CHAPTER I.

Concerning the state of the Christian Church before the Reformation.

1. ABOUT the commencement of this cen- CENT.

tury the Roman pontiffs lived in the ut

XVI.

SECT. I.

state at

this cen

most tranquillity; nor had they, as things appeared to be situated, the least reason to appre-Things are hend any opposition to their pretensions, or re- in a quiet bellion against their authority; since those dread- the begin ful commotions, which had been excited in the ning of preceding ages by the Waldenses, Albigenses, tury. and Beghards, and lately by the Bohemians, were entirely suppressed, and had yielded to the united powers of counsel and the sword. Such of the Waldenses as yet remained, lived contented under the difficulties of extreme poverty in the vallies of Piedmont, and proposed to themselves no higher earthly felicity, than that of leaving to their descendants that wretched and obscure corner of Europe, which separates the Alps from the Pyrenean mountains; while the handful of Bohemians, that survived the ruin of their faction, and still persevered in their opposition to the Roman yoke, had neither strength nor knowledge adequate to any new attempt, and therefore, instead of inspiring terror, became objects of contempt.

II. We must not, however, conclude from this The com plaints apparent tranquillity and security of the pontiffs against the and their adherents, that their measures were ap- popes and clergy inplauded, or their chains worn without reluctance. effectual.

B 4

This

illustration of the matters which I propose to relate briefly in the course of this history. The illustrious names of Sleidan and Seckendorff, and others, who have distinguished themselves in this kind of erudition, are too well known to render it necessary to recommend their works to the perusal of the curi ous reader.

SECT. I.

1

CENT. This was far from being the case. Not only priXVI. vate persons, but also the most powerful princes and sovereign states, exclaimed loudly against the despotic dominion of the pontiffs, the fraud, violence, avarice, and injustice that prevailed in their counsels, the arrogance, tyranny, and extortion of their legates, the unbridled licentiousness and enormous crimes of the clergy and monks of all denominations, the unrighteous. severity and partiality of the Roman laws, and demanded publicly, as their ancestors had done before them, a Reformation of the church, in its head and in its members, and a general council to accomplish that necessary and happy purpose [6]. But these complaints and demands were not carried so far as to produce any good effect; since they came from persons who never presumed to entertain the least doubt about the supreme authority of the Pope in religious matters, and who, of consequence, instead of attempting, themselves, to bring about that reformation that was so ardently desired, remained entirely unactive, and looked for redress to the court of Rome, or to a general council. As long as the authority of the Roman pontiff was held sacred, and his jurisdiction supreme, there could be no reason to expect any considerable reformation either of the corruptions of the church or of the manners of the clergy.

III. If

[6] These complaints and accusations have been largely enumerated by several writers. See, among many others, Val. Ern. Loescherus, in Actis es documentis Reformationis, tom. i. cap. v. p. 105.-cap. ix. p. 181. & Ern. Salom. Cyprian, Præfat. ad Wilk. Ern. Tenzelii Historiam Reformat. published at Leipsic in 8vo, in the year 1717.-The grievances complained of by the Germans in particular; are amply mentioned by J. F. Georgius, in his Gravamina Imperator. et nationis German. adversus sedem Roman, cap. vii. p. 261. Nor do the wiser and more learned among the modern Romanists pretend to deny that the church and clergy, before the time of Luther, were corrupted in a very high degree.

F

XVI. SECT.

III. If any thing seemed proper to destroy the CENT. gloomy empire of superstition, and to alarm the security of the lordly pontiffs, it was the restora tion of learning in Europe, and the number of The restomen of genius that arose, of a sudden, under the ration of benign influence of that auspicious revolution. learning. But even this new scene of things was insufficient to terrify the lords of the church, or to make them apprehend the decline of their power. It is true, indeed, this happy revolution in the republic of letters dispelled the gloom of ignorance, and kindled in the minds of many the love of truth and sacred liberty. Nay, it is also certain that many of these great men, such as Erasmus and others, pointed the delicacy of their wit, or levelled 'the fury of their indignation, at the su perstitions of the times, the corruptions of the priesthood, the abuses that reigned in the court of Rome, and the brutish manner of the Monastic Orders. But this was not sufficient, since none had the courage to strike at the root of the evil, to attack the papal jurisdiction and statutes, which were absurdly, yet artfully, sanctified by the title of canon-law, or to call in question that ancient and most pernicious opinion, that Christ had established a vicegerent at Rome, clothed with his supreme and unlimited authority. Entrenched, therefore, within these strong-holds, the pontiffs looked upon their own authority and the peace of the church as beyond the reach of danger, and treated with indifference the threats and invectives of their enemies. Armed, moreover, with power to punish, and abundantly furnished with the means of rewarding in the most alluring manner, they were ready, on every commotion, to crush the obstinate, and to gain over the mercenary to their cause; and this indeed could not but contribute considerably to the stability of their dominion.

