"If any shall continue to have dealings with such as are denounced by the church, they shall be compelled, by the sentence of excommunication, to give full satisfaction. Priests shall not administer to them the sacraments of the church when they seek them, nor presume to give them Christian burial, nor accept their alms or offerings, on pain of being deprived of their offices, without the possibility of restoration, but by the special favour of the Holy See. Regulars, if they offend in this manner, shall lose whatever privileges they may have possessed in the diocese in which the offence shall be committed.

“And whereas some, 'having the form of godliness,' as the apostle saith, but denying the power thereof,' assume to themselves authority to preach, (notwithstanding that the same apostle saith, 'How shall they preach, except they be sent ?') all persons whatsoever being prohibited so to do, or not commissioned, who shall presume to usurp authority to preach, publicly or privately, unless they have received such authority from the apostolic see, or from the catholic bishop of the place, shall be excommunicated; and, unless they immediately repent, shall be visited with condign punishment.

"We enjoin, moreover, that every archbishop or bishop shall, either personally or by his archdeacon, or by some other trustworthy persons, twice in the year, or at least once, visit every parish in which heretics are commonly reported to live. He shall select three or more persons of good character, or he shall take, if he think fit, the whole neighbourhood, and shall compel them to swear, that if they know any heretic, or any persons holding secret conventicles, or whose life and manners differ from those of the faithful in general, they will denounce them to the bishop. The bishop shall summon the accused before him; and then, unless they clear themselves from the charge, or if it be proved that after having so cleared themselves on a preceding occasion, they have relapsed into their former perfidy, they shall be punished according to the canons. If any person, rejecting with damnable obstinacy the solemn obligation of an oath, shall refuse to swear, he shall on that account be reputed as a heretic.

"We will and command, therefore, and strictly charge all bishops, on their obedience, that they diligently watch over this matter, in their respective dioceses. For if any bishop shall be negligent or remiss in purging his diocese of heretical pravity, and the fact be sufficiently proved, he shall be deposed from his office, and some fit person shall be substituted for him, who shall be able and willing to destroy heresy."

Let it be remembered, that this monstrous decree has never been repealed. It is still the law of the church of Rome!

No. V.

DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE RESPECTING SAFE-CONDUCTS TO ALLEGED HERETICS.

"Quod non obstantibus salvisconductibus Imperatoris, regum, &c., possit per judicem competentem de hæretica pravitate inquiri.

"Præsens sancta synodus et quovis salvoconductu per Imperatorem, reges, et alios sæculi principes, hæreticis, vel de hæresi diffamatis, putantes eosdem sic a suis erroribus revocare, quocumque vinculo se adstrinxerint, concesso, nullum fidei catholicæ vel jurisdictioni ecclesiasticæ præjudicium generari vel impedimentum præstare posse, seu debere declarat, quo minus, dicto salvoconductu non obstante, liceat judici competenti et ecclesiastico, de hujusmodi personarum erroribus inquirere, et alias contra eos debite procedere, eosdemque punire, quantum justitia suadebit, si suos errores revocare pertinaciter recusaverint, etiamsi de salvoconductu confisi, ad locum venerint judicii, alias non venturi: nec sic promittentem, cum fecerit quod in ipso est, ex hoc in aliquo remansisse obligatum."-Labb. Concil. Ed. Mansi. tom. xxvii. p. 799.

TRANSLATION.

"The holy council declares that no safe-conduct given by the emperor, by kings, or by other secular princes, to heretics, or reputed heretics, thinking thereby to reclaim them from their errors, however binding the instrument may be considered, shall be of any force, or ought to be, to the prejudice or hindrance of the catholic faith, or ecclesiastical jurisdiction; so as to prevent the proper ecclesiastical judge from inquiring into the errors of the party, and otherwise proceeding against them, as justice may require, should they obstinately refuse to renounce their errors: although they may have come to the place of trial, relying on the said safe-conduct, and otherwise would not have Nor shall he who gave the safe-conduct continue to be bound thereby in any respect, seeing that he has done all that is in his power."

come.

No. VI.

DECRETA ET CANONES CONCILII TRIDENTINI.

[The doctrinal decrees and canons of the council (which only are quoted entire in this volume) are here reprinted from the first edition, published at Rome in 1564. Those who wish to consult the original Latin are thus furnished with an opportunity of doing so without incurring the expense of purchasing another book.]

SESSIO TERTIA, CELEBRATA DIE IV. MENSIS FEBR. MDXLVI.

Decretum de Symbolo Fidei.

In nomine sanctæ et individuæ Trinitatis, Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti.

