not duly supported by the authority of the Church, but allowed to fall into defuetude, whilft those which ferved to promote the pre-eminence of the Roman Pontifs, and the abfurdities of Romifh fuperftition, were facredly maintained.

The affembled Fathers were borne down or cajoled by the intrigue and influence of the Roman Legates who prefided amongst them, and who were more intent to get every thing decided that might be favourable to the See of Rome, than by the principles of right reafon and found Christianity. Instead of acknowledging the fole authority of Scripture in matters of religion, as Proteftants do, they admitted and put upon a level with this, oral tradition, avowed the fupreme authority of the Church, and the infallibility of the Pope, who, as Christ's Vicegerent, had the proper power and title to explain both the written and unwritten word. This at once breaks down the facred fence and fecurity of Divine truth, and flings open a wide door for delufion and impofition of every kind.

Nay, encouragement is given to those who ap pear as champions for the Catholic Faith, to declare, as too many have done in a most blafphemous manner, that the edicts of the Roman Pontifs and the affertion of oral tradition, are of higher authority than Scripture itself. Whilft the Church of Rome feals up the facred fountains of truth, fo far as they can, in an unknown tongue, and goes the length of affirming that the Bible was not composed for the use of the multitude, but for their ghoftly rulers and teachers; the council of Trent paffed a folemn decree, with a view to depretiate that holy Book, and to advance their own defpotic defigns, declaring that the ancient Latin tranflation of the Scriptures, commonly called the Vulgate, is an authentic, accurate and perfect tranflation,

though

though it confeffedly abounds with many errors of a very grofs kind, and wraps up the real meaning of the infpired writers, in an affected barbarifm and obfcurity of language.

Such were the proceedings of the council of Trent, as to give offence to many Divines even of the Catholic communion. Their decrees were indeed implicitly acknowledged in Italy, Germany and Poland, but in other countries they were not fo fully adopted, as infringing upon infringing upon the prerogatives of Princes, and the privileges of the churches established in their dominions.

*The decifions and canons of this council were figned by 245 Prelates, and the Pope confirmed them without exception or restriction, by his bull of 26th January 1564. The Protestant Princes and States would by no means acknowledge the Council of Trent, but faithfully adhered to the confeffion of Aufburgh, or the ftill more enlarged principles of the Reformation.

When the Roman Pontifs obferved, how much their own glory and the majefty of their church. were eclipsed by the loffes they had fuftained, and by the progrefs of that oppofition which was now made to their authority, they judged it proper to found a new religious fraternity, that should be entirely devoted to their interefts, and the purpose of whofe institution fhould be, to fupport the Papal throne, and to propagate the Romish religion. This became the more neceffary, as the two famous mendicant focieties of Dominicans and Francifcans, who had for ages past held such an univerfal fway, were now upon the decline, and incapable of acting with their accustomed vigour. What was fo earnestly fought for, was found in the powerful and ingenious Order of Jefuits, A. D. 1540. Their

* Du Pin's Ecclef. Hift. Vol. IV. p. 118.

founder

founder was Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish Knight, who, from a foldier, became an extraordinary fanatic, at fame time that he was a man of an uncommon and enterprizing genius.

The members of this fociety hold a middle rank between the regular and fecular Clergy. They indeed live in convents, and are bound by certain religious vows, yet they are exempt from many burthenfome fervices to which other Monaftic orders are fubject, and are allowed more leifure, free converse, and a greater range in the world, that fo they may better promote the profeffed ends of their inftitution. Accordingly, they spread and multiplied with amazing rapidity, through all the kingdoms and countries of the world, and from their commanding influence has the Court of Rome derived wonderful aid and support, whilst they, on the other hand, have been highly favoured, and, in respect of worldly wealth and grandeur, fingularly fortunate.

In every controverfy with the Romish church they have appeared as the most zealous champions to defend her doctrines and juftify her claims, and to attack with boldness, as deceived, and heretics, all who prefume to oppofe Papal power and superftition. They excel in fubtlety and eloquence, are great adepts in policy and ftate-intrigue, and by their knowledge, art, and enterprizing spirit, their verfatility of temper, and dexterity of conduct, they ingratiate themselves with the rich and powerful, infinuate into the fecrets of families, and even the cabinet of Princes. They take upon them to modify the doctrines and to relax the rules of Religion, fo as to fuit themselves to every company and please every fociety; and thus they multiply profelytes, by fhading the fevere afpect of morality, and mak

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ing many large conceffions *. They have indeed made vigorous efforts, and performed many exploits in all parts of the globe, for the converfion of infidels, especially in America, Africa, and India. And their labours would have been entitled to immortal glory, had they been honestly and confcientiously directed. But authentic records inform us, that thefe Jefuitical apoftles had not fo much in view the propagating the religion of Jefus, as making partizans to Popery, and that they were much more attentive to fecular schemes by which they might enrich and aggrandize their own Order, than in reforming the manners or enlightening the minds of men.

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They acquired immenfe poffeffions and treasures at home and abroad, entered into cabals and factions, excited tumults and diffentions, and became extremely licentious and dangerous. At laft they rofe to fuch a pitch of opulence, power, policy, and enormity, as to give great offence to the Pontifs themselves; they became objects of envy to the other ecclefiaftical Orders, and of hatred and jealoufy in the kingdoms where they refided. They governed with a kind of uncontroulable fway for the space of two centuries, when the diffolution of their fociety was abfolutely determined, as being no longer fupportable, and when final ruin rufhed upon them, unexpected and inevitable.

Different states and countries concurred all at once, to fix on them a blot of indelible infamy, and to declare them enemies of the public, traitors, and parricides. In the year 1763, the Jefuits were banished Portugal and Pruffia. In 1764 they were expelled the kingdom of France: In 1766, they were driven out of Bohemia and Denmark; in 1767,

* Mofheim's, Ecclef. Hift. Eng. by Dr Maclain, vol. IV, P. 354, 355.

1767, they were banished the dukedoms of Mantua, Parma, and Milan,. the republics of Genoa and Venice, and the Spanish dominions in America and Afia; they were forbid to enter the Catholic cantons in Switzerland, and they were reftrained in Florence. At length, by a bull of Clement XIV. dated at Rome the 25th of Auguft, A. D. 1773, the whole fociety of the Jefuits was entirely fuppreffed *.

All the Divines of this century were educated in the school of controverfy, and indeed all the countries of Europe were in a state of religious agitation. Rhe great revolution brought about by means of the Reformation, produced a general at-, tention, fet an edge upon mens fpirits, made them enter into manifold difquifitions, and into all the heat of conteft and argumentation. Rhat this

should have been the cafe between Papifts and Protestants is lefs furprizing, and that fome of the latter should have expreffed themselves with vehemence and afperity, was not unnatural, confidering the calumnies raised against them, the injustice they frequently met with from their implacable enemies, and what horrid cruelties of fire and fword the holy inftruments of the Reformation had suffered. Befides, allowances are to be made for the taste and genius of thofe unpolifhed times, which were juft emerging from a ftate of barbarism.

But

though we need not wonder, yet we may regret, that many warm disputes and differences arofe among the Reformed themselves, especially between the Lutherans and Calvinifts. Thefe multiplied to a confiderable degree; fome of them were more important, many of them related to points of an abftrufe

* The brevity of my plan, will, I hope, juftify fuch short anticipations as thefe; befides, I find fuch things are occafionally done by good hiftorians.