by the Council of Trent, but it formed no part of the doctrine of the Roman church previous to this date, as is evident by the discussions on the subject, and the opposition it received when proposed.1 It was mentioned in the decree of Eugene at the Council of Florence, 1439.2 It is certain that for 1200 years no trace whatever of this doctrine can be found in any ecclesiastical writer. The original introduction is attributed to the extreme ignorance of some of the priests, the service being performed in Latin, a language they did not understand; hence their unintentional mutilation of the text, not understanding the words. This gave rise to a discussion among schoolmen, whether priest who corrupts the sacramental words in pronouncing them celebrated a valid sacrament. The opinions seemed to be that, though the priest knew nothing of what he was saying, yet if the intention of doing what the church did was there, it was sufficient. This appears to have been the reasoning of Pope Zachary, in his answer to Boniface,3 about the ignorance of a priest in Bavaria, who had baptized in nomine Patria, Filia, et Spiritua Sancta. Down to the passing of the decree at Trent (March, 1547), declaring the intention of the priest essentially necessary, it appears that all that was required was, that, provided the intention existed, the sacrament was valid, though the form of words was incorrect. It is, nevertheless, a fact that the church of Rome now also requires that the form should be strictly correct to give validity to the sacrament.

The seven (so-called) sacraments were confirmed, as an

1 See Introduction to this work.

2 Lab. et Coss. concl. tom. xiii. col. 535. Paris, 1672.

3 Avent. Annal. B. 1. 3, p. 297. Ingolst. 1554.

4 See "Gibson's Preservative," vol. viii. p. 208, revised edit. London,

article of faith, at the same seventh session of the Council of Trent.1

This particular number was first advanced by Peter Lombard, bishop of Paris in the twelfth century, as a private opinion. In 1439, the Council of Florence passed a decree on the subject; but this is denied by some to be a General Council, and many after this date disputed on the doctrine, and the matter formed the subject of serious debate, disputes, and bickerings at the seventh session of the Trent Council. The Solons of theology who formed this council sought to support their theory from analogy. They could find no better argument for their new conceit than that the number seven was a mystical number; there were seven virtues, seven capital vices, seven planets, seven defects which came from original sin; the Lord rested the seventh day; there were seven plagues in Egypt, seven candlesticks, etc.; and, therefore, there should be seven sacraments; 3 but Cardinal Bellarmine, perhaps, gives the most conclusive reason why we should adopt this number, simply because the Trent Council so decreed it.4

A.D. 1551.-The doctrine of Attrition was defined.5 Gibson, in his "Preservative from Popery," says that Bishop Canus was the first that broached the doctrine-that

1 "Si quis dixerit, sacramenta novæ legis non fuisse omnia a Jesu Christo, Domino nostro, instituta; aut esse plura vel pauciora quam septem; anathema sit." Conc. Trid. sess. vii. Decretum de Sacramentis, can. i. De sacramen. et genere.

2 "Non temere quenquam reperies ante Petrum Lombardum qui certum aliquem ac definitum numerum sacramentorum statuerat." Cassander, Consult. Art. 13, p. 951. Paris, 1616.

3 Vide Father Paul Sarpi's "History of the Council of Trent," lib. iii. cap. 85, vol. i. p. 576. London, 1736.

4 "Quod testimonium etiam si nullum habemus aliud deberet sufficere." Bell. de effect. Sacr. lib. ii. c. 25, s. 4, tom. iii. p. 109. Edit. Prag. 1721. 5 At the xiv. Session of the Council of Trent, c. iv. See chapter on "Penance," p. 109, ante.

attrition, joined with the sacrament of penance, is sufficient to obtain forgiveness of sins.1

A.D. 1552.—At a council held at Edinburgh, by Archbishop Andrews, it was declared that the Lord's prayer might be said to the saints.2

A.D. 1563.-The doctrine of purgatory finally confirmed at the twenty-fifth and last session of the Council of Trent.

The Council of Trent passed, on matters of doctrine, fifteen decrees, forty-four chapters, and one hundred and thirteen canons; and it enforced these doctrines by one hundred and twenty-five anathemas or curses. This council was occupied also on internal reformation. On this head it passed one hundred and forty-eight chapters. Its sittings extended over eighteen years. The first session was held in the month of December, 1545, and the last in December, 1563.

A.D. 1564.-Until this date, all those who purely and simply subscribed to the articles of the Nicene Creed were declared members of the church of Christ, inasmuch as no new creed or symbol of faith was proposed to any one for belief as a test of his orthodoxy.

