Apostles and other disciples in Ierusalem who were assembled about the question of keeping the Law And though it may bee said that it was a recourse of the new Churches of the Gentiles vnto the old mother Church frō whence their faith was deriued a custom much vsed in those first ages often rehearsed by Irenie and Tertullian though the letter were written by the Apostles Elders brethren of Ierusalem only yet in regard that not they only but Paul Barnabas also did speake it may well be called a Councel by example whereof the succeeding Bishops thought all Christian Churches to bee but one and likewise all Bishoprickes to be but onely one so framed that euery Bishop held a part thereof not as his owne but so as that all ought to gouerne the whole and euery one to employ himselfe most in that which was particularly recommended to him as S. Cyprian in his little golden booke of the vnity of the Church doth piously demonstrate In case of necessity of any particular Church though the persecutions sometimes waxed warme as many as could assembled themselues to make prouision in common In which assemblies CHRIST and the holy Ghost being president and charity chasing away all humane passion they aduised and resolued of what was fit without ceremonies or formes prescribed But after a certaine time passions of men and charitie beeing mingled together and there beeing a necessity to gouerne them with some order the chiefest man amongst those that were assembled in Councell either for learning or for greatnesse of the Citie or Church whereof he was or for some other respect of eminencie tooke vpon him the charge to propose and guide the action and collect the voyces But after that it pleased God to giue peace to the Christians and that the Romane Emperours receiued the holy faith there happening more difficulties in doctrine and discipline which by reason of the ambition or other bad affections of those that had followers and credite troubled the publike quiet another sort of Episcopal assemblies had beginning congregated by Princes or their Lieutenants to remedie the troubles In these the action was guided by those Princes or Magistrates which did call them together who also were personally present proposing and gouerning the treatie and decreeing interlocutorily the occurring differences but leauing the decision of the principall point for which the Councell was congregated to the common opinion of the assemblie This forme appeareth in the Councels whose actes doe remaine The Colloquie of Catholikes and Donatistes before Marcellinus and many others may serue for example But to speake onely of generall Councels this was done in the first Councel of Ephesus before the Earle Candidianus sent President by the Emperour and more cleerely in that of Calcedon before Martianus and the Iudges by him appointed in that of Constantinople in Trullo before Constantine surnamed Poganatus where the Prince or Magistrate that was President commanded what should bee handled what order obserued who should speake and who be silent and did decide and accommodate the differences in these things And in the other generall Councell the actes whereof are not extant as of the first of Nice and the second of Constantinople the historians of that Age doe witnesse that Constantine and Theodofius did the like Yet in those times when the Bishops themselues did assemble of their owne accord and others medled not the action was gouerned as hath been said by one of them and the resolution taken according to the common consent Sometimes the matter was so easie that it was dispatched in one meeting Sometimes by reason of the difficulty or multiplicitie thereof it was necessarie to reiterate the businesse whence proceeded the many Sessions in the same Councel Not one of them was about ceremony or only to publish what was digested elsewhere but to vnderstand the opinion of euery one and the colloquies discussions disputes and whatsoeuer was done or spoken were called the actes of the Councel It is a new opinion and seldome practised though established in Trent that the Decrees onely are called Actes of the Councel and ought onely to bee published but in the ancient Councels all was giuen vnto all Notaries were present to collect the voyces who when a Bishop spake and was not contradicted wrote not his proper name but thus The Holy Sinode saith And when many said the same thing it was written The Bishops acclaymed or affirmed and the things so spoken were taken for decisions if they spake in a contrary sense the contrary opinions were noted and the names of the authours and the Iudges or Presidents did pronounce Sometimes some impertinencie did vndoubtedly happen by reason of some mans imperfection but charitie which excuseth the defects of ones brother did couer it A greater number of the Prouince where the Councell was held and of the borders was present but without emulation euery one rather desiring to obey then to giue a law vnto others After the Easterne and Westerne Empires were separated there remained still in the West some marke of the ancient Councels and many were celebrated in Councels gouerned by Princes France and Germany vnder the posterity of Charles the Great and not a few in Spaine vnder the Kings of the Gothes At last Princes being absolutely debarred to intermeddle in Ecclesiastical matters that kind of Councel grew in disuse 1546 PAVL 3. CHARLES 5. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 1. that alone remained which was called by the Ecclesiastikes themselues the conuocation of which Prouinciall Councels was almost wholly assumed by the Pope by sending his Legates to bee Presidents wheresoeuer hee heard there was a treatie to hold a Councell And after a certaine time hee tooke that power to himselfe which the Romane Emperours vsed to conuocate a Councell of the whole Empire and to be President himselfe if hee were present or in his absence to send Legates to be Presidents and to gouerne the action But the Prelats assembled in the Synod being deliuered from the feare of a Secular Prince which kept them in awe as worldly respects the causes of all mischiefes did exceedingly increase which caused also the multiplying of many indecencies they beganne to digest and order the matters in priuate that they might obserue a decencie in the publike meeting Afterwards this was obserued for a forme and in the Councels besides the Sessions they beganne to make Congregations of some Deputies to set in order the matters to bee treated of which in the beginning if they were many were diuided and a proper Congregation assigned to euery one And this beeing not sufficient to remooue all the indecencies because those that were not present hauing different interests made difficulties in publique besides the particular Congregation they made a generall before the Session where all were present which according to the ancient rite is the Conciliarie action because the Session euery thing being done before remayneth but a pure ceremonie But a
in those negotiations Hauing therefore collected so many things as may minister vnto me sufficient matter for a narration of the progresse I am resolued to set it downe in order I wil relate the causes and managings of an Ecclesiasticall Conuocation by some for diuers ends and by diuers meanes procured and hastened by some hindered and deferred for the space of 22. yeeres and for 18. yeeres more sometimes assembled sometimes dissolued alwayes celebrated with diuers intentions and which hath gotten a forme and conclusion contrary altogether to the deseigne of them that procured it and to the feare of those that with all diligence disturbed it a cleere instruction for vs to referre our selues to God and not to trust in the wisedome of man For this Councell desired and procured by godly men to reunite the 1500 ALEXAND 6. MAXIMILL 1. HENRY 7. LEVVIS 12. The conclusion of this Councell was contrary to the opinion of all men Church which began to bee diuided hath so established the Schisme and made the parties so obstinate that the discords are become irreconciliable and being managed by Princes for reformation of Ecclesiasticall discipline hath caused the greatest deformation that euer was since Christianity did begin and hoped for by the Bishops to regaine the Episcopall authority vsurped for the most part by the Pope hath made them loose it altogether bringing them into greater seruitude on the contrary feared and auoided by the Sea of Rome as a potent meanes to moderate the exorbitant power mounted from small beginnings by diuers degrees vnto an vnlimited excesse it hath so established and confirmed the same ouer that part which remaineth subiect vnto it that it was neuer so great nor so soundly rooted It will not be inconuenient therefore to call it the Iliade of our age in the explanation whereof I will exactly follow the truth not being possessed with any passion that may make me erre And hee that shall obserue that I speake more copiously of some times and more sparingly of others let him remember that all fields are not equally fruitfull nor all graines deserue to be kept and that of those which the Reaper would preserue some eare escapeth the hand or the edge of the sickle that being the condition of euery haruest that some part remaineth to be gleaned after But first I must call to minde that it hath beene a most ancient custome in the Church of Christ to compose the differences of Religion and to reforme The originall cause progresse of Synods the corrupted discipline by the conuocation of Synods So the first which began in the life time of many of the holy Apostles whether the conuerted Gentiles were bound to obserue Moses law was composed by a meeting in Hierusalem of foure Apostles and of all the faithfull which were in that Citie by which example in the occurrences which incidently sprung vp in euery prouince for the space of 200. yeeres and more afterwards the Bishops and chiefest of the Churches assembled themselues together to qualifie and end them that being the onely remedy to reunite diuisions and to accord contrary opinions But after that it pleased God to giue peace vnto his Church by exciting Constantine to fauour religion as it was more easie for many Churches to communicate and treate together so also the diuisions became more common And whereas before the differences went not out of a city or at the most out of a Prouince now by reason of the liberty of meeting together they extended themselues ouer the whole Empire Wherefore also it was necessary that the Councels which were the vsual remedie should be assembled from places more distant Whereupon a Councell of the whole Empire being congregated in those times by that Prince it had the name of the holy and great Synod and a litle after was called the general Oecumenical Councel though not assembled from all parts of the Church a great part whereof extended it selfe beyond the bounds of the Romane Empire but because the vse of that age was to call the Emperour Lord of the whole habitable earth howbeit the tenth part thereof was not subiect vnto him By which example the like Councels were called by Constantine his successors in other occurring differences of Religion And though the Empire was diuided into the Easterne and Westerne notwithstanding the affaires thereof being managed A new deriuation of the name of generall Councels vnder a common name the Conuocation of Synods throughout the whole continued still 7 But after that the East was so diuided from the West that there remained no more communion in the Soueraignty and after that the East was for the most part possessed by the Saracens and the West parted amongst many Princes the name of an Vniuersall and oecumenicall Councell was no more deriued from the Roman Empire but amongst the Grecians from the assembly of the fiue Patriarkes and in these countreys of ours from the vnitie and communion of those Kingdomes and States which obeyed the Pope in causes Ecclesiasticall And the assembling of these hath beene continued not to appease the dissentions about Religion principally as before but either to make warre in the Holy-land or to compose Schismes and diuisions of the Church of Rome or else for controuersies betweene the Bishops and Christian Princes 8 In the beginning of the 16. centurie of yeeres after the natiuitie of our 1500 Sauiour Christ there appeared no vrgent cause to celebrate a Councell neither was there any likely to happen for a long space For the complaints of many Churches against the greatnesse of the Court seemed absolutely to be appeased and all the countreys of the Westerne Christians were in the communion and obedience of the Church of Rome Onely in a small part that is in that tract where the Alpes are ioyned with the Pyrences there were some remainders of the olde Waldenses or Albigenses In whom notwithstanding Waldenses in the Alpes there was so great simplicitie and ignorance in learning that they were not fit to communicate their doctrine vnto others besides their neighbours conceiued so sinister an opinion of their impietie and obscenitie that there was no danger that the contagion could spread any further 9 In some Cantons also of Bohemia there were some few who maintained Picards in Bohemia the same doctrine euen remnants of those whom the Bohemians call Picards whose increase could not be feared for the same reason 10 In the same Kingdome of Bohemia there were some followers of Iohn Hus which were called Calistini or Subutraque who except that particular Calistial in Bohemia that in the holy Communion they ministred the Cup vnto the people in other things differed not much from the doctrine of the Church of Rome But these also were not esteemed considerable aswell for their small number as because they wanted learning neither did it appeare that they desired to communicate their doctrine nor that others were curious to
wrote the Decalogue in stone with his owne finger commaunding it should be laid vp in the Cabinet called the Arke of the Couenant That he often commaunded Moyses to write the precepts in a booke and that one copie should bee kept in the Arke and the King haue another to reade it continually This fell not out in the Gospell which the Sonne of God wrote in the hearts for which neither tables nor chest nor booke is necessary yea the Church was most perfect before any of the Apostles wrote and though they had writ nothing the Church would haue wanted nothing of its perfection But as Christ founded the doctrine of the New Testament in the hearts so hee forbad it not to bee written as in some false Religions where the mysteries were kept secret nor was lawfull to write them but onely to teach them by word of mouth And therefore that it is an vndoubted truth that whatsoeuer the Apostles haue written and whatsoeuer they haue taught by word of mouth is of equall authority because they wrote and spake by the instinct of the holy Ghost which notwithstanding as by assisting them it hath directed them to write and preach the trueth so it cannot bee said it hath forbidden them to write any thing to the end to hold it in mysterie wherefore the Articles of faith cannot bee distinguished into two kinds some published by writing others commaunded to bee communicated onely by voyce Hee said that whosoeuer thought otherwise must fight against two great difficulties the one to tell wherein the difference is the other how the Apostles successors haue beene able to write that which was forbidden by God adding that it was as hard to maintaine the third that is how it hath accidentally happened that some particulars haue not beene written because it would derogate from the prouidence of God in directing the holy Apostles to compose the Scriptures of the New Testament Therefore The Fathers neuer made traditions of equall authority with the Scripture hee concluded that to enter into this treatie was to saile betweene Scriptuâ—e and Caribdis and that it was better to imitate the fathers who serued themselues of this place onely in case of necessitie neuer thinking to make of it an Article of competition against the holy Scripture Hee added that it was not necessary to proceede now to any new determination because the Lutherans though they said they would be conuinced by the Scripture onely haue not made a controuersie in this article and that it is good to keep themselues onely to the controuersies which they haue promoted without setting new on foote exposing themselues to the danger of making a great diuision in Christendome The Fryars opinion pleased but few yea Cardinall Poole reprehended it The opinion of Marinarus was very distastefull and said it better beseemed a Colloquie in Germanie then a Councell of the vniuersall Church that in this they should ayme at the sincere veritie it selfe not as there where nothing is handled but the according of the parties though to the preiudice of the truth that to preserue the Church it was necessarie that the Lutherans should receiue all the Romane doctrine or that as many of their errors as was possible might be discouered the more to make manifest to the world that there was no agreement to be made with them Therefore if they haue framed no controuersie concerning traditions it was necessary to frame it now and to condemne their opinions and to shew that that doctrine not onely differeth from the true in that wherein it doeth purposely contradict it but in all other parts that they should endeauour to condemne as many absurdities as can be drawen out of their writings and that the feare was vaine to dash against Scilla or Caribdis for that captious reason whereunto whosoeuer gaue earâ— would conclude there was no tradition at all In the second Article they all agreed in this that a Catalogue should bee Concerning the canon cal bookes of the Scripture made as it was in former times of the Canonicall bookes in which all should be registred which are read in the Romane Church euen those of the Old Testament which were neuer receiued by the Hebrewes And for proofe of this they all alledged the Councell of Laodicea Pope Innocence the first the third Councell of Carthage and Pope Gelasius But there were foure opinions Some would haue two rankes made in the first onely those should be put which without contradiction haue beene receiued by all in the other those which sometime haue beene reiected or haue had doubt made of them and it was said though formerly this was neuer done by any Councell or Pope yet alwayes it was so vnderstood For Austin maketh such a distinction and his authority hath beene canonized in the Chapter In Canonicis And Saint Gregorie who was after Gelasius writing vpon Iob sayeth of the Maccabees that they are written for edification though they bee not Canonicall Aloisius of Catanea a Domican Fryar said that this distinction was made by Saint Hierome who was receiued by the Church as a rule and direction to appoint the Canon of the Scriptures and he alleadged Cardinal Caietan who had distinguished them following Saint Hierom as an infallible rule giuen vs by the Church and so hee wrote to Pope Clement the seuenth when hee sent him his exposition vpon the Historicall bookes of the Old Testament Some thought fit to establish three rankes The first of those which alwayes haue beene held for Diuine the second of those whereof sometimes doubt hath beene made but by vse haue obtained Canonicall authority in which number are the sixe Epistles and the Apocalyps of the New Testament and some small parts of the Euangelists The third of those whereof there hath neuer beene any assurance as are the seauen of the Old Testament and some Chapters of Daniel and Hester Some thought it better to make no distinction at all but to imitate the Councell of Carthage and others making the Catalogue and saying no more Another opinion was that all of them should bee declared to bee in all partes as they are in the Latine Bible of diuine and equall authoritie The Booke of Baruc troubled them most which is not put in the number neither by the Laodiceans nor by those of Carthage nor by the Pope and therefore should be left out as well for this reason as because the beginning of it cannot be found But because it was read in the Church the Congregation esteeming this a potent reason resolued that it was by the Ancients accounted a part of Ieremie and comprised with him In the Congregation on Friday the fifth of March aduise being come The Bishop of Bitonto assisting in Councell is in danger of excommunication in Rome for not paying his Pensionaries that the Pensionaries of the Bishop of Bitonto had demanded in Rome to be paide and for this cause had cited him before the Auditor
Colloquie and were informed in the differencies Amongst the Prelats of Germany onely the Cardinall of Ausburg had sent a Proctor and him a Sauoyard For the Proctors of the Cardinall and Elector of Ments vnderstanding their masters death went away two moneths before Others said that the things decided were not of so great moment as they Nothing is certainely defined concerning traditions seemed For the point of traditions which seemed most important was of no consequence First because it was nothing to ordain they should be receiued if it were not declared which they were how they should be knowen thē because there was no commandement to receiue them but onely a prohibition to contemne them wittingly and deliberately So that he that reiected them with reuerend termes contradicted not and the rather because there is an example of the adherents of the Church of Rome who receiue not the ordination of Deaconesses graunt not to the people the election of the Minister which certainely was an Apostolical institution continued more then eight hundred yeeres and which more importeth obserue not the communion of the Chalice Instituted by Christ preached by the Apostles obserued by the whole Church vntill within two hundred yeeres and now also by all Christian Nations but the Latine that if this be not a tradition it is impossible to shew whatother is And for the vulgar edition declared authenticall nothing at all was done because among so many copies it cannot be knowen which is the true But this last opposition was made because the deputation to make a corrected copie of the vulgar edition was not knowen The which for what cause it was not effected shall be said in its place But the Decrees of the Session being seene in Rome and the importance Nor concerning the vulgar edition of the things treated of considered the Pope began to thinke he ought more to regard the businesse of the Councell then vntill that time hee had done and he enlarged the congregation of Cardinals and Prelats who were to consider of the occurrences of the Synode and to relate them By the aduice of these after their first assembling he admonished the Legats of three things One not to publish hereafter in Session any decree before they had communicated it at Rome and to auoyd too much slownesse in proceeding The Pope admonisheth the Legates of three things but to beware much more of two much celeritie which might make them resolue of some indigested matter and want time to receiue orders from him what they should propose deliberate and conclude The second not to spend time in matters not controuersed as they had done in those that were handled for the last session wherein all agree that they are vndoubted principles The third to take heede that by no meanes the Popes authoritie be disputed on Whereunto they readily answered that they would obey his Holinesse To whom the Legates make a ready answere commandement but that it seemed to them that in the things defined there is small difference betweene Catholiques and Heretiques and that some of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament receiued by the third Councell of Carthage by Innocentius the first by Gelatius by the sixt Synod of Trullus and the Florentine Councell are called into question by the Heretikes and which is worse by some Catholikes and Cardinals and also that the vnwritten Traditions are impugned by the Lutherans who intend nothing more then to annihilate them declaring that all things necessary to saluation are written And therefore though these two heads bee principles yet they are the most controuersed conclusions which are to bee decided in the Councell and of the greatest importance They added that vntill then there was no occasion to speake of the Popes authoritie or of the Councell but in treading of the title when the addition of Representation of the vniuersall Church was required That many desire it still but that they will auoyd it as much as possibly they can And in case they shall be brought to it by force they will desire thinking it will not bee denyed them to expound the manner how it doth represent that is by meanes of the head and not otherwise whereby there will bee rather gaine then losse For the rest because they think the maior part will alwayes beare al reuerence to his Holinesse being vnited as Head with the bodie of the Councell which will be so long as they shall agree in the reformation hee may set his heart at rest that his authoritie shall not be questioned After this the Pope sent Ieronimo Franco Nuncio to the Swisses giuing him The Pope sendeth a Nuncio to the Swisses letters to the Bishops of Sion and Coira to the Abbat of S. Gallo and other Abbats of those Nations to whom hee wrote that hauing called all the Prelates of Christendome to the Generall Councell of Trent it was fit that they who represent the Heluetian Church should assist also in regard hee much loued that nation as especiall sonnes of the Apostolike Sea and maintainers of the Ecclesiasticall libertie That Prelates out of Italie France and Spaine were arriued alreadie and the number increased dayly That it was not seemely that they being borderers should bee preuented by those that dwelt further off That their Countrey was infected with heresies and therefore had more need of a Councell In fine hee commanded them vpon their allegiance and oath and paines prescribed by the lawes to goe thither as soone as was possible referring the rest to bee tolde them by his Nuncio And at the many instances of the Clergie and Vniuersitie of Collen assisted And giueth sentence against the Arch-bishop of Collen by the Bishops of Liege and Vtrect and Vniuersitie of Louaine he pronounced sentence against the Arch-bishop and Elector of Collen declaring him excommunicated depriuing him of all benefices and priuiledges Ecclesiasticall absoluing his subiects from their oath of fidelitie and commanding them not to obey him because he had incurred the censures of the Bull of Leo the tenth published against Luther and his adherents as hauing held defended and published that doctrine against the Ecclesiasticall rules traditions of the Apostles and vsuall rites of Christian religion And the sentence The Pope maketh a Bull in fauour of Adolphus was after printed in Rome He made also another Bull giuing order that Adolphus Count of Scauemburg assumed before by the Arch-bishop for his Coadiutor should be obeyed And hee earnestly desired the Emperour that the sentence might be executed The Emperor will not execute the Popes sentence who thought not this nouitie fit for his purpose because it would make the Arch-bishop who vntill then had absolutely obeyed him to vnite himselfe with those that were combined against him And therefore he held him still for an Arch-bishop and treated with him and wrote to him without regard of the popes sentence This vexed the Pope at the heart but seeing
