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CHAP.

Charles V vol. ii. Pr

the elector of Saxony, to send that seditious monk a I. prisoner to Rome, or to banish him out of his territories. But the elector, who had secretly protected Hist. of Luther, from political motives, now with less reserve, but under various pretexts, and with many profes- 121. sions of esteem for the cardinal, as well as reverence for the pope, not only declined complying with either of his requests, but openly discovered great concern for Luther's safety.

44. A new legate was now appointed by the court Eccl. of Rome. This was Miltitz, who held three con- tory, vol. iv. p. 38. ferences with Luther, two in the year 1519, and one in 1520. In these conferences, Luther manifestly discovered the gross darkness and superstition under which he still lay, and that his conduct was influenced by a spirit of animosity and resentment against the Dominicans with whom he had the quarrel. 45. "For he not only offered to observe a profound ibid. 'silence for the future, with respect to indulgences, 'provided the same conditions were imposed on his 'adversaries, but he went still farther; he proposed • writing an humble and submissive letter to the pope, [which he accordingly did,] acknowledging that • he had carried his zeal and animosity too far."

46. "He even consented to publish a circular let⚫ter, exhorting all his disciples and followers to reverence and obey the dictates of the holy Roman church. He declared, that his only intention, in the writings he had composed, was to brand with infamy those emissaries who abused its authority, and employed its protection as a mask to cover ⚫ their abominable and impious frauds."

p. 41.

47. "Had the court of Rome been prudent enough ibid. to have accepted of the submission made by Luther, P. 42. they would have almost nipped in the bud the cause of the Reformation, or would, at least, have considerably retarded its growth and progress."

48. "But the flaming and excessive zeal [or animosity] of some inconsiderate bigots, renewed the divisions, which were so near being healed, and, by animating both Luther and his followers-promoted the principles, and augmented the spirit, Cc

CHAP.

II.

'which produced, at length, the blessed Reformation." Such is the testimony of our historian.

49. But the fact was, that the flaming and excessive zeal or animosity, of those inconsiderate bigots who animated Luther and his followers, promoted the principles, and augmented the spirit, which produced, at length, an innumerable spawn of heresies, seditions, tumults, blood and carnage, and every evil work.

50. Thus the first means of reforming the church went on, and was promoted from one degree of animosity and contention to another, until the Reformation was completed by a grand division between papists and protestants.

Feel. His

IV. p. 43.

ONE

CHAPTER II.

The Subject continued.

NE of the circumstances that contributed, principly, to render the conferences of Miltitz with Luther ineffectual, was a famous controversy carried on at Leipsic, several weeks successively, in the year 1519, between a Catholic doctor named Eckius, and Luther and Carlostadt his colleague and companion.

2. "The military genius, of our ancestors (says mory, vol. Mosheim,) had so far infected the schools of learning, that differences in point of religion or literature, when they grew to a certain degree of warmth and animosity, were decided, like the quarrels of valiant knights, by a single combat. Some famous 'university was pitched upon as the field of battle, while the rector and professors beheld the contest, and proclaimed the victory."

3. Eckius, therefore, in compliance with the spirit of this fighting age, challenged Carlostadt and Luther to try the force of his theological arms. The challenge was accepted, the day appointed, and the three champions appeared in the field.

4. Cartostadt disputed with Eckius concerning the

11.

iv. p. 44. Note [.]

powers and freedom of the human will. Luther CHAP. disputed concerning the church of Rome; that in earlier ages it was not superior to other churches, Eccl.Hi and combated his antagonist from the authority of the tory, vol. fathers, and from the decrees of the Nicene council. 5. These disputes were carried on from the 25th of June, to the 15th of July following. Luther's cause was left undecided, both were confirmed in their own opinions, and both parties boasted of having obtained the victory.

6. In the mean time, the dissentions increased, instead of diminishing. For while Miltitz was treating with Luther in Saxony, and the fairest prospect of accommodation was offered, as has been observed, Eckius hastened to Rome, and entered into a league with the Dominicans, who were in high credit at the papal court, and entreated LEO to excommunicate Luther from the communion of the church.

ibid.

P. 43. Hist af vol. i. p.

Note [b.]

Charles

125.

Eccl. His

tory, vol.

iv. p. 49.

ibid.

7. The Dominicans, desirous of revenging the affront which their order had received by Luther's P. “0. treatment of Tetzel, used their utmost endeavours to have the request of Eckius granted.

vol. . p.

8. The request was granted; and the Roman pon- Hist. of tiff issued out a bull against LUTHER, dated the 15th Charles of June, 1520, in which all persons are forbidden to 127. read his writings, and he is again summoned to confess and retract his errors within the space of sixty days; and if he did not, is pronounced an obstinate heretic; is excommunicated, and delivered unto satan for the destruction of his flesh.

