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"henfion of any Thing, that might be useful to human "Life. There were no wholesome Laws, no Repara "tions of Churches, no pursuit of liberal Arts, but a < Kind of Stupidity and Madness, and Forgetfulness of "Manners, had poffeffed the Minds of Men." Arda little after, "I cannot, fays he, but much wonder from whence these tragical Examples of the Popes fhou'd fpring; and how their Minds fhou'd come to be fo de"void of all Piety, as neither to regard the Perfon which. "they fuftain'd, nor the Place they were in."

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Phil. Burgomanfis faith, (a) " It happened in that Age, "thro' the Slothfulnefs of Man, that there was a ge"neral Decay of Virtue, both in the Head and in the "Members." And again, (b) "Thefe Times, thro' the Ambition and cruel Tyranny of the Popes, were extremely unhappy; for the Popes, fetting afide the Fear of God, and his Worship, fell into fuch Enmities among themselves, as cruel Tyrants exercife towards one another." And Platina, their own Writer, in his History of the Popes, giving an Account of their Barbarities to their Predeceffors, tho' they had been many Years dead, faith, "Thele Popes minded nothing elle "but how they might extinguish both the Name and Dignity of their Predeceffors."

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Sigonius, fpeaking of thefe Times, about the Beginning of the tenth Century, calls them, (c) " The foul"eft and blackeft, both in respect to the Wickedness of "the Princes, and Madness of the People, that are to be "found in all Antiquity." And, Genebrard, fpeaking of the fame Time, (d)" This, fays he, is called the "unhappy Age, being deftitute of Men, eminent for "Wit and Learning; as alfo, of famous Princes and

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Popes: In this Time there was fcarce any Thing done, worthy to be remembred by Pofterity:" He adds afterwards," But chiefly unhappy in this one Thing, "that for almost a hundred and fifty Years together, a

(a) Ann. 906. (b) Ann. 908. (c) Sig. de Regn. Ital. Lib. 6. (d) Chron. Lib. 4.

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*bout fifty Popes, did utterly degenerate from the Virtue "of their Ancestors."

Werner (a) gives this Character of thefe Times, in these Words; “ About the Year of our Lord one Thou* fand, there began an effeminate Time, in which the "Chriftian Faith began to degenerate exceedingly, and to "decline from its antient Vigour; infomuch that in ma"ny Countries of Chriftendom, neither Sacraments, “ nor ecclesiastical Rites were observ'd; and People were “given to Soothiaying, and to Witchcrafts; and the "Prift was like the People."

Gerbert, who lived in that Time, gives this fhort Cha--racter of the Roman, Church, in an Epistle of his, to Stephen, Deacon of that Church. (b)" The World ftands amazed at the Manners of Rome."

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But most full is the Complaint of a great Prelate of the Church, concerning thofe Times, in thefe Words, (c)" In the Weft, and almost all the World over, (especially among those who were called the Faithful) Faith “failed, and there was no fear of God among them; « Justice was perished from among Men, and Violence: prevailing against Equity govern'd the-Nations: Fraud, "Deceit, and the Acts of Cozenage were grown uni“ verfal; all Kind of Virtue gave way, as an uleless Thing, and Wickedness fupply'd its Place: The "World seem'd to be declining space towards its Evening, and the second coming of the Son of Man to draw “ near: For Love was grown cold, and Faith was not "found upon Earth: All Things were in Confufion; " and the World look'd as if it wou'd return again to its "old Chaos: All Sorts of Fornication were committed"with the fame Freedom, as if they had been lawful "Actions; for Men neither blufh'd at them, nor were

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punished for them; nor did the Clergy live better " than the People, for the Bishops were grown negligent "of the Duty of their Place, &c. Ina Word, Men ran

(a) Facie. Tempor. Lib. 1. Cap. 18.

(b) Epif. 40. (c) Bell. Sacr.

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themfelves headlong into all Vice, and all Flesh had "corrupted its Way."

All thefe Teftimonies which have been produc'd, are in general, and for the Substance of them, confirm'd by two of the greateft Advocates for the Roman Church, Bellarmine, and Barronius: Bellarmine fays of this tenth Age, that (a)" There was never any more unlearned, or more unhappy."