him vpon whom they were conferred by whose death the vnion was vnderstood to bee dissolued ipso facto and the benefices returned to their first state So they shewed the world their excellent inuentions conferring a benefice which was but one in shew but many in deed as one confessed hee had stollen a bridle concealing it was vpon a horse head which hee stole with it To remedy pluralitie it was necessary to remooue the abuse of these three pretences This the wiser sort of Prelates vnderstanding agreed vniformely at the first propose to inhibite all of what condition soeuer to haue more then three benefices And some added when two amount not to the vallew of foure hundred ducats of gold and that if one were worth so much no man whatsoeuer should haue any more nor more then three though they were not worth so much Of this there was much disputation and A dispute about the remedy of Pluvalitie much more when Aluise Lipomano Bishop of Verona proposed that this decree might touch them also who were now possessors of more who without exception of any should bee constrained to renounce those that were supernumerary within sixe moneths if they were in Italy and within nine if in other places which if they did not they should bee depriued without any further declaration notwithstanding the benefices were Vnited or commended or possessed by any othertitle To this opinion the Bishop of Feltre did adhere but did moderate it by distinguishing Dispensations Commendaes and Vnions saying that some were made for the good of the Churches and some in fauour of the possessor desiring that the former should remaine in force and the other should be regulated The Bishop of Lanciano did not admit this distinction saying that hee that would make a lasting law must not put exceptions into the body of it in regard the malice of man is apt to inuent them and to free themselues from the rule The Byshop of Albenga made a long oration to shew that good lawes doe regulate Lawes ought to looke forward onely and not backward the future onely and that hee who not containing himselfe within the bounds of reason will amend that which is past doth euer raise tumults and in stead of reforming make a greater deformation that it were strange to depriue men of their possessions and perswade them to be content Hee added that he foresaw that if such a Decree were made either it would not be receiued or if it were would cause colourable and simoniacall resignations and greater mischiefes then plurality could For hereafter the prouision seemed vnto him superfluous for no man beeing to haue more benefices but by the Popes dispensation it sufficed that he was resolued not to dispence In that Congregation amongst many tragicall exclamations made by diuers men Bernardus Dias Byshop of Calabora said that the Church of Vicenza was so disordered as all men knew that it required rather an Apostle then a Bishop taxing the Cardinall Ridolfi who possessed that Bishopricke besides many other benefices not gouerning it nor hauing the Episcopall order neuer seeing it nor knowing any thing but the rents And euery one spake against the inconuenience that famous Churches should neuer see their Bishops because they were imployed in other Bishoprickes or more beneficiall dignities Some said that the Pope onely might prouide against this and were of the opinion of Albenga that he alone might make the reformation This pleased the Legates as well for the Popes dignity as to free themselues from taking paines in this matter which in regard of the varietie of opinions and interests they thought would bee of an hard digestion hoping that when they had gone so farre as to leaue this reformation to the Pope they should easily leaue also vnto him the point of residencie which was as hard to be concocted for that it was popular and drew with it the regaining of the Episcopall authoritie and iurisdiction Therefore the Legates being in hope that it might bee obtained especially if it were proposed as a thing done not to bee done they presently sent the Pope word of it who was glad of the newes because both the Court and himselfe were doubtfull where the attempts and designes of the Prelates might end And thinking fit to strike the yron while it was hote hee made a greater stride then the Legates would haue had him and dispatched a Bull by which hee recalled vnto himselfe the whole businesse of the Reformation But in Trent whilst an answere was expected from Rome they proceeded in the treatie begun and made a draught of the Decree that no man should haue more then one Bishoprike and hee that had more should quit the rest that heereafter whosoeuer shall obtaine many inferiour incompatible Benefices shall bee depriued without further declaration and hee that formerly hath possessed more then one shall shew his dispensations to the Ordinarie who shall proceede according to the Decretall of Innocentius 4. Ordinarij In giuing their voyces vpon these points many desired to haue dispensations forbid The shewing of the dispensations Of dispensations for Pluralitie and the proceeding according to the Decree of Innocentius pleased but few because it was a kinde of approbation of them all and an increasing of the mischiefe For Innocentius saith that if the dispensations bee found good they shall bee admitted if there bee any doubt recourse shall bee had to Rome in which case no man doubted but that any of them might bee doubted of and receiue a declaration at Rome conformable to the grant Many feared that when they were examined and approued there remayning no doubt the abuse would bee confirmed and therefore would haue had them prohibited absolutely Others sayd they haue alwayes beene in the Church and were necessary and that all was in vsing them well Marcus Vigerius Bishop of Sinigaglia was of an opinion which if it had beene receiued and beleeued would easily haue reformed the whole Clergie Hee sayd the Synode might remooue all inconueniences by declaring that a lawfull cause was necessary for a dispensation and that whosoeuer doeth otherwise grant it doeth sinne and cannot bee absolued but by reuoking it and that hee who obtaineth it is not secure in his conscience notwithstanding the dispensation and continueth in sinne vntill hee quitteth the Benefices so gotten This opinion wanted not contradictors For some stood vp and said that hee who granteth licence of Pluralitie without a lawfull cause doth sinne yet the dispensation is good and the dispensed is secure in his conscience though hee knew the vnlawfulnesse of the cause And the difference continued many dayes these saying that it was to take all authoritie from the Pope and those that the Popes authoritie stretched not so farre as to make that euill should not bee euill From this they went to another doubt whether Pluralitie was forbid by the Law of A doubt moued by what law Plurality is forbid God or of man Those
displeased with the answere giuen him that is that the Decrees made and to be made are receiued and that the manner vsed euer since the Apostles time is obserued That he will auoid all negligence in prouiding for the Church and if Caesar will be diligent let him keepe himselfe within the limits prescribed to him by the lawes and Fathers The functions of them both being distinct will be profitable to the Church And concerning the Translation whether it were lawfull or no he called the cause to him and deputed 4. Cardinals 〈◊〉 Burgâ—is Poole and Crescentius to heare it commanding euery one that vntill it was ended they should attempt no nouitie giuing the terme of a mo 〈…〉 to the Fathers of Bolonia and Trent to produce their reasons And he 〈…〉 ed this decree to be Written by the Secretary of the Consistory in the accustomed iudiciall forme of the Court inhibiting the Prelats of Bolonia and Trent to innouate any thing while the cause depended The Imperialists did laugh extreamely at the Popes distinction of protesting against the Pope and before him But Diego made a new Protestation saying hee had a speciall mandate from the Emperour to protest as he had done The Popes inhibition beeing receiued in Bolonia and no more assemblies of Bishops or Congregations of Diuines being made all departed by little and little except the Popes stipendaries who could not doe it with their honour Those of Trent mooued not according to the Emperours wil that Don Diegâ— makâ—th a new protâ—station they might keepe there some signe of the Councell and hold the Catholikes of Germany in hope and the Protestants in their dutie and that their promise to obey the Councel of Trent might not be voyd there being none at al. The Pope caused his answere giuen to Mendoza to come to the knowledge of the Fathers of Trent and expected fifteene dayes that some ouerture would be made by him of them that he should be Iudge as hee had desseigned But seeing nothing succeeded he wrote a Briefe to the Cardinall Pacceco The Pope wriâ—eth to the Fathers in Trent by way of câ—â—ation and to the Arch bishops and Bishops of Trent in manner of a citation in which hauing deliuered the causes which mooued him to intimate the Councell and the impediments and delayes which happened in calling it and the ioy he had to see it begun which was increased by the happie proceeding hoping that in a short time prouision would bee made against the euils of the Church hee added that he receiued as much sorrow from the contrary encounters so that vnderstanding the departure of his Legates and maior part of the Bishops from Trent some remayning still there hee was grieued for that it might hinder the progresse of the Councell and giue fcandall to the Church This being as well knowen to them as to him hee marueiled why if the Translation of the Councell seemed iust vnto them they went not in company with the others if vniust why they made not their complaint to him That it was a cleere case whereof they could not bee ignorant that they were bound to doe the one or the other either of which if it had beene embraced would haue taken away all occasion of scandal That he could not choose but write to theÌ„ with griefe that they were defectuous in the one or the other and that hee was sooner aduised by the Emperour of their complaints then by any of them so much as by letter or messenger and that for this negligence he had more cause to complaine of the Cardinall who was more obliged by reason of his Cardinalitie But because that which they should haue done was preuented by Caesar who hath complained by his Ambassadour that the Translation is void and vnlawfull he doth readily offer vnto them that which should not haue beene denied if they had made the case kowen that is to heare their complaints and take knowledge of the cause And though he ought to presuppose that the Translation is lawfull yet to doe the part of a iust iudge hee willingly offereth to heare them and their reasons which they shall bring to the contrary that herein hee would hold and esteeme of the Spanish Nation and of their persons not suffering the great presumtions to preuaile which ought to bee had against them Therefore hauing by aduise of the Cardinals called the cause of the Translation of the Councell vnto him and giuen commission to some of them to relate it in Consistory all that pretend interest being cited and the Prelates of Bolonia and Trent inhibited to attempt any thing while the cause dependeth as was contained in the writing whereof he sent them a copy desiring to conclude the cause as soone as may be he commandeth them that pretending the Translation to be of no force they send three at the least well instructed to assist in iudgement and to alleadge their pretensions and to render their presence as soone as may bee concluding that the presentation of the Briefe to the Cardinall or to two or three of them affixed at the Church doore of Trent shall bind them all as if it had beene personally Who answere thus intimated to euery one The Pope sent also to those of Bolonia to intimate the same Decree who sent immediatly to Rome But the Cardinall Pacceco and the other Spaniards in Trent who were in number thirteene hauing first sent to know the Emperours mindâ— answered the Popes letter the three and twentieth of March thus in substance That they trusted in his benignitie and wisedome which will easily know that in contracting the Translation in being silent in remayning in that Citie they thought of nothing lesse then of offending his Holinesse yea that the principall cause why they dissented was because a matter of so great weight was handled without his knowledge wherein also they desired that so small account should not be made of the Emperour That it seemed cleere to them that the Translation would not bee well expounded nor easily approoued by his Holinesse whom they prayed not to beleeue that the Emperour had preuented their complaint exacted by his Beatitude because they had complained first to him but that hee did it of his owne motion who thought the protection of the Church belonged to him that they should neuer haue thought that his Holinesse would haue desired to haue beene assisted by them to whom they beleeued an absolute account was giuen by his Legates in regard what they spake was in publike and written by Notaries that it seemed enough for them to deliuer their opinion and then to bee silent Therefore they did not beleeue their presence was necessarie in ought else That if there bee any defect yet their plaine meaning is cleare That they thought it enough to dissent from the Translation and for modestie and humilitie not to trouble his Holinesse whom they supposed would not bee wanting to performe what hee thought fit for
exhortation to the Fathers of the King of the Romanes and then the Arch-bishops The Masse beeing sung and the Ecclesiasticall ceremonies ended the Secretary read an exhortation to the Fathers of the Councel in the name of the Presidents to this purpose That by the presence of the two Electours being entred into hope that many Bishops of that and other Nations will assist in the Councel they thought fit in the meane time in regard of the place they bare to giue a little admonition to themselues and them though they saw all were ready to doe the office of good Pastours because the matters to bee handled were of great moment that is to extirpate heresies to reforme Ecclesiasticall discipline from the corruption whereof heresies haue risen and finally to pacifie the discords of Princes That the beginning of the exhortation ought to be taken from the knowledge of their owne insufficiencie flying to the assistance of GOD who will not faile them whereof they see many arguments already but especially the comming of the two Princes That the authority of Generall Councels was alwayes very great the holy Ghost presiding in them and their Decrees esteemed not humane but diuine That an example hereof hath beene left by the Apostles and the Fathers following seeing that by Councels all heretiques haue beene condemned the life and manners of Priests and people reformed and the discords of the Church appeased Therefore being now assembled to doe as much they must awaken themselues that they may regaine the sheepe that lept out of the Lords fold and keepe those which haue not gone astray as yet Wherein the saluation of those only is not in question but their owne too in regard they must giue an account to GOD by whom if they performe their duety they shall be rewarded and all posterity will attribute great praise to that Councel but they should not aime at that but onely at their owne duety and charity towards the Church which beeing afflicted wounded and depriued of so many deare children lifteth vp her hands to GOD and them to restore them to her That therefore they would handle the matters of the Councel with all gentlenesse and without contention as becommeth so great an assembly vsing perfit charity and consent of minds knowing that GOD doeth behold and iudge them The exhortation beeing ended the Decree was read by the Bishop that The Decree of the Session is read said Masse the substance whereof was That the holy Synode which in the Session past did determine to proceed in this hauing deferred to doe it vntill now by reason of the absence of the Germane Nation and the small number of the Fathers reioycing for the arriuall of the two Prince Electors hoping that many more of that and other Nations will by their example hasten their comming doth deferre the Session for fourty dayes that is vntill the eleuenth of October and prosecuting the Councell in the state in which it is hauing treated alreadie of the seauen Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation doth ordaine to treat of the Eucharist and for reformation to handle those things which doe facilitate residencie Then the Emperours Proxie beeing read the Earle of Mountfort said that the Emperour after hee had obtayned the reduction of the Councel to Trent neuer ceased to labour that the Prelates of his states should goe thither which the presence of the Electours and the frequencie of the Fathers doth demonstrate And to testifie his mind the more he hath sent Don Pedro of the Kingdome of Spaine another of his patrimoniall States and himselfe of Germanie though vnworthy Praying to be receiued for such Iohn Baptista Castello the Speaker answered in the name of the Councell that they were glad to heare the Emperours Mandate hauing by it and the quality of the Proctours conceiued how much they may promise themselues therefore that it hopeth for assistance from them and doth as much as it can admit the Emperours Mandate Likewise the Proxie of the King of the Romanes in the person of Paulus Gregorianus Bishop of Zagabria and of Fredericke Nausea Bishop of Vienna was read and this second did speake and was answered as those of the Emperour After this Iacobus Amiotus Abbat of Bellosana appeared in the name of the French King with letters of his Maiesty which he presented to the Legate The Abbat of Ballosana presenteth the French Kings letters the inscriptioÌ„ wherof giueth distast to the Synode desiring they might be read and his credency heard The Legate receiuing them gaue them to the Secretary to be read The superscription was Sanctissimis in Christo Patribus Conuentus Tridentini The Bishop of Orange and after him the other Spaniards said aloud that those letters were not sent vnto them who were a generall Councel and not a Conuent and therefore that they ought neither to bee read nor opened in publike Session but if the Messenger had ought to say hee should goe home Much was spoken concerning the signification of the word Conuentus the Spaniards persisting that it was iniurious So that the Bishop of Mentz was forced to say that if they would not receiue a letter from the King of France who called them Sanctissimus Conuentus how would they hearken to the Protestants who called them Conuentus Malignantium But the Spanish Prelats continuing still to be more tumultuous then the rest the Legate with the Nuncij and the Emperours Ambassadours retired into the vestry and had a long disputation hereof At the last returning to their place they made it bee told to the Speaker that the Synode doth resolue to reade the letters without preiudice thinking that the word Conuentus is not meant in an ill sence and if it be doth protest of the Nullitie Then the Kings letter was opened and read which was dated the 13. of August and said in substance That it seemed agreeable to the obseruance which his ancestors haue alwaies vsed towards the Church to signifie to them the causes why he hath bin forced not to send any B. to the conuâ—nt called by Iulius by the name of a publike Councel being assured that they the fathers wil not condemne any mans fact before they know it and that when they shal vnderstand what he hath done they wil commend it That he was compelled for preseruation of his honour to continue in his resolution to protect the Duke of Parma from which hee would not refuse to depart if Iustice and Equity did permit That hee writeth to them as to Honourable Iudges praying them to receiue the letters not as from an addersary The contents of them or a person vnknowen but as from the Prince and principall sonne of the Church by inheritance of his Ancestors whom hee promiseth alwayes to imitate and while he defendeth himselfe from wrongs not to lay aside his charity towards the Church but euer to receiue whatsoeuer shall be constituted by her so that due order be obserued in making the Decrees
and that they should speake as vnderstanding the matter not as they seemed to doe by custome and habite of the Schooles Diuers draughts were made by both sides to expresse these mysteries and some were composed by taking some thing from either partie But none gaue satisfaction especially to the Nuncio Verona who was the principall Superintendent in this matter It was determined in the generall Congregation to vse as few words as was possible and to make an expression so vniuersall as might bee accommodated to the meaning of both parties and the care heereof was committed to some Fathers and Pheologues with the superintendencie of the foresaid Nuncio In the end of this Congregation it was proposed that a collection should The abuses occurring therein rre noted be made of the abuses occurring in this matter with remedies against them and in the Congregations following many were recounted That in some particular Churches the Sacrament is not kept and in others is kept very vndecently That when it is carryed in the streeâ—e many doe not kneele to it and some scarce vouchsafe to put off their caps That in some Churches it is kept so long that it becommeth putrified That in administring the holy Communion great indecencie is vsed by some parish Priests who haue not so much as a cloath for him that communicateth to hold in his hand That which is of most importance the communicants doe not know what they receiue nor are instructed of the dignity and fruit of this Sacrament That Concubinaries Concubines and other enormous sinners and many who know not the Pater noster and Aâ—â—e Maria are admitted to the Communion That money is demanded at the Communion in the name of almes and which is worse there is an vse in Rome that he who is to communicate doeth hold a burning candle in his hand with money sticking in it which together with the candle after the Communion remayneth to the Priest and he that beareth not a candle is not admitted to the Communion To remedie part of these and other abuses flue Canons were made And fiue Canons made to redresse them which had a faire proheme In which it was constituted that the Sacrament beeing lifted vp on the Altar or carryed by the way euery one should kneele and vncouer his head That the Sacrament should bee kept in euery Parish Church and renewed euery fifteene dayes and haue a lampe burning before it night and day That it bee carryed to the sicke by the Priest in an honourable habite and alwayes with light That the Curates teach the people what grace is receiued in this Sacrament and execute against them the penalties of the Chapt. Omnis Vtriusque sexus That the Ordinaries should haue care of the execution chastising the transgressours with arbitrary punishments besides those which are set downe by Innocentius the third in the Chapt. Statuimus and by Honorius the third in the Chapt. Sane The reformation was handled at the same time when there was disputation in matter of faith but by other Congregations in which the Canonists did assist which discussions not to interrupt the matter I haue brought all together to this place And because the purpose was to reforme the Episcopall iurisdiction this place requireth for the vnderstanding of what will be sayd vpon this and many other occasions hereafter that the originall should bee declared and how beeing mounted to so great power it became suspected to Princes and terrible to the people CHRIST hauing commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments hee left also to them in person of all the faithfull this principall precept To loue one another charging them to make peace betweene those that dissented and for the last remedie giuing the care thereof to the body of the Church promising it should bee bound and loosed in heauen whatsoeuer they did binde and loose on earth and whatsoeuer two did aske with a common consent should bee granted by the Father In this charitable office to giue satisfaction to the offended and pardon to the offender the Primitiue Church was alwayes exercised And in conformity of this Saint Paul ordayned that brothers hauing ciuill suites one against another should not goe to the Tribunals of the Infidels but that wise men should be appoynted to iudge the differences and this was a kind of ciuill Iudgement as the other had a similitude of a criminall but were both so different from the iudgements of the world that as these are executed by power of the Iudge who enforceth submission so those onely by the will of the guilty to receiue them who refusing them the Ecclesiasticall Iudge remaineth without execution and hath no power but to foreshew the iudgement of GOD which according to his omnipotent good pleasure will follow in this life or the next And indeed the Ecclesiasticall iudgement did deserue the name of charitie The Reformation is handled at the same time with the Doctrine but in diuers Congregations in regard that it only did induce the guilty to submit and the Church to iudge with such sincerity that neither in the one any bad effect could haue place nor iust complaint in the other and the excesse of charitie in correcting did make the corrector to feele greater paine then the corrected so that in the Church no punishment was imposed without great lamentation of the multitude and greater of the better sort And this was the cause A discourse of the Authour concerning 〈…〉 opall Iurisdiction why to correct was called to lament So Saint Paul rebuking the Corinthians for not chastising the incestuous said You haue not lamented to separate such a transgressour from you And in another Epistle I feare that when I come vnto you I shall not finde you such as I desire but in contentions and tumults and that at my comming I shall lament many of those who haue sinned before The iudgement of the Church as is necessary in euery multitude was fit that it should be conducted by one who should preside and guide the action propose the matters and collect the points to bee consulted on This care due to the most principall and worthy person was alwayes committed to the Bishop And where the Churches were many the propositions and deliberations were made by the Bishop first in the Colledge of the Priests and Deacons which they called the Presbyterie and there were ripened to receiue afterwards the last resolution in the generall Congregation of the Church This forme was still on foote in the yeere two hundred and fiftie and is plainely seene by the Epistles of Cyprian who in the matter concerning those who did eate of meates offered to Idols and subscribe to the Religion of the Gentiles writeth to the Presbytery that hee doeth not thinke to doe any thing without their counsell and consent of the people and writeth to the people that at his returne hee will examine the causes and merits thereof in their presence
many other places Sacramentally in a maner of existence which is beleeued by faith and can hardly be expressed by words For all the ancients haue professed that CHRIST did institute this Sacrament in the last Supper when after the benediction of the Bread and Wine hee sayd in cleare and manifest words that he gaue his Body and Blood which hauing a most plaine signification it is great wickednesse to wrest them to imaginary figures denying the trueth of the Flesh and Blood of CHRIST Afterwards it teacheth that CHRIST hath instituted this Sacrament in memory of himselfe ordayning it should be receiued as a Spirituall foode of the soule as a medicine for our dayly faults a preseruatiue from mortall sinne a pledge of eternall glory and a signe of the Body whereof himselfe is the Head And though it bee common to this Sacrament with others to bee a signe of a sacred thing yet it hath this proper to it selfe that other hauing vertue to sanctifie in the vse this doth conteine the author of Sanctity before the vse For the Apostles had not receiued the Eucharist from the hand of our Lord when he sayd that it was his Body and the Church hath alwayes beleeued that the Body of CHRIST is vnder the bread and the Blood vnder the wine by vertue of the Consecration but by concomitancie as much is vnder either of the kindes and euery part of them as vnder both declaring that by the Consecration of the Bread and Wine there is made a conuersion of their whole substance into the substance of the Body and Blood of CHRIST which conuersion the Catholique Church hath called Transubstantiation by a fit and proper terme Therefore the faithfull doe giue the honour of Latria or diuine worship due vnto God to this Sacrament and it hath been religiously instituted to make a particular feast for it euery yeere and to carry it in procession in pubique places Likewise the custome to keepe it in an holy place is auncient and hath been obserued from the time of the Nicen Councell and to carry it to the sicke is an old custome beeing reasonable besides and commanded in many Councels And if it be not fit that any holy thing should be handled without sanctity much more none ought to come to this Sacrament without great reuerence and proofe made of himselfe which proofe must bee that none hauing mortally sinned though hee bee contrite may receiue it without sacramentall Confession which the Priest also who is to celebrate ought to obserue so that hee can finde a Confessour and if hee cannot hee must confesse immediately afterward It doeth teach also that there bee three kindes of receiuing the Eucharist One Sacramentally onely as sinners doe another spiritually as those doe who receiue it with a liuely faith and desire the third conteineth both kindes as those doe receiue it who hauing prooued themselues as aforesaid doe goe to the Table And there is an Apostolicall Tradition and so it ought to bee obserued that the Liaitie should receiue the Communion from the Priests and the Priestes should Communicate Themselues In the ende the Synode prayeth all Christians to agree in this doctrine When the Decree was ended the eleuen Anathematismes were read 1. Against him that shall denie that in the Eucharist is contained truely The Anathematismes really and substantially the Body and Blood with the Soule and Diuinitie of CHRIST that is whole CHRIST and shall say that he is contained onely as in a signe or figure or virtually 2. That in the Eucharist there doeth remaine the substance of the bread and wine with the Body and Blood of CHRIST or shall denie that admirable conuersion of all the substance of the bread into the body and of the wine into the blood there remaining onely the forme which conuersion the Church most appositely calleth Transubstantiation 3. That in the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnder euery kinde and vnder euery part beeing separated all CHRIST is not contayned 4. That the Conseoration beeing made he is not there but in the vse and neither before nor after and that hee is not in the particles which remaine after the Communion 5. That the principall fruit of the Eucharist is the remission of sinnes or that it hath no other effect 6. That CHRIST in the Eucharist ought not to bee worshipped with the honour of Latria nor honoured with a particular feast nor carried in procession nor put in a publique place to bee worshipped or that the worshippers are Idolaters 7. That it is not lawfull to keepe it in an holy place but that it should bee distributed to the standers by or that it is not lawfull to carrie it honourably to the sicke 8. That CHRIST in the Eucharist is eaten onely spiritually and not Saoramentally and really 9. That the faithfull being of age are not bound to communicate euery yeere at Easter 10. That it is not lawfull to the Priest who celebrateth to communicate himselfe 11. That faith onely is a sufficient preparation to receiue it Declaring in the ende that the preparation ought to bee by the meanes of Sacramentall Confession holding him to bee excommunicate who shall teach preach affirme pertinaciously or defend in publique disputation the contrary The Decree of the Reformation containeth first a long admonition to The Decree of Reformation the Bishops to vse their iurisdiction moderately and charitably then determineth that in causes of visitation correction and inability and in the criminall none may appeale from the Bishop or his Vicar generall before the definitiue or from an irreparable grieuance and when there shall bee place of Appeale and a Commission shall bee granted in partibus by Apostolike authority it shall not bee granted to any but the Metropolitan or his Vicar or in case hee bee suspected or farre distant or the Appeale bee from him it shall not bee granted but to a Bishop dwelling neere or a Bishops Vicar That the defendant appealing shall bee bound to produce in the second instance the actes of the first which shall beegiuen him within thirtie dayes without paying for them That the Bishop or his Vicar generall may proceede against any to condemnation and verball deposition and may also degrade solemnely with the assistance of so many Abbats of Miter and postorals if hee can haue them or of so many other Ecclesiasticall dignities as there are Bishops required by the Canons That the Bishop as delegate may summarily take knowledge of the absolution of euery one of whom inquisition is made and of the remission of the punishment of euery one that is condemned by him and if it shall appeare vnto him that sentence hath been obtained by telling that which is false or concealing the trueth hee may cause it not to be executed That a Bishop may not bee cited to appeare personally but for such a cause for which he may be deposed or depriued by what forme of iudgement soeuer the proceeding bee That testimonies in
