Historical Defense of the Reformation, Part 3 · Chapter 3

Historical Defense of the Reformation · Part 3 · Chapter 3

p. 43CHAP. III.

That the Conduct of the Court of Rome, and thoſe of her party, in reſpect of the Proteſtants, has given them a juſt cauſe to ſeparate themſelves from them, ſuppoſing that they had had right at the foundation.

BEfore we leave this matter of our Separation from the Church of Rome, there yet remains two Queſtions for us to examine; the one, Whether our Fathers were not too precipitate in ſo great an affair, whether they did not act with too much haſte, or Whether they had ſufficient motives from the conduct of thoſe from whom they ſeparated, to forſake in the end their communion: The other, Whether with all that, they can ſay, that they ſeparated themſelves from the communion of the Catholick Church ſpread over the whole World, as the Donatiſts did heretofore, and whether they did not fall into the ſame crime with thoſe ancient Schiſmaticks, againſt whom Optatus and S. Auguſtine ſo ſtrongly diſputed. I will treat of this ſecond Queſtion in the following Chapter, and this here ſhall be deſign'd to the clearing of the former.

To effect this, methinks, we need but freely to ſet before their eyes all that I have ſaid in the ſecond Part, touching the neceſſity that lay upon our Fathers to reform themſelves. For ſince it clearly reſults from thoſe matters of fact which I have ſet down, that the Popes and thoſe of their party were ſo far from applying themſelves ſeriouſly to a Reformation, that they ſtudied on the contrary, only how to ſtifle the truth from the very firſt moment they beheld it appear, and to defend their Errors and Superſtitions by all manner of wayes, who ſees not that that inflexible reſolution which had not yielded either to the firſt or ſecond admonition, rendred from that time the ſeparation of our Fathers juſt, and exempted them from all reproach? For when there are Errors capable of giving ground for a ſeparation, it ought to be defer'd only upon a hope of amendment, and that hope ſeem'd to be ſufficiently deſtroy'd, by thoſe Hiſtorical actions which I have already ſet down.

Notwithſtanding, to ſhew them more and more, how the conduct of our Fathers was very prudent in that reſpect, and full p. 44of circumſpection, it will not be beſides our purpoſe, to reſume here the cloſe of their ſtory, from the unjuſt condemnation of Luther and his Doctrine made by Pope Leo the Tenth, down to the Council of Trent, after which we may ſay, that their ſeparation was full and entire.

Luther therefore having been excommunicated by the Popes Bull, with all thoſe who ſhould follow his Doctrine, after the manner that we have ſeen, he appealed to a free Council, and propoſed the Cauſes of his appeal in a publick Declaration that he cauſed afterwards to be Printed, wherein with great humility he demanded of the Emperour, the Electors, the Princes of the Empire, and in general of all the Powers of Germany, that they would joyn themſelves with him in his appeal; or at leaſt, that they would defer the Execution of the Bull, until having been lawfully called, and heard by equitable Judges, he ſhould be condemned. He proteſted, that in caſe his ſo juſt a demand All that Hiſtory contained in this Chapter, has been faithfully taken out of four Authors, to wit, Sleidan, The Hiſtory of the Council of Trent, of Father Paul, Th…anus and Raynaldus.ſhould be refuſed, and that they ſhould continue to obey the Pope rather than God, the conſciences of his perſecutors would remain chargeable before God's Tribunal.

But thoſe who had already condemn'd him for a like appeal to a Council, did not leave off their proſecuting him for all that. The Pope did not fail to cauſe his Bull to be publiſh'd with great Solemnity, he added even in that which they call Coena Domini, which is publiſhed every year, a new clauſe bearing excommunication againſt Luther, and thoſe of his Sect. And becauſe in his firſt condemnation, he had given him threeſcore dayes time to recant, that term being expired, he pronounced a new and peremptory Excommunication againſt him, by which he curſed him and his followers eternally, and declared them guilty of Treaſon and Hereſie; he ſpoil'd them of all their Honours and Goods, and injoyn'd all Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Prelates, Preachers, &c. to preach, or to ſtir up others to preach againſt them in all places. Notwithſtanding, he earneſtly ſolicited as well by his Letters as his Nuntio's, the Emperour Charles the Fifth and all the Princes of Germany, to employ all their Power and Authority againſt Luther and his followers. Thoſe ſolicitations produced them the Citation of Luther to the Aſſembly of Wormes, of which I have ſpoke in the ſecond Part and in the end, the Imperial Edict, called the Edict of Wormes, which baniſh'd him from all the Lands of the Empire as a mad-man, poſſeſs'd with the Devil, a Devil clothed in humane ſhape, an Heretick, a Schiſmatick: p. 45This Edict forbad him Fire and Water, and the commerce of all the World; and ordain'd that after the term of twenty dayes, he ſhould be taken and put into a ſtrong Priſon in order to be ſeverely puniſhed. But beſides all this, it carried this further in it, that it extended to all his favourers, followers and complices, and that his Books ſhould be publickly burn'd. Luther giving way to this furious ſtorm, withdrew himſelf for ſome time into a ſafe place, under the protection of John Frederick Elector of Saxony; and Leo after having excited all that Tragedy, dyed in the flower of his age, the firſt day of December in the year 1521. But the hatred of the Reformation did not dye with him, he had for his Succeſſor as well in that hatred, as in his See, Adrian the Sixth, who was choſen the eighth of January 1522.

After this new Pope had taken poſſeſſion of his Papacy, he ſent a Nuntio into Germany, and though as we have ſeen, in his inſtructions, he charged him in an expreſs Article, ſeriouſly to acknowledge, before the Aſſembly of Nuremberg the diſorders both in the Court of Rome and in the whole Body of the Prelates, and the reſt of the Clergy; he did not fail nevertheleſs to charge him alſo at the ſame time, to denounce terrible threatnings againſt Luther's followers: for ſo it was, that he called thoſe who then embraced the Reformation. He wrote with the ſame Spirit, publick and private Letters to the Princes and other States of the Empire who were aſſembled together; and he omitted nothing to ſtir them up to make uſe of Fire and Sword and the uttermoſt violence on that occaſion. We may ſee thoſe Letters in Bzovius and Raynaldus, and find in them all the characters of an extream paſſion. He uſes there divers reaſons to animate them, taken from their honour and their own intereſts. He ſets before their eyes the example of the Council of Conſtance, wherein John Huſſe and Hierom of Prague were burn'd, that of S. Peter in inflicting death on Ananias and Sapphira, and that of God himſelf, who made the Earth ſwallow up Dathan and Abiram. He complains of them, and ſharply cenſures them, in that they had not ſeverely put the Edict of Wormes in Execution; and to ſtir them up the more, he aſſures them, that the deſign of the Lutherans was to overthrow every Humane Order, to dethrone all the Princes, and to pillage all Germany, under a pretence of the Goſpel. He repeated the ſame things in his inſtructions to his Nuntio; and after having enjoyn'd him to repreſent to the Princes all that p. 46might move him to extirpate thoſe pretended Hereticks, ſo far as to tell them, that they ought to imitate the generoſity of their Anceſtors, ſome of which had carried with their own hands John Huſſe to the Stake: he concludes with the words of Jeremiah when he propheſied the ruine of the Moabitiſh Infidels, and which this Pope applied againſt thoſe Chriſtians, Curſed is he that Jer. 48. v. 10.Jer 48:10doth the work of the Lord negligently, and who keepeth back his ſword from blood. He wrote alſo to John Frederick Elector of Saxony, Letters full of heat, wherein after having made a bloody invective againſt Luther and his Doctrine, and having exhorted that Prince to abandon him, he fiercely threatens him, that if he do not do it, he ſhould feel the effects of his anger and that of the Emperours. I declare to thee, ſayes he, in the authority of God Almighty, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Vicar I am upon Earth, that thou ſhalt not go away unpuniſhed in this preſent world, and that everlaſting fire ſhall attend thee in the world to come. For we live at the ſame time together, both I Adrian Pope, and the Emperour Charles, whoſe truly Chriſtian Edict thou haſt contemned, which he made againſt the Lutheran Perfidiouſneſs.

Theſe Letters wrought but a ſmall effect in the mind of Frederick, who was a pious Prince, and one that loved the Truth; but they did not alſo work much upon thoſe of the reſt of the Princes aſſembled at Nurenberg; and the anſwer which they made, deſerves to be ſet down. It contained well near theſe Articles, That they could not execute the Sentence of the Apoſtolick See againſt Luther, nor the Edict of Wormes, without incurring themſelves very great dangers. That the far greater part of the people had been for a long time perſwaded, that Germany ſuffer'd a great many troubles on the ſide of the Court of Rome, by reaſon of its abuſes, and that all the world was then fully inſtructed in it, by the Writings and Tenets of the Lutherans. That if they had rigorouſly executed the Popes Sentence and the Imperial Edict, the people would have believed, that it had been only made to overthrow the Truth of the Goſpel, and to maintain and defend their evils, abuſes and impieties. That it was very well done of Adrian, to acknowledge the diſorders of the Court of Rome, and that they earneſtly intreated him, for the glory of God, for the ſalvation of ſouls, and for the peace and tranquillity of the publick, ſeriouſly to put his hand to reform them. That they intreated him alſo to allow that the firſt fruits of Benefices which they had given to the Popes for them to employ againſt the Turks, and which his Predeceſſors had turned aſide to other uſes, ſhould for the time to come be remitted p. 47into the publick Treaſure of the Empire, to be made uſe of according to their natural appointment. And as for the remedies which he required of them to put a ſtop to the courſe of the Lutheran error, that they ſaw none more proper, than ſpedily to call a free and Chriſtian Council in ſome Town of Germany, wherein it might be allowed to every one, as well of the Clergy as of the Laity, to ſpeak freely, notwithſtanding all Oaths and contrary Obligations, and to take counſel together for that which they ſhould judge to be good for the glory of God, for the ſalvation of Souls, and the advantage of the Chriſtian Commonwealth. That notwithſtanding, they would hinder Luther and his followers from writing any more, and they would give order that the Preachers ſhould teach nothing but the true, pure and ſincere Goſpel, according to the Doctrine and explication, received and approved in the Chriſtian Church.

