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
it for themselues but in the Article of concupiscence it spake iust as the Lutherans did as also of iustification placing it in the beliefe of the promises and attributing too much yea all to faith In the Article of good workes nothing was said of the merit of condignitie which is the principall point in that matter In the Article of the Church that it hath not deriued vnity from the visible Head which is essentiall and which is worse hath made a Church inuisible by charitie and then made the same visible That it is a secret Artifice to destroy the Hierarchie and establish the Lutheran opinion That to haue made notes of the Church soundnesse of doctrine and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments hath giuen a way to all sects to hold obstinately themselues to bee the Church concealing the true marke which is the obedience to the Pope of Rome That the saying that the Pope was appointed for remedie of Schisme and Bishops by the Law of God was not to be endured That the Sacrament of Penance was made most Lutheran-like in that it was sayd that beleeuing to receiue with this Sacrament that which CHRIST hath promised it happeneth to euery one as hee beleeueth That the principall point of Sacrifice is concealed that it is expiatorie and propitiatory for the liuing and the dead That hauing granted wiues to Priests and the Cup in the Communion of the Laitie euery one might see that with those two abuses the whole Catholike faith was ouerthrowen All the Court laid with one voice that the principall point was in question that the foundations of the Church were shaken that it was necessary to imploy all their forces to excite all Princes to send to the Bishops of all nations and by all meanes to resist this beginning from whence would vndoubtedly follow not the ruine of the Church of Rome for that was impossible but a greater deformation and dishonour then euer But the old Pope beeing most sensible who with the acutenesse of Where the Pope differeth in opinion from all others his iudgement saw more then them all did immediatly penetrate to the bottome and iudged that the enterprise would bee good for him and pernicious for the Emperour He maruelled much at the wisedome and counsell of so great a Prince that by one victory hee should thinke hee was made iudge of all mankinde and presuppose hee was able to contest with both parties That a Prince adhering to one might oppresse another but to contend with both was too much boldnesse of vanity Hee foresaw that the doctrine would generally more displease the Catholikes then the Court and the Protestants most of all and that it would be impugned by all and defended by none wherein there was no neede of his paines because his enemies would worke for him more then himselfe could doe and that it was better to permit the publication of it then to hinder it and rather being in this state in which it is then when it is reformed that it may more easily fall Onely there was neede of three things That the Emperour should not know this That he should be put vpon the businesse as soone as might be And that the first blow should be against the Protestants To effect the first it was fit to make a light opposition in some things for the second to set on foote the interests of the Germane Prelates and for the third to make it cunningly appeare that this doctrine was collected not to vnite both parties but onely to curbe the Protestants by which meanes a great point was gayned that is that a secular Prince did not make Articles of faith for the faithfull but for those that erred Therefore hee sent instructions to Cardinall Sfondrato to make some His instructions to his Legate in Germany opposition and when the doctrine should bee published that hee might not be present to take leaue and bee gone The Cardinall according to his Commission declared in the Popes name that the permission to continue the receiuing of the Cup in the holy Communion though he that receiueth it is not to bee reprehended the custome of receiuing the Sacrament vnder both kindes being abrogated long since was a thing reserued to the Pope as also the granting of marriage to Priests and the rather because it hath neuer been vsed in the Church and the Greekes and Easterne people who doe not binde them to a single life doe graunt that married men may receiue Orders and keeping their wiues may exercise the ministery but doe not nor euer did permit them to marry who were in Orders before He added that without doubt if his Maiestie would graunt these things to bee lawfull he should grieuously offend the Maiesty of God but holding them vnlawfull hee might permit them to the heretikes as a lesser euill It is tolerable and belongeth to the wisedome of a Prince when all euils cannot bee remooued to suffer the least that the greater may bee rooted out That his holinesse perusing the booke saw it was onely a permission to the Lutherans that they may not without end passe from one errour to another and that it is not granted to the Catholikes to beleeue or doe any thing but according to the prescript of the holy Apostolike Sea which onely as Mistris of the faithfull may make Decrees in point of Religion And being assured that this was his Maiesties purpose he told him it would be necessary to make an expresse declaration therof and not to giue the raines so much to the Lutheranes especially in the power of changing ceremonies considering that in the last point hee seemed to giue them too much liberty where hee