being curiously The Decrees are censured in Germany read in Germany and else-where raised much speech in many things concerning the Eucharist First because treating of the manner of the existence it said that it could hardly be expressed in wordes and yet affirmeth after that it is properly called Transubstantiation and in another place that it is a most fit terme which beeing so one cannot doubt but that it may bee properly expressed It was further noted that hauing declared that CHRIST after the benediction of Bread and Wine said that that which hee gaue was his Body and Blood it came to determine against the opinion of all the Diuines and of the whole Church of Rome that the wordes of consecration were not those that is this is my body because it doth affirme that they were spoken after the consecration But to prooue that the body of our LORD is in the Eucharist before the vse because CHRIST in giuing of it said before it was receiued by his Disciples it was his Body did shew that they did presuppose that the giuing of it did not belong to the vse the contrary whereof was apparantly true The manner of speach vsed in the fifth point of doctrine saying that diuine worship was due to the Sacrament was noted also for improper seeing it is certaine that the thing signified or conteined is not meant by the Sacrament but the thing signifying and containing and therefore it was well corrected in the sixt Canon which said that the Sonne of GOD ought to bee worshipped in the Sacrament That also in the third Anathematisme was noted that all CHRIST was in euery part after the separation because it seemeth one may necessarily inferre from hence that it was not in euery part before the diuision The Priest complained of the reformation and sayd that the Bishops authority The Priests complaine of the reformation was made too great and the Clergie brought into seruitude But the Protestants seeing the point where it was said that they desired to bee heard in foure Articles onely did much wonder who should make that request in their name seeing they had said and repeated so often in publique Diets and by publique writings that they desired a discussion of all the controuersies nor would receiue any of those things which were already determined in The Protestants dislike the reseruation of y e points of doctrine And the form of the Safe Conduct Trent but would haue all to be reexamined They thought also that the forme of the Safe Conduct was very captious because as well in the Decree to grant it as in the tenour therof there was this clause of reseruation as farre as belogneth to the Synode for no man demaundeth of another but that which belongeth to him to graunt But this affected diligence to expresse and repeat it was a signe that they had inuented a meanes to goe against it and to excuse themselues vpon others And they doubted not but that the ayme of the Synode was to leaue a gate open for the Pope that he might doe with his owne and the Councels honour what hee thought seruiceable for them both Besides the treating to depute Iudges for things hereticall committed or to be committed seemed to them a kinde of net to catch those that were vnwary and euen the very Pedants did laugh at it that the principall verbe was more then an hundred and fifty wordes distant from the beginning The Protestants did vniformely agree not to bee content with it or trust vpon it but to desire another iust like that which was giuen by the Councell of Basill to the Bohemians which if it were granted they did obtaine one great point that is that the controuersies should be decided by the holy Scripture and if it were not granted they might excuse themselues with the Emperour The day following the Session there was a generall Congregation to set downe how to treate of Penance and extreame Vnction and to continue the reformation It was considered that the manner of discussion prescribed was exceeded by the Diuines whence contentions did arise for which they could not be vnited against the Lutherans and therefore it was thought necessary to renew the decree not â—uffer any to vse the reasons of the schools but to cause them to speake positiuely and also to obserue the order which they thought fit to establish againe as well because the not obseruing of it had bred confusion as because the Flemings did complaine that none account was made of them as did also the Diuines which came with the Prelates of Germanie To handle Penance and extreame Vnction was decided already and something was said in matter of reformation and Prelats were deputed who with the Nuncio of Verona were to make the Articles in matter of faith and with the Nuncio of Siponto in matter of reformation In matter of faith twelue Articles were framed vpon the Sacrament of Penance drawen Verbatim out of the booke of Martin and of his Schoolers to be disputed by the Diuines whether they were to bee held for hereticall and condemned for such which in framing the Anathematismes after the Diuines had giuen their voyces were so changed that no iot of them remaining it is superfluous to recite them To these Articles were added 4. more of extreame Vnction answereable in all points to the soure Anathematismes established In Three Decrees are made concerning the manner of proceeding in Councell the same page where the Articles were set downe three Decrees were added That the Diuines ought to giue their opinions out of the holy Scripture Traditions of the Apostles holy Councels Constitutions and authorities of Popes and holy Fathers and out of the consent of the Catholique Church That the order of speaking should be thus that first they should speake who were sent by the Pope secondly those who were sent by the Emperour thirdly those of Louaine sent by the Queene fourthly those Diuines who came with the Electors fiftly the Secular Clergie men according to their promotions sixtly the Regulars according to their orders That there should be two congregations euery day one in the morning from the foureteenth houre vntill the seuenteenth another in the afternoone from the twentieth houre vntill the three and twentieth The Articles of Reformation were in number fifteene all which answered the points which were after established except the last in which a propose was made to constitute that Benefices should not be giuen in Commenda but to persons of the same age which the law required in those who might haue them in title which Article when it was spoken of was easily buried in silence because it hindered many Prelates to renounce their Benefices to their Nephewes The Pope who as hath been said wrote letters to the Catholique Suisses inuiting them to the Councell did still make the same instance vnto them by his Nuncio Ieronymus Francus wherein also hee was assisted by the Emperour The French
also that mention should bee made of publike Penance so much commended by the Fathers especially by Cyprian and Saint Gregorie the Pope who in many Epistles sheweth it to bee necessary by the Law of God which if it bee not brought againe into vse concerning heretikes and publike sinners Germaine will neuer bee free and yet the Decree as well in the doctrine as the Canons doeth not onely not speake in fauour of it but rather doeth weaken it and detract from it They desired also that some certaine externall signe should be declared for the matter of the Sacrament for otherwise the obiection of the aduersaries will neuer bee answered Two things did exceedingly displease the Franciscan Diuines the one And others by the Francascans and by â—râ—ar Ambrosius Pelargus for hauing declared Contrition Confession and Satisfaction to bee the matter of the Sacrament holding them to be necessary requisites but not essentiall parts of Penance They sayd it was plaine that the matter should bee a thing applied to the receiuer by the Minister and not an operation of the receiuer himselfe That this appeareth in all Sacraments and therefore that it is a great inconuenience to put the actes of the Penitent for part of the Sacrament That it is certaine that Contrition is no lesse required to Baptisme then it is to Penance and yet it is not put for part of Baptisme That the ancients did require confession of sinnes before Baptisme as also Saint Iohn did of those whom he baptized and they made those that were Catechised to stand in Penance and yet neuer any said that these were parts or matters of Baptisme Therefore to condemne this opinion held by the ancient Diuines of the Franciscan religion and now by the whole Schoole of Paris was to passe their limits They complained also that it was made heresie to say that sacramentall Absolution is declaratiue because Saint Ierom the Master of the Sentences S. Bonauenture and almost all the Schoole Diuines haue cleerely sayd that the Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance is a declaration that one is absolued To this last answere was made that hee was not absolutely condemned for an heretike who said that Absolution is a declaration that sinnes are remitted but that sinnes are remitted to him that doeth certainely beleeue that they are remitted to him therefore onely the opinion of Luther was comprehended But they were not so satisfied saying that in handling of heresie one should speake plainely and that no man would make such an exposition of it and they demanded that as well in the point of doctrine as in the Anathematisme this particular should bee well declared But Friar Ambrosius Pelargus a Diuine of the Elector of Triers considered that the words of our Lord Quorum remiseritis were perhaps not expounded by any Father for an institution of the Sacrament of Penance and that by some they were vnderstood of Baptisme by others of any other thing by which pardon of sinnes is receiued Therefore to restraine them onely to the Sacrament of Penance and to declare them heretikes who vnderstand them otherwise would giue a great aduantage to the aduersaries and cause them to say that the ancient doctrine of the Church was condemned in the Councell Therefore hee exhorted them before they made such a great stride to looke vpon the expositions of the Fathers and when those were examined to determine what should be sayd Many of the Fathers thought the remonstrances to be very considerable desired that the Deputies would consultagaine as they had done before vpon other occasions to remooue whatsoeuer gaue offence to any and so to frame the Decree as that euery one might approoue it But Cardinall Crescentius opposed with a continuate speach shewing that But all of thâ— are crossed by Card. Crescentius to take the sinewes and soule from the Decrees to satisfie the humours of particular men was not honourable for the Synode That they were maturely established and therefore it was fit to obserue them Yet if his opinion did not please all hee was content that before any thing else were done this generall should bee handled in a Congregation whether it were good to make a change or not and then to descend to the particulars But in this hee did not fully discouer what his aime was which afterwards hee did manifest to his Colleagues and trustie friends that they should not suffer the vse of contending and speaking so freely which would bee dangerous when the Protestants came because they would doe as much in fauour of their owne opinions That for the honest and reasonable libertie of the Councell it sufficeth that one may deliuer his opinion while the matter is disputed but after when all men haue beene heard the Decrees framed by the Doputies allowed by the Presidents seene examined and approoued at Rome to call them into question and to require an alteration for particular interests was too much licence The Cardinall ouercame at the last the maior part of the Fathers being perswaded that the doctrine established was according to the opinion of the most intelligent Diuines and most opposite to the Lutheran nouities But because almost all is spoken that concerneth matter of faith in that Session it will not bee amisse to adde that little which remaineth touching the Sacrament of extreame Vnction Of which the Diuines spake with the â—ame prolixitie but without any difference amongst themselues And out of their opinions three points of doctrine and foure Anathematismes were framed The doctrine contained in substance That the Vnction of the The Doctrine co 〈…〉 ng 〈◊〉 Vnction sicke is truely and properly a Sacrament insinuated by CHRIST our Lord in S. Marke and published by the Apostle S. Iames from whose words the Church did learne by an Apostolicall tradition that the oyle blessed by the Bishop is the matter and the wordes vsed by the Minister is the forme of the Sacrament but the thing contained and the effect is the grace of the holy Ghost which purifieth the reliques of sinne and rayseth vp the minde of the sicke and sometimes when it is profitable for the soule giueth health of body The ministers of the Sacramentare the Priests of the Church the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not vnderstood for ancients but for Priests And this Vnction ought principally to be giuen to those who are at the point of death who being recouered and returned to the state of sickenesse may receiue it againe And therefore an Anathema is pronounced 1. Against him that shall say that extreame Vnction is not truely and properly a Sacrament instituted by CHRIST 2. That it doeth not giue grace nor remit sinnes nor case the sicke but is ceased as that which did formerly belong to the grace of health 3. That the rite vsed by the Church of Rome is contrary to the saying of Saint Iames and may bee neglected without sinne 4. That the Priest onely is not the minister and that
Saint Iames did vnderstand the ancients for age and not the Priests ordained by the Bishop But if any maruaile why it is said in the first head of the doctrine that 14. Articles of reformation are handled in which the Presidents of the Synod the Bishops haue diuers ends this Sacrament is insinuated by CHRIST our Lord in Saint Marke and published in Saint Iames whereas the antecedence and consequence of the words did require that it should not bee sayd insinuated but instituted hee may know that it was first so written but a Diuine hauing obserued that the Apostles who anoynted the sicke of whom Saint Marke speaketh were not Priests because the Church of Rome holdeth that Priesthood was conferred vpon them onely in the last Supper it seemed a contradiction to affirme that the Vnction which they gaue was a Sacrament and that Priests onely are ministers of it Whereunto some who held it to bee a Sacrament and at that time instituted by CHRIST did answere that CHRIST commanding them to minister the Vnction made them Priests concerning that acte onely As if the Pope should command a simple Priest to giue the Sacrament of Chrisme he made him a Bishop for that acte Yet it was thought too dangerous to affirme it absolutely Therefore in stead of the word Institutum they put Insinuatum Which word what it may signifie in such a matter euery one may iudge who vnderstandeth what Insinuare is and doeth apply it to that which the Apostles then did and to that which was commanded by Saint Iames and to the determination made by this Councell But in matter of reformation as hath beene said fourteene Articles were proposed all belonging to Episcopall iurisdiction whereof when they had vnderstood the opinion of the Canonists in the particular Congregations and read all in the generall they came to frame the Decree Herein the ayme of the B B was to increase their authority to recouer that which the Pope had vsurped from them and of the Presidents to grant as little as they could But both parties did proceede cunningly and made shew to regard onely the seruice of God and the restitution of the ancient Ecclesiasticall discipline The Bishops thought they were hindered in executing their office For when they did suspend any from exercise of their orders or Ecclesiasticall degrees and dignities for causes knowen to themselues or did refuse to let them passe to higher degrees all was retracted by a Licence or Dispensation gotten at Rome which caused a disreputation of the Bishops damnation of soules and a totall ruine of discipline Concerning this the first head was made that such Licences and Restitutions should not bee offorce But the President for the honour of the Apostolique Sea would not haue the Pope named nor the chiefe Penitentiarie nor any ministers of the Court from whom such Licences were wont to bee obtained The titular Bishops did also hinder them who beeing depriued by a Decree published in the sixt Session of power to exercise the pontificall office in the Diocesses without leaue of the proper Bishop did retire themselues into a place exempt from all Bishopriques admitting those to holy orders who were before reiected as vnfit by their owne Bishops which they did by vertue of a priuiledge to ordaine any that offered himselfe vnto them This was prohibited in the second head but with this moderation that for reuerence of the Apostolike Sea mention should not bee made who granted the priuiledge And consequently in the third head power was giuen to the Bishops to suspend for what time they pleased any one ordained without their examination or with licence by facultie giuen by whomsoeuer These things the wiser sort of Bishops knew to bee of small weight because the Canonists doe hold that 344 Licences Priuiledges and Faculties granted by the Pope are neuer comprehended in generall words without speciall mention bee made of them But not beeing able to obtaine more they were content with this hoping that time might open them a way to proceede further It was also decreed in the same sixth Session that no secular Clerke by vertue of personall Priuiledge nor Regular dwelling out of the Monasterie by vigor of the Priuiledge of his order should bee exempt from the correction of the Bishoppe as Delegate of the Apostolike Sea Which some thinking not to containe the Canons of Cathedrall Churches and other Collegiate dignities who not by priuiledge but by ancient custome or by sentences put in execution or by Concordates with the Bishops established and sworne were in possession of not beeing subiect to Bishops and others also restraining it onely to visitation it was ordained in the fourth head that concerning secular Clerkes it should bee extended to all times and all sorts of excesses and declared that none of the things aforesayd should withstand Another disorder as great did arise because the Pope did grant a Iudge at the election of the supplicant to whosoeuer did seeke it by the ordinary meanes vsed in Court with authoritie to defend protect and maintaine him in possession of his rights and to remooue the molestation giuen him extending also this fauour to all his domestiques And this sort of Iudges were called Conseruators who did stretch their authoritie in place of defending the supplicant from molestations to withdraw him from iust corrections and also at their instance to molest and trouble the Bishops and other ordinary Ecclesiasticall superiours with censures The fifth point made prouision against this disorder ordaining that Conseruatorie graces should not helpe any body nor free him from inquisition accusation and conuention before the Ordinary in criminall and mixt causes and in ciuill also in which hee is plaintife and in other causes if the Conseruator bee suspected or difficultie arise betweene him and the Ordinary who is competent Iudge that arbitrators shall bee chosen according to the forme of the Law and that Conseruatory letters which comprehend domestiques shall bee extended but vnto two who doe liue at the charge of the Master of the familie and that these and the like graces shall not continue aboue fiue yeeres and that the Conseruators shall not haue Tribunals But the Synod did not meane to containe in this Decree Vniuersities Colledges of Doctours and Schollers places of Regulars and Hospitals Concerning which exception when this point was handled there was very great contention it seeming to the Bishops that against all right the exception was larger then the rule because the number of Doctors Schollers Regulars and Hospitalaries is greater then of all others who can haue Conseruatorie letters and that the prouision against any particular man was easie but the disorders of Vniuersities and Colledges were of the greatest importance The Legate gaue an account heereof to Rome where it beeing decided by that which was consulted vnder Paul the third that it was necessary for maintenance of the Apostolique Sea that the Friars and Vniuersities should totally depend on
iudge desiring therefore that what was done in the Councel the yeeres past might not haue the strength of a law but that the discussion of euery thing already handled should begin again it being not iust that when two contend in law what is done by one the other beeing lawfully absent should bee of forces and the rather because it may be cleerely demonstrated that aswell in the last actions as in those of the yeeres before Decrees haue been published contrary to the word of GOD. And they presented their doctrine and discourse in writing all which was receiued by the Secretary but the doctrine was not read The Speaker answered in the name of the Fathers that answere should be giuen in time conuenient When this was done the Electours and Ambassadours departed the The Fathers resolue not to alter the Safe Conduct Prelates remaining with the Presidents to giue order for the Session First the Decree was established and then the Safe Conduct proposed adding the causes why the Protestants were not content And consulting whether that which they desired should bee added to the forme they did easily agree all in one opinion that nothing should be added to auoide inextricable disputes and ineuitable preiudices The next day the 25. of Ianuary deputed for the Session they went to the The Session Church with the vsuall Ceremonies but with more Souldiers called by the Presidents to make ostentation of the greatnes of the Councel and with many strangers who came thither thinking the Protestants should be receiued publikely and with singular ceremonies The B. of Catanea sang Masse and Iohn Baptista Campeggio B. of Maiorica preached and the vsuall Riâ—es being obserued the Decree was read by the Masse Bishop the substance whereof was That the Synod to performe the things already decreed hauing exactly handled The Decree whatsoeuer belongeth to the Sacrifice of the Masse Sacrament of Order to publish in the Session the Decrees concerning them and the 4. Articles of the Sacrament of the Eucharist deferred thinking that the Protestants vnto whom they had giuen safe Conduct would haue been arriued by this time in regard they are not come but haue made supplication that all should be deferred vntil another Session giuing hope that they wil come long before the celebration thereof hauing receiued a safe Conduct in a more ample forme the Synod desirous of quiet peace beleeuing that they will come not to contradict the Catholike faith but to vnderstaÌ„d the truth that they wil be satisfied with the Decrees of the holy mother the Church hath put off the next Session vntill the nineteenth of March to giue light to and publish the things aforesaid granting them to remoue all cause of greater delay a safe Conduct of the tenour as shall be recited determining to handle in the meane while the Sacrament of Matrimony and to prosecute the reformation that they may publish the definitions of this together with the definitions of the things aforesayd The substance of the safe Conduct was That the Synod adhering The Safe Conduct to the safe Conduct already giuen and amplifying it doeth make faith to all Priests Princes Nobles and persons of what condition soeuer of the German nation which shall or are already come to the Councell Safe Conduct to come remaine propose and speake in the Synode to handle and examine what they thinke fit giue articles and confirme them answere the obiections of the Councell and dispute with those whom it doth elect declaring that the controuersies in this Councell shall bee handled according to the holy Scripture Traditions of the Apostles approoued Councels consent of the Catholike Church and authoritie of the holy Fathers adding that they shall not be punished vpon pretence of Religion or offences committed or which will bee committed so that there neede not bee any cessation from Diuine Seruice by reason of their presence either in the iourney or in the Citie of Trent or in any place else and shall returne when it shall seeme good vnto them without let with safety of their robe honour and persons but with the knowledge of the deputies of the Synode that prouision may bee made for their security granting that in this safe Conduct all those clauses bee held to bee included which are necessary for reall and full assurance adding that if any of them either in comming or in Trent or in returning shall commit any enormity which shall nullifie the benefit of this publike faith hee shall be punished by their own Iudges so that the Synod may be satisfied and on the other side if any other in comming hither remaining here or returning shall commit any thing which may violate this Safe Conduct hee shall bee punished by the Synode with the approbation of the Germans themselues who shall be present in Trent the forme of the assicuration remaining still in force giuing leaue to their Ambassadours to goe out of Trent to take the ayre and returne to send and receiue aduises and messengers as often as they shall thinke fit yet accompanied with the Deputies for their scecurity which Safe Conduct shall remaine in force so long as they be vnder the care of the Synode in comming to Trent in their abiding there and twenty dayes after they shall aske leaue to depart or after it shall bee granted to them that they may bee rendred in a secure place at their election which things it promiseth faithfully in the name of all faithfull Christians of all the Princes Ecclesiasticall and Secular and likewise of all other persons Ecclesiasticall and Secular of all conditions faithfully promising withall that the Synod shall not seeke occasion publikely or secretly that any thing bee attempted in preiudice of this Safe Conduct nor to violate the same will vse or suffer any to vse any authority power right statute or priuiledge of Lawes Canons or Councels especially that of Constance and of Siena which things in this behalfe and for this time it doth disallow And if the Synod or any person in it or any that belong to them shall violate the forme of this Safe Conduct in any point or clause whatsoeuer and punishment bee not inflicted to their approbation let them thinke that the Synode hath incurred all the punishments which the violaters of such Safe Conducts may incurre by the law of GOD or man or custome without admitting excuse or contradiction These things being read the Session was ended It is certaine that the Presidents doubtfull what might ensue were willing to bee prepared if the winde were prosperous to decide the matter of the Sacraments all in one Session and therefore hauing in a readinesse all that belonged to the Communion the Masse and Sacrament of Order they were desirous to digest also and put in order all that concerned Matrimonie that they might put all into one bundle and to handle succinctly in another Session Purgatorie Indulgences Images Reliques and such small matters for so they
