If Peter the Hermit was remarkable as an indivi dual, for the effects which he produced on the opinions and conduct of men, the Jesuits were not less so as A society. The order now mentioned was founded by Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish gentleman, about the year 1540. It'diffcred in many respects from all the other monastic institutions; its form of government, or eccle siastical rule, was peculiar to itself; a great proportion of its members were trained to business, as well as to literature ; and, instead of cultivating retirement, it was, from the beginning, a chief part of their duty to mingle with the world.
Loyola was equal to any of his predecessors in monk ish austerity. lie suffered his hair to grow, and che rished his nails to an extraordinary length; he begged from door to door:—fasted, according to the statement of his biographer, six days in the week—whipped him self often—lay upon the ground without bedding—and spent seven hours of cacti day " in vocal prayer." To the austerity of the monk, he added the usual portion of fanatical zeal. Ile undertook a pilgrimage to Jeru salem—a circumstance which seems to have been ne cessary, in those days, to form the character of a per fect saint ; and, in the course of his journey, he had many visions and miraculous adventures. Some say he had more than the requisite number of personal conflicts with the devil. His chief ambition, however, was to become the founder of a religious community. For this purpose, he produced a plan, or order, suggested, as he affirmed, by immediate inspiration ; and hastening to p, orne, presented it to the pope for his acceptance. Paul III. who at that time filled the chair of St Peter, appear ed at first inclined to reject the proposal of the zealous monk. Loyola, however, recommended his plan by an offer too powerful to be resisted. Besides the three monastic vows, of poverty, chastity, and submission to the rules of the order, he engaged, that all his followers should swear fealty and devoted obedience to the see of Rome—that they should acknowledge themselves the servants of the *me, ready, upon the earliest significa tion of his wishes, to execute his commands, and to sup port his authority. The advantages to be derived from such an offer were instantly perceived. Paul III. im mediately confirmed the institution, endowed the society with ample privileges, and appointed Loyola himself the first general of the order.
Among the Jesuits, the ecclesiastical rule put on the appearance of a simple and unlimited monarchy. The most implicit obedience was required from all the mem bers of the society to the will of the superior. They were bound to yield up to him the very faculties and sentiments of their minds. 44 They were to listen to his injunctions as if they had been the commandments of Christ. Under his direction, they were to be mere passive instruments, like clay in the hands of the pot ter, or like dead carcasses incapable of resistance." The general himself was responsible to none but the Pope. In him were vested all the revenues and funds belong ing to the society. He nominated, without partner, and without controul, the provincials, rectors, and other functionaries of the order, and could remove them at pleasure. To him every novice was obliged to mani fest his conscience ; that is, to confess his sins and strongest propensities, and to lay open the inmost re cesses of the soul. And to him also, or to a person
whom he should choose to appoint, the reports of the subordinate societies were regularly transmitted. These reports were minute and circumstantial in the highest degree, containing exact information respecting the characters of the novices and professed members, their talents, dispositions, and prevailing tendencies, and, above all, their knowledge of human nature, and ex perience in affairs. And thus the general, placed at the head of the whole institution, could issue his orders with the most perfect propriety ; could appoint to each man his station, and to each man his reward ; could allot the chief duties to the highest abilities ; could elevate or degrade, exclude or retain.
By the fundamental principles of their constitution, the Jesuits were connected with the world, and almost necessarily involved in its business and troubles. What ever tended to promote the instruction of the ignorant; to dissemminate the true religion, either in countries already professing Christianity, or among Heathen na tions,—and whatever contributed, or might be supposed to contribute, to the interests of the holy see, formed their peculiar province and care. Hence their chief study was human nature, and their chief art lay in ma naging and directing it. Hence they allowed no pub lic transaction to take place without observation, for public transactions have much influence upon religion; and hence they attached themselves to the great and the power ful, for the time might come when their al liance and aid would be serviceable to the Pope. They cultivated learning, because they perceived its use in governing mankind ; and were riot only theologians, but grammarians, critics, mathematicians, philosophers, and poets. Within fifty years after the institution of The order, they had obtained the chief direction in the education of youth throughout all the Catholic countries or Europe. The books "in mum Delphini," form a portion or the prouf, which remain to us of their un wearied labout, and skill in the critical art. Nor w ere they satisfied with biassing the mind in eaily ; they were at the same time the spiritual guides of these more advanced it, y ears. Every prince had his con fessor, and that eonlessor was a Jesuit. In weak reigns, this functionary was superior in influence and authori ty even to the chief minister himself; and the podti clan, with all his foresight and address, was frequently constrained to yield to the intriguing skill and more successful activity of the monk. Tile whole society were closely united in promoting the interests of the order: to this paramont object all their e fforts were directed ; they corresponded with one another usually in cypher; and gave the earliest information ; they were always upon the spot, and always attentive, dextrous, and persevering. Ambition was their fault, and the cause of their ruin; they had made large acquisitions of territory and of Indian subjects in South America, and unwisely grasping at independence, they provoked the jealousy of the princes, and precipitated their fall. After a keen controversy with the Janse nists, and a considerable variety of fortune, the order was suppressed by CleMent XIV. in the year 1773.
For an account of the inquisitorial tribunals, see