On & Against the Council of Trent

“Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.  But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all;”

Mt. 12:14-15

“Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death;”

Mt. 26:59

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.”

Acts 5:41

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Order of Contents

Articles  3+
Books  8
History  5
Not Valid  3
Doctrines  5
Latin  2


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Articles

1500’s

Fabricius Montanus, Johannes – An Oration…  whereby he teaches that Christian Men Cannot Resort to the Council of Trent without Committing an Heinous Offence  ([London] 1562)  59 pp.

Fabricius (1527-1566) was a German reformed minister, neo-Latin poet and a polymath.  When the plague broke out in Chur, he refused to abandon his community; eventually he became a victim of the plague himself.

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1600’s

Heidegger, Johann H. – ‘Bulls, Chapters & Canons of the Council of Trent’ (1667-1670)  in Various Disputations  tr. by AI by Onku  (d. 1698), pp. 210-27  Latin

Ramsay, William – The Tridentine-Gospel, or Papal Creed made at Trent & Promulgated at Rome by Pope Pius IV: Exhibited & Demonstrated to be New, Heterodox & Antichristian: in a Sermon  (London, 1672)  30 pp.

Ramsay was previously a Romanist priest, professor of philosophy, a missionary preacher of the Franciscans, but then converted and became a minister in the Church of England.

* Turretin, Francis – Q. 33, ‘Does it Belong to the Roman Pontiff to Proclaim & Gather Church Councils, to Preside Over Them & to Confer Upon Them Infallible Authority in Doctrines of Faith & Religion?  And is the Council of Trent to be Accepted?  We Deny Against the Romanists.’  in Institutes, vol. 3, 18th Topic, ‘The Church’, pp. 306-16


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Books

1500’s

* Calvin, John – Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote

Flacius Illyricus, Matthias – A Godly & Necessary Admonition of the Decrees & Canons of the Counsel of Trent…  written for those godly disposed persons’ sakes which look for amendment of doctrine & ceremonies to be made by general counsels  (London [1564])  125 pp.

Flacius (1520-1575) was a Lutheran theologian who held to the error of utter depravity (contra the total depravity of reformed theology).

* Chemnitz, Martin – Examination of the Council of Trent, vol. 1 (Scripture, Traditions, Original Sin, Concupiscence, Immaculate Conception, Free Will, Justification, Faith, Good Works), 2 (Sacraments, Confirmation, Eucharist, Both Kinds, Mass, Extreme Unction, Orders, Marriage), 3, 4  in Chemnitz’s Works, vols. 1-4  (1566; Concordia, 1971)  ToC 1, 2, 3, 4

Chemnitz (1522-1586) was a major second generation, German, Lutheran theologian.  This work has been a standard, even in the eyes of the Reformed.

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1600’s

Burton, Henry – Truth’s Triumph Over Trent: or, the Great Gulf Between Sion & Babylon, that is, the Unreconcileable Opposition Between the Apostolic Church of Christ & the Apostate Synagogue of Antichrist, in the Main & Fundamental Doctrine of Justification, for which the Church of England, Christ’s Spouse, has Justly, through God’s Mercy for these Many Years, according to Christ’s Voice, Separated Herself from Babylon, with whom from henceforth she must Hold No Communion  (London, 1629)

Burton (bap.1578-1648) was an English, Independent puritan.

Ranchin, Guillaume – A Review of the Council of Trent, wherein are contained the several nullities of it: with the many grievances & prejudices done by it to Christian Kings & Princes: as also to all Catholic Churches in the world; & more particularly to the Gallican [French] Church. First writ in French by a Learned Roman-Catholic  (Oxford [1638])

Ranchin (1560-1605)

De Luzancy, Hippolyte du Chastelet – Reflections on the Council of Trent in Three Discourses  (Oxford, 1679)

De Luzancy (d. 1713) was an Oxford scholar.