IV. Hence

Pius III.

I.

CENT. IV. Hence it was, that the bishops of Rome XVI. lived in the utmost security and ease, and being SECT. I, entirely free from apprehensions and cares of The popes, every kind, followed without reluctance, and Alexander gratified without any limitation or restraint, the VI. various demands of their lusts and passions. Alexander VI. whom humanity disowns, and who is rather to be considered as a monster than as a man, whose deeds excite horror, and whose enormities place him among the most execrable tyrants of ancient times, stained the commence→ ment of this century by the most tremendous crimes. The world was delivered from this papal fiend in the year 1503, by the poisonous draught which he had prepared for others, as is generally believed; though there are historians that attribute his death to sickness and old age [c]. He was succeeded in the pontificate by Pius III. who in less than a month, was deprived by death of that high dignity. The vacant chair was obtained by fraud and bribery by Julian de la Rovere, who assumed the denomination of Julius II.

Julius II.

V. To the odious list of vices with which Julius II. dishonoured the pontificate, we may add the most savage ferocity, the most audacious arrogance, the most despotic vehemence of temper, and the most extravagant and frenetic passion for war and bloodshed. He began his military enterprises by entering into a war with the Venetians, after having strengthened his cause by an alliance with the emperor and the king of France [d].

He

[c] See the Life of Alexander VI. in two volumes 8vo. by Alex. Gordon, Esq.-As also another life of the same pontiff, written with more moderation, and subjoined, along with that of Leo X. to the first volume of the learned and ingenious work entitled, Histoire du Droit publique Ecclesiastique Francois, par M. D. B. published in 4to at London, in 1752.

[d] See Du Bos, Histoire de la Ligue de Cambray, pubJished at the Hague in two volumes 8vo, in the year 1710.

XVI. SECT. I

He afterwards laid siege to Farrara; and, at CENT. length, turned his arms against his former ally, the French monarch, in conjunction with the Venetians, Spaniards, and Swiss, whom he had drawn into this war, and engaged in his cause by an of fensive league. His whole pontificate, in short, was one continued scene of military tumult; nor did he suffer Europe to enjoy a moment's tranquil. lity as long as he lived. We may easily imagine the miserable condition of the church under a vicar of Christ, who lived in camps, amidst the din of arms, and who was ambitious of no other fame than that which arose from battles won and cities laid desolate. Under such a pontiff all things must have gone to ruin; the laws must have been subverted, the discipline of the church destroyed, and the genuine lustre of true religion entirely effaced.

cil of Pisa.

VI. Nevertheless, from this dreadful cloud that The counhung over Europe, some rays of light seemed to break forth, that promised a better state of things, and gave some reason to expect that reformation in the church that was so ardently and so universally desired. Lewis XII. king of France, provoked by the insults he had received from this arrogant pontiff, meditated revenge, and even caused a medal to be struck with a menacing inscription, expressing his resolution to overturn the power of Rome, which was represented by the title of Babylon, on this coin [e]. Several cardinals also, encouraged by the protection of this monarch and the emperor Maximilian I. assembled, in the year 1511, a council at Pisa, with an inten

tion

[e] See B. Christ. Sigismund. Liebii Commentatio de numis Ludovici XII. Epigraphe, Perdam Babylonis nomen insignibus; Leipsic, 1717. See also Thesaurus Epistolicus Crozianys, tom. i. p. 238. 243. Colonia, Histoire Litter. de la Ville de Lyon tom. ii. p. 443.-The authenticity and occasion of this medal have been much disputed, and, as is well known, have afforded matter of keen debate.