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dominions, if any there be, may hasten to the future election, if they choose to attend; whilst the whole attention of the sacred college is turned to the preservation of tranquillity in the city and state, and to the necessary preparations for the future election. The cardinal-chamberlain has, during the vacancy of the holy see, great authority; he coins money with his own arms on it, lodges in the pope's apartments, and is attended by the body guards. He, and the first cardinal-bishop, the first cardinal-priest, and the first cardinal-deacon, have, during that time, the government almost entirely in their hands. The body of the deceased pope is carried to St. Peter's, where funeral service is performed for him with great pomp for nine days, and the cardinals attend there every morning. In the In the mean time, all necessary preparations for the election are made; and the place where they assemble for that purpose, which is called the Conclave, is fitted up in that part of the Vatican palace which is nearest to St. Peter's church, as this has long been thought the most convenient situation. Here is formed, by partitions of wood, a number of cells, or chambers, equal to the number of cardinals, with a small distance between every two, and a broad gallery before them. A number is put on every cell, and small papers, with corresponding numbers, are put into a box: every cardinal, or some one for him, draws out one of these papers, which determines in what cell he is to lodge.

The cells are lined with cloth; and there is a part of each one separated for the conclavists, or attendants, of whom two are allowed to each cardinal, and three to cardinal princes. They are persons of some rank, and generally of great confidence; but they must carry in their master's meals, serve him at table, and perform all the offices of a menial servant. Two physicians, two surgeons, an apothecary, and some other necessary officers, are chosen for the conclave by the cardinals.

On the tenth day after the pope's death, the cardinals who are then at Rome, and in a competent state of health, meet in the chapel of St. Peter's which is called the Gregorian chapel, where a sermon on the choice of a pope is preached to them, and mass is said for invoking the grace of the Holy Ghost. Then the cardinals proceed to the conclave in procession, two by two, and take up their abode. When all is properly settled, the conclave is shut. up, having boxed wheels, or places of communication, in convenient quarters; there are, also, strong guards placed all around. When any foreign cardinal arrives after the inclosure, the conclave is opened for his admission. In the beginning every cardinal signs a paper, containing an obligation, that, if he shall be raised to the papal chair, he will not alienate any part of the pontifical dominion; that he will not be prodigal to his relations; and any other such stipulations as may have been settled in former times, or framed for that occasion.

of the number present in his fayour, the election is over; but when this does not happen, the voting papers are all immediately bornt without opening up the inner part. When several trials

We now come to the election itself; and, that this may be effectual, two-thirds of the cardinals present must vote for the same person. As this is often not easily obtained, they sometimes remain whole months in the con-of coming to a conclusion by this clave. They meet in the chapel method of scrutiny have been twice every day for giving their mode in vain, recourse is somevotes; and the election may be times had to what is called acceseffectuated by scrutiny, accession,sion. By it, when a cardinal peror acclamation. Scrutiny is theceives that when one or very few ordinary method, and consists invotes are wanting to any one for this: every cardinal writes his whom he has not voted at that own name on the inner part of a time, he may say that he accedes piece of paper, and this is folded to the one who has near the numup and sealed; on a second fold ||ber of votes requisite; and if his of the same paper a conclavistone vote suffices to make up the writes the name of the person for two-thirds, or if he is followed by whom his master votes. This, ac- a sufficient number of acceders, or cording to agreements observed new voters, for the said cardinal, for some centuries, must be one of the election is accomplished.— the sacred college. On the outer | Lastly, a pope is sometimes electside of the paper is written a sen- ed by acclamation; and that is, tence at random, which the voter when a cardinal, being pretty sure must well remember. Every car-that he will be joined by a numdinal, on entering into the chapel, goes to the altar, and puts his paper into a large chalice.