This Anſwer extreamly diſpleaſed the Popes Nuntio, he would not that they ſhould ſpeak of a free Council; for it ſeemed to him, he ſaid, That by that propoſition they would give Laws to the Pope. He approved yet leſs, that they ſhould touch upon the troubles of Germany, and the abuſes of the Court of Rome; he required nothing but fire and ſword againſt the Lutherans. Therefore he gave them his reply in writing, in which he inſiſted, that the Sentence of Pope Leo and the Imperial Edict of Wormes, which Ordained, that they ſhould overthrow all the followers of Luther, ſhould be executed according to their form and tenour, without any diminution. And as to the demand of a Council, he ſaid, that they ſhould have made it in terms more reſpectful, which ſhould have given no grounds of jealouſie to the Pope, and that by thoſe clauſes, that the Council ſhould be free, and that men ſhould be abſolv'd from their Oaths, they ſeem'd to go about to bind the hands of his Holineſs. The Princes would notwithſtanding have nothing chang'd in their deliberation, which they cauſed to be drawn up in the form of an Imperial Edict, and ſent their Grievances to the Pope, to the number of a hundred Articles, which they called Centum gravamina. Raynaldus reckons up only ſeventy ſeven upon the teſtimony of Dolgaſtus. However it were, thoſe Griefs explained one part of the diſorders that reigned then in the Government of the Church, and under which, not only Germany, but all the reſt of the Weſt groaned.

Thus it came to paſs, that the endeavours of the Court of Rome and its Partizans to raiſe a perſecution againſt thoſe who p. 48demanded a Reformation were to no purpoſe for that time But what they could not obtain at Nuremberg, they obtained elſewhere; for in that ſame year, they cauſed two Auguſtin 1523.Monks accuſed of Lutheraniſm to be burn'd alive, who ſuffer'd that puniſhment with an admirable conſtancy; and at Anvers they made a Covent of the Auguſtine Friars be pull'd down to the ground, the Prior of which, named Henry Suphanus had before ſuffer'd death in the preceding year for the ſame cauſe.

Adrian enjoyed the Papacy but one year and eight months or thereabouts; for he was raiſed to it, as I have ſaid, the eighth of January 1522. and he dyed the thirteenth of September 1523. his Succeſſor was Clement the Seventh: This man marching after the ſteps of his Predeceſſors, was not well ſetled in the Pontifical Chair, before he turned all his thoughts againſt thoſe whom they called Lutherans; and to that effect, having been advertis'd, that the Princes of Germany had bound themſelves to meet again at Nuremberg, he ſent thither Cardinal Campeius in the quality of his Legate. Notwithſtanding he wrote to the Emperour, who was then in Spain, earneſtly ſoliciting him to employ his Authority, to make the Edict of Wormes to be put in Execution in his Empire, and to diſpoſe the Princes to it. His Legate being arrived at Nuremberg, vehemently inſiſted upon the Extirpation of the Lutherans; and he made for that purpoſe, divers Orations in the Aſſembly. But the Princes would not follow his violent courſes; they on the contrary, obſtinately demanded a free Council in Germany, and ordained, that each Prince and each State ſhould, while they waited for that Council, call together within their Juriſdictions, their Learned, Wiſe and Pious men, to examine the new Tenets of the Lutherans, and to ſeparate the good from the bad in them; and to examine alſo the complaints of their Nation againſt the Court of Rome and its Clergy. They added nevertheleſs, that each one on his part, ſhould do what he could to make the Edict of Wormes to be executed; and that in fine, that to conclude ſomething firm, the States of the Empire ſhould meet together within a certain time at Spire. This Declaration which was afterwards drawn up and publiſh'd in the form of an Imperial Edict, extreamly provok'd the Pope and all his creatures. They complain'd of this, that in expectation of a Council, they would ſubmit the matters of Religion to the judgement of a few Wiſe, Learned and Pious perſons, ſaying, that it was the means to ſpread abroad every where the poyſon of p. 49Hereſie; for thus Raynaldus relates it. They could not endure the propoſition of a free Council; but above all things, they loudly cry'd out of this, that under that pretence, they would defer the execution of the Popes Sentence and the Edict of Wormes againſt the Lutherans, whoſe blood and deſtruction they only demanded. Clement made great complaints to the Emperour, by the Letters which he ſent him into Spain, wherein to animate him the more, he perſwaded him, that that was a manifeſt breach of his Authority, and a formed deſign to withdraw themſelves intirely from his obedience; and as theſe ſolicitations were extreamly vehement and urgent; they forced the Emperour to write into Germany to the Princes, and to all the States of the Empire, that it was his intention that they ſhould punctually execute his Edict of Wormes, that they ſhould make that of Nuremberg void, and forbad them to hold the Diet of Spire. But before his Letters came to Germany, the Legat Campeius had drawn off one part of the Roman Catholick Princes, for the moſt part Eccleſiaſticks, and having made them to meet at Ratisbon, under a pretence of a ſhadow of Reformation that he had propounded, which conſiſted only in moſt trivial matters, he cauſed them to make a League among them for the defence of the Roman Religion, and the deſtruction of the Lutherans. Soon after, they ſaw the effects of this League appear; for Ferdinand and the Legat being gone into Auſtria, they condemned to death ſome perſons upon the account of Religion.

Clement elſewhere took the ſame cares for all places, which they took in Germany, to hinder the progreſs of the Reformation. He wrote upon that ſubject into Switzerland, into Bohemia, France, Poland, Swedeland, Denmark; and he ſtirr'd up every where the Princes, Magiſtrates and Prelates, to overthrow the Reformed. Wherefore they beheld ſoon after under his Pontificate, the Inquiſitions taken up in that purſuit, the Priſons filled with Priſoners, and the Scaffolds and the Stakes filled almoſt generally in all places that owned his Authority. It was at this time that Antonius Pratenſis Cardinal and Arch-Biſhop of Sens, held a Provincial Synod at Paris, the ninety ſecond Article of which was framed in theſe terms: We intreat the Moſt Chriſtian King our Prince and Soveraign Lord, by the bowels of the mercies of God, that according to his ſingular zeal and incredible devotion for the Chriſtian Religion, that he would ſuddenly baniſh from the Lands of his Juriſdiction all Hereticks, and that he would extirpate that deadly and horrible p. 50plague, which increaſes every day more and more. The ninety third was framed after this manner; Therefore it is, that the Orthodox Princes, if they would have any care for the Chriſtian Name, and would hinder the ruine of Religion, ought neceſſarily to uſe all their endeavours to extirpate and deſtroy Hereticks. That Arch-Biſhop was very much intereſſed in the preſervation of the ancient abuſes: for we find in the Dialogue of the Two Pariſhioners of Dial. 1.S. Hilary Montanus, that he was Cardinal, Arch-Biſhop of Sens, Biſhop of Alby, Biſhop of Valence, Biſhop of Gap, and Abbot of Fleury. We ought not to be aſtoniſhed if he declaimed ſo much againſt the Reformation: He was in effect one of thoſe who oppoſed themſelves to it in France, with the greateſt heat; and if any would know his character, they need but look to that which the Authors of that ſame Dialogue ſay of him. This Du Prat, was he not as great a Prelate, as a S. Hilary of Poictiers, a S. Martin of Tours, a S. German of Auxerre, and as a S. Lupus of Troye? He had alone full as many Biſhopricks as all thoſe admirable Saints had together, and moreover the Abby in which is the Body of S. Benoriſt; but he has not done ſo many Miracles as all thoſe Saints; and he never reſided in any of thoſe Dioceſſes, nor ever performed any other office of a Biſhop, than that only Ordinance againſt Martin Luther, Philip Melancthon, Oecolampadins, Zuinghus; for as yet Calvin and Beza were not talked of. It is this good Prelate to whom they attribute the taking away of the Pragmatick Sanction, that is to ſay, the pure obſervation of the Ancient Canons of the Church of France, and the having made the agreement between King Francis the Firſt and Leo the Tenth, which has deſtroyed all the Apoſtolical Diſcipline in France, and aboliſhed the Canonical Elections, and ſubjected France to a deplorable ſervitude. The ſame Spirit that the Cardinal Du Prat had brought into France, reigned then in England, Scotland, Flanders, Auſtria, Poland, and univerſally in all places where the Power of the Pope extended it ſelf; for there was nothing talked of there, but the extream puniſhments, which they inflicted on thoſe pretended Hereticks; and their very Judges who touch'd with ſome compaſſion, did not readily do their duty, according to the humour of the Court of Rome, did not remain unpuniſhed. For it was for this reaſon, that Pope Clement charged Cardinal Campeius his Legate, to remove thoſe Inquiſitors, who were in the Low-Countreys, and to put others in their places, who ſhould better acquit themſelves of ſo deteſtable a ſervice as Raynaldus relates.