Many are burned in England for Religion they had beene liuing and their bodies digged vp and burned an action commended by some as a reuenge of what Henrie the eight had done against S. Thomas by others compared to that which the Popes Stephanus the sixth and Sergius the third did against the Corps of Pope Formosus Many also were at the same time burned in France for Religion not And in France also without the indignation of honest men who knew that the diligence vsed against those poore people was not for pietie or Religion but to satiate Which was done to satiate the couetousnesse of Diana Valentina the couetousnesse of Diana Valentina the Kings Mistris to whom he had giuen all the confiscations of goods made in the Kingdome for cause of Heresie It was wondred also that those of the new reformation should meddle with blood for cause of Religion For Michael Seruetus of Tarragona made a Diuine of a Physician renewing the old opinion of Paulus Samosatenus and Marcellus Anciranus that the word of God was not a thing subsisting and therefore that Christ was a pure man was put to death for Michael Seruetus is burned in Geneua it in Geneua by Counsell of the Ministers of Zuric Berne and Schiaffusa and Iohn Caluin who was blamed for it by many wrote a Booke defending that the Magistrate may punish Heretickes with losse of life which Doctrine being drawen to diuers sences as it is vnderstood more strictly or more largely or as the name of Hereticke is taken diuersly may sometime doe hurt to him whom another time it hath helped At that time Ferdinand King of the Romanes published an Edict to all The King of the Romanes publisheth an Edict against all innouation in Religion the people subiect vnto him that in points of Religion and Rites they should not innouate but follow the ancient customes and particularly that in the holy Communion they should bee content to receiue the Sacrament of bread onely Wherein though many persons of note the Nobilitie and many of the Cities made Supplication vnto him that at the least the Cup might bee granted them saying that the institution was of Christ which might not bee altered by men and that it was the vse of the old Church as was confessed by the Councell of Constance promising all submission and obedience in all other things praying him not to burthen their consciences but to accommodate his commandement to the orders set downe by the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church yet Ferdinand perseuered in his resolution and answered them that his commandement was not new but an ancient institution vsed by his Ancestors Emperours Kings and Dukes of Austria and that the vse of the Cup was a nouitie brought in by curiositie or pride against the Law of the Church and consent of the Prince Yet hee moderated the rigour of the answere saying that the question being of a point that concerneth saluation hee would thinke of it more diligently and answere them in fit time but that in the meane while hee expected from them obedience and obseruation of the Edict Hee published also a Catechisme the fourteenth of And a Catechisme August made by his authoritie by some learned and pious Diuines 1555 PAVL 4. CHARLES 5. MARY 〈◊〉 HENRY 2. Which gaue distaste to the Court of Rome commaunding all the Magistrates of those Countries not to suffer any Schoolemasters to reade any but that either in publique or in priuate because by diuers Pamphlets which went about Religion was much corrupted in those Countryes This constitution distasted the Court of Rome because it was not sent to the Pope to bee approoued by his authoritie nor came foorth in the name of the Bishop of the Countrey the secular Prince assuming the office to cause to bee composed and to Authorize Bookes in matter of Religion especially by name of Catechisme to shew that it belonged to the secular power to determine what Religion the people should follow and what refuse The two yeeres of the suspension of the Councell being expired they treated in the Consistorie what was fit to bee done For although the condition in the Decree was that the Councell should be of force againe when the impediments were remooued which did still continue by reason of the warres of Siena Piemont and others betweene the Emperour and the French King yet it seemed that any man of an vnquiet Spirit might say that those impediments were not sufficient and that it was vnderstood that the Councell was on foote againe so that to free themselues from those dangers it might be good to make a new declaration But wiser men It is resolued in Rome not to speak of the Councell though the two yeeres of suspension were ended gaue counsell not to mooue the euill while it was quiet while the world was silent while neither Prince nor People demaunded the Councell lest by shewing they were afraid they might excite others to require it This aduice preuayled and made the Pope resolue neuer to speake more of it In the yeere 1555. there was a Diet in Ausburg which the Emperour 1555. A Diet. 〈◊〉 had in Ausburg to compose the differences in Religion had intimated principally to compose the controuersies of religion in regard this was the fountaine of all the troubles and calamities of Germanie with the losse not onely of the liues of many thousands of men but of their soules also Ferdinand began the Diet in the Emperours name the fifth of Februarie where hee shewed at large the lamentable spectacle of Germanie in which men of the same Baptisme Language In which Ferdinand maketh an Oration and Empire were distracted by so various a profession of Faith there arising new Sects euery day which did shew not onely small reuerence towards God and great perturbations of mens mindes but was cause also that the multitude knew not what to beleeue and that many of the principall Nobilitie and others were without all faith and honestie making no conscience of their actions which tooke away all commerce so that now it could not bee sayd that the Germanes were better then the Turkes and other barbarous people for which causes God hath afflicted it with so great calamities Therefore it was necessarie to take in hand the businesse of religion Hee sayd a generall free and pious Councell was formerly thought the onely remedie For the cause of Faith beeing common to all Christians it ought to bee handled by all and the Emperour imploying all his forces heerein did cause it to bee assembled more then once But there was no neede to say why no fruit came by it it beeing well knowen to all that were present Now if they desired to prooue the same remedie againe it was necessary to remooue the impediments which did 1555 MARCDILVS 〈◊〉 CHARLES 5. MARY HENRY 2. hinder them from attaining the wished end But if by reason of the accidents
Communion Sub vtraque specie affirming that certainely by this meanes at the least two hundred thousand soules would be gayned The Ambassadour in The French Ambassador desireth the Pope to grant the Communion of the Cup to the French-men conformitie hereof beseeched the Pope in the name of the King of the Church of France and of the Prelates that they might be dispensed with to administer to the people the Sacrament of the Eucharâ—st vnder both kindes as a profitable and necessarie preparation to dispose them to receiue the determinations of the Councell with readinesse without which it is much to bee doubted that this remedie will find raw humours which may causea greater disease The Pope according to his naturall disposition suddenly answered without any premeditation that he had euer thought that the Communion of both kinds and mariage of Priests were de iure poisiâ—inâ— in the disposition of which things hee had as much authority as the whole vniuersall Church and therefore was thought to bee a Luth 〈…〉 in the last Conclaue That the Emperor had made the same request for his son the king of Bohâ—â—ia whose Who glueth a fauourable answere conscience did induce him to be of this opinion and had demanded the like for the people of his patrimoniall Territories but that the Cardinals would neuer yeelde vnto it Notwithstanding hee sayd hee would not resolue of any thing without proposing it first in the Consistory and promised to speake hereof in the next which beeing intimated for the tenth of December the Ambassadour according to the custome of those at whose instance any businesse is handled went in the morning while the Cardinals were assembled expecting the Pope to mediate with them The most discreete amongst them answered that the demand did deserue great deliberation and that they durst not resolue vntill they had well considered of it others were passionate as at newes neuer heard of before The Cardinall of Cueua sayd that he would neuer giue his voyce in fauour of such a demand and that if it were so resolued by authority of his Holinesse and the consent of the Cardinals hee would goe to the top of the staires of Saint Peter and crie misericordia with a loud voyce not forbearing to say that the Prelates of France were infected with heresie The Cardinall Saint Angelo answered that hee would neuer giue a Cup full of such deadly poyson to the people of France in stead of a medicine and that it was better to let them die then cure them with such remedies To whom the Ambassadour replied that the Prelates of France were induced to bee of this opinion with good grounds and Theologicall reasons which deserued not such a contemptuous censure and on the other side that it was not fit to giue the name of poyson to the Blood of CHRIST and to call the holy Apostles poysoners and the Fathers of the Primitiue Church and of that which followed for many hundreds of yeeres who with much spirituall profit haue ministred the Cup of that Blood to all the people The Pope beeing entred into the Consistory hauing discoursed with For which afterwards hee was sory some Cardinals and better thought of the businesse wished hee had been able to recall his word Notwithstanding hee proposed the matter related the Ambassadours instance caused the Legats letter to bee read and demaunded their opinions The Cardinals who were dependants on France commended with diuers formes of words the Kings intention but concerning the request referred themselues to his Holinesse The Spaniards did all oppose and vsed great boldnesse of speach some calling the Prelates of France heretiques some schismatiques and some vnlearned alleadging no reason but that all CHRIST is in both the kinds The Cardinall Pacceco considered that all diuersities of rites especially in the most principall ceremonies doe end with schisme and hatred For now the Spaniards in France goe to the French Churches and the French men in Spaine to the Spanish but when they shal communicate so diuersly one not receiuing the Communion of the other they will be forced to make Churches apart and so behold a diuision Friar Michael Cardinall of Alexandria sayd that it could not by any meanes be granted by the Pope de plenitudine potestatis not for want of authoritie in him ouer all which is de iurepositiuo in which number this is but in regard of the incapaciâ—â— of him that demaundeth the fauour For the Pope cannot giue power to doe enill but it is an hereticall euill to receiue the chalice thinking it to bee necesary therefore the Pope cannot grant it to such persons And it cannot bee doubted but that those who demand it doe iudge it necessary because no man maketh any great matter of indifferent ceremonies Hee said that these men doe hold the Chalice either to bee necessary or not if not why doe they giue scandall by making themselues differ from others if otherwise then they are heretiques and vncapable of the grace The Cardinall Rodolpbo Pio di Carpi who was one of the last that spake because the inferiours doe begin concluded in conformitie with the others that not onely the sauing of two hundred thousand soules but one onely was a sufficient cause to dispence with any positiue law with wisedome and maturity but in that proposition one ought to take heede lest thinking to game two hundred thousand hee lose two hundred millions That it was manifest that this would not bee the last demand of the French men in matter of religion but a step to propose another that afterward they will demand the marriage of Priests the vulgar tongue in the ministery of the Sacraments which will haue the same ground because they are de iure positiuo and must be granted for the preseruation of many Of the marriage The inconuenience of the mariage of Priests of Priests this inconuenience will follow that hauing house wife and children they will not depend on the Pope but of their Prince and their loue to their children will make them yeeld to any preiudice of the Church They will seeke also to make the Benefices hereditary and so in a short space the authoritie of the Apostolike Sea will be confined within Rome Before single life was instituted the Sea of Rome receiued no profit from other nations and Cities and by it is made Patron of many Benefices of which mariage would quickly depriue her Of the vulgar tongue this incouenience would follow The inconuenience of the vulgar tongue that all would thinke themselues Diuines the authoritie of Prelates would be disesteemed and all would become heretiques If the communion of the Chalice were granted so that faith were preserued it would bee of small importance but it would open a gate to demaund an abrogation of all posiâ—ue constitutions by which onely the prerogatiue giuen by CHRIST to The inconuenience of the communion of the Cup. the Church of Rome is preserued for
departed a few dayes after neither is his name in the Catalogues of the Diuines but onely in those which were printed at Brescia and Riua before that time The 28. of Iuly Iohn Cauillone a Iesuite and a Diuine of the Duke of Baudria spake very cleerely concerning the Articles representing all as it were without difficultie not by way of examination or discussion but stirring vp their affections to pietie He shewed many miracles which hapned in diuers times affirmed that from the time of the Apostles vntill Luther no man doubted of it alleadged the Liturgies of Saint Iames Saint Marke Saint Basil and Saint Chrysostome Concerning the oppositions of the Protestants hee said they were sufficiently resolued without which they ought to beleeue they were but fallacies because they come from persons alienated from the Church And in the end he exhorted the Legats not to permit that in any matter whatsoeuer the arguments of the heretiques should bee proposed without adding a most euident resolution which he that cannot doe must forbeare to relate them because true pietie requireth that the reasons contrarie to the doctrine of the Church should not be repeated before the minds of the hearers be prepared by shewing the peruersenesse and ignorance of the inuentors and that their arguments are not hearkened vnto but by people of a weake braine which being done they may succinctly be rehearsed with the intermediate proofes adding the plaine answere well amplified and when it doth seeme that some thing wanteth the disputations is to bee diuerted to another matter for feare of breeding scruple in the minds of the auditors especially being Prelats and Pastors of the Church His discourse did please very much the greater part of the Prelats and was commended for pious and Catholike and that it did deserue that the Synod should make a Decree and command that all Preachers Readers and Writers should obserue the rules set downe therein But it gaue small satisfaction to the Ambassadour of his Prince who after the Congregation in presence of the Imperialists which came in complement to thanke him for his speech said that truely it did deserue to be commended for hauing taught how to vse Sophistry in the simplicitie of Christian doctrine Antonius of Valtelina a Dominican Friar one of the last which were to speake The Rites of the Church of Rome are various of the sixe last articles of the Rites said that it was plaine by all histories that anciently euery Church had her particular Ritual of the Masse brought in by vse and vpon occasion rather then by deliberation and decree and that the small Churches did follow the Metropolitan and the greater which were neere The Romane rite hath beene to gratifie the Pope receiued in many Prouinces though the Rites of many Churches are still most different from it He spake of Mozarabo where there are horses and fencings after the maner of the Moores which haue a great mystery and signification and this is so different from the Romane that if it were seene in Italy one would not thinke it to be a Masse But that of Rome also hath had great alterations as will appeare to him that readeth the ancient booke which remaineth as yet and is called Ordo Romanus which haue beene made not onely in ancient times but euen in the latter ages also and the true Romane rite obserued within three hundred yeeres is not that which is now obserued by the Priests in that Citie but that which is retained by the Order of S. Dominicke For the vestments vessels and other ornaments of the Ministers and Altars it appeareth not by bookes onely but by statues and pictures that they are so changed that if the ancients should returne into the world they would not know them Therefore he concluded that to binde all to approue the Rites which the Church of Rome vseth might be reprehended as a condemnation of antiquitie and of the vses of other Churches and might receiue worse interpretations He aduised to discusse the essence of the Masse and not make mention of these other things He returned to shew the difference betweene the present Rite of Rome that which is described in the Ordo Romanus and amongst other particulars insisted much vpon this that according to that the Laickes did communicate with both kindes and so began to perswade the grant of the Cup at this present His discourse displeased the Auditorie but the Bishop of Fiue Churches protected him and said that he had deliuered nothing vntruely nor giuen any scandall because he spake not to the common people nor to fooles but in an Assembly of learned men to whom no trueth can giue bad edification and that he that would condemne the Friar as scandalous or rash did first condemne himselfe as vncapable of the trueth The same difference which was betweene the Diuines was also betweene The Prelates are diuided in opiniō about publication of the doctrine the Prelates deputed to compose the Doctrine and the Anathematismes to be proposed in Congregation For in the doctrine being to alledge the proofes and explications some approoued or disprooued one and some another according to their affections Martinus Peresius Bishop of Segouia who had beene present in the Councell at the handling of this matter in the end of the yeere 1551 was of opinion that the same doctrine and Canons should bee taken which were composed to bee published in Ianuarie 1552. and that they should be reuiewed But Cardinall Seripando did not approoue it saying that there appeared in that an incomparable pietie and Christian zeale but subiect to the calumnies of the aduersaries and that the end ought not to bee the instruction of the Catholikes as the aime of those Fathers seemeth to haue beene but the confusion of the heretickes Therefore that they ought to be more reserued in all parts and not to meddle with correcting the things ordained then that it was better to begin againe and not to giue occasion that it may bee sayd that they haue reaped that which was sowen by others Granata dissented from all and would not haue it said that CHRIST made an oblation in the Supper or did institute the sacrifice by those words Doe this in remembrance of me For the first Seripando said hee did not thinke it necessarie and that it might be omitted it being sufficient that CHRIST hath instituted the oblation but yet it was necessarie to say by what words it was instituted and there bee not any other but those before montioned But Iohannes Antonius Pantusa Bishop of Lettere was very passionate to haue the reasons of Malchizedec Malachie of the adoration of the woman of Samaria the tables of Saint Paul the oblation of CHRIST in the Supper and euery other reason alleadged to be put into the Decree In the end after the disputation of many dayes they agreed to put all in that the Prelats might speake their opinions in the Congregations and that might be taken away
night with small satisfaction of the parties and scandall of honest men In the end all was resolued but by the greater part only which did not much exceed in number those who contradicted The seuenteenth of September the day appointed for the Session beeing The Session come the Legats Ambassadors and 180. Prelats went to the Church with the vsuall ceremonies and after prayers made in time of the Masse the Bishop of Ventimiglia preached who with an Episcopall and Senatorious grauitie vsing the comparison betweene ciuill bodies and naturall shewed how monstrous a Synod would be if it had no head he shewed the office of it in making an influence of vertues into all the members and the thankefulnesse and duety of these in hauing more care of it then of themselues exposing themselues also to the defence of it hee said that the chiefe fault of an heretique according to Saint Paul was that hee doth not acknowledge an head on which the connexion of the whole body doeth depend hee added in few words that CHRIST was the inuisible Head of the Church but in many that the Pope was the visible Hee commended the exact diligence of his Holinesse in making prouision for the Synod and put euery one in minde of his duty in presenting the dignity of his Head hee praised the pietie and modestie of the Fathers prayed GOD that that Councell might proceed and end as gloriously as it had begun The Masse being ended the letters of Cardinall Amulius were read who The letters of Cardinall Amulius concerning the Orientall Christians as Protector of the Orientall Christian Nations informed the Synod that Abdisu Patriarch of Muzale in Assyria beyond Euphrates was come to Rome who had visited the Churches rendred obedience to the Pope and receiued the confirmation and Cope from his Holinesse Hee related that the people subiect vnto him had receiued the faith from the Apostles Thomas and Thaddeus and one of their Disciples called Marcus wholy conformable to the Roman with the same Sacraments and Rites whereof they had Bookes written euer since the time of the Apostles In the end hee told the largenesse of the Countrey subiect to that Prelat which extendeth it selfe vnto the further India with innumerable people subiect partly to the Turke partly to the Sophi of Persia and to the King of Portugall The letter beeing read the Ambassadour of Portugall protested that the Easterne Bishops subiect to his King did not acknowledge any Patriarch for their Superior and said that by acknowledging of this Patriarch they might not doe themselues and the King a preiudice Afterwards the Confession of his faith made in Rome the Are confuted by the Portugall Ambassadour◠17 of March was read in which hee swore to maintaine the faith of the holy Church of Rome promising to approoue and condemne that which it did approue and condemne and to teach the same to the Metropolitans and Bishops subiect vnto him Afterwards his letters directed to the Synode were read in which hee excused his not comming to the Councel by reason of the length of the iourney and prayed them that when it was ended the Decrees thereof might be sent vnto him which he promised he would cause to be fully obserued The same things had been read in the first Congregation but not regarded The Portugals protestation made men consider diuers absurdities in that narration and there was a whispering and the Portugall Prelates began to speake But the Speaker by order of the Legates told them that this should be spoken of in the Congregation And proceeding in the actes of the Councell the Masse Bishop read the The doctrine of the Massè doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Masse diuided into nine heads which contained in summe 1. That for the imperfection of the Leuitical Priesthood another Priest according to the order of Melchisedec was necessary which was CHRIST our LORD who although he offered himselfe but once vpon the Crosse to leaue in the Church a visible Sacrifice representing that of the Crosse and applying the vertue thereof declaring himselfe to be a Priest after the order of Melchizedec offered to GOD the Father his body and blood vnder the Bread and Wine and gaue them to his Apostles commanding them and their successors to offer them And this is that pure offering foretolde by Malachie which Saint Paul calleth the Table of the LORD and was figured by diuers Sacrifices in the time of Nature and of the Law 2. Because the same CHRIST is sacrificed in the Masse without blood who was sacrificed on the Crosse with blood this sacrifice is propitiatory and GOD appeased with this offering bestoweth the gift of repentance and remitteth all sinnes the offering and by the Priests the offerer beeing the same who formerly offered himselfe vpon the Crosse onely in a diuers manner so that this of the Masse doth not derogate from that of the Crosse yea by this the fruits of that are receiued which is offered for the sinnes punishments and necessities of the faithfull and also for the dead not fully purged 3. And though some Masses bee celebrated in memory of the Saints the sacrifice is not offered to them but to GOD onely 4. And to offer him with reuerence the Church hath for many ages instituted the Canon free from all errour composed out of the words of the LORD tradition of the Apostles and constitutions of Popes 5. And for the edification of the faithfull the Church hath instituted certaine Rites to pronounce in the Masse some things with a lowe and some with a loud voice adding benedictions lights odours and vestments by Apostolicall tradition 6. And the Synode doeth not condemne as priuate and vnlawfull but doeth approoue those Masses in which the Priest doeth communicate alone which vse is common in regard the people doeth communicate spiritually and that they are celebrated by a publique Minister and for all the faithfull 7. And the Church hath commanded to put water into the wine because CHRIST hath done so and from his side did issue water and blood together by which the vnion of the people signified by the water with CHRIST their head is represented 8. And howsoeuer the people doe not receiue much instruction by the Masse yet the Fathers haue not thought it fit that it should bee celebrated in the vulgar Therefore retaining the vse of the Romane Church that the people may not bee deceiued the Priests ought to expound something which is read in it especially vpon Holy dayes 9. And to condemne the errours which are spread against this doctrine it doeth adde nine Canons 1. Anathematizing him that shall say that a true and proper sacrifice is not offered to GOD in the Masse 2. Or that shall say that CHRIST by these wordes Doe this in remembrance of mee hath not instituted Priests and The Canons of the Masse commanded them to offer 3. Or shall say that the Masse is a sacrifice onely of prayse or