ber sufficient, cries out in the open chapel, that such an one shall be pope. If he is properly supported, the election becomes unanimous; those who would, perhaps, oppose it, foreseeing that their opposition would be fruitless, and rather hurtiul to themselves. When a pope is chosen in any of the three above-mentioned ways, the election is immediately announced from the balcony in the front of

When all are convened, two cardinals number the votes; and if there be more or less than the number of cardinals present, the voting must be repeated. When this is not the case, the cardinal appointed for the purpose reads the outer sentence, and the name of the cardinal under it; so that each voter, hearing his own sen-St. Peter's, homage is paid to the tence and the name joined with new pontiff, and couriers are sent it, knows that there is no mistake. off with the news to all parts of The names of all the cardinals Christendom. The pope appoints that are voted for are taken down a day for his coronation at St. in writing, with the number of Peter's, and for his taking posvotes for each; and when it ap-session of the patriarchal church pears that any one has two-thirds of St. John Lateran; all which is

performed with great solemnity. I take possession of their sees. See POPERY.

He is addressed by the expression of holiness and most holy fa

ther.

The Roman Catholics believe that the bishop of Rome is, under Christ, supreme pastor of the whole church, and as such is not only the first bishop in order and dignity, but has also a power and jurisdiction over all Christians, in order to preserve unity and purity of faith, and moral doctrine, and to maintain order and regularity in all churches. See SUPREMACY. Some Catholic divines are of opinion that the pope cannot err when he addresses himself to all the faithful on matters of doctrine. They well know that, as a private doctor, he may fall into mistakes as well as any other man; but they think that, when he teaches the whole church, Providence must preserve him from error. We have, however, already examined this sentiment under the article INFALLIBILITY, to which the reader may refer.

The see of Rome, according to Roman Catholics, is the centre of catholic unity. All their bishops communicate with the pope, and by his means with one another, and so form one body. However distant their churches may be, they all meet at Rome either in person or by their delegates, or at least by their letters. And, according to the discipline of the latter ages, though they are presented to the pope for their office from their respective countries, yet from him they must receive their bulls of consecration before they can VOL. II.

POPERY comprehends the religious doctrines and practices adopted and maintained by the church of Rome. The following summary, extracted chiefly from the degrees of the council of Trent, continued under Paul III, Julius III, and Pius IV, from the year 1545 to 1563, by successive sessions, and the creed of pope Pius IV subjoined to it, and bearing date November 1564, may not be unacceptable to the reader. One of the fundamental tenets strenuously maintained by popish writers, is, the infallibility of the church of Rome; though they are not agreed whether this privilege belongs to the pope or a general council, or to both united; but they pretend that an infallible living judge is absolutely necessary to determine controversies, and to secure peace in the Christian church. However, Protestants allege, that the claim of infallibility in any church is not justified by the authority of scripture, much less does it pertain to the church of Rome; and that it is inconsistent with the nature of religion, and the personal obligations of its professors; and that it has proved ineffectual to the end for which it is supposed to be granted, since popes and councils have disagreed in matters of importance, and they have been incapable, with the advantage of this pretended infallibility, of maintaining union and peace.

Another essential article of the

popish creed is the supremacy of || lar, we may here observe, that the the pope, or his sovereign power church of Rome holds the docover the universal church. See trine of transubstantiation; the SUPREMACY. necessity of paying divine worFather; the doctrine of the se-ship to Christ under the form of ven sacraments is a peculiar and the consecrated bread, or host; distinguishing doctrine of the the propitiatory sacrifice of the church of Rome; these are bap- mass, according to their ideas of tism, confirmation, the eucharist, which Christ is truly and properly penance, extreme unction, orders, offered as a sacrifice as often as and matrimony. the priest says mass; it practises, likewise, solitary mass, in which the priest alone, who consecrates, communicates, and allows communion only in one kind, viz. the bread to the laity. Sess. 14.

