There have been shortcomings since Trent, because the church has her human as well as her divine element, and heresies and scandals, it was foretold by her divine Founder, must come; but, by far, not so many as before it. The contrast between the ease with which Pius IX. convokes a general council and the difficulties with which his predecessors had to contend in the sixteenth century, is so plain as to require no comment, and, at the same time, affords striking evidence of the efficacy of the work done at Trent. It was a great work, in every sense of the word. It met from the beginning with great difficulties, which were overcome by equal constancy; it was devised and executed by men great in learning, prudence, and zeal; it effected a reaction in favor of Catholicity than which there never occurred "one on a larger scale in the annals of mankind;"[17] it thoroughly purified the church from wretched and inveterate abuses; it revived a spirit of sanctity that emulated the palmiest days of the church; and it has handed down to us the boon of pure faith and strict observance which our unfortunate opponents cannot but admire, even though they attempt to decry it. While Protestantism was pulling down, the council built up on a sure foundation; and its work has been lasting. Through the lapse of three centuries the grateful church has ever re-echoed, as she re-echoes at this day, the acclamation of the Cardinal of Lorraine, "The sacred ecumenical Council of Trent--let us profess its faith; let us always observe its decrees. _Semper confiteamur, semper servemus._" FOOTNOTES: [2] Pallavicini. _Historia Conc. Trid. Apparatus._ Chap. 1, § 4. We quote from the Latin translation of F. Giattini, S.J. [3] _Sermons on the Failure of Protestantism._ Sermon v. [4] Introd. to _The Literature of Europe_. Part ii. ch. 2, §§ 7, 8. [5] Pallav. Lib. v. c. 17, § 8. [6] Lib. xi. c. 6, § 4. [7] Lib. xiv. c. 9, § 5. [8] Pallav. Lib. xxiv. c. 9, § 5.