Stratford, Nicholas – The Necessity of Reformation with Respect to the Errors & Corruptions of the Church of Rome, the Second Part: wherein is showed the Vanity of the Pretended Reformation of the Council of Trent & of R.H.’s Vindication of it in his Fifth Discourse concerning the Guide in Controversies  (London, 1686)  ToC

Stratford (1633-1707)

Stillingfleet, Edward – The Council of Trent Examined & Disproved by Catholic Tradition in the Main Points in Controversy Between us & the Church of Rome, with a Particular Account of the Times & Occasions of Introducing Them: Part 1: to which a Preface is Prefixed Concerning the True Sense of the Council of Trent & the Notion of Transubstantiation  (London, 1688)  163 pp.

Stillingfleet (1635-1699) was an Anglican apologist, bishop, theologian and scholar.  He was considered an outstanding preacher.

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1700’s

Shuttleworth, Humphrey – Lectures on the Creed of Pope Pius IV: or the Trent Confession of Faith: wherein the Arguments of Cardinal Bellarmine & Other Approved Writers of the Roman Church, in Vindication of the Principal Tenets of Popery, as Distinguished from Primitive Christianity, are Examined & Confuted  (London, 1785)  ToC

Shuttleworth appears to have been an Anglican.


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On the History of the Council of Trent

Article

1800’s

* Cunningham, William – ch. 18, ‘The Council of Trent’  in Historical Theology, vol. 1, pp. 483-95

Cunningham was a minister and professor in the Free Church of Scotland.

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Books

1600’s

Sarpi, Paolo – The History of the Council of Trent, Containing Eight Books. In which (besides the ordinary acts of the Council) are Declared Many Notable Occurrences which Happened in Christendom during the space of Forty Years & More. And particularly the practices of the Court of Rome to hinder the Reformation of their Errors & to Maintain their Greatness  (London, 1629)  862 pp.

Sarpi (1552-1623) was a Romanist, Venetian historian, prelate, scientist, canon lawyer and statesman active on behalf of the Venetian Republic during the period of its successful defiance of the papal interdict (1605–1607) and its war (1615–1617) with Austria over the Uskok pirates.  His writings, frankly polemical and highly critical of the Roman Church and its Scholastic tradition, “inspired both Hobbes and Edward Gibbon in their own historical debunkings of priestcraft.”

Jurieu, Pierre – The History of the Council of Trent is Eight Books: whereunto is prefixed a discourse containing historical reflections on councils, & particularly on the conduct of the Council of Trent, proving that the Protestants are not obliged to submit thereto  (London, 1684)  590 pp.

Jurieu (1637-1713) was a French reformed minister.  He was called ‘the Goliath of the Protestants’ by Romanists.

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2000’s

eds. Francois, Wim & Violet Soen – The Council of Trent: Reform & Controversy in Europe & Beyond (1545-1700), vol. 1 (Between Trent, Rome & Wittenburg), 2 (Between Bishops & Princes)  Pre 1, 2  (V&R, 2018)  ToC 1, 2

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Latin Book

1600’s

Heidegger, Johann H. – The Mound of the Council of Trent…  where is a Historical-Theological Anatomy of the Council of Trent…  vol. 12  (Zurich: Gessner, 1690)  ToC 12


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The Council of Trent was Not a Valid Council

Articles

Jewel, John – ‘An Epistle Written…  to Seignior Scipeo, a Venetian Gentleman, in Answer to a Letter of his in which he complains of the Kingdom of England for their not appearing in the Council of Trent, nor excusing their Absence by Letters’  in Jewel, The Apology of the Church of England…  (d. 1571; London, 1685), pp. 147-196

Jewel (1522-1571) was an important, reformed bishop in the Church of England and controversialist.

* Turretin, Francis – Q. 33, ‘Does it Belong to the Roman Pontiff to Proclaim & Gather Church Councils, to Preside Over Them & to Confer Upon Them Infallible Authority in Doctrines of Faith & Religion?  And is the Council of Trent to be Accepted?  We Deny Against the Romanists.’  in Institutes, vol. 3, 18th Topic, ‘The Church’, pp. 306-16

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Book

1600’s

de Vargas Mejia, Francisco, et al – The Council of Trent No Free Assembly, More Fully Discovered by a Collection of Letters & Papers of the Learned Dr. Vargas & other Great Ministers who assisted at the Said Synod in Considerable Posts: Published from the Original Manuscripts in Spanish…  with an Introductory Discourse concerning Councils, showing how they were brought under Bondage to the Pope  tr. Michael Geddes  (d. 1560; London, 1697)  247 pp.

de Vargas Meija (1484-1560)


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Trent on Specific Doctrines

Unwritten Traditions

Chemnitz, Martin – A Discovery & Battery of the Great Fort of Unwritten Traditions, Otherwise an Examination of the Council of Trent Touching the Decree of Traditions  (London, 1582)  79 pp.  ToC

Chemnitz (1522-1586) was a major second generation, German, Lutheran theologian.