Councell was not intermitted for all The Articles of the Sacrament of Order this For the Articles concerning the Sacrâ—ment of Order were presently giuen foorth to be disputed by the Diuines the disputants elected and distinguished into foure rankes each of them being to di 〈…〉 two For they were eigh◠〈◊〉 Whether Order be truely and properly a Sacrament instituted by CHRIST or an humane inuentions or Rite to elect Ministers of the word of GOD and of the Saoâ—â—ments 〈◊〉 Whether Order bee one Saorament onely and all others bee meanes and degrees vnto Priesthood 3. Whether there be an Hierarchie in the Catholique Church consisting of Bishops Priests and other Orders or whether all Christians bee Priests or whether the vocation 〈◊〉 consent of the people or secular Magistrate bee necessary or whether a Priest may become a Laicke 〈◊〉 Whether there be a visible and externall Priesthood in the new Testament and a power to consecrate and offer the body and blood of CHRIST and to remit sinnes or onely the baâ—e Ministery to preach the Gospel so that those who preach not are not Priests 〈◊〉 Whether the holy Ghost is giuen and receiued in ordination and a Character imprinted 6. Whether Vnction and other ceremonies be necessary in consering Order or superfluous or pernicious 〈◊〉 Whether Bishops bee super 〈…〉 to Priests and haue peculiar power to confirme and ordaine and whether those who are brought in by any other meanes then Canonicall ordination are true Ministers of the Word and Sacraments◠〈◊〉 W 〈…〉 the Bishops called and ordained by the Pope be lawfull 〈◊〉 the those bee true Bishops who come in by any other way then Canonicall institution The 〈◊〉 of the moneth the Congregations of the Diuines 〈◊〉 gaâ— and were held twice la day and ended the second of October I will according 〈◊〉 vse â—â—late those opinions onely which are remarkeable 〈◊〉 ther for singularity o◠〈◊〉 among themselues In the first Congregation foure Dillines of the Pope spake who did all Are disputed in the Congregations 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 ning that Order was a 〈◊〉 by places of Scripture 〈◊〉 ally by that of S 〈◊〉 The thing â—hich 〈◊〉 from God are 〈◊〉 then by the â—â—adition of the Apoâ—â—le sâ—yings of the 〈◊〉 vâ—â—iso 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and aboue all by the Councell of Florence adding also this reason that the Church would bee a confusion if there were not gouernnment and obedience But Friar Peter Soto was copious in shewing that there were seuen Orders and each properly a Sacrament and all instituted by CHRIST saying it was necessary to make a declaration herein because some Canonists passing the limits of their profession haue added two more the first Tonsure and the Bishopricke which opinion may cause many other errors of greater importance He likewise shewed at large that CHRIST had when hee was on earth exercised all these Orders one after another all whose life as it was addressed to the last of these Sacraments so it is plaine that all the others serue onely as a ladder to climbe vp to the highest which is the Priesthood But Ierolamus Brauus a Dominican Friar hauing protested that hee constantly held that there were seuen Orders and each of them a Sacrament and that the vse of the Church ought to be obserued to proceed from the inferiour to the superiour and so to the Priesthood he added that hee was not of opinion that so particular a declaratioÌ„ ought to be made in regard of the difference betweene the Diuines amongst which one can hardly find two of the same minde For which cause Caietan in his old age wrote that he that collecteth the things taught by the Doctours and in the auncient and moderne Pontificals will see a great confusion in all other Orders but Priesthood The Master of the Sentences maintayned that Sub-deaconship and inferiour Orders were instituted by the Church and the Scripture seemed to haue instituted the Deaconship as a ministery of Tables and not as one of the Altar The difference concerning inferiour Orders in the old Pontificals where that which is in one is not in another doeth shew they are Sacramentall and not Sacraments And reason doth lead vs hereunto For the actions which one ordained doth may be done by one not ordained and are of the same validitie effect and perfection Saint Bonauenture also though hee thinketh that all seuen are Sacraments yet he holdeth two other opinions to be probable one that onely Priesthood is a Sacrament and the inferiours being imployed about corporall things as to open doores reade Lessons light Tapers and the like doe not seeme to expresse any celestiall matter and are therefore onely dispositions to Priesthood The second that the three holy Orders are Sacraments and concerning the common saying that the inferiour are degrees to the superiour Saint Thomas affirmeth that in the Primitiue Church many were ordained Priests immediatly without passing by the inferiour Orders and that the Church did ordaine that this passage should be made for humiliation onely It appeareth plainely in the Actes of the Apostles that Saint Matthias was immediatly ordayned an Apostle and the seuen Deacons did not passe by the Subdeaconship and the inferiour Orders Paulinus saith of himselfe that hauing a purpose to apply himselfe to the seruice of GOD in the Clergie he would for humiliation passe by all Ecclesiasticall degrees beginning from the Ostiarie but while hee was thinking to begin beeing yet a Laicke the multitude tooke him by force in Barcelona on Christmas day caried him before the Bishop and caused him to be ordained Priest at the first which would not haue beene done if it had not beene the vse in those times Therefore this Brauus concluded that the Synod ought not to passe beyond those things which are agreed on by the Catholiques and that it was better to begin with the Order of Priesthood which would make a connexion betweene this Session and the last which handled the Sacrifices and to passe from Priesthood to Order in generall not descending to any particularitie The Congregation being ended and most of the Prelates departed Fiue Churches with his Hungarians and some Polonians and Spaniards taried behinde to whom he made a speach and sayd that the Emperour being freed from all suspicion of warre by the truce concluded with the Turke tooke The Bishop of Fiue Churches maketh a speech concerning reformation nothing so much to the heart as the reformation of the Church which would surely be effected if some of the Prelates in the Councell would assist Therefore he exhorted and prayed them for Gods sake and for the charitie which euery Christian oweth to the Church that they would not abandon so honest iust and profitable a cause that euery one would put downe in writing what hee thought might be constituted for the seruice of God without any respect of man not reforming one part but the whole body of the Church both in the head and in the
needes bee a power of iurisdiction Concerning Order hee said a Bishop was of an higher degree then a Priest hauing all the power of him and two powers more yet notwithstanding cannot bee called his superiour as a Subdeacon is foure degrees higher then a doore-keeper yet not superiour vnto him Hee prooued this his opinion by the generall vse of the whole Church and all Christian Nations and alleadged diuers authorities out of the Fathers Finally hee came to the holy Scripture citing many places of the Prophets to shew that this authority is called the authority of a Pastor saying that the vniuersalitie of it was giuen to S. Peter when CHRIST said Feede my Lambes and some of it imparted by Peter to the Bishops when he bad them Feede the flocke which they haue in their custodie And this opinion had great applause But before those of this fourth ranke made an end of speaking the Spanish Prelates resoluing the point should bee handled whether Bishops are instituted by CHRIST after they had consulted together did conclude that it was better the first motion should begin in the Congregations of the Diuines that themselues might with more shew of reason resuming the things spoken before discourse vpon them and compell others to doe the like Therefore in the Congregation of the first of October Michael Oroncuspe a Diuine of the Bishop of Pampelona said to the seuenth that being to qualifie or condemne a proposition which hath many significations it was necessary to distinguish them and afterwards to examine them one by one and hee thought the proposition whether Bishops bee superior to Priests to be such For one must distinguish whether they be superiours de facto or de iure That they are superiours de facto it cannot be doubted because present experience and the Histories of many ages doe shew that Bishops haue exercised superiority and Priests obedience Therefore this Article being without question the other de iure remaineth to bee discussed Wherein there is another ambiguitie also whether Iure Pontificio or Diuine In the first sense the case is cleere that they are superiours there beeing so many Decretals which say it expressely which howsoeuer it bee true and certaine yet the Lutherans are not in this regard to be condemned for heretiques because that cannot bee an article of faith which is grounded only vpon the law of man and deserue to be condemned for denying the superiority of Bishops onely in case it bee dâ—iure Diuino He added that he thought this point very cleere and that he could euidently prooue it and resolue anything alleadged to the contrarie saying hee must not proceed further beeing prohibited to speake of it And here he shewed that the Ministery of Confirmation and Ordination is proper to Bishops And hauing spoken vpon the eighth Article in conformitie of the others he ended his discourse Iohannes Fonseca a Diuine of the Archbishop of Granata followed who The institution of Bishops is discussed entred brauely vpon the matter saying it neither was nor could be forbidden to speake of it For the Article being proposed to be discussed whether it be hereticall or no it is necessary to vnderstand whether it bee against fayth against which it cannot be if it doe not repugne to the Law of GOD. He sayd hee knew not whence the report came that one might not speake of it because by the very proposition of the Article it was commanded to be discussed And here hee proceeded to handle not the superiority alone but the institution also affirming that Bishops are instituted by CHRIST and by his diuine ordination superiours to Priests He said that if the Pope be instituted by CHRIST because hee hath said to Peter I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome and Feede my Lambes Bishops are likewise instituted by him because he hath said to all the Apostles That which you bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whose sinnes you remit they are remitted saying to them afterwards Goe into the whole world and preach the Gospel And which is more he said vnto them As my father hath sent me so I send you And if the Pope be successour of S. Peter the Bishops are successors of the Apostles alleadging many authorities out of the Fathers that the Bishops are successours of the Apostles And in particular he recited a long discourse of S. Bernard in this point to Eugenius the Pope and a place of the Actes of the Apostles where S. Paul saith to the Ephesians that they were made Bishops by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of GOD. Hee added that to bee confirmed or created by the Pope did not conclude that they were not instituted by CHRIST or had not authority from him For the Pope himselfe is created by the Cardinals and yet hath his authoritie from CHRIST and Priestes are created by the Bishop who doeth ordaine them but receiue their authoritie from GOD So the Bishops receiue the Diocesse from the Pope and authoritie from CHRIST Their superiority ouer Priests he proued to be iure diuino by authoritie of many Fathers who say that Bishops doe succeed the Apostles and Priestes the seuenty two disciples Concerning other particles of this point he said the same things which others had spoken before Cardinall Simoneta was impatient and turned often to his Colleagues and was about Which vexeth Cardinall Simoneta to interrupt the discourse but being entred into vpon so good reason and heard by the Prelates with such attention hee knew not how to resolue After him followed Antonius Grossetus a Dominican Friar who hauing briefly passed ouer the other articles insisted vpon this Hee stood much vpon the wordes of Saint Paul spoken to the Ephesians in Miletum exhorting them to haue a care of the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers vpon which place hee made many obseruations He sayd it was first necessary to declare that Bishops haue not commission for their office from men for so they would be hirelings to whom the Lambes doe not belong because the man who had committed the care vnto them beeing satisfied they had no more to thinke on But Saint Paul sheweth that the commission to gouerne the people of GOD is diuine giuen by the holy Ghost to conclude that they could not be excused by any dispensation of man He alleadged the famous passage of Saint Cyprian that euery Bishop is bound to giue an account of CHRIST onely Then he added that the Bishops of Ephesus were not of those who were instituted by CHRIST our LORD while hee was in the flesh but by Saint Paul or some other Apostle or disciple yet no mention is made of the ordainer but all is attributed to the holy Ghost who hath not giuen authority to gouerne but diuided a part of the flocke and consigned it to be fed And here hee made an inuectiue against those who a few dayes before sayd that the Pope doeth disturbe the flocke
inculcating that it was not well spoken and that it would bring againe into vse that which Saint Paul did detest I am of Paul and I am of Apollo He sayd the Pope was the ministeriall Head of the Church by whom CHRIST the principall Head doeth worke vnto whom also the worke ought to bee ascribed saying according to Saint Paul that the holy Ghost doth giue the flocke to be gouerned For the worke is neuer ascribed to the instrument or minister but to the principall Agent that this forme of speach hath alwayes beene vsed by the Ancients that GOD and CHRIST doe prouide the Church of gouernours that Saint Paul wrote to the Ephesians that CHRIST ascending to heauen hath furnished the Church with Apostles Euangelists Pastours and Masters shewing plainely that he did prouide Pastours after he was ascended into heauen and that the institution of Pastours and Masters in which number Bishops are ought as much to be ascribed vnto CHRIST as vnto the Apostles and Euangelists themselues The Theologue perceiued that he displeased the Legates and some more besides and fearing some bad Antonius Grossetus excuseth himselfe incounter as had happened vpon other occasions hee added that hee had spoken without premeditation beeing caried along by consequence of wordes and heat of discourse not remembring that that point was forbidden to be spoken of And entring againe to examine the proper offices of Bishops and contradicting the Lutherans who holde them for superfluous shewing they haue been very ancient in the Church and come from Apostolicall tradition he concluded The Legats did perceiue that this was the arte of Granata and the other Spaniards to giue the Prelats a field to enlarge themselues in this matter Therefore they tooke order that the contrary opinion should be defended by some of the foure Prelates who onely remayned to speake the next day and the Popes Prelats vsed to this arte were prepared to contradict the Spanish Bishops if they had begun to speake of this matter in the Congregations The next day the second of October two Diuines went about to prooue that as the superioritie of Bishops was certaine so it was hard to bee decided quo iure and in case it were would be of no fruit and therefore was to bee omitted Two others maintained that it was de iure Pontificio And Friar Simon a Florentine and a Diuine of Seripando discoursed according to the opinion of Caietanus and Catharinus in this forme that Bishops are instituted by CHRIST to gouerne the Church that his Maiesty did create Bishops all the Apostles when he said I send you as I haue beene sent by the Father that this institution was personall and ended with them that one of them was constituted to remaine perpetually in the Church which was Peter when he said not to him alone but to all his succession Feede my lambes that Saint Austin did meane so when he said that Peter did represent the whole Church which was neuer spoken of any of the other Apostles that Saint Cyprian said that Saint Peter is not onely a Type and figure of the vnity but that the vnity doeth begin from him In this power giuen onely to Peter and his successors the care of gouerning the Church is contained and of ordaining other Rectors and Pastors not as Delegates but as Ordinaries diuiding particular Prouinces Cities and Churches Therefore when it is demanded whether any Bishop bee de iure diuino one must answere affirmatiuely One onely the successour of Peter Besides the degree of a Bishop is de iure diuino so that the Pope cannot take order that there may be no Bishops in the Church but euery particular Bishop is De iure Pontificio Whence it commeth that he may create and translate them diminish or enlarge their Dioces giue them more or lesse authority suspend them also and depriue them which he cannot doe in that which is de iure diuino For from a Priest he cannot take away authority to consecrate because he hath it from CHRIST but may take iurisdiction from a Bishop because he hath it from himselfe And thus the famous saying of Cyprian must bee expounded there is but one Bishopricke and euery Bishop holdeth a part thereof in solidum otherwise it cannot bee defended that the gouernement of the Church is the most perfect of all that is Monarchicall and must necessarily fall into an Holigarchie which is the most imperfect and condemned by all those who write of gouernment Hee concluded that quo iure Bishops are instituted by the same they are superiour to Priests and that when this matter is to bee discussed the declaration is to bee made thus Hee alleadged Saint Thomas who saith in many places that euery spirituall power dependeth on that of the Pope and that euery Bishop ought to say I haue receiued part of that fulnesse He said that the old schoole-men were not to be regarded because none of them had handled this matter but the Modernes hauing after that the heresie of the Waldenses arose studied the Scripture and the Fathers haue established this trueth The last Diuine laboured to contradict him in that he said the Apostles were ordained Bishops saying when he sent them as himselfe was sent by the Father that he sent them to preach and to baptize which belongeth not to a Bishop but to a Priest and that onely Peter was ordained a Bishop by CHRIST who after the ascension ordained the other Apostles Bishops Concerning the other parts of this Article and the next they all agreed to comdemne them And so the Congregations of the Theologues were concluded After which the Legates beeing obliged to propose the reformation considering with themselues what particulars might be proposed not preiudiciall and yet might giue satisfaction were much troubled For that which would be gratefull to the Ambassadours would damnifie the Court and distaste the Bishops neither could they meddle with any thing that wold please the Bishops which would not bee preiudiciall to Rome or the The Legates demand of the Pope by letters what they shall doe concerning the reformation Princes Their resolution was to dispatch a Currier to the Pope and expect an answere and in the meane time to draw the businesse in length by making the Prelates speake in the matter of Order In particular they gaue his Holinesse an account of the contention which they did foresee concerning the Article of the superioritie of Bishops in regard of the petition made by the â—panish Prelates and the entrance made by their Diuines And howsoeuer they knew not their ende yet obseruing how earnest their request was and knowing how the Spaniards doe vsually ayme at things farre off they could not choose but suspect They put him in minde that this was the time in which they promised to speake of residence whereof some motion was made already For the Archbishop of Mesina demanded of those of Cyprus and Zara what their opinion would bee in case it were
Councell because it was not controuersed with the Protestants The thirteenth of October 1562. when the first Congregation of the The Arch-b of Granata discourseth concerning the institution of Bishops Prelates was held the Patriarchs and some Arch-bishops hauing approoued in few words the Anathematismes as they were composed the Arch-bishop of Granata did so likewise concerning the sixe first Canons in the seuenth hee desired it should be sayd that Bishops instituted iure Diuino are superiours to Priests saying that hee might with reason desire it because it was proposed in this forme in the Councell by Cardinall Crescentius vnder Iulius the third and approoued by the Synode For witnesses hee brought the Bishop of Segouia who assisted as a Prelat in that Councel and Friar Octauianus Preconius of Messina Arch-bishop of Palermo who beeing not then a Prelate was there as a Theologue He sayd they must needes declare both of these two points that is that Bishops are instituted iure Diuino and are iure Diuino superiour to Priests because it is denied by the heretiques and hee confirmed his opinion at large with many reasons arguments and authorities He alleadged Dionysius who sayth that the Order of Deacons is included in that of Priests that of Priests in that of Bishops that of Bishops in that of CHRIST who is Bishop of Bishops He added Pope Eleutherius who in an Epistle to the Bishops of France wrote that CHRIST had committed the Church Vniuersall to them That Ambrose vpon the Epistle to the Corinthians saith that the Bishop holdeth the place of CHRIST and is Vicar of the LORD He added also the Epistle of Cyprian to Rogatianus where hee often repeateth that the Deacons are made by the Bishops and the Bishops by GOD and that famous place of the same Saint that there is but one Bishopricke and euery Bishop holdeth a part of it Hee sayd the Pope was a Bishop others are because they are all brothers sonnes of one father which is GOD and of one mother which is the Church Therefore the Pope doth also call them brethren so that if the Pope bee instituted by CHRIST so are the Bishops also Neither can it bee said that the Pope calleth them brethren in ciuilitie or humility onely because the Bishops also in the incorrupt ages haue called him brother There are extant Epistles of Cyprian to Fabianus Coruelius Lucius and Stephanus Popes where he giueth them the title of brothers and of Austine written in his owne name and of the other Bishops of Africa in which the Popes Innocentias and Bonifacius are likewise called brothers But which is most plaine not onely in the Epistles of those two Saints but of many others also the Pope is called Colleague And it is against the nature of a Colledge to consist of persons of diuers kindes and if there were such difference that the Pope should bee instituted by CHRIST and Bishops by the Pope they could not be in one Colledge In a Colledge there may bee an Head as in this Colledge of Bishops the Pope is Head but for edification onely and as it is said in Latine in beneficientem causam St. Gregory saith in his Epistle to Iohannes Syracusanus that when a Bishop is in a fault hee is subiect to the Apostolique Sea but otherwise all are equall by reason of humility which Christian humility is neuer separated from the trueth He alleadged St. Ierome to Euagrius that wheresoeuer a Bishop shall bee whether in Rome or in Augubium or in Constantinople or in Rheggio all are of the same merit and of the same Priesthood and all successors of the Apostles Hee inueighed against those Theologues who said that St. Peter had ordained the other Apostles Bishops Hee admonished them to study the Scriptures and to obserue that power to teach throughout all the world to administer the Sacraments to remit sinnes to binde and loose and to gouerne the Church is equally giuen to all and finally they are sent into the world as the Father hath sent the Sonne And therefore as the Apostles had authoritie not from Peter but from CHRIST so the successours of the Apostles haue not power from the successour of Peter but from CHRIST himselfe Hee brought to this purpose the example of the tree in which there are many branches but one body onely Then hee iested at these Diuines who had said that all the Apostles were instituted by CHRIST and made equall in authoritie but that it was personall in them and ought not to passe to their successours except that of St. Peter asking them as if they had beene present with what ground authority or reason they were induced to make such a bold affirmation inuented within these fifty yeeres onely expressely contrary to the Scripture in which Christ said to all the Apostles I will bee with you vntill the end of the world which words because they cannot bee expounded of their particular persons onely must be necessarily vnderstood of the succession of all and so they haue beene vnderstood by all the Fathers and Schoolemen to whom this new opinion is directly contrary Hee argued that if the Sacraments be instituted by Christ by consequence the Ministers of them are instituted also and hee that will say that the Hierarchie is de iure diuine and the chiefe Hierarche instituted by his Maiestie must say that the other Hierarche also haue the same institution That it is a perpetuall doctrine of the Catholique Church that Orders are giuen by the hand of Ministers but the power is conferred by GOD. Hee concluded that all these things being true and certaine and denied by the heretiques in many places which the Bishop of Segouia had collected it was necessary they should bee declared and defined by the Synode and the contrary heresies condemned Cardinall Varmiense tooke occasion hence to interrupt him saying as they had agreed that there was no controuersie of this yea that the Confessionists did maintaine the same Therefore that it was superfluous and vnprofitable to put it in question and that the Fathers ought not to dispute of any thing in which the Catholiques and heretiques doe agree Granata rising vp replied that the Augustane Confession did not confirme this but contradicted it putting no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest but by humane constitution and affirming that the superioritie of Bishops was first by custome and afterwards by Ecclesiasticall constitution And hee demanded againe that this definition might be made in the Councell or the reasons and authority alleadged by him answered The Cardinall replied that the heretiques did not denie these things but onely did multiply iniuries maledictions and inuectiues against the present vses And some other replies passing betweene them Granata full of disdaine and heare said hee referred himselfe to the Nations After this there being some tumult raised and appeased they spake of the other points receiuing the things as they were proposed some grounding themselues vpon the saying of Varmiense and
some holding that the Pope onely is instituted iure diuino vntill it came to the Arch-bishop of Zara who said it was necessary to adde the words de iure Diuino to condemne that which the heretiques say to the contrarie in the Augustane Confession Varmiense said againe that in that Confession the heretikes did not dissent in this and Zara alleadging the place and the words the contention was so long that the Congregation did end with it In the Congregations following the opinions were diuers also In particular the Arch-bishop of Braga demaunded the same adiunct saying it could not be omitted He prooued at large the institution of Bishops De iure Diuino bringing reasons and arguments like to those of Granata and said that the Pope could not take from Bishops the authoritie giuen them in their consecration which doth containe in it the power not onely of Order but of iurisdiction also because in it the people is assigned to him to be fed and gouerned without which the Ordination is not of force whereof this is a manifest argument that to titular and porâ—atiue Bishops a Citie is allotted which would not be necessary if the Episcopall Order could subsist without iurisdiction Besides in giuing the Pastoâ—all this forme is vsed that it is a signe of the power which is giuen him to correctvices And which is of more importance when the Ring is giuen him it is said that with it he doth marry the Church and in giuing the booke of the Gospell by which the Episcopall Character is imprinted it is said that hee must goe to the people committed to him and in the end of the consecration that prayer is say'd Deus omnium fidelium Pastor Rector which since hath beene in the Missals appropriated to the Pope by turning himselfe to GOD and saying that his will is that the Bishop should gouerne the Church Moreouer Innocentius the third said that the spiritual mariage of the Bishop with the Church is a bond instituted by GOD not to bee loosed by the power of man and that the Pope cannot translate a Bishop but because hee hath speciall authoritie to doe it all which things would bee very absurd if the institution of Bishops were De iure Diuino The Arch bishop of Cyprus sayd that it ought to be declared that Bishops are superiors to Priests Iure Diuino but reseruing the authority in the Pope The bishop of Segouia adhearing wholly to the conclusions and reasons of Granata made a long repetition of the places of the heretiques where they denie the superiority of Bishops and their institution to be De iure diuino Hee said that as the Pope is successour of Peter so the Bishops are of the Apostles and that it was plaine by the Ecclesiasticall History and by the Epistles of the Fathers that all Bishops gaue an account one to another of all that happened in their Churches and receiued approbation thereof from others The Pope did the same for the occurrences of Rome Hee added that the Patriarches when they were created sent a circular Epistle to the others to giue them an account of their Ordination and faith which was as much performed by the Popes to others as by others to them that if the power of the Bishops be weakened that of the Pope is weakned also that the power of Order and iurisdiction is giuen to the Bishops by GOD and that the diuision of Diocesses and the application of them to the person proceedeth from the Pope He alleadged an authoritie of Anacletus that Episcopall authoritie is giuen in the Ordination with the vnction of the holy Chrisme that the degree of a Bishop is as well an Order instituted by CHRIST as the Priest-hood that all Popes vntill Siluester haue either professedly or incidently sayd it is an Order which commeth immediatly from God that the words spoken to the Apostles Whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth c. giue power of iurisdiction which is necessarily conferred vpon the Successors that CHRIST did institute the Apostles with iurisdiction and since that time the Church hath euer instituted Bishops in the same sort Therefore this is an Apostolicall tradition and it beeing defined that points of faith are taken out of the Scripture and Traditions it cannot bee denied that this of the Episcopall institution is an Article of faith and the rather because S. Epiphanius and S. Austine doe put Aerius in the number of heretiques for saying that Priests are equall to Bishops which they would not haue done if Bishops had not beene De iure diuino Fifty nine Fathers were of this opinion and perhaps the number had been Simoneta vseth practises in the point of institution of Bishops greater if many had not been ill at case at that time of a defluction of rheume which then did generally raigne and some others had not fained the same impediment that they might bee out of the crowde and offend none in a matter handled with such passion especially those who for speaking what they thought in the matter of Residence found they had incurred the displeasure of their Patrons as also if Cardinall Simoneta when hee saw matters proceed so farre had not vsed diuers perswasions employing herein Iohannes Antonius Faâ—binetâ—us Bishop of Nicastrâ— and Sebastianus Vantiue Bishop of Oruieto who perswaded with much cunning that the enterprise of the Spaniards was to shake off their obedience to the Pope and that it would bee an apostacy from the Apostolike Sea to the great shame and damage of Italy which hath no other honour aboue the Nations beyond the Mountaines but that which it receiueth from the Papacy Fiue Churches said it was fit that it should bee declared quoiure all the Orders and degrees of the Church are instituted and from whom they receiue authoritie Some others adhered to him and in particular Pompeius Picholhomini Bishop of Tropeia who making the same instance added that when all the degrees of the Church were handled from the greatest to the least and declared quo iure they were he would deliuer his opinion also concerning the degree of Bishops if the Legats would giue leaue In this number some briefely adhered to the opinion of others who had spoken in this matter and some amplified the same reasons and turned them into diuers formes so that it would be too long to make a narration of all the suffrages which are come into my hands That of George Sincout a Franciscan Friar Bishop of Segna doth well deserue to be repeated who adhering to Granata said that hee would neuer haue beleeued that any could haue doubted whether Bishops are instituted and haue authority from Christ For it they haue it not from his diuine Maiestie neither can the Councell haue any from him which consisteth of BB. that it is necessarie that a Congregation though very populous haue their authoritie from whom the particular persons haue it that if Bishops are not instituted by CHRIST but by men the authoritie