graunteth that the Ceremonies which may giue cause of Superstition should be taken away Hee added that the Lutherans would hold it lawfull to retaine the Ecclesiasticall goods and iurisdiction vsurped if they were not commanded to make restitution wherein a Councell was not to be expected but execution presently made and that the spoyles being notoriously knowen he neede not obserue the nice points of Law but proceed summarily and with his Princely power This censure was imparted by Caesar to the Ecclesiasticall Electors who The Ecclesiasticall Electors approue the Popes cēsure of the Interim especially concerning restitution of goods vsurped by the Protestants did approoue it but particularly for the point of restitution of Ecclesiasticall goods they affirmed it was necessary without which the worship of God could not bee restored nor Religion preserued nor peace well assured And that because the spoile was manifest iustice did require a short proceeding All the Bishops were of the same opinion The Secular Princes were silent for feare of offending the Emperour and by their example the Ambassadors of the Cities spake but little and of that little little account Wherefore the Emperor maketh a proheme to the Interim was made In regard of the Legates remonstrance the Emperour caused a Proheme to bee made
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
so it was most iust that the perturbers of it should be punished The Bishop of Caua would neither excuse himselfe for that which hee had said nor receiue the admonition with silence though it was in generall but said that the causes ought to bee remooued that the effects might cease that if the words of the Bishop of Guadice had offended his owne person he would haue endured it for Christian charitie which as it requireth patience in wrongs committed against ones selfe so it maketh men sensible of the iniuries done vnto CHRIST whose diuine Maiestie is offended when the authoritie of his Vicar is touched that hee had spoken well yea as well as might be and confirmed the same with other words of the same sence which were generally condemned of petulancie Iacobus Gilbertus of Nogueras Bishop of Aliffe in deliuering his voyce The suffrage of the Bishop of Aliffe concerning the institution of Bishops said that concerning the institution of Bishops one could not speake with better ground then considering well and vnderstanding the words of Saint Paul to the Ephesians For as it is most true that CHRIST did rule the Church with an absolute gouernment while hee liued in mortall flesh as others had iudiciously said so it was a great vntruth which was added that is that being in heauen he hath abandoned the same gouernment yea hee doeth exercise it rather more then before And this is it which he spake to his Apostles at his departure I am with you vntill the end of the world adding also the assistance of the holy Ghost so that now also not onely the inward influence of graces commeth from CHRIST as from the Head but an externall assistance also though inuisible to vs which doeth minister occasions of saluation to the faithfull and driueth away the temptations of the world Notwithstanding besides all these things hee hath instituted also some members of the Church for Apostles Pastours c. to defend the faithfull from errours and to direct them to the vnitie of faith and knowledge of GOD. And vpon these he hath best owed a gift necessary for the exercising of this holy office which is the power of iurisdiction which is not equall in all but so much as euery one hath is giuen him immediatly by CHRIST Nothing is â—ord contrary to Saint Paul then to say that it was giuen to one onely to impart it to whom he listed It is true that it is not equall in all but according to the diuine distribution which as Saint Cyprian saith that the vnitie of the Church might bee preserued did ordaine that the supreame should be in Peter and his successors not that it should bee absolute and according to the Prouerbe that the will may bee a law but as Saint Paul saith for edification of the Church onely not for destruction so that it cannot bee extended to abrogate lawes and Canons made by the Church for a foundation of gouernement And heere hee began to alleadge the Canons cited by Gratian in which the ancient Popes doe confesse themselues to be subiect to the Decrees of the Fathers and to the constitutions of their predecessors The Cardinall Varminese interrupted him and sayd that the subiect to speake on was the superioritie of Bishops so that this discourse was beside the matter The Bishop answered that the authority of Bishops being handled it was necessary to speake of that of the Pope And Granata stood vp and said that others had spoken of it superfluously not to say perniciously meaning Laynez and therefore that Aliffe might speake of it likewise The Bishop of Caua stood vp and sayd that others had spoken of it but not in that manner and whisperings beginning to arise amongst the Prelates Simoneta made a signe to Caua to hold his peace and admonishing Aliffe to speake to the point he quieted the noyse But he continuing to alleadge the Canons as hee had begun Varmiense interrupted him againe not speaking vnto him but making a formall discourse to the Fathers concerning that matter He said the heretikes pretend to proue that Bishops elected by the Pope are not true and lawfull and that this is the opinion which ought to be condemned but whether true Bishops are instituted iure Diuino or not there is no difference betweene the heretikes