Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/151

 things which have been hitherto ordained and decreed by this sacred œcumenical council.  BULL FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT, UNDER THE SOVEREIGN PONTIFF PIUS IV.

PaulPius [sic], bishop, servant of the servants of God, unto the perpetual memory hereof.

On being called, by the condescension alone of God, to the government of the Church, although unequal to so great a burthen, forthwith casting the eyes of our mind around, over every part of the Christian commonwealth, and beholding, not without great horror, how far and wide the pestilence of heresies and schism had penetrated, and how much correction the morals of the Christian people lacked,—we began, according to the duty of our office received, to apply our care and thoughts to the means of extirpating the said heresies, and of doing away with so great and so pernicious a schism, and of amending morals so much corrupted and depraved. But whereas we understood that, for the healing of these evils, that remedy was the most suitable which this Holy See had been accustomed to apply, we formed the resolution of convoking, and, with God's help, celebrating, an œcumenical and general council. That council had indeed been already indicted by our predecessors, Paul III., of happy memory, and by Julius, his successor; but, having been often hindered and interrupted from various causes, it could not be brought to a conclusion. For Paul indeed, after having indicted it first for the city of Mantua, then for Vicenza, he, for reasons expressed in his letters, first of all suspended, and afterwards transferred it to Trent. Then, after the time of its celebration had been, for certain reasons, then also postponed, at length, the suspension having been removed, it was begun in the said city of Trent. But, after a few sessions had been held, and certain decrees made, the said council afterwards, for certain reasons, the Apostolic See also consenting, transferred itself to Bologna. But Julius, who succeeded him, recalled it to the same city of Trent, at which time certain other decrees were made. But whereas fresh tumults were raised in the neighbouring parts of Germany, and a most fierce war was kindled up in Italy and