A46876:349
The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio…
The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio a Venetian gentleman, concerning the Council of Trent written both in Latin / by ... John Jewel ... ; made English by a person of quality ; to which is added, The life of the said bishop ; collected and written by the same hand.
London: printed by T. H. for Richard Chiswell, 1685
Letter: AN EPISTLE Written by the Reverend Father in God JOHN JEWEL, Lord Bishop of SARUM, TO S…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. THE Name of a General Council sounds well, if it be convened as it ought, and Men would lay by their Passions, and refer all things to the Word of God, submitting to the Truth only; but if Piety and Religion are openly oppressed, if Tyranny and Ambition are confirmed, if Factions, Gluttony and Luxury are encouraged, there can then be nothing thought of that is of worse Consequence to the Church of God. And all this I have said upon a Supposition, that there is such a Council somewhere as you mention, and yet I heartily believe there is none at last; but if indeed there be any where any Council at all, it must be a very obscure private Council; for tho we are at no very ⟨p. 151⟩great distance from the Place, yet we could never hear what Bishops were met, nor what was done, nor indeed whether any Bishops at all would meet.1 And about twenty months since, when this Council was first called by Pope Pius, Ferdinandus the Emperor made answer, that tho all other things were agreeable, yet the Place the Pope had chosen did very much displease him, for that, tho Trent was a fine City, yet it was not convenient for all the Nations, and besides, could not possibly entertain that great Number of Persons who did usually follow a general Council. And almost the same Answer was generally given by all the Christian Princes, and some of them answered much more sharply; and therefore we thought all these fine Shows, would, together with the Council, end in smoke.
6. THE Name of a General Council sounds well, if it be conven'd as it ought, and Men would lay by their Passions, and refer all things to the Word of God, submitting to the Truth only; but if Piety and Religion are openly oppress'd, if Tyranny and Ambition are confirm'd, if Factions, Gluttony and Luxury are encouraged, there can then be nothing thought of that is of worse Consequence to the Church of God. And all this I have said upon a Supposition, that there is such a Council somewhere as you mention, and yet I heartily believe there is none at last; but if indeed there be any where any Council at all, it must be a very obscure private Council; for tho we are at no very ⟨p. 151⟩great distance from the Place, yet we could never hear what Bishops were met, nor what was done, nor indeed whether any Bishops at all would meet.