wealbk05-第26章

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barons；　found　something　for　which　they　could　exchange　their　rude

produce；　and　thereby　discovered　the　means　of　spending　their　whole

revenues　upon　their　own　persons；　without　giving　any　considerable

share　of　them　to　other　people。　Their　charity　became　gradually

less　extensive；　their　hospitality　less　liberal　or　less　profuse。

Their　retainers　became　consequently　less　numerous；　and　by　degrees

dwindled　away　altogether。　The　clergy　too；　like　the　great　barons；

wished　to　get　a　better　rent　from　their　landed　estates；　in　order

to　spend　it；　in　the　same　manner；　upon　the　gratification　of　their

own　private　vanity　and　folly。　But　this　increase　of　rent　could　be

got　only　by　granting　leases　to　their　tenants；　who　thereby　became

in　a　great　measure　independent　of　them。　The　ties　of　interest

which　bound　the　inferior　ranks　of　people　to　the　clergy　were　in

this　manner　gradually　broken　and　dissolved。　They　were　even　broken

and　dissolved　sooner　than　those　which　bound　the　same　ranks　of

people　to　the　great　barons：　because　the　benefices　of　the　church

being；　the　greater　part　of　them；　much　smaller　than　the　estates　of

the　great　barons；　the　possessor　of　each　benefice　was　much　sooner

able　to　spend　the　whole　of　its　revenue　upon　his　own　person。

During　the　greater　part　of　the　fourteenth　and　fifteenth　centuries

the　power　of　the　great　barons　was；　through　the　greater　part　of

Europe；　in　full　vigour。　But　the　temporal　power　of　the　clergy；　the

absolute　command　which　they　had　once　had　over　the　great　body　of

the　people；　was　very　much　decayed。　The　power　of　the　church　was　by

that　time　very　nearly　reduced　through　the　greater　part　of　Europe

to　what　arose　from　her　spiritual　authority；　and　even　that

spiritual　authority　was　much　weakened　when　it　ceased　to　be

supported　by　the　charity　and　hospitality　of　the　clergy。　The

inferior　ranks　of　people　no　longer　looked　upon　that　order；　as

they　had　done　before；　as　the　comforters　of　their　distress；　and

the　relievers　of　their　indigence。　On　the　contrary；　they　were

provoked　and　disgusted　by　the　vanity；　luxury；　and　expense　of　the

richer　clergy；　who　appeared　to　spend　upon　their　own　pleasures

what　had　always　before　been　regarded　as　the　patrimony　of　the

poor。

　　　　　In　this　situation　of　things；　the　sovereigns　in　the　different

states　of　Europe　endeavoured　to　recover　the　influence　which　they

had　once　had　in　the　disposal　of　the　great　benefices　of　the

church；　by　procuring　to　the　deans　and　chapters　of　each　diocese

the　restoration　of　their　ancient　right　of　electing　the　bishop；

and　to　the　monks　of　each　abbacy　that　of　electing　the　abbot。　The

re…establishing　of　this　ancient　order　was　the　object　of　several

statutes　enacted　in　England　during　the　course　of　the　fourteenth

century；　particularly　of　what　is　called　the　Statute　of　Provisors；

and　of　the　Pragmatic　Sanction　established　in　France　in　the

fifteenth　century。　In　order　to　render　the　election　valid；　it　was

necessary　that　the　sovereign　should　both　consent　to　it

beforehand；　and　afterwards　approve　of　the　person　elected；　and

though　the　election　was　still　supposed　to　be　free；　he　had；

however；　all　the　indirect　means　which　his　situation　necessarily

afforded　him　of　influencing　the　clergy　in　his　own　dominions。

Other　regulations　of　a　similar　tendency　were　established　in　other

parts　of　Europe。　But　the　power　of　the　pope　in　the　collation　of

the　great　benefices　of　the　church　seems；　before　the　Reformation；

to　have　been　nowhere　so　effectually　and　so　universally　restrained

as　in　France　and　England。　The　Concordat　afterwards；　in　the

sixteenth　century；　gave　to　the　kings　of　France　the　absolute　right