p. 51But while they acted after this manner, the Light of the Reformation did yet ſpread it ſelf abroad in divers places through an admirable bleſſing of God, who has alwayes made the aſhes of his Martyrs, the ſeed of his Church. For not only Saxony had receiv'd it, but alſo a great part of Germany, a great part of Switzerland, Swedeland, Denmark, Pruſſia and Livonia alſo. In the month of April in the year 1529. an Aſſembly of the Princes and other States of Germany was held at Spire, whither Clement did not fail to ſend a Nuntio: The firſt thing they did there, was to reject the Aſſembly at the City of Strasburgh, under a pretence, that it had aboliſh'd the uſe of the Maſs, without waiting for the Imperial Diet. This violent procedure was quickly after followed by a Decree, that Ferdinand Arch-Duke of Auſtria and ſome other Princes who took part with the Court of Rome made, and whom the Emperour had expreſly choſen for his Deputy Commiſſioners. They ordain'd therefore in the firſt place, that thoſe who till then had obſerv'd the Edict of Wormes, that is to ſay, who not only had not receiv'd the Reformation, but who had perſecuted it with all their might, ſhould for the future do the like, and force their Subjects to do the ſame; and that as for thoſe in whoſe Countreys that new Doctrine had been ſpread abroad, provided they could not extirpate it, without putting themſelves into a manifeſt danger of ſtirring up troubles, it ſhould be their part at leaſt, to hinder any thing more from being innovated, till the calling of a Council. Secondly, They ordained, That above all things, the Doctrine which oppoſed the ſubſtantial preſence of the body of Jeſus Chriſt in the Euchariſt, ſhould neither be received, nor propounded by any in all the compaſs of Germany, and that the Maſs ſhould not be abrogated. In the third place, they decreed, That they ſhould not allow Preachers in any place to explain the Goſpel, otherwiſe than by the interpretations of the Fathers. In fine, they ordained grievous penalties againſt the Printers and Bookſellers who ſhould Print or Vend for the future the Books that contained that new Doctrine. The other Princes and States of the Empire, beholding this manifeſt oppreſſion, thought themſelves bound to make an Act of Proteſtation to the contrary. They remonſtrated therefore, That that new Decree contradicted that that had been paſſed in the preceding Aſſembly, where every one was to be free in reſpect of his Religion: That they did not pretend to hinder the other Princes and States from enjoying that liberty; but that on the contrary, they pray'd God, that he would give them the knowledge of his Truth: That they could not with a good conſcience approve of p. 52the reaſon for which they would allow them to retain the Evangelical Doctrine, to wit, leſt they ſhould fall into new troubles, for that would be to confeſs, that it would be good to renounce that Doctrine, if it could be done without Tumult, which would be a criminal and wicked confeſſion, and a tacit denyal of the Word of God. That as to the Maſs, thoſe who had aboliſh'd it, and who had re-eſtabliſhed in its place the lawful uſe of the Supper of our Lord, were led by the inſtitution of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: That as for the Doctrine that oppoſed the real preſence, they did not believe, that they ought lightly to condemn thoſe who held it without hearing them; and that that proceeding was againſt natural equity, eſpecially in a matter of ſo great conſequence. In fine, that they could not conſent to that Decree, offering the reaſon of their carriage to the Emperour and all the world: That they did appeal to a free Council, and that in waiting for it, they would do nothing for which they ſhould juſtly deſerve any blame. The Princes who made this Act of Proteſtation, were John Elector of Saxony, George Marqueſs of Brandenburgh, Erneſt and Francis Dukes of Lunenburg, Philip Lantgrave of Heſſe, Wolfangus Prince of Anhalt, to whom the Cities of Strasburg, Nuremburg, Ʋlm, Conſtance, Rutelin, Vinſſeme, Meminghen, Lindau, Campdun, Hailbrun, Iſſne, Wiſleburg, Nodingue and St. Gall joyned themſelves with a common conſent. This Act of Proteſtation was made at Spire the nineteenth of April 1529. and from thence came the name of Proteſtants, which has been ſince given to all thoſe who have embraced the Reformation.

Thoſe Princes and thoſe Cities ſent in the end their Embaſſadours to the Emperour, to give him an account of what they had done; but after divers delayes, the anſwer was, that he would that they ſhould obey the Decree of Spire, or elſe that they ſhould undergo the utmoſt puniſhments, that their Emperour and the other Princes had not leſs care of the ſalvation of their ſouls, and peace of their conſciences than they; and that as for his own part, he deſir'd a Council▪ although it did not appear to him to be extreamly-neceſſary. This anſwer-oblig'd the Proteſtants to meet at Smalcalde, and ſome time after at Nuremberg, to provide for their own affairs; but they took no other reſolutions, than very general ones.

About the end of that ſame year 1529. the Emperour came into Italy, to be crowned there by the hands of the Pope, which was done at Bologne, with a great deal of Magnificence and Ceremony. They had there divers Conferences together upon the matter of Religion. The ſentiment of the Emperour was, that p. 53he ought to call a Council; that of the Pope was on the contrary, that he ought not to call one; but that the adverſaries ought to be oppreſſed by force of Arms. He offered for that purpoſe, to furniſh the Emperour with money, and ſtrongly to ſolicite all Chriſtian Princes to this War. Andreo Mauroceno the Venetian Hiſtorian relates, that he explain'd himſelf particularly not only to the Emperour, but even to the Venetian Embaſſadour. The Senate anſwered after a manner very oppoſite to the deſires of that Pope; and diſſwaded him from that War, by divers reaſons: but all thoſe reaſons did not change the Popes mind, he had too much horror for that free Council that Germany required, and therefore it was, that he perſwaded the Emperour, that it would be much better for him to make uſe of his Authority in that occaſion, and that if his Authority would not be ſufficient, he muſt proceed to open force.

The Emperour therefore after this conven'd the Imperial Aſſembly at Ausburg, for the month of April in the year 1530. whither he went himſelf in perſon. The Pope alſo ſent thither on his part his Legat Cardinal Campeius with Vincentius Pimpinella, and Paul Vergerius his Nuntio's. There, the Proteſtants preſented their Confeſſion of Faith to the Emperour, which was afterwards called The Confeſſion of Ausburg, in which they ſet down in the firſt place, the chief heads of the Chriſtian Doctrine which they believed; and afterwards went on to the points of the Roman belief which they rejected. They oppos'd, through the advice of the Legat, to that Confeſſion, a Refutation compoſed by Eccius and John Faber, who notwithſtanding would not hold any diſcourſe by writing with the Proteſtants, whatſoever intreaties they ſhould make, to have liberty to defend themſelves publickly, and to juſtifie their Doctrine. They made it to be only read in their preſence; but they refuſed to give them a copy of it, unleſs upon condition that it ſhould be kept ſecret in their hands, which would render it wholly unuſeful to them, and which was a very unjuſt condition, in treating of a buſineſs of that nature, in which all the world had an intereſt. The Author of the Hiſtory of the Council of Trent relates, that Cardinal Matthew Lang, Arch-Biſhop of Saltsburg, who was in that Aſſembly▪ ſaid publickly upon the occaſion of that Confeſſion▪ That indeed, the Reformation of the Maſs was reaſonable, the liberty of meats fit to be granted, and that the demand to be diſcharged from ſo many commandments of men, was moſt juſt; but that it was a thing not to be endured, that p. 54one paultry Monk ſhould go about to reform all the world. He adds, that one of the Emperour's Secretaries ſaid alſo, That if the Proteſtant Preachers had good ſtore of money, they had eaſily purchaſed of the Italians the Religion that agreed moſt with them; but that without Gold, they could never hope, that their Religion ſhould ever ſhine forth in the world.

There were many open Conferences between the two Parties, and they came ſo far, as to agree upon ſome matters of leſs importance, but they could not agree upon any of the principal ones; and the Proteſtants ſaw ſoon after, to what thoſe Conferences tended: to wit, to give ground to ſome ſecret practices, by which the Emperour and the Legate laboured to gain the Princes each one in particular, ſometimes by promiſes, and ſometimes by threatings, by which nevertheleſs they could not be turned. In fine, after many negotiations to no purpoſe, the Proteſtants ſeeing that there was no hope of obtaining peace, but upon conditions very deſtructive to the Reformation which they had embraced, were forced to withdraw themſelves, after having declared, That they perſiſted in their appeal to a free and Chriſtian Council. And the Emperour who had made all thoſe ſteps, only to have a pretence of gratifying the Pope, by his carrying of things to extremities, made in the end his Decree, with the other Princes and States that remained, by which he eſtabliſhed the Roman Religion in all the extent of his Empire, in reſpect of the controverted Articles, under pain of the Imperial Ban to all oppoſers, and to be purſued by Arms as Rebells and Criminals, promiſing notwithſtanding, to ſolicite the Pope to the calling of a Council preciſely within the ſpace of a year. The rigour of this Decree, oblig'd the Princes and the other Proteſtant States to aſſemble yet again at Smalcalde, and to make there a kind of League among themſelves for their common defence; and yet notwithſtanding they wrote to the Emperour with great ſubmiſſion, praying him to mitigate his Decree, and not to expoſe them as he had done, to the violence of their Enemies: They wrote alſo to the other Chriſtian Princes, as well to inform them of what had paſs'd at Ausburg, as to juſtifie themſelves againſt the many falſe accuſations wherewith they were charg'd, and to have them demand a General and free Council that ſhould be held in Germany for the Reformation of the Church. The Execution of this Decree of Ausburg, fill'd for ſome time Germany with a thouſand Perſecutions againſt the Proteſtants, by the Authority of the Imperial Chamber.

p. 55Behold here, what the Emperour did to ſatisfie the deſires of the Court of Rome: it ſeems that he could have done nothing more vehemently; and yet notwithſtanding the Pope was not throughly contented. He very much rejoyced to ſee the Proteſtants ſubjected to the moſt rigorous puniſhments. But that Authority that Charles had taken upon him to appoint thoſe Conferences, to labour to bring thoſe differences to an agreement, the conſent that he had given to the abolition of ſome Ceremonies, and above all, the promiſe of a Council within the prefixed term of a year, were things that he could not digeſt; judging them to be too contrary to the Soveraignty of his See. And becauſe the Emperour had preſs'd him about this laſt Article of a Council, and even his Legate wrote to him, that it was the general deſire of all Germany, he returned this Anſwer: That having conſulted the Cardinals about it, divers of them had not found, that a Council was a very fit means for the rooting out of the preſent Hereſies, becauſe that thoſe things that had been decided by former Councils, or already eſtabliſhed by the practice of many Ages, ought not to be again called in queſtion. That this was a very bad precedent, and could not be done without very great ſcandal and a manifeſt violation of the Apoſtolick See. That nevertheleſs, if the Emperour judged a Council to be abſolutely neceſſary, he might promiſe the Lutherans one, but with this condition, that they ſhould preſently depart from all their Errors, and be obedient to their Holy Mother Church; that they ſhould hold her Doctrines and her Rites, until it ſhould be otherwiſe ordain'd by the Council, to the Decrees of which, they ſhould wholly ſubmit themſelves. That beſides that, the calling of a Council would be very ſcandalous, and of exceeding bad example to all poſterity. That as to the place where it ſhould be held, he judg'd it abſolutely neceſſary, that it ſhould be in Italy, and that he did not ſee any City more fit for it, than Rome it ſelf, which was the Seat of the Chriſtian Faith; that if, notwithſtanding Rome did not pleaſe him, he might chuſe one either in Bolognia, or Placentia, or Mantua. The Pope went even ſo far, as to write to the Chriſtian Princes a Circulary Letter, by which he adviſed them in the general, of that which had paſs'd at Ausburg, and that for the intire rooting out of Hereſie, he was reſolved to call a Council.