Barronius fpeaks more particularly, (b) "What was "then the Face of the Roman Church? How de-"form'd: When Whores, no lefs powerful than vile, "bore the Chief Sway at Rome, and at their Pleasure,

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chang'd Sees, appointed Bifhops, and (which is terri"ble to mention) did thrust into St. Peter's See, their

own Gallants; falfe Popes, who wou'd not have been "mention'd in the Catalogue of the Roman Popes, but "only for the more diftinct recording of fo long a Suc"ceffion of Times." And a little after; "Chrift was "then, it feems, in a very deep Sleep, and which was "worse, when the Lord was thus afleep, there were

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no Difciples to awaken him, being them'elves all faft: "afleep." What kind of Cardinals, Presbyters, and Deacons, can we think were chofen by thefe Monsters, when nothing is fo natural, as for every one to propagate his own Likeness?TM

But it may be, this difmal State of the Roman Church lafted but a little while; let us therefore enquire a little into the State of fucceeding Times; and we find in the thirteenth Century, St. Bernard complaining, that the Degeneracy of the Priefts was in his Days greater than ever: (c) "We cannot, fays he, now fay, as is the People, "fo is the Priest; for the People are not fo bad as the "Priests."

At this Time the noble Emperor Henry, was poifon'd in the Sacrament, by Pope Clement the Fifth, as it is re

(a) De Rom. Pontif. Lib. 4. Cap. 12. (b) A. Tom. 10. Anno 900. (c) In Converf. Sancti Pauli. Ser. 1.

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corded by Charion, in Supplemento Chronicorum, in Ravi-fius Texter, and others.

The like Record there is of poisoning Pope Victor theThird in the Chalice, which you may read in Martinus Polonius, the Pope's Penitentiary, Vollateranus, Matthaus Palmerius, Supplimento Chronicorum, Fafciculus Temporum, Textor, and others.

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In the fifteenth Century, Nic. de Clemangiis, who liv'd at that Time, wrote a Book upon this Argument, of the corrupt State of the Church, he fays, (a) There ❝was an univerfal Degeneracy in the Church, from the very Head of it, to its loweft Members." In the fame Chapter, he complains thus, "Who is there that preaches the Golpel unto the People? Who fhews... "them the Way to Salvation, either by Word or Acti"on?" Again, fpeaking of the Pope's taking to himfelt the Collation of all vacant Bishopricks and Dignities, he fays, (b)" One might think that the Pope did this, that the Church might be provided of worthier Governors, both in their Learning, and their Lives, did not the Thing itfelt declare the contrary; and that ig"norant and ufelefs Perfons, (provided they had Money) "were by Simony advanc'd to the higheft Degrees in the "Church." And, fpeaking what a vaft Number of. Candidates there was ufually at Rome from all Parts, waiting for Benefices, and Dignities, he tells us, that, (c) Many of these did not come from their Studies, "or Schools of Learning, to govern their Parishes, but "from the Plough, and from the meaneft Profeffions: "And that they understood Latin, and Arabick, much "at the fame Rate; and many of them cou'd not read "at all. But it may be, fays he, their Manners were "fuch as might be fome excufe for their Ignorance. No, "tho' their Learning was but little, their Virtue was "lefs; for, being brought up in Idleness, they follow"ed nothing but Debauchery and Sports, &c. Hence it comes to pass, that Priefts are fo contemned by the

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(a) Cap. 3. (b) Gap. 5. (c) Cap. 6.

"common

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68 common People: Formerly, the Priesthood was highly honoured by the People, and nothing was more venerable than that Order of Men; but now, nothing " is more vile and despicable." Again, (a) “ I make no doubt, fays he, but there are more Thieves and "Robbers, than true Paftors in the Church." Again, (b) Why fhou'd any Man now flatter himself with Hopes of Preferment, because of his Virtue or Learn"ing Men do not now (as formerly) rife by fuch Arts. "Which of these that are now advanced to the pontifi"cal Dignity, hath fo much as perfunctorily read, or "heard, or learn'd the Scriptures; yea, or even touch'd "any more than the Cover of the Bible?" Again, fpeaking of the prodigious Covetouinefs of the Governors of the Church, and the grofs Neglect of their Flocks, he fays, (c) They wou'd much more contentedly bear the Lofs of a thousand Souls, than of ten or twelve Shillings. But why do I fay more contentedly? When, without the leaft Trouble or "Disturbance to themfelves, they can bear the Lofs of "Souls; a Thing fo far from their Care, that it never "entered into their Thoughts." He goes on, and tells us, that "If perhaps there was any one who did not "take those Courses, the Reft wou'd all fnarl at him, call "him Fool, and fay, he was unfit to be a Prieft; fo that

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the Study of the Scriptures, together with the Pro"feffors of it, was turn'd into Laughter, and Scorn, by all; but (which is prodigious) efpecially by the Popes, "who prefer their own Traditions many Degrees before the Commands of God." Again, fpeaking of the Choice of Perfons to be Priests, he tells us, that (d) "There was no Enquiry made into their Lives, no Queftion about their Manners: But for their Learning, "fays he, what need I speak of that? When we.lee the "Priefts almost univerfally have much ado to read, tho' "but in an hesitating ar.d fpelling Fashion, drawing out

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(a) Cap. 9. (b) Cap. 11, (c) C1p. 14. (d) Cap.

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