Hæc sacro-sancta œcumenica et generalis Tridentina Synodus, in Spiritu sancto legitimè congregata, in ea præsidentibus eisdem tribus Apostolicæ Sedis Legatis, magnitudinem rerum tractandarum considerans, præsertim earum, quæ duobus illis capitibus, de exstirpandis hæresibus, et moribus reformandis, continentur, quorum causâ præcipuè est congregata; agnoscens autem cum Apostolo, non esse sibi colluctationem adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus spirituales nequitias in cœlestibus, cum eodem omnes et singulos in primis hortatur, ut confortentur in Domino, et in potentia virtutis ejus, in omnibus sumentes scutum fidei, in quo possint omnia tela nequissimi ignea extinguere, atque galeam spei salutis accipiant, cum gladio spiritûs, quod est Verbum Dei. Itaque, ut hæc pia ejus sollicitudo principium et progressum suum per Dei gratiam habeat, ante omnia statuit, et decernit, præmittendam esse confessionem fidei, Patrum exempla in hoc secuta, qui sacratioribus Conciliis hoc scutum contra omnes hæreses in principio suarum actionum apponere consuevere: quo solo aliquando et infideles ad fidem traxerunt, hæreticos expugnârunt, et fideles confirinârunt. Quare Symbolum fidei, quo sancta Romana Ecclesia utitur, tamquàm principium illud, in quo omnes, qui fidem Christi profitentur, necessariò conveniunt, ac fundamentum firmum et unicum, contra quod portæ Inferi numquàm prævalebunt, totidem verbis, quibus in omnibus ecclesiis legitur, exprimendum esse censuit. Quod quidem ejusmodi est.

Credo in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cœli et terræ, visibilium omnium, et invisibilium; et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia secula; Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine; Deum verum de Deo vero; genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt; qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de cœlis; et incarnatus est de Spiritu sancto ex Maria Virgine, ET HOMO FACTUS EST: crucifixus etiam pro nobis, sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est; et resurrexit tertiâ die secundùm Scripturas; et ascendit in cœlum, sedet ad dexteram Patris; et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos; cujus regni non erit finis: et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum, et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur, et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per Prophetas: et unam sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum, et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi seculi. Amen.

SESSIO QUARTA, CELEBRATA DIE VIII. MENS. APRIL. MDXLVI.

Decretum de Canonicis Scripturis.

Sacro-sancta œcumenica et generalis Tridentina Synodus, in Spiritu sancto legitimè congregata, præsidentibus in ea eisdem tribus Apostolicæ Sedis Legatis, hoc sibi perpetuò ante oculos proponens, ut sublatis erroribus, puritas ipsa Evangelii in Ecclesia conservetur: quod promissum antè per Prophetas in Scripturis sanctis, Dominus noster Jesus Christus Dei Filius, proprio ore primùm promulgavit; deindè per suos Apostolos, tamquàm fontem omnis et salutaris veritatis, et morum disciplinæ, omni creaturæ prædicari jussit: perspiciensque hanc veritatem et disciplinam contineri in libris scriptis, et sine

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scripto traditionibus, quæ ab ipsius Christi ore ab Apostolis acceptæ, aut ab ipsis Apostolis, Spiritu sancto dictante, quasi per manus traditæ, ad nos usque pervenerunt; orthodoxorum Patrum exempla secuta, omnes libros tam veteris quàm novi Testamenti, cùm utriusque unus Deus sit auctor, necnon traditiones ipsas, tum ad fidem, tum ad mores pertinentes, taniquàm vel oretenus à Christo, vel à Spiritu sancto dictatas, et continuâ successione in Ecclesia Catholica conservatas, pari pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ suscipit, et veneratur. Sacrorum verò librorum indicem huic decreto adscribendum censuit ; ne cui dubitatio suboriri possit, quinam sint, qui ab ipsa Synodo suscipiuntur. Sunt verò infrà scripti: Testamenti veteris, quinque Moysis, id est, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium; Josue, Judicum, Ruth, quatuor Regum, duo Paralipomenon, Esdræ primus, et secundus, qui dicitur Nehemias, Tobias, Judith, Hester, Job, Psalterium Davidicum centum quinquaginta psalmorum, Parabolæ, Ecclesiastes, Canticum canticorum, Sapientia, Ecclesiasticus, Isaïas, Jeremias cum Baruch, Ezechiel, Daniel, duodecim Prophetæ minores, id est, Osea, Joel, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophonias, Aggæus, Zacharias, Malachias; duo Machabæorum, primus et secundus. Testamenti novi, quatuor Evangelia, secundùm Matthæum, Marcum, Lucam et Joannem: Actus Apostolorum à Luca Evangelista conscripti: quatuordecim Epistolæ Pauli Apostoli; ad Romanos, duæ ad Corinthios, ad Galatas, ad Ephesios, ad Philippenses, ad Colossenses, duæ ad Thessalonicenses, duæ ad Timotheum, ad Titum, ad Philemonem, ad Hebræos; Petri Apostoli duæ, Joannis Apostoli tres, Jacobi Apostoli una, Judæ Apostoli una, et Apocalypsis Joannis Apostoli. Si quis autem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus, prout in Ecclesia Catholica legi consueverunt, et in veteri vulgata Latina editione habentur, pro sacris et canonicis non susceperit; et traditiones prædictas sciens et prudens contempserit; anathema sit. Omnes itaque intelligant, quo ordine et via ipsa Synodus, post jactum fidei confessionis fundamentum, sit progressura, et quibus potissimùm testimoniis ac præsidiis in confirmandis dogmatibus, et instaurandis in Ecclesia moribus, sit usura.