Notwithſtanding, all theſe Declarations conſiſted only in words; for at the bottom his mind was wholly remote from the holding of a Council; in which, as Guicciardine ſayes, he apprehended, that they might conteſt his Papacy with him, which he p. 56had purchaſed by canvaſings and money, and that they would take cognizance of the affairs of the Florentines, whom he had ſubdu'd and ſubjected to the Family of the Medici by force of Arms; or as the Author of the Hiſtory of the Council of Trent ſayes, he feared leſt they ſhould beat down that exceſſive Authority which the See of Rome had uſurped over all other Biſhops, and over all Churches. However it were, he would not have one; but he would that they ſhould make uſe of Fire and Sword. And it was for this, that he wrote about that ſame time to Ferdinand the Emperour's Brother, exhorting him to go himſelf in perſon to Bohemia, to root out Hereſie there. He ſolicited alſo the Emperour and the Chriſtian Kings to joyn their Arms with thoſe of the Duke of Savoy, againſt the Switz Cantons who had embraced the Reformation; and his Intrigues, or thoſe of his creatures, were ſo powerful, that they enflamed a bloody War between the Reformed Cantons and the others, wherein the Reformed were beaten many times, which afforded great matter of joy to the Court of Rome.

In the year 1532. the Emperour having called the Imperial Diet to Ratisbon, for the affairs of Hungary and Germany, threatned by the Arms of the Turks, the Princes and the other States aſſembled, ſeeing clearly already, that the Pope and his Court ſought only to elude the Council, by divers pretences, ſolicited the Emperour, that he would be pleaſed to call one himſelf by his Authority; and they repreſented to him, that it was his right in the quality of Roman Emperour; that other Emperours had ſo uſed it, and that he was the Head and Protector of all Chriſtianity, eſpecially in caſe of the negligence and refuſal of the Pope. The Emperour would not hearken to this Propoſition, and yet nevertheleſs, being urged by the neceſſity of his affairs, and having a War to maintain with the Turk, he granted a Peace to the Proteſtants, who were already ſeven Princes, and four and twenty Imperial Cities. This Peace was made at the Mediation of Albert Cardinal and Arch-Biſhop of Mayence, and Lewis Prince Palatine of the Rhine; and the Emperour made his Decree publick, bearing in it expreſs prohibitions to trouble or diſquiet any perſon for matters of Religion only, till the holding of a General, Free and Chriſtian Council, which he endeavoured to have called within the term of a year; or in caſe that a Council could not be held, till a General Aſſembly of the States of the Empire, wherein they might provide for the affairs of Religion. This p. 57Decree diſpleas'd the Pope and all his Court extreamly, who would neither have a Peace, nor a Council, nor any Aſſembly of the States to treat of Religion, as it evidently appeared afterwards. For after that the Emperour had ſet the affairs of Hungary and Auſtria in order, and had been freed from the force of Solyman, he went into Italy; and having urged the Pope many times upon that ſubject, the Pope alwayes eluded the Propoſition, as well by the conditions which he required that the Proteſtants ſhould ſubmit themſelves to, well knowing that they would not agree to them, as by the default of the conſent of the Kings of France and England, without whom, he ſaid, it was to be feared, that the calling of a Council would create a new Schiſm in the Church. Thus the Papacy of Clement paſs'd away, who dyed the twenty fifth of September 1534.

His Succeſſor who was Paul III. followed the ſame path of Clement in regard of the Proteſtants. The firſt ſtep that he made was to let his Nuntio Paulus Vergerius delcare, that he was reſolved to call a Council; but at the ſame time, he made theſe three things to be added, that he intended, it ſhould be held at Mantua and not in Germany, that he did not pretend to have any of his rights releaſed, and that he would not endure, that a National Council ſhould be held in Germany; upon which, he demanded the anſwer of the Proteſtants. A little after the Proteſtants anſwered to this ſubſtance, That having already appealed to a Council, they ardently wiſhed for it; but that as they had often declared, they demanded a free Council, that ſhould provide againſt the diſorders of the Church, and make a good Reformation according to the Word of God, and in the terms of Chriſtian Equity, and it was a Council ſo qualified which they had appealed to. That the diſpute being about matters wherein the See of Rome was viſibly intereſted, and about others which the Pope defended, not in word only, but by thoſe bloody Edicts and extream Cruelties which they exerciſed againſt thoſe who did not agree with them, there was no colour of reaſon that the judgement ought to be in their hands, nor that the Council could be free, if the choice of the place and the perſons who ſhould compoſe it, and the form of procedure which they held, ſhould depend upon their choice. That the Pope having already condemned them and their Doctrine, it was againſt all manner of reaſon, for him to pretend to be the Maſter of an Aſſembly who ſhould judge both them and the See of Rome. In fine, that the buſineſs being a common cauſe, it was the right of the Emperour and the Princes in ſo important an affair, to make choice of p. 58the moſt fit perſons, and thoſe who were moſt capable of giving glory to God, and doing good to the Chriſtian Common-wealth: and that as for themſelves, as they could not abandon the intereſts of the Truth, they ſhould do alſo all that ſhould lye in their power for the re-eſtabliſhing of peace and union. We may gueſs that this anſwer was not very agreeable to the Court of Rome, and yet notwithſtanding the Pope did not fail to ſpeak alwayes of a Council, and to exhort his Cardinals to begin the Reformation by themſelves. He made divers Orations to them for that purpoſe; and he went ſo far, as to give charge to ſome of them, to examine that which was moſt neceſſary to be reform'd in their Court, which had already alarm'd them all. But at the ſame time, he aſſur'd them by one of his actions by which they might very well judge of the little ſincerity of his words, for he created two young men, his Baſe Sons, Cardinals, the one of fourteen years of age, and the other of ſixteen: and when they repreſented to him their ſmall age, he anſwered merrily, That he would ſupply that defect, by the number of his own, having years enough to ſpare them, if it was neceſſary.

The Pope's Nuntio having received the Anſwer of the Proteſtants, departed from Germany, and returned to Rome; where, after having made his relation, he concluded, that nothing more was to be thought on, than to oppreſs the Proteſtants by force of Arms. This Nuntio, who was Vergerius, had had divers private Conferences with them, and even with Luther himſelf, whom he had laboured to gain by threats and promiſes, but he could not obtain his deſign. This forced the Pope powerfully to ſolicite the Emperour, who at that time came to Rome, openly to declare War againſt the Proteſtants, and he had in this, two great intereſts, the one to buſie the Emperour, whoſe power he feared in Italy; and the other, to confound the Proteſtants with his greateſt force, without the confuſion of holding a Council. The Emperour conſented to the deſires of the Pope, and he was reſolved only to give a greater colour to the War, that a Council ſhould be firſt called, to let them ſee, that he had tryed fair means, before he came to violence: but that he ſhould call it under ſuch conditions, as that the Authority of the See of Rome ſhould incurr any danger. A Bull therefore was drawn up dated June 12. 1536. the Convocation of it was at Mantua on the three and twentieth of May of the year following; and the Emperour having ſolicited the Proteſtants to go thither, they made p. 59well near the ſame anſwers that they had already done: They remonſtrated therefore in the firſt place, That the calling of a Council could not of right belong to the Pope alone, as well by reaſon that the diſorders and corruptions of which they complain'd and deſir'd a reformation, came for the moſt part from the See of Rome and its creatures, which for ſome Ages ſince had infected Religion with divers errors and ſuperſtitions, and which moreover had been wholly overthrown in the Government of the Church; as becauſe alſo, that that See was already the openly declared Enemy to the Reformation, and thoſe who demanded it, having condemn'd them for Hereticks, and perſecuted them in all places by Fire and Sword. So that being to give an account of all that to a Council, it was againſt all reaſon, to leave the calling of a Council to the Pope alone, which of right ought to belong to the Emperour and the Princes. Secondly, They noted, That the Pope by his Bull pretended to frame the Council out of his creatures, who were bound to him by an Oath, and to remain alſo himſelf the Judge and Maſter of all the difference, which was a manifeſt fallacy and injuſtice, the firmer to eſtabliſh his Authority under the pretence of a Council, and thoſe abuſes, the defence of which he had undertaken. In the third place, they took notice, That the Pope in his Bull had ſaid nothing of the manner of proceeding which they ought to uſe in the Council, from whence they concluded, that his intent was, to make thoſe things which they ſhould treat of there, to depend upon the determinations of his See, humane Traditions, and the Decrees of ſome later Councils, and not upon the Word of God alone. That by this means, that would be no more a free and Chriſtian Council, but a Roman Conventicle; which inſtead of tending to a holy Reformation, could on the contrary tend to nothing but the confirmation of thoſe evils which had for ſo long a time infeſted the Church. As to the place where this pretended Council was called, they repreſented, That it was not juſt that it ſhould be in Italy, where they could have no ſecurity for themſelves, nor any liberty of opinion in a good conſcience, and that the Imperial Aſſemblies who had demanded it, had alwayes demanded that it ſhould be in Germany: That they therefore beſought the Emperour, that he would be pleaſed to conſider their reaſons, and to endeavour that the Council ſhould be lawful, to the end they might happily unite to the glory of God and the peace of Chriſtendom, not forgetting what had hapned at the Council of Conſtance to the Emperour Sigiſmund, who ſaw his Authority trampled under their feet, and his Letters of Safe-conduct violated, in the perſon of John Huſſe and Jerom of Prague. They cauſed in the end a Writing to be Printed, p. 60containing all theſe reaſons, and divers others too long to tranſcribe, to juſtifie themſelves againſt the calumnies of their adverſaries; and they publiſhed it, not only in Germany, but in other foreign Countries alſo. Some time after, the Pope publiſhed another Bull, by which he prolonged the holding of the Council, under a pretence, that he could not agree with the Duke of Mantua, and a little after he aſſign'd it at Vicenza. Notwithſtanding the proſecutions continued alwayes againſt the Proteſtants every where, where the Pope had any Authority. In Germany the Imperial Chamber committed a thouſand injuſtices and outrages againſt them. In France, the flames were kindled in all the Provinces; and although Henry the Eighth King of England had thrown off the Yoke of Rome, yet he did not fail (to appear a good Catholick) to put to death without mercy all thoſe who had learned the New Religion. The ſame was done in Scotland, in Flanders, and in all the Countreys of the Duke of Savoy.

