annexed, by that military Pope, Julius II., to bestow them on his own son, Pietro Aloyrio. It is curious, indeed, to see a Pope, so practically acquainted with the consequences of Romish celibacy, and so encumbered with the cares of an unlawful progeny, convoke a Council to curse any one who should question the laws which bind the priesthood to perpetual continency. But these anomalies produce little impression upon the true Sons of Rome. In the year 1538, Paul thundered out his Bull of excommunication against Henry VIII. of England, by which the monarch was deprived of his kingdom, his subjects were absolved from their allegiance, and the whole island placed under an interdict.-But Henry's power was too firmly rooted to be shaken. CHAPTER XIX. INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF THE JESUITS. THE year 1540, was rendered memorable by the establishment of the Order of the Jesuits, whose institution originated in the extraordinary fanaticism of Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish gentleman, who, to the austerity of the monk, added the usual portion of fanatical zeal. His chief ambition, however, was to become the founder of a religious community. For this purpose, he produced a plan or order, suggested, as he affirmed, by immediate inspiration, and hastening to Rome, presented it to the Pope. Paul III. appeared at first inclined to reject the proposal of the zealous monk: Loyola, however, recommended his plan by an offer too powerful to be resisted. Besides the three monastic vows of poverty, chastity and submission to the rules of the order, he engaged that all his followers should swear fealty and devoted obedience to the See of Rome; that they should acknowledge themselves the ser vants of the Pope, upon the earliest signification of his wishes, to execute his commands, and to support his authority. At a time when the Papal authority had received such a shock by the revolt of so many nations from the Romish Church; at a time when every part of the Popish system was attacked with so much success, the acquisition of a body of men thus peculiarly devoted to the See of Rome, and whom it might set in opposition to all its enemies, was an object of the highest consequence. Paul instantly perceiving this, confirmed the institution of the Jesuits; by his Bull, granted the most ample privileges to the members of the Society; and appointed Loyola to be the first General of the Order. The event has fully justified Paul's discernment in expecting such beneficial consequences to the See of Rome from this institution. In less than half a century, the Society obtained establishments in every country that adhered to the Roman Catholic Church; its power and wealth increased amazingly; the number of its members became great; their character as well as accomplishments, was still greater; and the Jesuits were celebrated by the friends, and dreaded by the enemies of the Roman faith, as the most able and enterprising Order in the Church. The constitution and laws of the Society were perfected by Laynez and Aquivira, the two generals who succeeded Loyola, men greatly superior to him in abilities, and in the science of government. The primary object of almost all the monastic orders is to separate men from the world, and from any concern in its affairs. The Jesuits, on the contrary, were taught to consider themselves as formed for action. They were chosen soldiers, bound to propagate the Popish faith over the world, and to defend it wherever it might be attacked. Hence this fraternity were not pent up within the walls of a cloister, nor brought up in ignorance. In the solitude and silence of the monastery, the monk is called to work out his own salvation, by extraordinary acts of mortification and piety: he is dead to the world, and ought not to mingle in its transactions; he can be of no benefit to mankind, but by his example, and by his prayers. On the contrary, the Jesuits are chosen soldiers, bound to exert themselves continually in the service of God, and of the Pope, his Vicar on earth. Whatever tends to instruct the ignorant, whatever can be of use to reclaim, or to oppose the enemies of the Holy See, is their proper object. That they may have full leisure for this active service, they are totally exempted from those functions, the performance of which is the chief business of other monks: they appear in no processions, they practice no rigorous austerities, they do not consume one-half of their time in the repetition of tedious offices, but they are required to attend to all the transactions of the world, on account of the influence which these may have upon religion: they are directed to study the dispositions of persons in high rank, and to cultivate their friendship; and by the very constitution, as well as genius of the order, a spirit of action and intrigue is infused into all its members. They are well instructed in all the learning, and sophistry, and arts of the Church of Rome. And the more effectually to gain the objects of their institution, they are scattered over all countries, mingled in all societies, and engagad in all professions. Some of them are lawyers, some of them physicians, some of them theological teachers, many of them schoolmasters and private tutors, and not a few of them mechanics. By thus engaging in all the different pursuits of life, and mingling in all societies, they possess a knowledge of what is every where transacted. This knowledge they communicate to the Superior of the order in the country where they reside; whatever information he receives, is transmitted to the superior of the whole order at Rome, who finally communicate it to the Pope. By means of this society, the Popes have had their spies at all courts, and in all countries; and know almost as well what was going on in the different regions of the globe, as if they themselves had been personally present. Loyola, full of the ideas of implicit obedience, appointed that the government of his order should be purely monarchical. A General, chosen for life by deputies from the several provinces, possessed power that was supreme and independent, extending to every person, and to every case. He, by his sole authority, nominated provincials, rectors, and every other officer employed in the government of the society, and could remove them at pleasure. In him was vested the sovereign administration of the revenues and funds of the order. Every member belonging to it was at his disposal, and, by his uncontrollable mandate, he could impose on them any task, or employ them in what service soever he pleased. To his commands they were required not only to yield outward obedience, but to resign up to him the inclinations of their own wills, and the sentiments of their own understandings. They were to listen to his injunctions as if they had been uttered by Christ himself. Under his direction they were to be mere passive instruments, like clay in the hands of the Potter, or like dead carcases incapable of resistance. Such a singular form of policy could not fail to impress its character on all the members of the order, and to give a peculiar force to all its operations. There is not in the annals of mankind any example of such a perfect despotism exercised, not over Monks shut up in the cells of a Convent, but over men dispersed among all the nations of the earth. As the Constitutions of the order vest in the general such absolute dominion over all its members, they carefully provide for his being perfectly informed with respect to the character and abilities of his subjects. Every novice who offers himself as a candidate for entering into the order, is obliged to manifest his conscience to the superior, or to a person appointed by him; and in doing this is required to confess not only his sins and defects, but to discover the inclinations, the passions, and the bent of his soul. This manifestation must be renewed every six months. The society, not satisfied with penetrating, in this manner, into the innermost recesses of the heart, directs each member to observe the words and actions of the novices; they are constituted spies upon their conduct, and are bound to disclose every thing of importance concerning them to the annexed, by that military Pope, Julius II., to bestow them on his own son, Pietro Aloyrio. It is curious, indeed, to see a Pope, so practically acquainted with the consequences of Romish celibacy, and so encumbered with the cares of an unlawful progeny, convoke a Council to curse any one who should question the laws which bind the priesthood to perpetual continency. But these anomalies produce little impression upon the true Sons of Rome. In the year 1538, Paul thundered out his Bull of excommunication against Henry VIII. of England, by which the monarch was deprived of his kingdom, his subjects were absolved from their allegiance, and the whole island placed under an interdict.-But Henry's power was too firmly rooted to be shaken. CHAPTER XIX. INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF THE JESUITS. THE year 1540, was rendered memorable by the establishment of the Order of the Jesuits, whose institution originated in the extraordinary fanaticism of Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish gentleman, who, to the austerity of the monk, added the usual portion of fanatical zeal. His chief ambition, however, was to become the founder of a religious community. For this purpose, he produced a plan or order, suggested, as he affirmed, by immediate inspiration, and hastening to Rome, presented it to the Pope. Paul III. appeared at first inclined to reject the proposal of the zealous monk: Loyola, however, recommended his plan by an offer too powerful to be resisted. |