and the Catholikes and therefore the question doth not belong to the Synod which is congregated only to condemne the heresies He aduised the Fathers to abstaine from speaking things which might giue occasion of scaudall and exhort them to leaue these questions Aliffe desired to replie but Simoneta with the assistance of some other Prelates did pacifie him though with some difficulty And after him spake Autonius Maria Saluiaâ—â— Bishop of Saint Papulo who sayd that all were assembled for the seruice of GOD and proceeded with a good intention though some one way and some another And hauing sayd many things which serued partly to accord the opinions but principally to reconcile their mindes was a cause that the Congregation did quietly ende and that words of humanitie and reuerence did passe betweene the Cardinall and the Bishop The fourth of December the Cardinall of Loraine deliuered his opinion The suffrage of the Card of Loraine concerning the same matter and spake at large saying that iurisdiction was giuen by God immediatly to the Church Hee alleadged the place of Saint Austin that the keyes are giuen to Peter not vnto one person but vnto the vnitie and that Peter when CHRIST promised him the keyes did represent all the Church who if hee had not been a Sacrament that is representing the Church CHRIST would not haue giuen them vnto him And hee shewed a great memory in reciling the places word by word Then he said that that part of iurisdiction which is ioyned with Episcopall order the Bishops doe receiue immediatly from God and declaring in what it doeth consist amongst other things hee specified that power of excommunication is contained in it inlarging himselfe much in the exposition of that place of Saint Matthew in which CHRIST doeth prescribe the manner of brotherly correction and iudiciall of the Church with authority to separate the disobedient from the body thereof Then hee disputed against that opinion alleadging diuers reasons taken out of the wordes of CHRIST spoken to Saint Peter and from the exposition which S. Leo the Pope doeth giue vnto them in many places Hee exemplified in many Bishops who had acknowledged all their iurisdiction to come from the Apostolike Sea and spake with so much eloquence and in such sort that it could not clearely bee discouered what his opinion was Afterwards hee sayd that Councels had authoritie immediately from God alleadging the words of CHRIST Where two or three shall be assembled in my name I will be in the middest of them and the Councell of the Apostles which ascribeth the resolution to the holy Ghost and the stile of all Councels in saying they are congregated
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
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
and was not present at the discussion of the matter sayd that hee held that poynt to be very imperfect if they did not constitute withall that likewise nothing The Bishop of Veglia maketh a resolute speach concerning some corruptions in Rome should bee exacted at Rome for dispensations to receiue Orders out of due times before the iust age without licence and examination of the Ordinarie and for irregularities and other Canonicall impediments For in those things great expences were made whereas to the poore Bishops who haue not whereon to liue a small almes is giuen which hee would by all meanes haue taken away yet so as that they giue not a scandall to the world to tithe rue and steale gold and siluer Vpon this occasion hee enlarged himselfe and taxed the payments made in Rome for all sorts of dispensations and added that whensoeuer any dispensations haue beene presented to him either for Ordinations or ought else hee hath vsed to aske whether they haue payd for them and vnderstanding that they haue hee hath neuer executed nor admitted them which hee spake publiquely because it was the duety of euery Bishop so to doe And being answered that they had formerly treated of this in Congregation and resolued to referre the resolution thereof to the Pope who might with more honour reforme the Offices of Rome he replied that the last Lent hee had spoken of it in Rome but particularly in the house of the Cardinall di Perugia in presence of many Cardinals and Prelates of the Court and said the same things who answered they were matters to be proposed in the Councell but now vnderstanding the contrary hee will speake of it no more but leaue it to God To the second of the Ordinations to title the Bishop of Fiue Churches said it was more necessary to prouide according to the ancient constitutions that none should be ordained without a title and Office then without a reuenue because it is an excessiue scandall that many are seene to bee made Priests not to serue God and the Church but to enioy their ease ioyned with much luxurie and with a good reuenue that the Synod ought to thinke seriously hereof and to finde a meanes that there may not be an Ecclesiasticall person who shall not be dedicated to some ministery because hee hath obserued that in Rome in these later times Bishopriques haue been giuen to some onely to promore them who within a short time haue resigned them remaining titular Bishops onely for ambition of dignitie which inuention antiquitie would haue detested as pestiferous To the fourth point for diuision of great and frequent Parishes after he had commended the Decree hee added that it was more necessary to diuide great Bishopriques that they might bee better gouerned alleadging that in Hungary there are some which containe 200 miles in