In the year 1539. the Pope publiſhed a Bull, by which he ſuſpended the Convocation of a Council indefinitely, until it ſhould be his good pleaſure to have one held. And moreover, there was held in this ſame year an Imperial Diet at Franckfort, whither the Emperour ſent the Arch-Biſhop of London li 247.as his Commiſſioner, and decreed with him, that to labour to put an end to the differences about Religion, he ſhould make a friendly Conference between the moſt Learned and well meaning perſons both on the one ſide and on the other, who without the intervention of the Pope, ſhould have nothing before their eyes but the glory of God, and the good of the Church; and that notwithſtanding they ſhould let the Proteſtants have peace for fifteen months, under conditions that were yet harſh enough to them. But this Reſolution ſo highly offended the Pope, that as ſoon as he had received the news of it, he diſpatch'd away a Nuntio to the Emperour, who was then in Spain, with orders to complain, and to hinder by all ſorts of wayes, that he ſhould not authorize it by his conſent. The Proteſtants having ſent thither on their parts, the Emperour would not for that time declare himſelf; but diſmiſs'd that buſineſs to another ſeaſon. After which, he went into the Low-Countreys to appeaſe ſome popular Sedition there; and having there put the matter into debate, becauſe he was to give ſome anſwer, Cardinal Farneſe who was Legate there before him, oppoſed him with all his p. 61might, remonſtrating the inconveniencies that might ariſe from ſuch a Conference, and that he had far better referr the cauſe of Religion to a Council, and notwithſtanding, to ſortifie the Catholick League, to make the Proteſtants ſubmit by fair means or foul; againſt whom he made a very long Invective. This counſel notwithſtanding did not then pleaſe the Emperour, he appointed a Diet to be held in Germany for the Conference; and he invited all the Princes to come in perſon thither, promiſing publick ſafety to all; which oblig'd the Cardinal Legate to retire in great diſcontent. This Cardinal in his return, went into France, and obtain'd of Francis the Firſt an Edict againſt thoſe whom he call'd Hereticks and Lutherans, which was afterwards publiſh'd and executed through his whole Kingdom with extream rigour.

The Conference was firſt aſſigned at Haguenaw, a little after at Wormes; and the Pope who feared the ſucceſs, thought good to ſend thither his Nuntio, Thomas Campeius with Paulus Vergerius, in whom he repoſed a great deal of confidence. But the Policy of the Court of Rome was too averſe to an accommodation, to ſuffer that Conference to proceed far: the Emperour therefore, at the urgent ſolicitation of the Pope, broke it off by expreſs Letters, and referred it to a Diet, which he would have held ſome time after at Ratisbon.

The Proteſtants ſaw clearly to what all theſe delayes tended, and yet nevertheleſs they did not fail to appear at Ratisbon, whither the Emperour came in perſon, and whither the Pope had alſo ſent Cardinal Contarenus in the quality of his Legate. This was in the year 1541. Moreover, the Emperour cauſed a Book to be preſented on his part to the Aſſembly, which chiefly treated of the Articles of Religion, and particularly of thoſe which were in controverſie; and he declar'd, that it was his Will, that that Book ſhould be examined, and that it ſhould ſerve as the Theme or Subject of the Conference; for which he himſelf named the Collocutors, by the conſent of both parties, who deferr'd that nomination to him. In this Conference the Collocutors agreed upon ſome Articles, and could not agree upon ſome others; as upon thoſe of Tranſubſtantiation, of the Adoration of the Euchariſt, the Sacrifice of the Maſs, the Celibacy of Prieſts, the Communion under one kind, the Sacrament of Penance. And the Emperour having conſulted the Legate about this, to know of him what he ſhould do on this occaſion, the p. 62Legate gave him his anſwer in writing, That after having ſeen as well the Articles agreed upon between the Collocutors, as the others which they could not come to agree about, it was his judgement, that he ought to ordain nothing about the reſt, but that he ought to refer all to the Holy See, which could in a General Council, or otherwiſe do that which it ſhould judge neceſſary for the good of the Church, and in particular for that of Germany. The Emperour took this anſwer, as if the Legate had conſented, that the Articles agreed upon between the Collocutors, ſhould immediately be received by both the Parties; and he related it to the Aſſembly after that manner. But there ſprung up a kind of diviſion between the Biſhops of one ſide, and the Roman Catholick Princes on the other. For the Princes would that the Articles agreed upon, ſhould be received, and that the reſt ſhould be referred either to a General or National Council, or at leaſt, to a General Aſſembly of the States of the Empire; and the Biſhops on the contrary, who ſaw that this was the beginning of a Reformation, were of opinion, that they ſhould reject thoſe Articles agreed upon, wherein they ſaid that the Catholick Collocutors had too much given way to the Proteſtants, and that they ſhould change nothing either in Religion, or its Ceremonies, but that they ſhould refer all to a General or a National Council. This diſpute therefore having ſo hapned, the Legate feared, leſt they ſhould upon this meddle with the affairs of the Court of Rome, ſo that he openly declared, by another publick Writing, that he did not mean, that they ſhould receive any Articles, but that they ſhould abſolutely refer all, as well the agreed on as the others, to his Holineſs, for him to determine what he ſhould think fit. He publiſhed yet farther another Writing, by which he very much condemned as well the Catholick Princes as the Biſhops, for that they had referr'd that buſineſs to a National Council, in defect of a General one: and he maintained that the Authority of the See of Rome was very much wounded in that reference, and that a National Council could not deliberate about matters of Religion. In fine, after a great many diſputes, which only ſerv'd more and more to diſcover the obſtinate reſolution that the Roman party had taken up not to ſuffer a Reformation: this Diet ended with a Decree of the Emperour, which referr'd the whole affair to a General Council, or a National one in Germany, or to an Imperial Aſſembly, if they could not obtain a Council, and that nevertheleſs the Execution of the Decree of Ausburg p. 63ſhould remain ſuſpended. All this paſs'd in the year 1541.

See here what the ſucceſs of the Conference of Ratisbon was. The year following, which was 1542. the Pope aſſign'd the Council to be held at Trent in the Month of November, he ſent a Bull to the Emperour in Spain, and after to the Kings, exhorting them to ſend their Embaſſadors thither, and he himſelf deputed thither three Cardinals in quality of Legates; he ſent thither ſome Biſhops alſo. But this Convocation had not then any effect, by reaſon of the War that was carried on about the ſame time between King Francis the Firſt and the Emperour. And this latter ſeeing himſelf to have two Wars upon his hands, that with France, and the other with the Turks, made a new Decree at Spire, by which he gave peace to the Proteſtants: but more than that, he ordain'd, that they ſhould make choice of ſome Learned and well-meaning perſons to draw up a Formulary of the Reformation; that the Princes ſhould do the ſame; and that all thoſe pieces being referred to the next Diet, they ſhould there reſolve with a common conſent, that which they ſhould judge fit to be kept about the matters of Religion, till the meeting of a Council. This Decree was made in the year 1544. But the Pope was ſo netled at this, that he wrote to the Emperour in a very threatning ſtyle, complaining above all things of this, that he had not referred that which concerned Religion, to the deciſion of the Church of Rome, and that he had favoured thoſe who were Rebels to the Apoſtolick See.

Some time after King Francis the Firſt and the Emperour made a Peace; and one of the Articles of their Agreement was, that they ſhould defend the Ancient Religion, that they ſhould employ their endeavours for the Union of the Church, and the Reformation of the Court of Rome, that they ſhould jointly demand of the Pope the calling of a Council, and that they ſhould labour to ſubdue the Proteſtants. This obliged the Pope to prevent them. He therefore again aſſigned the Council to be held at Trent the fifteenth day of March 1545. and diſpatched away his Legates thither; but at the ſame time he reſolv'd to uſe all his endeavours to oblige the Emperour to turn his Arms againſt the Proteſtants, to oppoſe them at the ſame time with the Spiritual and Temporal Sword; or to ſay better, to the end that the War might ſerve him for a pretence to elude the Council. For that purpoſe he made uſe of the Miniſtry of his Nuntio, and afterwards of that Cardinal Farneſe whom he ſent to the Emperour p. 64as his Legate, whoſe chief pretence was, the refuſals which the Proteſtants had propounded anew againſt his pretended Council. He made therefore very powerful ſolicitations to the Emperour by his Legate, with offers to aid him with men and money, and even to cauſe him to be aſſiſted by the Princes of Italy; and the Emperour, who on his ſide was very glad to take this occaſion to ſubdue Germany to himſelf, readily accepted of this propoſition; ſo that a War was concluded between them; but the concluſion was kept very ſecret, till the time of Execution. Notwithſtanding, the better to cover this deſign, the Emperour appointed a Conference of Learned Men to be held at Ratisbon, upon the ſubject of Religion, according to his laſt Decree, but he did not fail to cite the Arch-Biſhop of Cologne to appear before him, who had embraced the Reformation, and afterwards excommunicated him, and deprived him of his Arch-biſhoprick. And as for the Conference at Ratisbon, which gave ſome jealouſie to the Biſhops who were already aſſembled at Trent, it was quickly after broken by the unjuſt conditions that ſome Monks, who were there as the Commiſſioners of the Emperour, would impoſe on the Proteſtant Divines. The Council was opened the thirteenth of December of the ſame year 1545.

