the Pope. It is to be ob-
ferved that thefe appellations ufed by
the Greeks are vague and ambiguous,
and promifcuoufly applied to all, whe
ther honeft or wicked, wife or mad,
who had an unfavourable opinion of
the public rites and ceremonies, cen
fured the vices of Ecclefiaftics, and ac
counted piety to be the One thing need
ful. The Latins enumerate many more
fedts. For as Religion grew more and
more corrupted, and the Clerical Order
more flagitious, the Popes neglected
their owp proper duty, and augfnented
the impiety of the people, by various
ways, and principally by the trade of
P 4 Indul-

2 : 6 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Indulgences. Trig BiShops and Priefts
were more occupied .in gratifying their
own l.ufts, than, in promoting the caufe
of God. In thiff Slate of things, good
men,, who were defirpus tp Save them
felves and others, although of Slender
capacities, could eafily difcern that true
Christianity was loft; and made at
tempts to reftore it. But Sevy of thern
having either the powers of reafoning
\vell, or a proper fhare. of erudition, in
thofe days of ignorance, they mifun-
derftood and misapplied the holy Scrip
tures. Hence it unavoidably came tp
pafs that they Sometimes departed a#s
much, from the defign and SenSe of the
Gofpel, as Srom the Romifh religion,
and paffed beyond all due bounds in
cenSurino; and correcting.
Amongft the, Sects of that age, the
principal place is to be given to the Ca
thari, or Puritans, who, coming' forth
from Bulgaria, difturbed almoft all the
regions of "Europe, and were maflacred
without mercy, wherefoever they were
found. .The religion of this faction was
Somewhat

Remarh on Ecclefiaf ical'Hiftory . 217
fbme,what of kin to that which Was anr:
ciently profefled by the Gnoftics and
Manichaeans; aiid therefore they alfo were
vulgarly called Manichaeans,although in
many points they differed Srom genuine
Manichaeans. However, they all held
that Evil had its riSe Srom Matter ; that
the Maker oS the world was not the
Supreme God ; that Chrift had no true
and real body, and that, properly Speak
ing, he neither was born, nor died ;
that human bodies were Sprmed by the
Devil, and perifhed at death, without
any hope of a refurrection ; that Bap
tifm and the Lord's Supper were of no
virtue and efficacy. They all required
of their followers, to live hardly and
aufterely, to abstain from things ani
mate, from flefh, and wine, and mar
riage. They defpifed the Old Tefta-
ment, and only received the New, and
particularly the four Gofpels, which
they held in vene'ration. To omit
other points, they affirmed that rational
fouls by a cruel fatality were incarcera
ted in human bodies, and could only be

2 1 8 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
be releafed by continence, failing, a
dry food, and other fuch like methods.
But of all the Sects which fprang up
in this century, none acquired a greater
reputation for innocence and probity,
by the conceffioris even of its persecu
tors, and none drew together more
followers, than that of thofe people
who from their Author were called
Waldenfes, and from the place where
they firft appeared* Pauperes de Lug-
duno, or Leonifia. Petrus Valdenfis, a
wealthy merchant of Lyon in France,
and a very pious man, caufed fome parts
of the holy Scriptures to be tranflated
from the Latin into French, particu
larly the four Gofpejs, and Some Select
Sentences from the ancient Fathers,
about A. 1 160. Upon a careful perufal
of thpfe books, he faw that the religion
which the Roman Church propounded
to the people was entirely different from
that which Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles
had taught; and defiring to fave his
foul, he distributed his goods amongft
the poor, and in the year 11 80, having
collected

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 2 1 9
collected a religious fociety, he under
took the office of a Teacher. The
Archbifhop of Lyon, and other Pre
lates, oppofed this innovation ; but the
plain and holy religion which thefe
good men proSefled, the acknowledged
innocence of their lives, and that con
tempt which they fhewed of riehes and
honours, caufed multitudes of well-
difpofed Chriftians to join with them.
And thus many congregations of them
$vere formed, firft in France, and then
in Lombardy, and thence in other parts
pf Europe, more fpeedily than could
have been imagined, which no perfe
cutions, no punifhments and no maf-
facres could totally extirpate.
The defign of Petrus Valdus and of
his adherents was not to make a new
religion, and to propound new doc
trines, but rather to bring back the
State of the Church, the manners of
the Teachers, and the behaviour of
Chriftians to that primitive and Apofto-
lical Simplicity, which might be col
lected, as they thought, from the dif-
courfes

220 Remarks oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. ¦¦
courfes of Jefus Chrift himfelf. They
taught therefore that the Roman Church
had departed from, its former fanctity
and purity in the time, of Conftantine
the Great; they reSuSed to Submit to.
the uSurped powers of its Pontiff; they
Said that the Prelates and Do<ilors: ought
to imitate the poverty of the Apoftles,
and earn their bread -by the labour of
their hands ; they contended that the
o,ffice of feachirig, confirming, and ad
monishing the brethren, belonged in.
fome meafure to all Christians ; they
wanted to reftore the old difcipline of
Penitence, which the Indulgences had
almoft obliterated ; and they taught
that true Penitence confifted in expia
ting, paft tranfgreffions by prayer, by
faffing, and by almSgiving; and they
added, that any pious Christian was
capable of giving proper directions tp
a penitent finner, to make his peace
with God, and that there was no occa
sion to confefs to a Prieft ; that the
power of remitting fin, and the punish
ment Pf fin, belonged to God alone ;
that

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 221
-that Indulgences were the invention of
.fordid avarice ; that funeral rites and
prayers(forthe:dqad were idle ceremo
nies, fjn,ee the fouls of the departed en
tered into no middle State of purgation,
but went directly either to heaven, pr
to hell, i&jc... Their difcipline was ex
tremely Strict and auftere : for they
interpreted Chrift's Difcourfe upon the
Mount according to the literal fenfe of
the words; arid they condemned war,
.lawfuits, iridu.ftry in acquiring riches,
capital punishments, oaths, and Self-
Vdefencef ..."
Nicolas Antonius, in his Bibliotbeca
Hifpanicay, ,, enumerates no lefs than one*"
hundred and, ,fixty authors, all of them
Spaniards, .who have written concern
ing the Immaculate Conception".
A. 1 147. Tlley who had gone to the
Holy War, being iff" great ftreights,
andopprefledby the Mahometans, cal-
1 Molheim^p.,479. See alfo Cave, ii. 182. Bibl, Univ.
Xx. 199. xxiii. 3&i."L'Enfant, Cone.de Bafle, i. 9. &c.
* Am«n. Liter. ii.'4i2.- " • fed

222 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hi/toP/i
led aloud for help from' Europe ; and ai
fecond expedition was fet on foot, by
the authority of St. Bernard, which
proved extremely unfortunate, and coft
Europe an immenfe wafte of treafur e*
and lofs of meri.
The Croifez, inftigatedl by fbrffe
wicked Wretches, began again to maf-
Sacre the Jews ; but Bernard oppoSed it.
Peter, Abbot of Clugni, alfo declared
againft putting them to death ; but ad-
viSed the Princes to firip them of all
their money. Even Bernard confeffeth
that many of the Croifez were the viletl
of mankind.
They tookLifbon, at that time occu
pied by the Moors. Manuel, the Em
peror of Conftantinople, did them all
the mifchief that he could : and then
the Turks fell upon them, and deftroy
ed moft of them.
A third Expedition was carried on,
in the year 1 189, which like the for
mer exhaufted Germany, France, and
England to no purpofe. Thcfo

Remarh on Etckfafiical Hifiory. 223
Thefe holy wars gave rife to three
Fighting Orders, or EftabliShments of
Saints Militant, the Knights of St. John
of Jerufalem, the Knights Templars,
and the Teutonic Knights. The firft
of thefe are now Knights of Malta.
StJBernard was an enthufiaft from
his youth, and had almoft killed him
felf by Monkifh aufterities. He refu-
fed feveral Bifhppricks, through humi
lity, as his admirers Suppofe. But it
is no wonder that he declined them,
Since he was far more refpected as an
Abbot, than he would have been if he
had condefcended to floop to an Arch-
bifhoprick. He could create Popes,
and command Kings, and lead Councils
by the nofe. His advice was afked by
the greateft perfons in Church and
State ; and he was even adored by the
common people, who fancied that he
was an infpired man, and endued with
the gifts of healing.
In fupport of the Croifade he wrought
fuch a multitude of miracles, that the;
Martins and the Symeons were hardly fit to

; 2 24 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
to hold a candle to him. ' They are
collected by Fleury. Read them, arid
then compare them with the Lies con
tained in Lucian's Dialogue calledP/^-
lopj, hides i
Having promifed the Croifez great
fuccefs. inthe name of. the Lord, and
-finding them foundly baaged, and ut
terly difcomfited, he wrote an Apology
-for himfelS, juftifyinghispromifes, and
Jayirig the fault entirely on the vices of
,the Croifez. You never knew a Fana-^
tic pretending to prophecy* who' ever
bluShed when his predictions came to*
•bought* or ever was at a lofs • for
fome paltry Subterfuge in his ow;n vin
dication; Bernard died in the 'year' 1153',' arid
is called" The laft of the Fathers: he
might alfo be called,-- Tft<? Father of
Mon'afieries, having been the founder of
an- hundred arid fixty. He was cano
nized twenty years, after his -death.;
Du Pin* hath written his Life,;. and
* Ultimus PatrumV
j T.iv.p.^S'. - - I

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory 2&$~
Cave z bellows great encomiums upoii
Him »,
" The W liters of this age made loud
complaints of the fury and cruelty
of the Saracens towards the Eaftern
Chriftians ; and we have no reafon tp
reject their teftimony. But moft of
them SuppreSs the caufes of this barba
rity, which are to be aScribed to the
Christians themfelves. By the Laws
of Arms, it was alloWed to the Sara
cens to repell force with force ; and it
cannot be conceived with what face the
Chriftians fhould require of a people
whorri they attacked with numerous
armies, and deftroyed whenfoever they
were able, that they Should take it all
patiently, and not retalitate. Add to
this, that the Christians, in their expe
ditions, committed moft deteftable out
rages in the Eaft, and treated the Sara-.
9ei>s with the utmoft barbarity.
Is rif Strange that a nation thus pro
voked arid injured Should have' thought
? ii. 195.
* Mofheirri, p. 444. Fleury, xiv. 47.
Vot. V. Q itfeli

22f5 Remarks, on Ecclefaftical Hiftory...
itfelf licenfed to act in the fame man- ,
"if" . , -\
ner ? that a nation not at all inclined to .
humanity and lenity, and irritated by
the calamities of- this holy war, as it
was called, fhoald opprefs thofe of its
Subjects who were of the Same religion
with its Sworn enemies b ?"*
* Bernard, who was the conftant per^,
Secutor. of poor Abelard, Said of him;
Cum de Trinitate loquitur, fapit Arium;
cum de gratia, fapit Pelagium ; cum de
perfona Chrifti, Japit Neftorium.
" Bernard was ingenious, and in
many points of a found judgment, but
of a Superflitious and an overbearing
temper, who knew how to conceal a
domineering Spirit under the appearance
of great piety, and madeiio Scruple by
falfe accusations to ruin thofe whorh he
could not endure.
Abelard, the difciple of Arifelm, was
the moft remarkable perfon of the
times, for wit, elegance, erudition,
k Mofteim, p. 448. L'EnfautjCW. de flfi, ii. 7a. %%.
logical

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory .^ 227
.logical fkill, arid unhappy fates. A
great' man he was, Worthy of a better
age, and better fortune c". "
* Orie* manifeft advantage which the
Popes forefaw from the Croifades, was
that the Princes going upon fuch expe
ditions would probably leave "their"
realms to the care of Ecclefiaftics; and
returning hbme beggared to their im
poverished fubjedts, would be the more
fupple and fubmiffive to the Papal See.
A. 1-147. Gilbert, Bifhop of Poitiers,
was accufed of an herefy, which con-
fiftedof fome Logical and Metaphysi
cal quirks and Subtleties about the doc
trine of the Trinity: ' Berriard was his
zealous oppofer and accufer ; and they
fought together, more Andabatarum d.
A. 1 148. There was a Croifade of
the. Saxons againft the Northern Pa
gans,, whom they, refolved either to
. /
c Mofheim, p. 468. 476. Cave, ii. 203. Du Pin, T. ix.
p. 108.
* Fleury, xiv. 635. 661.
Q 2 convert

228 Remarks mJQcclefiafiical Hiftory,
convert or tp extirpate. This attempt
produced the ufual effects, ravages arid
murders, and then was dropped f.
Qne Eori> a French Heretic, or "ra
ther Lunatic, pretended to be the Son
of God, and Seduced many of the vul
gar. He was put in prifon, and died
there, g.
St. Hildegardis, a fanatical Nun, and
a worker of wonders, had vifions and
revelatipns, and was countenanced- by
St. Bernard, Pope Innocent III, and
many others h.
A. r 1 5$. King Frederick and Pope
Adrian. IV. had an. interview. The
Pope and the Cardinals were enraged,
becaufe the king did not perform, the
ceremony of holding the Pope's Stirrup.
The king proftrated himfelf before him,
arid killed his feet, and then approached
to receive the kifs of peace, as it- was
called. But the Pope told him that he
1 Fleury, xiv. 6^6.
e Ibid. 658.
h Ibid. 673. xv. 417, could

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory-. 229
could not grant him that favour, till
he had paid the Pope the honour which
all orthodox Emperors had fhewed to
his predeceflors, out of refpect to the
holy Apoftles. The King demurred,
and the next day was Spent in con
ferences about it. At laft, the King
conSulted the old Lords, whp had ac
companied Lotharius at his interview
with Pope Innocent, and being affured
that Such was the cuftom, both by their
teflimony, and by ancient monuments,
he performed the office of Groom tp
the Pope, and held his ftirrup \
A. 1 158. Gratiaff's Decree, or his"
Collections of Canons, though full of
ignorance -and of blunders, and magni
fying, the Popds authority beyond all
bounds, paffed for Ecclefiaftical LaW
in this time, and in the three follow
ing centuries* He was a Benedictia
Monk's

* Fleury, xv. 9. Cave, ii. 230,
\ Fleury, xv, 54. Cave, ii, 2i|,

Q 3- A. 1160.

230 Remarks onEcclefafticalHifiory,
A. 1160. Some foreign Heretics were;
found in England, and condemned by
the Bifliops, Then they were beaten
with Sticks, Scourged,' burnt in the face,
and tnrned adrift ; and no perfen being
permitted to lodge or to feed thern^
they all periffied' with cold and hunger.
To have hanged them would have been
mercy compared with Such uSage '.
Petrus BleSehfls primus omnium fuit]
qui in- re <Eucharifticd TranSubftantiati-
bnisvocabuhim ufurpafie dicitur' m. ¦
At this time flourished Joanne's Cm-
namus^ a.. Greek Hiftprian, ar^d, ^ good
Writer. L>i£iio ejus purior eft- 4erfiorque^Ymm
Hliofum 'ejfe' Gramlomm fiolet :¦ hub %mo-.
pbon\is ipfiiiSy. q'aemLin, Brafatione^hudai^
pemulusefin.
A. 1 166. Demetrius, a Greek, an ilh-
ferate man, and a great pretender to The7
1 Fleury, xv. 1 1 3.
* Cave, ii. 23$.
. ¦'? Ci J. ifofiius. C?ve, iij- 3 jji ©logical

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 231
ological knowledge, broached a notion
that Chrift was eqUal to his Father in
all reSpects, that is, I SuppoSe, both as
mart and as God. A Council of Cpri-
flantinople condeinned his doctrine °.
Henry II, „King of Englarid; came
to Normandy, and called an Aflembly
of Prelates and Barons,, and appointed
a collection of money for the relief of the
Holy Land, atthe requeft and after* the
example of the King of France, ¦ aoad in
execution of the Deeree of Pope Alex
ander. This affeflment was lakl upon
all perfons, without exception; and was
to laft five years. ,It Seems to have been
the firft inftance of- a Subsidy for this
purpofe p.
1-
A. 1167. SomeManicheans, lasthey
were called,: were burnt at Burgundy 1.
A. 1 168. Pope Alexander Submitted
to the BiShop, of Rofchild the Ifland of
0 Fleury,' Xv'. 244.
.» Ibid. 221. ._;
« Ibid. 274.
Q 4 Rugia,

2^2 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Rugia, newly converted. For Valde-
mar, Kjng of Denmark, had conquered
the Sclavdnian Rugians, inhabitants of
that ifland. ,He befieged their capital,
which furrendred to "him. The -firft
articles of capitulation were, that they
Should deliver up to the King their Idol,
called Suaniovit, with all its treafures ;
- that they mould give up without ran-
fom alLtbeir Chriftian captives; and
, that they Should themfelves embrace
Christianity. -Suantovit, whom thefe
Barbarians held to be their Supreme
Gpd, Was originally the Martyr Saint
Vitus, Some Saxon Monks, who ho
noured the Reliques of this Saint, had
formerly introduced ¦ the GoSpel info
Rugia, and had founded a Churc^
there, dedicated tp their Patron -faint ;
hut theSe people* relapfing rntoN Idolatry,
forgat the true God, and in his ftead
WQrfhiped this Martyr,, called him
Suantovit, and made an Image pf him.
$0 dangerous is it, as Fleury himfelf
pbferves, to teach Pagai^ Idplaters too
foop the ; ¦yyorfhip of Saints, and of their
Images,

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 233
Images, before they have been well
instructed- apd confirmed in the belief
of the true God.
Suantovit hj\d a magnificent temple
in the city : his Idol- was gigantic, and
had four hfads4 twp looking forwards,
apd two backwards. In his, right hand
he held an horn, adprned with various
metals , If i? Pontiff filled it every year
with wine; and as this liquor wafted,
or not, he foretold the plenty or Steri
lity of the year-.' To this Idol they
Sacrificed animals, and then ¦ feafted
upon thei&V they alfo facrifrced men;
but Only GhSftians. All the country
paid tributes and oblations to this
Deity, a^jd his Pontiff Was, a. much
more considerable perfha than tha
£wgr- A. 1 170. Saxo Grammatics s, a moft
elegant writer, for the age> in which;
hp lived, wrote the Hiftory pf hi?-.
Countrymen the Danes '.

'Fleury, xv. 278.
• Cave ii. 241.

A. 1 177.

234 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifiory.
A." 1 177. The Emperor Frederic
made peace with Pope Alexander III. :
" Some have reported that this Ppn-
tiff pu.this foot ppon'the neck of the
proftrate'' Emperor^' arid" repeated the
words of the'xcth Pfalrh ; Super afpidem
et Bafi'fcum l ambulabis i et conculcahis
leonem ' et' dfaconem. "But it. is now" the
general 'opinion that the Story is not
built upbon Sufficient authority, '
Alexander, who made himSelS fa
mous by this war with Frederic,.! had
alfo violent cpntentionjS ; with Henry ! I.
of England, : on account of Ifhonaas!
Becket. He fecured the Ecclefiaftical autho
rity, and particularly the power of the
Roman Pontiffs, not only by -'amis!
but by artifice, and by enacting new
Laws.^ \For in u the third Laterari
Council,'- he made a1 Decree that for
the1 future, to avoid the ufual conten
tions and difturbances at thC election of
1 SeeBiM. Univ. xiv. 6.
n A. 1 1 79. a Pope,

Remarks on E cclefidfical Hiftory. 235
a Pope, the right of chuTing him fhould
be vefted in the Cardinals alone, and
he fhould be a lawful Pope, who had
the fuffrag.es of two thirds of the Col
lege of Cardinals. This Law ftill con
tinues in force from its establishment,
and by it not only the -people, but the
Roman Clergy are excluded from any
Share in the nomination of Popes.
He was the firft Pontiff who in the
fame Council proclaimed an Holy War
againft Heretics, who at that time dif-
turbed the Catholic Church, and parti
cularly forne Provinces" pf Fratice.
He took away from the Bifhops, and
even from General Councils, the right
of appointing and nominating thofe
who fhpuld be publicly wprShiped as
Saints ; apd added. Canonization^ as it is
called, to the Major Caufes, that is to
thofe which pertain, to the cognizance
of the Pope alone.
He alfo, to pafs over leffer exploits,
put in actual practice the power which
the Pontiffs had claimed, from the time of

f.%6 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
of Gfegofyl VII. to create King*. Fo?
he * gave the Royal title and dignity tb
Alphonfus I. Duke of Lufitania) who
before, urider 'Lucius II. had fubjected
his Province and made it tributajy to
the See of Rome" \
Thomas Beeket was molt juftly ca-
ifonized by the Pope, Since he Iofi his
life for maintaining Popifh innovations
and the tyrannical power which the
Church, as they called it, ufurped ovee
the State.- His blefied bones wrought
numberlefs miracles, till Henry VIII.
demolished them z.
" A .1 173. At this time the'Templars
acted the part of free-booters and mur
derers. A Prince of the ASfaffins in
Phoenicia ferit a deputy to the King of
Jefufaiem, declaring himfelf and his
people inclined to receive" the Christian
fefigiohV "The King 'Sent him back to
his Mafter, with one of his own guards
*-At 1 1 7(9* , . ¦
v Mofhqim, p. 461. Ca-ve, ,ii. 2J2.
** See -StlMfftekt, vtft. v. p; 7 rb. ' '
to

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 237
to protect him. But the Templars &U
SaSfinated the deputy, aa he was return
ing home ; and the King was unable to
chaftize or reftrain them. The Knights
Templars and HoSpitallers had Scarcely
been eftabliShed fixty years before they
were corrupted to Such a degree, that
both Chriftian and Mahometan writers,
thpugh Seldom concurring in the Same
fentiments, agree in deScribing them as
the vileft of mankind.
The Aflaffins were a Sect of Maho
metans, who arofe in the year 891,
when Carmat, a pretended prophet in
Arabia, drew after himmany follower^.
He fafted, and laboured with his hands,
and prayed fifty times a day. He pro
mifed to re-effeabliSh the family of Ali,
and to dethrone the Califst He releafed
his difciples from the moft troublefome
observances of their religion, permit
ting them todrinkwine, and to eat any
kind of food. By this indulgence, joined
to the hopes of plunder, he collected a
great army, and ravaged1 the dominions
of the Calif. He had a feries of SucceS- Sors,

238 Remarh on jEcclefiaftical Hiftory .-
fbrs, of whom the moft famous was
Abou-Taher, who having defolated the
provinces with an army of an hundred
thoufand men, and robbed the caravans
of the pilgrims % 'took Mecca, murdered
all the pilgrims who were aflembled in
the temple, andcarried away the black
fipne, which was the object of their de
votion, and caufed the pilgrimage to
ceafe for twelve years.
Afterwards thefe Carrnatians, being
enfeebled, kept their religion, concealed,.
and mixed- themfelves with the Maho
metans. In the. year loop, they were
fettled in Perfia ; where Hacen, their
Chief, receiving a threating , meSfage
from the Sultan, commanded one of his
Subjects, in the prefence of the meffen-
ger, to fling himfelf from the top of a
tower, and another to kill himfelf,
which they inftantly performed. Then
Hacen faid to the meffenger, Tell your
mafter that I have Seventy thoufand men
ready to do as much. The Carrnatians,
unknown and defperate, went about and
* A- 929- i
murdered

Remarks off Ecclefiafical.. Hiftory. 2-39.
murdered Several Princes in a treache
rous way. Historians call their Prince
The old man of the mountain,' which is a
literal translation Pf his Arabic name ;
andca>tb.ey commonly made ufe of the:
poinard, they .were called ^Haffijfns,
which we have changed to AJfaJfins.
The Jew, Benjamin of Tudela, Speaks
of them in his Voyages>, which end at
the ^year 1 1 73. HisRelationsare full pf
fables, and grofs Geographical errors,
So that he Is juftly SuSpected of writing.
what he had heard from others concern
ing places which he pretends to have
vifited. This is the time of the firft famous
Rabbins. After the Talmud, which
was completed in the year 500, the Jews
have only a few books written before
1000. From that time, literature be
gan to revive amongft them, and fcrea-r
tifes were comppfedj by Nathan, Aben-
ezra of Spain, Solomon Jarchi of France,
Maimpnides of Corduba, and /David'
Kimhi of Spain b."
k Fleury, xv. 377..
A. 1 175.

240 Remarh # Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
A. 1 175. In a Council at London, it
is decreed in one of the Canons r >
The Eucharifi fhall not be giveri dip
ped, under pretenee of making the Com
munion more" complete.
It was then the more ufual cuftom:
to receive the Eucharift only in one
kind c.
Pope Alexander approved a new Mi-
. Htary Ordet'of St. James in Spain, con
sisting of Clerks and of Knights, the
former obfervers Of celibacy, the latter
married men, whofe wives Were ac
counted lifters oSthe Order. Their bu
finefs was to wage war with- the Sara
cens, &cd.<
A. 1 176. Petrus GbmeSlor published'
his Seholaftlc Hiftory,- a very paltry per
formance, and yet received with- Such'
applaufey that for three' hundred years'
it was accounted a Body of Positive
Theology, and held the Same rank with
e Fleury, xv. 402V
* Ibid. 406.
3- the

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 24*
|he Sentences of Peter Lombard, and
Gratian's Decretals. This might give
rife to a fable believed for a long time,
that thefe three Authors were brethren.
A. 1 179. In a Council of Laterari,
the fourth Canon forbids Archbishop's
and BiShops to erhpOverifh and pillage
the Clergy and the Churche§ by their
exactions at their visitations. It adds 5
If a BiShop Ordairis a Prieft or a Dea
con, without aSSigning him a certain
Title for his "fubfiftence, he Shall main
tain him, till he gives him Some Eccle
fiaftical revenue ; unleSs the Clerk can
fubfift by his own patrimony.
This is the firft Canon that rrientions
,a patrimony, Or an eftate, asferving Sor
an Ecclefiaftical Title.
The twenty third Canoii Says %
WhereSoever there are Lepers nu
merous enough to form a Society, »and
tp have a Church, a Church-yard, and
a Prieft to officiate, this Savour Shall be
granted to them, and they Shall alSo be
Vol. Vi R exempted ]

242 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hift&y.
exempted from paying tithes of th£
fruits of their gardens,' and oS their
cattle. This is likewife &ie firft constitution?
that I have obServed concerning Socie
ties of Lepers K
At' this Council the Pope condemned^
as heretical, this Proposition of Peter
Lombard ;
Jefus Chrift, confidered as man, is not!
dny thing, „ or,, fomething f.
But nonfenfe can hardly be called he*

The Pope at the Same time confek
crated two English Bifhops,, and tWO-
Scots. Of the Scots, one came to Rome
with only one horfe ; the other oh foot,
with only, one companion. There came
alfo an'Irifh Bifhop, who had no other
fcevenuethan the milk of three cows ;¦•
andwhenthe cows ceafed.to yield milk*
his Diocefanfr furniftied him with three
others. ' Fleury, xv. 466*
' Cave, ii. iao*
This

Remarh on fctclefiafiical Hiftory. 243
This Was the Mfas Laltea with fhe
Irifh Prelates : the Alias Aurea was not
yet come.
St. Laurence, who at that time was
"ArchbiShop of Dublin, was a very reli
gious rhan, according to the religion of
thofe days. When he lay on his death
bed, being admonished to make his will,
he replied ; God knoweth that I have
not a Single penny E.
A. 1 1B0. TheEiriperotManuel Com
nenus died, whilft he was occupied
about a Theological controversy,' which
was terminated three months after.
There Was in the Catechifm of the
Greeks an Anathema againft the God
of Mahomet j who neither begetteth
nor is begotten, but is Holofphyros, as if
you fhould fay, folid, or all of a piece ;
for fo the Greeks rendered the Arabic
word Elfemed, which is one of the
names of God, according to the Ma
hometans. The Emperor called his
* Fleury, xv. 474,
R 2 Bifhops

244 R'cmdrh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory^.
BiShops together, arid propofed to Strike"
put this - Anathernay which Scandalized
fuch Mahometans' as were elSe diSpoSed
towards Chriftianity, and could not
bear to make uSe of curfes pronounced
againft God, on any pretence whatso
ever. The Bifhops at firft would not
part with the Anathema, and rejected
the Emperor's- propofal. However, at
length, With much reluctance, they
Confented to leave it out, and inftead of
it to fay, Anatheriia to Mahomet, to
his doctrines, and to his feet h.
A. ,i'i'8 i . The Pope's Legate marched
with a great army againft the Albigen-
fes, whom he called Manichaeans.
Lucius lit. was elected Pope by th«
Cardinals, Who now affumed that right
to themfelves *.
A. 1 182. Philip of France hated the
Jews, and fufpedted them to be guilty
of crucifying Christian children, and of
h .Fietiry,. xv. 487.
» Ibid, 498^ fcthejr

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 245
other crimes ; and thereSore expelled
them Srom his dominions.
** I find not till now, Says Fleury,
accuSations of this kind brought againft
the Jews ; but afterwards they were
-frequent. The Jews affirmed that they
were calumnies. But why fhould the
Chriftians have forged them more at
this time than at any other, if there had
•not been fome foundation for them ?'-'
There feems to be no great weight
in Fleury's why- Many Chriftians of
thofe times would not feruple, to tell
any lies, efpecially where Religion was
concerned. Thus they confidently af
firmed that miracles were wrought at
the tombs of thefe crucified children.
Several heretics, called* Manichasans,
were burnt in Flanders.
The Greeks maSTacred all the Latins
whom they found in Conftantinople,
except about four thoufand, whom they
fold for Slaves tp the Turks. The La-
R 3 tips

24-6 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
tins repaid the Greeks in the fame man?
nerfc. A. 1 185, The Sicilians took TheSfa-
lonica, and committed there all kind of
cruelties, Sacrileges and impieties. The
Archbifhop of that city was very fer-
viceable to his flock in this grievous ca
lamity. He was the learned Eufta-
thius, well known by his Commentary
on Homer, He might have retired be
fore the fiege, but he chofe to flay with
his people, to comfort them ; and after
the city was taken, he often vifited the
Counts who commanded the Sicilian
troops, to foften them and excite them
to compafiion. They Shewed him re-
foect, arofe to receive him, heard him
patiently, and had fome regard to his
entreaties1.' A- 1 1 86.. Some Livpnians veere con
certed, and a Church was founded in,
$heir country.
'?
k Fleury, xv. 506.
3 Ibid, 540, Cave, ii. 240.
The,

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. z$,f
The Templars, by their perfidies^
perjuries, and ravages, provoked Saladin,
who on that account waged war with
the Chriftians, beat them at the battle
of Tiberias, flew all the Templars that
fell into his hands, took Jerufalem, and
treated its inhabitants with much gene-
rofity and humanity. Thus Jerufalem
fell into the hands of the Mahometans,
after having been in thofe of the Latin
.Chriftians eighty eight years. And now
jthe Latins had only Antioch, Tyre, and
Tripoly left in their poffeflion m.
A. 1 1 88. A Croifade was undertaken,
and the Pope's Legate went, as a fort
oS Generaliffimo.
There was a maffacre of the Jews in,
England, recorded by our Historians.
A. 1 19 1. Ceieftin III. being made
Pope, was Seated in the Stone. Chair f
which waseven then called Stercararia,
becaufe it had a hole in the Seat,reSem-
fcljng a CloSe-ftool. But the hole is,
?*" Fleury, xv. $£2,
ft 4 foall,

'248 Remarks on Eeclefiafiical Hiftory.
fmall, and Antiquaries are of opinion
jhat it had been a chair ufed in Some
jbath, with an ppening to let the water
drain off.
This madeftPope crpwned the Empe
ror Henry VI. and holding the imperial
crown firft between his feet, he kicked it
to the floor, to Shew that he had power to
depofe as jvell as tp make Emperors n.
" In the cloifter of St. John of Late-
ran, there are three chairs, one of white
marble, and two of porphyry. The two
latter are pierced, the firft is not. They
were called Stercoraria, and they ufed
to make the' new Popes fit down in
them, to fulfill the words of Scripture;
Sufcitat de pulvere ege'num, et defercore.
erigit pauperem. , Mabillon thinks that
they had at firft beep ufed in baths, and
that the beauty of the marble caufed
them to be employed in this ceremony,
and that being inthe Porch pf St. John.
pf Lateran, they were called Stercdra-
r'ue, on account of the obScure and neg
lected place where they flood, and alfo,
P Fleury, xv. 6oq, ¦

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 249
by way pf allufion to the words of the
Pfalm which the Pope ufed to chant
when he fat upon them. Others took
jthem to be Clofe-ftools, and on that
account fit for the Pope to fit upon,
when he faid de flercore, &c. It is not
known when this religious ufe of thern,
commenced. No author hath fpoken
of it before the twelfth century, that is,
according to Mabillon, an hundred years
before mention was made of the ftory
of Pope Joan, pf which he SuppoSes
Martinus Polonus to have beep the firft
relater. After which, it being re
ported that' they uSed theSe chairs, to
examine the Sex of the new made Pope,
the ceremony became fo infamous that
\t was abolifhedV'
« There Was a ftatute of Joan,
whilft the ftory about her was believed,
#nd it flood amongft thofe of the Popes
in a Church of Siena. But, under the
Pontificate of Clemens VIII, they al-
tered the features of her face into thoSe
pf a man, and put underneath it the
» Jfabillon, BiW. Univ. vii. 1 50.
name

250 Remarh on 'Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
name of Zacharias, thus transforming
a Popefs into a Pope ?. "
Acre was taken by the Croifez ; and
the Order pS Teutonic Knights was
.eftablifhed'. A. 1 1,98. " Since the twelfth cen
tury, the Greeks funk in ignorance,
took it into their heads to eraSe the
Writings of old parchment manuScripts,
and to write Ecclefiaftical treatiSes in
thern; and thus, to the unSpeakable
detriment of the Republic of Letters,
fuch authors as Polybius, Dio, Dio-
dorus Siculus, and fome others who
are quite loft, were metamorphpfed into
Prayer-books and Horpiliesf ASter an
exact Search, I can affirm that of the
Books written on parchment fince that
century, I have Sound the greater num7
her to be Such as had the firft writing
upon them Scratched out. But as all
theSe Copyfts were not equally dextrous
in effacing and cleaning theSe manu-
-lipripts, I have Seen Some in which a,
P Bibl. Univ. vii. 160.
* Fleury, xv. 692. part

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical ffifory . 251
part at leaft of the former writing migt#
be read r ".
Celeflin HI died, and Innocent -HI.
was chofen in his room, being only
thirty feven years of age : and here
end the Annals of Baronius.
Some heretics, called Manichasans,
and alfo the Valdenfes, were perfecur
ted in France.
The.Order of the Holy Trinity, or of
the Trinitarians, for the redemption of
captives, was instituted, and was con
firmed by the Pope s.
The An/fales Ordinis SS. Trinitaiisf
written by a Francifean, abound with
.wonderful wonders wrought in fupport
pf the Order.
Thefe were happy times, when mi
racles cpft nothing befides the eaS^
labour of inventing them. Were the
Monks and Nuns destitute of food?
They fat down to table, ^nd Angels in
the form of pretty girls brpught, them
* Montfauco'p, Mem de VAcad. ix. 32;.
« Fleury, xiy. 16. Mblheiin, p.5ipBibj,Univ.ii..r.
4 difhes

252 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. -
difhes of favoury meat. Did they
want to go a voyage by fea? Ships
were at hand, which Spontaneoufly
carried them to the dpfired harbour.
Were they travelling by land, apd did
they want to fit down and reft them
felves ? Rocks were inftaptly rurried
jnto Soft elbow-chairs. Was i,t time
to fay Mafs ? The bells tolled pf their
own accord, &c.
There was at Paris a Feaft obferved
in the Cathedral, on the firft of January,
called The Fefival of Fools, in which
all forts of abfurdities and indecencies
were committed. This holy-day was
put down, or rather, was SuSpended
only for a time ; for it lafted ftill twq
hundred and forty years after.
The infolent Pope Innocent III, in
a moft faucy and impertinent letter,
threatened tp excommunicate the Em
peror of Conftantinople and all the
Greek Church, if they would not fub
mit to his fupreme authority temporal.
arjd fpiritual. What a blockhead was he,

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory . 25^
he, to think that his excommunications
would terjify the, Greeks, already alie
nated from the Latins, and from the
Popes !
* He fhewed favour to the Jews, for-
hidding to compel them to receive bap
tifm, and to take their goods by vio
lence, to difturb them in the celebra
tion of their feftivals, to exact from
them new fervices, to deprive them of
their burying-grounds, or to dig up
their bodies '.
Mofheim a hath given a full and juft
account of the tyranny, usurpation,
and wickednefs of the Popes and their
Legates in this century. The Princes
.endeavoured to reftrain fome of thefe
encroachments, and Louis IX, called
.Saint Louis, fecured, as far as the
times would permit the privileges of
the Gallican Church, by the Prag
matic Sanction.