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Auricular Confession

Goodman, John – A Discourse concerning Auricular Confession as it is Prescribed by the Council of Trent & Practiced in the Church of Rome: with a Postscript on Occasion of a Book lately Printed in France called Historia Confessionis auricularis [The History of Auricular Confession]  (London, 1684)  56 pp.

Goodman (c.1625-1690) was an Anglican.

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Worship of Images

Whitby, Daniel – The Fallibility of the Roman Church Demonstrated from the Manifest Error of the 2nd Nicene & Trent Councils, which assert that the Veneration & Honorary Worship of Images is a Tradition Primitive & Apostolical  (London, 1687)  79 pp.

Whitby (c.1637-1726) was an Arminian Anglican minister.

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Transubstantiation

Stillingfleet, Edward – Preface  in The Council of Trent Examined…  to which a Preface is Prefixed concerning the True Sense of the Council of Trent & the Notion of Transubstantiation  (London, 1688), pp. i-xxiii

Stillingfleet (1635-1699) was an Anglican apologist, bishop, theologian and scholar.  He was considered an outstanding preacher.

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Taking the Cup from the People

Whitby, Daniel – A Demonstration that the Church of Rome & her Councils have Erred by Showing that the Councils of Constance, Basil & Trent have, in all their Decrees Touching Communion in One Kind, Contradicted the Received Doctrine of the Church of Christ. With an appendix, in answer to the 21st Chapter of the Author of A Papist Misrepresented & Represented  (London [1688])  110 pp.

Whitby (c.1637-1726) was an Arminian Anglican minister.

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Latin Books

1500’s

Chemnitz, Martin – Examination of the Council of Trent…  [with] A Chemnitzian Vindication adjoined against Papists, especially against Bellarmine, to the Heel  ed. Preuss  (1566; Berlin: Schlawitz, 1861)  1050 pp.  ToC  Indices: Subject, Scripture

Chemnitz (1522-1586) was a major second generation, German, Lutheran theologian.

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Editor’s Preface  v
Chemnitz’s Dedication  ix
Narration of the  Nicean Synod  xiv
Part 1

Chemnitz’s Preface  1
1. Sacred Scripture  4
2. Traditions  69
3. Original Sin  99
4. Concupiscence  106
5. (Immaculate) Conception of Mary  120
6. Works of Unbelievers  122
7. Free Choice  129
8. Justification  144
9. Faith  175
10. Good Works  199

Part 2

Chemnitz’s Dedication  219
1. Sacraments in General  225
2. Baptism  264
3. Confirmation  284
4. Sacrament of Eucharist  298
5. Communion under each Kind  342
6. Mass  381
7. Penance  424
8. Contrition  436
9. Confession  440
10. Absolution  453
11. Satisfaction  456
12. Extreme Unction  464
13. Sacrament of Order  473
14. Marriage  488

Part 3

Chemnitz’s Dedication  509
1. Celibacy & Virginity  515
2. Celibacy of Priests  558
3. Purgatory  601
4. Invocation & Veneration of Saints  654

Part 4

Chemnitz’s Dedication  743
1. Relics of Saints  749
2. Images  761
3. Indulgences  797
4. Love of Foods & of Fastings  841
5. Feasts  908
Conclusion of Chemnitz  918
Addition of Chemnitz  919

Part 5

Editor’s Preface  923
Life of Chemnitz by Editor  925
History of the Publishing of the Book  959
Tract on the Immaculate, Passive Conception of Mary  965-1024

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1600’s

Heidegger, Johann H. – The Mound of the Council of Trent…  where is a Historical-Theological Anatomy of the Council of Trent…  vol. 12  (Zurich: Gessner, 1690)  ToC 12

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