But, in fine, after a great many artifices and diſſimulations, able to have lull'd aſleep the moſt vigilant, after a great many contrary aſſurances given to the Proteſtants, the Emperour ſent the Cardinal of Trent in Poſt to Rome, to give the Pope notice, that he ſhould make his Troops march with all diligence. The Treaty which they had made together was publiſhed the eight and twentieth of July 1546. bearing this among other things, That the Emperour ſhould employ his Arms and open force to make thoſe Germans who ſhould reject the Council, return to the ancient Religion and to the obedience of the holy See: and the Emperour ſoon after, openly declared himſelf as well by the Letters which he wrote to divers Cities in Germany, to the Elector of Cologne and the Prince of Wirtemburg, as by the anſwers that his Miniſters gave to the Embaſſadors of thoſe Towns who were with him. The Pope on his ſide, preſently publiſhed a Bull dated the fifteenth of July, by which he commanded, that they ſhould make ſolemn Proceſſions, exhorting all Chriſtians to put up prayers to God for the happy ſucceſs of the War, which the Emperour and himſelf had undertaken at their common charges, againſt the Germans who ſhould either profeſs Hereſie, or protect it. Before this, he had p. 65wrote to the Switzers Letters dated the third of June, by which he gave them notice of the Emperours deſign, praying them to ſend all the ſuccours they could poſſibly. The Emperour would at the beginning cover this War with another pretence than that of Religion; but the Pope would never ſuffer him to do it. So that the Emperour having no further way left to diſguiſe himſelf, began with the proſcribing of the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave of Heſſia; and moreover, he ſent his Army into the field. The Proteſtant Princes, on their parts, took up Arms alſo for their juſt defence.

The ſucceſs of this War was not ſo happy for the Proteſtants; all Germany ſaw it ſelf ſoon enſlav'd under the Arms of the Emperour; and according to all humane appearance, the Reformation alſo had been preſently deſtroy'd, if God who never utterly forſakes his Church, had not provided for it by his Providence. It hapned that the Pope and the Emperour quarrell'd about thoſe temporal intereſts, which were far more prevalent in their minds than that of Religion, which fell out becauſe the Emperour would not readily ſubject Germany to the Council of the Pope, and becauſe the Pope uſed alſo all his endeavours to ſtir up new affairs for the Emperour on the ſide of Italy. Moreover, a diviſion fell out in the Council; for the Pope having transferr'd it from Trent to Bolognia, to have it more at his ordering, the greateſt part of the Biſhops yielded to that transferring; but many alſo held themſelves firm to Trent, and would not obey it; which made a great difficulty to ariſe, when the Emperour and the Princes of Germany came to demand, as they afterwards did, that the Council ſhould be re-eſtabliſhed at Trent; becauſe thoſe of Bolognia ſtood upon it as a point of honour, not to go back to find thoſe of Trent there. King Francis the Firſt dyed in this time, and Henry the Eighth King of England being dead alſo, the Reformation was quickly after received in England, under the Reign of Edward the Sixth, which a little diſturb'd the joyes of the Court of Rome. They were yet more diſturb'd by the Acts of Proteſtation which the Emperour had made againſt the Aſſembly at Bolognia, that he had treated it as an unlawful Aſſembly and a Conventicle, inſiſting, that they ſhould return to Trent, with threats, that if the Pope continued to neglect his duty, he would himſelf out of his own Authority provide for the diſorders of the Church. They were troubled alſo at the Interim which the ſame Emperour publiſhed afterwards throughout all Germany.

p. 66This Interim was a certain Formulary of Religion that the Emperour had made to be drawn up to be obſerved until the holding of a Lawful Council. He eſtabliſh'd therein the whole Body of the Roman Doctrine, and allowed only the Marriage of Prieſts and Communion under both kinds. But although this Formulary was neither approved by the one ſort, nor the other, that at Rome the Pope had cenſured it, and the Proteſtants look'd upon it as the greateſt of all their oppreſſions, the Emperour did not fail to uſe violence to the Proteſtants to make them receive it. And this filled Germany with an infinite number of perſecutions, ſuch as thoſe that Conquerours when they cruelly abuſe their proſperity (as Charles the Fifth did) are wont to make the vanquiſhed ſuffer. But while he thus ſatiated himſelf with theſe violences and indignities, Paul the Third dyed at Rome the tenth of November 1549. The Death of this Pope was follow'd with divers Writings which wounded his Memory in the moſt bloody manner in the world. But letting paſs his Manners, and the reſt of his Government, wherein we are not concerned, I ſhall only ſay, that the evils which our Fathers ſuffered in all places for the Cauſe of the Reformation during the fifteen years of his Papacy, cannot be expreſs'd. For under the name of Hereticks or Lutherans, they impriſoned them, they baniſhed them, they deprived them of their Eſtates, they maſſacred them, they burned them; and not to ſpeak of our France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Holland, Brabant, Haynalt, Artois, Spain, Savoy, Lorrain, Poland, were as ſo many Theatres, wherein there might be every day ſeen ſome of thoſe Tragical Executions, and where they ſpoke of nothing but the extirpation and rooting out of theſe Hereticks.

Julius the third ſucceeded Paul. This man freely transferr'd his Council back to Trent, to make all oppoſition between the Emperour and himſelf ceaſe; but in the Bull which he publiſh'd, he declar'd, that it belong'd to him to rule and guide the Council: that he remitted it to be followed and continued, in the ſame ſtate in which it was when it was broken off; and that he would ſend his Legates thither to preſide in his place, in caſe he could not come thither himſelf in perſon. Theſe clauſes netled the Proteſtants, ſo that ſeeing themſelves preſs'd by the Emperour, to ſubmit themſelves to the Council, they freely declared to him, that they could not do it, otherwiſe than upon theſe conditions, to wit, That they ſhould begin to treat of matters all anew, without having regard to that which had been already done. That their Divines p. 67ſhould be received, and have a deliberative voice: That the Pope ſhould not pretend to preſide, but that he ſhould ſubmit himſelf to it; and in fine, that he ſhould abſolve the Biſhops from the Oath by which they were ty'd to him; and that without that, they could not hold that to be a free Council. Notwithſtanding this Declaration, the Emperour made his Decree, by which he ordain'd, that they ſhould ſubmit themſelves to the Council, promiſing on his part, that he would give Safe-Conduct to all the World to come thither, and to propoſe there all that they ſhould judge neceſſary for the good of the Church, and ſalvation of Souls; and that he would give order, that all things ſhould be treated and determined holily and Chriſtianly, according to the holy Scripture, and the Doctrine of the Fathers; and that the ſtate of the Church ſhould be reformed there, and falſe Doctrines and Errours taken away.

Thus the Council of Trent was continued, whither the Pope ſent his Legate and two Nuntio's, to preſide there in his Name, with orders to begin the firſt Seſſion the firſt day of May 1555. which was yet nevertheleſs prorogued to the firſt of September following. The Elector of Saxony and the Duke of Wirtemberg both Proteſtants, with ſome Imperial Cities reſolved to ſend their Deputies thither, and made them demand of the Emperours Embaſſadour a Letter of Safe-conduct in the ſame form that the Council of Baſil had given it to the Bohemians, with an intermiſſion till their Divines ſhould be arrived. This demand was not without ſome difficulty, but the Queſtion having been agitated at Rome, they thought good to agree, that they ſhould have a Safe-conduct in general terms, without delaying upon that account the deciſion of the chief matters: and before the expediting of this Safe-conduct, they had determined the principal Points touching the Euchariſt, to wit, Tranſubſtantiation, the Real Preſence, the Adoration of the Hoſt, the Concomitance, the Cuſtom of the Feſte Dieu **When they ſolemnly …., the reſervation of the Sacrament, and the neceſſity of Auricular Confeſſion before the Communion. They agreed only with the Embaſſadour of the Emperour, that they ſhould delay the deciſion of theſe four Queſtions, Whether it was neceſſary to ſalvation, that all ſhould receive the Sacrament in both kinds. Whether he that received in one, took leſs than he that received in both. Whether the Church was in an Error, when ſhe ordained that the Prieſts only ſhould receive in both. Whether the Euchariſt ought alſo to be given to little children. Which was already a meer Fallacy, as if the Proteſtants had nothing to propoſe, but only about thoſe four Queſtions.

p. 68When the Proteſtant Deputies were arrived, they openly complained of the form of their Safe-conduct, and they demanded one in the form of that of Baſil to the Bohemians, but they refuſed it. They demanded that they might be heard in full Council, but they would not; and they obtained with great difficulty, to be heard in a Congregation in the houſe of the Legate. In this Congregation they demanded on the behalf of their Maſters, 1. That the Article of the Superiority of the Council above the Pope, decided in the Councils of Conſtance and Baſil might be laid down for a foundation. 2. That the Pope, ſince he was a party in this affair, ſhould not preſide in the Council, but that he ſhould ſubmit to it both himſelf and his See, to be judged there. 3. That he ſhould for this effect abſolve the Biſhops of the Oaths that he had given them. 4. That the matters which had been already decided, ſhould be judged of again after their Divines had been heard, ſince they could not till then have come to the Council, not having had Safe-conduct. 5. That they ſhould deferr all judgement till they came. 6. That they ſhould judge according to the Word of God, and the common belief of all Chriſtian Nations. But the Prelates would not hear theſe Propoſitions, and the Legate, who conſulted the Pope upon all matters, and more eſpecially upon theſe, had already thus vehemently explained himſelf, That they had much rather loſe their lives, than releaſe any thing of the Authority of the Holy See. Some dayes after, the Divines of Wirtemberg, and thoſe of Strasburg arrived at Trent, and preſented their Confeſſion, demanding that it ſhould be examined, and offering themſelves to explain and defend it; but this was to no purpoſe: for the Pope had expreſly forbad his Legate to permit, that they ſhould enter upon any publick conference, neither vivâ voce, or by Writing in the matters of Religion. Thus things were carried on in this Council,

But while affairs were manag'd after this manner, the Pope, who for ſome time before had been diſcontented at the Emperour, had made his Treaty with King Henry the Second; and the King on his ſide had alſo very ſecretly treated with Maurice the Elector of Saxony for the Liberty of Germany; ſo that matters were all on a ſudden ready for a War; and the news being come to Trent, the Pope preſently ſeparated the Aſſembly, giving order to his Nuntio's to give notice of it every where, and to ſuſpend the Council till another time. This War freed Germany from its ſlavery under Charles; he was forced to ſet all the Princes at liberty whom he kept Priſoners: and in fine, to make the Peace p. 69which was concluded at Paſſaw the laſt day of July 1552. By this Peace it was concluded, that the Emperour ſhould call within ſix Months the General Aſſembly of the Empire, there to provide means for the accommodating of the differences of Religion, and that notwithſtanding no perſon ſhould be diſquieted upon that occaſion: and thus the Interim of the Emperour was aboliſhed.