The doctrine of merits is another distinguishing tenet of popery; with regard to which the council of Trent has expressly decreed (sess. 6, can. 32) that the good works of justified persons are truly meritorious; deserving not only an increase of grace, but eternal life, and an increase of glory; and it has anathematized all who deny this doctrine. Of the same kind is the doctrine of satisfactions; which supposes that penitents may truly satisfy, by the af

The council of Trent (sess. 7, can. 1) pronounces an anathema on those who say that the sacraments are more or fewer than seven, or that any one of the above number is not truly and properly a sacrament. And yet it does not appear that they amounted to this number before the twelfth century, when Hugo de St. Victore and Peter Lombard, about the year 1144, taught that there were seven sacraments. The council of Florence, held in 1438, was the first council that determined this number. These sacraments confer grace, according to the decree of the council of Trent (sess. 7, can. 8), ex opere operato, by the mere administration of them:flictions they endure under the three of them, viz. baptism, confirmation, and orders, are said (c. 9) to impress an indelible character, so that they cannot be repeated without sacrilege; and the efficacy of every sacrament depends on the intention of the priest by whom it is administered (can. 11). Pope Pius expressly enjoins that all these sacraments should be administered according to the received and approved rites of the Catholic church. With regard to the eucharist, in particu

dispensations of Providence, or by voluntary penances to which they submit, for the temporal penalties of sin to which they are subject, even after the remission of their eternal punishment. Sess. 6, can. 30, and sess. 14, can. 8 and 9. In this connexion we may mention the popish distinction of venial and mortal sins: the greatest evils arising from the former are the temporary pains of purgatory; but no man, it is said, can obtain the pardon of the latter without

confessing to a priest, and performing the penances which he imposes.

sary to salvation, and that it has always been practised in the Christian church. As for the penances imposed on the penitent by way of satisfaction, they have been com-. monly the repetition of certain forms of devotion, as paternosters, or ave marias, the payment of

The council of Trent (sess. 14, can. 1) has expressly decreed, that every one is accursed who shall affirm that penance is not truly and properly a sacrament, instituted by Christ in the univer-stipulated sums, pilgrimages, fasts,

or various species of corporal discipline. But the most formidable penance, in the estimation of many who have belonged to the Romish communion, has been the temporary pains of purgatory. But under all the penalties which are inflicted or threatened in the Romish church, it has provided relief by its indulgences, and by its prayers or masses for the dead, performed professedly for relieving and rescuing the souls that are detained in purgatory.

sal church, for reconciling those Christians to the Divine Majesty who have fallen into sin after baptism; and this sacrament, it is declared, consists of two parts, the matter and the form: the matter is the act of the penitent, including contrition, confession, and satisfaction, the form of it is the act of absolution on the part of the priest. Accordingly it is enjoined, that it is the duty of every man who hath fallen after baptism, to confess his sins once a year, at least, to a priest; Another article that has been that this confession is to be se-long authoritatively enjoined and cret; for public confession is nei-observed in the church of Rome ther commanded nor expedient: is the celibacy of her clergy. This and that it must be exact and par- was first enjoined at Rome by ticular, including every kind and Gregory VII, about the year act of sin, with all the circum-1074, and established in England stances attending it. When the by Anselm, archbishop of Canterpenitent has so done, the priest bury, about the year 1175; though pronounces an absolution, which his predecessor Lanfranc had imis not conditional or declarative posed it upon the prebendaries only, but absolute and judicial. and clergy that lived in towns. This secret or auricular confes- And though the council of Trent sion was first decreed and esta- was repeatedly petitioned by seblished in the fourth council of veral princes and states to abolish Lateran, under Innocent III, in this restraint, the obligation of 1215 (cap. 21). And the decree celibacy was rather established of this council was afterwards con- than relaxed by this council; for firmed and enlarged in the coun- they decreed, that marriage concil of Florence and in that of tracted after a vow of continence Trent; which ordains, that con- is neither lawful nor valid; and fession was instituted by Christ; thus deprived the church of the that by the law of God it is neces-possibility of ever restoring mår

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