Fleury, xvi. i6j
' P. 506,

jA. 1IQ#

254 &erndrks 6h Ecclefaftical Hiftory V
A. 1*99. Some heretics were hang
ed, forne beheaded, and Some burnt
in Italy \
In this- century, in Germany, per
fons even of the higheft rank, if they
had behaved unfaithfully to the Em
peror, were condemned, according to
an old cuftorrij to carry a dog about
upon their Shoulders ; that this animal,
who is a Symbol of fidelity, might
trpbf aid them for the want of it y.
" So many things concurred to dif
grace and corrupt religiori, that it is
matter of wonder to find even the flen-
defefr. traces of it rernainihg. The Ro*
ma!rr Pontiffs wouid Suffer nothing to
he taught Which Ppp6fed their info-
lefit government, arid required "that
religion mould be modelled in fuch a
forth and manner, as to be fubfervierit
So that plan which their* predeceffors
had contrived. WhoSbever would not
comply with their will, and preSumed
* Flevhy, xvi. 56.
* Sjteuer, Hift. Germ%
to

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 255
topreSer the hbly Scriptures to their de
crees, was immediately cut off by fire
or Sword. Then' the Priefts arid Monks
perceiving that it was their ihtereft to
keep the people in profound igno'rahee,
amu'fed them With frivolous and pom
pous ceremonies, and ma'de piety tor
confift in filly rites, bodily macerations,
arid a profound verieration for the Sa
cred Order. The Scholaftic Doctors
corifidered the dictates of the Ancients,
dreffea1 up in a Logical forfn, as the
orily Sacred Truths, arid iriftead of
expiainirig the word of God, divided
arid Subdivided religiori into incohe
rent Scraps. In oppofition to them,
the Myftics, excluding human liberty,
afcribed all pious diSpofitions to a divine
impulfe, and inftead of fetting bdurids
to ReaSon, abfolutely discarded it.
Hence an incredible fuperftition and
ignorance Supplied the place oS religion
amongft the people. \ They put their
truft, not in prayers to God, and in the
rnerits arid interceffion of Chrifi1, but
in Reliques, for the moft part fictitious, and

25$ Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hifiorjf*
and at the heft, uncertain. Whofoevef
could build a Church at his own ex-
pence* or largely contribute to repair
and adorn it, was accounted an happy
creature, and high in the, favour of
Gpd, He who through poverty could
not perform Such exploits**, Submitted'
to the functions of a beaft of burden",
in carrying flones, and drawing a cart*
for the ufe of a facred edifice, arid ex-
petted eternal life as a reward for thefe
voluntary labours. Religious invoca
tion was much iriore directed to the
Saints and to the CoUrt of heaven than
to God or to our Saviour ; and in thofe
days no curious queflions were fiarted^
as they were in later times* in whait
manner the Saints above Could be fup-
pofed to hear and regard the Supplica
tions of men upon earth ; for before
the Scholastics had begun their fob tie
fpeculatib'ns tipoti this Subject, it had
been an old opinion, Which the Chrif-
tiaris borrowed from the Pagans, that
celeftial Spirits defce'nded frpm their
iriarifious* arid delighted to be in the
place's

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 257
places Which they had frequented when
they, dwelt here. , If any Knave or
Lunatic, male or female, boafted of
divine revelations, they were received as
the oracles of God ; as it appears from
the examples of two celebrated German
Prophetefles, St. Hildegardis, and St.
Elizabeth. The Rulers of the Church took a
mean advantage of the bigotry and
Stupidity of the people, to fqueeze mo
ney out of them, and to enrich them
felves ; and every Religious Order. had
tricks of its own to carry on this pilla
ging trade. • The Bifhops, whenever
they wanted large Sums, either Sor
pious, or for Wicked ufes, gave finners
leave to purd^afe at certain rates a re-
miffioh pf the punifhment which they
had incurred;, that is, they granted
Indulgences : and it is well known
what great undertakings were accom-
plifhed in thefe ages by the profits
arifing from the Indulgences. The
Abbots and the Monks, to whom it
was not permitted to exercife this pri-
Vol. V. S vilege,

258 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory*
vilege, found out another device to get
wealth. They ufed to carry about in
fblemn proceffions the carcafes and re
liques of the Saints from place to place;
and whofoever wanted to fee, or to
handle, or to kifs thefe Rarities, was
obliged to purchafe this honour and fe
licity by an handSome prefent. As
large a profit was fometimes made by
this craft, as even by Epifcopal Indul
gences. The Roman Pontiffs, perceiving how
lucrative the grant of Indulgences was
to the inferior Prelates, projected to
reftrain this Epifcopal privilege with
in narrower bounds, and to take the
trade into their own hands. They
therefore granted not only common
and public Indulgences, but perfect,
abfolute, and plenary remiffion of all
temporal and finite pains and penalties,
as often as the neceffities of the
Church, or their own intereft required;
nor did they only remit thofe penances
and corrections which the Laws divine
and human inflicted, but alfo thofe
which

Remarks on Ecclefiafical' Hiftory. 2$g
which were to be undergone in the in-
terniediate ftate of Purgatory ; Which
Was more than the Bifhops had prefu-
med to do. At firft they exercifed
this prerogative Sparingly, and only for
the carrying on the holy Wars s but
afterwards they granted fuch favours
profufely, on various and leffer occa
sions, and for the fake of lucre. By
the introduction of this hew right, the
artCient Canonical and Ecclefiaftical
Penitence fell tp nothing ; and the Pe
nitential Canons and Directories being
laid afide, an unbounded licence of fin
ning was allowed. Arid that the Papal
rifurpations might hot Want a proper
fupport, a doctrine Unheard of before was
invented in this age, wvhich in the fol
lowing centUry was polifhed arid per
fected by Thomas Aquinas ; namely,
that there is an immenfe and inex
haustible treafure of works of Superero
gation performed by the Saints i that
the guardiari and difpenfer of this trea
fure is the Roman Pontiff; that out of
this plenteous flock, he can transfer
S 2 and

26,0 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
and aSSign to every man fuch a portion
as his Spiritual wants may require, and
as fhall Suffice to Secure him from the
punifhment due to his offences. It is
a deplorable thing that a device, fo
mean, fo fordid, fo infamous, and fo
noxious, fhould ftill be retained and
defended; The principal Profeflors of Theology
dwelt at Paris, but divided into dif
ferent Sects, The firft fort were
the Theologi Veteres, who adhered to
the old Divinity, and eftablifhed Sa
cred doctrines on paffages of the Scrip
tures, teflimonies of the Fathers, and
Decrees of Councils, and rarely added
any thing of human Wifdom or Science,
Such were Bernard and others. There
was not a wide difference between
thefe Doctors and thoSe who were aSter-"
Wards called Pofitivi and Sententiarii : Sor
the latter Supported their Theological
tenets principally by the teftimony of.
the Scriptures, and of the ancient
Doctors ; but yet they had recourfe alfoi
to reaSoning and to philoSophy, espe
cially;

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 26 1
K daily when difficulties were to be re
moved, and adversaries were to be con
futed ; and herein fome were more
cautious and moderate than others.
The moft eminent oS theSe was Petrus
Lombardus, whoSe Sour Books of Sen-
tcnces, which were made public A.
1 162, Suddenly acquired Such authori
ty, that the Doctors took them as a
Text, to be explained by their. com
ments. At the Same time another and
a Sar bolder Sect of Teachers arofe, who
prefumed to interpret the facred doc
trines by Logical terms and diftindtions,
and to reduce them to the rules of the
Dialectic Art. The author of this me
thod of teaching Divinity, 'which was af
terwards called Scholqftic, becaufe it
was generally adopted in the Schools,
was Peter Abelard, a man of a moft
fubtle genius ; and great multitudes in
France, in England, and in Italy, in
cited by his example, and defirous of
acquiring the fame honour, became his
followers and imitators. By thefe
ftudies the mild and peaceable religion
S3 of

262 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory^
of Chrift was fuddenly turned into the
Art of quibbling and wrangling. For
thefe men illustrated and explained no
thing, but obfcured the cleared truths
by distinctions and by fubdivifions into
Scraps and fragments ; wearied them
felves and others with frivolous and ab-
ftruSe queflions ; disputed both for and
againft the moft important points ; and
becaufe Logical terms were not to be
found applicable to all parts of Religion7;,
they had recourfe to new ones, and
ran into the moft intricate and perplex?
ing trifles3. "

JDijCQurfe on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
by Fleury.
They who have perufed with any
attention my foregoing Volumes, have
doubtleSs obferved a wide difference
between the Difcipline of the firft tea
Centuries, and pf thofe which followed.
It was indeed much enfeebled inthe tenth
Century, but that was owing to igno
rance, of to fuch tranfgreflions as flood
* Moflieiirt, pi 469, CPIYr

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 263
condemned at the firft view. Still it
was acknowledged that the Canons and
the ancient Tradition were to be fol
lowed. It is only fince the twelfth
century that they began to build upon
new foundations, and to follow maxims
unknown to Antiquity. But even then
they thought to follow it, whilft they
were departing from it. The evil came
from an error in fact, from taking that
to be ancient which was novel ; for in
general it hath been always taught in
the Church that it was neceffary to ad
here to the tradition of the firft ages,
for difcipline as well as for doctrine. I
have already fpoken of the falfe Decre
tals afcribed to the Popes of the three
firft ages, which are found in the Col
lection of Ifidorus, and which made
their appearance at the end of the eighth
century, and \ have mentioned the
proofs which demonstrate them to be
Spurious. Here is the Source of all the
evil : an ignorance of Hiftory and Criti-
cifm caufed thefe Decretals to be re
ceived, and the new maxims contained.
S 4 in

264 Remarh on EcclefiafticalHiftory.
in them to be Emitted as the doctrine
of the pureft .Antiquity. AVPrefbyter
of Copftance, WriP; wrote towards the
end of the eleventh century, fays,
on the authority of thefe Decretals,
fpa.t according to the difcipline of the
Apoftles and their Succeffors, Bifhops
ought never or very rarely to be ac
cufed ; and yet acknowledges that this
difcipline agrees not with the Nicene
Council ; and owning likewife that, this
Council forbad the translations of Bifh
ops, he, opp'ofeth to it the authority of
the Popes Euariftus, Calliftus, and
<Anteros, more ancient than that Coun-
.cil, who permitted fuch translations.
After the Roman Church had groan
ed ^an- hundred and fifty years together
under many worthleSs Popes who pro
faned the holy See, God took pity on
this ^primary Church, and gave her
Leo IX, whoSe virtues have placed him
among the Saints, and who had for
Suce'efibrs in the reft of the eleventh
¦Ceiitury, and in the twelfth, Several
Popes virtuous, and zealous for the re
establish*

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 265
establishment of difcipline, as Gregory
VII, Urban II, Pafeal II, Eugenius
III, and Alexander III. But the moft
upright intentions deftitu'te of know
ledge produce great faults; and the
fafter one runs in the dark, the more
Srequent and dangerous are the Sails.
TheSe great Popes, finding the autho
rity of the Decretals fo eftabliShed that
none ever thought to conteft them,
imagined themSelves obliged in coil-
Science to Support the maxims therein
contained as the pure discipline of the
Apoftolical times, and of the" golden
age of Christianity. But they did not
difcern that they contained many max
ims directly contrary to thoSe oS vene
rable Antiquity.
In theSe SalSe Decretajls it is declared
unlawful to hold a Council without
the order, or at leaft the permiffion of
the Pope. Have you feen any thing
like this in the Hiftory, I fay not of
the three firft ages of Christianity, but
down to the ninth ? I know that the
authority of Popes was always neceffa-

2 66 Remarh on EcclefiafiicalHifiory,
ty for General Councils'; and thus is to
be underftood the faying of the Hifio
rian Socrates, that there is a Canon
forbidding the Churches to make any
rule without the cpnfent of the Bifhpp
qf Rome ; and the remark of Sozomen,
that the care of all the Churches belongs
to him, on account of the dignity of
his See, But as to Provincial and Or
dinary Councils, the Roman Correctors
pf Gratian's Decree have acknowledged
that the authority of the Pope is not
neceflary. In fact, is there the leaft
trace of a permiffion or conSent of the
Pope in all the Councils mentioned
by Tertulliap, Cyprian, and Eufebius,
either as to the celebration of Eafter,
or the re-admiffion of Penitents, or the
baptifm of Heretics ? Was any mention
made of the Pope in the three Great
Councils of Alexandria, which were
convened on the affair of Arius, before
the Nicene Council ? Was there any
mention of him in the Council of
Conftantinople called by the Emperor
Theodofius in 381 ? And yet Pope
Damafus

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 267
TJamafus and all the Weft confented
to its decifions ; infomuch that it is
counted the Second Oecumenic Council.
Not to mention So many national Coun
cils held in France, principally under
the Kings of the Second race, and in
Spain under the Gothic Kings, When
the Nicene Fathers ordered that two
Councils Should be held annually in each
Province, did they SuppoSe that a meS-
fage was to be Sent to Rome to afk
leave ? How could Such application be
perpetually made from the extremities
of Afia and pf Africa? The holding
pf Provincial Councils was counted
amongft the ordinary practices of Re
ligion, juft as the celebration of the
Eucharift op Sundays. It was only the
violence of perfecutions which interr
rupted the caurSe of it ; and as Soon as
the Bifhops Sound themfelves at liberty,
they returned tp it, as tp the moft effi
cacious way of keeping up proper difci
pline. Yet in confequence of this new^
m^xim, fcarcely were any Councils
jjgld after the twelfth Century, iit
which

268 Remarh, on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
fwhich the Legates of the Pppe did not
prefide ; and then the cuftom of calling
thenr together infenfihly declined and
was dropped.
' In' the" Decretals it is Said that the
Bifhops can be judged definitively by the
Pope alone; and this maxim is fre
quently repeated. You have met with
an hundred inftances- to the contrary.
To mention only the more remarkable,
-Paul oS SamoSata, Bifhop of Antioch,
the firft fee of St. Peter, arid the third
city of the Roman Erhpire, was judged
and depofed by the Bifhops oS the Eaft
and pf the neighbouring Provinces,
without the participation of the Pope,
to whom they thought if fufficient to
notify the thing after it was done, as it
appears from their Synodical Letter ;
and the Pope made no cbmplaint abPut
it. Nothing is more frequent in the
firft nine ages than acCufations and de-
pofitions of Bifhops ; but this was per--
formed in Provincial Councils, the ufiial
tribunals in all caufes Ecclefiaftical.
He' muft be totally ighoraht of the
Hiftory

Remarh en Ecelefaftkal Hiftory. 26$
Hiftory of the Church, Who can ima
gine that no Bifhop at any time, or in
any place, could be judged, without
fending him to Rome, or obtaining
a commiffion from the Pope.
And indeed, without conSulting facts,
a fmall degree of common fenfe will
Shew that the thing was impracticable.
As early as in the fourth Century, there
was a prodigious number of Churches
in Greece, in Afia, • in Syria^ in iEgypt,
and in Afric, befides thofe in the Wef
tern world.. Moft of the BiShops were
poor, and incapable of taking long jour?
neys ; and the Emperors ufed to ^defray
their charges, when they came to Ge
neral Councils. How was it poffible tq
bring them up to Rome,. and not them
only, but their accufers, and the wit-
neffes, men ufually Still poorer than
they? Yet this is what the Author of
the Decretals :was obliged to fupppfe;
and the abfurdity pSit appeared evident
ly when the; Popes attempted to put it
in practice. Gregory VII, Sor exam
ple, believing himSelf the fole compe-
3 tent

£7® Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifiorji.
tent judge over all the BiShops, ufed
daily tofummon them from the remo-1-
teft parts p|" Germany* France, or
England. They were obliged to quit
their Churches for years together, to
travel to Rome at vaft expence, to go
and defend ffiebifelves againft accufers
who often failed to appeal. Delay§
after delays were Obtained ; the Pop*
gave Commiffions for receiving infor-
inatidris atthfc place ifcfelf ; and thus*
after many voyages, and a tedious prd-
cefs, heptonoiineed a defihitive fentdrice,
againft which appeals were made under
the next Pontificate. Often the cited
Bifhop did not come to Rome, either
on account of ficknefs, or of poverty,
er of fome other impediment, or be
caufe he knew himSelf to be guilty.
And if the Pope depofed hirri, arid ap
pointed another in his place, he defend
ed himfelf fword in hand. Of this you
have feen examples ; and fuch are th$
inconveniences of attempting what ne
ver was and never can be practicable. True

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, zfi
True it is that on a few extraordina
ry occafions of a manifeft oppreffion
and a crying iniquity, the Bifhops
condemned by their Councils might
have recourfe to the Pope, as to the
Superior over all Bifhops, and the Con
fer vator of the Canons ; and fuch is the
appointment of the Council of Sardica.
But then it requires that the Pope,
whether he appoints a Legate or no,
fhall have the caufe judged at the place
itfelf, fince it is eafy to impofe upon a
remote Judge. On this St. Cyprian
infifts, fpeaking of Bafilides, a Spanifh
Bifhop, who, being depofed in his own
Province, had, by difguifing the truth
obtained from Pope Stephen Letters
commanding that he fhould be reftored,
to which the African Council paid no
regard at all. And fome years before
this, the fame Cyprian writing to
Pope Cornelius concerning Fortunatus
the Schifmatic, ufeth thefe remarkable
words ;
" It is a fettled rule amongft us, that
every offender be examined in the place
where

272 Reindrks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
where the offence was committed. It
is not fit that they who are Subject to
our jurisdiction fhould run about here
and there, to Sow diffenfiort amongft,
the Bifhops. Let them plead the cauSe
where apcuSers and witneffes are to be
had." Thus he Speaks to the Pope himSelf,
to whom Fortunatus had carried his
complaints. ASter all, this recourfe to
the Pope permitted by the Council of
Sardica related principally to extraordi
nary affairs, and to the Bi,fhops oS the
moft eminent Sees, Such as Athanafius,
ChrySoftom, apd Flavian of Constanti
nople, ; who had no other Superior to
whom they could appeal.
The Decretals have alfo aferibed to:
the Pope alone the power of tranflating
BiShops from one See to another. Yet
the Council of Sardica and other Coun
cils, which have moft ftrictly forbidden
all translations, have made no excep
tions in favour of the Pope; and when
in a few iriftances a translation was al
lowed, f°r the manifeft fervice oS' the
Church,

RemdPh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 1 73
Church, it was done by the authority
of the Metropolitan arid the Council of
the Province. So far was the Pope
fforrt authorizing translations, that the
Church of Rome was a moft exact ob
server Of the Canons which prohibited
it. For nine hundred years we find 11O
BiShop tranflated to the See of Rome.
Forrrfofus was the firft ; and this was
made one of the pretexts for digging up
his body after his death. But fince the
Decretals obtained force, translations
Were frequent in the Weft* where they
had before been unknown* and the Popes
orily Condemned them when they were
praefifed without their authority; as it
appears from the Letters of Innocent
ill. Tfie fame may be obferved concern
ing the erection of new Sees. According
to the Decretals, this belongs to the
Pope alone; but according to the an
cient Discipline it belonged to the Coun*'
cil of the Province, and there is an ex-
prefs Canon for it in the African Coun-
cils. And certainly* to ccnfider only
Vou V. T the

274,, Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory*
the advancement of religion and the
public utility, it was far more reafon-
able to refer it to the BiShops of the
country, to judge what cities Stood in
need of new BiShopricks, and to ehufe
proper perSons to fill them, than to refer
it to a Pope refiding fo far off, and fo"
incapable of forming a right judgment. ,
Iri vain are his Commiflaries appointed
to inquire into thefe things : fuch pro
cedures are riot to be compared with
ocular inspection and experimental:
knowledge. Accordingly, when St.
Auguftin erected a new See in his own
country, he fent not to Rome about it,
he only confulted the Primate Of Nu-
midia ; and if the Pope Was acquainted
with it, it was only on occafion of the
perfonal faults of Antony the appointed
BiShop; and he made no complaint that
the See had been erected without his
participation'. St. Remigius had not re
courfe to the Pope, when he erected the
BiShoprickofLaon: he did it, fays Hinc
mar, by the authority of the African
Council, that is, of the Canon which we
have'

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. ifg
have mentioned. And the reafon is, that!
the Decretals which inveft the Pope
with this privilege were riot as yet fa-
bricated. As to the confblidation or Suppreffion
of Bifhopricks, I fee no other grounds
to attribute them to the Pope alone,
except fome procedures pf St. Gregory
reported by Gratian. But Gratian did
not difcern that Gregory acted thus
only in the Southern parts of Italy, of
which Rome was the Metropolis* or in
Sicily, and . other iflands, which de
pended particularly on the holy See.
In the firft ages* Metropolitan cities
were few^ in proportion to the number
of BiShopricks, that the Councils might
confift of the more members ; for the
principal function of the Metropolitans
waste prefide in them. But after the
Popes poSfefled the power of apppiritirig
them, they created a great number*
chiefly in Italy,- without any occafion
for it, and purely to Shew honour to
certain cities.. The Nicene Council,
which doubtlefs had a right to grant
T 2 new

276 Remarks on Eccjefaftical Hiftory,.
pew prerogatives of ^iis kind* Says fira*
ply that the privileges of Churches- fria^I
be preferved to them, according to an
cient cuftom ; which Shews that jb.£
diftinction of Metropolitan and Patri
archal Churches was already fettled by
long pofleffion. The Popes firice the
eleventh century have not only made
Metropolitans, but Patriarchs, and Pri
mates, all upon the authority of the
Decretals ; namely, of the firft Letter
attributed to St. Clemens, and of the
Second and third of Pope Anaclet,
wherein it is faid that the Apoftles and
their Succeflbrs eftabliShed Patriarchs
and Primates in thofp cities, where the
temporal Government had placed the.
principal Magistrates, and Where the
Pagans h^d their Archif amines, a bar
barous word, which is to be Sound only
in the Decretals. You have Seen that
in the firft ages even the title of Arch-
bhliop was unknown : they were called
only Bifhops of Rome and of Alexaiir-
dria, a3 well as of the frpalleft city;
and the Bifhops in their letters treated each

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 277
each ofhe'r as brethren, with a perfect
equality, as it appears from the Inscrip
tions of the Letters of Cyprian. As
charity declined, titles and ceremonies
iricreafed. The Bifhop of Alexandria, as
it is fuppofed, was the firft who took
the riarhe. of Archbifhop; the Bifhop of
Antioch that of Patriarch; and' the
name of Primate was peculiar to Afric.
O ' ' ' ' i*'
But this was more than the Forger of
me Decretals knew ; and he hath not
mentioned the title of Exarch, fo fa
mous iri Afia.
Yet it was upon the credit of this
Author that Gregory VII. eftabliShed,
Of rather confirmed the Primacy of
Lyon, fince iri his Bull he cites the
words of the Decretal of Anaclet. On
the fame foundation other Popes have
preforried to erect fo many Primacies in
France, hi Spain, and elfewhere ; fup-
pofing them to have been ancient, by
an error in fact. Thefe new establish
ments being contrary to ancient poSfef-
fions have produced moft violent con
tests. You have Seen with what vigour
T 3 the

278 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
fhe French Prelates rejected the Pri
macy wliich John VIII. gave to the
ArclibiShop or Sens; you have Seep
how they afterwards' pppofec^ that of
Lyon, which long pofleSIion hath at
laft eftabliShed ; and how the BiShops
of Spain oppofed that of Toledo, and of
Brague^ which have never been well
authorized. We rriuft not then imagine
jthat a Bull given without knowledge of
the caufe, like that of Calliftus II. for
the Primacy of Vien'ne, jufucemto
overfet at once the ancient ftate of
Churches, in defiance to the parties
concerned. One of the deepeft', wounds that the.
Decretals gave, to Ecclefiaftical Difcip
line, was theboundleSs extending oSthe
appeal's to the Pope. Jt appears that
the Forger had this article greatly at
heart, by the care that he hath taken
to Spread quite through hi? work the,
maxim that not only, every Bifhop, but:
every Prieft, .and in general every per
fon who finds himfelf aggrieved,, may
Vpon every occafidn appeal directly "tp
the

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory . 279
the Pope. He intrpduceth no lefs than
nine Popes confirming this doctrine,
Anaclet, Sixtus I. and II. Fabian, Cor
nelius, Victor, Zephyrinus, Marcellu.s,
and Julius. Yet St. Cyprian, who lived
in the time of Fabian, and Cornelius,
riot only oppofed fuch appeals, but gave
folid reaSons for his oppofition ; and in
the time of St. Auguftin, the African
Church did not as yet permit them, as
it appears froni a Letter of a b Council
to Pope Caeleflinus. Laftly, until the
ninth century, we find few examples
of thefe appeals, by virtue of the Coun
cil of Sardica, unlefs, as I faid before,
by Some Bifhops of eminent Sees, who
had no other Superior than the Pope. . .
But after the Decretals got into
vogue, appeals were perpetual through
out the'Latin Church. Hincmar, -better
Skilled than others in the knowledge of
the ancient difcipline, vigorously op
pofed this innovation maintaining that
the remedy ought, at the fartheft, to be
granted only to Bifhops, and not to
> A. 426. T 4 Priefts,

280 Remarh an Ecclefiaftical Hiftory^
Priefts. You have Seen afterwards the
(Complaints of Ivp and pf St. Bernard
againft this abufe, which in $heir, days,
was got to the heiglith. They fhewed
that the liberty of appealing tp th,ePope,
ip all friatters, entirely enervated the ol.4
difcipline ; that wicked Priefts and
other refradtpry Sinners had by it a Sure
Way tp elude, or at leaft tp delay cpr-
reclion ; that the Pope was pften ill-
informed, and obliged to: refract the
judgments which, he had raffily pro
nounced ; laftly, that the Prelates wea-
r ied put with the length, of vexatious
procedures, t;he expence and the fatigue
pf voyages, apd many other difficul
ties, defppnded and connived at disor
ders which they could pot rectify. Even
%he Popes found themfelves at laft- in
commoded by this liberty of appealing
to, them, which often retarded the exe
cution of jthejr pwn orders ; and jthencq-
arofe the clauSe, Notwithfanding allap-
Pftqls; which became the Style pf their
Bulls. If St. Bernard exerted himfelf
with fuch vigoyr againft this -abufe, whilst

Remark \ m$eflefi<iflical Hiftory, 2? i
jwhilft he yet fuppofed that the doctrine
pf Appeals muft be admitted, what
>Vould he Jhaye Said, if he had known
that it was a rnere innovation founded
wppn forged records? How much more
Strongly 'would hp have inveighed
againft that multiplicity of affairs with
which the Pppes were encumbered and
OpprefledJ He knew that, according tp
the Evangelical maxims, a Bifhop and!
a fuceeffQr of the Apoftles. pught to be
difengaged from things temporal, tp
attend to prayer and to the inflmctioti'
of his flock. But the tyranny of Cuftorn
reftrained him, and for want of a know*
|edge pf Antiquity, and of the fleps by
which the Popes had been Jed into this
jjufy fituation, he did not dare to fpeak
put roundly, and advife Eugenius to re
turn tp the firpplicify of the firft ages.
And yet the description which Bernard1
hath given us of the Court of Rome
' fhew§ how this imaginary right, found
ed on the Decretals, had hurt the holy
See, under the pretence of extending
jfs jurisdiction. For he reprefents the
Confiftory

282 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
GonftftOry of the Cardinals as a Parlia
ment, and a fovereign tribunal, occu
pied in judging caufes from riiorningto
night, and the Pope, who prefided, as
fo encumbered with affairs, that he had
fcar.cely breathing-time; The Court was
full of Sohcitors, Pleaders, Counfel-
Iprs, felf- interested* paffionate, difinge*
nuous men, feeking only to over-reach
their antagonifts, and to grow rich by
fleecing others. The fame idea is Sug-
gefted to us by the hiftory of the Popes
of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries*
and by their Letters, particularly thofe
of Innocent III. which contain an afto-
nifhing detail of the affairs of 'all Chris
tendom. Thefe letters alone muft have
been an immenfe occupation ; for though1
the Pope might not have been the
compofer of them himfelf, he muft
have had an account of their contents
laid before him, and have taken Cogni
zance at leaft of the more important
caufes. And how Shall a Pope fo oc-?
cupied find time .for prayer, for Study
ing the Scriptures,, for preaching, for

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 283
other efleptial duties of Epifcopacy ? \
fpeak not now of the cares refulting
from his own dominions, as he was a
temporal Prince ; I Shall confider them
hereafter. I fee plainly that by thus extending
jthe authority of the Pope, they thought
to. procure him fignaf advantages, and
make his Primacy more important.
They muft then have been abfolute
Strangers to Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, or
they muft. have fuppofed that the moft
eminent Popes, as St. Leo and St.
Gregory, neglected their rights, and
Suffered their dignity to be debafed : for
it is a matter pf fact that they never ex-
ercifed the authority fet forth in the
Decretals. Let us enter a little farther
into this fubjedt. Thefe Popes, had
they not good reafbn for acting as they
did ? Had they not fublimer thoughts,
and a more perfect knowledge of reli
gion, than Gregory VII, and Innocent
III ? Vulgar minds feek only their own
intereft: philosophical minds, extend
ing their views much farther, difcern by

%%4 Remarh $h Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
by th^ mere light of Nature arid Rea-
fon, that in every fociety the intereft
of individuals i and even of the Ruiprs,
ought to yield to the ifite'reft of the
Community. Surely it is unlawful to
imagine that Jefus Chrift fhould efta-
blifh his Church upon maxims lefs pure*
and noble thari thofe of Pagan Philofow
phers : and indeed to thofe who faith
fully govern his flock he hath promifed
no temporal emoluments* but only ah
eternal reward proportionable to theif
charity. Let us then frankly acknow
ledge that the Popes^ of the five or fix*
firft ages had reafom to confider the uti
lity of the Catholic Church preferably
to any apparent advantage to their own>
perfons, pr to their own See. Let us
own that the intcreft of the Church
required that all affairs fhould be judged
upon the Spot by thofe who could
fettle them With more knowledge and
facility ; that the' Rifhops,< and parti
cularly their Head, fhould be diverted
as little as poffible from' their Spiritual
and effentiai functions; and that each of

Remar&s on Eeclefiafiical Hiftory. 285
of them fhould remain fettled in the
Church where God's providence had
placed him, ever applying himfelf to
inftruct and fandtify his people. To
theSjb Solid bleffings can any one pretend
to compare the melancholy advantage.
of making a Pope formidable all
the world over, and of attacting tQ
Rome a croud of Bifhops and Clergy
men from every quarter,, fomp through,
the fear of cenfures, others, by the-
hope of favours.
I am fenfible that this refort of Pre
lates,, and pf other Strangers, whora
various intjerefts drew tp Rome, brought
thither great riches, andthatthe peoplfe,
pf that city grew fat at the expence of
the reft of the world ; but I arn afbamed:
to mention a profit, of this. kind, where
Chriftianify is concerned. Was the
Pope eftabliShed at Rome to enrich it,
or to fandtify it 1 and St. Gregory,, did.
he not perform the office of a_ common
Parent, when he poured out fo; liberal
ly, by his alms extended through all
the provinces,, the^mmenfe revenues of
7 the

286 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical r Hiftory.
the Roman Church? But the Popes
Who enriched Rome did not fandtify
Rome ; they feerned to have even def-
paired of the poffibility of it, according
to the hideous portrait which St. Ber
nard draws of the Romans of his tihie.
Yet it was, the firft duty of the Pope,
as of their Bifhop, to labour their con-
verfion, and he was much more, obliged
to this, than to fit in judghient upon So
many foreign caufes.
Gratian'sc Decree gave the finishing"
ftroke to eftabliSh the authority of the
Decretals, which are cited and difper-
fed throughout his book. For more
than three Centuries no other Canons
were known than thofe contained
in this Compilation, and no pther
were followed in the Schools, and
in the Tribunals. Gratian had gone
even beyond the Decretals in Stretch
ing the Pope's power, maintaining
that he was not Subject to the Ca
nons, which he fays of his own head,
c See Cave, ii. 215. without