Decretum de editione et usu sacrorum librorum.

Insuper eadem sacro-sancta Synodus considerans non parùm utilitatis accedere posse Ecclesiæ Dei, si ex omnibus Latinis editionibus, quæ circumferuntur, sacrorum librorum, quænam pro authentica habenda sit, innotescat, statuit, et declarat, ut hæc ipsa vetus et vulgata editio, quæ longo tot seculorum usu in ipsa Ecclesia probata est, in publicis lectionibus, disputationibus, prædicationibus, et expositionibus pro authentica habeatur; et ut nemo illam rejicere quovis prætextu audeat vel præsumat.

Præterea, ad coërcenda petulantia ingenia, decernit, ut nemo, suæ prudentiæ innixus, in rebus fidei, et morum, ad ædificationem doctrinæ Christianæ pertinentium, sacram scripturam ad suos sensus contorquens, contra eum sensum, quem tenuit et tenet sancta mater Ecclesia, cujus est judicare de vero sensu et interpretatione Scripturarum sanctarum, aut etiam contra unanimem consensum Patrum, ipsam Scripturam sacram interpretari audeat ; * etiam si hujusmodi interpretationes nullo unquàm tempore in lucem edendæ

forent. Qui contravenerint, per Ordinarios declarentur, et pœnis à jure statutis puniantur.

Sed et Impressoribus modum in hac parte, ut par est, imponere volens, qui jam sine modo, hoc est, putantes sibi licere quidquid libet, sine licentia superiorum ecclesiasticorum, ipsos sacræ Scripturæ libros et super illis annotationes, et expositiones quorumlibet indifferenter, sæpè tacito, sæpè etiam ementito prælo, et quod gravius est, sine nomine auctoris imprimunt; alibi etiam impressos libros hujusmodi temerè venales habent; decernit, et statuit, ut posthac sacra Scriptura, potissimùm verò hæc ipsa vetus et vulgata editio, quam emendatissimè imprimatur; nullique liceat imprimere, vel imprimi facere quosvis libros de rebus sacris sine nomine auctoris; neque illos in futurum vendere, aut etiam apud se retinere, nisi primùm examinati probatique fuerint ab Ordinario, sub pœna anathematis et pecuniæ in canone Concilii novissimi Lateranensis apposita. Et, si regulares fuerint, ultra examinationem, et probationem hujusmodi, licentiam quoque à suis superioribus impetrare teneantur, recognitis per eos libris, juxta formam suarum ordinationum. Qui autem scripto eos communicant, vel evulgant, nisi antea examinati, probatique fuerint, eisdem pœnis subjaceant quibus impressores. Et qui eos habuerint, vel legerint, nisi prodiderint auctores, pro auctoribus habeantur. Ipsa verò hujusmodi librorum probatio in scriptis detur, atquè ideò in fronte libri, vel scripti, vel impressi, authenticè appareat: idque totum, hoc est, et probatio, et examen, gratis fiat : ut probanda probentur, et reprobentur improbanda. Post hæc, temeritatem illam reprimere volens, quâ ad profana quæque convertuntur et torquentur verba et sententiæ sacræ Scripturæ, ad scurrilia scilicet, fabulosa, vana, adulationes, detractiones, superstitiones, impias et diabolicas incantationes, divinationes, sortes, libellos etiam famosos: mandat, et præcipit, ad tollendam hujusmodi irreverentiam et contemptum, ne de cætero quisquam quomodolibet verba Scripturæ sacræ ad hæc et similia audeat usurpare; ut omnes hujus generis homines, temeratores et violatores verbi Dei, juris et arbitrii pœnis per Episcopos coërceantur.

SESSIO QUINTA, CELEBRATA DIE XVII. MENSIS JUN. MDXLVI.

Decretum de peccato originali.

Ut fides nostra Catholica, sine qua impossibile est placere Deo, purgatis erroribus, in sua sinceritate integra et illibata permaneat; et ne populus Christianus omni vento doctrinæ circumferatur: cùm Serpens ille antiquus, humani generis perpetuus hostis, inter plurima mala, quibus Ecclesia Dei his nostris temporibus perturbatur, etiam de peccato originali, ejusque remedio non solùm nova, sed vetera etiam dissidia excitaverit : sacro-sancta œcumenica et generalis Tridentina Synodus in Spiritu sancto legitimè congregata, præsidentibus in ea eisdem tribus Apostolicæ Sedis Legatis, jam ad revocandos errantes, et nutantes confirmandos accedere volens, sacrarum Scripturarum, et sanctorum Patrum, ac probatissimorum Conciliorum testimonia, et ipsius Ecclesiæ judicium et consensum secuta, hæc de ipso peccato originali statuit, fatetur, ac declarat.

1. Si quis non confitetur primum hominem Adam, cùm mandatum Dei in Paradiso fuisset transgressus, statim sanctitatem, et justitiam, in qua constitutus fuerat, amisisse, incurrisseque per offensam prævaricationis hujusmodi