of　presenting　to　all　the　great；　or　what　are　called　the

consistorial；　benefices　of　the　Gallican　Church。

　　　　　Since　the　establishment　of　the　Pragmatic　Sanction　and　of　the

Concordat；　the　clergy　of　France　have　in　general　shown　less

respect　to　the　decrees　of　the　papal　court　than　the　clergy　of　any

other　Catholic　country。　In　all　the　disputes　which　their　sovereign

has　had　with　the　pope；　they　have　almost　constantly　taken　party

with　the　former。　This　independency　of　the　clergy　of　France　upon

the　court　of　Rome　seems　to　be　principally　founded　upon　the

Pragmatic　Sanction　and　the　Concordat。　In　the　earlier　periods　of

the　monarchy；　the　clergy　of　France　appear　to　have　been　as　much

devoted　to　the　pope　as　those　of　any　other　country。　When　Robert；

the　second　prince　of　the　Capetian　race；　was　most　unjustly

excommunicated　by　the　court　of　Rome；　his　own　servants；　it　is

said；　threw　the　victuals　which　came　from　his　table　to　the　dogs；

and　refused　to　taste　anything　themselves　which　little　been

polluted　by　the　contact　of　a　person　in　his　situation。　They　were

taught　to　do　so；　it　may　very　safely　be　presumed；　by　the　clergy　of

his　own　dominions。

　　　　　The　claim　of　collating　to　the　great　benefices　of　the　church；

a　claim　in　defence　of　which　the　court　of　Rome　had　frequently

shaken；　and　sometimes　overturned　the　thrones　of　some　of　the

greatest　sovereigns　in　Christendom；　was　in　this　manner　either

restrained　or　modified；　or　given　up　altogether；　in　many　different

parts　of　Europe；　even　before　the　time　of　the　Reformation。　As　the

clergy　had　now　less　influence　over　the　people；　so　the　state　had

more　influence　over　the　clergy。　The　clergy；　therefore；　had　both

less　power　and　less　inclination　to　disturb　the　state。

　　　　　The　authority　of　the　Church　of　Rome　was　in　this　state　of

declension　when　the　disputes　which　gave　birth　to　the　Reformation

began　in　Germany；　and　soon　spread　themselves　through　every　part

of　Europe。　The　new　doctrines　were　everywhere　received　with　a　high

degree　of　popular　favour。　They　were　propagated　with　all　that

enthusiastic　zeal　which　commonly　animates　the　spirit　of　party

when　it　attacks　established　authority。　The　teachers　of　those

doctrines；　though　perhaps　in　other　respects　not　more　learned　than

many　of　the　divines　who　defended　the　established　church；　seem　in

general　to　have　been　better　acquainted　with　ecclesiastical

history；　and　with　the　origin　and　progress　of　that　system　of

opinions　upon　which　the　authority　of　the　church　was　established；

and　they　had　thereby　some　advantage　in　almost　every　dispute。　The

austerity　of　their　manners　gave　them　authority　with　the　common

people；　who　contrasted　the　strict　regularity　of　their　conduct

with　the　disorderly　lives　of　the　greater　part　of　their　own

clergy。　They　possessed；　too；　in　a　much　higher　degree　than　their

adversaries　all　the　arts　of　popularity　and　of　gaining　proselytes；

arts　which　the　lofty　and　dignified　sons　of　the　church　had　long

neglected　as　being　to　them　in　a　great　measure　useless。　The　reason

of　the　new　doctrines　recommended　them　to　some；　their　novelty　to

many；　the　hatred　and　contempt　of　the　established　clergy　to　a

still　greater　number；　but　the　zealous；　passionate；　and　fanatical；

though　frequently　coarse　and　rustic；　eloquence　with　which　they

were　almost　everywhere　inculcated；　recommended　them　to　by　far　the

greatest　number。

　　　　　The　success　of　the　new　doctrines　was　almost　everywhere　so

great　that　the　princes　who　at　that　time　happened　to　be　on　bad

terms　with　the　court　of　Rome　were　by　means　of　them　easily

enabled；　in　their　own　dominions；　to　overturn　the　church；　which；

having　lost　the　respect　and　veneration　of　the　inferior　ranks　of

people；　could　make　scarce　any　resistance。　The　court　of　Rome　had

