CHAPTER III.

THE ROMISH CHURCH.

1. The Jesuits.-2. Francis Xavier.-3. Profligacy of the popes -4. Bull In Coena Domini.-5. Points contested in the Ro man church.-6. Oriental churches.

I. As the Roman pontiffs had lost so much ground in Europe, they became much more anxious than before, to propagate Christianity in other parts of the world, in order that they might still be able to maintain their power and dignity. And for this purpose the improvements in navigation by the Portuguese, and the intercourse which they opened with Africa and southern Asia, as well as the discovery and subjugation of the New World by the Spaniards, afforded great facilities. In order that these

opportunities might be duly improved, and every means employed to sustain the waning power and authority of the pope, the society of the Jesuits was instituted in the year 1540. Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish knight and ignorant fanatic, was the founder of this order; but he was under the direction of wise and acute men, who enabled him to found such a society as the state of the church then required.

This society, devoted wholly to the interest of the popes, bound themselves by a solemn oath, that they would instantly go wherever the Roman pontiff should at any time bid them. The general of the order held is of ce for life, was to reside constantly at Rom, and had a select council to

advise him, and to execute his orders. His authority over the whole order, and every person, business, and thing connected with it, was abso lute; nor was he accountable to any earthly superior, except the pope. The whole society was like a regular army, completely officered, trained to ser vice, and governed by the will of one man, whc stood at the pope's right hand. Every individual is most solemnly bound to secresy; and the mysteries of the society are imparted only to a few of the professors, aged men, of long experience, and of the most tried characters: the rest are entirely ignorant of them. To this society, so well qualified for the business, it was given in special charge, constantly to train up suitable men, to be commissioned and sent by the pontiffs into the remotest regions as preachers of the religion of Jesus Christ. Great numbers of these missionaries went abroad into almost every part of the world, and laboured rather to promote the glory of the Roman pontiff, and the interest of their own sect, than the glory and interests of Jesus Christ.

II. Among the most distinguished of these mis sionaries, was Francis Xavier, commonly called the apostle of the Indies. In the year 1542, he proceeded to the Portuguese East Indies, and in a few years filled no small part, both of the continent and islands, with a knowledge of the Christian, or rather, the Romish religion At Goa, where he resided a number of years, the Inquisition was established, under the Portuguese government; and it is said to have had greater influence in bringing the natives to embrace Christianity, than the exhortations and arguments of the Jesuits. Xavier travelled extensively in Hindostan, several times visited Ceylon, and the islands to the east

In 1547, he went to apan

of the bay of Bengal. and spent two years and a half; and laid the foundation of a very numerous body of Christians, that flourished for many years in that extensive empire. He returned again to Goa, and immediately made preparation for a mission to China. He had set out, and arrived within sight of that empire, when he was taken sick and died at the island of Sancian, in the year 1552. After his death, other missionaries of the order of the Jesuits entered China; among whom the most distinguished was Matthew Ricci, an Italian. He, by his skill in mathematics, and by other arts, which he knew well how to practise, conciliated the favour of some of the chief men, and even of the emperor himself; and obtained for himself and companions, the liberty to explain the doctrines of Christianity to the people. He therefore may justly be considered as the founder and chief author of that numerous body, in China, that were afterwards gathered into the Roman catholic church, some remains of which continue to the present day.

III. Many of the popes of this century were very immoral in their lives and manifested a spirit very inconsistent with the title they assumed, of head of the church, and vicar of Jesus Christ. Leo X. was a man of letters, a facetious companion, a poet and historian; but was regarded as an infidel-doubted the immortality of the soul, and considered the Christian religion as a fable, but a profitable one. Paul III. was in his youth a great debauchee. He was an adept in the art of dissimulation. Julius III. bestowed a cardinal's hat on the keeper of his monkeys, a boy chosen from among the lowest of the populace. Paul IV. was an erogant, ambiticus, and violent pontiff; and was

the first who instituted the Index librorum prohibitorum, or the Index of prohibited books, including the Bible in the vulgar tongue, which Roman catholics may not read without subjecting themselves to the heavy censure of the church. Greg. ory XII. openly approved the bloody massacre at Paris on St. Bartholomew's eve, and participated in a treasonable plot against queen Elizabeth. Pius V. and Sixtus V. distinguished themselves above the rest; the former by his extreme severity against heretics, and by publishing the celebrated Bull, called In Cana Domini, which is annually read at Rome, on the festival of the Holy Sacrament; and the latter by his many vigorous, splendid and resolute acts for advancing the glory and honour of the church.

IV. The Bull In Cana Domini, is a rare production, consisting of thirty-one articles, in which all classes and characters of persons, who in any way, or by any means, oppose, hinder, or contravene, the power, honour, and authority of the Roman pontiffs, are excommunicated and anathematized.

V. The Roman church boasts of its unity, its internal peace and harmony. But this is a false pretence. The Franciscans and Dominicans contend vehemently respecting various subjects. The Scotists and Thomists wage eternal war. The Jesuits have ever laboured to depress all the other religious fraternities, and to strip them of their wealth. This has excited the most virulent enmity against them, particularly among the BeneIdictines and Dominicans. But besides, there are a number of points that have been violently contested by different parties, and never yet decided. The Jesuits have been the most staunch, as well

as the most subtle and impudent defenders of the church, the power, authority, and prerogatives of the Roman pontiff; and of these Robert Bellarmine is the principal, who was a Jesuit, and a cardinal. His works, embracing all the controversies of his church, fill several large volumes. This distinguished advocate of the Romish church at his death, it is said, bequeathed one half of his soul to the Virgin Mary, the other half to Jesus Christ.

VI. The oriental church in the sixteenth century, consisted, (as at the present time,) of the Greek church, and various independent sects, that practise different forms, and hold no communion with one another. The patriarch of Constantinople is the chief, who has under him those of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The right of electing the patriarch of Constantinople belongs to the twelve bishops nearest to that city; but the right of approving the election, and of imparting to the prelate authority to use his powers, belongs to the Turkish emperor. This therefore is frequently procured by bribery. The Russians, the Georgians or Iberians, and the Colchians or Mingrelians, all embrace the doctrines and rites of the Greeks, but are independent, or not subject to the patriarch of Constantinople. The independent sects are, the Monophysites or Jacobites, and the Nestorians. The Monophysites of Africa are the Abyssinians, and the Copts; the latter of whom are those Christians who inhabit Egypt, Vubia, and the adjacent regions. The Nestorians are divided among themselves. A large number of them inhabit Mesopotamia and the mountainous parts of Persia. They are said to have preserved themselves from the superstitions and corruptions