II. 89 BOOK many Protestant divines were appointed to debate them. They met and reasoned; but their eventual agreement, and the imperial wish for a pacific compromise, was terminated by the legate, however different his opinion may and indeed seems to have been, chusing or rather being necessitated to obey his overruling orders, and therefore delivering in a written answer, that on the articles in which the Protestants differed from the common consent of the catholic church, he should determine nothing, but remit them all to the pope and the apostolic see.99 Legates like himself might have united the intelligent and sincere on both sides into a plan of conciliation, which, allowing the consciences of each a fair latitude for individual conviction, would have prevented the shame and evil of an inveterate separation." But worldly interests were at work to widen the schism instead of healing it; and the Turkish invasion 02 89 The protestant doctors were Melancthon, Bucer, and Pistorius. Quir. Diat. 3. 90 Quirini has inserted this final responsum in his Diatriba, p. 4. Contarini added, that the pope, in a general council that would ere long take place, vel modo alio, magis opportuno, si res ita exegerit, ea definire," &c. What this other mode, more opportune, if the matter should require it,' was to be, we are left to conjecture, and might without any wish to slander, easily suppose, if any other person than Contarini had written the sentence; and yet Pole, as sincere in his belief and as mild in his general manners, did not hesitate to press repeatedly for war. Such was the crusading feeling of many in behalf of the pope's supremacy, probably from its being so much linked with their own dignity and interests. J. Sturmius said publicly, that if there had been five or six counsellors of the pope like Contarini, they might, without any hesitation, have obeyed his decrees and become catholics; and that men like the legate were fit to raise up religion even from its grave.' Becc. Vit. Cont. p. 119. But the cardinal's hands being tied by his master, as we have seen, he was obliged to bear patiently the remark of Martin Bucer: 'Most reverend Sir, the people are sinning on both sides-we, in defending some points too obstinately, and you will not correct your many abuses.' ib. 110. 92 As the report of a probable concordia spread, they who envied the V. calling off the imperial forces into Hungary," the CHAP. diet, that was intended to pacify, broke up in July, leaving every thing as unsettled and as discordant as before. emperor's greatness within Germany, and feared elsewhere what might become if all the Germans were united to him, began to sow tares among the theologi collocutori. They also accused Contarini at Rome, that he was caressing the Lutherans, and granting them what he ought not.' Beccat. p. 119. 93 Ib. 119. II. 89 BOOK many Protestant divines were appointed to debate them. They met and reasoned; but their eventual agreement, and the imperial wish for a pacific compromise, was terminated by the legate, however different his opinion may and indeed seems to have been, chusing or rather being necessitated to obey his overruling orders, and therefore delivering in a written answer, that on the articles in which the Protestants differed from the common consent of the catholic church, he should determine nothing, but remit them all to the pope and the apostolic see. Legates like himself might have united the intelligent and sincere on both sides into a plan of conciliation, which, allowing the consciences of each a fair latitude for individual conviction, would have prevented the shame and evil of an inveterate separation." But worldly interests were at work to widen the schism instead of healing it; and the Turkish invasion 92 90 89 The protestant doctors were Melancthon, Bucer, and Pistorius. Quir. Diat. 3. 90 Quirini has inserted this final responsum in his Diatriba, p. 4. Contarini added, that the pope, in a general council that would ere long take place, vel modo alio, magis opportuno, si res ita exegerit, ea definire,' &c. What this other mode, more opportune, if the matter should require it,' was to be, we are left to conjecture, and might without any wish to slander, easily suppose, if any other person than Contarini had written the sentence; and yet Pole, as sincere in his belief and as mild in his general manners, did not hesitate to press repeatedly for war. Such was the crusading feeling of many in behalf of the pope's supremacy, probably from its being so much linked with their own dignity and interests. 1 J. Sturmius said publicly, that if there had been five or six counsellors of the pope like Contarini, they might, without any hesitation, have obeyed his decrees and become catholics; and that men like the legate were fit to raise up religion even from its grave.' Becc. Vit. Cont. p. 119. But the cardinal's hands being tied by his master, as we have seen, he was obliged to bear patiently the remark of Martin Bucer: 'Most reverend Sir, the people are sinning on both sides-we, in defending some points too obstinately, and you will not correct your many abuses.' ib. 110. 92 As the report of a probable concordia spread, they who envied the V. calling off the imperial forces into Hungary," the CHAP. diet, that was intended to pacify, broke up in July, leaving every thing as unsettled and as discordant as before. emperor's greatness within Germany, and feared elsewhere what might become if all the Germans were united to him, began to sow tares among the theologi collocutori. They also accused Contarini at Rome, that he was caressing the Lutherans, and granting them what he ought not.' Beccat. p. 119. 93 Ib. 119. BOOK II. CHAP. VI. THE COMMENCEMENT AND COURSE OF THE COUNCIL THAT in a period of acute research and intelligent |