按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
dignity of man amid the seductions and impediments of a gilded
material life。
AUTHORITIES。
Todd's Life of Cranmer； Strype's Life of Cranmer； Wood's Annals of
the Oxford University； Burnet's English Reformation； Doctor
Lingard's History of England； Macaulay's Essays； Fuller's Church
History； Gilpin's Life of Cranmer； Original Letters to Cromwell；
Hook's Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury； Butler's Book of the
Roman Catholic Church； Wordsworth's Ecclesiastical biography；
Turner's Henry VIII。； Froude's History of England； Fox's Life of
Latimer； Turner's Reign of Mary。
IGNATIUS LOYOLA。
A。D。 1491…1556
RISE AND INFLUENCE OF THE JESUITS。
Next to the Protestant Reformation itself； the most memorable moral
movement in the history of modern times was the counter…reformation
in the Roman Catholic Church； finally effected； in no slight
degree； by the Jesuits。 But it has not the grandeur or historical
significance of the great insurrection of human intelligence which
was headed by Luther。 It was a revival of the pietism of the
Middle Ages； with an external reform of manners。 It was not
revolutionary； it did not cast off the authority of the popes； nor
disband the monasteries； nor reform religious worship： it rather
tended to strengthen the power of the popes； to revive monastic
life； and to perpetuate the forms of worship which the Middle Ages
had established。 No doubt a new religions life was kindled； and
many of the flagrant abuses of the papal empire were redressed； and
the lives of the clergy made more decent； in accordance with the
revival of intelligence。 Nor did it disdain literature or art； or
any form of modern civilization； but sought to combine progress
with old ideas； it was an effort to adapt the Roman theocracy to
changing circumstances； and was marked by expediency rather than
right； by zeal rather than a profound philosophy。
This movement took place among the Latin races；the Italians；
French； and Spaniards；having no hold on the Teutonic races except
in Austria； as much Slavonic as German。 It worked on a poor
material； morally considered； among peoples who have not been
distinguished for stamina of character； earnestness； contemplative
habits； and moral elevation；peoples long enslaved； frivolous in
their pleasures； superstitious； indolent； fond of fetes；
spectacles； pictures； and Pagan reminiscences。
The doctrine of justification by faith was not unknown； even in
Italy。 It was embraced by many distinguished men。 Contarini； an
illustrious Venetian； wrote a treatise on it； which Cardinal Pole
admired。 Folengo ascribed justification to grace alone； and
Vittoria Colonna； the friend of Michael Angelo； took a deep
interest in these theological inquiries。 But the doctrine did not
spread； it was not understood by the people；it was a speculation
among scholars and doctors； which gave no alarm to the Pope。 There
was even an attempt at internal reform under Paul III。 of the
illustrious family of the Farnese； successor of Leo X。 and Clement
VII。； the two renowned Medicean popes。 He made cardinals of
Contarini； Caraffa； Sadoleto； Pole； Giberto；all imbued with
reformative doctrines； and very religious； and these good men
prepared a plan of reform and submitted it to the Pope； which
ended； however； only in new monastic orders。
It was then that Ignatius Loyola appeared upon the stage； when
Luther was in the midst of his victories； and when new ideas were
shaking the pontifical throne。 The desponding successor of the
Gregorys and the Clements knew not where to look for aid in that
crisis of peril and revolution。 The monastic orders composed his
regular army； but they had become so corrupted that they had lost
the reverence of the people。 The venerable Benedictines had ceased
to be men of prayer and contemplation as in the times of Bernard
and Anselm； and were revelling in their enormous wealth。 The
cloisters of Cluniacs and Cisterciansbranches of the
Benedictineswere filled with idle and dissolute monks。 The
famous Dominicans and Franciscans； who had rallied to the defence
of the Papacy three centuries before；those missionary orders that
had filled the best pulpits and the highest chairs of philosophy in
the scholastic age；had become inexhaustible subjects of sarcasm
and mockery； for they were peddling relics and indulgences； and
quarrelling among themselves。 They were hated as inquisitors；