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. itf
without proof or voucher. Thus arofe
in the Latin Church a confufed notion
that the Papal power had no bounds ;
and from this principle, taken for grant
ed, many confequences have been dedu
ced beyond the articles precifely ex-
preffed in the Decretals ; and the new
Theologers have not Sufficiently diftin*
guiShed thefe maxims from the eflen-
tials of the Catholic faith, concerning
the primacy of the Pope, and the an
cient Rules of difcipline.
Befides the things which regard the
Pope, Gratian hath inferted in his
Decree new maxims respecting the
immunities of, the Clergy, affirming
that they cannot be judged by Lay
men, in any cafe whatsoever; to
prove which he cites many paffages
from the Decretals, and a pretended
Law of Theodofius adopted by Char
lernain, to ftretch beyond meafure the
jurisdiction of Bifhops. To this he
adds a curtailed paragraph from one of
the Novella Of juftinian, which, if the
whole had been produced, would have
proved

2&8 Reinarh on Ecelefiafiical Htfiio'rfi
proved directly the contrary. Yet thisf
Imperial Coriftitution, thus mangled*
was the principal pretext, on which
St. Thomas of Canterbury (Becker)? re^
fifled the King of England with that
firmnefs which brought upori him firft
perfecutipn, and then martyrdom. The'
maxim was falfe in fact ; but it pafled
for true anipngft the moft eminent
Cafuifts. Thefe inftances ate fenfible proofs of'
the importance of Criticifin, which fpe*
culative and indolent Schc4aftk& treat
with contempt, as a childifh amtffe-
mant and a vain curiofity.- To learnt
diverSe languages So as 16 know then*
accurately ; to weigh every word fo a*
to find out its proper Signification, and
even its etymology ; to obfetve the di
verfity of Styles in the Same language*-
according to times; and places^ to exa
mine the hiftories of each nation, truft*1
ing only to originals; to read them
with an attention principally to morals;
to join to this the Study of Geography
and of Chronology; thefe are thV
foundations

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 289
foundations of Criticifm. It is, I con-
fefs, a work long and laborious- but
Beceflary in order to afcertara the trutn
of facts. Facts are not to be discover
ed by mere Syllogizing ; and yet on
thefe facts often depends the conduct of
life. You have feen what incovenien"
ces arofe from a belief of forged Records.
Thence came a facility of receiving
all forts of narrations, for Want of pro
per rules to diftinguifh them ; thence
So many fabulous Legends, fo many
falfe miracles, fo many frivolous vifions,
and idle reports ; as- we fee, not to
mention any more, in the Dialogues
of Caefarius the Monk.
The maxims contained in Gratian
concerning the immunities of the Cler
gy are the ground of an anfwer given by
Innocent III. at the beginning of his
Pontificate, to the Emperor of Con
stantinople, whence hath been extract
ed a famous Decretal. In this Letter
the Pope gives forced interpretations
to a paffage of St. Peter, which was al-
dedged by the Emperor to prove tine all
Vol. V. U Chriftians

290 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Chriftians without exception ought to
be Subject to the tempopal Powers.
The Apoftle, fays the Pope, fpake
thus, to excite the Faithful to humili
ty. The King indeed is fovereign, but
only over thofe who receive from him
things temporal, that is to fay, over
the Laity. As iS the Church had not
received all her temporalities Srom the
Secular Power! The Pope adds, that the
Prince hath not received the power of
the Sword over all evil-doers, but
only over thofe who, ufing the Sword
themSelves, are jfubjedt to his jurisdic
tion. By this he means only Laymen,
that So he might procure Sor criminal
Clergymen an exemption Srom temporal
punishment, or an Immunity. He Says
that no one ought to judge another's
Servant, Suppofing that the Clergy are
not Servants to the Prince. Then he
produces the Allegory oS the two great
Lights which God hath placed in hea
ven, to repreSent, Says he, the two great
Dignities, the Pontifical and the Regal.
As if in a Serious debate it were allow
able to advance allegorical whimSies, to
' deny

Remarks on Eeclefafical Hiftory. 2 9 f
deny which is to confute them ! Thus
they eluded the plaineft authorities of
the holy Scriptures, to Support preju
dices drawn Srom the Decretals.
Now Innocent could not have ad-
drefled himfelf to a worfe perfon for his
purpofe, than to a Greek Emperor,
when he advanced thefe maxims un
known to Antiquity. The Latin Prin
ces, for the moft part fo ignorant that
they could not even read, took for
granted upon thefe points all that was
told them by the Clergy, who were
their CounSellers ; and theSe Clerks had
all ftudied in the Same Schools, and
drawn Srom the Same Source, Srom the
Decree of Gratian. Amongft the Greeks
all men of any rank, both Clergy and
Laity, were men of letters : they con
ferred original records, the Scriptures,
the Fathers, and the ancient Councils.
They knew nothing of the fpurious
Decretals, coined in the Weft, and
written in Latin. Accordingly, they
had preferved the old difcipline in all
the points which I have marked out.
U 2 You

102 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
You have Seen that all their Bifhops,
and even their Patriarchs, were judged
and often depofed in their Councils, and
that they did not afk leave of the Pope
to affemble, and that there lay no ap
peal to him from their decifions. They
•did not apply to him Sor the translations
of BiShops, or for the erection of new
Sees ; they followed the Canons con
tained in the ancient Code of the Greek
Church. I fay not that this Church was
clear of all abufes ; I have pointed out
Several on diverfe occafions ; and I know
that the Patriarchs oS Constantinople,
by the Savour oS the Emperors, had
claimed an exorbitant authority, and
had encroached much on the Ecclefiaf
tical power: but ftill the old formali
ties were externally kept up, and the
Canons were known and reverenced.
You Avill Say perhaps ; It is no won
der that the Greeks did not addrefs
themfelves to the Pope, either Sor- ap
peals, or for any thing elSe, fince from
the time oS Photius they did not 'ac
knowledge him as Head of the Church. But

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hifory. 293
But did they appeal to him before?
And even in the times when they were
moft united with the Roman Church,
did they obferve any part of that which
I now call the new Difcipline? Not
they indeed ; fince even the Latins did
not obferve it, and thefe regulations
were unknown to the whole Church.
And here it may be remarked, by the .
way, that the Schifm of the Greeks is
not fo ancient as it is commonly be
lieved. I will clear up this in another
Difcourfe. In the mean time let me
juft mention that it was hardly formed
before the taking of Constantinople by
the Latins. Befides, I fee not that in
the difputes which, we have, had with
the Greeks fince the time of Leo IX.
and of Michael Cerularius, we have re
proached them for holding Councils
without the permiffion of the Pope,
and for other points which we have
been difcuffing. Nor do I find that
Gregory VII. and his fucceffors, ever
cited the Greek Bifhops to Rome, and
treated them as they did the Latins.
U 3 They

294 Remarks on Ecckfiafiical Hiftory.
They knew well enough that fuch com
mands would not have been regarded.
Leo IX. and the Popes who under
took to repair the ruins of , the tenth
century, and to reftore the Roman
Church to its luftre", laboured alfo to
re*eftabliSh its temporal power, which
they founded firfi on the Donation of
Conftantine, and then on thofe of Pepin,
Charlernain, Louis theDebonaire, and
Otho. All the -world knows now
what the Donation of Conftantirie is,
and the falfhood of it;is ieven mote' ge
nerally acknowledged than that of the
Decretals. But -in the days of- thofe
Popes its genuineneSs Was not called in
doubt. St. Benmrditookit for 'granted,
"when he told Eugenius that he was not
only the SucceSfor of Str.'- Peter, but of
Conftantine. It was known and re
ceived even in the ninth century, and
it was not tillthe nliddfe of the fifteenth
that the forgery began to be difcerned-.
Even the Greeks admitted1 it, as it ap
pears, from- Theodorus Balfamon, who
cites it all, and pretends to ground upon it

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hifiory. -29$
it the prerogatives of the See of Con
ftantinople. Gothofred of Viterbo, in his abridg
ed Hiftory dedicated to Urban III.
Speaking of Conftantine's Donation, fays
that in the opinion of many perfons,
the Church had been more holy in the
three firft ages, but more happy in the
following times. Whoibever was the
author of this fine Sentence, he had
very mean and fordid Sentiments, v and
far beneath not only the Gofpel of
Jefus Chrift, but even human Philofo-
phy, a fmall Share of which might teach
a man that the happinefs of life con-
fifteth in virtue, and not in wealth. But
one Who pretends to be a Chriftian can
not form a doubt of it. Jefus Chrift
hath explained himfelf fufficiently on
this fubject by his doctrine and by
his example ; fince, being Lord of all
worldly pofleflions, he fupremely de-
foifed them, and bequeathed, as a por
tion to his difciples, poverty and fiif-
ferings. I return then' again to the
U 4 queftion,

2p 6 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
queftion, whetherdifcoveries were made
in the eleventh century of a wifdom
unknown before, and whetherXeo IX,
and Gregory VII. were more illumina
ted than St; Leo and St, Gregory,
Thefe eminent Pontiffs had not
Searched their Archives enough to find-
in them the Donation of Conftantine,
They were neither Sovereign Princes,
nor temporal Lords ; and yet they did
not complain that their power was too
much cramped. They had no Superflu
ous time upon their hands, after the
performance of their Spiritual .duty.
They were perfuaded of the distinction
between the two Powers, which Pope
Gelafius hath well fet forth, when he
Says that even Emperors were Subject to
BiShops in the Religious Order, and
that in the Political Order the Bifhops,
not excepting the poffeflbr of the firft
See, were obliged to obey the Laws of
the Emperors.
Not that it is unlawful for Ecclefi-
aftics, as well as for Laics, to ppffeSs things

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 297
things temporal. You have feen that
in the earlieft ages, under Pagan Em
perors, the Churches had their Im
moveables, and their Bifliops had a
property in all kind of goods, and even
in flaves. Hence it follows that they
might alfo poflefs Seignories, when, by
the weaknefs of Sovereigns, and a de
fect in Politics, Jurifdidtions became
patrimonial, and the Public Power a
property of particulars. For under the
Roman Empire nothing of this kind
was known, and there was no Lord,
except the Sovereign. But after Lord-
fhips were annexed to certain lands,
they who gave fuch lands to the
Church, gave the Seignories alfo ; and
So Bifhops became Counts, Dukes, and
Princes, as they are ftill in Germany.
And thus, directly againft the primitive
institution, even Monks, whofe humili
ty had placed them the loweft oS man
kind, had their Subjects and their vaS-
fals; and their Abbots acquired the
rank oS Lords and Princes. All thefe
rights are indeed legal ; nor ought they to

298 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
to he contested more with the Church
than with the State ; and to return to
the Roman Church, it would be unjuft
to difpute her Sovereignty of Rome,
and of a great part of Italy, which She
hath pofleffed for fo many ages, fince
moft of the Sovereign Princes have no
better title to produce than : a long
poflefSiori. There was reafon therefore tocohdemn
Arnauld of Brefle, who Stirred up the
Romans to rebell againft the Pope,,
maintaining in general that it Was not
lawful for the Clergy to poffefs lord-
fhips, lartds, pr immoveables, and that
they ought to'fub'fift upon alms and vo
luntary oblations. Yet I confefffl Could
wifh to have found in Authors con
temporary with Arnauld the arguments
by which they refuted his errors. For
the two Letters' of St. Bernard to the
Romans upon this fubject are pathetic
declamations, fupported by no proofs,
and taking it for granted that the
Pope's right was inconteftable. And as

Remarh on .Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 299
as we obferved before, he had no doubts
concerning the Donation of Conftan
tine. This deed, being received as a
true one, eftablifhed the fact, and the
particular rights of the Pppe ; and as
to the rights of the Clergy in gene
ral, they were valid, as I have Shewed.
But they ought to have called to
mind the maxim of the Apoftle, that,
What is lawful is not always expedient,
and that the powers of the human mind
are too limited to fuffice at the fame
time for the exercife of temporal and
of fpiritual authority. At leaft, they
ought to have refpedted the conduct of
the Ancients, and to have fuppofed that
if Conftantine' s Donation was real, St.
Leo and St. Gregory muft, needs have
known it, and muft in that cafe have
declined the ufe of it, for prudential
reafons. The experience of more than
fix hundred ages hath fhewed that their.
conduct' was wife. BiShops, who are no
more than BiShops, are in lefs danger of
being involved in contentions with the
Secular Power, which hath been conti
nually Struggling with Lords-BiShops. In

300 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
In the opinion of holy Prelates, even
the administration of temporal pofleffi-
ons was too heavy a burden. St. Chry-
Softom complained of it ; and St. Am-
brofe delivered up the management even
of his own .patrimony to his brother
Satyrus. When the Church made it a rule to
admit none to holy Orders except fuch
as embraced a ftate of continence, She
had not only a refpect to the purity be
coming thofe who< were continually
employed about things Sacred, but was
defirous that her principal Minifters
fhould be difengaged from the cares
which a married ftate unavoidably
brings on, and which makes St. Paul
fay that he who is married is divided
between God and the World. Now what
is the care of one family compared with
the care of a kingdom? or the conduct
ing of a wife and children and of a few
domeftics, with the government of an
hundred thoufand fubjedts ?
We are more affected with fenfible
than with fpiritual objects. A Sove reign

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 301
reign is occupied in reprefling crimes,
and preventing Seditions and confpira-
cies againft his perfon and his eftate.
He labours to defend and preServe it
againft foreign enemies, and to feize
upon opportunities to aggrandize it.
For this purpofe he muft raife and
maintain troops, fortify places of de
fence, and amafs treafures to defray fo
many expences, correspond with neigh
bouring Princes, negotiate, make trea
ties of commerce and alliance. To a
Politician thefe appear moft ferious and
important affairs. Ecclefiaftical func
tions, in comparifon, with thefe, feem to
him mere trifles and child's play. To
fing in a Church, to walk in a procef-
fion, to pradtife ceremonies, to make a
CatechiSm, are in his fight vulgar occu
pations oS which any one and every one
is capable. The important and the So
lid point is to maintain his own power,
and to weaken that of his enemies.
Prayer, reading, meditating upon the
Scriptures, are in his opinion fitter
for a Monk than a Statefman. He hath no

J02' Remarks on Ecclefiaftical "Hiftory ',
no leifure time Sor Such employments.
You have Seen how much St. Bernard
feared Sor Pope Eugenius, left the bur
den of worldly affairs fhould hinder him
from making neceffary reflections upon
himfelf and his duties, and lead him at
laft into an hardened ftate of mind.
Perhaps you may imagine that a
Princely Prelate will referve for himfelf
the fpiritual functions, and leave the
care of the State to fome Layman. No.
That he will not do, by any means,
left he fhould make this layman the
real Prince. He will chufe to turn over
his Spirituals to others ; for he is not
afraid of a Prieft, a Vicar General, a
Suffragan Bifhop. To them he will
confent to transfer the ftudy of Divi
nity and of the Canons, the office of
preaching, the care of fouls, contenting
himfelf with a general account of thefe
matters laid before him. But he will
enter into the moft accurate detail of
his troops, his fortifications, and his
finances; .or he will employ for that
purppfe fome of his Ecclefiafiics in
whom

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 303
whom he can better confide than in
Laymen ; and thefe Deputies will be
in outward appearance Clergymen, in
reality StateSmen. If you doubt of thefe
affertions, look how the Diocefes arid
Dominions of powerful Prelates in
Germany and Poland are governed, and
you will fee by experience that the an
cient Chriftians were the wife men,
and that this alliance of temporals and
fpirituals is never advantageous either
to the Church or to the State.
As to Religion, moft evidently it is
better kept up by Bifhops who are only
Bifhops, and entirely occupied in things
Spiritual, fuch as St. A'mbrofe and«St.
Auguftin. "They ufually prefided at the
afiemblies of the Faithful, and offered
up the holy Sacrifice, to which they
joined their exhortations and instructi
ons ; they were the Preachers and the
Divines of their own Church. The
word of God had quite another effect,
coming from their mouth, and fup-
ported by their authority and their vir
tues, than in that of mere Priefts, often
Strangers

304 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
ftrangers or mercenaries. Theology was
handled more ferioufly and nobly by
fuch Prelates fo employed, than by idle
Doctors, who fought only to Start fub-
tleties, and refine upon one another in
frivolous fpeculations and new quefti-
011s. The ancient Fathers of the Church
entered only into Theological disputes,
as new errors fprang up which they
were obliged to refute ; but they went
into a particular detail in points relat
ing to the inftrudtion of the Catechu
mens, the converfion of finners, and the
conduct of penitents. They were alfo
the charitable arbitrators arid mediators
of» peace between all Chriftians who
were at variance; and to them every
one applied, for counfel and affiftance,
who was ambitious to make a progrefs
in piety ;~ as we learn from their Let
ters. It is true that nothing was to be
expected from thefe holy Bifhops be
fides fpiritual bleffings ; they made
no man's fortunes in this world;
and this was a Singular advan
tage to religion. Wifely our Lord,
3 who

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 305
"who was Wifdom itfelf, chofe to be
borri poor, and to be deftitute of all the
poSfeSfions which are the objects of co-
•Vetbufnefs. His Difciples were allured
and attached to him P.dy by the force
of Truth, and by ths love of Virtue.
He wanted to have fervants lilce hirrifelf,
attracted by no other motives thah the
d'efire of becoming better meri, arid the
hope of eternal life. Whofoever ima
gines that things temporal, of whatfo-
ever kind they be, riches, honours,
power,, arid the favour of the Great are
proper methods to eftablifh religion, he
is quite mistaken, I, affirm it boldly,
and he hath not in him the Spirit of the
Gofpel. The reafon is evident. If you
preach the Gofpel, and have riches, and
honours to diftribute, you cannot dif
cern by what motive you are followed
-and regarded, whether that of gain, or
that of godlinefs ; you run the rifque
of attracting hypocrites, or rather it is
almoft certain that you will attract.
none befides fuch, fince the bulk of men
is only affected with temporal profit.
Vol. V. X Say

ap6 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
Say not that it is good to join the Spiri
tual and the temporal together, and fo
to allure by all forts of inducements
men whofe weaknefs is well known.
Jefus Chrift knew their weak Side better
than we, and yet never employed- Such
methods. It is all an illufion of felf-
love ; and the Minifters of the Gofpel
are glad in the mean time themfelves to
enjoy that wealth and thofe honours
which they pretend to employ as means
to gain and to fave fouls.
Let us return to the Bifhops, and
conclude that it was grofs and coarfe
ignorance which made them imagine
that Seignories added to their Sees were
ufeful means for the fupport of reli
gion. I know of no See, except that
of Rome, which admits a peculiar plea
for the union of the two Powers. As
long as the Roman Empire fubfifted, it
contained in its vaft extent almoft all
Christendom: but fince Europe hath
been divided amongft many indepen
dent Princes, if the Pope had been Sub
ject to one of them, it might have been
feared

Remarh onRcclefaftical Hiftory. 3QJ
feared that ¦ the reft would not havb
been difpofed to acknowledge him as a
common father* and that fchifms
would have been frequent It may
therefore be thought that by a particu-i
lar Providence the Pope became inde*
pendent* and Lord of a StateSb power*
ful as not to be eafily oppreSfed by other"
Sovereigns ; that fo he might be more
at liberty in the exercife of his fpiritual
power, and better able to keep all the
BiShops in order. This is the notion
of a great d Prelate in our days-.
But in general* if the union of the
two Powers can be profitable for reli
gious purpofes, it ought to have con
duced to eftablifh and fupport thofe
good morals which are the genuine
fruits of Chriftian doctrine* For Jefus
Chrift did not only come to inftruct us-
in Speculative truths ; he came, as St.
Paul fays, to purify to himfelf a people
acceptable, and zealous of good works.
If this be the aim of true political wif-
d Whonl I ftioulc^efs to be Bofltiet, It lookslike one
of "His 'refinement,
X 2 dom,

308 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
dom, and the firft duty of Chriftian
Princes, much more fhould it be fo of
Ecelefiaftics, whofe very profeffion is
to fandtify others. Let thofe who have
travelled in the dominions of Ecclefi
aftical Princes tell us how the cafe is,
whether fewer horrible crimes and fcan-
dalous vices are committed there, whe
ther the high- ways are lefs infefted
with robbers, whether more honefty
and veracity is found in trade and com
merce, in a word, whether the fubjedts
of thefe Prelates diftinguifh themfelves
from thofe of Secular Rulers by the pu
rity of their morals.
; I never yet heard it faid that the do
minions of Ecelefiaftics are happier than
other kingdoms even in things tempo
ral. On the contrary, as thefe Princes
are not warriors by profeffion, their
fubjedts are often more expofed to the
infults of foreign enemies. As thofe
dominions are not hereditary, the rela
tions and the creatures of the Prince
are only attentive to enrich themfelves,
and that at the expence of the people. They

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 309
They have no views of ferving the pub
lic by augmenting the number of the
inhabitants, cultivating the lands, fa
vouring honeft induftiy, facilitating
commerce, encouraging arts and feien-
ces, inviting and importing all that
conduceth to fecure plenty and the con
veniences of life. Thefe extenfive views
are more fuitable to Republics, or to
kingdoms where Princes have a regard
for their own pofterity.
Amongft the Greeks we find no
Lords-Prelates, becaufe, notwithftand-
ing the weaknefs and declenfion of
their Empire, they ever preferved the
Roman Laws, and the maxims of wifer
Antiquity, according to which all the
public power was vefted in the Sove
reign, and was never communicated to
the fubjedt, except in Magistracies and
Offices which were not held as a pro
perty. Accordingly, the Greeks were
much fcandalized when they faw our
Bifhops pofleffing Seignories, bearing
arms, raifing troops, and heading them.
X 3 One

310 Remarks- on- Eeckftaftical Hftory.
One of them faid that the Pope was not
a,Biffi°P» Dut an Emperor.
.'"What we have obferved of Greek
Bifhops is alfo to be underftood of Syrian
and other Eaftern Prelates, even before'
they fell under the dominion of the;
Mahometans; for fince that calamitous
time they have been more Slaves than
Lords. The fpiritual dominion .of the Pope
being thus extended by confequences
drawn from the Decretals, he was ob*
Jigedto commit his power to Delegates,
it being impoffible for him either to
go all over the world, or to bring all L
the world to him. Thence came the
Legations fo frequent fince the eleventh
century,' Now thefe Legates were of
two forts, either BiShops and AbbPts of
the country itfelf, or Cardinals fent
from the Court of Rome. The Le
gates alfo of the country were of two
forts, the one constituted by a particu
lar commission from the Pope, the
Others fuch as by the prerogative annex ed

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 3 1 1
ed to their See ; and thefe were
called Legates born, Legati nati, as the
Archbifhops of Mentz, and of Canter
bury. The Legates who came from
Rome were called Legates a latere, to
fhew that the Pope had fent them from
his own perfon ; and the expreffion was
taken from the Council of Sardica.
The Legates born did unwillingly
fuffer that the Pope fhould commiflion
others, to the prejudice of their privi
leges : but the Pope placed more con
fidence in thofe of his own appointing,
than in Prelates whom he knew not,
or who did not Suit his purpofes. Now
amongft thofe whom he chofe, the moft
acceptable to the country were they
who dwelt upon the fpot, becaufe they
were more capable of judging and de
termining affairs than ftrangers from
remote places. You may have obfer-
ved with what preffing felicitations Ivo
of Chartres entreated the Popes not to
fend thofe foreign Legates. None fuch
were received either in England or in
France, unlefs the King himfelf had
X 4 afked

312 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory,
afked for them ; and the Bifhops could
not bear to fee foreign Bifhops come
and prefide over them, and much lefs
Cardinals-Priefts, or Deacons: for,- till
then all BiShops had rank above thofe
Cardinals whp were not Prelates.
But wha'f rendered the Legates a
latere ftill more odious, was their pride,
luxury, apd avarice, They travelled
neither at their own expence, nor at
the Pope's, but at that of the country
whither they were fent. They travel
led with a great equipage, at leaft of
twenty five horfes ; for to this number
the Third Council of Lateran had re
duced them, Wherefoever they pafled,
they were to be magnificently defrayed
by the Bifhops and the Abbots ; info
much that the Monafieries were fome
times reduced to Sell the plate of their
Churches, to anSwer the demands of
the Legates. You may have obferved
what complaints were made about it,
That was not all yet: prefents were
to be made to them; they received
gifts frpm the Princes tp whom tb^ey
were

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 313
were fent, apd from the Parties who
had caufes before them 5 and nothing
was ever expedited gratis. In a word
thefe Legations were golden mines for
the Cardinals, who ufed to return
home loaded with cafh. You have
feen what St. Bernard Says upon this
Subject, and with what admiration he
Speaks of a difinterefted Legate.
The ufual end of the Legation was a
Council, which the Legate called at
fuch times and places as he thought
proper. There he prefided, and decided
the affairs in hand, with the approba
tion oSthe Bifhops, whoSe only bufi-
neSs was to applaud ; Sor no great de
liberation was uSed. Thus inSenfibly
were abolished the Provincial Councils,
which, according to the Canons, every
Metropolitan was to hold every year.
The dignity oS ArchbiShops obScured by
that of the Legates dwindled into mere
titles and ceremonies, fuch as to have
a Pall to wear, and a Crofs to be car
ried before them, But they loft all
authority over their fuffragans, and np
Other

214 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory .
other Councils were to be Seen but thoSe
of the Legates. And by the way,
thefe frequent Legations feem to have
given rife to the diftinguifhed rank
which the Cardinals of the Church of
Rome have fince held. For every
Church. had its own Cardinals, that is,
its own Priefts and Deacons, with cer
tain Titles annexed. But when in thefe
Councils Cardinal-Legates were feen
taking place of BiShops, ArchbiShops,
Primates, and Patriarchs, by degrees
people were accuftomed to annex to the
title of Cardinal the idea of a dignity in
ferior only to that of the Pope. The
drefs of the Cardinals, when they ap
peared in pomp, confirmed this notion.
The Cope and the Hat were a travelling
drefs, which fuited the Pope's Embaf-
fadors ; and c red was the colour affect
ed by the Pope ; and to reprefent him
the better, the Legates wore it, ac
cording to the remark of a Greek
Historian.
e His Holinefs fhould rather have chofen fome other
colour than that of the Great Red Dragon, and of the
Whtrt arraied infcarht. Revelat. xii. 3. xvir. 4.
Yet

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 3 1 5
Yet hence arofe one of the greateft
changes which , the discipline of the
Church underwent, namely the cefla-
tion of Provincial Councils, and the
diminution of the authority of the Me
tropolitans, Was it fit that this decent
prder, So well eftabliShed Srorri the be
ginning of the Church, and So uSefully
obferved for eight or ten Centuries,
fhould be baniShed and overfet without
deliberation, without examination, with
out knowledge of the cauSe ? But in
truth, what imaginable reafon could
be affigned for the change ? Legates
who were Strangers, who knew not
the language or the manners of the
country, who were fojourners there
for a few days, could they be more
proper than the ordinary pallors to
judge of difputes, and to re-eftabliSh
difcipline? Suppofing them to have
made excellent regulations in a Coun
cil, could they be afl'ured that fuch
Orders would be obeyed if the BifhPps
did not lend an helping hand ? Conclude
We then upon this article, as upon the
reft,

3 1 6 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
reft, that the ancient Difcipline was
not exchanged for a" better. And in
fadt we do riot find that thefe frequent
Legations proved of any advantage to
Religion. The Bifhops and Metropolitans were
fo ignorant of their own rights, that
they greedily fought after Legatine
powers ; never considering how much
better was an authority, if lefler yet
inherent aiid independent, than one
more extenfive but bprrpwed and pre
carious. It Seemed as though they
could do nothing of themfelves, unlefs
the Pope Supported them ; and he on
his part was very ready to grant them
Savours of which they flood not in need,
and which always augmented his jurif-
didtion. The fame holds true propor-
tionably of the frequent practice pf thofe
days to get the Pope to confirm conven
tions made between Churches, and
profitable donations beftowed upon
them; as if thefe acts were the lets
valid unleSs he confirmed them. By
granting favours which the Suiter had no

Remarks on Eccleftaftical Hiftory. 3 1 7
no oCCaSkm to afk, new1 claims are
Seized by the giver, ' aiid' ; a" ' 'rJtetence
that his conSent is neceflary.
The Popes were often obliged to de
part from Rome fince the eleventh cen
tury, either by the revolts pf tbje Ro
mans who could not be brought to ac
knowledge them as Sovereigns; or by
the Schifms of the Antipopes. They
refided in neighbouring cities, as in
Qrvieto, Viterbo, and Anagni; and
their court followed them ; which it is
neceflary to obferve, that we may not
confound the city and the court of Rome.
I find not that before this time the
word Court was made ufe of, tp Signify
the retinue of a Pope, or of a BiShop.
The expreffion would have been thought
too Secular, and profane. Sometimes
the Popes could not refide even in Italy;
and then they took refuge in France,,
as did Innocent II. and Alexander III.
for the perfecuted Popes were no where
fafer than in France. And as in this
kind of exile they enjoyed not their
revenues, they were obliged to fubfift by

31 8 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
by the liberality pf , Princes, and by
the voluntary contributions of the Cler
gy. This may be cpllected from a
Sermon of Arnoul of Lifieux at the
opening of the Council of Tours.
Thus began the Subsidies Which the
Popes often demanded afterwards oSthe
Princes, or of Churches, either to
enable them to go to war, or- for other
occafions. How different was this con
duct from' that of St. Gregory, who fo
liberally bellowed his revenues through
the Provinces ? of the Pope St. Diony-
fius, Who affifted the afflicted Churches,
even as far as Cappadocia ? and, to go
higher, of St. Sptet, to whom St.
Dionyfius of Corinth bears a glorious
teftirriPny of his charities to the Greek
Churches ? How entirely had they
forgotten the noble independence of
Christian poverty; and the maxim of
our Lord, that it is more bleSfed to
give than to receive ! ¦
It is a difagreeable tafk to expofe facts*
of this kind ; and I fear that forpe per
fons who have more piety, than know ledge

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 3 19
ledge will be Scandalized at it, and will
fay perhaps that, in Historical relati
ons, Such Sadts fhould be diflembled, or
after being barely named, Should not
be refumed and dwelt upon in a Difler-
tation. But the foundation of Hiftory
is truth, and to diffemble it, even in
part, is not to relate it faithfully. A
flattering portrait is no likenefs ; and
fuch is every Panegyric, which makes a
perfon appear commendable by fetting
forth only his good qualities. Vain
and clumfy artifice, which difgufts men
of fenfe, and makes them the more at
tentive to difcover the defects that are
fo cautioufly concealed. To tell half-
truths is a Species of lying. No man
is obliged to write Hiftory ; but if he
will undertake it, he is obliged to tell
the whole truth. Spondanus having
bellowed great commendations on Gui-
chardin, adds; If fometimes he cenfures
with afperity Princes and other perfons
whoSe conduct he relates, this is the
fault of the Guilty, and not of the Hi
fiorian. He would have been far more
3 reprel

-320 Remarh On Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
reprehenfible if he had diffembled thofe
bad actions which may tend to make
others wifer and better, and difcourage
them from committing the like, at
leaft through fh'ame and fear of being!
eXpofed themfelves in the fame man
ner, according to the faying in the
Gofpel ; There' is nothing hid, which
Shall not be revealed.
Sacred Hiftory hath Set us an exam
ple to Sol low. Mofes palliates neither
his own Saults, nor thoSe of his people.
David was willing that his fin Should
be recorded, with all its odious circum
stances; and in the New Teflament, all
the Evangelists have taken care to re-
¦ prefent the fall of St. Peter. True reli
gion is grounded on Sincerity ; it wants
none of the tricks*of human policy. As
God permits evils which he could have
prevented, becaufe he can make them
turn to the benefit of his Servants, we
ought to believe that he will ,caufe the
knowledge of the diforders committed
m his Church to conduce to our profit.
If indeed thefe diforders had So* ceaSed that

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 321
that no traces of them remained, pofii-
bly it might be proper to briry them in
eternal oblivion; but we See and feel
too plainly their pernicious effects in
the herefies which have torn the Church
in pieces for thefe tWo hundred years,
in the ignorance and fuperftition which
reign in fome Catholic countries, and
in the corruptions of morality by cer
tain new maxims. And is it not ufeful
to know what gave rife to thefe deplo
rable evils ?
If. we fhould be ever fo defirous to:
abolifh the memory of thefe ancient
diforders, it would not be in our power,
unlefs we could fuppreSs all the writings
and all the monuments which remain
oSthe fix or Seven laft centuries. And
who could execute Such a project ? If
the Catholics agreed to attempt it,
would the Heretics concur with them ?•¦
Would they not on the contrary -be the
more Sedulous to preServe thoSe records
which were So odious to us? Since then
it is impoflible that theSe Sadts Should.,
be obliterated, is it not better that they
Vol. V. Y Should

322 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
fhould be represented faithfully, fimply,
Sincerely, and without difguife by Ca
tholic writers, than Surrendered up into
the hands of Proteftants, who alter,
exaggerate, and turn them in the moft
Spiteful manner? Is it not ufeful to point
out to pious people the true reafonable
medium between the extremes of fome
modern writers ? The Pope is not Ap-
tichrift : but he is not impeccable, nor
an abfolute Monarch in the Church, in
temporals and fpirituals. Monaftic vows
did not proceed from the Devil's fhop :
but the Monks have degenerated from
time to time, and have made a bad ufe
of their wealth and their privileges.
The Church hath power to grant In
dulgences : but the Canonical Penances
were more falutary. The Scholaftic Di
vines are not contemptible Sophifts ;
they have preferved the tradition of
found dodtrine : but they are not to be
blindly admired, or preSerred to the
Fathers oS the Church. Perhaps, for
who knows the defigns of God, or hath
been admitted into his Councils ? per
haps