impertinently with superfluous questions which then were wisely buried in silence that it appeareth by the same reasons that there is no neede to handle any thing now but that which was proposed in the Decree And amongst other things hee sayd that they were confirmed by the speach of the Ambassadour Lansac who had often shewed by good reasons that nothing was to bee required but that residence should be executed and that it was to no purpose to shew whence the obligation came Amongst other particles there was in the Decree that the Bishops residing should not be bound to pay Tenths Subsides or any other Taxe imposed by what authoritie soeuer though at the instance of Kings and Princes This mooued all the Ambassadours very much but Lansac dissembling complained that the Cardinall of Mantua had named him without telling him of it before granting hee had spoken so much vnto him but as a particular friend not as an Ambassadour And to make his complaint the more grieuous hee found fault also that the Catholike King was named before the most Christian Of the Tenths hee sayd nothing hoping that by that which he had said and by some opposition which the fauourers of ius diuinum would make that forme of Decree would bee hindered Fiue Churches sayd onely that hee did not beleeue that the Emperours minde was as the Cardinall had proposed But the Secretary of the Marquis of Pescara demanded openly that the words might be amended so that they might not preiudice the grace granted by the Pope to his Catholike Maiestie for the Subsidie of the Gallies The Legates did beleeue they had by this meanes gained the Prelates but after they vnderstood the exception for Spaine they began to say amongst themselues that they were fauoured in that which could not bee granted For in Spaine and France and vnden euery other Prince they should bee forced to pay and in the state of the Church also with a Non obstantibus the grace would bee made of no force The next day they passed from residence to Episcopall Order And Segouia replied that the institution of Bishops de iure Diuino was handled and A difference betweene the Cardinall of Mantua and the Bishop of Segonia resolued in the same Councell vnder Iulius the third with a generall consent and that himselfe had deliuered his opinion therein and specified the day and hourâ— when it was The Cardinall of Mantua caused the actes of that time to be searched and that to be read by the Secretary which was then defined to be published expounding them so as that hee concluded that it was neither decided nor examined nor proposed in that manner as it was sayd by Segouia The Bishop answering though reuerently in appearance there passed so many replies that they were forced to breake vp the Congregation And because some will perhaps desire to knowe which of them spake with most reason it will bee fit to recite heere that which was then decided in the Congregations though not published in Session by reason of the sudden dissolution of that Councell before related Three heads of doctrine were then composed the third where of was inscribed of the Hierarchie and of the difference of Bishops and Priests and hauing spoken much of the Hierarchie it saith thus afterwards as it is translated verbatim out of the Latine Besides the holy Synod doth teach that those are not to be bearkened vnto who say that Bishops are not instituted Iure diuino it appearing manifestly by the words of the Gospel that CHRIST our Lord hath himselfe called the Apostles and promoted them to the degree of the Apostleship into whose place the Bishops are subrogated neither ought wee to thinke that this so eminent and necessary a degree hath beene brought into the Church by humane institution for so wee should detract from and disesteeme the diuine prouidence for failing in the most noble things These were the wordes vsed in that point of doctrine There were noted also eight Canons the last whereof said thus Hee that shall say that Bishops are not instituted iure Diuino or are not superiour to Priests or haue not authoritie to ordaine or that this doeth belong to Priests let him be anathema Euery one being prepossessed with an opinion doth finde it in all this that is read and it is not wonder if each of those two Prelates did finde his owne in the same words which the Papalins did interprete onely of the power of Order and the Spaniards of all which containeth order and iurisdiction Yet some of the Popish Prelates did beleeue that Mantua studiously faining to thinke as they did caused the old determination to bee read not to confirme his owne opinion but the Spanish which secretly hee defended The Cardinall of Loraine beeing entred into Italie the Pope could not denie the French-men to cause that he should be expected And hee wrote to Trent that they should prolong the Session yet not so as to passe Nouember The Legates receiuing aduice that the Cardinall was vpon the Lago di Garda in the Congregation of the ninth of Nouember Mantua proposed the deferring of the Session vntill the 26. of the same moneth which Loraine not knowing sent Carlo de Grassi Bishop of Monte Finscoue and wrote letters also to the Legates that if it would please them to tary for him he would be in Trent within a few dayes And they resolued to make no more Congregations vntill his comming to giue him the more satisfaction The Bishop related that the Cardinall did shew a good intention in all his discourses and that hee would send his opinions to his Holinesse that hee might see them that the Prelates in his company came for the seruice of God and with a good mind toward the Apostolique Sea and did hope that their comming would make a concord in the Councell and cause them to bee diligent in making a fruitfull reformation without any respect of their owne interest and many such things hee said which though they were testified by Grassi and confirmed by the Ambassador de Ferriores yet the Popish Prelates did beleeue them onely in complement and purposed to vse all the remedies desseigned both in Trent and Rome Loraine entred Trent and was met a mile on the way by Card. Madruccio The entrie of the Cardinall of Loraine into Trent and many Prelats and by all the Legates at the gate of the Citie from which place he was accompanied to the house where he was lodged Hee rode betweene the Cardinals Mantua and Seripando which honour they thought necessary to doe vnto him because the same was done vnto him by Monte and Sancta Croce Legates in Bolonia when the Councell was helde in that Citie at the time when he went to Rome for the Cap. In the euening he went to visit the Cardinall of Mantua and had audience the next day before the Legates He visiteth the Card. of Mantua had audience the next day
shewed he was satisfied with the diligence and wisdome of the Legates and commended the good will of Loraine and gaue order that they should consult vpon the point of the institution of Bishops which did then especially presse them The sixth day beeing the anniuersarie of his coronation hee held another Congregation in whch hee published Cardinals Ferdinando de Medici and Frederico Gonzaga the former to consolate his father for the miserable death of another sonne who was Cardinall also and the other to gratifie the Legate Mantue and others of the family neerely allied to him by a marriage of the Legates nephew to a sister of Cardinall Borromeo Yet the Pope did not omit to assist at the Consultation concerning the affaires of the Councell and resolued to write to the Legates that the Canon of the institution of Bishops should be thus composed That the Bishops doe hold the principall place in the Church depending of the Pope of Rome and that they are by him assumed in partem solicitudinis And in the Canon concerning the Popes power that it should be said that he hath authority to feede and gouerne the Vniuersall Church in place of Christ from whom all authoritie hath beene communicated to him as Generall Vicar but in the Decree of doctrine they should enlarge the words of the Councell of Florence which are that the holy Apostolike Sea and Pope of Rome hath the Primacie in all The Popes 〈…〉 tter to the Legates the world and is Successor of Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles the true Vicar of CHRIST the Head of all Churches Father and Master of all Christians to whom in Saint Peter by CHRIST our LORD hath beene giuen full power to feede rule and gouerne the Vniuersall Church adding that by no meanes they should depart from that forme which hee was certaine would bee receiued For the substance of it beeing taken out of a generall Councell hee that should oppose would shew himselfe to bee a Schismatike and fall into the censures which by the prouidence of God hauing alwayes beene inflicted vpon the contumacious with the greater exaltation of the Apostolique Sea hee was confident that the cause of the Church would not bee abandoned by the Diuine Maiestie nor by the good Catholiques and he hoped that in the meane space Vintimiglia would be returned whom he meant to dispatch shortly with more ample instructions Hee resolued to goe to Bolonia that he might bee neere and so the better imbrace all occasions of finishing or translating the Councell which before they could bee aduised to Rome did vanish Hee caused a Bull to be made and in case hee should die before his returne the Election should bee made in Rome by the Colledge of Cardinals The Currier was not so soone dispatched for Trent with these Letters The negotiation of the Bishop of Viterbo but Viterbo arriued with the French Reformation and reuiued his trouble The Pope when hee heard it first read was extreamely impatient and brake out into these words that the end of it was to take away the Datarie the Rota the Signatures and finally all the Apostolique authoritie But afterwards he was much pacified 〈…〉 the Bishop who told that his Holinesse might bee able to diuert some things and moderate others granting some few of them He deliuered to him the instruction of Loraine which was that Princes demand many things to obtaine those of which they haue most neede which do not much coÌ„cerne the Apostolike Sea as the vse of the Cup vse of the vulgar tongue and mariage of Priests in which if his Holinesse would giue satisfaction it would be easie for him to receiue honour from the Councell and to obtaine his wished end Hee shewed that many of those Articles did not please the French Bishops themselues who endeuoured to crosse them The Pope vnderstanding these things gaue order that the Articles should bee discussed in Congregation and that Viterbo and Vintimiglia should bee present to informe the occurrences at large in which it was resolued that the Diuines and Canonists should write concerning those propositions and euery one deliuer his opinion in paper And to make some diuersion in France he gaue order to Ferrara to release those fourty thousand Crownes to the King without any condition and to tell him that the Proposition of his Ambassadours in Trent were fit in many parts for the Reformation of the Church which hee desired not onely to haue Decreed but to bee put in execution also yet so as that he did not approue them all because some were to the diminution of the Kings authoritie who will bee depriued of the collation of Abbies which is a great helpe to his Maiestie to reward his good seruants that the ancient Kings hauing their Bishops too potent in regard of their great authority and con 〈…〉 acious against the Regal power did desire the Popes to moderateiy but now the Ambassadours by their propositions would restore that licence which the Predecessours of his Maiestie did wisely procure to be curâ—ed Concerning the Popes authority that it could not be taken away because it was giuen by CHRIST by whom Saint Peter and his successors were made Pastorâ— of the vniuersall Church and Administrators of all Eclesiasticall goods that by taking away the pensions he shall not haue power to giue almes which is one of the most principall charges which the Pope hath throughout all the world that faculty to conferre some Benefices hath beene by fauour graunted to Bishops as Ordinaries which is not fit to bee extended to the preiudice of the Vniuersall Ordinarie which is the Pope that as Tithes are due to the Church de iure diuine so the tenth of the Tithes of all Churches is due to the Pope that for more commoditie this hath been changed into Annats that in case they were incommodious for the Kingdome of France hee did not refuse to finde a temper so that the right of the Apostolique Sea were in some conuenient manner preserued but that as he had often giuen him to vnderstand this could not bee handled in Councell nor by any but himselfe In the end he gaue the Cardinall charge that hauing put all these things to the Kings consideration hee should exhort him to giue new Commissions to his Ambassadours The Pope sent also to Trent the censures concerning those Articles made by diuers Cardinals Prelates Diuines and Canonists of Rome with order The Pope writeth again to the Prelates that they should deferre to speake of them as long as was possible that the Article of Residence and the abuses concerning the Sacrament of Order might entertaine them many dayes that when there was necessitie to propose them they should begin with those which were least preiudiciall as those which appertaine to manners and doctrine deferring to treat of those which concerne Rites and Benefices that in case they were forced to propose them imparting their obiections to the Prelates their adherents they should
tell him that for the good proceeding of the Councel it was necessary hee should speake earnestly to Morone and shew his great desire to see good resolutions for the glory of God as also of the desire of all the good Fathers that hee would not remooue further from the Councell in regard of the fruit which they hoped for by meanes of his vicinitie which will keepe euery one in his dutie and hinder the attempts of those who would translate it into another place as hee was aduised that some did lay plots to doe and that before he parted from Ispruce his Maiestie would bee assured that the libertie of the Councell whereof hee is protectour might bee preserued Hee sent him a copie of the Edict of Pacification in France and of a letter of the Queene of Scotland in which she gaue account of her deliuery from a great conspiracie and of her resolution to liue and die in the Catholique Religion In the end the Cardinall prayed his Maiestie to vse some meanes that there might bee no dispute in Councell for the precedence betweene France and Spaine that the good proceeding thereof might not bee hindered The two Legats that they might not doe nothing in the absence of Morone did the 24. of April impart to the Ambassadours the Decrees composed concerning the abuses of Order that they might consider on them and the 29. day they gaue them to the Prelats The first of the election of Bishops in which were expressed their qualities conformable to the ancient Canons the Ambassadours did not approue because it seemed to restraine too much the authoritie of their Princes in the presentation or nomination of them And they all laboured very much especially the Count of Luna that it might bee amended or rather quite omitted a thing which did likewise much please the Legates And the Emperours ministers made difficulty also in regard of their desseigne to make an occasion arise of handling the election of Cardinals and by consequence of the Pope The same day at night Cardinall Nauaggero hauing giuen out to auoid The Legate Nauaggero commeth to Trent meetings and ceremonies that hee would enter the next day arriued in Trent who said that at their departure from Rome the Pope had told them that they should make a good and a rigorous reformation preseruing the authority of the Apostolique Sea which is absolutely necessary to keepe the Church in good forme and order But not with standing all this his Holinesse in his speaches to the Ambassadours residing with him desired them to tell him what reformation their Princes would haue And his end was that their demands beeing giuen to him they might forbeare to present them to the Councel and so haue means by shewing the inuincible difficultie in euery particular to pacifie the raging humour of reformation And hee said often to the Ambassadors that their Princes were deceiued if they thought a reformation would reduce the The Popes discourse to the Ambassadours heretiques who first of all made themselues Apostates and then alleadged the abuses and deformations for a pretence that the true causes which haue mooued the heretikes to follow their false teachers are not the abuses of the Clergie but of ciuill gouernements that if all defects of the Ecclesiastiques were wholy corrected yet they would not returne but would inuent other colours to perseuere in their obstinacie that these abuses were not in the primitiue Church nor in the time of the Apostles and yet as many heretiques in proportion of the faithfull were then as now that himselfe did desire in sincerity of conscience that the Church might bee amended and the abuses remooued but saw plainely that those who doe procure it doe not aime at this good marke but at their particular profit which in case they should obtaine greater abuses would arise and the present not bee taken away that the reformation is not hindered by him but by the Princes and by the Prelates in Councell that himselfe would make one and that very rigorous also but in case hee should come to the conclusion the contentions betweene Princes some desiring it after one manner some after another and those of the Prelates who are no lesse opposite would hinder all that hee knoweth very well that it is vnseemely to attempt that which would onely discouer the common defects and wants and that those who desire reformation mooued with zeale doe as Saint Paul saith vse it without Christian wisedome and nothing would bee effected but as now it is knowen that the Church hath defects so it would appeare that they are incurable and which is worse men would begin to defend and to iustifie them as lawfull vse Hee did expect with impatience the end of the negotiation of Morone from whom hee had aduice that the Emperour tooke time to answere and still continued in consulting vpon the Articles Hee thought that all the orders and resolutions which came out of France to Rome and to the Councell did proceede from the opinion and counsell of Loraine and therefore The Popes plot to gaine the Cardinall of Loraine not to omitte any meanes of gaining him the Cardinall of Ferrara beeing to returne into Italy very shortly with whom Loraine was to speake for many causes concerning their common nephewes hee wrote vnto him to vse perswasions that hee would be content with the translation of the Councell to Bolonia and that hee might bee well informed of the affaires of Trent hee gaue order that Vintimiglia should meete Ferrara before his parley with Loraine and carie with him the instructions of the Legats besides that which himselfe did know The moneth of May did begin with new discourses of the peace of France For the Kings letters came to Loraine and the French Ambassadours to informe them thereof with commission to impart all to the Fathers of the Councell either in generall or in particular as seemed them best The letters were dated the fifteenth of the last moneth and did shew principally that by the peace he had no intention to fauour the introduction or establishment of a new religion in the kingdome but that with lesse contradiction and difficultie he might reduce all his people into one holy Catholike religion by laying downe of armes and remoouing the ciuill dissentions and calamities But he added that a pious and serious reformation alwaie expected from a generall and free Councell would assist him most of all in this good worke for solicitation of which hee was resolued to send the President Birague to Trent But in the meane while he gaue 〈…〉 to the Ambassadoures already in that Citie to let the Fathers know vpon 〈◊〉 good occasion that he was sensible still of the ruines and afflictions which the diuersity of opinions in religion haue caused in his kingdome with the apparant decay and greater danger of the State that rather then hee would returne to that extremity hee was resolued in case the generall Councell would
howsoeuer Morone said it was superfluous and that nothing was to be done but to delay the answere without troubling his Holinesse In the negotiation of Princes especially those which doe not touch the substance of their State it happeneth that howsoeuer they do change opinion by the change of occurrences yet by the perswasions made before the change things contrary to their new will do fall out And so it was that the perswasions made by the Queene mother to the King of Spaine before she resolued to giue totall satisfaction to the Pope concerning the Councell did produce the effect of that Letter of the King Therefore Morone who did penetrate the bottome did not hold that esteeme of it as some thought The fifteenth of â—une Morone proposed in Congregation that the fifteenth of Iuly might bee appointed for the determinate day of the Session Segouia and some few others said they saw not how the difficulties which were vpon their hands could be resolued in so short a time of Hierarchie of Order of the institution of Bishops of the preheminence of the Pope and of Residence and that it was better to decide the difficulties first and afterwards to appoint a short terme for the day of the Session then to appoynt it now and afterwards to prolong it with indignitie But the contradictors being but few the proposition was established as it were without difficultie The next day Laynez Generall of the Iesuites in giuing his suffrage bent all his forces The suffrage of Laynez to answere whatsoeuer had beene said by others not conformable to the dectrine of the Court with so great affection as if his saluation had beene in question In the matter of dispensations he was exceeding copious saying it was spoken without reason that there is no other power of dispensing but interpretatiue and declaratiue for so the authoritie of a good Doctor would bee greater then of a great Prelate and that to lay the Pope cannot by dispensation disoblige him who is obliged before God is nothing but to teach men to preferre their owne conscience before the authority of the Church which conscience because it may bee erronious as it is for the most part to referre men to that is nothing but to cast euery Christian into a bottom lesse pit of dangers that as it cannot be denied that CHRIST had power to dispence in euery law nor that the Pope is his Vicar nor that there is the same tribunall and consistory of the Principall and the Vice-gerent so it must bee confessed that the Pope hath the same authority that this is the priuiledge of the Church of Rome and that euery one ought to take heede in regard it is heresie to take away the priuiledges of the Church because it is nothing but to denie the authority which CHRIST hath giuen it Then hee spake of reforming the Court and said that it is superiour to all particular Churches yea to many ioyned together and if it doeth belong to the Court of Rome to reforme each Church which doeth appertaine to euery Bishop in Councel and none of them can reforme the Roman because the scholar is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord it followeth by necessary consequence that the Councell hath none authority to meddle in that businesse that many did call those things abuses which if they were examined and sounded to the bottome would be found to be either necessary or profitable that some would make the Sea of Rome as it was in the time of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church without distingushing the times not knowing what doth belong to those and what to these that it is a plaine case that by the prouidence and goodnesse of GOD the Church is made rich and that nothing is more impertinent then to say that God hath giuen riches and not the vse For Annates hee sayd that it is de iure diuino that Tythes and first Fruites should bee payd to the Cleargie as the Iewes did to the Leuâ—â—es and as the Leuites payd the Tenthes to the high Priest so ought the Ecclesiasticall order to the Pope the rents of Benefices being the Tythes and the Annates the Tythes of the Tythes This discourse displeased many and particularly the French-men and there were Prelates who noted some things which they meant to answere if occasion serued when their turne was to speake The Spaniards and French-men thought that that Father spake thus by Fauours done vnto him order or by consent of the Legates alleadging for an Argument the many fauours which were done vnto him vpon all occasions and especially because whereas other Generals were wont to stand on their feete and in their place when they gaue their voyce Laynez was called into the middle and made to sit downe and many times a congregation was made for him onely to giue him commoditie to speake what hee would and howsoeuer none was euer halfe so prolike as hee yet he was praysed and those against whom hee spake could neuer bee so briefe but they were reprehended for being too long But Laynez knowing what offence the French-men did pretend His excuse to haue receiued sent his companions Torre and Cauillone to make an excuse to Loraine saying that his redargutions were not meant of his Excellencie or any of the French Prelates but of the Diuines of the Sarbone whose opinions are not conformeable to the Doctrine of the Church This beeing related to the Cardinall in a Congregation of Giueth distast to the French-men French-men held in his house the excuse did much distast the Prelates some saying it was petulant and others scornefull and those few Diuines which remained were sensible of it so that Hugonias himselfe whom they had bought did thinke it vnsufferable Verdun thought hee was touched in particular and obliged to reply and prayed the Cardinall to giue him leaue and occasion Hee promised to speake modestly and to shew that the doctrine of the Sorbone was orthodoxe and that of the Iesuite new and neuer heard of in the Church before that is that the key of authoritie is giuen by CHRIST without the key of knowledge that the holy Ghost giuen for the gouernement of the Church is called by the holy Scripture the spirit of trueth and the operation thereof in the gouernours of the Church and Ministers of CHRIST is to leade them into all trueth that for this cause CHRIST hath made his Ministers partakers of his authority because hee hath withall imparted to them the light of doctrine that Saint Paul to Timothie writing that hee is constituted an Apostle doeth expound it thus that is a Doctor of the Gentiles who in two places prescribing the conditions of a Bishop saith he must bee a Doctour that obseruing the vse of the primitiue Church it will appeare that the faithfull did goe to Bishops for dispensations and declarations because those onely were assumed to that charge who were most of all
