CHAPTER IV.

League between the Emperor and the Pope for the suppression of Protestantism-Debates on JustificationAnxiety of the Legates to suspend or transfer the Council -Episcopal residence discussed-Sixth Session-Abstract of the Decree on Justification-Reflections-Opposing Publications on the subject.

In the summer of 1546, an offensive and defensive alliance was concluded between the emperor and the pope, the avowed object of which was, the chastisement of the German Protestants for their continued rejection of the council. The emperor engaged to declare war immediately, and reduce the heretics by force; and he promised to make no treaty with them, nor grant any concessions in religion, without the consent of the pope, who, on his part, stipulated to send a body of 12,000 soldiers, supported at his own expence for six months, should they be wanted so long, and to furnish a considerable pecuniary subsidy.

The emperor would fain have kept the chief subject of quarrel in the back ground, and wished. it to be believed that his sole design was to punish certain rebellious princes, against whom he brought heavy charges: he was very anxious to avoid the odium of a spiritual war. But the pope evidently regarded it as a crusade in defence of the faith. He wrote to the kings of France and Poland, and to other states, requesting their co-operation; sent cardinal Farnese, as his legate, to accompany the allied forces; gave his own troops a consecrated

banner; and in a bull prepared for the occasion, promised ample indulgences and remission of sin to those who should pray for the success of the "holy expedition." The bull was published both at Rome and at Trent; at the latter place in the presence of the whole council.

It had been determined that the subject to be decided in the next session should be the doctrine of justification; and in pursuance of the prescribed order of proceeding, the question of reform proposed for discussion was the residence of bishops, and the best means of removing the obstacles thereto.

With regard to justification itself, the divines were generally agreed, that it means the translation of an individual from the state of an enemy to that of a friend and an adopted child of God, and that it consists in charity, or grace infused into the soul by the Divine Being; thus evidently confounding it with sanctification. Marinier, indeed, maintained that the word is used in a forensic sense, as opposed to "condemnation," and that any other interpretation was contrary to the express language of the apostle Paul; but this opinion found few supporters. The fathers understood the word "justify" to mean make righteous," not " to declare righteous:" they founded the acceptance of a sinner in the sight of God, partly, at least, on inherent grace, to which the work of the Lord Jesus Christ was supposed to impart efficacy; and they rejected the word "imputation," which, it was said, the ancients had never used.

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Eight general congregations were held or this question, "What is done by the ungodly man himself, when he attains faith, and thence grace?" This

was, in fact, the chief point at issue with the reformers, who zealously contended that all works done before faith, so far from being meritorious, are positively sinful. Julius Contarenus, bishop of Belluno, with whom some few others agreed, ascribed every thing to faith in the merits of the Saviour, and nothing to works, which he regarded as only evidences of faith and righteousness; and he maintained, that whatever efficacy was attributed to them, detracted from the merit of the Redeemer's blood. But these statements were much disapproved by the majority of the prelates: for the divines agreed that works performed before justification have the merit of congruity, that is, that though they are not in themselves meritorious, it is fit and proper that they should be rewarded; and this notion met with general approbation. But Ambrose Catherin held, that without the special assistance of God no one can perform a truly good work, and that consequently all the actions of the unbeliever are sins. In support of this assertion he quoted Augustine, Ambrose, Anselm, and other fathers, and dwelt much on such passages of Scripture as these, “ An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit;" "Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good ;"" Unto the unbelieving nothing is pure." He said that it was better to follow the fathers than the scholastic divines, who often contradicted one another; and that it was safer to build on Scripture, the foundation of true theology, than on the philosophical subtleties which had been too popular in the schools. Jerome Seripand, a Dominican, advanced the notion of two justifications; the first internal, partly consisting of infused grace and the gift of adoption, conferred by the sacraments, and partly in virtuous actions and a just life; the

second external, by the imputation of the righteousness and merits of the Saviour. In attaining grace and adoption he affirmed that works had no share; the mercy of God received by faith, being the sole source. Neither did he consider works alone, as sufficient for the justification of him who lives righteously, but represented faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ as required to supply the defici

ency.

With regard to works performed by those who are in a state of grace, there was no difference of opinion. All agreed that they are perfect, and merit eternal life: this is what is called, in Roman Catholic theology, the merit of condignity. It is hardly needful to say, that this doctrine is directly opposed to Scripture.

Great pains were taken to discuss thoroughly the assertion that " man is justified by faith," and to affix some determinate meaning to that expression; but the task was not easy. Some busied themselves in searching for the different senses in which the word "faith" is used in Scripture, which they made to amount to fifteen, but knew not in which it is employed when applied to justification. At length, after much disputing, it was agreed, that faith is the belief of all things which God has revealed, or the church has commanded to be believed. It was distinguished into two sorts: the one, said to exist even in sinners, and which was termed unformed, barren, and dead; the other peculiar to the just, and working by charity, and thence called formed, efficacious, and living faith. Still, as father Paul observes, "they touched not the principal point of the difficulty, which was to ascertain whether a man is justified before he works righteousness, or

whether he is justified by his works of righteousness."

A decree, embracing as much of the subject as had been then considered, was prepared by the bishop of Bitonto. After some amendments, it was put into the hands of Seripand to be revised. When it was again produced, long and intricate debates ensued, on the certainty of grace, the merit of congruity, the imputation of righteousness, the distinction between grace and charity, free-will, predestination, and other points, on all which there was great diversity of opinion.

The debates being ended, nothing remained but to prepare the decree. This was very difficult; and to the immense labour employed in rendering the decree unexceptionable, must be ascribed much of the obscurity that so frequently veils its meaning. Seripand's revision was so thoroughly revised again, that he refused to acknowledge his own work. That the council might not only condemn error, but explain and establish truth, it was resolved to divide the decree into two parts, one containing the Catholic doctrine, and the other anathematising those who opposed it. In preparing it, the legate Santa Croce took incredible pains, that he might avoid inserting any thing that was disputed, and at the same time express every sentiment so carefully, that none should have just reason for complaint. From the beginning of September till the end of November he was almost incessantly employed: scarcely a day passed without some addition, suppression, or alteration. When he had finished, copies were given to all the fathers for their examination, and also sent to Rome, when so many observations were made, so many hints of improvement suggested, that the whole