length which cannot be visited and directed by one man These things were not well expounded by the adherents of Rome who thought that all were bent to reuiue the treaty of residence The Bishop of Sidonia a man of the same Countrey gaue worse satisfaction The Bishop of Sidonia proposeth metaphorically a reformation of the Pope proposing vnder metaphors the reformation of the Pope himselfe saying that darkenesse could not bee taken from the starres except it were remooued from the Sunne nor the sicke body healed so long as bad dispositions did remaine in the head which doeth dispearse them to all the members And for the last point concerning Receiuers he sayd that it was not honourable for the Councell nor profitable for the Church to begin with the reformation of the smallest matters that the matters of importance are first to be handled the superiour orders to bee reformed first and the inferiour afterwards Which sayings seemed to please many of the Spanish Prelates and some of the Italians also But partly by saying that those Decrees were already composed and that there were but three dayes to the Session which short time did not comport the digestion of new matters partly by making such oppositions against the things spoken as they were able and by giuing assurance that the Pope would make a most strict reformation in the Court the remedies of the abuses wherof could be better discerned and applied at Rome where the infirmity is better knowen then in the Councell and by such like reasons the prouisions thought on these and other Prelates were deluded and all were made content for that present with the nine Articles But the Congregation being ended the Legates and other Papalins remaining The Lgats other Papalins doe consult how they may represse the licence of the Prelates in the place together to consider of what they heard discoursed that the boldnesse of the Prelates in broaching new seditious matters without respect did increase dayly which could not be called liberty but too much licence and that the Diuines with tedious discourses tooke vp too much time contending amongst themselues about nothing and often passing to impertinences which course if it did continue the Councell would neuer be concluded Besides there is danger that the disorder will increase In which consultatiō Crescentius is reprehended by the Cardinall of Varmia and produce some sinister effect Iohn Baptista Castedo the Speaker who had exercised the same office in the former reduction vnder Iulius tolde them that Cardinall Crescentius when they digressed from the matters proposed without respect was wont to interrupt them and to cut off also the file of their discourse to abreuiate those who were too profixe and sometimes to impose them silence which beeing now done once or twice the affaires of the Councell would bee shortned and occasions of impertinent discourses would bee taken away Varmiense was not pleased with this who said that if Crescentius did gouerne so it was no maruell that the Maiestie of God had not giuen a good progresse to that Councel that nothing is more necessary to a Christian Synode then liberty and that reading the Councels of the better times one shall finde contentions and discords in the beginnings of them euen in the presence of the Emperours most potent in those times which notwithstanding did in the end turne by the assistance of the holy Ghost into a maruellous concord and that was the miracle which did pacifie the world Hee said there were infinite contentions in the Nicene Councel and most exorbitant in the Ephesine and therefore no wonder if now there were some diuersitie of opinions ciuilly carried which hee that would resist by humane and violent meanes will let the world know that the Councell is not free and take from it all reputation that it is good to referre the cause vnto God who will gouerne Councels and moderate those who are assembled in his name The Cardinall of Mantua approoued the opinion of Varmiense and disliked the proceeding of Crescentius but said it was not contrary to the libertie of the Councell to moderate abuses with Decrees
members Granata did second him shewing the necessity and opportunity thereof thanking the Bishop of Fiue Churches for his admonition and said they would consult amongst themselues For this cause the Spaniards being assembled together discoursed of And is seconded by the Spaniards the necessitie of reformation and the hope thereof in regard of the Emperours inclination from which their King also who was most piously addicted would not disseut and the French Prelates who would shortly be there would vndoubtedly promote and assist the worke in earnest They repeated diuers abuses and shewed that the fountaine of them all was the Court of Rome which is not onely corrupt in it selfe but the cause of deformation in all Churches and particularly the vsurpaâ—ion of the Episcopall authoritie by reseruations which if it were not restored and the Court depriued of that which they haue taken from Bishops it would bee impossible the abuses should bee redressed Granata considered that it beeing necessary to lay a good foundation for so noble a Fabrique a way was open for them now that they were to speake of the Sacrament of Order if it bee determined that the authority of Bishops is instituted by CHRIST because it will follow by consequence that it cannot bee diminished by which meanes that will bee restored to the Bishops which hauing been giuen them by CHRIST hath by the ambition of others and their owne negligence