Baxter - BX1763 B28

(I2o) sthome, that they could not take fufficient care of the Weft; but left thePopes too much advantage togrow great:and wickednefs alto increafingamong them(though the Princes pretence kept their Patriarchs in more order and fubmifïion, than the Popes that were become mafter- lefs) provoked God to give them up to be conquered by the Mahometan Turks : And by the Ambition of the Popes, the Emperours wanted the due affiftance oftheir Weftern Subjee}s, to refill their Enemies. And the Pope took theadvantageoftheEaffern Emperours weak- nefs, to lead theWeft into a fettled Rebellion, offering theKing ofFrance the Weftern Empire, which he em- braced, the Pope making his Bargain with him for his own advantage. 3. And in the Wars of Chriftian Princes, the Pope ufed to obtrude his Arbitration, in fuch a manner as tended to his gain : fo that he fhortly got tobe a temporal Princeof a great part ofItaly, and to have Crowns and Kingdoms made feudatary to him. c}. And he got Germany tobe broken into fo many fmall Republicks and Liberties, as that they were not able to unite to refift him. S. And he took great advantage of the religioushumours ofanythat were devout,and allow- ed them fo many and various Societies, andwith fo great Priviledges as obliged themgenerally touphold and ferve him : Though he cruellyperfecuted'all that wereagainft his Power and Intereft, yet he allowed almoft all the Di- verfities offuch as would but unite in himand fervehim. 6. And as he fo twifted his own and all his Clergies Inter- eft, that they were áll ready to obeyand defendhim a- gaínft their feveral Princes, , and thereby had agreat pow- er in every ChriffianState in Ëurope, fo, keeping all his Clergie unmarryed, their wealth ffill accumulated and flowed into the Church And the Eaftern Empirebeing firít

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