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 323
haps he hath permitted thefe diforders
;n his Church, to teach men by their
own experience to Sollow his precepts
according to their plain and obvious
fenfe, and not to Seek to eftabliSh his
religion by the maxims of worldly po
licy. You fancy that wealth joined to
virtue will make you happier; you will
find the difficulty of joining therri toge
ther. You think that the Priefthood
will have rriore authority when joined
with temporal power; and you will
lofe the true authority which confifts in
being efteerned and trufted, You hope
to make yourfelves formidable and
punctually obeyed by pouring out your
cenfures : by fo doing you will make
thofe cenfures contemptible and itieffec*
tual. Be instructed at leaft by facts*
and learn wifdom from the faults and
follies of your anceflors.
There are two forts of perfons Who
take it amifs that the facts which are a
difgrace to the Church Should be eX-
pofed. The firft are propharie Politi
cians, who* ignorant of trUe religion,
Y 2 confide*

324 Remarks on, Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
cbnfider it all as an human invention to
keep the populace in order, and are
afraid of every thing that might tend to
diminish the veneration of it in the
minds of the vulgar, by undeceiving
"them. I will have no difpute with thefe
men, who want fir/l to be converted and
1
instructed. But willingly would I Sa
tisfy, if.it were poSfible, pious and Scru
pulous minds, which are alarmed by a
zeal without knowledge, and Sear where
no Sear is. What is it that you dread ?
I would Say to them. Is it to know the
truth? If fo, you ch'ufe to remain in
in error, or in ignorance. And how
can you fafely remain in that ftate, you
whofe office it is to inftruct Others? For
I Speak now to Ecelefiaftics, who ought
particularly to be acquainted with Ec
clefiaftical Hiftory. In this enlightend
age, can we maintain the Donation of
Conftantine and the Decretals of Ifido
rus ? And if thefe Records are indefen
sible, can we approve the confequences,
which are drawn from them ? Let

Remarks on Eccleftafiical Hiftory. 325
Let us then frankly acknowledge that
Gregory VII. and Innocent III. de
ceived by thefe forgeries, and by the
bad Logic of the Divines of their days,
have pufhed their authority too far, and
by extending it have made it odious ;
and let us not pretend to juftify exceffes
of which we fee both the caufes and
the wretched effects. For whatfoever
can be ailedged to the contrary, it is
evident that the firft ages furnifh us
¦with a greater number of pious Popes
than the latter, and that the morals
and difcipline of the Roman Church
were far more pure in the earlier times.
Now it is not conceivable that the
Popes fhould only then have begun to
know their rights, and to exercife their
power in its full extent, when their
lives began to be lefs edifying, and their
Slock to be lefs regulated. This reflec
tion affords a grievous prejudice againft
the novel Maxims.
Of all the alterations of difcipline, I
find none which have more decried the
Church than the rigour which fhe
Y 3 exercifed

326 Remarks on ¦Ecclefiaftical Hifiefy,
exercifed agaipft Heretics arid excom
municated perfoiis. You have feen how
•SUlpitius Severus blames and detefts
the two Bifoops Idatius and Ithacius for
having folicited the Secular judges tp
baniSh the Prifplllianifts, and applied
to the Emperor againft them; But the
indignation was encreafed when thefe
Prelates purfued the PriScillianifts tp
Treves, and appeared openly as theh
accufers. St. Martin iriftantly preffed
Ithacius to defifl, and entreated the
Emperor Maximus not to fhed the blood
pf thefe Heretics ; and when they were
put to death, St. Ambrofe and St,
Martin would no longer hold commu
nion with Ithacius, or with the BiShops,
who adhered to him, although they
were protected by the Emperor; and
Theognoflus, a Bifhop, gave Sentence
publickly againft them. As to Marr
tin, he reproached himfelf all his life
afterwards for having occasionally com
municated with the Ithacians, and even
that with a charitable view to fave the
life of fome innocent perfons. So hor-
S riLIe

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 327
rible a thing it appeared to them that
Prelates Should have had an hand in
putting to death thoSe Heretics, al
though their Sect was a branch of the
deteftable herefy of the Manichaeans.
The Donatifts, and particularly their
Circumcelliones, exercifed great cruelties
upon the Catholics, killing fome Ec
elefiaftics, and maiming others ; yet
St. Auguftin in his Letters to Donatus
Proconful of Afric, and to Marcellinus,
intreats that thefe men may not be put
to death for it, or punifhed by the Laws
of Retaliation, &c.
Some time before, Marcellinus, Bifh
op of Apamea in Syria, being burnt
alive by Pagans, whofe temple he had
demolifhed, his children wanted to
have his death revenged. But the Pro
vincial Council oppofed it, judging
that it was not right to revenge a Mar
tyrdom for which thanks ought rather
to be returned to God. Amongft many
examples of a like kind, I chufe out
this, as it Shews particularly the Spirit
Y 4 of

£28 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical. Hiftory.
of the Church in the decifion of a whple
,CouncU« But this holy difcipline was for
gotten from the eighth century. The
death of Bonifaciusof Mentz was re
venged by the Chriftians of the country,
and many Pagans were. Slain , on that
account. Venceflas,' Duke of Bohemia,
having been murdered, for his religion,
by his brother Boleflas, Otho I, king
of Germany, made war upon Boleflas,
to revenge the death of the Martyr.
-Boleflas the Cruel king of Poland,
having killed StaniSlas, Bifhop of Cra-,
covia, was deprived of his royal Slate
by Gregory VII. as the Polifh Hifto-
rians informs us. As Soon as 6 St^
Thomas was killed, the Archbifhop of
Sens, his brother in Law, and the
king of France fent to the Pope, to de
mand juflice in behalf of the Prelate,
whom yet they called a Martyr ; and
it was not without preffing Solicitations
that the Pope was perfuaded not to ex-
e Becket. communicate

Remarh on Ecclefiafiical Hiftory. 329
Communicate the king of England, and
put his kingdom under Interdict, which
according to the maxims of that age
tended to dethrone him. And fo alarm
ed was the King about it, that he re
tired to Ireland, till he was affured of
obtaining abfolution. Pope Innocent
III. decreed the fevereft punifhment
againft the Count of Tpuloufe, who
was fuppofed guilty of the death of
Peter of Caftelnau. He ordered him
to be excommunicated, he abfolved his
fubjedts Srom their oaths of fidelity, he
permitted every Catholic to attack his
perfon and to feize his lands. Nothing
can be more remote from the ancient
Ecclefiaftical mildnefs than the conduct
of Henry Archbifhop of Cologne, to
revenge the death of St. Englebert his
predecefl'or. Asfoon as he was eledted
he fware that he would purfue the of
fenders all the days of his life. He
carried the dead body to the Diet, and
prefented it to the King and to the
Lords. He caufed Count Frederic,
author of the murder, to he put to the
Ban

JJS Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
feari of the Empire. He promifed a
thouSand rriarks Pf Silver to any per-
fori that would feize and deliver the
CoUrit into his hands; he paid twice as
rriUCh as he had promifed, and having
thus taken the Count, he caufed him
to be put to death in a moft barbarous
manner by the hangman, though the
Count Shewed all poSfible Signs of re
pentance. As to Heretics, they who were dis
covered at Orleans, and convicted in the
preSerice of King Robert, were burnt
upon the Spot; and if the BiShops. did
hot Solicit it, it appears not that they
oppoSed it. But the Bogomili, who
|ike thefe were alfo a Sort of Manichae
ans, being Sound out at Conftantinople
by the Emperor Alexis Comnenus,
were condemned to the flames by the
Clergy and by the Patriarch himfelf.
This Was the common punishment of
the Heretics called Cathari, Paterini*
Albigenfes, and others of other, deno
minations, but all of them Manichasans. They

Remarh on Ecclefiafiical Hifioty. 331
They had been doorned to death everk
from the fourth century by the Empetot
Theodofius, and afterwards by Juftifl ;
and their abominations well deferved it|
but j,t became not Ecelefiaftics to prefi
the execution. And we find that the"
Council of Lateran, under Alexander
III. aCknowledgeth that the Church
meddles not with fanguinary execu
tions, although She permits herfelf to
be affifted by the laws oS Chriftian
Princes to repreSs herefies. This maxirh
hath ever been eon Slant.
But as to practice, it hath not heen
always followed. When Pope Innocent
III. wrote to King Philip Auguftus to
turn his arms againft the Albigenfdsj
and when in France he cauSed the
CroiSade againft them to be published*
was this a condemnation oS Such bloody
proceedings ? I will Speak oS the CrPi-
Sades another time ; I am here orily
considering the proSecution oS Heretic*,
and I muft conSeSs that I cannot recon
cile the cpndudt oS the Ecelefiaftics pf
\h§ thirteenth century with that of the
Saints

."332 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Saints of the fourth. When ' I fee Pre
lates and Abbots at the head 'of the
armies - which made fo great a
(laughter of Heretics, as at the taking
of Beziers; when I fee the Abbot of
Ci-fteaux defiring the death of the he
retics at Mirierbe, though he did' not
dare to. condemn them openly, becaufe
he was a Monk and a Prieft; when I
See the Croifez burn thefe poor wretches
with triumph and exultation, as a
Writer of thpfe times testifies in many
places of his hiftory.; in all this I dif-
cenij no more the true Spirit of the
Church,of If then, they Spared not the lives of
thefe men, it is no wonder that they
Sp'ared riot their goods. You have Seen
that Gregory VII. offered to Sueno*
'the king of Denmark, a very rich pro
vince, occupied by Heretics,., for his
Son to Seize and poSTeSs. As if the
herefy of the conquered. gave a lawful
title to the conqueror ! The Canonists
have Since eftabliShed this maxim, that
Heretics have no right to poSfefs any
thing ;

Remarks oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 333
thing ; founding the opinion on fome
paflages of St. Auguftin produced by
Gratian. But they have extended to
all heretics and to all 'their poffeffions
what this Father only faid of the Do-
natifts, and of the pecuniary fines which
were impofed upon them, and of the
plundered goods of the Church which
they had been compelled to return.'
Leave Gratian with his reflections, the
Summaries, and the modern Gloffes,
and corifult Originals, and you will fee
that they breathe mildnefs and charity,
and have only in view juft restitutions*
and wholefome corrections for the con
version of heretics.
When St. Gregory Nazianzeri was
called to Constantinople, though he
could have availed himfelf of all the
power of the Emperor Theodofius, he
trufted only to Chriftian patience ; he.
did not folicit the Magistrates to put in
execution againft the heretics thoSe laws
which they defpifed ; Sar Srom defiring'
the confiscation of their goods, he Would
not even take the leaftftep to oblige them to

g|4 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory*
to reftmd fhe immenfe revenues of hii
Church which they had pillaged for:
fprty years ; he generpufly forgave arj
afJaSfin who came even into his cham
ber to kill him ; he Suffered himfelf to
be pelted with ffones even to the dppr
pf his Church* and anfwered a friend
who was full of indignation at it ; It h
gopd to puniSh the guilty, for the cor
rection pf others ; but it is better and
more divine to Suffer. TheSe generous
feptiments were forgotten in the twelfth
century, when Peter of Celles, writing
to St. Thpmas pf Canterbury, Said thap
nonrefifting patience was the only por
tion of the young Church in the firft
ages; but npw, adds he, that fhe is
conie to maturity, fhe ought to correct
her children. As if the Church was
not arrived to her maturity in the days
of Theodofius, or had fuffered perfecu
tipn from Pagans and Heretics, only
through a mere inability of refill
ing! I clofe thefe melancholy reflections
with the change fhat was introduced into
Penances.

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 335
Penances. Public Penitence was turn
ed into tortures and temporal punifhr
ments. By tortures I mean thofe hor
rible fpedtacles expofed to the Public,
when a penitent appeared naked down
to his wafte, with a rope about his
neck, and rods in his hands, with
which he was beaten by the Clergy.
Jn this manner, befides other perfons,
Raimond the old Count of Touloufe
was treated. I am of opinion that this
was the origin of the Amendes Honora-
bles \Amenda Honorabiles] received fince
many ages in Secular Tribunals, but
utterly unknown to all Antiquity.
Hence arofe alfo thofe Fraternities of
Penitents eftabliShed in fome provinces ;
nominal Penitents for the moft part.
For thefe Penitences were more fpecious
than ferious ; they were not proofs of
the true conversion of a finner, they
were often merely the effect of fear leaft
they Should lofe their temporal poSfef-
fions. The count of Touloufe dread
ed the Croifade which the Pope ftirred
Up againft him ; and to go farther back,
when

336 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
when the Emperor Henry IV. fo hum
bly begged abfolution of Pope Gregory
Vll. as to remain for three days at his
door, barefooted and fafting till night,
it was becaufe he Seared to loSe his
crown iShe remained under excommu
nication Sor the whole year. Accord
ingly neither oS theSe Princes became a
better man after abfolution than he had
been before. Thefe forced penitences.
were not durable, and the fhame and
infamy annexed to them, far from pro
ducing a falutary confufion, only irri
tated the offender, and put him upon
studying how to revenge fhe affront.
For, as Chryfoflom obferves, he who
Is infulted becomes the more audacious,.
and defpifes and hates the infulter.
To make thefe penances the more
felt, pecuniary mulcts were added to
them, oS which the payment was ex
acted beSore the absolution was granted ;.
and if the payment was duly made, the
r^ft of the penance was eafily over
looked. You have feen how St. Hugo
pf Lincoln reprefled this abufe. Thus then

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. ny
then penances and - absolutions became
temporal tranSadlions with reSpect to
private perfons as well as to Princes.
No longer Was any care taken to ex
plore by long trials the cpnveffion and
renovation oSheart, which was the thing
intended by the Canonical Penitences ;
but the point was, to get proper Securi
ties Sor the reftitution oS an ufurped
property, of depredations and damages,
or for the payment of a fine; and as the
Penitent, efpecially if he was a Prince,
was in hafte to remove the effects of an
Excommunication, or of an Interdict,
his firft Step was to procure abfolution,
by giving an oath that he would fatisfy
the Church within a certain time, under
pain of having the excommunication
renewed. Thefe promifes often were
not performed, and then all was to be ,
done over again; for the -unconverted
offender was in no hurry to give the
promifed fatisfadtion, when by abfolu
tion he had obtained ail that he
cared for, namely to enter intp his
rights, and to be delivered from the pre-
Vot. V. Z fenjl

33$ Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Sent dread of lofing them. Of this you
have feen many an example, and more
fhall be produced hereafter. At the
fame time was introduced the pradtice
oS granting the absolution itSelf in the
fecret penitence, as Soon as conSeffion
was made, and SatisSadtion enjoined and
accepted ;- though in ancient times, ab
solution was not granted till the pe
nance was Sully accomplished, or at
leaft in a great meafure. This altera
tion was founded on the reafonings of
Scholaftic Doctors, who held that ex
ternal abfolution ought not to be re-
fufed to him who was fuppofed to have
received it internally fromi God, by vir
tue of the apparent contrition of his
heart ; and that being in a ftate of grace,
he could more profitably perform fatis-
fadtory works. But it ought to have
been corriidered that man is much more
excited to act by the hope of obtaining
what he defires, than by gratitude for
having received it, or by faithfulnefs
in fulfilling the promifes which he
made, in order to obtain it. A fick man
obferves-

Remarh on Ecclefafiical Hiftory. 339
obferves much more the diet preferibed
to him for the recovery of his loft
health, than for the prefervation of it
when he thinks himfelf cured* Few cre
ditors are to be found Who will give a
difcharge beforehand, upon a prorriife
made or even fwom to by the debtor
that he will pay at a fet time.
Befides, penances, or fatisfadtory
Works, had been relaxed more and more
from the flridtnefs of the old Canons,
which Were now propofed to Confef-
fors, only as examples to be confulted
upon occafion, and not as rules to be
exactly fallowed ; upon a SalSe fuppofi-
tion, that nature was enSeebted, and that
the human body had no longer the
Strength to bear Saltings and other au-
fterities. Some Dodtors went So far as
to fay that it was mere Judaizing, to
adhere to the letter of the ancient Ca-
npns. They alfo extended to all Priefts
a right which the Bifhops had always
exercifed, to mitigate penances, either
by leflening the penitential works, or
by fhortning the time. At laft the
Z 2 maxim

340 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
maxim was eftabliShed, that all pe
nances were to be left to the discretion
of the Confeffor ; and as even then the
number of Confeflbrs both Secular and
Regular was become very great, it is no
wonder that they did not always act
prudently in this affair, and that pe
nances even for heinous offences were
very flight arid fuperficial.
It is true that the multitude of Indul
gences, and the facility of granting
them, became a great obftacle to the
zeal of the more judicious Confeffors.
Hard was the tafk to perfuade a finner
to fafting and to other difcipline, who
could buy it off by a few alms, or by
paying a vifit to a Church. For the Bi
fhops of the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries granted indulgences for all
forts of pious works, as the building a
Church, the Supporting an hoSpital, and
even for public works of other kinds,
for making a bridge, or a caufeway, or
mending the roads. Thefe

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 341
Thefe are the Indulgences „ which
the fourth Council of Lateran calls in-
difcreet and Superfluous, which make
the Keys of the Church contemptible,
and weaken its difcipline. To repreSs
this abuSe, it orders that Sor the Dedi
cation of a Church, the Indulgence
granted fhall not be for more than one
year, although mariy Bifhops fhould be
affembled there ; for each of them, it
Seems, pretended to .give his own In
dulgence. William, Bifhop of Paris, who lived
in thofe times, explains to us the mo
tives of thefe Indulgences; He who
hath the power, fays he, to impofe pe
nal fatisfadtions may either augment or
diminifh them, as he finds it expedient
for the honour of God, the falvation of
fouls, and the public or private utility.
Now it is manifeft that more honour
accrues to God, and more benefit to
fouls, by the building a Church where
God is continually ferved with prayers
and Sacrifices, than would ariSe Srom
Z 3 the

342 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifory.
the Severeft performance of penal works.
Therefore it is the duty of the -Bifhpp
to convert thefe bpdily penanCes intp
works more pfeSui. And again: It is
tp be fuppoSed that the Saints, who, have
fp much mtereft with God, obtain Srom
him moft ample Indulgences Sor fhoSe
who honour them* by doing good tp
the Churches where their memory is
reverenced. As to the Indulgences
granted to thoSe who make or repair
bridges and highways, thefe are works
uSeSul to Pilgrims and other pious tra
vellers, befides the common benefit en
joyed by all the Faithful.
TheSe arguments, if they had beep
folid, ought to have influenced the Bi
fliops of the firft ages, who had efta
bliShed thp Canonical penitences ; but
thpfe good men extended their views
much Sarther. They knew that God
is more hopPured by the pure and pious
morals of Christians than- by building
and ornamenting Churches, by chanting
jn them? by ceremonies, by bodily fer-
yipes, which are only the externals of
religion,

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hifory. 343
religion, whofe eflential part is righte-
oufnefs or virtue. Now as Chriftians
for the moft part are not fo happy as
to preServe their baptiSmal innocence,
thoSe wiSe Pallors, inftrudted by the
Apoftles, had fludied all poflible means
of reftoring finners, and preferving
them from relapfes ; and they found no
better remedies and preservatives than
to engage them to inflict voluntary pu
nifhments upon themSelves by Saftings,
watchings, retirement, recollection,
filence, and the retrenchment of all plea
sures, by which they may confirm their
good reSolutions; to be conftant in
prayer and meditation on Sacred and
eternal truths ; and to pradtiSe thefe re
ligious exerciSes Sor a considerable time,
that they may be affured of the cer
tainty of their converfion. In vain do
we fpeculate and run into fubtle refine
ments ; thefe good practices tended
more directly to the falvation of fouls,
and consequently to the glory of God,
than alms given for the erecting, re
pairing, and decorating a Church. A
Z 4 finner

34.f Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
finner truly affected with the heinouf-
neSs of his guilt, and with the eternal
punishment which it deferves, will ac
count all mortification to be a light
burden. He who wants to obtain par
don upon the eafieft terms, is not con- .
verted ; all that he wants is to quiet
his mind, and to fave appearances. In
a word, Let us appeal to experience.
Never were Chriftians more religious
than when Canonical penitences were
regularly kept up : never were they
more corrupted than fince that disci
pline was abolished.
Give me leave to propoSe to you a
parallel inftance : A Prince by a SalSe
clemency offers to all criminals Some
eaSy methods to avoid punifhment ; as
moderate fines applied to deSray the
expences oS his buildings and of his
troops ; a formal appearance at his pa
lace ; a petition for pardon ; or, if the
crimes have been very heinous, an obli
gation laid upon the offender to lift
himSelS Sor a Soldier, and to Serve for
fome years in the army. What think you

Remarh on Ecclefajh'cal Hiftory. 345
you of this? Would his kingdom be
well governed? Would innocence of
manners and integrity in commerce
flourish there? Would the highways
be fafe for travellers, and the public
tranquillity maintained? Would not
vice of every kind and an unbounded
licentioufnefs prevail, together with all
the fatal confequences of fuch impu
nity ? The application is obvious.
We muft then return to the maxim
of St. Paul, that all things which are
lawful are not always expedient. For
this fame Prince, who fhould thus par
don all criminals, would only exercife
his own rights, fince we SuppoSe him
to be the Sovereign ; but he would ex
ercife them moft indiScreetly. The
Same is the caSe oS Indulgences. Every
good Catholic will allow that the
Church can grant them, and that fhe
ought to grant them in certain caSes,
and that fhe hath always exerciSed this
power : but it is the duty of her Mi
nifters to difpehfe thefe favours with
¦ difcretion

346 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hifiory.
difcretion and caution, and not with an
ufelefs or a pernicious profufion.
I conclude this DiScourSe with a de-
fire that you would remember, what I
think hath been proved, that the altera
tions ip the discipline oS the Church
Since five or fix hupdred years were
not introduced by the authority of
Bifhops or of Councils, to cprre£t ap-
cient practices ; but by negligence, by
ignorance, and by error grounded on
the falfe Decretals, and on the falfe
reafoning of Scholaftic Doctors. God
grant that we may make a good ufe of
his Grace, by which we have the hap-
pinefs of being born in a more enlight
ened age,; and that if we cannot re
trieve the ancient difcipline, we may
at leaft efteem it, reverence it, and re
gret it."

A few Strictures on this Differtation
will Suffice.
Here are corruptions enough, and
more than enough, acknowledged and
Set forth with fome degree of fairnefs, tp

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 347
to which more might be added. What
followed ? Did the Popes and the Court
of Rome own them, and endeavour to
correct them ? No ; nothing that de-
Served the name of amendment was
produced ; nothing done to any purpofe
by the Councils of Pifa, Conftance,
and Bafil. At laft arofe Luther, and
other Reformers, who were perfecpted
with the utmoft malice and fury. Then
came the Council of Trent, which
made bad worfe ; and thus things fland
at this day.
Add to the reft, the Jefuits and the
Inquisitors :
Trifiius haudiUis monfrum, necfiavior ulla
Pefiis et ira Deum Stygiisfefe extulit undis.
Can Proteftants enter into alliance
and communion with fuch a generation
of vipers ?
Fleury, and others of his fentiments,
who wiSh for fome reformation, would
perhaps willingly bring the Slate of the
Church, as to dodtrine and difcipline, to
its condition in the fpurth, and fifth cen
turies.

348 Remarh on Eccleftaftica Hiftory.
tpries. Alas! This is. doing very little.
Many were the faults and errors of thofe
times, and the Myftery of Iniquity was
even then working. We muft go to
the. fountain-head, to the doctrine of
thfe New Teftarpent.
I can by.no means allow Fleury's
fuppofition that the Popes mentioned by
him, and particularly the Execrable
Hildebrand,- erred bona fide, being mif
fed by the Decretals. The Heretics of
thofe days, Such of them I mean who
acknowledged the facred authority of
the New Teftament, particularly the
honeft Waldenfes, difeerned very plain
ly that the powers ufurped by the Popes
and Ecelefiaftics were tyrannical and
antichriftian, and confeqUently that the
'Decretals Which eftabliShed Some of
thofe notions muft have been impudent
forgeries. Why could not the Popes
difcern the fame ? Becaufe profanenefs,
pride, ambition, and avarice hardened
their hearts, and blinded their eyes;
, becaufe they would neither examine, nor
let other people examine. It

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 349
It is to be fuppofed that the Donations
of Conftantihe, the Decretals, fome of
the Councils, and other Documents
and Records for the fame purpofe, were
forged by the Popes themfelves, or by
perfons adtiug under their direction,
about the ninth century e.
He compares the extravagant ufurpa- -
tions of Hildebrand, and of other
Popes of the fame ftamp, with the more
modeft behaviour of St. Leo and St.
Gregory. But the truth is, that all
the Popes, from the time of Conftait-
tine, Saints as well as Sinners, laboured
to extend their jurifdidtion, and uni
formly carried on the fame fcheme.
Rome was not built in a day, fays the
Proverb ; and Popedom was not built
in a day ; but one encroachment was
followed by another, till at laft it
brought on the Seculum Hildebrandinum.
He complains of falfe miracles, **nd
yet hath inferred thoufands of them in
"hi* Ecclefiaftical Hiftory ; like -the
c See Molheim, p. 328.
3 Quack

35° Retnarh on Ecclefiafical 'Hiftory.
Quack who vends his powder of poft,
and cries, Beware of counterfeits.
As to the affair of perfecutipn, he
rather fhuffles if over, though indeed
he feems to have faid as much againft it
as it was Safe for him to fay* But he
fhould not have commended the lenity
of St* Auguftin, who after he had drop
ped fome reafonable expreffions in fa
vour of Chriftian mildnefs and modera
tion, played the Turn-coat, and be
came the Preacher and the Patron of
Perfecution. The Church Ought not to fhed blood.
So Says Fleury ; and So Says the Inqui-
fition at this day. That honour is
transferred to the Civil Magiftrate ; and
thus the Prieft is the Judge, and the
King is the Hang-man.
A$ to penance, or repentance, you
muft not expect to find juft notions of
it in thefe quarters, and Fleury faw only
a part of the truth. The unwholefome
aufterities and frantic macerations of
Fanatics of ancient times, who were
called

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 35 1
called Saints, introduced and eftablifh-
ed in the Chriftian world wrong notions
concerning penitence, and penitential
works. Repentance is a change of
mind for the better, and the proper
penance of a finner is to mortify his un
ruly paffions and his lufts, and, to the
utmoft of his power, to repair all the
wrongs that he hath done. In other
refpects, the duties of a repenting Sin
ner are nearly the fame which are re
quired of all Chriftians.
A. 1201. The Pope's Legate at Co-
logn ordered that in the Mafs, at the
elevation of the Hoft, all the people
fhould proftrate themfelves in the
Church, at the found of the bell, and
implore God's mercy, till the confecra-
tion of the chalice. He ordered alfo
that, when the Sacrament was carried to
the fick, the Scholar and Ringer Should
go before the Prieft, and ring the bell,
to admoniSh the people to worfhip Je
fus Chrift in the Streets and in the
houfes. Hence came thefe two pious
cuftoms. 2 The

352 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
The Pope by his Legate prefumedto
elect an Emperor of Germany, or King
of the Romans. The Lords and Pre
lates made warm remonstrances againft
this ufurpation ; to which his Holihefs
returned a moft impudent anfwer f.
The language which was called the
Roman-Rufiic was ufed in the Provinces
which had obeyed the Romans ; and
from this language, and its different
dialects in differerit places, fprang the
Italian, the French and the Spanish s.
A. 1202; Innocent was confulted
whether the water mixed with the wine
is changed into the blood of Chrift. He
anfwers in the affirmative, after having
acknowledged that the Scholaftics were
of different opinions about it.
At the fame time, it was debated at
Conftantinople whether in the Eucha
rift the' body of Chrift was received in
corruptible, as it was after, his refurrec-
tion, or corruptible, as it was before.
f Fleury, xvi. 90.
s Spener, Hiji. Germ.
This

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifidry. 3V3
This difpUte was carried oil not only by
Divines, but by the Vulgar in the
Streets and in the markets. It is to be1
fuppoSed that the Incorruptible s got the
better; It was alSo queftioned whether
Chrift, whilft he was here upon earth,
performed natural actions, like Other,

men h.

This was the century in which hanging
and burning Heretics Sor God's Sake be-<
came the univerSal practice, being chiefly
promoted by the Ecelefiaftics and by the
Pope, whd declared in formal terms that
no faith was to be kept with heretios^
and no oaths binding on that occafiori'1.
- A. 1 203. All the conqifefts made by
the Croifez were fuppofed to become the'
Pope's patrimony.'
The- Popes now began fo find the
great advantages whichaccrued to them
from the Expeditions to- the holy land*
and therefore violently preffed forwards
this pious war. But the Croifez, who1
were French and Venetians, inftead of
h Fleury, xvi. 106. Bibl. Univ. vii. 66.-
' Ibid. xvi. 174, 240'.
Vol. V. A a fighting

354 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
fighting the Infidels, took Conftantino
ple a fecond time, and made a k Latin
Emperor. The Greeks1 chbfe for their Em
peror Theodorus Lafcarls, whofe resi
dence was at Nicaea in Natolia. From
this time there were tWo Emperors of
the Greeks, the one a Frank, the other a
Greek, till Michael Palaeologus ra re
covered Conftantinople.
The Croifez found and carried off^
bfefides vaft wealth and things of real
value, a prodigious number of holy
Reliques, of which a curious Inventory
may be feen in Fleury ; and they crown
ed Baldwin Emperor. Nicetas hath
given us a tragical, account of their im
pieties and barbarities.
, Another expedition was n undertaken
by the Italians and Germans; but it
(came to nought. * A. 1304. ' A. x 206.
* A. iai6. » A, mj.
7 A.third

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 355
A third ° performed' fomething, but
yet no great matter.
Other expeditions, lefs fariious, and
altogether unfuccefsful, were p under
taken. Then Louis IX. of France, called
Saint Louis, ' . attempted the fame ;
and was taken prifoner, and ranfomed.
He r renewed the war, and died, like a
fool, of the plague, in Afric.
.Then the European Princes were at
laft cured of this frenzy ; and the Power
of the Latins in the Eaft was extin
guished, A. 1 29 1. .
Thefe repeated crolfes and calamities
were owing not fo much to the con
duct and courage of the Mahometans,
as to the diSfenfions of the Chriftians
and their treachery towards each other,
to the worfe than Pagan morals of. thefe
religious foldiers of Chrift, and to the
• A, 1228. p A. 1239, and 134O.
fi A. 1258. . ' A. 1270.
A a 2 con-

356 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory,
COrifummate ignorance, ftubbornnefs,
and SaucineSs of the Papal Legates s.
Saint Louis was a great patron of
the Inquifition. This pious Prince,
and it was no fmall part of his piety,
had a moft implacable hatred towards.
Heretics of all denominations, and held
that Such perfons Should not be rea-
fbned with, but killed upon the fpot '.
Pope Innocent gave leave to the Croi-
Sez to help themSelves to neceflaries
whereSoever they Sound them. This
permiffion,' Says" Fleury, to live upon
pillage in a Friend's country is remark
able; and the more' So, as the Pope au
thorizes it by examples taken from
Scripture. A. 1206. At this time Dominic, of
Caftille, began to act the Missionary
and the Inquifitor; and Francis, anlta-
lian, fignalized himSelf as a Preacher,
and a Saint. Thefe two famous Fana-
s Mo{heims p. 492, &c. Fleury,, xvi. 120.
< Mofheim, p. '549,
* xvi, 1 ao. tics

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 357
tics and Founders of two pernicious
Orders, turned the brains of multitudes,
and did infinite mifchief in the world x.
A. 1208. From the Old flatutes of
the Church of Paris it appears that
when a marriage was celebrated, the
Curate for his fee had fome difhes of
the wedding-feaft fent home to him ?.
A. 121 2. One of the exploits of St.
Francis was to perfuade a girl of eigh
teen, called St. Clara, to elope from her
jjfarents ; and her younger . lifter fol
lowed her example. For this he ought
to have been fhut up in a jail, or, in a
mad-houfe, the reft of his days. This
St. Clara was Abbefs of a Monaftery,
famous for her aufterities and macera
tions, and received anfwers to her
prayers from the ' confecrated Wafer,
which fhe kept hi a box. She died A.
'1253 ».
* Fleury, xvi. 218. Bibl. Univ. ix. 40, Cave, ii. 283,
344. Mofteim, p. £17,
1 Fleury, xvi. 244.
* Ibid. xvi. 316. xvii. 486.
A a 3 A. 1 2 13.'

358. Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
A. 1 2 1 3. Innocent III. exhorting the
Chriftian world to the Croifade, acted the
Prophet, foretold the downfall of the
power of Mahomet, and called him the
Beafi in the Revelation. Thus Anti-
chrift was Shifting off his own charac
ter, and transferring it upon another.
jthe boys and girls in France and
Germany caught the epidemical mad-
pefsj and lifted themfelves, as Croifez,
to gq to JeruSalem, and ran away front
horne. Many oS theSe poor children
perifhed in the fields and Sorefts *.
A little before this time was born
Brunetto Latini at Florence, who was
the reviver of letters in Italy, and was
Orator; Poet, Hiftoriari, Philofopher,
Theologer, and Politician. Dante was
his difciple. This author fpeaks of the
Mariner's Compafs, aiid of this ufe of
the lpadftone, fprty years before A.
1300, which is the tirhe vifually fixed
for that difcovery \
* Fleury, xvi. 323.
b See Hift.'de l'Acad, W, 462. Bayle Dante. Reinefiu*
De Deo Endovcttico ; and the Notes of Cienius in his Mu-,
Jei^m Pbilolog. ii. 343.
A. 1215,

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 359
A. 1 21 5. Ti|l;Innocent III. the man
ner of the change in the Eucharift was
not accounted an article of faith : but
he in theCouncil of Lateran eftablifhed
Tranfubftantiation, both the doctrine and
the $vord. Matthew Paris doth juflice
to this Pope by faying that he was the
moft avaricious and ambitious of men,
and capable of committing all forts of
crimes. He addsthat Innocent caufed
Seventy articles oS Saith to be read be
fore the Council, and commanded the
holy Fathers there affembled to approve
them .in the lump, without entering
into any examination. And Allix affirms
that the Decree which eftablifhed Tran
fubftantiation never obtained the force
of a Law till fome time afterwards ; and
indeed the dodtrine of Tranfubftantia
tion, potwithftanding this decifion, was
ftill cpntefted and rejected by Several
Prelates' and Doctors0.
Innocent managed his matters So,
that he made King John Surrender to
c Bibl. Univ. iii. 402. v. 464. Fleury, xvi. 384.
Mofheim, p. 537.
A a 4 him

2§o Remarks. on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
him the kingdoms of England and Ire
land, and act only as his deputy and
his vaffal,
A. 1223. Francis went up into q
mountain, and there fafting on bread
.and water he> Wrote his, Law, that is,
the Rule for his Order pf Mendicants,
by divine revelation. He gave it to his
Vicar, Elias, who loft it. And then
the Saint went up. a fecond time, and
did the fame thirig again, pretending
that it was all the word of God d.
Ip ; the year following he had the
Stigmata, or the five wounds of Jefus
Chrift formed in his body. Either' the
whole Story is an impoflure vouched by
'himfelf and by his lying 'difciples ';' or
he made the Wounds himfelf; orj as
fome have fancied, they were the effect
of a ftrong imagination in his fanatical
mind. But of thefe Solutions,1 the laft
will feem the leaft probable to moft
perfons.
•* Fleury, xvi. 5^3.
In

. Remarh oh Ecckfaf teal Hiftory. 361
In the' year 1222, ah Impoftor was
found in England, who had upon him
the five wounds of Chrift, in his hands,
his feet, and his fide. But he was con
victed, in a Council held at Oxford, by
his own confeffion.
Long afterwards, Sifter Mary, a Por-
tuguefe Nun, had alfo on her body the
five wounds, and pafled for a Saint of
the firft magnitude. But the artifice
was discovered by the Inquifition, A.
«f= That Francis really had the Stig
mata, I make no queftion, fince there
.are many Sufficient vouchers Sor it. But
without all peradventure, this man who
was extremely Superftitious and fanati
cal made, them himSelf f ".
A. 1226. Louis VIII. of France
headed a Croifade, to cut the throats of
all the Albigenfes, and took Avignon K
c Fleury, xvi. 544, &c. Bibl. Univ. viii. 149. Rapin.
Vol. i. p. 352.
f Moflieim, p. $70.
8 Fleury, xvi. 601,
A. 1327.

