372 PAPAL HERESIES UNCHARITABLE CENSURES. i holy synod of Trent, I undoubtedly receive and profess; and also all things contrary thereunto, and all heresies whatsoever condemned, and rejected, and anathematized by the church, I in like manner condemn, reject, and anathematize, &c. This is the true catholic faith, out of which there can be no salvation."' This usurpation upon the consciences of Christians (none like whereto was ever known in the world) they prosecute with the most uncharitable censures, cursing and damning all who do not in heart and profession submit to them, obliging all their consorts [asso- ciates] to join therein, against all charity and prudence. The Scripture enjoins us to bear with those who are weak infaith, and err in doubtful or disputable matters.Rom. xiv. 1, xv. 1, 7. But the popes, with cruel uncharitableness, not only censure all that cannot assent to their devices, which they obtrude as articles of faith, but sorely persecute them with all sorts of punishments, even with death itself; a practice inconsistent with Christian meekness, with equity, with reason, and of which the fathers have expressed the greatest detestation. " They have unwoven all theology from head to foot," [says Erasmus], " and from divine have turned it into sophistical."' The pope, with his pack of mercenary clients at Trent, indeed, established a scholastical or sophistical, rather than a Christian theo- logy, framing points devised by the idle wits of latter times into definitions and peremptory conclusions, backed with curses and cen- sures; concerning which conclusions it is evident, That the apostles themselves would not be able to understand many of them.' That the ancient fathers never thought any thing about them. That divers of them consist in application of artificial terms and phrases, devised by human subtilty. That divers of them are in their own nature disputable, were be- fore disputed by wise men, and will ever be disputed by those who freely use their judgment. That there was no need of defining many of them. That they blindly lay about them, condemningand cursing they know notwhom, fathers, schoolmen, divines, &c., who have expressly affirmed points so damned by them. 1 Cætera item omnia a sacris canonibus et cecumenicis conciliis, as prsecipue a sac- rosancta Tridentina synodo tradita, definita, et declarata, indubitanter recipio atque profiteor ; simulque contraria omnia, atque hæreses quascunque ab ecclesia damnatas et rejectas et anathematizatas, ego pariter damno, respuo, et anathematizo. P. Pii IV. profess. Hans veram catholicam fidem, extra quam nulla salus esse potest. Ibid. 2 Totam theologiama capite usque ad calcem retexuerunt, et ex divina sophisticam fecerunt.Erasm. prcef. ad. Hieron. 3 Formaliter justos.Sess. vi. can. 10. Ex opere operato. Bess. vii. can. 8. Cha- racter.Sess. vii. can. 9.
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