there be not hope that hee may bee worthy of holy orders and from the last of the minor Orders vntill the Subdeaconship there shall be the interposition of a yeere if the Bishop shall not iudge otherwise for the good of the Church The twelfth None shall be ordained Subdeacon before the age of two and twenty yeeres Deacon before three and twenty Priest before sixe and twenty Neither shall the Regulars haue any exemption herein The thirteenth Subdeacons and Deacons shall bee first proued in the minor Orders shall haue hope to liue continently shall serue the Church to which they are ascribed and shall thinke it very conuenient to receiue the Communion on Sundayes and solemne Feasts when they serue at the Altar Subdeacons shall not passe to a higher degree vntill they bee exercised one yeere in their owne but two holy degrees shall not be giuen in one day by vertue of any priuiledge whatsoeuer The fourteenth None shall be ordained a Priest but a Deacon which hath been exercised in that ministery a whole yeere at the least and found sufficient to teach the people and administer the Sacraments and the Bishop shall take care that they celebrate the Masse euery Sunday and holy day 〈◊〉 in case they haue cure of soules they shall satisfie their charge and if any be ordained to the superior Orders before the inferior the Bishop may dispense if there be a lawfull cause The fifteenth Howsoeuer Priests receiue power in their ordination to absolue from sinnes yet none shall heare confessions who haue not a Parochiall Benefice or is not approued by the Bishop The sixteenth None shall be ordained before hee bee ascribed to some particular Church or pious place to exercise the ministery of that Order and if hoc abandon the place without consent of the Bishop the ministery shall be prohibited vnto him and no strange Clerke shall bee admitted to the exercise of the Ministery without the letters of his Ordinary The seuenteenth To bring againe into vse the functions of the Orders from a Deacon to an Ostiarie which being vsed from the time of the Apostles haue been intermitted in many places that they may not be derided by the heretikes as idle these Ministeries shall not be exercised but by those who haue receiued the Orders appertaining and the Prelates shall restore those functions and in case they haue not continent Clerkes for exercise of the minor Orders they may take married men so that they haue not been twice married and be in other respects apt for that exercise The last article was for the institution of Seminaries in which it was constituted that euery Episcopall Church should haue a certaine number of boyes brought vp in a Colledge neere the Church or in another conuenient place the boyes shall bee twelue yeeres olde at the least legitimate and distributed into formes by the Bishop according to their number age and progresse in Ecclesiasticall discipline They shall weare the habit and tonsure learne Grammer Musicke Ecclesiasticall computation the holy Scripture to reade the Homilies of the Fathers know the Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrament and especially that which belongeth to hearing confessions And to defray the charge thereof where there is any reuenue deputed for education of children it shall bee applied to this Seminarie and to supply that which remaineth the Bishop with foure of the Clergie shall detract a portion from all the Benefices of the Diocesse and apply simple Benefices also to this vse and compell those who haue Schoole-houses or other charge to reade or teach in the Schooles of the Seminarie by themselues or by sufficient substitutes and Schoolemasters places shall not bee giuen hereafter but vnto Doctors or Masters in Diuinity or in the Canon law And if in any Prouince the Churches be so poore that a Seminary cannot bee erected in them one or more shall bee appointed in the Prouince and in the Churches of the great Diocesse the Bishop shall erect one or more if hee thinke fit besides that of the Citie which notwithstanding shall depend on that of the Citie In the end the Decree intimating the next Session for the sixteenth of September was read expressing that then the Sacrament of Matrimony was to bee handled and other things pertaining to the doctrine of Faith as also the prouisions of Bishoprickes Dignities and other Benefices and diuers other articles of reformation The Session continued from nine vntill sixteene a clocke with great content of the Legates and Popish Prelates that matters did passe so quietly and with such a generall consent And they commended the Cardinall of Loraine aboue all confessing that he had beene the most principall cause of this benefit No act of this Councell was seene with more desire then this of this Session The censure of the actes of this Session euery one being curious to know what that was which held in contention so many Prelats in Trent and all the Courts of Christian Princes in businesse ten moneths together But it prooued to be according to the prouerbe The trauaile of mountaines and the natiuity of a mouse No man could finde how it could deserue not onely so great and long paines of so many great persons but euen the least employment at all And those who vnderstood Theologie did desire that it should be once declared what the Councell did vnderstand by the power of retaining sins which was made one part of the Sacerdotall power because they had declared the sence of the other which was to remit sinnes And others wondered at the declaration that the inferiour Orders are onely degrees vnto the superiour and all vnto Priest-hood in regard it doth appeare in the ancient Ecclesiasticall Storie that those who were ordained to any ministery or charge were for the most part perpetually entertained in the same and the ascending to an higher degree happened very seldome and was vsed onely in case of necessitie or great vtilitie None of the seuen Deacons instituted by the Apostles ascended any higher and in the ancient Church of Rome it selfe it doth not appeare that the Deacons whose office was to heare the confessions of Martyrs did passe to the title of Priesthood The ordination of Saint Ambrose to bee a Bishop of Saint Hierome Saint Austin and Saint Paulinus to bee Priests and of Saint Gregorie the Great to be a Deacon is described without mention of any passage by other degrees They did not blame the vse begun in later times but they marueiled that they did alleadge it as a thing alwayes vsed whereas the contrary was manifest The Decree that the ministeries of the Orders from a Deacon to an Ostiary should not bee exercised but by persons promoted to those proper Orders made a faire shew but it seemed a thing hard to bee obserued that in no Church none might ring the bels or open and shut the doores but the ordinarie Ostiaries nor light the lamps and candles but the Accolites who were to exercise
those manuall functions that they might ascend to Priest-hood And it seemed some contradiction to haue determined absolutely that those ministeries should not bee exercised but by persons ordained and afterward commanded the Prelats to restore them as much as conueniently they could For obseruing the absolute Decree it is very necessary that where persons ordained cannot be had for exercise of those functions they must not be exercised at all and if they may bee exercised without Orders in places where persons ordayned cannot bee found the absolute definition might haue better been omitted In the Decree of the ordination of Priests it was thought very conuenient to prescribe that condition that they should he able to teach the people but this did not seeme very coherent with that other doctrine and vse that cure of soules is not essentiall to Priesthood so that to bee able to teach the people is not necessary to those Priests who meane neuer to take that cure vpon them And to make to a necessary condition in the minor orders to vnderstand the Latine tongue was to shew that this was not a Generall Councell of all Christian Nations in regard this Decree could not be vniuersall and binde the Nations of Africa Asia and of a great part of Europe where the Latine tongue neuer had place The sixth Anathematisme was much noted in Germany in which an Article of faith was made of Hierarchie which word and signification thereof is aliene not to say contrary to the holy Scriptures and though it was somewhat anciently inuented yet the authour is not knowne and in case he were yet he is an Hyperbolicall writer not imitated in the vse of that word nor of others of his inuention by any of the ancients and following the stile of CHRIST our LORD and of the holy Apostles and Primitiue Church it ought to be named not Hierarchie but Hierodiaconia or Hierodoulia And Peter Paul Vergerius in Valtelina did make this and other obiections against the Vergerius maketh obiections against the Councel doctrine of the Councell the subiect of his Sermons relating the contentions betweene the Bishops and detracting as much as hee could not onely by words but by letters also to the other Protestant and Euangelicall Ministers which they read in their Churches to the people And howsoeuer the Bishop of Como by order from the Pope and the Cardinall Morone vsed all meanes and in a very extraordinary manner also to cause him to depart out of that Countrey yet they were not able to effect it Concerning the Decree of Residence of which euery one discoursed and expected some good resolution because there was so much spoken and writen of it tha nothing seemed to bee more in voice then that 〈◊〉 marueiled that in the ende that was pronounced for a decision of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was plaine to euery one that is that not to reside was 〈◊〉 except there were a lawfull cause as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all by the law of 〈◊〉 ture that whosoeuer doeth absent himselfe from his charge of what 〈◊〉 soeuer it be without a lawfull cause doeth s 〈…〉 The successe of this Session to 〈…〉 away the indelligence◠held vntill then◠The Spanish Prelats complaine of the Cardinall of Loraine betweene Loraine and the Spaniards For these complained that they w 〈…〉 abandoned in the matter of the Institution of Bishops and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee had very often told them that hee was of their opinion and promised to labour effectually to cause that doctrine to bee decreed without making any condition They added that there was no hope he would bee constant in any other promise and that the Pope by making him beleeue hee should bee Legate of France had wonne him And other things they said which were little for his honour On the other side hee iustified himselfe saying that the offer was made vnto him to make his friends mistrust him and that his answere was that hee would not hearken vnto it before areformation were made in Councell Notwithstanding it was not beleeued that hee would perseuere in the same opinion no not so much as in this matter The Legates desirous to finish the Councell did so soone as the Session was done vse meanes to facilitate the residue which for matter of faith was Indulgences inuocation of Saints and Purgatorie And to this end they elected tenne Diuines two Generals of Friars and two for euery Prince that is for the Pope France of which there were but a few remaining Spaine and Portugall charging them to consider how the Protestants opinion in this matter might briefly bee confuted And themselues beeing resolued meant to propose their owne opinions in generall Congregation by which the Canons might be composed at the same time when Matrimonie should be handled that they might quickly dispatch those matters without hearing the disputes of the Diuines as formerly they had done In matter of reformation they treated with the Cardinall of Loraine the Emperours and Spanish Ambassadours to bee content that the reformation The reformation of Princes of Princes might bee proposed also who saying it was fit that abuses should be remooued wheresoeuer they were the Articles were collected and hope conceiued that all that remained might bee decided in one Session onely But the Spanish Ambassadour for many respects of his King did not like that haste and therefore did crosse it with many difficulties First hee proposed that it was necessary before the Councell ended to vse meanes to bring the Protestants thither alleadging that it would be labour in vaine if the Decrees were not accepted by them and that there was no hope they would accept them if they were not present in Councell The Legats answered that the Pope had done for his part whatsoeuer was fit wrote letters and sent expresse Nuncij to them all so that nothing could bee done to make their contumacie more manifest The Count answered that hee did not desire it should be done in the name of his Holinesse because that would not onely not cause them to come but make them more auerse but in the name of the Councell with conuenient promises and intercession of the Emperour Whereunto the Legats replying that they would consider on it they gaue an account thereof to the Pope that he might use meanes in Spaine to diuert such discourses and to perswade the ending of the Councell The Count desired also that the Diuines might speake publikely according to the vse concerning the particulars of Indulgences and of the other matters perswading the Prelats that the order might not be changed nor the reputation of the Councell diminished by omitting the examination of those things which had more neede of it then any other The Pope was much troubled with these aduises and the rather because Don Lewis d' Auila and Vargas the Ambassador resident with him had giuen their words that the King would be content that the Councell should end And calling
Canons And they imployed the Emperours Ambassadours to perswade the Count to be content with it by which meanes that difficultie also was ouercome The declaration of Propenentibus Legatis did remaine For which not being able to find a temper they tolde the Count that hee should propose a forme how he would haue it done Wherein hee excusing himselfe they deputed three Canonists to treat with him and to find a meanes that might please him so that it were not to alter the way prescribed by the Pope But The Card of Loraine returneth to Trent and hasteneth the end of the Councell the Cardinall of Loraine came fitly for that occasion who being parted from Rome with instruction and conclusion of all things and hauing tooke Venice in his way to perswade the Ambassadours to returne before the end of the Councell and now arriued in Trent caused with his desteritie the Count to approoue that manner by which that difficultie so much agitated receiued an end with satisfaction of all and it was made the one and twentieth Article of reformation proposed in the Congregation of the ninth of Nouember held for this purpose and approoued with small resistance After this the second Article was taken away which being done all the Articles were read ouer againe and the suffrages briefly deliuered In which Loraine to salue his honour said that howsoeuer he desired a greater reformation yet knowing that in the beginning one could not come to the last remedies hee assented to the Decrees not iudging them sufficient but hoping that the Pope either by bringing the old Canons into vse or by celebrating other generall Councels would adde a perfection It is worthy of memorie that in this Congregation hee made a long digression He maketh an Oration in 〈◊〉 of the Pope in forme of an encomiasticall Oration of the Popes good will of his desire to see the Church reformed the Episcopall degree restored to its ancient dignitie and the Councell ended with the fruit of all Christendome The Arch-Bishop of Granata when it was his turne to speake brake out into the Popes commendation also attributing as much vnto him as the other but added that either the Pope did iudge that he could not doe as he would or had not authority to make his ministers and dependants to execute his will Here I must make a great mutation of stile For whereas in the former narration I haue vsed that which is proper to describe varietie of minds and opinions The state of the Councel is quite altered one crossing the designes of another and delayes of resolutions interposed framing my selfe to declare the counsels of diuers sometimes contrary amongst themselues hereafter I must make relation of one aime only and vniforme operations which seeme rather to flie then run to one only end whereof I can giue but one cause not to repeate it in all places that is the ioynt resolution to precipitate the Councell Therefore to speake simply I must say that Letters came from the Pope with resolution that the Councell should bee ended though with distast of the King of Spaine because hee had meanes to make an agreement with him that they should establish the Decree of secret marriage with as much vnion as was possible but yet to doe it though the same opposition should continue that for the reformation of Princes and restitution of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and libertie they should not descend to any particular but renew the ancient Canons and without Anathemaes that if any difficultie did arise concerning the other Articles they should reserue it for him who would make prouision therein referring them for the residue to the Cardinall of Loraine who was fully informed of his whole will whom they ought to beleeue Afterwards hee sent a forme in what sort they should finish the Councell which did containe that all things done vnder Paul and Iulius should be confirmed and declared that they were all done in this one Councell and that in all things the authoritie of the Apostolike Sea should be preserued that of the things decreed the Popes confirmation should be demanded that all the Fathers should subscribe and after them according to the example of the ancient Emperours there should be a subscription of the Ambassadors that the Princes might be bound to the obseruance of the Decrees and to persecute with Armes those of the contrary religion leauing it in the power of them the Legats together with Loraine to adde diminish or alter according to opportunite All which things were kept most secret vntill after the Councel that they might 〈…〉 the better as shall be said The eleuenth of Nouember came in which the Session was held with the vsuall ceremonies Voyces beeing to bee giuen in the matter of clandestine mariage Cardinall Varmiense who held it a matter of 〈◊〉 and thought the Church had no authoritie ouer it would not bee 〈…〉 sing himselfe that in a matter of positiâ—â— law be thought 〈…〉 The Session 〈…〉 deliuer his minde freely though the contrarie were 〈…〉 hee should bee forced to say for satisfaction of his 〈…〉 Synod could not make that decree which might haue â—used same distates such as hee was not willing to giue Francis Richarâ—â— made the Sermonâ— in which hee admonished the Fathers that this most holy Synod hauing beene in trauaile these two yeeres and euery one beeing in expectation of what it will bee deliuered it was not fit it should produce 〈…〉 〈…〉 childe because the worlde doth expect a sound and perfect issue For effecting hereof it was conuenient to imitate the Apostles â—â—yrs and Primitiue Church making them a patterne whence to take the 〈…〉 of the infant which is to come into the world These were hee said doctrine religion and discipline all which beeing degenerated in these times must bee restored to their ancient integritie And that this is it which hath been expected so long and is expected still The ceremonies being ended the letters of Madam Regent of Flanders concerning the sending of 〈◊〉 Prelates to the Councell were read as also the Mandates of the Duke of Florence and of the grand Master of Malta Afterwards the doctrine and the anathematismes of matrimonie were read by the Masse Bishop to which all consented The Articles of reformation of Matrimony beeing read to the first of the annullation of the clandestine Cardinall Morone said that it Varietie of opinions about clandestine mariages pleased him if it pleased the Pope Simoneta said it did not please him but referred himselfe to the Pope Of the others sixe and fifty did absolutely denie and all the rest did approoue it Afterwards the Decrees of reformation were read And beeing come to The Decrees of reformation the fift of the criminall causes of Bishops perceiuing the Kingdomes where the inquisition is were excepted a great commotion was raised amongst the Fathers the Lombards and Neapolitans saying confusedly that that exception was neuer proposed in
protestation made by the French Ambassadours would haue which was read with varietie of affections Those who were ill affected to the Court of Rome did commend it as true and necessarie But the Popes adherents thought it as abominable as the Protestations formerly made by Luther In the sixt Anathematisme of Matrimonie many did wonder that the dissolution The censure of the Decrees of mariage not consummated for a solemne vow should bee made an Article of faith because the matrimoniall coniunction though not consummated by carnall copulation is a bond instituted by the Law of GOD. For the Scripture doeth affirme that there was a true mariage 〈…〉 Mary and Ioseph and the solemnitie of the profession being or 〈…〉 reâ— po 〈…〉 as Boniface the eighth hath decreed it seemed strange not so 〈…〉 humane bond should dissolue a diuine as that he should bee condemned for an hereticke who will not beleeue that an inuention of man borneth any hundred yeeres since the Apostles should preuaile against a diuine instituted on made at the first creation of the world In the seuenth it was thought to bee a captious speech to condemne for an hereticke him that shall say that the Church hath erred in reaching that Matrimonie is not dissolued by adulterie For if one should say absolutely that Matrimony ought to be dissolued for that cause without saying or thinking that one hath erred or not erred in teaching the contrary it seemeth that this man should not bee comprehended and yet it doeth not appeare how one can thinke so except the hold the contrary to bee an errour It was iudged that they should haue spoken plainely and said absolutely that 〈…〉 noâ— dissolued by adulterie or that both opinions are probable and not to make an Article of faith concerning a word onely But these men would not haue made the difficultie if they had knowen the causes before mentioned why they did speake in that maner The ninth Canon did affoord matter of speech also by that affirmatiue that God doth not deny the gift of chastitie to him that doth demaund it a right because it did seeme to be contrary to the Gospel which affirmeth that it is not giuen to all and to Saint Paul who doth not exhort to demaund it which was more easie then to marry The Polititians knew not what to thinke of the twelfth Anathematismem that it should bee heresie to hold that matrimoniall causes doe not belong to Ecclesiasticall Iudges it being certaine that the Lawes of mariage were all made by the Emperours and the iudicature of them administred by the secular Magistrates so long as the Roman Lawes were in force which the reading onely of the Theodosian and Iustinian Codes and of the Nouels doth euidently demonstrate And in the formes of Cassiodore there is mention of termes vsed by the Gothish Kings in the dispensations of degrees prohibited which then were thought to belong to ciuill gouernment and not to bee matters of religion and to him that hath any skill in story it is most knowen that the Ecclesiastiques began to iudge causes of this nature partly by commission and partly by negligence of Princes and Magistrates But in the beginning of the Decree of reformation of Matrimony many wondred how it could bee defined as an Article of faith that clandestine mariages are true Sacraments and that the Church hath alwayes detested them because it doeth implie a contradiction to detest Sacraments And to command that the Parish Priest should 〈…〉 gate those that are ioyned and vnderstanding their consent should say I ioyne you in Matrimony in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost was derided by the criticks saying that either they are ioyned by those words or not if not then that is not true which the Councell of Florence hath determined that matrimony receiueth perfection from consent if so what coniunction is that which the Priest maketh of persons ioyned before And if the word I ioyne should be expounded I declare them ioyned a way would be layd open to conclude that the words of the absolution are declaratory also But howsoeuer it was they said the decree was made to no other end but that within a short time it might bee made an Article of faith that those words pronounced by the Parish Priest were the forme of the Sacrament For making void clandestine mariages they spake as much as was spoken of it in the Councell it selfe For some did extoll the decree to the heauens and others said that if those matrimonies were Sacraments and consequently instituted by CHRIST and the Church hath alwayes detested them and finally made them voyd it did not appeare how those who had not made prouision for it in the beginning could be excused from the blame of ignorance or negligence And when the distinction on which they founded the decree was published that the contract was nullified which is the matter of the Sacrament it was hard to vnderstand a long time because the matrimoniall contract hath no distinction from the matrimony nor the matrimony from the Sacrament and the rather because the matrimony was indissoluble before it was a Sacrament in regard CHRIST doeth not pronounce it insoluble as instituted by him but as by GOD in the earthly Paradise But it being admitted that the Matrimoniall contract is an humane and ciuill thing separate from the Sacrament which is nullified some said this annullation would not belong to the Ecclesiasticall Iudge but to the Secular to whom the discussion and cognition of all ciuill contracts doeth appertaine The cause alleadged to moderate the impediments of mariage was much commended as reasonable but it was obserued withall that it did necessarily conclude many more restrictions then those that were decreed in regard there are no lesse inconueniences by the impediments confirmed then by those that were abolished The end of the Article of matrimoniall dispensations mooued a vaine question in the curious whether the Pope by reseruing them to himselfe alone did more good or hurt to his authoritie For the good was alleadged the great quantitie of gold which did flow into the Court through this chanell and the obligations of so many Princes gained by this meanes as to be satisfied in their appetites or interests so to defend the Papall authoritie on which onely the legitimation of their children was grounded For the hurt the losse of the reuenues of England and of the obedience of that crowne was produced which did weigh downe all gaine or friendship which the dipensations might procure The Frenchmen did not like the decree that hee that stealeth a woman shall bee bound to endow her at the pleasure of the Iudge saying that the Law concerning dowries cannot be made by Ecclestiâ—all authoritie and that it was an artifice to take the iudicature of that delict from the secular Magistrate For if the Ecclesiastique may make the Law hee may iudge the cause And howsoeuer they said absolutely at the pleasure of the
matter of faith onely They said that to haue spoken one word incidently in handling the Masse that it doth assist the dead which The censure of the Councell in Germanie also may receiue diuers sences and in the decree of Purgatorie to alleadge it as a definition of the Article was a thing not to be vsed in Councels especially in this where the matters were minced and an Article of faith made of euery question which could be mooued in any matter And to commend Bishops to teach the sound doctrine of Purgatorie without declaring what it is did shew that the Fathers had great hast to depart from Trent But in the matter of Saints the hast was greater condemning in one breath and in one period eleuen Articles not declaring what condemnation it was or whether they were condemned of heresie or for any other cause and after a long discourse of Images anathematising those that speake against the Decrees without letting them know which it doth comprehend vnder the Anathema whether the immediatly precedent concerning Images or all the others aboue written But of Iudulgences they spake more then all the rest that these gaue occasion of the present diuision amongst Christians that the Councell was principally assembled for these that in that matter there is no part which is not controuersed and vncertaine euen amongst the Schoolemen themselues and yet the Synod hath passed them ouer without cleering any doubt or deciding any controuersie And concerning the remedy of abuses they spake in such ambiguous termes that it could not bee vnderstood what they did approue or disapproue saying they did desire a moderation according to the old custome approued in the Church For it is certaine and cannot bee concealed that in no Christian Nation of the Easterne Church either in ancient or moderne times there neuer was any vse of Indulgences of any kind whatsoeuer And in the west if by ancient custome they meane that which was obserued before Vrban the second in the yeere 1095. no proofe can bee brought of the vse of Indulgences If from that time vntill the yeare 1300. It will appeare that the vse of them hath beene very sparing and onely to free men from punishments imposed by the Confessor Afterwards from the Councell of Vienna the abuses began which did increase very much vntill the time of Leo the tenth so that the Councel desiring the restitution of the old custome approued in the Church it was necessary to declare in what Church and in what time But those words that the Eclesiasticall discipline is weakened by too much facilitie in graunting Indulgences are a plaine confession that they belong not to the conscience not doe free men from any thing in the fight of God but touch the externall onely that is the Ecclesiasticall discipline For the difference of meates and fasts they said that to command them was good but that was not decided of which the world complained that is that they did binde the conscience Therefore the Princes of Germany held none esteeme of this Councell Onely some few ministers of the Augustan confession published a protestation of which but little account was made The Catholikes did not thinke of the doctrine of Purgatorie and of Indulgences desiring onely to obtaine the Communion of the Cup mariage of Priests and relaxation in the multitude of precepts De iure positiuo concerning fasts feasts and such other things For whose satisfaction the Emperour and Duke of Bauaria made instance The Emperor writeth to the Pope about the communion of the Cup. to the Pope The Emperour wrote letters to him dated the foureteenth of February saying that during the Councell hee had laboured to obtaine the grant of the Cup not for any priuate interest or scruple of conscience which hee had but because hee did beleeue and doeth still that the graunt is necessary to bring backe to the Church those that wander that he did then tolerate the impediments interposed to treat there of with the principall Prelates and Princes of the Empire with whom hauing conferred whether it were expedient to renew the same request they thought fit hee should moue his Holinesse therein Therefore calling to mind what the Cardinals Morone and Loraine had caused to bee told him which was confirmed also by the Bishop of Liesina his Nuncio hee would no longer deferre to demand the grace of him without repeating any more the weighty causes that did constraine him desiring him to assist the Germane Nation to which all wise Catholikes doe thinke that the graunt will bee very beneficiall adding that to preserue the remainder of Religion in Germanie and extirpate heresies it will be of great moment to graunt that Priests who are separated because they are married may bee reconciled and retaine their wiues and that hereafter where there is not a sufficient number of Priests married men of good life and fame may be admitted to the Priesthood For this he prayed him in his owne name and in the name of the Duke of Bauaria his sonne in law assuring him that he should doe a thing worthy of his piety and most acceptable The letters of the Duke of Bauaria did containe that hauing sent often And so doth the Duke of Bauaria to his Holinesse to shew the miserable State of Germanie in matters of Religion he did hope hee should not long desire the medicine which seeing it was not applied vntill then he together with the Emperour and Ecclesiasticall Electors did pray him to grant power to the Arch bishop of Salzburg to giue leaue to Catholike Priests to administer the Cup to those who haue confessed and are penitent and do beleeue the other Articles of Religion which grant would giue satisfaction to his Subiects who remaine in his State to those also who goe forth of his Dominions to seeke those who will minister it vnto them that himselfe will alwayes be content with one kinde nor will force any to vse the Cup who as himselfe will be content with the bread onely that for these hee demandeth nothing but that it seemeth to him not inconuenient for the Vicar of CHRIST to haue pitie vpon the others also Likewise he prayed his Holinesse that hee would grant for some time at the least that married Priests may bee reconciled to the Church keeping their wiues and married men ordained also To these Letters was added a Remonstrance or consideration composed by the Diuines of Germanie in which it was said That it was plaine that the Scripture of the New and Old Testament doeth permit Priests to A Remonstrance concerning the same Grant haue wiues because the Apostles some few excepted were married neither is it found that CHRIST after their vocation did separate their wiues from them That in the Primitiue Church as well Orientall as Occidentall the marriages of Priests were free vntill the time of Calistus the Pope that the ciuill Lawes did not condemne the marriage of Clerkes that it is