362 Remarh an Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
A. 1227. An Inquisition was efta
blifhed in France. St. Dominic hath
the honour of being the Father , and the
founder of th^tDiabplical Institution \
A. 1228. An Armenian Archbifhop
came to England, and with a grave
face told orir Monks the ftory of the
Rambling Jew, who, having infulted Je
fus Chrift when he flood before Pilate,
was doomed by our Lord to live and to
travel about till the day of judgment,
and was then in Armenia K
Now Papal impudence was at its
¦ heigh th. "Gregory IX. excomriiunicated
.the Emperor Frederic,, abfolved his fub-
oedts from their allegiance, made war
-Upon him, and pillaged all the Ecele
fiaftics, and particularly theEnglifh, to
Support .his exp.ences. His troops Signa
lized themfelves by their wickednefs,
and corrrmitted all kinds of outrages and
barbarities.

fc Fleury, xvi. 631. BibK Univ. xx. 218.
* Fleury, xvi., 654.

This

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical ffifiory. 363
This Pope canonized St. Francis,
having got his miracles attefled by a
competent number of falfe witneffesk.
A. 1229. In the Council of Touloufe,.
a moft fevere and fanguinary fnquifition
was eftabliShed againft Heretics.
One of its Canons is ; It fhall riot be
permitted to Laymen to have the books
of the Old and New Teftariient ; only
they, who out of devotion defire it,
may have a Pfalter, a Breviary, and the
Hours of the Virgin. But we abfolutely
forbid them to have the above-men
tioned Books tranflated into the vulgar
tongue. " This is the firft time, fays 'Fleury,
that I have met with this prohibition ;
but it may be favourably explained by
obferving that the minds of men being
then much irritated, there was no other
method to put a flop to contentions
than by taking away from them thf
fc Fleury, xvi. 644,
».Ibid.6;6,' : holy

364 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
holy Scriptures, of which the Heretics
.made -a bad ufe,"
A poor excufe indeed !
A. 1230, The Pruffians were at this
time Pagans : but the Knights of the
Teutonic Order entered into the coun
try, and waged bloody war with them
for fifty-three years, and at lafl com
pelled them, and with them the Lithu
anians, to fubmit to their government,
and to receive Chriftianity, fuch as it
was, from the miniftry of thefe execra
ble ruffians.
A. 1231. Antony of Padua was. a fa
mous Fanatic Saint, andField- Preacher,
in thofe days1".
A. 1 234. St. Dominic was now ca
nonized. The multitude of miracles
which he wrought both living and
dead, and the delightful odour of his
carcafe, which when it waS taken up
m Flevuy, xvi. £23. xvii, j£, ,
perfumed

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 365
perfumed all the place, were Sufficient
vouchers Sor his Saintfhip ".
A. 123 1. In a Council of Anjou,
clandeftine marriages are declared null}
and to prevent them it is Sorbidden to
contract them by words de prafenti, un
lefs the Banns be firft published in the
Church, according to cuftom.
A. 1235. Our learned Bifhop Grpft-
head was a ftrenuous adverfary to
Papal usurpations. Fleury Says that he
was a pious and upright Prelate, but
that his zeal was bitter, and his diS-
courfes void of moderation. Indeed it
is not to be.expedted that any writer of
the Romifh Communion fhould dare to
juftify him.
The Pope, enraged at his free Speeches
and bold complaints, wanted to difpatch
him ; but Some Cardinals declared it to
be more adviSeable to let him aloner
left, Said they, it fhould quite alienate
the Engiifh from their obedience to the
0 Fleury, xvii. £ j.
See

$66 Remarh on Ecclefiafiital Hjfidry*,
See of Roriie ; which will happen foriie
time or other. Thus, Says Fleury,
they Seemed to have.SoreSeen the evil
Which cafrie to paSs three hundred years
after0. A. 1238. Gregory IX. forbad the
Greeks to fhew at JeruSalem the 'holy
fire which uSed to deScend into Christ's
Sepulchre on the Saturday before Eafter.
It is pleafarit to hear the Pope and
Fleury p complaining of this inippSture,
this" fharn-miracle, which, I think, ftill
continues, inter Graculos mendaces.
A. 1 240. At this time lived our va
luable Hifiorian Matthew Paris*.
«« Matthew Paris is an horieft, fin-"
cere, and good writer, excepting the
miracles, vifions, apparitioris, and phan-
toriis, which he hath admitted in his
vvbrks, according to the tafte of thofe'
' times '."
• Cave, ii. 294.' Fleury, jcvii* 490, Rap'm, i. 3J4.
p xvii. 173.
1 Cave, ii. 394. •
« Menagiana, ii. 98.
H©

Remarh oh Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 367
He is comrhended by Lipfius*.
A. 1248. The Talmud was con
demned by the Pope, and a1 vaft collec
tion of Jewifh books was burnt lit
France *.
A. 1259. A Sect of Flagellantes, or
FloggerS, arofe in Italy, confifting of
men and WorPen, old arid young, no
bles and beggars ; for the diforder grew
epidemical. It fpread itfelf into Ger
many, Poland, and other regions. But
Princes and Prelates ftrenuoUfly op
pofed it arid put an end to it; yet It
revived again in after-times u.
A. 1264- The annual Feaft of the
Holy&Crarnent was instituted upon the
revelations of a fanatical female called
Juliana*. " The Latms dared not, even In the
twelfth century, to attempt the efta-
* Epift. Cent. v. 83',
• Fleury, xvii. 418.
• Ibid. 630. Bibl. Univ. viii.' 4^.'
* Fleury, xviii. 46.- plifhment

368 Remarh ah Ecclefiafical Hiftory^
blifhment of .this Feftival, although
they then entertained fuch notions of
the Sacrament as were a proper foun
dation for fuch practices. • Thefe no
tions therefore were feduloufly incul
cated during the twelfth century.- But
when by long and Subtle disputations,
and zealous homilies'* and above all, by
fire and fword, by military executions-*
profcriptions, tortures, wars and maf-
facres, the doctrine of Tranfubftantia--
tion was fo fully eftabljfhed that no
man dared to open his mouth againft
it, then they began to think of adding.
to it an annual Feftival, as a farther
confirmation, which at laft was brought,
topafs, under Pope Urban y."
A. 1270* Many errors taught by
Philofophical Divines were condemned
at Paris. Here are fome of them :
. The human will acts by neceffity ; or
father is paffive. All things here below
are governed and over-ruled by the
y Dallxus De Cult. Lot. p. 922. celeStial

Remarh oh Ecclefiaftical H^iftory, 369"
celeftial bodies. The world is eternal,
and' there never was a firft man. .The
foul dies with the body. God knows not
. any thing, except himfelf. There is no
providence. In the Deity there is
no Trinity; God cannot beget his
like. God knows not future contin-
-gences. There is no. predestination.
Creation is impoSTible according to rea-
fon, though faith requires us to' believe
it. The heavenly bodies have Souls.
Accidents cannot exift without a Subject.
The moft excellent ftate of the mind is
to philofophize. It is not neceflary to
pray, or to confeSs fins, except to Save
appearances. A refurrection is impofli-
ble. Fornicatlori is no fin. An ob
servance oS the moral virtues Sufficeth
to acquire life eternal. Death puts ari "
end to the whole man. Theological
difcourfes are grounded on fables.; aria
of no value, &c. z
The Pragmatic Edidt of St. Louis"
was published with a view to reftrairi
Papal oppreffion, and to fecure the
* Fleury, xviii., 161. 269.
V.* B b privi»

3J0 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
privileges of the Gallican Church. It
is in Dupin a.
A. 1278. Roger Bacon flourished,
who Seems to have been as great a ge
nius as hath ariSen in any age.
A. 1 281. The Communion in botk
kinds was not yet entirely laid afide in
England b.
A. 1 290. Jacobus De Voragine wrote
the Legend which is called aurea ; and
is Sull oS moft ridiculous miracles. It
is, Saith Vives, , Legenda Aurea ab ho-
mine orisferrei cordis plumbei fcripta. '
. However, this man was the firft who
tranflated the Scriptures of the Old
Teftament into Italian0.
At the fame time Joannes de Parifiis
compofed a Treatife on the Eucharift,
of which an account is given in the
Bibl. Univerfelle d. It is a curious tract ;
it Shews the abfurdity of Tranfuhftan-
* x. 133.
k Fleury, xviii. 373.
0 Cave, ii. 334. Fleury, xviii. 561.
d iii. 39£, See Cave, ii. 333, Fleury, xix. 85. Mo-
fteim, p. 537. # v
nation,

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory . 371
tiation, even as it is represented by this
defender of it ; it fhews to what per
plexity and diftrefs the Doctors were
driven in accounting for the1 bodily
prefence. A. 1284. A prodigy happened at
Conftantinople. The Prieft who was
to officiate found one of the confec ra
ted Hofts fo black and corrupted, that
jt had no longer the appearance or the
Accidents of bread. Therefore they
put it into the place appointed for fuch
purpofes, called by the Greeks* the
holy oven e.
A, 1287. Raimorid Lulle made his
appearance: he> was a very Strange
Enthufiaft '.
A. 1 290. A Jew at Paris Stole the*
Hoft, and flabbed it, and flung it into'
the fire, and endeavoured by all means
to deftroy it ; but it wrought fo many
* Fleury, xviii. 434,
1 Ibid. 494. J95.XIX. 252. Mofheim, p. r66.
B 1)2 miracles*

37 2 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hifiory.
miracles, that the poor Devil ;WaV dis
covered, and was burnt alive. Fleury
gives us this for a true ftory s. .
A. 129 1. Acre was taken, and the
holy Land entirely loft ; and here end
the CroiSades.
A. 1292. John Pecham, ArchbiShop
of Canterbury, died this year. He was
a rigid difciplinarian, arid a lover of
money.. He enriched all his family,
and left behind him more thari five
thoufand pounds, a great Sum in thofe
days h. \
In this century the Jews were accu
fed pf^having murdered many Chriftian
children. But there are no good proofs,
of the facts, as Fleury fairly owns1.
" The Tribunal of the inquisition
Was extremely odious* as it appears"
from the difficulty of eftablifliirig it"
even in Italy and in the' EccleSIaftital
2 Fleury, xviii. £36,
h Ibid, xviii. 562. Rapin, ' i^ 482.
* Fleury,- xviii. 485-. State,

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory . 3-/ 3
Stare, and Srom the fate of thofe Inqui
sitors who were murdered, and are
ranked -amongft the Martyrs. The In-
•quiSition was- not only hated by the
Heretics whom it, hunted out and pur-
Sued, but even by the Catholics ; by the
Prelates and Magistrates, whofe juris
diction it diminished, and by other per
fons whom it terrified with the rigpur
of its proceedings. Such complaints
were frequent, as were alfo the Consti
tutions of Popes to moderate this feve-
rity. Thus fome nations, which at
firft admitted the Inquisition, rejedted
\t afterwards, as the French ; and many
never would receive it, amongft whom,
notwithstanding, the Chriftian religion
is as well taught and pradtifed, as ip
countries where the Inquisitorial autho
rity is carried to its higheft degree.
They who have been in thefe different
countries will bear witnefs to this
affertioh. The end, for which the Inquifition
was eftablifhed is. to keep out or to abo-
|iSh hereSy; but the means uSed Sor
B b 3 this.

274' Remarh on Eccleftaftic at Hiftory,
this pUrpoSe are Such as naturally pro-?
duce hypocfiSy arid1 ignorance. The
-dread of being aeCufed, imprifdried.,
and punifhed for • mere Suspicions,
grounded perhapsuponfome imprudent
expreffion, deters people from ever
Speaking about rHigion, prqpoSIrigtheir
doubts, afking queflions, and Seeking;
instruction.' The' fhbrieft and eaSieSt
way is ; to hold your tongue* ortp Speak
and a.dt like others, whether you think
tike them or not. An habitual finner,
who is reSolved not to leave his coricu-
bine,. goes 'to the Gomhiunion atEafter?
left ail information fhould be brought
againft him to the Inquisition, as againft
a SuSpedted heretic' The countries of
the Iriquifition are the moft abundant
iri lobfe' Cafuifts.'
Reading is ope pf the beft means ,qf
acquiring inftrudtion ; but it is not tq
be had in thofe regions. The Scrips
tures are not tp be found there in the
vulgar tongue," but only, in Latin. To
Jia^e ah" Hebrew Bible would make a
.man -rtafs1 for ' a Jew, ' Many -good
'editions,

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 375
editions of the Fathers and other Ec
clefiaftical Authors are prohibited, as
having been published by heretical or
SuSpedted perfons. At leaft, it is re
quired to flrike out a preface, an adver-
tifement, a commentary, a note; to
blot out here and jjiere a line, or a
word, as it is fpecified at large in the
Index of the Spanifh Inquifition. With
out thefe corrections it is forbidden to
read the book, or to offer it to fale.
The Bookfellers therefore are not will
ing to deal in fuch goods ; and thus
many excellent books never enter into
thofe places."
Thefe, are k Fleury's Remarks; and
they do him honour.
" What great lofs Chriftianity Suf
fered in Afia, is very manifeft. If the
Saracens had held the fame principles
which were received amongft the La
tin Chriftians of thefe times, they
would not have Suffered one Chriftian tp
Jive in their dominions. But this na
if Vol. xix. Difcourfe, p. xx.
B h 4 tion,.

3j?& Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
tion, though guilty ,of various crimps,
and oppreffious, yet judged it to be an,
act of too much iniquity and cruelty;
whilft the Romans accounted it a pious
deed to deftrpy by fire and fword all.
who Werp pf a different religion from,
themfelves, and refufed to be con
verted. After the new kingdom pf JeruSalem
was overturned, many oS the Latins
remained in Syria, who retired to the
Steep mountains of Libanus, and by
degrees fo loft all fenfe of humanity
and religion, that thofe of them who
Still remain Seem to be little better than1
niere Atheistical Brutes. ¦ '
i The Latin writers of this age make
many complaints of perfons amongft
them, who were open enemies of the
Chriftian religion,' and even deriders
of the Deity ; nor are thefe accufations
fo he accounted vain and groundlefs.
For men of parts, who attentively con
sidered the religion which was then
delivered to the public by the Popes,
and their creatures and agents, as true
Christianity,

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 3j-j
Chriftianity, and fupported by violence
and maffacres, and who could find
none to inftruct them better, and to
Set the GoSpel in a true light, were
eafily led into the opinion that Chriftiar
nity was a fable invented and propaga
ted by Priefts for the fake of their own
emoluments. Add to this that the
Ariftotelic Philfophy, which then regn-
ed in all the Schools of Europe, and
was looked upon as Truth and Right
Reafon itfelf, difpofed many perfons to
reject the Theological Doctrines of a
Divine Providence, the immortality
of the foul, the creation of the world,
and other religious principles, and to be
fpreaders of impiety,
Thefe Doctors, taught, Strange as
it may feem, that there was only one
Intellect, common to all men, that
every thing was fubjedted to an abSolute
Neceffity, that there was no Providence,
that the world had been from eternity,
that the foul periShed at death, and
Other fuch like tenets, and fupported
them all by authorities taken out of
i their

378 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
their Philofopher Arlftotle. But to
fave their own fortunes and lives, they
then acted the fame part which the
later Ariftotelics did in the fifteenth and
Sixteenth centuries. They made a dis
tinction between Theological and Phi-
lofbphical Truth, to Secure themSelves
from Ecclefiaftical cenfures. Thefe
things, Said they, are true according to
the PhiloSopher ; but not according tQ
the Catholic Faith.
The deplorable condition of the
Greeks left them neither fpirits nor
leifure to purfue learned Studies. Much
happier was the Slate of the Latins :
for the European Princes haying Sound
by experience the maniSold advantages
which aroSe Srom the cultivation of
the Liberal Arts, Sought out, encoura
ged, honoured, and rewarded learned
men. Among theSe Patrons none dis
tinguished themSelves more eminently
than the Emperor Frederic II, who was
learned himSelS; and AlphonSus X,
king of CaftiJle and Leon : of whom
the firft founded an Academy at Na
ples,,

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 379
pies, procured a Latin verfion of the
works of Ariftotle, drew a great re-
fort oS Scholars to his court, and gave
many other proofs of his zeal for lite
rature ; the fecond acquired eternal
fame by his Astronomical Tables, and
;other works. Thus Schools were
erected in many places, and various
privileges were conferred upon the flu-
dents ; and thefe Sodalities became cor-
'porations, or fmaller republics, with a
jurisdiction of their own.
Such were the Schools or Academies
at Padua, Modena, Naples, Capua,
Tjholoufe, Salamanca, Lyon, Cologne,
^nd other cities ; In which the whole
circle of learning was not taught, but
pnly fome parts of it. The Academy
of Paris, which furpafled the reft, as
in other refpedts, fo in the number of
Profeflbrs and Students, was the firft
which took in all branches of learning,
all arts and fciences, and therefore was
the firft Univerfity, or as they called it
Studium Unherfale ; and this example
was gradually followed by the reft. In
this

3 So Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
this Parent of the European Univer
sities, the Podtors were distributed into
four Colleges, according to the differ
ent Sciences which they proSeSfed ; and
thefe Colleges were aSter wards called
Faculties, One of thefe Doctors, cho
fen by -the Suffrages oS his brethreq,
Was Prefident for a certain time, and
was called 'fhe Dean. The Head qf
the Univerfity was the Chancellor,
who was alSo Archbifhop of Paris ;
but he not having leifure to execute
that office, a ReBor was appointed as
his Pep'uty. Robert de Sorbone, a
pious and opulent man, and a friend
of Louis IX, founded and endowed a
College of Divines, which from him
is ftill called the Sorbone.
Philology, or Polite Literature, or
the Humanities, as they are called, did
pot. with all thefe encouragements
keep pace with other branches of
knowledge. For mpft of the young
Students ehofe rather to Study the Ca
non and the Civil Law, as the Surer,
way to profit and honours ; pr confined them-

1 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 38 1
themfelves to Philofophy, to acquire
the reputation of being acute and in-,
geriious. Hence arofe grievous com
plaints of the Popes and Prelates that
Literature and the Liberal Arts were
neglected ; and endeavours were ufed,
to call off the flu dents from Law and
Philofophy to thefe occupations ; but
it was in vain. Yet there were amongft
the writers of this age fome who are
far above contempt.
Nor was Europe altogether deftitute
of men of genius, and of penetration,
who although, they had much efteem
for AriSlotle, yet endeavoured to carry
human knowledge ftill farther, and
deSpifed that dry and jejune way of
philofophizing which was contained in
his writings. The moft renowned
amongft thefe were ' Roger Bacon,
called DoBor Admirabilis, and well de-
Serving that title, Skilled beyond the
pitch of thofe times in PhiloSophy,
Mathematics, Chemiftry, Mechanics,
\ He was an Englifhman, and a Francifcan. Languages,

3 82 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Languages, and many other things,
and ennobled by the great, difcoveries
which he made; Arnoldus Villanova-
nus, a Frenchman according to fome,
a Spaniard as others fay, celebrated for
his knowledge of Phytic, Philofophy,
Chemiflry, Poetry, befides other ac
complishments ; Petrus de Abano, or
Apono, an Italian, and a Phyfician of
Padua, called Conciliator, from a book
of his, intitled, Conciliator differentiarum
Philofophorum et Medicorum, a man of
ail acute understanding, and deeply
fkilled in Philofophy, Aftronomy,
Phyfic, and Mathematics. But the re
wards which thefe excellent perfons
received for their abilities and their
ufeful induftry were, to be called Ma
gicians and Heretics by an ignorant
world, and with great difficulty to ef-
cape fire and faggot. Bacon languifhed
many years in a jail ; and the bodies
of the other two, after their deceafe,
were condemned" to the flames 'by the
Inquifitors. Bath

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 383
Both the Greeks and the Latins cen
fure and deteft with much freedom the
horrible vices of their Prelates and
Teachers; and no orie who is ac
quainted with the ftate of thofe times
will think that they carried their
complaints too far. Soise great men
indeed made attempts to cure this le-
proSy, which was diffufed Srom the
head to all the members ; but they
had not reiolution and power equal to
the arduous undertaking. The cala-
mities of the times would not Suffer
the Greek Emperors to bring about a
reformation ; and the Latins were
curbed and depreSTed by the fuperfti
tion of the age, and the immenfe
wealth of the Roman Pontifs.
Innocent III. who died A. 1216, fol
lowed the plan of Gregory VII. and
pretended to be fupreme Lord and
Mafler in temporals and fpirituals ; a
man learried, for thofe times, and la
borious, but rough, cruel, avaricious,
and arrogant. He made Kings, juft as

^84 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
as he thought proper, in Afia and in
Europe. His own Letters give abun
dant inftances of the tyrannical domi
nion which he exercifed, whilft Eu
rope looked on with Silence and afto-
hiShment. Several new Monaftic Orders were
eftabliShed in this century. 1
Multitudes alfo of Sedtarifts Were
to be found, of men called Fratricelli,
or Beguardi, and of other denomina
tions, to whom are to be added the
Flagellantes. Amongft thofe who cultivated Logi
cal or Philofophical Divinity, the
principal are Albertus Magnus, Tho
mas Aquinas, and Bonaventura. It
muft be acknowledged that thefe men
had a ftrong defire of wifdom, a Sharp
wit, and a dexterity in difcuffing Sub
tle and intricate points ; though Pn
many accounts they be reprehenfible,
Particular caution is be uSed hi
reading thoSe authors who in theSe and

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, 3 $5
and the hollowing times treated of mo
rality, and gave rules for the conduct
of life. For although they ufe the fame
Words and expreffions which are to be
found in the Scriptures, and which we'
now employ* yet they took them in a
ferife entirely different* Juftice, cha
rity, piety, faith* are not with them
What our Saviour and his Apoftles
meant by thofe virtues t He is a pious
perfon, according to Chrift, who hath
dedicated his heart to God and to
God's precepts : but thefe Doctors call
that man pious and holy, who Strips
himfelf of his worldly pofleffions to
enrich the Priefts, who builds Churches
and Monasteries, and neither rejects nor
wegledts any thing that the Pope re
quires to be believed, and to be per
formed. It is lawful and commenda^
We, as they teach, to opprefs, torment,
and deftroy Heretics, that is, men.
who will not Submit to the decrees of
the Roman See. Juftice thereSore, in
their eftimation, is quite a different qua-
Vol. V. C e lity

386 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
V"
lity Srom that juftice which the Scrip
tures recommend and requires
The Roman Pontifs during this cen
tury waged violent "" and inceffant war
with Heretics, who departed from
the doctrines and, decisions of , the
Church, and called in queftion the au
thority and jurifdidtiop of the Popes..
For the Cathari, the Waldenfes, tlie,
Petrobrufiani, and many other Sects
had Spread themSelves almoft through
all Europe, eSpecially through. Italy,
France, Germany, and Spain, and
were collected into congregations, :
and became very Sormidable. To the;
older Sedts new ones were added ; and
all oS them, how diScordant Soever in
other opinions, were unanimous in
afferting that the vulgar Religion was
absolutely SalSe, and that the Popes
ufurped a moft unrighteous dominion •
over the Church, and over the GoSpel.
There were no Small number of No
bles who liftened very willingly and
favourably to thefe new Preachers in
veighing againft the power, wealth, the

Remarh oh Ecclefiafical tiiftory. 3§j
ahd wickednefs of the Pontifs and of
the whole Hierarchy, and confuting
their claims and their practices by the
teftimony of the Sacred Books* ThereS
Was therefore need pf new and extra
ordinary affiftances to cruSh and e'xtif^
pate fo numerous and fo dangerous ene-i
mies. Irtquifitors were appointed for
that purpofe* and that formidable Tri
bunal was erected, which brought back
multitudes of Heretics to the boionrof
the Church, and deftroyed as many by
fire and faggot m."
* The Abbots in thefe days Were- very
rich ; nor did they neglect any methods1
of increasing their wealth and their
power, not even the barbarity of break
ing Peafants on the wheel, that they
might feize ori their effects1. It was ah
Abbot of Nienburg who was guilty of
this cruelty. He was a moft pious
Ecclefiaftic, for he ordered a Monk to
be call out unburied upon a dunghill,'
becaufe he died poffeffed of nineteen.
crowns ; adding, to juftify his feverity,
m Mo/heim, p. 496, &c. roi, &c.
6 c 2 thi?

388 Remarks, on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory i
this fentence of Scripture, Thy money
perifh ivith thee.
It was then an axiom, that the Church
abhors the fhedding of blood. There
fore Bifhops and Archbifhops Ufed to
go to battle, armed with clubs, and
made no Scruple to knock down an
enemy, and to beat, and bruife him to
death, though thef- held it unlawful to
run him through with a Sword.
TheSe ages oS ignorance were golden
and happy ages Sor the Church ; and
the Prelates abounded in good Works ;
for no man dared to call their actions
by any other name n.

Difcourfe on the Croifades, by Fleury.
THE CroiSades make a considerable
part .of the Hiftory of the Church dur
ing the twelfth and thirteenth Centu
ries, and were one of the principal
Sources of the alteration of Ecclefiaftical:
* Bibl. Univ. i. 96, Sec. Difcipline.

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory, 389
Pjfeipline. You have feen the end of
them ; let us look back to their begin
ning and their progrefs.
The origin of Croifades is to be dis
covered in the Pilgrimages ,to the holy
Land, which became frequent from
the reign of Conftantine, when the Crofs
was ° found, and the hsely places re-efta-
blilhed. Thither they repaired from all
Christendom, which was contained
pretty nearly within the compafs of the .
Rom an Empire, whofe vaft extent made
fuch voyages eaSy even from Gaul,
Spain, and the remoteft provinces. This
liberty continued during three hundred
years, notwithstanding the Sail of the
Weftern Empire, becaufe the kingdoms
formed out of its ruins remained Chrif
tian, and were peopled with Romans,
though made Subject to Barbarians.
The great change happened not till the
feventh century, by the conquefts of
the Arabian Mahometans feparated
from us by religion, language, and man
ners. Yet as they left to their Chriftian
0 PJe fliould have faid, txias not found.
C c 3 fubjedts

39P. Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
fobjedts the free exercife of their reli?
giori, they permitted pilgrimages, and
even they themfelves went to vifit Je
ruSalem, which they called the Holy
Houfe, and for which they have a An
gular veneration.
The Christians therefore of the Weft
continued, under the domination of the
Mahometans, to vifit the holy places of
Palaefline, though with more difficulty .
than in the preceding ages; apd we
have fome relations of their voyages, as
of that of Arculphus a French Bifhop,
written by an Irifh Abbot towards the
end of the Seventh century. Thefepil-
grims, beholding the fervitude under
which the Eaftern Chriftians groaned,
made without queftion doleful reprefen-
tations of it, and of the difgrace to
Chriftianity that the holy places fhould
be in the hands of Infidels. Yet many
centuries elapfed before any attempt was
made to deliver them.
It is true that the Greek Emperors
were almoft always at war with the
Mahometans ; but it was rather for the
defence

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.' 391
defence of their frontiers than for the
conqueft of Jerufalerri, The Goths, the
Franks, the Lombards, and other na
tions which ruled the Weft, were for
a long time occupied in the wars which
they waged with one another and with
the Greeks. Afterwards they found
themfelves obliged to fight againft thofe
Mahometans who conquered Spain, pe
netrated into France, and eftablifhed
themfelves in Sicily, whence they made
defcents into Italy, even to the gates of
Rome. Far frpm projecting to crofs
the feas, and to carry the war pver to
them, the Chriftians reckoned it a fuffi-
cient happinefsto repulSe them. Char
lernain, fo powerful, fo warlike, fo zea
lous for religion, employed his arms
againft the Saracens only on the fron
tiers of Spain, and fo little thought of
attacking them in the Eaft, that he al
ways preferved alliance and friendfhip
with the Calif Aaron, who Sent to this
Prince the key of the holy Sepulcre, asj
a token of liberty for pilgrimages. The
voyage of Charlernain to the holy land
C c 4 is

39 2 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory,
is a romance invented fince the Crois-
fades, It was not till the end of the eleventh
century that the Chriftians of the Weft
united in a common enterprise againft
the enemies of our religion ; and Pope
Gregpry VII, a man of Spirit, and ca
pable pf vaft defigns; was the firft
mover of it. He was much affected
with the lamentable relations which he
received of the ftate of the Eaftern
Chriftians ppprefled by the Infidels, par
ticularly by the Turks who came to
fettle in Afia. He had excited the
Princes pf the Weft tp take up arms
againft them ; he was fure of fifty
thoufand men, whom he hinuelf intend
ed to head, as he teflifies in a letter to
the Emperor Henry. But more preffing
affairs at home hindered Gregory Srorn
executing his project, which was not
accomplifhed till twenty years after by
Urban II, Some preludes there had
been, and the Pilgrims travelled to the
holy land in great numbers, and well
armed; -of which the Seven thouSand
Germans

Remarks on EccUfidfiical Hiftory. 393
Germans Were a remarkable inftance,
who performed this voyage in the year
1064, and defended themfelves vali
antly againft the Arabian robbers. Such
a caravan was a little army, and the
Croifez were only a collection of Pil
grims. Befides the principal motives of open
ing a free paflage for pilgrimages, and
Succouring the Chriftians oS the Eaft,
I am pprfuaded that Gregory and Ur
ban had alSo a view to Secure Italy frohi
the infults of the Saracens, and to
weaken their power in Spain, where it
continued indeed to decline after the
Croifades. Befides this, Urban in one
of his Sermons gives intimations of ano
ther important defign, which was to
.extinguifh the feveral wars which had
raged in the Weft for more than two
hundred years, arid kept the Lords
continually in arms againft each other.
The Croifade anfwered this defign more
effectually than the Truce of God, as it
was called, eftablifhed by many Coun
cils about the year 1040, to fufpend for
certain

394 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory^
certain days in the week all adts of hof-
tility. The Croifade turned againft the
Infidels thofe forces which the Chrifti
ans employed to deftroy one another;
it enfeebled the Nobles, engaging them
in iipmenfe expences, by which means
the Sovereign Princes grew more pow
erful and by degrees re-eftablifhed
their authority,
I find not that in thoSe days it was
ever made a queftion whether this war
were juft. The Chriftians of the EaSl
and Weft all took it for granted. Yet
a difference of religion cannot be a fuffi-
cient caufe of war ; and Thomas Aqui
nas, writing in the thirteenth century
when the Croifades were ftill frequent,
fays, that it is not lawful to compel Infi
dels to embrace the faith, but only that
Believers may employ force, when they
are able, to hinder Infidels frorri doing
hurt to religion either by perflation or
by open perfecution. And it is for this
reaSon, Says he, that Chriftians often
wage war with Infidels, not to conftrain
them to believe,, but to reftrain them from

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 393
from oppofing any obftacles to the faith.
On thefe principles Chriftian Princes in
all times have thought that they had a
right to protect foreign Chriftians op-
prefled by their Sovereigns. Thus The-
odofius the younger refufed to furren-
der up to the Perfian king the Perfian
Chriftians who had taken refuge a-
mongft the Romans, and proclaimed
war againft him, to compel him to ceafe
the perfecution. The fame was the oc
casion of the firft Croifade. The Empe
ror of Conftantinople implored the fuc
cour of the Latins againft the formida
ble power of the Turks; and the Chrif
tians of the Eaft befought it ftill more
earneftly by the , complaining letters
of the Patriarch of JeruSalem, which
Peter the Hermit brought to Pope Ur
ban. It muft alfo be acknowledged that
the hatred which the Chriftians bore to
the Mahometans had a great Share in
the defign of the Croifade. The Chrifti
ans considered them as a curfed nation,
declared enemies to true religion, and
profeffing

396 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
profeffing to eftablifh their own in all
places by force of arms. Their own
Chriftian fubjedts could not bear to obey
them. John DarnaScene, living ih the
capital of theit empire a century after
their coiiquefts, addrefleth himfelf to
Leo Ifaurus as to his true and lawful
Sovereign. Fifty years after, the Pa
triarchs of the Eaft, in their letters to
the feventh General Council, acknow
ledge the Greek Emperors for their
mafters, and reprefent the Mahometan
Princes as execrable tyrants. Nor were
the Chriftians of Spain reconciled to
them in thfe middle of the ninth cen
tury, as we fee in Eulogius of Cordu-
ba. I confefs that I difcern not here
the firft fpirit of Chriftianity, nor that
perfect fubmiffion to Pagan Emperors
during three hundred years of persecu
tion. But thefe are certain facts ; and
the Chriftian Princes did not treat the
Mahometans taken in war like other
enemies, as it appears Srom thofe whom
the Emperor Bafilius Macedo cauSed to
be flayed alive, and Srom thofe whom the