But if Germany had then any Quiet, the Perſecutions were enflamed elſewhere againſt the Reformed. Edward the Sixth being dead in England, and Mary having ſucceeded him, the Pope ſent Cardinal Pool thither in quality of his Legate, who negotiated there the re-eſtabliſhing of the Authority and Religion of the Pope. This made the flames to be kindled, and their puniſhments to be renewed after the moſt cruel manner in the world; for in one only year they made an infinite number of the people to be burn'd for the ſake of Religion, and one hundred ſeventy and ſix perſons of great quality. Elizabeth the Daughter of Henry the Eighth, and Siſter to Mary, was confin'd to a ſtrait Priſon. On the other ſide, Ferdinand King of Hungary and Bohemia and Arch-Duke of Auſtria, made a rigorous Edict upon the ſame occaſion, for all the Lands of his obedience, and drove away from Bahemia alone, more than two hundred Miniſters. The Emperour on his part, alwayes cauſed the Laws of the Inquiſition to be moſt rigorouſly obſerved in the Low-Countreys. The Duke of Savoy did the ſame thing in his Countreys. France every day beheld nothing but theſe ſad Executions; and yet nevertheleſs, all theſe bloody purſuits did but increaſe in all places, the number of thoſe who embraced the Reformation. Pope Julius the Third dyed the three and twentieth of March 1555. and Marcellus the Second was choſen in his place; who not having held the See more than-two and twenty dayes, had for his Succeſſour Paul the Fourth.

In this ſame year, there was an Imperial Aſſembly held at Ausburg, where the Treaty of Peace made at Paſſaw was confirmed, and the freedom of Religion granted by the Emperour and the King of the Romans in Germany. The Decree was preſently publiſhed. But notwithſtanding, the people of Auſtria and Bavaria having demanded with very great urgency a Reformation of their Princes, it was refuſed them; and they agreed only, that they ſhould receive the Communion under both kinds, in waiting for a Council. This did not fail to give great diſpleaſure to the Pope, beholding on one ſide, that all parts of the World were p. 70ſwallow'd up by the Superſtitions and Errors of his Church; and on the other, that even the Roman Catholick Princes, of whom he expected an entire obedience, undertook without his conſent to change ſomething in Religion. In this ſame time Charles the Fifth, weary of affairs, and having but a weak conſtitution, reſolved to quit the World; and for this effect, having made Philip his Son to come to Bruſſells, he demis'd to him the Soveraignty of the Low-Countreys in his favour; and a Month after he yielded to him the Crown of Spain. He reſigned the Empire to Ferdinand his Brother, and reſerving to himſelf the Penſion of an hundred thouſand Crowns, he retired into a Monaſtery. This hapned in the year 1556. and he dyed two years after the one and twentieth of September 1558.

Pope Paul the Fourth from the firſt beginning of his Papacy turn'd all his thoughts to avoid the Council, and to make the rigors of the Inquiſition to rule in all places, ſaying, That this was the only means to deſtroy Hereſie, and the only fort of the Apoſtolick See. For this effect he made an Ordinance which he cauſed all the Cardinals to ſign, by which he renewed all the cenſures and puniſhments denounced by his Predeceſſors againſt the Hereticks, and declared, that all the Prelates, Princes, Kings and Emperours fallen into Herefie, ought to be held fallen from and deprived of all their Benefices, Eſtates, Kingdoms or Empires, without any other declaration, that they could not be re-eſtabliſhed by any authority, not even by that of the Apoſtolick See, and that their goods ſhould be given to the firſt poſſeſſor. He quarrell'd at the ſame time with Ferdinand, maintaining that the Reſignation of Charles in his favour, could not be done but by his hands; and that in that caſe it belonged to him to make whom he ſhould pleaſe, Emperour. Notwithſtanding, two things fell out, that gave him a great deal of grief; the one, that Mary Queen of England being dead, Elizabeth ſucceeded her; and that the Emperour Ferdinand having propounded to the Proteſtants in the Diet of Ausburg, which was held in the Month of February 1559. to … to put an end to the differences of Religion by the way … Council, the Proteſtants had declared to him, as they had …, that they could have no hopes of any accommodation … of a Council of the Popes. That they would ſubmit … a free General and Chriſtian Council, not called by … the Emperour, and Chriſtian Kings, where the … his place not as Preſident and Maſter, but as a p. 71Party, and ſubmit himſelf to the judgement of the Council. That for that effect, it was neceſſary that the Pope ſhould releaſe them of the Oath by which he held all the Prelates bound to his See, to the end that the Prelates and Divines there might give their opinion freely, and that all ſhould be judg'd there by the Word of God alone, and not by the Roman Conſtitutions and their pretended Traditions. That it was juſt, that their Divines ſhould be heard, and that they might declare their opinion in the deciſion of thoſe differences, and by conſequence, all the Acts and all the Decrees made at Trent, remaining as not made, that they ſhould treat the things anew. That with theſe conditions they conſented with all their hearts, and ſubmitted themſelves to a Council; but not otherwiſe. So that the Emperour ſeeing well that the Pope and his Court would never agree to thoſe conditions, nor conſent to any Council, at leaſt, unleſs they ſhould be Maſters of it, further confirmed the Treaty of Paſſaw, and ſetled the peace of Germany about the matter of Religion, leaving to every one the liberty of his conſcience. This mortally wounded the Pope; but elſewhere, he comforted himſelf with hearing that his ſolicitations with the other Princes to continue the rooting out of the Hereticks by Fire and Sword, and every where all the rigours of puniſhments had a very great effect in France, in Spain and in the Low-Countreys. Henry the Second dyed the third of June of the ſame year 1559. The Pope dyed alſo quickly after, to wit, the eighteenth of Auguſt of the ſame year. His laſt words were to recommend to the Cardinals the holy Office of the Inquiſition; for ſo he called it: aſſuring them, that it was the only Pillar of the See of Rome. His Memory was very much deteſted by all the people, who immediately after his death burn'd the new Priſon of the Inquiſition which he had cauſed to be built, broke his Statues, and overthrew his Coat of Arms throughout all the City of Rome.

Pius the Fourth ſucceeded him; and it was under him that the Council of Trent was conſummated. He followed intirely the Spirit of his Predeceſſor; for he preſently moved the Duke of Savoy to turn his Arms againſt his Subjects of the Valleys of Piedmont, to reduce them by force to the obedience of his See; and becauſe that in France, they had reſolved to call a National Council, to labour by this means to put a ſtop to the courſe of the Reformation, againſt which the fires and puniſhments practiſed till that time had done nothing, he oppos'd himſelf vehemently p. 72to it, and ſent to King Francis the Second an expreſs Nuntio, to diſſwade him from that National Council, and to exhort him to follow the way of the puniſhments that he had before practis'd: and that of his Arms, if it were neceſſary, till it ſhould be provided for by a General Council, offering him for that purpoſe to aſſiſt him with all his power, and to cauſe the King of Spain and the Princes of Italy, to aſſiſt him alſo. The Nuntio faithfully acquitted himſelf of his charge; but the King did yet perſiſt in the deſign of a National Council, and it was reſolved in his Council, that they ſhould ſeek for the means to call it, in caſe the Pope ſhould not ſpeedily call a General one. This was the reſolution of an Aſſembly held at Fountainbleau, in the Month of Auguſt 1560. which no wayes pleaſed the Pope; for he ſaw well, that this National Council was a very bad example for Germany, where till then his Predeceſſors had hindred it. So that ſeeing no very good means to ward off that blow, and apprehending that other Nations would do the ſame things, he ſuddenly took up a reſolution to aſſemble his Council at Trent. But beſides that reaſon of National Councils which he apprehended, he was further carried out to it by divers other motives; for he ſaw that the Reformed Religion had ſpread it ſelf abroad every where. In Spain the Inquiſitions were taken up only with condemning and burning them; and they had alwayes ſome new matter for the exerciſe of their cruelties. It was the ſame in the Low-Countreys. England had wholly thrown off the yoke of Rome, and embraced the Reformation: Scotland had done it as much. All Pruſſia and Livonia had done the ſame. In France the number of the Proteſtants was very much increaſed, and they had the liberty of their conſciences granted them. The Duke of Savoy, could not compaſs his deſign with all his Forces, in the ſole Valleys of Piedmont. Beſides, that which remain'd fix'd to the intereſts of the Pope, was very much diſcontented with the conduct of his Court, the greateſt part of his Catholicks had acknowledged the neceſſity of a Reformation, and they made Harangues about it in the publick aſſemblies. The Princes themſelves, who the moſt ſupported the See of Rome, every day encroached upon his Authority, and gave him trouble enough. He reſolv'd with himſelf therefore to aſſemble his Council; but at the ſame time, alſo he made it his deſign to manage it ſo well, that the ſucceſs ſhould be advantageous for himſelf. To this effect, he publiſhed his Bull, bearing this with it, that he took off p. 73the ſuſpenſion that had been made, and called it to Trent: on Eaſter day in the year 1563. He ſent thither five Legates to preſide in his place; and after divers delayes, in fine, the Council was opened by his Order the eighteenth of January 1562. and matters were treated there afterwards after the ſame manner which they had been treated in before under Paul the Third, and under Julius; that is to ſay, that the Pope reigned there abſolutely, and nothing was done there but according to his will. His See was exalted there more than before, the diſorders of the Government of the Church were rather confirmed than corrected there, and the Errors, and Superſtitions, and Worſhip ſet up by men, inſtead of being reformed, were on the contrary eſtabliſhed there, and paſſed in the force of a perpetual and indiſpenſable Law. Such was the ſucceſs of this Aſſembly.