despised as scholastics； and deserted as preachers； the roads and
taverns were filled with them。 Erasmus laughed at them； Luther
abused them； and the Pope reproached them。 No hope from such men
as these； although they had once been renowned for their missions；
their zeal； their learning； and their preaching。
At this crisis Loyola and his companions volunteered their
services； and offered to go wherever the Pope should send them； as
preachers； or missionaries； or teachers； instantly； without
discussion； conditions； or rewards。 So the Pope accepted them；
made them a new religions Order； and they did what the Mendicant
Friars had done three hundred years before；they fanned a new
spirit； and rapidly spread over Europe； over all the countries to
which Catholic adventurers had penetrated； and became the most
efficient allies that the popes ever had。
This was in 1540； six years after the foundation of the Society of
Jesus had been laid on the Mount of Martyrs； in the vicinity of
Paris； during the pontificate of Paul III。 Don Inigo Lopez de
Recalde Loyola； a Spaniard of noble blood and breeding； at first a
page at the court of King Ferdinand； then a brave and chivalrous
soldier； was wounded at the siege of Pampeluna。 During a slow
convalescence； having read all the romances he could find； he took
up the 〃Lives of the Saints；〃 and became fired with religious zeal。
He immediately forsook the pursuit of arms； and betook himself
barefooted to a pilgrimage。 He served the sick in hospitals； he
dwelt alone in a cavern； practising austerities； he went as a
beggar on foot to Rome and to the Holy Land； and returned at the
age of thirty…three to begin a course of study。 It was while
completing his studies at Paris that he conceived and formed the
〃Society of Jesus。〃
From that time we date the counter…reformation。 In fifty years
more a wonderful change took place in the Catholic Church； wrought
chiefly by the Jesuits。 Yea； in sixteen years from that eventful
nightwhen far above the star…lit city the enthusiastic Loyola had
bound his six companions with irrevocable vowshe had established
his Society in the confidence and affection of Catholic Europe；
against the voice of universities； the fears of monarchs； and the
jealousy of the other monastic orders。 In sixteen years； this
ridiculed and wandering Spanish zealot had risen to a condition of
great influence and dignity； second only in power to the Pope
himself； animating the councils of the Vatican； moving the minds of
kings； controlling the souls of a numerous fraternity； and making
his influence felt in every corner of the world。 Before the
remembrance of his passionate eloquence； his eyes of fire； and his
countenance of seraphic piety had passed away from the minds of his
own generation； his disciples 〃had planted their missionary
stations among Peruvian mines； in the marts of the African slave…
trade； among the islands of the Indian Ocean； on the coasts of
Hindustan； in the cities of Japan and China； in the recesses of
Canadian forests； amid the wilds of the Rocky Mountains。〃 They had
the most important chairs in the universities； they were the
confessors of monarchs and men of rank； they had the control of the
schools of Italy； France； Austria； and Spain； and they had become
the most eloquent； learned； and fashionable preachers in all
Catholic countries。 They had grown to be a great institution；an
organization instinct with life； a mechanism endued with energy and
will； forming a body which could outwatch Argus with his hundred
eyes； and outwork Briareus with his hundred arms； they had twenty
thousand eyes open upon every cabinet； every palace； and every
private family in Catholic Europe； and twenty thousand arms
extended over the necks of every sovereign and all their subjects；…
…a mighty moral and spiritual power； irresponsible； irresistible；
omnipresent； connected intimately with the education； the learning；
and the religion of the age； yea； the prime agents in political
affairs； the prop alike of absolute monarchies and of the papal
throne； whose interests they made identical。 This association；
instinct with one will and for one purpose； has been beautifully
likened by Doctor Williams to the chariot in the Prophet's vision：
〃The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels； wherever the
living creatures went； the wheels went with them； wherever those
stood； these stood： when the living creatures were li