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 397
the Pppes Leo IV. John VII. and Be
nedict VIII. put to death,
The Croifade was not appointed by
Pope Urban alone, but by the Council
of Clermont confifting of more than
two hundred BiShops aSfembled for all
the Weft j and fo perfuaded were all
perfons of the will of God concurring in
this enterprise, that it was made the
fhoutfor battle. \ To bring it into ex
ecution, and to put the people in
motion, the grand refort was a plenary
Indulgence, which was then firft in
troduced. The Church in all times
had left a difcretionary power to the
Bifhops to remit part of the Canonical
penance, according to the fervour of
the penitent, or to other circumftances ;
but till now it had never been feen that
in favour of one fingle work the finner
was difcharged from all temporary
punifhments which were due to the
divine juftice. v Nothing lefs than a
numerous Council, with a Pope pre-
fiding in perfon, could authorize fucbV
an alteration in the fyftem of penance ;
and

39 8" Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
and doubtlefs it was thought to be
grounded on Sufficient reafons. For
more than two hundred years, the
Bifhops had found it very difficult- to
make Sinners fubmit to the Canonical
penances, which indeed had been ren
dered impracticable by multiplying
them according to the number of tranf-
greffions ; whence came the invention
of Commutations, and of buying off
the penances of many years in a few
days. And amongft thefe commuta
tions it had been for a long time a prac
tice to enjpin pilgrimages to Rome, to
Compoftella, or to JeruSalem ; to which
pilgrimages the CroiSade now added
the perils of war. It was thought
therefore that" fuch a penance as this
Was equivalent to the fafting's, prayers,
and almfgivings, which each penitent
could perform in particular, and that
it would be more uSeful to the Church, .
and not lefs agreeable to God. .
. This Indulgence Served the Croifez'
ip lieu of pay ; and I find not in the firft
voyages any railing of Tenths to defray thie

Remarh on Ecclifaflical Hiftory. 399
the troops* The firft was the Saladine
Tenth, levied on account oSthe third
CroiSade. But as indulgences will not
feed the body* it was SuppoSed that
the Croifez would Subfift at their own
expence, or by the affiftance of the rich
and the charitable ; and this great ex-
pence attending fo long a voyage was
to be accounted as a confiderable part of
the penance. Even on thefe terms the
Indulgence was accepted with joy, as
a great favour.
The Nobles, who knew themfelves
for the moft part guilty of rnany
crimes, and amongft others of pillaging
the Churches, and robbing the poor,
thought it a favour to have no other
penance impofed upon them than their
own common occupation and pradtice,
which was fighting, together with the
profpedt, if they fell in1 battle, to be
ranked amongft the Martyrs. Before
this time, one part of penance had
been, neither to bear arms, nor to go
on horfeback. Now both the one and
the other was not only permitted but
1 required j

400 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
required ; fo that the Croifez changed
only the object, of their enterprifes*
without changing in the leaft their way
Of life. The Nobles drew after them
the populace, moift of whom were vaS-
Sals confined to the lands, and entirely
dependent on their Lords ; and doubt
leSs choSe rather to Sollow them in this
voyage than to fit at home confined to
agriculture or to laborious trades. Thus
were formed thofe immenfe armies
Which we find in Hiftory. To march
towards the holy laud was thought
Sufficient to Secure the Salvation of the
traveller. The Ecelefiaftics took up the Crofs
as well as others; but it Should have
heen from a different motive, namely
to inftruct the Croifez, to comfort
them, to administer the Sacraments to
them, and not to buy off their own pe
nances ; for, according to the true
rules, canonical penances were not
eftablifhed for the Clergy. When
they" had tranfgreffed, it was thought
Sufficient, according to the Apofto-
7 lical

Remarks oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 40 1
lical Canon, to depofe them, and reduce
them to the State of Laymen, with
out adding any other correction, that
they might not be punifhed twice
for one fault. However it may be
that in the eleventh century this dif-
tinction vyas not accurately considered ;
and the Ecelefiaftics, too many of whom
were guilty, propofed, as well as the
Laity did, to expiate their crimes by
the Croifade. What is certain is, that
they thought it lawful to bear arms,
and make ufe of them in this as well as in
other wars againft Infidels. You havefeeri
the Bifhops of Hungary armed againft
the Tartars, when thefe rayaged their
kingdom in the year 1 241. The Pre
lates of the fifth century did not act
thus. St. Leo the Pope, and St. Lu
pus Bifhop of Troyes flopped Attila by
no other weapons than prayers and ar
guments ; and they, who could not pa
cify thefe Barbarians by rneeknefs and
mildnefs, fuffered themfelves to be
maffacred ; and the Church approved
their conduct fo rrruch as to rank them
amongft the Martyrs.
Vox. V. D d Even

402 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Even the Monks and their Abbots
lifted themfelves in thefe expeditions,
although this military fort of devotion
led therri off rnore than other men from
their own vocation, which was filence
and Solitude. I have mentioned in its
proper place the arffwer of St, Gregory
Nyffen to a Solitaire of CappadoCia
who confulted him about a voyage to
JeruSalem. Gregory would not give
him leave, although that was only
a mere pilgrimage. You have feen
how St. Bernard reproached an Abbot
for entering into the Croifade, and how
he himfelf abfolutely refufed to head
the fecond Croifade. Yet at the Croi
fade in the time of Innocent III, we
find there Abbots even of the Ciftertian
Order. Their effential duties Suffered
by it ; the Monastery was not the bet
ter governed for it ; and at their return
neither they nor their companions the '
Monks brought back with, them a
Spirit of more regularity. The fame
may be proportionably faid oS the
BiShops and oS their Clergy. When

'Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 463
When the armies were affembled
and began to march in the firft Croi
Sade, the event did not anSwer the in
tentions oS Urbari and oS the Council
of Clermont. In thofe times little
difcipline was obferved in armies, and
ftill lefs amongft that of the Croifez,
compofed of volunteers of diverfe na
tions, and led by Chiefs independent
one of another, with none who had
the fupreme command, unlefs the
Pope's Legate, and he a perfon by no
means capable of governing fuch troops.
Accordingly the Pilgrims did not for
bear from adts of hoftility till they
fhould enter into the lands of the Infi
dels. In their paflage they ravaged and
pillaged the Hungarians, Bohemians,
and Greeks, though Chriftians, and
cut to pieces all who Oppofed their
violence. On thefe occafions fo many
of them periShed, that their numbers
were considerably diminifhed when
they arrived at Afia. The Emperor
Alexis, who then reigned, had been
engaged in great contentions with Ro
bert Guichard Duke of, Apulia, and
D d 2 had

404 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory,
had been worried. So that feeing
Boemond the fon of Robert in the
midft of Greece, and at the head of a
formidable army, he gave himfelf for
loft, not doubting but that this pretend
ed Pilgrim wanted his crown. It is no
wonder that he did the Croifez all the
mifchief that lay in his power ; and,
being inferior in firength, had recourfe
to artifice, according to the genius of
his nation.
The Croifez were ill instructed con
cerning the ftate of the countries which
they Went to attack. This appears
from the relations of their exploits, in
which the names of people, regions,
and princes are Strangely disfigured.
They knew not the roads, and were re
duced to take up guides on the Spot,
that is, to expofe themfelves to the
mercy of their enemies, who often
mifled them on purpofe, and caufed
them to perifh before they could Strike
a blow ; as it it happened in the fecond
Croifade. Even in the firft voyage
they weakened their own hands by di
viding

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiflory. 405
viding their troops to fecure diverfe
conquefts, as Nic^a, Antioch, Edefla,
inftead of referving their firength for
Jerufalem, which was the aim of their
enterprize. But the different Chiefs
had their own private views, and the
ableft of them all was Boemond the
Norman, who got Antioch for himfelf,
much more Solicitous, as Saras we can
judge oS him, to make his own
fortune, than to do any Service to
religion. At laft they arrived at JeruSalem,
befieged it, and took it by a kind of
miracle ; for it was not to be expected
that amidft fuch obftacles an enterprize
So ill conducted fhould have an happy
conclufion. Perhaps God thought pro
per to make it proSper Sor the Sake of
fome well-difpofed warriors who acted
uprightly and by a fpirit of religion,
Such as Godfrey of Bouillon, whofe
piety and fimplicity is as much extolled
as his valour hy the Historians of thofe
times. But the Chriftians corrupted
this victory by the ill uSe they made of
D d 3 it,

406 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
it, putting all the Mahometans to the
fword, and filling JeruSalem with bfood.
Could they hope to exterminate- and
abolifh this religion and its great em
pire which extended itSelS Srom Spain
to the Indies? And what Idea of the
Christian Religion did it give to the
Infidels ? Would it not have been more
conformable to the fpirit of the Gofpel
to treat them with kindnefs and huma
nity, and to be contented with Securing
by this conqueft the liberty of pilgri
mages tp the holy land ? By fuch a be
haviour they would, have fettled the
peace of the old Chriftian inhabitants
of that country, and have made the.
government of the new Rulers, more
amiable, and have procured the coii-
jyerfion of fome Infidels. Saladin when
he retook JeruSalem behaved himfelf
in a much more decent manner, and
knew how to reproach the, Christians.
with the barbarity of their parents.
But after all, "what were the fruits
of this enterprize, 'which had Shaken
and exhausted all1 Europe? Only the
new

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 407
new kingdom of Jerufalem conferred
upon the worthy Godfrey, on the re-
fufal of the principal Lords of the
Croifade, who having accomplished
their vow, were in hafte to return to
their homes. Hiftory will hardly fur-
nifh us with a Kingdom Smaller in the
extent of land, and Shorter in dura
tion ; Sor it lafted only eighty years,
and comprised no more than Jerufalem
and a Sew neighbouring villages, and
even thoSe inhabited by Mahometans,
or by Chriftian natives who had no
affection for the Franks. Thus the
new King had in reality no' other
fubjedts than the fmall remainder of
the Croifez, that is, three hundred
horfe, and two thoufand foot. Such
was this poor conqueft, fo vaunted by
Hiftorians and Poets ! and Strange it is
that the Chriftians perSevered Sor two
hundred years in the defign of preserv
ing or regaining it.
But it Was becauSe the Popes, and
they who by their command preached
D d 4 the

408 ^Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
the -Croifade, ceaSed not tp reprefent \t
to fh'e nobility #nd 4the populace as the
CauSe of God, and the heft method to.
fecure their own Salvation. We muft,
Said they,, revenge the difgrace of Jefos
Chrifjt, and wrefl out. of infidel hands
that land which is his heritage, ac
quired, by, the price of his blood, and
promifed by him to his people, He
gave his life for you : is it not juft
that you Should give yours for him ?
Can you fit at reft in your houfe,Sj
whilft. his- enemies .blafpherpe his holy
name, proSane his temple, and the
places which he honoured with his
preSence, „by the ahominable worShjp
of Mahometans, who inSult the Faith
ful that have not the cop rage to eject
them? What will you anSwer to God
at the day oS judgment, when he will
reproach you for. having preferred your
repofe and your pleafures to his glory,
and for having Slighted So eafy a me
thod of expiating your fins and gain
ing the crown of martyrdom ? This is
what the Popes in their Letters and
' the

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 409
the Preachers in their fermons incul
cated with the moft pathetic expref-
fions. In our days, when the Spirits of
men are no longer inflamed with the
Subject, and we confider it in a cool
temper, we can difcern in thefe diS-
courfes neither Solidity, nor even the
appearance oS reaSon. It was Said that
the diSgrace of Jefus Chrift ought to
be revenged. But what he accounts
an injury, and what truly dishonours
him, is the debauched life of wicked
Chriftians, and fuch were moft of the
Croifez, which is far more odious to him
than the profanation of things inanimate,
of buildings confecrated to his name,
and of places which bring to our mind
what he fuffered for us. What re-
fpect foever may be due to holy places,
his religion is not connected with them.
He hath declared this himfelf, when
he faid that the time was coming when
God fhould be worfhiped neither in
Samaria, nor in Jerufalem, but in all
and in aiiy places, in Spirit and in
truth.

410 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
truth. And it was to undeceive the
Jews apd rerpove their attachment to
one Spot, and to an houSe made hy
men that he cauSed JeruSalem fo be
deftroyed, and never Suffered the tem
ple to be rebuilt.
It is mere equivocation to calSPa-
laeftine the Lord's heritage, and the
land promiSed to his people. Thefe
expreffion s belong to the Old Tefta-
ment in the proper and literal fenSe,
and can be applied to the New only
in a figurative SenSe. The heritage
which Chrift purchaSed with his blood,
is his Church collected Srom all na
tions, and the land which he hath pro
mised is the heavenly country. We
ought to he ready to give up our life
Sor him ; but that is done by Suffering
all Sorts of oppreffions and perfecutions,
and even death, rather than to renounce
him and lofe his favour. He hath not
commanded us to expofe our lives by
attacking Infidels fword in hand; and
if it be lawful to give the title of
Martyrs

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 411
Martyrs to thofe who are Slain fight
ing, with Unbelievers, it muft be in
a purely religiou.s war, More than
five hundred years were elapSed fince
the Mahometans had conquered Pa-
lffiftine when the firft CroiSade was
undertaken, and we See not that Chris
tianity in general had Suffered any great
detriment by their conqueft, or that
it grew more flourifhing fince. In a
word, all the heavy cenfures beftowed
on thofe Princes who refufed to go to
the holy War fell as much upon their
predeceflbrs, and upon other Princes,
who yet had been moft zealous in the
caufe of religion.
The fecond Croifade conducted by
Louis the Young with Conrad King
pf Germany was entirely unfuccefs-
ful ; and St. Bernard who had preach-
pd it was reduced to plead for him
felf againft the reproaches which
his dodtrine had brought upon him.
The army of Conrad perifhed in
Natolia, without Striking a blow,
by the treachery of the Greeks ; and
2 one

412 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. ,
one cannot wonder enough at the fim-
plicity of this Prince, to truft him
felf to the Emperor Manuel, after
the experience of the firft Croifade,
when Manuel's anceftor Alexis had
ufed all his endeavours to blaft the en
terprize. The interval between the
one and the other was only of fifty
years, and the fame cauSes oS diftruft
ftill Subfifted. The Greeks were al
ways perSuaded that the Latins wanted
to take pofleffion of their empire ; and
the event, fifty years after, in the
fourth Croifade, juftified their fufpi-
cions too fully,
I fpeak of the enterprize in which
the French, inftigated by the Vene
tians, went firft to attack Zara in Dal-
matia, and then Conftantinople, to re-
eflablifh the young Emperor Alexis,
of Which city they made themfelves
mafters, under the pretence of puriifh-
ing Murzuflus for his difloyalty to this
young Prince ; for this was the mo
tive which the BiShops, their conduc-
3 tors,

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 413
tors, propofed to them, namely, that
perfons who had committed fuch mur
ders as Murzuflus, had no right to
poffefs their dominions ; and fo blind
were the Princes of the Croifez as
not to difcern the dangerous confe
quences which might be drawn againft
themfelves by virtue of this faffe ma
xim. Innocent III. at firft ufed his
utmoft efforts to divert the Croifez
from this project. He represented to
them that they had taken arrhs againft
Infidels, not againft Chriftians, and
that it belonged not to them to rCvenge
injuries done to the Emperor ISaac, or
to his Son Alexis. To thefe remon
strances he added his cenSures, and the
Croifez were excommunicated Sor this
undertaking. But at length he was dazzled by the
fuccefs ; and Seeing the Latins mafters
of Conftantinople as it were by a mi
racle, he imagined that God had de
clared himfelf for them. Two fpecious
reafons impofed upon him ; the facility of
fuc-

4 14 Remarks, oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Succouring the holy land, and the
hopes of ire-uniting the Greekto the
Latin Church. It was faid; The
Greeks are they who above all have
prevented the good effects of the Croi
fades. by their perfidy. When we are
mafters of the Empire, thepaffage to the
holy land Will be eafy and fafe, and we
fhall advance Step by flep to its affift-
ance. It was alfo urged ; The Greeks
are obftinate fchifmatics, children of
the Church who have rebelled againft
their Mother fince many ages, and
who deferve to be fcourged for it. If
the fear of our arms recalls them to
their duty, fo much the better; if
not, we muft extirpate them, and re-
people the country with Catholics.
But in both thefe reafonings they were
widely miftaken. The conqueft of
Constantinople drew on the lofs of the
holy land, and made the Schifm of the
Greeks irreconcileable. This wants tp
be explained.
Firft then ; the prefer vation of Con
ftantinople became a new object of the
Croifez,

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hjftory. 4 i 5
Croifez, and divided the forces of the
Pilgrims, already too fmall to fuftain
the war in Syria, particularly after the
lofs of Jerufalem. Yet the Croifez
repaired more willingly to Romania,
attracted by the, proximity and by the
goodnefs of the country. Thither they
went in droves, and thence Sprang up
new States, hefides the Empire, as a
kingdom of Theffalonica, and a princi
pality of Achaia. There alfo were
found new enemies to encounter, be^
fides the Greeks, as the Bulgarians,
Valachians, Comanians, and Hun
garians. Thus the Latins, being efta
bliShed in Romania, had work enough
at home, without troubling themfelves
about the holy land. They were eter
nally crying out for fuccours, and at
tracting as many of the Croifez as they
could. But, in Spite of all their efforts,
the conqueft of Constantinople was ftill
more Short-lived than that of Jerufalem.
The Latins did not preferve it fixty
years ; and, which added to thefe evils,
this conqueft, with the wars which • it

41 6 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hi/lory.
it produced, Shook the Greek Empire
to Such a degree, that it gave occafiort
to the Turks to overfet it> entirely two
hundred years afterwards ; and as tp
the Schifm pf the Greeks, it was fo far
from extinguishing, that it inflamed
and made it irreconcileable.
The Indulgence granted to the Croi
fade, having been extended to the pre
servation of the Empire of Romania
againft the Schifmatical Greeks, was
Soon applied to all the wars which ap
peared oS importance to religion. The
Popes granted the Same Indulgence to
the Spaniards who Sought agahift the
Moors, and , to Strangers who joined
them as auxiliaries; and indeed it tend
ed to deliver Chriftians Srom the dOmi-
riation of Infidels, and to diminish the
power of the latter. By thefe means
were accomplished the conquefts of
James king of Arragon, and of St.
Ferdinand king of Caftille, carried on
fo far by their Succeffors, that at laft
they expelled all the Moors from Spain.
At the fame time the CroiSade was
preached

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 41^
preached in Germany againft the Pa
gans of Pruffia,' Livonia, and the
neighbouring regions, both to hinder
them from vexing the new Christians,
and to incline them to receive the Gof
pel themfelves. An additional object of
the Croifade was the destruction of
Heretics, fuch as the Albigenfes in
France, and others in Germany. Laftly
it was preached againft Princes who
were excommunicated for difobeying
the Church, as the Emperor Frederic
II. and his fon. And becaufe the Popes
treated as enemies to the Church all
thofe -with whom they had ahy dif
putes even about their temporal inter
ests, they had alfo recourfe to Croi-
faides on thefe occafions, as to the laft
reSort againft refilling Powers.
Now thefe CroiSades, grown So nu
merous, were hurtSul one to the other.
The CroiSez Split into So many different
bodies could not perform great exploits ;
and this was theprincipalcaufe of the
lofs oS the holy land. The Spaniards
and Germans choSe rather to gain the.
Vol. II. E e Indul-.

4*8 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Indulgence by ftaying at home; the
Popes had more at heart the preserva
tion of their own temporalities in Italy
than the kingdom of Jerufalem, and
the deftruction of Frederic and his fon
than that of the Sultans of JEgypt and'
Syria. Thus the Succours expected by
the Chriftians of the Eaft were diverted
or retarded, and the multitude of the
Croifades caufed that enterprize to mif-
carry which had been their firft and
only view. The Croifades were grown
objects of contempt, and the preachers
of them were no longer followed and
regarded. It became neceflary to grant
an Indulgence of fome days, and even
of fome years, to thofe who would deign
to be prefent at thoSe Sermons.
The extension of the plenary Indul
gence was alfo hurtful to the Croifade.
At firft it was only granted to thofe
who took up arms and went in perfon.
Afterwards it was thought right npt to
deprive thofe of it, who, being Unable
themfelves to Serve, contributed to the
fuccefs of the enterprise, as. old men,
Sickly

RetHarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 4 1 9
fickly perfons, and women, who gave
their Subftarice Spr the maintenance of
the army. It was extended to all thole
who were promoters of this holy cauSe*
in proportion to the Sum Which they
gave, either during their life, 6r by their
teftameiit ; and the Croifez who could
not accomplish their vow* Pri account
of fome obftacle arifing afterwards,
were difpenfed froni it on' fhe payment
Of a certain gift; and this fometimes
upon Slender exeufes. All thefe con
tributions amounted to a vaft Sum,*
which was collected by the Pope's
Commiflaries, Templars* Mendicants^
or others who were fometimes accufed
of being faithlefi Stewards.
But thefe voluntary colledtipris were"
Cafual, and experience SheWed that a
certain fund Was neceflary for the main
tenance of the Croifez, moft of whomt
were not able to ferve at their1 own ex*
pence. Thence they proceeded to im
ports and taxes \ and as the fubjedt of*
this war was the defence of religion* it
was judged lawful to make free with
E e 2 eonfe-

420 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory .* ,
confecrated goods, that is, with pccle-'
Siaftical revenues. The firft impofition
of this kind was the Saladine Tenth, on
Pccafion of the lofs of Jerufalem. Sensi
ble men foreSaw the confequences, and
Peter ofBlois oppofed this innovation,
fo prejudicial to the liberties of the Cler
gy, and, the immunity of Ecclefiaftical-
revenues. And indeed this example,
begun in the third Croifade, was fol
lowed in all the fucceeding ones, not
only in thpfe for the holy land, but for
any caufe whatsoever; and the Popes,-
pretending to a right to diSpoSe of Ec
clefiaftical goods, required ofthe Cler
gy a twentieth, fometimes a tenth,
fometimes even a fifth oftheirrevenues,^
either for the Croifade, or for the par
ticular affairs of Rome-; and alfo fome
times they gave apart of thofe taxes to
thofe Kings who came into their inter-
efts. The French and the English
Clergy made loud' complaints on this
account. Thefe levies were only a fmall part
ofthe temporal bufinefs which the Croi fades

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 421
fades brought upon the Pope, who was
always the Firft Mover ; for thefe wars,
though undertaken upon a religious
motive, were to be conducted like other
wars. It was needful to raife troops, to
furniSh them with neceflaries, to give
them commanders, to Send them Sorth,
to fix their route by land, and their em
barkation when they choSe to go by Sea,
to have Sortified places, ftores, and ma
gazines, and to make all other Suitable
preparations. It was the Pope who re
gulated the etjterprizes, diSpoSed of the
conquefts, and ratified the treaties of
peace or of truce ; and as he could not
march himfelf at the head of the Croi
fez, there was always in each army a
Legate, ufually a Cardinal, Surnifhed
with moft ample provisions, and having -
authority over the ChieSs, and a kind
of Gcneraliffimo. But the Pope who
gave him this power could not along
with it give him the capacity requisite
in a Commander ; and fo it often hap
pened that the military officers were of
a different opinion, from the Legate con-
E e 3 cerning

422 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
cerning the conduct of the war ; and
this produced divifions amongft them,
as it did between the Legate Pelagius
and tb-e King of Jerufalem.
Frequently it happened that a Prince,
after having taken the Crofs and an
oath to Set out at a certain time, delayed
his voyage, either through ficklenefs
and change pf mipd, or pn account of
more preffing affairs at home, by a re
volt of his Subjects, or by the invafion
pf a neighbouring Prince. Then re
courfe was to be had to the Pope, tp
obtain a difpeoSatiop Srom the oath,
and an allowance of longer time. If
the Pope did pot approve the excufes,
he was not Sparing of his Ecclefiaftical
.cenfures. Such' was the Source of the
famous contefi between Gregory IX.
and the Emperor Frederic II. which
brought on the ruin of that Prince and
of his houfe, and plunged Germany
into an anarchy of thirty years, and
introduced a divifiop in Italy from
which it hath not as yet recovered it-
felf. Such was alfo the caufe of the
quarrel

Remarks on Rcclefiqfiical Hiftory. 4 23
quarrel of Boniface VIII. and Philip Le
Bel, which was carried to the laft ex
tremities, and the end of which was
fo fatal to that Pontif.
The Prince ufed to fay on thofe oc
cafions ; I am ready to aecomplifh my
vow ; but I muft firft provide Sor the
SaSety of my kingdom, fubdue my re
bellious fubjedts, or difarm a neigh
bouring Prince, who will take advan
tage of my abfence. The Pope replied;
The Croifade is the common caufe pf
religion, to which all private and per
fonal interefts muft yield. Put your
caufe into my hands,, as to a judge and
an arbitrator, and I will do you juftice.
As a Croife, you are under the fpecial
protection of the Roman Church; who-
foever attacks you during your abfence
fhall be declared her enemy.
The new Lords eftablifhed in the
Eaft, as the King of Jerufalem, the
Prince of Antioch, the Count of Tri
poli, gave the Pope the more occupa
tion, as their conduct towards the Infi
dels and their contentions amongft
£ C 4 them--

4.24 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
themfelves directly affected the preferr
yation of the holy land. Add to this
the affairs of the Latin Bifhops efta
blifhed in thofe regions after the con
queft, and you will find that the Croi
Sade alone and its conSequences" involved
the Popes in more bufineSs than Sell to
¦ the fhare of the greateft Monarchs. So
much did they fet their hearts upon the
affairs of the holy land, that feveral of
them died of mere vexation at the bad
eveftt of this enterprise.
The Latin Clergy of the Eaft de
ferve a particular notice. Prefently after
jthe Conqueft of Antioch, Jerufalem,
and other cities, they eftablifhed in
•them Latin Patriarchs and Prelates ;
and in like manner, after the conqueft
pf Constantinople. True it is that the
diverfity of language and of rituals
obliged the Latins to have Clergy of
their own : but I know not whether it
wag proper to be fo hafty in multiply
ing Prelates Sor the Sake of the Latins,
who were few in number. For exam
ple, could not the Patriarch of Jerufar fern

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 425
lem have very eafily governed the
Church of Bethleem, which lay only
two leagues off? The Croifez went to
fuccour the ancient Chriftians, Syrians,
Armenians, and others, who all had
their own Bifhops eftablifhed by a long
fucceffion ; yet in our biftories I find
little mention made of thefe poor Chrif
tians and of their Bifhops, except the
complaints which they made of being
ill ufed by the Latins. Thus under the
pretence of delivering them from the
Mahometans, they only laid them un
der a new flavery.
The firft care of thefe Latin Bifhops
was to eftablifh the Temporalities of
their Sees, and to acquire Seignories,
Cities, and Caftles, after the examples
which they had feen at home, and to
be extremely careful in preferving them.
Accordingly, fcarcely were they efta
blifhed, when they began to have vio
lent contefts with the Nobles ; as the
Patriarch of Jerufalem had with the
King, for the dominion pf the City.
Js[pr had they lefs altercation for their
Spiritual

426 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
fpiritual jurisdiction, both amongft
themfelves, and with the Knights of
the Military Orders equally jealous of
their privileges. To fettle thefe liti
gated points, recourfe was to be had to
Rome, whither the Patriarchsthemfelves
were often obliged to go in perfon.
What diffipation for thefe Prelates ! and
what additional burden of affairs for the
Pope! But what fcandal given to the an
cient Chriftians ofthe Eaft, and to the
Infidels ! According to the true Spirit of
the Gofpel, the Latin Clergy Ought to
have applied themfelves principally to
the instruction and amendment of the
Croifez, and to form as it were a new
Chriftianity, as near as poffible to the
purity ofthe firft ages, and capable of
attracting by good examples the Infidels
with whom they were Surrounded.
*rhen the Clergy might have laboured
for the re-Union of Heretics and Schif-
matics, and Sor the converfion of the
Jnfidels ; and this was the method to
make the Croifade turn to good account.
But our Latin Ecelefiaftics were not
knowing enpugh to have- views fo pure and

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 427
and fo fublime ; they were in Paleftine
like thofe in Europe, or rather ftill
more ignorant, and ftill more diflblute.
After the lofs of Jerufalem the Pa
triarch, as well as the King, retired to
the city of Acre, where he refided till
the total lofs of the holy land ; and
though his Patriarchate was only titu- ,
lar, there was reafon to retain it So long
as any hopes remained oS recovering
JeruSalem. The Same may be Said of
the Patriarch of Antioch, and of Con
ftantinople, and of other Latin Bifhops
of Greece and of the Eaft. But fince
the Croifades are ceafed, and no rational
hope fubfifts of re-eftablifhing thefe
Prelates in their Churches, it might
have been better to have ceafed frorp
giving them fucceflbrs, and perpetua
ting thofe empty titles ; and the more
So, becaufe this procedure makes the
Greeks and other SchiSmatics ftill lefs
diSpoSed to a re-union with the Church,
whilft they See the Court oS Rome Sull
pf thefe Bifhops in partibus, in employ
ments little anfwerable to their dignity. Next

4281 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Next to the Clergy, let us confider
the Military Orders, a kind of Religious
perfons unknown to antiquity. Until
the twelfth century, it was thought
enough to account the profeffion of
arms permitted to Chriftians, and com
patible with falvation : it was not yet
contrived to make it a State of per
fection, and to join to it the three vows
eflential to a Religious life. And in
truth, the obfervation of thefe vows
requires great precautions againft the
ordinary temptations ; it requires Soli
tude, or at leaft, retirement, to avoid
the ocafions of fin; recollection' and
meditation on religious truths ; and
frequent prayer, to acquire tranquillity
of mind, and purity of heart. Now
it feems very difficult to join thefe
practices with a military life, Sull of
adtion, and continually expofed to the
moft dangerous temptations, or at leaft,
to the moft violent paffions.
For thefe reaSons Warriors would
have more need than other men to cul
tivate

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory 429P
tivate their minds by reading, conver
sation, and wiSe reflection's. As we
SuppoSe them bold and brave, a right
uSe of their reafon is more neceS-
Sary Sor them than Sor others, that they
may employ their courage in a proper
manner, and keep it within juft bounds.
Valour, by itSelS, only makes men bru
tal; andreafon, by itSelS, makes themnot
courageous. They want both valour
and reaSon. Now our old Knights had
never Studied, and moft oS them could
not read ; So that the common prayers
ofthe Templars confifted only in affift-
ing at the office which was Sung by the
Clerks. I fhould alSo much doubt
whether they were Sufficiently guarded
againft the temptations infeparable Srom
the exercISe of arms, and in the midft
of battle could preferve fuch an even
temper as not to be carried away by
emotions of wrath and malice, by defire
of revenge, and fentiments not con
formable to humanity and juftice.
According to the ancient difcipline of
the Church, fome fort of penance was
required of thofe who had med blood even

43 o Remarks on &cchfd0eM!Wfory.
even in the jufteft wars; and we fine?
fome remains of this difcipline in' the
ninth ceiitury.
I am willing to fuppofe that the
Templars and other Knights of tile
"Military Orders gave Shining examples
of virtue in their firft zeal. But it muft.
be confeSfed that they foon degenerated*
and that heavy complaints were made
of them, even in the twelfth century,
not long after their institution. They
abufed their privileges, extending them
beyond all bounds, defpifing the BiSh
ops, from whofe jurisdiction they were
exempt, and even obeying the Pope no
farther than it pleaSed them. They
kept not their treaties with Infidels,
and Sometimes entered into Schemes
With them Sor the destruction of Chris
tians. Many of them led a corrupt and
fcandalous life. In fine, the crimes of
the Templars were carried to Such an
excefs, that it became needful to abo
lish their Order, at the General Coun
cil of Vienne, before two hundred
years, were elapfed from their establish ment ;

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 431
ment; and the fadts of which they
fland accufed ire fo atrocious, that we
cannot read them without horror, and
can fcarcely believe them, though pro
ved by authentic procedures.
As to the Military Orders which
ftill fubfift, I reverence the authority
of the Church which hath approved
them, and the virtues of many particu
lar perfons in each oS them.. We have
in our days "known Such amongft the
Knights of Malta. But I leave it to the ,
confeipnce of each individual, to exa
mine whether he lives like a truly
Religious man, and faithfully obferves.
his Rule. I particularly intreat all thofe
who embrace this ftate of life, and all
parents who place their Children in it,
to do it with folemn deliberation, and
not to be led merely by the example of
others ; to confider attentively, before
God, what are the obligations incum
bent on that ftate, aCcPrding to the in
tention ofthe CHurch, and not accord
ing to thofe relaxatidris which it tole
rates ; and above all, what are the
7 motives

432- Remarfs. on Ecclefiafical Hiftory s
motives for embracing this profeffion J
whether they be tp Secure eternaldife
and to aim at Christian perfection, or
to participate of „• the revenues^ of the
Order, and obtain offices . of dignity ^
for it is quire prepofterous to ^make a
vow of poverty with a view to "acquire
riches. Of all the. confequences, ofthe Croi
fade, that which moft affected Religion
was the ceffation of Canoiyical penan
ces ; I fay, the ceafing, not the abro
gating ; for they were never exprefsly
abolished by ' any Papal Constitution,
or by any Council, , Never , was this
point taken into! deliberation ; never
Was it affirmed in the following man
ner ; " W*e having carefully examined
the rpafons of this ancient difcipline,,
and the effects which it hath produced,
find the inconveniences of it to be greater
than the utility;, and fo, all things duly
weighed, we judge it proper henceforth
to leave penances to the difcretipn of
GonfefTors." I have feen nothing pf
this kind in the whole, courfe ©f Eccle
fiaftical

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 433
fiaftical Hiftory. Canonical penances
have inSenfibly declined by the facility
of Bifhops and by the hardened ftub-
bornefs of finners, by negligence, and
by ignorance ; but they received, as
We may fay, their mortal wound by
the Indulgences of the CroiSade.
I know that this was not the inten
tion oSPope Urban and ofthe Council
of Clermont. They defigned on the
contrary to perform two good deeds at a
time, to deliver the holy land, and to
facilitate penance for an innumerable
company of Sinners who elfe would have
performed none. This is what St.
Bernard exprefly fays, and what Inno
cent III. affirms ; and they pathetically
extol the mercy of God, who in thofe
days had given men an opportunity of
being converted, and a new method of
fatisfying the divine juftice. But it is
to be feared that they had riot enough
confidered the folid reaSons for which
the ancient Canons had regulated the
times and the exercifes of, penance.
The holy men who eftablifhed thefe
Vol. V. F f rules

434 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hifiory.
rules had not only in view to puniSh
finners, but to afcertain their conver
fion, and to guard againft relapfes.
They began therefore by Separating them
from the reft of the Faithful, and
keeping them confined during the time
of their penance, except when they
were to affift at divine fervice, and re
ceive religious instruction. Thus they
'removed from them the occafions of
offending ; and thefe times of filent re
collection gave leifure to the Penitents
for making ferious reflections on the
enormity of fin, the rigour of God's
juftice, eternal punishments, and other
formidable truths, which the Priefts
who had the care of them did not fail
to reprefent in fuch a manner as to ex
cite in them fentiments of compunc
tion. Then they comforted and en
couraged them, and by degrees con
firmed in them a refolution to renounce
fin for ever, and to lead a new life.
It was not till the eighth century
that they introduced pilgrimages in lieu
of Satisfaction ; and they began to ruin
penances

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 43 jf
penances by fuch a diffipated life, and
by fo many occafions of relapfes. And
yet thefe particular pilgrimages were
lefs dangerous than the Croifades. A
Penitent travelling alone, Or with one
companion; could obferve a certain
rule, could faft, or at leaft live Sparing
ly* and have his hours of meditation
and Silence* could Sing pfalms, and
occupy himfelf with pious thoughts, Pif
with edifying converfations ; but thefe
religious practices Suited not multitudes
incorporated into an army. On the
contrary, the CroiSez, at leaft, part of
them, fought to divert themfelves, and
had their hounds and their hawks with
them. So it appears from the prohibi
tion of fuch diversions in the fecond
Croifade. They were* in a word, mere Sinners,
who without change of heart, or ante
cedent preparation, except perhaps an
hafty confeffion, fuch as it was, went
for the expiation of their fins to expofe
themfelves to the moft dangerous
temptations of committing new ones.
F f 2 , Men.