The doctors of the Trent Council, in February, 1546, at the third session, ordained that "the symbol of faith which the holy Roman church makes use of [the Nicene Creed], as being that principle wherein all who profess the faith of Christ must necessarily agree, and that firm and only foundation against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, be

1 Gibson's Preservative, vol. ii. tit. viii. pp. 37, 38, folio edit. London, 1738, and vol. x. p. 235, Edit. 1848, and Melchior Canus de Loc. Theolog. Lovan. 1569. Dist. xiii. de Pœnit. art. vii. Nos. 5, 6.

2 Bishop Skinner's Eccl. Hist. Scot. vol. ii. p. 39. London, 1788.

expressed in the very same words in which it is read in all the churches." From and after the 9th December of this year, (A.D. 1564) Pope Pius IV., by virtue of his alleged apostolic authority, and according to a resolution of the Trent Council, set forth and published a confession of faith to be received everywhere under penalties enacted by the said council. This new confession of faith consisted of the "symbol of faith" just referred to, with the addition of twelve further articles. From the last-mentioned date, therefore, a new creed was for the first time imposed upon the Christian world, to be accepted under pain of anathema. This creed embraces in a few words a great part of what has gone before; but the following are additional articles of the new faith, then for the first time introduced by this creed. (See Appendix B.)

1. Not only all apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions are to be most steadfastly admitted and embraced, but also "all other observances and constitutions" of the Romish church.

2. At the fourth session of the Council of Trent, it was decreed that no one should dare, in matters of faith and morals, to interpret the Scriptures contrary to the sense which the church hath held or doth hold.1 Christians were now for the first time compelled to admit the Holy Scriptures according to that sense only which the church has held or does hold-a notable difference, for previously to this date, Christians might reject the interpretation of the church, but were not allowed to advance an interpretation of the Scriptures contrary to the sense of the church.

3. And so, at the same session, no person was allowed to

1 "Contra eum sensum, quem tenuit et tenet sancta mater Ecclesia." Session iv. Decret. de edit. et usu sacr. librorum. "Juxta eum sensum, etc.;" Bulla super forma jura. Prof. fidei, Pii IV.

advance an interpretation of Scripture contrary to the unanimous agreement of the Fathers. But now, for the first time, no Christian was permitted to understand or interpret them except according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers. That is, no interpretation must be given unless the Fathers are unanimous on that interpretation.

4. And now, for the first time, all Christians were to receive and admit, as an article of faith, "all the received and approved ceremonies of the church in the solemn administration" of all the seven sacraments, "and all other things delivered and defined by the sacred canons and Ecumenical Councils;" thus forming the entire code of decrees of councils, including ceremonies, into articles of faith.

5. And lastly, while for many centuries the pope of Rome arrogated to himself the title of "supreme bishop," all were now required, as an article of faith, to recognise the Roman church "as the mother and mistress of all churches," and to "promise obedience to the pope as successor of St. Peter and vicar of Christ." 2

Thus was this masterpiece of Roman craft and invention consummated in the year of our Lord 1564. Whilst the

1 "Contra unanimem consensum Patrum." Session iv. Ibid. et Sic Synodus in Trullo. c. xix. quam putant Constant. vi. c. Exiit, circa fin. de ver. Sig. in 6.-"Nisi juxta unanimem, etc." Bulla, etc. Pii IV.

2 "The mother church was the church at Jerusalem, which was in existence long before the church at Rome had any being. At Jerusalem, Jesus Christ himself preached: there the apostles first planted Christianity (Acts i. 4, A.D. 33); and thence was the gospel sent forth to be preached to all nations (Luke xxiv. 47). Therefore, not Rome, but Jerusalem, should claim the presidency, and be the mother of all churches.' The church at Samaria was founded next to the church at Jerusalem (Acts viii., A.D. 34); and then the churches at Cyprus and Phenice, and at Antioch, by those Christians who were dispersed in consequence of the persecution which followed the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts xi. 19-21). In short, not a single writer ever affirmed that Rome is the mother of all churches.' On the contrary, the majority of the bishops who were convened at the second General Council of Constantinople expressly gave that appellation to Jerusalem, in their letter to Damasus, bishop of the church in Jerusalem, which is the mother of all the churches.'" Horne's Popery Delineated. London, 1848, pp. 211, 212.