P. 125.

9. In some cities, the people violently obstructed ibid. the promulgation of the bull; in others, the persons who attempted to publish it were insulted, and the bull itself was torn in pieces, and trodden under foot.

10. LUTHER, who, but a little while before, had declared that his only intention in the writings he had composed, was to brand with infamy those emissaries, who abused the authority of the holy Roman church, now boldly declared the pope to be that man of sin, or Antichrist, whose appearance was foretold in the New-Testament. He declaimed against his tyranny and usurpations with greater violence than ever, and exhorted the princes to shake off that ignominious yoke.

CHAP

11.

Hist. of

128.

11. LEO having, in execution of the bull, appointed Luther's books to be burnt at Rome, he, by way of retaliation, (being evidently actuated by the same Charles V spirit of fury and resentment which influenced his adversaries,) assembled all the professors and students of the university of Wittemberg, on the 10th of December 1520, without the walls of the city, and with great pomp, in presence of a vast multitude of spectators, cast the volumes of the canon law, together with the bull of excommunication into the flames; and his example was imitated in several cities in Germany.

Rec). His.

v. p. 52.

12. On the 6th of January, 1521, a second bull was tory, vol. issued out against Luther, by which he was expelled from the communion of the church. Thus Luther furiously opposed the power of the pope, and as furiously did the pope expel him from the communion of the church.

ibid. p. 51.

13. "It is not improbable, (says Mosheim,) that Luther was directed, in this critical measure, by 'persons skilled, [not in the gospel, but] in the

law, who are generally dextrous in furnishing a 'perplexed client with nice distinctions and plausible 'evasions. Be that as it may, (continues the doctor) 'he separated himself only from the Church of Rome, which considers the pope as infallible, and not from the church, considered in a more extensive sense; for he submitted to the decision of the universal "[or catholic church."

14. Therefore he still belonged, and professed to belong, to that corrupt church established by Constantine, from which the Papists originated, and to which the Protestants have uniformly with them, claimed an equal relation.

15. Here then was at length effected, that grand division in the catholic or universal church, first between LUTHER and LEO, and consequently between the parties who espoused the cause of each.

16. It now remained to be decided who should have the pre-eminence; for each had his claim, the first under a pretence of reforming the corruptions of the church, and reclaiming its members from a preposterous hierarchy; and the second under pre

II.

tence of holding, by a lawful succession, the keys of CHAP. St. Peter, as Christ's vicar upon earth.

17. The true and genuine gospel of Jesus Christ was never preached with quarrelling, and wrangling, and animosity, nor protected in shedding blood with the sword; but with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and the fruits of that Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, and such like; to the whole of which, every proceeding of the Reformation, stood in direct opposition from the beginning.

18. Nay more, the first reformers, had sufficient reason for not pretending to be influenced by that Spirit of goodness, for otherwise their conduct would immediately have discovered to the eyes of every beholder, the falsity of their pretensions.*

jv. P 26,

63.

19. But Luther being now expelled from the good Eccl.Hi old mother church, (as Mosheim calls her) instead of tory, vol. being intimidated by the laws which she enacted 41 & 52, against him," they led him to form the project of 'founding a church upon principles entirely opposite 'to those of Rome." And this is not all, they led him to establish in it, a system of doctrines and ecclesiastical discipline, agreeable to the suggestions of his own natural sagacity.

20. For to urge that the first reformers had no divine commission, and were conducted only by the suggestions of their natural sagacity, as Protestant writers have done, and at the same time to pretend that they conducted agreeable to the spirit and precepts of the gospel of truth, is a palpable contradiction, and only acting the hypocrite under the sacred names of God and Christ.

*Every wise and candid person will feel it a matter of the first importance to examine, with the utmost care and attention, that foundation on which he is called to build his hope of happiness hereafter. Let such view the effects of that system produced by the first reformers; let him carefully examine that foundation upon which all the protestant sectaries throughout the world have built their jarring edifices, from whi h they have drawn their clashing creeds, and let him judge the work by its effects. On a fair examination of their procecdings there appears scarcely room for a plea of sincerity in their favour but granting that they were even sincere, the best apology that can be made in their behalf is, that the dark power of Antichrist had covered the earth, and gross darkness had blinded the eyes of the most sincere among them. While they were united to that kingdoin whose works were contention and strife, they must have been grossly deceived to imagine that they were the subjects of the Prince of Peace. As the fruit is the best evidence of the nature of the tree which produced it; so the ungodly practices of the divided and contentious pro testant sectaries are the true witnesses of the source from whence they sprung.

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