436 Remarks on Ecclefaftical. Hiftory.
Men chofen out fromthe moft virtuous
and beft confirmed in goodnefs could
hardly have maintained their innocence
in fuch voyages. True it is that Some
of them prepared themfelves ferioufly
for death, by paying their debts, resto
ring uiilawfuLpoSfeSfions, and making
fatisfadtion to thofe whom they had
wronged. But it muft alSo be confeffed
that the Croifade ferved as a pretext for
debtors to defraud their creditors, for
malefadtors to efcape the halter, for
proftitutes to carry on their trade with
more liberty, and fuch there were who
followed the camp, fome of them dif-
guiSed in mens clothes. In the army
of St. Louis, in his quarters, and near
his tent, there were places of debau
chery ; and he was obliged to curb
thefe diforders by exemplary punifh
ments. A Poet of thofe times relates
the SlPry of one who departed to
the CroiSade, defperately in love with
his neighbour's wife, that is, carrying
adultery in his breaft, and who dying
in the voyage charged one of his friends to

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hifiory. 43-
to embalm his heart, and give it to
the lady ; which he did. Were not
thefe fruits meet for repentance !
The Croifez who fettled in fhe.Eaft
after the conqueft, far from being con
verted, corrupted themfelves more and
more. The heat of the climate and
the example of the natives made them
effeminate, and excited them to the en
joyment of all kind of voluptuoufnefs,
efpecially in the moft fertile regions,
and in the delicious valley of Damafpus.
Their children grew ftill worfe, and
formed a new nation called Pullani,
famous only for its vices, Such was
the honour which accrued to Jefus
Chrift from thefe moft expenfive enter-
prifes !
At laft Jerufalem and the holy land
returned back into Infidel hands ; and
four hundred years arc elapfed fince the
Croifades have ceafed ; but the Cano
nical Penances are not returned to us.
Whilft the Croifades lafted, they flood
in the place of penance, not only for
thofe who voluntarily enlifted ttierp-
F f 3 Selves,

438 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hifory.
Selves, but Spr all great Sinners, tq
whorn the BiShops granted absolu
tion, only on condition that they
would Serve perfonally in the holy land,
pr maintain there a certain number of
Soldiers. It Should Seem then that aSter
the end oS the CroiSades they would
have returned tp the ancient penances :
but the ufe of them had been inter
rupted for two hundred years at le&ft,
and the penances were become arbitrary.
The Bifhops entered not into the detail
ofthe adminiftration ofthe Sacraments ;
the Mendicant Friers were the more
ordinary Miniftprs, apd thefe itinerant
Miffipnarips could not attend long upon
the conduct of a Penitent, to examine
the progrefs and the Stability oS his con
verfion, as the regular paftors uSed to
dp, But the Friers were obliged to ex
pedite the affairs of theSe finners with
out delay, that they might paSs from
pne to another.
Befides, Morality was difcuffed in
the Schools, as other parts oS Theolo
gy, mpre by ratiocination than by au
thority,

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 439
thority, and in a problematical way,
by calling in queftion every thing,
even the clearest truths ; whence in
time proceeded fo many decifions of
the Cafuifts remote not only from rhe
purity of the Gofpel, but from the
dictates of common fenfe. For in
points oS this kind what lengths will
not thoSe perfons run, who uSe Such a
licentious way of reafoning ? Now the
Cafuifts were more employed in deferi-
bing the nature of fins than in Shewing
their remedies. They were principally
occupied in deciding which are mortal
fins, and in distinguishing to which
virtue each fin was oppofite, whether
to juftice, prudence, or temperance.
They feem to have ftudied how to bring
down fins to the loweft degree of
guilt, and to juftify many adtions,
which the ancients, lefs fubtle but more
Sincere, judged to be criminal.
Thus the old difcipline, by being fo
neglected, is fallen almoft into oblivion,
fo that none dare to talk of re-eftabliSh-
jng it. Yet St. Charles was a good
F f 4 Cathplic,

4 4° .Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
Catholics and in his inftrudtioiis for
Coiifeffors he hath inferted an extradt
from the old Canons to guide them in
impofing penances, and to make thofe
penances, as far as it may be, propor
tionable to the offences. Laftly, the
Council of Trent hath ordered that
notorious offenders be put to open pe
nance; permitting only the Bifhops to
difpenfe with it, when they fhall judge
It proper. I have obferved, by the way, that
one of the objects of the Croifade was
the converfion of the Pagans of Livo
nia, Pruffia, and other northern peo
ple, which deferves particular reflec
tions. TheSe converfions were begun
i by the zeal of fome Ciftertian Monks,
and were continued by the Predicant
Friers ; and So Sar nothing could be
more conformable to the Spirit of the
Gofpel. But as thefe people were ex
tremely fierce, they who adhered to
PaganiSm, and were the greater num
ber, oSten inSulted the new Christians,
who defepded themfelves Sword ip hand, urin'g

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 441
ufing the natural right of repelling
force by force, and implored the affif-
tance ofthe Germans, Poles, and other
ancient Christians in the neighbour
hood. This was alfo within the bounds
of juftice ; and this caufe of war appear
ed So lawful, that to fupport it the
better, they inftituted Military Orders
ofthe Knights of Chrift, and the Bre
thren of the Sword, reunited fince in
the Teutonic Knights. The Popes ex
tended the Croifade to this religious
war, and annexed the fame indulgence
to it as to the fuccour of the holy land.
But thefe CroiSez refted not long on
the defenfive fide ; they often .attacked
the Infidels ; and when they had the
advantage, the primary condition of
peace was, that thefe Pagans fhould ad
mit Priefts to inftruct them, and re
ceive baptifm, and build Churches.
After this, if they violated the peace,
as it often happened, they were treated
as rebels and apoftates, and it was
thought right to compel them by vio-
Jepce to hold what they had once
promifed ;

44 2 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
prpmifed ; in which procedure alSa
they followed the dodtrine of St. Tho
mas. Such was the propagation of the
faith in thofe vaft provinces j and it
muft he owped that the practice was not
new, and that even in the days of
Charlernain compulfion was ufed in the
converfion of the Saxons; and amidft
the frequent revolts, the moft common
method of obtaining pardon was to re-
peive baptifm.
And yet St. Thomas, following AnT
tiquity, Shews very well that we ought
not to compel Infidels to receive the
faith, and that though they be con
quered and made priforiers, they ought
to be left free upon this point. I wil
lingly cite this Doctor, becaufe we caiir
not have a better witnefs ofthe doctrines
of his own times. He fays then, fol
lowing and citing St. Auguftin, that
* no one can believe without his inclina-r
tion, and that the will cannot be con
strained; whence it follows that the
external profeffion of Chriftianity is of
no ufe without the internal perfuafion. It

Remarks on Rcclefiafiical Hiftory. 443
Jt is not lawful then to baptize adults,
without having given them Sufficient
instruction, and being affured, as far
as it poflrbje, of their conviction as to
.doctrines, and of their converfion as to
morals ; and thence came that pious
djfcipline of Antiquity, to prepare per
fons for baptifm by previous inftruction
and probation. < ' Now how could they
inftruct and prove thofe Livonians,'
Pruffiaps and Curlanders, who on the
next morning after the lofs oS a battle
pame in crouds to baptifm, that they
might avoid death or bondage ? And
indeed, as Soon as they could fliake off
the yoke oS the victors, they returned
to their accuflomed life and their an-:
pient fuperftitions, they expelled or
maffacred the priefts, and pulled down
the Churches. Such men are little af
fected by their own promifes or oaths,
of which they feel not the force and
the confequences : it is the prefent ob
ject only which ftrikes them. And
perhaps this is the caufe for which
thefe people were eafily afterwards drawn

444 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hi/lory.
drawn into herefies. -Their religion
had never been built upon a Solid foun
dation. To this We might add a more
recent example, that of the Moors in
Spain. To return to the Northern Croifades,
I am afraid that temporal intereft had
rather a greater fhare in them than re
ligious zeal. For the Popes gave the'
Teutonic Knights the domain and So
vereignty oS all the lands which they
could conquer Srom the Infidels. I
examine not here what right the Pope
had, or what need the Knights had to
hold their conquefts by his donation. I
confider only the Sadt ; and I Say that
theSe Knights, it is to be Seared, were
more Solicitous about the increafe of
their domination, than ofthe Chriftian
faith. I am willing to Suppofe that
the Monks and Friers who preached
thefe Croifades, and inftrudted the
new converts, had an upright inten
tion and an honeft zeal ; but I meet
with grievous complaints againft thefe
Knights, that they reduced the new
Christians

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 445
Chriftians to a kind of fervitude, and
thereby deterred others from embracing
the faith ; fo that their arms were per
nicious to the Religion for the fake of
which they were taken up. However,
from thefe victories over the Pagans
arofe the Duchies of Pruffia and Cur-
land. The Croifades alfo for the holy land
degenerated by degrees and became
mere temporal affairs, of which religion
was only the pretext. Befides the
conqueft of kingdoms and of principali
ties, thefe enterprises produced other
effects leSs brilliant but more Solid ; as
the increaSe oS navigation and com
merce, which enriched Venice, Genoa,
and other maritime cities of Italy. The
experience of the firft Croifades Shewed
the inconveniences of long marches by
land, of five or fix hundred leagues, to
gain Constantinople and Natolia. They
took the pafl'age by Sea, which was by
much the Shortefl; and the CroiSez,
according to the countries whence they
came, embarked in Provence, Cata
lonia,

446 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory i,
Ionia, Italy, or Sicily. It became
neceSfary in thofe parts to multiply
buildings and veflels to carry over fo
many men and horfes, along with Sood
and warlike provisions. Thus the na
vigation of the Mediterranean, which
the Greeks and Arabs had pOffefled for fo
many ages, fell into the hands of the
Franks, and the conquefts of the Croi*
fez fecured to them the liberty of com
merce for the merchandizes of Greece*
Syria, and ./Egypt, and confequently
of the Indies, which had no other way
to enter into Europe. By thefe means
were Strengthened and enriched the po
tent Republics of Genoa, Venice, Pifa*
and Florence ; for commerce, penetra
ting beyond the fea-ports, extended
itfelf to the cities in which arts and
manufactures flourished.
Now I doubt not but that fo power
ful an intereft conduced to the con
tinuance of the Croifades ; and a proof
of this may, I think, be feen in the
Treatife of Sanuto a Venetian writer*
2 who

Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 44 f
who ufed his utmoft efforts to perfuade
Pope John XXII. to procure the recovery
of the holy land; for it was not as
yet defpaired of, though indeed no
more Croifades were undertaken.
The intereft of particular perfons
was alfo confiderable, on account of
the great privileges of the Croifez.
They were under the protedtion of the
Church, and fecured from the purfuit
of their creditors, who could require
nothing of them before their return,
and even then only the principal with
out intereft or ufury. They were a
fort of facred people; excommunica
tion was inflicted on all who fhould
touch their perSons or their goods;
and' as Some abufed theSe immunities
by detaining the property of others,
by obtaining impunity for their paft
offences, and by committing new
crimes, it became needful to provide
againft thefe fcandalous abufes in fe
veral Councils. The

44 8 Remafh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory '.-
The laft Croifade which was carried
into execution was that in which St.
Louis died ; and the fuCcefs of it was
inconfiderable. But they did not on
this account renounce thefe enterprises,
nor even upon the loSs of the holy
land, which happened twenty years
after. They continued during the reft
of the thirteenth century, and through
a good part ofthe fourteenth, to preach
up ¦ Croifades for the recovery of Pa-
laeftine, and to raife Tenths for that
pufpofe, or under that pretence, which
were employed in other wars, accord
ing to the direction of the Popes, and
to the credit which Princes had with
the Popes. We have been undeceived
on this point for above, a century; and
no mention is made of fighting the
Infidels, except in the wifhes of fome
Writers of more zeal than wifdom*
and in the m predictions of Poets, when
they want to flatter Princes. Men of
m Alluding perhaps to Boileau's EpiiHe to Lewis ;
jfc /attends dans deux ans aux bords de THelkjpont. Ep.
iv. 17-2. fenfe,

ft
Remarks on Ecclefafiital Hjfiory. 449
fenfe, inftrudted by the experience of
pall ages, and by the reafons which I
have touched, upon in this DiScoiirfe,
fee plainly that in thefe enterprifes
there is more to be loft than gained*
both Sor temporals and Sor Spirituals.
1 flop at this laft consideration, and
obferve that Christians ought to apply
themSelves to the converfion and riot '
to the destruction of Infidels.
True religion fhould be preferved
and extended by the fame methods by
which it was eftablifhed, by preaching
accompanied with difcretion, by the
practice of every virtue, and above all
by an unwearied patience and perfeve-
tance. When it fhall pleafe God to
add to thefe the gift of miracles, the
progrefs will be fwifter. Machiavel,
who obferves that unarmed Prophets
never were fuccefsful, fhews both his
impiety and his ignorance, fince Jefus
Chrift, the moft unarmed of all men,
was he whofe conquefts were the moft
rapid, and the moft folid ; fuch con-
Vol. V. G g quefts,

450 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
quells, I fay, as he aimed at, by gain*
ing the hearts, and changing the diS
pofitions from evil to good ; which no
other Conqueror befides him ever ef
fected. War produceth only outward com
pliance, compelling the conquered to
fubmit to the will of the conqueror,
to pay him tribute, and to execute
his orders. As to religion, all that is
in the power of the Sovereign is, to
hinder the public exercife of that
which he difapproves, and to c^pfe
the external ceremonies of his Own to
be pradtifed ; that is, to puniSh thofe
who in thefe points are not conform
able to his will. For if they defpife
temporal punishments, he can go no
farther ; he hath no direct power over
their wills.
We fhould alfo quit an opinion
which hath been too prevalent for
many ages, that a Religion is loft in
,a country where it hath ceafed to be
predominant, and fupported by the
Temporal

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 451.
Temporal Powers, as Chriftianity in
Greece and Natolia, and the Catholic
Faith in the Northern Regions. It
was doubtlefs to guard us againft' this
error, that God thought fit to form
Chriftianity under Pagan domination,
and to Strengthen it during three cen
turies in the midft of the moft cruel
pppreffiPn and perfecution. An invin
cible proPf that his religion ftands not
in need of human fupport, that he
alone upholds it, and that the opposi
tion, of earthly powers only ferves to
confirm and purify his Church.
I return to my point, that we Should
not endeavour to overfet a falfe reli
gion, or to extend the true one, by
arms and violence. It is not the In
fidels, but Infidelity, which we muft
deftroy, by preferving the lives of
men , and by convincing them of their
errors. In a word, the only true me
thod is, to perfuade and to convert. I
know the common prejudice, that it
is impoffible to convert Mahometans ;
G g 2 and

45^ Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
and it is this which induceth the moft
zealoUs Miffionaries to pafs on beyond
them, and preach the Gofpel in India
and China. But I fufpedt that the
foundations of this opinion are npt
folid. Jefus Chrift, commanding his
difciples to inftruct all nations, hath
excepted none; aiid the ancient pro
phecies, declaring the converfion OS all
nations, have made no Such diftindtiom
Can it be poffible that fo many dif
ferent nations reunited under the reli
gion of Mahomet, and occupying fo
confiderable a part of the earth, fhould
be the only ones excluded from thefe
magnificent promifes ?
They are not difperfed and wander
ing Barbarians* like the ancient Scy
thians, or the prefent Savages of Ame
rica. They are men living in civil
Society, under certain laws, occupied
in agriculture, arts, and commerce,
and enjoying the ufe of letters. They
are neither Atheifts nor Idolaters* On
the contrary their religion, falfe as it
is*

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory^ 453
is, hath many principles common with
the true one, which feem to difpofe
them to receive it. They believe in
one God Almighty, Creator of all,
juft and merciful ; they abhor poly-
theifm and idolatry ; they hold the
immortality of the foul, a final judg
ment, an heaven and an hell, Angels
good and evil, and even Guardian An
gels ; they acknowledge ap univerfal
deluge; they honour the Patriarch
Abraham, as the father and the firft
author of their religion ; they hold
Mofes and Chrift to have been great
Prophets fent from God ; and the Law
and the Gofpel to be facred books. As
to .their religious practices, they pray
five times a day at flated hours. They
keep one day of the week as a Feaft ;
they faft one month in every year;
they aflemble together to hear the in
structions of their Doctors ; they high
ly recommend almfgivings ; they pray
fpr the dead, and they have their pile
grimages. G g 3 But,

454 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hifkry.
But, it is faid, they forbid under
the moft rigorous penalties all endeai
voUrs to convert the Mahometans, and
they would without fnercy put the
man to death who fhould convert one
perfon. We'll. But under Decius and
Diocletian was it not a capital crime,
not only to convert the Pagans, but
even to profefs Chriftianity ? If the
Apoftles and their Difciples had beeri
restrained by fuch prohibitions and by
the fear of death, the Gofpel would
never have been preached. But the
Mahometans fuffer Chriftians amongft
them,, and have always Suffered them,
fo-.as to leave them the free exercife of
their religionj on the payment of a
certain tribute. This, it will be re
plied, is the very thing that hinders
the preaching of the Gofpel amongft
them ; Sor they would exterminate all
the poor Chriftians, if they undertook
to convert the Mahometans. This is
the moft Specious objection that I have
heard upon the Subject ; but I queftion
whether it be well-grounded, and whe ther

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 455
ther the Mahometan Princes, when the
thing came to be pufhed, would be fo
weak politicians as eafily fo deprive
themSelves of fo great a part of their
fubjedts. The objection would be
Stronger if the number of the Chrift
;ians were not fo great, as indeed it
is, efpecially in the conquered coun
tries, as in Greece, where the Chris
tians are far more numerous than the
Mahometans. Now, when I propofe the converfion
oS the latter, I mean that it fhould be
undertaken with the utmoft discretion,
as it was in the beginning oS Chris
tianity. It is npt, enough to defpiSe
danger and death, and to feek it with
out any profit, as did the Minpr Friers
at Marocco and at Ceuta,
I could wifh therefore that they who
fhould undertake to preach to thp
Mahometans were firft well inftrudted
in the languages there Spoken, in the
Arabian, which is the language of their
religion, and in the Turkifh and Per-
G g 4 fian j

456 Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
flan ; that they had attentively per-.
pfed their books, and knew their doc
trine, their histories, and their Sables ;
ip a word, that they had the Same
helps in this controverfy which the
Fathers oS the Church had in their
contefts with the old Pagans; that
they began by insinuating themSelves
into their minds with Such truths as
we are both agreed in, as in the unity
and the other attributes oS God, and
in the principles oS morality, as juf-
tice, arid the love of our neighbour.
We fhould by no means enter too
Soon into the Subject of the Trinity
and the Incarnation, againft which
they are prejudiced. It would be ne
ceflary to eftabliSh the authority of the
Gofpel, by removing the notion comr
mpnly entertained by them that this
Bqok, though of divine authority,
liath been falsified by the Christians.
Tp undeceive* them in this point, a
gjood ufe might be made of the Nefto
rians and Jacobites, who dwell amongft
them, and have been Separated frorn us

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 457
us two hundred years before the time
of Mahomet, and Who have preferved
the Gofpel, and other facred books,
entirely confonant with our copies.
Abpve all, no railing accufatiops
fhould be brought againft Mahomet,
p6r fhould he be Spoken of with con
tempt. The Apoftles did pot revile
the falfe Gods, or the Ephefian Diana.
But aSter having well eftablifhed the
rpiffion of Jefus Chrift, it might be
gently insinuated that Mahomet gave
no proof of his miffion, and that his
religion was eftabliShed by means mere
ly human. Perhaps It would be pro
per enough to Set Sorth the vices of
the firft Califs, the Heads of the
Chprch, and a fort of Mahometan
Apoftles, fuch as Othman, Omar,
Moavia, and others ; their debauche
ries, their cruelties, their perfidies,
and above all, the bloody war which
they waged with the family of Ali.
This is an affair of great length,
you will fay ; and eyen if one coydd find

45% Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hifiory.
find well-dipofed hearers, much time
would be required rfor difcuffing thefe/
controverfes, I own it, and I wifh
that herein we fhould imitate Wif§
Antiquity and the difcipline of the
early ages, when they protracted for
a confiderable time the inftrudliori of
the Catechumens, both for doctrine
and manriers, and moft carefully exa
mined their converfion, before they
were admitted to baptifm. ASter all,
they who are upon the fpor, and em
ployed in the Miffions of the Levant,
can beft judge what is practicable.
But even though they Should gain
only a few Infidels to God, I account
that thofe converfions would be more
agreeable to him, and more ufeful to
his Church, than the death of fo many
millions, whoSe blood was fhed in the
CroiSades.

From the attempts of Papifts to,
convert Infidels nothing very benefi
cial to Chriftianity can well be ex
pected j not becaufe the former are al
ways

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 455I
ways deficient in learning and abilities,
but becaufe their own religious fcheme
labours under infuperable difficulties.
Some of them can reafon well, and
Some have written well, upon the evi
dences oS natural and revealed religion.
But to make men Chriftians is the
Smaller part oS their tafk ; they muft
proceed, and make them members oS
the Church of Rome, and receivers of
her. doctrines, fome of which are con
trary to the teftimony of the fenfes,
and abounding with contradidtions ; fo
that Reafon muft be diScarded Srom
the Romifli Syftem, and a Sanatical
Sort of faith required from the con
verts. But that is not all. Suppofe that
Infidel Princes fhould by fome way or
other get an infight into Ecclefiaftical
Hiftory, into the Papal ufurpations,
the power which the Vicar of Chrift
claims over all men, both in temporals
and fpirituals, the ufe of St. Peter's
two Swords, the pretentions to Infalli bility,

460 Remarh. on JLcekfiafiical Hifiory,
bility* the Extortions, the Indul
gences, the Inquifitions, the. pious
Frauds, the lying Miracles, the Ex-
purgatory Indexes, the open Violence,
the Interdicts, the Excommunications,
the breach of Public Faith, the Mafla-
cres of Heretics and Infidels, the ab
solving Subjedtsrfrpm their Allegiance,
the depofing and affaffinating of Prin
ces, the difpofing of crowns and fcep-i
ters, and a long catalogue' of enormi
ties pradtifed by the Roman Church, and
its Rulers, it cannot well be fuppofed
that fuch Princes would be fond of
admitting Such teachers into their dp?
minions. '
But, to Say the plain truth, ChriS-r
tians in general Seem not to be per-
feBly qualified Sor this undertaking ;
nor will be So, till Metaphyfical and
Scholaftical Divinity is either diScarded
from the Chriftian Syftem, or at leaft
is allowed not to be effential to Chrif
tianity, nor neceflary to be received as
a condition to Salvation. «Tq

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 46!
** To knoW the true State of the Ma
hometan Religion, a perfon fhould have
dwelt in the Levant, be a mafter of
the Arabic language* have converted
familiarly with the Mahometan Doc
tors, and have read books which ar&
Seldom Seen in Europe. All this is
extremely difficult, and few there are
who are able or willing to undertake
Such a talk, to infiprm themSelves of
the truth, and to apply fuch knowledge
to the converfion of Mahometans. Th«
Missionaries who repair to thofe re
gions are more felicitous to gain over
Greek Profelytesto the Roman Church,
to get alms from the Europeans who
go to the Levant, or to carry on fome
fmall traffic in thoSe places, than to
qualify themfelves for converting In
fidels. Befides it is dangerous to at
tempt it, at leaft in Turky, where it
is not permitted to change one's reli
gion, or to difpute about it. Thus
thefe Miffions, fo much celebrated,
produce almoft nothing in the domi nions

4!&2 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory."
nions of the Turkish Emperor, apd
very little elfe where.
Befides the obftacles already named,
there are three more, which are to be
Sound inall erroneous feet s, and which
hinder the progreSs of the Gofpel. The
firft is, that the Eafterns, and others
alfo, Seldom Set themSelves to examine
by ReaSon the grounds of their religion,
and avoid fuch inquiries either through >
ignorance or fuperftition. It, is clear'
that there is no other way of con
verting Infidels befides that of reafoning;.
and if they cannot or will not reafon,
nothing can be ^accomplished. Of this.
we fee a manifeft example in the Jews of
Europe. The next impediment is the
difficulty which converted Mahometans
would find to fubfiSl in the Levant ; or
in the Weft* if they fhould change
their abode. If it were permitted to a
Mahometan to profefs- himfelf a Chris
tian in Turky, yet he would be expo-
fed to the hatred oS all his relations
and friends, It is not eafy for a man to
dwell where he is held in abomination, and

Remarh on Ecclefiafikal Hiftory. 463
and ftill more irkfome to tranfplant
himfelf amongft people whofe language -
and cufloms are altogether different.
The third obftacle is the ignorance and
incapacity ofthe Miffionaries, men little
qualified to fet forth the beauties of Chrif
tianity, which they themfelves feel not,
and who often hold religious opinions
which are not one jot better than the
errors of the Mahometans.
From thefe and many other conside
rations which might be added it appears
that the money which devout perfons
in Europe Surnifh Sor the Miffions of
the Levant Serves only to feed the Mif
fionaries, and not to advance the caufe
of Chriftianity. It would be much
better to fend over men, who fhould
travel in thoSe regions as Philofophers,
and Students oS the Oriental tongues,
and who might bring us back good
hiftories and exact descriptions, Srom
which we might receive profit, as we
do Srom Roman and Greek antiquities
and hiftories. This would be an. ex-
pence better becoming Sovereign Princes
2 than

464 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory >
than a thoufand other ways that they
have of lavishing their treafures"."
A. 1 30 1. Boniface Vjtl. cjUarreilihg
With Philip Le Bel, faid to him iri a
Letter ; We give you to know that
you aire our Subject both in Spirituals
arid in Temporals. Philip replied; We
give your Fool*s head to know (fciat
Fatuitas vefra) that in Temporals we
are Subject to no perfon °.
Petrus Puteanus hath written a Trea-
tlfe concerning this quarrel between the
Pope and the King ; and p Le ClerC
hath given us the LiSe of this Pope*
who was a fecond Hildebrand.
A. 1302. The Greek Empire. was
attacked by Othman the firft Sultan of
the Turks.
A. 1300. " When the preceding
century was elapfed, Boniface VIII.
.was eftablifhed by fome religious cere-
¦> Bibl. Choif.viii. 401, See alfoBibl. Choif. xxv. 380,
* Bibl. Univ. vi. 2?6.
t Bibl. A. M. x. 32.
monies

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 465
monies the celebrated year of Jubilee.
A rumour' had been raifed* in the year
1299, amongft the people of Rome,
that whofoever op the enfuing year
fhould vifit the Temple of St. Peter,
might obtain remiffion of all their Sins,
and that this bleffing and felicity was
annexed to every Secular year. Boni
face ordered inquiry to be made into the
truth of this common opinion, and
found, from the teftimony of fhany
witrieSfes of undoubted credit, that it
was decreed from the moft anciedt
times that they who repaired to, St. Pe
ter's Church, with a devout difpofition,
on the firft day of the Secular year,
fhould. obtain Indulgences of an hun
dred years. The Pppe therefore, by a
Circular EpiStle addreffedto allChriSlian
people, declared that they who at this
time Would piouSly vifit the Churches
of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rorrie, con-
feffing their offences, and declaring
their forrow for them* Should receive
an abfolute and plenary remiffion. The
Succeflbrs of Boniface not only adorned
Vol. V. H h this

466 Remarh onRcdefiafiical Hiftory.
this iriftitution with many new rites,
but learning by experience how honour
able arid how lucrative it was to the
Church of Rome, brought it within a
narrower compafs oS time ; So that now
every twenty-fifth year is a year of Ju
bilee'." It is the opinion of Father Pagi, that
the Chriftians imitated in fome man
ner the Ludi Steculares of the old Ro
mans', arid fandtified them by religious
rites, to allure the Pagans by this com
pliance in a thing of an indifferent na
ture. That Rome Chriftian imitated
Rome Pagan in a thoufand inftances, is
"evident to the laft degree; and it is pro
bable that the Popes had the old Secu
lar Games in view. But that the Ju-
hilee was contrived to allure the Pagans
by Such a condefcehfion, is an opinion
which hath no vouchers amongft an
cient writers. The common notion is
more probable, that their principal de-
flgii Was to imitate the Jewifh years of
.Jubilee. For Greek and Roman Paga-
l Moflieim, p. 542. Bib!. A. & M. s.79. hifm

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 467
nifm was utterly extinct in theSe ages,
and there Was no occafion or induce
ment to humour Such prejudices.
A. 1306. Philip oS France Seized op
the Jews in his dominions* ftripped
them oS their effects, and Sent them
away in banishment s.
At the Same time Clemens V. appro
priated to himSelf the revenues of the
Ecclefiaftical Benefices, great or fmall,
that Should become vacant, for two
years enfuing, in England; and this was
the beginning of the Annates \
A. 1307, Philip began the perfec
tion of the Templars, who four years
after were quite deftroyed.
« The Order of Knights Templars,
if we may give credit to their judges,
was a fociety of men, who were irifulters
and deriders of God, of Chrift, and of
all laws divine and human. They who
were admitted into this Sodality were
" Fleuiy, xix. no.
* Ibid, 109. H h 2 obliged

468 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
Obliged to renounce Chrift, and Spit
upon his Image, to pay religious adora
tion to a wooden Head covered with
gold, or to a Cat, and to pradtiSe Sodo
my* If they had any children From
their commerce with women, they
immediately burnt them, and did other
things fhocking to be mentioned. That
there were in this Family, as in other
Religious Orders and Sedts, fome flagi
tious and impious men, no one will
deny : but that the whole Body was fo
execrable, is fo far from being evident
from the judicial procefles againft them,
which are ftill extant, that the con
trary is rather fairly to be collected. If
to this We add that the accufations
brought againft them manifestly con
tradict each other, and that many of
thefe unhappy men constantly perfe-
vefed in protesting their innocence un
der the moft cruel tortures, and with
their laft breath, it will feem highly
probable that Phi-lip excited this bloody
tragedy, to Satisfy nis avarice, and to
gratify his malice againft their Mafter,
5 *>y

Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory. 46 9
by whom he pretended to have been ill
ufed°." This is an honeft and candid judg
ment of the famous cafe of the Tem
plars ; and all reafonable men, who
have considered the affair, are, I believe,
of the Same opinion.
A. 1308. A Sect in Lombardy of
perfons who called themfelves Apoftoli-
cal, and were bitter enemies to the
Church of Rome, were deftroyed by a
Bifhop, who headed an army raifed for
that purpofe x.
A. 1 3 1 o. The Knights of St. John of
Jerufalem took Rhodes, and then were
called Rhodians.
A. 13 12. Marinus Sanutus, cogno-
mento Torfellus, PatriciusVenetus, Ger-
mani cujufdam artificis opera ( ufus, Or-
gana ilia pneumatica, qua hodie ufurpan*
iur, Italice Torfellos dicla, primus om
nium in Ecclefam induxit *.
u Moflieim, p. 604.
* Fleury, xix. 140. Moflieim, p, 556.
y Wharton, in Cave, ii. 15.
Hh.3 A. 13J3.