by the waters side Oh monstrous extraordinarie madnesse Nothing could bee ratified which the Bishops as if they had beene the common people did Decree vnlesse the Pope made himselfe the author of it An Epistle written by IOHN IEWELL Bishop of Sarum vnto one Seign r SCIPIO a Gentleman in Venice in answere of an expostulatory letter of his concerning the Councell of Trent 1 SIr according to that intimate acquaintance Which hath been betweene vs euer since wee liued together at Padua you beeing imployed in the affaires of your Common-weale l in my studies you write vnto me familiarly that your selfe and many others there with you wonder that since a Generall Councell at Trent hath been summoned by the Pope for the setling of Religion and remoouing of Controuersies and seeing alreadie all other Nations from all parts are there assembled The Realme of England alone hath neither sent any Ambassadours thither nor by any message or letter excused their absence but without any Councell hath altered almost all the forme of the old ancient Religion the former whereof as you say argues a proud stubbornnesse the other a pernicious Schisme For it is a superlatiue crime for any man to decline the most Sacred Authoritie of the Pope of Rome or being called by him to a Councell to withdraw himselfe As for the Controuersies about Religion that it is not lawfull to debate them other where then in such Assemblies For there be the Patriarches and Bishops There bee the learnedst men of all sorts from their mouthes the trueth must be required There bee the lights of each Church There is the Holy Ghost That all godly Princes if any doubt had risen concerning Gods worship still referred it to a publique consultation That Moses Ioshua Dauid Ezechias Iosias and other Iudges Kings Priests did not aduise concerning matters of Religion elsewhere then in an assembly of Bishops That Christ's Apostles and the Holy Fathers held Councels That by this meanes the Trueth displayed her beames Heresies were subdued so was Arrius vanquished so Eunomius so Eutiches so Macedonius so Pelagius And that by the same meanes the present distractions of the world may be composed and the breaches of the Church made vp again if contentions and factions layd aside we would come to a Councell without which nothing can lawfully be attempted in Religion 2 This in effect was the summe of your Letter I doe not now take vpon mee to answere you in the behalfe of the Realme of England by what aduice â—â—â—ry thing hath beene done neither doe I thinke that you expect it from mee or desire it The Counsels of Kings are hidden and secret and so ought to bee You know the old saying nor euery where nor to all nor to all sorts of people Yet 〈◊〉 â—ur old and intimate acquaintance because I see you desire it so earnestly I will briefly and freindly shewe you what I thinke but as hee salesâ— as farre as I Knowe and am able and I doubt not but that will satisfie you 3 Wee wonder say you that no Ambassadours from England come to the Councell I pray you Sir doe Englishmen onely not come to this Councell Were you your selfe present at the Councell Did you take a muster of them Did you count them by the Poll Did you see that all other nations were mett from all parts except onely the English If you haue such a mind to wonder why doe not you wonder at this too that neither the three memorable Patriarchs of Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria nor Presbiter Iohn nor the Grecians Armenians Persians Egyptians Mores Ethiopians or Indians come to the Councell For doe not many of these people beleeue in CHRIST Haue they not Bishops Are they not baptized in the name of CHRIST Bee they not Christians and so called Or did there come Ambassadours from all these nations to the Councell Or will you rather say that the Pope did not call them or that your Ecclesiasticall Decrees take no hold of them 4 But wee wonder more at this that the Pope would afterwards call such men to a Councell whom before hand hee had condemned for Hereticks and openly pronounced them excommunicate without hearing either them or their plea. For that men should bee first condemned and punished and afterwards brought to their triall is absurd and as we say The cart before the horse But I would faine bee resolued of this whether the Popes meaning be to aduise in the Councell concerning Religion with vs whom he accounts Heretiques or rather that wee should plead our cause at the Barre and either change our opinion presently or out of hand bee condemned againe The former is without example and denied heretofore by Iulius the third to those of our side The other is ridiculous if hee thinke so that the English will come to the Councell onely to bee indited and to pleade for themselues especially before him who long since is charged with most heynous crimes not onely by our side but also by their owne 5 Now if England onely seeme to you thus stubborne where then bee the Ambassadours of the King of Denmarke of the Princes of Germanie of the King of Sueden of the Suitzers of the Grisons of the Hanse Townes of the Realme of Scotland of the Dukedome of Prussia Seeing so many Christian Nations are wanting in your Councell it is absurd to misse in your reckoning onely the English But why doe I speake of these The Pope himselfe comes not to his owne Councell and why doe you not wonder at that also For what a pride is this for one man for his owne pleasure to assemble together all Christian Kings Princes and Bishops when hee listeth and to require them to bee at his call and himselfe not to come in their presence Surely when the Apostles summoned assemblies at Ierusalem Peter the Apostle of whose Sea and Succession they brag would not be absent But as I conceiue Pius the fourth the present Pope remèmbreth what happened heretofore to Iohn the 22 that hee came not in a very happy houre to the Councell of Constance for hee came Pope but returned Cardinall Therefore since then the Popes haue prouided for themselues in the rere and kept home and haue withstood all Councels and free disputes For aboue fourty yeeres since when Doctor Martin Luther was cursed by the Pope with Bell Booke and Candle because he had begun to preach the Gospell and to reforme Religion out of GOD's word and had humbly requested that his whole cause might bee referred to the cognisance of a Generall Councell hee could haue no audience For Pope Leo the tenth did see well enough if the matter should come to a Councell that his owne state might come in danger and that hee might perchance heare what he would not willingly 6 Indeede the name of a Generall Councell carries a faire shewe so it be assembled as it ought and affections layde aside all things bee referred to the rule of Gods word
say thus I will ascend vpon the North-pole and I will be like to the most High If the Popes say true what neede wee a Councell if they will hold a sincere and a free Councell away with these wicked and vaine-glorious lyes Let them not onely not be practised but let them euen bee rased out of all their Bookes that all may not bee left to the will and pleasure of one man who is most iustly suspected But the Popes say they cannot erre and that the word of GOD is to bee regulated as they please Before they enter into their place they sweare to maintaine certaine late Councels which are most fowlly corrupted and doe religiously promise that nothing shall bee changed What maruaile then that no good comes of a Councell if that errours and abuses are not taken away that the Ambassadours of Princes are in vaine called thither from so many remote parts Notwithstanding I heare that now there are some men not ill affected yet carelesse what they say who though they condemne the arrogancie and Persian pride of the Pope and his euen Epicurean contempt of Religion yet they desire that his authority should bee maintained Though they sometimes confesse him to be Antichrist yet beeing mounted into that chayre they doubt not but that he is Vniuersall Bishop and Head of the whole Church of CHRIST Here they triumph and please themselues as if the Holy Ghost were affixed to the Pope's palace Yet the saying is The place doth not sanctifie the man but the man the place And Hierome as hee is cited by them saith that They are not sonnes of the Saints who hold their places but who imitate their deedes Likewise Christ telleth vs that the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chayre but warneth vs not to allow of their authoritie further then they speake out of the word of God Augustine sayth What sayd Christ but this Heare the voyce of the Shepheard euen by hirelings For by sitting in the chaire they teach the Law of God therefore God doeth instruct vs by them If they will teach ought of their owne heare them not doe it not Likewise Paul saith that Antichrist that man of sinne must fit in the Temple Hierome sayth Well doest thou consider Peter consider Iudas also doest thou allow of Stephen marke also what Nicholas was Ecclesiasticall dignity maketh not a Christian Thus farre Hierome It is reported that Pope Marcellinus sacrificed to Idoles that Pope Liberius was an Arrian that Pope Iohn the 22 had an impious opinion concerning the immortalitie of the soule that Pope Iohn the 8. was a woman that shee committed adultery during her Papacie and going pompously in procession about the Citie was deliuered of a childe euen in the very sight of the Bishops and Cardinals And Liranus affirmeth that many popes haue turned infidels Wherefore we must not bee too confident of places and successions and vaine titles of dignities Wicked Nero succeeded godly Metellus Annas and Caiphas succeeded Aaron and oftentimes Idoles are put in the place of GOD. 26 But what I pray you is this great power and authoritie whereof they doe so insolently boast whence comes it From Heauen or of men Christ spake vnto Peter say they vpon this rocke I will build my Church by which words the Popes authoritie is confirmed For the Church of Christ is placed in Peter as in the foundation But Christ gaue nothing to Peter by these words more then to the other Apostles neither doth hee make mention of the Pope or of Rome Christ is that rocke Christ is that foundation No man saith Saint Paul can lay another foundation then that which is alreadie laid which is Christ Iesus 27 These words vpon this rock I will build my Church Saint Augustine expoundeth thus vpon this saith he which Peter confessed saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God It is not said thou art the rock but thou art Peter the rock was Christ Saint Basill saith thus vpon this rock that is vpon this faith I will build my Church Origen that most ancient Father saith that euery disciple is a rocke after that he hath drunke of that spirituall rock and vpon such a rocke all the doctrine of the Church is builded But if thou thinkest that the whole is built vpon Peter onely what sayest thou of Iohn the sonne of thunder and of each of the Apostles For shall we be so bould as to say the Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against Peter onely and they shall preuaile against the rest of the Apostles and against good men Or shall wee not rather say let that which is spoken and the Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against him and that other vpon this rock I will build my Church be true in euery one of those of whom it was spoken Were the keyes of the kingdome giuen to Peter only so that none of the other Saints might meddle with them Then if this saying to thee I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen be common to others also why are not the other sayings so to Saint Hilarie saith There is but one happie rocke of faith which Peter confessed with his mouth And again he saith Vpon this confession of Peter the Church is built and a little after hee saith This faith is the foundation of the Church In like manner other Fathers Hierom Cyrill Beda say that the Church is built not vpon Peter but vpon his faith that is vpon Iesus Christ the sonne of God whom Peter by diuine inspiration confessed Peter saith Augustine taketh his name from the Rocke not the Rocke from Peter neither will I sayth hee build my selfe vpon thee but I will build thee vpon mee So also Nicholas Lira though hee bee not alwayes a good author for you know in what age hee liued saw thus much Vpon this Rocke sayth hee that is vpon CHRIST By this it appeareth that the Church cannot relie wholly vpon any man by reason of any power or Ecclesiasticall dignitie because many Popes are knowen to be Apostats haue been Apostats 28 Why then wherein doeth this Papall authoritie consist In teaching They teach not at all In administring the Sacraments They administer them not In feeding Why they doe it not Yet this is the power which CHRIST bestowed on his Apostles Goe saith he into the whole world and preach the Gospell And afterward Yee shall bee fishers of men And as my liuing Father sent mee so send I you But these men whither go they what doe they teach or preach or fish for From whence goe they or by whom are they sent This is not Apostolicall authoritie but a proud intolerable domination vsurped by force and tyranny None of vs saith Cyprian calleth himselfe Bishop of Bishops nor violently compelleth his Colleagues to any necessary obedience sith euery Bishop may vse his libertie and power according to his owne discretion without beeing iudged by any seeing that hee himselfe iudgeth no man Againe
hee saith The other Apostles were that which Peter was and had the same fellowship of honour and power Saint Hierome saith the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one Citie Why doe you extoll the custome of one Citie Why doe you make a paucitie whence pride began to giue lawes to the Church Wheresoeuer any Bishop is whether at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium hee is of the same desert and Priesthood The strength of riches or humblenesse of pouertie maketh a Bishop neither greater nor lesse Gregorie sayth Peter is the chiefe member in the bodie Iohn Andrew Iames are Heads of particular people yet all of them are members of the Church vnder one Head Nay the Saints before the Law the Saints vnder the Law the Saints vnder the Gospel and all that make vp the bodie of the Lord are to bee accounted members and none was euer willing to bee called Vniuersall 29 This is that power which some doe so strenuously defend at this day which whatsoeuer they thinke of the Popes life and religion they would haue to bee most religiously maintained as if the Church could not subsist without it or as if a Councell were no Councell except the Pope did will and command it to be so or as if the whole world must needs be deceaued if it should thinke otherwise Wherefore now that you see that all things are most vniustly handled that nothing is sincerely and fairely caried in Councels you may not wonder that our men had rather tarry at home then take so long and so idle a iourney in which they shall both lose their labour and betray their cause 30 You will say it is not lawfull to make change in Religion without order from the Pope and the Councell Yet the Popes haue changed almost the whole state of the Primitiue Church without any Councell at all You vse a faire smooth speach but it is to couer foule errours The purpose is onely to keepe mens minds in expectation that being wearied with tedious delayes they may at the last despaire of any good For what while the Pope assembleth a Councell while the Bishops and Abbots returne home will they haue GOD's people in the meane while to bee deceiued to erre to mistake themselues to bee ouerwhelmed with errours and want of the knowledge of GOD and so to bee carried to euerlasting destruction Is it not lawfull for any of vs to beleeue in CHRIST to professe the Gospel to serue God aright to flie superstition and idolatrie except they will be pleased to giue vs leaue The state of God's children were most miserable if there being so many errors so generally spread so grosse so blind so foule and so perspicuous and manifest that euen our aduersaries themselues are not able to denie them nothing could be done without the whole world should meet in a generall Councell the expectation whereof is very vncertaine and the euent much more In times past when the Persians inuaded Greece and began to lay all waste if then the Lacedemonians whose virtue was then most eminent amongst the Grecians whose help was requisite as soone as might be had expected a more seasonable moone to make warre in for it was an ancient superstition which proceeded from Lycurgus not to goe forth to fight but in a full moone their Countrie might haue beene spoiled whilst they deferred the time They say delay breeds danger The safetie of God's Church is in question the Deuill goeth about roaring like a Lion seeking whom he may deuoure Simple men are easily deceaued and though they be often touched with a zeal towards God yet they persecute the sonne of God before they be aware And as Nazianzen saith when they purpose to fight for Christ they fight against him Nay the Bishops themselues who ought to haue a care of these things are as though they were but Ghosts carelesse of them or to speake truth they increase the error and make the mist that is in their Religion twice as great as it was Must wee therefore sit idle expecting how these Fathers will handle the matter must wee hold our hands together and doe nothing Nay saith Cyprian there is but one Bishoprique of which euery one holdeth an intire part whereof he is to giue account to the Lord. I will require saith the Lord their bloud at thy handes If any shall put his hand to the plough and looke backe and be sollicitous what others thinke and expect the authoritie of a generall Councell and hide the Lord's treasure in the meane while he shall here this O euill and faithlesse seruant take him away and cast him into outward darkenesse Suffer saith Christ the dead to burie their dead but come thou and follow mee In humane counsels it is the part of a wise man to expect the iudgment and consent of men but in matters diuine Gods word is all in all the which so soone as a godly man hath receiued hee presently yeeldeth and submitteth himselfe he is not wauering not expecteth others Hee vnderstandeth that he is not bound to giue care to the Pope or the Councell but to the will of God whose voice is to be obeyed though all men say nay The Prophet Elias presently obeyed God's command though he thought he was alone Abraham being warned of God went out of Chaldea Lot went out of Sodome the three Israelites made a publike confession of their Religion and did publiquely detest Idolatry without expecting a generall Councell Goe saith the Angel out of the midst of her and partake not of her sinnes lest you tast of her Plagues Hee saith not expect a Synode of Bishops So God's trueth was first published and so it is now to be restored The Apostles first taught the Gospell without a publique Councell in like manner the same Gospell may be restored againe without a publique Councell If at the first Christ and his Apostles would haue caried and differred all vntill a generall Councell when had their sound gone forth into all lands how had the kingdome of heauen suffered violence and how had the violent taken it by force Where now would the Gospell and the Church of God haue beene As for our parts we do not feare and flie but desire and wish for a Councell so that it bee freely ingenuous and Christian so that men doe meet as the Apostles did so that Abbots and Bishops be freed from their oath by which they are bound to the Popes so that that whole conspiracie be dissolued so that our men may be modestly and freely heard and not condemned before they be heard so that one man may not haue power to ouerthrow whatsoeuer is done But seeing it impossible as the times now are that this should be obteyned and seeing that all absurd things foolish ridiculous superstitious impious are defended most pertinaciously and that for custome sake because they haue beene once receiued we haue thought it fit to prouide for our
meane time they might be aduised how to gouerne themselues in the other sessions wherein they desire to haue light and because they might euery houre be interrogated of diuers things for which they could not haue space to aduise and expect an answere they desired that as particular an instruction as was possible should be sent them Aboue all they desired aduertisement concerning the manner and forme to proceede to propose to resolue and what matter should be handled They demanded especially if the cause of heresies should be the first or should be treated of in generall or in particular condemning the false doctrine or the persons of the principall heretikes or the one and the other together if the Prelates propose an Article of reformation where at all seeme to ayme whether it should bee handled together with the Article of Religion or before or after if the Councell ought to intimate its beginning to all people and nations inuiting the Prelats and Princes and exhorting the faithfull to pray God for it or if his Holinesse will doe it himselfe when there shall be occasion to write some letter missiue or responsiue what forme is to be vsed and what Seale likewise what forme is to bee vsed in the extention of 〈◊〉 â—reâ—s if they should take notice of the Colloquie and Diet which will be held in Germany or dissemble it if they shall proceede slowly or swiftly as well in determining the sessionsâ— as in proposing the matters They informed that some Prelates thought fit to proceeded by nations which they held to be seditious that it would make the Prelates of euery one â—oonutin and that the greater number of Italians who are most faithfull to the Sea of Rome would helpe nothing when the suffrage of them altogether would be of equall value with the suffrage of a few French men or Spaniards or Dutchmen They sent aduise also 〈◊〉 it was perceiued that some had a designe to dispute of the authority of the Councell and Pope a thing dangerous to raise a schisme amongst the Catholikes themselues and that in the congregation of the 12. all the Prelats ioyntly and earnestly desired to see the commission of their facultie which they were constrained artificially to auoide not knowing as yet how their presidencie ought to be vnderstood and how farre his Holinesse would haue it extended They demanded also that order might be taken for the rodes that euery day and houre they might send and receiue aduise as occasion serued they desired some order about the precedencie of Ambassadors of the Princes and prouision of money in regard those 2000. crownes sent them a little before were spent vpon some poore Bishops The Prelates were earnest that the worke might beginne wherefore the Legates to giue them some satisfaction and to shew they were not idle called a congregation the 18. day without proposing any thing but the manner of liuing and conuersing and gouerning their families Much was saide against the vse brought in especially in Rome to weare the habit of a Prelate in the ceremonie onely and at other times of a secular Sumptuous apparrell as also base and sordide were equally reprehended and much was saide of the age of their seruants but all was referred to bee resolued in another congregation which was held the two and twentieth and was wholly spent in discoursing vpon such ceremonies concluding that a good reformation of the minde was principally necessary wherefore ayming at the seemelinesse which belongeth to their degree and edification of the people euery one will see what hee hath to redresse in himselfe and his familie The Pope vnderstanding the Councell was begun deputed a congregation of Cardinals and Courtiers to superintend and aduise concerning the affaires of Trent Consulting with these hee resolued that things were not as yet ripe enough to see cleerely what matters were to bee handled and in what order Hee caused an answere to bee sent to the Legates that it beseemed The Popes answere not the Synode to inuite either Princes or Prelates and least of all to desire any one to assist them with prayers because this hee had sufficiently done himselfe by the Bull of the Iubile and that by the Letters for the conuocation of the Councell that they ought not to thinke that the Synod should write to any the Legats hauing power to supply that by their owne letters written in all their names Concerning the extension of the Decrees the title ought to be The most holy Oecumenicall and generall Synode of Trent the Apostolicall Legats being Presidents But for the forme of giuing voyces that their reasons were very good not to doe it by nations the rather because it was neuer vsed in ancient times but was introduced by the Councell of Constance and followed by that of Basill which are not to be imitated But the forme vsed in the last Later as Councel being the best and most decent they should follow that by which late example which succeeded well they might stop the mouth of whosoeuer proposed any to the contrary And concerning the condemnation of the heretikes matters to be handled other things demanded by them order should be giuen in time conuenient in the mean space they should spend the time inpreaÌ„bulary things according to the custome of other Councels That they should maintaine their presidencie with that comlinesse that beseemeth the Legats of the Apostolike Sea yet so as that they may giue satisfaction vnto all but aboue all should vse diligence that the Prelats should not exceed the bounds of honest liberty and reuerence towards the Apostolike Sea It was a matter of greater importance to assist the Prelates that they might bee able to maintaine themselues Therefore hee sent a Briefe by which hee exempted all the Prelates of the Councell from payment of Tenths and granted them the participation of all fruits as well in absence as presence he sent also two thousand crownes to helpe the needie Bishops giuing order they should not care to haue it published because in case it were knowen it could not bee expounded but for a louing courtesie of the head of the Councell This place requireth by reason of that which hath been and will be spoken The manner of giuing voices in the Councell in all ages in diuers occasions about the manner of speaking their opinions in the Councel called Giuing of voyces that it should be declared what the custome was of old how this which is vsed in these times came first vp The assembling of a whole Church to handle in the Name of God the occurrences of doctrine and discipline is a thing most profitable vsed by the holy Apostles in the choyce of Matthias and the seuen Deacons and the Diocesan Councels are much like to this But of the meeting of Christians from many remote places to consult together there is a famous example in the Acts of the Apostles when Paul and Barnabas with others of Syria met the