fierce contention of the two councils of Basil and Florence. Eugenius IV. was at the head of the Florentine assembly, and Felix V. gave authority to the decisions of the council of Basil. The cause of Eugenius was adopted by a large majority of the faithful, though a respectable number adhered to the Basilian faction. On this side were ranged many learned academies, together with the University of Paris, a community that has ever made a most important figure in the history of the church, and even in the civil affairs of the French nation.* This council, though it was not considered as dissolved, suspended its labours in the year 1443. The council of Florence directed its efforts to unite, once more, the Greek and Latin churches, and these. efforts, principally through the influence of the Cardinal Bessarion, were attended with a temporary and partial success. The council ended in 1442, but the ungovernable Greeks shortly afterwards revolted against their own decisions,

* See the valuable Chronicles of Froissart and Monstrelet, passim. I will not let this opportunity escape me, of contributing my mite of acknowledgment to the spirited and useful exertions of the London booksellers, in republishing, as they have done, and are still doing, at an incredible expense, all the old and established Chronicles of our early writers and historians. Nor should the meed of praise be withheld from Mr. Johnes, for the great labour he has taken in giving to the world faithful translations of the most approved French Chronicles. In this feeble testimony, I shall be gratefully joined by every real friend to the literature of this country.

and the spiritual war broke out afresh, headed by Marcus Eugenius, the metropolitan of Ephe. sus, who had never yielded his assent to the decisions of the council of Florence. In this opposition he stood singly, all the rest of the Greek bishops acknowledging that the Latins had proved all the "five points"* of discussion. They were: 1st. The procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son, as well as from the Father. 2d. The addition of the word Filioque, inserted in the symbol. Sd. The state of departed souls before the general judgment. 4th, The use of leavened bread in the Eucharist : and, 5th. The primacy of the Roman See. Perhaps, this last point was considered, at least, by the Latins, of the greatest importance of all. Probably, it may be thought necessary to advert to the other four in another place.

Marcus, of Ephesus, as has just been observed, again raised the standard of revolt, and contrived to bring over several of the bishops to retract their signature and dissolve the union. In this new quarrel, the emperor does not appear to have taken part with the advocates for peace and union. He, however, appointed a public disputation, in which Marcus, of Ephesus,

*It is to be feared this is an unfortunate number in the arithmetic of theological disputants. We all know The Five Points so ably discussed among Protestants by the learned Whitby.

and Bartolomeo, of Florence, took the most active part. Both sides claimed the victory; nor did the death of the Ephesian metropolitan, which happened rather suddenly, put an end to the quarrel. Marcus, in his last moments, insisted that no one who had consented to the union should pray to God for him, or assist at his funeral.* This unnatural schism was never healed. In 1452, every thing was again thrown into disorder, and an open and perpetual separation took place. Before this time, Thomas de Sarzano, bishop of Bologna, had succeeded to the pontifical chair, and taken the name and title of Nicholas V. This prelate has ever ranked high in the estimation of good and wise men of all parties. Felix, the anti-pope, very prudently, or forced by the power of the Emperor Frederick, resigned his pretensions, and quietly returned to his favourite hermitage at Ripaille.

Amidst all these bickerings and this afflicting schism, the work of reformation gained little or no ground. The hearts of the reflecting and the pious sunk within them when they foresaw the evils which these endless animosities, and the consequent immorality and laxity of discipline, were bringing upon the Church. The disorders of the clergy had now grown to an enormous pitch; the German clergy, in parti

* Reeve's History of the Church, iii. p. 28.

cular, are mentioned as notoriously disgraceful. This melancholy state of affairs is thus lamented by the excellent Cardinal Julian : "These disorders excite the people's hatred against the whole ecclesiastical order, and should they not be corrected, it is to be feared, lest the laity, like the Hussites, fall foul on the clergy, as they loudly threaten us." If the clergy of Germany were not speedily reformed, he foretold, that to the heresy of Bohemia, though it were extinguished, another still more dangerous would succeed; "for it will be said," he proceeds, "that the clergy are incorrigible, and will apply no remedy to their disorders." "When they shall find no hopes left of our amendment, then will they fall foul upon The minds of men are big with expectation of what measures will be taken, and they seem full ripe for something tragical. The rancour they have imbibed against us becomes manifest: they will soon think it an agreeable sacrifice to God to plunder and abuse ecclesiastics, as abandoned to extreme disorders, and hateful to God and man. The now but small remains of respect to the sacred order, will shortly be extinguished. The blame of all these abuses will be thrown on the Court of Rome, which will be reckoned the sole cause thereof," because it neglected to apply the necessary remedy. This great cardinal afterwards speaks still more emphatically: "I see the axe is at the root, the tree begins

us.

to bend, and instead of propping it, whilst we may, we hasten on its fall." He foresees a speedy desolation in the German clergy. The desire of taking from them their temporal goods, was to be the first spring of motion: "Bodies and souls," says he, "will perish together. God hides from us the prospect of our dangers, as he is used to do with those he designs to punish; we see the fire enkindled before us, and yet run headlong into it."* Thus writes this faithful spiritual watchman to Pope Eugenius IV. How strikingly his prognostications and fears were realized, the Reformation, begun by Luther, early in the succeeding cen- . tury, fully, and in many instances, painfully, demonstrated.

Besides the just fears of the discerning, on account of the danger to which the Church was daily exposing herself from the immorality of her clergy and people, a source of grief had long flowed from the ridicule and sneers of numerous licentious and satirical authors, who failed not to observe with severity on the conduct of the clergy. In the early part of the 14th century, the bold and daring Dante, described the Vicars of Christ as living in the infernal regions. Petrarca, no very long time afterwards, identified

* Ep. I. Julia. Card. ad Eug. IV. inter Op. Æn. Silv. pp. 66-76, as cited in Bossuet's Variations, &c. i. p. 2, 3.