at the same time felt how small a proportion of their own failures and offences they could thus trace and acknowledge. A. D. 1537. Nothing was to be expected from a reform- Its result. ation thus characterized: "the tree" itself must be "made good" before its "fruit" could become so but even the little which was proposed was never attempted to be carried into execution. The pope referred the report of his commissioners to the consistory of cardinals; where Schönberg, cardinal and archbishop of Capua," who was believed to have been deputed by the pope for the purpose," zealously opposed all reformation; urging among other arguments, that "the Lutherans would boast, that they had forced the pope into it;" and also, that "the very change would be a confession that the things altered had been justly reprehended by those heretics-which would prove a great abetting of their whole doctrine." Cardinal Caraffa well answered him, that it was "a rule in Christian actions, that, as evil is. not to be done that good may follow, so no obligatory good is to be omitted for fear that may ensue. Yet the result was, a resolution to proceed no further in the business.2 evil may 1 The report of the commissioners, Father Paul Animadsays, was sent into Germany by cardinal versions of 66 ' F. Paul, 79. 2 The cardinals employed on this commission were Contarini, Caraffa, Sadolet, and Pole. "The advisers themselves did not testify any forwardness to exemplify their own rules. Such of them as were both cardinals and bishops retained their double office; cardinal Pole did not think it necessary to lay aside the purple when he became primate of all England; and cardinal Caraffa, when he afterwards ascended the papal throne, under the title of Paul IV, put the Advice which he had given to his predecessor into the list of prohibited books!" M'Crie's Italy, 85-6.; Luther. III. CHAP. Schönberg, which some thought was done with the pope's consent, that it might appear there was some real design entertained at Rome, and some pains taken, for reformation." It was presently published,' and was freely animadverted upon both by John Sturmius of Strasburg, and by Luther. "In Luther's book," Sleidan observes, "a man need only look on the cut in the frontispiece, to understand his argument; for the pope is represented sitting upon a high throne, and several of the cardinals about him, who, with foxes' tails tied at the end of poles, are busily employed in brushing away the cobwebs all around."-Speaking of their prohibition of Erasmus's Colloquies, Luther wishes the author were yet alive for their sakes; "he would answer them according to their deserts, and expose to the world what sort of reformation they were likely to effect." 2 The Protestants refuse the proposed Council. The case of Erasmus strikingly teaches us, how vain it is to think of conciliating ambitious men, and particularly ambitious and political churchmen, by truckling to them in our general conduct, while there are parts of their system which we cannot bring ourselves to countenance. We must make up our minds, either to go all their lengths, or to lose our characters with such men entirely, and to be really much less respected by them, than their open and consistent opponents are. We have seen, that, when the pope issued his summons for a council, he communicated it to the different courts by nuncios despatched on purpose. With the nuncio sent into Germany (Vorstius, bishop of Aix,) the emperor, who was "willing to try every art in order to per'It appears that it was printed at Rome in 1538. M'Crie, 86. 2 Seck. iii. 164. suade Paul to depart from the neutrality which he preserved between him and Francis," deputed Heldo, his vice-chancellor, "instructing him to second all the nuncio's representations, and to enforce them with the whole weight of the imperial authority." The protestant leaders gave them audience at Smalkald, where they had assembled in a body to receive them. But, previously to their thus assembling together, they had made it a matter of serious deliberation, whether or not they should at all appear in the council by their representatives. The opinion of Luther was asked on the question, and he, with the divines of Wittemberg generally, was in favour of their appearing. He thought little danger was to be apprehended; for that the council (if indeed it were ever held,) would be poorly and thinly attended; and the once formidable papal excommunications, said he, "have fallen into contempt, since they were hurled against me without effect." He urged, that to refuse altogether to appear would be to bring upon themselves the entire odium of preventing the further extension of reformation and the preservation of unity: that, moreover they were labouring under the most extravagant misrepresentations, which something might be there done to remove and that, at all events it might be worth while to appear, as they were invited, for the purpose of entering a protest against the council and its proceedings. Here again, however, the princes seem to have been the more discerning politicians, and to have exercised the sounder judgment. They anticipated more harm than good from their appearance: they observed, ' Robertson. The same that were mentioned above, p. 101. A. D. 1537. CHAP. III. that sentence had, in effect, been pronounced against them in the very summons, which declared the council to be called "for the suppression of heresy," meaning, no doubt, that with which they were charged: that, if they appeared, it would be instantly contended that they had acknowledged the authority of the council, and of the pope, (under whose auspices it was called,) to decide on the matters at issue and that then they would be at once outvoted and condemned, by an assembly from which, it would be affirmed, there lay no appeal. The result therefore was, as already intimated, that they "unanimously refused to acknowledge a council summoned in the name and by the authority of the pope alone; in which he assumed the sole right of presiding; which was to be held in a city, not only far distant from Germany, but subject to a prince, who was a stranger to them, and closely connected with the court of Rome; and to which their divines could not repair with safety, especially after their doctrines had been stigmatized, in the very bull of convocation, with the name of heresy. These and many other objections against the council, which appeared to them unanswerable, they enumerated in a large manifesto, which they published in vindication of their conduct."2 Melancthon afterwards acknowledges, that he believes there was "some danger" in the course he had recommended, though he thought it the more manly and honourable of the two.3 It may be observed, that the protestants 1 Sleid. 212, &c. 221, 226. Seck. iii. 143-148. assigned as one reason why the pope ought not to preside in the council, that he was himself a party accused: "We arraign him for idolatry and heresy; and, when he is impeached for such crimes, the church, and not himself, is to examine and give sentence in the cause. They also made it a matter of serious deliberation, whether they should at all receive a nuncio from the pope; and the elector strongly inclined to warn him off their territories, when he was understood to be approaching.2 It cannot therefore be matter of surprise, that Maimbourg should charge them with insolence and presumption.3 A. D. 1537. Heldo's proceedings in Germany were not Prod confined to the subject of the council. The Row, we interpretation of the pacification of Nuremberg, as it respected the processes of the imperial hurry. chamber, and the admission of fresh members into the protestant league, particularly ca under discussion. The former were excendingly vexatious to the protestants. By the articles of the pacification, the chamber was indeed restrained from interposing its authority in any causes relating to religion: but tuat tribunal would not allow that questions respo12ing ecclesiastical property, transferred from professors of the old to professors of tue'new' religion, with various others in which the protestants were particularly interested, came u der the description of religious causes: and ou such grounds as these the city of Fiamburgu and the dukes of Pomerania were fined, the city of Minden outlawed." and many other sever sentences pronounced. On neituer of tut pointe in debate, however, wount Heat give any satis |