470 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
A. 1313. The Emperor Henry VIL
was poiSoned in the Hoft by avMonk,
who was Suborned by Pope Clemens V.
An Arian PrinceSs had been taken off
in the Same manner2.
A. 1320. John XX. was a favourer
of the Jews. Many of them were at
that time maffacred by the Pafloureaux,
a Sort of Religious Cut-throats, who
were themfelves deftroyed, as they well
deferved *.
John condemned a doctrine main
tained by his predecefl'or Nicholas III.
as heretical. But it was ftill allowed in
thofe times that Popes might err in
opinions as well as in fadts. Their infal
libility was not admitted till a hundred
years after into the Schools b.
Marfilius, a learnedLawyer of Padua,
wrote a defence ofthe Emperor againft
1 Act. Enid. v. 311. Wharton, jaCave, ii. 11. Saa-
dius, i. 324.
» Fleury, xix, 307,
> Ibid, '36S.
the

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 471
the Pope, in which he Speaks exadlly
as any Proteftant Author would deliver
his Sentiments.
" In defending the rights of Princes
'againft Papal usurpations, he went,
Says c Dupin, into the oppofite extremes
but he cites many good paSfages Srom
Fathers, Councils,' and Ecclefiaftical
Authors." A. 1326. The Council of Avignon
complains that the Clergy were gene
rally hated by the Laity, and cenfures
the ptofanenefs of fome reprobates.
Thefe, it Seems, were men who had
heen excommunicated, and who know
ing that their excommunicators the
Priefts and Prelates were themSelves
guilty of fornication, adultery, and
other vices, ferved their Judges in the
Same manner, and Solemnly excommu
nicated them ; ufing tallow candles in
stead of wax tapers, and Setting fome
hay and Straw on fire d.
* xi. 67.
- Fleury, xix. 384.
H h 4 Th&

47 2 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hifi&ry.
The proceffion ofthe holy Sacrament
was introduced, not by public appoint
ment, but by the zeal of the populace e,
A. 1327, At this rime died Nice-
phorus Calliftus, an Ecclefiaftical Hif*
torian f .
A. 1328. Gulielmus Occamus wasa
man of confiderable parts and learning,
His Dialogues, and his other -works,
being greedily read, and transmitted tp
pofterity, did great mifchief to the
Papal power «.
In this century arofe the Lollards,
concerning whom See pur Hiftories^
and h Moflieim.
A* I333' Divino tandem favente Nur
mine, melior efulfit lux. Ex Anglis;
nofiris unicum tantummodo exemplum dabor
fid ^o^Xwv &ul<z%(ov ahhcov, virum meliori-
p~us Uteris pro forte fcecu.li baud vulgar iter
e Fleury, xix. 346,
f Cave, Prohg. p. xxxvi. Fabricius, Bi&L Gr. vi. 130.
i Mofliejra, p. 5^5.
imbutum>

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hifiory. 473
imbutum, egregium plane liter arum et lite-*
ratorum patronum; Ricardum inielligo
Burienfem, quern nobilis et opulent a fedes
Dunelmenfis olim tulit Epifcopum, ' Uti-
nzmficfemfer taleml Vixit is Edvarda
tertio, regum nofrorum felicijfimo, fcujus
pueritiam rexerat, et ad mores Principe
dignosformaverat) magnis et Ecclefia et
Reipublica muneribus funBus ; erat quip-*
fe, ut alia mittam, fummus Anglia* Can-
cellarius, magnufque A^rarii RegiiThe-
Jaurarius. ^uam flagranti vero, et, ut
ipfius verbo utar, exftatico in Uteris pro-
movendis ferebatur animo, in Lifallofuo,
quern idicirco Philobiblion,^;^ De Amo-
re Librorum infcripfit, ipfe nos docet. Ab.
ineunte aetate viros doBrina claros fa-t
miliares h,abuit, fuavijfma eorum confue-
tudine mirifice. deleBatus ; quos pofiea
etiam in dignitate fofitus focios fibi adfci-
vit, in hofpitio commenfales, in itinerq
comites, in omni fortuna fodales. Impe-
trata facultate regia9 omhes regni biblion
* Cave, I fuppofe, had in view a certain Bifliop of
Durham, who doubtlefs was much inferior to pur Richard
thecaSf

474 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
thecas, turn publicas turn privaias^ per-
Htiftravit & diligenter excufiit. Ab Us quos
viaximis dev'mxerat beneficiis nullum gra-
iius uvrflugov offerri potuit, quam fi pul-
verulenti quaterniones, et decrepili codices
donarentur. In plurimis quas apud exteros
Prihcipet legdtionibus in Gallia, Italia,
Germania obiit, nunquam non ei curafuit
fupelleBilem librariam auger e. Quocum-
que pedem mover et, omnia librorum arma
mentaria Jolerfer invifit, et qui c quid the-
fauri literarii reperit, munifica liberalitate
re demit. Nee tabernas libr arias neglexit,
fi quid in rem fiuam inde reportaret. Ex
Ordinibus Monafiicis, pr^ecipue Pradica-
toribus et Minor itis, Monachos JeleBiores
'habuit, quos in omnem literati orbis angU-
lum mifit, ut me lion's not a codices vel
prece vel 'pretio fibi compararent. ' In
atriisfuis ingens fiemper aderat Antiqud-
riorum, Scriptorum, Colligatorum,. Cor-
rcBorum, et Illuminatorum multitudo, qui
iibros fuaquifque facultate curarent. Et
¦ quoniam probe fciret linguarum cognitionem
. unicamejfe ad refer anda ftcienti 'arum. pene*
tralia clavem, Grammaticam Greecahi, ut-

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory 475
ut et Hebraam adornari curavit, adjunBis
aliis, qua? in his Unguis excolendis fiudio*
forum ufibus infervirent. Antiquos codices
emendavit, voces vetufiate nimia caligan-
tes congruis interpretationibus elucidavit,
veterumque Grammaticorum orthogra-
phiam, profodiam, etymologiam, et dia-
fynthefin inconcujfa fedulitate infiauravit.
Denique,' ne quid deeffet, apud fefatuit
Aulam Publicam in Academia Oxonienfi
fundare, reditibus ditare, inque ea Bi-
bliothecam, quam habuit infiruBiJfimam,
in communem Academicorum ufium colloca-
re ; ut plures certe libros quam omnesfi-
mul ifiius temporis Anglia Epifcopi pof-
fedijfe dickur. Utrumque praefiitiftfe, Col
legium nempe Dunelmenfe a Monachis
antea inchoatum perfieciffe, pradiifque
hcupletaffe, et bibliothecam fiuam inibi
repojfuiffe diferte traduni Annales Oxonien-
fes. Haec Burienfis nofer, cujus exem-
plum baud pari licet paffu fecuti funt alii,
ex meliore luto habentes fracordia, qui de
J^onarum artiumfudiis his temporibus: op-
time meritifunt. Sed pauci erant, et, Ra-
ri nantes in gurgite vafte,, &c fc.
* Cave, PrtZeg.'p. ii.
A. 1334*

476 Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
A. 1334- John eftablifhed the Feaffc
pf the holy Trinity, on the firft Sup*
day after WhitSunday ',
Jacobus Furnerius, being made Pope,
took the name of Benedict XII. Hiflo-
rians reprefent him as a man of pro
bity, and free both from ambition and
from covefoufnefs. He faw the dis
orders oS the Church, and uSed his
befl endeavours to remove them, and
to reform the Monks, He intended to
proceed .ftill farther, when Death cal
led him away, in the year 1 342, Su
perftition excepted, which was the
common difeafe of the age, his cha*
radter is good and fair m.
Add to him Innocent VI. and Urbari
V. who were tolerable Popes,
A. 1 34 1. Petrarch was crowned
Poet Laureate. In . ancient times it
had been a cuftom to crown Poets,
who in public AffembliGS had carried
1 Fleury, xix. p. 519.
¦ Moflieim, p. 57$.
the

Remarh on Ecckfafikal Hiftory. 477
the prize, and obtained the preSerence.
This lafted till about the days of The-
odofius ; then it ceafed ; and afterwards
revived about the , end of the twelfth
Century, and continued till it was
proftituted to fuch a degree in various
courts of -Europe, and beftowed upoh.
fuch miserable,. Verfifiers, that the title
hecarrie perfectly contemptible arid ri-
dicUlPus n.
The Quietifts, egregious Fanatics,
caufed great disturbances in Greece,
being attacked, by Barlaam,,, and de
fended by Palamas °.
A.' 1347. This year gave birth to
St. Catharine of Siena, Whom even,
Fleury p treats as an Enthufiaft.
A permission was granted by our
Edward IILto one John Blome, to dig
jn the Monastery of Glafton, and fearch.
for the body of Jofeph of Arimathaja,
-*> See a DiflSrtation 6n the Laureate Poets in the il&ar,
<te?Acad.y?f. 235.
0 Moflieim, p. 598.
* XX, 288. which

478 Remarks on Ecclefaftical Hiftory*
which lay there, as Blome had learn
ed by a revelation made to himb.
A. i373« The Flagellantes appeared
again upon the ftage; as alfo an oppo-
fite Sect of Dancers, who were like the
Convulfonaires of our times r.
A. 1378. The grand Schifm of the
Antipopes lafted fifty one years,' from
1378 to 1429.
The Council of Pifa was convened
upon this occafion. During this famous
"Schifm there were Sreer dife'ourfes made
in public debates, concerningthe wick-
edneSs of Popes and of Papal, usurpa
tions, than could well be expected in
fuch ignorant and bigoted times. If is
Strange that none of them, having
proceeded fo far, fhould have gone
farther, and have difcerned that a
Pope Is no creature of God's makingv
That difcovery was refervedfor Luther.
However, the Schifm, together with
< Bibl. Choif. xxiii. 326
* Moiheim, p. 603,
the

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 479
the ignorance, infolence, and abandon
ed profligacy of the Clergy, had one
happy effect. It opened the blind eyes
of the Laity, and prepared the way for
the Reformation. The confummate
wickedneSs of thefe Antipopes, who
were the greateft villains upon earth, as
all honeft Chriftians accounted them,
and as they themfelves ufed to call one
another, and of whom fome were guilty
of every crime that can be conceived,
and Atheifts without all peradventure,
gave an incurable wound to Popery.
Puteanus hath written an account of
this Schifm ; ,and s Mofheim, and
L' Enfant, in his Hiftories of the three
Councils, have treated of it.
A. 1387. Wickliff died about this
time. He was the Father of the Lol
lards, whofe tenets, as far as they are
oppofite to Popery, were nearly the
fame with thofe that are now common
ly held by, the Ptoteftants. He was
the firft Translator of the New Tefta-
P- 574. ment

480 Remarh en Ecclefiaftical Hiftory*
ment from the Latin Vulgate into)
Englifh1. A. 1399. A new Sect of Fanatics
arofe, called, Albi, or Fratres Albi, who
prefently increaSed, and Seduced great
multitudes, and not a few Ecelefiaftics*
They, went about clothed in white*
men, women, and , children, making
proceflions, and profeffing extraordina
ry Sanctity. But in a ihort time they
were diffipated u.
In this century flourished Chryfbloras,
Petrarch, and Dante, and were refto*
rers of polite literature.
Ariftotle's - PhiloSophy was princi
pally cultivated. The Realists and
Nominalifts wereat eternal war, which
lafted ti;ll the days of Luther, who
put an end to it by calling another
queftion. The Clergy wete as wicked as it can
jpofiibly be conceived; and Papal tyran-
* Rapin, i. 479. l'Enfant, Cone, de Pife> ii. 45. de Conji.
1. 201. Moflieim, p. 567.
¦ L'Enfant, Cm, tie Pife, r, P, i, 121.
ny

Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 481
hy began to be roughly fhaken with
the opposition made by Philip L,e
Bel". A. 1400. A Grand Jubilee was So
lemnized, a Farce which was invent
ed by BoniSace Villi A. ^306, and
whidh bPth at firft and afterwards, by
the grants of Indulgences, proved ex
tremely profitable to the avariciousPopes
and Ecelefiaftics?;
The Emperor MariUelcame to Rome,
to negotiate ah union between the
Eaftern arid Weftern Churches, ar$!,
which Was his mairi point, to procure
fome afliftance agairift his formidable
neighbours* It produced no good to
the Emperor, but it was of .Angular
benefit to Europe; for the learned
men, whom he brought With him* rer
Vived in Italy and in other States of
Europe a tafte for the Belles Lettres*.
A. 1401. In the reign of our Hep-
xy IV. an order was Sent t# the Mayor
f Moflieim, p. 568.
t L'EnfentC. <fcPj/?, i. 124.*
* Ibid. 127.
Vol. V. I i ojf

438z Remarks on EcclefiafiiedlHfftory.
of London to burn William Salter, an
Heretic, that is to Say , a Lollards This
is the firft Engtifhman who was put to
death-for religion \
A. . r4©8. Frpris the controverfi&l,
writings. of the illuftrious John Hufs ir
appears that he was of Angular abilities*
and of confiderable learning for thoSe
time&i He had all the equalities recrui-
fite. fee, a Reformer? great piety, and
undaunted courage. He had alfo a
tincture of fanaticifm. He thought
himfelf infpired, and impelled toadt as.
he did;, and the warmth of his tem
per made him break, out fometlirasirito-.
violent invectives. He was manifefEly
jLuther's Forerunner,, and preached*
l^rt^puiarly againft Indulgences. Je-
*roKi of Prague, his intimate frienjl
arid . fellow-labourer, is»reprefented by
fome writers as a man oS an impetuous
*and tu rbulent Spirit,-
7The herefy for which' John Hufs
Suffered *was his>? cenSuring the tyranny-
fBibljCfoif.Jcxvii. 322.
and

Remarh oh Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. £§3
find debauchery of Ecelefiaftics; for in
Speculative pdints he was nearly Ortho
dox,' according to the orthodoxy of
thbfe dayfc. He defended himfelf by
the example and authority of cur illufV
$BPU.% Grofthead.v ..Like. Sampfori,; he
flew more at his death than he had done
in his life^andhis martyrdom was amply
revenged by his fellpweri. L'Enfant
hath given a large account of hirh,,
A. 1409J. -At the Council of Pifa
was read a Decree of Gregory X, con
cerning the Procefuori ofthe holy Ghoft
from the Father arid the Son,1 as from
one, arid not from tWo Principles. The
Greeks had confented to this Article,
kt the b fecond General Council of
Lybn ¦=.
A. 1410. Alexander V. gave the
confecrated Golden Rofe to the Marquis
elf Efte. This ceremony was introdu
ced in the eleventh century.
6 A.' 1274.
* L'Enfknt, C de P. T. 1. p. ii. 41. §u 136. 1 38.
I i 2 The

484 Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hifiory*.
The Pope publifhed at the fame time
a Letter for the extirpation of Heretics ;
and one Burgln, of the feet of the Be-
gards, was burnt.
The Ecclefiaftical Canon, which
forbids the Clergy to bear arms, was
neglected' in all places, and paticnlarly
in Germany. It isr related that a Bifh
op newly elected at Hildefhem, inqui
ring after the Library of his predecef-
fors, was conducted to an Arfenal full
of all military weapons. Thefe are
the books, faid they, of which your
predeceffors made ufe ; and which you
muft ufe, to defend your Church
againft the usurpations of your neigh
bours d.
A. 1410. The JeWs were cruelly
perfecuted. Hiftory fays that many of
them were converted by Vincent Fer-
rier, a famous Preacher e.
' L* Enfant. ' Ibid..
A. 1412;

Remarh on Etelefiqfiieal Hiftory. 48$
A. 141 2.. John HuSs wrote an ex
cellent refutation of the Bull of John
. In a Council held at Rome by this
Pope, at the firfi Seffion, happened the
Adventure of the Owl. After the Mafs
of the holy Ghoft, all being Seated,
and John fitting on his throne, Sud
denly a frightful owl came Screaming
out of his hole, and placed himfelf juft
beSore the Pope, flaring earnestly upon.
him. The arrival of this nocturnal
bird in the day time caufed many fpe-
culations ; fome took it fpr an ill omen,
and were terrified; others Smiled, and
whiSpered to each other that the holy
Ghoft had aflumed a ftrange Sorm to
appear in. As to the Pope, he blufhed,
and was in a Sweat, and arofe, and
brake up the afljembly. But at the
next Seffion, the owl took his place
again, fixing his eyes upon John, who
was more diSmayed than before, and
4 V Enfant, ii. 119. Cave, ii. Append. 102. Moflieim,
\ i 3 ordered

4?§ Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hifioryf.'
ordered thern to drive raway the bird.
A* pieaSant fight it was to behold' the
Prelates occupiea* in' hunting him ; for*
he would riot decamp. At laft they-
killed him, as an incorrigible heretic,
by flinging their -cane's at -him8;
A. 1 41 4. The Lithuanian and Sa-
mogite Pagans were converted by
their Duke, Ladiflas Jagellon h.
The Council of Conftance was ip
one refpedt very coiifiderable ; Sor it
eftablifhed the Superiority of Councils'
over' the Pope. Several oSthe Divines
who preached at this Council repreSent
all the Fathers and 'Ecelefiaftics, both
within and without doors, with very
Sew exceptions, as a collection of moft
abandoned and profligate villains. Ac
cordingly, thefe rinSamPus Wretches
took due care that there fhould be- in
the Church no reformation of mannersT
or 'fuChva pretended reformation as
would amourit -to nothing. See a Ser
mon which was preached to this Af-
1 L'Eufenr. *t Ibid-
iembly

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 487
tfembly in the ; Amoenitates Liter aria,
and the Preface of L'Enfant to' his,
Hiftory. .This Council decided that, although.
Chrift gave the Eucharift in both kinds,:
yet ought the Communion of only, one
kind to be preferred ; and then burnt
John Hufs and Jerom of Prague for
-maintaining the contrary. The k Coun
cil of Trent renewed this decree, or
rather carried it ftill farther, abfolutely
forbidding the cup to be granted to the
Laity,, on any occafion ; notwifhftand-
iug the preflipg remopftrances . of the
F)mperor, the King of France, the
D,uke pf Bavaria, and many other Prin
ces and States ',
., L' Enfant hath given us the Scanda
lous Decree of this Council of Con
ftance againft the fafe-condudts granted ,
tp Heretics by Sovereign Princes;
It is well known that the Emperor
Sigifmupdbafely gave up John Hufs
into the hands of the Council ; and
» iii/40. k.A.if6a. ' L'Enfant.
I f 4 that

488 Remarh on Ecclefaftical Hiftory.
that he blufhed pn the occafipn, when
Hufs fixed his eyes fteddily upon him.
There goes a report that Charles the
Fifth, being importuned by'Eccius*
andother Wretches like him, to arreft
Luther, notwithftanding the Safe-con*
duct granted to him, replied, J wilt-
not blufh, with my predecejfor Sigifmund,
Hufs, alluding to his own name?
which Signifies a Goofe, 'Said ; fhe goofe
is a tame domefic bird, which goes not
far from home, and doth not take an high
flight. But other birds will come, who
Jhall foar aloft ? and efcape the fnares of
the enemy.
On theSe words was probably found
ed a tradition that Hufs foretold the
Reformation accpmplifhed by Luther,
arid faid to his Judges ; To-day you
roaft a goofe : an hundred years hence,
will come a white Swan, which you
(hall not be able to deftroy m.
A. 141 7. The English BiShops at
Conftance, in honour to Sigifmund,
f» L'Enfiuit, c aufed

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory, 48^
cauSed a pious Tragicomedy to be acted
before him on the Birth of Chrift, the
coming of the Wife Men, and the
Slaughter of the Infants. To the Eng-
lifh then is due the invention of Such
Scenical Eptertainments ir; Germany ;
though others give the honqur of it to
the Samous Reuchlln.
The Sfodt pf the Flagellqntes made a
great ftjr at this time.
There is a lift of the Strangers whp
attended the Council of Cpnftance, as
tradeSrpep, heralds, buffoons, &c. a*
mongft which are feven hundred Cqur-
tefans ; or, as another lift h^th it, fifteen
hundred ; which feems; po foe the more
probable account n,
A certain Prieft, who was a Beifr,
apd was bropght before his Bifhop upon,
that account, did pot diflemble his opi-
piop. But being tortured, he recanted,
#nd declared himfelf converted to Chris
tianity, and defired to be pu£ into a
Monaftery. This change was thought
" L'Enfant, ii. 21. 79. 386. miraculous

4po Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
rpiraculous by fome people, who would
h&ve had more, reafon to think it; So, *i£
a jail and the rack had not beep em
ployed in his conyerfipp %
_ A. 1.422. Martin V. published a Con-,
flifution iri-faypurof the Jews, whorr^
he" took under hfs protection.
p L'Enfant, hath made fome remarks
on the Bohemian Adamites'; and Says ;
" The accounts which we have of
the later Heretics * come 'Sprthe moft
part* from the Shops of their conternpo-.
raries, the* Monks, who were moft no- >
torious impoftors, and So given tp ly-:
ing,that^ as the Benedidtin Thomas of
Walfingham obferves, it Was univer**
fally allowed to be a coriclu'five argu-]
rpepti $h^mWi$ a/fdoylf'tiJliqgo, he is,
# liar ;"
See alfo 'Mpfheim ">.
L .?¦ L'Enfant,* C,$B. i. 89.
r.Ibid..ii._3P4.

cV<pj 637. T

*A. 1439.

Remarh m'Ecckfiaftied Hifiory, '491 v
A. 1439. A pretended Union between
ihe Greeks and Latins was patchedJ up
at the Cpuncil of Florence r .
A. 1440. A great conteft, whether'
the doctrines ;of'-.PlaCo dr.. of Ariftotle
were to be preferred, arofe amongft the
Qteek Phi!ofophe*s,, Gemiftus Pletho,
Gennadius, Gaza, .BeflariQ, ,&cs,
I am much afraid that it would be
doing np wrong to "many of the Literati
pf thofe days, to SuppoSe that they- had
irppther efoteric religion that what they1
drew Srom Plato or from Ariflstle.
.;A. ,-i 444.7" Gpncerpipg ,$he» famous'
.J£neas«Silyius,[ afterwards Pope Plus-
II. fee**- L'EpSapt, and the u Amceni--
fates Literaria;.
" SilVius hath given us a malicious de?
fcription^oS the Taborites ; i abd -yst from?
this very ttefeription it may be coif
* Lt'Enfajit.,
* Me^i. de ,1' Acad, iv. 4^5.
* Cone. deB. ii. ijfi.
» i. 267. Jedfced

492 Remarh on Ecclbfiafiical Hiftory.
ledted that they were better Chriftians
than he, whoSe religion was Italian Pp- .
litics, and who made no conScience of
calumniating, prevaricating, Saying, and
unfaying, TheSe Taborites gave a Confeffion of
their faith, at the Synod of Kuttenberg, •
very muGh in the? Proteftant Style,
which may be feen ip -x L'Enfant.
A. I447f No Proteftant Schplar will
refufe tp .pay' his refpedts to the memory
of Fppe Nicolas V« that friend and pa
tron pf letters, .No Prince ever had fo
many books infcrihed and dedicated to
him. He enriched the Vatican Li
brary with feveral volumes collected
from the rembteft parts of the Eaft,
and from other regions. He made a
prefent of Seven hundred ducatsto Phil-
elphus, and propoSed^to him the mofife
advantageous conditions that were per*
haps ever offered to a Scholar, if he
would come to Rome, and tranflate
Greek books, particularly the Poems of
x ii« 132,
Homer;,

Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. 493
Homer. But the death of this excellent
fontiff put an end to that project ?.
A. 1 450. Laudatur ab Hifioricis A.U
phonfi Regis inviBus et generofus animus;
turn in liferas earumque cultores excellens
amor: cuivicem ii celebrandd apud pofte*
ros illiusfamd Yetulerunt x .
A. 1452.. Whilft Mahomet II. was
feefieging Conftantinople, of which he
foon got pofleflion, the miferable inha
bitants were carrying on their religious
controversies with the utmoft fury,
curfing and anathematizing all thofe
who had confented to any union with
the Latin Church,.
When Mahomet had taken the city,
he fecured the Library of the Greek
Emperots, which was preferved by his
Succeflbrs, till it was deftroyed by Amu-
rat IV, who began to reign, A. 1623*.
y PenviiM, i. 494. Mem. deL'Acad. xv. 570, wtoere
may be found the Life of Philelphus.
'Petavius. aDucas, c. 37. b Hift. de L'Acad* iv. $22.
4 The

494 'Remarks on EeclefaffcMlS^ofy'.
The fuccefiiori of Patriarchy frorrf
the taking df Constantinople dbwh tQ
Gyrillus Lucaris^is given tts, bjr |*hfc
lippus Cypriuscj
,: The unfortunate CyriH&Sv Lucarf?"
was elected A . 1612. This horieft Pre?
late, for opppfing the tyranny of thf
Church of Rome and refusing to fub
mit tothe Pope, was flaaderlflandper-
iecuted all his days by the JeSuits, and
by theGourts of France and Rome, and'
k laft bafely mttrdered at ih&it instiga
tion*. A ; r 47 1 .Sixtus IV. erected a famous
Bawdy-houfe at Rohie; land, the ^a-
man. Prpft-ituteis -paid. -^ -Ifpliniafs af
weekly taxy which airipunted Sometimes'
to twenty thoufand ducats a year f. -
. A. 1495. This1 year died John IE
King of Portugal, whphad the honour;
.to bb czlleS Optimus Princeps. His^ Lifer
c See'Bibl.tTJniv. vii. 71",
J Smith, Mifieli. Bibl. Univ. i. 68: FabnciuS, BrQrl
x. 4994 Mofheim, p. 917.
e Gorn. Agrippai Ga.ve,ii.8. ult.App$k W

Remarks 'on Micclefiaftielfl Hiftory" 49^
isXvritten by the Marquis D' Allegrettey
$id an Extract of it is'1 given r&yfLe
Clerc. At the end of this century, thePrag-
matjc. Sanation of St. Louis^ which hadf
keen eftabliShed A. 1268, and after
wards neglected, Was. brought again
into ufe, whereby the Pontifical See was
much damaged. For" the Gallican
Church, adhering to the Decrees of the
Councils of Cbnflance and Bafil, Suf
fered not the Pontifs to proceed beyond
the bounds fixed by thofe Fathers. At
the. Same -time indeed, the Florentine
Council, which' yielded' an unlimite'd?
fubmiSHon to all the pretenfions of the
Popes, Was received in Italy ,r arid other'
Weftern parts; but yet fo it was^ thai?
hy the revival of letters and the know-f
ledge of Christian Antiquity^ the SyfteiJl
e^ ApoftolicalPlenitude and Papal Om>
mpotenee began, to decline apace *. .
" In the Eafterhregions,the Chriftiaf*
•Religion daily loft ground- by means of?
' Bibl. AJ & M. ii. 162.
•= Cave, ii, 102. Appemii
the

'490 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftorys
the Mahometans, both Turks and Tar-*
tars. In the Afiatic Tartary and its
neighbouring nations, where Chriftia
nity once flourished, fordid fuperftition
prevailed ; nor were there any traces
left of trUe religion* except iri China*.
where the Small remains of Nefloriari-
ifm caft a feeble light. For ftill, in
this century, the fupreme Pontiff of the
Neftorians, who refided in Chaldaea,fent
fome of his Clergy to Cathaya and
China, to fupply the office of Bifhops
amongft the Congregations which dwelt,
or rather lurked, in the remoter pro
vinces. But this handful of Christians-
is now no moreV
The Mahometan tyranny almoft ex-
tinguifhed all literature, amongft the
Greeks and other Eafternpeople; whilft
on the contrary, the Liberal Arts and
Sciences fiourifhed amongft the Latins.
Before the arrival of the Greeks ift
Italy, Ariftotle was the favourite Phi-
lofopher, extolled beyond meafute, and
h Molheim, p. 606. almoft

Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory* 497
alnioft adored as a Saint. But Some
of the- learned Greeks taught their dif-
ciples to preSer to the wrangling Science
of the Peripatetics the placid and polite
and divine wifdom* as they called it, of
Plato, Hence arofe two fedts of Philo
fophers iii Italy, contending whether
•Ariftotle or Plato fhould have the pre
ference ; whilft others valued both
equally, and endeavoured to reconcile
their doctrines.
The Ariftotelics however were fu-
perior ; and Sollowing tho notions of
Averroes, who held that all mankind
participated oS one common intellect or
Soul, they craftily Subverted the fouft-'
dationsof religion both natpral and re
vealed, and, were very little diftant
Srom the impiety oS thoSe who think
that God is the to srav, or the UniverSe,
confifting of infinite Matter endued with
an infinite power of cogitation. When
they were preffed by the Inquisitors,
they ' diftinguifhed between Philofb-
; Bayle adopted this fame fubterfuge, and made great
ufe of it; for he flood in great need of it.
• Vol.*V. K k phical

49$ Remarh on Ecclefiafical Hiftory.
phical and Theological Truth, or Rea
fon and Revelation, and faid that apro-
pofition might be Philofophically true,
though Theologically falfe.
No eminent Doctor or writer of this
age can be named, who did not lament
the miferable ftate of Chriftianity, and
foretel its total ruin, unlefs the divine
Providence interpofed. The vices of the
Popes, and of the Ecelefiaftics in ge
neral, were fo notorious, that no one
dared to reprove fuch querulous writers ¦¦
or talkers." The Superior Clergy, who
pafled their days in floth and debauchery,
were obliged to hear with a placid coun
tenance, aiid even to applaud thofe
Preachers who faid that the Church
was mortally fick from the head to the
feet, and flood in need of the moft vio
lent remedies. For he was reckoned to
be the beft and the honefteft Preacher,
who ufed the greateft liberty in cen-
furing the Court of Rome, the Pope,
and all his crew.
All the attempts Pf the Popes, from
the taking of Conftantinople to this
day,.

, Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hifiory. 49 pi
day, to bring about an union between
the Greeks and the Latins, have been
quite ufelefs. The former hate the La
tins and the Latin Pontiffs more than
ever, being perfuaded that if the Wef
tern Chriftians would have Succoured
them, they would not have Sallen under
the cruel dominion of the Turks k."
A. 1501. " The Spaniards and Por-
tuguefe, if you will believe their own
writers, have not been lefs fuccefsful
than fedulous in propagating the Gofpel
in foreign parts. It muft be owned in
deed that a fort of Chriftianity, fuch as
it is, hath been introduced by them into
the one and the other America, a part
of Afric, and the maritime provinces
and iflands of Afia, which they fubdued
in their naval expeditions ; and many
of the inhabitants of thefe regions, who
had been either void of religion, or ad
dicted to grofs and frantic fuperftition,
Seem to profefs themfelves' fervarits of
Chrift. But this increafe of Chriftia-
k Mofheim, p. 608 — 634.
K k 2 nity,

5&o \%emarh on Ecclefiafiicat Hiftory,
fixty, far from deferving to be extolled,
is rather to- be lamented by thoSe who
confider that thefe unhappy people Were
compelled to renounce their old opi
nions by wicked laws and more, than
hrutiSh cruelty ; and that their prefent
religion confifts in paying a blind obe
dience to their Stupid Teache rsprae-
tifing fome frivolous ceremonies, and
uttering by rote a few word's which they
understand not. This is the judgment
not only of thofe whom the Church of
Rome calls -Heretics, but of the wor
thiest perfons of her Communion,
French, Germans, Italians, Spaniards,
and others1."
" Amongft thofe, who are fuppoSed
to have been enemies to all religion, are
placed Petrus Pomponatius, Badinus,
Rabelais, Montague, Pes Perieres, Dp-
letus, Charron, Leo \X. Bembus, PolU
tianus, Brunus, Oehirius, ParacelSps,
Taurellus. Some have affirmed that
there were Schools of impiety apd
suheifm ip France and in Italy,* whepce,
'^Mtjiheijp, p.^6.' irpany

Remarh on Ecclefiafikal Hiftory. joi
many of thefe Reprobates iffued forth ;
nor will this accuSation be thought
groundleSs by perSons verSed in the hif
tory of thofe times, Yet it will alfo
appear, upon fair inquiry, that many pf
thofe who were thus' charged with irre-
ligion were either innocent, or not al
together profane to fuch a degree m."
«« The moft eminent amongft the
Learned were thofe who addicted them
Selves to publishing, correcting and ex
plaining Greek and Latip Authors, flu-
dying Antiquities, and cpmpofing in
verfe and prpfe. Their works are ftill
held in high efteem, and fhew the ex-
tenfive knowledge, indefatigable induf-
try, and bright abilities of thefe men,
who accounted all true wifdorii and the
welSare both of Church and State to de
pend entirely uppn fuch ftudies. Though
Some oS them carried theSe notions tpo
Sar, in behalf of their beloved occupa
tions, yet it needs muft be acknow
ledged that polite literature tended, to
ppen and enlarge the mipd, and to ref-
TO Mofheim, p. 688. cue

502 Remarh on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.
cue Reafon and Religion from the bon
dage under which they had fo long la
boured.^ To thefe Philologers are to be added
the Philofophers, who may be ranged
under two clafles. Some purfued know
ledge and the nature of things in the
Metaphyfical way, others in the Experi
mental way. And again, fome followed
the old guides and mafters; others
Struck out Syftems for themfelves.
They who were difciples of the An
cients adhered either to Plato, who
Still had many approvers, efpecially in
Italy, or to Ariftotle. Amongft the
innovators were Cardan, Telefius, and
• Campanella ; whilft Paracelfus, and
others like him, raifed a new Sect
of men called Philofophi per ignem, or
I'heofofhi, who allowed very little to hu
man reafon, or to metaphyfical diSquifi-
tions, but aScribed all to Experimental
and Chemical PhiloSophy, and to a di
vine Illumination n.
¦ Moflieim, p. 6gg. Luther's

Remarks on Ecclefiafical Hiftory. 503
Luther's attack upon the Romanifts
obliged his adverSaries to Seek out new
methods oS deSending themSelves. The
CroiSades could no long be kept up, and
Some other devices were neceflary to
Supply that loSs. The Inquisition there
Sore was Strengthened by new laws and
regulations, and became ftill more for
midable and tyrannical. Many Col
leges were Sounded, in which young
Students were to be inftrudted in all the
arts oS religious conrroverSy. Danger
ous Books were fupprefled or mangled
by the Indices Expurgatorii. The Clergy
were exhorted to purSue learned ftudies;
and confiderable rewards were confer-
red on thoSe who fignalized themSelves
that way. The Rpmifh Ecelefiaftics
would probably have Slept in Sloth and
ignorance, if the Heretics had not at
tacked them fo warmly. At length
arofe the Jefuits, the Pope's moft zea
lous advocates and foldiers; a Sect
founded by an illiterate Fanatic and
Lunatic 8.
• SceMoflheim, p. 697, &c. A. 1503.

5P4-, Remarks on. Ecclefiafica I Hiftory*
¦y A. 1503. Julius II. was made Pope,
I. have given Some v account of him ;
and fhall only add that even this deteft*
able Pontiff hath Sound a Panegyrift in
Ubertus Folieta, who was So void of
fhame as to extol and canonize this his
Countryman, in the * Clarorum Ligu^-
rum Elogia.
A. 151 7. Luther now began fha
heroic work of the Reformation;
and here I erid my Remarks on Eccle*
fi^ftical Hiftory.
t Life of Erafmus.
1 P. 2.8.

THE k N D.

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\foxr Vie founding of a. College- in this Colony"

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Gift of
Mrs. Selah Merrill
1914