The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

S80FAITH NOT TO BE KEPT WITH HERETICS.solved from their oath of allegiance the subjects of hereticalprinces.The Council of Constance, which was holden in 1414; expresslydecreed that no faith was to be kept with heretics.The words of this decree, as preserved by M. KEnfant, inhis learned history of that famous council, are, that " by nolaw, natural or divine, is it obligatory to keep faith withheretics, to the prejudice of the Catholic faith."*This fearfuldoctrine the council ratified in a manner not less fearful,in the blood of John Huss. It is well known that this reformercame to the council trusting in a safe-conduct, whichhad been given him under the hand of the Emperor Sigismund.The document in the amplest terms guaranteedthe safety of Huss, in his journey to Constance, in his staythere, and in his return home. Notwithstanding, he wasseized, imprisoned, condemned, and burnt alive, at the instigationof the council, by the very man who had so solemnlyguaranteed his safety.When the Council of Trent assembled in the sixteenthcentury, it was exceedingly desirous of obtaining the presenceof the Protestants at its deliberations. Accordingly,it issued numerous equivocal safe-conducts, all of which theProtestants, mindful of the fate of Huss, rejected. At lastthe council decreed, that for thistime, and in this instance,the safe-conduct should not be violated, and that no " authority,power, statute, or decree, and especially that of theCouncil of Constance and Siena," should be employed againstthem. In this enactment of the Council of Trent, canons,decrees, and laws, to the prejudice of safe-conducts to heretics,are expressly recognised as already existing. Thesedecrees are not revoked or abjured by the council ;only suspended for the time,— " pro hac vice."they areThis is a plaindeclaration, that on all other occasions Rome means to actupon them, and will, whenever she has the power. There* " Noc aliqua sibi fides, aut promissio de jure naturali, divino, et humano,fuerit in prcjudicium Catholicse fidei observanda."