been vsurped from them Braganza added that it was so much the more necessary because the Episcopall authority was brought to nothing and the Order erected superiour to Bishops vnknowen to the Church in former ages that is the Cardinals who at the first were esteemed in the number of Priests and Deacons and after the tenth age began to exalt themselues aboue their degree Notwithstanding they were still accounted inferiour to Bishops vntill the yeere 1200 since which time they haue so farre aduanced themselues that they hold Bishops as seruants in their houses and it will bee impossible to reforme the Church vntill both of them bee reduced to their due places These propositions and discourses were heard with applause so that they resolued to elect sixe of them to put in writing the things necessary and fit as well for the reformation in generall as particularly for this point of the institution of Bishops whence they purposed to begin Oranata Iasper Cornante Archbishop of Messina the Bishop of Segouia and Martin di Cardoua Bishop of Tortosa were named the last of which was cause why the proiect did not proceed For hauing secret intelligence with the Papalins he excused himselfe alleadging his owne insufficiencie and the vnfitnesse of the time adding that Fiue Churches was not mooued with pietie and had no other end then to make vse of them to constraine the Pope by meanes of the reformation to grant the vse of the Cup wherein they had beene auerse And seeing they were disposed to heare him hee preuailed so much with them that they passed no further for the present but interposed a delay Notwithstanding it was not long deferred For Granata Braganza Messina and Segouia hauing obtained audience of the Legates desired that they might handle the Articles proposed heretofore by Cardinall Crescentius in this same Councell and concluded though not published that is that the Bishops are instituted by CHRIST and are superiour to Priestes iure diuino The Legates after they had conferred together answered that the Lutherans hauing affirmed that a Bishop and a Priest is the samething it was fit to declare that a Bishop is superiour but that it was not necessary to say quo iure nor by whom a Bishop is instituted because there is no controuersie of it Granata replyed that there was a controuersie and that if the Diuines did dispute it the necessity of deciding this point would be knowne The Legates would not consent by any meanes and after some few sharpe words on both sides the Spaniards departed without hauing obtained any thing yet resolued still to perswade some of the Diuines to bring this particular into The Legates wiâ—l not sulter the instâ—tution of Bishops to be discussed the discussions and to make mention of it when they were to giue voices in congregation But the Papalins vnderstanding hereof did cause it to be voyced amongst the Diuines that the Legates did forbid all speach of that question But to returne to the congregation when the second ranke spake consisting of Diuines and Canonists Thomas Passius a Canon of Valentia said that all doubt made of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie did proceede from grosse ignorance of antiquity it being a thing most knowne that in the Church the people hath alwayes beene gouerned by the Clergie and in the Clergie the inferiours by the superiours vntill all be reduced vnto one vniuersall Rector which is the Pope of Rome And hauing declared the proposition at large he added that there was no need to doe any thing herein but to make this trueth appeare by remoouing the contrary errours which haue bin brought in by the Schoolemen who sometimes by too much subtiltie doe make plaine things obscure opposing the Canonists who place the first tonsure and the Bishopricke in the number of Orders Of the latter he said it seemed strange to him how they could confesse that confirmation ordination and so many other consecrations doe so peculiarly belong vnto it that they cannot possibly bee done by any else and yet deny it to bee an Order when as they giue that name to the keeping of the doore which may as well be done by a Lay-man For the first tonsure he hath euer heard the Diuines say that a Sacrament is an externall signe which signifieth a spirituall grace and that the tonsure is the signe and the thing signified is the deputation to the seruice of God and therefore hee wondered why they would not haue it to be a Sacrament and the rather because one entreth into the Clergie by it and doth participate of Ecclesiasticall exemptions so that if it were not instituted by CHRIST it could not be said that either Clergiship or the exemption thereof were de iure Diuino that it was plaine that the Hierarchie consisteth in the Ecclesiasticall Orders which is nothing but an holy order of superiors and inferiors which can neuer bee well established without making as the Canonists Of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie doe the Tonsure the lowest and the Bishopricke the highest which being done the Hierarchie is all established because the first and last being giuen those of the middle will necessarily follow which cannot subsist without the former Concerning the other part of the Article they said it was very plaine by the Canons that in the choyce of Bishops and deputation of Priests and Deacons the people of al sorts was present gaue voice or approbation but this was by the Popes tacit or expresse consent because no Laicke can haue authority in matters Ecclesiasticall but by priuiledge from him And this