disobliged　some　of　the　smaller　princes　in　the　northern　parts　of

Germany；　whom　it　had　probably　considered　as　too　insignificant　to

be　worth　the　managing。　They　universally；　therefore；　established

the　Reformation　in　their　own　dominions。　The　tyranny　of　Christian

II　and　of　Troll；　Archbishop　of　Upsala；　enabled　Gustavus　Vasa　to

expel　them　both　from　Sweden。　The　pope　favoured　the　tyrant　and　the

archbishop；　and　Gustavus　Vasa　found　no　difficulty　in　establishing

the　Reformation　in　Sweden。　Christian　II　was　afterwards　deposed

from　the　throne　of　Denmark；　where　his　conduct　had　rendered　him　as

odious　as　in　Sweden。　The　pope；　however；　was　still　disposed　to

favour　him；　and　Frederick　of　Holstein；　who　had　mounted　the　throne

in　his　stead；　revenged　himself　by　following　the　example　of

Gustavus　Vasa。　The　magistrates　of　Berne　and　Zurich；　who　had　no

particular　quarrel　with　the　pope；　established　with　great　ease　the

Reformation　in　their　respective　cantons；　where　just　before　some

of　the　clergy　had；　by　an　imposture　somewhat　grosser　than

ordinary；　rendered　the　whole　order　both　odious　and　contemptible。

　　　　　In　this　critical　situation　of　its　affairs；　the　papal　court

was　at　sufficient　pains　to　cultivate　the　friendship　of　the

powerful　sovereigns　of　France　and　Spain；　of　whom　the　latter　was

at　that　time　Emperor　of　Germany。　With　their　assistance　it　was

enabled；　though　not　without　great　difficulty　and　much　bloodshed；

either　to　suppress　altogether　or　to　obstruct　very　much　the

progress　of　the　Reformation　in　their　dominions。　It　was　well

enough　inclined；　too；　to　be　complaisant　to　the　King　of　England。

But　from　the　circumstances　of　the　times；　it　could　not　be　so

without　giving　offence　to　a　still　greater　sovereign；　Charles　V；

King　of　Spain　and　Emperor　of　Germany。　Henry　VIII　accordingly；

though　he　did　not　embrace　himself　the　greater　part　of　the

doctrines　of　the　Reformation；　was　yet　enabled；　by　their　general

prevalence；　to　suppress　all　the　monasteries；　and　to　abolish　the

authority　of　the　Church　of　Rome　in　his　dominions。　That　he　should

go　so　far；　though　he　went　no　further；　gave　some　satisfaction　to

the　patrons　of　the　Reformation；　who　having　got　possession　of　the

government　in　the　reign　of　his　son　and　successor；　completed

without　any　difficulty　the　work　which　Henry　VIII　had　begun。

　　　　　In　some　countries；　as　in　Scotland；　where　the　government　was

weak；　unpopular；　and　not　very　firmly　established；　the　Reformation

was　strong　enough　to　overturn；　not　only　the　church；　but　the　state

likewise　for　attempting　to　support　the　church。

　　　　　Among　the　followers　of　the　Reformation　dispersed　in　all　the

different　countries　of　Europe；　there　was　no　general　tribunal

which；　like　that　of　the　court　of　Rome；　or　an　oecumenical　council；

could　settle　all　disputes　among　them；　and　with　irresistible

authority　prescribe　to　all　of　them　the　precise　limits　of

orthodoxy。　When　the　followers　of　the　Reformation　in　one　country；

therefore；　happened　to　differ　from　their　brethren　in　another；　as

they　had　no　common　judge　to　appeal　to；　the　dispute　could　never　be

decided；　and　many　such　disputes　arose　among　them。　Those

concerning　the　government　of　the　church；　and　the　right　of

conferring　ecclesiastical　benefices；　were　perhaps　the　most

interesting　to　the　peace　and　welfare　of　civil　society。　They　gave

birth　accordingly　to　the　two　principal　parties　of　sects　among　the

followers　of　the　Reformation；　the　Lutheran　and　Calvinistic　sects；

the　only　sects　among　them　of　which　the　doctrine　and　discipline

have　ever　yet　been　established　by　law　in　any　part　of　Europe。

　　　　　The　followers　of　Luther；　together　with　what　is　called　the

Church　of　England；　preserved　more　or　less　of　the　ep