CEN T. They complain that many of the opinions of the XVL scholastic doctors on intricate points (that had PART I formerly been left undecided, and had been wisely

SECT. III.

permitted as subjects of free debate) were, by this council, absurdly adopted as articles of faith, and recommended as such, nay imposed, with violence, upon the consciences of the people, under pain of excommunication. They complain of the ambiguity that reigns in the decrees and declarations of that council, by which the disputes and dissensions that had formerly rent the church, instead of being removed by clear definitions and wise and charitable decisions, were rendered, on the contrary, more perplexed and intricate, and were, in reality, propagated and multiplied instead of being suppressed or diminished. Nor were these the only reasons of complaint; for it must have been afflicting to those that had the cause of true religion and Christian liberty at heart, to see all things decided, in that assembly, according to the despotic will of the Roman pontif, without any regard to the dictates of truth, of the authority of scripture, its genuine and authentic source, and to see the assembled fathers reduced to silence by the Roman legates, and deprived, by these insolent representatives of the papacy, of that influence and credit, that might have rendered them capable of healing the wounds of the church. It was moreover a grievance justly to be complained of, that the few wise and pious regulations, that were made in that council, were never supported by the authority of the church, but were suffered to degenerate into a mere lifeless form, shadow of law, which was treated with indifference, and transgressed with impunity. To sum up all in one word, the most candid and impartial observers of things consider the council of Trent as an assembly that was more attentive to what might maintain the despotic authority of the pontif,

than

XVI.

than solicitous about entering into the measures CENT that were necessary to promote the good of the s T. III. church. It will not therefore appear surprising, PAT L that there are certain doctors of the Romish church, who, instead of submitting to the decision. of the council of Trent as an ultimate rule of faith, maintain, on the contrary, that these decisions are to be explained by the dictates of scripture and the language of tradition. Nor, when all these things were duly considered, shall we have reason to wonder, that this council has not throughout the same degree of credit and authority, even in those countries that profess the Roman catholic religion [e].

Some countries, indeed, such as Germany, Poland, and Italy, have adopted implicitly and ab. solutely the decrees of this council, without the smallest restriction of any kind. But in other places it has been received and acknowledged on certain conditions, which modify not a little its pretended authority. Among these latter we may reckon the Spanish dominions, which disputed, during many years, the authority of this council, and acknowledged it at length only so far as it could be adopted without any prejudice to the rights and prerogatives of the kings of Spain []. In other countries, such as France [g] and Hangary [b], it never has been solemnly received, or P 2 publicly

[e] The translator has here inserted in the text the nove [b] of the original, and has thrown the citations it contains

into different notes:

[f] See Giannone, Histoire Civile du Royaume de Naples, tom. iv. p. 235:

[g) See Hect. Godofr. Masii Diss. de Contemptu Concili Tridentini in Gallia, which is published among his other dissertations, collected into one volume. See also the excellent discourse which Dr Courrayer has subjoined to the second volume of his Frenca translation of Paul Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent, entitled, Discours sur la Reception cu "Concile de Trente, particulierement en France," p. 775, 789.

[b] See Lorandi Samuel of, Vita Andr. Duaitbit, p. 56.

XVI.

CENT. publicly acknowledged. It is true, indeed, that, SECT. I, in the former of these kingdoms, those decrees of PART Trent that relate to points of religious doctrine,

The princi

of

have, tacitly and imperceptibly, through the power of custom, acquired the force and authority of a rule of faith; but those which regard external discipline, spiritual power, and ecclesiastical government, have been constantly rejected, both in a public and private manner, as inconsistent with the authority and prerogatives of the throne, and prejudicial to the rights and liberties of the Gallican church [i].

XXIV. Notwithstanding all this, such as are the Roman desirous of forming some notion of the religion of Catholie re- Rome, will do well to consult the decrees of the ligion. council of Trent, together with the compendions confession of faith, which was drawn up by the order of Pius IV. Those, however, who expect to derive, from these sources, a clear, complete and perfect knowledge of the Romish faith, will be greatly disappointed. To evince the truth of this assertion, it might be observed, as has been already hinted, that both in the decrees of Trent and in this papal confession, many things are expressed in a vague and ambiguous manner, and that designedly, on account of the intestine divisions and warm debates that then reigned in the church. This other singular circumstance might also be added, that several tenets are omitted in both, which no Roman-catholic is allowed to deny, or even to call in question. But, waving both these considerations, let it only be observed, that in these decrees and in this confession several doctrines and rules of worship are inculcated in a much

[] See Lod. Ell. du Pin, Biblioth, des Auteurs Ecclesiasti ques, tom. xv. p. 380.

