87]."

[Footnote 87: In the Roman Breviary, adapted to England, several
biographical lessons are appointed for the Anniversary of "St.
Thomas, bishop and martyr," interspersed with canticles. In one
of these we read, "This is truly a martyr, who, for the name of
Christ, shed blood; who feared not the threats of judges, nor
sought the glory of earthly dignity. But he reached the heavenly
kingdom."--Norwich, 1830. Hiem. p. 251.] {229}

* * * * *

CHAPTER II.

COUNCIL OF TRENT.

In the process of ascertaining the real state of doctrine and practice
in the worship of the Church of Rome at the present day, we must first
gain as clear and accurate a knowledge of the decree of the Council of
Trent, as its words will enable us to form. Into the character of that
Council, and of those who constituted it, our present investigation does
not lead us to inquire. It is now, I believe, generally understood, that
its decrees are binding on all who profess allegiance to the Sovereign
Roman Pontiff; and that the man would be considered to have renounced
the Roman Catholic Communion, who should professedly withhold his assent
from the doctrines there promulgated as vital, or against the oppugners
of which the Council itself pronounced an anathema.

Ecclesiastical writers[88] assure us, that the wording of the decrees of
that Council was in many cases on purpose framed ambiguously and
vaguely. The latitude, however, of the expressions employed, does not in
itself {230} of necessity imply any of those sinister and unworthy
motives to which it has been usual with many writers to attribute it. In
charity, and without any improbable assumption, it may be referred to an
honest and laudable desire of making the terms of communion as wide as
might be, with a view of comprehending within what was regarded the pale
of the Catholic Church, the greatest number of those who professed and
called themselves Christians. Be this as it may, the vagueness and
uncertainty of the terms employed, compel us in many instances to have
recourse to the actual practice of the Church of Rome, as the best
interpreter of doubtful expressions in the articles of that Council. The
decree which bears on the subject of this volume is drawn up in the
following words:--

[Footnote 88: See Mosheim, xvi. Cent. c. i. vol. iv. p. 196.
London, 1811.]

"SESSION XXV.[89]

"On the invocatio