It would be too long here to relate exactly that which paſſed there. Any may read with pleaſure and with profit all the particularities in ſome of the famous Hiſtorians of thoſe times. It ſhall ſuffice me for the preſent to ſay, that after the manner that the Popes took there for the governing that Council, we ought not to think it ſtrange if they obtain'd their ends, and if they alwayes turn'd things to which ſide they pleaſed. Firſt of all, they took a particular care to fill it with Italian Prelates; ſo that they alone almoſt alwayes were above half the number of all the other Nations joyned together. By this means the Court of Rome might very well aſſure it ſelf of the Council; for although all the Prelates that compoſed it, ſhould not have been bound to the Popes by an Oath, yet the Italians were more particularly of their dependance, and they would not fail throughly to repreſent to them the intereſt that Italy had to preſerve to it ſelf the Eccleſiaſtical Government over other Nations; and to maintain by conſequence, the Authority of Rome. Secondly, They kept up a ſtock of money in the hands of the Legates, to help the poor Biſhops, and to gain them more and more to them, and to make alſo Preſents and Gratifications to perſons who could render them moſt ſervice. For they judged it to be the beſt means to draw the moſt to them, either by the acknowledgement of the good offices received from them, or by the hopes of receiving them for the time to come. In the Third place, the Pope was not contented with preſiding in the Council by his Legates, he would farther, that the propoſitions ſhould be made and carried by them only. And it was for this that the Legates p. 74of Pius the Fourth unjuſtly inſinuated it into the Decree of the opening it on the eighteenth of January 1562. that they ſhould treat of matters proponentibus Legatis; and when ſome Spaniſh Prelates would have oppoſed that Clauſe, ſaying, that it was unuſual in Councils, and that it wholly took away all liberty from the Aſſembly, where every one ought to have a right to propound, they derided them and let them alone without giving them any anſwer. The Pope himſelf having heard of that oppoſition, commanded his Legates, that they ſhould remain obſtinate in that Decree, and that they ſhould not remit ſo much as one point: and the King of Spain having made ſome complaints, upon the advice that his Embaſſadour gave him, the Pope eluded them, and would change nothing.

Behold therefore the Court of Rome well nigh already aſſured of two great points; to wit, on the one ſide, of the greateſt number of perſons; and on the other, of the propoſitions that ſhould be made in the Council. There remained nothing but to make ſure of their deliberations; and for this they practiſed divers means. The two more General, were that of the Congregations at Trent it ſelf in the houſe of the chief Legate, and that of the Congregations at Rome. The former conſiſted in this, that from the beginning of the Council under Paul the Third, they unjuſtly made this order to be eſtabliſh'd, that in imitation of that which had been made in the laſt Council of Lateran, that there ſhould be made divers particular Congregations to examine the matters there that the Legates ſhould propound to them, that afterwards the ſame matters ſo digeſted, be brought to a General Congregation which ſhould be held in the houſe of the Legate, where every one ſhould tell his opinion; and that after this, they ſhould frame the Decrees to contain them, and make them to paſs in Council. The ſecond conſiſted in this, in that from the firſt beginning, the Pope had deputed ſome Cardinals at Rome to conſult about the affairs of the Council, and to have as it were the overlooking of all that ſhould paſs there; ſo that, before they came to make any Decree, the Legates at Trent had diſcover'd the bottom of the ſentiments of the Prelates, and the reaſons of every one, ſince before they concluded any thing, they ſent all to Rome, from whence they received their orders and the deliberations of the Council wholly made to their hands; and this is that which they call'd the Holy Ghoſt coming in a Cloak-bag. But beſides theſe two wayes, they had yet others, which although p. 75they were not of that importance, did not fail to have their profit. We muſt place in this rank, the Order that they took to examine all the ſpeeches and all the other actions that ſhould be done before the Prelates, of the Council, before they ſhould recite them, to the end that nothing ſhould be advanced, which was not agreeable to the Time and Place, that is to ſay, to the deſigns and intereſts of Rome; for by this means the Council thought to make the Pulpits ring with nothing but the praiſes of the Holy See, and imprecations againſt the Hereticks; and that none ſhould be ſo ſtupid, as to bring in any thing free or bold into his diſcourſe, well knowing that the Cenſors would not ſuffer it, and that it would be to meddle with affairs to no purpoſe. We muſt here alſo place the Order that the Legates openly took, and which they alwayes obſerv'd afterwards, to reckon every head to an opinion; whereas in the Councils of Conſtance and Baſil they had counted their opinions by Nations, which divers would fain have had done yet at Trent; but the Legates oppos'd themſelves to it with all their might. But they drew this advantage from that Order, that Italy alone had twice as many Voices, as all the other Nations together; and we may ſay, that they only made the deciſions. We muſt further rank here another Order which they took to make in the firſt place the points of Doctrine to be agitated by particular Congregations of Monks and other Scholaſtick Divines, which treated of them after their uſual manner; and afterwards to carry ſome extracts or abridgements of their Diſputes to the Congregations of the Prelates, who for the moſt part underſtood nothing of that Gibbriſh of the School; ſo that almoſt alwayes they made their Decrees without having examined the matters of them, or hearing the reaſons of one ſide and of the other, without reading, without meditation, without ſtudy, and ſometimes even without any underſtanding of the terms; which having oblig'd Bruce Martel Biſhop of Feſola to repreſent of what importance it was, that the General Congregation ſhould be throughly informed of what they did, and that it ſhould take cognizance of matters it ſelf; the Legates netled at this boldneſs, made a large field of a ſharp cenſure upon it, and wrote to the Court of Rome to have him taken notice of. We ought alſo to place here, the recourſe that the Pope had to the Embaſſadours of the Princes, to render the Biſhops of their Nation favourable to the intereſts of the Court of Rome. This is what Pius the Fourth knew very well how to practiſe on p. 76the ſubject of the reſidence of the Biſhops, when he heard that the greateſt part of Voices went about to declare it of Divine Right; for he ſpake earneſtly of it to the Embaſſadours of Venice and Florence; and he engaged them to make divers remonſtrances of it to their Biſhops. The ſame things were done divers times. We muſt add here yet farther, the ordinary direction of the Legates to put off to another time the deciſion of the points that they could not carry on their ſide at one time, and to paſs over to other matters, to buſie the Prelates with, and to have time notwithſtanding, to advertiſe the Court of Rome, and to gain the chief to the contrary party. We ought to place here alſo the ordinary artifice of the ſame Legates to put off the Seſſions, to make many difficulties ariſe about matters, and after divers circuits, to cauſe in the end the Articles to be ſent to the Pope which they could not make an end of, by reaſon of the great inſiſting of the Nations. In one word, they uſed in the management of this Aſſembly all that was moſt refin'd, moſt forcible and profound in humane policy, promiſes, threats, ſecret negotiations, canvaſings, diverſions, delayes, Authority, and in General, nothing was forborn that could turn and corrupt mens minds there. The Pope and his Court had a great many difficulties to overcome, and oppoſitions to ſurmount, which often put them into great troubles, and inquietudes, and fears; but in the end, they were ſo well ſerved, and they remained Maſters, and ſaw all things ſucceed according to their deſires.

See here after what manner things went at Trent, and by what degrees they tended to make an entire breach of Communion between the Roman and Reformed party. Let any now judge, if in all this conduct, our Fathers had not juſt and lawful cauſes for a Separation. 1. They ſaw in the contrary party an invincible reſolution to defend and preſerve the Errors and Superſtitions, whoſe amendment they demanded. 2. They ſaw that reſolution go ſo high, as to conſtrain them to fall back again into thoſe errors againſt all their knowledge, and the motions of their own conſciences. 3. They ſaw that this violence which they offered to them had no bounds; for it went not only as far as diſputes, not only ſo far as the Ordinances and Decrees, but even to Excommunications and Anathema's, that is to ſay, to a Separation, and Schiſm with a curſe. 4. They ſaw, that they joyned to all this puniſhments, not in one or two places, but in all; not by popular heat, but in cold blood, and in the uſual wayes deſigned p. 77for the puniſhment of the greateſt Villains. 5. They ſaw that thoſe puniſhments came from the perpetual and general inſpiration of the Court of Rome, which did not ceaſe perſecuting of them in all places; and which proceeded ſo far, as to ſearch for them in their moſt hidden retreats. 6. They ſaw that they refuſed the moſt equitable and neceſſary conditions, without which they could not proceed to a juſt examination of Religion, nor to a holy and Chriſtian Reformation, and that in ſtead of that, the Court of Rome would alwayes remain ſole Miſtreſs and Arbitreſs. 7. They ſaw, laſtly, that inſtead of returning to the purity of Chriſtianity, by taking away out of the field of the Church ſo many corruptions that defaced it, ſo many falſe opinions that deſtroy'd it, ſo many kinds of Worſhip contrary to true Piety that diſhonour'd it, and deſtroyed the ſalvation of ſouls, theſe Prelates on the contrary, would eſtabliſh things that cuſtom only, and the tradition of ſome Ages had for the moſt part introduc'd; that they would eſtabliſh them I ſay, for the future in force of a Law, to be incorporated into their Religion, as eſſential and indiſpenſable parts of it, to which they would ſubject the minds and conſciences of men, which they ordain'd the practice and belief of, under penalties of Anathema, cutting off and ſeparating from the body of their Society all thoſe who ſhould hold a contrary opinion and practice. Let any judge, whether our Fathers could yet after that, preſerve Church Communion with a Party in which they could ſee nothing either of the Spirit of Truth, and Chriſtian Purity and Charity, reſplendent, and whether all hope being taken away, of ever reducing them to the right way of the Goſpel, or even of being able to live with them, without wounding their conſciences by a deteſtable hypocriſie, in pretending to believe that which they did not believe, and to practiſing a worſhip which they held unlawful, there not remaining any further means for them to remain in that Communion, without partaking of their Errors, without expoſing their Children, and without rendring themſelves culpable before God; let any I ſay judge, whether they did not do well to ſeparate themſelves. I confeſs, that when a man is joyned with others in one and the ſame Body, he ought not lightly to proceed to a rupture; there are meaſures and behaviour to be obſerv'd, that Prudence and Chriſtian Charity require of us, and as long as we have any hope of procuring the amendment and healing of our Brethren, or where there is at leaſt any p. 78way for us to bewail, and to mourn for their ſins, without loſing our own innocency, and their conſtraining us to partake in their crimes, we ought not to forſake them. But when that hope is loſt, and when that means of preſerving our own purity is taken from us, when inſtead of being able to reduce them, we ſee, on the contrary, that their Communion does but make us to caſt our ſelves into an unavoidable neceſſity of corrupting our ſelves, it is certain that we ought to withdraw our ſelves from them, leſt in partaking with their ſins, we ſhould draw the juſt condemnation of God upon our ſelves. Be not partaker with other mens ſins, ſayes S. Paul, but keep thy ſelf pure.