For what relates to the Literary History of the Council of Trent, the historians who have transmitted accounts of it, and other circumstances of that nature, see Jo. Chr, Kocheri Bibliotheca Thecl Symbolicæ, p. 325, 377. as also Salig's History of the Council of Trent (in German), p. 190-320.

XVI.

much more rational and decent manner, than that CENT in which they appear in the daily service of theser. III. church, and in the public practice of its mem-PART I bers [k]. Hence we may conclude, that the justest notion of the doctrine of Rome is not to be derived so much from the terms made use of in the decrees of the council of Trent, as from the real signification of these terms, which must be drawn from the cu stoms, institutions, and observances, that are, every where, in use in the Romish church. Add to all this, another consideration, which is, that in the bulls issued out from the papal throne in these latter times, certain doctrines, which were obscurely proposed in the council of Trent, have been explained with sufficient perspicuity, and avowed without either hesitation or reserve. Of this Clement XI. gave a notorious example, in the famous bull called Unigenitus, which was an enterprize as audacious as it proved unsuccessful.

XXV. As soon as the popes perceived the re- The state of markable detriment their authority had suffered exegetic theology, or from the auccurate interpretations of the holy scripturescriptures that had been given by the learned, and knowledge. the perusal of these divine oracles, which was now grown more common among the people, they left no methods unemployed that might discou rage the culture of this most important branch of sacred erudition. While the tide of resentment ran high, they forgot themselves in the most unaccountable manner. They permitted their champions

P 3

P[k] This is true, in a more especial manner, with respect to the eanons of the council of Trent, relating to the doctrine of purgatory, the invocation of saints, the worship of images and relicks. The terms employed in these canons are artfully chosen, so as to avoid the imputation of idolatry, in the philosophical sense of that word; for in the scripture sense they cannot avoid it, as all use of images in religious worship is expressly forbidden in the sacred writings in many places. But this circumspection does not appear in the worship of the Roman-catholics, which is notoriously idolatrous in both the senses of that word.

XVL

CENTpions to indulge themselves openly in reflections SzCT. II. injurious to the dignity of the sacred writings, PART and, by an excess of blasphemy almost incredible

(if the passions of men did not render them capable of the greatest enormities), to declare publicly, that the edicts of the pontifs, and the records of oral tradition, were superior, in point of authority, to the express language of the holy scriptures. But as it was impossible to bring the sacred writings wholly into disrepute, they took the most effectual methods in their power to render them obscure and useless. For this purpose the ancient Latin translation of the Bible, commonly called the Vulgate, though it abounds with innumerable gross errors, and, in a great number of places, exhibits the most shocking barbarity of style, and the most impenetrable obscurity with respect to the sense of the inspired writers, was declared, by a solemn decree of the council of Trent, an authentic, i. e. faithful, accurate, and perfect [] translation, and was consequently recommended as a production

[1] If we consult the canons of the council of Trent, we shall find that the word authentic is there explained in terms fess positive and offensive than those used by Dr Mosheim. Nor is it strictly true, that the Vulgate was declared by this council as a production beyond the reach of criticism or censure; since, as we learn from Fra. Paolo, it was determinedthat this Version should be corrected, and a new edition of it published by persons appointed for that purpose*. There was, indeed, something highly ridiculous in the proceedings of the council in relation to this point; for, if the natural order of things had been observed, the revisal and correction of the Vulgate would have preceded the pompous approbation with which the council honoured, and, as it were, consecrated that ancient Version. For how, with any shadow of good sense, could the assembled fathers set the seal of their approbation to a work which they acknowledged to stand in need of correc tion, and that before they knew whether or not the correction would answer their views, and merit their approbation?

See Fra. Paolo Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent, book II. part Land Dr Courrayer's French translation of this History, vol. i. p, 2842 Bate (29)