or false doctrine, he shall instantly incur the sentence of excommunication; and those who read or keep works interdicted on another account, besides the mortal sin committed, shall be severely punished at the will of the bishops."

A permanent committee, styled the " Congregation of the Index," is specially charged with the execution of these tyrannical and iniquitous laws. Under its care the Index has been increased from year to year, by the addition of such new works as were deemed unfit for Roman Catholic readers. It now forms a considerable volume. A few of the names found in it may be mentioned. No Roman Catholic is suffered to read the writings of Wickliff, Luther, Calvin, Bucer, Zuinglius, Melancthon, Bullinger, Ecolampadius, Beza, Tyndal, Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Knox, Coverdale, Bishop Hooper, John Fox the Martyrologist, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, Addison, Algernon Sydney, Lord Bacon, Boerhaave, Bayle, Bochart, Brucker, George Buchanan, Buxtorf, Camden, Casaubon, Castalio, Cave, Claude, Le Clerc, the Critici Sacri, Erasmus (his Colloquies, and several other works), Glassius, Grotius, Sir Matthew Hale, Father Paul, Kepler, Lavater, Locke, Milton, Mosheim, Robertson (History of Charles v.), Roscoe (Life of Leo x.), Saurin, Scaliger, Scapula, Schmidt, Selden, Sleidan, Jeremy Taylor, Vossius, Walton (the Polygott), Young (the Night Thoughts.) Of these authors, the works of some may not be possessed or read, according to the above rules, under any circumstances, without incurring the guilt of mortal sin, and the punishment of excommunication; the perusal of others is permitted, by licence, after examination, or expurgation, to a favoured few, "learned and pious men.'

In

Burnet's History of the Reformation the form of one of these licences may be seen, given by Tonstall to Sir Thomas More. Nor are we speaking of a defunct statute. The authority of the Index is acknowledged and felt in the nineteenth century; and in Roman Catholic countries the censorship of the press, and the tyrannical vigilance of the priests, perpetuate the dominion of ignorance, enslave and fetter the human mind, and inflict untold miseries, religious and political, on a suffering people. Even works of Fenelon, Fleury, and Dupin, all celebrated Romanists, are prohibited.

On January 26th, 1564, Pius IV. published the bull of confirmation, commanding all the faithful to receive and inviolably observe the decrees of the council; enjoining archbishops, bishops, etc. to procure that observance from those under them, and in order thereto, to call in the assistance of the secular arm, if necessary; and exhorting and beseeching the emperor, and the respective sovereigns and states of Europe "by the tender mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ, to support the church in so pious an endeavour, and to show their zeal for the Divine honour, and their concern for the salvation of souls, by preventing their subjects from holding and avowing any sentiments opposed to those which had been promulgated at Trent. At the same time, private interpretations of the decrees were expressly prohibited, and the publication of any commentaries, glosses, annotations, remarks, etc. without papal authority, was sternly forbidden. If any doubt or difficulty existed, recourse was to be had to the "place which the Lord had chosen," the apostolic

see.

A congregation of cardinals was appointed, to regulate and announce the legitimate meaning of

the decrees. It still continues, and meets usually twice in every month.

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The "Catechism of the Council of Trent" appeared in 1566, by command of pope Pius v. Although termed a Catechism," it is not written in the usual form of question and answer, but is, in fact, a manual of religious instruction, chiefly, though not wholly, intended for the use of the priests. It is a work of considerable labour and research, and is written in a terse and elegant style. Of the four parts into which it is divided, the first, third and fourth contain expositions of the Apostles' Creed, the Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer; the second, is a treatise on the sacraments. The doctrines laid down in the decrees of the council, are here elaborately discussed and defended; much additional information is supplied; and great skill is employed in endeavouring to make the obnoxious sentiments of the Roman Catholic church appear to be consistent with reason and scripture, but none of them are in reality brought nearer to the truth thereby.

The canons and decrees of the council were printed at Rome, and widely circulated throughout Europe Their reception was various. In what concerns faith, or morals, the decrees of the council have been received, without any restriction, by every Roman Catholic kingdom: all its decrees have been received by the empire, Portugal, the Venetians, and the duke of Savoy, without an express limitation. They have been received by the Spaniards, Neapolitans, and Sicilians, with a caution as to such points of discipline as might be derogatory to their respective sovereignties. But the council was never published in France. The doctrinal decrees, however, are received in that

country, as well as by all Roman Catholics in every part of the world.

Pope Pius IV sent the acts of the council to Mary, queen of Scots, with a letter, dated the 13th of June, 1564, urging her to have the decrees of the council published in her dominions, but nothing appears to have been done in consequence of it.*

* Butler's Historical Memoirs, i. p. 486. Although the decrees and canons have been published, the acts of the council have never been permitted to see the light. It is true that Pallavicini professes to derive his history from them; but for his fidelity we have only his own voucher. Buonaparte removed the original copy of the acts from the Vatican, where they were first deposited, to Paris, and placed them in the "Hotel de Soubize." Probably they were restored on the return of the Bourbon family. Butler, ut sup. p. 487-491.

CHAPTER XIII.

Reflections on the character of the Council--Pope Pius's Creed-Popery shown to be unscriptural-Self-righteous -Superstitious and Idolatrous-Intolerant-and Antichristian.

THE decrees of the council of Trent were signed by four legates, two cardinals, three patriarchs, twenty-five archbishops, one hundred and sixty-four bishops, seven abbots, seven generals of orders, and nineteen proxies for absentees. There had been present, during the extended sittings of the council, thirty-three archbishops, and two hundred and thirty-eight bishops. Of these prelates, thirtythree were from Spain, twenty-four from France, three from Portugal, two from Germany, six from Hungary, two from Poland, and about one hundred and eighty from the Italian states! As there were nearly eight hundred Roman Catholic sees, the number of signatures did not amount to one-fourth of the papal prelacy. Yet this handful of bishops, most of whom were absolutely dependent on the pope, and many of them bribed for this special service, had the audacity to call themselves the representatives of the universal church, and to enact the farce of a general council. Their mean, cringing servility, their opposition to evangelical doctrine, their intolerant spirit, and their utter recklessness of principle, sufficiently show their true character; and yet these very men profanely dared

P